Ohm Studio is a real time collaborative music workstation
Ohm Studio is a real time collaborative music workstation.
Ohm Studio is a standalone real-time collaborative music making application (DAW/sequencer), in addition to a web based collaboration platform and a music driven online community.
Ohm Studio is still in beta testing, but you can sign up to participate in the beta at the Ohm Studio site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKRvbws1SaM&feature=player_embedded
When developing the Ohm Studio we dared to break some old sequencer standards: for example, a track is not anymore a synonym of audio bus, it’s actually a timeline ready for all your ideas. Why is this the case? Because Ohm Studio’s GUI has been built from the ground up, keeping in mind both the creative workflow and the online collaborative ethos.
Bring the sound of 6 of the world’s top analog consoles into your DAW workstation
Despite the digital revolution in the audio industry, many of today’s top commercial albums are still mixed on analog consoles. Audio engineers rely on analog mixing to provide the nonlinear musical qualities that digital mixing does not produce. “When you mix through an analog desk you get this life and body to the sound that just doesn’t happen when you mix inside the workstation. The separation and imaging from the analog summing is very apparent, especially when your track count gets high” remarks mixer Jay Baumgardner (Papa Roach, Evanescence).
Over the past ten years, multiple audio manufacturers have produced simplified analog summing boxes that allow DAW users to get the benefits of analog mixing without having to use a full fledged analog desk. In 2001, Steven Slate made his mark in the analog summing world by commissioning Roll Music Systems to design and manufacture a custom analog summing box that was later named the FOLCROM. The FOLCROM continues to be one of the most popular analog summing boxes on the market, used by mixer Mike Shipley and other top names. Now in 2009, Slate once again stirs up the analog summing world, this time in the digital domain.
The VIRTUAL CONSOLE COLLECTION consists of two plugins, Virtual Channel and Virtual Mixbuss. Each plugin allows the user to choose from one of six modeled consoles. Virtual Channel is applied on individual mixing channels. Virtual Mixbuss goes on the first insert of the master fader. “When using the Virtual Console Collection, your DAW instantly takes on the personality of a real analog mixing desk. The imaging and depth improves, instruments sit better in the frequency spectrum, and mixing becomes easier and more musical. You can even push the DAW faders up to find each mixer’s “sweet spot”, says Slate.
- Brings the sound of 6 legendary analog consoles to your DAW
- Models all characteristics of both the channels and the analog summing
- Mix and match consoles
- Mac/Windows VST, RTAS, AU
Reason 5 and Record 1.5 finally revealed
So what´s new:
Analog synthesis, physical modeling, sampling, REX loops, support sound generators, effects, flexible routing, multiple hit types and more. The Kong Drum Designer is not your regular drum module. It’s the drum module focused on letting you get exactly that drum sound you’re after.
Kong has 16 pads and 16 drums. Build your drum sounds based on any of the nine different drum modules. Flavor the sound with 11 support generators and effects. Program automation, create alternating groups and let Reason’s powerful sequencer control the beat.
Reason 5 ships with a sound bank with a generous supply of kits for Kong across a wide variety of styles.
(Click to enlarge)
Modules at a glance
Synth Bass Drum
From hard knocking kicks to long booming ones, the analog modeling kick drum can do them all.
Synth Snare
The synth snare drum is based on tone, harmonic and noise. Short and snappy or long and noisy. You decide.
Synth Hi-Hat
This module has four different hit types that can be spread out across the pads: closed, semi-closed; semi-open or open.
Synth Tom Tom
If your fondest memories in life include a musical backdrop of those ubiquitous tom tom breaks in 80s ballads, then this module will make your eyes misty. With its range of settings, this module can produce a wide selection of percussion sounds.
Physical Bass Drum
Built on physical modeling, this module generates organic sounding kicks with flexible settings for tuning, size, beater characteristics and more.
Physical Snare Drum
This module has four hit types (center, position 1, position 2 and edge) to generate a very natural sounding snare drum. It comes with settings for snare tension, bottom and top pitch and more.
Physical Tom Tom
This model has settings for size, tuning, stick and more, making it capable of sounding like a wide range of tom tom-like drums.
Sample player
The NN-Nano is a multi-layered sampler & sample player that lets you build drum sounds by layering samples. You can create layered sounds or use velocity settings to create velocity switching between samples.
