Support and discussion for all of Akai’s modern standalone MPCs including the MPC X / X SE, MPC Live 1, 2 & 3, MPC One / One+, MPC Key 37/61.
By Digital Larry Fri Nov 28, 2025 5:19 pm
Preferences -> Project Defaults -> Default Global Tempo is unchecked.
Clip matrix Launch config, tempo = 58.33
Row 5, Tempo->Set Tempo = checked, tempo = 105.33.

This particular row is MIDI only (Plugin track)

When I launch row 5 it plays at 58.33.

User manual, page 35 (talking about Next Seq screen:

Important: Each sequence has its own tempo, while the project itself may use a different global tempo. The BPM value for each sequence may be different from the global tempo. As long as playback is set to follow the global tempo, each sequence’s individual tempo will be ignored. By default, each project is set to use the sequence tempo. We recommend tapping the SEQ/GBL button at the top of the screen (so the button displays GBL) and entering a global tempo to ensure all sequences use the same tempo.

page 173:
Use the BPM field to adjust the tempo of the project.
To set whether the sequence follows its own tempo (Seq) or a global tempo (Gbl), tap the Seq/Gbl button next to the BPM field. Alternatively, press and hold Shift and then press Tap.

page 317:
Use the BPM field to adjust the tempo of the sequence.
Tap the Seq/Gbl button to set whether the sequence follows its own tempo (Seq)
or a global tempo (Gbl). Alternatively, press Shift and Tap/Master.

OK if I hold shift and press Tap tempo/Master, I get a brief on screen display that says either
Tempo:Global
Tempo:From Sequence

I'm leaving it on "From Sequence" for now.

Page 460:
Check the Set Tempo box to change the sequence tempo when
the scene is launched. Use the Tempo field to set the new
tempo in beats per minute. If the tempo is set to GBL (global),
then row tempo settings will be ignored and the tempo will
remain at the global setting.

This is what I have done. It doesn't matter.

If I hold down Shift, then I can see the tempo for each row. Doesn't matter, they all play at the "Launch Config" tempo.

If I tap in the tempo while row 5 is playing, it will speed up. When I select another row it goes back to the launch config tempo.

Anyone able to get this to work?

Thanks,

DL
By Digital Larry Mon Dec 01, 2025 12:38 am
Something is still off, not entirely sure why. I've got about 8 rows set up. Most of them are configured "Set Tempo" with varying tempos. For some reason I occasionally get a Set Tempo event inserted into one of my clips and then it does not play at the correct (row) tempo. I will try to see if I can narrow it down. I am using audio clips which do not change tempo and so it sounds very bizarre since the drum/plugin tracks have changed tempo, but the audio track (which is a loud bassline) does not.
By Digital Larry Mon Dec 01, 2025 4:33 am
Update, truly baffled. 8 rows, every single one is using "Set tempo".
I can't tell if it's intentional, but some clips have tempo change events in them that match the row tempo. I haven't checked all clips. But one row, there are three MIDI clips, each one has a tempo change event that matches the row tempo. Row tempo is set. When this row launches, the tempo is about 10 BPM slower than the setting.

I don't know if this is strictly reproducible. I am just trying to rehearse something about 15 minutes long to do an open mic and it's driving me out of my mind.

Anyone using clip matrix with row tempo? Is it working OK there?

thx,

DL
By B-Wise Mon Dec 01, 2025 8:07 am
Digital Larry wrote:Update, truly baffled. 8 rows, every single one is using "Set tempo".
I can't tell if it's intentional, but some clips have tempo change events in them that match the row tempo. I haven't checked all clips. But one row, there are three MIDI clips, each one has a tempo change event that matches the row tempo. Row tempo is set. When this row launches, the tempo is about 10 BPM slower than the setting.

I don't know if this is strictly reproducible. I am just trying to rehearse something about 15 minutes long to do an open mic and it's driving me out of my mind.

Anyone using clip matrix with row tempo? Is it working OK there?

thx,

DL

Make sure no tempo automation got recorded in the arranger. You can use the Clear option in the arranger settings.

Maybe the project file is corrupt. Try making a bunch of rows with different tempos in a new project to see if you can recreate the problem. If you can't, try moving the track files to the new project.
By Digital Larry Mon Dec 01, 2025 2:19 pm
B-Wise wrote:Make sure no tempo automation got recorded in the arranger. You can use the Clear option in the arranger settings.

Maybe the project file is corrupt. Try making a bunch of rows with different tempos in a new project to see if you can recreate the problem. If you can't, try moving the track files to the new project.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've also put in a ticket to Akai support. I guess sometimes it boils down to inadequate understanding of the 5 different ways you can do almost everything.

Yesterday I realized that "Global Tempo" means "Current Tempo". If you set one row to Set Tempo, then when that launches (barring my complaint in this thread), the "Global Tempo" is set to the row tempo. If another row is NOT set to "Set Tempo" then it will just play at whatever the current tempo is when it launches. That could depend on what the previous row's tempo was. Seems like you'd either turn "Set Tempo" ON or OFF for ALL rows, unless you really like surprises. But it's not like I can set the Global Tempo to 55 and expect it to stay that way.