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.

Softube Model 82 is a groovy attempt to recapture those SH-101 club sounds of 1990s techno and it’s a lot of fun. Now only €19 with our exclusive code.

Softube Model 82 deal

Now available for €19 with coupon code PBNL53 at Plugin Boutique.

Softube Model 82

Available for €19 (with coupon code “PBNL53”) at

Model 82

[Originally posted on 8th June 2022] Softube never likes to say what synthesizer it bases its emulations on. But in this case, it’s clearly the Roland SH-101. While the synth was produced in the early 80s, the vibe Softube are going for is set firmly in the club culture of the 1990s and they nailed it.

Both the Model 72 and the Model 84 were brilliant, so I’m expecting great things from this emulation. The idea is to try to capture the feelings as well as the sound of this synth. Softube says something about “Rock & Roll Science” which conjures up images of trashed laboratories and professors snorting coke off each other’s arses. But it could also mean that the designers have gone beyond the attention to detail and inhabit some kind of heart and soul emulation. Or maybe let’s get a grip on ourselves and enjoy it as a mono synth with a couple of waveforms, a cool filter and a useful envelope.

Softube went to a lot of trouble to model the sequencer and arpeggiator in the hope of instilling Model 82 with that elusive inspiration and improvisational quality.

No software emulation would be complete without some extras. The interface has been optimised for a quicker workflow, and velocity and aftertouch have been stuck in. And there’s a new Drive knob for a bit of saturation and some stereo enhancements.

Honestly, it looks and sounds totally brilliant and while it’s been done before I always enjoy Softube’s take on these things. I’m also loving the crappy signs of wear on the GUI.

Modular

The other groovy thing Softube does is pull the synthesizer apart into individual modules that can then run inside Softube Modular. And so you get the VCO, LFO, VCF-VCA, FX and ENV as separate patchable modules.

This is also brilliant.

So, for €79 Softube has nailed the Roland SH-101 in software form with all the right nuance and extras. Great stuff.

• Softube Model 82 webpage.
• More from Softube.
• Available from Plugin Boutique via this affiliate link.

The post Softube Model 82: Classic techno mono synth special deal appeared first on gearnews.com.

We catch up with the one and only Verdine White, best known as a founding member and the Bassist of the legendary band, Earth, Wind & Fire.

This interview was originally conducted by Paul Rigg for Planet Guitar.

Earth, Wind & Fire have sold over 100 million records, and siblings Maurice, Verdine, and Fred White have been at its heart from the start.

The band’s unique blend of Afro-pop, soul, jazz, funk, and R&B has led them to seven Grammy awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a string of hits, including September, Boogie Wonderland, After the Love Has Gone, Let’s Groove and Fantasy.

Verdine White Interview: Band of Brothers

Today Gearnews interviews bassist and co-songwriter Verdine White, who is happy to talk about his beloved brothers, favourite musical moments, and introducing his gifted granddaughter to rock royalty.

Gearnews: “Verdine, we are thrilled to welcome you!”

Verdine White: Good morning from Los Angeles!

GN: You are soon to tour Earth, Wind & Fire with Lionel Richie, how are the preparations going?

VW: Great! We are starting in the U.S. first, with 25 shows. It’s going to be huge!

GN: You will be with long-time colleagues vocalist Philip Bailey and percussionist Ralph Johnson …

VW: We are together almost every day. Our life is an ongoing plane ride!

Ibanez SR5005-OL

Customer rating:

(1)

Available for 2,399.00 € at

“…life is an ongoing plane ride!”

GN: Is there anything you are especially looking forward to?

VW: We are just happy the tour sold out so fast. I can’t even get a ticket! [laughs].

GN: Going back to your beginnings, you grew up in a big family; were you always close?

VW: Very tight-knit. There were nine of us and now there are five left…

GN: Was there music around from the start?

VW: All the time. We listened to the radio station WVON; had jazz and gospel that my father liked, such as Mahalia Jackson; and played down in the basement every day. All we did was music.

Starting on Upright Bass

GN: You started on double bass before turning to electric; did that process help you?

VW: Yes, upright bass was great because I had the chance to study classical with a wonderful teacher from the Chicago Symphony orchestra called Radi Lah, who I took lessons from on Thursdays, and then on weekends I learned bass with the late great Louis Satterfield from The Phenix Horns – so I had the best from both worlds.

GN: In 1969 Maurice was starting to make an impact, moved from Chicago to LA, and then asked you to join him; was that an easy decision for you to go?

VW: No, I was 18; nothing is difficult when you are 18! [laughs].

GN: Then began your meteoric rise. If you were asked to choose three highlights from your career, which come to mind?

