Official: Akai Force Topic

hansjbs wrote:Talks about air fx and a new plugin.
Splice integration in march 2019
Ableton live intergration also march 2019

Yes, I noticed the same.
Are they going to give Mpc users Air effects and a new synth for standalone?
Fingers crossed.

^^^ Looks like native time stretching gets improved, no more audio tracks still, and definitely MIDI Clips as well as audio. I can't imagine they won't give MPC users the Air FX. The new synth sounds like a Rompler...
Dunno if this work for translating but..
https://translate.google.com/translate? ... 23372.html

Force blurs the lines between contemporary music production solutions and the latest technologies available for DJ performance, a first among the industry standards. By merging clip triggering, step-sequencing, sampling, but also in-house synthesis engines, not to mention the latest-generation touchscreen, all in one stand-alone performance equipment, the Force combines the essential features to offer ultra-intuitive ergonomics and allow you to give free rein to your creativity.

Force embeds a matrix of 8x8 trigger pads with RGB backlight, a 7-inch color touch screen, 8 touch-sensitive potentiometers with individual graphic OLed display, 2 audio inputs, 4 audio outputs, not to mention the MIDI and CV Gate connectivity . All this end to end leaves the user unprecedented creative freedom, since it even goes to emancipate a complementary computer.

The very essence of Force consists of a workflow focused on the use of the clips, which are at the origin of your creative performances. Choose multiple modes such as plugins, MPC-style drum tracks, but also audio tracks, Keygroups, MIDI tracks, and CV tracks to set your clip type, then customize them with step sequencer and performance pads , and add notes via the edit window or the smart-scales, chords or progressions modes.

In addition, Force has advanced real-time timestrech capabilities and pitch modulation with quality equivalent to current music production software, effects plug-in from AIR Music Technology collections, and TubeSynth synthesis engines. , Bassline and Electric. Another synth, Hype, extends this list, a synth based on presets and macros accumulating several synthesis engines in one plugin, easy to use. Force can also record up to 8 stereo audio tracks.

Force includes more than 10GB of embedded sounds, from the most famous collections of premium content like SampleTools by CR2, MSX Audio and Sample Magic. With 248 kits, 16 demo projects, more than 2,500 loops and 500 designs, the Force library opens the doors to the best sounds for your creativity.


As of March 2019, Force will also include deep integration with Ableton Live in controller mode. This feature will include visibility and full control over the Ableton clip array, touch control of mix parameters including crossfader assignment, and control of Force settings on the Ableton Live workspace, via the screen. Touch and Force Q-Link knobs.

In addition, March 2019 will also mark the integration of Splice into Force. Splice Sounds powers the creativity of producers around the world with access to millions of high-quality, royalty-free samples, sounds, presets and loops, covering almost every genre of music. With the integration of Splice, Force users will have immediate Wi-Fi access to their own Splice library directly from the touch user interface - perfect for ultra-fast auditioning of sounds to be integrated into their project.

- Standalone - no computer needed
- Matrix of 8x8 RGB pads for triggering clips
- 7-inch multi-touch screen
- 1 push encoder wheel for navigation and selection
- 1 crossfader A / B
- 2 combo inputs Xlr / Mic Jack / instruments / line
- 4 TRS outputs
- MIDI In / Out / Thru minijack (minijack to 5-pin adapters included)
- 4 configurable CV / Gate outputs
- Remix, merge and produce with 6 different programs for complete audio / MIDI / CV sequencing
- Performance modes including drum MPC, notes, smart note suite, chords and chord progression
- MPC Sample Editor
- Automatic detection of BPM, real-time time stretching and pitch modulation
- 8 Q-Link touch-sensitive potentiometers with individual graphic Oled display
- 4 powerful and fully customizable synthesis engines
- 16 GB of internal memory (including more than 10 GB of sounds included)
- SD card slot and 2 USB 3.0 ports compatible with USB storage devices or MIDI controllers
- 2.5 "SATA connector internally (SSD or HDD) for an extension of the internal storage by the user
- 1 Type-B USB port for connecting to a Mac / PC computer
- 1 TRS headphone output
- Weight and dimensions: 3.87 kg, 350 x 389 x 72.5 mm

I'm honestly sitting here confused by it. I'm not mad, yet I AM mad. I get it, yet I DON'T get it. I'm just twisted and can't tell i this is exciting or not.

On one hand this feels like an Akai 64 pad take on the DJS-1000/Toraiz-16. Same concept, but built to play better with Ableton. On the other hand, with just a few tweaks, the MPC Live could do the same thing. On another hand this feels like a 64-pad MPC Live, but not baked with the same level of sampling in mind. On my third hand, it feels like a take on a mobile Ableton, but the limitations of a portable DAW (read VSTs) prevent it from sounding all that useful.

My initial guess of being marketed as a DJ product seems right, I figured the bastardized Push layout was like how Pioneer reformated the Toraiz-16 into the DJS-1000, the angled screens for each track and the abundant of controls moved to the top - away from the triggering - all signaled that to me. But, even from a DJ stand-point, I'm not sure what the value is in this...I guess if you want to go without a laptop, or without confusing sound settings to a gig, it would let you export a set, but I question why not just use Ableton on the laptop you are most likely already using for Serato.

