Did you get an MPD24 and find it odd that the transport functions didn’t work with Ableton Live? Me too, but don’t worry there’s a fairly easy fix. You need to update your MPD to the most recent firmware 1.10 which allows the transport buttons to work as regular midi controls rather than MMC.

Now at first this may seem like just download something then install it and you’re done. This is not the case however and updating this firmware runs a chance of bricking your MPD. If you follow my instructions on this page however you should be fine. That being said I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR DAMAGE DONE TO YOUR MACHINE, FOLLOW THIS TUTORIAL AT YOUR OWN RISK.

This is a Windows 7 64 bit tutorial only. It theoretically should work on windows 8.1 or 10, but I have not tested those. Here’s what you need (all links provided):

What you do not need: A korg midi driver (like some people have suggested), a longer than usual usb cable, or the vyzex software from Akai. These items were all listed in other forums as hacks to get it to work with varying results. Some of these may do the trick as well. But I have confirmed my method to work and it is fairly simple.

The last item listed above is essential to a successful update. It does not have to be one of those exact cables, you may also use an audio interface that has a standard hardware midi interface output. The reason for this is once you wipe the old firmware off the MPD, windows 7 64 bit will no longer recognize the device correctly, making it impossible to transmit data to the MPD over USB. The way around this is to transmit the data through a hardware MIDI port using a standard midi cable and MIDI-OX. Follow the steps below once you have your midi connection figured out and it should only take you 5 minutes.

download and install MIDI-OX unplug the usb connection from your MPD hold down rewind, stop and rec on the MPD and plug it back in when it comes back up push enter to erase the old firmware, this will leave the MPD in a waiting state to receive the new firmware DO NOT UNPLUG THE USB CONNECTION TO YOUR MPD and do not touch anything on it! Connect the hardware MIDI out from your alternate computer midi interface to the hardware MIDI in on the MPD. Open up MIDI-OX and click on “Options/MIDI devices”. When the dialog opens, select your alternate midi device as the input and output for MIDI-OX. At this stage you should not be able to see the MPD’s usb midi in midi-ox, but just in case you do see it, DO NOT SELECT IT! Use the hardware midi in and out ONLY. Close the options dialog, then click on “View/SysEx” a new box will open up which allows you to view and send SysEx data. This is all the firmware is, is a SysEx file. Click on “Command Window/Load File” then select the firmware you downloaded above. After this you should see that white box now filled with hexadecimal data. Click on “Command Window/Send SysEx” and look at the screen on your MPD, you should now see the data loading to your MPD! You’ll also see a progress bar for MIDI-OX. Once it finishes the MPD will say it’s completed and to press enter. Close MIDI-OX, then unplug your alternate midi connections and USB from the MPD. Plug the MPD USB back in and you should be all set!

To change the transport controls on the MPD, just press edit on the device, then press a transport button, then press enter and make the desired selection!

DONE!