Reason 6: Name Your Upgrade Price
September 30, 2011
Today’s the day Reason and Record users can elect to upgrade to the new Reason 6 for whatever they think it’s worth.
A number of musicians, authors and others have already adopted the “pay what you want” model for their albums, books and other merchandise, so it’s not surprising that Propellerhead — creators of the Reason software — are electing to do the same.
The offer’s only good for today and the month of October, after which Reason & Record users will have to pay the standard upgrade price that owners of a single software package do.
It’s a great way to get the updated version into the hands of many. Here’s Propellerhead’s synopsis of what you get in this upgrade:
To owners of both Reason and Record, the Reason 6 upgrade adds Pulveriser, a sound crushing effect with crunchy compression, dirty distortion and flexible modulation; The Echo, advanced stereo echo with modern, analog and tape delay emulation; and Alligator, a three band pattern gate for complex rhythmic texturing. Interface enhancements, high definition audio transpose, a massively expanded sound bank and true 64-bit compatibility are just the icing on the cake. Want to see the new effect devices in action before you decide? Check out these videos below for detailed looks at their capabilities
You can find out much more about it at the Reason: Pay What You Want web site.
So, what’s Reason 6 worth to you?
Free Alchemy Player updates to version 1.20
April 27, 2011
Camel Audio has announced the latest update to its Alchemy Player software. This is touted as a major upgrade and features:
New formats – 64-bit and RTAS
- 64-bit support for Mac and Windows – access unlimited memory
- RTAS Support for Pro Tools on Mac and Windows
SFZ Sample Playback Support
- SFZ support – high quality loading of 3rd party and converted SFZs
- Key switching for fast access to articulations
- Round robin support for added realism
- Unlimited zones for velocity, round robin, key switches…
- Intelligent sample memory handling halves the sample memory required
Improved GUI and New Skin
- New ‘Nightshade’ skin by BitPlant
- Switch skins from the file menu
Other New Features
- Randomise snapshots option
- Support for shortcuts or aliases to folders
- Improved MIDI program change implementation
- Easier, faster, more reliable sound library installation
- Supports new ‘.CamelSounds’ file type for easier installation
- Improved stability and GUI handling in all hosts
- Improved Cameleon preset import
- Full Alchemy Demo period increased to 4 weeks
- Save consolidated no longer copies factory samples
- User details are no longer displayed
- Faster updating of re-mix pad and other controls
- Copy to all snapshots now works for snapshot volume
- All submenus now display a check mark
- Comment lines now supported in SFZ files
Number of Sounds: 200 (1600 variations)
Sound Categories: 37 Soundscapes, 34 Pads, 20 Arpeggiated, 20 Basses, 15 Loops, 15 Synths, 11 Leads, 9 Sound Effects, 8 Mallets, 7 Keys, 6 Guitars, 6 Vocals, 6 Strings, 3 Organs, 3 Woodwinds
Genres: Electronica, Ambient, Film Music, IDM, Dance/Trance, Techno/Electro, Pop
Sound Designers: Paul Nauert, Lotuzia, Chris Sciurba, Martin Walker, Luftrum, Shaun Wallace, Tim Conrardy, Ole Jeppesen, biomechanoid, bManic, M. Lewis Osborne, Denis Goekdag, Tasmodia, Corin Neff, John Lehmkuhl, Robert Rich, Jim Hunter, Arksun, Gareth L Devlin, Ed Ten Eyck, Michael Kastrup, Junkie XL, Adam Fielding, Adam Van Baker, Birds Use Stars, Steffen Presley, Daniel Clarke, Yuroun, Beej, Richard Devine, Ian Boddy, Himalaya, Artvera, Pendle Poucher, Christian Kjeldsen, Julian Ray, Aluisio, Vladimir Stepanov
Download Size: 562 MB
It’s free as much as because Camel Audio would love you to upgrade to the full Alchemy software. Still, as they say on their own web site: “Alchemy Player may be the only sample player you ever need”.
Check it out here.
Sound Magic releases Bosendorfer-inspired Imperial Grand software
April 27, 2011
Sound Magic has made a big splash in announcing its new Imperial Grand software and VSTi versions for Windows.
Based on a rich, dark Bosendorfer grand piano, it uses a patented NEO Hybrid Modelling Engine and Artificial Intelligence Assistance Tool in an attempt to go beyond what many digital pianos (both hardware and software based) can offer.
