PC and Music News

Hinking about setting up a project studio but don't know where to start ? Want to learn valuable techniques for recording and producing music? Overdub by M-Audio takes you through the process of building your studio—from choosing the right gear to fine-tuning your current system. Available online or through your local retailer, Overdub covers the all the basics plus advanced tips and tricks.

Overdub Volume 2 : All about Audio Interfaces covers everything you've always wanted to know about interfaces, including :

- The difference between USB and FireWire
- What makes a good preamp?
- Analog and digital I/O
- Sample rate and bit depth explained
- Solving the latency problem

Toontrack Music announces the first SDX expansion pack for Superior Drummer 2.0.

The very first SDX expansion pack dedicated to Superior Drummer 2.0, Vol.2 of the NY Studio Legacy Series, contains unique sample recordings from two legendary New York Studios - Hit Factory NY and Allaire Studios.

"The New York Studio Legacy Series Vol.2" altogether feature kits recorded with seven kick drums, thirteen snares and a wide variety of cymbals sampled in extreme detail to work Superior Drummer® 2.0.

The recordings at Hit Factory NY were the starting point for Toontrack in developing
Superior Drummer 2.0 and the decision to record samples at Allaire was a result of
wanting to capture the best studio rooms in New York.

Sadly, for the music and recording industry both studios are now closed. Thus the sub title "The Lost New York Studios". Toontrack is privileged to have been given the opportunity to record these great rooms in collaboration with the world class recording team of engineer and producer Pat Thrall (Glenn Hughes, Black Crowes, Beyoncé etc), producer Neil Dorfsman (Kiss, Bruce Springsteen, Dire Straits and Sting) and drummer Nir Z (Genesis, Joss Stone and Chris Cornell).

"The New York Studio Legacy Series Vol.2 SDX" will be available world wide at the end of March 2009 with an MSRP of $179 / €139. Note that audio examples are already available at :

Steinberg is pleased to announce a new update for its HALion Symphonic Orchestra VST instrument that provides support for 64-bit editions of Windows Vista, as well as new 'light' programs for customers using 32-bit versions of Windows. HALion Symphonic Orchestra is the latest Steinberg product to be made available in a 64-bit version, coming after the release of Cubase 5 for 64-bit Vista. Cubase 5 and HALion Symphonic Orchestra fully support VST Expressions, a new technology that offers dramatically enhanced handling of large sample libraries.

The update also includes a new soundbank featuring 'light' versions of each instrument. Specially engineered to use less memory than the full versions, it allows customers running 32-bit systems to employ even more articulations and instruments.
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RME announces the immediate availability of a hardware and firmware update for its 8-channel microphone preamplifier and AD-converter Micstasy.

The new version 2.1 adds a test oscillator to the unit, switchable to one of the eight channels. With this feature, the routing in large setups can be checked and followed very easily. Additionally an optional Display Dark mode is now available for all displays on the front panel, especially useful in live and stage applications. Both functions are also remote controllable by MIDI. Owners of a Micstasy with firmware 1.6 or lower will also benefit from the additions found in version 2.0: Digital return path (MADI in to ADAT/AES out), remote support for Yamaha's M7C and PM5D, and optional constant Single Speed operation of the word clock output.
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Myst Sonic announces the release of the Chinese Pipe-GuanZi and AC Clean Modulator Sample Instrument for Kontakt.

As part of Silk Road history, the GuanZi (also called Bili) has been a main double reed wind instrument since Zhou Dynasty. It often plays with depicted in early Western Regions nomatic poetry,and its sound can be quite colorful, sometimes soft, sometimes thick, and sometimes raucous, very wide range tone expression that changes dynamics.

The Chinese Pipe-GuanZi works simply by using the mod wheel to simulate multi expressions, it controls staccato, vibrato sounds, and crossfade between soft sound and sharp sound samples.

.Live play performance control design (just one assignable controller required).
.Using Mod wheel in multi controls.
‧Realistic expression ...

RME presents the HDSPe AIO, the newly developed PCI Express version of the HDSP 9632.

The Advanced-Input-Output interface shines with the latest 192 kHz AD- and DA-converters, with more than 112 dB signal to noise ratio. For the first time, all inputs and outputs are simultaneously operational, even SPDIF (phono) and AES/EBU (XLR). Additional hi-quality analog inputs and outputs can easily be added by favourably priced expansion boards. Of course TotalMix, the flexible routing mixer, and SteadyClock, RME's clock technology with maximum jitter suppression of external clock signals, are on board too. HDSPe AIO also supports the optional TCO for synchronization to timecode (LTC/video).

Features :

- Balanced stereo analog in- and output, 24-bit/192kHz, > 112 dB SNR
- Optional analog expansion boards with 4 balanced in- or outputs
- All analog I/Os capable of 192 kHz, constant number of available channels
- 1 ADAT digital I/O, supporting 192 kHz via S/MUX4 operation
- 1 SPDIF digital I/O, 192 kHz-capable
- 1 AES/EBU digital I/O, 192 kHz-capable
- 1 Stereo headphone output, separate DA-converter and playback device
- So up to 18 inputs and 20 outputs can be used simultaneously!
- 1 MIDI I/O with 16 channels of hi-speed MIDI via breakout cable
- DIGICheck, RME's unique metering- and analysing tool
- TotalMix: 760 channel Mixer with 42 bit internal resolution
- Native PCI Express - no PCI to PCI Express bridge used
- Drivers : Windows 2000/XP/Vista/64 (full ASIO multi-client operation of WDM, GSIF 2.0 and ASIO 2.0), Mac OS X Intel (Core Audio and Core MIDI).

The HDSPe AIO ships in a basic version with unbalanced analog RCA/phono breakout cables. An analog breakout cable with balanced XLR is optional available. For further information and more technical details, please visit :