Wait… so is it 5 stereo inputs (for a total of 10)? Or just 5 mono inputs?
The R16 as an audio interface has eight mono inputs, but I only tried five at once. They come into the Force as any combo of mono / stereo pairs (e.g. 1 &2 can be a pair or two mono inputs).
You can link two R16s together for a 16 input interface, in theory, but I doubt I’ll ever be trying that.
Didn’t end up enjoying the Syntakt, so after I got rid of that I had some left over money. I enjoy little sequencers like the Oxi, I think using it with the Force and my iPad will be more enjoyable for me than the Syntakt was.
def post up about how it all goes down, is the Oxi something you’d be interested in even if you didn’t have the force to pair it with?
Gotcha. I was considering a Zoom LiveTrak L-8 (which would give me 4 stereo inputs or 8 mono inputs or any combo) for use with my Force, but I’m working with a Roland MX-1 currently and sending my Force through a stereo input instead. I just like the MX-1 as a performance mixer to give that up just yet.
Yes, I also want to use it with an octatrack and iPad/AUM.
A tip I discovered today: most of the time, I set the q-links to Screen mode, so they follow whatever you’re looking at for quick edits and tweaks. But if you have a sample pad or keygroup and you want to tweak the filter cutoff control on those, the Screen mode knob control is very steppy, hops around and is basically unusable for making live performance changes.
However! If you assign a Macros knob to the same cutoff control, the values are interpolated and it’s much smoother - perhaps not quite as smooth as on some of the plugin filters, but it sounded equivalent to a sweep on the MC-707 - which is good enough for me, and definitely much better than directly controlling the knob.
I expect there may be other places where this is useful - certainly something to bear in mind if you encounter anything that sounds a bit rough.
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As my MPC Live is out for repair I took the Force out of storage for a spin.
It’s kind of annoying that it doesn’t have all the nice shortcuts of the Live, but I forgot how nice the Force workflow was and the little extras it has that are missing from the Live.
Hopefully soon I’ll have enough desk space for both…
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I low key want to get another Force but keep coming back to all the reasons why I sold it.
why did you sell it?
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I’m on the fence regarding whether to get another Force or an MPC X.
I’ve also owned a Live, One and Live II, so trying to remember the differences with features and workflows.
Hearts saying Force, head’s saying X.
I’ve just bought another OT, so trying to work out if one compliments the other better, from a performative or compositional aspect.
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In my opinion, the Force is super fun once you get up and rolling. And once you get up and rolling, you’re jamming.
The challenge for me was getting, “up and rolling”. For me, it felt like one too many button combos that I had to rely on people like @Automageddon to figure out - I was asking lots of “how do I do this” type of questions when I had the Force.
Plus, in my studio I have a Push 2. So. As I’m trying to figure out this and that with the Force, I’d look over to my Push and be like, “why am I working so hard with this thing (the Force)?”
Finally, the ergonomics of the Force made it so I had to stand up or sit on a stool to use it.
So basically, all of the above sort of added up to me selling it.
I’m so fickle though. If they came out with a Force 2 that had a tilted screen, I’d be all over it 
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Yes I remember the Force being more fun to use than the others, and I suppose that’s the point.
Agree regarding the ergonomics of the screen but as you said, once everything’s set up, playing the pads is good.
But the X looks all the more together as a unit and with the added outs, standard midi ports, phono inputs it’s just nagging away at me.
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just put my X up for trade if you’ve got anything I’m after potentially
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Yeah I saw that. But I’ve only got a new OT and an Op-1. So nothing to trade and currently no money to buy.
Thanks for checking.
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Same
To be fair, for the way I work, the moment I add another synth to my setup, the Force is a blast, get a drum loop going or sample the Syntakt, record a loop with the Microfreak, keep layering, experiment with the structure and boom, track done.
But as an all-in-one, with no other gear involved thing, the Mpc Live is King.
Really hard to pick a winner.
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oh no worries man. no rush to move it along so if you get bored of your octatrack and find yourself in the market for an X let me know!
I did actually consider adding a force to my potential trades but I think it might be too similar and I’d rather shake things up completely. Plus I’ve got a launchpad and a solid computer so I think I’d end up in your position @djadonis206
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I am a long time MPC user. Started with a 2000XL, 2500, then Live and Live 2. I loved the older MPC workflow. But since getting a Force i have not looked back. It is a for sure evolution of the MPC and a really good one. Can do just about everything the X can but can do more. I just find the clip workflow better for me. And it integrates with Ableton by exporting ALS files that are ready to go. I use the Force as my satellite Ableton for my creative hardware area. record clips and get my song ready then bounce to Ableton. I vote trust your heart
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I should also note i too have an OT i use with it. And a Digitakt. I personally find doing everything on Elektron devices to be more fun and creative but the Force is such a beast and so helpful i keep it in the mix. and its on board soft instruments arent bad at all and provide good content for the OT.
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