Roland revives the SH line (again) with the brand-new tabletop SH-4d synthesizer. Combing virtual analogue, digital synthesis, sample-based drums and a sequencer in one box, it’s packed with goodies! But, is it worthy of the SH name? And now with a 25% discount!

Roland SH-4d on sale with a 25 percent discount!

[Update: 02/21/2024] Only for a short time you can buy the Roland synthesizer SH-4d here at Thomann shop (affiliate) at a special price for only 469.00 USD with 25 % off. You can read more information about the synthesizer below in our review.

Roland SH-4d

Available for $ 469.00 at

Roland SH-4d – Standout Features

• Desktop synth
• Virtual Analogue/Digital synthesis engines
• Sample-based drums/rhythm section
• Dedicated MFX effects section for each slot
• Solid build quality

Roland SH-4d

[from February 23, 2023] Last year was a banner year for Roland, with 2022 being the company’s 50th anniversary. However, Roland didn’t release its first synthesizer, the SH-1000, until a year later, making 2023 the 50th synthesizer anniversary. Fitting then that it should choose this year to give us the SH-4d, a brand new, five-part multitimbral tabletop instrument that combines virtual analogue, digital synthesis, sample-based drums and a sequencer into a clean and compact form factor.

Powering the SH-4d is a new, proprietary sound engine. While there may be some similarities to ZEN-Core, particularly in the fact that there are multiple oscillator models at play here (more on these later), this new synth doesn’t integrate into the ZEN-Core ecosystem. Although I suspect it may share some Zen DNA, it should be thought of as a separate entity.

Look And Feel

Most SH synths, from the original SH-1000 to the uber-popular SH-101 and on up to the most recent, Gaia SH-01, have been keyboard instruments. The SH-4d is a desktop machine and so most closely resembles 2002’s SH-32, the outlier of the series. These days, electronic music producers want boxes for their tables, hence the SH-4d’s keyless form factor. This works perfectly for me as I already have more things with keyboards in my studio than I really need but whether this fits into your workflow will be something for you to decide.

There are plenty of hands-on controls, with knobs for the filter, amp, LFO and effects sections. The oscillator area is special, however, with four mixer-style sliders and buttons complementing the three knobs. Below the synthesis area is a row of LED-lit buttons for the step sequencer and additional parameters, the latter accessible with a shift button. Lastly, there’s an array of buttons across the bottom in the shape of a two-octave keyboard, which is more fun to play than expected. You can, of course, also use an external MIDI controller. An easily visible graphic LCD display completes the front panel.

The SH-4d looks dead cool, with a minimalistic, almost industrial black-and-white design that is miles smarter than many of their recent synths. It appears to have taken some design cues from the Jupiter-X and Xm although with much less colour. You’ll find the same high-quality knobs and buttons as those synths too, with a smooth metal face plate atop a plastic body. There’s a satisfying weight to it though and it doesn’t feel cheap in any way.

Making Connections

Solid build quality continues around the back, with quarter-inch stereo outputs and a headphone jack. There’s a mini jack for audio in (transmitted directly through to the output and not through the filter or effects, sadly) plus another mini jack for taking an external clock pulse. For the old-school producer, there are five-pin MIDI ports, both in and out, with a soft thru option configurable in the settings. Power is supplied by four AA batteries or USB-C, which can also transmit MIDI and audio. There’s no other power supply.

A Multitude of Oscillators

Rather than having just a single oscillator type, the SH-4d instead allows you to select one of 11 different oscillator models for each of the four synthesizers. These include both virtual analogue sound generators as well as traditional digital ones. Much like the MiniFreak, these then pass through filters and an amplifier, although the filter here is digital and not analogue.

Top of the oscillator list is the titular SH-4d model, a four-oscillator construction with various waveforms to mix and match. These include all the usual suspects (sine, sawtooth) plus some of Roland’s greatest hits like supersaw and the modulated sawtooth from the Alpha Juno. Nice.

Next is the SH-3. This a duplicate of the SH-4d model but it replaces one of the oscillators with an LFO. Given that there’s (frustratingly) only a single LFO in the main synthesis section, this is welcome indeed.

Rather than having oscillator sync as a general function, Roland has opted to make Sync its own oscillator model. This virtual analogue oscillator includes a dedicated pitch envelope. They’ve done a similar thing with ring modulation, with a specified Ring model, and chords with Chord.

Analogue Emulations

As it’s done with other recent synths, Roland has also included two popular analogue emulation models. Both the SH-101 and Juno-106 get their oscillators recreated here.

Interestingly, Roland has packed in a whole host of digital oscillator models, including Cross FM (a two-operator FM synth), Wavetable with modulatable wavetable position, a model called Drawing that lets you (you guessed it) draw out your own waveform, plus a small selection of stackable PCM waves.

Lastly, there’s the rhythm part, which is organized into kits of sampled waveforms. More than just an afterthought, the drum section offers north of 480 waveforms, which you can double up, affect with a pitch envelope, and then pass through the filter and amp sections. While it would have been nice to see the FM percussion engine from the TR-8S included, the sample-based system is fairly flexible already.

Working With Oscillators

With such a variety of oscillator engines on hand, Roland has done a commendable job creating an intuitive and adaptable interface for working with them all. When you select an oscillator with the Model knob, the display changes, with pertinent information illustrated graphically. You can make adjustments using the two main parameter knobs plus the sliders, knobs and buttons in the oscillator section, whose functions change depending on the loaded model. It’s all very elegant and goes a long way towards making the SH-4d such a joy to use.

