DSound are now shipping RT Player Pro. You can get it bundled with their two Stomp 'n FX plugin packs for a much reduced combined price of $219, normally bought separately these would cost $447! For an extra $100 they also include their Simple Audio Plug-in Pack I, usually $199 on its own!

RT Player Pro is a stand alone VST Instrument and FX host for Windows, it can now be used with any combination of up to 24 VST instruments and/or FX plug-ins in program:

• 100 memory locations for program
• Any combination of up to 24 VST instruments and/or FX plug-ins in program - dependant on CPU power
• MIDI control of program, VST instrument and plug-in parameters from any MIDI controller
• ASIO compatible in/out

Steinberg have updated HALion to v1.1 for both Window and MacOS. This update includes GIGA import and the brand new MegaTRIGG feature. Now you can use controllers or keys to activate samples and trigger them with Note Off or Pedal.

• Download Windows HALion v1.1 Update
• Download MacOS HALion v1.1 Update
• Download HALion v1.1 Manual (PDF)

Dash Synthesis have released some new Reaktor ensembles, SimplyMoog, SaxSampler, and AIM from AuReality!

1. Simply Moog - Moog based Lead Synthesizer with MonoLegatoLead mode
2. Sax emulation (10 MB sampled Sax with acoustic emulation)
3. AIM from AuReality, Automated Instrumental Musician - It creates music alone!

Its competition time again, this time we've got 3 copies of VSTi Host to give away!

VSTi Host is a stand alone VST Instrument and FX host for MacOS, version 3 has just been released featuring a slew of new features and a tasty new interface.

The competition couldn't be much simpler, download the demo version, open your coolest, craziest instrument and FX combination and take a Screenshot of the result, see the rules to the left!

TraXmusic have interviewed Stephan Kuempel author of the Ruction Sample Sequencer VSTi for Windows. Read it here...

Steinberg have released a new Public Beta of Cubase for MacOS - 5.0r2PB3 [Mac VSTi Host]

• Cubase VST 5.0r2PB3
• Cubase VST Score 5.0r2PB3
• Cubase VST 32 5.0r2PB3
• Version History

delaydots.com have released Synare v1.0 - the first third party drum synth module for FXpansion's DR-008 drum Sampler/Synthesizer, and it's free!

Synare v1.0 is a small experimental drum synth that features a synthetic snare drum and physically modelled tubescreamer in a chain. A Synth flow chart diagram is available here, while you're there check out their Sound Designers FX plugin pack... [Win DR-008 Module]

Sound Quest have released Service Pack 2 for Infinity 2.0, adding 4 new
objects, updates for VST and DXi, and other code improvements. [Win VSTi/DXi]

VSamp has been update to v3.22 [Mac VSTi]

• Support for MacOS X, including OS X CoreMIDI services
• Fixed minor problem whereby shift key was needed to release some notes in MIDI Input window
• Fixed problem whereby LFO window appeared incorrectly if old preferences file was present
• Changed behaviour after an "All Notes Off" MIDI command to improve compatibility with some keyboards
• Moved registration data to a file in the Application Support folder now shared by VSamp application and VSamp VST

Steinberg have released a new Public Beta of Cubase for MacOS - 5.0r2PB2 [Mac VSTi Host]

• Cubase VST 5.0r2PB2
• Cubase VST Score 5.0r2PB2
• Cubase VST 32 5.0r2PB2
• Version History

LinPlug have released Public Beta 1 of RM III the successor to their excellent drum sampler RM 2, featuring a completely new interface and loads of new features. Read the complete list of new features here and check out the preliminary information and download link here [Win VSTi]

Jorgen Aase has released Massiva 0.64 [Win VSTi Host]

• VSTi: many bugfixes, error message problems, screen/editor update
  problems, no sounds at all problems, softsynths crashing
• Audio: faster processing
• Automation: dragging automation events will update the faders in the FX param editor if the editor is open. This only works when the song is stopped
• AWE32/64: clear, load and select WaveFx by name

The instrument ratings section has been drastically changed today. It has been completely rewritten and now requires you to supply a Username and password when you submit a review. To obtain a Username you must register for the forum. We've done this because the previous anonymous review system allowed multiple reviews from the same person, albeit with IP checking which was not particularly effective, and was open to abuse. We've also taken this opportunity to start afresh with the reviews and ratings so everything is currently rated a big fat 0!

The reviews are now integrated with each instruments page, the latest 5 reviews will appear at the bottom of the page, with a link to all the reviews if there are more than 5.

The new review system requires you to rate an instrument between 1 and 10 in 8 categories, the average result is then ascertained from these ratings. You also need to select the Operating System, Plugin format and version that you are reviewing. These requirements should make for an altogether more accurate and reliable means of reviewing an instrument.

