A cool midi controller. Link

1. Roland SPD-20 Total Percussion Pad $650
Instead of getting a PS3 with Rock Band, why not grab a Roland 8 pad drum kit with 700 sounds loaded into it?

2. Korg Kaoscillator $200
100 of Korg’s world renowned synth sounds right at your finger tip.

3. Sterling Audio ST51 Large Diaphragm FET Condenser Microphone $99
This microphone is the top rated in the under 100 dollar range in a number of realworld tests. I would rather have this than an m-audio mic or any other costing 3 times its price.

4. Korg DS-10 For Nintendo DS $36
For only 36 dollars and Amazon delivery this video game / synth will be on everyone’s list.

5. Hal Leonard Rock Keyboard $12
Learn different Rock styles and chords to play along with the CD. If you are a beginner or intermediate I recommend this one as it helped my playing and improvising.

6. Stocking stuffer pick: Disney Hannah Montana Guitar with Bonus Amp



NO! Well if I’m not the grandaddy of all liars!

Is this the final death of the fusion? Will alesis ever make anymore!!???? They better!! I still use mine as an all in one studio without my computer. The 8-input hard drive recording, and many of its sounds are excellent, despite some technical glitches. I hope they bring back the best sounds of the board into a new product that has a better sequencer, while keeping the 8-input hard drive. It could also use a casio style sampler in its song mode.

On another note. Tascam’s FireOne, 2-channel audio interface, with jogwheel has dropped in price considerabley. For those of you with a mac, or a firewire interface, you can get this thing for only $115. It has headphone out, 2 mic pres, a guitar jack input, controllable buttons, MIDI!!! AND line ins. Thats a nutty deal! The jog wheel can even flash to the beat of your music and it comes with a version of ableton live. I would love to review one of these, as it looks like it has more function than Mackie’s more expensive satellite product ($199).

Anyone notice that Mackie is starting to cater to people with lower budgets? Hmmm…a bad music equipment economy means good deals for us!

From Create Digital Music

if you’re a user of Digidesign and M-Audio products and looking to use current operating systems, very often you’re out of luck.

Link to the article

I think that totally sucks. I’ve had this happen to me with an m-audio USB midi interface. They just never updated the driver on the switch from OS9 to OS X. All it was is a USB midi module. I had to sell it and switch to an anchient MOTU unicorn midi interface. Just go with MOTU. Their support is way better than both of these companies that are basically releasing gobs of products and not paying any attention to them at a later date.

Be careful who you buy from when you are getting computer-specific gear, even if it is USB, or plug and play.

UPDATE: Open Labs upgrades MIKO SE and MIKO LE: Link

From future music blog

UPDATE: Mackie Anounces Control Pro Surfaces: Link

Mackie anounces Tracktion 3!!!! (I love Tracktion’s ease of use and its better mastering plugins)

TAPCO Anounces 4×6 Firewire audio interface for $249: Link

UPDATE: KORG IMAGES on Gearjunkies.com: Link (currently having server issues)

A Stupid Mixer, MINI Kaoss Pad (***AWESOME***), M3 Synth, and R3 (new Darth Vader edition microkorg).

Check back for status and pictures / adds.
If you know anything, please comment!

Most Anticipated / Rumored:

Apple Logic version 8 or 7.5: Unconfirmed

Alesis Master Control Firewire Audio Interface: Confirmed


Alesis Master Control
Nice!! Check out the specs on this audio interface. Its everything you’ve ever dreamed of….6 discrete outs, 5.1 surround. 8 Channels of 44.1-192khz audio in. Motorized Faders, MIDI, 2 Preamps, SPDIF, LCD, Jog wheel, fully editable presets.
New Korg Microkorg called the R3: Leaked Images / Confirmed From Gear Junkies



New Korg Mini Chaos Pad: Leaked Images / Confirmed From Gear Junkies

Roland MV-8800 Sampler Workstation: Confirmed

MV-8800

Roland V-Synth GT: Confirmed

V-Synth GT

Previously Confirmed:

(Coming in March)
Arturia Origin: Origin is the first Arturia Hardware synthesizer. It is a modular system of a new generation opening innovative avenues in sound design.
Loaded with modules extracted from the best synthesizers of all time (Moog Modular, ARP 2600, CS-80, minimoog and Prophet VS). Details Link
(Arturia Origin sounds like it could be really expensive…)

No word yet on Steve Urkel Edition Moog.

Korg M1000 Product Page

Future-proof digital recording is here
With the pristine fidelity and ultimate flexibility of 1-bit technology, the new, surprisingly affordable MR-1000 and MR-1 ensure that your final mixes and location recordings are never obsolete.

MR-1000
The MR-1000 is the perfect tool for the professional who wants to record and archive their final mixes in the studio, while its compact size and portability make it ideal for location recording. Whatever the use, you get the benefit of capturing it at the new high 5.6 MHz rate. After recording and editing all your tracks in the DAW/hardware system of your choice, you can mix directly, or via an analog summing mixer, to the MR-1000. This gives you the superb fidelity of high-rate1-bit technology, which when transferred to your computer can be converted to the mastering format of your choice thanks to AudioGate. And backing up in 1-bit format “future proofs” your mix for potential reuse in the future.

Uncompromising, future-proof fidelity at an unprecedented price
Korg’s new, super-portable MR Professional Mobile Recorders break new ground by providing high fidelity 1-bit recording technology at unheard of low prices. The hand-held MR-1 provides high quality 1-bit/2.8 MHz recording and playback, while the mobile/tabletop MR-1000 delivers an astonishing 1-bit/5.6 MHz, doubling industry DSD recording quality standards.