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Berlin, June 14th, 2010 – Native Instruments today introduced SESSION STRINGS, a versatile virtual string ensemble for KONTAKT 4 and the free KONTAKT PLAYER. Brought to life through the advanced functionality of the KONTAKT platform, SESSION STRINGS provides charismatic, highly expressive acoustic string sounds for pop, soul, R&B, disco, house and other contemporary music styles.

SESSION STRINGS recreates a string ensemble comprising four violins, three violas, two celli and two double basses, captured and produced in one of Germany’s most renowned recording studios by sampling expert Thomas Koritke’s new sound design house e-instruments. All recordings were taken from exclusive instruments from the 18th and 19th century, played by top musicians from some of the finest European orchestras, resulting in outstanding tone and articulations on the highest level of musical virtuosity.

By fully utilizing the advanced features of the KONTAKT platform, SESSION STRINGS puts the full expressive arsenal of a world-class string ensemble at the fingertips of the user. The individual instrument groups are mapped conveniently across the keyboard, with intelligent legato and glissando based on dedicated samples. Easily controllable falls, swoops and crescendo variations allow producers to create soulful and dynamic string licks with ease.
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HOLLYWOOD STRINGS virtual (software) instrument, is now shipping. HOLLYWOOD STRINGS is an advanced collection of orchestral string instruments that offers unprecedented control over sound and performance while delivering extraordinary creative power to composers and content producers for film, video, web and music. Multiple finger positions for all sections, including open strings, are available for the first time in a virtual instrument collection.

HOLLYWOOD STRINGS, as the name implies, is a blockbuster virtual instrument that has many groundbreaking features not found in any other virtual strings collection. For instance, this collection was engineered to include multiple finger positions throughout the entire range of the fingerboard of each sampled instrument. This range of positions allows composers to realize the true voicing and emotional content of a string section. Vibrato intensity and extensive dynamics, including five dynamics of up- and down-bowed sustains and notes, are also controllable by the composer. Extensive multi-dynamic true legato has been sampled for all sections in three different categories: slurred, portamento and bow change. This results in unsurpassed legato performance that has never been available in the sample world. HOLLYWOOD STRINGS has five user-controllable microphone positions including main pickup (Decca tree), mid pickup, close pickup, surround pickup and an alternate vintage circa 1945 RCA ribbon room pickup, delivering the full range of the string experience.

“The intent with the HOLLYWOOD STRINGS collection was to produce an extensive and musical sonic pallet covering every nuance of string performance,” says Doug Rogers, founder and producer for EASTWEST. “This collection is unrivaled in the industry on every level. We assembled a team to produce this collection that included QUANTUM LEAP producer Nick Phoenix, Thomas Bergersen, a highly respected composer and orchestrator in Hollywood, and the legendary sound engineer Shawn Murphy, who has worked on countless Hollywood mega-films from Titanic, Star Wars and Jurassic Park to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The ensemble of sterling sound recordings, engineered in our award-winning EASTWEST STUDIO 1 with the finest equipment available by the top “ears” in the industry, has produced a string collection worthy of the name Hollywood, a name synonymous with world-leading, high-end films.”

HOLLYWOOD STRINGS comes supplied on a pre-configured hard drive. List price for HOLLYWOOD STRINGS is $1,695; an introductory price of $1,495 expires May 15, 2010

For more information and to order the collection, visit the EASTWEST Web site, http://www.soundsonline.com/hollywood-strings, or in Europe http://www.soundsonline-europe.com/hollywood-strings

Berlin, April 20th, 2010 – Native Instruments today released MASCHINE 1.5, a major free update that significantly increases the functionality and creative potential of the acclaimed computer-based music production system. With more classic drum machine features, improved host integration, new sampling functions, an extended sound library, and even more efficient workflow, the 1.5 software expands on the concept of MASCHINE as the most integrated and intuitive groove production studio for producers, live musicians and DJs.

To bring even more of the legacy of classic drum machines into the modern music production environment, MASCHINE 1.5 introduces two new “vintage sampler” modes that authentically emulate the gritty sonic signatures of the popular MPC-60 and SP-1200 models through sophisticated component modeling. The 1.5 version also loads the programs of nearly all MPC models ever built, opening up a vast resource of existing sound and sample material within MASCHINE.

