Review of MOTU's BPM

http://www.audiomidi.com/content/reviews/davis_bpm.aspx?utm_campaign=enews&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=enews022409&utm_term=BPM%2BReview

Looks pretty good... but I'm still keeping my MPC.

I always said this looks heavy but if they made a physical metal case unit to accompany it that u could use stand alone it woulda been all over of alot of upstarts

i lost all interest and attention for that thing when they made that fake 3D model and tried to make it look like its hardware...

now the Native Instruments Maschine im still looking at....

Comrade wrote:i lost all interest and attention for that thing when they made that fake 3D model and tried to make it look like its hardware...

now the Native Instruments Maschine im still looking at....

I was just about to chime in with Maschine in response to the dude who mentioned the lack of a hardware unit for BPM. I'm guessing that MOTU know NI was about to drop Maschine and wanted to compete.

I've always said that if someone could come up with a software equivalent of the MPC OS, they would bank. But, to push a hardware unit with it also, that, as far as I've heard, can also sequence external modules, is genius. Akai should have BEEN done this.

My only disappointment with Maschine is the lack of a built in synth. It does come with "synth" sounds, but, it would have been great to get like a 3 oscillator, polyphonic synth within the software at least. Then, Maschine could literally be your all in one production unit. They could have maybe put in a scaled down version of Massive or Absynth.

Roland came close to this idea with the MV8080, but the synth is only monophonic and designed solely for bass sounds. I'll say this, though, the 8080 could have really been THE MPC killer had they raised the specs to 24 bit/96 khz and let it function as a soundcard out the box. I think you have to buy something additional for it to function as a soundcard. Correct me if I'm wrong. And then, their mic input is only quarter inch. Add a really good XLR input mic preamp and maybe some of the UA or SONY Oxford plugs (or the ability incorporate the Powercore hardware for use of these plugs).

But, I guess that would take too much work.

You don't topple giants in any industry by half-assing it.

That's why Apple came in with the Iphone and literally took over the high-end cell phone arena. Everyone was taking baby steps in regards to adding new technology to their phones and Apple just dropped something that was leaps and bounds ahead of what everyone else was doing, thus forcing all their competitors to jump up to their strata or fail.

If NI can introduce a workflow or features that totally stomp the MPC series and then maybe provide an MPC swing emulation mode for every model of MPC ever created, so you can emulate the swing of the 60, 60 II, 3000, 2000, or 2000XL, etc.., then they can get both those guys that are constantly craving advancements in technology and those guys that like to keep it traditional.

Just an idea, but, the first company that does it WILL reign supreme.

And, if they can actually provide regular updates of the software, including the most requested features put forward by the users, they've got the cat in bong.

why don't we hire some software programmers and some hardware designers put them in a room to work and come up with the product
bada bingggggg

Remedial wrote:Akai should have BEEN done this.

My only disappointment with Maschine is the lack of a built in synth. They could have maybe put in a scaled down version of Massive or Absynth.

If NI can introduce a workflow or features that totally stomp the MPC series and then maybe provide an MPC swing emulation mode for every model of MPC ever created, so you can emulate the swing of the 60, 60 II, 3000, 2000, or 2000XL, etc.., then they can get both those guys that are constantly craving advancements in technology and those guys that like to keep it traditional.

Just an idea, but, the first company that does it WILL reign supreme.

+1

ALL TRUE!

temetrepo wrote:why don't we hire some software programmers and some hardware designers put them in a room to work and come up with the product
bada bingggggg

If I had the startup capital, I'd be right there with you. Or, even if I knew any kind of programming, I would have already tried to do this.

Right now, the only folks that are forward thinking enough to get something like this done are the JJ OS folks. They are really pushing the limits of what the MPC OS can do. All they need to do is partner with a hardware developer and we'll all be the better for it.

All it would take is a convert and upscale of the OS to PC/MAC format and the addition of something like Maschine and they'd be on the right path.

