PC and Music News

AudioWarrior has released Analogue Synthesizers For Kontakt, a collection of gurgling analog sounds from some of the of the most famous analog synthesizers of the 60's & 70's. This collection includes searing synth leads, deep shaking bass patches, FX, trippy pads based on classics like Juno, Oberheim, Moog, Prophet, Oscar, and more.

This whole retro-classic collection is available now for download at a retail price of $99.99. Note that Analogue Synthesizers For Kontakt requires Kontakt 2 or higher Windows XP | Vista | Mac OS X.

Musicrow releases Shaker Maker- new VST plugin that turns any rhythmic content into a "convincing natural shaker rhythm". Shaker Maker can produce a wide variety of shaker sounds, and you can shape your shaker to sound exactly the way you want it to.

For using Shaker Maker you should put it in the insert slot of your audio track, Then load a drum loop or any other rhythmic audio file to this track. You can also connect a microphone and use your own voice as the source for your shaker rhythm. Finally choose one of the 16 prepared shaker sounds, or shape your own shaker.

Shaker Maker is available now and it's free so... enjoy !

This holiday season Sweetwater is giving away a special gift every day between December 1 and December 24. That means you have 24 chances to win some of the coolest gear around! Prizes include gear from Digidesign, Native Instruments, Roland, Paul Reed Smith, AKAI, DigiTech, Epiphone, and many others.

Enter online at Sweetwater and you'll be eligible to win for all 24 days of giveaways (but only one gift per person). There's a new winner every day, so check the Sweetwater site daily to see if your name has been drawn.

SAE lecturer publishes Mixing Audio: Concepts, Practices and Tools written by Roey Izhaki, who has been mixing professionally for 15 years, and for the last four years has been passing on his extensive knowledge as a lecturer at London's SAE Institute.

Over the course of 584 pages, Roey Izhaki guides the reader on a logical journey that begins with the very basics of mixing right up to the tricks, tips and techniques used by mix professionals in a wide variety of mixing situations. Illustrated with almost 300 diagrams to better aid understanding, Mixing Audio also includes a DVD which contains over 2,000 audio examples, including four full audio mixes that are discussed and dissected at length within the book. These mixes cover a range of contemporary genres (Rock, Hip Hop, Techno, Drum & Bass), so offer a wealth of real-world experience – and not just on the principles of mixing, but also the practices, concepts and tools that are necessary for achieving success with your mixes.

Price: EUR 41.95 / USD 49.95 / GBP 28.99

FabFilter releases FabFilter Pro-C version 1.10. Just released in August 2007, the Pro-C is a compressor plug-in with flexible routing, side chain options and more. This new version introduces Undo/Redo and A/B comparison functionality.

This update is free for existing FabFilter Pro-C users. INote that i you have not bought FabFilter Pro-C yet, version 1.10 grants you a new evaluation period to be able to try the new features.

AMS-Neve unveils a new "toy" called 4081 which is a four independent Mic/Pre or Line input channels (from the famous 1081 unit) in a 3U high robust desktop mounting design with external PSU. 2 x 4081 units can be fastened together, to give 8-channels of Mic/Pre or Line inputs in a 19" wide unit.

Features :

- Gain control per channel (+20dBu to +70dBu in 5dBu steps)
- Signal Presence and Clip LED indication
- XLR Mic input can be switched between Mic and electronically balanced Line
- Line level up to 20dB gain in 5dB steps
- Phantom Power source for microphones
- 20dB pad, Phase and Low Z functions per channel
- Optional Digital output/Sync card (available Q2 2008), with selectable sample rate and Sync Source

Unit can be controlled from front panel or all functions controlled remotely by Mac or PC computers (Mac only initially), using a USB connection and the dedicated Neve Remote Control software – or remote control via midi from ProTools. Up to 16 boxes can be connected together off one daisy-chained control cable.