Native Instruments introduces QUEENSBRIDGE STORY MASCHINE Expansion

Berlin, April 28, 2016 – Native Instruments today introduced QUEENSBRIDGE STORY – a new MASCHINE Expansion created by one of New York hip hop’s biggest producers, Havoc. The samples in this expansion were curated by Havoc himself and span his nearly 30-year career. QUEENSBRIDGE STORY is aimed at producers looking to tap into the classic sound of one of hip hop’s living legends. QUEENSBRIDGE STORY runs in the latest MASCHINE software on MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE, or MASCHINE MIKRO and is available exclusively at the NI Online Shop. A compact version for iMASCHINE is also available via the iMASCHINE in-app store.

QUEENSBRIDGE STORY traces the career of legendary producer Havoc – the man behind the sound of Nas, 50 Cent, Notorious B.I.G., and many more. Each sample was carefully selected for the expansion by Havoc from his personal sample library. The kits and instruments he compiled deliver a gritty blend of hip hop’s second golden age and a new-classic style heard on the records of some of hip hop’s most prominent artists.

Havoc first rose to fame as a member of Queens, NY duo Mobb Deep. During this period, his signature production style was featured on recordings from Nas, The Notorious B.I.G., P. Diddy, Method Man, and many more. In his second decade in the business, Havoc also took up MC duties on his own solo releases and contributed production to 50 Cent. Now, approaching the 30-year mark in a career of highlights, Havoc’s sound can be heard on new tracks from Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo.

A compact version of QUEENSBRIDGE STORY is also available as an iMASCHINE Expansion, for creating beats on the go. Tracks can be exported to MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE, and MASCHINE MIKRO for completion.

QUEENSBRIDGE STORY is available now at the NI Online Shop for $49 / 49 € / £44 / ¥ 6,820 / AU$ 79 and runs in the MASCHINE 2 software.

The iMASCHINE expansion is available at the iMASCHINE in-app store for $0.99 / 0,99 € / £0.79 / ¥ 120 / AU$ 1.29.

NEW FREE PMX Series Pack - EXOTIC PLUCKED

For those of you that know, every month we put up for download one of the packs from PerforModules PMX Series.... This month it's all about the Exotic, Exotic Plucked that is.......

Sampled from the Casio PX3000 keyboard it's going to be available for download for just the next few days before it gets deleted from our server.... Grab it now, we've put it in our DropBox so theres no limit on the number of downloads, plus our server is creaking with the release of the Novation Circuit Editor, don't add it to your DropBox, use the Direct Download option

FREE Exotic Plucked.......... CLICK HERE

Sign up for Isotonik's Mailing List to get 

the monthly free packs!

Anne Marsen Improv Dancing to Calvin Harris - “The Rain”

 

Anne Marsen Improv Dancing to Calvin Harris - "The Rain" from Anne Marsen on Vimeo. 

Learn more about Anne Marsen

Here

Sennheiser Previews MK 4 digital for USB and iOS at NAB

Las Vegas, April 20, 2016 – At this year's NAB, Sennheiser [Booth N5729] previews the new digital version of its MK 4, one of the audio specialist’s most popular recording mics. With high-quality Apogee A/D conversion and mic preamp technology, MK 4 digital connects directly to iOS devices, Mac and PC computers. The large-diaphragm MK 4 digital is the ideal partner for any mobile recording task requiring great sound quality with the typical warmth and detail of a true condenser microphone.

“I am delighted to announce the latest product to be born from our cooperation with A/D conversion experts Apogee Electronics,” said Wolfgang Fraissinet, Director Audio Recording at Sennheiser. “The MK 4 digital true condenser studio microphone will bring full, detailed sound and “made in Germany” quality to recordings on iOS devices, Macs and PCs. It will offer bands and artists freedom and flexibility in recording their tracks and song ideas, and will also be an ideal tool for high-quality speech applications from voice-overs to podcasts.”

“The MK 4 digital microphone is a great addition to the iOS/USB product family we have been developing with Sennheiser,” comments Betty Bennett, co-founder and CEO of Apogee Electronics. “Along with the new HandMic digital, and ClipMic and MKE 2 digital mics announced last spring, MK 4 digital combines the best of Sennheiser and Apogee technology to offer customers from across the audio and video production spectrum incredible tools for mobile recording.”

