Products of Interest

You Rock Guitar MIDI Guitar used to map two different sets of switch, and controller for menu and Controller sounds onto the fingerboard. Volume, patch selection. It has a status LED pan, chorus, transposition, and MIDI and a mini-USB port for charging. The You Rock Guitar is a guitar- channel can be set for each layer and The hexaphonic cable is connected shaped MIDI controller with a 22- the user has a choice of major, minor, to the controller unit through a short fret neck with pressure sensitive pentatonic, or user-defined scales. cable. It picks up the notes played, switches, a tremolo arm, a joystick, One hundred presets are pre-loaded the controller unit converts them to and a short string section for trigger- with various combinations of sounds MIDI, and then sends that wirelessly ing notes (see Figure 1). The tremolo and tunings. to the USB wireless receiver that is arm is used for pitch bends and the The connection ports are located connected to a computer. It uses the joystick for modulation. A built-in on the bottom edge of the guitar 2.5-GHz ISM band. sound library allows the controller to and the control buttons on the top The controller is packaged with be used as a stand-alone instrument, edge. The ports provided are: USB, PreSonus’s StudioOne Artist, Native 1/ without the need for computer- 5-pin MIDI, 4-in guitar jack, mini Instruments’ Kontakt Elements and generated sound. The sounds include stereo headphone output, stereo line GuitarRig LE, IK Multimedia’s Sam- sampled acoustic, electric and input for use with audio sources, pleTank and AmpliTube, and Notion guitars, as well as sampled , and a GameFlex port for wireless Music’s Progression 2. The software strings, pads, drums, and synthesiz- connection to Wii and Playstation bundle gives the user access to virtual ers. Layer and Zone features can be 3. The You Rock Guitar can operate instruments, , effects, on battery power using four AA guitar and amplifier modeling soft- batteries or can be powered via the ware, and lets them record directly to doi:10.1162/COMJ r 00290 USB connection. The user can adjust their DAW of choice. The fret board settings via a software application or of the guitar can be split to allow up can use the on-board controls. The to four instruments to be controlled controller weighs 6.5 lbs and has simultaneously. buttons for use with a guitar strap. A number of well-known guitar A set of headstocks and decorative producers are now including the pick guards are available as optional TriplePlay as a built-in device. Fender accessories. has released the Fishman TriplePlay You Rock Guitar is listed for US$ Stratocaster HSS guitar and Godin 359. Contact: You Rock Guitar; tele- Guitars also has a model called the phone (+1) 805-426-5000; electronic Session Custom TriplePlay guitar. mail [email protected]; Web The TriplePlay is listed for US$ yourockguitar.com. 615. Contact: Fishman, 6 River- side Drive, Andover, Massachusetts,

Fishman TriplePlay Wireless Guitar Controller

The TriplePlay from Fishman is a wireless MIDI controller for electric guitars. It comprises a low profile 1 (less than /2-in.) wireless controller, hexaphonic pickup, and wireless USB receiver for transmission of the MIDI signal to computer (see Figure 2). The controller can be quickly and easily mounted and removed from the guitar. It uses a rechargeable lithium ion battery and has a wireless range of Figure 2. The TriplePlay Figure 1. The You Rock more than 100 ft. The controller unit wireless guitar controller Guitar MIDI controller. features a volume control, selector from Fishman.

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 3. Livid’s Guitar Wing wireless MIDI controller.

an alternative to wireless connection. [email protected]; Web The battery provides up to 8 hours of www.misa-digital.myshopify.com. operation. Guitar Wing is listed for US$ 199. Contact: Livid; Web lividinstru- Allen & Heath Xone:K1 MIDI ments.com. Controller

