Summer NAMM Update:

Featuring a sturdy cast aluminum case designed to withstand the most tortuous road abuse, the F2 is designed to work flawlessly with products from virtually every instrument manufacturer. In addition to its use with numerous Alesis products such as the Fusion keyboards or XGuitar, the new F2 incorporates a built-in switch for setting compatibility among keyboard and guitar products from Yamaha™, Korg™, and Roland™. Additionally, the F2 features an adjustable range setting to completely shutoff all audio signal through the volume pedal or to allow limited amounts of signal.

With the Alesis F2 Expression Pedal, the “feel” underfoot is always just right. While its default setting provides for smooth travel from the bottom of its range to the top of its range, this can be altered as desired. Since some devices will ignore the signal sent from the expression jack when the pedal approaches the top of its range, the F2 can compensate by being adjusted to resist the foot at some point before it reaches the top of its range.

The F2 has a suggested retail price of just $179 and will be available Q3 of 2005.

NAMM Update: Alesis

The M1 Active 2-way, nearfield reference monitors incorporate a 1-inch thick front baffle to minimize speaker resonance, and their visually stunning acoustic waveguide evenly disperses high-frequency program material throughout the sound field—facilitating superior imaging with minimal diffraction.

The M1 Active 520 features a 75-watt amplifier coupled with a 5-inch low frequency woofer, while the M1 Active 620 features a 100-watt amplifier and 6.5-inch low frequency woofer. Both models employ a 1-inch silk dome tweeter for pristine, crystal-clear highs. The M1 Active 520 and 620 are magnetically shielded for close placement to video monitors in computer-based music production environments and their rear port design provides deep bass extension and increased SPL.

Unique and particularly useful is the M1 Active’s new Bass Density technology, which facilitates tailoring the sound of these monitors to the control room’s acoustics. With their Hi, Mid, and Low Frequency EQ switches designed to accommodate user preference and sub-woofers, as well as the distinctive top-mounted power/clip indicator to advise of clipping conditions, the new M1 Active 520 and 620 are the “right tools for the job” when it comes to critical listening.

Alesis CEO Jack O’Donnell commented on the new M1 Active 520 and 620 studio reference monitors, “Our long history of speaker manufacturing has gone into these new products. These monitors are the perfect solution for a variety of media outlets, including recording studios, radio broadcast, and post-production facilities.”

The monitors have suggested retail prices of $499 per pair (M1 Active 520) and $599 per pair (M1 Active 620) and will be available Q3 of 2005.

Summer NAMM Update:

The DICE II FireWire technology incorporated into the MultiMix FireWire Series provides for the transfer of multiple audio data streams from the mixer to one’s computer (PC/Windows or Mac OSX) using a standard IEEE-1394 FireWire interface. These mixers provide lightening fast, 24-bit stereo simultaneous input/output via the mixer’s FireWire connection to a wide range of computer-based audio production applications.

With their low noise analog electronics, the MultiMix FireWire mixers are cost-effective and highly versatile companions to the desktop recording environment. All three models feature high-gain mic/line preamps, 48V phantom power, auxiliary sends/returns, and an onboard effects engine encompassing one hundred 28-bit preset effects, including reverbs, delays, chorus, and flanging. Each channel provides 3-band EQ with high/low shelving and mid band pass/reject.

The MultiMix 8- and 12-channel mixers provide four high-gain mic/line (XLR and quarter-inch balanced) inputs with phantom power, two stereo balanced quarter-inch line inputs, an Aux send that can send to either onboard or external effects, and a stereo Aux return. The MultiMix 16 has eight high-gain mic/line (XLR and quarter-inch balanced) inputs, with the remaining I/O connectivity identical to its smaller siblings.

Additional features of the MultiMix FireWire Series include separate quarter-inch balanced main and monitor outs, plus headphone out. Plug and Play operation is available under Windows XP and Mac OSX—eliminating the need for special drivers or setup. Completing the system package is the inclusion of Steinberg’s Cubase LE recording software.

Alesis President Jack O’Donnell commented, “With the MultiMix FireWire Series, we’ve made multitrack recording to the computer a viable and affordable possibility for the modern artist/producer.”

