Mac and Music News

MOTU announced Digital Performer 4.1, a free update for Version 4.0 users that supports the Digidesign Audio Engine (DAE) and runs Audio Units plug-ins and virtual instruments. The update will also include numerous other enhancements such as new virtual instrument tracks.

Features :
- Pro Tools DAE support
- OMF file import/export enhancements
- Support for Audio Units plug-ins
- Virtual instrument tracks

Digital Performer 4.1 will be provided as a free download to all registered Version 4.0 users.

These updates are available from the Digidesign web site :

• AVoption|XL for Pro Tools 6.1 : www.digidesign.com/download/ptav
• DAE 6.1cs1 : www.digidesign.com/download/daedsi
• Virus Indigo 2.2 : www.digidesign.com/download/indigo

Apple announced the august availability of Soundtrack, a standalone audio tool for adding an audio soundtrack to video.

Soundtrack brings the art of music composing to everyone. With minimal cost and effort, you can produce custom music to your video, DVD or Web project. You won't need to license a song or hire a composer with Soundtrack at your fingertips. Now you can make your own royalty-free music perfectly matched to the mood you're after. Whether you've never written a piece of music before or you're a seasoned composer, Soundtrack lets you lay down tracks and cut a mix in no time.

Produce original music for your video, DVD and web projects Soundtrack's easy-to-use interface makes it easy for you to create your own original music, even if you don't have a background in music o ...

More powerful than any sampler. More sounds than any sound module. SampleTank 2 gives you instant access to an unlimited world of superb sounds.

Complete control over every aspect of your sounds. Exclusive STRETCH (SampleTank Time REsynthesys TeCHnology), pitch-shift/time-stretch synthesis, and traditional resampling synthesis put control of tempo, tune and harmonics at your fingertips.

Lighting fast access to the richest, most realistic sound quality ever produced by software or hardware instruments. Thousands of native sounds already available, plus the ability to import unlimited WAV, AIFF, SDII, AKAI, and SAMPLECELL files.

Top-notch features like 32 built-in award-winning effects, 16 multitimbral layerable parts, full synth-sampler engine control, single-sample editing, loop sync, portamento, keyword search, and loads more…

Lynx Studio technology announces the AES16, a 16 channel AES/EBU PCI Card that operates at 24 Bit 192 kHz. It's a half-size PCI card that will set some new standards for quality and value in digital audio. Up to four AES16's can be installed in a single computer. Single PCI Cards starts at $695 with new SynchroLock Jitter Control

ProTools 6.1 is finally available to download from Digidesign's website. You'll need your PT 6 serial number to access it, and beware that it is a full installer (not just an "updater") and is therefore a large download (81.6 MB).

The french company Wave Idea (which produce the MIDI Bitstream Pro controller) announce the UASC-1. It's a low latency USB audio Controller which support ASIO and runs plug and play with Mac and PC.

Bitcartel releases an update to RadioLover, the Internet radio recorder, bringing it to version 1.17. The update brings a brand new scheduler, new recording options, improved file management and a new interface, along with minor enhancements and fixes.

RadioLover 1.17 can record Internet radio streams and save them as separate tracks, with support for iTunes Radio Tuner, Shoutcast-compatible radio streams, and MP3, M3U, and EXTM3U radio stream playlists. It can schedule recordings and can also record multiple streams at once.

RadioLover (Free demo, Price $15) is for Mac OS X 10.2.

The MassivePack Special offer is prolonged until august 15th. It's a special Bundle with the Line 6 Echo Farm included.

MassivePack 2.0 : 1195 € (saved 4200 € ). This bundle MassivePack 2.0 includes Oxford EQ by Sony, H949 Harmonizer by Eventide, MC2000 by McDSP, FilterBank by McDSP, MDW High-Res Parametric EQ by Massenburg Design Works, Echo Farm by Line 6, SoundBlender by Wave Mechanics, Speed by Wave Mechanics, Aural Exciter by Aphex, Big Bottom Pro by Aphex et Drawmer Dynamics by Drawmer.

MassivePack Pro 2.0 : 2995 € (saved 6400 € ). And with your MassivePack Pro 2.0, customers receive an HD Process card with all the plug-in included in MassivePack 2.0 .

This special offers is designed to pro Tool HD user, new purchaser and people which decide to upgrade with Pro Tools HD.

I couldn't help spreading rumour from a digidesign forum (DUC). Digi could announce a very new audio and midi and portable interface with... firewire connexion : some kind of ... super Mbox or... mini rack digi 002...

Is it true ? Some of the aficionado enthusiast of the Firewire (oh yes i am !) were dreaming for a long time of a midi connexion on the Mbox. BUT, it's only a rumour...and may be i've been hoaxed !!!! :-)