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Author Topic: Not happy with SparkLE and Spark  (Read 4510 times)

parrotzoo

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Not happy with SparkLE and Spark
« on: August 23, 2018, 04:36:24 pm »
To whom it may concern...

It's a few weeks ago now since I bought the Spark controller together with the revised software. I tried really hard to get into it, watched tutorials (not so many online, for some reason), but still: I'm struggling tremendously. Not sure how others see it, but I find working with it very complicated and not efficient. I know it sounds silly but I struggle even with the very basics: how to start a new project properly, how to save my work properly. Some absolute basic functions in my opinion are just not there: no search function for instruments (if I want a shaker, I want to see all shakers at a glance, without the need to browse through tons of percussion instruments, e.g.), no undo function (or maybe I'm just not able to find it). Other points of critisism: no real guide available, the sequencer grid layout could be made more user-friendly by adding some different colours after each bar, the 909 set sounds TERRIBLE, no idea who gave the approval that (I know I can tweak every sound, but I would expect it to sound great from the outset), lots of issues with Ableton integration (e.g. automations done in Spark are not captured in Ableton). I'm regularly tempted to throw the bloody controller out of the window, it's so annoying. In short, huge disappointment, can neither recommend nor would I buy again. Want to add I'm a fan of Arturia products, but this one really sucks.
Maybe you Arturia people can look at improving some of the very basics. And maybe someone can tell me if there is any way to import Ableton's 909 drums into Spark? I hate to say it, but they sound 100 times better...


Chromat1c

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Re: Not happy with SparkLE and Spark
« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2020, 03:02:49 pm »
Old post I know. What really hacks me off is not being able to save an individual instrument without all the other instruments and even if you save a kit into your user bank the instrument names are from the original kit not the kit you saved. Awful. Am I missing something?

wpostma

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Re: Not happy with SparkLE and Spark
« Reply #2 on: April 13, 2022, 07:18:30 am »
Probably people should be aware that Arturia has given up on this and if you're not already a long time user, it's a terrible idea to buy this hardware used (the hardware is no longer for sale new), and the software, without the hardware, is such a pile of warts and faults that I can't imagine anyone finding it useful or fun.

Gothboy

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Re: Not happy with SparkLE and Spark
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2022, 04:08:18 am »
I have used Sparkle for many years now and now I can’t activate it even though ASC shows activated for the computer.  What I have learned is that support will not even respond to an email.  They just ignore you which is crazy because THEY STILL SELL THIS PRODUCT!  It’s crazy and shameful and I don’t understand how a company can treat people……customers this way.  Super pissed here because I actually love Spark but I may never purchase anything from Arturia again.


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V collection 3, SparkLE 2.1, Beatstep

 

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