AKAI MPC X User Guide

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User Guide

English

Manual Version 1.0

Introduction ............................................................		5
System Requirements & Product Support ......		5
About This User Guide ......................................		5
Important Notes.................................................		6
Setup ...................................................................		6
1.	Connection ..................................................	6
2.	Installation ...................................................	7
3.	Getting Started ............................................	7

Features ..................................................................	8
Top Panel............................................................	8
Navigation & Data Entry Controls....................	8
Pad & Q-Link Controls ....................................	9
Mode & View Controls...................................	10
Transport & Recording Controls ...................	11
I/O & Level Controls ......................................	12
Touchscreen..................................................	13
Front Panel .......................................................	14
Rear Panel ........................................................	15

Basic Concepts ....................................................

Tutorial ...................................................................	17
Starting Up ........................................................	17
Creating a Drum Kit .........................................	17
Creating a Drum Sequence .............................	18
Saving & Renaming ..........................................	19
Editing Note Events..........................................	20
Making Basic Sound Edits...............................	21
Creating a Bass Track .....................................	22
Recording an Audio Track...............................	25
Creating a Song................................................	26
Exporting the Song...........................................	26
Other Features Explained................................	27
Step Sequencer .............................................	27
Drum Loops & Chop Mode ............................	28
Pad Muting & Track Muting ...........................	29
Sampling (Recording).....................................	30
Sample Editing ...............................................	31
Recording Automation with the XY Pad ........	32
Using MPC X as a Controller .........................	32

Operation ..............................................................	33
General Features .............................................	34
Control Types ................................................	34
Programs .......................................................	40
About Programs.................................................	40
Drum Programs .................................................	41
Keygroup Programs ...........................................	43
Clip Programs ....................................................	44
Plugin Programs.................................................	46
MIDI Programs ...................................................	47
CV Programs .....................................................	48
Menu..............................................................	49
Save ..................................................................	50
Preferences........................................................	50
Mode .................................................................	54
System Resources .............................................	54
Time Counter .................................................	55
Automation ....................................................	56
Global ................................................................	56
Programs & Audio Tracks...................................	56
16 Level .........................................................	57
Erase..............................................................	57
Effects............................................................	58
Overview............................................................	58
Insert Effects ......................................................	60
Send/Return Effects ...........................................	65
Audio Mixdown..............................................	68
Standalone vs. Controller Mode....................	69

Modes ................................................................	71
Main Mode .....................................................	72
Grid View ........................................................	92
Audio Edit Mode ............................................	96
Track View....................................................	102
MIDI Tracks......................................................	104
Audio Tracks....................................................	105
Step Sequencer ...........................................	106
XYFX Mode ..................................................	109
Sample Edit Mode........................................	111
Settings ...........................................................	113
Trim Mode .......................................................	114
Chop Mode......................................................	122
Program Mode.................................................	130
Sampler ........................................................	136
Sample ............................................................	138
Slice.................................................................	139
Pad Tap ...........................................................	140
Pad Hold..........................................................	140
Pad Mute Mode ...........................................	141
Pad Mute .........................................................	142
Pad Group .......................................................	142
Pad Mixer .....................................................	143
Levels ..............................................................	144
Panning ...........................................................	144
Mute ................................................................	145
Send Effects ....................................................	145
Insert Effects ....................................................	145
Routing ............................................................	146
Next Sequence Mode ..................................	147

Modes (continued)
Program Edit Mode .....................................	149
Drum Programs ...............................................	149
Keygroup Programs .........................................	156
Clip Programs ..................................................	164
Plugin Programs...............................................	167
MIDI Programs .................................................	168
CV Programs ...................................................	168
Anatomy of an Envelope ..................................	169
Looper .........................................................	170
Track Mute Mode ........................................	173
Track Mute.......................................................	174
Track Group.....................................................	174
Channel Mixer..............................................	175
MIDI Tracks......................................................	177
Audio Tracks....................................................	178
Programs .........................................................	179
Returns ............................................................	180
Submixes.........................................................	181
Masters............................................................	181
Song Mode ..................................................	182
Browser .......................................................	184
Pad Perform Mode ......................................	187
Pad Color Mode ..........................................	190
Q-Link Edit Mode ........................................	191
Project .............................................................	193
Program...........................................................	194
Pad Scene .......................................................	195
Pad Parameters ...............................................	196
Screen .............................................................	197
MIDI Control Mode ......................................	198
Pads ................................................................	199
Buttons ............................................................	199
Q-Link Knobs...................................................	200
XY Pad.............................................................	200

