PC and Music News

Brainworx is about to release bx_solo and bx_control, two new M/S tools for Pro Tools and VST. bx_solo is a free M/S plug-in (RTAS & VST) to get people started with M/S separation with Solo buttons for M, S, L & R plus M/S stereo width (stepped only) while bx_control is a M/S matrix (to be used with any other plug-in!) for Pro Tools and VST-apps, including Mono Maker (up to 26kHz) and M/S Stereo Width control, plus their unique Solo buttons for L/R/M/S - to give you total (bx_)control over any stereo signal / mix.

bx_solo and bx_control are both expected to be released on September 1st.

KeyToSound, a software instrument technology developer and manufacturer, announces the first group buy promotion for its hybrid software synthesizer, Nexsyn. Participants will immediately receive 50% off of the list price of $299 when entering. The entry fee for this group buy is $50 USD. If the group reaches 200 participants, there is no final payment. If there are less than 200 participants, the final payment for Nexsyn (after initial entry fee) is as follows :

1 – 49 participants: $99 final payment
50 – 99 participants: $79 final payment
100 – 124 participants: $59 final payment
125 – 174 participants: $39 final payment
175 – 199 participants: $19 final payment
200 participants: $0 final payment

The group buy ends either October 1st, 2007, or when 200 customers sign up, whichever comes first. For more information, please visit the link below :

Jeroen Breebaart has released SEND (Spectrum Enhancing Non-linear Device), a new plug-in that combines resonating low and high-pass filters with non-linear elements that generate even or odd harmonics.

SEND is currently in beta and is available for Windows as a VST effect plug-in.

Novation has released a new MIDI controller, the ReMOTE SL COMPACT. Combined with Automap Universal, it provides an affordable route to automatic, instant and intelligent control of all major sequencers and all automatable plug-ins.

Features :

- 2 models : 25 or 49 semi-weighted keys with aftertouch
- 7 Velocity Curves individually assignable for each Template
- Pitch and Mod wheel
- 144-character screen displaying up to eight assigned parameters at once
- Data Ports: 1 x USB MIDI (Win XP/Mac OSX class-compliant)
- MIDI: 1 x MIDI Out, 1 x MIDI In
- Sustain Pedal: 1 x 1/4" Jack Input
- Expression pedal: 1 x 1/4" Jack Input
- 8 infinite rotary encoders (x4 with Group Select switches A-D)
- 8 buttons (x4 with Group Select switches B1-4)
- 8 trigger pads
- Transport Controls: ...

Electrix has released Virtual Repeater Pro, a plug-in for live loop recording, sampling and overdubbing using your PC or Mac based upon its hardware big brother Repeater. Sync your loops to audio or MIDI and control them with your hands or feet. Record a loop and then speed it up or slow it down - without affecting the pitch. Other Effects and features include Time Stretching, Undo, Reverse, Slip, Overdub and Resample which allows you to bounce multiple tracks down to one.

Features :

- Easy to use intuitive GUI
- Classic Repeater and Modern control interface
- Pitch shift; +12/-24 semitones
- Time stretch; 1bpm to 150% of recorded rate
- Individual track transport; play, stop, reverse
- Up to 12 tracks per loop
- Seamless loop cue and engage
- Advanced real-time beat detection ...

Previously available for Pro Tools|HD only, Softube Studios has just announced that Vintage Amp Room is now available as VST/AU plug-ins for native platforms and PowerCore. Straightforward and simple, Vintage Amp Room emulates three carefully selected guitar amps in a complete studio set-up with speaker cabinets and fully flexible microphone positioning.

Main features :

- Three great-sounding vintage amp models that handle like real amps.
- Raw & authentic sound.
- Flexible & continuous click-and-drag mic positioning.
- Fully automatable parameters.
- 3-D rendered photo-realistic user interface.
- Compatible with all effects that work with real amps.

Vintage Amp Room is available in both Native and PowerCore VST and AU formats for Windows and Mac OS X (plus the existing TDM version) priced at :

- Native VST/AU: €349 / $429
- PowerCore VST/AU: €399 / $489

Note that a fully functional 10-day demo version is also available (iLok required).

Christian Knufinke Software has just released SIR2, a convolution reverb plug-in which is the commercial successor to the freeware SIR1. Offering zero-latency processing with low CPU-consumption and non-destructive audio processing of impulse responses, SIR2 includes high definition impulse responses (HDIR) of "real" places produced by Pinguin, Hamburg. You can also import impulse responses from free or commercial sources.

Features :

- Zero latency processing.
- Includes Pinguin's High Definition Impulse Responses.
- "True Stereo" processing (a stereo convolution takes place for every source channel (left + right)).
- High-quality internal sample rate converting.
- Separate dry/wet control (-60db .. +20dB).
- Auto-gain. ...

FabFilter has just released Pro-C, a new compressor plug-in offering three compressor styles (Clean, Classic and Opto), flexible routing and side-chain options, and various program dependent compression styles with an innovative user interface and animated level display making compression easy to grasp for everyone.

Features :

- Three different compressor styles
- Program dependent attack and release curves
- Super-fast attack times
- Soft- and hard knee option
- Zero latency, click-free 64-bit internal processing
- Auto Gain option
- Auto Release option
- Large input, output, and gain change meters with different scale settings
- Animated compression level display with customizable curves
- Active transfer function display
- External side chain
- 48 dB/oct HP and LP side ...

Zplane.development has announced the impending release of vielklang v1.1, its audio harmonization virtual instrument for easy generation of vocal or instrumental harmonies with up to four voices. It will be available in September for RTAS (Mac OS X, Windows), VST (Mac OS X, Windows) and Audio Units (Mac OS X) at a MSRP of $249.00/€179.00.

Apart from support for the RTAS interface, version 1.1 will include the following new features :

- Two-voice harmonization mode, generating only a second voice in a typical backing vocal style.
- Availability of 7th chords.
- Timing humanization control.
- Single note splitting and muting.
- Export to audio and MIDI for all plugin interfaces.

Blue Cat Audio has just released a new version of Blue Cat's Gain Suite, a freeware gain adjustment plugins package for Windows, including mono, stereo and mid/side DirectX and VST plugins. This new version allows you to link several instances together to achieve complex mixing and gain adjustment tasks, it also brings many new features such as undo/redo, presets import/export, and window opacity management. The plugins can be automated and controlled by MIDI with advanced response curve settings.

New features :

- Link several instances of the same plugin and control several plugins from a single user interface.
- Smooth Bypass: activate/deactivate the plugin with absolutely no noise.
- Undo/Redo.
- Load/Save presets in a host-independant format: you can now share presets between ...

The Musicrow Group has announced the release of PianoBoy, a new virtual piano in VST format. Based on Musicrow "SCS technology", PianoBoy offers a realistic acoustic piano using only 34 Mb of sample data. The SCS technology combines sampling, convolution and synthesis techniques, to provide a dynamic and natural instrument, without the need to use gigabytes of samples.

Features :

- "Realistic and sonically beautiful" piano.
- Extremely dynamic and responsive.
- 22 note polyphony.
- Simple user interface.
- Very modest memory and disk Requirements (loads quickly).

PianoBoy is available now for Windows in VST format and costs $69. Note that a demo version is also available.