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Source: Serato / Serato
Serato and Roland have teamed up for a special edition vinyl that marled the celebration of “303” Day” on March 3. The vinyl was created in collab with DJs J. Rocc, Fast Eddie, Shadow Child and DJ Haus, while the Serato + Roland TB-303 Bass Line / TR-606 Drumatix Control Vinyl will serve as a “time capsule and toolkit” to pay homage to Roland’s classic 303 and 606 synthesizers.
Roland’s TB-303 Bass Line Synthesizer and TR-606 Drumatix were released in 1981 and credited with revolutionizing the music industry. The machines became to electronic music and by the end of the decade and into the early 90’s the tech became TK in. production kits.
Per Serato:
The first record pays tribute to the distinctive bass lines of the 303, reinterpreted by hip house pioneer Fast Eddie and influential dance music DJ and producer Shadow Child. The second record simulates the pulsating drum beats of the 606 reinvented by seminal producer DJ Haus and J. Rocc, one of the original turntablists.
“When I first heard the 606, it was a revelation – it’s right up there with the best,” said said J. Rocc in a press statement.
Adds Fast Eddie said, “If it wasn’t for the 303, I wouldn’t even be here right now talking to you. That’s my history.”
The hope is that the limited edition vinyl serves as inspiration for future producers as they make their beats, with Roland’s iconic equipment. Find more information about the project right here.
Source: Serato / Serato
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Akai / Akai
If you’re an up and coming producer looking to create some new sounds but don’t have all the equipment necessary to do to, Akai might have something you can add to your arsenal as they’re dropping a new production keyboard with all kinds of fixins.
Source: Akai / Akai
Engadget is reporting that Akai has just announced their new MPC Key 37 production keyboard which allows users to craft and cook beats from scratch without having to use an actual computer, laptop or DAW. Of course with that being the case it will have some limitations, but the keyboard seems like a dream come true for many would-be producers looking to get into the game.
Engadget reports:
There are 37 full-size keys, complete with aftertouch. There aren’t that many standalone devices out there with a full keybed, so this should excite musicians who lack experience with Akai-style pads. This device does have 16 velocity-sensitive pads for laying down drum parts and triggering samples, so it’s a “best of both worlds” type situation.
The Key 37 ships with 32GB of on-board storage, though 10GB is used up by the OS and included sound packs. Thankfully, there’s a slot for an SD card to expand the storage — these standalone devices fill up fast.
You get the same color 7-inch multi-touch display and four assignable Q-Link knobs as the company’s Key 61 workstation. This is great for making system adjustments and for controlling effects plugins and the like. As a matter of fact, the entire layout recalls the Key 61, though this new release is slightly less powerful.
Though the Key 37 understandably lacks some of the key aspects of it’s Key 61 predecessor (such as 2GB of RAM, compared to the 61’s 4GB and a few microphone inputs), the keyboard does feature Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity for wireless streaming on platforms such as Ableton Link. That’s gotta count for something, right?
The MPC Key 37 is currently available for a cool $900 on inMusic and authorized retailers around town. Would you be interested in copping one? Check out the video for the keyboard below and let us know in the comments section.
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