Appendix..............................................................	201
Effects & Parameters .....................................	201
Reverbs ........................................................	201
Delays...........................................................	203
Flangers........................................................	206
Chorus..........................................................	206
Autopans ......................................................	207
Tremolos ......................................................	207
Phasers ........................................................	208
HP (High-Pass) Filters ..................................	208
LP (Low-Pass) Filters ...................................	209
Parametric EQs ............................................	210
Distortions ....................................................	211
Compressors................................................	212
Bit Reducers.................................................	213
Other ............................................................	214
Glossary...........................................................	215
SATA Drive Installation ..................................	220
Technical Specifications ...............................	221
Trademarks & Licenses .................................	224

Introduction

Thanks for choosing the MPC X. Fusing Akai Professional’s legendary MPC layout and workflow with multi-core processing power, MPC X is an unrivaled instrument for music production.

Introducing a new approach to music production with an ultra-fast and super-intuitive workflow, the MPC X is powered by a radiant 10.1-inch 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 X 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 X. 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 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, see Setup > 2. Installation.

To learn more about using send effects, see General Features > Effects > Send/Return Effects.

Important Notes

Read the included safety & warranty manual before using MPC X.

Before getting started and connecting devices to MPC X or turning the hardware on/off, make sure all devices are switched off.

To use MPC X 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 X 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 X in your setup. Items not listed under Introduction > Box Contents of your included quickstart guide are sold separately.

Headphones		Footswitch
(to front-panel headphone output)	(to front-panel FS1 input)		Powered Monitors	Computer

	SD Card
	(to front-panel SD card slot)
		USB
		drive
Microphone	Turntable	Power

Remember to remove the protective film from the MPC X touchscreen!

To use MPC X in Standalone Mode, just connect it to a power outlet using the included power adapter, and power it on!

Note: We highly recommend checking akaipro.com for any available updates to the MPC X software/firmware and/or drivers.

To use MPC X in Controller Mode, continue to Step 2. Installation.

2. Installation

To use MPC X 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 X.

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 X, check the upper-right corner of the touchscreen:

•If there is a monitor/cable icon, then MPC X is already in Controller Mode. Continue to Step 6.

•If there a chip icon, then MPC X 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 X 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 X’s sound card (Akai Pro MPC X 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, select MPC Help, and select MPC User Manual.

Features

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

Top Panel

					1								47	48
11									55		55		44	44
11													44	44
13	14	32	33								45		46	45
28	29	30	31								45		46	45
										51 52				49
16 17 18 19 20											50			49
											50
										53 54
			21	23	24	25	26	27	42	6	12		3
									8				3
									8
									43	5			4
										5			4
9					10				22				2
					10				15		7		2
									15		7
									39		41		40
									37	38	36	34 35

Navigation & Data Entry Controls

1.Touchscreen: This full-color multi-touch display shows information relevant to MPC X’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.

Tip: If you adjust the angle of the display, we recommend using the stand on its back panel to secure it in place.

2.Cursors: Press these buttons to navigate through the fields of menus and options shown in the display. Press and hold Shift and press these buttons to zoom in or out of the Grid View or Audio Edit Mode. Press and hold Shift and press the up and down cursors simultaneously or the left and right cursors simultaneously to return to the default zoom setting.

3.Data Dial: Use this dial to scroll through the available menu options or adjust the parameter values of the selected field in the touchscreen.

4.–/+: Press these buttons to increase or decrease the value of the selected field in the display.

5.Numeric Keypad: If the selected field in the display is a number, press these numbered buttons as you would on a standard numeric keypad to enter a value. Press the keypad’s Enter to enter it. (A numeric keypad with additional operations will appear on the touchscreen, as well.)

6.Undo/Redo: Press this button to undo your last action.

Press and hold Shift and press this button to redo the last action you undid.

7.Shift: Press and hold this button to access some buttons’ secondary functions (indicated by red writing).

Double-press this button to see which buttons have secondary functions—the buttons will flash for a few seconds.

8.F-Key: Press this button to activate or deactivate the F-Key feature. When active, the six buttons under the display correspond to the options shown at the bottom edge of the touchscreen. The F-Key button and those six buttons will be lit red when active. When inactive, the six buttons under the display will access their normal modes instead (Menu, Browser, Step Seq, Sampler, XYFX, and Looper).

Pad & Q-Link Controls

9.Q-Link Knobs: Turn these touch-sensitive knobs to adjust various parameters and settings. The display strip above each knob indicates the parameter it is controlling. If the display strip shows a meter to indicate its value, you can touch or turn its Q-Link knob to temporarily show its precise numerical value.

10.Pads: Press these pads to trigger drum hits or other samples in your software. The pads are velocity-sensitive and pressure-sensitive, 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.

11.Pad Bank: Press these buttons to access Pad Banks A–D.

Press and hold Shift while pressing these buttons to access Pad Banks E–H. Alternatively, double-press one of these buttons.

12.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 Close to return to the previous screen.

Tip: To quickly copy a pad, press and hold Copy, press the source pad, press the destination pad, and then release Copy.

Press and hold Shift and press this button to delete a pad’s sample assignment. When the Delete Pad window is shown, press any pad/pads whose sample assignments you want to clear. Tap Delete to continue or Cancel to return to the previous screen.

13.Full Level/Half Level: Press this button to activate or deactivate the Full Level feature. When activated, the pads will always trigger their samples at the maximum velocity (127), regardless of how much force you use.

Press and hold Shift and then press this button to activate or deactivate the Half Level feature. When activated, the pads will always trigger their samples at half-velocity (64).

14.16 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.

15.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.

16.Project: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters related to the current project. Press and hold Shift and then press this button to enter the Project Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See Operation > Modes > Q-Link Edit Mode to learn about this.

17.Program: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters of the currently selected program or audio track. Press and hold Shift and then press this button to enter the Program Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See

Operation > Modes > Q-Link Edit Mode to learn about this.

18.Pad Scene: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters that you have assigned for the currently selected pad. Press and hold Shift and then press this button to enter the Pad Scene Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See Operation > Modes > Q-Link Edit Mode to learn about this.

19.Pad Param: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust one parameter across all 16 pads. Each Q-Link knob corresponds to the pad with the same number and position in the 4-by-4 layout. Press and hold Shift and then press this button to enter the Pad Param Q-Link Edit Mode directly. See Operation > Modes > Q-Link Edit Mode to learn about this.

20.Screen Control/Edit: Press this button to use the Q-Link knobs to adjust parameters in the currently selected mode as shown in the display. See Operation > Modes > Q-Link Edit Mode to learn about this.

Press and hold Shift and then press this button to enter Q-Link Edit Mode where you can assign other parameters to the Q-Link knobs.

Mode & View Controls

21.Menu: Press this button to open the Menu. You can tap an option in the Menu to enter that mode, view, etc.

22.Main/Track: Press this button to enter Main Mode.

Press and hold Shift and then press this button to enter the Track View.

23.Browse/Save: Press this button to view the Browser. The Browser lets you navigate your computer’s internal and external hard disks to load samples, sequences, songs, etc. Using filter buttons and user-definable folders, you can easily adapt it to your workflow. You can also preview samples before loading them.

Press and hold Shift and press this button to save the current project (including its samples, programs, sequences, and songs).

24.Step Seq/List Edit: Press this button to view the Step Sequencer where you can create or edit sequences by using the pads as “step buttons,” simulating the experience of a traditional step-sequencer-style drum machine.

Press and hold Shift and press this button to view your sequences using the List Edit View instead of Grid View.

25.Sampler/Looper: Press this button to view the Sampler where you can record audio samples to use in your projects.

Press and hold Shift and press this button to view the Looper where you can record and overdub audio in real time—a great tool for live performance as well as spontaneous moments in the studio. You can export the loop as a sample to use in your project.

26.XYFX: Press this button to view XYFX Mode, which turns the touchscreen into an XY pad where each axis represents the range of an effect parameter. As you move touch or move your finger on the touchscreen, the current position will determine the current value of the two parameters. You can use this mode to create interesting effect automation on your tracks.

27.Pad Perform: Press this button to view Pad Perform Mode where you can assign musical scales/modes, chords, or progressions to the pads for creative performance options.

28.Prog Edit: Press this button to view Program Edit Mode, which contains all parameters for editing your programs.

29.Sample Edit: Press this button to view Sample Edit Mode where you can edit your samples using various functions and processes.

30.Pad Mixer: Press this button to view the Pad Mixer where you can set a program’s levels, stereo panning, routing, and effects.

31.Ch. Mixer: Press this button to view the Channel Mixer where you can set levels, stereo panning, and other settings for your tracks, programs, returns, submixes (in Controller Mode), and masters.

32.Track Mute/Pad Mute: Press this button to view Track Mute Mode where you can easily mute tracks within a sequence or set mute groups for each track.

Press and hold Shift and press this button to view Pad Mute Mode where you can easily mute pads within a program or set mute groups for each pad within a program.

33.Next Seq/Song: Press this button to view Next Sequence Mode where you can trigger different sequences simply by playing the pads. This is useful for live performances, letting you change a song’s structure in real time.

Press and hold Shift and press this button to view Song Mode where you can arrange sequences in a specific order and/or repetition to create songs. You can edit the structure of a song during playback for easy, on-the-fly composing.

Transport & Recording Controls

34.Play: Press this button to play the sequence from the audio pointer’s current position.

35.Play Start: Press this button to play the sequence from its start point.

36.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.

37.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.

38.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.

39.</> (Event |</>|): Use these buttons to move the audio pointer left/right, one step at a time.

Press and hold Locate and press one of these buttons to move the audio pointer to the previous/next event in the sequence grid.

40.<</>> (Start/End): Use these buttons to move the audio pointer left/right, one bar at a time.

Press and hold Locate and press one of these buttons to move the audio pointer to the start or end of the sequence grid.

41.Locate: Press and hold this button to activate the secondary functions of the </> and <</>> buttons (i.e., Event |</>| and Start/End, respectively).

42.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.

43.Tap/Master: Press this button in time with the desired tempo to enter a new tempo (in BPM). You can set how many taps are required in the Preferences (see Operation > General Features > Menu > Preferences to learn how to do this).

Press and hold Shift and press this button to set whether the currently selected sequence follows its own tempo (the button will be lit red) or a master tempo (the button will be lit amber).

I/O & Level Controls

44.Gain 1/2: Use these knobs to adjust the gain of the incoming signal from Input 1/2 on the rear panel or Inst 1/2 on the front panel. Use the Rear/Front switches below the knobs to determine the input. Use the level meter to check the recording level. Be careful when setting this knob at higher levels, which can cause the signal to distort.

45.Rear/Front: Use each switch to set whether the Gain 1/2 knob above it will control the gain of the input signal on the rear panel (Input 1/2) or on the front panel (Inst 1/2).

46.Phantom Power (+48V): This switch activates and deactivates phantom power for Input 1/2. When activated, +48V of phantom power will be supplied to both inputs. Note that most dynamic microphones do not require phantom power, while most condenser microphones do. Refer to your microphone’s documentation to check if it needs phantom power.

47.3/4 Rec Gain: Use this knob to adjust the gain of the incoming signal from Input 3/4 on the rear panel. Use the level meter to check the recording level. Be careful when setting this knob at higher levels, which can cause the signal to distort.

