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News and Events
The complete listing of the Soundart News are here. If you want to be informed about Soundart's next move, we suggest that you join our mailing list - and since we all live in the "information overload age", you will be pleased to hear that you can decide exactly what kind of news you want to receive (and from where).
To sign up, go to Mailing Lists.
| 5th December 2003 | Soundart Announce Significant Saving on Chameleon Hardware |
| 12th November 2003 | Soundart Unveil New Website |
| 12th November 2003 | Soundart Release RoomverbM1 Stereo Reverb Skin by Spin Audio |
| 22nd October 2003 | The Chameleon in Japan -Autumn events |
| 29th September 2003 | Soundart Chameleon Makes a Splash at the UK Synth DIY Conference 2003, Cambridge University |
| 17th September 2003 | Soundart Release Infiltrator |
| 5th September 2003 | Soundart Unveil New and Improved Australis |
| 15th July 2003 | Significant Update for Chromasonic Released |
| 15th July 2003 | Soundart at the Insolit Music Forum 2003 |
| 15th July 2003 | Chameleon: Platinum Award in Future Music |
| 25th April 2003 | Full release of Fahrenheit |
| 24th March 2003 | World's first fully re-programmable DSP hardware now shipping |
| 14th March 2003 | SpinAudio join forces with Soundart |
| 1st January 2003 | Yet another new Chameleon application released |
5th December 2003
The Chameleon keeps on growing. To recap on recent events, we have already launched one new reverb skin for the Chameleon, RoomVerb M1 from Spin Audio. There is another full release waiting in the wings, our guitar amp modeller Amp-O-Matic. Watch this space for more news on this very soon. Finally, new open-source projects like MonoWave II are springing up from the developer community.
Secondly, our website has been re-launched with greatly enhanced content for end users.
Now, we are also pleased to announce a significant saving on the purchase of Chameleon units in
our online store.
For end users there is a saving of 200 Euros - the price has changed worldwide from 795 Euros to
only 595 Euros.
For developers there is a saving of 100 euros - the price has changed worldwide from 595 Euros to only 495 Euros.
This means that users can effectively buy eight high-quality rank-units in one for barely over the price of ONE unit that matches the Chameleons power and sound. Eight different types of synths, FX, performance tools, filterbanks and counting.
So even at the same time as making the Chameleon even more affordable, we are keeping to our unique promise of releasing Chameleon skins constantly for free. And this is just the start.
12th November 2003
Soundart are proud to announce an extensive update to our website. As you can see, the redesigned site has brand-new areas such as 'demos' and 'tips and tricks' - expert hints written by the Soundart team and other pro users. The navigation has been also enhanced, including effortless downloading of all the latest soundskins from the front page (above), either individually or together as the 'fullpack'. For the curious, there are now minute-long audio tours of all the soundskins all on one page - 'skins'.
Similarly, we are also pleased to introduce new sections on the expanding Soundart Chameleon community, with interviews with both pro-musicians, engineers, educators and DSP developers who work with the Chameleon. You can read all about why they like their Chamy and what skins they would like to see come out next.
As a further gift to all Chameleon users there is a new soundskin, ROOMVERB M1. This is a high-quality stereo reverb skin that allows the Chameleon to create highly accurate and beautifully realistic spatial effects, courtesy of Spin Audio. It is ported from their respected native plug-in of the same name and is currently a beta version with full version to follow shortly. See the accompanying press release (below) or visit our website to listen to audio examples and download the skin.
12th November 2003
Soundart and Spin Audio are pleased to launch a dedicated reverb soundskin for the Chameleon - ROOMVERB M1. With this skin loaded the Chameleon rack becomes a high-quality true-stereo reverb unit for use on stage or in the studio.
It has been ported to the Chameleons DSP chips from Spin Audio's respected native Roomverb M1 plug-in. Their reverb technology recently won praise in the UK Magazine Sound-On-Sound (October 03) for its great sound and the fact it could even rival hardware reverbs.
Now thanks to the Chameleon, fans of the Roomverb plug-in sound can now take it on-stage with the total peace of mind offered by DSP hardware. And of course, it is offered FREE by Soundart to all Chameleon users.
