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Akai MFC X User Manual

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User Guide

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Manual Version v3.4

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Summary of Contents for Akai MFC X

Page 1 User Guide English Manual Version v3.4...
Page 2: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents Introduction ..............6 Operation ..............36 Support ..............6 General Features ..........36 Control Types ..........36 About This User Guide ........6 Knobs ..............36 Important Notes ........... 7 Parameter Values ..........37 MPC2 vs. MPC3..........7 Drop-Down Menus / Lists ........
Page 3 Save Window ..........65 Browser ............132 Sample Assign ..........135 Pull-Down Menu..........67 Channel Mixer ..........136 Time Counter / Locate ........69 Volume ..............137 Timing Correct (TC) ........70 Pan & Volume ...........137 Metronome (Click/Metro) ......72 Sends ...............138 Automation ............
Page 4 Effects (Legacy)..........220 Live Control Mode ........305 Filters (Advanced) .......... 222 Setup ..............305 Envelopes (Advanced) ........224 Control Bar............307 LFO (Advanced) ..........231 Matrix View ............308 Utilities/Sensitivity (Advanced) ....... 234 Mixer View............309 KG Stack (Advanced) ........236 Mod Matrix (Advanced) ......... 238 Device Control View ..........310 Randomize (Advanced) .........
Page 5 Front Panel ..........344 Technical Specifications ........ 436 Rear Panel ........... 344 MPC X / MPC X Special Edition ....436 MPC Live ............ 439 MPC Key 61 ............345 MPC Live II..........441 Top Panel ............ 345 MPC One / MPC One+ ....... 443 Rear Panel ...........
Page 6: Introduction
Introduction Welcome to MPC 3, the latest advancement from Akai Professional for standalone MPC hardware. This user guide explains how to create music using the MPC 3 standalone operating system on your MPC X, MPC X Special Edition, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One, MPC One+, MPC Key 61, or MPC Key 37.
Page 7: Important Notes
Important Notes Read the included safety & warranty manual before using your MPC hardware. Before getting started and connecting devices to your MPC hardware or turning the hardware on/off, make sure all devices are switched off. MPC2 vs. MPC3 The transition from MPC2 to MPC3 introduces significant architectural changes, most notably the unification of tracks and programs into a single track container.
Page 8: Setup
Setup Here is just an example of how to use MPC X in your setup. Items not listed under Introduction > Box Contents of your included Quickstart Guide are sold separately. Headphones Footswitch (to front-panel headphone output) (to front-panel FS1 input) Powered Monitors Computer SD Card...
Page 9: Tutorial
For a breakdown of all the controls on your MPC hardware, proceed to the Hardware Features chapter. You can also access video tutorials from the Akai Professional YouTube page at youtube.com/@AkaiProVideo. Starting Up When you first power on your MPC hardware, you will be presented with a welcome screen. Tap Next to continue.
Page 10: Recording Tracks With Main Mode
Recording Tracks with Main Mode Main Mode Overview Your project will begin in Main Mode, which provides visual feedback and fast access to many of MPC’s key features. The image below shows an overview of Main Mode. You can view more information about all the features mentioned below in the Main Mode chapter later in this User Guide.
Page 11: Recording A Drum Sequence
Recording a Drum Sequence Using these areas, and the pre-loaded drum kit track, let’s start by recording a basic drum sequence: 1. Make sure the  SEQ REC ARM button at the bottom of the screen is enabled, and then press the REC button on your MPC hardware to arm the arrangement for recording.
Page 12: Creating And Recording A Keygroup Track
Creating and Recording a Keygroup Track With a basic drum part down, you can now start adding to your sequence. Pad 5 in the default drum kit features an 808 sound. We can use this sound to create a pitched bass sound by turning it into a Keygroup track. Keygroup tracks take a sample and allows you to play it chromatically with your MPC pads (or a MIDI keyboard).
Page 13: Adding And Recording With A Plugin Track
Adding and Recording with a Plugin Track Let’s try adding another new track to the sequence. This time, we’ll use one of MPC’s built-in plugin instruments to add a melodic line. 1. In Main Mode, tap + New Track at the bottom-left corner of the screen.
Page 14: Working With Audio Tracks
Working with Audio Tracks So far, the tracks we have used and added have all been MIDI-based tracks. You can also use Audio tracks in your project to add recorded sounds in different ways. In the following sections, we will introduce recording an audio sample from an external instrument and adding samples using the Browser.
Page 15: Loading Sounds With The Browser
Loading Sounds with the Browser You can also browse and add previously recorded samples, either those included with MPC or your own, to an audio track. To add a recorded audio sample to an audio track: 1. From Main Mode, tap the file folder icon in the Shortcuts panel on the left side of the screen to open the Browser.
Page 16: Working With The Linear Arranger
Working with the Linear Arranger To take your track further, you can use Arrange Mode to record, edit, and arrange your sequences on a DAW-style linear timeline. Now that you’ve recorded a few tracks, open Arrange Mode by pressing Menu and then tapping Arrange. Let’s start by using the Arrange sequence editing tools to expand the length of our sequence.
Page 17 Next, let’s fill in these empty bars in two ways. Perhaps you want to continue the same drum beat over these two bars, but change the melody. We can start by copying over notes from our drum track into this section. You can do this using the Copy Events function in the Sequence Edit window, but it is also easily accomplished using the Arrangement Track Editor.
Page 18: Saving Your Work
Saving Your Work Now would be a good time to save your project. Press Menu to show the Menu, and tap the Save at the bottom of the screen to open the Save window. The options displayed in this window may differ based on the type of track you have selected. For now, simply tap the Project As button to save your project as a new file.
Page 19: Editing Note Events
Editing Note Events As you record, you may want to make more in-depth edits to your note events or recorded audio. In the grid, you can see your recorded notes (or note events) as a sequence. To enter the Grid View, press Menu, and then tap Grid View. In the Grid View, you can do any of the following:...
Page 20 To show or hide the automation lane, tap the up arrow ( ∧ ) button in the lower-right corner of the screen to show the velocity lane below the grid. By default, note Velocity is selected, and each note’s velocity is represented by a vertical bar.
Page 21: Making Basic Sound Edits
Making Basic Sound Edits In addition to editing note events themselves, you may want to edit the sound of your samples, such as by changing the sample level and pitch, adjusting envelopes, or adding modulation and effects. These operations can be done using Track Edit Mode.
Page 22 The snare drum may need some reverb to give it a more spatial sound. Tap Effects at bottom of the screen so the first square under it is lit to view the Insert Effects tab. Press the pad with your snare drum sound to select it. To add an effect: 1.
Page 23: Other Features Explained
Other Features Explained Now that you’ve learned some basic concepts, this chapter describes various advanced features. For a fuller explanation of these features, please refer to their corresponding sections in the Operation chapter. Q-Links Your MPC hardware features Q-Link knob controls, which allow you to quickly manipulate various parameters on screen or in your project.
Page 24: Step Sequencer
Step Sequencer You’ve already learned how to record note events on a track, but you can also quickly enter note events in the Step Sequencer by using the pads as “step buttons,” simulating the experience of a traditional step-sequencer-style drum machine.
Page 25: Drum Loops & Chop Mode
Drum Loops & Chop Mode Modern music producers often use drum loops to add grit and nuance to programmed beats. This section explains how to use Sample Edit Mode to work with drum loops. Use the Browser to locate a drum loop. If you have a pad selected in a Drum Track, you can tap Load to instantly add it to the kit.
Page 26 Let’s use this chopped sample to create a new track in which each of these slices is an individual sample. We can also automatically create corresponding note events to play back these slices sequentially. 1. Press and hold Shift and then tap Convert at the bottom of the screen to enter the Convert or Assign Slices window.
Page 27: Pad Muting & Track Muting
Pad Muting & Track Muting Pad Mute Mode and Track Mute Mode let you silence different pads and tracks to see what the sequence sounds like without those samples or parts. To enter Pad Mute Mode, press Menu, and then tap Pad Mute to enter Pad Mute Mode. Alternatively, press Shift and Track Mute/Pad Mute (MPC X, MPC One, MPC Key 37), or Shift and Mute/Pad (MPC Key 61).
Page 28 You can also mute entire tracks by using the similar Track Mute function. To enter Track Mute Mode, press Menu, and then tap Track Mute to enter Track Mute Mode. Alternatively, press Track Mute (MPC X, MPC One, MPC Key 37), or Mute (MPC Key 61). 1.
Page 29: Sampling (Recording)
Sampling (Recording) Earlier in this tutorial, we described recording audio from an external instrument directly into your arrangement. You can also record from an external instrument to create samples that can be used in other ways in your project. This can be done using the Sampler function.
Page 30 In the Keep or Discard Sample window: Tap the Name field to name the new sample using the virtual keyboard. Use the Track field to select the desired track. Tap to select it, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select the track.
Page 31: Sample Editing
Sample Editing You may need to edit your newly recorded samples using Sample Edit Mode. To enter Sample Edit Mode, press Menu, and then tap Sample Edit to enter Sample Edit Mode. Alternatively, press Sample Edit (MPC X, MPC One, MPC Key 61, MPC Key 37), or press Shift and Mute/Sample Edit (MPC Live II). In Sample Edit Mode: Tap the Trim/Chop tab at the bottom of the screen to switch between Trim Mode and Chop Mode.
Page 32 Let’s apply some processing to the sample. To open the Process Sample window, tap Process at the bottom of the screen. 1. Use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select the desired process in the Function field. Alternatively, tap Function or double-tap the Function field, and then tap the desired process.
Page 33: Recording Automation With The Xy Pad
Recording Automation with the XY Pad Automating various parameters is a good way to add some motion and dynamism to your sequences. 1. Press Menu, and then tap XYFX to enter XYFX Mode. 2. Tap the XYFX Location field, and select Track. This will add the XY effect to the currently selected track. 3.
Page 34: Creating A Song
Creating a Song As your project grows, you may have multiple sequences of music that you want to piece together into a larger song for exporting. This can be done using Song Mode. To enter Song Mode, make sure playback is stopped, and then press Menu, and then tap Song to enter Song Mode. Alternatively, press Song (MPC X).
Page 35 Want to share your new song? Just export it first. To export a song: 1. While in Song Mode, tap Export at the bottom of the screen. 2. In the Audio Mixdown screen that appears, do the following: • Make sure the Start field is set to 1, and set the End field to the last bar of your song. •...
Page 36: Operation
Operation This chapter explains the complete features and functions of the MPC operating system. For a breakdown of the hardware controls on your MPC device, see the following Hardware Features section. Important: • When the left-most button at the bottom of the screen shows an upward arrow (  ), it means there are additional buttons you can use when you press and hold Shift.
Page 37: Parameter Values
Parameter Values To set the value for a parameter, do either of the following: • Tap the field to select it, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to adjust the value. When the value has decimal places, you can sometimes press and hold Shift and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to adjust the value by smaller increments.
Page 38: Selectors
Selectors Selectors show all available options. One of them is always selected. The selected option is highlighted while the others are dark. To select an option, tap it. Buttons Buttons usually have two states: selected and deselected (active or inactive, respectively).
Page 39: Sliders
Sliders To adjust the position of a slider, do any of the following: • Tap and drag the slider to the desired position. • Tap the desired position (this works only on some sliders). • Tap the slider to select it, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to adjust the position (this works only on some sliders).
Page 40: Tracks
Tracks About Tracks Each sequence you create within a project is made up of tracks. There are six main types of tracks, each of which determines how the track sounds or for what it is used. A single project can hold up to 128 tracks. To learn about editing your tracks to your preference, see the Modes >...
Page 41 To create a new track: 1. Press Main to open Main Mode, or select Main from the Menu. 2. Tap the New Track button at the bottom of the screen. 3. A window will appear where you can select the track type.
Page 42: Audio Tracks
Audio Tracks Settings: Tap the track name field to rename the track. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Do It to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel. Use the Position field to change the location of the track, moving the other tracks in relation.
Page 43: Drum Tracks
Drum Tracks Settings: Tap the track name field to rename the track. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Do It to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel. Use the Position field to change the location of the track, moving the other tracks in relation.
Page 44 To load a sample into a drum track: 1. Press Menu and tap Browser to show the Browser. 2. Find and select a sample, and then tap Load to load it to the track. Repeat this for any other samples you want to load into the project.
Page 45: Keygroup Tracks
Keygroup Tracks Settings: Tap the track name field to rename the track. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Do It to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel. Use the Position field to change the location of the track, moving the other tracks in relation.
Page 46 To assign samples in a keygroup track: 1. Press Menu, and then tap Track Edit to enter Track Edit Mode. 2. Tap the Samples tab. This lets you view the samples assigned to all eight layers of the current keygroup as well as other parameters for each layer depending on the selected page.
Page 47: Plugin Tracks
Plugin Tracks To learn more about the plugins included with MPC, see Appendix > Plugins. To edit the track settings, double-tap the track name at the top of the screen to open the Track Settings window. Tap the track name field to rename the track. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Do It to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel.
Page 48 To load a plugin to the track: 1. Double-tap the track name at the top of the screen to open the Track Settings window. 2. Double-tap the Plugin field and select the desired plugin in the list that appears. Tap Type or Manufacturer to sort your plugins by type or maker. 3.
Page 49: Midi Tracks
MIDI Tracks Settings: Tap the track name field to rename the track. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Do It to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel. Use the Position field to change the location of the track, moving the other tracks in relation.
Page 50 To select a MIDI program change value for the track to send, check the Program Change box to enable program changes, and then double-tap the MIDI Program Change field. Use the number pad that appears to enter a value from 1–127, then tap Do It. The track will send this value when played. Once enabled, you can also select a MIDI bank change value by checking the Bank Change box to enable bank changes, and then use the MIDI Bank MSB and MIDI Bank LSB fields to set the bank change values.
Page 51: Cv Tracks
CV Tracks Settings: Tap the track name field to rename the track. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Do It to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel. Use the Position field to change the location of the track, moving the other tracks in relation.
Page 52: Menu
Menu The Menu displays the available modes in MPC, as well as project information, hardware information, preferences, save and load options, and more. To open the Menu, press Menu, or tap the icon in the upper-left corner of the screen while on the normal page of your current mode.
Page 53: Toolbar
Toolbar Sync Tap the Sync field (in the center of the top of the screen) and then turn the data dial or use the –/+ buttons to set whether your MPC hardware receives MIDI Clock information (MIDI Clock), MIDI Time Code information (MTC), communication from Ableton Link, or none of these (Off).
Page 54: Tuner
Tuner Tap the tuning fork at the top of the screen to open the built-in tuner. The tuner allows you to easily tune any connected audio sources such as guitars, basses, synth modules, and other pitched instruments. To tune your instrument, play a note and use the indicator to adjust your instrument to the correct pitch.
Page 55: System Resources
System Resources Tap one of these icons to show the System Resources window for MPC. The indicators in this window show current usage statistics: Battery: If you are using MPC Live powered by its internal battery, the first indicator shows the current battery life as a percentage.
Page 56: Project
Project To open the Project window, tap the Project button at the bottom of the Menu. The Project window shows an overview of all samples and tracks in the current project. Tap Purge to delete samples from the project (to create more free RAM space for sampling time, audio recording, etc.).
Page 57: Preferences
Preferences To open the Preferences, tap the Preferences at the bottom of the Menu. To return to the Menu, tap the  icon in the upper-left corner. Changes to the Preferences are saved automatically. To restore your MPC hardware’s default settings, tap Reset Preferences.
Page 58: Wi-Fi
Ethernet adapter or Ethernet cable (MPC One, MPC Live II, MPC Key 61 only). This allows you to maintain a tighter network connection when using Ableton Link or the Akai Network Driver. These settings are available only for MPC X, MPC X SE, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC One, MPC One+, MPC Key 61, and MPC Key 37 when used in Standalone Mode.
Page 59: Audio/Export
Audio/Export The settings on this screen determine the settings for audio, recording, and exporting. Enable Disk Streaming: This determines whether disk streaming is enabled or disabled. MPC will require a restart after disk streaming is enabled or disabled, which may require you to save or discard changes to the current project.
