Why I bought an Akai Force (Review and First Impressions)

I really didn't want to have to learn a whole new DAW type workflow, but I was curious about the Akai Force - so picked one up. Here's why, along with some of my first impressions on the device as a music production tool. Lots of talking, so if you're not interested in listening to my dulcet Scottish tones, jog on.
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[@DanBrazil-brazilianx]

One of the best reviews I've seen on the Force, coming from someone who has been procrastinating for a while on this. Used Logic back in the day and looking to get back into production after a long break. What you said about Ableton was interesting. Thanks!

[@StephenMcLeod]

Cheers Dan! If you like the Ableton style workflow (loops and clips), then Force will be familiar and work great.

[@Empirism]

Im still a one click away of buy "the force" Your video is one of the most interesting force video out there, this kind of approach to reviewing should be much more out there. I didnt even had ateention to that autosampling feature before you mentioned it. Great vid man

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hey thanks a lot! I appreciate it. They still go for great prices, and it seems like there's another firmware update on the way too.

[@Empirism]

@@StephenMcLeod Yeah, my main problem with this is the question, "do i really need it for one grand" I am mainly guitarist, use software and hardware synthesizers when composing, I use cubase pro as DAW. I like to way how you can noodle chord changes and scales with pads easily not to worry are they in key because that thing scales them to key you want. But then, I dont know is this more like GAS thing or should I just get novation launchpad forexample for my noodling needs. Oh my... xD

[@LabRatWarfare]

Seems awesome really! Stoked to hear what you come up with on it! And even though I have no plans on buying this device... I'm always interested in what your dulcet Scottish tones have to say!! lol ✌🐀

[@StephenMcLeod]

😂

[@TheHexCube]

You're awesome man! - so delighted to have found your channel recently. Looking forward to discovering what you have to share. Informative, endearing and genuine presenting style. Subscribed. Many thanks.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks a lot for the kind words!

[@XanderEwald]

Excellent Video, thanks for sharing! I think this might be what I was looking for.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Glad it was helpful!

[@wilsoncj]

This is one of the many videos about the Force that I watched, before deciding to buy. This video resonated most with me and helped me decide. I'm happy to say that after about 2 weeks of ownership, it has been everything I expected, so far. Cheers!

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hey, that's awesome! Thanks for letting me know. I'm glad it was useful!

[@allanroney]

Holding down the ‘Knobs’ button, and selecting ‘Screen’ has the knobs reflecting what’s on screen, and is really useful for quick navigation. The other options are good for performance, but the ‘Screen’ option is great for creating (especially when editing samples).

[@StephenMcLeod]

Nice tip!

[@billyfreeze1893]

excellent review - Thanks

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks Billy! Glad it was useful.

[@TeamLazerbeam]

Stoked to have found your channel through this video - you're awesome! Quick questions: what did you think of the Force's synths?

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hey, thanks a lot! Hopefully I can bring you many years of joy and excitement. Haha. In all honesty I haven't played with the internal synths a huge amount. I've mostly been using it to create drum patterns (they sound awesome on the Force for whatever reason), and also sampling my existing synths. I've used a couple of them though, and they were surprisingly decent. It does depend what you're after though sound wise.

[@n97223]

Great Video! I appreciate your candidness! I just picked up a Force of Reverb used for $720, I am familiar with the Akai software as I used to own an MPC ONE, great device, but did not like the workflow. I felt it took too long to get something going. I am hoping that the Force will be more up my alley! Thanks for sharing you experiences with the Force. sub'd

[@StephenMcLeod]

Force definitely takes a bit of time to learn, but the more I've gotten into it, the easier. I've been enjoying it a lot lately. There's a bunch of recent videos where I sample from vinyl if you are curious!

[@danecustance2734]

Nice review thanks.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Cheers Dane!

[@ron2298]

Awesome video on the force. I do have one and a Mpc live 2 and honestly have not really gotten into using the force much. I have not found the time to get to know it as of yet. I hope you can make some videos about workflow on the force that would be great. Thanks again for your insight I am a follower.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hey thanks a lot! I'll have a think about it and see what I can do. Cheers for watching.

[@strayburn9595]

Dude, that was awesome. I'm trying to decide between the Force and the MPC one - mostly as a central hub to control external gear, but I'm sure I'll probably learn to do more with sampling and sound manipulation as well, since these machines excel at that. I'm predominantly a techno guy. Still don't know which one I'm going to get, but you've given some great food for thought here. Nicely done. Thanks!

[@StephenMcLeod]

It's a tough choice! Have you considered the MPC Live II? It's a beast.

[@cenapturgut]

Have you bought anything?

