Happy to be interviewing the Developer/Programmer/Creator
of one of the more bad azz applications for Android.
And the most complete usable one made for live performance.
This is what he says himself about his app:
G-Stomper is a highly optimized Beat Making Application for doing Electronic Live Performances on the move. It's a feature packed, Step Sequencer based Drum Machine/Groovebox, a Track Grid Sequencer for Beats, a Note Grid Sequencer for Melodies, a Piano Roll, 24 Drum Pads, an Effect Rack, a Master Section, a Line Mixer and a Live Pattern/Song Arranger.
But that is selling himself short as it is also a DAW for your samples with a very flexible modulation system of many parameters. It started as a Groovebox for Android but with the latest updates it have turned into something more but still keeping the original Groovebox single window aspect if you so desire...
Well there is a Demo version of the app so try it out if you haven't!
And if you did try it before and found it confusing/ hard to use try again as with the new Step sequencer for building your beats and the note sequencer window it is a whole new user friendly experience.
So now for the important stuff!!!
To start off the interview I asked Andreas to introduce himself-
Planet-h.com, based in Switzerland, is just myself, a passionate and sometimes obsessed developer, since around 15 years in software development and bored of business applications (as mentioned in the interview now he is full time G-Stomper, ed), a synthesizer and groovebox fanatic, a mountain freak, a climber,
and of-the-wall thinker and last but not least, an EDM lover.
What inspired you to start working on G-Stomper?
When I got my first Smartphone, a Nexus S, around 2 years ago, there was almost no music making apps on the market. Since I was (and still am) a passionate user of hardware grooveboxes, it was pretty clear that a step sequencer was the thing I wanted to build. The first few weeks it was just playing around a bit, but once the first sequencer was in alpha state, it made so much fun to create beats with it, that I decided to pack it into a full app.
How long time did it take you to finish the application from beginning to the first working version?
3 Months from the beginning to the release of V.1.0, and 2 years to the current state. Since April I've switched to full time, before it was beside a regular job.
Can you show us an image of an early prototype and what were the functions of the first version released?
There’s a YouTube clip, which was recorded from G-Stomper 1.0: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4N6g5N9C3E
Key features of the initial release 1.0:
9 Drum Kits
11 Tracks
3 chainable Effect Processors
17 Effect Types
Pattern Set with 16 Patterns
Parameter Automation
PCM WAV 16bit, 44.1kHz, Stereo export
PCM WAV 16bit, 44.1kHz, Mono or Stereo UserSamples import
(The core audio engine is almost unchanged until today)
What kind of programming language has been used for G-Stomper?
It’s all pure Java
For programming audio application for Android what would you recommend or what is your preferred way?
Forget everything you know about coding style, especially when you use Java. Since you have to develop for the very last bit of performance and memory, things are much different than in a non-mobile environment. An excellent article about this is
‘The 10 principles of Assembly Java’ at http://blog.javia.org/assembly-java/
Read the code of existing audio applications, as more as better, there are plenty available on the web. For me, an eye opener was the blog ‘Mind the robot’, which was actually owned by Ivan, the developer of Supreme MPA.
What would be the first step to programming Android applications?
Don't start with your main application, create something unimportant
(but related in some way) first.
I've created a simple ‘Simon’ game at the beginning to get familiar with the Android and audio basics … and to get the development environment up and running.
Also a good start is to take a look at the Android Developer Guides at http://developer.android.com/develop/index.html
Did you imagine that G-Stomper would grow to what it is today?
No, not at all. At the beginning it was all just for fun, and right before the release of G-Stomper 1.0 two years ago, I thought it was more or less complete. But one week before it went live, Rej from Singlecell released Caustic 1.0 and I saw its user interface, which was actually light-years away from the G-Stomper UI. Since then I've released 67 updates, and number 68 is already in progress;). If you’re interested in the release history you’ll find it at http://www.planet-h.com/gstomper/#releasenotes
What is your musical background?
I was never a full time musician. I played guitar a few years, sometimes in a band, sometimes as a singer as well, but I’m lucky that there are no recordings of it, lol. Since I was a pure blood programmer from the beginning, even if I didn't know then;), it was just a question of time to move to electronic music. I’ve started in the 90s with some software called ‘Hammerhead’, a typical step sequencer based drum machine. Since then really love to do live jams with drum machines and synthesizers, as more knobs and faders to fiddle around as better. This definitely inspired me a lot during the development of G-Stomper Beat Studio.
Can you share some of your music?
I've uploaded some tracks I've created a few years ago, most of them created as jam sessions and then cut together in a daw.
https://soundcloud.com/pflaerm
Are there any other Android apps that you like and use?
Not really.. I'm still addicted to hardware;), on the move, I use almost only G-Stomper, sometimes RecForge for quick recordings.
