Mimic Creative Sampler really needs a v2 upgrade...

[GlacierRays]

I've been using Mimic a lot recently while working on a remix project, and although at first it seemed like a really powerful rack extension, I've quickly run into so many issues with it that render most of its features completely unusable in practice. What do you think the chances are for a v2 of Mimic that addresses these fundamental problems, because I know they do sometimes improve devices such as RV7000Mk2 etc?

So many of its settings are not parameter automatable. Reason devices normally shine for me because of their cross-modulation capabilities and parameter automation, but with Mimic even if I put it in a combinator all of the following are not selectable at all: Loop Mode on/off; Play Thru on/off; all of the Modulation amount dials; Squeeze amount; drop down menus for modulation options; and more - there are too many to list them all and it just makes it seem like this device was not thought through properly. If they hit some sort of arbitrary limit for the number of automatable parameters a device can have, then maybe they shouldn't have given it 8 slots each with all their own unique parameters which required making half of all of the parameters un-automatable???

But by far the worst offender is the lack of a Loop Crossfade on *all* of the stretch types except Tape Loop. I've been modulating the playback speed and loop length of a sample in slice mode and although the rhythmic effect of doing this is incredible, unfortunately the resulting sound is unusable. I can't modulate speed in Tape Loop stretch mode because it directly affects the pitch, but that's the only stretch mode with a Loop Crossfade - so when I modulate speed in Advanced stretch mode, when it hits the end of the slice and jumps back to a point in the slice defined by the loop length parameter, there is *zero* crossfade and the harshness and volume of the clicks that result from this makes it completely unusable. The user manual says that the Melody stretch type reduces pops and clicks in loop mode but in my experience this is just untrue, and it also makes the sample sound significantly worse than in Advanced stretch. I've tried adjusting the start and end points of the offending slices by microscopic amounts to try to hide the loop as well, but as I'm also modulating the loop length this only goes so far and eventually I change them so much the timing loses the rhythmic character that I'm going for.

Mimic is the first Reason device where it really feels like I'm fighting against how the instrument works to get good results, even though it feels like I'm using it for its intended purpose.

So in the meantime, does anyone have recommendations for a third-party VST sampler with slice mode, loop crossfade, playback speed modulation, loop length modulation, and high quality stretch processing so the sample doesn't completely fall apart?

Thanks in advance

[Loque]

There is no chance for a V2.

When I use Mimic I also quickly run into limitations of different kind. That is the reason I barely use it.

There are also on other reason devices limitations which I cannot understand. I always ask myself, why is exactly this one knob with this cool effect not automatable?

Also this limitations are annoying in Combinator design.

Some swear of Serato Sampler.

[GlacierRays]

Thank you I'll look into Serato instead, it's just such a shame because in paper Mimic looks great and I much prefer using Reason REs over VSTs because I don't hve to pop out each one individually and they live in the rack nicely

[joeyluck]

I agree that it would be nice to have loop Crossfade available with all stretch types. I've also requested that before.

[bossa]

While we're on the subject: I don't understand why Mimik doesn't have the option to edit the samples like the Grain Manipulator. This button is simply missing in Mimik!
Christian from Reasonstudios sometimes reads here. Maybe he will give this feedback to the Reason developers?

[jam-s]

I've been using Mimic a lot recently while working on a remix project, and although at first it seemed like a really powerful rack extension, I've quickly run into so many issues with it that render most of its features completely unusable in practice. What do you think the chances are for a v2 of Mimic that addresses these fundamental problems, because I know they do sometimes improve devices such as RV7000Mk2 etc?

I'm not too optimistic on RS fixing this, but you could possibly increase the chance by sending them a bugreport about missing automation options and another one about the missing loop crossfade option for the other modes.

[Noise]

I do love mimic, but for me, the most puzzling issue is when using slice mode, you can't automate Slots. This would make possible filling the 8 slots with sliced samples and alternate between them on the fly.

[deeplink]

While we're on the subject: I don't understand why Mimik doesn't have the option to edit the samples like the Grain Manipulator. This button is simply missing in Mimik!
Christian from Reasonstudios sometimes reads here. Maybe he will give this feedback to the Reason developers?

Can't you simply press ALT and the Sample button to open the editor?

[bossa]

"Can't you simply press ALT and the Sample button to open the editor?"

I don't think so!

[buddard]

"Can't you simply press ALT and the Sample button to open the editor?"

I don't think so!

It's Alt + the "Start sampling" button (the one with the waveform icon in the sample browsing button group) to open the sample editor.

[bossa]

"Can't you simply press ALT and the Sample button to open the editor?"

I don't think so!

It's Alt + the "Start sampling" button (the one with the waveform icon in the sample browsing button group) to open the sample editor.

Wow, I didn't know that yet! Although I'm an old hand with Reason (version One) you never stop learning! Thank you very much!

[CR68]

it really needs bpm auto detection

[antic604]

Looking at all the devices released in recent years (since 2018 when I first bought Reason) if they've not implemented user requests within couple of weeks - e.g. user wavetables in Europa, user samples in Scenic - it's very unlikely they'll implement them.

I'm still shocked we get Parsec 2 (although I liked 1's GUI a lot more).

[DaveyG]

I agree that there is zero chance of a V2 update and that's a real shame because it could have been a truly great addition to Reason.I think it misses the mark because no-one at RS knew much about modern sampling trends and techniques when they designed it. If they had managed to mash together the Ableton Sampler with Serato Sample and sprinkle on some RS fairy dust it would have been top notch.


And that's before you get to the bit where it can't load and save REX files - RS's own sliced audio format! They say it is because the SDK doesn't support it but, guess what, it's their SDK so they could add that support if they wanted.

[antic604]

I agree that there is zero chance of a V2 update and that's a real shame because it could have been a truly great addition to Reason.
I think it misses the mark because no-one at RS knew much about modern sampling trends and techniques when they designed it. If they had managed to mash together the Ableton Sampler with Serato Sample and sprinkle on some RS fairy dusts it would have been top notch.

And that's before you get to the bit where it can't load and save REX files - RS's own sliced audio format! They say it is because the SDK doesn't support it but, guess what, it's their SDK so they could add that support if they wanted.

Remember Mimic is a "free" stock device R12.

Perhaps they're working on a proper, new sampler RE that will be paid for / R+ only?

[tanni]

I agree that it would be nice to have loop Crossfade available with all stretch types. I've also requested that before.

Yes, that is also absolutely necessary in my opinion
I hope they provide this in an update

[Steedus]

Isn’t the issue with non automatable knobs to do with a limitation with the MIDI standard? I remember them saying something like that years ago.

[deigm]

Isn’t the issue with non automatable knobs to do with a limitation with the MIDI standard? I remember them saying something like that years ago.

Time to implement Midi 2.0 then