Page 60: Hardware
Enable MIDI Ports When Discovered: When enabled, any time a MIDI device is plugged in the Track option is automatically enabled so the ports can be selected as an available MIDI input or output. MIDI Control Mode Output: This determines which MIDI port the MPC hardware is using to send MIDI messages to external MIDI devices.
Page 61: Sequencer
Tap Tempo: This determines how many times you must press the Tap button before the new tempo is recognized. Flash Tap Tempo Light: When enabled, the Tap button’s light will flash in time with the tempo. When disabled, the Tap button’s light will be off. Bank Button Press: This determines how the Pad Bank buttons work.
Page 62: Project Defaults
Place Events Recorded During Count-In at Start Point: When enabled, pressing a pad during the recording’s pre-count will record that note event at the start of the recording (this is how the MPC3000 worked). When disabled, no notes will be recorded until the pre-count is finished and recording has begun. Note: This setting is ignored when recording with the Arpeggiator active.
Page 63: Project Load/Save
Project Load/Save The settings on this screen determine if (and how) projects are automatically saved. If you are using MPC hardware as a controller, you can also define files to load automatically. New Project Behavior: This determines what is loaded when a New Project is selected: and Empty Project, the default Factory Project, or the User Auto Load Project file.
Page 64: Splice
Splice The settings on this screen control integration with the Splice platform. To access Splice from this page: 1. First, make sure your MPC hardware is connected to a Wi-Fi network. See Preferences > Wi-Fi to learn how to connect to a wireless network. You will also need access to a web browser. 2.
Page 65: Save Window
Save Window The Save Window lets you save your project, tracks, and samples in a variety of ways. To open the Save window, press the Save button. Alternatively, press Menu to open the Menu and then tap Save at the top of the screen. To save a project, tap Project or Project As.
Page 66 Tap Audio Mixdown to save the project as an audio mixdown. Use the Start Bar and End Bar fields under Audio Length to set the time range that you want to mix down. You can add a number of seconds to the end of the mixdown to capture any ringing notes or effects (such as a reverb tail) by adjusting the Audio Tail field.
Page 67: Pull-Down Menu
Pull-Down Menu The pull-down can be accessed from any MPC3 mode, giving you quick and easy access to a variety of commonly used tools and information. To open the pull-down menu, tap and drag from the middle-top of the screen. Use the >...
Page 68 On the second page of the pull-down menu are controls for creating macro controls. This allows you to set up controls for parameters that might not be shown in a particular mode, or set up controls with multiple parameters across different modes for expressive performances.
Page 69: Time Counter / Locate
Time Counter / Locate Many MPC modes feature a time counter in the toolbar. This displays the current playhead position in Bars:Beats:Ticks. Double-tapping the time counter opens the Locate window, where you can adjust the playhead position, manage loop and record settings, and quickly jump to specific points in your project. The Locate popup is divided into two sections: The Time tab is used to adjust the position of the playhead in the arrangement, as well as adjust Loop and Record settings.
Page 70: Timing Correct (Tc)
Timing Correct (TC) The Timing Correct window contains various settings to help quantize the events in your project. You can quantize note events on MIDI tracks or track regions on audio tracks (though you cannot apply all types of quantization to audio tracks).
Page 71 Use the Time Division selector to set the quantization value. Events will “snap” to these time divisions on the grid. The T indicates a triplet-based value. Use the Swing field to set the amount of swing from 50% to 75%. Swing lets you “shuffle” your beats—from subtle to extreme.
Page 72: Metronome (Click/Metro)
Metronome (Click/Metro) The Click/Metro window contains all settings regarding the metronome (click track). To enable or disable the metronome, press and hold Shift and press the Play Start button. You can also tap the Metronome icon in the Pull-Down Menu. To open the metronome settings, tap the Metro icon at the top of the screen in Main Mode.
Page 73: Automation
Automation You can set the global automation setting, or individual tracks' automation settings, to be “written,” “read,” or disabled entirely by using the automation buttons described below. Global Global automation buttons change the automation state for all tracks in the project. These buttons can be found in the toolbar of modes like Main Mode Arrange...
Page 74 To record automation to a track: 1. Make sure the Global or Track automation state is set to Write (W). 2. Make sure the  SEQ REC ARM button at the bottom of Main Mode is enabled, and then press the REC button on your MPC hardware to arm the arrangement for recording.
Page 75: 16 Level
16 Level Press the 16 Level button on your MPC hardware to activate or deactivate 16 Level. When first activated, the selected pad (Pad A01 by default) will be temporarily copied to all 16 pads. The pads will now output the same note number as the initial pad, but a selectable parameter will be fixed at values that increase as the pad numbers increase (e.g., Pad 1 is the minimum, Pad 16 is the maximum), regardless of how hard you press them.
Page 76: Pad Perform
(.progression) there. By default, progressions are saved here: Windows: C:\Program Files\Akai Pro\MPC\Progressions and/or C:\ProgramData\Akai\MPC\Progressions macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Akai/MPC/Progressions Your MPC hardware will scan the Progressions folder you created and add them to the list of available progressions.
Page 77 Chromatic Notes in Pad Perform Mode. Notes in Pad Perform Mode. Chords in Pad Perform Mode. Chromatic Chords in Pad Perform Mode. Progressions in Pad Perform Mode. Custom Map in Pad Perform Mode Use the Scale & Octave fields to determine the root note and the scale type. Root Note (pitch and register): This is the starting point of the scale.
Page 78 Use the Chord fields to determine what chord type will play when pressing a pad. The chord will use those scale degrees based off the pad’s root note. You can use this only when the Type is set to Chords or Chromatic Chords. When set to Chords, the available chords are: 1-3-5 (major/minor) 1-3-5-7 (major7/minor7)
Page 79: Arpeggiator
Arpeggiator Your MPC hardware includes a full-featured arpeggiator and phrase player for melodic track types, as well as traditional note repeat functionality. To open the Arpeggiator settings: 1. Set the current track type to Plugin, Keygroup, MIDI, or CV. 2. Open the Arpeggiator window by doing either of the following: •...
Page 80 The Arp mode section of the Arpeggiator window is available when the Action is set to Arp. When this action is selected, hold down a chord and the arpeggiator will play a pattern based on the notes held. Use the Arp Pattern field to set how the arpeggiator triggers the held notes.
Page 81 Use the Arpeggiator modifier settings field to select what arpeggiator settings are modified by the selected controls, and by how much. Tap the Modify Time Division box so it is checked to enable modification of the arpeggiator time division. Use the Max Amount to set by how much the time division can be changed, from 1–4.
Page 82: Erase
Erase The Erase function erases all or part of a track in a specific sequence. To open the Erase window, press the Erase button. Alternatively, while in Main Mode, tap the pencil icon on the right edge of the section, and then tap Erase in the screen that appears. Use the Sequence field to select the sequence you want to erase.
Page 83: Effects
Effects You can apply various effects to the pads, keygroups, tracks, main outputs and submixes, using insert and send/return effects. This chapter can help you get a good overall understanding of how the effects work. Appendix > Effects & Parameters for a list of all available effects (with a brief description of each) and their editable parameters.
Page 84 Tap it again to reactivate the previously active effects. Tap the Akai folder icon to load a factory FX rack. Select the desired FX rack from the options and all associated effects will be added to the insert slots.
Page 85 When you edit an effect, you will see this window: Tap and drag a control to adjust a parameter. Alternatively, use the data dial or –/+ buttons. To make finer adjustments, double-tap the control and adjust the larger version of it that appears.
Page 86: Insert Effects
Insert Effects Pads and Keygroups You can load up to four insert effects to each pad or keygroup. You can do this in Main Mode, Mixer, or Track Edit Mode. Tip: When using pad insert effects, they will be applied to the selected pad or specific keygroup only. This means that you could apply unique combinations of effects to each pad within a kit, or load insert effects to multiple keygroups with overlapping note ranges and the effects will overlap in that range as well.
Page 87 To load a pad or keygroup insert effect in the Pad Mixer: 1. Tap the Effects tab at the bottom of the screen. 2. Press the desired pad to select it or the corresponding keygroup, or tap it on the screen. Swipe your finger to the left to scroll through the banks of pads or keygroups.
Page 88: Tracks, Submixes, And Outputs
Tracks, Submixes, and Outputs You can load up to four insert effects to each track (Drum, Keygroup, Plugin, or Audio type), Submix 1–8, or the Outputs (a stereo pair of channels: Outputs 1/2 or Outputs 3/4). You can do this in Main Mode, the Channel...
Page 89 To load a track, submix, or output insert effect in the Channel Mixer: 1. Tap the Effects tab at the bottom of the screen. 2. Tap to select the desired track. Swipe left to display the Submix tracks and Outputs to select one. 3.
Page 90: Send/Return Effects
Send/Return Effects Send/return effects work in the following way: 1. A pad, keygroup, track, or submix sends its audio to a return at a designated send level. 2. That audio is processed by the effects on the return. Each return can have up to four insert effects loaded and activated.
Page 91 To set the return level: 1. In the Channel Mixer, swipe left to show the Returns (between the Submixes and Main Outputs). 2. Tap the Volume or Pan & Volume tab in the lower-left corner. 3. In the screen, tap the track that corresponds to the desired return. 4.
Page 92: Pads And Keygroups
Pads and Keygroups You can set the send levels for individual pads in Main Mode, Track Edit Mode, or the Mixer. To set the send levels for a pad or keygroup in Main Mode: 1. Use the Track field to select the track that uses the desired pad or keygroup. 2.
Page 93 To set the send levels for a pad or keygroup in the Pad Mixer: 1. Tap the Sends tab at the bottom of the screen. 2. Press a pad to select it or the corresponding keygroup, or tap it on the screen. 3.
Page 94: Tracks And Submixes
Tracks and Submixes You can set the send levels for Drum, Keygroup, Plugin, or Audio type tracks, plus Submix 1–8, in Main Mode and the Channel Mixer. To set the send levels for a track or submix in Main Mode: 1.
Page 95: Touchfx
TouchFX To use the touch strip with MPC Key 61 or MPC Key 37: 1. Press the Touch Strip button to cycle through the available Touch Strip modes, or press and hold Touch Strip to quickly select a mode from the touchscreen: •...
Page 96 Release: Use this slider to set length of the release phase of the envelope, which is triggered when you release the touch strip. In other words, this determines how long it takes the effect to fully deactivate after you release your finger from the touch strip.
Page 97 Notes Select this mode to use the touch strip as a control for playing notes in the selected track. To configure the Note settings, press and hold Shift and press the Touch Strip button to open the Touch Strip Notes Config window in the software.
Page 98 Project Select this mode to assign a project parameter to the touch strip control. To configure the Project settings, press and hold Shift and press the Touch Strip button to open the Touch Strip Project Mode Config window in the software. Source: Use this field to select the location of the project parameter: MIDI Track, Audio Track, Program (and Pad), Return, Submix or Main (Output).
Page 99 When the Return source is selected: Mixer: Volume, Pan, Mute Insert 1–4: Other available parameters depending on the effect When the Submix source is selected: Mixer: Volume, Pan, Mute, Send 1–4 Insert 1–4: Other available parameters depending on the effect When the Main source is selected: Mixer: Volume, Pan, Mute Insert 1–4: Other available parameters depending on the effect...
Page 100: Audio Mixdown
Audio Mixdown The Audio Mixdown screen lets you render and export either the current sequence or song as an audio file. In Song Mode, this will export the entire song. In Main Mode, this will export the current sequence only. To open the Audio Mixdown screen in Song Mode, tap Export at the bottom edge of the screen.
Page 101 File Formats Tap WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, or OGG to select the file format of the mixdown. For WAV and AIFF files, use the Bit Depth field to select a bit depth of 8, 16, or 24 bits, or 32 bits, floating point (32 F).
Page 102: Keyboard Control
Keyboard Control The keyboard control screen allows you to edit the functions of the keybed on MPC Key 61 and MPC Key 37. To access Keyboard Control, press the Keyboard Control button on your MPC Key 61 or MPC Key 37. You can then edit the following parameters.
Page 103 Keyboard Settings Velocity Response: This determines how playing the keys translates into velocity values. Select preset Light 1–3, Linear, or Heavy 1–3 responses, or select Custom to create your own response using the following settings: Velocity Curve: Use this slider to adjust the velocity curve, from -50 to 0 to +50. At negative values, it takes more force to hit higher velocity values;...
Page 104: Battery Usage
Battery Usage Important: Only MPC Live and MPC Live II may use battery power. MPC X, MPC One, MPC Key 61, and MPC Key 37 must be connected to a power outlet. Although you can power MPC Live and MPC Live II from a power outlet (using the included power adapter), you can use its internal battery, which typically has four hours of life, depending on CPU and how you’re using MPC Live or MPC Live While powering MPC Live from its internal battery, the battery icon in upper-right corner of the touchscreen will show its current battery life.
Page 105: Modes
Modes The MPC hardware has a Menu page that lets you select any one of several modes. This chapter describes the various features and functions of each one. Click a button below to skip directly to that chapter. You can also edit the Menu layout by tapping and dragging the menu icons to your preferred location. This is useful for putting your most-used modes in the left-most column so that they are easily accessed in any mode by swiping to the right from the left edge of the touchscreen.
Page 106: Main Mode
Main Mode The enhanced Main Mode gives you an overview of the most-used functions in MPC, improving workflow efficiency and streamlining access to crucial visual feedback and editing functions. To enter Main Mode, do one of the following: • Press Main. •...
Page 107: Toolbar
Toolbar The top of the screen shows the project name and timing information. The Project field shows the name of the current project. The time counter shows the current playhead position, in bars:beats:ticks. This is shown in most of the modes. Double-tap to open the Locate window, where you can adjust the playhead position, manage loop and record settings,...
Page 108: Function Buttons
Function Buttons The buttons at the bottom of the screen perform different functions depending on the current mode. In Main Mode, these functions are as follows: New Track: Tap this button to add a new track to the project. Rec Arm: Tap this button to arm Sequence recording. Track –/+: Tap one of these buttons to switch to the previous or next track, respectively.
Page 109 To edit the sequence, tap the pencil icon on the right edge of the section. The Sequence Edit window will open. You can use any of these functions as described below, though there are fewer options for audio tracks than for MIDI tracks.
Page 110 The Clear function erases all events from the sequence and resets all of its settings. Tap Clear to confirm your choice. Tap Cancel to return to the previous screen. The Trim function immediately crops the sequence to the length of the Bars value. The Transpose function transposes a range of events on a track in a sequence.
Page 111 The Half Length function will immediately halve the length of the sequence (without deleting any note events). The Double Length function will immediately double the sequence and copy all events from the first half to the second half. The Copy Sequence function copies the contents of one sequence to another. Use the Copy Contents of Sequence field to select the “source”...
Page 112 The Copy Events function copies a range of events or selected audio track regions from a sequence and adds them to another at a specified point. Use the From Sequence field to select the “source” sequence. This is the sequence whose content you want to copy. Use the From Track field to select the “source”...
Page 113: Track Section
Track Section The Track section displays essential details for the current track type and facilitates track-specific editing operations. Example Track section while using a Drum track. Example Track section while using an Audio track. The track field shows the track number and its name. To edit the name of the track, tap and hold on the track name to open the Track Settings window, and then use the Name field.
Page 114: Drum Tracks
Drum Tracks To select a pad, simply tap the pad on your MPC hardware. When a sample is loaded to the selected pad: The waveform displays the sample loaded to the selected pad on the selected layer. In the waveform preview, pinch in or out to adjust the zoom level. You can also adjust the start (S) marker (if Loop Lock is on), loop marker (if Loop Lock is off), and end (E) marker by tapping and dragging.
Page 115 Use the Monitor field to set how your track will be monitored. Double-tap this field to open the menu, or tap to select the field and then use the data encoder or +/- buttons to cycle through its four states: When set to Off, the track's MIDI input is not monitored, and playback of recorded events will be heard.
Page 116: Keygroup Tracks
Keygroup Tracks The waveform displays the sample loaded to the selected pad on the selected layer. In the waveform preview, you can adjust the start (S) marker (if Loop Lock is on), loop marker (if Loop Lock is off), and end (E) marker by tapping and dragging. Double-tap the waveform preview to open the Samples tab of Track Edit mode.
