1010music Blackbox

thoughtstarZ · January 12, 2020, 10:09pm

Does it have USB midi? For sync? That would Open things up even more

Airyck · January 12, 2020, 10:22pm

It has a menu option for usb midi but it doesn’t work yet. Most likely in a future update.

It “does” act as a host device for USB midi devices like the MIDIfighter twister for example

thoughtstarZ · January 12, 2020, 10:30pm

Yeah, I saw that. Thanx for that info. I had the DT for a minute and loved usb midi, even though i didn’t use it for midi sync. Would be fun to trigger Reaktor with just a USB cable.

circuitghost · January 13, 2020, 4:57am

USB Midi works just fine. It syncs and it’s bi-directional so you can use it to both record and play back sequence data from a midi synth. It also responds to external CC through a learn function, but doesn’t allow for recorded automation yet.

circuitghost · January 13, 2020, 4:58am

Depends on your preference. The hardware interface, size and converters with the headroom, adds a tremendous lot to the experience.

Versipellis · January 13, 2020, 5:19am

Maybe? Depends on how you set it up. Your iPad can’t handle CV, have multiple outs, or take eurorack level in, probably though…

circuitghost · January 13, 2020, 5:31am

I mean, the iPad instead of something hardware-discussion can never be about features and functionality. That’s never what it’s about, no matter if you prefer screen before buttons. Primarily, an instrument is about your tactile experience with it. If you enjoy that experience, you will make great music with it.

There’s an elegance and calm to an iPad screen, where you just move around your fingers like a taiji master to get things done. And there’s a carpenter-like quality to banging away on something more hardware.

Both have their place and if you enjoy the iPad, there are plenty great options to find a sampler experience on it.

Go for the Blackbox if you know you’re a hardware guy. If not, its set of feature won’t talk you into becoming one.

circuitghost · January 13, 2020, 5:34am

With this said, this thing from Novation comes pretty close to the BBox if we talk the mix of straight on music making and features -

If Novation ever got into the sampler market, they’d make an impact, I believe.

chapelierfou · January 13, 2020, 9:02am

I sent mine back.
It does some things good, but it lacks a lot of precision, customization and flexibility to me.
Also, in the end, the 2 FXs are not enough to me, especially that you can’t process external input.
Lastly, the granular engine is really poor.

Just ordered…an OT.

josker · January 13, 2020, 9:50am

I think there are many valid criticisms that can be leveled at the Blackbox. When evaluated as a sampling workstation, featuring sequencing, effects and sampling & editing, there’s a lot that’s not fluent yet or plain missing.

I kind of had modest plans for it – I figured I’d just play prepared stems and everything else is extra. With that approach, I’ve been very happy with the box. For a more flexible, well-rounded sampling toolkit, I think the Octratrack is spot on. What the Blackbox has over it is simplicity of operation and sample management. I think you’ll be happy, in any case

circuitghost · January 13, 2020, 10:31am

The irony I was on the OT for years, and the Blackbox was what replaced it.

I miss the OT’s capability as a live performance instrument, with scenes and stuff, and the options to build something with coherence over time. Longer tracks that blend into each other, complete set lists and stuff. I miss that so much, I eventually need to find something else that can do that for me.

But as for actually coming up with something that becomes a song, the Blackbox just triggered all the right points for me.

virtualpt · January 13, 2020, 10:43am

Wow, I never knew about that. Top tip & much cheaper than SampleRobot. Does it embed the metadata in the same way that SampleRobot does?

Thanks

chapelierfou · January 13, 2020, 10:43am

Yeah, I was just looking in the wrong direction.
What I’m looking for is a companion for Ableton Live to make interesting and “playable” transition between songs.
And also being a Mixer + FXs for the modular is a bonus.

selfup · January 13, 2020, 11:25am

All good! OT is an absolute beast. You will yell at clouds but it’s worth it.

I like the BB because I can just get ideas in so fast and then sample into OT for destruction. But I have found myself using the OT by itself and having a blast.

Enjoy the OT!

darenager · January 13, 2020, 12:07pm

I think BB and OT are so very different that they can compliment eachother very nice. OT is still IMHO unsurpassed as a creative mangler of samples, BB has a very different approach, where the focus appears to be on fast and simple with less bells and whistles, but still very capable, the assignable outputs make up for the lack of fx and processing as I can do it externally when needed.

