20 Best Vst For Pads (2022 Updated)

I use this product in my home studio, I’ve always been thinking about getting this product but never came around to it. Glad I went to Sam Ash that day. I seen they had it and decided to go for it. After installation everything works great, love the sound the user interface, just what I’ve been missing in my sound library.

Installing was a pain, It came with dvd roms ? Who uses dvdroms now a days. I have a 2019 MacBook Pro. Lucky I had a abandoned dvd reader in my closet. Hooked it up did some test runs and 3. 5hrs later installation was complete.

I work part time at a nonprofit working with handicapped individuals. I started a music program about 5 years ago and since then I have been trying different ways of reaching them with music. This product is perfect on so many levels.

First when an individual has limited hand ability, this offers the perfect solution to trigger sounds. I also like the pads lighting up to give positive reinforcement to keep playing. The software that came with it is off the chain, however it was very hard to learn, still trying to learn it, but it’s very powerful.

I’m talking about MPC Beats, not Ableton. I look forward to seeing them use this all the time in our music classes.

Akai smashed this one out of the park — they packed all of the joy of the original MPC pads into a perfectly compact, lightweight USB controller. It is an absolute joy to work with; seamlessly & effortlessly integrated into my Reaper set up.

All of the other pads I’ve used on other controllers didn’t quite get that responsive, touch sensitive MPC feel right but this one does. At such a low price point it is a no brainer for software based beatmakers.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive, quality pad controller for finger drumming or punching in drum parts to your DAW, this is the one. The pads feel great and are responsive with just the right velocity sensitivity.

It’s also full featured and very easy to use. Setup is a breeze and the parameters are easily adjustable with the free MPD218 editor software. Well worth the price of admission.

As usual, the order arrived in a timely manner and the AMS staff was friendly and easy to work with. First off- WATCH THE TUTORIALS!!! Seriously, this thing is capable of much more than you may realize.

Once I got used to the layout and many, MANY customizable features- it was off the to the races. This makes beat creation, and song writing flow much easier. If you’re looking for a new tool in the studio to give access to literally thousands of samples and sounds within your DAW, or for live productions- look no further.

The pads feel excellent, and once I got the sensitivity right where I wanted- they are even better. AMS’s payment plan made the purchase even easier. Thanks!.

With the HUGE update to Logic Pro in 10. 5 I was in need of an Ableton style clip controller for Logic Pro. Novation Launch Pad controllers were supported, but without Launch Pad Pro Mk3 integration.

Well Logic Pro 10. 6 addressed that with another excellent update including full and complete integration of the Launch Pad Pro Mk3 so I knew I had to give it a shot. Logic Pro automatically recognizes the Launch Pad at start up.

Works just like advertised and the build quality was better than I expected. I am impressed. The black buttons are mechanically clicky with soft touch silicone. All of the buttons are fully integrated and mapped to their appropriate Logic Pro function with no feature wasted or unused.

The white pads have good response and are very sensitive. Overall the most feature rich controller for Logic Pro Live Loops available. Good work to Apple and Novation on a job well done.

I am interessted in music making since end of 2019. So. i tried to figure out wich programs are used by professional producers. At all, there are a lot of Digital Audio Workstations (DAW’s) on the market.

Big name are Ableton Live, Apple Logic Pro and FL Studio. Most of time i am working on Windows 10 and Arch-Linux. So Apple Logic Pro droped out for me. For both DAW’s you will find a lot of free knowledgment.

So i choose FL Studio cause AVICII, MARTIN GARRIX and other (for me) great Artists use(d) it. After 2 weeks playing a lot with the software and watching tons of videos, i can work with it. For newbies like me, some times it is very hard to implement the idea you have in your head.

cause there is so much functionality. There are so many very professional plugins included like Reeverb 2 or Fruity EQ 2 Yes, you have to spent a lot of time with the program and yes, it isnt easy at all.

