Category Archives: Software

Avid Announces Sibelius 7, the Fastest, Smartest, Easiest Way to Write Music

Posted on July 27, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Avid releases newest version of the world’s best-selling music notation software, with full MusicXML interchange support, exclusive professional-quality sample library and a new task-oriented user interface.

Avid® today announced the release of Sibelius 7, the newest version of the company’s flagship musical notation software. Combining a deep, sophisticated feature set with an all new task-oriented user interface — putting all of the software’s features at the user’s fingertips — Sibelius® 7 enhances music writing through intuitive and flexible workflows and improved tools for increased collaboration. Complete with a newly recorded professional-quality sampled sound library, native 64-bit performance, full MusicXML interchange support, and advanced typography and graphics features, Sibelius 7 is more powerful and versatile than ever before.

“Whether you’re a composer, arranger, copyist, publisher, instrumentalist, teacher or student, Sibelius 7 enables you to write music even more quickly and easily—no matter your level of experience,” said Chris Gahagan, Avid Senior Vice President of Products and Solutions. “Sibelius 7 offers a completely redesigned user interface and technology architecture, providing incredibly fast performance and improved workflows designed to help you create beautiful scores faster and more easily than ever.”

What’s New in Sibelius 7?

  • New and exclusive professional-quality sound library – Unique to Sibelius, the new professional-quality sound library delivers stunning musical realism to scores during playback. It includes the Avid Orchestra, a specially recorded full symphony orchestra, a collection of rock and pop sounds from the Avid virtual instrument team, a 27-stop church organ from leading virtual organ creator Hauptwerk, and a selection of sounds from Sample Logic Rumble and Fanfare featuring 14-time world champion Drum and Bugle Corps, The Blue Devils.
  • Completely redesigned task-oriented user interface – Optimized for single-display systems, the new user interface employs a rich graphical toolbar and dockable panels that don’t obscure the working area, putting all of the software’s features at the user’s fingertips. The redesigned mixer also allows finer control of playback than ever before, delivering more balanced mixes.
  • Full MusicXML interchange – Complete MusicXML import and now export makes sharing files with hundreds of music applications, including Finale®, easier than ever.
  • 64-bit performance – Sibelius 7 is the world’s first native 64-bit notation software, and has been completely rewritten to take advantage of the performance of today’s incredibly fast 64-bit hardware and operating systems.
  • Powerful text, graphic and sharing options – Publisher-quality typography and graphics import/export capability delivers finished scores with professional-quality text and graphics. Publish and export demanding layouts and text-heavy scores with advanced finishing options, including direct PDF and EPS export. Also sync with or import notation from Pro Tools®, or export scores as Scorch® files, then share or publish them on the web or via Avid Scorch for iPad®.

What Customers Are Saying

“Sibelius 7 clearly demonstrates that the design team is not content to rest on their laurels,” declares Bill Holab, engraver and winner of 57 Paul Revere awards for graphic excellence in music. “They have completely revamped the interface, made it easier for novice users, yet retained all of the familiar shortcuts. On top of that, they have redesigned the display system so that we get a far more accurate view of the music onscreen, and added in extensive text features that are essential to some of the complex projects we work on, like opera vocal scores. Sibelius 7 is an intrinsic part of our production workflow and will continue to be the main tool we use to prepare high-end music publications and performance materials.”

“The striking thing about Sibelius 7 is the new user interface – the startling thing about Sibelius 7 is how much faster the new user interface allows you to work,” explains John Murdoch, music director of Lehigh Valley Presbyterian Church in Allentown, PA. “Are you arranging a score for a choral performance? Sibelius 7 makes you faster. Are you creating music for live playback with virtual instruments? Sibelius 7 makes you faster. Are you simplifying a score for Broadway musical auditions? Sibelius 7 makes you faster. And that was just my day yesterday.”

