BRISTOL, UK: unveiled to widespread critical acclaim at the SUPERBOOTH23 specialist trade fair hosted at FEZ-Berlin, Germany (May 11-13), British electronic musical instrument company UDO is proud to announce (upcoming) availability of its flagship Super Gemini — gifting users with instantaneous comprehensive control over both of its timbral layers to tweak, mold, and bend performances with unparalleled sonic possibilities as a 20 VOICE DUAL LAYER POLYPHONIC BINAURAL ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER WITH SUPER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY, tastefully highlighted as such on its exquisitely-executed, expansive control panel framing a custom-engineered ribbon controller and a 61-note semi-weighted keybed with polyphonic aftertouch — as of June 15…
Acting as the second synthesizer in UDO’s so-called ‘Super’ series — following in the familiar footsteps of its 49-note Fatar keyboard-based Super 6 (12 VOICE POLYPHONIC BINAURAL ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER WITH SUPER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY) that first saw the light of day in 2020
and an associated super-compact desktop alternative later launched in 2021, Super Gemini represents a quantum leap in the British electronic musical instrument company’s technology to build upon the acclaimed rich sound pioneered by founder and designer George Hearn. “This is the synthesizer that I always wanted,” he says. “Super 6, our breakthrough instrument, is powerful and capable in so many ways and reaches places that the Super Gemini cannot; however, I wanted to make an instrument that is as immediate and responsive as I could wish for, with hands-on control over multiple sonic textures at any one time, and a host of expressive features, so I could come up with the musical idea after musical idea and become lost in a sonic adventure for hours.”
Adopting a true-stereo binaural signal path with dual FPGAs (Field-Programmable Gate Arrays) and twin effects processors — performance-wise, backed by a rear panel-positioned DLY FREEZE pedal connection — to take users on an adventure of spectral dynamics, of glittering frequency and shattering subharmonics, and of comfort and discord, expectations and surprises, Super Gemini twins its 20 voices to form 10 ‘Super’ voices. As a result, the left and right channels — and each ear — are assigned a complete synthesizer voice that not only allows for the warm analog tone that UDO is championing but empowers those users to create extremely dynamic spatial sounds.
Stacked with up to 20 voices of polyphony, Super Gemini boasts a particularly powerful sound engine where performance is not just a single sound, however, but rather realizes an entire spectrum of sonic opportunity in which voices and timbral layers can be split, separated, and sequenced — all at the touch of a single control. Since Super Gemini is equipped with dual synth-control levels — also reflected in its rear panel-positioned L LOWER R- and L UPPER R-labelled LAYER OUTPUTS (alongside a self-explanatory L R MIX OUTPUT), it offers users instantaneous comprehensive control over multiple timbre layers, letting performances be tweaked, molded, and bent in an unprecedented, real-time form from a synth that reaches new heights of immediate and powerful playing. Put it this way: with rich digital hardware oscillators of unique construction, decorated with a plethora of tonal features such as wave morphing, CROSS MOD and RING MOD, bi-directional SYNC, and more besides all feeding into an all-analog signal path inspired by yesteryear’s classic vintage instruments, the resultant core sound is rich, evolving, engaging, and addictive — fusing a state-of-the-art FPGA digital architecture with archetypal voltage-controlled synthesizer technology to encompass all that is great from the era of classic analog polyphonic synthesizers, perfectly packaged in an unparalleled form factor that is immensely powerful, flexible, and reliable, in other words.
While matching sonic innovation with tactility — to also incorporate its welcomed trio of rear panel-positioned connections for VOL (volume), EXP (expression), and SUS (sustain) PEDALS, Super Gemini gains from featuring a 61-note semi-weighted keybed with polyphonic aftertouch, as well as a custom-engineered ribbon sensor for individual note articulation. As such, Super Gemini guarantees to enhance musicianship from the first touch, teasing out new ways and gestures to explore and express sound. Sonic explorations, of course, can be safely stored and edited, thanks to 256 performance and patch slots, 64 interchangeable waveforms, and 16 sequences.
Forged from aluminum and steel, Super Gemini is indisputably robust in its construction, bolstered by an array of superior-quality mechanical controls to ensure it is engineered for reliability and service. As a loyal workmate and companion, this 20-voice polyphonic, bi-timbral analog-hybrid powerhouse employing an unprecedented dual-layer design will surely stand the test of time.
“This sophisticated instrument could only be realized with the absolute cutting edge of digital and analog technology that exists today; it could not have been realized in such a reliable, roadworthy, robust package even 10 years ago,” asserts a duly delighted George Hearn, before ending on some suitably high notes: “It is the culmination of engineering effort, artistic design, technology, and culture coming together that have made this instrument possible; put it this way: it is possibly the pin-up dream synth of my youth!”
Priced at £3,595.00 GBP (including VAT)/€3,999.00 EUR (including VAT)/$4,195.00 USD, Super Gemini is expected to ship via UDO’s growing global network of stockists (https://www.udo-audio.com/stockists) in October 2023.
For further information about Super Gemini, please visit its dedicated webpage, which also includes some superb-sounding demos from founder and designer George Hearn himself, here: https://www.udo-audio.com/super-gemini (Feel free to sign up to The UDO Newsletter there to be kept up to date on shipping.)
