Playing 8bit on the SunVox
SunVox is a small, fast and powerful music sequencer with modular synthesizers. It is a tool for those people who want to compose music anywhere. SunVox available for desktop PC (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X), pocket computers (Windows Mobile, PalmOS, iPhone/iPad) and netbooks.
| Key features |
- Modular interface.
- Highly optimized synth algorithms.
- Flexible architecture: SunVox can working on variuos devices. For example: PDA with slow CPU – 16bit sound (fixed point arithmetic); or big PC with powerfull CPU: 32bit sound (floating point arithmetic).
- Built-in synthesizers:
- FM synthesizer;
- Generator (saw,triangle,square,noise waveforms);
- Kicker;
- Sampler (supported formats: WAV, XI, AIFF);
- SpectraVoice (FFT-based synthesizer for analog-like pads);
- DC Blocking Filter;
- Delay;
- Distortion;
- Echo;
- EQ;
- Filter (Low-pass, High-pass, Band-pass, Notch);
- Flanger;
- LFO;
- Loop;
- Reverb (with DC Blocking Filter);
- Vocal Filter;
- Vibrato.
- Supported systems: Windows, Linux (x86/x86_64), Mac OS X, PalmOS, WindowsCE (Windows Mobile), iPhone/iPad.
- Export to WAV.
Use iPhone to control Reason
dashByte’s dashMIDI (App Store link) is a free iPhone app that enables the control of Propellerhead Reason over a WiFi network.
According to the developers, “If you’ve ever wished that you could start and stop recording without having to run over to your computer, this is the app for you.”
It looks pretty basic, but I guess it could be useful for some of you. If you’ve used dashMIDI for Propellerhead Reason, make sure to tell us what you think about it 
Features support for the following functions:
- Track selection
- Mute
- Solo
- Click
- Fast Forward/Rewind
- Record
- Stop
- Play
This application requires Propellerhead Reason running on an OS X machine & dashMIDI Server running on the same OS X machine.
Visit: dashMIDI
Crazy instruments – the Karlax MIDI controller
Da Fact, a French music instrument company, has introduced Karlax
Karlax is a new type of MIDI controller designed to “re-establish the artist’s body at the heart of the performance.”
The Da Fact Karlax is designed to capture a variety of expressive movements which can be accessed in a simple, intuitive manner.
Da Facts:
Its sensors are fitted to precision mechanics components. The innovative architecture allows pistons, keys, switches, benders, triggers, a rotation axis and an inertial unit (comprising an inclinometer, accelerometer and a 3-axis gyroscope) to be activated separately or simultaneously.
An embedded screen for displaying and editing settings makes it possible to safely leave the computer off stage. With the product comes also a dedicated software compatible with both MAC and PC.
“Karlax pushes the boundaries of language,” says Nils Aziosmanoff, Chairman of LE CUBE, a creative centre devoted entirely to the digital arts. “The creative process is increasingly becoming an experience to savour: we are adopting an exploratory approach to creativity, instead of the previous contemplative, passive approach.”
C64 goes guitar – do we really want this :-)
Jordan Bartee has reinvented the keytar – combining a Commodore 64, the MIDIBox SID platform and a MIDI keyboard to create the ultimate Commodore 64 Keytar – the Giana 64.
This beast has it all:
- 8-bit goodness
- Vintage Commodore 64 components
- Ghostbusters influenced cyberpunk styling
- DIY mojo
- Blinky lights by the dozens
Sneak peak of the Mojo
Controllerist Moldover has posted a sneak peek of his first commercial controller, the Mojo.
Features (as listed on Moldover’s site):
- Works with all MIDI compatible music software
- lIncludes new Moldover template for Ableton Live
- 10 ultra-responsive touch strips
- 24 competition-grade arcade buttons
- Rubberized knobs, rugged faders and burly toggle switches
- Assembled in San Francisco CA by Andy from Pance Party
- Sexy mahogany body by Livid Instruments
- Scratch-resistant anodized aluminum faceplate
- Environmentally sealed twist-lock USB cable included
- USB bus powered electronics by Hale Micro
- Class-compliant USB device (no driver to install)
- Free copy of Moldover’s self-titled album included
- Dimensions: 11.5″ x 18″ x 4″, 7.5lbs
A limited edition of 20 Mojos will ship in March and will cost $1799.
Who needs a HW MIDI?
Simple but neat when you are on the road and works well with most software synths I have tried it on. Of course as with all virtual MIDIs you will miss out on the fact that it is not pressure sensitive, but often you can come quite far anyhow.
So, sometime it’s nice to not have to plug in a keyboard to play around with a softsynth, especially when you’re writing one. So here’s a little app you can use instead. It shows a little keyboard on screen, and you can use the computer keyboard to play MIDI notes. ‘z’ through ‘,’ is the octave starting a middle C (note 60). The keys on the row above are flats, and the octave below is on the row starting with ‘q’ (and the digit row is that octave’s flats).
* MidiKeys is now a universal binary.
* Minimum system is now 10.5.
