Reaktor 5

The next generation of the award-winning modular sound design studio that fuses synthesis, sampling and effects. With a massive instrument library, powerful new routing options, vastly expanded panel design options, a revised user interface and a host of other improvements, the new version of REAKTOR is more than ever an unlimited creative resource for musicians and producers as well as a an open-ended tool for forward-thinking instrument designers.

                
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Reaktor 5 Features:

The REAKTOR Core Technology introduced in REAKTOR 5 has been
over three years in the making, and opens up a whole world of innovative sound generators, effects, and more. As a completely new functionality layer that is seamlessly integrated into the REAKTOR
architecture, Core Technology now enables true low-level signal processing design, and allows for an unlimited range of custom modules including oscillators, filters, EQs, delays and more.

The REAKTOR Core layer offers up to 64 bit internal resolution for pristine audio quality, and incorporates a run-time compiler for increased efficiency. While offering vast potential as a visual lowlevel
programming environment for professional instrument design and education, REAKTOR Core Technology also gives musicians and producers access to a vast selection of advanced and highly inventive
ready-made sound generators, sequencers and effects.

Instruments in REAKTOR 5 now also come with their own charismatic custom user interface, thanks to extensive new panel customizing options. All panel elements in the new version of
REAKTOR are completely ìskinnableî, which includes faders, knobs, buttons, and even meters. A new ìMacro Stackî also allows for tabbed panel interfaces, which results in highly functional instrument panels with a smaller footprint. Thanks to extended display functionality in REAKTOR 5, a vast range of sophisticated
new sequencer designs are possible, even including full-featured piano-roll sequencers.

REAKTOR 5 itself offers a carefully redesigned user interface with numerous usability improvements, including a reworked browser, toolbar and instrument headers. It also introduces configurable
Panel Setsî to optimize workflow, and an improved window system that makes navigation more convenient.

Recommended System Requirements:

Windows XP, Pentium 1 GHz/Athlon XP 1.33 GHz, 512 MB RAM
Mac OS X 10.2.6, G4 1 GHz, 512 MB RAM

Logic Pro 7

Logic Pro 7 features new instruments and effects, state-of-the-art loop composition tools as well as optimizations for the PowerPC G5 processor and Mac OS X, forming a highly productive system that will change the way you compose, record, edit and mix music in any studio environment. The latest version provides near unlimited processing resources through the simple addition of Macintosh computers.

             
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Unleashing the Next Wave

Logic Pro 7 features new instruments and effects, state-of-the-art loop composition tools as well as optimizations for the PowerPC G5 processor and Mac OS X, forming a highly productive system that will change the way you compose, record, edit and mix music in any studio environment. The latest version provides near unlimited processing resources through the simple addition of Macintosh computers.
Tap Into Greater Power

The new distributed audio processing feature in Logic Pro 7 offers a plug-and-play solution that provides the ability to tap networked computers for more DSP processing power. Simply add one or more Macintosh systems via Ethernet to your Logic Pro 7 system. The result is an audio and music production system with processing power that was previously unimaginable — up to 128 stereo streams.
Sculpture and UltraBeat
Dynamic Creation

Innovative software instruments solidify the program's outstanding sound generation capabilities — in the studio and on stage. These new options expand the already comprehensive array of instruments available, broadening the sonic potential of your Macintosh. Simulate any sound with breathtakingly natural timbre in Sculpture, a component modeling synthesizer. Create hypnotic rhythms using Ultrabeat, a beatbox with 25 voices and virtually unlimited parameter adjustment. Low-latency MIDI processing provides control over external sound devices, software instruments and effects.
Infinite Loops

Apple Loops browsing and editing enable you to time stretch and pitch shift audio files in real time. Apple Loops let you work more efficiently and provide better workflow than conventional file formats. When you insert Apple Loops in software instrument format onto a software instrument track, Logic imports them as MIDI sequences with the originating instrument and effect settings intact. This allows you to change pitch, instrumentation or effects — something you could only dream of with standard audio loops technology. Logic also uses this functionality when you import GarageBand compositions, preserving every detail as you migrate the sessions for editing and producing in a truly professional environment.
Stellar Performance

Logic Pro 7 turns the Macintosh into a digital audio workstation that meets the highest demands for audio quality. It supports audio at 16- and 24-bit resolution and sample rates of up to 192kHz for both audio recording and playback of internal software instruments. Logic Pro 7 offers nine new effect plug-ins, including Guitar Amp Pro, for amp modeling. 32-bit floating-point mathematics provides enormous headroom for internal processing, making it nearly impossible to overload the signal — even during mixdown to 16-bit audio for CD release. In other words, Logic Pro 7 delivers excellence.