Also it isnt cheap and you can buy tons of extra external plugins (VST), but you will get a great tool kit to create awesome music. So if you ask me if i can recommend it for new producers, i would defintly say yes.

By the way. i also used the trick and bought the education licence, after that i upgraded it to an regular license.

I left a review here when I first got this sampler and this is an update to that. Summary: Fun and excellent sampler for beginner and intermediate users. For advanced users the Rhythm lacks features found on more expensive units, but makes a good second sampler to bounce samples through for editing or programming, or as a drum controller for a DAW.

Pros: The workflow is dead simple and powerful for it’s ease of use, with lots of room to grow and become an expert. Portability is amazing. I don’t think I’ve owned a more rugged portable electronic device.

The knobs, are strong compared to more expensive devices I own. Battery has held up well. Good connectivity: full size midi ports, and 1/4 line in and out, sync out allow the Circuit Rhythm to fit in an a DAWless or DAW workflow.

Screenless workflow develops strong muscle memory quickly. Great in performance scenarios. Mixing workflow is easy and powerful. Master filter sounds excellent. Channel sound controls are effective and efficient.

I take back what I said about the delay and reverb, they are fairly good. Sample chopping workflow is really good. Cons: Lacks precision in sequencer. non-quantized mode is only precise to 1/6 of a step.

Reorganizing raw samples requires connection to a computer. This and previous gripe make this tricky for recording finger drumming. Grid effects workflow lacks real control. No pad sensitivity controls.

No USB audio. Recording limits seem arbitrarily short. 30-second limit sampling, 4 minutes of samples per project. That’s 400MB, but a 32GB Micro SDHC card should hold hours and hours of samples. Requires an audio recorder to create tracks, where the resampling workflow would otherwise be sufficient.

Lacks time stretching/pitch shifting. Recording level is always normalized, despite a recording level knob; this process takes a long time for a sample to be editable. Lacks automatic transient chopping, although it has great chopping tools.

I use a PO-133 teenage engineering for this task which has other advantages. Lacks polyphony All samples are mixed down to mono Only has a master compressor with only on/off for settings. Overview: There is an elegance and simplicity to the design of the Rhythm that makes it amazing for performance.

I barely need to look at this while playing or programming it, but the data structure bakes strong opinions into the workflow. However, this is a device with a lot of limitations. Novation did a good job at getting the fundamentals correct, but left out a lot of features other samplers offer (at a higher price point).

I’ve seen bought a SP404, and I still see this thing having value, particularly if you want to program beats or arrange music more than record finger drumming. By adding a few of the lacking features Novation could make this a 5-star sampler.

Still, if the best sampler is the one you have with you then buy this you can bring it with you everywhere.

Overall: Off the bat the build quality was cheaper than I expected, as it seemed to be mainly plastic, but not even a more rugged thick plastic. Infinite scroll data knobs for most of the controls, and velocity sensitive pads which are the same ones as the novation launch key, so the pads are at least reliable (albeit small).

The rechargeable battery is nice, and the weight and size are good. However, the boot up is super slow and the setup takes a few. At first I appreciated the free samples thrown in to demo the device but after a while I seemed inundated with them when I realized there’s like 8 banks full of monophonic chops.

Now you have to take time to clear some out and set up new projects/banks. Overall the user interface is not intuitive or as nearly approachable as other units in the range. This is definitely more effective as a sequencer and effects unit, but it’s not ideal if you like looping, layering, resampling, and easy capture.

The unit automatically aligns everything to a grid, so although you can get close you can’t actually get a true, loose, swinging feel. The Grid FX do sound great and the programmable effects automation is nice but that’s the extent of my positive experiences with the device.

Happy Shopping!.

What you’re getting for the price is great if you just need a midi controller with pads and knobs. If that’s what you’re after look no further because there is nothing better for the price. if you have dreams of sequencing your drum machine though.

you may have a problem. The sequencer function is only for monophonic synths. You only have one sequencer channels you can only sequence drum beats if all the hits are at different times. You also cannot select CC note numbers from the software only note names so if your drum machine lists the numbers (EG: cc024), you might need a chart to figure out the corresponding note name.

