M-Audio has announced its first two virtual instruments. Key Rig is a virtual keyboard rack with stage piano, MS-2 polyphonic synthesizer, MB-3 electromagnetic organ, and a GM-4 General MIDI Module. Drum & Bass Rig is a virtual bass and drums rack which contains real drums, electric bass, LC-5 loop creator, and BL 6 bass synthesizer and step sequencer.

Key Rig and Drum & Bass Rig are available as stand-alone, VST, Audio Units and RTAS version for $129,95 each.

After a too long run of products only dedicated to PC, E-mu builds USB/MIDI controllers, the Xboard 25 and Xboard 49. Both have a velocity sensitive full size keyboard, aftertouch and 16 controllers. Each controller can answer to his own, MIDI channel, snapshots can be made and sent at a button pressing, part of the keyboard can be used as on/off switches. To add on this this not so virgin territory, E-mu throws in the Proteus X LE Desktop Sound Module (1000 sounds, 50 Z-plane filters, extensive 80 modulation source/destinations, 6 stages envelopes…).

Price TBA, available in April.

At NAMM, Native Instruments unveils the second generation of its sampler Kontakt. Kontakt 2 iles a powerful new sampling engine that offers virtually unlimited polyphony as well as 64-part multi-timbrality. Multiprocessor support delivers up to 100% performance increase on dual processors systems, while Altivec optimization gives a further performance boost on Macintosh computers equipped with G4 and G5 processors. This new version also features support for multi-channel formats ranging from 3.0 up to 16.0, including industry standards like 5.1 and 7.1, a new Kontakt Script Processor (KSP) a fully programmable processing engine that transforms and generates MIDI and control events on the basis of a versatile yet easy-to-learn script language, a new Ram purge function, and a new convolution effect unit.

Kontakt 2 will be available in March 2005 for $579 / 499 Euro.

Steinberg announces an update to version 2.0 for its virtual drummer Groove Agent. This major update comes with a huge collection of new styles and drum sounds. It also offers the latest drum grooves and styles. Groove Agent is VST, ReWire and Audio Units compatible.

Groove Agent 2 will be available for US$249.99 in February 2005.

Ueberschall has announced in cooperation with Celemony, the Liquid Instruments Series. It allows you to fully control sampled lines and phrases, by editing note pitches, formants, note lengths, scales, tempo, start and endings. The first two volumes announced are Saxophone Vol.1 (baritone, tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones) and Electric Bass Vol.2 (with various styles such as funk, soul, disco, house, pop, rock and more).

Liquid Instruments Series will be available for MacOS X in VST, Audio Units and RTAS plug-in formats.