Results for controller

Korg has announced the KP3+ Dynamic Effects/Sampler module and Kaossilator Pro+ Dynamic Phrase Synthesizer/Loop Recorder at NAMM 2013.

The KP3+ provides even more creative power for live and in-studio use while retaining the intuitive and user-friendly Kaoss touchpad interface.

It offers the original KP3 effects, sounds and features, plus 22 all-new, diverse effect programs for everything from various EDM genres to rock and beyond. All are complemented by an enhanced, intuitive pad illumination system.

KP3+ features

• Use the touchpad to control effects in real time.
• A total of 150 effects ideal for DJ mixing and sound design; 42 new types including:
  • Vinyl Break simulates a turntable.
  • Ducking Compressor emphasizes the backbeats.
  • Newly-designed looper lets you freely manipulate loops.
  • Effects you can use for breaks in your DJ play.
• High-spec sampling functionality.
• Numerous functions to make your performance even more expressive
  • FX Release function controls the reverberation to produce a more natural decay.
  • Mute function cuts the input signal and outputs only the effect sound.
  • Pad Motion function records and reproduces your effect usage.
• Practical functions that are easy to use during live performance or production
  • Eight program memories let you switch effects instantly.
  • Hold function sustains the effect sound.
  • Set the tempo with auto BPM, tap tempo, or the BPM knob.
  • Pad LEDs ensure high visibility even in the dark.
• Highly expandable for even greater potential
  • USB MIDI allows for use as a powerful MIDI controller.
  • Store sample data on an SD/SDHC card.
  • Dedicated editor software for centralized management of sample data and settings.

The Korg KP3+ will be available April 2013 for a street price of $349.99 USD.

The Kaossilator Pro+ is a dynamic phrase synthesizer/loop recorder that lets you perform and create multi-layered music in any style – with just the touch of a finger.

The Kaossilator Pro+ is packed with 250 programs, including more of the cutting-edge synth sounds that Korg is known for. Like all Kaoss-based products, this versatile new instrument offers creative musical possibilities and intuitive control over multiple parameters simply by moving a finger across the X-Y touchpad.

Kaossilator Pro+ features

• Freely playable synthesizer; simply touch the touchpad to play notes and manipulate sounds in real time.
• A total of 250 sound programs (including drum program) cover a wide range of styles, including 62 new programs.
• Loop Recording function allows intuitive performance and recording, and 4 infinitely stackable loop banks are available.
• Numerous functions for unlimited performance possibilities
  • Scale/Key settings make it easy for anyone to perform with no wrong notes.
  • Note Range function lets you specify the horizontal pitch range of the touchpad.
  • Gate Arpeggiator function allows you to easily control phrases with the slider.
  • Pad LEDs ensure excellent visibility even in the dark.
• USB MIDI allows use as a powerful MIDI controller.
• Store recorded loop data and even externally –made .WAV files on an SD/SDHC card.
• Dedicated editor software for centralized management of sample data and settings.

The Korg Kaossilator Pro+ will be available April 2013 for a street price of $399.99 USD.

More information: Korg

Livid Instruments has introduced its new Base controller.

Combining the technology of drum machines and touch screens, Base delivers a sleek new pressure-sensitive surface that doubles up the MPC’s fabled 16 pads and opens up your hands to freely mix. With 32 pressure-sensitive pads, nine touch sliders, eight touch-sensitive buttons, and eight momentary buttons there’s plenty of controls to play and control your set.

Illuminated throughout with RGB lights and a simple character display, Base provides plenty of novel ways to give you feedback for playing drums, synths, loops, step sequencing, changing presets, and even navigating your set. Customize all the settings and internal presets using the Base Editor web application to best fit your workflow with your favorite DAW, VST, plugin, or application.

Base features

• Dimensions 10.25” x 11”x 0.75”.
• Weight 3 lbs.
• Completely editable with on board presets.
• Works with anything that supports MIDI learn.
• 32 velocity / pressure sensitive pads with aftertouch.
• 9 touch faders with multiple LED modes.
• 8 touch buttons.
• 8 function buttons.
• All controls have RGB lights.
• USB powered and class compliant (no drivers needed).
• Constructed from high quality aluminum and rubber.
• Design and assemebled in Austin, TX.

Base will be shipping March 1st, 2013. It is available to pre-order for $399 USD.

More information: Livid Instruments / Base

Arturia has announced the launch of MiniLab, a USB bus-powered powerhouse, featuring 25 velocity-sensitive mini-keys alongside brand-new pitch and modulation touch-strip controls for maximising musical expression in a highly-portable package.

