1-Day Akai MPC Course (Garage/House)

Service Description

Hour 1 – Introduction & Setup MPC Overview Hardware orientation (pads, screen, transport, Q-links, main modes) Explanation of sequencing, tracks, and programs File/project workflow (saving, loading, templates) House & Garage Rhythms – Listening & Breakdown Play a few classic examples Identify tempo ranges (House ~120–128 BPM, Garage ~130–135 BPM) Discuss common rhythmic elements (4-to-the-floor kick, swung hi-hats, shuffling snares). Hour 2 – Building the Foundation Setting up a new project Adjust tempo and grid settings Use metronome & quantize settings Programming Kicks & Snares Create a basic House 4/4 kick pattern Add Garage-style snare placement (off-beat, swing, ghost notes) Practice Loop: Make a 2–4 bar rhythm loop. Hour 3 – Hi-Hats, Groove & Swing House Hi-Hats: Straight 16th notes with subtle variations Garage Hi-Hats: Shuffling swing patterns, syncopation Using Swing & Timing Correct in MPC Hands-On Practice: Student makes two variations (one house, one garage loop). Hour 4 – Basslines House Bass Sub-bass or simple rolling patterns, locked with the kick. Garage Bass Bouncy, syncopated basslines with movement. MPC Tools 16 Levels for pitching bass sounds Step sequencer vs real-time pad performance Exercise: Build a bassline under the existing drum loop. Hour 5 – Chords, Stabs & Samples House Chords/Stabs: Classic organ stab, minor chords, simple progressions. Garage Vocal Chops: Sampling vocals into the MPC, chopping and triggering. MPC Sampling Basics: Import, slice, assign to pads. Practice: Layer either a chord stab or vocal chop over the beat. Hour 6 – Arrangement & Song Mode Building Blocks Extend patterns into sequences Create intro, drop, breakdown, variation House Arrangement: Gradual layering, tension/release. Garage Arrangement: Switch-ups, vocal interplay, bass movement. Exercise: Student creates a short 1–2 min arrangement from their loop. Hour 7 – Mixing, Performance & Wrap-Up Basic Mixing on MPC Level balancing, EQ, reverb/delay, sidechain effect simulation. Performance Features Pad mutes, live recording tweaks, effects in real-time. Final Project: Student performs and exports their beat. Wrap-Up & Q&A Recap workflow Tips for practice and next steps (sound packs, reference tracks, practicing swing).