SonicCore after buying the rights to the Scope technology (remember creamware?) announced today it will manufacture the synth baby of John Bowen, the Solaris. John is not unknown in the synth world as he was of the masterminds behind all the Sequential products, and one of the Wavestation and OASYS team (Z1 anyone?). The Solaris is a 5 octaves DSP keyboard, with plenty of knobs to chew on (40), 5 value displays plus a graphic one. The internals are based on SHARC CPU and a 96 kHz audio engine where new algorithms can be feed, as available thru software updates and expansion packs. l be a VA r anything else and is thought as "a modular system but easier to use". You can expect to see there part of the Scope DSP algorithms too and the thing to be very very deep…

Price and availability TBA

Celemony Software has announced the imminent release of version 1.8 updates for Melodyne uno and Melodyne essential. Version 1.8 offers new playback algorithms as well as a number of bug-fixes and improvements of detail. But the most important improvement is the new "Percussive2" algorithm for the editing of percussive material.

The version 1.8 updates will be free of charge to all registered users of uno and essential and will be available for download from the end of April from their web site.

Steinberg Media Technologies has announced the launch of Sequel, a new entry-level music studio designed for newcomers to music production.

Sequel's accessible GUI gives intuitive access to recording, mixing and editing features engineered for the first-time producer. Over 5000 loops that cover just about any modern musical style are supplied, and combined with over 600 instantly playable instruments on board. On top of that Sequel features discreet yet powerful audio warping functions that keep first-time users in key and in time. It also includes an accessible live performance mode, that allow Sequel songs to be rearranged, remixed and remolded live for performance on stage. Integrated FX including EQ and dynamics on every channel provide all the tools needed to produce outstanding mixes.

Sequel is available now in music stores worldwide, and costs €99.00.

MusikMesse 2007 sees the launch of nio 2|4, Novations latest foray into the interface market, offering a flexible 2 In/4 Out mobile interface solution designed with the modern music maker in mind.

Features :

- 2 inputs both on instrument jack and microphone XLR with phantom power
- 4 phono (RCA) outputs
- a pair of phono (RCA) inputs can be used to record a stereo signal
- USB connection and bus powering
- Direct FX technology with ultra-low latency allowing all of nio 2 | 4s effects to be used in real time (guitar amp simulations, filters, delay, chorus, phaser, flanger, distortion, EQ, Reverb, Tremelo, etc...)
- two headphone outputs
- flexible monitoring solution, with two dials close to hand and independent switching between three different monitor mixes
- MIDI i/o
- lexible metering
- class compliant with Mac OS X CoreAudio

The nio 2|4 is expected to ship Spring 2007 with price to be announced.

Native Instruments today announced KORE 2, the second generation of its advanced multi-functional host system. While remaining an open platform for all software instruments and effects, this new version significantly extends and refines the concepts introduced and established with KORE.

Thus KORE 2 now includes its own powerful sound capabilities, realized in a library of 500 specially designed studio-quality KoreSounds, each with multiple sound variations, covering all relevant musical styles and genres. Based on the integrated engines of Absynth, FM8, Guitar Rig, Kontakt, Massive, and Reaktor, this ready-to-use sound arsenal offers highly focused, musical sound shaping functions. KORE 2 also takes the acclaimed "Find sounds fast" paradigm of the system to the next level with a signif ...