Prepare to be amazed at the sound and vision of Super Gemini when watching UDO’s tantalizing trailer video here: https://vimeo.com/823419476/daf7af1ebf
About UDO (www.udo-audio.com)
Founded in 2018 by synth designer George Hearn, UDO is an electronic musical instrument company based in Bristol, UK. Ultimately, its ethos is to create products that use cutting-edge technology balanced with intuitive design, making instruments that are both powerful and enjoyable. Encapsulating this idea of ‘the power of play’ — pairing comprehensive synthesis possibilities with an immediate, robust, and tactile layout, Super 6 — tastefully highlighted as a 12 VOICE POLYPHONIC BINAURAL ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER WITH SUPER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY — represents the first instrument in its so-called ‘Super’ series, while Super Gemini — a 20 VOICE DUAL LAYER POLYPHONIC BINAURAL ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER WITH SUPER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY — is now waiting in the wings as the second, set to take up its rightful position as the company’s flagship product when shipping later this year.
© 2023 UDO Audio Ltd
BRISTOL, UK: UDO is proud to announce the availability of its breakthrough Super 6 keyboard instrument in an alternative white colorway complimenting the SUPERBOOTH23-shown Super Gemini — itself introduced to widespread critical acclaim at the FEZ-Berlin-hosted specialist trade fair in mid-May as a 20 VOICE DUAL LAYER POLYPHONIC BINAURAL ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER WITH SUPER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY, tastefully highlighted on its exquisitely-executed control panel framing a custom-engineered ribbon controller and a 61-note semi-weighted keybed with polyphonic aftertouch, all set to take up its rightful position as the British electronic musical instrument company’s flagship product when shipping later this year — alongside a limited number of special-edition blue Super 6 desktop models that perfectly match their blue keyboard counterparts also given the SUPERBOOTH23 showcase treatment in celebration of the forthcoming flagship game changer, as of June 15…
It is fair to say, though, that UDO’s breakthrough Super 6 keyboard instrument made a show-stopping splash upon its introduction to the musical masses assembled at SUPERBOOTH19 in Berlin, Germany, subsequently making its musical mark worldwide when originally released in both black
and blue colorways as a 12 VOICE POLYPHONIC BINAURAL ANALOG-HYBRID SYNTHESIZER WITH SUPER-WAVE TECHNOLOGY that really represented a new take on the traditional analog synthesizer. State-of-the-art FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) digital hardware oscillators are coupled with analog filters and amplifiers, while its unique super-wavetable core can be shaped and manipulated with the binaural analog signal path, and flexible modulation is also on offer. Of course, SUPER 6 features a true stereo path in which its 12 voices are twinned to form six ‘Super’ voices — hence the appropriate appellation applied to the instrument itself. Its L (left) and R (right) OUTPUT channels — and each ear, effectively — are assigned a complete synthesizer voice. So, starting with the stereo OSCILLATORS, parameters of both channels of such voices can be controlled independently, in turn allowing users to create stunning stereo images.
In recognition of the 49-note Fatar keybed-determined footprint of that breakthrough instrument not necessarily suiting everyone’s needs, UDO was quick to follow up with the Super 6 desktop. Designed to take a beautifully re-engineered full-featured Super 6 to an even wider audience by bringing its flexible and immediate control, gorgeous analog sound, and unrivaled build quality into a more compact package, perfectly housed in an all-metal chassis that also encompasses ergonomic features such as VESA mount compliance, optional 7U rack ears, and robust flip-up feet, it is finished in the same striking white colorway contemporarily applied to UDO’s Super Gemini future flagship — itself set to ship later this year as the second synthesizer in the British electronic musical instrument company’s so-called ‘Super’ series.
Speaking of striking colorways, the availability of the white Super 6 alongside a limited number of special-edition blue Super 6 desktop models that perfectly match their blue keyboard counterparts as part of UDO’s Super Gemini launch celebrations coincides with an upcoming firmware update ultimately being brought to the ever-more-colorful Super 6 lineup.
The white Super 6 keyboard is available to order through UDO’s growing global network of stockists (https://www.udo-audio.com/stockists) priced at £2,495.00 GBP (including VAT)/€2,699.00 EUR (including VAT)/$2,700.00 USD, while a limited number of special-edition blue Super 6 desktop model that perfectly matches their blue keyboard counterparts are priced at £1,895.00 GBP (including VAT)/€2,079.00 EUR (including VAT)/$2,160.00 USD.
For further info about the ever-more-colorful Super 6 lineup, please visit the dedicated webpage, which also includes some superb-sounding demos, here: https://www.udo-audio.com/super-6 (More in-depth info about the Super 6 desktop design can be found here: https://www.udo-audio.com/super-6-desktop.)
About UDO (www.udo-audio.com)
Founded in 2018 by synth designer George Hearn, UDO is an electronic musical instrument company based in Bristol, UK. Ultimately, its ethos is to create products that use cutting-edge technology balanced with intuitive design, making instruments that are both powerful and enjoyable. Encapsulating this idea of ‘the power of play’ — pairing comprehensive synthesis possibilities with an immediate, robust, and tactile layout, Super 6 represents the first synthesizer in its so-called ‘Super’ series while Super Gemini is now waiting in the wings as the second such synthesizer, set to take up its rightful position as the company’s flagship product when shipping later this year.
