Akai MPD 32 User manual

OPERATOR'S MANUAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW.................................................................................... 1
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW...................................................................................... 3
HOOKUP DIAGRAM ............................................................................................... 4
DISPLAYING INFORMATION ................................................................................. 6
NOTE................................................................................................................. 6
NOTE AFTERTOUCH (Channel Pressure) ........................................................ 6
CONTROL CHANGE ......................................................................................... 6
CONTROL AFTERTOUCH ................................................................................ 7
MIDI MACHINE CONTROL COMMAND (MMC) ................................................ 7
PREVIEWING .................................................................................................... 7
ABOUT MODES ...................................................................................................... 8
PRESET MODE ....................................................................................................... 9
PAGE 1 – LOAD PRESET ................................................................................. 9
PAGE 2 – SAVE/COPY PRESET ...................................................................... 9
PAGE 3 – NAME PRESET................................................................................. 9
EDIT MODE ........................................................................................................... 10
EDIT MODE PARAMETERS...................................................................... 11
EDITING THE PADS........................................................................................ 12
NOTE PARAMETERS................................................................................ 13
PROGRAM CHANGE PARAMETERS....................................................... 14
EDITING KNOBS, FADERS AND EXPRESSION PEDAL................................ 15
CONTROL CHANGE PARAMETERS........................................................ 16
AFTERTOUCH PARAMETERS ................................................................. 17
INCREMENT/DECREMENT PARAMETERS (knobs only)......................... 18
EDITING BUTTONS......................................................................................... 19
CONTROL CHANGE PARAMETERS........................................................ 19
PROGRAM CHANGE PARAMETERS....................................................... 20
EDITING NOTE REPEAT ................................................................................ 21
NOTE REPEAT BUTTON MODE............................................................... 22
NOTE REPEAT PARAMETERS – GATE, SWING..................................... 22
EDITING TIME DIVISION ................................................................................ 23
DEFAULT TIME DIVISION......................................................................... 23
BUTTON MODE......................................................................................... 23
EDITING TRANSPORT CONTROL ................................................................. 24
EDITING TAP TEMPO..................................................................................... 24
EDITING FOOTSWITCH INPUTS.................................................................... 25
CONTROL CHANGE PARAMETERS........................................................ 25
DRUM PAD PARAMETERS ...................................................................... 26
OTHER FUNCTIONS................................................................................. 26
GLOBAL MODE .................................................................................................... 27
KILL MIDI – Page1........................................................................................... 27
MIDI COMMON CHANNEL – Page 2............................................................... 27
LCD CONTRAST – Page 3 .............................................................................. 28
PAD SENSITIVITY – Page 4............................................................................ 28
PAD VELOCITY CURVE – Page 5................................................................... 28
PAD THRESHOLD – Page 6............................................................................ 29
MIDI CLOCK – Page 7 ..................................................................................... 29
TAP TEMPO AVERAGE – Page 8 ................................................................... 29
SAVE SETUP – Page 9 ................................................................................... 30
SYSEX TX – Page 10 ...................................................................................... 30
VERSION – Page 11........................................................................................ 30
PROGRAM CHANGE MODE ................................................................................ 31
PROG CHANGE (Program Change)................................................................ 31
PROG+BANK (Program Change with Bank Change)....................................... 31
RESETTING FACTORY DEFAULTS..................................................................... 32
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.................................................................... 33
TROUBLESHOOTING........................................................................................... 34
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................ 35
CONTACT INFORMATION.................................................................................... 35

1
FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW
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1. LCD – The display is used for navigating
menus, displaying data, and affecting change
on MPD32’s options and parameters.
2. [VALUE] (Push to Enter) – This dial is used
for incrementing and decrementing Presets,
parameter values and settings. This dial also
functions as an [ENTER] button when it is
pressed down.
3. [<] AND [>] BUTTONS – These buttons are
used for navigating through fields of menus
and options. The [<] button also functions as
a [CANCEL] button.
4. [PRESET] – This button calls up Preset
Mode. You can select and recall different
Preset programs in this mode.
5. [EDIT] – This button calls up Edit Mode,
which allows you to edit the behavior of the
pads, knobs, buttons, faders and default
settings for each preset.
6. [GLOBAL] – This button calls up Global
Mode, where MIDI reset commands and
global system preferences are set.
7. [PROGRAM CHANGE] – Pressing this
button will enter Program Change mode. In
this mode, you can send a Program Change
or Program with Bank Change message to a
hardware or software module.
8. [PREVIEW] – This button allows you to see
what value will be sent by a controller, without
actually sending the value. This gives you
precise control over your parameters and
helps avoid erroneous controller data being
sent to your devices due to the physical
position of the controller. This is especially
useful when switching between control banks
where, for example, the physical position of a
fader may not correspond to the last value
sent by the controller. Holding down
[PREVIEW] allows you to view the original
value and adjust the physical position of the
fader as necessary before transmitting any
values.

