NervousCook$ - Koala Sampler VS SP-404 MKII - Side By Side Comparison In Depth
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ค. 2024
- So this was a journey. Multiple days, multiple technical issues, failed recordings but I eventually pieced it all together to give you a full and non biased comparison of Koala Sampler and the SP-404 Sampler. I take you through everything and hopefully it will give you some help if you're deciding which one of these is for you. Chapters are there so you can skip to the bits you're interested in. Enjoy
Chapters:
0:00 - Welcome
0:29 - An Introduction To Both Devices
3:44 - Cost
7:36 - Portability
10:47 - Customisation
14:00 - Features (UI)
17:15 - Resampling
21:35 - Sequencing
27:58 - FX Racks
29:09 - Sample Chopping
31:54 - Time Stretching
34:56 - Pads
37:24 - Chromatic/Piano Modes
39:18 - Importing
41:20 - Unique Device Features
44:29 - Exporting
45:27 - Final Thoughts
You can now buy my iPad skins 11" - 12.9" for Koala Sampler here:
nervousville.art/collections/all
You can buy my sample pack here:
nervousville.art/products/c-n...
Spotify:
open.spotify.com/artist/3pXOM...
Bandcamp:
nervouscooks.bandcamp.com
SoundCloud:
/ user-81355022
I'm also pretty much every other platform, iTunes, Apple Music, TikTok, Instagram etc. My Instagram profile is @nervousville where you can find my artwork as well. - เพลง
IMPORTANT EDIT* So in the resampling section I mention a problem with resampling patterns on the SP-404 using "End Stop".. this information is correct but there is another technique that solves it that I wasn't aware of. In Pattern Select press Copy choose the pattern you want to copy then press Pattern Select again and the display will change from Pattern to Sample. You can then choose a destination pad and you will resample your pattern to a new pad as audio with the correct loop length and BPM. You can also select what samples/pads to resample using Remain. Thank you to Yodabe for pointing this out.
So this was a mission to put together. I had broken recordings and all kinds of technical issues so it has been stitched together as best as I could. It has a slight dip in audio volume in the last five mins for some unknown reason... Anyway, I hope its helpful and I've tried to be as thorough as possible but I've undoubtably missed some things so be sure to add any functions or features from either in the comments so we can all learn and grow! Let me know what you guys think of Koala vs the SP-404 and let me know how you use them! Enjoy
Seen your edit now.
It's videos like this that re-enforces why TH-cam is such a powerful tool to education. Thank you for the time spent on this video :)
You’re welcome and I agree, whenever I need to learn or even fix things TH-cam is the first place I look 👍
Thank you for this video! It was comprehensive, very informative, and flowed nicely.
Thank you!
Love all your Koala videos. Superb!
Thank you!
Bruh I almost shed a tear seeing this vid. Precisely what I needed.
Yo! You’ve been consistently making quality videos on stuff I’m interested in! Subscribed! Keep it up dude! Also your koala background is 🤌🏾
Thank you! Back at you 👍
Great video!
Just a quick note/tip: since 3.0 you can now copy a pattern to a pad as audio.
I think you have to go into pattern mode > hit copy > select a pattern > record settings > select a pad > copy
That's a useful tip, does it copy it as a proper loop with the correct bpm etc?
I just tested it..it does!! Excellent. I'll try and amend the video! 👍
Also worth to mention, that even though once you exit recording a pattern you can't go back and undo, you can still go back into the pattern and delete individual events by hitting delete while in record pattern mode and holding down whichever pad the sample is on for the whole amount of bars or even for single instances.
@@ram_frog yes I just discovered this! Too tip
@@nervouscooks you can go back to step sequencer from regular pattern record mode with shift + rec, it's real handy for fixing things in time too
Great video, thank you for the info!
Before commenting, I can only say that I really like this video.
Now, I would just add for anyone who thinks that Koala or SP404 are the same, those who think that are wrong, Koala has already been around since the SP404 A even in the era of the SP404 SX.
It is a software designed for touch screens, you cannot use it by hitting it hard, because iPads are expensive machines and resistant to subtle impacts, but you cannot use them like the silicone rubbers of an MPC or SP404, they are different.
Koala has one big advantage over SP404 Mk2, it has the ability to make independent dumps of each sound or pad of the 4 banks of 16 sounds.
