Category Archives: News

Fabfilter Pro-Q 3 released with dynamic eq and more

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  FabFilter is proud to announce the availability of FabFilter Pro-Q 3, a major update to the acclaimed Pro-Q equalizer plug-in. Pro-Q 3 improves on its predecessor in every area, introducing dynamic EQ, surround support, per-band mid/side processing, and much more, while maintaining the pristine sound quality and exceptional ease of use for which Pro-Q has always been known.
Integrated dynamic EQ
  Pro-Q 3 adds the ability to switch any of its 24 bands to Dynamic EQ mode, with a simple, elegant workflow: just raise or lower the Dynamic Range ring around the Gain knob to apply smooth compression or expansion to that band. An intelligent algorithm automatically chooses program-dependent attack, release, and knee settings, while the Threshold can be set automatically, according to the input signal level, or manually. And, of course, dynamic EQ bands continue to operate with perfect analog matching and support Linear Phase mode.
Surround support
  Pro-Q 3 works with all major surround formats, up to Dolby Atmos 7.1.2. The plug-in automatically configures itself to the multichannel format of the hosting surround track, and an intuitive selection panel enables EQ adjustment of multiple channels together.
Mid/side processing
  Pro-Q has long been able to work its equalization magic on the mid or side channels in a stereo signal, as well as left and right, and this functionality becomes even more flexible with Pro-Q 3. Each individual band can now be set to process only the Mid, Side, Left, Right, or Stereo channels, so users can get truly surgical with their stereo frequency-shaping on a band-by-band basis.
New filter types
  Pro-Q 3 adds to Pro-Q 2’s multitude of filter types with the all-new Flat Tilt shape, applying a flat tilting correction curve to the entire audible spectrum. And for those occasions when even the super-steep 96dB/ octave roll-off slope isn’t precise enough, the Low and High Cut filter types can now be set to Brickwall mode for the ultimate in top/bottom attenuation.
Improved spectrum analyzer and Spectrum Grab
  Pro-Q 3’s spectrum analyzer makes it easier than ever to find and correct problem frequencies in the mix. Activate the new collision detection to view clashes between the source signal and the spectrum of any other Pro-Q 3 instance in the session, and get an instant handle on the most important peaks in Spectrum Grab mode with frequency/note labels.
Key features:
  • Professional mastering-grade EQ plug-in with exceptional sound quality
  • Up to 24 bands with a huge range of filter types
  • Dynamic EQ option for every band
  • 6-96dB/octave slopes for all filter types
  • Additional Brickwall slope for the High Cut and Low Cut filters
  • Per-band Stereo, Left, Right, Mid, or Side mode
  • Zero Latency, Natural Phase, and Linear Phase processing modes
  • Extremely efficient processing and low memory usage
  • Surround support, including Dolby Atmos 7.0.2 and 7.1.2 formats with flexible surround channel linking
  • Adapts automatically to stereo, mono, and surround channel layouts
  • Intelligent multiband selection and editing
  • Intelligent band solo mode
  • Powerful real-time spectrum analyzer
  • External spectrum visualization from any other Pro-Q 3 instance in the session, including collision detection
  • Spectrum Grab: grab and adjust a peak directly in the spectrum analyzer
  • EQ Match for imposing the tonal characteristics of one signal on another
  • Piano Display switches the frequency scale to musical note values
FabFilter Pro-Q 3 is now available for EUR 149, USD 179 or GBP 134, supporting both Windows and macOS in VST and VST 3, Audio Units, AAX, and AudioSuite plug-in formats. Bundles with FabFilter Pro-Q 3 and other FabFilter plug-ins are also available at: www.fabfilter.com/shop
Existing FabFilter customers can purchase or upgrade to FabFilter Pro-Q 3 with very attractive discounts by logging into their online user account at: www.fabfilter.com/myaccount
System requirements are either Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, or XP, and a VST 2/3 host or Pro Tools, or Mac OS X 10.8 or higher with Intel processor, and an Audio Units host, VST 2/3 host, or Pro Tools. Both 64-bit and 32-bit hosts are supported.

