Spark Improvements!

[stuey]

1.7.2 was alright actually, but I think this is the point I'm making. The CDM functionality has been forgotten about really because the introduction of SparkLE. The software has to straddle the two hardwares and essentially falling short for the CDM.

There's stuff that others will find more important but thread after thread users assume you're just talking about the software. There should be a board dedicated to each piece of hardware.

I did spent hours of time emailing arturia talking about the workflow for v2, the scroll wheel on the unit didn't do anything and it was decided that the shift number combination were to be the main way to get into menus, replacing the hardware know which was the original workflow.

There's next to no reporting on the unit, and where there is reporting there is no continuity.

But I'm getting a bit bored of constant lobbying

Anyway, hopefully we can move forward with this

Thanks, Stuart

[cybervertigo]

1) 16 pads on the hardware is just like the software has. That would enable users to play more sounds in real time.

2) Able to use more than 16 sounds per project. A simple solution would be a dedicated button. It can be called Group, Sounds, Kits etc... When that dedicated button is selected the 16 step buttons each become Groups of 16 sounds. The user would easily be able to jump from 16 sounds to another 16 sounds, and would enable the user to have more sounds available per project. At 16x16, that can be up to 256 sounds per project (if needed). Please see pic for more details.

3) In the Loop section, by adding that new button would help create another feature... Rather than just have the option to dial through loop parts, also have a way to jump to specific parts of the loop. That would be great for both live performances and recording. A simple solution can be to add a dedicated Select button to activate this feature. The 6 Mode buttons can then become selections for the Divide (1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64). The Copy button can be Steps 1-16, Erase can be Steps 17-32, Seq. Positions can be 33-48 and 49-64. The 16 Step buttons can be a specific step from 1-64 depending on the Step Groups selection. Basically the user can have up to 4 Step Groups, depending on which Divide selection is being used. For a Divide of 1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 the 16 Step buttons can light up lightly, and the selected step light up brighter. A Divide of 1/32 would only need 2 Step Group buttons. 1/64 would need 4 Step Group buttons. Please see pic for more details.

[stuey]

1) 16 pads on the hardware is just like the software has. That would enable users to play more sounds in real time.

Do you have more than 8 fingers? 

Thanks, Stuart

[cybervertigo]

1) 16 pads on the hardware is just like the software has. That would enable users to play more sounds in real time.

Do you have more than 8 fingers? 

Thanks, Stuart

Absolutely, lets not forget the thumbs! 8 fingers give 2 thumbs up to 16 pads.

Thanks,
Jeff

[Szlartibartfaszt]

Hi everybody!

What I'm writing is not really about improvement but rather fixing serious flaws. Unfortunately there is no sticky in the technical issues section ( Hmm, I wonder why ).

I've spent most of last week on the modular page of Spark, and have found some real fun killers.
The randomly "jumpy" modules are the least annoying of them.
A bit more problematic but at least constant phenomenon is that when I insert a cable in the FM input of an oscillator, the pitch of the modulated oscillator jumps 2 octaves up.
The CV Modulator can't multiply the signal as you state in the manual because the highest gain value is 0 dB. Well, it would be good if it could.
The bipolar/unipolar switching of modulations doesn't work. Setting it to unipolar still sounds like bipolar when turned anti clockwise. It's just a bit softer.
Halfway synthesizing a gong sound I got this message: "Unable to add module. You have reached the maximum number of modules." - Seriously? In a software? In 2015? ( Okay it was released in 2014 )
And limiting the number of individual module types too? Okay, the number of oscillators filters, LFOs will probably be enough, but I'd like to use more Springmasses to create more complex sounds with different and differently evolving parts.
And with evolving we have arrived to what I really can't comprehend.
Who's authorized these envelopes? I mean, sit back, relax and imagine you've just got a real hardware modular synth. You unbox it and see that most of the controls are behind little doors which you have to open every time you want to modify the settings, and there are insert points that aren't even connected to anything. I give you 1 hour and the whole stuff lands in the bin.
Envelopes are really basic and frequently used sound shaping tools. You have to be able to see and control ALL of the parameters directly. It's even more important when we get a "multi stage envelope" as in the manual ( with not a single word about what it does and how the signal changes from A to R ) instead of a standard and easy to understand ADSR envelope. I'm using more envelopes to control different parts of a sound, so this assigning-to-macro thing simply doesn't work. I can't assign 30+ parameters to six knobs. Six macros can be enough for live performance but not for sound design. Every envelope has to have all their controls available on the modules.
And just for curiosity's sake, what should we do with a Sustain modulation input when we can't set the Sustain? ( And probably don't even have. )
Come on Arturia! You can do better! I've spent the past half year working with your synths, and I've learnt a lot about synthesis itself thanks to you. Now I'd really like to use Spark as well. It's Modular part is way better and more versatile than Maschines drum synths. But these shortcomings are beating all the fun out of it.

