Edirol by Roland announces the newest addition to its line of portable digital recorders, the R-09HR.

Features :

- 24-bit/96kHz linear PCM high-resolution, low-noise recording
- Newly developed Isolated Adaptive Recording Circuit (I.A.R.C.)
- High-grade, high-sensitivity stereo condenser microphone built in
- Records to SD or SDHC memory card (Up to 8 GB)
- Compact, hand-held body for convenient portable use
- Wide view-ability on large OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) display
- Preview speaker built in
- Wireless remote controller included
- High-speed file transfer via USB 2.0 connection to computer
- Cakewalk "pyro Audio Creator LE" wave-editing software included

Yamaha announces the new MM8 Music Synthesizer. Like the MM6, the MM8 features sounds from the popular Motif Series, real-time control, street-smart grooves, seemless computer integration, and adds an 88-note Graded Hammer action Yamaha keyboard.

The MM8 synthesizer not only features sounds from the Motif, but also its quick edit knobs and arpeggios for comprehensive real-time control of those sounds. Jamming over the built-in grooves in Performance Mode sparks creative ideas and is a great way to write songs. These grooves and keyboard parts can then be recorded directly to the on board sequencer, or for even greater flexibility, connect the MM8 to a computer via USB and use it as the center of a music production system with the included Cubase AI software.

The MM8 will be available in July, 2008 for a retail price of $1,299.99.

Arturia has updated Jupiter-8V to v1.1. This updates brings a lot of bug fixes but also some new features ;

- Added velocity and aftertouch modulation support.
- CPU optimization of several modules.
- Improved cross-modulation

Of course this update is free for all registered users and can be downloaded at :

Yamaha has announced the MOTIF-RACK XS.

Features :

• Wide range of dynamic and authentic Voices - total of 1,152 Voices and 65 Drum Kits
• Powerful Arpeggio function - simultaneous playback of four types, total 6,633 available
• Five real-time Control Knobs, for adjusting the sound as you perform or record
• Convenient, intuitive editing of all settings from computer with MOTIF-RACK XS Editor
• Full integration with the popular Cubase series audio/MIDI recording software

The MOTIF-RACK XS is priced at $1499.

Toontrack Music are announcing EZplayer Pro, the expanded version of Toontrack Musics EZplayer Free.

Basically it is a plug-in MIDI engine that lets you collect and organize all the MIDI on your hard drive. You can combine, put together and fuse drum and percussion MIDI clips from individual kit pieces to entire arrangements and audition them with your favorite drum sampler in EZplayer Pro before dragging them into your sequencer. It includes map-wrappers between different drum sampler formats. These allow you to use the MIDI from one brand of drum sampler with a sampler from another brand as a sound source on the fly. The map-wrapper encompass all common brands in the market.

EZplayer Pro is organized as a multi track arranger where every track can be connected to a virtual instrument in the main sequencer and EZplayer Pro be utilized to audition different instruments in combination before you adjust them in detail. The tracks and the sub tracks with fills and variations can also be aligned to a hardware controller such as a keyboard or percussive controller to trigger MIDI sequences live.

EZplayer Pro is a VST, AU and RTAS compatible plug-in and will be included on disc together with Superior Drummer 2.0 as its MIDI engine. It will also be available separately in april of 2008 both as a download purchase and in a boxed version at €35/£25/$49.