Load part of plugin or play more than one sound from a plugi

I just bought my first MPC and it's a key 37.
I do love the concept, and the sounds, and I plan to use it live as the main sound module for me as a keyboard player instead of Mainstage. I want to get rid of the laptop live.

Just one thing:
Why can't I load multiple sounds on separate tracks from one plugin?
The RAM memory dissapears pretty much immediately and the machine becomes useless when trying to load multiple heavy plugins!
Is there a work around or have I missed how to do this.

i want to be able to load like 8 sounds and play them from the 37 and an external 88 note midi keyboard.
With splits and layers made on the separate tracks. It would also be nice to be able to trigger samples at the same time from the pads on the 37.

If it wasn't for the RAM issue it would be very easy.

Could someone please help me with this?

Some plugins are ridiculously RAM heavy, for example one instance of studio strings will take up a third of your available RAM (on the original key 37). Fabric XL instruments each take 25%. For Fabric, the alternative is to use the standard fabric version (around 14% ram each) or use optimised keygroup equivalents (for example the 8 layer pianos in my Piano Suite collection use around 7% each). Keygroups can also be disk streamed, plugins cannot.

Thanks for the reply.
With this in mind it feels kind of weird to have bought those plugins (quite expensive) basically not being able to use them the way I wanted.
I should´ve checked this out before hand of corse. On the other hand why does AKAI sell something that doesn't work properly?
This is 2026 and I'm having RAM issues with a new product?!?!

lidstrommartin wrote:On the other hand why does AKAI sell something that doesn't work properly?
This is 2026 and I'm having RAM issues with a new product?!?!

Not sure I can agree that they don’t work properly, ram limits will always be an issue when working with sample heavy plugins or keygroups that’s how the realism is achieved. If you have a unit with the base ram configuration you have to accept there will be limitations to how many sample heavy instruments you load into it. That’s no different to buying a 16GB ram MacBook and finding you can’t run 8 instances of a 10GB Kontakt library on it.

The key 37 will load 8 plugins but some need to be low ram such as Jura, Odyssey, etc. if you need more working memory, you’ll need an mpc with more ram or use the workarounds mentioned previously.

I do however think Akai should list the ram requirements of each plugin, but then again they do offer a trial so to can test this kind of stuff out before purchasing

lidstrommartin wrote:Thanks for the reply.
With this in mind it feels kind of weird to have bought those plugins (quite expensive) basically not being able to use them the way I wanted.
I should´ve checked this out before hand of corse. On the other hand why does AKAI sell something that doesn't work properly?
This is 2026 and I'm having RAM issues with a new product?!?!

I can totally understand how you feel. All kinds of memory‑related posts have been present since the start of the current MPC line.

Just one simple example is that the system‑reserved RAM was never disclosed, leaving users unaware that the stated physical memory wasn’t fully usable in the first place.

Personally, I use almost exclusively external synthesizers aside from drums and percussion, so I’ve been unaffected by memory.

I’ve had an MPC X (2 GB RAM) since it came out, and I’ve just replaced it with an MPC XL, which has significantly more RAM (16 GB listed). My main reason for switching was the shift in the MPC architecture introduced in version 3, which is now reflected directly in the XL’s updated hardware controls. The memory increase, for me, wasn’t really a deciding factor.

My workflow has shifted toward heavier per‑drum processing in recent years, so the increased plugin capacity gives me useful overhead.

Not that it necessarily helps you right now, but if money permits, the MPC XL could comfortably handle eight plugins. I just tested it with eight Fabric XL instances (I only have the plugin instruments that were included with it) to confirm. Since I don’t know which presets would be “heavy” on memory, I simply loaded eight random presets.

Anyway, for what it's worth, I just figured that you might like to know.

Elektrobolt wrote:only have the plugin instruments that were included with it) to confirm. Since I don’t know which presets would be “heavy” on memory, I simply loaded eight random presets..

An instance of fabric xl always uses the same amount of memory regardless of the patch selected.

A good workaround is to use the Auto Sampler to turn those heavy plugins into Keygroup programs. If you set the Note Stride to 3 or 4 and sample 2–3 octaves, you'll save a huge amount of memory while still keeping the sounds expressive.

Elijah wrote:A good workaround is to use the Auto Sampler to turn those heavy plugins into Keygroup programs. If you set the Note Stride to 3 or 4 and sample 2–3 octaves, you'll save a huge amount of memory while still keeping the sounds expressive.

Thanks Elijah, I'll look into that way of doing it !

Elektrobolt wrote:

lidstrommartin wrote:Thanks for the reply.
With this in mind it feels kind of weird to have bought those plugins (quite expensive) basically not being able to use them the way I wanted.
I should´ve checked this out before hand of corse. On the other hand why does AKAI sell something that doesn't work properly?
This is 2026 and I'm having RAM issues with a new product?!?!

