LayR version 1.2, a huge update for LayR, a massively polyphonic, multi-timbral synthesizer for iOS (iPad/iPhone) bringing lots of new features and some major improvements. In fact there are so many changes it's difficult to include them all on a small release sheet, so interested users should please read the new PDF manual for full details.
Meanwhile here's a list of the major features:
Audio Unit: LayR now includes a fully functional audio unit version with a dynamic user interface that adapts to the available screen space.
PDF Manual: The old help system is replaced by a comprehensive manual which can be read in-app or exported to your preferred PDF reader.
Improved User Interface: The entire UI has been given a modern facelift including pinch to zoom, double tap to zoom and fully labelled controls in the Layer Editor.
Instrument Mixer Drag & Drop: Instrument and Layer strips can now be re-arranged in the Instrument Mixer. Layers can be converted to new Instruments or copied between instruments with drag and drop.
MIDI Controller Mixer: A new panel that sports optional sliders for Channel Volumes and every MIDI cc that's been assigned to the current performance. Allows users to perform live MIDI controller mixing in-app. Can also be used to query which parameters have been assigned to MIDI and in which Instrument/Layer they are located.
Arpeggio Sequencer: The arpeggiator gets a more descriptive name and some cool additions including new event types, new playback modes and the ability to set mode, speed and length per track.
Modulation Matrix: Modulation sources in the Layer Editor can now be routed to any destination.
Improved Oscillator: The oscillator gets Coarse/Fine tuning and "Fixed Mode" which decouples the oscillator from the MIDI keyboard. Also FM has been greatly improved with a new mode allowing modulation over the full audio range.
LFO Sync Mode: Keeps LFOs in all playing voices synced to the same phase as each other.
Wave Folder Pitch Adjust: The amount of folding is now reduced as notes get higher, this helps reduce aliasing artefacts that may be introduced by the folder when processing high frequency content.
Legacy Mode: A experimental option that keeps LayR's engine to a fixed lower CPU usage, this will hopefully extend LayR's lifetime for users with older, lower powered iOS devices.
Light Colour Scheme: An optional lighter colour scheme for use in bright daylight conditions.
2nd MIDI Input Port: For stand-alone app: A port which listens on all channels for MIDI Bank Select/Program messages, this port can be used to select Performance presets while allowing the other input port to use all 16 channels for multi-timbral use.
New Presets: A whole new bank of 36 presets by Sky Runner and another new bank dedicated to individual user presets.
World-class sound collections developer/licensor Q Up Arts is proud to announce availability of Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1 — an Apple Loops-based smokin’ spin on Latin fusion and pop/rock basslines by Benny Rietveld. As implied by name, Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1 is Q Up Arts’ first collaborative collection with Santana musical director and bassist Benny Rietveld. The product itself is offered up as Apple Loops and also WAVs (Waveform Audio Files), and additionally arranged in Apple Logic Pro X session files for creatively sparking song-starters, jamming, or just getting going with new bass ideas.
As musical director and bassist for rock and Latin American jazz fusion-pioneering musician Carlos Santana for 25 years, Benny Rietveld is clearly no slouch when it comes to navigating the fretboard’s lower regions. Résumé registers playing and recording with many more musical greats, including Miles Davis, Sheila E, John Lee Hooker, Dave Matthews, Rob Thomas, and Michel Legrand, to name but a notable few. He also features in concert video performances with Santana and Miles Davis and on live network TV shows such as Letterman, Dancing With The Stars, Jay Leno, Jools Holland, and George Lopez. A former composition major at the University of Hawaii, Benny Rietveld is an eight-time GRAMMY Awards® winner and also the recipient of three Latin GRAMMY® Awards — for performances par excellence on Santana’s Supernatural and Shaman albums, having played on the hit songs ‘Smooth’, ‘Game Of Love’, and others.
No wonder Benny Rietveld proved to be a perfect musical fit for the latest Latin fusion-leaning Q Up Arts Apple Loops treatment for the namesake Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1. The talented bassist played against Q Up Arts’ award-winning Latin Groove Factory, featuring files encoded to be used as WAVs and Apple Loops, so that they will work in all DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations). The namesake resulting release really hammers home the simple fact that nothing beats the real thing when it to comes to the masterful feel and driving intention that only a world-class bassist can bring to the production table. This, in turn, means Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1 brings anyone’s productions to life. Featuring full-length and short loop-able sections, it also includes standalone basslines and mixes with percussion. Ultimately, users can even add their own loops and rhythms to those basslines for added flexibility.
Still better, Benny Rietveld’s bass-playing prowess was duly captured for Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1 by GRAMMY Awards®- and Emmy™-nominated veteran recording and mix engineer Bill Malina at his California studio in Sherman Oaks.His exceptional engineering and production credits are almost endless, transcending genres to encompass the likes of Van Halen, Ringo Starr, Santana, Lady Gaga, Pitbull, Flo Rida, Quincy Jones, Katy Perry, Charlie Wilson, and many more Platinum-selling recording artists. As such, both Benny Rietveld and Q Up Arts are inevitably in good hands here.
