Mac and Music News

Between 15 November and 31 December, enter to win one of three Spider III amps. The lucky grand-prize winner will receive a Spider III 150 2x12 combo, the second-prize winner will receive a Spider III 75 1x12 combo and the third-prize winner will receive a Spider III 30 1x12 combo !

Celemony has released new versions of Melodyne Studio and Melodyne cre8. With version 3.2.2 both programs are now compatible with Mac OS X 10.5.1 (Leopard). All problems related to the use of ReWire and the MelodyneBridge have been solved. Overall performance (176.4 kHz compatibility) and stability of Melodyne is improved and a solution to avoid problems when using the Spot-to-Pro-Tools feature with Pro Tools version 7.4 is included.

DDMF has released version 1.0 of its tracking equalizer IIEQPro as a Universal Binary Audio Unit for the Mac OS X platform. It features 10 bands with 12 filter types per band and is fully parametric.

At the same time the Windows version has been updated to 1.3, as the whole thing is now based on JUCE. Specifically the control behaviour has changed a bit; in most hosts it is possible to enter values directly, and you can switch into velocity-sensitive mode for fine tuning. A number of presets have been included and mouse wheel support has been added.

The price is still "whatever-you-feel-appropriate".

Algoriddim has released version 2.0 of djay for Mac OS X. A completely redesigned user interface makes it even more intuitive to use, and a new high-performance audio engine supports over 30 different audio and media formats.

New features :

- Full screen mode
- Automix: With Automix, djay will automatically mix live any iTunes playlist of your choice with amazing transitions.
- New Audio Effects : Reverse playback, Scratching, Backspin, Instant Echo and Reverb (without a single slider), Gain, Pitch-Bend, Voice Pitch-Shifter, Audio Unit Effects for the Microphone
- Undo/ Redo in Real-Time
- Live Microphone
- Fully automatic audio hardware detection and configuration
- Etc...

djay v2.0 is available now for Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 and costs $49.99 / €39.99.

Inspiration Sounds has released the Funked Up Guitars Sample Pack. Recorded at 96Khz and 24-Bit resolution using Pro Tools HD and mixed through a Control 24 mixing desk with Focusrite Class A Preamps, it includes 564 guitar loops and riffs played by "internationally renowned Guitarist", Cliff Moore. However, it has been dithered down in Pro Tools HD to 44.1Khz 16-Bit to ensure compatibility with the wide range of keyboards that don't offer 24-Bit file import.

Features :

- 195 MB Sample Pack (Compressed into a .ZIP File)
- Includes Clean and Distorted versions of each loop
- Keys are in C, D, E, F, G, A & B
- Total of 564 Loops, Riffs and Slides
- File names indicate key and tempo
- .WAV Format
- PC/Mac Compatible

The Funked Up Guitars Sample Pack is available now from the Inspiration Sounds website for £19.95 / US $41.24.

Universal Audio today announced the web release of v4.9 software for the UAD Family of DSP Card's & Powered Plug-Ins(tm). Version 4.9 includes 14-day fully functional demos of both the new SPL Transient Designer and new Precision Buss Compressor; a classic center-console mix compressor.

Key SPL Transient Designer Features :

- UA modeled, SPL authorized and endorsed AU/VST/RTAS plug-in version of Transient Designer's unique Differential Envelope Technology
- Increase or decrease the transients of percussive sources for greater impact, or a softened response
- Sustain of sources can be transparently shortened or increased for increased musicality
- Reduces or increases room sound or preexisting reverb on virtually any source
- Highly useful as a gate substitute, a transparen ...

First introduced during the 2006 Winter Namm, PSP Xenon is now available.

Xenon is a full band, dual-stage limiter plug-in (AudioUnit, VST and RTAS for MacOSX UB ; VST and RTAS for PC) featuring an integrated Leveller, advanced K-System metering and psycho-acoustically optimized wordlength reduction. PSP Xenon offers 64-bit precision processing throughout its entire signal path, and can operate at sample rates up to 192kHz.
One of the good news is that it is available for PPC G4 and G5 : when introduced last year, it was only planned for Intel Mac.

