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 Koekepan Tue Sep 21, 2021 2:39 pm
Lemonade from lemons.

Your new assignment is to go through Phil Tipping's videos again, make sure that you downloaded the PDF user's guide, and write a song on your Force about how COVID-19 has screwed up shipping and logistics.

If it's angry Terror Jungle, so much the better.
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By garikfox Tue Sep 21, 2021 3:21 pm
Lol Hi Koekepan!

PDF - check!

I'm finishing the videos today :) I'm loving the videos there great.

While the DP-32SD first looked intimidating it's actually easy to use it seems like.

When I set it up tomorrow I'll take a picture to see if I hooked it up correctly. i.e: outputs
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By Koekepan Tue Sep 21, 2021 4:58 pm
It should be pretty simple.

Power to power (duh).

Whichever inputs (presumably the Force, possible audio interface, blahblahblah) into inputs.

Monitor outs to monitors, headphone socket to headphones, sends maybe back to the Force to use it as an external sound effects unit? Depending on the details of what you want to do.
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By garikfox Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:20 pm
That's a good idea, I'll run the interface to the mixer, than run the RCA out on the mixer back to force for my sampling. :worthy:
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By garikfox Tue Sep 21, 2021 8:31 pm
OMG look what was outside!! YAY!

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By Koekepan Tue Sep 21, 2021 10:20 pm
Awesome.

We want an unboxing video!

(Nah, not really.)

But seriously, once the local garage band kids figure out that you could actually record them and do a mixdown, you may find that you get invitations to a few practice spaces. Also, you may find that the Force and the Tascam look pretty sweet next to each other, all cabled up with TS-TS cables.
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By garikfox Tue Sep 21, 2021 11:45 pm
Thanks Koekepan, I unboxed it already lol. Wow! this thing is big, looks intense!

I'm hooking it all up right now. 8)

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By Koekepan Wed Sep 22, 2021 12:01 am
It is intense! It's a beast, and it should be. But it's a worthy companion to the Force, even if you just lay down a beat from the Force and then layer on vocals into the Tascam later (the Tascam also has phantom power for mics if you need it).
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By Koekepan Wed Sep 22, 2021 1:53 am
Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Why use the RCA outs?

Let's take this from the top.

PC - interface makes sense, because obviously. Interface can ... go directly into the DP-32SD. The mix8 doesn't really buy you anything there, because the DP-32SD is already a mixer. Just connect directly from computer to Tascam.

Then, connect the Force's outs (all four of them!) to four more of the DP-32SD's input channels. Remember that you can drive the Force's sounds to individual outputs.

Then, connect the DP-32SD's effect send channels to the Force's two inputs, so that you can use the Force as an outboard effects unit.

The Mix8 is then a freelance operator, available to be inserted into any situation where additional gear might be helpful, perhaps even directly on the lines from the DP-32SD to the monitors, so that you can send other things directly to the monitors - perhaps even the audio interface so that you can hit the monitors directly from your PC.

I hope that made sense.

The key thing is to remember the purpose of the workflow at hand. You want to be able to ingest everything into the DP-32SD, and hear what's coming into it. It doesn't mean that you have to record everything, or anything, (although you can), but it's the key mixer, the sonic workbench.
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By garikfox Wed Sep 22, 2021 4:16 am
Okay thank you. I was way off lol

I'll redo it as you explained. :)
Last edited by garikfox on Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:37 am, edited 1 time in total.
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By garikfox Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:36 am
I got it! Thanks Koekepan :worthy:

Now I have to learn how to use what you had me do lol :)

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By Koekepan Wed Sep 22, 2021 5:09 pm
You're set up for glory, I reckon.

Start by just playing the Force's plugins through the Tascam. Do a few plugins on different outs, see how you can monitor them through the Tascam. Then maybe record a few channels that way.

That should get you some things that you could drive back through the Force for additional effects.

Just give yourself little tests that way, and as you gain the chops, you'll learn how to do more and cooler things.
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By garikfox Wed Sep 22, 2021 9:43 pm
Thank you very much! I can't wait to start messing with it :)
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By garikfox Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:07 pm
Dear Koekepan, I re-watched the Tipping video's and the first time I didn't get some of the things BUT after the second time of watching them I'm happy to say I've learned quite a lot of information. Not only of the DP-32SD but of other things, like I know what sends and bounce are and other things just came together.

This thing is pretty AMAZING! I can "Almost" make a complete song with just this thing lol so cool!

The SENDS are awesome! I never knew about all this stuff but now its even more interesting!

And BOUNCE that is cool! I can take all my tracks and master them to a empty track 8)

So with all that said, I'd like to thank you for telling me to get the DP-32SD :worthy:


P.S - I'm kind of in shock on how much I learned from Phil, I'm sitting here like.... Wow! LOL