Latest News & Articles
New Sounds and Samples on Sample Saturday
And we’re back! After some time away, we are resuming our weekly overview of this weeks releases on the “Loops and Samples” front. Just like the quality of the audio software we use these days, the quality of the content we use (loops and samples) equally matches the high standards of this software. Below is this weeks selection.
Something for the Weekend: Beastie Boys – Three MCs and One DJ
Today a sad episode of our ‘Something for the Weekend’ post. Today, friday, we got the news that Adam Yauch a.k.a. MCA from The Beastie Boys died, probably, as a result of cancer. Yauch co-founded Beastie Boys in 1979 with Mike D, Mix Master Mike and Ad Roc. The Beastie Boys are one of the most important and influential hip-hop groups of all time. They were instrumental in making hip-hop a global, mainstream force. Formed in 1981 as a hardcore band, they combined punk and rap into a singular sound that grew increasingly broad over the years, encompassing a vast array of genres. We are truly saddened by this news. Therefor in honour of Adam we post on the greatest videos (we think) of the Beastie Boys, ‘Three MC’s and One DJ‘.
Tone2 Audiosoftware release Drums! soundset for ElectraX
Get your kicks on with the new Drums! soundset for ElectraX. Drums! takes ElectraX’ multi-layer concept even further by combining synthesis and sampling to create a comprehensive percussive library.
Pioneer DJM-850 Performance Mixer Walkthrough
With two colour choices, four channels, one hundred effect combinations and endless creative possibilities, the new Pioneer DJM-850 is set to become home and mobile DJs’; most sought-after mixer. The DJM-850 is primed and ready for plug and play, with preconfigured, studio-quality effects accessible at the touch of a button. The mixer rivals software’s creative possibilities liberating DJs from their laptops and allowing for a more natural DJing experience.
Roland Jupiter-50 – Video Overview
One of the few good kept secrets was the release of a ‘little’ Roland Jupiter at this years MusikMesse. The JUPITER-50 is equipped with a sound engine that’s the sonic equal of its big brother JUPITER-80, containing most of the SuperNATURAL acoustic and synthesizer tones found in the JUPITER-80. It also retains the same Live Set architecture, where four separate sound engines can be stacked together to create massive voices such as classic fat synth tones. Users can even import JUPITER-80 sound data into the JUPITER-50. In addition, powerful multi-effects and reverb are onboard for studio-quality sound processing.
Electro-Harmonix Special Edition SuperEgo Synth Engine – Video
Below is the latest installment of Electro-Harmonix Effectology. This special edition episode features out brand-new SuperEgo Synth Engine which expands the tonal possibilities of your guitar. Audio alchemist Bill Ruppert demonstrates some extremely innovative and inspiring sounds while mixing the SuperEgo with other EHX pedals that are already known and loved for their incredible tone.
Delora vKiP 2.0 iPad app 2.0 upgrade
Harmony Systems, Inc. announced the availability of Delora vKiP 2.0, an upgrade to their iPad control surface app for Symbolic Sound’s Kyma sound design system.
G-Sonique MSX5 – Headphone monitoring system released
G-Sonique have released their take on headphone monitoring system software, called MSX5. These days, more and more hobby and professional musicians and mix-engineers are producing and mixing on headphones. Why? Simply because the facts are: highest quality studio headphones are much cheaper than mid-range studio monitors. There is no negative influence of room acoustics on the sound. You don’t need to invest so much money into correcting studio room acoustics and damping systems, all good headphones have almost linear frequency response starting at the deepest sub-basses, 20 hz (while only the most expensive speaker systems with sub-woofers in ideally acoustically treated rooms can reproduce these frequencies correctly).
It All Started With Ray! – Story of Kurzweil
The story of Stevie Wonder’s technical challenge to Ray Kurzweil that ultimately motivates the inception of Kurzweil Music Systems.
iZotope Iris – General Overview Video
Recently iZotope released its sampling re-synthesizer plugin Iris. Driven by iZotope’s award-winning visual selection technology, Iris is a groundbreaking sample-based synthesizer that harnesses the power of both your eyes and your ears. Fuel your creativity with Iris’s new spin on sound design, perfect for musical inspiration and sonic experimentation.
DJ Rig FREE App for iPhone Now Available
DJ Rig™ FREE for iPhone/iPod touch is now available on the iTunes App Store. Together with the newly-updated regular version of DJ Rig, the two apps provide instant song-playing from your iOS device music library, automatic tempo sync and beat match, sample-based pads and performance recording, plus an arsenal of high-quality DJ effects.
Something for the Weekend: Tribute to the Roland TR-808
The sounds of the Roland TR-808 drum machine inspire musicians around the world, even though the device hasn’t been made since 1984 and most of its avid users have never actually seen one.
Arturia releases Wurlitzer V emulation of the EP 200A
Music software and hardware company Arturia is proud to announce availability of Wurlitzer V, a (Standalone, VST 2.4 & 3 — 32-bit and 64- bit, RTAS and AU — 32- and 64-bit) high-end software recreation of the classic Wurlitzer EP 200A electric piano as of April 26, 2012.
Native Instruments Introduces SKANNER XT Komplete Instrument
Native Instruments today introduced SKANNER XT, a unique and highly distinctive KOMPLETE instrument, designed by the expert team behind REAKTOR. With a strong focus on unconventional tone and genuine musical expression, SKANNER XT is both an exceptional library addition for REAKTOR 5 users as well as an excellent sound resource for the free REAKTOR 5 PLAYER.
Sasha Soundlab – Gearjunkies Review
Anyone into music production will be familiar with the production software tools from Native Instruments. Their sampler software Kontakt is one of the best outthere. That’s just a fact. Native Instruments provides very high quality instrumenst for Kontakt. From drums, basses, synths, brass instruments, strings, etc. Plus there are many third-party instruments that run on the Kontakt sampler software. There are almost too many to mention. However, sometimes something comes across your desk that immediately triggers your interest. Personally, for me that was the Sasha Soundlab by AudioRaiders. Maybe I should mention that I am a big Sasha fan. His Airdrawndagger, Involver and Involv2er artist albums are instant classics and part of my all-time favorits.