synth keyboard compatability with mpc?

I have a kind of an old synth, Alesis QS8, released back in 1996. My question is, will I have problems recording sounds from it into the mpc1000 using midi? Are the any compatability requirements as far as which synths the mpc will accept?

jk81 wrote: will I have problems recording sounds from it into the mpc1000 using midi?

hell yeah. midi doesn't transmit sound.

thanks smart ass, you know what I mean. I want to use my synth as my midi controller and my sound module. so even though the actual sounds won't be recorded, the data will, so as long as my synth is connected I can play back the data using the sounds from the synth, right? From reading all the negative feedback from ppl and all the problems they are having with the mpc's, you shouldn't be surprised when someone questions its ability. After browsing this forum, I'm questioning even buying one now. It seems like the one feature you are guaranteed is that its not going to work right.

apologies for assuming your ignorance. you wouldn't believe how many people think MIDI transmits audio.

peace

no prob, I know what you mean.

the mpc1000 will recieve midi messages goin into the mpc as long and record them into the mpc when u got record on. if u got ur mpc midi out to ur synth it will playback with all knobs turns and slider movements on all that. as for the mpc being a soundmodule for sampled synth parts ur mod wheel and ability to change cc commands wont have an effect on mpc at all. a midi controller cannot control the internals of the mpc.. so say u got a chromaticly laid out program with all notes and 4 samples assigned to its keygroups the only thing ur midi controller can do for the mpc are velocity changes and thats it.

beleive me i wish it allowed more but more would require an mpc4000.. im looking into a fantom xr

naugie wrote:the mpc1000 will recieve midi messages goin into the mpc as long and record them into the mpc when u got record on. if u got ur mpc midi out to ur synth it will playback with all knobs turns and slider movements on all that. as for the mpc being a soundmodule for sampled synth parts ur mod wheel and ability to change cc commands wont have an effect on mpc at all. a midi controller cannot control the internals of the mpc.. so say u got a chromaticly laid out program with all notes and 4 samples assigned to its keygroups the only thing ur midi controller can do for the mpc are velocity changes and thats it.

beleive me i wish it allowed more but more would require an mpc4000.. im looking into a fantom xr

So, lets say using sounds from my synth for playback, I want to record a piano on track 1, a bass on track 2, and a lead on track 3. And I use the pitch bend and mod wheels on the bass and lead. The mpc1000 midi sequencer will record the notes, note length, and velocity of each track, but won't be able to detect the changes in pitch bending or modulation?

I would need the mpc 4000 for that?

Do you know if the JJ OS midi sequencer is capable of detecting more than just notes, note length, and velocity?

i use my mpc to control two keyboard synths- a korg ms2000k and a roland juno 106 which is from the eighties! i also run two synth modules including two novation rack units and a korg triton rack, along with this i run a drum synth and an analogue reverb arpegiator unit. all theese are on midi out `A` and i have drum machines boss dr880 and a zoom rt on midi out `B`
i then use my elec piano midi out as my main midi controller to run all these thru the midi `A` in on the mpc

i have had all these synths running for long period sequences all on diferent tracks of the same sequence and so far had no probs exept for my last project max`d out my ram but lets face it its only at 16meg!
i`ve just bought the 128 and cant wait till it arrives and plug it in.

midi is only on/off messages. the mpc is just a sequencer telling your keyboard when and when not to play. (although if you plug your synth out into your mpc record in you can get samples and then loop them, thus freeing up the synth for another track)

there are limitless ways of connecting gear and recording and or mixing, i`m still learning new stuff every day and i`ve ran synths for years. just read all you can and its like anything else, practise makes perfect.

the only prob you will have is if you run lots of different tracks to the same midi out or same synth, i`m assuming you know about midi . if not there are plenty of tutorials on line just google it.

its weird, you spend ages not understanding it then all of a sudden it just `clicks` and u never lok back, its really simple if u keep it organized.

dont forget synth sound will cover the same area of the sound spectrum in the mix so mixing at the desk is where you need the patience when running lots of similar sounding units

the problems i encounter is when unwanted messages pass from synth to synth and change settings, but that is all to do with local settings, midi filters and omni mode.
any problems encountered with midi is not the fault of the mpc, just the synths capability or user knollege .

your synth will be fine with the mpc1000 for sequencing but if you require complex midi triggering and data sending or mtc(midi time clock) your loking more advanced and in which case the other guys are right it is limited, but its not meant to be a midi centre,the 4000 is an excellent midi device though, but so is a standard computer set up right.
knollege is power so refer to your synth handbook for settings or even better learn to understand midi maps, then there is no stoping you.