© 2023 UDO Audio Ltd
“MDrumStrip sounds like a MONSTER! MeldaProduction always does great work, but this plug-in takes it to another level.”
– Multi-faceted arranger, composer, songwriter, and sound designer Eddie Grey, 2023
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: music production and audio processing advanced tools-maker MeldaProduction is proud to announce the availability of its MDrumStrip powerful plug-in — presenting dedicated (Bass drum, Snare drum, Tom, Tom bus, HiHat, Overheads, Room, Parallel, and Master) devices with custom effect setups for every instrument involved in the self-explanatory stages of a drum mix as an all-in-one acoustic drums solution specifically aimed at semi-automatic drum mixing best suited to metal, pop, and rock genres that intelligently analyse each part of a drum kit to achieve a world-class drum sound in a matter of minutes, seriously simplifying the process and radically reducing the number of plug-ins normally needed to do so — as of June 2…
Achieve a world-class drum sound mixed in minutes
Achieving a world-class drum sound is no easy task. To mix drums well takes years of practice and, in this DAW-driven day and age, access to tons of plug-ins, yet MeldaProduction managed to simplify the process and reduce the number of plug-ins needed to only one. As an all-in-one solution for mixing modern, punchy-sounding drums, MDrumStrip makes things easy and efficient. It is as easy as routing the drum tracks in the right way, putting the right devices on the right tracks, then analyzing and fine-tuning each one accordingly. As such, achieving a well-mixed world-class drum sound should only take a matter of minutes.
Hidden know-how
MeldaProduction made MDrumStrip what it is by beautifully distilling the complex know-how of how world-class producers do their job into a simple yet versatile end-user experience, effectively removing the need to learn all that know-how before being able to achieve a well-mixed world-class drum sound. After all, is that not what computers are for? It is fair to say, however, that anyone who has already amassed years of drum-mixing experience and already owns dozens of appropriate audio plug-ins of course could continue working as before. But, bearing in mind that they could easily achieve faster and, possibly, even better-sounding results with MDrumStrip, why would they?
All-in-one drum-mixing solution
As an all-in-one acoustic drums solution specifically aimed at semi-automatic drum mixing, MDrumStrip is duly designed to achieve that one task. Therefore, everything needed is included, with only minimal tweaks required on the user’s part since MDrumStrip smartly analyses all audio and customizes its internal algorithms accordingly. An array of more advanced controls are also featured for the benefit of anyone wishing to take things further: for example, equalisation is… well, burdensome, but MDrumStrip is capable of some magical fixes and also has a dedicated dynamic EQ for each track in the drum setup — set the FUNDAMENTAL of the, say, Snare drum device using the analyser, then try different bands to decide whether they make things sound better or worse; adding a little compression no longer cuts it in a modern-day drum-mixing setting, so MDrumStrip allows for a much more intricate blend of punchy transients and powerful sustain, selecting the preferred characteristic quickly and easily using a simple X-Y pad; meanwhile, MDrumStrip’s GATE and BLEEDKILL features let users attenuate the bleed from different elements — especially cymbals — in a drum kit that are fundamental to achieving the tight, punchy sound that is expected from today’s recordings; recording room perfection notwithstanding, quality reverb is always useful — especially on mono close mics, which is exactly why MDrumStrip delivers dozens of algorithms specifically selected to suit different audio material. Meanwhile, MDrumStrip’s zero latency performance means that users can comfortably take it out and use it in a live setting, should they so wish. Whatever way anyone chooses to use it, though, there is no need, necessarily, to dive deeper since MDrumStrip allows anyone to quickly and easily mix a world-class drum sound by following a few simple steps.
MDrumStrip-mix drums quickly and easily following a few steps:
∙ Send all drums to one bus and insert MDrumStrip — select the Master device
∙ Engage an instance of MDrumStrip on every drum channel and select an appropriate device, such as Snare drum for snare, for instance
∙ Solo the snare, and analyze the sound by turning on the Snare drum device’s AUTO INPUT for a few seconds
∙ Fine-tune by toggling the Snare drum device’s EQ frequencies
∙ Use the Snare drum device’s X-Y pad to tweak the DYNAMICS
∙ Use the Snare drum device’s BK (bleed kill) and GATE, if necessary
∙ Repeat the process for the Bass drum, Tom, HiHat, Overheads, and Room devices…
∙ Create a tom bus channel and send all tom tracks to it by loading MDrumStrip, selecting the Tom bus device, and activating AUTO INPUT to analyze
∙ As individual drums are now ready, switch to the drum bus Master device and activate AUTO INPUT
∙ Create a parallel bus; load MDrumStrip — select Parallel device, send all tracks to it, and analyze
∙ Use the time saved to enjoy some rest and recuperation!
MDrumStrip is available to purchase via its dedicated webpage (https://meldaproduction.com/MDrumStrip) for a time-limited introductory promo price of only €49.00 EUR upon release, rising incrementally by €20.00 EUR each week thereafter until reaching its MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of €299.00 EUR on September 11, 2023; a 15-day, fully-functional trial version of MDrumStrip is also available by downloading the latest (MAudioPlugins 16.06) universal installer of MeldaProduction tools — to include all virtual effect and instrument plug-ins in 64-bit AAX-, AU-, VST- and VST3-compatible formats for macOS (10.14 or newer) and 64-bit AAX-, VST-, and VST3-compatible formats for Windows (8/10/11) — from here: https://meldaproduction.com/downloads (Choose which ones to install and purchase licenses later with free-for-life updates.)
