3 questions about MPC 1000 and Logic Pro 8

Hi all,

Well it's been a long time since I posted. Now on Logic 8, and just got the MPC 1000. Here's my 3 questions if anyone can help (David?)

1) I can't seem to get my MPC to act as a midi controller. I plug the midi out on the mpc to the midi in on the presonus firebox and no luck. I turn the local function to off as well. When I take the midi cord and plug it into my keyboard, no problem, midi signals recognized. Not sure what I'm doing wrong and MPC manual bites.

2) I'm new to this whole "slave" and "master" thing. Sounds like a Depeche Mode B side. Anyway, I'm not sure I get it. What I do know is that If MPC is the slave, when I click play in logic, my MPC will follow with whatever pre-programmed material I have on it. When Logic is the slave than vice versa. So far am I right?

What I envision doing is this: I have a beat I made on the MPC 1000. Is it possible that I can record that beat into Logic 8, not as an audio file, but as a midi file? I than would want to go to that beat in logic 8, zoom in, and edit the beat, like I would do any beat I created in Logic alone. Does that make sense?

It would be my best case scenario. I know I said I had three questions but I guess I just had 2. Any help would be appreciated.

All the best.

Hello,

I use an MPC3000, but as far as I know, it should be the same on this...

1) I can't seem to get my MPC to act as a midi controller.

Make sure you get the current track on your MPC to MIDI mode, not DRUM mode, on the main screen. And also make sure you tell it which MIDI channel it should transmit on.

This should enable you to transmit your MIDI data from your MPC to Logic. Meaning, when you punch one of the pads, a sound on the recieving MIDI instrument in Logic will play.

Make sure local mode is off, or you will hear the sample on that pad too, from your MPC. But you got that, I see...

2) I'm new to this whole "slave" and "master" thing.

The MPC must be the slave. So you press play/stop etc. in Logic, and the MPC responds with the same.

Of course, this also means you will have to connect a MIDI out from Logic to a MIDI in on the MPC. Make sure you tell Logic which way of sync to use, and on which MIDI out port. Check the MPC manual on this, I think it is MTC.

The usual reason of sync´ing an MPC to Logic, is to get the audio from your programmed sequences (on the MPC) to play in sync with recorded material/other instruments in Logic.

If you want to record your sequences as MIDI, you could probably just press record on an instrument in Logic that is already recieving the aforementioned MIDI data from your MPC. And you can edit this in Logic, as you are used to.

If you want to edit this, and then get the MPC to play the newly edited sequence, you just send the MIDI data back to the MPC, like you would with any other hardware/external instruments.

I think that should cover it. For now at least.

One thing only, what do you mean you made a beat on the MPC, and then want to record the MIDI in Logic for further editing... What are you trying to achieve? Just curious....

Greetings from Poppa Lars/Norway

Hey Poppa Lars,

Thanks a bunch for responding. I spent 6 hours on trying to get this right today with no luck, but I'll try what you said and see what happens. Sounds pretty "logic" al to me:)

Okay here is what I'm trying to do. I grew up 15 or so years ago using Cubase (on the Atari). I'm also a Video Editor (as a profession). So I am used to creating music and editing video with the bars that go across the screen. Exactly what Logic and Cubase do right?

So in November I decide I want to tackle the MPC 1000. I like it for making beats but the whole sequencing thing is annoying, and I'm so used to making music with the bars across the screen, ie: Cubase and Logic.

So I figure, if I can record the MPC 1000 performance instrument by instrument. track by track in Logic, than I can edit the performance like I used to do before I bought the MPC 1000. Here is what I would like it to look like in Logic.

Track 1 - MPC KICK

Track 2 - MPC Snare

Track 3 - MPC Hi Hat

Track 4 - MPC Sample

Track 5 - Logic Synth Sound

Track 6 - Logic (some other sound)

Track 7 - Vocals

Track 8 - Background vocals.

So there it is. I want to make sure Tracks 1,2,3,4 are recorded as MIDI events that I can edit in the Piano Roll etc, not as an Audio file. The other Tracks would be generated by Logic.

Does that make sense? I know there are people out there doing this, and I'm hoping they will check out this post and help. Maybe you know?

Norway...ahhh, sounds nice. I'm in Toronto. Boring.

All the best and thanks agin for your post.

OQ

OK, let´s see...

You like the MPC for making beats, but don´t like the sequencing... Why do you want to program your parts on the MPC then, and then transfer it to Logic for editing? Why not just use the sequencer in Logic (as you are used to), and send the MIDI-data to the MPC - and thereby using the MPC as any other sound module? You can of course use the pads to program the parts in Logic too, like we discussed earlier.

Anyways, let´s say you have programmed a beat on the MPC, with the drum kit you have described. And I presume you have the SOUNDS also in the MPC. When you get the MPC to transmit MIDI data, and Logic to recognize the incoming data, you can record all your tracks into one instrument track in Logic. As MIDI, it will then appear in a piano roll like you describe.

With Logic, you can split all these MIDI events onto their own tracks, and thereby getting the kick, snare etc. on their own. Check the manual, I can´t remember the details. It should be quite easy to do this by hand too.

Bear in mind that you can not process these SOUNDS further in Logic, since the AUDIO is still coming from the MPC. You can of course edit the programming, like any other MIDI event.

Ok, that get you any further?

Poppa Lars

Hey There,

Again thanks for the reply. I figured out the best way to do what I want is to record my performance in the mpc using only 1 program. Save the program when I'm done. Import the program folder into the EXS instrument window and voila, all my sounds are there. Then record the midi data from my performance into logic. When I play back logic it will play my MPC performance back using the exact samples I used in the mpc but coming from the EXS.

No need to slave or anything like that. I can't believe it is this simple. If I want to add to my performance, My mpc is acting like a controller now so I just bang away on the pads triggering my MPC sounds in logic. I will also take your suggestions as well. A perfect setup...

now I need to learn to chop audio!

Thanks so much for your help...

OQ