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Akai MPC Format Information |
The Akai MPC series INVENTED the sampler drum machine. Literally the MPC was an outgrowth of the original LINNDrum, created by Roger Linn, which used ROM chips for the sounds. People then learned to burn their own chips, but the future was loading sounds via disk. Linn got involved with Akai and the MPC was born.
HOWEVER, we will go through this history backwards, from the present day forward, in this article.
| Please see the Format Preferences-MPC section in this document for information on the different options you can set for Akai MPC import and export abilities. |
Akai MPC-Renaissance / Modern
History There are many new MPC derivitives, ranging from the free MPC-Beats software to iOS based MPC apps, and more hardware pieces such as the MPC-One. Again, all of them work off the same MPC-R XPM/WAVE embedded technology. Although the MPC-R has some new features, it initially wasn't anything different from the MPC-5000, although the engine is completely redesigned and software-based. Over time they've added some ease-of-use features, plus even a autosampler. The parameters are pretty much the same, adering to the MPC heritage and not hugely innovating past that. Probably the most significant thing added is RoundRobin support. THe MPC-R carried on the Pad/Drum and Chromatic/KeyGroup paradigms, and the software interface is easy to use, very workable, and easy to program - with all the important parameters right in front of you. Synthesis and File Structure A Pad can be assigned any MIDI note; however, multiple pads cannot receive the same MIDI note. That is, only one Pad per MIDI note. However, this isn't a problem because a Pad can play 4 other Pads simultaneously. This gives you the ability to play via MIDI 20 velocity splits (4 + 16 others). Samples are WAVE files (.wav) only, and are loaded with the Programs only if they are in the same folder as the Program. File names can be as long as you want, hwoever they show up properly if you restrict them to around 16 characters. With the newer Version 2.0 file format, loop on/off, loop points, and sample start parameters are stored in the XPM program files, not the samples as was the case since the MPC1000. That's great! Disk Formats |
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Translating and Building the MPC-R Format Loop settings are not contained in the .pgm file, they are contained in the sample files, plus in a proprietary way. So if you are converting from a format that already uses WAVE files, they have to be copied so the loop information is written correctly. Sample file names are restricted to 16-characters, and in order to be read with a Program (.pgm file) they must be in the same folder as the .gm file. Since any WAVE files usually always have to be written, any name truncations are made here. Since there can only be 4 Velocity splits per Pad on a MPC-5000, on any incoming format that has more than 4 velocity splits, any excess splits are ignored. The top and bottom splits are preserved, and the most predominant middle two are taken. However, since the MPC-5000 has the ability to link Pad's. |
Translating Out of MPC-R Format If you are converting to another MPC format, the MIDI Note->Pad Settings are preserved. |
Akai MPC-5000
History The Akai MPC-5000 is actually borrowed technology from the Alesis Fusion. The file formats are even different; for the Drum format it is .50s and for the Keygroup format it is .50k. You can see the Fusion-ality clearly in the Keygroup format; the underlying engine is certainly capable of handling Keyranges without intentionally restricting itself to the Pad-paradigm. But it seems that Akai/Alesis's intentions were to make it very familiar to a season MPC user, all the terms are the same and the Q-Link still exists. The MPC-5000 does not include all of the Fusion's modular capacity, but it is a big improvement on the earlier MPC's complements. The MPC-5000 was a direct answer to Roland's MV-8000 Series, which did the same thing - borrowed Chromatic-paradigm technology from the Roland Fantom (although the Fantom isn't too good at it, but Roland did the right things). It was clear to the marketers that many musicians wanted to write and record complete songs just on the groovebox itself, and not having Chromatic capability was a severe restriction. Now, the MPC-5000 could play great pianos, organs, guitars, and other chromatic instruments natively without having to go outboard. Apart from other-product comparisons, the MPC-5000 seems like if someone wanted to design the Ultimate MPC. There are more functions, bigger display, much bigger case. It harkens back to the MPC-4000 - which borrowed technology too (from the S-5000). It is clear that the MPC franchise is something that is always profitable for Akai. Synthesis and File Structure However, in Chromatic/KeyGroup mode, you can assign up to 128 KeyGroups with varying or layered keyranges, easily playable via MIDI from a MIDI controller. Samples are WAVE files (.wav) only, and are loaded with the Programs only if they are in the same folder as the Program. File names are restricted to 16 characters plus the .wav extension. Loop on/off, loop points, and sample start parameters are in the SAMPLES, not the programs. Disk Formats |
