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This year, the summer and regular NAMM Shows are colliding, which is to say that a single 2022 NAMM Show is taking place in Anaheim, California between 3 and 5 June.

With those dates rapidly approaching, the teasers are starting to appear, and there’s currently none more interesting (on the synth side, at least) than this clip of the mysterious Nina.

The video has appeared on an Instagram channel called tonelab.tv. This usually deals in “studio services and tutorials on synths, samplers, drum machines, DAWs and more”.

The video showing us Nina, which is a 12-voice analogue polysynth with motorised knobs. Such knobs are a rarity on a hardware synth of this type, and should mean that, when you select a preset, all of them will immediately move to their correction positions. We are assuming that there will be other applications for the tech, as well.

As you can see and hear, patch morphing is an option, as well. We are hoping to give Nina the once over next week.

 

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Novation thinks big and launches its first ever 88-note MIDI controller keyboard

Launchkey 88 lands with the company’s best-feeling key mechanism to date.

The new Launchkey 88 is the first piano-sized controller that Novation has ever launched. The entire Launchkey range has deep integration with Ableton and this new model takes the best features of the smaller Launchkeys (Mini, 25, 37, 49 and 61) and marries them to a “premium” semi-weighted keyboard that sets it apart from the rest of the range. In fact, Launchkey 88 promises Novation’s best-feeling key mechanism to date, which is said to be the result of meticulous refinement and testing.

Launchkey 88’s connectivity makes for dynamic live performances when controlling external synths and hardware.

Other features include 16 velocity-sensitive pads, an arpeggiator, a Scale mode (to keep your playing in key) and three Chord modes that enable you to trigger complex chords with a single finger.

In addition, Launchkey 88 promises deep integration with Ableton Live, Logic Pro, Cubase and more allows creators to work uninterrupted, and essential mixer, transport and navigation controls aid in easy music making for all other major DAWs, including Studio One, Pro Tools and Reaper, via the HUI protocol.

The included software bundle comprises Ableton Live Lite 11, virtual instruments, plugins and sample packs – musicians can start creating immediately.

Novation Launchkey 88 is available now and is priced at £379.99 (Inc. VAT) / €369.74 (Ex. VAT) / $399.99.

Find out more on the Novation website.

Tonelab shared this sneak preview of a new analog synth that features motorized knobs for robotic patch control, debuting at the 2022 NAMM Show.

This new synth, from Melbourne, Australia, uses motorized knobs – a new approach to handling patch memory with analog synths.

The motorized knobs promise to address a problem shared by classic analog synths, knockoffs and many reissues – lack of patch memory. Early analog synths used analog pots and physical switches to control patch parameters, which meant that patch memory was impractical. Modern synth designs generally use encoders, meaning that the knob and switch settings can be saved and recalled.

No details have been announced for the new synth, except that it is a 12-voice polyphonic analog synth design with motorized knobs.

Check out the sneak preview.