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Dubreq launches pitch-only version of the ThereminDubreq, known for creating the Stylophone, has designed its own budget-friendly version of the ground-breaking Theremin synthesizer.
The Stylophone Theremin is a portable, touch-sensitive synth inspired by the original 1920s tech designed by Leon Theremin; much like the original, Dubreq’s take on the Theremin will detect a user’s movement, meaning artists will be able to physically flesh out their desired sound, which an antenna will pick up.READ MORE: CES 2024: JBL unveils new range of true wireless earphones plus portable speakers for travel and parties
However, the piece is not intended to be a perfect clone of the original Theremin. The Stylophone Theremin will only boast a single-antenna, rather than the classic pairing of a pitch and volume (VCA) antenna. This means that a user’s movement will only be able to control the pitch, while the removal of the volume antenna should result in it being easier to learn and play.
Credit: Dubreq
Every effort has been made to make the tech easier for modern creatives to use. While the motion sensitivity will allow for wild, wobbling retro Theremin magic, there is also a control panel to adjust and fine-tune sounds. With a slider for precise notes, and the ability to have vibrato and delay effects, as well as drone and trigger notes, the Stylophone Theremin aims to have an incredibly accessible interface.
The synth also has a built-in speaker as well as a headphone input socket, as well have having the option to be mounted on a microphone stand.
On the official pre-order page, Dubreq writes: “wave your hand around its antenna, move its slider from side to side, and go over the edge with mad modulation, wobbly vibrato, and crunchy echoing delay for crazy, quirky, sci-fi sound creation!”
Pre-order on the Stylophone website. Pricing will be approximately $110/€100/£90.The post Dubreq launches pitch-only version of the Theremin appeared first on MusicTech.
Dubreq launches pitch-only version of the Theremin
musictech.comDubreq's Sylophone Theremin is set to be an affordable, innovative take on the classic 20s Theremin synthesizer.
- in the community space Music from Within
Smashing Pumpkins are holding Open Auditions to find a new GuitaristThe Smashing Pumpkins are looking for a new guitarist, and anyone – as in anyone who thinks they can share the stage with Billy Corgan – is welcome to apply.. Continue reading
The post Smashing Pumpkins are holding Open Auditions to find a new Guitarist appeared first on Hypebot.Smashing Pumpkins are holding Open Auditions to find a new Guitarist - Hypebot
www.hypebot.comThe Smashing Pumpkins are looking for a new guitarist, and anyone – as in anyone who thinks they can share the stage with Billy Corgan – is welcome to apply.. Continue reading
- in the community space Music from Within
Record Store Day sets 2024 dateThe next Record Store Day will be on Saturday, April 20th. “Be sure to save that date on your calendars for the largest single-day music event in the world, taking. Continue reading
The post Record Store Day sets 2024 date appeared first on Hypebot.Record Store Day sets 2024 date - Hypebot
www.hypebot.comThe next Record Store Day will be on Saturday, April 20th. “Be sure to save that date on your calendars for the largest single-day music event in the world, taking. Continue reading
- in the community space Music from Within
QUICK HITS: Roxi to launch in US with Sinclair • MBW Entrepreneur Of The Year • EastCoast EntertainmentMusic video platform ROXi has partnered with station owner Sinclair to create the first interactive over-the-air broadcast channels in the US. Initially, three interactive music TV channels will launch in. Continue reading
The post QUICK HITS: Roxi to launch in US with Sinclair • MBW Entrepreneur Of The Year • EastCoast Entertainment appeared first on Hypebot.QUICK HITS: Roxi to launch in US with Sinclair • MBW Entrepreneur Of The Year • EastCoast Entertainment - Hypebot
www.hypebot.comMusic video platform ROXi has partnered with station owner Sinclair to create the first interactive over-the-air broadcast channels in the US. Initially, three interactive music TV channels will launch in. Continue reading
“Innocent” Four Tet “shocked” by career success, says Logic1000UK producer Four Tet still has a humble sense of “innocence” and is “shocked at his life”, says fellow producer and DJ, Logic1000.