This means that Koala can make 64 stems from a single song, it also has a stem separator for the songs or sampled things like Serato Studio or Serato Sampler, it does it very well with very good quality, it is also good at muting basses, voices, drums or instruments that sound in a song, this is in its "ninja" version.
Koala is also for computers and is great to use with a midi controller.
I also obviously know that Koala is more visual and has a midi sequencer for bars and chromatic pads. It is more visual and much more designed for tablets and computers.
and Sp404 mk2 does not have these characteristics because it is an independent instrument.
Koala is really a luxury application for an iPad hardware, very luxurious and stable to turn an iPad into a virtual and touch machine inspired by SP-404, but it does not have the 32 FX or editing tricks that SP404 mk2 has.
I would give a strong reason to buy the SP404 mk2, this machine is an instrument designed to create rhythms like an old school drummer or beatmaker like in the 90s with a classic MPC and it is very portable, well built, Roland SP404 has the best system Plug and play and you can connect an iPhone or iPad to the USB-C connection that the SP404 has, ideal for sampling internet radios, music from the web or anything you want to play or play from the iPad or Android, it can be sampled from the internet.
The combo we see in this video is a great workstation to be able to manipulate anything with garageband and sample free apps live with SP404 mk2.
Koala sampler can support very long files, although I don't recommend using extremely long files, because it becomes a bit complicated to select sounds. But once I tried loading a mixtape session from a hiphop DJ and he was able to import it into the editor with all the details and speed.
Another thing I like about Koala is that it has ableton-link and that it can save in project format for ableton live and you can also use 24-bit samples without any problem (in SP404 you can't).
These are my observations on these teams. I hope it will help you.
greetings.
Thanks for this video and all your thoughts. As someone who’s enjoyed Koala Sampler AND the Pocket Operator KO the 404 has always felt like the end game for me. It’s interesting to see it isn’t really that far ahead but the whole thing about being tactile is a huge deal. iPad doesn’t really feel like something I can drum on 😅
yeah! don't drum too hard, you could crack the screen
This is awesome
Thank You 👍
Nice job Thanks for this video
You’re welcome! 👍
And about a year later we have integration!!!🔥🔥🔥 I love coming back to this video … when you was making this did you know they might have that feature or was surprise for you also?
SP404 has line-in and mic / guitar inputs! good for singers and musicians. (Nice that they did include the Auto Tune and Amp Sim!) iPad has it's built in (hi quality but small) mic, and the connections are relatively fragile for stage use, as you've mentioned.
Nice content ...
Great video. You missed an opportunity to talk about note repeat while simultaneously pitch shifting or velocity, but overall, really thorough breakdown and I enjoyed it.
Thank you!
Thank you! Truly appreciated 👍
I guess the trade off for not being able to charge the iPad with an SP, is that you can power the SP with an iPad and still use it for sampling from TH-cam or music apps. Great video, I'm eager to see how you'll use these as a combo!
By the way, do you have a Discord server, or plan on making one? Thanks!
@@ram_frog I’m on some discord channels but I’ve been moving apartments so I haven’t been online for a while. I’ll be back at it soon. I might set up my own discord in the not too distant future if there’s enough interest 👍
Well done on catching the Resample bug! Is it mentioned on the forums or the user's chat? And hopefully you created a ticket or notified them? Bet that'll be sorted quickly now! After you bought it I looked it up. You can access loads of pad banks using only one MIDI channel from your external keyboard, and the same with patterns. Great for live performance. And those performance fx are brilliant, and you've got multiple busses for them. So you can have 'mastering' compression and verb whilst also your performance fx.
Thanks, someone just made me aware of another technique that solves this. I’ve pinned it as my top comment if you want to check it out. It works!! Thanks for the other advice, it’s why I made this video as it will hopefully get us all talking and sharing so we can all improve! Appreciate it! 👍👍
I’m using Maschine and Koala. Koala is great “standalone” sampler to just sketch projects and it’s fire i moving project to Maschine . Great tool. Nice videos man🤛👍🔥
Nice! I like Maschine too. Great controllers, the pads are amazing!
@@nervouscooks yeah, and software are amazing too. growing constantly. Maschine and Sp 404 are great couple . I was considering Maschine plus then i found Koala and installed it on my Ipad. I realised quickly that i don’t need to spend extra money on Plus. But SP404 is on my wish list 😀
Interesting, might have to dust off my maschine mk2 and try this out. Is it just a simple export? do all the pads get your samples assigned?
