E-MU® Systems has announced 64-bit Windows XP drivers for its line of Xboard USB/MIDI controllers, and is available as a free download to all Xboard owners at www.emu.com.

E-MU’s Xboard USB/MIDI controllers for PC and Mac offer unmatched playability, real-time control and programmability in a portable keyboard package ideal for studio and stage use.

The Xboard™ 61, Xboard 49 and Xboard 25 all feature full-size velocity sensitive keyboards with aftertouch, 16 programmable real-time controllers and Xboard Control editing software. The new Xboard 61 additionally features 16 patch select/program change buttons for quick sound changes during performance and ships with E-MU’s Proteus X Software Sound Module with over 3GB of sounds (Xboard 49 and Xboard 25 ship with Proteus X LE with over 1000 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 Xboards also allow you to set discrete MIDI channels for each controller and offer unrivaled 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 Xboard Latch Mode that enables you to define a section of the keyboard as on/off triggers – perfect for drum loops.

All three Xboard models are ultra-portable and can run on USB, battery, or AC power.

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

Posted in Computer, MIDI, Technology

Equinox Sounds has released After Hours, a collection of melodic and rythmic loops and phrases for creating Melodic, Deep and Ambient Trance music. The collection contains a selection of beats, synth lines, bass lines and arpeggios in ACID and REX2 formats, plus a folder containing melodies and chord lines in Standard MIDI File format.

Features:

• 30 Melodic MIDI Loops
• 61 Arpeggios (ranging from 120-145 BPM)
• 119 Bass Lines (ranging from 120-145 BPM)
• 121 Synth Lines (ranging from 120-145 BPM)
• 52 Trance Percussion Loops
• 300 Drum Loops (ranging from 120-145 BPM)
• 200 Single Drum Sounds

Format:
30 MIDI loops/phrases + 650 ACIDized.wav loops/music phrases + 560 Rex2 loops + 200 single drum sounds in wav format.

After Hours is currently available for 60 Euros on CD-ROM or as a download.

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

Posted in Audio, Loops, MIDI, Samples

Building on the strengths of the Mbox® 2, Digidesign is pleased to announce the Mbox® 2 Pro—a new portable, high-definition audio/MIDI production system that provides high-speed FireWire-powered connectivity, up to 24-bit/96 kHz* audio resolution, and a wide range of analog and digital I/O. It also offers several professional features, including MIDI Time Stamping support, Word Clock I/O, and dedicated studio monitor outputs. With Mbox 2 Pro, novices and professionals alike now have a portable, studio-grade Pro Tools® solution available—one that they could take directly from home to a pro studio and then back again.

“Mbox 2 Pro is a versatile and portable Pro Tools interface,” declares Digidesign Product Manager Matt May. “It’ll accept just about any type of audio gear you throw at it—a couple of microphones, keyboards or other line-level devices, S/PDIF digital source, turntable, MIDI, even Word Clock—and let you capture all of it into a high-quality Pro Tools LE session that’s compatible with professional Pro Tools|HD systems. And with its ultra portability, Mbox 2 Pro is the perfect solution to capture high-resolution audio anywhere—from a large commercial studio to a tiny home studio, or from a field recording to a live recording.”

Designed by the same engineering team responsible for Digidesign’s professional Pro Tools|HD® systems, which are used in top studios around the world, Mbox 2 Pro features plenty of analog and digital I/O options packed neatly into its sleekly compact frame, and supports up to six simultaneous inputs and eight outputs. It also includes award-winning, industry-standard Pro Tools LE™ software and over 50 effects and instrument plug-ins, including DigiRack™ plug-ins, Bomb Factory® plug-ins, the Xpand!™ sample-playback/synthesis workstation, and the Pro Tools Ignition Pack™ to get users started on their masterpiece right away at home, in the studio, and everywhere in between.

For a mere $100 more, customers can purchase Mbox 2 Pro Factory, which includes an additional five high-quality Digidesign and Bomb Factory plug-ins (worth over $1,000), the Mbox 2 Pro system, and an iLok USB Smart Key.

