First, place a sample on an audio track and move the locator to, for example, 1:3:0. Then tap an empty area of the audio track, press the Browse Samples button, select a new sample, uncheck the Place at Start box, and load it at the locator position.
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You can also do this from the clip matrix. If you create a new clip you get to use the browse samples option as well for every clip you create, I noticed this when I was learning to use the clip matrix. Didnāt try to load different audio files in the same track myself because I didnāt need to but itās neat to know you could if you wanted to for whatever reason.
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I received the MPC3 yesterday. Having owned the Live II, I have to say that yes, the Live II is more elegant, but the 3 has everything I always wished the 2 had.
One concerning thing happened: the audio jacks in the XLR audio inputs got stuck, and I had to apply a bit of force to pull them out. That never happened to me before. Now Iām not sure if I caused any damage or if theyāre designed that way, but when I insert the audio jacks now, I donāt get the usual āclickā you get, for example, when plugging them into the front inputs of a Focusrite. They sit firmly, they donāt wobble, and they work correctly, but I have to apply slight force to remove them, which is something Iāve never experienced with any other piece of hardware.
After looking around a bit, it seems they are designed that way, because in a live context, if someone trips on a cable, the connector wonāt drag the whole unit down. Still, Iām not sureāI hope I didnāt break some internal spring mechanism.
Now, moving on to the wishlist. Given the new capabilities, I think the step sequencer and the MIDI department could be updated to truly turn the MPC into the central brain of a setup. In order of feasibility:
Instrument definitions for midi.
Step Edit should show all parameters, both CCs and internal instrument parameters, ready for automation. The interface is already thereājust a pop-up with all the modulatable parameters would be enough.
Because of that, the current Automation function inside the step sequencer feels pointless, and in its current state itās very unintuitive. I basically use the step sequencer only for gates and probability; for modulation, the old touchscreen step sequencer is still faster.
I donāt quite understand the design choice of having multiple Step Edit sections inside the step sequencer. It would be much more intuitive and quicker to simply hold a step for one second to edit it. There must be a reason Iām not aware of.
Conditional trigs are essential for working faster with shorter bars.
Articulations for midi
The ability to decouple modulations lanes from gate lanes
Considering how advanced the audio side of the MPC is, the MIDI side could really level up, because it has stayed pretty much the same over the years. Beyond the points above, adding MIDI effects, probability on transposition or pitch, and all the typical goodies of MIDI effects would turn the MPC into a true flagship.
Iām not sure how well this aligns with their business model, since maybe the average user doesnāt need those features, but since the MPC3 is clearly taking a step toward Elektron-style users, it could be an interesting direction. And honestly, it would let me sell a lot of gear I only keep for writing MIDI inside the MPC (OP-XY, Cirklon).
Overall, Iām happy, and I think the MPC will replace a lot of what I currently have, helping me stay more focused and save space. Iāll miss my MPC One+, which is definitely nicer and more discreet.
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Totally agree with all of this. The separate step edit button is poor choice, and holding the step would make more sense. I also wish the colours would be one colour for step on an no colour for step off.
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Tottaly agree with the above points. Hope they implement proper p-locking, hold step and adjust the parameter you want to automate. Much easier and faster than scrolling through those endless lists.
Have to say though, Iām so impressed with the live 3, I think itās probably the most fully featured and creative groovebox Iāve ever used. And Iāve been using them since the mc303 
.
Donāt feel I can get rid of my digi 2 boxes quite yet though, the workflow on them is still 
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Iām connecting a4mk1, digitone and rytm mk1 with the live3 and creating a template with midi ccs and audio routing while writing here 
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Really useful. Perhaps a little pedestrian if youāre a previous user, but It answers real world use questions iāve asked like boot up time and if switching off autosaves, which it doesnāt, but it at least gives options, much like a M+. The M+ (like a few other grooveboxes) does make periodical back ups though, as I iāve discovered after pulling the cable out when jumping up quick in the past
Typically, review/walk through vids already have a template for a project set up with kits and some sound and tweaks ready selected, so theyāre not always the best tutorials for complicated devices.
