I just got Motu BPM last Friday,

Bought it from someone that wasn’t using it, hadn’t even been registered yet.

I had to check it out for myself.

I plan to have a full review of it, but just like I did with Maschine, I want to spend some more time learning it.

I just wanted to show a few quick tracks and some features I liked about it so far.

Of course you know there will be more reviews, tips, and videos on BPM. Also some comparisons between Maschine and BPM will be coming so keep an eye out.

Back at you again with another review from Fatloud. This time it’s another one from their XL series (easily one of my favorite series)

This is where they give you tons of sounds, already split into their own folders, instead of construction kits.

This is really smart, I know I do this on my own with anything that comes in a construction kit, I separate it all before I even listen to it, so all my synths, strings, bass, brass, winds, etc….are all together.

The first one we reviewed from this series was Black and Gold, and it was dope…let’s see if Dust is dope as well

What’s up with the Dust?

Well the XL series from Fatloud is basically the “anti construction kit” and I love it. You get all the sounds separated into their own folders, so your brass, bass, keys, etc are all together.

Dust is a new collection of all original, custom created, royalty-free loops and samples.

You get brass, strings, synths, keys, drumloops, drum hits, one shots, fx, and percussion. All separated and ready to go.

This collection was touched up with a little vinyl flavor, but only enough to give it a little “dirt” yet it still sounds very new school instead of like classic hip hop, it’s a nice mix.

Quick Specs

• Content: 200 loops, 123 one shot samples
• Format: 24bit Acidized Wav, 16 bit wav, 24 bit aiff, apple loops, rex,
• Price: $45.00

How does it sound?

Like everything else Fatloud puts out, the sound is always crisp and clean. Everything is processed well and ready to go with no strange artifacts, cracks, clicks, or any other undesired noises.

The production quality is always on point, and I’m always happy at how diverse they are in style and content.  It really feels like a huge melting pot of different sounds that all have a similar “dirt shine” to them.

You can tell they were processed to work together, yet the styles and sounds themselves are very diverse in nature

You can go from jazzy brass riffs, to smooth string beds, right into a rough and rugged electric keyboard riff.  Not just turntable hip hop, not just club pop, not just jazzy rnb, it’s a little bit of it all mixed into it’s own thing.

Fatloud definitely has their own sound, and so far, I’ve always been well pleased with that sound and surprised by the range of styles included that yet remain true to their sound.

What’s the bottom line, is Dust a must have?

I think it is, but again, that depends on your style and type of music you make.  If you’re looking for some of that classic boom bap style of dusty music, then there are definitely other products I’ve reviewed that will suit you.

If you like the sound and feel of a “lil bit of dirt” yet still want something that can be turned into both classic boom bap or new school space age funk then this is it.  The synths are fat, the drums are hard, the strings are silky, and the brass is huge.

You very well may be tempted to use the loops as is, for the foundation of your next track…and that’s totally your call, I prefer to chop but sometimes you just got to loop it and go…I understand that too.

This is no question, 5 out of 5 subs, I’ve YET to be let down by anything Fatloud puts out, it doesn’t get old, it doesn’t get boring, and the quality never slacks.

I’ll say the same thing I said before….MORE XL SERIES PRODUCTS PLEASE!

I really like how they lay it out, I’m just surprised no other sample pack providers are doing it this way, you usually only get it like this on some sample cd libraries.

Either way, I’m happy, it’s dope…and I think you should check out the demos. peep Fatloud Sample Shop

let me know what ya think!

Today we checkin out some smooth sounds from SoundsToSample.com

In case you didn’t know, this site is run by the creators of Sample Magic…yeah, them.

Checkin out some rhodes samples they sent over for review, in a Jazz/Funk style.

David knows I like smooth, downtempo, chilled out sounds….so I had to check this one on his suggestion.

What is Mellow Jazz/Funk Elements?

In short, it’s a collection of rhode samples.

What I first noticed about this collection is the variety of styles in there.

