Akai S612

The Akai S612 was an early polyphonic MIDI digital sampling unit released by Akai systems in 1985.

Tony Banks had one Akai S612 sampler (serial no. 00650 20826), which he first used on the Invisible Touch record for the marimba hook on "Tonight, Tonight Tonight" for example. He played the sample like a piano (probably triggering it off another MIDI-compatible keyboard), and loved the sound of it that he treated it with a Yamaha SPX90 (probably the reverse reverb setting): "there was so much atmosphere on that, it sounded like milk bottles breaking". However, when the song's key was lowered by one tone to accommodate Phil's changing voice register, the marimba part was omitted as Tony felt it didn't work in the lower register. Nonetheless, he did continue to use the Akai sampler on the album's subsequent tour.

In 2001, Tony's Akai sampler was sold amongst hoards of vintage Genesis gear at The Farm's equipment barn.