This is what i was always hoping from back then when i played live with Ableton crashing on stage more than once. If you ever played in front of a crowd you start to value other things like VST plugs , you only need stability . So, AKAI, keep it like that, do not listen to the free lech community, let us have a rock solid box to fire of clips , tracks and midi loops and you did the best thing ever to the live crowd :)
Sorry, but I don’t quite understand your review. Do you really recommend this device for onstage or is there something better out there to bet your $$$ on?
I've just recently found your channel, and I must say, you've already helped me a lot with problems I'm having when learning about music production. I've just started my journey with mixing and mastering. I've been playing guitar/drums/bass for a while, but the process of making my own stuff from start to finish is relatively new! It seems like such a long road, yet I'm finding it all so interesting. I always thought 'if you want to truly have your own sound, learning to mix and master is the key to achieving that'. I was never happy when I went to studios. I never could fully achieve my own vision of a sound when someone else tweaked my recorded tracks according to their own taste. It seems like absolute ceative freedom when writing songs, only happens when you get into sound engineering. That's why I love the idea of it. Anyway, back to my main point. Thanks for being you, dude. You're an absolute inspiration, who I strive to be like someday. 😎😎
Like a breath of fresh air, one of the most gifted reviewers on the web, makes a bit more sense of this overwhelming product. I get the concept, but would definitely like a more in depth analysis.
Wouldn't be awesome if FL studio came out with a stand alone hardware unit like this that can do everything you do on the pc in FL within that one hardware unit with drum pads like this one ?... I'd grab one in a heartbeat...
Just wish it had a Battery. still gonna get one though. looks like a beast. hats off to Akai for always pushing the boundaries. you know third party plug-ins are coming to Akai's standalone devices in the future sometime. its looking good.
Im glad you mentioned what the word standalone means. A independent device that runs its own processing unit. People seem to confuse that word with battery powered mobile device alot
This is so dope!!! Why are people acting like they can't run the sound from their laptops/computers through this? I see so many people have no creativity in real life. So many solutions to your problems are already there. Modern producers are largely their own technicians. Signal flow principles should be in every modern producers repertoire. How can y'all not see how dope this is?!?!
This is amazing I still create on my MPC 2000XL and have been waiting for AKAI to merge both worlds. I've used Maschine for a while but went back to my MPC because it's I can do much more with it. I can't wait to add this to my studio.
Not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, it looks like it might be quite fun, but on the other it's hard to think of a good reason to use this and not just a laptop. Plus not being able to use third-party plugins seems to make it quite limited.
With this instrument, I could be a radio man with immediate one stop / all gadgets around with me. Woow . THANK you for the Info here, watching from ROMA con AMOR!
It would be really cool if you made a couple of videos of you making a complete song from start to finish. Producing, mixing, mastering, all of it. It would be really informative!
This is my honest review of the Akai Force. I really try to share what it's actually like to use it every day, what the device hardware feels like etc. It is the worlds first standalone music production studio and features everything you need to make music without connecting to a computer
Hello sir iam from india love your work sir...i need some help can you make video...if i have lyrics and tone of that lyrics and i know that its right,how can i put music in it and set the metronome and beats in that song...
@@fencefirst2722 This is NOT a controller ... It's a stand-alone machine with its CPU and SW, internal sounds and virtual devices, etc ... it works without connecting it to any computer !
This channel is sooo underrated. Also more videos on maybe automation and sound design or maybe explaining what the nobs do in fl plugins such as wet, dry, hold, delay, etc.
This guy is perfect ... Perfect reviews talented musician excellent sound engineer perfect voice he's like a robot that really looks human the best AI specimen so far 😎 by the way the Force looks amazing 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Unfortunately it has a very limited RAM spec. 2 gb isn't enough for some complex projects, and knowing Akai it probably isn't upgradable. Great video by the way.
Great, professionally rendered review. Many of us FORCE users would surely appreciate more detailed views of using this amazing device exactly the way you do it! When the FORCE was new to you, you surely met some situations that may have confused you or slowed down the same way us users. I know your time and effort put into making such videos is really demanding and so, please take this comment only as a humble asking that aims to make our occasional FORCE frustration unnecessary...
