Cycling '74: A Few Words about Max and ROLI BLOCKS

I’d like to take a few minutes to tell you about the new Max tools we released last week for BLOCKS, a modular system of controllers created by ROLI. We think that the pressure-sensitive multitouch surface offers a variety of interesting possibilities for combining of abstract modular hardware and abstract modular software.

David Z.

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Meet the Minds Behind the Magic - Industry Sponsors Gather for XLIVE 2016

XLIVE - Las Vegas, NV: A handful of weeks stand between eager scholars of the “live event” + festival industry and XLIVE 2016 - the unrivaled conference & expo covering all things music, tech, food, wine, beer, film, and eSports taking place in Las Vegas this December 5th - 7th.  XLIVE 2016 boasts an impeccably-curated speaker lineup and is forecasting a Who’s Who of the festival community to be in attendance.  Participants can expect interactive workshops, infinite topics + panels in which to gain invaluable knowledge, incredible exposure to industry goods & services, and networking opportunities galore.

Covering every facet, from rental equipment to ticket sales to host venues, over 80 benevolent sponsors will band together for XLIVE 2016 to represent the highest quality of live event services and in some cases, to present throughout the course of the convention. The world’s largest self-service ticketing platform, Eventbrite, is among the top sponsors in 2016 graciously donating time and resources. In addition to presiding as the platform for procuring your pass to XLIVE 2016, CEO of Eventbrite, Julia Hartz will be delivering one of the esteemed speaker keynotes over the course of the event. Following suit is Mike Pine, Vice President of Business Development for fellow sponsor Cinetransformer,who will discuss live event sponsorship activation strategies that make brands stand out during the “Noticing You, Noticing Me” panel.  Also in attendance will be Greater Palm Springs CVB, Southern California’s premier live event and festival destination and home to world class events including the Coachella Music & Arts Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, Modernism Week, and most recently, the history making Desert Trip.

Playing host to numerous XLIVE after-hour events during the course of the convention, two local establishments, MGM Resorts International and Hakkasan,are waiting to dazzle conference attendees with a taste of Las Vegas’ illustrious nightlife. Located directly in the famed MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, innovative nightclub Hakkasan will kick off XLIVE 2016 on Sunday December 4th, where anyone with an XLIVE badge will enjoy complimentary VIP entry and a dedicated area to mingle with other XLIVE guests and burn up the dancefloor. Renowned for bringing the best DJs, mind-blowing lighting, bumping sound systems and confetti cannons, MGM Grand Las Vegas x Hakkasan will help to open the week’s festivities with a bang!

Further industry sponsors gathering to take part in XLIVE 2016 include festival solution organizers Vendini, RFID technologists Connect&Go, the world’s largest rental providers United Rentals, event marketing cloud Feathr, crowd control equipment suppliers Epic Solutions, full-service media + publicity agency The Confluence, ticket re-seller Ticket Galaxy, end-to-end security solutions Fortinet, production needs providers MS Event Production, visually-stunning email builders TailoredMail, advanced credential systems Access Event Solutions, live stream and on-demand wizards TourGigs, event information technology providers Backstage Networks, creative content producers XI Media Productions, online booking platform Curadora, live event producers and design services ATOMIC Design, actionable insight providers Umbel plus many more as listed below!

To register for XLIVE and see the full list of 2016 Sponsors visit the XLIVE website. Be sure to stay up to date on the latest via the XLIVE Facebook page.

LEARN | EXPERIENCE | ENGAGE | TRANSFORM

STAY CONNECTED:

XLIVE: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

The creators of XLIVE 2016 would like to extend an immense ‘Thank You’ to the 2016 Sponsors and Creative Partners who have came together to make this year’s event the best yet, including:

