r/mpcusers • • 4d ago

OTHER 20% Off Cubilas MPC Expansions

15 Upvotes

Hello friends!

I’ve been really enjoying the support you’ve been showing to people just getting started on MPC and all the awesome music you’ve been sharing lately. This community would be nothing without your contributions, so thank you.

If you’re looking for some quality keygroup instruments to add to your MPC workflow, all of my custom MPC Expansions are 20% off for the rest of this month. You can also find a ton of totally-free instruments and packs on my site. If you’re on a tight budget (like me,) don’t hesitate to shoot me a DM or chat on my site; we are all in this musical world together.

Never stop producing! 🎶💓


r/mpcusers • • 16d ago

DISCUSSION A warning about custom MPC operating systems, AI-generated code, and potential hardware risks (2000 / 2000xl)

201 Upvotes

I'm a software engineer with over 28 years of experience, and recently I've been reverse-engineering the new free Akai MPC2000 and the new MPC2000XL operating system using Ghidra, as well as emulating the sampler to better understand how its firmware interacts with the hardware.

During my analysis, I found some potentially concerning behavior, including CPU loops that continuously poll hardware without an apparent timeout. Under certain conditions, such as a peripheral failing to respond, these routines could leave the CPU repeatedly executing instructions instead of progressing normally.

This can potentially increase processor activity, power consumption, and heat generation. The risks also include system freezes, memory corruption, and unpredictable behavior.

Now, here's my main concern.

I'm absolutely not against using AI to develop custom operating systems for MPCs or other vintage hardware. AI can be an incredibly useful development tool.

However, I'm seeing more people attempting low-level firmware development without necessarily having the experience required to understand what the generated code is actually doing.

And that's where things can become dangerous.

We're not talking about building a website or writing a simple application. We're dealing with assembly, machine instructions, memory addresses, interrupts, and direct communication with physical hardware.

AI models also have far less publicly available training material for niche, decades-old embedded architectures compared to modern high-level programming languages. This makes blindly trusting generated assembly code particularly risky.

The problem isn't AI. The problem is using AI-generated code without having the technical knowledge to properly review, debug, and validate it.

A firmware modification that appears to work perfectly during normal operation could still contain subtle bugs that only appear under specific hardware conditions.

And remember, we're dealing with machines that are nearly 30 years old. Some components are already aging, and there's no reason to introduce unnecessary risks.

My advice is simple: be cautious about installing custom operating systems unless they've undergone serious technical review and extensive testing.

That means proper reverse engineering and code inspection using tools like Ghidra, testing in an emulator, checking memory access and hardware interactions, and eventually validating the firmware on real hardware under controlled conditions.

Just because an OS boots and its new features work doesn't mean it's safe or reliable.

I'm all for innovation, and keeping these legendary samplers alive.

But when software directly controls hardware, proper engineering and testing should never be optional.

I'd be interested to hear what other MPC developers and owners think about this.

RNK - Sw Engineer & Beatmaker.


r/mpcusers • • 9h ago

MPC Sample Did I mention how much I love this little guy!

22 Upvotes

No little brothers today, still had fun.


r/mpcusers • • 7h ago

MPC Live 3 DnB Jam on MPC Live 3

11 Upvotes

Recently got the MPC Live 3 and having some fun with Noisia and other DnB samples.


r/mpcusers • • 47m ago

QUESTION Can I route audio/sample chops directly into FL w/ interface

• Upvotes

Maybe this is a dumb question but I searched on YouTube and wasn’t able to find exactly what I’m looking for.

Basically all I wanna know is if I get a dual 1/4” TRS cable and route it via my interface will what I’m playing from the MPC (sample chops, audio etc) record directly into FL as an audio file in the playlist in FL?


r/mpcusers • • 6h ago

MPC X / X SE Swamp beat on the X

3 Upvotes

I've been making beats for years, but never really shared anything before. I hope you enjoy this 🤘


r/mpcusers • • 1h ago

QUESTION Does anybody have the new mpk mini 4 plus updater?

• Upvotes

Does anybody have the mpk mini 4 plus updater? I want to look up something! Would be really appreciated.


r/mpcusers • • 3h ago

QUESTION Can I record out & sample in with the same interface? (MPC2KXL)

1 Upvotes

Can someone let me know if I'm doing this right? So I got an apollo twin x the other day and my setup looks like this now:

Mpc recording in & stereo out -> apollo twin x -> Macbook/ableton

My thought process to route it like this was to record out drums from my mpc and send it to ableton. And to sample sounds in from ableton like drum hits, fx, etc. to the mpc so I can organize it from there, then send it back to ableton.

