MPC to use to accompany some Jazz musiciens

Hi,

I am wondering whether I could use a MPC also to just play some easy Jazz beats to play along for a pianist and saxophone so in order to keep the rythm tight??
However, I am not a drummer so I wonder whether one can download/buy a set of basic rythms (along with the samples used of course) and than just use it as such?? So I would probably need on top of the samples the .seq or MIDI files right?
But so far did not find anything offered on the net, maybe someone has a hint? Or are there such preset the MPC comes delivered with?
Thanks,
Johannes

Yeah you can man, ssnedden, who is a member here did a track with the MPC while his friend blew the sax. Real dope sh*t, sounded like a whole band. pm him he'll let you hear it. Tell him Ill-Green sent ya.

yea you can definitely get it done with the MPC.

I would go for the cheap ones like 500 or 1000 if your only gonna use it for drums live;)

playagiron wrote:However, I am not a drummer so I wonder whether one can download/buy a set of basic rythms (along with the samples used of course) and than just use it as such??

To achieve what you ask is possible.

First you'll need some drum programs suitable for jazz or whatever music genre you are working with. If you purchase a retail or Akai sample CD for your drums with any luck it will lay out the samples following the GM (General Midi) drum mapping format. When you load this into the MPC the samples will already be mapped (assigned) to specific pads.

Once you have some GM drumsets you can search online for places to download FREE midi files of drum patterns which you can keep or modify for use in your MPC.

Maybe it would make more sense to just use a drum machine?

Xr20 for instance?

Check some Youtube vidz of the xr20 and see if it suits you.
Or much better go to a music store to test out mpc's and drum machines like xr20.

Hi,

thanks, sounds indeed well suited. So ordered a MPC 500 today...excited...
So I was looking for MIdi drum patterns but only found sample libraries, Hope I will find some more (since I am not a specialist Jazz drummer ...)

Regarding the Xr 20, hmm, its funny actually it looks just like the MPC 500 (at least the form factor...) Just half the price, but no sampling functionality if i understood it right??
So what are these drum machines for?? Just to play some ROMpler Beat, and use the sequencer to arrange e.g. a song??

But isnt the MPC as well capable to do that? I would like to buy some decent Mellotron samples and use them a well, which I probably could not do just with a drum machine right??

Anyway thanks and enjoy!!

Forgot to mention audio loops! You can download some and load them into your MPC.

playagiron wrote:So I was looking for MIdi drum patterns but only found sample libraries, Hope I will find some more (since I am not a specialist Jazz drummer ...)

Midi drum patterns to get you started.

http://www.fivepinpress.com/drum_patterns.html

clint246clint wrote:Forgot to mention audio loops! You can download some and load them into your MPC.

yea, loop yourself some max roach or such like and your away... maybe.

My experience of jazz (i'm a bassist) is that the rhythm section is pretty dam essential for swingn etc. Drums are especially melodic, sycopated, lyrical and often playin 'call and response' ideas with the soloist/s. Would take some serious programing to get that happening! I'm thinkin more bebop era tho...

You mite be better off with a cd! When I was studying we had these Jamie Abesold (sp) play along cd's of standards. You can pan to one side and just get rhythm section or the other side for keyboard melody etc... Would be cheaper than an mp if that's all you wanting the mp for.

maybe get that cd, sample that and then take the mp to your gig?

BLACK DORIS wrote:

clint246clint wrote:Forgot to mention audio loops! You can download some and load them into your MPC.

yea, loop yourself some max roach or such like and your away... maybe.

My experience of jazz (i'm a bassist) is that the rhythm section is pretty dam essential for swingn etc. Drums are especially melodic, sycopated, lyrical and often playin 'call and response' ideas with the soloist/s. Would take some serious programing to get that happening! I'm thinkin more bebop era tho...

You mite be better off with a cd! When I was studying we had these Jamie Abesold (sp) play along cd's of standards. You can pan to one side and just get rhythm section or the other side for keyboard melody etc... Would be cheaper than an mp if that's all you wanting the mp for.

maybe get that cd, sample that and then take the mp to your gig?

Ahh its great to see another musician clarify that drums CAN be melodic(im a drummer if you didnt guess hah), and its also nice to see someone who actually understands Jazz and its typical call and response format..

I second his choice on playalong CD's
http://www.portlandmusiccompany.com/boo ... index.html

Or find a couple variated 1 bar "splang a lang" loops. Create some nice swelling ride crashes(Ala elvin jones) on other pads, some rim shots, rim hits, maybe a couple of bell hits(variated) and tom tom and floor tom and you can make a sick solo lol. Im interested in trying this since I'm a jazz drummer myself but only program hip-hop shit on my MPC hah.

When thinkin of samples, try to obtain as many voices of the instrument as you can(e.g. soft bell hits, hard bell hits, hits from the shoulder of the stick) think similar to an afro-cuban 6/8 rythms(youtube if you dont know what it is) typical percussion.

if you can, forget the loops.
if you have the patience work out the arrange and sequence it.
be as detailed as you can and then mute out the instruments that
you are going to use live.

playagiron wrote:Hi, I am wondering whether I could use a MPC also to just play some easy Jazz beats to play along for a pianist and saxophone so in order to keep the rythm tight??...However, I am not a drummer so I wonder whether one can download/buy a set of basic rythms (along with the samples used of course) and than just use it as such??

Dude isn't a drummer, and don't forget not everyone is interested in programming drums from scratch as a beatmaker would do!

For some, a well recorded backing track (rhythm section) or drum machine pattern is all that is required. That's when pre-recorded loops come into the equation.

Convenience.