PC and Music News

Yamaha has announced that it has reached a basic agreement to purchase 100% of the shares of L. Bösendorfer Klavierfabrik GmbH, the premium piano manufacturer.

Yamaha made its decision to acquire 100% of Bösendorfer's shares based on its judgment that the acquisition will make it possible to draw fully on the strengths and special features of both Yamaha and Bösendorfer pianos to contribute to musical culture through continuing to offer top-quality pianos to the market and significantly enhancing Yamaha's presence in the premium piano market.

Is it a good news ?

Dave Smith and Roger Linn have announced at Winter NAMM 2007 the BoomChik, their new rhythm machine project.

Since, no news.

Till today :
the "BoomChik" name has been discarded. Instead, there will be two models : the digital LinnDrum II and the LinnDrum II Analog, which adds a 4-voice analog synth and 27 dual-function voicing knobs.
The LinnDrum II will be available from Roger Linn Design and the LinnDrum II Analog will be available from Dave Smith Instruments.

Both are supposed to be shipping by mid-2008.

VirSyn, creator of Poseidon, Cube, Cantor, Tera and others, continues its series of plugs with Matrix, a vocoder featuring precise analog modelling 8-pole filters and extremely fast envelope followers.

Here are some of the Matrix features:

-32 channel filter bank
-stereophonic synthesis
-voiced/unvoiced detection
-Pitch tracking
-Formant shift
-Pause filling
-Channel matrix
- Pan position and level for each channel
-16 internal oscillators
-Easy user interface.

The plug is compatible Mac/PC (AU, VST2.4 and RTAS) and is protected by Syncrosoft copy protection device. A demo is available (needs Syncrosoft key).
Till January 31st, 2008, VirSyn offers a special introductory price, at 129 euros instead of 199.

We've published a new review in our article section : "EZDrummer, virtual drumming made easy"

As says Babaille, our reviewer : "This plug is one of the easiest to use and it offers an excellent sound quality. Kits are well detailed, complete and original, even if it's a bit annoying to wait for long seconds while they are loading.

It's power relies in its simplicity, its ergonomy, in the sound quality and versatility of the drum kits, in its expansion abilities and the possibility to use its MIDI patterns as starting points in our favorite sequencer."

Sonart Audio is a new company in the beautiful world of sample libraries. SONART team begins a new era of sample libraries with the release of 20 new magnificent collections of sounds.

Each library in a new series contains more than 1Gb of new material. Libraries contain samples, loops and new virtual instruments (Bass, Guitars, Pianos, Electro Pianos, Synths, Symphonic Strings, Drums) in all popular formats. Full size of all 20 libraries over 37 GB.

All libraries are available for immediate purchase and download only from Sonart Audio web site. The price of each library is $ 39.95.

GenoQs Machines has released the Octopus BlackSea, a special edition of their high end Midi Control Sequencer. This version also brings the brand new OS 1.40.

Pre-installed on all BlackSea, and of course installable on all Octopus machines, OS 1.40 adds several features with focus on live play.

Some of the new features :

- Step Length multiplier, to have steps play up to 8 full notes at normal track speed
- Increased resolution of the MIDI CC stream, with CC messages sent in-between steps
- Page EDIT mode - a toy in itself
- Step selection stores, to quickly switch between groups of selected steps
- Step selection inverse editing - you just have to try this

Primacoustic has announced the Stratus, an attractive 'above-console' acoustic cloud intended to absorb unwanted early reflections, flutter echo and control resonance in the critical mix position.

Designed to be quickly constructed on site, the Stratus comes as a complete kit with a 2" thick, 24" x 48" high-density 6lb per cubic foot acoustic fiberglass panel that is encapsulated in a micromesh and then resin treated around the edges. The panel is then covered in an acoustically transparent fabric. Two light-weight aluminum outer rails are bridged together with 'L' shaped beams and the device is suspended using wire above the console. Stratus clouds are meant to be clustered in groups to span the width of the console to create 'cloud formations' and angled to vary the air space between ...

Puremagnetik has released Clapbox, a free add-on pack for Ableton Live 7. Clapbox is a sample-based Live Pack directly modeled after the Simmons Electronics Clap Trap. Puremagnetik has meticulously sampled every parameter of the original to deliver an accurate recreation of this 1980's classic. To further the authenticity of the original Clap Trap, Puremagnetik has intuitively programmed these sounds in four dimensions across Ableton's Sampler delivering realistic control of parameters such as pitch and amplitude envelope.

Clapbox is available for download at :

The Musicrow Group unveils Magic Vox, an "innovative playable and expressive musical" virtual instrument which uses guitar harmonics as a basis for the creation of new sounds.

Twelve of the best sounding guitars were selected for this mission and carefully sampled the harmonics that each guitar produces. Each guitar brings its own harmonic character and enables the creation of new different sounds. You can layer two guitar sources jointly for hybrid sounds and richer evolving tones. The advanced synthesis engine enables interesting sound sculpting options, and the noise-shaper section brings the vintage analog scent when it is needed.

Magic Vox expanded effects section is an integral part of the sound design process. This section includes traditional effects such as Delay and reverb, along with special effects like the Granular and magic effects.

Also, Magic Vox has a multimode resonant filter section (Lowpass, Bandpass, Highpass and Notch), two equalizers (one for each sound source), and two VU meters for volume monitoring.

Magic Vox is expected to be released during January 2008, and will cost €79/$99. Audio demos are already available.