Akai Force Forum: Everything relating to the Akai Force, the iconic 64 pad, clip-based standalone sampler/groovebox from Akai.
By B-Wise Fri Jun 19, 2026 5:20 pm
Found this cool comment by KeepitABuck2025 on Loopop's G2 One/Key37 video & had to share it:

MPC One G2 vs MPC Key 37 G2 // & OS 3.9’s Wild New Oscillators // MPC G2 Review
loopop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WqmIaAly6LM

@KeepitABuc2025
-“I do own a key 61 The *ASM Hydrasynth* is legendary for its digital "Wavemorphing" engine, massive 32-slot modulation matrix, and highly complex Mutant modifiers (like Pulse Width Squeeze, Linear FM, and Wavefolding).

With the *MPC 3.9 Keygroup Oscillator* update, you can simulate many of the Hydrasynth's core concepts. While the Hydrasynth has specialized hardware "Mutants," the MPC’s new synthesis architecture allows you to mimic its complex, shifting digital waveshaping. The layout maps to the Hydrasynth's core features in the following ways:
### 1. Simulating Wavemorphing & Mutant Engines In the Hydrasynth, you select a starting wave or a set of 8 wavetables and morph between them.

In MPC 3.9, you can achieve this heavily modulated digital texture using specific oscillator models: * *Wavetable Engine:* The MPC 3.9 *Wavetable* oscillator allows you to import custom wavetables. By routing an LFO or an envelope to the *Osc Position* parameter, you can duplicate the Hydrasynth’s signature scanning/wavemorphing sounds.

* *The "Mutant" FM / Ring Mod Emulation:* The Hydrasynth uses Mutants for FM and Ring Modulation. The MPC 3.9 architecture features dedicated *FM2* (2-operator FM) and *RM3* (3-operator ring modulation) oscillator types. You can map parameters like FM Level, Feedback, and Decay inside the MPC to mimic the metallic, bell-like, and aggressive industrial tones typical of a Hydrasynth.

* *PWM & Squeeze:* The MPC's *Pulse* oscillator features variable pulse width control, allowing you to replicate standard PWM textures directly at the oscillator level before hitting the filter.

### 2. Mimicking the Massive Mod Matrix The Hydrasynth's primary workflow revolves around its expansive Modulation Matrix. Because MPC 3.9 upgrades the Keygroup architecture with a deep **32-cell Modulation Matrix**, multiple LFOs, and advanced envelopes per voice, you can replicate complex patches: * You can route an LFO to modulate the crossfade (xfade) or position of a wavetable layer, while a second LFO slightly modulates the pitch (Per-Voice Drift LFO) to simulate the organic drift of analog or high-end digital hardware.

### 3. Exploiting Multi-Layering (Going Beyond 3 Oscillators) The Hydrasynth features 3 oscillators per voice. Because an MPC 3.9 Keygroup track allows you to layer up to *8 independent oscillators* simultaneously, you can build sounds that are structurally even more complex than a standard single-patch Hydrasynth: * *Layer 1 & 2:* Set to Wavetables for the shifting morph pads. * *Layer 3:* Set to an RM3 or FM2 oscillator for a metallic, transient "pluck" at the attack phase. * *Layer 4:* Set to Saw/Square or Warm Sine to act as a solid analog sub-bass foundation.

### 4. Polyphonic Aftertouch Expression One of the Hydrasynth's defining physical traits is its Polyphonic Aftertouch keybed. If you are playing your MPC 3.9 Keygroup via an *MPC Key 61* (which features a keybed with aftertouch) or an external MPE/Poly-Aftertouch controller, the MPC 3.9 engine can receive that data. You can map *Aftertouch* as a Source in the MPC's Modulation Matrix to control filter cutoff, wavetable position, or FM depth per-note, matching the exact expressive playstyle of the Hydrasynth hardware.”
By B-Wise Sat Jun 20, 2026 2:44 am
If anyone is wondering how to get the OSC pack:

reddit post with link to DL it manually.

"daman1199
(https://www.reddit.com/r/mpcusers/comme ... t/oso6tl0/)

The AI Akai Support provided the links below when I tried to put a support request in
Download the expansion manually to your computer:
Windows: https://cdn.inmusicbrands.com/akai/G2/M ... -1.0.3.exe
macOS: https://cdn.inmusicbrands.com/akai/G2/M ... -1.0.3.pkg
Standalone ZIP: https://cdn.inmusicbrands.com/akai/G2/M ... -1.0.3.zip
https://www.reddit.com/r/mpcusers/comme ... are_button

The poster before said that the OSC pack was for ONE/37.

