Pro Music Apps

This exciting new portable MIDI keyboard from CME, not only supports iOS, but as you’ll see from the video below you will also be able to edit and store preferences via an app. It is expected to be available in the  next month or two for around $100.

Xkey, the next generation of professional music keyboards

eXtra Mobility
3.6 mm slim edge, elegant aluminium frame, light and portable.

eXtra Professional
Professional velocity sensitivity, polyphonic aftertouch, high resolution PitchBend.

eXtra Compatibility
USB MIDI compliant with iPad, Android tablet/phone, Microsoft Surface Pro, Mac and PCs.

eXtra Usability
Perfect for mobile music creation, studio recording, and live performance.

Xkey features:
Ultra slim design and light design
25 standard size keys
Professional velocity sensitivity and polyphonic aftertouch
USB MIDI compliant
PitchBend buttons with high resolution of pressure sensitivity
Modulation button with continuous MIDI control data
Octave +/- and Sustain buttons
USB powered
Firmware updatable via USB, ready for new features.

Size and Weight
Height: 5.31 inches (135 mm)
Width: 15.27 inches (388 mm)
Depth: 0.62inches (16mm)
Weight: 1.32 pounds (600g)

More info - http://www.cme-pro.com/en/product-detail.php?product_id=41

V2Mix™ Pro is the new wireless control application for the Pivitec e32 Personal Mixer for iPhone and iPad. Wirelessly adjust your mix from anywhere. Perfect for use in Personal Monitor Mix applications or even as the main console in small sound systems. V2Mix™ Pro provides real-time control and monitoring of all mixing functions of the e32 Personal Mixer. Each channel features Pan, Volume, Mute and Solo (each stackable). 16 user-programmable presets allow quick access to favorite mixes while the intuitive “console” interface allows anyone to mix like a pro. New features include support for iPhone and iPad as well as support for both Landscape and Portrait screen orientations. Also includes a new user assignable “Custom” Fader bank allowing any of the audio channels to be assigned to any 8 of the Custom Faders for quick access to your most used channels.

Features:
- NEW – Now Supports iPhone and iPad (iOS6 and up)
- NEW – Support for Portrait and Landscape orientations
- NEW – User Assignable “Custom” Fader Bank
- NEW – Fine tune +/- 1dB fader controls
- NEW – Link Stereo Channel Pairs
- 32 Channel Faders
- Solo, Mute & Pan, Stereo Link Per Channel
- 16 Mix Presets with sequential or random access
- Master Section with Volume, 3 Band EQ and Limiter

For more details on this gear - http://pivitec.com/index.php/products/e32-personal-mixer

V2Mix™ Pro
Developer: Pivitec, LLC

Rated: 4+

Price: Free Download Here

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Avid has announced two new portable audio interfaces for composing and recording high-quality music — Avid Fast Track® Solo and Fast Track Duo. Both interfaces feature a robust industrial design, include Pro Tools® Express software for Mac and PC, and connect directly to the iPad®, providing high-quality I/O for supported iOS apps.

 

Designed for musicians, students, and aspiring professionals, Fast Track Solo and Duo offer easy entry into the Pro Tools family. Key features include:

 

Pro Tools Express software

• Provides many of the same tools and features used in commercial recording studios.
• Records up to 16 stereo audio tracks and offers full MIDI editing and notation tools.
• Includes high-quality virtual instruments and effects for creating the best sounding work.
• Facilitates time, tempo and pitch adjustments with Elastic Time and Elastic Pitch.
• Users get session compatibility with Pro Tools and Pro Tools HD systems.

 

Fast Track Solo and Duo hardware

• Provides ideal form factor for home, studio, and mobile applications.
• Features a rugged metal chassis and reinforced controls and jacks, offering protection against physical damage.
• Enables the capture of two sources simultaneously at 24-bit, 48 kHz resolution with high-quality mic preamps and inputs:
• Allows direct monitoring while recording without latency.
• Enables users to create anywhere on Mac or PC with the Bus-powered USB port.
• Allows direct iPad connection with tablet port — No iPad Camera Connection Kit needed.

