Akai Force Forum: Everything relating to the Akai Force, the new 64 pad, clip-based standalone sampler/groovebox from Akai. While not an MPC, it shares many similar software features to the MPC X/MPC Live including the same underlying code-base.
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By garikfox Sat Jul 31, 2021 4:50 pm
Hey everyone, Is it wrong to think that MIDI might be going the way of the dinosaur?

My reasoning is since everything is sampled and sounds better do you think MIDI will eventually go extinct?
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By NearTao Sun Aug 01, 2021 12:05 am
garikfox wrote:Hey everyone, Is it wrong to think that MIDI might be going the way of the dinosaur?

My reasoning is since everything is sampled and sounds better do you think MIDI will eventually go extinct?


I think Midi has plenty of legs still. It's going to be the primary way to interface with most gear made for a long time to come.
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By garikfox Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:59 am
Thank you
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By Koekepan Sun Aug 01, 2021 3:32 pm
I'd like to elaborate on the reasoning above.

I agree that MIDI has massive legs.

I agree that sampling is useful and powerful.

However, MIDI isn't just about sending note on/off values to synthesisers. It can address them, sure, but it will also send timing information, control values, and even run lighting rigs. It's a messaging system.

Additionally not only is MIDI very well-established in the market, but it has ongoing support and development. I happen to think that MIDI 2.0 is precisely the wrong direction in which to develop it but even if that plunges into a steaming hole, it doesn't invalidate all the good old-fashioned MIDI gear around.

MIDI also living on USB means that it has increased bandwidth, timing control and I/O potential.

Thinking of MIDI as just a sort of virtual pianoroll with some automation possibilities is to shortsell what it does. It can be the glue that binds a studio together.
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By garikfox Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:02 pm
Very well said thank you :)
By coffeesounds Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:16 pm
Also worth mentioning that unless you're using Force's arranger and audio clips exclusively, everything else IS triggered via Midi - drum programs, native plugins and external synths, clip automation and the macros. Sure, technically you can do with out it but at this point it's a standard for better or for worse.

Sure, it has its flaws (128 point resolution) and there's MIDI 2.0 - but I'd like to see something that unifies audio and midi - so that connecting an external synth to force (or a computer) allows you to control it AND receive audio out directly to the host, sort of like the MPC app can be controlled via the newer MPCs.
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By garikfox Sun Aug 01, 2021 7:21 pm
Thank you :)
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By Koekepan Mon Aug 02, 2021 3:13 pm
I investigated where MIDI could or should go some time back, from a few perspectives.

What I came up with was pretty interesting:

If you could send MIDI or OSC over a thinwire (think 10base2, coax cable) ethernet, at 10Mbps, you'd have enough room for a vast array of parallel signal devices at minute latencies (better yet if switched), with pretty robust cabling. You'd even have enough bandwidth for some nontrivial audio signals as well.

If you raise your game to CAT5 and 100Mbps full duplex, fully switched, then even after overhead and headroom you could easily do eight channels of 192KHz, 32bit audio alongside control signals. If you're willing to settle for 48KHz, 24bit audio then you could have 32 channels with room to expand.
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By Koekepan Sun Aug 15, 2021 7:58 pm
Yes, the 5-pin MIDI OUT socket on the keyboard will work fine to get signals to the MIDI IN socket on the Force (remember to use the MIDI DIN to 3.5mm adapter that comes with the Force).

With Novation's stuff you're paying extra for the magical Ableton sprinkles that they put on top, which is largely irrelevant on the Force, so you may do well looking elsewhere.
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By Koekepan Sun Aug 15, 2021 11:33 pm
Both should work fine, really.

It really comes down to keyboard feel, and price. Early M-audios were iffy, but recent models are supposed to be good.

The dark horse would be to get something that could also act as an external sound source, the way that I use my KORG Kross from time to time. USB audio, plus sound coming back.
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By garikfox Mon Aug 16, 2021 12:47 am
Okay great thanks :)
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By Koekepan Mon Aug 16, 2021 1:44 pm
Whoa, I just saw I made a huge mistake.

The Kross does USB MIDI as well as classic 5-pin DIN (and does them both well). It does NOT do USB audio. However, it's still easy to hook up to the Force that way, should you want to, and it will do you 16 channels of audio with plenty of polyphony, including lots of preset drumkits.

If you were putting together a stage show, you could do a lot worse than a Force and a Kross.