Vestax has teamed up with software maker Algoriddim to produce Spin, a $249.95 entry-level all-in-one digital DJ controller that will be sold elusively in Apple stores throughout the US and Canada.

Features:

• Blend your voice into the mix through the integrated microphone input (microphone included)
• Seamless iTunes integration through djay software, allowing easy to mix, beat match, loops to effects for creating your perfect mix tape
• Simple plug-and-play setup
• Touch sensor jog wheel platters give high resolution to experience an analog feel when scratching and mixing
• Multi-channel audio system for high quality monitoring, master output and separate microphone input
• A compact and light DJ All-in-one system
• Seamless iTunes integration
• Easy-to-use drag and drop interface
• Automix and automatic tempo
• Beat detection, beat-matched looping and BPM-sync
• Auto-gain
• Sampler and visual cue points
• Live Microphone with pitch and echo effect
• Audio effects such as speed change, reverse, time-stretching, pitch-shifting and more
• Record mixes for podcasts, photo slide shows and mix tapes
• Export history of played songs as iTunes playlist or PDF
• Cover artwork on virtual vinyl
• Support for all major audio formats such as MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, Audio-CD and songs purchased from the iTunes Music Store

Technical specifications

• DJ USB Midi controller
• Touch sensor platters
• Headphone output
• Microphone input
• Dimensions (WxHxD): 14.0 x 9.5 x 1.5 in./35.6 x 24.1 x 3.8 cm
• Weight: 3.2 lbs./1.5 kg (Spin only)

System requirements

• Mac OS X v10.4 or later
• 1.8GHz or faster Intel processor
• 1GB of RAM

What’s in the box?

• Spin (DJ midi controller)
• Microphone with adapter
• USB cable
• djay 3 software with license key
• User manual (Set-up basic guide)
• 1/8- to 1/4-in. adapter for headphone or microphone

Official blurbage below.

Did you notice?

Spin—with its seamlessly integrated djay software—allows you to record your mixes as a high-quality audio file, for use in your latest podcast, movie, photo slide show or to make a classic “mix tape”.

Apple Recommends for…

Beginners and seasoned pros alike who want to mix tracks and playlists from iTunes on their Mac. Or iTunes users and music lovers who want to have fun with their music and explore the world of DJing.

Be your own DJ with iTunes

Spin and djay software let you easily mix all your favorite songs from iTunes. Simply drag and drop, and get creative with your own music.

Touch sensor jog wheels

High-resolution touch-sensitive jog wheels allow you to DJ like in analog mode from scratching to remixing.

Multi-channel audio system

Spin comes with high-quality sound for monitoring, master output and a separate mic input.

Compact and light

A travel friendly unit perfect for the Mac, it comes with a USB cable and djay software so you can DJ anywhere you want.

Perfectly match your music

djay’s on-the-fly beat and tempo detection allows you to easily match two songs for a perfect transition.

Find the right song

Preview and prepare the next song with headphones through Spin before playing it through the main speakers.

Automix your party

One click means hours of fun. Sit back and let Spin/djay mix your favorite iTunes playlists with seamless DJ-style transitions.

Scratch. Mix. Loop.

Discover the world of DJing. Use the featured buttons, jog wheel platters and faders to mix and scratch your songs. Every feature found on the Spin interface will allow you endless opportunities of creative DJing from loops to effects.

Record your mixes

Save your mix—for your latest podcast, movie or photo slide show, or to make a classic “mix tape.” Just push the REC button.

Sonic State Labs takes a look at the new Apple Logic Pro in this video review.

via sonicstate

DJ Tech Tools has an interesting scoop on a new DJ controller, the Vestax Spin, which they report will be carried exclusively at the Apple Store.

The Vestax Spin combines a DJ control surface, an audio interface and DJ software for $249.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Features:

• Built-in sound card
• Touch sensitive hi-res jog wheels
• Mic input
• Mix record function
• Discreet headphone outputs
• Automix and beat sync functions
• USB power
• Dimensions: 14”(w) x 9.5” (h) x 1.5”(d)
• Controller Weight: 3.2 lbs

Contents:

• Spin (DJ midi controller)
• Microphone with adapter
• USB Cable
• djay 3 with license key
• User manual (Set-up basic guide)
• 1/8” to 1/4” adapter for headphone or microphone

This basic GarageBand tutorial looks at how to use the app’s built-in effects to create a T-Pain AutoTune effect.

via PirateSk00l:

This quick tutorial will show you how to take your crap voice and put it in tune.

OT: OG Ice T shows how to disassemble a Mac that is giving you problems.

I don’t know about you – but there have been a couple of days where I’ve wanted to do this.

This update improves overall stability and provides numerous fixes and enhancements. Issues addressed include:

• Flex Markers can align & snap to MIDI notes
• Performing a punch-in recording with Replace Mode now behaves correctly
• The I/O plug-in adds an option for latency measurement
• TDM plug-ins now behave as expected. (Only affects users with Pro Tools HD audio hardware.)

The update is recommended for all users of Logic Pro 9.

