Tracking MPC2000xl / Triton Studio in Logic Pro

Hello Folks,

I've made a lot of beats using the MPC2000xl / Triton Studio combo with the MPC as the sequencer. I would like to track them into Logic Pro 8. I have a MOTU Ultralite MK3 that I would like to use to record multiple tracks simultaneously into Logic. Can someone recommend the best way to set this up? Should I have the MPC as the master, or Logic? Any thing I should know in terms of best practices for syncing and tracking? I've enjoyed getting started with Logic making a few beats with a midi keyboard, but am now eager to track some of my existing music, and would appreciate some advice on how to best set things up. Thanks in advance for your help!

-Time

Are you looking to record the MIDI sequences from the MPC onto external MIDI tracks in Logic, or the audio from the MPC onto audio tracks in Logic?

Hi David,

For now I'd like to start with recording the audio, as I have over 50 beats created with my current setup. Once I get those into Logic at some point I'm certainly interested in using the MPC and Triton to trigger Logic's sounds.

And you want individual audio tracks? You can only have as many simultaneous audio tracks as you have individual audio outputs on the MPC. How many is that and how many tracks do you need?

I do want individual tracks. I have the eight outs on the MPC, but some songs contain up to ten 'MPC' tracks and usually four to six 'Triton' tracks. I realize that I may have to do more than one pass, but would like to do as few as possible.

Mostly what I need to know is how to properly setup the midi sync on both the MPC and in Logic to allow them to communicate, haven't had much luck yet. I've done it before using a Akai DPS 16, but I think I must be missing a step or two this time around. Thanks!

Sync them with MIDI Time Code, Logic as master, MPC as slave.

 

First you need to sync up their wordclocks so that the MOTU and MTC are using the same timebase. Whether you use the MOTU or the MPC as wordclock master is up to you.

 

Make sure both Logic and the MPC are set to the same framerate. Send MTC from Logic to the MIDI port your MPC is listening to. Be sure you are NOT also sending MIDI Clock to this port. Set up the MPC to chase MTC.

 

That should work.

I do this all the time. Use midi clock and not midi time code, just cause the mpc has less trouble following along, in my experience, and you don't need to fool around with frame rate or any of that business. also the mpc does not have word clock so don't waste time looking for it. You will want to go midi out of your motu to the midi(a) input on the mpc. Set Logic to out put midi clock and set the mpc to receive midi clock(again on midi input a). Don't forget, if you are using song mode, you will have to convert the arrangement back to a sequence, as song mode doesn't respond to midi(at least not on the 2000xl). This setup also works really well if you're doing tracks using the mpc, triton, and logic together. You can still use the mpc/triton setup exactly the same way, but with the added bonus of having logic's sounds, sequencer, and efx along for the ride. I have been using the mpc for almost 10 years, and recently jumped on logic just to learn something new and i really enjoy chopping samples and stuff in the program, just wish i was as fast as i am on the mpc. so i still rely heavily on the mpc for much of my sampling and sequencing of samples and drums. hope this was helpful bro bro.

I do this all the time. Use midi clock and not midi time code, just cause the mpc has less trouble following along, in my experience, and you don't need to fool around with frame rate or any of that business. also the mpc does not have word clock so don't waste time looking for it.

 

The OP stated he had the 8-out option installed, which provides SPDIF to, am I correct? So word clock would be available.

 

The problem with using MIDI clock is when he needs to do multiple passes because he only has 8 outs available. (And only 8 ins on the interface.)

 

I agree that if you only needed to do one pass, MIDI clock would be fine, but the likelihood of the tracks being in perfect sync from pass to pass is not good. Of course, this all depends on how tight the OP wants to keep things.

 

If there are tempo changes in the MPC sequences, then he'd have to map those first in Logic in order for the MPC to follow properly too. Anyway, if it's possible to use MTC a near sample accurate transfer can be made from pass to pass.

 

time,

Which bay area are you in? Biscayne? Chesapeake? frisco? Hudson?

