PC and Music News

Soniccouture has released Bowed Piano, a new sampled instrument for EXS24 and Kontakt.

First suggested by the composer Curtis Curtis-Smith in 1972, the Bowed Piano technique uses flexible bows made from monofilament nylon fishing-line which are then coated in rosin. The nylon is threaded under the strings, and the performer can coax a sustained tone from the piano.

The Soniccouture Bowed Piano instrument was recorded using a 9 foot Baldwin Grand, a popular model with Bowed practitioners. Each key has alternate samples to prevent repetition of attack transients, and there are 3 articulations per key — Normal bowing, Hard bowing, and short, staccato bows. The Normal and Hard samples are looped long, for infinite sustain. When playing, you can crossfade from normal to hard bowing using the mod-wheel, and the staccato bows are activated via a keyswitch.

Features :

- 1.6 GB Sampled Instrument
- 24 bit Stereo 44.1 Recording
- 9' Baldwin Grand Piano
- Multiple Articulations
- Alternate Round Robin Layers
- Convolution Reverb From Piano Cabinet Kontakt 2 / 3 or Logic EXS24 Required

Bowed Piano is available now fand is priced at £49 (download) / £52 (DVD). Audio examples are also available at the following address :

Yamaha presents the Pocketrak CX, a new compact pocket recorder equipped with big diameter and high sensitivity 90° X- Y microphone.

Unlike his "big brother", the Pocketrak 2G, this new device works with micro SD or micro SDHC cards. The included re-chargeable "eneloop" AA battery makes 22 hours continuous recording in CD-quality. The "eneloop" battery does not suffer from the self-discharge problems of similar batteries - so it will be ready for at any time.

You can connect the Pocketrak CX to a computer with the enclosed USB cable. High performance DAW software Cubase AI4 customized for exclusive Yamaha is bundled. A variegated play-back function is built into, and plenty of accessories provides a big conveniences for you.

Features :

- Memory micro SD-Card / micro SDHC-Card
- Recording format 16 Bit, 44,1/48 kHz, Linear PCM / MP3 Stereo 32 kbps, 64 kbps, 128 kbps, 192 kbps, 320 kbps
- Playback MP3, WMA, WAV, PDDRM-WMA
- Built in 90°X-Y stereo microphone
- Battery 1x AA Alkali battery or 1x AA "eneloop" battery
- Battery life ("eneloop") MP3: 40 hours, PCM: 22 hours
- "eneloop" recharge: 220 minutes
- Inputs Mic / Line (stereo mini φ3.5mm)
- Outputs Earphone / Line (stereo mini φ3.5mm)
- Computer connector USB 2.0
- Monitoring integrated loudspeaker or enclosed earphone
- Dimensions / Weight (Width x Height x Depth) 4,65 x 12,95 × 1,75 cm / 92 gram
- Accessories Stereo earphone, USB cable, AA "eneloop" rechargeable battery, Wind screen, 2GB micro SD card, CUBASE AI4 DVD, Carring case, owners manual, Microphone stand adaptor

Price and avaibility TBA.

The Vienna Symphonic Library has added plenty of new download products to its web shop.

47 brass and woodwind instruments in the categories of Flutes & Reeds, Clarinets & Bassoons, Saxophones, Horns & Tubas and Trumpets & Trombones are now available instantly and wherever on the planet users might need them — provided they have Internet access, a credit card, and a ViennaKey.

Prices start at €60.

Togu Audio Line has released TAL-Dub-II, an extended version of TAL-Dub with a completely new sound engine. A 4x over-sampled distortion stage allows you to add vintage distortion to the delayed signal (it is also possible to make clean delays). A sinus LFO has the possibility to modulate delay time and low pass filter cutoff. Adjustable LFO stereo width is also included. An analog sounding 6dB low pass filter with resonance and a 3dB high cut filter are also parts of TAL-DUB-II. Different routing options open a wide range of possibilities.

Features :

- Synced delay times (1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1/1, 2/1 and tripled and dotted notes).
- 4x over-sampled distortion stage.
- VU-Meter shows gain reduction.
- LFO (low pass cutoff and delay modulation, stereo width).
- 6dB resonance low pass filter.
- 3dB high pass filter.
- MIDI learn for all pots.
- 20 factory presets.
- Documentation.

TAL-DUB-II is available now for Windows VST and Mac OS X Audio Unit and VST Universal Binary. The good news... it's a freeware, so enjoy !

XT Software AS has signed an agreement with Trinity Audio Group Inc to integrate energyXT Indamixx Version, a super compact DAW (Digital Audio Workstation), with Indamixx, a handheld and portable Linux studio based on Samsung Q1 Ultra.

Indamixx with energyXT inside is in sale worldwide at a price of $1200.

Time Unlimited together with Ueberschall are launching the "Trance ID 2" Remix Contest. Any remixes which are based on Mike Koglins sample kit "Antidote" from Trance ID 2 can enter the competition. The kit may be downloaded free of charge on their web site. The contest starts at the 01st of August, all entrances must be submitted by 30th September 2008.

The Jury consists of course of the four international producers who have provided the construction kits on Trance ID 2 :

- Mike Koglin (Noys Music)
- Darren Tate (Mondo Records)
- Mark Pledger (Anjunabeats)
- Marc Steinmeier (Time Unlimited)

The winning remix will be rewarded with a guaranteed release on the renowned electronic/trance label Time Unlimited.