Although the MPC 2500 is regarded as a beatbox/sampler it actually possesses some manic real-time controllers, a sample manipulation toolbox of goodies and some serious midi control. 

The Akai MPC 2500 has established itself as a serious beat making piece of hardware and is seen in most Hip Hop and Dance based studios. But are users getting the most out of this understated beast?

I find it quite intriguing, and a little bemusing, as to the reasons given by many ‘producers’ for using the MPC 2500.

‘Hell, that baby swings dude.’
‘The timing rocks man.’
‘My vinyl sounds so much better sampled on the MPC.’

Well, these are all valid points, although some I could argue against, but what I find interesting is the lack of remarks regarding workflow, sampling tools, midi management, synthesis tools (albeit limited), real-time control and so on. Almost all the things that the MPC 2500 was built for in addition to it’s mainstay qualities of ‘laying down a beat on the fly’.

In terms of expressing an idea and quickly getting it down the MPC 2500 is both intuitive and easy to use. And really, isn’t that all that you want to do at the end of the day? Maybe some do. Others would like to have more detailed production tools, better sonic control and mangling tools, deeper and more detailed modulation control, real-time control and so on. I do not believe that Akai intended the 2500 to fulfill all those requirements; more detailed features are available in their flagship model the MPC 4000. What they did give us, albeit a little quirkily, are tools to help in the beat creation process. Ultimately, this box is a drum sampler/sequencer with some production tools thrown in to help you complete a beat in it’s entirety.

Strangely enough I find it’s quirkiness and bare boned supply of tools quite inspiring as it takes me back to the old days of sonic manipulation using gaffer tape, tweezers and a 256K sampler.

What I would like to do now is to explore some of the MPC 2500’s tools with you.
And I cannot think of a better tool to start with than the Q-Link Controls.

  Q-Link Control

The original MPC 2000 XL had a Note Variation slider which was dedicated to single data events per Pad Event. Basically, a single event per note in sequencer edit was all you had to play with. Variable controller data was non existent. This, however, was not enough and Akai have been quick to remedy this with sliders and knobs that can instigate both real-time and note on events, and as continuous controllers. Not only can you now have modulation and real-time control over a pad’s sample and mixer controls, but also inputted sounds via the Input Thru section. And it is in the Input Thru and the resampling sections that the slider gains respect.

The Input Thru sections allows an incoming signal, via the Record Ins, to be manipulated using effects, filter, pan etc, and for this signal to then be recorded (resampled) with the added effects and dynamics. Sadly, the slider movements cannot be recorded directly through the Input Thru section but can be via the Record section. So there are workarounds.

For now, this is not the area that interests me but the area of real-time audio manipulation does.

I will cover, albeit very briefly, a resampling task a little later.

For DJs the ability to control levels, filters and pan over a signal in real-time is hugely beneficial for obvious reasons. And this is where the Input Thru section, married with the slider, takes over.

But, it doesn’t end there.

To be able to record effects and dynamics etc on an incoming signal affords a larger palette of tools for the user in sonic mangling tasks. This is a great bonus as you have, in effect, effects and dynamics at your disposal within the MPC 2500 and that negates the need to splash out money to attain the same in terms of external hardware.

It also frees up internal effects for other chores.

The only downside to this is ‘memory’.

The MPC 2500 can be maxed to a total of 128 megabytes of ram. If you start to record incoming audio with long sustaining and evolving effects then that memory can be eaten up in a hurry.

Be selective when using effects for Input Thru recording. A long time based delay can munch away at the ram in no time (pun intended). Try to use short length effects and conserve that valuable memory.

Let us move on with an example.

On default the slider can control level, pan and filter cutoffs and resonances.

Let us go through an example showing how to use the Input Thru and slider together to manipulate filter cutoff.

1. Press INPUT THRU
2. Switch Input Thru to ON
3. Make sure to select signal format (Analog or Digital) and whether Stereo/Mono
4. Select a low pass filter in slot number 1(be aware that there are 2 filters and they both work in series)
5. Adjust the Freq to 50
6. Adjust Reso (Resonance) to 50
7. Press Mode and Pad 1 to access the Q-Link menu
8. Change Assign Pad to IN (scroll until you reach this option)
9. Select Cutoff 1
10. Play audio signal and move slider

You should now be hearing quite drastic filter changes with the Cutoff being manipulated in real-time with the slider.

This a great way to have filter sweeps on an incoming signal.

You can do this for any destination shown in the Parameter section of the Q-Link section.

Level is the most common selection as volume control is crucial for DJs, but you can have acres of fun with Pan, Resonance and Cutoff 1+2 whereby both filters are being used.

It is a shame that these slider movements cannot be recorded using the Input Thru. However, I have found that if you plan your sonic mangling tasks a bit cleverly then you can use the sliders in real-time to affect changes whilst in Record mode. For this to take place you need to make sure to select the correct Input in the Record menu and to select the right type of slider Change (Real-Time or Note On).

