Native Instruments has released the NI Accessibility Helper, a new lightweight app that works with Maschine software to help visually impaired producers and beatmakers. The Accessibility Helper works by enabling Maschine users to hear touch-triggered audio cues that read out each control that is used — with all encoders, pads, and screen-menu items identifiable in this way.

Additionally, the Accessibility Helper provides a degree of in-app help and orientation over the hardware — which are triggered via computer keyboard input.

First introduced for Maschine MK3, the NI Accessibility Helper will soon be available for use with more NI hardware devices as part of NI’s commitment to developing new tools that empower producers to create without barriers. Plus, by building a dedicated app, NI can continue to deliver Accessibility-focussed improvements without needing to make changes to Maschine software.

NI is releasing the Accessibility Helper with special thanks to their consultants, Andre Louis, Tim Burgess (Raised Bar), Jason Dasent, and Chris Ankin — musicians from the visually impaired producer community — whose knowledge and expertise have been invaluable in the development of the tool.

For owners of Maschine+ and Maschine MK3, there is no further purchase necessary in order to install the NI Accessibility Helper. The tool is available for installation for free via Native Access.

The Accessibility Helper is now available for all owners of Maschine+ and Maschine MK3 via Native Access.

Audiomovers, developers of industry-leading software tools that enable music professionals to stream, listen to and record high-resolution multichannel audio remotely and in real time, has released its Inject plugin.

Inject communicates with any of a system’s audio devices and allows users to easily route audio in and out of DAW channels with no need to switch DAW Playback engine. Whether it’s a synthesizer connected via USB, or an iOS device with your favourite synth app, integration of devices has never been easier. Inject works on Mac or Windows machines, with hardware audio device support (CoreAudio and WDM).

Inject’s built-in recorder has drag-and-drop functionality that allows users to quickly capture audio snippets for further manipulation or referencing in any major DAW. Inject is also supplied with a virtual audio driver for inter-application audio routing.

“Inject lets creativity flow unimpeded by making it easy to introduce new sources into a DAW,” says Igor Maxymenko, Audiomovers’ Cofounder and Head of Audio Products. “Inject simplifies and streamlines the integration of external audio streaming from a synth, audio interface or even an iPad, with minimal setup. There is no need to reconfigure the DAW settings or unplug and re-plug devices. The Inject plug-in supports channel configurations from mono to 16 channels, and the supplied stereo virtual driver provides inter-application audio routing. Inject is the simple solution to a host of applications that were previously complicated or potentially time consuming to implement.”

Inject is available in VST, VST3, AU and AAX plugin formats.

Inject will be available for download for an RRP of US$149.99, but will be available for a limited time at the introductory launch sale price of US$99.99.

Bitwig Studio 5 introduces five new MSEGs. Developing this family of modulators and modules led to a major upgrade for our entire modulation system. In version 5, modulators can do more, like control track- and project-level parameters and expand into pop-out windows. Bitwig also created new ways to perform live with its software, and overhauled the browsers to make it easy to find what you need.

Beyond Envelopes
A multi-segment envelope generator (MSEG) is a tool for drawing custom envelopes, automation shapes, looping patterns — and just about anything else. We created five different kinds that can be used as Grid modules, two of which are also available as modulators.

Segments allows you to draw your own envelope with as many points as you need and loop it if you want, while Curves enables you to paint geometric patterns onto a changing beat grid for a unique LFO. And if you can draw your own control signals, why not draw oscillators, too? That’s a job for Scrawl, an MSEG with clever math to make handmade waveforms sound good at any pitch. You can even make custom waveshapers with Transfer, or use the phase-driven sequencer Slopes for a deeper level of control.

Segments. An envelope with global time-scaling and loop modes. Use it as a Grid and Polymer module or as a modulator controlling any parameter.

Curves. An LFO modulator and Grid module that can sync to the beat time or groove.

Drawing. Drawing in the MSEGs’ Pop-out Editor windows is a breeze, with tools for freehand entry or shapes, and shortcuts for jumping to double time or triplets — even while still holding the mouse.

