Boston based virtual instrument manufacturer SONiVOX has introduced Sampla – Hip Hop Production Sampler, a new virtual sampler plug-in for MAC and PC designed for fast sampling and beat creation for hip hop producers.

Features:

• MPC style editing & slicing for easy instrument & beat creation
• Imports Wav, Acid, Broadcast Wav, Aiff, & MP3 Format Files
  Easy to use record functionality for real time sampling
• Over 250 factory preset instruments and pad layouts
• 16 user assignable pads
• Tempo Sync Stereo Delay, EQ, and Chorus Effects
• Assignable filter section with 10 filter types
• Graphic waveform display with zoom, click, and drag functionality
• Midi Learn & Save functionality, Sampla is instantly compatible with any
• MIDI keyboard or pad control
• Pad-Specific Variable Resolution Note Repeat and Pattern Arpeggiation Mode
• PC Standalone, VST and RTAS Compatibility.
• MAC Standalone, AU, VST, and RTAS Compatibility.

Sampla is available now with a MSRP of $149 and an introductory street price of $99.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Description:

Sampla’s unique design bridges the gap between MPC style sampling and the computer based virtual instrument environment. Sampla allows users to easily record, slice, loop, and assign (keymap) their ownrecorded samples as well as any of their own wav, acid, aiff, and mp3 samples.

In addition to the flexibility provided by Sampla’s sampler engine, Sampla’s “Learn Mode” allows users to interface their MIDI pad controllers and controller keyboards directly with Sampla.

Sampla is packed with a diverse and extensive factory sound bank, all recorded and programmed by SONiVOX’s award winning sounddesign team, with over 250 high end instrument presets and pad layouts.

Included are acoustic and electronic drumkits, basses, keyboards, leads, guitars, strings, brass, pads, vocals, symphonic construction kits, scensorship bleeps and blips, as well as a selection of loops from the SONiVOX LoopLine series.

2009 Summer NAMM Show: Beat Kangz Electronics has announced a shipping date for the much-hyped Beat Thang, an MPC-like, Hip-Hip production center. The Beat Thang is expected to ship in October 2009, with a list price of $1,299 and retail of $999.

The Beat Kangz are also putting the finishing touches on The Playa Thang, an iPhone app and a software version of the Beat Thang. By July 17, The Beat Thang Virtual software system, $149.00, will be available for purchase on the company’s website.

Features:

• Sampling
• 3.5 inch video grade color LCD
• On-board rechargeable NiCad battery.
• Over 3000 Blazin’ Brand new sounds designed by The Beat Kangz
• 16 Track MIDI sequencer (sequence external instruments)
• 500 production ready Platinum beats and loops created by The Beat Kangz
• Sleek design and styling with customizable “Paintz” and “Grillz”
• Convenient, light-weight portable design with internal rechargable battery
• USB In & Out
• Pitch and Mod Wheels
• On Board FX including Reverb, Delay, Automated Filters and tons of Crazy “Freak FX” including “Chopped and Screwed”!!!!
• On Board “Mo Bang” Mastering with EQ and Limiting
• 256 MB Ram standard
• 2 High Speed SD Card Slots (16 Gigabytes/ card)
• Export Beats to a Mac or PC (supports AIFF and WAV format)
• Intuitive user interface.

via FutureMusic

MOTU BPM was one of the hotter pieces of music software to come out of the 2009 Winter NAMM Show, because it is designed to turn your computer into an advanced MPC-style virtual instrument.

MacMusic has an early review of MOTU BPM, and they’re impressed:

BPM is a force to be reckoned in the drum machine world. With its huge library and strong feature set, BPM can easily hold its own compared to hardware drum sequencers. BPM’s compatibility with all major DAWs deserves bonus points. I would have liked to have seen a MIDI programmable sound repeat button as well as a hi-hat decay slider as on MPC drum machines- perhaps in a future update.

Nonetheless, BPM is by far the strongest software drum machine currently available. I’ll be looking to see how musicians find creative ways to use BPM, much like the MPC, but in my opinion, MOTU may have officially put all hardware drum machines on notice.

No faint praise!

Have you used BPM? If so, leave a comment and let us know if you think it’s the strongest software drum machine currently available!

