Bedroom Producers Blog has released the Yamaha SHS-10 Toy Keytar Sessions, a free sample pack.
Taking a short break from Commodore 64 Synthesizer Sessions, I’ve decided to release this set of free samples from a Yamaha SHS-10 toy keytar I used to own.
It’s a cool looking little keytar with some nice and cheesy FM sounds, but I had to sell it since there’s hardly any space left in my room for such little gadgets. Of course, I listed it it in the ads only after sampling all of its preset sounds.
Yamaha SHS-10 Toy Keytar Sessions features
8 instrument presets, as well as the SHS-10 drum kit.
All the samples (69 samples in total) are 16-bit WAV files, with Kontakt 5 and Shortcircuit 1 patches included.
Patches have a key range from F1 to C3 (like the real SHS-10). Vibrato is mapped to the mod wheel.
Download size is 19.8MB (26.4MB on disk).
The sample pack is a free download (100% royalty free).
Alesis has introduced the Vortex, a USB/MIDI keytar controller.
The Vortex eliminates the barrier between keyboardists and the audience. With an extensive layout of touch-sensitive keys and velocity-sensitive pads on its pearlescent white body, and radical octave and pitch controls on its neck, the Vortex will have keyboard players ruling the stage.
The Vortex includes features never before found on any keytar: both traditional MIDI and USB MIDI are onboard, empowering keyboardists to use the Vortex with all of their software instruments and synths on Mac, PC, and iPad*. They’ll have a virtually unlimited palette of sounds, ready to command with one of the most exciting and eye-catching controllers ever created. And for instant performance, the Vortex comes automapped for today’s most popular software synths and DAWs. Users can customize and create their own mappings for virtually any software they like.
Vortex features
Dynamic, shoulder-worn performance keyboard with attention-grabbing looks.
The first USB keytar controller—works with all of your software instruments & synths on Mac, PC, & iOS* devices.
USB and traditional MIDI jacks for use with virtually any synth, sound module, or other MIDI hardware or software.
Embedded, MIDI-assignable accelerometer for performance parameter control by tilting the neck.
Thumb-controlled volume slider, sustain button and pitch-bend wheel on neck.
Finger-controlled MIDI-assignable touchstrip, sustain, and octave-control buttons on neck.
37 velocity-sensitive keys with aftertouch for compact, yet complete melodic range.
Eight velocity-sensitive drum pads/sample triggers enable you to create beats or trigger clips.
Large transport & patch-select controls for instant access.
Includes strap; standard guitar strap pegs are compatible with virtually any strap.
Bus powered when USB-connected to Mac or PC; battery compartment for use with MIDI modules and iOS devices.
Alesis will debut the Vortex at booth #6400 at the 2012 NAMM Show from January 19—22 in Anaheim, California.
Over 25 years later, portions of MIDI introduced early on in the spec remain relevant. And if you want to connect your MIDI-equipped gear to Apple’s iPod touch, iPhone, and iPad mobiles, you will soon have an array of choices.
In iOS 4.2, best known for leveling the playing field between Apple’s handhelds and tablet, you’ll get full-blown MIDI support. It was clear in leaked details from earlier releases that Apple’s Core MIDI framework was finding new life on the mobile OS, but not directly what that would mean for hardware. Now, the hardware picture is clear.
Korg has published a reference schematic for their excellent Monotron analog synth. Folks in the circuit bending community have been hacking this thing since it came out, but now we have a schemo to follow. Yet another tool in the neverending quest for a fat, tasty bassline. r0ck!
Konkreet Performer is a control instrument for live music performance. Its unique and intuitive multi-touch interface reconnects the musician’s actions directly with the music.
Taking full advantage of the possibilities created by the latest multi-touch technology, Konkreet Performer delivers a revolutionary new way to control your DAWs, synthesizers, samplers (anything that receives MIDI/OSC). More than a studio controller, Konkreet Performer has been designed from the ground up to be a superior live performance instrument, bringing the dynamic audio and visual connection between the musician and the audience to the stage.
Konkreet Performer is scheduled for release as an iOS App at the beginning of 2011.
Adobe Audition for Mac, coming in a future release, will bring modern audio post-production to the platform of your choice. Familiar tools for audio editing, multitrack mixing and recording will meet expanded device support, greater workflow flexibility, and optimized performance. Plus, best-of-breed audio restoration tools make it easy to clean up production audio. With the essential tools you rely on for fast-turn projects, Audition for the Mac brings a fresh face to audio post-production.
A public beta of Audition for the Mac is expected for Winter 2010.
Check out this awesomely practical little guitar pick punch. You could buy a huge pile of picks for what it retails for, but then you wouldn't get the satisfaction of creating your own custom picks out of flat pieces of plastic and other pick-worthy scraps you've got laying around.
This past Friday, I posted some samples of a resonant, metallic synth sound I made in Native Instruments FM8. A reader asked if I would post the actual FM8 patch, and I thought, "hey, why not?" As you can hear, the actual patch is a lot more lively and fun to play than the sample. 2 variations are included.
