Korg intros monotribe Analog Ribbon Station

Korg has introduced the monotribe Analog Ribbon Station, “bringing responsive realtime control to analog groove-making.”

Highlights include:

• The powerful sound of true analog synthesis
• 3-part analog drums, using discrete analog circuitry
• Popular Electribe-style sequencing.
• Active Step and Flux features for realtime dynamic loop manipulation
• Advanced multi-function ribbon keyboard; Chromatic, Continuous, & Wide modes
• Auto-tuning provides stable pitch for accurate chromatic playability
• Selectable oscillator waveform, noise generator, and versatile LFO
• Uses the same VCF (filter) circuit as the classic MS-10/MS-20
• Sync In & Out jacks allows synchronized integration with multiple units
• Battery operation, built-in speaker and compact size deliver on-the-go groove-making

Korg’s description as follows:

True Analog Synthesis

The monotribe’s sound engine uses technology old and new, merging the powerful sound of analog synthesis with the dexterity and playability required in today’s groove making environments. Analog technology is essential for fast and responsive control, and delivers the full sonic spectrum from warm and easy-going to full-throttle rampage.

Three-Part Analog Drums

The monotribe provides a three-part rhythm section powered by discrete analog circuitry; bass drum, snare, and hi-hat. These three sounds were the key elements in a generation of analog beat making, and are still in demand today. Use these powerful drum sounds to generate distinctive beats attainable only from the monotribe.

Electribe-Style Groove Creation

For over a decade, Korg’s Electribe Series has served as the standard tools for dance music and DJ work, and has earned outstanding popularity, even appearing recently as top-selling iPad app. The fantastic step key interface lives on in monotribe, with a dedicated button for each of the eight steps. This allows realtime, hands-on step editing of not only the drum parts, but also for any synth part sequence played on the ribbon keyboard.

Active Step and Flux Mode

Active Step editing lets you remove or re-insert individual steps, creating short loop-like effects or off-beat patterns that weave in and out of complex rhythms. The step buttons provide this Active Step control during playback, and also provide an instant return to the original 8-step sequence if needed. Flux Mode allows the creation of sequenced synth parts that are not rigidly tied to the step grid, providing more musical versatility. The creation and morphing of edgy beats and stuttering rhythms has never been easier.

Multi-Mode Ribbon Keyboard

The ribbon controller keyboard provides three selectable playing modes/ranges. The chromatic mode (KEY) is ideal for playing melodies and bass lines, and stepping smoothly from note to note. Switch to the continuous mode (NARROW) for glides and bends – just as on the monotron. Also available is the wide continuous mode (WIDE) with a six-fold pitch range for dramatic synth zaps and screams. In addition, pressing the Gate Time button will allow the gate time to be sequenced as the ribbon controller keyboard is played.

Auto-Tuning Analog

Analog synthesizers of yesteryear were prone to drift in pitch. But no more! The monotribe’s auto-tuning circuitry provides stable chromatic playability, and will not go out of tune. This auto-tuning technology also means no warm-up time, no servicing for pitch calibration, no sensitivity to temperature changes – just the great sound of analog VCO.

Classic Analog Components – VCO, LFO, VCA

The VCO offers a choice between sawtooth, triangle and square wave. White noise can mixed in to the oscillator signal in any amount. The Octave selector covers a broad range, from deep bass to piercing lead-lines. Three EG (Envelope Generator) presets provide the VCA with impressive versatility and dexterity. The LFO can be patched to the VCO and/or the VCF, creating impressive dynamic effects. The Range switch allows the LFO to deliver stirring cyclic changes over tens of seconds (SLOW) or superfast (FAST) audio-range FM ringing. Switching the LFO Mode to the 1-shot setting allows the LFO behave as a second envelope generator – a truly powerful addition!

Vintage MS-10/MS-20 Filter

The monotribe features the same VCF circuit found on Korg’s classic MS-10 and MS-20 analog semi-patchable synthesizers. Distinctively analog, this sharp and powerful filter adds dramatic change to the sound, imparting the uniquely memorable character of Korg’s early analog synthesizers. Using the audio input, any audio source can be enhanced by passing through the filter section. Process an instrument, a voice, or a complete mix form CD or MP3 and create larger than life filter effects!

Sync Jacks: A Return to Modular

The monotribe provides both Sync In and Sync Out jacks, empowering multiple monotribe units to play and work together for a synchronized performance. Not just other monotribes, either. Audio line level pulses can trigger the Sync Input so the monotribe can be synchronized to a DAW system, for example. In addition, the polarity of the pulse waveform can be changed for both the input and output, so you can enjoy synchronized performance with a variety of equipment equipped with Sync connections.

On-The-Go Groove Making

Light, compact, and portable, monotribe is great on the go. Equipped with a built-in speaker and powered by six AA batteries, it is completely self-contained and ready to deliver hours of enjoyment wherever you take it.

Full Specifications

Operating Temperature:
0 – +40°C (non-condensing conditions)

Keyboard:
Ribbon keyboard

Sound Generator:
Analog synthesis
VCO: Waveshape (Saw, Triangle, Square); Octave Range (64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2); Noise Generator (Amount); Key Range (Wide, Narrow, Key)

VCF: 12 dB/Oct Low Pass Filter; Cutoff (Frequency); Peak (Resonance)

VCA: Gain knob: EG Select (Decay, Gate, Attack)

LFO: Rate (Speed); Intensity (Depth); Target Switch (VCO, VCF, VCO+VCF); Mode Switch (Fast, Slow, 1-Shot); Shape (Saw, Triangle, Square)

Drums:
3 parts, discrete analog

Sequencer:
8 steps

CONNECTORS:
Audio In: 3.5mm / ?” stereo mini-phone jack
Output: 6.3mm / ¼” stereo phone jack (unbalanced)
Headphones: 3.5mm / ?” stereo mini-phone jack
Sync In Jack: 3.5mm / ?” stereo mini-phone jack
Maximum input level: 20V
Sync Out Jack: 3.5mm / ?” stereo mini-phone jack
Output level: 5V

Power Supply:
AA/LR6 alkaline battery (x6)
AA nickel-metal hydride battery (x6)
Optional AC adapter (DC: 9V)

Battery Life:
Approximately 14 hours
(when using alkaline batteries)

Dimensions (W x D x H):
207 x 145 x 70mm/8.15 x 5.71 x 2.76 inches

Weight:
735g / 1.62 lbs. (without batteries)

Included items:
AA alkaline batteries for verifying operation;
Owner’s Manual

Circuit Bending: A Basic Guide and Resource List

Circuit bending. It sounds really cool and just a tiny bit dangerous. It will certainly void your warranty, but that’s OK because it’s often done on old electronics equipment that would otherwise probably end up on the scrap heap.

That’s what I assumed about circuit bending. I realised that I loved synths, but I didn’t really know anything about this mystical art — taking apart machines and extracting sounds from them you might never have thought possible.

