Akai has released the new MPC 3.8 firmware that deeply integrates the MPC Sample with the flagship MPC/Force devices.
In recent weeks, MPC samples have dominated the electronic music production scene. Akai has had a huge success with it from day one. So much so that the device sold out worldwide on its release day and remains difficult to obtain even today.
Although the MPC Samples bear the legendary three letters, they have a different engine from the flagship standalones. But now Akai is bringing everything together with the new MPC 3.8 firmware.
Akai MPC 3.8
The new MPC firmware 3.8 is a free update for the entire MPC lineup, including the Force. It brings MPC Samples to the MPC standalone family.
With the new Akai MPC 3.8 update, you can now load MPC Sample projects directly on the MPC (standalone and desktop). That’s super smart for users of both instruments.
So you can now create on-the-go beats with the MPC Sample and later import the creations into the flagship MPC model that sits in the studio. The new firmware also allows exporting tracks from the MPCs to the MPC sample.
To ensure integration and import/export functionality, the MPC Standalones now receive all the effects from the MPC Sample, including five new effects: color compressor, tape & vinyl emulator, vintage plugin, and the trigger FX.
Alongside this, firmware 3.8 also brings various bug fixes and stability improvements.
First Impression
This is a step I expected, and I’m a little surprised it’s already been taken. Great to see.
Akai MPC 3.8 is available now as a free update. It’s available for the full MPC lineup: MPC X, Live, One, Key series, Force, and desktop.
More information here: Akai Pro
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Thomann
what baffles me is that theres no akai mpc hardware integration for their own midi controllers like mpk mini or the apc cliplaunch controllers; that would be such a huge upgrade to be able to connect any of the apc midi controllers and get access to the full cliplauncher interface in mpc3 without even being on that acreen; and being able to map the knobs etc to any track parameters you like etc all from the device… why dont they do this? i would love to have an apc40mk2 for this or the newer apc64; or even launchpads could be supported if they were smart and really wanted to make it easy and painfree for users
im happy to see the mpc sample support maybe they will see here that its really useful to have more hardware working together; i can only hope they will take it farther to atleast a few of their current products
I agree. That’s the only reason I bought that keyboard. I could have honestly used any controller, but thought that type of intergration would have been standard and advantageous.