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A question about MPC BEAT… and its program/ kits transfer…

Happy new year ! I never used any MPC hardware or software, except iMPC Pro(I’m almost ashamed to say it but its sound engine and sound packs are so good that I kept the app… Anne for it’s ergonomie I guess, which makes me find ideas and work faster that any other app I’m usually working with. But this is another subject.
I happen to have a few MPC banks, bot the MPC BEATS expansion but these big banks (2 Go) with all samples named the same, with project too big for MPC beats. But like I said, only the sound kits (or “program” in Akai vocable) interest me. So I can use them with my usual apps. I used a similar approach with kits for MASCHINE to use in BM3 or NS2, but the process was a LOT more easy : 16 samples per kits (more or less), a name for each samples’ no Layer (at least for drums)… and MOST OF ALL, an super simple and obvious export fonction from MASCHINE so you get your 16 samples -and midi patterns !) in a folder’ ready to import in you r favorite drum app.
But for MPC BEAT there’s no export menu, not like I would expect anyway. The only thing I found to achieve my goal, is to use the « explode track » function, them export stems. This is some process for MPC users who wants to transfer their project between their desktop and hardware I suppose.
I have no doubt some old MPC users will tell me I missed an obvious option, and I would be very grateful to know it, and enjoy these mpc samples which are indisputably part of the most well processed of the market. And the layered samples are often very well thought, or just velocity range or common round robin (even in Beats!).
I thank your for your help

cyril

Comments

  • What are you wanting to do? Get the samples from the MPC Expansions?

    Do a search on your PC for "*.xpm". Go to the folder they're in. The WAVs will be in there, or in a sub-folder named 'Samples'.

  • I‘m late to the MPC party, but have the same impression about their sound sets.
    Even the very 1st iMPC had an impressive sample collection and the „factory content“ on the MPC Studio DVD is top notch imho.

    The MPC Studio is a plain controller for the PC/Mac software, originally named „Essentials“ and later turned into what‘s now represented by Beats and their current hardware MPCs.
    Essentials was close to classic MPCs with a similiar display/menu on the Studio/Renaissance controller to mimic the original workflow... while the current target is a full (portable) DAW.
    (as you‘ve seen in Beats)

    I tried all versions and then flipped back to Essentials 1.2 from the DVD, which seemed to be the most responsive and convenient option.
    No need for VST fx, mixdown, etc here, but the midi capabilities, sequence recording and sample handling is highly appreciated (in particular the latter on the controller display).

    While the plain sample list is not intuitive in any way, things get more efficient if it’s filtered by Kits - just a button press on the controller or a tickmark in the software.
    Each sequence can pick samples from any Kit currently loaded in memory.
    On screen via drag and drop, on the controller by Pad Assign, tap pad and then using the main dial. This can also be used to rearrange positions of samples for better playing.
    Imho it quickly becomes a rather fluid process with just the display and dial, which I prefer over the mouse action - and it‘s a great way to audition samples in context.

    Personal bottom line: the 150€ for the Studio contoller including content were a full success.
    (running it on a MacMini i5 from 2011 under Snow Leopard, because the machine is too lame for current VSTs anyway... btw timing may suffer significantly from display redraws, so I usually keep the window hidden and use only the Studio controller)
    Important lesson I learned: the MPC pads are way more „defining“ the beat than I expected.
    It was an error to assume the iPad‘s touch surface is a valid substitute... o:)

    Unfortunately your observation about sample export seem to be true: Akai only seems to care about it‘s own universe... me too didn‘t notice any sample export facility.
    So your best option is to exporting a sequence of single hits and auto chop in the receiving software.

  • @ocelot said:
    What are you wanting to do? Get the samples from the MPC Expansions?

    Do a search on your PC for "*.xpm". Go to the folder they're in. The WAVs will be in there, or in a sub-folder named 'Samples'.

