Indy Summertime: Summer NAMM 2005

Aug 11, 2005 6:34 PM, by Geary Yelton

           

SOFTWARE and SOUNDWARE

Summer NAMM is seldom a showcase for software introductions, and the pickings were slimmer than usual this year. Nonetheless, some pretty significant products were announced. Cakewalk has upgraded both versions of Home Studio and made them part of its Sonar product line. Sonar Home Studio 4 (Win, $149) and Sonar Home Studio XL (Win, $229) add so many new features that they might compete with high-end sequencers at a fraction of the cost. Each features 64 audio tracks and unlimited MIDI tracks; 24-bit, 192 kHz audio support; track presets for easy setup; enhanced looping tools; CD burning; and a large collection of Acid loops. The XL version adds Reverb XL, two PowerFX content CDs, and three new virtual instruments.

After years of effort, Sonic Implants has finished its Complete Symphonic Collection ($2,995), exclusively for Tascam GigaStudio 3 (Win). It encompasses all four volumes in the series: Symphonic Strings Collection, Brass Collection, Woodwinds Collection, and Percussion Collection. Featuring recordings of instruments played by members of the Boston Pops and Ballet orchestras, the sample library makes good use of GigaStudio's Dynamic Expression and Portamento Reshaping filters to enhance realism. The collection also includes GigaPulse impulse responses created by Larry Seyer.

Native Instruments was demonstrating an early version of Akoustik Piano (Mac/Win, $349, scheduled for September release). This virtual instrument furnishes samples from four pianos-a Steinway D, a Bechstein D 280, a Bösendorfer 290 Imperial, and a Steingraeber Model 130 upright-as well as four sampled rooms, 3-band EQ, a metronome, a MIDI player, and a MIDI recorder. Equally impressive was Kontakt Experience (Mac/Win, $119, shipping soon), a collection of 128 instruments that take advantage of features found only in Kontakt 2. Over 900 MB of samples fuel instruments ranging from vocalized timbres to loops and arpeggios. Also included are ten new modules for Kontakt Script Processor (KSP).

M-Audio has begun distributing TimewARP 2600 ($249), a software emulation of the classic ARP 2600 analog synthesizer. It now runs standalone and supports VST and Audio Units plug-in formats in addition to RTAS. M-Audio also introduced three new families of ProSessions soundware, all of which are now available. ProSessions Premium Instruments ($99 each), created in collaboration with Sonic Reality and Sonic Implants, are a series of five multi-format collections that currently include grand piano, acoustic guitar, vintage keyboards, electric pianos, and studio drums. ProSessions 24 ($49 each) are 24-bit sample discs produced with the cooperation of recording artists, beginning with three new volumes. ProSessions Producer discs feature samples taken from Sonic Implants' Giga libraries and formatted for EXS24, HALion, Kontakt, MachFive, and Reason. In addition to Orchestral Brass and Orchestral Strings ($119 each), the current titles are Heavy Guitars, Afro-Cuban Percussion, and Electric Bass Vol. 1-Rock ($99 each).

Software developer IK Multimedia is still hard at work on programs it announced at Winter NAMM. Slated for imminent release is Miroslav Philharmonic ($599, $299 for SampleTank 2 users), derived from what was once the most expensive orchestral sample library you could buy. Based on SampleTank 2's architecture, this plug-in combines the 16-bit Miroslav Orchestral and Choir collections into a 7 GB virtual instrument that supports Audio Units, DXi, RTAS, and VST formats.

Peterson, longtime maker of strobe tuners for stage and studio, is now making StroboSoft, a virtual tuner for Windows. It comes in two versions: Standard ($49), with accuracy to 1/10 of a cent, and Deluxe ($79), with additional features such as programmable user presets, an oscilloscope, and a spectrum analyzer. A Mac version should be shipping soon.

Sony was showing its Oxford plug-ins for Digidesign Pro Tools and TC Electronics PowerCore. The newest is Oxford Limiter (Mac/Win, $295, available now) in TDM and RTAS formats. It offers variable-depth noise shaping, an Enhance control to maximize punch, five selectable types of 16- and 24-bit dithering, and full metering functions.

The Garritan booth stayed quite busy throughout the show, with ongoing demonstrations of current and forthcoming products. Garritan Personal Orchestra (GPO) was running on a Muse Research Receptor, but the big news was that Make Music is bundling GPO with Finale 2006 (Mac/Win, $600; upgrades available). Plans are also underway for bundling GPO with other music notation programs. Jazz and Big Band Collection ($259), first announced at Winter NAMM, is expected to be the next Garritan product ready for prime time. Tascam announced Nomad Factory Essential Studio Suite (Mac/Win), a collection of nine plug-ins that support Audio Units, HTDM, RTAS, and VST. Essential Channel, Essential Graphic EQ, Loudness Maximizer, Multiband Loudness Maximizer, Essential Compressor, Multiband Compressor, Essential Gate/Expander, Tube/Tape Warmer, and Retrovox are all included.

The MasterWriter booth was also a busy one, with Barry DeVorzon doing continual demonstrations of his program MasterWriter (Mac/Win, $289). Although he didn't make any official announcements, he did mention in conversation that a future version would be full of features designed to enhance creative writing and would target journalists as well as songwriters.