Rhythm Coach for MPC

What if JJ could add or create a "Rhythm Coach" for the MPC. Something that can help you with your timing, accuracy and speed. Much like the Roland RMP-3.

http://www.rolandus.com/products/produc ... arentId=62

Something like that would help me alot, as the first instrument I picked up is the MPC1000. What you think?

why would you need that on a drummachine?

what i suggest for this is to get a LOT of drum sheet music.

program it all in and save it under "sheet music" on your mpc.
load it up, take certain elements out 1 at a time, and use your fingers to fill them in, until you've taken em all out.

my problem with drumming right now is that i can get through 1 even numbered loop of what i want to play and it sounds great - but it's getting back around to the start that's a problem.

like...i can play 4 fairly complicated bars flawlessly, but on the 5th i stutter.

get a radio and play along, couple hours every day until your fingers blister.....

1 small problem is the MPC default metronome sound. It's to soft. I got the latest JJ OS, can anyone suggest sounds to use?

And any more suggestions and techniques on how to improve my timing would be much welcomed.

provided you're making "standardish" hip hop, or breaks of any kind, DO not practise to a standard click. Make a sequence, 1 bar long if you like, with a snare on 2 and 4.

Use the same snare you plan to be drumming with. This way, you'll hear some phasing when you hit the mark, or are just so slightly off it doesn't matter.

Obviously, if you're drumming something a little different, with the snares on 2 and 4&, or any other different variation you care to name, just make your click track accordingly, but always only put your snares in.

Why? 2 reasons....

1.Playing to a click on every beat tends to have you using it as a crutch, rather than a training tool...ie, teaches you nothing.

2. If you're making beats like this, or plan to drum live, it's obviously because you want your beats to "sound live". Locking your snares, and swinging your kicks and hats as you feel is, to me... the best way to achieve this.

I've been doing this kind of practise for a while, as i play drums and bass simultaneously and live on the MPC while another guy plays synths. It's a rocking setup, but if you get off beat, at 130 BPM, people tend to notice it!!

JACOB of DURBAN wrote:1 small problem is the MPC default metronome sound. It's to soft. I got the latest JJ OS, can anyone suggest sounds to use?

And any more suggestions and techniques on how to improve my timing would be much welcomed.

The default sound is useless but why should you use it. Triangle- open on one is what I use. Clave, rim, cowbell....use whatever you like
General exercises for rhythm.
Once you get to play accurately on the beats, practice playing ahead or late- record and analise visually in grid it is very educative to see the relationships, how the rhythmic tensions and resolutions work. Then instead using straight 4 reference, program standard Latin Clave and practice with it. Next step would be rumba Clave.
Standard practice play single tempo, then double then quadrupal. Same with triplets.
Mind you that it is more difficult to come down then up. Doubling is usually easier then stepping down
Finally start with quarter notes then go to triplets, eight not straight, eight triplets etc. Coming up and down but each time shifting from 3 to 4 to 3 again etc.

If you do all that for some time you should be fit to play whatever you intend.

Thanks Bruxism and Electrotimba(both sound like super-hero names) Both of your'lls advise sounds good. Im gonna get the practicing asap.

Any recommended tempos to start with?

Slow, since anyway you will be doubling, slower you start more "floors" will be there to climb up and down.

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