The Xone:K1 MIDI controller from Misa Tri- Controller Allen & Heath has a total of 52 assignable controls in a lightweight The Misa Tri-Bass is a guitar con- 2.2-lb unit (see Figure 4). It is based troller with a solid wood neck and on the company’s earlier Xone:K2 01810, USA; telephone (+1) 978-988- body, sensors on the fingerboard, controller and designed with DJ 9199; fax (+1) 978-988-0770; Web and an integrated multi-touch touch use in mind, although its range of www.fishman.com. screen on the body. It is a controller controls make it applicable to a wider only and does not have a built-in range of musicians and performers. . The Tri-Bass connects The controller has six endless rotary Livid Guitar Wing to MIDI devices via a 5-pin MIDI encodes with built-in push switch, cable or to computers and digital twelve analog potentiometers, and Livid’s Guitar Wing is a wireless audio equipment using the supplied four linear faders. It also features 30 MIDI controller for use with guitar MIDI–USB cable. backlit switches that can be used and bass. It is designed to fit onto The fingerboard of the controller to display a range of three different the instrument, giving the musician features 60 sensors, arranged into colors for use in performance. quick and easy access to a range of three rows over 20 frets. They are The Xone:K1 is powered by USB. MIDI controls and DAW parameters shaped to guide the users’ fingers into It can be connected to other Xone:K on virtual instruments and effects place and provide tactile feedback. series controllers or Allen & Heath plug-ins (see Figure 3). The Guitar The sensor specifies the pitch of the mixers using the company’s X:LINK Wing can connect wirelessly over note to be played and it is the touch protocol. The front panel is made of Bluetooth to a computer and is screen that is used as a playing surface steel and steel nuts are used on the powered by a rechargeable lithium to trigger the notes. rotary controller. A black padded case ion battery so the user has freedom of The touch screen is divided into is available as an optional purchase. movement. four sections, each of which repre- The case also functions as a stand to The controller has a three- sents a different MIDI channel and align the controller with the height dimensional accelerometer, four can be assigned to a different synthe- of most professional mixers. The velocity-sensitive pads with built in sizer sound. A sample mode is also controller measures 5.3 × 2.1 × 14 in. aftertouch, three touch sliders with available and it divides the touch The Xone:K1 is listed for US$ 299. LED indicators, four control but- screen into individual zones which Contact: Allen & Heath Limited, tons, four select buttons, and a USB are used to trigger sound sources or Kernick Industrial Estate, Penryn, output. The buttons are backlit and control parameters independently of Cornwall TR10 9LU, UK; telephone programmable. The Guitar Wing has the neck sensors. In this mode, touch- (+44) 132-637-2070; web www.allen- an adjustable rubber guitar clamp for ing the sensor alone triggers a note heath.com. connection to instruments. and two-handed taps can be played. An effects plug-in, WingFX, is A volume knob is the only other included with purchase. It can be control on the guitar body. The con- Simmons Stryke6 Drum used as a standalone application or troller can be powered by a recharge- Controller as a VST/AU plug-in. Guitar Wing able internal battery or by mains is a class-compliant MIDI device so power using the supplied adapter. Simmons, the manufacturer of the can be used with any MIDI software The battery status is displayed on the first electronics drum kits of the or hardware. Templates are provided touch screen. The Tri-bass is available 1980s, has now created a six-pad for Ableton Live, Guitar Rig, and in black or white models. drum controller called Stryke6 (see Logic. The USB output can be used to The Tri-Bass is listed for US$ 799. Figure 5). The controller is designed transmit MIDI to a host computer as Contact: Misa Digital; electronic mail to be portable and to be used in

Products of Interest 95

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 4. Allen & Heath’s Xone:K1 MIDI controller.

Figure 5. Simmons’s Stryke6 drum controller.

to 96 kHz. The outputs on the device 1 are: three stereo pairs of /4-in TRS speaker outputs with level controls, a 1 stereo pair of /4-in main outputs and 1 a stereo pair of /4-in cue output. In addition to this, four full-size head- phone outputs with volume control are located on the top panel. Each of the stereo inputs can be routed to ei- ther the main or cue output path and each of the headphone outputs has a main/cue selector button. The range of outputs also allows the user to switch between speakers, setting the levels for each individually. A large blue knob on the top panel controls the main speaker level. An electret-condenser talkback microphone with separate level con- trol is built in and when activated the cue signal is automatically attenuated Figure 4 by 20 dB. The metering section on the top panel of the Monitor Station features two eight-segment, three- color LED meters for left and right signal levels. They can be used with +4, +10, or +18 dB signal levels. A Mono switch is included and sums the stereo output so the user can ensure there are no phase problems. A Dim switch and attenuation knob reduces the speaker by −30 to −6dB, and a mute speaker switch is also pro- vided. A range of modes of operation Figure 5 are available for input and speaker selection. The unit measures 2.5 × × place of a full drum kit. It has six The Stryke6 is listed for US$ 8.5 9-in and weighs 6 lbs. velocity-sensitive drum pads and 299.99. Contact: Simmons Drums; The Monitor Station V2 is listed foot pedals are provided for hi-hat telephone (+1) 888-621-4008; Web for US$ 299. Contact: PreSonus and kick pedal inputs. The pads are simmonsdrums.net/. Audio Electronics, Inc., 18011 Grand color-coded with LED light rings. The Bay Court, Baton Rouge, Louisiana + Stryke6 controller has a 30-pin iPad Presonus Monitor Station V2 70809, USA; telephone ( 1) 225-216- + connection for portable use with an 7887; fax ( 1) 225-926-8347; Web iPad and a USB port for connection to The Monitor Station V2 from www.presonus.com. a computer. A free iPad app, Stryke Presonus is a desktop unit designed to Drums, can be downloaded from allow monitoring of up to four audio the Apple App Store and used with sources (see Figure 6). It features two Alesis iO Hub and Control 1 the controller or it can be used to stereo pairs of /4-in TRS inputs, a pair Hub Interfaces trigger controls and programs in DAW of RCA auxiliary inputs with gain software. A set of plastic drum sticks control, and a stereo S/PDIF digital Alesis’s iO Hub and Control Hub is included with the purchase. input that supports sampling rates up are highly portable interfaces for