Yeah, I never use the digital outs on the mpc, because I've had bad results using them in the past, poor quality IMO, so i kinda forget they are there. The Mpc has a very handy track muting screen. If using more than 8 tracks(I often have as many as 20), you can always mute a few and then go back and do a second or third pass. Also if using stereo samples, you're only going to be able to really output four tracks at a time anyway. It also depends on how the sample/instruments are broken up track wise and also on how one would want them to end up in Logic. This setup has worked for me for years. I'm sure you're suggestion is valid and very workable. I was just offering my opinion, knowing how many people work the Mpc in practice. I am an mostly a Pro Tools user for recording purposes, so programming tempo changes in the software was always just easier to so for me, just have to predetermine what bar it happens in make a couple changes, and then tempo is locked for recording and later for editing and flying parts around. And I have always pre programed a blank bar at the start of the track to allow space for the midi to catch up to itself, and have never had any problems with noticeable shifting of notes or timing.

Not from the bay. Although I used to live in San Fran around 23rd and Mission back in about 2001 for a while. Now I'm back in Lawrence, Ks. (FYI I am a Studio Owner, Producer, Engineer, & DJ. I also work at KU for the Dept of Film, where I am the person in charge of all equipment and Final Cut editing suites/systems. Not to brag, I just haven't added of it to my profile yet). I do love the bay and would move back in a heart beat if I could afford it.

Although I used to live in San Fran around 23rd and Mission back in about 2001 for a while. Now I'm back in Lawrence, Ks.

 

Ah, 23rd and Mission, I know the neighborhood. I lived in Noe Valley on Castro Street for a while in the mid eighties. I loved Frisco but it's so far from EVERYTHING. But I guess that's how it is in Lawrence, Kansas too, eh? I'm spoiled having spent most of my life on the east coast.

Hello again folks, sorry it took me a while to reply, been trying to read all the manuals, search the web and experiment with settings. I'm much closer to having this figured out now. Here's where I stand:

 

I am able to record track one at a time by 'soloing' the tracks. I have made a series of sequences into a 64 bar song which is converted back into a sequence. I have the sequence set to loop 'on' as this is how I usually listen to it as I mix the levels in the MPC. I can record the tracks into Logic, and they do sync up nicely on each pass. I solo the track I want to record, press pause and then record, make sure the track in Logic is in record ready mode, press pause (or play) again in Logic to start the recording... But for some reason the MPC always jumps to exactly the beginning of the 37th bar in the sequence as opposed to starting at the beginning. If I turn the loop setting off on the sequence in the MPC then the location in the MPC jumps to the end of the sequence (bar 65) and I lose the sync Logic (MPC won't start when I hit play in Logic). I'll detail all of the settings in the MPC, Logic, and the Mac's 'Audio Midi Setup' below. I appreciate your patience and help! Sorry I'm a little slow at all this. I'm excited that I'm getting closer to sorting this all out though. Here are the settings for everything:

 

Tracking the MPC2000XL / Triton Studio into Logic Pro 8 on a iMac (Intel) using the MOTU Ultralite MK3 Firewire Interface

 

MPC2000xl settings:

"Midi Sync"

 

Sync In (In:1)

Mode: Midi Time Code

Frame Rate: 25

Receive MMC: On

 

Sync Out

Mode: Off

Send MMC: Off

 

-

 

Logic Pro 8 on an iMac (Intel) settings:

 

-Sync button on transport bar

I've tried turning this on and off and doesn't seem to alter the way I've made things work one way or the other...

 

-The settings found by clicking the Sync button and the control key:

Internal Sync: On

Auto Sync In: On

all others off

 

-The 'Syncronization Settings':

 

General:

Sync Mode: Internal

Auto Enable External Sync: On

Frame Rate: 25

Auto Detect Format of MTC: On

Validate MTC: Always

Bar Position: 1111

 

Audio Sync Mode:

MTC:25

Sample Rate: 44100

Deviation: 0

Audio Sync Mode:

Core Audio: MTC Continuous

Dae / Tdm: MTC Trigger (greyed out)

 

Midi:

Midi Clock

Transmit Midi Clock

Dest 1(MPC): Off

Dest 2: Off

Midi Time Code

Transmit MTC: On (MPC)

Midi Machine Control (MMC)

