Results for sampler

Some interesting things I found recently:

# Phillips SAA-1099 Sample Pack (Copyright-free and License-free)

A new pack of samples by Sebastian Tomczak:

I have made a copyright-free and license-free sample pack of the Phillips SAA-1099 sound generator chip. It is a very straightforward sample pack, consisting of 96 pitched samples and 16 noise samples, across a range of frequencies. These samples have been recorded from hardware. The audio output stage of the sound chip has not been filtered.

Sebastian has also announced a music contest:

It's time to get your chipmusic on! This is your chance to win a SEGA Master System MIDI Interface. Be the coolest musician in your town with this brand new tool that lets you control the sound chip in your SEGA Master System with MIDI data.

More information: SEGA Music Competition: Win A SEGA Master System MIDI Interface!

# Jim Reekes, The Man Behind Mac Sound

From Create Digital Music:

The legend of the early sounds of the Mac remains, apparently, an alluring one. Here, Jim Reekes talks to a Dutch documentary crew (though in English) about his thought process in designing sounds for the Mac, including the famous Mac startup sound.

# New Block Construction

Livid Instruments improves its Block:

Improving on a design and sharing the results with our users is always at the top of our list at Livid. The Block controller has been a great success and we have just made some minor design changes to make it even better. Originally milled from a solid block of wood, the square body with thin bottom has had its challenges, mostly warping and cupping. We have experienced a bit higher reject rate for bodies at the shop before they were built then we would like. Thus, the up and coming stash of rejected bodies in the Livid Graveyard that were never meant to be!

# Waveformless: 5 Ways of Emulating Vintage Samplers

Tom Shear on how to emulate vintage samplers:

When sampling technology finally became accessible to mere mortals and not just uber-rich Fairlight and Synclavier enthusiasts, the race was on to increase fidelity and leave behind the limitations of those first 8-bit samplers. Bit depth and sampling rates increased and memory capacity expanded until the average sampled sound was indistinguishable from the same sound recorded on a CD.

But sure enough, after many years of enjoying the pristine sound quality of the new sampling technology, musicians began to explore and exploit the limitations of the old school samplers. Suddenly the grain of low bit-rate samples and the metallic grit of aliasing is very much in style. So how can you emulate the sonic artifacts of some of the long forgotten vintage samplers? I'm glad you asked…

# Intello – Better Demo of first version (YouTube)

This is the plugin I am currently working on. It's called "Intello". Basically it's a glitch producing plugin and in this first short demo I'm showing you one of the 5 planned glitching modes. The plugin will be controllable by an iPhone application from a listening audience. So the listeners can interact with a performer.

More information: www.zettt.de

Twisted Tools has released version 1.1 of Vortex, a six track polyphonic sampler and sequencer for Native Instruments Reaktor 5.

It comes pre-configured for Kore 2 and Maschine and features an original 200mb+ sample map with samples by artists such as Antonio Blanca, c2, Richard Devine, Josh Hinden, Noklip, GlitchMachines.com, Mike Huckaby, Sonictwist, Timonkey, Tipper and Vinja.

Changes in Vortex v1.1

• Double-click to reset parameter knobs to default value — Double-clicking on a parameter knob on the A-view resets the knob to the default value.
• Bipolar Swing with scene memory — Click and drag the swing button in either direction to add alternate shuffle/swing to your rhythms. The swing and swing is stored with the scene you’re working on.
• Zero-Modulation Sequencing — Turn on zero-modulation sequencing by clicking the necessary ‘z’ buttons on the sequencer tabs. When on for a given sequencer, that sequencer will send zero-values for steps that are set to zero.
• Randomization Exclude Buttons — The B-View now features randomization exclude buttons. This way you can choose which parameters/modulators you would like to be randomized. When cyan colored, that parameter will be randomized. When grey, it won’t be randomized. This is especially useful if you’d like to exclude parameters like volume and pan from being randomized.
• Various small fixes.

Vortex for Reaktor 5 is available to purchase for $29 USD.

More information: Twisted Tools / Vortex

ToneBytes has announced the release of Vocotron, a VST instrument plug-in for Windows that combines the functions of a sampler and vocoder.

Vocotron’s keyboard is divided into two key zones, like on the classic Mellotron and Chamberlin “samplers”. However, the zone’s functions are slightly different: the left side reproduces samples and is a modulator for the integrated vocoder, and the right side sets the tone, it is the carrier for the vocoder.

To extract the sound from Vocotron, just pick a chord on the right side of the keyboard, and then start pressing keys in the sample zone. By changing the chords you can get the sound of your waves in different tonalities.

The Vocotron is not limited to working with vocals and drums. Combining a sampler and vocoder provides a new original way to get unusual sounds. With a Vocotron you can get interesting-sounding basses, pads, textures and rhythmic backing.

