"Ben Andrew is a concert pianist, composer, arranger, graphic designer, and app creator. He studied at Trinity College of Music, London, under renowned British concert pianist and pupil of Heinrich Neuhaus, John Bingham, and at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest where he studied under Jenõ Jandó.
He has given numerous solo recitals both in the UK, Eastern Europe, and East Asia at venues including St Martin in the Fields in London, The Pump Room in Bath, and Óbudai Társaskör, Budapest. Ben also has an extensive concerto repertoire and notable performances include Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, Rachmaninov’s 2nd and 3rd Piano Concerto to name a few. In 2013, he performed the music of Hollywood film composer Harry Gregson-Williams at St John’s Smith Square, London under the baton of the composer himself.
Ben’s original songs have been played on BBC radio and in 2019, a song he co-wrote with his band Collingwood called “Not in My Name” led to an interview on LBC, one of the UK’s leading radio stations. He is also a Hal Leonard author and he recently released a book on music theory as well as an arrangement of “Hatikvah” for violin and piano, which currently features on the ABRSM and Trinity violin syllabus.
Ben’s band Collingwood has been the support act for musicians including Roger Hodson, founder of Supertramp, and Tony Hadley, the founder of Spandau Ballet. In January 2020, Ben performed with Rick Wakeman and Bernie Marsden as part of a Beatles tribute concert in Buckingham, England.
Ben is also the artistic creator of two iOS apps, ScaleTracks and ScaleTracks JAM, which aim to make scales and arpeggios an enjoyable and, most importantly, musical experience. ScaleTracks has been a worldwide success and has been endorsed by leading figures in the music industry. ScaleTracks has also received highly positive reviews in BBC Music Magazine, The Strad, and Music Teacher Magazine among others.
Ben is Head of Keyboard at Stowe School, England where he leads a strong team of piano teachers.
We chatted with Ben on how he uses the Prophet-10 in his music."
For those of you around Brandon Manitoba Canada, you might want to check this out. The first event will be a drone day event on May 25, which will soon be followed by a Prairie Modular Meetup June 14-15. The press release follows:
Prairie Wires Modular (PWM) gives signal boost to Prairie-based experimental audio artists
Inaugural event 'Drone at the Global Market' brings experimental music spotlight to Brandon Manitoba
Brandon, Manitoba, Canada -- Prairie Wires Modular (PWM) is a new music and art organization created to shine a spotlight on emerging Prairie-based experimental artists with a focus on modular synthesis, experimental electronic music and sound art.
PWM’s inaugural event Drone at the Global Market on May 25, 2019 will fill downtown Brandon with some new and interesting sounds. Organized as part of International Drone Day celebrations, the event —beginning at 2:00pm at the Global Market (1215 Rosser Avenue)— will showcase local artists experimenting with drone music including Moon Shape Noise (modular synthesizer), Jeff Smith (guitar) and Abby-Jade (cello duo). The event is free, so bring a chair, blanket or yoga matt to relax and enjoy the drones. Attendees are also encouraged to participate in the Drone Jam at the end of the performances. Program and map information can be found at http://www.prairiewires.ca/droneday
“The recent resurgence in popularity of modular and semi-modular synthesis is exciting. It’s evident in large cities around the world, it’s all across the internet and in the air waves,” said Prairie Wires Modular founder Brendon Ehinger. “Prairie Wires Modular is bringing these synthesizer happenings to Brandon, first with Drone at the Global Market and then throughout the summer with even more local events planned. Great things are happening on the Canadian Prairies.”
Recognizing the unique intersection between art and experimental music that modular and semi-modular synthesis represents, Winnipeg expat, electronic musician and graphic designer Brendon Ehinger established PWM to promote and present artists, musicians and events in the Prairies. Based in Brandon, Manitoba, PWM is positioned to serve as a hub and meeting place for artists from across the prairies. Situated almost half way between Winnipeg, MB, and Regina, SK, and with an airport servicing direct flights between Brandon and Calgary, AB, Brandon is an accessible location and a logical centre for Prairie modular enthusiasts to congregate.