XILS-lab updates PolyM to 1.1.0

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XILS-lab pushes polysynth hommage beyond the pleasure principal with welcomed PolyM 1.1.0 update additions
GRENOBLE, FRANCE: audio software company XILS-lab is proud to announce availability of PolyM 1.1.0 — updating its critically-acclaimed, authentic-sounding software recreation of a pioneering polyphonic analogue synthesizer manufactured between 1975 and 1980 (based on divide-down oscillator technology similar to electronic organs and string synthesizers of the time), and arguably made most famous by British ‘new waver’ Gary Numan, notably seen as well as heard when ‘driving’ over an endless ‘synthscape’ in the trailblazing promo video for his 1979 chart-topping ‘Cars’ single; someone since observed that career-defining song’s parent album, The Pleasure Principal, “…is almost an album-length advert for the Polymoog…” — with welcomed additions including a new preset manager and an ability to run as an effects plug-in, plus compatibility with Native Instruments’ Native Kontrol Standard (NKS®), as of October 2…
PolyM first put in an appearance last year, when XILS-lab clearly considered those oft-overlooked Polymoog presets to be well worth revisiting, recreating an ‘unlimited’ polyphony polysynth that was recognisably revolutionary upon its initial release and making it fit for today’s creative computer-based music-makers with a state-of-the-art software makeover. Making that happen took two years — such was the complexity of its inspirational hardware predecessor. PolyM palpably didn’t disappoint, deftly reproducing yesteryear’s divide-down technology with two TOD (Top Octave Divider) oscillators — one for the sawtooth wave and another for the square, slightly detuned for a phenomenal phasing effect (when running independently in FREE mode), yet taking the concept further forward by adding polyphonic pulse width modulation. Meanwhile, in LOCK mode, those two TOD oscillators are almost locked in phase, producing PM (Phase Modulation) instead of FM (Frequency Modulation) when the square wave oscillator is modulated in pitch. The two TODs can also be modulated — tempo-sync-able — in pitch by an LFO (Low Frequency Oscillator), while the square wave oscillator has it own pulse width modulation by a tempo-sync-able LFO. Alongside a distinctive envelope generator, this represents the musical heart and soul of PolyM, pushing that revolutionary polysynth sound kicking and screaming into the future!
Further features of note include: 71 emulated chips, offering mixer, VCA (Voltage-Controlled Amplifier), envelope, 12dB filter, and pulse width modulation for each of the available notes; stunning-sounding 24dB ladder filter (using XILS-lab’s critically-acclaimed zero-delay algorithm); nine dedicated acoustic filters — STRING, PIANO, ORGAN, HARPS, FUNK, CLAV, VIBES, BRASS, and VOX — carefully recreated from the original (model 203a); RESONATORS filter bank with three parametric (6dB and 12dB) filters matching the original; three vintage — DEL. (delay), PHAS. (phaser), and REV. (reverb) — effects (with adjustable settings from within an Advanced Settings Panel alongside nine modulation slots for furthering sound design possibilities well beyond the scope of the original hardware); and more.
Today, thanks to the PolyM 1.1.0 update, there’s even more to (literally) make a song and dance about. As such, the NPM (New Preset Manager), a newly-integrated, single-window affair allowing users to easily and speedily perform different tasks with welcomed visual feedback — for example, locate and load the best fitting preset in seconds courtesy of a multi-criteria search engine, save/save as presets with (user-generated) tags, batch-tag multiple selections of presets, export/import multiple selections of presets, and select view (such as showing only favourite presets) — represents a major step in PolyM’s evolution; by that same token, those acoustic filters and RESONATORS, as well as the three vintage-sounding effects, are also available to work with other sound sources when running PolyM purely as an effects plug- in proffering plentiful possibilities for modulation; meanwhile, support for Native Instruments’ NKS® extended plug-in format for all virtual instrument developers delivers intuitive and seamless interaction with the German giant’s cutting-edge KOMPLETE KONTROL S-Series keyboards and MASCHINE hardware.
Helpfully, there are now over 300 professionally-programmed presets available as creative kickstarters in PolyM; parameters are all MIDI- controllable, combining to musically position this soft synth par excellence as an innovative instrument of its time while retaining a certain pioneering polyphonic analogue synthesizer’s coveted performance properties of the past. Put it this way: while what the deceased Austrian neurologist (and founder of psychoanalysis) Sigmund Freud would have made of this polysynth hommage is obviously open to speculation, surely the still active Gary Numan should approve… as will anyone’s bank balance by paying (comparatively) so little for so much playing pleasure. Thanks to its welcomed 1.1.0 additions, PolyM pushes beyond the pleasure principal in both senses, so anyone wishing to sonically travel back to the future should seriously consider adding it to their soft synth arsenal — all the more so at an attractive (albeit time-limited) introductory promo price representing a welcomed 40% saving. Best be quick, though — time waits for no man… or woman (or child)!
PolyM 1.1.0 is available to purchase as a USB eLicenser or iLok (1 and 2 dongle hardware or software) protected plug-in at an introductory promo price of €89.00 EUR until October 31, 2018 — rising thereafter to an MSRP of €149.00 EUR — from XILS-lab here: https://www.xils-lab.com/products/polym-p-160.html
PolyM 1.1.0 can be directly downloaded as a multi-format (AAX, AU, RTAS, VST), 32- and 64-bit soft synth and virtual effects plug-in for Mac (OS X 10.7 and later) and Windows (XP, 7, 8, 10) from here: https://www.xils-lab.com/products/polym-p-160/download.html
About XILS-lab (www.xils-lab.com)
Based in Grenoble, France, XILS-lab is an audio software company, created and managed by Xavier Oudin. Having created some of the best known virtual instruments and effects plug-ins on the market for various companies over the last 20 years, today he focuses on bringing his passion for audio, instruments, and music to bear on his own company.Working with highly-skilled professional musicians and sound designers, the company collectively believes that a virtual instrument or effect is not simply a series of mind-boggling mathematical algorithms designed and scrutinised over by bookish PhD engineers but rather a useful and useable musical tool made for musicians. Moreover, XILS-lab loves to create virtual instruments and effects that inspire its users to create more imaginative music than they ever dreamed possible!

