MPC firmware 3 : One Project Live Set Workflow

Hello there

I have been a long time user of MPCs ever since I got my 1k. I am using an MPC Live MK1 now and I have made several projects on MPC firmware 2. I had it installed until last week because the workflow made sense to me : move programs around, create sequences which had several tracks and each sequence was a song : I muted and unmuted parts, jammed on top or had 100+ bars which contained the whole song structure.

Bear with me now.

I updated to MPC 3 because it has some really nice features and it looks good as well. So I was thinking, how can I have that MPC 2 workflow, where I load a whole project and have a full live set I can play? I know that the linear structure of the sequencer cannot permit having program 1 on track 1 for the first sequence and on track 5 for the second for example. I see that tracks are now self contained programs and stay in place throughout the project, so I am thinking of doing the following:

1. Start a new project
2. Load sequence 1
3. Have one program for every wav that my sequence has : drums, samples, loops, audio effects, whatever. Since a program can hold up to 8 x 16 = 128 sounds which can also stream from disk, I will not run out of slots for that.
4. Since I don’t only use programs, but internal instruments, expansions or external gear as well, have each one of them in a different track and go linear then

Let’s say my first sequence has one track of audio files (drums or vocals or effects), one midi track sequencing an external synth and one track for an internal instrument. I will allocate them to the first 3 tracks of the project. Then, for the second sequence, continue with the same logic from the track that the last one ended: so sequence 2 will start on track 4 (sequence 1 had 3 tracks, remember?)

I have started working on the MPC 2 software with this idea. I opened a live set project I have already made and started consolidating stuff and moving tracks around. Then I save the programs and the sequences in a different folder for each one. After I have finished, I will start a new project on MPC 3 this time and start adding sequences and track in the order I want to play them in a live situation.

How does that sound? Amy logical holes there that you can think of? Let me know, and I will update when I have finished making the MPC 3 project

you should learn how to use the clip matrix

Thanks for the suggestion, however does that not mean having clips? I do not use them and cannot currently afford to purchase the pro pack.

Yes, organising your tracks per sequence (as you describe) is basically the only practical way to approach things if you are not using clips.

MPC-Tutor wrote:Yes, organising your tracks per sequence (as you describe) is basically the only practical way to approach things if you are not using clips.

This is what I'm doing. Much like the OP, my songs are X bars length in a sequence, and I perform by jamming them using track mutes. Thats why clips aren't really an option cos i'd be trying to have a clip for everything eventuality arrangement wise.

My sequences were set up to be mostly the same track lay out on a L1 / OS2.15. So it wasn't a big leap for me to stay this way with L3 / OS3.6. That said, not being able to do program change style preset-changes per plugin/track per-sequence is a limitation...however i hold out hope this will arrive in the future. In the mean time tweaking synths cutoff/fx via q-links is workable. And I've ordered a timepod from modern midi for more knob control.

Peace
Cx

Can you have each clip on a track load a different instrument preset like say the OP-XY or MC707? Or is it like Ableton where all clips on a track can only sequence the one instrument on that track? New user, halfway through the Bible, just thinking out loud about how I might use this for my live sets as I continue to learn the LIve III.

Tarekith wrote:Can you have each clip on a track load a different instrument preset like say the OP-XY or MC707? Or is it like Ableton where all clips on a track can only sequence the one instrument on that track?

No, just like in Ableton, the instrument on a track is fixed. Each clip on that track sequences the same instrument.

Elijah wrote:

Tarekith wrote:Can you have each clip on a track load a different instrument preset like say the OP-XY or MC707? Or is it like Ableton where all clips on a track can only sequence the one instrument on that track?

No, just like in Ableton, the instrument on a track is fixed. Each clip on that track sequences the same instrument.

Thanks, that’s what I figured but wanted to check.

Tarekith wrote:Can you have each clip on a track load a different instrument preset like say the OP-XY or MC707? Or is it like Ableton where all clips on a track can only sequence the one instrument on that track? New user, halfway through the Bible, just thinking out loud about how I might use this for my live sets as I continue to learn the LIve III.

I don't know if it's the same on the MPC, but on the Force, each clip can have their own PC/MSB/LSB numbers (found in the Clip Settings). By default, it's set to Track, so that each clip share the same Track PC/MSB/LSB data. What we don't have, but should, is PC/MSB/LSB data for the built-in synths, which is a damn shame! Maybe there's a workaround via the Snapshot feature.