The new Minimal Electro Soundset for Waldorf Largo from german sounddesigner Holger Steinbrink is now available in the Waldorf Webshop.

The soundset contains 128 single programs, created especially for the needs of electronic music producers. It was designed to provide crying leads, pulsating arpeggios and fat bass sounds for todays music production. The download package contains the soundset as FXB bank as well as all single sounds in FXB and AU preset format. VST3 presets for Steinberg Cubase 4 and 5 are also included plus a documentation sheet.

The Minimal Electro Soundset is priced at €30.

QuikQuak has updated its "crowd simulator" plug-in Crowd Chamber to version 2.0.
New features :

• New algorithm.
• The complex feedback system has now been replaced by simple global parameters.
• Global Spread dial stretches out each voice over time, used to create large crowds, or weird individual effects.
• Overall spectral shift control, for creating large global pitch effects.
• Huge reduction in CPU usage for large crowd simulations.
• Reduced initial delay for large crowds.
• Increased basic population value.
• Extra presets demonstrating new capabilities.
• Simplified GUI and clearer labeling.
• PDF manual added.

Available now for both Mac (AU/VST) and PC (VST) at a price of £15.

Novation is now proudly shipping the new SL Mk II range of Controller Keyboards featuring Automap 3 technology.

The SL Mk II features over 70 controls including touch-sensitive faders and ringlet rotaries, backlit switches, and pads all tightly linked to the DAW/Plugin/Instruments via Novation's exclusive Automap 3 Pro software. The SL Mk II lineup includes the 61, 49, and 25-key versions as well as a control surface only ZeRO SL Mk II with touch sensitive 60mm faders optimized for controlling DAW mixers in addition to plugins and software instruments.

Lexicon announces the release of new Windows and Mac software drivers for the I·ONIX Series of Desktop Recording Interfaces.

With the new 64-bit Windows driver, these interfaces now operate seamlessly on computers running Windows 64-bit XP and Vista operating systems. The new Mac driver improves performance and now supports all Mac computers operating on OS X 10.4.9 or higher regardless of whether they are based on a PowerPC or Intel processor.

After releasing Cubase 5 and Cubase Studio 5 in the first half of this year, Steinberg now is also introducing the fifth version of Cubase Essential.

Offering a streamlined feature set that offers newcomers to Cubase a comprehensive set of composing, recording, editing, and mixing capabilities, the new version includes a range of functions from its sibling, Cubase 5.

Supporting Mac OS X 10.5, Windows Vista, and Windows XP, Cubase Essential 5 ($195.99/€149.75) will be shipping to European dealers and international Steinberg distributors, so availability may vary regionally. Cubase Essential 5 may also be purchased through the Steinberg online stores.

The Covert Operators announced a series of videos that are a complete guide to Ableton's MIDI Devices.

In 25 minutes time, you will learn what these devices do and in some cases you will see an example of how to put the features of a device into practice.

The Video Pack covers :

• The Chord Plugin (1:45)
• The Velocity Plugin (3:28)
• The Scale Plugin (4:10)
• The Note Length Plugin (7:00)
• The Random Plugin (4:29)
• The Key Zone Editor (2:39)
• Using a 3rd Party MIDI LFO in Live (1:43)

Pricing : 10€