Force 3.1.1 Firmware Update
Compatibility
This is a firmware update.
FirmwareThis release is for Force hardware.
Downloading the Update
To download the 3.1.1 Firmware Update, navigate to the Force product page and click on
Downloads to find the link:
https://www.akaipro.com/force-forcexus
For instructions on installing the update, please visit our knowledge base article
https://inmusicbrands.force.com/akaipro/s/

New Features
Disk Streaming
Audio files can now be streamed from disk.
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From Preferences > Audio/Export use the Disk Streaming tick box to enable disk
streaming. Now any audio that is loaded or recorded onto an audio track will be
streamed from disk.
A sample can be set to stream from disk or memory. By default, Drum and Keygroupsamples are loaded into memory as this works better for rapid on demand triggeringof multiple simultaneous voices. To change a sample from streaming to memory, go
to the Mode Menu and then tap the Folder icon in the Toolbar to bring up the Project
Overview. From here you can now filter your sample pool to show samples that are
Streaming or those in Memory. Samples streamed from disk are shown with a green
waveform icon and those in memory are shown with a white waveform. To change asample from memory to streaming, push and hold on the sample's name and from thecallout menu choose Stream From Disk. Note: Using streamed samples with Drumand Keygroup tracks can cause performance issues when triggering multiple streamed
voices or triggering samples at high rates.
When the sample list is displayed in a combo box it is now organised into Streamingand Memory hierarchies.
A sample's streaming or memory state is saved and recalled with the project.
If a project is too large to be loaded into memory, Force now loads the project anddisplays the missing samples in the Project Overview with a waveform with a redminus icon. Once enough memory has been freed up, missing samples can then beloaded from the Project Overview screen. Push and hold on a sample's name and fromthe callout menu and choose Load To Memory.

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Note: Disk streaming relies on the performance of the disk you are streaming from.
For best operation we recommend using an SSD drive attached to Force’s internal
SATA port. Once you have saved a project to your SSD drive, your files will stream
from that location. For an unsaved project Force uses a temporary file location tostream audio files from. For best operation go to Preferences > Project Load/Save andset the Temporary File Location field to your SSD drive.
Note: Removing storage media that contains your Temporary File Location will revert
temporary file storage to Force’s own internal default location. To restore the use of
the external directory, a user must remount their storage media and reboot Force.

Buses (Submixes/Returns/Masters) can now be automatedOn all buses you can now :•••••••

Automate parameters. The recording, playback and editing of automation follows thesame workflow as other tracks.
Create, record, or play clips containing automation data.
Record automation from clips into Arrange.
Select a bus like a normal track to view, edit and input your automation.
Push the MASTER button or Master f-key to select buses and view automation inArrange.
Double tap on a bus track header to bring up the Track Settings dialogue from here
you can rename the bus, or change the color of the track header.
FX Racks and their FX Rack knob assignments now work on buses.

USB class audio support••

Use any class compliant USB audio interface with your Force. From the TUI go to thePreferences > Audio Device section and choose your USB soundcard from the audio
device field.
To use up to 32 simultaneous inputs and outputs: Preferences > Audio section tick themax input/output setting. Note that increasing the number of simultaneous inputs andoutputs will increase CPU overhead, and that for performance reasons sample rate islocked to 44.1 kHz.