Access Event Solutions ~ Aggreko ~ Aloompa ~ Amplify ~ Astor Chocolate ~ ATOMIC Design ~ Backstage Networks ~ Best Beverage Info ~ Best Ring POS ~ Billboard Touring Conference & Awards ~ Bluemedia ~ BML Blackbird ~ Canadian Music Week ~ Cedar Packaging ~ Cinetransformer ~ Connect&Go ~ Crowdfind ~ Curadora ~ Direct Source Distributing ~ DTI Management ~ EDMbiz ~ Epic Solutions ~ EPS Doublet ~ Event Safety Alliance (ESA) ~ Eventbrite ~ EventLocker ~ Evercharged ~ Everfest ~ Fastbar ~ Feathr ~ Festdrive ~ Festival Pro Software ~ Fortinet ~ Front Gate Tickets ~ Gaitlinburg CVB ~ Gingerbread Shed ~ GoCharge ~ Greater Palm Springs CVB ~ Hakkasan Group ~ HardPin ~ ID&C ~ InGo ~ LDI ~ Lennd ~ MedTech Wristbands ~ MGM Resorts International ~ Mountain Productions ~ MS Event Production ~ MusicFestivalWizard ~ Naruscope ~ National Event Services ~ Optimystic ~ Ovationtix ~ PDC ~ Playing For Change Foundation ~ Porta Kleen ~ Price Chopper ~ Red Bull ~ RFID/4ID Solutions ~ Road Radios ~ Showclix ~ Skedaddle ~ South by Southwest (SXSW) ~ Star Ale ~ Switchboard Live ~ TailoredMail ~ The Confluence ~ The Iris Companies ~ The SF MusicTech Summit ~ Ticket Galaxy ~ Ticketfly ~ TiqIQ ~ TourGigs ~ Transportation Management Services ~ Ultimate Festival Guide ~ Umbel ~ United Rentals ~ United Site Services ~ Unity Travel ~ Vantage.tv ~ Vendini ~ Wizard Creations ~ XI Media Productions

New Release from Thrift Works - Red Leopard

Native Instruments launches special offer on TRAKTOR KONTROL S8

Berlin, November 1, 2016 – Native Instruments today launched a special offer on TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 – the top-of-the-range TRAKTOR controller. Until January 9, 2017, DJs can purchase this advanced all-in-one DJ system and save 200 $/€. The S8 offers optimum control over the included TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO software, with two high-res color displays, a 4-channel stand-alone mixer, professional audio interface, and enhanced Stems decks.

Designed to maximize creative expression, TRAKTOR KONTROL S8’s deck sections and workflow simplify live editing and remixing to introduce a different paradigm in DJ performance. The controller not only delivers dynamic touch-and-see workflow, but allows unprecedented flexibility with both classic and modern mixing media. Digital DJs can fine-tune mixes with two wide touch strips for precise track seeking and pitch-bending directly on the unit. Standalone mixer functionality offers connectivity for up to four turntables or CDJs – perfect for analog or timecode vinyl/CD control.

Central to the TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 experience, its advancements in hardware design deliver uncompromising, professional build quality unmatched even in products exceeding its price-tier. The 4-channel standalone mixer features a detachable fader panel fitted with patented inverse carbon strip faders that exponentially reduce dust and wear. Faders can be replaced for maintenance on the unit, prolonging the S8’s lifespan. The XLR, ¼”, and RCA signal outputs from the extensive on-board audio interface surpass that of any current TRAKTOR product, and easily rival CDJ output levels.

This special offer is valid from November 1, 2016 until January 9, 2017, at the NI Online Shop and participating retailers, while stocks last.

During the offer period, TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 is available for $999 / 999 € / ¥ 114,800 / £799 / AU$1399.

More about TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 is available at:
www.native-instruments.com/s8

ROLI launches BLOCKS, an affordable LEGO-like music creation system for everyone, at Apple Stores around the world

London (November 1, 2016) - ROLI, the music technology innovator, today launches BLOCKS, the most accessible and scalable music creation system ever made.

  

ROLI BLOCKS is a modular music studio that opens up the world of music-making to everyone. Each individual Block offers unique capabilities that let people create music in simple but far-reaching ways. The Blocks connect together to create customizable kits that suit any budget, skill level, and musical style. With a click of magnetic connectors, music-makers can now build their instruments as they go.

 

The Lightpad Block

 

Renowned artists including Grimes, Steve Aoki, and RZA are already making music on BLOCKS and creating signature soundpacks for BLOCKS musicians. Grimes - a composer, producer, and global superstar whose sound is redefining pop music - said, "ROLI BLOCKS will democratize music production. It's so intuitive and versatile. I'm always on the go, and BLOCKS is the most powerful mobile production tool I've ever used."

 

Three Blocks launch today. The Lightpad Block features a tactile, glowing surface that lets people shape music through presses, glides, and other natural gestures. The Live Block and Loop Block have controls that make it even easier to perform and produce in real time. BLOCKS is powered by NOISE, a free music app for iPhone and iPad that is now available at the App Store. NOISE connects to BLOCKS wirelessly over Bluetooth, becoming the system's sound engine as well as a standalone app.