Availability and Pricing

Sibelius 7 is now available for £459 GBP / €549 EUR. Current Sibelius customers may take advantage of upgrade options of £119 GBP / €140 EUR, with multi-seat upgrade pricing from £47 GBP / €60 EUR per seat. Customers looking to crossgrade from another notation product can purchase a crossgrade for £149 GBP / €170 EUR. Avid also offers individual educator and student pricing for £219 GBP / €249 EUR. In addition, students receive four years of complimentary upgrades. This price and four years of complimentary upgrades also apply to Avid’s leading audio and video software, Pro Tools and Media Composer. Educational multi-user pricing is offered at £95 GBP / €95 EUR per seat. To learn more or to watch a video overview of Sibelius 7, visit Sibelius online. For purchasing inquiries, please visit the Sibelius Store.

Posted in Computer, MIDI, Sheet Music, Software, Technology

Avid Announces Eleven Rack Expansion Pack

Posted on March 23, 2011 by Planet-Musician

Eleven Rack Expansion Pack: Expanded Guitar Amp Emulation, Vocal and Bass Workflows and Effect.

The Eleven Rack Expansion Pack, a software add-on option for Avid’s award-winning Eleven Rack guitar amp and effects processor, provides a series of new features and enhancements to the system, including:

  • New guitar and bass amp effects emulations—deliver users an expanded sonic palette with 19 new guitar amp and effects emulations, including an all-new bass amp/cabinet simulation that invokes the sounds of legendary bass tones.
  • Parametric EQ and studio compressor channel strip effects—allow customers to easily capture vocal and instrument performances using new channel strip-style signal processing.
  • Dynamic stereo delay—provides customers more options to enhance their sound, create custom effects and widen their guitar tone with full ducking, panning and filtering control on delay feedback.
  • Speaker break-up emulation—re-creates the natural distortion characteristics heard when turning up an analog amp with speaker breakup emulation added to all amps.

Pricing and availability

The Eleven Rack Expansion Pack will be available worldwide on March 22, 2011 for $99 USD / £76.95 via the Avid Web store only.

www.Shop.Avid.com

Specific link to product: http://shop.avid.com/store/product.do?product=324834580953840

For more information on features and availability, visit: www.avid.com.

Posted in Amplification, Bass, Effects, Guitar, Software, Technology

New ear training software gets “musical” and goes “infinite”

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Planet-Musician

Reel Space Irish Music School in Valencia, Spain releases Reel Ear, an ear training software that allows musicians 100% control and infinite melodies in an attractive call and response music dictation software.

(Valencia, Spain. May 17th, 2010). Playing music by ear is the most important skill that a musician can develop. Many musicians, however, get frustrated with ear training software because it sounds clunky and “unmusical”, has only a limited amount of melodies, and doesn’t do exactly what the musician wants.

Reel Ear, the new ear training program from the Reel Space Irish Music School in Valencia, Spain, solves those typical design problems. Designer Mattie O’Boyle says that “our concept of ‘infinite melodies based on a discrete set of user defined variables’ means that Reel Ear will generate thousands of possible melodies using just the most basic settings a beginning musician would want; add a few more variables to the mix and the number of possible melodies skyrockets into the billions – and all of it sounds really musical”

Musicians can tweak which notes or musical rests they want to work on, the length and speed of the phrases, and the number of times the phrases repeats before moving on to a new melody. They can also customize the metronome to have the musical dictation take place against almost any possible rhythmic background and activate the
ostinato module to add an harmonic element to their ear training workout.

Reel Ear is currently available for download from the Reel Ear website (www.reelear.com). Reel Ear has a 30 day, fully functional trial period and an individual license to unlock the program forever costs $39.95.

Accredited music schools receive trade discounts based on the volume of their purchase. Currently, Reel Ear is only available for the Windows operating system.

To learn more about how Reel Ear can help you reach all your musical goals, please visit our website at www.reelear.com.

Posted in Education, Software

Toto Legend Bobby Kimball to Jet into i-Tab Launch Party

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Planet-Musician

On Thursday May 20th at 9pm, the legendary Bobby Kimball of the iconic rock band TOTO jets into Mantra Garden Bar in Maynooth, Co Kildare, Ireland, to launch the new upgraded i-tab, which is now in music stores throughout the UK, Ireland, USA and Australia.

The official i-tab launch party will be a spectacular event attended by over 500 guests from the music industry, hosted by Tom Dunne & Dave Fanning.  The famous Bobby Kimball will perform with a super group of Irish session musicians including Anthony Drennan on Guitar and vocals, Tony Molloy on Bass, Conor McGouran on Guitar, Paul Lyttle and Gerry  Forde on Keyboards. There will be surprise celebrity guests playing with the band and the evening will also include demos of i-tab on various guitars plus an acoustic set by Jimmy Coup of Thin Lizzy songs.