Page 117: Plugin Tracks
Plugin Tracks Use the Plugin field to select the plugin the track is using. In the screen that appears, you can tap the Type or Manufacturer button at the bottom of the screen to enable or disable sorting of your plugins by type or maker. Use the Preset field to select a preset (if any) within the plugin the track is using.
Page 118: Midi Tracks
MIDI Tracks Use the MIDI Input Port field to select the port over which the track receives its MIDI data. Use the MIDI Output Port field to select the port over the track sends its MIDI data. Use the MIDI Output Ch field to select the MIDI channel over which the track sends its MIDI data. Use the Program Ch field to select the program change message the track sends out.
Page 119: Cv Tracks
CV Tracks Use the Melodic / Drum buttons to set the CV operation type. When set to Melodic type, you can adjust the Note Priority (Note/Last), the CV Port, the Gate Port, the modulation wheel port (Mod Wheel Port), and Velocity Port. When set to Drum type, you can configure any Pad to output on any CV Port, as well setting the Data Type.
Page 120: Audio Tracks
Audio Tracks Tap and drag the Loop marker to adjust the loop length. Dragging from either end will extend or shorten the loop. Dragging from the middle of the loop marker will move the entire loop. Tap and drag on the Start marker to set the starting location of the audio region when launched. Double-tap the audio sample timeline to open Grid View for the audio track, where you can edit the audio regions.
Page 121: Buses
Buses In addition to the previous track types, you can also view and edit bus tracks including Submixes, Returns, and Outputs in this section. Use the Inserts boxes to add or view inserts effects. Tap the + icon in an empty slot to add a new effect. Tap an insert slot with a loaded effect to view the effect’s controls.
Page 122: Track Edit
Track Edit To edit the track, tap the pencil icon on the right edge of the section. The Track Edit window will open. To return to Main Mode, tap Cancel or the left arrow (  ) in the upper-left corner of the screen. Alternatively, press Main.
Page 123 Additionally, when a Drum track is selected, the following options are available. The Merge Pads function allows you to merge samples and settings from two drum tracks together. Use the From Track field to select the track from which the pads will be copied.
Page 124 The Explode Track function immediately breaks down a Drum track containing samples and events into multiple new tracks, making it easier to mute individual drum elements using Track Mute Mode. Each new track will keep the pad and track insert effects of the original source track. Where pads with events are assigned to a mute group, those pads are copied to a single track.
Page 125: Arrangement Section
Arrangement Section The Arrangement section displays recorded events on the linear timeline and provides easy access to its editing functions. Tap the play icon to begin playback of the linear arrangement. Use the Auto Record buttons to determine how punch in auto recording is enabled: Off: Auto Record at Punch In is turned off.
Page 126 Tap the pencil icon to open the Arrangement Edit options for the arrangement. The following functions are available for all track types: The Clear function erases all events from the sequence and resets all of its settings. Tap Clear to confirm your choice. Tap Cancel to return to the previous screen.
Page 127 The Humanize function applies randomization to the timing, length, and/or velocity of note events. Tap the Humanize Time checkbox to select whether or not humanization will be applied to the timing of note events. Use the Amount (Pulses) slider to select the maximum number of pulses by which the timing of an event will be adjusted.
Page 128 The Split Events process divides note events into an equal number of parts. Use the Into slider to select the number of parts the event(s) will be split into. Tap the Only selected events checkbox to apply the process only to currently selected events.
Page 129: Mixer Strips
Mixer Strips On the left edge of the screen, next to the five mode icons, are the XL Channel Strips, which allow you to effortlessly manage all your mixing tasks with access to important settings for the current pad, track, and main output. To show or hide the mixer channel strips, tap the icons at the top of the condensed strips.
Page 130 Both mixer channel strip types feature four views: LVL: This view contains common mixer parameters. The Level meter displays track volume and incoming MIDI. Use the white line to adjust the track level. Use the pan slider to adjust the track panning. Tap the Mute button to mute the track.
Page 131 I/O: This view displays routing options. (Not shown for Main Output) Tap the Monitor button to change the monitor behavior for the track. When the track is being monitored, the meter on the left side will show the incoming audio level or MIDI velocity. Use the MIDI Input and Channel fields to configure the MIDI input settings.
Page 132: Browser
Browser The Browser lets you navigate your MPC hardware’s internal and external hard disks to load samples, sequences, songs, etc. Using filter buttons and user-definable folders, you can easily adapt it to your preferred workflow. You can also audition (preview) your samples before loading them. Important: You can install an additional SATA drive in your MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC Key 61, or MPC Key 37 hardware, allowing for even more storage space.
Page 133 To select a file or folder, tap it. To enter a folder, double-tap it or tap Open in the lower-right corner. You can also tap one of the folder buttons (1–5) in the upper-right corner to jump immediately to those pre-assigned file paths (see below to learn how to assign these file paths).
Page 134 Tap the gear icon to open the Browser Options window: Check the Show file size box to display file size in the file list. Check the Show modified date box to show the last date the file was modified in the file list. Check the Show created date to show the date the file was created in the file list.
Page 135: Sample Assign
Sample Assign When the Sample Assign tab is selected, you can do any of the following: Double-tap the Track field at the top of the screen to select a track in the project. In the list that appears, tap the desired track.
Page 136: Channel Mixer
Channel Mixer In the Channel Mixer, you can set levels, stereo panning, and other settings for your tracks, submixes, returns and main outputs. To open the Channel Mixer, do either of the following: • Press Menu, and then tap Channel Mixer. •...
Page 137: Volume
Volume The Volume tab gives you an overview of the volume level of your tracks. Tap drag a level slider to adjust the volume level. The level sliders and meters in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a track on the screen to open a large version of the level slider and meter.
Page 138: Sends
Sends The Sends tab gives you an overview of the Sends 1–4 level of your tracks. Use the M and S buttons to mute and solo the track. When Cue Tracks is enabled, the S button will become a Headphones button. Use the automation button to set the Automation status of the track.
Page 139: Effects
Effects The Effects tab lets you view and edit insert effects for your tracks. Use the M and S buttons to mute and solo the track. When Cue Tracks is enabled, the S button will become a Headphones button. Use the automation button to set the Automation status of the track.
Page 140: I/O
The I/O tab lets you view and edit audio and MIDI routing for your tracks. Use the M and S buttons to mute and solo the track. When Cue Tracks is enabled, the S button will become a Headphones button. Use the automation button to set the Automation status of the track.
Page 141: Pad Mixer
Pad Mixer In the Pad Mixer, you can set levels, stereo panning, and other settings for individual pads. This mode is only available for Drum and Keygroup tracks. To open the Pad Mixer, do either of the following: • Press Menu, and then tap Pad Mixer. •...
Page 142: Volume
Volume The Volume tab gives you an overview of the volume level of your pads. Tap and drag the level slider to adjust the volume level of the currently selected pad. The level sliders and meters in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a track on the screen to open a large version of the level slider and meter.
Page 143: Sends
Sends Use the M and S buttons to mute and solo the pad. Use the send knobs to adjust the send level of the pads. Important: When using send channels, make sure you have already loaded at least one effect to it using the return mixer.
Page 144: I/O
Use the M and S buttons to mute and solo the pad. Use the Audio Out field to set the output routing for the pad. Select Track to output the pad to the track, or send it directly to one of the outputs.
Page 145: Sounds Mode
Sounds Mode Sounds Mode allows you to easily browse plugin instruments, save favorite presets, and build setlists to quickly recall projects for live performances. To enter the Sounds Mode, press Menu, and then tap Sounds. When viewing either the Sounds or Favorites menu, you can swap to the other menu by tapping the first tab at the bottom of the touchscreen.
Page 146: Favorites
Tap the  Instruments button to select another track type to search for using the Sounds interface. You can search for Drum, Plugin, Keygroup, MIDI, CV, and Audio track types in any factory expansions or user expansions on any attached drives. When browsing an expansion or user folder, tap a cell to load the selected program.
Page 147: Xyfx Mode
XYFX Mode XYFX Mode turns the touchscreen into an XY pad where each axis represents the range of an effect parameter. As you move your finger on the XY pad, the current position will determine the current value of the two parameters. You can use this mode to create interesting effect automation on your tracks. The effect you control in XYFX Mode acts like an insert effect on that track.
Page 148 Touch or move your finger on the gridded part of the screen. A marker will follow your finger to indicate the current position. The X axis is the horizontal axis, increasing in value as you move right. The Y axis is the vertical axis, increasing in value as you move up.
Page 149 XY Mode with a manually controlled effect. Use the Attack knob to set the length of the attack phase of the envelope, which is triggered when you touch the XY pad. In other words, this determines how long it takes the effect to fully respond to your touch. Use the Release knob to set the length of the release phase of the envelope, which is triggered when you release the XY pad.
Page 150: Arrange Mode
Arrange Mode Arrange Mode is a fully-featured linear sequencer where you can record a performance or live input (MIDI or audio) into a linear timeline to create an arrangement of a song. You can use the powerful Arrange Edit commands to edit and arrange your song and then mix it down to a stereo audio file, or stem it as separate tracks.
Page 151 The project's tracks are displayed in Arrange Mode on a linear timeline. Tap a track to select it. You can also press and hold Main and a window will appear showing all tracks in your project in a four-by-four layout, mirroring your MPC pads. Tap a track in the window to select, or press the respective pad on your hardware. From this window, you can also tap Tracks, Submixes, Returns, and Outputs to display the selected track types in the window.
Page 152: Recording Arrangements
Recording Arrangements To record into the arrangement timeline: 1. In Main Mode, tap the Rec Arm function button to arm the selected track for recording. Alternatively, double-tap the track header in Arrange Mode and then set the Rec Arm field to On. 2.
Page 153: Editing Arrangements
Editing Arrangements You can edit your linear arrangement using MPC's powerful Arrange Edit commands. To edit an arrangement, tap the pencil icon in the Arrange Mode toolbar to open the Arrange Edit window, and then select one of the following tools. The Erase function erases all or part of the sequence.
Page 154 The Transpose function transposes a range of events on a track in an arrangement. The events within that range will shift accordingly in the Grid View. This option is available for MIDI tracks only. Use the Track field to select the track you want to transpose within the arrangement.
Page 155 The Copy Bars function copies a range of bars from the arrangement and adds them at a specified point. Use the First Bar and Last Bar fields to set the range of bars to copy from the arrangement. Use the After Bar field. The copied bars will be inserted after this one to set where you want to add the copied bars.
Page 156 In Arrange Mode, you can tap and hold on the header for a MIDI track (on the left side of the screen) to open a drop- down menu of track edit options for MIDI tracks. The Clear function erases all events from the track and resets all of its settings. Tap Clear to confirm your choice.
Page 157 The Double-Speed Events function immediately halves the lengths of all note events on the track in the arrangement as well as the distance between them. In other words, the track’s notes are pressed closer together so the track sounds like it is playing at twice the previous speed. This does not actually affect the pitches of notes or the tempo. The Half-Speed Events function immediately doubles the lengths of all note events on the track in the arrangement as well as the distance between them.
Page 158 You can also tap and hold on the header for an audio track (on the left side of the screen) to open a drop-down menu of track edit options for audio tracks. The Clear function erases all events from the track and resets all of its settings. To confirm your choice, tap Clear.
Page 159 The Reset Channel Strip function immediately: • clears all Insert effect slots; • turns Mute, Solo, automation, and Monitor off; • resets the pan knob to the center; • resets the level slider to 0.00 dB; and • turns the Record Arm button off. The Bounce to Sample function immediately renders the track as an audio sample and places it in the project’s sample pool.
Page 160: Arrangement Track Editor
Arrangement Track Editor When in Arrange Mode, events from the currently selected track can be edited using the bottom panel track editor. To open the track editor, do either of the following: • Tap the arrow up icon at the bottom of the screen. •...
Page 161: Saving And Exporting The Arrangement
Saving and Exporting the Arrangement To save and export your arrangement, press the Menu button, and then tap Save. In the Save window, select Audio Mixdown to mixdown or stem your arrangement into individual files. Use the Start Bar and End Bar fields under Audio Length to set the time range that you want to mixdown. You can add a number of seconds to the end of the mixdown to capture any ringing notes or effects (such as a reverb tail) by adjusting the Audio Tail field.
Page 162: Grid View
Grid View The Grid View lets you view and edit the note events or audio regions of each track in a project and their velocities. This mode has three different appearances: one for audio tracks, one for drum tracks and one for keygroup tracks, MIDI tracks, and plugin tracks.
Page 163 In all views, the time counter at the top of the screen indicates the current playhead position. Tap the gear icon to open the Grid Settings window to configure the following Grid Editor settings: Use the Snap Mode selector to set how events “snap” to the grid. Absolute: Events will “snap”...
Page 164: Audio Tracks
Audio Tracks When viewing audio samples in Grid View, these seven tool icons at the top of the screen enable you to use different functions in the sample. Tap one to select its mode: Marquee: Marquee Mode: To select a sample region, tap the upper third of it. To move a sample region (or multiple selected sample regions), tap and drag the upper third of it left or right.
Page 165 Tap the pencil Edit icon to open the Grid Edit menu for audio regions: Use Clear to clear audio from the track. Use Double Length with Events to double the length of the track, including doubling the audio samples. Use Trim to Length to trim the audio track to the length of the arrangement. Use Flatten or Flatten Elastique to flatten the audio track when transport playback is stopped, rendering all the edits and regions within the arrangement to a single new audio file.
Page 166 Tap Reverse to reverse the selected sample region. Tap Mute to mute the selected sample region. To lengthen or shorten the selected audio region without changing its pitch, tap Warp, which will enable the Semi, Fine, and BPM fields next to it. Use the BPM field to change the tempo, which will change the length of the audio region accordingly.
Page 167: Midi Tracks
MIDI Tracks When viewing MIDI tracks in Grid View, use these four tool icons at the top of the screen to use different functions in the grid. Tap one to select its mode: Pencil: Draw Mode: To enter a note in an empty grid square, tap the grid square. To select a note, tap it.
Page 168 Regardless of which tool is selected, you can do any of the following to move, lengthen, shorten, or transpose any selected note/notes. Tap the grid-and-magnifying-glass icon in the upper-left corner to automatically set the grid to view one pad bank and two bars. Press Undo on your MPC to undo your last action.
Page 169 Tap the pencil editing icon next to the time counter to open the event editing window. You can use any of these functions as described below. To return to Grid View, tap Cancel or tap at the top of the screen. The Clear Events function erases all events from the sequence and resets all of its settings.
Page 170 The Humanize function applies randomization to the timing, length, and/or velocity of note events. Tap the Humanize Time checkbox to select whether or not humanization will be applied to the timing of note events. Use the Amount (Pulses) slider to select the maximum number of pulses by which the timing of an event will be adjusted.
Page 171 If Event Type is set to Drum Events: Use the Bank field to select the pad bank that will be used to generate the events, or select Range to use the Start Pad and End Pad menus to define a specific pad range instead. Use the Start Pad or End Pad fields to define a specific pad range over which the events will be generated.
Page 172 The Convert to Progression function creates a custom Progression from a melodic MIDI track that you can use to perform with Progressions Note mode. To set the parameters of the new Progression, use the Progression fields: Use the Name field to set the progression name. Use the Root Note field to set the root note.
Page 173: Velocity/Automation Lane
Velocity/Automation Lane Grid View also contains a velocity/automation lane where you can easily adjust note velocities and automation parameters. The velocity/automation lane in the Grid Editor. To show or hide the velocity/automation lane: 1. Tap the up arrow ( ∧ ) button in the lower-right corner to show the velocity/automation lane. 2.
Page 174: Step Sequencer
Step Sequencer The Step Sequencer lets you create or edit sequences by using the pads as “step buttons,” simulating the experience of a traditional step-sequencer-style drum machine. This is available for MIDI tracks only, not audio tracks. You can also create and edit automation using the Step Sequencer. To enter the Step Sequencer, press Menu, and then tap Step Sequencer.
Page 175 Click the gear icon to open the Step Sequencer configuration window: Use the Velocity field to set the default step velocity. This applies to notes added using the hardware pads or by tapping the step buttons on the screen. Use the Step Size field to set the value that determines how many steps each bar of the sequence will have. The T indicates a triplet-based value.
