Now that’s looking pretty amazing. I know that this is what we’ve all been waiting for in Cubasis.
FourTrack version 7 arrives for iPhone
After a very long time FourTrack gets updated. Here’s what’s new:
- iOS 7 Tested
- Dropbox Sync: Upload and store your mixes and projects to your Dropbox account, then share your music by emailing download links to friends
- AudioCopy 2: Copy and paste audio between other AudioCopy 2 enabled apps
- Playback in background
- GuitarJack Model 2 Control Panel updates
- Updated SongTool graphics
FourTrack works with most audio interfaces, but sounds best with GuitarJack Model 2 and GuitarJack 2 USB audio interfaces, which feature a 1/4 inch input, an 1/8″ stereo input, an 1/8″ stereo headphone/line out with increased drive for headphones, 24-bit AD/DA converters and impeccable sound with no discernible noise. GuitarJack is ideal for jamming with GuitarTone and recording using the GuitarTone tool in FourTrack and StudioTrack, GuitarJack’s studio-quality sound is designed by Joe Bryan. Read about him here http://www.sonomawireworks.com/joe.php
What’s coming to n-Track Studio PRO for Android
Musical Android has more details of what’s coming up next for the Android version of n-Track Studio PRO, and it is quite impressive in my view. Dare I say it, Android is starting to move closer for music making.
Musikmesse 2014: Tascam (3)
Now these were the best things I saw from Tascam. I’ve seen their previous versions, but when you’re up close and can handle them these are just lovely. Beautifully made and a joy to hold, and so small too. I thought I’d include the headphones in the top photo just to give an idea of scale.
MultiTrack DAW 3.4 arrives with Audiobus Save State, IAA and much more
This just made me smile this morning as MultiTrack DAW was one of my favourite recorder apps for a very long time, and after ages has had a fantastic update. Here’s all the new stuff in version 3.4:
- Inter-App Audio – effects can be chained on each track, on the Bus return, and the Master out (*).
- IAA Generators – on the Input to each track.
- Audiobus 2.0 – Can be used as a sender for any track or master out. Supports saving and restoring state.
- New graphics for iOS 7 – improved look is cleaner and less confusing.
- Clean waveforms – rendered without blockies on retina displays.
- 64-bit support – with Neon optimizations and high resolution audio processing.
- Dithering – applied automatically anywhere in the signal chain when bit width gets reduced.
- Reduced filespace usage – up to 16 tracks before caches kick in on 64 bit devices.
- Compressor – new dB reduction meter help you adjust threshold and ratio controls.
- Completely rewritten audio engine – takes advantage of the best features of your hardware.
- Supports up to 16 inputs simultaneously (USB hardware required).
- Loop Points – changing loop points in realtime is now immediate.
- Snapping – now you can snap to other regions, loop markers, and punch points, as well as Ruler lines.
- Snap helpers – red vertical lines display exact snapping placement.
- Song Menu – you can now drag song icons to reorder them.
- IN Meter – now displays up to 8 input VU meters on iPad, or 4 on iPhone/iPod touch.
* IAA effects currently support only 1 instance at a time, system wide. In other words, you can’t chain the same effect more than once.
Musikmesse 2014: Tascam (2)
All of Tascam’s nice little iOS add-ons were hidden away behind a protective screen so you couldn’t play with them at all, which was a bit of a shame really.
Positive Grid Launches Final Touch Complete Mastering System for iPad
It’s arrived! Positive Grid Launches Final Touch Complete Mastering System for iPad. Here’s the press release:
Combining seven powerful mastering processors into one integrated app, it offers a balanced, polished and professional sound that exhibit the overshoot response of classic analog hardware.
San Diego, CA (March 25, 2014) – Positive Grid, leading innovator in music technology and maker of #1 selling mobile apps BIAS and JamUp, proudly announce the release of Final Touch – Complete Mastering System for iPad, a professional mastering suite that combines nuanced techniques of mastering with Positive Grid’s expertise on mobile design, offering the highest mastering control, precision and flexibility possible on an iPad.
“Final Touch allows musicians, producers and engineers to master audio recording with the industry’s standards: maximizer, pre and post equalizer, multiband dynamics, stereo imaging, reverb and dithering controls are all just one finger tap away”, says Positive Grid Marketing Manager Jaime Ruchman. “And now they will be able to continue their mastering sessions literally anywhere, with the same sound quality as a top notch professional mastering studio, enhancing productivity to its maximum.”
Final Touch combines seven essential mastering tools into one integrated system, the Pre and Post linear phase EQ modules consist of eight independent bands, each providing a choice of five different types of parametric filters: Hi-Pass, Low-Shelf, Peak, Hi-Shelf and Low-Pass. The Dynamics module offer highly flexible stereo/mid-side multiband compressor/limiter. The Stereo Imaging module adjusts the width of your mix, corrects L/R channel imbalances and checks mono compatibility. The Reverb module offers flattering room, hall and plate algorithms to sweeten overly dry mixes, providing continuously variable controls for independently adjusting Pre-Delay, Decay Time, Early Reflections and Room Size. The Maximizer module limits peaks and raises the average level of your mix, thereby increasing loudness. Comprehensive dither and noise-shaping options are also provided in this module.