So, here’s my first journey into the world of circuit bending. I might not actually be ready to do any hardware mods just yet, but at least I might get a better understanding of what I’d need to do.

What is Circuit Bending? | Who Does Circuit Bending? | Circuit Bending Festivals | Circuit Bending Sites and Blogs | Circuit Bending Books | Circuit Bending Forums

What is Circuit Bending?

Wikipedia says that circuit bending is:

the creative customization of the circuits within electronic devices such as low voltage, battery-powered guitar effects, children’s toys and small digital synthesizers to create new musical or visual instruments and sound generators.

Emphasizing spontaneity and randomness, the techniques of circuit bending have been commonly associated with noise music, though many more conventional contemporary musicians and musical groups have been known to experiment with “bent” instruments. Circuit bending usually involves dismantling the machine and adding components such as switches and potentiometers that alter the circuit.

So it seems there isn’t much limit to what can be circuit bent, other than the objects are usually fairly cheap and simple electronic objects, some of which might already make a standard set of noises (toys, synths) or alter audio (effects pedals) in some way.

And it sounds dangerous, a thought backed up by another statement in the Wikipedia article:

Haphazard shorting out of electronic items will almost inevitably at some time lead to the destruction of the circuit being prodded about. Worse still, it could present risk of fire, burning or electrocution.

Presumably, therefore, it’s best not to muck around with high voltage or mains-connected gear unless you really know what you’re doing (or you have some perverse love of electrocution). The risks and potential injuries are likely to be lower when running low powered battery-operated devices.

As the process “has been developed largely by individuals with next to no formalised training in electronic theory and circuit design” it seems the skills required are the ability to open up gadgets, access their circuit boards, connect locations with jumper wires or solder them together, and possibly add other components such as buttons, switches, resistors, capacitors, potentiometers, photoresistors and pressure sensors, in order to control the audio output in some way.

Apart from the electrical risks, then, it seems like something anyone could get into reasonably easily and at low financial cost (unless they want to blow up a Yamaha Tyros, perhaps).

Before beginning to do circuit bending, a person should learn the basic risk factors about working with electrical and electronic products, including how to identify capacitors (which can give a person a serious shock due to the electrical charge that they store), and how to avoid risks with AC power. For safety reasons, a circuit bender should have a few basic electronics tools, such as a multimeter (an electronic testing device which measures voltage, resistance and other factors). It is advised that beginner circuit benders should never “bend” any device that gets its power from mains electricity (household AC power), as this would carry a serious risk of electrocution.

Resources

• Q. R. Ghazala short article: What is Circuit-Bending, Anti-Theory and Clear-Illogic?
• Anti-Theory.com: Circuit-Bending
• OddMusic.com:
  • About the Art
  • Tools of the Trade
  • Parts
  • Exploring the Art
  • Techniques
  • Cautions
• Oscillateur.com: Circuit Bending FAQ
• Circuit Bending at XCOM 2002: Circuit Bending Tips

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Who Does Circuit Bending?

• Casperelectronics: Peter Edwards
• Bill T Miller
• Cementimental

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Circuit Bending Festivals

Bent Festival

The Bent Festival is an annual art and music festival celebrating DIY electronics, hardware hacking, and circuit bending. Each year we invite artists from across the country and around the globe to perform music with their home-made or circuit bent instruments, teach workshops to adults and children alike, create beautiful art installations and to generally come together, face to face, and showcase the state of the art in DIY electronics and circuit bending culture.

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Circuit Bending Sites and Blogs

Absurdity.biz

A range of old and new resources including circuit bending techniques.

Check out the Bent Festival DVDs and the Bentrument Gallery.

spunkytoofers.com

“spunkytoofers is the circuit bending dada bunny. spunky currently lives in the forests of uzbekistan and enjoys candlelit dinners and walks by the beach.”

CEO Bend-O-Rama

“We formed after a circuit-bending workshop held in Copenhagen in May 2007 and arranged by AUX and LAB. The workshop was led by Knut Aufermann and Sarah Washington. The group was christened CEO (Copenhagen Electronic Orchestra) – Bend-O-Rama at the workshop. We are now a four to six person group.”

GetLoFi.com

“Circuit Bending tips and resources for Beginners and Pros alike.”

TechDweeb.com

An interesting collection of circuit-bent gadgets with stories, photos, hints and tips.

F7Sound.com

“Do you love the sounds of insane glitches, digital hiccups, circuit overloads, stuttering sample loops, and extreme distortion? Do you enjoy taking things apart?”

MysteryCircuits.com

A substantial resource featuring a number of keyboards, toys and other equipment modified over the past decade.

SailorMouth.org

Circuit-bending videos, resources and more.

Bent or Die?

Kaseo’s Circuit Bending Gallery (JPN).

BurnKit2600

Band heavily into circuit bending old games consoles, analogue synthesisers and other gear.

MachineNoise

“Machinenoise showcases works by artists replicating an art-form pioneered by Reed Ghazala around 1966. This art-form is called circuit bending: the process of manipulating circuits of a sound device to make strange, alien-like sounds.
We also cater to Power Noise, Heavy Electronic and Industrial music.”

noystoise

Circuit bending blog.

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Circuit Bending Companies

Though circuit bending could be argued to be a personal pursuit, there are companies who will sell circuit-bent instruments.

CircuitBenders.co.uk

“Circuitbenders.co.uk was launched back in 2001 after a chance accident with an old Speak & Spell machine and a soldering iron opened up new realms of sonic destruction and audio carnage for circuitbenders founder Paul Norris. This site was the first website in the UK offering circuitbent machines for sale, alongside a wide range of custom modifications and upgrades for electronic toys, drum machines, synths and samplers.”

Plenty of Akai, Casio, Korg, Roland and Yamaha gear can be bent to order.

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Circuit Bending Books

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Circuit Bending Forums

Experimentalists Anonymous

A forum for discussing circuit bending in great depth, including modular synths and DIY instruments, effects and general DIY.

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If you have any resources or links you’d like to share, please leave a comment below. I’ll update the article as required.

Korg intros WAVEDRUM Mini

At this year’s Winter NAMM Korg showed off its WAVEDRUM Oriental, a cracking limited edition drum pad eaturing a wide range of Arabic percussion sounds.

Now it has revealed the WAVEDRUM Mini, featuring the classic WAVEDRUM technology but in a smaller, more portable form.

Not only does it has a built-in speaker and run off batteries but it features a sensor clip allowing any object to be transformed in an instrument.

Effectively this means you can use a second surface to trigger a second sound on the Wavedrum. Attach the sensor clip to another object or surface and it instantly becomes another trigger point. That’s very cool.

