If you want only one Drum Machine, it can be this one. Why? First, because of the huge Drum kits ibrary available for free within the App or from the Cloud, and this is not so usual… secondly for all the available features. Some are usual for a Drum Machine and must be presents especially if it is the only one you have. Import Audio, Midi implementation with a Midi learn feature for most of all parameters. A separate output for the 8 instrument ‘s tracks (IAA & Audiobus). Automation for most of the parameters. 2 Aux Delay & Reverb, plus a Distortion and an EQ. A Song Mode mode too. A song mode with a terrific UI! I've never seen that in another App before. Here you have a Timeline and a grid… you can set the length of your patterns as you like, add a “hole” too. Change the order of the Pattern as you like… it’s a real song mode. Why it’s top? Because usually when we start to work on a music, we start with the Drum. Most of the time the structure of our song will change until the final mix. With Patterning : Drum Machinr, it’s not a problem. It's fast. (Usually, I use to record a Drum pattern to my Daw, then work on my song and at the end, I record my final Drum track with all the fills, breaks,… I think that it's the first time that can imagine to use a Drum Machine from the beginning to the end in sync mode). This is awesome but this is not the only awesome feature… the Pattern panel: here, a Circle grid for each of the 8 Instrument's track. A track can be played in the counterclockwise direction. The grid can Rotate too (set the number of steps you like to be rotated at the beginning of the next bar). A probability mode in the layer panel. The Polyrhythm feature. (All tracks can be set to a different number of steps and be played at the speed you like). An echo mode for the pencil (check out the tutorial below or the video demo). A chock mode. Also, I love the buttons which allow you to copy or add a new Pattern from this panel,… easy and fast. OK, I stop here and will conclude. Patterning is an unconventional conventional Drum Machine. It allows you to do all the things you like in studio or stage. It allows you to work fast in all situations. Perfect! A Killer App, a Must Have!
Review by Ed
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Samplebot, the new App from A Tasty Pixel! A Tasty Pixel = Loopy HD! A looper that I am using with my 2 pedalboards every time that I have to play on stage… So, Samplebot is also a looper, a 15 tracks looper. ... no, it’s not exact, it’s not a looper even if it can be use as this because of its Midi implementation. The same that you find in Loopy & Loopy HD with the add Binding & Action feature witch allows you to control it with an external App or hardware. Check out the tutorial below. So, if it’s not a looper what is Samplebot? A Drum Pad! Yes, it’s a Drum Pad! . no, it’s not a Drum Pad because it comes with any sound excepted the Kick, the Snare and the HH that can be loaded from the funny and helpful introductory tutorial (if you are not able to record them with your voice). Note that you can plug Samplebot in the Audiobus Audio output Slot and record the input signal of another App or hardware. So, if it’s not a Drum Pad it can not be Drum Machine even if it comes with a Sequencer. A Sequencer with a feature that comes from the Tasty Pixel Galaxy. A feature that we have never seen in our Galaxy before: The rhythmic template… (if you look at the Pads page, the 3 first Pads are white. They belong to the Drum group. In the Sequencer page, you select a rhythmic template and you paste it to the sequencer… in half a second Samplebot plays a Rhythm that you will be able to edit after like all the other tracks. Check out the videos demos. So, if it's not a Looper, a Drum Pad, a Drum Machine what is Samplebot? A Robot? ... yes it's a robot which comes from the Tasty Pixel Galaxy. A robot that can help you to create a Drum Track, a Song, in a record time and fun! A robot that you can beat to play Drums too. A robot who can be use as a looper too. It’s the 1.0 version of Samplebot, a lot of new feature will be add in the future, but it’s already an awesome App, a Killer App!
