Newb 2500 question

Hello peeps, I am a newb to mpcdom and about a week ago picked up a used 2000xl which I only bought because it was so cheap and you can never have enough drum machines right? , I have been producing for about 20 years (yeah I'm old) on various hardware units (don't like computers for music) and the 2000xl surprised me, I got it mainly for use just as a drum machine but then after working with it decided that perhaps a MPC would make a good main sequencer in my setup, the problem was it only had 2 midi outs.

So today I got a used 2500 (again for a good price) thinking it will be like a 2000xl with more features (which it is) but I did not think features from the 2000xl would be missing - specifically the ability to delete muted tracks from a sequence. The reason I like that feature is because I tend to work out my main groove for the song then drop bits out for variations, so on the 2000xl I'd knock up say a beat, bassline, chords etc then copy the pattern to a new location, mute say the chords and hi hats, erase the muted tracks and have a variation, then I'd copy the original to a new location and mute say the kick and bassline, erase the muted tracks... anyway you get the idea. I like to work in patterns and string them into a song.

I have looked in the manual of the 2500 and gone into the menus and looked on google etc but it seems this feature is missing from the 2500? Is that right?

I know I can record mutes into a sequence but that is of little use for my way of working because in many instances I would want to create a new track where the muted one was, like say a 3 bar drop then a roll on the last bar as a variation from my main section which would be a snare on the 2 and 4.

Also I know there is a workaround of deleting tracks individually but it takes much longer to do and franky is a PITA, so my question is how do you guys create variations like drops etc on your main sequences, on the 2000xl it is fast and easy and I'm hoping I can do it or an equally easy way on the 2500.

I am using the Akai OS, I would buy JJ OS if it can do this but again I can find no mention of it in the JJ documentation, cheers for any help.

Phat Phace

Yeah I have similar problem, I cant think of a workaround except that you have to delete tracks indiviually. When you go to Song Mode you can Convert to a Sequence and there are options here, but tbh, I dont think they will help. Page 45 if youa are interested.

Not sure about the JJ OS, try the JJ OS forum they will be able to tell you - smart bunch of cookies over there, hey Nym.

One word of advice....keep your questions brief, and you will get more reads.


So what's the problem here? You can't figure out how to delete tracks?

So what's the problem here? You can't figure out how to delete tracks?

I can delete tracks individually just fine, what I mean is hitting mute, muting some tracks then deleting all the muted tracks in one go, on the 2kxl you just open window then bam they're gone. It makes creating variations real quick, I just wondered if the 2500 can do it or something similar. If it can't then I will probably sell it because doing it track by track is OK for something made in the 80's but not today. LOL

phat phace wrote:If it can't then I will probably sell it because doing it track by track is OK for something made in the 80's but not today. LOL

So how many tracks are you using that deleting a couple by hand ruins your whole day?

So how many tracks are you using that deleting a couple by hand ruins your whole day?

I would want to delete 10 or 12 at a time, its not that it ruins my day but it is too slow for my flow

I like to work fast on stuff and have each instrument on its own track, especially drums and percussion. I just find it weird that the 2500 can't apparently do something so simple.

I like to work by building up and breaking down patterns to create variations then string them into a song, surely it can do this, otherwise mute mode is only really any good for live use, which I find strange considering akai market this as "the studio mpc"

phat phace wrote:

So how many tracks are you using that deleting a couple by hand ruins your whole day?

I would want to delete 10 or 12 at a time, its not that it ruins my day but it is too slow for my flow

I like to work fast on stuff and have each instrument on its own track, especially drums and percussion. I just find it weird that the 2500 can't apparently do something so simple.

Maybe they just didn't think something like this would be necessary in any way. I can't imagine it taking more then 30 seconds deleting your 10 tracks. I would never expect such a function either.

Geez, you don't even need to delete them....just leave them in for flexibility.

OK, well because it is not a feature that you would use does not mean it is not something that others would not use, and for pattern based music it is a pretty standard feature - after all it was in the 2000xl.

Geez, you don't even need to delete them....just leave them in for flexibility.

Maybe you misunderstood me, (or maybe I did you) in order to create variations like drops and breakdowns (in the pattern based music that I am working on) then you need that feature (or some other way of doing it)

Here is an example:

I create a 8 bar sequence (sequence 1) with 16 tracks, track 1 has kick, tr2 snare, tr3 cl hat, tr4 open hat, track 5 clap, track 6 congas, track 7 bassline, track 8 lead synth, track 9 piano, track 10 strings, track 11 pad, track 12 brass, track 13 synth arpeggio, track 14 vocal, track 15 shaker, track 16 cymbal

My whole song is based around this single pattern with variations of combinations of those tracks playing together so the track may start with just the kick, then in 4 bars I bring in the snare, I keep adding and taking things out to build the track, so the way I would do that is to create variations of this pattern with various tracks muted.

On the 2kxl I just used that feature to create these variations, so all I am asking is how to do that on the 2500? I know ppl work different ways so I was trying to get some alternative ways of doing it.

Why do u wanna delete the muted tracks? Just leave em muted. What i do is make 1 sequence. Record everythig the beat is gonna have in that 1 sequence. Then. Mute whatever for the intro. Copy that , mute this unmute this whatever for the hook. Copy that sequence Mute this that for the hook and break. Copy mute unmute whatever for the 1 bar of the verse and so on.

I started with the 2000XL also (MPC wise anyway) I miss the note off in program. The 2500 only has poly and mono. I liked the Note off in the 2000XL and also the ability to envelope. I this you can get envelope program in the 2500 with JJ OS2 but Akai should have it in there OS.

phat phace wrote:OK, well because it is not a feature that you would use does not mean it is not something that others would not use, and for pattern based music it is a pretty standard feature - after all it was in the 2000xl.

Well, they don't have to waste OS space with "useless" features either. To me it sounds like you just wanna have this because you're used to it from the 2000XL. The 2500 can't do it, so live with it. You have so many other improvements on the 2500 that save you a lot more time than what you lose with this.

phat phace wrote:Maybe you misunderstood me, (or maybe I did you) in order to create variations like drops and breakdowns (in the pattern based music that I am working on) then you need that feature (or some other way of doing it)

Yes, I think I understood right. And I still don't think you need that feature in any way. Maybe if you want to Mute/Unmute a Track during a sequence, and then take out only those notes that are muted, yes I could understand that. And even for that you don't need to delete them, as said before, just leave em muted! That's what Track Mute is for! It doesn't hurt.

Mastermindsmusik wrote:I started with the 2000XL also (MPC wise anyway) I miss the note off in program.

Ever tried hitting Window on the sample name in Program Mode? One Shot/Note On?

Mastermindsmusik wrote:I liked the Note off in the 2000XL and also the ability to envelope. I this you can get envelope program in the 2500 with JJ OS2 but Akai should have it in there OS.

Ever tried hitting Window on the "Lvl" field in Program Mode? That what you looking for?

Ok so if I make say 5 variations of the same sequence and set different mute options for each when I put them together in a song they will retain the mute settings? But then what if I accidentally unmute a track in one of those sequences would it affect the song or would those entries to the song memorise the mute status?

Nevermind, I just found out that the mute settings are not memorised with the song data which is not ideal for me.