Triggering the Akai S950 with Akai MPC 4000

Hey, everybody, I'm new here. What's up.

My question is does anyone know how to get the Akai MPC 4000 to trigger the Akai S950? I've read through both manuals, and I tried a search, but I'm still stuck.

Thanks

ever heard of midi ?

konc3pt wrote:ever heard of midi ?

What's with the sarcasm?

Yes, I've "heard" of MIDI. I was hoping that someone who had the MPC 4000 and the S950 would respond. I have a basic understanding of MIDI but I never used the Akai S950 before. It's older, and I just wanted some input, not sarcasm!

Anyway, I got a couple of sounds to play from the S950. But when you assign a pad to trigger sounds from an external module like the S950, how do you save those pad assignments, so that when I turn off and turn on the machine, I don't have to assign the pads all over again?

konc3pt, if you and/or anyone else knows the answer, please share.

Thanks in advance

Pad settings are saved within the progran itself. So save your program and you keep your assignments.

MPC 4 ME wrote:Pad settings are saved within the progran itself. So save your program and you keep your assignments.

Thanks MPC 4 Me

That's what I assumed. But when I save a program, it doesn't come up with the sequence the way I want it to. Let me try to explain it better. When I save the sequence then turn off the 4000, then load the sequence, the sequence loads exactly how I made it. All events are there, exactly how I made them. (The only thing I don't understand though is why the timing correct settings aren't saved. For some reason the timing correct settings go back to the default 1/16 setting).

So if I'm NOT using any internal samples from the 4000, how do I save the pad assignments that I set up for the S950 so that they work with the sequence that I saved? I mean I see the program in the folder that I've saved it in. The pad assignments are there. But when I go back to the main screen to work on the sequence that I've saved, the pad settings are not the ones from the program that I've saved. It's just the same "global default" settings. Which means I have to reassign the pads again, if I want to work with the sequence that I've saved.

So how do I get the program (with the pad assignments I set up) to work automatically with the sequence, whenever I load it? And how do I save the timing correct settings within the sequence?

Here's a suggestion,
a long shot I know,
but have you considered going to the Akai website,
downloading the User Guide for the Akai S950,
and reading it by moving your eyes across the words and joining
them up in your brain to make sentences?
That *might* help...

mpcgetta wrote:So if I'm NOT using any internal samples from the 4000, how do I save the pad assignments that I set up for the S950 so that they work with the sequence that I saved? I mean I see the program in the folder that I've saved it in. The pad assignments are there. But when I go back to the main screen to work on the sequence that I've saved, the pad settings are not the ones from the program that I've saved. It's just the same "global default" settings. Which means I have to reassign the pads again, if I want to work with the sequence that I've saved.

So how do I get the program (with the pad assignments I set up) to work automatically with the sequence, whenever I load it? And how do I save the timing correct settings within the sequence?

Samples that aren't on the MPC are on the other machine. So you have to save that program on that machine. Then you need to load that program on that machine any time you want to use it. I doubt you can have it load the program and samples automatically, but if they were loaded up, usually you can send a program change to select that specific program. These concepts go for all all external sound modules, not just the s950.

Not sure why the TC is such a big deal, its just one setting that can be changed by holding the TC button and spinning the dial. It shouldn't effect the sequence playback at all, just recording and note repeat. You could try saving as ALL sequences and songs to see if that does it, otherwise, its a pretty easy setting to change.

reading it by moving your eyes across the words and joining
them up in your brain to make sentences?

feline1 wrote:Here's a suggestion,
a long shot I know,
but have you considered going to the Akai website,
downloading the User Guide for the Akai S950,
and reading it by moving your eyes across the words and joining
them up in your brain to make sentences?
That *might* help...

Wow, a real "smart guy"! Don't really understand all the angry and subjective sarcasm on here.

First, feline1 my question WAS NOT about programming the S950. It was initially about triggering my S950 with the MPC 4000. I've been able to trigger the S950 with other gear (MPC 60 II, SP 1200) before, and with each piece it was slightly different, but achievable, and easy to save the pad assignments. I came on here to see if anyone else had experimented with the MPC 4000/S950 combination. I wanted to know how to trigger the S950. I figured it out, and I just wanted to know how to save MPC 4000 pad assignments that I made for the S950. It seems that this process is much more involved than on the SP 1200 and the MPC 60 II. However, for asking this I'm basically insulted by you? What do you gain by this, feline1?

Next, why would I need to look at the Akai S950 manual for information about saving pad assignments on the MPC 4000? Obviously, I couldn't even trigger the S950 with MPC 4000 if I didn't already read the S950 manual and understand the S950s programming functions.