Highlights include:
- Acoustic space sizes range from small bath rooms to large halls/plate simulation
- Diffuse control for simulation of irregular room shapes
- Separate mix and pre-delay control of Early and Late reflections
- Relative L/R Shift control
- Reverb tails up to 20 seconds
- Reverb tail modulation
- Comprehensive tone control system that includes separate 2-band shelving equalizers for Early and Late reflections
- Two-band frequency-dependant decay filters
- Detailed level meters
- 42 Ready-to-use presets with a total of 128 user preset locations
ROOMVERB M1 is currently Beta, with a full version to follow shortly. The full version will include many more features such as bypass control, input clip meters, different room types and 100 presets crafted by pro studio engineers. All Chameleon users can download the new skin FREE here
Now the Chameleon does dedicated studio reverb...
October 22, 2003
Our distributor in Japan, Hook Up, are pleased to anounce a series of events where they will be demonstrating the Chameleon and all the latest soundskins.
The details are as follows:
1) Music Instruments Fair Japan 2003
Oct. 23th to 26th, 2003
at Pacifico Yokohama (Nishi-ku, Yokohama-city)
Booth #: 68
http://www.musicfair.jp/
2) Inter BEE 2003 (International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition 2003)
Nov. 19th to 21st, 2003 at Makuhari Messe
(Mihama-ku, Chiba-city) Booth #: 3202
http://bee.jesa.or.jp/
3) Synthesizer Festa 2003
Nov. 28th to 29th, 2003
at Osaka TB hall (Chuo-ku, Osaka-city)
http://www.jspa.gr.jp/
4) Synthesizer demo seminar
Dec. 6th to 7th
at Hook Up, Inc. demo room (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo)
For more info on all these events visit
http://www.hookup.co.jp/misc/2003_autumn.html
September 29, 2003
The Chameleon, the developer's perfect tool for the creation of digital audio tools, made a great impression at the UK SYNTH DIY Conference, an event dedicated to designing and developing synthesizers and audio tools, held at Cambridge University, UK on the 6th September 2003.
Paul Maddox and Neil Johnson organised the largest ever event with over 40 people attending, that has grown over the last five years into a great focus for synthesizer designers, hackers and enthusiasts in the UK. Although attended by a large number of analog hardware enthusiasts, the Chameleon and its concept generated a lot of interest and curiosity amongst the SYNTH DIY crowd. Following a presentation by Paul Maddox on its capabilities and potential for the rapid development of high quality DSP tools, all the units sent by Soundart were sold on the day to keen enthusiasts with great ideas for new soundskins. We look forward to the fruits of their explorations!
For pictures and details of this years event, visit Paul's homepage at:
http://www.Modulus-Music.com/synthdiyuk/2003/
A Chameleon unit was also up for grabs as the star prize in a charity raffle. Mark Smith from Yorkshire was the lucky winner, who has since written to us that "I think every studio should have one!". The draw raised money for the Drake Music project, a charity which helps disabled people play and compose music. You can find out more at www.DrakeMusicProject.com. Soundart are happy to have helped to support this great cause.
As for the SYNTH DIY conference, Soundart are very pleased to see such grassroots enthusiasm for our little revolution, and look forward to more news from next years event.
September 17, 2003
At Soundart we promised from the start that our revolutionary product the Chameleon would kick start independent development of unique, high quality DSP audio tools, synths and FX. We have not been proven wrong. As the development around the world rolls ever-onwards, Soundart are very proud to release Infiltrator version 1.0.
It has been designed and developed by an independent professional engineer from Norway who has believed from the start in the creative power of the Chameleon platform. Soundart has been so impressed with the work that it has decided to buy the highly unusual soundskin to make it available to all Chameleon users for free.
Infiltrator is principally a monster Vocoder that can accurately recreate classic vocoder architectures, but it can also be anything from a DJ performance filter to a multiband compressor and detailed stereo EQ - a Chameleon-like skin in itself! Highlights include:
- Highly detailed control with physical units - e.g. 0.00001 seconds
- Two 24 channel filterbanks with up to 2/4/6/8 pole, with 11 filter types
- Re-configurable architecture to create EQs, Multiband compressors, Vocoders and more
- Multiple compressors/expanders/gates with lookahead
- Sophisticated silence/voiced/unvoiced detector
- Built-in MIDI synthesiser with twin oscillators and noise generator
- Ring modulation and FM synthesis features
- 8 sets of 3 assignable real time controllers for instant control
- Realtime control of all filterbanks for unheard-of Vocoding FX
- 3 LFOs for controlling the realtime controls to create fantastic FX
- Quick/full edit modes - different editing levels for speed and simplicity or deep control
- Extensive metering and monitoring of internal signals
- Internal storage of 99 user programs, with over 55 factory setups
- Dynamic allocation of DSP resources, allowing different configurations to utilize the hardware fully
- Delay FX on the inputs, outputs, or internally in multiband mode for highly unusual frequency dependent delay FX
- Very extensive 150-page manual for getting inside the highly detailed soundskin
As far as we can tell Infiltrator looks like it will be a killer soundskin that is truly unique, with nothing comparable on the market.
