It also features a large data knob and four smaller multifunctional Q-Link knobs. These interface elements were combined in various ways to manage drum kits, software instruments, pattern and song creation, sampling, and audio and MIDI inputs and outputs. Minor niggles aside, the MPC Live is generally excellent. It successfully straddles the divide between the modern approach of recent controller MPCs and the standalone groovebox heritage of their ancestors. Solution home Akai Pro | MPC Series MPC Series | Training Akai Pro MPC Live | Syncing a MIDI controller with an MPC Live Mixer mode provides a touch mixer, with a simple faders-only view, a more detailed view with mute and so on, and a Sends view. Device view gives you control over Live's devices and instruments, displaying parameters in banks of eight horizontal sliders. The encoders can be also be used if you bank them to the right place. Nobody is doing anything comparable in the stand-alone space. More Software Features Lastly, you can use the pad performance mode for setting the progressions, chords, and scales, making it suitable to play and sequence the MIDI gear.

x MIDI inputs and outputs allows hassle-free connectivity to your MIDI-compatible hardware. Controllers, desktop synths and more. Some firmware refinement is needed to justify its price, but there's a lot to like about this inspiring and intuitive standalone sampler. From the advanced multi-engine plugin synthesis of Hype to a faithful plugin emulation of the legendary Mellotron Tape Synth keyboard, MPC2 delivers a wide palette of sonic textures with its MPC plugin instruments for powerful music composition. The MPC Live’s front panel measures 424 x 224mm, and the touchscreen has a diagonal measurement of 176mm. The MPC One Plus does not support adding an internal hard drive so here I would recommend a large, high quality SD card (or micro SD card placed in a suitable adapter) which you can just leave in your SD card slot at all times. Please note that the MPC Key does not support SD cards, which is really odd.

Time to go off grid

The MPC Live has 16GB of internal storage. There are 10GB of studio quality sounds pre-loaded and another 6GB for you to work with. You can use the 2 onboard USB ports to add more samples or to provide extra storage. There is also a compartment on the bottom of the MPC Live which houses an SATA port for installing an optional HDD or SDD. Now the MPC replaces all this and with the built-in battery, it only takes a minute to plug the audio cable and controller keyboard and voila! If you want to continue working on a project started in stand-alone mode it’s simple, as both the hardware and the MPC software use the same project file format (and MPC projects always keep copies of all their referenced samples). When connected in controller mode, all the MPC’s connected storage devices (except the built-in system drive) mount on your computer. You can then copy a project over, or even just open it directly. New Chord Progressions: MPC now contains five extra chord progressions that can be used in Pad Perform > Progressions mode.

AKAI just launched version 2.10 of the MPC firmware, their biggest update ever, with loads of new features and improvements! Let’s go through some of the amazing novelties you can enjoy with version 2.10. USB class audio supportA couple of other things to mention. The MPC X SE has that bigger titling screen, it’s the same resolution as the 7″ screen so everything is just scaled up in size – this means if you have big fat fingers you’ll probably enjoy the touchscreen UI a lot more (some areas of the UI are a bit fiddly to use at the best of times). The adjustable screen is also definitely an ergonomic bonus as it helps avoid having to ‘hunch’ over your MPC. The workaround for the other MPCs is to use some kind of tilting stand.