New Loop Slicer & Sampler For Mac and Windows: get the Initial Slice

Initial Audio has introduced Slice, a loop slicer and beat making plugin.

 

Initial Slice enables you load audio loops, via drag and drop and then slice, loop, reverse, pitch shift or even time stretch them. The Slice also features with multiple built-in piano rolls, so you can create sequences in the box. Other features include an advanced drum sequencer, bass sequencer, playlist editor a 4 effect racks – each with 11 built in effects.

 

Features:

  • Over 300 royalty free factory samples including beatstarters and drum patterns.
  • Main Editor which lets you slice, timestretch, pitchshift, loop, reverse and gate your samples.
  • 3 effect racks and 1 master rack
  • Built in Slice sequencer allowing you to program slice patterns
  • Built in advanced Drum Sequencer
  • Built in Bass Sequencer / Sample Player
  • Built in Playlist allowing you to create quick arrangements
  • Built in Sample Library allowing you to access your drum kits and sample packs in the box

 

The Initial Slice is available now for $99.

New Alesis Prestige Series Digital Pianos

 

Alesis has introduced the Prestige Series digital pianos, with advanced features and at an affordable price – the Prestige, Prestige Artist. Both feature 88 keys, multiple voices and built-in speakers.

 

Alesis claims that the Prestige Series pianos feature “the most advanced and versatile sound library ever created for a digital piano,” which is quite some statement. The standard model contains 16 voices, while the pricier Artist edition has 30.

 

Both pianos have a graded hammer-action keyboard with adjustable touch response. Sounds can be layered – two at once or split across the keyboard, and in Lesson mode, the keyboard is divided into two sections with the same pitch and voice. Alongside the grand piano voices, you get electric pianos, strings, organs and synths, all of which are said to have been carefully multisampled.

 

Polyphony on the standard Prestige is 128 notes,  while the Prestige Artist model is 256 notes. Both pianos have a 50W (2x25W) micro-array speaker system that promises plenty of volume and clarity.

 

Other features in both pianos include a reverb with five selectable types, a record mode so that you can hear your performances back, and a built-in metronome. Both Prestige models also include 60 free interactive lessons from Melodics, three months of Skoove Premium and two months of TakeLessons | Live. Connectivity includes stereo 1/4-inch outputs, 1/4-inch and 1/8-inch headphone outputs and USB-MIDI.

 

Further enhancements for the Prestige Artist piano include an OLED display and the inclusion of a piano-style sustain pedal while the standard Prestige piano comes with a standard sustain pedal.  Both models are also bundled with a music rest and power adapter.

 

Alesis Prestige Artist, 88 Key Digital Piano

 

The Prestige and Prestige Artist digital pianos should be available.  Find out more on the Alesis website.

 

Minimal Audio Rift plugin delivers a new type of Distortion

 

Rift is powered by a bipolar distortion engine that offers six stages of processing and comes with 30 custom algorithms. This is a hybrid distortion processor that promises to let you excite your sounds like never before. You can combine two of these algorithms in the waveshape engine; you get plenty of control here and visual feedback to indicate what is happening.

 

Rift comes with more than 400 presets, and fast tweaks can be made in the Play view . More detailed editing can be carried out in the Advanced view.

 

Other features include 24 custom stereo filter types for pre/post distortion morph filtering, feedback and delay effects, and a modulation section that offers curve sequencing. You can also engage pitch snapping and MIDI tracking for feedback and filter.

 

Rift runs on PC and Mac in VST/AU formats.

 

Find out more on the Minimal Audio website.

 

Minimal Audio Rift is currently available for the introductory price of $75 (regular price $129).