Mac and Music News

Ueberschall has released two new plug-in instruments - Dancehall Madness and Electro ID - both based on Ueberschall's Elastik Engine technology.
Dancehall Madness includes over 40 construction kits - nu skool riddims, Reggaeton and Dancehall club bangers - drums, guitars, percussions, basses, chords, vocals and sound fx, etc.
Electro ID features selected Construction Kits produced by the Elektro Artist Asem Shama (Techno ID / Ghostline / Franko Zeiger). It includes 1 Gb of exclusive Drum Loops, Patterns, Synth, Bass Lines, FX, Single Sounds:

* 100 construction kits
* 250 instrument loops
* 100 drum construction kits
* 300 single drum loops
* 700 single sounds.

Both instruments are available for Windows and Mac OS X (Universal Binary) in VST, AU, RTAS and stand-alone formats. They cost €99 each.

XLN Audio has unveiled Addictive Drums, a "Complete Drum Production Studio" plug-in for Windows and Mac OS X.
Addictive Drums ships with 3 complete kits, and lots of extra drums and cymbals. The samples include every nuance from the softest to the hardest hits, many stroke variations (hihat has 12 variations, snare has 6 for example) with alternating samples through-out. All sampled drum/cymbal sounds are recorded with a multi channel mic setup, just as you would record a real drum kit.

The Kits:

* Sonor Designer (Kick, Snare, 5 toms).
* DW Collector's Series (Kick, Snare, 5 toms).
* Tama Starclassic (Kick, Snare, 3 toms).
* Extras: Pearl Signature Ferrrone snare, Pearl Masterworks Piccolo snare, Pearl Masterworks kick.
* Cymbals (Sabian & Paiste): 3 Hihats, 9 Crashes, 3 Sp ...

SE Electronics is now shipping the USB2200a mic, which they announced back in January 2006 at the Winter NAMM show in California.
The USB2200a is a USB2 microphone based on the studio standard sE2200a capsule, it records CD quality audio (record path16 bit 48K, output 24 bit 48K) via USB directly to your DAW. The mic has several features unique from USB mics currently on the market including, ultra-low latency headphone monitoring (less than 1ms) with mix control to allow the user to set playback versus record path levels to monitor live takes, 10dB pad, Bass cut and an 'analogue switch' which enables the user to use the mic via an XLR connector with 48v phantom power where required.

The USB2200a will ship in early January 2007 and will retail at £222 inc vat.

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 ...

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