Akai Professional Unleashes FORCE 3.5: A Deep Dive into Standalone Power

Akai Professional’s FORCE 3.5 update arrives as a significant leap for their standalone music production system, introducing a suite of features that directly target creative workflow bottlenecks. The video wastes no time highlighting the open beta status and the intent behind these changes: to empower users to make more music, more efficiently, without needing to tether to a computer. The update borrows heavily from the MPC3 platform, bringing proven tools and interface concepts into the FORCE ecosystem.

Among the headline improvements are the new main mode, enhanced navigation, and a streamlined approach to track and clip management. The demonstration underscores how these changes are not just cosmetic—they’re designed to minimize friction when building up ideas, arranging, and experimenting. The result is a system that feels more responsive and better suited for both studio and live contexts, with a clear emphasis on speed and hands-on control.

FORCE 3.5 takes sequencing to a new level with the introduction of tempo automation, follow actions, and an expanded arrangement system. Users can now create multiple sequences within a single project, each with its own automation and performance nuances—an upgrade from the previous single-arranger limitation. This flexibility allows for alternate versions, creative variations, and the ability to chain sequences together for complex song structures.

Follow actions, borrowed from the MPC lineage, enable clips or rows to trigger each other based on customizable conditions and time intervals. The ability to assign different tempos to individual rows further enhances live performance potential, letting users craft evolving sets with dynamic BPM shifts. These tools collectively transform the FORCE into a much more versatile sequencer, equally at home in DAWless rigs or on stage.

The FORCE 3.5 update doesn’t stop at workflow enhancements—it also delivers substantial improvements to sound design and modulation. Keygroup programs now support up to eight sample layers, dual filters (including creative types like vocal filters), and a full modulation matrix with four LFOs. These additions give users deeper control over timbre, movement, and texture, all from within the standalone interface.

The update also introduces new harmonizer and unison options, expanded envelope controls, and a reorganized utilities section for quick access to portamento, pitch bend, and voice settings. Exporting tracks and stems is now faster and more flexible, making it easier to move projects between hardware and software environments. Altogether, these features position FORCE 3.5 as a serious contender for both sound designers and producers who value speed, depth, and standalone power.