Usually when you get a rhodes library it’s all pretty much along the same groove.

Not this one, you get blues, jazz, funk, chords, arpeggios, and other random stuff.

Rhodes are like salt, everyone should have some in the house.

Quick Specs

• Content: 430 acidized wav files
• Format: Wav
• Price: $39.95

So how do they sound?

The first thing I noticed about the sound is that it seems they were all recorded with the mic pretty close to the cabinet.  That can be good or bad depending on what you want.

But it gives it a full bodied sound, lots of harmonics and such.

Like I said before, the variety is a strong point of the collection, because you can find tons of different styles and they all sound authentic.

The playing is very groove oriented, especially when you get into some of the jazz loops, a bunch of nice riffs and stuff ready to be chopped.

The inclusion of single chords is also welcome, with 3 and 4 note varieties.

All in all, it’s got a good authentic rhodes sound, though some may find it a little too “full” for their tastes.

So what’s the bottom line on this library?

It’s got a great sound, great production and plenty of variety to be useful in various situations.

If you like the “fullness” of a rhodes sounds, as opposed to a more “controlled” feel, then you’ll love the sounds in here.

The production provides enough variation in the loops and riffs to allow for some great chops to be extracted.

I give this library a 4 out of 5 subs, solid library at a nice price.

check it out over at SoundsToSample.com: Mellow Jazz/Funk Elements

leave a comment below and let me know what you think about the demo.

It’s Friday, and I know you hungry for some fish!

I had a house full last week so I had to skip big fish friday, but I’m back with something dope for ya

If you like that chopped up, jazzy, breakbeat style of music, then you’ll be interested in this review

of Breakbeat Jazz.

What is Breakbeat Jazz?

Breakbeat Jazz is a raw collection of jazzy turntable style breakbeats and vinyl sweetness.

Laid back jazzy rhodes, flutes, guitars, bass and random musical chords all molten together into a sweet beat casserole.

Oh yeah, and just in case you may wonder if it’s really capturing the breakbeat/lounge hip hop vibe…

it’s made by eQuipped Music.

Yeah, the same ones behind Smoker’s Delight and Smoker’s Relight Deux!

You know it’s gonna sound sweet!

Quick Specs

• Contents: 4gb of drums, rhodes, bass, guitars, percussions, and fx
• Format: REX, WAV, RMX
• Price: $99 for the dvd or $49 for each of the two download pak versions.

How does it sound?

It sounds raw and jazzy.

The drums are thick and crusty, the samples have a vinyl/dusty feel to them and the samples are ready to be sliced.

There aren’t many long loops in this one, the music loops folder provides a nice collection of samples to chop.

The rest of the sounds are mostly bits and pieces, perfect for molding together those spontaneous moments of pure funk!

The keys and bass notes are very useful, when used together or spread out across your keys/pads to form the basis of your track.

Well record, this one definitely has some imperfections in some of the samples, but it’s a good imperfection, which goes in line perfectly with the turntable them.

The sounds don’t force you to go in a certain direction, but simply give you the building blocks for your next musical skyscraper.

So what’s the bottom line?

I loved this library, I thought I would miss the longer loops more but I actually loved the chords and short hits quite a bit, felt exactly like the type of small snippets you’d grab off of a vinyl and build around.

I give this library a 4.5 out of 5 subs, very solid and the drums are sick!  The kicks, hats, and snares come in two versions…lo fi and phat!

I also like the fact that they break it down into two parts and allow you to pay a little less to download half of the library at a time, good move.

So check it out and let me know what you think. Breakbeat Jazz at Big Fish Audio

back again with some more authentic samples from platinumloops

this time we taking it south of the border! And no I don’t mean taco bell….

What is Latin Breaks Volume 1?

It’s a full authentic collection of rhythms and loops straight from Latin America.

Percussions, horns, vocals…

all the various sounds you would expect in an exotic latin musical excursion.

