Casio gets serious in the iOS game – CZ App for iPad
Casio has released CZ App for iPad, a virtual synthesizer app based on Casio’s best-selling CZ series of synthesizers, including the CZ-101 model released in 1984.
Along with its electronic musical instruments, Casio has been developing musical apps with the goal of providing the joy of playing music to more and more people. To date, Casio has released several apps that have become widely popular: Chordana Viewer and Chordana Tap, which automatically detect the chord progressions of songs; as well as Musical Practice Tool, a useful app for practicing a musical instrument or singing.
Now Casio has released the CZ App for iPad, an iPad app that recreates its best-selling CZ series of classic synthesizers and includes several all-new functions. CZ App for iPad allows up to four separate parts to be played using the original Phase Distortion sound source by Casio, and features 36 types of waveforms for producing a wide range of sounds.
The app is available for purchase for $19.99 USD.
NAMM 2015 – MOOG MODEL 15 by Moog Music’s Rosser Douglas
NAMM 2015! Rosser Douglas from Moog music explains to me the beautiful new Model 15 modular system.
Vaporizer – new analogue/subtractive synthesizer plug-in for Windows and Mac
VAST Dynamics has launched Vaporizer, an analogue/subtractive synthesizer plug-in for Windows and Mac.
The intention of this development is to combine a fat virtual analog sound with low system CPU resource usage. And all this with an unbeatably low pice (factor 10 lower than usual synths in that category).
Even though this synth basically follows a traditional subtractive analog synthesis model, we believe that is has it’s own character and sound that needs to be explored. A main focus was laid on modelling fat supersaw-like sounds with various unison and detune models. VAPORIZER does not want to be smooth and gentle. It has sharp edges and can also be brutal. Check it out.
Vaporizer features
- Innovative virtual analog synthesis model that allows an almost unlimited number of oscillators per voice (e.g. 96 saw-tooth oscillators).
- Three modes – 16 and 4 voice polyphony plus monophonic mode.
- Full stereo – all generators, effects and chains.
- Full effect bank with high quality oversampling effects (distortion, chorus, delay, reverb, comb filter and parametric EQ).
- Old school UI with real analog feeling.
- Everything at sight – no hidden tabs or menus.
- Eye-catching retro-style oscilloscope for immediate visual feedback.
- Monophonic and polyphonic portamento in all modes including ARP.
- More than 50 presets with many different styles.
- Completely alias free oscillators (6 different waveforms).
- Up to 97 parallel oscillators per voice (4 unison / detune banks with max 24 plus 1 noise oscillator).
- 16 voice polyphony with a maximum number of 1552 oscillators per plug-in at a time.
Vaporizer for Windows and Mac (VST/AU) is available for purchase for 24.90 EUR (+VAT within EU).
Yamaha DX9 FM Synthesizer Patch Demo
A demo video displaying some of the capabilities of Yamaha’s DX9. The only external effect used is reverb.
New free iOS app from Yamaha – Yamaha Synth Book
This app features a complete history of Yamaha Synthesizers, an integrated virtual analog soft synth, and serves as a portal to Yamaha’s online synth communities.
The app is being released as part of Yamaha’s celebration of its 40 year history of makin
The history features detailed, “behind the scenes” information about the 40-year design and development history of Yamaha synthesizers. It covers the technological breakthroughs behind key Yamaha synthesizers, from teh CS-80 to the DX-7, and some fantastic vintage synth rarities, too.
The app also includes a software synthesizer. .
AN2015 features virtual analog modeling like the AN1x. It also features a drum part that you can use for backing.
Yamaha highlights two ways to use the synth:
- As standalone iOS app – There are 2 modes available, SYNTH mode and Drum mode that work at the same time, e.g. when drum phrase is playing, Analog sound can be selectable and playable with the drum phrase, and vice versa without stopping ongoing music
- Use it with a MOXF as an external tone generator – When connected to the Yamaha MOXF Music Production Synthesizer (OS version 1.10) using the Lightning to USB Camera Adapter by Apple, the MOXF becomes the MIDI/Audio interface for the iOS app creating a very powerful music production system.
Specifications
- ‘Analogue’ Synth
- Tone Generator: Virtual Analogue Modelling
- Polyphony: 8
- Preset voice: 64
- Arpeggiator: 1-Scale: 1
- Polyphonic Pad
- Drum Part
- Tone Generator: Audio (Drum loop and time stretch function included)
- Part: 1
- Polyphony: 1
- Drum Pad: 16
- Drum Pad Set: 5
Other features include a portal to Yamaha’s social media forums and a catalog of the company’s current synth lineup.
Yamaha Synth Book is a free download from the App Store.
Checking out the new Akai Pro Timbre Wolf and Tom Cat
The Tom Cat is a true analog drum machine, with five built-in percussion voices, including Kick, Snare, and Clap sounds with chromatically tunable Disco Toms.
The Timbre Wolf is an analog 4-voice polyphonic synthesizer that recalls the earliest polyphonic synthesizers. In this video, Akai Professional Product Manager Dan Gill gives a quick overview of the Timbre Wolf synthesizer.
