1010music gives the Bento sidechain, stem export and automation in a free update

Even before this latest software overhaul, the 1010music Bento was already considerably more than a portable sampler. Firmware 1.6 makes calling it “just a sampler” even harder. The free update adds parameter automation, allowing up to four automation lanes per track. Users can draw automation directly onto the piano-roll grid and assign it to parameters available through the Bento’s modulation system. In plain English, you can do more than ever before with the same piano-looking box.

Then comes something producers have been asking for: sidechain ducking. A kick can now push the bass out of the way, but triggers can also come from another track, an individual pad, MIDI, audio input or even your Bento’s clock. Finally, your kick and bass can stop fighting like two people trying to get through the same doorway.

Firmware 1.6 also expands songs to 16 scenes, adds individual pad/loop mutes, MIDI-triggered recording and a new Shimmer reverb. Recording can continue while moving around other Bento screens, while Export Stems creates individual WAV files for each track plus a complete mix.

The export happens in real time rather than magically appearing in two seconds, so your coffee machine may still have a role in the studio.

The Bento remains pretty costly at $899, with its 7-inch touchscreen, 16 pressure-sensitive pads and eight flexible tracks. But hey, when you reach number one in Beatport charts, sky’s the limit.

For an already capable standalone production box, this is a surprisingly substantial free upgrade.