A modern upgrade that expands the possibilities of the classic MPC
The Akai Professional MPC-2000 is a representative sampler/sequencer of the 1990s, still beloved by many beatmakers today. BlueSCSI delivers a modern storage environment while retaining its robust operation and groove.
BlueSCSI emulates traditional SCSI hard disks and ZIP drives, allowing data to be handled using SD cards. By installing it internally or externally in the MPC-2000, you can enjoy the following benefits:
Stable storage environment: Safely and easily manage data using SD cards instead of HDDs and ZIP media, which are prone to failure.
High-speed access: Smooth sample loading and project saving.
Flexible operation: Easily exchange samples between your PC and SD cards.
Maintaining a classic operation feel: Enjoy a comfortable production environment without affecting the original workflow or sound quality.
With the introduction of BlueSCSI, the MPC-2000 is no longer just a vintage piece of equipment, but is now a ready-to-use tool in modern production environments. It's the perfect solution for those who want to maximize the appeal of the classic MPC while updating it for reliability and convenience."
I first learned about Roger a few years ago while making a film called “The History of Sampling in Music” [below]. While I didn’t know anything about Roger at the time, I was astounded to learn that he had created both the LinnDrum and the MPC, which shaped the punchy robotic drums of 80s pop music and the grungy experimental grooves of 90s hip-hop respectively. I did a quick bit of research about him for my video, but didn’t really dig much deeper than that… However, a few months ago I decided to rewatch my old project, which reignited my interest in Roger’s story and gave me the idea for this video.
Like my previous project, I’d initially planned to write a script and do a voice-over, but after discovering the assortment of recorded interviews that Roger has already appeared in, I realised that I could just chop them up and have Roger tell his own story. I thought 'hey that sounds pretty cool, how hard could it be?'
Well, let’s just say I’m probably never going to do something like this again. I did enjoy making this and I am proud of it, but if I had just done a voice-over not only would it have been easier to make, but I also could’ve included a lot information without it feeling incredibly clunky. The initial cut was about 26 minutes, but I cut out loads of stuff for the sake of pacing and trying to stick to narrative beats. Roger is a fascinating guy with a lot of great anecdotes though, so if you enjoyed this video then I highly recommend you seek out some of the podcasts/interviews he’s done over the years.
I planned on making all the music for this film myself, but decided it would be better to use music that relates to Roger in some way (for example, he co-wrote 'Promises' by Eric Clapton and 'Quittin’ Time' by Mary Chapin Carpenter, and first used the LM-1 Drum Computer on the Leon Russell album 'Life & Love' which featured the track 'One More Love Song'.) I salvaged one of these demo tracks for the credits, but you can listen it and a few more scrapped tracks here:
Since you’ve read this far, here’s a few bonus Roger facts that got cut out of the video:
The LM-1 was featured on the best selling album of all time - 'Thriller' by Micheal Jackson, as well as other early 80s hits like 'Maneater' by Hall & Oates, 'Valerie' by Steve Winwood, and for some reason - the original 1983 Thomas the Tank Engine theme song.
Roger hired his friend, a professional session drummer called Art Wood, to record most of the sounds on the LM-1. They set up the kit in Roger’s closet, recording each of the drums one at a time… then called it a day. Given the popularity of the songs featuring these recordings - Art Wood is technically one of most prominently featured drummers of all time.
And here's two bonus facts about this video:
The title 'The King of Drum Machines' is a quote from the father of MIDI - Dave Smith, when he spoke about Roger and the Tempest drum machine (which they built together) on a Sweetwater panel in 2015. [below]
This video was released on Roger’s 70th birthday.
I hope you enjoy it!"
The History of Sampling in Music (2022)
"Join Mitch Gallagher as he moderates 'The Inventors of Synth' panel discussion at Gearfest '15. Featuring industry icons Dave Smith, Tom Oberheim, and Roger Linn discussing their thoughts on the past, present, and future of analog synthesizers and controllers.
Legendary synth designer and Grammy-winner Dave Smith was the founder of Sequential Circuits in the mid-'70s. His Prophet-5, the world's first fully programmable polyphonic synth, was the first musical instrument with an embedded microprocessor. Dave is also known as the driving force behind the development of the MIDI specification. He has continued to innovate, and recently unveiled his latest synth creation, the Sequential Prophet-6.