Through Infiltrator the Chameleon now starts to branch off into unexplored territory for digital audio hardware, as independent developers unshackled by big business concerns develop their ideas freely on our open architecture, high quality hardware. Now it starts to get really interesting...
5th September 2003
Australis version 1.21 analog synthesis emulation soundskin for the Chameleon platform is ready for download. Soundart are proud to announce this significant update to the first soundskin for the Chameleon platform.
With Australis, the Chameleon becomes a luscious synthesiser for creating everything from pads and leads to percussion and wild sound effects. It now boasts even more flexible modulation, enhanced FX and a host of new industry standard goodies.
The new features found in Australis v1.21 include:
- Expanded multiwave oscillators with a list of complex waveforms, and phase initialization option per oscillator
- Adjustable balance between filters when in parallel mode
- Expanded LFOs functionality with adjustable fade in, and phase initialization. Square waveform with variable pulsewidth
- Unison mode, with configurable detune and pan spread amount, to make the sound fatter
- Expanded modulation matrix
- Individual phaser FX available per part (with 3 and 6 peaks mode)
- Individual distortion FX available per part (with several distortion curves)
- Expanded arpeggiator with new modes and capabilities
- Tempo Sync (external, internal, auto) for time based parameters (Speed in LFOs, Chorus and Phaser, DelayTime in Delay, and note length in arpeggiator)
- Downloadable arpeggiator patterns via MIDI SysEx
- Audio input for running external sounds sources through the effects mixer
- Enhanced front panel realtime controllers with several operating modes: absolute, relative, and pick up
- Parameters assignable to external controllers, including support for sustain and expression pedals
- Factory sound banks and demo songs included in the same application
- Multi mode control of arp patterns and delay sends for individual singles
- Greatly enhanced user interface
Through Australis 1.21 the Chameleon now easily competes in features and sound with all the other dedicated virtual analog rack units on the market. So as the development of soundskins and updates continues, the Chameleon project turns from a great concept and great piece of hardware into a force to be reckoned with in the hardware synths and processing market.
15th July 2003
Chromasonic version 1.1 multi-effects processing soundskin for the Chameleon platform is now available. Soundart are proud to announce this major update to one of the flagship soundskins for the Chameleon platform.
With Chromasonic loaded, the Chameleon becomes a powerful workhorse multi-effects processor for use at the heart of the studio or live rig. It boasts flexible routing, crisp, clean reverbs and a host of industry standard features and effects.
Chromasonics features now include:
- Three simultaneous audio effects, comprising:
- Two-tap Delay
- 5 band Parametric Equaliser
- Compressor
- Limiter
- Noise Gate
- Tremolo
- Chorus
- Flanger
- Phaser
- Reverb
- Autopanner
- WahWah (manual, envelope, LFO with tempo sync)
- 4-voice Pitch Shifter
- Tempo Sync (external MIDI or internal with auto detect) for all time-based effects, with tap-tempo control.
- Enhanced saving and storing mechanism with reset/compare/name copy functions.
- Assignable front-panel Realtime controllers for performance control of almost any internal parameter: 9 per preset (3 sets of 3) with two operating modes (catch or free). Realtime Controllers can send MIDI controller data for effortless recording of parameter changes.
- Input level and global wet/dry mix always controllable from the realtime controllers for instant access.
- Assignable Expression controller to almost any effect parameter.
- Input, Output and Gain Reduction signal meters (for Dynamics FX types only).
- Multiple, flexible routing configurations between the effects - series, parallel, dual mono configurations - creating endless permutations.
- 128 user presets with factory bank of 64 widely varied examples ready for use.
- Comprehensive MIDI automation and bulk dumps
Through Chromasonic 1.1 the Chameleon now easily competes with any other dedicated multi-effects unit in its price range. So as the soundskins and updates continue to roll out, the Chameleons revolutionary concept becomes more and more a force to be reckoned with in the hardware synths and processing market. Watch this space.
