PC Publishing has announced the Third Edition of PC Music - The Easy Guide. Completely updated with new sections on the MP3 revolution, the PC as a complete Media Center and the realisation of your PC as a recording studio, this new edition of PC Music - The Easy Guide, will show you what can be done, what it all means, and what you will need to start creating and enjoying your own music on your PC.

It’s an easy read, fully illustrated and it will help you understand how a computer can be used as a creative and entertaining musical tool.

Topics covered:

• How do I make music with my PC?
• How do I plug a guitar into my PC?
• Can I record music onto my PC?
• What’s a sequencer?
• What’s sampling?
• How can I get my PC to print a music?
• What sort of a soundcard do I need?
• What hardware and software do I need?
• How do I connect a keyboard to my PC?
• What sort of computer do I need?
• Can I get pro results on my PC?

The book covers soundcards, recording music with sequencers, hard disk digital audio recording and editing, plug-ins, mixing, printing scores with notation software, using your PC as a synthesiser or a sampler, making beats and noises, sorting out the hardware, getting sound into and out of the computer, getting music onto and off the internet, bringing the PC into the living room as an entertainment system, using and understanding Windows and it suggests sample PC music set-ups and discusses computer technology in the simplest terms.

With special sections for guitarists and electronic music fans, it’s all rounded off with advice on the musical hardware and software that you’ll need, and a list of invaluable industry contacts.

Contents:
1 Introduction
2 What can a PC do?
3 Getting deeper into soundcards
4 MIDI sequencing
5 Hard disk recording
6 Sample/wave editing
7 Plug-ins and mixing
8 Notation and score writing
9 Software synthesis and sampling
10 The MP3 Revolution
11 Tackling Windows XP
12 Example PC music set-ups
13 The electronic music appendium
14 The guitarist’s appendium
15 The Media Center PC appendium
16 Product roundup
Glossary
General MIDI

For more information, visit their web site at www.pc-publishing.com.

Posted in Computer, Education, Recording

Pianoteq is the very first truly modelled piano, available for the VST and AudioUnit platforms.

Being a truly modelled piano, the sound is created in real time from scratch through a very sophisticated mathematical model, simulating an acoustic piano. It is responding to how the pianist is striking each key and how strings are interacting, just like a real piano does. The result is a remarkably expressive and vivid instrument.

The first generation of pianos began with Cristofori’s pianoforte in 1698 which came to maturity at the end of the 19th century with the acoustic grand pianos. It was followed in the 20th century by the second generation electro-acoustic pianos and the third generation sampled pianos where each note is a recording of how it sounded during a specific moment in time, not taking into account the complexity of the instrument.

Pianoteq is the first and only piano belonging to the fourth generation, developed to go beyond the limitations of the third generation and to become a versatile and innovating tool.

Simulating acoustic pianos: Everything that characterizes an acoustic piano is there: the mechanic noises (optional), the complexity of pedals and strings in interaction, the percussion impact on staccato play, and of course the most important, the beauty of the piano sound.

New possibilities: The unique adjustable parameters result in great realism and even allow going beyond the material constraints of an acoustic piano, thus being able to create new instruments and sounds.

System friendly: Pianoteq adapts its CPU consumption dynamically to the resources available on your computer. It holds more than easily in the computer memory, and its installation is fast and easy. It can be successfully used on a modern laptop.

The current piano presets are the first instruments of a collection which will grow in the near future. Pianoteq customers are invited to exchange their best settings through the FXP corner of the Pianoteq website.

Being modelled, Pianoteq allows parameters to be stretched as long as the model permits, resulting not only in new performance styles but also in new piano sounds. The sound comes from 32-bit floating audio computation without any quantization noise, not even with the softest pianissimos. Expressivity is superior as it can handle all the 127 MIDI velocities for each note.

The high quality sound can be easily processed in a virtual studio for professional use.

For more information, visit their web site at www.pianoteq.com.

