Thor iOS synth demo
Review and audio demo of Propellerhead’s brilliant Thor synth for iOS. For a full review of the app see the Music App Blog website at www.musicappblog.com
Demo of Thyses working with Cubasis and Thor. Thyses is used to send MIDI data to a Cubasis MIDI track. Via MIDI Thru, this MIDI data is passed to the Thor synth. The MIDI data can also be recorded in Cubasis.
iPhone Symphony
Made using Vidrhythm for iOS
AteOhAte Mutant TR-808 Cowbell DIY project — Demo
The AteOhAte Mutant Cowbell is a DIY (do it yourself) TR-808 Cowbell module based on the analogue circuit in Roland’s famous drum machine. The circuit has been adapted for use in a modular synthesizer, and, while being able to create the same sounds featured on the 808, can also create other sounds thanks to the modified tunable oscillators and voltage control over the cowbell’s pitch.
You can build one yourself at home (along with many other x0x-based drum modules) once PCBs are available from me at hexinverter.net
I will be releasing the AteOhAte Mutant HiHats at the same time as this project.
Receive an email when PCBs are available by signing up for the mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/pDf_5
Visit the Muffwiggler forum thread for updates on the project: http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/view…
How to Create Electro Bass Sound – Reason Tips
For more information about Reason:
http://www.propellerheads.se/tryreason
Max Rehbein just might be the best thing to come out of Germany since the pretzel! Never short on amazing sounds and a willingness to share his knowledge, Max is back with another sound design tutorial. This time he’ll show you how to make an Electro Bass sound using amplitude modulation in Thor. Sound complex but it’s freakishly easy. Throw on a little distortion and you’re off to the races. We’ll let Max explain the rest but if you hear those Electro bass sounds and want to learn how to make your own, this tutorial is for you!
Apple Logic Pro X: An exclusive first look with Gino Robair of Electronic Musician
EM Technical Editor Gino Robair gives us his initial impressions of aspects of Apple’s new release, Logic Pro X, including a run through of the Drummer Track, Drum Kit Designer, MIDI Plug-Ins, Logic Remote for the iPad, and more.
KORG Volca Beats, Volca Bass, Volca Keys, and Monotribe -1983-
A short jam shot on location while staying in Shonan , during the recent ASP Japan/Murasaki Shonan Open. The KORG Volcas are small enough to take anywhere, and versatile enough to make a complete track using only these small love units. Close the laptop , and tweak out for maximum analog satisfaction…
Novation updates the vocoder on the UltraNova
Novation has overhauled the vocoder on its flagship UltraNova hardware synthesizer. The free firmware update comes with 17 vocoder patches which are new to UltraNova, and is available, free of charge, to all UltraNova owners.
The UltraNova vocoder is a 12 band vocoder that can be fed by the included gooseneck microphone or other instruments via stereo line inputs. The overhauled vocoder algorithm improves the sound and performance of UltraNova’s vocoder.
Other updated features include:
- Separation and spread controls for moving the bands
- Formant freeze
- Adjustable band resonance and decay time
- Vocoder runs at full bandwidth
Pricing and availability. The update for the UltraNova is available now, and free to all UltraNova owners, who can download the latest installer, which includes the firmware update, at this link. Additional free artist and sound-designer soundpacks – including banks from the original Supernova and Supernova II synths – available to download at this link.
UltraNova is a ‘Nova’ series analogue-modelling synthesizer with a powerful effects processor. It is a single-part synth taking the Supernova II synth engine, and “packing it” with the latest technology. The UltraNova now has features which include wavetable synthesis, more powerful filters, a software editor and a “revolutionary” new touch-sense performance mode.
Quiet release from Apple of Logic Pro X
Apple has announced the release of Logic Pro X, featuring a new interface designed for pros, powerful new creative tools for musicians, and an expanded collection of instruments and effects.
Logic Pro X includes Drummer, a revolutionary new feature that provides a virtual session player that automatically plays along with your song in a wide variety of drumming styles and techniques, and Flex Pitch, which provides integrated pitch editing for audio recordings. Apple also introduced Logic Remote, an innovative new way to play and control Logic Pro X from your iPad®, giving musicians the flexibility to create and mix their music from anywhere in the room.
“Logic Pro X is our most powerful version yet, with advanced tools and a modern new interface designed to streamline the process of creating professional quality music,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Musicians are going to love creative new features like Drummer, Flex Pitch, Track Stacks and the Arpeggiator.”
“Logic Pro was critical to writing and recording our debut album Night Visions, so we couldn’t wait to get our hands on Logic Pro X,” said Wayne Sermon, guitarist of the Platinum-selling band Imagine Dragons. “We love the new design, and the creative features of Logic Pro X have already been inspiring us to write new material while we’re on tour.”
Logic Pro X has been designed with a modern new look while preserving and expanding the power and features that professional users rely on. The streamlined interface provides access to advanced tools and functionality for more technical tasks, or can be hidden to allow musicians to focus on being creative. Flex Pitch helps users fix out-of-tune vocals and even change the melodies of recorded audio by manipulating individual notes within an audio waveform. Track Stacks lets you organize and collapse multiple tracks into one, or can be used to create rich, layered instruments. Smart Controls allow you to manipulate multiple plug-ins and parameters with a single move for quick and powerful sound design. An improved Mixer helps manage mix sessions more efficiently, with increased visibility into signal flow and dynamics and faster ways to manipulate channel inserts.