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Never even been on the list edit screen or had a tracker so my mind is a little blown watching this vertically forensic method of editing compositions.
I was planning on spending the weekend in Logic/Ableton exploring Multi-out over USBC per @echo_opera nudge. Now, I definitely have to add deep dive into List Edit.
Loving this thread because of the great blend of newb/OG energy and little vid gems like this. I appreciate you folks curating Tube so I donāt have to scroll/search. Iām fine exploring MPC at my own pace and checking in on this thread for curated and conversed content to surf when Iām away from 3. That way I can cherry pick and remain deliberate about how little time I watch v play.
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I glad you liked & learned something useful!
This isnāt even the deepest List edit video, but I Iike that itās made by a new user.
Add these to the List:
by Maxipok
Quickly Select Multiple/All Events:
by Joe Filburn
List Editor Step Recorder:
by Floyd Steinberg
Using the Hidden Step-Sequencer in the List Editor:
Thatās the goal. Also, posting on forums stops YouTube ads.
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I think the biggest quality of life thing Iāve noticed with the MPC3 is using the step buttons on the top in next sequence mode and it means you can skip about the arrangement windows on different sequences without having to come out of the grid and itās so much more connected than coming out, using the next screen or selecting and moving the sequence with the wheel then going back into grid.
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List Editor Part 2:
He has a bunch of Elektron tutorials as well.
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MPC Live 3, 3 samples and a load of chopping and playing, and maybe some edibles.
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You should raise a support ticket about this. Some manufacturing defects are inevitable with a new hardware release, especially a large scale one like this. Better to check with Akai about it now while the device is new and they looking out for quality control issues, then to have long term anxiety/disappointment if you feel you got a substandard or unreliable unit.
Agreed. I really do not like the automation lane design in grid mode (where everything is treated like a velocity value). Itās ugly, hard to edit, and makes me want to either edit in the list mode or just use an Elektron device as the sequencing brain. Thereās definitely room for improvement. I do like that Akai seem to have adopted a strategy of small but frequent OS updates. Iām still using the OG Live and it just feels like it gets a little better every few months.
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Been really happy learning the new whistles and bells of the MPC Live III, but thereās been a couple of snags.
When using the Live III in controller mode with the MPC software, every button sends a midi note, not only the pads. So if I press any button (Play/Record/Menu/Shift/any button) on the MPC thereās a corresponding note played on my MPC software. That wasnāt happening on my Live II. Has anyone else noticed the same?
Also, just when I was getting comfy with using my Tascam Model 12 with my MPC the Live III does not recognize it at all. It does not show up on the Audio Device -menu no matter how many times I boot either one of them up. I havenāt changed any settings on the mixer side and it worked like a charm with the Live 2. Anyone else having trouble finding their external audio device?
EDIT: Now I went to the Tascamās settings and started a new project 44khz 16-bit and suddenly the MPC found it. It worked perfectly well on MPC Live 2 on the previous settings and now that I checked, the previous project was also 44khz 16-bit. Weird.
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Kruder and Dorfmeister vibes
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I had the same issue; it turned out I connected the Model 12 by mistake to the USB-C port of the Live 3 instead of to one of the USB-A ports.
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Sounds like the super algorithm has latency or delay when using on audio track drum loops. They go slightly out of time. Have to switch to pro ten.
And itās not sounding that great on on the loops Iāve used.
Iām new to Mpc so hope itās something Iām doing wrong
I think itās a bug. It shifts everything out of place. Iām not sure how many milliseconds, but it seems incorrect on pro ten and the super algorithm. Repitch works in perfect sync for me, but not the others.
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Flattening using elastique is the current workaround for this.
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So itās a known bug? Also Pro ten sounded ok to me? Limited testing though