If you want a standalone monophonic sequencer for your synth this is a great entry level hardware sequencer. If you want a standalone sequencer for your drums I can’t actually think of anything other than a tablet that will do it right.

If they ever make a version of this with 16 sequencer channels and a screen that lets you set the value of each pad. I’ll buy it in a quick minute. As far as I know a minimal multichannel hardware sequencer for use with a drum machine does not exist.

At the point where you’re getting a sequencer in current available gear, you’re also getting the drum machine in the same device. It’s a shame because a tiny drum machine that can load custom samples like the MPX8 would be wicked cool with a tiny step sequencer to go with it.

Bought this only to control Cubase instruments, it works very well indeed, and also I can control my Waldorf Blofeld from this which is handy as the encoders on the Blofeld have lost their mind. What is also fun is playing drumbeats into Cubase from this, the pads are very sensitive to velocity which works great for drum patterns.

I know it has a sequencer but I have no use for that, I needed a controller and this so far has been excellent. Mapping things in Cubase was pretty easy after some research and the software for the Beatstep is very handy so I can have the pads as switches for mutes etc or not depending on which template I load.

Coming from a complete hardware studio in the past is why I really wanted this, hands on control of soft synths makes using them all the more enjoyable. Great product and service too.

Combining a pads and knobs controller with a step sequencer and MIDI/CV interface was a pretty audacious move, but Beatstep delivers the goods. Yet it’s not 100% there. The main issue I have with the sequencer is the use of endless rotaries (which I love in controller mode, go figure).

Tweaking your sequence is totally by ear (good, right?) but with no visual feedback it’s easy to get lost while programming. The sequencer performance features (changing length and direction, skips) are great but may glitch if you do not trigger at exactly the right time.

practice, practice! Switching sequences however, is glitch free. It can be operated standalone but some features can only be edited on your computer, including swing and gate length. As a controller it gets very high marks, I’d give it only a 3 for the sequencer.

For the price though it is easy to forgive the flaws. For live performance Beatstep is highly recommended.

The Beatstep Pro is great. Don’t get me wrong. I’m still learning my way around it. But it definitely has a learning curve that I don’t fully feel is justified. I also wish you didn’t have to use a computer to access so many of the setup features.

It’s hard to go dawless with a machine that makes you have to plug into a computer just to change the notes that the drum track sends data to. And I get it, modern devices and computer connectivity is important to people these days and it probably helps them cut cost and size but it’s incredibly annoying.

One last nag before I get to the positives. I can’t stand the way it handles odd time signatures. I’m not sure that they could have made that easier with the way the unit is designed but it is incredibly unintuitive and confusing for anyone who isn’t a math wizard.

With 4/4 you’re golden. Even 3/3, it’s not too bad, just use three pages of a pattern but anything more complex than that and it gets really daunting really fast. All that said, I can’t give the BSP a fully negative review.

It’s built like a tank, it does the main things it was designed to do really really well. So, if you’re not into doing odd time signatures, you only have one drum module, and you dig using a computer to get under the hood, this thing will treat you well for sure.

I LOVE the beatstep pro. I can’t imagine I ever made electronic music without it. I have a beatstep, but the limitations are many and immediate; the pro fixes the issue of the original and offers so much more.

The biggest selling point for me was the 64 step patterns + pattern chaining. The screen, randomization, midi input, and sequencer capability are all vast improvements over the original beatstep. This device unites all my gear.

With some clever midi mapping and a midi thru box, I can control three or more devices simultaneously, while having even more gear synchronized to the beatstep pro’s clock. I use a midi pedal to start and stop it.

It controls a drum machines, a bass synth, and two samplers while I play guitar and sing. I couldn’t pull a fraction of that off without this godsend of a sequencer.

