Novation shows off UltraNova [NAMM11]

Novation used this year’s Winter NAMM to show off its latest Nova hardware analogue-modelling synthesiser: the UltraNova.

Though it was ‘born’ last year, this has been a major trip out for the latest Nova incarnation.

UltraNova is a single-part synth taking the legendary Supernova II synth engine as a starting point and packing it with the latest technology. It now has brand new features including wavetable synthesis, even more powerful filters, a software editor and a revolutionary new touch-sense performance mode.

Key features

• Brand new Nova-series synth engine based on Supernova II:
  • Single part with up to 18 voices, 14 filter types, 36 wavetables, 5 effect slots
  • Patch Browse enables you to browse 300 sounds by type & genre
• Touch-sense controls enable totally new sound-shaping & performance:
  • Trigger envelopes/LFOs/filters/FX by just touching the encoders
  • Large rotary control instantly allows you fine control of any parameter
• Totally gig-able with 37 full sized keys, a vocoder, and loads of controls:
  • Voice optimized 12 band vocoder with gooseneck mic
  • High quality key bed with aftertouch for expressive playing styles
• Software plug-in editor and Patch Librarian for full visual editing:
  • Plug-in editor allows you to view and edit in with software
  • Software Patch Librarian a organise, store and share unlimited patches
• Built-in 2 in 4 out USB audio interface and it can be bus powered:
  • UltraNova can be used to stream audio to and from a host computer
  • Stereo main (analogue & SPDIF) and aux outputs, and MIDI in/out/thru ports

The Software Editor

UltraNova has a powerful software editor that enables visual editing of all parameters. It can be used within DAWs as a plug-in editor:

The Modulation Window

The Oscillator Window

Animate Window

The Filter Window

The Patch Librarian

UltraNova also ships with a patch librarian that can be hosted on Mac or PC. This enables the user to save an unlimited number patches to the host computer and organise them into folders.

Each of the 300 patches that ship with UltraNova have been tagged to make it easy to search by category and genre from the hardware synth or the software patch librarian.

Vocoder

UltraNova has a 12 band vocoder and ships with a dynamic gooseneck microphone. In addition to putting your voice through the vocoder (via the microphone) you can also process other sounds by putting instruments – or pretty much anything – into UltraNova’s stereo line inputs on the back panel.

Specifications

Synth engine
• Up to 18 note polyphony (dynamic voicing)
• Mono-Timbral

Per patch:
• 3x oscillators
• 1x noise generator
• 2x ring modulators

Waveforms include:
• Square, sine, tri, sawtooth, pulse, 9x saw:pulse combinations.
• 20x digital waveforms
• 36x wavetables

Filtertypes:
2x filters per patch
• low pass no resonance 6dB per octave
• low pass 12dB
• low pass 18dB
• low pass 24dB
• band pass 6:6
• band pass 6:12
• band pass 12:6
• band pass 6:18
• band pass 18:6
• band pass 12:12
• high pass no resonance 6dB per octave
• high pass 12dB
• high pass 18dB
• high pass 24dB

Sources:
20 modulation slots per patch
• 6x envelope generators
• 3x LFOs.
• Aftertouch
• Velocity
• Key scaling/track
• Mod wheel
• Expression pedal

Total of 66 Destinations including:
• Oscillator pitch, pulse width, wavetable index, level and sync
• Filter cutoff, resonance, envelope settings
• Effects parameters and send levels
• Recursive modulation (modulating modulation sources themselves)

5 Effects slots per patch
• Distortion – up to 2 instances
• Compressor – up to 2 instances
• Chorus/Phase – up to 4 instances
• Delay – up to 2 instances
• Reverb – up to 2 instances
• Gator
• EQ
•12 band vocoder
• Arpeggiator – 33 patterns
• Chord function – lock up to 10 notes
• Patch storage up to 512 on hardware (ships with 300 factory patches)

Hardware

• 144 character LCD
• 8x detented touch sensitive encoders
• 1x large smooth encoder (with back-lit filter lock buttons)
• 1x large patch select/speed dial encoder
• 2x volume & monitor mix dials
• 39 LED lit/indicated buttons
• Pitch wheel (LED lit)
• Modulation wheel (LED lit)
• 37 note keyboard with velocity and aftertouch
• XLR dynamic mic input
• 2x ¼” jack inputs
• 2x ¼” jack outputs
• 2x ¼” jack aux outputs
• 1x ¼” jack headphone output
• SPDIF digital output on RCA connector
• Expression pedal on ¼” jack input
• Sustain pedal on ¼” jack input
• MIDI in/out/thru
• 12 volt power input
• USB port (UltraNova can be powered via USB)
• Kensington Lock port

Novation Automap 3.8 announced [NAMM11]

NAMM 2011 saw Novation announce Automap 3.8, bringing tighter integration for Waves users.

