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Impact Soundworks Pedal Steel

Most of us cannot play pedal steel and with Country music being a juggernaut, we need tracks. Sure, you can hire a player, but that could end up time-consuming, resulting in an end product you don’t necessarily like. Let Pedal Steel do the work.

Impact Soundworks has just launched a new guitar instrument called Pedal Steel!This is very different than our existing Shreddage series, as the instrument it’s based on is played in a very different way. With this instrument, we wanted to make it easy to get automatic glides, vibrato, and even harmonies without much automation.

To that end, we created several ways to play the instrument, including the unique “Harmonized Mono” mode which makes it easy to create multiple harmonies in real-time in just a single track.

See it in action on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mfQPeOu8g0

Besides that, Pedal Steel has full NKS compatibility, our built-in CONSOLE mixer with 30 FX (amps, cabs, pedals), and lots of tweaking controls to adjust tuning, tone, key ‘touch’, etc. It’s available now for $149 w/ intro pricing and works in the free Kontakt Player.

To see a trailer of Pedal Steel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjhQ_ovfxfQ

SPL Gemini Mid-Side Processor

SPL Gemini

SPL of Germany has announced the release of Gemini, a “Mid-Side” (M/S) encoder and decoder processor that integrates with SPL’s other 120-volt Mastering Series components to offer even deeper sonic control for the mastering engineer.

Using Gemini, mid signals in the center of the stereo field-such as voice, snare, or bass-can clearly be separated from the left and right side signals (often featuring guitar, keyboards or spatial sounds like cymbals), and can be individually processed. When working on the sum signal, M/S coding is often the best way to specifically get access to process individual elements within a stereo mix. Gemini has a street price of $2,799.00 USD and is available now from dealers in the US and Canada through its distributor Focal Naim America (formerly Audio Plus Services).

“Our new Gemini M/S processor adds even more access for mastering engineers to enhance a stereo recording,” says Hermann Gier, Managing Director at SPL. “Combined with other SPL components, such as the Hermes router, Gemini Mid-Side encoding and decoding becomes a powerful new tool for engineers to make the best sounding audio masters for their clients.”

The Gemini M/S processor also works on the stereo panorama using several front panel controls. With the ‘Balance’ control the user can position the mid signal within the stereo panorama. With the ‘Trim’ control users can adjust the level of the mid signal in relation to the side signal, and with the ‘Stereo Width’ control, the mixing ratio of both channels can be adjusted simultaneously. Gemini also features an ‘Elliptical Filter’ that moves low-frequency content from the Side into the Mid.

A pairing of Gemini and the SPL Hermes Mastering Router enables further possibilities. If the M/S encoder and decoder stages of Gemini are each paired with an insert on Hermes, the user can freely choose a position for the M/S encoder and decoder within the processing chain. For example, placing the M/S Encoder on the third position and an equalizer on the fourth insert allows for separate processing of the mid and side signal, and then  placing the M/S Decoder stage of the Gemini on the fifth position generates a L/R stereo signal. If the user wants to add a compressor as a further device for M/S processing, they can place it on position 5 of the Hermes-the M/S Decoder stage would then move to position 6.

Gemini is another mastering product with SPL’s unique 120V audio rail technology, which offers increased headroom of up to +34dB and a dynamic range of over 141dB. Find out more about SPL’s technology at: https://spl.audio/120v-technologie/?lang=en

The new Gemini M/S processor is available now from dealers in the US and Canada, the retail street price is $2,799.00 USD. Visit the Gemini product page on SPL’s website for more information on using Gemini with the Hermes router: https://spl.audio/mastering/gemini/?lang=en

Watch the SPL Mastering Devices Overview video at: https://youtu.be/agJl2GGkkdM

Cubase and Nuendo Offer ARA Support

Melodyne ARA

With Cubase and Nuendo, two more major DAWs have integrated the ARA Audio Random Access interface extension. As a result, Melodyne is now far easier for Steinberg customers to use.