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 6. The Monitor Station from Figure 7. The Alesis iO Hub Presonus. audio interface.

Figure 8. The Alesis Control Hub MIDI interface with audio output.

Figure 7

Figure 8 Figure 6

The Audiohub has three USB 2.0 musicians and producers. The iO Hub input, and a headphone output with ports on the front panel, two matched is a two-channel audio interface with volume control (see Figure 8). Two stereo inputs on RCA connections, two combination microphone/line audio outputs are also included for and a full-size headphone jack. An inputs (see Figure 7). Phantom power monitoring the audio playback from input monitor switch and select is available on the first channel and a computer. The interface is USB- switch for the headphones is also the second has a direct input switch powered. located here. The user can switch so that it can be used directly with Both interfaces are listed for US$ from inputs 1–2 or 3–4 for separate 1 guitars and basses. Two /4-in outputs 149.99. Contact: Alesis, 200 Scenic headphone monitoring. The rear panel and a stereo headphone output, with View Drive, Suite 201, Cumberland, has four unbalanced RCA outputs, a dedicated volume control, are also Rhode Island 02864, USA; telephone two balanced jack outputs, a USB 2.0 provided. A direct switch can be used (+1) 401-658-5760. type B socket, the input for the power for zero-latency monitoring of the supply, and a Kensington lock slot. input signal. Gain control knobs for Novation Audiohub Interface The top panel of the Audiohub has the inputs and a global volume knob three volume controls for output 1/2, are located on the front panel. The The Audiohub 2 × 4 from Novation 3/4, and the headphones. Signal and interface can be powered by USB or is an audio interface and USB hub clip LEDS are provided for the inputs by 9V battery. designed with music production and outputs, and to indicate which of The Control Hub is a USB MIDI in mind. The aim was to provide the USB ports are being used. interface with audio output. It fea- connections and power for multiple The Audiohub supports sampling tures MIDI input and output ports, USB devices with ultra-low latency rates up to 96 kHz and sample depth an assignable MIDI footswitch/pedal and super loud output (see Figure 9). of 24 bits. The gain can be adjusted

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 9. Novation’s Audiohub 2 × 4 audio interface and USB hub.

Figure 10. The Audient iD22 audio interface.

and with iOS 6 and 7. A 1.5-m USB cable, power supply, Ableton Live Lite 9, and 1 GB of Loopmasters samples are included with the purchase. Audiohub is listed for US$ 249.99. Contact: Novation, A division of Focusrite Audio Engineering Ltd., Windsor House, Turnpike Road, High Wycombe, Bucks HP12 3FX, UK; telephone (+44) 149-446-2246; fax (+44) 149-445-9920; electronic mail [email protected]; Web www.focusrite.com.

Audient iD22 Audio Interface and Monitoring System

The iD22 interface from British company Audient is a two-input/six- output audio interface that also Figure 9 includes insert points (see Figure 10). Combination Neutrik XLR/TRS con- nectors are available for microphone and line input. The microphone pre- amplifiers feature a low distortion, low noise, eight-transistor discrete class-A front-end. They provide 60 dB of gain, phantom power for condenser microphones, and feature a −10 dB pad switch, switchable high-pass fil- ter (100 Hz, 12 dB per octave), and polarity reverse switch. The second channel can alternatively be used as a Direct Input (DI) for instruments. When a jack is connected to the dis- crete JFET DI input it automatically overrides the microphone signal for channel 2. The user can also apply Figure 10 the −10 dB pad, polarity reverse, and high-pass filter to this instrument input. The A-D and D-A convertors by −0.7 dB or +9.1 dB using a switch for each input and output is listed on support sampling rates up to 96 kHz on the front panel. The interfaces the product Web page. and 24-bit sample depth. frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 The Audiohub can be powered via A digital optical input can be used kHz and it has a Total Harmonic USB when used as an audio interface. for stereo S/PDIF input or for multi- Distortion (THD) of −97 dB on the External mains power supply is channel ADAT input. At sampling input and −99.7 dB on the output needed when using it as a USB hub. rates of 44.1 and 48 kHz, eight ADAT (−1 dBFS at 997 Hz). Up to 73 mW The unit measures 134 × 150 × 41 channels can be input and at the power is available on the headphone mm. It is compatible with Mac OS X higher sampling rate of 88.2 and 96 output. Full technical specifications 10.8 and 10.9; Windows 7, 8, and 8.1; kHz, four channels can be input on