A pioneer of the synth and MIDI world, Tom Oberheim co-designed the Synthesizer Expansion Module (SEM), a device that allowed musicians to simultaneously combine live playing and sequenced playback - a concept that pre-dated the MIDI revolution. In 1981, he, along with Roland's Ikutaro Kakehashi and Sequential's Dave Smith, developed the MIDI spec, which changed the course of modern music. Tom recently re-released his famed Two Voice synth.
Technical Grammy award-winner Roger Linn invented the LM-1 Drum Computer (the first sample-based drum machine) in 1979. He later designed the Akai MPC60, which combined a sampling drum machine with a real-time MIDI sequencer. His guitar effects unit, AdrenaLinn, has been used on hit recordings by John Mayer and Red Hot Chili Peppers. In 2014 he released the LinnStrument, an expressive MIDI performance controller."
"Roger Linn is an innovative engineer, designer, and musician best known for creating the LinnDrum, one of the first drum machines to use digital samples of real drums. His groundbreaking instruments helped define the sound of 1980s pop, hip-hop, and R&B, and he later co-developed the Akai MPC series, a cornerstone of modern beat-making. Linn continues to push boundaries with expressive instruments like the LinnStrument.
In this video, Roger shares a story about meeting Bob Moog at NAMM.
Synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog passed away on August 21, 2005. Throughout the month of August, we will share an informal remembrance video series, Voices for Bob, featuring musicians, technologists, innovators, and colleagues as they remember and reflect on Bob's indelible legacy.
Help us carry Bob's legacy forward to inspire future generations through the intersection of science, music, history, and innovation. Support our work by doing one (or all) of the following:
"An Ambient, Free Jazz, Experimental jamsession with a the Future Retro Vectra, Yamaha TX-802 and the Akai MPC One (Looping, HH, Effects).
Direct recording with mastering."
"The sampler has been completely refurbished. The casing has been painted black. All tact switches have been replaced, the old LCD with a new LED and pad sensors. Additionally, I have installed the Gotek FDD emulator (32GB Sandisk pendrive included), the latest Vimana 3.15B OS, max RAM memory and multivoltage power supply. This means that it does not need step up or step down converters to work! The voltage switches automatically depending on the place in the world. It accepts AC voltage from 65 to 265V. This is probably the only such version in the world. I was going to replace the LCD window, as it has a few scratches, but I'll leave that to the new owner. The glass is available on eBay, and replacement is easy (double-sided tape). Insured shipment."
"Pequena amostra dos novos sons dos plugins Native Instruments para os MPCs da Akai e da nova interface arranger.
Toda a linha de MPCs da Akai, a partir do MPC One, recebeu a atualizaĆ§Ć£o de software MPC 3, trazendo nova interface e recursos. Na minha opiniĆ£o, a atualizaĆ§Ć£o deixa melhor o que jĆ” era Ć³timo! Principalmente, por conta da nova compatibilidade com plugins da Native Instruments e da nova interface Arranger, que permite trabalhar com Ć”udio e midi de forma linear, da maneira como fazemos nos DAWs."
Googlish:
"A small sample of the new sounds from Native Instruments plugins for Akai MPCs and the new arranger interface.
Akai's entire MPC line, starting with the MPC One, has received the MPC 3 software update, bringing a new interface and features. In my opinion, the update makes what was already great even better! Mainly because of the new compatibility with Native Instruments plugins and the new Arranger interface, which allows you to work with audio and MIDI in a linear way, the way we do in DAWs."
"Discover the groundbreaking integration of Native Instruments with Akai Pro MPC hardware. This overview highlights how seamless workflows and expanded sound libraries redefine music creation for producers and performers alike.
Available today are three signature instruments — Analog Dreams, Cloud Supply, and Nacht — each crafted to inspire unique creative expressions. Additional instruments, including Homage and Sway, are set to launch later in February. Complementing these are five genre-specific Expansion sound packs: Faded Reels which is available now, with Lone Forest, Global Shake, Hazy Days, and Rare Vibrations to follow. All are expertly tailored for seamless integration with the MPC platform.