2
103 111 119 127
71 79 87 95
39 47 55 63
715 23 31
9. TRANSPORT CONTROL BUTTONS –
These five buttons are dedicated buttons for
sending transport control commands. The
transport control buttons can be set to
transmit either MMC (MIDI Machine Control),
MMC/MIDI SysEx, MIDI START/STOP or
pre-assigned MIDI CC values.
10. 8 ASSIGNABLE KNOBS –Each 360-degree
knob can be used to send continuous control
data to a desktop audio workstation or
external MIDI device.
11. 8 ASSIGNABLE FADERS – Each fader can
be used to send continuous control data to a
desktop audio workstation or external MIDI
device.
12. 8 ASSIGNABLE BUTTONS – These buttons
can be used as MIDI CC switches or Program
Change switches. They can function in
momentary or toggle modes. When [TIME
DIVISION] has been activated, these 8
buttons are used to set the time division of
the Note Repeat feature.
13. [CONTROL BANK] – The MPD32 features 3
independent banks of continuous controllers.
Effectively, this allows you to control up to 72
independent parameters with the knobs,
faders and buttons on the MPD32. The
[CONTROL BANK] button is used to switch
among the 3 banks. The LEDs above the
button will reflect the currently selected
control bank.
14. 16 REAL MPC PRESSURE AND VELOCITY
SENSITIVE PADS – The pads can be used
to trigger drum hits or samples or can be
configured to send Program Change
messages to your software or hardware
module. The pads are pressure and velocity
sensitive, which makes them very responsive
and intuitive to play.
15. PAD BANK buttons – These 4 buttons
switch among pad banks A, B, C, D. Each
bank can address a unique set of 16 sounds,
giving you access of up to 64 different
sounds you can trigger with the pads.
The currently selected pad bank will
be indicated on the LCD display
16. [FULL LEVEL] – When [FULL LEVEL] is
activated, the pads always play back at a
maximum velocity (127), no matter how hard
or soft you hit them.
17. [16 LEVEL] – When [16 LEVEL] is activated,
you can use the 16 pads to change a
selected sound’s velocity in 16 steps. When
you press the [16 LEVEL] button, the last pad
that was hit gets mapped to all 16 pads. The
pads will now output the same note number
and pressure controller as the initial pad, but
the velocity is fixed
at the values shown
in the diagram on
the right, regardless
of how hard you hit
them. This allows
you to have more
control over the
velocity of a sound.
18. [NOTE REPEAT] – Holding this button while
striking a pad causes the pad to retrigger at a
rate based on the current Tempo and Time
Division settings. The Note Repeat feature
can be synced to an internal or external MIDI
Clock source. [NOTE REPEAT] can function
as a latching or momentary button
19. [TIME DIVISION] – This button is used to
specify the rate of the Note Repeat feature.
When [TIME DIVISION] is activated, you can
press one of the 8 switches to specify a time
division. [TIME DIVISION] can function as a
momentary or toggle button.
Please note that while [TIME DIVISION] is
active, the 8 assignable buttons will not
function as MIDI CC or Program Change
switches until [TIME DIVISION] has been de-
activated.
20. [TAP TEMPO] – This button allows you to tap
in a new tempo. If the preset is reloaded, the
tempo will revert to the saved tempo value.
(Please note that a preset’s default tempo
can be set in Edit Mode). Tap Tempo does
not work when the MPD32 is set to External
sync.