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 11. MOTU’s 1248 Thunderbolt audio interface.

an ADAT connection. Two balanced namic range, 48-channel mixing, DSP streams to multiple destinations. A insert connections allow the user effects, and audio networking options single input or input pair can also be to connect additional processing using the IEEE AVB Ethernet stan- split. DSP effects are available and gear while still taking advantage dard. The three interfaces differ only include reverberation, a four-band of the iD22’s convertors. There are in the analog input/output options equalizer, gate, compressor, and a four main analog outputs and these available. range of vintage effects. have a dynamic range of 114 dB (A- The 1248 interface features 32 The interfaces support the IEEE weighted). Two further outputs with channel inputs and 34 outputs. There 802.1 Audio Video Bridging (AVB) separate D-A convertor are provided are eight balanced analog inputs and Ethernet standard extension, which for headphones. The interface has twelve outputs on TRS connections, allows for connection of two inter- a monitor section with controls for four microphone inputs with digitally faces using an Ethernet cable, or up to mono, polarity, dim, cut, speaker controlled pre-amplifiers, two guitar five interfaces using a separate AVB switching, talkback, and monitoring inputs on the front panel, two head- switch. An AVB network that uses of the cue mix. phone outputs, a stereo S/PDIF digital these interfaces can support more The device supports USB 2.0 for input/output, 16 channels of ADAT than 512 audio channels with a net- connection to computer. Two analog optical output, and eight channels of work latency of just 30 samples at 48 and eight digital channels can be SMUX optical output. kHz. When connected to a computer input on USB and six analog and The 8M interface model has eight using the Thunderbolt port, 128 chan- eight digital can be output. It is combination microphone/line/guitar nels of networked audio input and class-compliant for Mac OS 10.6.8 or inputs with digitally controlled mi- output can be recorded and monitored higher, and ASIO and WDM drivers crophone pre-amplifiers, and eight simultaneously. Precision-clocking are available for Windows users. A analog outputs on TRS connections. and synchronization functions are software application is available for The 16A model features 16 ana- built in. The interfaces can also be configuring the internal routing and log inputs and 16 analog outputs connected to a WiFi router and mixing mixing. The interface is constructed on TRS connections. Each inter- and on-board effects controlled using of metal, with machined aluminum face has digital input/output, word a smart phone or other mobile device. knobs and toggle switches used for clock input/output, and USB 2.0 and Each interface is listed for US$ the controls. It requires main power. Thunderbolt connections. 1,495. The AVB switch is listed The iD22 is listed for US$ 995. The balanced TRS outputs are for US$ 295. Contact: Mark of Contact: Audient Ltd, Aspect House, capable of a dynamic range of 123 dB the Unicorn,1280 Massachusetts Herriard, Hampshire RG25 2PN, UK; (A-weighted up to 20 kHz) and offer Ave., Cambridge, Massachusetts telephone (+44) 125-638-1944; Web THD of −110 dB (0.0003 percent). 02138, USA; telephone (+1) 617- audient.com. Latency on the analog input/output is 576-2760; fax: (+1) 617-576-3609; around 32 samples or 0.66 msec at 48 electronic mail [email protected]; Web kHz. Each of the interfaces features www.motu.com. a 423 × 24 pixel LCD screen for Mark of the Unicorn Thunderbolt metering display. All three interfaces Audio Interfaces include a 48-channel mixer with 32-bit floating point precision. Seven Line 6 Sonic Port VX Mobile Mark of the Unicorn has released stereo auxiliary busses, three groups, Audio Interface three new rack-mountable Thun- a reverb bus or fourth group, a main derbolt audio interfaces, the 1248, mix bus, and a monitor bus that The Sonic Port VX is a small-form the 8M, and the 16A (see Figure 11). can serve as a solo bus are provided. portable audio interface with built-in Each interface offers a range of ana- Flexible routing allows the user to microphone and pre-amplifiers (see log and digital input/output, A-D route audio to and from the mixer, Figure 12). The interface can be placed and D-A conversion with a high dy- a computer, and audio network on a tabletop but also comes with a

Products of Interest 99

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 12. The Sonic Port VX audio interface from Line 6.

