Mac and Music News

The news was around for 2 weeks but it's official now, after the Intel/Apple deal, another earthshaking event: Peter Gabriel has bought Solid State Logic in a joint venture with David Engelke (a broadcast industry entrepreneur). As other pro audio companies are either going down or bought up by founds who don't know a pot from a driver licence, it's great to see music professionals and a musician in particular preserve one of the best desk manufacturer out there.

The business will stay in Oxford and will continue issuing some "little" mixing stuff ;) Also, David told about going to a broader market... Will it mean something for the rest of us? I hope so!

Sonicfire Pro 3.2.2 is a soundtrack creation software. This updated version adds support for QuickTime 7, faster Maestro Performance, ability to import more types of WAVE file headers, ability to read Final Cut Pro Scoring Markers, enhanced shortcut key access to menu items, ability to export directly to Flash MX, and much more.

This update is available as a free download.

Ueberschall has released Liquid Saxophone, in close collaboration with Celemony. Liquid Saxophone is based on Celemony's Melodyne software and contains more than 1000 Sax samples (baritone, alto, tenor and soprano-saxophone). All parameters (single note pitches, formants, note lengths, scales, tempo, ..) can be edited easily. The Saxophone edition contains a range of styles played such as bar-jazz, swing, bebop, bossa novas, latin brazil styles, and many more...

Liquid Saxophone is available in plug-in (RTAS, VST, AudioUnits) and standalone versions .It costs 169 euros, and a demo version is available.

Arts Acoustic announces an updated version 1.0.1.4 for ArtsAcoustic Reverb. This release adds Mac OS 10.4.1 support, a new licence system, a new documentation. This version also fixes minor bugs. ArtsAcoustic Reverb is an algorithmic reverb for mac osx which works on every sample rate, featuring low quality mode for CPU saving and 7 different room characteristics.

Synful Orchestra is now available for MAC OSX 10.3.9 in AU and VST formats. A 21 day fully functional free trial can be downloaded on Synful web site. Online sound examples including The Rite of Spring and Beethoven String Quartet can be also heard . There you can download documentation, listen to many user demos and testimonials, and purchase Synful Orchestra.

TenByTen GWS RanPan version 2.5 is now available and fixes several bugs (host application craches when the effect was bypassed). This version also passes recent Apple's Audio Units Validation Tool. GWS RanPan is a random panning effect that is linked to tempo.

URS has updated the URS Everything EQ Bundle v4.0 to support Audio Units and VST. The following plug-ins have Audio Units and VST Mac support: A series EQ - four band EQ, N series EQ - 5 band EQ, A10 series EQ - 10 band graphic, N12 series EQ - 12 band graphic, S series EQ - 6 band parametric, BLT 2 band Program EQ and FullTec 5 Band Program EQ.

Please note that the URS MIX EQ is not available yet for AU and VST, but will be released soon as a free upgrade.

An update to version 1.5 Audio Units is now available for Discord, by Audio Damage. This release offers a new user-interface design, a routable variable-waveform LFO, a new high-pass filter, in addition to the low-pass filter, a re-written pitch-shifting algorithm, with smoother shifting at extreme settings and the pitch control now has "Fine" knob. Discord is a stereo pitch shifter with digital delay lines and analog-style filters.

Moog Music and the Orange Peel announce a three-day celebration of the theremin. Ether Music 2005 will be held in the home of Moog Music, Asheville, NC, from Thursday, August 4th through Sunday, August 7th.  The event will include workshops, speakers and performances by thereminists such as Pamelia Kurstin, Lydia Kavina, Barbara Buchholz. Workshop topics will include theremin technique, how to build and customize a theremin, historical perspectives from Bob Moog, and more.

An original composition contest will be held in conjunction with this event.  To participate, an original theremin composition, no longer than five minutes, must be submitted to Moog on CD, cassette or as an MP3 file

WWAYM updates Mac OS X version of NWEQ to V1.22, which changes : fix for compatibility issues with some hosts. NWEQ is an equalizer featuring 5 parametric bands (low shelf, band 1-2-3, high shelf), high quality filters (10 Hz - 22 KHz), 2 cross fadeable filter models for band 1-2-3, and more.