Story Index for Articles, Interviews, News and Reviews
REPORT: There were so many great products at this year’s NAMM show that we just didn’t get to cover everything in January’s article. Here are more neat and nifty noisemakers to consider for your music manipulation needs. Allen & Heath While they were announcing an extension to the iLive digital mixer line, it’s the line […]
COLUMN: Well, I took the plunge this week and decided to upgrade about 50 or so albums in my iTunes library to the updated “DRM Free” option now offered by Apple for many popular albums/songs found in their store. Unfortunately, this has turned into one of the worst ecommerce experiences with Apple outside of an […]
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (MuseWire) – The winners are in! Chop Shop’s Alexandra Patsavas, Live Nation’s Creighton Burke and Universal Music & Video Distribution’s Jim Urie won by a landslide in the 2009 Best of the Biz List from NARIP (National Association of Record Industry Professionals), which recognizes excellence and high professional standards in our business. NARIP’s […]
COLUMN: Everyone is tired of that same old phrase “you only get one chance to make a first impression.” It is repeated ad nauseum from business schools to beauty pageants and everywhere in between. As much as I would rather say to throw away the stuffy old phrases, parables and sayings, this is one that […]
REVIEW: Creating a song can be joy or toil, art or craft, pleasure or pain. What it cannot be is free from effort. Certain aspects of human existence must be utilized in the making of music: your brain, your heart, your soul. Otherwise, noise is the only result. We have all endured noise masquerading as […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (MuseWire) – Luminary drummer and hip-hop producer Karriem Riggins will be in good company, performing with Herbie Hancock, Elton John, and Diana Krall on Sundance’s new series “Spectacle: Elvis Costello With….” Riggins was called upon to play drums on two of the season’s episodes, first with Herbie Hancock (airing February 4th 9:00 […]
REVIEW: I would probably have liked this album more if it was comprised of personal friends, or the brother of my girlfriend, or fronted by the lads working part-time at the local Auto Club, but coming in cold I found the album “The Butterfly Net” to be a bit tedious and lyrically annoying. While there […]
COLUMN: People in the business of presenting live music bear some responsibility for the current turmoil in our industry. Bob Lefsetz has written passionately about the outrageous overpricing going on for arena shows, but there are also problems on a smaller scale at local shows. Witness a current practice at many clubs. Here’s the situation […]
TORONTO, Canada (MuseWire) – iSkin Inc. today introduced the iSkin solo FX: a hot new iPhone 3G protector that blends glitz and glamour with fashion-forward design features. Inspired by the successful iSkin solo, the solo FX’s glamorous high-gloss bodysuit is accented with a designer pattern that adds a bold, fashionable finish to an already beautiful […]
Seattle, Wash. (MuseWire) – January 2009 marked the 20th Anniversary for BEHRINGER and NAMM provided the perfect venue to recap the last two decades. At a press conference Friday afternoon, Uli Behringer had the opportunity to reflect on the last two decades: “If anyone had asked me twenty years ago if BEHRINGER would have 3,500 […]
High Wycombe, UK (MuseWire) — Focusrite/Novation Sales Director Chris Gooddie has announced his resignation from an active role in the company in order to pursue his interest in bird watching. In light of Chris’s departure, Damian Hawley has been promoted to the newlycreated position of Global Sales Manager for Focusrite/Novation.
