Akai Force 3.5 is now in public beta and brings MPC 3 functionality and compatibility with the latest Akai/Air Music Tech/NI plugin releases.
Last July, Akai announced MPC 3, a massive free OS upgrade for its standalone MPC workstations. One thing immediately stood out at the time: The Akai Force was left out. Many assumed the Force was an end-of-life. Akai responded by saying an update for the Force would be released in the future. This is now a reality.
Akai has just dropped Force 3.5 (beta), a free firmware update introducing the MPC 3 OS to its grid-based groovebox.
Akai Force 3.5
It’s taken almost a year, but the Akai Force 3.5 firmware is now available for download as a public beta. The new 3.5 update completely overhauls the operating system, as was already the case with the standalone MPCs. More importantly for Force users, the latest firmware brings compatibility for all plugins.
Force now supports the latest plugin releases from AIR, Akai, and Native Instruments, including Sub Factory, LoFly Dirt, Delay Pro, and many more. You can see and activate them in the preferences.
The new Force 3.5 also includes all the news from the MPC 3 OS update, including the new, more modern look. Highlights include support for STEM separation (license required), tempo automation, MPC sequences, and advanced key groups.
STEM separation allows you to split tracks into distinct stems: vocals, bass, drums, or other instrument elements. The process will enable you to isolate vocals from tracks, discover new drum breaks, and more.
MPC Sequences and Advanced Key Groups
Force now also supports MPC sequences, bringing two new powerful modes: next sequence mode and song mode. The “Next Sequence Mode” let you record different clip matrix performances into separate sequences.
You can seamlessly move between sequences using the new mode, comparing and contrasting your arrangement. Your clip matrix remains consistent across all sequences, letting you experiment freely.
The new song mode allows you to use sequences as modular building blocks for your song (intro, verse, chorus…). You can chain sequences together in any order to create full arrangements.
Another major new feature is the advanced key group synthesis engine. Load any MPC2 or Force key group and go to track edit. From the TUI Toolbar, click the LEGACY button OFF. Force preserves your existing sample keymap but switches out the legacy key group Synthesizer for the new Advanced Keygroup engine.
The new engine has a dual filter section with parallel or series configurations, advanced envelopes (global or per-voice), multiple LFOs, note counter modulation, timbreshift, unison/harmonizer, portamento, and more. Other new features are:
- each note event can now contain a modifier value for each modifier type (modifiers in drum and key group track)
- modifiers playback mode with absolute or relative values
- warp algorithm choice: timestretch or repitch for sync audio to Force tempo
- new record launch mode: record to selection
- fast sample loading
- export drum pads as separate stems
- sliced to audio track
- new main mode
- arranger tab
- and more
Akai also released a new Force plugin bundle with various synths (Jura, Ring the Alarm, Sub Factory), and effect processors (Lo-Fly Dirt, Jura Chorus, SoftClipper, Delay Pro, and Flavor Pro)
First Impression
Many already thought the Akai Force was discontinued and would not receive any more updates. This is excellent news for Akai Force users.
The new Akai Force 3.5 firmware is available now in public beta. Akai Force Bundle with eight plugins available now for an introductory price of $99,99 instead of $649,99. There is also a Spring sale on the plugins at Plugin Boutique
More information here: Akai
Available at my partner
the only problem is that MPC 3 OS is broken and has numerous known bugs… as well as missing features from previous versions
its actually quite a horrible situation for users
I’m pretty sure the Akai team can only focus on one OS at the same time. The focus right now seems to be on the release of Force OS. The other one will surely be fixed in the near future.
there is no Force OS. The Force is running MPC OS and in the future Akai has to maintain onlyone OS.
it’s not 100% the MPC OS otherwise they would release it at the same time as the other MPC updates. There is always a delay between them as the OS on the Force is a slightly modified MPC OS that hosts the few extras of the Force hardware that’s why I called it Force OS.
In daily work with MPC3 the bugs do not disturb my productivity. I know there are some bugs, but I don’t see them. Sometimes it’s annoying that currently the system is fixed to a 4/4 time signature, that is a little bit frustrating.
However, the overall experience is great, there is so much you get with these products and the new arrangement view is really quite comfortable to work with, while I still have problems selecting events in the grid.
Currently I am A/B testing / comparing with Elektron Digitakt II and while there are some rough edges it is very impressive how much more you get even with a cheap MPC One. I am surprised about the high quality of the plugin synths and the very professional effects, missing that painfully on the DT. After a few days with the MPC it is quite hard to understand why a Digitakt II is more expensive and I am constantly feeling ripped off by the Swedish guys… 🙂 Very strongly missing velocity sensitive pads, the Elektron computer keyboard feels so very wrong. Velocity is such an important musical expression and it feels so stupid to cut that away from an already very limited user interface.
But I have to say that the strict uniformity of the Elektron gear makes it possible to get very fast and use it more like an instrument, this aspect Akai still has not fully understood, too much jumping around to different places and some plugins could be better integrated to the point that it’s just ridiculous, like Drum Synthesizer. Still sounds great.
Bringing MPC3 to Force is HUGE. If Akai keeps up with giving lot of love to developers and will fix the bugs and annoying things then it will be very hard for any other groovebox to compete.
I really have no words. Don’t expected that. Now it’s time to swipe the dust from it 😉