Arturia has updated SPARK Creative Drum Machine, the hybrid hardware/software beat production centre, to Version 1.5, which offers an array of new performance-orientated features and a library now 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 Oberheim SEM V soft synth namesake, bringing unique warmth and depth to those still-sought-after synth sweeps.

Version 1.5 sees SPARK Creative Drum Machine's library considerably expanded to include 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.

SPARK Creative Drum Machine can be purchased from the Arturia online store or any dealer for €499.00 / $599.00.