Scrawl. An anti-aliasing oscillator for The Grid and Polymer.

Slopes. A pattern sequencer for The Grid with stereo phase options.

Transfer. A waveshaper for transforming incoming audio or other signals in The Grid.

All your designs can be saved as a BWCURVE file and loaded in another MSEG. And a visual browser lets you see your content (and stock presets) at a glance.

Modulation, Elevated
Bitwig’s modulation system sets itself apart with a powerfully simple approach: Any control source — including audio or CV signals — can affect any device or plug-in. Now its modulators aren’t limited to devices — they can grab the mixer and project controls as well.

You can now animate your entire mixer with any of Bitwig’s 40+ modulators, from step sequencers to audio sidechains or envelopes. One LFO can modulate any device on the same track, as well as the track’s panning, sends, and other parameters. And if you move that LFO to the project level, you can add modulations to all devices, channel strips, and transport targets, too. Want to sidechain the Fill button, or MSEG the project tempo? Now you can.

MSEGs aren’t the only 5.0 modulators with Pop-out Editor windows. The Steps and Keytrack+ modulators and The Grid’s data sequencers also got resizable panes for cleaner editing and some helpful new functions.

New Performance Gestures
In Bitwig’s Clip Launcher, you press a clip to launch it. But what should happen when you let go? Maybe this clip should stop when you pick up your finger, or it could return to whatever was playing before. In fact, any of the Next Actions can be used, so just pick what you want from the clip’s On Release menu.

And now you can choose between two ways to trigger clips and scenes with a new ALT trigger option. The defaults are simple: tap a clip (normal trigger) to launch it at the next bar line, or ALT-trigger to immediately swap in the new clip, legato style. So decide in the moment and perform freely.

Project-wide normal and ALT-trigger gestures can be set in one place, and you can customise any clip or scene to have its own settings. That includes release options for both normal and ALT gestures, legato options for following the playing clip or the project transport, and a revamped Next Action section with simple loop counts.

Now that all tracks have their own remotes, the mixer offers a bird’s-eye view of your most important parameters. That way, you can build a customised set of mix and performance controls. And new mapping options allow you to launch scenes and clips with any hardware.

Browse Better
The browser improvements are more than just a fresh coat of paint. Now, search results for plug-ins, presets, and wavetables (etc. etc.) all live in one place. The updated browsers also provide better ways to find Bitwig’s devices, customisable shortcuts, and a more visual way to browse your content.

The new browsers implement a modern, flexible approach that does away with hierarchies. You can search through devices, presets, and everything else — including different types of media or content — all in one screen.

• All Sources — including sounds by type, packages, your folders etc.
• Current Source — including hybrid sources, like Drum Hits (drum presets + samples)
• Quick Sources — customisable by drag‑and‑drop
• Minimise option
• Favourites view filter
• Filters
• Recent searches and snapshots
• Free search entry
• All search results
• Favourites & collections indicators
• Current selection
• Show presets for devices, plug‑ins

And Then Some
The foundations got some love too, with a brand new onset detector that makes audio work better from the moment you drag it in. We’re also introducing Spanish and Korean language support for Bitwig Studio. A dead-simple Keytrack+ modulator has an embedded MSEG editor window so you can draw your settings or load and save curves. And for morphing control signals, you’ll love the new Wavetable LFO modulator/Grid module, equally suited for irregular shapes AND instant techno. Yes, please.

By The Numbers
v5 is the company’s 20th major release of Bitwig Studio, which currently has 112 native instruments, note FX, and other devices. The semi-modular Polymer synth now has 270 combinations (9 oscillators × 6 filters × 5 envelopes). With the new MSEG family, Keytrack+, and Wavetable LFO, there are 42 modulators for controlling everything from the project mixer to CLAP/VST plug-ins. And The Grid now has a fleet of 200 modules, including all five MSEGs, Wavetable LFO, and some other helpful new friends.

Availability
Bitwig Studio 5.0 is now in beta and can be tested by anyone with a Bitwig Studio license and an active Upgrade Plan. You’ll find the installers in your user profile. The official release is planned for Q2 this year. This is a free update for all license holders with an active Upgrade Plan at time of announcement (April 11, 2023).