15th July 2003
From the 2nd until the 5th of July 2003 Soundart attended the Insolit Music Forum, showing the Chameleon and all the latest developments from Soundart. For the occasion, we decided to preload units with the flagship synthesiser soundskin "Australis" along with all the latest updates and presets.
The event was an unqualified success. Even though the Forum caters for a specialist industry audience and enthusiastic public, many of whom already possess many top brand synths, Australis still caused a sensation: the warm sounds, the deep modulation controls, the filters - many people were truly left drooling over our little gem.
Respected musicians such as Constance Demby, Michel Huygen, Sam Vitoulis, Sergio Koval, Dom F. Scab and Odracir Lavid loved Australis and were convinced of the quality and potential of the Chameleon. In fact, Sergio Koval & Sam Vitoulis decided to use in amongst their most powerful arsenal of synths TWO UNITS for their spectacular show on the Friday night.
As another anecdote: the people in charge of sound equipment and recording of the concerts requested a Chameleon from us to use as a reverb. In a matter of minutes we loaded Chromasonic for them into another backup unit that we had brought along. Their feedback was great - they were very satisfied with the performance of the unit and simultaneously impressed by the innovative Chameleon concept.
We could not conclude this report without thanking the organisers of the Insolit Music Forum for all their help - a festival born with the intention of being the European forum for New Music - and for their genuine interest in our baby and the philosophy that has created it. We look forward to returning next year with even more applications and brand new ideas from the team at Soundart.
15th July 2003
The Spanish edition of the prestigious music technology magazine, Future Music, now in issue 75, has given the Chameleon their coveted Platinum Award. After an extensive review, to see just how the Chameleon represents a brand new trend in music technology, the FM reviewers considered the Chameleon to be a very interesting and exciting machine.
Standing out amongst the features of the hardware were the use of industry standard DSP chips such as the Motorola DSP56303, found in many of the most famous modern digital synths on the market, and the ergonomic simplicity of the controllers.
As for the 'soundskins' coded for the Chameleon, the first impressions of Australis and Chromasonic were very positive. After covering the rest of the soundskin range and their features, the review concluded:
"You can take Soundart's machine anywhere, for live work or studio sessions, with the total peace of mind of working with a unit that doesn't freeze. It offers something to home producers, guitarists, keyboard players, engineers, DJs and developers, with considerable economy of space and value for money."
25th April 2003
Soundart are proud to announce the first full release of their dance music module software, Fahrenheit, for Chameleon - the world's first fully re-programmable DSP-based rack-unit.
It is a complete emulation of the classic Japanese hip hop, dance, electro and house music beat boxes and bassline synth hardware that inspired a musical counter-culture. Soundart's 21st century emulation allows users to use these sounds on stage or in the studio with the 1U Chameleon rack, but is also an evolutionary step in itself.
The final release of Fahrenheit includes a multitude of routing options and new production features, such as a high quality reverb, a freely assignable resonant KeyFilter and audio input to the mixer section.
Chameleon followers will have noticed that previous beta versions of this software were known as "Reborn", in a friendly nod to a well known software which also emulates these classics. However, we have decided to christen the full release "Fahrenheit", because we believe that our product has evolved to a point where it has created it's own unique take on the recreation of these dance music production tools. We also believe it's better to compare our own product with the many other dance production tools on the market, especially in the arena in live performance. Finally the new name allows us to align Fahrenheit more closely with our own distinctive range of product names.
Fahrenheit's highlights include:
- Emulation of classic dance music production tools: the hip hop and dance music drum machines and two squelchy bassline synths, with all parameters. Every sound (including the individual drums) can be processed independently through the comprehensive mixer section.
- The mixer section has 26 channels, one for every sound source, with 2 FX inserts, 2 FX auxiliaries and of course stereo panning and volume. However, totally flexible mixing and routing options allow the creative freedom to filter, distort and compress individual sounds of any combination of sounds, as well as Reverb FX and three delays.
For example, users could send most of the drum sounds to one channel with heavy compression, and only the bassdrum through a fat distortion and the snare through a wild delay - this kind of flexibility gives a wide palate of possible sounds. However, Fahrenheit's mixer and it's FX are independent to the sound sources - so it's easy to swap the signals around and hear what its like with the wild delay on the bassdrum, the compression on the snare and the distortion on the rest of the kit. It's quick, intuitive and there are endless possibilities to explore. - Mixer inserts feature 4 compressor and 4 distortion units, as well as a global resonant KeyFilter for sonic sculpting. Users can trigger the KeyFilter envelope from a MIDI keyboard, while mapping frequency across the octaves. So program a filter sequence over parts of the drum kit alongside a synth line, and leave the bassdrum alone.
