Roland is proud to announce five new workshop booklets for the Fantom-G Workstation Keyboard, bringing the total of illustrated PDF tutorials for its flagship workstation keyboard to 15. In addition, the first 10 Fantom-G Workshop booklets have been revised to include the many new features added in the recent Fantom-G Version 1.31 System Update. Workshop booklets are available as free downloads from the Roland U.S. website.
Roland is pleased to announce the V-Piano® Evolution System Program Update, which adds two new stunning Vintage and Vanguard piano models to enhance the sonic possibilities for the groundbreaking V-Piano.
Last year AVID decided to combine all of their brands (including Digidesign, M-Audio, and Sibelius) into one unified AVID brand. During the past year AVID have been working hard to transition Digidesign to the AVID name. Below is an ‘Open Letter’ to all Digidesign customers to share information, answer questions, and explain how the changes will affect them.
It seems that KORG is (yet again) the first manufacturer to release an iPad dedicated instrument, the iElectribe. With this app Korg emulated the ELECTRIBE hardware interface into software, with preset management via a standard iPad-style menu.
Here it is, … our final MusikMesse post. This year (like the previous ones) we shot a lot of pictures and video footage. Not everything ended up in a post on Gearjunkies. But we thought we could compile most of the video footage and make a MusikMesse Tour to give you a short impression of the Messe this year. We want to thank all the manufacturers who gave us the opportunity to play with their latest gear. We enjoyed that very much. We call ourselves ‘gearjunkies’ for a reason of course!
The +Drive gives a significant boost to the Machinedrum and Monomachine storage capabilities. Everything is basically multiplied with a factor of 128. Thousands of patterns, sounds and songs can be stored internally and more or less instantly recalled. The Machinedrum SPS1-UW+ MKII can now host over 6000 samples. The Monomachine SFX-60+ MKII can be loaded with more than 8000 user waveforms.
Another Messe show is behind us, and it is time for the Gearjunkies Roundup of the new product releases from the show! The first impression was that there was not so much news around, but a second look gave away a lot of smaller as well as bigger product news. We actually had a lot of heated discussions over big kebabs to come up with our winners! So, here we go!
Before the Messe we made our own list of products we definately wanted to see and feel. One of those new (announced) products was the Feeltune Rhizome. It is like a hardware DAW. All the stuff you need to make music in a box, so to speak. Easy to use like a groove machine, powerful like the latest computer technology, and empowered by the versatility of plugins. The Rhizome is the only box combining samplers, mixing desk, sequencers and synthesizers, totally open and compatible with VSTs.
Only 40 units will be offered with this UV green finish that glows brightly under blacklight. Same features and functions as the standard Orb unit. The Orb is an easy to use, single track, step-based digital sequencer, ideal for controlling our XS semi-modular synthesizer as well as other analog CV/Gate or MIDI synthesizers. The Orb is also a perfect solution for controlling 303 clones which often lack the essential sequencer.
With the groundbreaking Lemur controller Jazzmutant have revolutionised the way in which performers can now interact with light, video and sound. The Lemur offers an unrivalled package of intuitive features beneath a futuristic multitouch-sensitive surface, and as result has won fans across the globe including the groundbreaking musicians Richie Hawtin, Björk and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The video below is a demonstration of the Lemur together with the new MU software and Ableton Live.
Studiologic (Fatar) introduced the NumaPiano and NumaOrgan at the Messe this year. For the first time a keyboard with built-in sound engine. Premium quality sound bank, MIDI section, Effects and Equalizer and 88 weighted hammer action keyboard. All in one light alluminium cabinet for a great musical experience.
One of the best kept secrets of this years MusikMesse was the Elektron Octatrack. So of course we were excited to get to the Elektron booth this year and see what this new instrument was all about. It is a kind of sampler which turns into a FX machine. Load up sounds and then start mangling, pitch shift, cut up, stretch or re-arrange the sounds which keep in sync all that time you work with them.
The Octatrack is designed to revolutionize the concept of sampling. Recording sounds is a breeze thanks to the intuitive user interface, but the fun really starts once the samples are inside the machine. Loops are now completely elastic. Cut up and rearrange them in real time. They will always stay in sync no matter if they are pitch shifted or if the tempo of the sequencer is changed. Single sounds can be molded into any shape or form. The static nature of samples is finally a thing of the past.
Korg has introduced the PS60 Performance Synthesizer, a new breed of “live-music oriented” keyboard instrument. Designed for gigging and soon-to-be-gigging musicians, the PS60 delivers premium sounds and professional effects in an easy-to-use performance package. Lightweight, stylish and compact, it travels comfortably from home, to rehearsal, to center stage.
Radikal Technologies opens a new chapter in the High Definition DSP domain – Advanced Subtractive Synthesis. The easy to use, expandable 8 voice polyphonic synthesizer “ACCELERATOR” will take the lead on stage and in the studio with an never heard, highly adjustable sonic palette of ultra fat sounds.