VW: There are so many! Perhaps the first record with Shining Star; the movies, including [the 1978 film] Sgt. Pepper’s; and then about three years ago, when we did The Kennedy Center Honors. We were the first group of colour to receive those honors.

Warwick Streamer LX 5 Masterbuilt PG No customer rating available yet

Available for 6,549.00 € at

Topping the Charts

GN: With ‘That’s the Way of the World’ and ‘Shining Star’, you became the first Black act to top both the Billboard album and singles charts. Among your achievements how does that rate?

VW: Well, it was at a time when you didn’t really see African Americans reach the top of the charts. We must thank my late brother Maurice for his leadership and vision because he understood where a group like us should go.

GN: You’ve seen civil rights fought for from Martin Luther King to Black Lives Matter; do you believe that there has been progress?

VW: We are progressing, but there is always more to do. We hope we are leaving a legacy to inspire the next generation.

Verdine’s Community Work

GN: You also help young people philanthropically through the Verdine White Performing Arts Center….

VW: Yes, we are doing some great work. This is our twentieth year! We are feeding young kids in urban communities so they can have breakfast before school.

GN: How do the children react when you go?

VW: They love to take selfies! But some don’t know me and it’s their parents who get excited!

GN: And all proceeds from your Sadowsky signature go to the charity…

VW: Absolutely. Roger Sadowsky is a wonderful friend and I have been playing his basses for over 25 years. They sound immaculate…

Warwick RB Streamer LX 4 SB HP

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 789.00 € at

Remembering his Brothers

GN: Sadly, your brothers Maurice and Fred have now passed; how do you remember them?

VW: They are in my heart forever. Fred passed away recently, on January 2. He was a wonderful person; we played music together as kids. Maurice was my mentor and leader. I couldn’t have asked for two better brothers.

Family is still at the core of what is most important to Verdine. This is shown, for example, by a touching YouTube video of his granddaughter ReinaNai singing September as he accompanies her on bass and glances at her proudly. He explains that she has just auditioned for a New York off-Broadway play and that he recently took her to Clive Davis’ (ex-president of Colombia Records) party where she met Sheryl Crow and Frankie Valli.

Additionally, Verdine has been married to Honey Cone founder Shelly Clark for 42 years and says if there is any ‘secret’ it is meeting the right person at the right time, with love and friendship. “She’s a go-getter with high energy; you’d like her more than me…” he laughs, “I should get off and let you interview her!”

Sadowsky MetroLine 21 Verdine White 5 W No customer rating available yet

Available for 3,699.00 € at

More about Verdine White:

• Verdine White and Jeremy Pope
• More Interviews

*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 Verdine White Interview: Band of Brothers appeared first on gearnews.com.

We take a look back at the Tascam 388 Studio 8 with Youtube creator Rhett Shull, to find out why it has such an iconic reputation.

The 338 Studio 8 was introduced in 1985 as a complete recording solution for musicians. It combined an 8-channel mixer with an 8-track quarter-inch tape machine in one relatively compact unit.

Over the years, a combination of its simplicity, recording quality and overall aesthetic gave the 338 legendary status among musicians. From The Black Keys and Alex Turner of The Arctic Monkeys to Madlib and Mac DeMarco, many popular artists have produced wonderful recordings with the 338.

Tascam 388 Studio 8

The 338 is the ultimate symbol of home recording, sitting squarely between the high-end studio multitrack tape machines and the lo-fi cassette-loading 4-track machines which are still popular to this day.

According to Rhett Shull, the preamps and 3-band EQs sound great, and there is a pleasing kind of glue effect in the way it sums the channels into stereo. It’s no wonder the 338 caught on in recording circles and still fetches a considerable price on the second-hand market.

With the Tascam 388 Studio 8, Tascam took a bold step, they managed to create a user-friendly unit that follows the Portastudio tradition but employs more sophisticated technology. The device makes it much easier to use, especially for those with less technical knowledge, without restricting the creative possibilities for experienced users

Dave Lockwood’s 1986 review

I must say that the 338 certainly intrigues me enough to “try this at home” when it comes to tape. Besides the appeal of its sound, the mid-80s recording mixer workflow looks inspiring to say the least.

However, if you’re not quite ready to take the plunge and pick up an old reel-to-reel recorder like the 338, there are some great modern options that can recreate both the sound and the feel of using a similar recording system.

Tascam DP-008 EX

Customer rating:

(97)

Available for 229.00 € at

Tascam Model 12

Customer rating:

(107)

Available for 639.00 € at

IK Multimedia T-RackS TASCAM Tape Collection Download No customer rating available yet

Available for 229.00 € at

More about the Tascam 388 Studio 8:

• All about Tape Recording
• More from Tascam

*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 Why the Tascam 388 Studio 8 is the Ultimate Portastudio appeared first on gearnews.com.

