Akai

feature, which allows users to
quickly organise stored projects for
recall during a live performance.
This is incredibly handy, as the
more long-winded route of opening
up a project via the Browser
window is definitely not something
you’d like to be doing in front of
a crowd!
A huge update in the new
MPC OS, especially for those
coming from the Elektron
workflow, is the ability to now add
probability to any note in the
sequencer, whether it’s internal or
sending MIDI externally.
That brings us to the new
instruments available in the MPC
One. First introduced with the new
MPC Key 61, there are now six
new instruments available at the
price of $499 for the entire
package. Available to users,
Fabric, OPx-4 (an FM synth),
Organ, Stage Piano, Stage EP, and
Studio Strings all sound top-notch.
Endlessly explorable
While $499 might seem excessive
at first, diving deeper into these
new instruments shows a level of
depth that isn’t apparent from the
surface. For example, the Stage
Piano instrument features the
choice of four real pianos,
sampled in multi-layer format,
with a total size of 2GB of
samples! There’s also a huge
amount of articulation control
available, including the ability to
adjust hammer falls, sustain
levels, staccato, noise, and
much more.
OPx-4 is a hugely versatile
four-operator FM synth with
high-quality built-in effects, eight
macro knobs, and a 32-slot FM
modulation matrix. Exploring just
this one instrument alone would
take weeks if not months. Akai
have also given each of these
instruments banks and banks of
presets, so you aren’t stuck
starting with an Init patch and
crafting from scratch.
These new instruments and
effects, along with the probability
and ratcheting, have really made
the MPC One an endlessly
explorable machine. Whether
you’re more into the sampling
side, the sequencing angle, or
both, the MPC One is a hugely
capable production machine and
live tool.
THE PROS & CONS
+
New instruments in
2.11 sound
exceptional and
really make the MPC
One an even more
fully-fledged
production machine
Small but
important workflow
tweaks in the new
OS help speed up
your process
Tons of plugin
effect choices
Those heavenly
Akai pads are still a
joy to use
-
New instruments can
take a while to load
Hefty price tag for six
new instruments
Having a few
different ways to
accomplish the
same task can at
times be confusing
Exploring just the OPx-4
alone would take weeks if
not months
FM VERDICT
VALUE
••••••••••
BUILD
••••••••••
LONGEVITY
••••••••••
USEFULNESS
••••••••••
OVERALL
9.4
With its latest workflow
improvements and new
instruments, it is a very
capable standalone
production machine
HANDY HACKS
There’s now a new shortcut to
create a keygroup from a single
sample called Pad to Keygroup
in OS 2.11. This makes it much
quicker to choose a sample and
then audition melodies with the
sample as a sound source.
Furthermore, new in 2.11 is the
ability to set up key range splits
and layers for external MIDI
keyboards. This allows you to
have several tracks record-
activated at once and choose
your sound based on your key
range – incredibly handy both
live and in the studio.
Akai MPC One | Long term test
95
FMU389.rev_longterm.indd 95FMU389.rev_longterm.indd 95 30/09/2022 14:5530/09/2022 14:55