As a Christmas gift to all Pianoteq customers, Modartt is glad to offer a cimbalom add-on, the latest addition to the KIViR family of virtually restored historical instruments.

This is a physically modelled virtual copy of cimbalom Balázs Kovács (2007).

The cimbalom belongs to the ancestor psaltery, quoted in the bible. The psaltery was later developed into different variants which differed in sound but were similar in their constructive concept. One of these, the cimbalom, was a constant member of gypsy orchestras. Legs and a damper pedal were soon added to the instrument and it reached the status of concert instrument in the 19th Century, thanks to Ferenc Erkel and Franz Liszt.

Contrarily to the piano, pressing down a key does not lift the corresponding damper. Hence, unless the pedal is depressed, all notes are immediately dampened.

This add-on is free for all registered users of Pianoteq.

Crysonic has announced their Christmas specials which are running until the end of 18th of December 2009.

All available Crysonic plug-ins are reduced by 50% and bundles are reduced by 60% . Demo versions of all their plug-ins can be downloaded from the crysonic web site. All current crysonic customers are also entitled to substantial discounts until the 18th of December.

The Vienna Symphonic Library team is pleased to announce the release of their mixing host Vienna Ensemble Pro as a boxed edition.

The software offers a comprehensive cross-platform LAN solution that can incorporate both Macs and PCs into one network using a simple Ethernet cable. Furthermore, the 9 GB Epic Orchestra sample pack is included as a free bonus. Both the download product and the physical product contain exactly the same software.

Vienna Ensemble PRO retails at €195/$315 and is now available from the company's worldwide network of distributors and dealers.

112dB has announced the upcoming release of a new plug-in called Redline PreAmp. Here is what they say about it :

"Redline Preamp livens up any "too clean" signal with a customizable combination of even and odd harmonics, saturation, and soft clipping. Redline Preamp is a vintage console channel, a musical grunge machine, and everything in between.

Unique and concise editing options allow for anything from subtle coloration to high-class grunge, from vintage emulation to fattening of digital mixes. A showcase selection of carefully constructed presets ranging from the American Vintage to the full-blown Beyond Repair is included.

Highlight features include proprietary tube modelling with detailed harmonics control, three individual frequency bands with solo listening, and mid/side processing."

Redline Preamp is expected to release on Jan 8.

GSi has released version 2.0 of MrTramp, a free physical modeling simulation of the Wurlitzer 200A Electric Piano.

What's different in this new version ? Firstly, it's no more compiled in SynthEdit, it's fully programmed in C++ so is now also available for Mac OSX in both VST and AU formats; secondly, it takes way less CPU and RAM; furthermore, this not the exact same algorithm used in the previous MrTramp, this is a new revised formula which gives more 'bite' on the lower octaves and more 'body' on the high notes.

Panel Controls :

• Velocity : adjusts the velocity response, use this in accordance to your MIDI controller's settings to find the best action response.
• Hardness : adjusts the hardness of the virtual "reeds".
• Tremolo : turns on/off and adjusts the amount of tremolo, with a fixed frequency of 6 Hz, triangle waveform.
• Tone : a low pass filter, use this to brighten or darken the sound.
Volume.