Best Regards,
Balázs Várszegi

[oopsi]

The mod environment is powerful but in its current state it doesn't make me want to jump in a use it

Modular improvements:

GUI resizing:

While I like the ability to zoom in and out working in such a small space is frsutrating and time consuming.  If the overall spark gui cannot be resized then a seperate window for the modular is needed. Large High res monitor and I'm still squinting to see!

Modules snap to grid:

Modules just randomly laying over each other in the small screen realestate is no fun.

More patch stability:

Happened a few times now when I program a large mod patch it can end up crashing the plugin when I try to save it. The plugin becomes unresponsive and the gui is frozen with the green load bar and the only thing left to do is remove the plugin and start again but you guessed it the patch was not saved.

Attaching and detaching cables is too easy and often mistakes can be made (due to size issues mentioned above) that I accidently remove a connection. For a cable to be connected/disconnected I think there should be a click and hold source drag wire to destination and drop onto dest pad. Right now I might just remove a connection just trying to reposition a mass of modules lying on top of each other.   

[oopsi]

x/y midi assign.

I have a controller with an x/y pad why can I not midi learn this to spark software?

[stuey]

x/y midi assign.

I have a controller with an x/y pad why can I not midi learn this to spark software?

That will never happen. Think about it, Arturia make 2 pieces of hardware, now 3 that work with the x-y pad. To open it up to other manufacturers would be brand suicide.

Thanks, Stuart 

[oopsi]

x/y midi assign.

I have a controller with an x/y pad why can I not midi learn this to spark software?

That will never happen. Think about it, Arturia make 2 pieces of hardware, now 3 that work with the x-y pad. To open it up to other manufacturers would be brand suicide.

Thanks, Stuart

Thank you for your reply but I disagree, this is an oversight and it has nothing to do with marketing or economics. Spark software does not need a spark controller, they already allow external midi control of spark ;read section 6.7 through to 6.7.12 manual they have just not included x/y coordinate mapping which is just two control change values. I have a padkontrol and I have assigned the 16 pads so I do not have to switch to access pads 9-16 which is better for performance and programming.   

[stuey]

General Midi control is possible as you say. The X-Y has multiple usage and although it's a X-Y for some parameters, it's an 8 way switch for some others. I imagine this is partly the reason why it's proprietary to their controllers.

Thanks, Stuart   

[stuey]

GUI resizing:

+ 1

Thanks, Stuart

[oopsi]

Button combination to allow undo from hardware controllers or via midi would be great because sometimes you press erase when what you really wanted was copy, or you have not selected the pad properly and when you move to another pad you lose your edits and so on.

[oopsi]

General Midi control is possible as you say. The X-Y has multiple usage and although it's a X-Y for some parameters, it's an 8 way switch for some others. I imagine this is partly the reason why it's proprietary to their controllers.

Thanks, Stuart   

It's more likely the software does the heavy lifting and not the controller. All that needs to be done is to split the x and y midi range into 4 or 8 equal parts. so 128/4 = 32 so 0-31 will give you one selection, 32-63 the next and repeat for the other coordinate etc the xy pad itself is just sending standard cc's. 

[oopsi]

Ability to load modular patches from/to the modular shell/environment.

[oopsi]

Save option for individual drum presets!