Archive for April, 2009

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Native Instruments & Richie Hawtin Leverage Twitter In Traktor Pro 1.2 Update

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

Leave it to Native Instruments and Richie Hawtin to figure out how to leverage Twitter’s microblogging technology for brilliant use with the latest incarnation of their DJ mixing software, Traktor Pro.

Richie Hawtin has just embarked on a new tour with a Twitter-enabled Traktor setup, which will display the tracklists of his sets online in real-time as he plays them in the club. This savvy concept is based on a custom Twitter application developed by Richie Hawtin’s label Minus, which uploads the song metadata fed to it through the Internet broadcasting function of the Traktor Pro software. Track details will automatically be posted to Richie Hawtin’s Twitter channel every 30 seconds, allowing everyone to follow the tracklist of his performance, and providing exposure to the artists and labels whose music is being played. (F-ing Brilliant! –Ed.)

You can see Richie is incorporating Native Instruments’ new Maschine (pronounced "Machine-A") into his rig. More on this in a future story…

The technological collaboration with Minus has inspired several improvements to the broadcasting features of Traktor Pro, which will be made available through the upcoming free version 1.2 software update. Minus is also planning to release its Twitter application to the public in the near future, which will allow all Traktor users to take advantage of the Twitter live broadcasting feature.

Now we’ve seen some SMS technology for DJs to disseminate track information to the public, but this is the first time we’ve seen it implemented natively within a software mixing application that doesn’t overly burden the DJ with the task during a set. This is a huge step forward.

Native Instruments’ 1.2 update with the broadcasting feature will be available in June. Richie Hawtin’s Twitter channel is at http://twitter.com/rhawtin There are several more videos from Hawtin’s TimeWarp 2009 set via YouTube.

Posted in Artists, Music Technology, Updates & Upgrades | No Comments »

Theodore Watson Premiers Spinning Vinyl iPod Touch App

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Theodore Watson has premiered his Spinning Vinyl iPod touch App via Vimeo. Made with openFrameworks, Watson created the App in just a couple of days as a response to our report on Todd Vanderlin’s AR scratching technology.

According to Watson, “the app uses the accelerometer of the ipod touch to control the speed of a “vinyl record” on the screen. Slowing down the record and speeding it up is just a matter of controlling how fast you spin the device.”

There’s something quite charming about the spinning touch in the clip above. As of now, the touch is the only product that will successfully spin, due to the curvature of its back, but I’m sure some iPhone users will figure something out so they can join in on the fun. Next upgrade will include the ability to scratch and then hopefully a release to the public…

More information on the Theodore Watson Spinning Vinyl App.

Posted in Experiments In Sound, Music Gadgets, Music Technology | No Comments »

Blue Cat Updates Dynamics To Version 3.0 – Mac VST & AU Support

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Blue Cat has updated their Dynamics plug-in set for Mac and PC to version 3.0. Blue Cat dubs the product a “dynamics effect processor” since they feel it can be used as a compressor, limiter, gate, expander or even waveshaper for distortion. The plug-in includes an input filter as well as a side chain filter, in order to control the frequencies affected by the compression. Its continuous VCA/Opto and Peak/RMS controls let you smoothly and precisely choose the behavior of the envelope detection.

In addition to Mac VST and Audio Unit support, this new version brings a brand new stereo management system, with mid/side processing capability as well as new channels linking and selection options.

Enhancements:
» Mac VST support
» Mac Audio Unit support
» Mid/Side processing capability
» New stereo linking options
» Enable/disable processing on each channel
» Customize the range of the meters and zoom/navigate in the display
» Automation output can now be disabled for hosts that do not propose automated parameters choice
» Improved accuracy of MIDI output
» New Presets

Blue Cat’s Dynamics 3.0 costs $119 / €95 and is available now. A special upgrade price is available for existing customers, and others can purchase the plugin with 20% discount for a limited time. More information on Blue Cat Dynamics 3.0.

Posted in Updates & Upgrades | No Comments »

Best Buy Set To Debut Vinyl Record Section

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Best Buy, the third-largest music seller behind Apple’s iTunes and Wal-Mart, is set to debut a vinyl only section in each of its 1000 stores after the industry announced that the OG format logged a 15% uptick in sales this past year.

