digital audio workstation
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PreSonus and Bitwig have teamed up to launch a universal file format for DAWs
PreSonus and Bitwig have teamed up to launch the open DAWproject file format. This innovation allows you to save an entire audio project in one DAW and open it in another.
Reason's popular DAW finally gets native Apple Silicon support
Reason Studios (formerly Propellerhead) announced today that Reason, its popular digital audio workstation and plugin suite, now natively runs on Apple M1 / M2 chips. After installing the new Reason 12.6 update, users can skip the slower speeds from Apple’s Rosetta 2 emulator and run the DAW natively on non-Intel Macs for “50 percent better performance.”
You can now embed a legitimate audio workstation right on your website
Popular online DAW Soundation has just released tools to allow users to embed their product in any website. This allows artists to easily set up remix competitions and allows companies to set up demo stations for beats and samples. Additionally, this tech could find use in classrooms.
Ableton Live 11: The biggest upgrades explained
Ableton Live 11 is partially about playing catchup and partially about looking to the future.
SSL's UF8 adds physical controls to your virtual music studio
Solid State Logic’s UF8 gives you immediate access to eight tracks in your DAW (digital audio workstation) of choice — be that Ableton, Pro Tools or Logic complete with high-resolution faders for controlling you volume levels.
Atom SQ review: An affordable and powerful companion for Studio One
PreSonus built the Atom SQ explicitly for its Studio One DAW, and it shows. The integration between the two is excellent. The price is right and the unique staggered layout bridges the gap between a traditional keyboard and a grid-based pad controller. But, if you don’t use Studio One, the Atom SQ probably doesn’t have a ton of appeal.
Akai introduces 'MPC Beats' music-making software for beginners
MPC Beats offers eight MIDI/instrument tracks and just two audio tracks.
Amped Studio offers 'experimental' VST plugin support for its online DAW
Online digital audio workstation (DAW) music production apps are popular because, unlike local apps, they can run on machines that aren’t necessarily super-powerful. However, a downside is that you can’t use powerful VST plugins that do functions like noise reduction, auto-tune or sampled instruments. Amped Studio has announced that it has solved that problem, albeit in a limited way, with a new experimental update called VST/Remote.
Cubasis 3 mobile DAW comes to Android
The Cubasis 3 mobile DAW is now available on Android, meaning the platform’s selection of digital audio workstations has caught up a little to iOS.
Soundation's collaborative DAW is like Google Docs for music
Soundation's DAW now comes with real-time collaboration.
Ableton Live is currently even cheaper than it was on Cyber Monday
Ableton Live is one of the most popular digital audio workstations available, and it's currently 40 percent off.
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.
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.
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.
Soundtrap for Storytellers is Spotify's latest play for podcasters
Spotify has been snatching up companies left and right. One of the odder acquisitions was Soundtrap, an online music production tool. It just didn't really seem to fit with the rest of the company's moves. With Soundtrap for Storytellers, though, things are finally starting to come into focus. It's taken its audio editing and cloud-based collaborative chops, and used them to build something specifically for podcasters. Which, obviously, is something Spotify has become quite obsessed with. See: its recent purchases of Gimlet, Parcast and Anchor.
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).
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.
FL Studio Mobile lands on iOS, more indie rap albums to be produced while commuting
Dream no longer friends, FL Studio Mobile is here for your iOS device of choice. The iPhone and iPod touch version is being offered for $15, while the more expansive HD edition for the iPad is fetching $20 -- but both will see their price climb another $5 after the introductory sale is over. As mentioned you'll be able to pass project files back and forth between the desktop and mobile apps, though the iDevices lack support (and the muscle power) for VST instruments. It also appears the scope of the sequencer had to be scaled back from 128 tracks to 99, but that should be more than enough to keep you tapping out beats like 9th Wonder while riding the train. Hit up the source links to download the portable production suite and check out the gallery below. %Gallery-126831%