if u know all that i say then i`m sorry for patronising, not hear to make myself sound good i`m just to trying help others where i can and also learn from others in areas which i`m not so farmiliar with


if you require any assistance with midi, synths or guitars just drop me a line, kind regards and best of luck

E

you can ecen check my tunes out at www.myspace.com/iaincowley sorry! i know, i know naught plug


many apologies , don`t kick me off, i`m here to help and learn. i`ve had a couple of pints see and confidence is booming

lol

your synth will be fine with the mpc1000 for sequencing but if you require complex midi triggering and data sending or mtc(midi time clock) your loking more advanced and in which case the other guys are right it is limited, but its not meant to be a midi centre,the 4000 is an excellent midi device though, but so is a standard computer set up right.
knollege is power so refer to your synth handbook for settings or even better learn to understand midi maps, then there is no stoping you.

if u know all that i say then i`m sorry for , not hear to make myself sound good i`m just to trying help others where i can and also learn from others in areas which i`m not so farmiliar with


if you require any assistance with midi, synths or guitars just drop me a line, kind regards and best of luck

E[/quote]

not patronising at all, I appreciate your input. I know a lot about working within a midi sequencer as far as editing and such goes, but when it comes to connecting different hardware through midi, I have little to no experience. I tried hooking my keyboard up to my computer via midi interface but had all sorts of problems w/ insufficient ram on my computer, it would make garbled noise and only work half the time. So I'm sticking to good, old trusty hardware for my sequencer.

As far as what I'm looking to do, I'm really into sampling at the moment in ableton live, but I want to be able to actually play my samples out myself at different velocities and add basslines, melodies, etc, which brought me to the mpc. But, my origin of production is composing so I'd also like to be able to lay down 5-6 tracks of my own music (keys, bass, horns, strings, leads, bells, etc.) on top of some sampled drums when I feel inspired to compose from scratch as opposed to starting from a sample. So, because my synth doesn't have an internal sequencer and I need a way to play my samples myself, I figured the mpc could do both in one.

I hear with the JJ os a lot of this can be done, but not all. Most software midi sequencers will record pitch bend/modulation data, I find it hard to believe that the mpc, which has supposedly a highly regarded sequencer, is unable to record pitch bends .

lazyE wrote:you can ecen check my tunes out at www.myspace.com/iaincowley sorry! i know, i know naught plug


many apologies , don`t kick me off, i`m here to help and learn. i`ve had a couple of pints see and confidence is booming

lol

checked your myspace, pretty cool music, there aren't enough artists working analog. I know if I could afford it I'd have an all analog setup and record on reel to reel. I try to stay away from computers for making music. As soon as I get my mpc i can say goodbye to software sequencing, except for making mp3's. its fun to mess around with (software), but i lose interest fast whereas I can play an intrument all night long (I play bass, guitar, and keyboard,btw). anyway thanks

jk81 wrote:

naugie wrote:the mpc1000 will recieve midi messages goin into the mpc as long and record them into the mpc when u got record on. if u got ur mpc midi out to ur synth it will playback with all knobs turns and slider movements on all that. as for the mpc being a soundmodule for sampled synth parts ur mod wheel and ability to change cc commands wont have an effect on mpc at all. a midi controller cannot control the internals of the mpc.. so say u got a chromaticly laid out program with all notes and 4 samples assigned to its keygroups the only thing ur midi controller can do for the mpc are velocity changes and thats it.

beleive me i wish it allowed more but more would require an mpc4000.. im looking into a fantom xr

So, lets say using sounds from my synth for playback, I want to record a piano on track 1, a bass on track 2, and a lead on track 3. And I use the pitch bend and mod wheels on the bass and lead. The mpc1000 midi sequencer will record the notes, note length, and velocity of each track, but won't be able to detect the changes in pitch bending or modulation?

I would need the mpc 4000 for that?

Do you know if the JJ OS midi sequencer is capable of detecting more than just notes, note length, and velocity?

nahh the mpc1000 with or without jj os can record mod whell and knob turns and this and that if its a cc command the mpc will reocrod it.. but say if ur using the mpc1000 as a synthizizer than no u cant have ur synth control say a qlink slider or some internal mpc effects and all that the only thing the mpc1000 can do with or without the jj os is change by velocity..the mpc1000 is just a phrase sampelr and isnt meant to be used like a synth... but the mpc can like i say control ur synth just dont expect the mpc to act like one u know what i mean