Page 176 To adjust the velocities of the steps, do any of the following: • Tap anywhere on the velocity bar of a step. The top of the velocity bar will jump to that point. • Use the slider on the right edge of the screen to increase or decrease the velocities of all steps. •...
Page 177 The third button will apply ascending or descending velocities to the steps. Each time you tap it, it will cycle through these options: • Across the entire bar, the velocities will ascend to a peak and then descend from it. •...
Page 178: Step Automation
Step Automation You can also create and edit automation using the Step Sequencer. To add a step automation parameter: 1. By default, the Parameter field of the Step Sequencer displays Velocity for MIDI tracks and TRK: Volume for audio tracks. Double-tap this field to open the drop- down menu.
Page 179: List Edit Mode
List Edit Mode List Edit Mode has some of the features of Grid View—as well as some additional ones—but with a different interface/workflow. To enter List Edit Mode, press Menu and then tap List Edit. You can also tap List at the top of the screen in Arrange Mode or Grid View Mode.
Page 180 Tap the modifier icon to open the Note Modifier Settings window, where you can adjust the modifier playback mode for the following modifier types: Filter (Cutoff, Resonance, Filter Envelope Amount) Envelope (Attack, Decay, Release) Sample (Sample Layer, Sample Slice) Tuning (Coarse Tuning, Fine Tuning) Mix (Pan, Level) When the modifier type is set to Absolute, a note with an active modifier for that type will use the modified value specified by the...
Page 181 The contents of the sequence will be shown as a list of events, with the following parameters: #: This is the number of the note event. Time: This is the position of the note event in bars, beats, and ticks. If multiple note events occur at the same time, additional note events will be listed immediately below, but their Time values will be grayed out.
Page 182 The following icons indicate the corresponding types of events: Note MIDI Automation (Volume, Pan, Mute, Solo) MIDI CC Automation (0–127) MIDI Parameter Automation (Aftertouch, Pitchbend, Channel Pressure, or Program Change) Mixer Automation (Volume, Pan, Mute, Solo, or Send 1–4) Mixer Parameter Automation (options vary based on the type of track) Track Insert Effect Automation (options vary based on the effect) Pad/Keygroup Mixer Automation (Level, Pan, Pad Mute, Pad Solo, or Send 1–4) Pad/Keygroup Parameter Automation (options vary based on the type of track)
Page 183 Tap an event to select it. Press and hold Shift to select multiple events. To insert a note event, press Rec so the button is lit, and then press a pad. A note event will be created at the current location using the pad you pressed.
Page 184 To move an event according to your Timing Correct settings, tap the Time value to select it, and then press and hold Shift and use the data dial or –/+ buttons to change the value. To play an event, tap it to select it, and then tap Play (  ) at the bottom of the screen. This works with note events only.
Page 185: Track Edit Mode
Track Edit Mode Track Edit Mode (formerly Program Edit Mode) contains all parameters for editing your Tracks. To enter Track Edit Mode, do either of the following: • Press Menu, and then tap Track Edit. • Press Prog Edit (MPC X, MPC One) or Edit (MPC Key 61, MPC Key 37). For drum tracks, this mode includes the parameters of four layers as well as all synthesis parameters and insert effect settings.
Page 186 Tap the Stems icon to open the Create Stems Function in the Process Sample window. You can use this process to isolate different parts of the sample and separate them into new stem samples. Click the icons to select or deselect from the following elements to create stems of: •...
Page 187: Global
Tap the location icon at the top of the screen (on the right side) to open the Edit Zones window, which is a feature for drum tracks. This window displays an overview of any selected pads. Use the Mode selector to set how the selected pads will be edited: •...
Page 188 Level controls the overall volume level of the loaded sample/samples. Pan controls the overall panning of the loaded sample/samples in the stereo field. Use the Mute Group field to assign the selected pad to one of the 32 available groups. When pads assigned to the same mute group receive MIDI notes, the last pad played will silence all other pads in that mute group.
Page 189: Samples
Samples Each pad can trigger up to four samples, which are assigned in four individual layers. Each layer has identical, independently assignable parameters. Tap Samples to cycle through its four available tabs. You can access the Settings window, which lets you configure certain settings in the Samples tab, from any of the four tabs by tapping the gear icon.
Page 190 The first Samples tab contains the sample waveform for each layer and controls for its pitch, timing, and playback. The upper half of the screen shows the waveform of the sample on the currently selected layer. The lower half shows the editing controls.
Page 191 The green/S marker and red/E marker are the start point and end point (respectively). These two points define the region of the sample that will be played. To move the start point or end point, do any of the following: •...
Page 192 Use the Slice field to select what part/parts of the sample will play: • All: The entire sample will play. • Pad: The sample will play from the Pad Start position to the Pad End position, described earlier. This also lets you activate Pad Loop (if the Sample Play field in the LFO Modulation tab is set to Note On).
Page 193 Tap Warp to enable or disable warping of the sample. When enabled, lengthening or shortening the sample (based on the BPM) will not change its pitch. When disabled, lengthening or shortening the sample will also change its pitch and vice versa. Note: The Warp algorithms are very CPU-intensive and can result in audio drop-outs during playback if used too freely.
Page 194 The second Samples tab (Tune/Mix) contains controls for its pitch, volume level and panning. Tap the Layer 1–4/Layer 5–8 button to toggle between visible layers. Use the Sample field to select the sample file for that layer. Tap the trash can icon next to the sample field to remove the file from the layer.
Page 195 The third Samples tab (Velocity) contains the control for its offset and velocity range. Tap the Layer 1–4/Layer 5–8 button to toggle between visible layers. Use the Sample field to select the sample file for that layer. Tap the trash can icon next to the sample field to remove the file from the layer.
Page 196 The fourth Samples tab (Random) contains the controls for adding randomization to sample parameters such as pitch, level and panning. Tap the Layer 1–4/Layer 5–8 button to toggle between visible layers. Use the Sample field to select the sample file for that layer. Tap the trash can icon next to the sample field to remove the file from the layer.
Page 197: Envelopes
Envelopes Tap Envelopes to cycle through its three available tabs. The first Envelope tab contains the amplitude modulation envelope. Pad Level controls the overall volume level of the loaded sample/samples. Pad Pan controls the overall panning of the loaded sample/samples in the stereo field. The Amp Envelope controls affect level changes over time.
Page 198 The second Envelope tab contains the filter modulation envelope. Use the Type field to select a filter for the selected pad. See Appendix > Glossary > Filter for an explanation of the available filter types. Use the Cutoff knob to set the cutoff frequency for low-pass and high-pass filter types or the center frequency for band-pass and band-stop filter types.
Page 199 The third Envelope tab contains the pitch modulation envelope. Global Semi lets you transpose the pad up to 36 semitones up or down. This will affect the length of the sample (if Warp is off). This is the same as the Semi field on the Global tab. Global Fine provides fine-tuning of each layer by cents.
Page 200: Lfo
A low-frequency oscillator (LFO) generates a periodic waveform with an adjustable frequency and shape which can be used for modulation purposes. Use the Wave field to select the LFO waveform type: • Sine: Best suited for smooth modulations. • Tri (Triangle): Best suited for smooth modulations. •...
Page 201: Modulations
Modulations Use the Velocity Sensitivity sliders to set how much velocity is required to modulate certain other parameters: • Sample Start sets how much velocity is needed (for a triggered pad) to modulate the sample start point. • Filter Cutoff uses the velocity of a pad to modulate the cutoff frequency directly. •...
Page 202: Effects
Tap the All On/Off button in the upper-right corner to enable or disable all four insert effects. Tap the Akai folder icon to load a factory FX rack. You can choose from a number of preset combinations of insert effects by applications like Drums and Percussion, Voice, LoFi, Mastering, and more.
Page 203 Tap the pencil icon to adjust the effect’s parameters. Use the controls to set the value of each parameter. These values affect only this instance of the effect; insert effects are not global. Tap the folder icon next to the preset name at the top of the display to open the file browser and load an effect preset. Tap the disk icon next to the insert selector at the top of the display to save a new effect preset.
Page 204: Keygroup Tracks
Keygroup Tracks When using keygroup tracks, Track Edit Mode lets you edit the parameters for each keygroup. Tap the Legacy button to enable or disable the Legacy Keygroup editing functions. When this button is enabled, keygroup editing functions the same as it has in previous MPC release. When this button is disabled, the new Advanced keygroup synthesis engine is enabled.
Page 205 Tap the Stems icon to open the Create Stems Function in the Process Sample window. You can use this process to isolate different parts of the sample and separate them into new stem samples. Click the icons to select or deselect from the following elements to create stems of: •...
Page 206: Global (Legacy And Advanced)
Global (Legacy and Advanced) In the Global tab, you can set the playback mode and tuning for the overall track. This tab has the same features and functions in both Legacy and Advanced editing. Global Semi lets you tune the track up to 36 semitones up or down. Global Fine provides fine-tuning of the track up to 99 cents up or down.
Page 207 Use the KG Polyphony (keygroup polyphony) field to determine how the keygroup will play. When set to Mono, only one pad will sound at a time. If a pad is played while another (or the same one) is still playing its sample/samples, the new pad will immediately mute all other currently playing pads in that track.
Page 208: Samples (Legacy And Advanced)
Samples (Legacy and Advanced) Each keygroup can trigger up to four samples, which are assigned in four individual layers. Each layer has identical, independently assignable parameters. Tap Samples to cycle through its available tabs. The first three tabs have identical features and functions in both Legacy and Advanced editing.
Page 209 The first Samples tab contains the sample waveform for each layer and controls for its pitch, timing, and playback. The upper half of the screen shows the waveform of the sample on the currently selected layer. The lower half shows the editing controls.
Page 210 The green/S marker and red/E marker are the start point and end point (respectively). These two points define the region of the sample that will be played. To move the start point or end point, do any of the following: •...
Page 211 Use the Reverse button to select in which direction the sample will play. When on, the sample will play in reverse. When off, the sample will play in the normal forward direction. Use the Pad Loop button to cycle through the available Pad Loop modes. Important: For Pad Loop to work, you must (1) set the Sample Play field (in the Global tab) to Note On instead of One Shot and (2) set the Slice field (in the first Samples tab) to Pad instead of All or a slice number.
Page 212 The second Samples tab (Tune/Mix) contains controls for its pitch, volume level, and panning. Tap the Layer 1–4/Layer 5–8 button to toggle between visible layers. Use the Sample field to select the sample file for that layer. Tap the trash can icon next to the sample field to remove the file from the layer.
Page 213 The third Samples tab (Velocity) contains the control for its offset, velocity range, and root note. Tap the Layer 1–4/Layer 5–8 button to toggle between visible layers. Use the Sample field to select the sample file for that layer. Tap the trash can icon next to the sample field to remove the file from the layer.
Page 214 The fourth Samples tab (Random) contains the controls for adding randomization to sample parameters such as pitch, level and panning. Note: This tab is only available in Legacy mode. In Advanced mode, use the separate Randomize (Advanced) tab. Tap the Layer 1–4/Layer 5–8 button to toggle between visible layers. Use the Sample field to select the sample file for that layer.
Page 215: Envelopes (Legacy)
Envelopes (Legacy) Tap Envelopes to cycle through its three available tabs. The first Envelope tab contains the amplitude modulation envelope. Keygroup Level controls the overall volume level of the loaded sample/samples. Keygroup Pan controls the overall panning of the loaded sample/samples in the stereo field. The Amp Envelope controls affect level changes over time.
Page 216 The second Envelope tab contains the filter modulation envelope. Use the Type field to select a filter for the selected pad. See Appendix > Glossary > Filter for an explanation of the available filter types. Use the Cutoff knob to set the cutoff frequency for low-pass and high-pass filter types or the center frequency for band-pass and band-stop filter types.
Page 217 The third Envelope tab contains the pitch modulation envelope. Global Semi lets you transpose the keygroup up to 36 semitones up or down. This will affect the length of the sample (if Warp is off). This is the same as the Semi field on the Global tab. Global Fine provides fine-tuning of each layer by cents.
Page 218: Lfo (Legacy)
LFO (Legacy) A low-frequency oscillator (LFO) generates a periodic waveform with an adjustable frequency and shape which can be used for modulation purposes. Use the Waveform field to select the LFO waveform type: • Sine: Best suited for smooth modulations. •...
Page 219: Mods (Legacy)
Mods (Legacy) Use the Portamento fields to adjust the settings for pitch gliding. The Time slider sets the length of the glide between notes. Tap the Quantize button to synchronize the portamento time with the project tempo. Tap the Legato button to enable or disable pitch gliding for all triggered notes or just legato notes. Use the Velocity Sensitivity sliders to set how much velocity is required to modulate certain other parameters: •...
Page 220: Effects (Legacy)
Tap the arrows next to the insert slot to move the selected effect up or down to rearrange an insert effect. Tap the Akai folder icon to load a factory FX rack. You can choose from a number of preset combinations of insert effects by applications like Drums and Percussion, Voice, LoFi, Mastering, and more.
Page 221 Tap the pencil icon to adjust the effect’s parameters. Use the controls to set the value of each parameter. These values affect only this instance of the effect; insert effects are not global. To load an effect preset, tap the folder icon next to the preset name at the top of the display to open the file browser. To save a new effect preset, tap the disk icon next to the insert selector at the top of the display.
Page 222: Filters (Advanced)
Filters (Advanced) The Filters tab features two filters which can be run in either parallel or series configuration, with a blend control for mixing between them. Use the Filter 1/2 Type fields to select each filter for the selected keygroup. See Appendix >...
Page 223 Tap the Velocity  button to access the Velocity Sensitivity control for each filter. These modulation controls determine how much the velocity affects the cutoff frequency of the filter envelope (Cutoff), and depth of influence the filter envelope has on the cutoff frequency (Depth).
Page 224: Envelopes (Advanced)
Envelopes (Advanced) Tap the Advanced Envelopes tab to cycle through its four available tabs. Alternatively, tap the filter headers below the toolbar to select that tab: Amp, Filter, Pitch, and Aux. The first Advanced Envelope tab contains the amplitude modulation envelope. Use the Looped field to enable or disable looping of the envelope.
Page 225 Keygroup Level controls the overall volume level of the loaded sample/samples. Keygroup Pan controls the overall panning of the loaded sample/samples in the stereo field. Tap the Keygroup  button to access the Velocity To controls. These modulation controls determine how much the velocity affects the attack of the amplitude envelope (Amp Attack), the volume level of the amplitude envelope (Amp), and/or the panning of the sound (Pan).
Page 226 The second Advanced Envelope tab contains the filter modulation envelope. Use the Looped field to enable or disable looping of the envelope. When set to On, the envelope will restart once it has reached its end. The length of the envelope is determined by the Tempo Sync value, or the total envelope length, as set by the Delay, Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain, and Release knobs.
Page 227 Use the Type field to select up to two filter types for the selected keygroup. These are the same filters as set in the Filters (Advanced) tab. See Appendix > Glossary > Filter for an explanation of the available filter types. Use the Cutoff knob to set the cutoff frequency for low-pass and high-pass filter types or the center frequency for band-pass and band-stop filter types.
Page 228 The third Advanced Envelope tab contains the pitch modulation envelope. Use the Looped field to enable or disable looping of the envelope. When set to On, the envelope will restart once it has reached its end. The length of the envelope is determined by the Tempo Sync value, or the total envelope length, as set by the Delay, Attack, Hold, Decay, Sustain, and Release knobs.
Page 229 Global Semi lets you transpose the keygroup up to 36 semitones up or down. This will affect the length of the sample (if Warp is off). This is the same as the Semi field on the Global tab. Global Fine provides fine-tuning of each layer by cents. This will affect the length of the sample (if Warp is off). This is the same as the Fine field on the Global tab.
Page 230 The fourth Advanced Envelope tab contains the aux modulation envelope. This can be used as part of the Modulation matrix to apply an envelope to other parameters. Use the Looped field to enable or disable looping of the envelope. When set to On, the envelope will restart once it has reached its end.
