High Wycombe, UK — After getting their Royal seal of approval, Novation release a limited edition keyboard that looks out of this world. Novation are celebrating the phenomenal success of the ReMOTE SL series by releasing a special limited edition ReMOTE SL37. The ReMOTE SL was the first MIDI controller to feature Novation’s groundbreaking Automap software - a technology so advanced that it recently won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation.

To mark this extraordinary achievement, Novation have produced a run of 999 new SL37s which bring you all of the advantages of Automap technology and package it all into a keyboard that looks as futuristic as the concept that it delivers.

Not only does the keyboard offer features that are simply unheard of elsewhere, it also looks out of this world too! The eight faders and 16 rotary controllers are divided into 16 boxes, with the transport, octave and data/select sections also demarcated with green, light-reactive lines - it’s a distinctive fluorescent green design that positively glows in a UV club environment.

The ReMOTE SL combines Novation’s Automap technology with comprehensive physical controllers to provide automatic, instant and intelligent control of all the major sequencers and all automatable plug-ins. Novation’s Automap software ensures that little or no user setup is required.

Sequencer controls are automatically mapped to the SL the moment the sequencer boots up, whilst all VST or AU parameters are intuitively assigned as soon as a plug-in opens. In addition, an instant click and control ‘learn’ function is available for quick custom assigning, providing personalised plug-in control.

The new limited edition ReMOTE 37SL is available now at a selection of pro audio retailers around the world. Contact your local distributor for further details.

Further information on all Novation gear - www.novationmusic.com .

Technorati Tags: Novation ReMOTE SL37, portable MIDI controller

MEYLAN, France — Origin is the most powerful synthesizer on the market. As a matter of fact, it goes beyond the traditional definition of synthesizers. It is a hardware DSP system that houses several synthesizers in one machine. Some of these synths come from the past, such as the Minimoog, some are totally new and innovative. Loaded with modules extracted from the best synthesizers of all time, Origin lets you combine these modules and take advantage of the additional possibilities put onboard. The result: a new type of sound accessible through an extremely intuitive interface.

Main features
* Create your own synthesis patch by connecting independent modules. These modules are either innovative modules we introduced (such as Galaxy) or taken from the best synthesizers ever made (such as the Moog Modular, the Yamaha CS-80, the Roland Jupiter-8, the Minimoog, the ARP 2600, the Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 and Prophet VS).
* Alternatively, use an existing synthesizer recreation: the Minimoog, the ARP 2600*, the Jupiter-8* or the Prophet 5*
* Superb audio quality with TAE® engine in a hardware chassis. 24 bits/44.1 kHz supported.
* High-Quality Real time Effects: Phaser, Chorus, Delay, Reverb, Distortion, Parametric EQ*, Bit Crusher*.
* 500 presets created by a selection of international sound designers
* 16/32 step advanced sequencer allowing you to program three sub-sequences at a time and to perform live.
* Multi mode allowing you to play 4 instruments at a time, for example a Minimoog, a Jupiter-8*, a modular patch and an ARP 2600*.
* Creative Macros, advanced LFO’s, innovative modulation sources, different Joystick modes.
* Advanced Preset browser.
* Analog Audio Connectivity: 2 audio ins, 10 audio outs.
* Digital Audio: SPDIF out, USB 2.0
* Built-in expression pedal and footswitch control inputs
* MIDI : In, Out, Thru or USB 2
* Up to 32 voices of polyphony
* Also a MIDI controller offering 33 encoders, 21 potentiometers and 1 joystick
* Ergonomic hardware design and quality manufacturing in France and Germany.
* Origin lets you open dedicated software on your Mac and PC in the form of Origin Connection an ergonomic application allowing to archive preset, exchange data, upgrade firmware.
* 160 pages manual in English.

(* after item = * To be delivered later on as a free upgrade).

More information: www.arturia.com/evolution/en/home .

