What is this and how does one use it without abusing it???

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kidkage

kidkage

Bored of Canada
kidkage said:
Akai MPD18*::*MIDI Equipment*::*MIDI Equipment & Control Surfaces*::*Computer Audio*::*Recording*::*DJ Equipment, Pro Audio, Lighting Sales & Rentals

I always assumed things that looked like that were just drum machines. But the other day I watched a few minutes of a Linkin Park show on Palladia (yeah, yeah. I can't explain why I like them. I don't understand myself. :o) and their guy was using it to make hi hat sounds, piano sounds, guitar sounds, drum sounds :confused:
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It's just a MIDI trigger. It can be used to make all sorts of sounds. It works on the same concept as a MIDI keyboard: every button triggers a pre-set sound through the computer/sampler. Depending on which set of sounds the computer/sampler is currently setup to play, pushing the buttons on the MPD will trigger different samples. You could even use the MPD to trigger vocals, a synth pattern, an entire song, etc.
 
Sounds pretty sweet. What would I need to use it to its fullest?
 
kidkage said:
Sounds pretty sweet. What would I need to use it to its fullest?
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A recording contract.



- hehe jk - any sampler would do nicely - you could use it to play a VST instrument but not sure about latency issues. It's USB so it has to go into a PC - it's basically just a midi keyboard controller with pads instead of keys.
 
kidkage said:
Sounds pretty sweet. What would I need to use it to its fullest?
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If you have a computer with some DAW software on it, you're probably already set. As long as the DAW software has a built-in sampler, you can load audio snippets (samples) into the software and assign each sample to a pad on the MPD. Then when you hit that pad on the MPD, the computer will simply play the audio sample that you assigned.

Most software samplers come with some pre-made virtual instruments (such as a drum kit, a piano, some synths) that you can just load up and start playing with the MPD. A great program to play around with is called Reason. A lot of hip hop producers use it because it is known for its great sampling capabillities and for all the great virtual instruments you can create inside of it. It might be worth downloading the demo...
 
kidkage said:
I always assumed things that looked like that were just drum machines. But the other day I watched a few minutes of a Linkin Park show on Palladia (yeah, yeah. I can't explain why I like them. I don't understand myself. :o) and their guy was using it to make hi hat sounds, piano sounds, guitar sounds, drum sounds :confused:
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I like Linkin Park too, but I'm not ashamed of it like you :D
 
I was just kidding, I like some of LP - now I am really ashamed :(
 
guitaristic said:
I like Linkin Park too, but I'm not ashamed of it like you :D
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It's weird. I'm not exactly ashamed of it. I just legitimately can't explain why I like it. Most of my favorite music I can. It's just... I like it. So much. I just wish I knew why
crying-smiley-sad-male-cry-tears-smiley-emoticon-000352-large.gif


:p

arcadeko said:
I am ashamed of both of you.
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Linkin Park > P.O.D


Ok. So is this a proper understanding of how it works:
I record a hit of my snare, make it in to a sample, (or use another sample from somewhere else) apply the sample to a pad on the thing?

And I use cubase. How would that work with this?
 
I mean their first two albums are just gold to me... well actually platinum

oops
*multiplatinum
oops
*diamond
 
kidkage said:
It's weird. I'm not exactly ashamed of it. I just legitimately can't explain why I like it.
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I like listening to them because of how they combine electronic and rock...it's just tasty to me. :) It's kind of the direction I'm heading in too!
 
kidkage said:
I record a hit of my snare, make it in to a sample, (or use another sample from somewhere else) apply the sample to a pad on the thing?

And I use cubase. How would that work with this?
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a sampler would be one use and yes you could do that. You would load a VST instrument into a channel and route the midi signal to it. Just create an instrument track in Cubase and pick your instrument - when you hit the pad it will play whatever sound is tied to that pad. (essentially midi sees each pad as a specific piano key).

i would think this is mostly a performance device not so much a recording device, not that it wouldn't work - but any midi keyboard would do the same thing.
 
arcadeko said:
a sampler would be one use and yes you could do that. You would load a VST instrument into a channel and route the midi signal to it. Just create an instrument track in Cubase and pick your instrument - when you hit the pad it will play whatever sound is tied to that pad. (essentially midi sees each pad as a specific piano key).

i would think this is mostly a performance device not so much a recording device, not that it wouldn't work - but any midi keyboard would do the same thing.
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I feel like this: Akai MPK mini - Keyboard Software Controller MPK MINI B&H Photo and $80 ez drummer or steven slate would help me make some nice sounding, layered drum parts with my acoustic drum tracks.

Its either this or triggers.
 
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