The MK 4 digital is a must-have microphone for the home studio and in mobile recording, whether in the rehearsal room or on the road. Its exceptional sound quality will also be an asset in the recording of speech. It is delivered complete with a USB cable and a Lightning iOS cable for connecting to iPad, iPhone or iPod touch as well as a microphone clamp and a pouch.

The microphone can be used with common media production programs such as Logic Pro X, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Pro Tools or Ableton Live and iOS recording apps such as GarageBand and Apogee MetaRecorder. The MK 4 digital will become available from summer 2016.

Visit Sennheiser and Neumann at NAB, Booth No. N5729

IK Multimedia releases update for SampleTank 3 CS, the free, expandable, full featured SampleTank 3

SampleTank 3 CS "Custom Shop" for Mac/PC now offers all musicians and studios the full functionality of SampleTank 3 in an expandable and free virtual instrument

April 19, 2016 - IK Multimedia, creators of the first sample-based virtual instrument, is proud to announce the latest version of SampleTank 3 CS, the free version of SampleTank 3. Now SampleTank 3 CS removes all limitations by unlocking the full software functionality including unlimited editing and import features. SampleTank 3 CS is a standalone player and plug-in that can be expanded with IK's Instrument Collections that are available at any time from the integrated Custom Shop: Everything from rare pianos to signature artist drums to the new Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE collection. Legacy VIs,  libraries and user samples can also now be imported without restriction. SampleTank 3 CS comes loaded with 30 free instruments, 1.8 GB of sounds, 81 MIDI patterns and 2 loop kits.

Roswell Pro Audio Introduces Aurora: a Boutique Premium, All-Purpose Studio Condenser Mic

Noted Mic Expert Matt McGlynn Debuts New Large-Diaphragm Studio Workhorse
 
Sebastopol, CA—April 15, 2016—Roswell Pro Audio® has announced the Aurora, a premium, all-purpose studio condenser microphone, featuring an unhyped and natural frequency response, high sensitivity, and low self-noise.
 
Describing the Aurora, Roswell founder Matt McGlynn said, “We built this mic for recording engineers looking for an ultra-clean FET sound. It works particularly well on vocals and acoustic guitar, where its balanced frequency response, low noise, and high output outperform most competitive offerings.” Added McGlynn: “I think the Aurora will be an eye-opening, and ear-opening upgrade for project studio owners accustomed to buying mass-produced mics. The Aurora’s high sensitivity means that singers will hear more music and less hiss in their recorded tracks.”
 
The microphone uses a highly optimized transformerless circuit, which provides a pristine, low-distortion signal path. Two switches provide a choice of Cardioid and Omni polar patterns, and a 10 dB pad. The mic has a frequency range of 20 Hz to 16 kHz, with a response curve carefully tailored to provide full lows, neutral mids, and high-frequency detail without sibilance. Its sensitivity is 40mV/Pa, with a self-noise level conservatively rated at 12dBA. The mic’s 7.25ʹʹ x 2ʹʹ body is made of heavy brass, finished in black. The brass mesh grille is brushed silver.
 
The microphone’s circuit is built by hand in the US, using the finest components sourced from around the world, including low-noise NOS transistors and audiophile capacitors. Each Aurora is assembled in California, burned in, and extensively tested after manufacturing to ensure the best possible performance. 
 
Describing his exacting construction and testing standards, McGlynn said, “Because we build and test each Aurora in-house, we take steps that mass-produced brands wouldn’t dream of. For instance, we match capacitors within each mic, and manually bias every JFET to ensure the highest possible sound pressure level with minimal distortion.” Added McGlynn: “After assembly, we put every Aurora through an acoustic sweep test to measure its response. We modify each circuit individually to set its high-frequency peak and rolloff. After that, we burn in each microphone for 24 hours, and then conduct final listening tests and QC inspections. We defined this process to ensure that every Roswell microphone delivers superior performance.”
 
The Aurora includes an elastic shock mount, a vinyl storage pouch, and a compact flight case.
The Aurora is available now from Roswell Pro Audio’s network of U.S. dealers at a US MAP of $749. Non-US customers can purchase the microphone directly from http://roswellproaudio.com/

Meet Josephine: Ear Trumpet Labs Newest Microphone Coming May 2016

April 14, 2016, PORTLAND, OR...Ear Trumpet Labs announces Josephine, the newest addition to their product line of microphones handcrafted in Portland, OR. A medium-large diaphragm (26mm) condenser microphone, Josephine, is designed for live vocal and ensemble use, with an avant-garde styling evocative of 1930s and 40s classic microphones. Josephine is optimized for use by singers or acoustic ensembles from 6” to 48” away. The design, form-factor, and sound are ideal for period swing or jazz vocalists or single-mic techniques with bluegrass or traditional musicians, with significantly better feedback rejection than the large diaphragm condener's typically used in these applications.

