Using an axiom 49 controller with a 1000

Unfortunately I'm very new to the world of controllers!

My question is how do you play ONE sample or sound over the entire range of the actual keyboard. I connected the midi out to the in of the 1000 however, all the sounds (kick,drum,hat,samples) are transmitted on the keyboard. I would just like to isolate one sample or be able to play the sample(s) over the range of controller. The manuel doesn't really give you instruction on how to set it up like that.

This is my first controller so I have no clue how to do this.

Thanks,

Kevin

Are you wanting to play chromatic samples, such as a Piano ? Or are you looking to play a single drum sound across the keyboard ? Or are you looking to play an entire drum kit acros the keys ?

lovesign wrote:Are you wanting to play chromatic samples, such as a Piano ? Or are you looking to play a single drum sound across the keyboard ? Or are you looking to play an entire drum kit acros the keys ?

I'm looking to play chromatic samples like a piano across the keys..

Here's the scenerio. Before I bought the controller, I did everything on the pads of the 1000 but now, I want to get into isolating just my samples for now and leaving the drum parts on the 1000.

I connected the controller to the 1000 but the axiom is reading all the parts on the keys and I can't figure out how to only play the sound I want on the controller..It would be ideal to only play say a synth part I sampled and play that over the entire keyboard..like a piano..or a one shot sample..

Hope this makes sense..

Bunny Killa wrote:

lovesign wrote:Are you wanting to play chromatic samples, such as a Piano ? Or are you looking to play a single drum sound across the keyboard ? Or are you looking to play an entire drum kit acros the keys ?

I'm looking to play chromatic samples like a piano across the keys..

Here's the scenerio. Before I bought the controller, I did everything on the pads of the 1000 but now, I want to get into isolating just my samples for now and leaving the drum parts on the 1000.

I connected the controller to the 1000 but the axiom is reading all the parts on the keys and I can't figure out how to only play the sound I want on the controller..It would be ideal to only play say a synth part I sampled and play that over the entire keyboard..like a piano..or a one shot sample..

Hope this makes sense..

Ok, if it's chromatic samples you're looking to play, then the MPC1000 isn't going to cut it. At best, you can load up a sample, use the 16 Levels function and get something passable, but it is not designed to play chromatic samples like a proper sampler (Akai S6000 for example). As soon as you start going an octave up or down, things will start to sound very strange, especially with the absence of sustain loops in the samples.

To play back one hit/drum samples from within your MPC via your Axiom, make sure the MIDI OUT of the Axiom is connected to the MIDI IN of the MPC (either A or B). Now, load up your samples and create a program on a track. Ensuring that the MPC is receiving on all MIDI channels (MODE + PAD9), set the MIDI channel for your track in the main window to 1A (or B if you connected to the B input) and then you will be able to play back your samples on the keys of your Axiom. Each sample will be assigned to a key on your keyboard. These can be changed in MIDI mode on the MPC.

Hope this helps

lovesign wrote:

Bunny Killa wrote:

lovesign wrote:Are you wanting to play chromatic samples, such as a Piano ? Or are you looking to play a single drum sound across the keyboard ? Or are you looking to play an entire drum kit acros the keys ?

I'm looking to play chromatic samples like a piano across the keys..

Here's the scenerio. Before I bought the controller, I did everything on the pads of the 1000 but now, I want to get into isolating just my samples for now and leaving the drum parts on the 1000.

I connected the controller to the 1000 but the axiom is reading all the parts on the keys and I can't figure out how to only play the sound I want on the controller..It would be ideal to only play say a synth part I sampled and play that over the entire keyboard..like a piano..or a one shot sample..

Hope this makes sense..

Ok, if it's chromatic samples you're looking to play, then the MPC1000 isn't going to cut it. At best, you can load up a sample, use the 16 Levels function and get something passable, but it is not designed to play chromatic samples like a proper sampler (Akai S6000 for example). As soon as you start going an octave up or down, things will start to sound very strange, especially with the absence of sustain loops in the samples.

To play back one hit/drum samples from within your MPC via your Axiom, make sure the MIDI OUT of the Axiom is connected to the MIDI IN of the MPC (either A or B). Now, load up your samples and create a program on a track. Ensuring that the MPC is receiving on all MIDI channels (MODE + PAD9), set the MIDI channel for your track in the main window to 1A (or B if you connected to the B input) and then you will be able to play back your samples on the keys of your Axiom. Each sample will be assigned to a key on your keyboard. These can be changed in MIDI mode on the MPC.

Hope this helps

Wow..That sucks...the second part where to bring up the samples on the keys works fine. For example, the 8 samples from one program plays on the assigned keys based on the note assignment from the MPC. I was hoping to assign a sample over the entire range of the keyboard kind of like the 16 level function but over 49 keys!!