Posted in Audio, Computer, Plug-Ins, Recording, Software, Technology, VST

After announcing its inception at this year’s Winter NAMM tradeshow in Anaheim, California, Cortex (now a part of GCI Technologies) will begin shipping its patent-pending USB host-controller based digital music manipulation platform to musical instrument retailers on September 15th.

“With the rise of portable media players and mass storage devices being a source for storing and playing music Cortex developed the HDC-1000 to utilize this technology and bring it to the DJ realm,” explains CEO Artie Cabasso. “The HDC-1000 will be the first unit in the world to manipulate music files from an external USB device and will make the DJ think differently about how they will transport their music collection.”

Using USB compatibility to give DJs the power to cue up, play, pitch, manipulate, scratch and search digital music files like never before, HDC-1000 users can access their music collections utilizing a wide array of storage devices including the iPod®, external USB hard-drives and flash drives, CD-ROM, and even DVD-ROM drives. DJ’s can even connect and access multiple storage devices with the HDC’s device selection option.

Providing DJ’s with a higher platform of performance, the HDC-1000 offers an ‘intelligent music database management’ system where databases of tracks are built and stored on each compatible storage device to allow the user to find any track lightning fast, regardless of the number of tracks on the device, and displaying all the essentials on its bright LCD playback screen including artist, track title, time elapsed, and time remaining.

Its unique cataloging system gives you a number of browsing options when searching a database, including Search by Artist, Song Title and Genre. With the String Search function, users can even search by a certain word or phrase to find tracks, even if they’re not completely sure of the name. You can also get information on any track in the database showing everything from artist and track title to the file format, genre, or length of the track.

In addition, the unit is equipped with ultra-precise pitch resolution (up to +/-24), front and rear USB ports with device selection menu and multifunction navigation keys.

For more information, visit their web site at www.cortex-pro.com.

Posted in Computer, Digital, Recording, Software, Technology

Perimeter Sound Arts and Contralogic Productions have released the Feldspar Special Edition Multi-FX VST plug-in.

This Special Edition of the Feldspar Multi FX VST is a slightly altered version of the original with a few notable changes: It has one envelope and settings instead of 2, and 4 modulation routings in the matrix instead of 6. A reverb effect has been added, the cpu usage has gone down by about 1/3, and the number of patches has doubled.

Main features:

• A 3 mode sequenced envelope, with rate control, as well as ADSR and amp controls
• A 4X modulation routing matrix, with the usual source & destination settings as well as mix level. Modulation sources include S&H, as well as LFO + and -, and Envelope + and -, and can be sent to filter, ring, and reverb controls for even more varied modulations
• Delay/Echo with LP/HP filtering, and L-R, R-L, and Straight settings for the echos
• 2 assignable LFO’s for various tempo-synched modulation possibilities, with 16 different wave types to choose from, rate control, and FM and AM controls for frequency and level modulation control
• A ring modulator with level and pitch controls
• Unique dual filters, with bleed control, and 4 filter types to choose from
• A reverb effect with dampening control
• Width control in the master out section, for enhanced stereo sound
• Low to moderate cpu usage, and 31 presets included

Feldspar Special Edition is available now to all loop sample customers at www.perimetersound.com at no charge, it is a gift included with loop sample purchases.

It should be noted that Apple and Garageband customers are welcome to receive this plug in, in case they run a new dual boot Mac and want to use it that way, or if they have a PC-using, music-making friend they want to give it to. It is not available in Mac format, but Perimeter Sound Arts would certainly not wish to exclude anyone on the basis of what kind of computer they have.

For more information, visit their web site at www.perimetersound.com.

Posted in Computer, Plug-Ins, Recording, Software, Technology

Audio Damage, Inc. is pleased to announce the release of Reverence, a digital plate reverb simulator, as a plugin effect for VST and AudioUnits hosts. Reverence is heavily inspired by vintage digital hardware, and faithfully recreates the thick sonic character and easy-to-use interface of those early units, while providing the low noise floor and big headroom inherent in modern software-based reverb.

