UVI is known for their very true-to-original recreations of great gear. I personally own Darklight and I must say they pretty much nailed the gritty sound of one of the first digital synths to hit it big. Now they’re offering free presets for Digital Synsations, which are modeled after some of the 80′s and 90′s greatest hitmaker keyboards.

UVI has released 4 free presets from their latest library Digital Synsations. The presets can be auditioned with no iLok required.

Digital Synsations includes over 500 presets expertly programmed on a fully restored Yamaha SY77, Korg M1, Roland D50 and Ensoniq VFX‚ used by many of the greats including Depeche Mode, The Cure, Pet Shop Boys, Vangelis, Brian Eno, Toto, 808 State, Jean Michael Jarre and more., If you’re looking for a new take on the 90′s sound or just some new classic synth inspiration then look no further.

For more info and to try out this pack, visit http://www.uvi.net/en/vintage-corner/digital-synsations.html

To download UVI Workstation visit http://www.uvi.net/en/software/uvi-workstation.html

I have one of the iKlips for my iPad 1st generation (review here) and I use it on every tracking session I run. In conjunction with an iPad, V-Control Pro (review here), and an iKlip, you can run in and out of the live room and control room and even track drums from another room. If I didn’t have my iKlip, I would be subject to setting the iPad on the low tom or a chair of some sort. iKlip gives you complete control over where in your eye line and reach, your controls are. That’s an important thing when you’re surrounded by perfectly placed mics. Now you can use your shiny new iPad mini for the very same application.

IK Multimedia, the leader in mobile music-creation apps and accessories, is shipping the new range of its smart iPad holders for stage, studio, office or home. The new iKlip™ 2 for iPad, and for iPad mini, are enhanced versions of the most popular iPad microphone stand holders for musicians and presenters, while iKlip Studio for iPad mini completes the range of IK’s practical tabletop stands for 7” tablets.

iKlip 2 is designed to securely hold an iPad 2 (and later) or an iPad mini on a microphone stand or other vertical or horizontal “pole” up to 2.1”/30mm in diameter. It secures to the pole in seco (more…)

Great news for Iris owners. The perveyor of all things texture and atmosphere have released 2 new instrument based sound libraries. Each add a new flavor to Iris’ already layered soundscapes.

iZotope, a leading innovator in digital signal processing, has released two new sound libraries for Iris, the ground-breaking visual synthesizer. Altered and Modular, the largest sound libraries to date, will join Glass, Wood, Voice, Toys, and Food to round out the new Iris+7 bundle, available now.

Altered, the first of two new instrument based sound libraries for Iris, reimagines familiar musical instruments like piano, guitar, and bass by uncovering unconventional timbres through bowing, scraping, bending, and more. Altered includes over 300 new samples such as Plastic Rod on Harp, Piano Strings Resonant Spoon, and Didgeridoo Into Fan, and 200 professionally designed patches like Spectral Bubble, Dub Trombone, and Visual Karate.

Modular, the second new library, is based on samples created from new and vintage modular synths. Ranging from pulsing tones and lush effects to glitchy syncopations and Cartesian sequencing, Modular is designed to harness varied sonic palettes into musical patches for any project. Modular features over 600 samples including Growler Bass, Butterfly Chaos, and Funk Bot Pulse, and 300 patches like Metal Sloths, Zaptastic, Murky Glitch, and Ghost Mallets.

“When Iris was first released in April of 2012, we explored the incredible sonic possibilities of materials like Glass, Wood, Voice, Toys, and Food,” says Jack Cote, Product Manager at iZotope. “Now in 2013, Altered and Modular are bringing traditional musical instruments and vintage synth designs into the Iris world, with thousands of new sounds to kick off your next track. If you don’t have Iris yet, it’s the perfect time to get everything Iris, all at once, with Iris+7.”

Pricing and Availability
Through May 23, 2013, all products in the Iris family are over 30% off, including Iris and all sound libraries.
Iris+7 is now available for $239 (reg.$349 / € 285 EUR MSRP)
Iris Altered is available for $34 (reg. $49 / €35 EUR MSRP)
Iris Modular is available for $34 (reg. $49 / €35 EUR MSRP)
To purchase, please visit www.izotope.com/products/audio/iris/buy.asp.

