Akai MPC Live - First Look

Akai give us a close up look at the new MPC Live standalone MPC. We examine the new features and hardware. New features include: audio tracks, clips launch and real-time timestretch.
£799/$1199
Subscribe to Sonicstate on KZbin for new content!
bit.ly/SonicYTSub
Watch Sonicstate's Exclusive Series:
Sonic LAB: bit.ly/SonicLab
Meet The Makers: bit.ly/SonicMakers
Sonicstate Performances: bit.ly/SonicPerformances
Sonic TALK Podcast: bit.ly/SonicTalk
NAMM 2017: bit.ly/SonicNAMM2017
Website: www.sonicstate.com
Twitter: #!/sonicstate
Facebook: / wwwsonicstate
Instagram: / sonicstateuk
Podcast/iTunes: goo.gl/4uOFA5

[@AveMcree]

CAN'T WAIT TO OWN ONE OF THESE!!!! BUT GOODNESS THAT MPC X LOOKS TASTY!!!!!

[@oorcinus]

LOL, love the robotic "16 gig" overdub at 2:57

[@Gahttz]

Lol

[@tsuobachi]

I've been using MPCs since 1996 when I spent 6 months saving up for my first mpc2000. 32 seconds of sampling, no fx, just bare bones. It changed my life for the better to say the least. I loved it. By 2004 I was 100% in the box and I'd sold all my hardware. It took another 10 years to reach the point that hardware had finally gotten good enough to be preferable to being in-the-box (imo, at least). Since 2004 I've been waiting for someone to put everything I've ever wanted from both a software AND hardware sampler into one device. This looks like the one I'd design for myself, so I'm really excited by this. I'm blown away so far by everything I've seen and heard--the time strecthing sounds really good! Finally! The octatrack had the only hardware time stretching I could tolerate before this, but this sounds better. I've been producing electronic music for just over 21 years now and this is the first sampler I've seen that gives me that warm feeling I got the first time I saw an MPC2000.

[@chadmuskaa2806]

Did u get it?? Or the X?

[@gorillabraudcast474]

You should have strayed from akai 21years ago. Ensoniq had some of the best onboarding effects and filters in the eps16+ and asr10s. Theres nothing warm about the dead sonic space that I've herd out of these new systems. U want warm plug into a tube amp. Or pitch down from speed up samples for the aliasing.This crap all sux! Dont even act like the emulations of the old machines sound anything at all like the real deal... I'll go head to head with any producer with my setup and we can watch your simulators and live remix digital disasters melt as soon as my break drops.. that goes for ur laptops aswell. Haha

[@gorillabraudcast474]

@@chadmuskaa2806 mayne, u ain't Chad muska! That's so weird that u would just try to pose as someone else. Extreme nut riding at the fullest!

[@gorillabraudcast474]

I like the time stretch on the older machines too. The emu e4ks are maybe alittle better as far as not changing the pitch, but I also like ensoniqs too.

[@benhoughtonmusic]

@@gorillabraudcast474 old mpcs aren't just about sound quality though, it's the killer sequencer and workflow that made them legendary

[@ryanjones5803]

Great job Andy! Particularly the mini jam at 18 mins and onwards - really showed off the screens responsiveness.

[@Funkbutterfly]

Thanks for asking good questions, Nick, per usual.

[@andreypapin]

Every review... I understand that MPC is made for me

[@Chevytravelleruk]

The first genuinely impressive product from Akai for a great many years.. If this machine delivers what it promises, it could be a genuine alternative to the laptop for live performance.. Well done Akai, well done..

[@DanielDavissynthman]

Nick seems kind of blown away. :). So am I.

[@Racingheartrecords]

Nicely done! I'd also like to see a demo showing how to set up patterns in advance and chain them together to create a pre-programmed song, and then have fun with the song during the live performance: looping a pattern for a break, effects, launching clips, etc.

[@Onelychild]

Wow! Magnificent! Thank you for sharing this!

[@krakapoww]

as for the timestretch, the roland mv had this over 10 years ago. but i cant lie, the portability and daw interaction makes this a must have

[@ritec]

This thing is amazing, as a long time MPC user I am really happy about both the MPC Live and X.

