How to use the Akai MPC2000XL Mixer, MIDI Sync & Storage

[@tonelab]

Download ready-to-play vintage Drum-Machine kits for classic Hardware Samplers or Software Samplers now 💾 store.tonelab.au

[@NeckUno1]

Hey brother! Actually I sold my MPC 2000 but I have watched whole video with passion :) You are making great job with these tutorials, they are really helpful and professional! Keep making it. Cheers mate ;)

[@tonelab]

Thanks very much for your generous feedback, much appreciated.. 'will do!' 🤓 👍🏼

[@luscomberecords]

Thanks, man, yourd vids are extremely helpful, and your presentation is immaculate.

[@luscomberecords]

Curious how do you go about saving and loading basic beats? I made a beat, saved it as an .all file and then went to load it up later but it didnt load up the way i left, ive missed something.

[@tonelab]

@@luscomberecords Thanks very much for the kind words.. yeah, while I might've pointed out the basics.. the 'work flow' is something that's not really covered in the manual, or my tutorial for that matter... so I'll address this in a Quick-Tip soon. In the meantime, you might wanna read a similar discussion I was having with MoBap Beatz below. An '.ALL' file will cater to Sequences.. while the '.APS' is all programs and sounds, however.. what I'll cover in the 'Quick-Tip' is how one should really create a folder 'per Song' and save each song in it's own Folder.. because it appears the 'trap' few fall into is.. Loading 'Samples' in from various Folders.. and then not Saving them in their own specific Folder. If you Save both of these in a separate Folder, which I generally will do...Name the Folder as an 8-character abbreviation of the Song/Project name etc... then you can rest assured that your stuff will be neatly packed into that Folder.. for easy 'recall' later. I think a general misconception here may be that, no matter 'where' you fetch Samples from.. the 2000 will re-fetch them upon re-Loading... which is not the case, the 2000 can not access files scattered around various folders unfortunately. Therefore it's best to Save everything into it's own unique Folder 👍🏻

[@luscomberecords]

@@tonelab ah yes thankyou, i look forward to the video. I saved an ALL file and an APS file in a unique folder and it worked when i reloaded it ! YES! I still got alot to learn but may i say i'd be so lost without your help and videos, thanks so much again .

[@hichemchakour9533]

nice full tutorial video my bro

[@tonelab]

Thanks! ..hope you can use some of those mix-tricks 🙏🏻

[@hichemchakour9533]

@@tonelab yes of course big tnx

[@monkeyflava1436]

Thanks for the effort, really aprecciated

[@tonelab]

Cheers! ..hope it helps 🙏🏻

[@MuhammadLaher]

Nice video! I learn a lot from your videos, thanks so much. I was actually hoping the load and save section would show how to save a beat. I’m never sure what and how I should be saving. I’ve had situations of sounds being replaced/over written. Are you able to talk to this or perhaps put a video together showing this?

[@tonelab]

Cheers! and thanks for the feedback.. yes, I did feel like I 'glossed' over the Disk section.. in terms of functionality, and I also didn't really elude to the fact that, in terms of MIDI.. you could Sync-Thru the MPC.. so apologies there 🙏🏻 but, yes.. I could easily do a 'Quick-Tip' clip for 'Saves' - what are you saving 'to' in terms of media.. floppy drive, ZIP, etc ?! 👍🏼

[@MuhammadLaher]

@@tonelab recently changed out my Zip disk drive for an SD reader. So now I’m saving to SD cards. But I get confused on what to save and how to save. I have had issues where I’ve over written things, maybe I’m naming things wrong. I have been saving a program, and a sequence. And then I load pgm and mid files when I turn on my MPC.

