Mac and Music News

Linplug has released an update for Octopus fixing the performance problem on PowerPC Macs. Version 1.22 is a recommended update for all Octopus users on a Mac with G4 or G5 processor.

Sony Oxford has released Universal Binary versions of its range of Pro Tools plug-ins for use with Apple's Intel-based Macs. Upgrades will be free of charge for a 3-month period from original registration, with a minimal cost thereafter. For owners of current Pro Tools 7 versions, the upgrade cost will be £15 per TDM plug-in (approx $29) and £10 per LE plug-in (approx $19).

Plug-ins updated include both TDM and LE versions of :

- Oxford EQ
- Oxford EQ with GML (TDM only)
- Oxford Dynamics
- Oxford Inflator
- Oxford Transient Mod
- Oxford Reverb
- Oxford Limiter
- Oxford Restoration Tools (RTAS only)

Developed by M-Audio's SynchroScience division Conectiv is a bus-powered 4 x 4 USB audio interface designed for DJs who perform and produce tracks with a laptop.

Features :

* use as a self-contained digital system, multi-effects processor or slave from control CDs/vinyl
* designed by M-Audio's SynchroScience group
* 4 x 4 USB 1.1 audio interface with 16-bit/48kHz fidelity
* 4 RCA inputs configurable for line-level or phono signals
* 4 RCA outputs with high +10dBV peak output level
* 2 mix knobs for blending audio inputs and USB output
* Torq DJ software included

Conectiv is available for $299.95 MSRP. For more information visit M-Audio's web site.

Celemony has released Melodyne plugin which offers Melodyne's unique functions for the editing of pitch and timing for the first time as a plug-in directly integrated into VST-, AU- and RTAS-hosts under Windows XP and Mac OS X. The main application area of Melodyne plugin is the intuitive correction of the pitch and timing of notes in vocal recordings. You can also, however, edit and optimize single-voice instrument recordings as well as drum and percussion tracks in a flexible manner.
Melodyne plugin costs €299 / $299. For users of Auto-tune, PitchDoctor, Pitch'n'Time and Waves Tune Celemony are offering a Competitive Upgrade Option (offer valid until the 28th February 2007) for €199 / $199. Registered users of Melodyne essential, Melodyne uno and Melodyne cre8 are entitled to the same price (€199 / $199) but without the expiry date. Registered users of Melodyne studio 3 can obtain the plug-in free of charge. Note that videos and a demo version are available at Celemony's web site.

After two years of development LinPlug has announced the release of the Organ 3 Drawbar Organ, the successor to the daOrgan series. With Organ 3 LinPlug released a software organ emulation with all controls found on the original Hammond B3 as well as a sophisticated rotary speaker simulation.

Organ 3 main features :

* Now 3 individual manuals (Upper, Lower, Pedal)
* Manual settings can be saved/loaded and copied/pasted
* Percussion
* Separately adjustable for Upper and Lower
* Adjustable volume
* Adjustable pitch
* Vibrato
* Separately switchable for Upper, Lower and Pedal
* Adjustable Chorus effect
* Adjustable "age"
* Drive with adjustable brightness and body
* Adjustable velocity response (from off to full)
* New Glide mode with "Held" mode and adjustable ...

Digidesign is now shipping Pro Tools 7.3 software, a powerful new Pro Tools release that delivers new music composition tools, customizable user enhancements, and improved post production workflows. Here are key features for HD version :

New Music Creation Features

* Dynamic Transport mode allows playback to operate independently of the current selection
* Loop playback automatically updates to the selection without manually stopping and starting the transport
* Loop Trim tool enables you to easily turn audio or MIDI regions into loops
* Create Click Track command and preference
* New Tracks Default to Tick Timebase preference speeds up loop-based workflows
* Key Signature ruler enables key signature changes and transpositions
* Send to Sibelius command offers streamline ...

Our partners from audioMIDI are proud to announce the launch of their print magazine that offers exclusive interviews, articles, and reviews covering topics important to anyone producing music on their computer. You can download and read a PDF version of their first issue HERE. If you like what you see, you can sign up below to get a FREE subscription delivered right to your mailbox!

