LONDON, UK: Spitfire Audio is proud to work with Berlin-based composer and experimental sound artist Yair Elazar Glotman to yield YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES — making musical waves as awe-inspiring atmospheres transformed through the 4DSOUND technology available at the MONOM experimental performance venue and state-of-the-art spatial sound recording studio located in the historic Funkhaus Berlin to create suspense, tension, and atmosphere with cutting-edge cinematic textures presented in an award-winning AAX-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-compatible, NKS (Native Kontrol Standard)-ready plug-in that loads into all major DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) without the need for any additional software as the sound-specialising British music technology company’s latest sample library to be named after an artist with whom it has closely collaborated, and available alongside the Yair Elazar Glotman’s Speculative Memories album namesake now out on its sister SA Recordings label dedicated to supporting and releasing music created by contemporary composers and sound artists — as of October 27…
Surely Spitfire Audio in-house composer Louis Rugg is perfectly positioned to formally introduce the talented Berlin-based composer and experimental artist without whom YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES would, without doubt, not exist: “Yair [Elazar Glotman] is a remarkable musician and sound artist, who combines his classical training as a double bassist and his studies in electro-acoustic composition to create textual and spatial works. As well as being a celebrated recording artist, he is also a composer in his own right, having worked on a number of film and television scores, collaborating with the likes of Geoff Barrow, Hildur Guðnadóttir, and Johan Johansson — and now us, here at Spitfire Audio, to create this stunning library.”
Fortunately for anyone interested in creating suspense, tension, and atmosphere with cutting-edge cinematic textures, YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES makes it perfectly possible to do just that, as Louis Rugg continues: “…SPECULATIVE MEMORIES is inspired by the rich sound design and experimental double bass playing from his most recent homonymous album. This library contains a selection of unique bass articulations, vocal and guitar performances, modular synth sounds from the Buchla 200e, and custom textural tape loops — all designed for contemporary cinematic scores, ambient music, and anyone looking to create deeply atmospheric textures. A unique feature to this library is that each sound has also been re-amped in multiple ways — similar to how the record was created. Included is both a tape effects signal and spatial signal, recorded at the MONOM sound space in Berlin, with each sample re-recorded through omnidirectional speakers in order to create space and depth to transform how the sound behaves. This sound library is divided into five sections, with the first being VOCALS, performed by Sara Fors, who also performed vocals for the album.”
As such, that first section comprises nine unique processed vocal textures, while the GUITAR section — performed by Mats Erlandsson, who also performed on Yair Elazar Glotman’s Speculative Memories album — comprises two bowed drones and plucked octave swarms. Thereafter, the MODULAR SYNTHESISER section comprises 11 processed sounds created on the aforesaid Buchla 200e; TEXTURES comprises 12 eerie synth textures created by feeding sounds through tape machines; and DOUBLE BASS comprises seven experimental double bass techniques, ranging from distorted swells to harmonic stabs, bringing the total number of provided presets to 41. And as Louis Rugg reveals, “If you didn’t already know, with these libraries you can save presets you’ve created, and they’ll be stored at the bottom of the menu in the USERS section.”
All add up to beautifully haunting, evolving drones with visceral undertones to ambient swell and earth-shattering atmospheres as multi-layered electroacoustic textures that have been developed in visceral abstract environments through sophisticated granular processing and layering techniques to allow YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES users to travel to new sonic dimensions with the plug-in’s radically transformative processed signals — themselves ranging from tape effects to the cavernous-sounding spatial signal, created at the MONOM experimental performance venue and state-of-the-art spatial sound recording studio located in the historic Funkhaus Berlin. Indeed, it houses 4DSOUND, a 4D sound system with no fewer than 48 omnidirectional speakers suspended throughout the venue, extending down to nine powerful subs submerged beneath an acoustically transparent floor. It is little wonder, then, that this made for the perfect location within which to record that spatial signal, the resultant RE-AMP treatment transforming how the sounds behave in space, adding dimension and depth to create dynamic shifting sonic landscapes that subvert the laws of perception.
Put it this way: controlling RE-AMP really defines the sound of YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES, allowing users to move between the current signal set by the ‘dynamics’ fader and the MONOM-recorded spatial signal. Said signals have helpfully been mapped across the modulation wheel so users can freely fade and blend between the different emotional layers. “It’s so cool how that signal just completely opens up the sound — sounds really lush,” gushes Louis Rugg, before adding: “To me, the [VOCAL] sounds are just so therapeutic. It’s worth getting [YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES] just to play [them] at your leisure. I could happily sit, hold some chords down, and just relax.” Relaxation-inducing re-amping apart, user control of YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES makes use of additional controls for ‘expression’ — adjusting the level of the technique; and RANDOM START — moves the sample start to a random point within the sample with higher values increasing the range of randomness (useful for delving deeper into longer samples or adding variation to repeated notes). Needless to say, ATTACK and RELEASE (time controls) are self-explanatory.
That the last word on Spitfire Audio yielding YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES — made to inspire contemporary cinematic scoring, ambient music, and anyone looking to create deeply atmospheric textures — is reserved for Yair Elazar Glotman as the talented experimental sound artist responsible for its inspirational Speculative Memories album namesake makes musical (and literal) sense: “Working with tape and expansive re-amping processes extends and enriches the original recordings — presenting each sound or ‘memory’ in a new way, and creating limitless sonic possibilities.”
YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES is available as an AAX-, AU-, VST2-, and VST3-compatible plug-in supporting Native Instruments’ NKS (Native Kontrol Standard) for Mac (OS X 10.10 – macOS 11) and Windows (7, 8, and 10 — latest Service Pack) that loads directly into any compatible DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) for an RRP (Recommended Retail Price) of only £29.00 GBP (inc. VAT)/$29.00 USD/€29.00 EUR (inc. VAT) — from here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/speculative-memories
Yair Elazar Glotman’s Speculative Memories release — that inspired YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES — is available to pre-order as a limited-edition 12-inch gatefold vinyl album for £25.99 GBP (inc. VAT) — with an estimated release date of January 20, 2023 — or to download immediately in 320 kbps, LAME-encoded MP3 format for £5.99 GBP (inc. VAT) and 16-bit Lossless WAV / FLAC formats for £7.99 GBP (inc. VAT) directly from SA Recordings here: https://sarecordings.com/release/325501-yair-elazar-glotman-speculative-memories
Spitfire Audio’s namesake Spitfire Audio application allows anyone to buy now and download anytime and is available for free from here: http://www.spitfireaudio.com/info/library-manager/
For more in-depth information, including some superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES webpage here: https://www.spitfireaudio.com/shop/a-z/speculative-memories
Watch Spitfire Audio’s launch premiere of YAIR ELAZAR GLOTMAN – SPECULATIVE MEMORIES — including its illuminative trailer video and accompanying walkthrough with Spitfire Audio in-house composer Louis Rugg — here:
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.
About SA Recordings (www.sarecordings.com)
As a London-based record label and music platform dedicated to songs and sounds by contemporary composers, SA Recordings’ mission is to nurture and support a sonically diverse, international roster of innovative music makers. It is committed to releasing digital and physical works, commissioning creative projects, producing limited-edition merchandise, and developing bespoke, artist-led sample libraries in collaboration with Spitfire Audio.
© 2022 Spitfire Audio Holdings Limited
Paris, October 26th, 2022 – UVI releases Soul Bass, a powerful bass instrument designed with character and creativity at heart. Fusing the best of vintage and modern approaches, Soul Bass delivers an incredibly flexible instrument, allowing the blending of a deeply sampled ‘60s Jazz Bass with a curated selection of our favorite synth bass sounds. From stripped-down classic bass and amp rigs to modern genre and cinematic sounds, Soul Bass is a featured, easy-to-use instrument offering a rich sound, deep customization, numerous performance controls, and keyswitching, built-in effects, an incredible selection of hand-crafted presets and MIDI patterns, and much more.
Soul Bass is available now with a special introductory price of $59 / 59€ through November 6th, 2022 (regularly $99 / 99€).
More than the sum of its parts, Soul Bass brings together the new and old to create a truly hybrid bass instrument. On the electronic side recording was done string-by-string, with over 75,000 samples capturing numerous playing techniques including hammer-on, pull-off, ghost, slide, and harmonic for each of the playing styles, including finger bridge, finger neck, finger mute, pick, and pick mute. Extensive controls allow users to tweak everything from hand position, technique, and play style to nuts-and-bolts control over amplitude, filter, pitch, and more. Meanwhile, the synth layer offers near-identical control and a ‘link’ button for matched edits and includes a massive selection of sounds from our favorite synthesizers, representing analog, FM, physical modeling, vintage digital, and raw waves.
Soul Bass comes loaded with a powerful effect chain including Tube Screamer, Thorus, Phasor, Feedback Compressor, Tone Stack, and the IR-based Convolver. The chain is duplicated for both the electronic and synth layers, each with multiple flavors of delay and reverb available as sends, while a mastering EQ and compressor finish it off. An impressive library of hand-crafted presets is available for exploration, and a powerful sequencer page presents a custom library of bass patterns that can be played while you adjust your sound, or used in your compositions with further editing made possible via MIDI drag-and-drop. Soul Bass is a dynamic instrument capable of shining in any number of styles and is a powerful creative ally in the studio.
Soul Bass offers native 64-bit standalone operation by way of Falcon or the free UVI Workstation, providing comprehensive support for all modern DAWs and simultaneous authorization on up to 3 computers or iLok keys.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY:
Soul Bass is available immediately at an introductory price of $59 / 59€ through November 6th, 2022 (regularly $99 / 99€)
Additional product information:
uvi.net/soul-bass
LOS ANGELES, CA, USA: following hot in the footsteps of Trinity, the fourth entry in its expanding Eurorack product lineup as a three-channel DIGITAL DRUM SYNTH ARRAY (as introduced at Knobcon Number Ten, a one-of-a-kind synthesizer convention held just outside of Chicago, IL, USA at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, September 9-11), black-owned Eurorack modular synthesis and electronic musical instrument manufacturer Modbap Modular is proud to debut HUE as its latest Eurorack entry — this time being billed as an AUDIO COLOR PROCESSOR, packing a chain of five effects (each imparting a particular coloration, tone, distortion, and/or texture to the source audio) into a 6HP-width module, making drums bang with more magnitude and melodies morph into lush lo-fi tones — at Brooklyn SYNTH+PEDAL EXPO, a free-to-the-public pop-up event of synths and guitar effect pedals, at 718 Studios, Brooklyn, NYC, USA, October 8-9…
“HUE was originally designed as the effects section for Trinity; the thought was to create an effects section that would simulate the classic, lush boom-bap and lo-fi vibes that we’ve come to love.” So says Modbap Modular founder/owner/designer Corry Banks, before continuing: “I want to bring those nostalgic textures that make things bang a bit harder and feel a bit grittier and more soulful into a single Eurorack module. HUE pairs very well with drum sources, such as Trinity, or melodic sources, such as Osiris, to further cultivate ‘that sound’. Saying that, HUE, in moderation, makes things sound more beautiful, but it can become prolific when pushed to its limits.”
