PC and Music News

Air by 9 Soundware is an instrument in EXS24 format. The concept behind the sound set was to use sounds generated by air to create a transparent-sounding percussive instrument. Functionally similar to a hi-hat, the instrument was designed to add rhythmic movement to arrangements, but in a subtler manner.

The samples are of quick blasts of air created with a gas duster, a flyswatter, and a clothesline. The wind sounds, which are delicate and difficult to control, were painstakingly recorded, edited, and programmed into an EXS24 instrument with a high level of sonic detail. While minimalist in approach, the sound set features a wide range of timbres, with many variations on simple bursts to complex sounds that capture the motion of the objects.

Air includes 84 sounds (sampled at 2-21 velocities for a total of 402 samples) that are mapped across a 7 octave range in an EXS24 instrument.

The 28 MB download includes 1 .EXS file and 402 WAV files (24-bit/44.1 kHz).

Air is available now for $29.99 at :

MakeMusic has released Finale 2010, the new version of their famous music notation software. Vast areas of Finale have been updated for 2010. From Percussion Notation and Chord Entry to Rehearsal Marks and Measure Numbering, common tasks have been automated and simplified to save you time and to easily make your music perfect.

Finale 2010 costs $600 for new customers and from $99.95 for existing customers (limited time pre-order pricing).

Voxengo has updated its phase alignment plug-in PHA-979 to version 2.1.

Version 2.1 update implements a very useful feature - multi-band correlation meter that greatly simplifies phase- and time-aligning process. You may routinely use the correlation meter to configure delay and phase parameters with a highest level of precision possible. Correlometer also supports an external side-chain input.

Other changes :

• Crash problem fixed with non-center panning setting.
• Delay and phase dimming problem fixed.
• Latency change reporting fixed in AudioUnits.

The introductory price offer of US$69.95 is still effective. The offer ends on the 9th of June 2009 (less than two weeks left).

Schwa has announced the release of CMX Stereo Microshifter, a new plug-in which thickens and enhances monophonic audio by doubling the signal and applying small amounts of pitch shift and/or time delay to each side.

This technique is often applied to vocals or lead lines. With a light hand, CMX can add just enough fullness to give a part extra presence in a mix. With a heavier hand, CMX can create a rich and polished "expensive production" sound. The added presence is especially effective in musical styles that make minimal use of reverb.

CMX uses a new, unique pitch identification and shifting algorithm from Schwa that is designed and optimized for small, precise pitch shifts, from one cent to a quarter-tone, with perfect phase coherence and maximum smoothness. You can use CMX on exposed, high-quality vocal tracks with complete confidence.

CMX is available for Windows, Windows x64 and Mac OS X in VST and AU plug-in formats. Two license options are available :

• All hosts, commercial use license: $50.00.
• Reaper-only, personal use license: $30.00.

Akai Professional announces that the APC40 Ableton Performance Controller is now available for purchase worldwide. For the record, the APC40 is a control surface developed specifically for Ableton Live software.

The ACP40 has a retail price of $599 and an estimated street price of $399.

On popular demand, Toontrack has decided to release another Monster MIDI Pack, aptly named Monster MIDI Pack 2.

This time the package features Odd Meters and contains over 470 Progressive Rock MIDI files, individually played by drummer extraordinaire Peter Fredlander.

The Monster MIDI Pack 2 is available now for $19/€15 from the Toontrack webshop.