Frankfurt Musikmesse 2010: Day One highlights

FRANKFURT MUSIKMESSE 2010: Europe's biggest music-making equipment trade show has kicked off with a bang - or should that be a bleep, a squelch, a crunch, a strum and possibly even the occasional parp?

Yes, in the best Musikmesse tradition, the halls are decked with new gear: synths, guitars, software, amps, interfaces and everything in between. MusicRadar is not just surviving the chaos, but thriving amid it, scoping the show floor to bring you all the big news, videos of the hottest gear and photos of random loveliness.

As Aerosmith once almost said, you won't want to miss a thing, and if you bookmark our Frankfurt Musikmesse Ultimate Guide and follow us on Twitter and Facebook you won't have to.

As the doors close on day one, here's the digested story so far…

Musikmesse 2010: Day One highlights

Korg monotron video demo
The new mini analogue synth in action

Line 6 announces Variax guitars designed by James Tyler
Boutique instruments recreated digitally

Roland GAIA SH-01 synth video demo
A triple-stacked virtual analogue engine, anyone?

DigiTech announces JamMan delay looper
Stereo looping with a programmable stereo delay

Steinberg announces WaveLab 7 for Mac OS X and Windows
The classic audio editor goes cross-platform

Vox Ice 9 Overdrive Pedal
A fourth collaboration with Joe Satriani

Elektron Octatrack prototype video
An early look at the new sampler/sequencer

TC Electronic launches BG500 115 and 210 bass combos
Are these the class leaders their maker claims?

Universal Audio announces 4-710D four channel "Twinfinity" mic preamp
Four mic preamp channels with compression

NEXT: more highlights from Musikmesse 2010

Line 6 releases POD Farm 2 Plug-in
Featuring enhanced routing and full MIDI support

Roland Lucina AX-09 video demo
A more affordable Roland 'shoulder synth' (keytar)

Vox Virage II launched at Frankfurt
Semi-hollow body guitars that offer warmth, versatility and tone

Steinberg presents HALion Sonic VST3 production workstation
A synth engine and 12GB of samples to run inside it

Vox exhibits AC4TVmini
Vintage sound from a practice amp?

Muse Research selects Ultimate Sound Bank for MuseBox sounds
More details on new instrument

Toontrack Beatstation features revealed
Find out more about this virtual groovebox

New Roland products round-up
Synths, recorders, interfaces… and an accordion

New Korg products round-up
monotron, Electribes, microSTATION and more

The MusicRadar team

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts. TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars. STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.