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Every producer or electronic musician will have been in situations where they've found themselves without their library of samples, loops, and audio files – and without a device capable of sampling live. Of course, no-one can lug around their workstation, groovebox, or even a laptop the whole time. That's where the compact 1010music Nanobox Tangerine streaming sampler comes in – it's a space-saving, mobile solution to a vast array of musicmaking needs. Simply hook it up via MIDI to a controller keyboard or laptop, and it'll deliver rich sampled sounds straight into any existing setup. Whether it's being used to drop in samples, loops, effects, or even stingers and interludes at live events or gigs, this little box handles it all with ease. And let's not forget – the Nanobox Tangerine is also any producer's dream sampler, too, allowing them to quickly record instruments or, with the right mic and preamp, capture field recordings on the fly.
The 24-voice Nanobox Tangerine can play simple samples straight from its built-in 64MB memory. For more complex multisamples – with up to 16 velocity layers and over 500 individual component samples – it streams directly from a 4GB microSD card. Internally, the sampler runs at 48kHz and 32-bit, with 24-bit AD/DA conversion for high-quality audio. It comes preloaded with over 1,500 samples, including a mighty 1.7GB of piano samples. Samples are triggered via MIDI, or simply by tapping one of the eight touchscreen pads, which are perfect for loops, one-shots, and quick drops during a performance. Editing is straightforward, with controls for start point, loop length, launch quantisation, envelope shaping, and filtering. Users can sync audio clips, rearrange slices, and manipulate them with a built-in sequencer. Each preset supports up to 16 sequencer tracks, giving creative musicians plenty of space to develop their ideas.
The 1010music Nanobox Tangerine was made for mobile use. It's a compact little device that's not only easy to carry around, but also fits snugly into almost every setup – whether it’s on top of a larger bit of gear or as part of a tabletop rig. With some double-sided hook-and-loop tape, busy musicians can even stick it securely onto a free spot on their keyboard or music stand – and remove it when they're ready to go again. Of course, it works equally well as a hand-held sampler, allowing adventurous beatmakers to make recordings wherever the muse strikes. So whether it's being used as a sample player, audio input, groovebox, recording device, or a field sampler – the Tangerine is always ready to go. Sure, not every feature will appeal to every musician, but with a device this flexible, there's sure to be at least one or two things the Nanobox Tangerine does that'll be a handy addition to any setup.
1010music was founded in Los Angeles in 2016 and focuses on digital solutions for musical applications. Prior to creating their own products, the developers at 1010music had all worked for renowned companies on large software projects such as Native Instrument's Traktor DJ. 1010Music's creative modules – designed for Eurorack modular systems such as samplers, loopers, sequencers, synthesizers and effects – combine digital technology with analogue control and are all operated via multifunctional touch displays.
Perhaps the most likely use-case for the Nanobox Tangerine is to expand the capabilities of a keyboard player's main instrument. Even if their setup only includes a synthesizer or a MIDI controller, this little box will let them tap into a whole new palette of sounds. And because it's so compact and lightweight, it can be placed pretty much anywhere without it getting in the way. But here are some more interesting ideas for musical creatives of all stripes: For groovebox-style performances, the Tangerine works like a clip launcher – letting solo artists sync and combine preloaded loops and arrange them live. At a gig involving multiple bands, or indeed any kind of live event, it can easily be used to play ambient intros, short interstitials during breaks, or even full backing tracks for vocalists. Equally, of course, it can record up to four hours of audio from a live performance, then transfer it to a DAW for editing later on.