how do you assign samples to pads? (and make them play!!!)

I spent 3 hours in Guitar City on sunday. I bought the MPC tutorial. I've been at it for another seven hours today. after assigning my samples to my pads, I still can't get my MPC500 to play them! what the #@*% am I missing!

I'll take anything at this hour ...

before you assign them you should have an option to preview the sample by hitting play - you get this far? hear the sample? If not, the sample's not being read.
Switch full level on and then once you've heard it in preview you assign it then press that pad and you should hear it because full-level's on. If it's a tad quiter tha preview it's on 70 not 100 in sample volume menu (Program)

When you say they wont play, what exactly do you mean? No volume? Error messages? Have you checked your audio connections are set up correctly? Have you followed the tutorial book through from the very beginning without skipping anything?

In addition to what MPC-Tutor said...

You may try the following to sort out your problem:

1. Check out if you are using the right pad bank (you may accidentally choose an empty one instead of the one you assigned your samples into; pad bank is the part of a program, so you can assign different samples for playing and switch between them rapidly by pressing one of the 4 knobs in the pad bank section below the jog wheel)

2. Check out if you had saved your program before switching the MPC off (when it is switched off the contents of its memory is cleaned, just like when working on your PC or Mac)

3. Check out if samples for your program are loaded into the MPC memory

4. Well, finally, make sure your MPC is not defected (it may be, there is a certain percentage of defected samplers on sale, unfortunately). You may try reinstalling the OS first, in order not to spend time and effort sending it to a repair shop, where the first thing they do, if the MPC looks ok and doesn't come in parts ))) is reinstalling the OS.

Well, good luck!

create a sequence on a new program first. then just assign those samples to the pads as usual. (i.e., the 500 comes with 4 preset programs, so go to sequence 5(which should say "unused 05") and start a new sequence and program. that should work right there, man.

MPC-Tutor wrote:When you say they wont play, what exactly do you mean? No volume? Error messages? Have you checked your audio connections are set up correctly? Have you followed the tutorial book through from the very beginning without skipping anything?

I'm at the bottom of Page 70 of "Beat Making on the MPC500." Last screen it shows on that page is "Sample assign A ... A3:L1:KICK" Next thing it says is "Now press pad A3 and you should hear your sample" but I don't!

you should have an option to preview the sample by hitting play - you get this far? hear the sample?

You have got your outputs connected correctly haven't you??? Does the metronome play ok?

So, how is it going, jfrank?

I have an idea, try making a new program, instead of assigning samples to pads in the existing one. You may use one of the factory programs, which may have effects assigned to pads or other settings like volume or velocity changed. So, when you assign a sample to the pad and hit it, the volume is too low for you to hear it.