Week of December 14, 2003 Saturday, December 20 2003 | dmac Hades Music Introduces New Software for VMC-207 Control Surface Hades Music announced new version of the operating system of the Control Surface VMC-207. The main feature in this big update is the Houston Language Emulator (HLE), which allows access to the power of Nuendo, Cubase SX & SL and V-Stack. With the update, the VMC-207 features: Full bi-directional operation: Every change made in the sequencer is received in the control surface. Example: When loading a new song in the sequencer, the machine will light automatically the MUTE, SOLO & SELECT leds, and will show the name of the tracks, etc. Full access to the AUDIO, MIDI & VSTi mixer On screen display of the parameter names used in the sequencer. Relative Knobs: Automatically updated when changes are made in the sequencer or when changing mode. This eliminates jumps in the values of the mix when you start to turn the knob. EasyFaders: A new system that electronically emulates motorized faders, turning them into relative. This eliminates undesired jumps in the mix when changing track groups or when loading new songs. Surround mix in 5.1, 7.1, 9.1, and more. Total access to the EQ, send FX and insert FX Total access to every VST effect. All the parameters will be shown on screen automatically. Total access to every VSTi instrument. It automatically recognizes the internal parameters of the instrument and gives information on screen. For more information, visit their web site at www.hades-music.com. Friday, December 19 2003 | dmac KOMPAKT now available for Mac OS X NATIVE INSTRUMENTS is excited to announce a new update for KOMPAKT which brings the powerful sampler to Mac OS X. KOMPAKT now fully supports the modern technologies and interfaces of OS X, including AudioUnits, RTAS, VST and standalone operation with CoreMIDI and CoreAudio. The KOMPAKT update is immediately available to all registered users as a free download. For more information, please see http://www.ni-kompakt.com. Friday, December 19 2003 | dmac DASH Signature updates... New features for EVE V1.18: Resonance controls and Electro Drum Kit SoundSet. More sound design power for EVE now, each of the 3 LP filter now have adjustable resonance so it can really sweeps. Presets Bank updated. A0S for EVE Released: 128 extra presets Free download TubiLeSax V1.82 released: Better samples, fixed lag (latency) Better Loop-Points (noise removed) Also, new DEMO versions: Complete Windows Demo. Small Windows Demo. Friday, December 19 2003 | dmac Zygoat Doggiebox 1.0.6 released Zygoat Creative Technical Services is pleased to announce the immediate availability of version 1.0.6 of Doggiebox, our acclaimed beat sequencing software for Mac OS X. This maintenance update incorporates a couple of bug fixes and minor improvements. In particular: Added an Italian language localization. Fixed a bug where the Export progress dialog could not be canceled. Fixed a couple of other potential conflicts with earlier versions of Mac OS X. Doggiebox is available for download now. Updates from previous versions are free for all users.   More @ Doggiebox. Friday, December 19 2003 | dmac Traxmusic updates... New updates guys: - Camel Audio's Ben Gillett interviewed. - Camel Audio's CA5000 reviewed. - Hypersonic from Steinberg reviewed. Thursday, December 18 2003 | dmac TL EveryPhase Updated to Version 1.1 Trillium Lane Labs announced the availability of TL EveryPhase 1.1, an update to the recently launched Pro Tools phaser effects plug-in announced at AES New York. TL EveryPhase delivers classic analog phaser effects, ranging from subtle modulation and tremolo to the most extreme filtered feedback. Offering complete phaser models with up to 18 stages, TL EveryPhase combines the timeless sound of outboard phaser units with the latest plug-in power to instantly provide rich phaser effects in any Pro Tools session. TL EveryPhase 1.1 adds the following new features: New Resonance control for enhanced feedback tweaking Extended Depth controls for different phaser tones Support for 5.1 surround sessions on Pro Tools HD Accel Over 120 presets in eight categories TL EveryPhase is available for Mac OS 9, OS X and Windows XP operating systems in both TDM and RTAS formats. TL EveryPhase is compatible with the new Pro Tools HD Accel hardware and Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther). Pricing and Availability TL EveryPhase is priced at US$249 and is available now from Trillium Lane Labs or its distributors. Free 7-day demos are available for download. For more information, visit their web site at tllabs.com. Thursday, December 18 2003 | dmac VST updates... FXpansion DR-008 v1.1.9 released. Emagic Logic Platinum for OS X v6.3.3 released. Ohm Force Symptohm:Melohman released. Thursday, December 18 2003 | dmac MusicMath 2.21 now OSX compatible Laurent Colson releases MusicMath 2.21, now OSX compatible. Music Math is a freeware which converts music values (BPM, semi-tones, samples, ms, Hz, Timestretch %). You can calculate the time stretching to use on a sample if you change the tempo, or the number of semi-tone to transpose, the time stretching