A 14-day demo is also available (iLok required).

Yamaha offers new drivers and firmwares (available here) for the following FireWire/mLAN products : the G046 audio interface, the Motif XS workstation and the n Series digital mixers.
The new drivers make the GO46 compatible with Windows Vista. The firmwares for MOTIF XS, n8 and n12 mixers improve network capability over mLAN (without further precision).

Are you wondering if it's worth updating to Kontakt 3 ? Or are you just curious, or perhaps have you never tried Kontakt before ?
Native Instruments answers by offering a free demo (version 3.0.1) for Mac OS 10.4 or higher (458 MB) and Win XP (407 MB). You can use it as a stand-alone and as a plug-in via Audio Units, VST 2 and RTAS.
You will benefit by complete function range with all presets, the full PDF manual, and play with a demo library instruments from the categories Band, Orchestral, Synth, Urban Beats, Vintage and World. Demo limits are sessions limited to 30 minutes and no Save and no Total Recall.

This update offers many features, such as the new Full String Playing modes (string pizzicato, bartok-pizz, col legno, sul ponticello, tremolo, sul ponticello tremolo, mute).
The String Playing modes are the first to use Synful new synthesis engine, preserving full 24 bit fidelity while allowing the flexible morphing capabilities needed for Reconstructive Phrase Modeling (RPM), their proprietary technology.
Numerous features have been added, like new controls (release time, noise level, sforzando, tremolo speed, etc.), the ability to map any MIDI continuous control to any parameter, natural divisi (the players arrange themselves automatically across the notes of a played chord)...
Many bugs have also been fixed. This update provides support for Mac OSX (Leopard) UB and Windows XP/Vista 32/64 (in AU, VSTi and DXi plugin formats).

Ohm Force has just released updates for the Mac OS X versions of all of its plug-ins.

Changes:

* Corrected a problem to prevent the installer from blocking on 10.5.
* A lot of various GUI fixes for VST, RTAS & AU.
* Corrected tempo problem on Cubase 4.
* All presets in Audio Unit & Pro Tools format.
* Updated manuals are now far more precise on those recurring questions.
* Mac OS X 10.2 support is dropped.
* Pro Tools 6 support is dropped.

Camel Audio has updated CamelSpace to v1.42 (PC) and v1.44 (OSX), and CamelPhat to v3.42 (PC)Win and v3.44 (OSX). These updates fix MIDI learn and preset selection issues in Cubase 4 and problems with automation in Digital Performer.
These updates are available for free to registered users only, and are downloadable in the support area.
Camel Audio also offer 30% off their preset banks for Absynth, Massive and Cameleon, by entering WINTERSND as the coupon code. And it's 50% off Cameleon 5000 (a bargain, at only $99!), by entering WINTERCAM as the coupon code.

Eiosis releases the E²Deesser, the first in the series of Eiosis' new E²Processors. The E²Deesser features Eiosis' patented, exclusive processing structure and algorithm to bring you a new approach to de-essing. It allows the independent processing of sibilants inside vocal tracks in an extremely easy to use and efficient manner.

To learn more about the E²Deesser, you can watch the video tutorials on the Eiosis website. You can discover in these videos how to use the E²Deesser in many situations, with vocal tracks, but also percussion and slap bass tracks.

Sonalksis, software editor of Essentials, Multiband Dynamics and Creative Elements series offer a great deal on their products until the 29th December.
You can get up to 20% discount on bundles, with a special 20% and a
further 10% on the Grand Bundle (8 commercial plugs and the free Free G).
Here are some examples of the offers (all prices quoted exclusive of VAT) :
-The Sonalksis Essentials Mk2 Bundle (SV-315 Mk2 Compressor, SV-517 Mk2 Equalizer and SV-719 Gate) is at 255.99 GBP / 479.99 USD / 383.99 EUR.
-The Sonalksis All Plug-ins Bundle (Essentials, Multiband Dynamics, Creative Elements) at 499.99 GBP / 935.99 USD / 737.99 EUR.