If you haven't already, could you get Akai to lend you an Akai MpC One to do a review with ? I find your reviews not only to be extremely comprehensive but also fair and honest.
I want to start writing songs using this . When covid hit , all my gigs went away . I'm just not sure , I'm 63- It may be too late to learn how to use it .What is the learning curve for someone revisiting this type of music making ? I had a small midi setup in 1990 ,Back then it was a nightmare .I'm impressed with how far these units have come . - I want to write new songs using all the cool things this can do .
Very good. Good that you make targeted and detailed videos. I'm just seeing your channel and I have to say you're great! Excellent tips and tutorials. I really appreciate that you have subtitles so those who have difficulty with English ( I hahaha) can better understand and translate the whole thing. Thank you so much and keep it up!!!
Excellent video young man. Nice fast delivery, chock full of completely relevant details on this item. I'm certainly going to take a closer look at this unit. I'm interested in using it live, and would love to see another video from you that focusses on using it live. (i.e. - music already produced, but arrangements created on the fly.
please make some more in depth content about this device..I really want something quick that i dont have to worry about standalone computer systems..the less stuff the better...
I've gone full circle with Akai and I agree they have always produced great equipment, I don't think much of the MPC series and prefered to go rack mount and use a controller keyboard....and sequencer....and that's the gig here, pads will never replace the capabilities of a nice keyboard and the screen doen't perform as well as a lappy or desktop, standalone works with guitar pedals and drums but not a sampling machine, that only has 4 outs and 2 xlr ins, this is a great review but really shows the unit to be weak sauce.
You can connect a normal keyboard via MIDI or USB (since it works as a host) to play the instruments using a keyboard. Plus, you dont need to work with just the Force, you can use the force as one (or to replace many) new instrument in your kit. I guess if they fit the unit with a few creativity boosters (realtime midi pattern remix, sequence inverters, parameter locks, random patch generator for synths, etc.) this will become a geeks paradise unit :)
I have an MPC touch and the showing of 1 fx at the time on screen has been there forever and i dont think they will change that :) The latest MPC s/w (2.3) is very stable and nice with the new akai synths. I do have 3 party plugins like different U-he and they are almost as good as they. i sequence and record my analog gear into the mpc s/w and it works great. Only pickle i have is that i miss some updated drumkits because Akai thinks ONLY R&B and rap artists use this device....
That ending is inspiring. Would you make a video on learning instruments such as the guitar? (Maybe a few tips n' tricks) Or maybe a video that talks about your background with learning your instruments?
hey man. first of all great video. it was the one that brought me to the channel and I have loved watching your other videos. please make more videos on Force as I think it is a great thing and that you have a fantastic creative ability and skill in explaining things. thanks a bunch!!!
For me this is a game changer! I use hardware only for my LivePA Techno set. This year I had planned to move away from the laptop. This device makes that very clear now!! Thank you Akai!! ;)
Very impressed by the A/D converters of this machine, club-ready quality, it sounds like a million $ ... I choosed it over the MC-707, which sounds good too but the sound's less fuller in my ears than Force
I think it's an interesting concept, especially having it all in one consolidated package. However I feel as somebody who has come from a DAW side, it still feels more limited. I see this thing more as an instrument rather then a replacement for a DAW. But who knows what direction this will go to. Tighter integration or just easy export options might make this an ideal tool for a first draft or songwriting aspect, which you can then later expand on later in the production cycle.
Honestly I agree with you! Right now it doesn't integrate with my set up but I use it to produce in a way of would never have thought of before, if I get ideas going that I like I will bounce down or run the outputs directly into my Audio interface and record into a session. I've actually done this for a song I'm working on and I'm so glad I started the project on the Force and finished it in the DAW. I'm looking forward to seeing how people fit it into their workflow, I do think it would be great to be able to use a mouse with it, hook it up to a screen etc if you wanted to make it a core station too
Stand alone mode would be cool if you could use third party plugins. I have never used this but I can tell you it’s limited. 16 GB don’t compare to my 660 GB of plugins and sounds from my komplete ultimate bundle. Nice looking device though. Plus I don’t mind using a computer. It’s not a hassle for me.
