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Arturia Vox Continental V

By
Bryan
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Arturia keeps cranking out the hits with this new addition to their Analog Classics bundle offering their take of the VOX Continental V. This is a recreation of the iconic organ you’ve heard in countless hits in the 60’s and even in modern music. You may remember hearing it on some of The Doors and even a SmashMouth song or two. Now you can use the same sounds that these guys use for a fraction of the price.
GRENOBLE, FRANCE: having opened many eyes and ears when being premiered at Musikmesse 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany, music software and hardware company Arturia is proud to announce availability of VOX Continental-V — bringing back the coveted classic sounds of the Sixties-vintage VOX Continental 300 organ as an authentic software emulation for Mac and PC — as of June 5…
As a high-end software recreation of the Sixties-vintage VOX Continental 300 transistor-based combo organ, VOX Continental-V is the latest addition to Arturia’s acclaimed Analog Classics lineup where it sits alongside an authentic recreation of another archetypal Sixties staple, Wurlitzer-V (based on the classic ‘Wurly’ electric piano). Introduced in 1962, the VOX Continental — or ‘Connie’ as affectionately it became known — was originally designed to address the needs of touring musicians, but became musically much-loved in its own right. As such, it prominently featured on many hit records of the time, including The Animals’ classic ‘House Of The Rising Sun’ in 1964 and, a little later, ‘Light My Fire’ by The Doors. Onstage, The Beatles performed a memorably frenzied version of ‘Help!’ B-side ‘I’m Down’ during their August 1965 performance at New York’s Shea Stadium with John Lennon playing a VOX Continental using his elbows at times!

Despite being phased out of production in the early-Seventies, the VOX Continental has stood the test of time, too, playing a pivotal part in generating many of the distinctive keyboard sounds supporting later musical genres, including almost everything ever recorded by British Ska revivalists Madness, as well as New Wavers like Elvis Costello and The Attractions and American counterparts Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. However, VOX organs have become increasingly difficult to acquire due to the high prices that they can command, compounded by the limited supply of working units. Today, VOX Continental-V gives contemporary, computer-based musicians instant access to those same hit-making sounds of yesteryear, and much more besides — and all without breaking the bank!

 
This breakthrough is far from lost on the present-day brand owner, a representative of which who was moved to kindly comment, “At VOX, we are happy that Arturia is bringing back to life the VOX Continental, one of the great instruments of the Sixties. Arturia’s software instruments are known for their sound quality and attention to detail — which is exactly what the VOX Continental deserves.”
 
For his company’s considerable part in the proceedings, Arturia President Frédéric Brun is equally enthused at VOX Continental-V being blessed by VOX themselves: “The VOX brand has been synonymous with sound quality for many years, and the VOX Continental is a true icon that was used by bands such as The Doors, The Beatles, and Madness. Today we are adding an organ for the first time to our collection of software recreations and are thrilled that this is in partnership with VOX.”
Like the transcontinental history of the original VOX Continental, the road to creating VOX Continental-V was a long and winding affair. Arturia started its latest software developmental journey in the company of a rare VOX Continental 300 dual-manual model, capturing every nuance of the original right down to key contact timing and background noises — no elbows needed! Next, Arturia acquired a rare Jennings J70 — developer Tom Jennings’ VOX organ forerunner — and added a J70 Mode to the VOX Continental-V voice engine. End users have effectively ended up with two ultra-rare organs for the price of one as a direct result. Indeed, the end result is surely the most authentic dual-manual VOX Continental 300 emulation that money can buy — complete with upper manual, lower manual, and bass pedal sections with independent channels per manual; multiple output effects processors with several popular effects, including LeslieTM and guitar amp simulator outputs; individual pitch tuning; alterable key contact timing; and authentic noise bleed control, to name but a few edited highlights.
VOX Continental-V works as a plug-in with popular DAWs and is also available as AAX, AU, VST, and VST3 standalone versions for Mac (OS X 10.7.5 or higher) and PC (Windows 7 and 8). Tight integration with Arturia’s acclaimed range of KeyLab professional MIDI keyboard controllers makes for the perfect performance pairing with which to light your musical fire — from those coveted classic sounds of the Sixties and beyond.
VOX Continental-V is available to buy as a software download for €99.00 EUR/$99.00 USD from the Arturia online store (http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/buy/online-shop.html) or as a boxed product for €119.00 EUR/$129.00 from the Arturia online store or any authorised dealer.
 