Maximum (musical) muscle notwithstanding, HUE’s goal is to simply color its user’s sound — hence highlighting that the aim of its name is true, thanks to the COLOR PROCESSOR wording written across the top of its slimline front panel. Its initial concept was born out of a debate about the techniques and processes used to make drum machines sound so big, bold, and delicious. It is worth bearing in mind here, then, that
the sounds that tug at the heartstrings of boom-bap, lo-fi, and, subsequently, Modbap — meaning the fusion of modular synthesis and boom-bap (or, indeed, any form of hip-hop) — are those demonstrating great texture, lush degradation, soft distortion, and big bold strokes of color.
Classic beloved drum machines were often processed with outboard gear; recorded to tape; pressed to vinyl; played over big, booming sound systems; sampled; resampled, and so on. It is no surprise, therefore, that those are the sounds that become nostalgic and reminiscent of all that the black-owned Eurorack modular synthesis and electronic musical instrument manufacturer adores about classic lo-fi boom-bap production, with HUE representing its attempt at bringing that vibe into Eurorack as a 6HP-width module.
Acting as a COLOR PROCESSOR, HUE’s effects chain signal path is as follows: DRIVE, FILTER, TAPE (saturation), LO-FI, and COMP (compressor), with the panel layout allowing for the DJ-style FILTER knob to sit in first position for ease of tweaking — LP (low-pass) when turned to the left through to HP (high-pass) when turned to the right. Digging deeper, DRIVE boosts and lightly distorts the signal, while SHIFT+DRIVE adjusts the DRIVE tone; the TAPE effect is intended to impart cassette tape saturation, while SHIFT+TAPE adjusts the intensity; LO-FI adjusts bit depth, while SHIFT+LO-FI adjusts sample rate; and, lastly, the one-knob COMP mini-pot serves as the final glue in the signal path that brings everything together. There are also DRIVE CV, FILTER CV, TAPE CV, and LO-FI CV inputs, as well as mono INPUT and OUT connections, collectively opening up a wealth of creative possibilities. Put it this way: when throwing creative modulation at it, HUE is truly a textural beast.
But best of all, HUE puts the power to shape and transform its user’s sound at their fingertips — perfect for beefing up drums while equally as magical when working on melodic content, which is exactly why it pairs so well with Trinity (https://www.modbap.com/products/trinity), the fourth entry in Modbap Modular’s expanding Eurorack product lineup as a three-channel DIGITAL DRUM SYNTH ARRAY, and Osiris (https://www.modbap.com/products/osiris), a sensational-sounding BI-FIDELITY™ WAVETABLE OSC (oscillator) module for Eurorack (introduced to widespread critical acclaim at last year’s Knobcon Number Nine). Needless to say, HUE — like its Eurorack siblings — exemplifies Modbap Modular’s musical mantra: Made for Eurorack, dope enough for boom-bap!
Expected to ship in late-October 2022, HUE is available to preorder at an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $299.00 USD via San Clemente, CA, USA-based distributor Electro Distro’s growing global network of dealers (https://www.electro-distro.com/dealers) — including Sweetwater (https://www.sweetwater.com), the USA’s number one eCommerce provider of musical instruments and pro audio gear — or directly via its dedicated webpage (which includes more in-depth information) here: https://www.modbap.com/products/hue
See and hear Modbap Modular founder/owner/designer Corry Banks introducing HUE here:
About Modbap Modular (www.modbap.com)
Founded in 2020 by Corry Banks, Modbap Modular is a black-owned Eurorack modular synthesis and electronic musical instrument manufacturer, making and designing its products out of Southern California, USA. Ultimately, its mission is to develop fun, forward-thinking, performance-oriented instruments, musically mindful of a DJ and beat-maker’s perspective. Putting the company’s notable nomenclature into its rightful perspective, Modbap is the fusion of modular synthesis and boom-bap — or, indeed, any form of hip-hop — music production; it is a term coined by Corry Banks himself as a denotation of his own experiments with modular synthesis and boom-bap music production. As a result, like-minded creatives built a community around the idea of Modbap. Modbap Modular itself is the result of that movement in the electronic music equipment and synthesizer design space, sold in 40-plus electronic musical instrument stores throughout North America, Europe, and Asia.
© 2022 Beatppl Inc.
HALMSTAD, SWEDEN: award-winning innovative company ISOVOX is proud to introduce ISOPOP™ 24K Gold as the world’s most exclusive pro-performance pop filter — available as a limited-edition 24K gold-plated brushed aluminum affair aimed at collectors worldwide who have always wanted to make a Gold record with the finest gear in the world… in this case, made in Sweden, shipping with two exchangeable pop filters, and designed to work with any type of microphone in every scenario, mounting directly on the microphone stand, as well as proving to be a perfect fit for working inside the company’s critically-acclaimed ISOVOX® 2 vocal booth (https://isovoxbooth.com) that instantly found favor with the likes of multi-million-selling British singer-songwriter Seal — as of October 1…
24K gold is considered the purest possible gold available, and any vocalist or voice-over artist needing some such gold in their life need not necessarily turn to jewelry to satisfy their need but instead grab a golden opportunity to invest in their art with ISOVOX’s ISOPOP™ 24K Gold, the world’s most exclusive pro-performance pop filter, available as a limited-edition 24K gold-plated brushed aluminum affair aimed at collectors worldwide who have always wanted to make a Gold record with the finest gear in the world. Well, if they get one — an ISOPOP™ 24K Gold pro-performance pop filter, that is, if not necessarily a Gold record, then they can be sure that they will be one of the lucky few in the world who has — got an ISOPOP™ 24K Gold pro-performance pop filter, that is!
