PC and Music News

Audio Damage is about to release bigseq2, a new version of its effect and gate sequencer.

BigSeq2 is a massive extension to the feature set of the BigSeq gate effect. With twelve sequencers controlling ten effects in six blocks, BigSeq2 is capable of everything from short staccato gate sequences to long, evolving filter sweeps and frequency shifts, and everything in between.

The six effect "Blocks" contain ten effects in total, and these Blocks can be re-arranged simply by dragging them, giving you full control over the routing of the effects. Each effect Block has a gate sequencer and a modulation sequencer. The gate sequencer turns that effect on and off (or in the case of the delay Block, activates the "send" control), while the modulation sequencer can affect any and all parameters in that block.

Features :

- Ten effects in six blocks, each with its own step sequencer, modulation sequencer, and time base.
- The gate and modulation sequencers for each effect block run on their own time-base, allowing different time signatures and step times for each effect.
- Each block has several parameters which can be altered via the modulation sequencer for that block.
- The effects blocks can be re-arranged in any order.
- Each sequencer has three independent modes of operation: forward, reverse, and random step. In addition, each of the twelve sequencers can be completely randomized at regular selectable intervals, for interesting modulation and gating possibilities.
- The included effects are VCA, pan, multi-mode filter, fuzz, sine warp, delay (with chorus and flanger modes), frequency shifter (also providing ring mod and phasing), sample rate reduction, bit depth, and our own "Error" effect.
- MIDI Learn on all published parameters for external hardware control. (VST only.)

bigseq2 will be available for both Mac and PC in VST and AU formats. Note that audio examples are available at :

Mathew Lane releases version 2 of the DrMS spatial processor plug-in. Build on a completely new internal algorithm, this version allows to create wider and deeper soundstages while, of course, maintaining the excellent mono compatibility DrMS is known for.

DrMS v2.0 is familiar in operation to v1.1, with some cosmetic enhancements made to the GUI. The new algorithm however makes it easier and faster to achieve the desired results, with great sounds already when using just the 4 central green rotaries.

DrMS v2.0 also features a new installer, making installation a breeze.

Features :

- Completely new & improved soundengine
- Enhanced GUI
- MS encoding & decoding
- Spatial audio processing: Zoom in, add Depth, change Width or any combination and more
- Resonant HPF, TiltEQ and ...

Togu Audio Line has released a new free VST plug-in called TAL-TiltEq.

TAL-TiltEq is especially designed after some tilt eq's from the 70's. This type of eq allows to adjust the audio material without changing the character of a sound to much. It's an easy way to make an audio signal sound darker or brighter with only one knob. The bass lift knob is a special addition that boosts or attenuates bass frequencies below 300Hz.

Features :

- 8 dB low / high shelf filter.
- 12 dB bass lift filter at 300 Hz.
- Variable center frequency (100 - 10'000Hz).
- Adjustable bandwidth (q: 0.1 to 2.0).
- Volume knob.
- On/Off switch.
- Very easy to use.
- Low CPU.

TAL-TiltEq is available for both Mac OS X and Windows as a free VST plug-in.

Overloud has updated its Essential Guitar Effects Suite to version 1.1.

New Features :

- Two amplifiers: Overloud Custom and BassFace '59 (US) amps - 4 new channels and 10 operating modes;
- Amplifier adds a VariFire panel and control: a Gain-Character control for expanded distortion color control;
- Three Rack Delay Effects: Comb Delay, Spatial Delay, Pattern Delay;
- Mixer Pro with control on Phase, Stereo Width, Sample Delay and Mono/Stereo output switch;
- Splitter with Balance/Switch capabilities and with two Crossover modes (HPF/LPF and BPF/BRF) and frequency/width controls;
- Dual IR Cabinet module allows users to load commercial or their own cabinet Impulse Responses with balance, phase and micro-delay control with HPF and LPF;
- Dual IR Cabinet comes preloaded with Recabinet Demo (Recabinet - Album quality guitar tone, direct.) and the Experimental Cabinet collection from Wild Hades (Alu);
- Eight new Stomp Boxes: Noise Gate / Expander, Mild Flanger, Rich Flanger, Analog Flanger, D-Reverb, D-Delay, 7-Band Graphic EQ and 5-Band Amp EQ;
- Host, Internal and Variation-based BPM for maximum flexibility when it comes to BPM syncing.

Fixes :

- Better Noise Gate implementation in Master Section;
- You can use left and right arrow keys in the Browser panel to scroll through Variations;
- Dedicated button to open the Smart Connections window;
- Fixes for Digidesign Pro Tools 8 and Cakewalk Sonar 8 64-bit;
- Various automation fixes;
- Master parameters get saved with song/session and when quitting the standalone version;
- Mant more smaller fixes.

Available now, TH1 v.1.1 is a free update for registered users.

Muse Research has announced that the Receptor 2 is now shipping.

The Receptor 2 uses a single-core processor and a 250GB SATA 2 hard drive and provides significantly more performance than the previous generation. Additionally, it has a sleek, new look with a deep blue front panel, LCD, and blue power LED. The single core AMD processor and high speed DDR-2 RAM of this new second generation of Receptor provide performance that is similar to the previous generation's top-of-the line with a MAP price of $1999. Note thatthe unit also includes $700 worth of sounds in the form of the Univers Sons Plugsound BOX pre-installed and ready to use.

MOTU announces that BPM version 1.01 is now available as a free, downloadable update for all registered BPM users. This is not just a "maintenance update". Version 1.01 is loaded with significant new features, including the ability create slices in audio files that don't have them yet, plus the ability to drag and drop slice loops onto a pad bank to automatically load loop slices into the pads.

In addition to many optimizations and enhancements "under the hood", here is a brief overview of the new features in BPM version 1.0.1 :

- Loading slice loops into banks : you can now drag & drop a slice loop onto a bank to automatically load individual slices onto the bank's 16 pads.
- Slicing loops : you can now create slices in audio files that do not yet have slices. Using new controls in BPM's Clip window, you can slice by transient or by beat grid, then save or even export the individual slices. You can also automatically slice loops when loading them into a rack part.
- Importing multiple samples : you can now drag & drop multiple samples to import them, either into separate pads or as layers onto a single pad.
- Pad templates : you can now load and save MIDI note mapping templates for BPM's sixteen pads. Factory templates for popular 3rd-party pad controllers are provided, including the Akai MPD16, Akai MPD32, KORG padKONTROL, and the M-Audio Trigger Finger.
- Mono sampling : BPMSampler is now available as both a mono and stereo plug-in, allowing you to sample external sources in either mono or stereo.
- Saving performances with samples : there is a new command that allows you to save an entire performance, together with all associated samples, to create a self-contained snapshot of everything in the performance.