Toontrack Music announces the Jazz EZX featuring percussive artist Roy "Futureman" Wooten. Roy Wooten is an inventor, musician, composer and multi Grammy Award winning performer with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones among others.

Roy's ground breaking percussion technique takes playing drums way beyond just simple time keeping. His approach to his craft is a much more all-encompassing and universal one. He views himself as a storyteller playing music to reach beyond the limits of common musical understanding. His recordings for the Jazz EZX, captured at Blackbird Studios in Nashville, will set a bench mark for how sampling percussive instruments specifically and any musical instrument in general will be done in the future.

"More and more I see the piano like a drum set and the drum set like a piano." says Roy and indeed he sees every single hit and swirl recorded as part of a whole, as part of a musical sequence rather than as single solitary, monotonous hits. That lends a unique scope and musicality to these recordings that has its explanation in the fact that as an instrumentalist Roy Wooten strives to employ the power and science of Mother Nature.

Toontrack Music has had the privilege to capture the magic of Futureman. His touch, his heart, his philosophy and his unique approach to his craft in the Jazz EZX.

The Jazz EZX will be available through Toontrack Music retailers all over the world at the end of January 2009.

Muse Research, Inc. has announced that they have reached an agreement with Univers Sons / Ultimate Sound Bank of Paris, France to include their USB Plugsound Box collection of six virtual instruments with their new Receptor 2 Hardware Plug-in Player.

The Plugsound Box collection features 6 superb virtual instruments covering a wide range of sounds and styles, including fretted instruments, keyboards, synthesizers, General MIDI instruments, drums and percussion, and Hip Hop sound sets. The collection, which originally sold for hundreds of dollars, is now free with each standard Receptor 2 PRO and Receptor 2 Pro Max.

Shure has also announced the X2u, a XLR-to-USB microphone adaptater which lets you use your most trusted microphones for all your digital recordings.

Features :

- Connect

. Plug and Play USB Connectivity allows the convenience of digital recording
anywhere your computer can go (compatible with Windows Vista, XP, 2000, and Mac OS X 10.1 or later)
. Provides +48V Phantom power for use with condenser microphones
. Includes Padded, zippered pouch and USB cable (3m / 9.8ft)

- Record

. Monitor Mix Control for blending microphone and playback audio
. 1/8" Headphone Jack with volume control for monitoring
. Integrated pre-amp with Microphone Gain Control allows control of input signal strength

- Playback

- Zero Latency Monitoring for real-time playback and multi-tracking without disorientation
- 16-bit, up to 48 KHz sample rate for better-than-CD audio quality

The X2u will be available to consumers in spring 2009 at a retail price of $129 ($154.00 MSRP).

Clavia DMI AB is very pleased to appoint AM&S as the exclusive distributor of Nord products in the United States effective January 12, 2009. AM&S plans to commence operations on or around April 1st 2009.

"We are very pleased to announce American Music & Sound as our new exclusive distributor in USA," states Nord's Manager of International Sales, Tomas Enochsson. "They have a long history and exceptional performance in Pro Audio and MI product distribution and are in a perfect position to market our products through their existing channels as well as opening up new avenues for Nord."

"Nord brings an amazing legacy of incredible sounding keyboards and has always been known as a player's instrument," says Lynn Martin, President of American Music & Sound. "We are excited to have them on board."

Shure unveils two new condenser micorphones which are their first USB mic : the PG27USB and the PG42USB.

Designed with a flat frequency response and high SPL handling, the PG27USB naturally reproduces a wide variety of acoustic, amplified and vocal sound sources - with professional clarity and guaranteed "Plug and Play" Shure quality.

The PG42USB features a large, cardioid diaphragm tailored with high sensitivity to clearly reproduce refined performances. The voice-tailored frequency response has been specifically engineered to capture the subtle nuances of lead vocal performances. Also included on the PG42USB Microphone is a high-pass filter for additional control of unwanted low-end signal.

Both the PG27USB and PG42USB Recording Microphones feature :

- Large diaphragm capsule: Provides wider dynamic range, clear highs and strong lows.
- USB "Plug and Play": Connectivity: Allows the convenience of digital recording, anywhere your computer goes.
- Integrated pre-amp with Microphone Gain Control: Allows control of input signal strength.
- Zero Latency Monitoring: For real-time playback and multi-tracking without disorientation.
- Headphone Jack: For monitoring with 1/8" connectivity.
- Monitor Mix Control: For blending microphone and playback audio.
- 16-bit, up to 48 kHz sample rate: For better-than-CD-quality audio
- Zippered Pouch and 3m (9.8ft) USB Cable included
- Stand Adapter included with PG27USB Microphone
- Shock Mount and Carrying Case included with PG42USB Microphone

Pricing and Availability :

• PG27USB: $199.00 retail [$238.00 MSRP]
• PG42USB: $249.00 retail [$298.00 MSRP]

The PG27USB and the PG42USB Side Address Condenser Microphones will be available to consumers in spring 2009 and will carry a two-year limited warranty.