READ MORE: Photographer fined after Fatboy Slim nearly hit by drone
In a recent cover interview for NME, Logic1000 says Coachella 2023 co-headliner Four Tet – real name Kieran Hebden – has made her realise how much she loves her job as an artist. According to her, he’s surprisingly “shocked” at the opportunities his career has given him even after 27 years in the game.
“We were sitting in Pret before a show and he mentioned how shocked he was at his life, and what his career had enabled him to do and experience,” she tells NME. “This is someone who has been in the industry for so long and still had this innocence of someone who couldn’t believe what position he was in. He had this bright-eyed, not jaded disposition and that really stuck with me even if I didn’t realise it at the time.”
Mother by Logic1000
Now set to release her debut album, Mother, in March, Logic1000 – real name Samantha Poulter – goes on to say how it was Hebden’s reality check that partly re-invigorated her, saying she now feels “blessed” to be where she is.
“For so long I was in survival mode and so negative about everything and now I understand where [Kieran] is coming from,” she says. “This whole life and career is such a blessing to have this opportunity; there are so many great things about this job that I didn’t realise but do now.”
“I realised in therapy that this is actually my dream job: to perform as a musician. For many years I repressed that and told myself that I didn’t deserve it. It renewed me – I had that innocence again about how cool this life is.”
Also in the interview, Logic1000 reveals how giving birth to her daughter Genie provided new “confidence” to make music.
“When I entered motherhood I was like, ‘If I can create a baby, I can create something else that’s pretty awesome’. It felt like I finally had confidence in myself,” she says.
Listen to Logic1000’s music via Bandcamp.
The post “Innocent” Four Tet “shocked” by career success, says Logic1000 appeared first on MusicTech.“Innocent” Four Tet “shocked” by career success, says Logic1000
musictech.comUK producer Four Tet still has a humble sense of “innocence” and is “shocked at his life”, Logic1000 has revealed in an NME interview.
- in the community space Music from Within
‘XP Music Futures showcased how strong the music industry in the MENA region can become.’Saudi Arabia recently played host to the third edition of XP Music Futures, a three-day industry conference held in Riyadh
Source‘XP Music Futures showcased how strong the music industry in the MENA region can become.’
www.musicbusinessworldwide.comSaudi Arabia recently played host to the third edition of XP Music Futures, a three-day industry conference held in…
Hey! Have you already sent an email to create a ticket as I mentioned? 😉
Also please read these Rules carefully: https://publme.space/file/view/14425/publme-rules
Best DJ plugins of 2024: Free software and apps for DJingMixing your favourite music has become incredibly accessible in recent times. Rather than requiring savings for turntables and a mixer, you can initiate your DJing journey right from your laptop without any cost. There’s plenty of freeware out there that equips you with professional features, whether you’re planning on testing out a few tracks to mix before a big gig or need an app to use with your new DJ controller. Some software is even capable of connecting streaming services, isolating stems in a track and video mixing.
READ MORE: Best freeware for music-making: Top free apps, DAWs, plug-ins, instruments and more
We’ve rounded up the best free software for DJing on both Windows and macOS that will have you mixing in no time and for no cost at all.
The best free software for DJs at a glance:Atomix VirtualDJ
Beatport DJ
Serato DJ Lite
Rekordbox (Free plan)
Mixxx
Mixvibes CrossDJ Free
UltraMixer
WeDJAtomix VirtualDJ
With over 100 million downloads, VirtualDJ is a superb choice for beginners and experienced DJs alike. The free software boasts state-of-the-art stem separation, streaming platform integration, customisation and essential mixing tools. You’ll have access to a bank of effects, a sampler and a library management system for quick searching, smart folders, playlists and more. The downside is that you’ll need to pay for a VirtualDJ License if you plan on using a DJ controller.
Pros
+ Stem separation and ModernEQ for creative mixing
+ Access to millions of songs on SoundCloud, Deezer, Beatport and Tidal
+ Customisable interface with multiple decks
+ Video mixing capabilities
Cons
– No controller support with a free license
Download: Atomix
BeatportDJBeatportDJ is a cloud- and browser-based DJ app. That means you simply subscribe to Beatport account and get mixing from your browser. It has all of the expected features, such as four-channel mixing, looping and effects, but you can also Create and discover shared playlists from Beatport LINK’s vast catalogue, drag and drop in music, take the party to your mobile device with the Beatport DJ app, and even play B2B in real-time with friends from anywhere in the world using Party Mode. You can use it for free in Preview Mode, or pay a monthly subscription to unlock a plethora of features.
