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Ubisoft’s Rocksmith+ guitar learning service arrives on PC next week
Following a nearly year-long delay, Rocksmith+ will arrive on PC exclusively through the Ubisoft Store on September 6th.
Rocksmith+ is an Ubisoft subscription service for learning guitar and bass
You can use your phone's microphone and get real-time feedback as you play.
Skullcandy’s Crusher Evo headphones are even better at rattling your brain
Skullycandy's Crusher Evo wireless headphones pack 'more multi-dimensional haptic vibration patterns.'
The Moog Subsequent 25 offers classic synth bass with modern amenities
Anytime Moog releases a new synth it's worth getting at least a little excited about. And the Subsequent 25 (or Sub 25) is no exception. It's the successor to the Sub Phatty -- basically the standard bearer for classic Moog bass sounds over the last several years. The Sub 25 takes what made its predecessor such a powerful and aggressive tone monster and just goes bigger.
Behringer unveils a Roland TB-303 clone
Like many other synths and drum machines, the Roland TB-303 was a commercial flop, but years later became a staple of electronic music. An authentic 303 will run you over $2,000 these days, but Behringer will soon offer a fully analog clone of the unit at a fraction of the price. According to MusicRadar, the TD-3 will feature very similar sounds while adding features not found in the original 303, like 16-voice polyphony and a distortion circuit based on Roland's own DS-1 guitar effects pedal.
Teenage Engineering's 'rumble' module puts haptic bass in the OP-Z
When I reviewed the OP-Z from Teenage Engineering, I was most curious about the expansion port. The diminutive portable synth and sequencer already packed a lot of musical power into a small box. The fact it could be further expanded was exciting. Today we're seeing one such example, with the announcement of the "rumble" module. As the name suggests, the rumble module ($89) adds haptic feedback to the OP-Z, courtesy of a collaboration with Lofelt (of Basslet fame). At its most basic, rumble endows the OP-Z ($599) with a silent, vibrating metronome. Slot the module in, and you can feel the tempo, rather than hear it with the typical (and annoying) shrill "beep."
OnePlus TV may come with eight speakers and Dolby Atmos support
OnePlus has been slowly releasing details about its upcoming smart TV. Today, we learned that OnePlus TV will have eight built-in speakers with a combined 50 watts of power. According to an Amazon listing spotted by 9to5Google, they'll pack "punchy bass to fill your living room," and they'll be powered by Dolby Atmos.
Fender's music instruction app now includes bass lessons
Fender has added bass lessons to its Fender Play platform, providing users with bite-sized exercises, a number of instructors to learn from and a slew of skills to master. Those working on developing their bass-playing abilities will have access to a concept glossary, can work from multiple camera angles including close-up finger placement shots and over-the-shoulder views, track their progress and choose which style they prefer -- like funk, rock, R&B, blues or pop.
Teenage Engineering's next synth wirelessly syncs with Basslet
I love a good collaboration. So when I spotted a Teenage Engineering representative jamming on the (as yet unreleased) OP-Z while wearing a Basslet wearable subwoofer at this year's NAMM convention, I was curious. It turns out, The Swedish synth maker (of Pocket Operator fame) has been working with Lowfelt (maker of Basslet) to have the two gadgets play nice together -- and it makes a lot of sense.
The 'Basslet' puts a haptic subwoofer on your wrist
Bass: It's music's final frontier. By that, I mean it's the part of music that needs to be done right. Too much, and songs sound like a mess. Too little, and there's no guts. Enter Basslet, from a company called Lofelt. In a nutshell, Basslet looks like a watch, but it actually houses a transponder that converts the low frequencies of your music into vibrations that "feel" like bass. It doesn't vibrate like a phone, though; it matches the music, so if bass rises from low to high pitch, you feel that sweep. It's a very unusual idea to grasp, but once you try it, you instantly get it. It's a little bonkers and also a lot of fun.
Fender is working on guitar apps for beginners and pros alike
Mobile apps that help you keep your guitar in tune are nothing new, but now a big name in the instrument game is getting in on the action. Today Fender announced its Tune app for iOS, offering yet another option for tuning your guitar or bass with your trusty handset. The software is part of the iconic guitar maker's quest to provide tools to players at all skill levels through its Fender Digital subsidiary. The tuner app is the first product to launch from the effort.
Dear Veronica: Santa's little tech supporters
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-577584{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-577584, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-577584{width:570px;display:block;}try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-577584").style.display="none";}catch(e){}You guys delivered when it came to tech support disasters over the holidays! Check out your worst stories, as well as those of the Engadget staff! You have so much more patience than I do, seriously.We also get a great response about how to get the best bass for your buck when it comes to earbuds! James Trew helps us out with his advice.And finally today, a little fun with my steps for determining whether or not the 5-second rule applies. Hey, you asked!