Steinberg Cubase 10.0.30 and Nuendo 10.1 integrate basic support for the ARA2 interface, which makes significantly improved communication with ARA-capable plug-ins possible. In the case of Melodyne, for example, ARA makes time-consuming transfers unnecessary, allowing you instead to just open the desired audio events directly in Melodyne – almost as though Melodyne were one of the DAW’s own editors. Furthermore, Melodyne now also follows automatically whenever you move, shorten, lengthen, copy or mute audio events in the DAW, which considerably simplifies the subsequent rearranging of Melodyne-edited content.

ARA offers Steinberg users far faster and simpler access to Melodyne’s powerful audio correction and sound design functions. These include tried-and-tested, musically sensitive functions for the editing of vocals as well as instruments of all kinds, workflow advantages such as Multitrack Note Editing for the simultaneous editing of notes on multiple tracks, and the unique possibilities afforded by the Melodyne Sound Editor for tone coloration and filtering. And all this with the Grammy Award-winning sound quality that is Melodyne’s hallmark!

To use Melodyne with ARA in Cubase or Nuendo, you need Cubase version 10.0.30 (or later) or Nuendo version 10.1 (or later) and Melodyne version 4.2.2 (or later).

You will find further details regarding ARA integration in the Steinberg DAWs in the Melodyne Help Center: http://helpcenter.celemony.com/hc-2/doc/melodyneStudio4/en/M4tour_CubaseARA_IntroHub?env=cubase

Users of Cubase or Nuendo who don’t have Melodyne can try out ARA integration with the Melodyne trial version: https://www.celemony.com/en/trial

For more on Melodyne: https://www.celemony.com/en/melodyne/what-is-melodyne

Townsend Sphere 1.3 Update

Townsend Sphere 1.3

The L22 is an extremely intriguing mic, offering the capabilities of an entire priceless mic locker. Now the Sphere plugin supports AAX DSP.

OUT NOW: Sphere 1.3 – AAX DSP Support
Your Workflow, Your Sound, Your Sphere

We are very excited to announce that we have added yet another major platform for our Sphere plug-in: AAX DSP.

Ever since its initial introduction, the Sphere plug-in has been available for all major native plug-in formats, as well as on Universal Audio’s UAD-2, Apollo and Arrow platform. With the addition of AAX DSP support in Sphere 1.3, owners of Pro Tools HDX systems can now enjoy perfect integration of the Sphere microphone into their existing DSP-based workflow, and monitor the over 20 included microphone models in with near-zero latency while recording.

This free update means that existing Sphere owners now get even more out of the product they already love. But it also means that we’re opening Sphere up to even more professional music and post-production power users who are used to the low-latency, high-performance HDX workflow. The Sphere L22 is the first and only microphone modeling system in the market to deliver this solution.

Whether you’ve been waiting for this all along or are learning about Sphere for the first time: it’s time to unlock the finest microphones in recording history on HDX. Download the free software installer including AAX DSP and get started right away.

Please note: If you don’t use Pro Tools with an HDX card, you don’t necessarily need to update. If you have Sphere 1.2 then you already have all of the latest mic models and features. Just hang tight until the next update with new mic models is ready!

For more information, visit https://townsendlabs.com/products/sphere-l22/

Joey Sturgis Tones Bassforge Rex Brown Preorder

JST Bassforge Rex Brown

We loved the Toneforge Series (Review Here) and the Finality Limiter (Review Here). Now Joey Sturgis has partnered with Pantera’s Rex Brown to build the perfect bass amp. Bassforge Rex Brown will be available July 22. Get yours now at $99 before it goes up to $149.

We’ve teamed up with legendary bassist Rex Brown of Pantera for the latest in our Bassforge™ series, and to say it’s powerful is an understatement.

Including all of Rex’s classic sounds, we’ve added the ease and diversity that is JST to this already incredibly powerful suite of bass tones.

