AKAI MPC Live User Guide

User Guide
English
Manual Version 1.0

Table of Contents

System Requirements & Product Support ...... 4
About This User Guide ...................................... 4
Important Notes ................................................. 5
Setup ................................................................... 5
1. Connection .................................................. 5
2. Installation ................................................... 6
3. Getting Started ............................................ 6
Features .................................................................. 7
Top Panel ............................................................ 7
Touchscreen .................................................... 9
Rear Panel ........................................................ 10
Tutorial / Basic Concepts .................................... 11
Starting Up ....................................................... 11
Creating a Drum Kit ......................................... 11
Creating a Drum Sequence ............................ 12
Saving & Renaming ......................................... 13
Editing Note Events ......................................... 14
Making Basic Sound Edits .............................. 15
Creating a Bass Track ..................................... 16
Recording an Audio Track .............................. 19
Creating a Song ............................................... 20
Exporting the Song ........................................... 20
Other Features Explained ................................ 21
Step Sequencer ............................................. 21
Drum Loops & Chop Mode ............................ 22
Pad Muting & Track Muting ........................... 23
Sampling (Recording) ..................................... 24
Sample Editing ............................................... 25
Recording Automation with the XY Pad ........ 26
Using MPC Live as a Controller ..................... 26
Operation ............................................................... 27
General Features .............................................. 28
Battery Usage ................................................ 28
Control Types ................................................. 28
Programs ........................................................ 34
About Programs ................................................. 34
Drum Programs ................................................. 35
Keygroup Programs ........................................... 37
Clip Programs .................................................... 38
Plugin Programs ................................................. 40
MIDI Programs ................................................... 41
CV Programs ..................................................... 42
Menu .............................................................. 43
Save .................................................................. 44
Preferences ........................................................ 44
Mode ................................................................. 48
System Resources ............................................. 48
Time Counter .................................................. 49
Automation ..................................................... 50
Global ................................................................ 50
Programs & Audio Tracks ................................... 50
16 Level .......................................................... 51
Erase .............................................................. 51
Effects ............................................................ 52
Overview ............................................................ 52
Insert Effects ...................................................... 54
Send/Return Effects ........................................... 58
Audio Mixdown .............................................. 61
Standalone vs. Controller Mode .................... 62
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Modes ............................................................... 64
Main Mode ..................................................... 65
Grid View ....................................................... 84
Audio Edit Mode ............................................ 88
Track View ..................................................... 94
MIDI Tracks ........................................................ 95
Audio Tracks ...................................................... 96
Step Sequencer ............................................. 97
XYFX Mode .................................................. 100
Sample Edit Mode ....................................... 102
Settings ........................................................... 104
Trim Mode ....................................................... 105
Chop Mode ...................................................... 113
Program Mode ................................................. 121
Sampler ....................................................... 127
Sample ............................................................ 129
Slice ................................................................. 130
Pad Tap ........................................................... 131
Pad Hold .......................................................... 131
Pad Mute Mode ........................................... 132
Pad Mute ......................................................... 133
Pad Group ....................................................... 133
Pad Mixer .................................................... 134
Levels .............................................................. 135
Panning ........................................................... 135
Mute ................................................................ 135
Send Effects .................................................... 136
Insert Effects .................................................... 136
Routing ............................................................ 136
Next Sequence Mode .................................. 137
Program Edit Mode ..................................... 139
Drum Programs ............................................... 139
Keygroup Programs ......................................... 146
Clip Programs .................................................. 154
Plugin Programs ............................................... 157
MIDI Programs ................................................. 158
CV Programs ................................................... 158
Anatomy of an Envelope .................................. 159
Looper ......................................................... 160
Track Mute Mode ........................................ 163
Track Mute ....................................................... 164
Track Group ..................................................... 164
Channel Mixer .............................................. 165
MIDI Tracks ...................................................... 167
Audio Tracks .................................................... 168
Programs ......................................................... 169
Returns ............................................................ 170
Submixes ......................................................... 171
Masters ............................................................ 171
Song Mode ................................................... 172
Browser ........................................................ 174
Pad Perform Mode ....................................... 177
Pad Color Mode ........................................... 180
Q-Link Edit Mode ......................................... 181
Project ............................................................. 183
Program ........................................................... 184
Pad Scene ....................................................... 185
Pad Parameters ............................................... 186
Screen ............................................................. 187
MIDI Control Mode ....................................... 188
Pads ................................................................ 189
Buttons ............................................................ 189
Q-Link Knobs ................................................... 190
XY Pad ............................................................. 190
Appendix .............................................................. 191
Effects & Parameters ..................................... 191
Glossary ........................................................... 205
SATA Drive Installation .................................. 208
Technical Specifications ............................... 209
Trademarks & Licenses ................................. 210
3

Introduction

Thanks for choosing the MPC Live. Fusing Akai Professional’s legendary MPC layout and workflow with multi-core processing power, MPC Live is an unrivaled instrument for music production.
Introducing a new approach to music production with an ultra-fast and super-intuitive workflow, the MPC Live is powered by a radiant 7” color multi-touch display. Literally grab and pinch waveforms, draw midi events, adjust envelopes, chop samples, add effects and precisely set your controls using your fingertips. Combined with the classic MPC feel, sound and vastly improved pads, the MPC Live embodies the best elements of our past while taking music production tech into the future.
Welcome to the MPC family.
Akai Professional

System Requirements & Product Support

For the latest information about this product (system requirements, compatibility information, etc.) and product registration, visit akaipro.com.
For additional support, visit akaipro.com/support.

About This User Guide

This manual should help you get familiar with using the MPC Live. For consistency, the terminology throughout is based on the MPC parameter names. We also used specific formatting to indicate particular topics of significance:
Important/Note/Tip: Important or helpful information on a given topic.
Names of buttons, controls, parameters, settings, and other options are written in bold characters throughout the manual.
Examples: Press the Play Start button.
Turn Q-Link Knob 4.
Tap the Mute button.
The Velocity ranges from 0 to 127.
Set the Sample Play selector to One Shot.
Tap BPM, and then use the numeric keypad to enter a 120 as the tempo.
Some parts of this manual refer to other relevant chapters or sections, which are cited in bold, italic blue characters. Click the text to skip immediately to that section.
Examples: Read the Important Notes section before proceeding.
For more information about installing the necessary drivers and software, please see the Installation section.
To learn more about using send effects, see General Features > Effects > Send/Return Effects.
4

Important Notes

Read the included safety & warranty manual before using MPC Live.
Before getting started and connecting devices to MPC Live or turning the hardware on/off, make sure all devices are switched off.
To use MPC Live in Controller Mode (to control the MPC software):
Before installing the MPC software, make sure your computer meets the system requirements described at
akaipro.com. This applies whether you’ll use MPC software as your host software or as a plugin in another digital
audio workstation (DAW).
Before connecting MPC Live to your computer, install the drivers and software. Visit akaipro.com to download the latest versions. Refer to the Installation section for more information.

