daw
Latest
Roland's Zenbeats music production app is currently free
All sorts of companies have been giving away their apps for free or offering extensive free trials so that everyone stuck inside during the coronavirus pandemic can learn new skills or get inspired. Roland -- creators of iconic synthesizers and guitar effects -- is the latest to join in. The company's Zenbeats is a cross-platform digital audio workstation, allowing users to create songs on mobile, desktop, and even Chrome. The base tier has always been free, but the next step up, Zenbeats Unlock, typically costs $15 and includes more instruments, effects and presets. Roland is temporarily offering free downloads of this version to iOS and Android users.
Endlesss is a simple, fun music collaboration app
Thanks to social distancing measures, online collaboration is more prominent than ever. But that doesn't just go for work -- it's part of having fun, too. When it comes to remotely making music with friends, there's typically a high barrier to entry. Not everyone is familiar with the workflows of digital audio workstations like Ableton Live or Apple's Logic Pro X. That's where Endlesss comes in. Billed as a "multiplayer music" app, it's aimed at users who are familiar with the basics of music production and synthesis while remaining somewhat accessible to those who aren't. Though it probably won't become a staple of bedroom producers, it could be a fun way to pass the time while cooped up at home.
Behringer is building a free digital audio workstation
When it comes to producing music, a digital audio workstation (DAW) is one of the most important tools of the trade. This software is where musicians record and edit tracks, add effects, and play virtual instruments. Behringer -- which is well-known for its hardware-based synthesizers -- confirmed on Facebook that it will create its own DAW, which will hopefully be out sometime next year. But the company won't be going head-to-head with the likes of Apple's Logic Pro or Avid's Pro Tools: Behringer's DAW will be free.
Serato Studio music production software is now a powerful DJ edit tool
Serato has made its name as one of the top digital DJ platforms available and I've also become fond of its recent Studio software which offers music production tools that are easily approachable. In fact, we've recommended both products in our holiday gift guide this year. If you've been considering either, the company just launched some updates to Studio that sweeten the pot. With Serato Studio 1.4 there's a reduced monthly subscription fee of $10 per month (down from $15). But now there's also the option to buy the software outright for $200, which includes all the perks associated with the subscription. That is, at least until version 2.0 arrives further down the line. Even then you can keep using the current version on its own or pay an upgrade fee instead of a new license to keep the updates flowing (price TBD). More importantly, Studio 1.4 now has a new audio tracks interface, giving you the ability to import and edit complete songs (or acapellas), rather than just limited-length samples. This finally opens up the possibility of making quick and easy edits, mash-ups and remixes of tracks for your next DJ set.
Ableton Live 10 is 25 percent off through Cyber Monday
If you're starting to feel constrained by GarageBand or the free software that came with your MIDI controller, it might be time to upgrade. And you might want to consider Ableton, which has discounted its Live 10 software by 25 percent. With the price cut, the app's Intro, Standard and Suite tiers now cost $74, $337 and $562 respectively, down from their usual $99, $449 and $749 price points. When it comes to audio production tools, Ableton Live 10 is one of our favorites. While it might be intimidating at first glance, the app features a clean and intuitive interface that encourages experimentation.
Roland releases Zenbeats, a cross-platform music-making app
Roland has been making electronic musical instruments for nearly 50 years and has delivered products like the JU-06A tiny portable synth, keyboards with built-in Alexa controls and mini smartphone mixers. Now, it's entering the world of mobile music-making apps. Today, the company released Zenbeats.
UVI’s Toy Suite virtualizes the musical instruments of your childhood
Software instrument developer UVI are swapping their virtual cellos and pianos for Speak & Spells and music boxes. The company's latest library contains over 70,000 samples of nostalgic musical toys, giving musicians the freedom to create anything from the cutest compositions to discordant nightmare fuel that Trent Reznor would be proud of.
Ableton Live can control modular synths from your computer
Modular synthesizers are having something of a moment right now. Even mainstream players like Korg are trying to bring them to the masses. So it's no surprise that Ableton -- maker of one of the most popular digital audio workstations (DAW) in the world -- is trying to get in on the hype. Today the company officially launched CV Tools, a set of virtual devices for Live 10 that bring your computer and your modular gear closer together.