3
REAR PANEL OVERVIEW
12345678
1. DC POWER ADAPTER INPUT – Plug in a
6V–1A DC power adapter if you do not wish
to power the MPD32 through the USB
connection.
2. USB CONNECTION – Plug a standard USB
cable into this outlet and into the USB port of
your computer. The computer’s USB port will
provide power to the MPD32. This
connection is used to send and receive MIDI
data to and from your computer and may also
be used to send MIDI data from your
computer to a device attached to the MIDI
OUT port of the MPD32.
3. MIDI OUT – Use a five-pin MIDI cable to
connect the MIDI OUT of the MPD32 to the
MIDI IN of an external device.
4. MIDI IN – Use a five-pin MIDI cable to
connect the MIDI OUT of an external MIDI
device to the MIDI IN of the MPD32.
5. FOOT SWITCH 1 – Connect a ¼” TS
footswitch to this input. Footswitches can be
used as MIDI CC switches, or to remotely
control certain features on the MPD32, such
as pad triggering and button events.
6. FOOT SWITCH 2 – Connect a ¼” TS
footswitch to this input. Footswitches can be
used as MIDI CC switches, or to remotely
control certain features on the MPD32, such
as pad triggering and button events.
7. EXPRESSION PEDAL INPUT – Connect a
¼” TRS expression pedal to this input. We
recommend using the Alesis F2 expression
pedals.
8. KENSINGTON LOCK – The unit may be
secured to a table or surface using this
Kensington Lock slot.

4
HOOKUP DIAGRAM
Please refer to the following scenario for connecting the MPD32.
EXTERNAL SOUND MODULE
COMPUTER
POWER
ADAPTER
EXTERNAL
MIDI DEVICE
FOOTSWITCH
FOOTSWITCH EXPRESSION
PEDAL
1. Connect a USB cable from your computer to the MPD32. The unit will be powered through the
USB connection. Alternatively, if you do not wish to use a computer in your setup or if you wish
to power the MPD32 externally, please plug in the included 6V-1A DC power adapter.
2. If you would like to use an external sound module, connect a 5-pin MIDI cable from the MIDI OUT
of the MPD32 to the MIDI IN of the external device.
3. If you would like to use another MIDI controller in your setup, connect a 5-pin MIDI cable from the
MIDI OUT of the controller to the MIDI IN of the MPD32.
4. If you would like to use Footswitches or an Expression Pedal with the MPD32, connect the 1/4"
jack from the selected pedal in to the appropriate plug on the MPD32.
MIDI from MPD32 to
computer
MIDI from external MIDI
device connected to MIDI IN
port of MPD32
MIDI from computer to
external sound module
connected to MIDI OUT port
of MPD32

5
A NOTE ABOUT USING THE MPD32 WITH SOFTWARE
1. Make sure that the MPD32 and all external devices are connected and that the USB
cable is connected to your computer before opening any software applications with
which you intend to use the MPD32. If the unit is not plugged in before, your software
application might not recognize the MPD32 as an available device.
2. In your software application, you will need to set the MPD32 as a default MIDI input
device. This is usually done in the MIDI section of the Preferences menu.
3. If you would like to use tempo-synced features, such as Note Repeat, you will also need
to slave the MPD32 to a MIDI Clock generated by your software DAW. Make sure that
your software is set up to send MIDI clock to the MPD32 and that the unit’s MIDI Clock
setting is set to “External” (see Global Mode). This will ensure that Note Repeat is
synchronized to the tempo selected in your software DAW.
IMPORTANT
The operation of the MIDI OUT port changes depending on whether or not a USB cable is
connected to the MPD32.
•USB cable connected:
MIDI data from your computer is passed to the MIDI OUT port. When a USB cable is
connected, you should activate "MIDI echo" in your sequencer if you want the MPD32 to
control another external device.
•USB cable not connected:
Whatever you play on the MPD32 is sent to the MIDI OUT port.
Note: If you have another device connected to the MPD32's MIDI IN port, that device's
MIDI information will be ignored.
ABOUT FOOTSWITCH TYPES
Since the Footswitch and Expression Pedal inputs detect whether the pedal is a "Normally
Open" or "Normally Closed" type on power-on, pedals should be plugged in prior to power-
on.