Check out the dedicated VOX Continental-V webpage for more detailed info here: http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/products/Vox-Continental-V/intro.html
 
Watch Arturia’s ‘vintage’ VOX Continental-V trailer here: http://youtu.be/kmyWEB0ya5Q
 
Watch Arturia Vice President of Product Management Glen Darcy’s visionary VOX Continental-V tutorial video here: http://youtu.be/7ebomGXZn40

Slate Raven 2.0

By
Bryan
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Even though I prefer my trackball and 2 screen configuration, the Raven gets more and more enticing each time I see it. It seems Steven Slate has become the Steve Jobs of pro audio, and now his award winning DAW control surface Raven, has been given an upgrade. The other plus is if you buy a Raven MTi or MTX before September 1, you will get one of the most anticipated plugins this year for free, Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack (Review coming soon).

Introducing the Slate Media Technology RAVEN 2.0 Control System for the RAVEN series of Multi-Touch Production Consoles.
If you are a professional who creates music and audio, prepare to be amazed as you watch this video. Steven Slate takes you through the numerous new RAVEN 2.0 features that will allow you to work faster, smarter and more efficiently. Even if you’ve seen previous RAVEN videos in the past, you’ll see an entirely new workflow and feature set that was designed by music professionals, for music professionals.
While this video focuses on RAVEN Control for Pro Tools, RAVEN Control also supports Logic X and will soon support Cubase, Nuendo, Studio One and Digital Performer.
FREE SLATE DIGITAL VIRTUAL MIX RACK
If you purchase a RAVEN MTi or MTX before September 1st, you’ll get a FREE Slate Digital VIRTUAL MIX RACK PLUGIN. This amazing processor includes four world class analog modeled classics that are optimized for touch!

 

Price (Slate MTi) : $2499.00
For more information visit http://www.slateproaudio.com/products/raven-mtx/

Review: Eisenberg Einklang Extended

By
Bryan
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Soft-Synths are a dime a dozen. Everywhere you look, companies are emulating classic gear, making improvements upon existing technologies and creating new concepts all together. Needless to say, if you’re going to turn heads in this business, you better come with something new and innovative. German company Eisenberg has a great concept behind their Einklang soft synth. This soft synth is very versatile in application and can work as either a stand-alone, AAX, RTAS, VST, and AU. You’re basically covered on all fronts. Installation is very simple and activation is a breeze.
 
Einklang translates to many things in German (like “unison”, “harmony” and “equilibrium”) and that is just what this synth’s framework is built around – taking three different models of instruments and allowing them to interact and blend in different ways. They have even gone as far as developing their own proprietary AIST technology, which powers the synth. This allows true modeling capabilities and in depth interaction with changes to parameters as well as other instruments you blend in the “Morphing Triangle.” The interface is laid out extremely straight forward with the triangle on the right side that allows for you to load 3 different patches and blend between all three models in almost limitless combinations. On the left you have a set of controls that are used as overall controls for the blended sound. You are given timbre, loudness, and modulation.
 
Operation could not be any more simple. Load 3 patches into the morphing triangle and start dragging. Einklang is a perfect concept for people who just need to throw together combined sounds without in depth editing. I’m afraid that if you like sound design, this may not be the synth for you due to the limited nature of its interface, but if simplicity is your mantra, you’ve come to the right place. Not only do you get a standard set of sound packs with Einklang, the extended version gives you 5 extra tone packs with models based on colors (red, green, blue, black, and white). Each are created to evoke certain feels based on the emotion of the color spectrum… but do they really follow through?
 