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (MuseWire) – Hitt Music Group is happy to announce the continuing success of their collaboration with American Airlines and Beat Marketing. HMG artists are now appearing exclusively on two separate channels as part of AA’s in-flight entertainment. Music from Black Market Corp., Patrick Leonard, Nathan Morris, Kevin Lint, Avowed, Nothing Ever Stays, Not […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (MuseWire) – As the economy continues to spiral downward, and cost efficiency takes center stage with every industry from finance to fashion, the young entrepreneurs behind Audiolife (www.Audiolife.com) could not have chosen a better climate to launch their groundbreaking technology and web-platform specifically designed to empower artists to make money. Not only […]
BOZEMAN, Mont. (MuseWire) – Over the last two decades, classical guitarist Stuart Weber has emerged as one of today’s most forward thinking virtuosos in both his interpretations of the classics and his richly melodic original compositions. With his latest offering, “The Fifth Row” (Bridger Artists Inc.), he takes that ingenuity of spirit to a whole […]
Berlin, Germany (MuseWire) – Native Instruments today introduced ACOUSTIC REFRACTIONS, a new KORE SOUNDPACK that combines organic and synthetic qualities in innovative and inspiring ways. Based on unusual acoustic sample material and brought to life through advanced sound programming, this new library for KORE 2 and the free KORE PLAYER provides charismatic, highly original instruments […]
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (MuseWire) – Men get your suits, women get your corsets: dance, drink and party like it’s 1899! Obsello Spanish absinthe verte is proud to support the 9th annual Edwardian Ball in San Francisco this year. Once just a one-night event, the ball has grown into a three-day extravaganza (Jan. 23 – Jan. […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (MuseWire) – NonStop Riot, a US music branding agency, has secured an undisclosed round of Series B financing from Oakland, CA-based North Venture Partners. The Los Angeles-based firm has worked with a growing list of brand partners including: Ray-Ban, SanDisk, Loopt, slotMusic, and Red Bull among others. The funding will ensure NonStop […]
COLUMN: American Idol began its eighth season last week with two-hour episodes airing on both Monday and Tuesday. That’s four hours of people with severe delusions of grandeur, and completely unrealistic hopes and expectations, all rooted in a profound misunderstanding of the music industry. All of this, plus the contestants’ lack of understanding of what […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (MuseWire) – Online-based recording industry publication adds noted music producer Loren Weisman to its editorial staff. Weisman will contribute expertise on issues related to the pro side of the industry, as well as a regular column on how to succeed in the music business for indie bands and artists. MuseWire(TM) (MIN) is […]
CHICAGO, Ill. (MuseWire) – GameBeat Studios announced today that now through March 1, 2009 they will offer free, custom music demos to advertising and marketing agencies for their upcoming radio or television spots. The launch of this unprecedented promotional strategy comes just days before the debut of a new Toyota TV commercial featuring music composed […]
Champaign, Ill. (MuseWire) – Musicians and sound designers for film, games and live electronic music now have a new supercomputer designed specifically for interactive sound exploration and live performance. The Pacarana and Paca are two new multiprocessor computers optimized for capturing, processing and synthesizing sound for the award-winning Kyma Sound Design Environment. Designed by Symbolic […]
Winter NAMM 2009 (MuseWire) – Cakewalk, the world’s leading developer of powerful and easy to use products for music creation and recording, announces a new line of four cable-based interfaces designed to easily connect musical instruments and other components to a computer. The three MIDI interface and one audio interface hardware solutions introduced today are […]
Berlin, Germany (MuseWire) – Native Instruments today announced MASCHINE, a next-generation groove production studio that makes beat creation and arrangement more immediate and tactile than ever before. The system combines an advanced software sequencer and sampler with a seamlessly integrated, highly functional performance controller. Finally merging a fast and intuitive groove-box workflow with the power […]
