Eric Darius | On A Mission

Eric Darius is On A Mission

With 24 musicians, five producers and eight studios from Canada to Jamaica! Mixing up the flavors of hip hop, fusion, acid jazz, straight-up funk and R&B into a melodic concoction of scrumptious delectable sonic treats.  Danny Weiss, VP of Jazz A&R for Shanachie states, “If you think of jazz as a wonderful tree whose trunk is its great tradition and whose branches are the never ending innovations of its young disciples, then Eric Darius is the newest branch of that tree. He can swing like the masters and funk like a hip-hopper; truly the blossoming of tomorrow’s jazz.”

“I want my music to be a vehicle for change and to transcend boundaries from age to race. I believe my music can make a difference in the world.”

His unbridled passion can be heard on the song “Let’s Go,” which he co-wrote with producer and keyboardist Micah Otano and Mike Barkulis (in fact four of the ten songs on the CD were co-written with Otano and Barkulis). With amplified rock guitars and thumping bass lines, R&B vocals and a hip hip hook, the groove-happy “Let’s Go” sounds like a ready-made top 40 R&B hit. Darius and Otano collaborated with one another on Eric’s last recording and first met while on tour with Brian Culbertson. “I think that Micah and I are a perfect match, because we both come from the same place musically. We both have an understanding and appreciation for all genres of music and like to push musical boundaries.”

Best Buy

iTunes

AmpliTube iRig | Heavy Tones In A Light Package

Complete Interface and Software Solution

AmpliTube iRig is a combination of an easy-to-use instrument interface adapter and guitar and bass tone mobile software.

With AmpliTube iRig, you can plug your guitar into your iPhone/iPod touch/iPad and jam anywhere with world class guitar and bass tone right in the palm of your hand – from the leader in studio-class guitar and bass software.

Simply plug the iRig interface into your mobile device, plug your instrument into the appropriate input jack, plug in your headphones, amp or powered speakers, download AmpliTube for iPhone Free and start rocking!

You’ll have at your fingertips the sound and control of 3 recombinable simultaneous stompbox effects + amplifier + cabinet + microphone just like a traditional guitar or bass stage rig!

Add amps and effects as you need them — you can expand your rig with up to 11 stomps, 5 amps, 5 cabinets and 2 microphones in the AmpliTube iRig app custom shop.

Pro Tools 8.0.4 Released With Windows 7 Support

Avid announced the completion of Pro Tools 8.0.4 for all versions. The latest update offers Windows 7 support for Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered, plus lots of improvements. Enjoy tons of performance enhancements and fixes with Pro Tools® 8.0.4 software, a new free update for all registered Pro Tools HD 8, Pro Tools LE®, and Pro Tools M-Powered™ users. This latest version delivers official Windows 7 support for Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered—plus we’ve added new PC drivers for Pro Tools LE 8.0.4, greatly expanding the number of compatible laptop and desktop computers.

Updates and fixes are shown here

Download the update here

GAIA SH-01 | Flash Back, Flash Forward!

With its massive sound, hands-on ease, and affordable price, the GAIA SH-01 is a high-performance value with old-school charm. The triple-stacked engine puts potent virtual analog synthesis under your fingertips, yet the control panel is so fun, friendly, and inviting, even first-timers can create great sounds. The signal flow is simple to grasp, with logically arranged knobs, sliders, and buttons. Hands-on control and fat sound make this little powerhouse a joy for music students, songwriters, session players, and live performers of all styles and skill levels.

Pioneer Sweeps Five Categories @ The 25th Annual IDMA

PIONEER HONORED AS DJ
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

Pioneer Sweeps Five Categories at the 25th Annual
International Dance Music Awards

LONG BEACH, CA – (April 15, 2010)– Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. Professional Sound and Visual Division (Pioneer DJ) announced that it won five awards at the 2010 Winter Music Conference held in March, including the prestigious Manufacturer of the Year and Best New Product awards for its new CDJ-2000 professional multi player. Pioneer DJ won awards for Best Headphone, Best CD player, Best Mixer, Best New Product and Best Manufacturer categories. These honors emphasize Pioneer’s role as a technology innovator that is committed to furthering the industry and bringing an incomparable experience to all facets of the DJ entertainment industry.

The WMC’s week-long gathering in Miami, FL is regarded as the premier networking event in the dance music industry where top international artists, DJs, producers and industry professionals converge from over 62 countries. More than 70,000 visitors partake in the biggest dance events of the year including workshops, performances, product launches and release parties. Organizations also recognize exceptional products and innovative technologies from the previous year.

