Rip it up

New file format launched

New from London-based software developers Neuratron are both the audio editing package Hit’n’Mix, and the .rip file format on which Hit’n’Mix is based.

software developers Neuratron

.rip files differ from WAVs in that rather than store waveform data they consist of a set of sine waves for each of a sound’s characteristics – pitch, envelope, timbre and so on. Hence, any stereo audio track can be reverseengineered into its component parts using the Hit’n’Mix software and then edited at will. Individual parts can be pitchshifted, have automation applied to them or even be removed entirely.

At the moment, Hit’n’Mix – which is aimed primarily at DJ types wanting to produce their own mash-ups – is the only software that supports the .rip format. But Neuratron is making SDKs available and is hoping that the .rip format will soon become as widespread as mp3s, WAVs or AIFFs. Contact Neuratron 020 8852 5200 Web www.hitnmix.com

SOUNDBYTES Pioneer gets it white Pioneer has unveiled new pearl-bodied versions of its CDJ-350 CD deck and DJM-350 mixer.The CDJ-350 will play back mp3,WAV, AIFF and AAC files and retails for €650, while the DJM-350 offers direct-to-USB recording and will cost you €550. More info at www.pioneerdj.com

Large-diaphragm condenser mic debuts SENNHEISER GOES LARGE

Launched at the recent NAMM show in Anaheim, California, the MK4 is the first large-diaphragm, side-address condenser microphone from Sennheiser. The MK4 has been built with pro and semi-pro users in project studios in mind, yet is affordable enough to appeal to hobbyists and still tough enough for on-the-road use.

The microphone comes in a hardwearing, nickel-coloured metal body, inside which lurks a one-inch diaphragm sputtered with 24-carat gold. It’s got a maximum SPL of 140dB and low self-noise of 10dB. Suggested uses include vocals, acoustic guitars, pianos, strings and wind instruments. Product manager Sebastian Schmitz describes it as “an unpretentious microphone with outstanding sound” and it comes complete with a mic clip and a protective pouch. Contact Sennheiser 01494 551551 Web www.sennheiser.co.uk

Incoming MTM

AndAnother Thing!AndAnother

UnderDog doesn’t have the highest of hopes for 2011. Funny, that...

The BBC has published its Sounds of 2011 list of the top 15 artists or bands it thinks will be big in the coming year. And reading it is pretty dull, to be honest. Partly because there’s nothing particularly interesting on offer and partly because at least a couple of them will make it big and by this time next year we’ll all be thoroughly sick of them. So we thought it might be better to come up with our own list of stuff that we’d like to see in 2011 – as well as stuff that is crushingly inevitable.

2011 will be the year that dubstep finally leaps into the mainstream, only to be instantly made uncool as it is embraced by a supergroup consisting of ex-members of East 17, Mr Blobby and Kenny Loggins. Their debut single Wobbly Bass Blob will chart at number 217 in the UK but be number one in Norway for some reason. At the same time, even your gran will now know what dubstep is and so it will become utterly irrelevant.

Mumford and Sons will become so big that they’re offered a seat on the UN Security Council, a move that will come as a result of their multi-billion-selling album, 120mph Banjo Con. This will fail to kickstart a surge of interest in actual folk music, but people will still try playing Fairport Convention records at 220RPM just to see what it sounds like (like Aphex Twin covering Chas & Dave, in case you were wondering).

People will continue to refer to ‘UK hip hop’ when they actually mean ‘sub-R&B shouty twaddle’ and, tragically, a generation of babies will be given names like Tinchy, Chipmunk and That Bird In N-Dubz. Simon Cowell will move to America but the relentless dumbing down of British culture will not stop as a result, since he will leave behind a well-oiled machine to continually churn out bland, sickly pop nothingness and people will still care about whether a one-legged satanist from Burnley gets through to the third round instead of dealing with the myriad problems in their own lives.

All in all, it’s going to be much the same as 2010...

EstherAar ts

Illustration magazine February 2011 | 9