Yamaha unveils DTX-Multi 12 percussion pad

PRESS RELEASE: Drummers, Producers, DJs, and beginners and experts alike will all welcome the superb newDTX- Multi 12from Yamaha. The most powerful all-in-one percussion device ever created, it brings the professional power, sound and creativity of the acclaimed high end DTX range to musicians at a highly affordable price.

The understanding of musicians needs are immediately apparent when you power up theDTX-Multi 12and with its powerful inbuilt module and 12 on board percussion pads the device is completely self-contained.

It's bursting with many of the high end features that characterise the DTX range and will be the choice of professional drummers the world over. A perfect tool for live performance, production or practice it's expected the instrument will have much broader appeal beyond the drumming fraternity.

Feature packed, theDTX-Multi 12boasts over 1200 stunning voices in high quality covering drums, percussion and keyboard sounds, many drawn from Yamaha's professional Motif synthesizer range and many completely new. Up to 200 custom set ups can also be created and stored with ease to suit any musical context using all internal sounds and 42 types of effects.

Alternatively additional sounds can be loaded and stored into the onboard 64MB of memory and allocated to any pad for total customisation

For established drummers theDTX-Multi 12will bring a huge new sound set and performance capability to current set-ups and compliment any musical setting. The unit is designed to easily integrate into an existing acoustic set up or act as a stand alone unit. DTX- Multi 12will also prove invaluable to composers thanks to the included Cubase AI 5" software which facilitates quick and easy computer connectivity.

Performing at the highest level for pro players, a wide range of play modes ensure it can adapt to any style, up to four voices can be assigned to a single pad for simultaneous or sequential playback and a wide range of dynamic options are made available.

Versatility is enhanced with 128 on-board phrase patterns covering a wide variety of styles and users can also record their own patterns and assign them to pads. A sophisticated click track function also allows players to control the unit instantly, ideal for live shows.

TheDTX- Multi 12is perfect for computer musicians too, functioning as an excellent input device connectivity is simplicity itself via a single USB cable. The included Cubase AI5 DAW software facilitates the recording and extensive editing of MIDI data, it can also function as a high quality sample playback device with 64MB of flash ROM on board.

For live use, the pads feel great and allow creative freedom, they can be played with sticks, hands, fingers and palms, totally responding to every dynamic nuance and for added creative power Hi-Hat controllers and kick pedal pads can be added if you wish to use theDTX-Multi 12as a compact stand alone electronic drum kit.

We are really excited about the launch of this product which will bring the many possibilities electronic drums can offer

'The DTX-Multi 12 is the perfect tool to bring the many possibilities electronic drums can offer to any acoustic drummer or percussionist' explained product manager Gavin Thomas 'This launch is testament to Yamaha's extensive research into players demands and the first of many new exciting products currently in development'.

Eigenharp the instrument of the future

Eigenlabs' Eigenharp is an instrument like no other. It has remarkably sensitive keys that you can press; strip controllers that you can rub; and a breath pipe that you can blow into. To call it unique almost feels like an understatement.

Yesterday, MusicRadar was invited along to The Hospital in London for one of several Eigenharp launch events. As you'll see in the video above, we got the chance to speak to its creator and to quiz someone who's actually learned to play it.

Will you want one? Almost certainly, but whether you'll be able to afford the £3,950 asking price for the flagship Alpha model is another matter entirely. There is, however, an entry-level option in the shape of the Pico. At £349, we'll wager that this will be finding its way into a stocking or two this Christmas.

The Guitar Hanger: safe axe storage like a shirt

Leather, leather, guitar, leather…
Tom Porter, Wed 22 Apr 2009, 10:42 am BST


The Guitar Hanger is pretty self-explanatory: it's like a coat hanger, but you hang guitars on it, not coats.

It's supposed to save space and protect your prized axe from naughty children and flying cats as the below video demonstrates.

And, because your guitar isn't packed away in a case under your bed, it'll undoubtedly encourage you to play more. Why waste five minutes deciding which black leather jacket to wear (yes, there are no less than five leathers in that wardrobe), when you can shred for five minutes while deciding which black leather jacket to wear?

For more information, visit http://www.theguitarhanger.com/
Information taken from official press release

Cakewalk Music Creator 5: the best-value PC DAW?

A new contender at the entry-level
Ben Rogerson, Wed 22 Apr 2009, 10:37 am BST


Music Creator 5 represents Cakewalk's latest attempt to create a truly entry-level DAW and, on first inspection, it looks like a pretty good one.

Crucially, the interface has been redesigned since the last version, so Music Creator now looks more like a PC version of GarageBand (which, after all, is what a lot of Windows users really want).