[@tonelab]

@@MuhammadLaher Well, the way I run my ship is.. I have a bunch of sounds on one Compact Flash card, which is MS-DOS formatted.. which I treat like a mini-sound-library-card, that I transfer WAVs with, between my computer and my XL (that's if I'm not directly sampling everything into the XL). So, when it comes time for me to save my XL Song/Project.. I'll Create a Folder on my 'Projects' Compact Flash card.. and give it a short name, up to 8 characters.. then I'll Open that Folder and save a .ALL file.. and a .APS file.. doing that will save 'ALL your Sequences' .. and 'All your Programs & Sounds' into that particular folder. That's about the extent of it really.. because, if you create Folders for each Project (aka Song) then you shouldn't ever really run into issues with 'overwriting' your sounds.. if you 'share' sounds between Projects/Songs.. then that can get a bit messy.. and accident prone.. and 'wrecking' sounds that belong to other projects is almost unavoidable. The trade-off is 'Yes, you will burn thru more Storage space', but you can 'Backup' your SD cards / CF cards / USB cards with a computer.. so long as you can plug your removable media in to your Computer.. then you can Backup your XL files on a much bigger drive from time to time.. or when your SD card runs low on storage space. 🙏🏻

[@MuhammadLaher]

@@tonelab that was really helpful thank you so much. Just a couple of follow ups please: 1. Can I create the project folder within the MPC or do I have to do that on my laptop? 2. So if I have an SD card with drum sounds, and use a particular kick for one project, I can’t use the same one for another project because saving would cause problems with the sound? 3. And when I load a project I just have to load the .ALL and . APS files from that project folder?

[@tonelab]

1. You can Create Folders on either your PC or MPC, whether it's MS-DOS (aka PC format) or MPC format.. so 'either / or'. 2. If you have a Libary of Sounds.. Kicks, Snares, etc.. all heaped into an SD card.. that don't reside in Folders.. and you're saving your Songs/Projects back to that same SD card.. then if you edit any one of those Kicks.. then any song you made previously with that 'Kick' will be affected by the any future edits you make to that 'Kick'. So for that reason.. it's good to Save everything pertaining to your Song in it's own Exclusive Folder - so you can avoid these 'overwriting' issues.. because.. the only way a 'Repository Library-method' works successfully if you Save your Songs back to the main Library is if you promise yourself NOT to make changes to your Sounds... and that renders 'life a little boring' if y'know what I mean.. and 'of course' you will want to Edit your Sounds.. so it's best to 'keep it all separate' use Folders for your Projects. 👍🏼 3. Yep, that's right.. each song really comes down to Sequences, Programs & Sounds.. so if you get into the habit of finishing up a sweet-song that you're ready to Store.. Save a .ALL & a .APS in it's own Folder.. power down and off you go. Next time, when you come back to load it up again.. Load the .All & the .APS from that same Folder.. and you'll be back right where you were 👌🏼 PS. I'll even Create another Folder for a Remix of that same Song.. 'just because' .. it's safer, if you've got a 'burner' of a Song you made.. better to have a couple of copies.. use your PC to Backup annually and you shouldn't be able to run out of storage space.. not that often anyway 🙏🏻

[@Simair78]

Thank you!!!!💯💯

[@tonelab]

🙏🏻

[@QerjijNabil]

Hello, Thank you so much for the tutorial! I have a question about sync : When I sync my Mpc as slave to other device Keystep pro or Ableton... I have always some not from the Mpc that are triggered randomly ! It look like the midi channel of the mpc is interfering with other channels. Can you please explain how you can avoid this. Thank youuuu

[@tonelab]

I'm not so sure it would be fair to say 'interfering', the MPC was designed very specifically to receive notes over MIDI. So, I'd probably assume the MPC is 'catching' notes coming from your Keystep etc. What you should be doing is make sure the Keystep isn't firing Notes, via the same MIDI channels that your MPC is expected to receive on.. or configure your MPC to 'ignore' MIDI channels that aren't required. So, if you haven't already done so.. try this chapter on the 2000XL regarding MIDI input options. If you follow this, you should be able to get your XL to 'ignore' what ever comes from external gear. Having said that... 'prevention is better than cure', meaning... it's best to stop unwanted MIDI traffic from the source 👍🏼 🙇🏻‍♂️ kzbin.info/www/bejne/npWznWpmd7ydpsk

[@decaystar]

I would love to see something in this quality made for Zoom Sampletrak st-224 ;)

[@tonelab]

I'll Add that to the wish list - there's a bit in the queue at the moment - lots of tutorials coming soon! 🤓

[@saucehollywood]

Help!!! I been trying to figure out how to record midi sequences from my mpc live to my mpc 2000xl. Basically if i wanted to chop a sample or use one of the synth plugins and then midi them into the xl and finish the rest of the beat on there. I know its backwards but i want to work that way but cant get it to work. I can play the pads on the xl and have the sounds from the live xome in but i cant press record and trigger the sounds from the live into the xl. I hope that isnt too confusing. Ive spent hours and hours and cant figure it out!!