DM2 The Drum Machine will become soon Dm2 The Drone & Drum Machine. 8 Drones. 1 oscillator instead of 2 for a Drum Kit, The Oscillator Pitch Modulation, The Noise Filter as well as The Oscillator Filter are still present to shape your sound. The Noise Envelope is disable too… you can still use the FX section but no more sequencer and song mode. You can still load a Drum kit as a Preset for the Drum Machine and save them as well! Check out the video demo. I already reviewed Troublemaker from this developer. I will review soon, Ruismaker FM, the FM version of Ruismaker… I hope that I will be able to review the other Apps from Bram Bos. If not, very very sad I will be, because a big fan of this developer I am… (one more time, I am talking like a Jedï…). I love the UI, I love the generated sound, I love the concept… I also love their User manual which allows me to save a lot of time while I am making my review and tutorial… So, Ruismaker… first, the first time you will launch this App, use an headphone,.. you will be able to listen to the quality of the generated signal. A lot of dynamics which is not so easy to find with in a Drum Synthesizer Machine and this, even if you start to shape the sound of an instrument. I love this… Ruismaker its two modules. Euh, no, it’s 2 Apps in one. A Midi Drum Synthesizer Machine and a Sequencer, an Euclidean Pattern sequencer… an Euclidean Midi Pattern sequencer… an Euclidean Polyrhythm Midi Pattern sequencer… I think that I have to make a little break to give you some explanations… Why it’s not 2 modules, but 2 Apps? With the Audio Unit version, there is no sequencer. Does it means that we can not use the Ruismaker Euclidean Pattern sequencer? No… with Audiobus 3 you can load Ruismaker as a Midi input… at this moment, you can use it as midi sequencer to control another App. But you can also use it to control the Audio Unit version of Ruismaker loaded in Audiobus 3 or in another App. Check out the tutorial below… note that you can Tap on the GM keymap button located on the first parameters line of the Drum Synthetiser to play the 8 available instruments with the Audiobus Midi keyboard or another one. Jump to the C3 octave of your MIDI Controller and play.. Now Euclidean. Euclid was a Greek mathematician from 300 B.C. who came up with an algorithm to calculate the Greatest Common Divisor (GCD) for any set of two numbers. http://cgm.cs.mcgill.ca/~godfried/publications/banff.pdf. It means that this sequencer is not a classic sequencer… don’t try to tap on the grid,… no events will be added to it. Use the Beats button to add beats… set the number of steps from 1 to 32 for each of 8 available tracks, then use the shift button to move all the events of the selected tracks in an Euclidean style. Add an accent or not, use the Mutation button to add random beat to your track and if your not happy, tap on the randomize button… you can also load a sequence from the Factory Library or load yours. Before to conclude, let’s talk about the Drum Synthetiser. 8 instruments. You can load 8 Snares, 8 Kicks if you like and save this as a Preset. The first line of parameters are applied to all instruments: Delay time & Feedback / Reverb and Volume. A randomize button is also available. On the second line, the parameters for the selected instrument: Tune / Decay / Personality / Drive / Bitcrush / Delay Send, Pan and Level. The last line: 8 switches below allows you to select an Instrument sound preset. So, now my conclusion… I love the Drum Synthetiser… the generated sounds… I also love the sequencer… the possibilities that he can offer to an ex Punk, ex New Wave, ex Rocker and old Electro music lover. I remember the day I listened to the first Tom York solo album… the Eraser… the Drum programming… so far fom my internal Drum Machine programming system. And it’s too bad because, I love this kind of rhythms, so much… Euh, no, it’s was too bad…. Now, I will use the Ruismaker App… a Killer App. A Must Have! Audiobus / Audio Unit / IAA / Stand Alone / Midi Drum-O-Rama HD is unique in the App Store! A Drum Pads App that works like no others, and because of this, it can become a little Drum Machine… 1 pattern Drum Machine. First 12 banks of sounds: Kick - Snare - Conga - Cymbals-Middle Eastern Drums - DJ embedded - Street Sounds - Song Loops - Tabla - Timbale- Toms and Trap More than 1 hundreds samples! You can create your own set or modify one. You can add as many Pad as you like to a set.. Set will be saved automatically. If you move a Pad to the left or the right, the Pan will follow… you can add a Pad inside another one to play both, or more Pads if Ou like at the same time. You can set the size of each Pads, six levels are available… you can also changef the sound of each instruments: Volume, Pitch. Reverb Delay, Decay and LPF. At this moment, it’s cool but we have some Drum Pads App like this in the App Store… so, now, the big differences with the other Drum Pads Apps. You can set a sequence for each Pad… 1 to 8 steps / 1/4, 1/8,1/12’ 1/16, and 1/24… so, when you will tap a Pad it will be able to play a sequence that you have prebiously programmed. This is really cool, if you want to play a Fill with one Tap! If you like, you can also decided to loop this sequence.. It means that if you have set a sequence for each Pad, you will have a 1 pattern Drum Machine! A killer App! a Must Have for Virtual Drummers!
