Crispy claps on-demand, human and machine, meet a bunch of processing and sample Device tricks in CLÄPP II. London live-looping musician extraordinaire Beardyman had an itch and scratched it using Live and Max for Live, and the result is delightful. Yes, it’s a unitasker, but it’s a good one.
There are so many ways this might have gone amiss. But I’m pleased to report that CLÄPP II is a tool that will get you back into the groove rather than taking you out of it. It’s simply that Beardyman has made a joyous tweakable device for both acoustic and synthesized claps. It’s absurdly easy to dial in what you need and keep the clap, uh, clapping.
Here, before you dive into his detailed video, these few seconds might make it all apparent straight away:
It’s pretty much the optimal machine clap, and the optimal human clap, with all the parameters you need for decay and single/multiple clapping. And you get a friendly, accessible primary device and a couple of effects macros. Combined, they give you a surprising amount of depth in sample variations and processing.
That alone would be well worth the price of admission, especially as Ableton Live’s own internal clap synths can be pretty lackluster. There’s enough variation possible, indeed, that you should be able to make the sounds feel like your own.
But even though Beardyman’s own demo video pitches this as a way to avoid tweak-itis, what if you do want to endlessly tweak the options there? That’s available, too, via a few additional layers of Live Device Racks and internal effects. (Only the primary device uses Max for Live.) These are included in the Live Pack you get with purchase.
That really makes all of this two products in one — there’s the top-level CLÄPP II device itself, but then a bunch of editable sample and effects chains, all with internal devices, that you can hack in various ways, or even use as a template for your own custom creations. (Strictly speaking, this means you can also use this product without Suite or some other Max for Live license, though you’ll miss out on the cute-looking macro device. This exposes the engine underneath.)
CLÄPP RAKK is a massive Simpler rack with randomization (note the first few samples in the chain on the right):
CLÄPP FX and BÜSS handle signal processing, and give you still more tweakability, should you want it. (BÜSS is described as “specialized,” but could be used on other signals, like a drop-in alternative to the stock Drum Buss.)
And that’s what I like about this product. You’ll find in CLÄPP II a kindred spirit. It feels like Beardyman (Darren Alexander Foreman) totally gets you. You’ve got that obsessive need for control, for getting that clap exactly right for this particular song, and you’re shuffling through all those samples because deep in your bones, you know what it needs to sound like. So, yeah, the interface is cute and accessible, but even so, if you want to dig in and adjust one parameter, that’s there. And it’s even neatly organized, knowing that your own creative flow may have made a mess of your session. I just wish custom Live Packs had an easier, more flexible installation procedure. But that’s an Ableton complaint, not a Beardyman complaint.
Full feature set:
- Human Clap engine — modeled acoustic clap generator with natural spread and tone
- Clap Synth engine — modeled on classic drum machines for tight electronic snap
- Timing, tone, variation, clappers, and stereo spread controls
- Velocity-sensitive performance response
- 360 royalty-free clap samples generated with CLÄPP II
- CLÄPP RAKK — 128-sample Simpler rack with randomize function
- CLÄPP FX — dedicated Ableton FX rack for clap processing
- BÜSS — specialized channel strip for maximum punch
It seems I might now actually finish more electro. It all makes you want to … erm, applaud.
Clapp II by Termite Audio is available now for Ableton Live 11/12+ and Suite/Max for Live.
Discounted as I write this on Isotonik Studios:
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Got a preferred clap device you love? Holding your applause? Let me know in comments, or shout at me on Bluesky or Mastodon.