I have pointed out that the MPC Key 37 can sequence directly via USB/MIDI, so if one of the models can sequence via USB/MIDI but not the rest of them then it’s neither philosophy nor tech, it’s purely for commercial reasons.
1 Like
As has already been pointed out - the MPC Key 37 can send USB-MIDI just like any MIDi controller from the past 20 years, yet it’s using the exact same SoC as the original MPC Live and all the other MPC’s, so - no - it’s not because of that. Also, need I remind you that “Class Complaint” (lmao… and I use that term in jest) USB Audio support came out years - YEARS - after the new generation MPC’s arrived. All of the new gen MPC’s and Force just run on top of a custom build of Linux. The fact that they’re all “sort of computer” was purely an economical choice. They use the SoC among a plethora of products in the Innnnnnnmusic umbrella brand. They knew it would be easy to plop their OS on top of an ARM supported Linux box, they knew it would be relatively easy to keep writing new features and support, and they knew they could keep releasing updated plugins and effect, create a store ecosystem, and start getting a cash return on all of the new effects and plugins instead of giving them away from free and generating zero revenue.
We could absolutely get proper USB-MIDI as well as bi-directional USB-Audio (such as Elektron’s Overbridge, etc) if they’d just write it into the OS. It’s purely to keep the models separate from each-other feature-wise.
2 Likes
That guy doesn’t work for Akai. He was talking about a new version of the MockbaMod that let you use up to 32 audio/plugin tracks - not all at the same time, but in 1 project. I don’t really know if I want them two merge both OS. There some MPC features that I want, but most of those wouldn’t make the Force feel like a MPC like Tap sample, Stems & MPC-like song mode - but I take the clip follower feature over that.
This the link to the follow up of the big new video, but the info about it is on the MockbaMod Discord: https://youtube.com/shorts/dDmDEdPhv_8?si=kEEv_plcK3Ye-REB
I do. I want a 100% completely unified MPC/Force OS. I want to be able to open my MPC Projects on my Force, and want to be able to open my Force Projects on my MPC - and have zero issues. I want the Force clip matrix on my MPC, and I absolutely want tracks to behave on my MPC like they do on my Force. And I also want clip follow - and it’ll arrive in the big update that unifies the two OS. Watch. Akai aint done, not by a long shot.
1 Like
OK, that make sense, but it seems like more changes would have to be made on the MPC to accommodate the clip-matrix. If most ppl realized that scenes are the same the working with sequences & that menu optional then maybe it will work out well. Can’t we already open up MPC project on the Force?
It’s like the Force the MPC from the future, but most MPC heads are stuck in their ways & Akai didn’t help with the bad way they released it & the lack of showing how similar the Force is to the MPC.
Also, me nor nobody here indicated that Akai was done with the Force other than you telling me that there’ll be no new Force. I think there will be a mk2, just not until the new gen MPC come out, but I’m not in a rush for it. All the Force needs are more QOL updates & some of those MockbaMod features.
Yeah, I am 100% certain there will be no new Force - sorry. 
That’s not to say there won’t be a new MPC with Force-like features, though. Anyway, I just grabbed a Digitakt II so, time to jam with that.
I second the recommendation for the 3d Waves Force stand. To me, it was definitely worth the money. I ended up selling my Force to pay bills. But I kept the stand, just in case I ever acquire a Force once again.
1 Like
As much as I want to hate on the size of the box and strangely positioned screen, the Force is hands down the most “get it done and have fun” box I have.
I have a few “have fun” boxes, but the Force actually gets the rest of the job done for me.
I also positioned it front and center on my desk and my chair sits up a little high so…everything is viewable and accessible - and once those two things are good for me - I’m just jamming away
2 Likes
Link: https://youtu.be/r3sEy8Uf9yk
“Urban Knight#04” by Harlem-Instrumental
Akai Force: Plugins Synths
Boss SP-505: Drums
MIDI Keyboard: Arturia Keylab 88mk2 (Hammer Action)
Recorded: 2024-05-07
Camera: Panasonic G9
This beat is a remake from 2003 a beat I made with the Boss SP-505 & Yamaha PSR-77 (a very basic GM MIDI keyboard that didn’t even have MIDI ports). I messed up the files of the first of 3 SmartMedia memory cards & lost a lot of the SP-505 samples, but it still had the Pattern & MIDI data. Around Black Friday of 2022 I took advantage of a sale for a cheap little boombox if you can even call it that. I mainly wanted it to play old cassette tapes from the late 90s & early 2000s of Underground Hip-Hop radio shows Used to record in NY like: Future Flavas, The Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show, DJ Clue & my favorite, The Half-Time Radio Show.
