Garritan has announced a new World Instruments library presenting a comprehensive collection of expressive and exotic instruments from around the world.

The Garritan World Instruments collection offers a large variety of beautifully sampled flutes — Native American flutes, bamboo flues, Irish flutes, Chinese and Japanese flutes, Indian flutes, clay flutes, pan flutes, nose flutes and many other exotic winds from around the globe. Included is a dynamic array of pitched and un-pitched percussion instruments — Taiko drums, Gamelan ensemble, Log drums, tablas, ewe drums, balaphon, Udu drum, talking drum, steel drums, an array of Latin percussion, and much more. There are numerous types of plucked and bowed strings, including: Indian Sitars, Japanese koto and shamisen, African kora, Middle Eastern oud and santoor, and erhu. A variety of other instruments include didgeridoo, Middle Eastern reed instruments, accordions, Tibetan bowls, and harmonium, to name just a few.

The Garritan World Instruments Library is designed with playability and expressive control in mind. It features controls for dynamics, vibrato, tongue/slur techniques, airflow, auto legato, auto-variability, auto-portamento, trills and more — to make these samples musical, realistic and expressive. There is even support for wind controllers (like the Akai EWI). A unique feature of the Garritan World instruments is its support for Scala files to adjust to different temperaments and tunings.

Powered by the ARIA playback engine (developed by Plogue Technologies), the Garritan World Instruments will work on a single computer, laptop and even some netbooks, Mac OSX or PC platform, standalone, or plug-in for all major sequencers (VST, AU, RTAS), works with Finale 2009 and with other supported notation programs.

Garritan World Instruments is expected to be released first quarter 2009. Pricing will be announced upon release.

MOTU has introduced Volta, a virtual instrument plug-in that allows users to play and automate modular synthesizers — or any hardware equipped with control voltage (CV) inputs — from their favorite host audio workstation software.

The first product of its kind, Volta receives conventional virtual instrument input such as MIDI notes, MIDI controller data or even high-resolution audio track ramp automation and then responds by outputting a corresponding control voltage signal, which the host software then routes to the outputs of any DC-coupled audio interface connected to the computer. The resulting DC voltage can then drive a standard CV input, such as those found on classic modular synthesizers, modern analog mono synths and even popular effects processors such as Moogerfoogers.

JBL Professional is introducing the new LSR2300 Series Studio Monitor System, delivering professional performance at price points within reach of any studio.

The LSR2300 Series includes: the LSR2328P Bi-Amplified 8-inch Studio Monitor with 160 Watts of amplification; the LSR2325P Bi-Amplified 5-inch Studio Monitor with 85 Watts of amplification; and the LSR2310SP Powered 10-inch Studio Subwoofer with an integrated 180 Watt power amplifier.

In developing the LSR2300 Series, JBL applied the same stringent Linear Spatial Reference criteria used in the design of the LSR6300 and LSR4300 Series. While most manufacturers take only a single on-axis measurement of the speaker's performance, JBL's Linear Spatial Reference criteria requires 70 measurements, yielding more than 1,200 times more d ...

Garritan has announced Garritan Orchestral Strings 2. This new string library will be powered by the Garritan ARIA sample engine.

This library includes the complete string sections of the orchestra as well as an extended complement of solo strings. The stringed instruments recorded in this collection include Stradivarius, Guarneri, Gagliano, Montagnana, Testore, and many other rare instruments, and were recorded in 24-bit at the world-renowned Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
The library includes a rare solo Stradivari violin, a solo Pallotta viola, a solo Gofriller cello, a solo Amati double-Bass, 1st violin section, 2nd violin section, viola section, cello section, double-Bass section, and a full string orchestra.

Each string section and solo instrument allows performance o ...

Audio-Technica introduces the new ATH-M35 Dynamic Stereo Monitor Headphones. Employing the company's latest transducer technology, the ATH-M35's offer the highest level of sonic accuracy in a design engineered to provide maximum comfort for hours of listening. Key features include a foldable design for easy storage and a rugged storage pouch, enhancing the headphones' durability and lifespan. They are an ideal choice for a wide range of applications, from professional studio and home recording use to more portable situations such as live sound, broadcast audio-for-video and field recording.

The ATHM35's employ a low-profile, closed-back design, providing exceptional clarity and superior isolation in high-volume listening situations. Extremely accurate, the headphones feature a neodymium magnet structure and have a frequency response of 20-20,000 Hz.

The ATH-M35's also have a lightweight and adjustable cushioned headband to provide maximum listening comfort. In addition, they feature a gold-plated stereo 1/8" (3.5 mm) connector with strain relief and professional screw-on 1/4" (6.3 mm) adapter, and a sturdy, ultra-flexible 11' (3.4 m) cable with single-side exit.

The ATH-M35 Dynamic Stereo Monitor Headphones will be available February 2009 with a U.S. MSRP of $139.00.