Although the interface looks great, I feel that the models of instruments are very primitive sounding. They sound nothing like the instruments they are trying to model. I almost get a feel that I am using a very old inexpensive keyboard sampler. Now if this is what you’re going for, then you’ve hit pay dirt. I just find myself really having to fight to get any quality sounds. Another issue I have is with the controls on the left. There needs to be a way to either control each preset in the triangle as well as a master control for each individual setting in the morphing triangle. I feel that this would give you a little more variety in shaping your final product. (Right after this review was published, Einklang 1.2 was released and has added a master volume slider as well as a visual meter to help match your levels with other content in the mix. They have also added a preset manager and browser for both plugin and stand alone use. One of my favorite new additions in 1.2 is the ability to make Einklang function as a monophonic synth, perfect for those leads and basses.
 
All of that being said, I absolutely love the concept, I just wish the sounds were more contemporary and realistic. Also throw in the fact that you’re paying $239.00 for very primitive sounds, I’m just not sure the public is going to go for that. I’m hoping that their proprietary modeling system expands and we can truly use all cylinders of this soft synth. I mean… who wouldn’t want to realistically pitch down a harpsichord and blend it with an electric guitar while layering it with a nice pad? I’ll definitely have my eyes on this company in the future and be waiting for more soundpacks to be released that better use this very unique and spectacular concept.
For more info and to purchase, visit http://www.eisenberg-audio.de/einklang

Vermilion Audio ION 8

By
Bryan
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Most of us don’t have the scratch to just throw 8 of our favorite 500 series modules in a chassis all at once. This modular rack comes just with the chassis and power supply and as you buy more 500 series modules, you can buy more 500 series cards (in pairs). This gives you the opportunity to get into a good 500 series rack at an initial lower price and then pay gradually to have it grow with you. Novel idea actually. You can also stereo link your channels. The gear is proudly made in the USA too.

The ION 8 is a unique and flexible 500 series rack designed for professional and project recording studios. By adding ION M2 adapters, you can expand your rack two slots at a time, at the pace you choose.
This unique design allows your rack to grow alongside your gear. You can rest easy knowing that when you need to add 500 series modules to your studio, you will be able to do so quickly and efficiently.
The ION 8’s build quality is second to none; it is designed, engineered, and manufactured entirely in California, USA. Our goal was to build the highest quality rack, as a compliment to the investment you’ve made on your 500 series gear.
• 2 to 8 500 series slots (Up to four ION M2s)
• 2.4A of total power, 300mA per slot
• Stereo link & channel link allow you to create your own channel strips
• XLR & DB-25 Inputs & Outputs
• Heavy duty steel chassis
• Internal 100-240VAC power supply with ultra-low noise components
• Made in the USA
• Patent pending design
• Card guides included
*By default, the ION 8 does not include any 500 series slots. Each ION M2 adapter you purchase adds 2 slots to your ION 8.

 
Price: $595.00
For more info visit http://www.vermilionaudio.com/ion-8

Tone2 Deep Space Soundset for Rayblaster

By
Bryan
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We all need some dimension in our tracks. Rayblaster has a great synthesis engine for creating sounds for the backdrop to your next hit. Tone2 has even made the easier for you by doing the heavy lifting and creating sounds for you.

Exploring the experimental and atmospheric side of Rayblaster’s Impulse Modeling synthesis,
the Deep Space set is filled with 200 intricate sound impressions that will help you set the mood
perfectly.
Featuring otherworldly soundscapes, transcendental pads, organic drones, interstellar effects,
abstract synths and comprehensive arpeggios.
Created by professional sounddesigner Massimo Bosco, Deep Space is mysterious, evolving and
packed with a wealth of creative twists for you to explore.

