XILS StiX - New drum machine coming?

[Numanoid]

Well, an Analog modelled Drum Machine like StiX would justify its existence by the Xils-Lab excellent filters, oscillators, envelopes, cumulated waveforms LFOs, aso.

What is the difference between Analog modeling and physical modeling?

Basically this mean that it will not feature any sampled sounds?

[Lotuzia]

There are already so many drum machine plugs in the market

What does StiX have to offer, that Battery, Geist, Spark et al haven't covered yet?

I hope the price point of StiX will reflect that it is a saturated market already.

Well, an Analog modelled Drum Machine like StiX would justify its existence by the Xils-Lab excellent filters...

I think the Xils-Lab filters could justify almost anything.

I hope this thing isn't too CPU hungry, and I hope you're aware that many dude's like me will just be interested in the 'sound module' aspect. Sequencers on drum machines just don't interest me in the slightest. Will there be a 'sound module' version? Without all the shenanigans?

Well, sorry, no *sound module only* schedulled at the moment. I had the same idea btw.

The reason is that you can also play the drums with midi keys in StiX (Octave C1). This said, who knows, things might change later, but not in a near future imo. As for the Cpu, well, it's on par with other Xils-Lab synthesis units.( So I'd say average cpu print )

[Lotuzia]

So you can have regular 16th notes AND detailed sextolets (6 strikes per beat ) within the same sequencer line. That's fine, and no drum machine can do this afaik.

I know of no drummachines either, (not that i remember anyway), but one VST sequencer that is excellent for this kind of stuff is ERA2. By combining different settings of GateTime, Fill and Hits you can go totally crazy with the timing/repetitions, and thanks to the 'envelopes' provided by the Hits section you can do even crazier stuff such as making the 'extra' hits go gradually faster/slower or louder/quieter.

Curious? Heres a small 2-minute audio example. It demonstrates only some of what is possible with ERA2 since the Fill/Hits stuff is only performed on 1 single note in a single 16-step pattern. (Technically a lot of patterns could be programmed and chained or even played by a 999-patterns playlist.) Still its a good demonstration of what ERA2 can do in this department. Who knows, maybe it gives you some last-minute ideas for StiX.

Note: No actual steps were added or removed from the pattern, nor was the pattern speed itself changed. Everything you hear is the result of altering the Fill/Hits parameters on Step4, which was set to a GateTime of 5 so the note remained sustained during steps 5-8. (Which themselves were muted / not set.) Since i was just moving sliders at random not all of it can be considered 'musically useful', but youll get the point.

Era is not developped anymore, and even sold afaik. It seems it wasquite buggy in many hosts -according to google first refs- , and even more in 64 bits. But for the time it was released it looks it was quite brilliant. StiX can do more than what Era could do this said, and in a less complicate way (... after a brief reading of what it could do, so take this with a pinch of salt, but sorry I have not much time to develop this )

Also important, StiX has a Sample Accurate audio engine ( Important for those who want ultimate tight synchro and beats ). So its different than a plug in controlling other plugs, wich is likely to add latency.

Anyway, once you'll try StiX, if you think some good things could be added based from your experience with Era, we'll see (if it's compatible with StiX global structure ).

[Lotuzia]

Well, an Analog modelled Drum Machine like StiX would justify its existence by the Xils-Lab excellent filters, oscillators, envelopes, cumulated waveforms LFOs, aso.

What is the difference between Analog modeling and physical modeling?

Basically this mean that it will not feature any sampled sounds?

Well, in addition to its analog hearts, StiX will deal with samples in a similar way than vintage digital drum machines did,and you'll be able to load your own samples.

So, just feed it with Linndrum samples, and you'll get -approx- a Linndrum 1/2. Same with EMU Drumulators, Simmons, SCI Drumtracks, Kord DDD series, Akai Xe-8, Sakata and the likes.

Tbh this is not totally exact, you wont be able to read original eproms, have special 8/12 bits converters and other fancy -but real- features. For this you'll need to get specialised emulations.

But you'll get more at the same time : Xils filters, EVs, VCAs etc. And cross synthesis options. So well, to each to see wich machines fit the best for specific purposes.

[ENV1]

Era is not developped anymore, and even sold afaik.

Developed no, sold yes.

For some reason you cant find it on the 'regular' SugarBytes shopsite, but theres a 'secret' link that still has it listed at the bottom.

(EST and some other older stuff too.)

https://sugar-bytes.de/shop/index.php?showsonic=1

It seems it was quite buggy in many hosts -according to google first refs- , and even more in 64 bits.

But that was the fault of the hosts, not ERA2. I remember it used to be catastrophic in StudioOne, (MIDI plugins in general that is), then PreSonus fixed the host and the problem was gone. IIRC it was similar with a few other hosts.

In hosts like REAPER and VSTHost it was never a problem. (At least not here.) On the contrary, if i had to name one sequencer/arpeggiator plugin whose timing i consider to be 100% flawless (and as a sequencer freak i am very sensitive to step-jitter) ERA2 would be the first that springs to mind. This thing fires MIDI at Warp Speed without breaking a sweat, which is also why its MIDI Echo function is great. (Because its so precise.) Its also rock stable, built like a proverbial tank. I really couldnt name a single thing about it that doesnt work a 100%. No wonder the dev was then hired by NI, the quality of his work was really outstanding.