[@strayburn9595]

@@StephenMcLeod Thought about it, but don't love the shape and size, and certainly would never use the speaker. I'm much more interested in the X, actually. If I was going to go big, I'd go for that. I'm actually strongly considering it. But, since I've never owned or used an MPC, maybe it's smarter to spend the least amount and have almost the same functionality - albeit with more menu diving and less immediate surface control and connectivity (than the X) - and if I love it, get an X further down the line. It's crazy how good things are getting. There are other hardware sequencers which look very interesting and capable, of course. I'm still considering a Maschine, too. I was using Ableton, but got sick of all the time on the computer. Then I built a decent size modular rig. Noodle-mania! I love it, but I don't excel at making actual tracks of a reasonable length with it. So, I cut my system in half and got an Elektron Analog 4. Having hardware with CV/Gate connectivity is high on my list. I'd like to get at least another synth. I'm drawn to the Analog Rytm as well. But I really want that central brain that's hands on and fun to use to control all the gear and that allows me to sequence close to complete tracks with. I'll probably play with doing live multi-track takes into Ableton, or just transferring song from the hardware sequencer into Ableton to put the finishing touches on them. (How to get these "multi-tracks" into Ableton is a whole other issue I haven't figured out!) I've only been into all this for about 2 years now so it's a lot to figure out with all the possibilities and options these days. Ah, it's all fun stuff!

[@parisdontlikeyou]

I use a wooden calf stretcher as a stand for my Akai Force. It has sand paper on it and the Force stays put even tilted at a pretty steep angle. I think I paid around £45

[@StephenMcLeod]

Calf stretcher. What an idea!

[@Goldlion973]

I clicked for concerns about farming and animal rights but left with a functional laptop stand.

[@taggartjs]

Great video! I’m very much on the fence over buying a new sequencer. BTW, love your accent! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks Taggart!!

[@czechchap]

So, this is very interesting. I bought a Polyend Tracker thinking it would allow me to work with loops using the beat stretching and slicing, but it's was such a scutter working with loops over 1 bar long. - I had thought maybe what I wanted was actually an SP404a, but maybe, maybe it's an AKAI force. mmn.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Don't let me lead you astray!!

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

quality problems. ;-) _/\_

[@infinity528hz5]

Great review, thanks😍👍🤩😄

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks for watching!

[@infinity528hz5]

@@StephenMcLeod you're welcome 👍 you're aweme man😍🎹🎧🎵

[@bobcatt2294]

Good overview especially on the limited effects. Thumbs up

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks a lot!

[@danhermele]

Great review and love your open, friendly style and humour. I have Logic and Maschine, but I guess I want a single DAW in a box that I can arrange complete songs on with instrumental and vocal tracks rather than clips. I guess like a Maschine + but with an injection of Logic in a single box. I'm trying to work out if the Force can achieve this. Do you think this might achieve that?

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hey thanks! You can do that in Arrange mode on the Force, yes. It still works like Ableton where it is based on 'clips' in that sense, so it's not like Logic. As in, you can make a vocal track a long clip, and put that in the arranger - but it will still be treated as a clip. Does that make sense? I tend to use it in a different way to Logic - and perform the tracks live - record them to the Arranger - export them and then edit in Logic, but you could do that in the Force if you spent enough time with it to get used to all the quirks.

[@danhermele]

@@StephenMcLeod Thanks, yes that makes sense. I've never had much luck recording straight into Maschine. Too fiddly and then limited to samples or possibly clips now (not sure what the new clipd features for Maschine + do here). I am thinking that Akai Force can record clips that can span patterns more easily than Maschine. Would it be right to say that a clip that you only trigger once, but that can span patterns flexibly is much the same as an audio track in Logic, albeit with less ability to apply effects that you mentioned?

[@danhermele]

Actually, just checked up on Maschine clips and it looks like they can span patterns like Akai, so possibly that is all I need and I can put my GAS to bed for a change! Thanks

[@AlexRoe]

Very useful. You should do more reviews. BTW what do you reckon to the latest 3.1 update?

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks Alex! Glad it was useful. There's some really cool new FX and instruments in the 3.1 update, and disk streaming is great. Being able to record automation in the arranger is good as that should always have been the case. It's a great update, but there's also still a bunch of weird workflow issues with the Force. As in, things don't always make sense, and it can be a very difficult learning curve. It is a powerful tool though.

[@AlexRoe]

@@StephenMcLeod You're welcome. And thanks for your feedback on the 3.1 update 👍

[@BEAT_and_DELETE]

Thanks for this, I'm very interested in buying one of these as I'm hoping to move away from the computer, and as I've been using ableton forever this feels like it would be a good step, and it was good to hear the good and the bad as you see it :)

[@StephenMcLeod]

It's definitely a good device for getting away from the computer! Cheers for watching. Let me know if you have any questions.

[@PoboyMusic]

Long time Ableton user here. The force makes it easy to get ideas out quickly. The synths are great and sometimes its just good to have everything right there in front of your face. I think it is the best thing Akai has ever made . That being said, I still use Ableton too. Warping and fine tuning and arranging much easier on ableton especially if you've been using it for a long time. I sometimes make ideas on the force and just export to ableton and go from there. You can also live loop real instruments on the force . Its a beast of a machine.

[@fischergreen4134]

When my misses moans that I buy too much gear I show her one of your videos 👍

[@StephenMcLeod]

Not sure if that's a good thing or not haha

[@wylatron]

great vid.. on that fx point where you don't like the ones on offer, much like you say about the synth option, you can send out through output 3/4, through fx, and just bring it back in. Job done, fx you like. I know you meant 'in the box' but at least we have a work around:)

[@stujay]

Thanks for this! How’s the cv-out implementation? Have you used it much with your Eurorack yet?

[@StephenMcLeod]

I haven't really used the CV out yet at all, as there are limited outputs. I have a MIDI to CV module in my rack called the Shuttle Control from Endorphin that usually does those kinds of duties!

