Remote Program Change?

Whats up everyone. I have been racking my head on how to get this work and Ive tried just about everything.

What I would like to do is change the parts of a multi remotely via a midi controller. I have gone through everything on the mpc to assign the parts to diffrent program no's and all. The only problem is the parts on the mpc dont keep their numbering the way i set them to be. It always happens that the part you switch to remotely and begin a recording a sequence with, automatically becomes Part 1. Bumpin your original part 1 out of place.

Essentially I would love to control the parts of the mpc4K like patches on an external rack. If I switch a program on my controller the part would change in the main window to that corresponding number and I could record that part, switch the track, switch the part and record the new part.....

Basically, I am trying to control the change of entire parts not just the program assigned to a part. Is this possible?

Anyone get it to work?

MaZe

Can you assign a midi program number to an entire part instead of a program within a part?

I think this might accomplish what i am trying to do.

MaZe

MaZe wrote:Can you assign a midi program number to an entire part instead of a program within a part?

I think this might accomplish what i am trying to do.

MaZe

Looking through the Reference Manual, it looks like the Parts program change number is the same as the Program , Program Change number. If you look at page 141 of the Reference Manual, you will see where you actually select what program is going to be assigned to that part. In that pop-up dialogue, where you choose your program, you can also select the Program Change Number, but it will be the same Program Change Number as what is assigned to that program though...


Also, if you look at page 142, there the listing of parts and the Program Change number for that part. So it does look like you can change Program Change numbers for the parts. I don't know if you change that number if it will actually change the program change number in the program pages as well, or if the info in this midi page is saved in the Multi or not. An experiment would need to be done to find out.


ON the next page, 143, it actually states that the remote program change for parts is so that one can select a new program for that part remotely. So it appears the MPC 4000 is doing exactly as you are telling it to do.




Dave

MaZe wrote:
Essentially I would love to control the parts of the mpc4K like patches on an external rack. If I switch a program on my controller the part would change in the main window to that corresponding number and I could record that part, switch the track, switch the part and record the new part.....

Basically, I am trying to control the change of entire parts not just the program assigned to a part. Is this possible?

It actually sounds like from the description above, that what you are seeking is the ability to select which Track is the "focus" track, remotely. As you assing the parts to different tracks in the sequence. If you are on track 4 for example (being displayed in the MAIN mode) and it's assigned to part 4 and, now you want to record Part 5 on Track 5, and you try to change the Program remotely, it does this as you have requested. It changed the program for that part, when you are actually wanting the MPC to swtich tracks to track 5 so that you can record that.... Is that correct?

If so, I don't believe that one can do this. Not 100% sure, but looking through the Reference Manual, I do not see any options to assign Program Change Numbers to Tracks. Would be a good RFE to send to [email protected] if they've got it open again...



Dave

No it definetly is, I know that, and I am not mad it.

But it would be much much better if you could change entire parts rather than programs to a part. The reason being is, once you change a program assigned to a part it will mess up your entire recording. If you had a kick program assigned to part 1 on track one, then you go to track two and want to record a snare program, the midi change will change the program for part 1 and your kick track gets messed.

My one request would be to assign midi program numbers to a part. That would be the best then you can control parts remotely. Recording would be so freaken smooth!

AKAI PLEASE HELP!!!!

MaZe

yo maze ... dunno whether it helps you - but i encountered similar problems and it pissed me off that the entire arrangements (or multis) get screwed up and after all i changed workin habits and decided to switch multis instead of programs (since os 1.70 that worx rather good imo) ... so basically if i wanna change track 1 bd to somethin else - i copy the multi and arrange multi 2 different as multi 1. this way multi 1 stays as is and multi 2 does the change ... dunno whether that does it for ya ... - if so just make sure not to work at 98 khz(global setting) coz it freezes your 4k whenever coping multis (... which again sux bad time ) ... but yo - the idea of having a possiblitly to program sorta "part changes" sounds dope ... send it in ...

Maze, Program Changes used to be bug-ridden to hell and not work properly, but they were fixed by about OS1.50 or so....

