Propellerhead Software has announced version 3.0 of Reason. The update focuses on live playing and helps take Reason from the studio realm to the stage. Reason 3 comes with unique features that help make it a strong alternative to the hardware workstation synthesizer, whether for composing, producing or live playing. Reason 3 introduces a new… Read More Propellerhead Announces Reason 3
Sounds Online is offering a free sample-based virtual instrument with 650MB of content. EastWest is giving you the chance to get your own copy of Native Instruments Intakt and Kompakt virtual instruments for Windows and Mac, along with 650MB of content from Zero-G to get you started, all for free. It’s all on their latest… Read More Free Sample VST Instrument from Sounds Online
While the use of synthesizers has become routine in many types of music, they continue to be controversial when used as a replacement for a traditional orchestra. Kiku Enomoto and her six colleagues at the Opera Company of Brooklyn, members of the local musician’ union, refused to play with the OCB last February when it… Read More Brooklyn Musicians Fight Virtual Orchestras
Ultimate Sound Bank and its North American distributor ILIO have announced the release of X-treme FX. The sample-based plug-in is the first virtual instrument solely dedicated to musical soundscapes, sound effects, foleys and atmospheric sounds. The plug-in’s versatile 8 GB sound library allows for fast and easy construction of complex textures. Its powerful UVI engine… Read More Ultimate Sound Bank Releases Sound Design VST
Native Instruments has released a demo version of Battery 2. Battery 2 takes drum sampling to the next level with a powerful new sampling engine, enhanced sound shaping and modulation capabilities, sophisticated sample control and a revised user interface. The Battery 2 demo version comes with a selection of five drum kits, and is available… Read More Native Instruments Battery 2 Available
Steinberg has announced an addition to its virtual player range of virtual musicians: Virtual Bassist. “Featuring the talents of the programming team behind Virtual Guitarist and Groove Agent, Virtual Bassist provides all manner of bass guitar phrases, sounds and styles,” comments Helge Vogt, Steinberg’s Product Manager for VST Instruments. “Steinberg is now in the unique… Read More Steinberg Announces Virtual Bassist
Spectrasonics has announced a series five new expansion libraries called “S.A.G.E. Xpanders” to enhance the variety of choices for the newly released Stylus RMX virtual groove instrument. The five Groove Control activated Xpanders are based on the company’s award-winning Backbeat, Retro Funk, Liquid Grooves, Burning Grooves and Metamorphosis collections. Each Xpander comes on a DVD-ROM… Read More Spectrasonics Adds S.A.G.E. Xpanders for Stylus RMX
Precisionsound has released Nordic Upright Piano for HALion & Kontakt. The goal behind the Nordic Upright Piano is to capture the ring and dynamics of a good essential Swedish piano. The instrument was sampled in mono and the position of the close positioned microphone was changed per each octave. Then the piano was “re-built” in… Read More Precisionsound Releases Nordic Upright Piano for HALion & Kontakt
John Bowen Synth Design/Zarg Music has released the ReD drum, a user-defined variable architecture drum box for the Scope platform. One of the Red Dwarf (RD) line of semi-modular products, the ReD Drum has 8 insert slots and comes with 33 modules, from which the user can then select a sound source material for each… Read More Zarg Introduces ReD Drum Semi-Modular Drum Machine
Glaresoft iDrum is a programmable drum machine designed exclusively for Mac OS X. iDrum integrates seamlessly with GarageBand, Logic, Digital Performer and other applications that support AudioUnit plug-ins or runs as a stand-alone application. iDrum is skinnable, and includes the ability to change skins on the fly. iDrum is designed to be as simple to… Read More M-Audio Distributing iDrum OS X Drum Machine
