Mac and Music News

Peterson Tuners is currently soliciting beta testers for StroboSoft on the new Intel-based Mac platform. They say "Help us test the world's first .1 cent accurate strobe tuner for your computer on the new Intel Mac platform! Active participants will receive the latest version of the software and be part of a team that includes famous backline techs and audio engineers from around the globe."

Please email your current system specifications including audio card model as well as qualifications to mlj@petersontuners.com.

Independence 1.0.4 by YellowTools is now compatible with Logic 7.2, Digital Performer and ProTools 7.x, and is also specially optimized for live performances. You can pre-load Layers into Independence which are available immediately when you activate them - without any additional loading time and no additionally required RAM. Also improved is the entire "Slice Mode" with an automatic BPM calculation. For a better overview and control also a MIDI indicator and a MIDI panic button is now included.

Note also that 'Majestic goes Independence' : with "Majestic now also the third yellow tools Modular Virtual Instrument is compatible with Independence. All registered users of Majestic and Independence can download the free "compatibility patches" .

PolyFractus announces its new OS X Audio Unit (AU) Plugin so called "Model" as MOdulation DELay. It is a cool plugin developed to create classic echoes to very strange modulations and musical patterns. You can "Model" your sounds with unlimited random modulation tweeks, filterings and other ring modulation. Model features Stereo to Stereo processing, 1ms to 1000ms delay time, 5 types of modulators, Random generated patterns with smooth function, Envelope follower, Decimator, Ring modulator, Low & High shelf filter in feedback path, Lowpass filter in crossfeedback path, and Parameters randomizer.

"Model" 1.0 is available at, and only in the MacMusic's Exclusive Software Section. One more thing...it's free.

After having got to grips with KORE's integrated hardware interface in last week's installment, this week Native Instruments go 'live'. Chapter 4 of the 'KORE story' focusses on the new KORE Performance Manager designed for seamless, on-the-fly transitions between different scenes and sound sets, either manually, pre-programmed or remote-controlled. A new Performance Mixer allows user to adjust the volume, panning and routing for each individual performance channel (with four insert effect slots into).

At last, you can also watch the new "KORE movie trailer" on the Native Instruments web site.

Propellerhead software today announces a version of Reason with native support for Intel based Mac computers. This version of Reason, called 3.0.5, offers full compatibility with Apple's new Intel based computers but does not add any other new features to the program. Beta testing of the new version is planned to start in the week beginning March 20th. As of today, there is no shipping date set. Propellerhead is also "looking for good men and women to help us test Reason for Intel based Macs. This round of testing is open to both non-registered users and to registered Reason 3.0 users with a keen eye and a habit of breaking things."

For the innocents around, the twice-a-year VEMIA, second hand music gear auction on the net is right now! bidding have started on Monday and the lots will be closed in turn from saturday the 18th, 2 pm GMT on. As usual lots of interesting stuff and sometimes real bargains.

Roni Music has updated Decrackler to version 2.0. This first Universal Binary release is of course now compatible with new Intel-based Macs. Decrackler plugin (AU, VST) removes scratches and crackles, and features an advanced filtering function that will remove most of the scratches and crackles that may be present on recording made from old worn out vinyl records.

Decrackler is a shareware.

As some snippets had wade off the last NAMM, we know something is brewing at Moog Music for the next Frankfurt Musikmesse. Moog gave up one tiny detail more: a Moog trafitional knob with LEDs around, looks like an encoder then… What for? Rumors are still going on from a new Taurus to some digital stuff.

The mystery thickens…

Tritone Digital announces the release of version 1.3 of HydraTone, which adds better support for Pluggo 3.5.3, and improves frequency knob, Q knob and filter knob movement. HydraTone is a mix-oriented parametric EQ that utilizes state-of-the-art multistage convolution to provide analog EQ flavor with digital precision. HydraTone allows for band-by-band selection of individual EQ algorithms derived from world-class tube and solid-state EQs.

Rogue Amoeba announces the release of official Intel Chip-Based Mac support
and assorted bug fixes versions for both Airfoil (v2.0.2) and Audio Hijack Pro (v2.6.6). Airfoll allows you to send audio from any application to your AirPort Express in just three easy steps, and Audio Hijack Audio Pro allows you to record the audio output of any application on Mac OS X.

Audio Damage announces that Phase Two is now available as Universal Binary version for Intel based Macs. Phase Two plug-in is a perfect digital recreation of the Mutron Bi-Phase, one of the most sought-after vintage phaser units, highly prized for its liquid and subtle stereo phasing abilities. Phase Two features two separately controllable 6-stage phasers, and like the original unit, these two phasers can be routed in series or parallel, for everything from subtle stereo washes to full-blown alien attack.

This Universal Binary version is available as a free crossgrade.

The Digidesign Digistore is closed today, and it seems that the new "Music Production toolkit" for both Pro Tools LE and Pro Tools M-Powered, and the new "DV Toolkit 2" will be available for purchase tomorrow. Regarding the new "Music Production toolkit" (allowing to expand Pro Tools count track up to 48 stereo or mono tracks), Digidesign announces in its compatibility document this pack requires a Digidesign-Qualified Power Mac G5 Dual Processor 2GHz or higher (including Power Mac G5 Quad), and that "Power Mac G5 Dual 2GHz (first generation model M9032) may not achieve maximum track count".

Music Production Toolkit will ship at $495,00 and DV Toolkit 2 at $1295,00.

Impromptu is an new OSX programming environment for composers, sound artists, VJ's and graphic artists with an interest in live or interactive programming. Impromptu is a Scheme language environment, a member of the Lisp family of languages. Time plays a major role in the Impromptu environment allowing accurate real-time scheduling of events and code blocks. Impromptu is a dynamic environment designed specifically for the creation and manipulation of running programs in live performance.

This stunning free application is available in our software section.

SimpleChord, the chord reference and composition tool for Mac OS X, has been updated to version 3.3. The new version, released Friday, adds the ability to export chord progressions to MusicXML format which can then be imported into many other music applications, including the latest versions of Finale and Sibelius.

The upgrade is free for all registered users; the program costs $12.95 US for a single-user license.

The vt3 by Smassey is a new 3-band equalizer plug-in with a crisp, unique sound that's extremely DSP efficient. The plug-in supports Pro Tools LE or Pro Tools TDM, including MIX, HD, and HD Accel. The TDM version operates with 48-bit precision. A trial version is available which has no time limitations and no annoying mutes or beeps in the audio.

The full version adds additional features and is available for $69.