Week of May 28, 2006 Wednesday, May 31 2006 | dmac Applied Acoustics Systems Releases The Lounge Lizard Session Electric Piano   Applied Acoustics Systems announces today the official release of Lounge Lizard Session for Mac OS X and Windows. Based on the physical modeling synthesis engine of the award-winning Lounge Lizard EP-3, Session is a simple and straightforward instrument reproducing legendary electric pianos. Boasting four different piano types and a great selection of effects, Lounge Lizard Session delivers outstanding sound quality, action, and feel at a very affordable price. "This new Session version is the perfect electric piano solution for musicians who don't need the extra programmability of the EP-3 version but still crave its remarkable action and feel," said Marc-Pierre, CEO of AAS. Pricing and Availability The Lounge Lizard Session is available now direct from the AAS web store at a price of $99 for Mac OS X and Windows systems. Lounge Lizard Session runs as a standalone application and supports DXi, VST, AudioUnits, and RTAS (Mac OS only) plug-in formats. An update will be available soon to support the new Intel-based Mac systems. For more information, visit their web site at applied-acoustics.com. Tuesday, May 30 2006 | dmac Garritan Launches Free, Interactive Online Orchestration Course Multimedia, self-pacing course is based on Rimsky-Korsakov's "Principles of Orchestration" Garritan Libraries, the world's most respected soundware company, has launched a free online orchestration course based on Rimsky-Korsakov's classic text "Principles of Orchestration." Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's genius for orchestration is unsurpassed, and there may be no better source to learn about orchestration than from the teachings of the great Russian master himself. "Principles of Orchestration" is acknowledged by many colleges and universities to be the essential, authoritative text on orchestration. A knowledge of orchestration is indispensable for many musical endeavors, including film scoring, composing for interactive games, arranging, notating, teaching, and much more. This online course embeds around 275 animated scores in its 26 lessons, allowing participants not only to see the scores online, but hear music as it follows the score. The courses are supplemented by online discussion forums for each lesson, providing participants an opportunity to learn from orchestration experts, and share work examples with others. "This is our way of giving back to the musical community," states Gary Garritan. "Our commitment to the musician does not end with simply selling a product; we also want to encourage the knowledge and skills that allow musical talent to flourish. After researching various educational options, we decided there's no better way to learn orchestration than to provide the ultimate book on orchestration presented with interactive, real-time examples." Although the course officially begins this week, it's also possible to pick up the lessons at any point, review older lessons, and participate in the discussions 24/7. To access the course, go to garritan.com and follow the link. Or, go to northernsounds.com.