With a suggested retail price of $599 (MultiMix 8), $699 (MultiMix 12), and $799 (MultiMix 16), Alesis’ new MultiMix FireWire Series represents exceptional value for the computer music enthusiast. The MultiMix FireWire Series will be available Q3 of 2005.

The Sumo 15 offers a compact form factor housing an 8-inch full range driver powered by a 15-watt, 2-channel amplifier. The Sumo 15 offers a dedicated microphone channel with an XLR input and a second channel providing right and left quarter-inch inputs for accommodating keyboard instruments. Both channels provide post fader effects sends for use with the amp’s internal signal processing. With 2-band EQ in the Sumo 15’s Master section, this arrangement makes this amplifier a great choice not only as a practice solution, but also for the solo keyboard/vocal performer working an intimate room. And to further enhance its capabilities for small PA or monitor usage, the Sumo 15 incorporates a pole cup on the underside of the enclosure for use as a “speaker on a stick”—enabling the cabinet to be elevated for greater sound coverage.

With integrated digital signal processing (DSP), the Sumo 15 provides fifteen advanced, stereo effects. These include rotary speaker emulation for use with organ sounds, hall, room and plate reverbs, chorus, delay, flange, and two combination chorus/reverb settings. With all these great stereo effects, musicians will certainly appreciate the Sumo 15’s Stereo Link feature. Utilizing quarter-inch input and output connectors, this feature enables users to connect the Stereo Link output of one Sumo 15 to the Stereo Link input of a second unit and achieve true stereo via dual cabinets for a great, low cost stereo PA system. For enjoying true stereo effects with a single Sumo 15, there is a quarter-inch stereo headphone output incorporated into the Sumo 15’s rear panel.

Commenting on the capabilities of the Sumo 15, Alesis CEO Jack O’Donnell noted, “The Sumo 15 is a versatile performer and a noteworthy addition to Alesis’ Sumo line of keyboard/PA amplifier products. Its compact size and rich feature set make this amp a terrific choice for a wide range of keyboard performers.”

The Sumo 15 has a suggested retail price of $229 and will be available Q3 of 2005.

The Radial SGI is a unity gain device that is made up with a combination ‘transmit & receive pair’ of modules. These feature 100% discreet class-A circuitry for fidelity. Class-A circuits are known for their low zero-cross distortion, which results in lower inter-modulation distortion and phase accuracy. The guitar connection is standard 1/4″. To ensure the natural tone of the instrument is transferred correctly, the Drag Control load correction circuit is provided allows the guitarist to introduce a load on the pickup to emulate the direct connection of his guitar to the amplifier.

A DC connection for the 15VDC supply is provided along with a power-on LED. To eliminate hum and buzz caused by ground loops, both the ‘transmit and receive’ modules are equipped with isolation transformers and ground lift options. A standard XLR connects the two devices allowing the signal to traverse balanced patch-bays and studio panels that are typical to most studios. The SGI receive module features an XLR input, ground lift and two outputs to allow two amps to be used at once.

As with all Radial products, the SGI is made from heavy-duty 14-gauge steel and features an internal I-beam frame that is virtually impossible to torque. A bookend outer shell provides a protective zone around the switches and connectors, thus allowing the SGI to be used in hectic environments.

For more information, visit the Radial Engineering site.

Equipped with 24-bit digital circuitry, this mixer delivers superior headroom and extreme frequency kills. The unique effect interface allows for real-time adjustments of rate frequency and mix intensity.

The manual tap control ensures precise timing of delays and echoes. Other features include: three-band kill switches, fader auto start, adjustable cross and line fader slope, and 1/4″ output jacks.

For more information, visit the Numark site.

The DM950USB includes dual USB audio ports built into the mixer, which allow users to play digital music files from any USB-equipped PC or Mac. No drivers are necessary as the DM950USB takes advantage of standard Windows and Mac drivers already included in current computer operating systems. Two USB ports are included so users can take advantage of the multiple sound card feature found in most DJ mixing software.

Users can also record their mix at the same time as play back. Incorporate turntables or line-level devices like CD players, plus a microphone, to mix and record along with the music on your computer. Outputs are offered in both analog form and two digital USB outputs for the record and master signals.

