NAMM 2012: Digital Performer Comes To Windows

MOTU's flagship digital audio platform has enjoyed many years of success, being recognized as a leading DAW for Mac users. Now with the release of Digital Performer 8, PC users can for the first time share in the gloating with their Apple counterparts. DP8 brings with it all of the things long-time users have come to love and appreciate about the software, plus several new enhancements which are sure to both facilitate ease of use and inspire even deeper levels of creation.

The new features for Digital Performer 8 include:

• "Punch Guard" - this feature records an extra 4 seconds of audio at the beginning and end of punched in parts, eliminating lost or 'clipped' sound resulting from prematurely terminated recording. This allows the user to go in and manually trim the punched in audio to their liking.
• Themes - Allows the user to alter the appearance of DP8. A set of 14 brand new themes is included; offering such variants as "Hi-Fi", "Arctic" and "None More Black".
• 15 New Plug-ins - A variety of plug-ins is also included; ranging from amp and cabinet models to spatial enhancement and instrument specific plug-ins such as the Subkick kick drum enhancer.

Digital Performer 8 will run in 32-bit or 64-bit environments and will be available for Windows 7 and Mac beginning Spring 2012.

NAMM 2012: Alesis AmpDock for iPad

As if there weren't already more than enough reasons to grab Apple's massively successful tablet, Alesis comes through and gives us yet another. The AmpDock, slated for release this July, allows the user to slide the iPad device into its shiny red casing and call up a wide assortment of famous amp models.

Using either the included Alesis software or any other currently available amp modeling app from the App Store, the user can connect the AmpDock to their physical amplifier of choice and instantly call up a wide assortment of amp models and effects. The package also includes a 4 button footswitch with assignable volume/expression pedal. The AmpDock is expected to release in July for roughly $299 and is compatible with all generations of Apple's iPad device.

NAMM 2012: New "Fenderoland" VG Stratocaster G-5

Roland and Fender have partnered to introduce the new VG Strat G-5. Fusing the best qualities of the classic Fender Strat and the Roland V guitar synthesizer, this instrument brings you the proven sound and build quality Fender has been synonymous with for the last 50 years plus the flexibility and broad range of guitar sounds offered by Roland's famous VG-99 and GR-55 guitar systems.

The instrument features the usual 3 single coil pickup setup plus a deftly placed GK-3 divided pickup located just north of the bridge. Immediately adjacent to this pickup are the familiar Volume and Tone knobs. In addition to these are two slightly smaller knobs which control the various parameters of the built-in VG system, offering up tonal variations such as pickup type, body type, tuning and various other things sure to wow and amaze the player's audience. In total there are 20 different sounds available, not the least of which are Telecaster, humbucker pickup, 12 string, acoustic and all sorts of alternate tuning setups.

The axe itself is instantly familiar to any Strat fan.

• 22-fret maple neck with either a maple or rosewood fingerboard
• a synchronized trem bridge
• American inline tuners
• Chrome hardware

The VG Stratocaster G-5 goes on sale in March so be sure to hound your local dealers until they get them in store. This one should be quite popular.

It's NAMM Time! We're Back!!

After a brief hiatus following New Year festivities, we're back on track with tons of coverage and features from NAMM 2012! Stay tuned over the next several days as we will be spotlighting several new gear announcements from the show floor in Anaheim, CA!

Artist cTrix Rocks Out With The "gAtari"! Must Be Seen To Be Believed....

I'm going to file this one under my "never would have thought possible" category. I love to see people think of creative ways to hack and exploit technology. To take an already exceptional piece of hardware and make it do things that it was never intended to do is a testament to human ingenuity and is also rather inspiring. When done to benefit the people instead of for self aggrandizement or twisted notoriety, hacking can be wonderful.

The artist cTrix has found a way to forge a classic Atari 2600 video game console into a musical instrument ready to set ablaze dance floors and living rooms worldwide. cTrix took an Atari 2600 as a base and through some fancy reprogramming of EPROM chips and circuitry modifications with stomp boxes has created the "gAtari". This is the instrument that Scott Pilgrim and Sex Bob-omb would have used to defeat some of the Seven Evil Exes had it been available to them. Check out the vid below to see the gAtari in action.




When you're done dancing check out cTrix's Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/cTrix/118258328189500