DISCOVERY adds a new format "BATTERY" to the long-awaited new library "OKINAWAN TRADITION" going on-sale in the middle of April. That enables you to create your original sounds more freely with the high quality sounds. The usual ACID, WAV and REX2 formats are composed of Okinawa sounds including Sanba (percussion), Sanshin (stringed instrument), Fue (flute), Taiko (percussion) and Voices. In addition, Okinawa percussion - Sanba and Taiko - is included in the BATTERY format.

Kagimedia.com releases a new educational DVD. Kagi Media, producer of multimedia DVDs has just made it easier to learn. By releasing a new DVD for users of any platform at a blow out price, now anyone can jumpstart their production skills.

The new DVD is titled "Pro Recording and Mic Technique" and is an up close look at the most common studio recording practices. You'll see clear images of Mic Placement and come away with a better understanding of Gain Stages, Level Matching and Direct Recording. Styles include R&B, Rock, Retro and Classical.

For users of any sequencer or recorder, digital or tape, it doesn't matter, this DVD will provide you the engineering knowledge you need to take your recordings to the next level.

Next april 15th, Mackie will release the "big Knob" following their announcement at the last Namm. Big Knob is a mixing controler with 3 monitoring outputs, a talkback microphone, 2 headphone outputs (with independant level), 3 audio stereo inputs, 1 digital audio input and 4 analog audio stereo outputs and... a big Knob... Approximative price : 420 euros

Wonder Warp Software Group has announced the release of SimpleChord 1.7.1, which fixes and refines many aspects of SimpleChord. This includes the way accidentals are displayed, and adds the option to have tooltips for the keys to display the note name (good for beginners).

SimpleChord is a quick, handy reference to chords for musicians. It can aid in learning new chords, building progressions, transcribing, and other tasks. It displays the notes in a chord, their positions on the keyboard, and can even play the chord aloud in any General MIDI instrument.

SamplingSounds.com announces the release of its Mega Sampler, Sampling Library CD. This CD offers over 500 individual samples from five of their most popular sampling libraries on one CD in both WAV and SoundFont Format. This CD is available for $34.95 at www.samplingsounds.com and contains all of these individual sample libraries: Classic Keys, 70s Analog Synths, 80s Digital Synths, Vocoder Tracks and Synth FX.

The dual format CD is compatible with most samplers and sampling keyboards on the market today. SamplingSounds.com is a official SoundFont developer and offers all of its sampling libraries in the SoundFont format (as well as WAV) for easy import into Mac software samplers like: Steinberg's Halion, Emagics EXS24, Vsamp and many others.