Performing Live - Working With MIDI

benjiboko · Post by **benjiboko** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 4:30 pm

Hi. I want to go on stage and perform some of the tracks from my new album. I want to be messing around with samples, drums, beatboxing, scratching. I want to have a set up so that i can have midi programming and live looping all in sync with the control to mute parts in and out and add effects. Id like to use my MPC 2000XL as my central controller to control everything else as i know it so well. Has anyone got any advice on how i could go about this?

Thanks, Ben

Ruso · Post by **Ruso** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 11:10 pm

get yourself a copy of ableton live and a lap top... get a good midi controller.... I would recommend something like keyboard with lots of sliders and knobs....

or a cheap option which most people overlook is the trigger finger... you can set it up to control 16 midi channels and switch between them...

which means, you can have 16 pressure sensitive pads, 8 knobs, and 4 sliders... 16 times. on top of that, each of the pads can send both a note message and a midi controll change message and there's a button to mute cc or mute note info so you have 16 pads per channel x 2 functions.

the pads make very groovy controlls when in cc mode... when you don't touch them they're at 0, but when you press on them the higher you press the higher the value gets. this is really nice for momentary effects like for example sends in a live performance.

so this makes...... 32 pads, 8 knobs, 4 sliders, all x 16 = 704 controlls.

benjiboko · Post by **benjiboko** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 12:50 am

I just dont trust a laptop on stage as my main controller. I am very sceptical about it. I love my MPC and want to really have some hands on production/remixing on stage. Ive tried syncing my mpc up to my kaoss, with the mpc transmitting midi clock to the kaoss but the tempos dont sync that well and i am still not understanding the korgs looping system that well yet.

What do you think. Are you all in agreement that i should use my laptop?

Id much prefer hardware, is it not safer for stage?

Thanks, Ben

chanders · Post by **chanders** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 1:44 am

^^ I agree with you. I am very paranoid about using a laptop on stage (If you have two no problem)

I use an MPC2500 to do all my mixing. It's the hardware equivalent of Ableton live.

You shouldn't have much of a problem with the midi tho.

Set the MPC as the master and the synth as the slave an you will be good to go. Use program changes to change patches on the synth...

benjiboko · Post by **benjiboko** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:01 am

yea i have done this. If my mpc is running at 94.4 the korg might see it as 94.6 or 94.8 and cant ever detect the down beat, i always have to do this for it. Also i have put the BPM to auto so when there is a midi cable plugged in its externally run but if i unplug it goes back to being manual. Do i always have to unplug the midi cable to go back to this. If im on stage and i want to switch in between tracks is that the only way?

Thanks again, Ben

decrepitude · Post by **decrepitude** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 2:12 pm

Maybe you should ask this question in the MPC forum?

Questions specifically about the KP3 we can help you with.

Are you using the latest OS? Issues with sync were solved with that update.

I think you may be confused about unplugging the midi cable. To use Midi clock sync, you have to put the KP3 into external sync mode which is clearly discussed in the manual.

http://www.korg.com/downloads/pdf/KP3_OM_EFG1.pdf

benjiboko · Post by **benjiboko** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 5:51 pm

hi. thanks for that. I really appreciate your advice. When you put the KP3 into ext midi clock mode then you cannot at any time specify the tempo by tapping, it has to be sent from an external controller. If I wanted to tap the tempo for a new beat i was making i would have to unplug the midi cable as its just waiting for a tempo.

I also dont understand why when i stop the sequencer the KP3 keeps on going and when i hit play on my sequencer the KP3 doesnt get back into sync, its all goes wrong.

I have read the manual well but it doesnt answer any of these questions.

If you have any more advice, id be grateful.

Thanks, Benji

decrepitude · Post by **decrepitude** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 6:59 pm

Benji, might I suggest you do some searching around first?

If you had searched carefully, you would have found the answer in the "Tips and Tricks" thread.

For crying out loud, did you read ANY of the posts before asking your question?!!

Please go read it now and the situation about sampling hopefully will be clearer to you.

http://www.korgforums.com/forum/phpBB2/ ... hp?t=21973

Willie K · Post by **Willie K** » Sun Aug 26, 2007 11:30 pm

+1 for the laptop,Ableton Live and a controller...its a very powerful set up on stage. Just make sure you get a good laptop (fast,enough ram), and instead the TF, I'd recommend the UC33e...more knobs,faders,easy to program,etc.

Ruso · Post by **Ruso** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:43 am

it's THE most powerful tool on stage, it's more powerful then any hardware device... anyways if you're paranoid about your computer on stage, buy a damn mac and you won't have any problem.....