Pros
+ All online – no need for installations
+ Access music from Beatport LINK
+ Party Mode lets you mix B2B with friends remotely
+ Create and share playlists
+ Connect to DJ and MIDI controllers
+ AI-powered automix function
Cons
– All music you use must be purchased from Beatport
– Requires a subscription for full use of features
Download: stream.beatport.com
Serato DJ LiteSerato DJ Lite is the stripped-back version of the brand’s leading DJ software, used by some of the best DJs in the world. This version has incredibly limited features unless you’ve got a DJ controller that comes with a Serato DJ Lite unlock. But, you can stream and mix music from SoundCloud, Tidal, Beatport and Beatsource, provided you’re subscribed to those services. If you’re looking to get a feel for the very basics of DJing, Serato DJ Lite will prove useful.
Pros
+ Fair amount of features to get started with DJing, including cue and loop points to jump and sample slots
+ Streaming from Beatport, SoundCloud, Tidal and Beatsource
+ Livestreaming capabilities
Cons
– You’ll need supported hardware to access filters, EQ, and effects
– Can be difficult to navigate without Performance Mode
Download: Serato
Rekordbox (Free plan)
Rekordbox
Rekordbox is a robust piece of DJ software built for professionals. For that reason, the full-feature and hardware-compatible version of Rekordbox can cost an arm and a leg (the Professional plan costs $30/month). Even with the free version of Rekordbox, however, although you can only use it by itself and without a controller, you can mix your music on an interface that, because Rekordbox is owned by Pioneer DJ, has a similar look and feel to CDJs.
Pros
+ Brilliant music library management
+ Seamless compatibility with Pioneer DJ equipment
+ Basic DJ performance features included
Cons
– Limited features compared to the paid version
– No hardware compatibility
– Dependency on Pioneer DJ equipment for optimal performance
Download: Rekordbox
MixxxMixxx goes above and beyond as a free application, giving you four decks to mix with sync, looping, pitch and key controls, and quantisation. You can also use up to 64 sampler decks to pepper sounds over your mixes. Happily, you can connect a range of DJ controllers to Mixxx, and even use timecode vinyl and CDs without having to pay the price of high-end DJ software. Some basic features are noticeably absent, but if you’ve picked up a second-hand DJ controller, you’ll want to try out Mixxx.
Pros
+ Built-in mapping for a range of DJ controllers and timecode support
+ Four decks of mixing
+ Effects chains for linking multiple effects
+ Easy broadcasting
Cons
– Missing some basic features
– BPM detection is not always on point
Download: Mixxx
MixVibes CrossDJ FreeMixVibes’ CrossDJ Free is ideal if you’re passionate about mixing in key, thanks to its instant key suggestion tool. CrossDJ comes in the form of three versions, with the free edition being surprisingly capable. It provides two decks, three effects, and two fully-featured video decks with transitions, camera integration, and more. With over 80 mapped controllers from brands such as Numark and Pioneer DJ, it can stream tracks from SoundCloud, and access smart playlists based on BPM and more. A Match section helps track compatibility and shows your play history.
Pros
+ Two music decks and two video decks
+ SoundCloud streaming
+ Smart playlists and Match feature useful for all levels of DJ
+ Compatible with plenty of controllers
Cons
– Limited performance features in free version
– Have to upgrade to record mixes
– GUI could be more intuitive
Download: Mixvibes
UltraMixerUltraMixer is for DJs that love triggering samples throughout a set. Its customisable layout moves the mixing section to the bottom of the screen and has a browser underneath each of its two decks. The central mixing section can be swapped out for two AudioSamplers, video samples, notes, and more. However, the free demo version of UltraMixer Pro Entertain has a 60-minute time limit and only offers three effects. It supports over 80 DJ controllers, so you can try new controllers before purchasing more comprehensive software.
