Mac and Music News

Massenburg DesignWorks Hi-Res Parametric EQ goes to version 1.2, and add compatibility for D-Control, Digidesign's tactile work surface for Digidesign ICON systems. This plug-in update for Pro Tools|HD & Pro Tools|HD Accel Systems is a free dowload for all existing MDW EQ owners, and uses the same iLok authorization that the previous version of MDW EQ used.

More information on the MDW EQ and download available on the Digidesign web site.

Open Sound World, or OSW, is a scalable, extensible programming environment that allows musicians, sound designers and researchers to process sound in response to expressive real-time control. OSW combines a familiar visual patching paradigm with solid programming-language features such as a strong type system and hierarchical name spaces. OSW also includes an intuitive model for specifying new components using a graphical interface and high-level C++ expressions, making it easy to develop and share new music and signal-processing algorithms.

Open Sound World is available for Mac OS X.

Renoise is a new music tracker software, combining studio quality sound with a "clear and concise interface". Renoise fully supports MIDI and VST/VSTi plugin technologies. This 1.5 Alpha version is available for registered users, and a public beta version will follow soon.

Renoise costs $45.

Jade by Electroclap is an environment for composition and performance wich comes with over 70 ready-made modules for analyzing, generating, and processing audio and video. Jade is also infinitely extensible. If you cannot find a module for a given purpose, a new one can easily be created in Cycling'74's Max/MSP/Jitter authoring environment.

Jade needs to be examined by anyone doing serious MaxMSP work, and cost $175.

The SonicReef virtual synthesizer Tsunami features up to 64 voices, 3 oscillators + noise generator , LFO, 2 envelope generators, amp and filter velocity, ring modulation and delay. This new 1.6 version is now compatible with Mac OS X.

Update info is available from the MM Softwares section.

SaxLab by is a highly-flexible VST/AU-format wind instrument synthesizer with several features. SaxLab uses multi-sample playback of wind-instrument samples and incorporates a specially designed four-voice crossfade system that is capable of creating highly realistic wind instrument sounds.

SaxLab will be available in Autumn 2004. There is no fee information available yet.

DrumThing is a compact and simple application designed be a software version of a drum machine for creating drum patterns, loops and grooves. DrumThing 1.0 needs Mac OS X with Quicktime installed.

This shareware is dowloadable from the MM softwares section.

Synapse Audio have released the OS X version of the Poly-850, a VSTi synthesizer plug-in for Mac OS X, which started out as an emulation of a vintage synth. The Poly-850 features 2 oscillators, one filter for all voices, 3 envelopes, a modulation generator and a chorus effect.

Poly 850 costs $79 but he OS X demo version does not yet appear to be available.

Mireth Technology Corp. announces the launch of Music Man, digital music software that rips from CD, converts between formats, burns to CD or to USB Flash Drive Memory and plays music files, CDs and directly from USB Flash. Music Man runs on Mac OS X.

Music Man for Mac OS X is available for immediate download or on CD-ROM, starting at $19.95. Educational pricing and volume discounts are available.

Filterizer is a new a new VST effect for OS X made by Analog Industries. Filterizer is a simple state-variable filter that allows the filter cut-off frequency to be controlled by MIDI note number.

Filterizer is now available as a free download from the Analog Industries website.

NI has just posted an update (large bugfix version) to version 4.1.3 of Reaktor for both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. This update features : improved graphics performance, audio unit version now supports MIDI-capable effects, copy/paste of (info) texts now works, and fixes :batch conversion destroyed internal connections, naming of files in the recorder was buggy, possible crash with Create Control, crash with high number of voices when changing them, and more, more...

This update is free and the full version of Reaktor costs 449 euros

Recordare LLC has released a Macintosh OS X version of its Dolet for Finale plug-in. Dolet for Finale 2.0 lets Finale for Macintosh users exchange files with any other programs that support the MusicXML format. Dolet plug-ins works as an universal translators between music notation programs. Finale users on OS X can now read all files produced by programs including Sibelius, PhotoScore Professional, and Virtual Composer.

More info on the Recordare web site.