Akai MPC Touch Multi-Touch Music Production Center User Guide

User Guide

English

Manual Version 2.3

Table of Contents

Introduction ............................................................ 6

Basic Concepts ..................................................... 25

System Requirements & Product Support ..... 6 About This User Guide ..................................... 6

Tutorial ................................................................... 26

Important Notes ................................................ 7 Setup .................................................................. 7

1. Connection ................................................ 7

2. Installation .................................................. 8 3. Getting Started .......................................... 8

Starting Up ....................................................... 26 Creating a Drum Kit ......................................... 26

Creating a Drum Sequence ............................ 28

Saving & Renaming ......................................... 29

Editing Note Events ......................................... 31

Features .................................................................. 9

Making Basic Sound Edits .............................. 33

MPC X ................................................................ 9

Top Panel ....................................................... 9 Navigation & Data Entry Controls ....................... 9

Pad & Q-Link Controls ..................................... 10

Mode & View Controls ..................................... 11

Transport & Recording Controls ...................... 12

I/O & Level Controls ........................................ 13

Touchscreen ................................................... 14

Front Panel .................................................. 15

Rear Panel ................................................... 16

MPC Live .......................................................... 17

Top Panel ..................................................... 17

Touchscreen ................................................... 19

Rear Panel ................................................... 20

MPC Touch ...................................................... 21

Top Panel ..................................................... 21

Touchscreen ................................................... 23

Creating a Bass Track ..................................... 35

Recording an Audio Track .............................. 38

Creating a Song ............................................... 39

Exporting the Song .......................................... 40

Other Features Explained ............................... 41

Step Sequencer ............................................ 41

Drum Loops & Chop Mode .......................... 42

Pad Muting & Track Muting ......................... 44

Sampling (Recording) ................................... 46

Sample Editing ............................................. 48

Recording Automation with the XY Pad ...... 50

Using MPC X or MPC Live as a Controller .. 51

Rear Panel ................................................... 24

2

Operation .............................................................. 52

General Features ............................................. 53

Control Types .............................................. 53 Knobs ............................................................. 53 Parameter Values ............................................ 53

Drop-Down Menus / Lists ................................ 54 Selectors ......................................................... 54

Buttons ........................................................... 55 Checkboxes .................................................... 55 Tabs ............................................................... 55 Sliders ............................................................. 55

Envelopes ....................................................... 56

Grid View Tools ............................................... 57

Audio Edit Tools .............................................. 58

Programs ..................................................... 59 About Programs .............................................. 59

Drum Programs ............................................... 60

Keygroup Programs ........................................ 62

Clip Programs ................................................. 63

Plugin Programs .............................................. 65

MIDI Programs ................................................ 66

CV Programs .................................................. 67

Menu ............................................................ 68

Save ............................................................... 69

Preferences ..................................................... 70 Info ............................................................. 70 Sequencer .................................................. 70

Sync ........................................................... 71 Hardware .................................................... 71

Project Defaults ........................................... 72

Project Load/Save ...................................... 73 General/Other ............................................. 73

Bluetooth .................................................... 74

Wi-Fi ........................................................... 75 Legal ........................................................... 75 Sync ............................................................... 75 Mode .............................................................. 75

System Resources .......................................... 76

Time Counter/Locate ................................... 77

Timing Correct (TC) ...................................... 79

Metronome (Click/Metro) ............................. 81

Automation ................................................... 82 Global ............................................................. 82 Programs & Audio Tracks ................................ 82

16 Level ........................................................ 83

Erase ............................................................. 84

Effects .......................................................... 85 Overview ......................................................... 85

Insert Effects ................................................... 87 Pads ........................................................... 87

Keygroups .................................................. 89

Audio Tracks ............................................... 91

Programs .................................................... 92

Submixes .................................................... 94

Masters ...................................................... 95

Send/Return Effects ........................................ 96

Pads ........................................................... 97

Keygroups .................................................. 98

Audio Tracks ............................................... 99 Programs .................................................... 99

Submixes .................................................. 100

Audio Mixdown .......................................... 101

Battery Usage ............................................. 102

Standalone vs. Controller Mode ................ 103

3

Modes............................................................. 105

Main Mode ................................................. 106

Sequence Section ......................................... 111

Track Section ................................................ 119

Program Section ........................................... 128

Grid View ................................................... 133

Audio Edit Mode ........................................ 138

Track View ................................................. 146

MIDI Tracks ................................................... 148

Audio Tracks ................................................. 149

Step Sequencer ......................................... 150

XYFX Mode ................................................ 154

Sample Edit Mode ..................................... 157

Settings ......................................................... 159

Trim Mode .................................................... 160

Assigning Samples .................................... 164

Processing Slices & Samples .................... 166

Chop Mode ................................................... 171

Converting or Assigning Slices .................. 174

Processing Slices ...................................... 177

Program Mode .............................................. 180

Assigning Samples .................................... 183

Processing Slices ...................................... 184

Program Edit Mode ................................... 187 Drum Programs ............................................. 187

Master ...................................................... 190

Samples ................................................... 191

Pan Velocity .............................................. 198

Filter/Envelope .......................................... 199

LFO Modulation ........................................ 200

Effects ...................................................... 202

Keygroup Programs ...................................... 204

Master ...................................................... 205

Samples ................................................... 208

Pan Velocity .............................................. 214

Filter/Envelope .......................................... 215

LFO Modulation ........................................ 216

Effects ...................................................... 218

Clip Programs ............................................... 220

Program ................................................... 222

Pad ........................................................... 223

Plugin Programs ............................................ 226

MIDI Programs .............................................. 227

CV Programs ................................................ 228

Anatomy of an Envelope ................................ 229

List Edit Mode ............................................ 230

Browser ...................................................... 234 Browse ......................................................... 234

Sample Assign .............................................. 236

Sampler ...................................................... 237

Sample ......................................................... 240

Slice .............................................................. 242

Pad Tap ........................................................ 243

Pad Hold ....................................................... 244 Auto Sampler ................................................ 244

Looper ........................................................ 245

Pad Mixer ................................................... 250

Levels ........................................................... 252 Panning ......................................................... 252

Mute ............................................................. 253 Send Effects .................................................. 253

Insert Effects ................................................. 254 Routing ......................................................... 254

Channel Mixer ............................................ 255

MIDI Tracks ................................................... 258

Audio Tracks ................................................. 259

Programs ...................................................... 261

Returns ......................................................... 263

Submixes ...................................................... 264

Masters ......................................................... 265

Pad Mute Mode .......................................... 266

Pad Mute ...................................................... 267

Pad Group .................................................... 268

Track Mute Mode ....................................... 269

Track Mute .................................................... 270

Track Group .................................................. 271

4

Next Sequence Mode ................................ 272

Song Mode ................................................ 274

Q-Link Edit Mode....................................... 277

Project .......................................................... 279

Program/Audio Track .................................... 281

Pad Scene .................................................... 283

Pad Parameter .............................................. 284

Screen .......................................................... 285

Pad Color Mode ........................................ 286

MIDI Control Mode .................................... 288

Pads ............................................................. 289

Buttons ......................................................... 290

Q-Link Knobs ................................................ 291

XY Pad .......................................................... 292 MIDI Learn .................................................... 292

Pad Perform Mode .................................... 293

Appendix ............................................................. 296 Effects & Parameters .................................... 296

Reverbs ...................................................... 296

Delays ........................................................ 298

Flangers ..................................................... 301

Chorus ....................................................... 302 Autopans .................................................... 302

Tremolos .................................................... 303 Phasers ...................................................... 303

HP (High-Pass) Filters ................................ 304

LP (Low-Pass) Filters ................................. 305

Parametric EQs .......................................... 306

Distortions .................................................. 307

Compressors ............................................. 308

Bit Reducers .............................................. 309

Other .......................................................... 310

Glossary ......................................................... 311

SATA Drive Installation ................................. 316

MIDI Machine Control

(

MMC

)

...................... 317

Technical Specifications .............................. 318

MPC X ........................................................ 318

MPC Live ................................................... 321

MPC Touch ................................................ 323

Trademarks & Licenses ................................ 324

Addenda ............................................................... 325 Updates in MPC 2.1 ....................................... 325

New Features ............................................. 325 Exporting Expansions .................................... 325

Snap: Absolute & Relative ............................. 326 List Edit Settings: Auto-Advance ................... 326

Pitch Quantization ......................................... 327

Step Sequencer: Velocity Adjustment via Q-Links ...................................................... 328 Pad Perform Mode: User Progressions .......... 328 Faster Attack for Amp Envelopes ................... 328

Updates in MPC 2.2 ....................................... 329

New Features ............................................. 329 MIDI Control Mode: MIDI Learn ..................... 329

Humanize ...................................................... 330

Generate Random Events ............................. 332

Project Template ........................................... 334

Updates in MPC 2.3 ....................................... 335

New Features ............................................. 335 Arpeggiator ................................................... 335

Auto Sampler ................................................ 337

Crossfade Looping ........................................ 339

Mode Selection Shortcut ............................... 340 Pad Perform Mode: Chromatic Type ............. 340 Q-Link Navigation Enhancements .................. 340

Split Events ................................................... 341

AIR Instrument Plugins .................................. 342 AIR Bassline .............................................. 342

AIR Electric ............................................... 345

AIR TubeSynth .......................................... 349

Plugin Preset Support ................................... 356

Corrections ................................................. 357

5

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing your MPC. At Akai Professional, we know how serious music is to you. That’s why we design our equipment with only one thing in mind—to make your performance the best it can be. This user guide explains how to create music using

MPC X

,

MPC Live

, and

MPC Touch

. There is similar documentation available for MPC products that use an LCD and for the MPC software application. To view these user guides, click the

Help

menu in the MPC software, select

MPC Help

, and select an option. Welcome to the MPC family.

Akai Professional

System Requirements & Product Support

For the latest information about this product (system requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit

akaipro.com

. For additional support, visit

akaipro.com

/

support

.

About This User Guide

This manual should help you get familiar with using your

MPC X

,

MPC Live

, or

MPC Touch

. For consistency, the terminology throughout is based on the MPC nomenclature. We also used specific formatting to indicate particular topics of significance:

Important

/

Note

/

Tip

: Important or helpful information on a given topic. Names of buttons, controls, parameters, settings, and other options are written in

bold

characters throughout the manual.

Examples

: Press the

Play Start

button.

Turn

Q-Link Knob 4

. Tap the

Mute

button. The

Velocity

ranges from

0

to

127

.

Set the

Sample Play

selector to

One Shot

. Tap

BPM

, and then use the numeric keypad to enter

120

as the tempo.

Some parts of this manual refer to other relevant chapters or sections, which are cited in

bold, italic blue

characters. Click the text to skip immediately to that section.

Examples

: Read the

Important Notes

section before proceeding.

For more information about installing the necessary drivers and software, see

Setup

>

2. Installation

.

To learn more about using send effects, see

General Features

>

Effects

>

Send

/

Return Effects

.

6

Important Notes Setup

1. Connection

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 (to front-panel headphone output) Footswitch (to front-panel FS1 input) Powered Monitors Computer 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.

To use your MPC hardware in Controller Mode

(to control the MPC software): Before installing the MPC software, make sure your computer meets the system requirements described at

akaipro.com

. This applies whether you’ll use MPC software as your host software or as a plugin in another digital audio workstation (DAW). Before connecting your MPC hardware to your computer, install the drivers and software. Visit

akaipro.com

to download the latest versions. Refer to the


section for more information. SD Card (to front-panel SD card slot) Microphone Turntable USB drive Power 7

Remember to remove the protective film from your MPC hardware touchscreen!

To use your MPC hardware in Standalone Mode

, just connect it to a power outlet using the included power adapter, and power it on!

Note

: We highly recommend checking

akaipro.com

for any available updates to the MPC software/firmware and/or drivers.

To use your MPC hardware in Controller Mode

, continue to Step


.

2. Installation To use your MPC hardware in Controller Mode

(to control the MPC software),

follow these steps to download and install the required drivers & software

: 1.

Go to

akaipro.com

and register your product. If you don’t have an Akai Professional account yet, you will be prompted to create one. 2.

3.

In your Akai Professional account, download the MPC software package. Open the file and double-click the installer application. 4.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

Note

: By default, the MPC software will be installed in [

your hard drive

]\

Program Files

\

Akai Pro

\

MPC

(Windows ® ) or

Applications

(macOS ® ). You can also create a shortcut on your Desktop.

3. Getting Started

1.

Power on your MPC hardware. 2.

3.

4.

On your computer, open the

MPC

software. Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize your version of MPC. You will need an iLok account to complete this. You can create an account at

ilok.com

. Make a note of the PACE code in your account, and enter it when asked for it during the authorization/unlock process. 5.

On your MPC hardware, check the upper-right corner of the touchscreen: • If there is a

monitor

Continue to

Step 6

. /

cable icon

, then your MPC hardware is already in Controller Mode. • If there is a i.

chip icon

Press

Menu

, then your MPC hardware is in Standalone Mode. Follow these steps: to enter the Menu. ii.

iii.

Tap the In the

MPC chip icon

in the upper-right corner.

Enter Controller Mode

window that appears, tap

Controller Mode

.

Looking for computer

may appear briefly on the screen before your MPC hardware recognizes the USB connection as a controller. 6.

In the MPC software, click the

Edit

menu, and select card you want to use. Click

OK

when you are done.

Preferences

. Click the

Audio

tab and select the sound

Important

: We highly recommend using your MPC hardware’s sound card (

Akai Pro MPC X

/

Live

/

Touch ASIO

). If you need to use the internal sound card on a Windows computer, we recommend downloading the latest ASIO4ALL driver at

asio4all.com

. To view the MPC software user guide, click the

Help

menu in the MPC software, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

. 8

Features

This chapter explains the features and functions of each MPC model with a touchscreen:

MPC X

,

MPC Live

, and

MPC Touch

.

MPC X

Top Panel 11 13 14 32 33 28 29 30 31 16 17 18 19 20 9 1 55 47 48 55 44 44 21 23 24 25 26 27 10 8 43 42 45 51 52 50 53 54 46 45 49 6 12 3 5 4 22 15 7 2 39 41 40 37 38 36 34 35 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. See the later

Touchscreen

section to learn how to use some basic functions.

Tip

: If you adjust the angle of the touchscreen, use the stand on its back panel to secure it in place. 2.

Cursors

: Press these buttons to navigate through the fields of menus and options shown on the screen. Press and hold

Shift

and press these buttons to zoom in or out of the Grid View or Audio Edit Mode. Press and hold

Shift

and press the

up

and

down cursors

simultaneously or the

left

and

right cursors

simultaneously to return to the default zoom setting. 9

3.

Data Dial

: Use this dial to scroll through the available menu options or adjust the parameter values of the selected field on the screen. 4.

–

/

+

: Press these buttons to increase or decrease the value of the selected field on the screen. 5.

Numeric Keypad

: If the selected field on the screen is a number, press these numbered buttons as you would on a standard numeric keypad to enter a value. Press the keypad’s

Enter

to enter it. (A numeric keypad with additional operations will appear on the screen, as well.) 6.

Undo

/

Redo

: Press this button to undo your last action. Press and hold

Shift

and press this button to redo the last action you undid. 7.

Shift

: Press and hold this button to access some buttons’ secondary functions (indicated by

red

writing). Double-press this button to see which buttons have secondary functions—the buttons will flash for a few seconds. 8.

F-Key

: Press this button to activate or deactivate the F-Key feature. When active, the six buttons under the touchscreen correspond to the options shown at the bottom edge of the screen. The F-Key button and those six buttons will be lit

red

when active. When inactive, the six buttons under the touchscreen will access their normal modes instead (

Menu

,

Browser

,

Step Seq

,

Sampler

,

XYFX

, and

Looper

).

Pad & Q-Link Controls

9.

Q-Link Knobs

: Turn these touch-sensitive knobs to adjust various parameters and settings. The display strip above each knob indicates the parameter it is controlling. If the display strip shows a meter to indicate its value, you can touch or turn its Q-Link knob to temporarily show its precise numerical value. 10.

Pads

: Press these pads to trigger drum hits or other samples in your software. 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). You can also customize their colors. 11.

Pad Bank

: Press these buttons to access Pad Banks A–D. Press and hold

Shift

while pressing these buttons to access Pad Banks E–H. Alternatively, double-press one of these buttons. 12.

Copy

/

Delete

: Press this button to copy one pad to another. 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” pad. You can select multiple destination pads, and you can select pads in different pad banks. Tap

Do It

to continue or

Close

to return to the previous screen.

Tip

:

To quickly copy a pad

, press and hold

Copy

, press the source pad, press the destination pad, and then release

Copy

. Press and hold

Shift

and press this button to delete a pad’s sample assignment. When the

Delete Pad

window is shown, press any pad/pads whose sample assignments you want to clear. Tap

Delete

to continue or

Cancel

to return to the previous screen. 13.

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

). 14.

16 Level

: 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. In the screen that appears, use the

Type

selector to choose the parameter:

Velocity

,

Tune

,

Filter

,

Layer

,

Attack

, or

Decay

. See

Operation

>


>

16 Level

to learn more. 15.

Note Repeat

/

Latch

: Press and hold this button, and then press a pad to trigger that pad’s sample repeatedly. The rate is based on the current tempo and Time Correct settings. Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to “latch” the Note Repeat feature. When latched, you do not have to hold the Note Repeat button for it to be activated. Press

Note Repeat

once more to unlatch it. 10

16.

Project

: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters related to the current project. Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to enter the Project Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Q-Link Edit Mode

>

Project

to learn about this.

17.

Program

: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters of the currently selected program or audio track. Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to enter the Program Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See

Operation

>

Modes

>


>

Program


18.

Pad Scene

: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters that you have assigned for the currently selected pad. Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to enter the Pad Scene Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See

Operation

>

Modes

>


>

Pad Scene

to learn about this. 19.

Pad Param

: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust one parameter across all 16 pads. Each Q-Link knob corresponds to the pad with the same number and position in the 4-by-4 layout. Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to enter the Pad Param Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See

Operation

>

Modes

>


>

Pad Parameter


20.

Screen Control

/

Edit

: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters in the currently selected

mode as shown on the screen. See

Operation

>

Modes

>


>

Screen


Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to enter Q-Link Edit Mode where you can assign other parameters to the Q-Link knobs.

Mode & View Controls Note

: See

Operation

>

Modes

to learn about the different modes you can access with these controls. 21.

Menu

: Press this button to open the Menu. You can tap an option in the Menu to enter that mode, view, etc. 22.

Main

/

Track

: Press this button to enter Main Mode. Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to enter the Track View. 23.

Browse

/

Save

: Press this button to view the Browser. The Browser lets you navigate your computer’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 workflow. You can also preview samples before loading them. Press and hold

Shift

and press this button to save the current project (including its samples, programs, sequences, and songs). 24.

Step Seq

/

List Edit

: Press this button to view the Step Sequencer where you can create or edit sequences by using the pads as “step buttons,” simulating the experience of a traditional step-sequencer-style drum machine. Press and hold

Shift

and press this button to view your sequences using the List Edit View instead of the Grid View. 25.

Sampler

/

Looper

: Press this button to view the Sampler where you can record audio samples to use in your projects. Press and hold

Shift

and press this button to view the Looper where you can 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. 26.

XYFX

: 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. As you move touch or move your finger on the screen, 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. 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 Program Edit Mode, which contains all parameters for editing your programs. 29.

Sample Edit

: Press this button to view Sample Edit Mode where you can edit your samples using various functions and processes. 30.

Pad Mixer

: Press this button to view the Pad Mixer where you can set a program’s levels, stereo panning, routing, and effects. 31.

Ch. Mixer

: Press this button to view the Channel Mixer where you can set levels, stereo panning, and other settings for your tracks, programs, returns, submixes (in Controller Mode), and masters. 11

32.

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 program or set mute groups for each pad within a program. 33.

Next Seq

/

Song

: Press this button to view Next Sequence Mode where you can trigger different sequences simply by playing the pads. This is useful for live performances, letting you change a song’s structure in real time. Press and hold

Shift

and press this button to view Song Mode where you can 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.

Transport & Recording Controls

34.

Play

: Press this button to play the sequence from the audio pointer’s current position. 35.

Play Start

: Press this button to play the sequence from its start point. 36.

Stop

: Press this button to stop playback. You can double-press this button to silence audio that is still sounding once a note stops playing. Quickly pressing this button three times will act as a “MIDI panic” and shut off all voices and stop all audio processing. 37.

Rec

: Press this button to record-arm the sequence. Press

Play

or

Play Start

to start recording. Recording in this way (as opposed to using

Overdub

) erases the events of the current sequence. After the sequence plays through once while recording, Overdub will be enabled. 38.

Overdub

: Press this button to enable Overdub. When enabled, you can record events in a sequence without overwriting any previously recorded events. You can enable Overdub before or during recording. 39.

<

/

>

(

Event |<

/

>|

): Use these buttons to move the audio pointer left or right, one step at a time. Press and hold

Locate

and press one of these buttons to move the audio pointer to the previous/next event in the sequence grid. 40.

<<

/

>>

(

Start

/

End

): Use these buttons to move the audio pointer left or right, one bar at a time. Press and hold

Locate

and press one of these buttons to move the audio pointer to the start or end of the sequence grid. 41.

Locate

: Press and hold this button to activate the secondary functions of the

<

/

>

and

<<

/

>>

buttons (i.e.,

Event |<

/

>|

and

Start

/

End

, respectively). 42.

Erase

: As a sequence is playing, press and hold this button and then press a pad to delete the note event for that pad at the current playback position. This is a quick way to delete note events from your sequence without having to stop playback. See

Operation

>


>

Erase

to learn more.

43.

Tap

/

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

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences

to learn how to do this). Press and hold

Shift

and press this button to set whether the currently selected sequence follows its own tempo (the button will be lit

red

) or a master tempo (the button will be lit

amber

). 12

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. Be careful when setting this knob at higher levels, which can cause the signal to distort. 45.

Rear

/

Front

: Use each switch to set whether the

Gain 1

/

2

knob above it will control the gain of the input signal on the rear panel (

Input 1

/

2

) or on the front panel (

Inst 1

/

2

). 46.

Phantom Power

(

+48V

): This switch activates and deactivates phantom power for

Input 1

/

2

. When activated, +48V of phantom power will be supplied to both inputs. Note that most dynamic microphones do

not

require phantom power, while most condenser microphones

do

. Refer to your microphone’s documentation to check if it needs phantom power. 47.

3

/

4 Rec Gain

: Use this knob to adjust the gain of the incoming signal from

Input 3

/

4

on the rear panel. Use the

level meter

to check the recording level. Be careful when setting this knob at higher levels, which can cause the signal to distort. 48.

Master

: Turn this knob to adjust the volume level of the

Main L

/

R outputs

. 49.

Direct

/

Main

: Turn this knob to adjust the balance between the input and output signals in the headphones.

Direct

corresponds to the input signal—all devices connected to the inputs on the front and rear panels. While recording, you can turn this knob all the way to

Direct

for zero-latency direct monitoring.

Main

corresponds to the output signal—the signal sent from the Main L/R outputs on the rear panel. When you are

not

recording, we recommend turning this knob all the way to the

Main

position to hear the full volume playback signal. 50.

Stereo

/

Mono

: Use this switch to set whether the signal in the headphones is binaural (

Stereo

) or monaural (

Mono

). When set to

Stereo

, the headphone signal will be split so that the input signal (

Direct

) is heard in the left ear while the output signal (

Main

) is heard in the right ear. When set to

Mono

, the input and output signals are blended into a single, summed mix, which is heard in both ears. 51.

Rec Arm

: Press this button to arm or disarm recording for the currently selected audio track, shown in the display strip below the

level meters

(see

Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences

to learn how to set what is shown in the level meters). 52.

Read

/

Write

: Press this button to set the automation state for the program on the current track or for the current audio track:

Off

,

Read

(green R), or

Write

(red W). The display strip below the

level meters

must show a program or audio track (see

Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences

to learn how to set what is shown in

the level meters). 53.

Mute

: Press this button to mute the program, audio track, or master output shown in the display strip below the

level meters

(see

Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences

to learn how to set what is shown in

the level meters). 54.

Solo

: Press this button to solo the currently selected program or audio track shown in the display strip below the

level meters

(see

Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences

to learn how to set what is shown in the

level meters). 55.

Level Meters

: These meters indicate the level of the audio signal shown in the display strip below them. See

Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences

to learn how to set what is shown in the level meters. 13

Touchscreen

Here is some general information about how to use the MPC X touchscreen:

x 2

Tap a button or option to select it. Use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to change its setting or value Double-tap a button to access advanced editing options. In some cases, this will show a numeric keypad that you can use to enter a value (an alternative to the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons). Tap the upper-left part of the screen to return to the previous view. Spread two fingers to zoom in (into a section of a waveform, for example). Pinch two fingers to zoom out.

The top of the screen shows the toolbar, which contains information about the current view (often the name of the current track, sequence, audio pointer position, etc.). Tap an item to select it. The bottom of the screen shows various buttons that you can use in the current view. Tap a button to press it.

To return to a previous view

, either tap outside of the window currently on the screen or tap the left arrow (  ) in the upper-left part of the screen. 14

Front Panel 1 2 3 4 5 6

1.

2.

3.

SD Card Slot

: Insert a standard SD/SDHC card into this slot to access its files directly using MPC X.

Footswitch Inputs

(

FS 1

/

2

) (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Connect optional 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS footswitches to these inputs.

Instrument Inputs

(

Inst 1

/

2

) (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (guitars, bass, etc.). To use each of these inputs, set the corresponding

Rear

/

Front

switch (below the

Gain 1

/

2

knob on the top panel) to

Front

. 4.

Mix Knob

: Turn this knob to adjust the balance between the

Main

and

3

/

4

signals in your headphones.

Main

is the signal sent from the

Main L

/

R outputs

.

3

/

4

is the signal sent from the

Outputs 3

/

4

. 5.

Headphone Outputs

(1/8” or 1/4” / 3.5 mm or 6.35 mm): Connect your headphones (not included) to either or both of these standard stereo outputs. Use the

Mix Knob

to determine what signal is heard in the headphones. Turn the

Headphone Volume

knob to set the volume level. 6.

Headphone Volume

: Turn this knob to adjust the volume of the headphone outputs. 15

Rear Panel 9 14 2 6 7 8 11 10 13 12 5 4 1 3

1.

2.

3.

4.

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.

Power Adapter Restraint

: Secure the power adapter cable to this restraint to prevent it from accidentally unplugging.

Power Switch

: Press this button to turn MPC X’s power on or off. While powered on, press and hold this button for 5 seconds to force MPC X to power off (similar to a computer).

USB-B Port

: Use the included USB cable to connect this USB 3.0 port to an available USB 3.0 port on your computer. This connection allows MPC X to send/receive MIDI and audio data to/from the MPC software on your computer. It also allows any connected USB drives, SD cards, and drives connected to the internal SATA port to mount on your computer if MPC X is in Controller Mode (i.e., your computer can access these storage devices that are connected to your MPC X). 5.

6.

USB-A Ports

: Connect USB flash drives to these USB ports to access their files directly using MPC X. MPC X supports read and write capability for exFAT, FAT32, NTFS, and EXT4 file systems as well as read-only capability for HFS+ file systems. (We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and macOS.) These USB ports supply power to connected USB devices and can also be used to receive MIDI messages from external USB MIDI devices.

Inputs 1

/

2

(XLR or 1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard XLR or 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (microphone, mixer, synthesizer, etc.). To use each of these inputs, set the corresponding

Rear

/

Front

switch (below the

Gain 1

/

2

knob on the top panel) to

Rear

. Turn the

Gain 1

/

2

knobs to set the input level of each one.

Note:

When using the XLR connection, the mic pre-amp is automatically engaged. When using a 1/4" (6.35 mm) TRS cable, the mic pre-amp is bypassed. 7.

Inputs 3

/

4

(1/4” / 6.35 mm or RCA): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables or stereo RCA cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (mixer, turntable, synthesizer, etc.). To use the 1/4” (6.35 mm) inputs, set the

Phono

/

Line

switch to

Line

. To use the RCA inputs, set the

Phono

/

Line

switch to

Phono

. Turn the

3

/

4 Rec Gain

knob to set their input levels. 8.

Phono

/

Line Switch

: Set this switch to the appropriate position, depending on which

Input 3

/

4

connectors you want to use. If you are using the 1/4” (6.35 mm) inputs, set this switch to

Line

. If you are using the RCA inputs, set this switch to

Phono

to provide the additional amplification needed for phono-level signals. 9.

Grounding Terminal

: If you are sending a phono-level turntable signal to the

Input 3

/

4

RCA connectors and are hearing a low hum or buzz, it could mean that the turntable is not grounded. If the turntable has a grounding wire, connect it to this terminal.

Note

: Some turntables have a grounding wire built into the RCA connection and, therefore, nothing needs to be connected to the grounding terminal. 10.

Main L

/

R Outputs

(1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these outputs to your speaker system. The signal sent out of these outputs is the master mix. Turn the

Master

knob to set their volume.

Tip

: To route a program to these outputs, set its routing to

Out 1,2

in the

Channel Mixer

when the

Mixer

field is set to

Programs

. See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Channel Mixer

to learn more about this. 11.

Outputs 3

/

4, 5

/

6, 7

/

8

(1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these outputs to an external mixer. The signal sent from these outputs is full-volume (

0 dB

).

Tip


Out 1,2

,

Out 5,6

, or

Out 7,8

(respectively) in the

Channel Mixer

when the

Mixer

field is set to

Programs

. See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Channel Mixer


MIDI In

: Use standard 5-pin MIDI cables to connect these inputs to the MIDI outputs of optional external MIDI devices. 13.

MIDI Out

: Use standard 5-pin MIDI cables to connect these outputs to the MIDI inputs of optional external MIDI devices. 14.

CV

/

Gate Out

: Use standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) TS cables to connect these outputs to optional external sequencers. MPC X will send control voltage (CV) and/or Gate data over this connection. 16

MPC Live

Top Panel 6 7 6 8 6 9 6 10 4 3 3 5 1 3 11 12 3 13 14 15 16 2 22 20 21 19 17 18 16

1.

3.

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. See the later

Touchscreen

section to learn how to use some basic functions. 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. Pressing the dial also functions as an

Enter

button.

Q-Link Knobs

: Use these touch-sensitive knobs to adjust various parameters and settings. The knobs can control one group of parameters at a time. The lights below the Q-Link button indicate the currently selected column of Q Link knobs. Press the

Q-Link

button to change which parameter or group of parameters they currently control. 4.

Q-Link Button

: Press this button to change which parameter or group of parameters the

Q-Link knobs

currently control (indicated by the lights above the Q-Link knobs). Each press will select the next column of Q-Link knobs. Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to select the previous column of Q-Link knobs instead. Press and hold this button to show the

QLink

window over the touchscreen’s current contents. These are the same parameters and settings as what is shown in Q-Link Edit Mode. You can tap

Q-Link Edit

at the bottom of the

window to enter Q-Link Edit Mode immediately (see

Operation

>

Modes

>


to learn about this). 5.

Pads

: Press these pads to trigger drum hits or other samples in your software. 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). You can also customize their colors. 6.

Pad Bank

: Press any of these buttons to access Pad Banks A–D. Press and hold

Shift

while pressing any of these buttons to access Pad Banks E–H. Alternatively, double-press one of these buttons. 7.

Note Repeat

/

Latch


Shift


Note Repeat


8.

Full Level

/

Half Level


127


Shift


64

). 9.

16 Level


Type


Velocity

,

Tune

,

Filter

,

Layer

,

Attack

, or

Decay

. See

Operation

>


>

16 Level

to learn more. 10.

Erase


Operation

>


>

Erase

to learn more.

11.

Shift


gray


Menu

/

Browse

: Press this button to open the Menu. You can tap an option in the Menu 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 programs, samples, sequences, etc. 13.

Main

/

Track


Shift


Undo

/

Redo


Shift


Copy

/

Delete


From Pad


To Pad


Do It

to continue or

Close


Tip

:


, press and hold

Copy


Copy

. Press and hold

Shift


Delete Pad


Delete

to continue or

Cancel


–

/

+

: Press these buttons to increase or decrease the value of the selected field on the screen. 17.

Play


Play Start


Stop


Rec


Play

or

Play Start


Overdub


Overdub


Tap

/

Master


Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences


Shift


red


amber

). 18

Touchscreen

Here is some general information about how to use the MPC Live touchscreen:

x 2


data dial

or

–

/

+


data dial

or

–

/

+


The top of the screen shows the toolbar, which contains information about the current view (often the name of the current track, sequence, audio playhead position, etc.). Tap an item to select it. The bottom of the screen shows various buttons that you can use in the current view. Tap a button to press it.


, either tap outside of the window currently on the screen or tap the left arrow (  ) in the upper-left part of the screen. 19

Rear Panel 17 12 6 3 8 14 13 13 13 7 11 10 9 16 15 5 4 1 2

1.

2.

3.

Power Input

: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC Live to a power outlet.

Power Switch

: Turns MPC Live’s power on/off.

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). When the battery is fully charged or when it is disconnected from a power outlet, then this light will turn off. 4.

USB-B Port

: Use the included USB cable to connect this USB 3.0 port to an available USB 3.0 port on your computer. This connection allows MPC Live to send/receive MIDI and audio data to/from the MPC software on your computer. It also allows any connected USB drives, SD cards, and drives connected to the internal SATA port to mount on your computer if MPC Live is in Controller Mode (i.e., your computer can access these storage devices that are connected to your MPC Live). 5.

USB-A Ports

: Connect USB flash drives to these USB ports to access their files directly using MPC Live. MPC Live supports read and write capability for exFAT, FAT32, NTFS, and EXT4 file systems as well as read-only capability for HFS+ file systems. (We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and macOS.) These USB ports supply power to connected USB devices and can also be used to receive MIDI messages from external USB MIDI devices. 6.

7.

SD Card Slot

: Insert a standard SD/SDHC card into this slot to access its files directly using MPC Live.

Rec Vol

: Turn this knob to adjust the gain of the incoming signal from the 1/4” (6.35 mm) and RCA

inputs

. Be careful when setting this knob at higher levels, which can cause the signal to distort. 8.

9.

Master Vol

: Turn this knob to adjust the volume of

Output 1

/

2

and the

phones output

.

Inputs

(1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (microphone, mixer, synthesizer, etc.). To use these inputs, set the

Line

/

Phono switch

to

Line

. Turn the

Rec Vol


Inputs

(RCA): Use a standard RCA stereo cable to connect these inputs to a phono-level audio source like a turntable. To use these inputs, set the

Line

/

Phono switch

to

Phono

. Turn the

Rec Vol


Line

/

Phono Switch

: Set this switch to the appropriate position, depending on which inputs you want to use. If you are using the RCA inputs, set this switch to

Phono

to provide the additional amplification needed for phono level signals. If you are using the 1/4” (6.35 mm) inputs, such as a keyboard or a sampler, set this switch to

Line

. 12.

Grounding Terminal

: If using phono-level turntables with a grounding wire, connect the grounding wire to these terminals. If you experience a low “hum” or “buzz”, this could mean that your turntables are not grounded.

Note

: Some turntables have a grounding wire built into the RCA connection and, therefore, nothing needs to be connected to the grounding terminal. 13.

Outputs

(1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these outputs to your speaker system, external mixer, etc. The signal sent out of the

Master L

/

R

outputs is the master mix. Turn the

Master Vol

knob to set their volume. The signals sent from Outputs 3–6 are full-volume (

0 dB

).

Tip


Out 1,2

,

Out 3,4

, or

Out 5,6

(respectively) in the

Channel Mixer

when the

Mixer

field is set to

Programs

. See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Channel Mixer


Phones

(1/8” / 3.5 mm): Connect standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphones to this output. Turn the

Master Vol


MIDI In

: Use standard 5-pin MIDI cables to connect these inputs to the MIDI outputs of optional external MIDI devices. 16.

MIDI Out

: Use standard 5-pin MIDI cables to connect these outputs to the MIDI inputs of optional external MIDI devices. 17.

Kensington

®

Lock Slot

: You can use this slot to secure your MPC Live to a table or other surface. 20

MPC Touch

Top Panel 7 8 9 7 10 7 11 7 5 4 1 4 2 6 4 12 13 14 15 16 17 4 3 23 21 22 20 18 19 17

1.

Touchscreen

: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC Touch’s current operation. Touch the touchscreen (and use the hardware controls) to control the MPC interface. See the later

Touchscreen

section to learn how to use some basic functions. 2.

Display Brightness +

/

–

: Use these buttons to increase/decrease the brightness of the touchscreen. 3.

Data Dial

: Use this dial to scroll through the available menu options or adjust the parameter values of the selected field in the screen. 4.

Q-Link Knobs

: Use these touch-sensitive knobs to adjust various parameters and settings. The knobs can control one group of parameters at a time. The lights below the Q-Link button indicate the currently selected column of Q Link knobs. Press the

Q-Link

button to change which parameter or group of parameters they currently control. 5.

Q-Link Button

: Press this button to change which parameter or group of parameters the

Q-Link knobs

currently control (indicated by the lights above the Q-Link knobs). Each press will select the next column of Q-Link knobs. 7.

Press and hold

Shift

and then press this button to select the previous column of Q-Link knobs instead. Press and hold this button to show the

QLink

window over the touchscreen’s current contents. These are the same parameters and settings as what is shown in Q-Link Edit Mode. You can tap

Q-Link Edit

at the bottom of the

window to enter Q-Link Edit Mode immediately (see

Operation

>

Modes

>


to learn about this). 6.

Pads

: Press these pads to trigger drum hits or other samples in your software. 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). You can also customize their colors.

Pad Bank

: Press any of these buttons to access Pad Banks A–D. Press and hold

Shift

while pressing any of these buttons to access Pad Banks E–H. Alternatively, double-press one of these buttons. 8.

Note Repeat

/

Latch


Shift


Note Repeat


9.

Full Level

/

Half Level


127


Shift


64

). 10.

16 Level


Type


Velocity

,

Tune

,

Filter

,

Layer

,

Attack

, or

Decay

. See

Operation

>


>

16 Level

to learn more. 11.

Erase


Operation

>


>

Erase

to learn more.

12.

Shift


gray


Menu

/

Browse

: Press this button to open the Menu. You can tap an option in the Menu 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 programs, samples, sequences, etc. 14.

Main

/

Track


Shift


Undo

/

Redo


Shift


Copy

/

Delete


From Pad


To Pad


Do It

to continue or

Close


Tip

:


, press and hold

Copy


Copy

. Press and hold

Shift


Delete Pad


Delete

to continue or

Cancel


–

/

+

: Press these buttons to increase or decrease the value of the selected field in the screen. 18.

Play


Play Start


Stop


Rec


Play

or

Play Start


Overdub


Overdub


Tap

/

Master


Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences


Shift


red


amber

). 22

Touchscreen

Here is some general information about how to use the MPC Touch touchscreen:

x 2


data dial

or

–

/

+


data dial

or

–

/

+


The top of the screen shows the toolbar, which contains information about the current view (often the name of the current track, sequence, audio playhead position, etc.). Tap an item to select it. The bottom of the screen shows various buttons that you can use in the current view. Tap a button to press it.


, either tap outside of the window currently in the screen or tap the left arrow (  ) in the upper-left part of the screen. 23

Rear Panel 2 1 3 4 6 7 8 5 9 10 11

1.

Power Input

: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC Touch to a power outlet. Alternatively, you can power MPC Touch via the USB port only, but the touchscreen will be disabled. 2.

3.

Power Switch USB Port

: Turns MPC Touch’s power on/off. : Use the included USB cable to connect this high-retention-force USB port to an available USB port on your computer. This connection allows MPC Touch to send/receive MIDI and audio data to/from the MPC software. 5.

6.

You can power MPC Touch via the USB port only, but the touchscreen will be disabled. 4.

Rec Vol

: Turn this knob to adjust the gain of the incoming signal from the

inputs

. Be careful when setting this knob at higher levels, which can cause the signal to distort.

Master Vol Inputs

: Turn this knob to adjust the volume of the

outputs

and

phones output

. (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (microphone, mixer, synthesizer, etc.). Turn the

Rec Vol


Outputs

(1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these outputs to your speaker system, external mixer, etc. The signal sent out of these outputs is the master mix. Turn the

Master Vol

knob to set the volume level.

Tip


Out 1,2

in the

Channel Mixer

when the

Mixer

field is set to

Programs

. See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Channel Mixer


Phones

(1/8” / 3.5 mm): Connect standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphones to this output. Turn the

Master Vol


MIDI Out

(1/8” / 3.5 mm): Use the included 1/8”-to-5-pin adapter and a five-pin MIDI cable to connect this output to the MIDI input of an optional external MIDI device.

Important

: Do

not

connect audio devices (e.g., headphones, monitors, etc.) to the

MIDI Out

. Use the included 1/8”-to-5-pin adapters to connect MIDI devices only. 10.

MIDI In

(1/8” / 3.5 mm): Use the included 1/8”-to-5-pin adapter and a five-pin MIDI cable to connect this input to the MIDI output of an optional external MIDI device.

Important

: Do

not

connect audio devices (e.g., headphones, monitors, etc.) to the

MIDI In

. Use the included 1/8”-to-5-pin adapters to connect MIDI devices only. 11.

Kensington

®

Lock Slot

: You can use this slot to secure your MPC Touch to a table or other surface. 24

Basic Concepts

This chapter should help explain some fundamental aspects of the MPC universe. The MPC workflow is quite different from traditional digital audio workstations (DAWs). In most typical DAWs, each track uses an instance of each instrument, and all tracks are always playing even if they don’t contain any audio or MIDI information. Furthermore, your entire project needs to be arranged just as the resulting song would be. This isn’t the case with MPC, which offers much more flexibility within your project. It’s important to understand some basic terms, though: A

sequence

is a “building block” of a song. It contains multiple tracks that play at the same time like a normal DAW. In a project, you might create one sequence for your verse and another sequence for your chorus, alternating and/or repeating each one in a specific order to create the song. (A project can contain

128 sequences

.) A

track

is a layer in a sequence. There are two types of tracks:

MIDI tracks

consist of MIDI data only, no audio data. These tracks produce sound by using

programs

, described below. Unlike a normal DAW, each MIDI track exists only in its sequence. The advantage of this is not having to manage empty or unwanted tracks across all of your sequences—each sequence contains only the tracks you want to use in it. If you want to use the same track across multiple sequences, you can copy the track from one sequence into another. (A sequence can contain

128 MIDI tracks

.)

Audio tracks

consist of a recorded audio signal, like a traditional DAW. These tracks do

not

use programs because the audio is already contained in the track. Also, unlike MIDI tracks, audio tracks are present in every sequence in the project, even if the tracks themselves are empty. (A sequence on your MPC hardware can contain

8 audio tracks

. A sequence in the MPC software can contain

128 audio tracks

.) A

program

is a preset through which MIDI tracks are routed. Programs may contain audio samples that are triggered when tracks play through them, producing the sound you want on that track. Programs are independent of tracks and sequences, so you can set multiple tracks to use the same program (unlike normal DAWs where each track requires its own set of samples). Furthermore, you can use the same program/programs across multiple sequences. (A project can contain

128 programs

.) Each program can be played using the

16 pads

(across eight pad banks, which gives you access to

128 pads in each program

). Each pad plays a MIDI note when you press it, but that MIDI note will trigger something different for each program. For instance, in drum programs, the pads are assigned to samples—one pad could trigger a kick drum sound and another could trigger a snare drum sound—whereas in keygroup programs, each pad triggers a MIDI note that plays the corresponding pitch of the sample assigned to its keygroup. Here’s a diagram to illustrate an example of how these pieces could work together:

Sequence Drum Program

(Drums)

Track

(MIDI: Drums)

Track

(MIDI: Bass)

Keygroup Program

(Bass)

Track

(MIDI: Keys 1)


(Keys)

Track

(MIDI: Keys 2)

Track

(MIDI: Synth)


(Synth Lead)

Track

(Audio: Vocals)

Track

(Audio: Vocals)

Track

(Audio: Guitar) Mixing

Please take a look at the following

Tutorial

chapter, as well. It will walk you through the creation of a short song to show you some of your MPC hardware’s most important features. 25

Tutorial

This chapter should familiarize you with some basic MPC features. We’ll create a short song to illustrate some of the most important features. To get the most out of this chapter, we recommend reproducing each of the described steps.

Starting Up

Make sure you have completed all of the steps described in

Introduction

>

Setup

. This includes:

• • Installing the most current drivers and software. Connecting your MPC hardware to a power source using the included power adapter (if required) and powering it on. • Opening and authorizing your MPC software (if you are using your MPC hardware as a controller).

Creating a Drum Kit

Let’s start by making a simple drum kit. Press

Browse

(MPC X) or

Shift

+

Menu

/

Browse

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to show the Browser. Then, use the touchscreen to navigate to where your drum sounds are located:

To browse your files by location

, tap

Places

on the left side of the screen.

Internal

is the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live.

MPC Documents

is a shortcut to the

MPC Documents

folder on the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live. If you have storage devices connected to USB ports or SD card slot of MPC X, MPC Live, or your computer (with MPC Touch), they will appear in this column, as well.

Important

: MPC X and MPC Live support read and write capability for

exFAT

,

FAT32

,

NTFS

, and

EXT4

file systems as well as read-only capability for

HFS+

file systems. (We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and macOS.)

To browse your files by type

, tap

Content

and then tap the type of file:

Drums

,

Instruments

,

Clips

,

Samples

,

Demos

, or

My Files

.

To browse your MPC Expansions

(MPC X or MPC Live only), tap

Expansions

(see

Addenda

>

Updates for MPC 2.1

>

New Features

>

Exporting Expansions

to learn how to export MPC Expansions from your computer

to your MPC X or MPC Live).

To move up one folder level

, tap the

folder

/ 

icon

in the upper-left corner.

To move through a list

, swipe up or down, turn the

data dial

or use the

–

/

+

buttons.

To select a file or folder

, tap it once.

To enter a folder

, double-tap it or tap

Open

in the lower-right corner. Alternatively, press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to enter a selected folder. 26

To load a selected file

, double-tap it, tap

Load

, or press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). If the file is a sample, it will be loaded to the project’s sample pool. If the file is a project, it will be loaded in its entirety (you will be asked if you want to close your current project).

To load all files in a folder

, select the folder (so it is highlighted in the list), press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Load All

in the lower-right corner.

Important

: Although you can load multiple files at once, any samples you load into a project will be automatically converted to full-quality uncompressed audio files, so they may use more storage space than they do on your external storage device. If you are unable to load multiple files at once due to this, select fewer files and try again.

To delete a selected file or folder

, press and hold

Shift

and then tap

Delete File

at the bottom of the screen.

To preview a selected sound

, tap and hold

Play

(  ) at the bottom of the screen.

To enable or disable the audition function and set its volume level

, tap

Audition

at the bottom of the screen. In the screen that appears, tap

Auto

to enable or disable it, and tap and drag the

level slider

up or down to set the volume level. Tap

Audition

once more to hide the window.

To show the information for the current drive

(MPC X, MPC Live), press and hold

Shift

and then tap

Drive Info

at the bottom of the screen. The drive’s information will appear in a new window. Tap

OK

to return to the previous screen. After loading samples for a drum kit into the sample pool, use the

Sample Assign

tab to assign a kick drum sound to a pad: 1.

Tap

Sample Assign

at the bottom of the screen. This lets you view the pads and project’s sample pool. 2.

Press

Pad 1

or tap pad will be lit green.

Pad 1

on the screen to select it. The 3.

Swipe the

Sample Pool

list up or down or use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to move through it. 4.

To load a sample to the selected pad

(

Pad 1

, in this case) tap it in the

Sample Pool

list, or press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). Now, you can press

Pad 1

to play the kick drum sample.

To create a simple drum kit

, repeat the above steps for other pads. We recommend loading a snare drum, a closed hi-hat, and an open hi-hat. 27

Creating a Drum Sequence

Now that your drum kit is set up, let’s record a drum sequence. 1.

Press

Menu

to enter the Menu, and then tap

Grid View

. 2.

Press

Tap

repeatedly at the speed you want to record your sequence. Your MPC hardware will detect the rate and adjust itself automatically. 3.

4.

Press the

Rec

button to record-arm the sequence. Press the

Play

button to start the actual recording. You will hear the count-in for one measure before the recording starts. We recommend recording only one sound (pad) at a time, especially if you’re not familiar with playing drums on the pads. 5.

Play a simple kick drum pattern. The note events you just recorded will automatically be placed in the grid (in this case, on 16th notes). The initial measure length is two bars. After the two bars, the recording will automatically activate Overdub; the sequence will play again from the beginning and keeps looping, allowing you to record further notes. Don’t stop the recording! 6.

Play the snare drum part, then a hi-hat part. 7.

When you’re done recording, press the

Stop

button. If you start recording again on this sequence, keep in mind that the pads you play in your new recording will replace existing notes played with the same pads. To prevent this, press the

Overdub

button before recording instead of the Rec button. Overdub lets you record additional note events over the existing sequence. The

Undo

button functions differently while recording. Normally, pressing

Undo

will undo just the last event. When there is an event to undo, the

Undo

button will be lit solid. While recording, the

Undo

button will flash. In this case, pressing

Undo

will erase

all

events from that recording (i.e., since

Play

or

Play Start

was pressed). 28

Saving & Renaming

We recommend doing some renaming of your programs and samples before going further. The collection of drum samples you loaded earlier (and their respective pad assignments) are arranged into a program. When you load this program in the future, you will be able to use all of the samples that belong to it. Let’s rename the existing program as we’ll want to create more programs later on.

To rename a program

: 1.

Press

Main

to enter Main Mode. 2.

3.

In the

Program

section in the lower part of the screen, tap the

cursor icon

Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name (e.g.,

Drums

on the right edge. ), and then tap

Do It

.

To rename your samples

: 1.

Press

Menu

to enter the Menu, and then tap

Sample Edit

to enter Sample Edit Mode. 2.

The

Sample

field at the top of the screen will show the name of a sample. Select a sample in one of the following ways: 3.

4.

• • When the

Sample

Double-tap the field is selected, use the

Sample data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to change it. field and tap one in the list that appears. Tap the

keyboard icon

next to it to rename the current sample. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name (e.g.,

Kick

,

Snare

, etc.), and then tap

Do It

. Repeat Steps 2–4 to rename other samples. 29

Now would be a good time to save your project.

To save your project

, press

Menu

to show the Menu, and tap the

disk icon

at the top of the screen to open the

Save

window. Alternatively, press

Shift

+

Browse

/

Save

(MPC X). In the Save window, do any of the following:

To select the storage device you want to view

, tap it in the

Storage

column on the left.

Internal


MPC Documents


MPC Documents



, double-tap it. Alternatively, turn the

data dial

or use the

–

/

+

buttons to move through the list, and press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to enter a folder. You can also tap one of the five

folder buttons

in the upper-right to jump immediately to those pre-assigned file

paths (see

Operation

>

Modes

>

Browser

to learn how to do this).

To create a new folder

, tap

New Folder

, use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a name, and then tap

Do It

. You will immediately enter the new folder.


, tap the

folder

/ 

icon


To name the file

, tap the

File Name

field at the bottom of the screen, and use the virtual keyboard that appears.

To save the file

, tap

Save

.

To cancel and return to the Menu

, tap

Cancel

. Alternatively, tap the 

icon

in the upper-left corner. 30

Editing Note Events

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:

To zoom in or out

, tap the

magnifying-glass icon

in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, spread two fingers apart or pinch two fingers together. You can do this for each axis, horizontal or vertical.

To automatically set the grid to view one pad bank and two bars

, tap the

grid-and-magnifying-glass icon

in the lower-left corner.

To undo your last action

, press

Undo

.

To redo the last action you undid

, press

Shift

+

Undo

/

Redo

.

To enter a note

, tap the

pencil icon

in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, tap a square.

To delete a note

, tap the

eraser icon

in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, tap a note.

To select a single note

, tap the

select box

in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, tap the note.

To select all notes for a pad

, press the desired

pad

.

To move the selected notes

, tap

Nudge

at the bottom of the screen, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to shift the notes left or right. By default, you can position notes only by quantization values defined by the

Time Correct

value (learn about this feature in

Operation

>


>

Timing Correct

(

TC

)

).

To move the selected notes without restricting

(“snapping”)

them to the quantization grid

, tap and hold

Don’t Snap

in the lower-left corner of the screen, and then use the

data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons to shift the notes. In this case, each nudge is equivalent to four ticks.

To adjust the start point or end point of the selected notes

(without changing their position), tap

Edit Start

or

Edit End


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons.

