Akai MPC Studio Tutorial for Beginners (Part 4): How To Add VST Plugins

One of the most powerful features of the Akai MPC Studio is the ability to use VST plugins inside MPC Software.

VST instruments allow you to add:

Pianos
Synths
Strings
Bass instruments
Pads
And thousands of other sounds

In this beginner tutorial, SF Traxx walks through the full process of adding a VST plugin to your MPC project and sequencing chords into a beat.

If you're new to the MPC ecosystem, this lesson will show you how to quickly expand your beats beyond drum samples.

Changing Track Type to a Plugin (00:41)

The first step to using a VST instrument in MPC Software is changing the track type.

By default, many tracks are set to Drum Program, which is designed for triggering samples from the pads.

To use a VST instrument instead:

Select your track
Change the Track Type to Plugin

Once you switch the track type, MPC Software will allow you to load an instrument plugin.

Selecting a VST Plugin (00:55)

After changing the track type, the next step is selecting which plugin you want to use.

MPC Software includes built-in instruments, but you can also use third-party VST plugins.

Common plugin types include:

Synth instruments
Electric pianos
Analog emulations
Bass modules
Atmospheric pads

Once the plugin loads, it becomes the instrument assigned to that track.

Auditioning the VST Sound (01:05)

Before recording anything, it's helpful to test the sound.

You can do this by playing the MPC pads.

Each pad will trigger a musical note from the plugin so you can hear the instrument.

If the notes sound too low or too high, you may want to adjust the octave.

Transposing an Octave (01:18)

Sometimes the default note range isn't ideal.

You can transpose the pads up or down by an octave to better match the sound you're trying to create.

For example:

Lower octaves work well for bass sounds
Higher octaves work better for melodies or chords

Changing the octave allows you to explore different ranges of the instrument.

Using Chord & Scale Mode (01:44)

One powerful feature of MPC Software is Chord and Scale Mode.

This feature helps ensure that the notes you play stay within a specific musical key.

This is extremely useful for beginners who may not have a background in music theory.

Chord and Scale Mode can:

Automatically map pads to musical scales
Help generate chord progressions
Prevent out-of-key notes

Accessing Chord & Scale Mode (02:05)

To enable this feature:

Access the Scale Mode settings
Choose the key of your song
Select the scale type

Common scale types include:

Major
Minor
Harmonic minor
Pentatonic

Once activated, the pads will follow the selected scale automatically.

Changing Key and Scale (02:19)

Inside Scale Mode, you can choose the musical key for your beat.

Examples include:

C Minor
D Major
F# Minor

Changing the key will shift how notes are mapped across the pads.

This allows you to quickly experiment with different tonalities.

Using F5 and F6 to Change Octaves (02:37)

You can also shift the playable range of notes using the F5 and F6 buttons.

These buttons allow you to move up or down in octaves, giving you access to a wider range of the instrument.

This is especially useful when:

Building melodies
Creating chord voicings
Layering instruments

Adding Chords to Your Beat (02:50)

Once Scale Mode is set up, you can begin playing chords using the pads.

Because the pads follow the selected scale, it becomes much easier to create chords that sound musical.

This makes it possible to build harmonic progressions quickly, even if you're still learning music theory.

What Is a Chord Progression? (03:01)

A chord progression is a sequence of chords played in a specific order.

Chord progressions form the harmonic foundation of a song.

For example, many hip-hop beats use simple progressions that repeat throughout the track.

Common patterns include:

Minor progressions
Two-chord loops
Four-chord progressions

These progressions create emotional movement in your beat.

Sequencing Chords (03:27)

Once you find chords you like, you can record them into your sequence.

To do this:

Press Record
Play the chords on the pads
Allow the sequence to loop while recording

The chords will now play back automatically during your sequence.

Fixing Mistakes with Undo (03:40)

If you make a mistake during recording, you can quickly remove it using Undo.

Undo allows you to instantly revert the last action.

This is extremely helpful when experimenting with musical ideas.

Using Overdub Recording (04:04)

Overdub mode allows you to add new notes to an existing sequence without deleting previously recorded parts.

This means you can layer:

Chords
Melodies
Additional notes

Overdub makes building complex musical ideas much easier.

Adding a New Track (04:13)

Once your first instrument is recorded, you can add more layers by creating a new track.

Each track can contain a different instrument or plugin.

For example:

Track	Instrument
Track 1	Drums
Track 2	Piano
Track 3	Synth
Track 4	Bass

This layered structure allows you to build a full beat.

Adding Another VST Plugin (04:30)

After creating a new track, you can load another VST plugin the same way as before.

This lets you build multi-instrument arrangements directly inside MPC Software.

Layering instruments helps create:

fuller beats
richer melodies
more dynamic compositions

Returning to Scale Mode (05:09)

When working with melodic instruments, you can return to Scale Mode to ensure your notes remain in key.

This helps maintain musical consistency across all tracks.

Recording Additional Notes with Overdub (05:33)

Using Overdub, you can add more musical ideas to the same track.

This might include:

chord variations
melody notes
accent hits

Each layer adds depth to the beat.

Browsing VST Presets (06:21)

Most plugins include large libraries of presets.

Presets are pre-designed sounds that help you quickly explore different tones.

These may include:

synth leads
atmospheric pads
bass sounds
piano patches

Browsing presets can often inspire new musical ideas.

Using AutoSelect (06:35)

AutoSelect allows you to quickly switch presets while testing sounds.

Instead of manually loading each preset, you can scroll through them and hear the changes instantly.

This speeds up the sound design process.

Workflow Tip for Browsing Presets (06:44)

A useful workflow tip is to use the MPC Software to browse presets directly on the plugin GUI.

This lets you sort sounds natively so that you don't have to spend all day using the limited display on the MPC Studio.

Doing this helps you choose sounds faster - so that you can get ideas out faster!

Opening the VST Plugin Interface (07:11)

Sometimes you may want deeper control over the instrument.

You can open the VST plugin interface to access:

Presets
filters
envelopes
advanced sound design parameters

This gives you full control over browsing as well as editing the sound.

On-Screen Plugin Demonstration (07:22)

The tutorial demonstrates how to open the plugin interface to access the Presets directly.

Exploring the plugin interface can also help you customize sounds way beyond the default presets.

Extending the Sequence (07:49)

As your beat develops, you may want to increase the length of your sequence.

Longer sequences allow for:

more musical variation
longer chord progressions
more complex arrangements

Auditioning the Finished Beat (08:19)

After building the drum pattern and adding VST instruments, you can play the sequence back to hear the full beat.

At this point, you've created a basic beat using:

drum samples
VST instruments
chord progressions
sequencing

This forms the foundation of many MPC productions.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to use VST plugins inside MPC Software dramatically expands the creative possibilities of the Akai MPC Studio.

Instead of working only with drum samples, you can build full musical compositions using instruments, chords, and layered sounds.

By combining the techniques from this tutorial with the previous lessons in this series, you'll be able to start building complete beats inside the MPC workflow.

MPC Studio Beginner Tutorial Series

Watch the full MPC Studio beginner tutorial playlist below:

The Official Website of Veteran West Coast producer SF Traxx.