How to Gain Stage In MPC

[@TUBEDIGGA]

This is a really important video as I know for sure many people overlook the signal flow when using MPC to make beats. It's all too easy to load up some samples to your pads, add effects and then use the pad mixer to mix the kit. Skipping the pad layer level adjustment can often result in a muddier, more distorted sound, so this one simple extra process will vastly improve the quality of your effects and overall mix.

[@365OTG]

Thank you.

[@discowolf25]

And you’re not a grifter.. sheeeet you the man 💯✊✌️

[@leoopokat8235]

Thankyou TDigga

[@TUBEDIGGA]

@M Castile It's not set up to distort the plugins, it's a general thing across all music productions systems. Let's say you use Ableton - first you have an audio file either on the timeline or playing from the sampler/simpler instrument. If you don't attenuate the audio file before it hits any insert effects/plugins, there's more chance the audio will distort or not sound as good as it could. So you either drop the audio file gain from the properties window or the volume in the sampler/simpler instrument.

[@sederquest]

So same applies when using hype or the other virtual instruments?

[@artkitectbeats1622]

Dude ... I was going nuts. I could not figure out how, no matter what I did, my drums kept sounding so dead when I exported my beats from MPC. Sonuvabitch I was adjusting the wrong damn volume knob. Now my beats sound exactly how they should. You're a goddamn life saver bro. I was finding it odd that in order to get my mixes to sound good on export, I had to bounce my tracks to audio and mix them as audio files. This video literally saved me a shit ton of space on my hard drive!

[@BeatsByGemsmiff]

As far as i know you are probably the most knowledgeable MPC user i know of….Peace!!

[@elijah7525]

Right on time, was looking for this specific thing, I only use standalone.

[@DiamondsOva]

Finally. I've been using the main level.. I can't without to clean up some of my old work now. Thank you..

[@perrypecoul2342]

I've learned so many tips and tricks from your videos. I've been watching you since 2017 when I got the MPC Live that I'm still using. This has to be one of the most important vids yet! I struggle with mixing effects on samples in the MPC on just about every track I make. This tip is gonna help tremendously! Thanks bro for the hard work✌

[@djrage73]

Thanks for highlighting this!. I haven't seen any video on youtube that talks about the signal flow in the MPC.

[@followthewaytaylor5872]

And you won’t because believe it or not most youtubers are about content control.

[@djrage73]

@@followthewaytaylor5872 Right

[@MrBlueHaze]

Great tips I learned this back from Da Drink King videos too. As far as the levels I often use the mpc X levels monitor set to programs to check individual levels and for my mpc live I use my Focusrite levels meters too. But like you said using your ears makes a world of differences. I gain stage all gear now samplers, synths to plugins makes a huge difference in sound quality. Keep up the great work Tube!

[@yodab.at1746]

Interesting, because it also describes the architecture of how sounds are routed within the mpc, which can be difficult to visualise compared with using old school individual pieces of gear and using a mixer. Coming from an analogue background, I have to be aware that with 24 bit, the noise floor is so low that I know longer need to keep signals as hot as possible. It's almost the other way round now. (If you get me bro?).... 👍

[@Noise-Conductor]

Yeah that noise floor thing threw me off at first, made me feel I was doing something wrong coming an MPC2500. Here's to the future! 🥂

[@cheodelpino581]

I’m a little slow on this lol not sure if I have to lower the level on all the sounds or just on some need a little bit more clarification anyone?

[@TUBEDIGGA]

@cheodelpino581 The idea is to lower any normalised or particularly loud sounds as the effects and filters respond better. Lower them using the pad layer level as shown in the video, as this is one stage before the filters and effects respectively.

[@cheodelpino581]

Ima start trying it from now on

[@DawlessHouseMusic]

I've been educated. Thank you. I know this in audio from djiing but I failed to consider getting the volume at the most original source in digital.

[@quickstrike209]

All it makes perfect sense now. I've been struggling with this issue for a long time. Never thought to use the layer level volume like traditional MPCs. There's no shortcut to really get there That's why I don't use it. But it's the most important volume control.well I just got to do a little extra work to get there but I'm going to use it a lot now. Thanks my digga!!

[@poporowyo]

These deep dive videos are SO helpful! Coming from Maschine/Ableton, there are so many workflow tricks that I just don't know on the MPC.

[@dafunkycanuck]

Great tip, I'd never considered this before but will now. Thanks!

[@WeFullTime]

It seems as if all balancing would or should be done using the level dial? Meaning the mixer faders stay at unity gain correct? We really need the option for pre-fader mixing.

[@chriscollier3726]

always glad when you post videos !

