Mac and Music News

Heizenbox is a granulizor plugin for VST hosts running on Mac OS X. The incoming audio is recorded into a buffer. It then plays back slices of the buffer, offsetting loop points after each loop. With the interface you can change the loop length, offset, repeats, pitch , direction and applying effects.

Info and download in the MacMusic software section.

Antares has released the Audio Units version of Auto-Tune v4.2.5 for Mac OS X and updated the other OS X plug-in versions (VST, MAS, RTAS & TDM) to v 4.2.3. The Audio Units version is fully compatible with Apple Logic 7 and Garageband with fully functioning Graphical Mode and provides compatibility with iLok authorization.

Auto-Tune 4 AU is a free upgrade for current owners of Auto-Tune 4.

PSP Audioware has posted new updates for Nitro v1.0.3, PSP84 v1.4.2 and Lexicon PSP 42 v1.4.2. These new versions feature : passes Logic 7 AU validation, and fixe several bugs : some hosts crashed when editor window was touched, reason for crashes when more than one instance was run has been fixed and plug-in reports actual version number.

Finale Allegro, the little brother of the Finale sheet music software, offers up to 32 staves for less money. New 2005 version.

A Pro Tools TDM 6.4.1cs3 update is now available for MIX Systems only. In addition to all previous 6.4.1 CS fixes, Pro Tools TDM 6.4.1cs3 fixes :launching or creating a session with more than 16 mono bus or output paths may result in a crash (Item #57053).

The 10.3.8 Update is available as a download and delivers improved compatibility and reliability for Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther" and is recommended for all users.

Key updates include:

- improved OpenGL technology and updated ATI and NVIDIA graphics drivers
- improved file sharing and directory services for mixed Mac and PC networks
- improved compatibility for third party applications and devices
- previous standalone security updates

A free update for registered users, the Finale 2005b update is downloadable from the Finale site. This release fixes several bugs.

Bitcartel announced that their internet audio recorder application iRecordMusic is updated to version 1.4. This new release of iRecordMusic adds real time encoding support using new formats including Ogg Vorbis, Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC), LAME MP3 and standard encoding to 3GPP and Apple Lossless. iRecord Music adds some minor improvements and bug fixes.

iRecordMusic 1.4 is available as a free update for registered users and full version costs $24.95. A demo version is also available.

SSL (Solid State Logic) announces that AWS900 consoles an now be purchased in eight or 16 channel versions. These consoles are full 24-fader but have fewer inputs and outputs. Additional blocks of eight channels can also be added at any time, and total recall has now also been introduced as an option for the AWS900.

8-channel version costs £39,500, 16-channel version costs £44,500, additional 8-channel block costs £8000, and Total Recall automation costs £2500.

Wizoo announces the first five Xpansions for Xphraze, with new samples, phrases and styles, as well as the official release of version 1.2. for Xphraze, which now supports Audio Units for Apple Logic 7 users.

Xphraze Xpansions priced at $49 each, and include Xphraze 1.2 (this new version can also be downloaded).

Arboretum System announces the release of HyperEngine AV version 1.5. This audio and vidéo editing software (formerly known as "Montage") is now available as free download, and this new release fixes bugs. HyperEngine-AV is a trackless workspace software that allows free manipulation of video, audio, stills, and text.

Now available, Pluggo 3.5 is a huge collection of more than one hundred audio plug-ins that work with sequencers and audio applications that support Audio Units, Steinberg's VST plug-in format, and Digidesign's RTAS plug-in format. Effects categories include delays, filters, pitch effects, distortion, granulation, spectral effects, modulators, multi-channel effects, synthesizers, audio routing, reverb and dynamics, and visual display. Note that f you are installing Pluggo 3.5 and also use Max/MSP then you must update Max/MSP to version 4.5.3.

A demo version is available and Pluggo 3.5 costs $199,00. Upgrade from previous Pluggo version is $99,00.

Subtractive synthesis at no cost ! Alphakanal has released a freeware substrative synthesizer. Generator features :subtractive synthesis, 3 anti-aliased oscillators, 2 ADSRs for filter and amplifier, 6 modulators with tempo sync, delay with tempo sync. and more.

Generator Audio Units is available in the macMusic softwares section.

Yellow Tools has updated Majestic and Culture to versions 1.7.0 in order to improve compatibility with hosts applications. Culture is a percussions modular virtual instrument and Majestic is a virtual basses instrument and player.

More info and download in the MacMusic softwares section.