The collaboration between Polyend and Dreadbox that produced Medusa goes from strength to strength with a new free firmware update adding a bunch of new features. Here's the lowdown.
Polyend, developers of innovative MIDI sequencing software and hardware, have released a v1.1 Medusa Firmware update for their hardware collaboration with Dreadbox.
The new firmware adds a software tool for more convenient flashing and the ability to dump/load presets. Besides giving the users an option to save their presets, the plan is to release Medusa presets packs made by recognized artists.
Medusa firmware update v1.1 update features
Redesigned initial auto-calibration function.
New MIDI menu (full bilateral MIDI input/output implementation - including transport, clock, CC communicates & MIDI channels).
The Grid MPE functionality is now enabled for controlling external gear.
MIDI channel per voice option. Control, play and sequence each of Medusa's voices on a separate MIDI channel form 1 to 6 (fixed mode) with external MIDI gear (this works in P2 mode only. When this function is toggled on the Medusa pads won't play polyphonically).
The Live recording mode is now enabled.
Notes and Chords are being transposed in a chosen musical scale.
Shortcuts for targeting the ENV to LFO and LFO to LFO rate, wave and amount.
Edit the step values while the sequencer is running.
You can now transpose your sequences while they're running by pressing and holding the hold button and indicating the root note on the pads.
Note sustain mode when the Hold button is lit (great for drones).
Two new Grid layouts including "guitar" layout which resembles a classic guitar tune.
All the necessary bugfixes.
Check out a demo video of the new drones capability:
Hollin Jones was classically trained as a piano player but found the lure of blues and jazz too much to resist. Graduating from bands to composition then production, he relishes the chance to play anything with keys.
A sometime lecturer in videographics, music production and photography post production, Hollin has been a freelance writer on music technology and Apple topics for well over a decade, along the way publishing several books on audio software. He has been lead writer at a number of prominent music and technology publications.
As well as consultancy, full-time journalism, video production and professional photography, he occasionally plays Hammond, Rhodes and other keys for people who ask nicely.
Hollin is Contributing Editor at Ask.Audio.
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