Technorati Tags: Arturia Origin Desktop Synth

AUSTIN, Texas — Catering to the growing urban music scene, Open Labs will be hosting a two-day music event titled “Beats ‘N Treats Music Festival” at the Mohawk venue on October 24-25, 2008. The two day event will feature live bands and a beat competition called the “Gold Rush Beat Competition,” in which the winner will receive an Open Labs NeKo LUX encased in a 24-karat gold chassis. The instrument is worth over $24,000, and is Open Labs’ most expensive instrument to date. The competition will be held on the outside stage of the Mohawk for both days, with running times of 5 pm to 2 am on Friday, and 2 pm to 2 am on Saturday. Local Austin MCs will be the masters of ceremonies. The inside stage will feature live bands and DJs throughout the event.

The entire event will be filmed with multiple hi-definition cameras, and broadcast live from www.openlabs.com. Open Labs is currently marketing and advertising worldwide for the Beats ‘N Treats Music Festival, and over 2,000 attendees are expected, not including on-line viewers.

The gold NeKo is personally owned by Open Labs co-founder and chairman, Victor Wong, and only 24 of the gold NeKo’s will ever be made by Open Labs. Wong claims that he is giving away his personal gold NeKo as a token of appreciation to the musician community for Open Labs’ success, and as a celebration for Open Labs’ five year anniversary.

“We know that there is a huge urban music scene here in Austin, and we’d like to give it some more recognition, as well as help foster its growth,” said Wong. “Everyone at Open Labs is very pleased with the amount of success our company has received in the last five years, this is our way of giving back to the community, who have been the fuel to Open Labs’ fire.”

The Beats ‘N Treats Music Festival will have two stages during both days: an outside stage to host the beat competition, and an inside stage that will feature live music. The band list for the inside stage tentatively includes Recorder, DJ Veedub, Rattletree Marimba, CTRL, Fiction, The Beautiful Supermachines, CockVanDyke, Academicos Da Opera, Aciable, the Ginsu Wives, The Mercers, Androids of Ex-Lovers, Salero, Shriner Threat, El Paso Heist, Hot Pentacostals, Blackolicus, Salesman and more. The rooftop of the Mohawk will feature product demonstrations of Open Labs gear, Q&A’s with certified Open Labs employees, artist demonstrations, and the gold NeKo itself will be on display.

There is a $10 registration fee for beat makers wanting to compete during the Gold Rush Beat Competition, please visit the Open Labs website for details on registration payment. All proceeds from the registration fee will be donated to charity. The registration period will start on September 15, 2008 at noon, and will end on October 15, 2008 at midnight. The registrant number is limited to 200, and is on a first come, first serve basis. Open Labs will cut off the registration period if it reaches 200 before October 15, 2008 and will announce the preemptive cut-off date at www.openlabs.com.

“We’ve also had a lot of public interest in the gold NeKo since we’ve had it on our website and Youtube videos,” said Wong. “I know there are some stellar beat makers out there who deserve this machine, but can’t afford it. Now is their chance to own a 24-karat gold NeKo, our best and most expensive machine, using nothing but their talent.”

Headquartered in the heart of “the live music capital of the world,” Open Labs™ develops customized, computer music keyboards suited to fit every studio and stage need imaginable. With a single piece of Open Labs gear, musicians can play any organ, piano, synthesizer or virtual instrument on the planet, create any sound imaginable, manipulate every parameter, record it in a multi-track system and burn it to a CD/DVD. That’s just the beginning of what Open Labs products can do.

With the advent of their innovative products, the NeKo and MiKo, and the A-list artists that use them, Open Labs has become the industry standard for producers, composers and musicians of every genre. Open Labs invites you to participate in the first annual Beats ‘N Treats Music Festival and supporting beat-makers world-wide.

More information: openlabs.com/beats-n-treats-pr.html .

Technorati Tags: Open Labs Neko Lux 24k gold, Victor Wong, Beats N Treats Music Festival

NEW YORK — Weighing in at just fifteen pounds is the fiery new KORG M50, ready to take on all contenders! Incredible new sounds; fat & juicy combis, splits and layers; a plethora of ace effects; dynamic Drum Tracks; enhanced poly-arpeggiators; classic sequencing tools, a solid, confident keybed; up-to-date SD storage; companion editing software and our famous TouchView interactive display - it all adds up to an invigorating and sexy keyboard instrument that could only come from KORG.

