Winter NAMM 2019: Short bits - Sand, software and sound

The Effigy Labs MIDI foot controller is a pedal that frees your left hand from MOD wheel and pitch bend duties. The pedal sends MIDI on both USB-B and DIN-5 outputs. The pedal takes power from either USB, internal 9V battery or external AC adapter. Although the pedal is programmed at the factory to send modulation and pitch bend, it can be configured to send other MIDI messages including System Exclusive (SysEx) messages. Their site mentions open source software, but I couldn’t easily find a link to code.

The Effigy Labs foot controller pedal is $299 USD. Folks are either gonna love the industrial look or they’re gonna hate on it.

Here’s the demo video.

Teenage go modular

By now, you’re heard about the new modular synth gear from Teenage Engineering. The range include:

170: An analog monophonic synth with built-in programmable sequence (complete kit: $349 USD).
400:: 3 oscillators, noise, random generator, 2 envelopes, 2 VCA, LFO, mixer, speaker, power pack and 1-16 step sequencer (complete kit: $499).
16: Stand-along keyboard and programmable step sequencer (complete kit: $149).

Teenage Engineering have the assembly and usage manual on-line.

Keeping with the Pocket Operator theme, the new modules are skeletal and good-taste industrial. The sheet metal parts come flat so this is a fold-your-own synth. Looks like the 400 is already out of stock.

Ace up their sleeve

ATV Corporation are reviving the Ace Tone brand. Ace Tone is noted for many vintage classics like Rhythm Ace (FR-1, FR-2, FR-6 and so on), the EC-10 echo chamber, various pedals/amplifiers, and of course, those luscious combo organs (Top-1, Top-3, Top-5, and so on). This will start much speculation about the future products which will bear the Ace Tone name. ATV currently produce a line of percussion and drum instruments.