Mac and Music News

Digidesign just announced they are in the last qualification stages for PCI Express versions of their Pro Tools|HD cards. They should be available before the end of the year. In fact, Digidesign has been collaborating with Apple for some time already to bring the HD system to PCIe on the new G5 range as fast as possible, including the G5 Quad coming in november.

So you can expect the new cards in the forthcoming weeks. Check the compato page at Digi website.

Luxonix announces an updated version (1.1.3) for its LFX-1310. This release now works correctly with Logic 6 series, fixes a crash on some dual CPU systems and fixes the crusher effect bug. LFX-1310 is a plug-in multi-effector including 24 types of algorithm and 3 serial slots.

Myriad Software announces that Melody Assistant is now available as version 7.1.9, and that Harmony Assistant is available as version 9.1.9. Melody Assistant is an application for writing and composing music, with a friendly interface and many powerful features, is a lite version of Harmony Assistant.

List of new features, improvements and bugfixes are available in the MacMusic software section.

Lexicon announced the Lambda, a new USB desktop recording solution including the Lambda Studio USB interface, Cubase LE and the Lexicon Pantheon reverb VST plug-in. The Lambda Studio interface features two XLR microphone inputs, with TRS inserts and switchable +48V phantom power, two TRS balanced 1/4" line inputs, two TRS balanced line outputs, a 1/8" front-panel mounted high-power headphone output jack, a front-panel ultra-high-impedance instrument input, and MIDI input and output.

Lambda Studio will be available for $199.99.

Mackie annouces a version 2.0.2.8 of Tracktion, which now features : international language support for GUI display, folder grouping for built-in effects plug-ins, custom naming ability to audio outputs, new group soloing functionality, and new render track dialog with options.

Plogue announce the release of Bidule version 0.9, which now works as VST/AU plug-in (only for registered versions), allows audio monitoring of inputs/outputs of a bidule, and adds spanish support. This release fixes several bugs and adds new modules :Key Sender, MIDI Aftertouch Value Filter, MIDI CC Value Filter, MIDI Channel Pressure Value Filter, MIDI Note Closer, MIDI Note Velocity Filter and MIDI Pitchbend Value Filter.

Molecular Bytes has released a pre-release demo version (Windows only) of Membrane. This very new multi-track sample sequencer allows users to easily edit, adapt and change audio data like samples, loops and sequences under the heading 'elastic-audio'. Membrane is based on the concept of Melodyne and allows you to graphically easily edit audio data, and will work with both monophonic and polyphonic samples.

Membrane will be available for Mac OS X as standalone application and as VST/AU versions. ReWire will be also supported.

During its third conference in less than a month, Apple today unveiled its new PowerMac G5 desktop line and enhanced its PowerBook G4 line of notebook computers.

The new PowerMac G5 line features the Power Mac G5 Quad, providing quad-core processing with two 2.5 GHz dual-core PowerPC G5 processors. All Power Mac G5 models now feature dual-core processors, a new PCI Express architecture and higher performance graphics options including NVIDIA's Quadro FX 4500.

The new PowerBook G4 line adds higher-resolution displays and up to one hour more battery life on the 15- and 17-inch models. In addition, every new PowerBook now includes a DVD burning SuperDrive. The new PowerBook also offers a 100GB (7200 rpm) hard drive as a build-to-order option!

During October and November, Apple will host a series of free seminars around the UK designed to demonstrate why the Mac is the perfect platform for creating and performing music with your guitar. You can join this event at:

- Olympia Conference Centre, London - October 29th  13.30-18.00
- Music Live, NEC, Birmingham - November 5th  11.30-14.45
- The Hub, Castlehill, Edinburgh - November 28th  18.30-21.30

Places are "strictly" limited for these Apple Pro Series seminars so you should register now to avoid disappointment...

WaveArts announces that TrackPlug 5 is now available. TrackPlug 5 is an all-in-one channel strip processor which features a 10-band EQ, brickwall filters, dual compressors, gate, sidechain EQs, clean/vintage compression modes, and a peak limiter. TrackPlug can shape the tone of an instrument, fix sonic problems, bring dynamics under control, clean up noise problems, add some punch or vintage warmth to a track, de-ess a vocal track, and much more...

TrackPlug 5 (AU/VST/MAS/RTAS) is avaiable for an introductory price of $174.95.

ReFX annouces an update to version 2.5.4 for both Slayer full version and Slayer demo version. With this release, the OSX AU version can now be resized using the "edit" button. This version also fixes bugs : Text-input problems, FL Studio wasn't remembering the path to the last loaded preset/bank.