Review: New Sonic Arts VICE Loop Slicer and Sampler Plugin

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Hey what’s good fam?

Today I’m reviewing a product from New Sonic Arts, a smaller developer making some pretty cool products.

The one I’m checking out today is VICE

Let’s dig in!

So what is VICE?

vice_interfaceIt’s a sampler/slicer plugin with a super clean interface and the ability to add up to 4 insert fx per slice, as well modulation, multi output, and host automation support.

I love the crisp and simple layout, but it’s a quick way to play with your samples and turn them into an instrument without having to worry about destructively altering your audio.

Of course everything can be triggered via MIDI, you can slice manually or using the multiple detection algorithms, and the interface makes it quick to add multiple fx to all slices or individual slices.

It’s a very flexible way to play with your loops, and though it’s powerful, the interface is just so clean!

Quick Specs

So what’s the bottom line?

I love it when smaller developers take a chance and release things they’ve been thinking about. The developer behind New Sonic Arts has had his hand in some pretty popular tools over the years, to see his take on his own products is very refreshing.

What I dig about the design is how clean it is, how smoothly the visuals are when zooming in, and how powerful the tool is without being overly complex.

4subsI give VICE 4 out of 5 subs, it’s a super quick and powerful way to mangle up your loops and breaks. 

I look forward to the future development of the plugin. Things like multiple loop playback modes for slices (forward/rev, alternate, etc), some basic audio editing, slice export, and the ability to rearrange slices are at the top of my list.

I think that would make it even more powerful and flexible, but as it stands, it’s such a quick and efficient way to work with loops and breaks without worrying about actually editing the audio files themselves.

You can even save them as presets to load later, with all of your slices in tact.

Anyway, he has some really cool products over there, I suggest you go over and take a look at them all: https://www.newsonicarts.com/

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think

 

12 Comments

    • Maschine can slice, not sure what you mean by the same features though, which features are you referring to exactly?

      They both slice, but have different approaches, even if there may be some overlap.

      You can’t apply fx, envelopes to individual slices in Maschine unless you apply the slices to their own pads (by applying to an empty group), also if you do that you can only have 16 slices total.

      Reply
  1. Got mpc ren for 500 at the right time w os 1.8. W/ lazy chop and loop record, I can’t see myself messing w another sampler / slicer for awhile. Especially 1 that doesn’t import mp3 befault. Someone needs to let developers know its 2015 man. Can’t are stick in 92 what w limited import types.

    Reply
    • Add this to the list of run of the mill slicers. Saint, you need to start telling these catz you can’t do anything for them if they keep re-inventing the wheel. Clean interface be damned, Joint wack zun. .5 of a sub for this joint. Oh, and Renaissance has live looping as well. Even though its still a ver or 2 away from where it needs to be, in its unfinished state, it destroying the run of the mill stuff. Plus there are workarounds for the present limitations.

      Reply
      • This is nothing like the MPC at all. You don’t always compare one thing to everything else, especially when they are different tools.

        I look at this for exactly what it is, a simple way to play with slices without destructively having to chop a sample. Similar to ReCycle or Beatcleaver. Nothing like Maschine or an MPC.

        Plenty of people are looking for something simple like this to add to their workflow, instead of going all out on something like Maschine, MPC, or even Geist when that’s not what they need.

        Reply
    • Good price, I stay on the lookout for a good price on the Ren, especially since they are 699 brand new now. I guess some people really want to sample mp3, I don’t use mp3s at all unless it’s on my phone so that’s not a big issue for me. Though I definitely think it should be supported these days, even Maschine still doesn’t support it.

      But I definitely wouldn’t compare this to something like the MPC, totally different uses imo, even if there is some overlap in that they both can slice lol.

      Reply
  2. Also, you’re being way too nice to these developers. How does this get as many subs as fxpansion geist! I used that before the Ren and it mashes this thing and others like it. Joint ain’t even a sampler, its a sampler slicer / player. Geist even samples within the daw like maschine and ren. You get the ed lover C’mon son! for that.

    Reply
    • You have to understand that those are totally different tools, this is nothing like Geist, which is more something like BPM, Maschine, or MPC. And in that lineup, Geist falls short compared to Maschine or even the MPC.

      This is more along the lines of ReCycle, or Beatcleaver, it’s not meant to be a sampler like the others you mentioned.

      And again, the point of these videos is to give my opinion lol.

      Reply

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