The categories are:

• User Interface
• Sound
• Features
• Documentation
• Presets
• Customer Support
• Value For Money
• Stability

Further to this you can also edit your reviews and ratings, this means that should a new version of the instrument become available that fixes or improves any concerns you had with a previous version you can now go back and edit your comments and rating to reflect your current feelings. Again this should increase the value of the reviews.

Initially the overall ratings list only shows the average ratings, this will be expanded shortly to allow you to choose listing by any of the rateable categories.

Keeping with the spirit of the industry this should be considered a Public Beta test so please let us know if you encounter any problems, I'm sure there will be a few. It's been tested with IE 5.5 and Netscape 6 on Windows and seems to work OK with those!

Check out the new ratings listing here...

Sonic Syndicate's Scorpion has been updated to v2.0 [Win VSTi]

• Chorus effect section
• Spectrum effect section
• Additional notch filter
• New presets
• New interface

The v2.5 Windows update for Native Instruments Pro-52 is now online, the MacOS updater should follow soon.... Get it here...

LinPlug have updated CronoX to v1.31 [Win VSTi]

• Fixes a misalignment in the LFO section what caused some presets to sound different in version 1.3

Jorgen Aase has updated AudioSynth to v0.09 [Win VSTi]

• Fixed 2 SoundFont import bugs
• Each sample now has one DCO with waveform (sin, saw an pulse), level, coarse tune and cross modulation. The sample output can be used to modulate the frequency of the DCO for FM like sounds

reFX have finally released The BassLine (TBL) for MacOS. Some users were also experiencing problems downloading and unpacking the Mac QuadraSID 6581 demo, this has now also been fixed! [Mac VSTi]

• Monophonic virtual analogue synthesizer
• 1 VCO (five different waveforms, morphable)
• 1 VCF (lowpass filter with 12 dB/octave)
• 1 VCA
• 1 AD Envelope Generator
• Four-way monophonic sound generator (up to 32 channels when 8 TBLs are used)
• All parameters can be MIDI-controlled
• Very low CPU consumption
• Costs $25

Steinberg have released a new Public Beta of Cubase for MacOS - 5.0r2PB1 [Mac VSTi Host]

• Cubase VST 5.0r2PB1
• Cubase VST Score 5.0r2PB1
• Cubase VST 32 5.0r2PB1
• Version History

reFX have updated TBL to v1.5 and QuadraSID 6581 (Windows version only) to v1.3 [Win VSTi]

• TBL - The volume knob was broken in non-basis mode. Fixed.
• QuadraSID - PC-Users with version 1.2 who purchased their QuadraSID after the Mac version was released can't save the preset banks. This bug has been removed in version 1.3.

Steinberg have made Wizoo Economy Soundsets (HALion ECO Sounds) available for download.

These ECO-Sounds are strip-down versions of the original content which are less stressing for the CPU and allows the users to play the *big* sounds also on slow machines.

Note: The ECO-Instruments contain NO samples! They are instrument files (fxp's) that contain information about the samples and settings. You will need the original HALion content to use these ECO-Instruments.

Download them here

Dash Synthesis have updated daVector, their Korg-WaveStation Clone Reaktor ensemble for Reaktor 3 compatibility. It looks better, and has more features... More info here...

Sound Quest have released a demo version of their new Infinity 2.0 modular synth/sound design studio for Win9x/NT/2000. It's a whopping 12mb download so be warned that the demo does not include the VST, VSTi, DXi, DirectX and MFX plugin versions of Infinity.

They've also released Service Pack 1 for the full version of Infinity 2.0!

Download them here

Steinberg have updated HALion to v1.01 for both Windows and MacOS [Win & Mac VSTi]

• Quality-Menu bug on Macro-Page fixed
• Amount modifier crash bug fixed
• Cubase inspector bug fixed
• Performance optimizations
• Waveloop-Zoom now up to sample-depth
• Voice polyphony default set to 16
• Voice buffers default set to 32
• SoundFont import fixed
• [Win Only] Increased memory-management: Warning message if Windows tries to use the swap-file
• [Win Only] New ASPI driver (Win2k)

• Download Windows HALion v1.01 Updater
• Download MacOS HALion v1.01 Updater

Jørgen Aase has updated AudioSynth to v0.08 [Win VSTi]

• Use "Ctrl + mouse" or "Ctrl + Shift + mouse" when dragging faders for smoother inc/dec
• Sample start, loop start and sample end now visible in the sample data view
• Faster processing
• Fixed a loop point bug occurring when reading SoundFont instruments
• 16 programs, one for each midi channel
• 3 new filter combinations: Low+High (Notch), Hi+Band and Low+Band
• The midi channel of each program is displayed in front of the program name
• Added a "control change to param" map

Emagic's ES2 has entered internal quality control testing and is scheduled for release for the beginning of October. In the meantime they've posted a couple of MP3 demos to get you all excited! [Win & Mac Logic Instrument]

