PC and Music News

Schwa and Stillwell Audio have announced the release of Schwa's TinMan and Stillwell Audio's The Rocket Compressor.

The Rocket is a character audio compressor, singular in its extraordinary speed, responding in mere microseconds to variations in program level. Being in the order of several thousand times faster than most ordinary compressors, Stillwell Audio respectfully submit that The Rocket "kicks like a mf".

TinMan is an auto-peaking resonant filter with multiple pitch detection and individually triggered attack/decay envelopes. In other words, it listens to your audio and makes matching spooky "wooo-eeee-oooo" effects.

TinMan and The Rocket Compressor are both available for Windows (VST) and Mac OS X (VST & AU) and cost $50 each ($25 for those using them only on the Reaper platform and only in a non-commercial use environment).

Korg unveils the M50, a new workstation declined in 3 models : the M50-61, M50-73 and M50-88 with 61, 73 and 88 key respectively.

Features :

- Same "EDS" (Enhanced Definition Synthesis) tone generator found on the M3
- 256 MB of PCM data, provides 608 programs and 384 combinations featuring Korg's voicing expertise.
- The 61-key M50-61 and 73-key M50-73 use a new semi-weighted Natural Touch keyboard, while the 88 key M50-88 features the top-of-the-line Real Weighted Hammer Action 3 (RH3) graded action keyboard,
- The Drum Track gives you 671 patterns to stimulate and support your realtime performance and song production.
- The Polyphonic Arpeggiator delivers from simple phrases up to complex rhythmic gestures, and lets you use two patterns simultaneously in Combination mode or Se ...

Homegrown Sounds has announced the release of SoundScaper, a free VST Effect Plugin for Windows capable of Reverb, Echo and Comb effects.

It was designed primarily as way of creating atmospheric landscapes in the tradition of past HGSounds creations. It has almost infinite feedback time for many modes, and so is capable of producing rich and complex drones when used with a continuous sound source. It can also be used as a traditional reverb or echo suitable for any application.

SoundScaper has a diverse range of sonic possibilities using 300 datasets of comb/allpass timings, each providing a different effect model. Each of these modes can then be set to one of 33 different Multipliers (Styles) which take it through tight comb based effects, to reverbs and finally echo banks.

Users visiting the EastWest website from now until October 31, 2008 will be able to purchase one PLAY product and receive a collection of equal to or lesser value for free. The offer is also available at participating domestic and international retailers using a mail in rebate. There is no limit to the amount of virtual instruments that can be purchased where a user receives one free (except the free product cannot be the same as the purchased product), and users have the entire line of PLAY-powered products to choose from.

For more information, please visit their website.

Puremagnetik has just released Blip, a collection of instruments, kits and looped beats sourced from the original Atari 2600 sound chip. Lo-fi, gritty and nostalgically charming, Blip will instantly teleport you back to 1982 !

Blip is now available for Ableton Live 7, Kontakt 3 and Logic 8.

Pricing : Basic Monthly Subscription: $5.75/Month Basic Yearly Subscription: $60/Year All Access Pass - $198/Year

Steinberg is pleased to announce a new update to its Nuendo 4 Advanced Audio and Post Production System.

Nuendo 4.2 extends the support for external hardware((MR816 CSX and MR816 X, CC121 Advanced Integration Controller, Yamaha MOTIF XS series and the KX USB Music Studio).

Nuendo 4.2.2 includes a range of improvements to enhance stability, as well as several workflow enhancements. These include new key commands for the MediaBay sound management system, new synchronization options and a range of additional minor enhancements. Nuendo 4.2 also includes support for VST Sound, a new and improved universal media management format. VST Sound is a fundamental part of VST3 and integrates media such as audio and video files as well as plug-in and track presets directly into the Nuendo MediaBay. The Nuendo Expansion Kit also receives additional content with the new update, including the new Yamaha S90ES Grand Piano.

Nuendo 4.2.2 and NEK 4.2.2 are available now as a download for all registered customers.