Inspiration Sounds has released the Funked Up Guitars Sample Pack. Recorded at 96Khz and 24-Bit resolution using Pro Tools HD and mixed through a Control 24 mixing desk with Focusrite Class A Preamps, it includes 564 guitar loops and riffs played by "internationally renowned Guitarist", Cliff Moore. However, it has been dithered down in Pro Tools HD to 44.1Khz 16-Bit to ensure compatibility with the wide range of keyboards that don't offer 24-Bit file import.

Features :

- 195 MB Sample Pack (Compressed into a .ZIP File)
- Includes Clean and Distorted versions of each loop
- Keys are in C, D, E, F, G, A & B
- Total of 564 Loops, Riffs and Slides
- File names indicate key and tempo
- .WAV Format
- PC/Mac Compatible

The Funked Up Guitars Sample Pack is available now from the Inspiration Sounds website for £19.95 / US $41.24.

Universal Audio today announced the web release of v4.9 software for the UAD Family of DSP Card's & Powered Plug-Ins(tm). Version 4.9 includes 14-day fully functional demos of both the new SPL Transient Designer and new Precision Buss Compressor; a classic center-console mix compressor.

Key SPL Transient Designer Features :

- UA modeled, SPL authorized and endorsed AU/VST/RTAS plug-in version of Transient Designer's unique Differential Envelope Technology
- Increase or decrease the transients of percussive sources for greater impact, or a softened response
- Sustain of sources can be transparently shortened or increased for increased musicality
- Reduces or increases room sound or preexisting reverb on virtually any source
- Highly useful as a gate substitute, a transparen ...

First introduced during the 2006 Winter Namm, PSP Xenon is now available.

Xenon is a full band, dual-stage limiter plug-in (AudioUnit, VST and RTAS for MacOSX UB ; VST and RTAS for PC) featuring an integrated Leveller, advanced K-System metering and psycho-acoustically optimized wordlength reduction. PSP Xenon offers 64-bit precision processing throughout its entire signal path, and can operate at sample rates up to 192kHz.
One of the good news is that it is available for PPC G4 and G5 : when introduced last year, it was only planned for Intel Mac.

A 14-day demo is also available (iLok required).

Yamaha offers new drivers and firmwares (available here) for the following FireWire/mLAN products : the G046 audio interface, the Motif XS workstation and the n Series digital mixers.
The new drivers make the GO46 compatible with Windows Vista. The firmwares for MOTIF XS, n8 and n12 mixers improve network capability over mLAN (without further precision).

Are you wondering if it's worth updating to Kontakt 3 ? Or are you just curious, or perhaps have you never tried Kontakt before ?
Native Instruments answers by offering a free demo (version 3.0.1) for Mac OS 10.4 or higher (458 MB) and Win XP (407 MB). You can use it as a stand-alone and as a plug-in via Audio Units, VST 2 and RTAS.
You will benefit by complete function range with all presets, the full PDF manual, and play with a demo library instruments from the categories Band, Orchestral, Synth, Urban Beats, Vintage and World. Demo limits are sessions limited to 30 minutes and no Save and no Total Recall.