Ableton has just released the Orchestral Instruments, four sampled instrument collections representing the four sections of an orchestra.

The instrument collections are available individually or as an attractively priced bundle and bring rich, authentic, symphonic sound to Ableton Live. Strings, Brass, Woodwinds and Percussion have been painstakingly recorded in a number of velocities and articulations, employing the expertise of world-class musicians, engineers and producers. The Orchestral Instruments are seamlessly integrated into the Ableton Live environment and use a technology called SmartPriming to manage system resources efficiently, providing big symphonic sound with a minimum of CPU action.

Produced in partnership with SONiVOX, the instruments include violin, viola, cello, double bass, French horn, trombone, trumpet, tuba, flute, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, English horn, vibraphone, marimba, xylophone, crotales, glockenspiel, tubular bells, cymbals and timpani. Many instruments are provided in solo and ensemble variants and multiple articulations. Each instrument is available in a high-fidelity version for studio production and a lower-fidelity configuration for decreased overhead and instant performance.

The Orchestral Instruments are available now and priced as following :

- Orchestral Instruments Collection : €499/$599
- Orchestral Strings : €159/$189
- Orchestral Brass : €159/$189
- Orchestral Woodwinds : €159/$189
- Orchestral Percussion : €129/$159

Digidesign today unveiled theTransfuser Preview, a free three-month prerelease version of Transfuser, a new upcoming RTAS virtual instrument plug-in for Pro Tools from the Digidesign Advanced Instrument Research (A.I.R.) group.

Transfuser is a real-time loop, phrase, and groove creation virtual instrument designed for quickly and easily creating, manipulating, and performing loop- and rhythm-based music on the fly within Pro Tools. It also offers users a quick and easy way to modify existing loop libraries to breathe new life into their creations.

Features :

- Easily develop and tweak grooves on the fly within Pro Tools
- Offers unique tools for working with audio files, including :

- Real-time slicing and tagging of loops
- Automatic conversion of loops into MIDI patterns/drum kits
- Sound replacement in existing loops on the fly

- Musically intelligent randomization of loops for instantly crafting variations on a whim
- Offers a wide range of real-time effects for electronic, hip-hop, and dance music creation
- Includes a variety of loops and phrases, and breathes new life into existing loop libraries
- Supports full drag and drop of Pro Tools regions and audio files from your computer browser
- Powerful live performance-oriented features allow for both creative arranging and performing of grooves

For a limited time through June 25, 2008, Digidesign is offering a free download of the Transfuser Preview to every Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, and Pro Tools M-Powered user. This free prerelease version of Transfuser is fully functional for three months, and enables all Pro Tools users to discover and experiment with the capabilities of Transfuser. To download the Transfuser Preview please visit the :

Our partner Sweetwater has declared May "Portable Recorder Month," and to properly observe the occasion, they're holding a 12-day Recorder Giveaway.

Starting May 19, Sweetwater will give away one portable recorder each day for 12 days. Manufacturers include Boss, Edirol, HHB, Korg, Marantz, M-Audio, Roland, Sony, Sound Devices, TASCAM, Yamaha, and Zoom. One entry makes you eligible for all 12 prizes.

In response to user feedback EastWest announces RTAS support for Mac and PC versions of all PLAY products. The software updates (PLAY v1.0.056) are available for both Mac and PC platforms in both standalone and plug-in versions, with PC updates being offered for both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems.

Current PLAY-powered collections can be upgraded to include RTAS support through a free update posted on the company's website at :

CharterOak Acoustic Devices once again expands its product offerings, with the release of the SCL-1 all discreet stereo compressor/limiter. The SCL-1 will be shown for the first time at the Amsterdam AES Show this month.

The SCL-1 Solid State Compressor/Limiter employs all discreet electronics and is capable of providing a constant output level regardless of input level or frequency, without the familiar pumping inherent in most compressor/limiters. The unit delivers extremely fast attack times without overcompensation, and a release characteristic, which is a function of dynamic range and average program level. Designed to fit any standard 19" rack, the SCL-1 may be used as a stereo unit, or as two independent limiters in the dual mode.

The SCL-1 will begin shipping in June of 2008.