recording
Latest
Blue's latest microphone gives streamers an XLR option
With the rise of livestreaming, easy-to-use audio gear has become a staple among YouTubers, podcasters and more. Blue has been catering to that group for a while now with its line of plug-and-play USB microphones, but at CES 2019 the company has a new XLR option aimed at streamers and professional recording environments. The Blue Ember is a $100 mic that's designed to cut down on background noise thanks to its "tight pickup pattern." Basically, the cardioid pattern of the microphone focuses on what's right in front of it to minimize any room noise.
Apogee's Jam+ is an upgraded guitar input for iOS, Mac and Windows
If you're looking to employ any of the dozens of guitar apps to practice Stevie Ray Vaughn riffs, you'll need some sort of adapter to plug your axe into your phone, tablet or computer. Apogee debuted the Jam in 2011, a $99 thumbdrive-sized dongle that made it possible to play a guitar though an iOS device or Mac. The company would follow up with a pair of 96kHz models -- one for Windows and Mac and the other for Mac and iOS. Today, Apogee is revealing the latest version: the Jam+.
Blue's Yeti Nano is built for simple, high-quality desktop recording
When it comes to podcasting and livestreaming, USB microphones are a great option due to their plug-and-play design. And perhaps no name is more synonymous with these recording devices than Blue Microphones. The company that's best known for it's popular Yeti and Snowball modes (in addition to a line of pro-level studio mics) is introducing its first new product since it was purchased by Logitech for $117 million last month. Meet the Yeti Nano.
Amazon fixed an exploit that allowed Alexa to listen all the time
Amazon's Alexa is good at listening, since it has to be ready when you say its wake word, like "Alexa," "Echo" or "Computer." That very same feature, though, has people worried about their own privacy. Researchers from security firm Checkmarx have found a way to get Alexa to listen in and send a transcript of any conversations that it records while eavesdropping.
CDs and vinyl are outselling digital music downloads
Digital music downloads began to outsell physical media since 2012. It took four more years for digital music revenue to surpass those from physical media as well. Then streaming happened, and last year generated more money in the US than all the other formats. Now, digital downloads are coming in dead last, with fewer sales than CDs, vinyl or other physical media, according to the latest annual report from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Pioneer's new iOS app can power your next DJ livestream
Pioneer's DJ mix recording app is now available for your iPhone and iPad. Cleverly named DJM-REC, the free-to-download app connects to any mixer with a USB send/return channel to record, archive and even livestream your mixes. The app gives you a 30-day trial, after which you'll need to purchase the full app for $10.
Record your band’s demo with this tiny cylindrical recording studio
If you've ever attempted to record a little music demo of your own, you know that these days, the wealth of technological options can be a little overwhelming. Audio company iZotope, known for its pro-level recording gear and software, might just solve this problem with a pared-down little gadget called Spire Studio. The cute, cylindrical hardware has inputs for microphones and instruments and connects to the Spire mixing and editing app on your smart phone. It even has a rechargeable lithium ion battery that the company claims will last for four hours so you can record pretty much anywhere.
British Library exhibit to highlight the sounds it’s fighting to save
Last year, the British Library began the "Save our Sounds" project, with the aim of accelerating the digitisation of millions upon millions of lost audio recordings held in its vast archive. The collection includes many rare and previously unreleased recordings of everything from speeches and music to wildlife, street sounds and pirate radio broadcasts. In some respects, it's a race against the clock. Time is taking its toll on ancient formats like the wax cylinder, for example, and the equipment needed to play some formats is extremely hard to come by. There's much to be done, but next month the British Library is celebrating achievements thus far with a free exhibition that "will explore how sound has shaped and influenced our lives since the phonograph was invented in 1877."
Sky thinks you need to record six shows at once
Before the internet and the rise of streaming, families across the nation would sit down at regular times each week to get their fill of television. It still happens now, but on-demand services have changed the way each family member views their favourite TV shows. Sky knew this, so it designed its next-generation set-top box -- the Sky Q -- to not only handle linear programming, but also deliver it at a time when it suits you. In fact, it stuffed the box with a staggering 12 tuners that at launch delivered live TV, picture-in-picture and streaming, as well as allowing you to record up to five shows at while while watching a sixth. It's an impressive selection, but it obviously wasn't enough.
UK schools trial police-style body cameras for teachers
To combat disorderly students, two secondary schools in the UK have started trialling staff-worn body cameras. Teachers will use the equipment to record specific incidents, such as a "perceived threat to a member of staff or pupil," according to Tom Ellis, a lecturer at the University of Portsmouth and a former Home Office researcher. The identity of the schools is, for now, a mystery, to avoid unwanted interference during the trial. The cameras won't be recording at all times either -- similar to the police, it will be up to teachers to decide when to hit the record button. "It's not like a surveillance camera," Ellis stressed.
Take Logic Pro X projects from desktop to mobile with GarageBand
Despite it's highly capable tool set, GarageBand is widely thought of as Apple's beginner audio recording software. Logic Pro X is the company's option for more advanced users. While the latter app has been around since 2013, Apple regularly adds new features and it's doing just that today. With version 10.3, Logic Pro X gains a host of new tool to lend a hand with recording and music production. First, the app has a refreshed UI to make it easier to see in well-lit environments. After all, not everyone likes to work in the dark or a dimly lit room.