Feature Highlights

• Portable percussion synthesizer built on Korg’s renowned Wavedrum technology
• Play two sounds at once for a rich musical experience:
  • Play one sound from the dynamic pad
  • Play a second sound from any surface or object using the sensor clip
• 100 Ready-to-play sounds ranging from acoustic tones to synthetic sounds
• 100 Rhythm patterns serve as a rhythmic guide or provide jam-along-fun
• 10 Preset audio effects; select any effect and enhance any sound
• On-board Looper allows unlimited overdub layering for complex, multi-sound patterns
• Share your sounds using the built-in speaker, or practice using headphones
• Battery operation lets you play with confidence on the street, outdoors or anywhere
• AC Adapter and mounting strap are included

Full Specifications

Sounds: 100
Combination Effects: 10
Input: Sensor Clip input
Outputs: Phones (Stereo mini), Output (1/4″)
Speaker: 10 x 5cm; 1.3 Watt
Sampling frequency: 48 kHz
A/D, D/A conversion: 24-bit
Display: 7-segment LED
Power Supply: AA nickel metal hydride batteries (x6); AC adapter
Battery Life: 4 hours *when using nickel metal hydride batteries (1900mAh)
Dimensions (W x D x H): 8.50 x 8.50 x 2.63 inches / 216 x 216 x 67mm
Weight: 2.20 lbs. / 1.0kg (batteries included)
Accessories: AC Adapter, Sensor clip, Strap

*Specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice for improvement.

Yamaha intros MOX6 and MOX8 “Mobile Motif” workstations

Buy the MOX6 and MOX8 from zZounds.

By the time we arrived at Musikmesse 2011, many of Yamaha’s wares had already been shown off at the NAMM show. Yet the company still managed to show off its new “Mobile Motif” duo of synthesizers; the MOX6 and MOX8.

Introduced over a decade ago, the Motif brand of synths is still going strong. The new MOX series combines a MOTIF XS sound engine, a MIDI keyboard controller with extensive DAW and VST control, multi-channel USB audio interfacing, onboard sequencing, and an extensive DAW / VST software bundle.

Yamaha claims these latest instruments are its most powerful, mobile and affordable workstations ever.

Key features include:

• 1,217 Voices and 355 MB of waveforms taken from the MOTIF XS
• XA (Expanded Articulation) tone generation system
• More than 256 Performances that spark your musical inspiration
• Virtual Circuitry Modeling (VCM) effects
• 6,720 arpeggiator patterns and the 4 part interactive arpeggio engine
• Direct Performance recording
• Performance Creator for quick setting of Splits, Layers, and Drum Parts
• Category Search provides instant access to the Voices you want
• Comprehensive sequencer including step recording
• New developed 61-key semi weighted keyboard for MOX6
• 88-key Graded Hammer Standard for MOX8
• Lightweight body
• Built-in 4-in 2-out USB Audio/MIDI interface
• Bundled with YC-3B Organ Emulator soft synth, Prologue analog synth, and Cubase AI
• Advanced Integration with PC

The model numbers denote the size and key type: the MO6 has a 61-key semi-weighted keyboard while the MOX8 features the full-size 88-key graded hammer keyboard.

Pricing is around $2,000 for the MOX8 and $1,500 for the MOX6. For more details check out the MOX series product pages.

Buy the MOX6 and MOX8 from zZounds.

35 Piano, Synth and Sound Apps from the Mac App Store

With our 22 iPad Music Creation Apps feature going down rather well, we thought we’d take a look at some of the many applications available in the equivalent Mac App Store.

This list won’t be much use to those of you on Windows or Linux computers, but if you run a Mac in your music set up, you may find some of these useful.

It’s worth noting that we haven’t reviewed or tested any of these. They’re provided to you as a service. Should you find one that really doesn’t cut the mustard, or we’ve missed out a great app, do let us know.

As there are quite a few apps here, we’ve split them into several sections. Select from the list below, or just scroll down to see all the apps. Click on the title of an app to visit its official web page.

Audio | DJ | Drum Sequencing | Humor | Piano | Sequencing | Synthesis | Tuning | Tutorials | Utilities | Visuals

Audio

Amadeus Lite

Use your Mac for any audio-related task, such as live audio recording, creating iPhone ringtones, digitizing tapes and records, converting between a variety of sound formats (including Mp3, Mp4, AIFF, WAVE, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis), remastering your iTunes music library, etc.

Thanks to its outstanding direct-to-disk abilities and waveform caching, edits on arbitrarily large sounds are performed at lightning speed. The handling of large sounds is furthermore facilitated by the extensive support of markers.

While Amadeus Lite features a number of built-in audio effects (equalizer, speed and pitch change, echo, etc), its abilities can be extended arbitrarily by the support of Audio Units.

AudioSpeed

AudioSpeed allows you to alter the playback speed of audio (and video) files, and independently or in addition alter the pitch rate. Ideal for learning tricky passages of music or vocals, as it will adjust the playback speed without altering the pitch, if you don’t adjust the pitch slider. AudioSpeed has a large range of features, allowing you to adjust the playback speed and pitch exactly as you want, and to specify a loop section to repeatedly hear the adjusted audio. Key features include:

• Drag and drop table for adding audio and video files.
• Speed slider for adjusting the playback speed from a range of 2.5 down to 0.35. Also allows you to play audio in reverse from speeds of -0.35 to -2.5
• Pitch slider for adjusting the playback pitch rate.
• Loop buttons for setting the loop start and end points, useful for repeatedly playing a section of audio at a different speed.
• Full audio quality controls.
• Unobtrusive step buttons for incrementally adjusting the audio speed and/or pitch rate.
• Separate level indicator and audio info panels.
• Keyboard shortcuts for adjusting the speed, altering the pitch by semitones, and skipping forward or back.
• High quality interface for ease of use.

Auditri

Auditri is the best audio converter for mac, converts between all popular audio formats preserving metadata and album art intact. Lossless codecs are supported so you can keep your audio files in their highest quality. Import your wma and flac files to iTunes by converting them to mp3 and Apple Lossless, convert your m4a files to mp3 so you can play them in all of your devices and more!

Features:

• Keeps file tags and metadata.
• Album art support for mp3, aac, Apple Lossless and flac.
• Fast multicore encoding.
• High quality audio output, using the best encoders in the industry (Lame, Core Audio).
• Option to auto import to iTunes.
• Option to always save files to a custom directory.
• Growl Notifications.
• Easy to use drag and drop interaction.

Supported Input/Output Formats:

• FLAC
• Apple Lossless
• M4A (aac)
• MP3
• WMA
• OGG Vorbis
• WAV
• AIFF

Auditri does not work with any kind of DRM protected files.

AutoSampler

Capture the sound of your hardware and software synths, and convert them automatically to sampled instruments for your sampler. Just connect your synthesizer, set a few parameter, click Start, and the sound will be automatically sampled and standard EXS24/Kontakt/Structure/Reason NNXT files will be created, with no editing required.

eTuner

For those with instrumental talent, eTuner has also been developed and tested to work automatically with a variety of wind, brass, and string instruments.

eTuner is an interactive chromatic tuning application for Mac OS X. This application uses the quality audio and fine display capabilities of your Mac to determine and display musical pitch information as you play an instrument, hum, or sing a note.

