Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars
The evolution of Swedish company Klevgrand’s drum sampler OneShot continues with their latest release OneShot2. Three years after the launch of the original — a percussive workstation equipped with production‑ready single‑hit drum samples — the updated version is supercharged with a brand‑new Motion Engine, expanded sound library, new effects, more presets and a workflow that’s even smoother than its previous iteration.
If you’re new to the instrument, here’s a quick recap to familiarise yourself with the terminology of OneShot: each element of a drum kit loads in individual Slots on the main page; each Slot is triggered by, well, Triggers mapped to MIDI notes, indicated by coloured circles at the bottom of the interface. While the OneShot Slots contain one or a collection of samples with different velocities, Motion Slots contain three different sets of audio samples: Motion Loop, Note On, and Note Off, that shape the sound being played. Note On and Note Off trigger when MIDI notes are started and released, respectively; Motion Loop plays continuous seamlessly loopable sounds of varying intensity over time.
On the surface, everything looks almost exactly the same as the original, which is a good thing because the perfectly‑organised GUI was in no need of a design upgrade. Look closer at the Slots and Triggers though, and you’ll find the new multicoloured Stack Triggers, and Motion Slots and Triggers marked with a ‘squiggly line’ that looks quite like the letter M. These unlock the features promised by the brand‑new Motion Engine that does what the name suggests — adds movement — which, in the drum universe, involves rhythmic patterns, swells, evolving textures and fills, to name a few.
To explore the power of OneShot2, I experimented with a humble egg shaker sample. By manipulating the Motion Trigger settings, I was able to create three wildly different sounds. Instead of the pattern assigned to the Trigger, I selected a new one from a simple drop‑down menu. A few adjustments in the envelope editor, some effects, and my textural whoosh was ready; wonderful news if you’re a fan of adding sound‑design elements to your music. Next, I experimented by turning up the Note Off gain and increasing the release time, which expanded the scope of the sample. Lowering the pitch and adding some reverb transformed a simple background percussive element into an explosive backbeat hit. For the final test, I hit reset (as simple as double‑clicking on the parameters), and used the preset menu to load up a solid rhythmic pattern upon which to build a track.
Quite like its predecessor, OneShot2 is an excellent companion for effortlessly programming creative beats.
The new Foley section is also worth a deep dive. First, any library that appreciates the sonic wonder that is bubblewrap is a must‑have in my book. But, whimsy aside, there are some wonderful possibilities here: industrial beats with a metal spade; claps using fake leather in lieu of hands; and a driving eighth‑note rhythm courtesy of a paper bag. The fun doesn’t end there because you can trigger up to eight sounds with a single note using a Stack Trigger; especially useful for live settings where you could set up a full beat, trigger it by holding down one note, and use your free hand to jam with your own beat. There’s also an optional Motion Controller app (currently iPhone only) that lets you control the motion sounds using your phone’s built‑in accelerometer.
Quite like its predecessor, OneShot2 is an excellent companion for effortlessly programming creative beats. Adding the element of highly customisable motion to the mix means that this first‑in‑class drum sampler deserves to retain its top position.