MPC Software & MPC Beats Forum: Bug reports, feature suggestions and discussion for the MPC Software and the free 'MPC Beats' application for Mac/PC. If you have hardware-specific questions, please post in the relevant MPC sub-forum.
By jezhall2 Thu Jan 14, 2021 12:42 pm
Hi. I am a newbie. I have been following the instruction videos on the MPC Beats Academy. Particularly this one for making house track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrjE2blCevY

My MPK Mini does not react in the same way as shown in the video. I want the to use PAD PERFORM to make the pads sound CHORDS as shown clearly in the video - but when I press the pads they only make single notes. When I use the mouse and click on the pads on-screen in the software, the Chords sound properly and you can see the keys making the chord. But when I press the physical pad only a single note is depressed on-screen and a single note sounds. This is not correct as the PAD PERFORM function is supposed to make the pads generate CHORDS. HELP!!
ALSO on this video the instructor uses the Q-LINK knob to zoom in and out of the viewpoint - when I turn my Q-LINK nothing happens.
Can you please help me ? This is quite a steep learning curve and I was really hoping the videos would help me, but when what is happening in the video does not match up to reality it is really hard to progress. Any advice welcome. Thank you. Jez.
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By MPC-Tutor Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:07 pm
On normal keyboard controllers, pad perform is not available, it's normally only available from MPC pads on an actual MPC controller, but judging from the Akai video, it must be possible from the MPK pads as well. Have you configured your MPK as a global controller? You'll need to enable the MIDI Learn Browser (SHIFT CMD & L or use the icon at the bottom right of screen), hit ENABLE and select your MPK model. This should map everything correctly.
By jezhall2 Thu Jan 14, 2021 1:42 pm
Hi thanks for the reply - I will check that out, sounds likely.

The machine I am using is the Akai MPK Mini MK3 - which is the newer version of the one he is using in the video. Beats came with it.
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By GuruVirus Mon Jan 25, 2021 9:59 pm
MPC software often doesn't make sense. That said, I got the chords to work easily and off default mappings on my MPK Mini MKIII. Yes, like above I also recommend your controller be set to MASTER as well.

Then on the Main mode (home button; ctrl + 1), at the bottom, to the right of the pads is the "Pad Perform" section (it's not a button; if the pads are doing anything you are using Pad perform).
The six options are:
-Type: set to chord or Chromatic Chords. I see the video shows Progressions, which are are MPC arbitrary groups of chords they selected. You don't need to use Progressions.
-Pad Rows: Start on Root
-Root Note: You can change this to match your track's key
-Scale: this shows a technical name for different scales.
-Octave: leave around 2 to start.
-Scale Chord: default is 1-3-5 as in D, F#, A if root is D and scale is major.

The pad names will change to to the root note of the chord. If you turn it back to Chromatic or Notes the pad name will just show the note being played.
By gokhanorel Sun Jan 31, 2021 12:50 am
jezhall2 wrote:Hi. I am a newbie. I have been following the instruction videos on the MPC Beats Academy. Particularly this one for making house track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrjE2blCevY

My MPK Mini does not react in the same way as shown in the video. I want the to use PAD PERFORM to make the pads sound CHORDS as shown clearly in the video - but when I press the pads they only make single notes. When I use the mouse and click on the pads on-screen in the software, the Chords sound properly and you can see the keys making the chord. But when I press the physical pad only a single note is depressed on-screen and a single note sounds. This is not correct as the PAD PERFORM function is supposed to make the pads generate CHORDS. HELP!!
ALSO on this video the instructor uses the Q-LINK knob to zoom in and out of the viewpoint - when I turn my Q-LINK nothing happens.
Can you please help me ? This is quite a steep learning curve and I was really hoping the videos would help me, but when what is happening in the video does not match up to reality it is really hard to progress. Any advice welcome. Thank you. Jez.


Hi Jez! I have exactly the same problem. Can you write here if you find a solution?
By gokhanorel Sun Jan 31, 2021 3:51 pm
gokhanorel wrote:
jezhall2 wrote:Hi. I am a newbie. I have been following the instruction videos on the MPC Beats Academy. Particularly this one for making house track:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrjE2blCevY

My MPK Mini does not react in the same way as shown in the video. I want the to use PAD PERFORM to make the pads sound CHORDS as shown clearly in the video - but when I press the pads they only make single notes. When I use the mouse and click on the pads on-screen in the software, the Chords sound properly and you can see the keys making the chord. But when I press the physical pad only a single note is depressed on-screen and a single note sounds. This is not correct as the PAD PERFORM function is supposed to make the pads generate CHORDS. HELP!!
ALSO on this video the instructor uses the Q-LINK knob to zoom in and out of the viewpoint - when I turn my Q-LINK nothing happens.
Can you please help me ? This is quite a steep learning curve and I was really hoping the videos would help me, but when what is happening in the video does not match up to reality it is really hard to progress. Any advice welcome. Thank you. Jez.


Hi Jez! I have exactly the same problem. Can you write here if you find a solution?


I figured it out! Here is the solution: edit>preferences >midi/sync>input ports master control track all selected ;)
By SuperKonquer Sat Jan 22, 2022 7:06 am
bilposey wrote:Go to midi control click enable
Make sure your midi preferences
Your controller is set on SYNC+ TRACK
I use my launch pad mk3 to make chords :worthy:

Oh wow I didn't even know this was possible. Does the midi get routed through the arp as well?
By Ken Jagger Wed Sep 28, 2022 7:47 pm
My options for edit>preferences >midi/sync>input ports are "Global, Control & Track". Setting all 3 options does not fix this problem of the pads not playing chords as per the video, at least for me.
By peter331 Mon Jun 12, 2023 1:40 pm
Same problem here, works when you go to settings/preferences, MIDI/sync, Input ports: only select control and track leave global unselected, Output Ports: select both sync and track. Hope this also works for you guys.
By Sven Wed Jul 19, 2023 1:21 pm
For anyone stumbling onto this post looking for a fix (none of the above solutions appeared to work for me): here it is.

I'm working with an Akai MPK mini MKIII. The hardware was mapped correctly (eg. the MIDI Learn Browser (Cmd+Shift+L) showed the correct version. _However_: after I clicked "Enable", selected another device from the list (specifically "Factory -> Akai -> Akai MPK Mini mkII"), hitting some pads (pads 5-8 _did_ make chords for me now, but 1-4 still only played single notes), and then going back and selecting the MPK Mini MKIII from the list, it was fixed. Now I'm getting full chords!