Cakewalk will release SONAR 5 in October. I’m still struggling through all the reviews and information on version 4 of SONAR (or, as I like to call it, Sonar). Sonar 5 includes new instruments and effects, the now ubiquitous convolution reverb, a more unified graphical interface, video output improvements and, of course, more. With Sonar 5, Cakewalk say you can record and edit unlimited tracks of audio and MIDI using effects on input including the new Pure Space Convolution Reverb, Sonitus:fx Suite, and more — 31 audio and 8 MIDI effects in all.

From the website, here’s an overview of the rest of the main features:

• Includes 8 responsive virtual instruments: two synths with genuine Roland sounds; vintage analog synths; REX, SoundFont, and groove samplers; and more
• Recall every element of a sound: mix, effect, and instrument settings with one click using Track Templates
• Loop record live audio and MIDI to track layers, then use enhanced comping tools to assemble the perfect take
• Create backing tracks and remixes fast using MIDI groove clips and ACID-format loops with per slice control of pitch, gain, and pan
• Expand your sounds and effects with native support for VST and DirectX plug-ins, and ReWire clients like Project5 and Reason
• Use any Windows-compatible WDM or ASIO audio interface (including Pro Tools HD or M-Box), integrate hardware-based MIDI devices and control surfaces from Roland, Tascam, Mackie, and others

They also promise Flexible Samplers, Huge Analog Synths, Roland Instruments and Loop Construction functions. For all you Sonar 4 users, here’s their list of new features in Sonar 5.

• PSYN II subtractive synth, Pentagon I vintage analog synth, Roland GrooveSynth, SFZ SoundFont sampler, RXP REX Player groove box
• Additional instruments include TTS-1, Cyclone, and DreamStation
• Pure Space Convolution Reverb
• Additional effects include Lexicon Pantheon Reverb, Sonitus:fx Suite (10 effects), many more
• Updated MIDI FX plug-ins
• Integrated inline audio and MIDI editing, arranging, and mixing all in one view
• Envelope automation drawing enhanced with tempo-sync patterns, freehand, more
• Object-oriented clip-based effects and editing including per-clip effects bin, clip-based effect automation, and more
• BitBridge enables 32-bit VST effects and instruments in SONAR’s 64-bit environment
• Remove DC offset during recording
• Advanced step recording
• Video output to 1394 FireWire devices for high quality viewing with lower CPU and disk usage

Korg has introduced the Legacy Collection — Digital Edition, software plugin versions of two of their big-time classic digital synths — the Korg M1 and a new version of the Wavestation. There’s also the MDE-X multi-effects plugin, which was also in Korg’s original Legacy Collection. This is pretty exciting — I remember wanting an M1 when it first came out all those years ago. Maybe now I’ll be able to get one.

The website includes all the details, as you would expect:

M1 Software Synthesizer
The sound engine of the M1 — renowned as the first widely popular music workstation — is available as an eight-part multitimbral virtual instrument, and has been updated with new features such as a resonant filter and dual Insert effects. In addition to offering the PCM, Program and Combination data of the M1 plus all of the data from the 19 optional PCM/Program cards, new drum sounds have been added for a massive total of over 2,700 vibrant presets.

Wavestation Version 1.5 Software Synthesizer
Korg’s Wavestation, which was reintroduced as software in the original Legacy Collection, has been updated to Version 1.5. It now includes all of the PCM and Program data from the original Wavestation, Wavestation SR and all six of its popular optional cards, providing a versatile and expansive arsenal of 1,400 presets and sounds.

MDE-X Version 1.2 Multi-effect Plug-in
The MDE-X suite of effects from the original Legacy Collection has been updated to Version 1.2, adding RTAS support for use within ProTools systems. Featuring 19 types of effects and 128 presets, MDE-X’s broad range reflects many years of technical expertise derived from Korg’s effects processors, synthesizers (including the TRITON family) and digital recording studios.

All three elements of the Korg Legacy Collection — Digital Edition (M1, Wavestation v.1.5 and MDE-X v.1.2) support RTAS, VST and Audio Units plug-in formats. The M1 and Wavestation 1.5 can also operate as stand-alone instruments, and each provides up to 256 notes of polyphony (depending on the host computer’s CPU power).

Music Tech Magazine reviews of Steinberg’s Nuendo 3: “Nuendo 3 is designed primarily to meet the demands of sound designers, composers and mixers working in post-production film, TV and other related media.” Everything about Nuendo 3 looks geared to multimedia work, so pure sound people might be happier with the more audio-oriented Cubase. Still, they like Nuendo’s ease of use: “Nuendo 3 is intuitive and logical to use, so tucking into the manual is unnecessary for most operations.”