WINTER NAMM 2009 (MuseWire) – At a press conference this morning, Open Labs announced their new line of “generation 5” keyboard workstations. The new models include the 37 key MiKo LXD, 61 key NeKo LX5, and deluxe NeKo XXL. All models have Quad Core processors, 1TB storage (4TB with XXL), and 4GB RAM standard. All […]
WINTER NAMM 2009 (MuseWire) – Many producers and synthesizer enthusiasts asked for a full-blown Waldorf Synthesizer for their virtual rack. We listened, and now we proudly present Largo. Largo is the first pure software synthesizer with Waldorf DNA. And again – it is the cutting edge sound that makes the big difference. No wonder, as […]
High Wycombe, U.K. (MuseWire) – Novation's Plug-in FX suite provides five key effects from Novation's illustrious synth heritage, including signature effects derived from the legendary SuperNova II. The five independent VST/AU plug-ins include Chorus, Delay, Tremelo, Phaser and the famously flexible, powerful filter featuring overdrive. Each and every one of them offers a significant upgrade […]
High Wycombe, U.K. — Introducing Focusrite's first independent VST/AU plug-in suite plus Guitar FX, a joint collaboration from Focusrite and Overloud. Winter NAMM 2009 sees the launch of Focusrite's first independent collection of VST/AU plug-ins; the aptly named ‘Focusrite Plug-in Suite'. The Focusrite Plug-in Suite provides a collection of EQ, Compression, Reverb and Gating VST/AU […]
High Wycombe, U.K. — Winter NAMM 2009 sees the launch of Focusrite's latest addition to the award-winning Saffire range and, for the first time, the integration of Liquid pre-amp technology with Saffire PRO audio interfacing. Liquid Saffire 56 is Focusrite's new flagship 2U multi-channel firewire audio interface. Liquid technology combines with Saffire PRO firewire interfacing […]
High Wycombe, U.K. (MuseWire) – When Novation first launched Automap Software Control in 2005, it signalled a fundamental change in the way DAWs and plug-ins could be controlled. NAMM 2009 sees the launch of Automap 3 Pro, the latest incarnation of this intelligent software system. Automap is unique to Novation's MIDI controllers, and has now […]
ELY, Minn. (MuseWire) – Preparations are underway for the Ely Winter Festival slated for February 6-16, 2009, in the northern Minnesota tourist city known for its local beauty and wilderness. The volunteer Board has announced a schedule of events for all ages, abilities and interests; ranging from Sled Dog Rides, an historic Voyageur Encampment, cross-country […]
COLUMN: Have you ever picked up one of those weekly magazines you’ll find in any given city and seen all of the bands listed for performances all over that paper? You see them playing sometimes three nights in a row in a radius of less than 15 miles, and then they wonder why they have […]
Native Instruments today released GUITAR RIG 3.2, a free software update for its acclaimed digital guitar studio. The update brings full Windows Vista 64 compatibility to all flavors of GUITAR RIG 3 including its XE and LE versions, and includes 64bit drivers for the RIG KONTROL and SESSION I/O hardware.
BERLIN, Germany (MuseWire) – Native Instruments today announced that Mate Galic has been named new CTO and President of the company, and has been appointed as Deputy to CEO Daniel Haver. He will succeed company founder Stephan Schmitt on the management board. Mate Galic joined Native Instruments in 1999 as a shareholder, following a career […]
Sweden (MuseWire) – Toontrack Music announces the Jazz EZX featuring percussive artist Roy “Futureman” Wooten. Roy Wooten is an inventor, musician, composer and multi Grammy Award winning performer with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones among others. Roy's ground breaking percussion technique takes playing drums way beyond just simple time keeping. His approach to his craft […]
NEW YORK, N.Y. (MuseWire) – Certain exceptional musical matches are unquestionably made in Heaven. The day that ubiquitous keyboard journeyman, and PRA Records recording artist, Joe Sample arrived at the studio to lend his distinctive piano touch to singer extraordinaire Randy Crawford’s debut album “Everything Must Change” in 1976, one of the finest pairings in […]
Cambridge, Mass. (MuseWire) – iZotope, Inc., a leading developer of tools for musicians and audio professionals, has licensed several audio technologies to Sony for their recent release of ACID Pro 7 Digital Audio Workstation. The ACID Pro Effects Rack bundle includes Flanger, Phaser, Analog Delay, and Dynamics effects powered by iZotope DSP technology. “With our […]