Vocotron features

• High precision 32-band vocoder with a frequency range from 100 Hz to 16 KHz.
• Fine-tune the tone by tweaking the bandwidth as well as the level of each of the 32 frequency bands.
• The carrier is set by an internal synthesizer with two oscillators with detune and FM-modulation, mono/stereo modes and glide.
• The short right side of the keyboard is compensated by the extending range of coarse tuning.
• Modulator with embedded samples (from three internal banks) and custom wave files.
• Built-in sampler with such possibilities as: key mapping, wave looping and reversing, pitch tuning and pitch shifting.

Vocotron is available as a VST instrument plug-in for Windows PC, priced at $34.95 USD.

More information: ToneBytes / Vocotron

Cockos has released version 2.0 of ReaPlugs, including two new plug-ins to the suite of free effect plug-ins for Windows.

Want to use some of the comprehensive FX plug-ins that REAPER provides, but stuck in another host? Haven’t made the switch yet? Fear not — you can download ReaPlugs, a package of FX that includes many of the plug-ins that come with REAPER, for free!

Changes in ReaPlugs v2.0

• Installer..
• Plug-ins brought up to date with their REAPER 3.1x relatives (many improvements)..
• Fixed leaking GDI resources on plugin unloads..
• ReaControlMIDI added:
  • Flexible MIDI controls in VST format.
  • Automate CC envelopes and bank/program selection, as FX parameters.
  • Full sysex support.
• ReaJS added:
  • Realtime user-editable effect processor.
  • 64-bit internal audio processing, MIDI support, full PDC support, multichannel I/O support, graphics display support.
  • Hundreds of included effects, including: delays, compressors, limiters, convolution, distortion, spectral noise editors, analyzers, loop samplers, creative effects.
  • Create new effects from scratch, or modify existing effects to meet your needs.
  • JS editor and debugger included, opens automatically when you edit a plug-in.

ReaPlugs is available as a free download for Windows PC (VST).

More information: Cockos / ReaPlugs

Prodyon has announced a promo sale for Livemachine XL, a unique new live-performance Windows VST effect, designed to be used creatively on the stage, at home or together with friends for jamming sessions.

The heart of LIVEMACHINE is the eight channel recording-looper in where you can record phrases, vocals, effects, wav-loops and so much more in realtime.

LIVEMACHINE is somehow an initiator of a new trend – the loop-based music production, which is endless fun and gets more and more friends worldwide.

Livemachine XL features

• Livemachine
  • 12 part drumsampler (WAV).
  • 8 stereo recording channels/loopers + Reverse Playback.
  • 8 Lowpass/Highpass Combifilters.
  • Variable Recording Length (up to 30 seconds).
  • 6 stereo WAV players (disk-streaming).
  • Resampling of every channel + effects in realtime.
  • Overdub function for endless overdubs.
  • 3 pages of input effects with reverb, delay, filter, distortion and more.
  • built-in morphable voice-controlled synthesizer.
  • built-in highquality FFT-based vocoder.
  • 2 stereo outputs (1 main out / 1 cue out with metronome).
  • vu/peak metres for every channel.
  • realtime click- and pop-free audio operation.
  • MIDI learn functionality for almost all controls.
  • 15 Realtime “Keyboard-Playable” effects.
  • Photorealistic GUI.
  • Support for all external H/W MIDI controllers that windows supports.
  • VST 2.0 operation.
• Livemachine LE, only features the Looper/Recording channels and the Input Effects from Livemachine.
• Livemachine FX, the “Input Effects” and “Keyboard Effects” from Livemachine (still in development).
• Upcoming Samplepool, which will feature electronic loops, drums and vocoder-carrier sounds.
• Future updates / bugfixes.
• Lifetime support.

Livemachine XL is available for a promo sale price of $55 USD until 15 April, 2010 (regular price $129 USD).

More information: Prodyon / Livemachine

Oliver Wittchow has released version 1.2 of nanoloop for iPhone / iPod, a music app which combines sequencer, synthesizer and sampler in one package, providing all functions for creating electronic music from scratch.

Nanoloop was originally developed for Game Boy (first release in 1999) and is a popular platform for mobile music creation. The new iPhone version presented here follows the same basic structure and design concept but otherwise it is an entirely new program. It does not simulate the Game Boy’s sound or other functions but has been fully optimised for the iPhone’s capabilities.

nanoloop for iPhone features

• Six channels, each can be synth or sampler.
• Fast and easy to use stepsequencer.
• Synthesizer with envelope, filter, LFO and other parameters.
• Sample external audio or nanoloop’s own sound output.
• Song editor with loop function.
• Save function.
• Works on 1st gen iPod touch and 2.2 software.
• Send and receive projects via e-mail, using the iPhone’s / iPod’s e-mail program.

nanoloop for iPhone is available to purchase from the iTunes App Store for $8.99 USD.

More information: nanoloop for iPhone / iPod