Engadget giveaway: win an AIRA TR-8 Rhythm Performer courtesy of Roland!
Think you have what it takes to be the next hot producer? Who cares? You should explore your musical side, craft some homebrew rhythms and enjoy the ride. This could be the year for you to start building beats, too, because Roland has graciously offered to supply one lucky Engadget reader with an AIRA series TR-8 Rhythm Performer. The classic TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines have been merged to create a more flexible, powerful and colorful addition (or start) to your gear collection. This machine hasn't lost the character of the originals either, providing a faithful recreation of their iconic sounds. With Tap Tempo, continuous Fine and Shuffle adjustments alongside pattern copy and randomization features, your on-the-fly performance can be fluid and fun. If you're a fan of Roland's famous TB-303, which helped define the acid house sound in the '80s, you'll find that it's also been reincarnated as the AIRA TB-3 (more gear for your wishlist). It just takes a few clicks at the Rafflecopter widget below and you get up to three chances at winning this modern music box from one of the most trusted names in the business. Winner: congratulations to Deepak R. of Folsom, CA!
Tips and techniques from master bass angler Bill Dance
Well known bass fisherman Bill Dance has hosted a television program for years. On the program Dance offers fishing tips and techniques to help fishermen catch more and bigger fish. Now many of those same lessons are available in this free universal app appropriately named Bill Dance. The app runs on iOS 6.1 or later. Some areas of the app are more useful than others. First let's take a look at the information included in the app that will be helpful for fishermen. The app breaks down the information into six areas: Fishing Knots, Fishing Tips, Bill's Favorites, Photo Gallery, Fishlopedia, and Boating. Each section contains a number of specific areas of coverage. For example in Fishing Knots users will find six popular knots with a narrated video and written instructions on how to tie each knot. All of these knots appear to be used for attaching your hook to your line although they will work in other instances. It would have been better to demonstrate how they could be used for different purposes. In the Fishing Tips area users will find helpful information on how to fish certain types of lures, tips for certain conditions, structures and patterns, and how to approach your fishing trip with the proper mental attitude so you can learn from mistakes and concentrate on all the conditions such as water temperature, clarity, depth, under water structures, and the condition of the bottom to make sure you have the best chance of catching fish. The other section that can be useful is Fishlopedia, which has pictures and background information on more than three dozen species of freshwater fish. This includes several kinds of bass, salmon, catfish, pickerals, and sunfish. You will find a color picture of each species along with the current World Record catch for that fish plus when and where it was caught. Additionally the Bill Dance app provides an overview of where and what type of water structure the fish can be found. Two of the other sections deal more with specific brands of products. Bill's Favorites features a variety of products. According to the app developer's site these products are all from sponsors of Dance. The Boating section features a specific boat manufacturer and different models it produces. In each segment in the section Dance introduces a video and then the video deals with areas such at engine operation, and trailering your boat. While the videos do provide good information, each of the videos is the same in all six different areas. Why are their six copies of the same video? Likely because they have six boat models to show off. Overall I found the Bill Dance app contains quite a bit of useful information and can be helpful to fishermen, especially the less experienced anglers. While a couple of the sections fall short of what you might hope, users should still gain valuable knowledge from the app.
Korg's KR Mini rhythm controller puts a backing band in your gig bag (video)
Sometimes a metronome just won't cut it when you're playing an instrument alone. That's where Korg's KR Mini comes in, providing the galloping metal beat that bridges into a poppy chorus for your bass, guitar or keyboard jam session. You can even chain the unit's nine presets -- 8-beat, 16-beat, dance, jazz, Latin, metal, pop, R&B and rock -- together with a plethora of fills to make your own backing tracks to shred along to. The box's 16 velocity sensitive-pads do double duty too, allowing for finger drumming if none of the onboard loops do the trick. If you need inputs to run your existing effects pedal-board or foot controls into, the KR Mini has you covered there too. No monitor? No problem. The built-in speakers can provide the sound you need at a moment's notice, with a trio of AAs providing the juice if you aren't near a wall outlet. Considering the company's storied drum machine-heritage, it's cool to see Korg honoring that legacy with this latest KR model. The Mini ships in November for $79.99, and while it may not be the ego-free backing band of your dreams, it probably comes close. Follow all of our IFA 2013 coverage by heading to our event hub!