As a pro-performance pop filter, ISOPOP™ 24K Gold is sturdy and stays securely in place when clamped to a microphone stand, thanks to its extra-sturdy gooseneck and outer layer of soft skin. Saying that its non-intrusive (10 cm/four-inch) diameter makes any vocalist or voice-over artist using it more visible to anyone watching them in action while making the user’s reading of lyrics or scripts somewhat more straightforward than when working with most other pop filters.
For those who want their sound to be as transparent as possible, ISOPOP™ 24K Gold comes complete with a Neutral Pro Filter; for those troubled by harsher treble/sibilance caused by below-par-performing microphones or, obviously, the voice itself, ISOVOX includes an interchangeable De-Ess Pro Filter to soften the sound — both being hygienic and washable.
ISOVOX’s ISOPOP™ 24K Gold is designed to work with any type of microphone in every scenario, mounting directly on the microphone stand, as well as proving to be a perfect fit for working inside the company’s critically-acclaimed ISOVOX® 2 vocal booth that instantly found favour with the likes of multi-million-selling British singer-songwriter Seal.
So why not bring some serious gold into your recording life with ISOVOX’s ISOPOP™ 24K Gold? Getting a Gold record is far from easily achieved — as Seal surely will attest to, but working with the finest gear in the world can certainly brighten anyone’s day while recording — quite literally so in the case of ISOPOP™ 24K Gold, the world’s most exclusive pro-performance pop filter! But being one of the lucky few in the world to own one means being quick to grab one. It is, after all, a limited edition.
The limited-edition ISOPOP™ 24K Gold is available for purchase with an MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) of $999.00 USD/€999.00 EUR via ISOVOX’s growing global network of dealers and distributors (https://isovoxbooth.com/where-to-buy/) or directly from ISOVOX’s Online Shop here: https://isovoxbooth.com/product/isopop-24k-gold/
For more in-depth ISOPOP™ 24K Gold information, please visit its dedicated webpage here: https://isovoxbooth.com/isopop-24k/
Watch ISOVOX’s golden-voiced ISOPOP™ 24K Gold video here:
About ISOVOX (www.isovoxbooth.com)
ISOVOX is an award-winning innovative company from Sweden. Duly designing products so anyone can practise and record vocals like the pros, but at home or away without disturbing their neighbours, its inaugural ISOVOX® 2 vocal booth namesake — featuring four layers of super acoustic materials with patented 360 XYZ Pro Acoustic Construction to control sound waves from all angles (roof, top, bottom, behind, and front), enhancing vocal details and reducing overall volume with a warm and punchy sound without any detrimental breathing particles, unlike any other portable product — found favour with multi-million-selling British singer-songwriter Seal and Los Angeles-based songwriter, recording/mix/mastering engineer, and music producer par excellence Luke Pimentel, to list but a few notable names. ISOMIC™ is its follow-up, a masterly microphone technically tailored for voice recording within the ISOVOX® 2 vocal booth and guaranteed to capture voices like never before, thanks to its revolutionary patented triangular capsule capable of delivering a radio-ready sound with an ear-opening 7 Hz to 87 kHz frequency range! Representing the world’s most exclusive pro-performance pop filter, the latest — limited-edition ISOPOP™ 24K Gold 24K — product is a gold-plated brushed aluminium affair aimed at collectors worldwide who have always wanted to make a Gold record with the finest gear in the world.
© 2022 ISOVOX AB
This advanced control application extends Precision’s unmatched ARC acoustic calibration, response customization, and speaker emulation capabilities
October 13, 2022 – IK is pleased to announce the release of X-MONITOR, an advanced control application for iLoud Precision studio monitors that enables voicing selection and extended acoustic adjustments. X-MONITOR for Mac and Windows is the control center for all the advanced features built into iLoud Precision.
X-MONITOR is available for free to iLoud Precision owners bringing a host of must-have functionality. From assisting with ARC calibration or saving custom user settings to offering speaker emulations and essential tools for optimizing performance in different environments, X-MONITOR is a breakthrough for mix engineers and studios looking to up their game.
Faster Acoustic Room Correction
iLoud Precision Studio Monitors feature built-in ARC calibration, tuning themselves to the acoustic environment with the included MEMS measurement microphone. X-MONITOR makes the process even easier with step-by-step instructions and visual feedback on the calibration progress and final results.
Customized Response Curves
With the dedicated Contour page, users can adjust specific frequency ranges, with or without ARC, to suit their needs and tastes. These settings are stored inside iLoud Precision and then recalled automatically the next time the speaker is turned on. Once a favorite profile is loaded, X-MONITOR is then only needed to change settings.
Iconic Speaker Emulation
X-MONITOR controls Precision’s ability to emulate the frequency and phase response of the most famous studio monitors on the market, working in tandem with the ARC settings for the best possible sound in any listening environment. This is ideal for testing a mix on different reference systems using just one pair of speakers and without ever leaving the sweet spot.
X-MONITOR makes it immediate to audition the over 20 iconic speaker emulations currently available or reset iLoud Precision to its own native voices.
Rear Panel Control at the Desktop
X-MONITOR gives access to the same controls as Precision’s rear panel making it easy to adjust the settings right from the sweet spot, both for individual speakers or linked pairs. From the software, users can adjust the low-frequency extension, low, high, and mid-frequency contours, standby timer setting, precise speaker delay, and more. No more struggling to experiment with back-panel settings, it can all be adjusted within X-MONITOR.