Mbox 2 Pro and Mbox 2 Factory will be available September 15th, 2006 via authorized Digidesign dealers for $799 and $899, respectively, US MSRP.

* Mbox 2 Pro does not support external sync at 88.2 and 96 kHz sample rates.

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

Posted in Audio, MIDI, Production, Technology

Reason is a complete virtual studio, a powerful application with endless creative possibilities — assuming you know how to use it. Indeed, the key to producing and composing in Reason is learning how to master the tools available to you in its MIDI sequencer. MIDI Sequencing in Reason: Skill Pack by Steve Nalepa is your guide to unlocking the power and creative freedom available in this dynamic program.

A key part of MIDI Sequencing in Reason: Skill Pack is the CD-ROM included with this book. It’s full of sample content and examples that you will use to build a song and, in the process, learn all the MIDI-sequencing intricacies of this dynamic and flexible software. Unlike other books with companion discs, the source files on every Skill Pack CD-ROM are an essential part of the book’s tutorials – they are not there as mere examples, but are the building blocks from which you’ll construct the projects. The result is a fully integrated learning experience.

This book/CD package will teach you how to use all the major features of Reason’s sequencer. Every available tool and function will be introduced and explained, with step-by-step exercises that illustrate the various ways to use them to enhance your productions.

Features

• Perfect for any musician, engineer, or music producer who uses Reason and wants to focus on MIDI sequencing within the application
• The book plus CD-Rom combination offers a unique learning experience for readers
• Learn a specific software skill and complete a project with step-by-step instructions from a pro, using the author’s source files on the accompanying CD-ROM
• Truly focused content allows the reader to hone a specific skill within the application

Table of Contents: MIDI and the Modern Sequencer
Sequencing in Reason
Inputting MIDI Into the Sequencer: Playing MIDI Notes
Inputting MIDI Into the Sequencer: Drawing in MIDI notes
Sequencing Beats in Reason
Editing MIDI Notes
Recording and Editing Velocity and Controller Data
Quantization

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

Posted in Computer, MIDI, Recording, Software, Technology

GVOX has announced the lastest update to MasterTracks Pro.

MasterTracks Pro for Windows has been fixed. The easiest to use MIDI sequencer on the market is once again in full working order.

GVOX knows that many have shared in the frustrations of some of the bugs that were in MTPro 6.8.3. The software primarily worked, after you may have contacted technical support or visited our knowledgebase. The bugs in the code frustrated our developers too. However, our new, crackerjack developers went right to work on MasterTracks Pro after completing the rebuilding of Encore and Musictime Deluxe for Mac OSX.

The following bugs were fixed:

• Edit sysex, program crash
• Slide data didn’t work right
• Single clicks in the track editor didn’t open windows
• Shift/click to the record controller info didn’t work
• Request to make “Choose Instrument” dialog bigger so no need for scroll bar didn’t work
• Menu inactivated at song end, including Save Preferences
• Click any .mts file to open – error message “: only allowed with drive letter” would show
• Thru on a B-port channel, it plays through the correct channel, but on the A-port
• Songs couldn’t be reordered like on Mac
• Stuck Sound when hit stop in middle of sustained note
• Empty field boxes in the Track Editor Program Name column were filled with a whole bunch of grayed-out characters
• In Windows 2000 and XP taskmanager ran at 99%
• Now tempo offset affects current time
• Current time” changes according to time base setting
• Mousing deactivated main menu
• External sync was non functional
• Timing/tempo issue in playback/record caused a gradual “lag”

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

Posted in Computer, MIDI, Microsoft PC, Recording, 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

CME, makers of the BitStream 3X MIDI Controller, announce a new promotion that qualifies the first 999 registered customers who purchase the BitStream 3X to receive a free, custom-fitted aluminum case.

The Bitstream 3X is perfect for controlling virtual instruments, DAWs, and even other MIDI hardware. This compact desktop unit is the only 3 axis (X,Y and Z) controller on the market and includes 35 knobs, 8 sliders, 16 buttons, a joystick, a cross-fader and an infrared controller. The joystick controls the X and Y axis while the infrared beam controls the Z axis.

