The Beatles “Because” on the Haken Continuum
“I wanted to do a track with polyphonic playing, poly vibrato (!), etc and this well-known (ahem!) piece seemed like a good fit for that… An imperfect performance but really fun to play! Check out the part near the end (2:05 & 2:15) when I get to bring out the other synth line just with poly pressure–Way cool!
Don’t judge the sound of this incredible instrument by my camera’s cheesy mic… It is gorgeous in person (or in a decent recording.)
Be sure to check out Lippold Haken’s incredible instrument at hakenaudio.com”
Ableton Live Tutorial: Vocal Processing Effects + Live Performance Tips
More info: http://bit.ly/yUCtMg
Dubspot Instructor Dan Freeman explains and demonstrates tips and tricks for processing live vocals with Ableton Live. This video is aimed at folks who want to take advantage of Ableton Live’s powerful effects and use them for live vocal performance. This is also for producers who what to know how to route vocals into Live and work with the vocoder effect.
Ableton Live Producer Program starts online the week of February 5th and in NYC the week of February 22nd. Course details and registration info here: http://bit.ly/oqTbm1
Mike Hoska performs with Akai Pro MAX49 & APC
Mike Hoska takes the Akai Pro MAX49 out for a performance. Also in his rig, multiple APC’s. In the studio, on stage, MAX49 gets it done.
MAX49 from Akai Professional places revolutionary MIDI and CV control at your fingertips. With an intuitive layout and included AkaiConnect automatic-mapping software, MAX49 offers an instant, fully immersive experience with your favorite music software and virtually all VST plugins. From its 49 semi-weighted keys and 12 real MPC pads, to its groundbreaking LED touch faders and vintage CV & Gate outputs, MAX49 combines cutting-edge Akai Pro technology with classic capability to give you an unprecedented music-making experience.
http://soundcloud.com/mike-hoska
http://www.blindedrecords.com
Lur presents The Big Bug
Lur is a livelooping duo from Malmo, Sweden. They record and loop all instruments and sounds live on stage.
The Big Bug is a liveact that starts where ordinary club acts ends. With bombastic beats, DIY instruments, interactive projections and musical magic tricks, they will offer a liveloopingshow for all party animals in the urban swamp.
For more info visit:
lurlurlur.com
MOOG SOUND LAB Season 2: Ra Ra Riot – Boy
http://youtu.be/MixIJ0OGzGc
Ra Ra Riot visited the Moog Sound Lab to re-create the song “Boy” from their LP “The Orchard”.
See more of the sound lab series at http://www.moogmusic.com/sight-and-sound/sound_lab/
Bax TV takes a close look at the Casio XW P1 Performance synth
Daniel Fisher, checks out the new Casio XW-P1 Performance Synthesizer from the 2012 NAMM Show.
The Casio XW-G1 is a ‘groove synthesizer’ equipped with a keyboard and designed to offer the various kinds of digital equipment used by club DJs, including the ability to create and play back a variety of rhythm patterns and musical phrases.
NAMM 2012: Electrix Tweaker introduction
The Tweaker is a performance controller for Abelton users, Traktor users, and music producers and performers of all genres.
At the heart of Tweaker lies a grid of 32 rubber pads backlit by RGB LEDs, and 8 velocity sensitive drum pads. There is a channel strip on each side of the grid, and a crossfader centered underneath. Each channel trips is comprised of a fader, three backlit rubber pads, an analog knob, and three push encoders with red LED rings. The navigation section at the top of the unit has a large browsing encoder and a four-way selection push grid (left, right, up, down).
Tweaker is fully USB bus powered and also has MIDI In and Out ports.
Latest updates will be announced here >>
NAMM 2012: Livid CNTRL-R
Designed with Richie Hawtin, this step sequencer and controller is an Abletonators dream!
CNTRL:R is a contemporary MIDI performance instrument for creative music production. Housed in a lightweight aluminum body, this controller is ideal for live performance and studio production. Create rhythms, sequence and perform drums, launch clips, mix tracks, and have complete control over your performance with CNTRL:R’s advanced set of features. High quality faders, push button encoders, rotary knobs, expression pedal inputs, and keypads backed with RGB lights give you all the controls you need for an interactive performance. With scripts available for Ableton Live and NI Traktor, the CNTRL:R meets the needs of anyone looking to perform electronic music.
CNTRL:R was designed over a one and a half year period with electronic music pioneer Richie Hawtin and the artists on m_nus records. The controller is designed to provide a high quality controller sized small enough to fit into a backpack, but large enough for extensive hands-on control. The instrument has all of the essential controls for music creation and can be adapted to many different software and styles. The “sequencer” section of the controller can be set to create sequences and grooves, or control cue points and triggers. The central 4×4 keypad can launch clips, play drums, and control functions. The fader and knobs are ideal for channel strip controls, device control, EQ, and effects. The CNTRL:R is totally programmable and adaptable to any software that supports MIDI.
Official video: Casio XW-P1 Performance Synthesizer
“Introduction to the new XW-P1 Performance Synthesizer from Casio by Mike Martin.” Casio has unveiled two new professional Synthesizers: the XW-P1, a 61 key performance synthesizer equipped with Casio’s exclusive Hybrid Processing Sound Source (HPSS) that meets the needs of the most experienced performing musician, and the XW-G1 groove synthesizer, designed for the DJ and club performer, provides an interactive step sequencer and a sample looper for digitally capturing performance patterns and external instruments. Designed with today’s professional musician in mind, both the XW-P1 and XW-G1 synthesizers are the ideal tools for performing and recording artists alike. With the launch of two new products Casio has re-entered the professional synthesizer market, ultimately demonstrating its commitment to innovation in the marketplace.