48.Master: Turn this knob to adjust the volume level of the Main L/R outputs.

49.Direct/Main: Turn this knob to adjust the balance between the input and output signals in the headphones.

Direct corresponds to the input signal—all devices connected to the inputs on the front and rear panels. While recording, you can turn this knob all the way to Direct for zero-latency direct monitoring.

Main corresponds to the output signal—the signal sent from the Main L/R outputs on the rear panel. When you are not recording, we recommend turning this knob all the way to the Main position to hear the fullvolume playback signal.

50.Stereo/Mono: Use this switch to set whether the signal in the headphones is binaural (Stereo) or monaural (Mono). When set to Stereo, the headphone signal will be split so that the input signal (Direct) is heard in the left ear while the output signal (Main) is heard in the right ear. When set to Mono, the input and output signals are blended into a single, summed mix, which is heard in both ears.

51.Rec Arm: Press this button to arm or disarm recording for the currently selected audio track, shown in the display strip below the level meters (see Operation > General Features > Menu > Preferences to learn how to set what is shown in the level meters).

52.Read/Write: Press this button to set the automation state for the program on the current track or for the current audio track: Off, Read (green R), or Write (red W). The display strip below the level meters must show a program or audio track (see Operation > General Features > Menu > Preferences to learn how to set what is shown in the level meters).

53.Mute: Press this button to mute the program, audio track, or master output shown in the display strip below the level meters (see Operation > General Features > Menu > Preferences to learn how to set what is shown in the level meters).

54.Solo: Press this button to solo the currently selected program or audio track shown in the display strip below the level meters (see Operation > General Features > Menu > Preferences to learn how to set what is shown in the level meters).

55.Level Meters: These meters indicate the level of the audio signal shown in the display strip below them. See Operation > General Features > Menu > Preferences to learn how to set what is shown in the level meters.

Touchscreen

Here is some general information about how to use the MPC X touchscreen:

Tap a button or option to select it. Use the data dial or

–/+ buttons to change its setting or value

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.

Spread two fingers to zoom in (into a section of a waveform, for example). Pinch two fingers to zoom out.

The top of the touchscreen shows the toolbar, which contains information about the current view (often the name of the current track, sequence, audio pointer 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.

Front Panel

1.SD Card Slot: Insert a standard SD/SDHC card into this slot to access its files directly using MPC X.

2.Footswitch Inputs (FS 1/2) (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Connect optional 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS footswitches to these inputs.

3.Instrument Inputs (Inst 1/2) (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TS cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (guitars, bass, etc.). To use each of these inputs, set the corresponding Rear/Front switch (below the Gain 1/2 knob on the top panel) to Front.

4.Mix Knob: Turn this knob to adjust the balance between the Main and 3/4 signals in your headphones. Main is the signal sent from the Main L/R outputs. 3/4 is the signal sent from the Outputs 3/4.

5.Headphone Outputs (1/8” or 1/4” / 3.5 mm or 6.35 mm): Connect your headphones (not included) to either or both of these standard stereo outputs. Use the Mix Knob to determine what signal is heard in the headphones.

6.Headphone Volume: Turn this knob to adjust the volume of the headphone outputs.

Rear Panel

		9			14					2
										2
6	7	8	11	10	13	12	5	4	1	3
6	7	8	11	10	13	12

1.Power Input: Use the included power adapter to connect MPC X to a power outlet. This must be connected to a power outlet in order for MPC X to power on.

2.Power Adapter Restraint: Secure the power adapter cable to this restraint to prevent it from accidentally unplugging.

3.Power Switch: Press this button to turn MPC X’s power on or off. While powered on, press and hold this button for 5 seconds to force MPC X to power off (similar to a computer).

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 X 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 if MPC X is in Controller Mode (i.e., your computer can access these storage devices that are connected to your MPC X).