The new Nektar Panorama CS12 is a dedicated controller for Apple Logic Pro. With a motorized fader, 12 illuminated rotary knobs, and pre-configured mappings for a wide selection of plugins, the Panorama CS12 promises a “liberating tactile workflow” in the popular DAW software.

Nektar Panorama CS12

Nektar’s Panorama series of controllers is known for its deep integration into many popular DAWs and ready-made mappings for many 3rd-party plugins. With the new Panorama CS12, Nektar turns this concept into a dedicated hardware control surface for Apple Logic Pro.

The 100 mm motorized fader on the left gives you precise control over the selected track, which is especially handy for recording automation. The mixer channel section also features a dedicated pan control, which is color-coded to match the channel color in Logic. In addition to this, the mixer section of the Panorama CS12 offers a level meter, as well as Arm, Solo, Mute, and Select/Master buttons.

The right side is for controlling plugins within Logic. Here, you’ll find twelve RBG-illuminated rotary knobs and four buttons. A vertical row of buttons allows you to select plugins for editing. In addition to this, there are Channel and Sends pages for controlling up to 12 send effects and Logic’s Smart Controls.

According to Nektar, the Panorama CS12 provides out-of-the-box support for all of Logic’s built-in plugins, as well as many 3rd-party plugins from Waves, Universal Audio, FabFilter, and others. Thanks to pre-configured mappings, you don’t need to assign the controls to the parameters yourself. The TFT screen displays parameter names and their values, with color-coding to match the rotary knobs. If you do need to manually customize mappings, you can do so in the Nektarine software.

It goes without saying that the Nektar Panorama CS12 also comes with a complete transport section. Besides controlling things like play/record, loop/cycle, and the metronome, this section also gives you quick access to up to 10 markers for easy navigation.

Price and availability

You can now order the Nektar Panorama CS12 controller for Logic Pro from Thomann* for $359.

Nektar Panorama CS12

Available for $359 at

More information about the Nektar Panorama CS12

• Nektar website
• More from Nektar

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Everyone’s favourite indie plugin developer, TAL, launches TAL-Pha which emulates the late 80s Roland classic, the Alpha Juno 2 and its rack-mounted sibling.

In the Days of the Hoover

The original Alpha Junos (there were two) were somewhat of an anomaly when they were released. The synth landscape had become distinctly digital. Yamaha’s DX7 had ushered in the new age three years previously. Everyone and their mother were scrambling to be the latest digital king of the castle.

And yet Roland seemed hell-bent on sticking with analog synthesis, albeit enhanced by digital technology. It wouldn’t be until a year or so after the Alpha Juno 2 that they’d finally dip their toe into the digital waters with the D50. In doing so, they pretty much killed the aforementioned DX7.

Alpha Junos would find a home with the young and creative minds behind the emerging dance music wave of the late 80s and early 90s. No doubt fuelled by their low secondhand prices and their ability to play chords with a single key, Alpha Junos became highly sort after.

TAL-Pha from TAL Software

And now we can relive those days at a fraction of the cost of the original, courtesy of TAL Software. Their new plugin, which has been the subject of some speculation over the last few days, launched today. Using an MKS-50, Roland’s rack version of the Alpha Juno 2, as a model, they have faithfully recreated this modern classic.

As well as adding modern features and functions, it nails the sound of the original. Better still, it can read and convert sysex from the original (Alpha Juno 2 and MKS-50). And if you own an original of either of those units, TAL-Pha can be used as a software controller/editor/librarian!

TAL-Pha gives us everything about the original that made it so popular. DCO’s, and LFO that can operate at a very slow rate, PWM, comprehensive VCF, VCA and those all-important chord memories. On top of that, we get aftertouch, and MPE support, multi-mode arpeggiator, individual tuning for the DCOs (which makes them VCOs!) and support for microtuning.

There’s a comprehensive FX section and a stereo unison mode that can stack up to seven voices. Surprisingly, or maybe not, there is no on-screen recreation of the much-maligned data wheel!

More Information

The plugin is available as in VST, VST3, AU, AAx and CLAP flavours and will work on 64-bit Windows, Linux and Mac systems, including Apple Silicon.

TAL-Pha retails for $80 USD but has an introductory discount of 20% meaning you can pick this up for a mere $64 USD. A demo version is available.

• TAL Software Website
• More from TAL Software

The post TAL-Pha from TAL: Hoover Up Those Classic Analog Tones appeared first on gearnews.com.

The Cherry Audio CR-78 is its very first drum machine plugin with a recreation of a true classic, the first programmable, microprocessor-controlled, analog CR-78!

