Mac and Music News

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. This new version features : chord spelling issue really resolved, new spelling section in preferences lets user choose between strict and simplified spelling, interface refinements and jaguar problems will be addressed soon.

Info about SimpleChord (shareware) is available on MacMusic Softwares section.

Spectrum XA1 by Mark's Recording Studio is a Real Time Spectrum Analyzer AudioUnit plug-in for Mac OS X. Unlike the wast majority of analyzers that use FFT for analyzing the audio, XA1 use Altivec optimized code to generate the display.

Spectrum XA1 needs G4, OS X 10.3.4 and Quicktime 6.5.1 or later and costs $199.

Digidesign has posted a 6.4cs5 update for Pro Tools Pro TDM and LE. In addition to all previous fixes from 6.4cs1 through cs4, these 6.4cs5 releases add these fixes: playing a session or auditioning a file could result in a DAE –9035 Error (files in folders named with certain ascii or European characters, file with more than 31 characters), deleting a selection on a track could cause other regions to be deleted, and object selector could not select regions on duplicated tracks.

This update is available on the Digidesign Pro Tools CS support page.

Alesis announces a new CD duplication unit made for home or studio musician. The CD Twin has a 52x burn mechanism that makes one-button CD to CD copies, as well as compilations from audio CD's. Alesis's ergonomically designed, lightweight unit comes with stereo line outputs, and a headphone output that allows DJ's to monitor what's on each CD, with built-in USB and software.

The CD Twin is priced at $399

IK Multimedia has announced at NAMM three expansion kits for its sample player SampleTank LE. Expansion Tank Features: default presets with STRETCH allow you to take advantage of more realistic sounds thanks to its format preserving perfect bending (strings, brass, vocals), 3 synth engines: new STRETC Pitch-Shift/Time-Stretch, Resampling, 32 built-in DSP effects, 5 playable effects per part, 2 editable effects per part, loop sync for easy BPM matching and 1 CD of sounds each with an accurate selection of must have instruments and loops.

Expansion Tank have an MSRP of $99 each. The series is also available as a 3- Pack at MSRP of $249. The range of 20 Expansion Tank sound libraries will be available for shipping at the beginning of August 2004.

Korg has announced an upcoming software update for its Legacy Collection of soft synths. v1.1 will add a number of enhancements for the Wavestation and MS-20 synths, many based on popular requests from users. For the Wavestation, new features include: The ability to now reset any parameter edit by clicking on the parameter while holding the command or ctrl key, The ability to edit multiple steps of a wavesequence at the same time when desired, A "Snap" function for setting the duration of steps in a wavesequence to a note value (1/4, 1/8, 1/16, etc.), as determined by MIDI clock. For the MS-20/MS-20FX: Many of the Patch Point parameters can now be used to modulate the FX for increased creative sound design and control.

The free v1.1 update is planned for release in late August.

You can't attend the summer NAMM, Nashville is too far away from your studio or you're not a lucky boy who has the famous "new securised optical reading passport" to visit the USA, don't worry : MacMusic tries to give you information about this event and all the new products. But if you really want to feel the Summer NAMM atmosphere you can also visit the NAMM official web site.

Daily photos and information are available on this web site.

Alesis announces at summer NAMM its new line of powerful, portable, affordable USB mixers designed for a wide range of operating environments and applications. The MultiMix USB Series includes 3 different tabletop mixers : The MultiMix 8USB and 12USB have 4 high-gain mic/line. The MultiMix 16 USB has 8 high-gain mic/line (XLR and 1/4" balanced) inputs with phantom power, 2 stereo balanced 1/4" line inputs, aux send (can send to onboard or external effects), stereo aux return. All MultiMix USBs have 100 28-bit onboard preset effects including reverbs, delays, chorus, flanging, pitch and multi-effects, a 3-band EQ per channel with high/low shelving and mid band pass/reject. Additional features of the MultiMix USB series include separate 1/4" balanced main and monitor outs, headphone out, an integrated USB Port to transfer audio directly between the MultiMix USB mixer and your computer.

More info on Alesis web site.

At summer NAMM, Waves Ltd. announces its plugins bundle "Musicians Bundle II". The Musicians II bundle features two signature Waves processors found on countless hit releases; Renaissance Compressor and Renaissance EQ. Add to that, two great delay and ambience tools, SuperTap and Doubler, and you are ready to create sounds with unique sonic distinction.

