Mac and Music News

Bidule is growing to version 0.8501, which adds set position dialog when double-clicking on a point ans adds some improvements is MIDI Note Transposer. Bidule is a realtime modular creation studio aimed mainly at artists seeking a new creative environment to experiment with. With Bidule, you create your own live music creation environment, inserting audio and midi devices, ReWire Devices, Au and VST instruments and plugins.

Edirol announced a new version of it's UA-1 series USB Audio Interface. The new UA-1EX replaces the EDIROL UA-1X and adds support for ASIO drivers and 24 bit / 96 kHz audio. The UA-1EX continues to feature Core Audio support for Mac OSX. Inputs include RCA pin, input for plug-in powered electret condenser type stereo microphones and S/PDIF optical in. Outputs include RCA pin, 1/8" headphone jack and S/PDIF optical output.

The UA-1EX will ship at $99.00 in the fourth quarter '05.

Researchers of the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a mechanical guitar playing robot,"Crazy J". This robot is composed of two mechanical systems that interact to play a range of 29 musical notes. A plucking mechanism with six independently controlled picks is mounted over the body of the guitar and a fingering mechanism with an array of 23 fingertips is mounted over the first four frets of the fingerboard.

That's a good news !

Propellerheads has updated Reason to version 3.03. This new release adds support for wireless Frontier Design Group TranzPort controller, support for M-Audio Ozonic, track mute and solo for selected track now controllable from Remote, and several bug fixes.

Details and download in the MacMusic software section.

MuseResearch announces version 1.3 of its software for Receptor. This new version features several new features, improvements and fixes : support for Plugins with Multiple Outputs, lock and unlock Patch Banks, 29 new key commands, MIDI CC Display for Plugins, and more.

The (good) rumor says that Moog Music are building two Analog Delays both slightly more expensive and both with more delay time than the original, MF-104. The MF-104SD will be a very limited edition of 250 pieces (SD = 'Super Delay'). The original MF-104 had a delay time of 800 msec. The SD will have a delay time of 1400 msec or 1.4 seconds. MoogMusic will broadly announce the availability of the MF-104Z (it will be introduced publicly at Summer NAMM – July 22).  The Z will be a 1000 msec delay. One Full Second of delay time will make the MF-104Z the longest standalone analog delay module on the market.

Dealers should sell these for $749.

Boom Recorder is a simple to use professional multi channel audio recorder. It can record up to 32 channels at high resolution and is specifically designed for on-stage recording. This new version adds : turning of recording when the processor is overloaded, tail of the ring buffer now more smoothly follows the head, fixed shift of channels in CAF file bug and add help button in registration panel so people can buy a license.

DBAudioware unveils version 2 of Quantum FX, a modular effects software that enables you to design, build and modify plug-in effects and audio tools. This new release now asupports Audio Units and VST for Mac OS X, and adds several new features.

More info on dBAudioware web site.

Digital Performer 4.6 is available as a free upgrade for Digital Performer 4.5 users. This new version mainly adds a Pitch Automation feature, for correcting audio pitch, transposing individual notes and even wholesale key and mode transposition of entire audio tracks; a new Pattern Gate plug-in which allows you to add driving, pulsating grooves to any music; support for AAF file interchange standard; support for multiple Audio Unit outputs; Film/Video scoring enhancements.

NuEdge Development announces a version 2.0 of Sonic Charge MicroTonic. This new version of the drum synthesizer and pattern sequencer, includes now more than 20 new features and adds some changes and improvements. This release features direct previewing in the browsers, MIDI-controller support, new "pitched" MIDI-mode, individual outputs and much more.

The VST upgrade is free for all registered users. Note that Audio Unit version is under development.