Setup

1. Connection

Here is just an example of how to use MPC Live in your setup. Items not listed under Introduction > Box Contents of your included quickstart guide are sold separately.
SD Card
USB
drive
Powered Monitors
Computer Turntable
Power (optional)
Remember to remove the protective film from the MPC Live touchscreen!
To use MPC Live in Standalone Mode, just power it on! If this is the first time you’re using MPC Live, its battery will be only partially charged. We recommend connecting it to a power outlet, using the included power adapter, to charge it fully. You can use MPC Live as its battery charges.
Note: We highly recommend checking akaipro.com for any available updates to the MPC Live software/firmware and/or drivers.
To use MPC Live in Controller Mode, continue to Step 2. Installation.
5

2. Installation

To use MPC Live in Controller Mode (to control the MPC software), follow these steps to download and install the required drivers & software:
1. Go to akaipro.com and register your product. If you don’t have an Akai Professional account yet, you will be prompted to create one.
2. In your Akai Professional account, download the MPC software package.
3. Open the file and double-click the installer application.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
Note: By default, the MPC software will be installed in [your hard drive]\Program Files\Akai Pro\MPC (Windows®) or Applications (Mac® OS X®). You can also create a shortcut on your Desktop.

3. Getting Started

1. Power on MPC Live.
2. On your computer, open the MPC software.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to authorize your version of MPC.
4. You will need an iLok account and iLok License Manager to complete this. You can create an account and download the license manager at ilok.com.
Make a note of the PACE code in your account, and enter it when asked for it during the authorization/unlock process.
5. On MPC Live, check the upper-right corner of the touchscreen:
If there is a monitor/cable icon under the battery icon, then MPC Live is already in Controller Mode. Continue to Step 6.
If there a chip icon under the battery icon, then MPC Live is in Standalone Mode. Follow these steps:
i. Press Menu to enter the Menu.
ii. Tap the MPC chip icon in the upper-right corner.
iii. In the Enter Controller Mode window that appears, tap Controller Mode.
Looking for computer may appear briefly in the touchscreen before MPC Live recognizes the USB connection as a controller.
6. In the MPC software, click the Edit menu, and select Preferences. Click the Audio tab and select the sound card you want to use. Click OK when you are done.
Important:
We highly recommend using your MPC Live’s sound card (Akai Pro MPC Live ASIO). If you need to use the internal sound card on a Windows computer, we recommend downloading the latest ASIO4ALL driver at asio4all.com.
To view the MPC software user guide, click the Help menu and select MPC User Manual.
6

Features

This chapter explains the features and functions of your MPC Live.

Top Panel

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1. Touchscreen: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC Live’s current operation. Touch the display (and use the hardware controls) to control the MPC interface. See the later Touchscreen section to learn how to use some basic functions.
2. Data Dial: Use this dial to scroll through the available menu options or adjust the parameter values of the selected field in the touchscreen. Pressing the dial also functions as an Enter button.
3. Q-Link Knobs: Use these touch-sensitive knobs to adjust various parameters and settings. The knobs can control one group of parameters at a time. The lights below the Q-Link button indicate the currently selected column of Q­Link knobs. Press the Q-Link button to change which parameter or group of parameters they currently control.
4. Q-Link Button: Press this button to change which parameter or group of parameters the Q-Link knobs currently control (indicated by the lights above the Q-Link knobs). Each press will select the next column of Q-Link knobs.
Press and hold Shift and then press this button to select the previous column of Q-Link knobs instead.
Press and hold this button to show the QLink window over the touchscreen’s current contents. These are the same parameters and settings as what is shown in Q-Link Edit Mode. You can tap Q-Link Edit at the bottom of the window to enter Q-Link Edit Mode immediately (see Operation > Modes > Q-Link Edit Mode to learn about this).
5. Pads: Use these pads to trigger drum hits or other samples. The pads are velocity-sensitive and pressure­sensitive, which makes them very responsive and intuitive to play. The pads will light up different colors, depending on how hard you play them (ranging from yellow at a low velocity to red at the highest velocity). You can also customize their colors.
6. Pad Bank Buttons: Press any of these buttons to access Pad Banks A–D. Press and hold Shift while pressing any of these buttons to access Pad Banks E–H. Alternatively, double-press one of these buttons.
7. Note Repeat/Latch: Press and hold this button, and then press a pad to trigger that pad’s sample repeatedly. The rate is based on the current tempo and Time Correct settings.
Press and hold Shift and then press this button to “latch” the Note Repeat feature. When latched, you do not have to hold the Note Repeat button for it to be activated. Press Note Repeat once more to unlatch it.
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8. Full Level/Half Level: Press this button to activate/deactivate Full Level. When activated, the pads will always trigger their samples at the maximum velocity (127), regardless of the amount of force you use.
Press and hold Shift and then press this button to activate/deactivate Half Level. When activated, the pads will always trigger their samples at half-velocity (64).
9. 16 Level: Press this button to activate/deactivate 16 Level. When activated, the last pad that was hit will be temporarily copied to all 16 pads. The pads will now output the same note number as the initial pad, but a selectable parameter will be fixed at values that increase as the pad numbers increase (e.g., Pad 1 is the minimum, Pad 16 is the maximum), regardless of how hard you press them. In the screen that appears, use the Type selector to choose the parameter: Velocity, Tune, Filter, Layer, Attack, or Decay. See Operation >
General Features > 16 Level to learn more.
10. Erase: As a Sequence is playing, press and hold this button and then press a pad to delete the note event for that pad at the current playback position. This is a quick way to delete note events from your sequence without having to stop playback. See Operation > General Features > Erase to learn more.
11. Shift: Press and hold this button to access some buttons’ secondary functions (indicated by grey writing).
Double-press this button to see which buttons have secondary functions—the buttons will flash for a few seconds.
12. Menu/Browse: Press this button to open the Menu. You can tap an option in the Menu to enter that mode, view, etc.
Press and hold Shift and then press this button to view the Browser. You can use the Browser to locate and select programs, samples, sequences, etc.
13. Main/Track: Press this button to enter Main Mode.
Press and hold
Shift and then press this button to enter the Track View.
14. Undo/Redo: Press this button to undo your last action. Hold down Shift and press this button to redo the last action you undid.
15. Copy/Delete: Press this button to copy one pad to another. When the From Pad field is selected, press the “source” pad (the pad you want to copy). When the To Pad graphic (of all pads) is selected, press the “destination” pad. You can select multiple destination pads, and you can select pads in different pad banks. Tap Do It to continue or Cancel to return to the previous screen.
Press and hold Shift and press this button to delete.
16. –/+: Press these buttons to decrease/increase the value of the selected field in the touchscreen.
17. Play: Press this button to play the sequence from the audio pointer’s current position.
18. Play Start: Press this button to play the sequence from its start point.
19. Stop: Press this button to stop playback. You can double-press this button to silence audio that is still sounding once a note stops playing. Quickly pressing this button three times will act as a “MIDI panic” and shut off all voices and stop all audio processing. You can also press this button to abort the loading any files that are being loaded (e.g., if you select a project or program by accident).
20. Rec: Press this button to record-arm the sequence. Press Play or Play Start to start recording. Recording in this way (as opposed to using Overdub) erases the events of the current sequence. After the sequence plays through once while recording, Overdub will be enabled.
21. Overdub: Press this button to enable Overdub. When enabled, you can record events in a Sequence without overwriting any previously recorded events. You can enable Overdub before or during recording.
22. Tap Tempo: Press this button in time with the desired tempo to enter a new tempo (in BPM).
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Touchscreen