The first four products in the range sounds, bass, leads, and sounds effect. are a synthesizer keyboard, bass The user can enter steps manually synthesizer, drum machine, and or record them in real-time on the vocal effects processor, all of which touch pad and it is easy to switch are based on instruments from the between pattern creation and perfor- 1970s and 1980s. mance modes. The length of phrases The System-1 Synthesizer has 25 can be altered during playback by full-size keys, four oscillators, and changing the number of steps. Ran- a total of 73 different control knobs dom pattern generation options and and sliders to provide control over a pattern copy function are available. all parameters (see Figure 13). It uses A scatter function can slice, reverse, 1 tabletop stand, has a /4-in thread for Roland’s Analog Circuit behavior and implement gates and other ef- use with tripods, and comes with (ACB), which models analog circuits. fects to easily create variations. Eight a microphone stand adapter. It has The synthesizer features a multi- different scatter functions with ten three studio-grade condenser micro- mode filter with −12 dB and −24 depth levels each are available and phones: a stereo matched pair and dB per octave options, a scatter they can be controlled in real-time. a front-facing microphone. High- jog dial with ten different phrase The user can control the tuning of quality microphone pre-amplifiers variations and ten depth levels, a individual patterns from −700 to with 45-dB gain are integrated into tone knob, delay and reverb effects, +700 cents and can also adjust tuning the interface. A Direct Input for guitar tempo synchronization for LFO and at the master level. The synthesizer and bass offers a dynamic range of delay, a Crusher knob for distortion, connects to a computer over USB 1 120 dB, and an /8-in stereo line input and MIDI clock synchronization. The for audio, MIDI, and MIDI clock is also provided. Balanced stereo out- System-1 can host software plug- transmission. 1 1 puts on /4-in outputs, and an /8-in ins from Roland, and the user can The TR-8 Rhythm is based on headphone output offer zero-latency switch between the synthesizer’s Roland’s TR808 and TR909 drum monitoring. The interface supports internal sounds and the hosted plug- machines and their design sheet and sampleratesupto48kHz,at24-bit in sounds. The synthesizer uses analog circuits were used to recreate sample depth. It is compatible with USB to transmit audio and MIDI the sound of the original. Sixteen iOS, Macintosh, and Windows ma- to computer. A backup and restore different drum kits with eleven chines. USB and 14-pin Lightning function is available for managing instruments in each are available. connections are included. The in- presets. A large tempo knob and Tap Tempo terface can be powered by USB. A The TB-3 Touch is a bass button are provided, along with software app for iOS called Mobile synthesizer modeled on the well- knobs for fine tuning and shuffle. POD is included with the purchase. known TB-303 synthesizer, using the The intensity of the accent can be It offers the user 32 guitar amplifiers, company’s ACB technology. It recre- controlled, and dedicated controls are 16 stompboxes and rack effects, and ates the saw and square waveforms available for the per-step reverb and 16 speaker cabinets. of the original oscillator as well as delay effects. Sixteen pads with full- The Sonic Port VX is listed for US$ its attack, slide, tie, and filter behav- color LEDs are provided at the bottom 199.99. Contact: Line 6, Inc., 26580 iors. The synthesizer features a large of the main panel and real-time Agoura Road, Calabasas, California pressure-sensitive, brightly lit touch patternsupto32stepslongcanbe 91302-1921, USA; telephone (+1) pad that is broken into keyboard created. The user can switch between 818-575-3600; fax (+1) 818-575-3601; intervals, and it has red and green in- step input and real-time pattern Web line6.com. dicator lights to aid pattern creation. creation/performance mode. Four The envelope modulation and delay different types of rolls are available. can be controlled with one finger Pattern copy, randomization, and Roland AIRA Series on the touchpad and patterns and scatter functions are also provided. transpositions controlled with finger Individual instruments can be muted Roland’s new AIRA series is a range gestures. Up to 32 steps can be created and un-muted in real-time. There of classic Roland analog gear that in a pattern. The synthesizer offers are two assignable analog outputs has been updated to digital for use the user 134 sounds organized into and USB output. MIDI clock is also in the studio or in live performance. four different banks: original TB-303 supported.

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 13. The System-1 synthesizer from Roland’s AIRA series.

Figure 14. A Native Instruments’ S-Series keyboard showing the touch controls, Clear View display, and Light Guide system.

for loopback recording and overdub- bing vocals. It can be powered by USB bus or AC adapter. Further planned additions to the AIRA series at the time of writing were the SBX-1 (a synchronization hub for MIDI, USB, CV, and clock), and the SH-101 (a software synthe- sizer based on the analog SH-101 version). Systems 1 is listed for US$ 599, the TB-3 for US$ 299, the TR-8 for TR-8 US$ 499, and the VT-3 for US$ 199. Contact: Roland Corporation US, 5100 S. Eastern Ave., Los An- geles, California 90040-2938, USA; telephone (+1) 323-890-3700; Web www.rolandus.com.

