StiX : MultiSynthesis Drum Machine (v1.6 Released + Flash sales)

[braj]

Again, an LE version would be cool

Tadaaaa - http://www.musicradar.com/news/stix-cm- ... c-magazine

I have that, something a little more featured but limited would be nice. The other le versions of their instruments should be the guide, maybe limited individual outs, or song mode but not all the expert features, I forget what they call the deep editing of voices. Leave that stuff out of an LE but sell it for like $40 or so.

The CM version is already very powerfull, and this narrows the possible fields for an LE version. I'm also wondering if a single instruments (one drumpad) version, but full featured with a sequencer line would not prove to be both more usefull (for exemple for Live drum racks users) than a strict multi-intruments restricted version. This could be the most powerfull 'one drum module' ever made.
What do you think ?

I prefer the full drum kit myself. Well, regarding the CM version, it would be cool if there were an extra assignable out to send a drum to external effects. Plus the issue with the bar delay in launching of patterns via midi I mentioned before, that just needs a fix. Maybe add that to the CM? Anyway, besides that, your LE plugins also don't use iLok so this would be a version for people that don't want that.

[simmo75]

Drag and drop midi.
Don’t think it’s been mentioned yet?

[Lotuzia]

I've used it on a few tracks and just love how flexible it is.

Here's one of them.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... the-father

Thanks.

This track is quite adventurous . What other synths were used in it, and what does what ? (if you remember, else no worries, I can understand one loose memories of the production process of a track )

[wagtunes]

I've used it on a few tracks and just love how flexible it is.

Here's one of them.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... the-father

Thanks.

This track is quite adventurous . What other synths were used in it, and what does what ? (if you remember, else no worries, I can understand one loose memories of the production process of a track )

Let me pull up the project and I'll get back to you on this. Have no idea outside of the drums because they made such an impression on me. Most fun drum machine I've ever had and that's going back to the 70s.

[Lotuzia]

Btw I can now announce that StiX will have a -bright- future. The updates will adress several various subjects. If some of you have requests, it might be the right time, in the next weeks/months to post them here.

A drum editor with a graph control over the pitch & amp envelope would be great, something like the following:

Well, Kick 2 is very interesting. Regarding the specific subject you mention, I don't think it's possible, because it would break StiX analog modelled enveloppes models.
And, equally important, all the multiple possible modulations tied to it.( Wich I'll comment later)

Else, Kick 2 is specialised in Kicks, it has no sequencers, and the synthesis, though beeing already a complex ecosystem, is very far from StiX synthesis possibilities ( Though, admitedly, there are also some things that Kick 2 can do that StiX simply can't, if only because Kick 2 has 4 generators, 3 sample based and one with 'waveforms', whereas StiX has 3 sources, two morphable analog oscillators or sine with wave shaping + one noise/sample switchable one.

Also, about global modulations, interesting variations in Kick 2 are given by the kick sound beeing sprayed on the entire keyboard, or velocity. StiX having various very sophisticated modulation systems, with infinite combinations and possibilities, but one module -say bass drum-, is always triggered by the same note. Last, Kick 2 is specialised in ....kicks (though it probably can do a few other sounds as well) , when StiX can produce a multitude of different drum sounds.

COming back to the subject of enveloppes : You can modulate each of the 3 EV, not only globally but you can also modulate each EV segement in StiX. So you can modulate the Decay of the VCA with an LFO for example, but also set the decay at a different setting for each step of the sequencer. Or use the polystep to vary it. You can also use LFOs as additional envelopes. You have the special R-Clap enveloppes etc. You won't have the visual feedback and comfort that Kick 2 analysers provides, because ... where could we put something like that on the already busy UI. But there are many many possibilities to shape the EV curves, here again with infinite combinations. You can analyse them if you put an oscilloscope behind StiX playing a single drumpad, and experiment with all these techniques. But admitedly, StiX is more about creating, experimenting and making music by ear.

Then, thanks to your post, experimenting Kick 2 in action re-gave me an idea, that I had noted last year, then forgot, because it went under the huge pile of *to do things and ideas* : Provide a good variety of 'click' samples to allow users to build some 'beyond analog' kicks by combining them with StiX analog oscillators I think it could enhance greatly the possibilities and require few efforts from users.

[Lotuzia]

Osc 3 tune knob to act as tilt eq on noise, midi drag and drop to DAW.

Interesting : I was thinking more of an HPF when noise is active, whose freq could be adressed in the various modulation matrixes. More flexible, and possibly more usefull, and also less demanding on ressources.
DnD to daw : please see below.

[Lotuzia]

Again, an LE version would be cool

Tadaaaa - http://www.musicradar.com/news/stix-cm- ... c-magazine

I have that, something a little more featured but limited would be nice. The other le versions of their instruments should be the guide, maybe limited individual outs, or song mode but not all the expert features, I forget what they call the deep editing of voices. Leave that stuff out of an LE but sell it for like $40 or so.

The CM version is already very powerfull, and this narrows the possible fields for an LE version. I'm also wondering if a single instruments (one drumpad) version, but full featured with a sequencer line would not prove to be both more usefull (for exemple for Live drum racks users) than a strict multi-intruments restricted version. This could be the most powerfull 'one drum module' ever made.
What do you think ?

I prefer the full drum kit myself. Well, regarding the CM version, it would be cool if there were an extra assignable out to send a drum to external effects. Plus the issue with the bar delay in launching of patterns via midi I mentioned before, that just needs a fix. Maybe add that to the CM? Anyway, besides that, your LE plugins also don't use iLok so this would be a version for people that don't want that.