Akai introduces MPK mini play

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AKAI PROFESSIONAL® ADDS BUILT-IN SOUNDS TO THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR MIDI CONTROLLER WITH THE MPK MINI PLAY


New ultra-portable instrument is based on incredibly popular MPK Mini, but adds 128 built-in sounds and its own speaker, making it the perfect instrument to play anywhere
Cumberland, RI USA (October 11, 2018) — Akai Professional, a leading manufacturer of music equipment for performers and producers, today announced the immediate availability of their all-new MPK Min portable MIDI controller. The ultra-portable MPK Mini Play is based on the world’s most popular midi controller—Akai Professional’s MPK Mini—but now it comes packed with 128 sounds and its own built-in speaker. With 8 backlit MPC drum pads and a 4-way joystick for simple control, players have all they need to play their music anytime, anywhere. Four knobs (two banks capable of controlling eight different parameters) can be used to tweak sounds and edit multiple parameters in real-time, giving musicians even more performance possibilities. Powered by 3 “AA” batteries, the MPK Mini Play is built for hours of wireless fun.
Amazing Connections
Not just a mini keyboard, the MPK Mini Play can also connect to a computer via USB port for the same plug-and-play MIDI functionality as the classic MPK Mini controllers. If not disturbing others is a priority, players can use the mini-audio output jack to connect headphones to the MPK Mini Play. When you want a bigger sound, simply connect to external speakers using the same output jack. All-in-one, easy- to-use fun with “pro” features—that’s the MPK Mini Play!
Features/Specs
– Built-in sound module with over 128 different sounds
– 25 mini keys with arpeggiator
– 4-way joystick
– 8 red backlit drum pads (2 banks, 16 total)
– 4 knobs edit sounds or send midi (2 banks, 8 total)
– Battery powered using (3) AA batteries
“We are extremely excited to introduce the MPK Mini Play,” said Dan Gill, Product Manager for Akai Professional. “The MPK Mini was a huge hit with musicians and now having all those sounds on-board with a built-in speaker, along with its go-anywhere portability, Play opens up new musical possibilities that people are going to love.”
U.S. retail for MPK Mini Play is $129 Available for purchase October 11, 2018
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4ms announce 4MS PODS compact eurorack cases

