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.
By althemusicwizard Fri Jan 21, 2022 12:57 am
I think the last time I came here, I had an MPC4000....it's been a while.

I bought a Force when it came out, but returned it as I saw it as just a clip player. I've followed it's progress and when disk streaming and class compliance came around at 3.1, I decided to buy one last week and give it a proper checkout. Initial thoughts are very positive. If I'd had this back in 1981 when I started this whole recording lark, man what a machine. A synthesiser (not one , but as many as you want), a sampler (a synth and a tape recorder), a 16 track recorder (ok 8 tracks but stereo....meaning you'd need 16 tracks and the rest to achieve what you can with a Force). The EFX seem really adequate when dialled in correctly too and a touchscreen to boot. I'm just re-jigging my studio to have four main pieces. These consist of the Force, an MPK88 keyboard / controller, a Be Quiet PC running Native Instruments Komplete Ultimate 11 and a Roland V-Drums. I've also got a Presonus ioSTATION for running with Studio One and a Focusrite Scarlett which I'm going to plug into the Force and try. With this setup, it should be pretty good. I've quickly thumbed my way through the 3.1.1 manual which seems to be excellent. I fitted a 250Gb SSD that I had lying around and loaded my old AKAI and EMU libraries onto it as well as my WAV library of exported songs over the years. I've not hooked it up to speakers yet but the sound in the headphones is really good.....not at all digital sounding....fat and full I'd say. I had an AKAI DPS24 and an MPC4000 for a good few years so remember how good those units sounded. It feels good to be back.
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By 64hz Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:24 am
Coming from a MPC 60 all the way up to my last MPC being the live, I totally understand your feeling. The force feels like what MPC should evolve in. It's a great machine, which gives me so much inspiration. I got it two months ago but already love it dearly.

Welcome to the dark side. :smoker:
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By Koekepan Fri Jan 21, 2022 3:10 pm
Welcome back. And yeah, just imagine what the Force would have been as a revelation in 1984. It would have blown the doors off every studio in existence.
By misterflibble Sat Jan 22, 2022 9:58 pm
Welcome back to the club! 3.1 made me buy a Force too after thinking it was kind of meh when I looked at demos in 2019, which is when I bought my MPC Live. Now my MPC sits in the bag most of the time jealous that I'm fondling my Force, LOL.

Seriously, if they get the USB class compliant audio bugginess fixed then the Force is the best thing out there IMO. Hands down.
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By EnochLight Sun Jan 23, 2022 7:45 am
althemusicwizard wrote:I bought a Force when it came out, but returned it as I saw it as just a clip player. I've followed it's progress and when disk streaming and class compliance came around at 3.1, I decided to buy one last week and give it a proper checkout. Initial thoughts are very positive. If I'd had this back in 1981 when I started this whole recording lark, man what a machine.


Welcome back! Yeah, I picked up an MPC Live back when it first came out, but I added Force early last year. I love the Ableton Live "clip-matrix" workflow, and when they added Arranger - I was sold. Disk streaming sealed the deal. I still use my MPC (though I sold it and got the MPC Live II!), but I find myself drawn to it for different reasons. Force is special - it occupies a permanent spot in my studio setup and controls my gear. MPC is my portable solution.
By misterflibble Sat Jan 29, 2022 4:51 pm
EnochLight wrote:Force is special - it occupies a permanent spot in my studio setup and controls my gear. MPC is my portable solution.

If they release a Force with a battery, I'm selling my MPC. :-D But not yet. Not yet.
By althemusicwizard Wed Feb 02, 2022 11:52 am
Thanks for the replies guys.
After three weeks now with the FORCE I thought I'd give an update to where I am with it. After a week, I decided to print off the manual. In learning a piece of kit like the FORCE, I think it helps to have some literature available to guide you. The manual is pretty good, but could have taken a user through the basic steps AND also provided an overview of the limitations of what's possible say as a chart.
There are many things 'hidden under the hood' which after using the unit for a period of time you'll probably come across, but there are some things that without going through the manual at some stage, most users will never find.
I'm overjoyed with the FORCE at the moment. I've never liked using computers for music, but I've had to. With the FORCE however, I can do all the usual things (sampling, sequencing, create synth patches, record audio, mangle audio) the ONLY caveat being, that as with any piece of hardware, you can either work WITH or AGAINST the machine. I'm still in the 'test period' of finding out what the machine can do, what it can do well and how I adjust my normal working practices to fit in with its workflow.
This is a longer reply than I originally was going to make, but I feel the FORCE is probably being misunderstood as just a 'loop player' or an 'Ableton remote' rather than one of the most innovative pieces of music technology to have been released since AKAI's S900 or for that matter AKAI's DPS24.
Here's a piece I'm tweaking at the moment called Time To Live Again:
https://soundcloud.com/altruistica/tracks
By misterflibble Sat Feb 26, 2022 12:45 am
Going through the entire manual is well worth it. It took me three eight hour sessions over three days, and that was coming to the device as an experienced MPC Live user. There is just so much in these devices, they're fantastic. I hope Akai keeps the features and bug fixes coming.