MOTU has released DP Control, a free app now available from the Apple app store that allows Digital Performer users to control DP over a WiFi network using their iPhone, iPad or third-generation iPod Touch. Built specifically for use with Digital Performer (Version 7.2 or later), DP Control gives users easy access to the most important transport and mixer functions for tracking, mixing, and live performance. Designed with large, touch-friendly buttons and other UI elements, DP Control works in both landscape and portrait orientations.

Wireless, multi-touch mixing with Digital Performer is now a reality. Users can operate multiple on-screen Mixing Board faders simultaneously with several fingers. For two-handed mixing, users can turn their iPad sideways and mix with fingers from both han ...

Keith McMillen Instruments, an innovator of creative technology for string instruments, announced the formation of the StringPort Developer Program, which will provide software synthesizer developers with documentation and sample source code to easily develop StringPort versions of their software synthesizers.

At the core of the documentation is the release of the Acoustic Instrument Message (AIM) Specification. Acoustic Instrument Message (AIM) is a spectral descriptor language for any acoustic instrument. It is an open, license free specification, which solves most of the problems associated with the keyboard model for synthesis control. AIM can be sent over MIDI, OSC, UDP, or any transport layer.

AIM, developed by KMI, communicates performance data from acoustic instruments such as guitars and violins to software synthesizers within StringPort applications or running within a plug-in host. AIM provides a level expressiveness never before realized with MIDI.

Softube is shipping the Tube-Tech PE 1C for native (VST/AU/RTAS) and TDM. Tube-Tech PE 1C is available today at the Softube web shop and at authorized Softube dealers at an introductory price of $229 (Native) or $329 (TDM/Native), excl. VAT. The introductory offer will last until August 16 and thereafter the price will be $279 and $449, respectively.

The Tube-Tech PE 1C plug-in by Softube captures every nuance of the hardware version. It has an extremely analog sound that is evident as soon as you start using it. Every aspect of this studio standard, 25 years in the making, is now finally available as a plug-in.

A fully functional 20 day demo can be downloaded from www.softube.com.

Sound Radix has just released Auto-Align, an automatic time alignment plug-in. Time-aligning a multi-microphone setup is crucial to achieve coherent and punchier sound. When recording an instrument with more then one mic, sound tends to reach each microphone at a slightly different time and thus cause some frequencies to cancel each-other while other frequencies can build-up unnaturally. Until now, compensating for the delay between the microphones had to be done manually - an extremely time consuming and inaccurate process.

Auto-Align will "listen" to your multi-mic recording and will automatically measure and compensate for the delay between the microphones - sample accurate. When distant microphones are used and a delay is desired to preserve a sense of space, Auto-Align can time-pl ...

Mackie has announced two new recording interfaces, additions to the popular Onyx family — the Onyx Blackjack and Onyx Blackbird. These new interfaces combine the Onyx mic preamps with high-end Cirrus Logic AD/DA.

The Onyx Blackjack is an ultra-compact desktop 2x2 USB interface, perfect for the home studio. It features two Onyx mic preamp channels, each featuring built-in DIs for connecting guitars, etc. Separate level control for studio monitors and headphones, along with true analog hardware monitoring take the guesswork out of zero-latency recording. It is bus-powered, with a rugged, ergonomic chassis perfect for both portable and home studio applications.

The rackmount Onyx Blackbird delivers studio-grade recording via eight Onyx mic preamps. A 16x16 FireWire interface, Blackbird also features 8x8 ADAT and wordclock I/O. There are two "Super Channels" on the front panel with dedicated low-cut switches, phantom power and true hardware monitoring options for quick zero-latency tracking. The other channels are equally flexible, utilizing the powerful Blackbird Control DSP Matrix Mixer for quick setup of independent mixes and the ability to route any input to any output. Monitor, main, alt and dual headphone outs with dedicated source selection and level control ensures there are plenty of mix routing options.

The Onyx Blackjack and Onyx Blackbird are Mac/PC compatible, work with most major DAWs and include Tracktion 3 Music Production Software. Both interfaces will be available worldwide in August, 2010. The Onyx Blackjack will have a RRP of 249€, The Onyx Blackbird will have a RRP 599€.