Pros
+ Good software for learning the absolute basics
+ Customisable layout
+ Support for over 80 DJ controllers
+ Video, streaming and broadcasting support
Cons
– Free version needs rebooting after 60 mins of use
– Limited effects section
– GUI might be too different to other pro DJ software for some users
Download: UltraMixer
WeDJPioneer DJ’s free WeDJ app is aimed at entry-level DJs mixing on the fly or plugging in to a controller without fuss. It has all the nuts and bolts – a two-channel mixer, effects, looping – but gives you instant access to music from streaming services Soundcloud Go+ and Beatport. WeDJ delivers for people looking for a portable, hand-held mixing solution. Plus, if you’re looking to learn the fundamentals of mixing, its helpful tutorials and pop hints come in handy.
Pros
+ Portable, handheld mixing
+ Signature Pioneer DJ design
+ Performance effects controls
+ Access to Soundcloud Go+ and Beatport
+ Useful tutorials and pop hints
Cons
– Clunky effects for pro setups
– Somewhat basic features
Download: pioneerdj.com
For more Buyer’s guides, head to MusicTech.
The post Best DJ plugins of 2024: Free software and apps for DJing appeared first on MusicTech.Best DJ plugins of 2024: Free software and apps for DJing
musictech.comFree DJ tools to help you kickstart your DJ career without splashing out on expensive software.
CES 2024: Sennheiser announces Momentum 4 earbuds with lossless audioYesterday at the CES 2024 consumer tech trade show in Las Vegas, Sennheiser announced the fourth edition of its Momentum earbuds range.
READ MORE: Urbanista’s solar-charging headphones receive a second gen revamp
The Momentum 4 earbuds have a keen focus on sound quality, most notably now supporting Qualcomm’s AptX Lossless technology, which delivers high-quality, lossless audio when paired with your phone, tablet, smart TV or laptop.
Introduced to the public in 2021, aptX Lossless is an audio technology that allows for the transmission of high-quality audio wirelessly, maintaining the original audio quality when streaming or transmitting audio over Bluetooth connections. The audio you hear through the Momentum 4 therefore retains its fidelity and richness similar to how it was recorded, offering a near-CD quality experience without the need for cables.
The new Sennheiser Momentum 4 true wireless earbuds support Bluetooth LE audio and Auracast, so you can connect your earbuds to an unlimited number of devices. They also offer adaptive noise cancellation for an immersive listening experience.
In terms of battery life, Momentum 4 offer up to 7.5 hours from the earbuds themselves, extendable up to 30 hours with the charging case, rivalling top-tier competitors such as the Sony WF-1000XM5.
At CES, Sennheiser’s been busy releasing details about its other upcoming headphones, too. Also announced are the new exercise-focused Momentum Sport earbuds, offering built-in sensors for tracking heart rate and body temperature and compatibility with apps such as Garmin and Strava.
Credit: Sennnheiser
We’ve also been given a first look at Sennheiser’s Accentum Plus over-ear headphones. These feature an extended battery life, lasting up to 50 hours, providing ample usage time. They support AptX Adaptive for enhanced audio quality and offer five hours of listening with a rapid 10-minute charge.
The Accentum Plus will be available first on 20 February at $229.95 (€229.99 / £199.99), followed by the Momentum True Wireless 4 on 29 February at $299.95 (€299.99 / £259.99). The Momentum Sport, equipped with heart rate and body temperature sensors, is set to release on 9 April for $329.95 (€329.99 / £259.99).
Find out more at Sennheiser.
The post CES 2024: Sennheiser announces Momentum 4 earbuds with lossless audio appeared first on MusicTech.CES 2024: Sennheiser announces Momentum 4 earbuds with lossless audio
musictech.comAt CES 2024, Sennheiser has announced the Momentum 4 wireless earbuds and the Pro editions and the Accentum headphones.
CES 2024: JBL unveils new range of true wireless earphones plus portable speakers for travel and partiesCES 2024: Audio brand JBL has unveiled a multitude of new products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), including the JBL Live TWS 3 Series of true wireless earphones with “game changing” Smart Charging Cases. Each one comes fitted with an LED touch display.