Software and Hardware Remote Control
X-MONITOR’s user interface includes a virtual version of the iLoud Precision Remote Control (sold separately). iLoud Precision can instantly switch settings via the remote control’s four illuminated switches.
The X-MONITOR software can be used to assign a different function to each one of the switches such as auditioning different speaker profiles for A/B checking, dimming, system mute, ARC on/off, standby and more.
The assignment for each switch is stored inside the monitors so that users can continue operating the iLoud Precision Remote Control without a computer. This opens the door to using iLoud Precisions as completely standalone devices on a mixing desk, in broadcasting setups, or even as an advanced and amazing-sounding hi-fi system for a living room, home theater and more.
Easy Setup and Updates
As IK releases firmware updates with new features and speaker emulations, X-MONITOR keeps users informed and guides them through the firmware update process, making it easy to keep Precisions up-to-date and running optimally.
Pricing and Availability
Registered owners of iLoud Precision studio monitors can download the X-MONITOR software for free from their IK User Area.
iLoud Precision studio monitors with X-MONITOR can be ordered now from the IK Multimedia online store and from IK authorized dealers worldwide at the following prices:
iLoud Precision 5 – $/€899.99* ea. – 5″ Woofer + 1.5″ Tweeter, 135W RMS
iLoud Precision 6 – $/€999.99 ea. – 6.5″ Woofer + 1.5″ Tweeter, 150W RMS
iLoud Precision MTM – $/€1,199.99 ea. – 2 x 5″ Woofers + 1.5″ Tweeter, 175W RMS
iLoud Precision Remote Control – $/€69.99
*All pricing excluding taxes.
Registered owners of iLoud Micro Monitors and iLoud MTM are eligible for special pricing on all Precision pairs. Users can log in to the IK Multimedia online store to see the discounts available to them.
For more information about the iLoud Precision series:
www.ikmultimedia.com/
To see the iLoud Precision studio monitors and X-MONITOR in action:
www.ikmultimedia.com/
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: music production and audio processing advanced tools-maker MeldaProduction is proud to announce availability of the second so-called premium instrument (or commercial instrument add-on) for its MSoundFactory mighty modular virtual instrument in Meldway Grand — generated from a beautiful Steinway Model D concert grand piano perfectly positioned in the purpose-built sound studio facility of HAMU (Hudební fakulta Akademie múzických umění v Praze), translated in English as the Faculty of Music of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (participating itself in handling the tasks arising from the plans for this faculty’s pedagogical, research, and artistic activities in the field of sound creation and musical acoustics), where it was captured with multiple high-end microphones, meticulously sampled as a 40 GB virtual instrument that may well be the only software grand piano anyone could conceivably need, thanks to its realistic dynamics and sympathetic resonances, CREATIVE and FX processing pages, plus a track mixer for each microphone source — as of October 17…
Since not all pianos are, of course, created equal, it stands to reason that not all are worthy of being sampled. Steinway & Sons’ Model D concert grand piano is, however, a truly majestic musical instrument. Indeed, it is billed by its creator as being the pinnacle of concert grands — the overwhelming choice of the world’s greatest pianists and for anyone who demands the highest level of musical expression. It is mainly for this reason, therefore, that MeldaProduction chose to sample the beautiful example available at HAMU. Its impressive 8’ 11¾” (274 cm) length
works in its favor, the low keys certainly sounding perfect. It is fair to say, though, that it sounds silky, smooth, and dynamic overall. On the face of it, then, the music production and audio processing advanced tools-maker in question captured every detail of the piano in question with the best recording equipment available for the production, paired with its own technologies created chiefly for the task at hand. After all, the beautiful-sounding sampled and processed results surely speak for themselves, with Meldway Grand billed by its creator as being a virtual piano made by piano enthusiasts for themselves!
As a result, anyone can now enjoy the sound of the superb instrument in question, wherever they are and with whomever their audience is. Maybe, Meldway Grand is the most authentic-sounding software grand piano anyone has ever played, yet it is surely the most creative since it also acts as a great sound design tool, too!
Musically, Meldway Grand can sound even more dynamic than the physical piano from which it was originally sampled, while users can choose to use one of the 17 algorithmic reverbs on the sympathetic resonances to achieve an unbelievably lush ambient sound. Thanks to the controls arranged in easy-to-follow RESONANCES, TONE, PIANO, NOISES, and HARMONY groupings on its PIANO page, they also have access to an exceptionally wide range of sound possibilities.
Seven stereo microphone sources — HEAD, CLOSE BORDER, CLOSE CENTER, CLASSIC, BALL, BRAUNER, and GROUND — come with various controls for each, ranging from Volume to Detune and Formants. First, there is the CLASSIC stereo pair, which works every time since it is perfectly centered and wide. And anyone who has ever played the truly majestic musical instrument that is the Model D concert grand knows only too well the indescribable feeling of being surrounded by a wall of piano sound, which is what the HEAD microphone simulates since it is as close as it gets to achieving that feeling with today’s technology. Then there are the two pairs of ultra-close microphones — CLOSE BORDER and CLOSE CENTER — for achieving an ‘in your face’ sound often used when producing pop and rock music. Meanwhile, the BALL microphone is kind of like having another HEAD, albeit positioned inside the piano itself. It is fair to say that BRAUNER microphones produce the widest stereo image possible from a piano, while MeldaProduction also experimented with positioning microphones at ground level — hence the GROUND option. All aforesaid microphone sources can be freely mixed together on the MIXER page.