Watch MeldaProduction’s informative introductory video for MDrumStrip here:
About MeldaProduction
MeldaProduction was founded in 2009 by Vojtech Meluzin and is based in Prague, Czech Republic. Inspired by ancient analog gear right through to the latest digital developments, it makes advanced tools for music production and audio processing with 100-plus products — including more than 30 available for free — to its notable name. Needless to say, applying innovative thinking to create sounds that matter with inspiring user interfaces that are as easy to use as they are versatile with never-ending improvements neatly sums up the company’s gifted game plan. It is also a premier partner brand of fellow Prague-registered Limited Company United Plugins, a federation of independent development teams comprised of individuals involved in the music industry.
© 2023 MeldaProduction
New features coming to breakthrough spatial synth
LEIRIA, PORTUGAL – After making history with the release of SkyDust 3D, a spatial synthesizer at The NAMM Show in April, Sound Particles is raising the bar once again with updates that bring a host of new features and functionality to SkyDust users.
SkyDust 3D is a virtual instrument with full 3D audio support – you play a note and get instant spatial audio. By fully integrating Sound Particles 3D engine with a polyphonic synthesizer, you will be able to achieve ground-breaking results in more than 30 output formats, including stereo, 5.1, 7.1, 7.1.2 (Dolby Atmos), 9.1.6, Ambisonics (up to 6th order), Binaural (3D sound over headphones), among many others.
SkyDust 3D v1.1 is now available and brings full MPE support, more unique and musical presets as well as performance enhancements designed to streamline the user experience. MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) is a new MIDI protocol that allows users to be more expressive and spontaneous in their performance. SkyDust 3D implements MPE in the spatial realm to bring even more creative possibilities for artists and composers. A host of new presets in version 1.1 is designed to take advantage of MPE and its expanding list of compatible hardware.
Version 1.5 of SkyDust 3D, scheduled for release this summer, will bring even more updates and additions such as the ability to import samples – which opens up the platform to endless sound possibilities when paired with SkyDust’s powerful spatial audio engine, more oscillator waveforms, more waveform modifiers, more effects as well as workflow improvements like program change control, copy/paste between oscillators, and the ability to link oscillators.
SkyDust 3D v1.1 Movement Screen
“We are very proud of how amazingly SkyDust 3D was received by the market,” says Nuno Fonseca, founder, and CEO of Sound Particles. “However, now is not the time to rest as we have many more ideas for spatial audio in the creative space, the first of which we are releasing with SkyDust 3D v1.1 and v1.5. We are hard at work to bring users the best spatial audio experience possible and have more to come!”
Video: What’s New in SkyDust 3D v1.1
SkyDust 3D v1.1 Oscillator Screen
SkyDust 3D v1.1 Updates:
MPE Support
More Presets
Performance Improvements
SkyDust 3D v1.5 Updates:
Ability to import samples (instead of regular oscillators)
More oscillator waveforms
More waveform modifiers (wave shapers)
More Effects
More EGs
Program change control
MIDI Learn list
Copy/paste between oscillators
Link Oscillators
Ring and Amplitude Modulations
Preset search
New Presets
SkyDust 3D is available on our website for a launch discounted price of $299 for the spatial version and $149 for the stereo-only license. Version 1.5 will be released this summer and, like v1.1, will be a free update for existing SkyDust users.
Additional product information can be found at https://soundparticles.com/products/skydust
About Sound Particles Company
With a vision to use the power of computer graphics applied to sound, Sound Particles creates unique software used by top videogame companies and all major Hollywood studios in productions such as Dune, Game of Thrones, Frozen II, and Star Wars 9.
For more information, please visit www.soundparticles.com or find us at @soundparticles
featured in Hannah’s score for the much-celebrated National Theatre production of Dancing at Lughnasa.
Also known as the Irish Bagpipe, LABS Uilleann Pipes utilize multiple drones, regulators, and chanters to produce a wide range of expressive timbres. Performed with traditional Celtic flourishes and ornamentations, this rarely sampled instrument provides an unconventional way to add texture and interest to contemporary music.
A CELTIC COLLABORATION
Hannah Peel came to LABS while looking for an instrument that captured a Celtic undertone for use in her work for the National Theatre’s run of Dancing At Lughnasa. The Uilleann Pipe quickly came to mind, and with Hannah’s guidance, the LABS team created a series of playable instruments for use in her score.
Powered by bellows, this “indoor” pipe is far more inviting than its tartan-clad cousin. Offering a series of softer, often more expressive timbres, performed with a sparse spray of grace notes and unique ornamentation.
“I find the pipes’ overtones and harmonics so interesting. There is a lot to play with on the instrument.”