5.USB-A Ports: Connect USB flash drives to these USB ports to access their files directly using MPC X. MPC X 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.Inputs 1/2 (XLR or 1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard XLR or 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (microphone, mixer, synthesizer, etc.). To use each of these inputs, set the corresponding Rear/Front switch (below the Gain 1/2 knob on the top panel) to Rear. Turn the Gain 1/2 knobs to set the input level of each one.

7.Inputs 3/4 (1/4” / 6.35 mm or RCA): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables or stereo RCA cables to connect these inputs to audio sources (mixer, turntable, synthesizer, etc.). To use the 1/4” (6.35 mm) inputs, set the Phono/Line switch to Line. To use the RCA inputs, set the Phono/Line switch to Phono. Turn the 3/4 Rec Gain knob to set their input levels.

8.Phono/Line Switch: Set this switch to the appropriate position, depending on which Input 3/4 connectors you want to use. If you are using the 1/4” (6.35 mm) inputs, set this switch to Line. If you are using the RCA inputs, set this switch to Phono to provide the additional amplification needed for phono-level signals.

9.Grounding Terminal: If you are sending a phono-level turntable signal to the Input 3/4 RCA connectors and are hearing a low hum or buzz, it could mean that the turntable is not grounded. If the turntable has a grounding wire, connect it to this terminal.

Note: Some turntables have a grounding wire built into the RCA connection and, therefore, nothing needs to be connected to the grounding terminal.

10.Main L/R Outputs (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these outputs to your speaker system. The signal sent out of these outputs is the master mix. Turn the Master knob to set their volume. To route a program to these outputs, set its routing to Out 1,2 in the Channel Mixer when the Mixer field is set to Programs.

11.Outputs 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 (1/4” / 6.35 mm): Use standard 1/4” (6.35 mm) TRS cables to connect these outputs to an external mixer. The signal sent from these outputs is full-volume (0 dB). To route a program to these outputs, set its routing to Out 3,4, Out 5,6, or Out 7,8 in the Channel Mixer when the Mixer field is set to Programs.

12.MIDI In: Use standard 5-pin MIDI cables to connect these inputs to the MIDI outputs of optional external MIDI devices.

13.MIDI Out: Use standard 5-pin MIDI cables to connect these outputs to the MIDI inputs of optional external MIDI devices.

14.CV/Gate Out: Use standard 1/8” (3.5 mm) TS cables to connect these outputs to optional external sequencers. MPC X will send control voltage (CV) and/or Gate data over this connection.

Basic Concepts

This chapter should help explain some fundamental aspects of MPC X.

The MPC workflow is quite different from traditional digital audio workstations (DAWs). In most typical DAWs, each track uses an instance of each instrument, and all tracks are always playing even if they don’t contain any audio or MIDI information. Furthermore, your entire project needs to be arranged just as the resulting song would be.

This isn’t the case with MPC X, which offers much more flexibility within your project. It’s important to understand some basic terms, though:

A sequence is a “building block” of a song. It contains multiple tracks that play at the same time like a normal DAW. In a project, you might create one sequence for your verse and another sequence for your chorus, alternating and/or repeating each one in a specific order to create the song. (A project can contain 128 sequences.)

A track is a layer in a sequence. There are two types of tracks:

MIDI tracks consist of MIDI data only, no audio data. These tracks produce sound by using programs, described below. Unlike a normal DAW, each MIDI track exists only in its sequence. The advantage of this is not having to manage empty or unwanted tracks across all of your sequences—each sequence contains only the tracks you want to use in it. If you want to use the same track across multiple sequences, you can copy the track from one sequence into another. (A sequence on MPC X can contain 128 MIDI tracks.)

Audio tracks consist of a recorded audio signal, like a traditional DAW. These tracks do not use programs because the audio is already contained in the track. Also, unlike MIDI tracks, audio tracks are present in every sequence in the project, even if the tracks themselves are empty. (A sequence on MPC X can contain 8 audio tracks.)

A program is a preset through which MIDI tracks are routed. Programs may contain audio samples that are triggered when tracks plays through them, producing the sound you want on that track. Programs are independent of tracks and sequences, so you can set multiple tracks to use the same program (unlike normal DAWs where each track requires its own set of samples). Furthermore, you can use the same program/programs across multiple sequences. (A project can contain 128 programs.)