To transpose the selected notes up or down

, tap

Transpose


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons.

To switch to the previous or next track

, tap the

Track

field in the upper-left corner, and then use the

data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons.

To mute or solo the track

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Mute

or

Solo

(respectively) at the bottom of the screen. 31

To open the Timing Correct window

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

TC

at the bottom of the screen. See

Operation

>


>


(

TC

)


To adjust the velocity of the selected notes

, tap

Velocity


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons. The numeric value will appear on the screen.

To show or hide the velocity lane

the bar is, the higher the velocity is. , tap the

up arrow

( ∧ ) button in the lower-right corner of the screen to show the velocity lane below the grid. Each note’s velocity is represented by a vertical bar. The higher and more red Tap the

up arrow

( ∧ ) button once more to show a taller version of the velocity lane after which it will turn into a

down arrow

( ∨ ) button, which you can then tap to hide the velocity lane. 32

Making Basic Sound Edits

Let’s make sure the samples are properly tuned and have good levels. Press

Menu

, and then tap

Program Edit

to enter Program Edit Mode. Alternatively, press

Prog Edit

(MPC X). Press a pad to show its parameters on the screen.

To adjust its volume

, tap and drag the

Volume

knob up or down. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.

To make finer adjustments

, double-tap the knob and adjust the larger version that appears. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen.

To adjust its stereo panning

, tap and drag the

Pan

knob up or down. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


, double-tap the knob and adjust the larger version that appears. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen. Adjust the level of each pad to suit your taste. We recommend spreading the panning of the bright sounds (e.g., cymbals, snare drum) a little. Additionally, you can tune the kick drum sound—tap the

Samples

tab so the first square under it is lit, and then adjust the

Semi

and

Fine

knobs next to the sample name. 33

The snare drum may need some reverb to give it a more spatial sound. Tap

Effects

at bottom of the screen to view the

Insert Effects

tab. Press the

pad

with your snare drum sound to select it.

To add an effect

: 1.

Double-tap the desired slot. A list of effects will appear. 2.

3.

Swipe up or down to move through the list.

To load an effect Reverb Medium

. , double-tap it. Alternatively, tap it once and then tap

Select

or push the

data dial

. Let’s try 4.

To close the list

, tap

Close

.

To adjust the effect’s parameters

, tap the

pencil icon

.

To empty the effect slot

, tap the

trash can icon

. Switch the effect on or off by tapping the

On

/

Off

button for the slot. 34

Creating a Bass Track

Let’s try recording a bass line. Unlike a drum kit, it’s important to be able to play and record a bass sound chromatically, so this will be slightly different than setting up the drum kit. Adding a bass line over the drum part means we need to work on a new track. A

track

is simply a layer of a sequence. Each track uses a program within your project. You can work with multiple tracks in a single sequence (e.g., a drum track, a bass track, a piano track, etc.). When you play the sequence, all of them will play simultaneously. First, let’s make an empty track.

To select a new track

: 1.

2.

Press

Main

to go back to Main Mode. Double-tap the that appears.

Track

field in the center-left part of the screen, and then tap

Track 2

(

unused

) in the list of tracks Alternatively, tap the

Track +

button at the bottom of the screen until (

unused

) appears in the

Track

field. Let’s create a new program for this track to use.

To create a new program

: 1.

In the

Track

section in the middle of the screen, tap the

piano-keys icon

. This icon indicates a keygroup program, which is necessary to play the bass sound chromatically with the pads. A name for the new keygroup program will appear in the

Program

field in the lower part of the screen. 2.

3.

In the

Program

section in the lower part of the screen, tap the

cursor icon

Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap on the right edge.

Do It

. 35

To load and edit a bass sound

: 1.

Press

Browse

(MPC X) or

Shift

+

Menu

/

Browse

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to show the Browser. Then, use the touchscreen to navigate to where your bass sounds are located, and load one to the project’s sample pool. (You

can look at

this earlier section

if you forgot how to do this!) 2.

After loading a bass sample to the sample pool, drum program; keygroup programs are different.

don’t

use the Sample Assign tab like you did when creating a 4.

Instead, press

Menu

, and then tap

Program Edit


Prog Edit

(MPC X). 3.

In Program Edit Mode, tap the

Samples

tab at the bottom of the screen to show the four layers of samples in the program. Double-tap the first

Layer

field and then tap your bass sample in the list on the left. Because you’re working with a keygroup program instead of a drum program, this sample is now playable across

all

pads.

Tip

: On your MPC hardware, press the

Pad Bank D

button to switch to Pad Bank D and press

Pad 13

. You should hear the bass sample played back with its original pitch. You can use the other pads to play your sample chromatically. Let’s add a second layer and set the layers’ velocity ranges so the bass will sound different when played at a higher velocity (as a real bass would): 1.

Press

Browse

(MPC X) or

Shift

+

Menu

/

Browse

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to show the Browser, select a different bass sample that sounds similar but a little bit brighter, and load it to the project’s sample pool. 2.

Return to Program Edit Mode, and in the

Layer

tab, double-tap the second

Layer

field, and select the new bass sample. Press a

pad

to hear both samples will sound at once. Maybe this new sound is interesting as it is, but let’s make some quick edits to get as close as we can to a real-life bass sound. 3.

4.

Tap the Tap

Pan Velocity Layer 1

’s

Vel End

tab to show its parameters. knob and turn the

data dial

to set it to

80

. Do the same to set

Layer 2

’s

Vel Start

slider to

81

. Now when you press a pad, the lower velocities (0–80) will trigger the Layer 1 sample only, while higher velocities (81–127) will trigger the Layer 2 sample only. 36

Let’s record that bass line now. Prepare your recording as described earlier, and record some bass notes. You can edit your recording just like we’ve done earlier. Once you’ve recorded it, let’s tweak the sound a bit in the

Filter

section: 1.

In Program Edit Mode, tap the

Filter

/

Env

tab to show its parameters. 2.

3.

Double-tap the Tap the

Cutoff Type

or

Reso

sounds good to you. drop-down menu, and select a filter. Let’s try working with (resonance) knob, and turn the

data dial Lowpass 4 Pole

. to adjust their settings until your bass sample 4.

In the

Amp Envelope

section, tap the

Attack

or

Release

These control the overall level characteristics of the sound. knob, and turn the

data dial

to adjust their settings. Do you want to add an effect? Do this in the

Effects

tab: 1.

Tap the

Effects

tab to show the insert effects. 2.

3.

Double-tap one of the

Inserts

slots to show a list of available effects. Double-tap the effect you want to add to your bass line, or click

Close

to cancel.

To adjust the settings of the effect

, click the

pencil icon

next to its slot to open a window that shows its parameters.

To activate or deactivate all insert effects for that program

, click the

All On

/

All Off

button in the upper-right corner. So far, we’ve created a simple drum sequence and a bass line to go with it. Repeat this process to create a second sequence. 37

Recording an Audio Track

We’ve already created some MIDI tracks, so let’s record some actual audio for our next track: 1.

Press

Main

to go back to Main Mode. 2.

3.

Tap the

Audio

tab at the bottom of the screen.

Audio 001

will appear in the If the channel strip is not already shown on the left side of the screen, tap

Input Config

screen) or the small

eye icon

(in the upper-left part of the screen) to show it.

Track

field. (in the lower part of the 4.

Connect a synthesizer or other line-level audio source to the 1/4” (6.35 mm) hardware’s rear panel, and set the

Line

/

Phono

selector to

Line

(MPC X, MPC Live).

input

/

inputs

on your MPC 5.

Double-tap the first field ( source.

Input

__) and select

Input 1

or

Input 1,2

(depending on your audio source) as the input 6.

7.

If the second field is not set to

Out 1

,

2

, double-tap it and select that option as the output. Tap the

Monitor

button to cycle through its three states until it reads

Auto

(you will hear incoming audio while the track is record-enabled only). 8.

Turn the

3

/

4 Rec Gain

(MPC X) or

Rec Vol

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) knob to set the input level while playing your audio source. You should now see the level in the meter. Make sure it does not exceed the maximum level (the meter should not be “peaking” constantly). 9.

If

Solo

and

Mute

are on, tap or press them so they are

off

. Also, tap the

automation button

so it is

off

/

gray

(not

green

/

Read

[

R

] or

red

/

Write

[

W

]). Alternatively, press

Read

/

Write

(MPC X). 10.

Tap the

Record Arm

button to record-enable the track. Alternatively, press

Rec Arm

(MPC X). 11.

Press

Rec

to record-arm the sequence. 12.

To start recording

, press

Play

or

Play Start

—then play your audio source! You should hear your existing sequence playing in the background.

To stop recording

, press

Stop

. Record another audio track for your other sequence: Select the other sequence in Main Mode, and create another audio track (

Audio 002

) to go with that sequence. 38

Creating a Song

This section explains how to make a song out of your sequences. Before starting, make sure that you have recorded

some sequences (which we described

earlier

).

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). In Song Mode, each of the sequences you’ve created in this project assigned to a pad. The sequence playlist is to the left of the pads, showing the song’s structure. As a song plays, it moves through each step of the sequence playlist. Each step contains a sequence you assigned. Each step can be repeated, determined by the value in the

Repeat

column (the

repeat icon

; a value of

1

means the sequence will play through only once). The

Bars

column on the right indicates the length of that sequence. Each step can be set to play its sequence at an independent tempo, determined by the value in the

BPM

column.

Important

: Each sequence has its own tempo, while the project itself may use a different master tempo. The BPM value for each sequence may be different from the master tempo. As long as playback is set to follow the master tempo, each sequence’s individual tempo will be ignored. By default, each project is set to use the sequence tempo, which you set

back in the

Creating a Drum Sequence

chapter. We recommend tapping the

Seq

/

Mst

button at the top of the screen (so the button displays

Mst

) and entering a master tempo to ensure all sequences use the same tempo.

To insert a step at the current position

, tap

Insert

.

To delete the currently selected step

, tap

Delete

.

To set which sequence plays for a step

, tap the step’s

Sequence

field, and then turn the

data dial

to select a sequence.

To set how many times a sequence repeats

, tap the step’s

Repeat

field (next to the sequence name), and then turn the

data dial

to select a number. 39

Exporting the Song

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 Tap the

Start Audio Tail

field is set to

1

, and set the field and turn the

data dial

As you’ll likely share the song online, tap the

End

to set it to

mp3

field to the last bar of your song.

2

seconds. file format option in the lower-left corner. 3.

Tap

Export

. Choose where you want to save the song.

To name the song

, tap the

File Name

field, and use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap

Save

to start exporting. 40

Other Features Explained

This chapter describes various advanced features. For a fuller explanation of these features, please refer to their corresponding sections in the

Operation

chapter.

Step Sequencer

You’ve already learned how to record note events on a track, but you can 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.

To enter the Step Sequencer

, press

Menu

, and then tap

Step Sequencer

. Alternatively, in some modes, you can tap the

steps icon

on the left edge of the screen. You can also press

Step Seq

(MPC X). 1.

Let’s create a sequence on a new track. Tap the

Track

field in the upper-left corner, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select an (

unused

) track. Alternatively, double-tap the

Track

field, and then tap a track to select it. 2.

Tap the

Track Length

field at the top of the screen to set a length for the track, and then use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons to select a length. If you select the minimum value,

Sequence

, the track will be however long your sequence is. 4.

Tip

: This lets you maintain tracks of different lengths. For instance, you could play a 1-bar drum sequence repeatedly under a 4-bar bass line. 3.

Tap the

Bar –

/

+

buttons at the bottom of the screen to select the bar whose steps you want to create or edit. The bar number will appear in the

Bar

field in the upper-left corner. Tap the

Pad –

/

+

buttons at the bottom of the screen to select the pad whose steps want to create or edit. The pad number will appear in the

Pad

field in the upper-left corner. 5.

6.

Press

Play

to start your sequence. Each pad represents a step in the bar. If the pad already has note events on the selected track, the corresponding pads (steps) will be lit with colors corresponding to their velocities.

To enter a note at a step

, press an

unlit pad

. The pad will light up with a color corresponding to its velocity.

To delete the note from a step

, press a

lit pad

. The pad will become unlit.

To delete all notes from the entire bar

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Clear Bar


See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Step Sequencer

to learn more about this feature. 41

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, and then double-tap it to add it to the current program. The loop does not have to match the tempo of anything in the project.

To enter Sample Edit Mode

, press

Menu

, and then tap

Sample Edit

to enter Sample Edit Mode. Alternatively, press

Sample Edit

(MPC X). 1.

Tap the

Sample

field at the top of the screen, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select the loaded drum loop. You can scroll through all loaded samples in the project. Alternatively, double-tap the

Sample

field, and then tap a sample to select it. 2.

Tap the

Trim

/

Chop

tab in the lower-left corner to switch between Trim Mode and Chop Mode. Select Chop Mode, which will let us cut the drum loop into slices. 3.

Tap

Threshold

, and then tap the

Threshold

field to the right of it. Use the

data dial

,

–

/

+

buttons, or

numeric keypad

(MPC X) to select a value. Alternatively, double-tap the

Threshold

field and use the numeric keypad on the screen. The lower the threshold, the more slices will be created. Be sure to select a value so that every transient peak of the drum loop has a corresponding a slice marker.

Tip

: Each slice will be automatically assigned to a pad:

Pad A01

plays Slice 1,

Pad A02

plays Slice 2, etc. Press each pad to play the slice with the same number. 42

Let’s use this chopped sample to create a new program 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. 2.

Tap the

Convert To

field, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select

New Program with New Samples

. 3.

Make sure

Crop Samples

is checked. If it is not, tap it. 4.

5.

6.

Make sure Make sure

Create New Program Create Events

is checked. If it is not, tap it. is checked. If it is not, tap it. Tap the

Bars


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select how many bars the entire sample should use in your program. 7.

Tap

Do It

to proceed. Each slice will be assigned to a pad, and each pad will have a recorded note event in the track. When you play that track, it will play each pad (each slice) in the original order. Press

Menu

and then tap

Grid View

to see how the sample appears in your sequence. 8.

Press

Play

and listen to how the drum loop matches your song tempo now. You can also edit the note events of the drum loop slices—enter Main Mode to do this. A new track with the note events playing their corresponding slices has been automatically created. Tap the

TC

/

clock icon

at the top of the screen to use the

Timing Correct

window to quantize the note events so they fall on exact, even time intervals. You can also rearrange the note events, thus creating a new playback order for the slices. You can also edit each slice or sample in Program Edit Mode. You can add effects for slices or use the filter function to change the frequency range of a selected slice. There are almost no limits to what you can do.

See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Sample Edit Mode

>

Chop Mode


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

+

Track Mute

/

Pad Mute

(MPC X). 1.

2.

Press

Play

to play the sequence. Tap the

Program


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select your drum program. Alternatively, double-tap the

Program

field, and then tap a program to select it. 3.

Mute a pad by pressing it once or tapping it on the screen. The muted pad will be lit pads at the same time.

red

. You can mute multiple

See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Pad Mute Mode

to learn more about track mutes.

44

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). 1.

2.

Press

Play

to play the sequence. Tap the

Sequence


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select the desired sequence. Alternatively, double-tap the

Sequence

field, and then tap a sequence to select it. 3.

Each pad is assigned to a track. Mute a track by pressing the corresponding pad or tapping it on the screen. The pad will be lit

red

. You can mute multiple tracks at the same time.

Tip

:

To mute a track only at precise note intervals

(“quantizing” your mutes, essentially), tap

Time Division

to set a musical timing value. Tap the desired musical value (e.g.,

1 Bar

). Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons. Tap

Close

to close the page. Now, when you press a pad in Track Mute Mode, the mute will occur precisely at the beginning of the following time division (in this example, one bar). This lets you test musical combinations of patterns—the preliminary stage to building a song structure.

See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Track Mute Mode

to learn more about track mutes. 45

Sampling

(

Recording

) This section describes recording new samples of your own, which you can use in your projects.

Important

: To record any audio, you need to connect an audio source to your MPC hardware or to your computer’s audio interface.

To open the Sampler

, press

Menu

, and then tap

Sampler

to enter Sampler Mode. Alternatively, press

Sampler

(MPC X). 1.

Connect an audio source to the input/inputs of your MPC hardware. 2.

The

Input ___

menu in the upper-left corner should be set to

Input 1,2

(the inputs of your MPC hardware). If it is not, then select

Input 1,2

. 3.

Turn the

3

/

4 Rec Gain

(MPC X) or

Rec Vol


Tap and drag

threshold slider

fairly low level (e.g.,

-50 dB

). to set the threshold. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons. Set it to a 5.

6.

Tap

Arm

to record-arm the Sampler. Play your audio source. The Sampler will start recording immediately when the input level reaches the threshold value. Alternatively, tap the round

Record

button to manually start recording. 7.


, tap the round

Stop

button. The

Keep or Discard Sample

window will appear. 46

In the


window:

To name the new sample

, tap the

Edit Name

field and use the virtual keyboard to enter a name.

To assign the new sample to a program

, tap the

Program


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select the desired program. Alternatively, double-tap the

Program

field, and then tap a program to select it.

To assign the sample to a pad in the program

, tap the

Assign to Pad

field, and then press the desired

pad

. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select the desired pad number, or double-tap the

Pad

field, and then tap a pad number.

To confirm your selections

, tap

Keep


To discard the recording and return to the previous screen

, tap the

Discard

button.

To play the recording

, tap the

Play

button at the bottom of the screen.

See

Operation

>

Modes

>

Sampler


Sample Editing

You may need to edit your newly recorded samples using Sample Edit Mode.


, press

Menu

, and then tap

Sample Edit

to enter Sample Edit Mode. Alternatively, press

Sample Edit

(MPC X). In Sample Edit Mode:

To switch between Trim Mode and Chop Mode

, tap the

Trim

/

Chop

tab at the bottom of the screen. In this example, use

Trim Mode

.

To set the sample’s start point

, use the

first

column of

Q-Link knobs

(when in the

Screen

Q-Link Edit Mode) to adjust the start point with varying degrees of resolution. Alternatively, tap and drag the

S

marker in the waveform. You can also double-tap the

Start

field and use the numeric keypad on the screen to enter a value (or tap the

Start

field and use the

numeric keypad

).

To set the sample’s end point

, use the

second

column of

Q-Link knobs

(when in the

Screen

Q-Link Edit Mode) to adjust the end point with varying degrees of resolution. Alternatively, tap and drag the

E

marker in the waveform. You can also double-tap the

Start

field and use the numeric keypad on the screen to enter a value (or tap the

Start

field and use the

numeric keypad

).

To hear your edits

, press

Pad 10

to play the sample from the start point to the end point. 48

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. Let’s select

Pitch Shift

to change the overall pitch of your sample. This will transpose the sample without affecting its length. 2.

To set the pitch shift amount

, tap and drag the

knob

in the center of the window up or down. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


, double-tap the

knob

and adjust the larger version that appears. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen. 3.


, tap

Do It

.

To cancel the process

, tap

Cancel

.

See

Operation

>

Modes

>


to learn more.

49

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. Alternatively, press

XYFX

(MPC X). 2.

Double-tap the

XYFX Location

field, and select

Program

. 3.

When you first enter this mode in a project, you will be prompted to “load” XYFX to the program. Tap

Insert XYFX

to do this. 4.

Tap

Setup

to show the Setup panel, which controls how the XY pad behaves. 5.

Double-tap the

Preset

field, and tap an effect to select it. (These are just the effects available in XYFX Mode, not all MPC effects.) Swipe up or down to view the entire list. 6.

Tap and drag any of the knobs (

Attack

,

Release

, or

Wet

/

Dry

) up or down to set their values as desired. Below them, you can see what parameter the X axis and Y axis control. 8.

9.

Note

: XYFX uses an envelope to control how quickly the effect crossfades between the dry signal and wet signal. The

Attack

knob determines how long it takes the completely dry signal to reach the wet signal (determined by the

Wet

/

Dry

knob) after you touch the XY pad. The

Release

knob determines how long it takes the wet signal (determined by the

Wet

/

Dry

knob) to return to the completely dry signal after you touch the XY pad. 7.

Tap the


or press

Read

/

Write

(MPC X) to cycle through the available automation modes. Make sure the button is

red

(the

Write

(

W

) option). Press

Play Start

to start recording. As you record, move your finger over the

XY pad

on the screen. The changes in the sound are being recorded as automation of both the X axis and Y axis parameters.

Tip

: While touching the

XY pad

, tap

Latch

in the lower-left corner to keep the marker on the XY pad even after you release it. The marker will remain there until you touch another part of the XY pad or until you tap

Latch

again. 10.

When you are done recording, press

Stop

. 11.

Tap the


or press

Read

/

Write

(MPC X) to select the

green Read

(

R

) option. This ensures your track uses the automation you just recorded when you play it back.

See

Operation

>

Modes

>

XYFX Mode

to learn more about using this feature. 50

Using MPC X or MPC Live as a Controller

If you are using the MPC software on your computer, you can switch MPC X or MPC Live into

Controller Mode

, allowing you to use it to control the software. MPC Touch already operates as a controller only. The MPC software offers the same features and functionality as the MPC hardware in Standalone Mode but with some notable differences, which are discussed in

Operation

>


>

Standalone vs. Controller Mode

.

51

Operation

This chapter explains the complete features and functions of your MPC hardware.

Important

: • When accessing the secondary functions of buttons on your MPC hardware, you can do this one of two ways: (

1

) pressing and holding

Shift

and then pressing the desired button or (

2

) double-pressing the desired button. This manual describes these operations using only the first option, but both are acceptable. • 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

. Press and hold

Shift

to show the secondary buttons, and any of them, if desired. Release

Shift

to return to the previous buttons. • Almost every mode shown on the screen has 1–6 buttons at the bottom. Each of these buttons select a different tab in that mode or perform a specific function in that mode. •

MPC X

: You can press the

F-Key

button to activate or deactivate the F-Key feature. When active, the six buttons under the touchscreen correspond to the options shown at its bottom edge. The F-Key button and those six buttons will be lit

red

when active. When inactive, the six buttons under the touchscreen will access their normal modes instead (

Menu

,

Browser

,

Step Seq

,

Sampler

,

XYFX

, and

Looper

). •

MPC X

: As an alternative to tapping a control on the screen to select it, you can use the navigate through the controls on the screen. The

center cursor

acts as an

Enter

key.

cursors

to •

MPC Live, MPC Touch

can press the

data dial

. : As an alternative to double-tapping an item on the screen to “enter” it, you • When a parameter is highlighted and has a red outline, this means that it is selected. You can then change it by turning the hardware’s

data dial

or using the

–

/

+

buttons. If the parameter is a number, double-tap it to show a numeric keypad on the screen to enter a specific value, or use the

numeric keypad

(MPC X). •

MPC Live, MPC Touch

: When the touchscreen shows a parameter or group of parameters with a

gold outline

(and sometimes a

Q

in the corner), this means that the current bank of

Q-Link knobs

will control those parameters or settings. Turn a

Q-Link knob

to adjust its corresponding parameter value or setting in that group. When the value has decimal places, you can sometimes press and hold

Shift

and then turn the

Q-Link knob

to adjust the value by smaller increments. You can also press the

Q-Link

button to select another group of four parameters. • Press and hold the any of the

Q-Link

buttons (

Project

,

Program

,

Pad Scene

,

Pad Param

, or

Screen Control

/

Edit

: MPC X) or the

Q-Link

button (MPC Live, MPC Touch) to see an overview of all 16

Q-Link knobs

and their parameters in the

QLinks

window that appears. You can then tap a column or row of knobs to select those four Q-Link knobs, and then release the

Q-Link

button. See

Modes

>


to learn more about using the Q-Link knobs throughout your project.

52

General Features

Control Types

The MPC touchscreen uses the following types of control elements:

Knobs To set the value for a knob

, do any of the following: • • Tap and drag the knob up or down. Tap the knob to select it, and then use the buttons to adjust the value.

data dial

or

–

/

+

• Double-tap the knob to show it in a larger screen. Alternatively, press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the (MPC Live, MPC Touch) when the knob is selected.

data dial

Tap and drag the larger version that appears, or use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the value. If the knob is bipolar (has positive and negative values with the center as the default position), double-tap the larger version to reset it to the center/0 position. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen. • Press and hold

Shift

while turning the by smaller increments.

data dial

to adjust a value

Parameter Values To set the value for a parameter

, do either of the following: • Tap the field to select it, and then use the to adjust the value.

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons • 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. Double-tap the field or hold your finger on it for a second. In the screen that appears, use the

numeric keypad

, the

data dial

, or the

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the value. Alternatively, tap and drag the value up or down. You can also tap /

2

to halve the value or

x2

to double it.

To confirm the value and remain on this screen

, tap

Apply

.

To confirm the value and return to the previous screen

, tap

Do It

.

To return to the previous screen without changing anything

, tap the gray area in the upper-left corner of the screen. 53

Drop-Down Menus

/

Lists To select an option for a drop-down menu

, do any of the following: • • Tap the field to select it, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select an option. Double-tap the field. In the list that appears (examples below), tap the desired option. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons to select an option. In some windows, tap the relevant button at the bottom of the screen to confirm your selection or to cancel without changing anything.

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. 54

Buttons

Buttons usually have two states: selected and deselected (active or inactive, respectively). Some may have more than two states.

To switch between or cycle through a button’s states

, do either of the following: • • Tap it. If it is outlined in red (and is not a mute button), use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.

Checkboxes

Checkboxes have two states: checked and unchecked (enabled or disabled, respectively).

To check or uncheck a checkbox

, tap it.

Tabs

Some modes have buttons at the bottom of the screen that let you cycle through several similar tabs. For instance, you could view the send level that is routed to each of four returns—each level is shown on a separate tab. With each tap, you will move to the next tab, indicated by the squares below it.

To select a tab

, tap it. Each time you tap it, it will select the next tab.

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 some sliders).

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the position (this works only on • Double-tap the slider, and then tap and drag the larger version that appears, or use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the value. If the slider controls a volume level, double-tap the larger version to reset it to

0 dB

. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen. 55

Envelopes To set the stages of an envelope

, do either of the following:

Tip

: Tap the

expand-rectangle icon

above the envelope to show a close-up view. • • Tap and drag a “handle” of an envelope stage in the desired direction. Set the numeric value of an envelope stage by adjusting or entering it as a parameter value (described

earlier

). The Filter/Envelope tab in Program Edit Mode. Close-up of an AD-type filter envelope. Close-up of an AHDS-type amp envelope. 56

Grid View Tools

In the Grid View, these four icons enable you 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.

To move a note

, tap and drag it to another grid square.

To erase a note

, double-tap it.

Eraser

: Erase Mode:

To erase a note

, tap it.

Select Box

: Select Mode:

Note

: Notes will remain selected if you switch to another mode. The selection will change, however, if you press a pad while

Hitting Pad Selects All Events

is set to

On

.


, tap it.

To select multiple notes

, tap and drag across the grid to create a box around them.

To move a note


To move multiple notes

, select them as described above, and tap and drag them.

To erase multiple notes

, select them as described above, and then select the

eraser tool

and tap any of the selected notes.

Magnifying Glass

: Navigation Mode:

To move to another part of the grid

, tap and drag it.


, spread or pinch your fingers (respectively) on the grid. You can do this vertically, horizontally, or both at the same time. 57

Audio Edit Tools

In Audio Edit Mode, these six tool icons enable you to use different functions in the waveform. Tap one to select its mode:

Marquee

: Marquee Mode:

To select a track region

, tap the upper third of it.

To move a track region

(or multiple selected track regions), tap and drag the upper third of it left or right.

To split the track at two specific points

(creating a track region on either side and between them), tap and drag across the middle third of it to create a translucent white box, and then tap the upper third of that box.

To shorten or lengthen a track region

(or multiple selected track regions), tap and drag the lower third of it left or right.

Arrow

: Selection Mode:


, tap it.

To select multiple track regions

, tap and drag across the grid to create a box that highlights them. Double-tap the selected track regions to deselect them.




(or multiple selected track regions), tap its edge and drag it.

Eraser

: Erase Mode:


, tap and drag across the grid to create a box that highlights them.

To erase a track region

(or multiple selected track regions), tap it.

Scissors

: Split Mode:

To split the track at a specific point

(creating a track region on either side), tap that point in the track.


, tap its left-most edge.



Mute

: Mute Mode:



To mute or unmute a track region



: Navigation Mode:

To move to another part of the track

, tap and drag it.



Programs About Programs

Each track you create within a sequence is routed through a

program

. There are six types of programs, each of which determines how the track sounds or what it is used for. A single project can hold up to 128 programs. This chapter covers how to create each program type. To learn about editing your programs to your preference, see the

Modes

>

Program Edit Mode

chapter. A

drum program

uses one or more samples as its sound source. It contains (

1

) a list of samples and (

2

) the settings for each sample (i.e., pad assignments, loop points, pitch tuning, effects, etc.). Drum programs are used mostly for creating drum parts and quickly and easily assigning samples to pads. See

Drum Programs

for more information. A

keygroup program

uses one or more samples as its sound source. It contains (

1


2

) the settings for each sample (i.e., pitch tuning, effects, etc.). Keygroup programs are used to play samples chromatically with a MIDI keyboard or the MPC pads. See

Keygroup Programs

for more

information. A

clip program

uses several samples that can be looped (clips). Each clip can be assigned to a pad, which you can press to trigger the clip according to a quantization setting. This lets you create intriguing, layered performances by launching different combinations of clips together. See

Clip Programs


plugin program

contains an instance of a plugin through which you can send your track’s MIDI data. See

Plugin Programs

for more information.

Important

: For MPC X and MPC Live, plugin programs are available only in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software. They are not available in Standalone Mode. A

MIDI program

lets you send your track’s MIDI data to an external MIDI device like a synth or drum machine. See

MIDI Programs


CV program

lets you send your track’s MIDI data to an external MIDI device that uses control voltage

(CV), like a synth. See

CV Programs


59

Drum Programs

A drum program uses one or more samples as its sound source. It contains (

1


2

) the settings for each sample (i.e., pad assignments, loop points, pitch tuning, effects, etc.). Drum programs are used mostly for creating drum parts and quickly and easily assigning samples to pads.

To create a drum program

: 1.

Press

Main


Next to the program.

Track

field, tap the

four-squares icon

, which indicates a drum 3.

If the project does not contain a drum program yet, a new drum program (named

Program

, appended with a number) will be added automatically to the project and appear in the

Program

field below. If the project already contains a drum program, the first one will be selected automatically and appear in the

Program

field below.

To create another drum program

, tap the

+ icon

above the

Program

field. A new drum program will be created and appended with a number (e.g.,

Program 002

).

To rename the program

, tap the

cursor icon

on the right edge of the

Program

section. 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.

To load a sample into a drum program

: 1.

Press

Browse

(MPC X) or

Shift

+

Menu

/

Browse

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to show the Browser. Find and select a sample, and then tap

Load

to load it to the program. Repeat this for any other samples you want to load into the project. (See

Modes

>

Browser

to learn more about using the Browser specifically.) 2.

3.

4.

Tap

Sample Assign

Press or tap a pad to select it. The pad will be lit green. In the

Sample Pool

to view the pads and project’s sample pool. list, tap a sample to assign it to the pad. Alternatively, use the assign a sample and/or change the assigned sample.

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to

To clear the assigned sample from a selected pad

, tap

Clear Pad

.

To assign samples to additional pads

, repeat Steps 3–4.

Tip

: Remember that a drum program has 128 pads total—16 pads across eight banks. 60

Alternatively, assign samples in a drum program in Program Edit Mode in one of these two ways

: 1.

Press

Menu

, and then tap

Program Edit


Prog Edit

(MPC X). 2.

Tap the

Samples

tab. This lets you view the samples assigned to all four layers of the current pad as well as tuning and level parameters for each layer. 3.

Tap a pad to select it (and play its assigned samples, if any). The pad will be lit green. 4.

Tap one of the

Layer

fields under the sample waveform to select a layer. Tap the

Sample


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select a sample. Alternatively, double-tap the field for a layer, and then tap a sample to select it. 1.

Press

Menu

, and then tap

Program Edit


Prog Edit

(MPC X). 2.

Tap the

Pan Velocity

tab. This lets you view the samples assigned to all four layers of the current pad as well as panning and velocity ranges of each layer. 3.

Tap a pad to select it (and play its assigned samples, if any). The pad will be lit green. 4.

Tap one of the

Layer

fields to select a layer, and then use the

data dial

or Alternatively, double-tap the field for a layer, and then tap a sample to select it.

–

/

+

buttons to select a sample. 61

Keygroup Programs

A keygroup program uses one or more samples as its sound source. It contains (

1


2

) the settings for each sample (i.e., pitch tuning, effects, etc.). Keygroup programs are used to play samples chromatically with a MIDI keyboard or the MPC pads.

To create a keygroup program

: 1.

Press

Main


Next to the program.

Track

field, tap the

piano-keys icon

, which indicates a keygroup 3.

If the project does not contain a keygroup program yet, a new keygroup program (named

Program


Program

field below. If the project already contains a keygroup program, the first one will be selected automatically and appear in the

Program

field below.

To create another keygroup program

, tap the

+ icon

above the

Program

field. A new keygroup program will be created and appended with a number (e.g.,

Program 002

).


, tap the

cursor icon


Program


Do It


To assign samples in a keygroup program

: 1.

Press

Menu

, and then tap

Program Edit


Prog Edit

(MPC X). 2.

Tap

Samples

. This lets you view the samples assigned to all four layers of the current keygroup as well as tuning and level parameters for each layer. 3.

Tap the

Number of KG


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to set the number of keygroups in the program (

1

–

128

). Alternatively, tap the

Number of KG

field, and then use the numeric keypad to enter a value (or double-tap the

Number of KG

field, and then use the numeric keypad on the screen). 4.

Tap the

Keygroup


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select a keygroup. Alternatively, double-tap the

Keygroup

field, and then tap a keygroup to select it. 5.

Tap a pad to play the sample in the keygroup. The pad will be lit green.

Tip

: On your MPC hardware, press the

Pad Bank D

button to and press

Pad 13

. You should hear the sample played back with its original pitch. You can use the other pads to play your sample chromatically. 6.

Tap the field for a layer, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select a sample. Alternatively, double-tap the field for a layer, and then tap a sample to select it. To create complex keygroup programs, you can add more keygroups (up to 128). This is useful when working with multi-samples (e.g., when programming a real piano).

Tip

: Remember that a keygroup program offers up to 128 keygroups, and each keygroup can hold up to four samples (Layers 1–4). This is a total of 512 samples. 62

Clip Programs

A

clip program

uses several samples that can be looped (clips). Each clip can be assigned to a pad, which you can press to trigger the clip according to a quantization setting. This lets you create intriguing, layered performances by launching different combinations of clips together. By default, the 16 pads are divided into four columns of four pads. Each column represents a mute group; when a pad is playing a clip, all other pads in that same mute group are turned off. This enables you to launch a clip without having to manually stop other clips that are similar. For instance, pressing Pad 2 may launch a bass clip. You could then press Pad 6, which launches another bass clip and stops the clip on Pad 2. This way, you’ll never be playing two bass clips simultaneously. The four-columns pad configuration described above is just a default to make things easy (e.g., you could use the first column for drum clips, the second for bass clips, the third for keyboard clips, and the fourth for vocal clips). You can use Program Edit Mode to assign pads to any combination of mute groups you want.

To create a clip program

: 1.

Press

Main


3.

Next to the

Track

field, tap the

play-button icon

, which indicates a clip program. If the project does not contain a clip program yet, a new clip program (named be added automatically to the project and appear in the

Program

field below.

Clip

, appended with a number) will If the project already contains a clip program, it will be selected automatically and appear in the

Program

field below.

To create another clip program

, tap the

+ icon

above the

Program

field. A new clip program will be created and appended with a number (e.g.,

Clip 002

).


, tap the

cursor icon


Program


Do It

to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel. 63

To load a clip into a clip program

: 1.

Press

Main


3.

Tap

Edit Clips

to view the pads and clip settings. Press or tap a pad to select it (and play its assigned samples, if any). The pad on the screen will be lit red, and its number will appear in the

Pad

field. 4.

Tap the

Sample


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select a clip. Alternatively, double-tap the

Sample

field, and then tap a clip to select it.

To clear the assigned clip from a selected pad

, repeat Step 4, but select

None

.

To assign clips to additional pads


Alternatively, assign clips in a clip program this way

: 1.

Press

Browse

(MPC X) or

Shift

+

Menu

/

Browse

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to show the Browser. Find and select a clip, and then tap

Load

to load it to the program. Repeat this for any other clips you want to load into the project. (See

Modes

>

Browser

to learn more about using the Browser specifically.) 2.

Tap

Sample Assign

to view the pads and project’s sample pool. 3.

Tap

Assign Mode

so it is selected (tapping an item in the sample pool will now assign it automatically to the current pad). 4.

In the

Sample Pool

list, tap a clip to assign it to the pad. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to assign a clip and/or change the assigned clip.


, tap

Clear Pad

.

To assign clips to additional pads

, repeat Steps 4–5. 64

Plugin Programs

A plugin program contains an instance of a plugin through which you can send your track’s MIDI data. This lets you use the same instance of a plugin with multiple tracks (rather than load an instance of a plugin on every track, which can be cumbersome and CPU-intensive).

Important

: For MPC X and MPC Live, plugin programs are available only in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software.

To create a plugin program

: 1.

Press

Main


3.

Next to the

Track

field, tap the

plug icon

, which indicates a plugin program. If the project does not contain a plugin program yet, a new plugin program (named

Plugin

number) will be added automatically to the project and appear in the

Program

field below. , appended with a If the project already contains a plugin program, the first one will be selected automatically and appear in the

Program

field below.

To create another plugin program

, tap the

+ icon

above the

Program

field. A new plugin program will be created and appended with a number (e.g.,

Plugin 002

). 4.

Double-tap the

Plugin

field. In the list that appears, tap the desired plugin. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons to select a plugin.

To sort your plugins by type or maker

, tap

Type

or

Manufacturer

. 5.

Tap

Select

to select the plugin, or tap

Close

to cancel.

Note

: You have to specify the disk directory where your plugins are located. This can be done in the software’s

Preferences

(in the

Edit

Menu). See the user guide in the MPC software to learn more: click the

Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

.

To select the MIDI channel the program will use

, double-tap the

MIDI Ch

field. In the list that appears, tap the desired channel. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons to select a channel. Use this setting when you are working with a virtual instrument plugin that supports multi-mode.

To select a preset in your plugin

(if any), double-tap the

Preset

field. In the list that appears, tap the desired preset. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons to select a preset.


, tap the

cursor icon


Program


Do It


To adjust the volume and panning of a track using the plugin program

: 1.

Press

Menu

, and then tap

Channel Mixer

to enter the Channel Mixer. Alternatively, press

Ch. Mixer

(MPC X). 2.

3.

4.

Double-tap the

Mixer

Tap the square that represents the track with the plugin program to select it. Tap and drag the field in the upper-left corner, and then tap

volume slider

or

pan knob Midi Tracks

. up or down to adjust it. After you do this once, you can adjust the volume and panning of the plugin program normally.

Important

: If you copy a sequence, the volume and pan values will be copied with that sequence. This is also true if you move to a new sequence and put the same plugin program on a new track. By default, some plugins do not support MIDI volume and pan. In this case, adjust volume levels and panning on the plugin program. 65

MIDI Programs

A MIDI program lets you send your track’s MIDI data to an external MIDI device like a synth or drum machine.

To create a MIDI program

: 1.

Press

Main


3.

Next to the

Track

field, tap the

MIDI-jack icon

, which indicates a MIDI program. If the project does not contain a MIDI program yet, a new MIDI program (named

Midi


Program

field below. If the project already contains a MIDI program, it will be selected automatically and appear in the

Program

field below.

To create another MIDI program

, tap the

+ icon

above the

Program

field. A new MIDI program will be created and appended with a number (e.g.,

Midi 002

). 4.

There are five additional settings to configure for a MIDI program: the

MIDI Port

, program change message (

Program Ch

), MIDI channel (

MIDI Ch

), Most Significant Byte (

Bank MSB

), and Least Significant Byte (

Bank LSB

). See

this section

to learn more.

To configure each setting

, double-tap its field. In the list that appears, tap the desired option. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons to select an option.

Note

: You also have to configure the MIDI ports in the software’s

Preferences

(in the

Edit


Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

.


, tap the

cursor icon


Program


Do It


To adjust the volume and panning of a track using the MIDI program

: 1.

Press

Menu

, and then tap

Channel Mixer

to enter the Channel Mixer. Alternatively, press

Ch. Mixer

(MPC X). 2.

Double-tap the

Mixer

field in the upper-left corner, and then tap

Midi Tracks

. 3.

4.

Tap the square that represents the track with the MIDI program to select it. Tap and drag the

volume slider

or

pan knob

up or down to adjust it. After you do this once, you can adjust the volume and panning of the MIDI program normally.

Important

: If you copy a sequence, the volume and pan values will be copied with that sequence. This is also true if you move to a new sequence and put the same MIDI program on a new track.

66

CV Programs

A CV program lets you send your control voltage (CV) signals to an external MIDI device like a synth or drum machine that uses CV.

To create a CV program

: 1.

Press

Main


3.

Next to the

Track

field, tap the

CV icon

, which indicates a CV program. If the project does not contain a CV program yet, a new CV program (named

CV


Program

field below. If the project already contains a CV program, it will be selected automatically and appear in the

Program

field below.

To create another CV program

, tap the

+ icon

above the

Program

field. A new CV program will be created and appended with a number (e.g.,

CV 002

). 4.

There are five additional settings to configure for a CV program: the note tracking (

Note

), the

CV Port

, the

Gate Port

, the modulation wheel (

Mod Wheel

), and

Velocity Port

.


, tap the

cursor icon


Program


Do It

to confirm or the gray bar at the top of the screen to cancel. 67

Menu

The Menu lets you select any of the 21 modes or save your project. On MPC X or MPC Live, you can also use it to set your preferences, switch between Standalone Mode and Controller Mode, or view your system resources.

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. When viewing the Menu, do any of the following:

To enter a mode

, tap it.

Important

: If a sequence is currently playing, you will not be able to enter Song Mode. Stop playback before entering Song Mode.

To return to the previous mode

, tap the gray area in the upper-left corner, or press

Menu

again. You can also press and hold the

Menu

button and press a pad to select a menu mode. The pads follow the 4x4 layout of the Mode Menu.

Note

: The Menu above is available when the currently selected track is a MIDI track. When an

audio track is selected, it will show an icon for

Audio Edit Mode

instead of Grid View. Click a part of the screen above to skip directly to that part of this user guide. 68

Save To save the project

, tap the

disk icon

at the top of the screen. Alternatively, press

Shift

+

Browse

/

Save

(MPC X). If you have already saved the project, your changes will be saved. If you have not saved the project yet, use the

Save

window to save the project:


, tap it in the

Storage

column on the left.

Internal


MPC Documents


MPC Documents




data dial

or use the

–

/

+


center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial


folder buttons

in the upper-right to jump immediately to those pre-assigned file paths (see

Modes

>

Browser



, tap

New Folder


Do It



, tap the

folder

/ 

icon



, tap the

File Name



, tap

Save

.

To save the file as a project template file

, tap the

Save as Template

checkbox to check it before tapping

Save

. (This file will be shown in the

Template File

field in the Preferences’

Project Load

/

Save

tab.)


, tap

Cancel


icon


Preferences To open the Preferences,

tap the

gear icon

at the top of the screen.

To return to the Menu

, tap the 

icon

in the upper-left corner. Changes to the

Preferences

are saved automatically except for

Vintage Mode

(in the

General

tab) and

Start Time

(in the

Sync

tab).

To restore your MPC hardware’s default settings

, tap

Reset

. In the screen that appears, tap

OK

to continue or

Cancel

to return to the Preferences. In the next window, tap

Save

to save your current project before restoring the default settings; tap

Cancel

to return to the Preferences; or tap

Don’t Save

to restore the default settings without saving your current project.

Important

: For MPC X and MPC Live, the Preferences will appear differently in Controller Mode than in Standalone Mode. Some of the options described in this section may be available in only one of these modes or in a different order.

Info

This screen shows current information about your MPC hardware: its current firmware version, which includes its standalone operating system (

MPC Firmware

); its hardware

Serial Number

; and its current firmware for the

Control Surface

.

To enter Update Mode

, press and hold

Shift

and tap

Update


Save

to save your current project before entering Update Mode; tap

Cancel

to return to the Preferences; or tap

Don’t Save

to enter Update Mode without saving your current project.

Sequencer

The settings on this screen determine how sequencing works in the Grid View and in the Step Sequencer.

Display Resolution

: This is the display resolution (in PPQN—pulses per quarter note) of pulse values in certain areas of the operating system. Please note that this setting affects the display resolution, not the timing.

Instant Track Mute

: When disabled, if you mute a track, its Note On messages will be ignored, and samples and notes that are playing will finish playing their entire length (this is how legacy MPCs’ track-muting worked). This is useful if you are using loops and want a loop to play to the end of a bar but

not

play the next time the sequence loops. When enabled, if you mute a track, the MIDI track volume (

0

) will be sent. The loop will continue to play but at zero volume, allowing the loop to continue playing when the track is unmuted. This is useful when you want to have the track muted immediately.

Play Track Mute and Solo Events

: When enabled, track mute and solo events are played back when you are in Track Mute Mode. When disabled, track mute and solo events will not be played back while in Track Mute Mode.

Record Track Mute and Solo Events

: When enabled, track mute and solo events are recorded when you are in Track Mute Mode (timing correct settings will affect the recorded position events). When disabled, track mute and solo events will not be recorded while in Track Mute Mode. This feature is useful if you want to use Track Mute Mode to record track mutes or solos into your sequences as opposed to using Track Mute Mode for performance or listening purposes only.

Record Pad Aftertouch Events

: When enabled, pad aftertouch data (from the MPC hardware’s pressure sensitive pads) will be recorded. When disabled, pad aftertouch data will be ignored.

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. 70

Truncate Duration

: This determines if/how events are cropped if they exceed the length of the current Sequence:

To Sequence Length

: If the length of an event exceeds the length of the sequence, it will be truncated. This ensures that the event will not overlap itself when the sequence loops.

To Sequence End

: If an event exceeds the length of the sequence, it will be truncated to the end of the current sequence. In other words, the event will stop playing when the sequence ends or loops.

As Played

: Events will play back exactly as they were recorded, even if they overlap themselves when the sequence loops.

Bar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

For example, if you record a note starting on the second bar of a 4-bar loop and hold it for 5 bars, the note would end: at bar 7 (As Played), at bar 6 (To Sequence Length), or bar 4 (To Sequence End). See image for details.

As played To Sequence Length To Sequence End Q-Link Swing Control Applies TC Settings on Release

: When enabled, turning the Q-Link knob assigned to

Swing

and then releasing it will immediately apply that Swing setting. When disabled, you must use the Timing Correct window to apply the Swing setting.

Sync

The settings on this screen determine how your MPC hardware synchronizes with connected USB and MIDI devices.

Receive

: This determines whether your MPC hardware receives MIDI Clock information (

MIDI Clock

), MIDI Time Code information (

MIDI Time Code

(

MTC

)), communication from Ableton Link (

Ableton Link

), or none of these (

Off

).

Receive MMC

: When enabled, your MPC hardware will be able to receive MIDI Machine Control (MMC) information. When disabled, your MPC hardware will not receive this information. See

Appendix

>

MIDI Machine Control

(

MMC

)


Send

: This determines whether your MPC hardware sends MIDI Clock information (

MIDI Clock


MIDI Time Code

(

MTC

)), or neither (

Off

).

Send MMC

: When enabled, your MPC hardware will be able to send MIDI Machine Control (MMC) information. When disabled, your MPC hardware will not send this information. See

Appendix

>

MIDI Machine Control

(

MMC

)


MTC Frame Rate

: This determines the frame rate used by MIDI Time Code (MTC), which is important for correct timing, especially when working on film scoring projects. In most cases, you should select

25

.

Start Time

: This is the starting time that will be sent when

Send MIDI

is set to anything other than

Off

. The time is formatted in

hours

:

minutes

:

seconds

:

frames

.

Send Port 1

–

4

: These are the MIDI ports over which MIDI Clock or MTC information will be sent.

Hardware

The settings on this screen determine the behavior of your MPC hardware’s pads and touchscreen.

Pad Threshold

: This determines how much force is required to strike the pads for them to trigger.

Pad Sensitivity

: This determines how the pads respond to touch. At lower values, you need to use more force to generate a high-velocity note. At higher values, it is easier to generate high-velocity notes, even if you do not use much force while pressing a pad.

Pad Curve

: This determines how striking the pads translates into velocity values. The

A

curve is essentially linear, while the

B

,

C

, and

D

curves are exponential (see graphic here). MIDI Velocity

Velocity

&

Aftertouch

: View these meters when striking and pressing the pads to help gauge the force and pressure you are applying to them. These meters are useful when adjusting the Pad Threshold and Pad Sensitivity parameters (above).

Footswitch 1

&

Footswitch 2

: These determine how connected footswitches will work. These options are available for MPC X only, not for MPC Live or MPC Touch, which do not have footswitch inputs.

MIDI Control Mode Output

: This determines which MIDI port the MPC hardware is using to send MIDI messages to external MIDI devices. Applied Force 71

Screen Dimming

: This determines how much time must pass before your MPC hardware automatically dims its touchscreen (if it uses a battery, this can help preserve battery life).

Screen Brightness

: This determines the brightness of the screen during normal operation: normal brightness (

Day

) or dimmed (

Night

).

Power On Screen

(MPC Live only): This determines if/when a special screen will appear when you power on your MPC Live. On this screen, you must tap and hold a button for a moment to begin using MPC Live or it will automatically power off. This feature prevents it from powering on accidentally and wasting battery life. You can set it to the following options:

Never

: The screen will never appear.

When On Battery

: The screen will appear only if you power on MPC Live while using battery power.

Always

: The screen will always appear.

VU Meter Source

(MPC X only): This determines what audio signal level is shown in the level meters (on the right side of the screen). When set to

Master

, the level meters show the audio signal sent out of

Outputs 1

/

2

(the

Main L

/

R outputs

on the rear panel). When set to

Current Program

, the level meters show the audio signal of the currently selected program (i.e., the program used by the currently selected track and any other tracks that also use it).

Date

(MPC X & MPC Live only): This is the current date, formatted as

Month

/

Day

/

Year

. When saving files on MPC X or MPC Live in Standalone Mode, the file will include the current date in its metadata. If you use MPC X or MPC Live in Controller Mode, this setting will be overwritten with the current date of the host computer.

Time

(MPC X & MPC Live only): This is the current time, formatted as

Hour

:

Minute

. When saving files on MPC X or MPC Live in Standalone Mode, the file will include the current time in its metadata. If you use MPC X or MPC Live in Controller Mode, this setting will be overwritten with the current time of the host computer.

Time Zone

(MPC X & MPC Live only): This is the current time zone, formatted as

Continent

/

City

, which you can change here.

Project Defaults

The settings on this screen determine various default values for any new project that you create.

New Project Dialog

: This determines what options you see when you start a new project. When set to

Off

, a new project will be empty with no preconfigured settings except for the project defaults shown here. When set to

Demo

, you can choose to load a demo project (from several different genres) as a starting point or an empty project. When set to

Demo

/

Template

/

Recent

, you can choose to load a demo project, a project template file, or an empty project. You must have a project in the

Template File

field of the

Project Load

/

Save

tab to select a template in this window.

Default Tempo

: This is the default tempo in BPM.

Default Master Tempo

: When enabled, the default tempo value will be used for the master tempo. When disabled, the default tempo will be used for sequences.

Default Sequence Bars

: This determines the default number of bars of a new sequence.

Default Time Signature Numerator

: This determines the number of beats per bar of a new sequence (the top number of a time signature).

Default Time Signature Denominator

: This determines the value of each beat of a new sequence (the bottom number of a time signature).

Default Pad Slice

: This determines how new samples will play when you load them or record them into a project. When set to

Pad

, the

Slice

menu in Program Edit Mode will be set to

Pad

, which lets you set the start point, end point, etc. for the layer. When set to

All

, the

Slice

menu in Program Edit Mode will be set to

All

, in which the entire sample plays.

Default Drum

/

Keygroup Filter

: This determines the default type of filter that drum and keygroup programs will

use. See

Appendix

>

Glossary

>

Filter


Default Plugin Synth

: This determines the default instrument plugin that a new plugin program will use. Use the window that appears to select it. (For MPC X and MPC Live, this option is available only when using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.) 72

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.

