While unveiling the new Surface 2 tablet, Microsoft introduced the Surface Music Kit, a thin tablet cover designed for music production.

This kit comes with a new sampler and mixing software called Remix Project, which seems to be designed with beginners in mind.

The Surface Music Kit follows the interface of a trigger pad, featuring three sliders, 16 triggers and 8 buttons.

The obvious application is for triggering samples and tracks in music production and live performances. It can also be used by DJs that want to remix tracks and add effects, samples and loops.

The technology behind this controller is based on the slim and pressure sensitive Touch Cover 2 keyboard. On first glance, it may be easy to dismiss the controller's thin profile as having basic toy like button features, but many were surprised and impressive to know that it has pressure-sensitive buttons.

This means that this accessory will let you play samples with dynamic changes, you get low volume with light taps, and the sound intensifies as you tap the buttons harder. Combining this feature with the kit's ultra-slim profile makes it an ideal tool for producers and DJs that are always on the go.

Based on the demo video released by Microsoft, the accompanying music software is not so shabby either. It activates automatically as soon as you clip the backlit cover into your Surface tablet and gives you a track per track view with Wave formats. The interface will let you build your song by piecing together various audio clips, loops and samples which you can trigger via the controller.

Another feature of the Remix Project app is its automatic beat syncing capability. It will help you choose which sounds and samples work together and it will automatically sync the beats of your chosen tracks as you mix.

The only downside to this announcement is that the Surface Music Kit is not yet commercially available. No release date was given, but Microsoft has opened up a contest where in they will give a free kit to artists that will impress them via video. For more information and to join the free Surface Music Kit contest, you can head over to Surface Remix Project.

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