Akai Professional MPC Live III: A New Era of Standalone Power and Workflow

Akai Professional introduces the MPC Live III as its most advanced all-in-one standalone music production center to date. The presentation immediately sets the tone: this is not just an incremental update, but a significant leap in processing power, workflow efficiency, and creative potential. Andy Mac emphasizes the device’s eight-core processor and expanded RAM, promising a system that can keep up with modern production demands without tethering you to a computer.

The focus here is on creative autonomy. The MPC Live III is positioned as a tool that empowers producers to move seamlessly from idea to finished track, all within a single box. Akai’s messaging is clear: whether you’re sampling, sequencing, or performing, the MPC Live III is designed to remove barriers and keep you in the flow. The video’s opening minutes highlight how the new hardware architecture underpins this vision, setting the stage for a detailed exploration of features and workflow enhancements.

One of the headline features of the MPC Live III is the MPC-E expressive pad system. Each of the 16 full-size pads is divided into four quadrants, allowing for nuanced performance gestures—think morphing between samples, triggering articulations, or adding modulation and effects in real time. The video demonstrates how sliding across a pad’s surface can control everything from pitch to filters, and even enable complex finger drumming with multiple articulations mapped to a single pad.

Under the hood, the eight-core processor and 8GB of RAM enable up to 32 plugin instruments per project, with fast preset loading and real-time audio processing. The device also introduces 16 new function buttons for direct access to core features like the arranger, mixer, and clip matrix. Akai’s UI philosophy is on full display: tactile controls, a multi-gesture touchscreen, and Q-Link encoders are all designed to minimize menu-diving and maximize hands-on creativity. The workflow is clearly engineered for speed, whether you’re building beats, tweaking effects, or launching clips on the fly.

The MPC Live III’s versatility is showcased through its clip launching workflow, pro stem separation, and seamless integration with external devices. The clip matrix offers an 8×8 grid for launching audio, MIDI, and CV clips—ideal for live performance and rapid song arrangement. The video walks through creating, duplicating, and editing clips in real time, demonstrating how patterns can be built, layered, and rearranged without ever leaving the main mode.

Stem separation is another standout, leveraging the new CPU to deliver desktop-quality results directly on the device. Users can isolate drums, bass, and vocals from a sample, then repitch and rework them into new beats. Integration is a recurring theme: the MPC Live III supports smart device recording, external plugin sequencing via USB-C, and deep CV/gate control for modular rigs. Whether you’re sampling from an iPhone, sequencing a Moog Mariana app, or routing MIDI and audio to and from a DAW, the MPC Live III is positioned as a central hub for diverse production workflows.

Akai has clearly prioritized connectivity in the MPC Live III’s design. The device supports up to 24 channels of audio I/O over USB-C, making it possible to track stems directly into a DAW or record multitrack audio back into the MPC’s arranger. The workflow for routing, mixing, and tracking is demonstrated as straightforward and flexible, with all assignments accessible from the touchscreen or mixer environment.

Beyond audio, the MPC Live III offers 32 MIDI channels over USB-C, CV/gate outputs for modular integration, and support for external plugin hosting. The CV Playground feature is particularly notable, providing assignable envelopes, LFOs, and a modulation matrix for advanced control of analog gear. The video positions the MPC Live III as a true standalone studio centerpiece—capable of driving hardware synths, modular systems, and software instruments, all while maintaining the tactile immediacy that Akai is known for.