Pad Assign - how do I save it?

Unless something horribly changed with the MPC's architecture, pads are always stored in the program file. This is the same as how samples are assigned to keys on a keybaord, but with the 4k it also allows you to remap the pads to different midi keys.

Thanks feline1 and McSmooth.

As far as I know just now, there are three pad assign types:

* Global default - this is the one that starts with C#1 on the bottom left pad, seemingly for GM kits (vomit)

* Global Chromatic - as it says, plays the notes, although is also weird assigned so for every set of 16, it is totally sequential (I would have it so there is a 4 note overlap, one octave + 4 extra notes per pad bank)

* Program - Stored in every program (I think?)

Thing is, if you import a bunch of AKAI s1000 format drums or whatever, it seems to stick with the global pad assign for all kits, which sucks. Some way of importing, saving, and just managing the pad banks is needed IMHO so i can, for example, import a new pad assign to a pre-existing program so I don't need to re-assign the same pad banks for 10000000 different programs.

There should also be something that tells us how the 'Global' assignments are stored (or not - I have only managed to not store them so far).

The whole pad assign feature is something unique to MPCs and does not cross over to other akai samplers. It really only applies to drum programs (as most MPCs only have that type of sampling), not keygroups since they are designed to go in order with the keys. The default setting is one that has always been used with MPCs, and yes, is used to work well with GM drum kits. There are very good reasons for this, but is annoying if you are working with any other types of samples inside a drum program.

Since s1000 was not an MPC, there was no option for pad assign, so there are no pad assigns stored in those libraries and they should be mapped to the default when you load them. If you import as a drum program, you should be able to go through and change each one of the pads to a different key. Annoying, yes, but that is the way it has been with all MPCs. Then it can't hurt to resave the program with its samples in a new folder to see if it works.

The other MPCs did not have keygroups like the full featured samplers do. Those should automatically be chromatic and in order... but typically you would not want to use keygroup programs for drums. Keygroup programs are the only ones where you select "default" and "chromatic" like you mentioned before, and you can't assign pads to keys with those. "Program" is what shows up for drum programs which is the type of program that allows you to assign pads.

I've just been working on a track that I changed the PAD assignments for certain programs. I just saved the whole thing as I usually do as 'SAVE ENTIRE MEMORY....an 80Gb drive goes a long way!).

After flicking between different 'PROGRAMS', I did expect that you would only have one PAD assignment per multi, but no, the PAD ssign is dedicated to each program.....therefore I would assume that if you saved your program with the new PAD assinment, it would come back as you want it after re-loading.........

I totally agree on how useless the various manuals for the MPC4000 are though.

Are there any third party manuals / video tutorials for this machine? And if so, are any worth buying?

Al

feline1 wrote:There *is* a list in one of those PDFs somewhere,
which explains which things are saved as part of Flash ERPOM,
which are stored in SRAM,
which are saved as part of the Multi,
etc etc.

You need to find that! It does exist, honest!

Without rummaging for it, my best guess is that the pad assignments are either saved as part of a program or part of a multi.

Are you thinking of addendum 1.50, which states

Setting of Sync In/Out is saved into SRAM
In V1.50, the MPC4000 now saves the settings of Sync In/Out into SRAM. The parameters saved into SRAM
are as follows:
Mode, Sync in, Frame rate, and Receive MMC fields in Sync In window.
MIDI clock, MIDI time code, SMPTE, Frame rate, and Send MMC fields in Sync Out window.
Now you won't need to set the parameters in Sync In/Out after power up, since they are kept in SRAM.
**The Sequence start time setting is not saved to SRAM, but is saved in Sequence /Song.

Parameters saved into Flash Memory/SRAM/Multi/ALL
The parameters saved into Flash Memory are not erased after power off.
The parameters saved into SRAM are stored with backup battery after power is switched off,
when the backup battery is replaced.
The parameters stored in Multi file/All Sequences & Songs files are erased after power off,
are loaded when the Multi file/ALL Sequence & Songs file is loaded.

Flash Memory
Phrase Library

SRAM
GLOBAL mode (GLOBAL page, CONFIG. page, FOOT SW page) MISC. mode (SETUP
Sync In/Out (Sync, Mode, Sync in, Frame rate, Receive MMC, MIDI clock, MIDI time code,
Frame rate, Send MMC)

Multi file
Q-Link setups FX settings

All Sequences & Songs file
Sequence Defaults Timing Correct (TC, Swing, Shift timing, Shift amount)
Metronome (Metronome, Count in, Rate, In play, In rec, Wait for key)
Default Tempo Tempo SEQ/MASTER mode
Simul play (Simul play, SEQ/SONG, Sequence/Song number)
Auto Punch In/Out (A.Punch, Type) Track Mute Event (Use track mute events)
STEP EDIT (Midi ch, Duration of recorded notes, Auto step increment on key release)
Assign locate keys

yeah, that's the one!

That got put in the docs at my request, during that brief period what it seemed like the development for the MPC4000 OS had been taken over by some guy in the UK, who actually had a clue.... he fixed a load of SysEx bugs too
(SysEx basically hadn't worked at all in many respects before then!!!)
Dunno what happened to him.