Let us go through an example using Pan as the slider destination during resampling.

1. Press Mode Pad 1 and select Real-time for the Change
2. Hit Pad so that it is selected in Assign
3. Select Pan in Parameter
4. Set high and low range
5. Press Mode and Pad 5 to enter Record
6. Change Input to Main Out (this allows you to record internal sounds and as the Main Outs are fixed internally, you are sampling what is coming out of the 2500’s outputs)
7. Hit Record
8. Play Pad and move slider

You should now be recording the Pad sample with the pan movements.

Assign the new sample to another Pad then resample the new Pad sample, or the original sample, with another modulation destination (filter, resonance etc).

When I have to create mixes (drum beats) for DJs to use live I usually create projects of the material that will be played as sessions. Each session will house the main material that will be used and resampled versions of the beats being used in the session. I create a 16 Pad Bank project with each pad being a fill or variation of the main beat. I then line up the edits incrementally on each Pad, in other words; main drum beat on Pad 1, variation on Pad 2, fill on Pad 3, heavily effected version on Pad 4 and so on until all 16 Pads have been used. I usually find this is more than enough for a single beat session. By resampling and using the Input Thru I am able to have some crazy variations of the main beat that the DJ can then trigger by hitting the relevant Pad. This allows control and creativity to be expressed in Real-Time, and saves the DJ having to be restricted to single event slider changes during the session.

The Q-Link controls are extremely handy when it comes to modulating certain destinations. They are also very useful in mixing chores as both the sliders and the knobs can be used to instigate level and pan changes whilst recording mixer changes. This is invaluable when it comes to your final mix as you can record intricate level and pan changes in real-time or for playback.

A Low Frequency Oscillator is an oscillator that operates below the standard human level of hearing (20 kHz). In fact, most Lfos operate around the 10 Hz frequency, or they used to in analogue synthesizer days gone by. The whole idea is that this particular oscillator is not designed to create audio signals like the standard oscillators you find on synthesizers etc, but to be used for modulation purposes.

Most Lfos (note I say most and not all), particularly in the old analogue synth days…ah…dem days, usually took the shape of a sine waveform and were used to create anything from tremolo effects to arcade type pitch manipulated sounds. However, today we are spoilt with Lfos offering all sorts of waveforms including variations of sine, square, saw and triangle. Hell, it’s gone even further with user defined waveforms being used.

The 2500 has the following Waves (waveforms); Triangle, Saw, Saw Down, Square, Sine and Random.

You are afforded a Rate control which controls the speed of the waveform being cycled.
Delay simply dictates when the Lfo will start.

The following destinations are available: Pitch, Level, Filter 1 and Filter 2. It is important to note that in Version 1 of the Akai operating system Filter 2 was not available as a destination but Pan was. The version of operating system I am currently using is 1.23 and strangely Pan is not included as a destination. That really is a shame. But I suspect this is because Flying Pan is offered within the effects section and this kind of compensates for the lack of a dedicated Pan destination within the Lfo armory.

How Lfos work is actually quite simple; the Lfo waveform triggers the modulation destination. The shape of the waveform itself denotes the envelope (shape) that the destination will follow.

The best way of explaining this is by performing a simple exercise by choosing a waveform shape and a destination.

For this exercise it might be best to choose a simple consistent and undulating wave shape such as a sine, and to marry it to a destination like Pitch.

For simplicity’s sake, and in keeping in line with the drum theme, I am using an 808 kick tone that is much akin to a bass tone albeit shorter and non-sustaining.

By only using the Rate and Pitch parameters I am able to make the 808 tone ‘wobble’ gently. This gives it some life and makes the overall drum beat you are after far more interesting than a static bass tone 808 feel.

For your benefit, I am using a Rate value 0f 01.00, a Pitch value of 57 and a Level value of 100 (maximum).

Now, let us get a little more adventurous.

For the following exercise I am using a multi layered clap sound (as heard on so many Hip Hop records nowadays) and assigning the Lfo wave shape to modulate both Pitch and Filter.

I have also created a Filter Envelope to respond to Velocity. This allows for intricate dynamic filter cut-off (Freq) control controlled by how hard/soft a Pad is hit.

In this instance the harder I hit the Pad where the clap sample resides the more I ‘close’ the filter. The softer I hit the Pad the more the filter ‘opens’.