In addition to Drone at the Global Market on May 25, PWM has a two day Modular Meet-up planned for June 14-15 which will feature free concerts from regional artists, a public open house and modular synth show and tell, and more. Visit prairiewires.ca of find Prairie Wires Modular @prairiewires on social media to stay wired."
via the Elektron newsletter
Audio embed below - you might want to start the player first and then come back and read the interview while it's playing.
"Happy and careless 8-bit Nintendo sounds and ever-evolving and intricate compositions. When Introvert operates his machines, these contrasting types of expressions are welded together with ease. The uniqueness of the music gives the impression of listening to something deeply personal.
Why do you think the chip sound is so compelling?
I guess mostly because of the nostalgia of the sound. I mean I think that it is something that most people from my generation grew up hearing on almost a daily basis. It's almost like this minuscule part of our childhood that we can all relate to. Chiptune music to me is just so much fun and those familiar sounds can be made fresh again with modern machines like the Octatrack. I just use the Octatrack MIDI sequencer and my Wayfar MidiNES and go at it.
I also love that even people that I know, who don't really care for what I do musically, can't help but smile when they hear chiptune music. They seem to understand my excitement when they hear that 8-bit grit. It just tickles parts of your brain like a familiar scent from the past. It takes me back to a place when we were all kids and when life was more simple, fun and laidback.
Some of your songs, like»Chicago Dreaming«, are very complex. What is your approach when creating such intricate pieces?
Well, when composing some of the more complex tracks I do, I usually don't have that much of an idea of a finished product and I really don't have a set technique for composing. But what I have found with myself is that I'm usually most productive if I just focus on only one thing at a time. Whether it's beats, synths, Eurorack or just noises for backgrounds, concentrating on just one small piece, rather than the whole picture at once, is really important to me.
I usually take just a Monomachine or a Machinedrum or my Octatrack into a room, away from all of my other gear, so I can just focus on that one machine. That way I can get as lost in that single element as possible. I will usually do that with several machines and then when I can get a large chunk of time to zone out and experiment, I bring all of my machines together and start to layer sounds.
I have an Allen and Heath ZED 22FX so I can run everything all at once and sort of let things build themselves. I currently only use Ableton Live 8 when recording. No other software, no plugins and almost no post edits or software effects. I try to just get things as tight and as formulated as possible before I go into Ableton.
Needless to say the copy and paste features in all of my Elektron boxes get used an insane amount. If a groove really connects with me I will make 10 or 20 different copies and variations of that same groove with different swells, retrigs and lengths. This helps me to have as many variations as possible of a single thought.
Once I have done that, it is possible for me to apply my favorite Elektron trick. It is implemented in the Machinedrum and as far as I know, nothing else out there lets you do this. The trick is the Control All feature. When I found this trick my musical life changed for the better. What I do is I will have one straight groove running on one of my machines (usually my Octatrack or my MK1 SPS-1 chaining tons of patterns together). On my UW I just freak out with another groove by holding function and turning a knob so it will turn that knob consistently for every sound across your entire machine. But the cool thing is that it does not map the same for every machine. So if you are using internal machines or ROM machines parameters will be mapped differently, causing crazy cool things to happen! And when you are done "freaking out", just hold your function key and press the classic button and the saved kit will be reloaded. WOW! Ok, now run that through your Octatrack Echo Freeze delay and your electronic life will be changed.
Which aspects of song writing do you find the most rewarding? And which do you find the most tedious?
For me I honestly think the most tedious and stressful part of the writing process is the recording phase. And it's not really recording per se, it's finding the time to really be able to sit down and fully immerse myself in my machines. I think I have the tendency to over think things and that can be really impairing when it comes to completing things.
But I find the most rewarding part of making music is getting positive words and feedback from people I don't even know, or people that I really respect (like you wonderful people at Elektron or the guys at Trash_Audio). When I get nods from fellow synth geeks or professionals out there in the world, it really makes me happy in a way I can't really explain. I don't get to play out very often but it always makes me feel great when there are music geeks that I have never met who are personally effected and inspired by my music and says how much they enjoy my noises. So I guess what I find the most rewarding is people connecting with and enjoying my musical thoughts on a personal level.
Does acquiring new gear change your approach to producing music?