The AI tool is supposed to help pianists to shape the sound and style of piano they want, without using a lot of technical sound engineer jargon that tends to lead to confusion and frustration.
AI tests the connected keyboard, recording its velocity response and pedal support, and then makes suggestions on how the sound can be shaped to the player’s liking.
The Imperial Grand software includes HD Velocity Layers, claiming to be 500 times more sensitive than the 127 velocity steps commonly found on MIDI controller keyboards. It includes features like adding subtle nuances to notes repeated at the same velocity, helping to remove the ‘flat’ feeling sometimes associated with digital pianos. Notes are melded more accurately during legato passages, improving realism.
Other features include the ability to virtually move microphone positions to achieve a different sound. The 264-string Sympathetic Resonance System adds harmonies to pedal up and down notes. True Staccato Mode more accurately reproduces these notes when played, while a built-in professional reverb engine simulates resonances found in a real soundboard.
Here’s the product page. It costs €99 and comes with €50 worth of add-ons.
KARMA Motif software for PC and Mac announced [NAMM11]
January 13, 2011
Yamaha and Karma-Lab have announced the development and release of KARMA Motif software for the PC and Mac, bringing the award-winning KARMA algorithmic music technology to the Yamaha Motif XS and Yamaha Motif XF platforms.
KARMA Motif debuts the new KARMA 3.0 technology with a host of new features including eight-track design (six KARMA Modules and two Keyboard Layers) per Performance, per-track Volume and Mute stored in each of the 32 Scenes and the ability to individually adjust the mix of all parts in each Scene.
Users are also able to control Velocity Response Curves by individually tailoring the velocity response for the left hand keyboard, the right hand keyboard, the input to KARMA from the keyboard, and the 16 Chord Triggers (pads), without editing the Motif’s programs or songs.
A Fill/Stop Feature allows for the use of one or more modules as a melodic or drum fill with the ability to stop and start other modules automatically. The Advanced Stutter Feature lets users retrigger the entire groove at different rhythmic resolutions, from machine-gun stutters to slow triplet hits.
It also features a real-time Master Transpose function, Chord Triggers that can activate pre-programmed chords, hits, sound effects and even the Motif’s arps. And, with the new KARMA software, all of the buttons and sliders on the Motif’s interface (in Remote Mode) can be used to trigger the Chord Triggers and Fills, the Stutter feature, Scene changes, Scene mixes and real-time algorithmic variations.
KARMA Motif’s Performances use the Motif’s Song/Mixing mode, where each of the 64 songs is a complete KARMA algorithmic music groove with a left hand and right hand zone for controlling KARMA and soloing on top of it. The Motif’s arps are also integrated in many performances as additional elements that can be added via the 16 Chord Triggers.
While in Song Mode, players are just one step away from recording their KARMA-created musical performances into the Motif’s sequencer, or the output can be routed to any DAW for external sequencing. Furthermore, a KARMA Performance can call up any Motif Voice, Performance, Song, Pattern, or Master slot when loading, so that KARMA can be used in any of the Motif’s modes.
KARMA Motif Software for PC and Mac ($199) is scheduled to be available directly from Karma-Lab in April 2011.
Reason 5 and Record 1.5 now available
August 26, 2010
Propellerhead Software has announced the immediate availability of its latest versions of Reason and Record.
Reason 5 and Record 1.5 introduce a whole range of new instruments, effects, sequencing, sounds, patches, and much more, making it even more versatile and useful for music composition, beat-making, loop-mangling, vocal treatment, songwriting, remixing and music production.
The new Kong Drum Designer and Dr Octo Rex loop player extend Reason’s instrument arsenal to help musicians get phenomenal sounding rhythms, drums tracks and beats.
Reason 5 and Record 1.5 add a whole new take on sequencing: Blocks—build songs parts like patterns and string them together for lightning fast arranging with the ability to freely go back and forth between pattern and linear modes.
Neptune, a pitch correction tool and amazing voice synthesiser, turns less than perfect performances into great ones in no time.
Simply play new harmonies on a MIDI keyboard for instant backing vocals.
Live sampling into all sample capable devices means any musician can use samples in a new and playful manner, discovering the lost art of creative sampling.
The Expanded Factory Sound Bank, doubling in size, plus added signature sound designers’ patches, inspire new arrangements and compositions.
Multi core optimisation, an on-screen keyboard and tempo scaling of clips top the list of additional improvements.
The upgrades further solidify the Record Reason Duo as the mainstay tool for musical creation.
