The MPC Studio Black is a fresh take on the top-selling original, MPC Studio. Whether you’re seeking freedom from computer based music production, or searching for the perfect controller for DAW-centric creative exploration, MPC Software 2.0 grants the ultimate in adaptive creative versatility. MPC Software 2.0 is a cutting-edge production suite combining 128-track sequencing capability, real-time time stretching, clip-launch functionality, advanced MIDI editing capability, VST compatibility in controller mode, operation as a standalone application on Mac & PC, advanced sampling & audio editing/recording functionality, seamless DAW integration, a redesigned GUI, Ableton Link Compatibility and much more.
TL DR: It installs fine and isn’t evil (so far), so go ahead.We are pleased to announce that the critically acclaimed MPC Software 2.0 is now included with MPC STUDIO BLACK greatly enhancing the capability and functionality of these full-featured production solutions.įor existing owners of MPC Studio Black see your upgrade path here. Didn’t get a peep from it yet, so imma stop now and try to make it groove. There’s a lot on the screen, it’s a full DAW in many respects, but you can turn off some elements if you don’t need them.
While I’m sure it tries to connect to the Interwebs (there’s a ‘collect usage data’ you can turn off in the preferences), there’s no activation, no iLok/Dongle drivers installed afaik and it runs without an active connection so far. A 64-bit VST2 was installed on the classic “C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VSTPlugins” and a ProTools AAX in the default place. Asked for nothing much but a desktop shortcut.
exe for content: MPC Beats Edition of ‘Producer Kits’, ‘Demos and Templates’ and ‘F9 Instruments’ for a total of 3.12GB. One zipfile containing MPC-Beats-2.8.1.12-Win.exe (stupid but, whatever) and three.
I was served with an email with separate download links for Mac and PC, didn’t click anything Mac (Why would you do that, ew… :p). The starting price for the Beats Expansions is $9.99 per product. There’s a variety of sample packs to choose from, including releases by premier sound designers like F9 Instruments, Araab Muzik, and others. It’s worth noting that AKAI is also offering a range of sound expansions for the MPC Beats software. And if you’re already an experienced beatmaker, this is the perfect app to convert your laptop into a portable music studio. If you’re a beginner, AKAI’s freeware DAW is a great place to start. MPC Beats features a virtual mixer, effects, sample editing, and much more.
You get the classic MPC workflow which is simply perfect for making beats, along with some of the advantages of modern-day digital audio workstations. The platform provides plenty of functionality for beat making and music production in general. If you’re just starting out or are mostly focused on producing hip-hop or EDM and don’t mind the track count, it’s really hard to, well, beat MPC Beats. It’s an overall very refreshing and forward-thinking approach and AKAI really should be commended for pulling the trigger on this. MPC Beats running as a VST plugin in PreSonus Studio One. Use it as a drum sequencer? Add 80 brand new plugins to your toolkit? None of these answers are wrong. Oh, and MPC Beats can not only load third-party VST plugins but can be used as a plugin itself, which opens up a whole entire new world of possibilities when combined with your other DAW. To double down on their approach, AKAI has also launched a series of videos introducing the software to would-be beatmakers and going through it in detail. Remix one of the included songs, or start off with a genre template like Trap, Dance, Pop and more.
From the moment you install MPC Beats, you’re ready to start creating. Presenting MPC Beats, the fully-featured, beat-making software based on the legendary MPC workflow to quickly make great-sounding beats. It’s genuinely impressive what AKAI is giving away for the fair price of nothing.
You also get VST and AU plugin compatibility, and a massive 2 GB sound library to boot. It features eight MIDI tracks, a fully-featured sequencer, 80 effect plugins designed by Air, MPC-style time-stretching, and preconfigured hardware integration with both AKAI and third-party products. MPC Beats is a pretty compelling offering. If ever there was a way to throw your hat in the DAW ring, however, this is it. The thing is, that was always a bit of a puzzling product, as it seemed more like a direct emulation of the OS running on their hardware devices. AKAI has, of course, previously released its MPC software, which is steadily nearing its third version.