Music making apps for the iPad are currently seen as more useful alongside musicians’ main recording rig rather than instead of them. This perception, however, may be changed with this new app. Wave Machine Labs’ Auria is a a 48-track iPad music production app that allows users to record up to 24 tracks simultaneously, provided they have a suitable USB audio interface.

In order to record music, the app requires users to have a Camera Connection Kit and a compatible USB audio interface.

The Auria also features AAF support, so users can copy their session files to their main DAW such as Nuendo and Pro Tools; multitrack editing; and VST plug-in support, which is one of the most interesting features of this app. Note that plug-ins are in iOS format only, so you won’t be able to use your own, which is pretty bad.

The new app also comes with a number of free plug-ins that have been provided by Wave Labs’ partnership with PSPaudioware. These plug-ins include stereo chorus and delay, convolution reverb, classicVerb and a pitch processor. More plug-ins created by PSPaudioware, Overloud Audio Tools, Fabfilter and more will be available once the app is launched in the first quarter of 2012.

via: Gear Diary

Wave Labs announces its Auria DAW for the iPad is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

This month we are giving you the chance to win a set of top of the line MOS0006 over-ear headphones by answering one simple question.

The Prize

Twenty years of development have culminated in the latest range of Ministry of Sound headphones. The latest MOS0006 headphones are great looking, comfortable and most importantly sound great.

Punchy sounds make them ideal for drum and bass as each of the ear cups contain dual 50mm drivers. The ear cups benefit from foam filled leather cushions, which combined with a classic metal adjusting strap make them comfortable enough for prolonged use.

How to enter

Simply answer the following question to enter the competition. A further entry can be gained by liking this page on Facebook; or Tweeting it out to your buddies.

Terms

• Closing Date is 31st January
• One entry per household
• UK entrants only

Win a Set of Ministry of Sound MOS0006 Headphones is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Trumstand is the world’s first iPhone dock that has a horn shaped speaker just like a trumpet. And yes, you’re right; it is made from real brass.

According to Pleiades designs, the Trumstand does not have any electronic parts to amplify the sound. Instead, it relies on the acoustics of the horn. What happens is, the sound that comes out of the iPhone’s speakers are transmitted to the dock’s base, which is made of a thick block of aluminum that weighs 4.3 kg to minimize vibrations. The sound then passes through the trumpet-like speaker, amplifying the sound via natural acoustics.

It looks very impressive and what’s amazing about it is you don’t have to use extra energy to power the speaker. It will also make your room have a classy feel to it as the device looks like an 1800s gramophone.

Pleiades design’s Trumstand Passive Speaker dock for iPhone is a very interesting concept, but it does not come cheap as the brass . The gold model is priced ¥150,800 ($2,000) and the silver model is priced ¥138,000 or $1,800.

via: Geeky Gadgets

Trumstand is an iPhone speaker dock that does not use power is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

This impressive new device is great for starters, as they would be introduced to playing anything by reading tabs (though well-trained musicians don’t approve of this).

“Tab + Strummer = TabStrummer. Tab or guitar tablature refers to a system of writing guitar chords easily and visually,” according to the device’s website. “The guitar having 6 strings; EADGBe, a guitar tab is a 6 digit combination of numbers and letter X which corresponds to a muted string. Each digit corresponds to each fret of particular string on the guitar.”

This audio device is built around an Atmel microcontroller and it features a MIDI (digital) output and a line out.  The audio out jack enables you to plug the device to your headphones, speakers or your TV’s input, and it also features an add-on MIDI sound shield from Sparkfun Electronics.

The Tabstrummer also has strings made of PCB traces and are touch sensitive. The strings are spread out so that users can pluck individual strings.

The device’s creators are considering releasing it commercially, so head to the TabStrummer website and let the creators hear your thoughts.

TabStrummer programmable MIDI guitar works like a keyboard is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

MainStage 2 and Logic Pro 9 are now downloadable for $29.99 and $199.99, and has joined other apps like iLife, iWork and Final Cut Pro. Both offerings were previously bundled with Compressor 3.5, WaveBurner 1.6 and Soundtrack Pro 3 as the boxed Logic Studio, which was available for $499.

Past reports claimed that Apple was nearing the completion of Logic Pro X, and it also indicated that Soundtrack Pro will not be included in the update as it is part of Final Cut’s update to Final Cut Pro X.

“Logic Pro brings together all the editing tools and content browsers you need in a single, beautifully designed window,” explains Apple. “So everything can happen faster. Your shortcut menus, toolbars, and transport controls are right there for you, not spread across a maze of windows. And you can customize the toolbar and transport areas with the tools and controls you use most often.”

Logic Pro 9 is now available as a 413 MB download and 19 GB worth of optional content is available through in-app download.

via: The Verge

Apple to sell Logic Pro 9 and MainStage 2 separately is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Now, geeky item shop ThinkGeek has featured a new design that places a drum machine on a shirt, enabling you to play your beats wherever you may be and whenever you want.

This shirt is a fully functional drum machine that has its own mini speaker that clips to your belt. What’s good about it is that it has a looping functionality with what seems to be unlimited tracks, where these loops can last up to 3 minutes. It also features a selection of 9 synthesized sounds including Discotek, Rock Drums, Scratchy, Retro 808, Techno Punk, Classic Jazz, Chiptune, Bass Invaderz and Zapf Dingbeats.

The drum machine shirt is could be a great gift to aspiring rappers, DJs and percussion players or enthusiasts. It is washable, just don’t forget to remove all electronics before dipping it in water.