In addition to instrument tuning, eTuner can also be used for scale studies and checking intonation as you play an instrument or sing.

eTuner features:

- Graphical note display.

eTuner displays the name of the note that is closest to pitch being detected as well as the amount of variance between the detected pitch and the displayed note, relative to the next higher or lower pitch. Also displayed is an indication of whether the pitch is High, Low, or OK, in relation to the note name being displayed.

- Simple, easy to read display.

The note display has been designed for easy interpretation when appearing anywhere within the musician’s field of vision. eTuner allows the musician’s focus to remain primarily on the music stand, while reinforcing interpretation of peripheral vision cues.

- Chromatic Tuning with User Selectable Scale Key.

eTuner displays all twelve pitches in an octave. The key settings feature allows the user to select which note names will be displayed when pitches of the selected key are detected. Selecting a minor key will also display note names for the harmonic and melodic ascending and descending scales. Notes that are not in the selected key are displayed as what is customary in the chromatic scale.

- NEW! Support for transposed instruments.

eTuner will display the “written note” for C, B?, E?, and F instruments. Select the transposition from the Instrument menu.

- Calibration settings.

The calibration setting provides the flexibility to adjust from the standard tuning of a’=440Hz.

- Frequency and Octave Display

The frequency and octave number can be optionally displayed with the note name.

- Input Level Meter and Volume

eTuner displays the current input device, channel, sample rate, and sound level. A slider control adjusts the input volume for the device. This allows the user to determine if they are producing a tone loud enough for eTuner to analyze.

- Audio System Preferences

Select input from any built-in microphone, or external audio device connected to your Mac.

Music & Speech Cleaner

All-in-one tool to restore and enhance your audio recordings.

• Reduce noise
• Remove hum
• Reduce clicks and pops
• Enhance Voice
• Enhance Music

Easily remove unwanted noise and enhance your recordings with one button operation. iZotope Music & Speech Cleaner gives you all the tools of a complete pro audio cleanup suite with straight forward options.

Music & Speech Cleaner’s intuitive step-by-step interface guides you through the cleanup process without slowing you down. Based on the same advanced noise reduction technology the experts use, the program provides professional-quality results at a non-expert price. Music & Speech Cleaner works with a range of compatible file types, meaning it works with your favorite software, like Apple iMovie or Adobe Premiere Elements. Cleaned files can also be imported into iTunes to create MP3 or AAC files and then burned to an audio CD.

** Clarify lectures, concerts, podcasts and sermons

Removing the hum and buzz from air conditioners or amps. Save the cleaned audio as new files for increased intelligibility.

** Repair audio from videos recorded on your camcorder, cell phone or camera

Remove unwanted background noise in home movies which results from recording in public areas. Share these movies on YouTube, confident with your professional-sounding audio.

** Restore an LP or cassette collection

Remove clicks, pops, and hiss from vinyl or tape recordings. Use Music & Speech Cleaner to separate the file into multiple tracks and then load them onto your iPod.

Sound Studio

Record, edit, and produce your audio with Sound Studio, an easy-to-use Mac app for recording and editing digital audio on your computer. Digitize tapes and vinyl records, record live performances, create your own mixes with crossfades, tweak the levels and EQ, apply digital effects and save in all major file formats with Sound Studio!

The Mac’s most popular audio program for many years, Sound Studio continues to be regularly updated to add new features and to take advantage of the very latest Apple technologies.

With Sound Studio you can record professional sounding Podcasts and other audio dialog. Spoken word, speeches, presentations, music, and other audio can all be recorded and edited with the same high fidelity. And from the high quality master, you can save in many standard file formats such as AIFF, WAVE, MPEG-4 AAC, Ogg Vorbis, and more.

Tech Specs

• Audio recording and playback on 2 channels and multiple tracks.
• Number of tracks limited only by processor and memory constraints.
• AudioUnit plug-in hosting.
• Uses 32-bit floating point PCM format internally.
• Supported PCM file formats: AIFF, CAF, Sound Designer II, and WAVE.
• Supported compressed formats: AAC, AU, AIFF-C, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Ogg Vorbis.
• Supports MP3 encoding if LAME.framework is installed.
• Tone and noise generators.
• 64-bit Intel / 32-bit Intel app binary.
• (32-bit plug-ins only work when app is in 32-bit mode.)

SoundCloud

The official SoundCloud Desktop app brings the full SoundCloud web experience to your Mac. Perfect for both the casual or professional user, it gives you access to all the sounds shared exclusively with you and allows you to browse, listen to and favorite sounds from the world’s largest community of sound creators. Create custom playlists and saved searches to see the sounds you need in an instant and download others for offline playback. And just like all the official SoundCloud apps it also includes record functionality that lets you easily capture and share any sound privately or publicly to Facebook, Twitter and more.

So whether you’re a serious sound professional who needs something to manage your daily workflow or just a casual creator who prefers the smooth native experience of OS X, SoundCloud Desktop does just the job.

Features:

• Record: capture your sounds right in the app and share to Facebook, Twitter or SoundCloud
• Listen to, favorite and manage your exclusive and incoming tracks in one place.
• Create playlists and recent search queries
• Find and follow users right in in the app to get updates in your incoming Dashboard

Speed-Up

Speed-Up brings the 2.0x playback button from your iPhone to your Mac. Listen to audio podcasts and songs at any speed between 0.25x and 3.0x using iTunes.

The app is NOT compatible with audiobooks purchased from Audible.

SlowMusic

SlowMusic is an application for changing the tempo of a music track in real time without affecting the pitch.

It is particularly useful when learning a new musical instrument.

Voice Analyzer

Voice Analyzer is a real-time spectrum and spectrogram analyzer with the possibility of visualization formants for your Mac.

Visualize your voice!!! Use The Voice Analyzer as your private voice teacher!!! With The Voice Analyzer you can check your harmonics and formants, especially the most important for every singer “The Singer’s Formant”.

See your vibrato !!!

With this program you can also see a lot of surrounding sounds such as singing birds, street noise, mechanical noise, and of course the sound and timbre of any musical instruments.

Features:

• Spectrum analyzer.
• Spectrogram analyzer.
• Spectrum and spectrogram gain.
• Frequencies up to: 5.5kHz, 11kHz, 22kHz.
• Formants visualization
• Adjust the width of the formant analysis.
• Start/stop of the analysis.
• Shows harmonics and formants frequencies on the spectrum (realtime)
• Hamming window (on/off)

We also offer a version for the iPod/iPhone/iPad in the App Store (sold separately)

Voice Candy

Voice Candy is a fun and useful recorder for the Mac. It does for the microphone what Apple’s Photo Booth does for the web cam. Voice Candy makes recording enjoyable by providing eight different effects, such as Vader and Chipmunk, to alter the speaker’s voice. Once you have made the recording, you can use it to set a reminder, send an email, or take it with you on your iPod. You can also extend the capabilities of Voice Candy by writing AppleScripts to integrate with other applications.

