Aurex templates raise the desire for a Novation Launchpad in my workflow
October 17, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Admittedly I haven’t dabbled with the Novation Launchpad as much as I would like. I don’t own one.. and do I really need more gear in the studio to learn? Probably not. But this series of templates for the Launchpad and Ableton Live (from Aurex) are starting to make me a believer. Lots of love to Aurex for publishing these templates for Free!
What you’ll need:
- Aurex sequencer templates
- Ableton Live 8.1.3 (or higher version)
First sighting – Akai Miniak launched to comete with MicroKorg XL
April 2, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Akai unveiled it’s latest synth to the masses yesterday at the Messe trade show in Frankfurt. The Alesis Miniak uses the Alesis Micron synth in an Akai body, adding a boom mic and a 40-band vocoder. Akai-lovers will like the onboard sequencer (step and phrase) and a drum machine/rhythm sequencer. Nice looks on this synth and sounds like lots of goodies under the hood. Not as many knobs and buttons as the MicroKorg XL but it seems that Akai is banking on the general consensus that the Micron sounded better than the MicroKorg. This is, of course, personal taste. I can’t wait to take them both for a test-drive. Read more on the new Akai HERE.
Teenage Engineering – OP-1 revealed at Frankfurt 09
April 2, 2009 § Leave a Comment
Beautiful new video of Teenage Engineering’s OP-1 synth/sampler/sequencer/portable midi controller from Frankfurt 09. We have been watching the updates on Teenage Engineering’s website and were psyched to find this update today! Bad ass little machine – take a look!
No sound from the brilliant little machine in this video but some cool details from the creators (who seem humble and cool and obviously have some tricks up their sleeve for the beta release.) Some details pulled from Create Digital Music:
- Swedish All Stars: The team includes veterans of Elektron, the ACNE design firm that worked on MachineDrum and MonoMachine packaging and UI, and Johan of LSDJ fame.
- Casio love: The inspiration is, not surprisingly, hardware like the Casio VL-1.
- Pricing: It’s unofficially expected to be “under the 1000 Euros mark.” Note that the target price is EUR600, which is pretty far under EUR1000. Anywhere near that, and it’s a steal.
- Production: They do plan to put this into production. (I believe that, despite my awesomeness vs. shippingness graph – I’d love for them to be the exception.)
- The “mystery” sequencer: It sounds as though it won’t have a tracker as a sequencer, but may bring other “Swedish surprises” as Nostromo puts it.
Teenage Engineering OP-1, incredible pocket Midi Controller, Sequencer, Synth
March 30, 2009 § 1 Comment
This thing looks too cool to be real. 2009 design, roland-syle keys, snyth, controller, portable, incredibly cute. Many travelling geeks are going to have eyes (and ears) on the Teenage Engineering OP-1. Currently Teenage is planning a beta-phase that will last 10-12 months and then (hopefully) soon after this will be released to the masses. For now these new photos have been drooling with anticipation.
Features:
- Controller functions: transport controls, 4 rotary encoders, 16 dedicated “quick keys”
- Motion sensor so you can shake the thing
- Stand-alone synthesis (no computer needed), with 8 synth models, 8 samplers
- Synth models: FM synthesis, virtual analog, more (can’t tell what other synth models they intend)
- Effects: Delay, Flutter, Filters, EQ
- Sequencer — described as “at present time, secret.” A secret sequencer? Isn’t it already somewhat secret, seeing as the device isn’t shipping?
- Arpeggiator
- FM radio (so you can record Akufen-style radio samples?)
- Built-in mic, speaker
- Record to MP3
- 12 mm thin
- USB 2.0, minijacks for audio in / out+heaphones
- Battery-powered using the power connector, which is “the same as used in robotic automation applications”
- Holes for a carry strap