Highlights

* 200 superb presets created by a professional designer
* Unique sounds using the innovative IMS synthesis
* Comfortable installation
* Perfect integration into the user interface
* Many patches can be ‘morphed’ using the modwheel.

Perfect for many genres, such as Electronica, Cinematic, Soundtrack,Trance, Ambient, Space,
Dance, Industrial, Synthpop, IDM and a wide variety of other music genres.

Price $49.00
For more info please visit the Deep Space product page: https://tone2.com/html/deep%20space.html

Review: Antares Auto-Tune EFX 3

By
Bryan
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No need to introduce this one. This product has made its way into pop culture nomenclature and has been responsible for more television reality stars’ music careers than just about any network executive. You’ve guessed it, we’re dealing with Antares Auto-Tune. Although a lot of people have blamed this tool on the decline of music, I feel that Antares isn’t even a fraction as liable as the public believes they are. It is the overuse of the tool by individuals that has given Antares the bad rap. I don’t see people blaming Paul Mitchell for all these obnoxious faux-hawks, so why blame Auto-Tune. There have been plenty of examples of this plugin being used for extremely innovative projects. We’ve all seen the Double Rainbow video… I mean… c’mon.
 
Auto-Tune EFX 3 is obviously Antares’ third revision of the lighter version of the full blown AutoTune7 software. It is a scaled back version that can be used in either live or post environments and acts more as tool for either polishing vocal tracks’ pitch or as an effect. I’ve owned Auto-Tune EFX 2 and found it to be used more as an “autopilot” effect based plugin, but EFX 3 seems to have improvements and more controls. It has also included an AAX64 version to move it on up to ProTools 11 standards.
 
Let’s start with the improvements. Instead of just having a slider bar that lets you chose between 3 choices of pitch correction, Antares have added 2 slider bars that allow you to fine tune the exact amount of correction across the track. The “Retune Speed” is responsible for how subtle or verbose the correction attack and tune algorithm works and the “Humanize” slider adds a little leeway in the long notes, giving you more natural variation of pitch drift in longer notes.
 
Another fun feature that came about in EFX 2 was the Auto-Motion bar across the bottom that offers selectable scales and patterns, that when triggered, retune the signal in a rhythmic pattern. This was one of my favorite things to use in the studio when fatigue would set in on a session and the vocalist needed a little jolt. Just throw an arpeggio in the pattern selector and press the trigger button, and on a nice long note, your vocalist will get a nice surprise. Perfect for those times when you need to keep someone on their toes. In a more professional use, it is perfect for synth leads and even guitar solos (try it). EFX 3 carries over EFX 2’s Auto-Motion pattern editing with any software that allows editing of MusicXML files. Editing the patterns are fairly straight-forward but just be careful placing files into the database lest you overwrite all of the stock patterns Auto-Tune supplies. This can add movement to background tracks in limitless scale and rhythmic possibilities.
 
It’s a very easy to use program that does most of the work for you. I will say the performance of the pitch correction actually is a big improvement from EFX 2. I found with EFX 2, I used it more for that “poppy” sounding hard tune effect; but with EFX 3, I was frequently using it on vocalist who didn’t need Melodyne. Sometimes I would even do a fast Melodyne edit on vocal tracks and let Antares take control of the drift and attack settings. They actually pair quite nicely and now that the pitch correction algorithm is improved, it works as a great subtle polishing tool. One thing I wish they would add to the Auto-Motion pattern is the ability to harmonize the pattern, giving you a rhythmic “background harmony” track. EDM music would take full advantage of that feature, but for now, it’s easy enough to scale the single note in Auto-Motion and put it back into AutoTune7 or Melodyne and create harmonies from there.
 