Cherry Audio CR-78 And A Short History

Before the 808 and 909, Roland had a long and rich history in the world of rhythm boxes. They’ve been building such devices since 1964. However, 1978’s CompuRhythm CR-78 was their, and the world’s, first programmable unit.

It seems inconceivable these days to have a drum machine that you can’t program, so the CR-78 was a huge hit! And it was a huge hit that ended up on numerous huge hits! The list of songs and artists is a veritable who’s who of pop. OMD, Hall & Oates, Genesis, Phill Collins, Ultravox, Blondie, Roxy Music, The Cars, and Tears For Fears, to name just a few.

The CR-78 is still gaining new friends to this day and remains incredibly popular. So it is an utter delight to see Cherry Audio beat Roland Cloud to the punch (again) with their new CR-78 plugin. Everything we love about the original – lovingly modelled, not sampled – with all the improvements that a 21st-century rhythm nut craves!

Cherry On Top

How does it improve on the original? First up, the rather clunky original method of programming a CR-78 has been replaced with the later X0X style of step sequencing found on later Roland units. The original CR-78 required an optional programming unit. Bizarrely, Roland only ever made 2000 of these, one-quarter of the total number of CR-78s that they made!

Cherry Audio’s CR-78 goes way beyond just improving the programming. All the original preset rhythms and variations/fills are there but now every voice can be edited. There’s an FX section (Overdrive, Delay, Flanger & Reverb), a mixer with independent level, pan, and solo/mute per voice, and a global EQ and compressor. Once you’ve programmed your beat masterpiece, you can drag it OUT of the CR-78 as either a MIDI track in your DAW or, if using the standalone version, a Standard MIDI File (SMF).

Cherry Audio CR-78 – Like The Original, Only WAY Better

You’ve got velocity sensitivity, external MIDI triggering, a Song Mode with 99 patterns, and 99 steps per song. The plugin comes with a ‘separate outs’ version so you can process each instrument individually in your DAW.

And, as one has come to expect, Cherry Audio has packed this full of amazing presets. There are subtly named recreations of many classic patterns as well as a huge number of original presets that also take advantage of all the new features.

More Information

Cherry Audio’s CR-78 is available here at the Thomann shop (affiliate) for just $49 USD. A free 30-day demo is also available from the Cherry Audio website.

Cherry Audio CR-78 Drum Machine Download No customer rating available yet

Available for 49.00 € at

• Cherry Audio Website
• More from Cherry Audio

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The post Cherry Audio CR-78 – I Can Go For That appeared first on gearnews.com.

Glimpsed at Usher’s epic Superbowl Half Time Show and then leaked by Andrew Huang on Facebook. Latest info says it’s called the Moog Mirror.

With all the hoo-har around Moog and the InMusic buyout, it’s great to get positively excited about the possibility of a new Moog synth. Apparently, it was seen as part of the huge array of synths that were on stage for Usher’s halftime show. I’m not sure about that. There are certainly a lot of recognisable Moog products on stage, but you’ve got to have a keen eye to spot a previously unreleased one.

Mystery Mirror Moog

Regardless, Andrew Huang has thrown embargoes to the wind by posting a selfie of him sitting in front of an unknown Moog synth. What could it be? Andrew isn’t telling us – yet. Reports from the ether suggest that it will be called the Moog Mirror, it will have 8-voices and is based on Matriarch architecture.

What we can see is a bunch of chewably lit, lozenge-sized buttons, a close-up of some classic Moog knobs and metal panelling and a five-octave keyboard with wooden cheeks. It looks very smart. It doesn’t look like something as high-end as a Moog One or MemoryMoog, in fact for me it reflects more of a Prophet-5 sort of vibe. There is a screen you can just see, and those buttons are likely to be preset selections. There’s a good bunch of controls, but not a crazy amount. It has two oscillators, a Chord mode and at least a Unison mode, all of which point to some polyphony.

According to commentators, we’re supposed to be looking at the synth named Mirror underneath the Matriarch on the left. The synth that looks very much like a Roland Jupiter-X. I’m sure these things will become clear.

This image just appeared on Facebook from Sounds-for-Synths.com that is positioned very differently from the one we’re supposed to be looking at. I think this is the synth on the far right, just above the corner.

What’s coming?

Could Moog be returning to the market with a lovely new polysynth named Mirror? And could it possibly be a more mid-market machine rather than an aspirational premium instrument that only the few can afford? Maybe that’s the hope that InMusic brings to the table – an affordable poly-Moog.

The rumours, guesswork, and confident declarations from synth-heads will be abounding on social media until we get the official information. It’s certainly more exciting than who won the Football.

• Moog Website.
• More from Moog.
• Superbowl Half Time Show.

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