Gabe Miller Music Unboxes the MPC Live III: First Impressions from the Beat Lab

Gabe kicks things off with a classic unboxing, and right away, the MPC Live III’s box is so massive it needs its own zip code. He jokes about the USB cable trying to make a break for it and admits the unit itself is heavy enough to double as a gym weight. But once the plastic’s off, you get a peek at a sleek, modern machine with all the right ports—USB-C, XLR, SD card, and even CV/gate for the modular crowd. No 3.5mm headphone jack, though, so don’t lose your adapters.

The initial setup is pretty smooth, with Wi-Fi connectivity and a bright touchscreen (even if the ring light makes it look dim). Gabe’s got some MPC One experience, so he’s not totally in the dark, but he’s honest about going in “somewhat blind.” The I/O is laid out logically, and there’s plenty of internal storage for plugins. If you’re a fan of gear porn and first impressions, this section’s got all the eye candy you need.

Gabe wastes no time diving into the beatmaking trenches. He’s quick to point out the new pad system, which looks flashy but leaves him a bit on the fence. Dedicated buttons for browsing and clip launching are a welcome upgrade—no more menu-diving gymnastics just to get your samples loaded. The workflow feels tighter, and loading heavy plugins like Analog Dreams is way faster than on older MPCs.

Sample handling is classic MPC but with some modern sauce. Gabe tests out the step sequencer, tries to wrangle velocity recording, and ends up doing things manually when the automation doesn’t quite click. The groove is real, and even when he’s just making a “janky little rumble,” you can tell the Live III’s got punch. He’s honest about the learning curve, but the improved speed and hands-on controls make it feel like a legit upgrade for beatmakers who want to keep their flow moving.

Now for the part every street producer secretly loves—sampling weird stuff with the built-in mic. Gabe puts the MPC Live III’s onboard microphone through its paces, recording everything from a music box to his own voice and some wild beatboxing. The verdict? It’s thin and a little tinny, but there’s a certain charm to that lo-fi grit. If you want pristine vocals, look elsewhere, but for quick-and-dirty sampling, this mic’s got character.

He flips the samples, reverses them, and even runs them through effects to get that haunted, inside-your-head vibe. The real magic is in how fast you can grab a sound, mangle it, and drop it into a beat. Sure, it’s not studio quality, but sometimes you want your samples to sound like they came from the back of a taco truck, not Abbey Road. For creative sound design and spontaneous jams, this mic is a fun addition—even if your roommates might not appreciate your kazoo wars.

Gabe gets his hands on the new MPC-E pads, and it’s a mixed bag. The articulations—flams, pitched rolls, and stereo tricks—are obviously aimed at trap producers and finger drummers looking for extra flair. Some of it feels a bit like a party trick, but there’s no denying the creative potential if you dig deep. Blending sounds with the mod matrix is straightforward after a quick tutorial, and you can layer up some wild textures if you’re willing to experiment.

Still, Gabe keeps it real: for his workflow, a lot of these features are more gimmick than game-changer. They work, and they’re cool for showing off, but he doesn’t see himself using them every day. If you’re the type to squeeze every drop out of your gear, you’ll find some gems here. For the rest of us, it’s a nice-to-have, not a must-have. But hey, sometimes you need a little extra sauce on your drum pads, right?