MPC5000 reviews, bug reports and fellow user support on the most recent standalone, hardware MPC from Akai
By masada2502 Sat Jan 17, 2009 10:39 pm
i own a mpc4000.with talk of os2 im thinking of buying a 5000.1 problem all of my 4000 kits contain 96 sounds spread over 6 banks will the 5000 os2 be able to accommodate this?or will i have to chop those kits down to 64 sounds over 4 banks.this is a real big factor for me,ive spent years building my kits.thx in advance.p.s. a aksys type program would be great for the 5000.
By masada2502 Sun Jan 18, 2009 3:00 am
yeah i understand that but i was thinking maybe with the addition of keygroups u could get a few more sounds in the 5000(96 to 128 keys in a key group,96 to 128 sounds per key)so those extra sounds would fit .so say u have 64 sounds to a drum program but 96 to 128 keys(places to put extra sounds)to a keygroup.i know they cant add physical banks but this would be a great work around,thx
By 4dahaterz Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:07 am
they might be able to add like a virtual bank "1" and a Virtual bank "2", just like how you change the MIDI, you can change the drum to, Drum Bank 1 and Drum Bank 2... or something like that in the menus, it is a nice idea, especially if they could give us a full Gig of RAM as well
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By Askia Shaheed Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:17 am
masada2502 wrote:i own a mpc4000.with talk of os2 im thinking of buying a 5000.1 problem all of my 4000 kits contain 96 sounds spread over 6 banks will the 5000 os2 be able to accommodate this?or will i have to chop those kits down to 64 sounds over 4 banks.this is a real big factor for me,ive spent years building my kits.thx in advance.p.s. a aksys type program would be great for the 5000.


You could just convert/save all your MPC 4000 drum programs to keygroup/instrument programs which will load into the MPC 5000.
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By AWW_NAWW Sun Jan 18, 2009 7:44 am
yeah but hes still gonna be 32 pads or 2 banks shy of his full programs any way you cut it but I like the virtual bank idea as a work around
By Sovereign Sun Jan 18, 2009 1:01 pm
Akai still overlooked the advantage of MULTI's to make use of the Key Groups. :shock:
Probably related to the memory shortage they gave the 5k.
Also they could have easily added the missing banks just as Linn did with the v3 OS for the 60.

No matter how you look at it the way people use the 4k makes it incompatible with the 5k because it cam't load MULYI's or lacks the extra Pad banks.
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By Askia Shaheed Sun Jan 18, 2009 2:53 pm
Sovereign wrote:Akai still overlooked the advantage of MULTI's to make use of the Key Groups. :shock:
Probably related to the memory shortage they gave the 5k.
Also they could have easily added the missing banks just as Linn did with the v3 OS for the 60.

No matter how you look at it the way people use the 4k makes it incompatible with the 5k because it cam't load MULYI's or lacks the extra Pad banks.


Yup...I have been hearing alot of this in these forums for the past 8 months. But I haven't heard any music giving us an example of what these multis can do. So can one of you guys/girls post an example?

Besides...you don't need a multi to take advantage of a keygroup. In a multi, you can put all your programs in a sinple multi-program. But why? You can simply assign each program directly to its own track and cut out the middle man. You want to layer sounds? You have 4 sounds for each pad...128 keygroups which can be assigned to the same range...bam..you just ate up all the polyphony regardless of which MPC you use....stop making excuses people...and make some music.
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By Blue Haze Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:12 am
Soveriegn has a point

Akai still overlooked the advantage of MULTI's to make use of the Key Groups.
Probably related to the memory shortage they gave the 5k.
Akai Japan reconfired this along with scd.

Aksia has a point
Besides...you don't need a multi to take advantage of a keygroup. In a multi, you can put all your programs in a sinple multi-program.

stop making excuses people...and make some music.


On the other hand multis are not an excuses just wonderful creative tools for music making even with drums too.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=107733


You can do it with a 5k too just take you program take for example 4 keygroups within one program one bass, piano, strings and etc. Arrange the root key and set the keyrange for each keygroup and layer like we describe in the thread. Just it is easier within a Multi and of course as renegardbless describe more with a multi cuz you are layering programs giving you more options.


Just different ways.
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By Askia Shaheed Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:10 pm
Blue Haze wrote:You can do it with a 5k too just take you program take for example 4 keygroups within one program one bass, piano, strings and etc. Arrange the root key and set the keyrange for each keygroup and layer like we describe in the thread. Just it is easier within a Multi and of course as renegardbless describe more with a multi cuz you are layering programs giving you more options.
Just different ways.

This is where the problem lies...

Multis look like a disadvantage. If Akai implemented the multi like the MPC 4000, this will turn off a lot of users. This has turned off a lot of MPC users. I hated being forced to assign programs to parts/multis. I want to pull up a track, and assign the program (synth, sampler, or keygroup) directly to that track. I would not want this taken away. I WOULD NOT use an MPC if I couldn't assign a program directly to a track. Now if Akai wanted to add a forth type of program called Multi, it should be in line with the other programs....IMHO. On the multipage, it should look similar to the Sample/Keygroup Program pages. But instead of 4 sample layer slots, there will be slots for at least 16 synth and sample programs. We should be able to assign this Multi-program directly to a track.
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By Blue Haze Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:51 pm
Askia Shaheed wrote:
Blue Haze wrote:You can do it with a 5k too just take you program take for example 4 keygroups within one program one bass, piano, strings and etc. Arrange the root key and set the keyrange for each keygroup and layer like we describe in the thread. Just it is easier within a Multi and of course as renegardbless describe more with a multi cuz you are layering programs giving you more options.
Just different ways.