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4ms Pods are a new line of eurorack cases with an emphasis on slim design primarily for the desktop. basically it lets you treat your modules like stand alone desktop FX units which can be really great.  the sizes come in 20,26and 32 hp sizes and can come either powered or unpowered. the case power can also be daisy chained so your desk doesn’t end up being a mess of wall wart wires.  All enclosures have 1hp spaced mounting holes The powered version will come with a newly designed, daisy-chainable supply from 4ms. Standard 2.1mm connectors will enable the user to chain Pod enclosures much like the Row Power system. Plastic plugs will be used to cover these mounting holes if the user would like to supply power themselves.

Pricing (no wall wart included):

20HP: $55/$99
26HP: $60/$109
32HP: $65/$119

Akai Fire new dedicated FL studio controller

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— Akai Professional, a leading manufacturer of music equipment for performers and producers, today announced their newest product, the Akai Fire. Created in close collaboration with software manufacturer Image-Line, Fire finally gives FL Studio producers a dedicated hardware controller – designed to speed up the creative workflow and enhance the overall user experience. Released shortly after the successful launch of FL Studio 20, Fire celebrates the highly-anticipated arrival of FL Studio to the Mac OS platform, creating a completely new, hands-on way to interact with the popular DAW for PC and Mac users alike.
Featuring plug-and-play integration, at the heart of Fire is a 4×16 velocity-sensitive RGB pad matrix. Quickly input patterns on the Step Sequencer or switch over to Performance Mode for live playing and recording of notes and launching patterns. Bringing a tactile, mouse-free mixing solution to the FL Studio environment, Fire includes four banks of four touch-capacitive knobs, enabling the user to instantly see and adjust parameter values. This facilitates a more intuitive workflow, giving the ultimate control over channel, mixer and user-assignable parameters.
Features
· Plug-and-play integration with FL Studio
· Quickly input patterns along the timeline in the step sequencer · 4 x 16 Matrix of Velocity-Sensitive RGB Pads
· Expandable up to four units, creating the potential for an 8 x 32 Matrix · Record notes in Performance mode · Graphical OLED display
· 4 banks of assignable Touch-Capacitive Knobs
· Instantly navigate the Channel Rack, Browser, Tool Bar and Playlist windows · Use dedicated controls to quickly browse audio and project files · Dedicated Transport controls · USB Bus Powered
FL Studio Fruity Fire Edition Included
Enter the groundbreaking, high-powered workflow heard all over the charts with FL Studio Fruity Fire Edition, engineered for and included with Akai Fire. FL Studio is a complete software music production environment, the culmination of more than 20 years of innovative development. The bundled Fruity Fire Edition features everything you need in one package to compose, arrange, edit, mix and master professional quality music. With access to FL Studio’s piano roll editor and step sequencer, 500 tracks, VST & DXi instrument support, full automation functionality, plus 18+ virtual instruments and over a dozen built-in effects and processors, FL Studio Fruity Fire Edition provides the ultimate platform to create fully-produced, great sounding music.