Sound import and export has been improved. “Nuendo 3 now implements the new AAF format, which is designed to transfer sound and project metadata (such as fade, processing and automation) more efficiently. OMF export now has more definable options and exporting to other programmes also worked well.” However, they also noted that there were some problems exporting to OMF format.

Nuendo comes with bundled effects and instruments, but the reviewers say that for the price, they would expect a better reverb in particular, and more instruments.

Other features discussed include the “sophisticated” Fade window, which lets you draw “unusual fades and crossfades on your sound. These can be saved as templates and recalled for use on other clips.” They also discuss the Audio Warp tool new in Nuendo 3. This lets you stretch and pitchshift audio to accompany a video track. “The degree and accuracy can de defined by breakpoints in the audio clip and various Warp settings such as grain size and variance can help make the audio sound natural — or not! Aside from its uses in flexing rhythmic material, this tool really comes into its own when fitting replacement dialogue to picture, a process that is essential to audio post-production. It really feels as if you are moulding audio clay.”

Overall they give it 9 out of 10. Their verdict: “Nuendo 3 is a forward-thinking improvement to an already popular programme. With its easy-to-use tools and screens it can hold its head up high as a fast and creative platform”

VSTunnel is a simple and automatic way for laptop musicians to collaborate in real time over the Internet. It seems to be the work of one Martin Miller, from Germany. It’s a neat idea — you just install it and either start a new VSTunnel session for other musicians to join, or join an existing public or private session. Then add VSTunnel as the last plug-in on your VST host’s master insert. All your output audio gets sent to everyone else in your session, and all theirs gets sent to you and mixed into your output for you to hear. Instant global jam session!

There are other useful features like text chat too. As he says: “Start connecting several sequencers over the internet bringing musicians from all over the world to easily play their sessions together. No travelling. No studio bookings. All participants have the opportunity to create or join public and private sessions.”

I’ve heard of similar software before, but not implemented as a simple VST plugin. Here is the full list of features from the website.

Finding Sessions

• get a list of available sessions with name and description
• sort sessions by genre
• pre-listen to sessions before joining

Create A Session

• enter your session’s name and a description
• make your session public or private

Controlling A Session

• adjust each users volume
• mute users
• select a part of audio to be played
• loop audio of another user
• export a user’s audio to a file for offline usage

Networking

• pause upload ( e.g. during a phase of trial )
• pause download
• select download quality
• limit upload to the phases where you have stopped the sequencer

Community

• select your own user name
• see other users by name
• chat with the other musicians
• mark trouble makers to be ignored

MusicTech magazine reviews Cakewalk Project5 version 2. They note that there are many new features, including some that make Project5 easier to use in a live setting. This also makes music creation quicker and more spontaneous in a studio environment, and it’s a trend that other systems have moved with too, from Propellerhead Reason to (of course) Ableton Live. But that’s not all: “It also comes supplied with an impressive array of its own instruments … Each track now also has its own arpeggiator, which is good news for the dance crowd. It’s actually very powerful, with hundreds of presets available. Some, like the jazz chords and reggae guitar settings are genuinely different and useable.”

The Groove Matrix is the feature du jour: “Essentially, this is a grid of cells into which you can place loops from the browser, or patterns you have played in the Arrange window. Imagine it as a kind of sampler with lots of pads, only instead of a sample, each one triggers a sequence, perfectly in sync.” Of course, they notice the similarity to Ableton Lie: “The Groove Matrix, unlike some tools you come across, really does inspire you to be creative.”

In their summary, they compare it to Ableton Live, which they say is more refined but also more expensive. Still, they say that Project5 version 2 is closer in features and use to Live rather than Propellerhead Reason or other music software.

Apart from the major new functions of the Groove Matrix and the new features in general, they don’t love the interface. “Project5 is easy enough to use, but there’s a bit too much right-clicking that has to be done for our liking.” It’s funny that Live, Project5’s main competition according to the review, has only just introduced right-click functions in its most recent version. I suppose either you like right-click context menus or you don’t

Overall they give Project5 version 2 a rating of 8 out of 10. “Interface issues aside, Project5 has a lot going for it. Relatively easy to learn and use, it comes with a commendable selection of instruments and effects, and is very expandable due to its ReWire and VST/DXi support. The addition of audio recording capabilities turns it from a MIDI sequencer into something which could easily form the basis of a home studio.”

Computer Music talk about the Volcano filter plugin from FabFilter and give it a positive review. They like the flexibility of this filter — the wide range of filter characteristics result in effects that can “range from simple stereo separation and enhancement right up to glass-shattering self-oscillation!”