Don’t get too excited. Best Buy is only devoting a “whopping” eight square feet of merchandising space for its vinyl sales experiment, which will amount to something like 150 Fleetwood Mac albums.

The decision was made after Best Buy tested the concept in 100 of its stores around the country. In those stores, vinyl achieved 5% of Best Buy’s total music sales.

Hoping to capitalize on the renewed interest in vinyl, many of the majors are now releasing remastered versions of their best selling catalog albums with their original artwork and packaging.

Posted in Industry, Record Labels | No Comments »

Kenwood Showcases Prototype OLED Illuminated Flat Speakers

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

Kenwood has unveiled a set of stereo speakers that is also an OLED white light panel.

The prototypes feature ultra-thin, flat speaker technology and incorporate the OLED light source to double as lamps. They were developed through a joint venture between Kenwood and Professor Junti Kido from Japan’s Yamagata University.

Apparently, these speakers are a “side-effect” from the development of an OLED evacuation sign with an integrated speaker. Kenwood is developing the sign for schools and commercial buildings that will double as a sound beacon and emergency announcements.

Posted in Experiments In Sound, Sound Systems | No Comments »

Todd Vanderlin Demonstrates AR Scratching

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

When the turntable paradigm finally bites the dust, you may find such concepts as Cambridge-based designer Todd Vanderlin’s new multidimensional controller take its place.

Using a vinyl record (it could really be anything however) tagged with an AR marker, Vanderlin “scratches” the track by manipulating the tag in front of a video camera. The relationship between the tag and the camera controls the music either in a two- or three-dimensions based on the placement.

Here’s what Vanderlin says about his project:

I was playing around with some AR markers the other day and came up with this idea. taking just a plain old vinyl record and attaching an AR marker to the label you can track the record in 3D space. The next question was, can you scratch the record? So by figuring out the velocity of the records rotation and applying it to the payback of the audio you can scratch. There is some digital noise that needs to bee worked out, but sounds pretty good. Its still really hard to scratch, it takes some practice but is super fun. The next step is to figure out some nice triggers for different modes. I like the idea of not needing a turntable but the actual spinning of the record helps with the scratching and playback. I made a couple modes, one where the record is paused and you can just scratch through the song. The other looks for zero velocity for x time and then continues on with the song. If there is velocity you then are scratching and the audio is affected. I think that this project has some legs can’t wait to play more.

More information on Todd Vanderlin.

Posted in Experiments In Sound | No Comments »

Roland Updates JUNO-G Workstation Keyboard Operating System To Version 2.0

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Roland has updated the operating system for their JUNO-G Workstation Keyboard to version 2.0 status. The update adds “Fantom-series-like” audio sampling functionality.

Enhancements:
» Sample audio from external sources or import audio phrases from the removable flash memory.
» Samples can be assigned to trigger from the JUNO-G’s function buttons or the JUNO-G’s keyboard.
» Velocity and note number can be assigned individually for each sample.
» Adjust Start, End and Loop points using the JUNO-G’s front panel control knobs.
» Advanced sampling editing such as Truncate, Normalize, Emphases, Sample Chop and Combine are included.
» Samples can automatically match BPM in real-time to changes made to the tempo of your song.

Roland has attempted to jump start awareness for the Juno series by launching a dopey “How Do You Juno?” contest. The number of entries pretty much sums up the enthusiasm that the general public has for the concept. Roland has already shed almost 20% of their US workforce. If this is all that their marketing department can garner to create product interest, then it looks like the company will be issuing more pink slips this Summer.

Roland’s version 2.0 update for the JUNO-G Workstation Keyboard is free. More information about the Roland JUNO-G Workstation Keyboard 2.0 update.

Posted in Updates & Upgrades | No Comments »

Seattle’s Decibel Festival 2009 Slated For September 24-27

Monday, April 27th, 2009

Decibel has announced dates for the 2009 edition of their West coast electronic music festival. The 6th annual Decibel takes place September 24th through September 27th in Seattle, WA in various venues throughout the city.

