MPC3 Is now available and has qualified from Beta - This guide covers frequently asked questions on the free software update for MPC Standalone Hardware.





Which MPC Hardware supports the MPC3 Operating System?

  • MPC Live
  • MPC Live MKII
  • MPC One
  • MPC One+
  • MPC X
  • MPC X SE
  • MPC Key 37
  • MPC Key 61


Is MPC3 available for Desktop?

MPC3 is currently only available on Standalone hardware - You will be able to operate your MPC in controller mode with MPC 2.15.1 Desktop when running MPC3 on your standalone hardware.


If you have created a project in MPC3 standalone and need to move to controller mode in MPC2.15.1, please note that the project file may not be directly compatible. As such, we suggest the workaround of exporting all tracks in your project as audio files - See this guide MPC Series | How to Export Individual Tracks


What new features are available on MPC3?

  • New “Main Mode” Interface 
  • Linear Arranger 
  • Full-Color Track and Pad Mixer 
  • New XL Channel Strip 
  • One-to-One Track Workflow 
  • Disk Streaming 
  • Advanced Automation 
  • Q-Link & X/Y Pad Macro Controls 
  • MPC STEMS Standalone Compatible* 
  • Direct to Pad Sampling 
  • Full-Color Drum Grid 
  • 8 Sample Layers 
  • Full Instruments and Effects Plug-in Compatibility 
  • Legacy Project Importing


Is there a user manual for MPC3 for standalone hardware?

Absolutely! You can find the full user manual HERE to learn about all the new features.


Are release notes available for the MPC 3.4.1 firmware update?

Absolutely! The release notes can be found HERE


The firmware release notes are a great way to help our users understand what's changed since the Public Beta of MPC3 for standalone hardware and detailing any known issues we're aware of. 


How do I update my MPC Standalone hardware to MPC3?

Users can update their MPC Standalone hardware to MPC3 via the following methods:

  • Wifi
  • USB
  • Computer (Windows / Mac)


See this guide on how to update your firmware Akai Pro MPC | Firmware Update Walkthrough


Is MPC3 a free update?

Yes- MPC3 is a free update for the following MPC Standalone Hardware: 

  • MPC Live
  • MPC Live MKII
  • MPC One
  • MPC One+
  • MPC X
  • MPC X SE
  • MPC Key 37
  • MPC Key 61


Does MPC3 require a software serial license?

No, the official update is license-free. While users who signed up for the public beta required a license that required activation, this is not required for the official release. 


Can I load an MPC 2 project into MPC 3?


Yes! Please note, however, that projects may not load with identical behaviour. This is due to significant architectural changes, most notably the unification of tracks and programs into a single track container. We strongly recommend saving a new copy of all MPC2 projects before importing to preserve editing capabilities. 


Upon loading an MPC2 project, MPC3 will display a Project Import dialog. By default, the Import field is set to All Sequences. 


Using this method:

  • MPC3 will attempt to import all sequences and tracks from the MPC2 project. 
  • If a single track was assigned to a single program in MPC2, MPC3 will create a corresponding track of the same type as the original program. 
  • If multiple tracks were assigned to the same program in MPC2, MPC3 will create one primary track of the same type as the program, and subsequent tracks will be converted to MIDI tracks with their Send To field pointing to the primary track.


 Alternatively, you can set the Import field to Selected Sequences Import. Using this method:


  • A list of sequences from the source MPC2 project will be displayed, and you can tick the sequences you wish to import into MPC3. 
  • The selected sequences will load into their original locations within the sequence list.