16 multifunction encoders — more than those found on any available comparably-sized USB/MIDI controller — ensure everything is at hand to program or perform, wherever life may take or lead you. And if that’s not enough to keep users entertained, two banks of brightly backlit performance pads can be easily assigned as pads, MIDI CC buttons, or program change switches for even speedier interactions with whatever device MiniLab is connected to (via its cleverly-recessed USB bus-power port and sustain pedal input).

Of course, music is where the heart is, and at the heart of MiniLab is the benevolently bundled Analog Lab software solution. With over 5,000 legendary classic keyboard and synth sounds carefully chosen from the Mini V, Modular V, CS-80 V, ARP2600 V, Jupiter-8V, Prophet 5, Prophet VS, Oberheim SEM V, and Wurlitzer V range of Analog Classic software instruments, Analog Lab offers speedy and simple editing with the most essential parameters for personalising presets available onscreen and for tweaking using the MiniLab controls. Notably, those TAE® (True Analog Emulation) synthesis-powered sounds are not sample-based, but are actually running the full synth engine behind the scenes, so offer unparalleled flexibility.

Yet there’s more: owners of those individual Analog Classics or the all-encompassing V Collection 3.0 bundle can open an Analog Lab sound, edit it in the original software instrument, then add it to their Analog Lab library, thereby taking their sound and workflow to a higher state of musical interactivity. Speaking of which, MiniLab is also compatible with Apple iPad and iPhone products (using a camera connection kit).

So, whatever way users choose to use it, musical life on the move’s just got a whole lot sweeter thanks to MiniLab, the world’s premier mobile keyboard solution!

MiniLab features

• 25 note velocity sensitive mini keyboard.
• 16 encoders.
• 16 pads (two banks of 8 pads/buttons).
• Pitchbend/Modulation touch strip.
• Footswitch input.
• Recessed full sized USB jack.
• Bus powered, Class compliant.
• Works with iPAD (camera connection kit required).
• Comes with Analog Lab software.
• 5000 sounds from the best synths and keyboards.

MiniLab will be available to purchase from the Arturia online store or any dealer for 99 EUR / $129 USD from mid-March 2013.

More information: Arturia / MiniLab

Arturia has announced the NAMM 2013 launch of SparkLE Creative Drum Machine, its newest hybrid beat production centre combining intuitive hardware hands-on control with software strength and integration.

Quite simply, SPARK Creative Drum Machine revolutionised hands-on beat-making by cleverly combining TAE® (True Analog Emulation) synthesis, sample playback (with multiple layering modes and post-processing), and physical modelling technologies with the intuitive workflow of a hardware drum machine upon its June 2011 launch; today, SparkLE Creative Drum Machine joins its bigger brother to take this concept to the masses in an all-new, ultra-portable package at a takeaway price point that’s tough to beat (€249.00 EURO/$299.00 USD).

The solidly-constructed, super-slimline SparkLE Creative Drum Machine hardware measures a mere 1.6cm in depth and comes complete with a handy neoprene slipcase to take your beats to the streets with that ‘real instrument feel’ so many other controllers clearly lack. With it comes direct access to all the features needed to create patterns, write automation, and perform live.

SparkLE Creative Drum Machine serves up classic ‘TR-style’ workflow via its brightly backlit step sequencer buttons, while a musical platter of bangin’ beats can quite literally be banged out using its eight velocity- and pressure-sensitive backlit pads. Stunning live performances are a breeze thanks to the advanced Looper and beat-slicing functions, while beats can be transformed on the fly with the touch-sensitive FX pad that features eight filter modes (including the famed Oberheim SEM V filter featured in Arturia’s acclaimed Oberheim SEM V soft synth namesake) and seven Slicer modes.
Three assignable encoders ease writing automation and realtime sound control. More musical still, TUNE mode permits playing sounds chromatically across those 16 step sequencer buttons or eight pads — try having the kick drum follow the bass root note for truly trouser-flapping lows, play a synth bass/lead sound, or transform percussion sounds into pitched instruments… it’s all there for the hands-on taking!

Software-wise, SparkLE Creative Drum Machine makes use of the same full-featured Spark Engine software shipping with the original SPARK Creative Drum Machine. It includes an awesome library of over 1,500 instruments and 100 kits, providing top-notch, professional sounds covering a variety of dancefloor-friendly genres and stylings, ever-expandable with Arturia add-ons (like the Hip Hop Essentials and DubStep Essentials Expansion Packs).

Priced to go, there has never been a better time than now to add a little sparkle to your rhythmic creativity with SparkLE Creative Drum Machine!