Oh, without a doubt! I think new gear always sparks excitement and confusion, which forces you to work out of your comfort zone. Every piece of gear inspires a unique spark of creativity that, I believe, can be attributed to the creators of the product and their personal background as musicians. That said, I usually just use new gear to create samples and sample banks for my Octatrack and Machinedrum. So while new things can severely change my approach to my creative process, new gear also helps me find new love and inspiration in current familiar machines like my Octatrack and UW. I recently have really been getting into Eurorack and there is a whole world of possibilities and noises out there that I never could have even imagined of. I have created tons and tons of personalized oneshot drum sounds, drones and swells and dumped them into my Octatrack to be mangled. This works great, because by using the Octatrack, and especially the chromatic function, an unfamiliar instrument can become familiar.
I also play Monomachine, Octatrack and guitar with a full, instrumental, band called Karass and I absolutely love to use my Elektron machines in that context. They are so flexible and enable us to keep things 100% live. While I would love to be able to take my Analogue Solutions Vostok or my Metasonix boxes with me to every practice and gig, I rather keep them safe at home. With the Octatrack we can still have access to all of those noises in a live environment and even expand on those thoughts in a really fun and LIVE way.
In the vanguard of music, sound artists are always exploring new ways of creating music. Often the search will not only lead them to the new sounds they set out to find, but also to some unique instruments. Instruments which, besides being functional, can also be seen as works of visual art in their own right. Especially when they combine the aesthetics of craftsmanship with the possibilities offered by the latest in technology.
Usually these works of art perform their humble services exclusively on the stage, where they can hardly be observed from up close. But in the exhibition SOUNDS LIKE ART the spotlight is not on the artists, but on the instruments they create. It has resulted in an exhibition in which we can hear and, most importantly, also see the unique interplay between form, material qualities, and technology of these new instruments.
The participating artists include the American Andy Cavatorta, who created a series of harps especially for Björk, which are played using gravity, Dutch hardware hacker Gijs Gieskes who compiles the most extraordinary new synthesisers from existing electronics, and Eindhoven based musician/artist Tom Verbruggen, better known as TokTek, who creates some ingenious sound-producing sculptures.
On Saturday May 4 Sounds Like Art ends with a special night of live performances by Author & Punisher, Gijs Gieskes, Pieterjan Pieters en Tom Verbruggen/TokTek.
Akai MPC X SE // Top 3 Pros & Cons vs MPC Live II, One, Key 61, Studio // XSE Special Edition Review
video upload by
TIMELINE:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Similarities
2:40 MPC X vs SE
3:40 Q-Links knobs
7:30 Connectivity
10:05 Battery/speaker
10:30 More buttons
12:25 Screen
13:45 Pads
14:15 Touch strip
14:45 Keys
15:20 Storage
15:50 Pros & cons
18:25 Outro
Press Release follows:
AKAI PROFESSIONAL® CELEBRATES 35 YEARS OF MPC WITH THE NEW MPC X SPECIAL EDITION- THE MOST POWERFUL MPC EVER!
The MPC X Special Edition commemorates 35 years of innovative sampling, sound, and sequencing technology from AKAI, the premier name in music production.
Ft Lauderdale, FL USA (April 26, 2023) – Akai Professional, a leading musical equipment and computer software manufacturer for performers and producers, is proud to unveil MPC X Special Edition. MPC X SE steps into the spotlight with more internal storage and memory than ever. Additionally, MPC X SE boasts flagship tactile control to make it the most powerful MPC system ever. With a stylish retro color way, MPC X SE culminates as the high point of the leading name in music production.
35 Years of sampling and Innovation.
MPC has pushed the limits of hardware music creation time and time again. In every generation, leading music makers need technology that can keep up with the speed of their inspiration and the needs of their creativity. MPC continues to lead the way with innovative features and advancements, magically bringing music to life. From Note Repeat and 16 Levels for the hip-hop heads to the infectious Swing for electronic drum grooves and patterns. MPC has been at the ground level of hit song after hit song thanks to its powerfully capable technology.