Here is some general information about how to use the MPC Live touchscreen:
Tap a button or option to select it. Use the data dial or –/+ buttons to change its setting or value
Spread two fingers to zoom in (into a section of a waveform, for example). Pinch two fingers to zoom out.
Double-tap a button to access advanced editing options. In some cases, this will show a numeric keypad that you can use to enter a value (an alternative to the data dial or –/+ buttons). Tap the upper-left part of the touchscreen to return to the previous view.
The top of the touchscreen shows the toolbar, which contains information about the current view (often the name of the current track, sequence, audio pointe position, etc.). Tap an item to select it.
The bottom of the touchscreen shows various buttons that you can use in the current view. Tap a button to press it.
To return to a previous view, either tap outside of the window currently in the touchscreen or tap the left arrow () in the upper-left part of the touchscreen.
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Rear Panel

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1. Power Input: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC Live to a power outlet.
2. Power Switch: Turns MPC Live’s power on/off.
3. Charging Indicator: This light (behind the vent) will turn on when MPC Live’s internal battery is charging (when the power input is connected to a power outlet). When the battery is fully charged or when it is disconnected from a power outlet, then this light will turn off.
4. USB-B Port: Use the included USB cable to connect this USB 3.0 port to an available USB 3.0 port on your computer. This connection allows MPC Live to send/receive MIDI and audio data to/from the MPC software on your computer. It also allows any connected USB drives, SD cards, and drives connected to the internal SATA port to mount on your computer (i.e., your computer can access these storage devices that are connected to your MPC Live).
5. USB-A Ports: Connect USB flash drives to these USB ports to access their files directly using MPC Live. MPC Live supports read and write capability for exFAT, FAT32, NTFS, and EXT4 file systems a well as read-only capability for HFS+ file systems. (We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and Mac OS X.)
6. SD Card Slot: Insert a standard SD/SDHC card into this slot to access its files directly using MPC Live.
7. Rec Vol: Turn this knob to adjust the volume of the inputs.
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8. Master Vol: Turn this knob to adjust the volume of Outputs 1/2 and the phones output.
9. Inputs (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these inputs to an audio source (mixer, synthesizer, drum machine, etc.). In Sample Record Mode, you can select whether you want to record either channel or both channels in stereo or in mono. To use these inputs, set the Line/Phono switch to Line.
10. Inputs (RCA): Use a standard RCA stereo cable to connect these inputs to a phono-level audio source like a turntable. In Sample Record Mode, you can select whether you want to record either channel or both channels in stereo or in mono. To use these inputs, set the Line/Phono switch to Phono.
11. Line/Phono Switch: Set this switch to the appropriate position, depending on which inputs you want to use. If you are using the RCA inputs, set this switch to Phono to provide the additional amplification needed for phono­level signals. If you are using the 1/4” (6.35 mm) inputs, such as a keyboard or a sampler, set this switch to Line.
12. Groundi terminals. If you experience a low “hum” or “buzz”, this could mean that your turntables are not grounded.
Note: Some turntables have a grounding wire built into the RCA connection and, therefore, nothing needs to be connected to the grounding terminal.
13. Outputs (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these outputs to your monitors, mixer, etc.). The Master L/R outputs are the same as Outputs 1/2.
14. Phones (1/8” / 3.5 mm): Connect standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) stereo headphones to this output.
15. MIDI In: Use a standard 5-pin MIDI cable to connect this input to the MIDI output of an external MIDI device (synthesizer, drum machine, etc.).
16. MIDI Out: Use a standard 5-pin MIDI cable to connect this output to the MIDI input of an external MIDI device (synthesizer, drum machine, etc.).
17. Kensington
ng Terminal: If using phono-level turntables with a grounding wire, connect the grounding wire to these
®
Lock Slot: You can use this slot to secure your MPC Live to a table or other surface.
10

Tutorial / Basic Concepts

This chapter should help you to familiarize yourself with some basic features in MPC Live. To get the most out of this chapter, we recommend reproducing each of the described steps.
Important:
MPC Live’s four Q-Link knobs control up to four parameters at a time—up to 16 within each screen. Whenever this manual instructs you to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters, you can use the Q-Link button (above the Q- Link knobs) to move through the four columns of four Q-Link knobs.
Press and hold the Q-Link button to see an overview of all 16 Q-Link knobs and their parameters. You can then tap any column of knobs to select those four Q-Link knobs, and then release the Q-Link button.
On the following pages we will create a short song to show you some of MPC Live’s most important features.

Starting Up

Make sure you have completed all of the steps described in Introduction > Setup. This includes:
Installing the most current drivers and software.
Connecting your MPC Live to a power source using the included power adapter and powering it on.
Opening and authorizing your MPC software.