Note that while the SH-4d is multitimbral, there doesn’t seem to be a way to stack all of the tone levels and play them simultaneously like with the Jupiter-X or Juno-X. Think of it as four synths in a box rather than a single, super synth.

Synthesis Signal Path

Once the sound leaves the oscillator section, it passes through the digital filter. In traditional Roland fashion, this includes a dedicated, non-resonant -6dB/Octave highpass filter, and then a resonant multimode filter, with -24dB/Oct lowpass, -12dB/Oct bandpass, and -24db/Oct highpass options. The filter is solid-sounding, with a smoothness that works well across all the oscillator types. For a little more power, there’s a drive circuit for extra oomph. The filter also has a dedicated ADSR envelope, which is always nice to have.

Next comes the amplifier, with ADSR envelope plus pan and level amounts. As mentioned before, there’s only one LFO, although it does offer a variety of shapes, plus a Fade knob for delaying its start. LFO can be sent to pitch, filter and amp. Additional modulation routings can be made with the mod matrix, which changes accordingly depending on the oscillator model. It would have been nice to have a few more LFOs and another envelope at this stage though.

Effects In Effects

You want effects? You’ve got them. There’s an MFX slot for each tone and rhythm section. Going up, the pattern level has a chorus, delay and reverb, plus another MFX slot. If you’re unfamiliar with MFX, it’s Roland’s package of 93 effects, with just about every possible example, from EQ to multis, you could want.

Speaking of EQ, there’s also one for each tone and rhythm instrument, plus an overall system EQ at the end. Throw in a global compressor and this all adds up to some serious tone-shaping possibilities.

Don’t Call It A Groovebox

With the sequencer occupying the top level of the OS, you’d imagine that the sequencer section would be pretty robust. Yes and no. There’s plenty of fun to be had, for sure. You can record sequences up to 64 steps long and input notes via steps or live. It supports probability and ratcheting, making it a solid choice for Berlin School-type jams. You can also record your knob twiddles live or per step.

With four synthesizer lanes plus a rhythm section, you’d be forgiven for thinking of this as a groovebox. So is it? You could certainly use it as such, but without pattern chaining or a song mode, the SH-4d is more geared towards jamming and live performance than song creation. This continues with the arpeggio. Although it’s not a “smart” one like on the recent X instruments, it’s far from dumb as well, with five types plus loads of configurability.

Playful Fun

You might not know it by looking at the workmanlike layout and classic design aesthetics, but the SH-4d has a playful side. Hidden in the main menu is the Visual Arpeggio. Essentially Easter eggs, these offer a variety of scenarios that turn the SH-4d into a game console. Fancy an old-school game of Pong? Wish you could use a synth like an Etch-A-Sketch? Now you can.

More useful, perhaps, is the D-Motion function. Readers of a certain age will remember Roland’s D-Beam controller, where you wave your hand over an infrared beam of light to control synth parameters. D-Motion is similar but instead of waving your hand, you wave the entire instrument itself around in the air, with internal motion sensors reacting to movement. Shake it like a Polaroid picture but don’t lose your grip!

Is The SH-4d For You?

I’m primarily an electronic music producer so after playing with the SH-4d for just a short time, I was hooked. Much like the Juno-X, the sounds, the presets, the focus is on electronic music. Techno pioneer Carl Craig even appears in some promotional materials for the SH-4d. If you don’t techno for an answer then it might not be the instrument for you.

Or maybe it could be. Presets don’t make or break an instrument. And there’s plenty here for even the non-dance music producer to love. With its huge variety of oscillator types, ease of use, and gorgeous sound, it’s sure to find plenty of fans both inside and outside the dance club. It’s also fairly affordable.

If you like to jam DAWless, appreciate a variety of sound types, and don’t need another set of keys, this is the box for you. Just be sure and get a pair of fingerless driving gloves for working with the D-Motion.

Price and availability

You can order Roland’s SH-4d now from Thomann* for 599.00 Euros.

Roland SH-4d

Customer rating:

(4)

Available for 519.00 € at

More information about the Roland SH-4d

• Roland Website
• More on Roland

Videos about the synthesiser

The post Review: Roland SH-4d – now with a 25% discount! appeared first on gearnews.com.

The beta version of Live 12 is here! In our Ableton Live 12 review, we take a look at everything new. Generative MIDI capabilities, an overhauled piano roll, new devices, and so much more! And we check if the Berlin company has fulfilled some community wishes.

Update (February 21, 2024): The cat’s out of the bag! Ableton has just revealed that Ableton Live 12 will be released on March 5, 2024. The DAW is still on sale right now, by the way, at 20 percent off*. This sale only runs until Live 12’s release, but you will get the upgrade for free if you buy Live 11 now. And if you already own Live 9,10, or 11 (Standard or Suite), you can take a sneak peek at the public beta right now!

Ableton Live 11 Intro

Available for $58 at

Ableton Live 11 Standard

Available for $199 at

Ableton Live 11 Suite

Available for $433 at

Highlights

• Generative MIDI: have Live 12 create melodies, rhythms, and chords for you
• Global tuning: set the key globally and have all clips and devices follow it
• Microtuning and non-western scales
• New devices: Morphing bi-timbral synth Meld and multi-band distortion Roar
• GUI overhauled: view arrangement, mixer, devices, and clips simultaneously
• New browser workflow: search with tags
• Find new sounds quickly through similarity search

Ableton Live 12 Review – how did we get here?