Apple

This update improves overall stability and provides numerous fixes and enhancements.

Issues addressed include:

• Flex Markers can align & snap to MIDI notes
• Performing a punch-in recording with Replace Mode now behaves correctly
• The I/O plug-in adds an option for latency compensation

The update is recommended for all users of Logic Pro 9.

For detailed information on this update, see Logic Pro Release Notes.

The plugin lets you drive a MIDI-based synthesizer from any DAW that supports software instrument Audio Units.

Version 1.3, posted on 9/20/06: Passes AU validation under 10.6. Can generate program and bank change messages.

iPhone music software: This is a sneak preview of Drum Sequencer, a drum machine/groovebox for the Apple iPhone.

It’s expected to be released Sept 24th, 2009.

Description:

Drum Sequencer is a drum beat composing application. It’s designed for example DJ’s, live performances, practicing, interactive composing or just for fun.

Amaze yourself with this app. Discover the basics of drum beats, doodle around and use your imagination to find new exotic rhythms. You don’t have to be a DJ or live artist to sound like them.

App features:

• easy & fast use user interface for situations where you just want to evolve the beat quickly
• multiple drum sets (with high quality 44kHz sounds)
• realtime effects for each instrument (for example really nasty sounding distortion)
• bank & pattern for storing your best bits
• easy switching between patterns for example live performance
• tap tempo
• easy syncing to existing beat, song or any kind of fixed rythm

via zapallalla

justanotherguy put together this condensed version of Apple’s recent music keynote address, which featuredL

• Steve “really nice” Jobs introducing the new iTunes;
• Jeff “really easy” Rubin demonstrating iTunes 9; and
• Phil “amazingly great” Shiller showing off the latest iPods.

Is it any wonder people come away thinking that these things are smarter, better, really incredible and insanely awesome?

This tutorial looks at how to make music with Apple’s Garageband.

via PrimeLoops:

Garageband is a very powerful music-making package from Apple, and can be used to make, edit and remix many styles. Here we show you the Garageband interface, and how to get to grips with the basics.

This video looks at how to use the Drum Replacement tool in Logic Pro 9 to replace or augment a drum kit piece.

via digitalmusicdoctor:

How to use the Drum Replacement tool in Logic Pro 9 to replace or augment a drum kit piece. This is a reformatted excerpt from the video training course Logic Pro 9 – Know It All! by Digital Music Doctor.

This video takes a look at sub bass with Apple Logic.

via gearwire:

The car stereo subwoofer is the modern day rooster. Crow even harder using the Klopfgeist effect within Apple Logic.

Apple

Like the new version of Logic Pro Studio, Logic Express 9 adds a variety of features for guitarists and flex time, Apple’s tools for editing the timing and tempo of recorded audio.

Features include:

• More than 70 studio-quality effect plug-ins, including vintage and modern compressors, delays, reverbs, and more;
• New Amp Designer plug-in to help you re-create the sound of 25 legendary amps and 25 speaker cabinets;
• New Pedalboard plug-in with an assortment of 30 virtual stompbox pedals inspired by the classics;
• 36 software instrument plug-ins, including the Ultrabeat drum synth and beatbox, ES2 synth, and EXS24 sampler.

At$199.99, and featuring most of the power of the very competitively priced Logic Pro, Logic Express 9 may be the best deal in entry-level DAWs.

If you’ve used Logic Express 9, leave a comment with your thoughts!

This video looks at how you can streamline your Mac for DJing with one click, including quitting out of programs, shutting off Airport, Adjusting your Energy preferences and audio preferences and more.

via eangolden

Apple

That’s right – the update stops GarageBand – a entry level digital audio workstation – from messing with your Safari Internet cookie settings.

Here’s what Apple has to say about the GarageBand 5.1 Update:

CVE-ID: CVE-2009-2198

Available for: Mac OS X v10.5.7

Impact: A user’s web activity may be tracked by third parties and advertisers

Description: When GarageBand is opened, Safari’s preferences are changed to always accept cookies. The default preference is to accept cookies only for the sites being visited. The altered setting may allow third parties and advertisers to track a user’s web activity. This update addresses the issue by not changing the preference setting. Users who have run previous versions of GarageBand should confirm that their Safari preferences are set as desired.

It’s insane that Apple has to release a security patch to keep GarageBand from making your Web browsing more dangerous and less private.

But it does. GarageBand has been putting Safari into promiscuous mode – telling it to accept cookies from anybody and everybody.

No user would expect using GarageBand to compromise their Internet security.

If you’re a Mac user, who knows how long GarageBand has been reducing your privacy? Apple doesn’t say.

What’s next? You open up iPhoto and it resets all your passwords to “password”?

What an insanely bad idea this was.

Apple has been getting more attention from security analysts and hackers alike. It’s time Apple treated your security and privacy as seriously as they treat design and usability.

Oh yeah – take a visit to Software Update to get GarageBand 5.1. Then go to Safari, select Safari-Preferences- Security, and set Accept cookies to Only from sites I visit.

