MPC 3 - WTF, AKAI?

robleighton22 wrote:I gave the clip workflow a go. Was an Ableton user, Push 2 & 3. etc as well as old school MPCs.

Love the fact its an option, hate it as the dominant workflow for song creation. Whilst it adds flexibility i find it forces me down rabbit holes. Whereas working within a defined 2, 4 or 8 bar sequence is a more limited but focused workflow. But having the ability to add one or two variations, or solo tracks that are not coupled to the main sequence is amazing.

I disagree that working in clip matrix is easier. If you use upto 8 tracks maybe, but if you use more than 8 tracks it gets confusing. I prefer track mute style sequencing as that allows you to work with 16 tracks in one view.

How is it the dominant workflow for song creation if you don't have to use it?
You can still just use the Arranger/128 Seqs & the song mode.

datamancer wrote:"Akai" is not "Akai" anymore, it is InMusic brands, and it's total garbage now. Plastic pieces of sh** designed for people graduating from fruity loops.

Don't be that guy man. Not everyone has to like or hate what you do. Never used FL for even one minute. Still like the MPC3 like I liked the MPC2 and before that the jjos. It's just not your tech anymore. Stay with the tech you like if it already does what you want it to do. But don't be the arrogant one.

B-Wise wrote:

robleighton22 wrote:I gave the clip workflow a go. Was an Ableton user, Push 2 & 3. etc as well as old school MPCs.

Love the fact its an option, hate it as the dominant workflow for song creation. Whilst it adds flexibility i find it forces me down rabbit holes. Whereas working within a defined 2, 4 or 8 bar sequence is a more limited but focused workflow. But having the ability to add one or two variations, or solo tracks that are not coupled to the main sequence is amazing.

I disagree that working in clip matrix is easier. If you use upto 8 tracks maybe, but if you use more than 8 tracks it gets confusing. I prefer track mute style sequencing as that allows you to work with 16 tracks in one view.

How is it the dominant workflow for song creation if you don't have to use it?
You can still just use the Arranger/128 Seqs & the song mode.

Sorry choice of wording was confusing - there is no forced workflow. I meant 'dominant' in terms of what workflow you decide to use. I.e. if you sequence your sections using scenes in the matrix, then that's the primary/dominate method you are adopting. Alternatively you can use multiple chained sequences as you primary method. Or if guess other option is build an arrangement from one sequence without.

In anycase you can still use clip matrix to either drive or support the process.

As one of the more 'prolific' users here with over 10 k views on a recent track I will not upgrade to v3 either.

There is simply no reason to upgrade, but many reasons not to.

For me its essential to start on a single short sequence or a few sequences, and build upon them,
and then create variations, exchange instruments on tracks within sequences, and its essential to have non 4/4 bars.
I only made like 10 4/4 tracks out of hundreds in the past ten years.

The old Akai workflow was what got me into MPC and keep it after trying.

I wish they would fix the bugs in version 2.
Also, I can not spend any more money on new plugins, since they are not released on v2.

And of course I will not spend on an upgrade of the hardware.

They have lost me as a returning customer.
Moreover, I used to recommend the machines, and at least 5, probably even more, have bought Akai because of that. I cant do that anymore, on the contrary.

So Akai has lost a lot if money from my side, and much more from others.
Seems like they dont need it.

moonlake wrote:There is simply no reason to upgrade, but many reasons not to.

This is very subjective.

moonlake wrote:So Akai has lost a lot if money from my side, and much more from others.
Seems like they dont need it.

Time will tell if the business decision to change the platform was a good one.

I understand your frustration. The best advice I can come up with is only not to get too emotional when it comes to companies. They are not your friends. You as an individual are nothing to them.