This, like shirts of its kind, has been designed and distributed exclusively by ThinkGeek. You can visit their website for more information.

Drum machine shirt lets you pump out beats anywhere, anytime is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Now, a recently published Apple patent reveals how the company could add a speaker to the clip of the iPod Shuffle or Nano. It is a pretty sneaky way to add an extra feature to the smallest of Apple’s players without adding extra bulk.

According to the published patent, which was released by Patently Apple, a built-in speaker would be a “natural evolutionary step for their media players.”

The patent did not specify how the speaker will be used, but being a part of a music player, it is likely that it would be used for playing music and playing click sounds when navigating menus.

The filing describes that any kind of speakers could be used for the device. One example is a piezoelectric speaker, where a flex microstrip, fine gauge wire or a coaxial cable can be used to connect the main housing to the speaker.

A speaker of this size may fit into the Shuffle’s clip, but we don’t think that it can produce good quality sound. Given that the patent was filed in May 2010, this could be one of many of the company’s scrapped projects.

via: Apple Insider

Patent describes built-in speakers on iPod Shuffle and Nano is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

Today I’ve received some high-end headphones from British headphone company Atomic Floyd. They’ve just released its new bass-heavy SuperDarts in-ear earphones, their flagship model. I’ve got the glorious task of putting them through their paces to see if they are worth the £199 price tag.

Overview

The Atomic Floyd SuperDarts are dual driver earphones which are compatible with iPhones and other media players. The SuperDarts earphones features a microphone for voice calls if used with an iPhone, and clicker button controls the phone’s music playback.

In The Box

- One set of Superdarts

- Small, Medium and Large sound silicone tips

- airplane adapter

- 6.3 mm stereo adapter

- silicone carry pouch

- Owners manual

Design

These earphones look like tiny bullets, which not only looks cool but also serves the purpose of creating the ideal shape for in-ear use. The all metal construction make them look very attractive and feel sturdy (just warm them up before popping them in), they are truly gorgeous and put other in-ears back on the shelf.

The machined construction ensure that these earphones won’t be falling apart anytime soon, they feel solid to the touch and should take any punishment you throw at them (to sensible extents at least).

Steel acoustic chambers, combined with its noise isolating silicone tips, feel reassuring whilst in the ears. One problem though is the weight, which is a little heavy for its size. This can be a problem sometimes if you are an active type of person who moves around all the time, I could use them on the tube and even on the cross trainer in the gym and they felt safe when on the treadmill. They do come with several different sized silicone tips which range from tiny to large (i’m sure their are more technical ways to describe them!). This allows the ideal fit, these can also be replaced in the future should the need arise.

The earphone’s Kevlar cable does not easily get tangled (even if you treat them badly) and looks amazing in red. The company chose kevlar because it is ultra strong and light (it’s the same material used in bullet proof vests), if you do break them the two year send in warranty would cover the repair.  The 3.55 mm jack is crafted from gold plated steel, making sure that the earbuds will last longer than their cheaper competitors.

Performance

The SuperDarts are designed specifically to deliver supercharged bass. These bad boys perform well across all music varieties with a full sound spectrum delivering impeccable audio, from quiet acoustic songs to the low frequency boom of a bass drum.

The SuperDarts also features the Atomic Floyd SoftSeal silicone tips that offer two-way noise isolation. The SoftSeal tips significantly reduce environmental noise upon insertion, enabling users to listen comfortably at low volumes. This also ensures that music won’t leak when listening at high volumes, whilst at a loud convention I tested these whilst the MC boomed out over a PA system – thankfully I couldn’t hear him and continued to enjoy my music. In my book that makes them worthy of their price tag.

Conclusion

For people who are looking to spend £199 on a high-end pair of earphones, the SuperDarts are highly recommended as they are capable of toppling even the highest-end brands. With their supercharged bass sounds and its metal construction, they’re worth every penny.

Gallery

Atomic Floyd SuperDarts Remote Headphones Review is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

The Prize

The lucky winner will receive one set of Denon AH-D1100 headphones which utilises an aluminium body to deliver high-quality sound whilst remaining light enough for day long use.

These headphones would set you back £99 if you had to buy them, but we’re giving you the chance to win them for free.

Read the full Denon AH-D1100 review to discover more about the headphones and discover the answer to the below question.

The Question

Simply read the question, select the correct answer, add your email, answer the calculation and hit ‘vote’. You’ll have then entered the competition.

Terms and Conditions

- Competition runs until Sunday 20th November

- One entry per person, per method

- you must answer the above question to be eligible

- no cash alternative available

Win some Top Notch Denon AH-D1100 Headphones is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos

According to the New York Times, Google is eager to launch the new music store in a few weeks.

“It would most likely be connected to Google’s existing cloud service, Music Beta, which lets people back up their songs on remote servers and stream them to mobile phones and other devices, said these executives, who all spoke on condition of anonymity because the talks were private and continuing,” reported the publication.

It is unclear if the company could close deals with the major labels and publishers in time for it to open a full service store. A spokesperson from Google declined to comment, and labels did not release a statement regarding the plans of Google.

Google previously tried to launch a music service, but the company failed to acquire licenses from major record labels. The service was to enable users to match their music collection against a hug database that would unlock high-quality versions for download. Negotiations failed due to financial issues and piracy concerns.

After failing to get licenses from the labels, Google opened a version of Music Beta in May. The announcement came five weeks after Amazon opened a similar service called the Cloud Drive.

Apple is expected to launch the iTunes Match, its latest cloud music program, by the end of the month.

via: Venture Beat

Google to open a new MP3 store is a post from: Gadgets and gizmos