    Just What I wrote but I recognize that my English is the worst. First, like I said, MPC samples are named almost exactly the same, with no key note references or velocity… And I thinkI mentioned it either, I can’t find an option allowing to export the samples contenting in a kit. And to finish, I think I mentioned it too,I don’t want to loose the samples layering, I just want to be able to export their program and make my own arrangement after.
    If it was anything else I wouldn’t have to ask some wise advices, which I.m sure I’ll find sooner or later
    It

  • @cyril777 said:

    @ocelot said:
    What are you wanting to do? Get the samples from the MPC Expansions?

    Do a search on your PC for "*.xpm". Go to the folder they're in. The WAVs will be in there, or in a sub-folder named 'Samples'.

    Just What I wrote but I recognize that my English is the worst. First, like I said, MPC samples are named almost exactly the same, with no key note references or velocity… And I thinkI mentioned it either, I can’t find an option allowing to export the samples contenting in a kit. And to finish, I think I mentioned it too,I don’t want to loose the samples layering, I just want to be able to export their program and make my own arrangement after.
    If it was anything else I wouldn’t have to ask some wise advices, which I.m sure I’ll find sooner or later
    It

    The *.xpm file can be opened in a text editor. The note references, velocity, and layering details can be found inside that file. Or within MPC Beats, you can tap a pad and look at its parameters.

    I enjoy your sense of humor.

    Happy New Year, and best of luck to you.

  • edited January 2022

    All the info you‘re missing is in the .xpm (program) files, plain text in XML format.
    If you make a project, all samples used are copied into the project folder, and the YourProject.xpm file contains their names and parameters, layering, routing, filter, everything.

    It‘s a well-readable format, so there‘s a (good) chance someone wrote a utility that does what you‘re after.
    There is no interactive way on the control surface, but the XML way provides more powerful access. It could even be used to automatically rename files or apply settings to kits without ever touching them.
    The only drawback: someone has to write the program... o:)
    (but that‘s not a big deal, seriously)

    The reverse process (bring something into the MPC) is described in the link below. It may help to better understand the various components.

    https://www.mpc-tutor.com/mpc-expansion-packs-complete-guide/

    https://www.mpc-samples.com/article/mpc-file-compatibility-1

    ps: I may have written some rubbish above, as those xpm files I looked at may be specifically for the Renaissance, Studio and Touch... as mentioned in the 2nd link. Just check if there‘s an equivalent in Beats or MPC 2.x which I don‘t have installed at the moment.

  • @cyril777 said:
    Happy new year ! I never used any MPC hardware or software, except iMPC Pro(I’m almost ashamed to say it but its sound engine and sound packs are so good that I kept the app… Anne for it’s ergonomie I guess, which makes me find ideas and work faster that any other app I’m usually working with. But this is another subject.
    I happen to have a few MPC banks, bot the MPC BEATS expansion but these big banks (2 Go) with all samples named the same, with project too big for MPC beats. But like I said, only the sound kits (or “program” in Akai vocable) interest me. So I can use them with my usual apps. I used a similar approach with kits for MASCHINE to use in BM3 or NS2, but the process was a LOT more easy : 16 samples per kits (more or less), a name for each samples’ no Layer (at least for drums)… and MOST OF ALL, an super simple and obvious export fonction from MASCHINE so you get your 16 samples -and midi patterns !) in a folder’ ready to import in you r favorite drum app.
    But for MPC BEAT there’s no export menu, not like I would expect anyway. The only thing I found to achieve my goal, is to use the « explode track » function, them export stems. This is some process for MPC users who wants to transfer their project between their desktop and hardware I suppose.
    I have no doubt some old MPC users will tell me I missed an obvious option, and I would be very grateful to know it, and enjoy these mpc samples which are indisputably part of the most well processed of the market. And the layered samples are often very well thought, or just velocity range or common round robin (even in Beats!).
    I thank your for your help

    cyril

    On my Macbook I just dragged sample libraries from /Library/Application\ Support/Akai/MPC into the Kitmaker program to convert them into Beatmaker 3 and Nanostudio format. Works really well and fast.

  • That‘s a valuable addition :+1:
    On the KitMaker website it reads like .xpm is a target format only, but according to your experience it works as source, too.

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