New Plugin Instruments :•AIR Mellotron - The AIR Mellotron is a software recreation of the classic tapekeyboard.
o Key features :§ 6 Tape Sets of the original Choir, Flute and Strings tape samples.
§ Dirty and cleaned versions of the original tapes.
§ Change the Formant, Age and Sample Start of the sample set.
§ Key on and key off samples.
§ 30 factory presets.
§ Gorgeous touch interface.
§ Built in Effects§ New AIR Flavor - distort and transform your patches into lo-fi
heaven all inside a single multi-effect. Apply EQ simulations ofradios, phones and tape machines to dramatically change the••timbre of a patch, distort, add noise and tape flutter to access arange of lo-fi treatments.
§ AIR Compressor§ AIR Four band EQ§ AIR Spring Reverb§ AIR Delay
AIR Solina - The AIR Solina is a software recreation of the classic string machine.
o Key features :§ Split or Layer, pan and balance sampled versions of the originalcontrabass, cello, violin, viola, trumpet, horn layers more flexibly thanon the original classic instrument.
§ LFO for vibrato effects.
§ Formant, Filter and Age parameters to further shape the sound.
§ 75 factory presets.
§ Gorgeous touch interface.
§ Built in Effects§ AIR Flavor§ AIR Chorus§ AIR Four band EQ§ AIR Spring Reverb§ AIR Delay
WayOutWare Odyssey - The WayOutWare Odyssey is a faithful reproduction of theanalog classic. The Odyssey captures the character and nuance of the original using
WayOutWare’s experience and expertise in circuit modeling and signal processing.
o Key features :§ Dual oscillator, LFO, Sample and Hold, Ring-mod, high-pass and low
pass filters.
§ Circuit modeled oscillators and filter.
§ Gorgeous touch interface.
§ Expression pedal modulation, velocity and channel pressure support.
§ The WayOutWare Odyssey contains many enhancements over theoriginal Odyssey§ Use the Odyssey mono, duophonic or as a polyphonic synthwith up to 4 simultaneous voices.
§ A faithful reproduction of the classic 1970s movable head tapedelay.
§ 150 factory presets.
§ All parameters can be automated.

New AIR Vocal insert effects suite•••

AIR Vocal Tuner - pitch correction for natural sounding or hard tuned vocal effects.
AIR Vocal Harmonizer - a four part vocal harmonizer effect. Create realistic four part
vocal harmonies or complex doubling effects. Each part has its own level, delay,formant, mode and interval parameters.
AIR Vocal Doubler - create realistic vocal doubles or add width and thickness to avocal line.

New AIR insert effects

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AIR Half Speed - quickly create half speed versions from any input material with thismust have contemporary effect. Filter the processed audio using the built in high passand low pass filters to create more dramatic transitions. Use the Fade In and Outparameters to create tempo synchronized transitions between the dry and effectedaudio.
AIR Stutter - a mind blowing glitch effect plugin capable of a wide range of volume,
pan and pitch stutter effects.
AIR Diode Clipper - when used subtlety adds a type of distortion thats perfect foradding a bit more flavour and grit to drum breaks, when used aggressively the Diode
Clipper is capable of distorted mayhem.
Improved AIR Diffuser Delay - the Diffuser Delay adds Low Cut, Width, Sync andPan parameters to improve the flexibility of this amazing delay effect.
AIR Limiter - A lookahead limiter perfect for mastering or mixing.

New Akai insert effects••

Akai Granulator - process your audio in new and creative ways. Granulator turns yourincoming audio into grains which can be looped, pitch shifted and manipulated.
Akai Sample Delay - a utility delay plugin, delay percussive material by small
increments to loosen percussion elements, add stereo width to any input material bydelaying the left and right channels by different amounts.

Drum and keygroup improvements
Drum and keygroup engines and TUI have been significantly reworked to add more featuresand improve the ergonomics of the editors.
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Akai sample tail - After chopping drum breaks or samples the ends of the chops
often don't decay smoothly and contain abrupt endings that sound unnatural. You can
now quickly add an extra tail to any chopped sample. On a drum track from the Track
Edit > TUI > Samples tab use the Tail Length parameter to give your chops a naturalsounding smooth decay. Tweak the Tail Loop parameter to small values for delayeffects or longer times for more obvious looping effects.
Drum and Keygroup envelopes now have adjustable curve parameters for each timestage.
Drum and Keygroups now have a dedicated Pitch envelope.
Drum / Keygroup tracks now have a new randomization section. Add subtle
variation to drum or keygroup samples by randomizing volume, pan, pitch, filter,sample offset and envelope parameters. On a hi-hat sample in a drum track try adding
a small amount of volume, pitch and attack randomization to create the illusion ofeach note having a different hi-hat sample assigned. This is great for making acoustic
drum samples sound more realistic.
You can now quickly mangle your samples with a range of quick access drumeffects. From Track Edit go to the Drum FX tab (second page of Effects) there arenow eight effects slots with RingMod, Bitcrush, Decimator, Tubedrive, SoftClipper, Hard Clipper, Lowpass, Rectifier, Wavefolder, BassEnhancers,
StereoWidth and Gain effects blocks.
The Drum and Keygroup Sample Play parameter now has the option for Note Offtriggering.
Keygroup Track Edit now has portamento Time, Quantise and Legato parameters.

