PC and Music News

Toontrack has released updates for all existing EZdrummer EZXs with more MIDI files and the addition of copy protection on the DFH, Vintage Rock and Latin Percussion EZXs.

The updates also include new mixer presets by Richard Devine. Richard Devine is an Atlanta-based electronic musician. He is recognized for producing a layered and heavily processed sound, combining influences from old and modern electronic music praised for, among other things, a remix of Aphex Twins Come To Daddy. Apart from engineering and performing his own music worldwide Devine has also contributed sound design to a number of hardware and software manufacturers and scored commercials for Nike and Touchstone Pictures.

All the updates are of course free of charge.

Softube has just announced that the Acoustic Feedback Deluxe plug-in for Pro Tools HD and VENUE is now shipping.

Acoustic Feedback is the first ever realistic simulation of guitar feedback. Softube has expanded on this concept in Acoustic Feedback Deluxe, which allows the user to choose which harmonics will dominate during feedback, providing greater control over the result. For even more sonic possibilities, an optional sub-harmonic function has been added, allowing the plug-in to feedback at half the fundamental frequency, providing a deeper, smoother effect.

Features :

- Added functionality: Choose harmonics with the Harmonic Selector
- Added functionality: Sub-harmonic modeling
- Realistic simulation (physical modeling) of guitar feedback.
- Fully responsive to vibratos, bends, slides, tremolos etc.
- Simple user interface: Control amount of feedback with the Feedback knob, and the sensitivity with a Tolerance knob.

Acoustic Feedback Deluxe is at the present only available as a TDM plug-in at a price of $199 excl. VAT.

Today we are pleased to publisha new article about Speakerphone, the impulse-response based speaker emulator from AudioEase.

"If you are in post for film, video, broadcast, or even a musician looking for a creative tool to put your audio in specific situations, Speakerphone should be at the top of your list of purchases."

For a limited time only, Waves and Ableton are pleased to bring you a special bundle : Waves Gold Native and Ableton Live 7, together as a single low-priced package. Note that this software package includes the full version of Ableton Live 7, not Ableton Live LE, and upgrades to Ableton Suite are available.

The Waves Gold Native and Ableton Live 7 combination package will be available May 2008 with a U.S. MSRP of $1500. (Offer available in U.S., Austria, and Switzerland only).

Brauner has announced that both the Phanthera and the Phantom Classic microphones are now available in a package that is much more budget friendly. Phanthera and Phantom Classic are now being offered in a basic edition that comes with elementary accessory equipment only, thus reducing the cost while still providing these two extraordinary FET microphones as the heart of each package. The basic-editions can be upgraded at any time to the full versions with an optional upgrade kit.

For more information, please visit Brauner's fully revised website.

IK Multimedia has announced that AmpliTube X-GEAR has been made available as a free download for all AmpliTube 2 Live users and StealthPlug users.

AmpliTube X-GEAR is an expandable guitar amp and effects modeling software system, available as a plug-in and standalone for Windows / Mac OS X. It allows you to mix and match all the gear models from all current and future "Powered by AmpliTube" products in a single host interface, providing seamless control over every parameter directly from StompIO, or any generic MIDI controller.

Eligible users are able to download X-GEAR for free from their IK user area. X-GEAR is also available to purchase as a download for €74.99/$99.99 (excluding taxes) in the IK Multimedia online store.