Akai is embracing vibe-coded mods with an open-source MPC

Terrence O'Brien

is the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.

The MPC Sample Key isn’t even formally announced yet, but Akai is already showing off what the modding community is cooking up through vibe coding. Akai has decided to embrace the explosion of hackers and custom firmware developers by giving them early access to the device, which will have open-source firmware.

It will likely run some version of the same software found on the MPC Sample, but with tweaks to accommodate the traditional keyboard, pitch, and mod wheels. Unlike the higher-end MPC Key 37, however, the Sample Key doesn’t have pads. Instead, you play back samples with the keys.

In the short Instagram Reels posted last night and today, Akai shows a number of vibe-coded mods that add synths, including Native Instruments Massive, to the device, as well as virtual analog and FM synths. One is even shown running a completely custom OS, with “several different synths in it.”

According to the clips, the same “community” features will come to the regular MPC Sample, which is also shown running a few vibe-coded synths built by Claude. That could mean Akai plans to open-source the entire MPC Sample platform.

CEO Jack O’Donnell told The Verge that inMusic brands, especially Akai, would be looking to embrace the modding community by seeding early devices to developers. These efforts will also include open-sourcing some software and providing an SDK.

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• Terrence O'Brien