Perfect for synths, vocals, and guitar, Reverence is also capable of creating the unusual effects that are typical of vintage hardware units. Featuring a sophisticated and well-tuned reverb algorithm, Reverence has a much lower CPU load than convolution reverbs, and can be used as either a send or insert effect.

Features:

• Simple-to-use reverb settings, with pre-delay, time, and size, plus an extensive filtering section to shape the reverb tail
• Fluid and logical vintage-style user interface
• Optimized reverb algorithm for low CPU load
• MIDI Learn feature for full hardware control of all parameters (VST only; handled by host in AudioUnits version)

Reverence is available as a VST effect for Windows, and as an AudioUnit / VST effect bundle for OSX Universal Binary, and is US$39.00 for instant download from the Audio Damage store.

For more information, visit their web site at www.audiodamage.com.

Posted in Computer, Digital, Effects, Plug-Ins, Recording, Software, Technology

Native Instruments is excited to announce AUDIO KONTROL 1, a compact high-performance USB 2.0 audio interface that addresses the typical needs of many musicians, producers and DJs in a highly portable and affordable package. Combining professional sound quality with high versatility, and equipped with a comprehensive software package, AUDIO KONTROL 1 was designed to meet a specific “sweet spot” in terms of performance, functionality and price.

AUDIO KONTROL 1 is equipped with studio-grade 24-bit/192 kHz Cirrus Logic converters that guarantee pristine audio quality, while Native Instruments’ third-generation USB 2.0 audio driver technology ensures low-latency operation down to 4 milliseconds both on Windows and Macintosh systems. With its 2-in/4-out configuration, and equipped with microphone preamp, “Hi-Z” instrument input and headphone amp, AUDIO KONTROL 1 is suitable for a wide range of studio, live and DJ applications. Four freely assignable control elements on the top side of the unit also make it possible to adjust any software parameter directly from the interface, enabling AUDIO KONTROL 1 to double as a basic controller device.

With its small footprint and solid aluminium enclosure, the completely bus-powered audio interface provides a robust and highly portable solution for many typical recording and performance situations. AUDIO KONTROL 1 also comes with an additional creativity booster in the form of a comprehensive software bundle. Included are XPRESS KEYBOARDS, three software synthesizers based on the acclaimed PRO-53, B4 and FM7, as well as GUITAR COMBOS, three professional amp emulations taken from Native Instruments’ award-winning GUITAR RIG.

AUDIO KONTROL 1 also comes with TRAKTOR 3 LE, a new DJ software based on Native Instruments’ groundbreaking TRAKTOR DJ Studio. Offering two decks with high-quality time-stretching, an integrated mixer, performance effects, loop and cueing functions, a powerful track database and seamless Beatport shop integration, TRAKTOR 3 LE is a serious creative tool, and an ideal way to enter the world of digital DJing.

AUDIO KONTROL 1 will be available in October 2006 for a suggested retail price of $299 / 279 Euro from authorized dealers and in the NI Online Shop.

For more information, visit their web site at www.native-instruments.com/afharmony01.info.

Posted in Audio, Computer, Digital, Recording, Software, Technology

Janus is a virtual bass amp for VST-compatible hosts. Using separate Contour- knobs for left and right channels, the user can create their own “mixdown” of the material or retain two separate channels to achieve unique, stereophonic bass-sounds. Janus works best on dry, stereo bass-tracks.

Main features:

• Dual Contour-controls for radical tone-shaping
• Master volume and treble settings
• “Deep” knob to boost ultra-low frequency content
• Soft- and Hard-preamp voicing options
• Reverb and cabinet resonance controls
• Includes 16 presets

A free demo version with limited functionality is available for download.

The full version of Janus costs $14 US.

For more information, visit their web site at www.zensoundcheck.com/audio.

Posted in Amplification, Bass, Computer, Microsoft PC, Software, Technology

E-MU® Systems has started shipping its new Xboard™ 61 USB/MIDI Controller for PC and Mac operating systems, featuring 61 premium full-size keys with aftertouch, 16 programmable real-time control knobs, 16 new patch select/program change buttons, Xboard Control editing software, and a full version of E-MU’s Proteus X Version 1.5 Desktop Sound Module with over 3GB of sounds, including a new custom bank of E-MU’s finest performance keyboard sounds.