Logic Pro X provides a collection of new creative tools for songwriting and music production. Drummer delivers professionally produced, realistic drum tracks that respond to your direction and can perform millions of unique grooves in rock, alternative, songwriter and R&B genres. Drummer is powered by the performances and sounds of some of the industry’s top session players and recording engineers, including legendary mixer/producer Bob Clearmountain, who has worked with the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie. Designed to work with Drummer, the new Drum Kit Designer plug-in lets you build your own custom kit using a diverse collection of professionally recorded snare drums, toms, hi-hats and cymbals that you can mix, match and fine tune to get the right drum sound for your song.
Logic Pro X expands Logic Pro’s rich collection of synthesizers and keyboards with more new instruments. The Arpeggiator is one of nine new MIDI plug-ins and can transform a simple keyboard chord into an elaborate performance. The new Retro Synth emulates some of the most popular classic synthesizer tones from the 70s and 80s, and Vintage Keyboards offer realistic models of electric pianos, B3 organs and clavs, with sophisticated tone-shaping controls. Bass Amp Designer allows bass players to play and record using vintage and modern bass amps, with cabinets and microphones that can be configured to build a custom bass rig. Logic Pro X also features an entirely new Sound Library with an updated loop collection and over 1,500 instrument and effect Patches that make creative use of Track Stacks, Smart Controls, the Arpeggiator and other new plug-ins.
Logic Remote is an innovative new way to extend the creative power of Logic by using your iPad. Designed to take full advantage of the iPad Multi-Touch™ display, Logic Remote gives users new ways to record, mix and even perform instruments in Logic Pro X from anywhere in the room, turning their iPad into a keyboard, drum pad, guitar fretboard, mixing board or transport control.
MainStage® 3, a major update to MainStage, is the live performance companion app for Logic Pro X, turning the Mac® into a live rig that makes it easy to bring sounds from the studio to the concert stage. MainStage 3 features a new user interface and maintains compatibility with the new Logic Pro X plug-ins, Patches and Smart Controls.
Logic Pro X and MainStage 3 are available to purchase for $199.99 USD and $29.99 USD, respectively. Logic Remote is available as a free download from the App Store.
Reason Rack Extension – ToneMutation: Vocals An Introduction
Numerical Sound has announced Tone Mutation: Vocals, a Rack Extension for Reason and Reason Essentials.
Numerical Sound Tone Mutation: Vocals (TMV) contains 36 human vowels and animal resonances designed to greatly expand the range of your synthesizer and audio tracks by transforming them into vocal sounds.
High precision resonances dramatically enhance vibrato – giving accurate vibrato tone from any synth. Elevated high frequencies allow TMV to work with maintain clarity and impact on any percussion sound. Dramatically changes the sound of your existing patches, especially pads and full-frequency sounds. The available combinator patch allows smooth morphing through 8 different selectable vocal sounds on any Reason instrument.
Tone Mutation: Vocals features
- 36 Timbral Impulses cover a wide range of vowels and semi-vowels as well as a selection of Walrus, Whale, Alligator, Leopard and Panther vocalizations snapshots.
- The Convolution approach enables capabilities and precision sound that is impossible with parametric and multiband EQ’s.
- Stereo Width, Gain, Pan and Dry/Wet controls make it easy to mix and shape the sounds.
- Audiophile design supports 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 and 192 KHz sample rates, with processing transparently optimized for each sample rate.
- Bonus: Find different ways to use TMV instantly with the free combinator instrument patches. Some patches are available to trial users to get started quickly, but registered users get even more, including intermittent e-mailed updates from Numerical Sound
The Rack Extension is available from the Propellerhead Shop for 55 EUR.
FK13 – new virtual Korg Mini-Pops 3 drum machine
Forgotten Keys has released FK13, a virtual Korg Mini-Pops 3 (AKA Univox SR-55) analogue drum machine.
The FK13 features isolated multi-samples of each drum sound and re-creations of all the internal rhythm patterns. These patterns can be combined with each other like the original. The volume, panning, tuning and mute status of each sound can be adjusted, and the MIDI input and audio output routing can be customised. The interface is designed to have an authentic layout.
Price: £3.
The Korg Mini-Pops 3 (also sold as Univox SR-55 and Aria Diamond) should not be confused with the drum machine used by Jean-Michel Jarre on his Oxygene album as you often see misstated in online auction adverts. For that, you need the Mini-Pops 7. No, the MP-3 will not create the famous Jarre rhythm but it will create some nice retro analogue sounds and rhythms. Of the nine sounds available most are similar to the MP-7 with perhaps the exception of the bass drum and cymbals. Indeed, the drum sounds are created using inductor coils, or tuned resonant tanks as they are often called just as on the MP-7.
Rhythm-wise, there are twenty named rhythms but the foxtrot/swing rhythm requires more explanation. It has 36 variations of its own due to the two knobs below it that select between six drum and six cymbal variations. The other rhythms are divided into two groups, each with its own upper/lower selector switch, so more combinations are available than on the MP-7¹. As usual, rhythms can be combined.
DATAMASKIN
