A new DJ sampler from Roland

Roland's biggest news at NAMM is this DJ sampler called SP-555. It samples everything: analog line and mic signals, plus the digital USB audio stream also. It imports of course the most important file formats: .wav and .aif. It has the superb infrared controller called D Beam, and a huge selection of DSP effects. It is expandable with standard CompactFlash cards up to 2 gigs of sampling memory - and you can synchronize your samples to any video performance with Roland's proprietary V-LINK technology. And a real surprise: the gadget functions as a computer audio interface also, via its USB socket (Sonar LE software package included). A/D and D/A conversion is performed in 24 bits. Check the full info page.

A special MiKo from OpenLabs

It will be a bit easier to follow Timbaland, the great producer from 15th August: on that day OpenLabs will ship the Timbaland Special Edition of their small Windows-synth called MiKo. The instrument was configured by the famous producer - it will have 4 gigs of RAM, and a Core2 Duo processor. Its main instrument is Proteus X2, with a huge selection of more than 7,000 preset samples (associated with Timbaland mostly). OpenLabs also provide their own huge library so you won't be short of sounds. Check all the details here.

Alesis to strengthen their drum line-up

Summer NAMM is up and running with very few real news. One of them is came from the drum factory of Alesis - on the picture you can see the Performance Pad, a decent drum pad controller with built-in high quality sound generator. It has 233 sounds, 100 drum kits and 24-bit output. It has two extra trigger inputs for bass drum and hi-hat pedals, has an external audio input (which is mixed to the output only), and the standard MIDI output of course. Check the product's page.

Rise the size and you will get DM5 Pro Kit, the new pro pad controller kit from Alesis. It is built around the DM5 sound generator and trigger converter, and has a bass drum, a snare, a hi-hat, three tomtoms, plus two cymbals - all electronic of course. Check here if you want to know more.

Sonivox has cheap instruments also

We already had news about Sonivox's high-end sample packages like Broadway Big Band but now the company targets another market segment with the brand new DVI (Downloadable Virtual Instruments) series. These are low priced (10-50 USD) sample sets with Tascam's sample player engine and they have a lot of them: the list is very long, check it here (Fender bass, Stratocaster, FM piano, Wurlitzer piano, bagpipes, Mellotron - just to name a few). The platform is PC and VST/RTAS, Maci is coming soon.

Modeling trumpet for a few bucks only

On the picture you can see Miles'tone, Soundfonts.it's latest news. Yes, it is a virtual modeling trumpet solution with no samples inside at all and performs all the articulation tricks a real trumpet can. The final price will be 39 euro but the introductory summertime price is 29 euro only at the product's page. Check the demos before buy.

Virtual amp modeling for free

A new company called StudioDevil presents a fine software effect called StudioDevil BVC (stadns for British Valve Custom) for free. It is a virtual vacuum-tube guitar amp modeling software for the PC/VST platform - counts 64 bit info inside with a maximum of 192 kHz sampling frequency (good enough for the messy overdrive sound). The developers promote their final product called VirtualAmp in this way - it will be available in the near future. Here.

Summertime at IK Multimedia

IK Multimedia also has a summer-refresher movement: if you buy AmpliTube 2 or Ampeg SVX or Classik Studio Reverb or T-RackS you can choose any of the four effect software for free. The offer is valid until 31th August, here.

Be well worth seeing

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http://www.keyboardmag.tv

Digidesign Pro Tools REEL TAPE Plugins, mixing digital recordings or live sound

Get the warm, rich sound of analog tape recordings and effects with your own digital recordings or mixing live sound. Digidesign's new Reel Tape Suite offers a collection of three powerful plug-ins Reel Tape Saturation, Reel Tape Delay, and Reel Tape Flanger that are each uniquely designed to emulate the color characteristics as well as tape compression and saturation effects of analog tape recording. (Reel Tape Saturation is also available as a standalone plug-in.)
Reel Tape Saturation models classic analog tape formulations and machines to give your music the richness of old-school recordings. Reel Tape Delay and Reel Tape Flanger duplicate electro-mechanical delay and flanging effects without cluttering your control room with large tape machines (or having to keep rewinding your echo tape), and give you real-time control over every nuance of these classic techniques.
All Reel Tape plug-ins work with Pro Tools|HD Accel, Pro Tools LE, Pro Tools M-Powered, Avid Xpress, Avid Xpress DV, Avid DNA, and VENUE systems, and will quickly become indispensable elements in your audio arsenal, whether you're mixing digital recordings or live sound.

