Kling Klong

After previewing similar Hive factory sounds, this was a no-brainer purchase. Being able to easily create rhythm tracks while modifying synth percussion sounds on the fly, is great fun. Like having a drummer that listens to and obeys the boss. Hive's wavetable capabilities might be contributing to the sounds selection, and the sequencer is put to good use moving the sounds along.

I've set up a Logitech gamepad as MIDI controller in Reaper daw, which has scriptable joystick support, and an 'add joystick support' button, with three example scripts to choose from. I'm using the 'guitar-hero' script, and eight parameters are shared between the dual spring-loaded joysticks, seen with dials active in the Hive presets view. I mounted the device for easy left-hand control, run the sounds with a latched arpeggiator plugin, and start recording when I find something special. I'll be getting a gamepad where the joysticks are not spring-loaded, as a supplement, so choice settings can be maintained with both hands on the keys.

The gamepad buttons also trigger notes from an eight or ten note chromatic scale, which come into play with melodic content. There is much more here than meets the eye, and a wide array of sounds and modulations to meet the ear, so experiments and multiple Hive instances are worthy of the effort. As well as applying ColorCopy and Uhbik, as whispered by the Muse. Those good with a modwheel, midi-learn, and more standard knob-and-slider controls will find the most important parameters up front without needing to root around much. Very happy with this, and all other U-he purchases! I'll give it 5 stars for ease of getting results, and Hive's wavetable import extending the sound collection possibilities. I'm using U-he products in linux, both the native versions, and the windows version via wine, in the AVLinux turnkey audio OS.

Cheers.