Helpfully, whether seriously studying an instrument or just jamming along to loops like those found in Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1, Q Up Arts highly recommends Anytune, a consumer iOS and Mac app allowing musicians to control tempo and pitch to act as a powerful learning aid. Adjust the tempo to hear every note and nuance in perfect pitch. Use the loop trainer feature to gradually increase playing speed or even perfect playing overspeed! Or create original arrangements of Benny Rietveld’s smokin’ basslines. Learn a song or practice a set in a different key or tuning with pitch adjustments to cents recallable for each song. Simply plug in an instrument and play along with using LiveMix to effectively jam with a genuine bass-playing legend like no other! Use ReFrame to isolate or mute instruments, scroll text TABS or lyrics, and much more. Moreover, Q Up Arts drum and bass loops like those found in Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1 can even be downloaded directly from within iTunes itself.
By buying Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1, Apple Logic Pro X and Garageband users alike can benefit from Apple Loops of Benny Rietveld basslines and mixes with percussion from Q Up Arts’ Latin Groove Factory in more musical ways than one. One thing’s for sure, though: whatever way Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1 is used, its users will be playing with one of the best bassists to put fingers to frets, so no need to fret over sounding substandard! Indeed, it does what it says on the tin: “BENNY RIETVELD … who is really just a rocker dude, plays some pseudo-versions of Latin music inspired … BASS!”
Benny Rietveld Bass: Latin Fusion vol. 1 can be purchased and directly downloaded (as Apple Loops, Logic Pro X session files, or WAVs) for a time-limited introductory promo price of $39.00 USD until the end of May 2018 — rising thereafter to $49.00 USD — from here: http://www.quparts.com/Benny-Rietveld-Bass-Latin-Fusion-vol-1-p/brblogic1.htm (Please note that Q Up Arts’ end user license agreement prohibits the use of these loops for inclusion in production music or sample/loop libraries.)
Recording technology trailblazer Eventide is proud to announce that its popular Blackhole reverb plug-in is now NKS-ready — reconfigured to support Native Instruments’ Native Kontrol Standard extended plug-in format for use with MASCHINE and KOMPLETE KONTROL keyboards and software.
As reflected in its updated GUI (Graphical User Interface), Blackhole is part of Eventide’s H9 Plug-In Series designed with live performance in mind. The Ribbon control can be mapped to any combination of parameters giving a performer a single control over a world of effects. Integration with the NKS platform makes the Ribbon an integral part of the performer’s instrument.
Watch Eventide’s ‘extraterrestrial’ promo video for Blackhole here:
Whereas most reverbs are constrained by the physics of the real world, Blackhole creates virtual spaces that could never exist in reality. It can turn a simple drum track into an otherworldly rhythm section. Capable of creating epic soundscapes, space-warping special effects and drones, Blackhole can cover spaces as small as a room and as large as space itself.
Features
• Easy to use interface and more than 50 presets, including some by Eventide artists: Richard Devine, Vernon Reid, Flood & Alan Moulder, Jonsi & Alex (Sigur Rós), and John Agnello.
• Unique Gravity control reverses the arrow of time by inverting the reverb’s decay. • Innovative Ribbon and Hotswitch allow for changing any combination of parameters simultaneously.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to have Eventide, a brand famous for their high-quality, creative FX, on the NKS platform and deeply integrated into our KOMPLETE KONTROL and MASCHINE eco-systems,” says Native Instruments’ Ray Chemo.
“We’re delighted to add our ‘special sauce’ to Native Instruments’ eco-system,” enthuses Eventide Software Developer Tom Longabaugh, continuing: “It will be exciting to discover ways in which Blackhole will be used in both live performance and in music production by a community of artists who have yet to discover the universe of effects that we’re known for.”
The now-NKS-ready Blackhole is available — as an AAX/AU/VST plug-in for Mac OS X 10.7+ and Windows 7+ — at a promo price of $69.00 USD until May 31, 2018 (rising thereafter to an MSRP of $199.00 USD) from Eventide dealers and its website: https://www.eventideaudio.com
“For the Dr. Octagon shows we decided to debut this thing we were working on, which is essentially a multitrack DJ mixer; it involves a K-MIX and a bunch of custom wiring and buttons and a computer [built] into an arcade kind of machine, where we can work it all from the front panels and use whatever DAW we want, but control it through all sorts of different sides.” - Dan the Automator (hip-hop producer), 2018
Innovative hardware and software developer Keith McMillen Instruments is proud to announce that it has worked with acclaimed hip-hop producer Dan the Automator on creating a custom K-MIX next-generation audio interface and programmable mixer to technically help with bringing back Dr. Octagon — a persona created and used by Kool Keith (whose 1996 Dr. Octagonecologyst debut solo album also represented Dan the Automator’s first long-playing production credit) — on stage and on record for the first time in over two decades… Launched to widespread critical acclaim back in January 2016 as an audio interface, digital mixer, and control surface literally like no other — not least thanks to its unbreakable precision opto-tactile control surface designed from the ground up to command any DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), never mind the transparent µPre preamps for quality recording in the studio or on stage as well as its full-featured flexible routing, per-channel DSP (Digital Signal Processing), and an ability to function without a computer, Keith McMillen Instruments’ innovative K-MIX proved perfect for a customisation collaboration central to acclaimed hip-hop producer Dan the Automator’s involvement in bringing back Dr. Octagon on stage.
