Sequencing Tips and Tricks...Help Please!!!

I was just wondering how some of the more experienced users out there sequence and put their songs together. I have been using computer software for too long, and have just made the step and coverted to an MPC. I love it so far, but I'm having trouble sequencing my songs.

I usually like to create complex loops in a 4 to 8 bar format, copy it all to indivivual sequences and then just mute certain tracks for certain sequences and order them in song mode. This is quite time consuming and doesnt really allow me to do everything I want to do. Any tips or advice?

Also, any way to record a pattern by just muting in and out a certain track? Is there a way I can do that in real time? Maybe Step Edit, but I don't really get the gist of that yet.

If it helps for you guys to understand where I'm coming from. I'm used to create and sequencing loops on fruityloops and then importing them into Protools for final mix and instrumentation.

Sorry for the long post! Any help would be appreciated

If you want to create 4 or 8 bar loops just high light the number of bars on the screen and then turn the data knob to the number that you want and press doit and its done. As far as muting in and out you might have to step it or in real time just stop and start while programing or hit all the way thru then while mixing mute off and on to get the effect you want




Phatz

I tend to use 8 bar or 4 bar sequences.... I will generally arrange my whole song as a series of seq's that often only have a track or two muted, I can then easily skip to that seq using the next seq key which is effectively just a mute but only needs one key press....I can even set it to start half way through the bar if I am feeling wacky... I will often do multiple takes bulding up through the verses' and choruses' etc. using this method... I also spread the sequences onto different pads and get really wacky with the arrangement and record multiple takes live and play them back to see which sounded best then go back in and do a song mode, convert it to a single sequence or leave it be if its good..... This is the whole reason I got an MPC mate... to help me actually compose a proper song with some structure...