Joyful Tweeting
Elektron Analog Four + Arturia Minibrute + NI Maschine Mikro Mk2
Recorded into Ableton Live 9
Gran Cru – Brent Kallmer
A mellow house/techno track created in Ableton Live using MASCHINE and REAKTOR’s Metaphysical Function, Gaugear, and MONARK.
Emulating the King – Introducing Native Instruments’ MONARK
The Minimoog is probably the most famous hardware synthesizer of all time—and likely the most emulated in the world of software. So does the world really need another Minimoog emulation? Native Instruments thinks so: Their new REAKTOR-based synth, MONARK, is based on years of research—but how does it sound?
The System 1000M modular style synth for Native Instruments Kontakt 5.1.0 – A basic overview
A simple close-up of some of the features in the System1000M. This isn’t meant as an audio demo – just a guide to help learn the layout etc.
www.synthmagic.co.uk www.tronsonic.com
– Over 275 presets
– From raucous laboratory experiments, acid house and techno to serene radiophonic bliss-scapes
– Optional new ‘add-on’ banks and presets (coming soon)
– Sampled with vintage valve equipment to quarter inch tape for maximum analogue texture
The System 1000M modular style synth for Native Instruments Kontakt 5.1.0 – Random patch
Playing with the systme1000m.
– Over 275 presets
– From raucous laboratory experiments, acid house and techno to serene radiophonic bliss-scapes
– Optional new ‘add-on’ banks and presets (coming soon)
– Sampled with vintage valve equipment to quarter inch tape for maximum analogue texture
Available from www.synthmagic.co.uk www.tronsonic.com
Full version of Kontakt 5.1.0 needed
Cyclone – new synthesizer instrument for Native Instruments Kontakt
Sample Logic has announced Cyclone, a synthesizer instrument for Native Instruments Kontakt.
CYCLONE is the ultimate Kontakt synth solution!
Instantly transform your musical dreams into reality with CYCLONE, a powerhouse virtual instrument containing over 325 instruments and multis ranging from multi-layer motion pads and cinematic harmonic instruments to dub step inspired basses, electronic hybrid leads, and experimental drum kits.
Whether on a tight deadline, in need of inspirational presets and production tools, or looking to dig deep and create your own, CYCLONE delivers it all with its multi presets and instruments that can be quickly tweaked right on the interface for instant transformation.
Cyclone features
- Over 325 Instruments and Multis delivered at 44.1k/24-bit.
- Just under 3 GB sample library using Kontakt’s lossless sample storage compression
- NI Kontakt 5 Player with native 64-bit support
- Stand-alone, VST, AU, DXi, RTAS (Pro Tools 9 or higher), ASIO, CoreAudio, WASAPI.
Cyclone will be available on April 22nd, 2013 for MSRP $299.99 USD. It can be pre-ordered at a discount now.
All sounds are 100% Cyclone!
SLEEPY REVIEW: NI Reaktor on Microsoft Surface Pro
Josh Morky – a Mac user for 10 years and also an iPad music app fan – was intrigued by the new Windows 8 Surface tablets
I’ve been a mac user for almost 10 years now and recently learned about the new Windows 8 taking the leap into touchscreen. More or less all new windows computers are touch. Its pretty obvious from the thousands of apps that have popped up on the iPad in recent years that performing electronic music on a touch screen is fun, expressive, and kind of what we’ve all been waiting for. It just makes sense. Ive used an iPad for playing music – which I love – but can’t help but feel that Apple is purposefully limiting its potential. File management is a nightmare, and multitasking just doesn’t work. The iPad is brilliant at making sure you get all your apps, music, movies through Apple. By controlling your work/data flow, they make more money – a good business model, but not good for the creative user.
Windows 8 seemed too good to be true, but nobody on the internet has been writing about it. I decided to take the leap and bought a Microsoft Surface. Best Buy has a great return policy, so if I didn’t like it, I could always return it….