I’m a novice/hobbyist. I own a Native Instruments Maschine v2, which I have always struggled with. It’s difficult for me to understand the software application. Seems like the interface is always getting in the way of creativity.

After years of frustration, I’ve moved to Logic X, with the BeatStep Pro. It’s night and day. I was able to get a pattern going with the BeatStep almost immediately. Intuitive, simple. The Maschine has better/more expressive pads, but the BeatStep’s are fine.

Overall, it’s a solid-feeling device that belies its small size. I have only scratched the surface of what it can do, and I have not messed with the CV/Synth functions. But, if you want plug-and-play simplicity in a DAW, this seems like a great choice.

It’s fun and you can started making music right away.

You probably want to make electronic music or experiment with backing and producing your own tracks. You’ve got to want it or something like it. But if you do want it, it’s awesome. So first, make sure you understand what it is, and how it works, go to the Novation web site and YouTube and watch a ton of videos about it – and read up on the detail.

You’ll find it’s part of a whole music recording/music making system; that WILL include a laptop, maybe a Novation LaunchControl XL, and something from the Focusrite Scarlett range. Strictly speaking it’s a “midi control surface”.

Google/Bing/Wikipedia “MIDI” if you don’t know what it is. The Launchpad does nothing on it’s own, but it uses MIDI to control a piece of computer software called a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation). The Launchpad comes bundled with a “Lite” version of Ableton Live 9.

Though “lite” it’s still very competent software and you can use it to record and produce, (if you have all the other bits you need). You can upgrade it later when you find you want to do more (I did).

The most obvious thing is that the 8×8 grid square copies the look of the music/sound samples and scenes arranged on the laptop screen in Ableton Live, so you can launch them – in fact with the right samples loaded, you can play it like an instrument.

It also comes with free intro lessons from Melodics, so you can practice your pad drumming. It also has user 1 and user 2 settings to let you program the pads to operate other stuff (a drum rack for freestyle maybe) and finally it comes in handy either as a mixer, on it’s own or used alongside a standard or XL LaunchControl.

It’s great at mapping the software, with lots of feedback through the RGB pads, better than it’s predecessors, but not quite as comprehensive as the Pro version. But yep, an excellent product _IF it’s what you want.

One final warning. you will have to learn stuff about producing and performing, about DAWs and how the software works – and you’ll have to develop those finger skills with the pads. expect it to take you 6 weeks to have something other people will be willing to tolerate.

but you’ll learn 50% of it very quickly. you can spend the rest of your life on the other 50%. If you want to do this, you’ll probably want to do it forever.

The midi mapping possibilities are endless and Ableton helps make mapping a breeze with the touch of the Launchpad. Of course, when it comes to performing live, one important thing keep in mind is portability.

The Novation Launchpad is extremely lightweight weighing in around 2 lbs. The Launchpad easily integrates with other controllers. The possibilities are endless, and with no sync issues, live performances are definitely a must to try out!.

The Launchpad itself is awesome and looks amazing all lit up. The colors are bright and it works well. However, the Ableton software that you use to control the Launchpad is extremely confusing and the instructions / tutorial are meager at best.

We have spent long hours trying to figure it out. I’m sure it will be worth the effort. Just not a plug and play item so it gets frustrating.

As a now-former Launchpad S user, I didn’t think I needed the upgrade at first. After watching some videos and a friend’s recommendation, however, I caved and bought the Launchpad Pro. A few of the highlights for me were the additional function buttons that allow a lot of Live functions that previously had to either be MIDI-mapped or controlled with a mouse and the built-in scales in Note Mode.

I highly recommend that you download the free firmware update, which somewhat copies the scale mode from the Circuit, giving you two different scale modes to use for live MIDI input. I have previously had cable issues with my Launchpad Mini and Launchpad S where the cable would disconnect when I moved my Launchpad.

