The Akai Music Production Center (MPC, formerly known as the MIDI Production Center) is a series of sequencers/samplers/interfaces first designed by Roger Linn and released in 1988 to critical acclaim. The MPC series soon became one of the most influential technologies in modern music production. The flagship model, the MPC60, included many features that made it an immediate hit with artists: a 4 by 4 layout of comfortable pressure sensitive pads, 16 voice polyphony, 13.1 seconds of sampling, frequency response of 18kHz, and MIDI (an acronym for musical instrument digital interface, a protocol that allows electronic instruments to communicate with each other). These feature allowed for easy connectivity to other MIDI devices found in studios at the time like synthesizers and other samplers, high quality sampling and playback, and an instrument that feels good to play. (read more...)