to apply if you transpose a sample and you don't want to change the duration, the delay in ms to synchronise with BPM. It also include a tap delay function and a BPM/sample converter. This new version adds OSX compatibility, and includes both english and french versions. Music-Math features 5 conversion functions: - Tempo : computes the equivalent TimeStrecthing from the original and new tempos. - Transpose: converts semi-tones to TimeStrecthing values - Delay : convert tempo to musical duration (ms) or equivalent frequencies (Hz), ie for LFOs rates. - Samples : convert samples duration (in samples) to tempo or tempo to sample duration. - Tap : Tap the tempo MusicMath can be downloaded for free here. Tuesday, December 16 2003 | dmac Inspector 1.2 - Free Audio Analyzer Adds Pro Tools Support And More Elemental Audio Systems announced today the release of version 1.2 of its audio analysis plug-in, Inspector. The new version adds Digidesign RTAS support, an enhanced user interface design, automation support, and new spectral display modes. Now, Digidesign Pro Tools users can utilize Inspector's alarms to be notified of adverse conditions in their audio. Inspector is available as a FREE download from the Elemental Audio Systems web site and supports the following plug- in formats: RTAS (MacOS X and Win XP), Audio Unit (MacOS X) and VST (MacOS X, Windows). Inspector is a compact but powerful analysis tool with integrated spectral analysis and extensive metering. New in version 1.2, users may configure the spectrum to display peak or average and may choose from a fast or slow decay rate. Inspector's configurable peak and RMS meters allow users to set the caution and warning zones to suit their needs. Real-time numeric readouts keep users informed about the state of their audio - from clipping incidents to headroom and balance. When user specified thresholds for these parameters are crossed, Inspector's Master Alarm is triggered. Version 1.2 also features improved graphics performance and improved Audio Unit support. Key Product Features: - Spectrum analyzer (peak/average, fast/slow decay, enable/disable) - Numeric readouts and alarms for balance, clipping, and headroom - Large customizable peak and RMS meters - Balance meter - Integrated loading and saving of settings files - Supports sampling rates up to 192 kHz - Altivec/velocity engine optimizations - Multi-processor capable Inspector supports sample rates up to 192kHz and is MacOS X Panther (10.3) compatible. The MacOS 9, 1.1 version, remains available for download from the Elemental Audio Systems web site. Tuesday, December 16 2003 | dmac Tobybear updates... Helios updated to 2.3: some more bugfixes small graphic issues fixed new button/menu for setting loop mode, with 4 available options,  including "ping pong" looping (forward and reverse) parameter names are now accessible via the standard VST parameter/ automation interface re-location of WAV file simproved when they are not found, also the open dialog now shows what WAV it was searching for pre-listen now only activates on WAV files, so no more error messages on folder change BrushBox is a new plugin, small and not complex. It uses an algorithm Toby made about a year ago and sounds like a strange mixture between a ringmodulator and a pitchshifter, although the source code contains neither of them. CC-Control was finally updated: What's new: can now be used as either VST FX or instrument each axis has definable min and max range for the CC "lag" feature, causing the dot to move to the destination at a certain speed parameters are now named in a better way and are also accessible via the VST parameter automation interface many bugs fixed Check it all out at tobybear.de Tuesday, December 16 2003 | dmac GMedia impOSCar now shipping GMedia impOSCar is now shipping and is available for Windows (VST) and Mac (VST/AU) for £99.95 ($179.95). Demo versions should be available later this week. The impOSCar is an emulation of the classic British synth the OSCar, faithfully recreating ALL the features of the original hardware synthesiser, plus adding some notable new features of its own. The impOSCar is capable of loading original sounds via sysex and tape (via WAV files) and adds additional features such as a fully polyphonic mode, keyboard velocity responses, additional filter modes and an all new effects section, making it a true 'classic' for the 21st Century! Features: Mono, duo and 4 polyphonic modes. 2 Oscillators, 13 Waveforms. Programmable Additive Wave Matrix. Unique filter section: 9 filter types with Drive, Cutoff, Q and Separation. Two Envelope Generators. Mono, duo and polyphonic arpeggiator with 4 modes. 5 Keyboard Triggering modes. Extensive LFO section with sync. 6 portamento modes. Powerful Effects section. Programmable Velocity responses. MIDI Learn with storable CC maps. A vast range of sonic possibilities. 