Fortunately, I haven’t seemed to experience this yet with my Launchpad Pro. If you have the money and are at least somewhat familiar with the older Launchpad models, this is certainly a good investment.

First off, I don’t use Ableton Live, so if you’re getting it as an Ableton controller, I can’t tell you much. I can tell you that this is a GREAT midi controller. Recently when recording I’ve been using my old MPC2500 as a midi controller (in conjunction with Battery 4) and got this as a replacement, so I use this almost exclusively in drum mode.

I’ll do cons first then pros. CONS (all minor to me) 1. Pad midi notes are set and cannot be changed. 2. Note mode is useless. I couldn’t even figure out how the notes were organized. 3. Thing is HELLA bright in drum mode and cannot be adjusted far as I can tell.

PROS 1. Velocity sensitive pads feel great. Adjustable velocity curves. 2. Pad layout in drum mode is perfect, so no adjustments needed really. 3. Excellent build. 4. Final pro is a big one: open source firmware means all the cons could be fixed by future updates from either Novation OR the Launchpad use community.

If you need pads, this is it.

The Launchpad Pro is a master in its specialty as a controller and MIDI instrument. The pressure sensitivity of the pads and the timing of the sounds are prestine. Whether using this with Ableton or any other DAW, you are able to program it to do certain things that will make your life so much easier.

I use it with Logic Pro X and I enjoy it! There is a lot to learn with it but the investment of time and money will prove to be a bigger resource for you in the end. Great Product!.

I’ve gone from the volca keys all the way up to the OpSix, and the microfreak still consistently – despite some limitations – ends up being a synth I always come back to. 64 step sequencer, vocoder options, amazing firmware updates from arturia that add entirely new synth sound engines, user wavetable import, amazing virtual patch bay, pressure sensitive keys that act as a modulation source, ~500 preset limit that are easy to swap out if you ever reach capacity.

A cycling envelope that is different from the ADSR envelope and can be used for anything your imagination canthink up. This synth is mostly pros and few cons. The cons? Can sometimes sound thin in a distinctly digital way – however it can achieve some nice low end with the right patch.

Paraphonic, not polyphonic (4 voices share an LFO/envelope between them rather than being independent). Only one LFO. Can’t really think of any other cons. I’m sure one exists but it’s clearly not glaring enough to make the very short list.

Oh right, no internal FX. Which I’m personally fine with, as I have pedals and and NTS-1 and a daw. Pairs wonderfully with the NTS-1.

this workstation is a powerhouse — as strong as any computer at the same price point — and functions wonderfully. editing is a snap, mixing is fast and straightforward. only complaint is that some of the functions have yet to be added, since the device is so new.

highly recommend if you’re looking for a physical replacement for your DAW.

I’ll start with the biggest complaints by people, the key sensitivity. At first I thought the same as other reviewers that the keys are not sensitive enough when using. Too quiet, doesnt pick up the hard hits well, velocities too soft, etc.

But after watching some Presonus videos on mixing and mastering with many tracks I realized it’s because we tend to have all the channels very hot or high in volume which causes clipping in the Master out channel especially the more tracks added.

So I dialed everything back and raised the master and that solved the problem both the clipping and low velocity issues. Just turn your other tracks down. If you are starting and only have one or two tracks, just lower the volume of the others like -10 to -14 in the track and raise the master or volume on your monitors or headphone.

That will fix it. Then in mastering everything will be brought up in volume for the final product. The menu is well designed. I just need to finish learning the functions because this device allows for faster menu access versus using a mouse or trackpad all the time.

It is a time saver.

Just a couple weeks in and barely cracking the surface of what it can do. Extremely intuitive and integration with Studio One is perfect. I almost purchased the Atom which is a traditional 16 pad drum trigger – but glad I spent a bit more to get this.

The added features and screen well worth the money. Sam Ash as always is great.