The DJ-inspired production platform Serato Studio arrives today
If you're a Serato DJ user with an unfulfilled desire to make beats and missed the beta for the company's new production platform, now's your chance. Today is the official launch of Serato Studio 1.0 and it's in good form following a little feedback from the initial test group. As we mentioned back in March, Serato Studio is an easy entry point into music production for DJs and novices alike. The software ties into existing DJ hardware for those already invested in mixing tunes, letting you manage many of the on-screen tools right from your controller. It's also chock full of familiar features including colored waveforms, cue points and direct access to your Serato DJ library. Serato Studio 1.0 is available today as a subscription of $15 per month -- or $10 per month billed annually -- and you can test the waters first with a free trial. Subscribers will get regular software updates, along with access to Serato Sounds which provides new audio packs each month. They'll be loaded with instruments, drum kits, loops and FX spanning a variety of styles from sound designers like Decap, Goldbaby, MSXII Sound Design and more.
Roli's light-up Lumi keyboard teaches you how to play
Roli has been making unconventional electronic music instruments for about a decade now. Its Seaboard series take the traditional keyboard design and infuse it with some notable tricks, like pressure-sensitive keys that allow for far more modulation effects than you can do on a piano. Its series of modular Blocks gadgets take that pressure-sensitive surface in another direction, combining the features of a synth and drum pad into a much more affordable device than the company had released before. However, Roli has never made a traditional keyboard before, until now. At first glance, the 24-key Lumi looks very much like any other MIDI keyboard out there, albeit one without any bezel to speak of. But, as this is a Roli product, the Lumi isn't meant to just be another small keyboard. The Lumi's keys all light up via internal LEDs, and those lights match up with a Lumi app for iOS and Android that's meant to teach users how to play. The app, meanwhile, more than a hundred songs players can learn, including songs from big-name artists like Beyoncé and Pharrell.
Serato Studio helps simplify the path to music production
It's a safe assumption that most DJs have the itch to create some music of their own. Obviously many of them do, but for some, the expense of new gear or the learning curve involved with the software hinders that quest. To help bridge the gap, makers of the popular Serato DJ software are releasing a new product: Serato Studio (macOS/Windows). For those who already use the company's DJ hardware and software, things will be pleasantly familiar, helping ease you into the song-making process. Of course, you don't need to be a DJ; this tool is great for anyone who wants to make music with fewer "technical roadblocks" and more creative flow. Today's soft launch is for the free public Serato Studio Beta version, with limited slots available. If you sign up, you'll be able to kick the tires on this beta release and give Serato your feedback to help them hone the final product. Plus, you'll get updates as new functionality and features are added during that period. The official 1.0 release is expected sometime this summer (for the Northern Hemisphere) and will be a subscription-based model. Although pricing hasn't been announced, we hope it will be an affordable monthly fee similar to the company's other subscription products (usually $10-$15).
FL Studio gets its own dedicated music-making hardware
The favorite DAW (digital audio workstation) of producers like Metro Boomin and Mike Will Made It finally has a piece of hardware to call its own. Ableton got its first dedicated hardware controller way back in 2009. And Pro Tools has had them since... well honestly I don't even know, but long before that even. FL Studio though, despite its popularity, has had to make do with generic MIDI controllers until now. The Akai Professional Fire changes all of that.
Roland's latest smartphone mixer can record your entire band
Your phone's mic is fine for quick audio memos and the like, but if you want to record music on it, you need something a little more robust. Roland revealed a palm-sized audio mixer at CES in 2017, a little device called Go:Mixer that could record up to five audio sources to your phone. Now the company has a new version, the Go:Mixer Pro, a similarly small sound mixer that can handle up to nine instruments at one time, including powered mics, guitars, basses and other line-level instruments.
The iRig Keys I/O makes it easy to streamline your studio
Whether you're demo-ing a song for your band or recording a masterpiece to share on Soundcloud, you'll likely need a couple of things to connect to your computer. If you're planning on having any real instruments or vocals, you'll need some sort of audio interface to turn your analog sounds into digital ones. I have an M-Audio MobilePre USB for that task, which runs about $180 on Amazon. In addition, you probably want to have a MIDI controller, to "play" all those sounds you don't have real instruments for. These can typically cost $250-$500 or so, depending on features. At $300, IK Multimedia's iRig Keys I/O 49 comes in at the lower end of this bracket.
