Mac and Music News

Greenoak updates its semi-modular synthesizer Crystal to version 2.4.9b, which is now compatible with Logic 7. Crystal is a semi-modular software synthesizer featuring both subtractive synthesis and frequency modulation (FM) synthesis. It offers abundant modulation control with over 60 parameters which may be modulated, multi-stage envelopes with graphical editors, extensive tempo sync of envelopes/lforates/delay times, built-in effects for chorus/flanging/comb filtering/echoes, and a band splitter for effects processing by frequency band.

Info and download from our Softwares section.

TerraTec announces Phase 24, a FireWire audio and Midi interface with 24-bit/192kHz analog conversion. The Phase 24 features two analog mono 1/4" inputs, two analog mono 1/4" outputs, 1 analog stereo output (1/4" jack), and a break-out cable providing digital I/O (24-bit/96kHz) and MIDI input and output connections.

Phase 24 is bundled with a full version of Native Instrument's Traktor DJ and costs $249.

Apple posted a Logic Pro 7 Audio Units compatibility list which provides a list of compatible Audio Units plug-ins. The Audio Units plug-ins of this list have passed the Apple Audio Units Validation Tool in their current version. AU plug-ins that have passed the Audio Units Validation Tool have demonstrated compliance with Mac OS X standards and are allowed to use the Audio Units logo.

M-Audio announced the Fast Track USB. This compact audio interface is USB bus powered and features 24-bit/48kHz audio, two audio channels (XLR input with gain control and 1/4" input for instrument-line), 2 RCAs outputs and a front-panel 1/8" stereo headphone jack.

The Fast Track USB is compatible with Mac (Core Audio) and costs $129.95.

Tera, Cube..and now Cantor of course is updated by VirSyn to version 1.0.3., which features : AudioUnit version updated for Logic 7 compatibility, AudioUnit automation problems fixed and Problems with Numerology fixed.

Info on VirSyn web site. Updated demo versions will be available on Tuesday the 12th of October

VirSyn releases Cube v 1.5.2 . This new version fixes bugs in mac OS X :AudioUnit version updated for Logic 7 compatibility, AudioUnit automation problems fixed and Problems with Numerology fixed. In addition to this bugfixes VirSyn released a new preset bank.

Info on VirSyn web site.

VirSyn has released a version 2.1.0 of TERA with new features (internal sequencer outputs MIDI notes for further processing in host) and bugfixes ( AudioUnit version updated for Logic 7 compatibility, tempo sync and automation problems with Sonar fixed, AudioUnit automation problems fixed, Arpeggiator didn't worked correctly with monophonic presets and Problems with Numerology fixed).

Info on VirSyn web site.

RME announces that a Mac OS X driver for its Fireface interface is now available. This version 1.0 is an initial release. It includes Core Audio, Core MIDI, and TotalMix.

Info and download on the RME web site.

A few days after the release of version 1.4 comes OUTI 1.5. This free live audio looper comes with a brand new interface (based on comments) and a MIDI learn function.

InTime by Circular Logic is a Midi utility. With this software, musicians play freely, and the computer follows their tempo changes in real-time, allowing natural expression in computer-assisted live performance, composition and recording. Musicians are free to improvise because InTime does not need to know in advance what the user intends to play.

Now inTime 1.0 is OS X compatible and available from the MM Softs section.

Logic 7 is here and it's time for plugins updates. Now Gmedia announces an update to v 3.0.1 for M-Tron (simulation of Mellotron) and an update to v 1.0 for Oddity (Odyssey ARP simulation). These two plugins pass Apple AU validation and are now compatible with Logic 7. The impOSCar AU version should be updated soon.

Updates available from the MacMusic softs section.

Wizoo announces two new virtual instrument packs. Darbuka features 2GB of Arabic and Middle Eastern style sounds and authentic instruments (darbuka, douhola, bendir, riqq, sagat, tura, bongos and shaker). Latigo features 1GB of Latin American multitrack groove performances.

Darbuka and Latigo are compatible with Mac Audio Units, VST and RTAS, for $299.95 each.

Audio Ease has updated its convolution reverb plug-in Altiverb to version 4.1.7. This update features : fixes impulse response menu misbehaved, resolved problems when showing two Altiverb interfaces (RTAS or HTDM) in Pro Tools or fixed a problem with the mute directsound button, and more.

Info on Audio Ease web site.

Music software and soundware publishers, retailers, publications, and industry professionals have come together to form the International Music Software Trade Association, an advocacy organization to pursue their collective interests. The group's charter is to fight software theft through education and create awareness of the impact illegal software use has on the industry and on the advancement of technology.

You can visit www.imsta.org for more information and application for membership.


