KEYFAX
More than 650 Standard MIDI files of authentic reggae groove elements are compiled on Reggae Grooves ($39.95). Keyfax recorded solid reggae musicians to create the music.
The centerpiece of the collection is the mass of 225 drum loops. You also get more than 100 guitar parts as well as organ “bubbles,” Clavinet licks, and horn parts. Styles include stepper's beats, dance hall, and ska. Among the featured musicians are Tim Siefert of the Yardies, Vince Black of Black Uhuru, and Dale Ockerman, who has worked with the Doobie Brothers and Zigaboo Modeliste.
The MIDI files come on a data CD arranged by style and tempo, but you can easily mix and match parts. In addition to Standard MIDI Files, the CD offers MOTU Clipping and Yamaha Motif Pattern — format files, and a 20-page PDF document containing groove listings, hints, and tips.
Keyfax Software/Hardware; tel. (800) 752-2780 or (831) 460-0172; e-mail us@keyfax.com; Web www.keyfax.com.
GMEDIA
The GMedia Signature Series introduces banks of patches for virtual synths programmed by progressive rock artists Rick Wakeman (Yes) and Richard Barbieri (Japan, Rain Tree Crow). Wakeman programmed sounds for Steinberg's Model E software synth; Barbieri's patches are programmed for Native Instruments' Pro-52.
Patches in Rick Wakeman-Model E ($21.96) derive their names from the songs they were originally used in, such as “You and I,” “Catherine Parr,” and “Close to the Edge.” That collection includes 128 patches.
Richard Barbieri-Pro-52 contains sounds from the musician's Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 archives, which represent 15 years of programming. Because Prophet 5 System Exclusive is compatible with the Pro-52 software synth, Barbieri transferred sounds directly from his instrument to the software synth. You get 128 patches as individual files and arranged as two banks of 64 sounds. Barbieri's collection includes Cross Mod Gamelans, Grainy Wheel Melody, Intro Pad, and Slo Filter Drone. Both titles are available as downloads from the Gmedia Web site. Gmedia Technology; tel. (800) 454-4563 or (801) 486-8225; e-mail gforce@gmediamusic.com; Web www.gmediamusic.com.
IK MULTIMEDIA
Two new sound sets, Vintage Voltage and Mello Zone (Mac/Win; $99), focus on vintage keyboards for SampleTank. Both CD-ROMs come with SampleTank LE, which offers four MIDI channels and a single output in MAS or VST host programs.
The Vintage Voltage collection comes with 180 instruments from more than 430 MB of samples. Instruments sampled include Roland's Jupiter 8, MKS-70, Planet S, and Juno 106; Oberheim's Matrix-12 and Xpander; the Yamaha CS-15; Korg's Polysix; the Teisco 60F; and Kawai's SX 350.
Mello Zone taps Mellotron sounds from collector and specialist Klaus Hoffman-Hook. The collection is based on more than 800 single tapes in semitone steps. Sounds include violin and violin ensemble, cello, strings, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, brass ensemble, and male and female choirs. IK Multimedia; tel. (866) 243-1718 or (561) 466-9763; e-mail info@sampletank.com; Web www.ikmultimedia.com.
VINTAUDIO PRODUCTIONS
For Tascam's GigaStudio comes Giga Clean Electric Guitars ($134.95), which presents chromatically sampled electric guitars on four CD-ROMs. Vintaudio recorded each instrument at three neck positions with three Velocities; all samples provide the full decay time for each note.
The collection gives you three guitars: a 1959 Gibson Les Paul sampled at two different pickup settings, a Godin Artisan, and a Fender Stratocaster. The samples are clean and untouched, so you can apply your own processing. Vintaudio Productions; tel. (450) 638-9295; e-mail info@vintaudio.com; Web www.vintaudio.com.