M-Audio make the Trigger Finger, a very nice USB MIDI control surface. It’s garnered some rave reviews, so a summary of the official M-Audio information is in order. The Trigger Finger is primarily a pad controller, but also provides faders and knobs as extra control options. Even though many keyboard controllers have pads and other controls built in, it might be better having a dedicated unit like this one. (more…)

Trigger Finger, M-Audio’s MIDI pad controller, gets a great review in Computer Music magazine. They point out that this is more than just a drum pad controller — the eight rotary controls and four faders raise it up a notch or two in the MIDI controller stakes. The pads themselves are pressure-sensitive as well as velocity-sensitive, and the pressure values can be mapped to any MIDI parameter; they are impressed with this and say that it offers “massive creative potential.” (more…)

The always-good Create Digital Music website reviewed Numark’s PT01 turntable. In fact, they didn’t just review it, they took it out into the desert and played a gig with it. “Using the PT01s in the desert was a dream. The dust covers kept them clean while packed away in my tent and they were easy to grab, setup and spin due to their light weight. The sound was great, the pitch control was super-useful and the built-in cartridges saved me from near disaster when I completely forgot to bring a set.” Hmm, built-in cartridges on a DJ deck? Well, it is meant to be a cheap portable. (more…)

E-Mu’s 1616M laptop audio interface system has received some attention recently. And with good reason, if E-Mu are to be believed — they call it “the most powerful and portable laptop audio system ever created,” with the same DSP effects, zero-latency monitoring and mastering-grade 24-bit/192kHz A/D and D/A converters as E-Mu’s high-end systems. The system consists of a PC card and a breakout box, and it also comes with E-Mu’s rather good production tools software bundle. (more…)

Numark’s PT01 is a DJ turntable with the usual features including pitch control. It also has some unusual features — it’s battery powered, and small enough to fit in a record crate. And it only weighs 2kg, or 4 pounds 8 ounces as some would have it. It also has a little built-in amp and speaker for that “all-in-one” vibe. Even if you’re not planning to take your scratching skillz on the road, you still need a turntable. A lot of great music is only available on vinyl, and you’ve got to get it onto your laptop somehow. (more…)

Hardware manufacturer E-Mu have released the Xboard USB/MIDI controllers. The Xboard 25 and Xboard 49 are 25- and 49-key controllers respectively, as you might expect. They feature a full complement of control knobs and switches in a portable package — especially the little Xboard 25. (more…)

The Trigger Finger MIDI control surface from M-Audio gets a good review in Keyboard magazine. From their description of the control pads on this device, you can tell they love it — maybe a little too much: “”They seem to have taken great care in choosing the best-feeling pad material I’ve ever had the pleasure to caress. It’s like a baby’s bottom. Like real Corinthian leather. Had Solomon’s beloved had skin that felt like this, the Song of Solomon would be pages longer and steamier than it already is. These pads are dead sexy.” (more…)

M-Audio make a nice Mobile Laptop Studio Backpack, which I feel must be included on this website simply because of its name. As M-Audio say, you can “carry your studio on your back — and in style. Our padded ballistic nylon Studio Pack conveniently carries an M-Audio Ozone or Oxygen8, a laptop and accessories.” Unfortunately, it does not come emblazoned with the Laptop Studio logo. (more…)

Remix magazine reviews Pro Tools M-Powered by Digidesign and M-Audio. They note that this version makes Pro Tools quite affordable, and even the cut-down version included in Pro Tools M-Powered is still a powerful music production system. “In light of the new level of accessibility that Pro Tools M-Powered offers, those who may have overlooked Pro Tools in the past should consider giving it another look, especially if you already own an approved M-Audio interface. Even if you don’t make Pro Tools your primary sequencer, learning the software and having the application available make working on other people’s projects and remixes that much easier.” (more…)

The FlashMic DRM85 is a professional-quality microphone with built-in power and Flash memory so you can record without any extra hardware. This is probably out of the price range of the average Laptop Studio person, but a neat idea anyway, and sure to get cheaper in the future. Not much more I can say, so here are the full details from the makers, HHB: (more…)