Basic question of MPC 1000 functionality that no one can ans

Hey all,

Before I buy an MPC 1000, i wanted to ask a question so I don't repeat the same mistake I made twice with two lesser Roland products.

Ok. Here is the very very basic question:

Suppose I create a beat sequence.. very simple 8 step loop.

Can I then sample that very loop one time within the MPC so I can then bring it into the computer and work with it and such. I don't want to use the soundcard's line-in and have to resample everything in Coolwave.

To me this is just functionality that I expected any beat machine to have but I was wrong twice. The sales people have no idea either.

I guess I don't want to use the MPC for full song composition, but I really need that 8 step loop to be in 1 wav file so I can bring it into pro-tools and work with it from there... feel me?

If this is not possible, can someone recommend a software product that has beat machine style functionality? ie: beeps on bmp while I tap a midi pad on queue etc. Kinetic is the closest I've found which is still far away from SIMPLE drum machine functionality I'm looking for.

yes,

MODE + RECORD

"main outs"

then it records it as a wave file. shoot it over via USB and you're set.

Thanks!

Does it sample to the one WAV with 8 steps so I can bring it into my PC and it will loop fine using pro-tools,

Or does it just keep sampling until I tell it to stop (which I guess would create a wav file that would not loop well unless I did editing..)

you can turn loop off, so it'd end after 8 beats

would it automatically stop? I guess that's my $1400 question hehe..

No. It will stop only when you press stop I believe. Also, when starting the recording, you have to press RECORD, then start the sequence, so you will have a little extra to chop off at the beginning too. If it were me, I would leave loop on, record the 8 counts and also the first count of the next loop so that when I went to edit it, I could chop it precisely on the downbeat of the next loop.

I'm not exactly sure it will just automatically export as an 8 step wav. Correct me if I'm wrong but the # of actual steps could vary. With the MPC 1000 you choose the BMP/TEMPO and the record time in BARS - and then hit record. If you want only simple 8 step loops then I think what you want to choose would be 1 bar and then you should be able to easily loop in any software program.

TBonus76 your right about leaving loop on, it is easier to chop using your method... but if loop is off doesn't the mpc stop recording after the set amount of bars?

adderall wrote:TBonus76 your right about leaving loop on, it is easier to chop using your method... but if loop is off doesn't the mpc stop recording after the set amount of bars?

no. you can adjust the record time or manually press stop.

Well I've decided to get a midi drum pad and just use Cakewalk Kinetic v2 becuase of it's flexability in making beats. It's a very little used/known peice of software of the midi world, but seems to match closest what the drum machine does (ie: metranome with bpm and tapping out beats).

See the video here if your interested. It gets interesting around the 6 min mark - http://www.cakewalk.com/owners/kinetic2/default.asp

The major difference is, I can export and it I will have my bar in a perfect loopable wav file for pro-tools or cubase. to me this should be *basic* functionality of any drum based sampler.

To be honest and with no dis-respect, I feel that the modern drum machines are trying to become more than just drum machines and are now begninning to stray away from what they are supposed to do. I don't feel that it does a sufficient, or efficient job when you use it as a full sequencer. Although it *can* sequence an entire song, I don't find it a time efficient use of the hardware. Especially if you needing to make changes in the final mix.

A drum machine is there to make bars. It should be able to sample the bar you just made. I mean seriously.. i couldn't believe it when I had the Roaland Sp-606 and read that it couldn't do this. Now the MPC also..

Think about it. It's a drum machine, sample device, used to tap out bars. And you cannot sample the bars you just tapped out! Lol.. unreal. Sorry dudes, these products fall short if you can't do something so uterly basic.

It should be able to sample the bar you just made.

uhh...you can do that....?

not at all belittling the way you chose to go, but PADS are not the mpc, and a pad controller + a software won't simulate it. an mpc would be a dope ass machine if it had 16 full velocity buttons and its good sequencer

however, i'm very positive you will be able to make good music if you find your favorite medium to work with. as i've experienced after moving to the 1000 after software, it takes time to wrap your head aroun the mpc before yiou start hearing the payoff.

Antonym wrote:

It should be able to sample the bar you just made.

uhh...you can do that....?
.

No you really can't. I have to mess with wires at the back when I want to do it and won't get a perfect loop out of it which makes it pointless. It's about efficiency cause when you are being creative you don't want to loose the flow when you have to bother with wave editing... that should be the last thing.

Regardless, all the MPC's will soon be OS based. You will plug a color lcd into the unit and it will have it's own OS. You'll be able to use a mouse. They are doing this with keyboards now. I feel they are going this way because it's more efficient.

For instance, if i'm looping a bar in Kinetic or fruity loops or whatever, I can change the bass, treble, stretch, pitch of the bass drum very very quickly via a mouse within seconds while it's looping - I don't have to navigate through menu's hitting buttons like a cell phone.

The drum machine was best at having a beeping metranome and then tapping out bars. But when you can't export the perfect loop you just made... then we're not really progressing anywhere. All we're doing is turning a drum machine into an unifficient, difficult to learn sequencer instead of working on the raw basics of what the mpc should be able to do becaues every peice of midi software lets you export the bar you just made as a wav file.

No you really can't. I have to mess with wires at the back when I want to do it and won't get a perfect loop out of it which makes it pointless.

ok nevermind i go back on what i said, you need to stop being lazy

sample main outs, trim.
program it in at the first tick. it loops seemlessly.

you obviously gave up before you began, enjoy FL

^^

i'm with him.

that editing takes less than one minute.

the lazy man will never prevail

Cap_Ill wrote:^^

i'm with him.

that editing takes less than one minute.

the lazy man will never prevail

It still won't be a perfect loop though. It's a very basic thing I need it to do.

Anyhow, the cel phone style interface will be a thing of the past next time around and maybe I'll look at an mpc then as long as it can sample my bars! lol.. i still find it funny..