Feel free to also engage the CREATIVE and FX processing pages to quickly change what is clearly a beautiful-sounding piano into something completely different! After all, who says a piano has to sound like a piano? Processing options include RESONATORS, FILTER, FM, THUMPER, SATURATOR, BRASSER, and TALKBOX (available via the CREATIVE page), as well as DELAY, REVERB, ENHANCER, BELLIZER, DISTORTION, ROTARY, and COMP (available via the FX page).
It is well worth noting here, though, that MSoundFactory itself is MeldaProduction’s mighty modular virtual instrument, with over 3,000 instruments and presets to its notable name. It is actually available in three versions: MSoundFactory LE lets its users access all factory instruments, while users of the top-tier MSoundFactory can even go as far as creating their own instruments, but both allow for downloading all available premium instruments (including, of course, Meldway Grand) — as well as any others that are released in future — from MeldaProduction for free; fortunately, those not needing access to the more fanciful features of SoundFactory LE or MSoundFactory yet still wish to purchase premium instruments are free to do so using MSoundFactory Player — effectively a free (cut-down) version of MSoundFactory, and available by letting the 15-day trial version of MSoundFactory expire.
Whichever way anyone chooses to access MeldaProduction’s meticulously-sampled Meldway Grand premium instrument, it may well end up being the only software grand piano anyone could conceivably need — 40 GB-sized or otherwise!
Owners of MSoundFactory Player (https://www.meldaproduction.com/MSoundFactoryPlayer) — effectively a free (cut-down) version of MeldaProduction’s mighty modular virtual instrument, MSoundFactory, and available by letting the 15-day trial version of MSoundFactory expire — can purchase Meldway Grand at an attractive introductory price of only €49.00 EUR until the end of November 2022, rising thereafter to its regular price of €99.00 EUR.
Owners of the top-tier MSoundFactory (https://www.meldaproduction.com/MSoundFactory) — itself on offer for €149.00 EUR until the end of October 2022, returning thereafter to its regular price of €299.00 EUR — or MSoundFactory LE (https://www.meldaproduction.com/MSoundFactoryLE) with limited customization options — itself on offer for €49.00 EUR until the end of October 2022, returning thereafter to its regular price of €99.00 EUR — can download all available premium instruments (including, of course, Meldway Grand) — as well as any others that are released in future — from MeldaProduction for free.
For more in-depth information, including some superb-sounding audio demos, please visit the dedicated Meldway Grand webpage here: https://www.meldaproduction.com/MeldwayGrand
Watch MeldaProduction’s introduction to Meldway Grand for MSoundFactory here:
About MeldaProduction (www.meldaproduction.com)
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, MeldaProduction 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.
© 2022 MeldaProduction
BRNO, CZECH REPUBLIC: software application, software effect, and hardware processor developer Audified is proud to announce the availability of its GK Amplification 3 Pro plug-in — produced as an evolutionary next step in this Gallien-Krueger amps- and speakers-modeling fan-favorite, featuring an added smart noise Gate and Comp (compressor), improved CPU (Central Processing Unit) performance, and a reworked GUI (Graphical User Interface), integrating to make it the most advanced Gallien-Krueger amp simulator out there — as of October 11…
Meticulously modeled amps are audibly at the core of making the GK Amplification 3 Pro plug-in what it is — the evolutionary next step in a fan-favorite that originally made its musical mark over a decade ago as a result of a close collaboration between Audified and Gallien-Krueger, the Californian company that has been on the leading edge of bass
amp design and technology for over 50 years. The three meticulously modeled amps in question comprise some of Gallien-Krueger’s greatest hits — namely, MB150 (based on a small, portable-yet-powerful combo, perfect for a variety of sounds from jazz to rock, with extensive ACTIVE EQUALIZATION – PARAMETRIC MIDBANDS controls and VOICING FILTERS for speedily crafting an ideal mix-ready sound); 2001RB (the amp that defined the classic Gallien-Krueger sound, thanks to two channels, powerful BI-AMP OUTPUT technology, as well as ACTIVE EQUALIZATION and VOICING FILTERS); and 800RB (an Eighties-era transistor amp game-changer, featuring flexible VOICING FILTERS and ACTIVE EQUALIZATION alongside variable CROSSOVER FREQ controls combining to shaping the sound to mix-ready standard in next to no time).
The GK Amplification 3 Pro plug-in also allows for parallel selection of two speaker cabinets — choose from three matching cabinets, each with woofer and tweeter options. Ultimately, users can compare cabinets easily with the provided A-B control to find the perfect pairing for their desired sound, selecting from nine movable virtual microphone types, themselves meticulously modeled from industry-standard designs used for recording and live performance. Put it this way: with dedicated controls to change the Horizontal and Vertical position, Distance, and Mic Angle, more flexibility than ever is on offer when it comes to shaping sounds.
But better still, GK Amplification 3 Pro’s newly-built-in smart noise Gate (with an intuitive Learn function that sets the perfect threshold within seconds) and simple Comp control (tuned to sound just right either in the studio or on stage) smooth the way for working within the plug-in itself — no need to use additional plug-ins, in other words.
Whatever any user’s intention is, sound-wise, simply plugging in and playing with Audified’s GK Amplification 3 Pro puts them in great collaborative company — with Gallien-Krueger, no less. And all from the creative comfort of their desktop. Dial in the best sound experience this close collaboration can offer by using an audio interface equipped with a Hi-Z (high-impedance) input and low-latency drivers, and… get dialed in!