[@stujay]

@@StephenMcLeod I’ve got Shuttle Control too! Thanks!

[@reussss4949]

Hello, i start make the EDM genre( big room, trap, bass house,..) I consider between mpc live 2 vs force, do you think at this time force is more worth than live 2 ? Anyway, thank for your review.

[@StephenMcLeod]

I would go for the Force, as it has the Arranger mode, and is more suited for triggering clips like Ableton. That said, I'm sure you wouldn't be disappointed with the Live. It has lots of great features. It's smaller, battery powered, etc.

[@hannahclyde3479]

I'm thinking of buying a Force. I sold my MPC One after a month. I didn't like the workflow at all, (at all at all). How're you getting on with it since you did this video? Still using it?

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hey Hannah. I still use it yeah. It's not the most intuitive thing in the world, and workflow wise it is largely based on loops etc, but the functionality you get for the price is unbeatable with the Force.

[@geecen]

Thanks for the video - I just found your channel and it seems cool :). Wondering if you've seen the M8 tracker coming out soon? Would be cool to see your thoughts on it.

[@StephenMcLeod]

I have! It looks great, and is from a chipmusic legend, but I didn't pre-order one as I thought the screen and hand-held nature wasn't really for me (or at least, the Game Boy filled that void), but the more I see, the more I am curious about it. I might cave and get one in the next pre-order round.

[@geecen]

@@StephenMcLeod yea I want sure for a while, then caved and ordered one! The videos I’ve seen so far look super cool

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@geecen I should have done it. I failed. Hah. Next time!

[@rexeffect7122]

May the force be with you !

[@StephenMcLeod]

:D

[@MattDiamondMDE]

Hey man, nice vid, appreciated. I'm looking at getting a force, but am wondering about the synth engines? Hype seems like a preset synth with basic macro controls.. much like Arturia Analogue Lab right? But can you actually craft and shape quality sounds like you would in say Diva, Massive, Serium or a hardware synth like Deepmind? Cheers

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hey Matt, thanks for watching! To be honest, I haven't tried out the built in synth engines much yet - I've mostly been using samples as it's so easy and flexible to do that. I'll have a bash at them and see though!

[@MattDiamondMDE]

@@StephenMcLeod I'd be keen on your take, there doesn't seem to be any good videos around on the Synth engines

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@MattDiamondMDE I'll have a look!

[@avrilcadabra]

old comment but Hype is a simplified UI, you can make presets from INIT but if you are really into synths you might find it lacking in modulation in particular. You can't do what might be a simple thing like modulating a wavetable with an LFO. ( if you force it to do with an global envelope follower LFO it kills the UI), It's a nice enough sounding synth and you can do a lot with it but if you are expecting it to compete with SERUM or MASSIVE you will be disappointed.

[@MattDiamondMDE]

@@avrilcadabra cheers for the comment, I've since brought the force and understand where you're coming from, appreciated

[@djrocc-jamaica3527]

Great Informative Video, just ordered a Force, I also am more familiar with Logic, do you still use Logic, or do you find yourself doing more with Ableton?

[@StephenMcLeod]

I do still use Logic for most of my musical productions. I don't really like the Arranger on the Force - it's too fiddly. But... I do like creating and making things on it. For me my current workflow is... write things on the Force, then move the bits over to Logic for the final arrangement portion. I am sure if I used Ableton more I would get more out of it, but for now this works okay!

[@djrocc-jamaica3527]

@@StephenMcLeod OK great to know, so I shouldn’t put away my Logic Rig just yet then. 😀

[@djrocc-jamaica3527]

@@StephenMcLeod Was looking at a desktop wedge to make screen more viewable. foam wedge, or like one of these: www.amazon.com/Stretcher-Adjustable-Positions-Equipment-Portability/dp/B0BCPRMDW4/ref=sxin_20_pa_sp_phone_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.d300750a-a046-4309-8e8d-27d5c8f4d010%3Aamzn1.sym.d300750a-a046-4309-8e8d-27d5c8f4d010&crid=1E65897LL2UVY&cv_ct_cx=slant+board&keywords=slant+board&pd_rd_i=B0BCPRMDW4&pd_rd_r=295c6169-c35f-419c-b82a-23520d209700&pd_rd_w=Ydrft&pd_rd_wg=tcFJg&pf_rd_p=d300750a-a046-4309-8e8d-27d5c8f4d010&pf_rd_r=PYBGY0J2RSNHCJBR4JSW&qid=1670250006&sprefix=slant+board%2Caps%2C134&sr=1-5-a73d1c8c-2fd2-4f19-aa41-2df022bcb241-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUlNONzFDWU9LTDJNJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjY1MTMyMldOVVVIQUtGMEUzTiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzExMzU2MlkyU1dJN09aVlpHMSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF90aGVtYXRpYyZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=. What do you think?

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@djrocc-jamaica3527 The wedges seem decent but sooo bulky. I ended up using a wooden stand from loci.life/ - a modular thing. Works well.

[@benkutta6328]

Which is better for live performances: the akai force or the mpc live 2?

[@StephenMcLeod]

I think it really depends on what you want to do - both are very capable. The Force is more suited to launching clips etc like Ableton, so it probably has the edge there.