Today, the standalone MPC platform continues to build on that legacy with seamless touchscreen technology, more I/O than ever to tie an entire production suite together, along with wireless integration like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Ableton Link 3 allowing you to make music without any constraint.
The Most Powerful MPC Ever
The rock-solid quad-core processor cements MPC X SE as the leading modern music-making device enhanced with an impressive 4GB of RAM onboard. This delivers more sampling and recording power than ever before. Instantly load instruments, samples to large projects with ease thanks to the increased memory, perfect for studio sessions or on stage between songs. Save large projects, sequences, drum programs to your beats instantly with the expanded 48GB of internal storage without ever interrupting your workflow.
MPC X SE is the only MPC with 2 In/4 Out MIDI to connect all your synths, keyboards, modules and more. The massive 10” adjustable touch screen is the perfect display for those long creative sessions. 16 assignable Q Link knobs with OLEDs provide immediate visual feedback and to any program, instrument, or insert effect parameter for instant hands-on control of your sound. For the high-pace creators tied to a busy schedule, MPC workflow keeps you ahead of the game with an intuitive and efficient creative process.
Legendary Hardware, Cutting-Edge Software
Through the years, the 16-pad MPC grid has been the default input method for MPC. Revel in the nostalgic gray pad color of these new-generation pads that feature RGB backlit edges and pressure-sensitive response. Tap out rhythms, melodies, or chords with ease thanks to the Notes and Chords modes, perfect for playing the thousands of built-in instruments. MPC X SE features a premier collection of instruments including the award-winning flagship “Fabric XL” power-synth, Stage Piano, OPx4 FM synth and much more. MPC has evolved with the contemporary music-maker by adding not only sounds and functionality but also world-class insert effects for processing. Explore a wide collection of plugins like Stutter, Granulator, Half Speed, the AIR Vocal Effects suite, MotherDucker, AMP Sim and so much more. When you need to expand your palate, browse the MPC store and update your MPC X SE with new plugin instruments like Mini D synthesizer or Flavor Pro multi-effects processing unit to breathe new life into your machine. Thanks to the enabled WiFi, update your device wirelessly in mere moments.
Senior Akai Professional product manager Dan Gill shared “The journey for MPC has been a labor of love. We strive every day to deliver the tools that will empower all music-makers, from our life-long MPC users who trust and rely on their MPCs to keep up with their daily music grind, down to the newest members of the MPC community who look to the MPC legend as they foray into their nascent musical endeavors. MPC X Special Edition is a tribute to where we’ve come from, what we’ve accomplished, and marker of the next chapter of innovatory, ground-breaking music product development.”
Key Feature Bullets
• Standalone MPC - No computer required
• MPC Plugin Collection- 20+ MPC Instruments
• 48GB Internal Storage (over 16GB for User Storage)
• 4GB RAM for Sampling and Audio Recording
• 100+ Insert Effects from AIR Music Tech
• Adjustable 10.1” Multi-Gesture Touch Screen
• 16 Assignable Q Link Knobs
• Iconic ‘Retro’ MPC Colorway
• Includes MPC 2 Desktop software for Mac and PC.
Launch Info
MPC X Special Edition will be available worldwide on Wednesday April 26, 2023 for $2499. Visit akaipro.com to learn more.
The next interview in the Dave Smith Instruments' "In The Spotlight with the Prophet-6" series is currently up with Fred Everything here.
"French Canadian Producer/DJ Fred Everything has been a staple in the House Music world for over 2 decades. With over 200 releases to his discography, he’s released on some of the best labels around, including: Defected, 20:20 Vision, Freerange, Drumpoet Community, Om Records, and his own Lazy Days Recordings, which he has been running for over 10 years. Based in Montreal, Fred recently spent 8 years living in San Francisco, and is constantly touring the world as an in-demand DJ. On top of his original work, he was also asked to remix artists such as Curtis Mayfield, Corrine Bailey Rae, Atjazz, Miguel Migs, Dennis Ferrer, and many more.He was recently awarded Best Deep House Artist of 2016 by Traxsource and is currently working on new original material for 2017."
"It’s been 30 years of Novation and music made with bass, beats and synthesisers.
