NEW PRODUCTS
Oct 1, 2001 12:00 PM, By Dave Hill Jr.
PCDJ Silver/Blue/Red
MP3 DJ SOFTWARE
Visiosonic has released three versions of its PCDJ MP3 DJ software — Silver, Blue, and Red(pictured) — available at either www.pcdj.com or through Numark distribution channels. PCDJ Silver is a free downloadable version that allows users to mix live from their computers, set two cues per track, and beat-match two MP3 or WAV files with the click of a mouse. The Blue version ($99.95) makes use of the popular Fraunhofer MP3 encoder to rip CDs and vinyl straight onto your hard drive. PCDJ Blue can also normalize volume levels and record your outbound mix to MP3 or WAV. It features ten cue points per track and MP3 tag searching, including notes and bpm range. The top-of-the-line PCDJ Red ($199.95) adds automatic normalization and bpm detection. It also allows you to drop up to eight samples into a mix at one time. Samples can be made and saved directly from PCDJ Red as well as played backward, looped, and synced. Both Blue and Red are built for integration with Numark's DMC-1 DJ MP3 Player hardware controller. Minimum PC requirements are a Pentium II/350 MHz or Athlon 350, 64 MB RAM, a DirectX-supported sound card, and Windows 95/98/98SE/ME/2000.
Visiosonic; tel. (727) 799-3828; Web
www.pcdj.com
Numark; tel. (401) 295-9000; Web
www.numark.com
Melodyne
AUDIO-EDITING SOFTWARE
Melodyne ($995), from German developer Celemony Software, is a multifaceted pitch- and timbre-editing application for the Mac that delivers some unusual capabilities. The company expects to release a Windows version by the end of the year. The software records audio or imports a sound file, analyzes the audio signal, and displays the melody notes as individual segments in its graphical-display grid. Pitch and note duration can then be edited independently; you can cut, copy, paste, or drag notes to change pitch or duration and then hear your changes in real time. Notes can snap to the nearest semitone or be constrained to user-customizable musical scales. You can also use these tools to add new harmonizing tracks. As many as 24 tracks can be altered at once.
Sound-design enthusiasts will enjoy creating unique timbres by tweaking the sounds and their respective formants to change gender or instrument characteristics (say, make a trumpet sound like a trombone). The original formants are automatically saved, so you can revert to the unedited sound file. Edited melodies can be saved as audio or Standard MIDI Files for use in other audio editing, notation, and sequencing software applications. Melodyne supports ASIO 2.0 and can host VST 1.0 plug-ins. The software requires a Power Mac G3/300 MHz or faster with 128 MB RAM, Mac OS 9, and 10 MB of free hard-drive space.
Celemony Software; e-mail info@celemony.com; Web www.celemony.com
ESB TDM
SOFTWARE SYSTEM BRIDGE
Pro Tools users who admire Emagic's plug-ins, soft synths, and powerful EXS24 sampler will want to check out Emagic's new ESB TDM software bridge ($299), which allows native audio tracks, Logic Audio Instruments, VST plug-ins, and Audio Instruments to be routed into Logic Audio's TDM mixer. Also, native outputs of Logic Audio can be routed into Digidesign's TDM mixer with Logic Audio Platinum for Macintosh, allowing you to use host-based sources in TDM-based systems. With ESB TDM, an EXS24 becomes an EXS24 TDM, allowing you to run as many as 32 occurrences of EXS24 in the Aux channels of Logic Audio Platinum's TDM mixer. Then you can use Pro Tools to record sample-accurate MIDI data and apply DSP to the sample output. To run ESB TDM, you'll need Logic Audio Platinum 4.x for Macintosh; Mac OS 8.6 (Mac OS 9.0.4 or higher for USB); DirectConnect-capable Pro Tools TDM hardware; and at least a 200 MHz Power PC with 256 MB RAM, a MIDI interface, and the DirectConnect TDM plug-in (available at www.digidesign.com).