• Fast Track Solo includes one mic preamp and one instrument input.
• Fast Track Duo includes two mic preamps/instrument inputs and two line inputs.

 

“Today’s aspiring songwriters and musicians want a high-quality, affordable recording solution that’s portable enough to let them create wherever they are,” said Dana Ruzicka, vice president of Segment and Product Marketing at Avid. “Providing access to the industry-standard Pro Tools family, Fast Track Solo and Duo deliver this capability like nothing else on the market today.”

For more details - http://www.avid.com/US/products/family/Fast-Track

Sonoma Wire Works, makers of the GuitarJack™ iOS audio I/O, have announced GuitarJack 2 USB, a multi-platform I/O interface for Mac, PC, and select mobile devices. GuitarJack 2 USB eliminates the need for multiple audio interfaces for each device and/or operating system.

Together with Sonoma’s LLA™ solution for Android, GuitarJack 2 USB completes a low latency audio reference platform for OEM manufacturers of Android devices.

“We believe that the future of audio hardware and software should be multi-platform, seamlessly combining mobile, laptop and desktop recording. GuitarJack 2 USB is just the beginning.” - Doug Wright, president of Sonoma Wire Works

GuitarJack 2 USB Hardware Features:

• 24-bit AD/DA converters
• 1/4 inch (6.5 mm) instrument input – nickel-plated, solid brass Switchcraft (10,000 MTBF) jack
• 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) stereo mic/line input
• 1/8 inch (3.5 mm) stereo headphone/line output with increased drive for headphones
• Micro USB connector
• Sleek and rugged aluminum shell

About GuitarJack 2 USB: http://www.sonomawireworks.com/guitarjackusb

Pricing and Availability:
U.S. residents may pre-order GuitarJack 2 USB for the introductory street price of $129 ($199 MSRP) from Sonoma Wire Works Store (http://sonomawireworks.com/store) and it will ship in approximately 6-8 weeks. GuitarJack 2 USB will then be available from select dealers worldwide.

Spark Digital is the world’s first studio condenser microphone to offer both USB and iPad connectivity. Expanding on the professional and sound of Blue’s Spark XLR studio microphone, Spark Digital features the same studio-grade condenser capsule and hand-tuned components for high-fidelity recording and consistence performance in any situation– vocals, drums, piano, speech, location recording and more.

Spark Digital also includes the Focus Control, providing two different sonic options in one mic at the push of a button. Complete with an adjustable desk stand and built-in shockmount, Spark Digital also includes y-cables for each platform with a headphone jack for zero-latency real-time monitoring. With a full range of recording capabilities, Spark Digital turns your iPad into a true mobile studio.

• Blue’s legendary studio condenser capsule and electronic components
• Plug ‘n play for iPad, Mac and PC – no drivers needed
• Works with GarageBand™ and other recording applications
• Focus Control switch offers two sonic signatures in one mic
• Headphone jack for zero-latency real-time monitoring
• Onboard control for volume, gain and instant mute
• LED meter provides visual feedback
• Includes Blue’s Cloud Production Bundle for audio back-up and sharing online

Get the full details - http://bluemic.com/spark_digital/

Look, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say this is one of the best April Fools jokes I’ve seen today. Is it real or is it a fake? I REALLY hope it’s REAL!

1st April 2013, Sydney Australia – Australian-based microphone designer RØDE has announced the i16, a surround sound microphone for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch that combines sixteen discrete microphone capsules to capture the user’s surrounding audio environment in broadcast quality.

 

RØDE’s iXY stereo microphone for iOS devices was released in January, and has already gained critical praise from both musical and mainstream media, including a recent Red Dot product award.

The company is quickly emerging as the leader in microphones for Apple’s portable devices, and the i16 aims to consolidate this reputation.