Korg announces Volca analog synth series, we go eyes-on
Korg's love of the mini-analog synth clearly remains strong as it's added three more new ones to the fold -- the Volca Beat, Volca Bass and Volca Keys (the clue to what they do is in the names). While some firms take a pro product and work down, making cheaper versions, Korg seems to take a different approach. It did the stripping-back thing when it launched its popular Monotron synth. Since then, it's incrementally developed it back up into a whole category of its own, the latest iteration of which we apparently see before us here. The trio of mini-synths clearly take inspiration from the Monotribe groovebox that came before them, but are a step up in terms of design. Brushed metal finishes give them a vintage, almost Stylophone feel. The Volca Bass, in particular, looks almost too much like the legendary Roland TB-303 to be coincidence, and if we didn't know better, we'd say the color scheme of the Beat echoes the TR-808. As we happened to be in Frankfurt, we couldn't resist getting out hands on them, or as you'll see past the break, at least trying to. %Gallery-185299%
Mega Man's Bass and Treble in figure form this summer
Capcom is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Mega Man in every way it can think of outside of video games. Next up is a US release of Bandai's D-Arts Bass and Treble figures, based on the sorta evil robot and his dog from Mega Man & Bass and Mega Man 8, coming this summer as a two-pack for $42.99.They look pretty cool, for the Mega Man universe "giant-footed anime robots" definition of cool. They join a D-Arts Mega Man/Rush set released in January.
Skullcandy's Crusher headphones teased, soon to vibrate wubs into your head for $100
Skullcandy hasn't made any official headphone-related announcements at CES -- but that doesn't mean there isn't news to share. We've just been tipped about a bass-pumping followup to its now-defunct Skullcrusher headphones, set to release as the Crusher. The circumaural cans are said to be designed and engineered in-house, though they do look similar to Logitech UE's over-ears. As we understand it, the "crushing sensation" is handled by a vibrating unit inside of each earcup that's independent from its actual 40mm speaker drivers. Impressively, we're told that the lowend will still pump out if the battery dies unlike similar offerings, such as Sony's Pulse gaming headset. An on-earcup control lets you dial in your preferred level of wub, and the earcups can collapse and rotate for storage. Naturally, a detachable 3.5mm cable with an inline remote / mic is also included. Expect these to hit shelves during March clad in your choice of black, white or red for a cool 100 bones. That's all we've got for now, so keep it locked to our coverage of the show while we try to spot 'em ourselves.
Sony ships new Extra Bass headphone lineup to the US, delivers that Direct Vibe to your brain
If you'd like your Sony headphones to be a little less judgmental, we've got good news. The company's MDR-XB400, MDR-XB600 and MDR-XB800 Extra Bass headphones, along with the MDR-XB60EX in-ears, have arrived in the US for those who want low-end frequencies without the talent show branding. All four carry Sony's newer Advanced Direct Vibe to emphasize the sub-bass notes of "today's music styles" (read: electronic and hip-hop) as well as a serrated cord that keeps the cord tangling to a minimum. Working your way up the range mostly improves the frequency range, which starts at an already bass-heavy 5Hz to 22kHz in the XB400 and scales up to a tooth-rattling 3Hz to 28kHz for the XB800; you'll also see the sensitivity jump from 100dB/mW to 106. Provided you don't mind tweaking software to occasionally recover some treble, the entire collection is ready to wobble your head at prices that range from $60 for the starter XB400 headphones to $150 for the XB800.
Vox jams guitar amps into Audio-Technica headphones, dubs them Amphones (ears-on)
Guitarists and Bassists have many tools at their disposal for practicing fresh news licks without disturbing others around them. One of our favorites is Vox's AmPlug -- a guitar amp-modeling dongle that plugs into your instrument's 1/4-inch jack, allowing you to connect headphones and an MP3 player to practice privately. Building on the idea, Vox worked with Audio-Technica to simply embed the AmPlug in a new line of headphones, dubbing them Amphones. The company quietly put the cans up on its site recently, and it's now officially ready to shout out loud about them. Guitarists can choose from AC-30 (British crunch), Lead (hi-gain) and Twin (clean) variants, and bassists can snag the Bass version, which is based on Vox's AC100. Just like the AmPlug, each Amphone features volume dials -- sadly, these don't go to 11 -- for setting gain, volume and tone, along with a fourth for a built-in effect (compression for the Bass and reverb with the AC30, for example). A duo of triple AAs power the cans and, as you'd expect, the 'phones have a 3.5mm jack for hooking in external sources as well as a 1/4 adapter to plug into your axe. These Vox-styled units will be available in the US sometime in October for $100 a pop (double the cost of an AmPlug). Hungering for more already? We were able to give a pre-production version of the AC30 model a brief run, and you'll find our initial impressions after the break.
