Digidesign announces Command|8 - a fully featured control surface solution from Digidesign and Focusrite that puts integrated, tactile manipulation of Pro Tools TDM and LE sessions at users' fingertips. Command|8 has been designed to provide a depth of control consistent with its control surface predecessors at a budget-conscious price point.

Command|8's faders, rotary encoders, displays, and dedicated transport controls enable users to build their Pro Tools mixes with the hands-on feel only an integrated control surface can provide. A simple USB connection facilitates communication between Command|8 and a Mac, while its built-in MIDI ports (1-IN/2-OUT) comprise a robust MIDI Interface. Stand-alone MIDI controller mode makes it possible to easily map Command|8's controls to third-party ...

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.