Features include:

• 8 different effects to record with that alters your voice
• Set a reminder alarm with your recording
• You can snooze the alarm
• Global shortcut key setting
• Run as a menu app
• Email recording
• Send recording to iTunes
• Extendable through AppleScript

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DJ

Cross-DJ

Based on the acclaimed pro DJ software Mixvibes CROSS® and Mixvibes 10 years DJ software technology, CROSS DJ is the new mixing software now available on Mac App Store at a great discount price!

Whether you are a professional, mobile or beginner DJ, CROSS DJ will satisfy the needs of everyone in a nice and intuitive environment. With the instant iTunes® access, finding the right track and building your DJ playlist has never been so easy!

Get now access to all professional DJ features:

• Perfect mix including the 100% optimal BPM analysis and synchronization technology
• Automix playlist
• High quality effects: Flanger, Reverb, Low-Pass with ultra-knob control
• 2 colored DJ decks plus a preview player
• Intuitive Mac Laptop / Desktop keyboard shortcuts
• 6 precise Cue-points to set and store up
• Smart music and playlist management with artwork browsing
• Instant mix recording in low, mid, high quality format
• more than 35 pre-mapped class industry DJ controllers such as Pioneer, Numark, Hercules, Vestax,…
• Advanced MIDI Learn
• AIFF, WAV, MP3, FLAC, and AAC audio file support
• Compatible with any external audio interface (USB, Firewire…) for high resolution sound quality.

djay

djay seamlessly integrates with your iTunes library and transforms your Mac into a full-blown DJ system. Unprecedented ease-of-use, combined with innovative and powerful mixing features, make this the perfect tool for beginners and seasoned pros alike.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS:

• Seamless iTunes integration
• Easy-to-use drag and drop interface
• Automix
• Live Recording
• BPM-sync and automatic tempo and beat detection
• Live Microphone with pitch and echo effect
• Previewing songs through headphones (via USB audio interface)
• Audio Effects: Speed Change, Reverse, Time-Stretching, Pitch-Shifting, Echo, Reverb, Audio Units, and more
• Export history of played songs as iTunes playlist or PDF
• MIDI learn
• Support for external audio interfaces and controllers (MIDI, USB, Firewire)
• Supports all major audio formats like MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, Audio-CD and songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store

VirtualDJ Home

Winner of the “Best DJ Software” at WMC 2010, and with more than a million new downloads every months, VirtualDJ is the most widely used DJ software, and the uncontested leader of non-timecode digital DJing.

It has been used around the world for the past 10 years by bedroom DJs and professional superstars alike to rock millions of parties, and has been chosen by leading DJ brands such as Denon, Gemini, Numark, or Vestax, to be included with most of their digital DJ controllers.

With its cutting-edge beatlock engine, your songs will always stay on the beat, and you can work your mixes incredibly faster than any other DJ.

The automatic seamless loop engine and synchronized sampler will let you perform astounding remixes on the fly.

The video engine lets you mix and scratch music videos or karaoke as easily as audio.

With NetSearch and MusicGroups, you will stay on the edge of the musical trends.

And with the versatile VDJScript language and hundreds of downloadable skins, you can tailor your software to your exact needs.

Whether you are a professional experienced DJ, or a music enthusiast, VirtualDJ is all you need to get the party started.

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Drum Sequencing

Renzoku Drums

Renzoku Drums is a new kind of drum application. It is a drum loop sequencer with 9 way pattern switch.

9 pattern presets are all customizable and you can switch them rapidly with keyboard. Switch rhythm patterns as you like. Rhythm pattern will vary smoothly. And you can edit pattern immediately with the pattern editor.

Your performance can be recorded and exported to WAV file.

Renzoku Drums is designed for

1. Daily musical instrument trainings
2. Drums track making
3. Jamming

iDrum

iDrum turns your Mac into a powerful, simple-to-use virtual drum machine. Build patterns with iDrum’s lightning-fast step sequencer, using included kits or your own samples.

Easy. Fun. Dope.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional beat-maker or if you’ve never touched a drum machine before. iDrum lets you create drum patterns quickly, either with its top-notch included kits or your own samples. There’s simply no faster way to build a beat on your Mac.

Drum machine newcomers will get to experience the same magical instant-gratification that hooked an entire generation of musicians on the hardware drum machines of yesteryear. Pros will find that iDrum is the perfect way to manage large unwieldy drum sample libraries, get a phat beat going, and get it exported into the format you need (and for less money than a replacement pad for your MPC 3000).

Play that Beat

Don’t feel like pushing buttons with your mouse? Prefer to bang on things instead? iDrum has you covered. Use record mode to tap out beats on an attached MIDI keyboard, or even using your QWERTY keyboard!

Samples Reloaded

iDrum comes with hundreds of professional drum samples arranged in nearly two hundred iDrum files, each with several preset patterns programmed by some of the best beatmeisters working today. But these beats are just the beginning—since you can mix and match parts and samples between kits, and even load your own AIFF and WAV drum samples, the possibilities for beat creation are virtually endless. If you ever run through all the drum sounds that come with iDrum (and it will take you a while, believe us), you can drag any AIFF or WAV file of up to 2MB in size into iDrum’s channel window.

Patterns Galore

Store up to 99 patterns in a single iDrum file, along with all of the drum sounds you used to make your beat. iDrum makes it simple to create tons of variations on a simple pattern, and then chain them together using Song Mode. Or simply trigger patterns from your favorite host sequencer.

Parts

iDrum comes with dozens of part presets—a unique feature that makes it incredibly easy to create amazingly cool beats by simply mixing and matching parts and samples—even if you’ve never programmed a beat before. You can even add your own parts to iDrum’s part preset library so you never, ever, ever have to program that syncopated disco hat figure again (you know the one we mean).

Link to iDrum for the iPhone and iPod touch

Take your beats anywhere! iDrum versions for the iPhone and iPod touch platforms are available now on the Apple App Store . iDrum now lets you share kits and sounds with your iPhone/iPod touch. Create beats in the palm of your hand with your own samples and custom kits!

360 Drum Sequencer

360 Drum Sequencer is a basic MIDI drum sequencer and features a circular layout based on the time signature for note editing and has a simple, logical part/bar song structure.

Visit my website for more information including links to a video walkthrough.

360 Drum Sequencer was designed for musicians who don’t want to use drum loops and don’t enjoy trying to write drum parts using software designed for writing keyboard parts.

360 Drum Sequencer however is NOT a drum sample player or synthesizer, it relies on additional software such as GarageBand, Logic or BFD2 to be heard. Like a MIDI keyboard controller, it sends MIDI note information to a listening application or device.

360 Drum Sequencer also has no loops, grooves, or pre-made material, instead it was designed for musicians who want to create unique songs, note by note, simply and efficiently and in a way that makes sense musically. In other words, no linear time lines, no piano rolls, no crazy interface with a million buttons and multiple modes. Just a basic, easy to use editor built for drums.

