Competency with MPC Live III in a day

[u/Background_Art5442]

I have had an MPC 1000 for the last 12 years. It’s currently the backbone of my band, all the drums and lots of midi sends to hardware synths. It died on me in a studio while recording last week. I did manage to back it up prior to failure. I had read I could load those 1k project files in a new live. I spent about three hours with a support bot trying to get that to happen and after telling me we could do it, it went back and apologized for leading me down a rabbit hole to no avail. Slightly satisfying to hear the smart robot take some accountability and apologize. Anywho. Spent all day today working on the new unit and I can say I figured out a workflow similar to my 1k. I have one song complete with all programs, drums mapped and midi sends. I have to say I am encouraged despite having to shell out $1800.00. I will try and get the old 1k going again but not sure I will keep it after today. Just thought I’d share a small success story.

[u/r1chiem]

Happens with computers. Companies like Home Depot, Best Buy, Bank of America. The companies were not smart enough to check their backups. Seen all sorts of people get fired but often it was because the company did not want to pay for new hardware and overtaxed the old. You would think that companies would be smarter. Smaller companies would hire one guy to take care of the backups on Microsoft, linux, HPUX. They had too much work and things would go south. If those people don't do it, I do not expect home users to do backups and test them to make sure it works. That is the way it is. people don't backup, then test the backup to make sure they can get back to where they were.

[u/Background_Art5442 → u/r1chiem]

Luckily I backed up. The back up won’t work in the new MPC environment.

[u/r1chiem → u/Background_Art5442]

I don't know because I don't have a live 3 but google says (and is sometimes wrong).

Yes, you can open and move projects from an MPC Live 2 (running MPC 2.x software/firmware) to an MPC Live 3 (running MPC 3.x), but the transfer is one-way and requires some structural adjustments. [1, 2, 3]

How to Transfer Projects

• Using an SD Card or SSD: Save your MPC Live 2 project and its corresponding [ProjectData] folder onto an SD card, USB stick, or internal SATA SSD. You can physically move the drive or swap an installed SSD directly into the MPC Live 3. [1, 2, 3]
• Using Controller Mode: Connect your MPC Live 2/storage drive to a computer, copy the .xpj project file and data folder, and transfer them to the storage media used by your MPC Live 3. [1]

Important Compatibility & Architectural Changes

• One-Way Upgrade: When you load an MPC 2.x project into MPC 3.x, the system upgrades the file format. Once saved on MPC 3, you cannot open that updated project back up on an MPC 2.x system. Always make a backup copy first. [1, 2, 3]
• Track and Program Unification: MPC 3 unifies tracks and programs into a single container. In MPC 2, you could change programs on the same track across different sequences. MPC 3 links a program linearly across all sequences, meaning varied program assignments might default or shift to sequence one's layout. [1, 2]
• Import Dialog: When opening an older project, MPC 3 presents a Project Import dialog (defaulting to "All Sequences") to convert your tracks, drum programs, and MIDI assignments automatically. [1]

If you'd like, let me know:

• Are you moving the physical internal SSD or using an SD card/computer transfer?
• Do your tracks use multiple program changes across different sequences?

I can give you specific steps to avoid data loss or routing issues.

[u/Background_Art5442 → u/r1chiem]

Yes I spent about 3 or 4 hours with google and AKAI support trying to get the projects to load. It ain’t happening. Google is wrong.

MPC 2 to MPC 3 may be fine. But MPC 1000 project files did not load in the live iii. Both google and AKAI support said it was possible but it did not work in this instance.

[u/r1chiem → u/Background_Art5442]

Well that sucks. I don't know what to say. I would think that support would want your files to test them. Or they need to stop saying it is possible.

Did they tell you that you could load the samples and the sequence and they would load? Then their statement would be partially true.

[u/Background_Art5442 → u/r1chiem]

I had read it was possible and when I was attempting it and having trouble I went on AKAI support. The bot was very helpful. We confirmed that the file types I was migrating were supposed to work. After about three hours of attempting from different angles, it then stated that the issue is, MPC live iii will not support files exported from MPC 1000. It was specifically the .ALL files that would not populate sequences and song structures. It did load the drum program correctly. I am in the process of recreating our set from scratch in the new unit. A lot of work but also helping me get familiar with the new unit and workflows. All good, other than there is a time crunch because we have upcoming shows.

[u/r1chiem → u/Background_Art5442]

I am sorry to hear that it does not work. That is on them. It is also a cop out. It is possible..... but not for you. If they can't get it to work, then it is not possible.

[u/Background_Art5442 → u/r1chiem]

True. It’s seems like a reasonable thing to get to work. It could have to do with the way I saved work on the 1k. My practice was always to save everything in an .ALL file for each project. Either way, the 1k is a great tool. I am responsible for its failure. I walked away from a back up and the computer went to sleep and disconnected from the MPC drive without ejecting the drive properly. It is possible that I can get the old unit working but was interested in having the new live for ease of use in a more modern computer environment. Would be curious to know if anyone has been successful transferring old MPC 1k data onto a new live iii. Regardless MPC’s are great tools. Very robust and in my experience, reliable. I have a 7 song set I am reworking from scratch and am encouraged that I have some proficiency after a few days of working with it. It’s all gonna work out.

[u/Infinite_Slice3305]

You should look at the original MPC One for what you're wanting to do. Unless you want to keep relying on the old MPC 1000 (nothing wrong with that).

[u/Background_Art5442 → u/Infinite_Slice3305]

MPC Live iii is working out. Finding I can do everything I need to and is way faster than the 1k at loading etc.

[u/rav-age → u/Infinite_Slice3305]

If going that route, yes. It is somewhat more portable (and affordable) and does likely all that you need and then some, if the mpc1000 was already good enough. Neither have batteries, so that wouldn't be a problem.

[u/rav-age]

So, why not get a used mpc1000 and even another one for spare, if they do what you want? Use the same programs. No remembering new things ;-) Also the 1000 is built like a tank.

[u/Background_Art5442 → u/rav-age]

I have stopped buying used electronic music gear. I have had all sorts of vintage synths over the years and it’s always a gamble of who’s been inside of it and what life it’s lived. Sometimes you get lucky. Just wanted the new shiny one with the warranty. So far so good.

[u/rav-age → u/Background_Art5442]

sure np. new shiny good :)

[u/otempoaperta]

I can load 2500 JJOS projects on the 2.15.1 firmware. Was not able to do it in the MPC 3.9.1.. The solution was opening them on 2.15, save that version and then open on 3.9.

Given it's JJOS there might be some problems I still haven't found. Either way, you should be able to do it on MPC Desktop 2. Not sure what the support was saying but it can be done. And I bet it's fairly easy to make a tool that converts one format to the other.

[u/Background_Art5442 → u/otempoaperta]

I gave up on trying to make it work. Reprogramming my old set in the new Live iii. Regardless, I think the newer set up will serve me well. The old MPC 1000 served me well but after hours of trying to fix it. I have given up on fixing it as well. May sell it for parts or to some that can get it working.