PC and Music News

Let me introduce you to Songsterr, an online flash guitar tab player that might encroach upon Guitar Pro's territory very soon.

Basically Songsterr is accompanying each song tab with an audio file that plays alongside it. The site's flash player will also automatically scroll through each tab, indicating exactly which note is being played and you can slow down to half speed when it's time for the tricky part.

Of course Songsterr lacks many advanced features such as slides, bends or vibrato but hey, it was launched earlier this month, let it grows ! Furthermore,the developers have some promises in stock :

- addition of library of 50 000 songs;
- support of more guitar effects (slides, bends, pull offs, hummer ons, etc);
- electric guitar sound engine and support of more instruments;
- upload of tabs by user (in Guitar Pro format);
- social features.

Just take a look and you will see that this online application has got a great potential !

Behringer updates its Eurodesk line of mixers with the new SX series of recording and live sound consoles. First to arrive are the SX2442FX twenty-four channel and SX3242FX thirty-two channel mixers.

Features :

- 16/20 XENYX Mic Preamps (SX2442FX/SX3242FX)
- Two/four stereo input channels with 4-band EQ plus 2 additional stereo input channels with Level and pre-fader Aux controls (SX2442FX/SX3242FX)
- Neo-classic "British" 3-band EQs with semi-parametric mid band
- Two independent 24-bit stereo FX processors with 100 presets including reverb, chorus, flanger, delay, pitch shifter and various multi-effects
- High-precision 9-band stereo graphic EQ for monitor or main mixes
- FBQ Feedback Detection system
- Peak LEDs, Mute, Main mix and subgroup routing switches, Solo and PFL fun ...

TubeOhm has just released Vox Populus, a new VST vocoder plug-in.

Vox Populus comes as 2 plug-ins. First as an insert effect for manipulate external (mic, audio track) and internal sounds. Second as a VST instrument using your own samples, vocode it and play it like a normal VST instrument.

Vox Populus is available now for Windows only in VST format and is priced at €129. Note that a 30 days trial version is also available.

Today we offer you a great video which is the first part of an introduction to sound, propagation, wave characteristics, etc...

Watch this video...

FXpansion has announced the avaibility of the first official expansion kit for BFD2. Jex (John Emrich's XDrum kit) Expansion Kit features a high-end, custom hand-made kit from XDrum's Xotica line. The drums feature 6-ply Keller Maple shells with an additional ply of Sapeli Pommele running vertically, resulting in excellent, focused low-end. The finish is hand-applied tung oil, which leads to a very open tone.

This download-only BFD2 expansion kit includes the following kit-pieces, all played with sticks, mallets, brushes and rods. The kick drum was hit with both a wood and felt beater.

- Custom XDrum 18x22 inch kick
- Custom XDrum 8x8 inch tom
- Custom XDrum 8x10 inch tom
- Custom XDrum 8x12 inch tom
- Custom XDrum 14x14 inch tom

You also get a bonus download of a detail-reduced Ludwig Super Sensitive snare from the Jazz & Funk expansion pack. There are no hihats or cymbals included with this expansion kit.

Jex Expansion Kit is a download only product and is available now for all registered BFD2 owners at a price of €35 / $50. Note that Jex is only €20, $30 for all registered BFD2 owners who also have either one or more of the following expansion packs registered to their user account: BFD Jazz & Funk, BFD Percussion, or BFD B.O.M.B.

Univers Sons / Ultimate Sound Bank today announces the release of the IRCAM Solo Instruments, a collection of acoustic solo instruments.

In collaboration with the famous IRCAM research department, this brand new collection presents the finest solo instruments (Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass, Flute in C, Oboe, Clarinet, Basson, Alto saxophone, French horn, Trumpet, Trombone, Bass tuba, Accordion, Guitar & Harp) played by the most talented contemporary musicians an captured in the very best conditions to ensure maximum fidelity.

This collection not only contains the usual sounds of these sixteen wonderful instruments, but also some very rare playing techniques that you will not find anywhere else: multiphonic, aeolian, hit-on-body, buzz, crushed... Carefully programmed with expressive key-switches and other crossfading techniques, each preset can be loaded and played instantaneously whatever your system thanks to the supplied UVI Workstation.

"Better than any words, we advice you to listen to the audio demos and you will understand why this collection is so unique, and don't hesitate to download the pdf included with the library, it will give you a better view of how deep the collection is." said Alain Etchart, Founder and Director of Marketing at Univers Sons / Ultimate Sound Bank.

IRCAM Solo Instruments is available now for $399 / €319, and it include the full version of UVI Workstation.