Just as the M3 borrowed elements from the legendary OASYS, the M50 captures all the sonic firepower of the M3, distilled into a performance instrument that is second to none. In a word, the M50 just may be the keyboard you’ve been waiting for. Both 73* and 61 note versions are available, sporting a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard. This new fast and responsive synthesizer keybed facilitates expressive and dynamic performing. Tipping the scales at a mere 46 pounds, the seriously portable 88 key version features our top-of-the-line RH3 Graded Hammer Action, and provides a satisfying performance experience for the piano purist!

M50 is packed with over 600 individual sound programs, each one created by Korg’s renowned international voicing team. With a robust 256 MB of sample data - recorded in exacting studio conditions - the acoustic instruments are delivered with authenticity and realism, providing rich, natural articulation; synth sounds can be bombastic and aggressive, lush and enveloping, or pure and delicate. But first and foremost, the M50 remains a keyboard cornerstone for any musician. The remarkable piano offers three layers of stereo switching and an additional resonance layer for faithful and natural reproduction of the piano’s entire dynamic range.

In addition to the grand pianos, a myriad of other piano and keyboard mainstays are included – from a mono piano for pumping it out live on stage, to the ever in-demand vintage Korg SG-1 Sampling Grand. The electric pianos are responsive, dynamic and expressive, with all the tine and hammer-slap you can muster. The new clavs feature all the classic settings with wide dynamic response, and there are even string and flute sounds taken from the tape-driven keyboards of days gone by. Korg’s REMS pickup/amp/cabinet modeling technology provides that finishing touch. All the classics are there at your finger-tips; with spot-on programs that are a blast to play!

In addition to the individual programs, a combination (or “combi”) allows up to 16 sound programs to be stacked, split, layered and zoned across the keyboard; or set to individual MIDI channels. Nearly 400 of these combis come preloaded offering up tasty blends and splits for live performance. All of the preloaded sounds are completely editable, and there is plenty of room on-board (640 Programs, 512 Combinations) for all the sounds that you edit, modify, or create on your own.

Our most advanced hardware engine ever, Korg’s Enhanced Definition Synthesis is the musical heart of both the M50 and the M3. Each individual voice can lay claim to up to two stereo oscillators, four filters, two amp sections, five Low Frequency Oscillators (LFO), and five time-variant Envelope Generators (EG).

Your new M50 includes both stand-alone and plug-in sound editing software for more detailed graphic editing on your computer, and connects directly via USB. The plug-in version allows you to edit the M50’s sounds from inside any DAW (VST, Audio Units, and RTAS formats), allowing your edits and changes to be part of the song file, and without having to switch applications to tweak a sound. The M50 also uses convenient SD cards for economical and reliable data storage.

Keyboard
61-key, 73-key versions use a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard

88-key weighted action (RH3: Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 keyboard with 4-zone graded action response)

Controllers
Joystick, [SW1], [SW2]

Dimensions
M50-61:
40.43″(W) x 7.47″(D) x 4.17″(H)

M50-73:
46.90” (W) x 7.47” (D) x 4.17” (H)

M50-88:
55.47” (W) x 12.91” (D) x 5.94” (H)

Weight
M50-61: 14.9 lbs
M50-73: 17.6 lbs
M50-88: 45.86 lbs

Technorati Tags: Korg M50 Workstation keyboard

Recklinghausen, Germany — Access Music GmbH, the company behind the award winning Virus TI synthesizer series released OS 2.7 after an extensive public beta test. The new version, which is compatible with the entire Virus TI range including the Virus TI Snow, is a landmark in Access history of free feature OS updates.
It features Atomizer (a realtime glitch- and looper effect), a third USB buss to transfer more discreet audio channels in between the synth and the computer and support for multiple devices. It also adds Virus Control Center, a MacOS/Windows application which can backup and restore the memory content of the entire synth and overwrite the ROM banks with new sounds. OS 2.7 is available free of charge to every Virus TI user

More info: www.access-music.de

Technorati Tags: Access Virus TI

BOTHELL, Wash. — The new U-CONTROL UMA25S Keyboard controller from BEHRINGER combines a powerful MIDI controller with on-board USB audio interface and complete software package to provide a personal production powerhouse. 25 velocity-sensitive keys and a wealth of continuous controllers offer full performance control. The on-board USB audio interface accepts mic or line signals; headphones with boom microphone included.