6
MIDI PORT
AND CHANNEL
NOTE
INDICATOR
NOTE
VELOCITY
VELOCITY IS
ALSO DISPLAYED
WITH BAR METER.
MIDI NOTE
NUMBER
PAD BANK
AFTERTOUCH
VALUE
AFTERTOUCH
VALUE IS ALSO
DISPLAYED WITH
BAR METER
MIDI PORT
AND CHANNEL
CONTROL CHANGE
INDICATOR
CONTROL CHANGE
VALUE
VALUE IS ALSO
DISPLAYED WITH
BAR METER.
CONTROL CHANGE
NUMBER
PAD BANK
DISPLAYING INFORMATION
As you are working with the MPD32, the LCD will help you keep track of what values are being sent to
external devices. There are several kinds of information that the MPD32 will display while in use: NOTE,
AFTERTOUCH (Channel Pressure), CONTROL CHANGE, MIDI MACHINE CONTROL (MMC), and
PREVIEW MODE information.
NOTE
When a PAD is hit, the MPD32 will output MIDI
Note On messages to trigger sounds on your DAW
or external device. Each pad can have a MIDI Note
Number associated with it. When you hit a pad, the
screen will display the MIDI Note Number, the MIDI
Port and Channel which the pad is using, as well as
the pad bank and velocity (how hard you hit the
pad).
 Please see ‘Editing Pads’( page 12) for more
information on MIDI Notes and Pads.
NOTE AFTERTOUCH (Channel Pressure)
When enabled, AFTERTOUCH is MIDI data sent
when pressure is applied to one of the pads after it
has been struck and while it is being held down.
Aftertouch will be displayed on the far right of the
display as you apply pressure to the pad.
CONTROL CHANGE
When a KNOB or FADER is used, the MPD32 will
output MIDI Control Change data. This data is used
to control parameters on your DAW or external
sound module. When you move a knob or fader,
the screen will indicate the Control Change (CC)
Number, value, and MIDI Channel.
 Please see ‘Editing Knobs and Faders’ (page
15) for more information on Control Change.

7
AFTERTOUCH
VALUE
VALUE IS ALSO
DISPLAYED WITH
BAR METER.
PAD BANK
CONTROL
CHANGE NUMBER
NEW VALUE
NEW VALUE
LAST VALUE
SENT
LAST VALUE
SENT
CONTROL AFTERTOUCH
The knobs and faders on the MPD32 can also be
set to transmit AFTERTOUCH information.
 Please see ‘Editing Knobs and Faders’ (page
15) for more information on setting knobs and
faders to transmit Aftertouch.
MIDI MACHINE CONTROL COMMAND (MMC)
MIDI MACHINE CONTROL (MMC) is commonly
used to send transport control messages to
hardware record or playback machines. For
example, pressing [PLAY] on the MPD32 sends an
MMCPLAY message to a connected multi-track
recorder, which begins playing. When you press
[STOP] on the MPD32, the deck also stops.
PREVIEWING
When the [PREVIEW] button is held down, and a
fader or knob is moved, the LCD displays the
screen on the right. The display shows the
assigned event and the last sent value of moved
knob or fader. While the [PREVIEW] button is held,
the fader of knob will not be transmitting any
information until [PREVIEW] is released and the
fader or knob is used again. At that point, the fader
or knob will begin transmitting from the value
selected in the New Value field while in Preview
mode.
THE ADVANTAGES OF PREVIEWING
The [PREVIEW] button allows you to see what value will be sent by a controller, without actually sending the
value. This gives you precise control over your parameters and helps avoid erroneous controller data being
sent to your devices due to the physical position of the controller. For example, imagine that fader S1 is
being used to send three different MIDI CC numbers, depending on the control bank which you are currently
in. Let’s assume that S1 is assigned to MIDI CC#10 in control bank A and MIDI CC#11 in control bank B.
While in control bank A, you adjust S1 (MIDI CC#10) to a value of 40. Now you switch over to control bank B
and adjust S1 (MIDI CC#11) to a value of 80. If you now switch back to control bank A and try to adjust S1
(MIDI CC#10), you will notice that the transmitted values will begin at 80 (instead of 40), due to the physical
location of the fader. To prevent these jumps in control values, you can hold down [PREVIEW] and move S1
back to a value of 40 (which will be shown in the “Last” value readout on the display). The fader will not be
transmitting information while the [PREVIEW] button is held down. Once you reset the fader back to its
“Last” value, you can release the [PREVIEW] button. Adjusting S1 (MIDI CC#10) will now give you a nice
starting point at a value of 40.
MIDI PORT
AND CHANNEL
AFTERTOUCH
INDICATOR
MMC
COMMAND