@@FernandoMartinez-dn4se Not exactly. When I working with something i like in Koala , just sample it straight to the Maschine and finishing it there. :)
You said it with the knobs . Like the pads I’m also indifferent to but turning a knob or a fader…. I do all my volume and cueing outside of koala on a mixer so I always avoid using any virtual volume knobs. Those fx sliders play nice though.
For reference, i just discovered Koala. I have so many devices at home, I dont think I would ever buy the Sp404 or any other hardware devices. On the other hand I use it on iPhone XR that I already have with Loopy Pro. With Bluetooth Midi solutions these day. IOS sampling is really appealing.
Koalagang!✨👑🐨👑✨
Yes you're absolutely right! It's not about sp vs koala, they complement each other very nicely. I used to have an sp404a when koala came out and it did everything the sp couldn't (and more) so in terms of workflow and speed koala was steps ahead but now with the mk2 its more about preference and maybe also about sound, I find that koala sounds a bit thin compared to the sp, and I'm not very good with touchscreens 😅 nonetheless another great video thanks! 🙏🙌☮️
On point man.
I chose an iPad and koala over the sp404a.
Yeah all my imported drums are lacking in that feeling.
I think the developer is going for that sp feel and sound.
I sample live instruments so yeah, sound wise it’s missing an octave so to speak.
The new eq is dope but…
I wouldn’t trade it in though.
Thanks for your time💯
I’m looking the developer to turn it into or make a daw for it.
If he can add a setting for a fuller sound, wow.
After the track mutes and the light eq, I’m good.
@@wwddwi2183 Meh, i think koala wins this hands down and with a good midi controller its pretty much unbeatable. I mean, besides its cheap..... the biggest thing is that its software based and so easy to add new features etc. the dude tried to justify that how longer you use the SP then chopping sample will go faster but the thing is that koala makes it so easy that even a 4 year old can do it on day 1. SP does have a amazing sound so that the only thing that is worth the money :)
You’re not the only person to mention the sound. I’ll have to look into that. I must admit the SP sounds great but I’ll try and do a comparison through Ableton so I can look at a spectrum analyser 👍
@@TheChameleon2008 I don’t agree, but that’s the whole point of this video. Not to argue, but just to see what people think. Its interesting how many people are now mentioning the sound quality.
@@nervouscooks Maybe use Plugin Doctor for optimal analysis, although it's really for testing the output of plugins that tailor sound so it's overkill and why I've just edited this is. I think it may be better to use any plugin with a graphical spectrum, which should show its lack, especially if it's "missing an octave" as said above. I'd be very interested to find out, but my MBP based set up still needs to be fixed with a new battery, so I can't get to my daw or plugins!
Nice back into Koala this week so this is a nice comparison. I've got an old 202 I bought when it was relatively new. One of the pieces of gear I could never purge. Question, will you be making the KO33 skin available for the 11" Pro? Love that design and would like to pick it up. Thanks!
the SP its also a software with a midi controller build around the software, which is why you are able to also update SP program, so the biggest difference between the SP and Koala is that you can combine other software with koala, using koala as auv3 on the same device, which is not the case with the SP so you are stuck with the sp software, so that is the biggest advantage of using Koala with an ios device !
i would say that some of the stuff that sp has and you said its missing in koala, koala actually has it, like the step sequencer on the sp pads, well the piano row sequecer in the pattern pads on koala, are basically a step sequecer,
also the sample auto bpm sink, that you mentioned about sp, its also possible by just using the stretch option on koala which will auto bpm sink,
also you have the option to have more fx and processing options by using koala as auv3 which gives you the companion of the other auv3 fx and processors and different daw that can intergrade all in the same device, which by the way the auv3 also open up the door to have more then one koala at the same time, basically you can make your ios device into a complete professional audio work station, which I can't say the same about the sp ,,
also some may say that sp sounds better because its a hardware, which its a false statement because SP just like the Mpc are bought digital,
plus at the end, you will have to import the final beat projects has wav which both equal digital, what would make the difference to the overall sound would be recording the sp hardware output into your computer or recorder, but that also can be achieved
with your ios device by sending the headphones outputs into a compressor or eq hardware and from there records the outputs of that to the computer, which is the same thing, that was the old way to record an mpc project, and was the reason why today mpc beat makers got confused to think the mpc made the beats sounds better, Bigger or phat , when they listen to a 90s or early 00s famous beat that got made with the mpc
by the way i apologize for my bad english grammar, Spanish is my main language !
