Soundsnap: new business model

One year ago we wrote about Soundsnap's opening, and we're glad of the success this sound sharing service has had during its first year. Unfortunately this comes at a cost, and Soundsnap has just announced a new business model.
There's still a free account, which gets 5 downloads per month. And then there are the Soundsnap PRO accounts, which you can see here in the table...

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The reasons for this choice? Basically the success of the site, with up to 450.000 visits per months, and the fact that the site "licensed thousands of high quality FX from famous contributors".
It seems the ads revenues were not enough to cover all these costs, and if it's true this means bad news for the "free contents" business approach.
For professional sound-designers, I'm sure the cost of the pro accounts is affordable, while it could be a bit on the expensive side for common users (who need more than 5 sounds per month).
Let's see what happens in the next weeks/months.

Soundtoys goes VST (and updates TDM - AU as well)

You already know Soundtoys are among our favourites tools to shape the sound. Well, the long awaited VST version is now available, thanks to the latest 3.1 release. This time it seems they really made everyone happy: this release includes a very important compatibility update for Digital Performer 6 users as well as a new version of Speed for Logic Pro users that integrates into Logic's Time and Pitch Machine (a welcome bonus to an already gorgeous suite, we will test Speed against Izotope's Radius soon).
The Soundtoys guy, when asked about more "under the hood" changes in this 3.1 release, told us "One really big thing is a change in the way automation is implemented for AU. Logic had a hard time dealing with some of our parameters, especially frequency in FilterFreak. We have now rescaled things to allow Logic to work better". Good news, isn't it?

The download page can be a bit deceiving for those bad guys who skip the text and just click on the links: VST users (and potential new TDM and AU users) need to request their demo installer (no iLok required) here, while licensed users can download their installer at the usual page.


Read also the interview with Ken Bodganowicz, Soundtoys' founder and CEO.

The Soundtoys native bundle in our 2007 Sonic Joy Awards.

Soundcloud: collaboration 2.0

Tomorrow Soundcloud.com, the music sharing platform for music industry professionals, in beta since one year (accounts were only available by personal invite), goes public.
The Berlin-based company offers an interesting service for all those who would like something better than your average yousendit/ftp/etc. way of of transferring large music files (oh, I forgot, there's still people who send out physical cds or dvds!). Think of a powerful file exchange service, mixed with a social networks' kind of approach, and you can start getting the idea behind Soundcloud.

It's a (visually appealing) web based service, which allows users to upload their files in any format and then manage them from "the cloud" (ok, you'll need to see this, it's way easier than trying to explain).
Among the unique features of Soundcloud, it lets users comment specific parts of the file (like, "hey this refrain needs more of your fu**in ring-modulated guitar", and things like that), and listen (and give feedback) to incoming tracks without downloading. User can also put a dropbox widget on their website, to let other people send their tracks. They can also bookmark or "follow" other artists' pages, and automatically be notified when they upload some new files.

Of course tracks can be private or shared, depending on users' needs. That means you can keep on working on your secrete masterpiece without risk.
During the beta period the service has also been used by labels like Compost, BPitch and artists like Goldie and it seems the feedbacks are very positive.
We haven't got golden teeth but we've been able to test the service in the last month (even just for short tracks, nothing serious), and we can say...yes, Soundcloud delivers! The interface is very user-friendly and there's no learning curve, you can start using it in a couple of minutes. It's refreshing, you don't need to host anything, it's fast and it works as expected. No issues so far, just a small request: a progress bar during the upload would be useful, especially for less tech savy people.

What about prices? Well, tomorrow we'll know better, but Soundcloud is going to offer PRO accounts for purchase right after launch. There will be three levels of accounts: PRO Light, PRO Standard and PRO Max. There will still be a free account but it will have limited features.
Let's hope they'll keep their services affordable, and not just for über pro-people. Updated news: there are three Pro accounts (PRO Light, PRO Standard and PRO Max), priced at 9/29/59 euro per month. All of them include a 30-day free trial and no limits on filesizes. The biggest difference? The number of tracks: 15/50/unlimited tracks per Month. Also, the Standard and Max accounts include full stats and, respectively, normal or priority tech support.

