Let’s take a look at the drum machine that brings back the analog feel to the digital age from Arturia, the SparkLE.
To start off, the Arturia spark controller is built really well, with a sturdy hard plastic shell, rubber, velocity-sensitive pads, and a linear 16-step sequencer, and even an X/Y touch-sensitive pad and the entire thing feel sturdy and robust.
In the video, we’ll take a deeper look at the physical drum machine and will leave the software attached to it for a separate video you can find on our channel.
The drum machine controller works exactly like a vintage analog drum machine, just like an 808 or a 909, but the bonus – the amazing software included with the drum machine that offers both modern and vintage sounds and a wonderful, compact design that will fit in a backpack.
The features both physically and software-based make this drum machine more akin to a vintage analog drum machine rather than a modern MPC, which to some – might be a negative, or to some – the biggest reason to check out the Arturia Spark drum machine.
The Arturia sparkle software, called SPARK 2, which is the sequel to the original sparkle software, is what really brings this product together, and if you’re interested in finding out why we have a video on it. The SPARK 2 software is an innovative sound design software that allows users to create unique and dynamic sounds for their music production. With its intuitive interface and powerful features, it has become a favorite among producers and musicians looking to add a new dimension to their sound. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out, the SPARK 2 software can help take your music to the next level.
The sparkle sound, as mentioned before is both modern and vintage, so you’ll find at least something you’ll like. Some specs? Some specs:
Drum machine midi out – you can use the Spark in a standalone mode and don’t require a DAW, making it a great choice for live performances. The Arturia sparkle is their main drum solution and it doesn’t disappoint, so a lack of an inline competitor isn’t that necessary.
The Arturia spark drum machines user interface includes a transport section, FX pads, a mode selector, 4-16 sequencers, a mini-USB port, master volume, and shuffle knobs, assignable encoders, a jog dial, a looper, the aforementioned pressure-sensitive pads, and a Kensington security lock. It’s definitely a decent little package and in this Arturia spark review, we go over exactly why.
The sparkle drum machine is capable of a lot of things and is also a part of somewhat of an exclusive member of the touch screen drum machine club, as it’s not that common of addition just yet. And the addition of a sequencer really opens up the doors for how useful this drum machine can be as Arturia spark EDM capabilities are just as high as a classic boom-bap application.
For example, programming the drums, really helps out in a live setting, as putting the entire workload on the DAW or the software you choose to utilize while performing live can make everything rather cluttered and putting half of the work on a physical set of hardware can help to make it easier to access and obviously having a set of velocity-sensitive pads with always lead to a land of creativity and the rest of UI just helps you access the things you’re looking for that much faster and easier, for example, the Jog-Dial allows you to quickly load all the kits and instruments in your disposal, the FX pad is not only touch-sensitive but also loaded with a three-mode filter, a six-mode slider, and a roller to allow you to instantly transform your sound and bring any live set or recording to life.
Once again, this is just half of the experience and ability of the tool as the other half of the coin comes with Spark 2 software and in this Arturia sparkle review we only take a look at the hardware you receive, so if you want to see the finale to the story, make sure to check out the Spark 2 video on our channel.