For more information, visit the Numark site.

Features include: 2 sets of seamless loops per track, scratching, sonar, filters, “interlock” auto-beat matching, stutter start, programmable track sequence, advanced slot load CD drives, “key lock” tempo shift, BPM alignment, start/brake speed adjustment, “dead-space” cancellation, MIDI in/out, digital output and user updatable software.

For more information, visit the Numark site.

Numark

This model expands Numark’s line of table top CD players, and offers the user endless performance options. The durable steel encased unit has been meticulously crafted with life-extending features such as a laser shutoff mode and auto-retractable media trays.

For more information, visit the Numark site.

The flexible configuration of the 5000FX includes 5 channels with 3 phono, 9 line (3 switchable to phono), and 2 mic inputs–including a top-mounted input jack that accommodates both XLR and 1/4″ connectors. Each of the 5 channels includes independent bass, mid, and treble EQ controls with frequency kills, and pre-fader level meters. Outputs include XLR balanced and RCA unbalanced master, zone, booth, record, and S/PDIF digital. The 5000FX boasts a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 96dB at line level.

For more information, visit the Numark site.

RA is a massive 14 Gigabyte virtual instrument that covers a vast array of world instruments, many unique and unusual, from six areas of the world including: Africa; Americas and Australia; Europe; Far East; India; Middle East; and Turkish Empire. An elaborate extension of the sample library called “Rare Instruments”, conceived a few years prior, all of the sounds from “Rare Instruments” are included in RA, but only represents one-tenth of the content. The other ninety percent of RA was meticulously recorded with the finest world musicians, microphones, and consoles at Ocean Way Studios in Hollywood, CA and produced by Nick Phoenix, Pacemaker and Tony Austin.

RA comes as a virtual instrument which includes a high-performance Native Instruments software interface powered by the efficient Kontakt audio engine, including Direct-from-Disk, for Mac and PC (*With freely-downloadable Direct-from-Disk extension).

MSRP $995.00. Scheduled for release on February 28.

For more information, visit the Sounds Online site.

East West

Recorded in 24-bit by Grammy-Winning classical recording engineer Professor Keith O. Johnson, and produced by Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, Symphonic Choirs captures 5 Choirs (Boys; Alto — Female; Soprano — Female; Basses –Male; Tenors — Male; plus solo singers) recorded with 3 simultaneous microphone setups (close, stage, and hall), which allow the user to mix any combination of microphones together to create a vast array of tone control and real concert hall ambience.

“The significant amount of detail that went into recording the choirs and how the sounds are presented on Symphonic Choirs is what makes this product so special,” states co-producer and EastWest Creative Director Doug Rogers. “The quality and quantity (37 Gigabyte) of sounds contained in this collection are sure to give our professional composers, who are the who’s who of the music, film, television and stage industries, superior quality to anything that’s been released previously, and much greater choices in selecting the sounds that will work best for their project — in stereo or surround sound.”

With production details as fine as slurred legatos on each vowel, Symphonic Choirs offers specifically recorded and chromatically sampled singers in order to capture a full range of vibratos. An advanced word building utility for both MAC and PC, that includes a text editor, enables users to type in the words they want the choirs to sing; Other technical specifications include: playback software from Native Instruments for both MAC and PC (AU, VSTi, DXi, RTAS and Stand Alone); full compatibility with the Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra.

MSRP $995.00.

For more information, visit the Sounds Online site.

East West

Colossus is a massive 32-gigabyte virtual instrument that includes all of the instruments and SFX in the GM specification, and more. Recorded by Quantum Leap producer Nick Phoenix and multiple Prof. Keith O. Johnson, Colossus includes 15 gigabytes of new sounds, a new 2 gig piano, and 15 gigs of sounds from the range of Quantum Leap and EastWest titles.

A hardware rack-mount version of Colossus called Colossus Live will follow the software release.

MSRP $995.00. Slated for release on February 28

For more information, visit the East West site.

Designed for desktop recording applications, the Snowball incorporates Blue’s exceptional styling with high quality, versatility and ease of use. The mic’s universal driver and plug & play USB compatibility make recording into your laptop or DAW quick and easy, while its dual capsule design and three-position switch dial in the desired sound for many applications.