From early beginnings in 1992, Novation has been a pioneer in developing music technology, allowing artists to create decade-defining sounds. Starting as Novation Electronic Music Systems, we built a small but innovative device, the MM10, which let you control a MIDI sequencer, the Yamaha QY10, for the very first time from a keyboard.
Since then, our synths, MIDI controllers, grooveboxes and more have helped people create, play and perform at all stages of their music-making journey.
From all of us at team Novation – we want to wish a huge thank you to our whole community for keeping us inspired. We can't wait to hear what you make next, and we look forward to another 30 years.
"Crafted from old-school Novation gear and adapting Trance to a modern time, The Novation Legacy Soundpack looks back on the history of electronic music and the gear that helped shape it. Made with Bass Station, BS Rack, AFX Mode, K-Station, A-Station, Mininova, Peak and Summit.
"Novation looks back on three decades of bass, beats and synthesizers.
Since 1992, Novation’s synths, MIDI controllers, grooveboxes and more have helped people create, play and perform at all stages of their music-making journey.
In 1992, Novation developed the MM10, an innovative MIDI sequencer that controlled the Yamaha QY10 from a keyboard, revolutionising the way we make music as the first MIDI controller of its kind. Bass Station’s arrival in 1993 pushed them further into the spotlight as a standout synth of the ‘90s. Developed by none other than synth designer Chris Huggett, his expertise with analogue and digital synth design influenced many of their iconic synths including Supernova, Bass Station II, Summit and Peak.
Over the years, Novation’s instruments have brought new life to music-making, including the Launchpad range which changed the game for grid-based music production and DIY performance, Circuit’s much-loved intuitive approach to beatmaking and sampling, and the award-winning Launchkey range of MIDI controllers used by artists in many genres.
In 2022, they’re celebrating 30 years of music, pioneering music technology and people that made Novation what it is today.
With Novation, anything is possible Over the past three decades, countless artists have brought their musical ideas to life with Novation instruments. From October until Christmas, they’re bringing their community together to celebrate the made music with their instruments over the years with videos from artists across the globe, huge prizes up for grabs in their 30th anniversary competition and exclusive curated soundpack giveaways.
Giving back to the global community of fans Novation will be giving away their biggest prize bundle yet to encourage their worldwide music-making community to share the love for their instruments. One lucky winner can own a full studio’s worth of gear, as well as three years of upcoming products.
The prize bundle includes: 1. A suite of Novation products, including Circuit Rhythm, Circuit Tracks, FLkey Mini, Launchkey 37, Summit, Peak, Bass Station II, Launchpad Pro. 2. Three years of future Novation products. 3. A feature on the Novation website spotlighting their entry/music and a short interview with accompanying social media promotion. 4. A 1:1 Product Demo Session with a Novation product specialist. 5. A Novation Logo T-Shirt.
The giveaways continue with 30 exclusive soundpacks covering countless genres. All users can get their hands on samples made for the Circuit Rhythm, and perfect for all of the Launch range – regardless of what DAW they choose. Newsletter subscribers can also get their hands on the Novation Legacy Sample Pack – add moods, textures and unique sounds from the Bass Station, AFX Station, and plenty of classic instruments.
Novation is also going backstage with creators in their community to see just how they make their music. Learn how to make songs and build beats in Ableton, Logic, Cubase and FL Studio from long-time Novation users including Lex Luger, Trishes, Bad Snacks, Seids and Venus Theory.
Join Novation in celebrating their story so far and become a part of their future as they continue to encourage creativity and make music production a rewarding experience for all."
"Scott Fox is a unique quantity in the world of modern electronic music. Hailing from Edmonton Canada, his project ‘iVardensphere’ emerged from Fox’s desire to explore both heavy electronics and his love of world percussion, anchored by a love for deep sound design and crushing rhythms. That passion, combined with an ever-evolving and maturing production sensibility, have become the project’s trademarks. Over the course of five full-length albums and innumerable remixes, Fox has become one of the foremost live and studio musicians in North American industrial.
For all of its grandeur, Fox’s sound has proven remarkably fluid. Monolithic analogue synth bangers share space with simmering groove-based instrumental experiments, tribal industrial drum workouts and deep, textured ambiences.