Once your master is perfectly dialed, a couple taps are all it takes to share it via email, Dropbox, iTunes and SoundCloud.
“A great mastering app” – Rafa Sardina, 12-time GRAMMY award winning producer and engineer, whose credits include Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and more.
“Solid, accurate and accessible.”- German Villacorta, mastering engineer and owner of Dynamic Wave Studios, whose credits include Ozzy Osbourne, The Rolling Stones, Rage Against The Machine, and more.
“Finally the professional mastering app for iPad I have been waiting for! With a clear and intuitive interface, streamlined workflow, powerful effects, and full cloud support this app makes professional mobile mastering a reality!” – Andrea Pejrolo, Assistant Chair of the Production Department at Berklee College of Music.
“I’m really digging the open top end of the EQ section and how the Maximizer is glueing this mix together. This is a flexible, very cool audio app for modern musicians on the go.” – Enrique Gonzalez Muller, GRAMMY award winning producer and engineer, whose credits include Nine Inch Nails, Dave Matthews Band, Tina Turner, and more.
Key Features:
- Complete professional mastering system powered by Positive Grid’s high-end signal-processing algorithms
- Linear Phase Pre and Post Equalizers, each offering eight bands and five filter types
- Multiband Dynamics with four independent bands of compression/limiting
- Stereo Imager adjusts the width and balance of your mix’s soundstage
- Reverb provides state-of-the-art Room, Hall and Plate algorithms
- Maximizer transparently limits peaks to make your mix louder
- Dithering and Noise-Shaping preserves your mix’s depth and nuance
- Stereo and mid-side processing
- High-resolution, multi-colored metering with accurate readouts
- Each module can be independently bypassed
- Bypass switches for individual EQ bands
- Left, right, mid and side channels can be independently soloed or bypassed
- Waveform overview of your mix, with draggable playback cursor
- 100 factory presets and unlimited user presets
- Global and module-based presets
- Drag and drop modules to rearrange their order in the signal path
- Pristine, high-resolution sound (double-precision, 64-bit calculation)
- Unmatched audio-data integrity: no rounding or truncation except when calculations are performed
- Share via Email, Dropbox, iTunes, SoundCloud and FTP
- Streamlined project management: browse multiple projects with one simple tap
- Workflow optimized for mobile and desktop data transfers
- Supports Inter App Audio and Audiobus routing system (works with many other audio apps)
- Supports iPad 2, iPad mini and newer iPad devices
- Designed for iOS 7
Final Touch retails for $19.99 and is immediately available for download at the iTunes App Store. Designed for iOS7, the app requires an iPad 2 or newer to operate.
Musikmesse 2014: New things coming from IK Multimedia
It was nice to see the IK booth at Musikmesse and some nice looking new things coming from them in the next few months.
First off is the iRig Pads which is roughly the same size as Novation’s LaunchPad Mini.
Next is the iRig MIDI 2, which I found more exciting really as this looks like a really big update to IK’s previous MIDI add on.
Lastly was a new mic, the iRig Mic Field which is designed for mobile podcasting. This one looks handy, but overall the new MIDI box is the most interesting and appealing for me personally.
One thing that it does show is just how much IK are doing to support iOS and the mobile world. The sheer number of products they put out is staggering.
So there’s more to look forward to from IK over the coming months with these products. They couldn’t give me any details of pricing or exact release dates as yet, but I’m sure this will come soon enough.
LineShark – The Audio Interface for iOS + Android (kickstarter campaign)
Another very tempting bit of hardware up on kickstarter. There’s just so many these days.
Soundmarks (universal) recorder with more
Whilst this isn’t really in the music making space, I thought it would be useful to a few people. Soundmarks has some interesting features as an audio recorder that I haven’t seen elsewhere, and it’s free with an IAP for export.
Here’s the detail:
Soundmarks is the professional grade recorder for iOS that helps you focus on the most important sections of your recordings. The start of each section is marked with a soundmark. In a nutshell, a soundmark is to a recording what a bookmark is to a book. At playback, you can jump between these soundmarks with only one tap, making it easy to listen only the things you’re interested in.
Perfect for a multitude of work, school or daily activities, including:
- lectures, meetings, interviews, conferences
- brainstorming, planning, patient progress notes
- learning new languages and more
Core features:
- three types of soundmarks, text, drawing and photo
- create soundmarks while recording or playing
- modify the timestamp of any soundmark
- pause the recorder at any time and seamlessly continue your recording session later
- at playback time, jump between soundmarks, this allows you to listen only the parts you’re interested in
- recording/playing also works when the device is locked or the app is in background
- universal app
- support for the latest devices
In-app purchase features:
- Export/Import module (Dropbox, email, iTunes)
User interface:
- pleasing to the eye
- simple, fast gestures to access list items
- swipe left to right to enter delete/edit mode
- swipe right to left or tap while in delete/edit mode to return to the original state
- long tap to edit the contents of an item
Drawing:
- full featured drawing pad with undo, redo and various brushes
- visual grid helper
- snap to grid