Since the 1960s, Nashville has been the second biggest music production center (after New York) in the U.S.

Akai developed and refined the idea of the keyboard-less workstation, with the Music Production Center series of sampler workstations.

Dr. Dre has said that his primary instrument in the studio is the Music Production Center, a drum machine and sampler, and that he uses as many as four or five to produce a single recording.

Initiatives include research lab renovations, establishing a nursing degree program, developing various retention programs that focus on STEM subject areas to reduce numbers of dropouts, lab renovations to develop a state of the art music production center, and a Pacific Islander education retention program.

Akai also produced several Digital MIDI sequencers and digital synthesizers such as the MPC range (Music Production Center), a line of integrated drum machines, MIDI sequencers, samplers and direct-to-disk recorders that resemble drum machines.