REX player
Nurse REX is an extremely versatile loop player. You can use it to trigger an entire loop from a pad, in sync of course, or use it to play a selected slice only. You can assign one loop across several pads and set the REX player to trigger chunks of slices – still in sync: instant breakbeat bliss!
Support Generators
The support generators can be added after the drum module in the signal flow. They can add noise or tone to the sound if you need a little extra to get the sound you’re after.
Noise
Adds noise to the sound.
Tone
Adds tone – from the lowest sub to ear-piercing high notes.
Effects
Kong comes with a selection of nine effect modules to help you shape your sound. Being Reason, you can of course also route external effects into Kong, or use Kong as an effect module.
iPad, as a music prod tool, up for serious competition from Google
Today’s big rumor, coming from an un-named single source by way of the Download Squad blog, is that a Google tablet, made by HTC, running Google’s Chrome OS, and available on the Verizon network, will go on sale on November 26th this year. That’s Black Friday.
Or, maybe not: Citing similarly un-named sources among “upstream component makers,” Digitimes asserts that it’s Motorola, not HTC, that is Google’s first choice for a tablet, which Digitimes says will be based on Android.
The Motorola-made Google tablet will utilize Nvidia’s Tegra 2 processor platform, and will have a 10.1-inch Sharp-manufactured LCD that’s not as bright as the iPad, but is thinner, says Digitimes. It will be in production by the end of 2010, the paper added.
Judging from the number of micro synths and drum machines that has popped up for Android, I guess it is just a matter of time before we see a similar development on the tablet side
A glimpse of Reaktor 5.5
Here’s a little that has leaked around Reaktor 5.5. Switch Programs in DAW, new darker GUI. Automap seems to work with it, also.
* Additive synthesis capabilities (based on new “Sine Bank” module)
* Modal synthesis capabilities (based on new “Modal Bank” module)
* Instruments can now be loaded as ensembles and vice versa
* Revised one-window GUI with flexible “split” view
* Unified interface layout for standalone and plugin operation
* New full-screen view in standalone mode
* New “structure bookmarks” feature
* Improved instrument header, properties and sample map editor
* Improved audio player with browser integration, drag&drop and auto-mode
* Improved preset handling with bank list and “snapshot master” function
* Global master volume controls for audio input and output
* Improved functionality of send/receive modules
* Audio I/O channels increased to 40 in standalone mode
* Improved handling of audio I/Os and ports
* Improved auto-save in plugin mode
* Improved sample rate conversion
* New “Lazerbass” monophonic additive synthesizer by Mike Daliot
* All ensembles from Electronic Instruments I + II now included
* Additional keyboard shortcuts
* New “application reference” manual with integrated tutorials
Getting the grips on Reaper
Reaper is fast becoming a truly powerful and efficient DAW, are you up to speed on it?
The amazing Kenny Gioia breaks it all down for you in this awesome, in-depth series of video tutorials focusing on Cockos Reaper. You’ll learn about project creation, templates, routing, editing, using plug-ins, automation, rendering and exporting, MIDI, markers and regions and so much more. After viewing this collection, you’ll be able to work and navigate Reaper like a seasoned pro. More and more people are switching to Reaper everyday, don’t get left behind, and don’t fear the Reaper! Product Hightlights • 26 Tutorials / Over 4 Hours Total Runtime
• For all beginner to intermediate Cockos Reaper users
• Tutorials written by multi-platinum selling producer Kenny Gioia
• Simple to use video control interface for Mac & PC
Zynewave has introduced Podium Free DAW
Zynewave has introduced Podium Free, the freeware edition of its music production software for Windows PC.
Here’s what Zynewave has to say about Podium:
Podium is a modern production host that integrates audio recording, VST plugins and external MIDI and audio gear. An object based project structure allows for advanced media and device management.
Feature highlights: Hierarchic track layout, integrated sound editor, surround sound, spline curve automation, 64-bit mixing, multiprocessing and a stylish and customizable user interface.
Development concentrates on quality and stability. Software updates are released frequently with an active user-driven development cycle.
Podium Free is identical to the commercial Podium version, except for a few limitations:
- MIDI interface setup is limited to one input and one output.
- 64-bit mixer engine option is disabled.
- Plugin multiprocessing is disabled.
- ReWire is disabled.
- Surround-sound playback is disabled.
