PC and Music News

Avid has released Auralia 4 and Musition 4, new software solutions that provide musicians, students and educators with powerful, flexible tools for ear-training and music theory education.

Designed for musicians of all levels, Auralia and Musition offer drill-based, interactive instruction through versatile but structured exercises, and give users instant feedback to their performance so they can achieve maximum potential. Both programs also offer comprehensive Solfège support, and include customizable syllabi from AP Music Theory and Trinity Guildhall. And for the first time, Auralia and Musition are available for both Windows and Mac OS X platforms with the same feature set.

Auralia and Musition are available now. They are English language only, and priced at $149 MSRP each when purchased separately and are offered together as a bundle for $249 MSRP. Student and multi-seat discounts may apply.

SPL introduces a brand new four-module rack system in its RackPack series, as well as a Dual-Band De-Esser to complete its range of modules available.

RackPack 4 is a compact and portable module frame that can fit up to four SPL RackPack modules and supply them with power. The sturdy rubber feet and handle make it easy to move around, while the especially manufactured fitting system allow it to sit comfortably in a 19-inch rack.

Back in the 1990's, SPL developed an alternative way to process signals in order to reduce sibilance based on phase cancellation. Unlike the traditional compression methods, this processing is much more unobtrusive and simplifies control to one single parameter. The new Dual-Band De-Esser module expands on this concept by making use of two frequency bands. Ac ...

Puremagnetik has released TrapKit for Ableton Live 8, Kontakt and Logic.

TrapKit is a vintage 1960's Ludwig drum set recorded in a large reflective room with a vast array of microphones. This sample set includes the original Ludwig Kick Drum, Rack and Floor Toms along with a well matched Snare drum, Zildjian Hi-Hats, Sabian Crash Cymbal, and hand-hammered Zildjian Ride Cymbal.

All drums and cymbals were recorded with various articulations using both close mics and overhead mics. Multi-channel mixing, and non-repetitive sample triggering make TrapKit an extremely realistic and thoroughly musical sample set.

TrapKit Drums Include:

• 1965 Ludwig Kick 20" x 14"
• 1965 Ludwig Rack Tom 8" x 12"
• 1965 Ludwig Floor Tom 14" x 14"
• DDrum Snare
• Zildjian H ...

Acousticsamples has announced the release of a free drum samples library called DrumTAsteFree.

The DrumTAsteFree is a Rick Marotta Signature Hipgig drum set with paiste cymbals with the following features :

• 80Mo of samples recorded at 16 bits, 44.1khz.
• Custom mapping, you can assign every element to any key from the interface.
• Mappings presets: GM, V-DRUMS, IMAP, NSKIT (NDK) or default one.
• CC# controlled Hihat that features automatic closing sound.
• 2 Cycle round robins.
• Sensitivity button to adjust the response.
• Detailed instruments: 6 velocity layers per round robin
• Kontakt 2 or superior.

Feel free to do you own mapping and sent it to Acousticsamples so they can add it to the downloads !

GForce has released OptiTron, an expansion pack for the M-Tron Pro synthesizer.

The OptiTron expansion pack offers a fresh interface design and a full set of sounds recorded from an old Optigan:

• 30 new tape banks
• 5 leads and 25 rhythms, all looped
• 4/4 rhythms at 110 BPM
• 3/4 rhythms at 80 BPM
• 35 notes per tape bank
• Over 150 new MTP patches
• OptiTron interface design

Registered users of M-Tron Pro may purchase the downloadable OptiTron expansion pack for €39.

Spectrasonics today announced the release of a free iPhone app, Omni Live that turns an Apple iPhone or iPod Touch into a wireless remote control of the "Live Mode" of Spectrasonics' software synthesizer Omnisphere. Omni Live uses the iPhone's touch screen allowing multi-touch, wireless remote sound selection of the Omnisphere plug-in on the user's computer. Users can download the free "Omni Live" App from Apple's App store directly from their iPhone or iPod Touch.

"Omni Live" iPhone App for Remote Control of Omnisphere:

• Remotely control Omnisphere's 'Live Mode' page using an iPhone or iPod Touch
• Change patches using the multi-touch screen to select one or more patches simultaneously
• Use Omni Live across the room at a MIDI'ed piano or other controller, away from the computer
• Great for live performance
• Simple setup with the Mac's wireless network
• Portrait or Landscape mode

"Omni Live" is available now as a free download from the Apple App store.

The new "Omni Live" iPhone remote control app currently works with Omnisphere 1.2 or newer on Mac OSX systems, V1.2 requires Apple OSX 10.5 or later. The Omnisphere version 1.2 update is a free download for all registered users.