Winter NAMM 2012 Show in Anaheim, California is the most important event in the music-making industry calendar. The NAMM Show brings together all hardware and software manufacturers from around the world who have helped to change the way people make music. With the latest musical products and technologies, and a host of celebrities for an industry-only convention.
At the 2012 NAMM Show, Samson introduced the new Samson Graphite 49. This USB MIDI keyboard controller is loaded with features every studio needs. The Samson Graphite 49 features 49 semi-weighted velocity-sensitive keys, with aftertouch, large LCD display, Pitch and Modulation wheels, Transpose and Octave buttons, Midi Out and USB connections, Programmable faders (9), encoders (8) and buttons (16), 4 velocity-sensitive trigger pads – 2 banks; for drum sounds and samples.
The Graphite 49 will quickly become the hub of your studio, from controlling virtual instruments to handling transport commands for your DAW. The dedicated transpose and octave buttons enable you to change the key of any given instrument, as well as expand the keyboard to a full 4-octave range, all at your fingertips. In addition, you get a large selection of programmable surfaces that make DAW and plug-in control easy, thus enable keyboard players and studio professionals express their most dynamic musical ideas. Use the Graphite 49 with a Mac, a PC, or powered directly by the iPad when you are making music on-the-go. If you want a powerful keyboard controller which is also your control headquarters but, with additional mobility, you need the Graphite 49! The keyboard controller gives you all the performance and production control you need to get the most out of your music software and brings out the best in performance and production capability.
The sleek, ultra portable, and cool looking Graphite 49 is a very versatile and easy to use keyboard controller! Samson Graphite 49 would be available in June 2012 at an incredibly affordable package. Technology is music to my ears and I just love innovations. Though sometimes it takes a little longer than expected but it is worth the wait.
The Hammond electric organ was invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934. It was originally intended and indeed used in churches as an alternative for the costlier wind-driven pipe organs. Though there have been numerous emulations throughout the 20th and indeed in the 21st century some respectable soft-synth versions of the B-3 organ but nothing compares to playing an original Hammond instrument.
The new Hammond SK1 Combo Organ is a truly portable instrument weighing merely 15.4 lbs. As for emulating the original B-3, Hammond fans would love these two iconic features; the nine mechanical pitch drawbars, an iconic feature of the original Hammond organ that essentially served as a built-in mixer by allowing you to control the levels of various frequency waveforms, is a key feature as well as the built-in digital Leslie feature, which emulates the Doppler Effect of a true Leslie speaker remarkably well. This Doppler Effect from the Leslie speaker was a key part of the personality of the original Hammond and the emulation on the new SK1 is superb. A notable feature missing are bass pedals but remember because this is a digital emulation you can split the keyboard and actually play the lower register.
The Hammond SK1 offers feature-rich add-ons with a host of additional voices, like Acoustic and Electric Pianos, Clav, Vintage Combo Organs, Vintage String Synthesizer, Accordions, Pipe Organ, and many others which enables your Hammond to do more than just emulate. Hammond organ sounds to include emulations such as Vox, Continental and various Farfisa models. The range of onboard effects, including adjustable vibrato/chorus, reverb and overdrive are all wonderful benefits of the digital platform. The full MIDI and USB capabilities also bring the SK1 firmly into the 21st Century. The USB is great as you can save your own customised patches direct to flash or hard drive aside from connecting to your DAW.
Besides Hammond SK1, there are other instruments like Nord C2 and Nord Electro 3 HP. Each of these instruments has their own virtues and depending on your requirements you will without doubt purchase accordingly. What I like to say here about the SK1 is that this is a dedicated combo organ catering specifically for organ players. A highly desirable keyboard instrument – it has the portability, the sound, the playability, looks and the features. These will guarantee its popularity among gigging keyboardists. Additionally, there is also the SK2 for more advanced players, which has an extra layer of 61 notes for double-decker organ ripping.
As we all know, Korg is a well-respected brand for their ability to create vast libraries of diverse effects and sounds. The updated version, the Korg Pa3X Arranger Workstation gives you the maximum flexibility inside of a single housing, which not too many keyboards make equally good arrangers and workstations but, Korg has succeeded in creating the pinnacle of flexibility. The Korg Pa3X features 61 semi-weighted keys and 76 semi-weighted keys; both with velocity and aftertouch, TFT display, TC Helicon Vocal Effects.
The Real eXperience engine is as powerful as it ever has been. Some of the included sounds are the highly acclaimed SV-1 stage piano, as well as a new stereo grand piano. With 1,100 sounds to choose from, the Korg Pa3X delivers on all accounts. Besides, it is not just about the sound as it would not do you any good without some rock solid effects to back them up, and the Korg Pa3X once again delivers the goods in this area. With more than 140 available effect types to choose from, all accessible from an easy to navigate user interface, you would not have any trouble crafting the exact structure, tempo, and tone of the sound you are imagining. It is much easier than ever to create, record, and perform all of your music, be it in MP3 format or recorded from the keyboard workstation itself. Including an Advanced Vocal Remover, if you are into doing covers that would not be a problem with the Korg Pa3X. Everything can be programmed into the workstation however you want, and if you need push button automation of an entire MP3, that is easy to do without leaving the user interface.
If you are a vocalist , you would like this TC-Helicon Voice Processor for Harmonies. Basically, Korg has included this feature to enable player to fully take advantage of their voice while playing this instrument. Including pitch correction and up to 4 realistic voice channels, you would not be disappointed with the backups this electric piano is able to automatically generate with very little input on your part.
In my opinion, though you may be able to find keyboards that do better in one or the other area for a fraction of the price but, you are going to be hard pressed to find a synth that incorporates more features from both an arranger AND a workstation any better than the Korg Pa3X. Korg is the leader in flexibility and sound quality. Korg have developed the Korg Pa3X Arranger Workstation Keyboard for one and only reason – To give you a Single keyboard for all of your musical needs, both in creation and performance.
