Mac and Music News

Access Music has released a new operating system version for the Virus TI line of synthesizers. Among bug fixes and refinements in pretty much all areas, the new version also contains additional features. A "Direct Monitoring" mode has been added, allowing for zero latency monitoring while recording a MIDI track, as well as visual "plasma style" activity indicators for all parts which greatly enhance the overview of which sound is playing at once.

OS 1.2.1 is available as a free download.

Ueberschall today announced the availability of "Liquid Horn Section", the sixth volume in the Liquid Instruments Series for VST, Audio Units and RTAS. Using the Melodyne technology from Celemony Software, Liquid Horn Section makes it possible for the first time to change a single voice within a horn section, and adjust it to the individual composer's needs. The horn sections consist of baritone, tenor and alto sax, trombone, trumpet and flute, and styles vary from 60s/70s Soul and Funk, Disco, 80s Pop, 90s Acid Jazz, Nu Jazz, Rock, Funk, House, RnB, HipHop, up to the most current hit productions.

Liquid Horn Section (RTAS, AU, VST, StandAlone) is available for $199 or 169€.

AraldFX announces the upcoming release of GrandElectrix for Mac OS X. This new virtual instrument is an emulation of the famous CP70 electroacoustic piano. with its warm, classical and unique sound. Released in the mid 70s, Yamaha's CP range of electric grand pianos were received by musicians with great acclaim, as they offered for the first time a true piano sound in a (relatively) portable package for stage use. Aside from the original CP70 features, GrandElectrix offers chromatic fine tuning, octave stretching, a stereo mode, full control of the MIDI response to match the dynamics of your keyboard, and a built-in chorus designed specifically for this piano sound.

AraldFX is accepting preorders for the MAC version (VST/AU) of Grand Electrix at a symbolic fee of $3.00. The full price will be $43.00.

DUY Magic Spectrum is a high-quality mastering tool, based on adaptative equalization. Available for TDM, RTAS, Audio Units, VST and MAS/MOTU for Mac, DUY Magic Spectrum allows you, on one hand, to perform a basic operation such as Matching the spectrum of one piece of audio to another, or also enables you to actually modify the frequency contents yourself with edition tools.

DUY Magic Spectrum 1.0 Mac OSX ships for 249 euros.

IZotope released a version 1.0.8 for Trash, a version 1.0.8 for Spectron and of course today a version 3.0.9 for Ozone. These releases add Universal Binary support for MacIntel computers, a new authorization procedure, alt-solo feature can be changed with the mouse wheel, improved delay compensation support (with a new delay freeze function), and several minor bufixes.

These three new versions are available for free.

Version 1.5.3 of the audio editing software Melodyne uno is a service update which offers improved support for the universal binary functions of Intel Macs as well as offering several other minor improvements and fixing a number of bugs. As an optional alternative to the existing 'Challenge-Response' procedure, Version 1.5.3 supports authorization by means of the widely available iLok dongle. Melodyne Uno offers you the Melodyne technology in a most compact and affordable format. It allows you to edit the pitch, timing, phrasing and formants of an audio file.

The update to Melodyne uno 1.5.3 is available for immediate download free of charge to all registered users of uno.

Camel Audio anounces new version of CamelSpace and CamelPhat. The Audio Unit versions now come in Universal Binary format for compatibility with Intel Macs. This update also offers a number of improvements to the user interface. For example, moving the mouse over a knob causes the current value to be displayed and preset banks may now be selected directly from the preset menu. CamelSpace now ships with over 350 presets, and CamelSpace with over 250. CamelAudio are also pleased to announce the availability of five new banks exclusively to registered users. For CamelPhat there is a new subtle bank from Tim Conrardy showcasing how CamelPhat may be used for gentle as well as extreme effects. There are also new banks for both CamelPhat and CamelSpace from Kriminal, and from the recent preset design competition.

This update is free to all registered users who may access the update by registering and logging into the new user support system, accessible from the support page on the Camel Audio website.

Digidesign announces Strike, a new RTAS instrument plug-in that makes it easy to create, control, and produce professional drum performances in Pro Tools TDM, LE and M-Powered version 7, with uncanny realism. One part intelligent virtual drummer, one part professional drum module, Strike features a wide range of high-definition drum kits and style choices, and allows for unprecedented control over the virtual drummer's performance.

Strike is expected to ship around August 2, 2006. Price TBA.

Gleetchplug design released GLEETCHLAB 2 Beta for apple PPC G4 and G5 computers, a complete suite for sound design and glitch music authoring. Gleetchlab 2 has been used for the Bit-Scapes installation by HFR-LAB and TObor Experiment, featured at Lovebytes Festival 2006 and Onedotzero 2006 (Terrain Program), at the Institute of Contemporary arts in London.

A user manual has not yet been released. A universal binary version is not scheduled at this time.

Numerology is a modular sequencing and audio plugin environment for Mac OS X. It takes sequencing and modulation metaphors established by the analog sequencers of the 70's, and implements them in a structured and highly interactive software environment designed for experimentation, improvisation and live performance. By using Numerology in conjunction with your choice of Audio Unit plugins and hardware synths, you can create an open compositional environment that is truly your own. In the 1.4.3 version support for running under Rosetta on Intel Mac. The Version 2 include: Sequencing and MIDI processing modules, an all-new routing page, mixer scenes, a much-revised user interface, improved AU integration, and much more.

Steinberg presented a new version of its renowned Groove Agent virtual drummer plug-in at Summer NAMM 2006. Groove Agent 3 combines an expanded drum library with new virtual drumming technologies to offer a complete virtual drumming solution in one virtual instrument.Among the new features in Groove Agent 3 are two new agent player modules, namely Special Agent and Percussion Agent. The new Special Agent offers modelling of a real studio drummer based on customized audio recordings, while Percussion Agent plays a range of new percussive instruments in a large range of styles. With the new Dual Mode, any two of the three modules can be combined in a virtual jam session, offering more dynamics and variability.

Guitar Pro is a complete fingering charts editor for guitar, banjo and bass. It is a workshop for guitarists of every level to improve, compose or even simply to have some accompaniment. Guitar Pro is available for $59.