So are there any soft synth programs that allow for this? Where I can load a sound and play it over the length of the keyboard? Does the ableton program have sounds or allow for this?

I'm new to this process so this is part of my goal to be able to play synth sounds on a controller..Any suggestions or general direction?

thanks for your help and feedback

What you have to remember is that the MPC has always been, at it's most simple level, a sequencer and drum machine. Following on from Roger Linn's work on Linn Drums which had hardcoded drum samples, he & Akai came up with a machine that simply allowed the user to record their own drum samples. After that, users soon found ways of getting more out of the MPC by using loops and phrases.

The one thing an MPC is not, and it's an all too common mistake, is a proper sampling instrument, such as the Akai S Series & Z Series or EMU's Emulators or Yamaha's A Series. These are all full blown samplers with proper sampling engines and the ability to play chromatic samples.

To do this yourself, you have a few options.

Option 1: Buy a software sampler like Kontakt, HALion or Gigasampler. These are expensive though and the sample libraries they use take up a lot of space on your hard drive. They will also drain your computers CPU resources. There are low cost or freeware options (check out websites like KvR or read Computer Music Magazine) which may whet your appetite and get you into it without costing an arm or a leg.

Option 2: This is my preferred option. Go on eBay and find an Akai S Series sampler. Anything from S1000 to S6000. There are still thousands of libraries for these instruments as the Akai format was the king for many years. If you can afford one, an S5000 (or it's big brother, the S6000) are the best as they use wav samples and use the common FAT disk format. They can also be fitted with USB for even better integration with your computer. Akai samplers before this used a propritary disk format that might restrict you without extra outlay. But still, an S2000 or S3000 will still do the business for you. Also, check out keyboards like the Alesis Fusion which is not only a fully fledged sampler, but also a multi faceted synth with Virtual Analog, FM and Physical Modelling engines and it can also record 8 tracks of digital audio along with 32 tracks of MIDI and has one of the best arpeggiators in a keyboard to date (except for a Korg Karma maybe !). And they're being sold at rock bottom prices now !

You could also look at soft synths to generate your musical sounds. There is plenty of freeware to get you going (check KvR again) and using your MPC to drive your soft synths is a relatively simple process.

My advice is to do a lot of research and learning before you blow your hard earned on something you might not use or understand. Google is your friend

Hope that helped

Yes. This helped a lot! Thank you so much!

So basically, the MPC's pad assignment is a note the controller will play unless I change the note assignments. So there is really no point of having a controller with an MPC? Controllers are really useful for sound modules and real samplers? Sorry I'm so old school...Trying to delve into the new school.

I like the soft synth/sampler idea. Actually I like both ideas. What an eye opening experience.

lovesign wrote:What you have to remember is that the MPC has always been, at it's most simple level, a sequencer and drum machine. Following on from Roger Linn's work on Linn Drums which had hardcoded drum samples, he & Akai came up with a machine that simply allowed the user to record their own drum samples. After that, users soon found ways of getting more out of the MPC by using loops and phrases.

The one thing an MPC is not, and it's an all too common mistake, is a proper sampling instrument, such as the Akai S Series & Z Series or EMU's Emulators or Yamaha's A Series. These are all full blown samplers with proper sampling engines and the ability to play chromatic samples.

To do this yourself, you have a few options.

Option 1: Buy a software sampler like Kontakt, HALion or Gigasampler. These are expensive though and the sample libraries they use take up a lot of space on your hard drive. They will also drain your computers CPU resources. There are low cost or freeware options (check out websites like KvR or read Computer Music Magazine) which may whet your appetite and get you into it without costing an arm or a leg.

Option 2: This is my preferred option. Go on eBay and find an Akai S Series sampler. Anything from S1000 to S6000. There are still thousands of libraries for these instruments as the Akai format was the king for many years. If you can afford one, an S5000 (or it's big brother, the S6000) are the best as they use wav samples and use the common FAT disk format. They can also be fitted with USB for even better integration with your computer. Akai samplers before this used a propritary disk format that might restrict you without extra outlay. But still, an S2000 or S3000 will still do the business for you. Also, check out keyboards like the Alesis Fusion which is not only a fully fledged sampler, but also a multi faceted synth with Virtual Analog, FM and Physical Modelling engines and it can also record 8 tracks of digital audio along with 32 tracks of MIDI and has one of the best arpeggiators in a keyboard to date (except for a Korg Karma maybe !). And they're being sold at rock bottom prices now !

You could also look at soft synths to generate your musical sounds. There is plenty of freeware to get you going (check KvR again) and using your MPC to drive your soft synths is a relatively simple process.

My advice is to do a lot of research and learning before you blow your hard earned on something you might not use or understand. Google is your friend

Hope that helped

Bunny Killa wrote:So basically, the MPC's pad assignment is a note the controller will play unless I change the note assignments. So there is really no point of having a controller with an MPC? Controllers are really useful for sound modules and real samplers?