Thanks for the detailed information!! 👍👍🙂
The big question I ask myself is if you can achieve a sound equal to the SP. I love its sound. I'm thinking about whether to buy an iPad or a Pocket Operator. Maybe it has a more analogous sound and that's what I'm trying to achieve on a low budget... Also what I did was export the stems to my daw to give it some tweaks in my mix...I would like to hear comments anyway if I can I will buy the sp 404
I just ordered an SP... I held off for a while to see if the GAS would go away but I gave in once I seen a guy make dub on it. I was using Koala and it was ok but as with all Ipad music apps the touch interface is awful and you really need a controller.. once you start adding controllers and cables and hubs and interfaces it becomes a whole new thing.... I connected a midi fighter to koala and that was a game changer!
I am looking forward to adding the SP to my dawless rig :D
I don’t think you’ll regret it. It’s a really great device! 👍
I have an Akai mpc 2500, a Roland sp 808... But I only use kola sampler. I ordered a Roland sp 404 mk2, I hope not to be disappointed. 😅
I don’t think you will be, I love mine. Koala is great, quick and easy but there’s still something about real hardware that I prefer over the iPad/phone screen. It has a bit of a learning curve but once you have it down it’s really quick to use and has a lot of features that Koala doesn’t. 👍
38:00 i wish they both had a more MPC like note-repeat
Man I went ahead and got both lol
Can’t go wrong, I still use both regularly and often together 👍👍
Hey my friend i enjoy a lot your videos, i use maschine, ableton and lately for beats koala proved to be the fastest and easier way to make an entire beat, ive always felt GAS for the Sp404...appart of the tactile fell (i can get ir with maschine or a cool midi controller) and the eye candy in social media (very usefull at this moment) what would you say is the advantage of introduce the Sp404 in your workflow, what makes that learning curve worth it?
I’m not sure to be honest, I’m not afraid of putting some time in to learn something and if a controller gives me a good feel when I’m making music, I don’t mind if it’s a bit slower. I enjoy the process and I’m not in a rush when I make beats. If you have Maschine and Koala etc I really don’t think you’d need an SP404 at all. To be fair, I didn’t need one but I’ve always been curious. It’s definitely deeper than Koala, it just has more features but as we know Koala is great too. I sold some old equipment to fund the SP so it didn’t feel like I spent money on it. If you have the spare money or can sell/exchange for something you don’t use then get it just for fun but if finances are an issue then you have more than enough cool equipment already. I can’t honestly say you need to buy one, but I’m glad I did! 🙂
@@nervouscooks thanks for your honest opinion my friend, i know one day ill follow the impulse and will get it, just wanted to convince myslef i dont need it for a little longer lol
One thing I notice the SP 404 needs a better seq like 8 tracks
How does the recent addition of the mixer bus and insert effects in Koala change the equation of Koala vs SP404 in your opinion? Each major update seems like a game changer for this amazing app.
It was certainly welcomed however if I’m being honest I still love playing on the SP more. It’s just a hardware thing. I’m sure plenty of people would disagree and I think I can make beats faster in Koala but then fast isn’t always the goal. Both of them are excellent, it just depends on your needs. 👍🙂
Hey buddy, love the videos. Can I ask what usb hub you’re using? Thanks 🙏
I use a Kingston Nucleum USB C 👍
Appreciated mate! Enjoy the day 👌👍
21:30 general ease of learning somehow 404 UI is much more difficult than it should be (compared to other machines) I'd wish they'd improve that via update! To remove the "exit this mode" blockers and such. Meanwhile, Koala is easy, even for software! But it is also just software.
100% Vibe killers these 'blockers' you speak of.
With Koala no need for the 404 anymore, Its a cool sculpture tho.
FACZT! I'm an Experienced 20 yr plus producer making beats from the MTV music generator to the Mpc, Fl, Reasons, Fantom x... KOALA is the Shit for what it is. I did comparisons myself. Sad for those who wasted there money. Guess it's just gear hoardering, trying to look cool or preference 🤷🏽♂️
@@DayOFF718I use koala and the mpc live 2 . I use both but if I get paid to come to the studio I bring my mpc
In terms of value, Koala is hard to beat for what it offers.
The software is available for Android devices, which means someone can buy a $65-70 10in Android tablet and spend another $5 for Koala and have a beat machine that more than rivals the SP 404 MK2 for less than $100.