500+ Patch library. Including sounds from many original OSCar users including Billy Currie (Ultravox), Mark Moore (S-Express) Rick Smith (Underworld), Lee Groves (Basement Jaxx, Terminalhead), Tim Dorney (Republica) and Paul Wiffen, original OSCar sound designer and OSCar programmer to Stevie Wonder & Jean Michel Jarre. Tuesday, December 16 2003 | dmac Audio Ease Releases VST Wrapper 4.0 for Digital Performer Digital Performer 4 users can now use Mac OSX VST Plug-Ins and Instruments with the VST Wrapper 4 by Audio Ease. The VST Wrapper 4 supports multiple outputs for instruments, VST bank and preset saving and loading, Sample Accurate MIDI timing, Beat lock and Parameter Automation. OSX VST plug-ins are wrapped to become MAS plug-ins, the original Digital Performer plug-in format. The VST Wrapper 4 costs $69.95 on-line at Audio Ease, and includes version 3, which loads VST plug-ins and instruments in Digital Performer 3. upgrades cost US$39.95. The upgrade is free for everyone that purchased the VST Wrapper after november 15, 2003  There is a demo that emits a little blip once in a while. the Demo can be unlocked with a registration number that the user receives immediately upon purchase at the audio ease on-line store. For more information, visit their web site at www.audioease.com. Monday, December 15 2003 | dmac Kjaerhus Audio Launches Classic EQ - A free Equaliser VST Plug-in. Classic EQ is a 7 Band Stereo Equaliser with a warm analog sound, well suited to make non-surgical tonal corrections on all instruments, vocals and final mixes. The passive and additive structure, together with unique ?Warm? and ?Saturation? algorithms, produces warm and pleasant sound, just like some of the most expensive vintage gear.   The Classic EQ is plugin number six in the popular Classic Series, consisting of Chorus, Flanger, Reverb, Compressor, Master Limiter, and now the Equaliser. The Classic EQ is like all the other plugins in the Classic Series, freeware that can be downloaded from the Kjaerhus Audio web site. For more information, visit the Kjaerhus Audio web site at www.kjaerhusaudio.com Monday, December 15 2003 | dmac fat-ass launches GIDE – Waveguide based plucked string Quite simply put, GIDE is an emulation of a plucked string. Utilising waveguide technology based on delay algorythms by Chris Kerry, GIDE is overflowing with resonance, brightness and presence (Well, we think so anyway but don't take our word for it!). If the sound of the waveguide alone isn't enough for you, GIDE also features a state variable filter and stereo chorus. All parameters can be automated using either VST or MIDI automation. Like all fat-ass plugins, GIDE is made using Synthedit. Monday, December 15 2003 | dmac Eqium EQ tool box: 2.0 adds RTAS and automation support Elemental Audio Systems announced today the availability of version 2.0 of its unlimited band EQ tool box, Eqium. Eqium 2.0 adds automation support, a completely redesigned user interface, and Digidesign Pro Tools RTAS compatibility for Mac OS X and Windows XP. Eqium version 2.0 retails for $129 and, in addition to RTAS format, supports Audio Unit and VST formats on Mac OS X and VST format on Windows. Eqium 2.0 presents a flexible mechanism for automating EQ changes through a host. Users may choose which of their filters will be externally controlled and automation written previously for one filter may be used to control another filter with the click of a button. Any of Eqium's 11 filter types, including its 4 and 8 Harmonic Parametric filters, may be automated. Eqium's user interface has been redesigned to provide more clarity and includes a larger filter graph area for EQ editing ease. Now, all 11 available filter types can be accessed directly without the need for scrolling. Other notable improvements include: Q, bandwidth, and slope adjustment through the filter graph and the ability to choose between Eqium's "filled" filter response display or a more traditional, non-filled display that is less graphics intensive. Due to improvements in its graphics engine, Eqium's graphics response is snappier in either mode. More @ Elemental Audio. Monday, December 15 2003 | dmac Latest discoDSP Plug-In Offers FM/PM Synthesis discoDSP has released Phantom, a new FM/PM VST Synthesizer for Wndows featuring Yamaha DX100, DX27 and DX21 SysEx import. Phantom is a four operator phase/frequency modulation synthesizer that offers eight different operator routing algorithms. A four-pole multimode resonant filter is provided for sound shaping and stereo effects help polish your instrument's sound. A demo is available for download. The registered version costs €150 (about 180 USD). Customers of discoDSP Discovery and discoDSP Vertigo can get a special discount price. For more information, visit their web site at www.discodsp.com. Monday, December 15 2003 | dmac Synapse Orion Platinum v5.1 released Synapse Audio have released Orion Platinum v5.1 Changes: Extended Tomcat synth, greatly increasing versatility of this instrument. Orion as ReWire2 slave can now receive controllers as well, so that you can automate Orion's synths e.g. from SONAR. Real time quantize was inaccurate, fixed. Metronome worked incorrectly at 192 PPQ, fixed. Insert effects on audio tracks did not work correctly while recording, fixed. More @ Synapse Audio. Monday, December 15 2003 | dmac Plugin updates FXpansion VST-RTAS Adapter released. ConcreteFX Adder released.