New Product: Synesthesia Mandala 2.0 Electronic "Smart" Drum and Synth
Jan 8, 2008 6:53 PM Asher Fulero (Writer)
Called by its maker
"the smartest thing you'll ever hit with a stick," the new Mandala
2.0 is a high-definition electronic drum pad and software combo that was
created by Synesthesia in collaboration with Tool drummer Danny Carey.
Compatible with most major software, including Ableton Live, Apple GarageBand,
NI Reaktor and Battery via its USB connection, Mandala 2.0 features 128
concentric rings that can be divided into as many as seven zones, each with its
own MIDI settings. The included software can synthesize sounds, as well as
perform from sample libraries, and comes with more than 100 presets for quick
usage (including the 3,000-sample model of the Black Beauty snare drum); the
library is 4 GB in all. The programming possibilities are endless; one example
had the drum triggering a single synth-bass note while the placement from
center-to-rim controlled the filter frequency for great dynamic drum-synth
control. Another had the elements of a jazz combo—upright bass, piano and drum
kit—laid out across multiple zones. Creating custom configurations is easy, and
hopefully this open design should help to inspire users to find all sorts of
creative uses. Snag yours for $349 at www.mandaladrum.com.
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