Author: Christopher Simmons

Christopher Simmons

About Christopher Simmons

https://christophersimmons.com

Christopher Simmons has been a working journalist since his first magazine sale in 1984. He has since written for wide variety of print and online publications covering lifestyle, tech and entertainment. He is an award-winning author, designer, photographer, and musician. He is a member of ASCAP and PRSA. He is the founder and CEO of Neotrope®, based in Torrance, CA, USA.

Posts by Christopher Simmons:

Native Instruments Expansions

Native Instruments Expansions offer genre-specific sound packs for MASCHINE, BATTERY and MASSIVE

Christopher Simmons

SYNTH NEWS: Native Instruments today announced release of “Expansions.” Based on the acclaimed MASCHINE Expansions series, these 50+ genre-based sound packs contain everything a musician needs to create a full track in a specific style. From preloaded drum kits to specially-designed synth presets, construction kits, samples, and song patterns, Expansions have been designed to fully integrate with a range of popular NI products.

Output Releases ANALOG BRASS & WINDS

Output Releases ANALOG BRASS & WINDS – Blurs Line from Powerful Orchestral Sounds and Legendary Synths

Christopher Simmons

SYNTH NEWS: Output Inc. has announced ANALOG BRASS & WINDS, “a virtual instrument for those who dare.” The new “Next Level Air” instrument “blurs the line between powerful orchestral sounds and legendary synths.” The company sampled an 18-piece brass section, 18-piece wind section, and hand-selected soloists at the stunning BMC Hall in Budapest. The meticulously sampled recordings range from traditional techniques to wildly unusual ones.

UVI SubCulture Falcon expansion

UVI announces SubCulture, new Falcon Synth expansion delivering dark subs, stabs, deep bass

Christopher Simmons

SYNTH NEWS: UVI has announced SubCulture expansion pack for Falcon with 110 dark and hard-hitting patches made for producers of modern bass, post-EDM, DnB, garage and more. The second collaboration from sound designers Richard Gale and Carlo de Gregorio, SubCulture dives into the underground with a shadowy collection of snarling basses, dark ambiances, rhythmic tempo-synced patches, emotive cinematic textures and more.

Spitfire Audio ORCHESTRAL SWARM

Spitfire Audio takes flight with ORCHESTRAL SWARM, a creative collaboration with Bleeding Fingers

Christopher Simmons

SYNTH NEWS: Spitfire Audio has announced their latest orchestral instrument library, ORCHESTRAL SWARM, the direct result of a creative collaboration with Bleeding Fingers, a next-generation composer collective who wanted to create a new Swarm library in pursuit of composing a perfect soundtrack to the oceanic goings-on featured on the groundbreaking BBC “Blue Planet II” natural history television series.

Applied Acoustics Systems PIVOTAL

AAS gets ‘Pivotal’ with sound bank for Ultra Analog VA-2 by sound designer Daniel Stawczyk

Christopher Simmons

SYNTH NEWS: Applied Acoustics Systems (AAS) has announced PIVOTAL, a new soundbank (soundset) for its Ultra Analog VA-2 “virtual analog” synth, as well as free AAS Player. For this library, sound designer Daniel Stawczyk created a hefty 158-preset collection of focused and upfront sounds covering all the classic categories—arpeggios, basses, leads, synths, and effects are all there.

Korg MS20

Synth, Samples, and Plug-ins Deals for August 2017 including Korg, UVI, and Air Music

Christopher Simmons

SYNTH DEALS: In a return to form, I’ve brought back my monthly round-up of great deals on synth gear, such as virtual synths, plug-ins, samples, iOS apps, and more. This list is updated all during August, until the next month when a new list is started. Remember everything has an expiration date, and some offers are for existing users with an account from the respective brand / company / product.

Brainworx celebrates 10 years of premium audio plugins

Brainworx celebrates 10 years of premium audio plugins for recording and performing with promotion

Christopher Simmons

PLUGIN NEWS: Brainworx is celebrating their 10th anniversary in 2017, and is offering fans and new users a promotion during August in celebration. The technical achievements of the last 10 years alone are noteworthy enough, but Brainworx’s success is also deep-rooted in company CEO Dirk Ulrich’s extensive experience as a producer and audio engineer, work which continues to this day.

Bob Moog Foundation Summer 2017 Raffle

Synth Memories: Bob Moog Foundation Summer 2017 Raffle Proffers Moog Memorymoog to Aid Charity

Christopher Simmons

Today, the Bob Moog Foundation announced its Summer 2017 Raffle for a vintage Memorymoog Plus Synthesizer. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the non-profit Foundation’s educational and historic preservation initiatives. The vintage Memorymoog Plus synthesizer is described as a very unusual and powerful polyphonic synthesizer with six voices for each of the three oscillators, MIDI, and a sequencer. Tickets to enter the raffle, which runs Aug. 8 to Sept. 6, 2017, are $25 each.

Continuum Fingerboard Version 8.50

Continuum Fingerboard 8.5 released with New System Presets and EaganMatrix Synth Capabilities

Christopher Simmons

SYNTH NEWS: Haken Audio has announced Continuum Fingerboard Version 8.50 is now available. The new software/firmware update for the Haken Continuum instrument adds many new System Presets and new EaganMatrix capabilities. The brilliant new External Note Mode offers a new way to combine keyboard playing with Continuum, where each formula can be customized for the limited accuracy of keyboard aftertouch and pitch.

Spitfire Audio Bernard Herrmann

Spitfire Audio Scares Up New Bernard Herrmann Composer Toolkit with Classic Sounds for Orchestration

Christopher Simmons

MUSIC GEAR: Spitfire Audio has announced a new virtual orchestra sound sample library that brings to life the classic and iconic vibe of composer Bernard Herrmann, known for “Psycho,” “Vertigo,” and many other classic films. This is Spitfire’s first dry scoring stage ensemble library and the company worked closely with the Herrmann estate to examine his most famous scores and understand what makes his work so special.

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