Mac and Music News

A new demo to test Storm 3 (soft producer from Grenoble / France). A lite one and an heavier one ((111Mo). The difference comes from the amount of samples and functionalities available. In this new version : ergonomy improvements, piano roll edition, import and export midi files, better mixing functionalities and GM synthesizer included (to read midifile).

Unchanged price (and special price for teachers)
Storm is threatenin'...

Apple just posted a press release to announce that its iTunes Music Store is now available online in United-Kingdom, Germany and France. The ITMS features more than 700.000 songs for euro 0.99€ or 0.79 pounds per song and 9,99€ or 7,79 £ per album.

Features and capabilities in the iTunes Music Store are the same as its U.S. counterpart, with identical Digital Rights Management (DRM) capabilities.

Native Instrument release an Update pour Kontakt 1.5.3 :
With Akai format support improvement, fader reset with easy double click, new possibility to keep the name of EXS Files when you import them, Streaming performance improvements, and some bugs fixed...

Guitare Rig is a complete solution for guitarists. It will be available worldwide in stores starting June 14th (today !!). Guitar Rig is a software (amplifiers, effects...) and a foot controler. Guitar Rig costs 449 USD/euros.

EastWest Sounds is proud to announce the release of Sounds of Polynesia, a compilation of indigenous instruments and native vocals recorded primarily in New Guinea.Instruments included featured: Garamut, Manus, Pate, Pahu Mango, Pahu, Kundu, Tin Can, Bamboo Stomping tubes, Kwakumba, Pan Pipes, Water
Flutes, and more.

Sounds of Polynesia includes a special version of Intakt Sampler and costs USD 219.

AudioRealism is a new company based in Uppsala, Sweden and was founded in 2003 by Mike Janney. They announce the upcoming release of BassLine for Mac OS X. BassLine is the recreation of the Bass Line Synthesizer. Analog modeling techniques have been employed to create a DSP-algorithm that accurately emulates every aspect of the original Bass Line.

BassLine will cost 95 USD/euros.

Apple is proud to announce that more than 250 million copies of QuickTime 6 have been downloaded in less than two years since its release. QuickTime is Apple's standards-based software for developing, producing and delivering high-quality audio and video over IP, wireless and broadband networks.

QuickTime 6 is by far the most popular version of QuickTime ever distributed.

LinPlug posted a new version (2.0.2) of Albino. Albino 2.0 is a VST and AU plug-in synthesizer for Mac and features a modular, extensible design with three oscillator modules, two filter modules, two envelope modules and eight effect modules. This update 2.0.2 a bugfix release that effectively squashes the following bugs: arpeggiator note length problems when stopping a song, problems with fast successive MIDI program changes and improved song restoration when preset banks have been changed.

Albinon 2.0.2 is a free upgrade.

Digidesign announces a Pro Tools LE Factory, and Factory Hardware Exchanges. Pro Tools LE system owners can now buy the Factory plugins bundle separately. Here's the detail of the two offers :

- mBox system : moogerfooger Analog Delay, JOEMEEK SC2 Compresso, JOEMEEK VC5 Meequalizer, Cosmonaut Voice and Maxim. mBox bundle costs USD 120

- Digi 002 Rack / Digi 002 system : Bomb Factory BF-3A , moogerfooger Ring Modulator, moogerfooger Analog Delay, SansAmp PSA-1 , Cosmonaut Voice, JOEMEEK SC2 Compressor , JOEMEEK VC5 Meequalizer , Tel-Ray Variable Delay, Voce Spin and Voce Chorus/Vibrato. Digi 002/002 Rack bundle costs USD 400.

Visit your dealer or our online DigiStore to get your LE Factory plug-ins while the offer lasts. (You'll need a valid system serial number if you purchase through the DigiStore.)

The beta version was available on may, now comes the full 1.0 version of Augustus Loop. Augustus Loop is a looping device software made by Expertsleepers. it essentially offers a very long delay effect rather than the ability to overdub and undo. The key features of Augustus Loop that make it more than just a big delay effect are: Really long maximum delay (3600 seconds - that's one hour), and Virtual tape : the delay simulates an old-style tape delay, meaning you can change the tape speed (i.e. pitch up and down).

This Audiounit plugin is the first non-freeware plug-in from Expert Sleepers... it costs USD 20.

Alpha by LinPlug is a VST synthesizer wich features a subtractive design with special attention being paid to recreate the warmth and feel typically found in early-1980s analog synthesizers.

The public beta for Alpha 2.2 will begin in the next few days. More info to come on LinPlug web site....