It’s been an exciting but somewhat rocky year for Ableton. In spring, they released Ableton Live 11.3 with a new software synthesizer and MPE capabilities for just about every included instrument. All that came to fruition with the release of Push 3 in May.

But it seems not every Ableton fan was happy to go for a two-thousand-dollar standalone version of Ableton. One that, to some, seemed a bit unfinished. That seems to have passed, but with the hardware out of the way, all eyes turn to Live.

And the Berliners are a bit under pressure here. Almost every DAW maker has released a significant update this year. With FL Studio adding stem separation and cloud connectivity, Logic Pro adding a mastering assistant and a powerful granular sampler, and Bitwig finally fulfilling Community wishes with the new MSEG module and a new browser, it was clear: Ableton needs to step up their game. Let’s see if they did in this Ableton Live 12 review!

Ableton Live 12 makes music for you (if you want)

As AI is all the rage these days, it’s no surprise DAW makers start including it in some form. While it is not exactly artificial intelligence, Ableton now brings four tools to generate MIDI notes for you. Create new drum grooves with the click of a button, endless melodies and glissandos, and even chord progressions through Ableton’s new generative MIDI tools.

While we’re at it, some neat additions to the piano roll have been introduced as well. You can now split and multiply notes, just like in FL Studio, whose piano roll is among the DAW game’s most powerful ones. There are also various tools to transform your existing notes, similar to what FL offers.

Existing MIDI chords can be arpeggiated and strummed; melodies can be extended and spruced up with legatos, frills, and even grace notes. These tools all take a moment to fully understand, even if you’re a seasoned Ableton veteran. It took me a few tries to grasp which notes to select and how to generate and change things. But once the penny dropped, I spent hours generating and manipulating melodies and chord progressions. This has been one of the highlights of my Ableton Live 12 review.

Find more better quicker – the new browser search

It’s one of the first things you see in the new update: the added „Filter“ section in the browser. Live’s search has historically been a bit limited when it comes to quickly finding that one VST or sample you always use. Now it works with tags. So, if I’m looking for „Serum“ or „drumbeat_128_splicepack“, it’s not an additional dozens of clicks and folders anymore. Just select the tag.

If there are plugins, Ableton devices, or presets that you always reach for, you can even save a browser search as a one-click search. This helps gloss over the fact that, unfortunately, we don’t get any additional „Collections“ in this update. Because seven just isn’t enough.

The most powerful addition to both the browser and drums racks is similarity search. It’s a new tiny button that appears next to any Ableton instrument preset, any one-shot or loop. The DAW instantly shows you similar sounds you can replace it with. And in Drum Racks, you can even replace every sound in your drum kit with similar sounds with the click of a button. Brilliant! Let’s move on with our Ableton Live 12 review.

Global tuning with microtonal and non-western scales

This falls under the category „Finally, because most other DAWs have had it for YEARS. “ You can set a global key in DAWs like Logic Pro or Cubase. Depending on the DAW and your workflow, new MIDI (and sometimes even audio) clips are automatically set to it. This is now integrated into Live 12. But Ableton being Ableton, it goes further.

Not only can you import any scl-file and have the DAW conform to any microtonal or non-western scale you desire and the DAW applies this scale to all MIDI clips in your project. It also applies the scale to the new software synthesizer Meld, where overtones matter. That’s not something I have ever seen anywhere else – and it helps a lot in sound design.

Ableton 12 review: new and updated devices

Meld is a two-oscillator polyphonic synth with 14 different oscillator types, ranging from VA to wavetable for various types of FM to unusual sound sources like „Bitgrunge“ „Tarp, “or „Bubble. “ And with some of these types, you see a little (b#). That indicates the overtones in this oscillator will be tuned according to the globally set scale. Neat.

They have also added Roar, another highlight for me in this Ableton Live 12 review. It’s a multi-band distortion effect. It does feedback, even in M/S. And that feedback can sound so gnarly, so sexy… Whem I combined it with some of Meld’s more aggressive sounds, I got some of the most evil sounds out of Live I have ever heard.

Not many devices have been updated. Granulator III, from Ableton’s own Robert Henke, has been rewritten from the ground up and is now much easier to use for live granular shenanigans. Live’s arpeggiator and chord devices have been slightly changed to fit into the new global scale option. But that’s about it. If you were hoping for changes in Operator, Sampler, or Auto-Filter, you have to be patient.

Fulfilling community wishes: All-in-one screen, bounce-in-place and more

It was one of the few really big annoyances if you worked with Live on a single screen. Switching back and forth between the mixer in the session view and the arrangement view, back and forth between editing a clip and working with the effects on a track. Now you can see everything. But that comes at a price.

Because Ableton Live is famous for its minimalism, it does get crowded if you have a full arrangement, plenty of mixer tracks, and loads of plugins all visible at the same time. But I guess there is no way you could solve this differently. I personally appreciate it a lot. And then there is „Freeze and flatten“. You read that right. You can now bounce a track’s clips into audio with just a single click. Finally!

What’s missing? There is no support for ARA, CLAP, or the new universal DAW file format DAWproject. You still can’t freeze groups, and there is no dynamic EQ or vocal tuner. To name a few. None of these matter particularly much in the big picture, in my opinion. But if you are among those disappointed because these things are missing, I urge you to try the new beta. It’s one of the most innovative DAW updates in recent years.

Conclusion

During my Ableton Live 12 review, I couldn’t help but be transported back to when I started with the DAW around version 6 or 7. Ableton has added so many new features and has changed so many existing things; it often felt as magical as my humble Live beginnings.