Yup, you pretty much got it.

However, I recently assisted another MPC Forum user with his MIDI quandry and it might be what you're after.

Basically he, like you, has an Axiom. He also has an MPC and a PC running a number of soft synths. He wants to record beats on the MPC, then he wants to sequence tracks on his MPC using his soft synths. Finally, using the JJ OS, he wants to record the out put of his soft synths into his MPC to play back from the pads as loops.

This is easily done.

Firstly, hook up you Axiom MIDI OUT to your MPC MIDI IN. Then take a MIDI lead from your MPC MIDI OUT to your computers MIDI IN.

Next, get hold of a VST host, such as Chainer, so that you can load up your VST instruments. Set the MIDI input on Chainer to receive from the MIDI input on your computer that your MPC is connected to. Load up an instrument in Chainer and set it to transmit on MIDI Channel 1.

Now, go back to the MPC and in the MIDI setup, ensure you are receiving ALL MIDI channels and that the Soft Thru is set to "As Track". Then select a track on the MAIN screen and set it to MIDI, then select the MIDI Channel of that track as 1A or 1B, depending on which MIDI input you plugged your Axiom into.

You will now be able to play your VST back with the Axiom and record & playback the sequence data on the MPC.

To record the Audio back into the MPC, connect the Audio Out of your computer to any of the Audio inputs of the MPC, and if you are using the JJ OS, select an Audio track, or just record a regular sample.

That's a fairly high level description but maybe it can get you headed in the right direction

You can make autochromatic programs with JJ OS and then play them across the span of your keyboard. I've done it.

thedvs01 wrote:You can make autochromatic programs with JJ OS and then play them across the span of your keyboard. I've done it.

Yes, you can, but it bears no resemblance to a proper multisampled and sustain looped instrument. All you are doing is taking one sample and pitch shifting it up & down. On a bass type sound, this probably won't be too bad because you'll be using maybe an octave range or so, but take a piano or string sound and as soon as you go an octave or more in either direction, the sample will sound just weird and wholly unrealistic.

It's a neat little tool that JJ added, but it's a million miles from a proper sampled instrument and should never be contemplated in any other way. The only MPC where you can use properly sampled instruments is the MPC4000 which uses the Z Series sample engine.

I don't see how that's different than any other sampler though -- unless they are using timestretching to avoid ridiculous sounding samples from such drastic pitch changes, but even with only one sample for your source then it's still going to sound weird.

If you have enough samples to properly lay them out as a multi-sampled program then I don't see how it's any different than say, an ASR-10, which is a "proper" sampler, but does exactly the same thing as the JJ OS's autochromatic function.

There's no way to get "good" sounding programs on any sampler if you only use one single sample to stretch across the board

The Auto Chromatic function in the JJ OS takes one sample and stretches it over 64 pads in one program.

A properly sampled instrument in a sampler like an Akai S Series takes one sample and stretches over maybe 3 or 4 notes. It also has the ability to load multiple samples across the key range, along side other multisamples to represent velocity changes. No sample in a decent Program will be stretched more than 6 semitones in either direction.

However wonderfull the JJ OS is, it has not achieved the impossible by making the MPC a chromatic sampler. It has found a method to achieve what samplers 20 years ago were doing, and not doing well, stretching one note across a large keyspan.

Sure, it can create a unique or unusual timbre or voice, but it is NOT a properly chomatically multi sampled instrument and anyone who thinks they can achieve that within any MPC other than the 4000 is wrong and will be disappointed.

you can do multi sampled instruments using the mpc1000 though. granted it's not automatic, but you can still do it.

Mr modnaR wrote:you can do multi sampled instruments using the mpc1000 though. granted it's not automatic, but you can still do it.

Do it ? In a fashion, yes.

Is it the same ? No.

It's like Cola. You want the best ? You get Coke or Pepsi. Sure, Kwik-E-Mart own brand will do, but it isn't the same !

And the other really big drawback is the memory. A decent multisampled instrument will take a lot of precious space on an MPC. If they were designed for multisampled instruments, they'd have given them a lot more memory.

lovesign wrote:

Mr modnaR wrote:you can do multi sampled instruments using the mpc1000 though. granted it's not automatic, but you can still do it.

Do it ? In a fashion, yes.

Is it the same ? No.

It's like Cola. You want the best ? You get Coke or Pepsi. Sure, Kwik-E-Mart own brand will do, but it isn't the same !

And the other really big drawback is the memory. A decent multisampled instrument will take a lot of precious space on an MPC. If they were designed for multisampled instruments, they'd have given them a lot more memory.

How is it not the same? Say you take 16 samples of a guitar or piano and stretch it chromatically across a keyboard using the MPC... how is that not the same?