Gadgety News

Yay!

We Brits are getting the rather fabby Korg DS-10 Synthesiser for the Nintendo DS before our American cousins!

I mentioned this app a while ago but now it has finally been released.

The synth as been developed by AQ Interactive and manages to pack a complete Korg MS-10 synth inside the handheld device.

This is no dodgy homebrew either; it has Korg’s official seal of approval and has been created by a crack team of game developers. The software makes full use of the touchscreen to generate new sounds and you can connect up gates just by drawing in the wires.

If you want to collaborate and make some serious tunes, you can hook up with up to seven other DSs wirelessly. You can also save up to six different tracks.

Can’t wait to see artists start getting their DS’s out on stage.

For all of you JMJ wannabes you get can one step closer by playing lasers just like the great man himself!

The Beamz Laser Music System uses a series of six lasers which you can break with your hands in order to ’play’ instruments such as guitars, violins and even a cowbell (!!??)

There’s 30 preloaded backing tracks and musical genres that can be played whilst you’re making music by throwing shapes.

Beamz goes on sale on April 15th.

The Sharper Image

If you cast your mind back to my acrticle about iBand - 2iPhones and a DS yo! - pocket music makers should be taken seriously.

Now mini music makers can kick it with the new Korg-approved DS-10 synthesizer from AQ Interactive.

This synth is not a gimmicky toy; it boasts two patchable virtual synths with a pair of oscillators each, a drum machine, a sequencer, and a full range of effects - and more.

You’ll be able to hook-up wirelessly to several systems to play together or simply exchange sounds and songs, although you’ll apparently have to make do without MIDI support.

This wonderment hits Japan in July for ¥4,800, or around £25.

Via Create Digital Music

Here’s a pretty cool looking synth by Future Retro.

The Revolution R2 looks fantastic with its aluminum construction finished in gun metal grey and white with blue leds.

It has a circular sequencer interface, which allows single handed control as well as remote pattern selection using MIDI program change messages.

A built in remix feature allows 265 variations for each pattern and song, which gives more than 65,000 possible overall patterns.  The sound engine uses true analog synthesis throughout and the PC board has a new RAM chip, which extends the battery life from 1.5 years to a complete decade.

All this can be yours for around $750 which I think is pretty good for a synth that looks like it could control the Death Star!!!!!!!!!