Kalakshar US

It’s always good to see companies delivering updates and new features to devices long after they’ve launched. And Roland’s TR-8S and TR-6S were already pretty capable to begin with. But with the latest firmware updates they’re picking up two huge new additions, including one that that I’m personally quite excited about.

TR-8S 3.0 and TR-6S 2.0 add an ACB model of the CR-78 CompuRhythm and a chromatic TR-808 mode for building basslines. The ability to play an 808 kick chromatically greatly expands the flexibility of the two drum machines. While you could tune drum hits and samples on the to create some melodic elements it wasn’t exactly an easy or pleasant experience. This opens up the 8S and 6S well beyond strictly percussion, but does so in a way that seems natural. The 808 emulation was already part of their feature sets. And, especially in the world of hip hop, it’s a staple for creating basslines, not just drum grooves. 

The CR-78 emulation is another huge addition. It was the world’s first programable drum machine and my personal favorite of Roland’s classic rhythm boxes. In fact, I called out the lack of a CR-78 model in my review of the TR-6S as its one glaring omission. (I’d like to believe I had something to do with the decision, but I know better.) All of the sounds from the hardware are represented, as are most of the original preset rhythms, plus a few new ones. But what’s particular exciting is the ability to use the more modern programming features and sound design tools available on the TR-6S and TR-8S to tweak the CR-78 for more modern productions.

In addition to the two new sound engines, the TR-Editor app on Mac and PC is getting an update with some usability tweaks and new compact UI for easier use on small displays. All these updates are available now for free directly from Roland.com. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/roland-adds-cr-78-percussion-and-808-bass-to-the-tr-8s-and-tr-6s-drum-machines-195628859.html?src=rss 

Bill Willingham, the creator of the comic book series Fables, says you now own his work, fully and for all time. Willingham has released his work, which served as the basis for Telltale Games’ The Wolf Among Us, to public domain — mostly because he can’t afford to sue DC Comics. In a lengthy post on his Substack page, the artist went pretty in depth in explaining his beef with the publisher. He said the people he negotiated with 20 years ago had already been replaced by people “of no measurable integrity, who now choose to interpret every facet of [their] contract in ways that only benefit DC Comics and its owner companies.”

Based on Willingham’s account of what happened, DC would routinely overlook his input on things like artists for covers or formatting for new collections. That’s pretty innocuous compared to his other allegations, though, including getting royalties late or DC under-reporting royalties so as not to pay him what he’s owed. But the artist said that the company recently went beyond these “mere annoyances” and tried to forcibly take Fables’ ownership from him. 

He mentioned Telltale Games in particular, when he talked about how DC execs allegedly admitted that they believe they could do anything with the property. That’s including not protecting the integrity of its stories and characters from third parties — Telltale Games, in other words — that want to radically alter them. Further, he apparently gets no money from DC licensing his work to third parties.

While Willingham knows that he’s still bound by his contract with DC and cannot release anything Fables related without the company’s consent, he argued in his post that you’re not. “[Y]ou have the rights to make your Fables movies, and cartoons, and publish your Fables books, and manufacture your Fables toys, and do anything you want with your property, because it’s your property,” he said.

DC, however, has disagreed with Willingham and his interpretation of their contract and copyright law. “The Fables comic books and graphic novels published by DC, and the storylines, characters, and elements therein, are owned by DC and protected under the copyright laws of the United States and throughout the world in accordance with applicable law and are not in the public domain,” the company told CBR in a statement. “DC reserves all rights and will take such action as DC deems necessary or appropriate to protect its intellectual property rights.”

It’s unclear if this development will have any effect on Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us 2, which is scheduled for release in 2024. The game was supposed to be available this year, but the developer chose to push back its launch, because it needed time to switch from using Unreal Engine 4 to 5 and that involved changes to personnel and the development process. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/creator-of-the-wolf-among-us-universe-releases-it-to-public-domain-130010929.html?src=rss