Akai MPC Essentials User manual

User Guide
English
Manual Version 1.0

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Table of Contents
Welcome to the MPC..................................................................................................................................5
System Requirements and Product Support .....................................................................................5
About This Manual................................................................................................................................6
Important Notes.....................................................................................................................................7
Installation ............................................................................................................................................. 7
MPC Hardware Overview ........................................................................................................................... 9
MPC Element ......................................................................................................................................... 9
Top Panel ..........................................................................................................................................9
Quick Start ................................................................................................................................................12
Starting Up...........................................................................................................................................12
Recording a Drum Sequence ............................................................................................................. 12
Organizing Samples and Editing Note Events .................................................................................14
Recording a Bass Sequence..............................................................................................................15
Creating a Song................................................................................................................................... 17
Exporting the Song .............................................................................................................................17
Operation (Software)................................................................................................................................18
General Features.................................................................................................................................19
Adjusting the Controls .....................................................................................................................19
Program Types ................................................................................................................................ 21
File Browser.....................................................................................................................................26
Mode Tab Section ...........................................................................................................................28
Transport Section ............................................................................................................................ 30
The Grid...........................................................................................................................................32
Software Menus...............................................................................................................................38
Main Mode............................................................................................................................................ 50
Q-Link Section .................................................................................................................................50
Pad Bank Section ............................................................................................................................52
Sequence Section ...........................................................................................................................53
Project Information Section ............................................................................................................. 56

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Program Edit Mode .............................................................................................................................58
Master Section.................................................................................................................................59
Simultaneous Play Section (Drum Programs Only).........................................................................59
Mute Target Section (Drum Programs Only) ................................................................................... 60
Keygroup Play Modes Section (Keygroup Programs Only)............................................................. 60
Key Group Section (Keygroup Program Only) ................................................................................61
Edit Layers Section..........................................................................................................................62
Filter Section....................................................................................................................................65
Pad Play Modes Section (Drum Programs Only) ............................................................................ 67
Velocity Sensitivity Section.............................................................................................................. 68
LFO Section.....................................................................................................................................68
Controller Mod Section (Keygroup Program Only) ..........................................................................69
Pad Insert Effects Section ............................................................................................................... 69
Program Edit Mode for MIDI Programs and Plugin Programs.........................................................70
Program Mixer Mode .......................................................................................................................... 71
Levels ..............................................................................................................................................72
Panning............................................................................................................................................72
Mute.................................................................................................................................................72
Insert Effects....................................................................................................................................72
Next Sequence Mode..........................................................................................................................73
Sequence Playlist ............................................................................................................................74
Pad Bank Section ............................................................................................................................74
Next Sequence Section ................................................................................................................... 75
Project Information Section ............................................................................................................. 75
Sample Record Mode .........................................................................................................................76
Waveform Display ...........................................................................................................................77
Record Control Section ................................................................................................................... 78
Project Information Section ............................................................................................................. 80

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Sample Edit Mode ...............................................................................................................................81
Waveform Display ...........................................................................................................................82
Edit Section......................................................................................................................................83
Pad Section .....................................................................................................................................84
Settings Section...............................................................................................................................85
Process Section...............................................................................................................................86
Project Information Section ............................................................................................................. 88
Chop Mode ......................................................................................................................................88
Song Mode........................................................................................................................................... 94
Sequence Playlist Section ...............................................................................................................95
Pad Bank Section ............................................................................................................................96
Song Section ...................................................................................................................................96
Edit Step Section .............................................................................................................................97
Step Section ....................................................................................................................................97
Project Information Section ............................................................................................................. 97
Pad Mute Mode....................................................................................................................................98
Pad Mute .........................................................................................................................................98
Pad Group .......................................................................................................................................99
Project Information Section ............................................................................................................. 99
Step Sequence Mode........................................................................................................................100
Pad Section ...................................................................................................................................101
MIDI Control Mode ............................................................................................................................102
Effects ................................................................................................................................................105
Operation (Plugin) ..................................................................................................................................106
Differences Between the MPC Essentials Plugin and Standalone Application .............................106
Appendix ................................................................................................................................................. 108
Keyboard Shortcuts..........................................................................................................................108
Effects and Parameters ....................................................................................................................110
Glossary.............................................................................................................................................142
Trademarks and Licenses ................................................................................................................147

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Welcome to the MPC
Thanks for choosing the MPC!
Fusing Akai Professional's legendary MPC layout and workflow with the power of your computer, MPC
Essentials is an unrivaled instrument for music production.
The essential instrument for computer-based music production, MPC Element brings powerful music-
making capability to your computer in a slimline design that's made to produce. You get cutting-edge
features, including MPC Note Repeat and Swing, along with the all-new MPC Essentials software. With
the included 1GB sound library, MPC Essentials empowers you with the essential sounds of modern
music production, and you can easily import your own sound samples. MPC Essentials can operate
standalone and can also work seamlessly with your current DAW as a plugin. MPC Element comes with
everything you need to make music right away, and, because it operates via standard MIDI, you can also
use MPC Element to control MIDI music software you already have. An 1/8-inch MIDI input and an 1/8-
inch MIDI output are both onboard and 1/8-inch to 5-pin MIDI cables are included.
Welcome to the MPC family.
— The Akai Professional Team
System Requirements and Product Support
For complete system requirements, compatibility information, and product registration, visit the Akai
Professional website: akaiprompc.com.
For additional support, visit akaiprompc.com/support.