Auto Load File

: Use this field to select a project (

.xpj

) or program (

.xpm

) to load automatically anytime you open the MPC software. (For MPC X and MPC Live, this option is available only when using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.)

Enabled

: When enabled, your project will automatically save after each

Timeout

interval. When disabled, your project will not be automatically saved; you may save only manually.

Timeout

: Use this field to select how often your project will automatically save.

Template File

: Use this field to select a project template that will load automatically when you select

User Template

in the


window. (If you select the


box when saving a file, it will be shown in this field.) In order for the

User Template

option to be available,


(in the


tab) must be set to

Demo

or

Demo

/

Template

/

Recent

.

General

/

Other

The settings on this screen determine how other features work in the hardware and operating system.

Tap Tempo

: This determines how many times you have to 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.

Filter

‘

All Notes Off

’

CC

: When enabled, “All Notes Off” (“MIDI panic”) messages will be ignored. This is useful if you are using an external MIDI device that can send these types of messages but you want to filter them out. When disabled, “All Notes Off” messages will be received normally.

Program Change

: This determines what an incoming MIDI program change message will change: a

Program

,

Sequence

, or

Track

.

Sampling Bit Depth

: This determines bit depth of the audio recorded from a sample.

Vintage Mode

: This determines the type of emulation applied to the audio output. You can apply the particular sonic qualities of, for example, the

MPC3000

or

MPC60

, or of course no emulation (

None

).

Audition Auto Play

: This determines how long a sample will sound when auto-previewing it.

Audition Outputs

: This determines which pair of outputs will play any auditioned sounds (

Out 1,2

–

7,8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

in Controller Mode; MPC Live does not use Out 7,8 in Standalone Mode but displays them to maintain compatibility with MPC X, which does use them). These sounds include: samples, programs, and projects in the Browser; sample playback,

Cue Preview

, and

Slice Preview

in Sample Edit Mode; and sample playback in the


window in the Sampler.

Cue Preview

: This determines if/how audio is played as you move the cue playhead. As you move the cue playhead through a sample waveform, you can set it to play the small part of the sample before the cue playhead (

Before

), play the small part of the sample after the cue playhead (

After

), or not play at all (

Off

). You can also set this in Sample Edit Mode (see

Modes

>


>

Settings

).

Slice Preview

: This determines if/how audio is played as you move a slice marker. As you move the slice marker through a sample waveform, you can set it to play the small part of the sample before the slice marker (

Before

), play the small part of the sample after the slice marker (

After


Off

). You can also set this in Sample Edit Mode (see

Modes

>


>

Settings

).

Threads

: This determines how many cores of your computer’s processor will be used to render audio. The available range depends on your processor. (For MPC X and MPC Live, this option is available only when using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.)

Audio Warp Algorithm

: This determines how a sample is “warped” when you adjust the length of a sample without changing its pitch (e.g., the

Warp

function in Audio Edit Mode for audio tracks or in Program Edit Mode for clip programs). (For MPC X and MPC Live, this option is available only when using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.)

Note

: The Warp algorithms are very CPU-intensive and can result in audio drop-outs during playback if used too freely. Be mindful of how (and how often) you use the warp function. You can reduce the CPU resources required by using a Warp algorithm other than Elastique Pro, which is very CPU-intensive. 73

Audio Track Auto Warp

: This determines how recorded audio track regions are warped. When set to

On

, any audio track region that you record will be warped automatically to match the current sequence tempo. You can then adjust the sequence tempo while the audio track region remains in time.

Note

: When you record an audio file, the current sequence tempo will be embedded with it. This information is stored within the sample file when you save the project. When you warp an audio track region, the warping algorithm uses this sequence tempo and the current value in the

BPM

field to generate the “stretch factor.”

BPM Detection Range

: This defines the range of detectable BPM values when you use any automatic BPM detection function in the software or when you press the

Tap

button to enter a new tempo.

Bank Button Press

: This determines how the

Pad Bank

buttons work.

Select A-D

: Pressing a

Pad Bank

button once will select the corresponding bank from Pad Banks A–D. Pressing and holding

Shift

while pressing a

Pad Bank

button will select the corresponding bank from Pad Banks E–H.

Select

/

toggle bank

: Pressing a

Pad Bank

button will alternate between the corresponding bank from Pad Bank A–D and Pad Bank E–H. In other words, you do not need to hold Shift to select one of Pad Banks E–H.

Desktop Screensaver Disable

: This determines if/when your computer’s screensaver is disabled while using the MPC software (i.e., using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode):

Never

: Your computer’s screensaver will function normally.

When hardware used

: As long as your MPC hardware is connected to your computer and being used, your computer’s screensaver will be disabled.

When hardware attached

: As long as your MPC hardware is connected to your computer and powered on, your computer’s screensaver will be disabled. It will function normally again if you power off or disconnect your MPC hardware from your computer.

Always

: Your computer’s screensaver will be disabled as long as the MPC software is open (whether or not your MPC hardware is connected or powered on). (For MPC X and MPC Live, this option is available only when using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.)

Collect Usage Statistics

: This determines whether or not your usage statistics will be sent occasionally to us, enabling us to improve the MPC experience. (For MPC X and MPC Live, this option is available only when using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.)

Bluetooth

The settings on this screen will determine how your MPC hardware’s Bluetooth connection works, so you can use Bluetooth MIDI controllers (e.g., LPD8 Wireless or LPK25 Wireless) or a Bluetooth computer keyboard with it. These settings are available only for MPC X and MPC Live when used in Standalone Mode.

To activate or deactivate Bluetooth connectivity on your MPC hardware

, tap the

On

/

Off

selector. The available Bluetooth devices will appear in the panel below it under

Available Devices

. The Bluetooth devices that have already paired to your MPC hardware will appear under

Paired Devices

.

To select a Bluetooth device

, tap it.

To pair a selected Bluetooth device

(in the Available Devices section), tap

Pair

.

To connect to a selected Bluetooth device

(in the Paired Devices section), tap

Connect

.

To disconnect from a connected Bluetooth device

(in the Paired Devices section), tap

Disconnect

.

To return an available Bluetooth device to its original state

, tap

Remove

. 74

Wi-Fi

The settings on this screen will determine how your MPC hardware’s wireless connection works, so you can use Ableton Link, a new technology that synchronizes beat, phase and tempo of Ableton Live and Ableton Link-enabled applications over a wireless or wired network. These settings are available only for MPC X and MPC Live when used in Standalone Mode.

To activate or deactivate wireless connectivity on your MPC hardware

, tap the

On

/

Off

selector. The available wireless networks will appear in the panel below it.

To select a wireless network

, tap it.

To connect to a selected wireless network

, tap

Connect

. If the Wi-Fi network is password-protected, use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter the correct password to connect to it.

To view the information of a selected wireless network

, press and hold

Shift

and tap

Info

. The

Network Information

window that appears will show the network name, IPv4/IPv6 address (including the subnet mask and gateway), type of security, and signal strength (as a percentage).

To disconnect from a connected wireless network

, tap

Disconnect

.

To clear the connection information

(e.g., the password)

from a selected wireless network

, tap

Forget

.

Legal

This screen shows legal information relevant to MPC. For complete legal information, visit

akaipro.com

/

product-legal 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


MTC

), communication from

Ableton Link

, or none of these (

Off

). Alternatively, double-tap

Sync

and tap the desired option to select it. This is the same setting as the

Receive

menu in

Sync

tab of your

Preferences

. See

Preferences

>

Sync


Important

: Your MPC hardware must be connected to a wireless network in order to receive these types of timing information. See

Preferences

>

Wi-Fi

to learn how to connect to a wireless network.

Note

: Ableton Link is a new technology that synchronizes beat, phase and tempo of Ableton Live and Ableton Link-enabled applications over a wireless or wired network.

Mode

Tap this icon to switch MPC X or MPC Live between Standalone Mode and Controller Mode (MPC Touch already operates as a controller only). In the screen that appears, select whether you want to save your current project before switching (

Save

), switch without saving your project (

Don’t Save

), or stay in the current mode and project (

Cancel

). You cannot freely switch between Standalone and Controller Modes without also closing your current project.

See

Standalone vs. Controller Mode

to learn more.

75

System Resources

Tap one of these icons to show the System Resources window for MPC X or MPC Live. 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. (See

Battery Usage

to learn more about MPC Live’s internal battery.)

CPU

: The

CPU

indicator shows the current

CPU

as a percentage.

RAM Usage

: The

Mem

indicator shows your MPC hardware’s current RAM usage.

Important

: If you encounter a warning that there is not enough memory to complete an action while using your MPC hardware, do the following to make more memory available: Make sure all audio tracks in your project are

not

record-armed. Delete samples from your project’s sample pool that were there before the warning appeared. 2.

3.

• • • If you are still seeing the warning, do the following: 1.

•

Manually

undo the last action you performed before seeing the warning (you may not be able to use the

Undo

button for this due to how the undo history is stored in RAM). Save your project. Do one of the following, and then load your saved project again.  In

Main Mode

, tap the

folder icon

at the top of the screen, and then tap

New

at the bottom of the screen.  Power your MPC hardware off and then on again.  Press

Menu

and then tap the

gear icon

to open the

Preferences

. In the Preferences, tap

Reset

at the bottom of the screen, tap

OK

, and then tap

Restart

to reset the Preferences.  Enter Controller Mode and then reenter Standalone Mode.

Important


Drives

: The

Drives

indicator shows the available storage space on any detected external storage devices or the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live.

To delete samples from the project

(to create more free RAM space for sampling time, audio recording, etc.), tap

Purge


Unused Samples

to delete all unused samples from the project, tap

All Samples

to delete all samples from the project (from all programs, sequences, and audio or MIDI tracks), or tap

Cancel


To close the System Resources window

, tap

OK

, the

X

in the upper-right corner, or anywhere outside the window. 76

Time Counter

/

Locate

In most of the available modes, there is a time counter at the top of the screen. This indicates the current playhead position.

To adjust the position

, tap it, and then use the use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons.

To open the Locate screen and adjust its settings

, double-tap the

time counter

.

To close the Locate screen

, tap the

X

in the upper-right corner or anywhere outside the window.

To move forward or backward a step

, tap the

Step <

or

Step >

button, respectively.

To move forward or backward a bar

, tap the

Bar <<

or

Bar >>

button, respectively.

To configure your auto record settings

, use the

Auto Record

selector and adjacent fields:

Auto Record selector

: Tap the desired option to select it:

Off

: Auto recording is disabled.

Punch In

: You can auto record using punch-in and punch-out markers, enabling you to record over a specified length of time in the track. While recording, the entire sequence will play, but you will record over only the area between the

Punch In

and

Punch Out

markers. Any part of the sequence before the Punch In marker or after the Punch Out marker will remain untouched, even if you perform over it during recording.

Record Start

: After you record-arm the track and start playback, you will start recording once the sequence loops back to its start. This is essentially a punch-in feature for the entire track, enabling you to start playing a record-armed track while allowing more time than the usual count-in to prepare for the actual recording to start.

Punch In

: Use these fields to set the location of the Punch In marker, which is where recording will start (when the


is set to

Punch In

).

Punch Out

: Use these fields to set the location of the Punch Out marker, which is where recording will stop (when the


is set to

Punch In

). 77

You can use this screen to set time markers, allowing you to jump automatically to precise locations in a sequence. You can set up to six time markers.

To set a time marker

, tap the

time counter

at the top of the screen, find the desired time, and then tap

Set

next to the desired time marker. The time will appear next to that marker.

To jump to a time marker

, tap the number next to it (

1

–

6

). 78

Timing Correct

(

TC

) The

Timing Correct

window contains various settings to help quantize the events in your sequence. 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).

To open the Timing Correct settings

: In

Main Mode

or

List Edit Mode

: Tap the

TC

/

clock icon

at the top of the screen. In the

Grid View

: Press and hold

Shift

and tap

TC

at the bottom of the screen. In the

Track View

or the

Step Sequencer

: Tap

TC


Note

: The

TC

button in

Pad Mute Mode

and

Track Mute Mode

contain Timing Correct settings, but they do

not open this window. See

Modes

>

Pad Mute Mode

and

Track Mute Mode

to learn about those settings.

To apply the settings you selected

, tap

Do It

.

To cancel and return to the previous screen

, tap

Close

. Use the

Type

selector to set how timing corrections are applied.

Start

: The start points of note events or audio track regions will be extended or shortened to align with the closest time division marker in the grid. The start points will remain untouched. You can apply this to MIDI tracks or audio tracks.

End

: The end points of note events will be extended or shortened to align with the closest time division marker in the grid. The start points will remain untouched. You can apply this to MIDI tracks only.

Length

: The end points of note events will be extended or shortened so that each event’s length is a multiple of the time division, regardless of where it is in the grid. The start points will remain untouched. You can apply this to MIDI tracks only.

Legato

: The end points of note events will be extended or shortened to create a long, unbroken phrase from the first note event’s start point to the last note event’s end point. Each note event will sustain until another note event starts. If multiple note events start at the same time (and are not the last note events), their lengths will become identical. Selecting

Legato

disables all other options in this window. You can apply this to MIDI tracks only. Without legato applied. With legato applied. 79

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. Alternatively, press and hold

Note Repeat

while in Main Mode, and then use the six buttons at the bottom of the screen. Use the

Swing

field to set the amount of swing from

50%

to

75%

. Swing lets you “shuffle” your beats—from subtle to extreme. Use the

Shift Timing

field to shift all events by clock ticks. Use the

Window

field to set how many events around a quantize value will be quantized. Any events outside this range will not be quantized; events inside will. Use the

Strength

field to set how strictly events will be quantized (i.e., shifted toward the quantize value). Lower values move events a little bit towards the closest quantize value, resulting in a less mechanical feel than a strict quantization (a higher value). Use the

Events

selector to set the target range for the time correction. You can apply the time correction to

All

note events or to just the

Selected

ones. To select note events to which to apply time correction, either use the various tools in Grid View or press the pad with the desired events (while


is set to

On

). You must do this

before

opening the Timing Correct window. When

Range

is selected, you can define the locations (

From

and

To

) as well as the pads or keys that will be quantized. 80

Metronome

(

Click

/

Metro

) The

Click

/

Metro

window contains all settings regarding the metronome (click track).

To open the metronome settings

: In

Main Mode

or

List Edit Mode

: Tap the

Metro

/

metronome icon

at the top of the screen. In the

Grid View

: Press and hold

Shift

and tap

Click

at the bottom of the screen. In the

Track View

: Tap

Click

at the bottom of the screen. Tap the

Metro

/

metronome icon

at the top of the screen. Use the

Count-In

field to set if/when the metronome counts before recording.

Off

disables the metronome pre-count.

Record

enables the pre-count during recording only.

Record + Play

enables pre-count in both Record and Playback Modes. Use the

Enable

field to set if/when the metronome is enabled.

Off

disables the metronome.

Play

enables the metronome sound during playback only.

Record

enables the metronome sound during recording only.

Record + Play

enables the metronome to happen in both Record and Playback Modes. Use the

Rate

field to select the metronome click’s time division:

1

/

4

,

1

/

4T

,

1

/

8

,

1

/

8T

,

1

/

16

,

1

/

16T

,

1

/

32

or

1

/

32T

.

T

indicates a triplet-based time division. Use the

Sound

field to select the sound that you want to hear for the metronome:

Sidestick 1

,

Sidestick 2

,

Clap

,

Metroclick

,

Shake

,

Tambourine

, or

MPC Click

. Use the

Volume

knob to set the volume of your metronome click. Tap the

On

/

Off

button to enable or disable the metronome. Use the

Output

field to set which pair of outputs will play the metronome click:

Out 1,2

–

7,8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

in Controller Mode (MPC Live does not use Out 7,8 in Standalone Mode but displays them to maintain compatibility with MPC X, which does use them). 81

Automation

You can set the automation for programs and audio tracks to be “written,” “read,” or disabled entirely. You can do this globally or for individual programs and audio tracks.

Global

In several modes, there is a button in the upper-right corner that controls the global automation. When you tap this button to change its state, it will change the automation state for all programs in the project. This is available in Main Mode, XYFX Mode, Pad Mute Mode, the Pad Mixer, the Channel Mixer, and Q-Link Edit Mode. Tap the

global automation button

to cycle through its three states: When

off

, automation data will be ignored. If you have already recorded or entered automation, tapping this will switch between

Read

(

R

) and

Write

(

W

) only, but you can override this and turn it off by pressing and holding

Shift

while tapping the button.

Important

: If you have already recorded automation and turn it off, the track will still use the effect and its parameter values at the point where you turned it off. When set to

Read

(

R

), automation data will be read but not recorded. (Think of this as a protective feature to prevent accidental changes to your automation while recording.) When set to

Write

(

W

), automation can be recorded and will overwrite any existing automation. (Make sure not to touch the XY pad accidentally while you are recording.)

Programs & Audio Tracks

You can also set the automation for each program or audio track by using the program automation button in the channel strip on the left side of the screen in Main Mode and the Channel Mixer. Program automation is available for all program types except MIDI programs.

Note

: Remember that tapping the global automation button will change the automation state for all programs in the project; if they were originally different, all of them will then match the global automation state. In Main Mode, if the channel strip is not already shown, tap the small

eye icon

below the

Project

field to show it. In the Channel Mixer, if you do not see a program automation button in the channel strip, make sure the

Mixer

field is set to

Audio Tracks

or

Programs

. Tap the

program automation button

or press

Read

/

Write

(MPC X) to cycle through its three states: When

off

, the program will ignore automation data. If you have already recorded or entered automation, tapping this will switch between

Read

(

R

) and

Write

(

W


Shift

while pressing or tapping the button.

Important


Read

(

R

), the program will read automation data but will not record any additional automation over it. (Think of this as a protective feature to prevent accidental changes to your automation while recording.) When set to

Write

(

W

), the program can record automation. (If you have any Q-Link knobs assigned to automatable parameters, make sure not to touch any accidentally while you are recording.) 82

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. In the

16 Levels

screen that appears, use the

Type


Velocity

,

Tune

,

Filter

,

Layer

,

Attack

, or

Decay

.

To select a pad

, do any of the following (while the

16 Levels

window is open): • • Press and hold Tap the

16 Level 16 Levels

, and then press the desired

pad

. checkbox to uncheck it (temporarily disabling the feature), press the desired then tap the

16 Levels

checkbox again to check it.

pad

, and • • Tap the

Pad

field, and use the Double-tap the

Pad data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons. field, and tap the desired pad in the list that appears. If

Type

is set to

Tune

, use the

Original Pad

field to select which you pad you want to use the original pitch of the sample/samples. Alternatively, hold

Shift

and press the desired pad. 83

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.

To select the sequence you want to erase

, use the

Sequence

field.

To select the track you want to erase within the sequence

, use the

Track

field.

To set the time range of the sequence you want to erase

, use the

Bar

,

Beat

, and

Tick

fields. The left fields set the start of the time range, and the right fields set the end of the time range.

To select what types of events you erase

, select one of the

Erase

options:

All

erases all pad events from the designated time range and reset all of its settings.

Automation

erases only automation from the designated time range.

Note

erases only specific pad events from the designated time range. In the diagram of the eight pad banks that appears, press each pad in each bank to select or deselect its notes.

Except Note

erases everything

except

pad events from the designated time range.

To confirm your choice

, tap

Do It

.

To cancel and return to the previous screen

, tap the

X

,

Cancel

, or anywhere outside the window. 84

Effects

You can apply various effects to the pads, keygroups, audio tracks, programs, submixes, and master outputs, using

insert

and

send

/

return

effects. This chapter can help you get a good overall understanding of how the effects work. See

Appendix

>

Effects & Parameters

for a list of all available effects (with a brief description of each) and their

editable parameters.

Overview

In a program, each

pad

or

keygroup

can have up to

four insert effects

applied to it. See

Insert Effects

>

Pads

or

Keygroups

to learn more about this. An entire

program

or

audio track

can also have up to


applied to it, as well. See


>

Programs

or

Audio Tracks

to learn more about this. For even further flexibility, each

submix

can have up to


applied to it. You can route pads,

keygroups, audio tracks, or programs to a submix, which is then routed to a master output. See


>

Submixes

to learn more about this.

Important

: Submixes are available only while using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software. Additionally, each

pad

,

keygroup

,

audio track

,

program

, and

submix

can each be sent to (up to)

four return channels

, each of which can have up to


of their own. Their audio will be routed through the insert effects on those returns, and the processed audio will be sent to a master output. See

Send

/


to learn more about this. Finally, you can apply up to


to each master output (a stereo pair of channels:

Outputs 1

/

2

,

Outputs 3

/

4

, etc.). See


>

Masters

to learn more about this. When you create an audio mixdown of a sequence or song, you can choose whether or not master insert effects are included or send/return effects are included, depending on what you are mixing down: If you are creating an audio mixdown of a pair of

master outputs

, you can choose whether or not

master insert effects

will be included in the mixdown. If you are creating an audio mixdown of

separate programs

or

exploded tracks

, you can choose whether or not

send

/

return effects

will be included in the mixdown.

See

Audio Mixdown

to learn about these options. There are three other modes that handle effects differently: • The

Sampler

can use up to


, which are applied to the audio as you record it. This means that the effects cannot be “removed” from the sound later. Learn more about the Sampler in the

Modes

>

Sampler

chapter. • Similarly, the

Looper

can use up to


, which are applied to the audio as you record it. This means that the effects cannot be “removed” from the sound later. Learn more about the Looper in the

Modes

>

Looper

chapter. • In

XYFX Mode

, the effects act like a single insert effect on that program. In fact,

the

Modes

>

XYFX Mode

chapter.

XYFX

is the name of the insert effect you have to load to the program before you can use this mode. Learn more about XYFX Mode in 85

To view, load, edit, or clear effects

, tap the area under the

Inserts

field. This usually appears in a channel strip (next to a

level slider

and

pan knob

). When viewing loaded effects, you will see this window:

To select an effect

, use the field for each insert slot. A window (described below) will appear.

To edit the parameters of a loaded effect

, tap the

pencil icon

next to the insert slot.

To clear the insert slot

, tap the

trash can icon

next to it.

To enable or disable an effect slot

, tap the

On

/

Off

button next to it.

To disable all four effect slots

, tap the

All On

/

All Off

button in the upper-right corner. Tap it again to reactivate the previously active effects. When selecting an effect, you will see this window:

To move through the list

, swipe up or down. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.

To sort or unsort the effects by type or manufacturer

, tap

Type

or

Manufacturer


To load an effect

, double-tap it. Alternatively, tap

Select

, or press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch).

To cancel

, tap

Close

or anywhere outside the list. When you edit an effect, you will see this window:

To adjust a parameter

, tap and drag its slider. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


, double-tap the pad and adjust the larger version of the slider that appears.

Tip

: Turn the

Q-Link knobs

to quickly adjust the corresponding four parameters.

To select an effect preset

, use the dropdown menu at the top of the screen.

To load a saved preset

, tap the

folder icon

at the top of the screen.

To save a preset

, tap the

disk

icon at the top of the screen.

To select another page of parameters

, tap the

Parameters –

/

+

buttons at the top of the screen.

To enable or disable the effect

, tap the

On

/

Off

button in the upper-right corner.

To edit parameters for another insert effect on the same pad, program, etc.

, tap a different

Insert

tab at the bottom of the screen to select it.

To close the window

, tap

Close

or the upper part of the screen. 86

Insert Effects Pads

You can load up to four insert effects to each pad. You can do this in Main Mode, the Pad Mixer, or Program Edit Mode.

Tip

: When using pad insert effects, they will be applied to the selected pad only. This means that you could apply unique combinations of effects to each pad within a program. If you want to apply the same effect to all pads, do this with a program insert effect (see


>

Programs

).

To load a pad insert effect in Main Mode

: 1.

When the

MIDI

tab is selected (in the lower-left corner), use the

Track

field to select the track that uses the program with the desired pad—the program it uses will be selected automatically. 2.

3.

If the channel strip is not already shown, tap the small Tap the

single-pad icon eye icon

below the

Project

field to show it. at the top of the channel strip. The channel strip will now show settings for the current pad. 4.

5.

Press the desired

pad

Tap the area under to select it. Alternatively, use the

Inserts Pad

field at the top of the channel strip. , and then use the screen that appears to load or edit effects. 87

To load a pad insert effect in the Pad Mixer

: 1.

Use the

Program

field at the top of the screen to select the desired program. Alternatively, use the

Track

the top of the screen to select the desired track—the program it uses will be selected automatically. field at 2.

Press the desired

pad

to select it, or tap it on the screen. Alternatively, double-tap the

Pad

field below the

Program

field. 3.

Tap the area under

Inserts

, and then use the screen that appears to load or edit effects. Alternatively, tap the

Insert

tab at the bottom of the screen (tap it multiple times to select a different insert slot), and then double-tap the desired pad on the screen. You could also use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select an effect immediately.

To load a pad insert effect in Program Edit Mode

: 1.

2.

While using the desired program, press the desired

pad

to select it. Tap the

Effects

tab in the lower-right corner, and use it to load or edit effects. 88

Keygroups

You can load up to four insert effects to each keygroup. You can do this in Main Mode, the Pad Mixer, or Program Edit Mode.

Important

: When using keygroup insert effects, they will be applied to that keygroup only. Keep this in mind if you load insert effects to multiple keygroups with overlapping note ranges—the effects will overlap in that range as well.

To load a keygroup insert effect in Main Mode

: 1.

When the

MIDI


Track


3.


single-pad icon

keygroup.

eye icon

below the

Project

field to show it. at the top of the channel strip. The channel strip will now show settings for the current 4.

Press a

pad

to select its corresponding keygroup, or tap it on the screen. Alternatively, use the the top of the channel strip.

Keygroup

field at

Important

: Remember that the effect will be applied to that keygroup only. 5.

Tap the area under

Inserts

, and then use the screen that appears to load or edit effects. 89

To load a keygroup insert effect in the Pad Mixer

: 1.

Use the

Program

field at the top of the screen to select the desired program. Alternatively, use the the top of the screen to select the desired track—the program it uses will be selected automatically.

Track

field at 2.

Press a

pad

to select its corresponding keygroup, or tap it on the screen. Alternatively, use the

Keygroup

field below the

Program

field.

Important

: Remember that the effect will be applied to that keygroup only. 3.

Tap the area under

Inserts

, and then use the screen that appears to load or edit effects. Alternatively, double-tap the desired

pad

on the screen. You could also select one of the four

Insert

tabs at the bottom of the screen, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+


To load a keygroup insert effect in Program Edit Mode

: 1.

While using the desired program, press the desired field at the top of the screen.

pad

to select its keygroup. Alternatively, use the

Keygroup

2.

Tap the

Effects

tab in the lower-right corner, and use it to load or edit effects. 90

Audio Tracks

You can load up to four insert effects to each audio track. You can do this in Main Mode and the Channel Mixer.

To load an audio track insert effect in Main Mode

: 1.

When the

Audio


Track

field to select the audio track. 2.

If the channel strip is not already shown, tap the small

eye icon

below the

Project

field to show it. 3.

Tap the

waveform icon

audio track. at the top of the channel strip. The channel strip will now show settings for the current 4.

Tap the area under

Inserts

, and then use the screen that appears to load or edit effects.

To load an audio track insert effect in the Channel Mixer

: 1.

Use the

Mixer

field in the upper-left corner to select

Audio Tracks

. 2.

In the touchscreen, tap the

pad

that corresponds to the desired audio track. 3.

Tap the area under

Inserts


Insert

tab at the bottom of the screen (tap it multiple times to select a different insert slot), and then double-tap the desired

pad

on the screen. You could also use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select an effect immediately. 91

Programs

You can load up to four insert effects to each program. You can do this in Main Mode, XYFX Mode, and the Channel Mixer.

Note

: In XYFX Mode, the effects act like a single insert effect on that program. In fact,

XYFX

is the name of the insert effect that is loaded when use this mode.

To load a program insert effect in Main Mode

: 1.

When the

MIDI


Track


3.


four-pads icon

program.

eye icon

below the

Project

field to show it. at the top of the channel strip. The channel strip will now show settings for the current 4.

Tap the area under

Inserts

, and then use the screen that appears to load or edit effects. 92

To load XYFX for a program in XYFX Mode

: 1.

Select the desired program in another mode, and then enter XYFX Mode. 2.

If you have not yet used XYFX Mode for this program, tap

Insert XYFX

on the screen to load it and show the XY pad.

Note

: If you already have four insert effects loaded, you will need to clear one of the insert effect slots before doing this. If you have already used XYFX Mode for this program, the XY pad will appear. 3.

Tap

XYFX Location

in the upper-left corner, and select

Program

. 4.

If the

Setup

panel is not shown, tap

Setup

in the lower-right corner to show it. 5.

Use the

Preset

field to load an effect. Use the controls below the

Preset

field to edit the effect.

To load a program insert effect in the Channel Mixer

: 1.

Use the

Mixer


Programs

. 2.


pad

that corresponds to the desired program. Alternatively, double-tap the

Program

field below the

Mixer

field and tap the desired program. 3.

Tap the area under

Inserts


Insert


pad


data dial

or

–

/

+


Submixes

You can load up to four insert effects to each submix. You can do this in the Channel Mixer only.

Important

: Submixes are available only while using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software.

To load a submix insert effect

: 1.

2.

Use the

Mixer


Submixes

. In the touchscreen, tap the

pad

that corresponds to the desired program. Alternatively, double-tap the

Submix

field below the

Mixer

field and tap the desired program. 3.

Tap the area under

Inserts


Insert


pad


data dial

or

–

/

+


Masters

You can load up to four insert effects to each master output (a stereo pair of channels:

Outputs 1

/

2

,

Outputs 3

/

4

, etc.). You can do this in Main Mode or the Channel Mixer.

To load a master insert effect in Main Mode

: 1.

If the channel strip is not already shown, tap the small

eye icon

below the

Project

field to show it. 2.

Tap the

crown icon

master output. at the top of the channel strip. The channel strip will now show settings for the current 3.

Use the

Outputs 3

/

4

, etc.). field at the top of the channel strip to select the desired master output (

Outputs 1

/

2

,

Outputs

4.

Tap the area under

Inserts

, and then use the screen that appears to load or edit effects.

To load a master insert effect in the Channel Mixer

: 1.

Use the

Mixer


Masters

. 2.


pad

that corresponds to the desired master output (

Outputs 1

/

2

,

Outputs 3

/

4

, etc.). Alternatively, double-tap the

Outputs

field below the

Mixer

field. 3.

Tap the area under

Inserts


Insert


pad


data dial

or

–

/

+


Send

/

Return Effects

Send/return effects work in the following way: 1.

A

pad

,

keygroup

,

audio track

,

program

, 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 activated.


loaded and 3.

The processed audio is sent to a pair of master outputs (stereo) or a single master output (mono). You can load send/return effects and set return levels only in the Channel Mixer, described below. The rest of this section describes the different ways to set the desired send levels for pads, keygroups, programs, or submixes.

To load a send

/

return effect to a return

: 1.

2.

In the Channel Mixer, use the In the touchscreen, tap the below the

Mixer

field.

Mixer pad


Returns

. that corresponds to the desired return. Alternatively, double-tap the

Return

field 3.

Tap the area under

Inserts


Insert


pad


data dial

or

–

/

+


To set the return level

: 1.

2.

3.

In the Channel Mixer, use the Tap the

Level

tab in the lower-left corner. In the touchscreen, tap the below the

Mixer

field.

Mixer pad


Returns

. that corresponds to the desired return. Alternatively, double-tap the

Return

field 4.

To adjust the level of the currently selected return

, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons. Alternatively, use the

level slider

in the channel strip, or turn the corresponding

Q-Link knob

.


, double tap the

pad

on the screen and adjust the larger version of the slider that appears. 96

Pads

You can set the send levels for pads in Program Edit Mode or the Pad Mixer.

To set the send levels for a pad in Program Edit Mode

: 1.

While editing the desired program in Program Edit Mode, press the desired

pad

to select it. 2.

3.

Tap the Use the

Effects Send

tab in the lower-right corner. knobs to set the send level for each return.

To set the send levels for a pad in the Pad Mixer

: 1.

Use the

Program


Track

field at the top of the screen to select the desired track—the program it uses will be selected automatically. 2.

Tap the

Send

tab at the bottom of the screen (tap it multiple times to select a different send level). 3.

Press the desired

pad

to select it, or tap it on the screen. Alternatively, double-tap the

Pad

field below the

Program

field. 4.

To set the send level

, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


, double-tap the

pad


Keygroups

You can set the send levels for keygroups in Program Edit Mode or the Pad Mixer.

To set the send levels for a keygroup in Program Edit Mode

: 1.

While using the desired program, press the desired

pad

to select its keygroup. Alternatively, use the

Keygroup

field at the top of the screen. 2.

Tap the

Effects

tab in the lower-right corner. 3.

Use the

Send

knobs to set the send level for each return.

To set the send levels for a keygroup in the Pad Mixer

: 1.

Use the

Program


Track

field at the top of the screen to select the desired track—the program it uses will be selected automatically. 2.

3.

Tap the

Send

tab at the bottom of the screen (tap it multiple times to select a different send level). Press the desired

pad

to select its corresponding keygroup, or tap it on the screen. Alternatively, double-tap the

Keygroup

field below the

Program

field. 4.


, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


, double-tap the

pad


Audio Tracks

You can set the send levels for audio tracks in the Channel Mixer only.

To set the send levels for an audio track

: 1.

2.

3.


Send

tab at the bottom of the screen (tap it multiple times to select a different send level). In the touchscreen, tap the

Mixer pad


Audio Tracks

. that corresponds to the desired audio track. Alternatively, double-tap the

Track

field below the

Mixer

field.

Audio

4.


, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


screen and adjust the larger version of the slider that appears. , double-tap the

pad

on the

Programs

You can set the send levels for programs in the Channel Mixer only.

To set the send levels for a program

: 1.

2.

3.


Send

tab at the bottom of the screen (tap it multiple times to select a different send level). In the touchscreen, tap the field below the

Mixer

field.

Mixer pad


Programs

. that corresponds to the desired program. Alternatively, double-tap the

Program

4.


, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


, double-tap the

pad


Submixes

You can set the send levels for submixes in the Channel Mixer only.

Important


To set the send levels for a submix

: 1.

2.

3.


Send

tab at the bottom of the screen (tap it multiple times to select a different send level). In the touchscreen, tap the field below the

Mixer

field.

Mixer pad


Submixes

. that corresponds to the desired submix. Alternatively, double-tap the

Submix

4.


, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons.


screen and adjust the larger version of the slider that appears. , double-tap the

pad

on the 100

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.

To open the Audio Mixdown screen in Main Mode

, tap the

Project

field in the upper-left corner of the screen, and then tap

Export

.

Audio Length

Use the

Start Bar

and

End Bar

fields to define where the resulting audio file will start and end, respectively. Use the

Audio Tail

field to add extra seconds to the end of the resulting audio file. This is useful if you are using effects or samples whose sounds exceed the defined audio length (e.g., long reverb or delay, one-shot samples with long decays, etc.). We recommend using an audio tail of at least a couple of seconds.

Render Source

Check

Stereo Output

and use the adjacent field to select a pair of outputs (

Out 1,2

–

7,8

in Standalone Mode,

Submix 1

–

8

or

Out 1,2

–

31,32

in Controller Mode; MPC Live does not use Out 7,8 in Standalone Mode but displays them to maintain compatibility with MPC X, which does use them). The mixdown will be taken from these outputs. Check

Separate Programs

to create a mixdown of each program used in the sequence or song. Check

Explode Tracks

to create a mixdown of each track used in the sequence (you cannot use this option for an entire song).

Important

: Each pad or keygroup must have their output routed to

Program

to be included in the mixdown. This is

the typical (and default) setting. See

Modes

>

Pad Mixer

>

Routing


Render Options

If your

Render Source

is set to

Stereo Output

, check

Master Inserts

to include master insert effects in the mixdown. If your

Render Source

is set to

Separate Programs

or

Explode Tracks

, check

Export Returns

to export the return channel signals as separate files. If your

Render Source

is set to

Stereo Output

, tap

Save as Project Preview

to save the sequence or song as a project preview file (which you can play for reference in the Browser). If you check this box,

Stereo Output

will automatically be checked, as well. 101

File Formats

Tap

WAV

,

AIFF

, or

MP3

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

). For

MP3

files, you can select a

Bitrate

of

128

,

160

,

192

, or

320

kbps. Use the

Sample Rate

field to select a sample rate of

44.1 kHz

,

48 kHz

,

88.2 kHz

, or

96 kHz

. In most cases, we recommend selecting

44.1 kHz

. Tap

Export

to enter the

Save

screen where you can select a name and location to save your audio mixdown. Tap

Cancel

or the 

icon

in the upper-left corner to return to the previous screen.

Battery Usage Important

: Only MPC Live may use battery power. MPC X and MPC Touch must be connected to a power outlet. Although you can power MPC Live by 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. While powering MPC Live from its internal battery, the

battery icon

in upper-right corner of the touchscreen will show its current battery life. (The icon below it indicates whether MPC Live is in Standalone Mode or Controller Mode.)

To view MPC Live’s system resources

(battery life, CPU, and RAM usage), tap the

battery icon

in upper-right corner of the touchscreen. The System Resources window will appear, showing percentages to indicate the current battery life, CPU, RAM usage (

Mem

), and storage device space usage. See

System Resources

to learn more about the information shown in this window.

To charge MPC Live’s internal battery

, connect its

power input

to a power outlet using the included power adapter. The

charging indicator

light (behind the vent on the rear panel) will turn on while charging. When the battery is fully charged or when it is disconnected from a power outlet, then this light will turn off. 102

Standalone vs. Controller Mode

MPC X and MPC Live can function in two ways:

Standalone Mode

and

Controller Mode

. (MPC Touch already operates as a controller only.)

To enter Standalone Mode

, do one of the following: • If MPC X or MPC Live is

not

connected to a computer, simply press the

power switch

to power it on. • If MPC X or MPC Live is connected to your computer and you want to keep your MPC software open, press

Menu

to enter the Menu, and then tap the

monitor

/

cable icon

in the upper-right corner. When the

Switch to Standalone Mode

window appears, tap

Standalone

to continue. Your project will remain open on your computer, and you can continue to work on it independently from the project shown on the screen. (If you tap

Cancel

, you can continue using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.) • If MPC X or MPC Live is connected to your computer and you want to close the MPC software, simply close the MPC software on your computer. When


appears on your MPC hardware’s touchscreen, tap

Standalone

. If the

Restart as Standalone

window appears, tap

Yes

to continue. (If you tap

Cancel

, you can reopen your MPC software and continue using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode.) In Standalone Mode: • An

MPC chip icon

corner. will appear in the upper-right • The MPC hardware is

not

communicating with a computer over a USB connection. • Any files (projects, samples, etc.) that you save or load are in the internal hard drive on your MPC X or MPC Live or a connected USB drive or SD card. • Plugin programs are disabled. 103

To enter Controller Mode

: 1.

Make sure the

USB-B Port

on your MPC X or MPC Live is connected to your computer. 2.

On your computer, open the MPC software. 3.

If MPC X or MPC Live is powered off, press the

power switch

to power it on. 4.

If MPC X or MPC Live is currently in Standalone Mode, press

Menu

to enter the Menu, and then tap the

MPC chip icon

in the upper-right corner. When the

Enter Controller Mode

window appears, tap

Controller Mode

to continue. (If you tap

Cancel

, you can continue using your MPC hardware in Standalone Mode.)


may appear briefly on the screen before the MPC hardware recognizes the USB connection as a controller. In Controller Mode: • A

monitor

/

cable icon

right corner. will appear in the upper • The MPC hardware is communicating with a computer over a USB connection. • You can save or load files (projects, samples, etc.) to or from your computer as well as the internal hard drive on your MPC X or MPC Live or a connected USB drive or SD card. • Plugin programs are enabled. Remember to specify the disk directory where your plugins are located. This can be done in the software’s

Preferences

(in the

Edit


Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

. • The touchscreen on your MPC hardware reflects what it is controlling in the software, but due to space and character limitations, the layout on the screen is different (e.g., parameter names may be abbreviated, the layout may be different or spread across multiple tabs, etc.). 104

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.

Note

: The Menu above is available when the currently selected track is a MIDI track. When an

audio track is selected, it will show an icon for


instead of Grid View.

While in

Main Mode

, the

Grid View

,

Audio Edit Mode

, the

Track View

, the

Step Sequencer

, or

XYFX Mode

, the left edge contains icons to quickly enter one of five modes. Using this strip of icons, you can easily jump between them:

To enter Main Mode

, tap the

house icon

.


, tap the

grid icon

. The

MIDI

tab in the lower-left corner of the screen in Main Mode must be selected for this icon to be shown.

To enter Audio Edit Mode

, tap the

waveform-and-box icon

. This

Audio

tab in the lower-left corner of the screen in Main Mode must be selected for this icon to be shown.

To enter the Track View

, tap the

bars-and-magnifying-glass icon

.


, tap the

vertical-bars icon

.

To enter XYFX Mode

, tap the

XY icon

. 105

Main Mode

Main Mode gives you an overview of the most-used functions.

To enter Main Mode

, do one of the following: • • Press Press

Main Menu

. , and then tap

Main

. The top of the screen shows the project name and timing information. The

Project

field shows the name of the current project.

To view the Project window

, tap the

Project

field. The Project window will appear, showing a list of available programs, sequences, and samples in the project. In the

Project

window, in additional to typical functions you can perform in lists, you can do any of the following:


, swipe up or down.

To expand or collapse the list of programs or sequences

, tap the arrow ( ∨ or

>

) to its left.

To select a program, sequence, or sample

, tap it.

To immediately select a sample and enter Sample Edit Mode

, double-tap it.

To save the project

, tap

Save

.

To save the project with another name

, tap

Save As

. Use the

Save

window that appears to save the project.

To return to the previous screen

, tap the

X

in the upper-right corner or anywhere outside the window.

To delete samples from the project

(to create more free RAM space for sampling time, audio recording, etc.), tap

Purge


Unused Samples

to delete all unused samples from the project, tap

All Samples

to delete all samples from the project (from all programs, sequences, and audio or MIDI tracks), or tap

Cancel


To export the current sequence

, tap

Export

. Use the

Audio Mixdown

screen that appears to export a song (see


>

Audio Mixdown

to learn about the settings in this window). To export the song

instead, see the

Song Mode

chapter.

106

The

In

and

Out

boxes indicate your MPC hardware is receiving or sending (respectively) MIDI messages from or to your computer. The time counter at the top of the screen the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. The

TC icon

opens the

Timing Correct

window, which contains various settings to help quantize the note events in

your sequence. See


>


(

TC

)


Metro

/

metronome icon

opens the

Click

/

Metro

menu, which contains all settings regarding the metronome

(click track). See


>

Metronome

(

Click

/

Metro

)


The automation button indicates the global automation state. This is shown in several modes. See


>

Automation


In Main Mode, these are the buttons at the bottom of the screen:

MIDI

: Tap this button to view only MIDI tracks in the

Track

section.

Audio

: Tap this button to view only audio tracks in the

Track

section.

Track –

/

+

: Tap one of these buttons to switch to the previous or next track, respectively.

Mute

: Tap this button to mute the current track.

Solo

: Tap this button to solo the current track. 107

On the left edge of the screen, next to the five mode icons, there are two small icons that control the channel strip.

To show or hide the channel strip

, tap the

eye icon

. The icon below the eye icon indicates the type of channel strip (see next description). The channel strip contains some important settings for the current pad, program, track, or master output, depending on the currently selected icon:

To view the pad channel strip

, tap the

single-pad icon

.

To view the program channel strip

, tap the


.

To view the track channel strip

, tap the

bars icon

(when the

MIDI

tab is selected) or the

waveform icon

(when the

Audio

tab is selected).

To view the master channel strip

, tap the

crown icon

. When viewing the

pad channel strip

while using a drum program, keygroup program, or clip program: The first field shows the current pad number. Press a pad or tap the field to select a different pad.

Tip

: This is useful for mixing your pads without having to enter the Pad Mixer. The second field shows where the pad is routed, which you can change:

Program

(the usual setting);

Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32

in Controller Mode. You can also select a submix (

Sub 1

–

8

) in Controller Mode.

Note

: When set to a mono channel, the left and right channels are summed post pan knob. If the pan knob is set to the center position, the left and right channels will be summed and padded. If the pan knob is set to the maximum left or right positions, only the respective channel will be sent to the output. The

Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that pad. Tap the area under

Inserts

to open a window where you can load, change, and enable or disable the effects. Tap

Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the pad (respectively). Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the pad. The

green

level meter next to the slider shows the pad’s current volume level in

dB

. 108

When viewing the

program channel strip

while using a drum program, keygroup program, clip program, or plugin program: The first field shows the current program number and name (which you can change). The second field shows where the program is routed, which you can change:

Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32


Sub 1

–

8


Note

: When set to a mono channel, the left and right channels are summed post-pan knob. If the pan knob is set to the center position, the left and right channels will be summed and padded. If the pan knob is set to the maximum left or right positions, only the respective channel will be sent to the output. The

Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that program. Tap the area under

Inserts


Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the program (respectively). Alternatively, press

Solo

or

Mute

under the LED meters (MPC X).

To change the program’s automation

, tap the


or press

Read

/

Write


off

, the program will ignore automation data. If you have already recorded or entered automation, tapping this will switch between Read (

R

) and Write (

W


Shift


Important


Read

(

R


Write

(

W

), the program can record automation. (If you have any Q-Link knobs assigned to automatable parameters, make sure not to touch any accidentally while you are recording.)

Tip

: You can quickly set all programs and audio tracks to the same automation by tapping the global automation button in the upper-right corner of the screen. See


>

Automation

to learn about this. Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the program. The

green

level meter next to the slider shows the program’s current volume level in

dB

. When viewing the

track channel strip

while using a MIDI track: The first field shows the current track (which you can change) and its name. The second field shows the name of the program the track is using. Tap

Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the track (respectively). Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the track. The

blue

level meter next to the slider shows the track’s current velocity level.

Note

: If the track is using a plugin program, then the slider will send

CC #7

(

Volume

) and the knob will send

CC #10

(

Pan

) to your instrument plugin. The plugin will then handle these messages as it normally would. 109

When viewing the


while using an audio track: The first field defines the input source of the external audio signal, which you can set to a pair of inputs (

Input 1,2

–

3,4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1,2

–

31,32

in Controller Mode) or a single input (

Input 1

–

4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1

–

32

in Controller Mode). The second field shows where the track is routed, which you can change:

Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32


Sub 1

–

8


Note


Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that track. Tap the area under

Inserts


Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the track (respectively). Alternatively, press

Solo

or

Mute

under the LED meters (MPC X).

To change the audio track’s automation

, tap the

track automation button

or press

Read

/

Write


off

, the audio track will ignore automation data. If you have already recorded or entered automation, tapping this will switch between Read (

R

) and Write (

W


Shift


Important


Read

(

R

), the audio track will read automation data but will not record any additional automation over it. (Think of this as a protective feature to prevent accidental changes to your automation while recording.) When set to

Write

(

W

), the audio track can record automation. (If you have any Q-Link knobs assigned to automatable parameters, make sure not to touch any accidentally while you are recording.)

Tip



>

Automation

to learn about this. Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the track. The

green

level meter next to the slider shows the track’s current volume level in

dB

.

To record-enable the track

, tap the

Record Arm

button or press

Rec Arm

(MPC X). When you begin audio recording, the audio signal will be recorded to this track.

Tip

: You can select multiple tracks in the Track View by pressing and holding

Shift

while tapping the

Arm

button to each track. When viewing the

master channel strip

: The first field shows the current master output as a stereo pair (which you can change). The

Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that pair of outputs. Tap the area under

Inserts


Mute

to mute the master output. Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the master output. The

green

level meter next to the slider shows the outputs’ current volume level in

dB

. 110

Sequence Section

The

Sequence

section shows the current sequence and its information. Use

Sequence

field to select a sequence.

To edit the name of the sequence

, tap the

cursor icon

on the right edge of the section, and use the virtual keyboard that appears. Use the

BPM

field to adjust the tempo of the sequence.

To set whether the sequence follows its own tempo

(

Sequence

)

or a master tempo

(

Master

), tap the

Sequence

/

Master

button under the

BPM

field. Alternatively, press and hold

Shift

+

Tap

. Use the

Bars

field to adjust the length of the sequence in bars. The

Loop

button shows whether the sequence (or a part of it) will loop or not.

To enable or disable looping

, tap the button.

To set the start point and end point of loop

, tap the

Start

or

End

field (respectively) and then use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons, or double-tap the field and use the numeric keyboard that appears.

Note

: The

Last Bar

value of the

Delete Bars

and

Copy Bars

processes depends on the total length of the sequence. Use the

Transpose

sequence. field to set the transposition (in semitones) of the entire 111

To edit the sequence

, tap the

pencil icon

on the right edge of the section. The

Sequence Edit

/

Copy

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.

To return to Main Mode

, tap

Cancel

or the left arrow (  ) in the upper-left corner of the screen. Alternatively, press

Main

.

To edit the name of the sequence

, tap the top of the screen and use the virtual keyboard that appears. 112

The

Erase

function erases all or part of a track in a specific sequence.

To select the sequence you want to erase

, use the

Sequence

field.

To select the track you want to erase within the sequence

, use the

Track

field.

To set the time range of the sequence you want to erase

, use the

Bar

,

Beat

, and

Tick


To select what types of events you erase

, select one of the

Erase

options:

All

erases all pad events from the designated time range and reset all of its settings.

Automation

erases only automation from the designated time range.

Note

erases only specific pad events from the designated time range. In the diagram of the eight pad banks that appears, press each pad in each bank to select or deselect its notes. This option is available only for MIDI tracks, not audio tracks.

Except Note

erases everything

except

pad events from the designated time range. This option is available only for MIDI tracks, not audio tracks.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap 

Back

or anywhere outside the window.

To cancel and return to Main Mode

, tap

Cancel

. The

Clear

function erases

all

events from the sequence and resets

all

of its settings.


, tap

Clear

.


, tap

Cancel

. 113

The

Transpose

function transposes a range of events on a track in a sequence. The events within that range will shift accordingly in the Grid View. This option is available for MIDI tracks only.

To select the sequence you want to transpose

, use the

Sequence

field.

To select the track you want to transpose within the sequence

, use the

Track

field.

To set the time range of the sequence you want to transpose

, use the two sets of

Bar

,

Beat

, and

Tick


For drum programs

, use the two

Pad

fields to select the “source” pad (whose events you want to move) and “destination” pad (where the events will be placed). Tap each field and then press the desired pad.

For keygroup programs, plugin programs, and MIDI programs

, set the range and amount of transposition:

Range

: Use the two

Note

fields to set the range of notes of the events you want to transpose. Note events within this range will be transposed, while note events outside of this range will remain unchanged.

Transpose

: Use this field to set how many semitones up or down you want to transpose the note events.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap 

Back



, tap

Cancel

. The

Bounce to Sample

function

immediately

renders the sequence (all of its tracks) as an audio sample and places it in the project’s sample pool. By default, it will be named

Bounce -

and appended with the sequence name. If you have already used this function on this sequence, then you will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing sample with this new one or cancel.

To continue and save the sequence over the existing one

, tap

Replace

.

To cancel

, tap

Cancel

. 114

The

Delete Bars

function removes a range of bars from a sequence.

To select the sequence whose bars you want to delete

, use the

Sequence

field.

To set the range of bars you want to delete

, use the

First Bar

and

Last Bar

fields. The bar in each field and all bars in between them will be deleted.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap 

Back



, tap

Cancel

. The

Insert Bars

function adds empty bars to a sequence at a specified point.

To select the desired sequence

, use the

Sequence

field.

To set how many bars you will insert

, use the

# of Bars

field.

To set the time signature of the inserted bars

, use the two

Time Sig

fields.

To set where you will insert the bars

, use the

Before Bar

field. The bars will be inserted before this one.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap 

Back



, tap

Cancel

. 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. 115

The

Copy Sequence

function copies the contents of one sequence to another.

To select the

“

source

”

sequence

, use the

Copy Contents of Sequence

field. This is the sequence whose events you want to copy.

To select the

“

destination

”

sequence

, use the

Over Contents of Sequence

field. This is the sequence where the source sequence will be copied.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap 

Back



, tap

Cancel

. The

Copy Bars

function copies a range of bars from a sequence and adds them to another at a specified point.

To select the

“

source

”

sequence

, use the

From Sequence

field. This is the sequence whose bars you want to copy.

To set the range of bars to copy in the source sequence

, use the

First Bar

and

Last Bar

fields.

To select the

“

destination

”

sequence

, use the

To Sequence

field. This is the sequence where the source sequence bars will be copied.

