NAMM was host to a bevy of new virtual orchestra products. Here's a quick summary: Garritan Personal Orchestra (Windows/Mac) now comes in three versions adding more sounds and articulations: the Second Edition update adds various enhancements and patch additions, while a new Advanced (US$499) version includes more instruments and articulations like harmonics and a Lite […]

Project 5 hasn't always gotten the credit it deserves as a pattern-based synth workstation, despite some celebrity endorsements from Grammy nominees Joey P. and Rambro Ramsey to South Park's D.A. Young. Version 2.0 could change all that, with an interface overhaul and lots of new features, including: Streamlined user interface: Some were confused by version […]

Italy makes great coffee. Modena-based IK Multimedia has been drinking lots and lots of that great coffee, judging by their NAMM lineup. Studiophonik – Virtual Band: Computer music has been the domain of electronica lovers for a long time, but an entirely new product from IK aims to give you a full band. This uber-plugin […]

Native Instruments' sampler Kontakt just got a whole lot deeper — maybe not revolutionary in a "redefining a sampler" sort of way so much as more profoundly sophisticated in that "how advanced can this get?" way. Here are the new features that get my attention, listed in the order in which I think they're significant […]

Sure, you could read dry press releases on other sites (I'm working through my stack and will be posting through the weekend), but CDM correspondent Lee Sherman has been prowling the NAMM show floor for some insider info. (Thanks, Lee!) -PK Overheard at Nord: A Nord employee with a decidedly Swedish accent confirms that the […]

Mackie's Tracktion is a newcomer to the Audio/MIDI multitrack DAW scene, but its one-window interface and powerful features have earned it a lot of respect — especially when it comes free with some interfaces and cost well under $100. Tracktion 2 is here now and sweetens the deal without sacrificing the elegance of the interface: […]

VJ Fader, creator of Max/MSP/Jitter-powered Neuromixer (an excellent video mixer with lots of support for controllers), now introduces a first: VDrum is a step sequencer not only for audio, but video, too. The first version was released today with the following features: Sequence AV clips using on/off switches, via numeric pad or MIDI input Record […]

Ripe for circuit bending or just running through brutal effects, it's the new Beat Blenders toys: US$15 groove boxes for "ages 8 and up." Typical ad copy: Kick those guitar lessons to the curb! Just grab this mixer and jam! The guitar riffs will rock, bass lines will thud, drums will rumble and walls will […]

Our friends at IK Multimedia are now shipping SonikSynth 2, their comprehensive sampled-synthesis instrument based on the SampleTank engine. The full version includes 8 GB(!) of sampled vintage and modern instruments, for 5,000 sounds of everything from Arps and Moogs to acoustic guitars and vocal textures. Good news if your budget or hard drive is […]

Open source Linux drum machine Hydrogen has made its way to Mac OS X; Johnathan Dempsey has created binaries for easy installation (10.3 required). Hydrogen is still in development, but this is worth trying, and you can bet you'll see many more Linux audio tools on the Mac. Install Jack first if you haven't already, […]