Martin Audio has announced the latest major update to its 3D prediction software, featuring a new sub array tool that user trials have declared as “astonishingly powerful”, as well as a host of additional features and workflow improvements.

DISPLAY 3 is a powerful tool for both live and installation projects, working seamlessly with SketchUp for sophisticated venue modelling, thus allowing for simpler venue and shape creation. Incorporating many of Martin Audio’s line array, constant curvature, point source and subwoofer solutions, Display 3 is ideal for cohesive system design and prediction in a 3D environment.

For the first time, this latest beta version incorporates a new sub array tool enabling rapid design of ground deployed linear arrays of subwoofers. Traditional techniques have been employed to determine the EQ required to approximate and steer far-field beams. Emphasis has been placed on the speed of design using a handful of parameters, rather than requiring manipulation of individual loudspeakers and associated EQ elements.

In this version, two sub array types are supported with ‘Broadside Stack’ and ‘Castellated’ configurations. For Broadside Stacks any sub loudspeaker can be selected, while for Castellated scenarios only subs which have cardioid settings available can be utilised — but more will be added over time.

Castellated arrays have three styles defined as Presets, with ‘Bookend’ where the end parts of the array are two boxes high; ‘Buttress’ where the array is one box high at the ends; and ‘Uniform’ consisting of an array of L shaped elements. Beam width can be set from 1 degree to 180 degrees, where setting to 1 degree will generate the narrowest beam possible from the array and by incrementing the width users can get closer to the coverage required.

Ambrose Thompson, Research Director, commented, “While it is the first iteration of this sub array tool, I believe it already sets a new benchmark in prediction software, and I’m delighted that user trials have also re-confirmed this.”

The Beta 5 release also includes other notable updates including the following: an early version of a tool to display the frequency response at any position on a surface; flown deployments of Martin Audio’s latest product, Torus 8; a new control in the Loudspeaker Property Inspector to optionally constrain aiming angles to those available for the pin locations in the lift bar; default speaker insertion heights, and the inclusion of BlacklineX point source and subwoofer solutions.

Summing up, Thompson said, “This is a significant update to Display 3 that I’m confident our users around the world will relish. As with all things software, there are always new developments required and we are already hard at work on the next set of updates.”

Waves Audio, the world’s leading developer of professional audio signal processing technologies and plugins, launches StudioVerse, a groundbreaking AI-powered system that will help producers and audio creators unlock the full power of all Waves plugins, bringing to their DAW the power of an entire musical community. It is suitable for producers, musicians, and audio creators at all skill levels, from beginner to advanced. For those who are not expert mix engineers, StudioVerse is designed to break the knowledge barrier in mixing, and make great-sounding results accessible to everyone. 

StudioVerse is a vast online network of plugin chains, available directly in your DAW. It includes thousands of presets for entire plugin chains, with easy Musical AI search. Each chain is like a shortcut to a professionally produced or mixed track. The chains are created by industry-leading GRAMMY-winning producers and mixers, such as Young Guru, Chris Lord-Alge, Manny Marroquin, and many more — plus hundreds of other top pros and expert creators. 

StudioVerse is also an open platform, where anyone can upload and share chains at any time, so the vast number of mixing chains available in StudioVerse is ever-growing. The most groundbreaking aspect of StudioVerse is its Musical AI search engine, which recommends the best chains for your specific tracks. All you need to do is click the ‘Scan’ button: StudioVerse’s musical machine learning engine will learn your track’s ‘Audio ID’ and instantly recommend mixing chains matching your unique sonic fingerprint. In addition, you can search StudioVerse chains by free text search and using tags, classified by instrument, genre, or various sonic characteristics.  

“Since we started Waves,” says Mick Olesh, Waves Managing Director, “our goal has always been to give all music and audio creators easy, affordable access to the largest catalog of pro-quality plugins. Now, with Waves Creative Access and StudioVerse, you have everything you need in order to inspire your creativity — instantly, always at your fingertips, so you can create with total freedom.”