PC and Music News

Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH today announced the release of their latest VST Sound Instrument Set, Granular Symphonies, that adds exclusive, premium-quality samples and presets to the libraries of Steinberg’s award-winning Padshop Pro and Padshop granular synthesizers.

Created by sound designer and composer Simon Stockhausen, Granular Symphonies comprises two gigabytes of samples and recordings, including strings, brass, vocals and various other instrumental content. The 260 presets employ the granular synthesis technology in Padshop Pro and Padshop to reveal unique sounds of profound detail. Granular Symphonies offers a wealth of sonic textures, pads and leads for invoking powerful emotions that stir and inspire.

The MADIface USB is a compact device that provides MADI I/O via USB 2.0 while supporting the format's full 64 channels.

Its sturdy and bus-powered design makes it as easy to use and reliable in your application. The MADIface USB is therefore both MADI portability at its best and a perfect desktop solution to connect MADI equipment to any Mac and PC.

MADIface USB offers several operation modes when used with a Mac or Windows computer: 64 Channel Mix, Redundancy mode, 128 Channel Mix and a straight routing mode.

The option Disable TotalMix completely disables TotalMix, the unit's flexible internal mixer and routing matrix. All input and output data is going straight to record/coming from playback, with no mixing or routing involved. In this mode the outputs are mirrored, carrying the same signal.

In 64 Channel Mix mode TotalMix shows 64 input, playback and output channels. All settings in TotalMix use the data from one MADI input port, and send identical data to both MADI output ports. The currently active MADI input port can be configured in the Settings dialog.

ChordPolyPad is a chords player for Midi instruments, sequencers like Logic, Cubase, Live and all other Midi sequencers, or even virtual instruments installed on the same iPad. The chords can be played live from pads.

Although, ChordPolyPad is specially designed to operate in MIDI, it has own internal sounds bank to use it independently.

Features:
- 16 chords pads
- 8 groups of 16 pads by preset (128 pads)
- Midi port and Midi channel assignable for each pad
- Customizable X/Y controller for each pad
- Velocity assignable for each chord note
- Strumming setup by pad
- Features copy and paste for pads and groups
- Draggable chords directly from library
- Searching for chords available in scales
- Random chords for instant inspiration
- Multitasking
- Internal sound bank
- Receiving Midi notes and control from external devices
- Send Midi to a virtual port that can be used as Midi input by other Core Midi compatible applications managing multitasking on the same device
- Presets manager
- Presets shared with computer using iTunes 9.1 or later
- Undo/Redo

Supported Midi connections:

- MIDI Wifi Network (RTP MIDI)
- Apple USB camera connection kit
- Any Core Midi compatible interface

Requirements:
An iPhone or an iPad with iOS v5.0 or later
Price : $8.99.

The 8pre audio interface delivers everything you need to turn your computer into a powerful 24-bit, 96kHz digital audio workstation.

The 8pre provides eight microphone/instrument preamps with pristine 96kHz analog recording and playback, combined with 8 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O. Expand your system by connecting additional 8pre or other MOTU audio interfaces.

The Spirit Professional headphones are the direct result of Focal’s historical expertise in the design of high-performance transducers.

In line with the French manufacturer’s monitoring loudspeakers, the Spirit Professional headphones ensure high-quality control of monitoring activities without exception, freeing professionals from the acoustic constraints related to the size of their workstation.

Launchkey Mini is an exciting new compact mini-key instrument/controller featuring 16 velocity sensitive, three colour illuminated launch pads - use them to launch loops, sounds, effects, transport controls, and more.

Launchkey Mini also features a 25-note keyboard, eight assignable rotary controls, seven function buttons, and a further two performance buttons. Compact and portable, Launchkey Mini is great for producing and performing at home or on stage.

Launchkey Mini works immediately with the new free-to-download Novation Launchpad and Launchkey iPad apps, and gives you hands-on control of major Mac and Windows based music software including Ableton Live, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Cubase, Reason, and Logic.