[@tonelab]

Yeah, no problem.. there's a couple of ways to do it, I have clips on both.. so try this clip, and then.. for more on how the XL Sequencer works try the Sequencer episode 'MIDI Track Options' section - there's also a clip on how to record 'multiple MIDI tracks' on the XL, all at the same time.. but try this first 👍🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/mZjUY5WYgsZgfsk

[@saucehollywood]

@@tonelab not working but I appreciate your help nonetheless

[@tonelab]

It definitely can be done.. just make sure your MIDI tracks on the XL match up with the same channels on your Live.. and make sure your Live has it's 'record enable' ON per track. 👍🏼

[@dubsbangermusic]

i have a question about the mixer and the ebfx card...i cant seem to be able to send my kick and my snare to the 8 outs on their own channel out... when i apply an effect i can only go out one output either it be stereo out 1/2 or mono 1, or stereo mix but i cant send it out to mono 1 and mono 2 seperately... im trying to send out my M1 effect to output mono 1 and M2 effect out mono 2, i cant seem to do this. can you help me out with this? there is no other video out there covering this 🙏

[@tonelab]

Try hitting OPEN WINDOW on the MIX element, once inside the Multi FX1, or 2, page.. you should be able to change the return-routes away from Outputs 1 & 2 .. and Pan them too 👍🏼

[@dubsbangermusic]

i go to mixer drum 1 open window on M1 assigned channel and assign it to 1. i go into the fx edit hit MIX open window and i can only assign the fx to to be output to one output and not another for the fx to be applied to that one output. basically i can only assign effects to one output on my mpc no matter what i do. am i doing something wrong? i guess the ebfx card can only send out the applied effects to one channel where the effects can be heard @@tonelab

[@tonelab]

Hmmm.. I'd experiment with a Stereo Sample vs. a Mono Sample.. but, also.. if there's other Samples using up 1&2, that may be preventing the Effects from being 'reallocated', so perhaps just try 'releasing' either the M1, or M2 busses from any other Sample - see if that 'frees' them.. and then, the other thing would be.. try releasing the effects from the Stereo / INDIV mixers first.. then try moving the M1/M2 effects output, via the DRUM program pages, to another 'pair' of outputs 👍🏻

[@dubsbangermusic]

im still getting the same effect... when i go into the mixer option i hit open window youre able to select your fx setting and then youre output, but then you go into fx edit and MIX open window and the effect says only 1/2 3/4 5/6 7/8 so if i apply it to 3/4 and make my one snare output 3 and one drum output 4 the snare will play on 3 and my drum will play on 4 with the applied effect also coming out of 3. i really appreciate your responses so far as there are no threads or videos out there to show the eb16fx card and how to route it. @@tonelab

[@Salmista_91]

Amigo una pregunta, para mezclar y masterizar tengo que pasar los sonidos al daw que este manejando?

[@tonelab]

Not sure I understand the question.. but try this 🙏🏻 facebook.com/share/v/PctnUCRCALE2aRub/

[@AyyuBX7]

Yes. Run it out through midi and you should be able to dub all the sounds into your dawg given that you set the settings of your daw and this unit to pass information using midi. If that's too much you can dump one sound at a time by directly recording each and every individual sound into your daw ( this will be very time consuming )

[@aiedyn]

Got an issue. I have a Korg X3 hooked in, and I'm able to play sounds on the Korg and have them sequence into the MPC. However, when I try to use any MIDI channel besides the first one, I get nothing, and am limited to one sound for an entire beat. Any insight to this one? I'm wondering if the X3 just can't do it lol

[@aiedyn]

X3 needed to be in SEQ mode... that took me a whole 2 min. Leaving this up for others!