The Timbre Wolf has four independent analog voices that can be configured as
- 4 mono synths
- a 4-voice unison monosynth; or
- a 4-voice polysynth,
The user can easily customize the sound of each voice independently as they play.
Other features:
- Professional quality 25-key custom Akai Pro keybed..
- 32-step sequencer for each of the four voices
- LED display
- Octave +/- controls
Curious on the equipment used by Kraftwerk behind the pods on stage
DAF call it quits
It’s over for the German band D.A.F. (Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft). The duo Gabriel “Gabi” Delgado-López and Robert Görl R.Goerl co-formed D.A.F. in 1978 together with Kurt “Pyrolator” Dahlke, Michael Kemner and Wolfgang Spelmans. Daniel Miller signed D.A.F. to Mute Records but when the bandshrank to just Delgado and Görl, the duo decided to leave Mute and sign to Virgin Records.
It’s not the first time that the duo calls its quits, the band also split during the recording of “Für immer”, but they reunited in 1985 to record “1st Step to Heaven”, their only album in English. They also reformed for the 2003 album “Fünfzehn neue D.A.F.-Lieder” and again split before they could make another album. In 2010 the band returned with a new single “Du Bist DAF”, limited to 2010 copies.
The band leaves a string of hits including “Kebab-Träume” and “Der Mussolini”.
To end (again) in beauty, the band now plans a ‘Goodbye Tour’ which starts later in May in Moscow, Russia.
Teenage Engineering Pocket Operators – NAMM 2015
Teenage Engineering show us their latest offerings, a trio of tiny stripped-down calculator-sized sequencers — each for only $59. There’s the PO-12 Rhythm drum machine, the PO-14 Sub bass synth and the PO-16 Factory lead synth. We hear what they can do.
Best Service has introduced Voyager Drums, TITAN 2, Klanghaus 2, ERA II and Emotional Cello, 5 new libraries
Best Service has introduced Voyager Drums, TITAN 2, Klanghaus 2, ERA II and Emotional Cello, 5 new libraries announced at NAMM.
Voyager Drums — Power-Drums by the maker of “Artist-Drums”.
Voyager Drums brings you two Power Drum Kits, recorded and edited by the maker of “Artist-Drums” and “Artist Grooves”.
The punchy and powerful sound is perfect for your Pop, Rock, Jazz and Funk productions. 360 MIDI Grooves for instant use are included.
TITAN 2 — the biggest and most extensive Synthesizer Sound Collection of all times!
24GB in size (78GB uncompressed) 10.000 multi samples, 200.000 single samples cover 244 of the greates classic analog and digital synths, workstations and the biggest modular systems as well as every recent trendy software synthesizer on the market.
Key focus was to preserve the unique sound character of the originals and to additianally give you the possibility to model completely new soundscapes never heard before.
TITAN 2 as well as the upgrade from TITAN (1) will be available from end of February 2015.
Klanghaus 2 — Collection of unique instruments, Grooves and Loops
With your KLANGHAUS 2 virtual instrument you have access to a collection of unique instruments, invented and constructed by Ferdinand Foersch.
We recorded these instruments with best care and attention and then spent hundreds of hours to map them according to Ferdinand Foersch´s ideas and visions.The result is a new instrument with lots of surprising sounds, divided in different categories. All rhythmical sequences are midi based and therefore adjust seamlessly to your sequencers speed. Also the midi input for the rhythmical sequences is quantized to “the next beat” for additional timing accuracy.
Klanghaus 2 will be available mid February 2015. An upgrade for users of Klanghaus (1) will be available at 19 EUR. All customers who have registered Klanghaus 1 from January 10th 2015 will receive the upgrade for free.
ERA II – Medieval Legends — Huge Set of historical instruments
ERA II is a unique sample library featuring a huge set of historical instruments. All you have been waiting for your Medieval, Renaissance or Fantasy musical producti on in one virtual instrument.
Eduardo Tarilontes ERA II will follow the successful path of its predecessor and give you the best Medieval Instruments available in a virtual environment. With now more than 70 Instruments (25 new ones), more soundscapes, singers and a greatly enhanced user interface, this library is a must have, not only for all film and game composers.
Plucked, wind, reed, bowed, keyed and percussion multi sampled instruments, voices and an inspiring collecti on of magical soundscapes will push your music to the next level.
ERA II will be released by the end of March 2015. An Upgrade for users of Era will be available.
Emotional Cello — Virtual Cello for classic and cinematic use
Emotional Cello the new Kontakt Player instrument by Harmonic Subtones brings you a powerful and touching sound, which was recorded in a musical context to capture the natural bowing and expressive dynamics of a real player.
Emotional Cello has been designed to be applicable for classical settings as well as contemporary musical styles.
Intelligent scripting and 16 different articulations within the master patch make this true-legato-instrument extraordinary versatile. Two additional master patches cover Sul Ponticello and Harmonic articulations.
Emotional Cello also includes rather unusual articulations like sul ponticello – legato, harmonics – legato, morbid sustain, riccochet or the Bach bow. A special effect section with a Cello body percussion and some weird effects make this instrument complete.
Emotional Cello will be released mid March 2015.
DATAMASKIN
