PC and Music News

Platinum Samples and John Emrich are pleased to announce the release of the Real Jazz MIDI Groove Pack.

Real Jazz is a Jazz MIDI groove collection featuring both stick and brush grooves. Over 2,100 actual live, jazz grooves were recorded as a real performance on an electronic drum set at specific tempos. It includes 2-beats, 3/4, 4/4, 5/4, ballads, and shuffles for both sticks and brushes. Real Jazz even includes some bop and jungle grooves.

This definitive jazz collection features the first real usable set of brush patterns for MIDI. By using the sweep articulations available in drum VST and Core Audio instruments, the Real Jazz grooves replicate the correct sound and feel of playing brushes.

Real Jazz is available now as a download from Platinum Samples' website and includes BFD2 groove palettes, BFD 1.5 groove bundles and GM Standard MIDI files for $35.

Universal Audio today announces a refresh of its UAD-2 Neve Powered Plug-Ins line. The new UAD-2 SOLO, DUO or QUAD Neve packages, formerly known as the "Nevana" packages, include the only plug-ins officially licensed and developed in partnership with Neve UK.

Following is an overview of contents and pricing of the new UAD-2 Neve packages:

• UAD-2 SOLO Neve: Single Analog Devices SHARC processor; includes 88RS Channel Strip and 33609 Compressor plug-ins; MAP price $699.

• UAD-2 DUO Neve: Dual SHARC processors; includes 88RS Channel Strip, 33609 Compressor, 1073 EQ and 1081 EQ plug-ins; MAP price $1499

• UAD-2 QUAD Neve: Four SHARC processors; includes 88RS Channel Strip, 33609 Compressor, 1073 EQ, 1081 EQ, and 31102 EQ plug-ins; MAP price $1,999

Also included with all of the new UAD-2 Neve packages is a $100 Plug-in voucher that allows access to the entire UAD Powered Plug-ins online library.

VSL has announced the release of the completely revamped mixing host, Vienna Ensemble PRO.

The software offers a comprehensive cross-platform LAN solution that can incorporate both Mac OS X and Windows computers into one network using a simple Ethernet cable. New features include full 64-bit support, 3rd party plug-in hosting, dual architecture servers to include both 64-bit and 32-bit instruments and effect plug-ins, the intelligent Preserve function, and the free bonus library Epic Orchestra.

Introductory Offer :

Through October 7, 2009, the price of Vienna Ensemble PRO will be €145. On October 8, the price will go up to €195. Users of the predecessor Vienna Ensemble 3 (which is no longer available) may download Vienna Ensemble PRO as a free upgrade and have the option to get the Epic Orchestra Pack separately, only through October 31, 2009.

Antares Audio Technologies has announced the upcoming release of Harmony EFX, a new tool for generating up to five-part vocal harmony from a single vocal line.

Features :

• Evo Voice Processing Technology for fast, accurate pitch detection; smooth, artifact-free pitch shifting; and seamless, natural-sounding (if you want it to be) throat modeling
• Four high-quality, formant-corrected harmony voices with independent pan settings
• Antares Throat Modeling technology that lets you process each harmony voice through a physical model of the human vocal tract
• A variety of innovative Harmony Control modes, from fully automatic to individual control of every note:
. Fixed or Scale Intervals: Simply set the key and harmony voice intervals and let Harmony EFX do the ...

Arturia has updated Moog Modular V to version 2.5.

Changes :

• Switch to Syncrosoft copy protection.
• VCF audio quality improvements.
• Lower CPU utilization on Mac OS X.
• Better Audio Unit compatibility (Digital Performer most notably).
• Ability to use NRPN MIDI messages for automation.
• Better handling of control surfaces while changing preset.
• New presets added.
• MIDI RPN "pitch bend range" message is now recognized.
• Miscellaneous Bug fixes.

The KAWAI-EX sample Library is a 9-foot (276cm) KAWAI EX concert
grand piano that used to be in the Kennedy center in Washington DC.

• This Library is the result of a collaboration with Lance Herring.
• 17.49Go sample bank, no loops Recorded at 24-bit/48Khz.
• 5 "pedal up" layers, 5 "pedal down" layers, and 15 release samples per
note.
• Multiple mic position and mixing from the interface.
• Multiple releases depending on time. They have been carefully picked up
for each note to really reproduce the real mechanical behaviour of a note.
• Sympathetic resonance (pedal down samples).
• Thumps samples and Automatic Pedal noises samples.
• Custom kontakt interface that let you modify the response of the piano as
well as its tone and the volume of the releases and the pedal.
• Ability to save polyphony by enabling / disabling each position.
• Kontakt 3 (optimized for Kontakt 3.5). Easy to use Kontakt interface.


The KAWAI-EX Grand piano library is available now and costs €89 for the PRO version. There is also a LITE version that has less features at a price of €59, and you can also upgrade to the full version anytime from your user account for another €59.