GK Amplification 3 Pro is available to purchase for an introductory price of $49.00 USD for two weeks — rising thereafter to its regular price of $79.00 USD — from Audified’s online shop here: https://shop.audified.com/products/gk-amplification-3-pro (Owners of GK Amplification 2 Pro can upgrade to the improved GK Amplification 3 Pro for $19.00 USD.)
Acting as the perfect entry-level bass plug-in, GK Amplification 3 LE (losing out on its bigger brother’s parallel selection of two speaker cabinets) comes for free for two weeks — rising thereafter to its regular price of only $9.00 USD — from Audified’s online shop here: https://shop.audified.com/products/gk-amplification-3-le
GK Amplification 3 Pro and GK Amplification 3 LE can be directly downloaded as an AAX (64-bit), AU 64-bit, VST3 (64-bit), and Apple Silicon Native plug-ins for Mac (OS X 10.11 – macOS 12) and an AAX (64-bit) and VST3 (32-bit and 64-bit) plug-in for Windows (7 – 11) — alongside demo versions — from Audified here: https://services.audified.com/download (Note that they are both serial number-protected plug-ins, so no iLok is required.)
GK Amplification 3 Pro can be seen and heard in action in Audified’s impressive introductory video showcasing an appropriately heavy-duty bass workout here:
About Audified (www.audified.com)
With more than 20 years of R&D, education, and collaboration connected with its notable name (https://shop.audified.com/pages/history), Audified actively develops software applications, software effects, and hardware processors for musicians, audio engineers, and installed audio. As such, the company’s collective vision is to improve and streamline music production workflow, adding a new aesthetic value to their customer’s work while helping them to achieve the best possible results.
© 2022 Audified s.r.o.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, USA: Black Lion Audio is proud to announce the availability of its three-model-strong PBR patchbay series built ‘Black Lion-tough’ with audiophile-grade connectors — comprising PBR TRS, a 48-point TRS patchbay; PBR TRS-BT, a 48-point TRS patchbay with Bluetooth® compatibility; and PBR XLR, a 16-point XLR patchbay — as of October 11…
An audio patchbay efficiently connects all the inputs and outputs of outboard gear into one centralized hub, so studio users can quickly ‘patch’ — read route — one device to another without the inconvenience of squeezing themselves behind racks of gear to unplug cabling connected directly to a particular device to reroute it to another device, then reversing the laborious process afterward. Accessible patchbay-based patching is all well and good, yet surely studios are all about maintaining audio quality throughout every signal chain involved. Indeed, Black Lion Audio has been trusted for years for modifying the best gear and making it better, which is exactly what it took to create its new PBR patchbay series since all three models use audiophile-grade connectors. Contact points are all gold-plated, in fact, which is a major factor in maintaining that audio quality — something missing from the majority of patchbays that studio users might have encountered in the past. Put it this way: Black Lion Audio’s expert engineering team tirelessly worked to ensure that the PBR patchbay series serves up genuine quality throughout each of its three models.
Technically, then, PBR TRS is a 48-point TRS patchbay, built for the most demanding of studios. Moreover, mode switching can be accessed via buttons on the rear panel for configuring normalization modes. Meanwhile, the 48-point PBR TRS-BT boasts Bluetooth® compatibility to transport audio from suitably-equipped devices right into the mix, making it something of a cut above an average TRS patchbay — 48-point, or otherwise. On the face of it, by sporting a custom Black Lion Audio-modded Bluetooth® module armed with the very best codecs to provide lossless audio connectivity, it not only brings suitably-equipped audio devices into the wonderfully-convenient world of patch bays but, in doing so, treats them the best manner possible for working with professional audio. Again, mode switching can be accessed via buttons on the rear panel for configuring normalization modes. Changing (connectivity) tack, PBR XLR is a 16-point XLR patch bay for handling microphone and hardware XLR I/O. Its front panel sports 12 male XLR connectors and four female XLR connectors, making it a breeze to patch suitably-equipped devices without having to mess around with gear racks.
Rest assured that there is a PBR patchbay suited to the task, whichever way anyone chooses to go. All are built ‘Black Lion-tough’ with black-anodized aluminum faceplates that also make for a matched and sophisticated look, so are well worth looking at when considering adding a patch bay or three to a studio setup!
PBR TRS, PBR TRS-BT, and PBR XLR are 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 $199.00 USD, $249.00 USD, and $169.00 USD, respectively, and an SSP (Suggested Selling Price) of €199.00 EUR (including VAT), €249.00 EUR (including VAT), and €169.00 EUR (including VAT), respectively.
For further information, please visit the dedicated PBR TRS, PBR TRS-BT, and PBR XLR webpages here:
https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/patchbays/pbr-trs/
https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/patchbays/pbr-trs-bt/
https://www.blacklionaudio.com/store/patchbays/pbr-xlr/
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 utilized by prestigious organizations and major label acts alike.
© 2022 Black Lion Audio
IK Multimedia is giving away AmpliTube OverScream to all new and existing AmpliTube 5 users (including the free Custom Shop version) through November 1, 2022.
The AmpliTube OverScream is based on Ibanez® Tube Screamer, a classic overdrive/distortion pedal that has become the go-to overdrive pedal for some of the most influential guitar players of all time. Its basic controls make it easy to dial in the exact sound you want.
