Musikmesse – Top 5 Product Announcements
Once a year, around this very time, all eyes in the pro audio / music world find themselves drawn to Frankfurt. You’re thinking it’s some kind of sausage thing, and why not? However, I am actually talking about the European equivalent of NAMM known as Musikmesse. In addition to having a rad Euro name that makes me think of the average synth goon’s noodle infested studio, Musikmesse is often regarded by those in certain quarters as the trade show where vapors become real and all the coolies trot out the next enviable piece of tech candy.
I always dream of attending it myself, but there seems to be some reason I can’t go every year. Last year, I believe I was in Germany not too long before, not too long after, but not at all during. This year, I was in Miami,… Read the rest
AVID Fast Track C400 Review
M-Audio has long been a leading manufacturer of pro audio recording equipment. One of their most popular interfaces, the Fast Track, was considered the industry standard for home recording since it’s introduction in 2004. It was a high quality USB interface that was very simple to use at home or on the road.
The Features
The Avid M-Audio Fast Track C400 is a compact and ergonomic USB audio interface with the capability to record up to 24bit/96kHz audio with up to 4 simultaneous channels at a time with the help of a digital S/PDIF input. When it comes to playback and mixing, the 6 outputs of the Fast Track C400 will come in handy to give you separate feeds for, say, a headphone amp or outboard gear.
The Look
The Fast Track C400 departs from the traditional look of a USB audio interface and comes in an ergonomic form ideal for the… Read the rest
Torq 2.0 Review
Avid has long been a player in the DJ software market with the introduction of the then M-Audio Torq about 7 years ago. Torq has always been considered one of the most advanced DJ software of the major players in the market. Torq 2.0 takes it to the next level. Avid adds a producers approach to the new software and envisions a more creative approach to a DJ performance beyond anything we have ever used. We gave it a spin in the studio and went deeper down the rabbit hole.
The Basics and Beyond
With Torq software, automatic beat-detection and synchronization are just the beginning. Four full-featured decks—each with EQ, level control, headphone cueing, and crossfade—give you the power to build complex mixes and experiment in brand-new ways. Use the decks to prepare tracks during your set, then drop them into the mix and create dense, layered soundscapes. Tempo Anchors… Read the rest
What the Mobile Studio Could Do for You
So, what’s the purpose of a mobile studio anyhow? Is it merely a huge ego-boosting vehicle on wheels that celebrates Unique Squared and its awesomeness? Well, yes – but it’s so much more than that. I’ve watched this thing grow from just a baby (a rented RV) into a full grown behemoth; this is an actual studio. You couldn’t fit the London Philharmonic in there before, but now this is a full-blown studio on wheels.
I still didn’t answer the question, though, “what’s the purpose?” Well, here’s the first clue – it’s a mobile studio. So, in essence, this will be a mobile way for Unique Squared to tour the US and record music. Then, for you, this means you’ll have a new outlet for discovering new music.
Let’s pick just one genre – hip hop. Now, this bus will afford them folks at Unique… Read the rest
M-Audio Venom Review. WA-TA!!!
I remember my first synthesizer experience. It was a Korg Poly-Six and it actually belonged to my older brother Michael. He would play Steel Breeze, The Tubes, and Duran Duran licks because they actually had keyboard solos in the 80′s. I never really asked questions about what he was doing when he was changing filters and oscillators. I just knew it sounded rad and I wanted to play, too. Then he did something that I will never forget. He used an arpeggio for the beginning of Hungry Like The Wolf by Duran Duran and it changed my life. From that point forward I was hooked on analog synthesis.
There are a number of classic vintage synths that define the evolution of electronic music for sure. M-Audio sampled the best of the best, added Avid’s top notch DSP, audio effects, packaged all in a sleek, post-modern, performance… Read the rest