With this landmark collaboration, Akai Professional’s iconic MPC platform takes center stage, seamlessly integrating with Native Instruments’ creative tools to deliver an unprecedented toolkit for musicians, producers, and audio creators."
Zaytoven Creates on the Akai MPC with new Native Instruments Integration
Native Instruments expands partnerships to empower millions of music creators
Expansion of the NKS ecosystem connects Akai Professional, Novation, Nektar, Korg and M-Audio and ignites new creative possibilities for musicians and producers worldwide
Anaheim, CA – January 22, 2025: Native Instruments is making it easier than ever for music producers to explore new sounds on their favorite controllers by launching its Native Kontrol Standard (NKS) Hardware Partner Program, announced today at NAMM 2025. Industry leaders Akai Professional, Novation, Nektar, Korg, and M-Audio are adopting the NKS ecosystem to power seamless integration with Native Instruments software. This connects music makers to over 2,000 NKS-compatible instruments and effects from more than 250 brands.
“This expansion highlights the impact of collaboration,” says Simon Cross, Chief Product Officer at Native Instruments. “It marks an important milestone in our mission to provide musicians with an open, connected platform, making professional-grade tools, instruments, and technology more accessible to creators everywhere.”
Native Kontrol Standard: An inspiring experience for every music maker
"Metunar macht Musik frei improvisiert. Das ist ein Ausschnitt des Konzerts.
Aufgenommen am 29. Dezember 2024 in der Galerie Fafou / Oberuzwil / Schweiz.
Die Musik wurde inspiriert von der Kohlezeichnung im Hintergrund 'Spuren der Genese' von Michaela Medea.
Folgende Instrumente habe ich dazu benutzt:
Akai MPC ONE als Drumcomputer und Delay Looper
Mellotron Micro und Novation Bass Station 2 fĆ¼r BƤsse und Melodie
MXR Pitch Transposer und Aira Torcido als FX
Metunar makes music freely improvised. This is an excerpt from the concert.
Recorded on December 29, 2024 at the Galerie Fafou / Oberuzwil / Switzerland.
The music was inspired by the charcoal drawing in the background 'Spuren der Genese' by Michaela Medea.
I used the following instruments:
Akai MPC ONE as drum computer and delay looper
Mellotron Micro and Novation Bass Station 2 for bass and melody
MXR Pitch Transposer and Aira Torcido as FX"
Create, Customize, and Export Wavetables Like Never Before!
Save 40% - just €25 (normal €40) , until January 10, 2025
Ocean Swift is excited to announce the launch of the Wavetable Creator, a powerful tool that empowers everyone to create custom wavetables for high-end synthesizers, modular environments, and audio production tools.
The Problem: Today's wavetable synths, modules, and apps often require wavetables with specific frame sizes and cycle counts, making cross synth compatibility difficult. No existing app or wavetable pack guarantees seamless compatibility across all platforms.
The Solution: Ocean Swift’s Wavetable Creator – a powerful tool to design morphing wavetables that work anywhere! From Serum to Eurorack, this tool lets you craft wavetables with innovative crossfade, morphing, and blending techniques, and robust compatibility export options. Whether you're producing music, designing game audio, or developing synth plugins, this app is built to unleash your creativity with an easy intuitive interface.
Pricing and Availability The Ocean Swift Wavetable Creator is available now at a regular price of €40. As a special introductory offer, you can purchase it at €25, a limited-time price valid through the Black Friday, Christmas, and Winter Holiday season until January 10, 2025. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your sound design toolkit at an unbeatable price, with a unique product!
"Hi,
Today I'm answering a request from Julien B (but not only) and we're going to deconstruct a Nu Disco type track (but more Boogie House, actually). The whole thing is done in the box using only Jura, Juno's replica for MPC.
loopop overview further below. Click on the "CLICK FOR MORE »" link below if you are coming off the home page.