TOTO have won 7 Grammy Awards, released 17 albums and sold over 30 million records to date. They are recognised for their technical skills and a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard rock, R&B and jazz. Bobby sang on many of their most famous hits including Hold the Line, Rosanna, Africa and Stranger in Town. He has also sung with a range of bands including Aerosmith, Eric Clapton, Robert Plant, Elton John, Rush, Alice Cooper, to name but a few.

i-tab are honored that Bobby Kimball tested the latest i-tab technology. When commenting on the i-tab he said: ” The i-tab is one of the most innovative products I have come across in my long career in music. It will radically transform the way musicians store and play their music. As well as helping i-tab in promoting the product I am also delighted to be getting involved with product development and opening new markets for this exciting young Irish company that has taken the musical world by storm in just a few short months. Its a success story that I am proud to be involved with and I was delighted to get the chance to come and perform in Ireland, one of the spiritual homes of music. This is going to be a great opening night for a great company with an amazing product!”

i-tab is a revolutionary new pocket sized unit, that sits on the end of a guitar, allowing guitar players of all levels to scroll chords and lyrics in perfect time. The newly shipped itab models include the latest upgrades: choice of screen background colours, choice of text colour (yellow, green or red) and the most recent new feature an audible click track playable through headphones.

The i-tab comes with 30 free song tabs including U2 (Beautiful Day), Oasis (Wonderwall) and The Rolling Stones (Jumping Jack Flash). These can be added to from the vast online Tab Store www.i-tab.com which features 1000’s of tracks you can download onto its 4GB memory. i-tab is now available at EU€149 at all good music stores.  See www.i-tab.com.

Posted in Education, Guitar, Software, Tab

Native Instruments Announces Komplete 4

Posted on September 15, 2006 by Planet-Musician

Native Instruments is excited to announce KOMPLETE 4, the new version of its powerful software bundle. With a universal selection of state-of-the-art instruments and effects, reinforced through several powerful updates to some of its key components, KOMPLETE 4 continues to mark the cutting edge in software synthesis and to provide an invaluable resource for all areas of modern music production and performance.

KOMPLETE 4 incorporates the latest ABSYNTH 4, BATTERY 3, and FM8 versions, which add significant creative capabilities over their predecessors and offer increased integration with Native Instruments’ host system KORE and its KoreSound format. The new KOMPLETE package also includes AKOUSTIK PIANO, the acclaimed grand-piano emulation that gives musicians and producers access to a comprehensive range of world-class, performance-ready piano sounds.

Native Instruments has refocused the content of KOMPLETE 4, which now offers 12 instruments and effects that cover the full range of applications and musical styles in modern audio production. The sampling instruments INTAKT and KOMPAKT are no longer part of KOMPLETE, and will be discontinued as individual products effectively immediately. Comparable functionality is provided by the more powerful KONTAKT 2 and BATTERY 3 samplers. Owners of the individual versions of INTAKT and KOMPAKT can make use of a special crossgrade offer for KONTAKT 2.

All owners of KOMPLETE CARE 2006 will receive a free update to KOMPLETE 4. The KOMPLETE CARE update program will not be extended beyond its current 2006 version due to a change in Native Instruments’ product-release policy. From now on, relevant product releases will be consolidated and combined with a corresponding annual revision of the KOMPLETE bundle, which will be made available to existing KOMPLETE users at attractive update prices.

ABSYNTH 4, BATTERY 3 and FM8 include Universal Binary versions that support both PowerMac- and Intel-based Macintosh computers. Further Universal Binary updates for instruments contained in KOMPLETE 4 will be made available in 2006 according to the release schedule as detailed on the NI website, and will be free of charge for owners of KOMPLETE 4.

KOMPLETE 4 will be available in October 2006 for a suggested retail price of $ 1499 / 1299 Euro from authorized dealers and in the NI Online Shop. An update for owners of KOMPLETE 3 will be available for $ 339 / 299 Euro. Owners of KORE or two qualifying products will be able to purchase an upgrade to KOMPLETE 4 for $ 1149 / 999 Euro.