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Translating and Building the MPC-5000 Format Loop settings are not contained in the .pgm file, they are contained in the sample files, plus in a proprietary way. So if you are converting from a format that already uses WAVE files, they have to be copied so the loop information is written correctly. Sample file names are restricted to 16-characters, and in order to be read with a Program (.pgm file) they must be in the same folder as the .gm file. Since any WAVE files usually always have to be written, any name truncations are made here. Since there can only be 4 Velocity splits per Pad on a MPC-5000, on any incoming format that has more than 4 velocity splits, any excess splits are ignored. The top and bottom splits are preserved, and the most predominant middle two are taken. However, since the MPC-5000 has the ability to link Pad's. |
Translating Out of MPC-5000 Format If you are converting to another MPC format, the MIDI Note->Pad Settings are preserved. |
Akai MPC-1000 Series (1000/2500/500)
History This was followed by some look-alike units, the MPC-500 (with 12 pads and battery power) and the MPC-2500, which used a heavier complement of knobs and other functions. They all used the MPC-1000 file format. The MPC-1000 dumped all SCSI and floppy support and has a CF card reader. Synthesis and File Structure A Pad can be assigned any MIDI note; however, multiple pads cannot receive the same MIDI note. That is, only one Pad per MIDI note. Samples are WAVE files (.wav) only, and are loaded with the Programs only if they are in the same folder as the Program. File names are restricted to 16 characters plus the .wav extension. Loop on/off, loop points, and sample start parameters are in the SAMPLES, not the programs. Disk Formats |
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Translating and Building the MPC-1000 Format Loop settings are not contained in the .pgm file, they are contained in the sample files, plus in a proprietary way. So if you are converting from a format that already uses WAVE files, they have to be copied so the loop information is written correctly. Sample file names are restricted to 16-characters, and in order to be read with a Program (.pgm file) they must be in the same folder as the .gm file. Since any WAVE files usually always have to be written, any name truncations are made here. Since there can only be 4 Velocity splits perPad on a MPC-1000, and since a MIDI note can only reference on Pad, any incoming format that has more than 4 velocity splits, any excess splits are ignored. The top and bottom splits are preserved, and the most predominant middle two are taken. |
Translating Out of MPC-1000 Format If you are converting to another MPC format, the MIDI Note->Pad Settings are preserved. |
Akai MPC2000XL/2000/3000/60
History The Akai MPC-60, produced in 1988, was the first incarnation That first MPC-60 was eventually called the Mark I, followed by the Mark II. Their first concept of a Program was called a SET file, which contains the program and samples in one monolith file. Finally... this was eventually fully updated by Roger Linn himself, who created his own MPC60 OS v3 apart from Akai. V3 brought the common PGM program file and SND sample file into being. You can find information on this OS here. Pretty much in tandem with MPC60 v3 was a new hardware version, the MPC-3000, which took on the modern features of that OS and introduced 16-bit storage/playback and a large increase in memory to 32mb. The MPC3000 really established the MPC series as the major player in music and beat-making. Then came the MPC2000 and not far after the MPC2000XL The MPC2000XL stayed around for a long time and solidly established what a MPC really was. New features included an optional 8mb flash memory board and a more mature Sequencer and many additional playback features and sample manipulation. Also, best of all, it supports loading WAVE/AIFF files as well as the older SND format. (However, it only writes SND files, so we suggest you stick with SND files.) Synthesis and File Structure Interestingly, a PGM or SET file does not contain the loop information for the samples, this is contained in the SND, SET, or WAVE file referenced. All PGM files can only reference SND's in the same folder as the PGM. Specific SND Format Info OS v3 writes two types of SND files, one for mono and one for stereo. (The earlier SND formats did not support stereo.) Both are 12-bit since the MPC60 is a 12-bit playback machine. MPC60 OS v3 can load MPC3000 SND files (which are 16-bit), but it dithers the 16-bits down to 12-bit. It also loads much slower because of the dithering, so we strongly suggest you write to the native SND's for the MPC60. and MPC3000. Also it is important to note that the MPC60's sample rate is fixed at 40000 Hz, wheras the MPC3000 sample rate is fixed at 44100. This again stresses that you write to the correct native format of the MPC you will use your translated files with. Just be assured that Translator will write the correct and most compatible SND's (and PGM's) for your stated MPC version. Disk Formats MPC Long Object Names
