Bug reports & end-user support for Akai's MPC Software 'controllers' including the new MPC Studio 2, the MPC Touch, MPC Renaissance & original MPC Studio and MPC StudioB lack.
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By SlowwFloww Thu Mar 30, 2017 10:20 pm
Well, I know that the MPC Studio is a controller and not a standalone MPC... but is it possible to use it 'standalone': make a track without touching your laptop (turn off the screen).
• Can I do everything on the controller (open song, save song, save sample, name sample)?
• Is it also possible to load VST's and browse presets on the controller?
By kaydigi Thu Mar 30, 2017 10:31 pm
SlowwFloww wrote:Well, I know that the MPC Studio is a controller and not a standalone MPC... but is it possible to use it 'standalone': make a track without touching your laptop (turn off the screen).
• Can I do everything on the controller (open song, save song, save sample, name sample)?
• Is it also possible to load VST's and browse presets on the controller?



You can do alot without turning on your screen, but entering titles etc will require you to look at the monitor to enter a filename. I know on the touch you can type it straight on the touch screen.

On the Live and X you can add a keyboard to type the name.


As far as the vsts, it's hit or miss. All the Numark or 1st parry plugins all show presets on the lcd. While most Native Instruments dont. So who knows with the others plugs.
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By SlowwFloww Fri Mar 31, 2017 1:34 pm
Ah okay, that’s too bad. Well, it’s the same with Push and Maschine. I don’t understand why Akai doesn’t offer a way to input names with the pads as they do with the hardware MPC’s.
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By d-geezy Mon Jul 11, 2022 4:04 pm
I've also been struggling with this. Because of my setup, I sit down at my piano to record. But, when I want to change presets, I have to get up and slide over to my desktop to change which instrument I want to use. It would be really nice if there was a way to browse presets right from the MPC Ren hardware.
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By MPC-Tutor Mon Jul 11, 2022 4:51 pm
This was a complaint from the very beginning, despite the marketing at the time these were never really 'virtual standalone' there was still plenty of stuff that required the computer UI, and many things that were just significantly better via the computer UI.

But to be fair those MPCS are now long discontinued and this was all addressed with the new touchscreen MPCs, while the MPC Studio 2 is not marketed like these older MPCs, it recognises it's more of a tactile 'assistant' to the computer UI (it's still rubbish though!)
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By d-geezy Mon Jul 11, 2022 6:24 pm
Looking into the issue a little deeper, it appears that the MPC hardware doesn't recognize the presets because, as is the case with Massive, the presets are saved as NMSV files. Akai only recognizes XPL preset files. I believe if there were a way to convert NMSV files to XPL files, there may be some sort of solution.

This is an example of what the default preset looks like for the TubeSynth plugin, in which the presets are accessible from the hardware. They're basically XML files...

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<pluginstate>
<version file="1" date="2018-07-18-11-54"/>
<PLUGIN name="TubeSynth" format="MPC" category="" manufacturer="AIR Music Technology"
version="" file="MPC:TubeSynth" uid="xxxxx" isInstrument="1"
fileTime="0" numInputs="0" numOutputs="2" isShell="0"/>
<state>516.TUmXkMUdtQGZ.........................................................................P....va.......f+....9SyLyjO...f+7u+96S3fCdOhFZH+P4jS7CCBrpO....+....9S2bysOLHvp9nYlY7S1XisO...f9vf.q5C...vO...........lWdwOu6t69....9SnfBxO...f+....9SxHijO.....7u+96S93imO.....v6t67CyKuzOTO8T+.SYL6C.....wBKL+jHhH1S2by0OIhHh8....7C...3O2ZqM+nYlY7SzPCUO....+....7SiLxfOURIE9zJqr3SlXhwO.....bqs17C.....jN5H+......iKtvO...f+.........vO.....zMIF7C..........L4CP5yLyLyO......SYL6SpnhhOeoLF+jIlX3SlXhwO.....jtnK7C...3O....+....7C...vO...f+.........vO...f+zLyL6C.....u6t69....9y0Va0OLP.K+rppp5y+96uOABH.+Harw7SNn0zOCYgr9.....vTFy1OACLP+....8SrkGhORFYD+.....P3fClOKpnB+....7yolZpO0RKs9f+oh0C...3O.....riuT7C0pvvO</state>
</pluginstate>


The NMSV files are some sort of binary format, not even close to this. Ultimately, I think it's going to be up to the programmers at Akai to add some kind of compatibility layer for presets to be accessed from the hardware. I'm guessing each vendor has their own proprietary plugin file extensions, as well.

Not sure if this helps anyone or not, but I thought I'd share what I've found so far.
By SakisX Wed Jul 13, 2022 12:31 am
d-geezy wrote:I've also been struggling with this. Because of my setup, I sit down at my piano to record. But, when I want to change presets, I have to get up and slide over to my desktop to change which instrument I want to use. It would be really nice if there was a way to browse presets right from the MPC Ren hardware.


I am a bit confused , you have the Ren next to the piano ,but the PC is further away ?

There are few workarounds:
You mentioned Massive , so you could assign favorite presets to midi Program Change messages and use wireless your phone with an app (or the Ren in controller mode using virtual midi ports?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyWLgXLwRcc&t=56s

That applies to any VST accepting PC messages

Next workaround using a tablet mirroring your desktop via wifi