PC and Music News

Edirol by Roland releases Version 2.0 operating system for the R-09HR portable digital recorder. This free, user-installable upgrade adds a suite of new music applications and on-board editing functions, making the R-09HR the all-in-one solution for musicians and recording enthusiasts.

With a new Self Time function, metronome, and two tuners, the R-09HR is now a completely self-contained music companion for practicing and rehearsing. The Self Time function allows for a time delay of up to 10 seconds before automatically recording. With the new metronome, musicians can practice their timing by listening to the click via the R-09HR's built-in speaker, or record quick demos while silently monitoring the metronome in headphones.

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MOTU has announced the UltraLite MK3 Hybrid, the world's first hybrid FireWire/USB2 audio interface for Mac and Windows.

The UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid provides flexible and mobile operation via FireWire or hi-speed USB2 connectivity to a Mac or PC computer, with professional audio quality at samples rates up to 192 kHz and plenty of I/O, including two mic/instrument inputs, six line-level analog inputs, ten channels of analog output, stereo S/PDIF and a stereo headphone output.

As the first-ever "hybrid" audio interface of its kind, the rear panel of the UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid provides both a FireWire A (400 Mbps) and hi-speed USB2 (480 Mbps) port. Users can connect the UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid to their computer using either port for full-featured operation and ultra-low bus latency. Using FireWire provides the added benefit of fully mobile bus-powered operation, with enough power through the FireWire cable connection from the computer to support all features, including 48-volt phantom power to both mic inputs. An included power adapter can be used for USB2 connectivity, or operation as a stand-alone mixer.

The UltraLite-mk3 Hybrid will ship Q4 of 2009 at the same price as the original UltraLite-mk3.

Entangled Species is AAS' second sound bank title for String Studio VS-1, and grants exclusive access to the beloved tools, inspirational encounters, and living sounds of composer David Kristian. The 128 presets covering arpeggiators, pads, loopers, synthesizers, keyboards, noises, and sound effects shall evolve as a natural extension of the sonic inventory of anyone into electro-acoustic, ambient, and film music arrangements. And with String Studio VS-1 behind the scene, users can easily transform them with just a few tweaks.

The Entangled Species sound bank for String Studio VS-1 is available now at $39.

Cableguys has released FilterShaper 2, a major upgrade that adds parallel filter routing, pan modulation, free-running LFOs, plus several tweaks. It is also now available for Mac OS X VST too (It was Windows only).

New in FilterShaper 2:
• Now available for both Windows and Mac OS X.
• Unique Parallel Routing: Added parallel routing option for FilterShaper's two filters.
• Filter Panning and Volume Control: Individual controls for both panning and volume in parallel mode for each filter.
• Free-running LFOs: Set the speed of the LFO loop length in hertz or rhythmic units, independent of the host tempo.
• Modulation of Master Pan Control: The new master control can be modulated, just as all the other controls. This powerful feature can add some interesting movement to your sounds.
• Improved User Interface: Clean and uncluttered user-friendly design with a refined waveform editing area. All the controls are available within one single window.

FilterShaper 2 is available now for Windows and Mac OS X as a VST effect plug-in. It costs €49 / $69 but the demo version has minimal restrictions and is "free": No time limitation and just one instance of FilterShaper 2 (and VolumeShaper) per song can be used for free with the built-in presets.

FXpansion has announced the availability of demo versions of its suite of advanced synthesizer instruments, DCAM: Synth Squad.

The limitations of the demo are as follows :

• Can load only a reduced set of factory presets.
• Can SAVE but not LOAD user presets - you'll be able to load your saved patches if you purchase the full version.
• Cannot reload settings saved within DAW/host projects.
• Launches a web nag-screen when any DCAM: Synth Squad plugin is launched.
• Demo expires after 28 days.

Available for Windows and Mac OS X (Intel only).

Ableton has updated Live 7 and Suite 7 to v7.0.18.

Improvements since v7.0.16 :

• Controller surface support for the Novation LaunchPad controller.
• Controller surface support for the AKAI MPD-18, MPK-25, MPK-61 and MPK-88 controllers.
• Controller surface support for OpenLabs devices.
• Several improvements for the AKAI APC.
• Several bug fixes