There’s no mistaking the scope and gravity of an iVardensphere track when you hear it.
We sat down to talk with Scott about about how he’s using his Pro 2."
"Chronicling the history of modular synths in Japan from the 1970s to the new generation of Japanese modular synth enthusiasts.
Hi there! こんにちは We’re a small team of passionate independent filmmakers producing a documentary about the current resurgence of interest in modular synthesizers in Japan, featuring interviews with some of the enthusiasts, manufacturers and artists in the growing scene, as well as some of the out-of-this-world sounds being produced in Japan right now.
Though not as immediately recognized as their Moog and Buchla cousins, large Japanese musical instrument manufacturers such as Roland and Korg produced their own unique takes on modular and semi-modular synthesizers back in the mid-to-late 1970s.
In addition to covering some of these influential synths from the past, we will be examining the relative disappearance of modular synthesizers in Japan after domestic production halted, and the corresponding blossoming of the DIY hardware/synth scene which continues to this day.
Lastly, we will be shining a spotlight on the growing modular synthesizer movement that is taking Japan by storm as access to both European and North American modules increases. We're also looking to cover the exciting development of the first Japanese-manufactured commercial modular synthesizers in many decades. We're looking to thoroughly document the 2014 Tokyo Festival of Modular, a two-day extravaganza with its finger on the pulse of the modular synthesizer scene."
User Videos:
Playlist:
Gabe Miller Music Beats on the Novation Circuit Rhythm (multiple genres, custom sounds)
Gabe Miller Music First Day with the Novation Circuit Rhythm
loopop Review: Circuit RHYTHM vs TRACKS // Full sampling and workflow tutorial for Novation's new sampler
Sample, make beats, and perform like never before, with the latest addition to
the Circuit family. The wait is finally over. The next addition to our Novation
Circuit family is here to bring new life to beatmaking and turn samples in to
stellar tracks. With eight sample tracks, built-in recording, performance
effects, on-the-go capabilities and more, Circuit Rhythm is the beatmaker’s best
friend. In a brand-new direction for Novation, Circuit Rhythm puts sampling in
the spotlight and provides a whole host of fresh features aimed to take
beatmaking to new heights.
Sampling is at the heart of Circuit Rhythm. Record straight into Circuit Rhythm
through the audio inputs, and instantly capture sound from records, synths, or
even a phone. Designed with a focus on immediate sampling and artistic
expression, users can capture creative ideas quickly and stay inspired.
With a lightning-fast sequencer, beatmakers can start turning those samples into
killer beats with ease. Whether playing in drums, making basslines or chopping
straight from vinyl, music makers can play back samples however they want and
listen through stereo out or with headphones. Re-sample and sculpt sounds with
limitless creative possibilities.
Circuit Rhythm’s eight sample tracks, each with their own 32-step patterns
chainable for 256 steps per track, gives creators sample space to find their
groove and craft killer tracks, all with an intuitive screenless workflow,
common to all Circuit products. Stay quantised or give beats real human feel and
go off-grid and record to micro steps. Keep beats interesting with probability
and pattern mutate.
Performers can take to the stage with Circuit Rhythm and bring vibrant
performance- focused Grid FX to their beats. Give samples character with beat
repeat, vinyl simulation, and many more effects to really create massive sound.
Circuit Rhythm is well-equipped to handle any scenario and is brilliant for
making dope beats in the studio or used to capture creative ideas for beatmakers
on the move. Make Circuit Rhythm part of a studio set up with full-size five-pin
MIDI in, out, and thru, and analogue sync out, and monitoring through audio or
headphone outputs.
Circuit Rhythm is completely portable. With a compact and tough build, built-in
rechargeable battery and microSD card slot for expandable storage or loading in
samples and projects, music makers never have to stop creating with Circuit
Rhythm.
With Novation’s online companion Components, Circuit Rhythm’s creative potential
expands even further. Users can dive into Circuit Rhythm using the browser-based
or standalone desktop app, and load samples, backup projects, download
artist-made soundpacks, and create custom patches so that creators can give
their music production their unique flavour.
