MPC 2.2 Desktop Software and Firmware Update
Compatibility
This is a firmware and software update.
Desktop Software
The MPC 2.2 desktop software can now be controlled by any external MIDI control surface such as keyboards and pad controllers enabling hands-on control of MPC’s predefined parameters.
Downloading the Update
To download the MPC 2.2 Desktop Software Update, log into your Akai Pro user account or through MPC 2.1 when prompted. For instructions on installing the update, please visit our knowledge base article here.
Firmware
This release is for MPC X and MPC Live hardware.
Downloading the Update
To download the 2.2 Firmware Update, navigate to the MPC X or MPC Live product page and click on Downloads to find the Mac and PC download links:
MPC Live product page
MPC X product page
For instructions on installing the update, please visit our knowledge base article here.
New Features
MIDI Learn Global - The MPC desktop software can now be controlled by external MIDI control surfaces such as keyboards and pad controllers. Once you have configured a Global MIDI Learn template, its assignments and the Enable On/Off will persist so that each time you open the MPC application your controller assignments will instantly be ready to be used.
Learn your MIDI controller’s physical controls to the MPC software’s Pads, Q-Links, Transport or other assignable parameters.
Show the MIDI Learn panel by going to View>Browser>MIDI Learn or by clicking the MIDI Learn icon in the Status Bar at the bottom of the MPC app.
To learn your controller to MPC parameters, go to the MIDI Learn panel and click the Learn button On, then in the MPC app click on any parameter that has a yellow overlay to select it, then move or press a physical control. You can toggle a MIDI map on or off using the Enable button.
In the MIDI Learn panel the drop down menu in the top right-hand corner contains the following options for managing your MIDI maps : New, Duplicate, Clear, Delete, Export and Import.
MPC ships with a range of factory MIDI maps for popular MIDI controllers.
When Learn is On hold Shift and move a physical control to select the slot in the list it has been mapped to.
To make it easier to navigate the list of MIDI assignments use the View menu to filter by type. From the MIDI Learn drop down menu tick the List Follows Control option, now the View filter automatically follows the MPC control section that you last clicked on.
MIDI Learn Project. - The MPC standalone and desktop software’s automatable parameters can now be controlled by external MIDI control surfaces such as keyboards, pad controllers and MIDI mixers
Learn your MIDI controllers physical controls to MPC’s automatable parameters.
Configure a control surface as a mixer surface to control the volume, pan and sends of programs and audio tracks in your project.
Control program parameters such as drum program filters and synthesizer parameters.
Control insert FX and other automatable parameters.
When Learn is On hold Alt and move the controls on your MIDI controller to quickly add multiple assignment slots.
Take your project with all of the Project MIDI controller assignments from the desktop software to your standalone.
In the desktop software go to View > Browser > MIDI Learn Browser and from the top choose the Project tab. Click the Learn button On, then click the plus button to add a new assignment slot. To choose the target, move an automatable parameter in the MPC GUI. For example, moving the mixer strip Volume of Program 001, the two Target combo boxes are then automatically populated. If you would prefer you can manually assign the target parameter using the Target sections drop down menus. To learn a MIDI hardware control to the current assignment slot simply move the physical control on your MIDI device. The Type, Channel and Data fields will be automatically populated by the MIDI message from your controller. These assignments will be saved and recalled with your MPC project. When MPC can not accurately determine the type of the incoming message you can edit the type using the Type field.
In standalone go to MIDI Control Mode and then the MIDI Learn tab, tap the Learn button to begin listening to incoming controller messages, tap the + icon to create an empty MIDI assignment slot. The currently selected slot is now listening for an incoming MIDI message. Move any physical control on your MIDI controller to assign it and this will populate the Type, Channel and Data fields with the incoming message. To assign the slot to an MPC automation parameter such as Program 001 Volume, in the left hand Inspector go to the Source field and assign it to Program > Program 001 > Program 001, next go to the Parameter field and set this to Mixer > Volume. Turn Learn Off and move the physical control you assigned, it should now move the Program 001 Volume. These assignments will be saved and recalled with your MPC project. When MPC can not accurately determine the type of the incoming message you can edit the type using the Type field.
There is now a Preference option to toggle displaying multiple plugin windows off. Go to Preferences > General > Allow Multiple Plugin Windows.
Humanize - You can now randomize the timing or velocity of MIDI events. From the GUI go to Edit > Humanize. From the TUI go to the Track section and press the Pencil icon to bring up the Track Overlay, and choose Humanize.
Generate Random Events - MPC can now generate random melodic patterns and drum beats. From the GUI go to Tools > Generate Random Events. On the TUI go to the Track section and press the Pencil icon to bring up the Track Overlay, from the overlay choose Generate Random Events. Use the Event Type field to choose between generating Drum or Melodic events, this field will be automatically set to Drum when opening the popup on a track with a drum program and Melodic for other program types. Use the other controls to configure the density of the added events. To try out different ideas without closing the popup use the Apply button.
The standalone can now load a user template project from the Launch page. To assign a user template go to Preferences, Project Load/Save tab, Template field and tap the magnifying glass icon to choose your project or from the Save As popup tick the Save As Template field. To load your template project when starting a new project press the User Template f-key on the Launch Screen.