In terms of the Filter Envelope parameter settings, please experiment with the following:

1. Select the Sample (within a Pad)
2. Press Mode Pad 7 to enter Program mode,
3. Select Filter (F2) and select Low Pass for Type (this is Filter 1)
4. Set Freq to 30
5. Press WINDOW to enter Filter Envelope Edit
6. Select Amount on left hand side and input a value of +50.
7. Select Time on the right hand side (V>) and input a value of +50
8. Select Amount on right hand side (V>) under Time and input a value of +5
9. Select Freq from right hand side (V>) and input a value of 0

Try hitting the Pad the sample resides in by varying velocities (hit it hard then soft and so on). You should hear the Filter opening and closing and vice versa.

Now let us bring in the Lfo and input it’s data.

1. Press F5 (Lfo)
2. Select Triangle for Wave
3. Input a value of 00.05 for Rate
4. Input a value of 82 for Pitch
5. Input a value of 100 for Level
6. Using the same filter settings as above input a value of 39 for Filter 1

Now play with the Pad by hitting it hard and soft (varying velocities).

If you want to have some manic fun, or to simply change the tonal colour of the same sample, then vary the Rate value and, more importantly, change the Wave shape.

You will be amazed how many variations of the same sound can be created by simple changes in either/both Wave shape or Rate.

Of course all the other parameters can be altered to taste but I find that the Wave shape and Rate will have the most dramatic instant effect on the sample as it is the Wave shape that determines the shape of the selected destination and the Rate determines the cyclic value of the shape (repetition of the Wave shape).

I have created many versions of the same snare sound by simply changing the Wave shape, altering the Rate value and selecting any of the destinations on offer. For each instance I have saved the processed sample into another Pad and renamed it accordingly. I have built a large library of fresh sounds using one single sample by experimenting as above.

Once you start experimenting with longer sustaining sounds, or samples that are more tonal as opposed to a simple drum beat, then the possibilities of serious sonic mangling become far more obvious and endless.

The Lfo can also be used to apply dynamic movement to static sounds that may sound sterile. A good example of this would be a sustaining pad sound that remains fixed in both pitch and amplitude (gain). By using the Lfo to modulate Level the impression of ‘movement’ can be brought to the otherwise sterile pad sound. The same applies to pitch and/or filter.

You can also create ‘gated’ type of effects by using the Lfo to modulate filter or Pitch. As the Rate controls the cyclic value, the lower the Rate value the faster the cyclic effect.

Take a simple bass tone and select Triangle, Square or Sine as the Wave. Assign a Rate value of 00.20 and a Level value of 100. Press a Pad and keep your finger on it. You should hear the repetitive effect.

I could go on with example after example but I suggest you get your teeth into your MPC and experiment. You will far more than following my settings.

  Control Changes

I am not going to delve into the (ahem) wonderful world of Midi as I expect you to be at least familiar with the concept of Midi and it’s utilization, otherwise how on earth did you get this far?

However, and where this article comes into force, is in the subject of Control Changes and how to instigate them.

The ability to be able to control parameters in real-time via a controller has always been, in my opinion, the real strength of Midi. To be able to control the filter cutoff of a preset via the mod wheel of your controller, or to control the volume of a preset via a pedal, or to adjust a sound’s attack value and so on is not only attractive and gives huge flexibility in terms of real-time control but also extremely important when dealing with a unit like the MPC 2500 that is limited in real-time midi modulation sources (Pitch Wheel, Mod Wheel etc). The reason is quite simple; a controller that does not possess many modulation sources can be limited in terms of expression and control and therefore workarounds have to be found to overcome the lack of physical and obvious modulation sources.

But fear not for the 2500 has a Step Editor that is more than capable in handling all manner of Midi messaging/control. This is Akai’s workaround and one that is very powerful and simple to use.

Just because you cannot apply modulation to a destination in real-time does not mean you cannot do it after the fact.

This is the appeal of sequencing; the fact that not only can you string together sequences/patterns/songs etc but that you can instigate all manner of Midi messaging to further edit and  enhance the dynamics for your song content.

Midi controllers fall into two categories; those that are variable (Continuous), like a knob or a fader, and those that are switchable (on or off), like a sustain pedal.

A Mod Wheel would be a variable (or Continuous) controller whereas a sustain pedal would be switchable as it can only be on or off.

There are, in effect, 128 different controllers (0-127) of which the breakdowns (basically) are as follows:

0 to 63     are assigned to Continuous Controllers (cc)

64 to 95   are for Switch Controllers

96 to 121 and undefined and can later be assigned values

122-127   are assigned to Midi Modes (Local ON/Off, Omni Off etc)

Those of you that are eagle eyed and pedantic when looking at Controller lists will have noticed that Controllers 0-31 are duplicated in 32-63. There is a simple reason for this and it is all about resolution. By having two sets of Controller values you have, in effect, 128 x 128 steps affording 14 bit resolution. In English, this means that the higher the resolution the more accurate and detailed the control.

To overcome the terminology needed for this resolution the Midi guys decided that they needed to give them sensible and useful names. So, they came up with MSB (Most Significant Byte) and LSB (least Significant Byte). I know how helpful this is for you.

