Korg can't seem to stop itself putting squelchy analog sounds into portable synths, and its latest grab-and-geek-out playthings are the Korg Volca Series. A trio of true-analog synthesizers - the Volca Keys for loops, Volca Bass for basslines, and Volca Beats for rhythms - each pack a sequencer and recording functionality, and can be daisy-chained into an impromptu studio.
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‘musical instrument’ Stories
Korg Volca analog synths power retro on-the-go
Korg KROSS takes synth workstation mobile
Korg has a history of making keyboard workstations, but the KROSS takes the all-in-one flexibility to a new level, throwing in battery power support for mobile music creation. Available in 61- and 88-key versions - the latter using fully-weighted keys - the KROSS offers analog step sequencing, some of the key sounds from Korg's premium synth line-up, 134 effects, and a 16-track MIDI sequencer, with the potential for running the keyboard either off the mains or from six AA batteries.
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Korg Kaoss Synthesizer line expands with KP3+ and Kaossilator Pro+
It's no secret that Korg creates some fantastic products when it comes to synthesized sound - and music is about to blow through your ear sockets this week with a couple of additions to the Kaoss Synthesizer lineup. What we've got here is a couple of new beasts, the first being the KP3+ Dynamic Effect/Sampler, the other bumping up the beats as the Kaossilator Pro+ Dynamic Phase Synthesizer/Loop Recorder. The power is about to be yours once again.
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Leap Motion sees its potential as a possible musical device
As Leap Motion dev units have begun shipping out, developers have been toying with the motion-tracking device to find unique uses for it. One developer in particular ended up using his unit to help him out with his music recording. Stephane Bersot used the Leap Motion to play air drums, change the pitch of his guitar, and even control the EQ on his piano keyboard.
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Google JAM with Chrome uses Keyboard Cat to demo browser power
Google has launched JAM with Chrome, a new interactive web app intended to further demonstrate why the future of computing is inside the browser, and calling on Keyboard Cat to help demo it. The new toy relies on various HTML5 features to allow four players in different locations to jam together on the same track, choosing from 19 different instruments including drums, electric and acoustic guitars, and synths.
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Moog unveils LEV-96 sensoriactuator concept for acoustic guitars
Moog, the company that pioneered commercial manufacturing of analog synthesizers, has shown off a cool new piece of tech. They call it the LEV-96, and it's a new "sensoriactuator" prototype that "activates and controls naturally occurring harmonics and resonant frequencies on any medium." Images posted by Moog show the concept device being used on an acoustic guitar.
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Covet: The Best Three Gadgets for Geek Musicians
Music isn’t all strings, strumming and brassy blowing these days: the average geek can now produce the sort of tracks that would’ve previously demanded an Amon Tobin or Mr. Scruff. So what musical gadget should be on the workbench of any aspiring digital musician? Check out our top three picks after the cut, and a sneaky bonus for those on a budget at the end.
Figure iPhone music app graduates to true instrument after v1.1 update
Digital music app maker Propellerhead has given its iPhone beatbox tool Figure a much-anticipated upgrade, elevating the "three minute music" app to legitimate instrument. The v1.1 update, released back in April, has granted users one of the most-requested features: the ability to export audio. Previously, while Figure's pared-back interface made creating crunchy loops ridiculously straightforward, there was no way to actually enjoy them outside of the app.
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Samson Carbon 49 iPad keyboard targets mobile musicians
iPad musicians looking for an easy way to get their ideas into their tablet for under a Benjamin might find some keys to their taste in Samson's Carbon 49 MIDI controller. As well as being a regular USB MIDI keyboard with 49 semi-weighted keys for use with your favorite PC or Mac music app, the Carbon 49 also has an integrated iPad stand and hooks up direct to the Apple tablet.
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Propellerhead Figure for iPhone pares ReBirth for the mainstream
Reason and ReBirth developer Propellerhead has trimmed and sliced its music chopping talents down into a pick-up-and-play iPhone app, Figure, offering intuitive track creation for under a dollar. Pulling in audio from Reason's Thor synth and Kong drum machine for bass, lead and percussion, Figure is designed to be usable in just a few minutes by even those with no musical skills whatsoever, by dragging a finger around the play pad UI.
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Alesis iO Mix squirts four tracks into your new iPad
Alesis continues its obsession with slotting iPads into musical hardware with the iO Mix, a four-channel mixer that funnels audio into the Apple tablet via pro-style XLR-1/4" sockets. Core Audio support means it's compatible with most iPad audio apps, including Apple's own GarageBand, while a video output means it can be used to play back presentations and even as a karaoke hub.
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Yamaha Vocaloid Keyboard digitizes human words in real time
It's a strange advancement in the way we work with music when we take the human language and compile it into a computer, only then to re-play it in the order we wish: Yamaha wants to take this process an extra step into the future with the Vocaloid Keyboard. Using the already in place Vocaloid library of digitized voices, Yamaha has created a keyboard which uses two sets of keys, one of them setting up the human vocal cues, the other a traditional keyboard setup which pushes the human voice out depending on the notes the user has chosen. The result has the potential to be really magical.
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