Free Sound Design Tool For The Mac, pMix, Now Available

Posted on by
Reply
YouTube Preview Image

Free Music Software: Developer Oli Larkin has released pMix (Mac App Store link), a free sound design tool for Mac OS X that allows you to morph between VST plugin presets using an intuitive graphical interface.

  • Presets are represented by coloured balls that are positioned on a 2D plane. The size of each ball and its proximity to the cursor affects the weight of the associated preset in the interpolation.
  • Morphing between presets often results in the discovery of interesting hybrid sounds. By constraining sound manipulations within a predesigned “interpolation space” complex transitions can be achieved that would otherwise be hard to manage.
  • pMix can load four VST2 audio plugins. It comes with a suite of specially designed plugins which cover a range of experimental DSP techniques (noise generators, FM synthesis, formant filtering, frequency shifting etc). These plugins can also be used in other VST host applications.

Continue reading →

Genome MIDI Sequencer Updated WIth Note Snapping, Scales & More

Posted on by
Reply
YouTube Preview Image

White Noise Audio have released a new version of Genome MIDI Sequencer, their multitouch sequencing app for the iPad.

Here’s what’s new in Genome MIDI Sequencer 1.6:

  • New: Continuous scrolling
  • New: Scales
  • New Options: View snapping, note echoing in Pat Ed.
  • Added MIDI panic button
  • ‘Envelope Draw’ mode for modifying length, velocity, and timing
  • Added selection toolbar for modifying note length, quickly deleting selected notes. More options are planned
  • Removed quantize config item, use Snap button in Pattern Editor instead
  • Fixed various selection issues and inconsistencies
  • Triplet status now gets saved in Pattern info
  • Added UI button for no snapping
  • CC select by Value
  • Bug fix: Saving the song on leaving the app will now occur in a background task
  • Usability: Popup windows allow click outside to close
  • Added URL scheme launching of Genome
  • Added snap size text on UI
  • Fixed selection / undo / copy / paste crash bug
  • Show +/on pitch bend line
  • Added color coding on CC’s
  • Fixed inability to delete notes outside of the pattern
  • Made it easier to tap tiny zoomed out notes (for delete / drag)

The new version improves usability and also should make creating and experimenting with sequences faster.

It seems like the developer is listening to user feedback at Synthtopia, so let them know what you want to see!

Analogue Solutions Teases New Synth With ‘Signals From Space’

Posted on by
4
YouTube Preview Image

2012 is starting off right – everywhere you look, somebody’s introducing a new synth.

This is just a teaser at this point, but it looks like Analogue Solutions has a new synth on the way.

Check out the ‘recently declassified footage from former USSR’ and let us know what you think this thing is!

Recreate The Blade Runner Soundtrack – On Guitar

Posted on by
Reply
YouTube Preview Image

Electro Harmonix effects guru Bill Ruppert takes on the classic Blade Runner soundtrack with his latest Effectology video, in which he recreates classic sounds by using effects pedals in a modular manner.

You can see how he did it at the EHX forum.

To really get that Blade Runner sound, though, you need some synth power. Check out our post on The Iconic Sounds of Synthesis – Vangelis’ Blade Runner Brass Sound to see how it can be done.

Livid + Minus Introduce Richie Hawtin’s CNTRL:R MIDI Controller

Posted on by
Reply

Livid Instruments has introduced a new MIDI controller, CNTRL:R, created in collaboration with Minus and Richie Hawtin.

Here’s what they have to say about the CNTRL:R:

In December 2009 we hooked up with electronic music pioneer Richie Hawtin and started talking about designing a new controller together. The next year was spent discussing designs, uses, and prototyping a few units to actually road test in a live performance setting.

After a few redesigns and a lot of hard work, CNTRL:R was born. This is one of the most exciting and longest lasting project we’ve work on and it’s only just the beginning.

CNTRL:R features twenty four rotary knobs, twelve push button rotary encoders, eight faders, a 4×4 grid of RGB keypads, and two rows of 16 RGB light buttons. The CNTRL:R also contains expansion jacks for connecting Roland-style foot pedals and other expressive analog devices such as faders, accelerometers, sensors, rotary knobs, and Livid’s XPC expansion controllers.

The CNTRL:R is fully programmable with scripts and templates available for softwares such as Ableton Live and Native Instruments Traktor.

Continue reading →

Synthesis Technology Intros New Eurorack Modules

Posted on by
Reply

At the 2012 NAMM Show, Paul Schreiber of Synthesis Technology was at the Analogue Haven booth introducing his latest modules:

  • The E610 USB Interface is a very interesting single row Eurorack USB to CV and Gate module. It’s designed for use with software plug-ins such as the Expert Sleepers Silent Way suite. Its class compliant though – which means you should be able to hook up your Mac, PC, iPad or Android device. Gets you thinking, doesn’t it?
  • The E335 Morphing Dual LFO is a cheaper version of the SynthTech Morphing Terranium, focusing on LFO use.

Schreiber says he’s working on the ’3.0′ version of his SynthTech company/hobby, moving to automated production with surface mount parts and mass-producing his modules to be able to deliver them more reliably.

Note: The audio is bad on the first few seconds of this video.

Video via Sonic State

Jim Heintz Explains SynthX For The iPad

Posted on by
3
YouTube Preview Image

In this video, developer Jim Heintz (Way Out Ware) demos and explains his SynthX software synth for the iPad.

Heintz is also the creator of TimewARP 2600, KikAXXE and several other apps for desktop and iOS.

Continue reading →

Free Justin Bieber Super Fun Ableton Live Pack

Posted on by
10
YouTube Preview Image

We’ve been hard at work for the last couple of weeks, putting in the long hours to bring you the news from the Winter NAMM Show.

But we’ve been so focused on NAMM news that we totally missed some new gear that flew in ‘under the radar’ – the Paper Jamz Justin Bieber Keyboard Guitar.

We don’t know how we missed a sick cardboard axe like this, especially since you can get it for $10 at Wal-Mart.

Fortunately, AfroDJMac has his finger on the pulse of the Justin Bieber action and he brought this Bieberific bad boy to our attention:

Hey Synthtopia, Thanks for all the great coverage over the last week, it’s been pretty exciting.

Surprisingly, however, you guys have never covered one of the years hottest electronic musical instrument, the Paper Jamz Justin Bieber Keyboard Guitar ;)

Well don’t worry I have the scoop on it and have made it into an Ableton Live Pack consisting of a synthesizer, drum rack, some nasty samples, and a Slice to Midi preset for the enjoyment of all! There’s a gritty lo-fi charm bringing this Justin Bieber toy into Ableton and making synths and such out of it. I hope you guys like it!

Actually, listening to the demo for the Justin Bieber Super Fun Ableton Live Pack, it sounds like AfroDJMac’s come up with something a bit twisted and wrong.

But, if twisted and wrong + Ableton Live + Justin Bieber is right up your alley, check out AfroDJMac’s site for the details and the download.