Yes, a lite version would almost certainly not be Ilok or eLicencer protected. StiX patterns can be triggered, and chained, live from your Midi keyboard. the new pattern will begin on the first beat of the next bar. This is not a bug,(so it doesnt have to be 'fixed', strictly speaking) it's per design : StiX has sample accurate timing, and though such a feature often got under the radar, -we think- it's a major ande mandatory one for a rythm unit, and it required a huge work to achieve. A lot of drum machines work in a similar way. If, in a distant future, we can adapt this to 'changing on the next beat instead of bar', or even better, we'll do it. But it also can conflict with certain precious possibilities, like the per step divisi, or custom number of steps per beats possibilities, wich are rather unique in StiX, and allow never seen flexibility in pattern/beats design. So, this would require a huge work, and therefore, though I understand, and agree, how it could be usefull, it is likely not to happen in at least a near future.

[wagtunes]

I've used it on a few tracks and just love how flexible it is.

Here's one of them.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... the-father

Thanks.

This track is quite adventurous . What other synths were used in it, and what does what ? (if you remember, else no worries, I can understand one loose memories of the production process of a track )

Okay, here's the lowdown. Aside from Stix on all percussive sounds, including pitched percussive we have...

Bass - Diva
Lead 1 - PolyM
Lead 2 - Virtual CZ
ARP Pattern - Zebra 2
Lead Vocal - Vocaloid (Ruby)

And that's it.

[Lotuzia]

Drag and drop midi.
Don’t think it’s been mentioned yet?

It has been mentioned .... a lot

So we pay attention to that.

Btw, StiX can already export midi between two locators of your Daw. This is, as I see it, more flexible, powerfull and usefull than 'exporting a single pattern to daw' with drag'n'drop. Because you can export many patterns in a single operation with this. ( and to replicate this, you would have to export many times the patterns by drag n drop, or at least copy/paste multiple times the midi patterns in your daw to achieve the same results)

But I'll ask to be sure, because it's a very popular demand, even if we think it duplicates a bit too much with the current available options of Stix midi data export : Besides the strict workflow for ONE action( drag n drop a pattern VS setting the R/L locators in your daw and engage StiX 'record midi button', wich is admitedly longer) are there other advantages that I can't see for the global workflow (ie performing this action a lot of times when building a drum track) ? (like easier to manipulate midi data for arrangements, write endings/fills variations etc) when using d'n'd versus recording midi between tow locators ? (Examples are welcomed, as well as elaborating more in depth on this particular matter)

[Lotuzia]

I've used it on a few tracks and just love how flexible it is.

Here's one of them.

https://soundcloud.com/steven-wagenheim ... the-father

Thanks.

This track is quite adventurous . What other synths were used in it, and what does what ? (if you remember, else no worries, I can understand one loose memories of the production process of a track )

Okay, here's the lowdown. Aside from Stix on all percussive sounds, including pitched percussive we have...

Bass - Diva
Lead 1 - PolyM
Lead 2 - Virtual CZ
ARP Pattern - Zebra 2
Lead Vocal - Vocaloid (Ruby)

And that's it.

Thanks for searching in the cupboard Steven . Yeah I suspected StiX played some of the pitched percussive sounds as well, and that was a bit the meaning of my question, sorry I should have been more precise. Well done

[braj]

StiX patterns can be triggered, and chained, live from your Midi keyboard. the new pattern will begin on the first beat of the next bar. This is not a bug,(so it doesnt have to be 'fixed', strictly speaking) it's per design : StiX has sample accurate timing, and though such a feature often got under the radar, -we think- it's a major ande mandatory one for a rythm unit, and it required a huge work to achieve. A lot of drum machines work in a similar way.

Really? I'll tell you right now that behavior frankly sucks, whether in your plugin or any other. If I make an arrangement and then want to move bars around, I have no way to get the StiX patterns triggered in any sane way, I would have to redo the drum track. This is in Reaper, where Geist Lite doesn't have that problem, it is also triggered via the piano roll it certainly is no necessity. I haven't tried StiX CM yet in Live, but I imagine it would have problems there as well from what you're saying, and without midi drag and drop, how does anyone use it?

Unless this is FIXED (yes, it is broken since other drum machines don't have this limitation) I guess the song mode in the full version gets around this somehow?

[braj]

Yep, just checked Microtonic and it doesn't do this delayed launch thing either. Please, tell me what drum machines do this??

LOL, I checked BFD3 too, it doesn't do what you claim is mandatory. Now I won't be considering StiX at all, bad taste in my mouth after your excuse.

[Lotuzia]

Yep, just checked Microtonic and it doesn't do this delayed launch thing either. Please, tell me what drum machines do this??

LOL, I checked BFD3 too, it doesn't do what you claim is mandatory. Now I won't be considering StiX at all, bad taste in my mouth after your excuse.

Well, there's a confusion between several subjects, but just now, this is to precise that what I said as 'mandatory' is 'Stix is sample accurate for the timing'. Zero delay. Nothing else. Maybe I should have phrased it better. It is important because if you send a kind of 'change pattern' message exactly on the first beat on the next pattern, it's already too late : You have a delay, so the command should be sent before this first beat, i.e during the current pattern playing.

Ok. I'll adress other subjects in the next post.

[braj]

LOl, I guess triggering anything from the piano roll is too late That is a terrible excuse for a terrible design decision.

[Gamma-UT]

Is clip-based sequencing now so prevalent people are incapable of shifting MIDI notes back a few ticks into the previous bar?

"This 909 is sh*t! Rhythm pattern play can't predict the future!"