An upgrade to Steinberg’s Cubase music production system will be available as a free download in August. The update will be for Cubase SX and Cubase SL. Steinberg say there are more than 50 new features in the 3.1 release. This includes better integration with Yamaha hardware, more sound encoding support, and the usual editing tweaks and bells and whisltes.

The Steinberg press release says this: Among the new features coming to Cubase SX with the 3.1 update is the latest stage of the ongoing Studio Connections collaboration between Steinberg and Yamaha. This innovative technology allows the seamless integration of Yamaha hardware in Steinberg host applications. Studio Connections II: Audio Integration allows convenient monitoring and mixing of Studio Manager devices just like VST instruments in the Cubase SX VST audio mixer. Other external instruments not supported by Studio Connections can be integrated just as easily. Also new to Cubase SX 3.1 is the ability to control external hardware effects via MIDI, giving full control over external effects hardware from within Cubase SX.

Cubase SX 3.1 now includes support for Steinberg’s optional Dolby Digital and DTS Encoder plug-ins, opening these world-standard formats to all Cubase SX users. Additional processor optimization means that Cubase SX/SL 3.1 supports not only Mac and PC multiprocessor systems but also the latest AMD and Intel DualCore processors as well as Hyperthreading and DualCore over dual processors. This puts the considerable performance increases these technologies allow fully within the grasp of professional musicians and producers using Cubase SX and SL.

Further additional new mixing features in Cubase SX and Cubase SL include a new “Equal Power” panner, a new set of mixer key commands and extended copy functions for mixer channels. MIDI output delay compensation means that proper timing is maintained even when using external MIDI instruments that are mixed through the VST audio mixer. “Freezing” of MIDI track playback parameters allows quick and easy rendering of playback parameters into MIDI data.

Sometimes you hear (or write) a piece of music and think, “it’s good, but it just seems to lack a certain something.” Well, finally there is a clever piece of audio engineering that can add that “certain something” to your music!

Rane Corporation, ever the innovaters, have created the PI 14 Pseudoacoustic Infector. This revolutionary sonic enhancement product is just the thing to add zip, vim and vigour to any recording project.

Have you ever wanted to add just a bit of this or a tad of that to your sound? Have you ever wondered what was available to allow it? So have we. The PI 14 gives you the ability to add bits of this and dashes of that, with continuously variable breadth and depth. How much would you pay for this flexibility? But wait. Before you answer that, there’s also the ability to pan from here to there and if you lose your way, there’s a switch to get you back again.

Unfortunately, this marvellous device is currently unavailable due to a parts shortage (perhaps this is related to another of its innovations, the anti-vibration all-concrete chassis). Whenever the PI 14 Pseudoacoustic Infector starts rolling off the production lines, it will be a must-have for every studio. We eagerly await a VST plug-in version.

If you have difficulty maintaining a musical idea for the length of an entire song, why not consider a career as a ringtone composer? The New York Times reports that artists are composing short pieces for mobile phone ringtones.

“We definitely see a market for original content,” said Andy Volanakis, president and chief officer of Zingy, a ringtone provider that has released an album by the producer Timbaland.

When combined with technology that allows them to sound like music instead of its tinny shadow, and programs that allow anyone to make, mix or otherwise devise his or her own ringtones, the seven songs on the Timbaland album — among the first meant to be played on a phone, not a radio or CD player — suggest that ring tones are not merely a new money-maker; they are a new art form.

And here’s that Timbaland “album” in full. It’s not that bad. Better than the Crazy Frog anyway.

Remix Fight is an online community that has bi-monthly remix competitions. Download a track in the form of a bunch of loops, remix it and submit your remix for judging by the community.

This is a great source of new tracks to practise your mixing skillz on. For best results, don’t listen to anybody else’s mix or ideas until you’ve finished your own. Then listen to all the other entries and think about how they approached their mix.

From the website:

How do I enter a competition?

To enter, visit the upcoming fights page (http://www.remixfight.org/mt-archive/cat_loops.shtml) and download the loops provided there, make a remix using whatever means you have at your disposal (see remixing resources if you have none), and then e-mail an mp3 of it to entries@remixfight.org with your artist name, artist website (if you’ve got one), mix title, and a short blurb about your mix.

Pocket Lint gave quite a positive review to the StikAx. However, this was mostly because they liked the TrakAx software that comes with it — they thought the controller itself didn’t really add much to the package.

They write: “As it goes, this is a nicely bundled package and an interesting stance on editing. The capture of existing images and the editing isn’t reliant on the device- it’s merely the catalyst for making the process more exciting, tactile and accessible. With 450 samples of a broad range of dance music, licensed software and a plug and play device, this is well priced at 89.99, if this sort of thing tickles your fancy. Remember though, Grandmaster Flash started on old, home made kit and there are many Rebirth style edit suites available out there in freeware land. If you are thinking of mixing images, you probably got something as competent thrown in with your camcorder. All the same, it made my Sunday more ‘urban’. Needs more time to get to grips with, but I wouldn’t say no to another go.”

They give the list price as 90 UK pounds, but I believe the actual retail price is 50.

“Mixing decent tunes with this is about as easy as mixing cement with a toothpick.”

T3 Magazine has reviewed the Ministry of Sound StikAx. Many people like the StikAx for its innovative styling and emphasis on simplicity. But not T3. They basically think it’s a piece of junk. They don’t like the hardware quality, the design, the software or even the samples, which they think are 15 years out of date. The end of the review sums it up: “It all adds up to a very disappointing experience.”

The Ministry of Sound StikAx is a handheld controller for live mixing of music and video. The concept is similar to the music mixing games available for various game consoles, except that it looks like a retro sci-fi ray gun. It’s obviously not a serious musician’s tool, but would be fun to have lying around. It might even be useful for musical brainstorming

The publicity on the StikAx web site says: “The Ministry of Sound StikAx is a fun, easy-to-use, real-time music mixer that you hold in your hand.

With the StikAx, you can take any music or video content, simply assign it to buttons on the StikAx and mix your music and video on the fly; be it a remix of the latest hit or your own unique creation, allowing you the freedom to experiment and also the freedom to use your intuition as to how it should sound or look. All your creations are recorded event by event, so if you create something great, it’s saved for you. You can then re-edit the piece using professional effects and settings – it’s all provided. Now you’re ready to share your creations with your friends, family or even impress a record boss! – it’s a studio in your hands.

The software can support multiple StikAxs; friends can mix together; Dad can create the home movie while Jimmy creates the accompanying soundtrack; or two burgeoning DJs can create remixes together without arguing whose turn it is next on the computer keyboard. Music and video should be entertaining, creative and interactive – with the StikAx it finally is.

The StikAx is an USB plug-and-play device, simply hook it up to your PC and you are mixing. It bypasses the need for expensive and complicated midi hardware and software and the associated learning curve that goes with the midi protocol.

At its basic level, the StikAx is a fun, easy-to-use, interactive multimedia experience. As the user progresses with the StikAx, they are able to create unique music and video content and interact with that content in real-time for an increasingly intense experience in entertainment and creativity. It is not limited to any audio-visual genre and is equally appealing to fans of dance to jazz, from classical to hip hop. With virtually unlimited sources of audio and video input, the StikAx is the most affordable and comprehensive real-time multimedia production offering available.

The buttons and LED light beam on the StikAx are used as triggering devices to mix any combination of music, video and special effects that the user selects. The StikAx in combination with the TrakAx software provides real-time interaction, that is captured by the software and presented in the Mixing Palate for saving, editing or remixing.”