They also like the user interface, which is very striking yet still easy to use: “The intuitive screen really helps you to visualise the effect that the plug-in is having on your sounds, actively encourages experimentation, and makes for some great on-the-spot sonic jams.”

FabFilter’s website says that their new design approach “has resulted in pure and solid-sounding oscillators and unique self-resonating filters that have been tuned carefully to achieve the character and warmth of analog classics.” The reviewers agree, saying, “The technology behind FabFilter’s filter algorithm is impressive, and the six refined filter algorithms in Volcano are testament to the developers’ eye for detail.” Finally they give it a solid 8 out of ten and conclude: “for total smoothness, analogue warmth and screaming self-oscillation, you’ll struggle to find better than Volcano.”

FabFilter have released their Volcano filter plugin version 1.11. This stereo filter plugin for Mac and PC sounds pretty good and looks fabulous. I really like FabFilter’s creed: “FabFilter’s philosophy is that musicians need better sound more than new features.” So true. They emphasise their filter algorithms rather than the bells and whisltes on their products — their previous product, the FabFilter One synth, was highly regarded, so this one is worth a look too. Literally.

According to the website: FabFilter Volcano is a versatile filter plug-in for Windows and Mac OS X with state-of-the-art filter technology and endless modulation and tweaking possibilities. Two independent multimode filters provide low-pass, high-pass, and band-pass responses with 12/24/48 dB/octave slopes. Both filters feature seven different high-quality filter characteristics that define the unique sound and overdrive of the filter. They range from smooth filters with moderate overdrive to raw, self-oscillating over-the-top madness! In combination with the response and slope settings, FabFilter Volcano offers up to 63 different filter types.

Stereo panning
With the panning setting on both filters, you can adjust the filter balance on the left and right audio channels, which creates stereo effects without phase problems.

Modulation options
The frequency, peak, and panning settings can be modulated in any way imaginable with the two MIDI triggered LFOs and the MIDI/Audio triggered envelope generator. The LFOs have triangle and square wave forms and can be synchronized to the host tempo in normal, dotted, or triplets mode.

Interactive filter display
Tweak the filters with FabFilter Volcano’s interactive filter display that shows both filter curves and lets you drag them around. You can adjust them separately or both at the same time. The user interface is easy to use with large knobs that can be dragged up and down as well as turned around for precise adjustments.

Smart Parameter Interpolation
Changes to any of FabFilter Volcano’s parameters are interpolated by smart algorithms, ensuring both responsiveness and smooth transitions. There are no annoying digital clicks and zipper effects, and even MIDI controller changes are handled perfectly smoothly.

Steinberg’s Virtual Bassist is the latest addition to their virtual band lineup, which already includes Groove Agent and Virtual Guitarist. I’d like to see them expand this. How about Virtual Harpist or Horn Agent? Anyway, the first two received good reviews, and Virtual Bassist sounds pretty interesting too.

The website has many details. Here’s the executive summary: Using dynamic phrases based on real performances by top studio bass players in 30 styles, Virtual Bassist covers almost every conceivable music genre, delivering top class bass sounds and phrases for rock, pop, reggae, metal and hip hop to name just a few. The innovative GrooveMatch Technology allows users to mould the Virtual Bassist bass line performance to existing drum grooves either by flexibly editing notes or shifting the overall groove of any phrase. Owners of Groove Agent, Virtual Guitarist or Virtual Guitarist Electric Edition will find pre-matched grooves for phrases and patterns in those instruments, creating a tightly integrated drum, bass and guitar rhythm section.

Virtual Bassist comes with a full range of outstanding sound-shaping features, including six high-quality virtual stomp box effects optimized for bass guitar, a choice of tube or solid state amp head, bass cabinets and microphones as well as mic positioning options to build ideal bass guitar parts. The included effects can also be used on any other audio channel in music production environments such as Steinberg’s Cubase SX3.

Other features:

• Fast and easy to use thanks to extensive keyboard control
• Realtime performance controls (Complexity, Swing, Tempo a.s.o)
• Two basic operation modes: Chord (fully automatic) or Note (automatic patterns, manual note pitch)
• Amp section with tube or solid state amp selector, speaker/mic selector, EQ
• High-quality virtual stomp box effects such as Wah, Octaver, Overdrive, Chorus/Flanger, Tremolo, Compressor
• Compatible to any VST, DXi, AU or ReWire host application under OSX and PC.

Steinberg have released a free upgrade to Nuendo, their high-end music production powerhouse. The upgrade takes you to Nuendo 3.1 from from version 3. This upgrade follows on from their recent Cubase 3.1 upgrade. In fact, the title of the Nuendo web page is “Steinberg – Cubase SL/SX 3.1” so it looks as if they’ve been busy copying and pasting over at Steinberg webquarters. The new feature sets overlap a little bit — for example, both Cubase 3.1 and Nuendo 3.1 have the new “equal-power” panner. Other than that, the Nuendo updates are mostly to do with video-related work and Euphonix hardware integration, as well as a number of nice tweaks.