Automap is control software that comes free with all Novation controllers. The latest update provides total integration with all Waves plug-ins – just open up a Waves plug-in and it will automatically map to Novation hardware (this will require the forth-coming Waves update). Automap runs with Novation’s SL MkII and Nocturn ranges of controllers. It is universally recognised as a powerful control solution and includes features such as ‘Learn’ which enables instant mapping of software parameters to hardware controls.

Novation intros Dicer: Cue point and looping control for the digital DJ

I hold my hands up because this isn’t strictly “synth”, but to be honest DJing is a secret passion of mine (I didn’t say I was good) and I see a lot of crossover between synth and DJing anyway. So here goes.

Novation has just introduced its Dicer solution for DJs. Developed with Serato Scratch Live, Dicer is a palm-sized bit of hardware that sits on the side of turntables, CDJs, mixer or laptop so it’s instantly available in a convenient location when you need it.

The Dicer site describes it:

Plug Dicer in, slot it on your turntable/CDJ, and you can instantly set cue points and use them to trigger ‘Hot Cues’. Or, flip Dicer into ‘Auto-Loop’ or ‘Loop Roll’ modes, to trigger loops, or ‘roll’ sections of the track to create climaxes, drops and glitchy breaks. Each ‘mode’ illuminates Dicer’s pads a different colour, so you can instantly see what mode the pads in, even in dark clubs and venues.

Dicer’s buttons can also ‘learn’ other software functions. So, you can assign different FX to the pads, or trigger samples over the top of your mix, or even browse tracks in your iTunes library!

Dicer was designed by Novation in collaboration with Ean Golden – DJ and curator of DJ Tech Tools. Ean came up with the concept of a controller that fits on the turntable, and his contribution has been crucial in helping Novation design and develop Dicer.

Good to see Novation continuing to launch innovative products.

Novation announces new Nocturn 25 & 49 keyboards

Novation has announced its latest controller keyboards: the Nocturn 25 and Nocturn 49 keyboards, with two and four octaves respectively.

Key Features

High quality professional keyboard
• Velocity-sensitive, keyboard from Fatar, with assignable after-touch. The Nocturn Keyboard feels like playing an instrument rather than a computer peripheral.

Illuminated controls provide instant visual feedback
• Brightly lit 11 segment LED rings around the eight smooth encoders, and backlit buttons throughout provide instant visual feedback for every physical control.

Touch-sensitive encoders
• All 8 oversized encoders are touch sensitive, bringing up mapping information and allowing you to ‘touch’ in automation data on DAW’s with a ‘touch’ mode.

Automap control Software
• Allows you to instantly ‘learn’ controllers to plug-ins. The GUI graphically displays Nocturn Keyboard’s control surface on your computer monitor, enabling you to see exactly what is assigned to what, without using a tiny LCD screen.

8 Velocity-sensitive drumpads
• Nocturn Keyboard features 8 ‘softfeel’ velocity sensitive drum pads. These can do more than just trigger notes and sketch drum patterns, all can be assigned to control software parameters.

Total of 33 MIDI assignable controls
• 8 trigger pads, 8 dials, 14 buttons, modulation wheel. Sustain and expression pedal control can also be added.

Speed Dial
• The 9th encoder is a unique ‘Speed Dial’ which allows you to instantly change the value of any parameter the cursor is pointing at, with no assignment needed whatsoever.

USB Powered
• Nocturn Keyboard is powered by USB saving valuable plug sockets. It can also be powered down without being unplugged, preserving battery power in laptops.

Overview

Nocturn Keyboard is an intelligent plug-in/sequencer controller. It has a high quality ‘Fatar’ keyboard, with 8 drum pads and a total of 33 assignable controls, which allow you to get hands-on control of your plug-in instruments, effects and sequencer.