Mind you, this is the beta version we’re talking about. There are still a few bumps in the road, especially regarding the new MIDI tools. But given that we’re still 3+ months away from the final release, I’m sure Ableton will come around.

Price and Availablity

You can get Ableton Live Intro, Standard, and Suite right now over at Thomann (Affiliate). Ableton tells us that the final version of Live 12 is going to be released sometime in spring 2024. If you want to try the new features yourself, the public beta test will start soon.

And if you own Ableton Live 9, 10, or 11 – both Standard or Suite – you can now sign up for and download the Ableton Live 12 Beta.

More about this Ableton Live 12 Review

• All about the manufacturer at Gearnews
• Ableton website

Ableton Live 12 Review Pros and Cons

Pros

• MIDI tools like Transform or Generate are great creative additions
• Roar is one of the best-sounding, most versatile distortion effects on the market.
• Similarity search helps find new sounds quickly
• Bounce-in-place
• New all-in-one GUI makes everything more transparent

Cons

• DAW can become a bit cluttered with everything visible at the same time
• Plugin formats ARA and CLAP still missing
• Still only seven collections in the browser

Videos on Ableton Live 12

This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!

The post Ableton Live 12 Review – More MIDI, more GUI, more sound appeared first on gearnews.com.

Cort has two new models for guitarists, the 7-string Cort KX707 EverTune and the 6-string X700 Triality with three Fishman Fluence pickups and CFA-III Tremolo System.

Cort X700 Triality

The new X700 Triality was designed for modern guitarists. The contoured body ensures a striking appearance and increases playing comfort.

It has a swamp ash body, a roasted maple and walnut bolt-on neck, and 24 stainless steel frets.

CFA-III Tremolo

The hardware includes Cort Staggered Locking Tuners set and a CFA-III Tremolo. The base plate, the block and the string saddles are made of stainless steel and contribute to a better sound and more sustain.

Fishman Fluence

The Fishman Fluence Single Width single-coil pickups deliver classic, clear-sounding single-coil sounds without humming. The Fluence Open Core Classic Humbucker offers three different settings for exceptional versatility: Voicing one replicates the classic PAF tone, Voicing two offers a hot-blooded humbucker sound and Voicing three produces a muscular, overwound single-coil sound.

Available in the Open Pore Vintage Burst and Open Pore Black Burst.

• Price: 1129 Euro*
• Manufacturer’s website

Cort X-700 Triality Open Pore Black

Available for €1129 at

Cort KX707 EverTune

This Cort KX707 EverTune follows on from the previous six-string KX700 model. It offers a newly redesigned body contour, powerful, passive Seymour Duncan Sentient, and Nazgul 7-string humbucker with high output. In addition, the EverTune bridge system is used for maximum voice stability.

Mahogany body

The mahogany body meets an ash top, which results in a good balance between warm, rich basses and clear, transparent highs. A 5-piece roasted maple and walnut neck complements this with an ebony fretboard with stainless steel frets.

This model also features Luminlay side dots, Cort Staggered Locking Tuners, and the aforementioned EverTune 7F bridge system.

• Price: 1149 Euro*
• Manufacturer’s website

Cort KX707 Evertune Open Pore Black

Available for €1149 at

Verdict

Cort is making some very affordable, high-quality guitars, and these two new models offer much value. Seeing the high-quality hardware and pickups used on these guitars is excellent. They are, no doubt, going to be popular with guitarists in 2024.

More Information

• Cort Guitars
• More Cort news

The post Cort KX707 EverTune & X700 Triality: Playability & Style appeared first on gearnews.com.

This week on Guitar Gear Gems, we check out the special-edition Gibson Noel Gallagher 1978 Les Paul Custom being sold to raise money for charity. Then, we look at the Alex Lifeson Lerxst By-Tor Drive pedal. Finally, we check out the Manson MB GEO Mask Edition Guitar limited run.

Gibson Noel Gallagher

The announcement of these Gibson Noel Gallagher special-edition models will excite many Oasis fans. The guitar is a limited run of only 20, each a recreation of the 1978 Les Paul Custom that Johnny Marr gifted him. They are being sold to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust at the UK Gibson Garage. Gibson and Gallagher will donate 100% of the profits to this worthwhile charity.

As Noel is signing each one, this will also make this extra collectable for fans of his music. The fact that you can only buy them in-store is also significant, as it should deter internet scalpers.

Famous Custom

This famous guitar was used on classic albums including “The Queen is Dead” and “(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?”. Therefore, it will also appeal to fans of The Smiths and Johnny Marr. I’m impressed that Noel has worked with the Teenage Cancer Trust to help them raise money, which is a grand gesture and a fantastic-looking Les Paul Custom.

The guitars will only be available in person to attendees on the official opening day of the new flagship store, the Gibson Garage London, on Saturday, February 24, 2024.

More Gibson news

By-Tor Drive

The LERXST By-Tor Drive pedal was announced in December 2023 as a limited edition for Alex Lifeson of Rush. They have announced that it will now be available to everyone as it has been so popular. It is based on the custom-built OMEGA tube amp head for Rush’s “Clockwork Angels” recording and touring cycle.

Mojotone

Mojotone is building the pedal, which falls under the Alex Lifeson LERXST brand name. It seeks to replicate that custom amp he is known for using then. It has an onboard boost section, which recreates the response of a tube amp’s gain stage and offers a JFET-based +6dB gain level.

