Mac and Music News

Alphakanal announces an update for its substrative synthesizer Automat to version 0.1.6. which adds stereo-delay settings, adds new random preset generation types (Random, Shuffle, Evolution) and fixes : pitch wheel error, filter stability problem and adds minor GUI changes.

EchoBoy TDM, made by SoundToys (formerly Wave Mechanics) is an echo/delay plugin for Pro Tools systems and the latest tool in the SoundsToys line of plug-ins for Digidesign's Pro Tools systems. EchoBoy TDM is loaded with over 300 presets and features dual, ping-pong and rhythm modes, dynamics control, 3-band EQ, stereo imaging control, advanced analog mode and true TDM (not HTDM) support on Pro Tools HD and HD Accel systems. EchoBoy TDM works in Digidesign's TDM, RTAS and AudioSuite plug-in formats and supports Pro Tools HD, LE and HD Accel.

EchoBoy costs $495, and for a limited time (until May 23rd), EchoBoy TDM will be available for $295. A 14-day demo version is also available.

Apple has just updated its popular music software Garageband to version 2.0.1. This update addresses issues with duplicating tracks, playhead snapping to grid, joining software instrument regions on adjacent tracks, making precise adjustments to volume and pan settings, and converting Software Instrument Apple Loops based on drum sounds into Real Instrument Apple Loops. It also addresses an issue where recorded Real Instrument regions may not properly adjust to changes in the project key.

Native Instruments announces that Synthetic Drums 2 is now available in stores. Synthetic Drums 2 is the latest addition to the NI soundline range is loaded with 36 drum kits that offer material for all contemporary and upcoming styles of electronic music - including various flavours of techno and house,hiphop, R&B, ambient, two-step, drum&bass, tech funk, IDM, breakbeat, electro, industrial,electronica, big beat, downbeat, experimental and avantgarde.

Synthetic Drums 2 (Battery 2 and Kontakt formats) is available for a suggested retail price of $119 or 99 Euros.

Prosoniq today announce the immediate availability of SonicWORX Artist, Studio and PowerBundle along with all bundled SonicWORX plug ins as a free download. SonicWORX is a versatile sound editing program for MacOS 8 and 9 and Classic in OS X up to 10.2.8 which has been discontinued on January 1st, 2004. The software is now obsolete and will no longer be updated or ported over to MacOS X.

SonicWORX is available as a free download from the Prosoniq Downloads-Freebies web page.

Wavemachine Labs unveils Drumadog version 4 for Macintosh. This famous Drum replacer plugin now features : advanced triggering mode, live triggering mode, a new pitch change algorithm, new favorites, auto-align mode, adjustable phase control, a built-in synthesizer, filter and synth presets, automation support ans support for plug-in delay compensation.

Drumadig 4 is available (OS 9 - OS X) in both RTAS, VST and Audio Units formats and is compatible with Pro Tools, Logic and Digital performer. A demo version is available as download.

MacMusic is proud to present you, in its article section, Dominique Bassal's study on "The Practice of Mastering in Electroacoustic Music". Today we propose you the third and final chapter of this article: "The Practice of Mastering : The Position of Electroacoustics."

Enjoy your reading !

Nomad Factory announces a free plugin bundle available as a download. This pack bundles a Phaser plugin, a Sweeper, and a Tremolo plugin. This free bundle is available as HTDM, RTAS,Audio Units and VST for Mac OS X 10.2 on the Nomad Factory web site.

Muse Research released the version 1.2 software update for its hardware VST plug-in player, Receptor. This new release adds new features including Adat output support (increasing the number of outputs to a total of ten), new MIDI mapping features (with flexible support for keyboard zones and layers), and a new "Z-Load" technology, which speeds plug-in loading.

Plogue announces an update to version 0.8001 for Bidule. This new release adds a peak meters and clip indicators, adds an option to save to multiple mono files, features faster loading of bigger files, and fixes several bugs.

Yellowtools annouces Candy, an extensive soprano, alto, tenor, baritone and bass saxophone collection.if all available playing techniques and their dynamic layers and variations are used, your performance will select from 30 different samples per note,or even more. In addition, the instruments were sampled playing their maximum dynamic range. This variety makes possible saxophone performances of such high quality that they can be used in the most demanding, professional contexts. Candy is not hard to use, though, the MVI engine remains nevertheless intuitive and easy to play. The 4 different variations of the same tone of a note can be selected during the performance automatically.

Digidesign announces that the OS10.4 Tiger compatible version of Pro Tools TDM will be available 4 or 6 weeks after Tiger release, therefore probably in June. Pro Tools LE software (Digi 002, Digi 002 Rack, mBox) and Pro Tools M-Powered software (M-Audio compatible interfaces) will be available 8 or 10 weeks after the release of Tiger, so probably arround June/July.