According to the website: The free Nuendo 3.1 update offers a variety of new features which are mainly targeted at post production for film and television. Additionally, this version of Nuendo provides significantly optimized workflow and performance features; it is also the first which is capable of interfacing with Euphonix hardware control by means of the Euphonix EuCon protocol.

Audio Pull Up/Down Function
The new Audio Pull up/down functionality allows the project to adapt to slowed-down or sped-up audio playback by 4% and 0.1%, plus combinations of these. This makes Nuendo the ultimate tool for audio post production whenever a Telecine process to adapt the speed of the audio recordings or a transfer from NTSC to PAL is involved during the film or television production.

HDTV Frame Rates
With HDTV becoming more and more important it is good to know that Nuendo is prepared to handle these formats by supporting the additional HDTV Frame Rates requires.

Extended Network Features
The unique Network Collaboration feature set in Nuendo is taken even further with Nuendo 3.1. Support for Marker Tracks has been included as well as a new Transfer Status window and the new Online Merge function, which enables users to quickly merge selected tracks between local projects and network projects.

Protection against data loss
Nuendo 3.1 reduces the risk of data getting lost due to system crashes during recording. The audio files are provided with file headers at regular intervals during the recordings so that if the system crashes Nuendo can restore the already recorded parts. The Autosave function has also been improved and now allows the user to define the number of files that are to be saved.

Optimized OSX Performance
The full support of Mac OSX Quartz 2D ensures that Nuendo benefits from all current and future Apple developments aimed at improving the graphic performance.

Video Thumbnail Pre-Cache
With this new option the thumbnail images of a video track are calculated and stored on the hard drive, so that they can be presented quicker during later work processes.

Workflow Enhancements
A faster workflow is ensured through several improved details in Nuendo 3.1. These enhancements include the synchronization of the track view between the Mixer window the Project window as well as the new Enlarge Selected Track mode, wich alllows a currently selected track to be automatically enlarged in the Project window.

“Equal Power” pan law
The new pan law “Equal Power” automatically adjusts level differences which occur due to panning changes. At the same time it creates smoother panning movements in a stereo or surround field.

Auto Edit for 9-Pin Devices
This new 3.1 version offers a Auto Edit function for the Nuendo Time Base Synchronizer. Pre-Roll and Post-Roll values for all 9-Pin Devices have also been added to the Auto Edit function.

Support of the Euphonix EuCon Protocol
Nuendo 3.1 is the first Nuendo version that can be directly integrated in studios using the Euphonix MC or the 5-MC system through the new EuCon module. Developed by experienced Steinberg programmers and exclusively distributed worldwide by Euphonix, the EuCon module offers a perfect integration of hardware with software.

Hot on the heels of the free ReBirth soft synth available from the Propellerhead ReBirth Museum, d-lusion have released their old Drumstation drum machine and Rubberduck bassline synth as freeware. These ones are “based on” the TB303 and TR909 rather than being proper emulations, but d-lusion do point out that their Rubberduck bass synth was out well before ReBirth.

The Drumstation details from the website: “Based on the concept of the legendary drum computers TR-909, TR-808 and TR-606 whose throbbing bassdrums and crashing hihats sent generations of dance-music enthusiasts into extasy, Drumstation combines cool old drum machine features with cutting-edge software-synthesis technology. Drumstation featured 8 channels of drums (either samples or synthesized drum sounds), programmable via an easy-to-use step sequencer, effects (realtime reverb, delay, flanger, filter, distortion) for each channel, loops could be sliced and stretched. With the drumkit manager, you could create your own drumkits. All this in the year 1998!”

As for Rubberduck: “Roughly based on the the well known TB-303, Rubberduck’s synthesis model consists of an oscillator wave with a resonant filter sweep applied to it combined with an efficient hardware sequencer design which resolves in the typical twisted, screaming, bubbling bass sound that is often used in Acid House, Goa Trance, or Techno productions. Rubberduck featured realtime digital resonant dynamic filters, frequency and volume envelope (DCA, DCF), 4 basic waveforms, dual oscillator sound generation (starting with version 2.0), a 224 note sequencer, a drum section where samples could be synchroneous played back, an effect unit (delay/feedback/distortion) and was fully Windows 95 compatible.”

There are some mildly amusing quotes about Rubberduck, too, but no mention of the name, which to me is one of the best things about this instrument. I don’t know how well they work on current versions of Windows, but they may be worth a shot.