Glorified Drum Machine?

I have checked this site out for about 4 months now seeking information on how to use the MPC 4000. I have read the manuals (even the English Version seem like Japanese). Have done some mad copy and paste of useful information from this site, Yahoo's site amd ezboard yet still I can't figure this thing out!

Part of the problem is that the majority of the registered forum members here on this board seem to assume that a person should just automatically know how to use one of these "straight out the box".

There is no tutuorial that walks a person through anything step by step and it can be frustrating. I can make drum beats, but I have a Triton that I can't play through it (to sequence on the MPC triton sounds). I have been a professional Musician for 22 years, playing Alto sax, bass, rhythm guitar, keyboards, flute, drums, Kalimba, Harmonica and vocals.

How does this thing work. BTW, I even paid for the tutorial on supersonica and purchased the sample kings vhs tapes and still there is no step by step on how to sequence anything. Have we all paid almost 3 grand for a drum machine?

i guess its different for alot of people...i can get something out of the box, plug it in and learn the whole thing myself...i downloaded Reason and just started messing with all the functions, and within about a week i taught myself how to do nearly everything with it, but i don't know...maybe someone on here could be nice enough to help you along, maybe in an AIM session or something of that sorts, theres definitely alot of helpful ppl up on this board, thats for sure

I sort of had the same problems myself. The manual really doesnt do all that much, but for me, like FLUENT, I can figure out something fairly easily. Im still figuring out how to use a lot of the features on it, but trial and error seemed to do ok for me. Any specific questions though, and Im sure any of these guys here will help you out, myself included.

Heres how to sequence with your Triton. Hook the midi out A of your Mpc to the midi in of your Triton. Then hook the midi the midi out of your Triton to the midi 1 in of your mpc. Go to the sequencer page of your Mpc. Select the sound that you want. Then go to track one of your Mpc,and then turn Type to Intr,and then turn the out 1 until it says out A. You should be able to sequence now.

I would like to thank you folks for your responses!!! I appreciate the feed back. But, you know, it gets kind of frustrating sometimes when I think in terms of "If this machine can do all that people claim it can, then I should be able to output some serious tunes" yet I can't get it to function!

How do I:

Listen to tracks and record on other tracks at the same time? such as, Make a drum beat, set the mpc to record on a different track with the Triton and hear the drum beat while I'm recording on another track?

Play a drum beat and record Bass guitar while I'm listening to drum beat?

Have a listen to what I'm working on and give some feedback (please).

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/9/stevescottmusic.htm

the MPC has nothing to do with your lack of midi knowledge

Pick up a book a tape or find the throwback site with studiocovers on it

wow, im loving the vibes on all 3 of these, I have to say "Sea of Tranquility" is my favorite, I am really feeling this joint, if I heard something like this on a record, I would probably sample it...your the first person I've seen on these forums that creates something other then hip hop, and I'm a huge jazz fan as well so it's right up my alley...anyway, keep em coming, I don't have any answers to those questions, sorry I couldn't help, but the music sounds good..

Peace
Fluent

BackSlash wrote:How do I:
Listen to tracks and record on other tracks at the same time? such as, Make a drum beat, set the mpc to record on a different track with the Triton and hear the drum beat while I'm recording on another track?..

That is basic sequencing your talking about. By default, when you are recording you are already listening to other tracks play. That's how it is with almost every machine I know, not only MPC's. Just select another track to record on when you plan on recording on that particular track and go for it.. jam on..

Iceberg-Slim wrote:the MPC has nothing to do with your lack of midi knowledge. Pick up a book a tape or find the throwback site with studiocovers on it

Yeah, you gotta help YOURSELF master your machine also man..
The book is just the basics, all the tricks of the trade (and there's many) come from you experimenting, trial and error..

The MPC4000 is a very advanced machine, so as a beginner, you are jumping into the deep end of hardware sampling/sequencing without enough background knowledge. As Lampdog says, the stuff you are struggling with are actually the most basic sequencer functions - so I think locking yourself away for a weekend with the relevant manual pages and just building up a sweat will help you a lot. Forget about the sampler part, concnetrate on building a multi-track sequence.

No we have not...This thing is a very intense sampling instrument and probably the best sequencer on the planet. You're probably just not catching on to it...which BTW I cant see how anyone cannot that bought tutorials too. This unit is so simple to use I opened mine right up out the box and got to work (of course after upgrading to the new more stable OS 1.45) i owned an MPC60 for years, but of course this unit is alot deeper than any MPC before....If you've owned a sampler like an S5000 or an E-MU E6400 then you'd probably understand this unit right away. From reading your post I can guess you're not a Sampling saavy musician and probably come from the older school of just playing traditional instruments. My suggestion is to just play around with the unit and push buttons to find out what they do.......Remember to push the orange colored "Window" button over everything you highlight with the cursor to find out if there is a hidden screen that opens up new functions.....If you have any thing serious you need help with to get going e-mail and I'll help you out.......once you learn this MPC you'll love it...I hook a Pre amp and condenser mic right up to and create Vocal, Bass and Guitar samples...While my sequence is playing..the I fly my parts right into a program and into my sequence, add FX, Filters and some sick Ass Drum patterns and you have got something no band can create!!!! Then hook up a turntable and pull a few samples off Record to blend in with your creation......this is what the 4000 is all about, I have mine maxxed out with 512mb of Ram, 60gb drive,CD-RW, an External 36gb SCSI Drive plus a Technics SL-1200 and my Yamaha Motif as my keyboard controller. I have loaded over 10GB of sounds onto my internal disc with over 150 drumkits,pianos, analog synths, Basses, Gutiars, Orchestral Vocals, Brass and much more........The best thing about the 4000 is you can do all this and pack it up in a Hardshell case (purchased seperately) and bring wherever you go...hook up a usb computer keyboard like I did for easy entry of song and sample names before saving...This unit is unlimited in potential because you are the one who has to create what goes in it unlike a Triton which comes loaded with sounds everyone and their Grandma use for production........BTW if you hook up the Midi out of the Triton to the midi in of the Mpc you can use it as a master controller....look in your triton's manual too as it should tell you how to set it up....and scroll over midi sync on the 4000 and press the "Window" button this should open up and you can select which midi in you'd like to use!!! Peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BackSlash wrote:I have checked this site out for about 4 months now seeking information on how to use the MPC 4000. I have read the manuals (even the English Version seem like Japanese). Have done some mad copy and paste of useful information from this site, Yahoo's site amd ezboard yet still I can't figure this thing out!

Part of the problem is that the majority of the registered forum members here on this board seem to assume that a person should just automatically know how to use one of these "straight out the box".

There is no tutuorial that walks a person through anything step by step and it can be frustrating. I can make drum beats, but I have a Triton that I can't play through it (to sequence on the MPC triton sounds). I have been a professional Musician for 22 years, playing Alto sax, bass, rhythm guitar, keyboards, flute, drums, Kalimba, Harmonica and vocals.

How does this thing work. BTW, I even paid for the tutorial on supersonica and purchased the sample kings vhs tapes and still there is no step by step on how to sequence anything. Have we all paid almost 3 grand for a drum machine?

i just spent a weekend locked in the lab w/the 4k and the manual *shrug*
it was my first mpc...i pretty much picked up on it during that weekend and continually learn new tricks and stuff