MOTU Ships BPM 1.5 with Expanded Sound Library; Samples Mastered at Sterling Sound

MOTU has begun shipping BPM Version 1.5. The new version represents a significant update of the MOTU rhythm production virtual instrument/UVI sound library for Mac and Windows.

BPM 1.5 from MOTU

The expanded library is over 19 GB in size, consisting of kits, patterns, samples, loops, and instruments covering dozens of musical styles including big beat, dancehall, dub, electro, hard trance, house, drum ‘n’ bass, progressive, and others.

New software features in BPM 1.5 include enhanced support for hardware MIDI controllers, a note repeat function, and bank effects that can be saved with kits.

In-depth features include:

Beat Box Anthology

BPM 1.5 includes Beat Box Anthology, a comprehensive 4 GB collection of legacy rhythm sounds (over 10,000 samples) from 80 classic drum machines from the 1970’s, 80’s and 90’s.

Users can browse individual samples, kits, and patterns from three categories of devices: classic, analog, and digital, and a “classic” category for machines such as the 808 and 909 series. Samples are also organized by type (kick, snare, etc.) for easy browsing.

Sampling of the original instruments took place at 24-bit 96 kHz audio quality. Professional mastering of all samples was at NYC’s Sterling Sound.

FlexLoops and musical styles

BPM 1.5 includes hundreds of new FlexLoops™, which are fully programmable kits+patterns that give users control of every loop element, from individual samples to specific FX parameters. Dozens of expanded musical styles are represented, including:

Big beat
Dancehall
Dirty south
Dub
Electro
Hard trance
Hip hop
R ‘n’ B
House
Jungle
Drum ‘n’ bass
Minimal
Progressive
Ragga
Trip hop
Vinylized

Users can combine kits and patterns from each style to quickly create unique hybrid beats. BPM 1.5 also introduces bank aux FX, which allow users to create three independent effects processing chains for a bank of sounds, apply the effect chains as desired to each individual component sound of the bank, and then save the effects with the bank. This new feature makes the effects an integral part of the bank, so that when the bank is saved with a pattern, the result is a fully programmable FlexLoop.

Enhanced MIDI controller support

As a software-only virtual instrument, BPM 1.5 has been enhanced with programmable MIDI remote control features that allow it to work well with third-party hardware controllers, including pad controllers and MIDI keyboards. BPM ships with hardware template files for several popular drum pad controller products, such as the Akai™ MPD Series. When loaded into the hardware, the template file quickly programs the controller for use with BPM.

Users can further customize their beat making experience using BPM’s new MIDI Remote preferences, a long list of BPM functions that can be attached to any MIDI controller key, switch, fader, or knob using “MIDI learn” functionality.

The new MIDI Select feature gives users direct access to each pad — up to 64 simultaneous pads per scene — for quick editing and tweaking directly from a MIDI controller. For example, if a user needs to tweak the filter cutoff on the crash cymbal, they simply play the crash cymbal pad and then twist the assigned knob to tweak the filter.

Note repeat

To repeat the currently held note, users hold down the Note Repeat button. Any note repeat value, from triplet 64ths to dotted quarters to 32x, can be chosen. The note repeat button can be used on-screen or mapped to any control item on a MIDI controller. Users can change the repeat value on the fly from their controller. Volume (velocity) of repeated notes is controlled with aftertouch pressure.

BPM 1.5 upgrade package

The BPM 1.5 upgrade package includes:

— BPM 1.5 installer CD
— Updated BPM 1.5 soundbank DVDs
— New Beat Box Anthology soundbank DVD
— Beat Box Anthology serial number (iLok authorization code)

Availability

BPM 1.5 is now shipping. Price remains the same at $295. Registered 1.0 users can upgrade to version 1.5 for $79.

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