Korg today unveiled at NAMM a new 37-key portable synthesizer. Based on the same DSP synthesis engine as the MS-2000 (referred to as it's "big brother") it offers modeling synthesis, vocoding, real-time control (plenty of knobs in other words), effects and external audio processing.

The newest of these is the ION, a new 8-voice 4-part multitimbral analog modeling 49-key synth. The processor inside runs at an impressive 500mips (million instructions per second), with 3 oscillators and 2 multi-mode filters per voice.

Plugsound is a virtual instrument based on a sample library, available as a VST2 plug-in (Mac-PC), and a MAS and RTAS plug-in. This Volume 3 is a sound module that offers hundreds of presets using more than 6,000 samples (540MB). Under the hood is the UVI-Engine which features dual multimode filters, separate amplitude and filter envelopes, keyzone editing, and much more.

A beta version of Clockworks for Mac OS X is now available on the MOTU website.

Steinberg is now shipping Nuendo version 1.6. The latest version of its recording and editing system for Mac and PC features up to 200 tracks of digital audio, surround mixing capabilities, video integration et synchronisation, MIDI editing, native VST and VSTi support, and more.

Nuendo 1.6 adds a selection of interesting new features like AES 31 import and export, VST System Link and 192 kHz support.

A better and better tool...