Gear EXPO2024: This year is already shaping up to be the year of gadgets. And we’re talking about devices of all shapes and sizes, not all of which fit into traditional equipment categories.
Kisktarter has a lot to answer for, as it provides a physical representation of the ideas of some of the most brilliant inventors on the planet, many of whom seem to be focused on music production. .
This means we are constantly surprised and excited by the products of many lesser-known companies in music production. These companies are flexible enough to take on the challenge and create something they 100% believe in, taking some of us along for the ride.
That doesn’t mean the music technology giants are holding back in the gadget space. There are also big releases from Korg and Yamaha.
So, from cute samplers to video game soundtracks, here are the best innovations of 2024 so far. Welcome to the gadgets of 2024…
Korg NTS-3 KAOSS Pad
Korg’s powerful KAOSS pads celebrate 25 years of xy pad sampling and effects this year. This rare performance sampler and effects box has been used by artists such as Brian Eno, Radiohead, and Muse, and many others love its unique way of processing audio in real time.
The latest product was announced by Korg at this year’s NAMM show and follows the company’s DIY ideology born with the Nu-Tekt series, which also includes the NTS-1 (see image above).
The NTS-3 KAOSS Pad still includes an xy touch pad interface and the ability to mix and match four effects, but you can build it yourself (without the need for soldering) and you can customize the look You can also customize it. Korg says you’ll be up and running in just 20 minutes.
The NTS-3 KAOSS Pad is scheduled to ship in June of this year, but pricing information is not yet available. More information can be found on the Korg website.
yamaha sex track
Seqtrak, the star of this year’s NAMM show, is, as Yamaha puts it, a “standalone music production studio.” Includes a step sequencer, drum machine, sampler, and several software synths. Seqtrak is also equipped with a microphone, speaker, rechargeable battery, and works with an app that allows users to perform more detailed sound editing.
As you work the unit from left to right, you’ll see drums, synths and samplers in the center, and sound design and effects to the right. The drum section has 7 of his tracks (kick, snare, clap, 2 hi-hats, 2 percussion sounds) and can be filled with sounds from his 2000 sample library in Seqtrak or your own samples via the Seqtrak app can do.
Seqtrak features three polyphonic digital synth engines. Two are based on AWM2 (Advanced Wave Memory) technology, and the other is a four-operator FM engine named DX, based on the sound of the Yamaha DX7 synth.
Seqtrak’s sampler can record via the built-in microphone or stereo mini-jack input, resample internally, and play loaded samples over Wi-Fi and USB-C connections. Sounds can be processed through an array of effects, including 12 types of reverb, 9 types of delay, modulation, distortion, compression, a 5-band master EQ, and low-pass and high-pass filters for each track.
Seqtrak is available in gray and black or white and orange and costs $599.
More information is available on Yamaha’s website. I plan on getting it in for review as soon as possible.
Chompi
The Chompi sampler was a hit on Kickstarter last year, raising over $1 million, but this year is set to be the biggest yet for this most distinctive of instruments. Because units are rolled out to backers and eventually available for review.
Chompi’s sampling is done via a built-in microphone, and the device instantly maps samples across a two-octave keyboard. These can be edited in a variety of ways and have a polyphony of 7 voices and 14 preset slots.
Samples are temporarily stored and placed in the Chompi Buffer and Looper Buffer sections, and there are Jammi and Cubbi modes for playing samples chromatically or as one-shots. Jammi mode allows you to play up to 7 notes simultaneously, while Cubbi mode allows you to play 14 different samples simultaneously and adjust each sample individually.
Effects include multi-mode filters, lo-fi saturation, and grainy delay reverb, and you can stack layers of sound using a tape-style looper. The transport knob controls tape scrubbing, loop playback speed/direction, and other functions.
Chompi doesn’t have a screen, so accessing all of these features (and more) can be a little confusing, but as the demo below shows, interface labeling and flashing lights can work well together to avoid cluttering your workflow. Too complicated. If you get stuck, there’s a quick start manual printed on the bottom of Chompi).
Chompi will be available for purchase once all Kickstarter pre-orders are completed and will be available for purchase soon. The price is $599.
Sonicware LIVEN Mega Synthesis
Sonicware is well known for their FM and lo-fi grooveboxes, but this latest release looks to be their most interesting yet.
LIVEN Mega Synthesis recreates the sounds of the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive in the UK). The original had his YM2612 sound chip, which Mega Synthesis emulates.
This unit features a 4-operator, 8-algorithm FM synthesis module that mimics the sound of the YM2612. There’s also a programmable sound generator module that processes basic waveforms and noise to create nostalgic chiptune-esque tones. Finally, the 8-bit PCM module features 96 sample slots with sample times of 2 to 8 seconds each, delivering crisp sample playback in the style of Genesis’ Z80 microprocessor.
This synth is equipped with a 6-track sequencer (3 tracks for the FM synth, 2 tracks for the PSG module, and 1 track for the PCM sample player) with up to 128 patterns and up to 128 steps each.