[@Lightning-blaster]

Buying this is april!!

[@JakeWorrell]

The first MPC that has really interested me. Looks great!

[@alexrafter]

Another great video Sonic State.

[@MarctheDarc]

Nice video, and this thing is looking seriously awesome! If there's no big dumb deal breaker, this could be the (re-)start of some interesting musical innovations and events.

[@officialriff]

Nice presentation. Workin with the mpc live.🔊🔥

[@joshk2181]

this looks pretty amazing tbh

[@AveMcree]

I had to post this on our blogs

[@tekis0]

Really great demo of an impressive product! Looks like Akai wants to be king of the hill again...

[@sunilsolanki]

Brilliant new machines. Thanks so very much Akai for listening. If only the Live had cv outs it would replace a bunch of my gear for playing out.

[@groovementmovement3995]

I read that you can send CV via one of the audio outs. If you look closely on the sequence/track scene, CV is an option.

[@Swenglish]

There are also MIDI to CV converters on eBay. I don't know what the Venn diagram of usable and affordable looks like, but it might be worth having a look around.

[@bostonmuzik]

Watch my game on akai mpc LIVE on my chanel.TY!)

[@glenesis]

@@groovementmovement3995 It lists cv/gate in the specs on the web, but I don't know details.

[@BigBadWolf..............]

I remember the touch review and Nick kept saying "yeah but this has to be hooked to a computer " In this review, he's like " well fuck yeah" haha I'm buying this thing. It's exactly what I want. I wanted a portable workstation, battery powered. I wanted no tiny screens and no endless stupid scrolling. I used a Korg kaossilator pro a while back for quick ideas and wished they would make a 16 track version but this is way beyond that. I have been looking for a good battery powered drum machine to go with my battery powered synths. I have a setup waiting for this so I can sit down with no mouse, no computer, and make music again like I did when I was 20. I am going to be so productive. I'll be sitting on the couch editing my tracks. Damn. I was going to save up and get an iPad Pro. Now I'm going to sell my boss rc 505, and save for this. Great time to be a musician, we are so spoiled.

[@CatLover-g7j]

This MPC is AMAZING!!! GET ONE!

[@savageparasyte76]

this looks dooooope I can not wait to have one man!

[@dxtrs_mnpltr]

Simply awesome!

[@meccanised]

Great video, timely also before Namm.

[@SyntheticSan]

5 years are gone and the MPC Live 2 is still amazing.

[@alfreddawson3765]

5 years have gone by and the Original MPC Live is still amazing!

[@kixxalot]

To be honest I lost my faith in Akai many years ago, but this managed to spark my interest somewhat. I'll keep an eye out for how well it does in the wild: bugs, latency etc.

[@MrDebauch]

exactly how i feel... and exactly what i was planning to do as well.

[@billyglenjr5327]

MrDebauch I'm paying special attention to how they are using the term "Standalone". What limitations are there when running in standalone alone mode versus 2.0 mode I'm curious.

[@MrDebauch]

well i mean come on.. it wont have the full resources of a desktop (it wont have 16 or 32 or more gigs of memory with a 6 or 8 core intel.. etc..) standalone means it is not just a USB midi controller (like the ren, studio, and touch.. as well as maschine, push, etc...) It has it's own dedicated computer on board. So far it looks like it will be limited to 8 audio tracks and it wont be hosting any VST plug ins... any vst instruments on the desktop software 2.0 must be bounced to a wav file and thrown on an audio track. my question is.. with 8 audio tracks.. can multiple files be thrown on those tracks or is it for only 8 files (with the possibility of adding markers for muting, moving sections non-destructively to the original file) If it was 8 tracks where the track was just a container for what ever.. and the restriction was the routing for effects .. that would be great.

[@billyglenjr5327]

MrDebauch a big part of what I make on my current MPC 1000 involved muting tracks. I came over to it recently from using Roland sp404. I love the sequencing in the 1K and being able to mute tracks, where for one track I will have a low velocity snare, a second track a medium velocity snare etc..., doing the same for high hats. so 8 tracks get eaten up pretty quick as I'm certain you can relate. the thing I'm worried about is getting it and not being able to mute certain tracks to add variety to my arrangement. must have more than 8 audio tracks for how I currently work. I might be misunderstanding though and there could be a better workflow that I'm not using right now

[@MrDebauch]

well the 8 track limitation is for audio tracks... not midi tracks. the roland MVs had only 8 audio tracks too and like 128 midi tracks.