Anyway, in the box that had the tapes I found 3 of my old beat cassette tapes from 2003-2004. I didn’t know these were in there that whole time (it felt like finding missing kids). There was about 65-70 beats. Most of them from my first hardware unit the Boss DR-202, which died & I lost most of the its beats. Side B of the last tape had 11 beats from the SP-505. The last track was “Urban knight”. All this made re-buy the SP-505 soon after. My first 1 got messed years ago. In 2023 I started moving all the 505 beats (about 45) to the Force. TEDIOUS SHIT! But I’ll save that story for another day…
Thankfully, I was able to use the tape to remake the beat by playing each part into the Force with its plugin synths. The kick & snare I sampled from the tape & that’s why they sound so dirty. Luckily, I still had the MIDI sequence data for the drum pattern, which made it easy to redo. Once I remade everything, I started to jam with the piano track & came up with something dope, but the bass track was too aggressive, so I made a new bass pattern, which is the lowest octane piano part that repeats. I ended up making a new sketch beat with mutes & had the original main piano melody part on loop, but I didn’t record a video.
I recorded a new version before this one in the video, which came out cool, but I like this one better - so that why this is #04. Neither #03 or #04 has the original bass-line & main piano melody, but it’s melodic essence is still there. Maybe in the future I’ll release the other versions when I make the final version for SP-505 album. This is still just an unmixed/mastered sketch recorded in the camera & I don’t mind the piano playing mistakes.
3 Likes
So why Akai didn’t do it? - I tried to answer this question… I think they chose to make MPC a USB-MIDI/AUDIO host rather than class compliant USB-MIDI/AUDIO device. You can do both and you can not. We need someone to interview AKAI reps to uncover some interesting things for us. It can be even a commercial secret 
So we can only guess…
I already answered this in the sentence after the quote you lifted:
I mean, we’re all just subjectively guessing here. Only Akai truly knows, but I seriously doubt they would ever explain why to us or anyone else.
But I’m a random guy on the internet, they have to tell me.
None of the current MPC models have USB-AUDIO/MIDI, what are you talking about? How did it help to separate MPC One form MPC Live2?
You are incorrect. The new MPC Key 49 supports USB-MIDI, and you can use it as a bog standard USB MIDI controller. You can’t do that on any of the other MPC’s or Force. Yet they all use the same SoC.
1 Like
Is it really that big of a deal that you cant use the Force as a usb midi device? I just use the akai network midi driver for all midi info to and from my computer.
reckon is pretty dumb IF they could have easily added it but chose not to
but who know maybe there is some HW limitation I don’t understand preventing this
for my workflow it would be so handy to just plug in one usb cable to send/review midi to other devices (like is possible with the MPC Key 49 or any of many other devices these days)
asis is an annoying workaround to have to use a custom driver and have ethernet cables mixed up among all my other audio/midi cables, big thumbs down on that one
likewise having to plug in an additional midi interface to provide usb midi SMH
I mean, not really if you’ve got other MIDI controllers or otherwise don’t see value in using Force as a bog standard general MIDI controller, but the whole point of my response to Novitchok was to explain that these are choices made purely on a software level and to differentiate product lines. Akai could absolutely write the software to fully support USB-MIDI (as a general controller) as well on all MPC’s as well as the Force, and probably full bi-directional USB-Audio as well if they wanted to. Why they haven’t is a mystery, though.
Yes because it has keys. It would be stupid to not to include USB-MIDI… I don’t like the fact that there is no USB Audio rather than USB Midi in my Force.
So the Keys 61 is stupid. It has more keys, cost more but don’t have that feature. I agree it’s stupid not to include it. Hopefully all the new models will have it. Even better if they add that feature to the current models. If that’s even possible.