  • GAIN MORPHING BASS AMP: Versatile and with Dual Bank Instant Recall

  • UNIQUE CONTROLS: like Drive, Contour, Thumpand Bark. 7-BAND EQ controlled by Amp Bank to dial in the perfect eq balance of your tone

  • CUSTOM VINTAGE MICROTUBE PRE-AMP PEDAL: Achieve maximum gain control and distortion that Rex is famous for

  • ROBUST CAB ROOM: Featuring PR40, U87, D112, and JST Sub Kick mic models with Ampeg 8×10 Cab model

  • BUILT-IN IR LOADER: Import any impulse response to create your own cab sounds

  • POWERFUL PEDALS Expand your sound with Chorus and Reverb effect pedals built in

  • BUILT IN CROSSOVER / COMPRESSION MIXER: Mix the high and low end individually or together – full dynamic control is yours

This brand new Bassforge™ model is up for pre-order! Get it now while you can grab it for a special pre-order price of $99 (reg. $149)

For more info, visit Joey Sturgis Tones Bassforge Rex Brown

 

Waves Bass Fingers

Waves Bass Fingers

Waves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and leading maker of audio plugins for mixing, music production, mastering, sound design, broadcast, post-production and live sound, introduces the Waves Bass Fingers Plugin, an addition to its expanding line of virtual instruments.
Bass Fingers is the most detailed and nuanced finger-style bass virtual instrument in existence. You can lay down authentic and realistic-sounding basslines with the personality of a seasoned bass player—intuitively on your keyboard.

It is a common challenge to create realistic sounding MIDI bass lines, since there is more to it than just notes—you want to hear the expressiveness, the touch of the strings hitting the frets, and all the goodness that happens in between the notes to make a bassline sound like a player and not a computer.

Waves’ Bass Fingers translates your MIDI input into basslines full of character and personality, giving you the same mechanics, variations and dynamics that a seasoned bass player creates naturally across the fretboard. Designed, recorded and edited by highly regarded bass player Or Lubianiker (Marty Friedman, Gus G, Bumblefoot), Bass Fingers is an ultra-natural-sounding, high-performance virtual instrument with an extensive range of articulation and control over your sound—from open string sustain, natural legatos, release and decays, to realistic percussive playing, slides, mechanical noises, and other natural playing effects.

Featuring an extensive sample library that contains 14GB of hand-crafted bass samples, Bass Fingers gives you the most extensive and realistic finger-style bass vocabulary possible.

Bass Fingers features:

The most nuanced fingerstyle bass sample library ever created

8 velocity layers and 6 round robins for every sampled note

Full 5-string articulation: natural hammer-ons and pull-offs, release and decays, sampled slides, percussive playing & more

21 interactive playing positions with an intelligent adaptive fretboard

Automatic string switching

Customizable Keyswitch Editor for modifiers and additional bass SFX samples

Built-in studio-quality effects

Plugin or standalone instrument

NKS-ready for NI Komplete Kontrol and Maschine

Bass Fingers is included in the Waves Inspire Virtual Instruments Collection.
Videos:

 

STL TONES Releases The Will Putney Tonality Plug-In Suite

STL Tones Tonality

STL Tones, the leading commercial seller of Kemper Profiles has expanded its offerings with the launch of the STL Tonality Will Putney Plug-In Suite, the 2nd in the ongoing STL Tonality series of Plug-Ins.

The incredibly well-crafted guitar tones from producer and mixer Will Putney have powered a string of successful releases from bands such as Every Time I Die, The Amity Affliction, The Acacia Strain, Body Count, Thy Art Is Murder, Northlane, Gojira, Silent Planet, After the Burial, For Today, Stray From The Path, Counterparts and many others.  Putney has been a fixture in the studio world for over a decade. Working out of his Graphic Nature Audio (a recording studio based in Belleville, NJ), Putney and his talented staff of engineers have brought unique and inspired production to a vast array of projects.