The reason naming is critical is not only that some of this is ugly, but that Programs (PGM files) reference samples (SND files) according to their name. So if you view a MPC disk on a computer (without Translator of course), and copy the files to the computer, if the SND's that are referenced by the PGM have "long file names", such links will be broken because the names are changed. For this reason, we do not recommend to handle MPC disks on a computer. Use Translator, it completely reads and write names accurately. MPC Partitions The last twist regarding partitioning is that the last MPC-2000XL OS version, 1.20, can read and write the old partitioning, but does not format it. Instead, it writes a compatible FAT disk format. Interestingly, it still writes the partition information but does not use it. This was done to support larger Compact Flash cards for the newer MPC2000MCD. HOWEVER, the same naming initiations exist! So much for full computer compatibility. Grrr... Again, Translator fully supports all formats and methods of reading and writing. Old MPC60/3000 Disks MPC3000 Vailixi OS A Word About History Here's an excellent example. A user recently sent us an image of a ZipDisk that has this history: he formatted it with a PC, and then wrote to it with an MPC2000. The MPC won't complain about that, but the disk is never identified as a MPC disk, nor can he take advantage of multiple partitions. Yet, the file entries reflect the MPC-style of long file names. So it's "a little bit computer, a little bit MPC". Translator makes a solid attempt of identifying these types of disks and images, but the user also must intervene and know what state his disk is in, in order for Translator to deal with it appropriately. |
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Translating and Building MPC2000/3000/60 Format It is important that the MPC's use a Pad/Drum paradigm of sample layout, which means "one sample per one MIDI note". This is in contrast to a Chromatic/Keygroup paradigm, where one sample can be assign to multiple MIDI notes. A Chromatic/Keygroup layout can be imitated on a Pad/Drum paradigm by assigning the same sample to multiple Pads, with the consecutive MIDI notes assigned to each Pad - however, each Pad much be tuned up or down going away from the "root key" Pad. This is rather sloppy, but it's the only recourse you have. (The MPC5000 and MPC-Renaissance solved this problem by including a Keygroup mode where the Pad/Drum layout does not apply.) For the MPC60 and 3000, and 2000 when on proprietary MPC disk, samples are converted into the proprietary SND sample format, and the correct version and type of SND file. When converting into MPC2000 onto a regular computer drive, the samples can be in the form of WAVE files. Samples can be mono or stereo. (We do not support writing into MPC60 v1 or v2 compatible files, we expect that MPC60 users are updated to OS v3.) Keep in mind memory limititions. The MPC60 is highly limited to 1.5mb, whereas the MPC3000 has a lot of room with 32mb. If you convert to MPC60 (or in certain cases the 32mb MPC3000), Translator's A.I.R. engine (Automatic Instrument Reduction) will cut down the memory requirements to make the PGM loadable. Be aware this is a bit tougher with a Pad Paradigm destination like the MPC60, since each pad usually has a completely different sound, so it because impossible to remove certain samples in long keyrange multisamples like Chromatic Paradigm Instruments use. AIR will try it's best; just don't expect miracles and be aware there are limits. Since each MIDI note can only go to one Pad, and there are only 64 Pads, sometimes multiple PGM's must be created to imitate an incoming Program. Programs like this are prefaced with an asterisk (*). Parameter Tolerance can be used to reduce the need for multiple Programs; higher tolerance allows the Conversion Engine to average programming needs and while the final result will not exactly match in the incoming source, it will be less complicated to deal with. 0% Parameter Tolerance means no averaging will take place, 100% tolerance means the first claim to a parameter will apply to all further ones. Samples will be written into the same folder as the PGM. Care must be taken when converting Programs that already contain WAVE files and you are converting into MPC2000. New WAVE file must be written, so declare a new folder for the new files to be written. |
Translating Out of MPC2000/3000/60 Format Almost always, the destination program you convert to will have samples mapped to single keys, as that is how the pad paradigm works. Samples will be converted out of the proprietary SND format and converted into the destination format. |
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They almost all are hardware/software hybrids, though you can always use the hardware and software separeatly. The MPC structure also made it's way into several iOS standalone apps. Akai has done good propping up their best namesake. 
We are, except the MPC-5000 is (yet another) departure from the standard MPC setup. 
MPC-2000 series. 
of the new Akai - Roger Linn collaboration, the first real streamlined sampling drum machine. Although it only had 1.5mb of memory maximum, it was plenty for the beat-maker to make songs and be creative. It even had optional SCSI for quick loading and storage.