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Products of Interest Akai EIE and EIE Pro USB Audio Suite 201, Cumberland, Rhode Island The display is used for metering and Interfaces 02864, USA; telephone (+1) 401-658- also indicates the assignment of the 4032; Web www.akaipro.com/. control knob. The EIE audio interface is a four- The Forte interface is bundled with channel USB interface, with a rugged a software application that is used aluminum casing (see Figure 1). Focusrite Forte Portable USB to set monitoring, pre-amplifier gain, The compact interface is designed Audio Interface and other settings. Focusrite’s Mid- for tabletop use. It features four night plug-in suite is also included. 1 The interface can be powered via the combination XLR/ /4-in. jacks, with The Forte audio interface from Fo- USB bus or using an included power phantom power and gain, on the front cusrite is a two-input, four-output, supply. The latter is required if using panel. The rear panel features four portable audio interface (see Figure 2). 1 phantom power with microphones. nickel-plated /4-in. jacks used for It features two microphone pre- The Forte interface is compatible channel inserts for external audio amplifiers, which can be remote- 1 with Mac OS X and Windows operat- processing. Four nickel-plated /4-in. controlled. The output connections ing systems. It measures 170 × 116 × outputs are also provided here for are located on the body of the inter- 36 mm and weighs 476 g. use with two separate monitoring face and the input connections are The Forte interface is listed for systems. The interface also has four available on a locking breakout cable. US$ 749.99. Contact: Focusrite Audio USB connections, three of which can Two balanced 1/ -in. analog outputs 4 Engineering, Windsor House, Turn- be used as USB hub outputs, and a and a USB port are provided on the pike Road, High Wycombe, Bucks main USB port for connecting the rear panel, and a stereo headphone HP12 3FX, UK; telephone (+44) 149- interface to a computer. A MIDI output is on the front panel. The 446-2246; fax (+44) 149-445-9920; input/output is also built in. A breakout cable features two XLR con- electronic mail [email protected]; headphone jack is located on the front nections for microphones, and two Web www.focusrite.com/. panel, along with two classic VU level combination line/instrument inputs 1 meters with switchable sources. The on /4-in. TRS jacks. The interface interface does not require any driver supports sampling rate up to 192 kHz, installation and is a plug-and-play with 24-bit resolution, and uses 24-bit Nu Desine AlphaSphere MIDI device. It supports 44.1 kHz sampling A–D and D–A convertors. Controller at 16-bit resolution. The aluminium case features a The professional version of this single large control knob on the The AlphaSphere from UK com- interface, the EIE Pro, is a similar top panel, along with an organic pany nu desine is a sphere-shaped tabletop interface with four input and LED display and touch control. programmable MIDI controller that output channels and supports up to A set of touch-sensitive icons are features 48 tactile, pressure-sensitive 96 kHz sampling at 24-bit resolution. used to switch the function of the pads and full polyphonic aftertouch The Akai EIE is listed for US$ 299 large control knob between monitor, (see Figure 3). The pads are arranged and the Pro version for US$ 449. headphone, input, and DAW controls. in six rows, with eight pads per row. Contact: Akai, 200 Scenic View Drive, The AlphaSphere can be connected to a computer or other hardware devices via USB and can transmit OSC as well as MIDI messages. A number of different modes are available for programming and play- ing the AlphaSphere. In MIDI Mode it functions as a multi-channel MIDI controller, with the pads triggering MIDI note and MIDI control data. In- dividual MIDI notes can be mapped to pads, or chromatic or diatonic scales Figure 1. The Akai EIE can be mapped to the entire sphere, or portable audio interface. to groups of pads. In Looper Mode the Figure 2. Focusrite’s Forte AlphaSphere pads can trigger, loop, doi:10.1162/COMJ r 00154 portable audio interface. and control audio files. An audio 80 Computer Music Journal Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00154 by guest on 30 September 2021 Figure 3. The AlphaSphere MIDI Figure 4. The Soundplane A music controller. controller from Madrona Labs. Bristol BS1 5TX, UK; telephone planned. User forums are available (+44) 795-154-7613; electronic on the company Web site, which also mail [email protected]; Web hosts a demonstration video. www.alphasphere.com/. Soundplane A is listed for US$ 1,695. Contact: Madrona