The Bitstream 3x is fully programmable and includes more than 13,000 presets for popular samplers, synthesizers, and software including Propellerheads Reason and Rebirth, Steinberg Cubase, Ableton Live, Native Instruments Reaktor, Traktor, Kontakt, and Absynth, Fruity Loops and more. An 8 track motion sampler, transport functions, and a large LCD display round out this versatile unit.

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

Posted in Accessories, Hardware, MIDI

Digidesign is now shipping its highly anticipated Pro Tools HD 7.2 software.

With a dramatically enhanced feature set—including the industry’s most comprehensive automation package, extended video capabilities, revolutionary new workflows with multi-channel field recorders, built-in dubber/stem recorder functionality and the new SignalTools™ DigiRack™ metering plug-ins—Pro Tools® HD 7.2 software is an essential upgrade for Pro Tools|HD® and ICON users working in music or post.

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

Posted in Audio, Computer, MIDI, Recording, Technology

LvB’s X today introduced LvB’s X 2.0 – Virtual Music Composer, “music motive/phrase maker” software. The software works as a composer instead of a tool for composing. Users can create the basic part of a song by developing the motive which allows a key shift in the phrase. In other words, the program will bring the inspiration to the user. The software is available in three versions: Basic (free), Standard and Professional, for Windows OS.

LvB’s X simplifies creation by providing a simple graphical interface to be used by those with no prior knowledge or understanding of how to make music with a computer. Essentially, LvB’s X is designed to obtain a well-balanced relationship between musical regularities and irregularities. Every note of every instrument, except the drums, has its own sample – there is no musical predetermination as loop-based samples.

Pricing & Availability
The Basic version of LvB’s X is free and available immediately as a download at www.lvbsx.com. The Standard version ($99.95, shipping included) is available for download with software and printed user manual sent to customers via mail. The Professional version ($249.95) offers a special program for educational professionals ($49.95).

System Requirements
LvB’s X requires a Windows (XP, 2000, 2003) based OS, sound capability, at least 99MB/690MB of free disk space for Basic/Professional version installation and minimal graphics resolution of 1024 x 860 pixels.

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

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

The new TASCAM US-122L and US-144, the follow-ups to the popular US-122, deliver audiophile-quality Audio/MIDI Interfaces in a portable, affordable package. USB 2.0 technology allows up to 96kHz/24-bit recording with zero latency hardware monitoring. They retain the rugged metal enclosure, pro XLR mic inputs and MIDI I/O of the US-122, and 48-track Cubase LE recording software makes them ready to rock right out of the box.

“Musicians have been traveling with their TASCAM PortaStudios for years, and these interfaces bring the PortaStudio philosophy into the laptop age,” says Johnny DeLeon, Computer Products Channel Manager for TASCAM. “Our interfaces are designed by musicians for musicians, which means they’re easy to use and sound great. We’ve even designed low-profile knobs for the top – so they’re easy to slip into a backpack – and built them out of sturdy die-cast metal so they’re built to last.”

Priced at only $199 and $269, the US-122L & US-144 are within reach of anyone ready to start recording to a computer.

Features:

• 2 XLR mic inputs with phantom power
• S/PDIF Digital Input & Output (US-144 only)
• 2 analog line inputs (1 switchable to high impedance for use with guitars, basses, etc.)
• 1 MIDI input, 1 MIDI output
• USB 2.0 equipped (also supports USB 1.1)
• Up to 96kHz/24-bit for high quality recordings
• Zero-latency hardware monitoring
• Combined Headphone/output level control (US122L)
• Separate headphone output & level controls (US-144)
• Bus powered for use with PC or Mac, including laptops
• Includes Cubase LE 48-track professional recording software
• Includes GigaStudio 3 LE 64-voice software sampler

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

Posted in Audio, Computer, Hardware, MIDI, Recording, Technology