RIFFS plug-ins...
combination of samples and synthesis tools, including samples of real actual acoustic drums kits alongside samples of some very popular classic drum machines. You can also load in your own samples to really add your own mark to the sounds; Rob Papen also claims that many more sounds and presets are in the pipeline, borne out by an update whilst I was actually reviewing it!
SRP: £125.00 Contact: Time + Space
www.timespace.com
Laely we’ve checked out some impressive multi-gigabyte libraries that seek to emulate a real acoustic drum kit with complete accuracy. The new Punch plug-in from Rob Papen is somewhat different and on the face of it looks to take an almost old school drum machine approach. Rob Papen’s synth plug-ins have always been popular amongst the dance & DJ’ing fraternities’, so let’s enter the ring with Punch and see how it measures up.
In the blue corner…
Punch works as a plug-in inside of all the popular environments: PC (XP/Vista/7) both in VST & RTAS formats and in both 32 & 64 bit. Mac users can use AU/VST/RTAS also at 32 & 64 bit but it is worth checking what OSX version you are running to ensure compatibility. Compared to other drum libraries, Punch is fairly small (approx 350Mb) which is a nice antidote to all those huge drum libraries, copy protection is via a nice n’ simple serial number. Punch provides the user with a versatile
Punch also adds a natty little step sequencer based upon the old grid systems from classic drum machines. You can program a set of these loops for compositions or just trigger them from keys or pads, something that producers and DJ’s alike should love. Once fired up you are greeted with a good looking and user-friendly user interface whose clean layout encourages you to experiment, which pays dividends, as we’ll see later. The bottom left of screen is devoted to 24 virtual pads that can be used to trigger or select a sound for editing, which takes place in the top portion of the screen. Anyone with experience of programming a classic analogue drum machine or even a fairly standard synthesizer should be able to navigate this section with little consultation of the help pages, the filters and envelopes all feel very familiar. The default for triggering sounds from a keyboard seem largely compatible with the standard General MIDI note numbers, whilst leaving an octave in the middle of the keyboard for triggering the on board loops. The loops themselves are programmed in the remaining section at the bottom of the screen. I must add at this stage that the step/grid programmer of Punch is about as easy as it gets, with none of those
Screen Jabs
For most people though the really important thing will be the sounds themselves and the flexibility of the programming. The samples themselves are very simple to audition but at least it would appear that similar sounds are placed together, which definitely helps. You might need to explore all of them all of them as the naming system is a little vague, however it will be worth delving around as there are some real gems here. The ever-growing preset library is certainly a good starting point and the presets are helpfully divided into types (Hip-Hop, Film Score, etc.). Most of the kits sound huge; with fat and round Hip-Hop kits ranging right through to dark and creepy atmospheric kits; Rob Papen has certainly been busy demonstrating what Punch can do. In addition to this all the presets come with 4 groove patterns along with fills that can be triggered from the keyboard, and remember, these are all editable for you own needs. With regards to sounds it seems that Rob Papen has pretty much got it covered for Punch’s target audience. Personally, I felt it was a little weak on out-and-out rock drums but Punch doesn’t feel aimed at that particular niche. There is nothing stopping you from loading in your own samples of course... and who knows what may be released in the form of an expansion pack at a later date! PM
Punch’s user friendly interface offers plenty of tweekability…
SHOULD I BUY ONE? So that’s Punch; its sleek urban orientated sounds allied to the versatile fi lters of the synth section and the comprehensive effects pretty much makes it a must if you are producing contemporary music. Capable of unique but generally chest crushing sounds as well as more unusual atmospheric percussion Punch is, dare I say it... a knock out!!!
46 pickup baby ROB PAPEN - PUNCH
This versatile drum plug-in from Rob Papen delivers a knock out blow… Words: D.P. Wilson
unexplainable idiosyncrasies that sometimes blight other drum machines. Last but not least, Punch includes an effects section with 26 different effects which may seem like an unusual addition, but a quick run through the presets quickly demonstrates how useful the effects are when creating new and unusual rhythmic soundscapes.
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