Watch Dan the Automator and DJ Hard Rich in this Keith McMillen Instruments’
custom K-MIX-mentioning video interview
Speaking of records, Dr. Octagonecologyst, the 1996 debut solo album from Kool Keith under his Dr. Octagon persona represented Dan the Automator’s first long-playing production credit. Coming together on stage for the first time with Dr. Octagon’s original lineup of Kool Keith, DJ QBert, and their producer proved technically challenging for Dan the Automator, already no stranger to Keith McMillen Instruments’ innovative K-MIX himself (having used one on the ‘What Makes The World Go ’Round (MONEY!)’ song sympathetically underscoring the closing credits for the 2016-released crime thriller Money Monster starring Hollywood hotshots George Clooney and Julia Roberts). Little wonder, then, that Dan the Automator turned to Keith McMillen Instruments to effectively create a customised K-MIX in close collaboration with DJ Hard Rich, lead developer at Dan the Automator’s The Glue Factory studio/workshop and Thud Rumble. “My role at Thud Rumble is to help with both the design and the development of all the hardware — sort of like Q from the James Bond movies,” he semi-seriously states. Continues DJ Hard Rich: “We made a custom multitrack mixer using a K-MIX and a 10-point multi-touch screen with a Mac mini’s guts stripped out and mounted inside of it. It runs Logic Pro. For Dan’s setup for the Octagon shows it’s only eight tracks, but we’ve tested it for his solo DJ set, some of which goes up to 32 tracks for just one song that he’s mixing into the next, and Logic could handle all that. The K-MIX was flawless — really handy for the Octagon shows, because we multi-ed the K-MIX out using the sub-mixes in hardware and ran a separate mix for the in-ear monitors, the monitor wedges, and the stage all off the same unit. It was great!” Greatness, of course, can take time — as did getting Dr. Octagon on stage for the first time. “The reason we brought back the Octagon project was because we felt like doing it,” divulges Dan the Automator. “Although we have been in touch over the years many times, these were the first shows that Dr. Octagon had ever done, but it took a little while because I was on tour with another band called Deltron 3030 and also had a couple of other things going, and Keith had a few things going, so we just got to a point where we could get ready and practice to do it.” Indeed, practice makes perfect, and, as evidenced by building out its premier product in close collaboration with the James Bond character-like DJ Hard Rich, Keith McMillen Instruments’ customised K-MIX is proving to be a perfect fit for the creatively-demanding Dan the Automator. “The reason I had this machine put together was because I have a really large library of records and multitracks of albums and things that I’ve worked on over the years, and I wanted to find a way to actually mix multitracks into other multitracks and be able to break them down to the various elements,” explains its instigator. “Not like these little stem projects you hear about that have four stems, or whatever, but full multitrack mixing into full multitrack mixing with the power to also manipulate, effect, and do a whole bunch of other things to the tracks as I’m playing live and control it all through arcade-like buttons. Eventually, it’s going to use joysticks as well, so we’ll be able to manipulate the sounds and work with what would generally be the raw source material of a record and use it live.” Live on stage is where Keith McMillen Instruments’ customised K-MIX contribution made its first appearance — albeit as an integral part of what is still an evolving design. Dan the Automator continues: “For the Dr. Octagon shows we decided to debut this thing we were working on, which is essentially a multitrack DJ mixer; it involves a K-MIX and a bunch of custom wiring and buttons and a computer [built] into an arcade kind of machine, where we can work it all from the front panels and use whatever DAW we want, but control it through all sorts of different sides. So the K-MIX acts as the hub, because it has the audio ins and outs, and we run our in-ear monitors through there and a bunch of other things. We run video through some computers and we have a whole bunch of custom mappings and buttons to do live shows like Dr. Octagon, but it’s also designed to do live multitrack mixing and be able to break things down to the elements so you play multitracks in a way that you’ve never heard them before.” Better still, Dan the Automator’s custom-created multitrack-mixing dream machine — with Keith McMillen Instruments’ innovative K-MIX acting as its hub — helps propel ‘Octagon Octagon’ as the first single from Dr. Octagon’s long-awaited, April 2018-released sophomore album, Moosebumps: An Exploration Into Modern Day Horripilation, acting as a slow-marching word association exercise for Kool Keith, who gives way to DJ Qbert to scratch at the end of the track… try creating that without a customised K-MIX!