Antelope Audio unveil Edge Family of modeling microphones

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Antelope Audio unveil all-new Edge Family of modeling microphones
Edge Solo, Edge Duo, and Edge Quadro large-diaphragm condensers deliver pristine cardioid, multi-pattern and 360° recording with stunning vintage mic emulations
September 17, 2018 — Following the success of the acclaimed Edge and Verge modeling microphones, Antelope Audio have unveiled the next evolution of their mic modeling technology. The new Edge Family consists of three large-diaphragm condensers — the fixed cardioid pattern Edge Solo, the multi-pattern Edge Duo, and the dual-capsule Edge Quadro.
Together with Antelope’s continually expanding range of vintage mic emulations, available both as native plug-ins and as FPGA FX running on Antelope’s own audio interfaces, the new Edge mics deliver the characteristic sound of some of the most sought-after mics of all time with incredible depth and realism. Developed specifically for each mic, the emulations are based on exacting measurements of the original mics made in one of the best anechoic chambers in Europe.
Set to ship in October, the Edge Family makes Antelope’s unrivaled mic modeling technology available at a variety of different price points while expanding the range of possible recording applications — from mono to stereo to 3D audio. Custom electronics designed by Antelope’s award-winning engineers deliver exceptional dynamic range and frequency response, resulting in an excellent microphone even before choosing your favorite vintage mic flavor.
Antelope Audio founder Igor Levin comments: “We are constantly looking to innovate and deliver greater value to our users. With the Edge Family, we’ve grown our mic modeling ecosystem into a complete recording solution. We set out to deliver not just the best modeling mics available but the best microphones in the industry, period.”
Introducing the new Edge Family
Exclusively built at Antelope’s European headquarters and featuring electronics designed by Igor Levin himself, the Edge Family are outstanding mics in their own right, with an exceptionally even frequency response and wide dynamic range. Their transparent, accurate response provides the perfect platform for Antelope’s remarkable mic emulations.
Edge Solo is the simplest of the three new mics. Connecting via a regular mono XLR cable, it houses a single large-diaphragm capsule with a fixed cardioid pickup pattern. It’s specifically designed to work hand-in-hand with Antelope’s mic modeling plug-ins to emulate some of the greatest cardioid- pattern mics in history.
Edge Duo features a dual-membrane capsule with independent outputs, allowing the signal from each membrane to be individually processed and recombined. This not only means users can vary the polar pattern from within the plug-in, even after recording, it also allows the Edge Duo to accurately emulate the characteristic pickup pattern and on- and off-axis response of each mic for true multi-dimensional mic modeling.
Edge Quadro is a game-changing stereo/surround mic with two dual-membrane capsules and a rotating head. Delivering four channels for independent processing will allow for stereo techniques like M/S, X/Y, Blumlein, and even 3D sound. Users can select a different emulation and polar pattern for each head. The upper head can be rotated noiselessly even while the microphone is actively recording, delivering virtually limitless variations in tonality and stereo image.
The Edge emulations: a mic locker full of classics
The Edge Solo, Duo, and Quadro boast an ever-growing library of stunning vintage mic emulations. There are 11 different emulations already available, with 7 more soon to be released — all free to Edge owners. For the Edge Solo, all 18 will be available from launch.
When used with any of Antelope’s mic preamp-equipped audio interfaces, the new Edge mics offer maximum accuracy and real-time mic emulation courtesy of the interfaces’ onboard FPGA processing.
Uniquely, Antelope also provide native versions of their mic modeling plug-ins, meaning that no additional hardware is required. Available in VST, AU, and AAX formats for both macOS and Windows, Antelope’s native AFX mic emulation plug-ins deliver the same minimal latency, high degree of oversampling, and precise floating-point calculations as their renowned FPGA effects.
Edge Family giveaway
To celebrate the launch of the new Edge Family, Antelope Audio are holding a prize draw. For the chance to win an Edge Solo, Edge Duo, or Edge Quadro, simply visit https://en.antelopeaudio.com/edge-giveaway before October 8, 2018 and enter your details.
Watch Antelope Audio’s all-new Edge Family of modeling microphones introductory video here: https://youtu.be/jGX26IZE2z8

