Music Technology

Maths – FREE Plugin from SocaLabs

Maths – FREE Plugin from SocaLabs Socalabs recently released a wild plugin called Maths. Maths is a FREE plugin and quite different from plugins you may be used to seeing as it produces no explicit effect but works based on user input formulas. These formulas operate as functions and process the audio signal based on your equations. The interface lacks sliders and faders dedicated to singular purposes but instead features two function boxes dedicated to the left and right stereo channels and four knobs that can be assigned parameters. The knobs are capable of being automated within your DAW for further customization. Maths features 25 built-in functions, fourteen operators, and one ternary operator; together these make it a powerful plugin if you’re up for the challenge. Admittedly, this is going to have a steep learning curve if you are inexperienced in the math department. However, those music makers out there comfortable …

Read More

Orchestra Hit! – History of the Infamous Sample

Orchestra Hit! – History of the Infamous Sample Today we wanted to share a video with you produced by Vox that features a history of the infamous sample, the Orchestra Hit. This sample can be found in songs spanning across decades since its origin in a composition written by Igor Stravinsky in 1909 – Firebird. It was originally sampled by the creator of the Fairlight CMI, one of the most influential and innovative pieces of music technology to be created in the last century. The Fairlight was the first synthesizer that could digitally sample, digitally synthesize, and have a visual (touch)display to sequence music on. Stevie Wonder was the first professional musician in the United States to gain access to and use it. Peter Gabriel was using it across the pond. The synthesizer deserves its own post so we won’t drag on too much about it, but it was integral to the widespread …

Read More

Bark of Dog – FREE LowPass Filter Plugin

Bark of Dog – FREE LowPass Filter Plugin Boz Digitial Labs recently released an updated FREE version of their awesome plugin Bark of Dog. Bark of Dog 2 is the updated version of the original resonant high-pass filter plugin for Mac and Windows. This version includes three modes – classic, passive, and combo. Passive mode emulates the effect of the infamous Pultec EQ that simultaneously boosts and cuts low end. Here is what the creators had to say: Now with 2 different modes (and a “combo” mode) you have more options on ways to clean up your low end. Classic mode continues the legacy of version 1. The original Bark of Dog became a staple plugin in studios around the world for a good reason. It’s easy to use and it works. In version 2, you get the same controls, but they are a little more intuitive. New Passive Mode The passive …

Read More

Sequencism – FREE Music Sketchbook for iOS

Sequencism – FREE Music Sketchbook for iOS Sequencism is an awesome app out for iOS that gives users an easy to use platform for sketching out musical ideas; Rodrigo Roman recently released the most recent update to the app. AUv3 instrument/effect support and Ableton Link support were the two main features added in the update, as well as support for Solfege notation. Anybody looking for a capable sketchpad tool for their moves on the go then this one is definitely worth checking out. The description from the App store is as follows: “Sequencism is a music sketchbook tool that allows the creation of short and simple pieces of music. It is designed to provide a traditional user interface of track and piano roll editors, while taking advantage of the touch-screen capabilities of the iPad. It also includes other helper tools, such as chord helper tracks. Note that the main goal of this …

Read More

Wider – Polyverse Music

Wider – Polyverse Music Polyverse is the company that keeps on giving with yet another killer plugin, and this time it’s FREE. Polyverse released “Wider,” a stereo widener plugin that is modeled after the same feature found in their AMAZING Manipulator plugin. Aside from being extremely quick and kind on your CPU, Wider is also entirely mono-capable meaning that it prevents phase-cancellation often found in stereo widener plugins. Here’s what Polyverse said about the new plugin: “Wider takes the massively popular stereo section from its sibling, Manipulator, and gives you the ability to expand the stereo image of any signal to an awe-inspiring amount of width. However, Wider is a unique stereo plugin in the sense that it is completely “mono-compatible”, meaning that any signal that has been extended will always remain in phase with itself, even if summed to mono. Many stereo effects currently in use have the nasty habit of knocking signals out …

Read More

Grandmother – Moog’s New Semi-Modular Synth

Grandmother – Moog’s New Semi-Modular Synth Gearheads rejoice! Legendary American synth builders at Moog have announced the release of a limited series synth called the Grandmother. The synth is a callback to the heyday of Bob Moog’s original lineup of synths from the 1960’s and 1970’s, it’s fully analog with no digital components for saving/recalling presets. The unit features modules for arpeggiation, sequencing, a spring reverb, an analog filter and an external audio input. External instruments can be routed through the Grandmother’s effects modules via that input. The synth has a relatively straightforward layout so those not typically inclined on pure analog won’t have too hard a time getting started right away. For all those sound explorers out there you’ll be pleased to interact with the 41 patch points on the synth, each of which can be routed to external Eurorack gear or Moog systems for further modulation. Moog’s Mother series …

Read More
top

© 2023 Beat Lab Academy