I contacted support about it. Apparently, they only rolled the expansion out to MPC Key 37 G2 and MPC One G2 users.

They acknowledged this mistake though and they did send me the preset expansion manually. So expect an update coming that makes it available for all MPC users. If you can’t wait for that, just contact support. "
By Zack Zerox Sat Jun 20, 2026 3:03 pm
When I connected my Force to a PC to install the expansion pack, the dialog box said "controller mode". Has it always said that (rather than 'computer mode')?

Anyway, I wondered if it might work with MPC3 desktop, but it seems not.
By JethroJethro Sun Jun 21, 2026 5:00 pm
My Force hasn’t frozen since I installed 3.9 if I left it on in the past and left the room for a while sometimes when I came back it would be frozen.

I haven’t checked if the Fly Tape II half speed bug is still there. Haven’t played keys much since 3.9 so wondering if the weird MIdI note behavior is still there.
By B-Wise Mon Jun 22, 2026 2:03 am
JethroJethro wrote:My Force hasn’t frozen since I installed 3.9 if I left it on in the past and left the room for a while sometimes when I came back it would be frozen.

I haven’t checked if the Fly Tape II half speed bug is still there. Haven’t played keys much since 3.9 so wondering if the weird MIdI note behavior is still there.

That's good to know, but what FT2 & MIDI bug?
User avatar
By MPC-Tutor Mon Jun 22, 2026 7:52 pm
Oscillator update is great but people talking like you could never make VA synths in an mpc/force before. You’ve always been able to assign single cycle waveforms to sample layers and build your own analog style synth. I wrote a tutorial for it years ago,

https://www.mpc-tutor.com/subtractive-s ... beginners/

Obviously you can do much more now with 3.9 but most of the stuff I’m seeing people make was possible with mpc2, let alone mpc3 :lol: hype is a wonderful thing :smoker:
User avatar
By Lampdog Mon Jun 22, 2026 7:55 pm
MPC-Tutor wrote:You’ve always been able to assign single cycle waveforms to sample layers and build your own analog style synth


I was doing this on 2kxl and pushing it as far as I could with the eb16 efx card even if it wasn't a full synth..

I was doing this on MPC 4k as well, really good tools on 4k to make it happen.
User avatar
By MPC-Tutor Mon Jun 22, 2026 10:29 pm
Lampdog wrote:I'm actually dusting the 4k to sell soon. It just gathers dust these days.


Same, just got some new pad sensors for it as my left hand column had all died. Screen a little dim but otherwise working well. I’ll be selling a few of my old mpcs as just don’t use them. 5000, 4000 and mpc2000xl first to go, although I might chicken out selling the xl s as it was my first one. Mpcstuff just sent me a new screen and sensors for it so should be like new
By B-Wise Tue Jun 23, 2026 10:48 pm
JethroJethro wrote:Release notes:
https://cdn.inmusicbrands.com/Software/ ... 0Notes.pdf

Updating my MPCX to 3.9 gave me some issues with activations but so far 3.9 is fine on my Force.

Lots of cool new stuff plus there’s updates for desktop VST

Here's the 3.9 manual:
https://cdn.inmusicbrands.com/Software/ ... 20v3.9.pdf
By B-Wise Fri Jun 26, 2026 7:46 pm
FYI
From MPC-Tutor:
viewtopic.php?f=48&t=220760&view=unread#p1905512

"If working with a new blank keygroup, bear this in mind:

1. LFO 1 is set to 'WHEEL TO LFO 1: 100'. This should be 0. Currently with it set to 100, you'll not hear any modulation unless you engage the mod wheel.
2. LFO 1 > DESTINATIONS > PITCH is set to 10, not 0. After setting the wheel to 0, you'll immediately hear a weird pitch modulation until you locate ansd set this back tot he correct default of 0.
3. MOD MATRIX CELL 1: This is pre-filled with an inactive note counter modulation of pan. You can ignore this, but if you choose to edit it, be aware that it is set to AMT: 0 rather than the default AMT:100 (which is what disables this cell in the first place).

Suffice to say, I spent an hour trying to work out why my matrix LFO 1 modulations were not working at all or eventually doing strange things, and it was a combination of all three of the above. Not sure if this is all by design or a bug, I've reported it."