Review by Ed A very long time ago, in the previous millennium, there was no computer, so we had to record a real Drummer to make our recordings. In 1959, Wurlitzer released the first electro-mechanical drum machine called the Side Man, and a lot of others were released after. Cool for electronic music… In the middle of 1970, the first audio samplers start to arrive. With them and a lot of hours of programming, it was possible to “unused’ a Drummer during a recording session for an average result. When the iPad was released, some Drum Loop Apps were released. So cool, no more Audio CD with unnamed tracks, and no BPM… at this time, it was a revolution… in 2013, an App has been released: SuperMetronome Groovebox. I remember this day… I said to myself. “It’s not a metronome! It’s the future of the Drum Machine!“… Do you know the LumBeat Apps? I don’t know a better way to create a Drum track in 10 minutes. Not a Drum Machine track! A real Drum Track record with a real Drummer! Yes, I don’t the name of the Drummer, because he is super shy and always succeed to hide in my iPad, but when I ask him to Jam on a pattern… wahoo… he jams! Yes, it’s crazy! And the worst, is that you can create your own patterns, select the sound for the 5 drums instruments, and ask the hidden Drummer to play a Fill when you like! Also, a Live Pads mode is available. 8 Pads, 8 patterns that you can control via Midi… A Song mode too. To conclude: There was before and after the LumBeat Apps. I am not kidding! It’s the ultimate Apps for creating Rhythms. I forgot to say 2 things: The sound quality of all the Sound Set is awesome! And 4 effects are also available: Compressor, Reverb, Delay, and EQ. My only problem is that I don’t know how to offer a coffee to the Hidden Drummer after a recording session… A Killer App! A Must Have!
Review by Ed modstep is a Midi Sequencer. No,… modstep is The Midi Sequencer! Yes, it’s the best one from all the App Store… no doubt with this… and too bad for the suspense! There are so many reasons for this that it’s impossible for me to describe here all the great features included in it, But I will give you an overview of some of them that impressed me the most. The first one is not a feature, but the stability of the App. To make the tutorial, I worked everyday with modstep during more than 1 month… 2 weeks ago, I deleted my tutorial from my iPad, and I had to restart it from the beginning... (Note that because of this. I am known now as the modstep expert in all the Galaxies…). During all this time, no bugs! The second thing is the UI. Very easy to understand and the Drag & Drop feature is so cool! Some technic characteristics now... unlimited scenes! Variable speed per pattern! Unlimited MIDI & Audio Tracks! IAA compatible app or Audio Unit as an instrument or effect. -unlimited number of effects per track and Audiobus support. modstep comes also with a Sampler and a Synthesizer too. The Sampler comes with a huge library of drum kits / pitch, volume, reverse, fx per slot, 3 band-eq, delay and reverb. The built in Synthesizer with up to 64 harmonics per voice, 3-band eq, delay, reverb, lfo and detune. It comes also with 2 edit modes: a “Classic” Grid editor and a Step sequencer with a repeat notes feature.. An integrated keyboard with scales, a drum-pads. Up to 128 CC modulations per track! A sophisticated template system allows quick setup of tracks to control external MIDI hardware, apps or plugins.... More? Check out the tutorial below! In summary modstep is very powerful, very study, very well done and very easy to use. The Best MIDI Sequencer from the App Store! A Killer App. A Must Have!