Each By-Tor is handmade in the USA from high-quality components. They sound great and, thankfully, are no longer a limited run. Great for any Rush fans who missed out on the initial batch last year, as that sold out rapidly.

MSRP – USD 295

Product Page

More LERXST news

Manson MB GEO Mask Edition Guitar

These Manson MB GEO Mask Edition Guitars are a minimal run of only 20, with two versions, aptly named V1 and V2. These aren’t cheap guitars, starting at £7,999 for the V1 model and £13,999 for the V2. These guitars are exact copies of Muse’s Matt Bellamy guitar, which he used during their 2023 Will Of The People tour.

Each guitar is built by the Manson Guitar Works in the UK and is fitted with a Sustainiac Stealth Pro sustainer pickup and a Manson PF-1 MB pickup.

V1 vs V2

The V1 has an alder body, a high-flame maple neck, and an ebony fretboard. This model comes in a Manson-branded Hiscox case and a certificate signed by Matt Bellamy. In contrast, the V2 has a 5A flame, figured, roasted maple neck and ships in a UK-crafted Protechnic flight case.

The V2 package includes exclusive accessories, including a Manson Heistercamp premium strap with the GEO logo, limited edition GEO picks, a laser-etched certificate with a unique number for each guitar, and a rare colour print signed by Bellamy.

If your budget doesn’t stretch quite this far, you could always consider the Cort/Manson MBM- 2H, as it also has a Sustainer pickup, so it will get you close to that Muse/ Matt Bellamy guitar.

Cort MBM-2H Manson Meta SUS SB

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 998.00 € at

Manson Guitar Works

More Manson news

The post Guitar Gear Gems: Gibson Noel Gallagher 1978 Les Paul Custom appeared first on gearnews.com.

For a limited time, you can grab Native Instruments Kontakt 7 for half the regular price! A huge selection of libraries for the flagship sample player is also on sale. Other awesome software deals are coming from IK Multimedia, Universal Audio, and Baby Audio this week.

50% off Native Instruments Kontakt 7

Native Instruments Kontakt 7 is without a doubt one of the most powerful sample-based software instruments on the market today. The sample player not only comes loaded with more than 900 high-quality factory sounds. It also gives you access to a huge selection of add-on libraries from renowned developers. Anyone who’s serious about producing music needs NI Kontakt 7 – so grab it for half the price while this offer lasts!

Native Instruments Kontakt 7 is on sale at Thomann* until March 5 for just $134 – that’s 50% off* the regular price! And if you own an older version of Kontakt, the upgrade to version 7 is also on sale!

Native Instruments Kontakt 7

Available for $134 at

Native Instruments Kontakt 7 Upgrade Kontakt 1-6

Available for $44 at

• More from Native Instruments

Huge Discounts on Kontakt Libraries

Now that you’ve got Kontakt, how about some nice libraries to go along with it? Plugin Boutique is currently offering huge discounts on sampled instruments from many renowned developers including Native Instruments, Big Fish Audio, Cinesamples, Vir2, AVA Music Group, and more. Save up to 92% on these high-quality Kontakt libraries! But hurry up, some of these deals expire today!

• Up to 86% off* Native Instruments virtual instruments (until March 3)
• Up to 50% off* Cinesamples sample libraries (until February 20)
• 91% off* Rigid Audio Everything Bundle (until February 29)
• Up to 28% off* Vir2 instruments (until February 21)
• Up to 25% off* Big Fish Audio libraries (until February 21)
• 25% off* Soundiron Granada 49 (until February 25)
• Up to 62% off AVA Music Group Kontakt instruments (until February 20)
• Up to 90% off* the Karanyi Sounds Kontakt Collection Bundle (until February 29)
• 50% off* Audiority Octamorph FE (until February 29)
• Up to 90% off* Muze (until February 29)
• Up to 92% off Strix Instruments (until February 29)

60% off IK Multimedia Amplitube Collections

What Kontakt is to sample libraries, IK Multimedia AmpliTube 5 is to guitar amp and effect simulations! For a limited time, you can stock up on AmpliTube Collections for less than half the regular price. Choose from officially licensed manufacturer collections from Orange, MESA/Boogie, or Fender, or get the authentic sounds of your favorite artists with the AmpliTube signature collections from Slash, Brian May, Joe Satriani, and many more. The collections run in all versions of AmpliTube 5, including the free AmpliTube 5 CS.

IK Multimedia AmpliTube Collections are 60% off* at Thomann until February 29. Check out the full list here!

IK Multimedia AmpliTube Slash

Available for $40 at

• More from IK Multimedia

50% off Universal Audio UAD Bundles

The Universal Audio UAD Native Bundles are the perfect gateway to the world of UAD plugins. Originally exclusive to UA’s DSP hardware such as the Apollo series audio interfaces, these high-quality plugins now run natively on Mac and Windows computers. The UAD Essentials Edition gets you 11 essential plugins, including the LA-2A Leveler Collection, Pulteq EQ Collection, and Oxide Tape Recorder. The PolyMAX synth is also included. Or step it up a notch with the UAD Signature Edition, which includes no less than 44 Universal Audio plugins for an amazing price.

The Universal Audio UAD Essentials Edition Native and Signature Edition Native are both 50% off* at Thomann until February 29.

Universal Audio UAD Essentials Edition Native

Available for $146 at

• More from Universal Audio

40% off Baby Audio Atoms

The brand-new Baby Audio Atoms is still available for the low introductory price! This unique software synth uses a physical model of a mass/spring interaction network to create a huge spectrum of extraordinary sounds. Sounds complicated? Thanks to Atoms’ simple user interface with just six parameters, you’ll be designing unique sounds in no time. If you like to venture off the beaten path when it comes to sound design, don’t miss this fabulous new synth.

