MPC Sample Academy vs MD

Sample Academy is the fastest, most complete way to learn the Akai MPC Sample - the new entry-level standalone MPC sampler, beat maker, and groovebox. Whether you just unboxed your MPC Sample or you are upgrading from a phone beat-making app, this is the step-by-step path from your first pad tap to a finished, exported song. One purchase. No subscriptions. Everything unlocked. Built specifically for the MPC Sample. These are not generic MPC tutorials. Every lesson, every button press, and every screen reference matches the exact hardware in your hands - the 8 pad banks, Instant Sample Chop, KNOB FX, PAD FX, 16 Levels, Note Repeat, and USB-C audio export. ONE-TIME PURCHASE, FULL ACCESS - Pay once and unlock all 13 lessons forever - No monthly fees, no paywalls, no hidden upsells - Every beginner, advanced, and pro lesson included from day one WHY PRODUCERS CHOOSE SAMPLE ACADEMY - 13 structured, step-by-step lessons covering the full MPC Sample workflow - Every term explained in plain English: BPM, swing, quantize, velocity, dB, gain staging, aftertouch, timestretch, and more - An interactive hardware diagram that highlights the exact knob, pad, or button for each step - Per-step tips and pro shortcuts on every screen - No 200-page PDF, no endless YouTube rabbit holes - just clear, ordered lessons LESSON CHAPTERS Beginner: Meet the hardware, record your first sample, trim and assign sounds to pads, and program your first beat. Everything you need to make sound on day one. Advanced: Master Instant Sample Chop, practice chopping inside the app, dial in swing and groove, automate filters and effects with KNOB FX, and learn the difference between timestretch and repitch. Pro: Level up your finger drumming, sculpt sounds with PAD FX and Flex Beat, chain sequences into full song arrangements, and run a clean USB-C mixdown into your DAW. AI TUTOR ON EVERY LESSON Stuck on a step? Tap the Tutor. The built-in AI Tutor knows exactly which lesson and step you are on and answers in plain English, with advice specific to the MPC Sample. It can even read answers aloud so you can keep your hands on the hardware. No generic responses, no hunting through forums - just instant, relevant help. BUILT-IN SAMPLE PADS Practice anywhere with a full 16-pad kit right in the app. Tap to trigger punchy kicks, snares, hi-hats, claps, 808s, percussion, & FX. Record your pad performance, play it back, and save your beats. Four dedicated user pads let you record your own sounds with the microphone or upload your own audio files - sample your voice, your room, anything - and chop it across the pads to build muscle memory before you touch the hardware. BEAT TRAINER - RHYTHM GAME Sharpen your timing with a built-in finger-drumming game. Notes fall down four lanes - kick, snare, hi-hat, open hat - & you tap in time with your kit. Includes: - 11 patterns: Four-on-the-Floor, Boom Bap, Lofi, Trap, Drill, House, Reggaeton, Jersey Club, Funk, Drum & Bass, and more - Speed control from half-time practice up to full-speed challenge - Score, accuracy, and combo tracking - Personal bests saved per pattern and speed - Shareable score cards for Instagram and TikTok - Listen to any pattern before you play it STAY MOTIVATED - Daily streak tracking keeps you coming back - A Today screen shows your next lesson so you always know what is next - Progress tracking across every lesson and chapter WHO IT IS FOR - New MPC Sample owners who want results fast - Beat makers coming from FL Studio, Ableton, GarageBand, Maschine, or phone apps - Producers moving up from an SP-404 or other samplers - Anyone who has owned an MPC for months and never finished a beat GENRES YOU WILL MAKE Hip hop, lofi, boom bap, trap, drill, R&B, house, & more. The skills transfer to any style you want to produce. Sample Academy is an independent learning app & is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Akai Professional. MPC and MPC Sample are trademarks of inMusic Brands, Inc.

MD-SQUARE is a landscape performance app that puts drum pads and a keyboard on one screen — inspired by compact MIDI controllers. DRUM PADS • 2×4 pad grid with Bank A/B • Multiple drum kits • Optional pad artwork KEYBOARD & SOUND • On-screen keyboard with octave shift • Multiple synth voices • Cutoff, resonance, attack, release, and reverb knobs • Pitch bend strip and mod control • Arpeggiator (ARP) • Dedicated keyboard reverb toggle SEQUENCER • Built-in beat patterns (2 / 4 / 8 / 16) • BPM, swing, and tap tempo • Step indicator while playing RECORD & MIDI • Record your performance and share takes • MIDI input support (keys + drum channel) Built for jamming, idea sketching, and controller-style play — all in landscape on iPhone.