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Author Archive
![Stutter Edit Plugin and a new Nord introduced at NAMM]()
Gigging musicians will want to check out the Nord Piano 88, which has been designed with live performance in mind. This new 88 key stage piano from Nord weighs in at just 39.6 pounds, but it’s heavy on features. In addition to 24 banks of 5 programs totaling 120 different program possibilities, it includes modeling of sympathetic string resonance and authentic pedal noise, which capture the realism of an acoustic upright or grand piano. The factory sounds loaded into the piano memory can also be exchanged and replaced with new sounds from the Nord piano library, which are free and downloadable from the Nord website through the Piano 88’s USB connectivity. MIDI over USB is also available with this unit, in addition to standard 5-pin MIDI connectors. The Nord Piano 88 feature set includes the standards as well, with three bands of EQ, three amp models, six reverb algorithms (two each of stage, hall, and room), and an effects library with the usual suspects. Some handy global and panel options on the unit: the transpose feature, with a range of -6 to +6 semitones, and Kbd touch, which allows you to alter the velocity response of the piano. Finally, the […]... Click on the title for more
![More NAMM 2011: Rupert Neve Portico Plugins and AKG Groove Pack]()
Steinberg is teaming up with Rupert Neve Designs to release the first plugins modeled after Rupert’s Portico Series analog gear. The 5043 Compressor and 5033 EQ will both be available in VST and AU formats, for a price not yet announced. “Particularly known for designing all-analog signal processing equipment, Rupert Neve has been looking for the right technology to port his legendary designs to the digital domain. With Yamaha’s Virtual Circuitry Modeling (VCM) technology, this coveted intention was able to be realized, evolving to an alliance between Yamaha, Rupert Neve Designs and Steinberg. The very first plug-ins incorporating VCM technology emulating analog Portico hardware are now the RND Portico 5033 equalizer and RND Portico 5043 compressor. “With the Yamaha VCM technology, we’re able to pick up the amazing quality of musicality and accuracy that was inherent in the original Rupert Neve Designs Portico modules,” states Rupert Neve.” The 5043 Compressor plugin will follow the controls of the hardware unit, with threshold, ratio, attack, release, and gain, as well as the option to switch between feed-forward and feed-back compression. The 5033 EQ is a five-band equalizer, with three fully parametric bands and a low and high shelf. Also announced at NAMM […]... Click on the title for more
![NAMM News: Blue Reactor Mic, Eventide Space Reverb]()
New product news from NAMM 2011: A uniquely-styled multi-pattern condenser from Blue Microphones, and the latest addition to the Eventide stompbox line. Blue’s new mic, the Reactor, will be available this coming spring for $499 retail. While the mic body could double as a hockey puck, the large diaphragm condenser capsule should look familiar: it’s based on the design of the B6 capsule from Blue’s bottle series microphones. The Reactor features an LED backlit polar pattern selector, and a head that swivels 90 degrees for use in X/Y or Mid/Side applications. “Reactor unites an innovative pattern selection method with a swiveling capsule head for precise positioning. Featuring Blue’s premium condenser capsule and proprietary pre-amp circuit, Reactor allows for noiseless live switching between the three distinct patterns (cardioid, omni or bi-directional). “Reactor takes microphone technology and design to the next level, combining Blue’s high-quality sound capture with intuitive pattern switching and physical microphone design,” said John Maier, CEO of Blue Microphones. “With Reactor, we are excited to offer multiple patterns and high-end audio capture to a wider audience, along with making mulitple mic setups more accessible.” Space is the new reverb stompbox from Eventide, boasting 12 of the company’s signature reverb […]... Click on the title for more
![Bucktone Effects debuts with Black Powder Pedal]()
New pedalmaker Bucktone Effects is officially on the scene, and shipping its inaugural product, the Black Powder. This distortion/overdrive pedal allows you to break up and compress your signal, while affording you control over the tone of the resulting sound. In addition to gain and volume knobs, the Black Powder has a three-way compression setting, with the compression becoming more noticeable as you crank up the gain. The girth knob adds some hair to the distortion, and as you turn it clockwise it emphasizes the mids and highs, and removes low end. The hi-cut control rolls off the highs anywhere from 5kHz to 800Hz, while a tight switch will firm up the low end of the signal when engaged. On a pursuit for perfect tone, owner Caleb Buck went from modifying his own pedals, to doing mods and custom builds for other musicians, and finally designing the Black Powder and founding Bucktone. The pedal was designed as a transparent overdrive that wouldn’t drastically alter the tone that guitarists work so hard to achieve. Committed to producing a dependable product, Caleb takes care of quality control personally: “I myself build every one of these pedals by hand here in Southwest Missouri. […]... Click on the title for more