RecForge is a great tool to grab samples in a good quality, when you're on the move.
Have you been thinking about creating any other applications?
I dream of a modular Synthesizer.
What software do you use outside of Android?
I use Wavelab from Steinberg for almost everything around sampling and mastering.
And what hardware do you use for music?
As you maybe already guessed, I'm addicted to the Korg Electribe boxes and any kind of Step Sequencer. I'm also using the Clavia Nord Lead and Nord Modular Series, Access Virus and analog stuff from Jomox.
Do you have any favorite tricks that you want to share regarding G-Stomper?
Although this is maybe the most annoying task for an experimental soul ... I really recommend to take a closer look to the PDF UserManual at
http://www.planet-h.com/gstomper/
It’s a very useful reference, which provides detailed descriptions for every single feature.
What do you think is the most important quality to have as a music creator in your opinion?
Having fun, I guess!
Apart of that, I have no Idea… maybe you would better ask me for the quality as a programmer ;)
Is there any musician/producer that uses G-Stomper that you want to promote?
Fugo CH was the very first G-Stomper user, long time before it got released. He helped me
a lot with beta testing and improvements during the development. He also was the first guy who did a fantastic (public) live performance with G-Stomper 1.1 on his Nexus One and a Galaxy Tab 7.
https://soundcloud.com/fugoch
Also these guys are doing amazing stuff using G-Stomper
Karl Lost: https://soundcloud.com/user6242343
J-Fon: https://soundcloud.com/jersonfon
Dirty Morris D: https://soundcloud.com/dirty-morris-d
Any other musician/band/producer?
These guys are doing really excellent stuff, especially their live sessions are outstanding.
Evolent Zurich: https://soundcloud.com/evolent
And also: https://soundcloud.com/eisentanz
What is the next step regarding G-Stomper?
Even more control for live usage, more Sample Packs, and definitely better tutorials;)
Anything that you want to add?
I think, that’s it...:)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's cool right!
I like that he gave a lot of directions for how to develop for Android
and for new music to be heard!
Just go and support the man, we don't want to find him back in some dusty office
coughing grey dust plus that we want that modular synth to be developed to..!
And being easy to support by buying the excellent application (if you're device is up to it)
and for sure you will find use for it in your music making...
as for many it is the only application they need.
Interviewed by Frank Malm
Playstore link:
G-Stomper Beat Studio
Homepage link:
http://www.planet-h.com/gstomper/
of one of the more bad azz applications for Android.
And the most complete usable one made for live performance.
This is what he says himself about his app:
G-Stomper is a highly optimized Beat Making Application for doing Electronic Live Performances on the move. It's a feature packed, Step Sequencer based Drum Machine/Groovebox, a Track Grid Sequencer for Beats, a Note Grid Sequencer for Melodies, a Piano Roll, 24 Drum Pads, an Effect Rack, a Master Section, a Line Mixer and a Live Pattern/Song Arranger.
But that is selling himself short as it is also a DAW for your samples with a very flexible modulation system of many parameters. It started as a Groovebox for Android but with the latest updates it have turned into something more but still keeping the original Groovebox single window aspect if you so desire...
Well there is a Demo version of the app so try it out if you haven't!
And if you did try it before and found it confusing/ hard to use try again as with the new Step sequencer for building your beats and the note sequencer window it is a whole new user friendly experience.
So now for the important stuff!!!
To start off the interview I asked Andreas to introduce himself-
Planet-h.com, based in Switzerland, is just myself, a passionate and sometimes obsessed developer, since around 15 years in software development and bored of business applications (as mentioned in the interview now he is full time G-Stomper, ed), a synthesizer and groovebox fanatic, a mountain freak, a climber,
and of-the-wall thinker and last but not least, an EDM lover.
What inspired you to start working on G-Stomper?
When I got my first Smartphone, a Nexus S, around 2 years ago, there was almost no music making apps on the market. Since I was (and still am) a passionate user of hardware grooveboxes, it was pretty clear that a step sequencer was the thing I wanted to build. The first few weeks it was just playing around a bit, but once the first sequencer was in alpha state, it made so much fun to create beats with it, that I decided to pack it into a full app.
How long time did it take you to finish the application from beginning to the first working version?
3 Months from the beginning to the release of V.1.0, and 2 years to the current state. Since April I've switched to full time, before it was beside a regular job.
Can you show us an image of an early prototype and what were the functions of the first version released?
There’s a YouTube clip, which was recorded from G-Stomper 1.0: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4N6g5N9C3E
Key features of the initial release 1.0:
9 Drum Kits
11 Tracks
3 chainable Effect Processors
17 Effect Types
Pattern Set with 16 Patterns
Parameter Automation
PCM WAV 16bit, 44.1kHz, Stereo export
PCM WAV 16bit, 44.1kHz, Mono or Stereo UserSamples import
(The core audio engine is almost unchanged until today)
What kind of programming language has been used for G-Stomper?