!jason have released a new free VSTi - FreeSonic. Brief specs are below, more info here... [Win VSTi]

• 16 note polyphonic (Mono timbral)
• 128 patches per sound bank (Preset sound bank included)
• High/low quality modes
• 2 vario-edge oscillators
• 5 vario-edge wave forms + tuneable noise
• Pulsewidth oscillator (variable Pulsewidth)
• 24 dB resonant filter with editable Soft Drive Boost (SDB)
• Moog like filter with self oscillation
• Stepless 3-band-Multimode filter
• Access to tone generation with over 63 editable voice parameters
• Remote midi controller implementation (GM standard)
• Four (4 segment) envelope generators
• Tempo sync/free run LFO
• Legato and Portamento modes

Sonic Syndicate have updated Plucked String to v2.0. Apparently this new version sounds completely different as it uses a new string excitation algorithm! More info here... [Win VSTi]

VSTi Host version 3.0 has been released for MacOS! VSTi Host is, er, a standalone VSTi Host! It also allows for sequencers that may not have native support for VST plugins and/or instruments (like ProTools, Vision, Digital Performer, and Metro for example) to use them, as long as the sequencer supports OMS. Version 3.0 adds many new features, including:

• Simultaneous use of both a VSTi and either file playback (AIFF) or real-time audio input
• Real-time routing of audio through 4 VST effects via a flexible effect routing architecture
• Support for ASIO-compliant hardware, yielding improved low latency capability
• Support for recording output to file (AIFF)
• Virtual MIDI keyboard
• Online quick help
• All new graphic user interface

VSTi Host is perfect if you have an extra Mac that you'd like to put to use as a virtual synth and/or effects unit, or if your sequencer of choice doesn't support the VST plugins you'd like to use. Previous versions of this software have garnered excellent mentions in Electronic Musician, Sound on Sound (UK), and Recording magazines, as well as in numerous online resources.

Version 3.0 now elevates this application to even greater heights. Perhaps the best feature remains its user-friendly price - only $35 ($10 for upgrade from version 2.0), and available directly via online purchase!

SynthEdit is another new VSTi Host, this time for Windows, actually SynthEdit is a shareware Modular Synthesizer for Windows that supports VST FX and Instruments, currently at v0.33! With SynthEdit you can:

• Design your own virtual synth or drum machine
• Play it live via a MIDI keyboard
• Play it from a MIDI file
• Use VST Plugin synths and effects
• Record/Play Multi-channel audio to disk
• Play wave files and SoundFont-2 banks (basic support)
• Process live audio. (Requires full-duplex soundcard)

LinPlug have updated CronoX to v1.3. Also, GakStoar Delta now comes with an extra 64 professionally programmed presets, so it now ships with 250 presets!

• CronoX New Feature: ECS 2.0 built in with Alpha Dial support
• CronoX Bugfix: Loading of songs in Cubase 3.7x now always works

Also, expect a new version of RM 2 within the next 8 weeks, work in progress, as they say!

FXpansion DR-008 v1.0 Final for Windows is now shipping. DR-008 is is an advanced modular drum machine featuring a combination of sampling and synthesis in a single instrument. Also, the DrAPI Module SDK is available from FXpansion, upon request, so any budding C++ programmers out there can design their own modules, and then share them with us all! [Win VSTi & DXi]

Check out the feature list below:

• 96 Channels
• Modular architecture
• Four sampler modules
• Ten synthesizer algorithms
• Six MIDI-processing performance modules
• Pattern sequencing
• Multimode resonant filters
• Loop modulation
• 128-way Velocity Switching
• Multiple Outputs (in compatible host applications)
• Loads files in WAV, AIFF, LM-4, DR-005 format (up to 32-bit depth)
• Eight assignable exclusion groups
• Eight programmable macro-mutes
• Two aux sends per channel
• Full MIDI automation
• Third-party support from SmartElectronix, MDA and more
• VSTi & DXi versions (The DXi version will be released in a few days)
• Costs $149 - order online

Native Instruments Reaktor 3 is now shipping for MacOS! I think we all know what Reaktor is, suffice to say version 3 is one of the most powerful and impressive software synths ever known! [Mac VSTi]

Mig Music have programmed a new collection of sounds for use with the Native Instruments Pro-52. The Pro-52 Sound Collection Volume 1 contains 320 new sounds including Analogue Synths, Synth Basses, Synth Leads, Brass, Synth Pads, Strings, Organs, Keyboards, Fx and more. The collection contains a total of 5 sound banks in Pro-52 native format (p5f files), with each of these sound banks containing 64 new sounds.

The Pro 52 Sounds Collection can be bought online from migmusic.com for £24.95 (UK pounds) and then downloaded immediately from their web site, where you can also see a complete patch listing.

Click here to download a demo bank containing 16 patches!

We've also got some new banks for you, thanks to their contributors: