SONICBYTES ERA, EST & Gat'R updated

SONICBYTES has issued updates to its entire product line with ERA, EST, and Gat'R all receiving additional features and bug fixes. New bundled pricing is also announced for those interested in purchasing the complete SONICBYTES line. These updates are free to all customers. Demos are available.

ERA - Pattern sequencer VSTi/MFX

New in 1.2:

• The GUI and interface logic have been completely redone. ERA now shares all the interface features of EST, which means that each of the rows in a pattern has its own settings for swing, gatetime, transposition, humanization, etc. Pattern editing is easier, and it now has the same 32-edit-deep "Undo" capability that EST has. (Because of these changes, patterns saved using v1.1.2 will not load into v1.2, but it is possible to run the old version alongside the new).
• The sync-engine has been completely rewritten for better host synchronization. The Autosync option is gone - ERA is always ready to respond to both direct control AND to your host's transport controls.
• Every row in a pattern now has a complement of four LFOs (with seven waveforms). That means 48 LFOs that can be routed out as CCs to target synths as part of the pattern, or that can be routed internally to the pattern's own velocity, gatetime, delay, or even to transpose steps.
• Two new arpeggio play modes have been added. ERA can be a sequencer or a live performance arpeggiator.
• A new Mono mode for pattern rows removes any MIDI overlaps for those synths that require monophonic input.
• ERA can now load patterns and banks created in EST, and vice versa. You can specify the location of a shared pattern directory, in addition to a directory for ERA-specific presets.

Bug fixes:

• Problem switching out of chained patterns.
• Problem with pattern end marker in front of start marker.
• Browser menus would include empty folders.

Gat'R - pattern-based audio multi-effect

New in 1.1:

• Two new LFO waveforms have been added to the six LFOs. A pulse with 25% duty cycle lets you isolate the first step in sequences of four, for rhythmic modulation. A 33% duty cycle pulse does a similar thing for triplet tempi. In addition, the plug-in's global dry/wet control has been added to the list of possible LFO targets (for a total of 30).
• 7fan has created a new skin, "CelShading". In addition, a new "Flat" style has been added.
• The built-in preset manager has a new capability. It is now possible to move just the steps from one pattern to another (leaving all settings such as Open/Close values, Filter Cutoff, etc. unchanged). This lets you build up libraries of basic sequences and drop them into complicated patches.
• Playmode has been made a global parameter. Switching from threshold-triggered to host-synced now applies to the entire bank.
• A tutorial is now provided, and the number of presets is more than 100.
• Gat'R now comes with its own installer. (The gdiplus.dll is no longer needed - support for transparent PNGs is now native).

Bug fixes:

• Crash problem in Cubase SX.
• "No. of Steps" for filter sequence not updated.
• Problem when host-synced with some triplet tempi.
• Problem specifying MIDI-in channel for pattern recall.

EST - sampling-groovebox VSTi

New in 1.2:

• Sample loading has been completely revamped. Next/Previous buttons let you swap samples on the fly; or you can access your entire library with a hierarchical load menu that opens with a right mouse click.
• Once loaded, samples can be automatically sized to loop to 4, 8, 16, or 32-step patterns.
• Just like individual samples, complete instruments (samples plus all their settings) can be quickly auditioned in your instrument kit with a Load Next/Previous command.
• Instrument kits can now be reset with a single command.
• EST recognizes and loads patterns created in ERA.
• EST gets the same new sync engine that ERA gets. With chaining, patterns can be virtually any length.

Bug fixes:

• Problem switching out of chained patterns.
• Browser menus would include empty folders.

Bundled Packages

1. All-Pack - 129 EUR (36% discount)
   Includes ERA, EST, four instrument kits for EST by 7fan and Gat'R.
2. Beat-Pack - 99 EUR (25% discount)
   Includes EST, 7fan's four instrument kits and Gat'R.
3. Starter-Pack - 79 EUR (12% discount)
   Includes EST and 7fan's four instrument kits.