Gearwire Gear Insider

The perennially entertaining McDSP has gotten their stuff together all in one package -- the Emerald Pack 3.0. Featuring three new plugins (a de-esser, a lo-fi distortion and a hi-res filter), this bundle of joy will make any producer happy.  

Opulent Audio bLO-FIsh attempts to sound like an 8-bit chip while still offering the same filter and modulation sounds of a traditional synthesizer. It also attempts to squeeze an awkward, utterly nonsensical pun into it's name, with less success.  

de la Mancha releases sfilter, adding more and more plugins to their catalog at a rapid pace. It's adept at making gating, sweeps or rhythmic modulation of filter cut-off with an LFO for further modulations.  

****Gearwire PSA Dispatch****
You know those innocuous-seeming auto-updates from Apple, the ones that only affect the third number in the OS version tag? You might want to think twice before automatically saying yes to whatever almighty Jobs suggests. The latest release apparently includes a feature that makes your audio no-workie.  

The new Holophone PortaMic 5.1 (no relation to the PortaStudio) is designed to capture instant surround sound for any digital camcorder. Just picture how jealous the other kids' dads will be when you whip out this otherworldly-looking thing and mount it to your HDDV Handycam.  

If you're trying to capture the perfect musical mood for that suspenseful scene in your film, Ueberschall is here to help with ScoreFX. This soundbank is a useful tool for anyone scoring anything from film to video game music.  

There's nothing really new to report about the Dave Smith Instruments Prophet 08 Synthesizer Module except that it's now shipping. Isn't that news enough?  

J. Irving-Giles ordered up a free sample of Big Bends Nut Sauce to see if it can back up the claims that it eases friction to keep your guitar in tune longer. Does Nut Sauce deliver?  

Tech Producer DSP is growing larger with the release of XPander packs left and right. Cluster Sound Vocal Defrag is the latest, offering a range of vocal lines manipulated into instrumentation.  

Algorithmix releases K-Stereo, a plugin that they refer to as an ambience recovery processor. It's methods rely on a psychoacoustical process that renowned mastering engineer Bob Katz developed and patented.  

Dobro fans and players have a reason to be delighted as the Fishman Jerry Douglas Aura Imaging pedal is set to officially debut at Summer NAMM 2008. The pedal, created in conjunction with dobro master Jerry Douglas, brings Aura Imaging specifically to resophonic guitars.  

We found some instrumental oddities walking around Chicago's annual Looptopia festival including Jenna Caravello's creation, the Celloharp. Jenna talks about the challenges of building an instrument with nothing to go by but imagination.  

Native Instruments GUITAR RIG has long been one of the more popular amp modeling programs available. GUITAR RIG SESSION expands upon that popularity, bringing together a bundle of essential programs for creating and recording entire tracks by yourself.  

With tuition prices rising faster than a very surprised man's eyebrows, you might have to take out student loans to attend Fender University -- a four day session with a number of perks that can coax a guitar enthusiast's wallet right out of his or her pants.  

Digidesign is so excited about their new groove creation instrument, Transfuser, that they've pre-released it. Pro Tools users can sample it free for three months if they so desire to grooves.  

We found something very interesting on YouTube that we thought we'd share. Heita, a musician from Japan, makes instruments out of vegetables and plays tunes with them. It's super radishcal.  

The rumor mill has been churning since Moog posted a video on their website featuring spooky music and jumpy images of what seemed to be a guitar with the Moog logo inlaid at the 12th fret. Lucky for us, seven days passed after our viewing and we didn't get a phone call from a wrathful demon child. Also lucky for us, a month later we've stumbled upon (we think) a photo of the Moog Guitar's first public appearance, at the Moog-sponsored Ethermusic Festival 2008.  

When the anti-punk known as Elvis Costello came to fame in the late 70s, his Fender Jazzmaster was nearly always at his side. In fact, he's been with the guitar longer than he's been with most of his bandmates! C'mon, Fender, how 'bout a Bruce Thomas Signature P-Bass?  

Like the 1989 "Peaceful Revolution" which was started in the town that lends the Leipzig it's moniker, the new monophonic synth module from Analogue Solutions has goals of reunification, namely, the reunification of your MIDI setup with fat, analogue bass and leads.  

Ableton has been hard at work on the Orchestral Instrument Collection. Now that gathering top quality players to play their orchestral instruments from natural positions has been recorded, Ableton is sharing their hard work with the public.  

As many pro audio companies ship their productions overseas, they create not only controversy, but opportunity for those brands that still manufacture their products right here in the good ole US of A. Carvin touts that their products are "made with pride" in California and not envy, sloth, wrath or gluttony like in SOME countries.  

Only a select few have passed the Epiradiateur test. Do Vicoustic Wave Wood panels have what it takes to balance a room's sound and receive the highest honor a piece of wood can receive when it comes to fire safety -- the coveted M1 fire rating?  

If you've quested for great piano sound for your home studio recordings, chances are, you've tried sampling some Steinway sound. Garritan Authorized Steinway Virtual Concert Grand is announced as the first set to receive Steinway's nod of approval  

Turbosound introduces a pretty neat concept with their first line array system, the Flex Array. It also works in point-source configuration thanks to some smart developments.  

Anyone who has ever been to a Monster Truck Rally can't deny that watching trucks crush things under-tire is one of the subtle joys that makes life swell. Unfortunately, the durable PreSonus AudioBox USB cares not for subtle joys.  

While we didn't have any problems using the PreSonus FaderPort with Logic 8 for our demo video a while back, PreSonus has only just announced that their full native Logic driver is available. I guess Bill's just that good.  

Bela D Media announces the release of their DSynth | Shadows of Luminosity. It is a tool for KONTAKT that combines some unique state-of-the-art sounds with the tools you need to twist the included sounds into whatever you can imagine.  

Peace Love Productions proudly presents Electro Rock, a loop collection combining live drums and electric guitar with your favorite electronic elements. It looks like it's time for me to head up to the attic and dust off my old glow sticks AND my giant foam rock horns hand.  

Hosa's decided to beef up it's pro-audio racket with a little help from "back home." As the US distributor for Da-Cappo Microphones, Hosa has announced the arrival of three new miniature microphones you can use to bug -- uh, mic just about anything!  

If you've ever gotten a regrettable tattoo while drunk or put a Korn sticker on your guitar because you thought they were awesome when you were in junior high, you know that permanent artwork may not be the best idea. Luna's Neo YourSpace guitar allows you to put artwork beneath a clear pickguard so that it looks clean and can be interchanged at the turn of a screw.