Founder of Ear Trumpet Labs, Philip Graham notes, “The original Josephine was actually the first model that I designed, and the first affirmation of the sound quality that was achievable with this capsule and circuit design. We’ve learned a lot over the last two years about improving feedback rejection and usability onstage. I’ve always loved Josephine’s bold geometry and wanted to revisit it with a design that is extremely practical for live stage use. I love that she’s sleek, eye-catching, and incorporates all we’ve learned about building the best mics for live acoustic music.” 

FULL SPECS:

• TRANSDUCER TYPE: condenser, large (26 mm) diaphragm
• POLAR PATTERN: cardioid
• FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20 - 17K hz (-3dB)
• SENSITIVITY: -38.8dB (11 mV/Pa)
• OUTPUT IMPEDANCE: <50 Ohm
• NOISE LEVEL (A-weighted): <17 dBA
• POWER REQUIREMENT: +48V phantom power
• WEIGHT: 1 lb (6.1 lbs cased)
• DIMENSIONS: 12” x 6 1/2” x 3”; head is 3” in diameter
  
  

LEARN MORE:

Musikmesse 2016: Antelope Audio Revolutionizes Portable Interface Market with Zen Tour

Frankfurt, Germany, April 7, 2016 — High-end clocking and conversion expert Antelope Audio [Musikmesse: Hall 9.1, Booth D33] is set to revolutionize the portable interface market  with its most accessible and versatile recording tool to date: Zen Tour. Zen Tour, which debuts at Musikmesse, features an ultra portable form factor, Thunderbolt™ and USB connectivity, 8 analog inputs and outputs, high-end DSP effects, hardware-based guitar amp/cab simulations and more — making it the ultimate creative recording tool for musicians and bands. With Zen Tour, there are no more boundaries to achieving great recordings.

Explore the Many Immersive Micro-Environments of California’s Legendary Lightning in a Bottle Festival!

Immerse Yourself - Lightning in a Bottle 2016 - Way out west, in the midst of the beautifully-crafted mischievousness of Do LaB’s Lightning in a Bottle music and arts festival lies a myriad of sanctuaries that play host to the curious and curiouser intricacies of the transformational gathering. Trailblazers who wander off the beaten festival path may find themselves transported into the many weird and wonderful realms nestled on the grounds of LIB, each micro-environment ripe with exciting expansions, new offerings, and scintillating music for 2016.  

Step into the vintage portal between the Temple of Consciousness and The Village, and immerse yourself within the Grand Artique’s famed Frontierville - an ode to the boot kickin’, gallivantin’, rompin’ and ragin’ days of yore. The latest updates to Frontierville will include the renovation of the Grand Artique’s Live Music Stage, now dubbed The Mission Stage. The stage will play host to a multifarious selection of the finest entertainers around including VKCE (Vokab Kompany x Crush Effect), Whilk & Misky, Dirtwire, Pimps of Joytime, NoMBe, and Jeremy Sole who will take his audience on a sonic trip through the past, present and future of Roots music during a very special 11am Sunday Revival. The Mission Stage will be rockin’ all hours during the festival so stop in for an afternoon delight, or for the most amusing of after-hours (full lineup below). Also found with the Grand Artique are a tipsy Gypsy Encampment host to mischief and mayhem, Boss Whispers’ General Store & Trading Post, Skinny DeVille’s Bar (a rare blend of theatrics and deviant mixology), and The Poison Oak Hotel, a two-storied structure with an enormous fire and improvised melodies.

Native Instruments releases TruTorials Season 2

Berlin, April 11, 2016 – Native Instruments today released the second season of TruTorials – the short video series featuring key MASCHINE workflow tips presented in a fresh, inspiring format. After the success of Season 1, TruTorials Season 2 explores even more hands-on MASCHINE techniques that are as engaging to watch as they are educational. In each episode, a pair of hands guides the viewer by performing simple, useful techniques that appeal to MASCHINE music producers of all styles. And along with the help of animated text, these videos teach and inspire in less than 90 seconds per episode – without the use of a traditional voice over.

