Open Labs announced the latest addition to its award-winning line of NeKo keyboard workstations at the 2005 Winter NAMM Show. The Open Labs NeKo GS workstation integrates the recently-announced mFusion,a breakthrough set of software technologies from Open Labs that allows users to control different musical keyboard devices and software packages through a single interface. A high-end Pentium 4-based system, the NeKo GS is designed for use with leading digital music systems, including Tascam’s GigaStudio3 Sampler, the most powerful sampler on the market; Digidesign Pro Tools, and the E-MU Proteus X sound module.

The NeKo GS enables performers and producers to take advantage of an efficient, next-generation platform for music production that allows users to access and create more digital music, in less time, and with greater control than previously available.

mFusion is the latest software component of the Open Labs OpenSynth platform, which is used in the Open Labs NeKo and OMX lines of keyboards and digital audio workstations. mFusion is a set of software technologies along with a control panel that allows the user to easily navigate, access, and remap control surfaces for all Open Labs control panels as well as all third-party Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) control devices.

The NeKo GS will retail for a suggested manufacturer’s price of $4,995.00 USD.

“The NeKo GS provides a completely open model for players and producers who want to leverage the systems they already have, yet deliver even greater sounds and samples using a Pentium-based production station,” said Victor Wong, CEO of Open Labs. “We welcome the opportunity to provide a product that combines the benefits of some of the industry’s leading platforms with the power of the Open Labs NeKo keyboard workstation.

mFusion will be shipped preinstalled in all Open Labs products as well as future products from Open Labs’ growing list of development partners.

“The NeKo GS is a wonderful marriage of technologies which allows users to experience GigaStudio as an instrument from the moment NeKo is powered on,” said Peter Snell, GigaStudio Sales and Marketing Manager.

With mFusion, users merely need to touch a knob or slider to begin the process. A wide variety of options are available for each control type. For example, a button can send a MIDI note-on, initiate a program change, keystroke, or even launch an application. This versatility extends to encoders, knobs, faders, drumpads, and many other common control types, with the ability to address and remap up to thousands of controllers simultaneously.

mFusion’s unified approach further benefits existing music computing applications. mFusion takes multiple MIDI devices and exposes the system to only one device, creating a virtual gateway with multiple extensions, thereby making it possible for music programs that can only access one controller to gain full access to multiple controllers.

For more information, visit the Open Labs site.