JoeCo presents the Blackbox Recorder, a high performance multi-track capturing device designed for the 21st century.

Aimed primarily at the live music market, it records 24 channels of hi-res audio directly to a USB2 drive. It can be plugged directly into the insert points on any console and can also provide Virtual Sound Checking facilities. Recording to standard external USB2 disks formatted with FAT32 in Broadcast WAV file format (BWAV), any material can be instantly used in a studio Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) without any need for time-consuming file conversions or transfers.

Features :

- 24 track audio recorder
- Virtual Sound Check Facility
- 24bit/96kHz conversion
- Simple User interface
- Keyboard input for naming tracks and songs
- Data entry wheel for navigating menus and making adjustments
- Scrub function for finding loop points
- AES / SPDIF word clock
- Linear time code (LTC) & MIDI time code
- SONY PII (9-pin) control
- Records to standard USB2 drive in BWF format - Instant import into DAW
- Multiple Blackbox Recorder units can be chained for really large multi-track recordings
- Applications as standalone multichannel recorder for use in studios, conferences, conventions, logging and monitoring

The Blackbox Recorder will be available from April 09.

It's not official for now but it seems that after the little MPK 25, Akai will soon unveil its big brother : the MPK 88.

As we can see on the picture the MPK 88 will be a fully weighted 88 note keyboard with all the features of the MPK49 plus the full quota of 16 MPC pads, as opposed to the 12 on the MPK 49 & 25.

Roland is pleased to present the VP-770 Vocal & Ensemble Keyboard, featuring newly-developed Vocal Designer effects and high-quality ensemble sounds powered by Roland's exclusive SuperNATURAL technology.

With a solid wood construction and metal chassis, the VP-770 features a newly enhanced interface, plus expressive onboard sounds applicable across a vast array of musical genres. A high-quality headset microphone comes standard and provides the best signal path possible in combination with the VP-770's pristine onboard microphone preamp.

Performers will especially love how inviting and inspiring the VP-770 is to use onstage. It's ideal for musicians who perform alone or in small groups, and for those who need an interactive, real-time backing chorus. Film and TV music composers who are challenged with time and budget can use the VP-770 to generate high-impact choral, string, and brass arrangements on the spot. Churches in need of a choir (or choir enhancer) will love the VP-770 as well.

The VP-770 is also equipped with high-resolution vocoder modeling, which can be used to generate signature vocal effects for the dance music, pop, R&B, and hip-hop genres without the hassle and expense of a separate vocoder or processor.

Our dear friend Nolot has taken those pictures at the Winter NAMM 2009 exclusively for you, check it out !

Cakewalk announces a new line of four cable-based interfaces designed to easily connect musical instruments and other components to a computer.

The three MIDI interface and one audio interface hardware solutions introduced today are compact, affordable products for a wide range of digital music creators — from hobbyists to professionals — who need to connect multiple instruments, MIDI devices, or other equipment to a computer. Each product will have a MSRP of under $100 US and be usable with both a Mac and PC. They are all USB-bus powered, requiring no AC adaptor and affording users enhanced mobility for recording on the go.

The new UM-1G, UM-2G, and UM-3G MIDI interfaces are designed to be affordable solutions to easily connect MIDI devices with a computer through a USB connection. The UA-1G is a compact 1 Stereo In/1 Stereo Out USB Audio Interface that offers excellent-quality sound via multiple connection options and a simple, user-friendly design.

Cakewalk will ship the UM-1G and UM-2G to retailers in the US beginning in March, 2009. The UM-3G USB MIDI Interface and the UA-1G USB Audio Interface will begin shipping in April, 2009.