To set where you want to add the copied bars

, use the

After Bar

field. The copied bars will be inserted after this one.

To set how many instances of the copied bars you want to add

, use the

Copies

field.

To overwrite the destination sequence

, tap

Replace

.

To add the events to the destination sequence without erasing anything

, tap

Merge

.


, tap 

Back



, tap

Cancel

. 116

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.

To select the

“

source

”

sequence

, use the

From Sequence

field. This is the sequence whose content you want to copy.

To select the

“

source

”

track

, use the

From Track

field. This is the track whose content you want to copy.

To set the time range of the events or the audio track you want to copy

, use the

Bar

,

Beat

, and

Tick


To set what content is copied

, use the field below the dotted arrow.

Copy All Events

will copy and paste all events in the track.

Copy Only Selected Events

will copy and paste only the events that are currently selected.

To select the

“

destination

”

sequence

, use the

To Sequence

field. This is the sequence where the content of the source sequence will be copied.

To select the

“

destination

”

track

, use the

To Track

field. This is the track where the content of the source track will be copied.

To set where you want to add the copied events or audio track

, use the

Bar

,

Beat

, and

Tick

fields. The events or audio track will be added after this point.

To set how many instances of the copied events or audio track you want to add

, use the

Copies

field.

To set whether you want to copy the events in the time range or the selected notes in the Grid View or List Edit Mode

, use the

Selection

field. Set this to

All events

to copy the notes in the time range determined by the

Bar

,

Beat

, and

Tick

fields above, or set this to

Selected events

to copy only the events currently selected in the Grid View or List Edit Mode. This field is available for MIDI tracks only.

To overwrite the destination sequence

, tap

Replace

.

To add the events to the destination sequence without erasing anything

, tap

Merge

.


, tap  anywhere outside the window.

Back

or


, tap

Cancel

. 117

The

Save Current Sequence

function saves the current sequence to an external storage device or the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live.


, tap it in the

Storage

column on the left.

Internal


MPC Documents


MPC Documents




data dial

or use the

–

/

+


center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial


folder buttons


Browser



, tap

New Folder


Do It



, tap the

folder

/ 

icon



, tap the

File Name



, tap

Save

.


, tap

Cancel


icon


Track Section

The

Track

section shows the current track, program type, and its information. The

Track

section while using a MIDI track. The

Track

field shows the track number and its name. The

Track

section while using an audio track.

To edit the name of the track

, tap the

cursor icon

on the right edge of the section and use the virtual keyboard that appears.

While using a MIDI track

: The

program selector

indicates the type of program through which the track is being routed. The specific program name is displayed below in the

Program

section. You can use the program selector to change program type (and then select a specific program of that type in the

Program

section below it).

To select a drum program

, tap the


.

To select a keygroup program

, tap the

piano-keys icon

.

To select a clip program

, tap the

play-button icon

.

To select a MIDI program

, tap the

bars icon

.

To select a CV program

, tap the

CV icon

.

To select a plugin program

, tap the

plug icon

. For MPC X and MPC Live, plugin programs are available only in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software. Use the

Length

field to set how long the track is in beats. If you select the minimum value,

Seq

or

0

(if you use the numeric keypad), the track will be the exact same length as its sequence.

Tip

: This feature lets you maintain tracks of different lengths. For instance, you could play a 1-bar drum sequence repeatedly under a 4-bar bass line. Use the

Velocity

field to set how loudly or quietly a track plays relative to its recorded levels. When set to

50%

, the track will be played with half the velocity it was originally played. When set to

200%

, the track will play twice as loud. The maximum velocity level is still

127

, though. Use the

Transpose

field to set the transposition (in semitones) of the entire track. 119

While using an audio track

: Tap the

Record Arm

button to record-enable the track. When you begin audio recording, the audio signal will be recorded to this track.

Tip


Shift

while tapping the

Arm

button to each track. Use the

Monitor

button to set how your audio track will be monitored. Tapping it will cycle through its three states: When set to

Auto

, you will hear incoming audio while the track is record-enabled only. When

on

, you will hear incoming audio whether or not the track is record-enabled. When

off

, you will never hear any incoming audio.

To edit the track

, tap the

pencil icon

on the right edge of the section. The Track Edit window will open. While using MIDI tracks, you can use any of these functions as described below.


, tap

Cancel


Main

.


, tap the top of the screen and use the virtual keyboard that appears. 120

The

Clear

function erases

all

events from the track and resets

all

of its settings.


, tap

Clear

.


, tap

Cancel

. The

Explode

function

immediately

splits the current track into multiple tracks—one for each distinct pad or note (pitch, not event). The current track also remains present and intact, while each track created from it is labeled with the track name and pad name or number. The

Double-Speed Events

function

immediately

halves the lengths of all note events on the track 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 as well as the distance between them. In other words, the track’s notes are spread further apart so the track sounds like it is playing at half of the previous speed. This does not actually affect the pitches of notes or the tempo. The

Copy Track

function copies the contents of one track to another.

To select the

“

source

”

track

, tap the

Copy Contents of Track

field. This is the track whose events you want to copy.

To select the

“

destination

”

track

, tap the

Over Contents of Track

field. This is the track where the source track will be copied.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Cancel

. The

Split Events

function divides note events to create new rhythms and patterns.

To select the how many events to create,

use the

Into

slider. Select

2

to

32

events.

To apply the split to selected events,

tap the

Only selected events

field. Leave this unchecked to split all note events in the track.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Cancel

. 121

The

Pitch Quantize

function forces the pitches of note events into a specific scale.

To select the desired root note of the scale

, use the

Root Note

field.

To select a type of scale

, use the

Scale

field.

To determine which note events will be quantized

, tap the

Only apply to selected events

checkbox. When

on

, only the currently selected note events will be quantized. When

off

,

all

pitches in the current track will be quantized.

To set lowest-possible and highest-possible pitches where the quantized note events will be placed

, use the

Start Note

and

End Note

fields (respectively). If a note event is originally outside of this range, it will be forced to the nearest pitch (within the scale) inside the range.

To continue and quantize the note events

, tap

Do It

.

To cancel

, tap

Close

. The

Humanize

function applies randomization to the timing, length, and/or velocity of MIDI note events.

To select whether or not humanization will be applied to the timing of MIDI events

, tap the

Humanize Time

checkbox.

To select the maximum number of pulses by which the timing of an event will be adjusted

, use the

Amount

(

Pulses

) slider.

To set how dramatically the humanization effect is applied to the timing

, use the

Eagerness

slider. Negative values correspond to playing “ahead of the beat” while positive values correspond to playing “behind the beat.”

To set whether or not humanization will be applied to the duration of MIDI note events

, tap the

Humanize Note Length

checkbox.

To set how dramatically the humanization effect is applied to note lengths

, use the

Length

(

%

) slider.

To set whether or not humanization will be applied to the velocities of MIDI note events

, tap the

Humanize Velocity

checkbox.

To set how dramatically the humanization effect is applied to note velocities

, use the

Strength

(

%

) slider.

To determine which notes will use these humanization values

, tap the

Only Apply to Selected Events

checkbox. When

on

, just the currently selected notes will be humanized. When

off

, all notes in the track will be humanized.

To apply humanization and keep this window open

, tap

Apply

.

To apply humanization and close the window

, tap

Do It

.

To close the window without making any changes

, tap

Close

. 122

The

Generate Random Events

function creates random melodic or drum patterns on the current MIDI track.

To select the type of events you want to create

, use the

Event Type

field to select

Drum Events

or

Melodic Events

.

To select how the events will be created relative to the existing events on the track

, use the

Replace

field:

Replace All Events

: Select this option to replace all events on the track with the randomly generated ones.

Replace Events in Note Range

: Select this option to replace all events in the designated note range on the track with the randomly generated ones. Use the

Bank

or

Start Pad

and

End Pad

menus to set the note range for drum events or the

Start Note

and

End Note

menus to set the note range for melodic events.

Add to Existing Events

: Select this option to add the randomly generated events to the track without replacing or overwriting the existing ones.

To set how many bars the events will use

, use the

Pattern Size

(

Bars

) field. The highest possible value is the number of bars in the current sequence.

To select the duration of the events

, use the

Note Length

field. (This feature is nonfunctional if

Legato

is enabled while generating melodic events.)

To generate the events and keep this window open

, tap

Apply

.

To generate the events and close the window

, tap

Do It

.

To close the window without generating any events

, tap

Close

. If

Event Type

is set to

Drum Events

:

To select the pad bank that will be used to generate the events

, use the

Bank

field or select

Range

to use the

Start Pad

and

End Pad

menus to define a specific pad range instead.

To define a specific pad range over which the events will be generated

, use the

Start Pad

or

End Pad

fields. You can use these fields only if the

Bank

menu is set to

Range

.

To set how closely together the events will be placed in the track

, use the

Density

(

%

) slider.

To set how widely or narrowly the rhythmic patterns of the generated notes vary

, use the

Rhythm Variation

slider. 123

If

Event Type

is set to

Melodic Events

:

To define a specific note range over which the events will be generated

, use the

Start Note

or

End Note

fields.

To enable or disable legato

, tap the

Legato

checkbox. When

on

, the generated notes will be extended or shortened to create a long, unbroken phrase from the first note event’s start point to the last note event’s end point. Each note event will sustain until another note event starts. If multiple note events start at the same time (and are not the last note events), their lengths will become identical. When

off

, the generated notes will use the duration set by the

Note Length

menu.

To set the maximum number of note events that can be sounding simultaneously in the track

, use the

Polyphony

field to select

1

–

8

.

To determine whether or not the notes will use a scale

, tap the

Constrain Notes to Scale

checkbox. When

on

, the notes will be within the scale determined by the

Scale

menu. When

off

, the notes will be chromatic.


, use the

Density

(

%

) slider.

To set the root note of the scale that the notes will use

, use the

Root Note

field.

To select the scale or mode that the generated notes will use

, use the

Scale

field. The


function

immediately

renders the track (for the current sequence only) as an audio sample and places it in the project’s sample pool. By default, it will be named

Bounce -

and appended with the track name. This function does not work for tracks that use MIDI programs or CV programs. If you have already used this function on this track, then you will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing sample with this new one or cancel.

To continue and save the track over the existing one

, tap

Replace

.

To cancel

, tap

Cancel

. 124

The

Bounce to Audio Track

function

immediately

renders the track (for the current sequence only) as an audio track in the project. The Main Mode will automatically switch to the

Audio

tab. By default, it will be named

Audio

and appended with a number (e.g.,

Audio 002

). This function does not work for tracks that use MIDI programs or CV programs. If you have already used this function on this track, then you will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing sample with this new one or cancel.


, tap

Replace

.

To cancel

, tap

Cancel

. The

Export as Pattern

function saves the track (for the current sequence only) as a pattern (

.mpcpattern

) to an external storage device or the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live.


, tap it in the

Storage

column on the left.

Internal


MPC Documents


MPC Documents




data dial

or use the

–

/

+


center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial


folder buttons


Browser



, tap

New Folder


Do It



, tap the

folder

/ 

icon



, tap the

File Name



, tap

Save

.


, tap

Cancel


icon


While using audio tracks, you can use any of these functions as described below.


, tap

Cancel


Main

.


, tap the top of the screen and use the virtual keyboard that appears. The

Delete

function erases the entire audio track.


, tap

Clear

.


, tap

Cancel

. The

Clear Regions

function erases all

regions

from the audio track without erasing the track itself. The

Reset Channel Strip

function: • • • • • clears all turns

Mute

resets the resets the turns the

Insert

, effect slots;

Solo

, automation, and

pan knob

to the center;

level slider Record Arm

to

0.00 dB

; and button off.

Monitor

It does not change the track’s inputs or outputs. off; 126

The

Copy Track

function copies the contents of one track to another.

To select the

“

source

”

track

, tap the

Copy Contents of Track

field. This is the track whose events you want to copy.

To select the

“

destination

”

track

, tap the

Over Contents of Track

field. This is the track where the source track will be copied.


, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Cancel

or anywhere outside the window. The

Save Current Channel Strip

function saves the current settings of the track channel strip (for the current audio track) to an external storage device or the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live.


, tap it in the

Storage

column on the left.

Internal


MPC Documents


MPC Documents




data dial

or use the

–

/

+


center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial


folder buttons


Browser



, tap

New Folder


Do It



, tap the

folder

/ 

icon



, tap the

File Name



, tap

Save

.


, tap

Cancel


icon


Program Section

The

Program

section shows the current program. This section will appear differently depending on the type of program selected in the

Track

section above it. For all program types

while using MIDI tracks

, you can do the following:

To edit the name of the program

, tap the

cursor icon

on the right edge of the section. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap

Do It

.

To create a new program of the currently selected type

, tap the

+ icon

. A new program of the same type will be created and appended with a number (e.g.,

Program 002

). For all program types

while using audio tracks

, you can do the following:

To change the input source

, tap

Input Config

. This will show or hide the track channel strip. If you are viewing the audio track channel strip (not the master channel strip), the first field will be automatically selected.


, tap

Edit Audio

. This is the same as tapping the

waveform-and-box icon

on the left edge of the screen. While viewing drum programs, the

Drum Program

field shows the name of the program. Tap

Warp Samples

to enter the

first Sample

tab in Program Edit Mode immediately (see


>

Drum Programs

to learn about this). Tap

Assign Samples

to enter the

Sample Assign

tab in the Browser immediately (see

Browser

to learn about this).

Tap

Edit Samples

to enter Program Mode in Sample Edit Mode immediately (see


>

Program Mode

to learn about this). The sample shown will be the one in the top layer of the last pad you pressed.

While viewing keygroup programs, the


field shows the name of the program. While viewing clip programs, the

Clip Program

field shows the name of the program. Tap

Edit Clips

to enter Program Edit Mode, where you can assign samples (clips) to pads, edit each clip, and configure how each clip plays when launched (see


>

Clip Programs

to learn about this). 128

While viewing plugin programs, the

Plugin Program

field shows the name of the program.

Important

: For MPC X and MPC Live, plugin programs are available only in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software. Use the

Plugin

field to select the plugin the program 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.

Note

: You have to specify the disk directory where your plugins are located. This can be done in the software’s

Preferences

. See user guide in the MPC software to learn how to do this: click the

Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

. Use the

MIDI Ch

field to select the MIDI channel the program uses. Use this setting when you are working with a virtual instrument plugin that supports multi-mode. Use the

Preset

field to select a preset (if any) within the plugin the program is using. While viewing MIDI programs, the

MIDI Program

field shows the name of the program. Use the

MIDI Port

field to select the port over which the program sends its MIDI data.

Note

: You also have to configure the MIDI ports in the

Preferences

. See the user guide in the MPC software to learn how to do this: click the

Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

. Use the

Program Ch

field to select the program change message the program sends out. Use the

MIDI Ch

field to select the MIDI channel over which the program sends its MIDI data. Use the

Bank MSB

and

Bank LSB

fields to select the messages for Most Significant Byte and Least Significant Byte (respectively) that the program sends out. While viewing CV programs, the

CV Program

field shows the name of the program. Use the

Note

field to select the note tracking—the program’s note track:

Lowest

,

Highest

, or

Last

. Use the

CV Port

field to select the CV port the program is using. Use the

Gate Port

field to select the Gate port the program is using. Use the

Mod Wheel

field to select the CV port used by a modulation wheel on an external controller. Use the

Velocity Port

field to select CV port the program will use to transmit velocity values. 129

To edit the program

, tap the

pencil icon

on the right edge of the section. The

Program Edit

/

Copy

window will open. You can use any of these functions as described below.


, tap

Cancel


Main

.

To edit the name of the program

, tap the top of the screen and use the virtual keyboard that appears. The

Delete

function erases

all

events from the track and resets

all

of its settings.


, tap

Clear

.


, tap

Cancel

. The

Duplicate

function immediately creates an identical program. The duplicate program will use the same name but appended with a number (e.g.,

Program 002

). 130

The

Duplicate to Track

function immediately creates an identical program on a new track. The duplicate program will use the same name but appended with a number (e.g.,

Program 002

). The new track will be named

Track


Track 06

). The


function

immediately

renders all tracks that use that program (for the current sequence only) as an audio sample and places it in the project’s sample pool. By default, it will be named

Bounce -

and appended with the program name. This function does not work for MIDI programs or CV programs. If you have already used this function on this program, then you will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing sample with this new one or cancel.

To continue and save the program over the existing one

, tap

Replace

.

To cancel

, tap

Cancel

. The

Bounce to Audio Track

function

immediately

renders that program (for the current sequence only) as an audio track in the project. The Main Mode will automatically switch to the

Audio

tab. By default, it will be named

Audio


Audio 002

). This function does not work for MIDI programs or CV programs. If you have already used this function on this track, then you will be asked if you want to overwrite the existing sample with this new one or cancel.


, tap

Replace

.

To cancel

, tap

Cancel

. The

Flatten Pad

function renders all samples on a pad as an audio sample and places it on the first layer of that pad. The resulting sample is the audio signal produced by that pad at full velocity (

127

) after the pad channel strip, which means that it includes any assigned pad insert effects and the results of warping the sample. This function is useful if you need to reduce how CPU-intensive a pad or program is by essentially “embedding” the warping and effects in the sample itself. By default, it will use the name of the first sample. This function works for drum programs only. (This is the same as the

Flatten Pad

button shown at the top of the screen in Program Edit Mode.)

To select the pad

, press it or use the

Pad

menu.

To set the length of the audio tail

, use the

Audio Tail

field. This will add extra seconds to the end of the resulting audio file. This is useful if you are using effects or samples whose sounds exceed the defined audio length (e.g., long reverb or delay, one-shot samples with long decays, etc.). We recommend using an audio tail of at least a couple of seconds.


, tap the

Edit Name

field, and use the virtual keyboard that appears.


, tap

Do It

.

To cancel

, tap

Cancel

. 131

The

Save Current Program

or

Save Current Sample

function saves the current program or sample (the top layer of the last pad you pressed) (respectively) to an external storage device or the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live.


, tap it in the

Storage

column on the left.

Internal


MPC Documents


MPC Documents




data dial

or use the

–

/

+


center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial


folder buttons


Browser



, tap

New Folder


Do It



, tap the

folder

/ 

icon



, tap the

File Name



, tap

Save

.


, tap

Cancel


icon


Grid View

The Grid View lets you view and edit the note events of each track of a sequence in a project and their velocities. This mode has two different appearances: one for drum programs and one for keygroup programs, MIDI programs, and plugin programs. For drum programs, the left column shows you all available pads in a vertical view with their corresponding data. For keygroup programs, plugin programs, and MIDI programs, the left column shows a vertical “piano roll” keyboard.


, press

Menu

, and then tap

Grid View

.

Note

: The Grid View option is available when the currently selected track is a MIDI track. When an audio track is selected, it will show an icon for Audio Edit Mode instead of Grid View. To select a MIDI track (and enable Grid View), press

Main

to enter Main Mode, and then tap

MIDI

in the lower-left corner. Grid View of a drum program. Grid View of a keygroup program or MIDI program. The top of the screen shows the track name, sequence and timing information, and editing tools. Use the

Track

field to select which track of the current sequence you want to show in the grid. Use the

Bars

field to set the length of the sequence. The time counter at the top of the screen indicates the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the

modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. 133

In the Grid View, these four tool icons enable you 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.


, tap it.

To move a note


To erase a note

, double-tap it.

Eraser

: Erase Mode:

To erase a note

, tap it.

Select Box

: Select Mode:

Note

: Notes will remain selected if you switch to another mode. The selection will change, however, if you press a pad while


is set to

On

.


, tap it.

To select multiple notes

, tap and drag across the grid to create a box around them.

To move a note


To move multiple notes

, select them as described above, and tap and drag them.

To erase multiple notes

, select them as described above, and then select the

eraser tool

and tap any of the selected notes.


: Navigation Mode:

To move to another part of the grid

, tap and drag it.



The

Settings

window lets you configure certain Grid View settings.

To view the Settings

, tap the

gear icon

. Use the

Snap Mode

selector to set how events “snap” to the grid.

Absolute

: Events will “snap” to the nearest time division on the grid (as determined by the

TC

field or

Time Correct

window). This is the typical and traditional method of using the snap/quantization feature.

Relative


TC

field or

Time Correct

window)

plus

the original time position of the event (e.g., an event that is originally three ticks past a time division on the grid will snap only to positions that are three ticks past every time division). Use the


selector to turn the feature on or off. When on, pressing a pad will automatically select all note events for that pad in the sequence on that track. When off, pressing a pad will simply play its sound without selecting any note events. Use the

Auto-Scroll

selector to set how the screen behaves relative to the audio playhead.

Follow

: Depending on the zoom setting, the grid will scroll along in the background while keeping the audio playhead centered.

Page

: The grid will move to the “next page” to follow the audio playhead.

Off

: The grid will not move at all. These functions also apply to Audio Edit Mode, List Edit Mode, and Sample Edit Mode. 135

Regardless of which tool is selected, you can do any of the following to move, lengthen, shorten, or transpose any selected note/notes.

To automatically set the grid to view one pad bank and two bars

, tap the

grid-and-magnifying-glass icon



, press

Undo

.


, press

Shift

+

Undo

/

Redo

.

To select all notes for a pad

, press the desired

pad

.

To move the selected notes

, tap

Nudge


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons to shift the notes left or right. By default, you can position notes only by quantization values defined by the

Time Correct

value (see


>


(

TC

)


To move the selected notes without restricting

(“snapping”)

them to the quantization grid

, tap and hold

Don’t Snap


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons to shift the notes. In this case, each nudge is equivalent to four ticks.

To adjust the start point or end point of the selected notes

(without changing their position), tap

Edit Start


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons.

To transpose the selected notes up or down

, tap

Transpose


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons.

To copy the selected notes instantly

, press

Copy

. The selected notes will be duplicated and start immediately after the end of the last selected note. Nudge will be automatically selected so you can immediately use the

data dial

to move the copied notes,


, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Track –

or

Track +

(respectively) at the bottom of the screen.


, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Mute

or

Solo



, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

TC



>


(

TC

)


To select a time division directly

, double-tap the

down arrow

(  ) in the upper-left corner of the grid and select a time division.

To adjust the metronome settings

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Click



>

Metronome

(

Click

/

Metro

)


The Grid View also contains a velocity lane where you can easily adjust note velocities. The velocity lane in the Grid View. The taller velocity lane in the Grid View.

To show or hide the velocity lane

: 1.

2.

3.

Tap the up

arrow

( ∧ ) button in the lower-right corner to show the velocity lane. Tap the up

arrow

( ∧ ) button once more to show a taller version of the velocity lane. The button will now show a

down arrow

( ∨ ). Tap the

down arrow

( ∨ ) to hide the velocity lane. Each note’s velocity is represented by a vertical bar. The higher and more red the bar is, the higher the velocity is. Yellow bars indicate a lower velocity. Bars with a gray line at the top indicate a currently selected note.

To adjust the velocity of the selected notes

, tap

Velocity


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons. The numeric value will appear on the screen. 137

Audio Edit Mode

Audio Edit Mode lets you view and edit the audio tracks of a sequence in a project.


, press

Menu

, and then tap

Audio Edit Mode

.

Note

: The Audio Edit option is available when the currently selected track is an audio track. When a MIDI track is selected, it will show an icon for Grid View instead of Audio Edit Mode. To select an audio track (and enable Audio Edit Mode), press

Main

to enter Main Mode, and then tap

Audio

in the lower-left corner. Audio Edit Mode with channel strip hidden. Audio Edit Mode with channel strip shown. 138

Below is a brief step-by-step process so you can get started recording audio tracks quickly. Continue reading the rest of this chapter to learn how to use Audio Edit Mode in different cases.

To record in Audio Edit Mode

(or Main Mode): 1.

2.

If the channel strip is not already shown on the left side of the screen, tap the small

eye icon

to show it. Connect a synthesizer or other line-level audio source to the appropriate input/inputs of your MPC hardware. Set the

Line

/

Phono selector

appropriately, too. 3.

Double-tap the first field to select the input source of the external audio signal, which you can set to a pair of inputs (

Input 1,2

–

3,4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1,2

Standalone Mode,

Input 1

–

32

in Controller Mode). –

31,32


Input 1

–

4

in 4.

Double-tap the second field to select where the track is routed (

Out 1,2

–

7,8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

in Controller Mode; MPC Live does not use Out 7,8 in Standalone Mode but displays them to maintain compatibility with MPC X, which does use them). 5.

Tap the

Monitor


Auto


on


off

, you will never hear any incoming audio. 6.

Turn the

3

/

4 Rec Gain

knob (MPC X) or

Rec Vol

knob (MPC Live, MPC Touch) to set the input level while sending an audio signal into your MPC hardware. You should now see the level in the meter. Make sure it does not exceed the maximum level (the meter should not be “peaking” constantly). 7.

If

Mute

and

Solo

are on, tap or press them so they are

off

. We also recommend tapping the automation button so it is

off

/

gray

(not

green

/

Read

[

R

] or

red

/

Write

[

W

]). Alternatively, press

Read

/

Write

so it is off (MPC X). 8.

9.

Tap the

Rec Arm

button next to the 11.


, press

Stop

.

pan knob

Press

Rec

to record-arm the sequence. or press

Rec Arm

(MPC X) to record-enable the track. 10.


, press

Play

or

Play Start

—then play your audio source. You should hear your existing sequence playing in the background. You’ll see the waveform appear as a single “track region” as you record. 139

The top of the screen shows the track name, sequence and timing information, and editing tools. Use the

Track

field to select which track of the current sequence you want to show in the grid. Use the

Bars

field to set the length of the sequence. The time counter at the top of the screen indicates the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the

modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. In Audio Edit Mode, these six tool icons enable you to use different functions in the track. Tap one to select its mode:

Marquee

: Marquee Mode:


, tap the upper third of it.



To split the track at two specific points

(creating a track region on either side and between them), tap and drag across the middle third of it to create a translucent white box, and then tap the upper third of that box.


(or multiple selected track regions), tap and drag the lower third of it left or right.

Arrow

: Selection Mode:


, tap it.






(or multiple selected track regions), tap its edge and drag it.

Eraser

: Erase Mode:


, tap and drag across the grid to create a box that highlights them.

To erase a track region

(or multiple selected track regions), tap it. 140

Scissors

: Split Mode:

To split the track at a specific point

(creating a track region on either side), tap that point in the track.


, tap its left-most edge.



Mute

: Mute Mode:



To mute or unmute a track region



: Navigation Mode:

To move to another part of the track

, tap and drag it.


, spread or pinch your fingers (respectively) on the grid. You can do this vertically, horizontally, or both at the same time. The Settings window lets you configure certain Audio Edit Mode settings.


, tap the

gear icon

. Use the

Snap Mode


Absolute


TC

field or

Time Correct


Relative


TC

field or

Time Correct

window)

plus

the original time position of the event (e.g., an event that is originally three ticks past a time division on the grid will snap only to positions that are three ticks past every time division). Use the

Auto-Scroll


Follow

: Depending on the zoom setting, the waveform display will scroll along in the background while keeping the audio playhead centered.

Page

: The waveform display will move to the “next page” to follow the audio playhead.

Off

: The waveform display will not move at all. These functions also apply to the sample waveform in Sample Edit Mode. 141

On the left edge of the screen, next to the five mode icons, there are two small icons that control the channel strip.

To show or hide the channel strip

, tap the

eye icon

. The icon below the eye icon indicates the type of channel strip (see next description). The channel strip contains some important settings for the audio track or master output, depending on the currently selected icon:

To view the track channel strip

, tap the

waveform icon

.

To view the master channel strip

, tap the

crown icon

. When viewing the


while using an audio track: The first field defines the input source of the external audio signal, which you can set to a pair of inputs (

Input 1,2

–

3,4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1,2

–

31,32


Input 1

–

4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1

–

32


Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32


Sub 1

–

8


Note


Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that track. Tap the area under

Inserts


Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the track (respectively). Tap the

Monitor


Auto

, you will hear incoming audio while the track is record enabled only. When

on

, you will hear incoming audio whether or not the track is record enabled. When

off

, you will never hear any incoming audio. 142

Tap the

track automation button

or press

Read

/

Write


off


R

) and Write (

W


Shift


Important


Read

(

R


Write

(

W


Tip



>

Automation


To change the panning or level of the track

, adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

.

To record-enable the track

, tap the

Record Arm

button or press

Rec Arm

(on MPC X when the track name is shown in the display strip below the

level meters

). When you begin audio recording, the audio signal will be recorded to this track.

Tip


Shift

while tapping the

Arm

button to each track. When viewing the

master channel strip

: The first field shows the current master output as a stereo pair (which you can change). The

Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that pair of outputs. Tap the area under

Inserts


Mute

to mute the master output. Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the master output. 143

Regardless of which tool is selected, you can do any of the following to edit the selected audio track regions.

Tip

: If you want to hear only the audio track while editing, use the

Solo

button in the


to solo it.


, tap the arrow icon to enter Selection Mode and tap a track region. When a track region is selected, all region parameters will be available to edit.


, press

Undo

.


, press

Shift

+

Undo

/

Redo

.

To move the selected track region

, tap

Nudge


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons to shift the track region left or right. Alternatively, if the

arrow tool

or

marquee tool

are selected, tap and drag the upper third of the selected track region left or right. By default, you can move a track region only by quantization values defined by the

Time Correct

value (see


>


(

TC

)


To move the selected track region without restricting

(“snapping”)

it to the quantization grid

, tap and hold

Don’t Snap


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons to shift the track region. In this case, each nudge is equivalent to four ticks.

To adjust the start point or end point of the selected track region

(without changing its position), tap

Edit Start


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons.

To split the track at the current playhead position

(creating a track region on either side), tap

Split


To copy, cut, or paste the selected track region

, press

Copy

or press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Copy

or

Cut

. Turn the

data dial

to move the highlighted track region, and then press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to paste it at its current location. Alternatively, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Paste

(respectively).

To cut, copy, or paste the selected track region

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Cut

,

Copy

, or

Paste


To duplicate the selected track region

, tap

Duplicate

at the bottom of the screen. The duplicate track region will appear immediately after the original one.

To create a fade-in or fade out for the selected track region

, use the

Fade In

or

Fade Out

fields, respectively. The fades will be shown as a sloped line at the start or end of the track region.

To set the level of the selected track region

, use the

Level

field. The waveform amplitude will change accordingly. 144

To reverse the selected track region

, tap

Reverse

.

To mute the selected track region

, tap

Mute

.

To lengthen or shorten the selected track 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 track region accordingly. Use the

Semi

and

Fine

fields if you want to change the pitch (this is useful for matching the durations of two samples with different pitches).

Tip

: You can configure audio track recording to ensure the resulting track region is warped automatically. You can then adjust the sequence tempo while track region remains in time. See

Menu

>

Preferences

>

General

/

Other

to

learn about this.

Note

: When you record an audio file, the current sequence tempo will be embedded with it. This information is stored within the sample file when you save the project. When you warp an audio track region, the warping algorithm uses this sequence tempo and the current value in the BPM field to generate the “stretch factor.”

Note

: The Warp algorithms are very CPU-intensive and can result in audio drop-outs during playback if used too freely. Be mindful of how (and how often) you use the warp function. You can reduce the CPU resources required by doing any/all of the following: • • • Minimize the amount of pitch adjustment (e.g., the Avoid warping very small track regions.

Semi

and

Fine

fields). Warp as few tracks or track regions as possible (i.e., reduce the number of total number of voices [of the polyphonic limit] that use the warp algorithm at a given time), especially instances where the warped regions start at the same time. • If you have warped samples used in a drum program, consider using

the Flatten Pad

function to consolidate

the affected pad’s layers into one audio sample (see

here

to learn about this). After you flatten the pad, its

sample/samples no longer need to be warped.


, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

TC



>


(

TC

)



, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Track –

or

Track +



, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Mute

or

Solo


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 Press

Shift

+

Menu Main

/

Track

. , and then tap

Track View

. Each horizontal strip represents a track in the current sequence. MIDI tracks and audio tracks are grouped together. MIDI tracks are listed first, audio tracks are listed second.

To move through the list of tracks

, swipe up or down.

To collapse or expand each group of tracks

, tap the

up arrow

(  ) or

down arrow

(  )

icon

above the first track’s

Mute

button. The top of the screen shows the sequence name and timing information. Use the

Sequence

field to select which sequence contains the tracks you want to show below. The time counter at the top of the screen indicates the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the

modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate


The Settings window lets you configure certain Track View settings.


, tap the

gear icon

. Use the

Show Unused Tracks

selector to turn this feature on or off. When

on

, tracks with a sequence, program, etc. will still appear in the Track View. When

off

, only tracks with a sequence, program, etc. will appear.

To open the Timing Correct settings

, tap

TC



>


(

TC

)


To open the metronome settings

, tap

Click



>

Metronome

(

Click

/

Metro

)


To select the previous or next track of the same type

(MIDI or audio), tap

Track –

or

Track +

(respectively) at the bottom of the screen. Alternatively, tap the track in the main part of the screen. 147

MIDI Tracks

All MIDI tracks in the project are grouped together in the upper half of the Track View.

To show or hide them

, tap the  or  arrow icon. Use the

Program

field to select the program that the track will use. Use the

Length

field to set how long the track is. If you select the minimum value,

Seq

or

0


Tip


Velocity

field to set how loudly or quietly a track plays relative to its recorded levels. When set to

50%

, the track will be played with half the velocity it was originally played. When set to

200%

, the track will play twice as loud. The maximum velocity level is still

127

, though. Use the

Transpose

field to set the transposition (in semitones) of the entire track. Use the

level slider

to change the level of the track. The level meter above the slider shows the track’s current level. Use the

pan knob

to change the panning of the track. 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. 148

Audio Tracks

All audio tracks in the project are grouped together in the lower half of the Track View.

To show or hide them

, tap the  or  arrow icon. Use the

Input

field to set the track’s input/inputs. Use the

Arm

button to record-enable the track. When you begin audio recording, the audio signal will be recorded to this track. You can select multiple tracks by pressing and holding

Shift

while tapping the

Arm

button to each track. Use the

Monitor


Auto


on


off

, you will never hear any incoming audio. Use the

level slider

to change the level of the track. The level meter above the slider shows the track’s current level. Use the

pan knob

to change the panning of the track. 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. Use the

Add new audio track

button to create a new audio track. 149

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.



Menu

, and then tap

Step Seq

(MPC X).

Step Sequencer

. The top of the screen shows the track name and information as well as sequence and timing information. The

Track

field shows the name of the current track. Use the

Track Length

field to set how long the track is. If you select the minimum value,

Sequence

or

0


Tip


Bars

field to adjust the length of the sequence in bars. 150

Use the

BPM



(

Seq

)


(

Mst

), tap the

Seq

/

Mst

button next to the BPM field. Alternatively, press

Shift

+

Tap

/

Master

. The time counter at the top of the screen indicates the current playhead position. This is shown in

most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate


Use the

Time Division

selector to set the value that determines how many steps each bar of the sequence will have. The

T

indicates a triplet-based value. Alternatively, tap

TC

at the bottom of the screen to open the

Timing Correct

window. See


>


(

TC

)


To enter or delete steps in a sequence

: 1.

Use the

Pad –

/

+

buttons at the bottom of the screen to select the pad whose steps you want to enter or delete. The current pad number is shown in the upper-left corner. Alternatively, use the Pad Select feature: Tap and hold

Pad Sel

, press the desired pad, and then release

Pad Sel

. You can also use Pad Select as a “latching” feature: tap

Pad Sel

so it is activated, press the desired pad, and then tap

Pad Sel

once more so it is deactivated. 2.

Use the

Bar –

/

+

buttons at the bottom of the screen to select the bar of the sequence whose steps you want to enter or delete. The current bar number is shown in the upper-left corner. 3.

Press the

pads

of your MPC hardware, or tap a button at the bottom of the sequencer. Each pad corresponds to a step in the bar and will light with a color corresponding to its velocity. Keep in mind that for time divisions larger than 16, the bar’s steps will be represented by multiple pad banks. In this case, use

Pad Bank Buttons A

and

B

to view all the steps within a bar. For time divisions larger than 16, the bar’s steps will be represented by multiple pad banks. In this case, use the left and right arrows (

<

and

>

) by the step numbers (

1

–

16

,

17

–

32

, etc.) to change which steps are shown in the sequencer. Alternatively, use

Pad Bank Buttons A

and

B

. 151

To adjust the velocities of the steps

, do any of the following: • • • Tap anywhere on the Use the

slider

Turn the

velocity bar

on the right edge of the screen to increase or decrease the velocities of all steps.

Q-Link knob

of a step. The top of the velocity bar will jump to that point. that corresponds to that step (the Q-Link knobs must be in the Setting a value of

0

(

Off

) will delete the step.

Screen

edit mode). Use the

Nudge <

and

Nudge >

arrows to shift each step left or right (respectively) one step. This is useful for experimenting with different rhythmic permutations. Use the

slider

on the right edge of the screen to increase or decrease the velocities of all steps. Use the

Flip Steps

button to switch which steps have notes entered and which do not have notes. Steps that previously had no notes will now have notes at full velocity (

127

). Steps that previously had notes will now be empty. Tap

Presets

to show or hide the preset sequence controls. These controls let you manipulate and transform the velocities of the current bar in the sequence. The

first

button will apply ascending or descending velocities to the steps. Each time you tap it, it will cycle through these options: • • • • • • The velocities will ascend to a single peak at the end of the bar. The velocities will ascend to two peaks—one after each half of the bar. The velocities will ascend to four peaks—one after each quarter of the bar. The velocities will descend from a single peak at the start of the bar. The velocities will descend from two peaks—one after each half of the bar. The velocities will descend from four peaks—one at the start each quarter of the bar. The

second

button will set the velocities of the steps to be at the maximum value (

127

) or minimum values (

1

), depending on their position in the bar. Each time you tap it, it will cycle through these options: • The velocities of the first half of the bar will be set to set to

127

.

1

. The velocities of the second half will be • The velocities of the first and third quarters of the bar will be set to second and fourth quarters will be set to

127

.

1

. The velocities of the • The velocities of the first, third, fifth, and seventh eighths of the bar will be set to velocities of the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth eighths will be set to

127

.

1

. The • The velocities of the first half of the bar will be set to be set to

1

.

127

. The velocities of the second half will • The velocities of the first and third quarters of the bar will be set to second and fourth quarters will be set to

1

.

127

. The velocities of the • The velocities of the first, third, fifth, and seventh eighths of the bar will be set to velocities of the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth eighths will be set to

1

.

127

. The 152

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. In each half of the bar, the velocities will ascend to a peak and then descend from it. In each quarter of the bar, the velocities will ascend to a peak and then descend from it. Across the entire bar, the velocities will descend from a peak into a valley and then ascend back up to the peak. • In each half of the bar, the velocities will descend from a peak into a valley and then ascend back up to the peak. • In each quarter of the bar, the velocities will descend from a peak into a valley and then ascend back up to the peak. The

fourth

button will swap the first half and second half of the bar. In other words, the first half of the bar will become a mirrored image of the second half, and vice versa. The

fifth

button will invert the velocities of all steps with entered notes. The sum of the old and new velocities will equal

127

. The exception is a velocity of

127

or

1

as a step with a note cannot have a velocity of

0

.

Examples

: Steps with velocities of

40

will now have velocities of

87

, and vice versa. Steps with velocities of

75


52

, and vice versa. Steps with velocities of

127


1

, and vice versa. 153

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 program. In fact,

XYFX

is the name of the insert effect you have to load to the program before you can use this mode. Learn more about this in


>

Effects

.

To enter XYFX Mode


Menu XYFX

, and then tap (MPC X).

XYFX

. When you first enter this mode in a project, you may be prompted to load XYFX to the program. Tap

Insert XYFX

to do this.

Note

: If you already have four insert effects loaded, you will need to clear one of the insert effect slots before doing this. Use the

XYFX Location

field to select the signal to which the effects will be applied: the current program (

Program

) or a master output (a stereo pair of channels:

Output 1

/

2

,

Output 3

/

4

, etc.). The time counter in the upper-right corner the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. The automation button indicates the global automation state. This is shown in several modes. See


>

Automation


154

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. Each axis is labeled with its assigned parameter. When an effect has a beat division parameter, the current division will be highlighted as an entire column. Effects are differently colored for easy visual distinction: beat-synchronized effects are

blue

, while manually controlled effects are

green

. XY Mode with a beat-synchronized effect. While touching the

XY pad

, tap

Latch

in the lower-left corner to keep the marker on the XY pad even after you release it. The marker will remain there until you touch another part of the XY pad or until you tap

Latch

again. Use the

Setup

button to show or hide the Setup panel, which controls how the XY pad behaves. Use the

Preset

field to select the effect you want to use in XYFX Mode. 155

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. In other words, this determines how long it takes the effect to fully deactivate after you stopping touching the XY pad. Use the

Wet

/

Dry

knob to set the blend the original signal (dry) and the effect signal (wet). The

X Axis

and

Y Axis

fields show which parameters are controlled by each axis. This varies depending on the effect you are using. 156

Sample Edit Mode

Sample Edit Mode lets you edit samples using various functions.



Menu

, and then tap

Sample Edit Sample Edit

(MPC X). .

To select a sample to edit

, do any of the following: • • Use the

Sample

field at the top of the screen. In Main Mode, tap the right side.

Project

field at the top of the screen, and then double-tap a sample in the list on the • In the Browser, tap the

Project

button with the tap a sample in the list on the right side.

P

/

page icon

at the bottom of the screen, and then double-

To edit the name of the sample

, tap the

keyboard icon

next to the name at the top of the screen, and use the virtual keyboard that appears.

To delete the sample

, tap the

trash-can icon

next to the name at the top of the screen. In the screen that appears, you will see the programs that use this sample within your project. Tap

Delete Sample

to continue, or tap

Cancel

to return to the previous screen. 157

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

.


, do any of the following: • When the


(respectively) on the waveform. (in the upper-right corner) is selected, spread or pinch your fingers • •

To scroll through the waveform

, do either of the following: • • Tap the Turn When the Turn

Zoom +

or

Q-Link Knob 4 Q-Link Knob 8 Zoom –

(


(

Zoom Scroll

buttons (respectively) at the bottom of the screen. on MPC X) or the (in the upper-right corner) is selected, swipe the waveform left or right. on MPC X) or the

fourth Q-Link knob third Q-Link knob

in the in the

fourth column fourth column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). (MPC Live, MPC Touch). The green marker and red 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 of the selected region

, do any of the following: • • • Tap and drag its marker left or right. Use the Use the

Start first

or

End

fields shown below the waveform. column of

Q-Link knobs

(

Start X1__

) to adjust the start point or the

second

column of

Q-Link knobs

(

End X1__

) to adjust the end point. The top-most

Q-Link knobs

(

13

and

14

) provide coarse adjustment. The bottom-most

Q-Link knobs

(

1

and

2

) provide fine adjustment.

Tip

: A recorded sample may have some silence at the beginning or end, which makes it difficult to time it correctly in a musical context. Fix this by adjusting the start point. You can also adjust end point to remove any extra silence or unwanted audio at the end. In addition to making your workflow easier, having a “tight,” well-edited sample can enhance your production or performance. You can use Sample Edit Mode in three different ways:

Trim Mode

,

Chop Mode

, or

Program Mode

. The options for each mode are slightly different. Please refer to the following

Trim Mode

,

Chop Mode

, and

Program Mode

parts of

this chapter to learn how each works. Before using these modes, though, you may want to configure your settings—

see the following

Settings

chapter to do this.

158

Settings

The Settings window lets you configure certain Sample Edit Mode settings.


, tap the

gear icon

. 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. Tapping it once more will stop playback. Use the

Cue Preview

selector to set if any audio plays as you move the cue playhead. As you move the cue playhead through the sample waveform, you can set it to play the small part of the sample before the cue playhead (

Before

), play the small part of the sample after the cue playhead (

After


Off

). You can also set this in your overall Preferences (see


>

Menu

>

Preferences

>

General

/

Other

).

Use the

Slice Preview

selector to set if any audio plays as you move a slice marker. As you move the slice marker through the sample waveform, you can set it to play the small part of the sample before the slice marker (

Before

), play the small part of the sample after the slice marker (

After


Off

). You can also set this in your

overall Preferences (see


>

Menu

>

Preferences

>

General

/

Other

).

Use the

Auto-Scroll


Follow

: Depending on the zoom setting, the waveform will scroll along in the background, keeping the audio playhead centered.

Page


Off

: The waveform display will not move at all. These functions also apply to the sample waveform in the Grid View. Use the

Timeline Units

selector to set the measurement units shown above the sample waveform. You can select one of the following options:

Time

: hours:minutes:seconds:frames

Samples

: number of samples

Beats

: bars:beats:ticks 159

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

. Use the

Start

and

End

fields to set the position of the start point and end point of the sample (respectively). Alternatively, tap and drag the start (

S

) or end (

E

) marker left or right, or use the

first

column of

Q-Link knobs

(

Start X1__


second

column of

Q-Link knobs

(

End X1__

) to adjust the end point. Trim Mode includes a loop function. When on, the region of the sample between the loop point and end point will repeat. This is useful when trying to find an ideal spot to begin the sample. The loop cannot be earlier than the start point.

To adjust the loop point

, do any of the following: • • • Use the Tap and drag the start ( Use the

Loop first

field. column of

S

) marker (if

Loop Lock Q-Link knobs

( is on) or the

Start X1__

; if

loop Loop Lock

marker (if

Loop Lock

is on) or the

third

is off). column of

Q-Link knobs

(

Loop X1__

; if

Loop Lock

is off). The top-most

Q-Link knobs

(

13

and

15


Q-Link knobs

(

1

and

3


To turn Loop Lock on or off

, tap the

Loop Lock

button. When on, the loop point is the same as the start point. When off, the loop point is independent from the start point and indicated by a separate loop marker.

To turn the loop function on or off

, tap the

Loop

button to cycle between the four modes:

Off

: The sample will not loop.

Forward

: When the loop reaches its end point, it will start playing again from the loop point.

Reverse

: When the loop reaches its end point, it will play in reverse. When it reaches the loop point again, it will return to the end point and continue playing in reverse.

Alternating

: When the loop reaches its end point, it will play in reverse. When it reaches the loop point again, it will start playing forward again from the loop point.

To switch between Forward and off

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Loop

at the bottom of the screen. Use the

X-Fade button

to apply a crossfade to a looping sample. See

Addenda > Updates in MPC 2.3 > New Features > Crossfade Looping

for more information about this. 160

Use your MPC hardware pads to play certain parts of the selected sample: Play Loop Play to Loop Start Play from Loop Start Play Loop Continuous

15 16

Play All Play Sample (One Shot) Play Sample (Note On) No function

11 12

Play from Start (Note On) Play to Start (Note On)

07

Play to End (Note On)

08

Play from End (Note On) Play from Start (One Shot) Play to Start (One Shot) Play to End (One Shot) Play from End (One Shot)

03 04 Play Sample

(

One Shot

) (

Pad 10

) plays the sample once from the start point to the end point. Press the pad once to play it.

Play Sample

(

Note On

) (

Pad 11

) plays the sample once from the start point to the end point. Press and hold the pad to play it, and release the pad to stop playing it. Alternatively, select the

headphones icon

in the upper-right corner, and then tap and hold your finger on the waveform.

Play Loop Continuous

(

Pad 16

) plays the sample repeatedly using the mode set by the

Loop

button (

Forward

,

Reverse

, or

Alternating

; if the

Loop

button is

off

, the sample will loop forward repeatedly).

Play Loop

(

Pad 13

) plays the sample repeatedly using the mode set by the

Loop

button (

Forward

,

Reverse

, or

Alternating

; if the

Loop

button is off, the sample will loop forward repeatedly). Press and hold the pad to play it, and release the pad to stop playing it.

Play to Loop Start

(

Pad 14

) plays the part of the sample just before the loop point. Press and hold the pad to play it, and release the pad to stop playing it.

Play from Loop Start

(

Pad 15

) plays the sample from the loop point to the end of the sample regardless of the end point. Press and hold the pad to play it, and release the pad to stop playing it.

Play All

(

Pad 9

) plays the entire sample.

Pads 1

–

4

have the same respective functions as

Pads 5

–

8

, but

Pads 1

–

4

play the sample part as “

One Shots

” (pressing the pad once will play the entire part) while

Pads 5

–

8

play the sample part as “

Note Ons

” (pressing the pad and holding it will play the part; releasing it will stop playback):

Play from Start

(

Pad 1

,

Pad 5

) plays the sample from the start point to the end point.

Play to Start

(

Pad 2

,

Pad 6

) plays the part of the sample just before the start point to the start point.

Play to End

(

Pad 3

,

Pad 7

) plays the part of the sample just before the end point to the end point.

Play from End

(

Pad 4

,

Pad 8

) plays the part of the sample from the end point to the end of the sample. 161

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

Beats

field to match the number of beats in the sequence.

To tune the sample to the sequence

, tap

Match

. The

Tune

field will adjust automatically and close the window. The sample is now tuned to the sequence.

To tune the sample to the sequence and adjust the sequence tempo

, tap

To Sequence

. This is the same as tapping Match but it also changes the sequence’s tempo to the BPM shown in the Tempo field on the right.


, tap

Close

.

To enter a tempo manually

, use the

BPM

field.

To detect the tempo automatically

, tap

Detect

. In the

Edit BPM

window that appears, you can do any of the following: • • • Use the Tap Tap

BPM Detect

field to enter a tempo manually. to detect the tempo automatically.

Tap Tempo

at the bottom of the screen at the desired rate to use it as the tempo. You can play a sequence in the background to help with your timing. • Tap

Close

, the

X

, or anywhere outside the window to close it.

Note:

Before detecting tempo, it is recommended that you

Normalize

samples for best results. 162

Use the

Root Note

field to set the root note of the sample. This defines which note will play the sample at its original pitch when in a keygroup program.

To select a slice to edit

, do either of the following (after you have created slices in Chop Mode): • • Use the Turn

Slice Q-Link Knob 16

MPC Touch). field. (

Select Slice

on MPC X) or the

fourth Q-Link knob

in the

fourth column

(MPC Live, When

Link Slices

is enabled (after you have created slices in Chop Mode), 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.

To enable or disable this feature

, tap the

Link Slices

button.

Important

:

Link Slices

must be disabled to make slices nonsequential, noncontiguous, or overlapping.

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


To enable or disable the loop function

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Loop

at the bottom of the screen. This switches the loop function between

Forward

and

off

. The loop function is described

earlier

.

Tip

: You can use Trim Mode for a specific slice of the sample, previously created and selected in Chop Mode. This allows for a more detailed view of a single slice than in Chop Mode and gives you more options for auditioning the slice. You can easily switch between Trim Mode and Chop Mode while doing this.

To use both Trim Mode and Chop Mode to edit a sample slice

: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Tap Set all fields as desired to create your sample slices. Select the desired slice. Tap

Trim Trim

/ /

Chop Chop

at the bottom of the screen so it says

Chop

at the bottom of the screen so it says

Trim

. . The region you are now editing is indicated by the normal start point and end point markers rather than slice markers. 5.

Tap

Trim

/

Chop

at any time to return to Chop Mode. 163

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. If you set the

Assign To

field to

Assign slice to a 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. Use the

Pad

field to select the desired pad. Alternatively, press the desired pad. Use the

Slice Type

field to select how the pad’s layer settings will be set when the slice is assigned to it (see


to learn more about the parameters mentioned below):

Non-Destructive Slice

: The pad’s

Slice

setting will be set to the slice number.

Pad Parameters

: The pad’s

Slice

setting will be set to

Pad

. The

Pad Start

and

Pad End

will be set to the slice’s start point and end point values, and the

Loop Position

will be set to the slice’s start point but with

Pad Loop

deactivated. Use the

Program

field to specify the program to which you want to add the slice.

To assign the sample

, tap

Do It

.

To cancel the operation

, tap

Close

, the

X


If you set the

Assign To

field to

Make new sample

, this will create a new sample in your project. (The original sample will remain as it is.) Use the

Pad

field to select the desired pad. Alternatively, press the desired pad. Check the

Crop Sample

box to delete the unused parts from the sample when it’s created and assigned. This feature is destructive, though the project will still contain your original sample. Leave this box unchecked to keep the unused parts of the sample when it is created and assigned. This way, you will still be able to edit the entire sample further even though you are using only part of it at the moment. Use the

Program



, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

, the

X


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. You can use any of these functions as described below.

To return to Sample Edit Mode

, tap

Cancel

.

To return to the Process window

, tap the top of the screen.