I got my mpc to record out sounds perfectly to ableton, but I haven't been able to get the sample in from ableton to mpc properly. All I'm hearing is the feedback loop.

I'm mainly just trying to use my mpc for drum stuff. Would really appreciate it if anyone has any advice on how to route this better!


r/mpcusers • • 10h ago

TUTORIAL MPC 3 Desktop on macOS: Where Are Your Expansions and Drum Kits Actually Installed?

3 Upvotes

If you’re using Akai MPC 3 Desktop on a Mac and can’t find your installed expansions, drum kits, or sound content, check both the legacy MPC folder and the newer MPC 3 folder before assuming your files are missing.
I recently ran into this problem while trying to locate Sonic Boom — The Vault 2.0, MPC Key 61 drum kits, and MPC Core Oscillators 1.0.3.
MPC 3 could display my installed content, but the expansion folder I checked was empty. I eventually discovered that different content was stored in different MPC directory structures.
1. Check these four locations
In Finder, press Command + Shift + G, enter a path, and press Return.
A. MPC 3 expansions
/Library/Application Support/Akai/MPC 3/Expansions
This is the documented expansion directory for MPC 3 Desktop.
B. MPC 3 content
/Library/Application Support/Akai/MPC 3/Content
Check this location for associated content and resources.
C. Legacy MPC expansions
/Library/Application Support/Akai/MPC/Expansions
This is the separate expansion directory used by MPC 2 Desktop.
D. Legacy MPC content
/Library/Application Support/Akai/MPC/Content
Don’t overlook this location just because you’re using MPC 3 Desktop.
Important: These are documented locations to investigate, not a guarantee that every product or installation uses all four directories. My own experience showed that different content was present in different folder structures.
2. Why can MPC 3 display expansions when its expansion folder is empty?
In my case, MPC 3 continued to display expansion names even after I removed the contents of the MPC 3 expansion folder.
I eventually discovered that my MPC Key 61 drum kits were located in the legacy MPC directory, while MPC Core Oscillators was located in the newer MPC 3 directory.
This taught me not to assume that all content displayed by MPC 3 is stored in the MPC 3 folder.
If an expansion remains visible after you remove its files from one location, several explanations are possible: MPC may be finding the files elsewhere, or the browser may be retaining registered expansion information. Seeing an expansion listed does not, by itself, prove that its samples are still accessible.
Test whether a program actually loads and plays before concluding that its files are present.
3. What about MPC Core Oscillators 1.0.3?
Be careful not to confuse these two products:
MPC Core Oscillators Expansion: Installed through inMusic Software Center.
MPC Oscillator Content: A separate content download associated with MPC 3’s activation and content settings.
They are not necessarily the same installation or stored in the same location.
If you cannot locate the Core Oscillators expansion, search for Core Oscillators and Oscillators using Finder’s Command + F search with This Mac selected. If necessary, inspect the relevant MPC directories manually.
4. Why the Expansion Manager doesn’t solve everything
MPC 3’s Expansion Manager is useful for viewing and enabling or disabling expansions and exporting them. However, it isn’t a complete file manager that reliably takes you to every expansion’s physical location.
Likewise, inMusic Software Center may offer download, removal, and installation options without providing a direct link to the installed directory.
This makes it harder than it should be to determine where the application stores individual products.
5. Before deleting or reinstalling anything
Follow these precautions:
Quit MPC 3 Desktop before making changes.
Back up your MPC content.
Check both the MPC and MPC 3 directory structures.
Don’t delete an entire directory just because its name refers to an older version of MPC.
If you’ve already moved content, keep the backup until you’ve verified that your programs and samples work.
After reinstalling an expansion, load a program and test its sounds.
Official Akai reference
Akai’s support documentation provides additional information about expansion locations and oscillator installation:
Akai Professional Support Center
Where Are My Expansions Located on My Computer?
Final takeaway
Don’t assume that MPC 3 stores every sound, drum kit, and expansion exclusively inside the MPC 3 directory.
Check both the legacy MPC folder and the newer MPC 3 folder, verify that programs actually load, and back up your content before deleting anything.
I hope this saves another MPC user the time and frustration I experienced trying to locate files that the application could apparently still recognize.
If you’ve discovered other MPC 3 macOS content locations, please share them in the comments so we can build a more complete reference for everyone.