- The disabled plugin multiprocessing option means that only one CPU core will be used when processing plugins. If you have a dual-core CPU you will be able to use 50% of your available CPU power before the Podium CPU indicator overloads. Podium Free still uses all available CPU cores for various tasks such as GUI updates and disk streaming.
These limitations may change in newer releases of Podium Free. It will depend on new features added to Podium, and the general user response to Podium Free.
Steinberg has released version 5.5 of Cubase
Steinberg has released version 5.5 of Cubase / Cubase Studio, a free update of its music production systems featuring new mixing features, new video engine, instrument updates, workflow improvements and optimized performance for multi-core processors.
The 5.5 update ensures an improved low-latency performance on systems with four or more CPU cores, while the included version increments of two Cubase 5 features, LoopMash and the REVerence convolution reverb, reduce CPU usage considerably. The native x64 version of Cubase and Cubase Studio features an enhanced VST Bridge to improve compatibility with the majority of bridged 32-bit VST2.4 plug-ins within a native 64-bit production environment.
Enhancements for both mixing and video work have been realized with additional automation functionality in the automation panel as well as expanding the Quick Control system to Group, FX, Input and Output channels. An entirely new video engine offers full HD support in Cubase 5.5 as well as scalable performance and video playback capability via FireWire for the PC platform.
Version 5.5 also introduces enhancements to the range of onboard beat production, witnessing refinements in hitpoint detection within the Sample Editor, the introduction of a local timeline for the AudioWarp definition mode plus extended Export/Import functionality for Groove Agent ONE including 19 exclusive new drum kits made up of over 800 finest vintage drum machine samples.
To further speed up workflow in the Cubase environment, the MediaBay interface has been redesigned to provide improved usability, with an integrated virtual keyboard and memo recorder. On top of the many small enhancements, the Channel Batch Export tool has been improved, and the Infoline and the toolbars of all editors have been consolidated for improved legibility and faster access.
Cubase 5.5 complements Cubase 5 and Cubase Studio 5 to the fullest, delivering performance optimization, additional features and useful enhancements throughout.
The 5.5 update is now available to download from the Steinberg website at www.steinberg.net.
More Information: Steinberg / Cubase
Summer NAMM
The R24 digital multitrack recorder adds a sampler/drum machine, eight additional recording tracks and six channels of phantom power to the company’s R16. The R24 offers 24-track playback and 8-track simultaneous recording, an audio interface, a control surface and a drum pad sampler.
The R24’s new sampler function comprises 24 built-in voices that can be triggered using eight pads and three bank keys to assign sounds to each track and create loops. Also, the unit’s drum machine and its 400 rhythm patterns can be used to create original backing beats or output a metronome for tempo control. As a bonus feature, exclusive loops by Grammy Award–winner Peter Erskine are included.
The R24 records on SD memory cards and supports cards up to 32 GB for more than 100 track hours of recording. More than 100 built-in studio and mastering effects can be used to enhance recordings.
In addition, the R24’s USB audio interface allows users to record tracks to any Mac or PC and use the system’s control surface capabilities to manage the functions of most DAW software programs, most notably the included Cubase LE 5.
Deep inside the Ohm Studio
Ohm Force has unveiled its first live demo of Ohm Studio, a real-time collaborative music making application in addition to a web based collaboration platform and a music driven online Cohmunity.
Following the announcement of the Ohm Studio – a real-time collaborative DAW/sequencer – Ohm Force is unveiling today the first Ohm Studio live demo, showing some of Ohm Studio’s collaborative features in action. It’s a standalone application for Mac OS X and Windows (in the video the prototype runs on two MacBooks) that will allow musicians from around the world to produce/edit tracks together in real-time.
This video was made at the Ohm Force headquarters (Paris, France) while the Ohm Server is in USA (they use the AWS solution by Amazon). Both laptops were logged into the same Ohm Studio session. Notice that all actions done on one side were automatically synced to the other side.
As announced at the Ohm Studio’s website, Ohm Studio will be a full fledged DAW/sequencer and we’ll be progressively revealing its features at www.ohmstudio.com. This “amateur” live demo is the first of a series, new video content will be released during next weeks/months. Anyone interested on participating in the beta-test can still apply for it at Ohm Studio’s website.
More information: Ohm Force / Ohm Studio
DATAMASKIN