Baby Audio Atoms is on sale at Thomann until March 31 for $53 – 40% off* the regular price!

Baby Audio Atoms

Available for $53 at

• More from Baby Audio

The post Software Deals: Big Discounts on NI Kontakt 7, IK Multimedia, UAD & more! appeared first on gearnews.com.

SSL Native FlexVerb plug-in is now and only today available for $18 (down from $279)! Here’s the deal!

Solid State Logic Native FlexVerb deal at Plugin Boutique

SSL remains among the recording industry greats to this day, embodying both quality and innovation for 5 decades (and counting). This goes for both the hardware and software realms of pro audio. Native FlexVerb is an example of SSL’s excellence with the latter. It’s a comprehensive reverb plug-in with Room, Hall, Plate, and Chamber simulations. At this price, it’s worth adding to any plug-in collection.

The SSL Native FlexVerb plug-in generates room, hall, plate, and chamber reverbs with plenty of sound shaping options. In addition to the typical parameters, which we’ll talk about in a second, they include a 6-band EQ and compressor.

The available reverb and effects controls are input and output volume, early reflections, pre-delay, diffusion, size, reverb time, and modulation (rate, depth). A visual analyzer represents the generated reverb graphically.

SSL Native FlexVerb – Price and availability

You can have Solid State Logic Native FlexVerb here at Thomann for the party price of $18 (down from a decidedly non-party $279). The offer is valid only today (February 20, 2024). The plug-in works under macOS 10.12+ and Windows 7+ in AU, AAX, VST, and VST3 64-bit formats.

You need a free iLok account (or a paid USB dongle) for authorization. An unrestricted demo version and a PDF user manual are also available for download from the developer’s website.

SSL Native FlexVerb

Available for $18 at

More information about Solid State Logic and the plug-in

• Deal at Thomann
• SSL Native FlexVerb at the Solid State Logic website
• More SSL news

SSL Native FlexVerb Video

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If you’re recording vocals or any other acoustic instruments that go out of tune quickly, you’ll run into Melodyne sooner or later. The plug-in is almost unrivaled in terms of pitch correction quality. But what if you’re on a tight budget or you don’t like the workflow of the ARA plugin? Take a look at the best Melodyne alternatives.

What is Melodyne?

When Celemony CEO Peter Neubäcker presented DNA – Direct Note Access – at the 2008 Musikmesse in Frankfurt, visitors and engineers were blown away. This technology was introduced as a new feature of Melodyne, and it made it possible to change polyphonic audio recordings. With DNA, you can change an audio recording of a major chord on the guitar to a minor chord, or even transpose entire songs.

The plug-in is also central to the workflow of most vocal producers; this type of editing is known as “Graphical Mode,” as each analyzed note can be moved, stretched, and selected separately in the Melodyne editor. Melodyne has set the bar regarding audio quality and in-depth editing options for adjusting individual notes in audio recordings. And few other plug-ins have even come close.

In addition to vocal recordings, Melodyne is frequently used to correct recordings of acoustic instruments. If a piano is slightly out of tune or a string on a guitar is not quite there, Melodyne allows you to make barely audible adjustments. So, when you’re looking for the best Melodyne alternatives, these features are a must!

What do the best Melodyne alternatives need to bring to the table?

Correcting individual notes in a recording with a high quality that you can barely hear it working its magic is the basis for Melodyne’s success. The plug-in can also be used in ARA format in DAWs that support it. This means that you don’t always have to play back the track’s contents on which you load Melodyne to edit them in Melodyne.

As mentioned, the plug-in also offers the option (with the most extensive version, Melodyne 5 Studio*) of correcting notes in polyphonic audio material. The notes the plug-in recognizes can also be exported to your DAW as a MIDI clip. Since version 4, it has also been possible to edit notes from several instances of Melodyne in one. New features in the latest update, Melodyne 5, include editing sibilants separately for de-essing.

Celemony Melodyne 5 essential Download

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Available for 95.00 € at

Celemony Melodyne 5 editor Download

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(8)

Available for 389.00 € at

Celemony Melodyne 5 studio Download

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Available for 669.00 € at

• The latest news about Celemony
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Synchro Arts Revoice 5 – Most versatile of the best Melodyne alternatives

Freshly released with new features and improved pitch correction quality, Revoice 5 from Synchro Arts* is one of the most versatile Melodyne alternatives. It also includes ARA support, extensive options for correcting each note, and more.

Revoice offers several options for automatically adjusting vocal stacks for duets and creating natural-sounding harmonies with a vocal track. Compared to the biggest version of Melodyne, what is missing is the option to fix polyphonic audio material.

If you want something simpler, there are two versions of RePitch from the same manufacturer, RePitch Elements* and RePitch Standard*. These lack the option of aligning recordings of multiple vocals, and some of the correction tools are not quite as detailed.

Synchro Arts RePitch Elements Download

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(1)

Available for 44.00 € at

Synchro Arts RePitch Standard Download

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Available for 89.00 € at

Synchro Arts Revoice Pro Download

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Available for 499.00 € at

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Antares Auto-Tune Pro – Graphic Editor and ARA

This list of the best Melodyne alternatives is explicitly NOT about real-time correction à la Auto-Tune, which can be heard in almost every Pop song these days. Nevertheless, the original Auto-Tune plug-in manufacturer also offers one of the best Melodyne alternatives with the most extensive version, Auto-Tune Pro*.

