PC and Music News

Yamaha offers new drivers and firmwares (available here) for the following FireWire/mLAN products : the G046 audio interface, the Motif XS workstation and the n Series digital mixers.
The new drivers make the GO46 compatible with Windows Vista. The firmwares for MOTIF XS, n8 and n12 mixers improve network capability over mLAN (without further precision).

This update offers many features, such as the new Full String Playing modes (string pizzicato, bartok-pizz, col legno, sul ponticello, tremolo, sul ponticello tremolo, mute).
The String Playing modes are the first to use Synful new synthesis engine, preserving full 24 bit fidelity while allowing the flexible morphing capabilities needed for Reconstructive Phrase Modeling (RPM), their proprietary technology.
Numerous features have been added, like new controls (release time, noise level, sforzando, tremolo speed, etc.), the ability to map any MIDI continuous control to any parameter, natural divisi (the players arrange themselves automatically across the notes of a played chord)...
Many bugs have also been fixed. This update provides support for Mac OSX (Leopard) UB and Windows XP/Vista 32/64 (in AU, VSTi and DXi plugin formats).

Camel Audio has updated CamelSpace to v1.42 (PC) and v1.44 (OSX), and CamelPhat to v3.42 (PC)Win and v3.44 (OSX). These updates fix MIDI learn and preset selection issues in Cubase 4 and problems with automation in Digital Performer.
These updates are available for free to registered users only, and are downloadable in the support area.
Camel Audio also offer 30% off their preset banks for Absynth, Massive and Cameleon, by entering WINTERSND as the coupon code. And it's 50% off Cameleon 5000 (a bargain, at only $99!), by entering WINTERCAM as the coupon code.

Acoustic Labs has released the Multitrack Plus which is basically a multitrack recorder, editor, sequencer and mixer. available at a very low cost.

Features :

- Record new tracks while existing tracks playback synced up in realtime
- Up to 24 stereo tracks available, record up to 4 tracks simutaneously
- View up to 8 tracks at once and drag-and-drop audio snippets
- Fully supports loops and adjusting different tempos to mix loops seamlessly
- Various realtime effects (echo, reverb, tempo shift, chorus, flange, EQ, etc)
- Apply various editing features (cut, copy, paste, amplify, reverse, stretch, compress, etc)
- Razor sharp editing: Zoom in and edit at the sample level (less than a fraction of a millisecond)
- Import audio files and mixdown projects to wave (WAV) or MP3 audio ...

Eiosis releases the E²Deesser, the first in the series of Eiosis' new E²Processors. The E²Deesser features Eiosis' patented, exclusive processing structure and algorithm to bring you a new approach to de-essing. It allows the independent processing of sibilants inside vocal tracks in an extremely easy to use and efficient manner.

To learn more about the E²Deesser, you can watch the video tutorials on the Eiosis website. You can discover in these videos how to use the E²Deesser in many situations, with vocal tracks, but also percussion and slap bass tracks.

Kong Audio has released Matouqin VSTi, the 7th installment of its Chinee Series, which is a faithful sample-based re-creation of one of the most representative traditional Mongolian instruments. With the unique sound character and playing style, Matouqin has become one of the essential music elements in today's China.

Matouqin contains various types of legato, tremolo, trills, slaps, and staccato, as well as special techniques, phrases and articulations. With the extensive sampling and modwheel triggered expressions, Matouqin VSTi provides composers and musicians with an extremely playable and authentic plugin. All samples are recorded in 24 bit 96 kHz.

Matouqin VSTi is for Windows platform only and is priced at $68.