The intersection of games and music, NI introduces third-party plugin support for the Komplete Kontrol, Ibiza’s water problem, and DSI discontinues five synths.
NI Introduces Third-party Plugin Support. In advance of a forthcoming 88-key edition of the controller keyboard, the latest update to NI‘s KOMPLETE KONTROL software introduces NKS – a new plugin format making the instrument’s Light Guide, Smart Play features and more accessible to third-party instruments and developers. Watch the video above for more details.
Ibiza’s Water Crisis. As a part of their series supporting the Global Goals for sustainable development movement, Vice explores the Ibiza water crisis, where a record 3.5 million tourists flocking to the island are causing a mass overconsumption of drinkable water, and the demand for clean water far exceeding the limited supply. Find out how eco-conscious clubs and individuals are helping here.
New Patter Device from Ableton. Creative coder Adam Florin‘s new Max for Live device Patter is a generative system for Ableton, which “invites the user to revel in the relationship between their own innate musicality and the unbridled, random potential of computer-aided composition”. Watch how Patter works above, and see how it makes an exciting tool for inspiration and experimentation here.
The Intersection of Games and Music. Defected Records chart the history of the complementary relationship between dance music and video games, examining how the culture and industry of each has cross-pollinated that of the other in new and exciting ways, and the current state of intersection between the two. Read the article here.
After EDM. NPR asks what the wounding of corporate giant SFX Entertainment means for dance music culture, discussing whether big money hurts underground music scenes, and the sociological theory behind Robert Sillerman’s business strategy: “What you had was a seismic shift where music became an expression and not a reflection.” Find the full piece here.
Pioneer introduce affordable XDJ. Pioneer DJ is launching a compact, portable and affordable digital player, the XDJ-700, which is compatible with Pioneer’s Rekordbox and Pro DJ Link software, and is packed full of performance features inherited from its bigger brother, the XDJ-1000. The XDJ-700 is available from December 2015. Find out more above, and here.
DSI Discontinues Five Synths. Dave Smith has discontinued five synths: Mopho, Mopho Keyboard, Mopho Keyboard SE, Tetra, and Evolver. A spokesperson told SonicState: “A time comes when every good synth deserves its place in the great electronic retirement community in the sky. If you ever wanted to add any of these highly-regarded instruments to your arsenal, get them now before they’re gone.” More info here.
Traxsource to Pay Out Withheld Mechanical Royalties. Traxsource has announced it will be paying back any money previously withheld for copyright royalty payments, to every label and artist they’ve worked with in their 11-year history: “We are extremely happy to finally be in a position to reduce our mechanical withholdings and provide partial refunds to our partners. Our ultimate goal continues to be to do everything possible for the benefit of rights holders and content providers equally.” Find out more here.