AKAI Force

The Lounge Other Gear
#2179

Of course, it’s this simple. :joy:

Because I just loaded a bunch of samples in without assigning them, I was in the sample edit window looking for a ‘Convert to’ command… but the actual method makes total sense now I think about it.

I’ve passed a tipping point in the last week or so of feeling like the Force has final clicked for me, after owning it for 12 months.
Everyday is a new discovery and I’m digging how the muscle memory and speed of use is kicking in.

A big part of this for me has been getting a good physical positioning of it… I bought a mobile laptop trolley that’s height and angle adjustable, and that’s helped a lot.

Anyone else think there’ll be a Force 2? Probably with the MPC X tilt screen?

#2180

No I don’t. Not enough MK1’s being sold to warrant a second generation. The money makers are the MPC One and Live 2.
Investors are not getting the return they want from this line of hardware.

I think they will keep it going for another two years, leap frogging feature updates with the MPC line, keeping interest up until they have sold however many units to clear out stock of the Force parts they have on hand.

Then they will introduce new entry level and mid-tier MPC’s further improving on their hot ticket items, the One and Live. Meanwhile, they will have AI driven software scouring the forums and other internet conversations to give real-time data on talk of the Akai Force platform.

If this AI data collection reaches a certain threshold of interest and mentions, they will then release a 64 pad, 10-20 Q-link enabled accessory meant as an add-on to their new MPC line that will unlock the arranger style GUI and clip launching capabilities, plus X/Y pad effects on the MPC’s, which will drive further sales of the both the new MPC lineup and the 64 pad Force-like accessory.

Time will tell though.

#2181

Hahah that’s excellent - yeah, it took a while to click for me as well, but now it’s pretty much my favorite go-to as a studio hub.

Sadly, I’m pretty much in agreement with this. It’s sad because Force really is a brilliant production machine, with no other boxes out there that really compete with it. I was really hoping we’d see a hardware re-fresh at some point. :frowning:

2 Likes
#2182

I’m not sure you fella’s are right on this… look at the development of the firmware and where it’s at now, especially with the addition of the arranger, Akai are deep into the Force as a platform and the hardware only needs a slight tweak to be able to draw in a load of existing users wanting to upgrade and a bunch of new users basically wanting a standalone Ableton.
There’s more firmware updates coming, it makes sense to do another hardware interface that reflects the feedback they’ve had on the current Force.

#2183

I wish I could share your positive outlook at a potential hardware refresh, but taking into consideration it took them years to get MPC Key 61 to market (and that was after they had considered a Force Key 61, which was abandoned over the MPC)… I just don’t see that happening. Would love to be wrong though!

#2184

Like I said, they need to keep doing this to keep interest up in order to clear the shelves of what they have in both units and parts, then cut and run back to their moneys makers.

I wish they’d do another, I’m a big force fan, owned it since a couple months after it’s release. But it’s clearly not a big seller. A smart company will cut the fat.

#2185

It doesn’t have to be a big seller - it just needs to sell. Also, not sure where you got the clearing the shelves thing from - Force is in active production.

#2186

Yes I never said it wasn’t still in production. Nowhere did I say that.

They need to keep firmware developments going, which is a sales tactic, to move the units they have planned to make, then discontinue it.

I ‘got it’ from understanding basic manufacturing and sales practices. ‘Just selling’ enough does not lines investors pockets with profits.

#2187

Ya kinda did, but no one cares… :smile:

Here… this implies it’s not in production, which it is I believe.

I work in this exact field, in the MI industry, not at Akai’s level/size, and you understand that not all products are home runs sales wise, but they form a part of the overall company/brand identity. The only time you drop a product completely is if it’s bombed (‘bury your dead’ is the saying), and I think the Force is far from that.

Anyway, I think we would all like/want the same thing, so no point dwelling on this as we’ve got no control, just speculation.

1 Like
#2188

^^ THIS ^^

Force has been in production approaching 5 years (came out February 2019) - pretty certain they’d have stopped production and cleared them shelves a while ago if it wasn’t worth keeping around. And judging from what’s coming in the next Force firmware update, they certainly have plans for it! :wink: :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#2189

I care. I care that my words are represented correctly. The Akai Force is a current product, on sale at a local or online retailer.

Anyone interested in buying one can purchase it. Nowhere has it been said that the item is discontinued.

I like speculating, it’s fun, so there is certainly a point to it. If a team member walked into my office at InMusic and told me that a product was ‘selling enough’, I’d instantly demote them and put them in charge of selling generic midi keyboards to school programs out of a dingy back office in the basement.

I’d definitely cut their pay, and find someone who will turn a profit for the investors. Id take their red stapler as well.

I can speculate the investors would want me to do that, and not just settle for ‘they are selling enough.’

#2190

#ARMCHAIR_CEO_FIGHT - go!!!

2 Likes
#2191

There is Akai Force 3.2 update for download on their site, but no release notes.

1 Like
#2192

Overview of 3.2 features here

2 Likes
#2193

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They just want to sell more addon-plugins :stuck_out_tongue: I wonder that it took so long.

1 Like
#2194

Well, they’ve brought most of the last MPC updates over (I’m happy to get probability on the Force, as well as Flavor), and there’s a few nice Force specific updates, like Track Re-Order and Automation Snapshots.

Am I living in dream world thinking they’ll ever bring Scene Tempo to the Force?

1 Like
#2195

It’s not just new plugins for (optional) purchase; it’s also some NEW FREE effects (Air Flavor, Amp Sim, and the other free effect stuff that came with the last big MPC update) as well as sequencer probability and ratcheting. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

2 Likes
#2196

Automation Snapshots is really good and worth checking out if you haven’t yet… I think it’s the jewel of 3.2 tbh.

Hold Edit and hit the Launch button to get the row/scene you want to lock, and hit ‘Take Snapshot’ from the options.

This is kind of like the CTRL+ALL function of Elektron… so once you have took your snapshot you can alter any of your tracks parameters… filter sounds, max your sends, fade your kick, etc… when you re-launch the row, all your settings come back.

Also amazing, you can copy your rows and give them different automation snapshots and have multiple versions of the same scene but different starting mixes… it’s great for builds, drops and transitions. And, it’s really easy to just keep updating your scene snapshots as you go along.

Nice job Akai! :+1:

6 Likes
#2197
2 Likes
#2198

Hey to all. Can you tell me, is there any way to UNsync clip launching?
I’m talking about something like tape loops style of work on device