Musikmesse: Celemony Software has announced the release of Version 1.8 of the bundled edition of Melodyne: Melodyne essential. This offers new playback algorithms as well as a number of bugfixes and improvements of detail. The update will be available for download free of charge by all registered users of Melodyne essential from the end of April onwards.

Melodyne essential forms part of the Digidesign Pro Tools Ignition bundle as well as E-mu’s Production Tools software bundle and offers many users a simple introduction to Melodyne’s pitch correction, vocal production and melody editing functions.

The most important improvement offered by essential 1.8 is the new “Percussive2″ algorithm for the editing of percussive material. In terms of sound quality, when applied to drum loops and similar material, the results delivered by this algorithm are considerably better than those of its predecessor.

Among the other new features of Melodyne essential 1.8 are the combined scroll/zoom bars introduced by Melodyne plugin, an alternative grey colour scheme for the user interface, various improvements in the display and handling of percussive material, and a more user-friendly implementation of the copy protection.

“The playback algorithms along with the efficient audio detection form the basis for the unique editing possibilities of Melodyne software, which is used and much prized all over the world in professional productions,” says Peter Neubäcker, the founder of the firm and developer of the Melodyne algorithms. “We are improving and further developing both the detection and the playback algorithms on a permanent basis, and we didn’t want to deprive the users of our free bundled version of Melodyne, Melodyne essential, of the benefit of these improvements.”

The update to Melodyne essential 1.8 is free of charge to all registered users of essential and will be available for download from the end of April onwards from www.celemony.com.

Melodyne essential for Windows XP and Mac OS X forms part of Digidesign’s Ignition bundle as well as E-mu’s Production Tools bundle.