K-MIX carries an MSRP of $579.00 USD and is available to purchase from any authorised Keith McMillen Instruments dealer or directly from Keith McMillen Instruments itself here: http://www.keithmcmillen.com/shop/
High-end professional audio equipment manufacturer Antelope Audio is proud to be showcasing its new Edge Strip mic modelling solution for the first time in Europe at Musikmesse 2018, April 11-14 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Edge Strip is a true treasure trove of mic emulation made perfectly possible by bundling Antelope Audio’s all-analogue, dual-channel DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp (designed to deliver the company’s signature pristine audio quality) with its dual-capsule, large-diaphragm EDGE condenser modelling microphone (designed to reproduce the expressiveness and character of costly classic microphones). Moreover, Edge Strip comes complete with several free native-format Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins. Included amongst those is the STAY-LEVIN compressor created by Antelope Audio CEO Igor Levin himself to capture the spirit of its historic hardware namesake that shaped the special sound of a slew of Sixties Stateside classics. Combined with the bundled state-of-the-art hardware, these act as an all-in-one solution for formulating high-quality studio recordings with an authentic vintage analogue sound.
Still better, the Edge Strip bundle is compatible with any DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) system since its free Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins — including several classic microphone (BERLIN 47 FT, BERLIN 67, BERLIN 87, and TOKYO 800T) and preamp (ANTELOPE V76, GIRAFFE G9, and BAE 1073 MP) emulations, the vintage-sounding BA 1073 EQ, plus STAY-LEVIN compressor — are available in all major native (AAX, AU, and VST) formats. Furthermore, Edge Strip works with any studio setup straight out of the box since any half-decent audio interface is already equipped with a pair of analogue inputs. It even features a 1kHz calibration OSC (oscillator) on the DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp for assisting any audio interface that is not capable of precise channel pair gain matching.
Technically, the Edge Strip bundle betters any alternative out there. Thanks to the dual-capsule design of its cutting-edge EDGE condenser microphone, Antelope Audio can capably model microphones in 3D with step-by-step polar pattern adjustment. As such, it also offers control over off-axis response (resulting in a distortion or change in the frequency response of the reproduced audio signal that is not directly in front of the microphone) and the proximity effect (increasing low frequency response when a sound source is close). Digging deeper, EDGE’s dual edge-terminated capsules dispense with termination mounts in the centre of the diaphragm itself, freeing up the entire diaphragm to vibrate without interfering with the sound waves (unlike restrictive centre-mounted designs where the diaphragm is necessarily more static). Smooth/natural sound results, reproducing the expressiveness and character of costly classic microphones but without excessive expense. Essentially, this gives EDGE — and, in turn, the Edge Strip bundle — its competitive edge.
Experiencing EDGE at its maximum potential is a given — given that Antelope Audio’s talented team of engineering experts, led by capable company CEO Igor Levin, designed the DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp to perfectly match the character of that cutting-edge EDGE modelling microphone to a tee. The unique discrete design allows Antelope Audio to modify each individual aspect of the preamp, putting total control over colouration, clarity, and character in the hands of discerning users. Ultimately, then, the DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp powerfully punches well above its (950g) weight while packing a lot into its diminutive (190mm W x 46.5mm H x 157mm D) dimensions, as evidenced by its impressive technical specifications: two INPUTS on MIC-XLR and LINE-USE 1/4” JACK, offering 20dBu max balanced @ 2kΩ (XLR only) and 29dBu max balanced @ 13K to ground (TRS only); two TRS OUTPUTS (22dBu max); USB CONTROL I/O (USB 2.0 Full-Speed Type B for remote control only); and a mic preamp pushing out an accomplished gain range of 0dB to 61dB (in 1dB steps) alongside 48V phantom power.
Put it this way: while those time- and effort-saving native-format Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins are free, there is no denying that they add value to an already-invaluable preamp and modelling microphone mix. After all, each plug-in puts to use a high degree of oversampling and precise floating-point calculations to accurately model vintage effects with unparalleled detail. Even when emulating microphones, preamps, and signal processors, users can breathe easy, safe in the knowledge that the Edge Strip bundle brings minimal latency and Antelope Audio’s second-to-none signature sound to bear on their own sound, whatever they wish that to be.
Antelope Audio will be showcasing the Edge Strip bundle on booth F30 in Hall 4.1 at Musikmesse 2018, April 11-14 in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Go check it out!