A new synth engine embodying nearly 50 years of experience
Anaheim, CA, January 15, 2020 — Roland (NAMM Hall A, Booth #10702), announces the ZEN-Core Synthesis System, a powerful new engine found at the heart of the company’s latest (and future) electronic instruments. With ZEN-Core, Roland applies the wisdom gained from nearly 50 years of making world-leading analog, digital, and hybrid synthesizers to create an adaptable new platform that both embraces the legendary and looks to what’s next.
Through ZEN-Core, Roland assures a consistent level of sonic quality and expression regardless of instrument. With the confidence of access to the same, growing library of compatible sounds that they can share and exchange, musicians and producers can focus on choosing hardware with features that best suit their application, playing style and workflow, from performance and production synthesizers to GROOVEBOXES, stage pianos, and more.
With the forthcoming system updates, owners of FANTOM 6/7/8 Synthesizers (Version 1.50*), JUPITER-X Series Synthesizers (Version 1.10) and RD-88 Stage Pianos will be able to start using the same compatible sounds across all models, adding a new collaborative capability to their instruments. An update for the MC-101 and MC-707 GROOVEBOXES will also be available in Q2 2020, with an update planned for AX-EDGE later this year.
ZEN-Core base engine tones created on one instrument can be shared with other users or transferred into completely different compatible Roland hardware. Performers can take sounds made on a FANTOM and play them in the spotlight on an AX-Edge Keytar, or perform a JUPITER-X synth patch on an RD-88, dramatically simplifying setup and expanding tonal options. Sounds are easily shared with a bandmate or co-creator, even when using different compatible Roland hardware. With ZEN-Core, users have access to the sounds they want, in the format they want, wherever they produce or perform.
The Roland ZEN-Core multi-timbral engine combines the latest Virtual Analog and PCM (up to 256 voices) synthesis techniques with powerful DSP effects. Advanced synthesis features include new VA oscillators, precisely modeled filters, ultra-fast and smooth LFO and envelope modulators, and high-resolution control of primary editing and performance parameters. Sounds created for the base engine will be compatible across all ZEN-Core instruments, opening-up a world of opportunities for creators and sound designers alike.
ZEN-Core supports instrument-specific ZEN-Core Expansions including Analog Behavior Modeling for the JUPITER-X series and V-Piano for the new FANTOM Series. Further ZEN-Core expansions will soon arrive for other instruments in the Roland ZEN-Core family.
For more on Roland ZEN-Core, please visit Roland.com.
*Beta version as of today. Official release is planned in late January 2020.
The next interview in Dave Smith Instruments In the Spotlight series is up with Ivan Blomqvist here.
"Ivan Blomqvist is a Swedish pianist/keyboardist, songwriter/composer based in Oslo, Norway. Working mainly with jazz and improvised music, he has a bachelor’s degree in improvisation and jazz from the highly respected Jazz department at the University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. He is currently working as a keyboardist and songwriter in the Future Soul band Rohey, as well as running his own Jazz projects: Ivan Blomqvist 3 Feat Hanna Paulsberg and the club sensation, Mozambique!
We chatted with Ivan about how he’s using the Prophet 12."
The seventh in the Dave Smith Instruments' "In The Spotlight with the PRO 2" series is currently up with Louis Faro here.
"Louis Faro is a full-time, professional pianist, keyboardist, composer, arranger, and producer. He graduated from the Béla Bartók Jazz Conservatory in Budapest, Hungary in 1976 where he studied with Kornél Kertész and Gustav Csík. He began his professional career at age 17, later moving to Chicago where he played with such greats as Michael Manson (bassist for George Duke), Richard Patterson (bassist for Miles Davis, David Sanborn, Roberta Flack, Boz Scaggs), Chuck Webb (bassist for Stevie Wonder, Joe Sample, Ramsey Lewis), Kirk Whalum, and Martha Wash (C&C Music Factory).
Louis currently performs extensively in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. He continues to broaden his fan base with his energetic and compelling blend of jazz, r&b, funk, latin, and classical styles. His original compositions feature bold melodies and rhythms, a unique breadth of musical language, and a mastery of modern synth media."
The third in the Dave Smith Instruments' "In The Spotlight with the PRO 2" series is currently up with Josh Molen here.
