Akai Professional Introduces Force Standalone Production Instrument

Akai Professional has unveiled its new standalone Force music production/DJ performance device, with clip launching, step sequencing, sampling, synths and a 7-inch multi-touch display. As per Akai, Force is designed for the user who wants a standalone product with the latest in modern workflow techniques, free from being connected to the computer.

Force features an 8x8 RGB clip launch matrix, a 7-inch full-color touch-capacitive multitouch display, 8 touch-sensitive knobs with graphical OLED displays, two audio inputs, four audio outputs, MIDI and CV I/O. Together, this comprehensive versatility affords the user an unprecedented degree of creative freedom and expression, while remaining totally free of the constraints of being tethered to a computer.

Additional features include time stretching/pitch-shifting in real time, a comprehensive set of on-board effects by AIR Music Technology, plus the TubeSynth, Bassline and Electric synth engines. It also boasts an additional synth called Hype, a preset and macro-based synth combining several different synth engines into a single easy-to-use package. Force also has the ability to record eight stereo tracks.

"Force is aptly named, since this unit truly delivers a new level of creative force and energy to the music production/DJ performance world,” said Dan Gill, Akai Professional Product Manager. “With its Ableton Live-style workflow, 8x8 clip launch matrix, touch-sensitive knobs with graphical OLED displays and 7-in multi-touch display and total freedom from the computer, users will experience a degree of creative expression and spontaneity they simply can’t find anywhere else.”