Example workflow (assuming you have GarageBand):

1. Launch Garageband and create a new track set to your favorite drum kit.
2. Launch 360 Drum Sequencer. GarageBand will automatically detect the new MIDI source.
3. Define the parts of your song, Intro, Verse, Chorus, etc.
4. Choose an Instrument library (e.g. BFD2 10 Piece, GarageBand, etc.) or create one from scratch.
5. Add notes by clicking on the beat wheel. You can drag notes around the beat wheel to move them
   or drag them off the beat wheel and let them go to delete them.
6. Press Play and 360 will send the MIDI notes to GarageBand which will play them.

Features include:

• MIDI OUT to any device that accepts MIDI IN allowing you to drive most drum/sample audio applications such as GarageBand, Logic, BFD2, etc.
• MIDI file export.
• Song based structure consisting of Parts which have Bars which have Notes. You can duplicate Parts, duplicate Bars, copy notes from one Instrument to another.
• Instrument libraries already setup for GarageBand/Logic and BFD2.
• Velocity randomization which can be targeted to the entire song, a single part or selected bars.
• The Beat Wheel editor which gives you a circular layout to place notes (up to 32nd notes), divided and subdivided based on the time signature for a given part. There is also an inner Beat Wheel for placing triplet notes.
• New Song Wizard for quick setup.
• Instrument library editor for creating your own custom instrument libraries.

8Bit Drummer

Drum machine loaded with classic 8bit drum sounds. Autosave and export your lo-fi creations. Make music, no fuss, no muss.

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Humor

Burp and Fart Piano

With this app you can now fart and burp your favorite tunes without the risk of having to change your pants or throw up.

Imagine the laughs you could get from playing twinkle twinkle little star in farts, or that chinese one (I think its called chop sticks) in burps.

Just click on the piano keys or type the letters on your keyboard.

This app is hours of laughs and highly addictive

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Piano

UVI Electric Piano

Turn your Mac into a soulful Electric Piano !

Simply plug a MIDI keyboard in your computer and you’re ready to play one of the best electric keyboard ever made: a wonderful Rhodes™ electric piano manufactured in 1979.

UVI Instruments are well known and have been deeply used by professional musicians and producers for more than a decade thanks to some unique software like MOTU MachFive™, Ethno™ and BPM™, Spectrasonics Stylus™ and Atmosphere™, UVI Workstation™… to name a few.

UVI Electric Piano features the best of the UVI technology and the most efficient user interface to play an instrument: launch it and play !

UVI Electric Piano features:

• Super easy to use and great sounding instrument
• Featuring a classic Rhodes™ manufactured in 1979
• Recorded in a world class studio with the best gear
• Deeply multi-sampled (sustain, release, pedal noise…)
• Expertly edited and scripted using the latest UVI Engine
• Low Memory usage thanks to lossless realtime decoding
• Custom velocity curves to fit your playing style
• Onboard great sounding FX : Speaker Cabinet, Drive, Tremolo, Autopan, Chorus & Flanger
• Superb integrated old school “Spring” reverb
• Easy to record in Garage Band, Logic and others audio software
• CPU efficient
• Ultra low latency
• Compatible with built-in or third party sound cards.
• Compatible with all USB/MIDI keyboards and controllers

UVI Grand Piano

Turn your Mac into a wonderful Grand Piano!

Simply plug a MIDI keyboard in your computer and you’re ready to play one of the best instrument ever made: a Steinway™ Model D Grand Piano.

UVI Instruments are well known and have been deeply used by professional musicians and producers for more than a decade thanks to some unique software like MOTU MachFive™, Ethno™ and BPM™, Spectrasonics Stylus™ and Atmosphere™, UVI Workstation™… to name a few.

UVI Grand Piano features the best of the UVI technology and the most efficient user interface to play the piano: launch it and play !

UVI Grand Piano features:

• Super easy to use and great sounding instrument
• Steinway™ Grand Piano Model D
• Recorded in a world class studio
• Deeply multi-sampled (sustain, release, pedal noise…)
• Expertly edited and scripted using the latest UVI Engine
• Low Memory usage thanks to lossless realtime decoding : only 400 MB instead 3 GB
• Custom velocity curves to fit your playing style
• Superb integrated convolution reverb
• CPU efficient
• Ultra low latency
• Compatible with built-in and all third party soundcards.
• Compatible with all USB/MIDI keyboards and controllers
• Easy to record in Garage Band, Logic and others audio software

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Sequencing

GarageBand

GarageBand ’11 turns the Mac into a complete recording studio and offers fun new features that help you create even better sounding songs. Use Flex Time to quickly fix timing mistakes and Groove Matching to make multiple instruments play together seamlessly. Or plug in an electric guitar and play through realistic, inspiring new guitar amps and stompbox effects. GarageBand ’11 also has 22 new Learn to Play lessons in the most popular musical genres, and a exciting new feature called “How Did I Play?” that lets you practice along with any lesson while receiving real-time feedback – showing you where you made mistakes and tracking your improvement over time.

Flex Time

• Quickly change the timing of your audio recordings
• Fix occasional timing mistakes or make creative changes to how a part was performed
• Innovative UI – just click and drag the waveform to change the timing

Groove Matching

• Align the timing and rhythm of all your tracks with a single click
• Select a Groove Track, GarageBand analyzes its rhythm and instantly matches all other tracks

More guitar amps and stompbox effects

• Seven new guitar amps for a total of 12
• Modeled after the most revered gear in the world – from clean sounds to heavy distortion
• Five new stompbox effects, for a total of 15
• Mix Amps with stompboxes and find thousands of ways to rock

New Basic Lessons for piano and guitar

• 22 new Basic Lessons for piano and guitar (40 in total)
• Full screen, interactive video lessons with an Apple instructor to guide you
• Synchronized notation with animated onscreen instrument
• Built-in glossary to reference tuning for your guitar, reading music, and more
• Artist Lessons show you how to play a hit song taught by the artist who made it famous
• The GarageBand Lesson Store lets you browse, purchase and download Artist Lessons

“How Did I Play?”

• Play along with any GarageBand Lesson and get feedback on how accurately you’ve played
• Progress bar provides overview of your performance, and you can track progress over time
• Two-page notation to play along with sheet music or review your mistakes
• Chord Trainer to teach you how to play the most common chords, with real-time feedback

n-Track

n-Track Studio is an audio & MIDI multitrack recorder that turns your Mac into a full-fledged recording studio. You can record and playback a virtually unlimited number of audio and MIDI tracks. The program supports simultaneous recording from multiple 16 and 24 bit soundcards, and real-time audio effects can be applied non-destructively to each track. Built-in effects include Multiband Compression, Delay, Graphic EQ, Pitch Shift and time stretch, Parametric EQ and spectrum analyzer with guitar tuner.

