How to integrate the MPC and a DAW

I'm in the market for an MPC but curious as to how it will integrate with my DAW full of soft studios and softsynths? Also, since the MPC's sequencer is so highly touted when does one stop using the MPC sequencer and use the computer sequencer? Would one be drastically underused?

Depends how you do things. I set it up so my MPC only does drums and percussion sounds and some times shot sounds. I program all my drum sequeces right into the lil monster and sync it with my DAW (Pro Tools). I use PT for multi track recording and for sequencing my keyboards. I also Pro Tools for straight shot loops, because I can drag the sample to fit any BPM I need. I also figure sampleing to the MPC and the recording it will lower the integrty of the sound. I can really edit a sample fast and accuratly this way using the tab to transient function, I prefer it to the jog wheel. I like it this way because I get a visual on my keyboard tracks before I record them and I can see what I am editing intsead of scrolling thru the step edit. This helps me out a lot because I am far from a virtuoso on the keys. I also didn't like using my mpc to sequence instruments because I like the big screen shot, and for some reason my board was always sending note off commands to the MPC. A few of the people I work with depend on the MPC solely for sequencing and use Pro Tools just as a multi tracker and mixer.

It does depend. Let us know what your idea is for how you might integrate the two so's we have a better idea. Me, I used nothing but the mpc for sequencing for like 4 years. Then I got a computer (same box as you have actually), put logic on the thing and since then I haven't used the mpc as my main sequencer too much. BUT - it is still a big part of my setup. It's real cool for a quick way to sample anything going on in your track. The pads are still great for banging out beats - I just bang em out but record the midi into logic. Kind of like using a soft sampler, but the way the mpc triggers samples with the poly, mono, note off etc plus the filters lends itself to very easy/creative stuff. Basically, as far as using the mpc sequencer vs. your software sequencer, it could go three ways - 1. You use the mpc for all sequencing, and use the software like a tape machine, just recording what you've done. 2. You use the mpc to make the backbone of the track, then you record the midi data into the software by syncing the two up. It's not that hard. That way you get the feel of the mpc but the software sequencer for moving lots o' stuff around like usual. 3. You do all your sequencing in software.

If you have all your software stuff set than the mpc would be probably be like a cool addition and maybe inspire different creative stuff...it all depends how much you really get into the way the mpc works, so'd I try it if you know someone with one.