Despite the terrible market situation, Frankfurt has some relevant news for the electronic musician. First, a newcomer, Teenage Engineering has this toy, OP-1, which is still not available for a while, but previewed. It is a small USB MIDI controller plus a modeilng synthesizer and a sampler in one. It even has an FM radio built-in, and line input+microphone to use it as a mobile recorder. Check here its website, a betatesting program is just starting now.

Clavia showed a new modeled organ, C2, which has more organ models, better keyboard, bass pedal, new stand and a lot more. Synthtopia has some more info.

Cakewalk announced a few new toys like this V-Studio 100, a complex gear with USB sound card (24/96 quality), MIDI controller functions, plus mobile recording (media: SD card). An extensive web project tells everything about it.

Also from Cakewalk is an upcoming line of cheap USB interfaces - unfortunately only the biggest one provides audio in-out (stereo, analog and digital, 24/96), called UA-1G.  The rest of the three gadgets provide MIDI in-out.

RME announces a new, quality FireWire interface, the Fireface 400. It has the smallest latency ever: 48 samples under Vista, and 14 samples under OS X. It has 8 analogue inputs, ADAT in-out, MIDI, S/PDIF and a bombastic mixing console software. Maximum available quality is 24/192. Click if you want to know more.

Native Instruments makes a DJ life cheaper with Traktor Duo and Traktor Scratch Duo. They are 2-deck software instead of the ordinary 4-deck versions hat are already available, with a more pleasant price. Products' website can be found here.

Alesis concentrates on the drummer: at first, a completely new professional kit is out now, DM6. Its brain plays 108 different sounds, connects via USB, and the pad set is physically advanced, made completely of aluminium. All the pads has a more natural feel than ever, snare has two zones, and Surge cymbals can be inserted safely into the systems if needed. Product's page is here.

To monitor what you plays you need a decent monitoring - Transactive Drummer is a specially designed piece for drummers, with an iPod docking facility - check it here.

E-Practice Pad is highly recommended for the beginner having 65 different drum sounds, metronome, and pedal inputs for bass drum and hi-hat. Look it here.

Non-drummer new products from Alesis are AM3, a stereo, handheld microphone with USB (16/48 quality A/D converters inside), and a pro studio monitoring system with USB, also: M1Active 520 USB.