Review by Ed MV08 is a Drum Machine inspired by the mythic Roland Tr808. It’s certainly the best Tr808 “clone” from the App Store because it’s not a clone… The developer‘s team added a lot of features that we can not find in a Tr808. A Reverb & a Delay per instruments, a Pan & a Pitch as well. The ability to edit a step independently (Level, Pitch, Pan, Reverb, Delay, and depending of the selected instrument, the Tone, Decay, Snappy, Tune & Length). Also a Master Fx section with a Reverb, an EQ, a Distortion and a Delay. 16 patterns per banks. A pattern length can be set from 1 to 64 steps. 8 banks are available. (Peraphs that here is my only regrets, because I like to be able to name my patterns, a song as well.) Let’s talk about the sound now… The first thing is that when you touch a button, you can ear it… it’s not really soft, but I like it! Because of this, you can transform this “Tr808’ into another Drum Machine… e.g, a MV08. I was thinking at something… the best is that you listen to the video demo part 2: Audio Demo. In Summary, if you look for a Tr808 in the App Store… without any hesitation you can download MV08! The App is very well done, the UI is great, the App Store description is true, and I love it's sound… A Killer App
Review by Ed Every time I get an App, I'm all excited. I download it and start playing with ... This also allows me to know how long I will need to do the tutorial, (Yes, I have to manage between the big Apps and the smallest ones to be able to post every day.) So a week ago, I downloaded Beatonal and started playing with ... in parenthesis I had a lot fun of with it, and had to force myself to return to my current review. My first impression was: it looks like Figure, better ... so, I closed Beatonal, and thought I would make its review fast, a day when I will have a big App's tutorial to do .. Three days ago, I opened Beatonal again, and started to get a little more in ... actually it's not a small App! A Figure like for Pro musicians also ... I explain .... you have 4 modules, Drum, Bass, Chord and Lead. For the Drum Machine, 8 pads: repeat notes pads (you can set the number of repetitions for each of them). You can assign a parameter to the vertical axis and select a sample for each of the Pads independently. You can also manage the volume, play the sample in reverse mode, tune it and set its decay and glide. For each Drum instrument, an Overdrive and a Bitcrusher. A Master Aux with a Delay and a Reverb effects. Until there, nothing very different from Figure, excepted that Beatonal comes with a Midi Sequencer,(12 bars max) and a Grid editor ... a real one ... and that's great! This Grid editor, we find it on all other modules. For the Bass, Chords and Lead modules., 2 oscillators including one with an ADSR. A Pitch, AM / FM and FX section also. (Reverb, Delay, Bitcrusher, Low Pass, Chorus, and Formant). The keyboard of the Chords module is different from the others, since it allows you to play 7 inverse chords on one key! It also come with an Arpeggiator. The cherry on the cake: is that you can use the Sequencer to control another App! In conclusion: 1 drum Machine and 3 super synthesisers! I do not have much to reproach to Beatonal, except maybe that it is not Audiobus or Inter App compatible ... really a great App, or rather a Killer App!
Review by Ed I am sure that you all know the DM1 Drum Machine and I am also sure that you all know its little sister DM2 The Drum Machine… Why we all know the DM1 App? Because it was one of the first Drum Machine available in the App Store ? Sure, but a lot of Drum Machines were released since this time, and a lot of them have fallen into oblivion… no, I think that if we all know this Drum Machine it is because DM1 is the Perfect Drum Machine! Perfect, because we don’t have to think when we use it. The UI is perfect, easy to understand even for someone who never use a Drum Machine before, and it also comes with all the features needed for a Pro musician… No, I am not writing the review of the DM1 right now,.. I am writing the review of its litle sister, the DM2, but it’s exactly the same… Perfect! DM2 is a synthesizer Drum Machine : • 1 oscillator + 1 noise generator • 2 self-oscillating filters • 2 volume envelopes • Pitch modulation • Distortion per track. 6 FX (4 can be used simultaneously in a Song as Master Fx or Aux: Compressor | Overdrive | Phaser | Chorus | Delay | Reverb. 9 Tracks. The step editor allows you to work with a 1 to 32 steps pattern. A step can also play singles, duplets, triplets or quadruplets note, and the cherry on the cake: an handle allows you to set the length of each track… it means that you can create Polymetric rhythm! The song editor is so simple to use… and the Midi learn feature: Awesome! Easy-to-use and all the buttons, knobs, faders,… everything can be controlled with an external App or hardware… To conclude: I am working with Apple since 33 years now, because when I’am making music, I don’t want to do informatics… also, when I am making music, I want to go fast, I don’t want to think… A Killer App must come with a great UI, and if possible easy to understand. It also have to generate a great Sound and to come with all the features that a Pro musician need to have: IAA / Audiobus / Midi…). If all of these criteria are there, it’s a Killer App and a Must Have App also… DM2 is a Must Have, a Killer App!
Review by Ed |
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December 2019
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