Basically, I ended up loving this thing. The operating system looks great, works great, and is altogether fun to use. Multitasking and switching between programs is great, and its really fun to be able to use a pen/stylus in addition to touch (its super precise and pressure sensitive). It really feels like the future of computers. I use a new 15″ macbook pro in my studio and a new 27″ imac at work, and now it feels like a bummer every time use them. They feel outdated. Trying to use the iPad is even more depressing. There are a lot of new windows tablets/laptops out there – but there are two things that made the Surface appeal to me more: 1) it comes with a pen (which helps if you need precision – especially with such a small screen – and taking notes or drawing is a lot of fun) and 2) the kickstand. I didnt really realize how nice it would be to be able to prop up a tablet – the ipad can be annoying to use in a lot of situations because it doesnt have one. Other things that are awesome is that it supports flash (Hulu!) and has usb – so you can use external drives, midi controllers, audio interfaces, etc….
Using Reaktor is great. I personally hate having to use midi controllers whose interface bears no resemblance to the patch Im using, and touch OSC on an ipad can be buggy and you have to create templates for every patch you use and end up constantly changing your template if you change anything in your patch. I also dont want to have to take 2 computers to a show, I want a tablet up there with me and thats all. Surface does this. Reaktor is really responsive and expressive – but it doesnt support multitouch yet. I thought this would make it pointless to use on a touchscreen, but I barely notice it. There are times it would be great to use multitouch, and things could definitely get more interesting with multitouch, but even just touching one thing at a time completely blows away using a mouse/midicontroller/touchOSC.
I tried using Ableton and it was super buggy with touch. You’d need a mouse, but even then, the screen on the Surface is just a bit too small.
As much as I loved the Surface, I ended up returning it. My car required $1000 to fix the day after I bought this thing, and as close to perfect as it was, the screen size of the Surface is just a bit too small for performing. At 10.1 inches, it has the same problem as the iPad in that you can’t fit too much on a screen without making the controls too small. Its fine if you miss a knob when you’re working in your studio, but in a live setting, you’d want something you can reliably hit 100% of the time. Unfortunately, most of the windows tablets are around 10/11 inches – and for some reason the idea of getting a laptop sounds too old fashioned to me – I DONT want a keyboard. Im going to wait around a little bit till things like the Dell XPS 18 come out (an 18 inch tablet with a sweet kickstand thats even more versatile than the Surface’s – though doesnt have a pen) or Microsoft comes out with a second edition (rumors are that they’ll make a 14 inch version, which sounds like the perfect size for mobility, home use, and performance). In the next 6 months a ton of new computer sizes/formats will be coming out – and they’ll get cheaper. When the perfect one comes out, I’ll be ready for it.
What REALLY needs to happen is that software companies need get on board. Theres not much yet that takes full advantage of multitouch. It’ll come, but its not there yet. This is really exciting – its the obvious next step in the evolution of the computer. Windows made a great new operating system, now its the software companies turn to take advantage it.
DJ Shiftee Takes On Traktor DJ
DJ Shiftee hits the streets of Berlin to showcase his mind-blowing mastery of Traktor DJ. http://www.native-instruments.com/tra…
TRAKTOR DJ brings the leading pro DJ software to iOS with an intuitive app for instant, high-impact DJ sets. Create mixes in seconds — put your hands directly on beautiful waveforms and manipulate them using gestures you already know.
[Please note: Traktor DJ is being used as two additional decks in the club scene. It is patched into the mixer through a Traktor Audio 6 interface. It is not being used to control Traktor Pro 2.]
More DJ Shiftee:
http://facebook.com/djshiftee
http://twitter.com/djshiftee
Elektron Analog 4 controlling Pittsburgh Modular Foundation
This synth jam stars the Analog 4 by Elektron and features the Pittsburgh Modular Foundation synth. The A4 controls the PMF as track 4, by setting the OSC to Ext input.
The PMF is influenced by the built in LFO of the A4 to get some cool wobble effect.
Drums: Maschine.
Effects: Ableton Live.
Preview: MONARK – the new Virtual Analog Synth from Native
Sneak peek at Native Instruments’ newest software synthesizer, Monark: a re-creation of classic analog monosynths like the iconic Minimoog Model D.
Matt Cellitti has been working with Monark for awhile and made this sneak preview video for us giving a brief tour of how this synth is laid out and how to use it. He also demos some of the presets to give an idea of the kind of sounds this new/old instrument is capable of.
For more info: http://blog.dubspot.com/monark
DATAMASKIN
