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 damasio Sun Sep 28, 2025 12:40 pm
I want to be able to drag and drop samples from my mac to my "top of the line" MPC se. The manual specifies i need to reboot and in to controller mode to be able to do that. This not a workable solution because i chop samples on my computer and want to put that in to the mpc for further work. This is a very regular basic workflow that can't be too much to ask from a flagship machine. Dragging usb-sticks & SDcards back and forth is not a workable solution.

Who knows how to achieve this?
-Question: How to drag & drop samples from Mac to MPC SE without controller mode.
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By MPC-Tutor Sun Sep 28, 2025 1:29 pm
Not possible unless you install one of the 'modified', SSH enabled firmwares such as KikGen. You can then leave your MPC X running in standalone mode, your computer running the MPC Software and use SFTP to copy files back and forth without having to boot into controller mode.

You can't just drag over samples directly into an active standalone project though, you'd have to copy them over to your standalone disk and then load them from the standalone browser.

Also you cannot run the MPC X in standalone mode and simultaneously 'control' the MPC Software with your MPCX, you'd just have to use the MPC Software with your mouse etc, or via a third party MIDI controller.
By damasio Sun Sep 28, 2025 1:48 pm
From my perspective: Im running a studio and need to put out music on deadlines. I cant be bothered with no rebooting dragging sd cards and thumbdrives around in 2025. This can't be too much to ask!

Thanks for your pointer to KikGen. It refers to a github page requiring manual programming stuff. This can be a cool thing to do since i've a compsci background, but also hackey and might break software. Are there people on this forum successfully using this?
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By MPC-Tutor Sun Sep 28, 2025 1:58 pm
Lots of people using modified firmwares, and many of us are making them ourselves. This facebook group is probably a better place for advice:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/550328948678055

And this for the Hakai group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/296222559189064/
By damasio Tue Sep 30, 2025 6:59 pm
Trying to get samples from your computer onto the MPC X SE should be simple, right? Unfortunately, it’s anything but. The OS seems to be purposely designed to hinder you from sharing samples from your computer to the MPC (probably to sell more sample packs which i have zero interest in).


To transfer files between the MPC and PC via a USB cable connection, it insists you reboot into Controller Mode—nobody wants this reboot cycle breaking their creative flow.

So instead, you might copy your samples from the computer to a USB stick i guess this should enable copy and pasting samples to the MPC X right???? NOOOOO. By itself this is a nuisance already but to annoy you even more:

BUT!!! When loading samples from a USB stick, you can only load and save the samples you actively use in your projects, not efficiently manage or copy large sample libraries all at once. Absolutely spectacular (banging head against the wall).

I cant remember being so SPECTACULARLY ANNOYED by a piece of gear. It has good features it fills a gap, but with this illogical annoying implementation i have too much friction in my workflow and might be unable to use it at all.
By 40Beatz Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:13 pm
Bounce To Sample from the Project...Then....USB Stick it