* Changed ownership to Immo Software.
* New configurable hot key to toggle global hot keys.
* Support for automatic software updates using the Sparkle framework.
* New option to show the key caps on the on-screen keyboard.
* The MIDI channel field has been changed to a pop-up menu.
* The disclosure button to show the destination and listen menus is now a normal button instead of being a repurposed toolbar toggle button.
* Pressed key highlights are drawn with a slight gradient.
* New Global Hot Keys menu item.
* New preferences to control the visibility of overlay notifications.
* It is now possible to have no modifier key for global hot keys, so you only have to press the key corresponding to the note.
* Key maps were extended to use more keys on the keyboard.
* Non-English localisations have been disabled for this release due to the number of UI changes.
* Added a preference to make the keyboard window transparent to mouse clicks when MidiKeys is in the background.
* Made the keyboard window minimizable.
* Reorganized the preferences window with several tabs.
* Added preferences to control software updates.
Free synthesizer that emulates a circuit-bending device
Always fancy software that looks like hardware
Bend Box is a software synthesizer that emulates a circuit-bending device. Can be useful for making experiments and for creating various noise FX. All knobs can be tweaked manually or thru easily assignable MIDI controllers. MIDI Automation is also available.
Watch the great video below
With Bend Box you can get wide range of noises: from the soft gurgling to ringing grinding, or even strange melodical timbres.
Atari going MIDI
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7V1vVnm2eOM&feature=player_embedded]
Atari 2600 Controlled / Played with MIDI Keyboard
New horror synth – Monstrous
Supersynths has announced the release of Monstrous, a new sample-based VST instrument plug-in for Windows that is described as “the Atmospheric Horror Synth”. It is currently available for the introductory price of $20 (normal price is $30).
Features:
- 3 layers that take advantage of the 1.2GB sound library.
- MIDI channel selector for each layer.
- Amplitude (ADSR) envelope, detune and pan controls per layer.
- 3 advanced filters with ADSR control.
- 2 Send FX (Chorus and Delay) and Preverb – a reverb-like effect that you can also use as a send effect.
- 2 Master effects: a silky smooth reverb and tempo delay.
- MIDI automation (for use with your control surface).
- Velocity Response.
- 1.2 gigabyte library with instruments, sound effects, percussion and atmospheres.
V7 of Digital Performer from MOTU
Digital Performer lets you record, edit, arrange, mix, process and master audio and MIDI tracks side by side for songwriting, studio production, live performance, film and television sound tracks, audio post production, surround mixing and other professional audio production tasks.
Digital Performer 7 offers new features, enhanced operation and improved performance at all levels, from hundreds of small enhancements driven by user requests to major new features and plug-ins that add unprecedented value.
Changes in Digital Performer 7
- Custom ‘59™ — A meticulously detailed guitar amp emulator modeled after all-time classics from Fender® and Marshall®.
- Guitar pedals — A new suite of stunningly accurate classic guitar pedals modeled after all-time favorites from Boss®, Ibanez® & others.
- Channel Strip — Gain instant access to all mixer channel settings for the track you are working on in any Editor window.
- Live Room | G™ — A superb physical modeling speaker cabinet emulator with four mixable mics (close, near and far) and 3-band EQ per mic.
- Inline EQ & dynamics — Control DP’s multi-band graphic EQ and vintage dynamics processing directly in each Mixing Board channel.
- Lead sheets — Create and print lead sheets, complete with lyrics and transposable chord symbols.
- Freely resizable Counter — Resize the Counter window to any size you wish, even the entire width of your screen.
- Marker Counter — Display markers in large type in the resizable Counter window. Use markers as a teleprompter for lyrics during live performance or recording sessions.
- Consolidated V-Racks — Display V-Rack virtual instruments and effects side by side with disk tracks in the Mixing Board.
- Lyrics — Type in lyrics directly below notes on the QuickScribe page. Or paste them into the Lyric window from your word processor and flow them into a track with one click.
- Transposable chord symbols — Add complex chord symbols directly on the page and transpose them at any time, together with or independently from notes.
- QuickScribe notation enhancements — Numerous enhancements give you even more control over the look of your score and help speed your notation workflow.
- Support for Pro Tools 8 — Industry-leading support for operation as a complete software front-end for Pro Tools | HD systems.
- Info Bar mixer controls — Get instant access to mixer channel settings in any editor window that follow the track you’re working on.
- Next-generation sample rate conversion — A new ultra-fast, CPU-efficient sample rate conversion algorithm delivers increased precision, efficiency, and transparency, with an astonishing 138 dB signal-to-noise ratio.
- Real-time crossfades — All crossfades are now computed in real time for lightning fast edits.
- Wave64 support — Support for the industry standard Wave64 extension to the Broadcast WAVE file format lets you record and import audio files larger than 4GB.
- Range automation modes — Raise, lower or write automation moves within any selected range, preserving everything before and after.
- Audio Units instrument side chains — Route side chain inputs to all your favorite third-party Audio Units plug-ins.
DATAMASKIN