I can totally understand how you feel. All kinds of memory‑related posts have been present since the start of the current MPC line.

Just one simple example is that the system‑reserved RAM was never disclosed, leaving users unaware that the stated physical memory wasn’t fully usable in the first place.

Personally, I use almost exclusively external synthesizers aside from drums and percussion, so I’ve been unaffected by memory.

I’ve had an MPC X (2 GB RAM) since it came out, and I’ve just replaced it with an MPC XL, which has significantly more RAM (16 GB listed). My main reason for switching was the shift in the MPC architecture introduced in version 3, which is now reflected directly in the XL’s updated hardware controls. The memory increase, for me, wasn’t really a deciding factor.

My workflow has shifted toward heavier per‑drum processing in recent years, so the increased plugin capacity gives me useful overhead.

Not that it necessarily helps you right now, but if money permits, the MPC XL could comfortably handle eight plugins. I just tested it with eight Fabric XL instances (I only have the plugin instruments that were included with it) to confirm. Since I don’t know which presets would be “heavy” on memory, I simply loaded eight random presets.

Anyway, for what it's worth, I just figured that you might like to know.

Thanks for your lengthy reply, I appreciate it !
All info is welcome for me as a newcomer to the MPC line.
At the moment I'm thinking of getting a MPC one G2 as an even more travel friendly version giving me at least 4gb of ram. I did use the key 37 now on my last US tour a few days ago and it worked nicely even though I had to only use the not so ram heavy plugins.
Now I'm looking for some plugins with more orchestral and instrumental sounds. Any tips on that?
I'm not into drums and beats at all !

MPC-Tutor wrote:

lidstrommartin wrote:On the other hand why does AKAI sell something that doesn't work properly?
This is 2026 and I'm having RAM issues with a new product?!?!

Not sure I can agree that they don’t work properly, ram limits will always be an issue when working with sample heavy plugins or keygroups that’s how the realism is achieved. If you have a unit with the base ram configuration you have to accept there will be limitations to how many sample heavy instruments you load into it. That’s no different to buying a 16GB ram MacBook and finding you can’t run 8 instances of a 10GB Kontakt library on it.

The key 37 will load 8 plugins but some need to be low ram such as Jura, Odyssey, etc. if you need more working memory, you’ll need an mpc with more ram or use the workarounds mentioned previously.

I do however think Akai should list the ram requirements of each plugin, but then again they do offer a trial so to can test this kind of stuff out before purchasing

Thankd for your reply ! I do understand your point.
However, would it be so difficult for the manufacturer to make it possible to load just a part of a plugin?
That would make a huge difference.
Why is it necessary to load an entire Fabric XL for instance in order to get just one sound?
Why couldn't they sell the plugin as a whole as well as in parts?

lidstrommartin wrote:
Thankd for your reply ! I do understand your point.
However, would it be so difficult for the manufacturer to make it possible to load just a part of a plugin?
That would make a huge difference.
Why is it necessary to load an entire Fabric XL for instance in order to get just one sound?
Why couldn't they sell the plugin as a whole as well as in parts?

Fabric XL the plugin itself weights nothing when it comes to RAM, plugins are CPU bound. What affects the RAM are the samples used in the preset, and that load varies from preset to preset. And I'm pretty sure Fabric XL doesn't load all its preset at the same time when you load one

Fabric (regular) exists because the samples in presets use less RAM. So use that if you think Fabric XL uses too much RAM.

Or get a Gen2 devices as previously suggested by MPC Tutor. Or use regular keygroups optimized for your MPC. There are plenty of options here. MPC Tutor does sell excellent keygroup banks.

This is 2026 and I'm having RAM issues with a new product?!?!

If you own a Gen1 product, It's the same hardware (aside from the Key 61) as the original MPC Live, released in 2017, so almost 10 years ago. The specs weren't hidden from you when you bought that device. 2 GB of RAM in total, 1 GB of RAM for samples.

The MPC Live 3 has 8 GB of RAM, roughly 7 GB for Samples.

Also, as a matter of fact, not that it necessarily applies in this case at all:

The MPC converts samples to 32-bit floating point when brought into RAM. I think this applies to samples for Audio/Drum tracks and I have no way of knowing whether this applies to their plugins, at all. I would guess/hope that it does not.

I wrote about this many versions and years ago, https://www.mpc-forums.com/viewtopic.php?f=48&t=186966&p=1753239&hilit=32+bit+floating+point#p1753239.

I wrote a reply a few posts down from that one, because just as much as one can load into a play format, one can also convert to play format in real-time. Akai just chose the former, which I agree is the correct choice. It just happens to be negative to devices with less memory.