More on MOTU BPM.

Kenny and Noel of producer duo NuVintage show some of the real-time capabilities of Native Instruments’ new groove production studio Maschine at NAMM 2009.

The Beat Kangz overview of their new beat box/workstation, the Beat Thang.

This may be the best presentation out of the 2009 NAMM Show.

Best quote: “SD cards. What? How many of them? What? I think there’s two of them. What? 16. What? Gigabytes per card.”

Let me know what you think of the Beat Kangz Beat Thang in the comments!

2009 Winter NAMM Show: First up, let me state a pet peave: it should be against the law for software makers to advertise their software with awesome 3D models.

All the ads for MOTU BPM make it look like it’s an killer piece of hardware, not a virtual instrument. This seems to be a favorite trick for companies trying to make a virtual instrument look more awesome than it really is.

Other than that, it looks like BPM will be an interesting new app.

Here’s the official description for BPM:

BPM unites drum machine-style operation with advanced virtual instrument technology to give you the ultimate rhythm programming experience. Combine drum kits, sequenced patterns, sliced loops and instrument sounds to realize your rhythmic vision, mixing and matching any playing style with any drum kit. Or plug in your pad controller or MIDI keyboard to capture your live, groove-quantized performance directly in BPM.

Let me know what you think of BPM in the comments!

2009 NAMM Show: Native Instruments today announced Maschine, their next-generation music production workstation – a sort of Akai MPC/computer hybrid.

Maschine combines an advanced software sequencer and sampler with an integrated MPC-style performance controller. Maschine is designed to provide a tactile and immediate interface to computer-based music production setups.

I was skeptical about Maschine going into the announcement, but after seeing how effectively NI has married the MPC concept with computer-based production, Maschine looks like it should go on the short list for anyone looking for a production workstation.

With Maschine, all the main functions, including parameter automation, sample mapping and sound editing are immediately accessible through the controller and within the single-window user interface of the software. It can be used as both a self-contained standalone instrument and within any DAW or music sequencer.

Maschine takes advantage of all the benefits of computer integration, like total recall, superior processing power, memory and file handling and project transfer, while retaining the handling and tactile appeal of a hardware instrument.

Maschine will be available in March 2009 for a suggested retail price of $669 / 599 EUR. Street is expected to be about $599 US.

Check out the details below, along with a few photos from the introduction, and let me know what you think of Maschine!

The Maschine Controller

The Maschine controller was designed as a natural extension of the software, and makes the system feel and respond as a true instrument.

Features:

• 16 pressure-sensitive drum pads have been carefully engineered for response and durability. They illuminate to help you visualize sequence patterns and other crucial information.
• Eight rotary encoders, a concise layout of dedicated buttons and dual high-resolution displays give immediate access to all functions of Maschine without touching the computer mouse or keyboard.
• All features are quickly accessible “on the surface”, rather than hidden away in hierarchical sub menus.
• The Maschine hardware also doubles as a powerful universal controller for any MIDI compatible music gear, thanks to an included MIDI mapping application and support of the MCU protocol for sophisticated DAW control.

Making Music With Maschine

The real-time audio recording and resampling features in Maschine let you capture, map, sculpt and transform any external or internal signal immediately, and integrate the result into a running track, without ever breaking the flow of the music.

Multiple performance effects sections on the sample, group and master level provide a versatile arsenal of 20 high-quality algorithms ranging from conventional to experimental, all optimized for sound shaping and creative real-time control through the Maschine hardware.

If you’ve got a standard control keyboard, Maschine will recognize it, letting you play synths from the keyboard while producing with the Maschine controller.

The Maschine Sample Library

Maschine comes with a massive Native Instruments library of drum and instrument sounds targeting contemporary urban and electronic music styles, created in collaboration with international producers and sound designers. Maschine provides hundreds of drum kits, synthesizer sounds and acoustic instruments, with around ten thousand individual sounds overall.

All kits, instruments, samples and effects can be managed and located through a browser that uses categories and concise metadata.

Akai has announced that they are now shipping the MPC5000.

