Now stop thinking you're Ringo Starr on those drum pads and listen!, this is where a lot of the important tune making things go on and is the screen you most interface with. You will need to get used to using the cursor keys, data fields, numeric key pad and the function keys. From any window you are in you can always return to the this screen by pressing the MAIN SCREEN button.

The Cursor, Cursor Keys And Data Fields:-

Notice that part of the screen is displayed with black and white reversed?. This is the cursor, it is possible to move this around the screen with the four grey direction keys located in the cursor section of the front panel. The cursor moves from field to field usually to the right of a colon. These areas are known as data fields and each one controls a specific parameter.

The Numeric Keypad And DATA wheel:-

To change the data in a data field move the cursor to the field and turn the wheel, by rotating right the number will increase and when turned left guess what!. There are fields in the data field where you can enter the numbers directly from the numeric pad. For example, move the cursor to the Tempo field, enter a new number and press the ENTER key (you must remember to press Enter otherwise it will return to its original setting). Some fields are just set by the wheel, i.e. the TIMING field, scroll through 'OFF', '1/ 8', '1/8 thirds', '1/16' etc.

The Function Keys:-

Immediately below the LCD screen are six keys labelled F1 through F6. The function of these keys varies from screen to screen, when a function name has a frame (white background/ black text) the function will be implemented, when the colours are reversed the function will take you to another page. Try pressing EDIT (F2), if only characters are displayed (no background) then that page is currently selected, F1 EVENTS in this case.

Whilst the main screen is displayed the functions are:-

F1 - STEP screen.

F2 - EDIT screen.

F3 - Track on/ off key.

F4 - Solo track key.

F5 - Track down (-).

F6 - Track up (+).

The NOTE VARIATION slider, ASSIGN and AFTER keys:-

The NOTE VARIATION slider can be used in real time to change the tuning, attack, decay or filter value for a sound pre assigned to a drum pad by moving the slider whilst playing the pad, the information is recorded on a sequence with the drum notes. This is one of the MPC's most celebrated features, press shift and assign together then assign the bass sound (pad D01) by hitting the pad directly, now press main screen and play away. Why not also try assigning the sound to filter just go back into the window, select the appropriate field and turn the wheel. This function is also excellent for:-

1- Controlling decay for a hi-hat sound simulating the open-close action of a drummers hi-hat pedal, by using the decay switch feature in the program and setting the sound so it switches accordingly to the decay value it is possible to simulate a closed hi-hat gradually opening by moving the slider.

2- The slider can be assigned to tuning for a tom tom sound, by moving the slider you can change the tom tunings.

3- The slider can control filter values for a sound containing a filter setting. This will change the sound each time the note is played, this is good for analogue synthesiser sounds and hold filter effects.

Why not try going to a fresh track and record some bass, hold down REC. and PLAY START after a four beat count in you will hear the drums that I programmed. Play around with the slider and get a bass line going (remember it will loop back on its self after four bars) when you've finished press STOP if you want to try again just press the UNDO SEQ. button that's just lit up and scared you and try again.

The AFTER key allows you to overdub slider inform to a track, so lets have a go I mean lets face it that bass line was pretty crap!. Press the AFTER key, it should light up green now press OVERDUB and PLAY START and after the 4 beat intro start sliding!.

The 16 LEVELS key:-

By using the 16 LEVELS function you can play a sound in 16 parameter levels of velocity, tone, attack, decay or filter. To use this function press the 16 LEVELS key, the window will appear and you can select the sound to be used by hitting the pad. This time press pad D02 to select the piano sound then select a parameter (for now select NOTE VAR: TUNING). Now press TURN ON, the 16 LEVELS key will light up and it will return to the main screen. You can now play the piano like on a keyboard with the 16 pads, try recording it to another fresh track. To turn off the function press the 16 LEVELS key again.

The PLAY/RECORD keys and the LOCATE keys:-

These ten keys operate similarly to the transport keys on a tape recorder, with some very useful additions:-

The PLAY START key: Currently selected sequence plays from the beginning.

The PLAY key: Currently selected sequence plays from position shown in Now: Field.

The STOP key: Stops the sequence playing or recording.

The OVERDUB key: Press with PLAY to overdub new notes to a given track without recording over existing ones. Pressing OVERDUB again will return screen to play mode.

The REC key: Press with PLAY to record over existing notes.

The BAR <</ >> keys: Move the sequence through bars. Pressing this button whilst pressing GO TO takes you to the beginning (<<) or end (>>) of a sequence.

The STEP </ > keys: Move the sequence according to the Timing: Field. Pressing this button whilst pressing GO TO takes you to the beginning (<) or end (>) of an entered event.

Pressing the GO TO key by itself opens a window which allows you to store up to 9 numeric locate points.

Pressing SHIFT and PUNCH (2 on numeric pad) opens PUNCH window. Specify PUNCH OUT, PUNCH IN, or PUNCH IN and OUT. Also specify the time between them. Press turn on to activate.

MAIN SCREEN Functions and Windows:-

Move the cursor to:-

The Sq: Field and rotate to change sequence, hold down the open window key to see the name of the next sequence. Press OPEN WINDOW when not playing to change the sequence name (remember to press ENTER).You can also delete or copy in this window.

The TEMPO: Field and rotate or enter figure from numeric pad (remember drums will speed up but samples will fall out of time). Press OPEN WINDOW to enter individual tempo changes. You can also change the tempo source on the main screen (seq./ master).

The TIMING: Field and rotate through Quantisation settings. Press OPEN WINDOW to enter specific lengths of timing correction.

The Tsig: Field and rotate the DATA wheel, the Tsig window will appear make any adjustments here and press DO IT.

The Bars: Field and rotate the DATA wheel, specify the length of the sequence here. To insert or delete bars press the IN/DEL key and make your adjustments.

The Loop: Field and rotate the DATA wheel to turn on/ off. Press the OPEN WINDOW key to set a specific loop.

The Count: Field and rotate the DATA wheel on/ off. Press OPEN WINDOW to customise the metronomes behaviour etc.

To Tr: Field to select a track, rotate the DATA wheel to increase/ decrease. Press OPEN WINDOW to delete or copy a track. By moving to the On: Field you can turn tracks on/ off, also by pressing OPEN WINDOW you can display a screen that lets you turn the tracks on and off by pressing the pads.
 

To Velo: Field and rotate DATA wheel or enter from numeric pad to change track velocity. Press OPEN WINDOW to enter specific values.

To Now: Field and rotate DATA wheel or use BAR buttons above PLAY BAR to move through bars, beats or ticks. Press OPEN WINDOW to choose between BAR, BEAT,CLOCK or HOUR, MIN, SEC. You can also change SMPTE start time and SMPTE frame rate here.

To set the tracks MIDI channel go to the MIDI: Field and rotate between Drum: and MIDI:. To the right select the MIDI channel. Press OPEN WINDOW to edit the MIDI reception. Here it is possible to change the soft thru, set multiple track real time MIDI recording etc.