8
ABOUT MODES
The MPD32 has four different modes of operation. Each mode can be accessed by pressing its
corresponding button. Following is a short description of each mode:
Preset Mode
This mode allows you to load, save and copy Presets. A Preset is a
collection of information about how different faders, knobs, and pads will
behave. Using Presets allows you to save different configurations so you
can quickly load them when you need them, without having to reprogram the
MPD32 every time.
(page 9)
Edit Mode
This mode allows you to edit the configuration of the MPD32. Edit Mode is a
powerful tool for customizing your set-up. In this mode, you can make
changes to how the pads, knobs and faders are behaving. For example, you
may wish to have a fader or a knob transmit only a limited range of MIDI
data, or you may wish to have a pad that transmits on a different MIDI
Channel. You can change these and various other parameters in Edit Mode.
(page 10)
Global Mode
This mode allows you to set global parameters and make general changes to
how your MPD32 is functioning. The parameters that you can modify in
Global Mode include Controller Resets, Pad Velocity Curves, Pad Threshold,
MIDI Clock options, Display Brightness, and more.
(page 27)
Program Change Mode
This mode allows you to transmit various Program Change messages. In
this mode, you can remotely switch between different programs on your
DAW or external device directly from the MPD32.
(page 31)

9
PRESET NAME PRESET NUMBER
PRESET MODE
The MPD32 features different Preset banks which you can load and write to. When you turn on the MPD32,
it will automatically go into Preset Mode and Preset 1 will be displayed on the screen. You can also press
the [PRESET] button at any time to call up this mode. In Preset Mode you can load, save/copy and rename
Presets – each of these functions can be accessed through the 3 different pages. You can navigate between
these pages with the [<] and [>] buttons.
PAGE 1 – LOAD PRESET
1. While you are in Preset Mode, you can change Presets with the [VALUE]
dial below the screen. Turning the dial increments or decrements the current
Preset number and displays the screen on the right:
When you do this, you will notice that ‘PRESS ENTER’ will begin to blink.
2. Pressing [ENTER] loads the selected Preset. Pressing [<] or [PRESET]
cancels the operation.
PAGE 2 – SAVE/COPY PRESET
In Preset Mode, you can save any changes that you have made to the current
Preset or copy the Preset to a new location.
Note that if you are saving the Preset to the same location (same preset number)
the screen will say ‘SAVE TO’ and if you are saving to a different location
(different preset number), the screen will display ‘COPY TO’.
1. While you are in Preset Mode, press [>] until you see a screen similar to the one shown above.
2. You can select the location where you wish to save the Preset by turning the [VALUE] knob.
When you do this, you will notice that the ‘PRESS ENTER’ segment will begin to blink.
3. Press [ENTER] to save the Preset to the selected destination. Pressing [<] or [PRESET] cancels the operation.
PAGE 3 – NAME PRESET
While you are in Preset Mode, you can also change the Preset name. This way
you can assign specific names to different Presets so you can quickly identify
and access different controller configurations.
1. To name or rename the Preset, press [>] until you see ‘Preset Name’
displayed on the screen.
You will notice that the first letter of the name will begin blinking.
2. Turn the [VALUE] dial to change the blinking character.
3. To move between the characters, use [<] and [>].
4. When done, press [PRESET] again to save.
What is a Preset?
A Preset is a collection of information about how the MPD32’s faders,
knobs and pads will behave. Using Presets allows you to save different
configurations so you can quickly load them when you need them, without
having to reprogram the MPD32 every time.
DESTINATION
ENTER PRESET NAME IN
THIS FIELD