Edge Strip is now available to directly purchase online from Antelope Audio (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/edge-strip/) or via Antelope Audio’s growing global network of dealers with an MSRP of €1,295.00 EUR. (Note that the free native-format Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins are all iLok protected; users can create a free account for the iLok Licensing System
and purchase the third-generation iLok Smart Key from here: https://www.ilok.com)
British boutique electronic instruments innovator Analogue Solutions is proud to be celebrating its 25th anniversary as a true analogue synthesiser, sequencer, and Eurorack module-making specialist, showcasing its latest products at SUPERBOOTH18, May 3-5 in Berlin, Germany.
Analogue Solutions’ journey to electronic instrument-innovating glory has taken it along a (proverbial) long and winding road. Returning to ‘ground zero’, the aptly-named company was founded by Tom Carpenter in 1993, initially dealing in selling vintage electronic musical instruments while providing ancillary services such as repairs, modifications, manuals, and spare supplies. Since he was (and still is) a fervent fan of electronic music and also an active electronic musician himself, his natural instinct for programming synthesizers soon led him towards getting his hands dirtier, as it were, delving deeper into electronic instruments of his own making. Moving onwards and upwards, Analogue Solutions settled into its innovative stride within a short space of time by becoming the third company to enter the then-emerging Eurorack market, making modules for the small-format modular system set in motion by Germany’s Doepfer Musikelektronik (with the 1996 introduction of its initial A-100 series modules). Fast-forward to today, though, and Analogue Solutions has released over 70 different modules; meanwhile, the market mushroomed with hundreds of module-makers — both bigger and smaller — seriously embracing Eurorack in pursuit of their now clearly-competitive craft. Concentrating in more recent years on non-modular products, such as self-contained true analogue synthesisers — featuring fully-analogue audio paths with analogue LFOs (Low Frequency Oscillators) and EGs (Envelope Generators) — and standalone sequencers, today Analogue Solutions is rightfully recognised as a critically-acclaimed British boutique electronic instruments innovator; indeed, its ever-expanding product range is now sold worldwide, with an accomplished client list that reads like a who’s who of electronic music, including such synth-centric luminaries as Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore, Erasure’s Vince Clarke, New Order’s Stephen Morris, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, and The Human League’s Philip Oakey, to namecheck but a notable few. For making electronic music is what it’s all about for founder Tom Carpenter: “I’ve always loved electronic music, and my goal, as always, has been to create amazing-sounding, vintage-style analogue synths to enable musicians to create the music I grew up on and continue to love to this day. Although it’s now been 25 years, I still have so many ideas that I want to make into physical products. Put it this way: I’ve released four new products in the last six months, and, as part of our 25th anniversary celebrations, I hope to have a further two products to showcase at this year’s SUPERBOOTH in Berlin, where we’ll be exhibiting.”
Analogue Solutions will be showcasing its latest boutique electronic instruments on Booth 0202 at SUPERBOOTH18, May 3-5 in Berlin, Germany. Go check them out… while wishing Tom Carpenter and his innovative company a Happy Anniversary!
For more in-depth info about Analogue Solutions’ products, please visit the company website here: http://analoguesolutions.com
Spitfire Audio is proud to announce upcoming availability of HANS ZIMMER STRINGS — working with the godfather of orchestral sampling himself, Hans Zimmer, to create a spectacular string sampling library like no other with no fewer than 344 of the greatest players in London assembling at AIR Studios to ultimately have technology transform them into an extraordinary-sounding ensemble available as a plug-in perfected primarily for composers by composers.
Arguably one of the greatest, certainly one of the most prolific, film composers of our time, notable for innovatively integrating electronic sounds with traditional orchestral arrangements, Hans Zimmer himself has often said, “The true magic of sampling is when you are creating something that’s impossible in reality.” In reality, creating the greatest film scores in the world involves thinking outside the box. It is little wonder, then, that Hans Zimmer, the godfather of orchestral sampling, came to high-quality virtual instrument and sampling libraries producer Spitfire Audio to turn what would become HANS ZIMMER STRINGS into reality. As such, it is perfected primarily for composers by composers to take the dynamic of any score to hitherto unimaginable levels with what is, it goes without saying, Spitfire Audio’s most ambitious sampling library yet. Make no mistake: when it comes to spectacular string sampling, thinking outside the box doesn’t get much bigger than HANS ZIMMER STRINGS! So what, exactly, makes HANS ZIMMER STRINGS so special? For starters, Spitfire Audio adopted Hans Zimmer’s groundbreaking approach to large group-sampling and has taken it to another level entirely by assembling no fewer than 344 of the greatest players in London to perform on this library and recording them at AIR Studios. Indeed, it is the combination of such vast numbers of top-tier session players performing together as one whole that led to results that the company collectively could not have dreamt of! By breaking down those players into violins (grouped as 60 full, 20 right, 20 centre, 20 left, and 20 galleries), violas (20 centre and 20 wide), cellos (60 full, 20 right, 20 centre, 20 left, and 20 galleries), and basses (24 centre), the HANS ZIMMER STRINGS production team had the freedom and flexibility to sample them performing a large number of playing techniques, resulting in an amazing amount of compositional possibilities, perfectly usable on projects for many years to come.