Absolutely!
Where can I get that Koala background you got there?
From my site www.nervousville.art 👍
I’m Considering using koala and getting serato studio. What do you think of that idea?
It doesn’t sound bad, however I must admit. I know very little about Serato studio so how they both work in conjunction with one another is a mystery to me? Is Serato studio like a DAW? 🙂
@@nervouscooks yeah it’s like a daw with emphasis on Sampling I believe. Apparently it has really god stem separation for isolating parts in a song
sometimes, one man could/should make more than a team; sometimes the teamleader make the differenz
I assume your talking about the guy who develops Koala? I don’t know all the facts, he might have people working on it with him but I was under the impression he does it himself 🙂
@@nervouscooks I think it's just Marek. He has implied as such. He used to work for Apple before he went solo. He's a clever guy.
@@thekeysman6760 yes indeed he is!
Koala IMO needs more effects and better quality effects like sp404mk2. then it will be unbeatable
especially djfx and the flutter
Regards glass half full/half empty perceptions of tools, rather than "everything is flawed" I say "nothing is perfect"! 😀 Hehe.
Better way of putting it.. 😄
Link for thar wallpaper for Koala?
www.nervousville.art 👍
sorry for my bad english
hello, can you send me this background photo for me to put on the Koala?
I sell them on my website www.nervousville.art but only for the 11” and 12.9” iPads at the moment 👍
@@nervouscooks damn I’m gutted, they are brilliant, I would have got one but I’m lacking the inches! Just got a normal iPad. Lovely work though!
Im watching your vid cause I’m gassing for an sp 404 mk 2, a dim hoping your vid will put me off, and convince me to invest more time in fully utilising koala.
@@allgonewrongful you definitely don’t need one, but they are great. Mine broke so it was sent back but I think I’ll get another one in the not too distant future. 🙂
@@nervouscooks Ahh, Sorry to hear that. Hope you got a refund. Yeah, I kind of still want one. I've got an mpc live i dont really gel with, so im mulling over selling that to fund it. I don't even make hip hop, but i do enjoy sampling. The sample mangling of the sp seems really good.
One costs around $500. The other costs $5 + the cost of an ipad, which for me and my needs, any ipad worth owning would absolutely require at least 16 gb of ram and a 1tb hardrive. The smaller model ipad pro, with no keyboard, no pencil, no cellular etc.. just bare bones starts at $1500. You can get a laptop computer for that cost. I know a lot of people using ipads are students whose parents are paying for their stuff, but for grown ass adults, the SP is definitely the more affordable option.
Nah...you can buy a iPad (9th gen.) for $450. You can make beats and watch a movies on it. 404 you can make beats and use it for a paper weight.
@@frankieeager1215 doesn't offer 1tb hd or 16gb ram. RIF.
@@dotsmusichicago I been running Koala on a old iPad mini 2 just fine. 🙏
@@frankieeager1215 I'm sure koala sampler and an old ipad works just fine for some people who are chopping up loops etc.. I mean that's the target audience. That's not how I make music though. In order for the purchase of any Ipad to be justifiable for ME and my needs, it would need at least 1tb hd and 16gb ram.
Every piece of my music is produced entirely by me. Every note played by me. Every drum beat, programmed by me. I don't make music using samples from other peoples music at all. Ever. I produce music using hardware synths, drum machines and using samples from drum machines, synths (analog, digital and software) and various other sound sources that are never from someone else's song.
My sample library is far bigger than the max 256 gb that ipad 9th generation offers. I have had koala sampler on my phone for mad long, and it is dope, but i don't enjoy making music on my phone. I bought a 404 Mk2 cuz the price was right ($499 was the original ore-order price) and it's ability to connect to other gear to use as a hands on fx unit. But the frequent updates just keeps making the 404 better and better. I starting to use it more now than my MPC or Octatrack.
@@dotsmusichicago i hear what you're saying but an sp404 doesn't offer 16gb ram or 1tb space either so not understand that aspect of your argument. Although i do agree with your general argument that the ipad itself can cost money as well as i/o such as an interface/dongle/midi controller. The SP is an interface, has midi/trs outputs and inputs so whether or not you already have an ipad and an interface midi controller etc really matters as far as it being a better bargain.
🌟Both are awesome and there is no reason to make good Music with it!
8:00 … GD do I ever wish _i had_ had this kinda foresight 🪺😤🫠