Behringer has released updated firmware for the UB-Xa synthesizer, saying “This update isn’t just about fixing issues—it’s about giving you the tools to create without limits.”
New in Behringer UB-Xa v2.0:
Bug Fixes & Improvements:
No more ‘thumping’ sound when triggering envelopes.
The mod wheel now behaves “perfectly”, giving you full control over your LFO modulation.
Enhanced MIDI, arpeggiator, and sequencer functionality.
Dual Mode & Aftertouch improvements.
SYSEX and oscillator settings are smoother.
New Features:
Save and recall patches with precision, now including atrophy profiles, filter, VCO, VCF, and LFO settings.
Fine-tune your sound with precision editing for filter resonance.
Take advantage of new envelope modulation modes like Flip, Retrigger, Repeat, Loop, and Legato.
Enjoy expanded options in the Mod Matrix, including new destinations and sources.
Improved performance features like global transpose and enhanced live performance options.
In sad and unexpected news, Keith McMillen Instruments announced over the weekend that its pioneering founder, Keith McMillen, has died. He was 67.
Keith McMillen (1957-2024) was an electronic musician and composer that explored the cutting edge of electronic music performance, and over four decades created new instruments and tools for electronic music.
In 1979 McMillen began his professional career when he founded Zeta Music, where he developed an electric violin and created new guitar effects, the first programmable MIDI audio mixer, and modern violins for the likes of Jean-Luc Ponty and Laurie Anderson. He’s also founded BEAM, a non-profit dedicated to promoting music that explores new technologies.
Best known as the head of Keith McMillen Instruments, a company that’s created a wide variety of expressive MIDI controllers, like the K-Board, QuNeo pad controller and the QuNexus keyboard controller; and the unique K-Mix audio interface.
In 1992, he would go on to join Gibson Guitars, founding the company’s G-WIZ R&D Lab. This resulted in the creation of ZIPI, a new instrument control language that evolved into Open Sound Control (OSC) and laid the foundations for the MPE and MIDI 2.0 standards.
McMillen founded his eponymous company in 2005, and used patented Smart Fabric sensors to create a range of expressive electronic instruments. In 2014, he founded BeBop Sensors in a bid to bring Smart Fabric to the wearables market, and later went on to use it to create a ‘robotic skin’.
“Keith dedicated his life to revolutionising how live interactive music is played and experienced,” his instrument company wrote on its website. “[His] work exemplified a lifelong commitment to exploring how computer intelligence and user interface can enhance and expand musical performance.
“His passing is a great loss to the world of music and technology, but his innovations and achievements will continue to inspire and shape the future of both fields.”
Our condolences go to McMillen’s family, friends and colleagues.
Native Instruments has announced Komplete 15, a new update for its Komplete and sound bundle with the new Kontakt 8 sampler, Guitar Rig 7 Pro, and more.
The highlight of the new Komplete 15 bundle is the renewed Kontakt 8 sampler, which is somewhat surprising since Kontakt 7 was only introduced in Komplete 14. I didn’t expect a jump to 8 so quickly.
While the full product launch – and more details – will be arriving later this month, NI has given us an exciting glimpse of what’s to come in Komplete 15 and Kontakt 8 and made both available for pre-order today. If you order during the pre-sale (before September 23) you’ll get iZotope’s AI-powered mixing tool Neutron 4, which would ordinarily set you back $249, for free.
NI tells us that Kontakt 8 is a “massive step up” from its predecessor and shared details on three new features that make this industry-leading sampler an even more versatile music-making tool: Leap, Tools and Conflux.
Leap is a tool for transforming loops and one-shots that makes it easy to turn a basic sample into a new hook, riff or texture. Shipping with 12 curated loop packs geared towards specific genres and styles, Leap will also let you load in and manipulate your own samples and trigger its effects in real-time with the black keys on your keyboard.
Tools is a suite of generative tools aimed at helping you spark creativity and come up with new compositional ideas. Kontakt 8 introduces two new Tools: Chords for chord sequences and Phrases for melodies. Third-party developers will be able to develop their own Tools for use in Kontakt. Finally, Conflux is a hybrid instrument that brings “synth-type capabilities” to Kontakt for the first time by introducing movement and modulation to sounds through real-time wavetable manipulation.
Komplete 15 updates NI’s mega-bundle of music software with a broad variety of new instruments, effects and sounds that includes a new flagship instrument, Kithara. Included in Komplete 15 Collector’s Edition, Kithara is a library of guitars and plucked string instruments that have been transformed with creative performance techniques and cinematic sound design.
Komplete 15 comes in three different versions: Standard, Ultimate and Collector’s Edition, which features over 290 instruments and effects and more than 150,000 sounds in total.
Here’s What’s New in Komplete 15 (Standard, Ultimate, Collector’s Edition), and Kontakt instruments:
Kontakt 8
Guitar Rig 7 Pro
iZotope Ozone 11 Standard
iZotope Trash
VocalSynth 2
Action Woodwinds
Conflux
Valves
Scene: Saffron
Bazzazian Tapes
Bouquet
Feel It
Glaze 2
Nacht
Sway
Utopia
Karriem Riggins Drums
Rudiments
Session Percussionist
Electric Keys – Diamond
Electric Keys – Phoenix
50 Expansion sounds (Standard)
+ everything from Komplete 14
Ultimate adds:
Schema: Dark
Schema: Light
Vocal Colors
Alicia’s Electric Keys
Session Bassist – Icon Bass
Session Bassist – Upright Bass
Session Guitarist – Acoustic Sunburst Deluxe
Session Ukulele
30 expansion sounds (80 in total)
+ everything from Komplete 14 Ultimate
Collector’s Edition adds:
Valves Pro
Fables
Kithara
75+ expansion sounds (125+ in total)
+ everything from Komplete 14 Collector’s Edition
Native Instruments Komplete 15 will be available on September 23, 2024. If you pre-order it now (full/upgrade/updates), you get the iZotope Neutron 4 mixing/mastering plugin for free as an early bird gift.
Komplete 15 Standard is priced at $599/€599, Ultimate at $1199/€1199 and Collector’s Edition at $1799/€1799. Reduced prices are available for those upgrading from a lower tier. Kontakt 8 can be purchased outright for $299/€299.
Visit Native Instruments website to pre-order Komplete 15.
