Analog Drumsynth à la Kraftwerk
For those who want stereo output only, here is a version with individual pan.
Camel Audio Alchemy synth VST
Camel Audio unveils Alchemy, a new virtual synth which they’ve been working hard on for the last four years.
Described as the ultimate sample manipulation synthesizer, Alchemy features additive, spectral and granular synthesis and resynthesis, sampling, and a very capable virtual analog engine with unison and PWM. You can morph or crossfade between sources. You can import your own samples from SFZ, WAV or AIFF files. A wide range of analog modelled filters are included, in addition to a flexible rack of effects which includes all those from CamelPhat and CamelSpace as well as many new effects such as a high quality reverb. The innovative modulation system is extremely flexible, yet easy to use. Alchemy also features a powerful arpeggiator with the ability to import the groove from any MIDI file for immediate synchronization to a beat.
Alchemy ships with over 2GB of samples and analysed content from in-house designers Tim Conrardy and Biomechanoid, as well as designers such as Ian Boddy, Robert Rich, Scott Solida and Nucleus SoundLab. A library of 300 excellent presets from many of the world’s top sound designers is included, arranged into categories for rapid access to the sound you require. A variety of expansion sound banks are in development.
Alchemy will be released this Autumn.
About
Alchemy is the ultimate sample manipulation synthesizer. It’s a synth powerhouse and yet is very easy to use thanks to its performance controls and remix pads. Just tweak the library of excellent presets from many of the world’s top sound designers or dive in and analyse your own samples – it’s up to you!
Alchemy features additive, spectral and granular synthesis and resynthesis, sampling, and a very capable virtual analog engine with unison and PWM. You can morph or crossfade between sources. You can import your own samples from SFZ, WAV or AIFF files. A wide range of analog modelled filters are included, in addition to a flexible rack of effects which includes all those from CamelPhat and CamelSpace as well as many new effects such as a high quality reverb. The innovative modulation system is extremely flexible, yet easy to use. Alchemy also features a powerful arpeggiator with the ability to import the groove from any MIDI file for immediate synchronization to a beat.
The new KORG M50
Korg unveils the M50, a new workstation declined in 3 models : the M50-61, M50-73 and M50-88 with 61, 73 and 88 key respectively.
Features :
– Same “EDS” (Enhanced Definition Synthesis) tone generator found on the M3
– 256 MB of PCM data, provides 608 programs and 384 combinations featuring Korg’s voicing expertise.
– The 61-key M50-61 and 73-key M50-73 use a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard, while the 88 key M50-88 features the top-of-the-line Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 (RH3) graded action keyboard,
– The Drum Track gives you 671 patterns to stimulate and support your realtime performance and song production.
– The Polyphonic Arpeggiator delivers from simple phrases up to complex rhythmic gestures, and lets you use two patterns simultaneously in Combination mode or Sequencer mode to create complete ensemble backing.
– The highly intuitive sequencer provides 16 MIDI + 1 master tracks with all the tools needed to capture and easily shape your musical ideas into polished productions.
– The large TouchView graphical user interface makes it easy to select sounds, adjust parameters and create your music easily.
– An SD card slot provides easy and affordable management of your sounds and songs.
– Included M50 Editor and M50 Plug-In Editor software lets you edit the sounds using your computer, and allows you to use the M50 as a plug-in instrument in your favorite DAW software (VST, Audio Units, and RTAS are supported).
– The M50-61 features a stylishly retro light-weight and compact design, and the M50-88 is the lightest weight 88-key keyboard Korg has ever made.
Exhibition: Magical Sound Machines
The exhibition MAGICAL SOUND MACHINES relates the (hi)stories of sound generators, sound recorders and sound transmitters. The extensive presentation will kiss awake ariston, mellotron, rhythmicon and many other, partly forgotten sound machines from their hundred-year sleep so that young and old, the general public and experts alike can experience and enjoy them on an interactive discovery tour.
MAGICAL SOUND MACHINES is an exhibition against oblivion. By means of the objects displayed the IMA Institute of Media Archaeology traces an exemplary history of our media age, with special attention being paid to technical as well as musical and artistic developments. The exhibited objects enchant with their (hi)stories, design and the visions connected to them and their inventors and users.
ExperimentalScene re-releases product range as Freeware
ExperimentalScene has re-released its entire audio product range as Freeware, including the modular virtual studio DarkWave Studio and its VST product range: DGenR8, AntiAlias, and SpatialVerb. All product limitations have been removed so now the electronic music community is able to enjoy this software free of charge.