Creating a Drum Kit

Let’s start by making a simple drum kit.
Press Shift+Menu/Browse to show the Browser. Then, use the touchscreen to navigate to where your drum sounds are located:
To browse your files by location, tap Places on the
left side of the touchscreen. Internal is the MPC Live’s internal drive. MPC Documents is a shortcut to the MPC Documents folder on the internal drive. If you have USB drives connected to MPC Live’s USB ports, they will appear in this column, as well.
Important: MPC Live supports read and write capability for exFAT, FAT32, NTFS, and EXT4 file systems as well as read-only capability for HFS+ file systems. (We recommend using an exFAT file system as it is the most robust one supported by both Windows and Mac OS X.)
To browse your files by type, tap Content and then tap
the type of file: Drums, Instruments, Clips, Samples, Demos, or My Files.
To move up one folder level, tap the folder/ icon in
the upper-left corner.
To move through a list, swipe up or down, turn the
data dial or use the /+ buttons.
To select a file or folder, tap it once.
To enter a folder, double-tap it or tap Open in the
lower-right corner. Alternatively, press the data dial to enter a selected folder.
To load a selected file, double-tap it, tap Load, or
press the data dial. If the file is a sample, it will be loaded to the project’s sample pool. If the file is a project, it will be loaded in its entirety (you will be asked if you want to close your current project).
To load all files in a selected folder, press and hold
Shift and then tap Load All in the lower-right corner.
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To delete a selected file, press and hold Shift and then tap Delete File at the bottom of the touchscreen.
To preview a selected sound, tap and hold Play () at the bottom of the touchscreen.
To enable or disable the audition function and set its volume level, tap Audition at the bottom of the
touchscreen. In the screen that appears, tap Auto to enable or disable it, and tap and drag the level slider up or down to set the volume level. Tap Audition once more to hide the window.
To show the information for the current drive, press and hold Shift and then tap Drive Info at the bottom of
the touchscreen. The drive’s information will appear in a new window. Tap OK to return to the previous screen.
After loading samples for a drum kit into the sample pool, use the Sample Assign tab to assign a kick drum sound to a pad:
1. Tap Sample Assign at the bottom of the touchscreen. This lets you view the pads and project’s sample pool.
2. Press Pad 1 or tap Pad 1 in the touchscreen to select it. The pad will be lit green.
3. Swipe the Sample Pool list up or down or use the data dial or –/+ buttons to move through it.
4. To load a sample to the selected pad (Pad 1, in this case) tap it in the Sample Pool list or press the data dial. Now, you can press Pad 1 to play the kick drum sample.
To create a simple drum kit, repeat the above steps for other pads. We recommend loading a snare drum, a closed hi-hat, and an open hi-hat.

Creating a Drum Sequence

Now that your drum kit is set up, let’s record a drum sequence.
1. Press Menu to enter the Menu, and then tap Grid View.
2. Press Tap Tempo repeatedly at the speed you want to record your sequence. MPC Live will detect the rate and adjust itself automatically.
3. Press the Rec button to activate Record Mode.
4. Press the Play button to start the actual recording. The pre-count will count one measure before MPC Live starts to record. We recommend recording only one sound (pad) at a time, especially if you are not familiar with playing drums on the pads.
5. Play a simple bass drum pattern. The note events you just recorded will automatically be placed in the grid (in this case, on 16th notes). The initial measure length is two bars. After the two bars, the recording will enter Overdub Mode automatically; the sequence plays again from the beginning and keeps looping, allowing you to record further notes. Don’t stop the recording!
6. Play the snare drum part, then a hi-hat part.
7. When you’re done recording, press the Stop button.
If you start recording again on this sequence, keep in mind that the pads you play in your new recording will automatically replace existing notes played with the same pads. To prevent this, you can start again from Step 1 but press the Overdub button instead of the Rec button. Overdub lets you record additional note events over the existing Sequence.
The Undo button functions differently while in Record Mode. Normally, pressing Undo will undo just the last event. When there is an event to undo, the Undo button will be lit solid. While recording, the Undo button will flash. In this case, pressing Undo will erase all events from that recording (i.e., since Play or Play Start was pressed).
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Saving & Renaming

We recommend doing some renaming of your programs and samples before going further.
The collection of drum samples you loaded earlier (and their respective pad assignments) are arranged into a program. When you load this program in the future, you will be able to use all of the samples that belong to it.
Let’s rename the exisiting program as we’ll want to create more programs later on.
To rename a program:
1. Press Main to enter Main Mode.
2. In the Program section in the lower part of the touchscreen, tap the cursor icon on the right edge.
3. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name (e.g., Drums), and then tap Do It.
To rename your samples:
1. Press Menu to show the Menu, and tap Sample Edit to enter Sample Edit Mode.
2. The Sample field at the top of the touchscreen will show the name of a sample. Select a sample in one of the following ways:
When the Sample field is selected, use the data dial or /+ buttons to change it.
Double-tap the Sample field and tap one in the list that appears.
3. Tap the keyboard icon next to it to rename the current sample.
4. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name (e.g., Kick, Snare, etc.), and then tap Do It.
Repeat Steps 2–4 to rename other samples.
Now would be a good time to save your project.
To save your project, press Menu to show the Menu, and tap the disk icon at the top of the touchscreen to open the Save window. In the Save window, do any of the following:
To select the storage device you want to view, tap it in the Storage column on the left. Internal is the MPC Live’s internal drive. MPC Documents is a shortcut to the MPC Documents folder on the internal drive. If you have USB
drives connected to MPC Live’s USB ports, they will appear in this column, as well.
To enter a folder, double-tap it. Alternatively, turn the data dial or use the /+ buttons to move through the list, and press the data dial to enter a folder. You can also tap one of the five folder buttons in the upper-right to jump immediately to those
pre-assigned file paths (see Operation > Modes > Browser to learn how to do this).
To create a new folder, tap New Folder, use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a name, and then tap Do It. You will immediatel
y enter the new folder.
To move up one folder level, tap the folder/ icon.
To name the file, tap the File Name field at the bottom of the touchscreen, and use the virtual keyboard that appears.
To save the file, tap Save.
To cancel and return to the Menu, tap Cancel. Alternatively, tap the icon in the upper-left corner.
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Editing Note Events

In the grid, you can see your recorded notes (or note events) as a sequence.
To enter Grid View, press Main, and then tap the grid icon on the left edge of the touchscreen.
In the Grid View, you can do any of the following:
To zoom in or out, tap the magnifying-glass icon in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, spread two
fingers apart or pinch two fingers together. You can do this for each axis, horizontal or vertical.
To automatically set the grid to view one pad bank and two bars, tap the grid-and-magnifying-glass
icon in the lower-left corner.
To undo your last action, press Undo.
To redo the last action you undid, press Shift+Undo/Redo.
To enter a note, tap the pencil icon in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, tap a square.
To delete a note, tap the eraser icon in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, tap a note.
To select a single note, tap the select box in the upper-right corner. Then, in the grid, tap the note.
To select all notes for a pad, press the desired pad.
To move the selected notes, tap Nudge at the bottom of the touchscreen, and then use the data dial or –
/+ buttons to shift the notes left or right. By default, you can position notes only by quantization values defined by the Time Correct value (learn about this feature in Operation > Modes > Main Mode).
To move the selected notes without restricting (“snapping”) them to the quantization grid, tap and hold Don’t Snap in the lower-left corner of the touchscreen, and then use the
notes. In this case, each nudge is equivalent to four ticks.
To adjust the start point or end point of the selected notes (without changing their position), tap Edit
Start at the bottom of the touchscreen, and then use the data dial or /+ buttons.
To transpose the selected notes up or down, tap Transpose at the bottom of the touchscreen, and then
use the data dial or –/+ buttons.
To switch to the previous or next track, press and hold Shift, and then tap Track – or Track + (respectively)
at the bottom of the touchscreen.
To mute or solo the track, press and hold Shift, and then tap Mute or Solo (respectively) at the bottom of
the touchscreen.
To open the Timing Correct window, press and hold Shift, and then tap TC at the bottom of the
touchscreen. This feature is described in Operation > Modes > Main Mode.
To adjust the metronome settings, press and hold Shift, and then tap Click at the bottom of the
touchscreen. This feature is described in Operation > Modes > Main Mode.
To adjust the velocity of the selected notes, tap Velocity at the bottom of the touchscreen, and then use
the data dial or –/+ buttons. The numeri
c value will appear on the screen.
To show or hide the velocity lane, tap the up arrow () button in the lower-right corner of the touchscreen
to show the velocity lane below the grid. Each note’s velocity is represented by a vertical bar. The higher and more red the bar is, the higher the velocity is.
Tap the up arrow () button once more to show a taller version of the velocity lane after which it will turn into a down arrow () button, which you can then tap to hide the velocity lane.
data dial or –/+
buttons to shift the
14