The Snowball’s versatility is achieved by its unique dual-capsule design, with one capsule tailored for vocals and the other for instruments. A three position switch on the back of the mic lets you change between the capsules. The first position offers the end user a robust vocal sound, the second position delivers an open, airy detailed sound and the third position is a unique combination of both capsules, which allows for the recording of loud sound sources. The result makes Snowball a multi-talented recording tool — the first USB mic designed and engineered by people who know sound.

Snowball will be available in Q2 of 2005 for $139.00 MSRP.

For more information, visit the Blue Mic site.

Muse Research

The kvraudio website reports that its traffic has grown considerably over the last few months, with well over a million visitors on a consistent basis. Considered by many to be the definitive website for anything related to plug-in technology, KVR has continued to attract new members as more and more musicians and engineers discover the power of plug-in technology.

The kvr-vst website name was changed to reflect the fact that the although the VST plug-in format developed by Steinberg continues to be the predominant cross-platform standard, the plug-in community has embraced several other plug-in formats such as Audio Units from Apple, Direct X from Microsoft, as well as RTAS and TDM plug-in technologies from Digidesign. From very early on, the KVR website has embraced all plug-in formats, and the name change better reflects the fact that all plug-in formats are represented on the site, not just the VST format.

Synful Orchestra is a VST/DXi Virtual Software Plugin Synthesizer based on Synful’s innovative Reconstructive Phrase Modeling (RPM) technology. Synful Orchestra is not a sampler or a sample library.

Automatically Creates Natural Phrasing and Articulation

Synful Orchestra responds to the performer. When you play a phrase with legato and detached notes, with accents, and pedal nuances, Synful Orchestra responds with realistic sounding slurs, tonguing, and bowing. No laborious editing of performances to select from a limited set of articulations in a sample library.

Realism Expressivity and Ease of Use

Real instruments have many ways of moving from note to note: slurs with varying amounts of portamento, lightly tongued or bowed note transitions, fast runs, detached hard attacks, etc. These note transitions are the connective tissue of musical expression. Whether you play live or from a MIDI sequence Synful Orchestra models these transitions. If you play staccato Synful Orchestra creates staccato attacks. If you play legato Synful Orchestra creates realistic legato transitions. Synful Orchestra models the way notes are sustained, the graceful onset of vibrato, breath sounds, the sound of the bow on the string, the change of tone color as a note becomes louder or softer. Using the innovate Synful Pitch Wheel mode, you can easily create natural string portamento.

Synful RPM Technology

ynful Orchestra is not a sampler or a sampler library or. Synful Orchestra is not a physical modeling synthesizer. It is an entirely new concept in music synthesis. According to Synful CEO, Eric Lindemann, Synful Orchestra and RPM are the result of eight years of intensive research. “We have long felt the need for a new technology to model expressive instruments such as strings and winds,” said Lindemann. “Sampling is just too stiff. You can’t play an expressive violin phrase on a sampler, no matter how good the sample library is”.

RPM Phrase Database

In Synful Orchestra the RPM Phrase Database is stored in memory and contains musical phrases for each instrument. These are not recordings of isolated notes but complete musical passages that represent all kinds of articulation and phrasing.

Searching and Splicing

When Synful Orchestra receives MIDI input it looks at the pitch, velocity, amount of separation or overlap between notes, note duration, volume, pitch wheel, and mod wheel to determine what kind of phrase is being played. Synful Orchestra searches the RPM Phrase Database for fragments that can be spliced together to form this phrase. These fragments represent transitions between notes, slurs with portamento, lightly tongued transitions, aggressive fast bowing, rapid runs, long sustain regions with graceful vibrato, and noise elements like flute chiffs and bow scratches. Synful Orchestra stretches and shifts these fragments in time and pitch so that they combine to form the final output.

RPM Additive SynthesisTechnology

Synful Orchestra uses a patented form of additive synthesis in which sounds are generated from combinations of pure sine waves and noise elements. T A single note in Synful Orchestra may be built from three or more rapidly spliced phrase fragments. Splicing ordinary PCM sampled sounds in this way would create unacceptable warbles and clicks. RPM additive synthesishis gives Synful Orchestra the ability to rapidly stretch, shift, and splice phrase fragments while preserving perfect phrase continuity. While additive synthesis can be computationally intensive, RPM innovations allow Synful Orchestra to generate 100 to160 voices in real-time on a 1.5 GHz Pentium IV.

