Mac and Music News

The new VG-88 Version 2.0 software takes this guitar and amp modeling system to all-new heights. For starters, there are three new COSM guitar models including Sitar, Wave Synth and an even more realistic nylon guitar.
There is no shortage of amp models either, 18 new amps total! Version 2.0 also adds entirely new features to the VG-88's repertoire, such as Defretter and Uni-V effects, plus five types of COSM wah models and more.

HALion 2.0 due in April impresses with new Waldorf filters, surround capability, a new surround library by Wizoo, Roland S770 data import, extended GIGA support, OS X compatibility and much more.

Frankfurt Musikmesse (Stand B78 in Hall 5.1)

Xphraze is a sample-based instrument combined with a powerful multi-timbral synthesizer that offers practically unlimited sound-shaping and real-time modulation capabilities. Xphraze is powered by an integrated polyphonic phrase generator, allowing this new VSTi to generate practically all types of rhythmic sound textures imaginable, from polyphonic chord patterns, through drum grooves and bass lines to tempo-synced pads and arpeggios.

Frankfurt Musikmesse (Stand B78 in Hall 5.1)

Groove Agent is a virtual drummer for VST. Like the well-known Virtual Guitarist, this plug-in actually "plays" an instrument, providing dynamic drums in dozens of different styles - just like a top studio drummer. Groove Agent includes a specially crafted drum sound library that provides a huge variety of styles from many musical eras.

Frankfurt Musikmesse (Stand B78 in Hall 5.1)

Arboretum Systems announces Montage, "the first media software that lets creators work like they think". Montage features a groundbreaking "trackless" workspace that allows the free manipulation of video, audio, stills, and text in an infinitely expandable window. Montage was built for OS X from the ground up and is 100% Cocoa native.

Arturia just released Moog Modular, a virtual synthetizer available as a VSTi plug-in for OS 9 and OS X. "very impressive, no bugs, sounds big !!"

Gmedia Music are in the process of developing Apple Audio Unit (AU) versions of the M-Tron and Oddity (currently VSTi) and it's anticipated that theses will reach the final beta-test stage shortly.

A new bundle on sale for Mac OS X which combine :
- Cubase SX , the Midi and Audio sequencer from Steinberg and
- 6 plug-in from Native Bundle 3.0 (TC Works)

A complete solution for musicians and producers.

Clavia announced today the availibility in june of the G2, which stands for Nord Modular G2 (the 2nd generation without Piccard ;). It is a dsp driven synth, like the "old" Nord Modulars, with features long awaited by the NM followers:
- Bigger keyboard (3 octaves instead of 2)
- pitch stick like other Nords (yeepeee!)
- backlit LCDs and LED rotary encoders (perfect for gig)
- assignable buttons (8 physical buttons X 10 pages = 80 virtual buttons)
- 8 morph groups per patch for quick and heavy external mods to patches
- or a rack 1U version (no panel editing, but the power within)
- 24 bit 96 KHz AD/DA
- 4 analog audio Ins with one on XLR with an amp.
- 4 analog audio outs.
- On-DSP RAM so longer delays than the NM G1, reverbs?
- Add Granular synthesis and physical modeling to t ...

Dave Malham, from the Computer Music Center of Switzerland brings to the public use (with a GNU licence) the last version of its "Bpan - Ambisonic encoder vst".

Doggiebox is a versatile drum machine application for Mac OS X that empowers you to create and manipulate percussion-based songs. With Doggiebox, you can create drum tracks in minutes, ranging from the realism of a human drummer on a full kit to imaginitively bizarre experimental pieces.

With this Free Art Licence, you've got the right to copy, broadcast and arrange songs in full respect of the author's copyrights.

Far from ignoring copyrights, this Licence acknowledges and protect them. It re-formulates the principle in allowing people to use works of art with creativity.

When the regular way of using the copyright is restrictive, only a few got access to the work, the Free Art Licence encourages access to all the people.

The aim is to make songs accessible to everyone and to authorize use of the resources' work by a majority. To have the right to use it in order to increase pleasures, to build new conditions of creating and magnify possibilities of creation. Of course, all in respect of the authors with acknowledge and preservation of their moral right.

You'll find the last artistic news of this Licence and its artists in a short article in Liberation (in french...)
http://www.liberation.fr/page.php?Article=90295

The forthcoming Digidesign french site organise a Story competition about ProTool LE for all people who use the Mbox. Send your unusual stories and amazing photos about your way to use the Mbox to :

sophie_taieb@digidesign.com (expiry date april 1st).

A free ProTool LE 6.0 OS X update for the winner and other surprises...

IRCAM is announcing the list of his main training courses for 2003.

Software course:
- Sound treatment : 1st and 2nd of March
- Composition assisted by computer : 8th and 9th March
- Introduction to spacialization : 15th and 16th March
- Morphing on Diphone: 26th and 27th April
- Real time on Jitter: 17th and 18th May
- real time on Max/MSP : 24th and 25th May

Sonor designing course :
- Sonor design for architecture : 3rd and 4th April
- from Words to sounds : 15th and 16th March

Next workshops of the Forum :
- from 26 to 28th march

Arizona released AudioXplorer, a powerful sound analyzer software designed specifically for MacOS X.