StiX can do more than what Era could do this said, and in a less complicate way.

Sounds interesting. In ERA2 you have per-step multi-sliders for Fill and Hits, plus buttons in the slider lane for Hits to specify how many repetitions there will be and when they will occur within the slider-specified time. How does it work in StiX? And how flexible is it? Spill the beans. Tell us more.

Anyway, once you'll try StiX, if you think some good things could be added based from your experience with Era, we'll see (if it's compatible with StiX global structure ).

Under normal circumstances i would have said 'Send me a Beta', but i just dont have the time to commit to any serious betatesting right now. Otherwise i would have been glad to give it a whirl and report back on performance and ideas because drummachines have always fascinated me. Will definitely demo it when available though.

[Lotuzia]

StiX can do more than what Era could do this said, and in a less complicate way.

Sounds interesting. In ERA2 you have per-step multi-sliders for Fill and Hits, plus buttons in the slider lane for Hits to specify how many repetitions there will be and when they will occur within the slider-specified time. How does it work in StiX? And how flexible is it? Spill the beans. Tell us more.

Anyway, once you'll try StiX, if you think some good things could be added based from your experience with Era, we'll see (if it's compatible with StiX global structure ).

Under normal circumstances i would have said 'Send me a Beta', but i just dont have the time to commit to any serious betatesting right now. Otherwise i would have been glad to give it a whirl and report back on performance and ideas because drummachines have always fascinated me. Will definitely demo it when available though.

Well in Stix, from what I see from Era, you have -at least- one more hierarchical level. StiX system is 'nested' (like russian puppets .. )

So, in StiX, you can have/write the following pattern (i'll just detail the first two beats ) :

4*16th notes ( easy) then (also easy ) one sextolet on second beat.

Let's detail the sextolet :

Steps 1,2,3,4 will play, step 5 will NOT play, step 6 will play. ( rather easy )
Step 2 will play a double sextolet (less easy: Twelvolet ?), and step 6 an heptolet of sextolets ( so 7*6 = =7*1/42th of a beat) (less easy)

All this can be done very easily, in a visual Multilines XoX sequencer, with just a few mouse clicks.

Now if you then edit in StiX this particular sequencer line in the Single lane editor , you'll also be able to specify the gate, velocity etc of each step of the sextolet. yes, it's that easy. Say goodbye to the *gun machine* syndrome.

So, I'm not sure that Era could do this ? If it does it's ok. If it doesnt it also Ok. (Whatever brilliant Era is/was, it's sold on a secret page, is for windows only ( wich windows ?), and if you click on the demo version link, you land on a page where there are demo versions of about every product sold by the company. Except Era. )

Anyway, StiX can do this kind of things. Of course, at 127 BPM it will just sound like a total mess, and many will find this totally useless, for good reasons, but at 40/60 Bpm, it can be *an extreme option*, and the most experimental people in the crowd might enjoy it : It's possible, easy to do, and intuitive.

I'd say that with StiX you can do pentolets of triplets or nanolets even if you dont have the fisrt clue about what an *heptolet* is. Just click, experiment, listen, decide. It's fun to use, very powerfull, an can be as pleasurable for rookies as for rythm mad scientists.( Well, at least, that's the goal ) You determine the level of complexity you want : It can look like a dead simple tr-808 XoX, and it can be much more complex, if you wish. You decide (because no one else, or *a machine* can decide for you !

[ere2learn]

Will it do midi out,so it could be used as a sequencer,those sequencing possibilities sound interesting

[Lotuzia]

Will it do midi out,so it could be used as a sequencer,those sequencing possibilities sound interesting

Not at the moment. ( Already asked question )

[plugin'd out]

Will this output drum sequences as midi files, similar to Microtonic and Geist?

[Lotuzia]

Will this output drum sequences as midi files, similar to Microtonic and Geist?

Not at the moment. And not for 1.0. Maybe later.

[Lotuzia]

A very simple beat to show that StiX can actually make some sound. Only the analog engines were used for all drumpads. Only stereo output with a limiter on the daw main output (Separate outputs not used) . No use of compressors, eqs, no daw automation etc. Only StiX internal effects ( including the reverb) Then, I just changed the patterns live using my midi keyboard.

StiX Brazil Elektro

LtZ

[nilhartman]

Color me curious. Any rough ETA? By the end of the year, right?

[breakmixer]

A very simple beat to show that StiX can actually make some sound. Only the analog engines were used for all drumpads. Only stereo output with a limiter on the daw main output (Separate outputs not used) . No use of compressors, eqs, no daw automation etc. Only StiX internal effects ( including the reverb) Then, I just changed the patterns live using my midi keyboard.

StiX Brazil Elektro

LtZ

Sounds terrific!

[Lotuzia]

Color me curious. Any rough ETA? By the end of the year, right?

I hope there will be a public version near the end of this month ( November 2015), or early december at worst.

[Lotuzia]

Dbl Post