Akai Pro has recently introduced their MPC Stems technology, which allows producers to isolate different musical elements in mixed audio such as bass, drums, and vocals. This technology is now integrated into the company’s MPC Desktop Software and is claimed to be a game-changer in sampling and precision for music producers and beatmakers. It utilizes zPlane’s stem separation engine, which promises superior sound quality and minimal artifacts.
The stems can be assigned to pads within the MPC software, allowing producers to isolate specific parts of the original track. The workflow is straightforward – simply select the Create Stems option and choose the layers you want to extract. Volume, pitch, pan levels for each stem can be adjusted individually or collectively for all four layers. Audio can also be cropped on an individual or global basis.
At present, MPC Stems only works in the desktop version of the MPC Software and is fully supported when used with MPC Live Series, MPC One, MPC One +, MPC X, MPC Xse, MPC Key 61, MPC Key 37, or MPC Studio Mk2 in Controller mode. To use stems in standalone mode, they must be created in the desktop software and then opened in standalone hardware using the saved project. The timeline for full standalone support has not been announced yet.
Unfortunately, this update is not free for existing users of the MPC Software; it costs a one-time payment of $10. It can be purchased exclusively through the Akai Pro Store and requires installation of version 2.14 software/firmware update
