Results for Arturia

Arturia has announced the NAMM 2013 launch of SparkLE Creative Drum Machine, its newest hybrid beat production centre combining intuitive hardware hands-on control with software strength and integration.

Quite simply, SPARK Creative Drum Machine revolutionised hands-on beat-making by cleverly combining TAE® (True Analog Emulation) synthesis, sample playback (with multiple layering modes and post-processing), and physical modelling technologies with the intuitive workflow of a hardware drum machine upon its June 2011 launch; today, SparkLE Creative Drum Machine joins its bigger brother to take this concept to the masses in an all-new, ultra-portable package at a takeaway price point that’s tough to beat (€249.00 EURO/$299.00 USD).

The solidly-constructed, super-slimline SparkLE Creative Drum Machine hardware measures a mere 1.6cm in depth and comes complete with a handy neoprene slipcase to take your beats to the streets with that ‘real instrument feel’ so many other controllers clearly lack. With it comes direct access to all the features needed to create patterns, write automation, and perform live.

SparkLE Creative Drum Machine serves up classic ‘TR-style’ workflow via its brightly backlit step sequencer buttons, while a musical platter of bangin’ beats can quite literally be banged out using its eight velocity- and pressure-sensitive backlit pads. Stunning live performances are a breeze thanks to the advanced Looper and beat-slicing functions, while beats can be transformed on the fly with the touch-sensitive FX pad that features eight filter modes (including the famed Oberheim SEM V filter featured in Arturia’s acclaimed Oberheim SEM V soft synth namesake) and seven Slicer modes.
Three assignable encoders ease writing automation and realtime sound control. More musical still, TUNE mode permits playing sounds chromatically across those 16 step sequencer buttons or eight pads — try having the kick drum follow the bass root note for truly trouser-flapping lows, play a synth bass/lead sound, or transform percussion sounds into pitched instruments… it’s all there for the hands-on taking!

Software-wise, SparkLE Creative Drum Machine makes use of the same full-featured Spark Engine software shipping with the original SPARK Creative Drum Machine. It includes an awesome library of over 1,500 instruments and 100 kits, providing top-notch, professional sounds covering a variety of dancefloor-friendly genres and stylings, ever-expandable with Arturia add-ons (like the Hip Hop Essentials and DubStep Essentials Expansion Packs).

Priced to go, there has never been a better time than now to add a little sparkle to your rhythmic creativity with SparkLE Creative Drum Machine!

SparkLE features

• Full featured Spark Software.
• 3 synthesis engines: Virtual analog, Physical Modeling, Sample playback.
• Works Standalone & as a plug-in (VST, VST3, AU, RTAS).
• Backlit velocity and pressure sensitive Pads.
• Touch sensitive FX pad.
• Mode selector – Bank, Pattern, Seq, Tune.
• Bus powered, class compliant USB input.
• User assignable encoders.
• Advanced Looper Divide/Move function.
• Classic ‘TR style’ programming.
• Real-time programming from the pads.
• Protective travel sleeve.
• Small, Portable, Solid construction.
• MIDI mode for use as a controller with any software.

SparkLE Creative Drum Machine will be available to purchase from the Arturia online store or any dealer for 249 EUR / $299 USD from mid-March 2013.

More information: Arturia / SparkLE

Precious Sound has announced PreBrute, the worlds first sample based Kontakt synth based on the Arturia MiniBrute.

We were lucky to get our hands on one and decided that it would be a ideal synth to sample for our engine. We have spent many months painstakingly sampling the synth with 4 different signal chains.

Our flavour system is just that you can select along the 4 oscillators what waveform and flavour (sampling chain) to choose from, so you have 20 waveform choices but 80 possible choices per Osc including the different flavours.

While sampling PreBrute we pushed our preamps hard to imprint characteristics of the actual pre to the sound resulting in subtle/extreme changes.

We also tracked the raw sound to cassette tape using a Tascam 122mk3, we tracked at a slow speed to naturally roll off some of the high end giving the tape waveforms a really warm and smooth sound.

PreBrute features

• 2.16GB Kontakt 5 Library.
• 7,612 24bit samples.
• “4Scoop” engine for Kontakt.
• Includes 45 presets.

PreBrute is available at a special 25% off festive discount until January 7th, 2013, priced at £30 GBP (regular £39.99 GBP). Prices inc. VAT. Owners of any “4Scoop” based product are entitled to a additional 10% discount part of a newly established Loyalty Scheme.

More information: Precious Sound / PreBrute

Musicrow has updated its Golden Ensembles for Reaktor to version 3.09, which now includes the new SuperPan panning effect.

SuperPan is a special panning effect that enables users to place sounds out of the speakers. Based on sophisticated psychoacoustic methods, SuperPan can be used for the creation of unnaturally wide mixes, for special ‘pop out’ effects, and for adding unusual motion effects within regular and distorted spaces. Many surprising pre-made ‘spacey’ presets are included.

SuperPan features

• Pan out of the speakers.
• Create super wide stereo mixes.
• Extreme 3D effects.
• Add unusual motion.
• Modulators: Two Sequencers and an LFO.
• Many surprising ‘spacey’ presets.