[@gleannmhuire]

As you haven’t mentioned the Akai Force recently I’m wondering how you’re feeling about it now. I liked your analysis of it as something to bring your other devices together. How has that worked out? PS Love your artistic approach to it all!

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks very much! I still like the Force. I've fallen down a video rabbit hole so not used it as much lately, but it would be a great central workstation for folks. I need to use it more as I am a bit stuck in the Logic DAW mindset, as opposed to doing everything in a box, but I like everything I've written with it! The drums in particular sound great.

[@gleannmhuire]

@@StephenMcLeod 👍

[@ripskip160]

@@StephenMcLeod I've noticed that the drums are more meaty than on the Live 2 or MPC One. Haven't compared it to the MPC X yet.

[@allanroney]

With regards your drums ‘exploding’ issue - best solution (for me) is to mitigate this entirely - record any individual drums you want on separate tracks, but on the mixer ‘I/O’ page, route them all to the same sub-mix (there’s eight sub-mixes on the Force) - then on the Master mixing page, they’re all grouped to the same fader/mute etc, and can have batch processing applied. This leaves you free to export them as individual stems.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Smart! That could work. Can you get that sub-mix on the pads to trigger the clips in the same way as the tracks?

[@allanroney]

@@StephenMcLeod that’s a good question, and probs above my pay grade. Imperfect solution is use the ‘row launch’ button, but that’s pretty indiscriminate. Will have a play later.

[@PeterClotworthy]

Not sure about the size of the Akai Force, but I've DIY'd stands by using IKEA laptop stands (the ones you're meant to use in bed or on a desk etc.) and mounted two together to make a very serviceable music gear stand - perfect for my Digitakt, Squarp Pyramid & CRAVE.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Smart! I ended up getting a LOKI stand for my synth stuff which has been brilliant.

[@kisho2679]

anyone knows: if one had to decide when use the "Octatrack" OR in which cases use the "Akai Force" instead, then which one?

[@StephenMcLeod]

Unfortunately I've never used the Octatrack so I can't give you much input there, but hopefully somebody else will!

[@iamrocketray]

Not into jock accents but yours is an exception, I could listen to you for hours lol. Anyway, I have just bought a Force for £750 and I don't even know whether it will arrive this side of Xmas or not, so I'm just surfing all the Force stuff I can find. I have an Akai live(not 2) and its all right, a bit like a girlfriend with big boobs, its got its good points but I'm not in love with it, I'm hoping the Force will be the one I fall madly in love with or at least get infatuated with. Anyway excellent review, I wish all reviews were like yours, truthful, honest, tells it like it is, warts an all. I'm going to give you a thumbs up and a subscribe so I can listen to some more to that accent!

[@StephenMcLeod]

Nice one! Fingers crossed that it arrives in time for you to make use of it in between the mince pie and Bailey's binges. Cheers for the kind words. If Akai ever pay me to do reviews I will sell out immediately and ignore all of the warts. Fair warning.

[@christianschroer1999]

I built me a perfekt stand for the akai force. It´s very sturdy. I put rubber under the stand and on the surface so the force is perfectly standing on the stand. I made the stand that my force is in a 45 degree position so you get nothing what you mention about the flat touch screen. It took me several hours ( 2-3 hours). It´s very solid and with the way it is built I can excess everything ( knobs on the bottom , sd- card slot , I also can manage my calbes in it and connect them easily on the bottom. ( Sorry for that english ^^ ) . I think I will paint it or whatever It´s completly out of wood and metal screws and rubber which you can use to isolate things or which you can put under a table to stop it dammaging the floor when it´s getting moved. Thanks for your insightes about the force ! Christian

[@StephenMcLeod]

Smart! Give me one!

[@christianschroer1999]

@@StephenMcLeod I will make a Video when I Finished treating the Wood and then I Post the Link.

[@christianschroer1999]

@@StephenMcLeod now after 8 hours making the stance more even and Paint it etc. Its getting dry. I will make a Video tomorrow about it :).

[@christianschroer1999]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oafHhJaaq8xqaKc This is the stand without gear.

[@christianschroer1999]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6S8lqKwh9R5bdE This is the stand with the Force on it.

[@AutisticCuriosity]

The screen tilt is a good point - a way of dealing with screen tilt issue is to mount the whole thing on a VESA spring loaded arm usually used for mounting computer monitors. It cost me £28 off Amazon . Screwed the plate to a piece of wood, attached Velcro onto wood and device - no risk of detachment, without damage. I’ve done a video on this… gives you more desk space and ultimate flexibility for what will be,hopefully, a central part of a studio.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Yeah that's smart. I'll have a look at the video! I need to find the perfect place for it as I don't have a lot of room for permanently set central pieces atm.

[@JAYg33t4r]

I've read that odd times are possible by recording a 4/4 clip and then editing the pattern length down to anything. Can you confirm this for me and double check that the force can play like 5/8 clips in time in the arranger switching time sigs?

[@StephenMcLeod]

I'm not able to check just now (and in all honesty 5/8 isn't something I am sure I'd know how to begin to test), but yes you can do odd times as you described!