Figure 13 Native Instruments S-Series MIDI Keyboards for Komplete 10

Native Instruments has released a series of control keyboards designed for use with their Komplete 10 range of virtual instruments. They can be used with other DAW software also but the keyboards are fully integrated for use with Komplete 10. The S-Series keyboards are available in 25-, 49-, and 61-key models. They have semi-weighted Fatar keys. Eight touch-sensitive control knobs automatically give the user ac- cess to important parameters of each Komplete instrument (see Figure 14). Each instrument was mapped to the controls by Native Instruments’ sound designers and the parameters are grouped into pages that the user Figure 14 can scroll through for access to all parameters. A Clear View display The VT-3 Voice Transformer is and is brightly lit for use in perfor- is integrated into the top panel and a real-time vocal processor. It fea- mance situations. It is designed to displays the name and value of each tures Pitch and Formant sliders, large be lightweight and portable. It has parameter automatically, without sliders for reverb and mix balance, a standard combination XLR/TRS the requiring any user setup. The an optional footswitch for live per- jack input with phantom power, a keyboards have a built-in browser for formance control, and three user mini-jack microphone input, stereo instrument searching and selection. preset settings. It has green LEDs outputs, and a built-in audio interface The user can browse by instrument

Products of Interest 101

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 15. sE Electronics’ ProMic DLSR camera microphone.

or search for sounds by tags and application or audio files in WAF and keywords. AIFF format can be added by drag and The S-Series keyboards also fea- drop. The user can view the wave- ture the Light Guide, a system of form or the spectrum of the audio multi-color LEDS located just above file or even a combination of both. the keys. They are used to show mounting on a DSLR camera (see Color, black and white, and inverted keyboards zones, key switches, and Figure 15). The ProMic Laser is black and white spectrum views are to give performance feedback about a shotgun condenser microphone available. The user can adjust the dy- scales, chords, arpeggios, and trig- with a precision tuned capsule. namics shown in the spectrum using gered notes. When used with key- It is constructed from aluminum, a slider. Zoom and full screen options board zones, for example, different has a custom made shockmount are available. The user can also create colors can be used for each zone, or for mounting on a hot shoe, and a loop from a selected section of the keys used as switches for actions has a removable wind shield. The audio file. strikes can be lit with a different microphone is powered by just one The TS can be used to stretch color. In performance the Light Guide AAA battery. audio and to transpose audio files in can be used to guide the user to TheProMicLaserhasasuper real-time with minimal processing notes of a specific scale. The Light cardioid polar pattern, a frequency artifacts. Files can be stretched to Guide functions vary according to the response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, sensi- extremes with a x100 button and fur- selected instrument. tivity of −30 ± 2 dB, and a maximum ther processed with format, transient, Scale-mapping, transpose, chord, sound pressure level of 120 dB. It sinus, and noise sliders to create and arpeggiate functions are included. features a 10-dB pad for use with loud new sounds and audio textures. The In chord mode a single key press sound sources, and a bass cut filter transposition applied can be shown can trigger a chord or a specific set for reducing low frequency rumbles as a percentage or in terms of a scale. of chords can be pre-loaded. Wrong and noise. An on/off switch is also A shape preservation mode is pro- notes played outside of a specified provided on the microphone body. vided for use with vocal processing. scale can automatically be corrected A protective carry bag, mini- The user can select the amount of to a note within the set scale. Two jack cable, foam windshield, and harmonic and inharmonic signals to touch-sensitive strips are used in shockmount are included with the include in the output. Audio can be place of the pitch and modulation microphone. Further accessories in exported in real-time. The software wheels and they can be used to create the ProMic series are planned and is only available for Macintosh ma- instant jumps in settings, repeated these will be compatible with the chines at the moment but a Windows taps, and other finger gestures. The Laser microphone. version is in development. keyboards have MIDI input/output, a The ProMic is listed for US$ 249. The TS is listed for US$ 1 USB port, and /4-in jack connections Contact: sE Electronics International, 249. Contact: Plugivery; Web for expressions and sustain pedal. 3 Hunting Gate, Hitchin, Herts SG4 www.plugivery.com. The S25 is listed for US$ 499, the 0TJ, UK; telephone (+44) 845 500 S49 for US$ 599, and the S61 for US$ 2500; fax (+44) 158-247-0269; Web 699. Contact: Native Instruments www.seelectronics.com. Applied Acoustics Systems North America, 6725 Sunset Boule- String Studio VS-2 vard, 5th Floor, Los Angeles, Cali- + fornia 90028, USA; telephone ( 1) Ircam Lab TS Time Stretching Applied Acoustics Systems (AAS) has + 866-556-6487; fax ( 1) 866-556-6490; and Transposition Software released an updated 64-bit version of Web www.native-instruments.com. String Studio, their string modeling Ircam Labs has released a new time synthesizer plug-in from 2005 (see stretching and transposition tool CMJ 30(1) Products of Interest). The sE Electronics ProMic Laser called TS. The application processes interface of the plug-in has been Shotgun Camera Microphone audio in real-time using their Su- redesigned and now features three perVP phase vocoder and the analysis panels: Play, Edit, and Effects. Microphone manufacturer sE Elec- and synthesis functions from their The Play panel features shortcuts tronics has released what it describes AudioSculpt software. Real-time au- to performance and effects param- as the “first ever” microphone for dio can be recorded straight into the eters, bypass switches for quick