All owners of KOMPLETE CARE 2006 as well as all customers who activate KOMPLETE 3 after September 13th 2006 will receive an update to KOMPLETE 4 free of charge.

Customers who purchase KOMPLETE 4 and KORE after September 13th will receive a free copy of MASSIVE, Native Instruments’ new software synthesizer. This special limited-time offer expires December 31st 2006.

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

Native Instruments Komplete 4

Posted in Audio, Software, Technology

Steinberg Releases New ASIO 2.2 Standard

Posted on September 15, 2006 by Planet-Musician

Full 64-bit support for Steinberg’s industry-standard technology.

Steinberg Media Technologies is proud to announce the release of a new, fully 64-bit-capable version of its ASIO technology. The ASIO 2.2 SDK provides software engineers with a complete set of tools for creating ASIO-ready host applications and drivers for 64-bit versions of Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

“ASIO 2.2 and its ASIO 2/64 component will form the backbone of a new generation of 64-bit host applications and audio devices for Windows,” summarizes Markus Stehlik, Steinberg’s Director of Engineering. “The new version of this open standard will also ensure both 32-bit and 64-bit driver versions are available to customers of audio software and hardware, easing the transition to the new 64-bit Windows versions. And because ASIO 2.2 was specified in close cooperation with other companies from the audio industry, we expect that the new standard will see wide adoption in the foreseeable future,” Stehlik continues.

The SDK is available for download now at www.steinberg.net.

The Audio Stream Input/Output (ASIO) architecture forms the backbone of VST. ASIO addresses any needs a professional audio recording solution might have, supporting variable bit depths and sample rates, multi-channel operation and synchronization. As a result, users can enjoy low latency, high performance, easy set up and stable audio recording within VST. The entire system becomes controllable and offers complete and immediate access to the audio system’s capabilities. Since its introduction, ASIO has become a supported standard by many leading audio hardware manufacturers.

For more information, visit their web site at www.steinberg.net.

Posted in Computer, Software, Technology

Sony Media Software Announces Cinescore Update And New Theme Packs

Posted on September 14, 2006 by Planet-Musician

Sony Media Software has released two new Theme Packs for the recently unveiled automated scoring software, Cinescore . “Ideal Vacation: Music for Life” and “High Tech World: Kinetic Tracks,” give Cinescore users even more musical options for their scoring projects.

“Ideal Vacation: Music for Life” gives users a diverse template of rock, pop, country, latin and world music. “High Tech World: Kinetic Tracks” is a production music powerhouse for making modern music soundtracks. Both The “Ideal Vacation: Music for Life” and “High Tech World: Kinetic Tracks” Theme Packs will be available this month (Sept. ’06) and will retail for $99.95 (MSRP).

Sony Media Software is also offering users a free Cinescore 1.0a update that provides interface and key command improvements, giving users the ability to customize the Theme Chooser window, quickly access themes based on specified sort criteria and easier navigation\while editing. Cinescore users can also now preview their music in the Video Preview window.

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

Posted in Sheet Music, Software, Technology

CAPS CTA Aiming Software For HK Audio’s ConTour Array™ Available

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Planet-Musician

The CAPS Software which is already well-known from COHEDRA™ and COHEDRA COMPACT™ is now available also for the new ConTour Array™.

The CAPS CTA Software enables the simulation of the projection behavior of a ConTour Array™ system in a specific venue. It allows rapid virtual construction of venues featuring up to three audience areas. Up to five flown CTA 208 mid/high units can easily be simulated. For stacked applications, you can make up a ground-stack simulation by one mouse click.

Creative work is carried out in the Setup menu; with the help of the adjustable angles of the DualCurve™ system, the resulting sound projection data is computed and displayed. The software also calculates delay times and sound pressure for different audience positions. This allows for reliable prediction of obtainable SPL values (Peak/Continuous/A-weighted) as well as precise analysis in 1/3-, 1- and 3-octave steps and two-dimensional mapping.

The Rigging menu captures data parameters for weight, centre of gravity, overall height and the angles between the individual mid/high units. The software was developed in cooperation with Software Design Ahnert (SDA) and is based on the CAPS version for COHEDRA™ and COHEDRA COMPACT™.

