IK Multimedia is proud to announce that T-RackS 24 analog modeled mastering software for MacOS X is now shipping. T-RackS is dedicated entirely to audio mastering with actual physical models of tube circuitry. It offers a complete workstation made of 4 discrete processors. This standalone version for Mac OS X features :new Authorization Wizard and an easy step-by-step guide to authorizing.

T-RackS 24 for MacOS X is now available at $/€299 MSRP. Users that bought T-RackS 24 after 1st December 2003 can download it for free from the user area on www.t-racks.com Users that have purchased it previously can upgrade for a price of $79/€89 online.

SoundFont Synth is an Audio Unit plug-in designed to make the synthesis of natural instruments using Sound Fonts, available to GarageBand or any other Audio Unit compatible host. SoundFont Synth has been updated to v1.1.1 and now features :handndles 'All Notes Off' correctly and can now be placed in ~/Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Components as well as /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Components.

SoundFont Synth is shareware and costs $15

A new resource package on editing GarageBand loops was launched today by the GarageDoor. It includes the GarageBand Scales Catalogue, which contains over forty scales in GB format to play and analyse. These scales, ranging from the common major, minor and blues to colorful scales like Hungarian Gypsy, Neapolitan and Balinese, can then be used to modify regular GarageBand loops and expand the user's loop library with exotic variations.

The GarageDoor - Tips & Tricks for GarageBand users contains tips & tricks, home recording ideas and links to new sounds and loops. The GarageDoor aims at desktop musicians from beginner to intermediate level, and has pages on live & Midi Recording, effects, mixing and mastering, music theory and GarageBand desktop equipment.

The Scales Catalogue and exotic loops tutorial can be found on thegaragedoor web site.

Bitcartel announces an update to iRecordMusic 1.3, bringing it to build 27. This update provides localisation in 8 languages: Catalan, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Spanish.

Registered users can upgrade for free and free copies are also available for those who can help translate the software.

Apple previewed Mac OS X version 10.4 "Tiger," the fifth major version of Mac OS X that will ship in the first half of 2005. Tiger continues Apple's innovations with more than 150 new features including Spotlight, a new way to instantly find any file, Safari RSS, Core Image and Core Video, QuickTime support for MPEG-4 video codec H.264, 64-bit processes, and more...

Mac OS 10.4 Tiger will be available in the first half of 2005 for a suggested retail price of $129 (US).