"The Future of Standalone Workflow is HERE: Sign up for the MPC3 Public Beta Launch: https://www.akaipro.com/mpc3
0:00 Intro 1:15 Welcome 1:50 Main Mode 3:00 Audio Tracks 3:25 Plug-ins 3:34 Creating Tracks 4:04 Sample to Pad 4:36 One to One Track Workflow 5:00 Edit Tracks & Sequences 5:23 Menu Enhancements
"This jam is a little weird. My phone was on low battery which made the video slightly glitchy. I was a bit distracted during this recording so it's maybe a bit more boring than usual. There is also a couple mysterious audio drop outs near the end of the video. I didn't notice these prior to uploading so it's possible something went wrong when combining the audio and video files or something.
5U Modular (Synthesizers.com, STG Soundlabs, Synthetic Sound Labs) Akai MPC X Behringer Pro-1 (Sequential Circuits Pro One clone) Clavia Nord Wave Cherry Audio Voltage Modular (software modular) cre8audio East Beast Elta Music PF-3 Stereo Multimode Filter (Formanta Polivoks chips) Erica Synths Syntrx II Landscape Noon Korg Delta Korg Mono/Poly (x2) Make Noise 0-ctrl (analog sequencer/touch keyboard) Moog Source Roland TR-55 Simmons SDS-V Studio Electronics Boomstar 5089 mk11 Yamaha CS-15 (with UAD Bermuda Triangle distortion plugin)"
Freestyle chill vibes in the studio lab. Akai MPC One + Roland JX-08. Blank Slate comes from my album Superior Mirage out now on Bandcamp https://gstormelectro.bandcamp.com/"
"I look at this Electribe I have often and think to myself I should just sell it. It is a redundancy in todays world of synthesizers. Yet every time I decide to break it out for a little bit of fun, I always wind up loving it again. Sure it isn't the deepest unit, but the two analog modeled synths sound great and the control features they put on the front end lead to a lot of fun. The Korg drifts a lot, basically anytime I've set its clock to external it winds up drifting at some point. Luckily the MPC has the midi output sequences. You set one synth per midi channel, write a sequence on the MPC and you've just breathed new life into your old Electribe. I had a lot of fun fooling with these two together, I hope you enjoy it!"
"2023 is soon drawing to a close—so, we're taking a look back at the year, and taking account of all of the weird and wonderful instruments that gave us some inspiration this year. Synthesizers, drum machines, and Eurorack modules to samplers and effects, this year had no shortage of inspiring instruments.
So, we reached out to some of our friends and content creators to fill us in on their year, asking one simple question: what was the coolest piece of gear you got this year? For some, that meant brand new releases, but for others, it meant sitting down and digging into classic instruments.
In this video, we hear from:
00:00 Red Means Recording on the Elektron Syntakt
01:07 Midlife Synthesist on the Akai MPC X SE
03:20 DivKid on the Intellijel Cascadia
06:30 Jorb on the Roland S1
09:13 Bo Beats on the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field
12:45 Trovarsi on the Anti-Kulture Precision Disruptor
"Welcome to Bad Gear, the show about the world's most hated audio tools. Today we are going to talk about the Roland SP-404 MK2. Is this creative sampler, successor to the Boss SP-303 used by famous artists like J Dilla and Madlib and competitor to modern groovebox es like the Elektron Digitakt or Akai MPC ONE the end of lofi?"
Chapters: 00:00 Intro tune 01:01 Overview Roland SP-404 MKII 01:14 Classic Boss SP Workflow 01:46 Sequencer, TR Mode 02:15 Resampling 02:28 Additional Features 02:51 Display, Waveform Editing, More Features 03:15 Skip Back 03:22 Sequencer Features, DJ Mode 03:33 FX Section, Vinyl Effect 03:53 More FX, Input FX 04:20 Specs, SD Card, Limitations 05:03 What Else??? (Pricing, Custom Skins) 05:13 Hate 05:35 Jam 1 (Lofi House) 06:32 Jam 2 (Lofi RnB) 07:31 Finale (Lofi Jungle) 08:01 Verdict
"Add exciting rhythmic effects patterns to your beats and productions with Flex Beat for MPC standalone. Add stutter, glitch, scratches, and more with one touch to add modern vibe & feel to your songs and arrangements.
Join Andy as he walks through Flex Beat standalone for MPC. Hit the link to get Flex Beat for your MPC hardware today. https://www.thempcstore.com/mpc-plugi..."
