Wouldn’t it work to just do the sequencing and record the external gear back onto an audio track on the fly? I haven’t tried this myself but it sounds like it should work right? Sounds to me like it would cut down on extra steps and simplify the process a bit, I usually sequence my iPad from a midi track and sample back in on the fly to grab a riff or whatever but I suppose if you actually constructed a song with the midi track in situ and bounce to another sequence you could in theory record the synth part on the fly across the whole track including any knob twiddling you want to do on the synth in one go…
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One more question for the MPC + Virus Ti Crew, did you manage to send aftertouch to the Virus? What did you choose in the modulation source?
Thanks for sharing. I already knew this but it goes to show sometimes even the most simple things aren’t known by everyone
How does the MPC handle sending program changes for pattern changing on the Elektron boxes? If I wanted to sequence a full song with PC and the MPC as the brain, is that easy to do?
Just did a 20 track export on a 6 minute tune and for some reason my kick (track1) exported as silent. I have different patterns throughout so i cant just export 8 bars.
What my best option to get that kick track exported cleanly?
It takes eternity to bounce out every track. Like 45 mins or so. I dont want to go through all that for one track.
It should work quite straight forward … but I use it the other way around. Playing on the Virus keyboard and recording the aftertouch/pressure.
Nevertheless … we can define an automation line in the MIDI edit view by
- expanding the automation view (default Velocity),
- creating a new automation parameter with “Add New”
- selecting “Track”
- selecting “Aftertouch”
AFAIK aftertouch is a separate MIDI command like Note-On/Note-Off and there is no corresponding CC#
Have you tried bouncing your projects in controller mode? It’s way way quicker, also you could just bounce that one track to a new sample and drag it out of the project folder…
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I would not say it’s easy but doable. The usual elektronesque problem of needing to send the PC message before the pattern should start remains, so you need to send the PC message before a sequence ends to trigger the next pattern on your Elektron box.
It has a list editor though, where you can insert sending the program change before the current sequence ends (this is the desktop version, but it’s the same on the MPC itself):
Just set your playhead a 1/4 beat or so before the end of the sequence, go to list view and insert the program change. It’s not ideal, but it works.
Thanks, but I still can’t get it to work properly, on the Virus, what do you select as a modulation source?
I’m trying Channel Pressure but that doesn’t seem to work.
On the MicroFreak I could get it to work easily, I just can’t get it right with the Virus.
I don’t understand what you mean by modulation source? I would just use the MPC pads. Could you please explain how your setup is?
Oof. That sounds kind of miserable. Haha. I think I have the desktop version, so maybe I’ll play with that and see how it is. How similar is it to the hardware?
Pretty similar, only the hardware version is easier to use due to the touchscreen and buttons.
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In the Virus’s modulation matrix you can choose sources, amount and destination.
But aftertouch is not an available source so I’m using channel pressure.
The Mpc can send channel pressure if you draw it in manually like you explained above but the pads send aftertouch.
It is awful. It means when you set it and are working on an MPC pattern after it loops round you are always listening to the next patterns Elektron pattern, also means you lose the freedom of patterns because you are basically using a previous one to set up the following one.
A workaround for some of the Elektrons is to use the Multimap feature apparently.
The Elektrons are useless at program changes when not using one of them as a master, it’s a massive turn off to me as much as I love the 3 I own, especially since moving to use the MPC as the centre piece.
EDIT Also when using program changes at all on the Rytm, including as automation, it always starts 1 step late for me for some bizarre reason. So I don’t use them at all with it.
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Ugh. Guess I’d need to keep using my Mozaic script for PC across all devices. Legit, if Elektron could get their PC-bullsh*t together, I’d be sooooo happy.
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It’s insanity to me they haven’t dealt with it by now. The MPC is rightly becoming a very popular machine and you would think getting your devices to work well with it would be a priority. If multimap solves it then it can’t be impossible to solve so we can just have direct changes.
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I really want to use the MPC as my arranger, recorder, and sequencer. Recording loops and longer parts from the Elektron devices and then gluing it all together in the MPC. The PC issue isn’t the worst thing, but it would def. stop me from using the MPC in a live setting with my trinity.
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Wouldn’t the Force be better for this?
You are absolutely right … and I’m surprised, because I thought that “aftertouch” and “pressure” are synonymous. Not so in case of the MPC/Virus, it seems.
I just checked it myself … when playing the keyboard of the Virus, “channel pressure” is recorded as automation on the MPC. The aftertouch of the pads doesn’t work. I checked the MPC hardware settings … nothing found to change this.
I checked on my Sub37 routed through the MPC to the Virus. This synth seems also to generate “channel pressure”. The Virus received it.
Maybe the MPC’s “aftertouch” is implemented differently compared to other gear?
Maybe? I haven’t looked into it since I don’t use Ableton.