Avid today introduced Sibelius Student, a notation and composition software platform specifically designed for students in grades three through 12.

Based on the same popular software used by industry professionals, Sibelius Student offers a tightly packaged set of features designed to help students complete music theory assignments, compose pieces for real ensembles, score music to video and increase literacy in music notation, while providing teachers with specific features for classroom use and management.

New Features in Sibelius Student :

• Magnetic Layout – Snaps score elements into position automatically, avoiding the need for time-consuming manual positioning and editing.
• On-screen Keyboard window – Enables young musicians to use the computer keyboard to compose, developing their familiarity with music notation via an easy-to-use interface modeled after a piano's keyboard.
• Versions and Comments - Saves multiple versions of a score within the same file and enables the addition of Post-It style sticky notes to saved versions, allowing development to be tracked over time and changes to be easily recalled.
• Export audio files - Empowers students to share scores as audio files by using the high quality virtual General MIDI sound module to convert compositions into audio, enabling easy sharing and collaboration.
• Virtual instruments and effects support – Supports the use VST or Audio Unit virtual instruments or effects, providing for greater control and coloration of playback sounds.

Arturia announces that the Prophet V, the reproduction of the Prophet 5 and the Prophet VS has been updated to version 2.0.

The main improvements are:

• A revolutionary preset navigation system called SoundMap
• New Syncrosoft copy protection
• MIDI RPN "pitch bend range" message is now recognized
• Ability to use NRPN midi messages for automation
• Fresh batch of presets made by a selection of top sound designers
• Presets now respond to modulation wheel
• Double click on joystick resets to center position
• Lower CPU utilization on Mac OSX
• Better Audio Unit compatibility (Digital Performer most notably)
• Better handling of control surfaces while changing preset
• Better mouse response of Audio Unit version
• Windows 7/Snow Leopard officially supported
• Vista/Windows 7 compatibility no longer requires UAC deactivation
• and numerous bug fixes

The upgrade is free for all registered users.

Platinum Samples is proud to announce the release of Joe Barresi's Evil Drums SDX Expansion Pack for Toontrack Music's Superior Drummer 2.0 software - after all, it only seems fitting to release Evil Drums for the flagship product from the company that gave us Drumkit From Hell.

Joe Barresi is one of the busiest producer/engineers working today with an impressive list of credits including albums by Tool, Wolfmother, Queens Of The Stone Age, Weezer, Clutch, Pennywise, Turbonegro, Bad Religion, and many more.

Featuring 6 full drum kits, 6 kick drums and 6 snares the Evil Drums Expansion Pack is unlike any other expansion pack available. Recorded to analog tape at two legendary rock studios using compression and EQ, Joe Barresi has captured a diverse ensemble of drum sounds with unprecedented detail and full bleed to create a unique and exquisitely evil expansion pack. Evil Drums also includes MIDI grooves performed by Pat Wilson (Weezer, The Special Goodness).

Platinum Samples is the first third party company to release Expansion Packs for Toontrack Music's best selling Superior Drummer 2.0 software. The expansion pack requires that Superior Drummer 2.0 be installed and is both Mac OS X and Windows compatible. Superior Drummer 2.0 supports Digidesign's RTAS format, as well as VSTi and Audio Units technologies.

Joe Barresi's Evil Drums SDX costs $199.

To start the New Year off right, McDSP has extended all their specials until May of 2010, allowing customers to purchase anything and everything for up to 30% off !

Once McDSP releases Audio Unit (AU) compatible versions in May 2010, all prices will increase. Existing customers may simply upgrade their plug-ins at that time to receive AU support. Visit the McDSP Store today to make sure you take advantage of sale prices before they go up !

Don't forget, you can still upgrade an LE plug-in to Native for only $69 each !

D16 Group has just announced the release of Syntorus, the latest plug-in from their Silver Line.

To create a chorus effect, an audio signal is mixed with one or more delayed, pitch modulated copies of itself. Described as a "Double Path Analog Chorus", Syntorus aims to provide a rich analogue chorus similar to the effect found on classic synthesisers like the Solina, Synthex or Juno.

Features :

• Emulation of analogue delay line.
• Double delay line.
• LFOs synchronized with host application.
• Built-in tremolo effect.
• Presets organised into groups.
• MIDI learn function.
• 64-bit internal processing.

Syntorus is available now for both Mac (VST/AU) and PC (VST) at a price of €35. All current users who own Silver Line effect(s) can take an advantage of a nice cross grade offer and purchase Syntorus for a lower price. Total Bundle and Silver Line collection have been updated and now both include Syntorus.

Toontrack Music is proud to announce the release of this colossus of a Metal MIDI package, featuring one of the most prominent players in today's metal scene, Dirk Verbeuren, drummer in Soilwork, Scarve and Aborted.

So, ever felt like having insane, extreme world class Metal drumming, executed with such a razor-blade perfection and ingenious brutality that it will hit you like a 20 ton wrecking ball of sheer metal.

Enter Library of the Extreme - Blasts & Fills, the ultimate and one of its kind collection of more than 1000 individually played MIDI files.

• All material categorized by Style, BPM and Leading Instrument
• Both Straight and Triplet variations available
• Works with EZdrummer®, Superior Drummer® (optimized for 1 or 2 kicks, 1 snare, 2 toms, 1 floor-tom, 2 crash-cymbals, 1 china and 1 ride-cymbal)
• Includes Dirk Verbeuren custom Kit Selections for The Metal Foundry SDX and Superior Drummer 2.0® core library N.Y - Avatar

Available now at a price of €15. Please check Library of the Extreme Audio demos, video and more at :