Exploring Akai MPC

Leo Maymind takes a detailed look at an iconic groovebox whose influence helped shape modern hip-hop and much more besides

- Leo Maymind

Akai MPCs have been a mainstay in so many genres, it’s difficult to keep count. Though the MPC has shifted shapes over the years, the iconic four-by-four grid is still recognizable a mile away. The MPC line lost a lot of folks when they switched over to a controller-based platform in 2014 with the launch of MPC Touch, but thankfully they redeemed themselves in 2017 with the release of the brand new MPC Live hardware, an updated version of their iconic beat machine that, unlike the previous Touch version, was capable of working both in standalone form and as a controller with the included MPC software, when hooked up to a computer via USB.

The lineup has grown since then to include the flagship MPC X, which has a plethora of ins and outs and also a lot of hands-on control, as the X comes standard with 16 Q link knobs and a whole lot of buttons. Also available is the MPC Live II, which follows the same form factor of the original MPC Live, though it also adds a built-in battery pack and speakers that are capable of subbing in for your studio monitors in a last-minute jam situation. Three sets of stereo outputs, CV/Gate outputs, and both USB A and B ports make the Live II quite a fully-featured studio machine.