Mac and Music News

Apple is on the way to enter in the music online download scene with the help of the five Majors: Universal, Bertelsmann, Warner and EMI who would open their whole catalogs.

Steve Jobbs himself presented a revolutionnary platform which will make buying and dowloading of music as easy as buying a book on Amazon, thanks to a new technologic standard named Audio Advanced Codec.

Further on this tool would also include an anti-piracy system which would limit the numeric copies.

Digidesign announced the compatibility of their Pro Tools 6 with the last update of mac OS X, the 10.2.4 version

Korg will release Q3 in VST and Audiounits formats (so under OS X yeah!) virtual versions of their classic vintage synths:
- MS 20
- Polysix
- Wavestation

The synths will be based on CMT (component modeling technology, which is a form in fact of physical modeling). Other classics are to follow.
So after Waldorf, another hardware synth goes pure software. (just tell me why they use such bad trance/Eurodance as a soundtrack, their classic synths desserve better no?) :-/

For the MS20, will we need still patchcords?

DTS (Digital Theater Systems, Inc.) is introducing the XD10 Cinema Media Player, the first product in its new line of products being developed for the future of cinema. Engineered to deliver up to 10 channels of scalable digital surround sound, the XD10 is an expandable, reliable and user-friendly media solution for pre-show and feature film presentation. The XD10 is also compatible with both traditional film playback and emerging Digital Cinema.

Containing an internal hard drive capable of storing up to 30 feature film soundtracks, the XD10 gives distributors and exhibitors the flexibility of storing multiple languages of one title or multiple titles. The product is also capable of playing back enhanced video for alternate media, and has networking and pre-show programming features for an integrated presentation.

Korg announces a new Electribe groovebox: the MX. The MX is a 9 drums, 5 synths beast with 16 possible parts simultaneously (2 parts for accents, one on synth, one on drums). It uses a new version of analogue modeling called MMT (Multi Modeling technology, yes, before it was mono modeling maybe ;) and PCM sounds. You can choose from 16 models of oscillators, use formants, 4 filters, crunch 207 PCMs of drums or 76 PCMs of synths. So plenty of possiblility for noise here.

The groovebox also features 2 vacuum tube 12AX (push-pull anyone?), in the so-called Valve Force giving more power and some gritty overdrive if need be.

There is a sequencer (128 steps/part, 24 motions/pattern, 256 pattern max, memory 256 pattern, 64 songs. Modulation sources are assignable or tempo synchronized. Arpeggiator, ribbon controler, slider, scale. 4 outs (1 mono or a stereo and 2 individual outs), headphone, Midi i/O/thru. Back up on Smartmedia cards.

Available in August at 999 Euros

The Audio Engineering Society Standards Committee (AESSC) calls for comment on reaffirmation and revision of AES10-1991 (Recommended Practice for Digital Audio Engineering - Serial Multichannel Audio Digital Interface -MADI-). They try to simplify connexions between digital audio and multi channels devices.

BIAS announced they are udapting:

- Peak goes 3.2.1: free update for 3.2 users, new for $499, available now. New features include a better opening of AIFC files without types and creators, a bug fix on the registration asked again after a network configuration change, and overall performance.

- Deck goes 3.52: free update for 3.5 users form and of March. $399 for new users. The update is fixing among a few things a bug about modem dial-up on launch and Peak being grayed out when selecting Launch External Editor (a bit annoying that ;).

- Vbox goes 1.2: this new version in now fully native OS X, and also compatible with Soundsoap (Hey, for a BIAS product, you can expect that :) Vbox is available now for $99. The upgrade is free to 1.0 users.

All three apps are Jaguar 10.2.3 fully compliant

NATIVE INSTRUMENTS presents the first major update of their award winning, semi modular software synthesizer.

ABSYNTH 2.0 is now a synthesizer and a sampler!!! The list of the new features is so gorgeous that you really have to go on their site to believe what you will read.

The MODELmaker software is available free to all Neuron purchaser (see previous news) in OS 9 version, PC and OSX to follow this spring. A new soundset of 150 items is available too.

Tascam in collaboration with Frontier Design Group developed the US-122, a USB MIDI/audio interface featuring:

- 16 midi channels I/O
- 2 XLR phantom powered mic inputs with analog inserts or
- 2 line inputs on balanced TRS 1/4" jacks, guitar level switchable
- dedicated headphone outpout.
- Zero latency monitoring, level control, can be switched to mono
- 2 line outputs unbalanced with level control
- 24 bit 44,1 and 48KHz
- USB powered
- OS 8.6 to 9 and OS X
- ASIO, Sound Manager, Core Audio, OMS, FreeMIDI
- free cubasis VST
- $269

Taking place from 22 to 25th of march in Amsterdam (Netherlands), the main workshops will cover Surround, Coding PCM /DSD, MPEG-4 development and so on ... The lectures will be centered on numeric audio, room acoustics, audio levels monitoring and the setting of a 5.1 monitoring speaker system.

Metropolis DVD creates Bonus DVDs against unauthorized copying. Asked by a few majors which want to stop the unauthorized copying and what they called the "napsterization" of their catalogues, Metropolis DVD decided to add Quality Bonus in order to push people buying the original ones. The increasing sales of the tittles which use this brilliant marketing idea seem to prove the efficiency of this system.

