midi sync with 2 controlling keyboards

I have a question about midi syncing. My friend and I are using 2 mpc2000xl and a controlling keyboard for each. We are able to record midi events from each of the keyboards to the mpcs seperately using the midi inputs. But the mpc can only read 1 input at a time therefore both mpc inputs are being used. Is there any way to have both mpcs running controlling keyboards and also have the mpc tempos synced up? We' ve tried a few different ways but can't seem to get it.
Any ideas would help since we've now spent a couple of hours wiring and rewiring midi ins and outs with no luck.

p.s. we've thought about the smpte connection for the timing but when its connected it bypasses the midi inputs.

hmm, i think it should just sync up if you turn the midi clock on on both mpcs and set one as master and slave the usual way. Just send/recieve the midi clock on the output and input you are syncing with and it should still detect the keyboard messages on the other input.

ok so if you have two mpcs linked together, the masters output runs to the slaves input. and what he wants to do is have the master mpc have an individual controller and the slave mpc have an individual controller. so really the only information they want is just tempo, play start. maybe midi filters? I'm lost.

Just send/recieve the midi clock on the output and input you are syncing with and it should still detect the keyboard messages on the other input.

That would work but the problem lies in the fact that we still need a controlling keyboard for each of the mpcs, because there are two of us who are playing and we want to record midi events for each keyboard and only transfer bpm tempo between the mpcs. The problem occurs because in order to record the keyboards i need to use each of the midi inputs.and if i want to control tempos I also need an input but the mpc reads only one input at a time. therefore I can either have tempo or controlling keyboard, and this is the issue i trying to get around.

showbot wrote:

Just send/recieve the midi clock on the output and input you are syncing with and it should still detect the keyboard messages on the other input.

That would work but the problem lies in the fact that we still need a controlling keyboard for each of the mpcs, because there are two of us who are playing and we want to record midi events for each keyboard and only transfer bpm tempo between the mpcs. The problem occurs because in order to record the keyboards i need to use each of the midi inputs.and if i want to control tempos I also need an input but the mpc reads only one input at a time. therefore I can either have tempo or controlling keyboard, and this is the issue i trying to get around.

i'm not sure about your problem, but i can tell you that a device exists called a midi merger. it would merge the midi clock and the controller signal. costs around $60 US

showbot wrote:

Just send/recieve the midi clock on the output and input you are syncing with and it should still detect the keyboard messages on the other input.

That would work but the problem lies in the fact that we still need a controlling keyboard for each of the mpcs, because there are two of us who are playing and we want to record midi events for each keyboard and only transfer bpm tempo between the mpcs. The problem occurs because in order to record the keyboards i need to use each of the midi inputs.and if i want to control tempos I also need an input but the mpc reads only one input at a time. therefore I can either have tempo or controlling keyboard, and this is the issue i trying to get around.

i thought the 2000XL merged the 2 midi inputs. the manual might help on this one

ah yes, page 7

ah yes, page 7

Thanks man, I knew that was going to happen, right at the begining of the manual, and I totally missed it. We will try that out and then Iwill post the outcome here in the next couple of days.
Thanks also for the midi merger suggestion I didn't know about those.

also you gotta make sure to setup one MPC to send midi clock to one of its outputs, and the other to receive clock at its input.

above you said:

we've now spent a couple of hours wiring and rewiring midi ins and outs with no luck

so maybe your problem is just that you don't know how to use the MPC2000XL? check page 178 of the manual

so maybe your problem is just that you don't know how to use the MPC2000XL?

......Hmm, a simple answer would have done just fine.But thanks anyway.If I have to take a dis to get some info thats cool. I guess thats how people are on the internet these days,they are not satisfied just helping out one another,there has to be some sort of remark to make themselves feel that much better for the fact that they know the answer and you don't, I half expected to get hated on just for posting a question. The 1,2 input merge I admit was an oversight
on my part,mainly because i've worked solo and have not come across that problem before and not needed to use to both inputs. Its not because
"I don't know HOW to use a mpc."
I've been syncing midi for at least a couple of years so I don't need to be refreshed on tempo sync settings,but It was just a brainfart during the analysis of a situation that I have never encountered before. All i needed to know was if you could use both inputs at the same time.
Anyway I will say thanks because the answer was on page 7 of the manual, input midi merge, and I will try that when I get home.

If it does or does not work I will post my findings in a couple of days.And maybe by then I will have another insgnificant question to ask and be judged upon
in this wonderful world of hate-hop music.

i just figured that out of hours of rewiring midi, one of the possible configurations that you tried would have been the correct one, since it is one of the most straightforward.

and assuming you had it right once and it still didn't work, the software must have been on the wrong setting. that is why i though maybe you weren't familiar with the midi sync settings of the MPC.

logic, with one assumption, falls apart.

logic, with one assumption, falls apart.

Yea the simplest answer evaded me,cause I thought that since you can select A,B,orA&B on the midi output settings naturally I assumed that in order to use both inputs you would need to be able to select 1&2 at the same time and the mpc doesn't have that as an option.I now see that the selected input will be the clock time and the keyboard input does not have to be selected at all in order to still work. That is what I needed clarification on,so thank you for the idea.

I took your comment as sarcastic instead of informative and apologize for the reply, you were genuinely trying to help and I appreciate it.I missed the most obvious solution and didn't realize it. That is why I tried the forum for the answer and thankfully you knew.

showbot wrote:

logic, with one assumption, falls apart.

Yea the simplest answer evaded me,cause I thought that since you can select A,B,orA&B on the midi output settings naturally I assumed that in order to use both inputs you would need to be able to select 1&2 at the same time and the mpc doesn't have that as an option.I now see that the selected input will be the clock time and the keyboard input does not have to be selected at all in order to still work.

This is what i was trying to say in my first post, glad you got it working.

peyote and Bobby Walla11



Man I don't even know how I convinced myself that the MPC would only accept one input at a time? I don't even think I tried running both inputs at once! Stupidity on my part.
But last night I did get it to work,with a few midi filter adjustments now the setup is just the way I need to have it. Thank you both for your help.

yeah that is pretty stupid. I had just assumed you had tried that.