Zaor Updates the MIZA range to MKII with refinement and style

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ZAOR Studio Furniture furthers MIZA range reach with MkII modifications and additions
ORADEA, ROMANIA: stylish, ergonomic, and affordable studio furniture-maker ZAOR Studio Furniture is proud to announce availability of several new revisions and additions to its marketable MIZA product line (catering to the ever-widening range of musicians, DJs, video artists, and such like looking for a comfortable and yet affordable working environment) — namely, the MIZA D-Stand MkII desktop speaker stand, MIZA Jr. MkII flexible media desk, MIZA Rack 12 MkII and MIZA Rack 16 MkII side racks, and MIZA V-Stand 36 and MIZA V-Stand 42 speaker stands — as of September 20…
As implied by name, MIZA D-Stand MkII marks ZAOR Studio Furniture’s new and improved revision of its original MIZA D-Stand desktop speaker stand from four years back. Benefitting from a more modernised (all-black) look, it includes more features. For starters, it is now height-adjustable by up to 50mm (above its 200mm-high horizontal configuration) and can also be angled at up to 9° while providing better acoustic isolation courtesy of four hemispheres made out of a synthetic viscoelastic urethane polymer that minimises transmission by up to 95%. With weight-bearing capabilities belying its diminutive (260mm x 260mm) footprint — up to 25kg when used horizontally and 15kg when angled, a pair of MIZA D-Stand MkII desktop speaker stands can be added to any desk to turn it into a production environment easily and speedily.
Similarly, MIZA Jr. MkII marks ZAOR Studio Furniture’s revision of its original MIZA Jr. flexible media desk for computer-based workflow while targeting video and audio applications. As such, this time the company set about streamlining the production process, resulting in a reduced RRP (Recommended Retail Price) — down to €439.00 EUR (for MIZA Jr. MkII) from €499.00 EUR (for MIZA Jr.), so the end result remains focused on providing the user with a no-compromise workspace without breaking the bank. Better still, specifications remain remarkably similar to what they were with a perfectly sized (1250mm: W x 650mm: D) top plate for fitting into smaller spaces. Saying that, this is supplemented by a 61-note keyboard controller-accommodating (1129mm: W x 308mm: D) pullout draw, which is height adjustable in seven steps of 7mm, while a lower passageway positioned rearwards retains unsightly cables, conveniently keeping them out of sight. Strongly constructed from Melamine-faced chipboard with a strip of solid wood along the front edge of its top plate for aesthetic and protective purposes, MIZA Jr. MkII is available in Cherry/Black and Wenge/Grey finishes, flat packed for easy transportation and assembled easily.
Appropriately-monikered, the MIZA Rack 12 MkII and MIZA Rack 16 MkII side racks represent revisions of ZAOR Studio Furniture’s original MIZA Rack 12 and MIZA Rack 16, stylish 12U and 16U open airflow designs that both benefit from a repositioned cable passageway — sited behind the practical low-level drawer — to comfortably accommodate rack-mountable equipment without any depth restrictions via quality rails angled at a gentle incline using the included cage nuts, screws, and washers. What’s more, both feature a sizeable (600mm: W x 500mm: D) top plate, providing an additional work surface suited to any studio setup. Strongly constructed from Melamine-faced chipboard, MIZA Rack 12 MkII and MIZA Rack 16 MkII are available in (MIZA Jr. MkII-matching) Cherry/Black and Wenge/Grey finishes, flat packed for easy transportation and assembled easily.
Ending on a new-fashioned note, the self-explanatory MIZA V-Stand 36 and MIZA V-Stand 42 speaker stands are an all-new addition to ZAOR Studio Furniture’s marketable MIZA product line. Like the musician-friendly MIZA D-Stand MkII before them, they marry a modern (black-finished) look with a moderate cost, but not at the expense of delivering a stable solution with zero resonance — everything needed in a fixed-height 36-inch (MIZA V-Stand 36) or 42-inch (MIZA V-Stand 42) speaker stand, in other words. While absolutely affordable, MIZA V-Stand 36 and MIZA V-Stand 42 adhere to the best standards of technical performance and design, both benefitting from a (300mm x 300mm) top plate-affixed Aerstop absorption pad for decoupling speakers weighing up to 40kg from within whatever room they are asked to perform — perfectly levelled, thanks to adjustable feet on the (300mm x 300mm) bottom plate.
Put it this way: with the MIZA V-Stand 36 and MIZA V-Stand 42 additions available alongside the MIZA D-Stand MkII, MIZA Jr. MkII, and MIZA Rack 12 MkII and MIZA Rack 16 MkII revisions, ZAOR Studio Furniture is now even better positioned to cater to that ever- widening range of musicians, DJs, video artists, and such like looking for comfortable and yet affordable working environments.
The MIZA D-Stand MkII desktop speaker stand, MIZA Jr. MkII flexible media desk, MIZA Rack 12 MkII and MIZA Rack 16 MkII side racks, and MIZA V-Stand 36 and MIZA V-Stand 42 speaker stands are available to order either directly through the Zaor Online Shop (https://zaorstudiofurniture.com/shop/en/) or via ZAOR Studio Furniture’s growing global dealership network (https://zaorstudiofurniture.com/index.php?page=dealers) with an RRP of €179.00 EUR (per pair), €439.00 EUR, €369.00 EUR, €399.00 EUR, €139.00 EUR (each), and €159.00 EUR (each), respectively.
For more in-depth information, please visit the dedicated MIZA product webpages via here: https://zaorstudiofurniture.com/index.php?page=miza