We'll keep an eye on Soundcloud in the next days/weeks, so stay tuned.
And...if you like to party and if you're in Berlin, there's an opening party tomorrow. Have fun!

Soundhack delay trio

Tom Erbe, Soundhack's developer, has just released a beta version of a new mini-suite of plugs: it's called Soundhack delay trio, and it's freeware.
Tom says "its not quite out of beta, so for the adventurous only. if anyone finds a bug or has a suggestion, drop me a line."
We had a quick look at the manual, and as usual with Tom's releases, it seems there' something interesting in this case too. In his words: "This is a group of three plugins that I developed as class demonstrations while teaching computer music and studio technique at UC San Diego. All of these are derived from the same basic delay algorithm: a hermite interpolated delay line with variable modulation, and a feedback loop with dc blocking and saturation. Pitch shifting is achieved with a dual head crossfading delay (ala Eltro Tempophon/Dennis Gabor/Pierre Schaeffer phonogene) and is decidedly low-fi. The three plugins are +delay, which presents most typical delay options; +pitchdelay, which is essentially the same plugin with controls oriented toward pitch shifting; and finally +bubbler, which is a granular delay in which grains are pulled from the delay line with randomized start time, delay time and pitch shift.

The plugins come in RTAS, VST, AU formats for Mac and Windows. They require OS X 10.4 and above, or Windows XP SP3 and above. RTAS plugins require ProTools 7.0 or above. The Mac plugins are Universal Binary."

Well, we're adventurous, isn't it?Soundhack delay trio can be downloaded from Soundhack's home page. Have fun!

Logic keyboard cover: shortcuts made easy

Let's say you've just bought Logic 8 (Pro or Express). Like with other complex applications, learning at least the most important keyboard shortcuts is one the best thing to do. It speeds up your workflow, and makes the whole music-recording process easier.
You can start learning the shortcuts exploring Logic's menus, or having a look at the preferences. But it takes time, and it's not that fun (especially if you're not so good at memorizing this kind of things, like me!).
Some time ago, while browsing the web, I found this company called KB Covers. At the time they were selling keyboard covers (made of "durable, ultra-thin silicone and perfectly molded to fit the original Apple Keyboards") for Photoshop, Pro Tools, Sibelius, some games, etc. I thought, hey, it would be cool to have a Logic keyboard cover too.
I've put myself in "spiritual communication mode", and they listened to my telepathic request.
A couple of months ago they added the Logic Pro/Express cover to their catalogue!

I just got one (had to wait a bit, 'cause the european ISO version was not available yet), and I have to say it's exactly what I expected it to be, and probably more.
It takes a few seconds to put it on the Apple keyboard (they have two versions, one for the Apple Keyboard and one for the Apple Ultra-Thin Keyboard, both US and European ISO layouts are available), and the first thing you notice is the high quality of the printing process. Texts and colours are perfect, everything is easily readable.
I was a bit skeptical about the tactile feedback of the keyboard. I thought, uhmmm... it's silicone...
Well, I admit I'm pleasantly surprised: it's soft and comfortable as advertised, and I like it, I really like it, to the point that sometimes I keep the Logic cover on the keyboard, even when I've finished my work with Logic and I'm just browsing the web or using the computer for other tasks.
The Logic Keyboard Cover (designed with the help of Orren Merton, author of several books about Logic), as said, does what it's supposed to do. So, if you don't need to customize Logic's shortcuts and just want to stay with the default settings, it's definitely something to add to your shopping list. At that price, $39.95, I wouldn't think too much about this keyboard cover. Well, it's not cheap, but it's way cheaper than getting a dedicated new keyboard, and you can use as many covers as you need (if, for example, you are a Photoshop or a Final Cut user too). Oh, it's washable, which is a plus!
Of course if you're an advanced user and you've spent a lot of time customizing your shortcuts, this product is not for you.
Last thing: this cover, as said, is for Logic 8 users. Since I have also a mac running a copy of Logic 7 I tried to spend some time to see if the cover was usable on that version as well. After a couple of hours and keeping some useful pdfs as reference (you can find them on Edgar Rothermich's site and in a LogicProHelp's thread), I can say that, yes, the Logic Keyboard Cover can be used by Logic 7 users too.
You just "lose" two/three keys, not more than that. Actually, Logic 8's default shortcuts are not so different from previous version: some of them are just renamed, some others are assigned to different keys. So the trick in this case is to customize your Logic 7's settings to match the most recent ones. That's where the pdfs come in handy.
As said, some commands in Logic 8 are totally new, and that's where you "lose" some keys, but I think you can live with that!