Anyway, thanks McSmooth. I'm starting to get the feeling that there is no way to save those pad assignment settings. So, I guess every time I power up each machine in conjunction, I'll just have to reassign the pad settings for the S950. I mean, the sequence saves properly, so I got that going at least. It just would have been nice to easily be able to save & store the pad assignments for the S950, just like you can on the MPC 60 II.

But I still don't understand why timing correct change isn't saved within the sequence. (It's a pretty easy setting to change, I agree, but if I can save the tempo of a sequence when I save that sequence, I should also be able to save the timing correct, as well).

mpcgetta wrote:
Wow, a real "smart guy"! Don't really understand all the angry and subjective sarcasm on here.

Maybe it's cos you came across like a typical lazy idiot who can't read?

To understand how any two pieces of MIDI gear can chat to each other,
read their documentation, particularly the generic "MIDI Implementation Chart" that is usually at the back of the manual.
HINT: it's piss easy. That's why MIDI has been around since NINETEEN EIGHTY F*CKING THREE.

Here's a genuine tip: if you wanna check exactly what MIDI messages are being sent, hook the machines up to a PC and use the excellent free MIDI diagnostic tool, "MIDI OX". (You can find it by typing "MIDI OX" into google. You can find google by... etc etc)

feline1 wrote:

mpcgetta wrote:
Wow, a real "smart guy"! Don't really understand all the angry and subjective sarcasm on here.

Maybe it's cos you came across like a typical lazy idiot who can't read?

To understand how any two pieces of MIDI gear can chat to each other,
read their documentation, particularly the generic "MIDI Implementation Chart" that is usually at the back of the manual.
HINT: it's piss easy. That's why MIDI has been around since NINETEEN EIGHTY F*CKING THREE.

Here's a genuine tip: if you wanna check exactly what MIDI messages are being sent, hook the machines up to a PC and use the excellent free MIDI diagnostic tool, "MIDI OX". (You can find it by typing "MIDI OX" into google. You can find google by... etc etc)

Listen, feline1, did you really even read my last post? Or is your ego so big that you don't care when you insult someone, unprovoked. And after you're called out on this insult, rather then simply offer some apology or some sort of correction, you exhibit even more angst alongside your initial insult. (Why are you still perpetuating this?)

Furthermore, WHY are you still trying to give a lesson on the history of MIDI? It's evident from my post that I do NOT have a problem with MIDI. Yet you're so focused on continuing to be sarcastic and inflammatory that you're more willing to disregard what I'm actually posting than you are willing simply to offer a little help.

I'm sorry that you're so intelligent that you get angry headaches when people ask about areas presumably you know so well. And don't try to cop out saying that "you're tired of people... blah blah blah asking the same... blah blah blah... Give me a break, do you need to be so elitist? Is it really that world threatening to you?

Again, MPC 4 ME and McSmooth, thank you both for being helpful and sincere. Both your replies echoed sincerity and a level of respect one would expect on a reputable forum.

Look, it's PERFECTLY SIMPLE: I am a BAD HUMAN BEING, who USES MY POWERS FOR EVIL.

I ask you plain and simple: HAVE YOU GOT A PROBLEM WITH THAT??

Anyways - I would guess that samples in your S950 are assigned to particular MIDI note numbers ...
so you just have to assign the right note numbers to pads in an MPC4000 program.

I don't know for sure though, without reading the S950 manual. Which I have no inclination whatsoever to do.

I don't see what the problem is, when you set a track to MIDI, the pads are always the same (chromatic). You set the assignment on the external device as to which samples go with which midi notes. Then you save that program on the external device (and load it back up when you need it). Shouldn't really have anything to do with the 4000. For the TC setting, did you try saving an ALL file?

feline1 wrote:Anyways - I would guess that samples in your S950 are assigned to particular MIDI note numbers ...
so you just have to assign the right note numbers to pads in an MPC4000 program.

I don't know for sure though, without reading the S950 manual. Which I have no inclination whatsoever to do.

Thanks feline. Now, that was a cool reply. And my fault for being a smart ass and calling you a "smart guy". So, yeah, that much I worked out already. I load up the program from the S950. Then I assigned the corresponding MIDI note numbers on the MPC4000 pads. Everything works. Only thing I can't seem to do is save those pad assignments, so that I can simply load up the MPC400 program right along with the S950 program. Like I said, in an earlier post, saving the sequence works fine. So, if I have to reassign the default pad settings on the MPC4000 every time I want to use the S950, I guess that's what I'll have to do. But I can't help but think that there's gotta be an easy way to do it.

But McSmooth, I guess another option would be to reset the programs that I have in the S950 to match up with the chromatic settings of the MPC4000. I'm reluctant to do this because I have a LOT of S950 programs, and they're all pretty much setup the same way-- that is by sound type (kick, snare, hat, etc.), rather than chronological order. What do you think?