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About This Manual
This manual was written to help you get familiar with the MPC Element hardware and MPC Essentials
software.
To avoid confusion, the terminology in this manual is based on the MPC parameter names. You will find
the various terms explained in the Glossary at the end of this manual.
We also used a uniform set of symbols to show topics of particular interest or significance:
Information: Important or helpful information on a given topic.
Hardware: How to use a software feature with your MPC hardware's controls. Note that these
paragraphs are not the only parts of the manual that mention the MPC hardware.
All buttons, controls, and parameters are highlighted in bold characters throughout the manual.
Examples:
•"Press the Prog Edit button."
•"Turn the Level dial."
Specific settings or values are indicated in italic characters.
Examples:
•The Velocity ranges from 0to 127.
•Set your Sample Play to One-Shot or Note-On.
Some parts of this manual refer to other relevant sections, which are cited in bold and italic characters.
Examples:
•Read the Important Notes section before proceeding.
•For more information about installing the necessary drivers and software, please see the
Installation section.

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Important Notes
•Read the included Safety and Warranty Manual before using the MPC hardware.
•Before getting started and connecting devices to the MPC hardware or turning the hardware on/off,
make sure all devices are switched off.
Installation
Before installing the MPC software, make sure your computer meets the system requirements described
at akaiprompc.com. This applies whether you'll use MPC software as a plugin or standalone application.
Windows®
1. Open the folder where the downloaded .zip file is located.
2. Double-click the file to extract it.
3. Double-click the MPC Essentials installer icon. This launches a special installation program.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Important: After installing the MPC software, you need to unlock the program on your computer.
Please refer to Unlocking MPC Essentials.
Mac®OS X®
1. Open the folder where the downloaded .zip file is located.
2. Double-click the file to extract it.
3. Double-click the MPC Essentials installer icon. This launches a special installation program.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Important: After installing the MPC software, you need to unlock the program on your computer.
Please refer to Unlocking MPC Essentials.

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Unlocking MPC Essentials
Follow these steps to unlock the MPC software before using it.
1. Connect your MPC hardware to a USB port on your computer.
2. Power on the MPC hardware.
3. Open the MPC software.
4. In the dialogue box that appears, click Unlock Now.
5. Enter your information in the window that appears.
6. If your computer is connected to the Internet, click Unlock Now, and enjoy your MPC!
7. If your computer is not connected to the Internet, follow these additional steps:
8. Click Use Web Form.
9. The window that appears will have your name, serial number, and software ID number. Click Save
Details to save this information as a .txt file, or copy the information from each field into another file
of your choosing.
10. On a computer connected to the Internet, go to authorizations.akaipro.com/MPC, enter the copied
information, and click Unlock My MPC.
11. Copy the unlock code from the window that appears.
12. In your MPC software, go to the window from Step 5 and click Enter Code.
13. Enter your name and the unlock code generated by the webpage.
14. Click Unlock, and enjoy your MPC!

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MPC Hardware Overview
This chapter explains the features and functions of your MPC Element.
MPC Element
Top Panel
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1. USB Port: Use the included USB cable to connect this USB port to an available USB port on your
computer. This connection allows MPC Element to send/receive MIDI data to/from the software.
2. MIDI In: Use the included 1/8"-MIDI adapter and a five-pin MIDI cable to connect the MIDI Out of an
optional external MIDI device to the MIDI In of MPC Element.
Important: Do NOT connect audio devices (e.g., headphones, monitors, etc.) to the 1/8" MIDI In or
MIDI Out jacks. Use the included 1/8"-MIDI adapters to connect MIDI devices only.
3. MIDI Out: Use the included 1/8"-MIDI adapter and a five-pin MIDI cable to connect the MIDI Out of
MPC Element to the MIDI In of an optional external device.
4. Main: Press this button to view the Main screen in the display and software.
5. Play: Press this button to play the Sequence from the audio pointer's current position.
6. Play Start: Press this button to play the Sequence from its start point.
7. Stop: Press this button to stop playback.
8. Rec: Press this button to record-arm the Sequence. Press Play or Play Start to start recording.
Recording in this way (rather than using Overdub) erases the events of the current Sequence. After
the Sequence plays through once while recording, Overdub will be enabled.
9. Overdub: Press this button and simultaneously press Play or Play Start to enable Overdub. This
allows you to record note events in a Sequence without overwriting any previously recorded note
events. You can enable Overdub either before or during recording.
10. Undo: Press this button to undo your last action.
11. Erase: As a Sequence is playing, hold this button down and 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.
12. Pads: Use 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).
13. Full Level: Press this button to activate/deactivate Full Level. When activated, the pads always play
back at a maximum velocity (127), no matter how hard or soft you hit them.