PC and Music News

Blue Cat Audio has released several updates for Blue Cat's MB-7 Mixer 2, their multiband processing plug-in with VST hosting capabilities.

The updates mainly improve compatibility with additional VST plug-ins (including VST Shells), adds support for virtual instruments hosting, tempo synchronization and more (full list below). A free add-on skin is now available for download to streamline the usage of the plug-in in single band (broadband) mode.

The plug-in can be purchased alone or as part of three bundles: Blue Cat's Energy Pack, Blue Cat's MB Dynamix Pack or Blue Cat's All Plug-ins Pack, the complete Blue Cat Audio collection bundle. The special introduction offer (20% off) is still available until september 30th.

Demo versions are available for download on www.bluecataudio.com, in VST, RTAS, AAX, Audio Unit and DirectX formats, for both Mac and PC (32 and 64-bit).

In addition to the unveiling of the forthcoming Nectar 2, iZotope have announced a huge limited time 70% price drop on Nectar Elements!

Nectar Elements is the ideal solution for those of you who want to treat your vocals to award-winning processing, professionally-designed Style presets and intuitive controls for dialing in your ideal vocal sound without diving into the advanced controls and features of the full Nectar.

Rapidly audition different vocal sounds with professionally-designed Style presets and personalise your sound with easy-to-use controls that drive sophisticated vocal processing.

For a limited time you can buy Nectar Elements for just £29.00 / €34.00 (normally £99 / €115) - that's a huge 70% off!

With the 9.1 update Live users gain the ability to open two windows simultaneously on one or two monitors. This allows Arrangement and Session Views to be open side by side, or for Live's sample display or MIDI note editor to be viewed in a separate window. This much-requested feature makes Live's interface even easier to use and promises to be a workflow booster for many music-making scenarios.

For users of Push the Live 9.1 update introduces a newly-developed melodic step sequencer. Using Push's pads, notes may now be entered manually or played by hand in real time. In addition, all of Live's automatable parameters can now be step-sequenced and edited directly from Push's encoders.

Additionally, Live 9.1 includes a new rendering algorithm for better quality audio when exporting from higher to lower sample rates - for instance, going from 96kHz to 44.1kHz. The update also brings a host of minor tweaks, bug fixes and improvements.

Ableton invites all registered users of Live 9 Suite, Standard and Intro to take part in the public beta testing of Live version 9.1.

Eventide announced the immediate availability of the 2016 Stereo Room and Omnipressor® 64-bit plug-ins for AAX2, AU, and VST Native.

The new plug-ins are compatible with Pro Tools 11 and no longer require an iLok. 2016 Stereo Room Native retails for $199 is available now for a limited time for $79 and Omnipressor Native, regularly $149 is now $59. This special introductory pricing is good through September 30, 2013. Current owners of the Native versions of these plug-ins can download the new binaries on the support pages at Eventide.com at no charge.

AudioThing has released ChromaKey for AAS Chromaphone.

ChromaKey is a soundset for AAS Chromaphone featuring 60 patches divided in 6 categories: Keys, Pads, Plucked Strings, Sequences, Soundscapes, and Various.
Despite Chromaphone tagline "creative percussion synthesizer", ChromaKey focuses entirely on hybrid and organic melodic sounds.

Details:
- 60 Patches.
- 6 Categories.
- Chromaphone 1.0.5.

ChromaKey is available for the introductory price of €9.95 until September 23.
Full price: €12.

Built on the same proven technology that is core to the industry-leading ICON and System 5 product families, the Avid S6 enables mixers to quickly turn around complex projects while swiftly handling last-minute changes. With its unparalleled ability to simultaneously control multiple Pro Tools® and other EUCON-enabled DAWs over simple Ethernet, S6 also speeds workflows and enables network collaboration on a single integrated platform.

Avid S6 redefines professional mixing with key features that include:

- Revolutionary modular design: Adapting to every stage of a user's business, the S6 control surface can be customized with the addition of the modules needed to match current workflow. It can be horizontally and vertically scaled as the client base grows. Pre-configured S6 M10 or S6 M40 surfaces may be purchased with the required faders, knobs, etc. already provided or, with S6 M40, further personalized with different channel control combinations.
- Superior ergonomics: A traditional, familiar console layout allows easy transition from previous systems. The multipoint touchscreen quickly and easily accesses plug-ins, large track counts, surround panning and more, while top-lit status knobs and high resolution OLEDs add operational efficiency. Additional 12.1" displays on S6 M40 systems further enhance instant project overview by providing deep visual feedback on key items such as channel names, audio meters, routing, clip names, and scrolling waveforms. Ultimate recall enables quick location for last-minute mix changes.
- Intelligent studio control: Compatible with Pro Tools and other popular EUCON-enabled DAWs, S6 enables detailed work on up to eight audio workstations simultaneously, as well as the ability to switch sessions in seconds from a single control surface across the facility. High-speed Ethernet connectivity makes it easy to reconfigure operations as business requirements dictate.
Availability and Pricing
Avid S6 will be available at Avid resellers worldwide in Q4 2013. As a modular system, S6 is available at a variety of prices, with M10 configurations starting at $21,995 and M40 configurations starting at $43,480.