And that’s not all, as refreshed models of its award-winning range of portable speakers – the Xtreme 4, Clip 5 and Go 4 – have also been unmasked, plus new PartyBox speakers.READ MORE: JBL Tour Pro 2 brings a whole new way to control your wireless earbuds
CES kicks off today (9 January) and wraps up this Friday (12 January) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. JBL’s new launches will be rolling out throughout the course of the year, so let’s take a closer look at each one:
JBL Live TWS 3 Series
This wireless earphone range includes Live Buds 3, Live Beam 3 and Live Flex 3 designs, all accompanied by the Smart Charging Case found in the JBL Tour Pro 2. The case’s 1.45” inch LED touch display provides listeners with “full control” of almost all features and functions in real time. These will be landing from mid-June. Other features include:Hi-Res Audio
Bluetooth 5.3 with LE so users can enjoy “stable” multipoint connections
Improved battery life, with the Live Buds 3 carrying up to 40 hours of portable playtime, up to 48 hours with the Live Beam 3, and up to 50 hours with the Live Flex 3
Available in four colours – Purple, Blue, Silver and Black
IP55 waterproof rating
Prices: £179.99/€199.99Portable speakers
The JBL Xtreme 4, Clip 5 and Go 4 are all due to land this March. Each speaker introduces Auracast for the first time, with unlimited connectivity options for stereo or multi-speaker pairing across different speakers.
The Xtreme 4 has AI Sound Boost which analyses audio in real time with an AI algorithm to optimise the acoustic output level. It hosts two woofers, two drivers and dual-pumping JBL Bass Radiators. There’s up to 24 hours of playtime and a power bank to charge your phone on the go. The battery is replaceable. (£329.99/€349.99).
The Clip 5 (£59.99/€69.99) has a redesigned carabiner with a bigger and more accessible opening. There’s an increase in driver power and up to 12 hours of playtime making it perfect for travel, and the smaller Go 4 (£39.99/€49.99) offers seven hours of playtime and comes in six colours. It has “more robust” sound and “punchier” bass than its predecessor, plus an updated aesthetic and more durable strap.
PartyBox speakers
Three PartyBox products will arrive in April – the Club 120 (£349.99/€399.99), the Stage 320 (£549.99/€599.99), and the compatible Wireless Mic (£119.99/€129.99).
The Club 120 offers deeper bass and a dynamic light show that syncs with your music. It delivers up to 12 hours of playtime and has an easy-to-swap replaceable battery. There are two mic inputs and one guitar input, plus it’s compatible with the JBL PartyBox App.
Those looking for more playtime can opt for the Stage 320, with 18 hours on offer. It has two high-sensitivity woofers and dual tweeters, a telescopic handle and wheels for transportation, and a replaceable battery. FastCharge is on board, for a 10-minute charge boost that delivers two hours of playtime.
The Wireless Mic comes in a plug-and-play two-mic pack, with up to 20 hours of playtime and a rechargeable battery that can be charged while using.
Check out more from JBL and CES 2024.
The post CES 2024: JBL unveils new range of true wireless earphones plus portable speakers for travel and parties appeared first on MusicTech.CES 2024: JBL unveils new range of true wireless earphones plus portable speakers for travel and parties
musictech.comJBL has unveiled a multitude of new products at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), including the JBL Live TWS 3 Series of true wireless earphones with “game changing” Smart Charging Cases.
CES 2024: Nanoleaf’s Orchestrator lets you light up your studio in sync with your beatsCES 2024: Nanoleaf, a smart lighting innovation company, has unveiled its new Orchestrator software at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
The software connects directly with your computer’s sound source and isolates the response to your device for a “perfectly synchronised” light show to accompany your favourite songs or tracks you’ve crafted yourself.READ MORE: Producers: these songs are now in the public domain and free to sample
Nanoleaf announced Orchestrator today (9 January) as part of the first day of CES 2024, which concludes this Friday (12 January). Orchestrator “transforms your experience with music like never before”, according to the brand, and creates captivating colour and light shows with real-time music analysis and beat detection.
Nanoleaf states that its software stands apart from existing music visualisers as it connects directly to the sound source, as opposed to detecting any audio within a space as other products do. Although Nanoleaf’s current Rhythm feature (found in its other products) reacts to sound, the new Orchestrator technology takes things up a notch by “intelligently” picking up on beats, melodies, and the audio spectrum to generate visuals.