You can put an SSD or HDD inside, and i would dare you to ask yourself how many of those 660 GB of plugins and sounds you actually used during last year :) Focus is an important matter when producing, and if you pick 100 GB of samples + the internal patches and effects you can program with Force's instruments + fx, then i guess you have sound material for the next 10 years
Nuno Mesquita You are Right there is no way I’ll use all these in sounds and patches in this life but I’m equipped with whatever need when I need it. Native Instruments is top dog. I focus on whatever job needs to be done so having a huge selection doesn’t break my focus if anything it helps it because I know I have whatever I need.
Daz Dee yea I feel you but NI sounds are unrivaled. I’ve gotten several placements using NI. My engineer doesn’t have to do much l. Sampling is cool but time consuming.
Clutch Million valid point, if it’s not got a arrangement page like a daw then it’s not at this stage for me, but I will at least wait for the first update anyway as I always do before I buy .
I think it was great idea of Akai for producing this stand alone device... I do have a mixed feeling about it, in terms of updates and cpu power...This is definitely not meant for every producer. I personaly think you are better off with a good PC with Ableton and a push 2 (or any other daw)... you can update whatever you like, add new plugins etc... and never limited in your creativity or inspiration. The screen is also very small, and for me as a producer I like to see the big picture ;-) I do not see my self scrolling around or playing with a touchscreen for hours in a row... This device is a nice device for sure, and I can imagine me using this, when I am sitting in the sofa, or on my kitchentable to mess around with ideas, but this will never replace my pc with a daw on it... I think if I would purchase this, I will have regrets after a while, but can also imagine their are people who will love this device for sure! Anyway thnk you for the great review!
I have Ableton, my push 2 and MPC Live will be on ebay tomorrow and I pre ordered this yesterday. I don't see how you think you'd be better off with a push 2 and Ableton? This has full standalone capabilities and full intergration with ableton as a controller with song export from March. So you're getting the best of both worlds in one unit. You're not losing any functionality with it?
@@Pupenhausen thank you for open this discussion... This is my personal feeling bout this device, in my case I do not only use stock-plugins, but many VST effects and instruments are also part of my projects, this creates my own way of working, and it is very flexible for me, if I want to change plugins, I can change.... Of course, I would like the Force for sure, but for now, I do not want to bet 1700 Euro for it... Anyway congratulations with your purchase, and I hope you will have lots of fun with this, it looks cool for sure! and I do am interested in your experience about this, so you can always let me know let me know :-) thx mate!
@@johnclarcq9887 I use many VST's as well in Ableton. I suppose it depends what you want from it. I want to be able to knock ideas together when I'm working away then transfer them to Ableton and finish them off there. With no side chain compression as of yet, there's no way I'd be able to finish a tune on this alone. I hope you're wrong, that would be £1500 down the shitter 😂
@@Pupenhausen Yeah I understand! it definitely looks like a very interesting and exciting product for sure, and it is a certain way of working, if it fits perfectly into your creative workflow I am sure you will have alot fun with this :-) let's hope you will make bangers with it ;-) and it's no money down into the shitter 😂
*John Clarcq* I fully agree, one is far better off with a more modular approach, a good PC with additions. But for the moment I consider the Akai Pro Force as a purely commercial idea lacking sound motivation, until someone comes up with a good explanation. The reviewer should have elaborated on this aspect in more detail.
Wow. I guess if you thought it was a lousy device you would not have bothered with it instead of giving a thumbs down review, which is fine. I want to be rich only so i could just buy devices like this without thinking or saving for it. I want to be spoiled. Thanks for another excellent video. Its not only what you say but you do a great job editting and polishing the audio
Thanks, I didn't know it had mic inputs that was helpful. Nor did i know that those pads were organized (in a certain mode) to be the tracks. There are a couple of areas in which I'd like to see more depth. 1) Instruments available -- are there nice strings or horns available, or a vibraphone? 2) Notes -- how do you know order since the pads are not laid out like piano keys.