Instructions for redeeming your FREE OverScream overdrive/distortion pedal:
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC: independent development teams federation United Plugins is proud to announce the availability of founding partner JMG Sound’s highly-creative Cryostasis plug-in — an appropriately-named SPECTRAL INERTIA effect enabling progressive smearing of any audio until it is infinitely frozen in time, thanks to spectral effects and controls that shape the character of the frozen tail to blur audio into atmospheric soundscapes — as of October 6…
Cryostasis itself is defined as being the reversible cryopreservation of live biological objects; on the face of it, then, it is also an appropriate name for an effect plug-in placing music into a state of inertia — if it is possible to imagine such a thing. Thankfully, the imaginative team at JMG Sound have come up with a spectral freeze effect called Cryostasis to do just that, so users can concentrate on taking their music into a different direction, both speedily and easily, thanks to its spectral effects and controls that shape the character of the frozen tail to blur audio into atmospheric soundscapes. All are controlled by a continuously variable ‘freeze’ knob or an auto switch that can be timed in milliseconds or musical measures. Manually control the freezing process with the aforesaid knob or tell Cryostasis how quickly to take the sound from normal to frozen, in other words.
What is more, though, is that there is more to the superficially simple-looking Cryostasis plug-in than might first meet the eye. Examples of this include the SIZE parameter, which will change the time length
of the spectral window, which will in itself completely change the sonic character — lower values sound unnatural and robotic, while higher values sound smoother and atmospheric. And balancing out the easy-on-the-eye GUI (Graphical User Interface) is WASH, which controls the amount of reverb that is used to diffuse and smoothen the ‘freeze’ effect into a lush and smoothly modulated reverb tail. Try creating spaced-out ambiance and soundscapes that dissolve into the ether — surely sweet (ambient) dreams are made of this, while it can even be used as a sound design tool to create frozen vocal loops to load into a sampler!
Saying that users can quickly fine-tune the resulting frozen sound color with four filter controls — PITCH (controls the depth of pitch shift scaled by the ‘freeze’ control, with a range of -24 to +24 semitones); FILTER (controls the HP — high-pass — and LP — low-pass — filtering depth scaled by the ‘freeze’ control); LOFI (controls the amount of BITS and RATE reduction scaled by the ‘freeze’ control); and SHIFT (controls the frequency shifting scaled by the ‘freeze’ control, with a range of -1kHz to +1kHz) — to achieve even more unique results. Creatively coupling that LOFI magic with lower SIZE values makes creating dirty robotic glitches to washed-out dusty soundscapes a breeze. It is also possible to create a tape-stop-type effect — whereby the sound appears to slow down over time until it is completely frozen forever — by coupling the ‘freeze’ effect with the built-in PITCH shifter.
And as if that was not enough to get Cryostasis users shaking with excitement — and hopefully not from an energy crisis-induced cold when working with Cryostasis in colder climes, it is well worth noting that it also has continuously variable freeze functionality — unlike most other freeze plug-ins, so users can smoothly transition between freeze states, or even partially freeze to create time-smearing effects.
As always, JMG Sound’s highly-creative Cryostasis plug-in shares several admirable attributes with fellow family members now numbering 26 plug-ins, each playing their part in United Plugins’ proliferating product portfolio, providing maximum audio quality by using internal 64-bit audio processing as well as being able to handle any sampling rate — why not try it at 192 kHz (or even higher)? — and also the fact that it intelligently detects whether it makes sense to perform any processing at all; if not, it temporarily turns on sleep mode, meaning it requires virtually no CPU power at all, thereby saving computing resources for other processes. Putting a photorealistic 3D yet flexible GUI to the test with Cryostasis, likewise, leaves its users with the impression that they are working with real-world hardware; however, it easily adapts to their needs since they can always drag the arrow at the bottom-right corner to change its size — smaller to save precious ‘screen estate’ or larger to make it easier on the eye and, as a result, even easier to use than it already is.
It is fair to say, then, that there are (almost) endless possibilities for Cryostasis users to craft creative transitions that are applicable to single tracks or whole songs in the studio or on stage. Surely getting frozen has never been so much fun — or so quickly reversible!
JMG Sound’s Cryostasis is available to purchase for a time-limited introductory promo price of only €19.00 EUR until November 13, 2022 — rising after that to its regular price of €79.00 EUR — as an AAX-, AU-, VST-, and VST3-compatible plug-in (using internal 64-bit audio processing capable of handling any sample rate) directly from its dedicated webpage (https://unitedplugins.com/Cryostasis/), where a 15-day, fully-functional trial version for macOS 10.10 and newer and Windows 8/10 can also be downloaded for free.
No iLok, dongle, or internet access is required for Cryostasis activation. (All United Plugins software uses license files for activation and owners can freely use purchased software on all their computers as long as they are the user.)
See and hear Cryostasis in action while watching United Plugins’ illuminating introductory video here:
About United Plugins (www.unitedplugins.com)
As implied in the carefully chosen wording for an apt appellation that really represents how the Prague-registered Limited Company came about and what it collectively creates, United Plugins is a federation of small, independent development teams comprised of individuals involved in the music industry. Indeed, the founding triad of FireSonic, JMG Sound, and SounDevice Digital can count engineers, producers, and artists amongst their ‘united’ names. Needless to say, all were seeking the freedom to create the tools that they would like to use in their studios and on their projects. And all agreed that this could be better achieved when working together. Though United Plugins’ proliferating product portfolio may not always be for the musical masses, surely someone, somewhere will always find those tools to be a perfect fit for their own music productions… just like those inventive individuals behind United Plugins’ partner brands, the ranks of which have since swelled to include Muramasa Audio and MeldaProduction. Thanks to the latter letting United Plugins utilize its super-easy licensing system, which is why selected MeldaProduction products are also available from the United Plugins website, a thriving future for the federation is assured.
© 2022 United Plugins