Mac and Music News

We open the english book and documentation section on macmusic.org with "Mixing with your Mind" from Michael Paul Stavrou.

Well, you know on MM we not only comment books but we read them ! It's the truth! Mixing with your Mind is an encounter with tips and techniques comming from Michael Stavrous engineering experiences. And this man has done a lot. The purpose of this book is not to teach the basics, but to make you award of how your ears and your magnificent right brain can make a huge difference in dealing with sound recording and mixing. Let the tech specs on the side and try to do like Michael does, you shall be a winner. You will discover what a speaker "flame" is, how to avoid ribbon effects between 2 speakers, how to go on advanced microphone techniques (the drum and piano section is really usefull), get the best of lead vocals, find the secret combination of compressors, and finally get immerged in the best part revealed : the Mix process. Did you ever know that mixing is a real kind of meditation state ? Learn how to communicate with the gohsts beetween the speakers. A very intersting book, easy to read and usefull for all kind of composers.

SoundShuttle by PowerFX is now available as RTAS plugin for Mac OS X. Made for ProTools based systems, SoundShuttle allows users to search for sounds and preview them. More than 40,000 sounds in the PowerFX database can be previewed and downloaded directly.

SoundShuttle is compatible with Pro Tools 6.4 and costs $19.95, including ten free sound from PowerFX website.

PolyRingtone by Andy Drabble is a polyphonic ringtone converter for mobile phones. You can use it to create SP_Midi compatible files, as used for ringtones in modern mobile phones, from standard Midi files which are freely available on the Web.

PolyRingtone is a shareware and is available from the MM Softs section.

Best Service have just released Artist Grooves, available for Mac OS X as a VST and AU plug-in. Artist Grooves is a sound module for Native Instruments Intakt that features original drumkits : Tama Drumkit, Pearl Drumkit, Yamaha Drumkit, Paiste Cymbals, Zildjian Custom Cymbals and Zildjian K-Series Cymbals.

Artist Grooves costs 169 euros.

Symbolic Composer is one of the most advanced and largest music composition language available with over 1000 music algorithms, suitable for modern, dance, classic, electronic, ambient and experimental styles.

Info on this 5.1 version and dowload available from our softwares section.

Digidesign has posted the version 6.4.1 for Pro Tools Mix 24 systems. This version is the final Pro Tools software release to officially support the Pro Tools|24 MIX product line, which are now "legacy products". Pro Tools d24 and hybrid systems (d24 and Mix Farm) have not been tested, and therefore are not supported. However, Digidesign have no reason to believe that it will not work.

This version features : support for Command 8, +12 dB fader support, 23.976 fps support for HD video, hot wap SCSI support and more.

There is a new update (v 1.1.4.9) for Chuck, an audio programming language for real-time synthesis, composition, and performance. This version features new examples, minor bug fixes, improved online documentation and more.

Info and free download from the MM Softs section.

LinPlug have updated RM IV to v4.1.1 to improve the drag and drop feature in Logic. The RM IV by LinPlug is a flexible and easy-to-use drum machine that combines analog-style percussion synthesis with a fully featured, and intelligent percussion sampler.

This update is free.

Rogue Amoeba (also making the cool AudioHijack software) just updated Nicecast to version 1.6.1, fixing several small bugs and adding the new Channel Tweaker plugin. This update also fixes issues with the Recent Tracks Log, updates the Instant Hijack component, and fixes problems with AAC archiving.

Nicecast is the easiest and cheapest way to broadcast music from OS X. Broadcast to the world, or just across your house. Nicecast can help you create your own internet radio station or allow you to listen to your iTunes Music Library from anywhere in the world!

A slight update has just been post on MOTU's web site that concerns the Reverse and Invert Phase plug-ins. Both upgrade in version 1.01. No information from MOTU about the improvements but DP4 version 4.12 must be installed to achieve the update.

The file's only 1.4 Mo and is available for download on the MOTU's site download page.

AppleInsider said that Apple began sending letters to its Emagic software distributors, informing them that their services would no longer be required. It seems that some former Emagic distributors claim that the Xskey used to protect Logic applications from piracy is now being abused by Apple to solicit customer information, in order to help "Apple to dominate and control the music industry", a former distributor said.

On the same time, Apple registered the word "proBand" for a trademark. Peharps the new name for Logic ??

