Sounds And Effects announces that African Drum Pak 1 has been released for the Akai Music Production Centers MPC 500/1000/2500/4000. The download Pak includes talking drums (odunu), udu drums, lizard skin drums, clay frame calf hide drums from Cameroon, 2 varieties of cup gongs, ivory tusk horn, shekera and husk shakers.

African Drum Pak 1 is available now at an MSRP of $29.95.

IPerform3D has announced a completely new and different guitar instruction program, using motion-capture and 3D animation technology.

Unlike DVDs or online video lessons, this system gives guitarists complete control, allowing them to rotate and zoom the "virtual" camera to any angle, even "behind" and "through" the instructor's guitar neck. iPerform3D technology also allows guitarists to slow lessons down without changing pitch, or loop a riff or song section as required until it's mastered.

iPerform3D presents hundreds of on-demand lessons and riffs—plus full songs for beginners and restarters—all captured using live musicians, motion-capture cameras and 3D animation software. The iPerform3D Player set-up is fast and easy, is available online for both Mac and PC, and features interactive lessons for students of nearly any ability, that includes regularly updated techniques, fresh premium content and subscription choices.

Pricing starts at $29.95 a month. Note that a free 5-day trial is available.

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).