Drumazon

This 909 emulator is a VST made by the guys at d16. I had my first test drive lately and was ashamed I didn’t do it earlier. Probably the most impressive emulator I heard, ever. For the first time, it makes me question hardware as superior to vst… I now doubt. It is a bit expensive and it has no manual besides a online tutorial, but if you’re into 909’s, this is for you!

IK Multimedia releases CSR: Classik Studio Reverb

IK Multimedia has announced that Classik Studio Reverb (CSR) is now shipping.
CSR is a suite of four reverb plug-ins - Plate, Room, Hall and Inverse - designed to emulate the high quality hardware reverbs found in professional world-class studios. With these four reverbs IK aims to give you access to "superior sound" at an affordable price, with easy and advanced editing features, over 100 editing parameters, macro controls, 140 presets and more in one CPU-efficient package.
CSR is available for Windows and Mac OS X in VST, AU and RTAS plug-in formats with a TDM version for Pro Tools systems under development.

Native Instruments Releases Free BATTERY 3 Library Add-On with Exclusive Artist Kits

BERLIN and LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Music Industry Newswire) — Native Instruments today released a free library add-on with three artist drum kits for the acclaimed percussion sampler BATTERY 3. The new kits were designed by NI endorsees Gorillaz, Einstuerzende Neubauten, and Turntablerocker, and are based on exclusive custom sounds from these artists’ own productions.
The “Dracula Eastwood” kit by Gorillaz producer Curtis Lynch provides BATTERY 3 users with high-quality drum sounds destined for all kinds of urban grooves. It includes an assortment of over 60 bass drums, snares, toms and hihats that all carry a distinctive vinyl character.
The kit designed by legendary avantgarde rockers Einstuerzende Neubauten includes a comprehensive selection of their famed custom-built scrap-metal percussion instruments, recorded in their own studio exclusively for Native Instruments, and made available to other musicians for the first time.
Berlin-based dancefloor veterans Turntablerocker contributed a special selection of drum sounds from their “wildstyle” production library. Over 60 drum and percussion instruments cover styles from house to hip hop and R’n'B.
All three artist kits are now available as a free download for registered users of BATTERY 3.
More info: www.native-instruments.com/battery.info

Ueberschall Intros Scoretrax Royalty-Free Music Library

Ueberschall has announced the release of SCORETRAX, a royalty free music library for Video, Film, Flash, TV, Advertising, Animation, Games, Music on hold, Multimedia, Education, Broadcast and Website Producers.

SCORETRAX features over 300 selected Tracks in more than 40 different Music Styles. All styles were produced by the award-winning sampling producers from Ueberschall exclusively for SCORETRAX. The use of SCORETRAX content for commercial products is royalty free, no additional license fee required!

Each of the 300 Tracks is divided into 6 loops for more flexible use:

• The Complete Mix
• The Instrumental Part
• The Drum Part
• First Variation
• Second Variation
• Intro and Outro

With the possibilities of Ueberschall’s ELASTIK engine, the user can set the tempo and key and combine the tracks with each other until they match perfectly. SCORETRAX features full 24 bit recordings, 7.5 GB library. Available for Mac and PC, RTAS, VST, Audio Units, Stand Alone.

Elastik features:

• highspeed timestretching and pitchshifting in best quality
• "LoopEye" for fast loop variations
• all parameters midi controllable
• multiple content management
• each product separately installable
• mapping tools (automatic slice- & chromatic-map)
• save audio of original and modified loops
• creation of user presets
• filter with "kill function" (-72db)
• adaptable to tempos from 10 to 480 bpm
• audio engine for quick adaptation

Ueberschall’s SCORETRAX is available for USD $599.95.

