Roland announces it is now shipping the much anticipated SP-404 Portable Power Sampler. Picking up where Roland popular SP-303 sampler left off, the new SP-404 is built on a foundation of more: more features, more voices, more pads, and more memory.The SP-404's onboard pattern sequencer allows up to 8,000 notes to be recorded. Up to 24 patterns, each 1–99 measures long, can be stored in the internal memory simultaneously. The the SP-404 also provides a Lo-Fi sampling mode. WAV and AIF files can be imported and exported via CompactFlash card.

McDSP will launch a new RTAS plugin bundle, the Project Studio bundle 1.0, which will contain five McDSP plugins : Revolver LE, FilterBank LE, CompressorBank LE, Chrome Tone LE and Synthesizer One LE. This pack will come with a pre-programmed McDSP Green iLok.

ProjectStudio bundle will be available in November for $495. Owner of two or more plugins included can upgrade for $195.

Luxonix announces the release of its new virtual sound workstation software, Purity. It will be available in October and will feature : GM (General MIDI) Compatible, 16-part Multi-instrument, integrated Pattern Sequencer, Super-fast Preset Browser, over 1000 Factory Sound Presets, integrated mixer, 2 Stereo Send-Return Effect Buses, Chorus/Reverb, 24 types of Insert Effect and VST/AU plug-in interface.

Purity will be available as standalone application, and as ASIO and CoreAudio versions.

According to Apple, Soundtrack Pro is not only an update to its audio software Soundtrack, but "a new way of working with digital audio". So MacMusic is very proud to publish a review of Apple's Soundtrack Pro, written by our friend Jay Shaeffer from Macaudioguy.com

On September 29th 1997, a funny guy created a discussion list on the internet for computer music and digital audio addicts on Mac. Eight years later, MacMusic has become a reference site for computer music fans on Mac with a growing number of visitors and over 57,000 members. MacMusic managed to overcome times of trouble on the net and is definitely present and faithful to what has made it a success : professionalism, curiosity, open-mindedness and freedom of speech. This 8th birthday is the perfect opportunity for me to thank, on your behalf, the whole team of MacMusic who make every effort to provide you with your site daily : Soif, Nolot, June Bug, Lepetitmartien, Babaille, Miss Kiki, Ptilou, Tulavu, the big army of moderators, the battalion of translators, the article authors, as well as all our advertisers, our partners and our software developers.

And above all, this 8th birthday is the opportunity for me to thank all our members and
visitors of MacMusic. Indeed, thanks to your talents, your questions, your doubts, your
skills, your fits of rage, your freedom of speech (that we will always value) and your
fidelity, MacMusic has this very special savour. Very happy birthday and thanks to all of you!