SonicWare commissioned Yuzo Koshiro, a game composer who worked on Sonic the Hedgehog and Streets of Rage, to design 32 presets and 8 patterns for the synthesizer, and created 320 FM. Added presets and 64 sample drum kits. Check out some of his patterns with his Yuzo presets in the video below.
The first LIVEN Mega Synthesis units are already sold out, but the second batch should be shipping by the time you read this. The synthesizer is priced at $239 and more information is available on the Sonicware website.
stylophone theremin
Next up is two iconic musical products rolled into one: the stylophone and the theremin. Dubreq is the brand that developed the original Stylophone, and its Stylophone His Theremin is a new take on the theremin, a legendary instrument that was controlled using the movements of the performer’s hands.
While the original theremin was equipped with two antennas to control pitch and volume, Dunbreq’s version has only one, used to control the pitch of the oscillator via hand position. can. This should make the Stylophone Theremin easier to play than the original.
The Stylophone Theremin has two oscillators (sine wave and square wave), one controlled via the antenna and the other via the pitch slider.
Notes are triggered by buttons on the unit and their length is adjusted by the Decay knob.
This instrument has modulation controls, vibrato, and delay effects, allowing you to control level, delay time, and feedback. It’s battery powered and has built-in speakers in addition to headphone and line outputs.
The Stylophone Theremin is priced at $110/£90 and is available for pre-order. For more information, please visit Dubreq’s website.
floating knob dishes
Floating Knobs is a Berlin-based company focused on “providing playful and complex instruments for musicians, experimental geeks, and instrument enthusiasts.”
Its debut instrument, Cuisine, is a 12-track sequencer specialized in generating rhythm, melody, and modulation signals. That track can hold her 8 patterns of 64 steps each and can output any combination of MIDI, CV, or gates. This device can store up to 16 12-track projects.
Cuisine also features step sequences using both traditional and Euclidean sequences. Tracks can be clocked together or individually, which means you can design complex polyrhythms across different lanes. Adjust melodies using user-customizable scales that can be applied to individual tracks, and use transpose controls to quickly and easily program chord progressions.
Cuisine’s interface is designed to be used with just one hand, making it ideal for live performance setups. Old-fashioned keyboard buttons line up in his 4×4 grid, which also serves as a playable keyboard for inputting melodies.
Cuisine can be used standalone or integrated into a Eurorack setup and has ample support including 4 CV outputs, 8 gate/trigger outputs, 4 gate inputs, MIDI TRS input/output, and USB. It has a large amount of I/O. C port.
The price of the dish is 450 euros, and the first units should be available now. For more information on cooking, visit his website at Floating Knobs.
Kibiak Instrument WiFi
Perhaps one of the most “ordinary” looking instruments in this roundup of gadgets, Kiviak Instruments seems to have packed a lot of innovation into its latest WoFi portable sampler.
WoFi is a “modern take” on 80s and 90s keyboard samplers, blending the functionality, simplicity, and character of these classic sampling instruments with a modern touch.
You can record samples into WoFi via the microphone or stereo input, or load samples over WiFi from WoFi’s cloud-based sample platform mywo.fi. Samples can also be loaded via WoFi’s proprietary cartridges.
These samples can be played in 10-voice polyphony, and can also be processed through numerous emulations of classic samplers to give them color, character, or lo-fi vibes. It can then be passed through a low-pass filter with an ADSR envelope and slopes of 12dB and 24dB.
The instrument includes a 16-step sequencer for creating melodies and a second sequencer for recording parameter changes.
WoFi’s Texturer is a harmonious granular effect described as “a cross between shimmer FX and granular compositing.” It will also be available as a standalone VST/AU plugin.
WFi’s keyboard is velocity sensitive and has aftertouch. It also has a built-in speaker and microphone as well as battery power, making it a convenient music production device to carry.
WoFi has inputs and outputs for line-level stereo audio, CV/gate, analog sync, and MIDI, in addition to MIDI thru, headphone output, and USB connectivity.
The sampler can be pre-ordered through the Kickstarter campaign for 599 euros. For more information, please visit his website at Kiviak Instruments.
Suzuki Omnicord OM-108
Finally this year, Omnicord makes a welcome return with the arrival of the OM-108 in July. First manufactured by engineers at Japan’s Suzuki Motor Corporation in 1980, the Omnichord has always been an instrument designed for use by those with little experience in music production, and the OM-108 remains true to this.
The left side has a set of chord selection options and a strummable touch strip to play them. Select chord flavors with major, minor, and 7th buttons, as well as sus4 and add9 variations.
The OM-108 uses analog circuitry to emulate the sound of the classic OM-84 model, but also includes new tones. Power up your sounds with new layering options, and the rhythm section has been updated with new drum beats.
The Omnichord OM-108 should cost around $800, but this price has not yet been confirmed. Please let us know when details are finalized or check the Suzuki website for more information.
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