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| 12-30-08 / 11:34 PM : Kurzweil PC361 : a challenger to M50 ? (cjed) |
| As Kurzweil provides audio demos of the PC1SE (1995$, 76 keys version of the PC1X, that features the same sound set - patches taken from K2XX series including all of the extension roms), a 61 keys model of the PC3 (the later includes 76 keys and is priced 2830$, and PC3X - 88 keys - is priced 3630$), the PC361, is expected for the January Winter NAMM09. We can still read the first user review and see first pictures. It should onboard the same audio engine as the PC3, including its new Strings Section ROM bank that can be heard in the new audio demos. The PC361 price is unknown at this time but it should be kept in the 1500-2000$ range to remain competitive against the Korg M50 (950 euros for the 61 keys models, and as low as 1450 euros for the 88 keys model). However the strings sounds provided by the M50 seem way behind the new ones in the PC3 series (the M50 is better suited for rock and electronic sounds). There is still to know if the K2661 (61 keys and priced 2995$) will remain listed. |
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| 12-27-08 / 12:49 AM : Ueberschall Season Greetings and a great 20 (cjed) |
 Following NI, Ueberschall provides free samples for Christmas, Season Greetings and a great 2009. These 245 Mb samples for Elastik Player (also available at download for free) include loops from many libraries : Balkan Lines, Chillers Joint, Club Electro, Crunkzilla, Dancehall Madness, Electro ID, Hip Hop Underground, Loungeorama, Minimal Electro Vibes, Minimal House, Minimal Techno, Oriental RnB, Trance ID 2 and Urbanic. An audio demo is available. |
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| 12-20-08 / 12:45 AM : ProTools 8 shipping (cjed) |
 ProTools 8, that was announced in October, is finally shipping. Only updates prices are available for now (144 euros for upgrades to LE8 and M-Powered8, and 240 euros for upgrades to HD8). |
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| 12-18-08 / 12:00 AM : Kore soundpack Compilation Vol1 for free (cjed) |
 Native Instruments provides for free at download KORE SOUNDPACK COMPILATION VOL.1. That compilation (104 Mb) includes 100 presets selected from the following soundpack libraries : TRUE STRIKE TENSION, ABSYNTH TWILIGHTS, DEEP TRANSFORMATIONS, URBAN ARSENAL, REAKTOR ANIMATED CIRCUITS, MASSIVE EXPANSION VOL. 1 and Vol. 2, BEST OF MASSIVE, FM8 TRANSIENT ATTACKS, SYNTHETIC DRUMS, BEST OF ABSYNTH et BEST OF REAKTOR VOL. 1.We can also download for free the Kore Player, required to play these instruments (390 Mb - also includes 300 Mb of sounds). |
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| 12-13-08 / 10:56 AM : Special offers : Pianoteq2, VSL, NI (cjed) |
| Among special offers on the audio softwares side, we note : Pianoteq 2 is available at -20%. VSL special prices through January, 15 : Solo Strings II Extended Library offered for owners of Vienna Instruments Collection Solo Strings I Standard&Extended, Fanfare Trumpets for owners of Vienna Special Edition (Standard and Extended) and Special Edition PLUS (Standard&Extended), -15% on Extended Libraries of Vienna Special Edition and Special Edition PLUS, -30% on Keyboard Collections elements, etc. Finally Native Insruments drops prices from 50% on updates. Then we can find updates to Kontakt 3 at 64 euros. However it requires a 1,4 Ghz G4 (the demo version didn't perform well on a 1,25 Ghz G4 due to the default convolution reverb), and the new bundled samples library isn't fully compatible with the K2 previous library. |
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| 12-13-08 / 10:37 AM : Antares : Auto-Tune EFX (cjed) |
 Antares presents Auto-Tune EFX, a lite version of Auto-Tune Evo (less settings, no graphical editor for pitch, no formant). It is available (99$) through end of December with a free bundled iLok key.As stated by futuremusic : ...easy-to-use tool for real-time pitch correction and creating the overly-used Auto-Tune Vocal Effect. That was first deployed by Cher and now is the bane of everyone’s existence. |
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| 12-09-08 / 11:02 PM : Eastwest PLAY 1.1.6 update (cjed) |
| Eastwest provides a 1.1.6 update to PLAY (225 Mb). The latest update was out in late August of this year and was numbered 1.0.83. The enhancements/bug fixes list can be found here but there is no mention of new PowerPC optimization. However a PC user states that performance is far more better with his old P4, so perhaps it will be the same on an also old G4. |
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| 12-06-08 / 03:54 PM : NI Reaktor Spark soundpack (cjed) |
 Native Instruments presents REAKTOR SPARK, a Soundpack (for Reaktor, KORE or KORE player) that brings 200 presets programmed for the Spark synthesis engine, that sound original (percussive and agressive), in the following categories : Leads, Bass, arpeggiated sounds, Soundscapes, Mallets and plucked sounds, Drums and Percussions, Pianos and Keys. Audio demos are available, and it is priced 59$. |
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| 12-06-08 / 03:33 PM : Mystsonic Chinese Zither-GuZheng (cjed) |
| Mystsonic presented Chinese Zither-GuZheng, a Zither library for Kontakt 2 (included Player). Audio demos and videos are available, and it is priced 49 euros (through download). The overal samples size isn't provided (we know they have been recorded at 24 bits/48Khz), but it is stated that it has been optimized (reduced) to ensure better performance (as hardware makers do for their instruments and extensions). |
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| 12-06-08 / 03:18 PM : Sonica Instruments Taiko for BFD (cjed) |
 Sonica Instruments presents Japanese Taiko percussion, a 6 Go samples library for BFD 2.1 (requires a G5 or Intel mac) that features Taiko instruments types : Ohdaiko, Chudaiko, himedaiko. Kane and players vocalizations. Stunning audio demos are available and we can also listen to separate samples at fxpansion site. It is priced 125$, and an additional specifically targeted Midi grooves library is available for 25$. |
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| 12-02-08 / 12:45 AM : Notre Dame de Budapest Pipe Organ samples (cjed) |
 Inspired Acoustics also provides Notre Dame de Budapest (NDB) Pipe Organ samples, that includes samples (24 bit / 48 kHz) from 2 Hungarian organs : Notre Dame de Buda and Notre Dame de Kispest, at Gigastudio 3 (this software however has been canceled recently by Tascam) and Kontakt 2 formats. Three versions ara available : Full Edition (unlooped samples, 23 Gb, Giga 3 format only, 459$), Looped Edition (the same but with looped sustains - 2 to 8s -, 6Gb, Giga 3 and Kontakt 2 formats, 249$) and Compact Edition (less combinations, 4 Gb, 99$). The original reverb (outstanding) has been recorded (through release samples or using the also bundled impulse response).Some stunning audio demos are availble. The library can be buyed through download (except for the Full version). |
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| 12-02-08 / 12:21 AM : Palace of Arts Budapest Pipe Organ Samples (cjed) |
 Inspired Acoustics presents Palace of Arts Budapest (PAB) Pipe Organ Samples, a 35Gb organ samples library (20 000 samples at 24 bits/48Khz stereo) for PC and mac (bundled with the Hauptwerk player). The required memory for patchs varies from 2Gb to 24 Gb ! The 4 Gb ram limitation on the mac version will be removed soon (on Leopard a non graphical 64 bits process can be used to load samples into memory and communicate with the main UI process - such technique is used in EastWest Play).Stunning demos are available here. It is priced 899$. |
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