Energetic beats will deliver pulsating light reactions, while slower or more melodic songs will gently dance across your wall with synchronised animations. Users can also choose to create light shows themselves by customising their own unique palettes, effects, and more.
Also at CES, Nanoleaf has unveiled other lighting products suitable for studio use. An indoor Essentials Matter Smart Multicolour Lightstrip will launch later this year, which can be grouped together with other lights and automated with Matter hubs.
The brand has also shared that the “world’s first-ever” smart modular ceiling light panel with design customisation – the Skylight – will ship this January after it was first previewed at CES 2023. It also hosts a Rhythm Music Visualiser feature.
Orchestrator works via the Nanoleaf desktop app and is compatible with any music streaming platform or audio player. It is planned for a Spring 2024 release, but further details on this are yet to be unveiled.
Find out more at Nanoleaf. You can also find out what else to expect from this year’s CES 2024 via the official CES website.
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musictech.comCES 2024: Nanoleaf, a smart lighting innovation company, has unveiled its new Orchestrator software at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show.
- in the community space Tools and Plugins
MPG Awards 2024: Plans announced The Music Producers Guild have announced their plans for this year’s MPG Awards, which will be taking place on 25 April 2024 at a new venue, The Troxy, in London, UK.
MPG Awards 2024: Plans announced
www.soundonsound.comThe Music Producers Guild have announced their plans for this year’s MPG Awards, which will be taking place on 25 April 2024 at a new venue, The Troxy, in London, UK.
- in the community space Education
5 creative ways to use Create mode
Here are five potentially less-obvious ways to use Create mode that might be worth considering the next time you're working on a track.5 Creative Ways to Use Splice's Create Mode - Blog | Splice
splice.comHere are five potentially less-obvious ways to use Create mode that might be worth considering the next time you're working on a track.
UVI Falcon 3 sends your sound design soaring to new heights€349 (add-on sound banks €39 each), uvi.net
Synths are normally categorised based on their core synthesis technology: subtractive, FM, wavetable, and so on. This helps us manage our expectations of an instrument. But, in the modern world of powerful computers and software synthesisers, these distinctions become blurred – or break down completely. UVI Falcon is the epitome of this.READ MORE: On the borderline: The different synthesis styles of the world
Falcon is a soft synth that supports (practically) all synthesis techniques, and with an architecture so open-ended it defies all categorisation. The third edition of this uber-synth is now available, so let’s take a look at the new features, and discover what makes Falcon so astonishingly powerful.
Hierarchical structure
Falcon builds its sounds from a hierarchy of nested objects and layers. Oscillators lie at the very bottom of this hierarchy, with one or more of them being assigned to a Keygroup that defines key and velocity ranges.
Keygroups are assembled into Layers, a collection of one-or-more Layers constitutes a patch, and patches can be combined in the multi-timbral Master, which sits at the very top of the hierarchy.
What makes this exceptionally open architecture even more compelling is that various kinds of modifiers can be added at every level of the structure. So you can, for example: apply an envelope to an oscillator, Keygroup or Layer, or to the entire patch; add different effects at different points in the structure; include multiple complementary sequences, each driving a different patch, Layer, Keygroup or oscillator. You can even import or write (LUA language) scripts to customise functionality and behaviours.
The only limitations are your imagination and the processing power of your computer.
UVI Falcon 3 Master Mixer
How complicated is the UVI Falcon 3?
The one downside of Falcon’s astonishing depth of flexibility is that it is inherently complicated. You can ignore this complexity and just work from the synth’s Info view, which provides a small number of patch-specific, macro-style controls. But if you want to edit the deeper details, or create your own patches, then you will have to deal with the instrument’s complexities.
Thankfully, UVI has done an exceptional job of taming such complexities and organising them into a sensible and logical interface.
A main view area shows control panels for all of the elements loaded into the synth. Sidebars can be opened to see an overview of a patch’s (or multi’s) structure, and to access palettes of oscillators and modifiers that can be dragged-and-dropped onto a patch. There’s also a new Workspaces feature that allows up to eight different views to be stored for later recall.
