Sunday, October 16, 2011

My dream of Spark drum machine

Arturia Spark hybrid drum machine

I've been messing with Arturia Spark drum machine for some months now. It's has became my daily practice partner as a keyboard player and necessary tool for producing new material and testing some new ideas. I must say I really enjoy using this product and I am very happy to have it in my cellar.

But if we go back to basics and think what is the main concept of Spark, I'd say that it is much about its hybrid approach: you should be able to use Spark (with your computer of course) like an independent drum machine. More you can do with just its dedicated controller the better. On live stage situation drummer (for example) would like control it by just using its controller: loading songs and patterns, making and controlling beats and sounds etc. It could be a very powerful beast in music performance in different styles (from experimental to dance music and everything between).

Since the very beginning with my Spark, I've been thinking about its potential as a kind of MIDI sequencer and controller of other hardware or software devices. Developing its own Standalone program would make it a kind of a general midi-performance controller on live stage. Here's my main idea how Arturia should develop Spark to make it a professional performance and composition tool on its own, without any DAW:
  • Spark has a step sequencer in which you can put together your drum patterns. It has also some synth sounds - basses and leads for example - which you can integrate into these beats. To be honest, these synth sounds are just a little extra; most of us probably have better sounds in our rig. Personally I have my Arturia Origin, my Nords and all the other soft synths too. Spark has physical MIDI outs, so in principle it has capability to send midi messages out. To use this potential, Spark step sequencer should have possibility to command some external MIDI-devices. In other words it should be able to send midi messages (note on/off, velocities and time sync) and play for example basses or leads from any hardware synth. It would be also nice if you could integrate some other Arturia V-series soft synth to this step sequencer. Other question is that how you implement these "external midi patterns or tracks". Of course it would be great to be able to record them from your midi-keyboard like you do in normal MIDI-sequencer. This means that Spark sequencer could record different note values, different velocities and also note lengths (note on/off messages) and perhaps even chords. All this means of course lot of thinking and programming for Arturia team. Anyway at the moment it would be just great to have at least simple "external midi patterns" integrated to Spark step sequencer.


Spark Step sequencer













  • To be a great tool for live usage or to be hybrid drum machine on its own, other thing to develop is Spark's virtual Mixer. This mixer should really have a chance to use all outputs of your sound card. Because it is a virtual mixer you could have as many auxes that you need and then route them how you like. For example, on live stage drummer might wanna hear some special click pattern (track) and/or special mix for a bass drum for example. From your soundcard you could then send this special aux x mix from output x. At the moment Spark mixer have just 2 auxes for effects.

Spark Mixer