Each program can be played using the 16 pads (across eight pad banks, which gives you access to 128 pads in each program). Each pad plays a MIDI note when you press it, but that MIDI note will trigger something different for each program. For instance, in drum programs, the pads are assigned to samples—one pad could trigger a kick drum sound and another could trigger a snare drum sound—whereas in keygroup programs, each pad triggers a MIDI note that plays the corresponding pitch of the assigned to its keygroup.

Here’s a diagram to illustrate an example of how these pieces could work together:

	Sequence	Drum Program
	Sequence	(Drums)
		(Drums)
	Track (MIDI: Drums)	Keygroup Program
		Keygroup Program
	Track (MIDI: Bass)	(Bass)
	Track (MIDI: Keys 1)	Keygroup Program
		(Keys)
	Track (MIDI: Keys 2)
		Keygroup Program
	Track (MIDI: Synth)	(Synth Lead)
	Track (Audio: Vocals)
		Mixing
	Track (Audio: Vocals)
	Track (Audio: Guitar)

Please take a look at the following Tutorial chapter, as well. It will walk you through the creation of a short song to show you some of the MPC software’s most important features.

Tutorial

This chapter should help you to familiarize yourself with some basic features in MPC X. To get the most out of this chapter, we recommend reproducing each of the described steps.

On the following pages we will create a short song to show you some of MPC X’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 X 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 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 X’s internal drive. MPC Documents is a shortcut to the MPC Documents folder on the internal drive. If you have storage devices connected to MPC X’s USB ports or SD card slot, they will appear in this column, as well.

Important: MPC X 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 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 lowerright corner. Alternatively, press the center cursor or Enter to enter a selected folder.

To load a selected file, double-tap it, tap Load, or press the center cursor or Enter. 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.

To delete a selected file or folder, 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 center cursor or Enter. 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 X 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 X 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 kick 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).

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 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 Shift+Browse/Save to open the

Save window. Alternatively, press Menu to show the Menu, and tap the disk icon at the top of the touchscreen. 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 X’s internal drive. MPC Documents is a shortcut to the MPC Documents folder on the internal drive. If you have storage devices connected to MPC X’s USB ports or SD card slot, 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 center cursor or Enter 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 immediately 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.

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 data dial or –/+ buttons to shift 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 numeric 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.

Making Basic Sound Edits

Let’s make sure the samples are properly tuned and have good levels.

Press Prog 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 kick 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.

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 icon indicates a keygroup program, which is necessary to play the bass sound chromatically with the pads.

A name for the new keygroup program will appear in the Program field in the lower part of the touchscreen.

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, and then tap Do It.

To load and edit a bass sound:

1.Press 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 Prog 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 X, 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 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.

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.

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 X’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 Gain 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 Solo and Mute on, press them so they are off. Also, press Read/Write so it is off (not green/Read [R] or red/Write [W]).

10.Press Rec Arm to record-enable the track.

11.Press Rec or Overdub to record-arm MPC X.

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.

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 Shift+Next Seq/Song. In Song Mode, each of the sequences you’ve created in this project assigned to a pad. The sequence playlist is to the left of the pads, showing the song’s structure.

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 value of 1 means the sequence will play through only once). The Bars column on the right indicates the length of that sequence.

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.

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 Step Seq, 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.

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 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, –/+ buttons, or numeric keypad to select a value. Alternatively, double-tap the Threshold field and use the numeric keypad in the touchscreen. 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.

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 Shift+Track Mute/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 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.

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 X or to your computer’s audio interface.

To open the Sampler, press Sampler.

1.Connect an audio source to the input/inputs of your MPC X.

2.The Input ___ menu in the upper-left corner should be set to Input 1,2 (the inputs of your MPC X). If it is not, and select Input 1,2.

3.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).

4.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).

5.Tap Arm to record-arm the Sampler.

6.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.

7.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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