[@JAYg33t4r]

@@StephenMcLeod thank you. Ended up getting an MPC live instead of the force and I'm having to learn workarounds but it makes my workflow more intimate and odd times are a workaround that can be done :)

[@JamesWilliam70]

I would love to have the trigger probability function when running a beat or rhythm for continuous variation - on the Force. I think the MPC just got this on the latest update. Here's hoping eh?

[@StephenMcLeod]

One can dream! I'd like the Explode Drums feature as well.

[@thecalver]

Wee tilty screen lol nice summary - if I hadn’t have bought one recently I think your vid may have pursuaded me as I was unmming-and-arrring for a while . Cheers

[@thecalver]

Use mine with a boyata laptop stand and now have a on-stage mixer stand which is ace

[@StephenMcLeod]

High praise! I tend to use it on my lap as I'm a lazy bastard.

[@subiesojourner777]

Would you say it's like the Push 2 but with built in sounds, no PC needed?

[@StephenMcLeod]

I personally don't have a Push 2, so take this with a grain of salt... but I think that is a fair assessment, yeah :)

[@kisho2679]

how could it be used as a live looper/sampler (e.g. for improvised performance as a DJ)?

[@StephenMcLeod]

You definitely could use it for that - sampling incoming audio to the pads and then playing them on the fly, but I personally haven't done that yet, so can't give step by step instructions I am afraid!

[@UniversalHomeboy]

Can you make a video about for the steps to do the "AutoSample" feature that your friend showed you? That is a really intriguing feature that pretty much has me sold

[@StephenMcLeod]

Yeah that's a superb feature. I'll see what I can do!

[@vforvillain77]

Bro, real easy to explode your drum tracks on the akai force. Just copy your drum track a few times (copy + track select), once for every seperate stem you want. Then go in and highlight (with the selection tool) and delete all the other drums in the track, leaving only one drum in each copy. Delete the snares and hats on the first copy to make your kick track, delete kick and hats on the next to make your snare track. Etc...

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks! Does that work after the arrangement has been made, or only before? I can easily separate them out, but then triggering everything for the arranger gets way more complex, and I'm not sure it's worth the hassle.

[@vforvillain77]

@@StephenMcLeod I haven't really gotten into using the arranger yet so I wouldn't know but I imagine the same principles would apply? Copying tracks? deleting the midi notes that you don't want on each track? What do you think

[@kisho2679]

how about hardware cons/drawback? And about sound quality (should not sound "digitally")?

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hardware wise the thing is very well built. The cons are that the screen doesn't tilt, which is a real pain. Other than that... nothing I can think of! Sound quality is excellent. Some of the effects are a bit meh, and I can't speak too much for the internal synths as I don't use them a huge amount, but music from the Force comes out sounding great - I often don't even produce it any further.

[@kisho2679]

@@StephenMcLeod thx

[@kevinbirge2130]

I’m in love with mine.

[@StephenMcLeod]

It's superb!

[@InkyDaCaT]

More pluggins n disc streaming coming😉 next update going to be BIGGGGGGY!

[@StephenMcLeod]

Looking forward to it!

[@InkyDaCaT]

@@StephenMcLeod then then then 😂😂😂😂😂sert ago go 🙌🙌🙌🙌💗🍻

[@elmortobeats5919]

wtf, disc streaming?? coming to mpc x too???

[@InkyDaCaT]

@@elmortobeats5919 hopefully yes as I love mpc more than force...I own 2 lives so that if I do set can keep playing...well disc streaming fix that ;)

[@elmortobeats5919]

@@InkyDaCaT that would be so dope!

[@binarysun_]

Yes!! I xactly my opinion on Ableton and my hesitations to get a Force. I am an MPC X user since it came out and love it but feel the Force might gain me some more benefits. But I am hesitant for all the reasons you have been and spending 1k just does not come that easy.

[@InkyDaCaT]

The screen is fine if you stand up to make music......tilted screens worry me lol...agree on mini midi jacks...but is new 2. 0 midi standard unlike novation....force has new standard😉

[@StephenMcLeod]

Aye. The industry shat the bed with the minijacks. There's so many devices now with differing kinds of wiring for the jacks that it's going to remain a pain in the arse for yonks unfortunately, but hey - it's a minor gripe.

[@microwavablegiants]

Great video! The Force is amazing for me. I can do put my ideas out faster with it. It's great for singer songwriters as well. Right now, to anyone listening, you can get it for at least 700 dollars which to me is a STEAL. My only gripe with it is it crashing on me so many times when I make a beat. I do recommend having the autosave feature on every 5 or so minutes. Hopefully Akai does another update to fix this.

[@StephenMcLeod]

I know, the price tag is nuts for what you get. I only had mine crash once, and that was when I hadn't saved a project initially. As long as I save it first... then it then works fine after that. Weird.

[@dkhang7274]

I love the Force since I've had it I've hardly touched my mpc.

[@colindavis2113]

Yeah dude I just got one for $750, plus a 2 year protection plan for $110 since I’m paranoid about used gear, and tax. Got about $400 off, pretty sweet deal.

[@matheuscamara84]

and they did not hahahaha getting a lot of crashes just bought a mac air for live usage. One cant rely on this thing for live gigs.

[@adrianmccombe625]

The midi I can't seem to get to work on my force. It's those flamin jack's. I've a Live 2 also. I've switched to USB on the force.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Oh dang. What's the setup?

