hows 12 pads making drums?

I'm thinking of getting an mpc500 and naturally I want to make some drum beats with it.
I'm confused with how well it works as a 16 beat step sequencer when its only got 12 drum pads?

Does it have some funtionality to make the whole process easier of setting steps? Maybe some button you press and the pads map from beats 123 to 234?

Thats my chief concern about it as I don't know how that works ( I'm not really sure how the other mpcs work as well with step sequencing). I assumed that in a given bar, if you wanted to make a house beat, you'd tap pad 1,5,9,13. But there ain't no pad 13!?

Any summaries out there?

It's great man... works like a charm

but how does it work? can someone give me a few words of description of the interface and workflow?

it doesnt work like 16 step x0x so dont let 12 pads confuse you in that regard

well the pads r 4 triggering ur sounds not steps. on the mpc u have 2 play the pads and record ur sequences live and u have the option 2 quauntize (1/8, 1/16, 1/32 etc.) or leave it natural.

I see. So it doesn't have any functionality like the 303/808/909 or the electribe where you can essentially put a note on a step?

hmmm.. thats the kind of thing I want to do.

Right now I'm using NI battery in a Cubase and theres a huge disconnect between selecting your sample(battery) and then the drum pattern (cubase midi). I wanted an all in one solution with an outboard interface.

sorry it is not roland or korg, mpc 500 had step sequencer but programing this is "easy" as on yamaha rm1x... If you want quickly program beat steps via buttons roland or korg will do the job, if you want to make beats via beating pads in realtime and human feel of sequences mpcs are best for this, and for realtime tweeking in my opinion are best yamahas, you program steps (not that easy) and then play with all those knobs realtime, also sound much more good and there is much more detailed bass than on korg with its cheap muddy converters.

Cheap way to do programing could be via Fl studio.. (then altern paterns via 1-9 numbers on keyboard) I have using this for ages, also if money is not a problem how about some vintage 808 or 909? I have 707 (buyed this beast dirt cheap) just for programing fun, nice timing feel (nice groovy unstable clock) only sounds and fatal error midi implementation (but there are mods for that) keep me away from using it in music production (sequencer which it could be best if roland make option to send midi messages while you program it in program mode and when you push buttons).

I won't repeat much of whats been said here - but I will say that the jump down from 16 to 12 pads is not as bad as you'd think. Im even getting into the habit of switching banks quickly so I can access more pads.

I used to have an mpc 1000 and don't regret for a moment getting an mpc 500 instead. This is a classic machine.

M

markmorgan10 wrote:I won't repeat much of whats been said here - but I will say that the jump down from 16 to 12 pads is not as bad as you'd think. Im even getting into the habit of switching banks quickly so I can access more pads.

I used to have an mpc 1000 and don't regret for a moment getting an mpc 500 instead. This is a classic machine.

M

Yeah, exactly. I dont have a 500, but I don't see why only having 12 pads would be much of an issue. There are 4 pad banks isn't there? 12 pads x 4 banks = 48. That's plenty.

ONE wrote:Yeah, exactly. I dont have a 500, but I don't see why only having 12 pads would be much of an issue. There are 4 pad banks isn't there? 12 pads x 4 banks = 48. That's plenty.

Actually I wish there were more banks at least, though not necessarily pads. Not for step sequencing, but I run out of pad banks by the time I use about half of the memory of the 128 expansion.

u can hold multiple programms in ur RAM
I believe it's 99 programs (I'm not sure).
99 x 48 sounds (4banks x 12 pads)= a hell lot of samples

Menco wrote:u can hold multiple programms in ur RAM
I believe it's 99 programs (I'm not sure).
99 x 48 sounds (4banks x 12 pads)= a hell lot of samples

That's true, I didn't think of that. You gotta times pads and banks by how many programs available. Very good point!

Menco wrote:u can hold multiple programms in ur RAM
I believe it's 99 programs (I'm not sure).
99 x 48 sounds (4banks x 12 pads)= a hell lot of samples

Another member mentioned that to me, but I still dont know how its done.

How can you use multiple programs within the same song ?

When I load up my song with program01, and then go to pad6 and switch to program02, the sequences I created with program01 will no longer play. IE: the samples from program01 will no longer trigger after selecting program02.

There may be alternate ways from this, but -

make a new program, fill it out however you like, then make a new sequence, assign the new program to it and sequence.

I usually don't use sequences unless I've passed 48 samples. I make my changes with track mutes, but sequences were made for making changes anyway.

ssnedden wrote:... I make my changes with track mutes, but sequences were made for making changes anyway.

And thats yet another thing that I haven't figured out how to use yet.
I've been doing my muting the old sp1200 style, with a silent button in 12 levels mode.

Thank you for the response regarding multi programs, but I'm not sure I understand what you described.

1. make a new program (load some samples into the banks)
2. make a sequence (program a beat loop)
3. ?