Akai Comprehensive Guide to Program Change Mode for MPK61 Controllers

PROGRAM CHANGE MODE

A Program Change, often referred to as a Patch Change, is a MIDI message used for sending data to devices to cause them to change to a new program. This allows you to tell a hardware or software device which sound to play. For example, if your MPK61/MPK88 is controlling a piano patch on your DAW or an external device, using a Program Change command allows you to easily switch to a synth patch.

There are two different types of Program Change messages on the MPK61/MPK88:

PROG CHANGE – This event will transmit a regular Program Change message (0-127) to your DAW or an external device, allowing you to switch between 128 different program banks.

PROG+BANK – This event transmits a Program Change message (0-127), along with a Bank L (Least Significant Bit) Change message (0-127) and a Bank M (Most Significant Bit) Change message (0-126), which allows access of up to 16384 different program banks. You can use PROG+BANK if your DAW or external device supports LSB and MSB.

To enter Program Change mode, press the [PROGRAM CHANGE] button. Then, turn [VALUE] dial to select either a PROG CHANGE or PROG+BANK event.

PROG CHANGE (Program Change)

PROG CHANGE allows you to transmit a regular Program Change message.

1.Select PROG CHANGE with the [VALUE] dial.

2.Press [ENTER] to see the next page of parameters.

3.Press the [<] button to access the MIDI CH field – this is the MIDI Channel which will be used to transmit the Program Change message. You can change the MIDI Channel by turning the [VALUE] dial. Then, press [>] to go to the next field.

4.In the PROG field, choose the program number with the [VALUE] dial.

5.Press [ENTER] to send the Program Change message.

PROG+BANK (Program Change with Bank Change)

PROG+BANK allows you to send a Program Change with Bank

Change message to your DAW or external sound module.

1.Select PROG+BANK with the [VALUE] dial.

2.Press [ENTER] to see the next page of parameters.

3.Press the [<] button to access the MIDI CH field – this is the MIDI Channel which will be used to transmit the message. You can change the MIDI Channel by turning the [VALUE] dial. Then, press [>] to go to the next field.

4.In the PROG field, choose the program number with the [VALUE] dial. Press [>] to go to the next field.

5.In the BANK M field, select the MSB (Most Significant Bit) of information. Press [>] to go to the next field.

6.In the BANK L field, select the LSB (Least Significant Bit) of information.

7.Press [ENTER] to send the Bank and Program event.

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