Labs; electronic mail info@madronalabs Madrona Labs Soundplane A .com/. sample can be assigned to each of the Wooden Music Controller pads along with a pressure-controlled effect. The sphere can also function The Soundplane A is a music con- as a 32-step sequencer with up to troller with a wooden surface that Fyrd Instruments MIDI Control eight programmable sequences for provides the user with the feel of an Platform each pad. A built-in bank of drum acoustic musical instrument. The sounds is available and the sequencer playing surface of the Soundplane The MIDI Control Platform has been can also be used to trigger audio files A is made of a fibre-backed sheet designed to be a portable but strong and MIDI notes. of articulated walnut veneer (see MIDI device for use in live perfor- The AlphaSphere can control vari- Figure 4). It can be used as a 150-note mance and home studios. The stylish ous devices and software applications pressure-sensitive keyboard or as a 150 × 200 mm enclosure is con- via OSC, with the pads sending mes- continuous surface. It can be played structed from poplar wood and laser- sages with dedicated IP addresses and on the x-, y-, and z-axis, and up to cut aluminum. The device is powered port numbers. In dual-output mode, ten simultaneous touches can be de- by USB and supports MIDI over USB it can simultaneously send MIDI and tected. The controller can be played and MIDI DIN input/output. Drivers OSC messages. Twenty presets are with fingers, mallets, or other objects are not required for use. available for each project and the user and has a sampling rate of 975 Hz. The top panel of the MIDI Control can switch between presets in real- The controller case is constructed Platform features four encoders with time. Each of the pads has integrated from alder. It measures 28 × 8 × integrated switches, two buttons, and LEDs that change color when struck 1 in. and weighs 4.6 lbs. A single a 128 × 64 pixel LCD display. The and when the pressure level of a pad USB bus is provided and is used to company has two software modules changes. The LED functioning can be transmit data to a computer and to currently available for use with the programmed by the user. supply power. The controller requires device and will be developing further At the time of writing the Alpha- a computer running a translator modules. Sphere was available for Macintosh program for operation. This software The Harmonic Music Generator computers only, with Windows and application translates the raw USB is a sequencing and harmonizing Linux versions planned. The sphere stream to MIDI or OSC messages for module designed for the MIDI weights approximately 2.5 kg and use with other software applications Control Platform. Three independent measures 26 × 26 × 32 cm. or hardware devices. A patchable, 16-step sequencers are available A limited edition model of the signal-based software synthesizer is with user control of the sequence of AlphaSphere is listed for approxi- included with purchase. notes, the velocity profile, and the mately US$ 1,580. Contact: Alpha- The Soundplane software is cur- length and speed of the sequence. A Sphere, nu desine, PMStudio, Water- rently only available for Mac OS X bass-line sequencer offers a choice shed, 1 Canons Road, Harbourside, but Windows and Linux versions are of three pitches, a chord sequencer Products of Interest 81 Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00154 by guest on 30 September 2021 Figure 5. The Line 6 StageScape M20d live mixer. gives seven different combinations A quick capture feature is avail- of one to three pitches, and a melody able to record a 20-sec snapshot to the sequencer provides seven different devices internal memory. The mixer pitches. Each of the three sequencers can be used with Line 6 StageSource produces MIDI notes on a dedicated speaker systems and will automat- MIDI channel. MIDI clock can ically identify monitors and route be sent for synchronizing with feeds to them, configure stereo pan DAW applications on computer. settings, adjust speaker modes, and The harmonization can be edited optimize the system. using its own 16-step sequencer The user can operate an x−y and the user can choose from 120 multi-parameter Tweak Pad con- different harmonic structures and can troller or can choose Deep Edit create harmonic variations. Musical single touch. The stage is populated Mode for detailed control of all pa- examples created with the Harmonic automatically as each input is con- rameters. The Tweak Pad allows Music Generator are available on the nected to the mixer. The user can less-experienced users to use simple Fyrd Instruments Web site.
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