Recommended System Requirements:

Macintosh computer with PowerPC G4 or faster processor (G5 or dual G4 processors recommended)
PowerPC G5 and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity for Logic Node applications
Mac OS X v10.3 or later
512 MB of RAM
DVD drive for software installation
Available USB port for XSKey (copy protection)
Low-latency multi-I/O audio hardware and MIDI interface recommended
4GB of available hard drive space

Reason 3.0

Making music should be as easy as powering up a computer, loading up a powerful piece of music software, and getting down to business. And it is. Reason 3.0 is a virtual studio rack with all the tools and instruments you need to turn your ideas into music. And it's more than just a set of excellent synths and effects. It's a complete music system. Step into the age of Reason..

                                      
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Reason 3 Features:

As a Reason user, you can forget about the downsides of music production. Forget malfunctioning modules and confusing connections. Reason's cables don't tangle. Forget about tiny backlit displays and steep learning curves. Reason is so direct you'll learn it in minutes. And forget the tedious process of gathering all the different disks and sound banks needed to load up a song. With Reason, picking up where you left off ??? be it last night or last month ??? is as simple as turning the power on. When you save your music, your whole studio setup is stored along with it. You can even include your samples, loops and drum kits in the Reason file, for easy web publishing or email collaboration with other Reason users. For once, total recall is truly total.

And so is the sound. The audio quality is everything you would expect from Propellerhead Software. But pristine sound quality is only half the story; the instruments and effects in Reason are loaded with character and attitude. Although easy to learn and a breeze to use, Reason is an extremely flexible system that's as complex and advanced as you make it. And with sophisticated tools such as the MClass mastering suite, or the Combinator, which lets you build new instruments and effects by combining and layering Reason devices, Reason will not just impress, but inspire you.

Each unit in Reason's virtual rack is edited from its own on-screen front panel. All the sliders, knobs, buttons and functions are right in front of you, ready to be tweaked, turned and twisted in absolute real-time. And all your front panel actions ??? filter adjustments, pitch bending, gain riding or panning ??? can be recorded and automated in the Reason sequencer.

A single keypress will turn Reason's rack around, and there you are, in patch cord heaven. Most audio connections are made automatically. When a new device is created, it appears immediately below the currently selected device, and Reason patches it into the system in the most logical way. Repatch by dragging the patch cord plug to the desired connector, or just make a pop-up menu choice. Most devices have one or more parameters controlled by Gate and/or CV. And all instrument devices have several Gate or CV output options. Combine this with easy, transparent patching, and you have connection power approaching that of a fully modular synth.

Recommended System Requirements:

Windows:
Intel Pentium III 300 MHz or better
256 MB RAM
2 GB free hard disk space
CD-ROM drive
Windows XP/2000 or later
256 color monitor / 800x600 pixels resolution or better
16-bit windows compatible audio card, preferably with DirectX or ASIO drivers
MIDI Interface and MIDI keyboard recommended

Mac OS:
OS G3, G4 or G5 processor, sufficiently fast to run Mac OS X 10.2
256 MB RAM
2 GB free hard disk space
CD-ROM drive
Mac OS X 10.2 or later
256 color monitor / 800x600 resolution or better
MIDI Interface and MIDI keyboard recommended

Ableton Live 6

Ableton Live 6 is the revolutionary music production software that allows you to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise and edit your musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment. Winner of countless industry awards, Live integrates loop-based and linear production methodologies—including unique virtual instruments and effects—together in a single interface for unparalleled creative freedom. New features in Live 6 include Movie Import, Deep Freeze editing technology, multicore/multiprocessor support, new and improved Ableton Devices, project management tools, and a comprehensive collection of instruments sampled at supreme fidelity.

                
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Ableton Live 6 Features:

What's New in Ableton Live 6:

Multicore and Multiprocessor Support: Today's new Macs, and many new PCs, have processors with multiple "cores," providing, in effect, several processors in one chip. In addition, some machines, including older PowerPC Macs and PCs, have multiple processors. Live 6's audio engine takes advantage of these architectures by distributing the computation load from virtual instruments and effects among the multiple cores/processors, resulting in faster, more responsive performance and easier handling of large projects.