To learn more about Iris+7 and the new Altered and Modular libraries, visit www.izotope.com/iris.

It’s no secret that I’m a fan of the Scarlett preamps in these interfaces. I will say that the naming is getting a little confusing and hard to keep up with. Either way bigger numbers usually mean more channels so let’s see what these two have. Looks like the 18i8 has 4 preamps but can expand to 18ins and 8outs, hence the name I guess… I’m an idiot. I think you can only track 4 inputs at a time though but it gives you room to throw an interface with an ADAT optical in the mix and keep preamps on hand. Likewise the 6i6 has 2 Scarlett preamps, 6 outputs, as well as expandability to 6 inputs. Both look very promising and have 2 headphone outs on the front with separate level control.

The Scarlett 18i8 is the first interface from Focusrite to include four award-winning mic preamps. It can also record up to four line inputs at the same time, making it perfect for recording an entire band live. An ADAT option allows the connection of external mic preamps such as the OctoPre Mk II, extending the number of mic pres to 12. The unit also includes S/PDIF I/O.

The Scarlett 6i6 is designed to allow recording on a smaller scale. In addition to two Focusrite mic preamps it features a stereo line input, making it possible to capture, for example, vocals, guitar and a digital piano at the same time. Both models feature the signature Scarlett range unibody metal chassis for road-ruggedness, and the unique ‘signal halo’ LED rings around the input controls that indicate green for a good level and red for overload. They also include two headphone outputs each with their own level controls; the headphone outputs on the 6i6 mirror the main and sub-outputs whereas on the 18i8 they are fully independent.

Scarlett 18i8:

Four award-winning Focusrite mic pres
The best sounding interface in its class. Focusrite’s 25-years of design experience underpins this new interface with four award-winning preamps

18 inputs and 8 ou (more…)

If you’re reading this site or any site about recording, odds are you know exactly what the letters “CLA” stand for. Even if you don’t think you do recognize the name, in reality you know the man by his work. If you’ve turned on a radio in the past 10 years, you’ve heard his signature sound on the likes of Nickelback, Green Day, and countless others. He is a mixing legend who is very well known for his in your face drum sound and BIG mixes. Enough can’t be said about this guy in my opinion. He is one of my favorite engineers.

So now lets take one of the greats in mixing and combine it with the man who is, undoubtedly, the king of drum libraries and drum related software. Steven Slate is hitting home runs in just about every digital aspect of audio and is even making huge waves in the analog world as well. When Joe Barresi uses a hardware compressor you made along side his multimillion dollar spread, you know you’re doing right. Legend has it that Steven Slate was throwing one of his would famous parties at one of these conventions and met up with Chris, and after a very long (and probably one of the most informative) conversations about drums, this project came about.

So this pair joins forces and we get the Slate CLA Expansion pack. This isn’t just recycled Slate samples with CLA EQ and Compression. Chris wanted to do this right, so they both headed over to Ocean Stud (more…)

Ambient, strong, and honest… just like this site. Grab you vinyl and put on your skinny jeans because we’re going vintage. Proving that old things are hip and better than new things, ToonTrack releases the Indie Folk EZX package. I bet you could probably even buy it with a Whole Foods reward card. (you can’t) My big question here is Indie folk types always believe in analog, so this would make you a sellout if you use this or Pro Tools or anything that’s not free range or ironic right?

Today Toontrack Music released a new EZX expansion focusing on capturing the organic, warm, intimate and ambient sound characteristic of the indie folk genre. The EZX, aptly titled the Indie Folk EZX, was recorded at the Avast! Recording Co. in Seattle, home to bands such as Fleet Foxes, The Shins and Band Of Horses. It comes with three complete vintage kits: a 1960s Gretsch Round Badge sampled with both sticks and mallets, a Ludwig from the 1950s as well as a Slingerland Rolling Bomber kit dating back to the 1940s. Also included are two tambourines, a hi-hat mounted tambourine jingle, an extra kick and snare as well as a 28″ floor tom.