Key detection
After loading a new audio file, Force will now automatically calculate the key of a sample.
Load an audio file that contains melodic content, on the TUI the Sample edit, Key Field
displays the detected key. You can also see the detected key in the Track Edit > Samples tab.
As you transpose a sample using the Track Edit Semi field the key will update to show you
the transposed samples key.

MIDI & CV track improvements
From MIDI Track > Track Edit you can now edit the continuous controller and string
assigned to each control. Your custom parameter names/assignments can be saved andrecalled with a track. If you have an external synth whose parameters respond to continuous
controller MIDI messages you can now create a simple editor for it. Assign the continuous
controllers in the order you want and label them according to the synth parameter theycontrol. You can now save that MIDI track and load it into any Force Project to reuse it
again.
CV tracks can now be set to Melodic or Drum operation. When set to Melodic CV tracks
behave as per previous Force versions, when set to Drum you can now configure any pad tooutput on any CV port.

MIDI Learn Project
You can now learn all automatable parameters from Force to a MIDI controller.
From the Mode menu go to MIDI Learn. From the left hand side of the TUI choose theautomation parameter you want to control. To control that parameter using a MIDI controller,from the toolbar turn Learn On and then move the physical control on your MIDI hardware tolearn it.

Load MIDI Files
You can now load MIDI files into your Force session.

Further enhancements:•••••

From the Browser you can now filter your file list to show just plugin instrument
presets.
You can now show your Wi-Fi password in Preferences.
If Loop is on, pressing SHIFT + STOP now sets the playhead position to Loop Start.
From the Mode Menu you can now access New Project, Save, Project andPreferences.
Note Config settings, TC settings and track rec arm states are now saved and recalledwith the project.

Stability and reliability
Arrange View••

Bouncing to audio track now adds sample to the new track
Locate: Set Loop by Location is now functionally and cosmetically Off by default

Automation••••

For Drum and Keygroup tracks, Layer 1-4 Slice parameters can now be automated in
Grid View or Step Sequencer
Grid automation lane name field now updates correctly when changing modes
When entered with a compatable MIDI controller, aftertouch events will now be
visible in grid automation panels
Trash icon no longer appears active when no automation data exists to be trashedBrowser•Default numbered folder shorcut locations have been corrected

Grid - Melodic•

Active keyboard panel notes will now follow any note transposition changes correctly

Insert Effects•••Half Speed’s behaviour will no longer be offset when launched in a new session
Effect TUI will now disappear correctly after undoing effect insertion
All effects that can sync with tranport will sync with transportLooper•

UI and audio are now in sync for all waveform drawing

Macros•••••Macros saved with a track will now reload correctly
Copy From Existing Macro > Replace now replaces all assignment information
When scrolling through modes, macros with more than one assignment will retain thecorrect values
Knobs Track Mode assignments are no longer lost when copying a track
When a CV parameter is linked to the envelope follower, output is now smoother

Memory Handling•

CPU and MEM labels in the pull down menu have been corrected

MIDI Sync

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Recording with a precount to external devices should now sync correctly

Note Mode•

Pads will now light correctly when first assigning a drum sample to a padPlayback•

Clip legato will now behave correctly when triggered while another clip is preparing
to launch

Plugin Instruments••

DrumSynth:Multi - Reverb is no longer applied by default to the Delay signal path
DrumSynth: Multi’s Knobs Screen and Track Mode parameter OLED displays andcontrols have been restoredTime Correct•

Bar division markers no longer overlap when TC is set to 1/1

Track Edit•

Sample Start/End parameters should now be adjustable via knobs without issues

Tracks - CV•

CV Out values no longer display changes erratically on the UI when adjusted withtouch or data dial

Undo History••Step Sequencer no longer creates too many individual undo events when editing stepparameters
Undoing copy track over an exsting track now restores previous clips

Known issues•••••

When a clip is looping, repeatedly recording short notes over one another can causenotes' on/off states to be incorrect, resulting in longer notes being sequenced thanwere recorded
An internmittent crash has been observed when selecting the Output 1/2 track header
in the Arrange view
When time stretching a sample in Sample Edit, a portion of the end of the audio
generated is cut off
Track and Track FX mode macros may not populate OLEDs correctly when reloaded
When first navigating to Knobs Screen Mode within Sample Edit, OLEDs for theChop page parameters appear blank•Beat Repeat automation on Output channels is not playing back correctly