PC and Music News

VirSyn and audioMIDI.com have announced the release of iSyn Virtual Music Studio software for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch platforms.

Tremendous music creation features including two studio-quality, fully programmable virtual analog monophonic synthesizers and a fully-editable sample-based drum machine featuring eight drum "kits". iSyn lets users play music live with an onscreen piano keyboard and eight drum pads for live "jam" sessions or users can use the grid sequencer mode to easily and visually enter notes for automated playback of two synthesizer tracks and one drum track. iSyn can even play a beat and synth track while users play live over sequence tracks for a one-man "iPhone band". iSyn lets users subtly or wildly modulate sound parameters with its X/Y touch screen or by tilting front to back and left and right using iPhone's accelerometer motion-sensing technology.

Features :

• touch keyboard for live playing
• eight drum pads- tap for live beats
• three grid sequencer tracks- two monophonic synths and one drum trrack
• two fully-programmable three-oscillator virtual analog synths
• 32 song projects, each with 32 independent patterns
• incredible modulation effects using tilt and X/Y touch screen
• eight sample-playback drum machines- including 808, 909, synth drums and classic 80's drum machines
• effects generator with delay, chorus, flanger and phaser


iSyn is exclusively available through the Apple iTunes Online App Store for €3.99.

Brainworx has just announced the release of the bx_bundle which includes 8 hi-end M/S tools and all of their EQs.

bx_bundle contains bx_digital, bx_control, bx_solo, bx_hybrid 1.0 (mono), bx_hybrid 2.0 (stereo&M/S), bx_dynEQ (mono), bx_dynEQ (stereo&M/S), bx_boom!

The international net price for bx_bundle is €691,26 ($850), customers liable to German VAT pay €822,60 incl. 19% VAT (that's 691,26 EUR net as well, of course).

The Modartt team is glad to offer to all Pianoteq customers a free add-on made of Easter bells coming directly from Roma! (following Easter tradition in some European countries)... Actually, it is a virtual copy of bells and carillons that were recorded at the European Bell Institute (and the birds are not physically modelled !

Modartt has also updated Pianoteq to version 3.0.2. This update includes some minor modifications to the C3 instrument sound: more punch in fortissimo, slightly longer notes and slightly longer harp resonance.

EastWest is pleased to announce the PLAY Edition sequel to its Complete Composers Collection which includes :

- Quantum Leap Symphonic Orchestra Gold Complete
- Quantum Leap Pianos Gold Edition
- Quantum Leap Symphonic Choirs
- Quantum Leap Goliath
- Quantum Leap Stormdrum 2
- Quantum Leap Voices of Passion
- Quantum Leap RA

The Complete Composers Collection - PLAY Edition is available now at a price of €1149.

EastWest unveils a lighter version of its Quantum Leap Pianos which includes 4 pianos : a Bechstein D-280, Steinway D, Bösendorfer 290, and Yamaha C7. Quantum Leap Pianos Gold Edition only offers the player-perspective mic position.

Quantum Leap Pianos Gold Edition is available now for a fee of €339 (excl. VAT). Note that you can upgrade to the full version at anytime for the difference in price.

"Dear Mailinglist_user ,

First off, my apologies for the lateness of this letter, I usually try to get this to you after the winter NAMM show in Anaheim. This year however, the time after NAMM has been so busy I simply haven't had the time to sit down to reflect on the past and the present until now.

Since the release of Superior Drummer 2.0 in June of 2008 we have worked on releases that have strengthened both the EZ and Superior product lines. The Funkmasters and Jazz EZXs, the first SDX for Superior Drummer 2.0, New York Studios Vol 2 and the latest addition to the Toontrack Software Tools,Drumtracker, our stand alone sound replacement software for drums.

Before the end of June of 2009 we will release one more SDX for Superior Drummer 2.0. Without letting too much information slip I think that Back To The Roots would be the right expression to describe this upcoming SDX...

With these products we have come to a point where we've finally fulfilled our initial vision of being able to offer a product line that encompasses all the needs you might have in producing, writing and playing drums and percussion.

This does not mean that we're done with developing our drum and percussion product line, on the contrary, updates and new products are in the pipeline. However, it does mean that we are expanding our vision of what Toontrack can develop. In the coming year we are unveiling and releasing products that will radically change the scope of what Toontrack is known for.