[@TeleporterM11]

I think he meant you can only have 8 stretched audio tracks. He did mention that you can bounce them to disk and reopen them to have more. It may be cache or memory safeguard limit.

[@youtubenatan]

I've been waiting for my entire life, for this one machine alone, and when I get one, oh man, look out. You will be hearing about me then, right now I am practicing everyday and making beats on a Roland jd xi and Electribe 2, and I'm thankful for these, and they have taught me alot about synthesis, velocities, mixing and a bunch of other techniques, but it's time to get a professional machine like this though, to put out music that I can really stand behind and what I have been waiting for since I was 10 years old. I stand behind my music now, it's just I don't have all the tools I need to do everything that I want to do, and the live has that. I cannot wait. Until then...

[@bassism]

As somebody running an MPC1k on JJOS, this looks pretty brilliant. If they manage to keep the things I like about my old box, and give me back some of the functionality I lost when I ditched my laptop, this thing could do very well.

[@numanuma20]

I really like the clip mode where you can launch loops. This is starting to sell it for me.

[@phable]

Looking forward to test this against the Octatrack! Wondering how they complement each other...

[@EliahHoliday]

I think they did a good job of addressing what customers have been wanting as well as adding some nice features. It's pretty pricey though, at least in CDN dollars.

[@JiggyWig]

Looks very cool, but no mention of it's capabilities sequencing external gear. Two MIDI out ports, Networking and USB connectivity but no mention on what can be sequenced and how, Can anyone add more details please? (the website is bereft of details).

[@janminor1172]

As an outsider to the whole MPC/sampling/loop world I have to say this looks like a very clever and well thought out product at a pretty good price point. If the whole mpc-computer synchronization works as advertised, that is quite a unique selling point. I wonder though whether there'll be a monthly patch day for the mpc live now that it is running windows inside 😉

[@hujuu]

This looks fantastic. The midi sequencer, can you have tracks of different length? And can you set the pads up to trigger single midi tracks (kind of like one-shot midi patterns)? These are my two major gripes with the MPC1000.

[@sinsin8596]

Got mine ordered 😁

[@Naotaku]

AKAI is back! :)

[@morology5882]

I would LOOOOOOOOVE to see a side by side comparison of this and the Pioneer Toraiz Sp-16.

[@rcmusic35]

Very nice presentation, thanx. Will the X available at the same time, end of february? Thanx

[@iVardensphere]

Great stuff, Nick and Akai. I do have a question. Will there be any features on the Live that won't be on the X? Is the X all inclusive to what we see happening in this video.

[@LandonBalk]

They finally did it! They made a self contained hardware unit that stores samples to SD card and also works as a dedicated controller!

[@gorillabraudcast474]

Really!? The goofy 2000xl did everything u just said

[@glenesis]

Amazing piece of kit. Now it is a DAW!! Auto Sampler is off the hook. If it had a pair of mic pres and an ftp server I'd own one immediately.

[@TheDazlermac]

Looks like a great product.

[@VJFranzK]

Can you record an audio loop while the sequencer is going? ( "Live Looping" )

[@CarlGontheBeat]

This pretty much murders the Pioneer Toraiz. My question is; are the effects only live or can master effects be programmed?

[@H4NDCRAFTED]

I wonder if you can attach pads to one another so you can trigger clips together to create scenes like in Ableton ?

[@quantumeseboy]

Wow. Does it take photos? It really looks good. The question I have - does the sequencer do various time signatures? Because some drum machines lately only do 4x4.

[@satyanpatel6403]

So glad MPC is going to release standalone devices again. Many people struggled with the PC slave of their current devices. What's amazing is that MPC tried to release a identical model to this with Windows OS built in to it. So glad they didn't. Google MPC with Windows built in to see the unit I speak of.

[@CarlGontheBeat]

Is USB bus powered to control many bus powered midi keyboards?

[@vkboogie]

Looks like there's no scroll momentum on the waveform screen. would love for that to get implemented.

