PC and Music News

Lexicon has launched the Omega Studio Bundle.

The Omega Studio Bundle is a completely integrated computer recording package that combines Lexicon's Omega Studio USB recording interface with Steinberg Cubase LE 4 multitrack audio and MIDI recording software, the Lexicon Pantheon VST reverb plug-in, and an AKG D 88 S lead vocal microphone and mic cable. It contains all the necessary hardware and software components to transform a PC or Mac into a 24-bit recording studio and allows the user to start recording immediately.

The Omega Studio Bundle is available now at a list price of $279.95 (estimated street price : $199.95).

Abletoncourses.com is a new website which features two online Ableton live video courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced level students, which has been designed and delivered by Ableton certified trainer Rob Jones.

The concept of this new internet business is to allow students of all abilities and locations to login and study online whenever they choose, getting professional instruction and support as modules are delivered.

Each course is presented in a modular format with each lesson lasting around 20 minutes and in total 26 modules are available which cover everything from initial setup through to advanced racks and performance techniques. Each module comes with comprehensive notes and students also follow a series of live sessions with Rob which are included in the course ...

The X1 by sE Electronics is a new large diaphragm condenser microphone which is hand built in sE's own facility in Shanghai like all their products. It features a 10dB pad and a bass cut.

The X1 will be available in December at a price of €120.

The Plugin Discounts website has published a teaser about a new reverb plug-in... We don't actually have any details, just a picture which looks like a Lexicon 480 reverb.

Wait and see...

Propellerhead has announced the immediate availability of Reason Soul School ReFill for Reason. This ReFill explores the classic sounds coming out of three of soul's biggest capitals: Detroit, Memphis and Cincinnati.

The Soul School ReFill sample library features twelve unique soul and funk instrumentals with all their musical elements – bass, drums, guitars and horns - in Propellerhead's tempo-independent REX format, as well as a collection of the 60's and 70's-sounding instruments multisampled for use with Reason's NN-XT sampler and Combinator device. Reason users will find the library organic sounding and extremely flexible; they can use the ReFill as a starting point for song creation, play their own tracks from the instruments or add "classic spice" to any style of music.

Composed exclusively for this ReFill and recorded using the finest in vintage technology, all material was played live by funk-savvy session musicians simultaneously, without overdubs, for that genuine feel.

The Reason Soul School ReFill is available exclusively for download through Propellerhead's web shop at a price €79/$99.

Sugar Bytes has updated Artillery to version 2.1. This update includes several bug fixes/improvements and four new effects :

• Timestretch: Stretches your audio tracks and shrinks your editing time.
• PitchLooper: Pitchshifting combined with a looper.
• Scratch Looper: Scratching on highest level.
• Reverb HQ: High quality reverb algorithm at the usual low CPU charge.

On top of that, Sugar Bytes has also announced some "Christmas Special Deals" :

• Buy 3 - Pay 2 : When you purchase three Sugar Bytes products, the cheapest one is free.
• Unique cheaper : Sugar Bytes' Unique Synthesizer is now available for €99 / $129.
• Sugar Bundle cheaper : The Sugar Bundle is now available for €399 / $599.