Page 231: Lfo (Advanced)
LFO (Advanced) Tap the Advanced LFO tab to cycle through its four available tabs. Alternatively, tap the filter headers below the toolbar to select that tab: LFO 1, LFO 2, Global LFO 1, and Global LFO 2. A low-frequency oscillator (LFO) generates a periodic waveform with an adjustable frequency and shape which can be used for modulation purposes.
Page 232 Use the Delay knob to set the length of time between when the note is triggered and when the LFO is triggered. Use the Delay [Sync] to synchronize the delay time with the tempo. You can select one of several time divisions (a .
Page 233 The third and fourth Advanced LFO tabs contain the Global LFOs. Use the Wave field to select the LFO waveform type: • Sine: Best suited for smooth modulations. • Tri (Triangle): Best suited for smooth modulations. • S&H: Samples a random value and holds it until the next value is generated. •...
Page 234: Utilities/Sensitivity (Advanced)
Utilities/Sensitivity (Advanced) Tap the Advanced Utilities/Sensitivity tab to cycle through the two tabs. The Utilities tab contains additional modulation parameters, as well as portamento and pitch bend controls. Use the Ramp Time 1/2 fields to adjust the ramp length. These can be used to apply additional modulation shaping to other parameters via the Matrix.
Page 235 The Sensitivity tab contains settings for velocity sensitivity and external controller modulation. Use the Velocity To sliders to set how much velocity is required to modulate certain other parameters: • Filter 1/2 Cutoff uses the velocity of a pad to modulate the cutoff frequency directly. •...
Page 236: Kg Stack (Advanced)
KG Stack (Advanced) Tap the Advanced KG Stack tab to cycle through its three available tabs. You must first enable a Keygroup Stack effect to show the selected controls: Unison or Harmonizer. Only one stack effect may be used at a time. The first Advanced KG Stack tab contains the Unison controls.
Page 237 The second and third Advanced KG Stack tab contains the Harmonizer controls. Tap the Note number to enable each harmonizer voice. Use the Shift field to set the amount of pitch shifting applied to the voice in semitones. Use the Detune knob to adjust the amount of detuning to the voice in cents. Use the Volume knob to set the level of the voice.
Page 238: Mod Matrix (Advanced)
Mod Matrix (Advanced) Tap the Advanced Mod Matrix tab to cycle through its eight available tabs. Alternatively, tap the numbered headers below the toolbar to select that tab. The 32 available modulation points can be configured to add a wide variety of sound shaping tools. Use the Source field to select the modulation source.
Page 239: Randomize (Advanced)
Randomize (Advanced) Tap the Advanced Randomize tab to cycle through its two available tabs. On these tabs you can apply randomization to the eight keygroup layers, as well as to all layers globally. The first tab controls layer 1–4, and the second tab controls layers 5–8.
Page 240: Plugin Tracks
Plugin Tracks For plugin tracks, you will see an overview of all available plugin parameters with a slider for each, or a visual representation of the plugin interface. Use the sliders to set the value of each parameter, or use the plugin interface. Use the tabs at the bottom of the screen to access the available parameters.
Page 241: Midi Tracks
MIDI Tracks For MIDI tracks, you will see an overview of all available MIDI CCs with a slider for each. Use the sliders to set the value of each parameter. Use the six tabs at the bottom of the screen to access the available parameters. Tap the Edit button in the top-right of the page to edit the MIDI track assignments and naming.
Page 242: Cv Tracks
CV Tracks For CV tracks, you will see an overview of all available CV outputs with a slider for each. Use the sliders to set the value of each parameter. Use the six tabs at the bottom of the screen to access the available parameters.
Page 243: Anatomy Of An Envelope
Anatomy of an Envelope An envelope creates a variable control signal. It can be used, for instance, to modulate the filter settings of a sound over a given period of time. For drum tracks, use the AD/AHDS selector to select an AD or AHDS envelope. When Sample Play is set to Note- On, it will use an ADSR envelope.
Page 244: Track Mute Mode
Track Mute Mode Track Mute Mode lets you easily mute tracks within a sequence or set track groups, enabling you to mute multiple tracks at once. To enter Track Mute Mode, do either of the following: • Press Menu, and then tap Track Mute. •...
Page 245 Tap the gear icon to open the Track Mute Settings window. Check the Track Mute State Per Sequence box to maintain separate track mute statuses when changing sequences. This can allow you to create unique mute setups for each sequence, providing greater flexibility in live performance and arrangement creation.
Page 246: Track Mute
Track Mute This is useful if you want to hear a sequence without a particular track (e.g., muting your keyboard track to focus on the bass) or if you want to isolate specific sounds or combinations of sounds that are separated by track. Tip: This function is similar to, but more convenient than, muting tracks one at a time in the Track View.
Page 247: Track Group
Track Group The track group feature extends the concept of track mutes: you can mute or unmute multiple tracks (in a single sequence) by pressing one pad that you have assigned to a track group. This is useful if you want to hear a track without a particular group of sounds or if you want to isolate specific sounds in various combinations.
Page 248: Pad Mute Mode
Pad Mute Mode Pad Mute Mode lets you easily mute and solo pads within a track or set mute groups for each pad within a track. To enter Pad Mute Mode, do either of the following: • Press Menu, and then tap Pad Mute. •...
Page 249: Pad Mute
Pad Mute You can mute or unmute individual sounds (on a single track) in real time by pressing the pads. This is useful if you want to hear a track without a particular sound or if you want to isolate specific sounds or combinations of sounds. Tip: This function is similar to muting pads one at a time in the grid—but more convenient.
Page 250: Pad Group
Pad Group The pad group feature extends the concept of pad mutes: you can mute or unmute multiple pads (on a single track) by pressing one pad that you have assigned to a mute group. This is useful if you want to hear a track without a particular group of sounds or if you want to isolate specific sounds in various combinations.
Page 251: Track View
Track View Track View gives you an overview of the tracks of each sequence. Use this mode to edit tracks and sequences simultaneously. To enter the Track View, do either of the following: • Press Menu, and then tap Track View. •...
Page 252 The bottom of the Track View screen contains the following functions: Tap the New Track button to add a new track. Tap the Rec Arm button to arm the sequence for recording. Tap the Track – or Track + buttons to select the previous or next track (respectively) of the same type (MIDI or audio).
Page 253 Use the pan knob to change the stereo panning of the track (not available for CV tracks). Use the Solo and Mute buttons to solo or mute the track (respectively). Alternatively, tap Mute or Solo (respectively) at the bottom of the screen to mute the currently selected track. Tap the MIDI Filter button to open the Track MIDI Perform Settings window, where you can set parameters for incoming MIDI data.
Page 254: Sample Edit Mode
Sample Edit Mode Sample Edit Mode lets you edit samples using various functions. To enter Sample Edit Mode, do any of the following: • Press Menu, and then tap Sample Edit. • Press Sample Edit (MPC X, MPC One, MPC Key 61, MPC Key 37) or Shift and Mute/Sample Edit (MPC Live II).
Page 255 The upper half of the screen shows the waveform. The lower half shows the editing controls. The waveform display shows the “active” section of the sample waveform. Swipe left or right on the waveform to move through it. Above the waveform is the timeline, shown in Samples, Time (in seconds and milliseconds), or Beats. You can select the measurement units you want to show in the Settings.
Page 256: Settings
Settings Tap the gear icon to open the Settings window, where you can configure certain Sample Edit Mode settings. Use the Cue Play Mode selector to set how the cue playhead will play audio. One Shot: Tapping Play Cue will play the entire sample from the cue playhead. Toggle: Tapping Play Cue once will start playback from cue playhead.
Page 257: Trim Mode
Trim Mode We recommend using Trim Mode to crop the start and/or ends from a sample. To enter Trim Mode, tap the Trim/Chop button in the lower-left corner so it says Trim. There are two pages of parameters in Trim Mode, which can be accessed by tapping the > or < arrows on the sides of the page. Use the Start and End fields to set the position of the start point and end point of the sample (respectively).
Page 258 Use your MPC hardware pads to play certain parts of the selected sample: Play to Loop Play from Play Loop Play Loop Start Loop Start Continuous Play Sample Play Sample Play All No function (One Shot) (Note On) Play from Play to Play to Play from...
Page 259 To select a slice to edit, do either of the following (after you have created slices in Chop Mode): • Use the Slice field. • Turn Q-Link Knob 16 (Select Slice on MPC X) or the fourth Q-Link knob in the fourth column (MPC Live/ Live II/One/Key 61/Key 37).
Page 260 Tap From BPM to open the Edit Tuning window, which lets you tune a sample to the project. Use the Beats field to match the number of beats in the sample. Tap Match to tune the sample to the project. The Tune field will adjust automatically and close the window.
Page 261: Assigning Samples
Assigning Samples You can assign your new sample directly to a pad from Trim Mode. To assign a sample, tap Assign at the bottom of the screen to open the Assign Sample window. Important: Assigning a sample to a pad in this way will replace the sample on the first layer of the pad. Tap Do It to assign the sample using the selected process.
Page 262: Processing Slices & Samples
Processing Slices & Samples Tap the Process button to open the Process window, where you can select an editing option for the sample. Use the Function field to select an editing process. Double-tap it or tap Function at the bottom of the screen to open the Function window, which displays an overview of all available editing processes.
Page 263 The Silence process replaces the region between the start point and end point with silence. The Extract process deletes the regions before the start point and after the end point and saves it as a new sample in your current project.
Page 264 The Fade In process sets a fade-in between the start point and end point. The following types are available: • Linear fades the audio in with a linear curve—a straight line between the start and end. • Log fades the audio in with a logarithmic curve—quickly rising at the start and flattening out towards the end.
Page 265 The Gain Change process raises or lowers the volume of the sample. You can adjust it up to 18 dB, higher or lower. This function is different than Normalize because it will allow volumes beyond clipping level. This may be a desired effect, but remember to watch your output level! The Copy process saves a copy of the sample.
Page 266 The Stems process to isolates different parts of the sample and separate them into new stem samples. Click the icons to select or deselect from the following elements to create stems of: • Vocals: Isolate vocal elements of the track into a stem.
Page 267: Chop Mode
Chop Mode Whereas Trim Mode crops only the start and/or end off of a sample, Chop Mode divides the sample into multiple regions called slices. We recommend using Chop Mode when working with a long sample with different sounds throughout (e.g., a drum loop or a long melodic or harmonic passage). To enter Chop Mode, tap the Trim/Chop button in the lower-left corner so it says Chop.
Page 268 To play a slice, do either of the following: • Press the pad that corresponds to the slice. If your sample has more than 16 slices, use the additional pad banks. • When the headphones icon (in the upper-right corner) is selected, tap a slice in the waveform. When the One Shot feature is enabled, you can press a pad once to play the entire slice.
Page 269 When Link Slices is enabled, changing the start point of a slice will also change the end point of the previous slice. Similarly, changing the end point of a slice will also change the start point of the next slice. Disable Link Slices if you are trying to create slices that use non-contiguous parts of the sample.
Page 270: Converting Or Assigning Slices
Converting or Assigning Slices You can assign your new sample directly to a pad from Chop Mode. You can also convert it into a new track or patched phrase. To convert or assign a sample, press and hold Shift, and then tap Convert at the bottom of the screen to open the Convert or Assign Slices window.
Page 271 If you set the Convert To field to Create New Samples, this will create a new sample from each slice and assign them to pads in a new track. The new track will be named after the sample and appended with ch. The new samples will be appended with SI-# (where # is a consecutive number).
Page 272 If you set the Convert To field to Assign Slice to Pad, the pad will simply refer to the slice in this sample instead of creating a new sample. This is useful for reducing clutter in your project. Important: Assigning a sample to a pad in this way will replace the sample on the first layer of the pad.
Page 273: Processing Slices
If you set the Convert To field to Patched phrase, this will create a new sample that will play based on the tempo of your project, and places it in the current project. The patched phrase will have the same name as the original sample but appended with pp and will use a different icon when viewing your project information.
Page 274 The Silence process replaces the region between the start point and end point with silence. The Extract process deletes the regions before the start point and after the end point and saves it as a new sample (with a name you enter) in your current project.
Page 275 The Fade In process sets a fade-in between the start point and end point. The following types are available: • Linear fades the audio in with a linear curve—a straight line between the start and end. • Log fades the audio in with a logarithmic curve—quickly rising at the start and flattening out towards the end.
Page 276 The Stems process to isolates different parts of the sample and separate them into new stem samples. Click the icons to select or deselect from the following elements to create stems of: • Vocals: Isolate vocal elements of the track into a stem.
Page 277: Pad Mode
Pad Mode Pad Mode lets you edit a sample in the context of the track in which you’ll use it. You can adjust the pad parameters as though you were in Track Edit Mode, auditioning and hearing how it will sound in the track’s audio path. To enter Pad Mode, tap the Pad button at the bottom of the screen.
Page 278 Use the Tune field to transpose the sample up or down from its original pitch. Tap From BPM to open the Edit Tuning window, which lets you tune a sample to the current sequence. Use the Number of Beats field to match the number of beats in the sequence. To tune the sample to the project, tap Match.
Page 279 The Link Slices button does not have a function in Pad Mode. 0 Snap forces start points, end points, and loop points to occur only at the waveform’s “zero-crossings.” This can help to avoid clicks and glitches when playing a sample. To enable or disable 0 Snap, press and hold Shift, and then tap 0 Snap at the bottom of the screen.
Page 280: Assigning Samples
Assigning Samples You can assign your new sample directly to a pad from Pad Mode. To assign a sample, tap Assign at the bottom of the screen to open the Assign Sample window. Important: Assigning a sample to a pad in this way will replace the sample on the first layer of the pad. The Pad Mode Assign functions are identical to Trim Mode.
Page 281: Sampler
Sampler The Sampler lets you record audio samples to use in your projects. To open the Sampler, do any of the following: • Press Menu and then tap Sampler. • Press Sampler (MPC X, MPC One), Shift and Mix/Sampler (MPC Live II), or Shift and Sample Edit/Sampler (MPC Key 61, MPC Key 37).
Page 282 The upper-left Input Source field defines whether you are going to record an external audio signal, which you can set to the pair of inputs (Input 1,2) or a single input (Input 1– 2). You can also select an internal signal from within your MPC hardware (Resample L, Resample R, or Resample L+R).
Page 283 For reference, the Sample Length counter shows you the length of your sample during the recording procedure. Tap Arm to record-arm the Sampler. The button will then change to Record and show Waiting for signal. At that point, start recording by doing either of the following: •...
Page 284: Sample
Sample Using this method, you can insert slice markers directly in your sample as you record it. Slice markers divide the sample into multiple regions called slices, which you can adjust in Sample Edit Mode > Chop Mode. This is useful when working with a long sample with different sounds throughout (e.g., a drum loop or a long melodic or harmonic passage).
Page 285 After you stop your recording, the Keep or Discard Sample window will appear. Use the Edit Name field to name the new sample. Tap it and use the virtual keyboard that appears. Use the Track field to assign the new sample to a track. Select <none> if you want to save it to the project without assigning it to a track.
Page 286: Slice
Slice Using this method, the pads correspond to slices of the currently recorded sample. Slice markers divide the sample into multiple regions called slices, which you can adjust in Sample Edit Mode > Chop Mode. This is useful when working with a long sample with different sounds throughout (e.g., a drum loop or a long melodic or harmonic passage). To start recording, do one of the following: •...
Page 287: Pad Tap
Use the Create New Program field to assign the new sample to a new program: Off: No program will be created. The slices will still be added to your project’s sample pool. With Non-Destructive Slices: In the new program, each pad’s Slice setting will be set to the corresponding slice number.
Page 288: Pad Hold
Pad Hold Important: This mode works for drum tracks only; you must select a drum track before using this mode. If you have another track selected, the pads will flash dim red. Attempting to record will bring up a window notifying you that you cannot sample into this track type.
Page 289: Auto Sampler
Auto Sampler The Sampler page also contains the Auto Sampler, which lets you capture and covert any plugin preset or external instrument preset into a keygroup sampler patch. To open the auto sampler, tap the keyboard icon next to the record button in Sampler View. The current track will be selected as the auto sample source.