Now, these sought after, distinctive tones have been meticulously captured from Putney’s private amp collection in a VST/AU/AAX plug-in that gives guitar & bass players a fully mixed ready guitar sound—the plug-in suite consists of 5 amps, 3 pedals including distortion, delay and reverb, a cab room featuring Putney’s collection of cabs, Master EQ section, and a Dual amp & Cab mixer module for blending different amp and cab combinations.

In making the announcement, Sonny Truelove, STL Founder and CEO states:  “It was a pleasure to work alongside Will to create what I believe will become a staple in the heavy music scene for plug-ins. Putney’s guitar and bass tones are well respected in the music community and I am certain that people will get a lot of use out of this amazing new product.”

Adds Putney: “I’ve been an amp guy my entire music producing career, the software guitar emulations have never come close to capturing what we can create with the physical hardware at the studio. But we’ve finally cracked the code, and the recreation of my signal chains in the Will Putney STL Tonality guitar plug-in suite is truly spot on to my tones. The dynamics, depth, and reactivity of the amplifiers, cabinets, pedals, mixer, and equalizer are on a new level, the software engineering is a work of art.  I’m proud to be part of such a high quality creative tool for all guitar playing, recording, and mixing applications.”

The Will Putney Guitar Amp Plug-In Suite, with exclusive presets crafted by Putney, and other artists who have worked in the studio with Putney, is available for purchase on May 3rd at a special introductory price of $149.00.

The STL Tonality Will Putney Guitar Suite Plugin is compatible with all major 32- and 64-bit audio hosts, on both Mac and Windows. For audio and video demos, please visit https://www.stltones.com.

IK Multimedia MODO DRUM

IK Multimedia MODO DRUM

IK Multimedia, the leader in software modeling technology, is proud to present MODO DRUM®, its first physical modeling drum virtual instrument. A sequel to IK’s award-winning MODO BASS software, MODO DRUM brings musicians of all styles and genres a new level of customization, detail and realism, that is unprecedented in any plug-in and standalone software to date.

Using a powerful combination of modal synthesis and advanced sampling, MODO DRUM offers 10 deeply customizable, virtual drum kits with real-time access to every parameter of each drum (kick, snares and toms) – from size and tension, to shell profile and playing style, and more. Cymbals can also be tuned and damping adjusted to ensure incredibly realistic music tracks.

To further shape their sound, users can place their kit in different acoustic environments and take advantage of a full mixer with sends and buses, as well as 19 studio processors and effects from IK’s acclaimed T-RackS and AmpliTube software titles to add the final polish to any kit. An integrated Groove manager featuring more than 1,400 patterns allows users to create beats right out of the box.

Real-time drum synthesis
Unlike traditional sample-based virtual instruments, MODO DRUM utilizes IK’s award-winning modal synthesis technology and an ultra-optimized sound engine to bring drums to life. The result of 11 years of research and development with one of the oldest universities in Europe, each drum’s acoustic behavior is determined by its physical parameters: dimensions, materials, skin, and more, as well by the playing style, the interaction of the drum head with the body, the effect of sympathetic vibrations and the acoustic interaction with the room. MODO DRUM creates incredibly authentic sound in real time, recreating those ever-changing interactions between the player, drums, and room on the fly in a new way that no current sample-based software can do.

10 drum kits, infinite possibilities
MODO DRUM offers 10 iconic drum kits to cover every style and genre of music. From jazz to grunge kits and maple shells to exotic bubinga, each kit has been chosen to represent a particular style, genre or time period, for the widest possible range of timbres and tones. Three complete cymbal sets are also included, as well as tambourine, cowbell and claps for full General MIDI compatibility.

Unprecedented sound customization
MODO DRUM offers the most customization options ever seen in a drum plug-in, allowing users to control the entire act of playing drums – from the kit itself, to playing style, stick selection, room choice and effects.

