*********************************** AM/FM ***********************************     AM/FM SMALL-TALK AND GENERAL NEWS    CODEMASTERS, that well known games developing team from England, recently bought ALL AM/FM Sample Disks - they needed some excellent quality instruments and samples to use in their next few games, and once Cynostic led them in the direction of AM/FM Sample Disks, they were immediately convinced and just bought the whole library. Look out for lots of AM/FM-samples in future CODEMASTERS games. ---- The Vice President of Great Valley Products (GVP - the world's best selling Amiga hardware company) was asked by CU Amiga if GVP were planning to use the A1200's PCMCIA slot for anything sensible. He answered: "How about a 16-bit Sound Sampler for the Amiga 1200 for under £200?... Wait for further details...". NOW HOW ABOUT THAT!!! ---- Your favourite AM/FM-Editor (me) called The Software Business (UK) to ask them when we could expect to see Music-X v2.0 available in the shops. The Software Business is the sole European importer and distributor, so we should all contact them when we're ready to order it! Me: - Is Music-X v.2 available now? The Software Business: - Not yet, I'm afraid. Me: - When will it be available? T.S.B.: - Well, our manufacturer in the United States just told us "about a month from now", but we've heard that before, so we dare not make any promises.  Me: - What will the price be? T.S.B.: Are you a user already who wishes to upgrade? Me: - Yes I am, but I would like to hear both prices please. T.S.B.: - It will be about £50 for upgrades and £150 for first buyers.  Me: - Ok, thanks, bye. So; there you have it - the whole conversation took about a minute, which is all I can afford! Calling from Norway to England is not a cheap way to spend your spare time! I'll keep you posted... (PS: Something to think about: You can now get Music-X v1.1 for ridiculously low prices, in fact all the way down to £29.95. If you buy that now, and upgrade to v2.0 in a month or two (for £50), that will only cost you about £80 totally... While the 2.0-version will cost about £150 for new customers! (Yes, I AM suggesting that if you get a good deal on Music-X v1.1, BUY IT NOW!) ---- OctaMED author Teijo Kinnunen has just started his military service, so all major updates of OctaMED has been put on freeze for the next 18 months. Teijo just managed to finish OctaMED Professional v5 right before he entered the military. This version is now available for sale directly from AM/FM, who are now authorized distributors of this package! ---- Your favourite AM/FM Editor (me) is now also a regular writer in the only Norwegian "real" Amiga-magazine, Amiga Forum. He (me) will write a regular music column for that magazine. Suggestions to articles or series are welcome. ---- and now...    .oO LATEST KEYBOARD NEWS Oo.     written and collected especially for AM/FM by André Meyer  ______________________________________________________________________________  |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       | |   |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       | |   |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       |     |       | |   | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Korg i3 For the very first time Korg designed a keyboard with automatical arrengement (like that in portable keyboards). Detailed technical specifications are unfortunately not available at the moment. More information in the next AM/FM-issue. Zoom 9050 The Zoom 9050 was derived from the 9030. It offers all the features of the old effects unit plus an improved distortion section (including "Hyper Drive", a distortion effect of the Zoom 5000 Driver footpedal), Noise Reduction, Full Auto Tuner, free 19-inch rack adaptor for the halfrack 9050, free FC50 foot controller for remote patch selection, seven new effects. There are now 55 effects altogether, 198 user programs, and up to eight effects can be used simultaneously. Sony TCK511S The just launched Sony TCK511S is an inexpensive three-head cassette deck. Because of its low price it was designed for the HiFi-market, but can naturally be used for more professional things, too. Invision PlusONE for Korg M1 Another PCM-ROM-expansion is being offered by Invision for owners of the Korg M1. It provides the M1 with 4 megabytes of new PCM sounds (46 instrument and 45 drum sounds), 100 Programs as well as 100 Combinations. The new waveforms are classic sounds like guitars, E-pianos, organs, harps, basses, marimbas, bells, flutes and a solo-violin, but also synthetic ones called "Synth-Wave", "Digi Synth", "Saw Pad" and "Metal Wave" plus two vocal-hits ("Hear me" and "Hey") as well as various percussion instruments, among them also exotic ones. Also Korg released a PCM-ROM expansion only some time ago. But if you want to have both expansions installed in your M1, I must disappoint you: either, or. Sony PCM-9000 At the NAB-Convention in Las Vegas / USA Sony presented their new 20- bit recorder which is based on the mangnetic-optical technology. The PCM-9000 does not only offer stereo recording, but by optional expensions also options that are necessary to produce a CD-master, e.g. the PQ-editing. According to Sony, 80 minutes of linear 20-bit- stero music can be recorded on a 13-cm MO-disk, and 100 minutes find place on one when recording in 18-bit. Behringer Ultrafex EX3000 The Ultrafex EX3000 is a new exciter by Behringer. It offers a multiband-exciter, the so-called "Surround Processor", which wides the stereo field, as well as a bass processor, which should make bass-drums kickin' and snare-drums really smashin'. The Behringer Ultrafex has normal as well as XLR-in/outs, and a bypass passes on the signal to the output when the unit is turned off. Behringer is so convinced of their new FX unit that it has a 5 years guarantee. E-mu Emulator III Update The new update for the Emulator III is the software version 1.3. Among other features it offers a monitor-sampling option, direct playback of samples on the harddisk, M/O drive or CD-ROM. Besides it is now possible to 'drive through' the samples via the pitch-wheel, which is very useful when cutting or looping samples. Another great feature is, that the RAM isn't sorted after every cut or clear of a sample, but not until you have saved a bank. This means faster working while editing a sample. The new software is available for all registered Emulator III for free. Ensoniq EPS16+ Effects-Library Ensoniq has released a new effects-library for the EPS16+ on disk which is similar to the ASR10 effects, but not compatible with these. Besides the library offers 3D stereo simulation, resonance filters as well as time stretching. It also allows to use the audio-in as an effects input. Already announced is also a disk with new effects for the Ensoniq ASR10 sampler, which should be available soon. Technics KN470 Technics' latest portable keyboard features 32-note polyphony, velocity sensible keys, 100 PCM-sounds, 100 rythms, reverb and a 3-track sequencer. *********************************** AM/FM ***********************************