[@MarcoPinteiro]

Hi, is it possible to load an entire song (let's say 5/8 minutes long) and be warped like in Ableton Live?

[@truecuckoo]

This seems like a good one. I hope it'll be at Superbooth! Thanks Nick and Andy!

[@NathanChisholm041]

Cuckoo are you getting one mate? i also enjoy your videos

[@truecuckoo]

Hey Nathan, thanks. No I don't think I'll be getting this. I have to see it first hand though. I don't like to dis stuff, but touch interface instruments don't appeal to me that much... :-/ Also I still haven't got a feel for how quirky and nerdy you can go with the sequencer, as an interesting performance instrument. I didn't feel the fun factor to be honest. But I don't come with an MPC background though, so perhaps it's great if you're coming from that. It seems like a pretty powerful package though.

[@NathanChisholm041]

I hear that i might just stick to connecting my analogkeys, nord lead 4 elektron rytm and korg electribes all up for live jams with my mates. We have a spare room with mood lights bean bags and a whole lot off synths and drum machines and we all jam together! its a lot more fun i feel. Cheers mate cant wait for more off your videos....P.S whats your one favorite piece off musical equipment you have?

[@truecuckoo]

Nathan he he. Perfect imaginary sight! Favourite music tool... Currently the Octatrack.. I guess. Oddly, it's the one piece I can bring, and still play a great live gig.

[@NathanChisholm041]

Thanks for the insight im going to look into the octatrack forsure! and i look forward to chatting again soon some time... peace out brother!

[@nicethings]

Looking great but: Can it be used as a audio interface when used with a computer? Does it have its own Plug-in instruments e.g.The Bank, etc...?

[@dcgarcia510]

Can it record 16 mono audio tracks????

[@petrusbarbatusberolinensis2102]

What exactly is the relation between project, track and program? What is the underlying structure?

[@MadayMaday]

Better demo than the one done for Sound On Sound... Great job Andy!

[@m-chopbeats7526]

Joe Maday lol, i don't think the interviewer from sos ever heard of an MPC

[@MadayMaday]

It was like they sent their marketing department, or drill team... afterall their arms were flopping about :D

[@allroads8978]

Can't wait 'till release date / looks perfect and I'm one of those people ( Es 2 lovers )- will admit the sampler part is strange but the drums, midi, and fx are pro

[@avene]

This looks great. My only issue is the knobs being on the right side. For pad scratching where I use my right hand to tap the pads and left to adjust a pitch slider or knob, it would be awkward reaching over. Still, could be done though. This would be a perfect replacement for my MPC500.

[@MrCshmn]

Can you monitor external instruments though the internal mixer for effects etc?

[@TherapyHiccup]

sounds pretty good actually, price was lower then i expected and i'd love to have a play around with that. so im guessing NI will be doing this next... ive been suggesting for years that they create a standalone Maschine product (you know those surveys they send out, i always mentioned standalone in those).

[@ourigin]

Yea, but what's the program editing like? Layers, envelopes, modulation ect.

[@ENICIO69]

so the pads... fingerdrumming Sequencing... do we FINALY get to see something on this???

[@chris5375]

Hope, it comes a MPC X Review together with MPC Software as soon as possible :-)

[@daleaskew3859]

How many clips? Just 4x4 or more? Also can different patterns be assigned to each pad (verse on one pad, chorus on another etc) so that u can create new arrangements on the fly? Cheers

[@junglsmor]

what happens if u have more than 8 audio tracks on controller mode then switch to standalone?

[@RobSozzese]

Hey Nick, can you create a sample and have that sample play on an external midi keyboard on all Keys?

[@jonathanfrazier4195]

Is it possible to plug in a piano keyboard via MIDI to play a set of samples on the Live in a multitimbral fashion ? ( ie , user created splits and layers ).

[@phloxlovesyou]

Are the outputs DC Coupled? Would be great to be able to use the extra outputs for CV/Gate purposes since the Live doesn´t feature the dedicated CV outputs

[@Kablehead]

This looks enticing. I wonder how the pads feel.

