What is GrooveMaker?

Recently we’ve seen a variety of software packages that create original remixes with a DJ-style multitrack interface. IK Multimedia widens that playing field with GrooveMaker 2.0. We tried it, and let’s just say that GrooveMaker ain’t exactly shaking up the dance floor.

Installation was a breeze on a 450MHz G4 running OS 9.0.4 with 256MB of RAM. Remix creation was equally hassle-free. We read the concise manual, loaded a song, pressed the play button, and started muting (turning off some tracks and soloing others (playing individual tracks by themselves). GrooveMaker 2.0 ships with the application and an included sample CD. For $50 more, GrooveMaker DJ Box 2.0 delivers the same stuff plus two extra sound-sample CDs. GrooveMaker supports a host of audio formats and exports mixes to AIFF, WAV, Ulaw, System 7, Sound, or GrooveMaker format, to name a few.

GrooveMaker offers 8 sound-file tracks, allowing you to mix only 8 sounds at any one time (by comparison, Mixman has 16 tracks). On the other hand, GrooveMaker includes an arpeggiator (a synthesizer that plays notes in user-programmable patterns) with rate, pattern, and sound options. The program also offers on-the-fly soloing, muting, and grouping of tracks. The dopest feature is a realtime sound audition and load option called Surfin’ the Groove. After the user clicks an empty track, two sliders located in the center of the 8-Track Plate window allow the user to audition sounds while the remix is playing. You can hear in advance how the auditioned sound fits into the mix rather than guessing how the various sound textures will interrelate, Additionally, the Import Loop feature allows users to introduce and sync any loop relatively easily by entering either the loop’s bar or beat length or its beats per minute.

Unfortunately, GrooveMaker’s limitations overshadow its advantages. Its sequencer is more toy than tool, as you can’t automate any of the major features — solo, mute, group, arpeggiate, pan, or volume. So while you may experiment with these parameters, the software can’t record and play back your changes. These constraints make GrooveMaker function more like a live instrument, with which we made some convincing grooves quickly and easily. The Sync option synchronizes mutes and solos, but it is set to an 8-bar count, which you can’t alter. In the end, to do anything remotely cool or unique we had to disable this option. We eventually did the same with the arpeggiator. Pressing Open in the arpeggiator (Arp) window crashes the software unless you raise the allocated RAM substantially above the minimum memory recommended.

Overall, GrooveMaker 2.0 less than impressed us. It may amuse beginners, but for serious beat-makers it’s not a competitive alternative to other products like Mixman Studio or even Sonic Foundry’s Acid. This package simply can’t create fresh, spontaneous remixes because it lacks automation and has limited tracks. Sorry, GrooveMaker, no parking on the dance floor.

Fried, Andrew. (September 2000). GrooveMaker 2.0. MacAddict. (pg. 62).

S/N: GVM25-80AMTZIX-77902

Download GrooveMaker for Mac

Architecture

IBM PowerPC

System Requirements

From Mac OS 7.5 up to Mac OS 10.5

Compatibility notes

Emulating this? It could probably run under: SheepShaver