Akai Professional’s MPC Live III: CV Playground Unleashed for Modular Integration

The video kicks off by positioning the MPC Live III as a serious contender for modular enthusiasts, thanks to its integrated CV Playground feature set. Akai Professional’s approach is to assume viewers already know their way around patch cables and the basics of control voltage, so the focus is on what the MPC Live III adds to the party. Right from the start, we’re shown how to create a new CV track, which acts as the gateway to all the CV tools needed for modular interfacing.

On the hardware side, the MPC Live III boasts four stereo CV ports on its rear panel. With the right TRS-to-dual-TS splitters, this translates to eight independent CV outputs—enough to run a respectable modular rig from a single box. The video makes it clear that Akai has designed this system for flexibility, whether you’re sending pitch, gates, or more exotic modulation signals out to your synths.

Once a CV track is created, the MPC Live III’s front page offers quick access to routing melodic information—notes, gates, mod wheel and velocity—straight to modular gear. The demonstration shows how easy it is to patch a cable from the MPC’s CV output to a synth, with an oscilloscope confirming the flow of note data. This immediate feedback is a boon for anyone who’s spent hours troubleshooting dead cables or misrouted signals.

Beyond basic note and gate duties, the system supports all eight CV outputs for drum triggers, letting you sequence modular percussion directly from the MPC. When it’s time to get more advanced, the edit page opens up, revealing a matrix of routing options: each output can be assigned to LFOs, envelopes, steppers, and more. Output offsets and depth controls allow for fine-tuning, making the MPC Live III as much a modulation hub as a sequencer.

The CV Playground isn’t just about sending notes—it’s a full modulation suite. The video walks through the envelope section, where four independent envelopes can be shaped with delay, attack, hold, decay, sustain, and release. Each parameter is visually represented on the oscilloscope, making it easy to see exactly how your modulation will behave in a patch. Modes like looped and one-shot, along with tempo sync options, allow for both traditional and experimental envelope behaviours.

LFOs get similar treatment, with four available per project and a familiar set of waveforms: sine, ramp, triangle, square, and two flavours of random. Syncing LFOs to the MPC’s playback or triggering them via notes opens up a world of rhythmic modulation. The ability to switch between free-running and synced modes, and to control rate in either Hertz or musical divisions, means the MPC Live III can serve as a master modulator for everything from filter sweeps to wild pitch bends.

The final moments of the video drive home the MPC Live III’s versatility as a modular companion. With its array of CV tools, the MPC can replace a swathe of utility modules—LFOs, envelopes, steppers, ramps—freeing up rack space and simplifying live or studio setups. The matrix page, in particular, is highlighted as the heart of creative modulation, allowing users to build complex, evolving patches that sync perfectly with the MPC’s timeline.

While the CV Playground is a one-way street—modular signals can’t be routed back in to trigger internal MPC events—it’s clear that Akai Professional has built a system that encourages experimentation and deep integration. For anyone looking to merge MPC workflow with the tactile world of modular, this video makes a compelling case for the MPC Live III as a central hub.