Akai MPC 2.10’s Vocal Tuner and 14 new plug-ins offer deeper standalone production

MPC One, MPC Live II, MPX and MPC Desktop Software will all benefit from the new firmware update.

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Akai MPC 2.10

Akai Pro has released a free firmware update to its MPC series with MPC 2.10, bringing a set of tools to enhance the standalone music production experience further.

The new update introduces 14 plug-ins, comprising four instruments and seven effects, plus the Air Vocal Insert Effect Suite. There are also improvements to the MPC Drum and Keygroup Engine, new drum pad effects, and USB Class Compliant audio interface support, among other new features.

MPC 2.10 AIR Vocal Suite

MPC users will now have access to a dedicated suite of plug-ins designed to capture and produce “the perfect vocal recordings, right from standalone MPC devices”, Akai says in a press release. The AIR Vocal Tuner is the first-ever vocal tuner for standalone MPCs that can use pitch correction to tweak vocal lines. Vocal Tuner can be used to make subtle corrections or to apply the classic T-Pain-style tuned vocal sounds without bouncing down vocal stems to load into a DAW.

AIR Vocal Doubler lets producers swiftly thicken up vocal tracks, creating a layered sound and enhancing the stereo image for stronger vocal parts that cut through the mix. For even bolder vocal tracks, the AIR Vocal Harmonizer can instantly create layered harmonies on top of the original, turning a single voice into a huge four-part vocal backing section – no recording, editing or stacking necessary.

MPC 2.10 plug-ins

Four new instruments arrive with MPC 2.10, including AIR Hype, AIR Mellotron, AIR Solina and WayOutWare Odyssey.

AIR Hype is taken from the Akai Pro Force, coming to MPC for the first time with over 1,500 presets for pianos, analogue synths, wavetable pads, leads, FM sounds and more. A range of macro controls enable producers to create and configure new sounds to save as their own.

AIR Mellotron is based on the famous sample-based keyboard machine, which is most notably used in the intro of The Beatles //Strawberry Fields Forever. AIR Solina is a software version of a classic string synthesizer with the ability to craft single string parts and layered ensemble tones with ease. These AIR devices include the AIR Flavor effects panel to apply a variety of lo-fi textures, including radio and phone simulations, distortion, tape flutter and more.

WayOutWare Odyssey is a “faithful recreation of the all-time favourite analogue duophonic synth”, Akai says. It was created with circuit-modelled oscillators and filters and boasts a fully automated GUI.

Seven new effects are included in the MPC 2.10 update, including Half Speed, Stutter, Diode Clipper, AIR Diffuser Delay, Granulator, Sample Delay and AIR Limiter. 10 new Drum Pad effects are also included to distort sounds and go deeper with sound design.

MPC 2.10 connectivity

MPC devices with MPC 2.10 now support USB Class Compliant audio interfaces. Users can now connect any supported audio interface and use up to 32 inputs and 32 outputs, bringing more recordable tracks to standalone devices with a single USB cable.

MPC 2.10 is touted by Akai as “the most significant in MPC history”. Product manager Dan Gill says: “Being first [standalone device] to market with a vocal processing suite – including an automatic vocal tuning plug-in for standalone MPC users, is exciting and something we have worked hard on. Combining that with 14 new plugins and the ability to connect up to 32 inputs and outputs with Class Compliant USB devices untaps new creative potential for MPC users.”

The MPC 2.10 update is available immediately for MPC One, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC X and MPC2 Desktop users, free of charge.

Learn more at akaipro.com.

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