I got my update for BPM yesterday so I got it installed last night and today I just messed around with setting up the custom mapping.
It’s really deep, you can map pretty much anything, makes it very hands on now.
They also added the Beatbox Anthology expansion, which is basically a library full of tons of classic drum machines.
They added note repeat, with various rates, and undo button (no redo), aux fx in each bank, etc.
They even added midi pad select, so if you hit the pad on your controller, it will take you to that pad in the software…
Yeah…it may seem small but when building/editing kits and samples, this is very useful, because if you forget to use your mouse to go to the next pad….yeah…you just replaced your custom drum sound lol.
Overall some good stuff added, mainly on the workflow side of things. Of course there is quite a bit more kits and patterns included now, still along the lines of dance/urban and electronic styles of music.
They also updated a lot of the content from the previous version, removed some ground noise/hiss that was on some of the samples, and overall just cleaned it up even more.
So this is just a quick vid showing what’s in it, showing some of the content folders, and the various things you can now map to any controller.
I’ll probably do some videos on each part, maybe show how to map stuff quickly, run through some of the patterns/kits for those interested, etc…we’ll see.
Back again with another UVI expansion for Motu’s BPM, as well as the free UVI workstation.
Since BPM is really geared towards urban/dance production, I wanted to checkout the Hip Hop library from UVI
Like the other UVI libraries, this one loads up seamlessly in the BPM environment….
as I mentioned before, I really like how modular the BPM enviroment can be, because you can customize it to how you work, with sounds you want.
Anyway, so let’s see if they get the “hip hop sound” and if it’s useful.
What is Hip Hop Planet?
It’s a hip hop/urban sound library with some very specific features that allow it to integrate well with BPM.
Basically, like many libraries, it’s made up of construction kits, 87 to be exact.
But, where it differs from most, is the way in which you interact with it.
You get data specifically for Motu BPM which includes kits+patterns, kits, patterns, the construction loops, individual sounds, and instruments made up from the melodic elements of each construction kit.
It also works in the free uvi workstation, allowing you to work with the sliced loops and phrases, kits, sounds, and instruments without owning BPM.
Quick Specs
Content: 3.6gb of samples
Format: Uvi soundcard for BPM, UVI Workstation, Mach 5
Price: $149
How does it sound?
Pristine….
Like the factory BPM library, these sounds have that quality and edge that urban music producers will enjoy.
It’s probably because they had it mastered by Chris Gehringer at Sterling Sound Studios in New York…he specializes in mastering hip hop, urban, and rnb music.
I will say this, like the factory sounds in BPM, there is a punch and clarity in the drums that you can’t deny.
And while I love the sound, I am not a huge fan of the drum kit layout.
Personally, I found that the kits were a tad bit redundant, as a lot of the percussive sounds were used over and over in each kit, the rim shots, some 808 style claps, toms, claves, etc…
The reason I mention this is because I think it could throw you off a bit if you don’t look deeper, there are tons of single hit drums and percussion under the sounds folder, which in my opinion, aren’t fully represented in the factory kits.
What I found to work best for me, is I just create my own kits from the single hits. But the kits work well for quick access and you can always customize them with the single hits.
The instruments sound well, but I would have liked them to be full multi instruments instead of the special “x-sample” instruments.
Basically what these are, in BPM land, is the chopped melodic instruments from the construction kits, spread across keys into an instrument. They are for most situations, but they don’t span across all the keys all the time, so sometimes you find a sound you like but want to play it up or down a couple of octaves and it just doesn’t extend that far.
Not a deal breaker, but I would definitely like to see full instruments in addition to the x-sample style of instruments they use in BPM. Think of x-samples as something you’d make if you take a few notes from a record/song, and spread them out on your keys to play.
This is a very common way of creating instruments in urban/hip hop music, it would just be nice to have it expanded a bit into full keyrange instruments that are looped, etc.
There are some very nice bass sounds, as well as synths and even some vocal/fx. They also include the drum kits in instrument format so if you’re using the uvi workstation you’ll be able to pull up the kits, and if you’re using BPM you can pull up the kits in the bank or rack areas.
What’s the bottom line?
Bottom line for me always comes down to sound as you know, and the sound of this library is very nice.
When I first got it, I was a little put off by the arrangement of the kits and felt underwhelmed, until I decided to explore the single hits and then I found quite a bit of usable stuff.
Honestly I think the way the kits are laid out could make folks feel less excited, especially after reading the info and hearing the demos. Just be sure you explore the single hits because there’s much there to be played with that may not be as evident when going through the premade kits.
The synths and other instruments are useful and have a “chopped sample” feel, as if you were to take a note from a record and spread it across a few keys/pads for playing.
They work well and sound good, it would have been even better if they took the source instruments used and made multi sampled instruments in addition to the x-sample, being able to play a looped version of the synths and pads that span across the entire keyboard would allow it to be even more flexible.
At the end of the day, I loved the sound, and once I started making my own kits with the single hits I really saw the beauty of it.
I give Hip Hop Planet 4 out of 5 subs, if they do a part 2, or another urban focused kit, taking into consideration some of my suggestions on the kit layout and instrument creations, they could easily knock it out of the park.
That said, I do see room for improvement, not on the sound itself, which is awesome, but on the overall organization of the kits and the creation of the instruments.
This is definitely worth checking out, especially if you are a BPM user, but also users of Mach 5 or the UVI Workstation will enjoy it, because like I said, the sound quality is just top notch all the way around.
