Forum Activity for @deltadio

Which Controllers Do You Really Appreciate?

DAW or Software Questions

I think the 'Bitstream 3x' from "Wave idea" is one of the best midi controllers ever made, it is a pity it was discontinued. I assumed the manufacturer went belly up or something to that extent but that's not the case both Waveidea and CME (its distributor) are still around. In 'MackieControl' setting this controller seems to work ok in for instance Ableton but as a midi controller I can't see it not working for any DAW. Obviously the USB connectivity might at some point not be supported but then you could still rely on its regular MIDI ports. Knobs, Sliders, Buttons, X/Y axis it has it all and USB powered, what's not to like?

I just found out it was invented/designed by the same guy who made the Teenage Engineering OP-1 synthesizer! Strangely enough without sarcasm he (the inventer) has this to say about the collaboration with CME on distribution of the Bitstream 3x: " A deal was established with CME after the product was officially released. This amazing controller is discontinued for a long time and I still receive requests to make it available again. A true success story with CME, who definitely became my exclusive partner after this product collaboration." Well I guess we have to take his word for it...

From Novation's Automap (the earlier versions) I can still remember that it would copy any VST and put its own little software wrapper around them just so they could link them through automap to your novation controller; a bizarrely intrusive and convoluted process. Later on I discovered the novation controllers did just fine without that atrocious Automap for the midi controlling i needed. Configuring the novation controller I found difficult, I would have expected to be able to make as many profiles as I needed but there were only a tiny amount of templates available and not much of community sharing templates.

The ideal midi controller has a feature importing user made profiles for softsynths and hardware synths; it should have a large userbase keen to share and upload new profiles...

Loopcloud Drum Tutorial

Member Content Requests

Do you have an opinion if the Drum Kits they sell are worth the credits? It won't be just me who almost immediately starts replacing sounds on one or two pads (or nearly all), and you wind up with a (subjectively) better kit either by randomization or custom drag an drop or a combination of both. Not gonna lie: some drum kits from the shop just sound yummy and not buying them with the crazy amount of credits you still have is near impossible. I think I bought 6 or 8 extra drum kits but now decided to stop buying more.

Also, Loopcloud drumkits generally feature bass pads and synth pads and not just drum and percussion pads. I am a bit startled how well that works out (normally I would add bass and synth in separate tracks) but at the same time it also limits me what I can do for bass and synth further along. Any thoughts?

How to make a (commercial) Sample Pack

Member Content Requests

Thx for that info! Only recently I discovered the livestream archive and its treasure trove character, I'll check out this particular vid swiftly. It might constitute a nice side business for some but I also noticed that some labels have multiple distributors/resellers with entirely different pricing schemes (for the same packs) often with 50% differences (and sometimes promos slash the lower price even in half) ; behind this I suspect are sample pack makers who are pretty desperate to monetize their struggling (?) packs. This phenomenon can also be spotted with tutorials, like courses apparently licensed to ADSR but also sold if not flogged on author's own websites (sometimes with Instagram campaign) resulting in people buying a hefty price for something that could be had for a pittance because the author sold his/her course to other distributors/resellers in the past. Almost walked into that trap but google was my friend.

What also strikes me that individual sample packs rarely receive buyer/end-user reviews, sometimes you'll see the odd review on 'sample pack bundles' mostly triggered by one or two 'useless' fillers (they always manage to slip in a didgeridoo pack* in those bundles!); I guess sample packs are just 'commodities' quite useless in and of themselves but only of some utility when actually used in a track (even then possibly only as a temporary placeholder [elitist: 'as they should be!').

Anyway, the Loopcloud app is the savior of any old sample pack collecting digital dust on hard drives, it has (kind of) curated every sample I ever bought and made them musical options in a delightful microcosm of sonic possibilities. Best discovery for me in years! Always disliked Splice for reasons I cannot even explain.

* How is that for a challenge? Make a song out of (...or just enough...like >= 5) didgeridoo samples and make it not suck!
updated by @deltadio: 10/12/21 07:11:30PM

Loopcloud Drum Tutorial

Member Content Requests

I just commented this on the YT video "Make a beat in the style of Maztek Neurofunk - 3 Minute Beat", I was wondering if anybody has an opinion on these issues?

I am surprised that I can't buy/download extra 'Loopcloud Drum Patterns' even though the Loopcloud app has it listed under "Formats", guess it must be an upcoming feature. I did buy some cool Loopcloud drum kits to expand my drum kit choices but I found myself quickly customizing at least half of the pads and it got me wondering whether new drum kits is money (credits) well spent?

How to make a (commercial) Sample Pack

Member Content Requests

I have a huge sample library (like you probably, dear reader!) and I am talking about terabytes of sample libraries that I actually paid for (i.e. I am licensed to use them)! I guess I have what might be called (analog to the infamous GAS ‘Gear Acquisition Syndrome’) ‘Sample Pack Acquisition Syndrome’ although I don’t think its acronym will catch on any time soon.

Now having an analytical disposition I am able to figure out how most sample packs are composed and compiled and for sure I have some opinions on packs that have construction kits in them and packs that don’t include any midi etc. etc.

If there is any money to be made in that particular industry is also an interesting question but that is not what we should be concerned with. Any sample pack is bound to fall prey to piracy but nowadays we also have monetizing avenues like Bandcamp, Splice and Loopcloud etc. that were absent in the old days. Ultimately our talent will decide what opportunities are in sight for our home made sample pack, but first we have to learn how to make one.

It could be interesting to share what we think a decent sample pack has to offer, but obviously I would be even more interested if Rob Jones would give it his definitive treatment in a Producertech tutorial!

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This is some rambling I wrote about lone producers and their cottage industry of sample packs who manage to look BIG but that simply goes to underpin my suggestion that we too as aspiring producers could take a crack at making sample packs (at some point)…


I also noticed that quite a few sample pack labels are just the output of a lone and fairly talented musician who is trying to keep up with music trends and sell freshly baked kits (in genres in which that artist has no track record on) to the kids. Still, in order to sell these packs that musician still has to compose a little ditty that will have to lure in the buyers, so it is fair to say that sample packs, all things considered, require a fair bit of talent. Obviously, there are also large players in that market who are able to invite talented artists of some renown asking them to condense their genre and/or style into a sample pack. There are also sample labels that just crank out samples by the thousands and I often wonder if they are not just reselling the samples from companies that bit the dust because of software/audio piracy. Anyway, we don’t have to do investigative journalism on the industry to conclude that some labels are just run by a one man band that is trying to make it look like the brand represents a fancy music production behemoth.