Firebird 2.0 software synth now free from Tone2.com

Tone2.com, a small German music software company, has released its Firebird 2.0 software synthesizer for free (August 2013). Firebird, when it first appeared seven years ago, introduced a new type of subtractive synthesis Tone2 called Harmonic Content Morphing (HCM), "...based on a large, expandable repertoire of standard waves, like saw, pulse, as well as more complex wave material, like multi-waves, trumpets, organs, pads, pianos and voice samples.These waves are modified in real-time, by for example transposing the wave by one or two octaves and adding it to the original wave, altering its harmonic structure, syncing, compressing or even expanding the frequency domain of the spectrum. Making the wave for example sound more fat using only one oscillator, transforming each wave into a hyper-wave or selecting some cycles of a sample and moving through them over time (comparable to wavetable synthesis)."

HCM later made an appearance in Tone2's Gladiator soft synth.

Wusik Sound Magazine, September 2011 issue

Here's the Wusik Sound Magazine September 2011 issue. Lots of great stuff in here, including part one of an article on the basics of FM Synthesis.

Open publication - Free publishing - More wsm

Gen16 and Gen16Grooves from Zildjian

Zildjian, the very historic family-owned business who produce cymbals and percussion accessories, have set up new Web sites called Gen16, for their line of "intelligent percussion" and associated software applications such as an iPhone/iPad GroovePlayer and Gen16Grooves. The latter offers MIDI grooves from drumming sessions with some of the top players.

What is MIDI?

MIDI is an acronym that stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface, also sometimes interpreted as Musical Instrument Device Interface. The idea behind MIDI came from Dave Smith. The first MIDI specification was released in 1984. The purpose of MIDI is allow different digital devices to interconnect with one another and with a computer. The most common application of MIDI is a keyboard controller connected to a computer and through which an individual can, by playing the keyboard, send that information as a digital signal to a computer program for live playback or for storage and later manipulation.

More information about MIDI is available in this Wikipedia entry on the "Musical Instrument Digital Interface" and through the MIDI Manufacturers Association.

Welcome to MIDIocity

MIDIocity is my personal blog about the world of MIDI, the digital interface between electronic instruments and computers.