paxwebb
I recently bought an Akai MPD218 pad controller to up my sampler game, but am having some issues using it how I want. I am just using the default mapping so far. I am running the latest VDJ 2025 public release (not beta).
1) How can I assign a different sample bank or folder of sample banks to the MPD218 than the sample banks I've assigned to my DJ controller? Right now the MPD218 will mirror whichever channel is active on my DJ controller. I'm hoping to be able to assign MPD218 banks independently from the DJ controller. For example, setting the MPD218 to load song specific samples or cue points each time a new track is loaded. Or just a static sample drop bank while the DJ controller loads stem swaps.
2) Is there a way to use the MPD218 pads for stem swaps? As it stands now, it seems only the DJ controller pads on the actively playing channel can activate stem swap. I can't get the MPD218 pads to swap the stems, only overlay them onto the master output. How does VDJ differentiate different pads from different sources? Can I remap the MPD218 to allow stem swaps somehow?
3) The MPD218 pads are velocity sensitive, which can be cool when you want to vary the output volume. However, when I set volumes manually for each sample, that should make those levels the maximum they can ever go. Unfortunately, each time the pads are pushed, any manually set volumes are overwritten. That can blast people with maxed out volume levels. How can I make sure that the MPD218 enabled sample volumes never exceed the levels I set manually? Or how to deactivate the velocity values sent by the MPD218, so that my manual values don't get overwritten?
1) How can I assign a different sample bank or folder of sample banks to the MPD218 than the sample banks I've assigned to my DJ controller? Right now the MPD218 will mirror whichever channel is active on my DJ controller. I'm hoping to be able to assign MPD218 banks independently from the DJ controller. For example, setting the MPD218 to load song specific samples or cue points each time a new track is loaded. Or just a static sample drop bank while the DJ controller loads stem swaps.
2) Is there a way to use the MPD218 pads for stem swaps? As it stands now, it seems only the DJ controller pads on the actively playing channel can activate stem swap. I can't get the MPD218 pads to swap the stems, only overlay them onto the master output. How does VDJ differentiate different pads from different sources? Can I remap the MPD218 to allow stem swaps somehow?
3) The MPD218 pads are velocity sensitive, which can be cool when you want to vary the output volume. However, when I set volumes manually for each sample, that should make those levels the maximum they can ever go. Unfortunately, each time the pads are pushed, any manually set volumes are overwritten. That can blast people with maxed out volume levels. How can I make sure that the MPD218 enabled sample volumes never exceed the levels I set manually? Or how to deactivate the velocity values sent by the MPD218, so that my manual values don't get overwritten?
Posted Sat 28 Dec 24 @ 9:10 pm
djdad
1) & 2) are kind of opposite cases, i think.
For Q1, you could remap the keys of BANKC (Sampler mode) by adding deck master in front of the actions from e.g. sampler_pad 1 to deck master sampler_pad 1 and have the SamplerIndependantDeckBanks setting enabled.
This will get you different Banks on Decks (handled from your DJ controller) and different Sampler Bank in Sampler of Sideview triggered from the MPD)
Another solution (which could serve Q2 too) would be to create a new Sampler page (same as the default one) but using deck master in front of the actions, name it as MSampler and then load MSampler instead of Sampler to the pads.
So basically, adding deck master in front of the sampler_ actions (in Mapping or Pads page) will make samples triggered from Sampler Sideview (no Stems Swap here) or Deck.
3) The velocity of the Pads indeed can reach up to the maximum volume level of the samples.
If this maximum level is too high, you ll need to adjust the Gain of the Samples within the Sampler Editor.
For Q1, you could remap the keys of BANKC (Sampler mode) by adding deck master in front of the actions from e.g. sampler_pad 1 to deck master sampler_pad 1 and have the SamplerIndependantDeckBanks setting enabled.
This will get you different Banks on Decks (handled from your DJ controller) and different Sampler Bank in Sampler of Sideview triggered from the MPD)
Another solution (which could serve Q2 too) would be to create a new Sampler page (same as the default one) but using deck master in front of the actions, name it as MSampler and then load MSampler instead of Sampler to the pads.
So basically, adding deck master in front of the sampler_ actions (in Mapping or Pads page) will make samples triggered from Sampler Sideview (no Stems Swap here) or Deck.
3) The velocity of the Pads indeed can reach up to the maximum volume level of the samples.
If this maximum level is too high, you ll need to adjust the Gain of the Samples within the Sampler Editor.
Posted Sun 29 Dec 24 @ 2:38 pm