Watch Spitfire Audio’s thrilling trailer video for ALTERNATIVE SOLO STRINGS
Come to think of it, how does Spitfire Audio’s HANS ZIMMER STRINGS sound? It is difficult to describe, but who better to give it a go, then, than company co-founders and composers Christian Henson and Paul Thomson. “When you gather large string forces it is like the thread count with Egyptian cotton sheets; the higher the count, the silkier the feel,” tenders the former, before adding: “HANS ZIMMER STRINGS offers an oceanic patina of strings and articulations. Where some techniques are often angular, here they suddenly take on a fresh beauty; try out the Col Legno Trattos, a totally unique sound.”
Watch
Spitfire Audio Director Paul Thomson’s
‘traditional’ video walkthrough
of HANS ZIMMER STRINGS
Submits Paul Thomson: “This really will make you feel like you can create something totally new and extraordinary sounding — for example, the first experience of hearing 60 exceptional cellists playing muted as softly as possible is so memorable! Being able to realise my own musical ideas with this unusual creative toolkit is extremely inspiring.”
Watch
Spitfire Audio ‘composer in residence’ Oliver Patrice Weder’s
HANS
ZIMMER STRINGS ‘In Action’ video
It doesn’t get much better than that. Then again, available as a (AAX, AU, VST2, and VST3) plug-in so that it can be used in DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) directly, this is a spectacular string sampling library like no other. This time Spitfire Audio has pulled out all the stops, working with UsTwo, one of the world’s best design and user-experience agencies, to create a composition tool that’s as easy to use as it is inspiring. Honed exclusively for those spectacular samples, HANS ZIMMER STRINGS’ GUI (Graphical User Interface) is clutter-free and focused, featuring sliders for expression and dynamics, and a knob that can be easily customised to the user's personal workflow. Indeed, its intuitive navigation system is tailored specifically for orchestral work. Loading instruments is always a pleasure; preset filtering heightens this further still, so users can get on with what they do best — making music. Moreover, clear and beautiful icons means that they will always know what they are working with at a glance. Production perfection! Put it this way, though: the name most synonymous with modern film scoring — namely, Hans Zimmer — has not only composed some of the most memorable scores in recent years, but he has also revolutionised music production for film with his innovative approach to sampling and recording. His daring instrument selection and use of unusual techniques have given his scores a distinctive reputation for making the unexpected sound like it couldn’t have been anything else. With HANS ZIMMER STRINGS, Spitfire Audio offers anyone a string library so ambitious and exciting that they’re sure to unlock areas of creativity they didn’t imagine possible!
Spitfire Audio is already accepting pre-orders on HANS ZIMMER STRINGS at a time-limited introductory promo price of £549.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$599.00 USD/€599.00 EUR (inc. VAT) — rising thereafter to an MSRP of £699.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$799.00 USD/€799 EUR (inc. VAT) — from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/hans-zimmer-strings/
(Anyone pre-ordering will receive the limited-edition HANS ZIMMER STRINGS book.)
As of March 28, 2018, HANS ZIMMER STRINGS is available as a dedicated (AAX, AU, VST2, and VST3) plug-in for Mac (OS X 10.10, 10.11, macOS 10.12, 10.13 — 184 GB HD or SSD space required) and PC (Windows 8, 10 — 184 GB HD or SSD space required)
Recording technology trailblazer Eventide is proud to announce availability of its new H9 Control App for Android tablets and phones — providing users with an ability to manage parameters, presets, and settings for its popular H9 Harmonizer® Effects Processor stompbox family.