I guess my big thing is I literally THIS WEEK felt I should invest in grabbing an APC 40MK2, so I'm waiting for NAMM to see if there is a MK3 - and this falls CLOSE to what I want to do, but it feels too well rounded, to excel (to me, and based off descriptions)
-Unreall

For Ableton PUSH 2 users, this is what they wanted.

Unreallystic wrote:I'm honestly sitting here confused by it. I'm not mad, yet I AM mad. I get it, yet I DON'T get it. I'm just twisted and can't tell i this is exciting or not.

On one hand this feels like an Akai 64 pad take on the DJS-1000/Toraiz-16. Same concept, but built to play better with Ableton. On the other hand, with just a few tweaks, the MPC Live could do the same thing. On another hand this feels like a 64-pad MPC Live, but not baked with the same level of sampling in mind. On my third hand, it feels like a take on a mobile Ableton, but the limitations of a portable DAW (read VSTs) prevent it from sounding all that useful.

My initial guess of being marketed as a DJ product seems right, I figured the bastardized Push layout was like how Pioneer reformated the Toraiz-16 into the DJS-1000, the angled screens for each track and the abundant of controls moved to the top - away from the triggering - all signaled that to me. But, even from a DJ stand-point, I'm not sure what the value is in this...I guess if you want to go without a laptop, or without confusing sound settings to a gig, it would let you export a set, but I question why not just use Ableton on the laptop you are most likely already using for Serato.

I guess my big thing is I literally THIS WEEK felt I should invest in grabbing an APC 40MK2, so I'm waiting for NAMM to see if there is a MK3 - and this falls CLOSE to what I want to do, but it feels too well rounded, to excel (to me, and based off descriptions)
-Unreall

Frisbi wrote:

hansjbs wrote:Interesting. I'm all for it. Not my type of controller but more goodies for us X and live users.

Yes if they give us Air fx collection, we start working with serious pro effects in standalone.
In the link they also talk about good quality Warp and Timestretch.
Are they also going to improve them?

I hope so.

Sort of... Owning Push 2 and MPC Live the "Force" is maybe too close to both. IMO unless AKAI are willing to pull some serious shenanigans, this should just run MPC 2.4 or whatever they come out with when it ships, so we should be getting the same features in the MPC Live etc. Obviously not as optimized for Clips.
If AKAI are doing this right the Force is the third hardware stand alone in the ecosystem, and they can then sell us controllers that work out of the box with that hardware. So for instance the Force will work with the MPK2 series out of the box, instant drum pads and keys for the Force etc. That's IMO pretty much a given. The big test of AKAI's ethics as a company is going to be the opposite, will the plethora of APC devices out now work to give MPC Live and X users extended Clip functionality like Scene launching? If that's the case then the the APC 25 all of a sudden becomes useful.

It's obviously running MPC software, so will they do the right thing or will they hardware cripple the MPCs to get more sales of this?

CharlesRandolph wrote:For Ableton PUSH 2 users, this is what they wanted.

Unreallystic wrote:I'm honestly sitting here confused by it. I'm not mad, yet I AM mad. I get it, yet I DON'T get it. I'm just twisted and can't tell i this is exciting or not.

On one hand this feels like an Akai 64 pad take on the DJS-1000/Toraiz-16. Same concept, but built to play better with Ableton. On the other hand, with just a few tweaks, the MPC Live could do the same thing. On another hand this feels like a 64-pad MPC Live, but not baked with the same level of sampling in mind. On my third hand, it feels like a take on a mobile Ableton, but the limitations of a portable DAW (read VSTs) prevent it from sounding all that useful.

My initial guess of being marketed as a DJ product seems right, I figured the bastardized Push layout was like how Pioneer reformated the Toraiz-16 into the DJS-1000, the angled screens for each track and the abundant of controls moved to the top - away from the triggering - all signaled that to me. But, even from a DJ stand-point, I'm not sure what the value is in this...I guess if you want to go without a laptop, or without confusing sound settings to a gig, it would let you export a set, but I question why not just use Ableton on the laptop you are most likely already using for Serato.

I guess my big thing is I literally THIS WEEK felt I should invest in grabbing an APC 40MK2, so I'm waiting for NAMM to see if there is a MK3 - and this falls CLOSE to what I want to do, but it feels too well rounded, to excel (to me, and based off descriptions)
-Unreall

Honestly for MPC Live users this is what they wanted also
I hope we'll see some of this in a Live update.

Clip based music and record performance into an arrangement (like Ableton does) is a nice workflow.

machinesworking wrote:Sort of... Owning Push 2 and MPC Live the "Force" is maybe too close to both. IMO unless AKAI are willing to pull some serious shenanigans, this should just run MPC 2.4 or whatever they come out with when it ships, so we should be getting the same features in the MPC Live etc. Obviously not as optimized for Clips.
If AKAI are doing this right the Force is the third hardware stand alone in the ecosystem, and they can then sell us controllers that work out of the box with that hardware. So for instance the Force will work with the MPK2 series out of the box, instant drum pads and keys for the Force etc. That's IMO pretty much a given. The big test of AKAI's ethics as a company is going to be the opposite, will the plethora of APC devices out now work to give MPC Live and X users extended Clip functionality like Scene launching? If that's the case then the the APC 25 all of a sudden becomes useful.