A final note to KB Covers guys: I love your cover, but please... make your blisters easier to open!

TENORI-ON: worldwide launch events

On April 25th, The TENORI-ON will be officially launched in Japan with an event in Tokyo, at Spiral Hall (a multi-purpose cultural center). Among the confirmed guests/performers: Atom Heart.
No further news about the launch in other countries yet. We'll keep you posted.

Update: worldwide launch events schedule is as follows...

12th March Frankfurt

8th April Berlin

9th April Paris

11th April Montreal

16th April New York

18th April San Francisco

25th April Tokyo

A new site has just been launched, the name says it all: www.tenori-on-tour.com.
If you're asking about prices, this is what our sources told us some days ago: "the official European announcements will happen from Messe".

NAMM 2008: news pt.1

Namm 2008 news are starting to circulate and here we'll try to collect some of them (well, unless you really want to know which heavy metal hero is going to play in your fav guitar's brand booth, sorry, you won't find it here).

Outboard, mics, etc.
Thermionic Culture will present its new twin channel, called The Rooster. A valve based mic/line + DI pre-amp with EQ and a distortion section based around the same 5725 used in the ever-popular Culture Vulture. The input stage uses a custom 1200-ohm input Sowter transformer and an ECC81/12AT7 valve. The EQ section has a broad bass lift control, peaking at 60Hz, a mid cut at 700Hz, and a selectable mid/high lift at 2.5k, 4k ("bell" shaped) and 7k (shelving) respectively. The 6 position bass cut is straight off the Earlybird 2 pre-amp.
Price: 1639 pounds (approx. 2200 euro/ 3200 usd)

Lauten Audio will have three new mics at Namm 2008: The Lauten Audio LT-381 is a condenser mic that features dual-diaphragm capsule, NOS pentode input and triode output circuit, variable omni, cardioid and figure-8 polar patterns, 20Hz to 20KHz frequency response and 7-pin XLR and 3-Pin Standard XLR outputs. This product have been designed as a vocal mic because it reproduces almost every audio detail.
The condenser Lauten Audio FC-357 Mic features solid-state FET circuit, pressure gradient condenser, cardioid, omnidirectional and figure-8 polar patterns, -10 dB attenuation and +10dB gain switch, 25Hz to 20KHz frequency response, requires +48V phantom power and 3-pin standard XLR output. The main functions of this mic are vocal, back vocals and instrument recording.
The last product is the Lauten Audio ST-221 a condenser mic with NOS vacuum tube circuit, pressure gradient condenser, cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns (with interchangeable capsules), 20Hz to 20KHz frequency response and 7-pin XLR and 3-pin standard XLR outputs. This mic is great for drum miking tasks but also works with string instruments and pianos.
Price: TBA