DarkWave Studio 1.3
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DGenR8 VST 2.2
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SpatialVerb VST 2.2
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AntiAlias VST 2.2
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RegCompact Pro 2.2
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For more information, please visit www.experimentalscene.com
Future Audio Workshop unveils Circle
semi-modular software synthesizer
Future Audio Workshop unveils Circle is a new semi-modular software synthesizer, designed to be easy to use, allowing you to concentrate fully on sound design and performance. Circle, a new semi modular software synthesizer. Designed to be easy to use and intuitive through simple work flows. Circle comes with lots of great, ready to use sounds. Choose from a large varied pool of sound generators, effects, filters and modulations. Unrestricted modulation allows you to experiment with sound in new ways. Works as Standalone, Audio Unit, VST and RTAS.
What makes it unique is it’s interface. It has a fantastic new work “Flow” and feedback mechanism all presented via a high contrast single page user interface making it much easier to tweak and program than most synths.
Part of this flow is a scheme where modulate sources (LFO, Envelopes, Sequencers) have corresponding color coded “circles”. Simply drag the circle to the parameter you want to modulate and you’ll hear a preview. Drop the circle and the parameter is now connected to the modulation source (see a link to videos below). Very cool! The color coding makes it very easy to identify which modulation source is tied to what parameter making it easier to learn how Circle works.
The interface offers real-time feedback on parameters for the selected sound. For example, if you hit a note on your controller, this sends a circle down the volume envelope. Hold a key down and watch the LFO shape pulse. Again, this feedback system makes it much easier to see what’s happening inside the synth and then tweak to get a different result. Awesome!
Aside from the interface a few other features to note are:
- Midi Learn capability. A real time saver when it comes to assigning knobs from your favorite controller. Each instance of Circle in your host can have it’s own set of mappings.
- Wave morphing. Circle has a pre-defined set of waveforms. You can assign two to an oscillator and then use a modulator to morph.
- Built-in FX
- Sound browser not unlike Native Instruments Kore.
- Interesting “Keyboard” screen for setting up keyboard related modulations and more traditional arpeggiation.
Circle is now available for $199.00 / €149.00. Even you have other similar sounding synths in your rig, you should try the demo to get a feel for this innovative user interface.
More Info:
- Circle Web Page (mp3 demos of Circle in Action).
- Download a free demo
Cool VSTs for Linux
Create music today, rather than tomorrow…
With features such as no loading-time, all-in-one synth, fx and sequencer, drum machine track, high quality time-stretching/pitch-shifting, REX2 and VST plugin support…you just can’t go wrong with energyXT2.
<!– downloads
| » no loading time » all-in-one synth, fx and sequencer » HQ time-stretching & pitch-shifting |
» clip-based automation » runs on Linux, out-of-the-box! » great user community |
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» 100% re-worked workflow
» elastique time-stretching and pitch-shifting
» drag & drop REX2 groove support, with slice editing
» non-destructive audio reverse
» shuffle/swing on midi, audio and drum tracks
» clip based automation embedded into midi, audio and drum clips
» warm and clean sounding phase modulation synthesizer with sample support
» multi-fx processor
» drum track with sample support
» main mixer with unlimited sends, inserts and group channels
» searchable browser with sample preview
» midi, audio and drum clips can be saved as self-containing library clips
» enhanced controller maps
» Works out-of-the box on Linux
Sequencer
The sequencer in energyXT2 works the same way as in Cubase and Logic and offers audio recording, different track types, clip based automation of mixer/EQ and VST plugins. It also has some unique features like drum-machine track, per audio clip resample & elastique time-stretching and modeless editing. Tracks can be arranged into folders to save screen space and VST plugin editors can be docked into separate tabs.
Synth/sampler
The built-in synth/sampler is a phase modulation synthesizer and sample player in one. You can layer and split synthesized and sampled sounds anyway you want. There are all the standard features like multi-mode filter, LFO’s, vibrato and glide. Add per sound phaser/chorus/flanger and per program reverb and delay send effects and you have yourself a workstation. The sound is very “Warm and clean” : bass/pads | bass/lead | synth pad | filter | bass sweep | fm synth | detuned bass | feedback synth
Drum track
The new drum track in energyXT2 works like an audio track with a built in drum sampler. The drum editor looks like a real drum machine and samples can be dropped right into it for quick drum set construction. Drumsets can be saved as presets. To create a new drum track, simply drag a drumset preset or just a wav file into the sequencer, and the drum track will be created for you automatically.
Mixer
All settings in the main mixer cam be automated from the sequencer, including volume, pan, mute, EQ and effect parameters. There are no limit to how many insert and send effects you can use in a project, well except for your CPU that is. Group channels are available for sub mixing, and can be automated just like normal mixer channels and supports insert and send effects as well. The mixer is dockable, and presets for different mixer views can be customized.
Browser
VST plugins, samples and presets can be dragged into the sequencer tracks and mixer effect slots. energyXT2 will autodetect if you drop a VST instrument into the sequencer, create a new MIDI track and connect it to the instruments automatically. Same if you drop a drum sample, a drum track will be created for you, ready to play!
