Support and chat about Akai's range of MIDI controllers, including the MPD. MPK and LPD
By KnartFaulkner Sat Sep 03, 2016 4:36 pm
Hi, I have a mpk25 that I just bought and really like. I couldn't spring for an mpc just yet. I'd like to simulate the mpc experience to some degree and also use the original soundbanks from various mpc's.

Is it legal to use the sound banks that came with different mpc models if you never bought an mpc?

The sounds are available for free download from certain sites. Is this legit or is it considered stealing and/or copyright infringement if I were to download and use them to make beats.
User avatar
By MPC-Tutor Tue Sep 13, 2016 7:51 pm
KnartFaulkner wrote:Is this legit or are those drum sounds copyrighted by akai or something?


To be pedantic, :) , yes pretty much everything is copyrighted unless the owner declares it in the public domain. The Akai that made those sounds might be long gone, but the IP was probably passed over to the current owners of the Akai brand. I would assume those sounds were explicitly licensed to the person who purchased the MPC, but it's possible that they might have also offered them for public download and use (Akai used to provide various free sound libraries on their site).

Of course most people these days will just download and use them regardless.

BTW, they are generally quite generic sounds. Grab some quality instead :smoker: http://www.mpc-samples.com.