Yes, I fell off the face of the earth after Tuesday's NAMM update, but CDM will be back to its normal broadcast schedule Tuesday February 1. But if you're in NYC Sunday, you'll have a great way to pass the time: Lemur touchscreen comes to NYC! Share, the weekly Manhattan portable computer music/video jam now […]

iLife `05 is shipping, and that means I've finally been able to test this baby first-hand. But if you're taking the time to read this and you haven't yet ordered your copy, Mac users, do it now. I'm a Logic Pro user and I still love having GB as a sketchpad. The new version offers […]

Project 5 hasn't always gotten the credit it deserves as a pattern-based synth workstation, despite some celebrity endorsements from Grammy nominees Joey P. and Rambro Ramsey to South Park's D.A. Young. Version 2.0 could change all that, with an interface overhaul and lots of new features, including: Streamlined user interface: Some were confused by version […]

Lee Sherman has been covering the NAMM show from Anaheim, CA all week. He's picked out his take on all the highlights of Winter NAMM 2005. Enjoy — and now back to making music! Best new software Ableton Operator FM Synthesis made simple at last. Best new synth Access Virus TI Pointing the way forward […]

IK Multimedia has "completely redesigned" its popular guitar processing package AmpliTube. The new software has a new look and sound that should feel comfortable to guitar players: there's an even bigger bundle of analog-modeled amps and stomp and rack effects than before with a new, still more-vintage look. Microphone placement for modeling amp mic-ing is […]

Sure, guitar modeling is nothing new, but for the first time bass amps get their own software model. If you want any more evidence that software and hardware are converging, software developer IK Multimedia has partnered directly with Ampeg, the legendary bass amp folks. (Ampeg engineers hand-tuned the presets, says IK.) This partnership is set […]

Italy makes great coffee. Modena-based IK Multimedia has been drinking lots and lots of that great coffee, judging by their NAMM lineup. Studiophonik – Virtual Band: Computer music has been the domain of electronica lovers for a long time, but an entirely new product from IK aims to give you a full band. This uber-plugin […]

The Lemur interactive digital touchscreen for music and multimedia is moving closer to production, and some of the technical details are becoming clearer. First, the hardware is looking a little more finished (check out the new black color), and we're seeing new screenshots of the editor software (pictured). Check out US distributor Cycling 74's site […]

NOT seen at NAMM this week: a MIDI trumpet AND a full roundup of MIDI bagpipes, both blogged by the inimitable Tom Whitwell at Music Thing. Tom, see if you agree with me on this: we need an alternative NAMM for all the really cool stuff. (And strangely, now everything will look incredibly cheap to […]

GMEDIA Music dusted off former Yes man Rick Wakeman to intro its Minimonsta minimoog clone. Wakeman played a blistering set in M-Audio's booth at NAMM and the software looked and sounded fantastic. It is fully programmable, ships with over 2500 presets, and you can even morph between presets. Arturia, maker of the competing minimoog V, […]