We truly hoppe that this rumor is not true, and that Microsoft (sorry I meant Apple) wont replace the network of professionnals audio distributors. Till now Apple called iPods and their online music store, "the music market". This is not exactly what we (musicians or audio professionnal) care about...

Intuem, the Midi and audio sequencing software is now available as version 3.0. it features full ReWire support, a newly designed mixer windows and audio play-through. Intuem 3.0 can receive any combination of audio channels from a ReWire device, and can send MIDI to any defined bus on a ReWire device. It also feature control of playback speed, audio file preview, drag & drop from the finder, and more...

The upgrade costs $40 and the full version is $80. List of new features is available from the MacMusic softwares section.

TC Electronic one of the Mac DSP card provider will release in october a new compact firewire card. It will include a Power PC 266mHz and two DSP 150 mHz Motorola which would allow to use the plugins included in this machine. The twelve included plugins are : classic verb, mégareverb, chorus-delay, équalizer, compressor, limiter, processor for voices, amp simulator, the Powercore synth 01, the X3 Mastering and two new plugins "character" and "filtroid".

Price should be around 995 $

Announced at Musikmesse, the Clavia Nord Modular G2X is now shipping. The Nord Modular G2X has the same functionality as the Nord Modular G2, but with additional features : five octave semi-weighted keyboard for more sensitive touch, voice expansion board with twice the processing power, two additional assignable modulation wheels, all modulation wheels with led for clear position indication and a goose neck high quality microphone easily connected onto top panel.

The Nord Modular G2X costs 2.850 euros.

The Pultec EQP-1A Equalizer TDM plug-in is a reproduction of the classic Pultec EQP-1A hardware equalizer. This plugin goes to version 1.3 for both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X. It features : reduced plugin file sizes for faster downloads and less hard disk usage, and the multiple Pultec instance bypass issue is resolved.

This update is available as a free download from the MacMusic softwares section.

Bass Line by Audio Realism is now available in version 1.5. BassLine now works on Mac OS X (Panther) in both AudioUnit and VST formats. The new version of this bass synthesizer features : improved oscillator emulation, additional foldback distortion unit, skin interface, 70 included example patterns, copy/Paste pattern can now be done between instances and additional 303 type programming mode.

Bass Line 1.5 costs 95 euros.

After EasyJet and EasyHotel, Stelios - the EasyGroup leader - is taking on music on-line and wishes to launch before Christmas (in partnership with London Group Wippit) its music on-line service called EasyMusic.com. EasyMusic.com will consist of two sections, Copyleft which will feature music from unsigned artists, including music which can be downloaded for free, and Copyright which will offer current hits and back catalogue starting at 0.30 euros a track.

The New York Times wrote about it in an article last week : it looks as if retro style is fashionable in new technologies. In any case Verbatim seems to apply this principle to the letter since it proposes various packs of blank cds that look the same as the good old 45 r.p.m. records.

This is of some (little) comfort to those who feel nostalgic !

Native Instruments releases Electronic Instruments 2, a collection of eight new instruments for Reaktor 4 and Reaktor session. It contains three synthesizers, two drum machines and three highly versatile effect units. The collection offers a powerful toolkit specially designed for the Reaktor software.

Electronic Instruments 2 is available for a suggested retail price of $119 / 99 Euros from authorized dealers and in the NI Online Shop.

NotePad 2005 is here ! NotePad is the best free tool available for making simple scores, with a number of basic features borrowed from its sibling Finale. NotePad 2005 features engraver tuplets. Now you also can edit guitar and electric bass tablature.

Finale NotePad 2005 is a free download for Mac OS X.

Universal Audio today announced the release of the Cambridge EQ and the v1.3 TDM update for Digidesign TDM Systems. Cambridge is a high-end analog console-style which boasts five bands of switchable parametric or shelving EQ and two comprehensive high and low pass filters.

The update can be downloaded free to existing TDM customers, a 14-day fully functional demo is available, and the full version of Cambridge EQ TDM costs $495.

Nomad Factory have announced that their Blue Tubes Bundle and Rock Amp Legends plug-ins will be available as AudioUnits for OS X. The Blue Tubes Bundle recreates the warm sound qualities of classic analog hardware and Rock Amp Legends simulates various British and American Rock Amp Models.

These plugins will ba available as AudioUnit from October 1st, 2004.