Native Instruments Maschine gets color screens, larger pads
Whether you're an in-room musician or you take your craft onstage, the Native Instruments Maschine is an incredibly handy tool for working with and triggering samples and controlling MIDI instruments. Well, it just got a nice upgrade with the Maschine MK3.
Use Roli Blocks to control Mac and Windows music production apps
Roli's set of modular music gadgets have been around since November, but today the company announced an update that will come in handy for those who use desktop music production apps. The new Dashboard for Roli Blocks allows you to employ the LED touch-sensitive pad to control software like Logic Pro X, Ableton Live, Cubase, Native Instruments Massive and a bunch more. With the Lightpad Block and Dashboard, you can upload pre-programmed scripts and edit as needed.
The SAFE project teaches computers to understand your musical vocab
The vocabulary we use to describe music can be tough enough for a human to grok (really, what does it mean when a guitar riff is "crunchy"?) but a team of tinkerers from Birmingham City University aren't interested in helping people understand that language. Nope -- instead, they've cooked up a way to teach your computer what you mean when you throw around words like "bright" or "fuzzy" or, yes, "crunchy" with a program they call the SAFE Project.
Hands-on with the Surface Music Kit, a digital audio workshop aimed at beginners (video)
We were expecting new tablets at today's Microsoft Surface press event, but this? This was a surprise. In addition to unveiling the Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2, the company showed off the Surface Music Kit, a special version of the company's Touch Cover keyboard that's specifically meant for music production. Actually, it would be more accurate to say that it includes both a Touch Cover and an app (called the Remix Project) that lets beginners experiment with remixing. Inside the application, you'll find "stems" (things like the bass track of a song), "clips" (the intro to a pop song, say) and "oneshots," which include sound effects like claps. From there, you can drag and drop the tracks into a workshop area, not unlike the way you'd handle media in a video-cutting program (or any other digital audio workshop, really). What's especially cool is that the Touch Cover here is pressure-sensitive, just like the new Touch Cover 2, so if you want a light drum sound, you can tap it lightly; if you want something more intense, just start mashing it with your fingers.
Yamaha's singing keyboard makes X Factor even more redundant (video)
Tired of singers over pro-ho-ho-ho-nouncing every vowel? Perhaps the solution is to just remove their ilk from the equation altogether. That's the idea behind Yamaha's new Vocaloid Keyboard, which transforms the Vocaloid software into a ready-to-play device. 16 keys represent consonants, vowels and the types of voicing marks used in Japanese, while at the same time selecting a tone on the keyboard. An LED display prints out each letter as its plays, ensuring that you aren't making any playing errors (or should that be "typing errors?"). Experienced musicians who have used the device found that they were able to produce nursery rhymes after three hours of practice, but sadly the company isn't planning to press it into production. Instead, as the chip inside is "removable," it might contemplate licensing it to another interested party, Simon Cowell, perhaps.
KDJ-One: the Game Boy of music making is real(ly coming, in a bit) (video)
Cyberstep sent our hearts aflutter-ish at last year's NAMM with its prototype KDJ-One, a Game Boy with gigantism that held a portable digital audio workstation inside. Now, twelve months later, the company's pulled the dust sheets from a version that's ready for prime-time. Inside its roomy bowels you'll find a 1.0GHz Intel Atom processor, 512MB RAM, 4GB SSD and a 5-inch WVGA (800 x 400) touchscreen that'll let you control that piano-roll score editor. There's also 15 chunky rubber LED-lit keys, a Jog dial, D-Pad and a rumble pack so you really know when you've got a poppin' choon going. You'll be able to pre-order the vanilla kit for $800, but for $830 you'll also find WiFi baked inside, in either Game Boy White or Black'n'Red -- but be warned, orders are said to be fulfilled within six months. After the break we've got some new footage of the unit being put through its paces, which at no point shows it being used to play Super Mario Bros, shame.