What I find most interesting from reading comments is that FL Studio users are confused by the workflow and don't understand how amazing the clip launching flow can be and Ableton users are just like YAWN we got the Push2. Very interesting. More interesting is how this will have 100% Ableton integration by March, including saving projects and exporting them into Ableton, and I'm wondering if they even thought/thinking of trying to implement it with FL Studio.
What i find interesting is people actually thinking loading 3rd party vst into any box like this would work at all. Might as well try mount a small form computer to a maschine. The fact everyone requests that like it will be a thing for a unit like this is beyond me.
More.. whole vid just on sample based production. Also I'd like to see how the pads respond to different time signatures. & Using the crossfader for more turntablist style applications.. Good stuff.
I am confused by the lack of inputs or the option to connect an audio interface. This thing would be more than amazing if they had added an ADAT connection at the back. sequence and record any gear in one box would be a huge selling point. As it stands you have to either just record one item or use a mixer and solo the channel you want to sample. Not hard to overcome this limitation, but i was hoping this gonna be an 8-track recorder / sequencer when i saw it the first time.
You could keep that over there. I perfer my Renaissance plus it allows third party plugins and has a phono line input. People forget DJ Producers mainly use the MPC.
Sounds really good, screen is a bit small, maybe they could design it more like a laptop so you can flip the top open and have a bigger laptop size screen. Looks like an imprressive box of tricks none the less
Personally, my creative flow is amplified by limitations. I tend to have more fun and produce better music with only a few plugins and a limited sample libray to choose from. My issue with this device is that I hate touch screens. If I can control/customize the pads and screen with Python or Max like I can with my Push, I'll probably have to pick one of these up for sketching ideas and performing. Thanks for the review 👍
Great video, you are so good with details and the editing is really fantastic. I am still pretty beginner with production but really want something to help me get ideas out more easily. If I had the money I would not hesitate to get this as it looks like everything I want and more but it is super expensive. Do you have any recommendations for cheaper alternatives? I'd really like something standalone but not sure there are such things in much lower price ranges. The Akai MDP226 seems like my best bet right now but I'd really like something that has hardware and software. It is a bonus that it comes with Ableton Live Lite though as I'm still using the trial version of FL and have not yet purchased a DAW. But something dynamic with lots of buttons that can work stand alone would be ideal
It doesn't have an arrangement mode as such, you use the launch mode to create scenes for different parts of a track it's really aimed at production and performance. Of course you can bounce stems or record into a DAW if you want to sequence a full song. I can't wait to see a full arrangement mode on the device and I thought the lack of one was going to be a huge problem for me, but I've sort of found it liberating in a way, for my workflow at least :)
Greetings, Thanks for all you do to help us producers/engineers. What is the Note repeat/Arp range of this new product (Ex:1/4, 1/2.....1/256, dotted, triplets, etc). Can you punch them in on separate buttons as well as dual the value in on a knob?
This may be everything I would need to take my productions to a much higher level. I’m subscribing just to see if you do some more in-depth review/tutorials with the Force. This is my first video of yours (I went searching for reviews the second i got the release email). If this is a good example of your content, I’ll likely stay subscribed regardless. But I am dying to see more of the Force. I really want to know more about it’s real world use case before I make an investment that large. Also considering waiting for used units to start hitting the market. But if it’s as useful as it looks, I may want a brand new one just to peel the plastic off myself . . .
Hey there dude. So, did you buy this device and are you still working with it? Sorry about me asking you a whole year later. I’m just starting out on a journey into this kind of music making and I literally have no clue which thing to buy that is stand alone and won’t crash on stage.....Any suggestions?..
Hi I am a huge fan of your videos, could you please (if there is time) make a video of how a song is built (like bridge and chorus etc)? Maybe others are interested in this too.
Great presentation! I have the MPCX and Live, wished this had the lithium ion battery for use without the AC power if so desired. Still love the unit though! May have to wait awhile to get this one.
i wish one of the 1000s of videos would explain the pads in every mode? i use it with my midi but the layout of pads for notes octaves sharps i see videos with with people using modes other than the record to make tracks i don't understand why the heck no one explains the pads!