10
NAVIGATING EDIT MODE
1. Press [EDIT] to enter Edit Mode.
2. To select the controller you wish to edit, simply engage it – this will
prompt the screen to display the available event types for the
particular controller (Page 1).
3. If there are multiple event types for the selected controller, turn the
[VALUE] dial to select the desired event type. Press [ENTER] to
view the parameters of the selected event type, if available (Page
2).
4. To move between the parameter fields on Page 2, use [<] and [>].
To change the values of the fields, turn the [VALUE] dial.
5. When finished editing the controller, press [ENTER] to accept the
change or press [<] to cancel.
FIELD 1
FIELD 2
FIELD 3
FIELD 4
EDIT MODE
Pressing [EDIT] calls up Edit Mode.
In this mode, you can edit the
settings of the currently selected
Preset. The settings vary
depending on the controller you are
editing and are described below.
Please note that the changes you
make will only apply to the currently
selected Preset.
Also note that if you wish to save
the changes made in Edit Mode,
you will need to save the current
preset.
You can use the example screenshot on the right to
help you determine where the Page 2 parameters
described on the following page will appear on the
screen.

11
EDIT MODE PARAMETERS
CONTROLLER PAGE 1 (EVENT TYPE) PAGE 2 (PARAMETERS)
NOTE
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
NOTE NUMBER (field 2)
PLAY MODE (field 3)
PRESSURE BEHAVIOR (field 4)
PADS
PROGRAM CHANGE
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
PROGRAM CHANGE NUMBER (field 2)
BANK M (MSB) (field 3)
BANK L (LSB) (field 4)
CONTROL CHANGE
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
CC NUMBER (field 2)
RANGE – MINIMUM VALUE (field 3)
RANGE – MAXIMUM VALUE (field 4)
KNOBS AND FADERS
AFTERTOUCH
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
CC NUMBER (field 2)
RANGE – MINIMUM VALUE (field 3)
RANGE – MAXIMUM VALUE (field 4)
CONTROL CHANGE
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
CC NUMBER (field 2)
BUTTON MODE (field 4)
BUTTONS
PROGRAM CHANGE
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
PROGRAM CHANGE NUMBER (field 2)
BANK M (MSB) (field 3)
BANK L (LSB) (field 4)
TYPE/RANGE/TOGGLE
ARPEGGIO TYPE (field 2)
ARPEGGIO RANGE (field 3)
ARPEGGIO TOGGLE BEHAVIOR (field 4)
ARP ON/OFF
GATE/SWING ARPEGGIO GATE VALUE (field 2)
ARPEGGIO SWING VALUE (field 4)
TOGGLE/MOMENTARY BUTTON MODE (field 2)
NOTE REPEAT GATE/SWING NOTE REPEAT GATE VALUE (field 2)
NOTE REPEAT SWING VALUE (field 4)
TIME DIVISION DIVISION DEFAULT TIME DIVISION (field 2)
BUTTON MODE (field 4)
TRANSPORT TRANSPORT FUNCTION MMC, MIDI, MMC/MIDI, or CTRL (field 2)
TAP TEMPO TEMPO BPM (field 2)
CNTL CHANGE
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
CC NUMBER (field 2)
RANGE – MINIMUM VALUE (field 3)
RANGE – MAXIMUM VALUE (field 4)
EXPRESSION PEDAL
AFTERTOUCH
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
CC NUMBER (field 2)
RANGE – MINIMUM VALUE (field 3)
RANGE – MAXIMUM VALUE (field 4)
MIDI CC
MIDI CHANNEL (field 1)
CC NUMBER (field 2)
BUTTON MODE (field 4)
DRUM PAD PAD NUMBER (field 4)
NOTE REPEAT
TIME DIV
TAP TEMPO
BANK CHANGE
PLAY/STOP
PLAY/RECORD
FOOTSWITCH
SUSTAIN

12
What is a Note Message?
A Note Message is a MIDI message that tells an
instrument to play a note. More generally, this
means that Note Messages are used to start and
stop sounds. When you press one of the pads, a
‘Note On’ message is sent to your DAW or external
device. This toggles a note or sample. When you
release the pad, a ‘Note Off’ message is sent. This
message will stop the note or sample.
What is a Program Change?
A Program Change Message tells your DAW or
external device to switch to a new program. Most
often, these programs are collections of samples or
instruments.
For more information, see ‘Program Change Mode’
on page 29.
SELECT PAD EVENT TYPE IN
THIS FIELD.
EDITING THE PADS
The pads on the MPD32 can be set to transmit Note or Program Change information when they are hit.
The default operation of the pads is set to Note, which means that the pad will generate Note On/Off
messages to trigger sounds. The pads may also be set up to transmit Program Change information, which
allows you to use the pads to switch to different programs (instruments or sound banks) on your DAW or
external device. If you would like to know more about Program Change, please read ‘Program Change
Mode’ on page 29.
1. Press [EDIT] to enter EDIT MODE.
2. Press the pad which you would like to edit.
3. On Page 1, turn the [VALUE] dial to select ‘NOTE’ or
‘PROG CHANGE’ (Program Change) as the event type.
4. Press [ENTER] to view Page 2.
Depending on which event type you select on Page 1,
parameter options on Page 2 will be different.
5. Use [<] and [>] buttons to move through fields on the
second page.
The parameter fields available for each event type are
outlined in the following pages.