Eventide’s H9 Harmonizer® is a powerful effects processor perfect for live usage (on stage and FOH) or, of course, in the studio. Suitably paired with an appropriate Android tablet or phone, the new H9 Control App offers the following functionality: • Instant access to over 500 presets, pushing the boundaries of delays, reverbs, pitch-shifting, modulation, and distortion. • Manage multiple parameters and instantly create new and unprecedented sounds using The Ribbon control. • Easily access Pedal Settings such as Tuner, MIDI Settings, Routing, and Aux Switch Mappings. • Manage and create unique sounds with the editor librarian. • Create hundreds of effects on the App and easily transfer them to the H9 Harmonizer®. • Create Preset Lists using the drag-and-drop feature. • Audition and purchase new effect algorithms via the built-in Store. Compatible with Android 6+ (Marshmallow and newer), H9 Control is available for free from Eventide directly or via the Google Play store here: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eventide.h9 For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated H9 Control webpage here: http://www.eventideaudio.com/h9control
Watch Eventide’s enticing H9 Control App for Android tablets and phones promo video
Having turned heads and opened ears at The 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA, powerful processing effects developer Strymon is proud to announce availability of Magneto — illustrating its first foray into the Eurorack small-format modular market with an aptly-subtitled Four Head dTape Echo Looper module packed with powerful features while maintaining intuitive playability, perfect for creating expansive soundscapes and evolving, otherworldly tones. As implied by the Four Head dTape Echo & Looper legend blazoned across an attractive yet functional front panel that is instantly recognisable as springing forth from the Strymon stable, Magneto is a stereo multi-head tape delay that also functions as a looper, phrase sampler, vintage spring reverb unit, phase-aligned clock multiplier, chaotic oscillator, zero-latency sub-oscillator, and more, with extensive CV I/O. Strymon states that it wants to build products with no compromises, push the limits of technology in music, and redefine what is possible with music gear. Magneto moves that praiseworthy philosophy into the ever-expanding Eurorack small-format modular market. Making that move made sense to the self-styled small company that wants to create gear that is fun to design and fun to play. Pete Celi — DSP and Sound Designer at the company he co-founded with Dave Fruehling and Gregg Stock — sees it this way: “We were seeing some musicians using the Strymon pedals in their Eurorack setups, and El Capstan [dTape Echo] seemed to be a popular choice, where people would place it at the end of their signal chain and sweeten up their signal with some nice tape delay sounds, so it seemed like a good place to start. We knew that by introducing something in the Eurorack format that would give us the ability to really expand on the capabilities and feature set.” Succeeding in doing that — and more, Magneto transforms even the smallest rack into a fully expressive, immersive instrument as an interstellar space machine fit for creating expansive soundscapes and evolving, otherworldly tones, and adding layers upon layers of harmonic and rhythmic complexity within an enveloping stereo field. It infuses Eurorack with vintage warmth and retro-futuristic soul. Try turning monophonic signals into complex orchestrations, creating new oscillator tones using self-oscillation, and adding rich stereo dimension to any sound while enjoying the inherent warmth and sweet, subtle distortion characteristics of magnetic tape. To capture the full experience and complexity of a vintage tape echo machine, Strymon studied and faithfully recreated every last tape system attribute. From the sought-after natural saturation and soft clipping of magnetic tape when driven hard to hands-on, real-time controls for TAPE AGE, TAPE CRINKLE, and mechanical WOW & FLUTTER, Magneto delivers a rich multi-head delay experience that adds life and vibe to any user’s sound.
Watch Magneto video
Saying that, every function, control, gain stage, and signal path component in Magneto works together to respond musically and smoothly, even during the wildest live modular improvisations. All this is combined with a luxurious SPRING reverb to take the hosting modular setup’s sound to a new level, and its user’s sonic explorations into far-out territories. Technically speaking, Strymon has equipped Magneto with a completely analogue dry path — unlike in a typical digital effect, where the dry signal gets converted to digital, causing conversion noise and latency. That terrifying scenario sees signals often being attenuated before combining digital dry and wet, with makeup gain amplifying the conversion noise — not the case with Magneto, where improvements in dynamic range and noise reduction are striking. Strymon has helpfully outfitted Magneto with the incredibly powerful Analog Devices SHARC ADSP-21369 processor, providing a 366 MHz core instruction rate, and an incredible 2.4 Gigaflops of peak performance. This high-powered technology platform provided the freedom to craft processor-intense tape echo algorithms without compromise. Cutting to the specification chase, Magneto does not disappoint as a tape-voiced delay machine (with four playback heads and one record head) that includes: processor-intense dTape algorithm (delivers meticulously nuanced recreations of vintage tape echo systems); ECHO, LOOP (Sound on Sound looper), and phrase SAMPLE modes; varispeed algorithm with dynamic machine mechanics (8:1 speed range); input record level (for clean reproduction to warm, fat saturation); self-oscillation (for tone generation); independent SPRING reverb; dedicated control over tape mechanics, machine health, and tone; transport controls (buttons and CV inputs) for real-time performance options; individual playback head level controls; three stereo head panning options (including user-defined custom panning); phase-aligned clock out (CLK OUT) CVs synched with clock in (CLK IN) CV; 15 seconds delay/loop time at maximum speed and two minutes at minimum speed; 200µS minimum delay time at maximum speed; 50ms – 15s clock in CV range; 50ms – 15s TAP button range; 10ms – 15s TAP CV range; 114db typical signal to noise; 96kHz sampling rate; 22 kOhm audio input Impedance; 20 Vpp maximum audio input level; 1 kOhm audio output impedance; and 20 Vpp maximum audio output level. Having packed so many powerful features into the 28HP-rack width Magneto module, seemingly Strymon are only just getting started — as implied by Pete Celi’s closing words: “We’ve got a good library of effects that we think can be good starting points to develop further and turn into things that are suitable and fun and add value and enhancement to people’s experience and experimentations in modular.”
