Toontrack has announced BeatStation, a new plug-in that creates a customized percussion environment. Toontrack claims it plays percussion pads, lead instruments and melodic basses and can accommodate MIDI grooves, REX files and samples. The video on the designated BeatStation website doesn’t tell you anything, so we’re not even going to embed it, but that may be [...]

A Designs Audio, Inc. has released the HM2 NAIL Compressor, a Feedback, Diode baised design combined with tubes, which contains three defining features Hard Threshold, Filter and Mix. One feature that A Designs notes that is missing from the NAIL is the Ratio setting control. It has been replaced with a ?Variable Ratio.? This means [...]

Keith Klawitter has started his own company, KK Labs, and announced two new products, the D8 and D6 Studio Monitors. The DS8 represents KK labs initial development of high resolution recording monitoring systems, using the latest in DSP and Digital networking technologies. The monitor is a 2-way, DSP/Ethernet controlled powered speaker system. Utilizing a 8″ [...]

OTO Machines, a small French company helmed by two sound engineers and a music producer, have released their first product, a hand-built 8 Bit stereo processor, dubbed Biscuit. Biscuit is a stereo sound effect processor with true 8-bit converters, digital processing and analog resonant filters. Feed a signal through Biscuit and you can achieve a [...]

Pioneer is readying the DJM-2000 for its debut at MusikMesse in Frankfurt next week. The DJM-2000 is Pioneer’s new flagship performance mixer and is has been tailored for their CDJ-2000 digital deck with a touch screen interface. Pioneer has upped the ante on live-remixing capabilities with six individual effects processors to tweak your tracks. The DJM-2000 [...]

Now this could be total nonsense, but FeelTune has come out with their own electronic music production center, which claims to have the functionality of a MPC5000 or a DBeat, but in a more compact chassis. The company is not providing much concrete details except this video below, which only demonstrates how NOT to dance [...]

The black-magicians at Livid Instruments have announced an all-black “Diablo” version of their Block MIDI controller. Perfect for worshiping Satan while tweaking Ableton Live, the Limited Edition Block Diablo is a compact and programmable MIDI control surface designed for interactive audio performance. Built on the same bi-directional and adaptable platform as the Ohm64, Block provides an [...]

Seven45 Studios has announced a product that the guitar manufacturing industry has been waiting with bated breath for…a guitar video game that utilized a real guitar. Replacing the color-coded plastic guitar controller that has make Guitar Hero and Rock Band a video game sensation, Seven45 Studios will provide a real six-string guitar as their controller [...]

The Vibesware Guitar Resonator, created by Markus Pahl, is a new harmonic feedback generator for electric guitar. It generates “string vibration feedback” live on stage, in recording studios and at home. Pahl claims that you can achieve the same powerful and reproducible harmonics at any sound volume — even when playing with headphones, including: feedback [...]

Too Little, Too Late? The mad scientists at JazzMutant are sneaking Mu, a new Max For Live MIDI controller for Ableton Live that unleashes the full feature-set of the Lemur platform. The problem for this ground-breaking French company is: too little, too late? Well, it certainly isn’t too little, since you can tell from the short [...]

Remember Pong? Well, some geeks have decided to actually make it a “sport” using the latest projection technology. The inventors dub Sportpong as “an interactive physical computer game.” The “field” is projected on the floor, where two or more players can battle in teams against each other, because singles would just be too much exercise [...]

Apple has announced that the Wi-Fi iPad will bow on Saturday, April 3rd in the US, followed by the Wi-Fi + G3 edition later in the month. Additionally, both versions will hit Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, and the U.K. in late April. Beginning on March 12, consumers can pre-order both the Wi-Fi [...]

We usually don’t report on beta releases, or mid-range updates for that matter, but we are fiercely following Native Instruments’ Maschine development because we feel that this particular platform will reveal what NI calls, The Future Of Sound, or at least their future to some degree. The free update includes enhanced host integration, drag ‘n’ drop [...]

Katapult is new flexible mapping application for Mac OS X and Windows designed for the Novation Launchpad that goes far beyond Automap. It allows you to map customizable multipage-layouts to the Launchpad and send the MIDI output to any application or device. It also supports bi-directional communication, meaning that your software can update the controls [...]

SPL is readying their new DrumXchanger, a plug-in that can replace drum sounds in multitrack sessions regardless of their level. The plug-in works in real time and replaces samples utilizing the German company’s Transient Designer technology for drum hit recognition rather than sound creation. SPL claims all drum hits, including even the faintest ghost notes, [...]

Numark’s new V7 motorized turntable controller is now available at your local grocer’s freezer. The V7 basically what you’d get if you chopped off one of the decks of the company’s hit NS7. The new model should appeal to anyone who was intrigued by the NS7, but didn’t want to hire a semi in order [...]

Crysonic has updated Sindo to version 3.5. The latest version of Sindo is Crysonics third Generation Professional stereo image Expander (widener) / Narrowing Audio plug-in Processor. Version 3.5 introduces new features such as customizable UI interface colors and an industry first Stereo image compression feature — this is not to be confused with [...]

