Arturia release iMini, a MiniMoog for your iPad

Been tempted by the Arturia MiniMoog, but haven't pulled the trigger yet?  Arturia has released the iMini, an iPad version of their MiniMoog plugin, for $9.99.  The layout is eerily similar to that of the Animoog, but of course, the core synthesis engine is still the same old Moog we know and love.  Check out the above video for a full demonstration of features.  Grab it on the App Store.

EDIT: Full press release:

Arturia advances history-making Minimoog to iPad musical masses!


"The iMini turned my iPad into an ‘old skool’ analogue bass monster! Its sound is irresistibly ‘phat’ and very close to the original. If you want that typical dirty Moog sound then the iMini is all you’ll ever need. It’s by far the most powerful and hypnotising synth app on the market.”
- Stefan Bodzin, 2013 (DJ/producer, remixer of Depeche Mode, Booka Shade, and more)

GRENOBLE, FRANCE: music software and hardware company Arturia is proud to announce availability of iMini, an authentic recreation of the all-time classic Minimoog monosynth for Apple’s all-conquering iPad, as of February 27...
iMini is based on the TAE® (True Analog Emulation) synthesis technology found in Arturia’s award-winning Mini V soft synth, meticulously modelling the distinctive tones and analogue nuances of the legendary Seventies-vintage Minimoog Model D monosynth. Moog changed the musical world with the Minimoog and Arturia helped change the music software world with the Mini V.

Arturia now brings the still-sought-after classic Minimoog sound to the musical masses, transforming any iPad mini, iPad 2, or iPad with Retina display into the ultimate analogue synth emulation! Those timeless three oscillators and that 24dB per octave fabled filter are all present and accounted for in iMini. It also successfully sports the look and feel of Dr Bob Moog’s namesake iconic synthesizer for all to see (and hear). But being a game-changing iPad app for 2013 and not an analogue synth design dating back to 1970 means there’s a whole lot more to iMini than first meets the eye...

Review: Kavinsky's 'OutRun' is a Unique Treat

If you're a fan of Kavinsky, today is a long time coming.  The mysterious Producer/DJ has been floating around for a couple of years now, with various EPs and Singles, but today is finally a full album release of 13 Kavinsky tracks, some new and some old, to form OutRun.  Kavinsky's built a theme for his record of a man whose soul becomes one with a Ferrari Testa Rossa.  Each track seems to represent an imaginary scene in a mental movie of this character, and I find it to be incredibly effective.  The sound of this record is so thematic and soundtrack-like, it seems to bounce from what Daft Punk did for Tron: Legacy, to going back to true 80s, where the sounds could from the original Terminator.  I'm not sure what the secret here is for such a cinematic approach, but it gives the record such a unique, awesome quality.  It makes OutRun the perfect album to drive your car around in, especially at night.

The production work is also stellar.  Kavinsky's chosen a very analog/vinyl sound.  Of course, the low end is modern and punchy enough to dance to, but it has an old-school charm as well.  There's plenty of vintage synth sounds too, and Kavinsky's developed a very signature growly in the low end-- you'll hear it all over OutRun.

If you've heard anything by Kavinsky and liked it, or you're into 80s soundtracks, I highly recommend OutRun.

 

Waldorf Announce New Pocket Sized Synth, Rocket

While the world has been patiently awaiting the Pulse 2 from Waldorf, apparently they've been working on a cool little surprise called the Rocket.  The Rocket is a USB powered 8 oscillator synth (used polyphonically or monophonically) with an analog filter.  I'm guessing the oscillators are digital due to the wording of the press release, but Waldorf is known to have some of the best sounding digital gear, so this should sound pretty fantastic-- and it does, judging by this short YouTube clip.  The price is about 205 euro, so this could land in the US for hopefully $300 (I'm guessing, between exchange rates and VAT), making it a great competitor in the market.  I'm still a bit vague on some of the details-- they use the word "envelopes" but the layout doesn't make it clear if that means one for VCA and VCF specifically, but hopefully that's the case.  Either way, I'm stoked to hear more about this, and you can grab one in March.

 

Check out more pictures and a full press release below.

The new Korg MS-20 Mini is supposedly better than the original

While it may be hard to believe, the new Korg MS-20 Mini is supposedly better than the original, according to Create Digital Music.

To quote the article:
"But I think there are two questions that get resounding answers in the MS-20 mini.
One is, did Korg manage to pull off a reissue that sounds like the original – or is even slightly better? Yes.
And does this 1978 design still hold up in 2013? Absolutely."

I won't steal the thunder of the entire story (linked below) but Peter Kirn seems to be pretty smitten with it.  I think this will help Korg tremendously with preorders-- some have been on the fence about build quality, sound, and the size, but CDM seems to indicate these are non-issues-- the build quality is fine, the sound is great, and the size is what you'd want for a monosynth.

Personally,  It's been on my wishlist, but I think I'll commit to preorder soon.

To read CDM's full article, click here.  There's a wealth of new information here, some great pictures of the packaging, and way more opinions on other elements of the new MS-20 Mini.

Arturia Minibrute Tips and Tricks [Video]

Here's a 12 minute video on some of the subtleties of the Arturia Minibrute, in addition to some tricks and tips on programming it.  Really nice video-- haven't watched the full thing yet, but important if you're looking to get the most out of your Minibrute.  User flux302 points out how using the mixer at 50 percent delivers less gritty sounds, increasing the tonal range of the Minibrute.  Cool!

Watch the full retro Korg line together in one track via Newueel

Found this video via Matrixsynth, and it just charmed the hell outta me.  While we wait for the Korg MS-20 Mini, looking back on the full line of the Korg MS gear is a treat (not counting the recent MS-2000).  Here user Newueel shows off his skills and programming in an impressive collection of Korg gear.

Vermona PERfourMER MKII Review

Vermona is an interesting company, having been around since the 80s but certainly not as well known as some of the other names in the synth world (or at least, here in the US).  Interestingly, though, they have a full line synths and effect modules, and I happen to have a review unit of their biggest synth, the PERfourMER MKII, the quad analog synthesizer.  The reviews of the newer version seem to be scarcer on the net, so it's very exciting to be able to talk about this interesting piece of gear.  At $1,850, this synth is no lightweight, and screams "professional" and "boutique" at the same time.  Can a heavyweight synth from a lesser known company really make a splash in the synth market?  Read on to find out.