AKAI PROFESSIONAL Force
£1,299
Despite the differences between hardware and software, there’s still room for something in-between the two worlds; hardware that provides a lot of what software offers, but doesn’t feel like a computer. We’re not talking about your dad’s groovebox, though: we want some 21st-century tech with our standalone piece of kit and Force is the latest manifestation of this.
It’s a standalone sampler, sequencer and effects processor with a display, lots of tactility and plenty of connections to the outside world. It also connects to a computer and acts as a controller for Ableton Live, which gives it a unique hybrid status – like a toaster that also makes coffee.
The Force package includes pre-installed content, a printed quick-start manual, power supply (this thing is way too chunky to run off a battery), three MIDI DIN-to-3.5mm jack adaptors and, more unusually, an ethernet cable. It’s physically imposing, weighing just over 3.87kg, and measuring 13.8 x 15.3 x 2.85 inches – definitely at the outer limit of being backpack-friendly.
The Force is much better-looking in reality than online – the standout features are the 6.9-inch (diagonal) touch display, 64 backlit RGB pads, and eight knobs aligned at an angle below the display. This combination makes it possible to view three sets of data at the same time. Alongside these main elements, there’s also a large data-entry dial, crossfader, and a bunch of backlit buttons.
The front edge
