https://wearethemusicmakers.co/latest Music tech and AI in music: the news that matters, what we think about it, and a directory of the tools. en-us Sat, 09 May 2026 04:30:00 GMT https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/05/akai-mpc-xl-mpc-sample-standalone-beat-machine-price-range https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/05/akai-mpc-xl-mpc-sample-standalone-beat-machine-price-range Akai launched a $2,899 flagship MPC in January and a $399 battery-powered sampler in March, and two months later its parent inMusic agreed to buy Native Instruments. The two machines show how Akai is building a ladder into one software platform, and the NI deal raises the stakes on what runs on it. Sat, 09 May 2026 04:30:00 GMT We are the music makers releaseshardwareakaimpcnative-instruments