A statement from their official Facebook page explains the acquisition in more detail:

“Devoted to maintaining the sound, quality, and manufacturing philosophy that our company and instruments are known for, inMusic is able to offer solutions to support the areas that have been ongoing challenges for us as a small manufacturing business. This new partnership will enable us access to inMusic’s efficient global distribution and supply chain network while providing inMusic and its affiliated brands with deep expertise in analogue synthesis.

This new opportunity allows our team to continue focusing on doing what we do best: developing and building the best-sounding electronic musical instruments for artists around the world.”

Moog Music

R. A. Moog Co. was founded in 1952 by Robert Moog and his father. It was later rebranded as Moog Music in 1972. Flagship instruments like the Moog (the first commercial synthesizer) and the Minimoog are hailed as some of the world’s most influential electronic instruments. Moog’s modern products meet the growing demands of modern music, with popular mobile apps and Eurorack instruments.

In June of 2022, Moog workers began a unionization campaign to join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

CEO Joe Richardson concludes in his statement regarding the acquisition on Moog Music’s website:

“We are excited to introduce you to the many innovative hardware and software instruments our team has on the horizon…The future is bright for Moog and the incredible community that has embraced our instruments and all we stand for. We’re grateful for your loyalty and support along the way, and we can’t wait for you to see (and hear) all that’s ahead.”

inMusic

Rhode Island-based inMusic cites innovation and access to music technology as their main mission. Starting in 1992, CEO Jack O’Donnell bought DJ equipment manufacturer Numark Electronics. In 2001, O’Donnell purchased Alesis then MPC inventor Akai in 2005. Now with ownership of 19 popular music companies including Moog Music, inMusic is a leader in the music retail market.

Find more information on the inMusic acquisition on the Moog Music website.

Below is an overview of more standout features of the Akai Force 3.1 update.

Disk Streaming

Disk Streaming for the Force provides longer playback and recording times as well as improvements on system performance. Streaming from USB drives, external hard disks and SD cards allow faster load times and complex keygroups to be created without bogging down the Force’s resources.

Mellotron, Solina and Odyssey

The Mellotron tape sampler, Solina keyboard and WayOutWare‘s Odyssey plugins are now a part of Force’s 3.1 update. All three plugins are updated with modern effects and over 150 new presets.

Class-Compliant USB Audio Interface Support + Effects

The Force can now route up to 32 audio tracks between the instrument and other connected gear. 10 new drum pad effects are available including Ringmod, Stereo Delay, Stutter and Granulator.

Akai Sample Tail

Akai’s trademark Sample Tail removes the clipping and artifacts found at the end of chopped audio samples. It also has an adjustable decay, useful for cutting long, “one-shot” samples. 

The Akai Force is out now for $1,099. Find more information and download the free firmware update on the Akai Pro Website.

MPC Studio

The MPC Studio drum pad controller provides all the controls the bigger MPC One carries along with much more. A small, full-color OLED display replaces the 7″ screen, showing need-to-know items such as presets, files parameters and track names.

16 RGB-backlit and pressure-sensitive pads allow recording of patterns, loops and chords. A touch strip allows realtime control of functions like pitch, modulation and note repeat. The touch strip is also assignable to control many other MIDI parameters in and out of the DAW system.

MPC2 Software

The MPC2 desktop software works as the main operating system of the MPC Studio environment. Available for PC and Mac computers, the program works standalone or as a VST within other host DAWs.

MPC2 features audio sampling, MIDI sequencing, arranging and swing/quantization. Akai’s latest plugin updates make appearances in the MPC2 Environment: The AIR Hype Plugin Synthesizer, Mellotron and Solina. WayOutWare‘s virtual rendition of ARP Instruments‘ Oddyssey is also part of the virtual library.

AIR Vocal Insert Effects Plugin Suite is included as well, offering tuning, pitch correction, doubling and time-stretching.

The MPC Studio and MPC2 Production suite are available now for $269. Find more information on the Akai Professional website.

The update also includes add drum and keygroup improvements and USB class-compliant audio interface support. Below are a few notable additions to the 14 new plugins included in the new update.

MPC 2.10 AIR Vocal Suite

The MPC Vocal Suite gives users access to plugins that “produce the perfect recordings” with tools catered to contemporary vocal processing. The AIR Vocal tuner corrects pitch or does “robotic-style” effects, while the AIR Harmonizer creates four-part harmonies. The Doubler creates unique dimension, width, stereo separation and centering on vocals.

AIR Hype Synthesizer Plugin Instrument

AIR Hype works as a multiple-engine plugin with options for FM, Wavetable, Virtual Analog and “Sampled” synthesis. Over 1,500 presets and traditional effects like Distortion, EQ, Reverb, Delay and Compressor are included.

AIR Half Speed

Time and pitch manipulation is at the core of the AIR Half Speed. Simply add any audio loop or sample through the plugin for pitched-down, modern effects.

AIR Mellotron, AIR Oddysey and AIR Solina

The AIR Mellotron is the iconic classic Rock tape sampler upgraded with newer parameters and presets like Flutter and Noise, adding more character to the classic sound. WayOutWare reworked ARP Instruments‘ flagship product in virtual form with 150 new presets to choose from.

The Solina is based on the six-timbre polyphonic keyboard, also with newer effects added like Reverb, Delay, and Chorus.

AIR DrumSynth, AIR Electric and Bassline

The AIR DrumSynth and AIR Bassline provide modeling and sound design for synthesized drum sounds and monophonic bass lines. The AIR Electric piano provides pickup, envelope, noise and bell settings for making pad and synth tones.

The MPC 2.10 update is available now for users of MPC One, MPC Live, MPC Live II, MPC X and MPC2 Desktop, free of charge. Find more information about the Akai 2.10 Features Update on the Akai Professional website.

The MPC One Retro sits in iconic beige housing, showcasing the instantly recognizable grey drum pads for which Akai is known. The device retains modern day elements of the MPC One, like illuminated drum pads, rotary knobs and Q-Link dials. MPC One transport and function controls sit in the blue square of the device, much like its older models.

A seven-inch capacitive multi-touch screen provides quick navigation and music arrangement. Ports for MIDI, DIN, Link (for other MPCs), CV/Gate, ¼” Line are all included in the MPC One Retro. An SD card slot makes sharing and saving work easy – no Zip drive required. The MPC One Retro can also be linked to MPC2, Akai’s complimentary desktop DAW, to arrange beyond the device’s limit.

Akai was a Japanese consumer electronics brand. The Akai Electric Company Ltd was founded in 1946 in Tokyo, Japan, becoming defunct in 2002. In 2005, inMusic Brands took over Akai’s product line. It launched Akai Professional, distributing high-end audio electronics products.

The Akai MPC One Retro runs for $899. Find out more information on the Akai Pro website.