Making Basic Sound Edits

Let’s make sure the samples are properly tuned and have good levels.
Press Menu, and then tap Program Edit to enter Program Edit Mode.
Press a pad to show its parameters in the touchscreen.
To adjust its volume, tap and drag the Volume knob up or down. Alternatively, use the data dial or –/+ buttons. To make finer adjustments, double-tap the knob and adjust the larger version that appears. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen.
To adjust its stereo panning, tap and drag the Pan knob up or down. Alternatively, use the data dial or –/+ buttons. To make finer adjustments, double-tap the knob and adjust the larger version that appears. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen.
Adjust the level of each pad to suit your taste. We recommend spreading the panning of the bright sounds (e.g., cymbals, snare drum) a little. Additionally, you can tune the bass drum sound—tap the Samples tab so the first square under it is lit, and then adjust the Semi and Fine knobs next to the sample name.
The snare drum may need some reverb to give it a more spatial sound.
Tap Effects at bottom of the touchscreen to view the Insert Effects tab. Press the pad with your snare drum sound to select it.
To add an effect:
1. Double-tap the desired slot. A list of effects will appear.
2. Swipe up or down to move through the list.
3. To load an effect, double-tap it. Alternatively, tap it once and then tap Select or push the data dial. Let’s try Reverb Medium.
4. To close the list, tap Close.
To adjust the effect’s parameters, tap the pencil icon.
To empty the effect slot, tap the trash can icon. Switch
the effect on or off by tapping the
On/Off button for the slot.
15

Creating a Bass Track

Let’s try recording a bass line. Unlike a drum kit, it’s important to be able to play and record a bass sound chromatically, so this will be slightly different than setting up the drum kit.
Adding a bass line over the drum part means we need to work on a new track. A track is simply a layer of a sequence. Each track uses a program within your project. You can work with multiple tracks in a single sequence (e.g., a drum track, a bass track, a piano track, etc.). When you play the sequence, all of them will play simultaneously.
First, let’s make an empty track.
To select a new track:
1. Press Main to go back to Main Mode.
2. Double-tap the Track field in the center-left part of the touchscreen, and then tap Track 2 (unused) in the list of tracks that appears.
Alternatively, simply tap the Track + button at the bottom of the touchscreen until (unused) appears in the Track field.
Let’s create a new program for this track to use.
To create a new program:
1. In the Track section in the middle of the touchscreen, tap the piano-keys icon. This will create a keygroup program for this track, which is necessary to play the bass sound chromatically with the pads.
2. The Program field in the lower part of the touchscreen will display a new program name.
3. In the Program section in the lower part of the touchscreen, tap the cursor icon on the right edge.
4. Use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Do It.
16
To load and edit a bass sound:
1. Press Shift+Menu/Browse to show the Browser. Then, use the touchscreen to navigate to where your bass sounds are located, and load one to the project’s sample pool. (You can look at this earlier section if you forgot how to do this!)
2. After loading a bass sample to the sample pool, don’t use the Sample Assign tab like you did when creating a drum program; keygroup programs are different.
Instead, press Menu to view the Menu, and tap Program Edit to enter Program Edit Mode.
3. In Program Edit Mode, tap the Samples tab at the bottom of the touchscreen to show the four layers of samples in the program.
4. Double-tap the first Layer field and then tap your bass sample in the list on the left. Because you’re working with a keygroup program instead of a drum program, this sample is now playable across all pads.
Tip: On your MPC Live, press the Pad Bank D button to switch to Pad Bank D and press Pad 13. You should hear the bass sample played back with its original pitch. You can use the other pads to play your sample chromatically.
Let’s add a second layer and set the layers’ velocity ranges so the bass will sound different when played at a higher velocity (as a real bass would):
1. Press Shift+Menu/Browse to show the Browser, select a different bass sample that sounds similar but a little bit brighter, and load it to the project’s sample pool.
2. Return to Program Edit Mode, and in the Layer tab, double-tap the second Layer field, and select the new bass sample. Press a pad to hear both samples will sound at once. Maybe this new sound is interesting as it is, but let’s make some quick edits to get as close as we can to a real-life bass sound.
3. Tap the Pan Velocity tab to show its parameters.
4. Tap Layer 1’s Vel End knob and turn the data dial to set it to 80. Do the same to set Layer 2’s Vel Start slider to 81.
Now when you press a pad, the lower velocities (0–80) will trigger the Layer 1 sample only, while higher velocities (81–127) will trigger the Layer 2 sample only.
17
Let’s record that bass line now. Prepare your recording as described earlier, and record some bass notes. You can edit your recording just like we’ve done earlier.
Once you’ve recorded it, let’s tweak the sound a bit in the Filter section:
1. In Program Edit Mode, tap the Filter Env tab to show its parameters.
2. Double-tap the Type drop-down menu, and select a filter. Let’s try working with Lowpass 4 Pole.
3. Tap the Cutoff or Reso (resonance) knob, and turn the data dial to adjust their settings until your bass sample sounds good to you.
4. In the Amp Envelope section, tap the Attack or Release knob, and turn the data dial to adjust their settings. These control the overall level characteristics of the sound.
Do you want to add an effect? Do this in the Effects tab:
1. Tap the Effects tab to show the insert effects.
2. Double-tap one of the Inserts slots to show a list of available effects.
3. Double-tap the effect you want to add to your bass line, or click Close to cancel.
To adjust the settings of the effect, click the pencil icon next to its slot to open a window that shows its parameters.
To activate or deactivate all insert effects for that program, click the All On/All Off button in the upper-right corner.
So far, we’ve created a simple drum sequence and a bass line to go with it. Repeat this process to create a second sequence.
18