The twelve new TruTorials episodes cover more music production skills ranging from essential workflow tips to exploring more creative ways of making music with MASCHINE. The opening Tweak Your Steps episode for example, shows how to modulate effects in perfect sync with MASCHINE’s Step Sequencer. Next Please! explores how exchanging drum kits quickly can provoke ‘happy accidents’ that create some surprising results. And Put Your Hat On shows how to synchronize a hi-hat pattern from MASCHINE with the flagship TRAKTOR PRO 2 DJ software – all just highlights from this season.

All twelve Season 2 episodes are now available to watch online.

Additional information on the second season of TruTorials is available at:
www.native-instruments.com/trutorials

Antelope Audio Introduces its Most Powerful, Impressive Sounding, Versatile Audio Interface: Goliath

Frankfurt, Germany, April 6 2016 — At this year's Musikmesse, leading professional audio manufacturer Antelope Audio [Booth #33D, Hall 9.1] is shaking up the world of professional interfaces with its new Goliath — a towering innovation with 36 analog inputs, 32 analog outputs, 16 Class-A microphone preamplifiers and Antelope's renowned clocking technology: all packed within a 2U rack space unit featuring Thunderbolt, MADI and USB connectivity. Goliath offers two MADI ports with a total of 128 MADI channels or 64 channels per port.

The Goliath features custom built-in DSP effects and several modern and vintage hardware EQ and compressor models, bringing the ultimate in both features and usability to the most discriminating recording applications.

"Goliath represents a revolutionary turning-point in modern interface technology and is the culmination of years of research and engineering," commented Igor Levin, founder and CEO of Antelope Audio. "Gone are the days of proprietary interface technologies that delivered inadequate performance and quality at an exorbitant price per channel. With Goliath, which features unmatched channel counts, flexibility and connectivity options, Antelope brings world class recording capabilities, inspiring creativity like never before."

Sennheiser’s HandMic digital brings professional audio quality to smart devices

Old Lyme, Conn., April 6, 2016 – At prolight+sound, audio specialist Sennheiser will preview the HandMic digital, which transforms any smartphone or tablet into a professional recording tool for vocals and speech. Highly resistant to cell phone interference, the cardioid dynamic handheld microphone is ideal for mobile journalism, podcasting or vocal and instrument recording. It offers all the benefits that users have come to expect of a typical Sennheiser microphone: great sound quality and presence, high feedback rejection, and excellent suppression of handling and wind noise. An Apogee A/D converter and pre-amp translate these qualities into the digital realm. The HandMic digital will be available from the third quarter of 2016.

“Users are increasingly relying on their mobile devices for recording speech and vocals,” said Achim Gleissner, Commercial Manager for Sennheiser’s Broadcast and Media business. “However, the quality of built-in microphones leaves much to be desired for prosumers and professionals alike. This is the reason why we have created the HandMic digital, which offers all the benefits of a Sennheiser dynamic handheld, making it an ideal, easy-to-use tool to upgrade your sound. It is a further step in our ongoing collaboration with Apogee Electronics.”

Meticulous Design for Exceptional Results
The HandMic digital comes in a rugged, all-metal housing. It uses a proven Sennheiser cardioid capsule that has been shock-mounted to suppress handling noise. The microphone is highly resistant to wind noise and the EMI emitted by cell phones.

The HandMic digital ensures excellent presence, cutting through high ambient noise levels, and provides quality audio for speech, vocals and instruments. It is able to handle high sound pressure levels of up to 150 dB, and provides excellent suppression of feedback.

Via the supplied cables, the HandMic digital can connect directly to USB inputs or to the Lightning sockets of iOS devices. A microphone clamp and a solid table stand are included too.

The microphone can be used with common media production programs and apps, such as FiLMiC Pro, Luci Live, Periscope, Logic Pro X, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere, Pro Tools, GarageBand and Apogee MetaRecorder.

The HandMic digital will be available from the third quarter of 2016.

Visit Sennheiser and Neumann at prolight+sound, Hall 4.1, Stand No. D11

Apple^®, iOS^®, Lightning^®, iPad^®, iPhone^®, iPod touch^®, Final Cut Pro^®, GarageBand^® and Logic Pro X^® are trademarks of Apple Inc. Adobe^® and Adobe Premiere^® are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Pro Tools^® is a trademark of Avid Technology Inc. FiLMiC Pro^® is a trademark of FilMiC Inc. Luci Live^® is a trademark of Technica Del Arte BV. Periscope^® is a trademark of Twitter Inc.