Not just a bunch of bongos, but these sound like full breaks

chopped from complete latin records or performances

Real Latin music played live by real Latin musicians

Quick Specs

• Content: 144 loops and 7 one shot samples
• Format: WAV, AIF, REX2
• Price: $69.95

So how do they sound?

Authentic…and spicy!

One thing I’ve come to notice about platinumloops is when they say Latin, they mean it.  Just like their Arabian breaks product, this product captures the authentic sound and vibe of real Latin music.

The playing and recording is the type of stuff you spend hours getting dusty fingers looking through old thrift store records, cds, and 8 tracks.

These samples fit easily in a movie or tv soundtrack, as well as they next hip hop, pop, or dance tune.

There is a bit of “air” about the samples, that gives it that live feel, maybe because it was actually recorded live.

I found myself just listening to the grooves, not knowing how or where I would use them.

Production is high quality, and there is tons of different elements to mix, mash, and mangle

So what’s the bottom line?

I was really surprised in this library, when I first got it in for review I thought I couldn’t do anything with it.

I knew it was recorded well, but it felt more like something I would use in a movie score and not for making my next production.

Either way, movie score or music production, these sounds can be very useful and inspiring.

I give this collection a solid 4.5 out of 5 subs.

Well produced and well put together, I would have liked to have more of the musical elements, even though there is quite a bit, I felt I could have traded a few of the percussion loops and breaks for some good latin horn/guitar grooves.

But all in all, a great product.

check out the demos on their site, they even have a few loops/breaks for download: Latin Breaks V1

leave a comment below and let me know what you think

It’s been a while since we did a review on something from Samplified Sounds but they released a new library a while back that I hadn’t reviewed yet!

This one is a euro styled urban pop library.

let’s check it out

What is Eurotronix?

It’s a collection of euro pop infused with rnb!

For those that like huge pad, synths, gated trance leads, and sweeps in their music, this is for you.

This collection really sounds like a bunch of euro pop songs, read to be chopped.

You get the full track with everything in it, for those that love to chop, and you also get it broken down into smaller chunks..

still big enough to chop or loop if you prefer.

Quick Specs

• Content: about 570+ wav samples broken up into two parts
• Format: wav
• Price: each volume (1 and 2) is $19.70 each

How does it sound?

Luscious!

These really have a lush sound to them. The way they produced them makes them sound just like some euro pop/electronic songs.

I like the fact that they give you a huge track where all the sounds are together, so you can chop them up like a sample.  But they also give you the smaller parts to chop up, some of which include individual sounds isolated for further flexibility.

The sound quality is superb, they sound ready for the radio already.

No glitches or pops found at all.

Plenty of content to keep you busy with enough variety to keep you creative.

What is the final verdict on this one?

The quality of the production, the feel of the music, and the quantity of the content make this library stand out.

It is a definite 5 out of 5 subs in my opinion, I had fun with it, plus I just loved listening to it.  These folks really know their production and it shows.  They may not have tons of packs, but each of them stands out among the crowd.

The fact that they broke them into volumes (they used to be only single libraries) allows more people to get their hands on them.

This is a great library, a different taste from the normal urban/hip hop and rnb libraries so it’s really a breath of fresh air.

Check em out and listen to the demos: samplified sounds eurotronix

leave a comment below and let me know what you think

It’s friday…time for some fish…

This week I’m checking out a library Big Fish sent over entitled “Smoker’s Relight Deux”

It’s a follow up to “Smoker’s Delight” a library I’ve personally been using and continue to use since it released in 2003

If you like laid back, smoked out, jazzy hip hop…then check this out

What is Smoker’s Relight Deux?

eQuipped Music ( back then they were called elab) smashed the downtempo/lounge hip hop sample genre with Smoker’s Delight.

Dub style rhodes chords, flutes, mpc style drum breaks and music samples, brass, and bass..

all with a laid back vibe that just made you want to chill.

It’s one of my favorite collections, so I was very excited to get my hands on the follow up.