Recording an Audio Track

We’ve already created some MIDI tracks, so let’s record some actual audio for our next track:
1. Press Main to go back to Main Mode.
2. Tap the Audio tab at the bottom of the touchscreen. Audio 001 will appear in the Track field.
3. If the channel strip is not already shown on the left side of the screen, tap Input Config (in the lower part of the touchscreen) or the small eye icon (in the upper-left part of the touchscreen) to show it.
4. Connect a synthesizer or other line-level audio source to the 1/4” (6.35 mm) input/inputs on MPC Live’s rear panel, and set the Line/Phono selector to Line.
5. Double-tap the first field (Input __) and select Input 1 or Input 1,2 (depending on your audio source) as the input source.
6. If the second field is not set to Out 1,2, double-tap it and select that option as the output.
7. Tap the Monitor button to cycle through its three states until it reads Auto (you will hear incoming audio while the track is record-enabled only).
8. Turn the Rec Vol knob to set the input level while playing your audio source. You should now see the level in the meter. Make sure it does not exceed the maximum level (the meter should not be “peaking” constantly).
9. If the Solo and Mute buttons are on, tap them so they are off. Also, tap the track automation button below them so it is off (not R/Read or W/Write).
10. Tap the Rec Arm butt
on next to the pan knob to record-enable the track.
11. Press Rec or Overdub to record-arm MPC Live.
12. To start recording, press Play or Play Start—then play your audio source! You should hear your existing sequence playing in the background.
To stop recording, press Stop.
Record another audio track for your other sequence: Select the other sequence in Main Mode, and create another audio track (Audio 002) to go with that sequence.
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Creating a Song

This section explains how to make a song out of your sequences. Before starting, make sure that you have recorded some sequences (which we described earlier).
To enter Song Mode, make sure playback is stopped, press Menu, and then tap Song. You’ll see each of the sequences you’ve created in this project assigned to a pad. The sequence playlist is to the left of the pads.
As a song plays, it moves through each step of the sequence playlist. Each step contains a sequence you assigned.
Each step can be repeated, determined by the value in the Repeat column (the repeat icon). A Repeat value of
1 means the sequence will play through only once. The Bars column on the right indicates the length of that
the number of bars in the sequence] x [the number
step: [
of times it repeats].
Each step can be set to play its sequence at an independent tempo, determined by the value in the BPM column.
Important: Each sequence has its own tempo, while the project itself may use a different master tempo. The BPM value
for each sequence may be different from the master tempo. As long as playback is set to follow the master tempo, each sequence’s individual tempo will be ignored. By default, each project is set to use the sequence tempo, which you set back in the Creating a Drum Sequence chapter. We recommend tapping the Seq/Mst button at the top of the touchscreen (so the button displays Mst) and entering a master tempo to ensure all sequences use the same tempo.
To insert a step at the current position, tap Insert.
To delete the currently selected step, tap Delete.
To set which sequence plays for a step, tap the step’s Sequence field, and then turn the data dial to select a
sequence.
To set how many times a sequence repeats, tap the step’s Repeat field (next to the sequence name), and then turn the data dial to select a number.

Exporting the Song

Want to share your new song? Just export it first.
To export a song:
1. While in Song Mode, tap Export at the bottom of the touchscreen.
2. In the Audio Mixdown screen that appears, do the following:
Make sure the Start field is set to 1, and set the End field to the last bar of your song.
Tap the Audio Tail field and turn the data dial to set it to 2 seconds.
As you’ll likely share the song online, tap the mp3 file format option in the lower-left corner.
3. Tap Export. Choose where you want to save the song.
To name the song, tap the File Name field, and use the virtual keyboard that appears to enter a new name, and then tap Save to start exporting.
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Other Features Explained

This chapter describes various advanced features. For a fuller explanation of these features, please refer to their corresponding sections in the Operation chapter.

Step Sequencer

You’ve already learned how to record note events on a track, but you can quickly enter note events in the Step Sequencer by using the pads as “step buttons,” simulating the experience of a traditional step-sequencer-style drum machine.
To enter the Step Sequencer, press Menu, and then tap Step Sequencer. Alternatively, in some modes, you can
tap the steps icon on the left edge of the touchscreen.
1. Let’s create a sequence on a new track. Tap the Track field in the upper-left corner, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select an (unused) track. Alternatively, double-tap the Track field, and then tap a track to select it.
2. Tap the Track Length field at the top of the touchscreen to set a length for the track, and then use the data dial or the –/+ buttons to select a length. If you select the minimum value, Sequence, the track will be however long your sequence is.
Tip: This lets you maintain tracks of different lengths. For instance, you could play a 1-bar drum sequence repeatedly under a 4-bar bass line.
3. Tap the Bar –/+ buttons at the bottom of the touchscreen to select the bar whose steps you want to create or edit. The bar number will appear in the Bar field in the upper-left corner.
4. Tap the Pad –/+ buttons at the bottom of the touchscreen to select the pad whose steps want to create or edit. The pad number will appear in the Pad field in the upper-left corner.
5. Press Play to start your sequence.
6. Each pad represents a step in the bar. If the pad already has note events on the selected track, the corresponding pads (steps) will be lit with colors corresponding to their velocities.
To enter a note at a step, press an unlit pad. The pad will light up with a color corresponding to its velocity.
To delete the note from a step, press a lit pad. The pad will become unlit.
To delete all notes from the entire bar, press and hold Shift, and then tap Clear Bar in the lower-right corner.
See Operation > Modes > Step Sequencer to learn more about this feature.
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Drum Loops & Chop Mode

