[Muzaq] Universal Audio Releases Shadow Hills Compressor Plugin

Universal Audio just released a software emulation plugin of the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor for the UAD-Platforms.

Like the hardware version, the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor plug-in offers selection of three distinct output transformers (Nickel, Iron, and Steel) — taking the signal from “clean” to “colored” and “dirty” — as if selecting from the output stages of three distinct classic analog consoles.

Lemme tell you that just sounds jummy. UAD’s marketing dept. just made 100pts on my scale of 0-100 ;-)

Features

  • Precise emulation of the Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor (licensed by Peter Reardon)
  • Created by the highly trained monkeys at Brainworx, developed for the UAD Powered Plug-Ins platform
  • Separate Optical and Discrete (VCA) dynamics sections for two-stage serial dynamics control
  • Transformer matrix switches between Nickel, Iron, and Steel output transformers — like selecting between 3 distinct vintage console outputs
  • 90Hz sidechain filtering for musical compression of low-frequency program material
  • Large, accurate VU meters provide Optical, Discrete, or Output gain views
  • Custom presets created by Peter Reardon

Price and Availability

The Shadow Hills Compressor is part of the just released UAD-Software v6.3.2. Its pricetag is US$299. You can try-before-buy for 14days…

Ooo Dooh

Check UAD’s cave for more information and special offers…

» Link: Download UAD Powered Plugins
» Link: Shadow Hills Mastering Compressor Plugin

[Muzaq] Universal Audio Teams Up With Bob Katz

Universal Audio just announced they teamed up with world famous mastering engineer Bob Katz (“Mastering Audio – The Art and the Science“) to release the Precision K-Stereo Ambience Recovery Plug-in for the UAD-Platforms.  K-Stereo allows to enhance the stereo depth and the imaging of mixes.

The patented K-Stereo uses

“elements of the Haas effect and other psychoacoustic principles, the plug-in transparently enhances existing ambience and early reflections without adding artificial reverb or changing the ratio of center elements to side elements.”

Features

  • ambience recovery and stereo processing tool, (created and patented by Bob Katz)
  • extracts ambient cues from source material, adding natural depth and width to the stereo field
  • intended for fixing busy or “narrow” mixes at the mastering stage
  • 3-band Ambience Filter EQ for shaping the effect
  • Mid/Side gain controls to adjust the center-to-side balance
  • Left/Right Gain controls for final stereo image balancing and leveling
  • lots of custom user presets created by Bob himself

Price and Availability

K-Stereo is part of the just released UAD-Software v6.3.2. K-Stereo’s pricetag is US$199.

Ooo Dooh

More information to be found at UAD’s lair, check it regularly for special offers. They come more often than you would expect ;-)

» Link: Download UAD Powered Plugins
» Link: Check for UAD’s latest offer of K-Stereo

[MacOS] Codeweavers To Give Away CrossOver For Free On Oct, 31st

Codeweavers do it again. The company behind the commercial version of Wine named CrossOver will be giving away free copies of it again.

On Wednesday October, 31st, everybody can get a free copy of CrossOver with 12mths support.

CrossOver is an emulation layer for MacOS X and Linux. In contrast to virtualization solutions like VMWare, Parallels or VirtualBox, it allows running thousands of Windows applications, tools and games without having to install a legit Windows operating system.

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[Muzaq] Features of Ableton’s Push Controller

Since Ableton’s announcement that the Push controller and Ableton Live 9 are gonna be released in Q1/2013 some videos surfaced on the net explaining how to use Push. Pricetag for Push is $599/€499 including Live Intro.

Although Push looks similar to well known Live controllers like AKAI’s APC series or Novation’s LaunchPad, it features certain details, the other controllers don’t have.

 

Push Features

 

  • powered via USB, brightness gets increased when using the included power supply
  • 2 x footswitch (custom assigned)
  • 64 pads: velocity and pressure-sensitive, RGB backlight
  • 11 touch sensitive encoders
  • 4 line LCD display
  • 12cm touch strip for pitch bend/scrolling
  • 24 LEDs for navigation
  • (it seems it has been designed in cooperation with AKAI)

 

Using Push

1. Playing and Step Sequencing Beats

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[Muzaq] Ableton to Release Live 9 and Push in Q1/2013

 The Berlin based Music software company Ableton AG just announced the most anticipated update of their flagship Live and a hardware device named the Push controller. Both releases are expected to be available in the first quarter of 2013, though Ableton did not officially provide an exact release date as of yet.

According to an interview Gerhard Behles gave the Deutsche Welle in 2010, Ableton sold more than 1 million copies of Live until then.

 

Live 9 Features

  • session automation:  
    automation is now recorded in clips. Automation can be moved between arrangement and session view and vice versa. Edit automation with curves.
  • updated browser:
    sth. many ppl. wanted to see: searching and finding instruments, effects, samples, packs VSTs is now made easier than ever before. Instant search as you type. And sort by various categories.
  • updated and new effects:
    the effects have been reworked. Ableton added an analogue modelled Glue Compressor and a Convolution Reverb (Max4Live), Ableton updated the EQ8 to display a spectrum view and the Compressor to feature Gain Reduction
  • new features:
    audio to MIDI. Melodies and Drums can now be extracted to MIDI. Harmony-to-MIDI extracts notes and chords from audio stems.
  • Max 4 Live:  
    the integration of M4L that has started in 2009 has now been completed. M4L is now part of Ableton Live Suite
  • tons of new sounds

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[Science] Recommendations For Educating Children In The iPhone Era

In his latest book “Raising generation Tech – Preparing your Children for a Media-Fueled World”, Jim Taylor, psychologist explores how nowadays technologies shape the lives of our children.

He argues that many parents as digital immigrants should think twice before they use media technologies to have their children – the digital natives – entertained.

According to Amazon.com “The essential message from Raising Generation Tech is that excessive or unguided exposure to popular culture and technology is not good for children.”

Well, but is that really something the people didn’t know before Dr. Taylors book release? Or the other way round: does Dr. Taylor really expect the entertainment media addicted people who themselves grew up in front of the TVs to read his book to change the way they raise their children?

Taylor’s intention is great and we think many people second his thoughts, but we are rather not entirely convinced by his strategy…

» Amazon.com: “Dr. Jim Taylor (2012): “Raising Generation Tech“…

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