Technical questions for the MPC2000xl and the MPC2000
By trike79 Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:51 pm
Hi, new to this board although i've been lurking for a while. I use a 2000xl for virtually everything- my question is this: Is there a way to record an external signal straight into a sequence. basically i want to programme a drum loop on the mpc then play an external instrument (Moog voyager/ micro korg or other keys and modules) along with the drum loop (recording at the same time) I see beat vids on Utube where cats appear to be doing this but cant find anything in the manual. Its really hard remembering the tempo of the drums, recording a bassline to fit that on the moog- sampling it then tweeking it to make it fit. I just want to be able to layer stuff up whilst keeping the vibe of whats in my head. Is this only possible with asequencer like logic. Any help i greatly appreciated. (sorry if that was a bit long)

By Eric Sokol Wed Oct 17, 2007 3:58 pm
midi homie..... get some midi cables and hook that shit up

Byharlej Wed Oct 17, 2007 6:52 pm
Is there a way to record an external signal straight into a sequence. basically i want to programme a drum loop on the mpc then play an external instrument (Moog voyager/ micro korg or other keys and modules) along with the drum loop (recording at the same time)


Yes, you can do that. You can record up to 16 midi tracks (or even 32, not sure) in the same time into mpc. You just have to make the right midi assigements. It is described in the manual.
Download the pdf version, it's faster to find stuff this way.

By trike79 Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:56 am
Many thanks, still very confused. I cant see how that would work but you guys obviously know your stuff. I'll have a look at the manual again. Many thanks, Oh and if any one can describe this in greater detail i'd be most grateful (not looking to be spoon fed im just easily confused)

By trike79 Thu Oct 18, 2007 9:31 am
Just had a little look, Im presuming this technique will just record the midi notes into the sequence then i have to sample the sounds and assign them to those notes? Can any one please explain the theory a bit before I hit the manual again? I litterally just want to be able to layer audio from other keys and modules in the sequencer without sampling it and playing it via pads. Any more help greatly appreciated as its driving me mad.
By fritzifratzi Thu Oct 18, 2007 2:41 pm
you can not record external audio into the mpc while it's playing, but you can trigger external midi instruments via midi.

hook up the midi out from the mpc to the midi in of the voyager. hook up a midi keyboard in the midi in of the mpc. select a trak. go to the bottom left. change drum to midi. change 'off' to the right midi device, e.g. midi out 1a etc. if you are unsure, go through all till you hear a signal. record and it behaves exactly like a drumtrak.

if you do not have a separate midi controller, you have to hook up the voyager out to the mpc midi in which is a little more complicated because you might trigger notes double (once straight from the keys, once trough the mpc). i have forgotten how to avoid that but i am sure you will find out how.

so if all that works, all that the mpc does is trigger midi notes on the external equipment, with whatever sound you have selected on the equipment. with a little trickery, you can make the mpc change sounds on your equipment via midi and you can record pot movements from the voyager etc etc.... totally manic....

you can even get a digital mixer at some stage and automate all fades etc with your mpc, great when you use individual outputs and lots of midi gear...

hope that helps
read up on midi on google and also your moog manual on midi...
OK?

By trike79 Thu Oct 18, 2007 4:53 pm
cool that helps a lot (looks like i'll have to stop avoiding midi). Many thanks for all the replies.

By madreel Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:09 pm
The cats you see recording over a beat on an mpc are using an mpc 1000
and the jj os . it has regular sequence tracks and tracks 60+ something is dedicated to audio track. do a search on mpc 1000 jj os and its in the pdf file. the mpc 2000xl i dont think its possible. the only choice you have is to sync your keyboard to the mpc midi clock.
User avatar

By BenHoughton Wed Nov 14, 2007 11:58 pm
Of course you could just fire up the old metronome and play to that while you record in the mpc...

:D

By trike79 Thu Nov 15, 2007 9:09 am
Thanks for all the help. I was expecting some cocky answers- but actually got some usefull replies. That JJ OS is making me curse the day i sold my 1000. He done anything for the 500? (dont use it much but i'd be tempted if th OS was available?)