Note

: All

Slice

processes will affect only the part of the sample between the start point and the end point. The

Sample

processes (

Bit Reduce

and

Stereo -

>

Mono

) will affect the

entire

sample regardless of its start point or end point.

The

Discard

process deletes the regions before the start point and after the end point. 166

The

Delete

process deletes the region between the start point and end point and closes the gap between them. 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. Use the

Edit Name

field (and the virtual keyboard that appears) to name the new sample.

Tip

: This is useful if you recorded a drum loop and wanted to remove just a snare drum hit, a kick drum hit, etc. to use separately in the project. The

Normalize

process increases a sample’s level to the highest level possible without distortion. This is essentially a kind of digital gain optimization, so you do not have to worry about excessive level settings when working with samples with a wide range of amplitudes. 167

The

Reverse

process reverses the region between the start point and end point. 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.

Exp

fades the audio in with an exponential curve— slowly rising in the beginning and growing steeper towards the end. The

Fade Out

process sets a fade-out between the start point and end point. The following types are available:

Linear

fades the audio out with a linear curve—a straight line between the start and end.

Log

fades the audio out with a logarithmic curve— quickly rising at the start and flattening out towards the end.

Exp

fades the audio out with an exponential curve— slowly rising in the beginning and growing steeper towards the end. The

Pitch Shift

process changes the pitch of the sample without changing its length. This lets you set the sample’s pitch to your sequence without affecting the sample’s tempo or duration. You can adjust it up to 12 semitones, up or down. Keep in mind that the audio quality may decrease at more extreme settings. 168

The

Time Stretch

process lengthens or shortens the sample without changing its pitch. This is useful for matching the durations of two samples with different pitches. You can enter the original tempo of the sample and the desired tempo after processing. Use the

Beat

field to set the desired value number of beats. Use the

New Tempo

field to set the new tempo. The

Ratio

field will then automatically show the time stretch factor. Alternatively, to adjust the ratio instead, use the

Ratio

field to set the desired ratio. The

New Tempo

field will then change automatically based on the new time stretch factor. 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. Use the

Edit Name


Otherwise, the process will add a consecutive number after the sample name.

169

The

Bit Reduce

process lowers the bit resolution of a sample, effectively reducing its degree of faithful reproduction. You can reduce it down to

1 bit

. (The sound is similar to the Resampler effect, but Bit Reduce will permanently alter the sample.)

Tip

: Use this on drum loops to get a dirty, “old-school” sizzle but with a digital “edge.”

Note

: This process affects the

entire


The

Stereo -

>

Mono

process converts a stereo sample to a new mono sample and saves it as a new sample. Use the

Edit Name


Otherwise, the process will add a consecutive number after the sample name.

The following options are available: • • •

Left Right Sum

will convert the left channel only. will convert the right channel only. will combine the left and right audio channels to a single mono channel.

Note

: This process affects the

entire


170

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

. Use the

Start

and

End

fields to set the position of the start point and end point (respectively) of the currently selected slice. Alternatively, tap and drag the start (

S

) or end (

E


first

column of

Q-Link knobs

(

Start X1__


second

column of

Q-Link knobs

(

End X1__

) to adjust the end point. Use the selector in the lower-left corner of the screen to choose how you want to use Chop Mode:

Manual

This method lets you insert slices at locations you select.

Threshold

This method uses an adjustable detection algorithm that derives the number of slices created from the volume levels present in the sample. Use the

Threshold

field to set the threshold level. Alternatively, turn

Q-Link Knob 11

(

Threshold

on MPC X) or the

second Q-Link knob

in the

third column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). The higher the selected value, the more slices will be created. Use the

Min Time

field to set the minimum length of a slice in milliseconds.

Regions

This method divides a sample into several slices of equal length. Use the

Regions

field to set how many regions the sample will be divided into. Alternatively, turn

Q-Link Knob 11

(

Num Regions

on MPC X) or the


in the

third column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). The higher the selected value, the more slices will be created.

BPM

This method divides a sample into several slices based on the tempo (beats per minute). Use the

Bars

field to set how many bars are in the sample. Alternatively, turn

Q-Link Knob 11

(

Bars

on MPC X) or the


in the

third column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). Use the

Beats

field to set how many beats are in each bar. Alternatively, turn

Q-Link Knob 7

(

Beats

on MPC X) or the

third Q-Link knob

in the

third column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). Use the

Time Div

field to set a note division. Alternatively, turn

Q-Link Knob 3

(

Time Div

on MPC X) or the

fourth Q-Link knob

in the

third column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). The slice markers will be placed according to this setting. You can select

1

/

4

,

1

/

8

,

1

/

16

, or

1

/

32

. (In most cases, you should set this parameter to

1

/

16

.) 171

To play a slice

, do either of the following: • • Press the When the

pad

that corresponds to the slice. If your sample has more than 16 slices, use the additional pad banks.

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. When this is disabled, pressing the pad and holding it will play the slice; releasing it will stop playback.

To enable or disable One Shot

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

One Shot

.

To select a slice to edit

, do any of the following: • • Use the Turn

Slice Q-Link Knob 16

MPC Touch). field. (

Select Slice

on MPC X) or the

first Q-Link knob

in the

fourth column

(MPC Live, • When the

headphones icon

(in the upper-right corner) is selected, tap a

slice

in the waveform.

To add a slice at the current playhead position

, tap

Slice+

at the bottom of the screen. You can do this at any point during sample playback.

To insert a slice marker during sample playback

, press an

unlit pad

(usually

Pad 1

) to start playback of the sample, and then press an

unlit pad

during playback to place a slice marker at each location of the playhead. (If you press a lit pad, playback will restart from that pad’s corresponding slice marker.) The number of the pad that is lit

green

is the number of the most-recently inserted slice marker. The numbers of the pads that are lit

yellow

are the numbers of the slice markers that are already inserted.

To split or combine slices

, tap the

glue-and-scissors icon

. In the

Split

/

Combine Region

screen that appears, tap one of the following buttons:

Split

: This splits the currently selected region into two equal slices.

Combine

: This combines the currently selected region with the one before it.

Back

: This closes the window. 172

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.

To enable or disable this feature

, tap the

Link Slices

button.

Important

:

Link Slices

must be disabled to make slices nonsequential, noncontiguous, or overlapping.

To remove all slices from a sample

, press and hold

Shift

and tap

Clear All

. The cue playhead is useful when manually inserting slice markers. You can set its position and behavior to suit your workflow. Use the

Cue

field to adjust the position of the cue playhead. Alternatively, tap and drag the translucent marker with the triangle (  ).

To play the sample from the cue playhead

, tap

Play Cue


To create a slice marker at the cue playhead position

, tap

Slice+


To set how the cue playhead behaves

, use the

Settings

window (described

earlier

).

0 Snap

forces start points and end points to occur only at the waveform’s “zero-crossings.” This can help to avoid clicks and glitches when playing a sample.


, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

0 Snap

at the bottom of the screen. 173

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 program 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. If you set the

Convert To

field to

New

[

program type

]

program using slices

, this will create a new program and assign the sample’s slices to its pads. The pads will simply refer to the slices in this sample instead of creating new samples. This is useful for reducing clutter in your project. The new program will be named after the sample and appended with

ch

. Use the

Slice Type

field to select how each pad’s layer settings will be set when the slices are assigned to them (see


to learn more about the parameters mentioned below): •


: Each pad’s will be set to the slice number.

Slice

setting •

Pad Parameters

: Each pad’s

Slice


Pad

. The

Pad Start

and

Pad End

parameters will be set to the slice’s start point and end point values, and the

Loop Pos

parameter will be set to the slice’s start point but with

Pad Loop

deactivated. Check the

Create Events

box to automatically create a new track for the new program in which each pad plays its corresponding slice in ascending sequence by pad number. If

Create Events

is checked, use the

Bars

field to set how many bars the slices’ events will occupy.

To convert the sample

, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

. 174

If you set the

Convert To

field to

New clip program

, this will create a new clip program and assign the sample’s slices to its pads as clips. The pads will simply refer to the slices in this sample instead of creating new samples. This is useful for reducing clutter in your project. The new program will be named after the sample and appended with

ch

. Use the

Tempo

field to enter the tempo of the clips in the new program. Check the

Create Events

box to automatically create a new track for the new program in which each pad plays its corresponding slice in ascending sequence by pad number. If

Create Events

is checked, use the

Bars



, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

. If you set the

Convert To

field to

New program with new samples

, this will create a new sample from each slice and assign them to pads in a new program. The new program will be named after the sample and appended with

ch

. The new samples will be appended with

SI-#

(where

#

is a consecutive number). Check the

Crop Samples

box to delete the unused parts from the sample when they are created and assigned. This feature is destructive, though the project will still contain your original sample. Leave this box unchecked to keep the unused parts of the samples when they’re created and assigned. This way, you will still be able to edit the entire samples further even though you are using only part of them at the moment. By default, this option already will create a new program. You can

uncheck

the

Create New Program

box to convert each slice into a sample that is placed in the project’s sample pool but not assigned to a program or pad. If


is checked, check the

Create Events

box to automatically create a new track in which each pad plays its corresponding slice in ascending sequence by pad number. If

Create Events

is checked, use the

Bars



, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

. 175

If you set the

Convert To

field to


, 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. Use the

Pad


Slice Type





: The pad’s will be set to the slice number.

Slice

setting •

Pad Parameters

: The pad’s

Slice


Pad

. The

Pad Start

and

Pad End


Loop Position


Pad Loop


Program



, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

. If you set the

Convert To

field to

Make new sample

, this will create a new sample in your project. (The original sample will remain as it is.)

Important

: Assigning a sample to a pad in this way will replace the sample on the first layer of the pad. Use the

Pad


Crop Sample


Program



, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

. 176

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 Sequence, 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. Use the

Bars

field to set how many bars long the patched phrase is meant to be.

Processing Slices

Press and hold

Shift

, and then tap the

Process

button to open the Process window, where you can select an editing option for the currently selected slice. (This has fewer options than Trim Mode. Unavailable ones are darkened.) Use the

Function


Function

at the bottom of the screen to open the Function window, which displays an overview of all available editing processes.

Important

: Chop Mode is non-destructive: You can choose the slice/edit behavior without destroying your original sample, giving you more control over sample playback; you can save your sliced sample and but also reuse all of the slice data in another project. See the


chapter to learn more about setting a pad to play the entire sample, a specific slice of a sample, or a specific region of the sample (independent of its slice markers). You can use any of these functions as described below.


, tap

Cancel

.



Note

: All processes here will affect only the currently selected slice.

177

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.

Tip


Normalize

process increases a sample’s level to the highest level possible without distortion. This is essentially a kind of digital gain optimization, so you do not have to worry about excessive level settings when working with samples with a wide range of amplitudes. The

Reverse

process reverses the region between the start point and end point. 178

The

Fade In


Linear


Log


Exp


Fade Out


Linear


Log


Exp


Pitch Shift

process changes the pitch of the sample without changing its length. This lets you set the sample’s pitch to your sequence without affecting the sample’s tempo or duration. You can adjust it up to 12 semitones, up or down. Keep in mind that the audio quality may decrease at more extreme settings. 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! 179

Program Mode

Program Mode lets you edit a sample in the context of the program in which you’ll use it. You can adjust the pad parameters as though you were in Program Edit Mode, auditioning and hearing how it will sound in the program’s audio path.

To enter Program Mode

, tap the

Program

button at the bottom of the screen. The pads will show their assigned samples in the current Program. Use the

Start

and

End

fields to set the position of the start point and end point of the sample (respectively). Alternatively, tap and drag the start (

S

) or end (

E


first

column of

Q-Link knobs

(

Start X1__


second

column of

Q-Link knobs

(

End X1__

) to adjust the end point. Program Mode includes a loop function. When on, the region of the sample between the loop point and end point will repeat. This is useful when trying to find an ideal spot to begin the sample. The loop cannot be earlier than the start point.

To adjust the loop point

, do any of the following: • • • Use the Tap and drag the start ( Use the

Loop first

field. column of

S

) marker (if

Loop Lock Q-Link knobs

( is on) or the

Start X1__

; if

loop Loop Lock

marker (if

Loop Lock

is on) or the

third

is off). column of

Q-Link knobs

(

Loop X1__

; if

Loop Lock

is off). The top-most

Q-Link knobs

(

13

and

15


Q-Link knobs

(

1

and

3


To turn Loop Lock on or off

, tap the

Loop Lock

button. When on, the loop point is the same as the start point. When off, the loop point is independent from the start point.

To turn the loop function on or off

, tap the

Loop

button to cycle between the four modes:

Off


Forward

: When the loop reaches its end point, it will start playing again from the loop point.

Reverse

: When the loop reaches its end point, it will play in reverse. When it reaches the loop point again, it will return to the end point and continue playing in reverse.

Alternating

: When the loop reaches its end point, it will play in reverse. When it reaches the loop point again, it will start playing forward again from the loop point.

To switch between Forward and off

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Loop


Tap each

pad

to hear its sample/samples. The sample on its first layer will automatically appear in the waveform display for editing. 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 sequence

, tap

Match

. The

Tune

field will adjust automatically and close the window. The sample is now tuned to the sequence.

To tune the sample to the sequence and adjust the sequence tempo

, tap

To Seq

. This is the same as tapping Match but it also changes the sequence’s tempo to the BPM shown in the

Tempo

field on the right.


, tap

Close

. Use the

Root Note

field to set the root note of the sample. This defines which note will play the sample at its original pitch when in a keygroup program. Use the

Slice

field to display either the sample as it has been edited (

Pad

) or the entire sample (

All

). If the

Slice

field is set to

All

, you can display the sample as it has been edited but keep the start point and end point.

To do this

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

To Pad

at the bottom of the screen. The

Slice

field will change to

Pad

, but the start point and end point will remain in their current locations. 181

The

Link Slices

button does not have a function in Program 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.


, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

0 Snap


To enable or disable the loop function

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Loop

at the bottom of the screen. This switches the loop function between

Forward

and

off

. The loop function is described

earlier

.

182

Assigning Samples

You can assign your new sample directly to a pad from Program 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. If you set the

Assign To

field to


, 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. Use the

Pad


Slice Type





: The pad’s will be set to the slice number.

Slice

setting •

Pad Parameters

: The pad’s

Slice


Pad

. The

Pad Start

and

Pad End


Loop Position


Pad Loop


Program



, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

. If you set the

Assign To

field to

Make new sample

, this will create a new sample in your project. (The original sample will remain as it is.) Use the

Pad


Crop Sample


Program



, tap

Do It

.


, tap

Close

. 183

Processing Slices

Press and hold

Shift

, and then tap the

Process

button to open the Process window, where you can select an editing option for the currently selected slice. (This has fewer options than Trim Mode. Unavailable ones are darkened.) Use the

Function


Function

at the bottom of the screen to open the Function window, which displays an overview of all available editing processes.

Important

: Program Mode is non-destructive: You can choose the slice/edit behavior without destroying your original sample, giving you more control over sample playback; you can save your sliced sample and but also reuse all of the slice data in another project. See the


chapter to learn more about setting a pad to play the entire sample, a specific slice of a sample, or a specific region of the sample (independent of its slice markers). You can use any of these functions as described below.


, tap

Cancel

.



Note

: All processes here will affect only the currently selected slice.

184

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.

Tip


Normalize

process increases a sample’s level to the highest level possible without distortion. This is essentially a kind of digital gain optimization, so you do not have to worry about excessive level settings when working with samples with a wide range of amplitudes. The

Reverse

process reverses the region between the start point and end point. 185

The

Fade In


Linear


Log


Exp


Fade Out


Linear


Log


Exp


Pitch Shift

process changes the pitch of the sample without changing its length. This lets you set the sample’s pitch to your sequence without affecting the sample’s tempo or duration. You can adjust it up to 12 semitones, up or down. Keep in mind that the audio quality may decrease at more extreme settings. 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! 186

Program Edit Mode

Program Edit Mode contains all parameters for editing your Programs. For

drum programs

, this mode includes the parameters of four layers as well as all synthesis parameters and insert

effect settings. See the

Drum Programs

section to learn more. For

keygroup programs

, this mode contains slightly more parameters than drum programs. See the


section to learn more.

For

clip programs

, this mode looks very different from that of other programs due to how clip launching works. See

the

Clip Programs

section to learn more. For

plugin programs

, skip to

Plugin Programs

to learn more. For MPC X and MPC Live, these are available only

while in Controller Mode. For

MIDI programs

and

CV programs

, skip to

MIDI Programs

and

CV Programs

to learn more. For more general information on the differences between the types of programs, please see


>

Programs

.

To enter Program Edit Mode


Menu

, and then tap

Prog Edit

(MPC X).

Program Edit

.

Drum Programs

When using drum programs, Program Edit Mode lets you edit the parameters for each pad.

To select a pad

, press it. Its parameters will appear on the screen immediately.

To view a specific tab of parameters

, tap the

Master

,

Samples

,

Pan Velocity

,

Filter

/

Env

,

LFO Modulation

, or

Effects

button at the bottom of the screen. You can tap the

Samples

button multiple times to cycle through its three available tabs. 187

Tap the

location icon

at the top of the screen (between the

Program

and

Pad

fields) to open the

Edit Zones

window, which is a feature for drum programs and clip programs. This window displays an overview of any selected pads. Use the

Mode

selector to set how the selected pads will be edited:

Current

: Only the currently selected pad can be edited.

Multiple

: All selected pads can be edited simultaneously.

All

: All pads can be edited simultaneously.


, tap

Close

, the

X

, or anywhere outside the window.

Tip

: You can immediately select multiple pads while on any tab in Program Edit Mode (regardless of the current Edit Zones setting) by pressing and holding the

Shift

button and pressing each desired pad. The Edit Zones setting will automatically change to

Multiple

. 188

Tap the

down-arrow icon

at the top of the screen (next to the

Program

field) to open the

Flatten Pad

window, which renders all samples on a pad as an audio sample and places it on the first layer of that pad. The resulting sample is the audio signal produced by that pad at full velocity (

127

) after the pad channel strip, which means that it includes any assigned pad insert effects and the results of warping the sample. This function is useful if you need to reduce how CPU-intensive a pad or program is by essentially “embedding” the warping and effects in the sample itself. By default, it will use the name of the first sample. This function works for drum programs only. (This is the same as the

Flatten Pad

process shown in the program editing functions in Main Mode.)

To select the pad

, press it or use the

Pad

menu.

To set the length of the audio tail

, use the

Audio Tail

field. This will add extra seconds to the end of the resulting audio file. This is useful if you are using effects or samples whose sounds exceed the defined audio length (e.g., long reverb or delay, one-shot samples with long decays, etc.). We recommend using an audio tail of at least a couple of seconds.


, tap the

Edit Name

field, and use the virtual keyboard that appears.


, tap

Do It

.

To cancel

, tap

Cancel

. The automation button indicates the global automation state. This is shown in several modes. See


>

Automation


189

Master

In the Master tab, you can set the playback mode and tuning for the overall Program.

Polyphony

sets the playback mode for the program’s pads. In

Mono

Mode, 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 program. In

Poly

Mode, several pads can be triggered at the same time (limited only by the total number of voices available).

Semi

lets you transpose the program up to 36 semitones up or down.

Fine

provides fine-tuning of the program up to 99 cents up or down.

Volume

controls the overall volume level of the loaded sample/samples.

Pan

controls the overall panning of the loaded sample/samples in the stereo field. The

Simultaneous Play

section lets you set up to four pads that can be triggered by pressing one pad only. This function is useful for triggering a stack of sounds (e.g., layered kick drums). Use each

Pad

field to select the desired pad. The

Mute Targets

tab lets you select up to four pads (in the same program) for the currently selected pad. When the currently selected pad is played, it will immediately silence its mute targets. Use each

Pad

field to select the desired mute target.

Tips

: This feature is useful for programming realistic hi-hats, especially if only the open or closed hat should be heard. This feature is similar to the mute group feature, available for both drum programs and keygroup programs. 190

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 three available tabs. On all three sections, you can access the

Settings

window, which lets you configure certain settings in the Samples tab.


, tap the

gear icon

.

To close the Settings

, tap

Close

, the

X

in the upper-right corner, or anywhere outside the window. Use the

Link Slices

selector to set how the start point and end point of a slice in a larger sample is set. You can create these slices in Sample Edit Mode (Chop Mode). When on, 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. This is the same as the

Link Slices

button in Sample Edit Mode. Use the

Loop Lock

selector to “link” or “unlink” the loop point from the start point. When on, the loop point is the same as the start point. When off, the loop point is independent from the start point and indicated by a separate loop marker. This is the same as the

Loop Lock


Zero Snap

selector to enable or disable the Zero Snap feature, which 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. This is the same as the

0 Snap

button in Sample Edit Mode. 191

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. 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 bars, beats, and ticks. Use the bottom-most

Q-Link knob

in the fourth bank to zoom in or out of the sample waveform. Tap each layer number (

Layer 1

–

4

) under the waveform to select it. When selected, its sample waveform will be shown in the upper half of the screen and its settings will be shown in the lower half. Use the

Sample

field to select the sample file for that layer. Remember that the sample has to be loaded into the project’s

sample pool beforehand. For information on how to load samples into a project, please see the

Browser

chapter.

Important

: The parameters in the

Samples

tabs work in conjunction with Chop Mode (in Sample Edit Mode). Here’s how it works: When working in Sample Edit Mode and using Chop Mode to divide a sample into slices for your pads, you can convert a slice using


or

Pad Parameters

. A


will let its pad to refer to that slice when you press it; the original sample remains intact and each slice marker is like a “bookmark” for a pad. In Program Edit Mode, you’ll see that the pad/layer to which it’s assigned has its

Slice

drop-down menu set to the corresponding

slice number

in the original sample. Playing that pad will cause it to refer to that slice marker like a “bookmark” instead of creating an entirely new sample of that slice. This means that you no longer have to clutter your project with a new sample for every slice (though you can still use this earlier method, if you prefer). A slice converted using

Pad Parameters

is very similar to a non-destructive slice described above. The difference is that in Program Edit Mode, the pads/layers they’re assigned to have their

Slice

drop-down menus set to

Pad

(instead of the slice number), and the

start

and

end points

will correspond to the slice markers in the original sample. 192

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: • • • Tap and drag the Use the Use the

Start first

or

S

or

End

fields shown below the waveform. bank of

E

marker left or right.

Q-Link knobs

to adjust the start point or the

second

bank of

Q-Link knobs

to adjust the end point. The top-most Q-Link knob provides coarse adjustment. The bottom-most Q-Link knob provides fine adjustment.

Note

: When

Loop Lock

is on, the loop position (as determined by the

Loop

field, if enabled) is the same as the sample’s start point. When off, the loop position is independent from the start point. Use the

Loop

field to determine the position where the sample’s playback will repeat when

Pad Loop

is activated. Alternatively, use the

third

bank of

Q-Link knobs

to adjust the loop point. The top-most Q-Link knob provides coarse adjustment. The bottom-most Q-Link knob provides fine adjustment.

Note

: When

Loop Lock

is on, the loop position is the same as the sample’s start point. When off, the loop position is independent from the start point. 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

).

Slice 1, 2, 3, etc.

: If you have sliced the sample in Chop Mode, you can select which slice will play when you trigger the pad.

Semi

lets you transpose the selected layer 36 up to semitones up or down. This will affect the length of the sample (if

Warp

is off). This is the same as the

Semi

knob on the second Samples tab.

Fine

provides fine-tuning of each layer by cents. This will affect the length of the sample (if

Warp


Fine

knob on the second Samples tab. 193

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

LFO Modulation

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.

Off


Forward

: You can hold down the

pad

to cause that sample to repeat from the

Loop Position

to the end of the sample. Release the

pad

to stop the repeating playback.

Reverse


pad

to cause that sample to play in reverse, repeating from the end of the sample to the

Loop Position

. Release the

pad


Alternating


pad

to cause that sample to play from the

Loop Position

to the end of the sample and then play in reverse until it reaches the

Loop Position

again. This will repeat as long as you are holding the pad down. Release the

pad


194

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. Use the

Stretch

field to set the “stretch factor,” which affects how the sample is warped (if

Warp

is on). Use the

BPM

field to enter a tempo, which affects how the sample is warped (if

Warp

is on). Tap

BPM Sync

to enable or disable BPM Sync. When BPM Sync and

Warp

are both enabled, the sample’s BPM will be “locked” to the tempo of the sequence. When BPM Sync is disabled but

Warp

is enabled, the sample will be independent of the tempo of your sequence—use the

Stretch

field to lengthen or shorten a sample.

Note

: The Warp algorithms are very CPU-intensive and can result in audio drop-outs during playback if used too freely. Be mindful of how (and how often) you use the warp function. You can reduce the CPU resources required by doing any/all of the following: • • • • Avoid using extreme

Stretch

values. Minimize the amount of pitch adjustment (e.g., the Avoid warping very small track regions.

Semi

and

Fine

parameters) of warped audio. Warp as few tracks or track regions as possible (i.e., reduce the number of total number of voices of the polyphonic limit that use the Warp algorithm at a given time), especially instances where the warped regions start at the same time. • • Avoid rapidly triggering samples that are warped. If you have warped samples used in a drum program, consider using the

Flatten Pad

function to consolidate the affected pad’s layers into one audio sample (see

here

to learn about this). After you flatten the pad, its

sample/samples no longer need to be warped. 195

The

second Samples

tab contains controls for its pitch and volume level.

Semi


Warp


Semi

field on the first Samples tab.

Fine


Warp


Fine


Level

lets you adjust each layer’s volume, letting you control the “balance” of the samples assigned to the pad. 196

The

third Samples

tab contains the control for its offset. Use the

Offset

slider to determine a time offset for the sample’s playback.

Positive values

(right of center): When the pad is played, playback will start immediately but at a later point in the sample specified by the offset value.

Negative values

(left of center): When the pad is played, playback will be delayed by the amount specified by the offset value. 197

Pan Velocity

Use the

pan knob

to adjust the stereo placement of the respective layer. Use the

Vel Start

and

Vel End

knobs to define the velocity range of each layer. A range from

0

to

127

lets the layer respond to the entire velocity range which is input from the respective pad while, for example, a range from

100

to

127

lets the layer respond only to higher velocity levels. By assigning several samples of one instrument, you can create a realistic-sounding “multi-sample” by adjusting the velocity ranges of each layer accordingly. For example, you may have three samples of a drum hit with low force, medium force, and high force. You can set each sample to a layer and set the Velocity ranges so only low velocities trigger the low-force sample, only mid range velocities trigger the medium-force sample, and only high velocities trigger the high-force sample. 198

Filter

/

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. Use the

Reso

knob to set the resonance/emphasis of the frequencies around the cutoff point.

Tip

: Use values lower than

80

to give more brilliance to the sound. At values higher than

80

, the sound will result in a strong audible boost around the cutoff frequency. Use the

Env

to determine the amount of influence the filter envelope has on the cutoff frequency. Higher settings will increase the modulation of the filter by the envelope; lower settings will result in only subtle changes of the filter

Cutoff

over time.

Tip

:

To give a sound a more distinctive attack

, increase the

Env

setting and set low

Atk

and

Decay

values as well as a medium-low

Sust

value of the

Filter Envelope

. This will start a sound with the filter opened and close it shortly afterward, giving it a bright start followed by a darker sustain. String sounds, on the other hand, can sound much more “alive” with low

Env

settings and a high

Atk

value, resulting in a slight fade-in of the higher frequencies. Use the

Modulation Sources

knobs to set how much velocity is required to modulate certain other parameters:

Vel

>

Sta

(Velocity  Start) sets how much velocity is needed (for a triggered pad) to modulate the sample start point.

Vel

>

Atk

(Velocity  Attack) sets how much velocity is needed (for a triggered pad) to modulate the Attack phase for the Amp envelope.

Vel

>

Env

(Velocity  Envelope) enables velocity information to control the amount of the filter envelope’s effect on the cutoff frequency.

Vel

>

Flt

(Velocity  Filter) uses the velocity of a pad to modulate the cutoff frequency directly. 199

The

Filter Envelope

controls affect the filter frequency. Use the fields or tap and drag the “handles” of the envelope to shape the envelope or time-variant modulation output. Adjust the envelope’s influence on the filter frequency with the

Env

knob. See the later

Anatomy of an Envelope

section to learn about the envelope parameters.

The

Amp Envelope

controls affect level changes over time. Use the fields or tap and drag the “handles” of the envelope to shape the envelope or time-variant modulation output. Adjust the envelope’s influence on the filter frequency with the

Env

knob. See the later


section to learn about the envelope parameters.

LFO Modulation

The

Modes

controls let you set the behavior for each pad’s samples in a drum program. 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. A mute group affects pads within that program only; mute groups do not affect pads in other programs.

Tip

: This feature is useful for programming realistic hi-hats, especially if only the open or closed hat should be heard.

Use the

Layer Play

selector to determine how multiple samples assigned to the same pad are played:

Cycle

(

Cyc

): Each time the pad is played, it will play the next layer’s sample. In other words, the samples will cycle through the layers as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4… etc.

Velocity

(

Vel

): The pad will switch between layers depending on how hard you press a pad.

Random

(

Ran

): Each time the pad is played, it will play one of its layer’s samples at random. Use the

Sample Play

selector to determine how much of the sample is played.

One Shot

: The entire sample will play from start to end. Use this when you want to play short sounds.

Note On

: The sample will play only as long as the pad is held. This is better for longer samples so you can control a sound’s duration by pressing and holding its corresponding pad. 200

Use the

Pad Polyphony

field to determine how the pad’s sound behaves when multiple hits are registered. 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 program. When set to

Poly

, several pads can be triggered at the same time (limited only by the total number of voices available). You can also select a specific number of pads (

2

–

32

) so that you can trigger up to this many pads at the same time (unless they exceed the total number of voices available). The

Velocity Sensitivity

controls determine how much the velocity affects the pitch of the sound (

Pitch

), the attack of the filter envelope (

Attack

), the volume level of the filter envelope (

Amp

) and or the panning of the sound (

Pan

). When you press a pad softly, only minimal modulation is applied. When you press it harder, the modulation amount also gets stronger depending on the setting of the corresponding knob. 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)

Triangle


S&H

(samples a random value and holds it until the next value is generated)

Saw

(can generate interesting filter or volume changes)

Saw Down


Square

(interesting results with hard-panning modulations)

Noise

(generates random values and glides) Use the

Rate

field to determine the LFO frequency. At lower values, it might take some time for the LFO to complete a cycle, while higher values will come closer to audible range. Use the

Sync

field to set if the LFO’s rate is synchronized with the tempo. You can select one of several time divisions (a

.

indicates a dotted note; a

T

indicates a triplet-based time division). When

None

is selected,

Sync

is off. Use the

Destinations

sliders to determine how much the LFO affects the pitch of the sound (

Pitch

), the cutoff frequency of the filter (

Filter

), the volume level of the sound (

Amp

) and panning of the sound (

Pan

). 201

Effects Inserts

You can select up to four insert effects for each pad. To learn how to use insert effects, please see


>

Effects

>


.


: 1.

2.

Double-tap the desired

Inserts

slot. A list of effects will appear. Swipe up or down to move through the list. You can tap the

Type

and

Manufacturer

buttons to sort your effects by those categories. 3.

To load an effect, double-tap it

, or tap

Select

.


, tap

Close

.

To remove an effect from its slot

, tap the

trash can icon

.


, tap the

On

/

Off

button for the slot.

To enable or disable all four insert effects

, tap the

All On

/

Off

button in the upper-right corner. 202


, tap the

pencil icon

. Use the

sliders

to set the value of each parameter. These values affect only this instance of the effect; insert effects are not global.

Sends

The audio of the pad will be routed to send effects (if you have any loaded) at their designated send levels. The return channels will then send the audio to an assigned master output at the designated return levels. Use the

Send

knobs to set the volume level of the signal the pad will route to each send effect.

Important

:


, use, you have to load an effect into the corresponding send effect slot in the

Channel Mixer. See

Channel Mixer

>

Returns

to learn more how to do this. To learn about send effects, please see


>

Effects

>

Send

/


. 203

Keygroup Programs

When using keygroup programs, Program Edit Mode lets you edit the parameters for each keygroup.

To select a keygroup

, press a

pad

within that keygroup. Its parameters will appear on the screen immediately. Alternatively, use the

Keygroup

field at the top of the screen.


, tap the

Master

,

Samples

,

Pan Velocity

,

Filter

/

Env

,

LFO Modulation

, or

Effects


Samples

button multiple times to cycle through its three available tabs.

Number of KG

(keygroups) lets you create up to 128 keygroups within a keygroup program. This is useful when working with multi-samples. For example, if you want to create a realistic piano, you can use different keygroups (e.g., 88 for a grand piano) with every keygroup containing its own sampled note (with up to four possible velocity layers). Tap the

Keygroup

field to select a keygroup to edit. You can also select

All

to edit all keygroups simultaneously. Tap the

piano-keys icon

to edit the note range of the current keygroup. This will open the

Set Keygroup Note Range

window. This lets you restrict the key range used for a sample’s playback. Only notes with a key number higher or equal (

Low Key

) or lower and equal (

High Key

) to the selected value will trigger a sound.

Tips

: Alternatively, you can set the current keygroup’s note range by using the

Lo

and

Hi

fields under

Note Range

in the

Master

tab. Set the

Lo

parameter to

A0

and the

Hi

parameter to

C8

to emulate the range of a standard 88-key piano.



>

Automation


204

Master

In the Master tab, you can set the playback mode and tuning for the overall program.

Polyphony

sets the playback mode for the program’s keygroups. In

Mono

Mode, only one keygroup will sound at a time. If a keygroup is played while another (or the same one) is still playing its sample/samples, the new keygroup will immediately mute all other currently playing keygroups in that program. In

Poly

Mode, several keygroups can be triggered at the same time (limited only by the total number of voices available).

Semi

lets you tune the program up to 36 semitones up or down.

Fine

provides fine-tuning of the program up to 99 cents up or down.

Transpose

shifts the pitch of the MIDI notes sent to the program up to 36 semitones up or down.

KG Select

(Keygroup Select) lets you select a specific keygroup for editing. This parameter works in conjunction with the

Number of KG

(keygroups) parameter at the top of the screen, which lets you create up to 128 keygroups within one keygroup program. A default keygroup program contains only one single keygroup. When you have created more than one keygroup with

Number of KG

, use

KG Select

to select any keygroup for editing.

All

selects all available keygroups of a keygroup program for simultaneous editing.

Key Track

allows you to switch a sample’s automatic transposition on or off. If this is off, you will always hear the same pitch of the sample, no matter which note is triggered by pads or a connected MIDI keyboard. 205

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.

Note Range

lets you restrict the key range used for a sample’s playback. Only notes with a key number higher or equal (

Lo

) or lower and equal (

Hi

) to the selected value will trigger a sound. The settings for

Lo

and

Hi

are also shown in the virtual keyboard in the

Edit Layers

section. Alternatively, tap the

piano-keys icon

to open the

Set Keygroup Note Range

window.

Tip

: Set the

Lo

parameter to

A0

and the

Hi

parameter to

C8

to emulate the range of a standard 88-key piano.

Semi

lets you transpose the sample 36 semitones up or down, while

Fine

provides fine-tuning of each layer up to 99 cents up or down.

Tip

: The

Edit Layers

section has some parameters similar to those in this section (

Level

,

Pan

,

Semi

,

Fine

,

Note Range

). Remember that

Key Group

parameters control the overall settings for the sample, while

Edit Layer

parameters control the settings for each layer (up to 4). 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 program. When set to

Poly

, several pads can be triggered at the same time, limited only by the total number of voices available. You can also select a specific number of pads (

2

–

32

) so that you can play up to this many pads at the same time (unless they exceed the total number of voices available). 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. A mute group affects pads within that program only; mute groups do not affect pads in other programs. 206

Layer Play

determines how multiple samples assigned to the same pad are played: •

Cycle

(

Cyc

): Each time the pad is played, it will play the next layer’s sample. In other words, the samples will cycle through the layers as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2, 3, 4… etc. • •

Velocity Random

( (

Vel

): The pad will switch between layers depending on how hard you press a pad.

Ran

): Each time the pad is played, it will play one of its layer’s samples at random.

Sample Play

determines how much of the sample is played: • •

One Shot Note On

: The entire sample will play from start to end. Use this when you want to play short sounds. : The sample will play only as long as the pad is held. This is better for longer samples so you can control a sound’s duration by pressing and holding its corresponding pad. 207

Samples

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 three available tabs. On all three sections, you can access the

Settings

window, which lets you configure certain settings in the Samples tab.


, tap the

gear icon

.

To close the Settings

, tap

Close

, the

X

in the upper-right corner, or anywhere outside the window. Use the

Link Slices

selector to set how the start point and end point of a slice in a larger sample is set. You can create these slices in Sample Edit Mode (Chop Mode). When on, 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. This is the same as the

Link Slices


Loop Lock

selector to “link” or “unlink” the loop point from the start point. When on, the loop point is the same as the start point. When off, the loop point is independent from the start point and indicated by a separate loop marker. This is the same as the

Loop Lock


Zero Snap

selector to enable or disable the Zero Snap feature, which 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. This is the same as the

0 Snap

button in Sample Edit Mode. 208

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. The waveform display shows the “active” section of the clip waveform. Swipe left or right on the waveform to move through it. Above the waveform is the timeline, shown in bars, beats, and ticks. Use the bottom-most

Q-Link knob

in the fourth bank to zoom in or out of the sample waveform. Tap each layer number (

Layer 1

–

4

) under the waveform to select it. When selected, its sample waveform will be shown in the upper half of the screen and its settings will be shown in the lower half. Use the

Sample

field to select the sample file for that layer. Remember that the sample has to be loaded into the project’s

sample pool beforehand. For information on how to load samples into a project, please see the

Browser

chapter.

Important

: The parameters in the

Samples

tabs work in conjunction with Chop Mode (in Sample Edit Mode). Here’s how it works: When working in Sample Edit Mode and using Chop Mode to divide a sample into slices for your pads (keygroups), you can convert a slice using


or

Pad Parameters

. A


will let its keygroup to refer to that slice when you press a pad in that keygroup; the original sample remains intact and each slice marker is like a “bookmark” for a keygroup. In Program Edit Mode, you’ll see that the layer to which it’s assigned has its

Slice

drop-down menu set to the corresponding

slice number

in the original sample. Playing that keygroup will cause it to refer to that slice marker like a “bookmark” instead of creating an entirely new sample of that slice. This means that you no longer have to clutter your project with a new sample for every slice (though you can still use this earlier method, if you prefer). A slice converted using

Pad Parameters

is very similar to a non-destructive slice described above. The difference is that in Program Edit Mode, the layers they’re assigned to have their

Slice

drop-down menus set to

Pad

(instead of the slice number), and the

start

and

end points

will correspond to the slice markers in the original sample. 209

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


Start first

or

S

or

End E

fields shown below the waveform. column of marker left or right.

Q-Link knobs

adjust the end point. The top-most Q-Link knob provides coarse adjustment. The bottom-most Q-Link knob provides fine adjustment. to adjust the start point or the

second

column of

Q-Link knobs

to

Note

: When

Loop Lock

is on, the loop position (as determined by the

Loop

field, if enabled) is the same as the sample’s start point. When off, the loop position is independent from the start point. Use the

Loop

field to determine the position where the sample’s playback will repeat when

Pad Loop

is activated. Alternatively, use the

third

column of

Q-Link knobs

to adjust the loop point. The top-most Q-Link knob provides coarse adjustment. The bottom-most Q-Link knob provides fine adjustment.

Note

: When

Loop Lock

is on, the loop position is the same as the sample’s start point. When off, the loop position is independent from the start point. 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

Master

tab is set to

Note On

).

Slice 1, 2, 3, etc.

: If you have sliced the sample in Chop Mode, you can select which slice will play when you trigger the pad.

Semi

lets you transpose the selected layer 36 up to semitones up or down. This is the same as the

Semi

knob on the second

Samples

tab.

Fine

provides fine-tuning of each layer by cents. This is the same as the

Fine

knob on the second

Samples

tab. 210

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

Master

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.

Off


Forward


pad


Loop Position


pad


Reverse


pad


Loop Position

. Release the

pad


Alternating


pad


Loop Position


Loop Position


pad


211

The

second Samples

tab contains controls for its pitch and volume level.

Semi


Warp


Semi


Fine


Warp


Fine


Level

lets you adjust each layer’s volume, letting you control the “balance” of the samples assigned to the pad. 212

The

third Samples

tab contains the control for its offset. Use the

Offset

slider to determine a time offset for the sample’s playback.

Positive values

(right of center): When the pad is played, playback will start immediately but at a later point in the sample specified by the offset value.

Negative values

(left of center): When the pad is played, playback will be delayed by the amount specified by the offset value. 213

Pan Velocity

Use the

Pan knob

to adjust the stereo placement of the respective layer. Use the

Vel Start

and

Vel End

knobs to define the velocity range of each layer. A range from

0

to

127

lets the layer respond to the entire velocity range which is input from the respective pad while, for example, a range from

100

to

127

lets the layer respond only to higher velocity levels. By assigning several samples of one instrument, you can create a realistic-sounding “multi-sample” by adjusting the velocity ranges of each layer accordingly. For example, you may have three samples of a piano key with low force, medium force, and high force. You can set each sample to a layer and set the Velocity ranges so only low velocities trigger the low-force sample, only mid range velocities trigger the medium-force sample, and only high velocities trigger the high-force sample. Use the

Root Note

menu to set the starting note of each loaded sample.

Smp

denotes the sample’s default pitch. 214

Filter

/

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. Use the

Reso

knob to set the resonance/emphasis of the frequencies around the cutoff point.

Tip

: Use values lower than

80

to give more brilliance to the sound. At values higher than

80

, the sound will result in a strong audible boost around the cutoff frequency. Use the

Env

to determine the amount of influence the filter envelope has on the cutoff frequency. Higher settings will increase the modulation of the filter by the envelope; lower settings will result in only subtle changes of the filter

Cutoff

over time.

Tip

:

To give a sound a more distinctive attack

, increase the

Env

setting and set low

Atk

and

Decay

values as well as a medium-low

Sust

value of the

Filter Envelope

. This will start a sound with the filter opened and close it shortly afterward, giving it a bright start followed by a darker sustain. String sounds, on the other hand, can sound much more “alive” with low

Env

settings and a high

Atk

value, resulting in a slight fade-in of the higher frequencies. Use the

Modulation Sources

knobs to set how much velocity is required to modulate certain other parameters:

Kbd

>

Flt

(Keyboard  Filter) sets how much the note value will be added to the filter cutoff. This allows higher notes to sound brighter.

Vel

>

Atk

(Velocity  Attack) sets how much velocity is needed (for a triggered pad) to modulate the Attack phase for the Amp envelope.

Vel

>

Env

(Velocity  Envelope) enables velocity information to control the amount of the filter envelope’s effect on the cutoff frequency.

Vel

>

Flt

(Velocity  Filter) uses the velocity of a pad to modulate the cutoff frequency directly. 215

The

Filter Envelope

controls affect the filter frequency. Use the fields or tap and drag the “handles” of the envelope to shape the envelope or time-variant modulation output. Adjust the envelope’s influence on the filter frequency with the

Env

knob. See


to learn about the envelope parameters. The

Amp Envelope

controls affect level changes over time. Use the fields or tap and drag the “handles” of the envelope to shape the envelope or time-variant modulation output. Adjust the envelope’s influence on the filter frequency with the

Env

knob. See


to learn about the envelope parameters.

LFO Modulation

The

Velocity Sensitivity

controls determine how much the velocity affects the pitch of the sound (

Pitch

), the attack of the filter envelope (

Attack


Amp

), and the panning of the sound (

Pan

). When you press a pad softly, only minimal modulation is applied. When you press it harder, the modulation amount also gets stronger depending on the setting of the corresponding knob. 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


Triangle


S&H

(samples a random value and holds it until the next value is generated)

Saw


Saw Down


Square

(interesting results with hard-panning modulations)

Noise

(generates random values and glides) 216

Use the

Rate

field to determine the LFO frequency. At lower values, it might take some time for the LFO to complete a cycle, while higher values will come closer to audible range. Use the

Sync

field to set if the LFO’s rate is synchronized with the tempo. You can select one of several time divisions (a

.

indicates a dotted note; a

T

indicates a triplet-based time division). When

None

is selected,

Sync

is off. Use the

Destinations

sliders to determine how much the LFO affects the pitch of the sound (

Pitch

), the cutoff frequency of the filter (

Filter


Amp

) and the panning of the sound (

Pan

). The

Controller Mod

section determines the influence of additional play controllers on various sound parameters.

Important

: To use these parameters, make sure that a connected MIDI device can send pitch bend messages as well as aftertouch and modulation wheel data.

Pitch Bend

sets the range (in semitones) of a connected MIDI keyboard’s pitch-bend wheel.

Wheel

>

LFO

determines how much a connected MIDI keyboard’s modulation wheel affects the LFO intensity.

Aft

>

Filt

(Aftertouch  Filter Cutoff) determines how much a connected MIDI keyboard’s aftertouch data affects the filter cutoff. 217

Effects Inserts

You can select up to four insert effects for each keygroup. To learn how to use insert effects, please see


>

Effects

>


.

Important

: When using keygroup insert effects, they will be applied to that keygroup only. Keep this in mind if you load insert effects to multiple keygroups with overlapping note ranges—the effects will overlap in that range as well.


: 1.

2.

Double-tap the desired

Inserts

slot. A list of effects will appear. Swipe up or down to move through the list. You can tap the

Type

and

Manufacturer

buttons to sort your effects by those categories. 3.

To load an effect

, double-tap it, or tap

Select

.


, tap

Close

.

To remove an effect from its slot

, tap the

trash can icon

.


, tap the

On

/

Off

button for the slot.

To enable or disable all four insert effects

, tap the

All On

/

Off

button in the upper-right corner. 218


, tap the

pencil icon

. Use the

user interface

or

sliders

to set the value of each parameter. These values affect only this instance of the effect; insert effects are not global.

Sends

The audio of the program will be routed to send effects (if you have any loaded) at their designated send levels. The return channels will then send the audio to an assigned master output at the designated return levels. Use the

Send

knobs to set the volume level of the signal the program will route to each send effect. You can select up to four send effects for each keygroup, but remember that they will be applied to that keygroup only. Keep this in mind if you load insert effects to multiple keygroups with overlapping note ranges—the effects will overlap in that range as well.

Important

:

To use a send effect

, you have to load an effect into the corresponding send effect slot in the Channel

Mixer. See

Channel Mixer

>

Returns

to learn more how to do this. To learn about send effects, please see


>

Effects

>

Send

/


. 219

Clip Programs

When using clip programs, Program Edit Mode lets you assign a sample (a loop called a

clip

) to each pad in a single bank. You can also edit various settings to determine how each pad launches its assigned clip.

To select a pad

, press it. Its parameters will appear on the screen immediately.


, tap

Program

or

Pad

the bottom of the screen. The

Program

tab is where you assign clips to pads (see

Program

below). The

Pad

tab is where you determine how each pad plays

its clip (see

Pad

below).

Tap the

location icon

at the top of the screen (between the

Program

and

Pad

fields) to open the

Edit Zones

window, which is a feature for drum programs and clip programs. This window displays an overview of any selected pads. Use the

Mode

selector to set how the selected pads will be edited:

Current

: Only the currently selected pad can be edited.

Multiple

: All selected pads can be edited simultaneously.

All

: All pads can be edited simultaneously.


, tap

Close

, the

X




>

Automation


The Settings window lets you configure certain Audio Edit Mode settings.


, tap the

gear icon

. Use the

Auto-Scroll

selector to set how the screen behaves relative to the audio playhead while viewing the

Pad

tab.

Follow

: Depending on the zoom setting, the waveform display will scroll along in the background while keeping the audio playhead centered.

Page


Off

: The waveform display will not move at all. These functions also apply to the Grid View, Audio Edit Mode, List Edit Mode, and Sample Edit Mode. 221

Program

This tab is where you can assign clips to each pad and adjust the program’s overall tuning and quantization.

To assign a sample to a pad

, press or tap a pad to select it (it will play its assigned samples, if any). Tap the

Sample


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select a clip. Alternatively, double-tap the

Sample

field, and then tap a clip to select it.


, assign a sample to a pad, but select

None

.

Coarse

lets you transpose the program up to 36 semitones up or down.

Fine

provides fine-tuning of the program up to 99 cents up or down. Use the

Launch Quantize

field to set the quantization of the program in bars (or subdivisions of a bar). 222

Pad

The upper half of the screen shows the clip waveform. The lower half shows the editing controls. The waveform display shows the “active” section of the clip waveform. Swipe left or right on the waveform to move through it. Above the waveform is the timeline, shown in bars, beats, and ticks. The green marker and red 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 of the selected region


Start first

or

S

or

End

row of

E

marker left or right. fields shown below the waveform.

Q-Link knobs

(

Layer 1 Start


second

row of

Q-Link knobs

(

Layer 1 End

) to adjust the end point. The right-most

Q-Link knobs

(

12

and

16

) provide coarse adjustment. The left-most

Q-Link knobs

(

9

and

13

) provide fine adjustment. Use the

Zoom +

or

Zoom –

buttons at the bottom of the screen to zoom in or out (respectively) of the waveform. 223

Below is a brief step-by-step process so you can get familiar with setting up a clip. Continue reading the rest of this chapter to learn how to use the parameters in this window.

To assign and edit a clip

: 1.

Assign a sample to a pad using the

Program

tab (described

earlier

). For example, start with a four-bar drum loop. 2.

In the

Pad

tab, note that the

BPM

which is automatically detected. field has a value, If the

Warp

button is not already on, tap it. The Warp function keeps the loop in time with the sequence tempo or the master tempo. 3.

If you need to edit the loop’s tempo manually, do any of the following: • Tap the

BPM

field, and then use the or

–

/

+

buttons to change the value.

data dial

• Double-tap the

BPM

field, and then use the numeric keyboard that appears to enter a value. 4.

Let’s shorten the loop to a two-bar loop by doing any of the following: • Tap and drag the start point ( marker.

S

) or end point (

E

) • Tap the

beat

,

bar

, or

tick

value of the

Start

or

End

fields, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to change the value. • Double-tap the

beat

,

bar

, or

tick

value of the

Start

or

End

fields, and then use the numeric keyboard that appears to enter a value. Set the locations properly to ensure the loop’s timing is correct—neither too short nor too long. When the loop repeats, it should feel seamless. 5.

If the

Fade

button is not already on, tap it. This applies a very small fade-in and fade-out at the start and end of the clip to prevent “clicks” and glitches if start point or end point is not at a “zero-crossing.” 6.

If you need to edit the loop’s pitch manually, do any of the following: • Tap the

Coarse

or

Fine

slider, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to change the value. • Use

Q-Link Knobs 1

and

2

(

Layer __ Semi Tune

and

Layer __ Fine Tune

) to change the value of the

Coarse

or

Fine

sliders. • Double-tap the

Coarse

or

Fine

slider, and then use the numeric keyboard that appears to enter a value. The

Coarse

slider adjusts the pitch in semitones. The

Fine

value adjusts the pitch in cents. You will hear the pitch adjust in real time. 224

Tap

Warp

to lengthen or shorten the clip without changing its pitch, and use the

BPM

field to change the tempo. Use the

Coarse

and

Fine

sliders if you want to change the pitch. Use the

Pad Play

field to determine how the clip is played.

One Shot

: When you press the pad, the entire clip will play from start to end and then stop.

Toggle

: When you press the pad, the entire clip will play from start to end and loop indefinitely. Pressing it again—or launching another in the same mute group—will stop its playback. This is the most common usage. Use the

Pad Quantize

field to set the quantization of the pad in bars (or subdivisions of a bar). When set to

Program

so it uses the same quantization as the overall program (determined by the

Launch Quantize

field). When set to

Off

, the pad will not follow any quantization at all. Tap

Reverse

to reverse the clip’s audio.

Coarse

lets you transpose the pad up to 36 semitones up or down.

Fine

provides fine-tuning of the pad up to 99 cents up or down. 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. A mute group affects pads within that program only; mute groups do not affect pads in other programs. By default, each column of pads is assigned to the same mute group. This means only one pad from each column can be playing its clip at a time. You can use the

Mute Group

field to configure this any way you like, though. Use the

Fade

button to apply a very small fade-in and fade-out at the start and end of the clip. This can help prevent “clicks” and glitches that may occur if the start point or end point is not placed at the waveform’s “zero-crossings.” 225

Plugin Programs

For plugin programs, you will see a graphical representation of the plugin interface, or an overview of all available plugin parameters with a slider for each.