Image-Line has released Drumaxx, a percussion modeling instrument that gives the user control over 16 physically modeled drum pads that can be routed to independent outputs for external effects processing. Drumaxx is not based on samples or even commonly used synthesis techniques, where oscillators are mixed and the result is always electronic. Drumaxx uses modeling [...]

Waves Audio has released Vocal Rider, a plug-in that automatically “rides” the levels of vocal tracks. Instead of manually riding a console fader, or tediously drawing in every level change on a DAW track, Vocal Rider does it automatically, making it a true timesaver. First, the user sets the target range of the vocal level in [...]

Allen & Heath has announced a couple of new Xone products that they will officially unveil at MusikMesse, the Xone:PB and the Xone:XD40 headphones. The new club installation product, the Xone:PB, is a 1U rack size, passive interface box, designed to simplify the task of connecting encoded vinyl replay systems to installed mixers, without the need [...]

Arturia has updated their Roland Jupiter emulation to version 2.0. The Jupiter-8V has been enhanced with a preset navigation system called SoundMap, the ability to use NRPN midi messages for automation. the presets now respond to modulation wheel, and there’s some new sounds. Not really much to jump up and down about, but what [...]

Don’t know exactly why Sequentix Music has decided to develop a dedicated hardware sequencer for 1000 quid, but they recently announced that they are updated their P3 dealio. The new unit, dubbed the Cirklon, is a totally new hardware sequencer design, with software based on the P3, but greatly improved both in usability and [...]

The nutters at de la Mancha have released Bassbomb, a monophonic, bass synthesizer focused on creating a wide range of bass sounds that they describe as: punchy, chunky, squelchy and fat with a sprinkling of dirt on top. It does everything from dubstep wobble, electro house dirt, funky bounce, breakbeat dirt, hiphop boom, acid [...]

Xseed has announced that the Korg DS-10 Plus, developed by Cavia in conjunction with Procyon Studio is now available with improved performance that leverages the supercharged specifications of the Nintendo DSi. Designed after the Korg MS-10 music synthesizer, the Korg DS-10 Plus is a revamped version of the portable music-creation program. An assortment of [...]

Korg has announced the Sound On Sound (SOS) Unlimited Track Recorder, which enables musicians to capture and develop musical ideas as they happen, wherever they are. Battery-powered and completely self-contained, the SOS contains a high-quality stereo microphone and a built-in speaker for all-in-one recording and monitoring. Unlike other portable recorders (even multitrack), the SOS allows [...]

Synapse Audio Software have released the EKS-9 Kick Drum Synthesizer. The VST and AudioUnit plug-in for both Mac and PC is dedicated to the synthesis of electronic bass drum sounds reminiscent of vintage hardware, while adding plenty of additional controls to expand the sonic possibilities. Synapse Audio Software’s EKS-9 is available now for $39 in [...]

A new documentary on Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones has been announced. Johnny Depp has been tagged to direct the video bio, which begins next week. Depp and Richards have been friends for more than a decade, and the guitar legend even played Depp’s father in “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.” Depp last [...]

DJMixersoft has released DJ Mixer Professional for Mac, or what they call a “Mac DJ Mixing Product.” Seriously guys, if you’re going to take the trouble to develop a software product, spend the extra 50 bucks and hire someone who can read, speak and write English fluently. DJ Mixer Professional a software DJ solution for [...]

New Zealand based designer Grier Govorko has created the Somnus-Neu, an advanced, multimedia bed that features state-of-the-art surround sound, a retractable video screen, Wi-Fi, an iPod dock, motorized curtains, and three different kinds of LED lighting turned for specific activities, reading, ambient, and “don’t trip while going to the bathroom in the middle of the [...]

Details are pretty slim on this one, but BassDas Productions has announced the 4MIDILoop Traktor DJ controller. Looking like more of a Controllerism DIY project at the moment, the tweakers at BassDas have dropped a dynamic video on YouTube demonstrating the 4MIDILoop (catchy, right?) in action. Features: » Optimized for Native Instruments Traktor PRO » Clearly arranged, [...]

iConnectivity has announced iConnectMIDI a new iPhone to MIDI device. iConnectivity claims that you can simply plug your electronic instrument (synthesizer, guitar, whatever) into iConnectMIDI and you can play and control your music, using your iPhone or iPod, your instrument, or both at the same time. iConnectMIDI can connect up to 16 devices in a chain, [...]

Our web-challenged pal at Analogue Solutions, Tom Carpenter, has just informed us that his new dedicated hardware sequencer, Europa, is now available. Poor Tom hasn’t even bothered to register his own domain name or update the circa 1996 design of his website, but he is quite proud of his latest creation, the Europa. The 17 [...]

Evol has announced the Fucifier distortion box. The Fucifier allows you to shape your sounds in new inventive ways via a combination of amplification, distortion, analog filtering and/or EQ. Everything in the signal chain, from the Mic Pre, the Vintage Germanium Preamp, the Filter, and the inductors in the Equalizer to the output transformer, is designed [...]