Ever since I started messing with Motu BPM I started to checkout the expansion libraries for it, I always do this when checking out a new instrument.
The fact that BPM can be expanded is a plus in my book, and the sounds from all of Motu’s instruments can be used.
But today I’m checking out one of the libraries from UVI Soundsource, the classic ep.
I went over and bought this probably a day or two after I got BPM, it was a small price and the demo sounded good.
Plus I liked that it could load up in BPM natively.
So let’s check it out
What is the Classic EP library?
This is basically a librarydedicated to the Rhodes MkI, a very soulful electric piano.
You know I love a good EP sound, so I HAD to check it out.
They multis -sampled an mkI up to 10 velocity layers deep.
It’s not a huge library, it has a collection of “raw” presets, as well as a few with fx on them.
Simple, to the point, but does it sound good?
Quick Specs
Content: 915mb rhodes multi-sampled instruments
Format: UVI soundcard
Price: $39
How does it sound?
Smooth.
When I checkout rhodes libraries, I have a certain sound I want. I’m not really into the hard, barking sound that some models are known for, I’m more into the smooth, silky sound of some lush rhodes chords.
However, I don’t want you to confuse that sound with the more digital, bell-like sound of an FM electric piano, which is cool, but not what I’m looking for most of the time.
This library fit the bill perfectly. Since the factory library had a few different EP sounds, I wanted to add this to the library for a dedicated, soulful rhodes sound.
It plays well and responds to velocity, allowing you to get a lil bit of that “bark” when you play it harder.
The FX versions of the instruments can prove to be pretty useful depending on what you’re looking for, but the ease with which you can add your own in bpm, or in the uvi workstation is cool as well.
Basically you get a good, smooth, well programed rhodes, that you can take and manipulate with any fx you wish, to get the sound you desire.
Most of the time I’m going with the raw preset, I just like how it sounds and it’s pretty much universally useful without me needing to tweak it.
So what’s the bottom line?
I try a lot of ep libraries, I love a great ep library, and for 39 bucks this one stands up to some of the more expensive ones quite well.
There aren’t a lot of presets, but you don’t need them, it’s a rhodes MkI.
It does require an iLok for use, so if you don’t have one that would be needed, but if you already use iLok for other things, it’s all good.
I give this library a 4 out of 5 subs, I find myself using it a lot, and the fact that it loads very fast makes it even more of a go to instrument.
Really, I like the way you can expand your BPM library with these soundcards, but if you don’t own bpm you can still use them with the free UVI Workstation
I’m definitely planning to checkout more libraries from UVI, I like the setup, I like the integration with BPM, and despite how some feel, I don’t mind dealing with the iLok, though it would be cool to be able to store the activation on your hard drive, for mobile situations.
Back with another soundhound, today we checking out some orchestra samples.
This is the first pack I’ve reviewed from Diginoiz, but I’m not new to them, they are a spinn-off label of fatloud, run by one of the producers for fatloud.
So though this is the first official Diginoiz review, this isn’t the first time we’ve heard form this producer.
I decided to check out Urban Avenue…..
So what is Urban Avenue?
It’s basically a collection of diverse orchestra loops geared specifically towards raw/urban music.
Not just strings, it includes horns, flutes, strings, etc…
all are played in various keys, tempos, and melodies..
very useful in urban music production.
These aren’t construction kits ( you know I like that!)
It’s just a big’ole folder of urban styled orchestra riffs and loops.
Quick Specs
content: 100 24 bit loops
format: wav, acid, aiff, apple, rex2, refill
price: $30
How do they sound?
The first thing I noticed about these loops is that most of them have a dark, street vibe to them.
This is in line with the title as well as the description on the website.
What you may not realize from the title, is that it’s a pretty diverse collection, not just strings. There’s horns, xylophones, flutes, and I even thought I heard some piano in there.
Basically it covers various instruments you would find in an orchestra, and gives you a urban slant to it.
The production itself is on point, and it doesn’t get repetitive. That is one thing I’ve always like about Fatloud, and I’m glad to see they continued it in the Diginoiz label.
Where most companies will give you thousands of loops that sound pretty identical, this collection gives you 100 very diverse loops, the styles, the sounds, the processing, everything about them keeps it diverse and thus fresh to use in your music.
Some stuff is slow and melodic, others are big and powerful, while some yet remain small and simple.
Overall you can really tell they take their time to make the most unique collections possible, by giving you as many styles of playing and production they can in one collection.
What’s the bottom line?
The bottom line is that I expect to see great things from the Diginoiz brand, since it is from the same production house as fatloud.
This is a nice, small collection of urban orchestra loops that don’t have the cliche orchestra loop sound.
Not just strings, but including various instruments gives you a well rounded collection, and since all they do is urban/pop music, it has the styles you’d like to incorporate into your music.
Sure if you want realistic orchestra loops, that sound like an orchestral arrangement, there are other options.
But if you want some unique riffs and loops, with a dark and edgy sound, then this is something to consider.
I give it a 4 out of 5 subs, I liked it, it’s useful, so much so that I wish there were more than 100 loops
But I do see the work put into each loop, so, I’ll give them a pass.
Definitely check them out over at fatloud, and don’t forget about the summer sale going on
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.
What is Hip Hop Planet?
Pristine….
I give Hip Hop Planet 4 out of 5 subs, if they do a part 2, or another urban focused kit, taking into consideration some of my suggestions on the kit layout and instrument creations, they could easily knock it out of the park.
What is the Classic EP library?
So what is Urban Avenue?