Page 290 Looping Use the Enable looping field to select how the resulting samples can or cannot be looped: • Off: The sample will not loop. • Forward: You can hold down the pad to cause that sample to repeat from the Loop Position to the end of the sample.
Page 291: Q-Link Edit
Q-Link Edit Q-Link Edit mode allows you to create and manage macro assignments. Macros can be used to control multiple automation parameters across different modes using a single Q-Link knob for expanded expressive performances. You can also map automation parameters to the XY Pad interface using this mode.
Page 292: Learning Macro Assignments
Learning Macro Assignments To learn parameters to a Macro control in user assignable modes: 1. Select a control type by tapping one of the buttons at the bottom of the screen: Q-Links Pad. See the following sections for more information on either control type. 2.
Page 293 Alternatively, you can add parameters by tapping the learn add (+) button, and then using the menu that appears to select a parameter from your project. The following parameters are available, depending on the selected Mode and the tracks in your project: When an Audio Track is selected: Mixer: Volume, Pan, Mute, Solo, Send 1–4 Insert 1–4: Available parameters depending on the effect...
Page 294 When a Keygroup Track is selected, and Parameter is set to Keygroup: Mixer: Pan, Level, Send 1–4, Pad Mute, Pad Solo Insert 1–4: Available parameters depending on the effect When a Plugin Track is selected: Mixer: Volume, Pan, Mute, Solo, Send 1–4 Track: Available parameters depending on the plugin Insert 1–4: Available parameters depending on the effect When a MIDI Track is selected:...
Page 295 Tap the Momentary button to turn momentary behavior on or off. When on, moving the Q-Link will adjust its parameter, but the parameter will immediately return to its original position (when you turned Momentary on) when you release the Q-Link. When off, moving the Q-Link will adjust its parameter, and the parameter will remain at its new setting when you release the Q-Link.
Page 296: Editing Macro Assignments
Editing Macro Assignments Above the Q-Link Edit control tabs on the right side of the touchscreen, the collapsible parameter inspector displays the settings for the currently selected learned parameter assignment. These settings can be edited for further customization of the macro. To edit the parameters assigned to a macro: 1.
Page 297: Q-Links
Q-Links In this tab, you can view and/or edit Q-Link macro assignments, depending on the Mode selected. To enter Q-Links mode, do either of the following: • In Q-Link Edit Mode, tap the Q-Links button at the bottom of the screen. •...
Page 298 Track: In this edit mode, the Q-Link knobs can control 16 track parameters. Only parameters for the current track, any Pads or Keygroups on the current track, or any Inserts on the current track can be selected as part of a macro control. This does not include Return, Submix or Main Output parameters.
Page 299 Volume: In this mode, the Q-Links are fixed to controlling the volume level of the available tracks. Pan: In this mode, the Q-Links are fixed to controlling the stereo panning of the available tracks. Send 1–4: In these modes, the Q-Links are fixed to controlling each Send control on the available tracks.
Page 300: Xy Pad
XY Pad In the XY Pad tab, you can learn any automation parameter from within your project to one of four assignable XY Pads. To cycle between the four available XY Pad assignments, tap the XY Pad tab. Use the Mode field at the top left of the touchscreen to select the part of the XY Pad that you would like to assign parameters to.
Page 301: Next Sequence Mode
Next Sequence Mode Next Sequence Mode lets you trigger different sequences simply by playing the pads. This is useful for live performances, letting you change a song’s structure in real time. To enter Next Sequence Mode, do either of the following: •...
Page 302 As a sequence plays, you can use the buttons at the bottom of the screen to change how playback works: Tap Next Bar to switch to the currently selected sequence at the beginning of the next bar. This is useful if you want to switch to another sequence before the current one ends without having to worry about timing issues.
Page 303: Midi Learn
MIDI Learn You can use the MIDI Learn function to assign external MIDI controllers to various parameters in your specific MPC project: • Mixer parameters such as volume, pan, mute, and solo for tracks, returns, submixes, and main outputs. • Pad parameters (for drum tracks only) such as tuning, filter and amp envelopes, layer settings, LFO settings, and velocity.
Page 304 To assign a parameter to a hardware control: 1. Tap Learn in the upper-right corner so it is on. 2. Tap + on the left side of the touchscreen to create an “empty” assignment (its Target menus will be set to None and Off).
Page 305: Live Control Mode
4. Make sure you have selected your preferred Audio Device in the Audio tab. 5. In the Link / MIDI tab, click the first available Control Surface field and select Akai Force MPC. 6. In the same row, select Akai Network – DAW Control as the Input and Output.
Page 306 To open Live Control mode, press Menu (or tap the icon in the upper-left corner of the screen) on your standalone MPC hardware and then tap Live Control. To exit Live Control mode, press Menu (or tap the icon in the upper-left corner of the screen) on your standalone MPC hardware and then select another mode.
Page 307: Control Bar
Control Bar At the top of the interface is the Control Bar. This toolbar can be configured to one of three presets based on typical Ableton Live use cases in the Settings window. To open the Settings window, tap the gear icon in the top-right corner of the display. Use the Control Bar field to select one of the three preset configurations: Settings, Arrangement or Performance.
Page 308: Matrix View
Matrix View The Matrix View provides an overview of the clip matrix from Ableton Live's Session view, displaying up to eight tracks and eight rows of clips on the display. The tracks and clips displayed on your MPC's touchscreen will be shown in Ableton Live with a colored box outline.
Page 309: Mixer View
Mixer View The Mixer View gives you control of Ableton Live's key mixing features, such as levels, stereo panning, sends and returns and more. Use the tabs at the bottom of the display to select what information is shown on MPC's display. •...
Page 310: Device Control View
Device Control View The Device Control View allows you to control MIDI Instruments, Audio Effects and other Devices in Ableton Live directly from your MPC. The current view of the Device Control Tab is determined by the "blue hand" remote control icon in Ableton Live's Detail View.
Page 311: Song Mode
Song Mode Song Mode lets you arrange sequences in a specific order and/or repetition to create songs. You can edit the structure of a song during playback for easy, on-the-fly composing. A project can contain up to 32 songs, each consisting of up to 999 “steps.” Each step can have an assigned sequence as well as the number of times that sequence will repeat.
Page 312 The sequence playlist on the left lists of the “steps” of a song. Each step has (in columns, left to right): • the step number (each song can contain up to 999 steps) • a sequence number and name • how many times the sequence plays (each step can play up to 999 times;...
Page 313 To change a step’s sequence: 1. In the desired step, tap the sequence name. 2. Use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select another sequence. Tap Clear to erase the entire sequence playlist (delete all steps). To delete a step, tap it, and then tap Delete in the lower-right corner of the screen. Tap Next to switch to the next sequence at the beginning of the next bar during playback.
Page 314: Key Ranges Mode
Key Ranges Mode Key Ranges Mode gives you an overview of the MIDI tracks in your project. This mode includes functionality similar to Track View mode and Main Mode, but may be more useful when setting up a large external keyboard to control multiple instruments at the same time. To open Key Ranges Mode, press Menu, and then navigate to Key Ranges on the second page of modes and tap it.
Page 315 To instantly adjust the key range for drum tracks, press and hold Shift and then tap Drum Split. This will automatically set the key range of Drum Tracks to the first 16 notes of the keyboard so that they correspond with Pads 1–16.
Page 316: Midi Control Mode
MIDI Control Mode You can use MIDI Control Mode on your MPC hardware to customize what MIDI messages are sent from certain controls on your hardware. This custom “control map” will then work whenever you are in MIDI Control Mode. The edits you make in MIDI Control Mode will be retained with the current MPC project. This feature enables you to use your MPC hardware to control external MIDI devices connected to its MIDI out.
Page 317: Pads
To select a control to edit, do any of the following: • Press or turn it. In the lower-left corner, tap the Hardware tab to edit a pad, button, or Q-Link knob, or tap the XY tab to edit the XY pad. •...
Page 318: Buttons
Buttons These are the MIDI parameters you can edit for each button. You can edit the Erase, Tap, Undo/Redo, or Copy/Delete buttons: Control: This is the hardware control you are currently editing (Erase, Tap, Undo, or Copy). Light LED: This determines how the button’s LED (or multiple LEDs) will behave. When set to Never, the LEDs will always be off.
Page 319: Q-Link Knobs
Q-Link Knobs These are the MIDI parameters you can edit for each Q-Link knob: Control: This is the hardware control you are currently editing (QLink 1–4). Light LED: Although you can edit this parameter, it does not actually have a function on your MPC hardware. When set to Never, the LEDs will always be off.
Page 320: Xy Pad
XY Pad These are the MIDI parameters you can edit for each axis of the XY pad: Control: This is the axis you are currently editing (XYFX X-Axis or XYFX Y-Axis). This field will be hidden if you tapped the XY tab to show the XY pad’s parameters. You can tap the Hardware tab to show this field. Mute: This button determines whether the axis is muted or not.
Page 321: Pad Color Mode
Pad Color Mode Pad Color Mode lets you assign specific colors to your pads in a track. To enter Pad Color Mode, press Menu, and then navigate to Pad Color on the second page of modes and tap it. Use the Track field at the top of the screen to select the desired track. Keygroup, Plugin, MIDI, and CV tracks will use Pad Perform mode pad color layout by default.
Page 322 Use the Single Pad/All Pads select to determine whether you are setting the color for a Single Pad or All Pads. Tip: To quickly assign that color to all pads in the track, press and hold Shift while tapping a color button. Use the color buttons to select which color you are assigning.
Page 323: Looper
Looper The Looper lets you record and overdub audio in real time—a great tool for live performance as well as spontaneous moments in the studio. You can export the loop as a sample to use in your project. To open the Looper, press Menu, and then navigate to Looper on the second page of modes and tap it. Below is a brief step-by-step process so you can get started quickly.
Page 324 The upper-left Input Source field defines whether you are going to record an external audio signal, which you can set to the pair of inputs (Input 1,2) or a single input (Input 1– 2). You can also select an internal signal from within your MPC hardware (Resample L, Resample R, or Resample L+R).
Page 325 To record with the Looper: Important: To record without erasing any audio you’ve already recorded in the loop, use the Overdub button. To overwrite the audio you’ve already recorded, use the Replace button. If Record To is set to Play: To start recording, tap the Replace or Overdub button as the loop is playing.
Page 326 To export the loop to an audio track: 1. Tap Export to open the Looper Export window. 2. Use the Audio Track field to select the audio track you would like to export the sample to. 3. Tap Export to Track to confirm your choice, or Cancel to cancel. When your loop is done exporting, it is assigned to the track you selected.
Page 327: Hardware Features
Hardware Features This chapter explains the features and functions of each MPC v3.4-supported model: MPC X / MPC X Special Edition, Live, MPC Live MPC One / MPC One+, MPC Key 61, and MPC Key MPC X / MPC X Special Edition Note: Mentions of the features and functions of MPC X hardware throughout this guide also apply to the MPC X Special Edition unless otherwise noted.
Page 328: Navigation & Data Entry Controls
Navigation & Data Entry Controls 1. Touchscreen: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC X’s current operation. Touch the touchscreen (and use the hardware controls) to control the MPC interface. Tip: If you adjust the angle of the touchscreen, use the stand on its back panel to secure it in place. 2.
Page 329: Mode & View Controls
14. 16 Level / Pad Perform: Press this button to activate/deactivate 16 Level. When activated, the last pad that was hit will be temporarily copied to all 16 pads. The pads will now output the same note number as the initial pad, but a selectable parameter will be fixed at values that increase as the pad numbers increase (e.g., Pad 1 is the minimum, Pad 16 is the maximum), regardless of how hard you press them.
Page 330: Transport & Recording Controls
27. Pad Perform: Press this button to view Pad Perform Mode where you can assign musical scales/modes, chords, or progressions to the pads for creative performance options. 28. Prog Edit: Press this button to view Track Edit Mode, which contains all parameters for editing your tracks. 29.
Page 331: I/O & Level Controls
I/O & Level Controls 44. Gain 1/2: Use these knobs to adjust the gain of the incoming signal from Input 1/2 on the rear panel or Inst 1/2 on the front panel. Use the Rear/Front switches below the knobs to determine the input. Use the level meter to check the recording level.
Page 332: Front Panel
Front Panel 4 5 6 1. SD Card Slot: Insert a standard SD/SDHC card into this slot to access its files directly using MPC X. 2. Footswitch Inputs (FS 1/2) (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Connect optional 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS footswitches to these inputs. 3.
Page 333: Rear Panel
Rear Panel 1. Power Input: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC X to a power outlet. This must be connected to a power outlet in order for MPC X to power on. 2. Power Adapter Restraint: Secure the power adapter cable to this restraint to prevent it from accidentally unplugging. 3.
Page 334: Mpc Live
MPC Live Top Panel 1. Touchscreen: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC Live’s current operation. Touch the touchscreen (and use the hardware controls) to control the MPC interface. 2. Data Dial: Use this dial to scroll through the available menu options or adjust the parameter values of the selected field on the screen.
Page 335 8. Full Level/Half Level: Press this button to activate or deactivate the Full Level feature. When activated, the pads will always trigger their samples at the maximum velocity (127), regardless of how much force you use. Press and hold Shift and then press this button to activate or deactivate the Half Level feature. When activated, the pads will always trigger their samples at half-velocity (64).
Page 336: Rear Panel
Rear Panel 1. Power Input: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC Live to a power outlet. 2. Power Switch: Turns MPC Live’s power on/off. 3. Charging Indicator: This light (behind the vent) will turn on when MPC Live’s internal battery is charging (when the power input is connected to a power outlet).
Page 337: Mpc Live Ii
MPC Live II Top Panel 6 6 6 6 11 12 7 8 9 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 1. Touchscreen: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC Live II’s current operation. Touch the display (and use the hardware controls) to control the MPC interface. 2.
Page 338 9. 16 Level / Pad Perform: Press this button to activate/deactivate 16 Level. When activated, the last pad that was hit will be temporarily copied to all 16 pads. The pads will now output the same note number as the initial pad, but a selectable parameter will be fixed at values that increase as the pad numbers increase (e.g., Pad 1 is the minimum, Pad 16 is the maximum), regardless of how hard you press them.
Page 339 22. Tap Tempo / Master: Press this button in time with the desired tempo to enter a new tempo (in BPM). You can set how many taps are required in the Preferences (see Operation > General Features > Menu > Preferences to learn how to do this).
Page 340: Rear Panel
Rear Panel 14 14 14 15 16 1. Power Input: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC Live II to a power outlet. 2. Power Adapter Restraint: Secure the power adapter cable to this restraint to prevent it from accidentally unplugging.
Page 341: Mpc One / Mpc One
MPC One / MPC One+ Note: Mentions of the features and functions of MPC One hardware throughout this guide also apply to the MPC One+ unless otherwise noted. Top Panel 16 17 18 19 23 24 28 29 25 26 27 Navigation &...
Page 342: Pad & Q-Link Controls
Pad & Q-Link Controls 6. Pads: Use these pads to trigger drum hits or other samples. The pads are velocity-sensitive and pressure-sensitive, which makes them very responsive and intuitive to play. The pads will light up different colors, depending on how hard you play them (ranging from yellow at a low velocity to red at the highest velocity).
Page 343: Transport & Recording Controls
18. Track Mute / Pad Mute: Press this button to view Track Mute Mode where you can easily mute tracks within a sequence or set mute groups for each track. Press and hold Shift and press this button to view Pad Mute Mode where you can easily mute pads within a track or set mute groups for each pad within a track.
Page 344: Front Panel
Front Panel 1. SD Card Slot: Insert a standard SD, SDHC or SDXC card into this slot to access its files directly using MPC One. 2. Phones (1/8” / 3.5 mm): Connect standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphones to this output. Rear Panel 12 11 1.
Page 345: Mpc Key 61
MPC Key 61 Top Panel 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 12 13 1. Display: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC Key 61’s current operation. Touch the display (and use the hardware controls) to control the MPC interface. 2.
Page 346 15. Grid / Step Seq: Press this button to enter Grid View mode, where you can view and edit the note events of each track of a sequence in a project and their velocities. Press and hold Shift and press this button to view Step Sequencer mode where you can create or edit sequences by using the pads as "step buttons,"...
