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

IK Multimedia has announced their latest guitar audio interface at The NAMM Show this week. IK Multimedia is adding a new, more affordable model to its AXE range of tone-shaping guitar audio interfaces, and AXE I/O One could be the hardware and software bundle that players on a budget have been waiting for.

IK Multimedia is no stranger to the odd interface. Its iRig range of plug-and-play devices seems to expand on a daily basis, and covers just about every recording situation you can imagine (and several you can’t). The company’s AXE range, though – and a clue is in the name – has always had guitar and bass recordists in mind.

The company’s new AXE I/O One 1-in/3-out interface delivers a lot of what the AXE range is noted for – easy recording, tone shaping and fast workflow.

AXE I/O ONE is USB-C bus powered, and also features a MIDI I/O, an XLR mic input, Class-A mic preamp and (up to) 192kHz recording. AXE I/O ONE 1-in/3-out USB audio interface is available at €129.99 which seems very reasonable.

Learn more from IK Multimedia website

AXE I/O ONE 1-in/3-out USB audio interface

Ahead of the 2023 NAMM Show, Polish hardware developer Polyend has announced the Polyend Tracker Mini, a portable production workstation that builds on the success of their original Tracker.

Polyend says that the Tracker Mini is smaller, lighter, and more powerful than its predecessor. New features include stereo sample playback, audio over USB, a high-quality onboard microphone, and an onboard battery. The Mini also features lower latency and a faster CPU.

Polyend says that they listened to feedback from users of the original Tracker and incorporated popular feature requests into the Mini, including upgraded headroom, easier project management, and a refined signal path for more transparent audio playback.

“The Polyend Tracker Mini is the portable instrument that I’ve been dreaming of for years,” says Polyend CEO Piotr Raczynski. “I’ve been using trackers since I was eleven, and I’ve always thought the interface was perfect as a travel companion. Before the original tracker was created, we started developing the platform as a portable battery-powered unit. Part delays and sourcing issues made us switch gears, so we built the original tracker in desktop format. The original Tracker was received so well that we extended development time and upgraded the Mini. Now we have a portable tracker that is more powerful, with a lot of room for us to continue to develop the tracker and add new features well into the future. Mini is easy to use and suitable for both experienced and novice music producers”, and that, “its workflow is easy to pick up, allowing you to get creative in no time”.

Tracker Mini certainly looks the part, and even though it is designed to be a handheld device – to the point where it resembles a Game Boy-style video game – that large screen should make it great fun to work with. And as it is more mobile and powerful than the original, we can almost forgive the price hike.

The Polyend Tracker Mini is available for pre-order now, priced at $699/€699 , with orders shipping July 12, 2023.

Yuichi Nagata has launched a crowdfunding project to fund production of an international version of the InstaChord, a new electronic instrument that is part Omnichord & part guitar.

Like the Omnichord, it features chord buttons that control which the notes that can be triggered when you strum it. But the InstaChord is held and played more like a guitar.

It can be used anywhere, because it has a rechargeable battery, headphone jack and built-in speaker. It has a built in sound module with 128 sounds. In addition, it has MIDI out via USB-C and Bluetooth LE.

The current domestic model has sold over 5,000+ units sold in Japan. The crowdfunding project will support the work needed to meet international certificate requirements.

Specifications:

• Size: 420mm x W 210mm x H 50mm
• Weight: 660g
• Play Modes: Strum (like guitar strings), Hit (like piano keys), Push (Press harder for more volume)
• Internal Instruments: 128 types, General MIDI standard
• Sound Module: SAM2695 by Dream (France)
• Playable chords: maj, m, 7, m7, M7, mM7, 6, m6, add9, madd9, sus4, dim7, aug, m7-5, slash chords (inversions)
• Wired connection: Stereo line out, USB-C (recharge/MIDI)
• Wireless connection: Bluetooth LE MIDI? iOS, Mac, QUCCOSOUND mi.1 cable typeB compatible?
• Battery: 3400mAh, 10 hours play time, 8 hours recharge time

The InstaChord is available to project backers starting at about $376.

*Note: All crowdfunding projects can involve risk. See the project website for details.