Futuremusic Presents ::: Digihear? - NAMM 2005, the Futuremusic NAMM Report, New NAMM gear, Native Instruments, Kontakt 2, Absynth 3, Digital Music News, DJ News, The Future, Electronic music News




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CD Spotlight

ARTiFACT: Proof of existence in an evolving world. An ode to preservation and change. The 20 songs on ARTiFACT reflect a songwriting style that approaches composition through what can best be described as sound sculpture, providing a perfect balance to STS9's unique approach to live performance and improvisation with the hooks and melodies of traditional song structures. LISTEN!

Digital Spotlight

Soaring melodies fuel a music time machine launching the listener to the top of a world yet discovered. Reminiscent of the early works of Sasha and BT, My Piano's uplifting melody, combined with a funky, asymmetrical bass line creates a progressive, feel-good vibe on the floor while providing a memorable hook to take home until you next adventure in club land. LISTEN!

Vinyl Spotlight

Killer Progressive Tribal House from Spain's BeatFreak Recordings. Dark Iberican beast, dense pulsing basslines, it doesn't get much better than this Black Magic! LISTEN!

February 3, 2005

../ 2005 NAMM Report: Native Instruments

Our wish for a sequel to Kontakt was granted. Kontakt 2 debuted with a new sampling engine, extensive surround sound integration, a new script processor, and integrated convolution effects. The new surround integration in Kontakt 2 supports multi-channel formats ranging from 3.0 up to 16.0, including industry standards like 5.1 and 7.1. All of the 13 effects in Kontakt 2 are also fully surround-enabled, including a surround panning module that allows for precise sound field placement as well as creative panning effects. Kontakt 2 also features an output matrix that provides an intuitive overview of its channel routing and output levels.

kontakt 2 surround sound

The Kontakt Script Processor (KSP) is a fully programmable processing engine that transforms and generates MIDI and control events based on a new script language. A KSP module can be an arpeggiator or a step sequencer, a MIDI recorder or a chord generator, a virtual guitar or a harp simulator, or whatever the user can program, complete with definable on-screen controls. Kontakt 2 ships with a large assortment of pre-programmed KSP modules that can be used out of the box as well as modified according to individual needs. Another welcome addition to the Kontakt arsenal is the new convolution effect engine. Ultra-realistic reverb effects, speaker and microphone simulation, and much more are now available. A library of high-quality, versatile impulse responses is included with Kontakt 2.

kontakt 2 surround sound

Kontakt 2 is also the most compatible sampler on the market. It reads more than 30 different file and sample formats including Acid, Akai S-5000/S-6000, AppleLoops, Battery 2, Emu EIV/EOS/ESi, Halion, Korg Triton, Kurzweil, MachFive, Reason NN-XT, Reaktor, Roland S-5XXX/7XXX and SoundFont 2. Kontakt 2 will be available in March 2005 for a suggested retail price of $579. An upgrade for all previous versions of Kontakt will be available for $169.
www.nativeinstruments.com

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As the name correctly implies, Experiments In Sound, is Futuremusic's latest endeavor for pushing electronic music technology to the very edge of what's possible. Experiments In Sound grew out of Futuremusic's avant-garde events in New York City that featured DJ's taking mixing and live sound reinforcement to a whole new level with the very latest gear and software. Be the first to hear about Experiments In Sound by joining Futuremusic Direct.

Part of Experiments In Sound, TestDrive will feature the lab results of our DJ Experiments so that everyone can get in on the action. Take the latest electronic music releases, mix vigorously with bleeding-edge DJ technology in a large beeker, and then cook the hell out of it! Be the first to hear about TestDrive by joining Futuremusic Direct.

Futuremusic wants to thank everyone who participated in The Next Big Thing 2004. John Digweed, Beatport, Alienware, M-Audio, Native Instruments, IK Multimedia, PVDJ, PK Graphics, Ableton, The DubHouse, Propellerheads, Technics, FreeFloat, The Church, PCDJ and every DJ who entered this year's event thank you. From the sheer number of quality mixes, we can tell you that dance music is thriving in the United States. The amount of outstanding talent and creativity really blew us away, and every DJ who's putting their heart, mind and soul behind the music is a winner. John Digweed has made his decision and the winner is...

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Digihear? Stories: January 2005
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