LinPlug releases FreeAlpha a free VST synthesizer. The FreeAlpha features a subtractive design with special attention being paid to recreating the warmth and feel typically found in early-1980s analog synthesizers.[p]

Key Features
* up to 12 note polyphonic
* VST2.0 plugin software synthesizer (cpu dependent)
* Unlimited number of presets (direct from disk)
* 2 oscillators with each 2 from 30 different waveforms; pitch, amplitude and symmetry modulation from LFO, Envelope or MIDI
* Fat and rich-sounding Multimode filter; cutoff and resonance modulation from LFO, Envelope and MIDI
* 2 separate ADSFR envelopes for amplitude and cutoff and a additional pitch envelope ; time ranges from super-fast 1 millisecond up to full 10 seconds
* LFO with 6 waveforms, variable attack, variable ...

The new control surface, dubbed Mackie Control, is a fully automated touch-sensitive control surface for MOTU Digital Performer manufactured by Mackie Designs.
Mackie Control provides nine 100-mm motorized touch-sensitive 1024-step Penny & Giles faders. The unit includes programmable rotary V-Pots on each channel strip, along with MUTE, SOLO, SELECT and REC/READY buttons. Dedicated assignment buttons give Digital Performer users instant access to any mixing parameter on any track, including EQ, dynamics, I/O settings and plug-ins. A large, backlit LED strip provides a detailed, comprehensive readout of channel settings and plug-in parameters. Dedicated channel- and bank-switching buttons provide quick access to any track in a Digital Performer mix. Transport, zoom, scrub and shuttle mode buttons, along with a large ergonomic jog/shuttle wheel, provide complete control over Digital Performer’s main transports and zooming/locating features.

Apple today announced it has acquired Emagic, a leading provider of professional software solutions for computer based music production. Emagic's most popular product, Logic, is actively used by over 200,000 musicians around the world. Emagic's Windows-based product offerings will be discontinued on September 30, 2002. Emagic will operate as a wholly owned division of Apple. Your comments...

Metric Halo has upgraded its software plug-ins to support the Pro Tools | HD platform. Are concerned, both SpectraFoo (realtime audio analyzer) and ChannelStrip (eq, compressor, etc.)