Ok, from what I can figure out so far:

three types of pad assign on the 4000:

1. Global Default (GM Drums)
2. Global Chromatic
3. Program

You can change the global default and global chromatic pad assigns, but you cannot save them, and the settings will be lost at power down.

If you change the Global Default pad assign settings, then import an Akai sample disc, the Global Default assign will be transfered to the Program Pad Assign AFTER IT HAS BEEN SAVED FULLY.

Saving only the program does not save any pad assign settings.

Saving the Multi saves the settings, but doesn't save the samples (for some reason, is this a bug?)

Saving the entire memory saves the settings.

This is as far as I have got so far. i will try and peice it together more in a while. it seems that program pad assign settings will get lost under most conditions, unless a program has been saved as an 'All Memory'.

Google Translated the German one, just for giggles:

MPC4000 Software Version 1.60
Changes in V1.51.
Important Note: A multi-program, which is created with software version V1.51 or later
was can not be used in devices with older operating software, as the FX
Parameters have changed.
• Audition-From-Disk function on the F4 "LOAD" side will be called.
- Preview of WAV files from HD FAT32/FAT16
- Preview of WAV files from ISO CDs
- Preview of AKAI S1000/S3000 samples of disks
- Preview of other formats (Roland / EMU): Sample must be loaded into RAM
Note: On slow storage devices (USB ZIP or USB Flash), and especially in
the use of 96kHz stereo samples, it may be possible that an incorrect sound
is issued.
• Change in FX Gain Structure
- Improvements to FX Send Level
- FX Return level range increases by 12 dB
- Display of FX Return Level in dB FX / MIX (for compatibility reasons
with previous versions created multi-factory set to-12dB)
• Improvements in the GOTO function (now behaves like MPC3000)
- Press twice to select the previous GOTO Locate from point
- Cursor keeps previous function
• improvements to the automatic selection of current programs and samples
- Selected Program in Program Mode:
From MAIN, Program allocation for part of the current track (when Out on PART
is)
MULTI MIXER or PART, Program allocation for the currently selected Part
- Selected sample in the Sampler mode:
PROGRAM, sample allocation to the currently selected Keygroup
From PAD Mixer, Sample assignment for the currently selected pad
• Improvements to function in the SEQ EDIT COPY TO
- Retains Copy & Paste Copy Range Data window now and Pad / Notes Selection
• Improvements for Sequencer Sync to MIDI Clock.
The sequencer is not quantized when they receive MIDI Clock signals.
• Improvements for SLICE samples and beats in the Sample Calculation Mode
- Sequence can only be created when the track is not being used (to avoid
overwriting existing sequences)
- Pace for a new sequence based on the BPM settings of the samples
- New sequence will be looped automatically to the length of the sliced samples
• Limiting the renaming of Sequence in disk files to 16 characters
UTILITY Menu
• Improvements when loading files with names longer than 20 characters
. Have
• Option to spin down the hard drive in the LOAD page
• Changes for PLAY START button in the Loop Sequence Mode:
- PLAY START always plays from the start point of the sequence
- SHIFT + PLAY START plays from the start point of the loop
• Improved timing of sequence changes at the time the "Reset Q-Link on
sequence change "
• Improved LFO "desync" (LFO SYNC OFF)
• Additional direct access from the MISC. Fashion
- Sync window (with additional Sync ON / OFF softkey)
- Auto-Punch window (with additional car-Punch ON / OFF softkey)
- Metronome window (with additional Metronome ON / OFF softkey)
- Tempo window (with an additional rate changes ON / OFF and Seq / Master Soft Keys)
- Sequence Transpose window
Also been added:
• Direct access to the Timing Correct window
• Audition-From-Disk function. Accessible on page F4 of the Load
• Shift + Audition for precharging the cue, instead of streaming.
(Allows previewing 24-bit/96kHz stereo samples from slower storage media)
Fixed:
• The audition samples from disk now works with connected
ASCII Keyboard (F4 of the LOAD page)

nik wrote: it seems that program pad assign settings will get lost under most conditions, unless a program has been saved as an 'All Memory'.

are you using pad assing key or F4 in program mode?
for the pad assing key it would really make sense for me if there was "user" mode in addition to default and chromatic, but I guess there is workarounds

do you always save program as 'All Memory'?

I still have not got this to work. (at least not when in main mode/seq edit)
And this would be like the most important thing for me, saving the pads as modal scales etc

cheers

I tried this out and........

I have been able to change pad assign using F4 key in program mode.
Save just the program instead of "Entire memory"
Loaded the program again selecting "clear" in load mode
On main screen selected the program on track 1
Hit Pad Assign button and my programs pad assign is being used.

I also did try this by turning off mpc and loaded the program and it works the same.

I also create two programs with different pad assigns
Did everything as stated above
When you change program on the track screen, the pad assign changed according to program settings.

As you already know you cannot:

Save Global pad assign settings
Pad assign does not work with keygroup program, only Drum program.


Hope this helps.

*Make sure you are assigning the program created with the new pad settings to a track on main screen or you will not change the Default/Chromatic settings.