Altopiano wrote:yo maze ... dunno whether it helps you - but i encountered similar problems and it pissed me off that the entire arrangements (or multis) get screwed up and after all i changed workin habits and decided to switch multis instead of programs (since os 1.70 that worx rather good imo) ... so basically if i wanna change track 1 bd to somethin else - i copy the multi and arrange multi 2 different as multi 1. this way multi 1 stays as is and multi 2 does the change ... dunno whether that does it for ya ... - if so just make sure not to work at 98 khz(global setting) coz it freezes your 4k whenever coping multis (... which again sux bad time ) ... but yo - the idea of having a possiblitly to program sorta "part changes" sounds dope ... send it in ...

I NEVER THOUGHT OF THAT!!!! I will try to do that. I believe the only reason I didnt think of this is because this method can get pretty messy, and tedious with multiple multis and copying and all.

The reason this is all coming to me now is because I now have 512mb in my MPC4000. I would love to make my own GM kit Multi and have it autoload on the MPC4000 so that I have all my pianos, bass, strings, etc. upon load in 1 "all instrument" Multi. From there I can record all my key based instruments from my multi and have the ability to browse through parts to find the instrument I want remotely on my controller without touching the MPC4000, press record, and get busy.

"Part Changes" would be amazing!

MaZe

yo maze - try it - it worx quite good for me - apart one thing - and a question thisregarding: can program changes be used to switch both - multis and programs? or can pgm changes only be used to switch either multis or programs? if so - anyone knows a way how one can switch both - multis and programs?

an easy example: say seq 1 is assigned to my multi 1, and seq 2 to my multi 2 and so forth .... but within sequence 2 i would like to switch my snare1pgm on track 2 to a snare2pgm? how can this be done best? ... currently i use a multi 3 for that and it worx - but it were dope to do it differently ... - in a way that my seq 3 still can default to multi 3! anyone knows how this can be done? ... any advice is as always greatly appreciated ...

Man all of this could be solved by implementing "Part Changes" if we could assign a midi program number to a Part......that would be ridiculous. Then we could have one multi with 128 different instruments, samples, etc. and remotely select 128 parts on any track!!!!


MaZe

I use MIDI Program Change messages to change programs,
and MIDI Continuous Controller "Bank Select" messages to change multis.

thanx for the hint feline ... much appreciated.

i used bank select messages for switchin multis prior to 1.70 - but then i compared em to pgm ch and imo pgm changes switch those multis faster - smoother ... what ya think?

so meanwhile i been tryin to find a way to use pgm changes for both - multis and programs - but my midi knowledge is honestly not up to say whether this is possible at all - up til now i only screwed up things ... thats why i m stuck with changin multis only atm - so if anyone can tell that it aint possible at all i could just forget about it and have one problem less ...

another option i thought of is usin bank select messages for swichin programs - and again i dont know if thats midiwise possible too ... will look into that next ... damn - i feel this is my last 4k midi hassle - and if it were solved i d be in heaven. so - any further help or opinion is greatly appreciated ...

and - imo - the idea of part changes maze throught in would solve all those problems at once ...

Man, I would never need a synth again if they implemented part changes. 128 selectable parts? That would be amazing. It would make the 4000 even more powerful! If this was possible we might even be able to switch between more than 128 parts if their were two multis with 128 parts in each we could use bank select to select a multi then program change to select between another 128 parts! The only limitation would be ram, I believe.

I think we should try to get as many people as we can to send emails to [email protected] requesting this feature. Trust me we would not be disappointed in the least if this were to be added!!!!

MaZe

Altopiano wrote:yo maze ... dunno whether it helps you - but i encountered similar problems and it pissed me off that the entire arrangements (or multis) get screwed up and after all i changed workin habits and decided to switch multis instead of programs (since os 1.70 that worx rather good imo) ... so basically if i wanna change track 1 bd to somethin else - i copy the multi and arrange multi 2 different as multi 1. this way multi 1 stays as is and multi 2 does the change ... dunno whether that does it for ya ... - if so just make sure not to work at 98 khz(global setting) coz it freezes your 4k whenever coping multis (... which again sux bad time ) ... but yo - the idea of having a possiblitly to program sorta "part changes" sounds dope ... send it in ...

Hey Alto can you explain how you do this in more detail? i want to try this out.

MaZe