We are the music makers 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 Wed, 04 Nov 2026 04:30:00 GMT https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/11/akai-mpc-sample-open-source Akai says the MPC Sample will be hackable. Here's what's confirmed and what isn't https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/11/akai-mpc-sample-open-source Akai has hinted in Instagram reels that the MPC Sample will get an open-source framework in its next update, with demo instruments written by Claude. There is no licence, repository, SDK or date yet, so treat it as a promise, not a product. Wed, 04 Nov 2026 04:30:00 GMT We are the music makers akaisamplershardwareopen-sourcefirmwareai-coding https://wearethemusicmakers.co/learn/what-is-a-sampler What is a sampler? From the MPC to your DAW https://wearethemusicmakers.co/learn/what-is-a-sampler A sampler is an instrument that plays back recorded sound: load a recording, map it to pads or keys, and play it like an instrument, chopped, pitched and re-sequenced. It began as hardware, most famously the Akai MPC, and now lives inside every DAW. In an AI DAW you can describe the chop you want and get loaded pads plus an editable groove. Sun, 01 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT We are the music makers daw-101dawsamplersmpcsamplingai-daw https://wearethemusicmakers.co/best/budget-rig-beatmaker-standalone-sampler A laptop-free beat rig at two budgets: Korg Volca Sample 2 or Roland SP-404MKII, plus headphones https://wearethemusicmakers.co/best/budget-rig-beatmaker-standalone-sampler Two standalone beatmaking rigs priced at one Indian retailer, Bajaao, on 28 Oct 2026. The starter build (Korg Volca Sample 2 and AKG K92) is INR 20,850 (about USD 219); the step-up build (Roland SP-404MKII and the same headphones) is INR 59,288 (about USD 623). Neither needs a computer to make a beat. Sat, 31 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT We are the music makers format-budget-rigbeatmakingsamplersbuyers-guideindia https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/10/optigan-software-recreates-optical-sampler DSP Bricks recreates the 1971 Optigan optical sampler as a €49 plugin https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/10/optigan-software-recreates-optical-sampler DSP Bricks has released Optigan, a software version of the 1971 organ that played looped recordings from optical discs. It ships with all 40 original Program Discs, adds independent pitch and speed, and costs €49. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 04:30:00 GMT We are the music makers pluginssamplersvintage-emulationvirtual-instruments https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/10/decent-sampler-1-40-kontakt-import Decent Sampler 1.40.1 imports Kontakt instruments and samples your hardware synths, still free https://wearethemusicmakers.co/news/2026/10/decent-sampler-1-40-kontakt-import Decent Samples' free player Decent Sampler 1.40.1 can now convert unprotected Kontakt 2 to 8 instruments into its own format and auto-sample MIDI hardware from the standalone app. Scripts and copy-protected libraries do not come across, so this is a rescue tool for simple patches, not a Kontakt replacement. Fri, 30 Oct 2026 03:30:00 GMT We are the music makers samplersfree-pluginskontaktdecent-sampler