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Stylus RMX
Reviewed By Paul881 [all]
November 16th, 2004
Version reviewed: 1.0.5 on Windows
$10 for a UPS delivery is great value for a free upgrade from Stylus that I bought in April. So is the upgrade worth it? Well, it’s not an upgrade…Stylus RMX is a completely new program that installs as a separate version to the original program.
The package comprises two DVD’s containing 7.4 Gig of sounds and the program itself. Installation is fairly straight forward but Stylus RMX would be better if it would allow you to “point” to where your Library folders are kept rather than the more awkward way they have of linking to your vst file.
Authorisation is via a challenge and response number from their web site.
Included in the pack is a great CD containing QuickTime video tutorials. This CD is a great innovation; it is immensely useful by way of an introduction to the various screens and controls which is needed because the manual is very poor.
So what’s new? Well, for a start, Stylus RMX is very different to the “old” Stylus. No more accessing the sound set via the Windows Start button and Explorer. The library is now accessed by means of drop down menus from within the program. Up to 8 simultaneous instruments (which Spectrasonics call “Elements”) or Grooves can be layered at once, and total control is available in real-time over all the sounds, even changing them as you play. Grooves can be selected to play back from the drop down menus as well as individual Elements, giving you huge control over your beats.
There is a virtual rack of effects including all the usual suspects like EQ, Tube slammers, limiters and delays which can all be loaded separately for each track or voice. The full range is listed on this web page at K-v-R above.
Further screens for editing LFO’s, Envelopes and Filters – even a chaos control screen - all make for an interesting and endless sound design capability. The control options over the sounds are virtually limitless. A mixer page is instantly recognisable but swivelled through 90 degrees so it is sideways. Controls for pan, levels, and fx are all accessible via this page for each of the 8 tracks.
Drag and Drop facilities to your host program make constructing layered sounds comprising both Grooves and individual sounds/instruments is easy and can be used to quickly construct unique songs very easily but beware, different hosts allow this facility in widely differing ways. REX files can also be converted to S.A.G.E. using the included converter making the sound files available through the library drop down menus.
So what does it sound like….and how easy is it to use? Awesome and as easy as you want…or as complex as you want…it’s your choice - most users will be able to get some simply stunning rhythm grooves going very quickly. Because the sounds can be manipulated in real-time; if you don’t like a particular instrument or groove…then change it on the fly. Adding in individual percussion instruments, as you play, all synced to your host is easy. The sheer range of instruments including many ethnic sounds is really impressive. I found that in my P4/2.4Gig PC, each Groove took about 15% of the CPU capacity…. But not once did I experience any crashes or glitches, even with 4 instances open within my host, so it appeared to be very stable.
The main thrust of Stylus RMX in its standard, out-of-the-box format is for Hip-hop and dance/trance genres of music but to say that there is no flexibility to cover other styles would be doing the program an injustice.
Any library that uses the same format, described as “S.A.G.E. Expander’s by Spectrasonics, can be used to broaden the appeal and use of the product. Make sure you check out the demos of all their libraries including their BackBeat Expander reviewed by SOS magazine that has stunning acoustic drum sounds. These add-ons give Stylus RMX a real edge for all sorts of music makers…from film and commercial producers through to the discerning amateur.
Bottom line? An amazing program, something for everyone, a greatly improved new interface, terrific for using live and with the added $99 S.A.G.E. Expander library’s, hugely appealing for all music buffs of whatever persuasion you are.
Although relatively expensive if you need to supplement the program out of the box with Expander libraries, the quality of the sounds and the degree of manipulation and ease of use makes this program well worth it. This program should be in every serious amateur musician/producers portfolio. Whatever criticisms the original program had from the music community, Spectrasonics have evolved the product to be a great beat program, right out of the box. I had many hours of fun jamming to made-up beat grooves before I recorded anything. And if it doesn’t quite suit your particular musical taste from the get-go, then with all the libraries available for it, all music genres are catered for. . Simply a “must try it” program!Read Review
The package comprises two DVD’s containing 7.4 Gig of sounds and the program itself. Installation is fairly straight forward but Stylus RMX would be better if it would allow you to “point” to where your Library folders are kept rather than the more awkward way they have of linking to your vst file.
Authorisation is via a challenge and response number from their web site.
Included in the pack is a great CD containing QuickTime video tutorials. This CD is a great innovation; it is immensely useful by way of an introduction to the various screens and controls which is needed because the manual is very poor.
So what’s new? Well, for a start, Stylus RMX is very different to the “old” Stylus. No more accessing the sound set via the Windows Start button and Explorer. The library is now accessed by means of drop down menus from within the program. Up to 8 simultaneous instruments (which Spectrasonics call “Elements”) or Grooves can be layered at once, and total control is available in real-time over all the sounds, even changing them as you play. Grooves can be selected to play back from the drop down menus as well as individual Elements, giving you huge control over your beats.
There is a virtual rack of effects including all the usual suspects like EQ, Tube slammers, limiters and delays which can all be loaded separately for each track or voice. The full range is listed on this web page at K-v-R above.
Further screens for editing LFO’s, Envelopes and Filters – even a chaos control screen - all make for an interesting and endless sound design capability. The control options over the sounds are virtually limitless. A mixer page is instantly recognisable but swivelled through 90 degrees so it is sideways. Controls for pan, levels, and fx are all accessible via this page for each of the 8 tracks.
Drag and Drop facilities to your host program make constructing layered sounds comprising both Grooves and individual sounds/instruments is easy and can be used to quickly construct unique songs very easily but beware, different hosts allow this facility in widely differing ways. REX files can also be converted to S.A.G.E. using the included converter making the sound files available through the library drop down menus.
So what does it sound like….and how easy is it to use? Awesome and as easy as you want…or as complex as you want…it’s your choice - most users will be able to get some simply stunning rhythm grooves going very quickly. Because the sounds can be manipulated in real-time; if you don’t like a particular instrument or groove…then change it on the fly. Adding in individual percussion instruments, as you play, all synced to your host is easy. The sheer range of instruments including many ethnic sounds is really impressive. I found that in my P4/2.4Gig PC, each Groove took about 15% of the CPU capacity…. But not once did I experience any crashes or glitches, even with 4 instances open within my host, so it appeared to be very stable.
The main thrust of Stylus RMX in its standard, out-of-the-box format is for Hip-hop and dance/trance genres of music but to say that there is no flexibility to cover other styles would be doing the program an injustice.
Any library that uses the same format, described as “S.A.G.E. Expander’s by Spectrasonics, can be used to broaden the appeal and use of the product. Make sure you check out the demos of all their libraries including their BackBeat Expander reviewed by SOS magazine that has stunning acoustic drum sounds. These add-ons give Stylus RMX a real edge for all sorts of music makers…from film and commercial producers through to the discerning amateur.
Bottom line? An amazing program, something for everyone, a greatly improved new interface, terrific for using live and with the added $99 S.A.G.E. Expander library’s, hugely appealing for all music buffs of whatever persuasion you are.
Although relatively expensive if you need to supplement the program out of the box with Expander libraries, the quality of the sounds and the degree of manipulation and ease of use makes this program well worth it. This program should be in every serious amateur musician/producers portfolio. Whatever criticisms the original program had from the music community, Spectrasonics have evolved the product to be a great beat program, right out of the box. I had many hours of fun jamming to made-up beat grooves before I recorded anything. And if it doesn’t quite suit your particular musical taste from the get-go, then with all the libraries available for it, all music genres are catered for. . Simply a “must try it” program!Read Review