- Audio input. As the Chameleon has audio in, Soundart have added a neat new function to the final release: users can input any line level audio into the Fahrenheit mixer to route alongside the internal sounds, allowing all manner of creative moments. This is ideal for live work, for KeyFiltering of vocals or turntables, for live effects processing of audio alongside the core sounds.
24th March 2003
Soundart are proud to announce that the Chameleon - the world's first fully re-programmable DSP-based rack-unit - is now shipping worldwide.
The first of Soundart's growing list of resellers and distributors to demonstrate the Chameleon at the upcoming trade fairs will be Italian distributors Sound Wave. They will be exhibiting the Chameleon at the DISMA MUSIC SHOW in Rimini from 11 April 2003 to 14 April 2003, booth number is Hall D1 - 035.
The Chameleon concept is simple: to marry several key advantages of computers - multi-functionality and re-programmability - with the reliability, transportability and highly optimised coding found in modern hardware processors.
Soundart also develop their own dedicated soundskins for the Chameleon platform. Most of these will be available free of charge from Soundart website, where end-users can access the new tools that continually come out for the Chameleon. Soundart are also working in partnership with software designers worldwide, to create in the Chameleon the ultimate multi-functional studio and live tool.
At the time of writing there have already been five professional soundskins developed for the Chameleon platform:
- Australis: Polyphonic analog synth emulator.
- Chromasonic: Flexible Multi-FX processor.
- Amp-O-Matic: Guitar gear simulation.
- ReBorn: Dedicated dance music machine with 2 drum machines and 2 analog synths + FX
- FX-Designer: Delay-based FX engine, recently ported by Spin Audio (specialists in 3D effects and special imaging tools) from their VST and DX plug-in.
Soundart are appointing resellers and distributors in several countries.
14th March 2003
Soundart, in partnership with SpinAudio Software, are proud to announce the first fruits of their ongoing collaboration: the full release of a software plug-in ported to Soundart's Chameleon platform - the world's first fully re-programmable DSP-based rack-unit.
FXDesigner from SpinAudio is the first VST/DX plug-in to be ported to the Chameleon platform.
It is a delay-based digital audio effects processor with a flexible signal processing design that allows to produce such audio effects as chorus, flanger, phaser, spatial effects, various reverbs and any combination of above. FXDesigner offers 6 modulated delay lines with LP/HP filter sections, 6 freely assignable LFOs and flexible tap interconnection matrix. The plug-in is perfectly suited for any experimental electronic music production. FXDesigner comes with a factory bank of 70+ ready-to-use presets.
Low-level Soundart code allows the Chameleon to effectively function as a "blank canvas" for talented software developers to use how they please. End-users load skins via MIDI and the Chameleon instantly becomes a completely different tool.
The uniting of the Chameleon "blank canvas" DSP hardware with speciality software leads the way to a new trend in the audio software industry, led by Soundart and SpinAudio. Watch this space.
About SpinAudio
SpinAudio develop innovative, highly optimized DSP processing applications and supplementary tools for all digital audio production work, from music creation to multimedia and film/video post-production. Their VST and DX plug-ins for delay effects, Virtual Room Acoustics Modelling, 3D Positional Audio are well respected and their technology is used by the likes of Mackie.
http://www.spinaudio.com
1st January 2003
The Chameleon soundskin family just doesn't stops growing! Today Soundart releases Amp-O-Matic, a complete electric guitar gear emulation system for the Chameleon, capable of producing a wide range of typical sounds found in most modern and vintage guitar amplifiers.
With this new release there are already five different Chameleon skins covering almost any taste and sonic preference. The Chameleon becomes now attractive to virtually any musician. The revolution continues!
As the result of a long research time, this new release has been a challenge for the Soundart engineering team, which always wanted to see a guitar-specific tool runing in their beloved creature. This skin emulates the main components of a complete guitar amplifier, from the preamplifier stage to the speaker cabinet. It allows the user to choose between several models, and thus it is capable of producing a wide range of sounds from a clean guitar input, from typical transistor smooth and mellow clean phrases, punchy and raw crunches to hi gain tube distortion.
This beta version of Amp-O-Matic can be freely downloaded, and many new features are planned to be added in next versions.