?”I don’t put too many demands on (studio) engineers… except for them to have Reason on their system,” says Printz Board, Musical Director of the Black Eyed Peas. “That is one of the only demands.”
Check out these video demonstrations for much more about the new software:
Reason 5 Record 1.5 – Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player
Reason 5 – Kong Drum Designer
Neptune Pitch Adjuster for Record 1.5
Reason 5 & Record 1.5 – Blocks
Reason 5 Signature Patches
Reason 5 & Record 1.5 – Live Sampling
Pricing and availability
All full versions and upgrades are available worldwide through authorised Propellerhead dealers and Propellerhead’s online store: www.propellerheads.se/shop
Record for Reason Owners Sidegrade (includes Reason 5 upgrade): EUR €149 / USD $169
Reason 5 Upgrade from any version: EUR € 99 / USD $129
Record 1.5 Upgrade from any version: free download
Record Reason Duo bundle: EUR €405 / USD $449
Reason: EUR €305 / USD $349
Record: EUR €279 / USD $299
Anyone who purchased a qualifying Reason product after May 24, 2010 can receive the upgrade for free. Details are here: www.propellerheads.se/freeupgrade
Signature patch artists and producers
Bomb Squad, Hank and Keith Shocklee
http://www.shocklee.com/
Printz Board, Musical Director of the Black Eyed Peas
http://www.beetsandproduce.com/
Jason McGerr
http://www.propellerheads.se/products/refills/mcgerr/
Adam Beyer
http://www.drumcode.se/adambeyer.html
Sharooz
http://www.myspace.com/sharooz
Cari Lekebusch
http://www.lekebuschmusik.se/
Keith LeBlanc
http://www.keithleblanc.com/
The Salazar Brothers
http://thesalazarbrothers.blogspot.com/
http://www.propellerheads.se/products/refills/reggaeton/
unrealBook: Music manuscript display app for iPad
August 3, 2010
After I finished yesterday’s 22 iPad Music Creation Apps feature, I stumbled across Aron Nelson’s blog and found his unrealBook for iPad app.
It’s the sort of app I’ve been thinking of for quite some time, but until now the only way to execute such a thing was to use a laptop / notebook — a bit unwieldy, even on the lighter models — or put up with the smaller screen of a PDA or iPhone.
With the iPad comes a much larger screen in a thinner body. Assuming you find something satisfactory to prop it up with, it becomes a great storage and display device for printed music manuscript and chord / lyric sheets.
It works with PDF files, so if you can get your music collection scanned in / saved in that format, you’re away. Fully alphabetised and indexed, it’s ready to go wherever you need to get hold of your music.
Version 1.2 includes text annotation, drawing with multiple pens, wireless methods (email, dropbox, URL download), hiding of toolbars, go menu enhancements, more responsive page turning, better zoom and more.
It’s worth noting other music display apps are available for the iPad.
You might also consider Sheet Music Mobile, forScore and Music Reader for iPad.
22 iPad Music Creation Apps
August 2, 2010
The iPad is a beautiful device for all kinds of music-making and synthesiser goodness. Here’s our selection of iPad-ready music creation and learning apps that we think you’ll like (and if you’re a Mac user who likes these, why not peruse our 35 piano, synth and sound apps from the Mac App Store too?):
Click on the title to go to the iTunes Store for more information.
ThumbJam – $6.99
Over 30 high-quality multi-sampled real instruments and hundreds of musical scales allow you to play a range of styles.
It’s endorsed by Jordan Rudess, and comes with two of his signature sounds.
TouchOSC – $4.99
For sending Open Sound Control (OSC) messages to other devices via Wi-Fi. Includes touch controls for faders, rotary controls, toggle buttons, XY pads, multi-faders, multi-toggles, LEDs and labels, with full multi-touch of up to five controls at once.
miniSynth PRO – $9.99
Grab hold of analog synthesis on your iPad with this completely revamped version of the original iPhone synth.
Fully-featured, professional grade virtual analog synth incorporating an improved version of the zero-latency “push-pull” Yonac keyboard algorithm.
A huge range of specs include dual subtractive / FM virtual-analogue polyphonic / monophonic synthesis, fully configurable FM filter or modulation based tone shaping, 16-bit quality stereo output, dual syncable oscillators, six optimised custom waveforms per oscillator, adjustable dual keyboards, BPM-based arpeggiator module, and so much more.
Korg iElectribe – $19.99
A faithful virtual recreation of Korg’s ELECTRIBE-R sound engine, featuring analog synth modelling, PCM samples, virtual valve force tube modelling, patterns and effects.
