PC and Music News

A MachFive 3.0.3 update is now available for Mac OS X and Windows 7/Vista (64-bit and 32-bit).

The 3.0.3 service update is recommended for all 3.0.x users. Mac OS X Windows 7/Vista 64-bit Windows 7/Vista 32-bit.

Version 3.0.3 provides the following enhancements:
- Right-click the word Search in the browser to cause MachFive to re-index all currently indexed sound libraries.
- Many minor enhancements.

DSP Trigger is a VST drum brain that processes the audio output from drum pads and converts it to MIDI to be passed on to a drum sampler.
It allows you to enhance an existing e-drum kit, offering new features and functionality that your drum brain doesn't natively support.

Some new features:
- Now includes a Mac AU 32 / 64 bit version for Logic.
- Clip Compensation, detects clipped signals and restores the peaks on the fly.
- Positional Edge Scaler, a new control that helps level out the response of a mesh pad as it's played from center to edge.
- Improved preset system, redesgined to make it more intuitive and user friendly.
- New graphical input type selector.

Hal Leonard Books is now shipping Sound Design, Mixing & Mastering with Ableton Live ($16.99) by Jake Perrine.

This book is part of Hal Leonard‚s Quick Pro Guides series and is designed to be a companion guide to help readers get the most from their software.

Go beyond the basics of Ableton Live with this book of audio-making and audio-mangling recipes, tips and mixing/mastering techniques.
Ableton Live is undoubtedly the most flexible audio application available today: use it for sound design for music, film, theater, and games; composition; improvising with other musicians; live looping; DJing; and of course, mixing and mastering music.

A new app that physically burns iPhone and iPad without any harm to hardware. iFire ++ is a physically accurate, real-time "burning screen" simulation for iOS devices.

Based on the mathematical fire model, the app provides a realistic, eye catching and highly interactive user experience. Realistic sound simulation, stylish burning clock and other special effects lets you play with the fire. A high level of adjustability lets you tame the fire element.

Arturia announces the release of SPARK Vintage Drum Machines, a software that brings 30 legendary drum machines to the musician.

Intuitive and powerful, Spark Vintage Drum Machines is much more than the typical sample players available on the market. By mixing high quality samples and virtual analog synthesis (based on TAE®), this software manages to capture the unique soul of these instruments.

TAE ® engine: Roland CR-78, Roland TR-808, Roland TR-606, Korg Mini Pops 7, Korg KPR-77, Ace Tone Rhythm Ace FR-2L, Yamaha MR-10, Maestro Rhythm King MKII, Boss DR-55, Casio VL Tone and SK-1, Simmons SDS V, Phatwerk, Micromatix.

Sample based and hybrid engines: EMU SP 12, Roland TR-909, Roland TR-707, Roland TR-727, Roland TR-626, Roland R8, EMU Drumulator, Oberheim DMX, Sequencial Circuits Drumtrax, Kawai R-100, LinnDrum, Linn 9000, Casio RZ1, Yamaha RX5, Pulsator, Dirty-909.
Price: EUR 119/USD 129

Voxengo Crunchessor version 2.8 is now available for download.

Voxengo Crunchessor is a general-purpose track compressor for professional audio production applications. It is available in AudioUnit and VST plug-in formats (including native 64-bit support), for Mac OS X (v10.5 and later), and Windows computers.

Note that on Mac computers, Crunchessor now supports Mac OS X v10.5 and higher only, running on Intel processors. Mac PowerPC support is not available.