Overall, I find EFX 3 to be a vast improvement over EFX 2 and well worth the upgrade. Getting AAX-64 lets you move into Pro Tools 11, editing your Auto-Motion gives you added creative use, and the improved pitch correction settings make subtle editing a breeze. If you’re looking for the ultimate in pitch correction “cruise control,” you’ve come to the right place. A word of advice would be to use it creatively so as not to have more people sending hate mail to Antares for “faux hawk” music.
For more information and to purchase visit http://www.antarestech.com/products/detail.php?product=Auto-Tune_EFX_3_65

Native Instruments Arcane Attic Expansion

By
Bryan
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You don’t play by the rules when you’re producing tracks. You don’t want an expansion pack that does either. Arcane Attic comes from real life field recordings, and theatrical stabs as well as samples, to take your tracks to the next level. This expansion transcends the bounds of genre and gives you exclusive tools to make that stand-out hit.

Berlin, May 27, 2014 – Native Instruments announced today ARCANE ATTIC – a new MASCHINE Expansion featuring gritty field recordings. Designed for unconventional beat making across all styles and genres, this Expansion was created, recorded, and designed by BOOM Library. ARCANE ATTIC also comes with new presets for MASSIVE and MASCHINE’s Drum Synths, with a selection of sounds that perfectly complement the out of the ordinary sample material. ARCANE ATTIC is available now at the NI Online Shop and runs in the MASCHINE 2 software on MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE, or MACHINE MIKRO. A compact version for iMASCHINE is also available via the in-app store.

The high-quality field recordings in ARCANE ATTIC are aimed at electronic music producers or simply anyone looking to add unconventional sounds to their productions. The range of sounds is highly diverse and organized into several categories. It represents a wide spectrum from robotic and mechanical science fiction recordings to heavy cinematic metal impacts, slams, strikes, and buzzing, percussive details. A set of elemental sounds explode with kinetic fire and water blasts. Producers looking to spice up their percussion will also find a range of pistol, rifle, and cannon sounds that have been transformed into pounding drums. Finally, a set of orchestral samples recorded with a live orchestra are included for adding rich, larger-than-life melodies to productions.

Complementing ARCANE ATTIC’s field recordings are a new set of 40 presets for MASSIVE, which provide additional melodic possibilities beyond the orchestral samples. 43 MASCHINE 2 Drum Synth presets feature a clean sound designed to complement ARCANE ATTIC’s gritty sample set with added punch and character. In total, ARCANE ATTIC features 7 projects, 39 drum kits, and 7 special kits, plus a set of 140 pre-arranged patterns for quick inspiration.

ARCANE ATTIC was created by BOOM Library – the sound design company founded in 2010 by Axel Rohrbach, Pierre Langer, and Tilman Sillescu. The sounds are a selection from the BOOM Library product line – now for the first time directly accessible within the MASCHINE beat production environment. Their sound libraries have been featured in films like ‘Sin City – A Dame To Die For’, TV series such as ‘From Dusk Till Dawn The Series’, Games like ‘Battlefield 4’ and trailers for ‘The Hobbit – The Desolation Of Smaug’, and ‘The Dark Knight Rises’.

A condensed version of ARCANE ATTIC is also available as an iMASCHINE Expansion, for creating unconventional beats on-the-go. The iMASCHINE Expansion features 2 projects and 4 drum kits. Tracks can be exported to MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE, and MASCHINE MIKRO for completion.



ARCANE ATTIC is available now at the NI Online Shop for $49 / 49 € / £44 / ¥ 4,800 and runs in the MASCHINE 2 software.

The iMASCHINE Expansion is available at the iMASCHINE in-app store for $0.99 / 0,89 € / £0,69 / ¥ 100.

Additional information on the MASCHINE products is available at:
www.native-instruments.com/arcaneattic

Native Instruments Lucid Mission Expansion

By
Bryan
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I absolutely love the Native Instruments expansions. I think they’re pretty modest about their diversity as I’ve used many expansions across multiple genres. The instruments are EQ’ed and require very little mixing into tracks. Native Instruments has added another powerful tool for jaw-dropping EDM tracks with Lucid Mission. Pop music is pretty much a huge expanse of EDM genres and this expansion would be a perfect addition to any modern producer’s toolkit.