The program can use third party AU and VST plug-ins to process in real-time audio signals. Effect can also be used to process the recorded signal in real-time so that the computer can act as a multi-effects device.

MIDI tracks can be imported end exported to regular MIDI files, and edited using the built in piano-roll based MIDI editing window. The program supports AUi and VSTi instruments plug-ins for sample accurate software MIDI playback.

All the audio tracks are saved as standard wave files and mixed “on the fly” during playback.

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Synthesis

Bubble Harp

“Of the millions of apps out there, none quite capitalize on the sheer fun and beauty of interactivity the way that Scott Snibbe’s do.” –CoolHunting

** #1 Music App in Mac App Store Worldwide ** iTunes Top 10 App of the Year for Art and Music on iOS **

Bubble Harp draws bubbles around your mouse’s strokes, recording and replaying your movements while creating music. It’s a combination of drawing, animation, music, art, geometry, and gaming. You can record long movements of a single point, or stream many points out of your cursor like ink. Through the pop-up control panel at the screen’s bottom, you can change from single points to streams of points, change graphic and sonic parameters, and load and save files. Bubble Harp was first released as a work of interactive art by Scott Sona Snibbe that was only available in galleries and museums. Now it’s available as a Mac application that also makes music.

Rated #1 Music App and Apple’s Top Music App in many countries, since its release.

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Tuning

Audio Tuner

Quickly and easily tune just about any musical instrument to perfect pitch.

Audio Tuner provides

• a full spectrum analysis,
• a pitch pipe,
• built-in tunings for many musical instruments.

Simply play your musical instrument into the microphone to find out if it is flat or sharp, then use the tone generator to confirm the note.

Supported instruments include

• guitar
• ukulele
• violin
• piano
• bass guitar
• banjo
• mandolin
• autoharp
• cello

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Tutorials

Ableton Live 101

Ableton Live is an amazing audio production and live performance tool. But all the incredible features that are packed into this software means the learning curve is steep! Don’t let that deter you though … with a bit of training you’ll soon know how to *think* like Live, and that will make it faster and easier for you to create your artistic visions.

In this 6.5-hour Ableton Live 8 tutorial-video by Lead macProVideo.com trainer Bill Burgess, you’ll learn incredible tips, tricks, and workflow techniques that will help you become a master of Live 8.

The tutorial begins with an exploration of the Ableton Live 8 interface and a detailed section on setting up your external studio gear to work seamlessly with Live. Once your gear is connected and talking to Live 8, you’ll move on to explore file management, working with tempo, and other basics of audio production.

Next, the tutorial gets deep into the killer features of Ableton Live 8, including using Warp Markers to alter the tempo and pitch of loops—the foundation of Live’s amazing audio abilities!

You’ll then explore recording audio, working with MIDI and Live 8′s included instruments, using device racks and adding DSP effects to your song, mixing techniques, and finally, some incredible videos on automating Live so your songs evolve over time.

The tutorial ends with a section on creating live sets in Ableton Live 8. You’ll learn how to incorporate the much-hyped APC-40 into your sets, and even explore working with video in your Live shows.

eMedia Piano and Keyboard Method

This new version of eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method offers everything you need to learn how to play! Piano instructor, Irma Irene Justicia, M.A., who has taught at the renowned Juilliard School of Music, guides you through over 300 step-by-step full-screen lessons. New Instant Feedback works with both electronic keyboards and acoustic pianos! It listens as you play melodies and shows whether you’re playing correctly!

The lessons start with the basics, such as hand position, rhythm, and playing on black keys, and move on to reading music notation, sight reading, scales, and much more. Techniques are demonstrated with over 70 videos viewable in full-screen mode.

Learn songs and exercises from music notation as an animated keyboard guides you through fingerings. Songs and exercises are provided as both live-recorded audio and variable-speed MIDI tracks which let you slow the music down as needed. Colorful MIDI accompaniments help make practicing fun! You will learn over 100 popular classical, blues, pop, and rock songs, including hit songs from artists such as Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, and Elton John!

Interactive review and ear training quizzes help reinforce new concepts and develop your ear. When used with an electronic MIDI keyboard, you get Interactive Evaluation Feedback with detailed specifics on your playing, including which notes and rhythms were wrong and how to correct them. In addition, the new Note Tracker shows you what note you’re playing and makes learning music notation easy. This latest version also offers fully scalable lesson screens and an option for full-screen video. Other accessories include a built-in digital metronome and a recorder. eMedia Piano & Keyboard Method is the ultimate way to learn how to play piano or keyboard!

Features:

• Instant Feedback – shows you whether you’re playing the correct notes on melodies. Works with both electronic keyboards and acoustic pianos!
• Interactive Evaluation Feedback – when using a MIDI keyboard you get specific feedback on note and rhythm mistakes to help you get it right the next time.
• Progress Tracking – personalized reports show your rate of progress, including scores for specific songs. The built-in recorder also helps you hear your progress.
• Animated Keyboard – displays correct fingerings as the music plays or for any note or chord that you double-click.
• Audio Tracks – features multi-track live recordings, colorful MIDI accompaniments and MIDI tracks that allow you to slow down or speed up the music.
• Full-screen lessons and videos.

Also features over 100 songs including:

• “Piano Man” by Billy Joel
• “Candle in the Wind” by Elton John
• “Ode to Joy” by Ludwig van Beethoven
• “America the Beautiful” by Samuel Ward
• “La Bamba” made famous by Los Lobos
• “Minuet in G” by J.S. Bach
• “Tishomingo Blues” by Spencer Williams
• “The Entertainer” by Scott Joplin
• “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan

Piano Game X

Piano Game X is a musical and memory game! The game plays a note and you have to guess and play it on the piano. If you guess right other notes will be added creating long melodies. Will you remember the whole sequence?

Challenge your friends, train your hear and discover always new tunes!

• Easy and intuitive: It takes just a second to start playing. It’s the perfect substitute of Minefield and Solitaire! And if you are in doubt you can always take a look at the help.
• Multiple game modes: You can freely play the piano, or you can challenge your friends by simple or advanced play modes.
• A never-ending game: Endless levels and melodies. How many notes will you be able to recognize and remember?
• Online Standings: Follow your ranking, beat all the records of other users and show your mnemonic-musical skills! You will challenge also iPod iPhone and iPad users of all the world!
• Train yourself playing:
  • Educate your ear while having fun!
  • Challenge your friends!
  • Improve your memory!
• Arcade design: Play on an high definition arcade keyboard made with attention in every detail, both in front and on the back.

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Utilities

Beat Counter

Provides completely automatic beats-per-minute detection using computational music analysis algorithms. Analyzes your collection of music files and writes the resulting BPM value to the MP3 ID3v2 tag.

• Fast and high precision analysis
• Completely automatic
• Write BPM to MP3 ID3v2 tag

How to use: To enqueue files for analysis, press the big green play button.