 

Lucifer VST is a repeat/scratch effect plugin for Mac OS X. This new 1.21 version features : graph/buffer length is now adjustable, loop-offset keys, animated line now shows graph position, PingPong key, Blend Knob, Hyper Knob: Hyper- a multi repeat where the loop is played at 2x speed and 4x speed. The 1x is Lowpassed, 2x is bandpassed, 4x is hipassed. The knob controls the cutoff frequency.

Lucifer and other devilish plugins are available in the MacMusic softs section.

Rootsolutions announces BandAid 1.2. BandAid is the perfect tool to track activity of bands and musicians. Keep track of gig dates and payments, view contact information, keep promo shots, and print lyrics and setlists.

A fully functional demo can be downloaded from Rootsolutions.de and single user license costs US$ 28.00.

MacAudioGuy.com releases a free 17 MB package of music loops in the Apple Loop format for use with Apple computer's GarageBand and Soundtrack music software. The package of 18 music loops was produced by award winning producer and author of "The MacAddict Guide to Making Music with GarageBand" Jay Shaffer and features several musical styles. The Apple Loops file format is optimized for Apple's GarageBand and Soundtrack products, the loops will "time stretch" to the tempo and key of songs in GarageBand and Soundtrack. Users of other audio software packages can enjoy the loops, too, as Apple Loops work in any application that supports AIFF audio files.

MacAudioGuyAppleLoops Volume One is available for free download at macaudioguy web site.

Korg announces an update to version 1.1.1 for "Korg Legacy Collection" which is now compatible with Logic 7. This new release also fixes a problem with standalone performance using Digidesign audio interfaces running CoreAudio driver 6.5. and the auto-setting of audio buffer sizes has been added.

Of course you can download this update from our Softwares section.

AU 303 is a kind of TB-303 free AudioUnit. You can have up to 16 patterns, each with 16 steps. The AU-303 has been updated to v1.04. It is now fully compatible with Live 4 and Logic 7.

You can download this freeware from our Softs section.

Stylus by Spectrasonic goes to version 1.1.1 and is now compatible with Logic 7. Stylus is an innovative new type of software plug-in instrument that integrates a massive core library of thousands of cutting-edge groove elements, loops and samples, with a powerful user interface for creating your own grooves.

Info and download on the MM Softwares section.

Tascam has released a major upgrade for the FW-1884 Audio/MIDI Interface and Control Surface. Version 1.30 allows the control surface to send commands to soft synths, plug-ins, and MIDI sequencers directly through its FireWire interface. In addition to plug-in control over FireWire, FW-1884 update 1.30 adds improved compatibility with Apple PowerMac G5 computers.

Info on Tascam web site.

Encore, prehaps the most simple and user-friendly music score editor, get out of a confused period (original editor out of biseness, ghostly purchaser, Mac OS 9 & X crash with new version). With this new version we can say that one of the pioneer of musical score editing is back on Mac again and good alternative to heavyweights of this category such Finale or Sibelius.

Info and download from the MM Softs section.

Vinyl 1.7 creates a vinyl simulation to an audio file as if the audio were a record being played on a record player. This software is a plug-in for Mac OS X and woks in Pro Tools, VST, MAS, and Audio Unit formats.

Vinyl 1.7 is available as free download from iZotope web site.

The twice in a year auction of Peter Forrest will be held between the 1st and the 13th of November. It will offer as usual all kinds of synths and studio equipment. The list of items on auction will appear in the next weeks as usual. The site seems to run way better too (on mac).

Monkey Tools announces an update to version 2.0 of their audio file conversion utility, Sound Grinder. This new release features the new Rapid Convert utility which provides direct audio file conversion, new file formats (OGG Vorbis, AMR Narrowband, Apple Lossless, support for MP3 LAME codec), folder hierarchy recreation, and 31 character naming compatibility.

Sound Grinder 2.0 costs $39. A free upgrade is available for users who purchased versions of Sound Grinder between March 1, 2004 and October 4, 2004.

SignalScope by Benjamin Fabeis a 2-channel signal analyzer designed to work with Mac OS X compatible audio hardware. It provides signal analysis in the form of an FFT magnitude, spectrogram, oscilloscope, or X/Y plot. This new version 1.6 features : support for multi-channel audio devices, enhanced audio device input format controls, optional grid over Spectrogram display, bugfixes and more...

Info on the MacMusic Softwares section.

Chopitch 0.8.6 is a VST plug-in for pitch shifting without delay , which features dramatic pitch swoops in perfect time with the music, make drums sound bigger without losing the attack and intelligent gating system. In this new version, the feedback effect now has soft clipping, which means that extreme feedback settings are now possible even when there's a very small pitch shift.

Info on Chopitch web site.