I got mine today, and have only used it for two hours - but fuck yes! I’ve finally found my live instrument. This is it. Lots to learn still, but the first impression couldn’t be better for what I want to use it for. Excellent. Bring on 2021, get people immune and bring on the live shows, I’m ready to play. 
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In 33 years of music making I never felt the urge to perform live. Until I got the Force.
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I’ve been jamming on this for hours now - still lots to learn, and there are definitely some quirks, but this is a game changer for me personally, no doubt. 
And I feel like I’m using that expression genuinely for the first time ever, hehehe.
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I know what you mean, I’m now working on live sets instead of songs.
Here’s one of my rehearsals
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Is there like a forum for this thing? So many questions. I’ve only found a Facebook page for it so far.
The official Akai forum doesn’t really help, mpc forum is a bit shit… The Facebook group Akai Force Users can be quite useful though.
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I agree.
I’m no longer on FB but when I was this group was extremely helpful.
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The facebook groups can be a bit of pain. But sometimes there is good info there.
Akai is prepairing a new forum i think. It is for beta testers only for now.
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Okay to ask here?
In the Step Sequencer (the one in the Main Menu), how do I adjust the modulation level in finer increments? SHIFT+touch does nothing. Precise editing in CLIP>List Edit is tedious.
(btw, adding track mutes and other toggled parameters is easy-n-precise in this mode.)
If you try setting the knob mode to “screen”, i think you can use the q-links for this. Then the shift + knobs should give a finer resolution.
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Where can I find the latest user manual… not version 1.0
I think you can find it if you log into your Akai account. But couldn’t find it when I tried from my phone.
Strange that it should be that hard to find a manual. If you don’t find it I’ll see if I can send you the one I have on my computer.
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A few newb questions for you guys, if you don’t mind me asking.
- Is there some way to get back to default or 0 when using macros (knobs)? I often use them for effects, but “get lost” and can’t find easily back to basically 0. Wish I could just tap a macro knob and it’d go back to the default state.
- Is there any way to sequence chords (with the harmonize feature on) in the step sequencer, or do you have to play and record them in live?
- While in clip launch mode, can you somehow split the pad view and use some part of the pads to play live? I’d like to trigger samples or play notes while also having control over the launch buttons.
- I suppose there isn’t, but asking anyway - is there a way to crossfade between two audio clips when launching? So say I’m playing clip 1, launch clip 2, can there be some sort of crossfade between them?
- Can you “detach” specific clips from the “launch” grid? Let’s say I launch a scene/row, but one specific track isn’t affected by the launching, for instance.
- Good feature request.
- afaik, Step Seq input is mono only, but I haven’t made sense of its various modes yet.
- Hold LAUNCH and press NOTE. (On the left).
- afaik, automatically - no. There is Legato play between clips, but I don’t believe that’s what you’re asking for? (Manual page 20.) There’s Fade In/Out per audio clip, but again, not the same.
- Hold EDIT and press the pad. ‘Launch quantization’ options. Or in the Clip View at the bottom of the screen.
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I reckon Force is the best sampling hardware on the market with version 3.05
Move over SP16 and Octatrack -Force is the new king!
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I still want an OT again for the more experimental stuff. Force’s step seq is frustrating if you’re use to Elektron. Plus no p-locks, probability, step conditions, time sigs…those are ‘fake-able’ on the Force, but requires lots of clips and…math.
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Force is awesome, but octatrack still wins for real-time sample manipulation.
Once force allows sample start, rate, etc to be assigned to the crossfader, well…
My feature request (aside from the above) would be for multiple arrangements in one project.
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I think Force has the best sound compared to the samplers ive owned -MPC-X/Octatrack, SP-16,DJS-1000. the converters Akai have used seem better than the MPC-X ones
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