Next, delete your cookies or scan them and eliminate cookies for sites you don’t recognize.

IZotope has released Radius for Logic and Apple Soundtrack Pro, a new version of their time-stretching and pitch-shifting algorithm. The new version has been updated with support for Logic 9 as well as Soundtrack Pro 3.

iZotope Radius allows for independent control over timing and pitch of any audio material while preserving the character and acoustic space of the original recording. Using a hybrid method, it is able to preserve transients and sustained material simultaneously, making it useful for modifying fully mixed performances as well as individual instruments, voices, or other audio sources.

This new version of Radius adds a new pitch coherence control that enables enhanced control over the soundstage.

Key features:

• Time streching between 12.5% and 800%
• Pitch shift from -36 to +36 semitones
• Maintains original acoustic space and sound stage
• Preserves transient attacks and timing accuracy
• Formant correction with strength and shift control
• Preserves Dolby matrix encoding
• Maintains phase coherency and stereo image
• Supports sample rates up to 192kHz

iZotope Radius retails for $399.99 USD.

This is a video unboxing and preview of the new Logic Pro 9.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part 2 covers an install on PPC G5 2.0ghz machine.

via dancetech

Apple today introduced the next version of Logic Studio, with major upgrades to Logic Pro and MainStage and more than 200 new features.

Here’s what’s new:

• Logic Pro 9 features new Amp Designer and Pedalboard plug-ins that provide realistic virtual guitar amps and stompbox effects.
• A new set of Flex Time tools allow Logic users to easily manipulate the timing and tempo of audio.
• MainStage 2, Apple’s live performance application, includes the new Playback and Loopback plug-ins to provide backing tracks and creative, real-time loop recording for performing on stage.
• Logic Studio also includes the new Soundtrack Pro 3, with new multitrack audio tools for video production, and Compressor 3.5 for encoding in a variety of formats.

This looks like a great update to Logic Studio and Logic Studio’s $499 will continue to put pressure on other DAW developers to add features and keep prices down.

Apple has published a set of video demos on Logic Pro 9, the new guitar plugins and Mainstage 2. The new Amp Designer and Pedalboard plug-ins give guitar players new recording and sound design capabilities.

Amp Designer recreates 25 legendary vintage and modern amp heads in beautiful detail with matching controls and 25 paired speaker cabinets that emulate the sound and feel of a guitar running through a real tube amplifier. Guitar players can create their own custom rig by mixing and matching amps, cabinets, reverbs and EQs, and can choose from three different microphone types that can be positioned in 3D space to capture the ideal guitar tone.

Pedalboard adds an assortment of 30 guitar stompbox pedals that can be arranged in any order to produce a wide variety of lush, creative effects including overdrive, distortion, fuzz, delay, chorus, flange, phaser, tremolo, treble boost, wah and more.

Flex Time is a new collection of tools that allow musicians to quickly manipulate the timing and tempo of recorded audio, including vocals and instruments, to create tighter performances. Using the Flex Tool, individual beats in a waveform can be moved effortlessly with a mouse click, without the need for tedious slicing and editing. Audio Quantize can instantly fix or adjust the timing of an entire performance by aligning notes and beats to a musical grid with a single menu selection. Varispeed provides the ability to slow down and then speed up an entire multi-track production to help record challenging parts. Flex Time also enables recorded tracks to be moved between different Logic projects and matched together, even if they were performed at different tempos. All Flex Time edits are performed non destructively and in real time, even when using the highest quality settings.

MainStage 2 lets musicians use all the instruments and effects from Logic Studio to turn their Mac® into the ultimate live performance rig. The new Playback plug-in provides musicians with a backing band, allowing them to perform with pre-recorded audio, like drums, sound effects and other accompaniments that can be triggered to play while they are performing live. The new Loopback plug-in allows musicians to record, layer and jam along with their own performance so a single musician can lay down a rhythm and then play a lead over it.

Soundtrack Pro 3 adds powerful new audio editing tools including Voice Level Match which extracts volume information from the vocal content of one clip and applies it to another without altering any other audio content, so editors can easily correct mismatched voice levels. An enhanced File Editor includes new tools to make sophisticated edits and fine tune volume adjustments by targeting specific frequencies such as the rustle of a paper or the bump of a desk without affecting dialogue. The new Advanced Time Stretch feature stretches and compresses audio with incredible precision using three Apple-designed algorithms or other algorithms available as third party plug-ins. Soundtrack Pro and Compressor are also available as part of the new Final Cut Studio®, allowing Final Cut® and Logic users to collaborate and share files.

Pricing & Availability

Logic Studio is now available through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $499 (US). Existing users of Logic Studio and Logic Pro can upgrade for a suggested retail price of $199 (US). Logic Express will ship in August for a suggested retail price of $199 (US) and will be available through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers.

LIMS 2009: This is an overview and demo video for Novation Automap for the iPhone and iPod touch from LIMS 2009.

Do you think that this is a useful tool or just a gimmick?

via soundonsoundvideo