Brand
Akai, a Japanese company, made their biggest impact with the MPC series of samplers. The MPC revolutionised hip hop, R&B, and beat-driven music. Modern Akai still make powerful MPC units that combine standalone hardware with DAW integration. They also produce popular controllers like the MPK series. If sampling and beatmaking is your world, Akai’s legacy and present-day gear are second to none.
Category
MPC, short for Music Production Centre, refers to a range of hands-on production instruments built around sampling, sequencing and beat-making. Originally developed to bring studio-style workflows into a single unit, MPCs combine pads, sequencing, sound shaping and performance control in one focused system. If you enjoy building tracks from rhythm up, working with samples, and creating music in a tactile, intuitive way, MPC offers a powerful centrepiece for modern music production.
Sequencers are tools used to record, arrange and play back musical notes, patterns and rhythms in a structured way. Commonly found in synths, drum machines and standalone units, they allow you to build evolving sequences, loop ideas and create complete compositions step by step. If you enjoy hands-on music creation and pattern-based workflows, sequencers offer a powerful way to turn ideas into finished tracks.
Tags
A controller is a device designed to control electronic instruments, software, and hardware without generating sound on its own. It sends performance and control data, allowing parameters such as notes, velocity, modulation, and automation to be played or adjusted in real time. Controllers are central to hands-on workflow, enabling expressive control in both studio production and live performance.
A drum machine is an electronic instrument designed to create and sequence rhythmic patterns and percussion sounds. It is used to program beats, build grooves, and perform rhythms with precise timing and hands-on control. For example, a drum machine might be used to create a repeating rhythm for a live set or to sketch the foundation of a track before adding melodic and harmonic elements.
MIDI is a digital control standard used to transmit performance and control data between electronic instruments, computers, and hardware devices. It carries information such as note data, velocity, timing, and parameter changes rather than audio, allowing instruments and software to communicate, stay in sync, and control each other. MIDI is fundamental to modern music production, sequencing, and live performance setups.
A sequencer is a tool used to record, arrange, and play back musical events in a defined order. It allows notes, rhythms, and parameter changes to be programmed step by step or recorded in real time, creating structured patterns and loops. Sequencers are used to keep multiple instruments in sync, build evolving arrangements, and automate movement within a sound. For example, a sequencer might be used to create a repeating bass pattern while gradually changing filter or modulation values to add variation over time.
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