Equally impressive-looking is the spec sheet – the list of new features from Cakewalk's press release is as follows:

- New, simplified user interface
- Integrated Loop Explorer - now with support for MIDI Loops
- Cakewalk Sound Center - an easy-to-use tool that combines the best sounds from our award-winning professional instruments - exclusive to Music Creator 5
- Active Controller Technology (ACT), to make it easy to control your effects, instruments, and mix from a MIDI keyboard
- Studio Instruments' Drums allows users to make backing tracks fast with a realistic animated interface that looks just like a drum set
- MIDI editing right in the Track View - no need to open separate views
- New Assistants help you create parts and create effects busses for mixing
- IK Multimedia's AmpliTube X-GEAR - a built-in virtual guitar amp, plug directly in to your computer for great sounding guitar parts
- Integrated EQ with an easy-to-understand visual display of settings
- Burn CDs with Music Creator's integrated CD Burner and share your music online with Cakewalk Publisher

That's not a bad set of tools for a product that will retail for just $40 – especially when you bear in mind that Music Creator 5 is also plug-in- and ReWire-compatible, allows you to use 32 audio and 128 MIDI tracks and supports 24-bit recording.

Find out more on the Cakewalk website.

Marshall Introduces Blues-Inspired "Haze" Amplifier Line

Marshall Amplification introduces the new Haze line of compact and portable valve-driven performance amplifiers: the 40-Watt Haze combo (MHZ40C) and the 15-Watt Haze head (MHZ15). The Haze line was designed for the musician who demands an honest clean sound, a driving blues tone and some biting rock — all from a single, gig-ready amp. The Haze 40 combo is equipped with a single Celestion G12-66 Marquee 12" speaker. The Haze 15 head can be paired with matching single 12" Celestion G12-66 Marquee loaded cabinets (MHZ112A - angled; MHZ112B - base) as well.

The preamp section is powered by three ECC83 valves (tubes). Both Haze models feature two channels (normal and overdrive) that share a three-band EQ; a Bright switch adds extra emphasis to the highs. A selection of retro-style effects offers authentically-voiced Echo, Vibrato, and Chorus. An emulated spring-reverb is also included. Effect settings are retained by each channel for immediate recall during performance. All effects remain truly bypassed when completely off, providing a more direct signal path.

The Haze 40 combo features unique cabinet construction elements. The closed-back cabinet has been modified with four circular holes to preserve the best aspects of both an open-back and a closed-back design. The speaker is asymmetrically mounted, allowing for extended lows. This combo also features an additional presence control in the EQ, as well as a boost switch to add more depth to the low-mids. A bypass-able effects loop is also included. For recording or directly patching into a PA system, an emulated speaker line output recreates the speaker response. Power is provided by two EL34 valves.

The Haze 15 head is powered by a pair of 6V6 valves. Two 8-Ohm and one 16-Ohm speaker jacks are provided. The matching MHZ112 cabinets feature finger-jointed construction and a closed back design for robust tone and efficient power handling. The MHZ112B is a straight style (base) design; the MHZ112A is the traditional Marshall angled (top) style. Together with the Haze 15 head, they form a striking mid-size stack that is easily transportable.

An included two-way footswitch allows for channel switching and turning effects on and off.

The Marshall Haze 40-watt combo (MHZ40C) and the 15-watt head (MHZ15) will be available July 2009 with respective MSRPs of $1000 and $840.

For more information, visit their web site at http://www.marshallamps.com/.

FREE ROLAND V-DRUMS® LESSONS AVAILABLE ONLINE

Roland is pleased to announce the launch of V-Drums Lessons, a series of free online drumming videos taught exclusively using Roland drum & percussion products.

Hosted by top Roland clinicians and artists, these lessons are designed for every level of drummer. V-Drums Lessons cover various drum and percussion techniques and styles, and also provide helpful tips unique to electronic percussion instruments.

Visitors can view any of the lessons directly in their web browser, subscribe to the free video podcast via iTunes, or download individual lesson episodes directly to their computer.

“We are thrilled at how quickly these lessons have gained popularity in the drumming community,” says Steve Fisher, Percussion Market Development Manager at Roland. “With new lessons added each week, we’re confident the buzz will continue to grow.”

To get started with V-Drums Lessons today, visit:
www.RolandUS.com/V-DrumsLessons

V-Drums Lessons are also available at the iTunes store as a free video podcast:
itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=301964611

Vivace: the next-gen musical laptop?

All-in-one studio showcased
Ben Rogerson, Mon 20 Apr 2009, 12:48 pm BST


With MIDI controller keyboards and laptops/netbooks getting ever smaller, creating a truly portable music-making system is now easy. However, Vivace is a solution that looks to be more integrated than anything we've seen before.

Designed by Young-Shin Lee and Hae-Jin Jung, it looks something like a musical laptop: a slimline device that offers a touch-sensitive musical keyboard and fold-out touchscreen display.

Vivace is a concept product at the moment and 'specs' are thin on the ground, but you can clearly see octave up/down buttons to the right of the keyboard, and we can only assume that audio I/O is built-in.

However, while the product is certainly eye-catching, we have to wonder about its viability in the current marketplace. As we've already noted, creating a portable studio that can run fully-fledged production software isn't difficult, so the Vivace would have to be something pretty special in order to compete.

Whether its developer will ever give it that chance remains to be seen.
(Via Yanko Design)