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 Schnooker Sat Mar 07, 2026 6:42 pm
As the title suggests, I've got 2 instruments going into the Live 3's combo & phono jacks at the back.
I'm routing both via midi into the Live 3 as well.
My problems is, when I hit play, each instrument is being panned hard left, and the other hard right.
I go into the mixer, and I've set them both up as linked, so this shouldn't be happening.
Could someone please advise me on what I'm doing wrong.

TY.
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By Lampdog Sat Mar 07, 2026 8:56 pm
Instrument 1, what is it, does it need two 1/4 cables going into the MPC?
Instrument 2, what is it, does it need two 1/4 cables going into the MPC?
By Schnooker Sat Mar 07, 2026 10:23 pm
Thanks for the replies..

I have an Erica Synths Steampipe going into both phono inputs as a stern pair, and a Tasty Chips GR-Mega going into both of the combo jack; again, as a stereo pair - both machines are stereo outs, so require stereo pairs (each).

My issue, is that I cannot seem to select both to be played at the same time, unless I record their outputs as Audio tracks, and play from there - I cannot have them both play together as traditional midi input instruments (being paired with an audio track).

Am I to believe that the Live 3 has these various input jacks, only for sampling - they cannot be used with instruments connected, and played at the same time, as in my use case?
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By Lampdog Sat Mar 07, 2026 11:23 pm
Get a mixer with enough ports for all your instruments.

Connect the mixer audio out to Lives 1/4 inputs. This is what MANY people do, me too,
I have all my gear going to a 16 channel mixer, a submix audio out from the mixer to mpc xl audio in, I can sample or play all gear thru the mpc at any time.

Again, get a mixer.
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By Neodymium Sun Mar 08, 2026 1:40 am
Unfortunately the Live 3 only has 2 inputs, which are a choice between phono or jack. I think this is for choosing between instruments or decks. I don't know why they added 2 extra outs on the Live 3, to me it would have made more sense to differentiate the Live form the XL, by giving it 4 inputs and keeping 4 outputs. Then being Live you could integrate more instruments or other musicians in a 'Live ' setting.

There are 3 options:

1. make both your Steampipe and GR- Mega Mono
2. get a cheap mixer. This is a simplest expansion option and the least messy.
3. use a separate interface. When these work they are great, because each synth get's it's own track, and so can be mixed separately using the internal effects. Especially if you plan on adding further hardware synths. I'm on the MPC One and I use the UMC1820, and have no problems. I have also considered the UMC404, to give me a smaller more portable set up.

Here's a thread of different users experiences with interfaces. viewtopic.php?f=48&t=211654&view=unread#unread
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By Lampdog Sun Mar 08, 2026 1:48 am
There are also mixers that are all in 1 combos, ie: audio interface (w/ ability to break out several channels into a daw) + mixer 2 efx + sound card capable.

Tascam Model 12 is a good example.
By Schnooker Sun Mar 08, 2026 8:12 pm
Sorry for the late reply.

I do have a 16 channel mixer, but I also have other options as well - I’ll let you know how it goes..
My main gripe with adding a mixer, is that I’d more than likely have to connect them via the USB C, to utilize the class compliance, but that throws any possibility of also hooking it all up to the computer; at least in real time.
So I guess I’m kind of stuck with only one option at a time, which for me is only really half way there to how I had originally envisioned everything.

I also have an iConnect Audio 4c, which actually has 2 USB C ports, but I’m not home just now, and i’m not sure if they’ll all play nice together.
I will update here in the next day or so..

I also bit the bullet and purchased a Behringer U-Phoria UMC1820 as a last resort, but I will more than likely need to expand my setup, so fingers crossed on that one too.

Anyway thanks again, and sorry once more for the tardiness in replying.
By 40Beatz Mon Mar 09, 2026 1:43 pm
Time to invest in an External Mixer before routing into the MPC
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By kja Mon Mar 09, 2026 5:10 pm
Schnooker wrote:Sorry for the late reply.

I do have a 16 channel mixer, but I also have other options as well - I’ll let you know how it goes..
My main gripe with adding a mixer, is that I’d more than likely have to connect them via the USB C, to utilize the class compliance, but that throws any possibility of also hooking it all up to the computer; at least in real time.
So I guess I’m kind of stuck with only one option at a time, which for me is only really half way there to how I had originally envisioned everything.

I also have an iConnect Audio 4c, which actually has 2 USB C ports, but I’m not home just now, and i’m not sure if they’ll all play nice together.
I will update here in the next day or so..

I also bit the bullet and purchased a Behringer U-Phoria UMC1820 as a last resort, but I will more than likely need to expand my setup, so fingers crossed on that one too.

Anyway thanks again, and sorry once more for the tardiness in replying.

No the output of the mixer goes to the input of the mpc, then you can usb to your interface. That is how you do it.