13
MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD
NOTE FIELD
NOTE FIELD
PLAY MODE FIELD
PLAY MODE FIELD
PRESSURE FIELD
NOTE PARAMETERS
The following list of parameters can be accessed if the pad event type is set to Note.
MIDI CHANNEL FIELD
This field sets the MIDI Port and Channel which the pad will use to transmit
messages. You can assign pads to one of two MIDI Ports, A or B, and to one of
16 MIDI Channels on each port (i.e. B11). You may also assign the pad to the
MIDI Common Channel.
1. Press [<] to select MIDI Port/Channel field.
2. While in MIDI Port/Channel field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired MIDI
Port and Channel.
3. Press [>] to select the next field.
Note: When not used via USB, only pads assigned to port A will transmit MIDI
information via the 5-pin MIDI port on the back of the MPD32.
NOTE FIELD
This field sets the MIDI Note Number that the pad will transmit when it is hit.
1. Use [<] or [>] to select Note field.
2. While in MIDI Port/Channel field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired MIDI
Port and Channel.
3. Press [>] to select the next field.
Note: Software modules or drum machines are often programmed to trigger
sounds based on specific Note Numbers associated with each sample. You
may have to experiment setting different Note Numbers on the MPD32 to find
the range that is suited for your application.
PLAY MODE FIELD
Here, you can select whether the pad transmits Note On/Off information in a
standard momentary (MTY) way like a keyboard, where hitting the pad
generates a Note On and releasing it a Note Off message, or in a toggle (TGL)
way where the first hit of the pad outputs a Note On, the second hit transmits a
Note Off.
1. Use [<] or [>]to select Play Mode field.
2. While in Play Mode field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired Play Mode.
3. Press [>]to select the next field.
PRESSURE FIELD
Here, you can set the pad to transmit pressure information as a channel
pressure message (CPR) or polyphonic pressure message (PPR).
1. Press [>] to select Pressure field.
2. While in Pressure field, use [VALUE] dial to select “OFF”, “CPR”, or “PPR”.
When finished editing, press [ENTER] to save or [<] to cancel the changes.

14
MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD
PORGRAM CHANGE FIELD
BANK M FIELD
BANK L FIELD
Note:
You can also configure pads to send Program Change messages
only, without specifying Bank M and Bank L. While editing Bank M
and Bank L fields of a pad, use [VALUE] dial to set Bank M and Bank
L to ‘OFF’ (beyond 000). This will cause the pad to transmit only a
Program Change message.
PROGRAM CHANGE PARAMETERS
The following list of parameters can be accessed if the pad event type is set to Program Change.
MIDI CHANNEL FIELD
Program Change messages can be sent on one of two MIDI Ports, A or B, and
one of 16 MIDI Channels on each port (i.e. A7). You may also assign Program
Change to use the MIDI Common Channel.
1. Use the [<] button to select MIDI Port/Channel field.
2. While in MIDI Port/Channel field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired MIDI
Port and Channel.
3. Use the [>] button to select the next field.
PROGRAM CHANGE FIELD
In this field you can set which Program Change Number the pad will transmit
when it is pressed.
1. Use [<] or [>] buttons to select Program Change field.
2. While in Program Change field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired Program
Change Number.
3. Use the [>] button to select the next field.
BANK M FIELD
Bank M describes the Most Significant Bit (MSB) of information.
1. Use [<] or [>] buttons to select Bank M field.
2. While in Bank M field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired value.
3. Use the [>] button to select the next field.
BANK L FIELD
Bank L describes the Least Significant Bit (MSB) of information.
1. Use the [<] or [>] buttons to select Bank L field.
2. While in Bank L field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired value.
When finished editing, press [ENTER] to save or [<] to cancel the changes.