Berlin, April 29, 2014 – Native Instruments released today LUCID MISSION – the latest addition to the MASCHINE Expansion range. Inspired by the high-energy aesthetic of EDM, dubstep, trap, and modern pop, this Expansion contains elevating kits, presets, and projects ready for instant use with the entire MASCHINE family. LUCID MISSION is available now at the NI Online Shop and runs in MASCHINE 2 software. A compact version for iMASCHINE is also available for purchase via the in-app store.

Tailored to the surging momentum of EDM genres, LUCID MISSION contains an uplifting selection of 8 full projects, 40 drum kits, 32 Drum Synth presets, and 50 MASSIVE sounds. Drums, lead synths, basses, and pads characteristic of the euphoric atmosphere of the EDM movement provide the perfect material for anthemic productions. 32 pre-programmed MASCHINE Drum Synths kits deliver a wide selection of filtered and saturated drum sounds for big room atmosphere. Plus, customized percussion loops add extra flavor, and put the finishing touch to tracks.

Exclusive to LUCID MISSION are 50 new MASSIVE presets that cover a full spectrum of vibrant sounds from crisp leads, plucks, and basses, to solid bass drums and percussion. A special kit consisting only of MASSIVE lead sounds with a multitude of variations allows on-the-fly sound tweaking and quick-access workflow. For added ambience, evocative pads and effects load directly into MASCHINE through the kits and automatically map to the hardware’s display knobs for easy parameter modeling.

A compact version of LUCID MISSION is also available as an iMASCHINE Expansion, and features 2 projects and 4 kits for use on-the-go. Tracks can be exported to MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE, and MASCHINE MIKRO for completion.

LUCID MISSION is available now at the NI Online Shop for $49 / 49 € / £42 / ¥ 4,800 and runs in MASCHINE 2.0. The iMASCHINE Expansion is available for download in-app through the App Store for $0,99 / 0,89 € / £69 / ¥ 100.

Additional information on LUCID MISSION products is available at:
www.native-instruments.com/lucidmission

Plugin Alliance Offers Two New Bx Plugins

By
Bryan
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We’ve all had that situation where we were in a rush and tracked the perfect take with the wrong mic or preamp and after letting our ears, hear a lot of commotion going on in the top end that we didn’t notice in the heat of tracking. Sometimes you just can’t quite EQ the artifacts out without compromising integrity of the signal. Thats where bx_refinement comes in. This new plugin can work to effectively cut the harsh sound out of a track without sacrificing too much. Another plugin Brainworx has released works as a lateral to bx_refinement and adds some character in saturation or distortion but only to targeted frequencies. Both seem very useful. We’ll have to check them out.
WILMINGTON, USA: American pro audio software company Plugin Alliance is proud to announce availability of bx_refinement and bx_saturator V2, two new native plug-ins from high-quality German software developer Brainworx, as of May 22…
bx_refinement is the brainchild of mastering engineer Gebre Waddell of Stonebridge Mastering, who designed the original prototype as a tool to remove harshness, a problem he was encountering more and more in his work due to the transition to digital and the prevalence of over-compressed mixes. “Harsh recordings are one of the most common problems mixing and mastering engineers deal with,” he notes. “The idea with bx_refinement was to create something that addressed harshness with little impact to the recording, and a great workflow. While it represents a genuine technical achievement, it’s the listening during development that was key. Working with Brainworx to make this amazing multi-platform release was truly rewarding.”
For his part in the creative proceedings, Brainworx founder and CEO Dirk Ulrich had this to say: “Brainworx grew out of my desire as a producer and mastering engineer to create tools to enhance my own work, and we always strive to maintain that practical approach in our product development. This is why we were so excited to work with a mastering engineer as experienced and talented as Gebre Waddell on bx_refinement. The end result is a plug-in which solves a key problem no other plug-in on the market directly addresses.”
bx_saturator V2 is an update to Brainworx’s popular bx_saturator. While retaining all of the key features of the original, including M/S processing, the ability to add saturation or distortion to targeted frequencies, and increase perceived volume without clipping, bx_saturator V2 adds significant improvements. “bx_saturator has been a very popular plug-in,” proclaims Dirk Ulrich. “And with the totally rewritten algorithm in bx_saturator V2 we’ve improved the smoothness of the sound and the anti-aliasing, while reducing the CPU requirements significantly. This makes bx_saturator V2 not only a no-brainer upgrade for existing bx_saturator owners, but also a must-try for those users who haven’t yet worked with it.”
Indeed, to invest in both bx_refinement and bx_saturator V2 is to take two steps towards improving your mixing and mastering toolkit and to follow in the masterful mixing and mastering footsteps of Gebre Waddell and Dirk Ulrich. Smooth out harsh-sounding recordings with bx_refinement and add saturation, drive, and distortion exactly where you want it with bx_saturator V2. A no-brainer, indeed
Brainworx bx_refinement can be purchased and downloaded directly from Plugin Alliance for $199.00 USD from here: http://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/plugins/detail/bx_refinement.html
 