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Figure 16. A screenshot from iZotope RX 4.

editing, and an arpeggiator with a wah-wah, and reverb, as well as a new String Studio VS-2 is listed for US$ choice of resolutions for synchro- equalizer, compressor, and limiter. 199. Current VS-1 users can upgrade nization and rhythm patterns. The A new management systems for US$ 39. Contact: Applied Acous- user creates their instrument using for banks and programs has been tics Systems; Web www.applied- acoustic modeling techniques with added and an updated library with acoustics.com. classic synthesizer controls in the more than 600 sounded arranged in Edit panel. It has Exciter, String, Fil- eleven different categories is included. ter, and Body modules, with detailed Presets from String Studio VS-1 can controls in each section. The material be imported and the Scala scale file iZotope RX 4 Audio Repair of the string can be adjusted to change format allowed microtonal scales to Suite the tone and the manner in which be used. The plug-in offers real-time it vibrates, and the user can choose MIDI control over parameters, MIDI, iZotope has released their latest suite the type and size of the instrument and host tempo synchronization for of RX audio repair tools. The RX 4 can body. The user then selects how the use with effects and modulations. be run as a standalone application or instrument will be played: using a This new version of String Studio as suite of plug-ins for use with AAX, bow, hammer, or simulating a string is compatible with AAX, AU, and RTAS, VST, or Audio Unit hosts (see plucked with a pick or finger. Notch; VST hosts running on Mac OS X 10.6 Figure 16). It is also available as part format; and low-, high-, and band-pass or later, or on Windows XP, Vista, of the company’s Studio & Repair filters can be used to sculpt the sound. 7, or 8. It requires an Intel Core (or bundle, which includes mastering The Effects panel features improved equivalent) processor, at least 512 and mixing tools. A standard and versions of AAS’s chorus, delay, pha- MB RAM, and 70 MB of hard drive advanced version of the RX 4 software sor, flanger, distortion, notch filter, space. suite is available.

