Virsyn has just released TDesign - The Transient Designer, a new plug-in that aims to shape the transient of an audio signal.

The idea behind the TDesign is to give the user direct control over the attack and sustain characteristics of natural sounds. Take a recording of an unremarkable drum kit and dial in some really hard-hitting attack or take a very percussive sound and soften the attack. You can also use the sustain control to work on the decay portion of sounds, and with drums you can tighten up the sound to give a fast, dry decay or you can make them ring as though you'd taken the dampers off the kit.

Unique to TDesign is the ability to shape the transient not only amplitude wise but also with a dynamically controlled 24 dB lowpass filter with resonance control. This gives you the opportunity to change the sound in a way which normally is only possible if you recreate it with a synthesizer.

Features :

- Attack amplification/attenuation.
- Sustain amplification/attenuation.
- Dynamic Transient filtering.
- 24 dB Lowpass with resonance.
- Multi channel capability.
- Easy user interface.

TDesign is available for Windows and Mac OS X in VST 3, VST 2.4, AudioUnit and RTAS plug-in formats. A fully functional/time-limited demo version is available. From now until March 31st, 2008, you can buy it for €99 instead of €169. By taking this offer you also have the option to get VirSyn's other effects, Matrix, Reflect and VTAPE, for 20% off.

Prosoniq has announced that they are introducing the 10th Anniversary Audio Unit Edition of their famous OrangeVocoder plug in for the Mac at this year's Musik Messe in Frankfurt.

The 10th Anniversary AudioUnit Edition takes the vocoder one step further by making it AudioUnit compatible and adding a wealth of features that the original product didn't have. The new version is AudioUnit compatible on both the PPC and Intel Macs, doubles its internal voices, incorporates full MIDI control, supports all project sample rates and processes in true stereo. But it doesn't end there: in addition to the features of the previous versions OrangeVocoder 10AE also offers various sound modes each with a distinct basic vocoder sound, voiced/unvoiced detection linked with a noise synthesizer, a filterbank freeze option and a HF passthru mode.

This version will be available in April 2008 at a recommended retail price of €169, Upgrades/crossgrades to 10AE from previous 2.x versions (including RTAS and VST versions) are available at €29.

Future Audio Workshop (FAW) introduces Circle, a new semi-modular software synthesizer, designed to be easy to use, allowing you to concentrate fully on sound design and performance.

Features :

- Ease of Use :

o Designed to be easy to use and intuitive through simple work flows.
o Large easy to see knobs and sliders.
o Connect up modulations via color coded circles in a simple and visual fashion. To preview a modulation, simple place a circle under a knob, and hear its effect.
o See all your connections at a glance, without the clutter of virtual cables.

- Interactive Control :

o Visually interactive MIDI learn. Assign your MIDI controllers in a simple, fast and familiar way.
o Attach multiple Circle controls to a single knob. Speed up an LFO, while closing a filt ...

Mu Technologies is proud to present a double update of Mu Voice at MusikMesse this year. Mu Voice is a real-time low latency vocal harmonizer by Mu Technologies for studio use and live performance.

The update is two-fold :

1. 1.1.2: Sample rate support extended to

44.1 kHz - 48 kHz - 88.2 kHz - 96 kHz - 176.4 kHz - 192 kHz

2. 1.2.0: MIDI-enabled version of Mu Voice. This version gives you full control over Mu Voice from a MIDI keyboard, featuring:

- state-of-the-art chord recognition
- preset selection
- chord scheme navigation
- configurable for any type of keyboard from 24 to 88 keys.

Mu Voice is available for Mac OS X and Windows in VST, RTAS and AU formats at a price of $279 / 239€. Of course update is free of charge for licensed users.

Yamaha introduces the Audiogram Interface Series. Coming as a complete kit, the Audiogram6 and Audiogram3 each bundle together a hardware interface that adds audio inputs and outputs to your computer, software for recording and producing music, and a USB cable for connecting the audio interface.

The Audiogram Series will be available in August, 2008 for $139.99 retail (Audiogram3) and $199.99 retail (Audiogram6).