Synthetic Bits updates FunkBox Drum Machine to version 2.0.

FunkBox Drum Machine has to be one of my all time favourite iPhone music apps and now this new feature brings a whole new set of features to the table.

The app now boasts new and improved graphics and GUI that are more crisp thanks to Retina support.

The samples are also clearer which means an improved audio quality for all you audiophiles out there.

There’s also two brand new drum machines added to the line up; the LinnDrum LM-2 and the Roland TR-77 brings a whole new set of sounds to the table.

You can now also alter the pitch of any of the drum sounds in FunkBox along with the start and end point of the samples making the drum sounds completely customisable.

One of my favourite new features has to be the import feature. The ability to import your own samples makes this great app even more fun to play around with (Looking for samples to play around with? Check out some of the samples on my blog).

I was confused about how to add samples to the app at first but a quick message to Synthetic Bits via Twitter solved the problem.

Here's how it's done: In iTunes click on your device and then the apps tab at the top of the page. Scroll down to the bottom and you’ll find the ‘File Sharing’ option. Click the add button and locate the samples you wish to import. Re-Sync your device and then all the sounds should be on your device.

When all of the samples are on your device, load up the FunkBox app and go to the import page. Select the files that you wish to use and click import. It’s as simple as that.

Also Synthetic Bits has also added the ability to save your own custom Drum Box configurations and pattern banks. Having the ability to store more patterns is a real help to us beat programmers.

Other features which make this 2.0 update amazing are: Tap Tempo, the ability to pan individual instruments, MIDI in/out and more presets!

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Moog Filtatron 1.1.1 update

Moog Music inc. Have updated their popular Moog Filtatron iPhone/iPad app.
The update includes HD Retina retina graphics which greatly improves the look of the GUI on the iPhone 4 and the new iPad 2.
However their are no other new features included in the update.
We can only hope that some cool new features will be included in future updates of the app.
If you don't already own the Moog Filtatron app then I highly recommend heading over to the apple AppStore and and grabbing yourself a copy of this powerful little beast. You won't regret it.
Moog software for just £4.99, it's hard to beat!






1.1.2 update: The Filtatron now works with iOS 3.0-3.2. The app now also uses a retina icon and retina iPad app cursors.

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Typical Sunday afternoon!

The sun's shining and I'm Inside messing about with the music gear.




I have the Korg Monotron hooked up to my Danelectro forward/reverse delay. Working on some new 'Rise FX' sounds to use in a few new SKatterBrain tracks. I'll most probably upload the samples to this blog as well so you guys can grab them for your productions as well.




The Monotron should have an oscillator latch feature but it doesn't. I've solved that by strapping it to a book and using an allen bolt from an old skateboard to hold down the ribbon controller. It's primitive but at least I can now use 2 hands for knob twisting.

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Propellerheads Reason Presets 1

Are you a Propellerheads Reason user? Then you might like this small set of presets.

Everyone likes free sounds so why not give them a shot?

This free pack contains the following presets:

• · Retro Pad (Thor)
• · Trance Lead (Thor)
• · Plastic Bass (Thor)
• · Amb Pad (Thor)
• · Dirty Plastic Piano (Thor)
• · S&H Pad (Combinator)
• · Dirty Bass (Combinator)
• · Hard Lead (Combinator)
• · Dirty Talking Synth (Combinator)
• · Crispy Drum Set (Kong)

Download the Sounds here (.RAR)

Here’s a quick demo I made using a few of the sounds (All of the instruments in this demo are available in this preset pack).

Dan303 Reason Presets DEMO by synthersizer-sounds

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Free samples 'Messed up Piano'

This free sample pack contains:

• 6 Messed up piano samples
• 6 Messed up piano + Vocoder samples
• 6 Low pitch Messed up piano
• 6 Messed up piano + Synth samples

Download Samples (.RAR)

Messed up Piano sample pack Demo by synthersizer-sounds

All the samples are free of copyright so you can do what ever you like with them. =]

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Free Korg NanoPAD presets

I know there are quite a few of you out there that own at least one of the korg Nano range of controllers.

The most popular of the Nano range has to be the NanoPAD. While the NanoPAD is a useful tool for laying down drum beats, I feel that It really shines when using it to come up with cool melodic parts.

This Preset collection contains a few useful scales and chords that I hope will help you in your productions.

In the .ZIP file you will find:

• C Major scale
• C Minor scale
• C Pentatonic Minor scale
• C Pentatonic Major scale
• C Pentatonic Blues scale
• Major Triad chords
• Minor Triad chords
• Major 7th chords
• Minor 7th chords

Click here To Download the Presets [.RAR]

You've probably noticed that all the scales are in the Key of C.
If you wish to transpose the scales into a different Key then you can do how to do this here.

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Korg NanoPAD Preset transposition guide

This post will show you how to transpose the scales found in my Korg NanoPAD preset collection onto a different musical Key.

You can download my Korg NanoPAD presets here for free.

In this example I'm going to show you how to transpose a C Minor scale to a D# Minor scale in the Korg Kontrol editor for the NanoPAD.

1. Open the Korg Kontrol editor.
2. Load up you desired scale (File > Load scene data file).
   
3. select the first note in the scale (C/Pad 1)
4. Click the '+' button next to to the note to raise the pitch in semitones until you rech your desired Key. (Eg. D# will be 3 semitones up from C)
   
5. Go through the remainder of the pads and raise the pitch of each pad by the same number of semitones.
6. You're Pretty much done, If you have raised each note in the scale by the exact same number of semitones then the scale itself won't have changed but the Key of the scale will.
7. To make sure that your new scale is written to your NanoPAD you have to now click write scene data. (Communication > write scene data)
8. Load up your DAW and get making music.

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