Watch Gebre Waddell of Stonebridge Mastering’s informative bx_refinement video walkthough here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgi4DME61H0

Brainworx bx_saturator V2 can be purchased and downloaded directly from Plugin Alliance for $199.00 USD from here: http://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/plugins/detail/bx_saturator_v2.html (Note that owners of any Plugin Alliance bundle that includes the original bx_saturator plug-in have received a bx_saturator V2 license free of charge; anyone who purchased bx_saturator during 2014 has received a 50% discount coupon towards a bx_saturator V2 upgrade worth $24.00 USD; and anyone who purchased bx_saturator before 2014 can upgrade to bx_saturator V2 for $48.00 USD.)

XILS-Lab: XILS 4

By
Bryan
-
XILS Lab is at it again with a new emulation of the VCS4. The company has been making strides in emulation with great versions of other classic gear as well as some new plugins such as RAMSES, their rhythm based gating and envelope effects plugin.
GRENOBLE, FRANCE: music software company XILS-lab is proud to announce availability of XILS 4 — an authentic software emulation of the legendary VCS4, a ‘dual VCS3’ analogue matrix modular synthesizer prototyped by EMS back in 1969, but never commercially released — as of May 19…
EMS (Electronic Music Studios), a British company founded by the pioneering Peter Zinovieff, made musical history in 1969 with its introduction of the VCS3, the first portable synthesizer commercially available anywhere in the world. Its innovative modular matrix-based patchboard dispensed with the telephone exchange-like cabling of other (much larger) modular systems in favour of making connections with (removable) coloured pins, so it could be comfortably housed in a small wooden (solid afrormosia) cabinet.
Needless to say, the (hi)story of the EMS VCS3 is well documented, with XILS-lab later playing its part in resurrecting its still-sought-after sound with its cost-conscious and award-winning XILS 3 software emulation for Mac (OS X 10.4 and above) and PC (Windows 7, Vista, and XP) proving popular with both first-time buyers beginning a wonderfully in-depth journey into the wonderful world of modular synthesis and also seasoned synth explorers, including renowned sound designer Richard Devine and original VCS3 aficionado Tim Blake (Hawkwind), and even Peter Zinovieff himself, who commented kindly: “A great step forward!”
Not so well documented, though, is the stuff of legend: the 1969-vintage VCS4 was EMS designer David Cockerell’s so-called ‘Live Performance Module’, comprising two VCS3s sat side by side, together with a five-octave keyboard, a mixer, and a signal-processing unit, all housed in a single wooden cabinet. Only one prototype was ever produced, its ear-opening sounds lost in the sands of time… until now, that is!
By being based on two intricate and interacting VCS3 (‘Synthi’) cores — following in the fanciful footsteps of its one-off analogue ancestor to a tee, XILS-lab’s XILS 4 favourably emulates EMS’ VCS4. Indeed, those two cores can be set to work side by side or operate in serial (with one feeding the other). Each and every module on one side can be used to modulate or feed anything on the other side with stunning sound possibilities plus weird and wonderful effects readily available in abundance as a direct result. That said, XILS 4 shows its true 21st Century colours by also allowing amount settings to be individually applied to each patch ‘pin’. Providing patchboard power par excellence to an already special soft synth shows that there is clearly so much more to XILS 4 than solely emulating vintage hardware — rare as the vintage hardware in question clearly is. Little wonder, then, that XILS 4 is billed by its creator as being the Ultimate Analog Matrix Modular Synthesizer!