The next hardware beast from the Scope platform

John Bowen, who - together with Dave Smith - created such legends like Prophet 5, Prophet VS and Wavestation, worked a lot on producing supersynths for Creamware's Scope platform. On of those software codes now come into reality: the machine called Solaris - though with completely rewritten program lines - based on his VA modular system. Price is not known yet but I expect it into the higher region - just take a look on the photo... To keep you updated check this link frequently.

Mackie CFX20 MKII

Designed to take the hassle out of mixing live performances, Mackie’s CFX.mkII Series compact live sound mixers feature genuine Mackie mic preamps, four subgroups, precise nine-band stereo graphic equalizers for greater sonic control, and onboard EMAC™ 32-bit digital effects—eliminating the need for outboard effects processors and cables. Combined with Mackie Active loudspeakers, the CFX.mkII mixers are part of a complete, easy-to-use Mackie sound system.

What’s new in CFX.mkII? New impact-resisting rubber side panels for better durability. New ergonomic updates including sturdier, more precise Onyx Series knobs. And new graphics, for better visibility in less-than-ideal lighting conditions. Best of all, the new CFX.mkII mixers come at a suggested retail price significantly lower than the original CFX Series.

Namm Show: Reason 4.0 Synth Sneak Peak (THOR)

A new player on the brass market

Wallander Instruments is a newcomer in the market of the ultrarealistic acoustic emulations - their first product, Brass 1 solves the brass problem of the electronic musician completely. Brass 1 is the first part of their product line called WIVI - on their website they write a lot of interesting statements of the brass topic so I won't tell any more but the price: 600 USD. Try the free demo at first, of course.

Patch your digital studio with TC Electronic

TC Electronic will ship their new Digital Konnekt x32 soon - it is a very sophisticated audio interface and digital audio patch bay and format converter. Working with AES/EBU, S/PDIF, TOS and ADAT, you can patch your signal easily with a 16x16 matrix, and you can even sample rate convert 8 channels simultaneously, between 44,1 and 192 kHz. DAW integration is possible via Firewire. The box four scene memories to store different complex digital patching, and has a stereo analog output for listening. A smart feature is a bundled VST/AU plugin called integrator, which makes external effect integration into the VST environment a snap. Check the full feature list.

The Akai midi controller

Akai has also introduced a new dedicated MIDI pad controller, the MPD16 , which has 16 velocity sensitive pads for drum and percussion programming and offers superior feel, response and sensitivity. Both, USB and MIDI connections are available for total flexibility. The MPD16 is also available as a bundle with Native Instruments highly acclaimed Battery software drum sampler

Enormous price cuts for the summer

Both giant soft synth factory decided to enhance their summer sales with incredible price cuts so we will not buy any soft instrument any time but summer. Arturia offers not less than their all synths - the V Collection holds Minimoog V, Moog Modular V, CS-80V, ARP 2600 V, plus the two Prophets, and the very big bonus, the new Jupiter-8V. The full kit would cost more than a Porsche if you buy them as hardware but prefer the software versions and you will top at 549 euro - that's a price of wonder. Order here until 30th September.

Native Instruments has numerous smaller offers instead of a big one - buy Kontakt 2 now for a half price of 250 euro, or the classic keys edition which covers Akoustik Piano, Elektrik Piano plus the B4 II for 349. For more Native offers click here, their Summer of Sound action closes at 31th, August.

Steinberg Sequel

Sequel, Steinberg's new entry-level music creation tool is in the shops from now. Its price of 79 euro helps to make Garageband's life harder, and the very simple operating model with only a single window also supports it. It has 600 preset sounds plus 60 drum kits, and a huge array of 5000 grooves. A fine feature is the real-time pitch shift and time stretch of the audio track regarding the tempo changes, but we still miss the VST plugin support. It has an own domain with an own site.

Important update on Sonic Synth 2

IK Multimedia developed a lot on their famous synth workstation called Sonic Synth 2. The new 2.1 version is free for all registered users and runs on Intel Macs also, has a stand-alone application, fully compatible with Cubase 4, has a smoother response on Control Change messages, has BPM-syncable LFOs, got 16 stereo outputs and so on. Check and purchase here.