1010music has published firmware 3.0 (beta) for its sampler groovebox Blackbox overhauling the song mode, expanding the sequencer, and more.
The new year is only 12 days old. Even if it is still tranquil in the music tech world, there is still a lot of development going on behind the scenes. This is shown in the latest forum post by 1010music.
Aaron Higgins and his team are working on a major update 3.0 for the Blackbox, a portable sample-based groovebox with granular. The new firmware is currently in open beta and brings some great improvements.
1010music Blackbox 3.0
Starting with an all-new song mode with a more straightforward and useful design and feature set. Each song now consists of up to 16 scenes than can launch any available clips and sequences. There is also new visual feedback of the launched snapshot and the ability to edit them.
The new song mode allows you to create scenes manually or use the snapshot feature to grab what is currently playing. Here you can also customize the order of the scenes, loop them or reprogram them to loop a specific number of times. 1010music also implemented a new keep feature that lets you update clips and sequences in a sequence. But without impacting others that are already playing.
Then, beta 3.0 brings a makeover for the internal sequencer. Each sequencer cell now has 4 layers for making separate parts and switching them in a quantized manner. The new song mode can launch sequences along with the specified layer. In this way, you can chain patterns and create complex arrangements.
New MIDI sequences
Blackbox 3.0 also features true MIDI sequences, where each MIDI sequence now has four layers. You can record notes from the touch screen or external MIDI device. Good, all this can be done independently of the existing pads.
1010music has built in three different modes to make sequencing easier:
- MIDI Pads channel (in TOOLS – MIDI in) is made for controlling the overall Blackbox, including the pads and various options
- PAD MIDI in for creating melodic pads via MIDI
- MIDI Seq channel (in TOOLS – MIDI in), this new method connects inbounds MIDI directly to the currently selected sequence.
Further, they have redone the MIDI output section. This is now handled entirely by the SEQ cells. Each one can have its own individual MIDI output channel. The 4 layers per sequence will all use the same MIDI output channel.
In KEYS mode, each sequence cell now maps to a single pad, played chromatically. This simplifies recording and routing in that you specify where the notes will go for all 4 layers. You can record into a KEYS sequence from the MIDI Seq channel and from the KEYS screen when in SEQ mode.
There is also undo and CLR on the sequence screen.
In the forum, 1010music wants to know what the beta testers think of the update. Are there any improvements etc.? Please leave your input in the forum.
An exciting free update for the Blackbox, which makes the small granular sample groove box much more flexible in sequencing.
Availability
1010music Blackbox 3.0 firmware update is now available in beta in the official forum. Final release TBA.
More information here: 1010music
Available at my partners
Hopefully 1010music brings the V3 firmware of the Blackbox to a stable release soon. This little box is very powerful and you can very nice perform with it.
I hope they have fixed the midi sync issues
I can’t connect.