Akai’s MPC5000 is the first MPC to permit eight-track streaming hard disk recording for real-time capture of individual tracks or even entire songs. A 20-voice, three-oscillator analog synthesizer with arpeggiator, a new sequencing engine with 960 PPQ resolution, pad and track muting and mixing, 64 continuous sample tracks and 12 Q-Link controllers highlight just some of the features that make MPC5000 Akai’s most advanced MPC ever.

An optional CD/DVD drive permits usage of audio on CD or DVD in songs, and also records compositions. 650MB of sounds from Loopmasters are included with the MPC5000, so it’s ready to go straight out of the box.

Best of all, it’s got an “old-school” mode, for that vintage sampler sound!

The MPC5000 lists $3,499.00.

Features:

• Sixty four-voice drum/phrase sampler with 64MB memory built-in; expandable up to 192MB RAM
• Three-oscillator virtual analog synth engine with arpeggiator
• More than 300 Virtual Analog synths including
• Eight-track direct-to-hard disk recording
• More than 40 unique effects within a modular four-bus effects processor
• Master equalizer and compressor
• “Old school” mode provides vintage sampler sound
• Built-in 80GB hard drive
• Optional CD-R/DVD drive
• USB 2.0 port for computer connectivity
• CF Type-2 card slot (up to 2GB)
• Chop-Shop 2.0 software included – slices stereo loops into individual samples and automatically assigns to pads
• Patched Phrases – creates multiple splits in looped samples to ensure proper tempo sync without changing pitch
• Continuous Sample Track – ensures samples play in perfect sync no matter where you start the beat in a loop
• 12 Q-link controllers for internal automation, external MIDI control and quick parameter editing.
• 240 x 128 hinged backlit LCD is double the size of previous MPC displays
• Ten analog outputs, eight ADAT-optical outputs, and stereo S/PDIF I/O
• Powerful new multimode filter
• Two MIDI inputs and four MIDI outputs
• Turntable phono inputs with RIAA preamp
• XLR + 1/4-inch combination inputs, selectable mic/line for use with any input source

MPC5000 is also the first MPC with Random and Cycle sample playback added to the Zone play. A turntable input with preamp and XLR + 1/4-inch inputs provide a wide range of options for connecting any source equipment for production and performance.

At the 2008 Winter NAMM Show, Akai Professional announced the MPC5000, the first MPC to include eight-track streaming hard disk recording, a 20-voice, three-oscillator analog synthesizer with arpeggiator, a new sequencing engine with 960 PPQ resolution, pad and track muting and mixing, 64 continuous sample tracks and 12 Q-Link controllers. There is even a new FX engine with 4 FX buses and 2 FX per bus.

It’s an evolution, rather than a revolution, but at least it looks like a sweet new MPC.

Features:

• Sixty four-voice drum/phrase sampler with 64MB memory built-in; expandable up to 192MB RAM
• Three-oscillator virtual analog synth engine with built-in arpeggiator
• More than 300 Virtual Analog synth presets included
• Eight tracks of Direct-to-Hard Disk recording
• More than 40 new effects available within a modular 4-bus effects processor
• Master equalizer and compressor with “old school” mode that gives a vintage sampler sound
• Built-in 80 gig hard disk drive
• Optional CD-R/DVD drive
• USB 2.0 port for computer connectivity
• CF Type-2 card slot (up to 2GB)
• Chop-Shop 2.0 – slices a stereo loop into individual samples with automatic pad assignment
• Patched Phrases – creates multiple splits in looped samples to ensure proper tempo sync without changing pitch
• Continuous Sample Track – ensures samples play in perfect sync no matter where you start the beat in a loop
• Twelve Q-link controllers for internal automation, external MIDI control and quick parameter editing.
• 240 x 128 hinged backlit LCD
• Ten built-in analog outputs, plus eight ADAT-optical outputs and stereo S/PDIF IO
• Powerful new multimode filter
• Two MIDI inputs and four MIDI outputs
• Turntable phono inputs with RIAA preamp
• XLR / 1/4″ combo jacks with selectable mic/line levels

The display is twice the size of the MPC2500 and MPC1000. Chop Shop 2.0 now supports stereo chops and Patched Phrases. The MPC5000 is also the first MPC with Random and Cycle sample playback added to the Zone play, and a turntable preamp.

The MPC5000 is expected to be available in Q2 – 2008 with an MSRP of $3,499.