Emagic; tel. (530) 477 1051; Web www.emagic.de
Pocket Fader
STUDIO MIDI CONTROLLER
Doepfer's Pocket Fader ($229) features 16 user-programmable faders to provide real-time parameter control and mix editing with hardware sequencers, virtual instruments, and DAW software. Doepfer provides 128 preconfigured presets of the most common software, sequencer, and synthesizer environments, so you can use Pocket Fader right out of the box. Also, PC users can customize each of these control parameter presets with free editor software (similar to Emagic's SoundDiver). Pocket Fader can merge outgoing MIDI information with MIDI received from its own MIDI input as well as send or combine MIDI messages and channel commands. An AC power adapter is included.
Doepfer; tel. (402) 398-0198; Web www.en-port.com or www.doepfer.com
VS-2480
HARD-DISK WORKSTATION
Roland's VS-2480 ($4,495) is a 24-track, 24-bit (96 kHz sampling, 56-bit internal processing) desktop digital recorder that allows users to access 384 virtual tracks, record a total of 16 tracks at a time, and apply as many as eight onboard stereo effects processors. The unit ships with an integrated 64-channel, 34-bus automatable digital mixer sporting 17 motorized faders and the ability to store 100 mixer scenes. Of the 36 inputs, 16 are balanced, and 8 of those are XLR/TRS phantom powered. Each channel has a 4-band EQ. The VS-2480 features 999 levels of undo for restoring previous levels should you make a mistake. Users can also set 1,000 track markers and 100 position locators. A maximum of three onboard VS8F-2 Effect Expansion Boards can be installed in the unit, providing a total of 16 mono or 8 stereo effects processors. An optional monitor can be connected to the VS-2480's VGA monitor output to display waveforms, and a mouse and ASCII keyboard can be plugged into the unit to provide control functions similar to a computer-based DAW. Optional components include the LED MB-24 meter bridge, VS-CDRII CD Recording System (connectable with a provided SCSI port), and the VE-7000 Channel Edit Controller with knobs for channel editing and a joystick for surround mixing (all sold separately).
Roland; tel. (323) 890-3700; Web www.rolandus.com
Mini Modular
MODULAR ANALOG SYNTH
Evenfall's Mini Modular analog synthesizer ($899) lets you route audio or controlled voltage signals (between modules) using ⅛-inch (3.5 mm) cables to connect the 11 modules included with the unit. By tweaking the individual control knobs, you can construct the classic warm and weird monophonic synthesizer sounds associated with classic modular synths. A “multiple” module allows you to reroute one signal to as many as three destinations. The 2-rackspace (19-inch) unit contains both MIDI and CV/Gate interfaces, which allow users to work with a MIDI keyboard, a MIDI Sequencer, or a CV/Gate modular system. Mini Modular is actually semimodular, meaning that it comes prepatched and can operate without patch cords. Evenfall claims that this is an ideal synth for beginners who want to learn about modular synthesis. Sound examples are available from the Evenfall Web site.
Evenfall; tel. (415) 503-0477; Web www.evenfall.com or www.drummachine.com
CDN-88
PROFESSIONAL CD PLAYER
Numark's CDN-88 ($999) offers real-time scratching, ±100 percent pitch change, reverse play, antishock, dual loop creation, and digital sound processing. This dual CD player enables real-time scratching with vinyl sound and feel. A 48-second buffer helps eliminate skipping and provides instant start and seamless loop drop functions. MIDI ports allow you to operate the CDN-88 via an external controller, another CDN-88 unit, or a DJ mixer. You can bring the music to a complete stop by decreasing the pitch to -100 percent. The Beatkeeper and Interlock functions aid loop and tempo matching while Master Tempo (also called Key Lock) locks in the key. Built-in digital effects include Reverse, Echo, Flange, Warp, Bleep, Phaze, Verb, ISO, Chop, Slide, and Kill. In addition to line and RCA outputs, S/PDIF digital-audio outs are included.
Numark; tel. (401) 295-9000; Web www.numark.com
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