Important

: For MPC X and MPC Live, plugin programs are available only in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software.



>

Automation

to learn about this. Use the

user interface

or

sliders

to set the value of each parameter. Use the six

tabs

at the bottom of the screen to access the available parameters.

To assign a parameter to one of the sliders

, use the MPC software.

Note

: To see user guide in the MPC software and learn how to do this, click the

Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

. 226

MIDI Programs

For MIDI programs, you will see an overview of all available MIDI CCs with a slider for each. Use the

sliders


tabs




Note


Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

. 227

CV Programs

For CV programs, you will see an overview of all available CV outputs with a slider for each. The automation button indicates the global automation state. This is shown in several modes. See


>

Automation

to learn about this. Use the

sliders


tabs




Note


Help

menu, select

MPC Help

, and select

MPC User Manual

. 228

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 programs, 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. Keygroup programs always use

AHDS

envelopes. When

Sample Play

is set to

Note-On

, it will use an

ADSR

envelope. With

AHDS

envelopes, the following happens when you trigger a sample: 1.

Within the period of time you have defined with the attack (

Atk

), the sample volume rises to its maximum value. 2.

The sample’s maximum volume will be maintained during the

Hold

phase. 3.

During the

Decay

phase, the sample’s volume will gradually drop to the sustain level. 4.

The sample’s volume will stay at the sustain level (

Sust

) until the pad is released. With

AD


Within the period of time you have defined with the attack (

Atk

), the sample volume rises to its maximum value. 2.

The sample’s maximum volume will be maintained until its

Decay

phase, when the sample’s volume will gradually drop to zero over the set duration. Click the

Type

drop down menu to select how the decay functions:

Decay From Start

: The volume will start decreasing immediately after reaching its maximum level.

Decay From End

: The maximum volume will be maintained for a hold phase until it reaches the decay phase. With

ADSR


Within the period of time defined by sample volume rises to its maximum value.

Attack

, the 2.

During the

Decay

phase, the sample’s volume will gradually drop to the

Sustain

level. 3.

The sample’s volume will stay at the

Sustain

level until the

Release

phrase begins. 4.

The sample’s volume will drop to “zero” over the duration set by

Release

. 229

List Edit Mode

List Edit Mode has some of the features of the Grid View—as well as some additional ones—but with a different interface/workflow. The time counter at the top of the screen indicates the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the

modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. The clock icon at the top of the screen opens the

Timing Correct

window. See


>


(

TC

)


View

menu lets you select what type of events are shown in the list.

All

: Select this option to show all event types.

Notes

: Select this option to show only notes.

Aftertouch

: Select this option to show only aftertouch messages.

Track Automation

: Select this option to show only track automation events.

Program Automation

: Select this option to show only program automation events.

Pitch Bend

: Select this option to show only pitch bend events.

Control Change

: Select this option to show only MIDI CC messages.

Program Change

: Select this option to show only MIDI program change messages.

Ch Pressure

: Select this option to show only channel pressure messages.

Solo

/

Mute

: Select this option to show only solo and mute events for tracks, programs, and pads.

Other

: Select this option to show other types of events not listed above, such as pad or keygroup parameters.



>

Automation


The

Settings

window lets you configure certain List Edit Mode settings.


, tap the

gear icon

. Use the


selector to turn the feature on or off. When

On

, pressing a pad will automatically select all note events for that pad in the sequence on that track. When set to

Off

, pressing a pad will simply play its sound without selecting any note events. Use the

Auto-Advance on Step Record

selector to turn the feature on or off. When set to

On

, pressing a pad when the track is record-armed will move the audio playhead forward by a length determined by the current

Time Division

setting in the

TC

/

Timing Correct

window. When set to

Off

, pressing a pad when the track is record-armed will not change the audio playhead position. Use the

Auto-Scroll


Follow

: The list will scroll along in the background while keeping the audio playhead centered.

Page

: The list will move to the “next page” to follow the audio playhead.

Off

: The list will not move at all. These functions also apply to the Grid View, Audio Edit Mode, and Sample Edit Mode. The sequence for the track 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.

Event Type

: This icon indicates the type of event (e.g.,

Note

,

Aftertouch

,

Track Automation

, etc.). See the list of icons below showing the different types of events.

Pad

/

Note

: This is the pad and/or corresponding MIDI note number. For drum programs, you will see the pad number. For keygroup programs, plugin programs, and midi programs, you will see the note.

Length

: This is the length of the note event in ticks.

Velocity

: This is the velocity of the note event with its corresponding color.

Mod Type

: This is the type of modifier used on the note event via automation.

Value

: This is the value of the modifier automation. 231

The

red arrow

(  ) on the left side of the list represents the audio playhead’s current position. If your sequence is playing, the arrow will move accordingly. The following icons indicate the corresponding types of events:

Note Track Mixer

Automation (

Volume

,

Pan

,

Mute

,

Solo

)

Track MIDI CC

Automation (

0

–

127

)

Track Parameter

Automation (

Aftertouch

,

Pitchbend

,

Channel Pressure

, or

Program Change

)

Program Mixer

Automation (

Volume

,

Pan

,

Mute

,

Solo

, or

Send 1

–

4

)

Program Parameter

Automation (options vary based on the type of program)

Program 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 program)

Pad

/

Keygroup Insert Effect

Automation (options vary based on the effect) 232

To select an event

, tap it.

To select multiple events

, press and hold

Shift

and tap each event.

To insert a note event

, press

Rec

or

Overdub

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. You can keep pressing additional pads, which will continue to insert each press as a single note event in the order you pressed them (similar to a step sequencer). Press

Stop

to exit this function.

Note

: Depending on the


setting, the current time position will either advance each time

you press a pad or remain in place. See the earlier description of

Auto-Advance on Step Record


To edit the Pad

/

Note

,

Length

,

or Velocity or numeric Value of an event

, tap the value to select it, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to change the value. Alternatively, double-tap it and use the numeric keypad that appears to enter a value (for

Length

,

Velocity

, or numeric

Value

only).

To edit the Length of an event according to your Timing Correct settings

, tap the value to select it, and then press and hold

Shift

and use the

data dial

or

–

/

+


To shift the Pad

/

Note of an event by pad bank

, tap the value to select it, and then press and hold

Shift

and use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to change the pad bank.

To turn a Solo

/

Mute event on or off

, tap the desired setting on the

On

/

Off

switch. Alternatively, tap the

On

/

Off

switch to select it, and then use the

data dial

or

–

/

+


To move an event

, tap it to select it, tap

Nudge


data dial o

r

–

/

+

buttons to shift the event up or down. Repeat this for other events, or tap

Nudge

again to turn the feature off.

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

–

/

+


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.

To delete an event

, tap it to select it, and then tap

Delete


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 hardware, allowing for even more storage space.

See

Appendix

>

SATA Drive Installation

to learn more about this.

Important

: MPC X and MPC Live support read and write capability for

exFAT

,

FAT32

,

NTFS

, and

EXT4

file systems as well as read-only capability for

HFS+

file systems. We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and macOS.

To show the Browser

, do any of the following: • • Press Press

Menu

and then tap

Browse

(MPC X) or

Browser Shift

+ .

Menu

/

Browse

(MPC Live, MPC Touch).

To browse for files

, tap

Browse

in the lower-left corner. See the

Browse

section to learn about this.

To view the project’s sample pool and pads

, tap

Sample Assign

in the lower-left corner. See the

Sample Assign

section to learn about this.

Browse

When the

Browse

tab is selected, you can do any of the following:

To browse your files by location

, tap

Places

on the left side of the screen.

Internal


MPC Documents


MPC Documents


To browse your files by content

, tap

Content

and then tap the type of file:

Drums

,

Instruments

,

Samples

,

Demos

, or

My Files

(see

below

to learn about these content buttons).

Clips

,

To browse your MPC Expansions

(MPC X or MPC Live only), tap

Expansions

(see

Addenda

>

Updates for MPC 2.1

>

New Features

>

Exporting Expansions

to learn how to export MPC Expansions from your computer

to your MPC X or MPC Live).


, tap the

folder

/ 

icon




data dial

or use the

–

/

+

buttons.

To select a file or folder

, tap it once. 234


, double-tap it or tap

Open

in the lower-right corner. Alternatively, press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to enter a selected folder. 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).

To load a selected file

, double-tap it, tap

Load

, or press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). If the file is a sample, it will be loaded to the project’s sample pool. If the file is a project, it will be loaded in its entirety (you will be asked if you want to close your current project).

To load all files in a folder

, select the folder (so it is highlighted in the list), press and hold

Shift

, and then tap

Load All


Important


To delete a selected file or folder

, press and hold

Shift

and then tap

Delete File



, tap and hold

Play



, tap

Audition


Auto


level slider


Audition


To show the information for the current storage device

, press and hold

Shift

and then tap

Drive Info

at the bottom of the screen. The drive’s information will appear in a new window. Tap

OK


To format a storage device to use an exFAT file system

, select it in the

Browser

, press and hold

Shift

and then tap

Format Drive

at the bottom of the screen. In the window that appears, tap

OK

and then

Format

in the next window to format the device, or tap

Cancel

to return to the previous screen without formatting. This formatting process will set the device to use the exFAT file system, remove any partitions from the drive, and erase all of its content. (Devices that are uninitialized or do not have a file system will not be recognized by the MPC hardware and consequently cannot be formatted.) To get the most efficient use of the Browser, set the file paths to your favorite drive locations first. There are five

folder buttons

labeled

1

–

5

in the upper-right corner. You can set these to be shortcuts to five locations on your MPC hardware’s internal drive and/or any connected storage devices, giving you quick access to your files.

To assign the current location to a folder button

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap one of the

folder buttons

(

1

–

5

). Now, when you tap that folder button again, the Browser will show that folder’s content immediately. Use the six filter buttons to show only specific types of files in the list below. Folders will still be shown in the list.

To show project files only

, tap the

P

/

page icon

.

To show sequence files only

, tap the

bars icon

.

To show program files only

, tap the


.

To show sample files only

, tap the

waveform icon

.

To show all file types

, tap the

three-pages icon

.

To show or hide MPC project folders

, tap the

MPC folder icon

. 235

Use the six

Content

buttons to show specific locations in the internal drive of MPC X or MPC Live and filter them automatically by file type:

Drums

: Tap this button to enter the

Expansions

/

The Vault 2

folder on the internal drive, viewing

program

files only.

Instruments


Expansions

/

Instruments


program

files only.

Clips


Expansions

/

Clips


program

files only.

Samples


Expansions

/

The Vault 2


sample

files only.

Demos


Demos


project

files only.

My Files


MPC Documents

folder, viewing

all

files.

Sample Assign

When the

Sample Assign

tab is selected, you can do any of the following:

To select a program in the project

, double-tap the

Program

field at the top of the screen. In the list that appears, tap the desired program. Alternatively, tap the

Program

field and then use the

data dial

or the

–

/

+

buttons to select a location.

To move through the sample pool


data dial

, or use the

–

/

+

buttons.


, tap and hold

Play



, tap

Audition


Auto


level slider


Audition


To assign a sample to a pad

, press it or tap it on the screen so it lights

green

. Then, in the

Sample Pool

list, tap the desired sample. Alternatively, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select a sample, and press the

center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch) to assign it.

To clear a sample from a pad

, press it or tap it on the screen so it lights

green

. Then, tap

Clear Pad


Sampler

The Sampler lets you record audio samples to use in your projects.

Important

: To record any audio, you need to connect an audio source to your MPC hardware or to your computer’s audio interface.

To open the Sampler


Menu

and then tap

Sampler

(MPC X).

Sampler

.

To set up the Sampler before recording

: 1.

Make sure to reduce the volume levels of your audio source and speakers, headphones, and/or monitors before you make any connections to avoid “pops” or feedback. 2.

Connect a synthesizer or other line-level audio source to the input/inputs of your MPC hardware. 3.

Turn the

3

/

4 Rec Gain

(MPC X) or

Rec Vol


Set the recording controls as desired (described in this chapter). 5.

Tap the

Arm

button to record-arm the Sampler.

You can use the Sampler to record using four different methods:

Sample

,

Slice

,

Pad Tap

, or

Pad Hold

, all described later in this chapter. The following controls are present regardless of which method you use. The Sampler page also contains the Auto Sampler, which lets you capture and convert any plugin preset or external

instrument preset into a Keygroup sampler patch. See

Addenda

>

Updates in MPC 2.3

>

New Features

>

Auto Sampler

for more information. The time counter in the upper-right corner shows the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes.

See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate


The upper-left

Input Source

field defines whether you are going to record an external audio signal, which you can set to a pair of inputs (

Input 1,2

–

3,4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1,2

–

31,32


Input 1

–

4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1

–

32

in Controller Mode). You can also select an internal signal from within your MPC hardware (

Resample L

,

Resample R

, or

Resample L+R

). Resampling does not require an audio connection because the source is internal and is therefore recorded without any loss in audio quality. You can, for example, use Resample to record two or more samples by pressing the corresponding pads simultaneously. Use the second upper-left

Mono

/

Stereo

field to choose whether your recorded samples will be monaural (

Mono

) or binaural (

Stereo

). The

Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for the Sampler. Tap the area under

Inserts

to open a window where you can load, change, and enable or disable the effects.

Important

: These effects are applied to the audio as you record it. This means that the effects cannot be “removed” from the sound later. Learn more about how effects work in


>

Effects

. Tap the

Monitor

button to enable or disable input monitoring. When on, the audio you hear in your headphones will be taken

before

it reaches the Sampler, ensuring zero latency. When off, the audio you hear in your headphones will be taken

after

it is processed in the Sampler, so there may be some latency, but you will hear the audio source as it sounds in the recording.

Tip

:

To avoid possible clicks or feedback while input monitoring

, reduce the level of the audio sources. Use the


to adjust the threshold. Alternatively, turn

Q-Link Knob 1

(MPC X) or the

first Q-Link knob

in the

fourth column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). When the Sampler is record-armed, it automatically starts recording when the level of the incoming source exceeds this setting. If you set it too high, the recording may not start when you play the input source, or the start of the material you wanted to record may be missing. If you set it too low, the recording may start too early, before you play the external source. Set this parameter to an appropriate level using the level meter.

To reset the

“

peak hold

,” which shows the highest level of your input signal in the level meter, tap it. 238

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: • Start performing so that the incoming audio level exceeds the level of the


. • Tap

Record

under the

Sample Length To disarm the track instead

, tap

Cancel

. counter. Use the

Max Length

field to define the maximum sampling time. Alternatively, turn the

Q-Link Knobs 3

and

4

(MPC X) or the

third

and

fourth Q-Link knobs

in the

fourth column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch):

Minutes

and

Seconds

. You can record up to 19 minutes and 59 seconds (

19

:

59

) per sample. We recommend setting these to values that roughly match your estimated recording duration. 239

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 the Chop Mode of Sample Edit Mode (see


>

Chop Mode

for more information). 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).


, do one of the following: • • Start performing so that the incoming audio level exceeds the level of the Tap

Record

under the

Sample Length

counter.


.

To insert a slice marker in a sample while recording

, tap

Slice+

(in the lower-right corner) as the sample records. Each time you tap it, a slice marker will be placed at that location.


, tap

Stop

under the

Sample Length

counter. 240

After you stop your recording, the


window will appear. Use the

Edit Name

field to name the new sample. Tap it and use the virtual keyboard that appears. Use the

Program

field to assign the new sample to a program. Select <

none

> if you want to save it to the project without assigning it to a program. Use the

Assign to Pad

field to assign the sample to a pad in the program. Use the

Root Note

field to set where the sample’s original pitch will be on the keyboard. If you recorded a sample while a sequence was playing, the


window will show a few more options after you select a pad. Check the

Add Event

box to automatically add the sample to the currently playing sequence. Use the

@

field to select where you want the event to start: • •

Start

: The sample will be a note event at the start of the currently playing sequence.

Trigger

: The sample will be a note event where you began recording it in the currently playing sequence. Use the

Track

field to set which track will contain the new event.


, tap

Keep


To discard the recording and return to the Sampler

, tap

Discard



, tap

Play


Tip

: We recommend editing your recorded sample in


(see


for more information). 241

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 the Chop Mode of Sample Edit Mode (see


>

Chop Mode

for more information). 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).


, do one of the following: • • Start performing so that the incoming audio level exceeds the level of the Tap

Record

under the

Sample Length

counter.


.

To insert a slice marker in a sample while recording

, press any

pad

as the sample records. Each time you press it, a slice marker will be placed at that location. The number of the pad that flashes

red

is the number of the slice marker that will be inserted next. The numbers of the pads that are lit

yellow

are the numbers of the slice markers that are already inserted. When you are done recording, you can name the sample and create a new program using the slices.


, tap the round

Stop

button. After you stop your recording, the


window will appear. Use the

Edit Name

field to name the new sample. Tap it and use the virtual keyboard that appears. Otherwise, the process will add a consecutive number after the sample name. 242

Use the


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. This is identical to how you can assign samples in Sample Edit Mode (as described in


>

Chop Mode

>

Converting or Assigning Slices

).

With Pad Parameters

: In the new program, each pad’s

Slice


Pad

. The

Pad Start

and

Pad End


Loop Position


Pad Loop

deactivated. This is identical to how you can assign samples in Sample Edit Mode

(as described in


>

Chop Mode

>


).


, tap

Create

or

Keep


To discard the recording and return to the Sampler

, tap

Discard



, tap

Play


Tip



(see


for more information).

Pad Tap Important

: This mode works for

drum programs only

; you must select a drum program before using this mode. Otherwise, this feature will not do anything, even though it may appear to work. With this method, pressing a pad immediately starts or continues recording directly to that pad (make sure you are using the desired program before you start recording). Pads with assigned samples are lit

bright yellow

. Pads without samples are lit

dim yellow

.

To start recording to a pad

, press it. Recording will start immediately, and the pad will flash

red

. If you press a new pad, the recording will stop on the previous pad, which will turn

green

, and start on the new pad, which will flash

red

.

Note

: If you start recording by tapping

Record

under the

Sample Length

counter—or if the volume exceeds the level of the


—the sample will record to your project’s sample pool, not to a pad.

To stop recording to a pad

, press the currently recording

pad

, which is flashing

red

. The sample will continue recording. You can start recording on another

pad

at any time.

To stop all recording

, tap

Stop

under the

Sample Length

counter. When you are done recording, each pad that you have pressed during recording: • • • will have its will have its will have its

Slice

setting set to

Pad Start

and

Loop Position Pad Pad End

; set to the slice’s start point and end point values; and set to the slice’s start point but with

Pad Loop

deactivated.

This is identical to how you can assign samples in Sample Edit Mode (as described in


>

Chop Mode

>


).

Tip



(see


for more information). 243

Pad Hold Important

: This mode works for

drum programs only

; you must select a drum program before using this mode. Otherwise, this feature will not do anything, even though it may appear to work. With this method, pressing and holding a pad immediately starts or continues recording directly to that pad (make sure you are using the desired program before you start recording). Pads with assigned samples are lit

bright yellow

. Pads without samples are lit

dim yellow

.

To start recording to a pad

, press and hold it. Recording will start immediately, and the pad will light

red

.

Note

: If you start recording by tapping

Record

under the

Sample Length

counter—or if the volume exceeds the level of the


—the sample will record to your project’s sample pool, not to a pad.


, release the

pad

. The pad will light

green

, and the sample will continue recording. You can start recording on another

pad

at any time.

To stop all recording

, tap

Stop

under the

Sample Length

counter. When you are done recording, each pad that you have pressed during recording: • • • will have its will have its will have its

Slice

setting set to

Pad Start

and

Loop Position Pad Pad End

; set to the slice’s start point and end point values; and set to the slice’s start point but with

Pad Loop

deactivated.

This is identical to how you can assign samples in Sample Edit Mode (as described in


>

Chop Mode

>


).

Tip



(see


for more information).

Auto Sampler

See

Addenda

>


>

New Features

>

Auto Sampler


244

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


Menu Shift

+ , and then tap

Sampler

/

Looper Looper

. (MPC X). Below is a brief step-by-step process so you can get started quickly. Continue reading the rest of this chapter to learn how to use the Looper in different cases.

To get started using the Looper

: 1.

Make sure to reduce the volume levels of your audio source and speakers/headphones/monitors before you make any connections to avoid “pops” or feedback. 2.

3.

Connect a synthesizer, audio player, etc. to the input/inputs of your MPC hardware. Turn the

3

/

4 Rec Gain

(MPC X) or

Rec Vol


Set the recording controls as desired (described in this chapter). 5.

Tap the

Record To

selector so

Overdub

is selected. 6.

7.

Tap the

Rec

/

Record

button in the lower-right corner to record-arm the Looper. Play your audio source. The Looper will start recording immediately when the input level reaches the threshold value. Alternatively, tap  /

Play

at the bottom of the screen to manually start recording. Each time the Looper repeats, its contents are being overdubbed—a new layer of audio will be added each time you let the Looper repeat as it records. 8.

Tip

: You can record a loop while playing a sequence in the background for reference.


, tap  /

Play


To export your loop as a sample

, tap

Export

to open the


window.

To clear the contents of the Looper

, tap

Clear

. 245

The time counter at the top of the screen indicates the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the

modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. The upper-left

Input Source

field defines whether you are going to record an external audio signal, which you can set to a pair of inputs (

Input 1,2

–

3,4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1,2

–

31,32


Input 1

–

4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1

–

32

in Controller Mode). You can also select an internal signal from within your MPC hardware (

Resample L

,

Resample R

, or

Resample L+R

). Resampling does not require an audio connection because the source is internal and is therefore recorded without any loss in audio quality. You can, for example, use Resample to record two or more samples by pressing the corresponding pads simultaneously. Use the second upper-left

Mono

/

Stereo

field to choose whether your recorded loop will be monaural (

Mono

) or binaural (

Stereo

). The

Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for the Looper. Tap the area under

Inserts

to open a window where you can load, change, and enable or disable the effects.

Important

: These effects are applied to the audio as you record it. This means that the effects cannot be “removed” from the sound later. Learn more about how effects work in


>

Effects

. Tap the

Monitor

button to enable or disable input monitoring. When

on

, the audio you hear in your headphones will be taken

before

it reaches the Looper, ensuring zero latency. You can turn input monitoring on only if the

Input Source

field is set to an input, not to a

Resample

setting. When

off

, the audio you hear in your headphones will be taken

after

it is processed in the Looper, so there may be some latency, but you will hear the audio source as it sounds in the recording.

Tip

:

To avoid possible clicks or feedback while input monitoring

, reduce the level of the audio sources. Use the


to adjust the threshold. Alternatively, turn

Q-Link Knob 1

(

Threshold

on MPC X) or the

first Q Link knob

in the

fourth column

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). The threshold slider will work only when

Sync

is

off

(see

below

).

When the Looper is record-armed, it automatically starts recording when the level of the incoming source exceeds this setting. If you set it too high, the recording may not start when you play the input source, or the start of the material you wanted to record may be missing. If you set it too low, the recording may start too early, before you play the external source. Set this parameter to an appropriate level using the level meter.

To reset the

“

peak hold

,” which shows the highest level of your input signal in the level meter, tap it. 246

Use the

Bars

field to define the length of your loop. Regardless of how much or how little audio you record, this is how long your loop will be. Use the

Sync

button to sync or un-sync the looper with sequence playback. When on, the Looper will stay in step with your current sequence. When you play or record into the Looper, it will wait until the sequence starts playing Bar 1 to start. Use the

Record To

selector to determine the loop recording behavior:

Play

: Before recording, you must first tap the  /

Play

button on the screen, which will start playing the Looper.

Overdub

: Before recording, you must first tap the

Rec

/

Record

button in the lower-right corner to record-arm the Looper. Use the

Output Gain

slider to set the output signal level of the Looper. 247

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

:


, tap the

Replace

or

Overdub

button as the loop is playing. The Looper will start recording immediately.


, tap the

Replace

or

Overdub

button. The Looper will stop recording but continue playing.

To stop playback and recording

, tap the  /

Play

button. If

Record To

is set to

Overdub

:


, tap the  /

Play

button on the screen. If

Sync

is off, you can also play your audio source so that the input level reaches the threshold value. If

Sync

is on, you can also press the

Play

or

Play Start

button to start playing a sequence; recording will start when the sequence starts on Bar 1.


, tap

Overdub

. The Looper will stop recording but continue playing.

To stop playback and recording

, tap the  /

Play

button, or press

Stop

to stop sequence playback.

To play or stop the loop

(without recording), tap the  /

Play

button on the screen.

To reverse loop playback

, tap

Reverse

. If

Sync

is

on

, playback will reverse once the Looper’s playhead reaches the end of the loop. If

Sync

is

off

, playback will reverse immediately.

To erase the loop immediately

, tap

Clear

. 248

To export the loop as a sample

: 1.

Tap

Export

to open the

Export Loop as a Sample

window. 2.

Tap the

Edit Name

field and use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name. 3.

Optional

: Use the

Program

field to assign it directly to a program.

To ignore this feature

, select <

none

>. 4.

Optional

: If you’re assigning the sample to a program, use the

Assign to Pad

Alternatively, just press the pad.

To ignore this feature

, select

Off

. field to assign it to a specific pad. 5.

Use the

Root Note

field to select the sample’s root note. 6.

Optional

: Tap and hold your finger on

Play

to play the sample. 7.

Tap

Do It

to confirm your choice, or

Cancel

to cancel. When your loop is done exporting, it will be added to your project’s sample pool with the name you entered and will be assigned to the program and pad you selected (if any). 249

Pad Mixer

In the Pad Mixer, you can set a program’s levels, stereo panning, routing, and effects. This mode appears differently for each type of program: For

drum programs

, this mode shows a pad with controls for each individual pad (of 128). For

keygroup programs

, this mode shows a pad with controls for each individual keygroup (up to 128). For

clip programs

, this mode shows a pad with controls for each individual clip (up to 16). Even though you can view other pad banks, only

Pad Bank A

is relevant for clip programs. For

MIDI programs

,

plugin programs

, and

CV programs

, this mode is unavailable.

For more information on how these programs differ, please see


>

Programs

.

To enter the Pad Mixer


Menu

, and then tap

Pad Mixer

(MPC X).

Pad Mixer

. The Pad Mixer works like an audio mixer with various settings for each pad, shown in a 4x4 array. All of their functionality is identical. If a sample has been assigned to a pad, its name is displayed at the top of it.

To select a pad

, press its corresponding pad or tap it on the screen. Alternatively, use the numbered

Pad

field in the upper-left corner.

To view more channels

, use the

Pad Bank

buttons. 250

Use the

Program

field in the upper-left corner to select the program whose pads you want to view. Remember that only drum programs, keygroup programs, or clip programs will display properly in the Pad Mixer. Use the

Track

field at the top of the screen to select the desired track. The time counter in the upper-right corner the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. The automation button indicates the global automation state. This is shown in several modes. See


>

Automation


To view a specific setting on all channels

, tap the

Level

,

Pan

,

Mute

,

Send

,

Insert

, or

Route


Send

or

Insert

buttons multiple times to cycle through the four available slots for each. When a pad is selected, you can view and adjust all of its settings in the left side of the screen rather than using the tab buttons at the bottom. When viewing the channel strip: The first field shows the current pad number. Press a

pad

or double-tap the

field

to select a different pad. The second field shows where the pad is routed, which you can change:

Program

(the usual setting),

Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32


Sub 1

–

8


Note


Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that pad. Tap the area under

Inserts


Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the pad (respectively). Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the pad. 251

Levels

When the

Level

tab is selected, use the

data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the level of the currently selected pad. The level sliders and meters in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a large version of the level slider and meter.

Panning

When the

Pan


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the panning of the currently selected pad. The pan sliders in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a large version of the

pan knob

. 252

Mute

When the

Mute

tab is selected, mute the currently selected pad by doing any of the following: • • • Turn the Use the Tap the

– data dial

/

+ pad

. buttons. on the screen. When a pad is muted, its

M

button will light

red

.

Send Effects

When the

Send


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the send level of the currently selected pad. The level sliders in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a large version of the level slider. You can select up to

four send effects

for each pad. You can use various effects included in your MPC hardware as well as other VST and AU plugins installed on your computer. Tap the

Send

button to cycle through the four available slots for each. To learn how to use send effects, please see


>

Effects

>

Send

/


.

Important

:

To use a send effect

, you have to load an effect into the corresponding send effect slot in the Channel Mixer. 253

Insert Effects

When the

Insert


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to open a window where you can select an effect for the currently selected pad. Instead of level sliders, there are fields that display 0–4 boxes to indicate which insert slots have a loaded effect. The level meters in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a window where you can load, change, and enable or disable the effects for all four insert slots. You can select up to


for each pad. You can use various effects included in your MPC hardware as well as other VST and AU plugins installed on your computer. Tap the

Insert

button to cycle through the four available slots for each. To learn how to use insert effects, please see


>

Effects

>


.

Important

: When using keygroup insert effects, they will be applied to that keygroup only. Keep this in mind if you load insert effects to multiple keygroups with overlapping note ranges—the effects will overlap in that range as well. If a routing is set to anything other than

Program

, then a program insert effect will

not

be applied to that pad or keygroup.

Routing

When the

Route


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select the output of the currently selected pad. Usually, this is set to

Program

. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to select a different destination:

Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32


Sub 1

–

8


Note

: When set to a mono channel, the left and right channels are summed post-pan knob. If the pan knob is set to the center position, the left and right channels will be summed and padded. If the pan knob is set to the maximum left or right positions, only the respective channel will be sent to the output. 254

Channel Mixer

In the Channel Mixer, you can set levels, stereo panning, and other settings for your tracks, programs, returns, submixes (while using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode), and masters.

To open the Channel Mixer


Menu

, and then tap

Ch. Mixer

(MPC X).

Channel Mixer

. The Channel Mixer works like an audio mixer with various settings for each channel, shown in a 4x4 array. Their functionality is mostly identical. The name of the track, program, or channel is displayed at the top of each one. Use the

Mixer

field at the top of the screen to select which mixer you want to view:

MIDI Tracks

,

Audio Tracks

,

Programs

,

Returns

,

Submixes

, or

Masters

. Each page has slight differences, described in each section. The following controls and tabs are available for all of the mixers (or most of them, as indicated).

To select a channel

, tap its corresponding pad on the screen. Alternatively, use the field in the upper-left corner.

To view more channels

(while viewing tracks or programs), use the

–

/

+

buttons at the top of the screen. The time counter in the upper-right corner the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate




>

Automation


255

Levels

When the

Level


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the velocity level or volume level of the currently selected track, program, return, submix, or master. The level sliders and meters in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a large version of the level slider and meter.

Panning

When the

Pan


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the panning of the currently selected track, program, return, submix, or master. The pan sliders in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a large version of a

pan knob

.

Mute

/

Solo

/

Rec Arm

Tap this tab to cycle it through

Mute

,

Solo

, and

Rec Arm

functions. When

Mute

is selected, mute tracks, programs, returns, submixes, or masters by doing any of the following: • • • • Turn or press the Use the Tap the

–

/

+ pad

buttons. on the screen. Turn each of the

center cursor Q-Link knobs

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). to mute or unmute each of the pads. When a track, program, return, submix, or master is muted, its

M

button will light

red

. When

Solo

is selected, solo tracks, programs, returns, submixes, or masters by doing any of the following: • • • • Turn or press the Use the Tap the

–

/

+ pad

buttons. on the screen. Turn each of the

center cursor Q-Link knobs

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the

data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). to solo or unsolo each of the pads. When a track, program, return, submix, or master is soloed, its

S

button will light

green

while other tracks are muted with their

M

buttons lit

red

. The

Solo

tab is available for tracks and programs only. When

Rec Arm

is selected, record-enable audio tracks by doing any of the following: • • • Turn or press the Use the Tap the

–

/

+

buttons.

pad center cursor

or

Enter

(MPC X) or the on the screen. Press and hold multiple tracks at once.

Shift data dial

(MPC Live, MPC Touch). while tapping a

pad

on the screen to record-enable • Turn each of the

Q-Link knobs

to record-arm or disarm each of the pads. The

Rec Arm

tab is available for audio tracks only. 256

Send Levels

(audio tracks, programs, and submixes only) When the

Send


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to adjust the send level of audio tracks, programs, or submixes. The level sliders in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a large version of the level slider. You can use up to four send channels. Tap

Send

to cycle through the four available slots for each.

To learn how to use send effects

, please see


>

Effects

>

Send

/


.

Important

: When using send channels, make sure you have already loaded at least one effect to it using the return mixer. See

Returns

below to learn how to do this.

Insert Effects

(audio tracks, programs, returns, submixes, and masters only) When the

Insert


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to open a window where you can select an effect for the currently selected audio track, program, return, submix, or master. Instead of level sliders, there are fields that display 0–4 boxes to indicate which insert slots have a loaded effect. The level meters in each pad show a visual representation of the level. Double-tap a

pad

on the screen to open a large version of the level slider. You can select up to four insert effects for each audio track, program, return, submix, or master. Tap the

Insert

button to cycle through the four available slots for each.

To learn how to use insert effects

, please see


>

Effects

>


.

Routing

(audio tracks, programs, returns, and submixes only) When the

Route


data dial

or

–

/

+

buttons to select the output of the currently selected program, return, or submix. 257

MIDI Tracks

The MIDI Track Mixer shows levels, panning, and mute states for all used tracks.

To view a specific setting on all tracks

, tap

Level

,

Pan

, or

Mute

at the bottom of the screen. Tap

Mute

/

Solo

to switch between them. When a track is selected, you can view and adjust all of its settings in the left side of the screen rather than using the tab buttons at the bottom. When viewing the MIDI track channel strip:

Note

: This is the same as the MIDI track channel strip in Main Mode. The first field shows the current track (which you can change). The second field shows the current program the track is using (which you can change to a program of the same type). Tap

Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the track (respectively). Adjust the

pan knob

or

velocity slider

to change the panning or velocity of the track. 258

Audio Tracks

The Audio Track Mixer shows levels, mute/solo/record-arm states, send and insert effects, and routing for all used tracks.

To view a specific setting on all tracks

, tap

Level

,

Pan

,

Mute

/

Solo

/

Rec Arm

,

Send

,

Insert

, or

Route


Mute

/

Solo

/

Rec Arm

to cycle through them. When a track is selected, you can view and adjust all of its settings in the left side of the screen rather than using the tab buttons at the bottom. When viewing the audio track channel strip:

Note

: This is the same as the audio track channel strip in Main Mode. The first field defines the input source of the external audio signal, which you can set to a pair of inputs (

Input 1,2

–

3,4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1,2

–

31,32


Input 1

–

4

in Standalone Mode,

Input 1

–

32


Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32


Sub 1

–

8


Note


Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that audio track. Tap the area under

Inserts

to open a window where you can load, change, and enable or disable the effects for all four insert slots. Tap

Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the track (respectively). Tap the

Monitor


Auto


on


off

, you will never hear any incoming audio. 259

Tap the


or press

Read

/

Write


off


R

) and Write (

W


Shift


Important

: If you have already recorded automation and turn it off, the audio track will still use the effect and its parameter values at the point where you turned it off. When set to

Read

(

R


Write

(

W


Tip

: You can quickly set all programs and audio tracks to the same automation by tapping the

global automation button in the upper-right corner of the screen. See


>

Automation


Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the track. Tap the

Record Arm

button or press

Rec Arm

(MPC X) to record-enable the track. When you begin audio recording, the audio signal will be recorded to this track.

Tip

: You can select multiple tracks in the

Rec Arm

tab by pressing and holding

Shift

and tapping each

pad

on the screen. You can also do this in the Track View by pressing and holding

Shift

while tapping the

Arm

button to each track. 260

Programs

The Program Mixer shows levels, panning, mute states, send and insert effects, and routing for all programs.

To view a specific setting on all programs

, tap

Level

,

Pan

,

Mute

/

Solo

,

Send

,

Insert

, or

Route


Mute

/

Solo

to switch between them. Tap

Send

or

Insert

to cycle through the four available slots for each. When a program is selected, you can view and adjust all of its settings in the left side of the screen rather than using the tab buttons at the bottom. When viewing the program channel strip:

Note

: This is the same as the program channel strip in Main Mode. The first field shows the current program number and name (which you can change). The second field shows where the program is routed, which you can change:

Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32


Sub 1

–

8


Note


Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that program. Tap the area under

Inserts


Solo

or

Mute

to solo or mute the program (respectively). 261

Tap the


to change the program’s automation. Tapping it will cycle through its three states: When

off

, the program will ignore automation data. If you have already recorded or entered automation, tapping this will switch between

Read

(

R

) and

Write

(

W


Shift


Important


Read

(

R


Write

(

W

), the program can record automation. (If you have any Q-Link knobs assigned to automatable parameters, make sure not to touch any accidentally while you are recording.)

Tip



>

Automation


Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the program. 262

Returns

Pads, programs, and audio tracks can each be sent to up to four send channels. Their audio signals will be routed to the send channels at their designated send levels. After being processed by the effects on those channels, their signals are then sent to the assigned master output based on their return settings (levels, panning, etc.). This view displays the four return channels. The return mixer shows levels, panning, mute states, insert effects, and routing for all used tracks.

To view a specific setting on all returns

, tap

Level

,

Pan

,

Mute

,

Insert

, or

Route

at the bottom of the screen. You can tap

Insert

multiple times to cycle through the four available slots. When a return is selected, you can view and adjust all of its settings in the left side of the screen rather than using the tab buttons at the bottom. When viewing the return channel strip: The first field shows the current return number (which you can change). The second field shows where the return is routed, which you can change:

Out 1,2

–

7,8

or

Out 1

–

8

in Standalone Mode;

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32

in Controller Mode (MPC Live does not use Out 7,8 in Standalone Mode but displays them to maintain compatibility with MPC X, which does use them).

Note


Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that return. Tap the area under

Inserts


Mute

to mute the return. Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the return. 263

Submixes

The Submixer shows levels, panning, mute states, send and insert effects, and routing for the eight available submixes.

Important


To view a specific setting on all submixes

, tap

Level

,

Pan

,

Mute

,

Send

,

Insert

, or

Route


Send

or

Insert

multiple times to cycle through the four available slots for each. When a submix is selected, you can view and adjust all of its settings in the left side of the screen rather than using the tab buttons at the bottom. When viewing the submixer channel strip: The first field shows the current submix (which you can change). The second field shows where the submix is routed, which you can change:

Out 1,2

–

31,32

or

Out 1

–

32

.

Note


Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that submix. Tap the area under

Inserts


Mute

to mute the submix. Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the submix. 264

Masters

The Master Mixer shows levels, panning, mute states, and insert effects for all used stereo pairs of outputs (

Out 1,2

–

7,8

in Standalone Mode,

Out 1,2

–

31,32

in Controller Mode; MPC Live does not use Out 7,8 in Standalone Mode but displays them to maintain compatibility with MPC X, which does use them).

To view a specific setting on all outputs

, tap

Level

,

Pan

,

Mute

, or

Insert


Insert

multiple times to cycle through the four available slots. When viewing the master channel strip:

Note

: This is the same as the master channel strip in Main Mode. The first field shows the current master output (which you can change). The

Inserts

field shows any enabled or disabled effects for that master output. Tap the area under

Inserts


Mute

to mute that master output. Adjust the

pan knob

or

level slider

to change the panning or level of the master output. 265

Pad Mute Mode

Pad Mute Mode lets you easily mute pads within a program or set mute groups for each pad within a program.

To enter Pad Mute Mode


Menu Shift

+ , and then tap

Track Mute

/

Pad Mute Pad Mute

. (MPC X). There are two tabs you can view in this mode:

Pad Mute

or

Pad Group

. Tap each button in the lower-left corner to select it. See the following

Pad Mute

and

Pad Group

sections to learn about each.

Use the

Program

field at the top of the screen to select a program. The time counter in the upper-right corner the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate




>

Automation


Time Correct

lets you quantize pad mutes. This is useful when you want your mutes to line up with a specific time division. For example, with

Time Division

set to

1 Bar

, your mutes will always align with the beginning of the measure immediately after you press the pad. Tap

Time Division

at the bottom of the screen, and select a value from

1

/

16

to

2 Bars

(

T

indicates a triplet based time division). Tap

TC

at the bottom of the screen to enable or disable the Time Correct feature. 266

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.

To mute pads in this mode

: 1.

If the

Pad Mute

tab in the lower-left corner is not already selected, tap it. 2.

3.

Select the desired pad bank. Use the

To mute or unmute a pad’s sound Pad Bank Buttons

, press it or tap it on the screen. Muted pads are lit

yellow

. Unused pads do not show any sample names. or tap a pad bank shown on the left side of the screen.

red

. Unmuted pads are lit

To assign pads to pad groups within this tab

, turn each of the

Q-Link knobs

(when the

Screen Control

Q-Link button is selected) to assign each of the pads to a pad group. The number of each pad’s group is shown in its upper right corner. 267

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. You can create up to 16 different pad groups.

To use pad groups

: 1.

If the

Pad Group


Use the

Pad Bank

buttons to select the desired pad bank. 3.

To select a pad to add to a mute group

, press it or tap it on the screen. The selected pad is lit

green

. If there are other pads in the same mute group, they will flash

yellow

. 4.

To add the pad to the mute group

, tap the number of the desired mute group on the left side of the screen.

To remove it from the mute group

, tap

Off

. Alternatively, turn each of the

Q-Link knobs

(when the

Screen Control

Q-Link button is selected) to assign each of the pads to a pad group. The number of each pad’s group is shown in its upper-right corner. 268

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


Menu

, and then tap

Track Mute Track Mute

(MPC X). . There are two tabs you can view in this mode:

Track Mute

or

Track Group

. Tap each button in the lower-left corner

to select it. See the following

Track Mute

and

Track Group

sections to learn about each. Use the

Sequence

field at the top of the screen to select a sequence. The time counter in the upper-right corner the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate


Time Correct

lets you quantize track mutes. This is useful when you want your mutes to line up with a specific time division. For example, with

Time Division

set to

1 Bar

, your mutes will always align with the beginning of the measure immediately after you press the pad. Tap

Time Division

at the bottom of the screen, and select a value from

1

/

16

to

2 Bars

(

T

indicates a triplet based time division). Tap

TC

at the bottom of the screen to enable or disable the Time Correct feature. Tap

Solo

to turn track soloing on or off. When on, using Track Mute Mode will solo tracks instead of muting them. 269

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.

To mute tracks in this mode

: 1.

If the

Track Mute


3.

Select the desired pad bank. Use the

To mute or unmute a track Pad Bank

buttons or tap a pad bank shown on the left side of the screen. , press the corresponding

pad

or tap it on the screen. Pads for muted tracks are lit

red

. Pads for unmuted tracks are lit

yellow

. Pads for unused tracks do not show any information.

To assign tracks to track groups within this tab

, turn each of the

Q-Link knobs

(when the

Screen Control

Q-Link button is selected) to assign each of the pads to a track group. The number of each pad’s track group is shown in its upper-right corner. 270

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. You can create up to 16 different track groups.

To assign tracks to track groups

: 1.

If the

Track Group


3.

Select the desired pad bank by using the

Pad Bank To select a track to add to a mute group

buttons. , press the corresponding

pad

or tap it on the screen. The pad for the selected track is lit

green

. If there are other pads for tracks in the same mute group, they will flash

yellow

. 4.

To add the track to a mute group

, tap the number of the desired mute group.

To remove the track from the mute group

, tap

Off

. Alternatively, turn each of the

Q-Link knobs

(when the

Screen Control

Q-Link button is selected) to assign each of the pads to a track group. The number of each pad’s track group is shown in its upper-right corner. 271

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


Menu

, and then tap

Next Seq

(MPC X).

Next Sequence

. The time counter in the upper-right corner the current playhead position. This is shown in most of the modes. See


>

Time Counter

/

Locate

to learn about this. The sequence playlist on the left side shows a list-style overview of

all

used sequences in your project: The

Sequence

column shows the name of the song’s sequences. The

Length

column shows the bar length of a sequence. The

BPM

column shows the tempo of a sequence in beats per minute. The currently selected sequence is highlighted in the list. Tap a sequence in the list to select it. 272

In Next Sequence Mode, every pad is assigned to a sequence, starting from

Pad A01

with

Sequence 1

and ascending from there. The pads will show the names of their corresponding sequences. Empty pads correspond to unused sequences. The currently selected pad will flash

green

. During playback, change the next sequence that will play by pressing the corresponding pad or tapping it on the screen. If you do not select another sequence, the current sequence will repeat indefinitely. As a sequence plays, you can use the buttons at the bottom of the screen to change how playback works:

To switch to the currently selected sequence at the beginning of the next bar

, tap

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.

To switch to the currently selected sequence immediately

, tap

Sudden

. The new sequence will start playing whether or not the current sequence is done. This is useful in live performances if you need to switch to the next sequence instantly at a certain cue.

To delete the currently selected sequence from the sequence playlist

, tap

Clear

. This option is available only if that sequence is not playing at that moment.

To repeat the current sequence indefinitely and temporarily ignore pad presses

, tap

Hold

.

To return to normal operation

, tap it again. This is useful if you want to select other pads without selecting them to play next.

To copy the sequence playlist to a song

, tap 

Song

while playback is stopped. In the

Copy to Song

screen that appears, select a song, and then tap

Do It

to continue or

Close

to cancel. To read more about Song Mode, please see the

Song Mode

chapter.

273

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.

To open Song Mode


Menu Shift

+ , and then tap

Next Seq

/

Song Mode Song

(MPC X). .

Important

: If a sequence is currently playing, stop playback before entering Song Mode. You cannot enter Song Mode during playback.

Important

: When creating a song, the program used by each track in the song’s

first sequence

will be used by

all subsequent tracks

. In other words, all identically numbered tracks (across sequences) will use the program used by the first sequence in the song—regardless of what programs each track uses while not in Song Mode. For example, if you create a project in this way…: • Track 1 of

Sequence 1

uses a

drum

program. • Track 1 of

Sequence 2

uses a

keygroup

program. • A song uses Sequence 1 as its first sequence and then uses Sequence 2 any time after it. …then, in that song, Track 1 in Sequence 2 will use the same drum program as Track 1, Sequence 1. Because of this, we recommend trying to be consistent while creating tracks in sequences that you intend to use in a single song. Remember that you can copy one track to another if you ever need to reorder the tracks of a sequence (see

Modes

>

Main Mode

>

Track Section


Use the

Song

field to select the song you want to show. Use the

BPM



(

Seq

)


(

Mst

), tap the

Seq

/

Mst

button next to the BPM field. Alternatively, press

Shift

+

Tap

/

Master

. 274

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; set it to

Hold

[the lowest/minimum value] to set the sequence to repeat indefinitely until you stop playback) • • the tempo of the sequence the number of bars the step occupies (based on how many times it plays) Each used sequence is assigned to a pad. Empty pads correspond to unused sequences. Use the

Pad Bank

buttons to access the sequences assigned to pads in other banks.

To insert a step

: 1.

Tap a

step

in the sequence playlist after which you want to insert a step. 2.

Tap

Insert

in the lower-right corner of the screen.

Alternatively,

“

record

”

a song using the pads

:

Note

: The sequences or song will not play back as you use the pads to create your song in this way. Pressing the pads just enters their corresponding sequences as steps. 1.

2.

Press

Rec

or

Overdub

Press or tap the

pad

to “record-arm” the song. that corresponds to the first sequence you want to use. That sequence will appear in the sequence playlist as the first step. 3.

Repeat

Step 2

for each additional step you want to add to the sequence playlist. Press or tap a times to add to the number of times it plays.

pad

multiple 4.

Press

Stop

to stop “recording.” 275

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.

To delete a step

, tap it, and then tap

Delete

in the lower-right corner of the screen.

To clear the entire sequence playlist

(delete all steps), tap

Clear

.

To switch to the next sequence at the beginning of the next bar during playback

, tap

Next


To switch to the next sequence immediately during playback

, tap

Sudden

. The new sequence will start playing whether or not the current sequence is done. This is useful in live performances if you need to switch to the next sequence instantly at a certain cue.

To convert the current song to a single sequence

: 1.

Tap

Convert

window. >

Seq

to open the

Convert to Sequence

2.

Use the

To Sequence

field to select which sequence you want the song to export to. 3.

Use the

Track Status

field to select whether you want the song to

Ignore Muted Tracks

or

Include Muted Tracks

in the new sequence. 4.


, tap

Do It

.

To cancel the process

, tap

Close

.

To render

/

export your song as an audio file

, tap

Export

to open the

Audio Mixdown

screen. See


>

Audio Mixdown

to learn how to use this screen to export

your song. 276

Q-Link Edit Mode

Q-Link Edit Mode lets you determine what the Q-Link knobs control in other modes. This is helpful when you want to use the Q-Link knobs to control parameters that might not be shown in the current mode—or parameters that are shown across different modes.

To enter Q-Link Edit Mode

, do any of the following: • • • Press Press

Menu Shift

+ , and then tap

Q-Link Edit Screen Control

/

Edit

Press and hold one of the five (MPC X).

Q-Link

. buttons above the bottom of the window that appears (MPC X).

Q-Link knobs

, and then tap

Q-Link Edit

at the

To select an edit mode for the Q-Link knobs

, tap one of the five buttons at the bottom of the screen. If you are using MPC X, you can also press one of the five

Q-Link

buttons above the

Q-Link knobs

(

Project

,

Program

,

Pad Scene

,

Pad Param

, or

Screen Control

/

Edit

):

Project

: In this edit mode, the Q-Link knobs can control 16 parameters within the current project overall. See the

following

Project

section to learn about this specific Q-Link Edit Mode.

Program

/

Audio Track

: In this edit mode, the Q-Link knobs can control 16 program or audio track parameters.

See the following

Program

/

Audio Track


Pad Scene

(for drum programs only): In this edit mode, the Q-Link knobs can control 16 parameters for the currently selected pad. See the following

Pad Scene


Pad Parameter

: In this edit mode, the 16 Q-Link knobs correspond to the 16 pads, each one controlling the same parameter for each pad. This is useful if you need to adjust the same parameter on multiple pads at once rather than having to select and edit each pad individually. See the following

Pad Parameter

section to learn

about this specific Q-Link Edit Mode.

Screen

: In this edit mode, the Q-Link knobs will control a parameter or group of parameters in your currently selected mode (e.g., Main Mode, Sample Edit Mode, etc.). Use the

Track

field to select a track that uses the desired program (and therefore pad/pads). The contents of the screen below will vary based on (

1

) the type of program each track uses and (

2

) the Q-Link Edit Mode you selected. 277

Tap the

Learn

button to turn Learn Mode on or off. When

on

, adjusting a control in the MPC software window will immediately assign it to the currently selected Q-Link knob. This button is not available while in

Screen

Q-Link Edit Mode where the Q-Link knobs are unassignable.

To assign a function to a Q-Link knob in Learn Mode

: 1.

Tap

Learn

so the button is lit. (This will stop playback. Resuming playback will exit Learn Mode.) 2.

3.

Touch or turn the desired

Q-Link knob

. In the MPC software on your computer, click and drag the

slider

or The Q-Link knob will be able to control that parameter immediately.

knob

you want to assign to the Q-Link knob.

To assign functions to other Q-Link knobs


To exit Learn Mode

, tap

Learn

(or resume playback).



>

Automation


At any time, in any mode, you can show the

QLinks

window over the touchscreen’s current contents. These are the same parameters and settings as what is shown in Q-Link Edit Mode.

To show the QLinks window

, press and hold any of the

Q-Link

buttons:

Project

,

Program

,

Pad Scene

,

Pad Param

, or

Screen Control

/

Edit

(MPC X) or the

Q-Link

button (MPC Live, MPC Touch).

To close the QLinks window

, release that

Q-Link

button. While the

QLinks

window is shown:

To adjust the settings of the selected knobs

, turn the corresponding

Q-Link knobs

on your MPC hardware.

To select an edit mode for the Q-Link knobs

, tap one of the five buttons at the bottom of the screen. If you are using MPC X, you can also press one of the five

Q-Link

buttons above the

Q-Link knobs

:

Project

,

Program

,

Pad Scene

,

Pad Parameter

, or

Screen

.

To turn Learn Mode on or off

, tap

Learn

. (This button is not available while in

Screen

Q-Link Edit Mode where the Q-Link knobs are unassignable.)

To enter Q-Link Edit Mode immediately

(regardless of the current mode), tap

Q-Link Edit

at the bottom of the window. 278

Project

In the

Project

Q-Link Edit Mode, the Q-Link knobs control 16 parameters within the current project. Next to the top row of Q-Link knobs on the screen, tap one of these tabs to select the type of parameters you want to control with the Q-Link knobs:

MIDI Track

: MIDI track parameters. Use the

MIDI Track

field to select one of the MIDI tracks in your project.

