Polarity's new Tubester 1 is a freeware VST plugin combining preamp, EQ, and guitar speaker simulator. AmpliTube it ain't, but if you need a quick-and-dirty tube amp plug with low CPU overhead, this could be the trick. There's no custom UI; it uses whatever your host supplies. (via Harmony Central) While you're there, check out […]

Rosegarden, the free Linux digital audio workstation with multitrack audio, MIDI, and notation features, is pre-release software no more. Version 1.0 has gone gold, available for download for Linux or as part of Fervent Software's Studio-to-Go CD, which will run on Windows PCs without installation. Fervent has helped support Rosegarden's accelerated development, and if you […]

A DJ in Rome was fined an incredible EUR 1.4 million for the 2,000 MP3s and 500 digital music videos he was gigging with, reports Macworld UK. (via thedigitalmusicweblog) The Italians don't mess around: a coordinated police effort is hunting down illegal music use, and the DJ's home was raided to prove he didn't own […]

A new audio software collective called plasq has released Musolomo, a free Mac OS X AudioUnit instrument. It's designed for sampling, playing, and manipulating audio from a MIDI keyboard — so you can work from the keyboard instead of staring at your computer screen. That's right, finally your audiences will know you're doing something musical […]

Need proof that digital modeling has arrived? Look no further than Rad Monkey's Digital Cowbells. No, not the electric cowbells with electric pickups. The upcoming VLC800 digital-modeled cowbell with onboard DSP and models of classic cowbells like "Black Beauty, Oregon Trail Model 75, Alma Cogan Model V," and my personal favorite "Chicken Nugget." (via Gina […]

Boing boing (you know, the site where I'm picking fights with Star Trek TNG veterans — more on that soon) gets the scoop on a disco club for toddlers (4 to 6 year olds). The velvet rope is in full force: the installation is at upscale Paris clothing shop Colette (makes Bergdorf look as un-hip […]

Yes, I’m sure I’m late to the party on this one, but I couldn’t resist sharing. What’s better than a personality quiz in Cosmo Magazine? Almost anything. What’s better than a ‘what synth are you?’ quiz? Absolutely nothing. You are a Korg Triton You have multi-sampled preset sounds ranging from opera to bongos and a […]

Wondered what the fuss is about physical modeling? This synthesis technique surfaced years ago, but you're going to be seeing a lot more of it thanks to faster CPUs. Here's a snapshot explanation of what it is and how it came to be. Why you need it: A violin is not a sine wave: Traditional […]

What began as a controversy over leaked information regarding an external audio interface called Asteroid is rapidly becoming a critical legal battle for journalist privilege. Apple now wants access to email records at Nfox.com, the email provider for Jason O'Grady's PowerPage.org, says the Electronic Frontier Foundation. (see also an article from the UK's Inquirer) This […]

Free reverb? Ho-hum. Free reverb that can simulate bizarre acoustic spaces and even make your mix sound like it's underwater? Now you're talking. Dasample Glaceverb (VST Windows) is a Residual Vector Modulation reverb plugin — think physical modeling applied to reverb. With control over every parameter of the space and its materials and 64 presets, […]