PC and Music News

With its comprehensive tools for composing, recording, editing and mixing, Cubase Elements 6 is the most desirable entryway to the world of Cubase. The eminently powerful collection of quality instruments and effects modifies your PC and Mac computer into your personal music production system for crafting compositions to minute detail, making studio-grade recordings for band practices as well as everything in between. And with the same professional user interface and award-winning audio engine as in Steinberg's Cubase 6 flagship, the Elements version boasts all the tools of the trade at a good price.

- Based on proven Cubase technology used by professionals around the world
- Award-winning 32-bit floating-point Steinberg audio engine with flexible routing and fully automatic delay compensation
- Supports up to 64 MIDI and 48 audio tracks simultaneously in DVD quality (24-bit/96 kHz)
- Includes outstanding virtual instruments: HALion Sonic SE workstation, MPC-style Groove Agent ONE drum machine, Prologue synthesizer
- Comes ready with 33 audio effect processors, including PitchCorrect for vocal intonation correction and the great-sounding AmpSimulator
- Cross-platform 32-/64-bit for Windows and Mac OS X Intel

The all-new Wavedrum Mini carries on this sound concept in a compact and portable format – complete with a built-in speaker and battery power for play anywhere convenience. In addition to its dynamic pad surface, the Wavedrum Mini also includes a newly-developed sensor clip which can be attached to a table, cup, or any object, allowing it to be played as a percussion instrument.

Some features:

- Play one sound from the dynamic pad and Play a second sound from any surface or object using the sensor clip.

- 100 Ready-to-play sounds ranging from acoustic tones to synthetic sounds.
- 100 Rhythm patterns serve as a rhythmic guide or provide jam-along-fun.
- 10 Preset audio effects; select any effect and enhance any sound.
- On-board Looper allows unlimited overdub layering for complex, multi-sound patterns.
- Built-in speaker, headphones.
- Battery operation lets you play with confidence on the street, outdoors or anywhere.
- AC Adapter and mounting strap are included.

Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer is a unique plug-in that splits the signal into several frequency bands and lets the user mix them as if they were separate tracks. Each band proposes controls that can usually be found on a mixing console: bypass, mute or solo to isolate frequencies, gain adjustment, "stereoness" (spread) and position in the stereo field (pan). The plug-in also proposes unique linking and grouping options within a single instance, or between several instances, on multiple tracks. It can be used for multiple applications: from mixing to mastering, or audio restoration.

- Multiband mixing console: adjust the levels, panning and "stereoness" of each band separately.
- Multiple instances linking: group bands within a single instance or between multiple instances of the plug-in, and modify the spectrum on multiple tracks with a single slider.
- Up to 7 bands, with crossover filters from 6 to 96 dB/Oct for optimal separation.
- Bypass, mute, solo on every band.
- Mono switch on master for mono compatibility check.
- Complete visual feedback with real time response curves and levels display for each band.
- Side chaining made easy: a unique way to perform multi-band side chain compression, ducking, gating and much more.
- Plug-in window transparency management.
- No latency.

Pro Tools MP 9 leverages the same core functionality found in Avid's Pro Tools software, the top choice for music and audio professionals. New Pro Tools MP 9 features include Automatic Delay Compensation for great-sounding, phase-accurate mixes; and MP3 export capability, which enables users to easily share their creations with the world. Avid's Pro Tools MP 9 software will be offered standalone for use with select M-Audio interfaces, as well as in all-new, value-packed bundles with the M-Audio MobilePre, Fast Track® Pro or Fast Track Ultra interfaces.

You're eligible to receive a free upgrade to Pro Tools MP 9 if you purchased and registered a full or upgrade version of Pro Tools M-Powered 8 on or after March 5, 2011. You'll automatically receive an email to get your free upgrade if you qualify.

Packs:
- Pro Tools MP + Fast Track Pro
4x4 Pro Tools MP Studio Bundle
- Pro Tools MP + Fast Track Ultra
8x8 Pro Tools MP Studio Bundle
- Pro Tools MP + MobilePre
2x2 Pro Tools MP Studio Bundle

In addition to analog synthesis, monotribe brings together intuitive ease of use and a three-part discrete analog rhythm section, plus the proven appeal of Electribe-style sequencing. Complete with a built-in speaker and battery power, monotribe is self-contained and highly portable.

- 3-part analog drums, using discrete analog circuitry
- Popular Electribe-style sequencing.
- Active Step and Flux features for realtime dynamic loop manipulation
- Advanced multi-function ribbon keyboard; Chromatic, Continuous, & Wide modes
- Auto-tuning provides stable pitch for accurate chromatic playability
- Selectable oscillator waveform, noise generator, and versatile LFO
- Uses the same VCF (filter) circuit as the classic MS-10/MS-20
- Sync In & Out jacks allows synchronized integration with multiple units
- Battery operation, built-in speaker and compact size deliver on-the-go groove-making

The newest MICRO BR is small enough to fit in a pocket, but packs a host of features for pro-level music production. To start, it offers two tracks of simultaneous WAV-format recording, eight tracks of playback, and 64 virtual tracks for advanced editing and mixdown. High-quality stereo condenser mics are built in for up to 500 hours of recording time (with optional 32 GB SDHC card) for quickly capturing song ideas and rehearsals. Also included are dedicated inputs for connecting a guitar, a microphone, or any stereo line-level device.

A USB port lets musicians use the BR-80 as an audio interface with effects for computer-based recording, and also to import and export WAV and MP3 audio tracks. Powerful software is bundled with the BR-80, including Cakewalk's SONAR X1 LE, the eBand Song List Editor, and the BR Wave Converter.