 

Roland Lamb, founder and CEO of ROLI, and inventor of BLOCKS, said, "Many areas of life have been transformed by the digital. Music, though, remains a universal language that everyone understands, but only a few can speak. BLOCKS will change that, and enable people around the world to experience the joy of music-making for the first time."

 

The Lightpad Block, Live Block, and Loop Block are exclusively available at ROLI.com, Apple.com, and Apple Stores around the world. With a Lightpad Block retailing at $179 (£169.95) and the Live Block and Loop Block at $79 (£69.95), BLOCKS is extraordinarily affordable as well as powerful.

 

ROLI celebrates today with an event at the Steel Yard in London. Roland Lamb's keynote address and the world's first BLOCKS performance will be live-streamed on ROLI's Facebook page at 1800 GMT on November 1.

 

The launch caps an important year for ROLI, which has emerged as a leader in music technology innovation. The award-winning Seaboard RISE, a reinvention of the piano that has redefined the expressive capability of electronic instruments, has been adopted by a range of artists from Stevie Wonder to Meghan Trainor. ROLI acquired FXpansion, a London-based maker of audio software and virtual instruments, in September 2016.

 

Visit ROLI.com and watch BLOCKS films to see and hear how this modular music studio will give everyone a musical voice.

 

Make music anywhere with BLOCKS

 

 

The Lightpad Block connected to the Loop Block

Now shipping: IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitor - high-end sound without the high-end price

iLoud Micro Monitor - the ultra-compact reference studio monitors that give musicians, producers and engineers ultra-accurate linear frequency response, best-in-class bass and the smallest footprint making them ideal for mixing and mastering everywhere

October 27, 2016 - IK Multimedia is pleased to announce that iLoud® Micro Monitor, the smallest active studio reference monitoring system in the world, is now available and shipping worldwide. With an ultra-linear frequency response, best-in-class bass (down to 55Hz @ -3db), the smallest footprint and incredibly detailed sound, iLoud Micro Monitor is the perfect reference monitoring system for tight studio spaces that delivers high-end sound without the high-end price.

With iLoud Micro Monitor, musicians, producers, video editors and sound designers now have a way to critically listen to their music and audio no matter where they're working - in a bedroom studio space, hotel room, tour bus, a larger studio as a second set of monitors, or just streaming music and listening at home.

Powerful detailed sound
iLoud Micro Monitor delivers amazingly detailed, clear and accurate audio in a compact, efficient and portable enclosure. They are able to do this in conjunction with the DSP-controlled frequency response, ultra-accurate and time aligned crossover and smart design - the drivers are powered by four ultra-efficient class D power amplifiers that push out a combined 50W RMS of power. Each speaker sports a 3/4" silk dome tweeter, a 3" custom composite material performance woofer and a large flaring front-firing bass reflex port. iLoud Micro Monitor's sound is characterized by pleasing high frequencies, an exceptionally "open" detailed midrange and a solid, controlled low end.

Total DSP control
iLoud Micro Monitor provides a flat and linear speaker response in any listening environment thanks to its on-board 56-bit digital signal processor (DSP). The DSP handles the frequency and phase response of the monitors and also manages the dynamic range so that the drivers are always under control. The DSP also acts as a digital crossover allowing for invisibly smooth transitions between the drivers themselves. This DSP can be adjusted to suit different listening environments thanks to three EQ switches: One for treble, one for bass and a DESKTOP toggle that lets users optimize iLoud Micro Monitor for use in either a free field or desktop setup. iLoud Micro Monitor can be positioned on a desktop at two angles of inclination with their dual-position isolation bases, or in free-field positioning on standard microphone stands thanks to their integrated threaded mic stand mounts (UNC 3/8"-16 thread).

The "Super-nearfield" monitoring system
iLoud Micro Monitor is designed so that the sweet spot is at the ideal location when users are creating, producing, mixing or listening to music. And because the sweet spot is closer to the speakers, users are able to monitor the audio without the unwanted effect of room reflections that can color the sound, thus presenting the most accurate sound in a small space.

