Generative MIDI Arrives, VR Mixing in Vision Pro, and Major Vocal Production Secrets

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LATEST IN MUSIC SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE

Harley Benton Unveils Affordable 12-String Jumbo

The new Harley Benton Custom Line King-12 CE NT offers a premium 12-string jumbo acoustic experience at an accessible price. This model features a solid spruce top, maple back and sides, a cutaway, and Fishman Presys-II electronics, providing a rich, shimmering tone. It's designed for both comfort and performance with a bone nut and saddle, and a rosewood fretboard.

Ableton Live 12 Launches with Generative MIDI and New Synths

Ableton Live 12 has officially launched, introducing powerful generative MIDI tools for creating melodies and rhythms, alongside two new flagship instruments: Meld, a morphing bi-timbral synth, and Roar, a versatile multi-band distortion effect. The update also features a significantly improved browser with tag-based search and sound similarity, plus global tuning capabilities.

Sinevibes Releases Cache: MIDI-Controlled Audio Manipulator

Sinevibes has launched Cache, a new MIDI-controlled audio manipulator plugin available for Mac, Windows, and Linux. Expanding on their Korg NTS-3 Kaoss Pad effect, this plugin features 12 MIDI key zones and 12 distinct buffer-based effect algorithms that can be combined for complex, real-time audio transformations. It's designed for a fast workflow in live performance and studio production.

Neumann Introduces Immersive Audio App for Apple Vision Pro

Neumann has released an innovative new application for Apple Vision Pro, allowing users to interact with and manipulate immersive audio objects in a three-dimensional environment. This app provides an unprecedented way to visualize, virtually touch, and reposition sound elements within a spatial context, enhancing audio mixing and understanding.

Savant Audio Labs Recreates Rare Vintage French Effect with IM90 Plugin

Savant Audio Labs has launched the IM90 plugin, a faithful recreation of the rare French Publison Infernal Machine 90 digital effects unit from the 1980s. This plugin offers lush algorithms for delay, time expansion/compression, and reverb, with integrated pitch shifting, bringing its unique sonic textures to modern DAWs for studio production and vocal processing.

The Tone Foundry Unveils DnB Roll Out Soundset for Serum 2

Producers aiming for the precise, stripped-back sound of contemporary Drum & Bass can now utilize The Tone Foundry's 'DnB Roll Out' sound expansion for Xfer Records' Serum 2 synthesizer. This collection provides 80 meticulously crafted presets, inspired by artists like Break, Enei, and Kyrist, designed for clean, controlled, and impactful DnB tracks.

DEALS

• United Plugins offers VoxDucker, an automatic ducking tool, at a 60% Black Friday discount, now €24, to ensure clear vocals and voiceovers.

• Get TrapTune, the all-in-one solution for modern hip-hop and pop vocals, with a 75% Black Friday discount, now just €20.

• Universal Audio launched its biggest storewide sale of the year, featuring discounts of up to 85% on UAD plug-ins and bundles.

• The UAD Signature Edition Version 3 is now available for $349, a significant saving from its original $599 price, as part of the '12 Days of UAD Sale'.

• As Day 5 of the '12 Days of UAD Sale', all UAD Neve Plug-Ins are 50% off, offering classic analog sound at half price.

• Universal Audio presents "Doorbuster Plug-In Deals" offering select plug-ins for only $29 each as part of the 12 Days of UAD Sale.

• The UAD Guitar Amp Bundle is now available for $99, a significant reduction from its original $299 price, featured during the 12 Days of UAD Sale.

• Get the Topline Vocal Suite for $99 during the 12 Days of UAD Sale, providing comprehensive tools for pitch correction, vintage preamps, and analog effects.

• Karanyi Sounds offers an exclusive 48-hour deal on the new MEGAMASS MONOLITH preset pack for $24 using code MONOLITHFAM, available until Black Friday.

• Plugin Boutique is hosting a limited-time promotion, allowing customers to save up to 60% on classic Roland synth collections and sound pack bundles.

• Imaginando's November Madness continues with a 48-hour sale, offering 33% off expansion packs for VS – Visual Synthesizer to enhance music-driven visuals.

DEMOS, REVIEWS & TUTORIALS

• A compelling video explores an electroacoustic composition, masterfully blending the organic resonance of a grand piano with the intricate textures of a modular synthesizer. The presentation offers both an initial performance and a detailed technical breakdown, elucidating microphone setups, piano processing, and the specifics of the modular patch.

• Waves unveils an essential tutorial, "Get Started with L4 Ultramaximizer: More Than Just Loud." This video expertly guides users through the plugin's features, demonstrating how to achieve powerful, musical, and dynamically rich masters for their audio projects.

• Explore the creative journey behind the LØW bass instrument in a special behind-the-scenes feature. Oscar from Underdog visits BEATSURFING HQ, showcasing LØW's innovative features and delving into the "chaotic creativity" of its development with Pascal.

• Multi-platinum producer Major Seven, renowned for his work with artists like Rick Ross and Rihanna, now shares his expert vocal production techniques. This exclusive session demonstrates how to achieve polished vocals through tuning, compression, and saturation, utilizing plugins from the Waves Ultimate subscription.

• Delve into rock history with an exploration of iconic 12-string guitar riffs that profoundly shaped the genre. This article dissects the instrument's unique sound, detailing its construction and highlighting its impact on classic songs, providing essential insights into their memorable guitar parts.

FREE

e-instruments has released Slower Fragment, a free virtual instrument in their Fragment series. It emulates the warmth and warped textures of half-speed analog tape recordings, using sounds from four distinct tape machines.

Function Loops is now offering its Hypnotic Female Vocals sample pack for free, a collection previously priced at $17.90 USD. Featuring vocalists Tonka and Sandrah, it provides deep, multi-genre hooks for electronic music.

LongTail Audio has released KonvIR Lite, a free simulated reverb plugin for macOS and Windows. It recreates realistic acoustic spaces, offering four distinct options including Nantes Cathedral and The Church of Light.

Bedroom Producers Blog has unveiled BPB Saturator Plus, a free analog-style saturation plugin for Windows and macOS. This enhanced version maintains features like tube drive, tape saturation, and low CPU usage for versatile audio warming.

Kushview offers two free dynamics plugins, DuckDuck and GOOSE, until December 1st. DuckDuck specializes in rhythmic ducking, while GOOSE provides upward compression, both supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux.