PC and Music News

EarMaster ApS releases a lighter version of its ear training software EarMaster 5.

EarMaster Essential 5 offers the core features of EarMaster Pro and represents a valuable alternative for musicians and music students on a tight budget, yet not willing to give in to low-end instructional material. Like its bigger brothers EarMaster Pro and EarMaster School, EarMaster Essential is available in 21 languages for both Mac OS X and Windows. The official introduction of the program will take place at the 2009 Frankfurt Musik Messe on the booth of EarMaster's German distributor Klemm Music Technology.

Central features :

· 139 progressive lessons from classical music to rock, including a set of Jazz lessons.
· 4 exercise areas to learn how to identify transcribe and play intervals, chords, and rhythms.
· User-defined on-screen interfaces: staff, multiple-choice, piano, guitar, bass, violin, cello, and more.
· Interactive answering methods: MIDI instrument, microphone, plugged-in instrument, or the computer keyboard and the mouse.
· Detailed statistics.
· A customized mode to target specific elements of practice, etc.

Suggested retail price: US$/€ 29.95

Doepfer is about to introduce a new monophonic stand-alone Synthesizer with USB and Midi interface : Dark Energy. 100% analog, only the USB and Midi interface contains digital components.

Dark Energy is built into a black metal case with wooden side plates. Potentiometers with metal shafts are used and each potentiometers is fixed to the case (no wobbly shafts and knobs). The distance between the controls is a bit wider compared to A-100 modules and knobs with vintage look are used.

Dark Energy is also available as module A-111-5 for usage within the the modular system A-100. The only differences are the missing power supply and USB/Midi interface and the module uses the standard distances between the controls. The VCO frequency CV input (1V/octave) and the Gate input are normalled to the corresponding signals of the A-100 bus via jumpers. The jumpers can be used to interrupt the internal bus connections.

Dark Energy will be available on June 2009 at a price of €400.

Devine Machine has updated its Frame Synthesis based instrument Krishna Synth to version 1.5.

Frame Synthesis is and exclusive technology from Devine Machine that let you analyse a sound sample to obtain a special « movie » file that Krishna Synth will use as an oscillator. This process, the tools provided and the modulation possibilities can create sonic textures that you won't get from any other synthesis.

A full set of graphic tools let you edit that file frame per frame. Classical analogue oscillators and filters as well as a complete FX chain are also provided to enhance possibilities.

Krishna Synth 1.5 audio engine has been completely rebuilt from scratch to improve reliability and cpu usage, and some new features have been implemented :

- LFO and ADSR destinations extended to all parameters (including LFO to LFO)
- 'Snap to harmonics' option for the filter : each note will instantiate a filter to resonate to its own harmonic.
- Faster preset loading
- VST, RTAS, AU and Standalone availability for both MAC and PC

Krishna Synth costs 199€, the update is free for all registered customers. A fully functional demo is also available.

Learn more...

Devine Machine has updated One Shot Recorder to version 2.0 to support standalone, VST, RTAS and AU formats among other features.

New features :

- Decay knob control
- Multiple audio files Drag and drop to your host or to any folder
- automatic
- AIFF support
- 16/24 bit selection
- Automatic Reorder of recorded samples (peak, RMS, length, date, and note) greatly optimized.
- Interface has been completely redesigned to be larger and clearer.

OSR 2.0 is available as VST, RTAS, AU and standalone for both MAC and PC. It costs €79 and is available as a free update for current customers. Note that a fully functional demo is also available.

More info...

TC Electronic is giving away two plug-ins for the PowerCore platform to anyone who owns both a PowerCore and one of the company's Konnekt audio interfaces. So if you are the proud owner of either a Desktop Konnekt 6, Studio Konnekt 48, Digital Konnekt x32, Konnekt Live, Konnekt 24D or Konnekt 8 and a PowerCore, you can receive both plug-ins – the Fabrik R reverb and Fabrik C compressor – absolutely free !

Fabrik R combines four great sounding TC algorithms in one single plug-in and utilizes Meta Intuitive Navigation Technology (MINT ) to make selecting and adjusting the on-board Live, Club, Plate and Hall Reverbs a breeze.

Fabrik C has all the qualities of a great channel strip, containing as it does is a full-blown EQ, de-esser and 3-band/full band compressor in one single plug-in. Again, with MINT you have total control of all the parameters using only a few dedicated knobs.

If you own a Konnekt product and a PowerCore simply follow the link below to get in touch with TC Electronic. Your PowerCore will need to be registered in order to take advantage of this incredible offer and you will need a TC Account ID. All you then need to do is fill in the form, provide the 7-digit serial number of your Konnekt interface and TC Electronic will do the rest. So what are you waiting for?!

Devine Machine has developed OTR88, an electric piano physical emulation which offers in a few drags and clicks what used to take hours with a screwdriver on a real electric piano.

Unlike sample based instruments, OTR88 physical synthesis provides seamless dynamics and virtually unlimited electric piano models sounds, for less than 10Mb hard drive space and moderate CPU usage. OTR88 gives access to 17 physical parameters fully editable for each 88 key individually (Pickup position, tine harmonic content, tine decay, oldness, tuning, pan among others) through a user-friendly interface. Scala microtonal file import feature has been implemented to complete sound flexibility. It also features 8 MIDI-Learnable FX pedals (Chorus, Delay, Distortion, Flanger, Phaser, Reverb, Tremolo, and Wah) set in an intuitive pedal board.

Near 100 piano presets and 80 global presets have been carefully set by hand to let you access a large variety of lively sounds out of the box. In early development stages Devine Machine received advices from Herbie Handcock himself !

OTR88 costs €229 and is available in VST, RTAS, AU and standalone versions for both Mac and PC. A fully functional demo is also available.

Learn more...