Airyck · January 13, 2020, 2:24pm

It’s honestly been a while since I’ve used it but if I remember correctly you get options to make different file types, names, and other data with the files. It can automatically search for loop points in the audio as well. I would assume that requires adding some sort of meta data to the files to specify things like loop points and potentially things like key and velocity.

It was a full featured automatic multisampler when Apple bought the company.

Looks like it was Redmatica Auto Sampler

Here’s the SOS article
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/auto-sample-your-synths-mainstage

Adhrast · January 13, 2020, 8:00pm

Hi everyone!
I’m very new here, both to the forums and music production, though I’m 28. I’ve been strumming guitar for years before some weeks ago I decided I wanted to do something more. So I bought an OP-Z on a whim and having a blast with it. My skills are extremely lacking, as is my music theory knowledge, but I’m loving it
But the music I love, and that I’d love to make is ambient/dub techno, for which OP-Z’s sounds are kinda limited. So I started looking for a small, portable device to use with it, and came across this. It seems it’s very powerful, and I could use samples for pads and leads to get the sounds I want, would it be a good choice? Would it be difficult to sync the two devices to maybe use the OP-Z for the drums and some sounds and all the sample and granular goodness of the BB for the more complex, athmospheric sounds?
I’ve been looking at the DT as well, but mono samples and the size are a bit of a dealbreaker.
Thanks in advance

mokomo · January 13, 2020, 8:47pm

In or around the BB price, you should check out A4 Mk 1 second hand in my view - love the BB but the elektron sequencer is superb and tactile, and the reverb, delay and synthesis options on the A4 might fit exactly what you are looking for. Not just because you are on an elektron forum, but A4 has a lot to offer.
BB has reverb, but is moreso decent that vast, which is what the A4 has. BB’s delay is functional but the A4s is a lot better. Unless you want to rely on having the right samples, A4 gives you a very broad synthesis palette with p-locking for that dub techno vibe and lots of glitchy variety from step to step flowing into the top notch effects.

( MnM or MD or OT: ambient/dub techno beasts. but a bit more pricey )

Adhrast · January 13, 2020, 9:23pm

While I appreciate your input and you taking time to answer, huge devices with dozens of buttons and knobs are kinda what I wanted to avoid. I’m a total newbie and I know myself, I’m afraid I would be overwhelmed. I also have very little space for gear, the BB would be perfect and it’d run off a power bank. Digitakt would be as far as I could/would go with size.
Again, I thank you for your advice, as you’re surely more expert and knowledgeable than me, but I’m trying to work with my limitations

EDIT: Also, basically unlimited storage on the BB makes it incredibly appealing, if you don’t go crazy with multisampling even 32gb can be a lot

I was even thinking, would adding a reverb pedal to the mix help? Even if just for resampling?

I don’t want to sound stubborn and ask for advice only to ignore it, I’m just incredibly drawn to sampling and the possibilities with timestretching, granular, etc

vegeta897 · January 15, 2020, 3:43am

Aaron just posted an update!

blackbox 1.4.0
In preparation for NAMM, we are pleased to make this new version available to you. Here’s whats new:

Enhanced slicer mode with the ability to play into adjacent slices, quantize, choke, and sync with the master clock. One way to think of this is as random access clip mode.

Grid based keyboard with scale control. Press KEYS a second time to see it.

Alternative grid keyboard for slicer cells that lets you trigger slices more accurately

Swipe to play adjacent keys in the original and new grid KEYS mode.

The load screen now displays directories first followed by files

You can now choose which MIDI note will trigger a pad on the MIDI pads channel

Bug fixes:

The system would offer no warning when the micro SD card is running out of space. (You will see red text in the header when there is less than 256MB. Look for the available space on the Tools page.)

When using the MIDI keys feature to route incoming notes to a specific cell, notes would hang if you switched cells while playing

The file system could not handle directories with a period in the name

When using the slice sequencer, the cell would not begin with the first slice after loading a preset.

The new slicer features make it very powerful. I had been hoping for a way to let you play through the rest of a sliced sample starting at the triggered slice, and now you can, and it’s beat synced.