Roli Seaboard-Future of Keyboards
Roli Seaboard-Future of Keyboards MIDI Keyboards have been one of the most effective controllers a producer can wield in their arsenal of equipment, though regardless of the dozens of evolutions keyboards have encountered, they never strayed too far from the centuries old counterpart: the piano. The ROLI Seaboard takes a dramatic step in the realm of MIDI Keyboards towards greater musical expression and a large leap in musical inventiveness. The Seaboard aims to transform the traditional keyboard/piano, (characterized by single tone keys and fixed velocities,) into a unified expressional tool, using the power of five different parameter controls: Strike Press Slide Glide Lift The strike parameter is essentially a more advanced velocity control, measuring the force of contact you make with ‘key waves,’ while press is controlled by the pressure applied, maintained, or reduced after you have struck. Glide is a horizontal pitch control which you can influence by gliding through the …
Read MoreUVI Falcon- Loaded Hybrid Instrument
UVI Falcon- Loaded Hybrid Instrument Hybrid Synthesizers are some times referred to as the next generation synthesizer. The reason for this is because it combines your classic analog wave forms with a digital wave table. So the word Hybrid is completely appropriate because essentially you have the spawn of a an analog and digital synth. UVI, a Paris based company, which has a number of awards behind its name and has quite the trusted reputation, has just released the Falcon. A fully loaded hybrid synth software that can produce highly professional sound and can take your sound design to the next level. Through your own synthesized sounds to the number of high quality sounding presets, UVI hooks up any producer with an extremely powerful software. (A look at on of the Falcon’s Reverb presets.) The Falcon has a capability of running as a standalone synth, or can function within …
Read MoreRemotify- Full MIDI Power
Remotify- Full MIDI Power Though Ableton’s MIDI mapping capability is a powerful way to control your projects, MIDI scripting allows for a more in depth sense of control. Enabling you with the ability to save MIDI mapped presets, transforming your controllers a bit closer to fixed instruments. Checkout Remotify to further your control over Ableton and customize it to your controller’s needs.
Read MoreHooktheory- Learn Songs You Love
Hooktheory- Learn Songs You Love One of the more difficult parts about learning music theory is application. Its difficult to know how to apply theory without hearing what works. Hooktheory is a song writing website that teaches you how to write music by showing you what components go together by applying the ideas to popular music. The idea is to get you familiar with what sounds good and why they sound good together. Hooktheory is divided into three parts: songwriting, music editing, and music analysis. In the songwriting series, you are taught the basics of theory, through listening to popular songs, so that you are able to get a quick, intuitive, introduction to musical structure. In the music editor you are allowed to write melodies and chord progressions, using numbers, which represent different musical intervals. Finally in the song analyses, you are able to choose from a vast library of songs, and see …
Read MoreAbleton Link- Jamming Gets Easier
Ableton Link- Jamming Gets Easier Ableton seems to keep upping their game, time after time again. They’re like those bands you get hooked on, where everything they release seems to be golden. Link is now featured in Live Beta, an addition that allows you to wirelessly sync your computer up with others, making jamming as easy as picking up a guitar. All you need is a wifi connection and other players that are connected with Ableton, or any of the number of IOS apps that supports the addition. Since link is, (or will be,) integrated with the new Live update, there is no installation that is needed; Ableton is really stressing the effortless aspect of this whole thing. It’s designed to be as easy as possible. Live is working on getting as many IOS apps integrated with Link as possible, a line of apps are coming out soon with the Link integration …
Read MoreMotus- The Instrument that Moves
Motus- The Instrument that Moves Movement, motion and music all combined into a sleek handheld device. Motus is referred to as a “creative motion enhancer,” which you can use as a dancer, artist and musician. Your motion influences how your sound is articulated which allows for a wide range of expression. Motus is compatible with Ableton live, so you are able to choose from a number of instruments and record your production. You are also able to create your own unique instruments which can come in handy if you are interested in sound synthesis. The Motus integrates your movement in three different ways, highlighting the key points to your movement: velocity, dynamics, and displacement. What Motus doesn’t rely on is optical sensors, which has been shady technology for a while now. By honing in on these three components the Motus makes for smooth motion integration. If you choose, you can …
Read MoreWave DNA- Painting Music
Wave DNA- Painting Music The inhibiting forces of writers block fades away when they are faced with Liquid Music, Wave DNA’s sequel to Liquid Rhythm. The Ableton-geared plugin uses a completely original workflow that allows you to paint melodies and chord progressions effortlessly. Instead of dabbling with a multitude of ideas, you can easily draw inspiration from the melodic patterns you create in minutes. Liquid Music has five different musical controls: sketch, key, chords, voices, and rhythm. With these five key elements you have an intricate control over what you create. Sketch is the most powerful tool of the five, which you use to draw out your musical notation, choosing whether you want it to be anything from a bass line, to a accompaniment, or a chord progression. You can choose what types of chords you would like, (minor, major, diminished etc.,) and shape exactly how they are rhythmically …
Read MoreIzotope Ozone 7- Essential Mastering Tools
Izotope Ozone 7- Essential Mastering Tools Izotope is a Cambridge, Massachusetts, based software company that creates award winning mastering and production software programs. Their latest release, the Ozone 7, is offered as standard or advanced version. Most of the upgrades you see on the advanced version are vintage emulators: vintage tape, vintage EQ, vintage compressor, and a codec preview; the Ozone 7 essentially has a load of throwback effects. Ozone 7 Standard, (also included in the Advanced version,) is geared with a vintage limiter, alternate export formats, and an upgraded maximizer. One of the most notable features is the codec reviewer and the upgraded maximizer. The codec preview allows you to listen to what your mastered tracks would sound like in different high-end ‘industry-standard,’ codecs. You can preview within your DAW, so you can avoid endless exports and re-exports. You can make adjustments as to where your master …
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