Audio Track

: audio track parameters. Use the

Audio Track

field to select one of the audio tracks in your project.

Program

: program parameters. Use the

Program

field to select one of the programs in your project.

Return

: return parameters. Use the

Return

field to select one of

Returns 1

–

4

.

Submix

: submix parameters. Use the

Submix

field to select one of

Submixes 1

–

8

.

Master

: master parameters. Use the

Master

field to select one of the output pairs:

Outputs 1

/

2

–

7

/

8

in Standalone Mode or

Outputs 1

/

2

–

31

/

32

in Controller Mode (MPC Live does not use Out 7/8 in Standalone Mode but displays them to maintain compatibility with MPC X, which does use them). Next to the second row of Q-Link knobs on the screen, tap one of these tabs to select the type of parameters you want to control with the Q-Link knobs:

Mixer

: general mixer parameters

Program

(in the

Program

tab if a drum program or clip program is selected): program parameters

Insert 1

–

4

(not available in the

MIDI Track

tab or

Program

tab if a MIDI program is selected): parameters for its program insert effects If the

Program


Type

selector to determine whether the Q-Link knobs will control the parameters of the entire program (

Program

) or for a single pad (

Pad

).

To select a program

, use the

Program

field next to the top row of Q-Link knobs on the screen.

To select a pad

(if

Type

is set to

Pad

), use the

Pad

field. 279

Use the

Parameter

field to select the parameter you want to control with the currently selected Q-Link knob. When the

MIDI Track

tab is selected:

Mixer

: Off, Volume, Pan, Mute, Solo When the

Audio Track

tab is selected:

Mixer

: Off, Volume, Pan, Mute, Solo, Send 1–4

Insert 1

–

4

: Off, other available parameters depend on the effect When the

Program

tab is selected and

Type

is set to

Program

:

Mixer


Program

: Off, Master Semi Tune, Master Fine Tune

Insert 1

–

4


Program

tab is selected and

Type

is set to

Pad

:

Mixer

: Off, Level, Pan, Pad Mute, Pad Solo, Send 1–4

Program

Off Tuning : Filter Cutoff Amp Env Hold Amp Env Sustain Filter Env Attack Layer Sample Pan (1–4) Layer Semi Tune (1–4) Layer Fine Tune (1–4) Filter Resonance Filter Env Amount Amp Env Attack Amp Env Decay Filter Env Hold Filter Env Decay Filter Env Sustain Filter Env Release Velocity to Start Vel to Filter Attack Velocity to Env Amount Velocity to Filter Amp Env Release Layer Level (1–4) LFO to Pitch

Insert 1

–

4

: Off, other available parameters depend on the effect LFO to Filter LFO to Amp LFO to Pan LFO Wave LFO Rate LFO Sync Velocity to Pitch Vel to Volume Attack Velocity to Amp Velocity to Pan Layer Direction (1–4) Layer Offset (1–4) When the

Return

tab is selected:

Mixer

: Off, Volume, Pan, Mute

Insert 1

–

4


Submix

tab is selected:

Mixer

: Off, Volume, Pan, Mute, Send 1–4

Insert 1

–

4

: Off, other available parameters depend on the effect

Important

: Submixes are available only while using your MPC hardware in Controller Mode with the desktop version of the MPC software. When the

Master

tab is selected:

Mixer

: Off, Volume, Pan, Mute

Insert 1

–

4

: Off, other available parameters depend on the effect Tap the

Momentary

checkbox to turn momentary behavior on or off. When

on

, moving the Q-Link knob 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 knob. When

off

, moving the Q-Link knob will adjust its parameter, and the parameter will remain at its new setting when you release the Q-Link knob. 280

Program

/

Audio Track

In the

Program

/

Audio Track

Q-Link Edit Mode, the Q-Link knobs control 16 parameters within the currently selected program or audio track. When a

MIDI track

is selected: Next to the top row of Q-Link knobs on the screen, tap one of these tabs to select the type of parameters you want to control with the Q-Link knobs:

Mixer


Program

: program parameters

Insert 1

–

4

: parameters for its program insert effects Use the

Type

selector to determine whether the Q-Link knobs will control the parameters of the entire program (

Program

) or for a single pad (

Pad

).

To select a program

, use the

Track

field at the top of the screen to select a track that uses it. The program name will appear in the

Program

field next to the top row of Q-Link knobs on the screen.

To select a pad

(if

Type

is set to

Pad

), use the

Pad

field. Use the

Parameter

field to select the parameter you want to control with the Q-Link knobs. When

Type

is set to

Program

:

Mixer


Program

: Off, Master Semi Tune, Master Fine Tune

Insert 1

–

4

: Off, other available parameters depend on the effect 281

When

Type

is set to

Pad

:

Mixer


Program

: Off Tuning Filter Cutoff Filter Resonance Filter Env Amount Amp Env Attack Amp Env Decay Amp Env Release Amp Env Hold Amp Env Sustain Filter Env Attack Filter Env Hold Filter Env Decay Filter Env Sustain Filter Env Release Layer Level (1–4) Layer Sample Pan (1–4) Layer Semi Tune (1–4) Layer Fine Tune (1–4) Velocity to Start Vel to Filter Attack Velocity to Env Amount Velocity to Filter LFO to Pitch

Insert 1

–

4

: Off, other available parameters depend on the effect Tap the

Momentary

checkbox to turn momentary behavior on or off. LFO to Filter LFO to Amp LFO to Pan LFO Wave LFO Rate LFO Sync Velocity to Pitch Vel to Volume Attack Velocity to Amp Velocity to Pan Layer Direction (1–4) Layer Offset (1–4) When

on


off

, moving the Q-Link knob will adjust its parameter, and the parameter will remain at its new setting when you release the Q-Link knob. When an

audio track

is selected: Next to the top row of Q-Link knobs on the screen, tap one of these tabs to select the type of parameters you want to control with the Q-Link knobs:

Mixer


Insert 1

–

4

: parameters for its program insert effects Use the

Parameter

field to select the parameter you want to control with the Q-Link knobs. Tap the

Momentary


on


off


Pad Scene

In the

Pad Scene

Q-Link Edit Mode, the Q-Link knobs control your favorite 16 parameters for the currently selected pad. You can select another pad simply by pressing it, allowing you to adjust the same 16 parameters for that new pad. (These assignments are automatically saved with other user settings. Any project you load will use these assignments.)

To select a pad

, press it. Next to the top row of Q-Link knobs on the screen, tap one of these tabs to select the type of parameters you want to control with the Q-Link knobs:

Mixer


Program

: pad parameters (i.e., parameters used in Program Edit Mode) Use the

Parameter

field to select the parameter you want to control with the Q-Link knobs.

Mixer


Program

: Off Tuning Filter Cutoff Filter Resonance Filter Env Amount Amp Env Attack Amp Env Decay Amp Env Release Amp Env Hold Amp Env Sustain Filter Env Attack Filter Env Hold Filter Env Decay Filter Env Sustain Filter Env Release Layer Level (1–4) Layer Sample Pan (1–4) Layer Semi Tune (1–4) Layer Fine Tune (1–4) Velocity to Start Vel to Filter Attack Velocity to Env Amount Velocity to Filter LFO to Pitch LFO to Filter LFO to Amp LFO to Pan LFO Wave LFO Rate LFO Sync Velocity to Pitch Vel to Volume Attack Velocity to Amp Velocity to Pan Layer Direction (1–4) Layer Offset (1–4) Tap the

Momentary


on


off


Pad Parameter

In the

Pad Parameter

Q-Link Edit Mode, the Q-Link knobs control the same pad parameter for the each of the 16 pads in the current pad bank. For example, if the

Parameter

is set to

Level

, the 16 Q-Link knobs will adjust the 16 independent

Level

settings for each pad in the current pad bank. You could then set the

Parameter

to

Pan

and use the Q-Link knobs to adjust the panning of all 16 pads. Next to the top row of Q-Link knobs on the screen, tap one of these tabs to select the type of parameter you want to control with the Q-Link knobs:

Mixer


Program

: pad parameters (i.e., parameters used in Program Edit Mode) Use the

Parameter

field to select the parameter you want to control with the Q-Link knobs.

Mixer


Program

: Off Tuning Filter Cutoff Filter Resonance Filter Env Amount Amp Env Attack Amp Env Decay Amp Env Release Amp Env Hold Amp Env Sustain Filter Env Attack Filter Env Hold Filter Env Decay Layer Level (1–4) Filter Env Sustain Filter Env Release Layer Sample Pan (1–4) Layer Semi Tune (1–4) Layer Fine Tune (1–4) Velocity to Start Vel to Filter Attack Velocity to Env Amount Velocity to Filter LFO to Pitch LFO to Filter LFO to Amp LFO to Pan LFO Wave LFO Rate LFO Sync Velocity to Pitch Vel to Volume Attack Velocity to Amp Velocity to Pan Layer Direction (1–4) Layer Offset (1–4) Tap the

Momentary


on


off


Screen

In the

Screen

Q-Link Edit Mode, the Q-Link knobs will control only the parameter or group of parameters in your currently selected mode (e.g., Main Mode, Sample Edit Mode, etc.). 285

Pad Color Mode

Pad Color Mode lets you assign specific colors to your pads in each program.

To enter Pad Color Mode

, make sure you have first selected a track that uses the desired program, and then press

Menu

, and tap

Pad Color

.

Important

: If you are already in Pad Color Mode and want to assign pad colors for another program, exit Pad Color Mode first, and then select a track that uses the desired program in another mode. Use the field in the upper-left corner to set how the pad lights will display:

Off

: The pads will be unlit whether you are playing them or not.

Classic Velocity

: The pads will be unlit while you are not playing them. When you press them, they will light with colors according to the velocity: red indicates a high velocity, yellow indicates a low velocity.

Fixed

: The pads will be lit with their assigned colors whether you are playing them or not.

Off

->

Velocity

: The pads will be unlit when you are not playing them. When you press them, they will light with their assigned color with a brightness that corresponds with the velocity.

Dim

->

Velocity

: The pads will be dimly lit when you are not playing them. When you press them, they will light with their assigned color with a brightness that corresponds with the velocity.

Bright

->

Velocity

: The pads will be brightly lit when you are not playing them. When you press them, they will light with their assigned color with a brightness that corresponds with the velocity. Use the

Empty Pads

field in the upper-left corner to set how empty pads will display:

Empty pads off

: Pads without any sounds will remain off.

Empty pads dim

: Pads without any sounds will remain more dimly lit than pads with sounds assigned.

Empty pads normal

: Pads without any sounds will appear the same as pads with sounds assigned. 286

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 program

, press and hold

Shift

while tapping a color button. Use the

color buttons

to select which color you are assigning.

Tip

:

To select the color button corresponding a specific pad’s color

, press and hold

Shift

, and then press the pad or tap it on the screen. Press a

pad

on your MPC hardware or tap it on the screen to assign the selected color to it.

To make the current pad color settings the defaults for all programs on the same type

(e.g., drum programs, keygroup programs, etc.), tap

Make Default

. In the window that appears, tap

Do It

to confirm your choice or

Cancel

to cancel. 287

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. In Standalone Mode, this feature enables you to use your MPC X or MPC Live to control external MIDI devices connected to its MIDI out. In Controller Mode, this is helpful when using MPC as a plugin: you can use MIDI Control Mode to use your MPC hardware to control your host software, and then switch back to any other mode to control the MPC plugin.

To enter MIDI Control Mode

, press

Menu

, and then tap

MIDI Control

.

Important

:

In Standalone Mode

: Make sure your MPC hardware is using the correct MIDI output. You can set this in the

Preferences

(see


>

Menu

>

Preferences

>

Hardware

).

In Controller Mode

: In your host software, make sure your MPC hardware is selected as a MIDI controller device. In the touchscreen, use the fields and selectors to set each control’s parameters to your preference. The available parameters depend on its type: a

pad

, or

button

, a

Q-Link knob

, or each axis of the

XY pad

. When you have set all of the parameters as desired, you can select another control or enter another mode.

To select a control to edit

, do any of the following: • Press or turn it. In the lower-left corner, tap the the

XY

tab to edit the

XY pad

.

Hardware

tab to edit a

pad

,

button

, or

Q-Link knob

, or tap • • Tap the

Control

Double-tap the field in the upper-left corner, and then turn the

Control data dial

to select one. field, and then tap a control name in the menu that appears.

Note

: The

Control

field menu will show many more hardware controls than are actually available on your MPC hardware. This is because the list includes all possible controls from all current MPC models (MPC X, MPC Live, MPC Touch, etc.). You can edit only the controls that are described in this chapter.

Note

: The software window will also display a graphical interface resembling your MPC hardware. Editable controls show their current MIDI message. Pads and Q-Link knobs show their current MIDI channels. 288

Pads

These are the MIDI parameters you can edit for each

pad

:

Control

: This is the hardware control you are currently editing (

Pad 1

–

Pad 16

).

Bank

: This is the pad bank the pad belongs to. If you check the

Set All

box, the pad’s messages and parameters will be identical across all eight banks.

Set All

: When this box is checked, the pad’s messages and parameters will be identical across all eight banks. When this box is unchecked, the pad’s messages and parameters will apply to the current pad only.

Light LED

: This determines how the pad’s LEDs will behave. When set to

Never

, the LEDs will always be off. When set to

MIDI Input

, the LEDs will light up when the software receives a MIDI message that matches the pad. When set to

Local

, the LEDs will light up when you press the pad and/or MIDI input is received.

MIDI Channel

: This determines which MIDI channel (

1

–

16

) the pad will use to send its message to the software.

Note

: This is the MIDI note number the pad will send to the software when you press it (

0

–

127

or

C-2

to

G8

).

Velocity

: This determines whether the pad will be velocity-sensitive (

On

) or not (

Off

). When set to

Off

, pressing the pad will send a note at full-level (

127

) always.

Aftertouch

: This determines how the pad’s aftertouch (pressure applied to the pad after the initial press) behaves.

Off

: The pad will not send any aftertouch messages.

Channel

: If you press multiple pads that have this setting, the aftertouch messages they send will be identical.

Poly

: If you press multiple pads, the aftertouch message each pad sends will be independent from the others. 289

Buttons

These are the MIDI parameters you can edit for each button. You can edit the

Erase

,

Tap

,

Copy

/

Delete

buttons:

Undo

/

Redo

, or

Control


Erase

,

Tap

,

Undo

, or

Copy

).

Light LED

: This determines how the button’s LED (or multiple LEDs) will behave. When set to

Never


MIDI Input

, the LEDs will light up when the software receives a MIDI message that matches the button. When set to

Local

, the LEDs will light up when you press the button and/or MIDI input is received.

MIDI Channel


1

–

16

) the button will use to send its message to the software.

CC Number

: This determines what MIDI Control Change number the button will send to the software.

Type

: This determines whether the button will behave as a

Momentary

switch or

Toggle

(latching) switch. 290

Q-Link Knobs

These are the MIDI parameters you can edit for each

Q-Link knob

:

Control


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


MIDI Input

, the LEDs will light up when the software receives a MIDI message that matches the Q-Link knob. When set to

Local

, the LEDs will light up when you touch or turn the Q-Link knob and/or MIDI input is received.

MIDI Channel


1

–

16

) the Q-Link knob will use to send its message to the software.

CC Number

: This determines what MIDI Control Change number the Q-Link knob will send to the software.

Mode

: This determines how the Q-Link knob will control its parameter.

Absolute

: The Q-Link knob’s current position determines its parameter’s value; moving it may cause its parameter to “snap” to a new position if you’re using it to control different parameters in different modes.

Relative

: Moving the Q-Link knob will increase or decrease its parameter regardless of its physical position.

Low Range

: This is the Q-Link knob’s lowest possible value (

0

–

127

).

High Range

: This is the Q-Link knob’s highest possible value (

0

–

127

).

Touch Sense

: This activates or deactivates the Q-Link knob’s touch-capacitive circuitry.

On

: You can touch the Q-Link knob to send a Note On message to the software (this is how your MPC hardware normally works).

Off

: The Q-Link knob will not send any Note On messages; it will only send CC messages when you turn it.

Note

: This is the MIDI note number the Q-Link knob will send to the software when you touch it (

0

–

127

or

C-2

to

G8

).

Touch Sense

must be set to

On

for this to work. 291

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. When muted, its MIDI output is disabled. You must be viewing the

Settings

to do this.

MIDI Channel


1

–

16

) the axis will use to send its message to the software.

CC Number

: This determines what MIDI Control Change number the axis will send to the software.

Low Range

: This is the axis’s lowest possible value (

0

–

127

).

High Range

: This is the axis’s highest possible value (

0

–

127

).

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 MIDI or audio tracks, programs, returns, submixes, and master outputs • Pad parameters (for drum programs and clip programs only) such as tuning, filter and amp envelopes, layer settings, LFO settings, and velocity • • Program parameters, which depend on the program type Insert effects parameters, which depend on the effect type These assignments will be saved with your MPC project.

See

Addenda

>


>

New Features

>

MIDI Control Mode

:

MIDI Learn


292

Pad Perform Mode

Pad Perform Mode lets you assign musical scales/modes, chords, or progressions to the pads for more creative performance.

To enter Pad Perform Mode

, do either of the following while using a keygroup program, MIDI program, plugin program, or CV program: • • Press Press

Menu

, and then tap

Pad Perform Pad Perform

(MPC X). . Although you can enter Pad Perform Mode while using a drum program or clip program, it does not work with these programs. The touchscreen will show the current pad bank’s mapping of notes or chords. 293

Use the type selector in the top-left to determine what will be mapped over the pads:

Chromatic:

Each pad is assigned a note, ascending by one semitone with each pad. Pads with notes in the key determined by the

Scale

will be lit, while pads with notes between the scale degrees will be unlit.

Notes

: Each pad is assigned a note, ascending by one scale degree with each pad.

Chords

: Each pad is assigned a chord, the root note ascending by one scale degree with each pad. All available chords will play in the key determined by the

Scale

.

Chromatic Chords

: Each pad is assigned a chord, the root note ascending by one scale degree with each pad. You can play any chord type regardless of the key determined by the

Scale

. Essentially, this is like the Chords setting but with more options to play chords out of the set key.

Progressions

: Each pad is assigned a chord in a chord progression. You can play the pads in (or out of) order to construct songs quickly. The available chords are determined by the

Chord

field.

Tip

: You can use your own progressions (created in the desktop version of the MPC software) on your MPC X or

MPC Live. See

Addenda

>


>

New Features

>

Pad Perform Mode

:

User Progressions

to learn more about this. 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. 294

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. The available notes are all chromatic notes across the range of the pads. The pad that’s assigned the root note will be lit differently (and highlighted on the screen) to indicate where the scale starts in each octave.

Scale Type

: This is the scale or mode based on the root note (this is disabled when

Type

is set to

Progressions

). The available scales are: Major Blues (minor) Natural Minor Flamenco Harmonic Minor Gypsy Major Bebop Chromatic Lydian Mixolydian Aeolian Locrian Pentatonic Minor Persian Phrygian Use the

Chord

fields to determine what chord type will play when pressing a pad. The chord will use those scale degrees based off of the pad’s root note. You can use this only when the

Type

is set to

Chords

or


. When set to

Chords

, the available chords are: 1-3-5 (major/minor) 1-4-5 (sus4) 1-2-5 (sus2) 1-3-5-7 (major7/minor7) 1-3-5-7b (dominant) When set to


, the available chords are: Sus2 Major9 Sus4 Minor9 Use the

Banks

field to determine how the notes are mapped across the pad banks.

Continuous

:

Pad 01

of one bank is always one scale degree higher than

Pad 16

of the previous bank.

Start on Root

:

Pad 01

will always be the root note of the scale in every pad bank. You can use the buttons at the bottom of the screen to quickly select different Types and Chords: Tap

Notes

to automatically set the

Type

to

Notes

. Tap

1-3-5


Type

to

Chords

and set the

Chord

to

1-3-5

(major/minor). Tap

1-3-5-7


Type

to

Chords

and set the

Chord

to

1-3-5-7

(major7/minor7). Tap

Progressions


Type

to

Progressions

. Tap

Octave –

/

+

to shift the pad assignments down or up by an octave. Press

Shift

+

1-4-5


Type

to

Chords

and set the

Chord

to

1-4-5

(sus4). Press

Shift

+

1-3-5-7b


Type

to

Chords

and set the

Chord

to

1-3-5-7b

(dominant). Press

Shift

+

Note –

/

+

to shift the pad assignments down or up by a semitone, essentially raising or lowering the

Root Note

field by a half-step. 295

Appendix

Effects & Parameters

This chapter lists the available effects. To learn more about how effects work with MPC, please see


>

Effects

.

Note

: Some of these effects have a “sync” version (e.g.,

Flanger Sync

,

Autopan Sync

, etc.) whose rates will be affected by the current tempo. While viewing the rate of these effects, a “

.

” next to the time division indicates a triplet-based rate.

Reverbs Options

:

Reverb Small

,

Reverb Medium

,

Reverb Large

,

Reverb Large 2

,

Reverb In Gate

,

Reverb Out Gate

Reverb Small

This is a spatial effect, designed to emulate a small room.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Pre-Delay Early Reflection Density Diffuse Decay Lo-Cut Hi-Cut

Reverb Medium

This is a spatial effect, designed to emulate a medium room.

Parameter


Value Range Default Value

0–100 (dry–wet) 50 1–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 15 0–100 10


0–100 (dry–wet) 50 1–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 15 0–100 10 296

Reverb Large

This is a spatial effect, designed to emulate the sound of a large hall.

Parameter


Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

50 1–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 75 0–100 10 0–100 10

Reverb Large 2

This is a less CPU-intensive spatial effect, emulating the sound of a large hall.

Parameter


Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

50 1–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 75 0–100 10 0–100 10

Reverb In Gate

This is a hall reverb with an additional control. The reverb effect is cut off when the input drops below the level set in the

Gate In

parameter.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Pre-Delay Early Reflection Density Diffuse Decay Lo-Cut Hi-Cut Gate In


0–100 (dry–wet) 50 1–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 75 0–100 10 0–100 10 0–100 0 297

Reverb Out Gate

This is a hall reverb that has an additional control. The reverb effect is cut off when the output drops below the level set in the

Gate Out

parameter.

Parameter


Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

50 1–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 75 0–100 10 0–100 10 Gate Out 0–100 0

Delays

Delays the original signal for a specified period of time and plays it back over an adjustable period of time.

Options

:

Delay Mono

,

Delay Mono Sync

,

Delay Stereo

,

Delay Sync

(

Stereo

)

,

Delay LP

,

Delay HP

,

Delay Analog

,

Delay Analog Sync

,

Delay Tape Sync

,

Delay Ping Pong

,

Delay Multi-Tap

Delay Mono Parameter

Dry/Wet Time Feedback Damping

Delay Mono Sync Parameter


Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

50 2–2000 ms 100 0–100 25 0–100 100


0–100 (dry–wet) 50 1 bar – 1/16 triplets 1/4 0–100 50 0–100 100 298

Delay Stereo

Stereo Delay operates similarly to Mono Delay but in true stereo.

Parameter


Delay Sync

(

Stereo

) Stereo Delay operates similarly to Mono Delay but in true stereo.

Parameter


Delay LP

LP Delay is identical to the Mono Delay, but it uses a resonant low-pass filter in the delay line.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Time Feedback Cutoff Resonance

Delay HP

HP Delay is identical to the Mono Delay, but it uses a resonant high-pass filter in the delay line.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Time Feedback Cutoff Resonance

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 2–2000 ms

Default Value

50 100 0–100 25 0–100 100


0–100 (dry–wet) 50 1 bar – 1/16 triplets 1/4 0–100 50 0–100 100

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

50 2–2000 ms 500 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 20

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

50 2–2000 ms 100 0–100 50 0–100 33 0–100 33 299

Delay Analog

Analog Delay is similar to the Mono Delay, except that it’s designed to emulate an analog “Bucket Brigade”-style delay. This delay has a unique character to it that gives a warmer sound by adding subtle inaccuracies in phase and timing.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Time Feedback

Delay Analog Sync

Analog Delay is similar to Mono Delay, except that it’s designed to emulate an analog “Bucket Brigade”-style delay. This delay has a unique character to it that gives a warmer sound by adding subtle inaccuracies in phase and timing.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Time Feedback Ramp

Delay Tape Sync

Tape Delay emulates a delay system using an analog tape loop and a series of tape heads to produce an echo effect. This delay type yields a very distinct echo sound often heard in reggae and dub-style music.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Time Feedback Ramp Head 1 Head 2 Head 3 Head 4 Tone Spread Wow & Flutter

Delay Ping Pong

This stereo delay allows you to set different delay times for its left and right repeats.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Time, Left Time, Right Feedback Damping

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 2–2000 ms

Default Value

50 100 0–100 25

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

50 1 bar – 1/16 triplets 1/4 0–100 50 0–100 50


0–100 (dry–wet) 50 1 bar – 1/16 triplets 1/4 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 100 0–100 0 0–100 0 0–100 0 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 2–2000 ms

Default Value

50 100 2–2000 ms 100 0–100 25 0–100 100 300

Delay Multi-Tap

This delay is a mono delay which has three delay generators with independently adjustable delay times and stereo position.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Time 1 Time 2 Time 3 Feedback Pan 1 Pan 2 Pan 3 Damping

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 2–2000 ms

Default Value

50 100 2–2000 ms 2–2000 ms 100 100 0–100 25 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 100 Gain 1 Gain 2 0–100 25 0–100 25 Gain 3 0–100 25

Flangers

A flanger is a modulated delay to emulate the sound created when running two analog tape machines in parallel with a slight time misalignment. Slow

Rate

settings can produce a “whooshing” jet engine sound, while faster rates result in more of a “warble.”

Options

:

Flanger

,

Flanger Sync

Flanger Parameter Value Range Default Value

Dry/Wet Rate Feedback Delay Width

Flanger Sync Parameter

Dry/Wet Rate Feedback Delay Width 0–100 (dry–wet) 100 0–100 10 -100 – 100 0 0–100 20 0–100 80

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

100 8 bars – 1/16 triplets 1/4 -100 – 100 0 0–100 20 0–100 80 301

Chorus

A chorus effect uses an LFO to modulate the pitch and a delay of the input signal, which are then added to the dry signal. In small amounts, this creates the illusion of multiple voices playing at once. Turn up the

Feedback

and

Depth

for more pronounced “shimmering” and “watery” sounds.

Options

:

Chorus 2-Voice

,

Chorus 4-Voice

Chorus 2-Voice Parameter Value Range Default Value

Dry/Wet Delay Amount Width Feedback Rate

Chorus 4-Voice Parameter

Dry/Wet Delay Amount Width Feedback 0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 0–100 0–100 0–100 0–100

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 0–100 0–100 0–100 100 20 80 80 50 10

Default Value

100 20 80 80 50 Rate 0–100 10

Autopans

This effect uses an LFO to move the incoming signal back and forth across the stereo field, creating a rotary effect.

Options

:

Autopan

,

Autopan Sync

Autopan Parameter

Dry/Wet Rate

Autopan Sync Parameter

Dry/Wet Rate

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

100 0–100 10

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 8 bars – 1/32

Default Value

100 1/4 302

Tremolos

This effect uses an LFO to increase and decrease the volume of the signal. Depending on the LFO shape, this can produce a smooth wave effect (sine wave) or a stuttering “on-off” effect (square wave).

Options

:

Tremolo

,

Tremolo Sync

Tremolo Parameter Value Range Default Value

Dry/Wet Rate 0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 Sine to Square 0–100 (sine–square) 0 100 10

Tremolo Sync Parameter

Dry/Wet

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

100 Rate 1 bar – 1/16 triplets 1/4 Sine to Square 0–100 (sine–square) 0

Phasers

The phaser is a classic effect, created by multiple ganged all-pass filters to create “notches,” or sharp spikes, in the frequency spectrum. The frequencies of these all-pass filters are usually modulated by an LFO to create a sweeping sound.

Options

:

Phaser 1

,

Phaser 2

,

Phaser Sync

Phaser 1 Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100

Default Value

100 10

Parameter

Dry/Wet Rate

Phaser 2 Parameter

Dry/Wet Rate

Phaser Sync Parameter

Dry/Wet Rate

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100

Default Value

100 10

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

100 1 bar – 1/16 triplets 1/4 303

HP

(High-Pass)

Filters Options

:

HP Filter

,

HP Filter Sweep

,

HP Filter Sync

,

HP Shelving Filter

HP Filter

This effect is a static filter without modulation.

Parameter

Frequency Resonance

Value Range

10–19999 Hz 0–100

Default Value

1500 0

HP Filter Sweep

This effect is a high-pass filter with its cutoff frequency modulated by an LFO.

Parameter Value Range Default Value

Dry/Wet Low Frequency 0–100 (dry–wet) 80 0–100 50 High Frequency 0–100 100 Resonance 0–100 33 Rate 0–100 10

HP Filter Sync

This effect is a high-pass filter with its cutoff frequency modulated by an LFO.

Parameter HP Shelving Filter

This filter differs from the standard filter type, as it attenuates all frequencies after the cutoff point equally.

Parameter

Frequency Resonance Gain

Value Range Value Range

10–19999 Hz -18.0 – 18.0 dB

Default Value

Dry/Wet 0–100 (dry–wet) 100 Low Frequency 0–100 0 High Frequency 0–100 100 Resonance Rate 0–100 50 8 bars – 1/32 1/4

Default Value

1500 0–100 0 0.0

304

LP

(Low-Pass)

Filters Options

:

LP Filter

,

LP Filter Sweep

,

LP Filter Sync

,

LP Shelving Filter

LP Filter

This effect is a static filter without modulation.


Frequency Resonance 10–19999 Hz 1500 0–100 0

LP Filter Sweep

This effect is a low-pass filter with its cutoff frequency modulated by an LFO.


Dry/Wet Low Frequency High Frequency 0–100 100 Resonance 0–100 33 Rate 0–100 (dry–wet) 80 0–100 0 0–100 10

LP Filter Sync

This effect is a low-pass filter with its cutoff frequency modulated by an LFO.

Parameter

Dry/Wet

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

100 Low Frequency 0–100 0 High Frequency 0–100 100 Resonance 0–100 50 8 bars – 1/32 1/4 Rate

LP Shelving Filter

This filter differs from the standard filter type, as it attenuates all frequencies after the cutoff point equally.

Parameter

Frequency

Value Range

10–19999 Hz

Default Value

1500 Resonance Gain 0–100 0 -18.0 – 18.0 dB 0.0

305

Parametric EQs Options

:

PEQ 2-Band

,

2-Shelf

,

PEQ 4-Band

PEQ 2-Band, 2-Shelf

This effect is a combination of one two-band parametric equalizer and two shelving filters.

Parameter

Low Frequency Frequency 1 Frequency 2 High Frequency Q1 Q2 Low Gain Gain 1 Gain 2 High Gain


22–1000 Hz 82–3900 Hz 220–10000 Hz 560–19999 Hz 220 820 2200 5600 0–100 0 0–100 0 -18.0 – 18.0 dB 0.0 -18.0 – 18.0 dB -18.0 – 18.0 dB -18.0 – 18.0 dB 0.0 0.0 0.0

PEQ 4-Band

This effect is a powerful four-band parametric equalizer with four independent EQ ranges.

Parameter

Low Frequency Frequency 1 Frequency 2 High Frequency Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Gain 1 Gain 2 Gain 3 Gain 4

Value Range

22–1000 Hz 82–3900 Hz 220–10000 Hz 560–19999 Hz 0–100 5 0–100 5 2200 5600 0–100 5 0–100 5 -18.0 – 18.0 dB 0.0 -18.0 – 18.0 dB -18.0 – 18.0 dB -18.0 – 18.0 dB

Default Value

220 820 0.0

0.0 0.0 306

Distortions Options

:

Distortion Amp

,

Distortion Fuzz

,

Distortion Grimey

,

Distortion Overdrive

,

Distortion Custom

Distortion Amp

This effect is designed to reproduce the sound of a tube amplifier at high volumes.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Drive Tone Dynamics Output


0–100 (dry–wet) 100 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50

Distortion Fuzz

This popular effect uses hard clipping of the audio signal, which, at extreme settings, can turn a standard waveform into a square wave, producing a “razor” effect.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Drive Output Low Low-Mid High-Mid High


0–100 (dry–wet) 100 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50

Distortion Grimey

This is a unique distortion effect that distorts a frequency range in a selectable band.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Drive Grime Center Width Resonance Output


0–100 (dry–wet) 100 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50

Distortion Overdrive

This distortion is designed to sound like a mildly distorting amplifier at medium volumes. It is the smoothest distortion type available.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Drive Tone Output

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet)

Default Value

100 0–100 50 0–100 50 0–100 50 307

Distortion Custom

This effect is a highly customized distortion, capable of a wide range of useable sounds.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Drive +Soft +Clip –Soft –Clip Low Mid High

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 5–75 5–50 5–75 5–50 -18.0 – 18.0 dB -18.0 – 18.0 dB -18.0 – 18.0 dB Output -18.0 – 18.0 dB 50

Compressors

A compressor is an effect that changes the dynamic range of a signal by automatically reducing its gain.

Options

:

Compressor Master

,

Compressor Opto

,

Compressor VCA

,

Compressor Vintage

Compressor Master Default Value

100 50 2 25 2 25 0.0 0.0 0.0 This is the most transparent compressor, able to perform substantial volume adjustments without artifacts.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Attack Release Threshold Ratio Oldskool Output

Compressor Opto

The Opto Compressor is modeled after a vintage compressor type using an optical circuit to control the volume reduction of the input signal. These compressors are usually associated with soft and unobtrusive attack and release characteristics.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Input Attack Release Threshold Ratio Knee Output

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 0–100 -50 – 0 dB 1–20 Off, On -6 – 24 dB

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) -6 – 18 dB 0–100 0–100 -50 – 0 dB 1–20 1–100 -6 – 24 dB

Default Value

100 50 50 0 1 Off 0

Default Value

100 0 1 1 0 50 50 0 308

Compressor VCA

This compressor is more modern-sounding, with a slightly more transparent sound. A VCA Compressor tends to have quicker attack and release times than an Opto Compressor.

Parameter


Compressor Vintage

This compressor has a sound similar to classic tube compressors, with their gentle yet pumping response and a dash of tube saturation.

Parameter


Bit Reducers Options

:

Decimator

,

Resampler

Decimator

Decimator down-samples the incoming signal by removing bits from the digital signal. The difference between decimation and resampling is that Decimator does not use any filtering to mask or correct digital artifacts. The result is an effect ranging from mild to almost completely pure digital distortion, depending on the setting and the source material.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Decimate Bit Reducer

Resampler

Resampler is similar to Decimator in that it removes bits from an incoming signal. The difference is that Resampler applies a complex suite of filters and anti-aliasing to attempt to retain the original sound quality. This is a method used by popular vintage samplers and sampling drum machines from the 1980s. Resampler can be used to achieve a “dirty” sound on drum loops, without the harshness of distortion.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Rate Decimate

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) -6 – 18 dB 0–100 0–100 -50 – 0 dB 1–20 1–100 -6 – 24 dB

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) -6 – 18 dB 0–100 0–100 -50 – 0 dB 1–20 1–100 -6 – 24 dB

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 4–32

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 0–100

Default Value

100 0 1 0 0 1 50 50

Default Value

100 0 1 1 0 0 50 50

Default Value

100 0 32

Default Value

0 100 0 309

Other Options

:

Auto Wah

,

Frequency Shifter

,

Transient Shaper

Auto Wah

This effect is a low-pass filter modulated by an envelope that yields a classic funky “wah-wah”- like sound. The envelope is triggered by the incoming signal’s amplitude. The amount of the envelope on the cutoff frequency is user-definable.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Resonance Attack Release Center Sensitivity

Frequency Shifter

A frequency shifter changes the frequencies of an input signal by a fixed amount and alters the relationship of the original harmonics. This can produce a chorus-like effect as well as very crazy artificial timbres.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Frequency Asynchrony A Pan B Pan A Gain B Gain

Transient Shaper

A transient shaper can be used to enhance or soften the Attack and Release phases of audio material.

Parameter

Dry/Wet Attack Release Output

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 0–100 0–100 0–100 0–100

Value Range

0–100 (dry–wet) 0–100 0–100 0–100

Default Value

100 75 30 30 50 50


0–100 (dry–wet) -1000 – 1000 0–1000 0 100 0 0–100 0–100 0–100 0–100 0 100 75 75

Default Value

100 50 50 50 310

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. This feature makes sounds even more expressive (e.g., through vibrato).

Aliasing Amount Amplifier Attack

Aliasing is an audible side effect arising in digital systems as soon as a signal contains harmonics higher than half the sampling frequency. Describes to which extent a modulation source influences a given parameter. An amplifier is a component that influences the volume level of a sound via a control signal. It can be modulated by a control signal (e.g., generated by an

envelope

or an

LFO

).

An

envelope

parameter. This term describes the ascent rate of a time-relevant process (e.g., an

envelope from its starting point to the point where it reaches its highest value). The attack phase is initiated immediately after a trigger signal is received (e.g., after you play a note on a trigger pad or a keyboard).

Bit Rate Bounce Clipping

Bit rate (also known as

word length

), is the number of bits used to store the level information of each single sample slice within a whole sample. The higher the bit rate, the more precise the information about a sample (i.e., its dynamics’ resolution). Normal audio CDs are 16-bit. The MPC hardware supports full 24-bit resolution. When you “bounce” a sequence, track, or program, you are rendering that part of your project as an audio file (as opposed to a MIDI file). The MPC hardware lets you bounce sequences, tracks, or programs as

samples

(saved to your project’s sample pool) or as full

audio tracks

(saved to your project’s sample pool

and

added directly to the current sequence). Bouncing a

track

will render that track after it is sent through its program. Bouncing a

program

will render all tracks that use that program after they are sent through it. Bouncing a

sequence

will render all tracks in that sequence after they are sent through their respective programs. Clipping is a sort of distortion that occurs when a signal exceeds the maximum value that can be handled by a signal processing system it is fed into. The curve of a clipped signal is dependent on the system where the clipping occurs. In the analog domain, clipping effectively limits the signal to a given maximum level. In the digital domain, clipping is similar to a numerical overflow, resulting in negative polarity of the signal’s portions exceeding the maximum level.

Control Change

(Controllers) MIDI messages enable you to manipulate the behavior of a sound generator to a significant degree. This message essentially consists of two components: • The controller number, which defines the parameter to be influenced. It can range from to

127

.

0

• The controller value, which determines the extent of the modification. Controllers can be used for effects such as slowly swelling vibrato, changing the stereo panning position and influencing filter frequency.

Cutoff

The cutoff frequency is a significant factor for a

filter

. A low-pass filter for example dampens the portion of the signal that lies above this frequency. Frequencies below this value are allowed to pass through without being processed. 311

CV CV

stands for

control voltage

, an analog method of sending control messages to external

synthesizers, drum machines, etc. CV messages are typically used in conjunction with

Gate

messages (CV messages determine the pitch of notes while Gate messages determine note activation and length). CV messages are sent from the CV out ports of your MPC hardware and to the CV in ports of your external MIDI device. Please note that each external MIDI device uses a specific control voltage range, which determines how many volts are used in each octave (e.g.,

1V

/

oct

). Be mindful of this when setting it up with the MPC software and/or controller hardware—mismatched voltage ranges can produce unusual/undesirable “re-scaling” of the octaves.

Decay Envelope Filter

Decay describes the descent rate of an

envelope

once the attack phase has reached its

maximum and the envelope drops to the level defined by the sustain value. 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

. Attack, decay and release are time or slope values, while sustain is an adjustable level. Once an incoming trigger is received, the envelope runs through the attack and decay phases until it reaches the programmed sustain level. This level remains constant until the trigger is terminated. The envelope then initiates the release phase until it reaches the minimum value.

You can see and read about the envelopes used in MPC Live in

Operation

>

Modes

>


>


. A filter is a component that allows some of a signal’s frequencies to pass through it and dampens other frequencies. The most important aspect of a filter is the filter cutoff frequency. Filters generally come in four categories:

low-pass

, These are the available filters:

high-pass

,

band-pass

, and

band-stop

. A

low-pass

filter (the most common type) dampens all frequencies above the cutoff frequency. A

high-pass

filter in turn dampens the frequencies below the cutoff. A

band-pass

filter allows only those frequencies around the cutoff frequency to pass. All others are dampened. A

band-stop

filter does the opposite of a band-pass: it dampens only the frequencies around the cutoff frequency. A

band-boost

filter boosts the frequencies around the cutoff frequency, similar to what a band on an equalizer would do. All other frequencies pass through normally. The number of

poles

in a filter’s “slope” determines how extreme or subtle the effect of the filter will be. Filters with one or two poles produce a subtler sound while filters with six or eight poles are much more pronounced. The

Model

filters are analog-style emulations of famous vintage synth filters.

Model1

is a four pole filter that distorts at high input levels.

Model2

uses a mellow resonance with a “fattening” distortion in the lower frequencies.

Model3

can produce howling, piercing resonances and extreme sub frequencies—watch your speakers! The

Vocal

filters are formant filters that emulate the human voice.

Vocal1

produces “ah” and “ooh” vowel sounds.

Vocal2

uses three bands to produce “oh” and “ee” vowel sounds.

Vocal3

uses five bands to emulate an idealized model of the vocal tract.

MPC3000 LPF

is a dynamic, resonant low-pass filter (12 dB/oct) that was used on the original MPC3000, released in 1994. Please also see the entry for

Resonance

, an essential characteristic of a filter’s sound.

Gate Gate

messages are analog messages sent to external synthesizers, drum machines, etc. Gate

messages are typically used in conjunction with

CV

messages (CV messages determine the pitch

of notes while Gate messages determine note activation and length). Gate messages are sent from the CV out ports of your MPC hardware and to the CV/Gate in ports of your external MIDI device. 312

LFO MIDI MIDI Channel MIDI Clock LFO

is an acronym for

low-frequency oscillator

. The LFO generates a periodic oscillation at a low frequency and features variable waveshapes. Similar to an envelope, an LFO can be used to modulate a sound-shaping component.

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. It made it possible to link various devices with one another through simple, standardized connectors.

Essentially, this is how MIDI works: One sender is connected to one or several receivers. For instance, if you want to use a computer to play a MIDI synthesizer, the computer is the sender and the synthesizer acts as the receiver. With a few exceptions, the majority of MIDI devices are equipped with two or three ports for this purpose: MIDI In, MIDI Out and in some cases MIDI Thru. The sender transfers data to the receiver via the MIDI Out jack. Data are sent via a cable to the receiver’s MIDI In jack. MIDI Thru has a special function. It allows the sender to transmit to several receivers. It routes the incoming signal to the next device without modifying it. Another device is simply connected to this jack, thus creating a chain through which the sender can address a number of receivers. Of course, it is desirable for the sender to be able to address each device individually. To achieve this, a MIDI channel message is sent with each MIDI event. This is a very important element of most messages. A receiver can only respond to incoming messages if its receive channel is set to the same channel as the one the sender is using to transmit data. Subsequently, the sender can address specific receivers individually. MIDI Channels 1–16 are available for this purpose. The MIDI clock message transmits real-time tempo information to synchronize processes among several connected devices (e.g., a sound generator’s delay time to a MIDI sequencer).

Modulation Note On

&

Note Off

This is the most important MIDI message. It determines the pitch and velocity of a generated note. A note-on message will start a note. Its pitch is derived from the note number, which can range from

0

to

127

. The velocity ranges from

1

to

127

. A velocity value of

0

is equivalent to a note-off message.

Normalize

A modulation influences or changes a sound-shaping component via a modulation source. Modulation sources include envelopes, LFOs or MIDI messages. The modulation destination is a sound-shaping component such as a filter or a VCA. Normalization is a function to raise the level of a sample to its maximum (

0 dB

) without causing distortion. This function automatically searches a sample for its maximum level and consequently raises the entire sample’s level until the previously determined maximum level reaches 0 dB. In general, this results in a higher overall volume of the sample.

Panning Pitch-Bend

The process or the result of changing a signal’s position within the stereo panorama.

Pitch-bend is a MIDI message. Although pitch-bend messages are similar in function to control change messages, they are a distinct type of message. The resolution of a pitch-bend message is substantially higher than that of a conventional controller message. The human ear is exceptionally sensitive to deviations in pitch, so the higher resolution is used because it relays pitch-bend information more accurately. 313

Program Program Change Release Resonance Root Key Sample Song Sample Rate Sequence

A program is a file that contains a list of all samples to be used, and settings for each sample (e.g., pad assignments, loop points, pitch tuning, effects, etc.) Program Edit Mode is where

you can edit and assign samples (read more about this in

Operation

>

Modes

>


). You can have a total of

128

programs in a project. There are three kinds of programs that use samples for their sound source. Drum programs are mostly used for creating drum programs and easy and quick assigning of samples to a pad. With keygroup programs, you can use one sample (or more) and spread it across two or more keys and play the sample chromatically over a keyboard. That way, there is no need to sample every key of, for instance, a piano. Clip programs use several samples that can be looped (clips), each of which can assigned to a pad; launching different combinations of clips together lets you create intriguing, layered performances. These are MIDI messages that select sound programs. Programs

1

–

128

can be changed via program change messages. An

envelope

parameter. This term describes the descent rate of an envelope to its minimum

value after a trigger is terminated. The release phase begins immediately after the trigger is terminated, regardless of the envelope’s current status. For instance, the release phase may be initiated during the attack phase. Resonance or emphasis is an important

filter

parameter. It emphasizes the frequencies around

the filter cutoff frequency by amplifying them with a narrow bandwidth. This is one of the most popular methods of manipulating sounds. If you increase the emphasis to a level where the filter enters a state of self-oscillation, it will generate a relatively pure sine waveform. 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. 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. You can edit and process a sample in different ways. For example, a sample can be trimmed, looped, pitch-shifted or processed, using various effects. When you have finished editing your sample, you can assign it to one or more drum pads to play it. Samples can be either mono or stereo. This is the frequency representing the amount of individual digital sample scans per second that are taken to capture an analog signal digitally. For normal CD audio recordings,

44100

samples per second are used, also written as

44.1 kHz

. You can export audio using sampling rates up to

96 kHz

(see

Operation

>


>

Audio Mixdown

) and play audio using

44.1 kHz

. A sequence is the most basic “building block” of music you can create within an MPC project. MIDI information from your MPC hardware pads, buttons, and Q-Link knobs are recorded to the tracks of a sequence. Each sequence on your MPC hardware can contain

128

MIDI tracks and

8

audio tracks. Each project can store up to

128

separate sequences. The length of a sequence can be set from

1

to

999

bars, which would be enough to create an entire song using only one sequence. However, MPC Live has a dedicated Song Mode that lets you chain sequences together to create a song. Song Mode that allows you to arrange different sections (verse, chorus, hook, etc.) in order to build a song. Each song can have up to

999

“steps” (stages in which a sequence may play one or more times). Each project can store up to

32

songs. 314

Stretch Factor Sustain Time-Stretch Track Trigger Warp

The stretch factor is a value generated by the

Warp

algorithm in the software. When you

record an audio file, the current sequence tempo will be embedded with it. This information is stored within the sample file when you save the project. When you warp an audio track region, the warping algorithm uses this sequence tempo and the current value in the

BPM

field to generate the stretch factor. This term describes the level of an

envelope

remaining constant after it has passed the attack

and decay phases. Once reached, the sustain level is kept until the trigger is terminated.

See

Warp

below. A sequence on your MPC hardware can contain

128

MIDI tracks and

8

audio tracks. Each

MIDI track

contains MIDI note events and controller data. In this case, the track contains no audio information—only MIDI information that uses the samples in a program (or an external MIDI sound module) to generate its audio. You can edit your performance in many different ways once the performance has been captured. Each

audio track

contains an audio signal that has been recorded or imported into your project. You can edit this audio within the software and incorporate it into your sequences alongside your MIDI tracks. A trigger is a signal that initiates events. Trigger signals are very diverse. For instance, a MIDI note or an audio signal can be used as a trigger. The events a trigger can initiate are also very diverse. A common application for a trigger is its use to start an envelope. The Warp feature lengthens or shortens a region of an audio track or sample without changing its pitch. This enables you to fit the length of an audio track or sample to the length of a sequence, a bar in your sequence, etc. while maintaining its original key. Please note that the Warp algorithms are very CPU-intensive and can result in audio drop outs during playback if used too freely. Be mindful of how (and how often) you use the warp function. You can reduce the CPU resources required by doing any/all of the following: Minimize the amount of pitch adjustment of warped audio. In Program Edit Mode, avoid using extreme

Stretch

values. Avoid warping very small audio regions. Warp as few tracks or track regions as possible (i.e., reduce the number of total number of voices of the polyphonic limit that use the Warp algorithm at a given time), especially instances where the warped regions start at the same time. Avoid rapidly triggering samples that are warped. If you have warped samples used in a drum program, consider using the

Flatten Pad

function to consolidate the affected pad’s layers into one audio sample (see

here

to learn about this). After you flatten the pad, its sample/samples no longer need to be warped. 315

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 or MPC Live can support nearly any standard 2.5” SATA drive on the market—either a solid-state drive (SSD) or hard-disk drive (HDD). Make sure it uses a

2.5

” (63.5 mm) form factor and uses (or can use) one of these file systems:

exFAT

,

FAT32

,

NTFS

, or

EXT4

(for read and write capability) or

HFS+

(for read-only capability).

Note

: We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and macOS.

Note

: Alternatively, you could install an

mSATA

(mini-SATA) drive, but make sure you also purchase an adapter that enables it to fit into a typical 2.5” SATA interface. 1.

2.

Make sure your MPC hardware is powered

off

. Locate the

SATA drive panel

in the center of the bottom panel of your MPC hardware. Use a Phillips-head screwdriver to remove the screws (don’t lose them!), and remove the SATA drive panel. 3.

Gently pull the

SATA connector and cable

out from inside your MPC hardware. Be careful not to disturb anything inside—handle just the SATA connector and cable. 4.

5.

Connect your Use four

SATA drive 3x5mm

to the

SATA connector mounting screws

. Make sure the connection is secure. (included with MPC hardware or with your SATA drive) to secure the SATA drive to the SATA drive panel. Do not overtighten the screws, but make sure the drive is secure and does not shake. 6.

Place the SATA drive panel back onto the bottom panel of your MPC hardware, and use the original screws to secure it in place. You can now access this drive while using your MPC hardware! In Standalone Mode, this drive will appear as a second internal drive. In Controller Mode, this drive will appear as another drive connected to your computer (just as a USB drive or SD card connected does when connected to your MPC hardware). 316

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

Rec Overdub Stop Play MMC Record Strobe MMC Record Strobe MMC Stop MMC Deferred Play (when recording starts) (when recording starts) , then MMC Record Exit , then MMC Record Exit Play Start MMC Locate Zero, then Deferred Play Data Dial, –/+, Step , Bar <> MMC Locate values 4.

5.

6.

7.

To set up your MPC hardware to send MMC messages to an external device

: 1.

Use a standard 5-pin MIDI cable to connect your MPC hardware’s device.

MIDI Out A

to the MIDI input of your external 2.

3.

Press

Menu

Tap the to show the menu, and tap the

Sync

tab.

gear icon

to enter the

Preferences

. Tap the Tap the Exit the

Send Port 1 Send MMC

field, and use the

data dial

or box so it is enabled (checked).

Preferences

.

–

/

+

buttons to select Configure your other device properly so it can receive MMC messages.

Midi Out A

. The MPC hardware can receive these messages:

MPC Command Received MPC Function

MMC Deferred Play MMC Locate Zero, then Deferred Play MMC Stop Play Play Start Stop MMC Record Strobe MMC Pause Record (Rec) Stop MMC Locate values Change location in sequence

To set up your MPC hardware to receive MMC messages from an external device

: 1.

Use a standard 5-pin MIDI cable to connect your MPC hardware’s device.

MIDI In A

to the MIDI output of your external 2.

3.

4.

Press

Menu

Tap the Tap the to show the menu, and tap the

Sync

tab.

Receive MMC gear icon

box so it is enabled (checked). to enter the

Preferences

. 5.

6.

Exit the

Preferences

. Configure your other device properly so it can send MMC messages. 317

Technical Specifications

Specifications are subject to change without notice.