Modern music producers often use drum loops to add grit and nuance to programmed beats. This section explains how to use Sample Edit Mode to work with drum loops.
Use the Browser to locate a drum loop, and then double-tap it to add it to the current program. The loop does not have to match the tempo of anything in the project.
To enter Sample Edit Mode, press Menu, and then tap Sample Edit.
1. Tap the Sample field at the top of the touchscreen, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select the loaded drum loop. You can scroll through all loaded samples in the project. Alternatively, double-tap the Sample field, and then tap a sample to select it.
2. Tap the Trim/Chop tab in the lower-left corner to switch between Trim Mode and Chop Mode. Select Chop Mode, which will let us cut the drum loop into slices.
3. Tap Threshold, and then tap the Threshold field to the right of it. Use the data dial or –/+ buttons select a value. Alternatively, double-tap the Threshold field and use the numeric keypad that appears to enter a value. The lower the threshold, the more slices will be created. Be sure to select a value so that every transient peak of the drum loop has a corresponding a slice marker.
Tip: Each slice will be automatically assigned to a pad: Pad A01 plays Slice 1, Pad A02 plays Slice 2, etc. Press
each pad to play the slice with the same number.
Let’s use this chopped sample to create a new program in which each of these slices is an individual sample. We can also automatically create corresponding note events to play back these slices sequentially.
1. Press and hold Shift and then tap Convert at the bottom of the touchscreen to enter the Convert or Assign Slices window.
2. Tap the Convert To field, and then use the data dial or – /+ buttons to select New Program with New Samples.
3. Make sure Crop Samples is checked. If it is not, tap it.
4. Make sure Create New Program is checked. If it is not, tap it.
5. Make sure Create Events is checked. If it is not, tap it.
6. Tap the Bars field, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select how many bars the entire sample should use in your program.
7. Tap Do It to proceed. Each slice will be assigned to a pad, and each pad will have a recorded note event in the track. When you play that track, it will play each pad (each slice) in the original order. Press Menu and then tap Grid View to see how the sample appears in your sequence.
8. Press Play and listen to how the drum loop matches your song tempo now.
You can also edit the note events of the drum loop slices—enter Main Mode to do this. A new track with the note events playing their corresponding slices has been automatically created. Tap the TC/clock icon at the top of the touchscreen to use the Timing Correct window to quantize the note events so they fall on exact, even time intervals.
You can also rearrange the note events, thus creating a new playback order for the slices. You can also edit each slice or sample in Program Edit Mode. You can add effects for slices or use the filter function to change the frequency range of a selected slice. There are almost no limits to what you can do.
See Operation > Modes > Sample Edit Mode > Chop Mode to learn more about this feature.
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Pad Muting & Track Muting

Pad Mute Mode and Track Mute Mode let you silence different pads and tracks to see what the sequence sounds like without those samples or parts.
To enter Pad Mute Mode, press Menu and then tap Pad Mute.
1. Press Play to play the sequence.
2. Tap the Program field at the top of the touchscreen, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select your drum program. Alternatively, double-tap the Program field, and then tap a program to select it.
3. Mute a pad by pressing it once or tapping it on the touchscreen. The muted pad will be lit red. You can mute multiple pads at the same time.
See Operation > Modes > Pad Mute Mode to learn more about track mutes.
You can also mute entire tracks by using the similar Track Mute function.
To enter Track Mute Mode, press Menu and then tap Track Mute.
1. Press Play to play the sequence.
2. Tap the Sequence field at the top of the touchscreen, and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select the desired sequence. Alternatively, double-tap the Sequence field, and then tap a sequence to select it.
3. Each pad is assigned to a track. Mute a track by pressing the corresponding pad or tapping it on the touchscreen. The pad will be lit red. You can mute multiple tracks at the same time.
Tip: To mute a track only at precise note intervals (“quantizing” your mutes, essentially), tap Time Division to set a musical timing value. Tap the desired musical value (e.g., 1 Bar). Alternatively, use the data dial or –/+ buttons. Tap Close to close the page. Now, when you press a pad in Track Mute Mode, the mute will occur precisely at the beginning of the following time division (in this example, one bar). This lets you test musical combinations of patterns— the preliminary stage to building a song structure.
See Operation > Modes > Track Mute Mode to learn more about track mutes.
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Sampling (Recording)

This section describes recording new samples of your own, which you can use in your projects.
Important: To record any audio, you need to connect an audio source to your MPC Live or to your computer’s audio interface.
To open the Sampler, press Menu and then tap Sampler.
1. Connect an audio source to the input/inputs of your MPC Live.
2. Turn the Rec Vol knob to set the input level while playing your audio source. You should now see the level in the meter. Make sure it does not exceed the maximum level (the meter should not be “peaking” constantly).
3. Tap and drag threshold slider to set the threshold. Alternatively, use the data dial or –/+ buttons. Set it to a fairly low level (e.g., -50 dB).
4. Tap Arm to record-arm the Sampler.
5. Play your audio source. The Sampler will start recording immediately when the input level reaches the threshold value. Alternatively, tap the round Record button to manually start recording.
6. To stop recording, tap the round Stop button. The Keep or Discard Sample window will appear.
In the Keep or Discard Sample window:
To name the new sample, tap the Edit Name field and use the virtual keyboard to enter a name.
To assign the new sample to a program, tap the Program field, and then use the data dial or /+ buttons
to select the desired program. Alternatively, double-tap the Program field, and then tap a program to select it.
To assign the sample to a pad in the program, tap the Assign to Pad field, and then press the desired pad.
Alternatively, use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select the desired pad number, or double-tap the Pad field, and then tap a pad number.
To confirm your selections, tap
Keep at the bottom of
the touchscreen.
To discard the recording and return to the previous screen, tap the Discard button.
To play the recording, tap the Play button at the
bottom of the touchscreen.
See Operation > Modes > Sampler to learn more about this feature.
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Sample Editing

You may need to edit your newly recorded samples using Sample Edit Mode.
To enter Sample Edit Mode, press Menu and then tap Sample Edit.
In Sample Edit Mode:
To switch between Trim Mode and Chop Mode, tap the Trim/Chop tab at the bottom of the touchscreen. In this example, use Trim Mode.
To set the sample’s start point, press Q-Link to select the first bank of Q-Link knobs (the Start field will be outlined gold). Use the Q-Link knobs to adjust the start point with varying degrees of resolution. Alternatively, tap and drag the S marker in the waveform.
To set the sample’s end point, press Q-Link to select the second bank of Q-Link knobs (the End field will be outlined gold). Use the Q-Link knobs to adjust the end point with varying degrees of resolution. Alternatively, tap and drag the E marker in the waveform.
To hear your edits, press Pad 10 to play the sample from the start point to the end point.
Let’s apply some processing to the sample.
To open the Process Sample window, tap Process at the bottom of the touchscreen.
1. Use the data dial or –/+ buttons to select the desired process in the Function field. Alternatively, tap Function or double-tap the Function field, and then tap the desired process. Let’s select Pitch Shift to change the overall pitch of your sample. This will transpose the sample without affecting its length.
2. To set the pitch shift amount, tap and drag the knob in the center of the window up or down. Alternatively, use the data dial or –/+ buttons. To make finer
adjustm
ents, double-tap the knob and adjust the
larger version that appears. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen.
3. To confirm your selections, tap Do It.
To cancel the process, tap Cancel.
See Operation > Modes > Sample Edit Mode to learn more.
25