– Hannah Peel
KEY FEATURES
PRESETS
• Ornament
Long notes with an accented tonal ornament in the attack
• Pipers Ascension
Long notes with performed “bend” into the note
• Cellular
Long notes with unmeasured tonal flourishes throughout
• Cranns
Long notes with abrupt & frequent tonal flourishes throughout
• The Chanter
Tonal “longs” performed & infinitely looped
• The Regulator
Tonal “longs” played on the regulators & infinitely looped
• Tides
Constant altering of pipe lengths to subtly alter the pitch, bringing the instrument in and out of tune
• Air
The non-tonal “breath” of air passing through the instrument
CONTROLS
i1 – Expression
i2 – Dynamics & Filtering
O1 – Drone Type & Volume
O2 – Distance Control
O3 – Reverb
For more information visit the official LABS page here: https://labs.spitfireaudio.com/uilleann-pipes
About Hannah Peel (http://www.hannahpeel.com/)
Mercury Prize, Ivor Novello, and Emmy-nominated, RTS and Music Producers Guild winning composer, with a flow of solo albums and collaborative releases, Hannah joins the dots between science, nature, and the creative arts, through her explorative approach to electronic, classical, and traditional music.
From her own solo albums to composing soundtracks like Game of Thrones: The Last Watch, or to orchestrating and conducting for artists like Paul Weller, her work is ambitious, forward-looking, always adapting and re-inventing new genres and hybrid musical forms.
Hannah is a regular weekly broadcaster for BBC Radio 3’s Night Tracks.
About LABS
LABS is a series of software instruments, available in an easy-to-use, dedicated plug-in.
The user interface is clutter-free and focused, featuring simplified controls, sliders for expression and dynamics, and a knob that can be easily customized to the user’s personal workflow.
About Spitfire Audio (www.spitfireaudio.com)
Spitfire Audio is a British music technology company that specializes in sounds — sample libraries, virtual instruments, and other useful software devices. It collaborates with the best composers, artists, and engineers in the world to build musical tools that sound great and are exciting to use.
Spitfire Audio was founded by two award-winning composers. Born out of their shared dissatisfaction for string sample libraries, they pooled their resources and decided to record their own string samples at the legendary Air Studios in London. Initially, they invited a limited number of friends and associates to own copies of their samples, but whispers of this private sample club soon started to echo across the Atlantic Ocean throughout the composer community. Within a year, some of the most renowned composers in film and television signed up, so they decided to take their samples public.
To date, Spitfire Audio has recorded and released over 100 sample libraries, collaborating with some of the biggest names in media composition, including Hans Zimmer, Eric Whitacre, Ólafur Arnalds & the London Contemporary Orchestra. Spitfire Audio has worked closely with one of the world’s most renowned orchestras, BBC Symphony Orchestra, as well as partnered with the legendary Abbey Road Studios to create sample libraries in the iconic Studio One – considered one of the finest acoustical spaces in the world – and the famous Studio Two. Spitfire Audio’s sounds are heard in everything, from major Hollywood film scores to recordings by Radiohead and U2.
What was an initial side project, is now a thriving international music technology enterprise with a uniquely experienced and diverse workforce, all focused on a shared mission: to inspire a generation of composers. The composer team remains at the centre of the business, drawing on their own experience as obsessive music makers to explore the needs and wants of their fellow composers.
Originals Orchestra is the perfect starting point for anyone taking their first steps in writing with an orchestral library. A comprehensive collection of five essential libraries featuring strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, pads, and piano – all you need to instantly create cinematic scores, rich sonic compositions, and modern-sounding productions. Whether you’re a beginner composer, a seasoned producer looking to expand your cinematic orchestral skills, or a fan of Spitfire Audio’s Originals range looking to expand your collection.
A DEFINITIVE INTRODUCTION
Five Originals selections – four of which have been recorded in the reverberant acoustics of AIR Studios, London – an ideal next step for those who own BBCSO Discover or the LABS series of free virtual instruments, or for those who are not quite ready to get Spitfire Audio’s top tier libraries, such as the BBCSO Pro or the Albion and Abbey Road ranges.
Epic Strings – Customise and create super clean string arrangements using a 60-strong symphonic string section, featuring London’s best players, recorded in the reverberant acoustics of AIR Studios
Epic Brass and Woodwinds – Nineteen players of dynamic brass & woodwinds, recorded in London’s AIR Studios, perfect for instantly adding power and punch to your composition.
Cinematic Percussion – Recorded at AIR Studios with London’s best percussion players, featuring seven instruments and effects – including striking metal hits and tension-inducing swells – for widescreen dramatic effect
Firewood Piano – Performed by Jeremiah Fraites of The Lumineers and recorded at Colorado Sound Studios, this is one of the Spitfire Audio composer team’s favorites. A detailed upright piano bursting with character, with its cracked bridge creating unique harmonic resonances and a timeless sound
Cinematic Pads – Made from symphonic orchestral recordings, originally captured at AIR Studios, treated and warped to create a range of classic pad sounds — from rich, dystopian tension beds to celestial, ethereal textures – perfect for creating atmospheric, ambient sound worlds
THE SPITFIRE AUDIO ORIGINALS SERIES
Originals is a series of inspiring individual sample libraries, making rare and classic instruments accessible to all for just £29 / $29 / €29 — meticulously sampled in authentic detail, with no compromise on recording quality.
NKS compatible, users can tailor these sounds to suit a range of scoring styles and genres through a range of carefully curated signals, presets and controls. The plugin is designed to be incredibly useful and inspiring straight out of the box, with presets loading up with controls set in the way they are intended to be used.