Products of Interest 103

Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 The Dialogue Denoiser tool is edition. Loudness can be used to microphones around the piano and designed to correct problems with quickly adjust the mix in line with can load their own impulse files for vocals and dialogue in real-time. broadcast standards. Ambience Match use with the convolution reverb. The The Spectral Repair module allows matches the environmental noise of Pianteq Pro version gives the user the user to draw directly onto the source and target clip. EQ Match access to 29 different parameters for spectrum to select problematic fre- identifies the equalization applied to every note, and it supports sample quencies and sounds for repair. These a source audio clip and then allows rates up to 192 kHz. can range from wrong notes to exter- the user to match that equalization The user can control the hardness nal noises and instrument squeaks. on a target clip. Dereverb, as its of the hammer, physical characteris- The resynthesis algorithms take into name suggests, can be used to re- tics of the soundboard, string length, account the tonal harmonics, pitch duce and remove unwanted reverb sympathetic resonance, timbre, vol- changes such as vibrato, background and change the characteristics of ume, microtuning, and mechani- noise, and transients. The Advanced the room in which the recording cal noises. A graphic equalizer and version of RX 4 provides the user with was made. A further suite of vi- graphic curve for note-off, velocity, a multi-resolution mode that allows sualization and metering tools for and pedal are available. Eight dif- more accurate separation of audio and post production and broadcast ap- ferent types of pedal are included unwanted noises. plications called Insight is included and the user can choose to partially A Declick tool identifies and as a plug-in with the Advanced depress a pedal. A variable setting eliminates the clicks, pops, crackles, edition. is available for the condition of the and digital impulse noises that can Time-stretching and pitch-shifting instrument, varying from mint to result from transferring audio of algorithms, resampling, dither, delay worn. The lid position and the posi- poor quality, or from digital errors, and phase, and a spectrum analyzer tioning of five virtual microphones mouth noises, reed noises from wind are also available. Third-party plug- can be adjusted. Tremolo, wah-wah, instruments, and interference from ins are supported and the user can compressor, delay, flanger, chorus, cell phones. It includes a manual batch process files. RX 4 is compatible and compressor effects are available. sample-level correction feature. with Windows 7 and 8, and with Mac Up to five channels are supported, and Denoise removes noise and mini- OS X 10.7 and later. the developer reports no quantization mizes artifacts, according to iZotope, RX 4 is listed for US$ 349 and noise from the 32-bit internal pro- with the user given control over tonal the Advanced edition is listed for cessing. An extended keyboard range and noise components. Hum Re- US$ 1,199. Contact: iZotope; Web of almost nine octaves (105 keys) is moval identifies the base frequency www.izotope.com. supported. of a hum for precise removal. It also The user can choose two instru- has an adaptive mode that can track ment packs for inclusion with pur- and remove a hum that changes in Mordatt Pianoteq 5 Virtual Piano chase and additional packs are avail- frequency over time. The company able. These include upright, grand, report that it does so without the sort Pianoteq 5, from French company rock, and electric ; vibraphones; of side effects that can result from Mordatt, is the latest release of clavinet, celesta and glockenspiel; using comb filters. If the Denoise their virtual piano instrument. The xylophone; and marimba and tool is a better option for removal of software uses physical modeling steelpans. the hum, then that will be automati- to simulate the characteristics of The plug-in is compatible with cally recommended to the user over acoustic pianos and is just 40 MB in AU, VST, RTAS, and AAX hosts, on the Hum Removal tool. The non- size. Mac OS X 10.5 or later, Windows destructive Clip Gain can be used to Pianoteq is available in three XP/7/8, and x86. draw the user’s chosen volume curve different versions. A budget model Pianoteq 5 is listed for US$ 135 on individual clips, with instant feed- called Stage comes with preset piano to US$ 540 for the Pro version. back given on balance levels against models that the user cannot modify. Additional instrument packs can surrounding sounds. A Standard version allows the user be purchased for US$ 99. Contact: An additional Leveler is included to edit some parameters, such as the Modartt, 10 Avenue de l’Europe, in the Advanced edition of RX 4. hardness of the hammer and length 31520 Ramonville Saint Agne, France; There are a further set of tools of string. The user can also control electronic mail [email protected]; available only in the RX 4 Advanced the placement of up to five virtual Web www.pianoteq.com.

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021 Spectrasonics Trillian Bass Fender, and Epiphone models. The main page of each patch features the Virtual Instrument Acoustic Bass instrument, as an most useful controls for that specific example, uses more than 21,000 patch. The controls can be learned The virtual instrument Trillian is a samples and four audio channels. by MIDI and automated. A 2-GHz modern successor to Spectrasonics’ A range of more than 30 hardware processor and computer with 4 GB Trilogy bass instrument, first released synthesizers were used as sound RAM is recommended for running in 2002. It features a 34-GB library sources for the synthesizer sounds. Trillian. Users will need a DVD- and a range of acoustic, electric, and The user has access to comprehen- ROM drive and 35 GB of hard drive synthesizer bass instruments. Tril- sive editing controls, including a space for installation. The software is lian uses the same Steam Engine modulation system with 19 different compatible with both 32- and 64-bit processor from the company’s Om- types of filter, 6 multi-stage looping Macintosh and PC. It runs on VST, nisphere synthesizer, with which it envelopes, 6 LFOs, and effects that RTAS, or AAX hosts, or additionally, can be integrated. The sound library can be modulated. Audio Units hosts on a Macintosh. can be opened in Omnisphere for The effects in Trillian come from Mac OS X 10.7, or performance and further processing. Spectrasonics’ Omnisphere synthe- Vista, 7, or 8 is required. The electric basses include more sizer and Stylus RMX virtual instru- Trillian is listed for US$ 299. than 60 four-, five-, six-, and eight- ment, and they include amplifier and Contact: Spectrasonics, P.O. Box string instruments and they can be speaker models, distortions, dynam- 7336, Burbank, California 91510, played in fingered, picked, fretless, ics processors, equalizers, chorus, USA; telephone (+1) 818-955-8481; slapped, tapped, and muted modes. phasors, flangers, delays, and reverbs. fax (+1) 818-955-8613; electronic Among the well-known bass brands The user can create their own mail [email protected]; Web featured are Music Man, Chapman, customized controls so that the www.spectrasonics.net/.

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Downloaded from http://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/COMJ_r_00290 by guest on 29 September 2021