• Three (3) complete kits
• Two EZXs in one! Each kit is available in two variations: a standard multi-mic mix and a classic four-mic mix
• Custom drums from the 1940s to the 1960s
• Default kit sampled with both drumsticks and mallets
• Recorded at Avast! Recording Co. in Seattle, WA
• Included MIDI performed by sampling drummer Stephen Belans

So arm your vocal track with an ungodly amount of reverb and put on the Indie Folk Drums.
Price: $89

To purchase and for more info, click HERE. And YES! I will be buying this even though I just made fun of hipsters. It’s not the product I hate, it’s the lifestyle.

From the looks of things, u-he has been a very busy company. One of the big things they are toiling away at right now is AAX support, which is a big deal for the Pro Tools folk. I use the Uhbik bundle constantly and I’ll be very happy to know when Pro Tools 11 shows up, at some point, those will be available for me. Another thing they’ve developed is a plugin called “Satin” as well as a new massive modular synth virtual instrument called Bazille. Satin seems to be a virtual tape emulator WITH flange and delay built in. I always wonder why more tape emulators don’t offer that as an extra. Great job to the u-he crew on that one for sure. Also it appears Diva is getting a facelift with new modules such as an arpeggiator and sequencer. I’ve only heard great things about Diva and this can only make it better.
Satin Tape Machine

Satin is a tape simulation plug-in that includes tape delay and true flanging. Under-the-hood features: record / playback head calibration, tape coating selection, NR-encoding/decoding and more. Satin created such a buzz during the show that we can’t wait to release it!

Satin will arrive in May (we hope) for VST2, VST3, AU (AAX tba), price about USD 129

Bazille

Many of you will already know the alpha version of Bazille, a spin-off from our long-term project “Berlin Modular”. It’s been a few years already, so its about time we finished the job! For those who didn’t know, Bazille is a large modular synth with FM, PD and Fractal Resonance built into each oscillator:

- Unique FM / PD based modular synthesizer, audio-rate modulation
- Quality effects and many other features not available in the alpha version
- ETA is June, price approximately USD 149

For more info on this exciting news, stay tuned HERE.

Saurus is one of my go to virtual instruments when I’m looking for a completely unique feel to a track. I’ve written a review HERE. Now Tone2 has added the arpeggiator expansion option for Saurus. Now we’re given more great patterns in the arsenal to make this synth even more useful. You now even have a choice of 2 new skins as well. I’m really liking the white for sure. The patches supports modwheel, velocity and aftertouch. For enhanced usability the volume of all sounds has been carefully normalized. The high quality sounds are a hand-picked selection created by a large number of professional sounddesigners: Himalaya, Ed Ten Eyck, Ingo Weidner, Satya Choudhury, George Zondagh, Massimo Bosco, Rainer Sauer, Rob Mitchell, Stephen Krajewski, Rob Fabrie, Reinhard Reschner, Bjulin, Bastiaan van Noord (Tone2)

Expand your sonic arsenal with this extensive collection of arpeggios, grooves and rhythmic soundscapes.

The Arpeggiator expansion library is filled to the rim with inspirational sounds, running in perfect sync to the
tempo of your track and ready to breathe life into any club track.
Featuring Trance arps, pulsating basses, evolving sequences, phat rhythms and groove laden textures,
Arpeggiator takes it all to the next level.

The Arpeggiator expansion also contains an inspiring collection of arp patterns, no less then 100 new arp
patterns were added to create your own sounds or refresh presets.

Expansion highlights:
* 200 superb new presets by professionals
* 100 new arpeggiator patterns
* 2 additional skins (White & Black)

Price: $49.00
For more info and to buy, click HERE.

It’s here! It’s finally here. Propellerhead has released it’s 7th version of the world famous sequencer as well as a 2nd installment of their Reason Essentials line. I’m usually very excited when Propellerhead comes out with new enhancements to their software and this time is no exception. I like to consider Reason as my main sequencer in Pro Tools because it definitely shines just as much as Pro Tools does, but in other areas. It is a must for anyone who pretty much makes almost any type of music. Reason fits in just right. And with Propellerheads approach, learning the software is extremely simple and intuitive.