Software, plug-ins, etc.
Well, first of all the most two mysterious items of the lot: Yamaha will launch an X-Factor VST thing, and Spectrasonics will have a new product out, probably a sort of super-synth (?!?). We'll see...
McDSP has announced three new plug-ins: DE555 de-esser, the FutzBox signal distorter and noise generator, and the NF575 noise filter.
The DE555 is a new generation of de-essing technology, providing transparent, precise de-essing with unique flexibility. FutzBox is a distortion and noise generator plug-in for creating low-fidelity versions of audio signals. The NF575 noise filter is a high-resolution filter set designed to remove a wide variety of noise types from audio.
The new plug-ins will be available only to owners of the McDSP Emerald Pack HD and Emerald Pack Native bundles as an upgrade ($195 HD / $95 Native for owners of Emerald Pack version 2). The new Emerald Pack bundle (version 3.0) will retail for $2795 for the HD version, and $1495 for the Native version. This increase in price is equal to the upgrade cost, so customers needing Emerald Pack immediately need not wait for version 3.0 to be available.
Emerald Pack 3.0 will also support Mac OS 10.4 (Tiger) and 10.5 (Leopard), as well as Windows XP and Digidesign’s Venue Live sound system. Support for Vista is not official yet.

Controller, Midi, etc.
There's been a lot of talk lately about Euphonix new products, which should make them more familiar to the small studio owners, given their affordable price. We're talking of the MC Control and the MC Mix.
The Euphonix MC Control is a DAW Control Surface with Programmable Touchscreen, 4 Touch-sensitive Motorized Faders, Programmable Knobs and Buttons, Transport Controls, and Monitoring Software.
The Euphonix MC Mix is a compact Control Surface with 8 Touch-sensitive Motorized Faders, Rotary Encoders, Programmable Buttons, and Ethernet Connectivity.
Price: TBA (but Sweetwater has them in pre-order at 1499 usd and 999 usd)

Percussa will show a new software for their nice AudioCubes. From their press release "AudioCubes are a unique and visually intriguing performance tool that can be used as fully assignable MIDI controllers for music and multimedia as well as a standalone wireless digital/analog lo-fi sound generator and processor.
When used as a controller, the AudioCubes translate their physical positioning and proximity (including external surfaces) to Trigger and scalable Continuous Controller information, which can be routed via its MIDI Bridge software to other applications such as as Ableton Live, Reason, softsynths, plug-in FX and physical MIDI devices. Through construct development programs such as Cycling 74's Max/MSP/Jitter these capabilities can be extended to the control of Lighting, Video, even electromechanical Installations, and open a world of research and education possibilities in which hands-on interaction with technology plays a key role.
Besides presenting an update to the MIDI Bridge application and manuals for AudioCubes, Percussa will demo new sound generator software which lets you use the cubes without acomputer, to be released as a free download for all AudioCubes users after the NAMM show."

Guitar stuff, accessories, etc.
I like the picture and that's a good reason for them to appear here! Source Audio, creators of the Hot Hand Motion Control Wah Filter and Phaser/Flanger systems, will introduce its new Soundblox guitar effects pedals at NAMM: Soundblox Multiwave Guitar Distortion, Soundblox Tri-Mod Guitar Wah pedal, the Soundblox Tri-Mod Guitar Flanger pedal and the Tri-Mod Guitar Phaser pedal.
Price: Soundblox pedals 149.99 usd each, Hot Hand Wireless Adapter & Controller 150 usd, Hot Hand Wired Controller 24.95 usd.

To be continued (more about 2008 NAMM)...

TENORI-ON going global

It's official: the TENORI-ON has passed its marketing test stage, and it's going to be featured in the Yamaha global catalogue.

Via TENORI-ON official blog.


TENORI-ON launched

Prix Ars Electronica 2008

Digital-hybrid-animation artists and sound-design mad scientists of the world unite, and submit to the 2008 Prix Ars Electronica! The deadline is March 7, 2008.
Six categories: Computer Animation / Film / VFX, Interactive Art, Digital Musics, Hybrid Art (a new one), Digital Communities, u19 - freestyle computing (this one is reserved to austrian teenagers).
The winner list for the previous years could be intimidating (Aphex Twin with Chris Cunningham, Peter Gabriel with Jean Claude Risset, Pete Docter from Pixar etc.) but, well, you never know!
Full details, regulation, prizes, etc. at PrixArs' website.
Good luck!