Softube has released the Trident A-Range EQ plug-in, the first and only native and TDM Trident channel strip plug-in that has been fully endorsed by original designer Malcolm Toft and Trident Audio. The plug-in is a model of a channel on one of the original Trident A-Range consoles (only 13 were ever created). We chose to [...]

Future Audio Workshop is showcasing its Deadmau5 DJ app on the iPad. While we can’t be sure how robust a solution this is to take out and perform live, it certainly does look better on the iPad. More information on the Deadmau5 DJ App.

Apple has just unveiled their new iPad tablet computer with a 9.7 IPS LED backlit display, 1GHz Apple A4 chip, and has 16GB to 64GB of flash storage. It has 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR. 30-pin connector, speaker, microphone, accelerometer and compass. It also claims to have 10 hours of battery life, including video. However, in [...]

Telefunken Elektroakustik recently debuted the M80, a funken competitor to the industry-standard, Shure SM57 Dynamic. Featuring a wider frequency response and higher SPL capabilities, Telefunken claims the M80 delivers condenser-like performance in a rugged dynamic design, producing a microphone equally suitable for voice, instruments or drums on both stage and in the studio. Due to its low [...]

As we all wait with bated breath for Apple’s Dog ‘n’ Pony show this afternoon that will finally unveil their new iTablet, we still have a few moments to reflect on this products potential impact on the future of music production. Now we’ve been ruminating on an Apple tablet for some time, but on the [...]

Earthworks has unveiled the SR40, a 40kHz High Definition Cardioid Microphone. Offering an extended high frequency response, extremely fast impulse response, short diaphragm settling time, near-perfect cardioid polar pattern, and high rejection of sounds from the rear of the microphone, the new SR40 makes an exceptional choice for a myriad of miking applications from drum [...]

Metasonix, known for their vacuum tube synths has announced the D-1000, the first vacuum tube drum machine since the Wurlitzer Sideman of 1959. The D-1000 consists of only four sounds, 2 toms, a snare and a cymbal, although control voltage inputs provide additional flexibility. Each of the tunable drums is made from a vacuum [...]

Livio recently released the Livio Radio Featuring Pandora, Five of FutureMusic’s staffers took the Livio on a TestDrive to see how it worked as stand-alone Internet radio, as well as a music discovery tool…. More information on our Livio Radio review

Bach Technology, a music coding company from German, has unveiled what it calls the successor to the ubiquitous MP3 file format, MusicDNA. (…we’ve heard this before. —Ed.) Bach claims the MusicDNA format contains additional music content as part of the file including lyrics, artwork and tour dates to blog posts, videos and twitter feeds. This [...]

The braintrust at Ableton/Serato should have debuted this video immediately after their NAMM announcement, but better late than never… More information on Ableton / Serato The Bridge.

From Sydney, Australia comes the Misa Digital Guitar, an open source, Linux-based MIDI controller, that utilizes buttons for frets and a multi-touch screen for strumming and sound manipulation.* Guitars by their very nature have limitations. To create sound you need to hit a string, so that the sound at its most intense point is always the [...]

IK Multimedia has upgraded AmpliTube to version 3 with over 160 modeled pieces of vintage and modern gear available in one package. AmpliTube 3 contains over 160 pieces of gear including models from several choice vintage collections and modern-day workhorses. You?ll get 51 individual stompboxes and effects, 31 amplifier, preamp & power sections, 46 speaker cabinet [...]

Denon DJ has announced the DN-X1600 Digital DJ Mixer. Based on the same core engine as Denon DJ?s DN-X1700, the DN-X1600 is a four-channel digital mixer with a variety of features including: working with vinyl, CD, digital files, DJ software applications via laptops and USB storage devices, and extensive MIDI control. The DN-X1600 features large rubberized [...]

Image-Line readying a new virtual percussion synth dubbed Drumatrix. Image-Line claims their new percussion modelling instrument will give you total control over 10 physically modelled drums that can be routed to independent outputs for external effects processing. Image-Line claims the Drumatrix’s Jedi Power is its “expressive realism.” Once a drum sound is recorded, the performance [...]

iSamJackson is a new sample player app for the iPhone and iPod touch. It includes “over 150 original and authentic recordings from the one and only Samuel L. Jackson…the man himself.” Now here’s the kicker: The samples are not from Jackson’s academy award nominated films, but original cuts recorded separately in a studio. Meaning Jackson actually [...]

TC Electronic has released the Impact Twin, a new, audio interface that features the company’s Impact III Technology. Each of the two mic pre’s contain three stages: a high quality and flexible Mic Amp, 192kHz/24bit HD Conversion, plus a set of recording Channel Tools. The Impact III Mic Amp has been designed from the ground up [...]

Poor Public Relations Effort Leads To Confusion, Disappoint & Poor Initial Reception for The Bridge After months of hype from both Ableton and Serato, the day of reckoning came with a resounding “meh” from the Ableton community. Yesterday’s big unveiling culminated in a 417 word press release to the world and little else. While we can’t [...]