[@bradydansmith]

What's the loading time when switching projects? Thinking about getting this for live to take some CPU strain off of Ableton, run backing tracks and sequence synths etc plus play around on.. Just curious about how long it takes to change projects. With Ableton, all my songs are there in one project so there's no change over time etc.. would be a bit embarrassing to have to leave the crowd waiting for ages in between songs.. really appreciate this video again thanks :)

[@digitaldiezel5870]

He dodged the questions about exporting. Can you export all tracks in a project to the SD card as .Wav files?

[@sl23-65]

Can it fully synthesise any samples? In other words a possible signal path - Sample Osc -> Filter -> FilterEnv -> LFO -> Amp -> AmpEnv?

[@mojodrum3215]

In mute mode I can do what you call clipping on my Pioneer Toraiz and whats really neat is I can have all the pads running clips at the same time not limited to one pad per column which reduces the possibilities. I was thinking of purchasing this but I will wait and see what the users have to say. Is sonicstate planning to have a first look at the Toraiz?

[@W3TW4R3]

What are the knobs to the right of the screen used for? Seems like he didn't touch them the whole demo.

[@azuonyerecordings8405]

Hi Nick, I wonder if you know wether a performance in "Clip Mode" can be recorded and exported as a wave or MP3 on the MPC live?

[@Max10_B]

How do u figure out acapella bpms and have them lock to grid to make drums over them.

[@marcus268]

I think it would be interesting to see the midi sequencer capabilities in action i.e. would it be possible to create templates for external midi devices? Are there some possibilites for ARP, LFO, Retrigger ? How would it work in a live context i.e. sponanous mute /unmute of midi tracks, configurable mute (after 1 bar, 2 bar etc.) Could there be scenes be build where several tracks are layerd, and we can switch the scenes? Would there be an option for MIDI `FX?= I.e. midi FX manipulating several midi CC at the same time with the XY pad.

[@MsDeliaStreams]

So with Bluetooth, would this be able to pair with the new Korg nano studio boards that are Bluetooth?

[@johnthecloud]

Is it possible to use that piano roll to play samples chromatically, rather than having different samples on each note line?

[@mikelo303]

Can you connect midi controller to it with faders for each track?

[@evsp8048]

does anybody know if this will have some sort of parameter lock capability for the fx??

[@ecosse33]

Do a review just like you did with the live with mpcx please

[@digitaldiezel5870]

Can I use an external audio interface via USB? If so would that change the sample rate requirement of 44K in standalone mode.

[@PORRFNK]

How many midi tracks? and do midi tracks occupy sound tracks? And does it work without the battery in it, can you take out the battery if it gets bad at some point?

[@gauloiseguy]

A. Bob Midi tracks and sound tracks are separate.

[@bostonmuzik]

Watch my game on akai mpc LIVE on my chanel.TY!)

[@gorillabraudcast474]

Nope it's like apple, when the battery dies u simply throw it away

[@Mastorguhch]

Can anybody tell me what vocal he is using at the end? Around the 19:55 mark

[@techstyle123]

Sonicstate when do you think mpx will get demo on your show...cheers

[@JeezVince]

how is the midi working? can I transfer midi files I made in ableton?

[@TheRealWinsletFan]

Is that 8 tracks only in total, or 8 audio tracks only, with additional MID/External tracks.

[@99MUZIK]

can you record xy effects into a sequence in a track?

[@dnch]

and for the price of OP1 ? this is amazing!

[@saxmidiman]

What about tempo changes? Automation of tempo?

[@ceremony4970]

Hey guys, do you know if there's a way to transfer over Logic Pro X songs onto this unit to perform live? Any help on this would be much appreciated, thank you!!

[@NathanChisholm041]

can i connect my nord lead 4 to this and lay down some riffs?

[@TheCanadianDreamEvergreen]

Does anyone know if the MPC live has the MPC 2 software and the synth and FX engines the MPC one has got?

[@piotradamski3346]

Can you create your own raw drum tracks without synth. sounds ?

[@quiksandd9949]

can I hook this up to my audio technical record player????

[@kruger12311]

I wonder what OS it runs underneath the 2.0. FreeBSD, Linux?

[@djmacnamara]

wow... I want this :)

[@tychothefriendlymonolith]

You have my attention.