[@philippebackprotips]

We really need proper meters/analyzers on the MPC.

[@ChristopherOrth]

OMG thank you for this vid. As a guitar player, gain staging is something I'm always aware of and trying to optimize.

[@plunderclat221]

Thanks digga. Would you mind following through the same process with the akai force? I am struggling to translate across to the force.

[@TUBEDIGGA]

It's exactly the same - drum programs are drum tracks in the force, so just attenuate (lower) the sample layer level for a particular pad.

[@plunderclat221]

@@TUBEDIGGA Thanks digga. I wrote that at a point where I wasn't familiar navigating the pad editor settings on the force. I can't believe how many ways you can edit different things in this thing. Its exciting and pretty overwhelming at the same time. This makes absolute sense now! Your videos are something else.

[@darkstranjahjunglebunny3667]

Great video thank you

[@ILLUDIUM_Q_36]

Well done, sir. Thank you

[@mg-sj3ug]

Is this outdated? When I reduce the layer level the pad fx volume decreases to zero with it. And the treble drops under 40.

[@TUBEDIGGA]

This isn't outdated, and even if it were the issue you describe makes no sense and must be a bug with your machine or the firmware version you are using. Reducing the layer level should do that and only that. It's not linked to any effect parameters.

[@dariuseviltwin]

I stumbled on this when my plugin filter effects were clipping even though my pads were -8db and the program mixer was no where near zero. Hot -0.1 samples and post insert pad level control, it was never going to be pretty lol.

[@traitortotheliving]

Thank you!

[@jsmutek]

super helpful, thanks!

[@spongeknock7387]

Great info subbed man👍

[@Alckemy]

I’m sure you get asked this all the time, sorry, but how are you recording your screen? Is it just from window capture on the computer software?

[@philippebackprotips]

Wouldn't we be better off changing the level of the sample in sample edit?

[@TUBEDIGGA]

No, because sample edit only has gain which is a process function. You'd end up going back and forth between program edit and sample edit and adjusting the gain to mix it with your other samples and it would be a waste of time. The sample should be as loud as possible before clipping (normalised). Otherwise you have less control over the volume once it's assigned to pad. If it's normalised, you use the layer level parameter to dial it back and if it is quieter than another sample you have headroom to increase it back up to a suitable level.

[@MrCosmicVictory]

good tips!

[@tyyywright1827]

@Tubedigga does it again

[@lallo4life]

Great Info! Do you recommend this gain staging if you use a compressor and eq?

[@TUBEDIGGA]

Yes, reduce the layer level and feed the effect with enough volume so you get the sound how you want - particularly when using effects on samples or sounds that are very loud.

[@lallo4life]

Thanks! I guess I spent my evening reprogramming my kits!

[@PeteOnTheBeat]

Thanks Diggs!

[@psrinivasreddy714]

Hi sir in mpc live i warp a loop its done but when i layered two or four loops on one pad only first one changed in warp remained are not warped if u know how to warp ever layer plss tell me sir or do one video sir tq

[@TUBEDIGGA]

You’ll have to warp and flatten each sample you want on just on layer 1 initially then add them back in to the layers. So basically pre prepare/warp each sample before adding them to layers on one pad.

[@psrinivasreddy714]

@@TUBEDIGGA Tq sir

[@dodgecitystudios3719]

Invaluable info.

[@rasolzamini8678]

Thankyou,,,

[@noname-k9t3e]

Muddy distorted sound 😊

[@teabreakbeats]

interesting

[@chriscollier3726]

aye yooooooooooo

[@ralfmoss]

Newww software update coming sooooo 🤣

[@SergioMartinez-el8kg]

sorry but this isnt gain staging, this is just turning individual pad vol up and down

[@TUBEDIGGA]

How would you gain stage in MPC?

[@SergioMartinez-el8kg]

@@TUBEDIGGA use the AIR stereo width plugin as it has a dedicated level trim which allows you to add in gain to your sameple quickly

[@TUBEDIGGA]

@@SergioMartinez-el8kg As said in the video, the pads are ‘post insert’, meaning any effects come before it, therefore adding any effects to the pad won’t have any effect on the volume of the samples going into the effect. You’re suggesting putting an ‘effect’ (which is exactly what it is) after the pad level and the sample itself. You have to start at the source: SAMPLE > PAD LEVEL > EFFECT > PAD You’re original comment says ‘this is just turning individual pad volume up and down’, which it isn’t. It’s the pad layer level which comes before the pad. It’s the first place you can adjust the volume of a sample once it’s in a drum program. Before that, you have normalisation or gain in sample edit mode.