Transmit MMC: Off

Listen to MMC Input: Off

 

Unitor:

Set at defaults

Read: On

LTC: On

 

Recording:

default

 

MIdi Sync Preferences:

default

 

*Now outside of Logic in the Mac's 'Audio MIDI Setup' that relates to Core Audio:

 

System Settings:

Default Input: MOTU Ultralite MK3

Properties for MOTU:

Clock Source: Internal

Audio Input:

Analog

 

Midi Devices:

Configuration:

Default

 

MOTU Midi out to MPC's Midi In

 

I know this is a lot of info, probably overkill, just trying to give you enough to see where I may have went wrong. I really appreciate that anyone even made it this far in reading all this, thanks in advance if anyone is able to help. My problem now is trying to figure out why the MPC starts at bar 37, instead of bar 1 and why I can only get the MPC to start from Logic if the MPC's sequence loop is turned on. I can't wait to figure this all out so I can begin recording and enjoying the music again! I do live in the 'Calfornia Bay Area', Oakland to be exact, but have spent plenty of time in the Mission as well!

Thanks!

-Toby (time)

Hi, just wanted to bump this to see if anyone had any ideas based on my long-winded previous post. Thanks!

-time

My problem now is trying to figure out why the MPC starts at bar 37, instead of bar 1

Are the SMPTE start times the same in Logic and the MPC?

It looks like your logic settings are ok. I still would suggest using midi clock instead of MTC. It looked like from what you wrote, that your Midi Clock setting has no destination, try setting that to midi out put one on your Motu. And I would also try turning the loop feature on the Mpc off, I always do once a song has been converted back to a sequence. Midi Sync on the Mpc can be turned of as is not needed, just make sure you have it set to receive midi clock. Going backward the Mpc's Midi input should be being fed from your Motu midi out. Not being very familiar with Motu stuff, I assume it has some kind of midi indicator light on it. As long as you can see visually that is happening, you should be getting Midi clock to the Mpc at that point.

Ah, finally got it working, you were right Johnny, Midi Beat Clock was what finally ended up working. Thanks for your guidance. If anyone else runs into this situation I can post some screenshots of my settings, otherwise thanks for the help guys!!!

 

-time

Hey Time could you please post so screen shots of your setting? I want to use logic sounds yet still sample with my MPC2000xl.

No problem. I'm still learning on logic, but I know that Mpc like the back of my hand.

Hope this works:

Okay, I'm not super smooth with the attachments yet. They're sort of in reverse order, but this should cover most of it. I'll just post one more shortly of the MPC's MIDI sync settings. Hope this is helpful. Actually I still have one strange problem that seems to come and go. My iMac is doing some bizarre things that may be related to my new setup. It gets caught in this loop of switching between programs, as if I was clicking 'command+tab' (which is the shortcut to toggle between programs) when I'm not touching the keyboard or mouse at all. I haven't quite figured that one out yet, may be that I have some conflicting settings still, that I just added a usb extension cord to my keyboard cord, or something else? Anyway, hope this is helpful to someone! Thanks again for the support here.

 

-time

And here is how the MPC is setup. I've got one midi cord going from the MPC's midi out 'a' to the Triton's midi in port. I've got the MPC's midi out 'b' going to the MOTU's midi in, and the MPC's midi in '2' going to the MOTU's midi out. Here is the screenshot of the MPC's midi sync settings:

And here is how the MPC is setup. I've got one midi cord going from the MPC's midi out 'a' to the Triton's midi in port. I've got the MPC's midi out 'b' going to the MOTU's midi in, and the MPC's midi in '2' going to the MOTU's midi out. Here is the screenshot of the MPC's midi sync settings:

So after offering my sage like advice(ha)..I am now having a similar problem. Everything works fine when I am using the Digi 002 midi ports..But I bounce around to different studios and would like to use the MAudio Axiom as the midi interface. However, after going in and changing the midi setup..1.I cannot get the mpc to recognize any incoming midi signal. Any help would be appreciated.

Here's the MPC midi sync settings:

Didn't realize I was on the 2nd page, kept posting that last image wondering why it wouldn't show up at the end of the thread. Duh. Thanks again all for the help!