PC and Music News

Artificial Audio has announced Quartz, a new multi-effect plug-in that turns the simplest sounds into ever evolving rhythmic soundscapes. But that's not everything. It is also a source of creative modulation which can be used to control parameters outside of Quartz such as software instruments, plug-ins or even external MIDI equipment.

Quartz gets its name from the fact that all Line and LFO modulations work to the audio sample rate, ensuring sample accurate parameter modulation.

Quartz effect modules and features:
• Auto - Panning.
• Auto - Gain.
• Two independent Multimode Filters with high quality oversampling modes.
• Tempo-synced Stereo Delay to create dub- and tape-delay effects.
• Wave Shaper to add extra distortion and saturation.
• 4 independent, tempo-syncable LFOs (0.01Hz up to 2.1 kHz).
• 4 unique Modulation Lines (each with up to 200 points).
• Quick-access browsers and a huge library of Presets and Modulation Line templates.

Quartz will be released end of May 2010 for Windows and Mac OS X in VST and AU plug-in formats. It will have an MSRP of €99 but be available initially for an introductory price of €79.

Toontrack Music announces the release of the Music City USA SDX for Superior Drummer 2.0. Here's what they say about it :

"Like it, love it or leave it, Nashville Tennessee is Music City USA. With more labels, publishers, writers, producers, musicians and artists per capita than any other city in North America, Nashville knows a thing or two about great music, and more importantly - great sounding music.

With the city's history & culture so steeped in the art of making and recording music, the team could think of no better place on earth to record a library of drums that would be at home in music ranging from rock to reggae, metal to gospel or punk to polka. Oh yeah... they're good for country & rock too!

Introducing the Music City USA SDX , the newest library of drum samples and MIDI grooves for our award winning, industry standard drum production platform, Superior Drummer® 2.0.

Much like its sibling, the Nashville EZX®, the Music City USA SDX found us working with Harry Stinson and Chuck Ainlay, two of the best, most experienced players and producers in the business."

The Music City USA SDX is available now at a price of £119.00 / €139.00.

XLN Audio has announced the release of the Sloppy Grooves MIDI Pak for Addictive Drums and the Free Funk ADpak Trial.

Sloppy Grooves

"Society tells you you have to be perfect. But what ever happened to stepping back, getting lazy and lowering your standards?

This is what the Sloppy Grooves MIDI Pak is all about. Included is 100+ Pop/Rock orientated, not perfect but oh so groovey grooves recorded by a far from perfect drummer. Every beat has a number of variations such as ride, hihat, sidestick and specials for you to choose from."

Sloppy Grooves MIDI Pak is available for purchase in XLN Audio's webshop and costs €12 / $12.

Free Funk ADpak Trial

"Did you always want to get your funk on with Addictive Drums but never got around to buying the Funk ADpak? May is the month of funk and your chance to get down and groovy, for free. Just login to your account, head over to the Product Downloads section and grab your own trial copy of the Funk ADpak. The only requirement is that you have a full version of Addictive Drums registered to your account.

Once installed you will have full access to all kitpieces, beats and presets from the Funk ADpak for ten days. This gives you a granite sparkle Pearl Reference kit with cymbals from Sabian and Paiste. The Funk ADpak contains 400 grooves and 30 crisp production presets. When the test period has expired you can simply choose to remove the Funk ADpak and get on with your mundane life. Or purchase a license to keep the funk going and the grooves flowing!"

NuGen Audio updated their stereo enhancement and adjustment plug-in to version 3.1.

This update introduces several host specific compatibility fixes and a new input/output level readout function.

Available now, Stereoizer 3.1 is available now as VST/AU for Win/OSX and is a recommended free update for all existing users. The demo period has also been reset for those wishing to re-trial the product.

Allen & Heath will be introducing the iDR-64 larger format fixed I/O MixRack to the iLive digital mixer family, offering high I/O capacity and a lower cost alternative to the flagship modular iDR10 MixRack.

The new iDR-64 comprises 64 mic/line inputs and 32 XLR outputs in a 9U frame, and features the iLive 64x32 RackExtra DSP mix engine, providing full processing (dynamics, EQ and delay) for all 64 channels and 32 mixes. The RackFX DSP framework provides 8 stereo processors capable of high quality FX emulation of industry classics. Each Rack has flexible I/O routing with EQ and Dynamik FXShaper on every dedicated return.

With the addition of the iDR-64, the iLive Series now includes a total of 6 MixRack and 7 Control Surface variants, which can be mixed and matched in any combination ...

To commemorate 25 years of selling ribbon microphones, Audio Engineering Associates (AEA) will unveil the R84 SLE (Silver Limited Edition) at the London AES.

This mirror-chromed version of their top-selling R84 ribbon microphone is limited to a production run of only 125. Units are scheduled to begin shipping in late May.