Novation has announced a huge gear giveaway, celebrating the company’s 30th anniversary.
In 1992, Novation developed the MM10, an innovative MIDI sequencer that controlled the Yamaha QY10 from a keyboard, the first MIDI controller of its kind. The Bass Station introduction in 1993 pushed them further into the spotlight as one of the standout synths of the ‘90s.
Since then, Novation has developed a full line of synthesizers; set the standard for grid controllers with its Launchpad range; created the hugely popular Circuit line of grooveboxes; and more.
To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Novation will be giving away their biggest prize bundle yet. One lucky winner can own a full studio’s worth of gear, as well as three years of upcoming products.
The prize bundle includes:
A suite of Novation products, including Circuit Rhythm, Circuit Tracks, FLkey Mini, Launchkey 37, Summit, Peak, Bass Station II, Launchpad Pro.
Three years of future Novation products.
A feature on the Novation website spotlighting their entry/music and a short interview with accompanying social media promotion.
A 1:1 Product Demo Session with a Novation product specialist.
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.
In addition, Newsletter subscribers can get their hands on the Novation Legacy Sample Pack, featuring sounds from the Bass Station, AFX Station, and other classic Novation instruments.
Online DAW Soundation gets a free beatmaking tool that supports realtime remote collaboration.
Online DAW Soundation has just got a new dedicated beatmaking tool. Known as the Beatmaker, this is a step sequencer and sampler that comes with plenty of pre-rolled kits and beats and also enables you to import your own sounds.
Each kit comes with its own pattern, which you can tweak, delete or build on. Your audio files can be tweaked using envelope, pitch, volume and pan controls, and creating patterns is as simple as pointing and clicking.
There is a collaborative element to all this, as well – because Soundation is web-based, you can work with other people on the same project at the same time. So, you will be able to see their cursor(s) moving around the Beatmaker and every change they make is updated instantly.
Soundation has collaborated with various producers on Beatmaker content. You can already remix beats by MG the Future, and kits by Justin Hawkes and Bishu are on the way. Further beats and kits will be added in due course.
You can sign up for a free account and start your beatmaking journey on the Soundation website. This enables you to work on three projects and gives you 1GB of storage. Subscription plans, which give you more projects, samples and storage, start at £5 a month.
Cherry Audio today introduced Sines, a new software synth for Mac and Windows that combines additive, subtractive and FM in one polyphonic synth engine.
Sines lends itself well to three approaches to sound design:
Subtractive synthesis, where sine waves are wave-shaped into other familiar waveforms, then processed through an analog-style filter.
An additive synthesis approach stacks sine waves at different pitches and amplitudes, like a supercharged Hammond tonewheel organ.
FM synthesis – oscillators can modulate each other in multiple configurations, mimicking the classic DX-style FM carrier and modulator architecture, but with much less effort than original 80s instruments.
What they say about it:
“Employing four sine-wave oscillators, Sines utilizes diverse waveshaping methods to bend these pure waveforms into infinitely variable and complex shapes. When combined with its wide-ranging modulation capabilities and effects, users can create a distinctive array of unique timbres ranging from the sublime to sizzling.”
Sines is designed to provide immediate access to all sound parameters. The user interface features a wide array of illuminated indicators, colour, and mini oscilloscopes, to provide instant visual feedback.
The primary sound design controls are grouped horizontally in bands ,emphasizing its “four of everything” nature: four LFOs, four oscillators, and four envelope generators.
At the core of each section are the unique sine-wave oscillator waveshaping controls: feedback, phase, width, shape, wavefold, and drive, along with a sub (octave-down) oscillator and a super (octave-up) oscillator. Phase modulation and ratio dials allow the oscillators to be configured in a modulator/carrier arrangement for four-op DX/FM-style synthesis.
Sines also features Cherry Audio’s most extensive multimode filter to date, four LFOs with 14 wave shapes, four envelope generators, an arpeggio, a “best of” selection of the company’s effects, a drift function, and an integrated eight-band graphic EQ.
A four-slot mod matrix provides deep modulation options for nearly every Sines parameter.
The official video intro:
Sines is available now with an intro price of $39, normally $59.
Four independent sine waveform oscillators, with waveshaping controls to bend the pure waveforms into other standard waves (sawtooth, square, pulse, triangle) and more complex and novel shapes
Six waveshaper controls: feedback, phase, width, shape, wavefold, and drive, each with modulation source assignments available
Sub (octave-down sine wave) oscillator and a super oscillator (octave-up sine wave) for each oscillator
Oscillator utility function to copy/paste, randomize, or reset any oscillator settings
Glide (portamento) and keyboard (pitch) controls independently enabled for each oscillator
Up to 16-voice polyphony
Polyphonic (two modes), chord memory, single voice, and unison with unison detune
Resonant multimode filter with 6, 12, 18 or 24 dB/oct lowpass, highpass, bandpass, or notch modes
Four tempo-syncable LFOs with 14 waveforms: sine, triangle, sawtooth, sawtooth, exponential sawtooth, logarithmic sawtooth, three-step sawtooth, four-step ramp, exponential ramp, logarithmic ramp, three-step ramp, and four-step square random
ADSR filter and amplifier envelope generators with velocity controls
Two additional auxiliary envelope generators usable as mod sources
Four-slot mod matrix allows modulation of nearly every parameter in Sines
Arpeggiator with tempo sync
Four fully modulatable effects sections: multiple distortion and sample-crushing options; mod FX with phaser, chorus, flanger, or rotary speaker; delay with stereo, ping-pong, or tape delay modes; five reverb effects
Drift controls that optionally apply variation to oscillators and filter frequencies to add ‘analog character’
Eight-band graphic EQ
Channel pressure and polyphonic aftertouch as a polyphonic modulation source
Support for MIDI Polyphonic Expression (MPE) — Pitch, Channel Pressure, and Timbre — making Sines capable of more organic and expressive performances when using MPE-compatible controllers
Cherry Audio’s Focus zoom-in feature, as well as standard UI zoom and resize with drag
Over 700 presets created by a talented and diverse group of sound design veterans
Complete MIDI control and DAW automation for all controls, with easy-to-use MIDI learn
Preset and Global level MIDI mapping
Highly optimized coding for optimal performance with ultra-low CPU load
User-adjustable oversampling control
Sines is available in AU, VST, VST3, AAX, and standalone formats.