“It’s a great honor to be recognized for the products and technologies we work so hard to develop. Our goal at Pioneer is to create the most advanced entertainment products that fit the needs of aspiring and professional DJs, nightclubs and nightclub designers,” said Matt Dever, vice president for the Professional Sound and Visual Division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

Pioneer won the following coveted IDMA industry awards:
25th Annual International Dance Music Awards (IDMA) – More than 10,000 ballots were cast to vote for the most innovative and elite artists, DJs, producers, promoters, remixers, manufacturers and labels in the business.

• Best Manufacturer: Winner – Pioneer DJ – Pioneer was recognized for outstanding contributions to the advancement of the industry. Often regarded as the “industry standard,” Pioneer solidified its position as a true innovator and visionary in the business.
• Best New Product: Winner – CDJ-2000 – Available in late 2009, the CDJ-2000 is a multi-format digital media player with features that put the performance back into the art of DJing and reduce the need for laptops to access music files. DJs of all experience levels can enhance their mixing and scratching capabilities using proprietary technologies such as rekordbox™¹ music management, Pro DJ Link, Needle Search and USB and SD card connectivity.
• Best Mixer: Winner – DJM-800 – Pioneer´s industry standard mixer provides high quality audio and mixing versatility. The DJM-800 incorporates features recommended by many professional DJs and club engineers, raising the bar on sound fidelity and ease of mixer operation.
• Best CD Player: Winner – CDJ-1000MK3 – The highly regarded CDJ-1000MK3 digital media player offers playback of MP3 files that puts more control into the hands of DJs. Features include jog feel adjustments, hot looping / re-looping, and improved track and wave data display to provide DJs with enhanced mixing and scratching capabilities to sharpen their craft.
• Best Headphones: Winner – HDJ-2000 – Perfect for use in DJ environments and studios, the HDJ-2000 is Pioneer´s highest performance headphone, providing exceptional sound that clearly and accurately reproduces audio, comfortable fit to minimize fatigue from long periods of use and high durability that withstands demanding conditions.

Pioneer offers a complete line of professional DJ Equipment through its Professional Sound & Visual Division. Its DJM series of mixers has become an industry standard at clubs, studios, mobile rigs and homes around the world, known for its high quality sound and reliability. For more information, visit www.PioneerDJ.com.

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif., and its U.S. Web address is www.PioneerElectronics.com. Its parent company, Pioneer Corporation, established in Tokyo in 1938, is a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video and computer equipment for the home, car and business markets.

Open Labs DBeat | Open Minds And Move Crowds, Anytime, Anywhere.

Open minds and move crowds, anytime, anywhere.

DBeat is the first professional studio you can play live onstage, yet it’s small enough to stow away in your carry-on luggage. You can also stream a live-quality set online to fully conquer studio, stage and screen.

Run away with your creativity – literally – with DBeat.

DBeat is…

A revolution. DBeat is the first professional studio that you can play as a musical instrument. Compose, record, mix and master, all “in-the-box,” then use it to perform any way you like. Weighing less than 20 lbs, DBeat can be carried onto most airplanes.

A studio powerhouse. DBeat is where power and portability meet. Capable of running virtually any Windows XP-based music application or Digital Audio Workstation software (DAW), DBeat is your computer, mixer, MPC, virtual instrument (VST) host and mastering station. It will even burn your CDs or DVDs and distribute your music online.

A VST hardware brain. DBeat is the perfect companion for traditional electronic keyboard players, and a simple solution for playing your favorite VSTs on stage with rock solid stability. Run more than 200 standard VSTs at once using Open Labs’ critically acclaimed RiFF virtual instrument host, which is integrated into each DBeat.

Revolutionary features – such as a 12.1″ touch screen that allows you to create on-the-fly set lists comprised of songs and virtual controls – bring your virtual instrument to life. Physical controls, such as nine assignable faders, are perfectly matched for those that require drawbar controls for organ instruments.

And let’s not forget that DBeat comes standard with a plethora of sounds, making it the world’s most well-stocked hardware sound module. If that’s not enough, every DBeat is capable of cloning your favorite virtual instruments. By using Open Labs’ MimiK keyboard cloning software (included in DBeat Pro), you can even clone any hardware keyboard workstation, synthesizer or sound module.

A producer’s dream. DBeat is the ultimate tool for any producer, regardless of genre. Massive processing power, instant multi-track recording, integrated MPC functionality, a multi-card reader/writer and DVD burner, Internet connectivity, plug-and-play ability with third party keyboard controllers and the opportunity to produce more than 4 billion sounds are just a few features we’ve perfected with producers in mind. DBeat allows you to compose more music, produce better songs, be more creative, and make more money.

The first real DJ instrument. DBeat lets you elevate yourself to the next level as a DJ. Produce, remix and perform in ways you’ve only dreamed about. Consolidate your laptop computer, controllers, audio I/O, and cabling into a single portable instrument that you can literally set up in 30 seconds.