[@adrianmccombe625]

@@StephenMcLeod auch I've got a heap of stuff like you - no modular except my B2600 and some behringer ones too. I'm based in Coatbridge. Where are you at?

[@YOUrDEAlerwiThHell]

Can you give a more detailed explanation or make a video, how the auto sampling funtion "makes" your mono synth to poly :)?

[@StephenMcLeod]

This is a pretty old video so I can't 100% remember what I said, but auto-sampling plays your instrument over MIDI, and records it at pitch intervals and durations that you set. It then configures those samples as a new instrument that you can play polyphonically. You don't get the same kind of modulation and what not as you would if you were playing the actual synth for each voice, but it can be a pretty useful tool.

[@YOUrDEAlerwiThHell]

@@StephenMcLeod ah very nice thanks a lot for the fast and detailed answer :))!

[@aaaaargghh]

Do you still have it/use it?

[@StephenMcLeod]

I do indeed!

[@JAYg33t4r]

You should try soloing the audio of the track you want to process with a vst into your pc and stream the audio back into the Force and resample to get any VST.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Top tip. I tend to use Force without my laptop, but it would be grand for folks stuck.

[@CrusaderGeneral]

im sure im not the first to ask you, but why did you rename from synths to jpegs?

[@StephenMcLeod]

I haven't reeeealy renamed. I've been toying with the idea and tested it out with the channel handle, though the URL etc are all still the same. I've been allmyfriendsarejpegs far longer than amfas (and have a trademark on the name), and was getting boxed into synth stuff, but not sure if I cba changing everything over... We'll see.

[@jorgevasconcelosmadetomove]

yeahhh nice, im gonnna use the force to record all the cool sounds vst and loops, record in note mode all the nice chords and progressions to ableton live, honestly the arranger view kinda suck to edit . nothing like a real DAW to finish your tracks

[@StephenMcLeod]

Yeah. I don't really use the arranger mode to edit - it's a bit fiddly. I play it live, record it in, then tweak it a wee bit. It's a bit different to how I usually work, but is a nice change!

[@ampersanders0n]

Thanks for this. Very helpful. Made my mind up when you got to the inability to “explode” drums to individual tracks. Highly disappointing.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Yeah it's a shame. I suspect that will be coming in a firmware update shortly though...

[@iqnill]

Very true on the FX, they are like vanilla ice-cream in a sandpaper cone.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Hahaha what a description

[@xisotopex]

how does "the" force compare to the deluge?

[@StephenMcLeod]

It's fairly different in terms of the layout. The Deluge uses the pads as the 'screen', whereas the Force uses Akai's MPC software so displays things visually differently. The Deluge is more of a sequencer/synth than the MPC sample style workflow as far as I understand it, but... I haven't personally used a Deluge so I can't give too much of a commentary there!

[@xisotopex]

@@StephenMcLeod thanks. still looking for the 'perfect sequencer to drive all my synths

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@xisotopex It is a lifelong quest! God speed.

[@midwichyouthclub]

Totally agree with your Force assessment. I’ve whittled my kit down to this and the Korg Wavestate and don’t really need anything else. I’ve also managed to create generative drum kits with the random layers function which is begging to put different sounds/loops on to be triggered. As the MPC range have had a stunning update recently I’m assuming the Force will get the same plugins etc in which case it’s be the perfect workstation.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Yeah! I suspect/hope they'll add in the explode drums function, as that would make it even more powerful.

[@leewightman8619]

May the force be with you....

[@mastercylinder1939]

Good review, but I only came because of your latest mix. And my need to say, “use the force”.

[@StephenMcLeod]

The Force is with me.

[@pinchopaxtonsgreatestminds9591]

On amazon you can get lap tray for reading, and Laptops that tilt. www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07G44GWRD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[@StephenMcLeod]

Oh neat tip. I'll check that out, thanks!

[@pinchopaxtonsgreatestminds9591]

@@StephenMcLeod Also found this... www.amazon.co.uk/VASAGLE-Tilting-Assemble-Industrial-LNT057B01/dp/B087CPLLBM/ref=pd_di_sccai_1/260-4235518-5041911?pd_rd_w=AfKlx&pf_rd_p=2529c273-c9d4-4495-807e-68ed4dfade5e&pf_rd_r=E80R8WD3WKGCJ5AVVFG3&pd_rd_r=4e9c0fa9-0b78-4fc1-a7bb-9a6c783d87ce&pd_rd_wg=6M2TE&pd_rd_i=B087CPLLBM&psc=1

[@LabRatWarfare]

The ending to this video.... 😁

[@briarboy8959]

Yes, a tilt screen would be nice, I custom made my own stand.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Nice one!

[@InkyDaCaT]

Go to hype synth....map after touch to filter....press finger on pad and enjoy😁...still disagree on screen...but it is quite far away lol.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Nice one! I'll check it out.

[@alanbg2278]

Simple desperate question. Should I get one ??

[@StephenMcLeod]

Simple answer... maybe!

[@alanbg2278]

@@StephenMcLeod DONE ( If they accept my credit )

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@alanbg2278 haha perfect. The learning curve is a bit steep, but I've been using it more and more lately

[@alanbg2278]

@@StephenMcLeod Shit ! Just bought one ! After only one bottle of Rioja . Quite exited, thanks for the nudge !