15
What is Control Change?
Control Change refers to the use of MIDI
Continuous Controller data. Continuous Controller
(CC) data are MIDI messages capable of
transmitting a range of values, usually 0-127. CC's
are commonly used for controlling volume, pan,
and other parameters on your DAW or sound
module.
What is Aftertouch?
Aftertouch refers to MIDI data sent when pressure
is applied to a pad after it has been struck and
while it is being held down. Aftertouch is often
used to control vibrato, volume, and other
parameters.
SELECT EVENT TYPE IN THIS
FIELD.
Please note that for the purposes of this text, the
expression pedal input is considered a fader (F9).
EDITING KNOBS, FADERS AND EXPRESSION PEDAL
The knobs, faders and expression pedal input on the MPD32 can be set to transmit Control Change or
Aftertouch information. In addition, the endless knobs may also be assigned as an Increment/Decrement
function. The default operation of knobs, faders and expression pedal input is to transmit Control Change
information.
1. Press [EDIT] to enter EDIT MODE.
2. Move the fader, turn the knob or press down on the
expression pedal.
3. On Page 1, turn the [VALUE] dial to select ‘CTRL
CHANGE’ (Control Change) or ‘AFTERTOUCH’ as the
event type.
4. Press [ENTER] to view Page 2.
Depending on which event type you select on Page 1,
parameter options on Page 2 will be different.
5. Use [<] and [>] to move through fields on the second
page.
The parameter fields available for each event type are
outlined in the following pages.

16
MIDI PORT/CHANNEL FIELD
CONTROL CHANGE FIELD
MINIMUM RANGE FIELD
MAXIMUM RANGE FIELD
CONTROL CHANGE PARAMETERS
The following list of parameters can be accessed if the event type for the knob or fader is set to Control
Change.
MIDI CHANNEL FIELD
This field sets the MIDI Port and Channel which the knob or fader will use to
transmit messages. You can assign knobs and faders to one of two MIDI Ports,
A or B, and to one of 16 MIDI Channels on each port (i.e. A14). You can also
assign a knob or fader to use the MIDI Common Channel.
1. Press [<] to select MIDI Port/Channel field.
2. While in MIDI Port/Channel field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired MIDI
Port and Channel.
3. Press [>] to select the next field.
Note: When not used via USB, only knobs and faders assigned to port A
will be transmitted via the 5-pin MIDI port on the back of the MPD32.
CONTROL CHANGE FIELD
In this field you can set which MIDI CC # the knob or fader will transmit when it
is used.
1. Use [<] or [>] to select Control Change field.
2. While in Control Change field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired Control
Change Number.
3. Press [>] button to select the next field.
Note: To control a parameter in your DAW or sound module with a knob or
fader, both the parameter and the physical controller should be set to the same
Controller Number.
MINIMUM RANGE FIELD
This field is used to specify the minimum value that the knob or fader can
output.
1. Use [<] or [>] to select Minimum Range field.
2. While in Minimum Range field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired minimum
value.
3. Press [>] button to select the next field.
Tip: Sometimes you might not want the full 0-127 range of control that a fader
automatically defaults to. Often, reducing the value range of the fader might
give you more precise control over the parameter it is controlling. For example,
if you are using one of the faders to control a synced delay line, there might only
be about 10 available values for the sync delay time (1/2, 1/4, 1/8 note, etc.).
Therefore, it wouldn’t make much sense to have the fader transmit the full 128
MIDI control values, since this only gives you a tenth of the full fader range.
Instead, try setting the maximum value of that fader to 10.
MAXIMUM RANGE FIELD
This field is used to specify the maximum value that the knob or fader can
output.
1. Use the [<] or [>] buttons to select Maximum Range field.
2. While in Maximum Range field, use [VALUE] dial to select desired maximum
value.
Tip: Setting the maximum value of a controller lower than the minimum value
will cause the knob or fader to behave inversely. For example, if you are
controlling an interface or plug-in that operates with a drawbar structure, such
as organ instruments, it might be more intuitive to invert your faders.
When finished editing, press [ENTER] to save or [<] to cancel the changes.