DOWNLOAD SIZE
15.3 GB Total Download Size
Product page URL: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/originals-orchestra
AVAILABILITY & PRICING
Available – May 24th, 2023 at 9am BST
RRP Price: £99 / $99 / 99€
About Spitfire Audio (www.spitfireaudio.com)
Spitfire Audio is a British music technology company that specializes in sounds — sample libraries, virtual instruments, and other useful software devices. It collaborates with the best composers, artists, and engineers in the world to build musical tools that sound great and are exciting to use.
Spitfire Audio was founded by two award-winning composers. Born out of their shared dissatisfaction for string sample libraries, they pooled their resources and decided to record their own string samples at the legendary AIR Studios in London. Initially, they invited a limited number of friends and associates to own copies of their samples, but whispers of this private sample club soon started to echo across the Atlantic Ocean throughout the composer community. Within a year, some of the most renowned composers in film and television signed up, so they decided to take their samples public.
To date, Spitfire Audio has recorded and released over 100 sample libraries, collaborating with some of the biggest names in media composition, including Hans Zimmer, Eric Whitacre, Ólafur Arnalds & the London Contemporary Orchestra. Spitfire Audio has worked closely with one of the world’s most renowned orchestras, BBC Symphony Orchestra, as well as partnered with the legendary Abbey Road Studios to create sample libraries in the iconic Studio One – considered one of the finest acoustical spaces in the world – and the famous Studio Two. Spitfire Audio’s sounds are heard in everything, from major Hollywood film scores to recordings by Radiohead and U2.
What was an initial side project, is now a thriving international music technology enterprise with a uniquely experienced and diverse workforce, all focused on a shared mission: to inspire a generation of composers. The composer team remains at the center of the business, drawing on their own experience as obsessive music makers to explore the needs and wants of their fellow composers.
UJAM Logo
German-American plug-in maker UJAM announce the release of AMBER 2: this plug-in comes with the same technical and musical foundation under the hood that enables musicians, producers and composers to do things that weren’t possible in the previous series. This update includes features like MIDI Drag & Drop of phrases and Instrument Mode, for composing custom riffs. Also, the entire sound content has been newly recorded and UJAM added several handpicked microphones, pickups and recording setups to greatly expand the sound palette. The in-built effects and tonal controls make it simple to dial in your perfect sound and craft your next hit!
AMBER 2 is a versatile instrument, with an on-demand session player offering 30 different styles containing over 350 phrases for instant gratification when composing.
AMBER 2 is now available at ujam.com for download in VST3, VST2, AU 2, and AAX formats for any compatible DAW, including Logic Pro, Garageband, Cubase, Ableton Live, Pro Tools, FL Studio and Studio One and as a free, fully functional 30-day trial. It is another natively Apple Silicon compatible plug-in of the Virtual Guitarist series.
Virtual Guitarist AMBER 2 is now available at ujam.com for an introductory offer of 99 EUR / USD, owners of at least one Virtual Guitarist get a special loyalty offer of 79 EUR / USD until June 4th. Owners of AMBER 1 get an upgrade offer for 49 EUR / USD. After the intro period, the plug-in sells for 149 EUR / USD. The upgrade offer will be available perpetually. The Full Bundle and Guitarist Bundle prices will remain the same.
UJAM is a German-American maker of music technology co-founded by Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams that develops Virtual Instrument and Effects Plug-ins. With the Plug-in series Virtual Pianist, Usynth, Groovemate, Symphonic Elements, Virtual Guitarist, Virtual Bassist, Virtual Drummer, Beatmaker and Finisher and a range of software solutions (desktop, mobile, web), UJAM helps people to make music.
The latest generation of Steinberg’s family of composition and music notation software brings powerful features to make playback more expressive and realistic, together with new workflows and customization options across the whole product line.
HAMBURG, Germany: Steinberg today announced the immediate availability of Dorico 5,
the new generation of its family of composition and music notation software for macOS,
Windows, and iPadOS.Dorico provides unique features for getting the best out of virtual instruments and sample libraries with its deep support for expression maps and integrated Key Editor, allowing
detailed editing of the musical performance — and Dorico 5 build on these strong foundations with new features designed to take virtual performance to the next level.
Stage Templates allow the user to quickly move instruments in the stereo field, automatically moving instruments to the conventional place on the stage for the currently chosen ensemble. Although many sample libraries are now recorded in situ in specific concert halls, some are recorded with close mics and thus rely on expert mixing to produce a balanced stereo image. Stage Templates let the user achieve this with just a few clicks.
Just as Stage Templates describe the physical arrangement of instruments on a virtual stage, so Space Templates describe the parameters of the space in which the instruments are performing, whether it is intended to be a concert hall, recording studio, or church. By being able to quickly recall convolution reverb presets, Space Templates make it quick and easy to experiment with the character of one’s sound. The most convincing virtual performances typically result from music that has been recorded live using a MIDI keyboard, but this requires a high level of proficiency in keyboard skills. Dorico 5’s new Pitch Contour Emphasis feature models the dynamics of human musicians, providing a subtle but realistic shape to melodic phrases, and breathing life into the music. Other playback-focused improvements in Dorico 5 include the inclusion of Groove Agent SE, Steinberg’s creative drum software, and new MIDI trigger regions for quickly building a realistic rhythm section using the included drum patterns.
