Help Need To Replace My Old Sampler / Sequencer Set Up!, Advice? Old head needs some new tools? Help Options

[sdpinc]

HELP Need to replace my old sampler / sequencer set up! Advice?

HELP I am hoping someone here can help me. I am, for a lack of a better term an electronic musician from the old school. I have several productions under my belt and I am needing to upgrade the way I do things.

I am very interested in a software as a possible replacement for what I am trying to replace but before I make a purchase of such magnitude I must first make sure which software will do just that.

To use the word musician to define me is almost comical because in fact I am more of a musical collage junk man. Basically I produce alternative style hip hop by cut and pasting samples, beats and loops, tweaking and adjusting them in a sampler (E-Mu E6400) then sequencing them all together using a computer based sequencing software (Master Tracks Pro) on my Macintosh computer so they all fit together into a song.

I really have no desire to change the way I create for the most part but I am needing to change my tools that I create them with being what I am currently using is outdated, and even more so important cumbersome. Here is what I am using and a brief explanation of how:

1) Macintosh G4 Computer running Master Tracks Pro MIDI Sequencing Software
( http://www.gvox.com/mtp.php )
This computer while running Master Tracks Pro works like a external MIDI sequencer giving me 64 tracks of sequenced MIDI that I can program to trigger via midi the samples that are located on my sampler. None of the sounds are actually stored or edited in this computer or its software, it is purely a way to map or sequence or arrange the samples to be played or triggered in the order they are to be played in (piano roll) that I have recorded and stored in my sampler. Each sequence I can then save on the Macintoshes hard drive.

2) E-Mu E6400 Emulator Rack Sampler
( http://www.keyboardmuseum.com/ar/e/emu/e6400.html )
This is my sampler. It is where I sample sounds, beats, and so on into and edit them there. All of the loops and so on are "sampled" into this and I can do all of my editing on this unit. Changing pitch, tone, time compression, volume and even some small effects like 7 band EQ, attack, release and what not. I can really modify anything and then store it all on a zip disk. Each song has its own zip disk, which limits me to 100 MB of 44.1 kHz 16 bit samples.

3) M-Audio Radium Midiman MIDI Controller Keyboard
This is basically my USB connected MIDI controller. Sometimes I use this to trigger via MIDI the samples that are stored on my sampler to be played in a certain pattern. Its simply just to give me the "keyboard" interface I have become so used to using to play in my sequences to the sequence software.

4) Mark of the Unicorn FastLane USB MIDI Interface
( http://www.motu.com/products/midi/fastlane_usb )
This is my USB MIDI interface I use.

Simply put I am looking for some piece of software that will work as both my sampler and my sequencer that I can even hook up to a USB keyboard to play. I am not sure what exactly these are called. Being able to sample sound files from CD or .wav or .aiff or even record it direct from an audio port, then edit them however I feel in the program, then to be able to place them into a locked in time grid such as a sequencer so that I can cut and paste and edit tracks in a sequence to build a song of multiple tracks playing multiple samples is pretty much exactly what I am needing.

So with that all being said, if anyone has any input it would be great!!!! The idea of being able to put this all on my new Macbook and take it on tour with me as opposed to the two giant rack tour cases I have to roll along with me would be such a huge blessing I can not tell you!

Thanks,
Mike
sdpinc (AT) comcast (DOT) net

[DANO10]

Hi Mike,

I am also an old timer. I also work mostly with samples. I do stuff for cable and I use Digital Performer.
DP and Bars and Pipes Pro, (for the Amiga), were early midi only sequencers. You can still operate DP as a midi only sequencer. Of course, now it records audio and has many plugs and virtual instruments. It's fairly easy to learn. I would take a look at it.

Dano10