Keymap Pro

Create, edit, combine, automap, autoloop, slice, process your sampled instruments/sounds for Logic and Mainstage (EXS24), Kontakt3 and 4, Structure and Reason NNXT.
Keymap Pro is the most advanced application for editing sampled instruments available today.

Keymap integrates with Logic and Mainstage so that you can use it as an additional editor for your EXS24 instruments from within the Logic/Mainstage environment without having to load/save files and refresh menus. With this feature, the combination of Logic and Keymap offers the most sophisticated sampling environment ever.

Main Features

• Sampled Instruments editor for the EXS24, Kontakt3 and 4, Structure and Reason NNXT formats.
• AIFF,WAV, SD2, CAF, Apple Lossless, AAC support
• Autosplit samples and AutoMap with Pitch, Power, Decay, Spectral detection
• The most advanced DSP looping tools, crossfades and playback modes
• Loop the unloopable with Escher, Penrose, Moebius DSP Machines and AutoLoop
• SoundDesign processing with AudioUnit support
• Harmonic resynthesis with control over pitch, formant, time and amplitude and Polyphonation
• New Resynthesis Algorithm for polyphonic/drum samples
• Pitch Correction
• Built-in multichannel Recording and AutoSampling
• AutoMap functions for live recordings offer autosampling for acoustic instruments
• 3D Spatialization using 5 different algorithms including HRTF
• Drag and drop Magic Pads for import and export
• Dynamic velocity remapping
• Quadrasmooth function equalizes the sample levels
• Custom remapper to convert drum maps
• Sample slicing with instant remix feature
• Realtime and non destructive, exports standard sample files
• Direct integration with Logic and Mainstage
• Continuous background sample rendering
• Extensive modulation possibilities for sound design
• AutoSampler Live functions for interactive autosampling
• Support for floating point audio formats
• Export to multiple formats at once and Render in place
• MIDI Assignable editing parameters
• Multichannel support up to 24 channels
• Multiple playback personalities to replicate each format features
• Integrated Sample Editor
• Integrated Browser
• CoreAnimation-based intuitive interface with simplified modes
• 32/64bit Standalone application

Midi2Mp3

MIDI into MP3 Converter for Mac is a perfect choice for amateur or professional artists who involved in MIDI music creation, using digital instruments such as music sequencers, keyboards or pianos. All of them need a professional tool to convert their MIDI (MID, RMI, KAR) compositions to common audio formats. All popular MIDI formats are supported: MIDI, RIFF MIDI and Karaoke MIDI.

Artists can experiment with different SF2 Sound fonts to change the instruments sounds and quality. Try use different sound fonts and find best match for your MIDI composition in few minutes. The program also allows to adjust the MIDI composition tempo.

Smart MIDI to MP3 Converter has a built-in MIDI and Music audio player (with position track bar) – useful to listen to MIDI, MID, RMI, KAR (Karaoke files) before rendering.

Mini Metronome

A handy metronome that uses minimum screen real estate.

Designed for musicians who want to keep a metronome ready all the time.

Features:

• Tiny: hidden inside the system status bar.
• Precise: tick variance less then 0.5 ms on modern machines, internal precision up to 0.2 ms.

OnStage

This nifty little Application take the stress out of your live performance.

With OnStage running seamlessly alongside Apple’s leading studio application, Logic Studio® is transformed into a powerful performance tool.

Onstage enables the user to assign a unique Midi Program Change message to 30 different Logic Pro or Logic Express Projects. This allows the performer to recall each Project, or song in a set-list, via an ‘OnStage’ Midi control message.

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Visuals

MIDITrail

MIDITrail is a MIDI player which provides 3D visualization of MIDI data sets.

You can enjoy not only listening but also viewing.

MIDITrail supports Standard MIDI File (format 0/1), and multiple MIDI ports.

Quick Start

1. Click “Option” -> “MIDI OUT…”, select “Apple DLS Music Device” to Port A.
2. Drop your MIDI file into the window.
3. Push space key to play/pause, and push ESC key to stop.

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

Korg Wavedrum Oriental dynamic percussion synthesiser revealed [NAMM11]

Korg has announced its limited edition Wavedrum Oriental, a percussion synthesiser featuring a wide range of Arabic percussion sounds.

Exotic sounds to Western ears, Arabic percussion is indispensable to belly dancing, world music and other popular genres. Many acoustic percussion instruments can produce a whole range of sounds simply by the way their rims and skins are hit, and the Wavedrum Oriental aims to replicate this with a direct physical method of performance.

All the sounds faithfully simulate the distinctive ways in which the tone is affected by subtle nuances in playing technique and the position of the strike on these acoustic instruments – the Darbuka with its thin single skin, the Riq with its single skin and jingles, and the dual-skinned Bendir.

There are 150 preset sound programs plus 150 user programs.

An optional percussion stand is also available.

7 New GrooveMaker Packs for the iPad Now Available

Club, Techno, Trance, Electro, Rock, Reggae and Reggaeton

In celebration of GrooveMaker for the iPhone app one-year anniversary, IK Multimedia is proud to release seven more new GrooveMaker packs for the iPad. Debuted in April 2010, GrooveMaker for the iPad now comprises a total of 12 style–based versions including Free, Hip Hop, House, Progressive-Tech House, D’n'B, Club, Techno, Trance, Electro, Rock, Reggae and Reggaeton covering all genres of dance music. This also means that all the packs for the iPhone are now optimised for the iPad.

GrooveMaker for the new iPad offers the same smart features and streamlined workflow as theiPhone/iPod version for making music with loops, but also takes advantage of the new larger multi-touch surface to provide enhanced operation with an integrated, advanced controller.

Pricing, Versions and Availability

7 new GrooveMaker packs for the iPad:

• Club
• Techno
• Trance
• Electro
• Rock Ace
• Reggae
• Reggaeton

GrooveMaker Club contains over 189 loops and is only $6.99/€5.49 from the iTunes App Store.

GrooveMaker Techno, Trance, Electro, Rock Ace, Reggae and Reggaeton contain over 250 loops each and are only $9.99/€7.99 from the iTunes App Store.

22 iPad Music Creation Apps

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.

ReBirth Roland emulator for iPhone/iPad: TB-303, TR-808, TR-909 in your palm

Propellerhead Software (probably best known for Reason) has announced the availability of a three-in-one synth emulator for Apple’s portable devices.

ReBirth faithfully recreates the TB-303, TR-808 and TR-909 units on screen, offering all the functionality you’d expect from the real things but at a fraction of the cost, and completely virtually.

Features include:

• 2 x TB-303 Bassline synths
• TR-808 Drum Machine
• TR-909 Drum Machine
• Pattern Controlled Filter
• Distortion unit
• Compressor
• Mixer
• 5 user mods
• Pattern sequencing
• Full automation
• Combine patterns to build songs
• Share songs with other ReBirth users

Go retro or create something completely new. The choice is yours and for the tiny sum of just £3.99.

Get more information or go to the iTunes Link for ReBirth.

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