Most keyboard controllers have two big problems: The idea of being able to control software parameters with knobs and buttons sounds great. However, the hassle of assigning them, and remembering what they are assigned to becomes so tedious that you always end up turning back to your mouse.

Nocturn Keyboard’s Automap control software solves both these problems. To assign controllers, simply click on the parameter, touch a knob or button, and it is assigned! It also enables you to keep track of what is assigned to what – instead of using a small monochrome LCD screen, Nocturn Keyboard displays control information where you really need it: on your computer monitor. The Automap software graphically displays Nocturn’s control surface. The controllers themselves also tell you what is going on: LED rings around the 8 encoders show their current settings, and LED’s behind the buttons tell you if they are on or off.

Automap

Apart from from high quality hardware, what really sets Nocturn Keyboard aside is the Automap control software. Automap is now even more powerful and easy to use. Nocturn Keyboard ships with Automap standard, which acts as a software interface for the unit.

Instant Assignment
Automap enables you to map parameters in your software plug-ins, straight to dials and buttons on the controller by simply clicking on a parameter, then touching the controller. There is no longer any need to sift through long lists of MIDI continuous controller numbers. This applies to encoders, control-buttons, drumpads, modulation wheel, sustain and expression pedals; Automap can instantly assign them all to software parameters. Automap can integrate with Logic, ProTools, Digital Performer and any other HUI compatible sequencers, using the HUI control protocol.

Displaying Control Information
The Automap GUI graphically displays all the controls on Nocturn Keyboard, visually showing you what software parameter is assigned to each control, exactly as it is laid out on the unit. You can also name each control, turning the GUI into a giant screen where all information is instantly displayed and updated. With this, there is no need for a tiny LCD screen on the unit, which can only display very limited information.

Automatic Mapping
Automap will automatically assign knobs and buttons to parameters on a huge number of the most popular plug-ins. We are constantly building more maps which are available on the community pages of the Novation website. Nocturn Keyboard will automatically assign controllers to mixer and transport functions in all major DAWs/sequencers.

DAW Control

Nocturn Keyboard can be set up for use as a serious DAW/sequencer controller, as well as its ground-breaking Automap control of all VST/AU/RTAS/TDM plug-ins. See below for details of how Nocturn integrates with major DAWs.

Ableton
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes, using Ableton’s ‘learn’ mode
Further Control: More features can be controlled with Nocturn Keyboard via Ableton’s ‘learn’ mode.

Pro Tools
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes
Further Control: All Pro Tools’ RTAS and TDM plug-ins can be instantly controlled with Automap

Record/Reason
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes
Further Control: All native instruments and effects can be instantly controlled with Automap

Logic
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes

Cubase
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes

Sonar
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes

Reaper
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes

DP
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes

Traction
Transport Control: Yes
Mixer Control: Yes

Specifications

Physical controls

Assignable controls:

• 8 Encoders (Infinite Rotation) with touch-sensitivity and 11 segment Led rings
• Touch sensitive Speed Dial
• 14 Buttons with integrated LEDs, 6 of which are lockable transport controls
• 8 soft feel Trigger pads
• Sprung pitch wheel
• Modulation wheel

System buttons:

• General Automap Operation Buttons (Learn, View, Browser Groups etc.)
• Octave up/down buttons with LED indicator
• Button to lock/unlock transport controls

Connectivity

Rear Panel connections are as follows:

• Data Port: 1 x USB (Win XP/Vista and Mac OSX) –Class Compliant
• Sustain Pedal: 1 x 1/4 Jack Input
• Expression pedal: 1 x 1/4 Jack Input
• Power switch: USB

Minimum Operational Requirements:

Mac OSX 10.4.11 or greater (Leopard also supported) or Windows XP with
Service Pack 2 or greater (Vista 32/64 also supported)

Minimum Computer spec: Mac – G4/1GHz, both with 512MB RAM or PC -
Pentium 4/1GHz/512MB RAM (machines running Vista will require a higher spec)

Interfacing:

USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 compatible

Dimensions:

Size (25 key): W=472mm, H=68mm, D=260mm
Size (49 key): W=798mm, H=68mm, D=260mm

Weights:

25 key net weight : 2.4kg
49 key net weight: 3.8kg

Product page