This is where the problem lies...

Multis look like a disadvantage. If Akai implemented the multi like the MPC 4000, this will turn off a lot of users. This has turned off a lot of MPC users. I hated being forced to assign programs to parts/multis. I want to pull up a track, and assign the program (synth, sampler, or keygroup) directly to that track. I would not want this taken away. I WOULD NOT use an MPC if I couldn't assign a program directly to a track. Now if Akai wanted to add a forth type of program called Multi, it should be in line with the other programs....IMHO. On the multipage, it should look similar to the Sample/Keygroup Program pages. But instead of 4 sample layer slots, there will be slots for at least 16 synth and sample programs. We should be able to assign this Multi-program directly to a track.



Jah you are misunderstanding me. I described how to key up the programs using the 5k keygroups. Not the 4ks

I would need to do all of that with a 4k. But using a 5k and yes I have used one I sometimes visit Akai Japan offices still I use one keygroup program on one track set up the 4 keygroups within the one program and do all the other things I describe.

I want to pull up a track, and assign the program (synth, sampler, or keygroup) directly to that track. I would not want this taken away. I WOULD NOT use an MPC if I couldn't assign a program directly to a track. Now if Akai wanted to add a forth type of program called Multi, it should be in line with the other programs....IMHO. On the multipage, it should look similar to the Sample/Keygroup Program pages.


I do this easily on my 4k like the 2xl it is the similar things with my multi I load the multi I assign the hit track button see the part as same as Drum on my 2xl and assign the program no difference very, very easy.


Using the 5k is it similar I hit track go the the drum assign the program easy it isn`t that hard.

But unlike the 2xl and 5k with multi I can change the drum aka part to INT A aka (virtual port) and assign more than one program to a track at a time.

The multi page does look similar to a Sample/Keygroup page on the , Multi mix, Multi midi and the Multi span pages level, tune, pan, outs, effects are all there. The Multi midi page let me set my programs to the same channel and Multi span lets me set the range fast and easily.
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By Askia Shaheed Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:27 pm
I am not misunderstanding you. I am just trying to explain to you why people didn't like the MPC 4000. You say its not that hard. And truthfully, when you learn how the MPC 4000 works, it is not that hard. But it is different and most MPC user don't like it.

They want the old MPC feel. This is what the MPC 5000, 2500, 1000 gives you. You dial up a program directly to a track. No need to assign programs to a multi. IMHO, Akai did their homework.

The MPC 4000s OUT and Part just seems so unnessary. Part should just be called Program and allow you to quickly dial in any program im memory. OUT should just be OFF by DEFAULT for internal programs. For external MIDI gear, you dial in A01-D16. The 'part' and 'virtual A/B' is unnecessary for most (in my opinion). And I am happy that Akai got rid of this.

Its obvious that you are fond of the way it works in the MPC 4000. I can understand that someone can look at this a trivial, but why the extra step if it is not needed. I can concede giving people the option of using a multi if it is set-up similar to the way I described. But if assigning program to a multi is the only way the MPC 5000 will work, I would just use the older OS.
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By Blue Haze Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:54 pm
They want the old MPC feel. This is what the MPC 5000, 2500, 1000 gives you. You dial up a program directly to a track. No need to assign programs to a multi. IMHO, Akai did their homework.


I use both a 4k and 3k I do the same go to main page, press F4 down to track see drum-part or whatever it is called and assign program simple. I and many other mpc users do it every day with no blanket statements. If I and you were in the same room I could easily show you too. Akai still tells me to keep what I have I remember when I first visited the office for lessons yrs back and I didn`t know shit but the guys were very patient to work with me.


The MPC 4000s OUT and Part just seems so unnessary. Part should just be called Program and allow you to quickly dial in any program im memory. OUT should just be OFF by DEFAULT for internal programs. For external MIDI gear, you dial in A01-D16. The 'part' and 'virtual A/B' is unnecessary for most (in my opinion). And I am happy that Akai got rid of this.



I agree the wording threw alot of people off me included coming off my 2xl what the hell. But I got it now Part is Drum and I assign a part and spin the dial to but any program to a track. I got my autoload set up so switch on the machine go to track scroll to the parts as the pattern is playing to see which drum kit I like for the pattern. I start with a simple kit and copy the tracks and tweak different kits to the different tracks and layer two kits over each other with the secord part. Virtual A/B is the shit I can layer crazy setup and I wouldn`t give it up anything.



Its obvious that you are fond of the way it works in the MPC 4000. I can understand that someone can look at this a trivial, but why the extra step if it is not needed. I can concede giving people the option of using a multi if it is set-up similar to the way I described. But if assigning program to a multi is the only way the MPC 5000 will work, I would just use the older OS.


Yes I love it cuz all the things I do with my software alot of the same I can do with my 4k. Software taught me alot of things that my 3k and 2xl never did. The 5k is good especially coming up from a 2xl or 3k which is why I had consideration to get one. Assigning a program on a 5k and the 4k is the same to me not much different. The extra steps gives my pads, pianos, rhodes, combinations of programs and my own custom sounds which I would want to lose.