XW-P1:
6 Oscillator Monophonic Solo Synthesizer
HexLayer – A single sound made up of 6 components for gig ready splits and layers
Drawbar Organ Mode with 9 sliders, adjustable rotary speaker, key click, vibrato and percussion
400 fully editable PCM based sounds like stereo pianos, vintage electric pianos, strings, guitars, drums and more
Performance mode providing 4 internal or external instrument zones with instant recall of effects, 13 Track Step Sequencer and 16 step programmable Arpeggiators and Phrases
4 real-time controller knobs
Pitch and Modulation Wheels
USB and MIDI ports and a 1/8” stereo line input to connect to an MP3 Player, laptop or tablet
The XW-P1 will be available March 2012 with an MSRP of $699.00
Quotes
Mike Martin, General Manager, Marketing, Electronic Musical Instruments Division
“The XW series are not just new keyboards, they represent a new direction for Casio in the musical instrument business.”
“Casio’s formula of value and quality that has been the foundation of award winning instruments like Privia has been applied to a new product category, and the XW-P1 and XW-G1 are just the beginning.”
“The solo synth has an incredibly deep and powerful design. Among countless others, the oscillators even have access to waveforms from Casio’s original CZ synthesizers. It can create a variety of classic analog sounds, but also has the power to deliver sounds with an aggressive edge.”
‘Everyone is going to be surprised by the expressiveness and range of sounds the solo synth can create, but that is just one aspect of these products.'”
More info on the two new synths from Casio: XW-G1 and XW-P1
Casio has introduced two new keyboard synthesizers at the Winter NAMM, the XW-G1 Groove Synthesizer and the XW-P1 Performance Synthesizer, here are the full specs for both of them:
The Casio XW-G1 is a ‘groove synthesizer’ equipped with a keyboard and designed to offer the various kinds of digital equipment used by club DJs, including the ability to create and play back a variety of rhythm patterns and musical phrases.
Features:
- Step Sequencer
- 100 different rhythm patterns are available for playback in the preset sequences
- Up to 100 original rhythm patterns can be recorded as user sequences
- Users can improvise using the set of 16 buttons while playing back rhythm patterns
- Multiple rhythm patterns—as many as 99—can be connected in a sequence and played as loops using the Chains function
- Phrase Sequencer
- 100 musical phrases can be readily played back using the preset phrases
- Up to 100 musical phrases spontaneously played on the keyboard can be stored in memory as user phrases
- Live performance functions
- A multifunction keys enables users to assign essential functions for DJ performances to keys
- 420 preset tones including Solo Synthesizer and PCM tones can be quickly accessed in keyboard performances
- The Arpeggio function can automatically play arpeggios just by pressing keys
- Sample Looper
- Sounds performed on the synthesizer as well as sounds input from external source can be sampled and played back in loops of up to 19 seconds long, allowing overdubbing
- Sampled sounds that are saved as user tones can be played in keyboard performances
- Other features
- Wide variety of preset tones or internal PCM and Synth waves to create sounds
- Various input and output terminals enable connection of audio equipment and MIDI-compatible devices, such a DJ gear and musical instruments
- Portable MIDI devices or audio equipment can be placed on the designated rubber holding space
Specifications are available at the Casio site.
The XW-P1 is designed to be a true performance synthesizer that allows users to create a wide array of sounds from many preset tones, including Solo Synthesizer, Hex Layer, and Drawbar Organ tones, as well as numerous types of internal PCM and Synth waves.
Features:
- Wide selection of preset tones ensures quick access in performances
- 100 Solo Synthesizer presets can reproduce vintage analog synthesizer sounds
- 50 Hex Layer presets layer as many as six tones for ensemble sounds
- 50 Drawbar Organ presets can reproduce traditional Drawbar Organ sounds
- A total of 420 PCM Melody and PCM Drum presets have been produced from samples of various instrument sounds including pianos, guitars, and drums
- Synth features
- A total of 311 internal Synth waves reproduce vintage analog synthesizer sounds
- A total of 2,158 PCM waves are built in, including wave data from the CZ series, Casio’s best-selling digital synthesizers of the 1980s
- Users can create integrated sounds by layering analog synthesizer waves and PCM waves
- Users can produce original Hex Layer sounds by combining as many as six preset tones
- Users can create their own Drawbar Organ sounds by using the nine sliders
- Variety of functions useful for live performances
- Users can assign performance setups for up to four designated keyboard zones by using the Performance function
- The Phrase Sequencer lets users create and play back musical phrases to enhance their performances
- The Step Sequencer allows users to create and play back a variety of rhythm patterns
- The Arpeggio function can automatically play arpeggios just by pressing keys
- Useful features for applications ranging from performance to music production
- SMF data or audio data saved on an SD card can be played back while playing the keyboard
- MIDI devices, microphones, audio players, and other equipment can be connected using the various input and output terminals
- Portable audio equipment or MIDI devices can be placed on the designated rubber holding space
Specifications for the XW-P1 are available at the Casio site.
DATAMASKIN