There’s really nothing about this video that isn’t brilliant. Be sure to keep watching for the final line; it’s what I think is a transformative quote about the nature of music production. From Pork Magazine‘s Dick Flash – that outlet is of course better known in the UK than here Stateside. I could say more, but — really, just watch.
Free synth bass Saturday! Just add water! Ok maybe not water, but here are 8 synth bass grooves just waiting for you to add drums, melodies, other parts, etc. Give them a shot, you might find they'll fit into your mix nicely. Or build up something brand new around them! If you make something cool with it, share it with me if possible. No rights reserved on these samples. The number in the track title indicates the BPM.
Amazing collection of live sets collected by +dB. Includes Boards of Canada, Radiohead, DJ Shadow, Flying Lotus, Squarepusher, Jeff Mills, Goldie, Aphex Twin, Autechre, Orb, Amon Tobin… just to name a few!
Peter Kirn takes a more serious look at the Rock Band’s Keytar.
What if a gaping product hole for musicians were filled by a game company instead of a musical instruments company? There’s no need to imagine: pick up the new Rock Band 3 keyboard, and you’ll see what I mean.
Roland has announced the Lucina AX-09, a shoulder synthesizer.
Who says keyboardists need to hide behind their gear? Liberate yourself and roam free with the Lucina AX-09 Synthesizer. Lucina is compact, lightweight, and loaded with great sounds, all easily selectable with the onboard Category buttons. Plug in a USB stick and add backing tracks to your performances with the Audio Player function, or plug in an MP3/CD player and jam along with your favorite songs. This ultra-light synth is designed to fit all musicians — even kids. It’s super easy to use yet it packs a heavyweight musical punch with its stellar sounds and expressive controls.
Lucina AX-09 features
Stylish, lightweight, compact design.
Easy-to-use, intuitive user interface.
150 high-quality sounds that cover a wide stylistic range.
External-In Jack and USB-Memory Audio Player Function (You can enjoy playing your favorite songs).
Runs on AC or battery power.
The Lucina AX-09 is scheduled to ship in May with a suggested retail price of $699 USD. In addition to standard Pearl White, premium Black Sparkle finish will also be available in 2010.
Roland has announced the general availability of the AX-Synth Shoulder Synthesizer, the first of the legendary AX-Series to offer an onboard sound engine featuring a collection of the best of Roland’s cutting-edge synth sounds.
Created with the art of performance in mind, the AX-Synth allows keyboardists to connect with their audience as guitarists and singers do. Real-time controls such as the Ribbon, Modulation Bar, D BEAM, and aftertouch knob controllers give musicians the ability to perform memorable and expressive solos. When wearing the battery-powered and wireless AX-Synth, keyboardists can create kinetic musical performances, moving freely around the stage without any encumbering wires or cables.
The AX-Synth features 49 velocity-sensitive keys and is the first shoulder keyboard to include a 128-voice polyphonic sound engine with 256 distinct tones accessible from eight bank buttons, plus a collection of ultra-expressive sounds generated by Roland’s SuperNATURAL sound engine. The AX-Synth also includes an easy-to-use software editor/librarian for designing and storing user-created sounds.
AX-Synth features
Built-in sound engine with voices from Roland’s latest synthesizers.
Ribbon controller, D Beam, modulation bar, knobs, and easy-to-see display for stage.
USB MIDI for easy connection to PC.
Dedicated V-LINK button for video/visual control.
Innovative bender mode for expressive solos.
Long battery operation (approx. 6 hours).
The AX-Synth is now shipping with an MSRP of $1,349 USD.
Arduinocaster is a an Arduino based MIDI instrument modelled on a guitar sometimes called a keytar. It uses switches and LEDs to control six "strings" which are held down in guitar like chords. Triggering the strings is through an opto reflective switch for a continuous repeating strum and four touch sensitive switches for a one off sequence. There are three banks of four picking / strumming / arpeggio styles and a three octave capo. Voice change information can also be sent.
# glitchNES – NO CARRIER/Don Miller’s glitchNES is an open source software project for the Nintendo Entertainment System. This software causes graphical glitches similar to hardware circuit-bending. The current version is 0.1 (initial release). Link via CDM
My goal was to make an electric string instrument that uses drone tuning. I don't know anything about music theory, but drone tuning is a way to tune an instrument that makes it sound good no matter what you do with your fret fingers. Sitars, some dulcimers, and bagpipes use drone tuning. The clubhouse strummer uses GDG tuning (the Gs are one octave apart). I copied the fret layout from a strumstick, but I could have used this handy mountain dulcimer fret calculator to figure out the fret spacing.
Synth1 is my favorite free software synthesizer to this date. There are a lot of preset banks available on the web. I had a look at the preset format and thought it would be easy to generate random presets if I could figure out how the values are stored. I decided to write a small Java application that can generate random presets.
# Free Korg MS-20 Patches Waveformless offers some free patches for Korg's MS-20 synth plug-in.
"Due to a song I created just a couple of days ago, I became inspired to start this compo. I want to make a compilation of songs using only kick drums and noise. Yes, only drums. No leads, no melodies, no arps (even slutty ones). I want to see what people can create when they only have a beat to work with.
# Zoom H4n review – Brad Linder takes a look at the latest Zoom H4 field recorder.
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