I have been using the MPC since 1995 . Learned the work flow created loads of sequences to create a beat then created songs in song mode.. then loaded several programs just to have in memory to not use.. alot of redundant workflow.. the new OS love the color GUI is growing on me .. I couldn't imagine using it on the live or smaller units to much button pushing.. I have the X so less diving.. my workflow is faster and learned the arranger which is nice.. so subjective to the user.. but if all you cared about was bugs then you wouldn't have bought the plugins and so on.. use love it because my mpc 3k and 2k only had 2 firmware updates then akai Japan sold.. be happy your getting what you get.. or learn to play acoustic drums

I am not particularly frustrated, I keep using as is just as I did before.
Some plugins and less bugs and a slightly more robust hardware would be nice
but its not mandatory for me.

I just wanted to chime in to stress OP is not alone,
and I dont understand the decisions behind the changes.

I do understand that the old workflow was not for everyone,
so there was a potential of new customers.

And indeed there was and is room for improvements...

But, figuratively, if you grow one crop and realize theres also demand for another crop,
you dont destroy the your well selling old crop, if anything you grow them side by side.

Matter of fact is, there is no fully functional OS at the moment,
neither the old one is nor the new one, and thats the state for a couple of years now.

Hey, whats your day job, Mr Mc Akai? Just asking out of curiousity.

moonlake wrote:
Matter of fact is, there is no fully functional OS at the moment,
neither the old one is nor the new one, and thats the state for a couple of years now.

FACTS. that is the absolute 100% truth. there is no version of mpc software that is in a 100% working state. In reality got worse as they went on.

They added new features sure, but didnt fix any bugs and created new bugs in their new features and some new ones in older features.. I cant name one other device for music that has been so sketchy.. *flips through his mind..* nada...

The trick is to just find a rom you can tollerate and master it. keep the unit static.

Akai did not make MPC 2x vanish. If that was the epitome of your workflow, that made you gush and glow and sing it's praises from the heavens, keep using it.

The MPC LIve 3 is probably their best selling most profitable version ever. Akai will be fine moneywise. Everybody does not want exactly what everybody else wants. MPC is software.

Like every software program, it has bugs. Stop pretending like it's keeping you from making million dollar tracks. if you need an excuse to not make music then you should reconsider if you actually enjoy making music.

SuperKonquer wrote:Akai did not make MPC 2x vanish. If that was the epitome of your workflow, that made you gush and glow and sing it's praises from the heavens, keep using it.

The MPC LIve 3 is probably their best selling most profitable version ever. Akai will be fine moneywise. Everybody does not want exactly what everybody else wants. MPC is software.

Like every software program, it has bugs. Stop pretending like it's keeping you from making million dollar tracks. if you need an excuse to not make music then you should reconsider if you actually enjoy making music.

Nah, Akai needs to held accountable for the state of their OS and software. If that offends them that others feel that way then keep on stepping. Don't insult us.

SuperKonquer wrote:Like every software program, it has bugs.

MPC OS is (one of) the most bug ridden commercial software I have ever used.

Either the management does not care or the sales are too low to properly staff the software development department.

The state of the OS is good enough for me to use it for fun, though (I'm an amateur anyway).

Linen Associate wrote:

SuperKonquer wrote:Akai did not make MPC 2x vanish. If that was the epitome of your workflow, that made you gush and glow and sing it's praises from the heavens, keep using it.

The MPC LIve 3 is probably their best selling most profitable version ever. Akai will be fine moneywise. Everybody does not want exactly what everybody else wants. MPC is software.

Like every software program, it has bugs. Stop pretending like it's keeping you from making million dollar tracks. if you need an excuse to not make music then you should reconsider if you actually enjoy making music.

Nah, Akai needs to held accountable for the state of their OS and software. If that offends them that others feel that way then keep on stepping. Don't insult us.

So the few bugs are affecting you from coming up with ideas and creating music? Imagine if you didn't have software and 1 revision of firmware for your MPC you sound entitled its 2026 enjoy life

Fred Again was still on MPC 2 firmware as of late 2025. That should say something. Considering he is (and will be) a more successful artist/performer than 99.7% of the rest of us on this forum

Means nothing to me

jaymack wrote:Means nothing to me

For the rest us it means that if the commercially most successful MPC user currently is not using MPC 3 firmware. MPC 3 firmware is simply not 'there' yet