__ __| | | /_) | ___| | |
| __ \ _ \ ' / | | / | _ \ __ \ | _` | __ \ __|
| | | | __/ . \ | < | | __/ | | | ( | | |\__ \
_| _| |_|\___| _|\_\_|_|\_\\____|\___|_| _| _____|\__,_|_.__/ ____/
Akai MPC Live/X/Force/One technical explorations and hacks
| Download link for MPC and Force images
In the ssh folder, you will find last ssh update images for Akai MPCs and Force.
Bootstrap sdcard images (IamForce, IamX, bootstrap ) are stored in the "bootstrap" folder.
- ImForce sdcard image (beta preliminary release)
- IamX sdcard image (beta preliminary release)
- Simple bootstrap (without MPC and Force assets) sdcard image
Ssh images for MPC and Force are also included in bootstrap images, and then can be used to unlock ssh too.
Important : IamForce and IamX bootstrap modules are absolutely not recommended for production.
To flash a sdcard image, I recommend to use Balena Etcher. This is secure. You need a usb/sdcard at less of 4G of capacity.
If you download any of these images, please consider making a small donation to encourage our team to continue their research into your favorite toys. This will pay for the coffees swallowed during the long nights of reverse-engineering!
Thanks : Gian Andrea, Christopher, Egil, Conte de Sociale, Jamie Fenton, Harald Fiekler !
C:\Users\tkgl>ssh root@192.168.x.y
_____ _ _ ___ _ _ _
|_ _| |_ ___ | |/ (_| |____ _ ___ _ _ | | __ _| |__ ___
| | | ' \/ -_) | ' <| | / / _` / -_| ' \ | |__/ _` | '_ (_-<
|_| |_||_\___| |_|\_|_|_\_\__, \___|_||_| |____\__,_|_.__/__/
|___/
Welcome to the MPC OS ssh mod !
Linux force 5.4.130-inmusic-2021-07-08-rt59 #1 SMP PREEMPT_RT Fri Jan 21 17:28:36 UTC 2022 armv7l GNU/Linux
Your IP address is 192.168.2.126
WARNING : you have root permissions. You could harm your system.
root@force:~#
This release add a nice login banner, a usefull command prompt, and allows now to launch a bootstrap script from a FAT32 disk.
Links at the top of the page.
This is a preliminary version of a further development of the IAMFORCE POC presented one year ago, allowing a MPC owner to test and run the Force software. This special image works with a sdcard or a usb stick. No need to update your MPC. Plug in it into your MPC, switch on the beast, and you will get the Force. Important : you need an SSH modded image on your MPC (see links at the top of this page).
MPC settings are totally isolated from Force settings in a "chroot" sandbox, so you can't corrupt your MPC configuration.
The Force image is embedded on the sdcard img. It is an original root file system, version 3.1.3 including streaming, and usb audio compliance.
The shutdown doesn't work. It will make you to return to the MPC mode, in which you can truly shutdown your MPC. So, a little pain... One last point for MPC Live users : it can be used on battery. The power supply status is faked.
It seems that Akai finally decided to release not a Force (ACVK), but an MPC with a keyboard (ACVM).
The Force synth project would have been abandoned in favor of an MPC synth.
Images path in the last MPC img 2.10.1 : /usr/share/Akai/ACVMTestApp/Resources
This Proof of Concept shows how an AKAI MPC Live and a hacked Midiplus Smartpad can be mutated to simulate a Force controller. Even if this project was technically challenging, believe me, the original Akai Force product offers much more comfort for almost the same price...one less tinkering !!
While exploring a recent MPC 2.9 update, someone from the Mpc live X and Force hacking modding custom group found a png showing the FORCE 6 new keyboard from Akai. This confirms the upcoming release of a 5 octaves hybrid keyboard, with 5 * 8 pads, 8 QLINKS, and a touch screen. The embedded software will most certainly be the same as the one already installed on the MPC/Force range, as well as the RK3288-based hardware core.
Png located internally at : /usr/share/Akai/ACVBTestApp/Resources/acvk.top.830x314.png
GLOBAL MIDI MAPPING FOR STANDALONE MPC - HIDDEN FEATURE (2021-01-21)
I recently investigated more deeply around the "Global midi learn" to propose a less specific midi control than I did with the anyctrl.so LD_PRELOAD library. I discovered that the global midi mapping available in the MPC software is also available in standalone mode.
Read the how-to here.
This is a hack of the MPC standalone software, using LD_PRELOAD and a special library launched with the MPC binary allowing the use of any usb midi controller as a secondary control surface. It is thus possible to extend available buttons, pads or qlinks like those of the MPC X or MPC One (track mute, pad mixer, solo, mute, etc...). This is particularly interesting for the Force which does not have an external controller mode in the midi settings unlike the MPCs.
Check the preload_libs github repo here.
If you want to get a remote Linux command line with SSH instead of opening your MPC, patched images are available (edit : check at the top of this page) :
Very few things have been modified in that mod :
- empty password for root. Recent version of Force Firmware added a password to root acount.
- permanent activation of ssh at boot (multi-user.target.wants/sshd.service)
- ssh root empty password authentication in sshd_config
- bootstrap to launch a custom scripts on a sdcard before starting MPC
Remove any trailer after ".img" and copy the img to the root of an usb key. A non-empty usb key will work contrary to what is stated in the documentation.
Check here to launch your own script : tkgl_bootstrap
And here for more details about SSH activation
The latest 2.9.0 MPC firmware features an 8-track DrumSynth, reminiscent of Roland's TRs, and Korg ER-1 that many will have forgotten! Honestly, this plugin is a success, and it is certain that many MPCs will be sold at Christmas! Akai: Publish your APIs so third-party developers could create more plugins . Why not a MPC plugins market place ?
ONE MONTH LATER : CONFIRMED. Look at fcc web site :
Beyond my previous post in gearslutsz regarding a shell script mentioning the MPC Live MKII, other traces were found in the 2.72 MPC binary after a deeper analysis and confirmed by the existence of 2x4 dtb linux drivers in the /boot directory.
I have also seen code areas mentioning new plugins that I think will be present in new releases or reserved for the new MPC?
=> NEW : MPC:DrumSynth MPC:Xpand MPC:OrganB3
we can therefore deduce that the 4 MPCs will share the same software platform and mainly the same core hardware. This is very good news for MPC Live owners as that means updates and new features probably in a next future for all.
You will find all arp patterns and progressions here. You must copy pattern files to '/usr/share/Akai/SME0/Arp Patterns', and progressions to '/usr/share/Akai/SME0/Progressions'. Don't forget to remount the partition read/write with a "mount remount / -o rw,remount" command.
- Wiki Home
- Akai InMusic device Ids
- About overlays in the MPC filesystem
- Add 2 new midi ports C D a quick guide with MIDI OX
- Enabling SSH on the MPC Live X one Force
- How to activate the linux serial console
- How to extract the 2.6 rootfs img from the update.img
- Iamforce : a MPC Live like a Force proof of concept
- MPC global midi mapping in standalone mode how to
- MPC internal controller Midi aspects
- MPC Live II coming soon...
- MPC Live X internal EMMC disk informations
- MPC Touch : How to solve sound pops and cracks
- MPC Touch black screen syndrom (Win 10)
- SSD partitioning
- Custom Arp Patterns in standalone mode for MPCs and Force
I want also to mention here this excellent source of information from niklasnisbeth : https://niklasnisbeth.gitlab.io/mpc-internals/