MATRIXSYNTH

NAMM: Kurzweil

Just one quick shot rushing by the booth. So little time... If you go NAMM, don't make my mistake and give yourself more than one day. That or move quick. ;)

http://kurzweil.com/

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Access Music

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http://www.access-music.de/

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Big City Music

Pics of the Big City Music at NAMM 2010

Featured:
http://bigcitymusic.com/
Booth included:
4ms Pedals
Analogue Systems
Cwejman
Dewanatron
Diabolical Devices
Dirty Boy Pedals
Eowave
flight of harmony
Ham Heart
Jomox
Mellotron

Metasonix (Eric Barbour)
Sherman
Signal Arts
Surfin Kangaro
Malekko / Wiard

If I missed any, let me know! I forget the name of the orange red device in the bottom image. I've posted it a number of times. It's on the tip of my tounge, but I can't freakin remember. It's driving me crazy! :)

Update via Josh Humphrey and Dan in the comments: It's the 4ms Bend Matrix Joy Toy. Some previous posts including video here.

I met Roger Cordell owner of Big City Music, Josh Humphrey of Big City Music, Eric Barbour of Metasonix, Shagghie, and Wolfgang Michalowicz of Surfin Kangaroo. All great people. Be sure to see this video on the Surfin Kangaroo and this video on the Metasonix D-1000. Click here for a search on bigcitymusic which will bring up more videos of what was shown at NAMM.

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NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Way Out Ware

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Jim Heintz of Way Out Ware

Jim showed my his iSample sampler / recorder / looper for the iPhone. It's currently available on iTunes here. He also brought us the TimewARP 2600 and Kick Axxe, both highly acclaimed emulations. iSample is very, very slick. This actually got me pretty excited. One of the things I am eagerly looking forward to is the new Apple tablet to be announced on the 26th. I spoke to Jim a bit about it and if it has the horsepower and capability he will be interested in developing for it. I can't wait to see what comes from him next.

Be sure to see this demo video.

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Radikal Technologies

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Radikal Technologies

Shot of Jörg Schaaf of Radikal Technologies playing his Spectralis 2 taken from the Noisebug booth next door. The Spectralis 2 is on fine sounding synth. I'll have some video of it at NAMM coming up in the next couple of days. I had a fun talk with Jörg. I love his synths, both the Spectralis line and the Quasimidi Polymorph which I own.

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Noisebug

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http://noisebug.net/
Booth included:
Analogue Solutions (Tom Carpenter)
Buchla and Associates (Don Buchla)
Moonmodular (Gert Jalass)

I met Gert Jalass and Don and Ezra Buchla briefly. All super nice. Gert gave me an overview of his Moonmodular system and I was given a brief overview of the Buchla 200e system.

Note the Analogue Solutions business card below. Click on the image and read it. It's an actual LFO! Apparently it will work if you build it.

Europa 2010 prototype and Leipzig below.

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Waldorf

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I had an enjoyable talk with Stefan Stenzel.

I posted this in the comments, but thought I'd put it up here as well: I didn't ask when it would be available. I was more curious what led them to the Zarenbourg. Stefan said they wanted to do something new and there was just something about the immediacy of the interface. It is real and it is coming. The unit wasn't producing sound and some of the knobs were not working but you could get a feel for it. The effect lights have two levels of luminosity, dim if active and bright if selected. You can have any combination of the effects.

We also talked a little about previous Waldorf synths and Largo. I told him I'd love Largo on the upcoming Apple slate. :) We'll see...

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Clavia / Nord Keyboards

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http://www.nordkeyboards.com

NAMM: CME

http://www.cme-pro.com

Images of the U-Key in pink and blue and the VX-60.

"CME professional will release U-Key - the first mobiltone keyboard of the world during winter NAMM 2006. It will fill the gap of the particular hardware for composing cell phone ring, which has the market of billions of dollar.

U-Key uses ultra thin full action semi-weighted keys and the total ply of U-Key is only 3.7cm, but the key feel of U-Key is as same as keyboards in standard ply. U-Key has build in high 64-polyphony high quality mobile phone sound module, and internal high fidelity speaker droved by digitally amplifier. U-Key also builds in many MIDI songs and accompaniment in different styles, including loop variation and chord change, which are elaborate made by professional musicians and can be sprung by U-Key's unique 'PadStyle'. All MIDI songs and styles can be downloaded from Internet and transferred into U-Key via USB. U-Key supplies a brand new Game mode, users could use this function and music books with U-Key to test their skill of performance, and students could learn many tips in this mode. U-Key is the first mobiltone keyboard that has build in muiti ethical scales of the world, and it will surprise you, no matter you want to play Arabian music of Asian music. U-CTRL is a brand new concept by CME, it provides the easiest way to communicate between controller and music software. You do not need to load template or presets, just press U-CTRL button and all the controllers for software you may use will be ready.

U-Key supplies more than 20 user-defined controllers in different types, including joystick, trigger pads, encoder for data entry, pedals. All controllers are programmable and all functions of U-Key can be quickly and easily setup by press certain keys. User can save their controller settings into U-Key and load at any time they want. U-Key has plug and plays USB MIDI driver for Windows XP / MAC OSX, and it can be powered via USB. With U-Key's line out, phone out and compact cubage, it's a wise idea to use U-Key for mobile composing on laptops.

U-Key will follow CME's persistent competitive price like their other products as well."

NAMM: Winter NAMM 2010: Infinite Response

flickr set by matrixsynth

http://www.infiniteresponse.com/

These were surprisingly nice keyboard controllers. Note these have polyphonic aftertouch. This is the only new keyboard I am aware of that has this.

Update: video of it folding added below.