Input options iLoud Micro Monitor accepts both RCA (cable included) and 1/8" wired connections and can also be paired for Bluetooth streaming with all Bluetooth audio streaming-enabled devices. The bottom line iLoud Micro Monitor delivers stunningly accurate and detailed sound for mixing in any space - from cramped bedrooms to large studios - without the compromises in sonic quality normally associated with small and budget monitors. Simply put, iLoud Micro Monitor's sound is so good that it's nearly inconceivable for a speaker system of this size and at this price point.

Pricing and availability
iLoud Micro Monitor is now available and shipping from music and electronics retailers worldwide, and from the IK online store for only $/€299.99 per pair (excluding taxes).

For more information, please visit www.iloudmm.com

Aerosmith’s Co-Founding Member & Lead Guitarist Joe Perry to Receive Les Paul Award at 32nd Annual NAMM TEC Awards

 

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer to Perform at Ceremony Also Honoring

Band’s Famed Producer, Jack Douglas, Saturday, January 21

Carlsbad, Calif. (October 27, 2016) – As part of its 32^nd Annual NAMM Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards (NAMM TEC Awards), The NAMM Foundation has announced that rocker Joe Perry will receive the prestigious Les Paul Award. The annual award is given on behalf of the Les Paul Foundation and honors individuals that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of recording technology  in the spirit of the famed audio pioneer, inventor and musician, Les Paul. The award will be presented at a January 21^st ceremony being held in Anaheim, CA as part of The 2017 NAMM Show. Perry, who was included in Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” is also scheduled to perform live before an audience of pro audio and sound production inventors, musicians and industry friends.

"Anytime my name is mentioned in the same sentence as Les Paul, it’s a huge honor,” says Perry. “Getting an award bearing his name is the icing on the cake."

A long-standing co-founding member of a group whose music repertoire spans four decades, Perry’s versatile musicianship and influence has helped pave the way

for a long list of accolades that reach beyond the band’s more than 150 million albums sold. In the role of principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and as producer for multiple tracks featured on several notable Aerosmith albums, Perry’s talent has helped contribute to the super group’s four Grammy® Awards, (one of which includes Perry’s guitar-based instrumental “Boogie Man”); six Billboard Music Awards; twelve MTV Video Awards; and two People’s Choice Awards, to name a few.

"Joe Perry was a friend of Les Paul's and is undoubtedly one of the most innovative and talented musicians of our time,” says Michael K. Braunstein, Executive Director, Les Paul Foundation. “His ability to push boundaries of the electric guitar with his signature sound and deft playing ability embodies the true spirit of what Les Paul and the award given in his name stands for. The Les Paul Award has been presented at the NAMM TEC Awards to remarkably-distinguished and accomplished individuals from the music industry, including such luminaries as Sir Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Pete Townsend, Slash and last year's recipient, Don Was. The Les Paul Foundation could not be more thrilled to be adding Joe Perry to this amazing list."

Hollywood also became a part of Perry’s musical resume when his familiar riffs were heard on the band’s hit song “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” (from the soundtrack to “Armageddon”), which received an Oscar® nomination for Best Song. Among many other TV and film projects, Perry also composed the theme song for the “Spiderman” animated TV series and provided the instrumental music for “This Thing of Ours,” starring James Caan. Watch for news related to his upcoming sixth solo album and learn more about Joe Perry here.

 

Along with Perry, famed Aerosmith engineer and producer Jack Douglas, will be inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame, which was created nearly thirty years ago to honor pioneers of audio technology, as well as the music industry’s most accomplished producers and audio technicians. Douglas is associated with many of the band’s most iconic releases and affectionately dubbed "the sixth member" of Aerosmith for having contributed lyrics to several tracks released from the band. He also engineered and produced many multi-platinum Aerosmith albums including Toys in the Attic and Rocks, both of which ranked among Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time.” Douglas rose to prominence when the Record Plant Studio opened its doors and eventually engineered John Lennon’s Imagine and the Who’s Who’s Next EP.

The NAMM TEC Awards celebrate the pro audio community by recognizing the individuals, companies and technical innovations behind today’s sound recordings, live sound, films, television, and video games.

Outstanding Technical Achievement and Outstanding Creative Achievement nominees were announced earlier for the Saturday, January 21 event. Tickets can be purchased on site or in advance here for $50 (General Admission) or $175 (VIP). The show will be hosted by comedian Sinbad and will be available via a live event web stream during The NAMM Show.