// Studio utilityBeta
MPC Expansion Converter for the MPC 500
Turns the drum programs of a modern Akai MPC expansion into .PGM programs and 16-bit .WAV sounds for the MPC 500, laid out on its twelve-pad banks.
- Target machine
- Sample memory
- 16 MB / 128 MB max
- Audio
- 16-bit, 44.1 kHz
- Pads
- 48 (4 banks of 12)
Drop an MPC expansion folder here
The folder with the .xpm programs and their WAV samples. Nothing is uploaded; conversion runs in this browser.
Reads .xpm programs and .wav samples only
New
Kit Builder
Build an MPC 2000XL program from your own samples: drop sounds on the pads and export a .PGM with its sounds.
Step by step
How to load a modern MPC expansion on an MPC 500
- 01.Input
1. Drop the expansion folder
Drag the folder of a modern Akai MPC expansion onto the page. The converter reads its .xpm drum programs and their WAV samples. Nothing is uploaded; the files stay on your computer.
Reads: .xpm programs + .wav samples
- 02.Options
2. Choose the options
Pick mono or stereo and 8- or 16-character file names. Sounds are always .WAV files on this machine. The list shows how much sample memory each program needs on the MPC 500.
Shows sample memory per program
- 03.Convert
3. Convert and download
Each program becomes a folder with one .PGM file and its .WAV sounds, packed into a ZIP together with a report of every change. A kit with more than 48 pads is split into several programs.
Output: ZIP with one folder per program
- 04.Hardware load
4. Load it on the MPC 500
Copy a program folder to a CompactFlash card and load the .PGM from the LOAD page. The program loads its sounds from the same folder.
Media: CompactFlash card
Mapping
What gets converted
How each part of an expansion program is carried over to an MPC 500 program.
| In the expansion | On the MPC 500 |
|---|---|
| Pad and its MIDI note | Pads filled in order (a 16-pad kit lands on A01 to A12 plus B01 to B04), on the machine's own notes |
| One sample on a pad | One layer, tuned by the program |
| Up to four stacked samples on a pad | Separate layers, each with its level, tuning and velocity range |
| More than four samples on a pad | Mixed into one sound |
| Tuning, level, pan, attack and decay | Pad and mixer settings |
| One-shot or note-off, mono or poly | Play mode and voice overlap |
| Mute groups | Numbered mute groups, up to 32 |
| 24-bit, 32-bit float, 48 kHz or stereo audio | 16-bit, 44.1 kHz .WAV, mono or stereo |
| Programs with more than 48 pads | Split into several programs |
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Documentation & FAQ
Questions and answers
- Can the MPC 500 load modern MPC expansions?
- Not directly. Modern expansions store programs as .xpm files, which the MPC 500 cannot read, and most of their samples are 24-bit or 32-bit. mp2mp converts the drum programs into a .PGM the MPC 500 loads and the samples into 16-bit, 44.1 kHz .WAV files.
- Is the program in the MPC 500's own format?
- Yes. The .PGM is written the way the MPC 500 saves its own programs, with the 16-bit, 44.1 kHz .WAV sounds next to it.
- What happens to pads with several layers?
- A pad on the MPC 500 holds up to four samples, so up to four layers stay separate, each with its own level, tuning and velocity range. A pad with more than four layers is mixed into one sound. The layers' own panning is not kept.
- How is an expansion kit laid out on the MPC 500?
- Expansion kits are built on 16-pad banks, and the MPC 500 has 12 pads per bank. The converter fills the MPC 500's pads in order, so a 16-pad kit lands on A01 to A12 plus B01 to B04, instead of dropping every fourth pad. If you would rather decide which sound goes on which pad, the MPC 500 Kit Builder may be the better option.
- How much memory do converted kits need?
- The MPC 500 has 16 MB of memory as standard, of which 11.5 MB is free for sounds (about 136 seconds of mono audio), and can be expanded to 128 MB. Because layers are kept as separate sounds, a layered kit needs more memory here than on the MPC 2000XL. Converting to mono halves the memory, and trimming silent tails saves more.
- What is not converted?
- Plugin, MIDI and keygroup programs have no MPC 500 equivalent and are skipped. Effects and sequences are not converted either.
- Are my samples uploaded anywhere?
- No. The conversion runs entirely in your browser. The site has no server component for files, and its security policy only lets the page talk to its own host.