DBeat lets you plug in your turntables via Serato Scratch or other time-code vinyl solutions to beat, mix and scratch. But that’s only the start. The audio chain can then be routed into Ableton LIVE, allowing you to use the built-in effects or any other VSTs in real-time, on the fly. Cue points, single hits or drops can be assigned to the Bump MP drum pad controller, allowing you to play along with the track you’re spinning. You can even plug in microphones, run Auto-Tune and vocoder vocal effects, and mix them right into the tracks.

CPU
3.0 GHz Intel® Core2 Duo ®

Control Surfaces
Trackball with 2 buttons
Mix/Edit Controls
BumpMP
DJ Panel with Penny & Giles^TM Crossfader

Memory
4 GB

Audio I/O
Comprehensive I/O capable of up to 24bit / 96KHz audio with 4 in / 6 out including 2 phantom-powered mic-pres with instrument inputs, S/PDIF I/O and MIDI I/O;

Storage
320 Gigabyte

Drive
High Speed Dual-Layer 8.5GB/disc CD/DVD Burner

Display
12″ resistive touch screen

Connection
Midi In/Out
1) 4 USB 2.0 ports
2) (1) FireWire 400 port
3) (1) Gigabit (10/100/1000) Ethernet port
4) (1) DVI-I Video Port

Included Software
Open Labs Riff^TM
Ableton^TM Live 7 (available only on DBeat PRO)
REAPER^TM
GURU^TM
Deckadance^TM

PREMIUM Factory Sound Library
Thousands of high-quality sounds. DBeat PRO includes an additional 14 GB from the full-feature version of Ableton^TM Live 7. (Check our Software Bundle webpage for more information)

Dimensions:
26”(W) X 14”(D) X 5”(H), Weight (base configuration) 20 lbs. (Actual)
33”(W) X 19”(D) X 9”(H), Weight (base configuration) 33 lbs. (Shipping)

DBeat is serious enough for the pros – be they scratch or electronic – but simple enough for the aspriring DJ.

SSL X-Desk

The SSL X-Desk SuperAnalogue Mixer is Built from the same SuperAnalogue™ DNA as our AWS 900+, Duality and Matrix consoles.

Meeting the demand for a world class, compact SSL mixing desk, X-Desk combines a 16 channel SSL SuperAnalogue™ summing mixer with a compact analogue audio hub for your studio. Small enough to be easily transported, X-Desk fulfills all the essentials of the audio mixing process, with typical SSL attention to detail and depth, including smooth 100mm faders, comprehensive artist & studio monitoring with Dim & Cut buttons, Stereo and Mono Aux sends, channel and Master Bus Inserts and accurate bar graph level metering.

For easy integration into your existing studio, X-Desk can be used as an elegant and ergonomically refined desktop mixer with removable rack ears for standard 19″ rack mounting (7U space required). Like all SSL SuperAnalogue™ products, it is extremely robust, hand-built in the UK with an all metal chassis and high quality controls and components. Up to eight X-Desks or X-Desk & X-Rack combinations can be cascaded via D-Sub connection to expand up to 160 inputs on mixdown.

X-Desk brings benchmark audio performance to the compact mixer format.

The SSL X-Desk SuperAnalogue Mixer Key Features include:

* SuperAnalogue™ – analogue purity at the highest level
* 8x dual input Mono Line channels : 16 channel mixdown
* 8x Insert Send/Returns on channels
* Stereo CUE and 2 Mono Auxiliary Sends
* Cascade with X-Rack and other X-Desks for bigger systems
* Talkback – for artist communication
* Dim & Cut buttons
* Independent Main and Alternate stereo monitor outputs
* SSL Stereo Mix Bus with External summing and Inserts
* 2x Stereo Returns with Level, Pan and Bus assignment
* iJack front panel input for portable playback devices
* High quality internal PSU
* D-Sub Channel I/O connection for studio integration
* 19″ Rack mount ears included

Pro Tools 8

The new Pro Tools® 8 software is a HUGE leap forward for the industry standard DAW. Pro Tools® 8 is the most advanced audio creation and production software, featuring a gorgeous new interface, dozens of new virtual instruments and plug-ins, exciting new scoring and MIDI features, amazing new workflows, better ease of use, deeper controller integration, and much, much more. You’ll never work with sound the same way again.

Access Virus TI | OS3

After an extensive public beta test phase OS3 is ready to roll. The new operating system for the entire Virus TI product line introduces new and existing effects such as additional distortion types, a tape delay and last but not least a ring shifter. The new version is recommended for every user and can be downloaded free of charge as of today. Access also launched the next public beta cycle for OS version 3.0.2 which will focus on stability and performance. The new OS version is available for public testing today.