Expression maps — which provide a mapping between the written notation and the MIDI controllers and key switches required to trigger corresponding sounds in sample libraries — have gained new capabilities, including per-switch delay. The new Scrub Playback feature makes it quick and easy to listen to all the instruments at a specific point in the music and scrub forwards and backward, providing an invaluable way to check harmonies and look for wrong notes.
Music input receives a major efficiency boost in the form of multiple-item creation, allowing users to quickly add all kinds of markings and notations to multiple instruments in a single operation. Select across any number of instruments to input playing techniques, dynamics, ornaments, or any other notation, and Dorico will automatically add the chosen marking to every selected instrument — even intelligently determining the position of the first note on each staff and positioning the marking in the right place on each one.
The immediacy of editing in the Key Editor by clicking and dragging notes in the piano roll is extended to the notation view in Dorico 5, with new live editing features to edit and copy music using only the mouse. Beyond the worlds of playback and note input, Dorico 5 is packed with new options for customization, including a comprehensive new instrument editor, that allows changes to every aspect of how music is written for each of the more than 600 instruments in Dorico’s default library, or to build one’s own. Chord symbols and guitar chord diagrams are further enriched with new options for alignment and kerning. Dozens of new engraving and notation
options have been added, affecting such diverse notations as clefs, lyrics, bar numbers, pedal lines, rests, and rehearsal marks.
The release of the fifth generation of Dorico also marks a significant expansion in the capabilities of entry-level and mid-range products in the family. Dorico SE and Dorico for iPad, which are entirely free to download and use, now let users write for ensembles of up to eight players (previously only two). Dorico Elements 5 sees the biggest changes, now allowing to write for ensembles of any size (previously limited to 24 players), and includes the comprehensive Playback Options dialog from Dorico Pro, new customization options for text and music fonts, expanded Engrave mode with staff and note spacing tools, and more, all at the same attractive price as previous versions. Dorico Elements 5 is intended to be suitable for all but the most demanding of professional users, and these new features greatly bolster its capabilities.
Key features
• Space and Stage Templates: Use a simple visual interface to move instruments on the virtual stage, and Dorico automatically translates that into pan and reverb settings. Experiment with different rooms
• Pitch Contour Emphasis: Dorico’s playback is more expressive than ever, using sophisticated algorithms to breathe life into phrases in the same way human musicians do. No longer do you need great keyboard skills to bring your notated music to life.
• Groove Agent SE: The entry-level version of Steinberg’s creative drum software is now included with Dorico 5. Not only can Groove Agent SE be used as a high-quality drum kit playback device for your Dorico projects, but it also includes more than 400 MIDI drum patterns, performed by top studio drummers, and mixed by Steinberg’s expert engineers.
• MIDI Trigger Regions: Dorico’s new MIDI trigger regions play a note or chord that doesn’t appear in the score for a period determined by you. This is especially useful for triggering MIDI patterns in plug-ins like Groove Agent SE, or other pattern-based instruments such as TGuitar.
• Scrub Playback: This makes it easy to audition the whole ensemble or a single instrument at any point and move forwards or backward through the playback at any speed.
• Instrument Editor: With Dorico Pro 5, you can modify or create instrument definitions to suit your needs, and easily reuse them in future projects.
• New music fonts: Four new handwritten-style fonts, and four engraved fonts, all available at the click of a single button, to bring greater variety to the look of your projects.
• Multiple item creation: Dorico 5 overhauls item creation from a selection: you can now create multiple items at the same time, on multiple instruments, and even at different positions on each instrument.
• Live editing: You can drag selected notes to alter their pitch, or drag them to new rhythmic positions, with a live overlay to show you where the notes will be moved to.
• MusicXML import and export: Dorico 5 brings enriched support for importing harmonics, playing techniques, ornaments, holds and pauses, and more. MusicXML export is also improved, with page layout information now included, and basic support for encoding information about the music and text fonts used in the project.
• Additional new features: many engraving improvements to chord symbols and guitar chord diagrams; extended capabilities in expression maps; improved support for Japanese lyrics; greater scripting capabilities; text improvements; and more.
“This release marks the beginning of the next stage of Dorico’s evolution,” says Product Marketing Manager Daniel Spreadbury. “Although the musicians who use Dorico, and the uses they put it to, are incredibly diverse, playback and note input are the two functional areas that every user relies upon, and Dorico 5 strengthens both. We are particularly excited about the expansion of the feature set in Dorico Elements 5, and hope that many new users, especially students, will take advantage of the additional value provided at a very attractive price.”
Availability and pricing
Dorico Elements 5 is available from selected dealers and through the Steinberg Online Shop for 99.99 euros and 99.99 US dollars. Dorico Pro 5 is available from selected dealers and through the Steinberg Online Shop for 579 euros and 579.99 US dollars. Prices may vary according to the region.
A range of downloadable updates and upgrades, crossgrades, and education versions are exclusively available through the Steinberg Online Shop.
Customers who have activated Dorico Pro 4 or Dorico Elements 4 or earlier versions since April 1, 2023, are eligible for a free, downloadable grace period update to the latest version. Dorico SE 5 is available for free download from the Steinberg website, and Dorico for iPad is available for free download from the App Store.
Product page: https://www.steinberg.net/dorico
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/dorico
Hollywood, CA (May 19, 2023) – Hot on the heels of Hollywood Fantasy Strings, the first installment of EastWest Sound’s latest masterpiece Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra, comes chapter two: Hollywood Fantasy Brass.