Leopard-ized: Melodyne and MicroTonic updated

Celemony's Melodyne and Soniccharge's MicroTonic users will be glad to know these apps have been updated and now they are fully Leopard and Logic 8 compatible.
From Celemony: "With these updates, all editions of Melodyne are now compatible with the new Apple Operating System 10.5. The previous limitations regarding ReWire and Melodyne Bridge under Leopard have been lifted. In addition, we have optimized the performance and stability of the program in numerous ways and integrated a problem solution when using Spot-to-Pro-Tools in connection with Pro Tools 7.4. All users will benefit from these improvements – whether using Leopard, Tiger, Win XP or Vista."
To download the updates login as usual on the Celemony's website. If you want to know more about the updates, there's a pdf here.

MicroTonic's update fixes some problems (multi output and some graphic issues) with Logic 8 and Leopard, and can also be used under Tiger.
But, as Magnus and Fredrik from Soniccharge tell in their email, "If you are not on Mac, we still have something that should hopefully jingle your bells".
Yes, there's a new, free, xmas patch package (called XMasTonic2007) downloadable from the official site. Just scroll down and you'll find it at the bottom of the page.


Read also the interview with Magnus from Soniccharge.

AudioNewsRoom: a new site for italian contents

We decided to keep the original audionewsroom url (the one you're watching) for the english version, and create a new site, audionewsroom-italia for our italian readers. All the "old" articles in italian can be found there since, well, now.
Please tell us if you notice something wrong. Thanks.

Da oggi i contenuti in italiano passano al nuovo sito in lingua italiana, audionewsroom-italia. Ci scusiamo per gli eventuali inconvenienti.

Find a typo, get 20% off!

Matthew from audiofile-engineering, one of the most interesting "young" software-house for the Mac platform (and, since some months, the new home for Plasq's Rax), some days ago posted this on BigBlueLounge: "Find a typo on our website and get 20% off of the app of your choice. Broken links count EXCEPT links to PDF or HTML manuals (we know those are broken) or screencast tutorials."
Considering the new website is as cool as their apps, it's not a bad offer, ah?

Logic Pro 8.0.1

Logic 8, or better, Logic Pro 8, just had its first (little) update, 8.0.1.
From early reports, if your software update did not warn you about this release, it means that your copy is not registered yet. So if you forgot about that, it could be the right moment to do it. Anyway, you can get the update also from Apple's website: http://www.apple.com/logicstudio/download/.
What's addressed in this update? Let's see what Apple says (from the Late-Breaking News About Logic Pro 8.0.1 document ):
Logic Pro 8.0.1 is a maintenance release that addresses isolated reliability and stability issues, along with minor corrections to the following areas of the application:

Right mouse button preferences

Audio configuration

Giant Bar and Giant SMPTE Display windows

SMPTE view offset

Marker text input

Beat mapping

Project management

Channel strip Level fader display

Key commands

AudioNewsRoom: work in progress

We're gonna make some technical changes to the webzine in the next hours/days, so don't worry if you see some strange things going on in here :-)

Camel Audio For The Planet

Ben Gillett from Camel Audio posted this message, and we're glad to help such a good cause: "Camel Audio is a member of an organisation called 1% For The Planet. 1% For The Planet is an alliance of businesses commited to giving at least 1% of the money they receive to environmental charities. They are running an auction to raise funds, and we've donated a complete collection of everything we sell - CamelSpace, CamelPhat, Cameleon 5000, Cameleon Soundbanks, all the Starscapes and Biolabs Absynth and Massive Sounds. The bidding is starting now at $220 (less than a third of the price if bought new), and every single dollar you pay goes to charity - we don't get a thing. The auction also has lots of other things - from a signed Jack Johnson guitar to surfing lessons. Find out more over here".

Scarbee, happy birthday, happy customers

Today (11/15) Thomas 'Mr.Scarbee' is 43, and his webshop has a special (one day only) 43% off discount. So, if you want to add some of his top quality sample libraries to your hd, it's the right moment to do it!
And don't forget to wish him "happy birthday"!