XILS-lab has sought to take things severals steps further still by coupling those cores with the SEQUENCER 256 module, inspired by EMS’ trailblazing Synthi Sequencer 256 namesake. Needless to say, this three-layer sequencer with analogue-to-digital and digital-to-analogue converters to enable digital processing of control voltages to drive multiple analogue synthesizers or multiple parameters with storage of up to 256 ‘events’ was well ahead of its time when released in 1971. Here in the virtual world, XILS-lab has well and truly transported it to the present day with three independent layers, slew rates, and recording modes, together with added abilities like sequencer layers acting as modulation sources in a dedicated SEQ MATRIX — matchless, even by today’s most sophisticated DAW standards!
So is that all? No, not at all! Adding a second ‘pin matrix’, two additional envelopes, an LFO, comprehensive SAMPLE AND HOLD module, and VOLTAGE PROCESSOR, plus several new input modules — including GATE, ENVELOPE FOLLOWER, and PITCH TRACKER — means that there are hundreds of additional connections available to the discerning synthesist set on exploring XILS 4 to the full as a superlative soft synth or as a powerful effects processor plug-in in its own right. The fact that there are over 1,140 possible connections per patch makes for a literal lifetime of programming possibilities that will surely far outlast the host computer concerned, though those in need of a helping hand have easy access to almost 700 professionally-programmed presets from world-renowned sound designers, including the complete XILS 3 factory library and over 350 presets specifically designed for XILS 4. A selection of tutorial-style patches are also available to help users seeking to take their first tentative steps towards scaling the heady heights of this mountainous modular monster of a soft synth!
Simply put, with a whole host of modules and associated far-reaching functionality — for starters, 12 aliasing-free oscillators, grouped in six pairs with wave-shaping and hard sync — yesteryear’s impossibilities have become today’s possibilities with XILS 4… a great step forward, indeed! A giant leap for modular synthesis software, some might say.
XILS 4 is available to purchase as an eLicenser or iLok copy-protected virtual instrument and effects plug-in for an introductory discounted price of €149.00 EUR (rising to €179.00 EUR on June 17, 2014) from the XILS-lab web store here: http://www.xils-lab.com/pages/STORE.html (Note that this time-limited offer also includes the XILISTICS sound bank with 160-plus presets worth €25.00 EUR, plus a free USB-eLicenser copy-protection dongle!)
 

XILS 3 owners can upgrade to XILS 4 for an introductory price of €29.00 EUR (rising to €49.00 EUR on June 17, 2014). XILS 4 can be directly downloaded as a 32- and 64-bit-compatible virtual instrument and effects plug-in for Mac (AAX, AU, RTAS, VST) and Windows (AAX, RTAS, VST) from here: http://www.xils-lab.com/pages/XILS4_Download.html

 

Check out several informative XILS 4 tutorial videos here: http://www.xils-lab.com/pages/XILS4_Videos.html

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