Select track vs. ARM vs. Monitor - still confuses me

Can you help me understand how the Akai MPC selection of track works for the ARM feature and the Monitor feature?

I've been using the MPC since July, and so far, so good in general. I can make tracks and songs and even do them in a jam session without a break. But TBH, I still don't really, really understand how ARM and Monitor works and how the selection of a track matters.

It seems like the easiest thing to do is select one virtual instrument at a time. Have that Track ARM'd and the Monitor set to Auto. Use the Shift button when you want to use multiple virtual instruments.

But I don't grok what is really going on. And it frustrates me as I'm trying to do more things with routing and MIDI instruments.

Any tips or references to good videos or articles?

Thanks, Joe

page 140 of the manual ^^

Tap the Record Arm button to record-enable the track. When you begin MIDI recording, the MIDI events will be
recorded to this track.
Tip: You can select multiple tracks in the Track View by pressing and holding Shift while tapping the Arm button
to each track, or by changing the Rec Arm Behavior setting in the Preferences.
Use the Monitor button to set how your MIDI track will be monitored. Tapping it will cycle through its four states:
When set to Off, the track's MIDI input is not monitored, and playback of recorded events will be heard. This
setting is useful when using keyboards with Local Control active.
When set to In, the track's MIDI input is always monitored regardless of the track's Record Arm state, and
playback from recorded events will not be heard.
When set to Auto, the track's MIDI input is monitored when the track is record armed, and playback of
recorded events will be heard.
When set to Merge, the track's MIDI input is always monitored, and playback of recorded events will be heard.

Thanks.

Where my confusion really comes in is understanding what happens when you select the track.

Is selecting only affecting the ARM setting? (assuming you don't use Shift key).

Been doing some homework, and I'm going to open a different question.

joegrant413 wrote:Been doing some homework, and I'm going to open a different question.

Yeah - keep us busy.
My proposal (...same as Xantus): Learn to read the manual. If this is not enough to get you going, buy the MPC Bible.....

The problem was in a MPC Keyboard Setting.

Was set to "Global". After switching to "Global and Tracks", then the Keys 61 could do mult-ARMing as expected.

FWIW, I do have the MPC Bible, and the manuals, and do read them. A lot of material.