 

RØDE’s founder and president, Peter Freedman, explains: “When developing the iXY we were focused on providing the ultimate in stereo audio capture for iOS devices. But during the project it became that there was a large proportion of the market who wanted to record in complete surround. We’ve taken that seriously and produced the i16.”

 

The new microphone uses RØDE’s own field recording app, RØDE Rec, to record the sixteen tracks simultaneously at quality up to 24-bit/96kHz. At the heart of the i16 is an incredible sixteen individual gold-sputtered cardioid condenser capsules, which allows the user a high amount of freedom to record in either surround, stereo, mono, or anywhere in between.

 

“Once the user records the surrounding environment, software processing inside RØDE Rec will allow them to cancel background noise through phase manipulation of the other channels, working much in the same way as noise-cancelling headphones.” explained Mr Freedman. “In this way the i16 is even more effective at recording dialogue than a traditional shotgun microphone.”

 

Once the user records the surrounding environment they can then use that track to phase cancel any background noise, very much like noise-cancelling headphones. This results in highly intelligible dialogue and crystal-clear audio.

 

The i16 is available with both Apple Lightning (iPhone 5, iPad mini) and 30-pin connections. Both are shipping now, with a MSRP of US$399.

More info - http://www.rodemic.com/

RØDE Microphones has announced the release of the smartLav, a new lapel microphone that connects directly to the headset jack of Apple iOS devices. Compatible with the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, smartLav delivers premium quality audio capture in a compact and accessible form factor.

 

The smartLav is a professional-grade wearable microphone designed for use in a wide range of fi lm, television and broadcast scenarios, or wherever professional quality audio is required in a discreet, portable format without the complication and expense of additional wireless equipment, particularly where multiple talent is involved. With the smartLav the user simply mounts the microphone on the talent, connects it to the iOS device’s headset jack and records via the RØDE Rec or RØDE Rec LE apps.

 

By employing a high quality omni-directional condenser capsule the smartLav captures sound in a forgiving 360 degrees, allowing for versatility when mounting and ensuring a high degree of user-friendly operation.

 

“The smartLav is an exciting solution that makes professional quality audio available to anyone with access to an Apple iOS device,” explained Damien Wilson, RØDE’s Marketing and Sales Director. “For filmmakers or wedding videographers that have struggled to simultaneously record multiple talent this product truly is an incredibly simple and cost effective solution.”

 

A foam pop shield is included to minimise wind noise and vocal plosives (hard ‘b’, ‘t’ and ‘p’ sounds), as well as a durable mounting clip with in-built cable management. The smartLav has been designed to pair perfectly with the RØDE Rec app for Apple iOS devices, and is also compatible with any iOS audio app that accepts input from the headset connection. RØDE Rec turns the user’s iOS device into a fully-featured field recorder, with a wide range of equalisation pre-sets to suit various recording situations, in addition to professional editing functions and the ability

to publish to SoundCloud and Dropbox directly from the app.

 

“Both the smartLav and the recently announced RØDE iXY stereo microphone showcase the possibilities of the RØDE Rec app as more than an isolated piece of software,” Mr Wilson explained, “but also as a platform and hub for a range of professional grade audio devices. This platform leverages the portability and popularity of Apple’s iOS devices to make content creation easier than ever.”

 

The smartLav is shipping to authorised RØDE retailers worldwide this month, at a suggested retail price of US$60. For more information please visit www.smartlav.com.

Hybrid multi-host MIDI interface with audio pass-through technology

iConnectMIDI2+ and iConnectMIDI4+ reinvent what it is to be a MIDI interface by introducing new technology and combining preexisting technologies in an intuitive way.

iConnectMIDI2+ is not only a 2 in 2 out MIDI interface for PC, MAC, and iOS. It also introduces two exciting new features to enable musicians to professionally integrate more than one computer or an iOS device into their music making environment.