[@tonelab]

I'm not all that familiar with the X3, but good to hear you resolved the issue 👍🏼

[@bidetbday]

hey hey! how do you save the Mixer settings? When I save ALL SEQUENCES AND SOUNDS, it doesn't seem to register my Mixer changes, nor my Note Variations choices

[@tonelab]

7:37 into the clip, you can see the setting - Mixer settings are saved in, and with, the PGM 👍🏼

[@bidetbday]

​@@tonelab Thank you - but my 2000xl is still being difficult, and not saving any Mixer changes, Note Variations, nor FX settings. Can't seem to find the solution!

[@tonelab]

@@bidetbday when you say "..not saving any Mixer changes, Note Variations, nor FX settings" - do you mean 'real-time' changes?!

[@bryanbrady07]

im trying to midi sync my 1000 with 2000xl to have the xl as the slave. still struggling to figure it out. any tips?

[@tonelab]

I'm not familiar with the 1000, but it should be a case of External MIDI Clock-Enabled, MIDI cable from it's Output ..connected to MIDI input 1 on the XL. Then the SYNC page of the XL should be (left hand side) Type: MIDI Clock, then up above should be Port 1. And that's it. 👍🏼

[@AyyuBX7]

I wish I had this beat machine and I wish I knew how to make beats.

[@spedslojp3353]

Help I’m still confused about saving a track/project/song/jam. I have a XL with Zip drive. What’s the clearest explanation method to save it so it can be loaded later? I know how to create a folder. Just so confused about what TYPE and FILE to save? I sample directly into the XL as well. Save All sequences and songs AND Save all programs and sounds ONLY these 2? Why not just Save a sequence if I’ve only made 1 sequence? What if I want to load different programs and sounds and sequences into the XL in order to do a LIVE set or be able to switch between completely different songs/sessions/compositions? It seems like if I save all sequences and sounds per song in separate folder, and that when if I want to load another song altogether into say sequence 6 or whatever and am loading another all sequences etc that it will overwrite the first or other ones I’ve loaded. Hope I’m making sense??

[@spedslojp3353]

Also confused about when saving Save All Programs & Sounds. Do I save it as APS ONLY or WITH SOUNDS or WITH .WAV ???

[@tonelab]

I'll do a Quick-Tip on this soon.. But, you should just be creating a new folder 'per song' and in there you save a .ALL file and a .APS, nothing more 👍🏼

[@spedslojp3353]

@@tonelab have you messed around much with midi CC stuff on the 2000XL? Could you do a tutorial on deep programming stuff like parameter changes/CC? I’m really wondering if it’s possible the 2000XL can be used like the ableton sampler or other advanced samplers etc really want to do stuff like loop start and end points automation per step even etc

[@tonelab]

@@spedslojp3353 I'd suggest checking out the Sequencer episode.. particularly the Step Edit section, which shows what CC messages can be inserted.. controlling external gear and some basic parameters like Mix Volume, Pan, Effects (if you have the EB16). But, you can't send CC messages to move the Sample start / end points.. you can adjust the 'attack' / 'decay' envelope.. but, they're performance controllers that occur via the Program layer.. anything beneath there isn't really within the scope of the implementation in the 2000XL. 👍🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/npWznWpmd7ydpsk

[@xpatrickhd231]

I have a sync question. I sync in to the mpc60 and out to the mpc2000 thru midi clock. How many ms earlier is the mpc2000 to the mpc60? how do I find out?

[@tonelab]

Well, you could Sample the MPC2000's metronome into the 60.. trim it well, then trigger the Metronome sound from the 2000 into a DAW, then measure it that way. I personally, wouldn't be MIDI sync'ing them.. I'd use the XL Sequencer to 'trigger' the Sounds in the 60, without the clock.. less MIDI 'traffic' and 1 Sequencer is easier to manage. PS. Use the shortest possible MIDI cable 🙏🏻

[@tonelab]

If you prefer the swing from the 60, then do the 'reverse'. Sequence the 2000 'from' the 60... either way, turn off the MIDI clock (sync) settings in either unit. Then use a MIDI 'type' track, on the 60.. to trigger the XL, and leave the XL as DRUM tracks. See 'MIDI track types' in my Sequencer episode on the XL for more details 👍🏼 kzbin.info/www/bejne/npWznWpmd7ydpsk

[@xpatrickhd231]

@@tonelab thanks I didn't know you could do that