Magneto can be purchased directly from the Strymon Store (https://store.strymon.net/magneto/) in the US for $599.00 or through Strymon’s growing global network of authorised dealers (https://www.strymon.net/dealers/).
For more in-depth information, including informative video demonstrations, please visit the dedicated Magneto webpage here: https://www.strymon.net/products/magneto/
Having turned heads and opened ears during a must-see showcase at The 2018 NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA earlier this year, high-end professional audio equipment manufacturer Antelope Audio is proud to announce availability of the EDGE Strip bundle — comprising the trailblazing EDGE modelling microphone and specifically-designed DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp, perfectly paired to tender the same audio quality as a locker-full of vintage mics and rack-full of outboard gear as an all-in-one solution for high-quality studio recordings with vintage analogue sound. Antelope Audio’s talented team of engineering experts, led by capable company CEO Igor Levin, designed DISCRETE MP to perfectly match the frequency response of the already-available, trailblazing EDGE, a large-diaphragm modelling microphone featuring dual edge-terminated capsules for a smooth/natural sound, reproducing the expressiveness and character of costly classic microphones — albeit without excessive expense. Elsewhere, the EDGE Strip-bundled DISCRETE MP dual-input microphone preamplifier places the same transistor schematic that beats at the state-of-the-art heart of the aptly-named DISCRETE 8 Thunderbolt™ & USB Interface with 8 Discrete Mic Preamps and DISCRETE 4 Thunderbolt™ & USB Interface with 4 Discrete Mic Preamps series siblings — released to critical acclaim late last year — at its user’s fingertips. Furthermore, the EDGE Strip bundle comes complete with the free native-format Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins, including several microphone and preamp emulations alongside the BA 1073 EQ (inspired by the Seventies-vintage channel module with a specific analogue punch putting in an appearance on many notable recordings) and STAY-LEVIN compressor (personally designed by Igor Levin at Antelope Audio to capture the spirit of its historic hardware namesake that shaped the special sound of a slew of Sixties Stateside classics). Clearly, then, the days of spending tens of thousands of dollars on a vintage mic collection are over, thanks to those must-have microphone emulations: BERLIN 47 FT allows authentic access to the sound of one of the most popular microphones in the history of audio recording; BERLIN 67 carries with it the true sound of an iconic tube condenser microphone with multiple — cardioid, omni, and figure eight — polar patterns, popularised as a result of its signature sound and adaptability; BERLIN 87 is the go-to microphone when it comes to recording brass sections, guitars, overheads, piano, percussion, strings, and vocals; and TOKYO 800T, a vintage tube mic with a super-low noise floor and extreme sensitivity that is a top choice for many masters of vocal recording. Reality bites still further with ANTELOPE V76, GIRAFFE G9, and BAE 1073 MP preamp emulations par excellence.
Watch Antelope Audio’s cutting-edge EDGE
modelling microphone demonstration video
Evidence has it that Antelope Audio has always collectively prided itself in coming up with technologies that unite the digital and analogue audio worlds. While both DISCRETE MP and EDGE are all-analogue devices, making them fully compatible with any audio interface and A/D converter central to any studio setup anywhere, DISCRETE MP allows users to explore the full potential of EDGE in both Antelope Audio-centred setups or other audio systems. Saying that, thanks to its 1kHz hardware calibration OSC (oscillator), DISCRETE MP easily adapts to any studio setup. Still deeper, DISCRETE MP masterfully makes available Antelope Audio’s signature sonic footprint of pristine audio quality. The unique discrete design of its preamp allows Antelope Audio to modify each individual aspect of the preamp, putting total control over colouration, clarity, and character in the hands of discerning users. Ultimately, DISCRETE MP powerfully punches well above its (950g) weight while packing a lot into its diminutive (190mm W x 46.5mm H x 157mm D) dimensions, as evidenced by its impressive technical specifications: two INPUTS on MIC-XLR and LINE-USE 1/4” JACK, offering 20dBu max balanced @ 2kΩ (XLR only) and 29dBu max balanced @ 13K to ground (TRS only); two TRS OUTPUTS (22dBu max); USB CONTROL I/O (USB 2.0 Full-Speed Type B for remote control only); and a mic preamp pushing out an accomplished gain range of 0dB to 61dB (in 1dB steps) alongside 48V phantom power. Put it this way: when taken together as the EDGE Strip breakthrough bundle, Antelope Audio’s all-new, all-analogue DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp and already-available EDGE modelling microphone make for a killer combination!
EDGE Strip — a breakthrough bundle of Antelope Audio’s all-new, all-analogue DISCRETE MP Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp and already-available, trailblazing EDGE modelling microphone — is now available to purchase through Antelope Audio’s growing global network of dealers with an MSRP of €1,295.00 EUR. (Note that the free native-format Fusion AFX Pack plug-ins are all iLok protected; users can create a free account for the iLok Licensing System and purchase the third-generation iLok Smart Key from here: https://www.ilok.com.)