Sound Examples

The Synful Orchestra sound examples on Synful’s website feature Synful Orchestra strings playing an excerpt from Beethoven String Quartet Opus 132, Synful Orchestra winds playing the first few minutes of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, Synful Orchestra brass playing Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man, and the entire Synful Orchestra playing a movement from a new composition by Anna Lindemann Hari-Hara. The Synful Orchestra sound examples demonstrate expressive and demanding instrumental playing. With Synful Orchestra the results are very realistic. It is difficult to believe that these results come from a synthesizer.

Are Samplers Obsolete?

To realize the Synful Orchestra sound examples using even the most advanced sampler with the best sample libraries would require many hours manually selecting samples to achieve different note articulations. Even then the results would be disappointing, stiff, and unnatural. This is because it is impossible to achieve realistic musical phrasing for expressive instruments using samplers. A sample library is a collection of recordings of isolated notes. It is not surprising that when these recordings are strung together they sound like a sequence of unrelated isolated notes. With Synful Orchestra things are different:

• Synful Orchestra models transitions between notes automatically.
• Synful Orchestra models vibrato and extends the duration of notes using sophisticated statistical techniques. Sample loops with all their limitations are a thing of the past.
• Synful Orchestra responds to volume, pitch, and velocity changes with continuous changes in timbre, just like a real instrument.

For more information, visit the Synful site.

The NeKo GS enables performers and producers to take advantage of an efficient, next-generation platform for music production that allows users to access and create more digital music, in less time, and with greater control than previously available.

mFusion is the latest software component of the Open Labs OpenSynth platform, which is used in the Open Labs NeKo and OMX lines of keyboards and digital audio workstations. mFusion is a set of software technologies along with a control panel that allows the user to easily navigate, access, and remap control surfaces for all Open Labs control panels as well as all third-party Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) control devices.

The NeKo GS will retail for a suggested manufacturer’s price of $4,995.00 USD.

“The NeKo GS provides a completely open model for players and producers who want to leverage the systems they already have, yet deliver even greater sounds and samples using a Pentium-based production station,” said Victor Wong, CEO of Open Labs. “We welcome the opportunity to provide a product that combines the benefits of some of the industry’s leading platforms with the power of the Open Labs NeKo keyboard workstation.

mFusion will be shipped preinstalled in all Open Labs products as well as future products from Open Labs’ growing list of development partners.

“The NeKo GS is a wonderful marriage of technologies which allows users to experience GigaStudio as an instrument from the moment NeKo is powered on,” said Peter Snell, GigaStudio Sales and Marketing Manager.

With mFusion, users merely need to touch a knob or slider to begin the process. A wide variety of options are available for each control type. For example, a button can send a MIDI note-on, initiate a program change, keystroke, or even launch an application. This versatility extends to encoders, knobs, faders, drumpads, and many other common control types, with the ability to address and remap up to thousands of controllers simultaneously.

mFusion’s unified approach further benefits existing music computing applications. mFusion takes multiple MIDI devices and exposes the system to only one device, creating a virtual gateway with multiple extensions, thereby making it possible for music programs that can only access one controller to gain full access to multiple controllers.

For more information, visit the Open Labs site.

Although Receptor was designed for live use, it also serves as an external processor in the studio. When used in the studio, it is desirable to return individual channels of audio signals back to your DAW or mixer, and for this reason Receptor has a built-in ADAT optical interface. Version 1.2 software redesigns the mixer to support these outputs, and provides you with complete routing control over the ADAT outputs as well as the S/PDIF output, raising the total number of outputs on Receptor to ten, in addition to the four inputs.

Version 1.2 software also includes many new MIDI mapping features, designed with the input of keyboardist and Receptor endorser Jordan Rudess. These MIDI mapping features make it easy to set up multiple layers and splits in Receptor, making it an ideal tool for live performance, regardless of what music style you make.