Page 347 29 30 32 31 23 24 24. Menu / Browse: Press this button to open the mode Menu. You can tap an option on the Menu screen to enter that mode, view, etc. Press and hold Shift and then press this button to view the Browser. You can use the Browser to locate and select tracks, samples, sequences, etc.
Page 348 32. Copy / Delete: Press this button to copy one pad to another in Drum tracks. When the From Pad field is selected, press the “source” pad (the pad you want to copy). When the To Pad graphic (of all pads) is selected, press the “destination”...
Page 349: Rear Panel
Rear Panel 1. Power Input: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC Key 61 to a power outlet. 2. Power Switch: Turns MPC Key 61’s power on and off. 3. Network: Connect a standard Ethernet cable to this port to use Ableton Link and other compatible devices with MPC Key 61.
Page 350 12. CV/Gate Out (1/8" / 3.5 mm, TS): MPC Key 61 will send control voltage (CV) and/or Gate signals over these outputs to optional external synths or sequencers. Use standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) TS cables to send a single CV/Gate signal per output.
Page 351: Mpc Key 37
MPC Key 37 Top Panel 1. Display: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC Key 37’s current operation. Touch the display (and use the hardware controls) to control the MPC interface. 2. Data Dial: Use this dial to scroll through the available menu options or adjust the parameter values of the selected field on the display.
Page 352 14. Edit / XYFX: Press this button to view Track Edit Mode, which contains all parameters for editing your tracks. Press and hold Shift and press this button to view XYFX Mode, which turns the touchscreen into an XY pad where each axis represents the range of an effect parameter.
Page 353 29. Mute / Pad: Press this button to view Track Mute Mode where you can easily mute tracks within a sequence or set mute groups for each track. Press and hold Shift and press this button to view Pad Mute Mode where you can easily mute pads within a track or set mute groups for each pad within a track.
Page 354 35. Copy / Delete: Press this button to copy one pad to another in Drum tracks. When the From Pad field is selected, press the “source” pad (the pad you want to copy). When the To Pad graphic (of all pads) is selected, press the “destination”...
Page 355: Rear Panel
Rear Panel 1. Power Switch: Turns MPC Key 37’s power on/off. 2. Power Input: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC Key 37 to a power outlet. 3. Power Adapter Restraint: Secure the power adapter cable to this restraint to prevent it from accidentally unplugging. 4.
Page 356: Appendix
Appendix Glossary This glossary briefly defines and explains many of the technical terms used throughout this manual. Aftertouch The majority of contemporary keyboards are capable of generating aftertouch messages. On this type of keyboard, when you press harder on a key you are already holding down, a MIDI aftertouch message is generated.
Page 357 Envelope An envelope is used to modulate a sound-shaping component within a given time. For instance, an envelope that modulates the cutoff frequency of a filter opens and closes this filter over a period of time. An envelope is started via a trigger, usually a MIDI note. The classic ADSR envelope consists of four individually variable phases: attack, decay, sustain, and release.
Page 358 MIDI MIDI stands for musical instrument digital interface. Developed in the early 1980s, MIDI enables interaction between various types of electronic music instruments from different manufacturers. At the time a communications standard for heterogeneous devices did not exist, so MIDI was a significant advance.
Page 359 Root Key The root key defines the original pitch of a recorded instrument or of a sample. Samples in MPC contain the dedicated root key information. This information will be created automatically during recording or importing. Sample When you tap the pads on your MPC hardware, you can trigger sounds that we call samples. Samples are digitized snippets of audio that can be recorded using the recording (sampling) function of your MPC hardware or loaded from the Browser.
Page 360: Effects & Parameters
Effects & Parameters This chapter lists the available effects. To learn more about how effects work with MPC, please see General Features > Effects. Effects with a * next to their name are not included with MPC and are available for purchase from thempcstore.com. Note: Some of these effects have a “sync”...
Page 361 AIR Diff Delay This is a delay line effect that is synchronized to Parameter Value Range Default Value your session tempo and uses an adjustable amount Time of diffusion to emulate the dissipation of echoes in Sync Off: 1 – 1000 ms 161 ms reverberant space.
Page 362 AIR Non-Lin Reverb This is a spatial effect, designed to produce synthetic, Parameter Value Range Default Value processed ambience with special gated and reversed reverb Pre-Delay 0–250 ms 0 ms effects. Dry Delay 0–1500 ms 0 ms Time 0–1000 ms 250 ms 0–100% (dry–wet) 50% Diffusion...
Page 363 AIR Spring Reverb This is a spatial effect, designed to emulate the sound of a Parameter Value Range Default Value spring reverb tank. Pre-Delay 0–250 ms 3 ms Time 1.0–10.0 s 4.0 s 0–100 (dry–wet) Diffusion 0–100% 100% Width 0–100% Low Cut 20.0 Hz –1.0 kHz 141 Hz Delay Analog Sync...
Page 364 Delay Mono Sync This mono effect delays the original signal for a specified Parameter Value Range Default Value period of time (synced to the project tempo) and plays it Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) back over an adjustable period of time. Time 1 bar –...
Page 365 Delay Stereo Stereo Delay operates similarly to Mono Delay but in true Parameter Value Range Default Value stereo. Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) Time 2–2000 ms Feedback 0–100 Damping 0–100 Delay Sync (Stereo) This effect is the same as Delay Stereo but is synced to the Parameter Value Range Default Value...
Page 366 Reverb Large 2 This is a less CPU-intensive spatial effect, emulating the Parameter Value Range Default Value sound of a large hall. Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) Pre-Delay 1–100 Early Reflection 0–100 Density 0–100 Diffuse 0–100 Decay 0–100 Lo-Cut 0–100 Hi-Cut 0–100 Reverb Large This is a spatial effect, designed to emulate the sound of a Parameter...
Page 367 Reverb Out Gate This is a hall reverb that has an additional control. The reverb Parameter Value Range Default Value effect is cut off when the output drops below the level set in Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) the Gate Out parameter. Pre-Delay 1–100 Early Reflection...
Page 368: Dynamics
Dynamics Options: AIR Channel Strip, Compressor, Limiter, Maximizer, AIR Noise Gate, Pumper, Transient, Compressor, Compressor Opto, Compressor VCA, Compressor Vintage, Mother Ducker Input, Mother Ducker, Transient Shaper AIR Channel Strip This specially-designed plugin combines multiple effects with a fast interface. The EQ section provides a highpass filter, low and high shelves, and a fully parametric mid-band.
Page 369 AIR Limiter This is a lookahead limiter perfect for mastering or Parameter Value Range Default Value mixing. Gain -12.0 – 36.0 dB 0.0 dB Ceiling -24.0 – 0.0 dB 0.0 dB Look Ahead 0.0 – 20.0 ms 0.0 ms Release 10.0 ms –...
Page 370 AIR Transient This effect is used to enhance or soften the Attack and Parameter Value Range Default Value Release phases of audio material. Attack -100 – 0 – +100% Attack Shape 0–100% Sustain -100 – 0 – +100% Output -20.0 – +20.0 dB 0.0 dB Limit Off, On...
Page 371 Compressor Vintage This compressor has a sound similar to classic tube Parameter Value Range Default Value compressors, with their gentle yet pumping response and a Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) dash of tube saturation. Input -6 – 18 dB Attack 0–100 Release 0–100 Threshold -50 –...
Page 372: Eq/Filter
EQ/Filter Options: Enhancer, AIR Filter Gate, Filter, AIR Kill AIR Para AIR Vintage Filter, HP Filter Sweep, HP Filter Sync, Filter, HP Shelving Filter, LP Filter Sweep, LP Filter Sync, Filter, LP Shelving Filter, 2-Band, 2-Shelf, PEQ 4-Band AIR Enhancer This effect enhances the low and high Parameter Value Range...
Page 373 AIR Filter This effect applies a filter to the audio Parameter Value Range Default Value signal and then applies selectable Cutoff Freq 55.0 Hz – 20.0 kHz 20.0 kHz saturation or reduction to the filtered signal. Reso Factor 0.7 – 20.0 Type LP4–1, BP2, BP4, HP2_LP1, HP3_LP1, HP4–1, BR2, BR4,...
Page 374 AIR Para EQ This effect is a powerful four-band parametric equalizer with Parameter Value Range Default Value four independent EQ ranges, adjustable Low and High EQ High Freq 1.2 – 20.0 kHz 6.00 kHz filter types, and dedicated Low Cut and High Cut. High Q Shelf 0.40 –...
Page 375 AIR Vintage Filter This effect is a powerful filter plugin for bringing Parameter Value Range Default Value those classic analog filter sounds to your tracks, Cutoff 20.0 Hz – 20.0 kHz 878 Hz perfect for synths, guitars plus loads more. Resonance 0–100% 0–200%...
Page 376 HP Shelving Filter This filter differs from the standard filter type, as it attenuates Parameter Value Range Default Value all frequencies after the cutoff point equally. Frequency 10–19999 Hz 1500 Resonance 0–100 Gain -18.0 – 18.0 dB LP Filter Sweep This effect is a low-pass filter with its cutoff frequency Parameter Value Range...
Page 377 PEQ 2-Band, 2-Shelf This effect is a combination of one two-band parametric Parameter Value Range Default Value equalizer and two shelving filters. Low Frequency 22–1000 Hz Frequency 1 82–3900 Hz Frequency 2 220–10000 Hz 2200 High Frequency 560–19999 Hz 5600 0–100 0–100 Low Gain...
Page 378: Harmonic
Harmonic Options: AIR Amp Sim, AIR Diode Clip, Distortion, Flavor, AIR Freq Shift, Lo-Fi, AIR Talk Box, Tube Drive, Decimator, Distortion Amp, Distortion Custom, Distortion Fuzz, Distortion Grimey, Distortion Overdrive, Frequency Shifter, Granulator, Resampler, TouchFX, XYFX AIR Amp Sim This effect simulates guitar and bass amplifiers with a Parameter Value Range Default Value...
Page 379 AIR Distortion This effect is a multi-type distortion that adds color to your Parameter Value Range Default Value audio signal with varying types and amounts of distortion. Mode Hard, Soft, Wrap Hard Drive 0 – 60 dB 15 dB Output 0–100% 100% 0–100% (dry-wet) 100%...
Page 380 AIR Lo-Fi This effect is used to bit-crush, down-sample, clip, rectify and mangle an audio signal. Parameter Value Range Default Value Lo-Fi Bit Depth 1.0 – 16.0 bit 16.0 bit Sample Rate 500 Hz – 50.0 kHz 50.0 kHz 0–100% 100% Distortion Clip...
Page 381 AIR Tube Drive This effect is designed to reproduce the sound of an Parameter Value Range Default Value overdriven tube amplifier. Drive 0–100% Headroom -30.0 – 0.0 dB -15.0 dB Saturation 0–100% Output -20.0 – +20.0 dB 0.0 dB Decimator Decimator down-samples the incoming signal by removing Parameter Value Range...
Page 382 Distortion Fuzz This popular effect uses hard clipping of the audio signal, Parameter Value Range Default Value which, at extreme settings, can turn a standard waveform Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) into a square wave, producing a “razor” effect. Drive 0–100 Output 0–100 0–100 Low-Mid...
Page 383 Granulator This effect turns your incoming audio into small grains of Parameter Value Range Default Value sound that can be looped, pitch shifted, and manipulated Grain Density 1.0–300.0 68.0 in new and interesting ways. grains/sec grains/sec Grain Window 20.0–1000.0 ms 608.0 ms Grain Length 10.0–200.0 ms...
Page 384 Beat Sync Filter The touch strip controls a multi-mode filter with its cutoff Parameter Value Range Default Value frequency modulated by an LFO, which can be synced to Cutoff 40.00–10000 Hz 34737.15 Hz the project tempo. Resonance 0.00–1.00 0.50 Manual Speed Off, 0.10–50.00 Hz Off Depth 0.0–100.0%...
Page 385 Tape Stop The touch strip controls a tape stop effect that emulates the Parameter Value Range Default Value slowing down of analog tape playback. Cutoff 40.00–10000 Hz 2530.00 Hz Manual Stop 1.00 – 4.00 s 2.50 s Time Sync Stop Off, 1/4, 1/4t, 1/8, Time 1/8t, 1/16, 1/16t,...
Page 386 Granulator The touch strip controls a granulator effect, which turns your Parameter Value Range Default Value incoming audio into small grains of sound that can be Density 1.0–300.0 150.0 looped, pitch-shifted, and manipulated. grains/sec grains/sec Window Length 20.0–1000.0 ms 510.0 ms Grain Length 10.0–200.0 ms 105.0 ms...
Page 387: Modulation
Modulation Options: Chorus, Ensemble, Flanger, Fuzz-Wah, AIR Half Speed, Multi-Chorus, Phaser, AIR Pitch Shifter, AIR Stereo Width, Stutter, Auto Wah, Autopan Sync, Autopan, Chorus 2-Voice, Chorus 4- Voice, Flanger Sync, Flanger, Phaser Phaser Phaser Sync, Tremolo Sync, Tremolo AIR Chorus This effect is a compact but powerful plugin for Parameter Value Range...
Page 388 AIR Fuzz Wah This is a multi-effect that combines transistor-like distortion and wah. Parameter Value Range Default Value Fuzz-Wah 0–100% (dry–wet) 100% Order Fuzz>Wah, Wah>Fuzz Fuzz>Wah Fuzz Mix 0–100% (dry–wet) 100% Wah Mix 0–100% (dry–wet) 100% Fuzz Drive 0 – 40 dB 20 dB Fuzz Tone 1.00 –...
Page 389 AIR Multi-Chorus This effect applies a thick, complex chorus effect to your Parameter Value Range Default Value audio signal. Rate 0.01 – 10.0 Hz 1.00 Hz Depth 0.00 – 24.00 ms 6.00 ms Voices 3, 4, 6 0–100% (dry–wet) Chorus Low 20.0 Hz –...
Page 390 AIR Stutter This effect creates mind-blowing glitch effects using a Parameter Value Range Default Value wide range of volume, pan and pitch stutter effects. Intervals 1/64 – ¼ 1/16 Sync Off, On Steps 2–64 Step Length 0–100% 100% Freeze Off, On Decay 50.0 ms –...
Page 391 Chorus 4-Voice This effect is the same as Chorus 2-Voice, but adds Parameter Value Range Default Value additional voices for more pronounced modulation. Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) Delay 0–100 Amount 0–100 Width 0–100 Feedback 0–100 Rate 0–100 Flanger Sync This effect is the same as Flanger, but syncs to your project Parameter Value Range Default Value...
Page 392: Vocal
Tremolo Sync This effect uses an LFO (synced to project tempo) to Parameter Value Range Default Value increase and decrease the volume of the signal. Depending Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) on the LFO shape, this can produce a smooth wave effect (sine wave) or a stuttering “on-off”...
Page 393 AIR Vocal Harmonizer This effect can create up to four-part realistic vocal Parameter Value Range Default Value harmonies and complex doubling effects. Each vocal part A–G# has its own level, delay, formant, mode, and interval parameters. Scale Major, Minor, Harm Major Minor, Melo Minor, Dorian, Phrygian,...
Page 394: Plugins
Plugins Plugins included with your MPC purchase are described below. For plugins purchases separately for use with MPC, refer to the plugin’s own User Guide. Bassline The AIR Bassline plugin emulates the sound of classic mono synths, with a contemporary twist. Osc / Filter / Envelope Use this tab to adjust the settings for the oscillators, as well as their filter and envelope settings.
Page 395 Velocity / Global / Chorus Use this tab to adjust the Velocity Control settings, and Global volume. You can also apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Chorus effect. Parameter Description Value Range Velocity Amp Control The amount of effect velocity has on amplitude 0–100% control.
Page 396 Compressor / Hype Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Compressor and Hype effects. Parameter Description Value Range Compressor Threshold Signal level after which the compressor will be applied. 0.0 – -60. dB Ratio Amount of compression applied. 1.0:1 –...
Page 397: Electric
Electric The AIR Electric plugin emulates the sound of classic electric pianos. While viewing any of the tabs listed below, you can quickly enable or disable the Bell and Noise sounds, as well as the built-in effects (Tremolo, Tube, Chorus, Delay and Spring Reverb). When viewing a specific tab, you can enable or disable the sound or effect by pressing the circle in the upper-right corner of each section.