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@alanbg2278 Only one bottle?! You must really want it then :D

[@synkuk]

on the tilty screen .. get one of those cheap ikea table stands .. I've got lots of them and they work really well

[@StephenMcLeod]

Tell me more! What's the name of them?

[@synkuk]

@@StephenMcLeod Brada or Isberget work a treat.. got Digitone, Drumbrute, maschine MK3 all sitting on those dudes

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@synkuk Thanks! I'll check them out

[@synkuk]

@@StephenMcLeod Actually found that for the force is almost unballanced with one of my ikea stands ... ended up getting a Fonik stand .. and although expensive .. its pretty awesome

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@synkuk I use mine on my lap haha

[@deansibinski6190]

Pretty sure I opened up the Akai Force user manual to find only a page that said 𝙞 𝙙𝙪𝙣𝙣𝙤 just 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙤𝙪𝙩

[@StephenMcLeod]

hahahaha. Seems about right.

[@dimonwait9079]

Are you Haley Joel Osment ?? You look like him :o Btw nice video thanks, I'm thinkin about buyin one force but I'm hesitating because of 'ram and cpu' """""limitations""""" ^^

[@StephenMcLeod]

I usually get Alan from the Hangover... Thanks for the comment. I've not run into any RAM or CPU limits yet, but I don't tend to do huge productions within the Force - so I guess it depends on what you are expecting to use it for!

[@dandas1000]

Your video is titled in Korean. If that was amusing, I found your accent even more amusing! I love the Force!

[@StephenMcLeod]

Uhoh! I hope there was no clangers in there with the translation!

[@dandas1000]

@@StephenMcLeod I ended up looking for the definition of the word clanger lol. Translation is very authentic! Reason why I was amused in the first place.

[@dandas1000]

@@StephenMcLeod I bet there will be realtime audio translation in near future! I mean as a really useful feature!

[@SONWU]

my 2 cents: The Force is a great swiss army knife, especially with the "rumored" updates coming soon. It is a great USB-Midi-hub, sampler, interface, mixer and has lots of useful plugins....BUT I don't enjoy making music on it yet. The sequencer is slow to use and very uninspiring. Everything takes 5x longer than using the OP-Z. Nevertheless, I am most likely going to keep it...because getting devices to make up for all the functions would be a lot more expensive. So it will be the designated middleman.

[@StephenMcLeod]

I like it a lot, but it's tough to finish things I find. When everything is in a single box, and I can't drag and drop things in quite the same way as I'm used to, it makes it harder to complete full songs. The OP-Z is a real special device though... I'm curious to see how my usage of them expands over time.

[@SONWU]

@@StephenMcLeod Same here, looking forward to your future videos on them!

[@daniyalahmed97]

Hmm I just picked up a force to get basically a DAW in the box, because my digitakt does the more quick fun inspiration jams. But I'm curious what are these rumoured updates??🧐

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@daniyalahmed97 I suspect they will be similar to the MPC bits and pieces. Better effects... vocal tuning etc, but also hopefully some Force specific bits. It'll be exciting!

[@daniyalahmed97]

@@StephenMcLeod Man im just dying for that USB Audio interface support. Absolute game changer for my needs.

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

the lemonheads!! when I first moved to los angeles--many, many moons ago--I worked at a record store & a coworker always called me "evan dando." (he thought I looked like him.) some years I wound up hanging out using drugs with him. haha!! (he is DEFINITELY not secretive about that aspect of his life. hopefully he's wrangled that beast by now.) the lemonheads... that's my story about the lemonheads. ;-)

[@StephenMcLeod]

Haha no way. You were pals with Evan Dando? I'm a big fan. Maybe he wrote Drug Buddy about you...

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

haha!! probably not. he was actually friends with my neighbor down the hall. so, hardly knew. we just hung out a time or two in my tiny apartment. haha!! he certainly seemed like a nice enough guy. & like me at the time, he really liked to get high. I hope he's doing okay these days. & I hope you are too!!

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@fallprecauxionsmusic Such a cool connection. I love his solo album. It's one of my favourites of all time! Thanks for sharing your story!

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

I haven't heard any of it. I'll check that out.... are you familiar with mark lanegan? he sang wth the screaming trees in the 90s, & has made a bunch of solo records since. oh, man... some of those albums are stellar. you familiar with that stuff? I imagine you'd like it.

[@DisInfoWars]

Are you a time traveller from the late 60s?

[@StephenMcLeod]

That would explain a lot.

[@Bourgouche]

Great vid, thanks! I've been thinking of getting one for a while as it looks as the only option that can effectively answer my needs both for production and live performance. What kept me from pulling the trigger so far was the need to learn a whole new workflow (I'm an Ableton guy) but good to know it hasn't been so much of an issue for you! Had my eyes on the Deluge too but I think the impossibility to export stems will bug me pretty quick.

[@StephenMcLeod]

If you're an Ableton fellow then the Force is a great option, as you can export and share things between the two very easily! You can effectively run full Ableton sets in this beastie without the laptop, which is nice.