JUKE 179r wrote:

Remedial wrote:Akai should have BEEN done this.

My only disappointment with Maschine is the lack of a built in synth. They could have maybe put in a scaled down version of Massive or Absynth.

If NI can introduce a workflow or features that totally stomp the MPC series and then maybe provide an MPC swing emulation mode for every model of MPC ever created, so you can emulate the swing of the 60, 60 II, 3000, 2000, or 2000XL, etc.., then they can get both those guys that are constantly craving advancements in technology and those guys that like to keep it traditional.

Just an idea, but, the first company that does it WILL reign supreme.

+1

ALL TRUE!

I've heard this argument b4. Sometimes made really well, sometimes poorly made.

Either way it's kinda moot.

I think it's tired for people to be like, "wud B great if there was this, and than this that AND this and that and blah blah blah, and of course throw in a synth - wtf?

Bottom line is clearly no machine will encompass wut every MPCforum fanboy wants inna machine.

2 options:

1. A new hardware piece like (the never gonna drop, but i'll pretend it will for conversation) the LinnDrum2

2. Software "Alternative"

MOTU Bpm is clearly #2 - really( to me at least ) being a competitor for Stylus RMX

I can run Logic + Reason with a couple instances of synths on a MACmini (w/o any choking) that blows away any BS synth that "comes bundled" with a box.

DukeNewport wrote:Bottom line is clearly no machine will encompass wut every MPCforum fanboy wants inna machine.

I know that no machine can encompass everything that EVERYONE wants, but, I they could devise a system of voting for like the top 5 features, and then continue voting for every upcoming update, that would be more consumer participatory, would it not?

Comrade wrote:i lost all interest and attention for that thing when they made that fake 3D model and tried to make it look like its hardware...

now the Native Instruments Maschine im still looking at....

you make NO sense what so ever. that was a stupid ass post. how dare they make something that looks familiar to what we are all working with

you make NO sense what so ever. that was a stupid ass post. how dare they make something that looks familiar to what we are all working with

I was thinking that too when I saw that image then found out it was fake.

They tried to fake us out to get interested in their software .

The fact they had to dupe me into being curious made me not give a f*** what they had to sell.

Old habits die hard and if one is content with their hardware or software of choice, then so be it. BPM is nice imo and because it has a stand alone mode and can read UVI soundcard stuff, I think it's a beast. My Axiom 61 has 8 pads (which feel really good) and that's enough to get a good kit going and there's 53 keyboard keys if I need more. BPM's 15 gigs of sounds is what I really like (and why I bought it), but it's effects are surprisingly good, too. I'm not trying to write a BPM review, but it is the biz!! One software to stay away from is Playa!! Seriously chessy, basic and overall wack!! Not even worth the $99 I paid at GC. BPM is hot!

I'm using BPM and while it isn't anywhere close to perfect yet, it's still alot of fun to work with. IMO BPM's workflow is one of it's strong points....It also has an extremely powerful effects section....as an example if you have 6 snares layered(for whatever reason) you can apply effects to each layer separately which I thought was pretty unique. Aside from the effects BPM has a ton of cool things working to it's advantage.

Some of it's downfalls are the:

1.Slice system, which doesn't allow you to edit, add or delete any slice points.,

2.When chopping using BPM if you've chopped a sample into 64 pieces it will only map the first 16 sounds to pads instead of all 4 banks of 16.

3. BPM is also lacking a global undo feature which is frustrating.



There are a few other minor details missing from BPM but the bottom line is that BMP is fun to use but it still needs some tightening up. In some ways it is better than the MPC but without an Major update BPM could never replace my MPC....at this point it is just a tool that compliments my workflow.

Thanks for the info Upright!

Upright wrote:....at this point it is just a tool that compliments my workflow.

Hell will freeze over before anything comes along that ticks every box, so this sounds like a useful piece of software that we could all benefit from.