It’s all pure Java
For programming audio application for Android what would you recommend or what is your preferred way?
Forget everything you know about coding style, especially when you use Java. Since you have to develop for the very last bit of performance and memory, things are much different than in a non-mobile environment. An excellent article about this is
‘The 10 principles of Assembly Java’ at http://blog.javia.org/assembly-java/
Read the code of existing audio applications, as more as better, there are plenty available on the web. For me, an eye opener was the blog ‘Mind the robot’, which was actually owned by Ivan, the developer of Supreme MPA.
What would be the first step to programming Android applications?
Don't start with your main application, create something unimportant
(but related in some way) first.
I've created a simple ‘Simon’ game at the beginning to get familiar with the Android and audio basics … and to get the development environment up and running.
Also a good start is to take a look at the Android Developer Guides at http://developer.android.com/develop/index.html
Did you imagine that G-Stomper would grow to what it is today?
No, not at all. At the beginning it was all just for fun, and right before the release of G-Stomper 1.0 two years ago, I thought it was more or less complete. But one week before it went live, Rej from Singlecell released Caustic 1.0 and I saw its user interface, which was actually light-years away from the G-Stomper UI. Since then I've released 67 updates, and number 68 is already in progress;). If you’re interested in the release history you’ll find it at http://www.planet-h.com/gstomper/#releasenotes
What is your musical background?
I was never a full time musician. I played guitar a few years, sometimes in a band, sometimes as a singer as well, but I’m lucky that there are no recordings of it, lol. Since I was a pure blood programmer from the beginning, even if I didn't know then;), it was just a question of time to move to electronic music. I’ve started in the 90s with some software called ‘Hammerhead’, a typical step sequencer based drum machine. Since then really love to do live jams with drum machines and synthesizers, as more knobs and faders to fiddle around as better. This definitely inspired me a lot during the development of G-Stomper Beat Studio.
Can you share some of your music?
I've uploaded some tracks I've created a few years ago, most of them created as jam sessions and then cut together in a daw.
https://soundcloud.com/pflaerm
Are there any other Android apps that you like and use?
Not really.. I'm still addicted to hardware;), on the move, I use almost only G-Stomper, sometimes RecForge for quick recordings.
RecForge is a great tool to grab samples in a good quality, when you're on the move.
Have you been thinking about creating any other applications?
I dream of a modular Synthesizer.
What software do you use outside of Android?
I use Wavelab from Steinberg for almost everything around sampling and mastering.
And what hardware do you use for music?
As you maybe already guessed, I'm addicted to the Korg Electribe boxes and any kind of Step Sequencer. I'm also using the Clavia Nord Lead and Nord Modular Series, Access Virus and analog stuff from Jomox.
Do you have any favorite tricks that you want to share regarding G-Stomper?
Although this is maybe the most annoying task for an experimental soul ... I really recommend to take a closer look to the PDF UserManual at
http://www.planet-h.com/gstomper/
It’s a very useful reference, which provides detailed descriptions for every single feature.
What do you think is the most important quality to have as a music creator in your opinion?
Having fun, I guess!
Apart of that, I have no Idea… maybe you would better ask me for the quality as a programmer ;)
Is there any musician/producer that uses G-Stomper that you want to promote?
Fugo CH was the very first G-Stomper user, long time before it got released. He helped me
a lot with beta testing and improvements during the development. He also was the first guy who did a fantastic (public) live performance with G-Stomper 1.1 on his Nexus One and a Galaxy Tab 7.
https://soundcloud.com/fugoch
Also these guys are doing amazing stuff using G-Stomper
Karl Lost: https://soundcloud.com/user6242343
J-Fon: https://soundcloud.com/jersonfon
Dirty Morris D: https://soundcloud.com/dirty-morris-d
Any other musician/band/producer?
These guys are doing really excellent stuff, especially their live sessions are outstanding.
Evolent Zurich: https://soundcloud.com/evolent
And also: https://soundcloud.com/eisentanz
What is the next step regarding G-Stomper?
Even more control for live usage, more Sample Packs, and definitely better tutorials;)
Anything that you want to add?
I think, that’s it...:)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's cool right!
I like that he gave a lot of directions for how to develop for Android
and for new music to be heard!
Just go and support the man, we don't want to find him back in some dusty office
coughing grey dust plus that we want that modular synth to be developed to..!
And being easy to support by buying the excellent application (if you're device is up to it)
and for sure you will find use for it in your music making...
as for many it is the only application they need.
Interviewed by Frank Malm
Playstore link:
G-Stomper Beat Studio
Homepage link:
http://www.planet-h.com/gstomper/
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