The first of these technologies allows for more than one computing device to access the same MIDI resources. This is useful in many ways such as, sending midi from a controller or synth to daw and an iOS device simultaneously, setting up redundancy in a live MIDI environment, sending MIDI from multiple computing devices to one another, and more.

iConnectMIDI2+ also features Audio Pass-through. This patent pending technology is integral to using iOS, and multiple computing devices (Mac, PC, and iOS) in a professional environment by enabling the devices to pass not only MIDI data but also audio data from device to device. There are many practical applications for this technology, for example now musicians can use a DAW on their MAC or PC to control a virtual instrument or other music making program on their iOS or other computing device (PC, MAC, iOS) and send the MIDI data as well as audio data back to the DAW without extra cables, or signal degradation or additional analog to digital conversion.

With all of this connectivity comes possibility and nearly endless options. iConnectivity’s Port Manager software for Mac, PC, and iOS allows the user complete control over how MIDI is routed, remapped and filtered to and from all devices connected to it.

iConnectMIDI2+ delivers so much more than just a standard 2×2 MIDI interface even though it is at a similar price point. It is a fantastic option for any musician looking to integrate more than one computing device, iOS, or just looking for the most flexible 2×2 MIDI interface in the world.

 

for more details – click here

Cumberland, R.I. (January 24, 2013) – Alesis, the world’s fastest-growing electronic drum brand, announces the DM Dock Kit and the DM7X Kit, two innovative new electronic drum sets. Alesis will exhibit the DM Dock Kit and the DM7X Kit at Booth 6700 at the 2013 NAMM show, January 24-27 in Anaheim, California.

The DM Dock Kit is a six-drum, four-cymbal drum set based around the DM Dock, a revolutionary drum module for iPad unveiled by Alesis in 2012. The set features four toms, a snare, the Alesis StealthKick drum trigger, a hi-hat, two crash cymbals with choke, and a three-zone ride cymbal with choke. The DM Dock Kit’s rugged steel rack is instantly adjustable with hinged quick-release clamps holding the drum pads and integrated cymbal arms that are easily converted in seconds from boom-style to straight.

Building upon the widely acclaimed design of the Alesis iO Dock, the DM Dock drum module harnesses the power of iPad for drummers, giving them a stage-ready device with 13 professional trigger inputs and balanced ¼” stereo main outputs. Thanks to the WiFi, Bluetooth®, AirPlay®, and 3G wireless connectivity of iPad, the DM Dock empowers drummers to change and enhance their sound library at a moment’s notice. With a compatible app, drummers can download new drums, cymbals, even a complete kit to suit any musical style or venue. Alesis will exhibit the DM Dock Kit along with DM Touch, a percussion app specifically designed by Alesis for the DM Dock. The app allows drummers to create new kits in seconds by simply dragging and dropping drum icons onto a virtual drum kit.

“The power and flexibility of the DM Dock Kit can hardly be overstated,” said David Gill, Alesis Engineering Manager. “We encourage any drummer to come by the booth and try it out; the DM Touch app is the easiest way to customize and experiment with different drum sounds and configurations. Drummers have never had this easy of a workflow, and the DM Dock Kit itself is bulletproof!”

Alesis will also exhibit the DM7X Kit, a premium six-piece electronic drum set. With its ultra-quiet rubber drum and cymbal pads, the DM7X Kit is ideal for professional drummers who want an electronic kit for quiet practice or for electronic percussionists looking to upgrade to a higher-quality kit with a professional module. The DM7X Kit features four 8” dual-zone toms, an 8” dual-zone snare, the Alesis StealthKick 2 compact drum trigger, a 10” hi-hat, a 10” crash cymbal with choke, and a 10” ride cymbal. The DM7X module is the newest module from Alesis and comes with 385 drum and percussion sounds arranged into 40 vintage and modern kits.

iPad and AirPlay are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG.

For more details - http://www.alesis.com/percussion