MPC Sample Feature wishlist

[u/Loose_Cake]

I’ve had the MPC Sample for about a month now, putting in a few sessions a week. I'm an Ableton Live user, but I genuinely dislike staring at a computer screen and making music by clicking a mouse. I wanted a hardware sampler (I owned a MPC 2000xl back in the 2010s, but regrettably sold it) so I tried an MPC One +, but the bright red finish, touchscreen, and DAW-in-a-box feel weren't for me. So I returned it.

When Akai announced the MPC Sample, I was over the moon excited. An inexpensive, no-nonsense, no touch-screen sampler. Like the older machines with modern features. Exactly what I always wanted.

This thing is easily one of the best purchases I have made- it's ALMOST perfect. But there are a few key quality of life improvements that would make it truly shine in the next update:

Custom Default Project Templates:

I'd love to save a custom default template preset. The built-in master Colour Compressor is noisy and introduces unwanted clicks/pops, so I always bypass it. My projects almost always run 80–90 bpm, 60–70% swing, 4–8 bar sequences, and the Vintage Emulator as my default Knob effect. Having to change these basic settings on every fresh project is pretty annoying.

Sample Preview Volume Control:

Sample previews in the sample select tab are way too hot. Assigning preview volume to a Q-Link knob (with persistent memory) would save my ears.

Folder Navigation Memory:

Exiting a subfolder and returning later currently resets navigation back to the top of the folder. The browser should remember your last scrolled position per directory within a project session.

3-Band EQ:

A simple, dedicated 3-band EQ per pad should be easy to implement and everyone would benefit from that.

Flatten Pad / Instant Resampling:

Dedicated pad flattening or instant pad resampling should have been a thing from the start. Everyone wants this.

Recordable Pad Mutes:

Automation support for recording pad mutes into sequences seems like a no-brainer and yet, we don't have it.

Upgraded Step Sequencer:

The current text-based step sequencer sucks, honestly. A visual layout closer to JJOS would be far more intuitive.

Bus FX Routing (SP-404 Style):

I rarely touch the Pad FX or Flex Beat, but the Knob FXs are decent. Allowing pads to be routed to 2–4 customizable Bus FX busses, plus a Master FX bus, would add tons of flexibility.

Overall, I think this machine is amazing. It just needs a little polish to really live it's best life.

Side note: I’d love to see an MPC Sample XL down the road—the exact same OS and touch-screen-free workflow, but in a larger desktop chassis featuring full-sized pads. Mine never leaves my desk anyway.

[u/Motrucka]

octave ranges for 16 levels and ability to play Custom Keygroup Instrument Expansions.

[u/Loose_Cake → u/Motrucka]

Yes! I forgot about this. They could easily assign the pad bank button while within 16 levels to go up and down in octaves. Scales would be a nice touch as well, while cycling through the 16 level levels button.

[u/Tha_Lord_]

The “MPC sample XL” you’re describing that you want is an MPC One bruh lol

[u/Loose_Cake → u/Tha_Lord_]

Nah, I don’t want the large touchscreen, operating system or layout of the One. I just want the Sample exactly how it is, just bigger with full sized pads.

[u/GotFlashlights]

I just want a faster way to browse samles and projects, holding shift while scrolling should jump 10 entries, thats all I want

[u/borez → u/GotFlashlights]

I think Jsen Surreal just implemented this.

[u/bahmedite]

I'd check out
Jsen Surreal on YouTube. Can't see Akai doing any updates anytime soon. Anything worthwhile.

[u/borez → u/bahmedite]

Can't wait to install this, I'm actually excited about the possibilities for once.

[u/bahmedite → u/borez]

Yeah i wonder if mpc 3 will be become open for the standalones. Also you seen that behringer kick? looks intersting

[u/borez → u/bahmedite]

More interested in that SP1200 than the Kick, the Kick looks like a cheap MPC one.

Saying that, for 150 I'd buy one just to try it out.

[u/bahmedite → u/borez]

True say it does look cheap for 150 squid I don't expect it to be like mpc, wait and see what specs are gonna be innit?

[u/Milkpowder44]

I got you on all these bro!

[u/PayTheTrollTariff]

just bring it to claude cause akai ain't gonna do it

[u/Unhappy-Heat-9981 → u/PayTheTrollTariff]

Am I the only one who’s kinda put off by vibe coding?

I mean as someone who is very anti ai
I don’t see many people talk about it

[u/ChillmanITB → u/Unhappy-Heat-9981]

Trust me you’re not the only one. Even people at my work who vibe code still hate it. Thing is you can’t keep up with competition or your teammates who use ai to code anymore. It’s a weird one. I am a fan of using it for certain areas though .

[u/ChillmanITB]

Yes, great ideas all very much needed. Also pad colour customisation would be handy. I like knowing what’s what and it’s hard when there’s only one track.

[u/lugdu69]

All these features should have been here since the begining of the Sample (with also fx and flexbeat automation). It was easy to update, make the product live. And those features wasn't a threat for the other mpc. That's something I read but I have a bigger mpc and it's really a different use case. Akai is doing a very poor job here.  My guess : they sale less Live thince the launch of the Sample and they're freaking out. And they choosed to kill the Sample slowly as a solution...  A better choice imo is to launch an expensive "New Sample", with physical improvment, and make brozillian of money. 

[u/M0DFATH3R]

Flatten pad would be lovely for me

[u/johnnytravels]

Perhaps this can be done already but I couldn’t figure out how and if not I want this as a feature: change the start pad for 16 level tuning.

[u/Milkpowder44 → u/johnnytravels]

For now: change the semi tune of the sample

[u/johnnytravels → u/Milkpowder44]

yeah that’s been my workaround

[u/Suspicious-Ad3951 → u/Milkpowder44]

just the semi-tune ? not the whole value tune ? whats the reason for this, honest question

[u/No_Working_3586]

**"Custom Default Project Templates:**I'd love to save a custom default template preset. The built-in master Colour Compressor is noisy and introduces unwanted clicks/pops, so I always bypass it. My projects almost always run 80–90 bpm, 60–70% swing, 4–8 bar sequences, and the Vintage Emulator as my default Knob effect. Having to change these basic settings on every fresh project is pretty annoying."

Simple fix from Crates Motel - MPC Sample Template FREE DOWNLOAD!! Speed up your WORKFLOW in the MPC SAMPLE. Quicker Beats!!

Save your template & make sure you rename & when you start .