GarageBand on iOS is now a more capable music production suite
Apple's GarageBand is a good place to get started with recording, but it's useful for more advanced skill levels as well. The company just revealed an update to the iOS version of the app that gives the software a few more tools for tracking on the go. First, the powerful Alchemy synthesizer from Apple's pro-grade Logic software is now available as an instrument in the mobile version of GarageBand. It includes over 150 patches capable of producing sounds for a range of genres.
Roland's compact mixer improves audio for your phone videos
The audio that your phone captures while you're recording videos for Facebook Live, Snapchat Stories and more isn't too good on its own. You'll need another accessory for situations in which sound is paramount. Roland is looking to lend a hand with its $99 GO:MIXER, a compact mobile mixer that allows you to track two instruments and vocals at the same time. In fact, it can handle up to five audio sources at once. That includes a microphone, guitar/bass, keyboard and two stereo line instruments (e.g., a drum machine or personal music player.)
Blue's Raspberry mic is small, but delivers stellar audio quality
It's no secret that Blue's line of USB microphones are a go-to choice for podcasters and anyone else who wants a simple, easy-to-use recording device. The company's Snowball and Yeti mics may be the most popular, but its last few products have focused more on technology that helps you streamline the postproduction editing process. The same can be said for its latest device, the Blue Raspberry. The Raspberry's compact stature and built-in audio tools make it ideal for on-the-go recording, even with the $200 asking price.
Blue's new microphone is a compact option for recording on the go
Blue Microphones' gear has been the go-to choice for novice podcasters and audio pros for years and now the company has yet another option for mobile recording. The new device is called the Raspberry: an iOS and USB microphone that offers plug-and-play audio tracking without the headaches of a lengthy setup process. The ease with which you can be up and running has become a key feature for Blue's gear so it's nice to see that continue with this new offering.
Alan Turing's groundbreaking synthesizer music restored
Alan Turing is known for a few small achievements, like helping end World War II, laying the groundwork for modern computers and developing the "Turing test" for machine intelligence. You may not be aware, however, that he paved the way for synthesizers and electronica by inventing the first computer-generated musical tones. A pair of researchers from the University of Cantebury have now restored the first-ever recording made from Turing's "synthesizer."
Apple's Music Memo is a sketch pad for song ideas
Apple has always been a little obsessed with music, and its newest iOS app is further proof of that fixation. Enter Music Memos, a free app that makes it easier for musicians to record music on the fly. As the name implies, Music Memos draw some inspiration from the Voice Memos app that often winds up in our 'Don't need this' folder. The idea was to build an app that was dead simple to start recording audio from any instrument, but didn't compress the heck out of files. Starting a recording takes one touch, and you can tag and store those nascent tracks or share them via YouTube or SoundCloud. There is, however, much more to Apple's new app than you might expect.
A university is digitizing thousands of wax cylinder records
The University of California, Santa Barbara has an alternative for those whose unusual musical needs can't be fulfilled by Spotify and similar services. Its library has been digitizing cylinder recordings of 19th to 20th century music, and so far, the official UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive website already has 10,000 tracks you can stream. The library's latest addition to that pile is comprised of 150 two- to four-minute recordings of Everlasting celluloid cylinders. The cylinder format, which looks like an empty toilet paper roll, is a type of recording medium before the more familiar phonograph record overtook it in popularity.
Gibson takes a whimsical approach to the podcast microphone
When it comes to USB microphones, you're pretty much limited to a collection of black, silver and gold devices. There really isn't a ton or personality in the color schemes or look of those accessories, save for a few exceptions. Gibson's Neat Microphones line is a welcome exception, though, and its latest delivers a combination of whimsical hues and futuristic aesthetics George Jetson would fancy. The trio pictured above are Widgets, and more specifically go by A, B, and C. All three pack custom capsules, built-in pop filters, shock mounts and adjustable stands. Like a lot of USB mics, the Widgets are very much a plug-and-play add-on, as they won't require you to install drivers or software to get started. When you're ready to record, the company says you can use the gear for anything from podcasting to Skype calls and tracking instruments and vocals in 96kHz/24 bit audio. At $99, the Widgets are pricier than the popular Blue Microphones Snowball and cost the same as its newer Nessie USB mic. If the looks are too much for you to pass up with Gibson's latest, you'll be able to nab them starting November 15th.
Android can record your mobile gaming sessions
Google doesn't want YouTube Gaming to be populated solely with videos from consoles and PCs. It's rolling out a feature in the Google Play Games app that lets you record 480p or 720p footage from any Android game that supports the Google Play framework. All you do is pick the game from the GPG app and start capturing -- when you're done, you can edit the clip before sending it YouTube's way. You can have it record your on-camera reactions, too, if pure gameplay isn't entertaining enough. Only US and UK gamers will have access to recording in the next few days, but more countries are coming "soon after."