Propellerhead released for sale today Reason 7 and Reason Essentials 2, major updates to its award-winning music software line. The latest versions inspire musicians to create more and better music with deep, streamlined mixing and a complete rack for all types of instruments.

Reason’s renowned music-centric design focuses around a virtual rack of software instruments, effects and processors connected to a world-class mixing console. Users can go from ideas to music, literally in minutes, designing their of the dreams in the process while never stopping their creative flow. Now, version 7 offers integration of all instruments—in and out of the “box”—with MIDI out. Automatic audio slicing and audio quantize enable quick fixes or style changes of recorded performances—even conversion of those recordings into REX loops for further creative possibilities in the rack. For mixing, Propellerhead adds a spectrum analyzer with visual EQ controls to “see” the audio and tweak equalization settings of any tracks in mixer. One-click group and parallel mix channels go beyond what is possible in physical large format mixers—instantly exposing the world of modern parallel effects and automation. And to inspire, Reason 7 makes importing audio from users’ music libraries and the web with support for mp3, aac, wma and more a snap. An enhanced Factory Sound Bank comes with tons of new loops and drum kits supplying the latest sounds ready to be thrown into tracks.

Audiomatic Retro Transformer takes its place alongside over 100 third-party instrument, effect and utility Rack Extensions (RE) already available for Reason. Designed for use on any instrument, channel or even group mix, Audiomatic oozes character to the sound. Inspired by retro phone apps, Audiomatic, with 16 snapshots going from Vinyl and VHS tape to PVC pipe and Gadget, immediately evokes an auditory mood, place or time. The RE is included free in Reason version 7 but is available to owners of Reason 6.5 and Reason Essentials too, as a separate purchase. As with any Rack Extension, all users can try a fully functional version free for 30 days.

Reason 7 & Reason Essentials 2 are now available at the following suggested retail pricing:
Reason 7     EUR €405 / USD $449
Reason Essentials 2     EUR €120 / USD $129
Reason 7 Upgrade (from any previous Reason version)     EUR €129 / USD $129
Reason Essentials 2 upgrade from any previous version     FREE
Balance (includes upgrade to Reason 7 for earlier versions of Reason)     EUR €429 / USD $449
Audiomatic Retro Transformer Rack Extension (RE)     EUR €39 / USD $49
(FREE for Reason 7 owners) Purchasers of certain previous-version Reason products may qualify for a free upgrade to Reason 7. For details see: www.propellerheads.se/freeupgrade

For more info on all Propellerhead products, click HERE.

SSL is a staple of audio mixing and everyone has their version of this iconic console. Personally, I use the Waves version religiously. Not to say that anyone else’s attempt is inferior by any means, but Waves and Universal Audio have great versions of SSL. Native Instruments has taken a shot at this with their Solid Mix system and has also taken a step into the Pro Tools world by adding AAX support. The best part about this is I bet that the Solid Mix Series is right up there with a Waves type SSL emulation so you can get this at a fraction of what they charge. You just won’t get the true-to-life looks. But who has ever listened to a mix and could tell anyways?!

The road to high-end sound just got shorter with the redesigned SOLID MIX SERIES. SOLID DYNAMICS, SOLID EQ, and SOLID BUS COMP now run as self-contained plug-ins, streamlining your access to pro-level effects. All three effects sport new, further-optimized user interfaces but the sound remains the same: Platinum sound with a pro-studio shine.

Three studio effects add professional sound and powerful tone shaping to any mix. All run as stand-alone plug-ins in any DAW.

• SOLID BUS COMP: Instant mix glue

• SOLID EQ: Powerful tone shaping

• SOLID DYNAMICS: All-in-one dynamics control

The SOLID MIX SERIES is available now at the NI Online Shop, priced at $99 / 99€ for each single effect, and only $199 / 199€ for the SOLID MIX SERIES bundle.
For more info and to buy, click HERE.