Recording Automation with the XY Pad

Automating various parameters is a good way to add some motion and dynamism to your sequences.
1. Press Menu to open the Menu, and then tap XYFX to enter XYFX Mode.
2. Double-tap the XYFX Location field, and select Program.
3. When you first enter this mode in a project, you will be prompted to “load” XYFX to the program. Tap Insert XYFX to do this.
4. Tap Setup to show the Setup panel, which controls how the XY pad behaves.
5. Double-tap the Preset field, and tap an effect to select it. (These are just the effects available in XYFX Mode, not all MPC effects.) Swipe up or down to view the entire list.
6. Tap and drag any of the knobs (Attack, Release, or Wet/Dry) up or down to set their values as desired. Below them, you can see what parameter the X axis and Y axis control.
Note: XYFX uses an envelope to control how quickly the effect crossfades between the dry signal and wet signal. The Attack knob determines how long it takes the completely dry signal to reach the wet signal (determined by the Wet/Dry knob) after you touch the XY pad. The Release knob determines how long it takes the wet signal (determined by the Wet/Dry knob) to return to the completely dry signal after you touch the XY pad.
7. Tap the automation button in the upper-right corner to cycle through the available automation modes. Make sure it shows the red Write (W) option.
8. Press Play Start to start recording.
9. As you record, move your finger over the XY pad on the touchscreen. The changes in the sound are being recorded as automation of both the X axis and Y axis parameters.
10. When you are done recording, press Stop.
11. Tap the automation button in the upper-right corner to select the green Read (R) option. This ensures your track uses the automation you just recorded when you play it back.
See Operation > Modes > XYFX Mode to learn more about using this feature.

Using MPC Live as a Controller

If you are using the MPC software on your computer, you can switch MPC Live into Controller Mode, allowing you to use it to control the software. The MPC software offers the same features and functionality as MPC Live in Standalone Mode but with some notable differences, which are discussed in Operation > General Features >
Standalone vs. Controller Mode.
26

Operation

This chapter explains the complete features and functions of your MPC Live.
Important:
When accessing the secondary functions of buttons on your MPC Live, you can do this one of two ways: (1) pressing and holding Shift and then pressing the desired button or (2) double-pressing the desired button. This manual describes these operations using only the first option, but both are acceptable.
Almost every mode shown in the touchscreen has 1–6 buttons at the bottom. Each of these buttons select a different tab in that mode or perform a specific function in that mode.
When the left-most button at the bottom of the touchscreen shows an upward arrow (), it means there are additional buttons you can use when you press and hold Shift. Press and hold Shift to show the secondary buttons, and any of them, if desired. Release Shift to return to the previous buttons.
When a parameter is highlighted and has a red outline, this means that it is selected. You can then change it by turning the hardware’s data dial or using the –/+ buttons. If the parameter is a number, try double-tapping it to show a numeric keypad in the touchscreen, and use that to enter a specific value.
When the touchscreen shows a parameter or group of parameters with a gold outline (and sometimes a Q in the corner), this means that the current bank of Q-Link knobs will control those parameters or settings. Turn a Q-Link knob to adjust its corresponding parameter value or setting in that group. When the value has decimal places, you can sometimes press and hold Shift and then turn the Q- Link knob to adjust the value by smaller increments. You can also press the Q-Link button to select another group of four parameters.
Press and hold the Q-Link button to see an overview of all 16 Q-Link knobs and their parameters. You
can then tap any column of knobs to select those four Q-Link knobs, and then release the Q-Link button.
27

General Features

Battery Usage

Although you can power MPC Live by from a power outlet (using the included power adapter), you can use its internal battery, which typically has four hours of life, depending on CPU and how you’re using MPC Live.
While powering MPC Live from its internal battery, the battery icon in upper-right corner of the touchscreen will show its current battery life. (The icon below it indicates whether MPC Live is in Standalone Mode or Controller Mode.)
To view MPC Live’s system resources (battery life, CPU, and RAM usage), tap the battery icon in upper-right corner of the touchscreen. The System Resources window will appear, showing percentages to indicate the current battery life, CPU, and RAM usage (Mem).
To delete samples from the project (to create more free RAM space for sampling time, audio recording, etc.), tap Purge. In the screen that appears, tap Unused Samples to delete all unused samples from the project, tap All
Samples to delete all samples from the project, or tap Cancel to return to the previous screen.
To charge MPC Live’s internal battery, connect its power input to a power outlet using the included power
adapter. The charging indicator light (behind the vent on the rear panel) will turn on while charging. When the battery is fully charged or when it is disconnected from a power outlet, then this light will turn off.

Control Types

The MPC Live uses the following types of control elements:
Knobs
To set the value for a knob, do any of the following:
Tap and drag the knob up or down.
Tap the knob to select it, and then use the data dial or –/+
buttons to adjust the value.
Double-tap the knob or press the data dial (when the knob is
selected) to show it in a larger screen. Tap and drag the larger version that appears, or use the data dial or –/+ buttons to adjust the value. Tap anywhere else to return to the previous screen.
Press and hold Shift while turning the data dial to adjust a value
by smaller increments.
28
Parameter Values
To set the value for a parameter, do either of the following:
Tap the field to select it, and then use the data dial or –/+
buttons to adjust the value.
When the value has decimal places, you can sometimes press and hold Shift and then use the data dial or –/+ buttons to adjust the value by smaller increments.
Double-tap the field or hold your finger on it for a second. In the
screen that appears, use the numeric keypad, the data dial, or the –/+ buttons to adjust the value. Alternatively, tap and drag the value up or down.
You can also tap /2 to halve the value or x2 to double it.
To confirm the value and remain on this screen, tap Apply.
To confirm the value and return to the previous screen, tap Do It.
To return to the previous screen without changing anything,
tap the grey area in the upper-left corner of the touchscreen.
Drop-Down Menus / Lists
To select an option for a drop-down menu, do any of the following:
Tap the field to select it, and then use the data dial or /+ buttons to select an option.
Double-tap the field. In the list that appears (examples below), tap the desired option. Alternatively, use the
data dial or the –/+ buttons to select an option.
In some windows, tap the relevant button at the bottom of the touchscreen to confirm your selection or to cancel without changing anything.
29
Selectors
Selectors show all available options. One of them is always selected. The selected option is highlighted while the others are dark.
To select an option, tap it.
Buttons
Buttons usually have two states: selected and deselected (active or inactive, respectively). Some may have more than two states.
To switch between or cycle through a button’s states, do either of the following:
Tap it.
If it is outlined in red (and is not a mute button), use the data dial or /+ buttons.
Checkboxes
Checkboxes have two states: checked and unchecked (enabled or disabled, respectively).
To check or uncheck a checkbox, tap it.
Tabs
Some modes have buttons at the bottom of the touchscreen that let you cycle through several similar tabs. For instance, you could view the send level that is routed to each of four returns—each level is shown on a separate tab. With each tap, you will move to the next tab, indicated by the squares below it.
To select a tab, tap it. Each time you tap it, it will select the next tab.
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