Pianist Pro – $9.99
The original iPhone piano now arrives in a pro version for the iPad, featuring full recording and overdub, standard MIDI output, MIDI to OSC, multiple instruments, pitch bend, modulation and swell pedal, arpeggiator and a drum machine.
Pocket Organ C3B3 – $2.99
Optimised for the larger iPad screen, play a simulation of the Hammond Organ using a virtual tonewheel system controlled by nine drawbars as per the real thing. Features include scrollable keyboard, transposition, rotary speaker effect, harmonic percussion effect, reverb, overdrive, vibrato, chorus, and glissando via the accelerometer.
SunVox – $4.99
Another iPad app endorsed by Jordan Rudess, SunVox is a small and fast multi-platform pattern-based (tracker) sequencer with modular synths. This means you can use it across different operating systems.
Features include a modular interface, optimised synth algorithms, Wi-Fi import and export, including WAV samples, various generators and a sampler, DC blocking filter, effects including delay, distortion and echo, a three-band equaliser, low-, high-, band-pass and notch filters, flanger, LFO, loop, reverb, a vocal filter and vibrato.
bleep!BOX – $9.99
A combination drum machine and synthesiser box with sounds generated in real time (not from samples).
Features include real-time processing, audio copying, classic x0x drum emulation, analog style 2-Osc synths, 10 parts, 50+ parameters, ringmod, FM, PhaseMod, Sync, Distortion, global delay FX, eight waveforms, tempo, swing, pattern length, saving of patches and patterns, step sequencing and recording, automation, song mode, and recording songs and patterns to WAV files.
Ellatron HD – $5.99
Experience a virtual Mellotron synth on your iPad, featuring 27 voices, 16 banks of programmable chord buttons, ‘fat keys’ for better playability, save and restore of voice settings, and ready to take on the road. Jordan Rudess say’s “it’s pretty cool”.
Looptastic HD – $14.99
Create remixes and electronic compositions simply by dragging and dropping loops, using the built-in DJ mixer and adding effects with the touch pad.
Features include over 900 samples plus the ability to record your own, a dozen real time effects with X-Y touch pad, including Bit Crusher, Multimode Fingering, flanger, delay and glitchy repeater, time stretching, triple-zone mixer, scratch strip for triggering samples part-way through, importing of a range of audio sample file types, export in 16-bit AIFF, and sharing via SoundCloud.
GrooveMaker Hip-Hop for iPad – $9.99
The application for creating non-stop electronic, dance and hip-hop tracks in real-time.
Features include instantaneous control of eight stereo loop tracks, play, mix and randomise loops on the fly, combine studio-quality loops, manipulate loops in real time, arrange grooves with drag and drop, save and recall tracks and upload WAV files via Wi-Fi.
Nota HD – $5.99
Designed for pianists of all levels, Nota HD features piano chord and scale browser, piano and staff note locator, note quiz and reference library with over 100 symbols.
Raindrops for iPad – $1.99
Play music simply by touching the screen, either solo or over the Internet.
Synth – $0.99
Simply titled “Synth”, this cheaper app offers over 40 instruments, mod and pitch bend wheels, adjustable delay and distortion plus a built in sampler.
Bebot – Robot Synth – $1.99
Feature packed polyphonic musical synth with a unique multitouch control method — an onscreen animated robot character who moves and sings while you play.
Four synth modes, analog-sounding filters, versatile delay/loops, overdrive distortion, programmable scales, and full touchscreen control.
Music Studio – $14.99
A complete music production environment featuring dynamically configurable 85-key keyboard, 74 studio-recorded instruments, low-latency, high polyphony, real time effects, 128-track sequencer, note editing, quantising, transposition, repeat, move, velocity and so on, Wi-Fi transfer, MIDI import/export.
iSequence for iPad – $14.99
Music creation studio featuring eight-track sequencer, flexible mixer with DSP, real-time recording and control, 160 instruments, pattern editing, sampler, and wi-fi file sharing.
Electrify – $14.99
A virtual sample groovebox for iPad, designed to combine the best features of existing hardware grooveboxes and the ease of use of software applications.
Features include an eight-track sequencer with individual track lengths, two chainable effect buses with 8 effects, direct access to track parameters, step sequencer, pattern matrix, seven parameters editable per step, professional sample library, import of samples, sample editing, copy and paste to other iPad apps.
