Electri6ity by Vir2

Nov 1 2010 5:42PM
The Performance pane (top) lets you go nuts editing guitar characteristics. The Mixer (bottom) can load tons ofeffects, and lets you create up to 64 channels, including surround.I once gave a seminar in Nashville on synth More...

MOTU Ethno Instrument 2

Dec 1 2010 1:00AM
Like all good sequels, Ethno Instrument 2 promises more of everything that made the original (reviewed Sept. ’07) a hit. For their follow-up, MOTU took an already feature-packed instrument and improved on the overall More...

Audiobro LA Scoring Strings

Nov 1 2010 5:46PM
Audiobro is a relative newcomer, but their first product, L.A. Scoring Strings, is an impressive, professional library that raises the bar in several key areas. Billed as “five libraries in one,” LASS (for short) was recorded More...

EastWest Quantum Leap Hollywood Strings

Nov 1 2010 1:00AM
EastWest and Quantum Leap have a celebrated history of producing not only some of the finest sample libraries on the market, but ones that redefine what we can expect from sampled instruments. Their Symphonic Orchestra was the More...

Propellerhead Reason 5 And Record 15 Duo

Oct 1 2010 1:00AM
In a world overflowing with great music software, some key factors set Reason apart. First, Propellerhead has always paid close attention to user interface design. As complex as Reason is by now, it’s remarkably easy to use. More...

New Features in Steinberg Cubase 55

Sep 15 2010 12:00AM
Steinberg guru Greg Ondo dropped in on editor Stephen Fortner recently to demo the new features in HALion Sonic, Nuendo 5, and, in the videos below, Cubase 5.5. Central are VST Expression, which lets you manage and see More...

Toontrack Beatstation

Sep 1 2010 1:00AM
Of all the virtual drum instruments out there, Beatstation carves out its own niche by seeking the sweet spot between ease of use and depth. How easy is it? I figured out 95% of the program without a manual. How deep? Keep More...

New Gear August 2010

Aug 1 2010 1:00AM
YAMAHA PIAGGERO NP-V60 AND NP-V80 Concept: Digital pianos to go with built-in speakers and arranger functions. Big deal: Each weighs under 16 pounds. Both have 76 semi-weighted, graded keys, a multilayer stereo piano More...

FXpansion BFD Eco

Jul 1 2010 1:00AM
FXpansion has gone from basically one guy making cool little plug-ins to a company with acclaimed software instruments such as Guru, DCAM: Synth Squad (reviewed Nov. ’09), and the BFD2 drum module. Actually, drum workstation is More...

Native Instruments Alicia39s Keys

Jun 1 2010 1:00AM
The sound of Alicia Keys’ piano, which is by turns lush and assertive, is all over her hit records. Working closely with renowned keyboard soundware developer Thomas Skarbye (better known as Scarbee), not to mention Alicia More...

Acoustica Mixcraft 5 Should I Buy 15 Mocha Lattes or a Cool DAW

May 1 2010 1:00AM
You can see the video track behind the top of the resizeable video window. The Details section can be docked and undocked. Choose between piano roll and notation views here. Choose between piano-roll and notation More...

U-HE ACE Monster Analog Sound from a Soft Synth

May 1 2010 1:00AM
HANDS-ON Tuning, glide, pitchbend depth, and other global parameters are here.The dual LFOs go into the audio range, and can be used as extra oscillators.Oscillator 2 can be soft-synced or cross-modulated.The mixer has three More...

PureMagnetik Sounds by Subscription

May 1 2010 1:00AM
Puremagnetik has staked out some really cool territory in downloadable soundware. Initially they focused exclusively on Ableton Live, but newer releases over the past year or so add versions compatible with Native More...

Image-Line FL Studio 9 Creative Jump-Starter Like No Other

Apr 1 2010 1:00AM
It’s a strange thing that the word “toy” has come to have negative connotations in music tech. Apparently, we want our music tools to be big and powerful, like a chainsaw, ideally emitting manly gasoline fumes. But when we More...

Spectrasonics Trilian How Low Can You Go

Mar 1 2010 1:00AM
Every recording needs bass. Well, maybe not flute duets, but everything else. So every virtual studio needs a soft synth that delivers strong bass. Spectrasonics Trilogy, released in 2002, provided great sampled acoustic and More...

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