"Josh Molen is a TV and film composer located outside Knoxville, TN. He began composing professionally in 2005. Since then he has had the opportunity to work on many high-profile projects, including composing music for TV shows like: Snapped (Oxygen), Sins and Secrets (I.D.), Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda (I.D.), Modern Marvels (History Channel), Biography (Bio), and How Stuff Works (Discovery) to mention only a few. He also co-composed the score to The Clinton 12 directed by Keith McDaniel and narrated by James Earl Jones.
In 2011 he launched a boutique music library, The Tune Peddler, that has licensed music internationally for film, TV, video games, and online media. One client of note that features Josh’s music is the Fine Brothers’ REACT Channel with videos amassing well over 40 million collective hits on YouTube."
The 1st in the Dave Smith Instruments' "In The Spotlight with the Tempest" series is currently up with Sofia Hultquist here.
"Drum & Lace, aka Sofia Hultquist, is an Italian composer focusing on fashion and film. Her composition work ranges from writing music for video look-books and creating soundscapes for fashion presentations, to composing scores for feature-length films. She most recently co-scored the fashion documentary, “The First Monday in May,” (directed by Andrew Rossi) which opened the Tribeca Film Festival 2016 in NYC. She’s currently based in Los Angeles, where she shares a home studio with her husband Ian (also a composer) and her two dogs, Fiamma and Lupo."
"Mutant-Thoughts is an experimental alternative synth-rock band formed by Han Luis Cera (vocals and synths), Joshua Lennox-Hilton (bass and backing vocals) and Tom Pearmain (drums), with an electronic, eclectic, eerie vibe, and strong rhythms, as well as beautiful melodies. On a constant search for new sounds, grooves, harmonies and textures, Mutant-Thoughts have worked really hard on building original and interesting sound. Using the Poly Evolver and Tempest, together with bass and drums, this band is able to transform our surroundings into a completely new reality which is perceived with detail in the music. They released their first album with electronic versions of what they do live, and now they are releasing their first studio EP on the 7th of September in the UK and will be released on BandCamp."
The sixth in Dave Smith Instruments' "In The Spotlight with the PRO 2" series is currently up with JESSE SOLA (NUMINA) here.
"Jesse Sola is an American keyboardist who goes under the project name Numina. He was born in 1971 in a musical family that currently resides in Denver, Colorado. Jesse began recording music in his 20’s while in college. Jesse’s choice of instrumentation was the use of synthesizers and acoustic instruments melded together to create deep, evolving music that ranges from melancholy to mysterious. Currently, Numina has released albums on his own Numinamusic label as well as on Gestalt Records, Hypnos, Dark Duck Records. He’s also been featured several times on the syndicated radio program Music From the Hearts of Space. Similar artists and influences include Steve Roach, Robert Rich, Vidna Obmana, and Stephen Philips."
The next interview in Dave Smith Instruments' "In the Spotlight with the OB-6" is up with Alexander Bornstein here.
"Alexander Bornstein is an award-winning composer currently based in Los Angeles. His music has been heard on television, independent films, feature films, web series, documentaries in the festival circuit, and concert halls around the U.S. His work has brought him through major music studios including Remote Control Productions and Sonic Fuel Studios.
Alexander is a graduate of New York University’s music composition program. Before this, he studied music and film-making the University of Central Florida in Orlando. For more information about Alexander please visit the contact page."
The 1st in the Dave Smith Instruments' "In The Spotlight with the Prophet-6" series is currently up with ROOM8 here.
"ROOM8 is the electronic pop artist/production duo of Ezra Reich and Nic Johns. They are based out of LA and also now work quite a bit in Stockholm. ROOM8 debuted in 2014 with two collaborations with Drive Soundtrack heroes, Electric Youth, the first being their debut single “Visions of You” on WIN Music and also the song “Without You” on EY’s debut album for Secretly Canadian, “Innerworld.” Since then, they have released features with Little Boots, King Deco, Polina and have remixed Kimbra and Elliphant, the latter topping Hype Machine. Their next single “All About Us” features Swedish singer Erik Hassle and will be out January 27th, 2017."