As with Melodyne 5, Auto-Tune Pro X allows you to compare the recordings of several tracks using the multi-view function. You can also change and correct each note of the recording in detail in the graphic editor. And, of course, the legendary real-time tuning effect is also included, whether as a creative tool or gently for live performances.

Antares Auto-Tune Pro X Download

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(3)

Available for 459.00 € at

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Waves Tune and Plugin Alliance Bx_Crispytuner: The cheaper VSTs of our best Melodyne alternatives

Waves Tune* and Plugin Alliance Bx_Crispytuner are not nearly as powerful as Melodyne. But both are more than sufficient for straightening out out-of-tune notes of vocal recordings or gently adjusting a guitar melody. And the manufacturers of both plug-ins have sales so often that you can buy them for a very reasonable price.

Like Melodyne, Waves Tune (unlike Waves Tune Real-Time) is designed to correct individual notes of a vocal recording in a graphical editor. You can do this manually and move individual notes to the correct pitch using the mouse. Or you can set a key and let the plugin move the wrong notes to the right place automatically.

Bx_Crispy Tuner from Plugin Alliance / BrainWorx / Native Instruments includes pitch correction in the graphical mode and in real-time, key recognition, and additional tools for editing formants, vibrato, and the timing of vocal recordings. So, you’ve got quite a few features to fix your vocals!

Brainworx bx_crispytuner

Available for €448.24 at

• Get all the news about Waves Audio
• The latest news on Plugin Alliance

Free Melodyne alternatives: Samplab and in your DAW!

If you’re looking for a way to recognize the chords in an audio recording, which Melodyne does as well, then there is the free alternative, Samplab. There is also a paid version of the VST. With this version, you can change the chords of a recording, almost like in Melodyne Studio. They have also included an AI audio generator to create free text input samples.

Many of you will have read this so far and, at some point, thought: “My DAW can do that!” Reaper (ReaTune), Logic Pro (Flex Pitch), Cubase Pro (Vari-Audio), FL Studio Signature Edition (Netwone), and Reason (Pitch Edit) each come with their own, perhaps not quite as robust “Graphic Mode” vocal tuning plug-in which might be enough for what you need. Users of Ableton Live and Bitwig Studio still have to resort to third-party plug-ins and check out this list of the best Melodyne alternatives.

Image-Line FL Studio Signature Bundle Download

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Available for 339.00 € at

Steinberg Cubase Pro 13 Download

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Available for 569.00 € at

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The post Best Melodyne Alternatives: Cheaper and free VSTs for Vocal Tuning! appeared first on gearnews.com.

We look into the creative process of world-renowned and critically acclaimed drummer, singer, songwriter, and producer Phil Collins.

After developing a reputation as a session drummer and a key member of the English progressive rock band, Genesis, Phil Collins began his career as a solo artist.

The Phil Collins Sound

He may have been unaware, but looking back, the timing of this foray was ideal. The period in the late 1970s and early 1980s was completely revolutionary for the recording industry, with so many new creative musical tools introduced onto the market.

Another interesting aspect of Phil Collins’ approach to music production is that he never intended to write hits initially. Rather than fame or commercial success, he simply saw his solo project as an artistic outlet that offered him the freedom of expression he wanted.

Roland CompuRhythm CR-78

Introduced by Roland in 1978, the CompuRhythm CR-78 was the first-ever microprocessor-controlled drum machine. Although limited, it has the ability to select and vary 34 different rhythm patterns.

With its intuitive interface, the CR-78 became an absolutely integral part of Phil’s songwriting process. He would start by selecting the rhythm part with the right “atmosphere” as he put it, and setting the tempo to match the feel he had in mind.

With the tape machine running, the CR-78 was always positioned just next to Phil’s drum kit. This way, he could play drums and sing over the unrelenting loops created by the CR-78, building ideas and arrangement concepts as he went.

If you’re looking for the classic CompuRhythm sound with all its familiar drum patterns, the Cherry Audio CR-78 plug-in provides an easy way to recreate it in your DAW.

• The History Of Roland

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Sequential Circuits Prophet-5

When Phil went solo in the late 1970s, there wasn’t a massive range of polyphonic synths available like we have today. That being said, many of us would likely still prefer a Prophet-5 over many modern options.

The illustrious Prophet 5 was still quite new on the market when Phil began work on his debut album. With its simple controls and 5-voice architecture, you can generate anything from innocuous to outrageous sounds.

The beauty of the Prophet is that it’s easy to program, and like the Oberheim OB-8 he also acquired later, it always managed to sound interesting, whether it was placed in the background or the foreground of the mix.

You can hear the famous Prophet-5 chord sequence in the intro of In The Air Tonight, where it becomes the foundation of the song, along with the CR-78. The Sequential Prophet-5 is still in production as a reissue that can mimic the original’s various revisions.

• The History Of Sequential

Sequential Prophet 5

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Roland VP-330 Vocoder Plus

The VP-330 Vocoder Plus is another exciting instrument used by Phil Collins on his debut solo recordings, notably on In The Air Tonight. This sought-after instrument combines a paraphonic 10-band vocoder and a string synthesizer.

With the VP-330, you don’t actually have access to control each individual band. However, the presets sound great, and when combined with the BBD Ensemble effect, you can produce a hauntingly beautiful sound.

