PC and Music News

Jonathan Schmid-Burgk has released VisualVox VST, a free intonation correction VST Plugin for Windows. With it you can :

- shift notes of a voice recording to perfect intonation
- fit a voice recording into rythm by stretching, cutting and moving parts of it
- fit a voice recording to another key with minimal pitch changes
- produce a perfect vibrato
- visualize how right or wrong you are singing
- create artificial polyphony from single voice recording
- draw frequency curves freely with your mouse
- let the VST plugin improve intonation automatically

Note that VisualVox VST is still in a developmental stage so every feedback is welcome !

Steinberg is proud to present a new member of the WaveLab product family. WaveLab Essential 6 combines a streamlined audio editing, mastering and CD burning features with a complete podcasting module. Professional 96kHz/32-bit audio quality, Audio CD Montage environment and a range of studio-grade effect processors make WaveLab Essential an ideal editing application for anyone on a budget.

Features :

- Podcast creation and publishing
- Redbook compatible CD burning with CD-Text
- Stereo non-destructive editing with versatile clip grouping over multiple lanes
- Powerful real-time engine with integration of clip-based and global effect plug-ins
- Superior audio processors
- Video track for sample accurate alignment of audio and video
- Sample accurate audio editor with crystal clear audio processing at up to 96 kHz and 32 bit floating point resolution

WaveLab Essential 6 is priced at €99.00. WaveLab Essential 1 customers can upgrade to the new version for €59.00.

De la Mancha has released Sumo, an effect plugin to make any sound as fat as you like. It's good for fattening up leads and basses, adding some weight to pads, making your vocals chubby and your drums obese.

Sumo is free and is available as a VST effect plug-in for Windows.

RME has announced the new OctaMic II Preamp, a completely new electronic design with increased features based on the highly acclaimed OctaMic and OctaMic D devices. The new OctaMic II features 8-channel 192 kHz/24 bit hi-class microphone and line pre-amplification and includes some significant enhancements compared to his predecessors.

New Features :

- The balanced TRS inputs of the Neutrik Combo XLR jacks are phantom power-free and can be operated as real line inputs
- The improved design of the input circuits allows for a maximum input level of +21 dBu with a convenient gain range from 0 dB up to 50 dB
- Improved signal to noise ratio (SNR) ADC 107.5 dB
- Improved THD, especially at high gains
- Optimised heat dissipation by a new and larger housing with improved convection
- ...

Odo has just released Double Six, a 6-operator FM synth with 32 DX7 algorithms and 16 4-operator algorithms.

Features :

- 6-operator FM synth with 32 DX7 algorithms and 16 4-operator algorithms.
- Every operator has its own envelope. You can choose between 1 and 8 stages and set the sustain point from 1 to 7 or off .
- 14 different curves for the envelopes. You can disable the envelope to save some CPU. All envelopes have a time knob.
- The operators can be disabled, fixed or pitched and have a octave range from -6 to 3, fine-tune and pulse width.
- 5 different waveforms for the operators (Sine / Saw / Ramp / Triangle / Pulse).
- The filter has the same envelope and there are 5 different filters types (low-pass 12db / low-pass 24db / low-pass db32 / hi-pass / band-pass).
- EZ p ...

IK Multimedia has announced that SampleTank 2.5 is now available. It includes many new features such as an enhanced built-in multi-effects system with send and master effects, the addition of a high-quality studio reverb, the ability to read all "Powered by SampleTank" instruments and more.

What's New :

- 5 send insert effects and 5 Master insert effects.
- New Master Loop sync.
- New Global Volume/Pan.
- New selectable Portamento curves.
- Includes high-quality reverb derived from Classik Studio Reverb.
- Includes 200 new Combi patches based on SampleTank XL sound set.
- Able to read any "Powered by SampleTank" instruments such as Sonik Synth 2, Miroslav Philharmonik and the upcoming SampleMoog, SampleTron and StudioPhonik.
- Includes bonus sound disk in SampleTank XL (boxed ...