The UMA25S ships with energy/XT2 Compact BEHRINGER Edition DAW software plus over 100 plug-ins. BEHRINGER provides an ultra-low latency ASIO driver compatible with Mac or PC (Windows XP and Vista).

The UMA25S operates on DC, battery or USB power.

* Ultra-slim design
* 25 velocity-sensitive keys
* Eight assignable rotary controllers, pitch bend, mod wheel and transport controls
* Stereo USB audio interface with mic and line level inputs
* Headphone with boom mic included
* Gig bag and strap included
* DC, battery or USB powered
* Ships with energy/XT2 Compact BEHRINGER Edition DAW software and 100 plug-ins
* Mac and Windows (XT and Vista) compatible.

Technorati Tags: Behringer UMA25S Keyboard controller

Buena Park, Calif. — Yamaha Corporation of America announces a new operating system (Version 1.10) for their flagship Motif XS line of music workstations, adding new functionality and features and bringing more flexibility and creativity to their users. New functionality includes seamless switching in Pattern and Song Mixing providing instant access to 16 Voices or 4 Performances without any interruption in sound as well as a new Copy Locate Points to Punch In and Out Points feature.

Workflow enhancements include the ability to connect a standard USB ASCII keyboard for quick navigation, and data entry as well as the ability to store Ethernet settings to simplify network connectivity.

Along with the OS, Yamaha released a new Voice and Multi-Part editor with enhanced Drum Kit and Utility features.

The new Motif XS Operating system and editor will be available July 2nd, 2008 at www.yamahasynth.com.

About Yamaha
Yamaha Corporation of America is the largest subsidiary of Yamaha Corporation, Japan and offers a full line of musical instruments and sound reinforcement products to the U.S. market. Products include: acoustic and digital pianos, portable keyboards, guitars, acoustic and electronic drums, band and orchestral instruments, marching percussion products, synthesizers, professional digital and analog audio products, and innovative technology products targeted to the hobbyist, education, worship, professional music, and installation markets.

Technorati Tags: Yamaha Motif XS, music workstation keyboard

Ultra thin design, full action semi-weighted keys, and $99 price make it the perfect gift item for musicians and computer enthusiasts

CHAMPLAIN, N.Y. — CME is now shipping their new M-Key portable MIDI controller in the US. M-Key is a 49-key MIDI keyboard featuring an ultra-thin, full-action semi-weighted keyboard, a joystick control, a mobile phone sound module, trigger pad, knob controller, U-CTRL and speaker. These features and a price of $99 make the M-Key the perfect holiday gift for any musician or computer enthusiast..

M-Key also ships with the “CME MusicPack,” a CDROM with free versions of popular professional audio software including Magix Samplitude SE, Arturia Analog Factory SE, Waldorf Edition LE, TruePiano demo, Keytosound Remedy VST and Musicator MW5 UF Edition.

Key Features:
- 49 ultra thin, velocity sensitive, full action semi-weighted keys
- 1 x Programmable Joystick
- 1 x function button, 2 x data entry button, 1 x slider (assignable)
- 1 x USB port, 1 x MIDI out, 2 x pedal connect
- USB MIDI, class-compliant with Windows XP and Mac OS X
- Firmware upgraded via USB
- Universal pedal connector, for switch and expression pedal
- Note-key shortcut function

The MKey is now available in the US for $99.

For more information, please visit www.cme-pro.com.

CME is distributed in the US by Kaysound Imports. Visit www.kaysound.com.

About CME
CME(R) is the registered trademark of Central Music Co, a high-tech enterprise founded in Beijing, China in 1993 and focused on the growing digital music production market. Central Music Co imports and distributes many of the world’s top music production brands including Apogee, Emu, Event, Kurzweil, Millennia, Moog, MOTU, Novation, PreSonus, RME, Rode, and Terratec in the Chinese market. The company uses its unique talents and vision to develop and manufacture digital musical instruments to meet the needs of the new generation of professional musicians. These products are sold worldwide under the brand of CME.

Technorati Tags: CME M-Key portable MIDI controller, Central Music Co, CME MusicPack, USB music keyboard