You can choose from a wide array of sound sources for each pad. Presets are loaded from the library window. Clicking on one of these displays its parameters in a pane above the mixer, so tweaking is straightforward.
The Mixer tab makes it easy to adjust volume, pan and auxiliary send amounts for each instrument, and insert effects, plus the two auxiliaries, are listed at the top. It's also now possible to create macro-style controls here, where a rotary control can be loaded with targets and source parameters of your choosing, so that sounds can be manipulated on the fly. This window will initially seem complex to those who aren't used to modular systems, but it's hugely powerful, flexible and fun to work with. Accordingly, each pad, for example, could have its main trigger output connected to the input of a sampler to generate sound, while its velocity output could be sent to a filter module to control tone. Each module can be dragged from a list into a window above, with inputs for each listed on the left and outputs on the right. Put simply, this page provides the opportunity to configure, connect and combine Spark 2's modules-oscillators, filter, envelopes, effects and so on-however you like.
The Modular tab will appeal hugely to sound designers and those who like to get their fingers as dirty as working with software will allow. To edit a different sound, you simply click on its icon (with instruments 1-8 on the left and 9-16 on the right) before tweaking parameters at will. Above this pane, you can tweak parameters for each sound source-including volume, pan, pitch and filter settings-along with send levels from each sound source to the twin auxiliary effects. In addition to Spark's comprehensive internal sound libraries, you can also load external WAV files, though do be aware that editing options for these within Spark are limited. The Studio tab lets you configure the engine behind each sound source, with up to six layers of sound forming the foundation for each instrument. The Song tab allows you to arrange your programed patterns, again using drag-and-drop to order them into an extended performance. One of the best features here is that if you want to export a sequence as either a MIDI file or as an audio loop, you can via easy drag-and-drop buttons in the top-left corner. You can add extra spot parameter changes here, too, letting you add a cutoff frequency or auxiliary send level offset for each note in your snare pattern, for example. The Sequencer page shows all lanes of an active sequence at once, with velocity shown below the pattern at the bottom, allowing this to be edited per-note very easily. While the main page matches the SparkLE hardware design closely, the biggest operational difference within Spark 2 and its predecessor is that its assorted capabilities have now been organised into eight separate pages: Main, Sequencer, Song, Studio, Modular, Mixer, Library and Prefs. The core drum machine has been expanded impressively, with a new design and several key operational changes.
This extends the performance capabilities of the software considerably. This can be used to introduce spot filter, slicer and roller effects, including stutters, slow-downs, reverses and more. Spark goes further, though, adding both per-instrument and auxiliary effects, as well as global treatments that can be triggered from the X-Y pad. Accordingly, an entire performance can be generated and played back from the on-board sequencer. Up to 16 sound sources can be played back at once, with patterns-programmed either via the TR-style step sequencer or recorded on the fly-combined into songs and sequences. For the uninitiated, Spark provides a wide collection of primarily drum and percussion sounds (plus some basses, synths and effects) generated from samples, physical modelling engines and Arturia's own TAE analogue emulation synthesis. Let's first focus on what the software engine provides, as well as what's new in version two.
Until recently, the only hardware option has been Arturia's main Spark Controller, but that changes now with the release of the stripped-back-and cheaper- SparkLE controller, along with an update of Spark.
Arturia's Spark 2 is a software drum plug-in that can be coupled to a dedicated hardware controller designed to match Spark's workflow.