MIDI Patterns & Plugin Presets For MPC & Force

MPC MIDI & Plugin Presets FAQs

• What are MIDI patterns?

  MIDI patterns are MIDI performances that can be loaded directly to tracks in an MPC project. They are typically quite short, often 2 to 4 bars, and contain drum grooves or melodic riffs or leads. MIDI patterns are in the proprietary 'mpcpattern' format.

• How do I use your MIDI drum patterns?

  Our MIDI drum pattern expansions contain hundreds of real drum performances converted to MIDI. Load any of these patterns to a 'Drum' track in your project containing a suitable drum kit and the MIDI will trigger the sounds in your drum kit to recreate the original drum groove.

• What are the benefits of using MIDI patterns?

  MIDI patterns let you take a real drum performance and have it trigger the sounds of any drum kit within your MPC. You can continue swapping out different kits until you find the exact sound and groove combo for your project. And as you're now working with MIDI it's easy to edit the MIDI events to change groove, tempo and swing, add fills and variations or even load different grooves to the current drum kit.

• What are the benefits of using MIDI patterns over audio loops?

  MIDI is more flexible; it's easy to edit and you can effortlessly change the sounds that the MIDI triggers. Changing tempo does not degrade the sound like it would in an audio loop. And as you are triggering a drum kit you have a lot more flexibility in changing and editing the individual sounds within your kit.

• How do MIDI patterns differ to standard MIDI files?

  Pattern files support MPC-specific data such as automation, probability, 16 levels and track mutes. They also load directly to the currently selected track in your project, something not possible with a standard MIDI file.

• How do I preview MIDI patterns?

  All our MIDI patterns come with 'baked in' pre-recorded browser previews so you can take a listen to the groove or melody simply by tapping on the file in the browser (requires 'AUDITION > AUTO' enabled). Alternatively, load a kit to the current track in your project, hit PLAY START and then go to the browser and start loading MIDI patterns directly to the track while it plays. The pattern will replace all existing MIDI data and instantly start playing back the sounds of the kit on the track.

• Can a MIDI drum pattern be used with any drum kit?

  Yes, but the MIDI notes in the pattern must match up with underlying MIDI note mapping of your drum kit. We've taken care of that for you by creating patterns specifically for all the common drum kit layouts used in our expansions; and in our dedicated MIDI pattern libraries we've also provided 'universal' layouts for Akai factory kits and DrumSynth kits. We also include kit templates for you to easily adapt your own custom kits to any pattern.