Week of September 4, 2005 Wednesday, September 7 2005 | dmac Version 3.1 Update to Cubase SX/SL Released Over 50 new features in latest update... Cubase SX3 Project View Cubase SX3 Inplace Editor Steinberg has released the latest update to its Cubase SX and Cubase SL music production software products, now available as downloads from the Steinberg website. The update features over new 50 new functions as well as numerous other enhancements, and is available now as a download from Steinberg's web site. For existing Cubase SX3 customers, the update to 3.1 brings major new developments in the area of hardware integration. The advanced Studio Connections functionality, which links Cubase SX to MIDI hardware supporting this standard, has been further upgraded to include full audio integration. External instruments and effects supported by Studio Connections Recall and Audio now behave like virtual instruments and effect plug-ins, offering not only mixing directly within Cubase SX, but also one-step audio mixdown and "freezing" of the connected audio hardware. Any hardware, which does not support Studio Connections, can now also be integrated directly into the VST mixer in Cubase SX 3.1 as External Instruments or External FX including full MIDI control and latency compensation. The 3.1 versions of Cubase SL and Cubase SX also offer a range of other new features. These include the new "Equal-Power" panner which maintains equal power across the entire panning range, while the new Mixer key commands offer full control of the entire VST mixer using customized key commands. Users of Cubase SX/SL 3.1 can also render playback parameters into MIDI data, "freezing" MIDI track play parameters quickly and permanently for project transfer to another application. Cubase SX/SL 3.1 include advanced multiprocessor support, including the latest dual-core processors from AMD and Intel, giving professional users full access to the latest high-end workstation computers with dramatic performance gain. Cubase SX3.1 now supports Steinberg's DTS and Dolby Digital Encoder plug-ins, allowing Cubase SX users to encode to these popular industry-standard surround formats. Price and availability The update to Cubase SX and Cubase SL 3.1 is available now for all Cubase SX3 and Cubase SL3 customers at steinberg.net. Wednesday, September 7 2005 | dmac TC Group Wholly Acquires TC-Helicon TC Group announced the complete acquisition of TC-Helicon, manufacturer of vocal technology products. TC Group previously owned 50% of TC-Helicon, which is headquartered in Canada. By purchasing the remaining 50 % of the shares from IVL Technologies Ltd, TC Group now welcomes TC-Helicon as a full-fledged member of the group, which includes Tannoy, Lab.gruppen, TC Electronic, and TC Applied Technologies. Kevin Alexander will continue to serve as CEO of TC-Helicon, which was founded in 2000 as a joint venture between IVL Technologies Ltd and TC Group A/S. The aim of TC-Helicon is to provide dedicated tools and solutions for the human voice. For more information, visit their web site at tc-helicon.com. Wednesday, September 7 2005 | dmac Camel Audio Offers New Sounds for Absynth New from Camel Audio is Biolabs Absynth Research Sounds, containing nearly 400 presets for Absynth and including a 300MB sample library. The sounds have been programmed by Biomechanoid, a sound designer and one of the principle authors of the Absynth factory sounds. Biolabs Absynth Research is the only commercial sound bank to take full advantage of Absynth 3's advanced features according to Camel Audio, including sample playback, granular synthesis and surround sound. Every preset has at least four specially selected controllers, to give you fast access to the most important parameters. These can be used to mix, morph and mutate the sounds providing an enormous range of sounds. The library includes three volumes of 128 sounds, which can also be purchased separately. Bio Synthesis is a collection of innovative bread and butter basses, leads, pads and synths. Bio Rhythmics offers a range of loops which you can mix in realtime using the specially programmed controllers. Bio SFX and Atmospheres, unsurprisingly, is a collection of special effects and atmospheres, suited for film and TV soundtrack work. Biolabs sounds can be purchased online at camelaudio.com for 99 USD (plus VAT for EU residents - 93 EUR / 65 GBP). If you prefer you can buy each bank separately for 39.95 USD (plus VAT for EU residents - 35 EUR / 24 GBP). The website also provides demo MP3s and a bank of 30 free presets, to give you a taste of whats on offer. For more information, visit their web site at camelaudio.com. Wednesday, September 7 2005 | dmac Steinberg Releases Nuendo 3.1 Update Nuendo 3.0 Steinberg Media Technologies has now released the version 3.1 update of its Nuendo Media Production System, including new features targeted at professionals in post and audio production. The update is available for Mac and PC from Steinberg's web site. Among the new features is the new Audio Pull Up/Down functionality, which makes Nuendo 3.1 an irreplaceable tool for audio post production whenever a Telecine process or transfer from NTSC to PAL has been involved during the production. Frame rate support has also been extended to include those required by HDTV, ensuring support for this fast-growing standard within Nuendo. The Network Collaboration features in Nuendo are extended by including support for Marker Tracks, as well as the addition of a Transfer Status window, crucial for accurate monitoring of data transfer around the network. A new Online-Merge function enables users to quickly merge selected tracks between local projects and available network projects without having to fully join a network session. Nuendo 3.1 also provides the technological basis for the synergy of the Nuendo Media Production software with the latest Euphonix MC and System 5-MC DAW Controllers. For several years, Steinberg and Euphonix have been collaborating on implementing EuCon into Nuendo to offer integration of Steinberg's Media Production System with the Euphonix MC editing controller and the System 5-MC mixing surface. With the addition of a software EuCon module -- which is distributed exclusively by Euphonix -- Nuendo 3.1 forms part of a highly flexible and scalable solution that offers the best of both software and hardware worlds. For more information to EuCon, please visit www.euphonix.com. Among the other new features offered by Nuendo 3.1 are improved handling of video thumbnails, a new feature to safeguard against lost recordings due to power outages and a handy "Enlarge Selected Track function". For more information, visit their web site at steinberg.net. Wednesday, September 7 2005 | dmac VSTunnel Plug-In Brings On-Line Collaboration to Sequencers Start connecting several sequencers over the internet bringing musicians from all over the world to easily play their sessions together. No travelling. No studio bookings. All participants have the opportunity to create or join public and private sessions. For those serious musicians out there who want their own selected members or want to bring their own band together, the VSTunnel private sessions are for you. In a private session no one can enter without knowing the session key (e.g. members of a band can meet in a closed session). You as the creator have the power to choose your session members. The VSTunnel Plug-In is used like an insert effect in the sequencer's master out channel. When started, a wizard starts, which allows the user to start a session or to join another session. When users create their own session, they decide whether to make it public or private. When private, the creator can use their own method of distributing their session key, for example, email distribution. And of course, public sessions are for anybody and everybody. A list of all public sessions is offered to the user. It can be sorted by genre, speeding up the search for music of taste. By clicking on a session, it can be previewed. With another click, a session can be joined. You can download the VSTunnel Plug-In for free. In the free version, all saving functions are disabled, the maximum song length is limited to 1 minute and the download quality cannot be adjusted. If you get your registration code for 69.00Euro/$85.00 all features are available. For more information, visit their web site at vstunnel.com.