The Customize section allows users to add, remove, swap and rearrange drums from starter kits. For each drum in the kit, users can then adjust a wide selection of elements on the fly, including the skins, tuning, damping, diameter, height and the shell profile of the drum itself.

For snare drums, the type and tension of the snare can be adjusted, and for both kick and snare, users can even adjust the sympathetic vibration of nearby drums. Cymbals can be tuned up and down, and damping can be adjusted to precisely shape their sound and performance.

Any element can be saved as an individual preset; entire kits can also be saved for future use.

Meet your new drummer
Beyond basic kit construction, users can also control the way the “drummer” plays each drum and cymbal, using the Play Style section.

Users can adjust the location and accuracy of each drum hit to shape the sound and give their grooves a more precise or more relaxed feel, and also select from a range of cymbal articulations. The kick drum can be customized to indicate a heel up or down technique and to select the type of beaters (felt, plastic or wood). A selection of stick types is also available for each hand.

For added realism, MODO DRUM’s infinite round robin feature ensures that no two hits sound identical. As with a real drummer, it offers a subtly different performance every time.

Rooms that make a difference
MODO DRUM’s Room section offers an array of drum placement scenarios, from a dry drum booth to acoustically treated recording studios, to clubs, cathedrals, garages and more. MODO DRUM uses convolution to ensure each element of a kit interacts naturally with the space and with each other. Let it ring or add gates and compression on the room tone for more creative drum sounds.

Fine-tuning made easy
The built-in mixer provides total control over the recorded sound. Users can adjust levels and panning per element as well as mute, solo, and flip phase. Elements can be grouped in buses, and each element has two sends to process multiple elements with the same global FX, for a more cohesive feel.

A massive suite of 19 studio processors and effects derived from IK’s T-RackS and AmpliTube is also included, to professionally sculpt the final flavor of each kit (distortion, modulation, reverb/delay, and more). Tracks, buses, FX returns, and the master output each host an 8-band parametric high-end EQ plus four additional effects slots for endless sound shaping possibilities.

Start groovin’ out of the box
For music-making inspiration, MODO DRUM provides an integrated Groove manager with more than 1,400 grooves in a wide array of styles and moods. The Groove section contains MIDI patterns and variations to easily build song sections with just few clicks. Smart filters help users pinpoint specific loops by categories such as genre, length, and time signature. These loops were handcrafted by IK’s team to be unmistakably unique, authentic, and inspiring. Users can trigger all loops from within MODO DRUM, or drag and drop them into a DAW for additional possibilities.

Pricing and availability
MODO DRUM will ship in August 2019 and is now available for pre-order from the IK Multimedia online store and from IK authorized dealers worldwide for a special introductory price of $/€299.99*.

Existing users of any IK product that retails for $/€99.99 and up are eligible to pre-order MODO DRUM at a further reduced crossgrade price of only $/€199.99.

As a special thank you, current owners of IK’s MODO BASS software who log in will receive an automatic coupon for $/€50 that can be applied to the crossgrade pricing.

Pricing as of August 2019 will be as follows: regular version $/€399.99, crossgrade $/€299.99.

* All prices excluding taxes

For more information about MODO DRUM, please visit: www.mododrum.com

To see MODO DRUM in action: www.mododrum.com/video

 

GIVEAWAY- AR-1 By KUSH

Kush AR-1 Giveaway

The Give-Away

This week, Kush Audio released their latest plugin, The AR-1. To celebrate, Kush gave us two copies to give away. Simply follow the rules below to enter the contest.

The Rules:

    1. First and foremost, watch the AR-1 intro video. Not only is it a requirement of the giveaway, but also a great video with killer music! Trust me, you’ll want to watch it.
    2. Make sure you are following @thehouseofkush and @everythingrecording on Instagram. Yes, we check that sort of thing.
    3. Lastly, you have to annoy some friends (in a good way), the more friends, the better. Like and comment on the announcement post on Instagram (HERE) and tag a friend. The more friends, the more entries you get.

