Mac and Music News

IPod owners, like Mac users, are obsessive about the little things: those fun accessories that make ownership just perfect. How else can you explain a party for iSkin, the form-fitting iPod case? Yes, that's right: New York Wednesday evening will be post to a swanky party celebrating (no joke) a case. The party at Fifth Avenue computer store DataVision will include numerous giveaways plus live music, and is followed by an invite-only after-party at P. Diddy's eatery/club Justins. Everyone from Urban Outfitters to Phat Farm's stable of airbrush artists are getting in on the action.

Can't go? Our friends at iPodLounge have a live video stream, and stay tuned to MacMusic for our own exclusive coverage. If you do go, look for MacMusic's English editor-in-chief, yours truly, as well as Macboy, creator of Mew & Zach, representing the MacMusic New York Beat. Ed: Sorry about those capitalized IPods; that is a bug in our page rendering engine. Darn you, Apple, with your lowercase letters! -PK

Ed: I try to post as few verbatim press releases as possible, but when a brilliant developer talks about his handiwork, I'll make an exception. -PK

U-he Zebra 1.5 is a major upgrade to its predecessor, Zebra AU. With version 1.5, Zebra has become a wireless modular synthesizer, offering vast possibilities to create sounds ranging from warm pads, phat basses, striking leads up to complex and wild movements that have been unheard of. Its innovative drag and drop circuit design interface makes it easy to build a countless range of different synthesizer layouts.

21 audio modules, i.e. 4 oscillators, 4 filters with 18 different filter types, 4 vca/pans and much more for each (!) voice and 3 built in effects (delay, reverb, chorus/flanger/phaser) offer great sonical resources. 19 modulation sources (including a pair of 16-step envelopes/step sequencers) that can modulate almost every parameter (out of more than 300) provide for huge means of expression and depth.

Camel Audio, makers of the additive synth Cameleon 5000, have launched a new website with new merchandise. The new site sells Camel Audio t-shirts, baseball tops, mugs, and mousemats, if you're looking to show some Camel loyalty out gigging. On a more practical level, over 250 free presets for registered users are available for download from the community section, from filmic dark ambiences to Juno leads. A new tutorials section features video walkthroughs and step-by-step instructions, and the site has added online support with FAQ and online services. The Camelon 5000 has gotten some rave reviews; check out the site and if your interest is picqued, try the free demo download.

PowerFX, a provider and digital distributor of loops, sound effects and music samples, released Miracle Beats, a sample CD and VST/AU instrument combination that includes LoopMorph technology. With more than 500 beats and a unique, integrated VST/AU instrument interface, Miracle Beats allows for complete creation, control and manipulation of beat loops.

You can download and work with a fully functioning Miracle Beats Free version that contains the first 19 loops of Miracle Beats

The Miracle Beats VST/AU Instrument can rearrange, split, morph and turn the 500 loops into an infinite number of possibilities within any VST host application.

LinPlug is releasing Cronox version 2.1 in Audio Unit format, this sampling synth is now available in VST and AU. This new version is listed at 59 Euros

At the NAB, SRS Labs announced the upcoming availability of the first professional SRS Circle Surround encoding software plug-in for Digidesign's Pro Tools workstations. SRS Circle Surround TDM Pro enables Pro Tools users to easily encode up to 6.1 channels of surround sound into stereo delivery formats for television, cable programming, music applications, and other media. Representing a substantial breakthrough over previous matrix encoding plug-ins, it is the only plug-in capable of encoding up to 6.1 channels while delivering accurately steered, full-bandwidth stereo surround channels with superior center channel dialog isolation. In addition to broadcasting and post production, this new surround encoding tool is well suited for production of 5.1 or 6.1 music content with delivery via ...

AES 16th: Yamaha released version 2 of the DM1000 digital console: In addition to the overall performance enhancements and new features previously introduced with DM2000 Version 2, DM1000 now incorporates THX pm3 mode and ESAMII capabilities. You also get the capability to install the ADD-ON EFFECTS introduced with DM2000V2. The version 2 system software is offered as an Upgrade Kit: DM1000V2K, to be installed in the current DM1000 digital console in use. The Version 2 SOFTWARE UPGRADE KIT includes a new and improved STUDIO MANAGER application for Windows 2000 / XP and Mac OS X platforms, too.

Berkleemusic Opens Two New Online Courses for May 17th Semester Berkleemusic, the online extension school of Berklee College of Music, is opening two new instructor-led online courses for their upcoming May 17th semester. Sampling and Audio Production will instruct you on Berklee's approach to recording, editing, and programming using the software samplers provided in Logic and Reason. Getting Inside Harmony 1 will teach you to hear and modify chord progressions, improvise effectively from chord to chord, and will equip you with the best chord scale choices for arranging
and improvising.

Berkleemusic's Student Advisor is available toll-free at 1.866.BERKLEE (237.5533) for one-on-one advice or questions on any online courses. To view the complete course catalog, or to enroll in an online course, please visit:

Edirol has just announced that its firewire interface FA-101 is now available for sale. The FA-101 offers 6 balanced jack inputs, 8 balanced jack outputs, 2 mic preamps with Neutrik sockets and 48V phantom power, MIDI In/Out and one S/PDIF output.

The FA-101 is compatible with Mac OS 10.3 Panther and costs 649 Euros.

Frederik Olofsson offers a small utility that allows to turn the Mac's keyboard (Qwerty) into a virtual MIDI keyboard. The "letter keys" stand for the black and white keys of the keyboard, octave shifting is done via < and > keys and chromatic transposition via the keyboard's left and right arrows. This small software is especially useful to "traveling" musicians and is available as a freeware for Mac OS 8, 9 and 10.