Mellotronics M3000 for iPad – $11.99
The only moxMatrix – $4.99
Turns iPad into a canvas for rhythm and melody, featuring a multicoloured, multitouch pulsating groovebox.
Features include tone matrix interface, loop creation, sampler, alternative scales, pattern storage and jam mode.
olsynth – $6.99
Classic monophonic synth with a clean and simple interface. Settings include dual oscillator with four waveforms, fine tune, modulation, filter, envelope volume and filter, and arpeggio.
TuneLab Piano Tuner
– $299.99
A highly specialised app designed for professional piano tuners. It can be calibrated to an accuracy of 0.02 cents, stores hundreds of tuning files for individual pianos, plus historical temperaments for period music, automatic note switching, plus a range of displays to aid in tuning.
Mac user? Don’t miss our 35 Piano, Synth and Sound Apps from the Mac App Store feature.
Mellotron comes to iPad with launch of Mellotronics M3000 HD
June 12, 2010
I know we are going to see some incredible soft synths, emulators and simulators coming to the iPad over time, given its screen real estate and immense portability, and one of the first is Streetly Electronics’ and Omenie’s software implementation of the great Mellotron.
Mellotronics M3000 HD features 13 voices sampled directly from Streetly Electronics’ production tapes — those very same as used in classic tracks such as Strawberry Fields Forever, Nights in White Satin and Watcher of the Skies.
All 35 notes of each set have been sampled, and all keys are visible on screen and fully playable. There’s even a dozen programmable chord pads. See the demo video below for how these are used to good effect.
Martin Smith of Streetly Electronics, says “I was amazed to hear our classic sounds coming out of the iPad. This is the truest, most playable digital mellotron for iPhone OS, and it has to be heard to be believed.”
Apparently a version for the iPod Touch and iPhone is also in development, though I think it would be rather a struggle to play efficiently on such a small screen. You’d either need to select which keys to display on screen or perhaps use a stylus. Fat fingers beware.
The iPad version will be available from Monday 14 June priced $11.99. I’ll update with a link when it goes live in the App Store.
(Via)
Sony updates Acid Music Studio to version 8: consumer music making and mixing improves
June 10, 2010
Sony has announced that its consumer-oriented Acid Music Studio has just been upgraded to version 8, offering a range of new features aimed at the amateur and prosumer music enthusiast.
Equally of use to those wanting to control MIDI devices as well as those sampling and mixing audio sources, key features of the new version include:
- Audio and MIDI Mixing Console: The new Mixing Console provides an integrated view of all tracks and busses in your project with the appearance of a traditional hardware-based mixer. The look can be customized to provide you with the best view of even the most complex session. The new audio and MIDI Mixing Console has additional routing options, allowing for a more flexible and efficient studio recording environment.
- Zplane élastique Audio Timestretching and Pitch Shifting: Zplane élastique Pro technology allows users to perform dramatic time stretches and pitch-shifts of Beatmapped tracks while retaining maximum sound quality.
- Enhanced remixing tools: For remixing your favourite songs, only ACID Music Studio software has the Beatmapper tool. This feature automatically finds the tempo of a complete song, making it easy to remix songs with different beat structures. New markers in ACID Music Studio 8 allow you to Beatmap songs with varying tempos and time signatures.
- Cross-Track Event Drag and Drop: This new feature allows users to easily create mixes by simply cutting, copying, or pasting events across multiple tracks for faster editing.
As well as these features, there are some 3,000 high quality music loops plus the Studio Devil British Valve Custom guitar amp and TruePianos Amber Lite piano plug-in.
There’s also a social element going on, with the ability to upload creations directly to ACIDplanet.com from within the software.
PC only, not surprisingly, running on Windows XP, Vista or 7, and retailing from $64.95.
Groovy Music City: music creation software for kids, from Avid
May 5, 2009
Getting kids interested in music from an early age is a very worthwhile thing to do, for its own sake and also because music has been shown to improve overall learning and skills development in children.
Those who seem to have an aptitude for composition, but for whom a full-blown music creation package would be far too complex, might like to give Groovy Music City a try.
Avid’s software allows kids to create songs by arranging a series of shapes and machines against the backdrop of an animated and futuristic city, simply by dragging and dropping.
They can select from 128 virtual instruments or even connect a keyboard via MIDI.
There’s also a strong social networking element. Completed songs can be uploaded, shared, and commented upon at GroovyMusic.com.
The software is available for both Windows PC and Mac, priced $39.99 from Avid’s web site.