SuperPan is available as part of Golden Ensembles 3 that now contains 45 ensembles, synthesizers and effects for NI Reaktor 5. The update is available for free for Golden Ensembles 3 users.

Musicrow has also announced a limited time Xmas Sale.

Don’t miss our special Xmas prices! Golden Ensembles for NI Reaktor, Analog Sound Collection for Arturia synths and our VSTi are 40% OFF until Dec 31, 2012

More information: Musicrow

Arturia has announced SPARK DubStep, a powerful production and performance software suite dedicated to heavy-duty dubstep rhythm track construction.

Catering to the rhythmically distinctive needs of discerning dubstep producers globally, SPARK DubStep features a comprehensive library of 30 cutting-edge kits/480 instruments created in partnership with London-based leading pro audio loops and samples provider Sample Magic, themselves cited as being “…one of the elite dance sample venders.” Atomic wobble basses, filthy FX, dirty drums… it’s all there for the taking!

From atomic wobble basses, to filthy FX and dirty drums, everything is at your fingertips in one single and easy to use interface.

SPARK DubStep features

• More than 500 pre-programmed MIDI patterns, that you can also customize to your needs.
• Made for live performance: FX Pad, Looper, Slicer and Real-time automation on all parameters.
• 14 high quality effects : Multiband Compressor, Reverb, Sub generator, Destroyer, Bit crusher, Multiband EQ, Chorus, Delay, Distortion, Phaser, Plate reverb, Flanger, Space pan, Limiter.
• Spark’s Step Sequencer makes track creation a breeze.
• Perfect integration: 16 independant audio outputs, midi I/O.
• Unparalleled sound quality based on virtual analog synthesis (TAE®) and high resolution sampling.
• Playable through any MIDI keyboard or drumpads.

SPARK DubStep is available to purchase as a download for 99 EUR/$99 USD, or boxed for 119 EUR/$129 USD.

More information: Arturia / SPARK DubStep

Arturia has introduced a time-limited, limited-quantity pricing promotion for its SPARK Creative Drum Machine, its highly-creative hybrid hardware/software performance instrument.

From November 1 to December 31, inclusive, SPARK’s street price will drop from €499.00 EURO to €399.00 EURO and $599 USD to $399 USD. So what do you get for those sensibly-spent nickels and dimes… and cents? A whole lotta rhythm? Absolutely! And users need not be a slave to the rhythm, that’s for sure!

Quite simply, SPARK Creative Drum Machine revolutionised hands-on beat-making upon its June 2011 release by cleverly combining analogue synthesis, physical modelling, and samples with the intuitive workflow of a hardware drum machine, as well as offering in-depth control over the sounds of the 30 classic analogue and digital drum machines it so successfully captured.

Since then, SPARK Creative Drum Machine has benefitted from no less than five updates, offering an array of powerful new features, including 16-step tuning mode (available from pads and steps); MIDI out to host (with drag-and-drop export); choke groups (to naturally mute instruments); Oberheim SEM V filter; 19 shortcuts; tempo ++/– for DJs; FX pad latch control; five sample modes; five new FX; MIDI clock in/out (to synchronise hardware instruments); undo/redo; enhanced jog wheel modes; roller/triplets… the list goes on! And the onboard library has healthily increased in size by a staggering 280% to 1,620 instruments/110 kits!

Truly there has never been a better time than now to reignite rhythmic creativity with SPARK Creative Drum Machine… and make some serious savings!

SPARK Creative Drum Machine is available to purchase for 399 EUR / $399 USD until December 31st, 2012.

More information: Arturia / SPARK

Arturia has announced the availability of Hip Hop Essentials, the latest Expansion Pack for its highly-creative SPARK Creative Drum Machine hybrid hardware/software beat production centre.

Hip Hop Essentials adds 30 hip hop kits to Arturia’s acclaimed SPARK Creative Drum Machine. Carefully crafted by LA- based producer and hip hop whizz Rick Stone, these deliver everything urban artists and producers need to take their tracks to the next level of genre-defining creativity — from classic rap anthems through to the most recent dance styles and beyond into rough and edgy alternative hip hop territory. Having produced, remixed, or designed sounds for artists as diverse as Ice Cube, Snoop, Dr Dre, Lil Wayne, Whitney Houston, and Lil Kim, as well as working with Deathrow Records and Motown, Stone should know a thing or two about creative stylistic shifts — and creating hits with the finest urban beats.

Hip Hop Essentials sees Stone cooking up an astonishing array of ear-watering musical flavours with raw and effected kicks, snares, claps, hats, FX, percussion, and chords — all served up on a sizzling sequenced platter of 960 construction patterns. Here Stone laces up sequences like no other, building on contemporary trends to allow users to quickly create music, yet bring their own ideas to the mix.

Of course every beat and sound can be twisted and tweaked, thanks to the intuitive and creative workflow that is at the very heart of SPARK Creative Drum Machine. Reignite rhythmic creativity with Hip Hop Essentials… and get your groove on!

The Hip Hop Essentials library for SPARK (version 1.5 or higher) is available to purchase for 29 EUR/$29 USD.

More information: Arturia / Hip Hop Essentials