Akai Readies MPC Sample Key: Exclusive Images Reveal Its Features
Music hardware maker Akai has announced a new instrument, the MPC Sample Key. Images obtained by The Verge suggest it is built for pitched sample playback rather than chopping drum samples.
Akai, the Japanese maker of music production gear, teased a new instrument called the MPC Sample Key on Instagram this week. It is the latest addition to the company's MPC Sample line. Akai says it plans to open-source the device's software so the modding community can customize it. A launch date and price have not been announced.
Tech outlet The Verge has obtained exclusive images of the device that reveal part of its feature set.
Similar to its predecessor, with a different purpose
The Sample Key keeps many controls from the MPC Sample, including three context-sensitive encoders and a large main encoder. According to The Verge, however, it looks designed for playing back samples at different pitches rather than slicing up drum sounds. The "chop" button from the MPC Sample is missing altogether.
Other clues include dedicated pitch and mod wheels and buttons for changing the octave range of the 37-key keyboard. There are also buttons labeled "chord" and "arp," which presumably switch on a chord playback mode and an arpeggiator. Arpeggiators are more commonly used for melodic and bass parts, and a chord mode would be of little use for drums. These options appear to take the place of the chop function.
Other features
The images also show what looks like a dedicated looper, which could be useful for live performance and layering sounds. In place of the Flex Beat effects found on the original MPC Sample, there is a feature called "Swarm," whose function is not yet clear.
Like the first model in the Sample series, the Key has a built-in microphone and speaker for all-in-one music production. The back panel has not been seen yet, but the configuration options on the front suggest that, besides MIDI, the device will have CV outputs for connecting to modular synthesizers.
