MPC – YouTube answers – multi-track arm
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MPC – YouTube answers – multi-track arm
One thing I find myself typing over and over again is that everyone uses the MPC differently. In my own productions I try to blend sequencing with live playing. I then like to use DJ gear to perform it back. Other musicians stick entirely to sequencing. Other players just want something to capture them performing on their instrument. The beauty of the MPC is that it is functional for all three environments.
At the end of 2017 I was in Alberta. I landed in Calgary and drove to Edmonton. I live in Ontario and at the time there was still green grass and the last few leaves clinging to the trees; Edmonton was in full winter. I had made the trip to visit with stores, but I also had another incentive. I had been hearing about the Sampler Café for some time but had just recently gotten connected with the organizers. I stuck around till Saturday night and got to attend one of their events.
The Sampler Café is a collective of many different types of music producers who meet up weekly and show what they are working on. Everyone sits in a semicircle to listen and perform. Many attendees had brought their MPC Lives and we all had a chance to show the different ways we use it. We even set up the WiFi and ran an Ableton link.
At one point during the evening I was asked, ‘how do you set up a multitrack record?’ I had never even considered using the MPC this way, but the Sampler Café was thinking about new ways to record their performances. Everyone runs through a shared mixer but the four inputs on the MPC offered a tempting new way to capture what they were working on. I had never tried multi-record arming tracks on the MPC X, but it was super intuitive. Holding shift and tapping the record button is very similar to what you would expect in other DAWs.
As a side note, there is a Sampler Café starting to sprout in Toronto as well, so if you are an Ontario producer this collective is something worth checking out – look up Sampler Café on Facebook to find their page.
My hope with this video is to show you how to navigate through the audio track section of the MPC. I show where to tap to see all your relevant track information, and also how to navigate the ins and outs of your tracks.
Thanks for checking out the article and video. If you have any questions please leave them on my YouTube channel. My hope with this and all the other videos is to get you using your gear as quickly as possible – they are meant to be a direct response to questions. I’m really interested to see how you are using your MPC, so feel free to post a link to your music in the comment section as well. I figure the more I see how others are using their MPCs, the better I can make the content.
If you want a step by step lesson on the MPC reach out directly to me to set up a SKYPE Tutorial session. My email is fiercemule@gmail.com
I post my travel schedule on the main page of this website – please check it out! I travel all of Canada year round, so if you are a Canuck I will likely be in your neighborhood soon. A special thanks goes out to Nancy Wallace, Tyler Cook and Dave Fox. I couldn’t have put this series together without you.