Powered by patentedTri-Enzyme Technology, these dual-action exfoliating pads reveal baby-smooth skin in one swipe. These pre-soaked pads are sealed in a large plastic tub, pretty typical of this kind of product.

As long as you close the tub well, these definitely will not dry out. The pads a very well saturated with product, enough for your entire face and decolletage. Thse pads are intended to be used as both a physical and chemical exfoliator.

There are two sides to each cotton pad, one is more textured, the other is smooth. I take one pad with the more textured side and sweep it all over my face in circular motions. I would recommend using these pads no more than twice a week because you don’t want to over exfoliate your skin.

That can cause damage to your new skin cells. As soon as you start sweeping the pad over your skin, you will immediately see a brightening and illuminating effect! It is very satisfying to see the instant glow this product gives you by removing all dead and old skin cells! I massage this pad all over for a minute or so, concentrating on areas where I have lots of texture of blocked pores.

In the past couple of weeks I started seeing ads for more Elemis products. I’m not sure if it is because I follow the Holland America cruise line (Elemis products are featured in their spas!) or because I have been recently searching beauty subscription boxes.

I purchased the one week container after seeing an ad for the 14 pad container with a discount code. I am halfway through the week. I’m 44, fair skinned, with an oily t-zone and a bit of rosacea. I am very pleased with the results so far.

My skin appears brighter and my skin tone is becoming more even. It’s not a harsh chemical process, but Elemis does recommend avoiding prolonged sun while using. After the second day, I started an experiment with the product.

I have a recent large scar on my arm that is very red and has dry patches. (I took a fall in June, tripping when my glasses fogged over from my anti-covid mask!) After using on my face I rub the pad on my scar.

I’m seeing amazing results there as the dry patch is smoothing and the redness on the rest of the scar is reduced! I still haven’t decided if I will buy the product again at full price. It’s a little bit spendy for my budget.

But if the product falls within your budget, I would highly recommend it!.

Definitely a “no go” for me. Each pad was heavily moist and jar did not dry up. Purchased two because it was a good size jar as well. However, these pads did not do anything for me as well. I ended up using them more to wipe excess dirt/sweat after coming inside from tending to my backyard chickens.

It was a refreshing feeling but that’s it! No change in my skin. (Late 30s, uneven, tired, dry skin, fine lines and wrinkles) I genuinely feel that Elemis has great products but they are not strong enough for my skin.

Handed the 2nd jar to my mother (in her early 60s) and she has extended her skincare line w/Elemis because it works so well and so quickly for her. Our Aesthetician is constantly impressed by her skin texture and little to no issues and my mother swear by the entire Elemis line.

Would I recommend it to others? Totally. It’s not a harsh product but I want it to work. We all have different skin and different needs but I do have a morning and evening skincare routine, this item doesn’t do well in my rotation of products or even to prep skin for makeup.

Nothing.

I was using the Ivory Bosendorfer during the 9 months it took me to finish the post on this shoot, but I always felt that it did not quite blend with the strings unless I used too much reverb. The American D is a much more orchestral sounding Piano which is what you would expect.

The Bosendorfer – even the Imperial Model(which I had here in the studio many years ago for a month or so) is considered a chamber piano and is much clearer and precise in its sound. Love the sound – I have one in our music room- but I needed something with more breadth for this vid.

So the American D is majestic and orchestral, and perfect when you want real integration with other instruments. Its a good solo performer as well. Incidentally I know how good the ivory samples are because as you know, their main studio/jazz samples are the Yamaha C7 7’ grand.

I have a great example of this model on the studio floor. I bought it new in 1983 and its a fantastic Jazz/Rock piano because its sound has a lot of middle in it for punching through guitar, bass and drums.

You can really close mic it and get a very pleasing and surprisingly natural result. I have compared the Ivory Samples with my own piano and there is no real difference except that my studio only holds about 15 musicians comfortably and it’s my guess that Ivory’s C7 was sampled in a much bigger space than that – and when it comes to pianos the bigger the space the better.

