Arturia has introduced Spark EDM, a production and performance software suite dedicated to electronic dance music production, and EDM, an Expansion Pack for its Spark and SparkLE.
Features:
- 30 different kits coverning progressive house, tech house, minimal, techno, dubstep and more.
- 480 instruments that make use of the Sample playback, Virtual analog and Physical modeling engines.
- 960 pre-programmed patterns, that you can customize or build from to meet your needs.
- Made for live performance: FX Pad, Looper, Slicer and Real-time automation on all parameters.
- 14 high quality effects: Multiband Compressor, Reverb, Sub generator, Destroyer, Bit crusher, Multiband EQ, Chorus, Delay, Distortion, Phaser, Plate reverb, Flanger, Space pan, Limiter.
- Spark’s Step Sequencer makes track creation a breeze.
- Perfect integration: Standalone operation or run as a VST, VST3, RTAS, or AU plug-in.
- Unparalleled sound quality based on virtual analog synthesis (TAE) and high-resolution sampling.
- Playable from any MIDI keyboard or drum pad controller.
Here’s a video preview:
Pricing:
- Spark EDM can be purchased as a software download for €99.00 EURO/$99.00 USD or boxed for €119.00 EURO/$129.00 USD
- The EDM Expansion Pack requires SPARK Creative Drum Machine Version 1.5 (or higher), and can be purchased as a software download for €29.00 EURO/$29.00 USD
See the Arturia site for details.
Electronic Dork Music?
Though a long time on that one, didn’t you.
To us oldskoolers all this new c*** look like toys for children. “Speak and spell” for older children. Plastic… it’s sad to look at. And the graphic is toy-like, too. Now it comes in colours of your choice. Funny stuff. 🙂
I guess I’m an old timer being mid fourths and a former studio owner, in my opinion Spark is a fantastic instrument,the hardware is built like a tank (you do realise that you are looking at a VST graphic not the hardware right….) it is undoubtedly the best drum machine hardware software solution I have used, and I have Maschine, Guist, Tremor, Cubase 7, Live 9 and several Akai MPC devices.
Have you ever even used Spark?
I’m not sure what your advertion to plastic is, which classic drum machine or MPC was all metal ?
For what it’s worth if anyone is reading this that actually makes music, the Spark upgrade packs are great value for 30 bucks, But I haven’t tried the EDM pack as it still wasn’t up for purchase when I checked, the dubstep pack was very good.
I think the real problem, if you want to call it one, is that its far harder to make actual mistakes in EDM than in, say, guitar playing. It has a specific goal and structure, but most players seem to stick to it all too religiously. I like the tone, but it takes too few risks.
Mistakes are how we learn quite a few things. Creative Eno-style “errors” can be hidden intentions that surfaced, or happy accidents. EDM is too much like the old joke about jazz: if you play a clam once, its a mistake, but twice and its jazz. We can be lazy critters. The music tech makes it easy to fall prey to that, if you allow it. I have to fight that myself, ahem.
Straight-ahead dance is fine for the purpose, but my ears perk up a lot more when someone uses it as a springboard for something less predictable. That’s when my enthusiasm really gets triggered.
For the record, I like the GUI. It has a nice flow similar to the sweet one the UVI engine usually employs. I revile dongles and Arturia still clings to them, but their gear always sounds nice and crispy.
I just find that Spark’s integration with pro tools 9 isnt the best, I wish it wrote Midi notes to a track instead of me having to create a pattern, then save it, then drag the midi into the window 🙁
I’ve been dabbling with music made with computers since I got my first Commodore 64 in the mid 80’s. I’m a poor guitarist, and a one handed keyboard player, but have a reasonable understanding music theory. After exhaustive research into creating an up-to-date home recording setup, and having recently performed live with a band for the first time in my ancient life, I came across this little beauty. My approach to music is somewhat left of centre and abstract (I’m an artist, so I have an excuse!) and having a keen interest in the music of today, rather than yesterday, this glorious machine is right up my street, and I’ve bought one to go with my Kaoss Pad, EMU Shortboard, and Mixcraft 6 Pro Studio. The band I’m in is a collaboration between visual artists, musicians, film-makers, animators and a VJ. In addition I’ve just embarked on a collaboration with 2 poets to make music and visuals for live readings. So I can’t wait to get going as soon as the Spark arrives!
I have purchased this, but the download is not available. Not happy Arturia.
Please improve your online purchasing and download system!
I bought spark second hand for £240, it was £400 at the time , so i thought nice one i got it half price, anyway because it had been registered by the original owner i couldnt get it registeredto me ie, it was stuck in the box for 4 months, after many attempted emails to arturia no joy! They told me to send a picture of the box, serial number, original software, ect , and said they had recieved it but to no avail, i still never got it to work off demo mode, i was well gutted! No joy whatsoever off arturia, if you buy second hand arturia stuff god help you! The aftersales is total rubbish, they dont seem to want to know, its ashame as the arturia stuff looks amazing, i certainly wont be buying anymore, i ended up selling it again for £70 and lost a lot of money on it, all because arturia didn’t care enough to give me a code after i did as they asked me too,