Produced by sound titans Doug Rogers and Nick Phoenix, Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra includes everything you need to create fantasy film, television, and game soundtracks. It includes unique ensembles that bridge the gap between orchestral and world instruments – perfect for your next big fantasy epic or medieval tale. Recorded in the same soundstage as their award-winning blockbuster series Hollywood Orchestra, many of the instruments of Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra have been recorded in small ensembles with full stereo imaging mic placement, surround sound options, and all the features of EastWest’s revolutionary Opus software.
Hollywood Fantasy Brass puts the grandeur of some of history’s most iconic brass instruments at your fingertips, complete with a broad articulation set and true legato for maximum realism and authenticity. Instead of trumpets, you’ll find flugelhorns; rather than French horns, Wagner tubas, and alpenhorns take their place. There’s even a low brass section that’s unlike anything you’ve heard before. The result is a majesty that modern-day orchestras can’t quite replicate but with the power and conviction demanded by current movies and games.
Hollywood Fantasy Strings and Hollywood Fantasy Brass have both been released. The next step in the journey is Hollywood Fantasy Winds (available June 22nd for $99), followed by Hollywood Fantasy Percussion (available July 27th for $99), Hollywood Fantasy Voices (available August 31st for $99), and then finally the Hollywood Fantasy Orchestrator (partnered with Sonuscore, available October 5th for $99.) Soon you’ll have an entire collection of instruments at your fingertips perfect for creating cinematic fantasy masterpieces of any size and scale!
Walkthrough Video:
Pricing & Availability
Hollywood Fantasy Brass is available for individual purchase for a special introductory price of $99, or you can get it as part of a Hollywood Fantasy Orchestra bundle, or with EastWest’s popular ComposerCloud+ subscription service, which gives you access to this and all collections in their massive catalog.
For new subscribers, EastWest is now offering a 1-month ComposerCloud+ Free Trial: https://www.soundsonline.com/composercloud
About EASTWEST
EastWest Sounds (www.soundsonline.com) has been dedicated to perpetual innovation and uncompromising quality of Sample Libraries and Virtual Instruments for more than 30 years, setting the industry standard as the most critically acclaimed sound developer. Find more about EastWest at soundsonline.com.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA: boutique audio company Black Lion Audio is proud to announce the availability of Seventeen 500 as its 500-series spin on what the classic ’76 compressor could have been — benefitting from today’s technology to feature a redesigned and improved IC-based front end effectively rendering incredible detail and nuance not normally possible with a ’76-style compressor, yet taking things further still by bringing some features unavailable on original ’76s to the production party, packaged conveniently in a space-saving standardized format for modular signal processing — as of May 16…
Duly differentiating it from the classic ’76 compressor to which it owes its inspiration, Seventeen 500’s updated front-end circuit is coupled with Black Lion Audio’s custom-designed output transformer to achieve a huge bottom end that balances out its open top end nicely. Needless to say, that new IC-based front end furnishes Seventeen 500 with a clean, punchy, modern sound under light compression and a more colorful vintage character when pushed.
By bringing a proprietary power decoupling to the production party — providing an incredibly low noise floor, while also using high-grade Nichicon signal capacitors considered to be some of the best quality caps available, the boutique audio company concerned could easily have stopped there. But Black Lion Audio being Black Lion Audio, Seventeen 500 instead includes some significant additions and upgrades, such as a frequency-adjustable side-chain for preventing unwanted over-compression triggered by big low-frequency signals (such as kick drums) and a COMP MIX (wet/dry mix) knob for blending the dry signal with the compressed signal. But beyond offering a palette of tones unavailable anywhere else on the market, Seventeen 500 also includes all-important stereo LINK functionality.
Finally, Seventeen 500 allows for an ‘all-buttons-in’ mode, making it much easier to simultaneously engage multiple RATIO controls than on classic ’76 compressors, for instance. Indeed, Seventeen 500 makes use of modern buttons that are actually intended to be simultaneously depressed. After all, push-buttons styled on vintage automobile radios are arguably well past their sell-by date… unlike Black Lion Audio’s 500-series spin on what the classic ’76 compressor could have been.
Seventeen 500 is available to purchase via Black Lion Audio’s growing global network of dealers/distributors (https://www.blacklionaudio.com/dealers) with a MAP (Minimum Advertised Price) of $499.00 USD and an SRP (Suggested Retail Price) of €665.00 EUR (including VAT).
For further info, please visit the dedicated Seventeen 500 webpage here: https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/compressors/seventeen-500-compressor/
About Black Lion Audio (www.blacklionaudio.com)
Founded in 2006, Black Lion Audio is a boutique audio company based in Chicago. Collectively it takes pride in providing customers with outstanding quality gear for their recording studios at prices that are ridiculously affordable. As such, the company has built a reputation for supplying superior quality sound in a cost-effective manner within the space of a few short years. Yet, given the current economic climate, it is no wonder that major labels, project studios, software companies, and high-profile tracking and mix engineers make up a significant portion of the company’s client base. Indeed, its work can be heard in award-winning major motion picture scores and soundtracks, major television shows and commercials, as well as being utilised by prestigious organisations and major label acts alike.
© 2023 Black Lion Audio