AKAI Sample Key: The MPC Sample Gets a Keyboard and Surprise! It’s Open Source!
5,0 / 5,0 | 
What could make this day even better? That would be the announcement of the AKAI Sample Key, a keyboard sampler based with an open-source operating system. This thing can run Massive!
AKAI Sample Key
Shots fired! The other day, Behringer announced that it was making its upcoming Kick sampler open source. Many people have noticed the similarities to AKAI’s MPC One. Then today AKAI clapped back with a reel on its Instagram account showing the upcoming Sample Key. And it’s open source!
As a commenter said, “Behringer leaks an open source MPC One clone and Akai says okay bet.”
MPC Sample Gets Keys
Much like the MPC Key series gives you the best of both worlds – that would be MPC plus a keyboard for easy chromatic playing – Sample Key appears to be a keyboard variant of the incredibly popular MPC Sample. I say “appears to be” because there’s been no formal announcement, just the teaser video on Instagram.
With all of the quick editing it’s hard to see, but it looks like Sample Key has an onboard speaker, the same knobs as the MPC, track buttons, pitch and mod wheels, and a 24-key keybed.
According to the voice-over, it allows you to sample on individual keys, create key splits, and “do all the fun things you want with sound.”
Open-Source Sample Fun
The big surprise, though, is the open-source aspect. AKAI say they’re down with the AI and vibe-coding community and that Sample Key “can be whatever you want.” As an example, they show one person having Claude write an 808 beat while they use the pitch wheel and keys, and another person codes with Claude to install a variant of Native Instruments’ Massive on it. Oh man.
Price and Availability
I have to say, I’m very excited about this. Being a keyboard person, I wanted one as soon as I saw it had a keybed. The open-source stuff is the icing on the cake.
AKAI hasn’t announced when it will release, just that it’s coming soon. There’s also no mention of price but it’s sure to be affordable like the MPC Sample.
The MPC Sample is available now at Thomann*.
More Information
- AKAI Professional homepage
- More about AKAI
- More about synthesizers
- Buy synthesizers at Thomann*
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One response to “AKAI Sample Key: The MPC Sample Gets a Keyboard and Surprise! It’s Open Source!”
It is massive it is serum