Musicians Bundle II costs $200 and a 14-day demo is available on Waves web site.

2 weeks after the beta version, Live 4 is born !! The famous Ableton Software was introduced at summer NAMM today. In Live 4, you will find a complete and inspiring approach to MIDI sequencing, pattern recording, drag-and-drop sampling, virtual instruments and MIDI hardware support. Ableton has also made substantial extensions and enhancements to existing functionality, including such features as swing/groove for audio and MIDI clips, a powerful new channel-routing scheme, simplified recording, sample reverse, and several exciting new creative options for the Session View.

Live 4 (full version) costs 499 USD/Euros. Updates costs 119 USD/Euros (downloadable version) and 149 USD/Euros (Boxed version).

At NAMM, Alesis introduces the 25 key Photon X25. This little keyboard has as a four character LED display, an AirFX inspired X/Y dome to control Pitch Bend modulation and other parameters, pitch and mod wheels and high-resolution continuous knobs. Plus stereo 24-bit 48kHz audio balanced I/O and is bus powered. A light version , the Photon 25 has the MIDI features but has a joystick control in place of the dome and wheels and no audio interface.

Photon X25 costs $299 and Photon 25 costs $249.

At summer NAMM, Arturia announces the version 2.0 of its Moog Modular V. This faithful reproduction of the legendary Moog modular systems comes back with major improvements. Among the features added in the upgrade are:new ergonomics, improvements on the oscillators, new Unison mode, new Audio-In possibilities, soft-clipping emulation is now done on each mixer, new modules (ring modulator, formant Filter,...), 200 new presets and much more...

This upgrade is free to all registered users. Shipment is planned for the 2nd half of August 2004.

Roland announces a new DS range of digital monitors. The DS 8/7/5 can handle 24-bit audio (up to 192 kHz) for a truly all-digital signal path. Each monitor is equipped with digital inputs (AES/EBU, coax, and optical) and analog inputs (Neutrik 1/4"/XLR).

Details will be soon online on the Roland web site.

Since july 8th, Wave version 5 for Mac OS X is available. This version features a lot a new items : TempoSync (new functionality enables plug-ins to lock to the host application's tempo), Morphoder MIDI Control, Waves 360° Bundle is now native on Mac, the Waves 360° Bundle now supports Native processing, running as RTAS & HTDM. HTDM Support, HD Accel Support, Digi 002 and Command/8 Control Surface support and Automatic Delay Compensation support for Pro Tools.

During current NAMM, Waves announces that a 14-day demo of Waves 5 is available on download on its web site.

PG Music has just posted an update (v12b21) of its automatic music accompaniment software Band In A Box. Band-in-a-Box automatically generates a complete professional quality arrangement of piano, bass, drums, guitar and strings in a wide variety of popular styles. This new version updates few styles, and is a general maintenance release.

Band In A Box 12b21 is a free update.

It' summer NAMM, and Yamaha Music introduces new products :

- The MG mixing consoles serie sees the introduction of the MG8/2FX and MG12/4FX consoles (8 and 12 channel respectively) with a built-in stereo SPX-type effect. These new mixing consoles are expected around November.

- A new software for 01V96 digital desk. The Studio Manager v2 includes nearly 50 new features, including Studio Manager V2, expanded DAW control, application-specific functions and the capability to run Yamaha's Add-On Effects packages. The 01V96V2 will be available in September.

- Yamaha also announces a new mLan card for its digital mixing desk. The MY16-mLan will be 24-bit/96kHz compatible. Available in December, the MY16-mLAN provides the interface hardware and connections required to link Yamahas Digital Mixers to an mLAN network

BIAS Inc. today announced that a special bundled edition of Peak 4.1 ($499 SRP) that includes SoundSoap Pro ($599 SRP), the universal restoration plug-in, and SuperFreq ($79 SRP) 10 band mastering EQ is now available for just $899 US list - a savings of nearly $300 off the combined list prices if purchased separately.

This new "MASTERING & RESTORATION EDITION" bundle is now available through the BIAS Worldwide Network of dealers and distributors.

IK Multimedia have released SampleTank 2 FREE for Mac OS X, VST/AU and RTAS. The SampleTank 2 FREE release is complemented by a series of free lessons and free sounds which will be updated monthly.SampleTank 2 FREE is a fully working version of SampleTank 2 with some limitations.

SampleTank Free 2 is of course a free download.