Smooth, fast, slot-loading drives with large, touch-sensitive illuminated platters
Control MIDI software with no timecode needed via USB
CD direct outputs for use with timecode interfaces
Adjustable start and stop time for vinyl-like deck performance
Automatic BPM analyzer and Tap tempo for manual BPM entry
Slide BPM ±6, 12, 25, and 100% or bend with pitch buttons
Key Lock holds pitch while you independently manipulate its BPM
Seamless looping, sampling, and easily accessible hot cues
Keep time moving forward while you cut or reverse the track using Bleep/Reverse
Single-track, continuous, and programmable playback
Fader Start plays the cued track when you move the crossfader
Two large, backlit displays for BPM, CD/MP3 text tags, and folder navigation
Next up Is the NS7FX, which is their popular NS7 system with the included effects controller.
High-resolution digital DJ controller with effects, built for Serato ITCH and compatible with Scratch LIVE libraries
Direct-drive, motorized turntable platters with classic and modern feel settings
Activate and control the effects in Serato ITCH
Includes Serato ITCH DJ software
Built-in audio with audiophile-grade circuitry, 24-bit interface
Extensive loop, cue, and track-access controls
Strip Search (patent pending) virtual-needle drop control
Controls most MIDI applications without requiring a mouse or keyboard
Rugged, all-metal construction
Integrated laptop stand
Fits in NS7 CASE for protection in transit to the gig
High quality, replaceable, adjustable CP-PRO crossfader and D-TYPE line faders
Support for Whitelabel.net files in ITCH
Mix using either 33rpm or 45rpm speeds
Also announced is the new V7 virtual turntable and the soon to be released X7 mixer. The V7 features built in effects controls and the X7 features two usb inputs for syncing two laptops. Full details can be found at Numark.com
Indamixx has posted a video up doing a quick walkthrough of some of their partnered laptops and software including EnergyXT, Renoise and a new DJ software. Also quickly featured is a couple of new laptops such as their netbook, HDMI DJ system, IndaMixx Pro and IndaMixx Slim.
Great proof that Linux can succeed in audio in both the hardware and software realms.
Soundcloud has sort of taken the music community by storm this past year. Starting about a year ago they just announced they are 500,000 users strong last week on their Twitter page. The service is designed for musicians to share music, generally with each other and allow for a commenting system for that music. Other features include a music dropbox and and enmbedable/customizable java player.
They have announced at NAMM that they are parterning with several companies, the first of which is Presonus to allow for direct uploading to the service from audio applications. Audio File Engineering is another partner and it is reported that Ableton Live will soon include the feature as well.
This is exciting news for the site and for the music web business. We have seen this sort of integration with other social networking services before, but not in the music world. How the feature is exactly going to be implemented is unclear at this point. Soundcloud has grown in large part due to its ability to easily distribute audio files and remix packs online. The ability to upload individual tracks within an audio project would be a useful one indeed.
Quote Alexander Ljung, SoundCloud CEO:
“We’re very excited to be launching the first of our music softwareintegrations with PreSonus and Audiofile Engineering. With these upcoming partnerships it’s possible to imagine a production workflow in which you produce a track, upload it to SoundCloud, and send it direct to Abbey Road for mastering without any files hitting your desktop. We’re imagining a future where music professionals can seamlessly use the web together with their desktop tools in a fully integrated and extremely powerful combination. The SoundCloud platform and our open API, in combination with progressive companies like PreSonus and Audiofile Engineering, are making it possible for this future to arrive in 2010.”
First news from NAMM is trickling in. Akai has announced a new version of their APC line with the APC20. This is essentially half of the previously released APC40 from last year. The new APC20 features everything but some send effects, additional knobs and the crossfader from its older brother.
From the press online it appears that the APC20 is meant to be more of a companion kit then a standalone. You can chain up to six of them together.
Korg has announced an updated version of their popular Kaossilator. The Kaossilator Pro is basically a step up from last year’s model and is analogous to the MiniKP and its bigger brother the KaossPad 3.
The Kaossilator Pro takes the same basic hardware specs and idea of the KP3 and focused on a sound source rather than an effects source. The overall idea sounds extremely appealing and it features 200 sounds (still not a true synth though) along with the ability to load PCM samples. It is not quite the sampled based KP4 many were hoping for, but it is a good start.
So the new year is upon us and the site has been dead for the past couple of months. I have been battling with what to do with the site since I do not have the time to do a regular podcast regarding music production and I do not want to try to keep up with the news related to gear releases.
As I have been dipping my toes into the water of tracking again I realized that it might be useful for people to have a blog that follows the development and music in the tracking world. Now, there are a couple of blogs out on the net that are focused on the demoscene and a few on tracking music, but the scope of tracking has changed so much these days. Many of these blogs, in my view are still very much focused on the oldschool of tracking, which is fine, but I would like to focus on topics of tracking that are related to the general musician. So many of today’s trackers can do full on music production as well as any other program and I would like to discuss the tools (hardware and software) and music that is coming out of that arena.
So, as I gather my thoughts over the next several weeks and months to focus the site, I would love to hear feedback if anyone has it regarding how to move the site forward with respect to tracking.