Disclaimer: Free Subscriptions To aM.Mag Are Valid For Residents Of The Continental US Only.

After nearly a year of development reFX has finally released NEXUS, a "next generation" ROM synthesizer plug-in for Windows and Mac OS X in VST and AU formats.

Feature highlights:

* Over 4 Gigabytes of previously unreleased sample material.
* Over 650 presets including all popular genres.
* Expandable: New samples and new presets. Three expansions are available already (with more in production):
o Dance Orchestra: Choirs, strings, brass, timpani, etc. $69.99.
o Dance Vol.1: 128 fresh dance sounds. $69.99.
o House Vol.1: 128 funky house sounds. $69.99.
* Production quality built-in reverb (by ArtsAcoustic).
* Freely programmable arpeggiator.
* Trance-gate.
* Skinnable: Five skins to choose from.

Nexus is available for Mac OS X (Universal Binary) in VST and Audio Unit formats and has an MSRP of $299.99.

Soniccouture have released their very popular KIM sampled instrument in EXS24 format. The Kim is a type of dulcimer or zither from Thailand, and is related to the Chinese yangqin. It is sometimes spelled khim. It consists of a flat soundbox with 42 wire strings stretched across in 14 sets of 3. The courses are struck with two thin bamboo mallets with soft leather tips. The Kim was sampled at 24-bit /44.1 and contains 184 MB - 137 separate unlooped samples. Each note was sampled individually with 4 velocity layers, twice, to give an extremely natural, expressive response.

For more information, visit their web site.

This week [CodeOperator] has a special offer for all their Bundles:

EverythingBundle for MacOS X (PlugAdmin, DelayPack, COModPack) $50 (save $25)
PlugInBundle for MacOS X and Windows (DelayPack, COModPack) $40 (save $20)

You can buy the Bundles using PayPal by clicking the ling below. For more informations about their products please visit the [CodeOperator] products page.

Camel Audio have updated their additive synthesizer, Cameleon 5000. Version 1.7 includes Universal Binary support, bringing the entire family of Camel Audio products to the Intel Mac. The update also provides VST 2.4 compatibility, and includes improved standalone and RTAS performance, as well as minor bug fixes and other improvements. The update is also accompanied by a new bank of 70 presets and a new tutorial.

The new preset bank 'TC Elementals' was designed by Tim Conrardy, one of Cameleon's leading sound designers. The bank contains a wide range of sounds, including basses, guitars, ethnic instruments, distorted and crisp leads, a great acoustic piano and ballad electric piano. The pads range from warm sounds which fit unobtrusively into a mix to extreme 'moving' pads and atmospher ...

Macscoop/MacOSXRumors claims that Apple is finishing development on a 12" MacBook Pro described as "ultra-thin":

"The new laptop should be even thinner and weigh less than the current
models in the MacBook Pro line-up. In spite of this very tiny and lightweight
form-factor, the miniaturized MacBook Pro should keep its built-in optical drive
and sport a dual-core processor, providing unequalled size/performance ratio in
the PC industry, sources told MacScoop."

This "ultra-portable" MacBook Pro is estimated to be priced in the $1700-$1800 range and sport a 12" widescreen display. The introduction of 12" MacBook Pro would fill a gap left by the 12" PowerBook model, which was dropped during the transition to Intel in early 2006.

Parallels has posted an early beta release of Parallels Desktop, enabling Intel-based Mac owners to install and use Microsoft Windows without the need to reboot the system. The update brings support for booting Windows XP on a Boot Camp partition directly in Parallels Desktop, as well as the ability to use an Apple Boot Camp partition with Windows XP installed as a virtual hard drive. The beta allows users to drag-and-drop files as well as folders from Windows to Mac OS X and vice versa, and features one-click Virtual Machine aliases to automatically start Virtual Machines.

The newly released beta is available as a free download, and Parallels is offerin ...

Scarbee has released version 1.2.3 of Vintage Keyboard FX, which includes the Mac-Intel (AU) of both VKFX and D6-C filter. Registered VKFX users can download the full version (22 MB) that includes All PC/Mac (VST/AU/Ma-Intel AU) versions.