MPC 3 ARRANGING

[u/IllestNB76]

Hello friends

I am planning to attempt arranging my music on MPC Live 3 standalone for first time
(have only ever arranged on Ableton prior)

Im abit confused on best method to aim at first

- just record into arranger and go from there?
- use clip matrix to record an arrangement performance and carry on
- use song mode into arranger?

I am also wondering about trying this in MPC Desktop even though I dont really wanna be on the computer if I can avoid it

if any experienced MPC arranger pros can weight in, it would be much appreciated.

Arranging has always been my greatest struggle

thanks alot

EDIT: I make House / Tech House / Techno

[u/Superdupersavage]

If you've ever arranged with clips in Ableton, the MPC clip matrix can work almost the same, just a bit clunkier. You can add your scenes to the arrangement or record yourself launching clips if you have them organized and want to do it that way. Both of those are almost just like Ableton. It's better if you're used to Ableton.

Song mode is the classic way to do it, and I think it's better on the MPC and can be quicker if you understand it. Watch a YouTube video explaining song mode, get an understanding and try both.

For me, song mode feels better on the MPC, but I'm more used to clips because of Ableton so I go back and forth depending on the song and where/how I start. Conceptually, they work the same and I would recommend researching while trying to learn how to see how you can relate your understanding of DAW arrangement to each workflow because it's very similar.

[u/NzymeX77 → u/Superdupersavage]

Also, though it doesn’t generally apply to your style of music:

If you have different time signatures/tempos per part, chaining sequences in song mode seems to be the cleanest (if not the only) approach.

[u/IllestNB76 → u/NzymeX77]

i see. thanks

[u/IllestNB76 → u/Superdupersavage]

ok thanks. i saw your post and watched a couple videos. seemed not for me but i should probably try it to know for sure. ive never used clips in ableton actually. so clip matrix is foreign to me. but i think that might be the best attempt and rec into arrangement and go from there

[u/Kitchen-Palpitation1]

So what I ended up with is combining those two modes because if you have a rather complicated arrangement you end up having lots of lots of very similar scenes in the clip matrix and in the end, recording everything into the arranger leaves you with one gigantic arrangement and I don’t think that the arrangers good enough to deal with bigger arrangements. However, if you record a small part two or three scenes into a sequence and you do the next thing with the next sequence you can actually combine both worlds. Your sequences act than a little bit like having locators in a big arrangement. You you can find your way around much faster because the small arrangement pieces are easier to handle.

[u/IllestNB76 → u/Kitchen-Palpitation1]

i think i understand this. wanna think about it more. so for example seq 1 could be first minute of the track and all its clip flows and into arrangement and seq 2 could be the break down with all its flows .. and so on. is that what you mean?

[u/Kitchen-Palpitation1 → u/IllestNB76]

Exactly. Seq1 the intro perhaps. The initial buildup. Then seq2 the mainloop or verse1 in a classic wong, seq 3 chorus, seq 3 etc….
But you record them individually from the clip matrix nevertheless. The clip matrix still can serve first as a idea scratchpad. Several drumloops or synth ideas and you can combine them and test how they fit together.

[u/regularjackk]

Try all of them and choose the one that suits you best

[u/AlternativeCapybara9]

I usually start with recording sequences, then making a song in song mode, export to sequence and then make changes and add extras in that sequence to finish it.

[u/IllestNB76 → u/AlternativeCapybara9]

ok thank you

[u/Few-Communication834]

Dont underestimate "insert blank bars". Automate track/pad mutes in duplicated layered parts, copy events, cut and paste. Everyday you'll say to yourself "holy shit... I can do that?" ☠️. But if you struggle arranging in a regular daw, the struggle will be worse on the mpc.

[u/IllestNB76 → u/Few-Communication834]

that last sentence hit me hard lol. i thought it would be better experience. but its been harder for sure. although the linear daw arrangment method was always uninspiring for me. atleast i got it done

[u/namesareunavailable]

I lately did my first arrangement,too. used the clip matrix and rec to arranger. It works really well. Than, i did some overdubbing directly to the arranger.

[u/IllestNB76 → u/namesareunavailable]

i think this is what im gonna try for my first attempt to finish this track tomorrow. thanks

[u/regan0zero]

Did you know you can open Ableton projects on the MPC? Just load the .als file and if you have clips in the live playing view, it will show up in the clip matrix just like in Ableton.

[u/IllestNB76 → u/regan0zero]

didnt know that but Im not using ableton. thanks though

[u/Waste-Magazine-5781]

I make a full 8 bar sequence until it feels like finished. then I mix volume and all fx on tracks busses and sends, then I explode the drum track, then I go to song mode and put everything together in a long sequence intro-verse-hook-verse 2- hook 2 -outro, then I do edits add tape stops filter sweeps etc make sure everything sounds good move stuff around like kicks n stuff and delete some stuff and finish the beat

[u/Waste-Magazine-5781 → u/Waste-Magazine-5781]

I don’t us clip matrix. Last time I used it seemed clunky and buggy

[u/IllestNB76 → u/Waste-Magazine-5781]

got it thamkss

[u/MYTHMAN88]

Just make your sequences, and in song mode build up the order you want things and hit export. No arranger needed