Muse Research also demonstrated a new technology in Receptor that makes it possible to load plug-ins in just milliseconds, versus the several seconds or sometimes tens of seconds required by a computer. Z-load technology was developed by Muse Research to further enhance Receptor as the ultimate synth / sampler / sound module. Muse Research has also applied for a patent for this.

Version 1.2 software will be the second release of software since the introduction of Receptor, and is available free to all Receptor customers by visiting the www.Plugorama.com website. Version 1.2 software is expected to be available by the end of the first quarter of 2005.

For more information, visit the Muse Research site.

Hart Dynamics, a leading manufacturer of electronic drumming equipment, is the first licensee of mFusion. Open Labs plans to license hardware and software technologies, including mFusion, to Hart Dynamics, as part of the two companies’ co-development efforts in building the world’s first electronic drumkit that plays software plug-ins and applications.

mFusion is a set of software technologies along with a control panel that allows the user to easily navigate, access, and remap control surfaces for all Open Labs control panels as well as all third-party Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) control devices.

“With mFusion, we have created the Borg equivalent of MIDI controller software, enabling users to integrate a galaxy of controllers and other hardware and software solutions to work as one through a single intuitive interface,” said Victor Wong, CEO of Open Labs. “In addition, since mFusion is an intelligent application, it can integrate MIDI controllers that have yet to be created instantly. mFusion allows you to boldly go where no musical instrument has gone before.”

With mFusion, users merely need to touch a knob or slider to begin the process. A wide variety of options are available for each control type. For example, a button can send a MIDI note-on, initiate a program change, keystroke, or even launch an application. This versatility extends to encoders, knobs, faders, drumpads, and many other common control types, with the ability to address and remap up to thousands of controllers simultaneously.

“The introduction of mFusion provides another layer of functionality for GigaStudio3 users, who can now control more samples and plug-ins in real-time. This is the digital version of a virtual conductor for a 40-piece symphony,” said Jim Mack, division manager of TASCAM. “Open Labs has developed a key piece of software at the right time for our users and for the industry as a whole.”

mFusion’s unified approach further benefits existing music computing applications. mFusion takes multiple MIDI devices and exposes the system to only one device, creating a virtual gateway with multiple extensions, thereby making it possible for music programs that can only access one controller to gain full access to multiple controllers.

“The electronic drum market needs mFusion; it bridges so many controllers and MIDI trigger systems, the creative possibilities are virtually limitless, yet the solution for the problem of bridging different interfaces is so amazingly elegant,” said Peter Hart, CEO of Hart Dynamics. “Drummers, producers, and engineers have a more efficient way to access and control multiple drum samples and MIDI drum effects and triggers, without buying additional hardware.”

mFusion will be shipped preinstalled in all Open Labs products as well as future products from Open Labs’ growing list of development partners.

“mFusion fixes a lot of what’s wrong with computer-based music today”, said Craig Negoescu, chief architect of Open Labs. “By putting a common front-end on MIDI control devices with a user-friendly user interface, you no longer have to deal with painfully bad controller interfaces. And for hardware developers, mFusion makes the process of developing new or custom controllers much easier and much faster.”

Open Labs is the first keyboard manufacturer to incorporate 64-bit processing. The company developed the NeKo64 using the AMD® Opteron® 64-bit CPU, with 2MB memory cache in either single- or dual-processor configurations.

More information is available at the Open Labs site.

Receptor is a stand-alone synth, sampler, and sound module with the ability to serve as an advanced effects processor. UniWire technology makes it possible to seamlessly integrate Receptor into a VST host on a Mac or PC by simply installing the UniWire VST onto the host, and then connecting the Receptor to the computer over a standard Ethernet cable. The company announced that it intends to support other plug-in formats as well.

Unlike other CAT5-based audio and MIDI solutions that use proprietary chips or just the physical layer of Ethernet, UniWire is completely compatible with standard Ethernet hubs, switches, and routers. UniWire software has an intelligent bandwidth management feature that automatically adjusts the number of channels available, allowing audio and MIDI transmission and reception regardless of network configuration. And since UniWire is compliant with all standard network devices, you can use wireless 802.11B or G network devices with it, although the company strongly suggests using 802.11G peripherals with UniWire for best results.

For more information, visit the Muse Research site.