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 Moumoute Thu Jul 25, 2019 2:15 pm
Purchased an MPC a week ago. I'm now fine with some of the basics, but have a question regarding programs.

I have plenty of songs already on MIDI files that I imported on my MPC and created different one project for each of them. All these songs/projects pretty much all use the same drum kit and I already created a program with the sounds I want.

That said, there are slight variations from project to project (kick level, a bit more reverb on the snare, etc.). So should I always use the same program or should I create a new program for each project ?

Just trying to figure the best worklow (for me and memory-wise). The main problem I see by always using the same program is if I make a change in the program and then decide to save the said program, the the program will be saved with all the parameters of the project I'm currently working on, so I would have to re-adjust all this in all the others projects. As an example, if in PROJECT 1 i add a tom to the program, then save the program because I think it's a good idea to have access to that tom in the future, then, it will also save all the parameters used on all the other drum parts for that project, meaning when I'll load PROJECT 2 or PROJECT 3, some of the parameters in the drum program will need to be adjusted to specificly fit those projects. So evertime I will save back the program, it will affect all the projects. Am I right ?

Is always using the same program the best way or I should create a new program for each project ?
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By Monotremata Thu Jul 25, 2019 5:37 pm
I answered you over at GS but in case you see this one first haha...

Use those folders Akai gives you by default in your /Documents/MPC folder!! Every time you make a program in a project, right click on the program in the sample pool and save that thing to /Documents/MPC/Programs! Its even got a folder shortcut set up for it by default. Like I said at GS, every time you load a program, it goes into the system memory. You're not using the one on the hard drive. When you save the project, the program goes WITH the project and from now on, any time you open that project and edit that program, you're ONLY changing that projects copy of the program. You wont touch the original one in the /Programs folder. I make it a habit now when a song is 'finished' to use File->Save All Programs and put them in their own folder in my main Programs directory in case I want to use those particular edited versions later (remix anybody?).

The original MPCs worked the same way, this is why you had to get really creative when you've only got like 32-64MB of ram to work with hehe. That was ALL your song can use for the programs, the song files, the audio, all of it. Thats what I like about the software, I can load up my entire library of Akai programs in one song and still wouldn't run out of memory haha.