Modulate This! - Electronic & Experimental Music Tech, Technique, & People

Waldorf Largo Virtual Synthesizer 30-day Demo Available

While I use mostly software synthesizers these days, every now and then I get a bit of hardware gear lust. A few months back I was eying the Waldorf Blofeld. After watching videos like this one http://bit.ly/1zGyfm on YouTube I was quite impressed with the matrix editing and sound design possibilities looked quite interesting.

Soon after I saw the announcement that Waldorf released a software synth called the Waldorf Largo. This made me hold off on any hardware purchase and hold out for a demo of the software version so I could give it a try. Well the wait is over - the synth can now download for a 30-Day evaluation.  Interestingly though, you can't buy Largo from the Waldorf web site and instead have to purchase from a music store. I've provided links for the the free demo and to online music stores at the bottom of this post.

More on the Largo...

Here is Waldorf’s Marketing blurb on Largo:

Many producers and synthesizer enthusiasts asked for a full-blown Waldorf Synthesizer for their virtual rack. We listened, and now we proudly present Largo. Largo is the first pure software synthesizer with Waldorf DNA. And again – it is the cutting edge sound that makes the big difference.

I also found these two demo videos on the Wadorf Largo. They are in German, but you’ll get the idea even if you don’t speak German.

Watch Waldorf Large Video Part 1 on YouTube

Watch Waldorf Large Video Part 2 on YouTube

What do you think?
After I download and play with Largo a bit, I'll post some impressions as a comment to this post. Let me know what you think about Largo by jumping in with some comments.

Links:

• Download Free Trial of Waldorf Largo
• Learn More About Largo
• Buy Waldorf Largo Software Synthesizer from Musicians Friend
• Buy Waldorf Largo Software Synthesizer from ZZounds

Mark Mosher
http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Quick Note - Camel Audio Alchemy V 1.10.10

I recently posted an article on the Camel Audio V1.10 update. I just got a note from Camel Cudio that I wanted to pass along:

“IMPORTANT: An update to the original v1.10.6 release has been issued to correct a problem with some presets being too loud. If you have previously installed v1.10.6 of Alchemy, or the release candidate, you are strongly advised to update to v1.10.10 to avoid any issues. Registered users can download the latest update for free by logging in on the support page, and going to the Product Downloads section.”

To see what’s new in V1.10, checkout the original post here.

Mark Mosher
http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Two New Ableton Inc. Videos - DJ Jazzy Jeff & Life as an Ableton Developer

If you are into Ableton Live I think you’ll enjoy the following videos.

DJ Jazzy Jeff on Ableton Live
I saw reference to this on Synthtopia. It’s a an Ableton Inc video featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff on how he uses Ableton Live. At 2:30 he discusses his use of Ableton Sampler to slice segments of entire songs into key zones. Near the end he concludes that “If everyone knew what this [Ableton Live] did, this would probably be the main program that everyone would use.”

Watch on YouTube

Life as an Ableton Developer
The second video via twitter.com/abletonfreaks is an Ableton Inc, video containing interviews with developers that work at Ableton. It's actually a recruiting video and offers a nice behind the scenes view of life at Ableton.
Watch on YouTube

Mark Mosher
http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

What's New in Camel Audio Alchemy v1.10

Article Update 7-21-2009: Just got this from Camel Audio. “IMPORTANT: An update to the original v1.10.6 release has been issued to correct a problem with some presets being too loud. If you have previously installed v1.10.6 of Alchemy, or the release candidate, you are strongly advised to update to v1.10.10 to avoid any issues. Registered users can download the latest update for free by logging in on the support page, and going to the Product Downloads section.”

200 New Sounds 
 In addition to new features and bug-fixes, they’ve released over 200 free sounds. They describe these sounds as “purer and less experimental sounds, the Electronic bank now has an additional 35 dance sounds and the Atmospheric bank has 30 extra smooth pads and soundscapes.”

Context Sensitive Help 
Simply right-click on an interface element to bring up a corresponding help page in a browser.

