PC and Music News

Blue Cat Audio has just announced the release of Protector, a 0dB stereo brickwall limiter plug-in with adjustable dynamics response. It will typically find its place on the master bus of your DAW to protect your audio output from overshoot, limit the general volume and improve the perceived loudness, thanks to a very transparent frequency response.

Despite its very simple set of controls, it offers a wide range of sounds and it is also suitable as a track limiter for more creative effects such as distortion, pumping or heavy limiting.

Beyond its powerful dynamics processing features it also offers a powerful side chain capability thanks to its MIDI CC output. This unique technique not only lets you do side chain limiting but also parameters modulation: control any parameter of any plugin to create powerful side chain effects in real time.

Blue Cat's Protector is available now for Windows in VST and DirectX formats at an introductory price of $74.76/€49.56. Demo versions are available.

Muse Research and IK Multimedia have teamed up to release the Total Workstation Rack, powered by SampleTank and Receptor.

The Total Workstation Rack is a combination of Muse Research's unique Receptor hardware plug-in player with IK's Total Workstation line of "Powered By SampleTank" instruments: SampleTank 2.5, Sonik Synth 2, Miroslav Philharmonik, SampleMoog and SampleTron. These IK products come pre-installed and authorized within Receptor; allowing immediate access to make music live and in the studio.

The Total Workstation Rack is priced at $1,999.99/€1,599.99 (exc. taxes). For a limited time, IK registered users can get the Total Workstation Rack crossgrade version for a special reduced price of $1,699.99/€1,399.99 (exc. taxes).

M-Audio is pleased to announce the launch of its official user forums. Discuss production techniques, hot tips and favorite gear with fellow technology enthusiasts—and get valuable assistance from other users.

Visit the brand-new forums page to register and start posting right away.

Neyrinck Audio has released Mix 51, an RTAS surround panner that brings every bit of the 5.1 panning capabilities of Pro Tools HD to LE and M-Powered users. Mix 51 actually comprises three separate plug-ins : a surround mixer, a surround panner, and an LFE send.

Mix 51 is available now for both Mac OS X and Windows at a price of $189. Note that a demo version is available.

Digidesign has just announced the avaibility of Transfuser, a new RTAS virtual instrument plug-in from the A.I.R. group.

Transfuser is a real-time loop, phrase, and groove creation virtual instrument designed for quickly and easily creating, manipulating, and performing loop- and rhythm-based music on the fly within Pro Tools. It also offers users a quick and easy way to modify existing loop libraries to breathe new life into their creations.

Transfuser is available now in RTAS format for both Mac OS X and Windows at a price of $295 / €282.

Sibelius has just released Sibelius First which is kind of a light version of Sibelius, the famous music notation software.

Features :

- Friendly user interface
- Includes composing & arranging tools for up to 12 staves of music
- Scan in sheet music or open PDF files easily
- Create instrumental parts that automatically sync up with your score
- Switch from guitar tab to notation and back again with ease
- Change the key of your score with one click
- Hear what your score will sound like with playback using 128 sampled instruments
- Print professional-quality full scores or individual parts at the touch of a button
- Export an audio file of your score to burn a CD
- FREE Sibelius Scorch technology lets you post and share scores on the web for others to see and hear your music

Sibelius First is available now for both Mac OS X and Windows at a price of $129.