Lawo announces the mc˛56 production console, the newest member of the mc˛ series.

Based on the existing mc˛ technology, the mc˛56 offers the Lawo HD core with up to 512 DSP channels, 144 summing buses, and a routing capacity of up to 8,192 crosspoints. The complete functionality of the mc˛ series is available — including the transfer of snapshots within the mc˛ family, as well as dynamic automation and networking with other Lawo products.

The innovative element of the mc˛56 lies in the newly designed control surface which offers direct access to essential operating elements. Functions which are rarely used are handled via the touchscreen graphical user interface. This design facilitates easy operation and a short learning curve. In addition, the new construction reduces fader width to 30 mm, which enables efficient and economic working. Every 16-fader bay offers fully featured metering on a high resolution TFT.

NUSofting has just announced that Groove Analogizer is now available as freeware (previously retailed at $29).

Groove Analogizer is an "Audio Controlled Drum Synthesizer" for Windows. Working like a vintage electronic drum tone generator the percussion sound is triggered by an audio signal, not by a MIDI message, that's why it loads as a VST effect, usually in an insert slot. It features three oscillators that can be triggered and shaped by the audio input. A trigger can be any kind of percussive sound, both mono or stereo.

For each of the three generators you can choose left, right or left+right input - input can be both mono or stereo. A band pass filter allows you to select which frequency range of the audio source will be used for triggering, so you can separate hi, mid and low tones in the audio input, allowing you to isolate different trigger patterns from the same complex audio source. Groove Analogizer also features Pre-Listening, so that you can monitor which part of the source is selected as trigger.

The Sensitivity control allows you to select the loudest triggers filtered by the band pass - so that you may include ghost notes or avoid them.

Puremagnetik has released "Analog Bass Volume 2" for Ableton Live 7, Kontakt 3, Logic 8 and GarageBand which is a 24-bit collection of bass sounds focused entirely on the legendary Korg MS-20 synthesizer.

Features :

- Over 250MB of sounds sampled directly from the legendary KORG MS-20
- Optimized integration with Ableton Live, Kontakt, Logic and GarageBand
- Custom Macro control mappings and racks for Ableton Live
- Compatible with both Ableton Sampler & Simpler instruments
- Easy Edit KSP user interface for Kontakt
- High quality 24-bit 96khz content

For more information, please visit their web site.

Spectrasonics has announced the beginning of their 10-week contest for Spectrasonics users called "Omnisphere Preview Remix Contest".

Why such a name ? Well, Spectrasonics provides special loops created from the eagerly anticipated Omnisphere Power Synth in order for registered users of a Spectrasonics product to create a music for the contest. Three winners will be chosen in July to receive a free copy of Omnisphere when it is released on September 15, 2008.

At the same time, Spectrasonics has also announced that Omnisphere Preview Video #5 is online now.

TC Electronic announces immediate availability of the Tube-Tech CL 1B plug-in for Pro Tools|HD, which is based upon the legendary analogue sound of the Tube-Tech CL 1B compressor/limiter.

Features :

- up to 30 dBs of gain
- continuously variable ratio ranging from 2:1 to 10:1
- advanced metering
- innovative attack/release controls, with three different settings, enabling the CL 1B to be used as an insert- or bus compressor
- Sidechain/Link button in the stereo instance that emulates the dynamic master/slave relationship between the left and right channels
- up to two instances in mono/stereo at 44.1 / 48 kHz or one instance in mono/stereo at 88.2 / 96 kHz per DSP chip on Pro Tools|HD Accel hardware. On Pro Tools|HD Core hardware one instance is supported per DSP at 44.1 / 48 kHz.
- Pro Tools HD, HD Accel and VENUE systems compatible

The Tube-Tech CL 1B plug-in is available at €740 excl. VAT.

Cycling '74 has released version 5.0 of its Max/MSP media development tools. This new version aims to set a new era of Max programming, with a completely redesigned multi-processing kernel and a streamlined development environment built on a platform-independent foundation. With a new patcher interface, searchable database of objects and examples, integrated documentation and new tutorials, the new Max user will find a smoother learning curve while experienced users will see improved productivity.

Max 5 is available now for Mac OS X and Windows. Max/MSP costs $495, the Max/MSP/Jitter bundle is $699, and the Max 5 Upgrade is $199. Note that discounts for student and educational institutions are available. Last but not least, customers who purchased Max/MSP or Max/MSP/Jitter after October 1, 2007 are eligible for a free upgrade.