Yep you were on the right track. I do find the Force more confusing than my previous Mpc Live and One.
Thereās a few things I still have not tried, but sound amazing on paper:
- Envelope follower, so far only tried it with 1 parameters, āsidechainingā a filter to the kick;
- Crossfader mapped to slices: Iād like to sample multiple loops from the M:Cycles, slices it to 4th then play around with the crossfader. (In my mind this could be great) maybe also mapped to slices and effect parametersā¦
Iām just lazy and I feel I barely scratched the surface of the Force.
I must admit I was bitter about Akai but they did turn it around.
1 Like
I always felt daunted by the Octatrack and never looked forward to learning or using it. I liked what it did but not how you went about doing it.
I feel totally different about the Force. Really excited and inspired by the scope of itās capabilities as a self contained environment and workstation.
Itās going to take forever for me to go through it all, but what a machine to lose yourself in.
1 Like
Force software could use some optimization. GPU is underpowered. Clock is sloppy. Like the Maschine+, itās based on Linux with a general-purpose processor, not dedicated DSP like the Elektrons, so Iām interested in how well NI codes it. Just like software on Windows, Mac, or iOS, some is rock-solid, some sloppy.
1 Like
So, with help on FB weāve managed to bypass this issue. In fact it wasnāt so much of an issue in the end because I was trying to go about doing something that didnāt entirely make sense. Anyway, you can choose not to select tracks when pressing the pad/clip. Instead I just select the track normally by pressing the track button. I can edit that track whilst still launching or stopping other clips etc. Totally bypasses the issue I was having. I was going about it weirdly, so mainly user error causing the glitches. But very glad itās solved. Thanks for everyoneās info and help.
@Leo-iSL Is it Shift > Launch (on the left) & deselect Tapping a clip selects it? Then use the Track buttons at the bottom to switch tracks. Or Shift > Clip (upper-left) to get into Track edit. Thanks.
I think those AIR synth graphics are too fancy for Forceās GPU. If itās a drumkit or keygroup shown in Track Edit - it doesnāt glitch.
You know about pressing Launch + Note at the same time? Or Note + Step Seq? This thing is deep. I didnāt realize that there are 16 env followers, not just 1.
Yes thatās it.
1 Like
Doesnāt do anything on my Force. What are you able to do?
Edit: Ok I got it.
Yep loads of interesting ways of doing stuff. Thanks for pointing those out.
The Ableton Live Set import is, imo, a big deal, but still needs work. Been playing around with Groovebox and Blocs Wave on the iPhone while on the bus and train. Groovebox is so fast making melodies and beats. Export the *.als to Files App. At home, put Force in Storage Mode, connect to iPhone, drag the *.als over. Audio & MIDI clips are arranged perfectly on Forceās grid. Load a Hype synth, point the MIDI track to it.
On the laptop, exporting from Ableton Live - everything is imported - Audio + MIDI clips, Drum Kit samples are automatically loaded into a Drum program, keygroups are auto-created and sustaining sample loops are retained, track colors & names are imported, etc. Arrangement & Session View both look identical to Live. Warp on, etc.
5 Likes
OMG!!! Iāve been messing with the Envelope follower(s) tonight. Any regrets or hankering after another OT, Digitakt is officially over.
3 Likes
video?
1 Like
I just sold my A4 to a guy who was raving about the Force.
Uggggā¦I kind of want one.
My GAS passed for the Machine Plus. But Iāve been eyeing the Force. Intensely.
1 Like
I just canāt believe that you canāt rearrange tracks on the force, such a basic but important thing
Iām in the same boat. Been humming and hawing between the two. I work out of town in camp two weeks at a time so am wanting a dawless piece of kit. I think with the new update Iām gonna go for the force. The + is nice for the synths, but have a Ipad pro that is very underused in the music side. For me the Ipad feeding the force is going to keep me occupied for a very long time!!
2 Likes
This is a pain in the arse for sure. Plus the fact that you canāt insert tracks between others either.
The Force is a bit fiddly going between modes and screens. I can see this as an issue for people that dislike menu diving but now with 3.0.5, from a compositional, performance and sound design point of view this thing is immense.
Elektron gear still feels more streamlined and elegant from an operational point of view, with the Force feeling a bit more rough and rugged. But itās no longer the lesser option for sonic mayhem.
And Iāve still not tried the Pad, Crossfader Macros.
1 Like
Iām starting to hanker after a clip launcher like the Force. Iāve been doing a lot more pre-prepared clip work with Ableton recently. When the venues open again, live sets with something like the Force would potentially be a thing for me.
Iām using a MK1 Live at the minute, which does have clips, but 8 tracks and multiple rows would be much better.
I guess an external controller connected to the Live might go some way to implementing similar?
Iām using the Force mostly as a clip recorder and launcher which makes it feel underused, but then you arrange your clips, sample one shots into drum programs (the new 16 levels mode is great), sample more stuff into an instrument program and keep adding stuff.
It feels really good. Once you start doing more than just a task at a time and start navigating menus, it takes you out of the zone, but there are times when I just fill the matrix with clips in a second, it feels good.
It has cons, I canāt stand programming the internal synths, sampler is a bit limited, step sequencer is clunky and itās no Elektron sequencer at allā¦ but learn it and it gives back a lot. Even though some days I canāt be arsed with using it as more than just a clip launcherā¦
I forgot, the looper is destructive, but can be tons of fun. Like record a sequence, reverse it and record something else on topā¦
You can have more than 8 tracks and rows on the Force. Itās just that the Matrix view shows 8 tracks at a time. You can shift the Matrix view around within the Navigate screen.
You can also have more than the 4-by-4 on the live, but having more rows and columns visible, really helps when playing live imo.
Connecting my APC40 to my MPC Live, gives me fader control over 8 tracks. Really useful I find!
3 Likes