SparkLE features

• Full featured Spark Software.
• 3 synthesis engines: Virtual analog, Physical Modeling, Sample playback.
• Works Standalone & as a plug-in (VST, VST3, AU, RTAS).
• Backlit velocity and pressure sensitive Pads.
• Touch sensitive FX pad.
• Mode selector – Bank, Pattern, Seq, Tune.
• Bus powered, class compliant USB input.
• User assignable encoders.
• Advanced Looper Divide/Move function.
• Classic ‘TR style’ programming.
• Real-time programming from the pads.
• Protective travel sleeve.
• Small, Portable, Solid construction.
• MIDI mode for use as a controller with any software.

SparkLE Creative Drum Machine will be available to purchase from the Arturia online store or any dealer for 249 EUR / $299 USD from mid-March 2013.

More information: Arturia / SparkLE

Expert Sleepers has released version 2.1.0 of Silent Way, the suite of plug-ins designed for use with analogue synthesisers.

The plug-ins produce no sound themselves, nor do they process sound – rather, they generate signals to be used as control voltages (CVs), which can be patched into the control inputs of oscillators, filters, VCAs etc. of an analogue system. Also, with the addition of the CV Input plug-in, it is possible to bring CVs from the synth into the computer, for recording or processing.

Changes in Silent Way v2.1.0

• Added a new plug-in: Silent Way Function. SW Function applies simple mathematical operations to incoming CVs. It is intended to be particularly useful in conjunction with the forthcoming ES-6 and ES-7 modules.
• Added “Calibrated” mode to Silent Way Follower, allowing it to use calibration profiles generated in SW Voice Controller, for accurate pitch tracking from incoming audio to your analogue VCOs.
• Added “Transport2″ sync mode to Silent Way LFO. Like the existing Transport mode, but stops when the host transport stops.
• Added a “Transfer” button to Silent Way Soundplane and Silent Way Follower, allowing one click transfer of a calibration from Voice Controller to another plug-in that uses is, without having to save the calibration to disk and load it back in.
• Added support for the Expert Sleepers ES-5 module to Silent Way Sync.
• Added sustain pedal support to Silent Way Voice Controller.
• Fixed a bug that would cause Silent Way Follower to lock up the host application.

Silent Way is available to purchase for $59 USD. The update is free for existing users. Note: the AAX version of v2.1.0 is done but not yet uploaded, pending some final testing. Please continue to use the v2.0.3 AAX version for now.

More information: Expert Sleepers / Silent Way

AIR Music Technology has presented the Ignite music creation software, offering an entirely new approach to making music with computers.

Ignite works seamlessly with your M-Audio keyboard, giving you the fastest way to capture ideas and make music.

Ignite is a discrete, standalone music ideation and creation software, built from the ground up to spark creative ideas and enable musicians to build songs in an organic fashion. Ignite stands apart from the traditional music recording software model. These original digital audio workstations, or DAW systems, recreated—and expanded on—the machines, technology, and experience of the recording studio session. By comparison, Ignite mirrors the creative process, and provides the individual musician with a more personal and interactive workspace.

At the heart of Ignite is its non-linear Arranger, which replaces the traditional timeline and tracks-and-lanes format with an interface free of studio jargon. Using Ignite, ideas can be captured quickly in a flowing, effortless manner. Ideas are captured as phrases, called clips. Clips can be any length and don’t have to be aligned into a pre-determined structure (tracks and lanes). Individual ideas can be snapped together in pairs or groups to intuitively construct entire songs. Audio and MIDI clips can be freely combined, edited, and rearranged at will. A collection of effects is available to enhance any clip or recording. Arranging and rearranging clips is simple and invites experimentation. Each clip is color-coded, providing a visually intuitive way to see and work with musical ideas.

Ignite provides seamless integration with any current generation M-Audio controller. A graphic image of the keyboard will appear on screen, and the key parameters will be automatically assigned, or mapped, to the front panel controllers. This tight integration provides an out-of-the-box solution that simply works with no setup chores to perform. Ignite’s Smart MIDI technology assists in the creation of chords, phrases, patterns, and complex arrangements to kick-start or embellish the user’s musical creation.

Included with Ignite are over 275 remarkable instrument sounds developed by AIR Music Technology, based on their acclaimed Hybrid, Strike, Transfer, Structure, and Velvet virtual instruments. Instruments include keyboards, drums, percussion, basses, guitars, synths, strings, brass, and woodwinds.

Ignite features

• Capture ideas quickly—with professional results.
• Easily combine and arrange individual recordings.
• Unique non-technical, musician-centric workflow.
• Intuitive graphic interface speeds production.
• Smart MIDI chord & phrase creators aid composition.
• 275 superior instrument sounds created by AIR.
• Instant, hassle-free M-Audio integration.
• Collaborate and share songs via SoundCloud.
• Export MIDI and audio files for use in any DAW.

AIR will be exhibiting at Booth 6700 at the 2013 Winter NAMM show, January 24-27 in Anaheim, California.

More information: AIR Music Technology / Ignite