Exchange tips and tricks for the Akai MPC4000
By kid christou Mon Oct 13, 2003 10:46 am
Greetings

First let me say one thing - f*@k software sequencers!

People. Can anyone help me out. I have been using a humble MPC 2000 for about 5 years now. Don't get me wrong it's my baby but I now require an all-in-one box that has even more features. The time is coming for me to move on up on the MPC ladder. Therefore, I have my eyes on the MPC 4k.

One of the reasons I am thinking about an MPC 4k is the fact that I want to load in sample CDs and get multi-sampled sounds spanned across a keyboard...the MPC 2k does not have this feature.

To put it in more detail. If I wanted a string sound I would put in my string sample CD into the CD Rom of the MPC 4k and expect the chosen string sound to span across a connected midi keyboard. Just like a synth or sound module does.

Does anyone use their MPC 4k for this and can it be done. If so, how easy/difficult is it?

Look forward to any help you can give me

kid christou
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By Dr. Lecter Mon Oct 13, 2003 12:32 pm
I am a dedicated mpc user too.I was workin' on the 2kxl for 3 years and one week ago I put my hands on the 4k.Yes,it loads multisamples from akai+emu cds but you gotta understand how multis and parts are workin'.It's somethin' easy and when you do it once you get stack with that! Go for the 4k beast!! :lol:

By kid christou Mon Oct 13, 2003 12:48 pm
thanks dude

By antb Mon Oct 13, 2003 5:41 pm
yah it's simple man. you load in your sample CD, if it comes with it's own programs/multis all you do is add the programs you want to your multi OR choose the multi and select programs in each track..it's simple..and lovely

By kid christou Tue Oct 14, 2003 10:26 am
thanks antb

i really don't know much about multis and i have only used programmes in the mpc 2000 to affect samples i assing to pads. for example, i assign a horn riff to pad A1 and in its programme i set it to note off, tune it down, filter it a touch and adjust the decay. that is how far my knowledge of programmes goes.

what i really need to learn is how you use commerically available sample cds to have a sound span across the keys on my midi keyboard just like a sound module or keyboard does.

i have mastered the mpc 2000 for beats, but now wnat the mpc 4k to keep my beat techniques but also use the box as a sound module.

i guess i have alot to learn about this

any tips/explanations would be much appreciated

peace

By antb Tue Oct 14, 2003 2:56 pm
i have a ms2000, k-station and virus b all on sample CDs

you load the CDs to your hard drive, go to a module, pick a folder, pick a multi, hit load. it'll ask to load multi with programs & samples.."do it". Once it's loaded you go to your multi page (there's a key that says "multi"), select the multi you're working with and assign the programs that were loaded.

A "multi" on the 4000 is a file/setting with multiple programs assigned to it. I forgot what the max is..like 128? But the default is 32 I believe. So you can have 32 programs (parts). For instance program 1 = kicks program 2 = main sample loop program 3 = snare program 4 = cymbals on and on and on each program has up to 96 base sounds and of course you can tweak layer and whatever those to hell. The parts of the multi show up in the "part" mixer...you can assign the same program to multiple parts. For instance say you have a drum kit loaded. You assign the drum kit to part 1-4. Then on track 1 you use part 1 and do kicks track 2 part 2 do snares etc etc..then in the part mixer you have kicks on one fader, snares on another..get it? great.

as for the multisample section...if you buy a sample CD that's formatted for use with your z4/z8 sampler etc...all you do is load it up and assign the program to a track (once it's in the active multi) then you play. If you want to assign a new sound to the whole keyboard (say a flute you sampled) you just make a new program, make it a "keygroup" (easily selectable in new program screen), then you assign the sample to the program, the program to the multi and...play .

By kid christou Wed Oct 15, 2003 9:04 am
thanks bro for taking time out to help me out.

so are you happy with using the mpc4k for this full on sampling feature?

are you happy with the sound that comes out of the mpc4k when compared to sound coming out of the mpc2k? i know there has been a few heated debates on this forum in regards to this issue

By antb Wed Oct 15, 2003 5:21 pm
4k is my first mpc, so I really can't compare...but yah I'm happy with it definitely