WORLD OF MUSIC ; PORTABLE KEYBOARD - Latest Portable Music Keyboards, Synthesizers and Music News

Composer and Synthesist Anthony Marinelli – in his latest video – takes a look at recreating the classic bass sound of Herbie Hancock‘s Chameleon, from the 1973 jazz fusion album, Head Hunters.

Marinelli shows, step-by-step, how to recreate the iconic bass sound, using the same 1972 ARP Odyssey synthesizer model that Hancock used.

What Marinelli has to say about it:

“Not only is it one of my all-time favorite synth bass sounds, it also changed the reach of jazz music by opening up the mindset of both jazz musicians and the listening public to fresh new sounds. This was much needed in the 70’s to compete with rock ‘n’ roll’s dominance of the airwaves. Synth sounds allowed jazz musicians to connect with a larger set of minds and voices yet retain still retain musical complexity, quality, and integrity.

The cornerstone techniques in this video will effectively elevate your synthesizer power, no matter what style you prefer.”

Topics covered:

00:00 “Chameleon” intro cover performance

00:30 Anthony’s Intro

01:25 ARP Odyssey Panel Explanation

02:12 Setting the Oscillator Pitch & Waveforms

03:06 Setting the Mixer & Voltage Controlled Filter VCF

04:05 Setting the ADSR Envelope Generator

04:59 Setting the VCA

05:37 Setting the Keyboard Control Voltage

06:56 Dialing in the Distortion

08:35 Keyboard Articulation & Phrasing

09:34 Summary of “Chameleon” Bass

10:22 Logo (theme music)

Organizers of Music Expo, a conference series for music makers, have announced Music Expo San Francisco 2024, presented by Focusrite Group and in association with Sound On Sound magazine.

The event returns with its first in-person event in five years, at Music City San Francisco on Saturday, November 9th.

Music Expo San Francisco 2024 will offer attendees up-close access to some of the world’s top DJs, producers, artists, engineers, songwriters, music industry tastemakers and leading technology brands. Past events have welcomed more than 5,000 attendees, more than 250 presenters, and more than 300 hours of educational content and networking.

Music San Francisco 2024 will be exploring three major themes including Music & AI, Spatial Audio & Virtual Reality, and Artistry and Connection.

“Music Expo is back, stronger than ever,” says event founder Loïc Maestracci. “It’s not just an event; it’s a celebration of the Bay Area music community that is more vibrant than ever; it’s a testament to the power of music to connect, inspire, and propel us forward.”

“Having participated in many Music Expo events in the past, I was thrilled to hear it was coming back, in person, revamped and ready to serve the Bay Area music-making community, said Hannah Bliss, Vice President of Marketing at Focusrite Group. “For the Focusrite Group content creation brands; Focusrite, Novation, ADAM Audio, Sequential, and Oberheim, it was a no-brainer decision to support Music Expo and we are proud to be the presenting sponsor. We’re looking forward to sharing some of our best-selling audio recording, production and music creation products with Music Expo attendees. We will have product specialists on hand to answer questions, and plenty of new products to share.”

Super early bird tickets for the one-day event are available now for $39 (50% off General Admission) and limited VIP tickets are available for $149. Full program details to be announced.

Aodyo Instruments has announced four new playing modes for its new Loom MPE MIDI Controller.

The Loom is a multidimensional MPE MIDI Controller, designed to let each finger to control pitch (X axis), timbre (Y), and dynamics (Z) independently. In addition, a dynamic sensing system analyzes when your fingers land to determine impact force.

When it was originally introduced, the Loom featured four playing modes:

• MIDI Keyboard, offering access to a two or three-octave range. You can play notes, bend them, nuance individual attacks, and add expression by sliding along the keys.
• MIDI Ribbon, allowing for smooth sliding across its surface. Optionally, it can make sure you land on the right note, making it easier to play with others, without losing the free-form nature of the ribbon.
• MIDI Strum mode lets you choose a chord with one hand and strum virtual strings with the other.
• MIDI Drumkit mode is designed to provide you with an efficient layout for finger-drumming. It can sense the way your finger hits the surface, as well as the position of your hit.

The video demonstrates four new playing modes for the Loom: Fader, Keygrid, Martenot, & Control Pad. See the video for examples of each of the new modes in action.

Production of the Aodyo Instruments Loom is being funded via a Kickstarter project, and it is available to project backers starting at €259, which is 35% off the planned retail price.*Note: Crowdfunded projects can involve risk. View the project website for more information.