Controllers 0 to 31 handle the most significant byte (MSB) while Controllers 32 to 63 handle the least significant byte (LSB).

Think of the MSB as the ‘coarse’ adjustment and the LSB as the ‘fine’ adjustment. Analogy time: when tuning a sample it is always beneficial to have coarse and fine tuning. This allows for more accurate and detailed tuning. Hopefully, that makes more sense than tech spiel?

The 2500 provides all 128 Control Changes and with the ability to instigate these messages at any point within a sequence, right down to beats/measures etc.

As an example I am going to run you through a simple Mod Wheel Controller over a sound in an external Midi device.

I will pick the Roland XV 5080 as the receiving device and the 2500 Step Editor as the source modulator.

1. Go to Main page on 2500 and select Midi as Type
2. Assign Midi Channel of receiving device (I have selected 3B as Midi Output B of 2500 is connected to XV 5080 Midi In 2)
3. Mode Pad 14 enters Step Editor
4. Select bar/measure where you want to insert Controller
5. Press F5 (Insert) to select Type of Event
6. Scroll and select Control Change
7. Press Do It
8. Cursor to the right just past CC:
9. Select type of Controller (1-Mod Wheel)
10. Cursor to the right and insert a value (between 0-127)
11. Play Song and listen for the Modulated effect
    

If you need finer definition then you can opt to use CC:1 Mod Wheel (MSB) and CC: 33 Mod Wheel (LSB).

At this point it is important to mention that you need to switch the controller off at whatever point you want the modulation to cease otherwise it will continue to modulate the sound (this applies to Bank/Program changes too).

I usually put in another Controller and define it as OFF or to use another instance of the Mod Wheel Controller with a value assign of 0.

Assigning Bank and Program Changes to an external device

Assigning Program Changes internally is extremely easy as all you need to do is to assign Midi Program Change numbers to your Programs and then insert these numbers in the Step Editor as ‘Program Change’ events.

However, assigning Bank and Program Changes to an external device takes a little more work but is still extremely easy.

You might be thinking; why would I need to do this anyway?

Well, not everyone uses just VSTIs. Many people use external sound modules/samplers etc in their set ups and would like to have control over the sounds being used in different banks, and this is where the real deal with MSB and LSB comes into force.

I like to use my XV 5080 a lot and as it has been expanded with a number of cards I now have access to thousands of sounds all on different cards and the internal memory.

The ability to be able to use a sound on one bank and then to switch over to another sound on another bank within the same song/sequence is extremely useful.

The following should help you in gaining an understanding of how this is administered in the 2500.

1. Read the receiving device’s Midi Implementation Chart in the manual to access the Bank Select Numbers (MSB, LSB) and Program Number. In the XV 5080 I am going to select MSB 87, LSB 66 and Program Change 7. This means that I am accessing Patch/Group C (denoted from the Midi Implementation Chart) and Program Number (Sound/Patch) No 7. Write these values down as you will need to insert them in the Step Editor
2. Press Mode Pad 14 to access Step Editor
3. Select at which bar/measure you want to insert the Bank/Program Change
4. Press F5 Insert and select Control Change. Press Do It
5. Scroll pass CC: and select Bank MSB
6. Scroll to the value and insert the number 87 for the MSB value
7. Press F5 Insert at the same bar/measure and select Control Change. Press Do It
8. Scroll past CC: and select LSB and input a value of 66
9. Press F5 Insert at the same bar/measure and select Program Change
10. Scroll past Program Change and input a value of 7
    

You should now have a 3 line command, all at the same bar/measure, as follows:

001.01.00 CC: 0-BANK MSB           87

001.01.00 CC: 32-BANK LSB          66

001.01.00 PROGRAM CHANGE     7

Basically, this means that at bar/measure 001.01.00 you are instigating a bank change to Group C and selecting patch/sound/program number 7.

When you press play on the 2500 the corresponding values should appear in real-time on the 5080’s screen.

Be aware that the 2500 will stay on this bank and patch until a new command has been input to either change to another bank/patch or to return to the original sound you were using prior to the Bank/Program Change commands.

If I had a wish list I would wish for Akai to implement Control Change Messaging via the Q-Link Sliders as this would afford instant hands-on control and avoid having to input commands into the Step Editor.

Conclusion:

If all you want to do is to lay down a beat on the fly then the 2500 will do exactly that. But it is such a shame to ignore the tools available within this box. Ok, so we are not talking about Advanced Synthesis or production end sonic mangling features, but what is on offer is more than enough to get a diverse and fresh take on existing sound sets. Add to that detailed modulation control and you should be closer to achieving your Beat Productions goals.

MPC 2500 DVD Tutorials 

Eddie Bazil (Zukan)
www.samplecraze.com