Creating patches from scratch has been made easier thanks to the new templates feature, which provides 21 starting points for different types of synth. These save a lot of time and help you avoid getting bogged-down before you even start a sound design session.
Despite the templates and UVI’s excellent user interface work, it is easy to become lost in Falcon’s limitless depths. Employing a bit more colour-coding around the place would help here because, attractive though the instrument’s muted shades-of-grey styling might be, the different sections of the main view area don’t stand out from each other as well as they could.
UVI Falcon 3 Info view
New oscillators
This third release of Falcon includes a bunch of new goodies that add even more power and versatility to the synth. Starting with oscillators, there’s VOSIM, Bowed String and Harmonic Resonators. The first of these emulates vintage choir synths like the Logan Vocalist and Korg Polyphonic Ensemble. It offers a Formant mode, where the formant frequency and resonance can be dialled-in, and a Phonem mode, where you can select the phonetic sound that will be synthesised.
Bowed String combines the harmonic tones of a violin, viola or cello with inharmonic bowing sounds. The oscillator allows control over string tension and friction, bowing position, and more, and comes with a collection of different bowing articulations. Despite the name, this doesn’t create instantly realistic string sounds on its own, but rather provides a sound layer that, when combined with other oscillators and layers, can add dramatic and realistic flavours to string patches.
Harmonic Resonators is a peculiar beast that uses a combination of transient, texture and noise samples to excite a set of six tuneable and inter-coupled resonators. The resulting sound is hard to describe, but tends to be airy, short-lived and packed with interesting harmonics, making it ideal for special effects, and as a component of a larger sound.Effects and processors
This oscillator has a new effect-processing counterpart, the Harmonic Resonator processor. This features a similar suite of six tuneable resonators, and can be used to squeeze all sorts of textures and harmonics out of a source sound, although it is an odd beast that gives unpredictable results. What is predictable, though, is the new Ladder Filter, which gives a fabulous recreation of Moog’s famed design.
On top of these synth-style processors there’s also Opal, a model of vintage optical compressors such as the Teletronix LA-2A, and Dispersor, a transient shaper that can be focussed on a specific frequency. Frankly, we can’t really work out what Dispersor is doing despite it only having four controls, but it certainly introduces interesting colourations to the sound.
The updates that we found most fun to play with were the three new sequencer/arpeggiator event processors – a dream for generative composers. Motion Grid manages up to four independent note triggers that move around on an 8×8 grid; Snowflakes uses the concept of falling flakes to convert sustained notes into rhythmic, dancing staccato notes; and the fascinating Node Arp uses a 16×16 matrix and on/off logic to create unique sequences of notes and chords.
UVI Falcon 3 patch loading and sound banks
Unfathomable
The limitless sound design options offered by Falcon result in a formidable collection of factory presets, packed to the gunnels with classic synth staples and inspirational, ear-popping sounds that few other synths could create.
Many add-on sound banks are available too, including two new ones – Modular Noise and Organic Pads – that take advantage of Falcon 3’s new features. So you can easily harness the phenomenal power of Falcon without having to delve into its TARDIS-like innards.
The asking price is quite high, and it does take time and effort to become fully comfortable working with Falcon 3’s ludicrously open-ended capabilities. But with so much power, so much versatility, and so few limitations, it is an expense and effort that pays off in spades.
UVI Falcon 3 Main Edit view
Key featuresStandalone, or plugin (AAX, AU, VST and VST3)
Large factory sound bank included; additional sound banks available
Built on reliable and efficient UVI Engine XT
Hierarchical structure starts with Multi and drills down to individual oscillators
13 synth-style oscillator types
7 sample-based oscillator types
Dozens of synth-style processors and effects
Multi mixer with insert and send effects
Wide range of modulation sources; easy routing to destinations
Many event processors and scripts included
MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) support for use with advanced controllersThe post UVI Falcon 3 sends your sound design soaring to new heights appeared first on MusicTech.
UVI Falcon 3 sends your sound design soaring to new heights
musictech.comThe UVI Falcon 3 is a ludicrously flexible instrument with so much power, so much versatility, and so few limitations