Here’s the URL for my latest youtube video – which features the American Steinway D. https://www. youtube. com/watch?v=aQTe3c5ltTs.

I really like how flexible this VI piano is. It has the ability to be Eq’d, variable Low Shelf/High Shelf and fully parametric Mid Range, Has 7 reverbs fully adjustable, tons of other adjustments, and the feature I like most is – multiple included pads can be layered over the piano with control of pad octave, sustain and volume.

Tweek it, then save it for next time. Sounds very good compared to others I have tried. Just be sure you have a large fast hard drive. I use a 500GB 850 EVO SSD (530MB/Sec) Takes over 2 hours to load via 7 DVD’s.

You don’t want to try to download over web. AAX support for Protools, but you have to download an upgrade to have it, otherwise VST capable. Also includes stand alone ability. A lot of care was used in creating this program.

Check it out and enjoy.

Interest declared; I love upright pianos. There’s something about the closeness and intimacy of the sound that really resonates (pun intended) with me. This collection is the best sounding collection of Uprights I’ve yet to find, with enough variety for any genre.

Of the four, the one I keep going back to is the Yamaha, it just sounds like you’re in the room with it. Regular users of piano libraries will know what I’m talking about. The piano sounds great, but just a little elsewhere, somehow slightly distant, and disconnected.

Not with this collection, you feel close, like the piano is there with, and for, you.

What I like best about using this VSTi is that the Sound Bank names for the various sounds are actually pretty accurate. This is something I don’t see every day. When you select a sound, it pretty much sounds like what you imagine the words are describing.

Imagine that, and the stock sounds are good, very usable as is. The deep dive operation/navigation of Iris2 is something you need to spend some time with maybe, but usable sounds are quickly available, and I think the RX type spectrum editing is an interesting twist that can create some very unique sounds.

It’s a clever instrument, simple on one hand but still very deep. Thanks for the new (to me) VSTi, iZotope!.

I can only tell you about my first impressions of Iris 2, since I’ve purchased this one month ago. First, it sounds really good, organic and somehow original. I think that it has a certain vibe in it, very pleasant in my ears.

I purchased Iris 2 mainly because I was looking for a simple enough and intuitive sample based spectral synth, and Iris is exactly that. UI is a bit unique, but not confusing, and after a while you will be familiar with it.

Modulation capabilities are good enough for me, maybe not for some geeks – and same applies to envelopes. But this is not a synth for those who are after a traditional subtractive synth. I think that commonly this kind of synths were targeted for sound designers, but Iris works stunningly well also for modern music styles.

It’s surprisingly easy to create useful and musical sounding pathches with it. Many presets are good, and user friendly UI makes them easy to tweak. Iris is by far the easiest and user friendly spectral synth I’ve come across.

Only downside is that it takes a lot of CPU – but that’s what you should except from any sample based synth. I could imagine that a fast SSD drive would help a lot.

For someone starting out in sound design or a seasoned pro, you can’t go wrong with having this in your arsenal. The possibilities are endless, From one sample of any instrument sound, whether it’s an acoustic instrument, foley or a digitally produced sound you can create different sonic sounding presets for your projects to use in film, games, or instrument design.

It’s good for getting quick results with its visual spectral view, the effects are very good along with its versatility and ease of use. Wish I had bought this years ago.

This dedicated device does what I need it to, mostly. Pick it up, lay down some noise, put it down. Setting up default template required some reading, but once that was done, things became pretty simple.

Fairly intuitive interface if you’re familiar with the likes of Ableton or other modular DAWs. Illuminated buttons take you to the most used work areas quickly. File browser is a bit odd, I still need to learn what the filter icons actually mean and how to manage files and expansions more generally.

The touch sensitive controller knobs are a bit confusing at first but upgrading firmware to 2. 10 makes these a bit easier to understand with pop-up hints. Built in “programs” or instruments in pre-loaded expansion packs and plugins are nicely put together with a broad range of sounds available.

