The newly founded company Vital Arts has just released its first product, Plectrum. This virtual instrument library features 185 original acoustic instruments, powered by Tascam's GVI streaming sample playback engine. Designed by Geoffrey Gee (pianist, composer, and former Senior Soundware Engineer at Kurzweil Music Systems), Plectrum's ultra-friendly interface presents these instruments in nine categories based on these sound sources: Strummed Strings, Struck Strings, Plucked Strings, and String Harmonics; Glass, Ceramics, Metals, and Found Objects, and Habitats. Each instrument features a round robin playback that enhances the organic feel and texture of an acoustic instrument. The instruments in Habitats use this feature to offer ever-evolving sound environments with names such as August Morning, Afternoon Rain, Forest Stream, and Crickets.

Plectrum is available at a retail price of $299 for PC in VST, RTAS and stand-alone versions, with Mac support expected in September '07.

Db audioware has just released two new dynamics processing plug-ins , Sidechain Compressor and Sidechain Gate. Created to satisfy a long-standing demand for side-chain capability missing in many audio software packages, both plug-ins feature db audioware's Universal Sidechains. This proven technology gives the plug-ins true multi track side-chaining operation in most audio programs running on Mac OS X and PC Windows, independent of the native routing offered by the host software itself.

Multi track side-chaining allows one track to control the dynamics of another. Traditional applications range from broadcast voice ducking to intelligent gating of drum tracks to remove crosstalk. Sidechain Compressor and Sidechain Gate are also aimed at more creative applications such as synchronised g ...

Motu has just announced the long awaited MachFive 2. The second version of this famous virtual sampler comes up with a lot of new features :

- Unique, unified design provides instruments, loops, phrases and synthesis in one simple window
- Second generation 32-bit UVI Engine, superb sound quality up to 24-bit/192kHz
- Unlimited parts (unlimited multi-timbral operation)
- Unlimited polyphony and ultra low software latency
- Unlimited sample keygroups and keygroup layers
- Up to 200 discrete audio outputs (depending on host)
- Up to 256 MIDI channels (depending on host)
- Three-dimensional layered keygroup mapping with unlimited layers and dynamic, programmable-rule-based layer switching
- Built-in graphic mixer with faders, FX inserts, metering and unlimited channels
- Disk stre ...

If you thought the forums PcMusic.Org were a little bit too spartan, rejoice ! We're creating a whole bunch of new ones especially for you, proud PcMusic.Org members. More than 25 for a start to clear the software (with the major contenders) and interfaces (ditto) forums and you can expect some more later on… As a consequence, in the next hours, we'll have to move threads in their proper places so if you see threads walking around, it's normal, Team at work ! Enjoy !

Ultrawave Multimedia Studios has just released Ultrawave Guitar Multi Fx 1.2, a guitar effects processor that contains 21 guitar effects including several special effects as well as a guitar synthesizer, analog harmonic analyser, recorder and tuner. It works in real-time and has low latency sampling and playback.

New Features for version 1.2 :

- The combined multiband effect has been split into 3 separate effects, multiband echo, distortion and fuzz
- Tone controls have been added to the standard distortion, and the other controls have been standardised
- Pre and post equalisation effects have been added
- The guitar synthesizer now has an extra timbre setting, which has a purer sound
- A mixer button has been added that opens the windows mixer
- There's a new website button tha ...

De la Mancha has released dirtbox v2.0, a parallel compressor / distortion effect for adding filthy fatness to your sounds, especially drums. Version 2.0 adds individual crush and distort with increased dirt levels, new overdrive and ring mod controls, improved parallel compression control, MIDI learn and new GUI.

dirtbox v2.0 is available as a VST effect plug-in for Windows and is free so, enjoy !