The Xboard Control software provides an intuitive desktop interface that lets you effortlessly create custom templates for all of your favorite hardware and software instruments. The Xboard 61 also allows you to set discrete MIDI channels for each knob and offer unrivalled real-time control and performance features, including Snap Shot that lets you send multiple program changes and controller values by pressing a single button, and Latch Mode that enables you to define a section of the keyboard as on/off triggers - perfect for drum loops.

The Xboard 61 is priced at $249.99 and now available at authorized E-MU Dealers.

For more information, visit their web site at www.emu.com.

Posted in Computer, MIDI, Recording, Technology

Music Unfolding announces the release of ModVibe, the sixth of the Twister Series, a new line of Audio Unit effects.

ModVibe is a delay vibrato with a couple of features to mix things up. There are two delay units. The first is a forward delay and the second is a feedback delay. In between these two is a modulation unit to scramble, shake, sift and swirl the contents. The vibrato oscillators are independently set and can be shaped using frequency modulation.

The vibrato units are fairly straight forward, except that the delay can range from a few milliseconds to 4500.0 ms. Between the two, that’s a bit of delay. In addition, the vibrato can be up to 500.0 ms in depth. These two combined provide effects ranging from phasor/flanger and chorus to wild, extreme doppler shifts. The sweeps can be tailored to a high degree giving a lot of flexibility.

Please note that the interface has been changed from previous Twister Audio Units to give users more control over the interface. The parameter display and label colors can now be set by the user. We have also added new options for setting the parameter values. Users can still set the parameters with the big knob, but they may also set the parameters by clicking and dragging over the parameter readout or hovering and using their mouse scroll wheels. Vertical scrolling or dragging moves the parameter values faster in bigger increments and horizontal dragging or scrolling moves the parameter values slower in finer increments. All of the other Audio Units previously released in the Twister Series have been updated with these changes.

ModVibe is $19.99 and is available for OS X as a Universal Binary. A demo is available here.

For more information, visit their web site at www.MusicUnfolding.com.

Posted in Apple Mac, Audio, Computer, Effects, Plug-Ins, Recording, Software, Technology

New Elite MaxPrint gives studios, schools, churches, and businesses the optimal on-disc printing device to complement high volume DVD/CD duplication.

Disc Makers sets a new standard of efficiency and functionality by introducing the Elite MaxPrint color inkjet printer to its robust line of duplication and printing hardware. The Elite MaxPrint is a fully automated on-disc inkjet printer that combines rugged robotics with high throughput efficiency. The Elite MaxPrint prints over 25 discs per hour at a crisp resolution of 4880 dpi.

“The Elite MaxPrint is ideal for any high-volume customer or business that do their own DVD or CD duplication,” says Tony van Veen, Disc Makers Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing. “Plus, it’s extremely easy to use. The automated robotics and easy-to-use label design software makes operation a breeze.”

The new automated Elite MaxPrint is priced at $1,990. In high-production environments such as music studios, video production houses, marketing agencies, educational institutions, churches, and other businesses, the machine provides an affordable and efficient solution for a complete inkjet printing operation.

For even higher throughput, the Elite MaxPrint can be upgraded to include a PowerPrint monochromatic thermal printer, which dries instantly and prints 100 discs an hour. This option is available for only $2,000 more.

The new Elite Max Print features:

• Large Disc Capacity - the input bin holds up to 280 discs
• Easy-to-use label design software
• Two-year warranty on robotics, one-year on printer
• Easily connects to your PC (must be running Windows® XP)
• Perfect fit guarantee - only from Disc Makers. If you discover within thirty days that this product does not work for your needs, Disc Makers will give you full credit towards one that does.

For more information, visit their web site at www.discmakers.com.

Posted in Computer, Software, Technology