Keith McMillen Instruments Partners with Pearl Corp.

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Pearl Announces North American Distribution Deal with Keith McMillen Instruments Further Expanding KMI’s Reach

Nashville, TN and Berkley, CA – June 15, 2018 – Pearl Corporation, a leading provider and manufacturer of acoustic and electronic drum and percussion products, together with Keith McMillen Instruments announce a distribution partnership to grow the availability and awareness of KMI products while expanding KMI’s reach into new markets.

This new distribution connection between Pearl and Keith McMillen Instruments will enhance the availability of KMI products and grow Pearl’s ever increasing footprint in the MI landscape. Pearl will also utilize its expertise in the School and Educational markets to introduce the many benefits of KMI instruments to music students and educators at all levels.

Pearl’s relationship with the Keith McMillen team began in 2015 as the two companies collaborated to develop Pearl’s MalletSTATION powered by KMI’s Smart Fabric Technology. MalletSTATION is a slim, modern, USB powered mallet controller that has been named the Best New Performance Tool for 2018 by School Band & Orchestra magazine and has received a 2018 Editor’s Choice Award from Music Inc.

Developing MalletSTATION gave Pearl a great understanding of just how disruptive KMI’s groundbreaking Smart Fabric Technology can truly be in the musical instrument space, stated Terry West, Pearl Corporation President and C.E.O. After reviewing KMI’s current product line it became evident to us all that Pearl’s reach and marketing abilities could bring added awareness and availability to the KMI brand. We are honored to represent KMI’s innovative products and extremely excited to see where this collaboration and distribution partnership might lead us in the future.

“While working with Pearl on the design of the MalletSTATION we came to appreciate their commitment to the highest quality and playability of musical instruments. Pearl understands what it takes to make an electronic controller behave in a most musical manner. We share that commitment. KMI has always focused on producing these new instruments while Pearl has also created a world class sales and marketing team. It makes perfect sense to have our instruments distributed by people who understand what makes a professional tool and how to support these instruments in the field” said KMI Founder and C.E.O. Keith McMillen.

The KMI product portfolio includes such innovative products as the Bop Pad, K-Mix, QuNeo, and QuNexus. Pearl will begin accepting orders for KMI products effective June 18, 2018.

For more information about Pearl please visit www.pearldrum.com and www.keithmcmillen.com for more information about KMI.

Pearl Corporation is a division of Pearl Musical Instruments, a world-wide leading manufacturer of acoustic and electronic drums, concert and marching percussion instruments, hand percussion and flutes.  Pearl Corporation is also the exclusive U.S. distributor of Adams Musical Instruments and Keith McMillen Instruments. Pearl Corporation is based in Nashville, TN.