Stylux RMX Groove Module, Virtual Instrument Options

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Comments about:

Stylux RMX Groove Module

[Jibril]

Hi all

I watched so many stylus videos at conventions, but i must say way way over hyped.

Is this one any better or just equivelant to sample tank 2 ?

anyone with real hands one experience out there that can share there opinion?

instead of leechers getting free copies for exagerating stylus by glorifying it, talk jyve hype etc?

This post has been edited by Jibril: Sat 1 Jan 2005, 14:20

[Nels]

Well, I'd have to agree with Jibril. ....I can also understand his passion when expressing himself. Hopefully, a good guy that's just sick of all the illusions/land mines created. ...One really has to step cautiously these days, when walking through the valley of, "Who or What to Believe?"

I bought into the Stylus hype and have since upgraded to the RMX version. Though, I believe it to be a very cool tool, I was very disappointed to discover that it's mostly aimed to be used by folks of the Hip Hop persuasion. In watching all the videos, I kinda sensed that Eric Persing(creator) was really into the Hip Hop genre, but I figured he'd have the mindset to incorporate kits for the other venues as well. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Almost all the beats are break beats of one type or another. With the RMX version, if you tweak and tweak some more, you are able to make a kit from scratch that resembles a natural kit, but still, I find myself wishing I'd bought the Fxpansion BFD Drums instead.

Bottom line is that if you're into Hip Hop, Break Beats, Sound design and such, ..this is a very cool and awesome sounding Virtual Instrument ...and it's worth every penny. On the other hand, if you're use to playing drums with your fingers and/or want natural timbrel sounding drum tracks, I'd stay away from this one. Sample Tank 2 has better sounding kits. More realistic, by far.

Now that I own Stylus RMX, I'll still try to utilize it in some way. It does have a great interface! Fun to putter around. ...And maybe Eric Persing will offer more natural sounding drum kits in his next upgrade. ......Sure hope so.

[chmara]

My take on Stylus RMX is a little different. I was able to move away from using the supplied hip-hop by converting samples from things like brush artistry (available in REX) for jazz and big band sounds.

I do feel their are more lound, obnoxiously obvious hip-hop and modern music samples than the market will bear much longer -- and i keep loooking for stuff that can be converted and sliced and diced to work. With this in mind -- thinking beyond current collections (market driven)--- I can see where RMX and where it is headed will be a valuable tool for many years....particularly if thought about and used creatively beyond ther pretty good pre-existing librarie. (BTW - I have just converted the whole Drums on Demand library with good and better results -- and was able to drop stuff out I knew I would never use. Their holiday special was awsome///////!!!!

[Nels]

chmara,

I agree that Stylus RMX has great potential for us non-Hip Hoppers. Spectrasonics also has excellent customer service and great support.

If they'd offer at least one great realistic sounding Jazz Kit, One great Rock Kit, etc. ...that I could play with my fingers on my modeling synth(midi), I'd be one happy camper. Just think, with that interface, ..being able to pan the drums individually and to be able to tweak effects on the fly, ...one could create some very cool drum tracks.

Maybe on their next upgrade, they'll include a new bank of kits, entitled, ...."Real Drums".

Happy New Year!

[fictionmusic]

Check out the packages at Spectrasonics for the RMX like this one:


http://www.spectrasonics.net/libraries/backbeat.php

or these

http://www.ilio.com/spectrasonics/xpanders.html


real drums, great grooves and all set to be installed into RMX


you can also import any existing REX library with the Sage tools (which lets you create your own sub library within Rmx proper.

[chmara]

Thanks for the suggestion -- I checked the back beat and tyhe CD for 199 seems pricey AND nisier than the drum styles I heards in the Blue Note, etc. for many years. Rather than jazz -- the samples I monitored seemed more for a modern dance c lub -- sharp, distinct with hard hits great for stuff other tyhan the type of jazz or swing band (big band reduced) I admire.

I still have not heard samples on Liguid Grooves -- and will not buy anything more without audition.

The Sectrasonics RMS is a great machine == but I find that converting OTHER samples to Rex then converting them is a little more lossy than I like -- but the Rex grooves I have acquired (when I can find them) from third parties seem to give me at least a 60 per cent satisfaction.

Spectrasonics need to get sopme Liquid Grooves MP3s or the like upo before I make a purchase....and I have no trouble endorsing them if they are different and able to car4ry the message I want better than the curenty pandering to commercial rages.

Aristry man == it alway lives longer (but not as profitably) as commercialism.

I know it aint cheap putting together a collection -- but Brush Artistry (In Rex) converted well. Now I need softer hits and drums that blend, not doiminate...and some tuned and variable pitch (conga, tablas) would be good too.

But maybe the money aint there for those projects in a timely manner -- losing the share of the market (maybe 20 perecent) that I fall into AS FAR AS THE SALE OF SOUNDS GO.

I hope they (Spectrasonics) can quickly expand -- but corporate music is corporate music -- loud sells drinks and discs to people who want to blot their thoiughts rather than using music to evoke memory, creative and mellow thought.

Again -- it took some time to pick and choose from Drums on Demand -- but it was worth the effort. I hope Spectrasonicsd can be responsive to our smaller -- but dedicated part of the rythm market.

[DANO10]

Check out the new "Clasic Drummining Series" for the RMX called BACKBEAT.

Quote from Spectrasonics, "Are you tired of searching through piles of overcooked, pretentious loops, when you're just trying to find a solid, tasty groove for your song? Our new Backbeat library is just what you're looking for...great feeling, rock-steady grooves with attitude, but without overplaying. The variety and quality within this single library is astonishing.

Dano10

[Nels]

Gotta love that chmara. ..........I hear ya buddy. Loud and clear!!!

Spectrasonics is just doing what has become the staple in big business these days. They could have very easily, within that grand Core Library of theirs, put in just a few, very nice, realistic sounding drum kits.

All some of us need is a few realistic sounding kits to utilize ...and though I don't mind so much dishing over the cash, for just 2 or 3 kits, even $99.00 does seem a bit steep. And after all, I did already pay handsomely for a mountain of wonderfully creative break beats & scratches that I will not ever use. Plus, I personally don't work with loops, so I don't need all of what's on those extra money making CD packages . I'd much rather play the drums via midi, with my fingers for a more human feel. And I'd like to stay with only one or 2 GREAT KITS, so that it sounds like the same, but versatile drummer on all tracks.

So, Spectrasonics, if you're out there and reading this, ...please.... can you throw a few crumbs our way. I'm sure there's others in the same boat as I. ...All of us present owners of Stylus RMX that have it sitting on the back burner(for the most part), will await your next upgrade with great anticipation, ..in the hopes that ...bla bla bla.

This will be my last post on the subject, as I feel that I may be getting a bit redundant.

Thanks

This post has been edited by Nels: Tue 4 Jan 2005, 08:17

[syntropique]

Hey All,

Thanks for talking about your thoughts on this new product.

So not to plug my companies' product too much, but after the comments I
figured I'd mention it since it was in context.

If you want more "real" drum stuff you might check out
DrumCore (www.drumcore.com). It has a nice varity by A-list drummers, particulary alot of nice organic sounding loops and even some (gulp) jazzy stuff.

There are demos mp3's on the site in the drummers' area.

It has MIDI grooves and kits as well as loops, fills and variations.

Cheers,

--kT