Edirol announced their new assignable control surface with USB Audio and MIDI. The UR-80 is an all-in-one studio box for computer musicians, combining a fully assignable control surface, USB audio interface with 24-bit/96 kHz capability, MIDI and the GM2 Hyper Canvas software synthesizer. The UR-80 control surface resembles a digital mixer, with transport controls, time wheel, and assignable switches for quick access to music software functions. It comes with a Control Map Editor and eight pre-loaded control maps supporting popular sequencers, such as Cubase and Logic, plus a variety of soft synths.

Edirol introduces the World's First Hi-Speed USB 2 Audio Recording Interface.The UA-1000 is multi port on 10 separate channels via a wide variety of connections:
- 4 x front-mounted XLR/TRS combo jacks, with Phantom power and preamps
- Hi-Z guitar in
- SP/DIF (Optical/Coaxial)
- 8 channel ADAT
- MIDI
- 2 x Stereo (4) Inserts for effect send/return

TC-Helicon brings in April his Voice modeling technology to the Powercore platform. The Voicemodeler can change or improve a voice, a "thin" vocal into a "throat" one, a "male" into a "female". A complete control is possible on the parameters of the voice: morphing, crispness, breath, growl can be adjusted in real time. You can expect more voice effects in charts in the coming month after this release, from the natural to the extreme. Price $249-215eu

Yamaha revamps the 01 mixer the mLAN way. It is in fact a 01V96 in mLAN with 9 motorised faders, transport controls, DAW support for Cubase SX, Nuendo, Logic Audio, Digital Performer and softs synths.

- 28 Channels with dynamic processing and 4 band parametric EQ
- 2X 32 bit effect processors
- large LCD screen to display names on top of the faders.
- 3 VST plug-ins for enhanced vocal processing, pitch correction and mastering.
- VST channel module to show hardware and functions of the mixer on the computer screen
- mLAN input and outpout

Certainly a tough competition for Digidesign Digi002.

mLAN support is included in OSX 10.2.4
Due in Q3 2003 for $1700-1700eu

Steinberg release a bundle "Waldorf Edition" with the following VST plug-ins from Waldorf:
- Attack
- D-Pole
- PPG Wave 2.V

they run in both OS 9 and X and the bundle is expected for 249?

The fourth generation. REAKTOR 4 comes with new modules as
well as with an enhanced functionality.
REAKTOR 4 features graphical sample mapping that allows velocity splits and 32-bit sample support for maximum flexibility and sound quality.
The reworked snapshot manager. The interface has received a completely new design with redesigned graphics, a trimmed-down toolbar, and much more.
Reaktor 4 will support MacOSX and AudioUnits...

REAKTOR 4 will be released in April 2003

TC electronics will ship in May the Powercore Firewire, a version of their Powercore PCI card but in Firewire (I'm smart, yes, I know ;)

Powercore firewire is twice the power of the PCI version and retains the principle of processing audio in Powercore and not in the computer host. The DSPs used here are faster and have more available RAM than on PCI so the result is a more powerfull rack and more plug-ins available than previously. Laptop users will definetly be interested.

- AudioUnits and VST support
- 4 Motorola 56K DSP 150MHz
- 512K words SRAM by DSP
- 1 Motorola PowerPC 266 MHZ
- 8MB DRAM for the PPC
- 3 Firewire pass thru connectors
- Price TBA

Small (!) detail, support of VST AND AudioUnits ;)

Propellerheads annouce the beginning of the public beta test of Reason 2.5. The new features are:

- RV7000 Advanced Reverb: A stereo reverb with a multitude of algorithms. Everything from large halls to cool sounding spring reverbs.
- BV-512 Digital Vocoder: A 4 to 512-band vocoder with the power to equalize.
- Scream 4 Sound Destruction Unit: A behemoth distortion unit capable of every kind of destruction, from subtle tape compression to digital bit-loss mayhem.
- UN-16 Unison: A classic chorus-like effect designed to fatten and widen any sound. Fans of classic eighties synths will like this one, only now you can add unison to any sound in the rack!
- Spider Audio Merger & Splitter: A small and indespensible utility for audio path scientists. ...

BIAS release a stand alone version of Soundsoap, its plug-in of noise reduction already available in VST format. So now users of non-VST compatible softwares can use Soundsoap like the others.

This stand alone version is available as a free update for registered users of the plug-in version, and others can purchase it for $99. Soundsoap is OS X only.

Elektron as announced is delivering the last SIDstations Final 100 Edition numbered 100 to 1 as their chip stock is about to end. The MOS6581 SID is the chip used in Commored 64 as a complete synth onboard and has gained vintage status.

900 euros in Europe and $760 in the rest of the world

Steinberg releases a bundle of the following OS 9 and X products:
- Cubase SL
- Waldorf Attack
- Waldorf D-Pole
- Waldorf PPG Wave 2.V

The bundle is said to be aimed at the Dance producer market and will retail for 499€

More info on the upcoming Monomachine from Elektron, our swedish Monomaniacs:

The Elektron Monomachine SFX-6 is a multiple synthesis and FX synthesiser with unique parameter sequencer control. The Monomachine SFX-6 is scheduled for public release in the third quarter of 2003 and delivers musical synthesis and sequencing in certainly the friendly Elektron way, built upon the traditions of previous Elektron synthesiser models SidStation and Machinedrum. The last one being a joy to use, you can count for a great user experience.

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.