MPC X Digital Audio System ADCs Mic Inputs 1

–

2

(2) balanced XLR+1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS

DACs Digital Signal Processing Dynamic Range SNR THD

+

N Preamp EIN Line Inputs 1

–

2

(2) balanced XLR+1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS

Line Inputs 3

(2) balanced 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS

Inst Inputs 1

(6.35 mm) TS – –

4 2

(2) unbalanced 1/4”

Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Gain Range Dynamic Range SNR THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Gain Range Dynamic Range SNR THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Gain Range Dynamic Range SNR THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Gain Range Input Impedance

24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 32-bit floating point 112 dB (A-weighted) 111 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 0.003% (1 kHz, +4 dBu, -1 dBFS) -135 dBu (max gain, 40 Ω source, A-weighted) -129.5 dBu (max gain, 150 Ω source, unweighted) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.2 / -0.2 dB) +12.5 dBu -46 dBu 58 dB 114 dB (A-weighted) 112 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 0.003% (1 kHz, +4 dBu, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.1 / -0.1 dB) +20 dBu -9.5 dBu 29.5 dB 114.5 dB (A-weighted) 112.5 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 0.003% (1 kHz, +4 dBu, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.1 / -0.1 dB) +20 dBu -10 dBu 30 dB 113.5 dB (A-weighted) 111.5 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 0.003% (1 kHz, +4 dBu, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.1 / -0.2 dB) +10 dBu -20 dBu 30 dB ~ 1 M Ω 318

Phono Inputs

(2) unbalanced RCA

Dynamic Range SNR THD

+

N

108 dB (A-weighted, 63 mVrms @ 1kHz, -1 dBFS, 20 Ω source) 86 dB (A-weighted, 4 mVrms @ 1kHz, 20 Ω source) 0.005% (1 kHz, -46 dBu, -1 dBFS) 63 mVrms (1 kHz)

Master Outputs 1

–

2

(2) impedance-balanced 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS

Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Dynamic Range THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity

2 mVrms (1 kHz) 114 dB (A-weighted) 0.006% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.0 / -0.2 dB) +20 dBu 51 Ω 114 dB (A-weighted)

Outputs 3–4


Outputs 5–8


Headphone Outputs

(1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) stereo headphone (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone

Dynamic Range THD THD

+ +

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Dynamic Range N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Dynamic Range THD

+

N

0.006% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.0 / -0.2 dB) +20 dBu 51 Ω 118.5 dB (A-weighted) 0.001% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.1 / -0.0 dB) +20 dBu 51 Ω 111 dB (A-weighted) 0.007% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 10 mW/channel into 32 Ω headphones) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.0 / -0.2 dB)

Frequency Response Maximum Power Delivered

360 mW (<1% THD)

Maximum Output Level

+20 dBu 319

Mechanical Pads Knobs Display Memory RAM

(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 (7) 270° knobs for gain, mix & level adjustment (1) 360° encoder for value/data adjustment 10.1” (25.6 cm) full-color 1280 x 800 display with capacitive multi-touch 2 GB

Connections Storage

Expandable via SATA connections

File System Compatibility

exFAT (read & write) (recommended) FAT32 (read & write) NTFS (read & write) EXT4 (read & write) HFS+ (read only) Audio Files: AIF/AIFF, MP3, WAV (2) XLR+1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS inputs (Input 1/2) (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS inputs (Input 3/4: 1 stereo pair) (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS instrument inputs (Inst 1/2) (2) RCA inputs (Input 3/4: 1 stereo pair, phono- or line-level) (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS footswitch inputs (FS 1/2) (2) 5-pin MIDI inputs (8) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS outputs (Main L/R, Outputs 3/4–7/8: 4 stereo pairs) (4) 5-pin MIDI outputs (8) 1/8” (3.5 mm) CV/Gate outputs (1) 1/4” (6.35 mm) stereo headphone output (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone output (2) USB Type-A ports (1) USB Type-B port (1) SD card slot (1) power adapter input

Power Dimensions

(width x depth x height)

Weight

via power adapter: 19 V, 3.42 A, center-positive, included 19.9” x 16.7” x 3.4” / 50.5 x 42.4 x 8.7 cm (display flat) 19.9” x 15.3” x 8.4” / 50.5 x 38.8 x 21.4 cm (display upright) 12.57 lb. 5.66 kg 320

MPC Live Digital Audio System Line Inputs


ADCs DACs Digital Signal Processing Dynamic Range SNR

24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 24-bit @ 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz 32-bit floating point 113.5 dB (A-weighted) 108 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 0.001% (1 kHz, +4 dBu, -1 dBFS)

Phono Inputs

(2) unbalanced RCA

THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Gain Range Dynamic Range SNR

20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.0 / -0.1 dB) +11 dBu -13.5 dBu 24.5 dB 107 dB (A-weighted, 63 mVrms @ 1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 20 Ω source) 86 dB (A-weighted, 4 mVrms @ 1 kHz, 20 Ω source) 0.009% (1 kHz, -46 dBu, -1 dBFS)

Master Outputs 1

–

2


THD

+

N Maximum Input Level Sensitivity Dynamic Range THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level Sensitivity

63 mVrms (1 kHz) 2 mVrms (1 kHz) 113 dB (A-weighted) 0.002% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.0 / -0.5 dB) +9 dBu 51 Ω 116 dB (A-weighted)

Outputs 3

–

6


Headphone Output

(1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone

Dynamic Range THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Input Level

0.001% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.0 / -0.1 dB) +9 dBu 51 Ω

Sensitivity Dynamic Range THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Power Delivered

20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.0 / -0.2 dB) +35 mW (<1% THD, 32 Ω headphones)

Maximum Output Level

112 dB (A-weighted) 0.005% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 10 mW/channel into 32 Ω headphones) +10 dBu 321

Mechanical Pads Knobs Display Memory RAM

(16) velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, RGB-backlit (8) banks accessible via Pad Bank buttons (4) 360° touch-sensitive Q-Link 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 x 800 display with capacitive multi-touch 2 GB

Connections Storage

Expandable via SATA connections

File System Compatibility

exFAT (read & write) (recommended) FAT32 (read & write) NTFS (read & write) EXT4 (read & write) HFS+ (read only) Audio Files: AIF/AIFF, MP3, WAV (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS inputs (1 stereo pair) (6) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS outputs (3 stereo pairs) (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone output (2) RCA inputs (1 stereo pair) (2) 5-pin MIDI inputs (2) 5-pin MIDI outputs (2) USB Type-A ports (1) USB Type-B port (1) SD card slot (1) power adapter input

Power Dimensions

(width x depth x height)

Weight

via power adapter: 19 V, 3.42 A, center-positive, included via battery: lithium-ion, rechargeable, up to 6 hours of battery life 16.7” x 8.8” x 2.7” 42.4 x 22.4 x 6.9 cm 5.9 lb. 2.7 kg 322

MPC Touch Line Inputs


Dynamic Range SNR THD

+

N Frequency Response

102 dB (A-weighted) 99 dB (1 kHz, +4 dBu, A-weighted) 0.002% (1 kHz, +4 dBu, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.1 / -0.1 dB)

Maximum Input Level Input Impedance Sensitivity Gain Range

+15 dBu 12 K Ω (balanced) , 5 K Ω (unbalanced) -16 dBu 31 dB

Main Outputs

(2) impedance balanced 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS

Dynamic Range THD

+

N Frequency Response

100 dB 0.006% (A-weighted) (1 kHz, -1 dBFS) 20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.25 / -0.25 dB)

Maximum Input Level Output Impedance

+8 dBu 100 Ω 0.009% (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, 10 mW/channel into 32 Ω headphones)

Headphone Output

(1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone

THD

+

N Frequency Response Maximum Output Level

+6 dBu

Maximum Power Delivered

12 mW/channel

Output Impedance

33 Ω

Mechanical Pads Knobs

20 Hz – 20 kHz (+0.3 / -0.3 dB) (16) velocity- and pressure-sensitive pads, RGB-backlit (8) banks accessible via Pad Bank buttons (4) 360° touch-sensitive Q-Link knobs (4) Q-Link knob columns accessible via Q-Link button (1) 360° encoder for value/data adjustment and selection via push

Display Connections

7.0” (17.8 cm) full-color 1280 x 800 display with capacitive multi-touch (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS inputs (1 stereo pair) (2) 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS outputs (1 stereo pair) (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphone output (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) MIDI input (1/8”-to-5-pin adapter included) (1) 1/8” (3.5 mm) MIDI output (1/8”-to-5-pin adapter included) (1) USB Type-B port (1) power adapter input

Power

via power adapter: 6 VDC, 3 A, center-positive, included

Dimensions

(width x depth x height) 16.2” x 8.6” x 1.9” 41.1 x 21.8 x 4.8 cm

Weight

4.6 lb. 2.1 kg 323

Trademarks & Licenses

Akai Professional and MPC are trademarks of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Ableton is a trademark of Ableton AG. ASIO and VST are trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH. 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. MPC software incorporates élastique Pro V3 by zplane.development. Apple and macOS are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. SD and SDHC are registered trademarks of SD-3C, LLC. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other product names, company names, trademarks, or trade names are those of their respective owners. For complete legal information, visit

akaipro.com

/

product-legal

324

Addenda

Updates in MPC 2.1

New Features Exporting Expansions

You can export MPC Expansion Packs (installed on your computer) to your MPC X or MPC Live for use in its

Standalone Mode. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

Browser

>

Browse

.)

To export MPC Expansions

: 1.

2.

Connect your MPC X or MPC Live to your computer. Make sure both are powered on. On your computer, open the MPC software. 3.

4.

On your MPC X or MPC Live, enter Controller Mode. In the MPC software window, click the

menu icon

( ≡ ), select

File

>

Export

, and then click

Expansion…

. 5.

In the

Export Expansion to Standalone MPC

window that appears, click the

Drive

menu and select a storage device that you will use with your MPC X or MPC Live: the internal SATA drive (if you have installed one in your MPC X or MPC Live), an SD card, or a USB flash drive. 6.

In the

Expansions

list, click the box next to each one to select or deselect it. Only the selected ones will be exported. Click

Select all

to select all of them or

Select none

to deselect all of them. 7.

Click

Export

to start exporting, or click

Cancel

to close the window and not export anything. The exporting process creates an

Expansions

folder at the root level of your storage device and copies your MPC Expansions into it.

To use your expansions

, restart your MPC X or MPC Live in Standalone Mode, enter the

Browser

, and tap

Expansion

. 325

Snap

:

Absolute & Relative

While editing a MIDI or audio track, you can now use the Grid View or Audio Edit Mode to move or copy events using two different ways of “snapping” note events to the grid: Absolute or Relative. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

Grid View

and


.)


, tap the

gear icon

. Use the

Snap Mode


Absolute


TC

field or

Time Correct


Relative


TC

field or

Time Correct

window)

plus

the original time position of the event (e.g., an event that is originally three ticks past a time division on the grid will snap only to positions that are three ticks past every time division).

List Edit Settings

:

Auto-Advance

The

Settings

window now has some additional lets you configure certain List Edit Mode settings. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

List Edit Mode

.)


, tap the

gear icon

. Use the


selector to turn the feature on or off. When set to

On

, pressing a pad when the track is record-armed will move the audio playhead forward by a length determined by the current

Time Division

setting in the

TC

/

Timing Correct

window. When set to

Off

, pressing a pad when the track is record-armed will not change the audio playhead position. 326

Pitch Quantization

In a MIDI track, you can now force the pitches of note events into a specific scale. This quantization process is available

with other track editing processes. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

Main Mode

>

Track Section

.)


, tap the

pencil icon

on the right edge of the section. The Track Edit window will open.

To open the Pitch Quantize window

, tap

Pitch Quantize

.

To select the desired root note of the scale

, use the

Root Note

field.

To select a type of scale

, use the

Scale

field.

To determine which note events will be quantized

, tap the

Only apply to selected events

checkbox. When

on

, only the currently selected note events will be quantized. When

off

,

all

pitches in the current track will be quantized.

To set lowest-possible and highest-possible pitches where the quantized note events will be placed

, use the

Start Note

and

End Note

fields (respectively). If a note event is originally outside of this range, it will be forced to the nearest pitch (within the scale) inside the range.

To continue and quantize the note events

, tap

Do It

.

To cancel

, tap

Close

. 327

Step Sequencer

:

Velocity Adjustment via Q-Links

While using the Step Sequencer, you can now use the Q-Link knobs to adjust the velocity of the note event at each step (the Q-Link knobs must be in the

Screen

edit mode). On MPC X, the number of each step will be shown under the corresponding Q-Link knob. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

Step Sequencer

).

To adjust the velocity of each note event

, use the corresponding

Q-Link knob

to select a value (

1

–

127

).

To enter a note event at a step

, use the corresponding

Q-Link knob

to change its velocity from

0

(

Off

) to a value of

1

or greater.

To delete a note event from a step

, set the corresponding

Q-Link knob

to its minimum position,

0

(

Off

).


:

User Progressions

You can now use your own progressions (created in the desktop version of the MPC software) on your MPC X or MPC Live.

To transfer progressions to your MPC X or MPC Live

: 1.

Connect the storage device that you will use with your MPC X or MPC Live (e.g., the internal drive, an SD card, a USB drive) to your computer. 2.

On your computer, access the storage device and create a folder named

Progressions

on its root level. 3.

Copy your progression files (

.progression

) from your computer to that

Progressions

folder. 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

4.

Eject and disconnect the storage device from your computer, and connect it to your MPC X or MPC Live.

To use your progressions

, start your MPC X or MPC Live in Standalone Mode, enter


, and tap

Progressions

. Your MPC X or MPC Live will scan the

Progressions

folder you created and add them to the list of available progressions.

Faster Attack for Amp Envelopes

In the amp envelope of a drum program or keygroup program, an attack value of

0

now produces a much faster response, thus making your drum hits even punchier than before. (You can set the attack value in Program Edit Mode. See

Operation

>

Modes

>


>

Drum Programs

>

Filter

/

Envelope

and


>

Filter

/

Envelope

to learn more.)

Important

: Any drum or keygroup programs that you created and saved before this update will load in MPC 2.1 with an attack value of

1

to ensure backwards compatibility. 328


New Features MIDI Control Mode

:

MIDI Learn

You can now 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 MIDI or audio tracks, programs, returns, submixes, and master outputs • Pad parameters (for drum programs and clip programs only) such as tuning, filter and amp envelopes, layer settings, LFO settings, and velocity • • Program parameters, which depend on the program type Insert effects parameters, which depend on the effect type These assignments will be saved with your MPC project.

Tip

: Because these MIDI assignments are saved within a project, you can use them while working with a project on both the desktop version of the MPC software

or

on your MPC hardware in Standalone Mode. You can also include them with a user template.

To display the MIDI Learn window

, press

Menu

, tap

MIDI Control

to enter MIDI Control Mode, and then tap the

MIDI Learn

tab. Each assignment has the following settings:

Source

: This is the name or number of the track, program, return, submix, or master output.

Target

: This is the name of the assigned command or parameter.

Type

: This is the type of message: •

Toggle Button

: When the control is a button, pressing it will activate or deactivate its command or parameter. It will remain in that state until you press it again. •

Momentary Button

: When the control is a button, pressing and holding it down will activate its command or parameter. Releasing the button will deactivate it. • • •

Fixed Button Note

: When the control is a button, pressing it will send the MIDI note (determined by the

Abs CC

: When the control is a button, pressing it will send its command.

Data

field). : When the control is a knob, turning it will send its CC message (determined by the

Data

field) according to the precise physical position of the knob. (When you start turning it, the value may “jump” from its current value to the one corresponding to the knob’s position.) This is for use with knobs that have a maximum and minimum position. •

Rel CC Offset

: When the control is a knob, turning it will send the CC message (determined by the

Data

field), starting from the current value. This is for use with 360° knobs controlling parameters that have a maximum and minimum position. •

Rel CC 2’s Complement

: When the control is a knob, turning it will send the CC message (determined by the

Data

field), starting from the current value. This is for use with 360° knobs controlling bipolar parameters where there is a center (12:00) position (e.g., panning). This is automatically detected based on the

Source

and

Target

fields, though you can use this field to assign it manually if it does not detect it properly. 329

Ch

: This is the MIDI channel the control is using.

Data

: This is the MIDI note number or CC number.

Flip

: Tap this box to select or deselect it. When selected, the control’s polarity will be reversed (e.g., a button’s “off” state will become its “on” state and vice versa).

To assign a parameter to a hardware control

: 1.

2.

Tap Tap

Learn +

in the upper-left corner so it is

on

. (The

Enable Mapping

button will also activate if it is not already on.) in the lower-left corner to create an “empty” assignment (its Target menus will be set to

None

and

Off

). Alternatively, tap an assignment that is already in the list if you want to change it. 3.

Move or press the desired control on your MIDI controller. The

Type

,

Ch

, and

Data

fields will be automatically assigned. 4.

Use the

Source

field to select a MIDI or audio track, program, return, submix, or master output (for drum programs and clip programs, you can select the entire program or a single pad within it). The

Target

menu will indicate the source you selected. 5.

Use the

Target

menu to select the parameter. Your selection will be shown under

Target

in the list, as well. The control on your MIDI controller will now control the Target parameter.

To assign more controls

, repeat

Steps 2

–

5

.

To stop assigning controls

, tap

Learn

again so it turns

off

.

To clear an assignment

, follow the steps above to reassign its

Source

field to

None

and assign its

Target

field to

Off

.

To delete an assignment

(the entire slot), tap it in the list, and then tap the

trash-can icon


To delete all assignments

, press and hold

Shift

, and then tap the

trash-can icon

in the lower-right corner. In the window that appears, tap

Remove All

to continue or tap

Cancel

to not delete any assignments.

Humanize

You can now apply randomization to the timing, length, and/or velocity of MIDI events. This process is available with

other track editing processes. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

Main Mode

>

Track Section

).


, tap the

pencil icon


To open the Humanize window

, tap

Humanize

. 330

The

Humanize

function applies randomization to the timing, length, and/or velocity of MIDI note events.

To select whether or not humanization will be applied to the timing of MIDI events

, tap the

Humanize Time

checkbox.

To select the maximum number of pulses by which the timing of an event will be adjusted

, use the

Amount

(

Pulses

) slider.

To set how dramatically the humanization effect is applied to the timing

, use the

Eagerness

slider. Negative values correspond to playing “ahead of the beat” while positive values correspond to playing “behind the beat.”

To set whether or not humanization will be applied to the duration of MIDI note events

, tap the

Humanize Note Length

checkbox.

To set how dramatically the humanization effect is applied to note lengths

, use the

Length

(

%

) slider.

To set whether or not humanization will be applied to the velocities of MIDI note events

, tap the

Humanize Velocity

checkbox.

To set how dramatically the humanization effect is applied to note velocities

, use the

Strength

(

%

) slider.

To determine which notes will use these humanization values

, tap the

Only Apply to Selected Events

checkbox. When

on

, just the currently selected notes will be humanized. When

off

, all notes in the track will be humanized.

To apply humanization and keep this window open

, tap

Apply

.

To apply humanization and close the window

, tap

Do It

.

To close the window without making any changes

, tap

Close

. 331


You now create random melodic or drum patterns on the current MIDI track. This process is available with other track editing processes. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

Main Mode

>

Track Section

).


, tap the

pencil icon


To open the Generate Random Events window

, tap


. The


function creates random melodic or drum patterns on the current MIDI track.

To select the type of events you want to create

, use the

Event Type

field to select

Drum Events

or

Melodic Events

.

To select how the events will be created relative to the existing events on the track

, use the

Replace

field:

Replace All Events

: Select this option to replace all events on the track with the randomly generated ones.

Replace Events in Note Range

: Select this option to replace all events in the designated note range on the track with the randomly generated ones. Use the

Bank

or

Start Pad

and

End Pad

menus to set the note range for drum events or the

Start Note

and

End Note

menus to set the note range for melodic events.

Add to Existing Events

: Select this option to add the randomly generated events to the track without replacing or overwriting the existing ones.

To set how many bars the events will use

, use the

Pattern Size

(

Bars

) field. The highest possible value is the number of bars in the current sequence.

To select the duration of the events

, use the

Note Length

field. (This feature is nonfunctional if

Legato

is enabled while generating melodic events.)

To generate the events and keep this window open

, tap

Apply

.

To generate the events and close the window

, tap

Do It

.

To close the window without generating any events

, tap

Close

. 332

If

Event Type

is set to

Drum Events

:

To select the pad bank that will be used to generate the events

, use the

Bank

field or select

Range

to use the

Start Pad

and

End Pad

menus to define a specific pad range instead.

To define a specific pad range over which the events will be generated

, use the

Start Pad

or

End Pad

fields. You can use these fields only if the

Bank

menu is set to

Range

.


, use the

Density

(

%

) slider.

To set how widely or narrowly the rhythmic patterns of the generated notes vary

, use the

Rhythm Variation

slider. If

Event Type

is set to

Melodic Events

:

To define a specific note range over which the events will be generated

, use the

Start Note

or

End Note

fields.

To enable or disable legato

, tap the

Legato

checkbox. Without legato applied. With legato applied. When

on

, the generated notes will be extended or shortened to create a long, unbroken phrase from the first note event’s start point to the last note event’s end point. Each note event will sustain until another note event starts. If multiple note events start at the same time (and are not the last note events), their lengths will become identical. When

off

, the generated notes will use the duration set by the

Note Length

menu. 333

To set the maximum number of note events that can be sounding simultaneously in the track

, use the

Polyphony

field to select

1

–

8

.

To determine whether or not the notes will use a scale

, tap the

Constrain Notes to Scale

checkbox. When

on

, the notes will be within the scale determined by the

Scale

menu. When

off

, the notes will be chromatic.


, use the

Density

(

%

) slider.

To set the root note of the scale that the notes will use

, use the

Root Note

field.

To select the scale or mode that the generated notes will use

, use the

Scale

field.

Project Template

You can now select a project file to use as a template for new projects. (This has been added to

Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Save

and

Menu

>

Preferences

>

Project Load

/

Save

.)

To select a project template file

, do either of the following: 1.

2.

3.

4.

Tap the icon in the upper-left corner to enter the

Menu

. Tap the

gear icon

to enter the

Preferences

. Tap

Project Load

/

Save

. Tap the


next to the

Template File

field to select the project you want to use as a template. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

In Main Mode, tap the

Project

field in the upper-left corner. Tap

Save As

… at the bottom of the screen. Tap the


checkbox to check it. Name and select a location for the project, as usual. Tap

Save

. (The file will now be shown in the

Template File

field in the Preferences’

Project Load

/

Save

tab.)

To load the project template from the startup screen

(when you power on your MPC hardware), tap

User Template

at the bottom of the screen. In order for this option to be available,


(in the


tab) in the

Preferences

must be set to

Demo

or

Demo

/

Template

/

Recent

. 334


New Features Arpeggiator

MPC now includes a full-featured arpeggiator and phrase player for melodic program types.

To open the Arpeggiator settings:

1.

2.

Set the current track type to

Plugin

,

Keygroup

,

MIDI

, or

To activate the Arpeggiator,

tap

Enable

so it is checked. Tap again to

Disable

the Arpeggiator.

CV

. Open the Arpeggiator window by doing either of the following: • • Press and hold the

Note Repeat

Alternatively, press the button, then tap

Arpeggiator F-Key Arp

(MPC X). at the bottom-right of the screen.

To latch the Arpeggiator

, tap

Latch

so it is checked. Tap again to

Disable

Latch. The

Setup

section of the Arpeggiator window sets what kind of arpeggiator will be used and its functions: Use the

Action Repeat

,

Rhythm

and

Pattern

. See

below

for more details about these types and their additional parameters. field to set the type:

Arp

,

Note

Use the

Step Size

field to set the note value of each arpeggiator step from

1/1

–

1/64

beats, including

T

(triplet) variations. This field is not used in Pattern mode. Use the

Note Length

slider to set the length of the played note in each step, from

1

–

100%

. Use the

Velocity

field to set the velocity of the arpeggiator notes. Choose

As played

,

From first note

,

Accented

,

Full

,

3/4

,

Half

or

1/4

. Use the

Swing

field to set the amount of swing in the arpeggiator from

50%

to

75%

. Swing lets you "shuffle" your beats—from subtle to extreme. 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

Pattern

field to set how the arpeggiator triggers the held notes. Use the

Octaves

field to set how many octaves of the held notes the arpeggiator will cycle through. Use the

Variation

field to apply rhythmic variation to the set pattern. 335

The

Rhythm

section of the Arpeggiator window is available when

Action

is set to

Note Repeat

or

Rhythm

. The Note Repeat action provides traditional MPC Note Repeat behavior. When the Rhythm arpeggiator action is selected, hold down a chord and the arpeggiator will play the held notes in a rhythmic pattern. Use the

Spread

field to spread the timing of the held notes, creating a glissando effect. Use the

Rhythm Pattern

field to choose the pattern played when notes are held. This is only available for the

Rhythm

action. The

Pattern

section of the Arpeggiator window is available when the

Action

is set to

Pattern

. When this arpeggiator action is selected, hold down a single note to trigger a melodic phrase. As you change what note is held, the melodic phrase will be transposed. Use the

Pattern

field to choose the pattern. The

Settings

section of the Arpeggiator window offers additional options to control the arpeggiator. If you have a sustain pedal connected, you can enable

Sustain Pedal Latches

to use it to control latching. Use the

Latch Mode

setting to set the latch behavior. When set to

Reset

, adding a new note(s) will reset the currently latched note(s). When set to

Add

, new notes will be added to currently latched notes. Tap

Close

to close the Arpeggiator window. 336

Auto Sampler

You can now capture and convert any plugin preset or external instrument preset into a Keygroup sampler patch.

To open the Auto Sampler

: 1.

2.

Open the Sampler mode by doing either of the following: • • Press Press

Menu

and then tap

Sampler

(MPC X).

Sampler

. Press the

Auto Sampler

icon in the toolbar.

Sample Source Information

The

Track name

and

Program name

fields show the target track and program that will be sampled. This will be automatically selected as the active track and program when Auto Sampler is opened. Use the

Record from

field to select an external or resample input to record from:

To capture the output of a plugin,

simply select a Plugin track before opening Auto Sampler.

Note:

When a plugin track is selected, the Auto Sampler will only sample the plugin track, regardless of the setting in the

Record From

field.

To capture a preset from an external instrument such as a sound module,

select the

Input

that the external instrument is connected to.

Note Range

Use the

Min note

and

Max note

settings to determine the lowest and highest notes used to create the sampler patch. Use the

Note stride

to determine the range of notes that each sample will cover. For instance, a note stride of

5

means that every 5 notes will utilize a different sample. Check the

Extend min/max notes

box to sample all the way to the lowest and highest notes, regardless of the

Min Note

and

Max Note

settings.

Velocity

Tap the boxes next to

Layers 1

–

4

to select how many layers will be used to create the sampler patch. Use the

Velocity

value sliders to set the velocity of each layer. 337

Sampling

Use the

Note length

slider to set the length of the sampled note in seconds. Use

Tail

slider to set the length of the Audio Tail in seconds. This will add extra seconds to the end of the resulting audio file. This is useful if you are capturing samples whose sounds exceed the defined audio length (e.g., long reverb or delay, one-shot samples with long decays, etc.). We recommend using an audio tail of at least a couple of seconds. Use

Base name

to set the naming convention for the samples that will be created by the Auto Sampler.

Looping

Use the

Enable looping

field to select how the resulting samples can or cannot be looped: • •

Off


Forward


pad


Loop Position


pad

to stop the repeating playback. •

Reverse


pad


Loop Position

. Release the

pad

to stop the repeating playback. •

Alternating


pad


Loop Position


Loop Position


pad

to stop the repeating playback. Use the

Loop start

and

Loop end

sliders to set the starting and ending points in the sample where the loop will occur. Use the

Crossfade

field to set the amount of crossfade between the loop end and loop start in seconds. Use the

Crossfade Type

field to select

Equal Power

or

Linear

crossfade. Under

On completion

, check

Make current program

to load the completed sampler patch as the current program. Under

Info

, the

Session Duration

field provides an estimate of how long the auto sampling process will take. Tap

OK

to initiate the auto sampling process. A Progress window will appear. Click

Cancel

to stop the auto sampling process. Any samples already created will be retained. Tap

Cancel

continuing. to close the Auto Sampler window without 338

Crossfade Looping

You can now add real time crossfade looping to sample playback. 2.

3.

4.

5.

To apply crossfade looping to a sample:

1.

Open Sample Edit mode by doing either of the following: • • Press Press

Menu

, and then tap

Sample Edit Sample Edit

(MPC X). . Make sure the loop

Lock

setting is set to

Off

. Tap the Make sure there is at least 10 samples of space between the Tap the

Loop

button to select the

X-Fade Forward

(

FWD

) loop mode. button to open the X-Fade window:

Start

point and

Loop

point.

To set the length of the crossfade in samples,

use the

Length

field.

To set the type of crossfade,

use the

Type

field. Select

Equal Power

or

Linear

.

To close the window and return to Trim Mode

, tap the

X

or tap

Close

. When you are finished, press

Pad A16 – Play Continuous Loop

in Sample Edit Trim Mode to hear the crossfade applied to the sample. 339

Mode Selection Shortcut

You can now press and hold the

Menu

button on your MPC X, MPC Live or MPC Touch and press a pad to select a menu mode. The pads follow the 4x4 layout of the Mode Menu.

Pad Perform Mode: Chromatic Type

You can now use Pad Perform Mode to set the pads to follow a chromatic layout. When the

Chromatic

type is selected, each pad is assigned a note, ascending by one semitone with each pad. Pads with notes in the key determined by the

Scale

will be lit, while pads with notes between the scale degrees will be unlit.

Q-Link Navigation Enhancements

Q-Link functionality has been enhanced in the following modes: Main Mode, Track View, Next Sequence, Grid Editor, and Audio Edit Mode. Set the

Q-Link Mode

to

Screen

in these pages to access the following controls: Use

Q-Link Knob 2

to adjust the playhead position. Use

Q-Link Knob 3

to scroll through the waveform in the large waveform display. Use

Q-Link Knob 4

to zoom in or zoom out at the playhead position.

Note:

For MPC Live and MPC X in standalone mode, the

Zoom

and

Scroll

Q-Links are only available in the Grid Editor and Audio Edit Mode. 340

Split Events

You can now easily split note events, useful for creating intricate hi-hat parts or quintuplet/sextuplet motifs or drum beats. (This has been added to

Operation

>

Modes

>

Main Mode

>

Track Section

.)

To edit the track,

tap the

pencil icon

on the right edge of the Main Mode screen. The Track Edit window wlll open.

To open the Split Events window

, tap

Split Events. To set how many events notes will be divided into

, use the

Into

slider.

To determine which notes will be divided,

tap the

Only selected events

checkbox.

To split the events and close the window,

tap

Do It

.

To close the window without making any changes,

tap

Close

. 341

AIR Instrument Plugins

MPC now includes three new plugin instruments: AIR TubeSynth, AIR Bassline, and AIR Electric.

AIR Bassline

The AIR Bassline plugin emulates the sound of classic mono synths, with a contemporary twist. Bassline also comes packaged with four integrated AIR effects (Chorus, Delay, Compressor and Hype), as well as two built-in distortion algorithms (Overdrive and Clip).

Osc/Filter/Envelope

Use this tab to adjust the settings for the oscillators, as well as their filter and envelope settings.

Parameter Description Value Range

Oscillator Waveform Continuously variable waveshape for the oscillator.

Saw Octave, Saw, Square, Sine 0–100% Start Phase Position of the waveform when a note is triggered.

0–100% Free, 0 degr., 180 degr. 10.0 ms – 2.00 s Glide note played. Boost Envelope Boosts the signal of the oscillator.

0.0 – 48.0 dB * 1.0 – * 240.0

Adjust

Gain

to control the amount of boost. Adjust

Frequency

to control the center frequency of the boost. Gain 0–100%, Off, Frequency 0–100% Filter LP Cutoff Reso Cutoff frequency for the low-pass filter.

Resonance of the filter.

20.0 Hz – 20.0 kHz 0–100% -100% – 0 – +100% Envelope HP Cutoff At negative values, decreases the cutoff value based on the decay value. At positive values, increases the cutoff value based on the decay value. Cutoff frequency for the high-pass filter.

Amp Attack Length of time for the note to reach full volume.

Amp Decay Length of time for the note to reach the sustained volume. Filter Decay Length of time for the filter to reset after being released. 10.0 – 500 Hz 0–100 Soft, 0–100% Hard 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 342

Velocity/Master/Chorus

Use this tab to adjust the Velocity Control settings, Master volume. You can also apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Chorus effect.

Parameter Description

Velocity Master Amp Control Filter Control Boost Control Master Volume Drive Type Bend Range Chorus Rate Depth Mix On/Off The amount of effect velocity has on amplitude control. The amount of effect velocity has on filter control. The amount of effect velocity has on boost control. Sets whether the envelope will retrigger when a note is played while another note is being held. Off, On Sets the volume level.

Choose one of two drive algorithms. Number of semitones up or down controlled by MIDI pitch bend messages. Modulation of the chorus effect.

Modulation depth of the chorus effect.

Wet/dry amount of the chorus effect.

Enables or disables the effect.

Value Range

0–100% 0–100% 0–100% -Inf dB – +6.0 dB Overdrive, Clip 0–100% 0–12 20.0 Hz – 20.0 kHz 0–100% -100% – 0 – 100% Off, On

Delay

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in delay effect.


Time Sync Mix Feedback Damp Reso Reso Freq Ratio HPF Width Length of time of the delayed signal.

Sync the Delay

Time

to the

Global Tempo

or set to

Free

to adjust

Time

by milliseconds. Free, Sync Wet/dry amount of the delay effect.

Amount of signal fed back into the delay line.

When

Sync

is set to

Free:

1 ms – 2.00 s When

Sync

is set to

Sync:

1/32 – 8/4 Center frequency of where the delay signal will be dampened.

Amount of resonance of the feedback signal.

Center frequency for feedback resonance.

Reduces the delay

Time

in either the

Left

or

Right

stereo field. This is useful for creating offset, panned delays. Center frequency for delay signal high-pass filter.

Stereo width of delay signal. Higher values give wider stereo separation.

Value Range

0–100% 0–100% 1.00 – 20.0 kHz 0–100% 100 Hz – 10.0 kHz L 50:100, R 50:100 20.0 Hz – 1.0 kHz 0–100% Off, On 343

Compressor/Hype

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Compressor and Hype effects.


Compressor Threshold

Value Range

Signal level after which the compressor will be applied. 0.0 – -60. dB 1.0:1 – 100.0:1 Output signal. Mix Knee Wet/dry mix of the compressor effect.

How gradually the compressor reacts as the threshold is reached. Lower values apply a "soft" knee (compression is applied more slowly as signal approaches the threshold), and higher values apply a "hard" knee (compression is immediately applied when the threshold is reached). 0.0 – 30.0 dB 0–100% 0–100% Attack Release Length of time to apply the compression.

Length of time for compressed signal to return to original level. Enables or disables the effect.

100 us – 300 ms 10 ms – 4.00 s On/Off Hype High Low On/Off Dampens or maximizes low end frequencies.

Enables or disables the effect.

Off, On -100 – 0 – +100% -100 – 0 – +100% Off, On 344

AIR Electric

The AIR Electric plugin emulates the sound of classic electric pianos. Dedicated Pickup, Envelope, Bell and Noise parameter sections provide a huge amount of flexibility to configure the timbre of the electric piano sound. Electric also includes five AIR effects: Tremolo, Tube Distortion, Chorus, Delay and Spring Reverb. 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.

Pickup/Env

Use this tab to edit the settings for the emulated pickup and the sound envelope.


Pickup Envelope Type Height Distance Attack Type of pickup emulated.

Height of the pickup to the tines.

Distance of the pickup to the tines.

Clip Amount of clipping applied to the signal.

Keytrack Ties the pickup parameters to the pitch being played. At higher values, the

Distance

is increased as the pitch is increased. 0–100% 0–100% Length of time for the note to reach full volume.

Decay Release Length of time for the note to reach the sustained volume. Length of time for the note to become silent after being released. Length of time full volume is held before decaying. Peak Length Keytrack envelope played. At higher values, the envelope time is decreased as the pitch is increased. Pickup, 0–100% Electro-Static, 0–100% Electro Magnetic 0.0 – 5.0 mm 0.1 – 10.0 mm 100–0% Hard, 0–100% Soft 100 ms – 20.0 s 100 ms – 5.0 s 3–50 ms 0–100% 345

Bell/Noise

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the Bell and Noise sounds.


Bell Tune Dry/PU Volume Tune Keytrack Decay Pitch of the bell sound, in semitones above the root pitch. Mix of Dry versus Pickup signal for the bell sound. Level of the bell sound.

Ties the tuning of the bell sound to the pitch being played. How long it takes for the bell sound to dissipate. Noise Keytrack Freq Mix Attack Decay Level of noise effect present.

Length of time for the noise effect to reach full level. Length of time for the noise effect to dissipate.

Keytrack

Freq

to the pitch being played.

Value Range

0– 60 semitones -100% – 0% – +100% -Inf dB – 0.0 – +6.0 dB 0–100% 100 ms – 7.0 s Ties the amount of bell sound to the pitch being played. At negative values, the bell sound is increased as the pitch increases. At positive values, the bell sound is increased as the pitch decreases. -100% – 0% – +100% Center frequency of the noise effect.

200 Hz – 16.0 kHz 0–100% -Inf dB – 0.0 – +6.0 dB 1–50 ms 100 ms – 3.00 s 0–100%

Setup

Use this tab to adjust general settings for the plugin.


Polyphony Master Volume Velo Level Velo Tone Velo Attack Number of voices available.

Overall level of the plugin.

Adjusts how much incoming velocity is applied.

Ties the incoming velocity to tone.

At higher values, increased velocity increases tone brightness. Ties the incoming velocity to the attack envelope. At higher values, lower velocities feature longer attack times.

Value Range

1–16 Voices -Inf dB – 0.0 – +6.0 dB 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 346

Trem/Tube/Chorus

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Tremolo, Tube (Overdrive), and Chorus effects.


Tremolo Rate Modulation speed of the effect.

Value Range

When

Sync

is set to

Sync:

Sync Sync the Tremolo

Rate

to the

Global Tempo

or let it run

Free

. 8/4 – 1/16 Free, Sync Mode

Pan

for stereo field modulation, or

Tremolo

for amplitude modulation. Pan, Tremolo 0–100% Tube Drive Amount of drive applied.

When

Sync

is set to

Free:

0.25 – 13.00 Hz 0–100% -30.0 – 0.0 dB and the driven signal. Output Chorus Rate Mix Output level of the tube driven signal.

Modulation of the effect.


0–100% -20.0 – 0.0 – +20.0 dB 0.40 – 3.20 Hz 0–100% 0–100%

Delay

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Delay effect.


Time Sync Mix Feedback Damp Reso Reso Freq Ratio HPF Width Amount of time between the dry signal and the delayed signal.

When

Sync

is set to

Free:

1 ms – 2.00 s When

Sync

is set to

Sync:

1/32 – 8/4 Sync the Delay

Time

to the

Global Tempo

or set to

Free

to adjust

Time

by milliseconds. Free, Sync Wet/dry amount of the delay effect.

Amount of signal fed back into the delay line.

Center frequency of where the delay signal will be dampened.



Reduces the delay

Time

in either the

Left

or

Right

stereo field. This is useful for creating offset, panned delays. Center frequency for delay signal high-pass filter.


Value Range

0–100% 0–100% 1.00–20.0 kHz 0–100% 100 Hz – 10.0 kHz L 50:100, R 50:100 20.0 Hz – 1.0 kHz 0–100% 347

Spring Reverb

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Spring Reverb effect.


Pre-Delay Length of time between dry signal and reverberated signal.

Time Mix Diffusion Length of reverb tail. Wet/dry amount of the reverb effect.

Width Low Cut

Value Range

0–250 ms 1.0 – 10.0 s 0–100% Rate of increasing density of reverb reflections. At lower settings, the sound of individual reflections is more present. At higher settings, reflections are more uniform. 0–100% Stereo width of reverb signal. Higher values give wider stereo separation. 0–100% Center frequency for reverb signal low-cut filter.

20.0 Hz – 1.00 kHz 348

AIR 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.


Oscillator 1 Oscillator 2 Fine When

Octave

is set to

Wide

: -70.00 – 0.00 – +70.00

Shape When

Octave

is set to

32'

–

2'

: -12.00 – 0.00 – +12.00

Waveshape of Oscillator 1 (continuously variable). Triangle, Saw, Square, Pulse F-Env Quad  Shape Amount of Filter Envelope output subtracted from or added to the value defined by the Osc 1

Shape

parameter. Enables or disables four-voice emulation for the oscillator. -100 – 0 – +100% Off, On Detune

Quad

voices. 0–100% Octave Octave Fine Coarse tuning of the oscillator by octaves.

The

Wide

setting provides additional

Fine

tuning controls. Fine tuning of the oscillator by semitones.

Wide, 32', 16', 8', 4', 2' Coarse tuning of the oscillator by octaves all the way down to LFO speed. Fine tuning of the oscillator.

LFO, 32', 16', 8', 4', 2' When

Octave

is set to

LFO

: 0.01 – 20.00 Hz Shape F-Env Sync  Phase Shape When

Octave

is set to

32'

–

2'

: -12.00 – 0.00 – +12.00 semitones Waveshape of Oscillator 2 (continuously variable). Noise, Saw, Square, Pulse Amount of Filter Envelope output subtracted from or added to the value defined by the Osc 2

Shape

parameter. -100 – 0 – +100% Enables or disables syncing of Oscillator 2 to Oscillator 1. Off, On 0–100% Position of the waveshape when the sound is triggered. 0–360 degrees Sub Oscillator Shape Waveshape of the sub oscillator (continuously variable). Triangle, Saw, Square, Pulse 349

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.


Osc 2 EQ Gain Frequency Amount of gain applied to the selected

Frequency

Center frequency for the equalization band.

. Mixer LP Filter Keytrack Osc 1 Osc 2 Sub Osc Ring Mod Drive Cutoff Saturation Env Keytrack

Value Range

-48 – 0 – +48 dB Ties the EQ settings to the pitch being played Level of Oscillator 1.

Level of Oscillator 2.

Level of the Sub Oscillator.

Level of Ring Modulation effect.

Level of Drive effect.

Center frequency of the low-pass filter cutoff.

25–10,000 Hz 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 0–100% 0–24 dB/oct frequency. Amount of saturation applied to the low-pass filter. Ties the LP Filter Cutoff to the pitch being played. 0–100% Percentage of the envelope output subtracted from or added to the LP Filter

Cutoff

. -100 – 0 – +100% 0–100% 350

Envelope

Use this tab to adjust the various envelope settings.


Filter Envelope Attack Decay Sustain Release Length of time for the filter to reach full level.

Length of time for the filter to reach sustain level. Length of time for the filter to hold sustain level.

Value Range

1.00 ms – 100 s 1.00 ms – 100 s 0–100% Length of time for the filter to dissipate when released. 1.00 ms – 100 s Amp Envelope Attack Decay Sustain Release Envelope 3 Start Level Start Time Slope Hold Slope Rel Destination Length of time for the note to reach full level.

Length of time for the note to reach sustain level. Initial velocity level of the envelope.

Length of time for the envelope to start.

Percentage of Envelope subtracted from or added to the

Destination

when a note is held. Percentage of Envelope subtracted from or added to the

Destination

when a note is released. Where the envelope will be applied to.

1.00 ms – 100 s 1.00 ms – 100 s Length of time for the note to hold sustain level.

0–100% Length of time for the note to dissipate when released. 1.00 ms – 100 s 0–100% 0–5000 ms -100 – 0 – +100% -100 – 0 – +100% Off, Pitch, Osc 2 Pitch, LFO 1/2 Rate, Osc1 Quad Det., Osc 1/2 Shape, Osc 1/2 Level, Ring Level 351

LFO

Use this tab to adjust the settings for the low-frequency oscillators.


LFO 1/LFO 2 Shape Destination Waveshape of the low-frequency oscillator.

Where the low-frequency oscillator is sent.

Value Range

Sine, Square. Saw Up, Saw Down, Pump, S&H, Drift

LFO1:

Off, Pitch, Filter, Level, Pan Rate Speed of modulation.

LFO2:

Pitch, Osc 1/2 Shape, Osc 1/2 Pitch, LPF, Quad Detune, Osc EQ Freq, Osc 2 EQ Gain, Ring Level When

Sync

is

Off

: 0.01 – 20.00 Hz Destination When

Sync

is

On

: 8/4 – 1/32 0–100% Sync

Rate

to the

Global Tempo

or turn

Off

to adjust

Rate

by Hertz. Off, On Modulation Source Where the modulation signal is sent from.

0.00 – 20.00 s out, No fade, 0.00 – 20.00 s in Filter Env, Amp Env, Osc 1, Osc 2 Where the modulated signal is received.

Pitch, Osc 1/2 Shape, Osc 1/2 Pitch, LPF, Quad Detune, Osc EQ Freq, Osc 2 EQ Gain, Ring Level 0–100% 352

Setup

Use this tab to adjust plugin setup parameters.


Controller Destinations Velocity 1 Velocity 2 Modwheel Aftertouch Send Velocity data to one of the following control destinations. Send Velocity data to one of the following control destinations. Send Modwheel data to one of the following control destinations. Send Aftertouch data to one of the following control destinations. Setup Polyphony Bend Range Number of allowable voices, and how voices are triggered. Number of semitones up or down controlled by MIDI pitch bend messages. Glide to the next note played. Glide All Enables or disables pitch gliding for all triggered notes, not just legato notes.

Value Range

Amp, Cutoff, Osc1 Shape, Osc2 Shape, Osc1&2 Shape 0–100% Amp, Cutoff, Osc1 Shape, Osc2 Shape, Osc1&2 Shape 0–100% Amp, Cutoff, Osc1 Shape, Osc2 Shape, Osc1&2 Shape -100 – 0 – 100% LFO 1 Depth, Cutoff, Osc1 Shape, Osc2 Shape, Osc1&2 Shape -100 – 0 – 100% Legato, Retrigger, 2, 3, 4 0–12 (semitones) 1.00 ms – 100 s Off, On 0–100% Doubling applied when

Doubling

is enabled. Enables or disables voice doubling.

Output Shape Amount of signal sent to a Tube Drive.

Width Stereo width of the audio signal. Higher values give wider stereo separation. Level Overall output volume of the plugin.

Off, On 0–100% 0–100% -Inf dB – +12.0 dB 353

Chorus

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Chorus effect.


Delay Voices LFO Wave Depth Width Lo Cut Mix Length of time the wet signal is offset from the dry signal.

Number of voices used in the chorus effect.

Waveshape of the low-frequency oscillator for the chorus effect.

Amount of pitch modulation of the effect.

Stereo width of the chorus effect. Higher values give wider stereo separation. Center frequency for the chorus low-cut filter.


Value Range

0.01 – 10.0 Hz 0.00 – 24.00 ms 3, 4, 6 Tri, Sine 0.00 – 24.00 ms 0–100% 20.0 Hz – 1.0 kHz 0–100%

Delay

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in delay effect.


Time Sync Feedback Mix Damp Reso Reso Freq Ratio HPF Width Length of time between the dry signal and the delayed signal.

Enable to sync the Delay

Time

in milliseconds.

Time

to the

Global Tempo

Amount of delay signal fed back into the delay line.

Wet/dry amount of the delay effect.

Center frequency of where the delayed signal will be dampened.



Reduces the delay

Time

in either the

Left

or

Right

stereo field. This is useful for creating offset, panned delays. , disable to set the Center frequency for delay signal high-pass filter.


Value Range

When

Sync

is set to

Free:

1 ms – 2.00 s When

Sync

is set to

Sync:

1/32 – 8/4 Off, On 0–100% 0–100% 1.00 – 20.0 kHz 0–100% 100 Hz – 10.0 kHz L 100:50, R 50:100 20.0 Hz – 1.0 kHz 0–100% 354

Reverb / Compressor / Hype

Use this tab to apply and adjust the settings for the built-in Reverb, Compressor and Hype effects.


Reverb Mode Time Lo Cut Hi Cut Mix Compressor Threshold Mix Knee Attack Release Hype High Low Type of reverb applied.

Length of reverb tail.

Center frequency for the reverb low-pass filter.

Center frequency for the reverb high-pass filter.

Wet/dry mix of the reverb effect.

Signal level after which the compressor will be applied. Length of time to apply the compression.

Length of time for compressed signal to return to original level. 0.0 – -60. dB 0.0 – +30.0 dB signal. Wet/dry mix of the compressor effect.

0–100% 1.0:1 – 100.0:1 How gradually the compressor reacts as the threshold is reached. Lower values apply a "soft" knee (compression is applied more slowly as signal approaches the threshold), and higher values apply a "hard" knee (compression is immediately applied when the threshold is reached). 0–100% 100 us – 300 ms 10 ms – 4.00 s Dampens or maximizes low end frequencies.

Value Range

Hall, Stadium, Room, Abstract 0.4 s – +Inf s 1 – 1000 Hz 1.0 – 20.0 kHz 0–100% -100 – 0 – +100% -100 – 0 – +100% 355

Plugin Preset Support

Internal Akai effects now include all new plugin editors and factory presets.

To load a plugin preset:

1.

2.

Open a plugin instrument or effects plugin editor. At the top of the instrument or effect editing window will be a dropdown menu for selecting presets. Double-tap the menu to open it, and tap a preset to select it. A number of third-party VST plugins will also display a bank of presets when used with MPC. Additionally, you can now save and load plugin presets.

To save or load a plugin preset:

1.

2.

Open a plugin instrument or effects plugin. To the right of the dropdown menu for selecting presets are

Folder

and

Disc

icons. Tap the

Folder

icon to load a plugin preset saved on your MPC or any connected drive. Use the window that opens to select the location where the preset is saved. Tap the

Disc

icon to save your plugin settings as a new preset. Use the window that opens to select where you would like to save the preset. 356

Corrections

Features

>

MPC X

>

Rear Panel

(

Page 16

)

We added the following note to the

Input 1/2

description:

Note:

When using the XLR connection, the mic pre-amp is automatically engaged. When using a 1/4" (6.35 mm) TRS cable, the mic pre-amp is bypassed.

Operation

>


>

Menu

>

Preferences

>

Sequencer (Page 71)

We updated the explanation of the Truncate Duration options:

Bar 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

For example, if you record a note starting on the second bar of a 4-bar loop and hold it for 5 bars, the note would end: at bar 7 (As Played), at bar 6 (To Sequence Length), or bar 4 (To Sequence End). See image for details.

Operation

>


>

16 Level (Page 83)

We added information about using the

Tune

16 Levels type:

As played To Sequence Length To Sequence End

If

Type

is set to

Tune

, use the

Original Pad

field to select which you pad you want to use the original pitch of the sample/samples. Alternatively, hold

Shift

and press the desired pad.

Operation

>

Modes

>


>

Trim Mode (Page 162)

We added the following note for detecting BPM:

Note:

Before detecting tempo, it is recommended that you

Normalize

samples for best results.

Operation

>

Modes

>


>


>

Filter Envelope (Page 215)

We corrected the description for the

Kbd

>

Filter

parameter.

Kbd

>

Filter

(Keyboard  Filter) sets how much the note value will be added to the filter cutoff. This allows higher notes to sound brighter.

Operation

>

Modes

>

Song Mode (Page 276)

We added the following descriptions of the

Next

and

Sudden

features in Song Mode:

To switch to the next sequence at the beginning of the next bar during playback

, tap

Next


To switch to the next sequence immediately during playback

, tap

Sudden

. The new sequence will start playing whether or not the current sequence is done. This is useful in live performances if you need to switch to the next sequence instantly at a certain cue. 357

Akai MPC Touch Multi-Touch Music Production Center User Guide

User Guide

English

Table of Contents

Introduction

System Requirements & Product Support

About This User Guide

Important Notes Setup

Features

MPC X

MPC Live

MPC Touch

Basic Concepts

Tutorial

Starting Up

Creating a Drum Kit

Creating a Drum Sequence

Saving & Renaming

Editing Note Events

Making Basic Sound Edits

Creating a Bass Track

Recording an Audio Track

Creating a Song

Exporting the Song

Other Features Explained

Operation

General Features

Modes

Appendix

Effects & Parameters

Glossary

SATA Drive Installation

MIDI Machine Control

MMC

Technical Specifications

Trademarks & Licenses

Addenda

Updates in MPC 2.1

Updates in MPC 2.2

Updates in MPC 2.3

Related manuals

Akai

MPC Live

Akai

MPC Touch

Akai

MPC Touch

Akai

MPC Live

Akai Professional

MPC X

Akai

MPC Studio Black

Akai

MPC Software 2

Akai

MPC Touch

Akai

MPC Touch

Akai Professional

MPC X

Akai

MPC ONE

Table of contents