Yesterday, I posted a video from Arturia about the new update to Spark. Version 1.5, available now, offers some great new features, including new kits, new ways to control via MIDI, and new implementation of drum sounds, like setting different velocities to different sounds, as opposed to just volume.
Here's the full press release, via Arturia:
"Arturia updates SPARK Creative Drum Machine to v1.5
GRENOBLE, FRANCE: music software and hardware company Arturia is shipping Version 1.5 of SPARK Creative Drum Machine, the latest update to its highly-creative hybrid hardware/software beat production centre, as of October 2...
Upon its June 2011 release, SPARK Creative Drum Machine revolutionised hands-on beat-making 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; now, with the introduction of Version 1.5, Arturia has taken the art of creative rhythm programming and performance to a whole new level with a dazzling array of new performance-orientated features and a truly heavyweight library totalling 118 kits/1,800 instruments!New to Version 1.5 is the Tune feature, allowing users to easily compose melodies on the MIDI controller’s hardware drum pads and sequencer step buttons; the sample engine now enables Choke groups, so users can creatively specify samples that will cut each other off when triggered — perfect for emulating a hi-hat ‘choke’, for example (whereby triggering an open-hat sample first, followed immediately by a closed-hat sample will authentically cut off the open-hat prematurely), and also offers creative modes for layering samples (circular, random, stack, threshold); finally, the flexible FX Pad now includes the famed Oberheim SEM V filter featured in Arturia’s acclaimed Oberheim SEM V soft synth namesake, bringing unique warmth and depth to those still-sought-after synth sweeps.
Last, but by no means least, Version 1.5 sees SPARK Creative Drum Machine’s library considerably expanded to include no less than 28 new kits exploring the current span of electronic and urban music stylings — from euphoric EDM synths to almighty analogue dubstep kits, as well as the latest in alternative hip-hop, Arturia has teamed up with the world’s most in-demand sound designers to bring professional perfection to any production.
Thanks to Version 1.5, there has never been a better time than now to ignite your rhythmic creativity with SPARK Creative Drum Machine... beat the future!
SPARK Creative Drum Machine can be purchased from the Arturia online store (http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/buy/online-shop.html) or any dealer for €499.00 EURO/$599.00 USD
Hear the new Version 1.5 kits for SPARK Creative Drum Machine in action here: http://soundcloud.com/arturia-official/spark-1-5-new-kits-mini-mix"