![3 new pedals from T-Rex]()
Danish pedalmaker T-Rex Engineering is kicking off the new year with three new guitar pedals which we are looking forward to meet “in person” at the NAMM convention. Facelifts have been given to their Twister Chorus/Flanger and Reptile Delay pedals, and their affordable Tonebug line now includes a sustainer. The Twister 2 ($369) can be used as either a Chorus or a Flanger, with adjustable depth, rate, and a tone control that dials back the high frequencies. The Regen knob controls the amount of feedback when using the Flanger, and there’s also a gain knob on the side of the unit that allows you to avoid overdrive distortion. A nice feature to have when recording in the studio is the optional stereo output. The unit has had a hardware and software update for this version, which promises a greater tonal range and more vintage-sounding chorus effect. The Reptile 2 Delay ($369) has also been given some new features, namely a tap tempo button and more controls in the ‘flutter’ section. Borrowing from the signature sound of the popular T-Rex Replica pedal, the Reptile has enough adjustability to create a variety of delay effects – from a classic slap-back, to big and bold repeats, or […]... Click on the title for more
![Audio Repair with iZotope RX 2]()
iZotope has released the latest version of their audio repair toolkit, with some new features and tools included to help you remove hum, hiss, pops, and any other unwanted noise from your audio. RX 2 and RX 2 Advanced both function as standalone editors, as well as a collection of plugins for your DAW. While the first iteration of the program impressed reviewers from Mix Magazine and got high ratings from Musicradar.com, the RX 2 package – with its updated algorithms and features – is attracting new praise. Sonic Scoop test drives the RX 2 package in four scenarios with audio samples here. They test out how the improved Declick and new Decrackle modules work on vinyl recordings, as well as the ability to select audio using freehand for quicker editing. While the tools don’t always erase all traces of hiss or clipping, RX 2 is still a powerful and useful program according to Markkus Rovito: “For sure, one of the more seemingly magical RX 2 functions is the seamless removal not only of clicks and noise, but of entire isolated sounds. In the studio, this might mean taking out an unfortunate cell phone ring during the perfect take or […]... Click on the title for more
![Studer A800 Plugin by Universal Audio]()
Universal Audio now has a plugin version of the Studer A800 tape machine. With a selection of controls to tweak – from tape speed and tape formula to calibration type, hiss, and hum – you can ‘hit the tape’ as hard as you like, and fine-tune the tone. While it’s a multichannel plugin, the handy ‘gang’ control adjusts any parameter globally, which is nice if you’re running it on every track. The A800 is considered one of the best 2″ recorders ever made, known for its warmth, clarity, and great low-end impact… some people say you can’t beat the real thing, but consider that the plugin version weighs 900lbs less. Sonic Scoop has more: “…the A800 plug-in is a first of its kind product, modeled by UA’s DSP engineers with help from AES magnetic recording expert Jay McKnight over a 12-month period. The plug-in models the entire tape path and circuit electronics of the classic hardware, plus the sounds of four distinct tape formulas.” Link to read the rest of the article on SonicScoop.com. –Mike Bauer... Click on the title for more
![a Blue Mic for your iPhone]()
Blue Microphones has put out the second generation of Mikey ($99 list), a stereo condenser mic built solely for the iPod and iPhone. With the ability to record 44.1kHz/16bit audio to your Apple device with its dual cardioid condenser capsules, Mikey is a high-quality device for field recording, interviews, lectures, or getting some song ideas recorded with minimal fuss. The newest generation features new circuitry for better recording quality, a mini USB port that allows you to charge your iPod during recording, and a 3.5mm stereo input jack which allows you to record audio from another device. Mikey rotates 230 degrees and has seven different locking positions, as well as a three-way sensitivity switch to select the appropriate gain setting for your source. While the Mikey can be used without additional software, Blue has a free recording app called BlueFiRe, which allows you to record at full CD quality and functions with the iPod rightside up or upside down, depending on how the mic is positioned. Paired with Primacoustic’s Telepad ($29 street, pictured below), Blue’s iPod mic makes it easy to sketch out some audio ideas with minimal setup required. While Mikey is only compatible with iPod and iPhone 3G […]... Click on the title for more
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