PC and Music News

Open Labs presents the NeKo EX5, a new workstation based on their L-Series.

"The Gen5 E-Series studio-quality products are not a stripped-down version of the L-Series, by any means. Encased in the same high-grade aircraft aluminum chassis, they were developed with a powerful processor and the same innovative touch screen capabilities and pristine audio quality as the NeKo LX5. We've included a fully licensed version of Reaper (DAW), more than 7,500 high-quality preset sounds, our virtual instrument host RiffTM, and practically unlimited capability for third party plug-ins and applications. Both E-Series products are fully upgradeable to the L-Series standards with the upgrade package available in late 2009."

The NeKo EX5 is priced at $3,399.

Solid State Logic announces the forthcoming release of MX4, a PCIe Card which delivers outstanding performance to demanding 'inside the box' users who refuse to compromise on quality. It combines three central system elements : a high channel count/high quality audio interface, a versatile Software Mixer and DSP powered plug-ins that provide console grade precision processing with legendary SSL audio characteristics.

Rob Papen unveils SubBoomBass, a new virtual instrument filled with "excessive amounts of low end ammunition to detonate your tracks". Here is the official dscription found on Papen's website :

"With presets designed by the legendary Rob Papen and other guest artists, this dedicated bass synth will supply you with huge cone-rattling sounds that will devastate any music track. This software instrument is great for Hip Hop and RnB but can also be used for Dubstep, video game music, film scores and more...

Based on the award winning Predator engine, SubBoomBass has been carefully crafted to provide you with the tools to create fresh new bass lines. It includes unique tuned drum percussion samples which are great for Hip Hop and RnB basses but can also be used to add rhythm flavour to your tracks. Also check out the innovative 'Wave-sequence' feature which will open up brand new sonic possibilities for your music.

Other features included are two effects slots which can be modulated using midi from any of the synthesizer parts. SubBoomBass also features a great 'Easy Edit' page and the unique 'Quick Browser' system that will allow you to find the sounds you need quickly and easily."

With a release scheduled for the third week of April, SubBoomBass will be available for Mac OS X and Windows in VST, AU and RTAS formats.

Zplane has announced the release of Elastique Pitch, a real time pitch shifting plug-in powered by zplane's élastique Pro v2.1 pitch shifting engine.

With a plug-in interface designed to allow quick and easy interaction with all parameters, Elastique Pitch is designed to be the optimal plug-in for pitch shifting in film and audio conversion applications, for sound design and for adjusting pitch in recording and rehearsal sessions.

Key features :

- Multi-channel : support for synchronous pitching of up to 8 audio channels.
- Real time : no offline pre-analysis required.
- Program independence : high pitch shifting quality for all types of audio (speech, monophonic, classical music, mixes, etc.).
- Phase coherence : absolute phase stability between all channels.
- MIDI pitch control.
- Formant shifting : moving of formants independent from pitch.
- Factory presets : typical film pull-up/pull-down settings.

Elastique Pitch is available now for both Mac OS X and Windows in RTAS format, it has an MSRP of $499/€449.

Ableton has just announced the release of Live 8 and Ableton Suite 8.

New in Ableton Live 8:

- New groove engine: new groove library, extract grooves from audio or MIDI, real-time groove quantize. Includes grooves from the legendary Akai MPC and E-mu SP-1200 machines
- New warping engine: warp audio events by adjusting the events on the timeline, updated Beats Warp Mode, new Complex Warp Mode, slice audio files to MIDI tracks based on transients
- Looper: classic sound-on-sound looping without the limitations of a hardware device. Record, overdub, undo and more without touching the computer. "First loop sync," simple loop management

On the software side of its product range, SPL has announced the availability of the first bundle of Analog Code plug-ins. Transient Designer, TwinTube Processor, Bass Ranger, Vox Ranger and Full Ranger are now available in a package for Mac OS X and Windows in all major formats (TDM, RTAS, VST and AU).

Pricing : €479 +VAT