At it’s core, Smoker’s Relight is a huge collection of smoked out hip hop samples for those that like their music on the smoother side of hip hop.

You get tons of drums, loops, riffs, chords, fx, and melodies, all with that lounge type vibe.

Quick Specs

• Content: 5012 24bit loops and samples
• Format: Rex, Refill, Wav, RMX
• Price: $199 for the whole dvd, or $69.99 for each of the 3 downloadable sections.

How does it sound?

I LOVE how they produce these libraries. I’m not quite sure what it is about them, but there is a “texture” to these samples.

The variety of sounds and riffs in here is amazing.  The literally hundreds of rhodes chords, the funky musical loops, even the drums are dope.

Some of the drumloops and breaks are SICK. All have that mpc groove that hip hop has been build on for years.

Since so many softwares are able to extract groove templates now, this library doubles as a whole new source of grooves for you too!

The quality is top notch, not a hint of unprofessional recording anywhere in this library.

So what’s the final verdict?

I’ll admit, I’m biased on this one, I love it and I’m not ashamed to say it.  Smoker’s Delight has been the library by which I judge all similar libraries for years, and now with Smoker’s Relight the standard has been set once again.

No question this is a 5 out of 5 subs.

I just love the shear amount of samples in this library, each chord is ready to be the foundation for it’s own track, each loop, riff, and sample are so inspiring that you’re bound to have thousands upon thousands of ideas.

There’s no doubt in my mind I will use sounds from this library for MANY years to come…they just don’t get old, and are so well recorded and produced that it’s hard to get away from them once you start using them.

I also like that Big Fish is allowing folks to download the collection in 3 sets, for a lower price.  Each downloadable volume contains all the loops and samples from 1 tempo. The tempos in this library are 80, 90, and 100 bpm

So if you normally work at a specific tempo, that may be a good way to get into this amazing library, plus with the great times-stretching software around now, it really doesn’t matter what tempo it is!

I say check it out, I was expecting great things and was NOT disappointed at all.

Here’s a search for smoker’s relight on Big Fish that shows all the collections available. Smoker’s Relight collections.

let me know what you think and leave a comment below

Time for another sound hound, checking out some more samples from Motion Samples, one of my favorite companies.

SoulTown Samples volume 2, we already checked out SoulTown Samples vol 1, and I had a few suggestions.

Let’s see what’s up with this one.

What is SoulTown Samples?

Just in case you don’t remember, SoulTown is a collection of samples that aims to capture that classic soul music sound.

Not just soul music, but the types of riffs and samples that hip hop producers love to dig for.

They mix it so it has that vintage sound, and they jam out so you get a nice mixture of guitars, bass, keys, strings, vocals, etc.

No percussion or drums to worry about filtering out, just the music.

Quick Specs

• Content: 190  multi samples
• Format: wav
• Price: $40.00

How do they sound?

Do you really need to ask that question? I think you know by now that Motion Samples brings the goods each and every time.

What I like about this volume is that the samples are a lot longer than the first one.  Volume 1 felt like someone already chopped the samples for me, which is cool, but you have to try a bit harder to make your own chops…and you’re tempted to use the chops as is.

In volume 2, each samples is a lot longer, so you can get your chop on pretty crazy like.

The recording of the samples are top notch and I’ve noticed they got a lil more funky on the production.

There is a lot more going on in some of these samples in regards to the instrumentation, which is always great…it helps give it that real classic feel.

So what’s the final verdict on this one?

Without a doubt this is a 5 out of 5 subs library.

Well recorded, enough content to keep the most hungriest beat fiend satisfied.

And the production style is right on the money, you really feel like you’re digging in them old classic soul records we all love, but don’t want to deal with because of sample clearance.

Now you have no excuse, you can still get that soul sound, with enough chopping material so you don’t have to worry about sounding like the next producer.

In my opinion if you love soul samples, there’s absolutely no reason not to check this one out.

As you know, I have this collection available right here on the site in the Motion Samples store

Listen to the demos and check it out.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think.