Korg Nano Controllers: size matters!
Sep
11
11 September 2008 , admin @ 8:26 pm

Fresh from those clever people at Korg, come the most compact family of USB-MIDI controllers ever!

Introducing the new Korg nano Series USB powered slim-line controllers – so small you can put them on your workstation, in front of your laptop, on a recording console or anywhere else you need versatile control over your DAW, virtual instrument/effect or DJ software.

Despite their small size, all three controllers go HUGE when it comes to functionality, yet their intuitive layouts provide extremely easy operation for any user.

The nanoKEY features a great-feeling 25-key velocity-sensitive keyboard that

| Filed under: Hardware |
Korg microKORG synthesizer vocoder
May
14
14 May 2008 , admin @ 7:44 am

There’s simply no denying, the microKORG Synthesizer/Vocoder is a cute piece of kit. And, as it’s just about perfect for the performer, producer, computer musician or beginner looking for an affordable synthesizer, it’s on the synthwave wish list ;)

Here’s a brief run down of the technical specifications and geek stuff.

Powerful Synthesis

The microKORG boasts the same dual-oscillator DSP synthesis engine found in Korg

| Filed under: Digital,Hardware,Studio |
Korg Micro Preset synthesizer M500
Feb
27
27 February 2008 , admin @ 7:36 pm

One thing that can be tricky to figure out on a new blog is, well, what to actually blog about! Given there are 1,000s of pieces of Hardware, and Software popping up all over the place. Well, whilst I try to figure that out, here’s one thing I can talk about – my odd little Korg Micro Preset!

At first touch, The Korg Micro Preset synthesizer offers the world a bizarre matrix of pre-set sounds, ranging from 1970′s Dr Who effects, through to rather curious synthesizer noises and acoustic sounds. At its heart, it’s a 32-note monophonic preset synthesizer with 6 push-button presets including voice, synth1, synth2, brass, string, and wood.

On the technical front, it’s single-oscillator design has only rudimentary decay/release envelope controls and no access to the guts of the sound generation stuff. And, no MIDI or other method of external control – of course. Although, the manual does claim the Micro Preset can be used as a guitar-synth!

Korg M500 Micro-Preset Image
If you persist, a bit of probing will reveal a noise box that sounds remarkably similar far more expensive analogue synths of that era. There is a lot of fun to be had with the ‘traveller’ control, a sort of filter and resonance control rolled into one, offering interesting squelchy acid-style bass run effects. I bought mine 2nd hand for 25-quid and, in a recent example of analogue frenzy, one recently was sold on eBay for over 150 quid!

| Filed under: Analogue,Hardware,Studio |
The future’s so bright …
Feb
27
27 February 2008 , admin @ 7:02 pm

Our friends at Sound on Sound have given us a sneak preview of quite a novel idea …

On their blog, it says UK pro audio distributors Out Post Sound have announced that they will be distributing Punchlight’s Cue Light systems, which provide visual cue information for Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs).

Products available include the Universal Studio Display

| Filed under: Digital,Hardware |
Novation unveil the Nocturn
Feb
24
24 February 2008 , admin @ 10:34 am

Novation is launching its latest and most affordable controller to date, Nocturn. Featuring the latest Automap Universal 2.0 software, exclusive to Novation controllers, Nocturn provides automatic, instant and intelligent control of all automatable plug-ins within every major sequencer, including Pro Tools.

Nocturn

Nocturn features eight touch-sensitive rotary encoders, each equipped with a bright eleven-LED ring (ideal for laptop DJ’ing in a dark club environment). These are accompanied by eight user-assignable illuminated buttons and a smooth, professional 45mm cross-fader. The finishing touch is Novation’s unique ‘speed dial’; a touch-sensitive rotary encoder that instantly takes control of whatever your mouse is focused on.

Featuring a new ‘heads-up transparent control GUI’, Automap Universal 2.0 places a transparent control map across your computer screen, to be recalled or hidden at will. Little or no user setup is required, and plug-in control can be customized to be laid out just the way you like it, no matter what music software you use. Simply boot up the plug-in, and you’ll see at a glance how the parameters are automatically assigned to each of Nocturn’s controls. An instant click and control ‘learn’ function is also available for quick re-assigning of controls, or for creating your own controller map in seconds. Multiple page options mean that you can assign a potentially infinite number of parameters for each plug-in.

Automap Universal 2.0 also categorizes all your control maps. A simple browsing facility lets you review all open plug-ins, then quickly switch to control any one of them. Automap Universal 2.0 also supports standard MIDI protocol, providing the same heads-up display for quick and simple assigning of MIDI parameters. This ensures that Nocturn can also control an external hardware MIDI device, any non-automatable plug-ins, or the mixer page in your sequencer.

Nocturn is due to ship worldwide in Q1, 2008.

| Filed under: Digital,Hardware |
    
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