Mac and Music News

Audio Companion is a sound recorder allowing you to record music via the built in sound input or any sound input device connected to your computer (USB devices such as Griffin iMic). It will either act as a normal audio recorder or as a recorder that automatically split each song into separate files.

Info and download from the MM Softs section.

Cory Tyson (CoryT at korgusa.com), Product Support Specialist of Korg USA, writes that "... currently there are no plans to make an OSX OS loader for the MS2000 ..." Even though software versions 1.05 and 1.07 have been available for the Windows platform for quite some time. As this may have some bearing on Korg's willingness to support current and future software revisions for the platform, OSX users may wish to think twice before commiting to hardware or software purchases from the company.

Camel Audio have announced the release of version 1.5 of their synthesizer Cameleon 5000. Cameleon 5000 is an additive synthesizer with morphing and resynthesis abilities. Version 1.5 adds RTAS support, standalone mode, revised manual, including new tutorials and tips, and smaller improvements and optimisations.

You can find it in our Softs section.

As usually the list of new features is spread accross several Apple pages. For those of you wondering what is really new in Logic Pro 7 and who are too lazy to surf the multiple pages and pdf files of the giant Apple web site, here is the complete list of new features, copied from Apple documentation.

Apple introduced two new Jam Packs for its GarageBand music creation software. Jam Pack 2 "Remix Tools" makes it easy to produce compelling dance, hip-hop and
electronica tracks, and Jam Pack 3 "Rhythm Section" offers songwriters a complete backing band to help build a good foundation for their rock, alternative and country music.

The new Jam Packs are available now for a suggested retail price of $99 (£69).

Motu announces that its main software Digital Performer, is now available in version 4.5. This major release features beat detection engine, latency compensation, MasterWorks EQ, enhanced Pro Tools support (for Pro Tools HD, Accel, and MIX systems), consolidated window (for users who would prefer to work in one window) and productivity enhancements (smooth audio edits, QuickScribe notation view, QuickTime movie DV playback offset, Bounce / Export to MP3 and other formats, Apple Loop import and more).

This update costs $149 for registered users.

Lucifer VST is a repeat/scratch effect plugin for Mac OS X. Lucifer VST is designed for use effects in realtime and for live performance, for manipulating audio tracks in realtime. A new version 1.1 is available and features 4 Sets of the 6 FX graphs, new spread functionality, WAIT mode also quantizes on note off and new GUI.

This update is free and the demo has also been updated to v1.1.

As we guessed 3 weeks ago, Apple today introduced Logic Pro 7 ($999 / £699) and Logic Express 7 ($299 / £199). Logic Pro 7 includes breakthrough new software instruments such as Sculpture, a component-modeling based synthesizer; UltraBeat, an innovative and powerful drum machine; and new plug-ins including Guitar Amp Pro, a full-featured guitar amplifier simulator. Along with over 100 workflow enhancements, new mastering plug-ins and support for Apple Loops, Logic Pro 7 debuts distributed audio processing, a revolutionary technology which allows audio pros to tap into a virtually unlimited number of Macs to expand available Digital Signal Processing (DSP) power.

Logic Pro 7 is available now through the Apple Store, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Registered users of Logic Pro 6 as well as Logic Platinum, Logic Gold 5 or Logic Gold 6 can upgrade to Logic Pro 7 for $299 (£199). Logic Express 7 will be available in October.

The virtual synth Albino by LinPlug comes with a cutting-edge selection of presets designed by sound designer Rob Papen. Albino 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. The synth is 32-note polyphonic (CPU-dependent) with up to four oscillators per voice. This new version 2.1 features a new Gator Effect, MIDI Bank Select, many new presets and bugfixes.

Info and download from the MM Softs section.

Developpers : Have you created a compliant audio unit or audio unit hosting application for Mac OS X? Tell the world by using the Audio Units logo. This update provides enhancements for more complete verification of compliance with the specification.

MacMusic is seven years old! The oldest members (Celmo, Sophia...) remember it as if it was just yesterday: on Sept 29th 1997, a discussion mailing list called MacMusic appeared on the internet! One year later, a web page was redirecting this list, and during 1999, MacMusic was making its first steps as a website. No bugs were seen in early 2000, but the mailing list disappeared, and classified ads together with the links directory were born.  2001 was a great year, as it witnessed the birth of the forum and, at the end of the same year, MacMusic became fully bilingual, looking quite the same as the site you know today.

Let's pay tribute to its founder, Soif, and to the various section staff: June Bug (Software), Miss Kiki (Articles), Babaille (Classifieds), LePetitMartien and the moder ...

Digidesign have posted an update 1.0.2. for its plugin Smack because Smack and Smack LE version 1.0 for Mac OS X were inadvertently set to expire on October 9th, 2004. Smack is a new professional compressor/limiter plug-in designed specifically for music applications. Smack features three compression modes, unique compression ratios, and harmonic distortion ideally suited for achieving a wide range of sonic variations and colorations. Additionally, the plug-in supports side-chain processing, multi-channel track types, and the full range of ProTools sample rates and plug-in formats.

Version 1.0.2 has no expiration date for the fully licensed version

Cycling '74 announced an update to version 4.5.2 of Max-MSP, its graphical programming environment. This update features : minor changes and many bugs fixed.

Info on Cycling '74 web site.

MicroTonic or "µTonic" by Sonic Charge is a VST plug-in featuring a unique drum and percussion synthesizer combined with a pattern based drum-machine engine. it now comes for Mac OS X (10.2 or later) and needs a Mac 500MHz G3. It costs $69.

Because registration is cross-platform, you do not need to purchase an additional registration for the Mac version if you own the µTonic for Windows

Edirol announced the R-1, a portable 24-bit Wave and mp3 recorder and player. The R-1 features two electret mics, external line and mic inputs, a 24-bit internal effects processor (noise reducer, 10-band EQ, reverb and more). it also features a metronome, a tuner, half-speed playback, and A-B repeat to loop one section of an audio file. The R-1 stores files to Compact Flash (up to 2Gb) and comes with a 64MB card which allows a maximum record time of 130 minutes (mp3, 64 kbps mode). it also features an USB port and a phones/optical output.

The R-1 will cost $550 and will be available in late November.

RealGuitar is available as a VSTi version for OS X. In RealGuitar, new features are : added special 'RnC' mode providing the direct access for Rhythm'n'Chords Pro 2.5 MFX plug-in to RealGuitar multi-sample architecture. RealGuitar is now Mac compatible (OSX VSTi only).

A demo version is also available from the MusicLab web site.

SoundField has announced the new Surround Zone plug-in for Digidesign's Pro Tools software. The Surround Zone brings all the control of SoundField's surround and stereo processing to the digital domain. It combines the hardware features of both the SP451 surround processor and the MKV System.

Surround Zone for Pro Tools costs $1,062.50.

IDrum by Bitshift Audio is a drum machine for Mac OS X. This update adds support in Japanese, German, French, Italian, and Spanish. It also fixes bugs.

Info and download from the MM softs section.

Obsession by E-Lab is a RNB & Hip-hop Loop Player. It now comes to version 1.1 and features 3000 Loops, 5000 drumsamples with possibility to import external Rex2 files and 8 tracks of simultaneous loop playback with millions of loop combinations.

Obession is now available on RTAS, VST and AudioUnit formats.