Today's Top Stories:
 The Latest Updates and Upgrades
Native Instruments just released Traktor DJ Studio 3.1, which is a free update for registered Mac and PC users. This version improves several key aspects of the software, adds a number of enhancements and optimizations and fixes several pesky bugs. Traktor DJ Studio makes preparing and executing a digital DJ performance more convenient by adding a comprehensive Undo function for playlists, along with the ability to "lock" them to prevent accidental changes. The user interface has also been further improved and refined. Need speed? The update brings performance improvements of up to 30% under Mac OS X and Mac Intel support will be introduced with a separate update, scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2006.
Next up, Access Music has released a new operating system version for its super hot Virus TI line of synthesizers. Along with bug fixes and refinements in pretty much all areas, this new update also contains additional features: A "Direct Monitoring" mode has been added, allowing for zero latency monitoring while recording a MIDI track, as well as visual "plasma-style" activity indicators for all parts. The best part? OS 1.2.1 is available as a free download for registered users.
Own an Akai EWI4000s Wind Controller? Then you'll want to grab a copy of the new version 2.0 software. Recognized around the world for its expressive performance capabilities, this newest addition to the EWI family incorporates numerous enhancements in design and adds new performance features and MIDI continuous controller (MIDI CC) assignments. The EWI4000s has also been revamped to offer unmatched functionality including expanded Hold, Octave and Pitchbend button capability, plus an electronic valve instrument fingering mode for brass musicians. The EWI4000s version 2.0 software can be downloaded for free from www.akaipro.com.
IK Multimedia has just released updates for its hugely popular Amplitube and Ampeg SVX software. These updates are designed to handle issues concerning installation of AmpliTube 2, particularly when used in the high-end sequencer programs Logic and Digital Performer.
New In Stock At Sweetwater
- Damage Control Solid Metal
- This dual 12AX7 tube distortion pedal is capable of unleashing hot, molten, over-the-top gain. Its flexible controls let you dial in metal tones from every decade from the 1980s to the present and its unique bass-shaping control adjusts the speaker's resonant response for the proper level of chest-thump during tight palm-muted passages, while the Scoop and Treble knobs can precisely sculpt your tone to perfection. Check out the switchable 20dB "Nuclear Boost."
- Korg microX
- The microX is a keyboard controller/synth with 25 full-size keys in a compact package that has a ton of musically useful features inside, like its HI Synthesis system with 64MB of ROM data, 640 programs, 384 combinations, USB connectivity, dual polyphonic arpeggiators, and superb studio-quality effects.
- Epiphone Flying Vee Wee Rave Rig
- Got a youngster who's dreaming of being a rack star some day? Get him or her started right with the Epiphone Flying Vee Wee Rave Rig. It comes complete with a mini Flying-Vee in the ever-popular ebony finish, along with a full-size neck width and humbucking pickup and chrome hardware. The Rig also includes a battery-operated (9v) Mini-Tweed amplifier, a gig bag with amp pocket, strap, cord and picks. Come to think of it, this would make a great instrument to take with you on vacation or even a business trip!
Guitar Of The Day
Seems like just yesterday that we were telling you about this really unusual (in a good way) acoustic-electric guitar, the Parker P8E. Now we actually have three that just arrived today in stock! On first glance, you might actually think it's some sort of renaissance instrument, the body design is so stunning. Of course, by now we all know that Ken Parker doesn't design guitars that anyone would call average. He doesn't follow the latest trends, but rather designs instruments that not only sound glorious, but are also works of art. We can pretty much guarantee that the P8E will get you noticed when you whip it from its case - just one look at the photos in our Guitar Gallery proves that point.
The P8E starts with a solid Canadian cedar top for a big, well-balanced sound, along with real rosewood binding. The back and sides are striking, as they are made from beautifully figured flame maple. The 3-piece neck is constructed of choice Indonesian rosewood with an African ebony fingerboard and a sound hole rosette that's inlaid with real Mexican abalone. But aside from its good looks, the P8E comes with an onboard Fishman Acoustic Matrix pickup system that delivers authentic acoustic sound when amplified. But Parker wasn't finished, so he added an additional Fishman noise-canceling neck pickup, so you can go from shimmering acoiustic to flat-out old school blues in a second. Includes a deluxe plush-lined hardshell case.
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| Rank |
While "rank" has several meanings in the "real world," such as defining the level a person might attain in the armed services (sergeant, major, and so forth), in the world of music it refers to the number of pipe groups in a pipe organ or the sets of strings in a harpsichord.
For example, the famous Westminster Cathedral organ (c.950) had a compass of 40 notes with ten ranks of pipes. The organ was so huge that it required two people to play it and no less than 70 strong men to work the 26 bellows. Smaller organs might have as few as two or four ranks. Each rank would typically include groups of pipes designed to produce a distinctive sound, not too different from our modern preset banks on a synth if you think about it. Ranks might include "stops" that would produce flue (not flute) or reed tones with such descriptive (and sometime whimsical) names as "Viola da Gamba," "Gemshorn," "Cornet," and "Trompette."
On a harpsichord, "ranks" indicate sets of strings, so that a small instrument might have just one rank of strings pitched at 8' while a double rank harpsichord would have two ranks (or sets), usually voiced at 4' and 8'.
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| Copying the Contents of an Internal Hard Drive to a New Internal Hard Drive with Tiger |
Apple's OS X 10.4 "Tiger" has this really amazing feature. If you're like us, eventually you'll find that your internal hard drive, which at one point had acres of free space, is suddenly nearly full. Some applications like iMovie refuse to carry out certain commands (like adding effects to a video clip) unless the clip resides on the same drive as the application. Now that hard drives are amazingly affordable, go out and grab yourself a 200- or even a 300-gig drive (and don't pinch pennies here).
For older Macs like PowerMac G3s and G4s you must use IDE drives, while the newer G5s accept Serial ATA drives. When you go to format your huge new internal drive with OS X 10.4 "Tiger" (the current version as of 7/21/06 is 10.4.7), you'll be asked if you want to transfer all the contents of another drive at the same time you're formatting. Click on OK and you're just minutes away from having a spacious new home for all your applications, files, folders, plug-ins, photos, MP3s, and all the other stuff that eats up hard drive space fast.
Note that some applications (Native Instruments Kontakt 2.1 for example) will require you to reinstall and reauthorize the software, but otherwise you're good to go.
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