MPC Sample Expansion Installation Guide

This guide explains the step-by-step process for installing our expansions into the new 'MPC Sample' portable sampler from Akai. 

We are currently in the process of optimising many of our existing expansion libraries for the MPC Sample format - as soon as each expansion is fully tested and available we'll add it to our dedicated MPC Sample Expansions page.

Requirements

It is not currently possible to transfer content to the MPC Sample internal drive, instead all content must be copied to a connected micro SD card. We recommend you use a good quality (e.g. Sandisk), class 10 micro SD card formatted to exFAT.

You'll also need a USB C cable to connect your MPC Sample to a USB port on your computer. If your computer only has USB 'A' ports you'll need to use a suitable adaptor, hub or cable.

Finally, ensure you are running at least firmware 1.2.1 on your MPC Sample. You can check this by going to [SHIFT] + [PAD 8] and looking at the version number in the top right of the screen.

Downloading & Extracting Your Expansion

In the following example we'll be installing the MPC Sample version of our popular hip hop construction kit expansion, The Underground Crates Vol 1, but the process is going to be similar for all our dedicated MPC Sample expansions.

First, download the expansion from your File Bank. Now extract the contents of the downloaded zip file to any location on your computer. The MPC Sample expansion is found inside the folder 'MPC Sample Edition':

We'll be transferring this folder, 'Underground Crates Vol 1', to your MPC Sample disk.

Connecting Your MPC Sample To Your Computer

Next, ensure your micro SD card is pushed fully into your MPC Sample's SD card slot and connect your MPC Sample to your computer using a suitable USB cable. Power up your MPC Sample, then hold down [SHIFT] + [PAD 16] to enter the PROJECT screen:

Turn your (ENCODER) to highlight the 'SD Card Access' option - click down on your (ENCODER) to select it. Within a few seconds you should see your SD card appear as a removable drive on your computer (mine is called 'MPC Sample'):

Click on your MPC Sample disk to view its contents:

The above is what you'll see on a brand new, unused SD card. The exact folder structure here will of course vary depending on how you've already set up your MPC Sample disk, but at minimum you should see a folder called 'MPC Sample'. This is the automatically generated folder that all your projects and samples are saved to when working within your MPC Sample.

We recommend you leave this 'MPC Sample' folder exclusively for saving your own work and instead install all your expansions inside a separate folder entirely dedicated to holding your third party expansions.

So right click in the root location of your MPC Sample disk and create a new folder; unlike other standalone MPCs there's no specific naming convention required here so you can choose any name you like. We use 'MPC Sample Expansions':

Now enter this folder and copy the 'Underground Crates Vol 1' folder inside it so the folder structure looks as follows:

That's it, expansion installed! In the future you can just add your other MPC Sample expansions inside this same 'MPC Sample Expansions' folder.

Next remember to first safely 'eject' the SD card from your computer using the 'eject' option within your computer operating system.  Once it's fully ejected, you can hit [B1] in your MPC Sample to exit 'SD Card Access' mode.

At this point, simply follow the specific loading and usage instructions provided within the PDF 'user guide' provided with your expansion, as each expansion will be slightly different. We also host a copy of this user guide on the expansion's product page.