Modular environmnet
energyXT2 offers a modular design, but its up to you if you want to use its features or not. The “Comps” view visualizes all the VST plugins, sequencers and audio inputs/outputs used in your project. In the comps view, you can easely set up energyXT2 as a standalone effect processor. Drop a few effetcs into the comps view, route audio input thru the effect plugins and then to the master out.
Roland announce the GW-8 workstation with intelligent backing-track functionality
Roland announced several new products at the London International Music Show. Amongst others they unveiled the new GW-8 Workstation and the revival of an oldie, the Juno in a stage version.
Let’s try it out
Roland’s GW-8 is the next generation of their GW-series workstations with intelligent backing-track functionality. Roland say that with their world-leading sound technology at its core, the GW-8 rivals any workstation on the planet with its rich, expressive sound. It features a wide variety of contemporary sounds, intelligent backing styles, and additional banks of ethnic sounds and styles from around the world.
A multi-format USB Memory Player feature allows direct playback of MP3, WAV, AIFF, and SMF files from USB key, while the Centre Cancel feature for audio files enables karaoke-style sing-along.
Here’s the details
Features
- Contemporary music workstation with high-quality 128-voice sound engine derived from Roland’s renowned sound-module lineup
- Wide variety of contemporary sounds and intelligent backing styles, plus additional banks of ethnic sounds and styles from around the world
- USB Memory Player feature allows direct playback of MP3, WAV, AIFF, and SMF files from USB key; Centre Cancel feature for audio files enables karaoke-style sing-along
- Newly designed graphical display, plus Style Select button, Analogue Modify knob, and D-BEAM
- Style Converter and Playlist Editor software included
- Onboard 16-track sequencer for saving your interactive performances
Flagship Sound Engine with Easy User Interface
With Roland’s world-leading sound technology at its core, the GW-8 rivals any workstation on the planet with its rich, expressive sound. The GW-8 comes loaded with hundreds of the freshest and most essential sounds culled from Roland’s top sound modules. In addition to its authentic sound set, the GW-8 is equipped with many user-friendly control devices, such as the expressive D-BEAM and the Analogue Modify knob, which instantly adjusts sounds to suit your taste. The GW-8 is perfect for live entertainers who play multiple roles in their performances.
Intelligent Backing Styles
The GW-8 is packed with a huge collection of styles, representing a broad range of music genres, from contemporary rock, pop, dance, jazz and beyond. In addition to the excellent library of contemporary sounds and styles, the GW-8 is equipped with ethnic instrument sounds and authentic regional musical styles.* Each backing style has four intros, four main patterns, and four ending progressions for you to craft your own arrangements live
Looking for whacko synth stuff?
Back in March of 1977 the delightful Mr Serge Tcherepnin wrote a do it yourself article in Synapse Magazine for a handy control voltage “Programmer” module. Playfully he published it using the alias of Mr. “Arpad Benares” and now close to thirty-years later we are pleased to offer the very same Benares Programmer fully assembled in Modcan A-series banana format as a very limited edition!
Putting this wonderful nostalgia aside for a moment, this Programmer is a terrifically useful tool for your modular. Think of it as a Sequencer with five stages of four knobs each. You can access the stages sequentially, or individually, and in any random order of your choosing by either driving the Programmer to a specific stage with an input pulse or with your finger using its big sexy industrial crisp-action LED pushbuttons.
Each button has an individual Gate Output to activate other modules in your system, and there is a Common Pulse Out jack to fire your envelope generator no matter which of the buttons is pushed for traditional keyboard applications. Actually you can put several of these double wide Programmers in rows to form even longer keyboards!
For convenience the original design has been updated to include white Strobe Up and Strobe Down jacks. A fun new way of sequencing can be explored by putting different LFOs into both jacks at once – for push-me pull-you tug-of-war type rhythms and melodies like “three notes forward, and one back”.
Programmers can of course be used to play four-part melodies or pre-programmed chords, but they are often used to control other various parameters of a large patch such as the cut-off frequency or resonance of filters, or the amount of lag, or or the speed of a clock, or the wave selection of a MiniWave module, or literally any handful of things that need to be pre-programmed for big sweeping changes instantly, (in a live performance for example).
Fill up your studio with VSTs and more from Maschinenmusik
Maschinenmusik has been around for some time but if you haven´t come across them before, than you need to do so now and perhaps get a boost in your creativity and btw Maschinenmusik also hosts a couple of artists in the electro/EBM space that can be worth checking out. Honestly I have not tried all their stuff myself, but if someone has please make sure to post any comments you may have.
A couple of snapshots of what you can find:
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Orion Platinum |
| Orion Platinum is the most advanced Software Studio software avaliable today. Everything you ever need for professional music production and then some… | |
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Audiomulch |
| Audiomulch is a modular audiosoftware with extraordinary effects and great parameter automation , great for live performances. | |
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VST FX and VST instruments |
| for the adventurous musician. Here you find some VST FX and VST instruments made by MASCHINENMUSIK for free download. |
DATAMASKIN