Movie Import: Movie import is one of the most frequently requested features—particularly by film and commercial composers. Live 6's new drag-and-drop movie import makes it easier than ever to improvise, compose and warp music to picture. Use Live's spontaneous workflow to launch sound effects on the fly, align musical cues using warp markers and much more.

Like WAV or MP3 files, QuickTime movie files can be dragged from the Live Browser into the Arrangement, where they show up as clips. A video window displays the clip's video, which can also be shown full screen on a second monitor. You can trim the video clip to select parts of it and use Warp Markers to visually align the music in the Arrangement with the video. The clip displays the location markers imported with the movie file to help match the music to key frames. Movie clips play their original audio just like any audio clip in Live, allowing it to be processed using effects, routing, warping and more.

Essential Instrument Collection: The boxed version of Live 6 ships with a multi-gigabyte library of meticulously sampled and selected instruments from the SONiVOX (formerly Sonic Implants) premium collections. The Essential Instrument Collection provides a choice selection of acoustic and electric pianos, orchestral strings, brass, woodwinds, plucked strings, and mallets. Using Ableton's Simpler instrument, which is included with Live 6, the Essential Instrument Collection is ready to play right out of the box.

Instruments and Effects Racks: A Rack recalls a custom grouping of instruments, effects and plug-ins along with a simplified set of controls for tweaking the sound. The controls allow you to expressively play the Rack without having to deal with its technical intricacies. Within a Rack, you can have parallel device chains, VST/AU plug-ins and even other Racks. Preserve that carefully crafted crunchy guitar effects chain, complex instrument layers and splits, or your favorite arrangement of EQ and compression settings for mastering. Drag and drop to and from the Browser to save and recall your custom Racks.

New and Improved Devices:

EQ Eight, which replaces EQ Four, is a significant upgrade toward a fully featured studio EQ. Not only does it offer up to twice as many independent filter bands, but it also features individual control of left and right channels as well as a mid/side mode for subtle-to-drastic color manipulations of the stereo field, a feature often used by mastering engineers to give productions depth and space. A new global scaling control allows continuous morphing from the current filter curve to bypass. In EQ Eight all filter bands can be set to shelf, cut and bell curves for maximum flexibility.

Dynamic Tube emulates the classic warm distortion sound of vacuum tubes with its unique dynamic behavior, but it's also possible to push the tube characteristics to never-before-heard extremes. Enjoy new subtle coloration and a universe of distorted compression, gate and expansion effects—all achieved with just a handful of controls.

Saturator has been improved with the addition of a true analog saturation curve, a user-definable waveshaper and an optional second output saturator stage. The second saturator stage ensures that the output level never exceeds 0 dB, even if the main saturator makes heavy use of pre/post equalization for dramatic effects using the color controls. For those in search of unique distortion sounds, the waveshaper allows you to create custom curves by adjusting six parameters of a complex mathematical function—a feature perfect for long journeys into sound. All parameters, including the waveshaper parameters, can be adjusted and automated in real time without clicks.

Note Length quantizes the lengths of incoming MIDI notes. In addition, Note Length can be set to generate new notes when incoming notes are released, allowing for the sophisticated emulation of the release behavior of instruments like the piano or the harpsichord (or any synthetic instruments).

Operator has been augmented with a new set of 24 dB filter modes, simplifying the creation of analog subtractive sounds, as well as new FM algorithms for more flexibility in the digital domain, giving you more sonic possibilities than ever.

Sampler Live 6 also brings the introduction of Ableton's second add-on instrument, Sampler, the big brother of Simpler. With Sampler you can import third-party multi-sample libraries and create new and wonderful sounds with its uniquely expressive sound design features.

Project Management Tools: Comprehensive new project management tools help with organization, archiving and transfer of your projects. Live 6 introduces project folders, which let you conveniently organize collections of Live Sets, Live Clips, Racks, presets, and the samples and movie files they are using. With Live 6 you can self-contain a project and pack it with lossless compression for easy archiving or transferal for collaboration. Other convenient tools for project management include the ability to search for missing files and purge the disk of unused files.

Live 6 Recommended System Requirements:

Macintosh:
Any G3 or faster
256 MB RAM
Mac OS 9.2 or later / Mac OS X 10.2.8 or later

PC:
600 MHz CPU or faster
256 MB RAM
Windows 98/2000/XP
Windows-compatible soundcard