[@keitomineproductions4133]

I could buy ableton for 500 bucks, or I can buy an akai force for twice the price, and standalone. The force is looking real appealing lmao, dawless is the dream

[@StephenMcLeod]

If you like the Ableton workflow then the Force is one of the best options out there imho!

[@softsmoken]

The whole one computer for another thing... is the whole thing. I cannot get computers to work anywhere near smoothly or at all with multiple synths. Anything in the pc is fine outside the pc is fine but soon as I want to get one into the other forget it.. hours of problems for days. I've come to absolutely hate a computer trying to make music. At this point I won't even bother I need to buy something like this.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Yeah. I feel you. At least with a self contained unit there's less that can go wrong in conflict with other things. In theory!!

[@johnrobb3275]

..................................................THE SCREEN! ..............what I want! ...................I want an HDMI jack on back! ............Even if my eyes were better, I'd still want a large external screen for long studio sessions. With an external display screen (wouldn't have to be touchscreen) the 7" internal touchscreen would would simply be a dandy input device as a graphic touchpad. I must admit that it's not just the Force. I want jacks for external displays on all devices with display screens! :D

[@StephenMcLeod]

That would be a fantastic idea.

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

there's a question down there, I swear... & note, the force will hereby referred to as "the schwartz" because spaceballs rules the universe!! okay, so... I AM a SYNTHESIZER. so I'm your friend. & friends shouldn't put expectations upon one another. so, firstly, I'll apologize to you for that. now... with that sweet modular beast behind you, I expected you to discuss the CV connectivity & how you feel about the schwartz's integration into the realms of eurorack. what are your thoughts on that, m'friend? thanks kindly for your time & attention to these matters.

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks for the comment! You know... I haven't even tried the CV output. Part of the reason for that is whilst four outputs is impressive, it's also fairly limiting, as you ostensibly need two outputs for a voice. As in, one for the pitch information and one to trigger the envelope, so it isn't massively useful (I tend to use more than two voices in Euroland). Any time I use my Eurorack with external gear I use the Endorphin Shuttle Control, which supports MIDI and then has sixteen output jacks. That said, you can do some tricks to get more out of the four cv jacks, so I'll need to explore them.

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

@@StephenMcLeod your prompt, thoughtful & thorough reply is greatly appreciated, sir. I've basically decided that I'm not gonna invest the time & effort into learning the octatrack. at least not now. maybe not in this lifetime. the mpc one has been the frontrunner for a replacement for what I had in mind for the octatrack's role. then I started considering "the schwartz" as I'm not much a fingerdrummer. but the mpc one has 4 stereo CV outs... or 8 CV outs. that's a big difference. but then your solution turns anything into 16 CV outs. wow!! that is most definitely something to consider. thank you again. &, by the way, I'm loving your channel. bravo, sir!!

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@fallprecauxionsmusic Are the MPC One CV outputs stereo? That's amazing actually. That would be a great option actually. I had no idea the One was Stereo. It doesn't seem like the Force has stereo outs for CV, which is an interesting/weird choice. Thanks for the kind words!

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

it turns out that the 4 CV outs on both the mpc one & live 2 are all stereo. so you actually get 8 CV outs. that's pretty good, huh? a very pleasant surprise. now I just gotta see about getting one of those things... I think. ;-)

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

& thank YOU for your hard work & in-depth thoughts & really fun musics that you share in all these videos. great insights & very entertaining.

[@guysmiley7289]

Obi-Wan, you should have worn a robe for this review.

[@StephenMcLeod]

damnit, I knew I missed something.

[@dreamstaticsounds]

Ugh. I think KZbin hid my comment from you because it had a link. Essentially, I said what do you know, the Mayor of fucking Glasgow also uses the Force! And mentioned that I have a tilted screen and linked to my Force disassembly video. Damn thing is just like a computer so with your tech experience I thought you might find it of interest.

[@StephenMcLeod]

KZbin's been a nightmare with comments lately!

[@dreamstaticsounds]

@@StephenMcLeod yeah, I thought it might be something like that. Let me know if you get a chance to check out that video. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Assuming you're still at least occasionally using an Akai Force. Haha. I'm starting to hate mine but I don't think I'll ever give it up just for its ability to autosample so well.

[@keremk]

✌️👍👍

[@InkyDaCaT]

Akai has the new midi standard 😉.... novation isnt😭

[@StephenMcLeod]

Still a pain in the arse!

[@InkyDaCaT]

@@StephenMcLeod but mini jacks pain in arse...ok.ok.ok.get slaughtered by modular peeps🤣

[@InkyDaCaT]

@@StephenMcLeod midi standard has been agreed...😉

[@StephenMcLeod]

@@InkyDaCaT yes I know. The point is that it wasn't for ages, and so the result is a mixture of devices released over time which have different adaptors. It's a pain in the arse.

[@InkyDaCaT]

@@StephenMcLeod lol still labeling cabels ere😉💗🤣🙌

[@jimmywheelo]

There is so much the Force can do. A true Swiss Army knife and a real claim to be "the brain" of the operation that people often talk about. It isn't perfect but it's about as close as anyone has come to being perfect so far. The marker for other manufacturers

[@StephenMcLeod]

Quite right. Pretty great device!

[@keithmorris4105]

Enjoy your vids. Are you single?

[@StephenMcLeod]

Thanks! Happily married.