IK Multimedia releases Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE for Mac/PC

Now players, composers and studios on a budget can experience the full power and expressiveness of the most emotional "new orchestra with legendary soul" with Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE "Classik Edition" for just $/€99.99.

April 6, 2016 - IK Multimedia announced today the release of Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE "Classik Edition" for Mac/PC, a lower priced, fully featured edition of the recently released Miroslav Philharmonik 2. The new orchestra with legendary soul, Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE features over 730 instruments, multiple articulations, a 10GB library, over 30 professional quality effects, 3 powerful playback engines, a synthesizer section, a built-in mixer and a whole lot more all for an introductory price of $/€99.99.

Comprehensive Instrument Library

Miroslav Philharmonik 2 CE is a complete lower priced orchestral virtual instrument designed to deliver the full power of Miroslav Philharmonik 2 to players and studios on a budget.  The CE version offers the same engine and features of Miroslav Philharmonik 2 and provides a 10GB library of orchestral instruments covering all of the instrument categories found in the full version.

StrangeLines - MouthBreather

" Isotonik Studios are proud to introduce StrangeLines to their collective and now bring you the first MaxforLive Device available from the isotonikstudios.com website…

Mouthbreather is simply the quickest way to add crunchyness, warmth or air to you sounds, to give your piece a more dirty/vintage flavor: the results are always high-quality, but they vary a lot according to the input sound, ranging from small vinyl crackles to huge distorted guitars, not mentioning the filthy dirty dubstep/dnb sounds you can get.

This is a secret weapon by us, both for workflow and sound design…

MouthBreather – £11.99

Backbeat Books Publishes The Complete Singer-Songwriter

A Troubadour's Guide to Writing, Performing, Recording, and Business

- 2nd Edition -

MONTCLAIR, N.J. (April 4, 2016) -The Complete Singer-Songwriter is the ultimate guide for the modern performer, chock-full of tips, tools, and inspiration for both aspiring troubadours and those looking to take their craft and career to the next level. Author Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers draws on firsthand interviews with songwriting legends and rising stars; expert advice from managers, agents, lawyers, and publishers; and his own experiences as a performing songwriter. He offers this invaluable companion for singer-songwriters on their journey from idea to song to the stage, studio, and beyond.

 

"Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers takes you through all of it - from the fun stuff to the daily grind, from writing to stepping on stage and building a business around you. He schools you on the mechanics of songwriting. Informs you about some key business contracts. And the insightful quotes from working songwriters give you a true sense of belonging. Jeffrey brings you into the mindset and lifestyle of the touring professional songwriter," says Ellis Paul.

 

New in the second edition:

• A songwriter's guide to chord progressions
• Understanding song form and rhyme
• Dozens of songwriting games and exercises
• Essential info on copyrighting your songs, music publishing, and digital royalties
• Online companion at completesingersongwriter.com with playlists and additional resources

 

Ben Harper calls The Complete Singer-Songwriter "the most creatively valuable book on the subject" with songwriting tips and techniques from more than 100 artists, including Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, Paul Simon, Rosanne Cash, Jewel, Jeff Tweedy, Ani DiFranco, James Taylor, John Fogerty, Brandi Carlile, Richard Thompson, Jason Mraz, Rodney Crowell, Jerry Garcia, Dar Williams, and more.

 

$19.99 (US)

Inventory #HL 00145576

ISBN: 9781495019913

Width: 6.0", Length: 9.0", 248 pages

Native Instruments marks Stems anniversary with special pricing on TRAKTOR KONTROL S5 and D2

Berlin, April 4, 2016 – Native Instruments today marks the first year of the Stems multi-track format for DJing with savings on the Stems-ready TRAKTOR KONTROL S5 all-in-one DJ system and TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 professional deck controller. Until May 31, 2016, DJs can save 200 $/€ on the purchase of each of these controllers to upgrade their setup and explore the possibilities that mixing with Stem files offers. Since the new format was announced on March 2015, Stems-ready hardware like the S5 and D2, enhanced TRAKTOR software support, and thousands of official releases on a growing repertoire of labels have contributed to the expansion of Stems.

Tubby Boots Has Released Their Debut Album, "The Emerald Captain"

Tubby Boots' debut album, "The Emerald Captain," is self-released today on bandcamp, encompassing eleven tracks of rock, alternative, indie, noise, and punk.

Get it here!