Page 398 Bell / Noise Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the Bell and Noise sounds. Parameter Description Value Range Bell Tune Pitch of the bell sound, in semitones above the root 0– 60 semitones pitch. Dry/PU Mix of Dry versus Pickup signal for the bell sound. -100% –...
Page 399 Trem / Tube / Chorus Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Tremolo, Tube (Over Drive), and Chorus effects. Parameter Description Value Range Tremolo Rate Modulation speed of the effect. When Sync is set to Free: 0.25 – 13.00 Hz When Sync is set to Sync: 8/4 –...
Page 400 Spring Reverb Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Spring Reverb effect. Parameter Description Value Range Pre-Delay Length of time between dry signal and reverberated signal. 0 ms – 250 ms Time Length of reverb tail. 1.0 –...
Page 401: Hype
Hype The AIR Hype plugin is a modern style dual-oscillator synthesizer that includes a wide variety of built-in effects for endless combinations of sound, as well as convenient macro controls for lightning-fast adjustments. Macro Use this tab to adjust the macro settings for the plugin. You can access the Effect on/off switches in all tabs.
Page 402 Filter / Amp Use this tab to adjust the filter and amplitude envelope settings. Parameter Description Value Range Filter Cutoff Cutoff frequency for the filter. 0–100% Reso Amount of resonance of the filter. 0–100% Filter Envelope Attack Length of time for the filter to reach full level. 0–100% Decay Length of time for the filter to reach sustain level.
Page 403 Effects 1 Use this tab to adjust the settings for the Low-Frequency Oscillator and Modulation, Distortion and Hype effects. Parameter Description Value Range Rate Speed of the low frequency oscillator. When Sync is set to 1st Note or Each Note: 0.03 – 30.00 Hz When Sync is set to Temp+Note or Tempo+Beat: 8/4 –...
Page 404 Effects 2 Use this tab to adjust the settings for the Delay, Reverb, Compressor, Pumper, and Limiter effects. Parameter Description Value Range Delay Time Amount of time between the dry signal and the 1/32 – 8/4 delayed signal. Feedback Amount of signal fed back into the delay line. 0–100% Freq Adjusts the filter cutoff frequency of the delayed...
Page 405 Setup Use this tab to adjust the plugin setup parameters. Parameter Description Value Range Setup Transpose Transposition of the plugin, in semitones. -36 – +36 Tune Fine tuning of the plugin, in cents. -100 – +100 Glide Time Amount of time to slide from the pitch of one note to 0 ms –...
Page 406: Tubesynth
TubeSynth The AIR TubeSynth plugin emulates the sound of classic vintage analog polysynths. TubeSynth is based on the highly acclaimed AIR Vacuum Pro desktop synth plugin and also includes 5 integrated AIR effects. Oscillator Use this tab to adjust the settings for the two variable Oscillators and the Sub Oscillator.
Page 407 Mixer / Filter Use this tab to control EQ for Oscillator 2, set the levels of the oscillators and effects, and edit the low-pass filter. Parameter Description Value Range Osc 2 EQ Gain -48 – 0 – +48 dB Amount of gain applied to the selected Frequency. Frequency Center frequency for the equalization band.
Page 408 Envelope Use this tab to adjust the various envelope settings. Parameter Description Value Range Filter Envelope Attack Length of time for the filter to reach full level. 1.00 ms – 100 s Decay Length of time for the filter to reach sustain level. 1.00 ms –...
Page 409 Use this tab to adjust the settings for the low-frequency oscillators. Parameter Description Value Range LFO 1/LFO 2 Shape Waveshape of the low-frequency oscillator. Sine, Square. Saw Up, Saw Down, Pump, S&H, Drift Destination Where the low-frequency oscillator is sent. LFO1: Off, Pitch, Filter, Level, LFO2: Pitch, Osc 1/2 Shape, Osc 1/2 Pitch, LPF,...
Page 410 Setup Use this tab to adjust plugin setup parameters. Parameter Description Value Range Controller Destinations Velocity 1 Send Velocity data to one of the following control Amp, Cutoff, Osc1 Shape, destinations. Osc2 Shape, Osc1&2 Shape Depth Amount of modulation applied. 0–100% Velocity 2 Send Velocity data to one of the following control...
Page 411 Chorus Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Chorus effect. Parameter Description Value Range Rate Modulation speed of the effect. 0.01 – 10.0 Hz Delay Length of time the wet signal is offset from the dry signal. 0.00 –...
Page 412 Reverb / Compressor / Hype Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Reverb, Compressor and Hype effects. Parameter Description Value Range Reverb Mode Type of reverb applied. Hall, Stadium, Room, Abstract Time Length of reverb tail. 0.4 s –...
Page 413: Drumsynth
DrumSynth The AIR DrumSynth plugins emulate the sound of classic drum machines and feature multiple synthesis types, advanced modeling and carefully crafted, built-in effects to create powerful contemporary drum sounds. You can add the following drum types as individual plugins per track: Clap, Crash, HiHat, Kick, Perc, Ride, Snare and Tom.
Page 414 Trans/Dist Use this tab to adjust the settings for the Transient and Distortion effects. Parameter Description Value Range Transient Attack Decreases or increases the amount of -100 – 0 – +100% transient attack applied to the signal. Shape Adjusts the shape of the processed transient. 0–100% Sustain Percentage of sustain envelope subtracted -100 –...
Page 415 You can also use the DrumSynth:Multi plugin to access all DrumSynth sounds from one plugin, which includes additional dedicated effects and mixing controls. Note: You can only have one DrumSynth:Multi plugin active per project. DrumSynth 1–8 / Trans/Dist / EQ/Comp Use the first eight tabs in the Multi to control the same parameters as the individual DrumSynth plugins.
Page 416 Mixer / FX / Sends Use this tab to mix the individual drum sounds as well as control their effects. The Mixer / FX / Sends tab contains three different views that can be accessed by tapping the tab at the bottom of the display. Use the Mixer view to adjust the volume, panning, muting, and soloing for each drum.
Page 417: Mellotron
Mellotron The AIR Mellotron plugin is a software recreation of the classic tape keyboard, including reproductions of the original tape samples in both clean and dirty versions. Model Use this tab to adjust the settings for the tape sample. Parameter Description Value Range Sample...
Page 418 Flavor / Compressor / EQ Use this tab to adjust the settings for the flavor, compressor, and EQ effects. Each effect can be turned on and off by using the buttons on the right side. Parameter Description Value Range Flavor Use the button in the upper-right corner to enable or Off, On disable the flavor effect.
Page 419 Delay / Spring Reverb Use this tab to adjust the settings for the delay and spring reverb effects. Each effect can be turned on and off by using the buttons on the right side. Parameter Description Value Range Delay Use the button in the upper-right corner to enable or Off, On disable delay.
Page 420: Solina
Solina The AIR Solina plugin is a software recreation of the classic string synthesizer. Ensemble Use this tab to adjust the voice and ensemble settings. Parameter Description Value Range Voice Click each button to enable or disable the Contra Bass, Cello, Viola, selected voice.
Page 421 Sound Use this tab to adjust additional settings for the plugin sound. Parameter Description Value Range Crescendo Length of time for the sound to reach full volume. 0 ms – 32 s Sustain Length of time for the sound to remain playing after 0 ms –...
Page 422 Chorus / EQ Use this tab to adjust the settings for the chorus and EQ effects. Use the buttons on the right side to enable or disable each effect. Parameter Description Value Range Chorus Rate Modulation speed of the chorus effect. 0.05 –...
Page 423: Wayoutware Odyssey
WayOutWare Odyssey The WayOutWare Odyssey plugin is a software recreation of the classic analog synthesizer that captures the character and nuance of the original Odyssey using WayOutWare’s experience and expertise in circuit modeling and signal processing. VCO 1/2 Use this tab to adjust the settings for the voltage-controlled oscillators.
Page 424 Mod/Env Use this tab to adjust the settings for the low frequency oscillator, sample and hold generator, and envelope generator. Parameter Description Value Range LFO Tempo Determines whether LFO speed is free floating Off, On Sync or synced to project tempo. LFO Speed Speed of the low frequency oscillator.
Page 425 Mix/Filter Use this tab to adjust the audio mixing and routing, as well as adjust the voltage-controlled filter, high-pass filter, and voltage-controlled amplitude. Parameter Description Value Range VCF Cutoff Cutoff frequency of the filter. 0.680 – 10.645 V, or 16.02 - 16012.70 Hz VCF Res Resonance of the filter.
Page 426 Echo Use this tab to adjust the settings for the tape echo effect. Parameter Description Value Range Delay Use the switch in the bottom-left corner to enable or Off, On disable the delay effect. Sync Enable to sync the Echo Time to the Global Tempo, or Off, On disable to adjust the Echo Time by milliseconds.
Page 427: Sata Drive Installation
SATA Drive Installation To create more internal storage space on your MPC hardware, you can purchase a SATA (Serial ATA) drive and install it yourself, but read this chapter first. Your MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Live II, or MPC Key 61 can support nearly any standard 2.5” SATA drive on the market— either a solid-state drive (SSD) or hard-disk drive (HDD).
Page 428: Midi Machine Control (Mmc)
MIDI Machine Control (MMC) Your MPC hardware can send and receive MIDI Machine Control (MMC) messages, a standard protocol for transport controls. The MPC hardware can send these messages: MPC Button MMC Command Sent MMC Record Strobe , then MMC Record Exit (when recording starts) Overdub MMC Record Strobe...
Page 429: Ableton Control Maps
Ableton Control Maps MPC X / MPC X Special Edition General Controls and Features Device Control Ableton Live Function Display In Ableton Live Control Mode, MPC X's display will show a dynamic representation of Ableton Live's software. Pads Press the pads to launch clips or scenes. Press the XYFX button to toggle between launching clips (the button is off) and launching scenes (the button is on).
Page 430 Transport Controls Device Control Ableton Live Function Record Enable and disable Arrangement Record Overdub Enable and disable Session Record. 10 Stop Stop playback. 11 Play Start playback from the Stop position. 12 Play Start Start playback from the Arrangement start (1:1:1). 13 <...
Page 431 Shift Controls Press and hold MPC X's Shift button, and then press the following buttons for additional actions. Device Control Ableton Live Function Pads Selects a clip without launching it. Directional Cursors Moves the 4x4 Session Matrix focus on the display by eight rows or eight columns at a time.
Page 432: Mpc Live
MPC Live Basic Controls Device Control Ableton Live Function Display In Ableton Live Control Mode, MPC Live's display will show a dynamic representation of Ableton Live's software. Pads Press the pads to launch clips or scenes. Press the 16 Level button to toggle between launching clips (the button is off) and launching scenes (the button is on).
Page 433 Device Control Ableton Live Function 14 Undo Undo the last action. 15 Copy Duplicates the selected clip into the next available clip slot. 16 Tap Tap this button at the desired rate to set a new tempo in Ableton Live. 17 Rec Enable and disable Arrangement Record.
Page 434: Mpc Live Ii
MPC Live II 7 8 9 13 14 11 12 18 19 20 21 Basic Controls Device Control Ableton Live Function Display In Ableton Live Control Mode, MPC Live II's display will show a dynamic representation of Ableton Live's software. Pads Press the pads to launch clips or scenes.
Page 435 Device Control Ableton Live Function 13 Undo Undo the last action. 14 Copy Duplicates the selected clip into the next available clip slot. 15 Shift Hold this button to access secondary button functions. See Shift Controls for more details. 16 Tap Tap this button at the desired rate to set a new tempo in Ableton Live.
Page 436: Technical Specifications
Technical Specifications Specifications are subject to change without notice. MPC X / MPC X Special Edition Digital Audio System ADCs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz DACs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz Digital Signal Processing 32-bit floating point 112 dB Mic Inputs 1–2 Dynamic Range...
Page 437 (A-weighted, 63 mVrms @ 1kHz, -1 dBFS, 20 Ω source) Phono Inputs Dynamic Range 108 dB (2) unbalanced RCA (A-weighted, 4 mVrms @ 1kHz, 20 Ω source) 86 dB 0.005% THD+N (1 kHz, -46 dBu, -1 dBFS) Maximum Input Level 63 mVrms (1 kHz) Sensitivity...
Page 438 Mechanical Pads (16) velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, RGB-backlit (8) banks accessible via Pad Bank buttons (16) 360° touch-sensitive Q-Link knobs for parameter adjustment Knobs (7) 270° knobs for gain, mix & level adjustment (1) 360° encoder for value/data adjustment 10.1” (25.6 cm) full-color 1280 800 display with capacitive multi-touch Display Memory...
Page 439: Mpc Live
MPC Live Digital Audio System ADCs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz DACs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 32-bit floating point Digital Signal Processing 113.5 dB Line Inputs Dynamic Range (A-weighted) (2) balanced 108 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 1/4”...
Page 440 Mechanical Pads (16) velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, RGB-backlit (8) banks accessible via Pad Bank buttons (4) 360° touch-sensitive Q-Link knobs Knobs (4) Q-Link knob columns accessible via Q-Link button (1) 360° encoder for value/data adjustment and selection via push 7” (17.8 cm) full-color 1280 800 display with capacitive multi-touch Display Memory...
Page 441: Mpc Live Ii
MPC Live II Digital Audio System ADCs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz DACs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 32-bit floating point Digital Signal Processing 113 dB Line Inputs Dynamic Range (A-weighted) (2) balanced 108.5 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 1/4”...
Page 442 Headphone Output Dynamic Range 111 dB (A-weighted) (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 10 mW/channel into 32 Ω headphones) 0.003% THD+N stereo headphone 20 Hz – 20 kHz Frequency Response (+0.0 / -0.2 dB) (<1% THD, 32 Ω headphones) Maximum Power Delivered +35 mW Maximum Output Level...
Page 443: Mpc One / Mpc One
MPC One / MPC One+ Digital Audio System ADCs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz DACs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 32-bit floating point Digital Signal Processing 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0/-0.8 dB) Line Inputs 1–2 Frequency Response (2) balanced 1/4”...
Page 444 File System Compatibility exFAT (read & write) (recommended) FAT32 (read & write) NTFS (read & write) EXT4 (read & write) HFS+ (read only) Audio Files: AIF/AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG, WAV (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS inputs (1 stereo pair) Connections (2) 1/4”...
Page 445: Mpc Key 61
MPC Key 61 Digital Audio System ADCs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz DACs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz Digital Signal Processing 32-bit floating point Mic Inputs1–2 Frequency Response 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.2 / -1.0 dB) (2) balanced XLR+1/4”...
Page 446 Outputs 3–4 Frequency Response 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.03 / -0.2 dB) (2) impedance- 115 dB Dynamic Range (A-weighted) balanced 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS 0.004% THD+N (1 kHz, -1 dBFS) Maximum Output Level +16 dBu 50 Ω Output Impedance Headphone Output Frequency Response 20 Hz –...
Page 447 (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) Combo XLR/TRS inputs (1 stereo pair) Connections (1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS sustain pedal input (TS compatible) (1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS footswitch pedal input (TS compatible) (1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS expression pedal input (TS compatible) (4) 1/4”...
Page 448: Mpc Key 37
MPC Key 37 Digital Audio System ADCs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz DACs 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 32-bit floating point Digital Signal Processing Line Inputs 1–2 Frequency Response 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.2/-0.5 dB) (2) balanced 1/4”...
Page 449 File System exFAT (read & write) (recommended) Compatibility FAT32 (read & write) NTFS (read & write) EXT4 (read & write) HFS+ (read only) Audio Files: AIF/AIFF, FLAC, MP3, OGG, WAV 2.4 GHz / 5 GHz Wi-Fi Frequency 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Standard Max. Power 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi: +17 dBm 5 GHz Wi-Fi: +17 dBm Bluetooth...
Page 450: Trademarks & Licenses
Trademarks & Licenses Akai Professional and MPC are trademarks of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. MPC software incorporates élastique Pro V3 by zplane.development. Ableton is a trademark of Ableton AG. The Bluetooth word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by Akai Professional is under license.

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