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

CAPS CTA HK Audio’s ConTour Array™

Posted in Software

FabFilter Releases FabFilter Twin 1.20 And Volcano 1.20

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Planet-Musician

FabFilter has released updates to FabFilter Twin and FabFilter Volcano. The new versions contain bug fixes as well as improvements and new features.

•Added MIDI program change handling. Any preset can now be loaded by sending bank select and program change MIDI messages.

•Added optional interactive help. When this feature is activated, help texts will appear when the user moves the mouse over any control in the plug-in interface.

•Fixed a bug that could cause Twin or Volcano to freeze on Apple G5 Quad systems when changing presets.

•Added a ‘polarity’ option to the LFO’s in Twin, which can be used to produce either waveforms between -1 and 1 (original behaviour) or positive-only waveforms between 0 and 1.

•Reduced memory usage of Twin by 50%.

•Slightly reduced memory usage of FabFilter Volcano and improved filters to use less CPU.

•Other minor bug fixes.

The new versions are fully backwards-compatible with earlier versions and should load songs and presets written by the older version without any problems. These updates are free for existing users and grants others a new evaluation period.

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

Posted in Plug-Ins, Software, Technology, VST

Digidesign Announces D-Show 2.5 Software Upgrade For VENUE

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Planet-Musician

Digidesign® is pleased to announce the D-Show 2.5 software upgrade for the VENUE live sound environment. D-Show 2.5 is the first release that offers support for both the D-Show™ and D-Show Profile™ mixing consoles.

Developed in response to user requests, D-Show 2.5 provides more flexibility to Matrix and PQ outputs and adds input libraries, a new Events List, and many other features to enhance the user experience with any VENUE console.

New Features in D-Show 2.5

Support for the D-Show Profile mixing surface
With the addition of the new D-Show Profile console to the VENUE family, D-Show 2.5 provides complete support for the entire VENUE product line. D-Show users who adopt the new console will be immediately familiar with the software and workflows.

Full portability of user setting and show files between VENUE consoles
D-Show 2.5 offers guaranteed show file compatibility between D-Show and D-Show Profile mixing consoles. And users won’t encounter any data loss when moving files between the two systems—if functions are unavailable, the software will preserve and restore settings.

Expanded Matrix and Personal Q (PQ) Routing
Mono or PQ matrices can now accept input from 12 sources, which can include any combination of groups, auxiliaries, LRM masters, and any of eight user-assigned inputs. All matrices can have their own input sources and all can be changed on a per-scene basis with snapshot automation.

New Event List functionality
The new Event List allows complete customization of function buttons, footswitches, and D-Show Profile’s General Purpose Interface (GPI), enabling users to speed up their workflow. Engineers can now create “macros” that allow the console to perform single or multiple functions with a single button push or switch closure from an external device.

Input Channel Presets
This additional input library enables complete channel settings storage on a per-channel basis, which allows faster set-up of similar channels and easy access to input-only settings to all show files. As with other preset libraries, input libraries can be transferred independently to a USB key.

Pricing and Availability
Digidesign expects to release the D-Show 2.5 software upgrade around 10/31/06. Customers will be able to purchase the upgrade either directly from Digidesign’s Customer Service Administration (CSA) or from their authorized VENUE reseller for $149 US MSRP. Customers must provide the serial number of their FOH Rack to qualify for the upgrade.

Amnesty Upgrades
D-Show 2.0 customers qualify for a free D-Show 2.5 upgrade provided they meet the following requirements:

Customers purchasing a D-Show 2.0 system or D-Show 2.0 upgrade kit between January 1, 2006 and July 31, 2006 must register their purchase with Digidesign Customer Service Administration on or before September 25, 2006 in order to qualify for a free D-Show 2.5 upgrade.

Customers purchasing a D-Show 2.0 system or D-Show 2.0 upgrade kit between August 1, 2006 and the release of D-Show 2.5 (late Oct / early Nov) must register their purchase with Digidesign Customer Service Administration on or before December 15, 2006 in order to qualify for a free D-Show 2.5 upgrade.

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

Posted in Mixers, Software, Technology