Mac and Music News

Next april 15th, Mackie will release the "big Knob" following their announcement at the last Namm. Big Knob is a mixing controler with 3 monitoring outputs, a talkback microphone, 2 headphone outputs (with independant level), 3 audio stereo inputs, 1 digital audio input and 4 analog audio stereo outputs and... a big Knob... Approximative price : 420 euros

Wonder Warp Software Group has announced the release of SimpleChord 1.7.1, which fixes and refines many aspects of SimpleChord. This includes the way accidentals are displayed, and adds the option to have tooltips for the keys to display the note name (good for beginners).

SimpleChord is a quick, handy reference to chords for musicians. It can aid in learning new chords, building progressions, transcribing, and other tasks. It displays the notes in a chord, their positions on the keyboard, and can even play the chord aloud in any General MIDI instrument.

SamplingSounds.com announces the release of its Mega Sampler, Sampling Library CD. This CD offers over 500 individual samples from five of their most popular sampling libraries on one CD in both WAV and SoundFont Format. This CD is available for $34.95 at www.samplingsounds.com and contains all of these individual sample libraries: Classic Keys, 70s Analog Synths, 80s Digital Synths, Vocoder Tracks and Synth FX.

The dual format CD is compatible with most samplers and sampling keyboards on the market today. SamplingSounds.com is a official SoundFont developer and offers all of its sampling libraries in the SoundFont format (as well as WAV) for easy import into Mac software samplers like: Steinberg's Halion, Emagics EXS24, Vsamp and many others.

Clavia now releases the V2.1 Software Upgrade for the Nord Electro 2 and Nord Electro. The V2.1 upgrade features 'Selectable Keyboard Velocity Sensitivity' for the piano sounds: you can now select between 10 different velocity sensitivity curves for the piano sounds. The V2.1 Software Upgrade also features some minor bug fixes.

This update is free of charge and needs a Mac with a MIDI interface, the latest version of OMS, and Mac OS 8.6 but not OS X.

Channel D announces the availability of an update to its Mac OS X native audio signal analyzer and signal generator suite, Mac the Scope. Mac the Scope 4X 4.2 includes a
versatile signal generator, vector FFT analyzer, sonogram and more.

The new version, compatible with Mac OS X 10.2.3 - 10.3.x, includes enhanced support for CoreAudio.

Rolled out with D-Control is the new Pro Tools 6.4 software, which should be available sooner (maybe at Frankfurt). Most new changes are only for HD but a later issue promises to support MIX systems.

New features include:
- Auto Delay compensation (both plug-in and routing delays)
- An option for having fader gain at +12 dB over 0 dBfs (currently fixed at +6 dB)
- TrackPunch (record-enable and punch on the fly)
- An Input button on each channel (to switch between input and playback)
- Enhanced plug-in organization through a new folder system
- Enhanced clip indication (clips will show on channel plug-in plates, on the show/hide list and on the D-Control surface)
- Absolute track numbering (forcing an optional absolute track number before each track name)
- An extra transport bar embedded at the top of the Edit window
- Input and Record Enable alert lights next to the REC button on the transport
- The ability to redefine current feet/frames position
- Support for 23.976 timecode rate

Thanks to Mix Magazine and Digidesign for the infos

SoundHack Spectral Shapers is a group of four plugins based on the SoundHack program. After the VST version, this 4 plugins package comes out as Audio Units version making it compatible with Digital Performer 4.1, Emagic Logic, and Apple GarageBand as well as all other Audio Unit hosts.

It is being released as a downloadable bundle ($150) which also includes VST versions for OS X and OS 9 . A boxed CD will soon be available.

Ed: Mew & Zach is broadcasting later in the week this week, my mistake while I'm on the road. Catch you soon. -PK

Ableton has announced the availability of his leading software Live in version 3.0.3. The focus on this update is only to improve the understanding of Live. The main features of Live 3.0.3 are: a new Session and Arrangement demo song, a tutorial explaining the Session demo song and an index for the english pdf manual. This updates also fixes bug : crash on Quit in ReWire depending on the installed ReWire slaves. This update is a free download for registered users.

AcidMusicLoops.com announced the release of three new loop based Groove Constuction Kits: HipHop Kit, Dance/Techno Kit and Pop/Rock Kit. Each kit contains over 320 loops for quick and easy construction of original music with programs like Cubase, Logic Audio, Apple's Garageband and of course Acid. Each Groove Construction Kit contais a generous helping of pounding drums, booming basses plus lots of synths, guitars, keys and more. Each kit retails for only $24.95 and can be ordered directly from www.acidmusicloops.com with free shipping!

AcidMusicLoops.com offers dozens of other titles like Mega Guitar, eXtreme Guitar, Analog Heaven, ethnoLOGIC, Warped and Twisted, Sonic Textures and more. Their Mega Guitar and Analog Heaven CDs just received the highest praise from the UK's Digital Music Maker Magazine.

Kreativ Sounds releases ACTIVE eBASS, a downloadable refill for Reason 2.5.
This is not just another bass sample collection, AeB is a Hybrid Bass Refill. AeB combines additive, analog and guitar basses. AeB Refill features:
- 40 bass multisamples + lots of ones shot FXs, all 44KHz/24bit wavs for maximum quality;
- 110 NNXT Advanced Sampler Patches with True NNXT Guitar mapping;
- 210 NN19 Sample Patches for quick setups;
- 150 SubTractor Patches more oriented to analog bass modeling;
- 150 Malstrom Patches more oriented to guitar bass modeling;
- 30 Scream4 Patches - enhance your basses using these presets. We also tried to emulate some bass amps;
- absolute ALL Malström and Subtractor Patches include the Mod Wheel variations for extra sounds and control.

Some audio examples and demo refill is available for download. The full version has 65Mb and costs 17.5 EU / 23 USD and available to purchase via the website.