Sample Import Improvements
1.10 adds ability to “analyze files up to 5 mins in length, an easier to use file import dialog including scroll wheel support”.

Miscellaneous New Features

• New additive pitch setting
• Easier to use import file dialog including scroll wheel support
• File browser recognises alias's (OSX) and shortcuts (Win)
• Reduced GUI opening time
• Improved auto assign and remix pad variations
• Choose whether Alchemy should start in simple or advanced mode
• Option to invert performance knobs on right click menu
• Effects rack scrollbar shrinks/expands depending on number of effects loaded
• Mod depth snaps to semitone values when applied to tune
• Additive editor shows active partials
• Snap additive partials to semitone/dB
• Copy/paste commands in additive file menu update depending on view
• New snapshot volume control
• Extra 6dB of volume
• User details displayed in about box and at startup
• Sampler now supports forward/back loop mode
• Right click option to assign single knob

Links:

• Official Web Site
• Modulate This articles

Mark Mosher
http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Microsoft Campaign "PC Hookup" Shot At University of Colorado in Boulder With FL Studio and Toxic Bio Hazard Cameos

Even though these days I mostly use Ableton Live, I still keep up with free FL Studio updates and do use it from time to time. Like Ableton, FL’s workflow sometimes yields very interesting results for me.

FL Studio fans might find this YouTube video of interest as there are cameo appearances of FL Studio and Image Line’s virtual Synthesizer Toxic Biohazard. It’s a Microsoft YouTube promotion called PC Hook-up. Watch on YouTube.

I also find the video interesting because it was shot in my back yard on campus at  the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Links:

• Video Tutorials
• FL Studio: Official Site | New users save 10% | Modulate This Post | Read Image Line Forum Post on this Topic
• Toxic Biohazard Synth: Modulate This Post | New users save 10%

Mark Mosher
http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher

Ableton's Summer of Sampler offer: Buy Live 8 and Get Sampler Free + New Sampler Move + Free Samplification Audio Pack for Sampler

I Love Sampler!
I’m a huge fan of of Sampler, Ableton’s advance sampling instrument.  I was recently corresponding with an artist who was considering Live and I wrote this about it:

“Ableton Sampler breaks with the classic sampler metaphor and supports a more immediate and "organic" workflow than other hardware or software samplers. This workflow is well suited to turning found sound into musical instruments. If you add Sampler to a rack in Live you can then easily assign 8 performance knobs to just about any parameter within Sampler.”

Sampler is simply a fantastic tool for helping you make your tracks more creative and unique. For sound designers it’s interface makes for rapid tweaking.

I just received some info from Ableton marketing.

Promotion
”Every customer who buys Ableton Live 8 before August 31st will get Sampler, Ableton's advanced sampling instrument, absolutely free. Sampler, worth 99 EUR/129 USD, combines traditional sampling features with advanced sound design functions.“

Details: http://www.ableton.com/summer-of-sampler

New Movie
Ableton has also produced a new move “Making sounds with Sampler"—which shows “how Sampler transforms a single piano note into an organic, modulating synth bass”. Watch on YouTube.

Free audio pack for Sampler
”Samplification All Sampler owners, old and new, can also download the free Samplification audio package, which offers Construction Kits, Live Sets with drum clips, new Instrument Racks, new lessons, and sounds from Puremagnetik, Cycling '74 and Sonarte's Sound Objects Lite collection. Samplification is a Live Pack—450 MB download, 950 MB installed and requires Sampler and Live 8.0.4 or higher.”

Samplification is available here: http://www.ableton.com/samplification

3rd Party Tutorials:
I also want to mention that there are some nice video tutorials out there to help you learn Sampler.

• Nick’s Tutorials: Sound Design and Creative Audio Manipulation in Ableton Live
• www.musicsoftwaretraining.com: Sampler Mini-pack

Mark Mosher
http://www.modulatethis.com
http://www.markmoshermusic.com
http://www.twitter.com/markmosher