Digital Music Reviews

Evolution Series, an Australian sample library developer, has created what Best Service describe as "the next generation World Percussion virtual instrument offering unprecedented sound quality and endless creativity". evolutionseries.jpg World Percussion is all about creating beautifully engineered and completely unique virtual instruments for the most discerning film, TV, game composers and producers. It is a powerful and easy-to-use sample library using state-of-the-art equipment, a world-class scoring stage, and a treasure trove of beautiful instruments. As a goliath 220 gigabyte library, it features sounds from Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and South America. It also offers up to 7 user controllable microphone positions, both stereo and true 5.0 surround sound, extensive array of velocities and round robin, and hundreds of unique MIDI grooves. Aside from both tuned and untuned percussion, the library helps to fuel composers' creativity through the World Inspire ...

Longcat Audio Technologies has updated H3D , their 3D audio binaural plugin for Digital Audio Workstations, to version 1.1.1 on Windows and MacOS. This update adds AudioUnit support on MacOS, and fixes general stability issues for both platforms. Aimed at musicians, sound designers or podcasts producers, Longcat’s H3D inserts in major audio software (such as Logic Pro, Digital Performer, Cubase, Live, Pyramix, Nuendo or Reaper), and allows the user to create immersive 3D mixes for headphones, by visually animating a large number of audio tracks in a full-3D interface. 3D object-based mixing: use the 3D interface to visually place and animate sounds. Longcat Audio H3D technology: when listening on headphones, H3D allows panning sound in 3D all around the listener’s head. Unique HRTF processing: H3D uses Longcat own processed HRTF filters in order to achieve the best spatialization effects. H3D Reverb included: immerse your tracks with H3D Reverb, Longcat’s 3D spatialized binaural re...

After The Trumpet and The Sax Brothers, Samplemodeling, namely Dr. Giorgio Tommasini and Peter Siedlaczek, has announced that The Trombone is now shipping. This Kontakt 4 Player-based instrument can be directly purchased and downloaded from the company website now for €149. The TromboneThe Trombone package includes several instruments belonging to the same family: Two Tenor trombones characterized by slightly different timbre, timing, vibrato & portamento behaviour, suitable for ensemble playing. One Valve trombone. One Bass trombone, based on completely independent samples. The playing range corresponds to that of a top professional player, which is E1 – F4 (Tenor & Valve), and Bb-1 – Bb3 (Bass), respectively. Each trombone may be played with several mutes, including Straight, Bucket, Cup, Harmon (with or without stem). A virtually moving plunger is also available for wah-wah effects. The Trombone family expands Samplemodeling technologies beyond the original limits. Multi-mic...

Camel Audio has released two new Alchemy Soundbanks - Luftrum: Ambient and Cameleon: Remixed. Like all Alchemy Soundbanks, each bank is a standalone instrument in its own right, as it comes with a complementary copy of the new Alchemy Player, and costs $59 / €49 / £39. Luftrum: Ambient is "a journey between worlds, from summer afternoons to the icy depths of space". With dense washes of warm, shimmering pads and soundscapes, gentle guitar and piano arpeggios, music boxes, delicate, and ethereal sound effects that "totter between beauty and despair", this is a particularly inspiring collection for the ambient musician, film, TV or game soundtrack composer. Its darker elements include chilling machine sounds, disturbing alien atmospheres, the voices of haunted children, water droplets, plus a sprinkling of the avant-garde. This library contains 150 presets and incorporates a 127 MB sample library full of "fascinating details covering interior and exterior atmosph...

Tekky Synths has announced the release of THriCe, a new 3-oscillator synthesizer VST instrument plug-in for Windows. The full version costs €30 but a free version is also available - the only restriction is the missing filter modulation by the 3 StepSeq LFOs. THriCeFeatures: 3 Oscillators: Waveforms: Saw, Sawx2, Square, Ramp, THriCe OSC. Waveforms: Sine, Saw, Triangle, Square, THriCe OSC. Waveforms: Saw, Sawx2, Square, Ramp, Detuned OSC. THriCe OSCillator is a dedicated FM OSC. Detuned is a Unison OSC. Each OSC has its own individual StepSeq LFO filter modulation. One multiband filter block per OSC plus a moog-like main filter. A main LFO to give more life to patches. Velocity gater with adjustable timing and random sequence creation. Internal sequencer with adjustable sequence length, speed, scale and random feature. Three more random options for patch creation. Filter, Filter Seq or Full synth. A main complete FX section with random features.

Line 6 has announced the release of the POD Farm 2 and POD Farm 2 Platinum software plug-ins. The pair of AU/RTAS/VST plug-ins build upon the foundations set by their predecessors to deliver "extensive model counts, a simple yet powerful workflow and world-renowned POD tone for any digital audio workstation". "The new plug-ins offer extensive updates and functionality that recording guitarists have been asking for," remarked Mike Murphy, Category Manager for POD and PC Products at Line 6. "Enhanced routing with flexible DSP, POD Farm Elements, and full MIDI support provide an experience that's both powerful and intuitive." The enhanced routing with flexible DSP (digital signal processing) inspires creativity and allows for a broad range of tones. Users can build Dual Tones, which are dual signal chains that can be played separately or simultaneously. Dual Tones can include up to twenty effect models of any type placed in any order within the signal ch...

Korg has announced the microSTATION, described as a Micro Synthesizer with Sequencer. Designed to satisfy the beginning musician or the accomplished keyboardist, the microSTATION offers portability, the sound of Korg's EDS-i synth engine, effects, plus new and easy-to-use sequencing tools. Audition riffs make finding just the right sound a breeze. Features: Lightweight, compact, and equipped with 61 mini-keys, the microSTATION travels easily and fits into any home, stage, or studio workspace. EDS-i (Enhanced Definition Synthesis-integrated) sound engine delivers high-quality sound in the tradition of KORG's flagship synthesizers. Enjoy 480 ready-to-use sounds - including keyboard sounds, synth sounds, drums, leads, basses, etc. Tweak, edit, create and save up to 512 sound Programs. 256 dynamic Combinations place different sounds on different areas of the keyboard, or layer multiple sounds together for exciting performances - right out of the box. Find the right sound fast with ...