MOTU BPM - Anybody actually buy it?

[kb420]

The truth is, I hate Guru's GUI. I think it's the ugliest thing I have ever seen, and I just can't get passed it. It has some great features, but if I had to look at it at all while making beats, I would lose any kind of inspiration or workflow I had.

You know if they made it slightly more 2D it would look just like Live? I Like GURU OK, but lately improvements in Live have made Battery and Live a better choice for me. I echo the Battery library thing, much better sounding collection.

I don't know. Maybe it's the color scheme. It reminds me more of Project 5 than Live.

As far as libraries are concerned, I own Battery 2 and 3, and from what I have heard of Guru, I definitely think that Battery is better. I do like the sounds that I hear from BPM, and wouldn't mind adding them to the collection.

[4ace]

I checked it out and as others have said, I'd like the library but between Addictive Drum's and Ableton's Drum Machine i'm set.

I will say that while the GURU GUI could use some work it's a very nice app. to work with.

[ajstrax]

I've been playing with BPM for a bit now, and it does what it's supposed to do well. It's essentially the same as Guru, except for the slicing. Now, it is true that there is a round-about way to slice audio (i.e. I think you can select a portion and drag to a new pad), but the auto chop feature should have been incorporated into BPM at this point. It's not too much to ask considering that Guru, MPC, MV8800 do it already (it's nothing new). True, users could drop another $200 on recycle, but why should we? BPM should have this. I also expect expansion packs to come out rather soon. Anyway, it's not a bad program, but I think they left out some features that will be implemented in the future as updates. Hope that helps.

[BinaryB]

Now, it is true that there is a round-about way to slice audio (i.e. I think you can select a portion and drag to a new pad), but the auto chop feature should have been incorporated into BPM at this point.

Sounds like it has sample slicing... just not automated.

[starving student]

if its got manual slicing thats still cool though it would be better to have both manual and auto for when you want to scream through samples that have alot of transients but just selecting and dragging sounds cool, batt 3 fcuked off on that one, i was about to forget all about bpm until i read that select and drag up above.

[Mr Mowgli]

I'd never even heard of it!

[ajstrax]

A few good features of BPM: the "rack system" works well. Aside from 4 pad banks, you can stack on virtual racks that allow you to play key's, as well as samples. You simply load a synth sound, or pianos, whatever, onto a rack and you can play it with the piano roll editor (which appears right below the racks). You can stack as many racks as you want and combine the sounds. It's getting better for BPM, fellas, didn't mean to rip on it that quickly. I still think that auto chop should have been included though. The sound library is also pretty good. Other MOTU products, as well as UVI soundcards, can be used with BPM, and appear on the browser. The sequencer seems to be really tight, but note that the resolution goes up to 32, not 64. They also implemented the same "graph" editing function as GURU, where the pitch, roll, timeshift, etc. are controlled by raising or decreasing the bar in the graph.

I have not had success with the "drag and drop" chopping function yet. Hope this helps.

[aisling]

Thank you for everybody's feedback, I have been interested in BPM, and think i'll wait it out a while and continue using redrum.

[STRATEGY_510]

I have it. It's not that great at all. It CANNOT slice audio files. It only allows you to play pre-sliced (e.g., rex, apple loops) files, that's it. It's crazy that in 09 a product comes out claiming to be a sampling drum machine and it cannot slice a sample! I'm sticking with my MV8800 and Live 7. I'm done with products like this. Guru is better IMO.

Can you tell me what format the library is in?

STRATEGY

[v00d00ppl]

anyone know how well the sp1200 mode emulation sounds like yet?

[Contra]

yea was debating buying this or upgrading to live 7 (drum racks) and session drums.

[djconrad]

Am I right that in the UK BPM is £299 and in the US $279???