The deadline is July 5th, 2019.

Special thanks to UBK and Kush Audio for the plugins!

For more information on Kush products visit www.TheHouseofKush.com

For the Everything Recording Review of the AR-1, click HERE.

Antelope Audio AMARI

Trailblazing pro audio manufacturer Antelope Audio is proud to announce availability of AMÁRI — a reference-grade AD/DA converter capable of 24-bit, 384 kHz conversion with DSD256 support that is most likely the only device on the market that can achieve 138dB dynamic range thanks to the unique (eight CS43198 DAC chips) architecture at its D/A stage, stylishly packaged with an easy-to-use interface, including a unique headphone membrane weight compensation system with user-selectable output resistance.

AMÁRI really represents the pinnacle of Antelope Audio’s ongoing quest for sonic advancement. As such, unlike other audiophile AD/DA converters, AMÁRI has two high-powered headphone outputs on XLR combo connectors with user-selectable output resistance, which works as headphone membrane weight compensation. Both BALANCED stereo headphone outputs feature a volume control capped at 20dBu max, with digital trim and selectable output impedance from -4.6 to 85.3 Ohm. On the face of it, this control changes everything — from frequency response to stereo image and, ultimately, how the music itself feels. Reach right into the depths of negative impedance to become at one with it, if one so wishes.

With the technology to grant the wishes of any audiophile, AMÁRI’s high-fidelity headphone driver chip offers fully differential input (per amplifier). It is a dual-amp design, optimised to eliminate possible temperature drifts and deliver the differential signal quality that each listener duly deserves. The headphone outputs also feature dual DAC architecture for maximum performance.

It is the belief that digital and analog audio are meant to thrive together that is embodied in each and every Antelope Audio product produced. And AMÁRI is no exception to this tried-and-tested formula, thanks to an abundance of options for connecting to the outside world. With ANALOG IN (inputs) on two pairs of XLR combo connectors and RCA jacks and ANALOG OUT (outputs) on XLR connectors and TRS jacks, ports providing plentiful digital I/O (on AES/EBU, S/PDIF, and TOSLINK connectors), as well as bi- directional computer connectivity via the USB 3.1 Gen. 1 connector, clearly integration is not an issue when working with AMÁRI.

As it is ingeniously designed to integrate into audiophile and studio setups alike, AMÁRI takes advantage of no fewer than eight CS43198 DAC chips — four per channel — to offer unparalleled sound quality and an improved 138dB dynamic range. It supports sample rates of up to 384 kHz (PCM) and operates at the same resolution and speed as the two AK5578 ADC chips that top a dynamic range of 128dB. This consummate combination made it possible for Antelope Audio’s extraordinary engineers to achieve bit-perfect and sample-accurate playback, with the AD-DA pass-through rendered totally transparent. That’s not all, though! As a final touch, having the power of playing back DSD formats up to DSD256 (via DoP) enables complete and versatile D/A conversion that is worthy of Antelope Audio’s notable name.

Needless to say, AMÁRI also takes full advantage of Antelope Audio’s acclaimed AFC (Acoustically Focused Clocking) jitter management technology. The trailblazing company’s fourth-generation 64-bit clocking facilitates the most precise sampling of analog signals, at sample rates of up to 384 kHz and 24-bit depth. Deeper still, AMÁRI also allows discerning users to connect Antelope Audio’s 10MX Rubidium Atomic Clock — itself really representing an epiphany of more than 20 years’ worth of expertise in the digital audio world, making analog’s clarity, depth, width, and distinctly three-dimensional traits sound so vividly real — via the 10M IN input, as well as providing a WC IN (Word Clock input). Industry-leading clocking technology can clearly be exploited to its fullest potential in keeping with Antelope Audio’s ongoing quest for sonic advancement.

AMÁRI is a reference-grade experience like no other, one which warrants being paired up with the world’s finest headphones for a sonically advanced, audiophile-level listening experience that’s truly out of this world!

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