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Ultimate MPC / DAW setup V1.3

I searched all over the internet to find this solution but found none so I came up with this solution......

Equipment:

· MPC

· DAW

· 2 MIDI cables,

· 4 audio cables

· Audio interface with 4 simultaneously recordable audio inputs, 1 MIDI in, 1 MIDI out

I will be using the MPC1k running (jj OS free), Pro tools8 and the Digi002 sound card (This will work with any DAW's and MPC's but the setup will differ slightly )

Cable Hook up:

MIDI cable 1: MPC MIDI out A > Digi002 MIDI in 1

MIDI cable 2: Digi002 MIDI out 1 > MPC MIDI in 1

Audio cable:

1: MPC stereo out L > Digi002 input 3 Audio cable

2: MPC stereo out r > Digi002 input 4 Audio cable

3: MPC mix out1 > Digi002 input 5 Audio cable

4: MPC mix out2 > Digi002 input 6 Audio cable

5: MPC mix out3 > Digi002 input 7 Audio cable

6: MPC mix out4 > Digi002 input 8

(I chose to use Digi002 input 3,4,5,6,7 and 8 so that input channels 1,2 are left free for the Microphones. Feel free to use whatever as long as you keep track)

Pro tools track Setup:

Midi track: Midi input receive all.

Midi Output Send to MPC (I used MIDI out 1, or channel 1)

AUX track: Stereo input 3 and 4.

Output your speakers (I used stereo out 1 and 2)

Audio track 1: mono input 5

Audio track 2: mono input 6

Audio track 3: mono input 7

Audio track 4: mono input 8

Configuration (Pro tools to MPC):

The point here is to Send your pre-recorded midi code to the MPC as well as its time code. NOTE: (The only type of sync the MPC1000 has and can use is MIDI Beat Clock.)

· Setup > MIDI > MIDI Beat Clock. Check the box for "Enable MIDI Beat Clock" and select the corresponding MIDI output port (I had to set this to midi port2 but it's really connected to midi out 1 why I don't know but it worked) http://www.digidesign.com/index.cfm?navid=54&langid=100&itemid=27770

· Setup > MIDI > MIDI input enable. Select all your inputs are checked off especially the one you want to use with the MPC

· Options > MIDI through. Must be checked

Configuration (MPC to Pro tools): Set the Midi communication protocol: (Mode > Pad9 > F1)

· Active track receive channel = All. (you can also set this to a specific MIDI channel if you have more than 1 instrument and you don't want them to clash in this case set it to 1)

· Soft through = Off

· Sequence change by Program change = Off

· Play internal pad sound = Off (this turns of the internal pad trigger so that the pads are only triggered by the incoming MIDI commands ) Open MPC MIDI ports in and out: (Mode > Pad9 > F2)

· Sync in = 1

· Sync out = A Now you have to tell the MPC to send the MIDI code from the pads back to the DAW through the Midi port A. This will trigger the midi in the DAW so you can print it and at the same time it will send it back to your MPC to trigger the sound. Main > Midi = A1 (you find this to the Lower right of the MPC screen you can use any channel you like here I used channel 1 hence A1 )

Take all these files and store them in your MPC flash drive so in a folder called Templates

Work Flow Record midi on to Pro tools :

· Turn your pads off: Mode > Pad9 > F1 Play internal pad sound = Off

· Options > MIDI through. Must be checked

(Demonstration Video is posted on http://blogs.myspace.com/studizzy)

Record midi on to the MPC :

· Turn your pads on: Mode > Pad9 > F1 Play internal pad sound = On

· Options > MIDI through. Must be UN checked (Demonstration Video is posted on http://blogs.myspace.com/studizzy)

Save your work: To save the beat with the song . Record from the 4 outputs on the MPC on to the 4 Audio tracks in the DAW. Then save all the patterns and the samples into a directory on to your MPC. Now then when you have finished your track copy the directory with the program files and samples from the MPC into the same directory that you saved your Pro tools session on your PC. This way you have your beats in 2 formats

1. Is the stems (Printed audio files) and

2. 2 is the raw data (comprised of your MIDI TRACK and the samples you used on the MPC) For help with recording 4 simultaneous tracks check the Video bellow from

sparq1g:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHus5_ZewbU F.A.Q:

• How do I deal with latency/ Delay issues in pro tools?: Under Options in Pro tools check the "Low latency monitoring" check box you can also set the off set in the midi clock Setup > MIDI > MIDI Beat Clock > Offset (its on the far left), which ever you prefer its up to you.

• Pro tools popup says buffer is either Too small or too large?: Options > Buffer settings check RTAS ignore errors

• My MPC does not have "pad to internal sound: on/off"

This issue was found on some versions of JJOS 2K which results in the samples being played back twice when using the MPC as a MIDI controller.

- To fix this set your MPC to " Active track receive channel = 1" (Mode > Pad9 > F1)

then you set the DAW to send the return signal from the armed MIDI track specifically to MIDI Chanel 2 when recording MIDI from the MPC and then for play back you just flick the DAW MIDI return Channel to channel 1.

• Why and how do I use the Tabula rasa scrip

The script allows you to start a new song without having to turn off your MPC. For more info on how to use it check out stereoroid.com its under General usage and its item no.2

http://stereoroid.com/music/mpc1000/faq/

For more updates to this document Hit me up on www.studizzy.com

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