The fact that the VP-330 is relatively easy to use would have suited Phil nicely when putting together his first record, Face Value. His improvisational song and lyric writing style relies on spontaneity, so highly technical interfaces can sometimes hinder this.

As a modern alternative, the Behringer VC340 gives you the same authentic sound with an almost identical interface. Its limitation could well be a catalyst for creativity when making any style of music.

• More about Behringer clones

Behringer Vocoder VC340

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SSL Listen Mic Compressor

Like most of the creatively groundbreaking aspects of the early Phil Collins records, the ideas came together while simply “messing around”. Similarly, the famous Phil Collins gated drum sound has an origin story that is also unintentional.

In 1979, engineer Hugh Padgham was working on a Phil Collins drum session for Peter Gabriel’s third solo album at Townhouse Studio in London. By accident, the talkback mic was left active while Phil was playing, resulting in a thunderous effect.

As the talkback circuit in the SSL 4000 B console couldn’t be patched into the recording path, Padgham promptly rewired it, allowing his mistake with the Listen Mic Compressor to be used creatively.

What we hear on the subsequent Phil Collins drum recordings is a more evolved version of this, with the addition of the recording console’s noise gate implemented.

• More about Analogue Consoles

SSL LMC+ Download

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AMS RMX16

The AMS RMX16 is a legendary digital reverb introduced in the early 1980s that Phil Collins was an early adopter of. It offered a selection of great-sounding reverbs and ambiences, with the now legendary non-linear algorithm that worked well on drums.

Once again, the interface is certainly Phil Collins friendly, offering easy operation and the ability to save your own presets. This allows the RMX16 to be used creatively rather than clinically, which suited Phil’s songwriting process.

At the time, there simply weren’t microprocessor-controlled reverb units like the RMX16 around that gave you both precision and flexibility. So it’s no surprise that it’s still a sought-after reverb in both plug-in and hardware format today.

In recent years, AMS Neve has created a 500-series reissue of the RMX16 with a similar interface and the same reverb algorithms, a great addition to any studio setup.

• More about 1980s Reverb

AMS RMX16

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Which of your favourite artists would you like to see in our Sound-alike series? Please let us know in the comments below!

More about Phil Collins:

• Official Artist Page
• More Sound-alikes

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post I Can Feel It: How To Sound Like Phil Collins appeared first on gearnews.com.

There are some great savings to be had this week for all you rhythm junkies with superb deals on a quality e-Drum kit, a legendary pad unit and a totally unique drum machine.

This week we have something from each electronic drum food group for you to save some serious cash on. Let’s dive in and give you the lowdown and these superb deals.

Gewa G3 Pro 5 e-Drum Kit

There’s a growing trend for full-size e-Drum kits and Gewa is making a serious mark at the upper end of that market. The G3 Pro 5 is a superb entry into their world with a gorgeous-looking kit. It sounds great too, with over 900 sounds, 40 preset kits and space for creating 128 more kits of your own. Each instrument can contain up to 100 multi-samples!

Being of German origin, Gewa took pride in sampling their own sounds in Berlin’s legendary Funkhaus. Their solid drum brain also utilises 3D Sonic Imaging for a realistic surround sound. A slew of effects, compression and EQ are accompanied by a multitude of connections and a built-in, 2in/6out USB audio interface.

The kit comprises multi-zone pads and cymbals and also includes all the stands. The Gewa G3 Pro 5 is a complete package that truly impresses both visually and sonically.

• The Gewa G3 Pro 5 is the e-Drum Deal of the Week at Thomann at €2,297
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Gewa G3 Pro 5

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Elektron Model:Cycles

The Elektron Model:Cycles is an FM-based 6 track groove box from one of the most innovative manufacturers today. Using a similar workflow to other Elektron units (think Digitakt, etc.), the Model:Cycles gives you the punch, power and digital crispness of FM.

But don’t be fooled by its digital leanings. The Model:Cycles can sound thick and warm too. Using dedicated Color, Shape and Contour features, you can mould the sounds to your tastes, whatever genre you’re working in.

The Model:Cycles can store 96 projects onboard with 96 patterns per project. Delay and reverb effects are built-in and any of its six tracks can also be used as MIDI tracks. But it isn’t just drums that the Model:Cycles can handle. You can create melodic bass lines and chords. So this is a great compositional tool and not just a drum machine!

• Save 17.5% on the Elektron Model:Cycles now at €329
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Elektron Model:Cycles

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(142)

Available for 329.00 € at

Roland SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad

The Roland SPD pad family has been around for nigh on 40 years. It’s an accepted standard for most live drummers, adding huge range and variety to the sounds they can play. The SPD-SX Pro has built-in sampling which means you can upload almost anything you want.

There are six full-size pads and three edge pads, all of which feature RGB lighting for ease of use in the dark and easy identification of zones. You can even attach a separate hi-hat controller pedal or an expression pedal for even greater control.

The SPD-SX Pro comes with over 1550 samples and sounds, 43 preset kits (which are erasable) and space for 157 user kits. That’s 200 kits in total! It has 32GB of internal storage for your own samples, backing tracks and click tracks.

Navigating the SPD-SX Pro is easy, using its 4.3″ colour display. There’s also an app for Windows and Mac for importing your samples and managing your kits.

• Save 25% on the Roland SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad now at €895
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Roland SPD-SX PRO Sampling Pad

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(49)

Available for 895.00 € at

*Note: percentage discounts may vary according to your region and currency conversion rates on the day of purchase. Displayed percentage discounts are guidelines only.

**Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

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