Since its inception in 2004, Decibel Festival has distinguished itself as a unique event of its kind in North America dedicated to live electronic performance, visualart, and new media. Decibel returns with over 80 artists from 15 countries. Stay tuned for line-up announcements.

More information on the Decibel Festival 2009.

Posted in Artists, Events | No Comments »

Genelec Announces 8020B Bi-Amplified Active Monitoring System Upgrade

Friday, April 24th, 2009

Genelec has announced the 8020B Bi-Amplified Active Monitoring System, an update to the successful 8020A, offering improved features with a particular emphasis placed on environmental care. The system has been designed for monitoring work in difficult listening environments, particularly those compromised by lack of space. The 8020B, despite its space-saving size, incorporates Genelec’s acoustic design innovations to minimize all forms of distortion in all listening environments.

The basic change in the “B” model is the addition of a mains power switch, now located on the enclosure’s rear panel. The rotary front panel control is used for sound level adjustment only. The audio signal can still be muted (the front LED stays on) in turning the front panel volume knob fully counterclockwise, but actual mains power is only switched off using the rear panel on/off power switch, which turns the front LED on/off. This also enables turning the power off without changing the set level, as in all of Genelec’s other products. Along with this change, the second rear-mounted XLR connector has been removed. This new control configuration offers new options for environmentally conscious users and those looking to cut down on energy consumption

The 8020B’s die-cast aluminum Minimum Diffraction Enclosure (MDE) features relatively large internal volumes; visually-pleasing, softly curved edges; and outstanding mechanical strength. The 8020B’s advanced Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW) technology provides an amazingly smooth on- and off-axis response. The long, curved reflex port ends in a wide flare for excellent bass articulation. As a result, the 8020B offers astounding imaging accuracy and low-frequency extension.

The 8020B features a four-inch (105-mm) bass driver along with a 0.75-inch (19-mm) tweeter loaded into a new advanced Genelec Directivity Waveguide. The free field frequency response is 66 Hz to 20 kHz (± 2.5 dB). The system is capable of delivering sound pressure levels of up to 105 dB maximum peak acoustic output per pair (measured with music audio), at a distance of 39.37″ (one meter). Bass and treble are each powered by 20-Watt amplifiers.

The 8020B can be combined with Genelec’s 7050B Laminar Spiral Enclosure (LSETM) subwoofer to provide a powerful, bass-managed and wide bandwidth stereo or surround-sound monitoring system.

Genelec’s 8020B Bi-Amplified Active Monitoring System will be available this Summer for $575.

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Hercules Premiers DJ Computer Audio Interface – DeeJay Trim 4&6

Friday, April 24th, 2009

Hercules has premiered the DeeJay Trim 4&6, a USB Audio Interface built for advanced DJ’s who already have a DJ control surface but not a dedicated computer audio interface.

This portable digital interface features a 4-channel output: two +4dBu 1/4″ Jack outputs for PA equipment and four -10dBv RCA outputs for mixing decks and conventional amplifiers. The 4 input / 4 output configurations can be switched to a 2 input / 6 output configuration, enabling users to transfer 2 stereo tracks separately to an external mixing deck, while adding a third stereo track for samples, loops and effects. The 4-channel input has a line level for connecting and mixing with an external MP3/CD player and a phono level for connecting vinyl turntables.

The preamplifiers on 4-channel inputs support high-level sources such as a CD player and turntables and each features a view-meter. The 2 stereo preamplifiers adjust the volume of the 4-channel analogue inputs. Finally, the DeeJay Trim 4&6 features a 3-port high-speed USB hub with power adapter to plug in your DJ controller and external storage devices. Powering the high-speed USB hub’s separately secures the audio output level on all configurations and avoids compatibility issues on some laptops whose USB ports have a too low voltage.

The Hercules DeeJay Trim 4&6 will be available in June 2009 for $249.99. The DeeJay Trim 4&6 is compatible with Windows XP and Vista (32-bit & 64-bit)/WDM and ASIO, as well as Mac OS 10.4 & 10.5. More information on the Hercules DeeJay Trim 4&6.

Posted in New Gear | No Comments »

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