There is also a broad range of effects built in. Additional included packs are available from Akai if you hunt around, although if you’re not keen on treasure hunts, have your credit card handy because you will be encouraged to buy expansions rather than download the packages you’ve already paid for.

The USB port picked up my MIDI controller device easily and simply. SD card slot works well enough for file transfer although is noticably slower than internal storage. This may be due to the type of card used.

My principal gripe with this device is that the audio inputs are LINE LEVEL only with no pre-amp option for microphone or instrument hook-up. I was also disappointed to learn that it did not recognise my external USB audio interface (Zoom UAC-2) which would have given me microphone / instrument level input capability.

I still have dig deeper into the functionality and features of this device but it seems to be going okay so far.

It’s doesn’t get any better than this. Akai has always been the Beatmaster class of drum machine and samples. Here’s your baby , sequencer, sampler and drum design all in one. Wether you like making beats or samples this by far is the best I’ve heard with the built in speakers to boot you can’t go wrong with this one.

All beatmakers should have this one in your sound and equipment rig. No more let me play you a c. d, got a stereo around somewhere ? Got Milk? It’s all ready to turn on push play and let the music begin.

Any good anything in the industry will know you’re serious right out the gate and if you’re good under the hood and not just the driver you better go and pick this one up today. it’s the Porsche sitting next to the Hyundai.

I can’t say enough Beat makers , Song writers and producers this one has a lot of other Companies got Dang , why didn’t we think of that … get yours today it’s Fire y’all.

Love the size of the unit and the placement of the controls. I’ve read a lot of negative reviews about the small display, but It was designed tobe used in conjustion with your computer and it does that extremely well.

Working with my laptop, this mpc gives me everything I need and the touch strip is amazing. The pads are what you would expect from an MPC product, they have that great mpc feel. The display although small, is crisp and does its job well.

The notched parameter knob is great for selecting options. The midi in and out ports on the back are nice to have as well. Overall I love the product, its size, the software and of course those AKAI MPC pads, all at a great price.

Really like this collection of midis, some really cool catchy melodies and definitely one of the most useable midi packs I’ve purchased.

I have now used EZKeys as inspiration for many songs and I like to try genre packs I would not otherwise use and re-imagine then so there is always something useful on any pack

rock and pop sounds well suited to the electric and synth versions of ezkeys, another great flash sale price to give a growing library of sounds.

I am using Cubase Pro 10. 5. Loved it and using since 2016 with earlier version. Warmth in my final mixes and masters is the best feature. Chord track saves my time so much. Very fast if you have a good hand on it.

Groove Agent is really helpful in sampling my own drum kit and tones. Retrologue is amazing for new age music. On board vintage compressor in channel strip is really useful. Frequency feature is awesome to cut down specific frequency.

Pre gain staging is really amazing. I use Cubase for Film dubbing also. Music programmers must try once and they will know the power of Cubase Pro 10. Soon upgrading to Cubase Pro11.

I bought this solely for Cubase 11 Pro, which after some initial confusion (upgrade was boxed as 10. 5 but Scan customer services eventually clarified as 11) installed successfully. A great price for Cubase Pro and I intended to sell the Steinberg UR12 on as I already had a Focusrite Scarlett 2i4.

However, after testing the Steinberg box for a month or so, it’s much better and I’ve retired my Focusrite. The drivers are more stable and run better on my Windows 10 system. A win all round.

We purchased a copy of this via college for my son’s A Level Music Technology course. He is not very organised (he’s on the autistic spectrum) and has lost the activation code. This was apparently on a separate piece of paper (not on the box or the CD) and without this we are told that the software cannot be used.

My son’s college have contacted the supplier who had contacted Steinberg and they say there is nothing they can do. Steinberg say we have to spend another £257 and that’s that. Because we have lost a piece of paper.

This is not “Professional Music Technology”, it’s simply not fair.