Skippy's Noizbox

EXS24 24-bit Audio Format Reviewed
Ilio Entertainments

reviewed by Graham Hunter
June 2003.

Test equipment: Logic 6.0, EXS24mkII and Mac G4 OSX

Skippy’s Noizbox is the new drum loop construction set from John “Skippy” Lehmkuhl, and is the follow-up to the successful Skippy’s Big Bad Beats. Where Big Bad Beats was more influenced by hip-hop and R&B sources, Noizbox takes a few steps into the shadows of a heavier techno-influenced underground style.

Groove Control

Like most other sample CDs, Noizbox is available in two configurations: audio, and sampler-ready. However, it’s the addition of Groove Control in the sampler-ready versions that really sets Noizbox, making the audio-only version a questionable purchase given the huge potential from the additional $100 ($99 vs. $199).

You see, Groove Control is the cure for all the boredom and monotony of regular sample CDs. Basically, it involves a midi control file that triggers the individual samples in the loop. This differs from other sampler-ready drum loops in that the tempo, groove, and the feel of the track is fully under your control – what comes on the discs is only the starting point.

The traditional way of working with loop sample CDs involves selecting a loop, loading it in to your sampler, then repeating the note that triggers that loop. There are minor variations on this (velocity sensitivity, for example) but for the most part it looks like this:

Click For Larger View

Groove Control gives you all the components of the loop, letting you choose what you want to do with it:

Click for Larger View

Groove Control can be compared to Propellerheads’ Recycle (REX) format in its ability to modify the tempo of the loop, but you don’t need to have a REX-compatible sampler to use Groove Control, and you gain a lot more freedom from having all of the individual components of the loop readily at hand when you want to edit them. True, if you have the Recycle program this is all very simple to do, but Groove Control doesn’t require additional software and all the editing occurs directly in the sequencer.

How many times have you auditioned a drum loop on a sample library thinking to yourself “yeah, that would really work in my latest track!” only to have it spoiled by the programmer inserting an 808 cowbell (or some other sound that doesn’t quite fit in) at the end of every second bar. With Groove Control, you can just go into the control file and remove what you don’t like, or replace with another sample of your choice. This also works very well if you like to build up your tracks with changing rhythm patterns, as you can simply copy and paste the control file as many times as you want, editing the copies. Over time, you will probably develop your own customized library of control files that you can insert as you see fit.

Same goes with the tempo and groove. The midi control file is loaded into the sequencer and it inherently syncs to the tempo of the current track. Applying different groove patterns is very simple, or you can quantize the rest of your track with the groove from the loop itself.

Groove Example

Here’s a concrete example of how you can utilize Groove Control with the Secret Agent program.

1. Setup
First, I had to import the Akai samples using EXS24. Once this was done, I downloaded the EXS24 Logic files from the Ilio web site and replaced the contents of the Sampler Instruments folder with the one from the downloaded archive. The archive also contains a Logic Song (.lso) for each loop. I loaded up the ASIO version of the song for Secret Agent, and Logic 6.0 on OSX recognized that there were no ASIO drivers present, so it automatically converted everything to CoreAudio for me.

2. Original Version (mp3)
After listening to the original version of Secret Agent, I don’t think that the fill at the very end really suits my track too well, as I’m not aiming for an upbeat track.

3. Mute the Toms Track (mp3)
That’s an easy thing to do with Groove Control – I mute the seventh track and now the fill at the end disappears. Wait a second – there are some more toms still left in there.

4. Removing the other toms (mp3)
It’s pretty easy to see where the other four toms are when View… Object Contents is turned on in Logic (see screenshot above). I go in and edit the midi track and remove those four as well.

5. Increasing the tempo (mp3)
I’d like to start the track at 130 bpm instead of 120 bpm. That’s a very easy change, and the Secret Agent program holds up well with this change.

6. Different Snare (mp3)
The final change I made to the Program was to change the snare to a darker version that I really liked from Noizbox’s Vulture Bay Program. That’s as simple as changing the Program assignment in that track’s EXS24 instance.

Noizy Highlights

There are 32 loops across four discs. If you have the audio-only version, these loops are evenly distributed between 73 and 145 bpm. As mentioned above, Groove Control allows you to set the tempo of the loops to anything you want, so these are really just suggested tempos to get you started. Some Programs sound a little “crowded” when the tempo is increased more than 10 or 20 bpm, and others sound stunted when you decrease them by the same amount, but for the most part a swing of +/- 10 bpm never affected the sound significantly, and the extreme changes in tempo could be corrected by some MIDI editing.

Here are some highlights of the samples:

Outpost (mp3)
Outpost is a nice laid back loop that can fit right in with Trip-Hop or slower Industrial Dance tracks.

Silly Putty (mp3)
Another slower loop, the motion sounds in the background of this loop can drive the atmospheric feel of a song.

Snake (mp3)
One of the faster loops, Snake adds has a more esoteric feel.

Trank (mp3)
Trank is another great example of the use of percussive motion in a Noizbox program.

Conclusions

Depending on your perspective, Noizbox may or may not be “noizy” enough for you. If your music is more pop than industrial, Noizbox will be plenty noisy and it will add an edge to your songs. However, my personal preference is for more of an Industrial sound, and I frequently found myself using external plug-ins to take the loops further into the truly noisy territory. That’s the nice part about Groove Control, though – you can easily manipulate the samples exactly as you see fit, track by track.

I also have to mention that some of the loops were a little tame for my liking as they were just too mainstream – Suburbs and Chunky are two examples of this. Of course, this is all a matter of perspective and it’s just a matter of what to expect if you purchase the set.

In conclusion, Noizbox is one of the more versatile rhythm tools available today to the electronica-oriented musician. The loops can be used in a very wide range of musical styles, and are easily customized and layered to give them exactly your own feel. I can’t say enough good things about the quality of the programming, and Skippy has definitely proven that he’s one of the top sample library producers out there. I’d strongly recommend this product, and am looking forward to seeing Skippy’s next release.

Pros:
- Absolutely brilliant sound quality and programming expertise.
- Groove Control is arguably the best thing to ever happen to sample CDs.

Cons:
- Audio version may be half the price of the sampler-ready version, but it’s one tenth as cool.
- No native EXS24 version (must be translated using the EXS24 conversion utility) and the EXS24 Groove Control files must be downloaded separately.
- Manual isn’t totally clear on how to use Groove Control – you have to just get in and start playing around with it to get the hang of it.