It's obviously running MPC software, so will they do the right thing or will they hardware cripple the MPCs to get more sales of this?

This and the MPC LIVE and X are different workflows. This lends itself more toward APC/Ableton Live world. The fact that they only have 1 midi in and 1 midi out, this does not scream MPC. As far as the APC line, they're controllers so there isn't much to update.


Sell your Push and LIve because now you only need one machine on stage.


In there words:
Force blurs the lines between contemporary music production solutions and the latest technologies available for DJ performance.

Also:
As of March 2019, Force will also include deep integration with Ableton Live in controller mode. This feature will include visibility and full control over the Ableton clip array, touch control of mix parameters including crossfader assignment, and control of Force settings on the Ableton Live workspace, via the screen. Touch and Force Q-Link knobs.

That price though

I don't think this is running it's own software. The MPC 2.3 right now has Clip tracks which use audio files like 'Force' is using audio and MIDI. Most likely an update to the MPC software adds these improvements to Clips and the Force is taking full advantage of that.

Really the only question in my mind is if the next version of MPC software is going to cripple these functions on the MPC Live and X, and if their APC MIDI controllers are going to be able to access the Clip functions (working with X and Live) like the Force will be able to?

AFA Ableton Live, it would be a joke if it couldn't run on the Force, so I'm not at all surprised by that.

CharlesRandolph wrote:This and the MPC LIVE and X are different workflows. This lends itself more toward APC/Ableton Live world. The fact that they only have 1 midi in and 1 midi out, this does not scream MPC. As far as the APC line, they're controllers so there isn't much to update.


Sell your Push and LIve because now you only need one machine on stage.


In there words:
Force blurs the lines between contemporary music production solutions and the latest technologies available for DJ performance.

Also:
As of March 2019, Force will also include deep integration with Ableton Live in controller mode. This feature will include visibility and full control over the Ableton clip array, touch control of mix parameters including crossfader assignment, and control of Force settings on the Ableton Live workspace, via the screen. Touch and Force Q-Link knobs.

APC connected to the MPC will most likely functions like a midi keyboard. However with both devices in controller mode, connected to a computer via usb, that may be something that could happen.

But why do all that with 2 devices, when the force can do it with one.

machinesworking wrote: Really the only question in my mind is if the next version of MPC software is going to cripple these functions on the MPC Live and X, and if their APC MIDI controllers are going to be able to access the Clip functions (working with X and Live) like the Force will be able to?

AFA Ableton Live, it would be a joke if it couldn't run on the Force, so I'm not at all surprised by that.

Danoc wrote:That price though

Chances are the price is going to drop. However, if you are Push 2/Albeton user, it will free up lots of desk space and give them an audio interface, bigger screen, and deep integration. I figure they'll have a video, of an EDM DJ/Producer up in a day or so, showing it off.

Using it in standalone and perhaps using it with Albeton. I still think it would be cool to see Ableton included some kind of Lite version with this. We just have to wait and see. At this point, I'm not going to guess anymore. But it looks like my DEVIL ADVOCATE post were dead on, except for the price.

When MPC software gets multiple MIDI inputs then you'll be able to have clips and scenes assigned to something like the APC25 with it's grid for that purpose, allowing the pads on the X and Live to be used for other things. The obvious advantage money wise as well. I already have a stand alone hardware MPC, so not only would I not need to buy the Force to get this functionality. Again it depends on whether AKAI are thinking in terms of a family of hardware stand alone devices or are making a money grab where to fully use scene triggering for instance you'll need to spend another $1600 for the Force vs $200 or so for an APC.
I don't see why they couldn't add Clip integration with something like the APC series of Ableton controllers to the MPCs, it really depends on what their motives are.

CharlesRandolph wrote:APC connected to the MPC will most likely functions like a midi keyboard. However in with both devices in controller mode, connected to a computer via usb, that may be something that could happen.

But why do all that with 2 devices, when the force can do it with one.

machinesworking wrote: Really the only question in my mind is if the next version of MPC software is going to cripple these functions on the MPC Live and X, and if their APC MIDI controllers are going to be able to access the Clip functions (working with X and Live) like the Force will be able to?

AFA Ableton Live, it would be a joke if it couldn't run on the Force, so I'm not at all surprised by that.

Back to Elektron overbridge with digitakt, this is some dope software and hardware combo, been beta testing a few months and all pretty solid, the mpc software can do alot more daw like things but elektron sequencer is light years ahead and really fun sampler to work on, great companion the the live as both totally different beasts and they play pretty nice together, definatley finding elektron a bit more fwd thinking company and less corporate monster than akai in the way they handle things like updates and customer service