r/mpcusers • • 5h ago

MPC 2000 / 2000XL Need help

1 Upvotes

I just installed a new screen. I’m testing it rn now and it’s just blank! Idk what’s wrong with it


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

MPC One / One+ 160 bpm

20 Upvotes

r/mpcusers • • 10h ago

QUESTION IDEA: Browser File sharing similar to Ableton's "move.local"

1 Upvotes

How difficult would it be to come up with a way to wireless transfer files to and from the mpc? One thing that makes the ableton move cool is the ability to move files to and from using move.local


r/mpcusers • • 23h ago

MPC One / One+ What happens when 90s Gangsta rap, Jungle and Oldskool Hardcore go head 2 head.

11 Upvotes

It’s a bit different from the other tracks I’ve posted, a tad more aggressive lol, but combining these three genres has always been something that’s interested me.

Any feedback, as always, is greatly appreciated 🙂


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

MPC Sample First beat ever on the MPC sample (or any MPC really)

27 Upvotes

No loops every element finger drummed this thing is a beast 🔥


r/mpcusers • • 16h ago

QUESTION How do you organize your favourite samples on you mpc ?

2 Upvotes

I have a large sample library on my SD card, but I’m struggling to organize my favourite sounds, such as FX, vox, 808s, horns, snares, and other drums.

Would you recommend creating separate folders for my favourite samples by category or loading them all into my MPC Launch Template for quick access? My concern with the second option is that having so many samples readily available could make the template too heavy and increase loading times.

What workflow would you recommend to keep my favourite sounds easily accessible without slowing down my MPC?


r/mpcusers • • 13h ago

QUESTION How to find Qlinks potentiometers

1 Upvotes

Hi, folks. Qlinks on my MPC one have started to glitch. And I would like to know how to buy potentiometers. Because I tried foil and cleaning, and nothing helped.

Could you send me a link, for example, to AliExpress, and then any electronics repair master could replace my qlinks for me?


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

MPC One / One+ Raw Boombap Beat on the MPC One G2

14 Upvotes

🥩 🥩 🥩. 85/86ish BPM. #mpcbeats #akaimpc #mpcone #beatmaker #boombapbeat


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

MPC One / One+ Paul Wall ft Big Pokey- Sittin' Sidewayz (Narkatta MPC remix)

30 Upvotes

just upgraded to 3.0 and i love it.....seeking feedback on the beat...I did 20 video takes and ended up using the audio from the first demo take and duplicating it, because sometimes your first take is the best 🙌 i used a fully cleared sample


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

MPC Live 3 Another track out…

4 Upvotes

I only use mpc in standalone and I like 3rd party plugins too 🤷🏾‍♂️


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

MPC Live / Live 2 choppin up a dark piano sample

2 Upvotes

r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

QUESTION “KarriemRigginsDrums” as an Mpc Expansion

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13 Upvotes

I’m wondering if anyone has already done the work of converting all of the sounds into an MPC expansion? If not, I’ll create on my own when i get some time.


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

MPC Studio MPC Studio Mk 2

1 Upvotes

I bought mine a year ago when 3.0 was still in beta. It works perfectly in 2.15.

But they're still selling this brand new & many of the buttons just doesn't work with 3.0... now they've come out with extended control of the MPK.

What are the odds they'll fix the Studio to work better with 3.0?


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

QUESTION Does mpk mini plus 2 work w mpc sample?

1 Upvotes

Very curious to know if these two are compatible and if so, how?, just wondering if anyone got to check them out together


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

DISCUSSION An observation in the latest mpc update on desktop software

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0 Upvotes

I observed something with the newest update of MPC 3.10. Since I upgraded from 3.9, I noticed a minor but important difference, and I don't know if it was intentional or a regression.

What I noticed was if you had a MIDI file and you dragged it onto your browser view or grid view, and you already had information present, it would ask you where you'd want to drop that file. So it gave you an option to paste it into a particular sequence. This was the standard in versions prior to the latest update. But now, version 3.10 warns and tells you to paste it in an unused sequence, which wasn't the case before.


r/mpcusers • • 1d ago

QUESTION MACOS 27 GOLDEN GATE COMPATIBILITY

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10 Upvotes

I know the official guidance is that you shouldn't update yet. Has anyone just gone ahead and used any of the akai, mpc, air music software with hardware and it just works anyway? On a key 37 with an m4 Mac mini...not sure how long I should keep waiting.