(MuseWire) – SAE Institute, the leading provider of pro audio and multimedia education worldwide, is incorporating Euphonix MC Control and MC Mix media controllers into 25 SAE Institutes across four continents. The SAE Institute's audio curriculum includes training on the world's leading digital audio workstations to help prepare students for real world production situations. Euphonix' […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif. (MuseWire) – With images inside of images and a nod to such masters of visual communication as surrealist Salvador Dali, the music videos of FookMovie (www.fookmovie.com) bring together poetry, painting, and performance art. A Los Angeles-based collective of artists, musicians and videographers, FookMovie has completed 43 videos since opening in April of […]
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Critically acclaimed as one of the most inventive and visionary new voices in the progressive scene of jazz, Pyeng Threadgill brings her singular approach to song back to the New York stage for the new year. Pyeng will first be presenting her work on Saturday, January 10 at the Blue Note […]
COLUMN: Inevitably there are those of us who seem perpetually busy and end up finding gifts at the last minute, regardless of any plan to start early. The holiday just creeps up, and time flies when least wanted. So, what do you get your friend(s) for that last minute gift, or perhaps a stocking stuffer […]
TORRANCE, Calif. — Mindstock(R), a California based multimedia publisher of “elements for sound, music and vision,” announced today the re-issue of its decade old custom sample set for the classic Akai(R) MPC-3000. Three MPC3K(TM) sound sets will be offered absolutely free for download through the holiday season as part of the company re-launch for 2009. […]
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Native Instruments has just introduced REAKTOR SPARK, a KORE SOUNDPACK based on the new “Spark” performance synthesizer designed by NI founder and REAKTOR mastermind Stephan Schmitt. With a strong focus on distinctive tone and genuine musical expressiveness, REAKTOR SPARK is both an outstanding library addition for REAKTOR users as well as […]
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Iowa based powerpop band, Make This City, is set to release their debut album on December 23, 2008. Over the past months, Make This City has been recording in Cedar Falls based studio, Catamount Recording. The result is their debut album, “Live Love and Lies.” The album features nine catchy pop […]
Sweden — Finally the long awaited (and announced) title in the Toontrack Music Toontrack Software Tools series is ready for release. Taking a new angle on the conversion of drum audio to drum MIDI and drum sound replacement, Drumtracker(R) features stand alone operation and all out manual operation. Like other tools in the TST series […]
Carpinteria, Calif. — ExpressCard notebook pro audio recording has never sounded so good, or been this convenient and affordable. Indigo IOx offers one stereo 1/8 inch analog input and output on an ExpressCard powered by your notebook computer. It combines this with 24-bit/96kHz converters for the quality you deserve. Also included is a 6 foot […]
London, UK — Ministry of Sound and iZotope today announced that, in a groundbreaking collaboration for iPhone and iPod touch, fans can now buy the iDrum: Ministry of Sound Anthems album from the iTunes Store and also purchase a companion application from the Apple App Store that lets them create original music. “This is a […]
Ontario, Canada — ASK Video Interactive Media, a leading creator of software tutorials on DVD, is now shipping Level 3 of a 4-part tutorial DVD series for Logic Pro 8 music production software. In this third level progression in the series, ASK Video veteran Mike Baggley brings his extensive engineering and music chops to Logic […]
Champlain, N.Y. — Â SM Pro Audio is now shipping their highly anticipated V-Machine VST player in the US market. The V-Machine is a compact VST/VSTi hardware playback module designed to take plug-ins on the road or into the studio and access them directly without a computer. Multiple plug-ins can be loaded into bank/preset memories […]
El Cajon, Calif. — Taylor Guitars, one of the world's premier manufacturers of acoustic and electric guitars, was amongst 1,200 businesses recognized by the California Integrated Waste Management Board as part of its Waste Reduction Awards Program (WRAP). Awarded in the category of “Manufacturer – Musicalâ€, the WRAP awards acknowledge California businesses that show considerable […]
REVIEW: The concept of the so-called workstation keyboard is certainly not new; with a wide range of current such products on the market from big guns like Korg, Roland and Yamaha, stretching back in time to the Korg M-1. These products seek to fill the needs of the “one keyboard does all” set-up, for composing, […]