MASCHINE 1.5 also enables a new and highly efficient level of DAW integration, with convenient host automation through new macro controls, MIDI pattern Drag&Drop export, direct DAW recording of MASCHINE events, MIDI pitch bend and CC support, and more. The powerful real-time sampling features of MASCHINE benefit from extended slicing and mapping options that make it even easier to work with sampled grooves and other rhythmic loops. The 1.5 version also introduces a full arsenal of destructive audio editing functions for in-depth sample manipulation.

The MASCHINE 1.5 update includes a versatile assortment of additional instrument and drum sounds, based on a gigabyte of high-quality sample material. The library has been expanded with special versions of ABBEY ROAD 60s & 70s DRUMs, authentic electric pianos and bass guitars from Scarbee, contemporary acoustic strings taken from the upcoming SESSION STRINGS instrument, sampled vintage analog synths, and carefully resampled MPC-60 hip hop kits from sample expert Goldbaby.

Further enhancements in MASCHINE 1.5 include a new “Grain Stretch” effect algorithm, a “16 Velocity Levels” pad mode, MIDI file export, extended polyphony options, improved event editing and navigation on the controller, project default templates, sample consolidation for improved song portability, and a wide range of minor optimizations.

The 1.5 update is available as a free download for all owners of MASCHINE.

A practical demonstration of the beat creation process with Maschine 1.5 by producer F Major is available on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SURS89rsSR0

The release of MASCHINE 1.5 is also accompanied by a four-part feature demonstration http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=386EA6B3826160D2, as well as an interview series featuring producers like No I.D., Jurassic 5 member DJ Nu-Mark, Dawaun Parker, Brook D’Leau and Needlz http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=A33DAC367E40FE03.

About Native Instruments:

Native Instruments is a leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer-based music production and performance. The company’s mission is to develop innovative, fully integrated solutions for all professions, styles and genres. The resulting products regularly push technological boundaries and open up new creative horizons for professionals and amateurs alike.

There’s a new distribution company that just came on the scene, catering to the smaller developers.  The president Stefan has been around the music industry for a while and I’ve dealt with him when he worked with EastWest.  Here’s the info I received from him in an email:

it is my pleasure to announce Better Music Distribution (http://www.bettermusicdistribution.com), the alternative source for sample libraries and virtual instruments for professional musicians & composers. Experience the Difference!
Our company is currently based out of beautiful Los Angeles. Our approach is to support and represent small developers that have creative ideas and a line of amazing sounding products they like to introduce to the US market.

I have been approached by many companies and developers looking for a US distribution, many of them not big enough to be considered by one of the large companies (or if, not without compromising too much). This is where Better Music Distribution will come in place by offering a fair trade distribution platform to reach out to customer and dealers across the USA and Canada.

Our focus is representing each company with as much attention to detail as possible. We understand the hard and sometimes long work that goes in each of these products and we would like to transfer this message of pride to the musician that considers to purchase any of these. There are quite a lot of amazing products already available or in the make and for each one of these developers we do offer our best to get them a “foot step” into the US market.

On the other hand Better Music Distribution will also search for new products and ideas that musicians & composers have and we will communicate these back and encourage developers to work on products for such demands.

We are now very pleased to announce the official distribution for Imperfect Samples for the US. Matt Stedeford has found an amazing unique way to fit the needs of so many musicians that are looking for more organic sounds ( http://www.bettermusicdistribution.com/about-imperfect-samples).

Quote::
“The human brain is sensitive to the differences between an organic recording vs. a quantized sequenced track. This is a common problem with sequenced acoustic music. Many perfect commercial sample libraries can often sound midi-like, due to their perfect performance.”
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Berlin, April 15th, 2010 – Native Instruments today introduced PARANORMAL SPECTRUMS, a new KORE-powered instrument that creates mysterious and unsettling sonic atmospheres. For use with KORE 2 and the free KORE PLAYER, PARANORMAL SPECTRUMS is a powerful resource for suspenseful film and game scores in the horror, thriller and mystery domain, and is also suitable for dark electronic music styles.

Based on atmospheric field recordings, unusual sampled sounds and intricate synthesizer programming, PARANORMAL SPECTRUMS offers a wide assortment of evocative pads and sinister soundscapes, as well as intense mallets, flutes, bells and synth sounds that are both original and highly playable. It takes advantage of the integrated engines of KORE 2 and KORE PLAYER, combining the advanced sampling features of KONTAKT with the versatile synthesis functions of MASSIVE and ABSYNTH and the sound processing capabilities of GUITAR RIG to create deep, complex and charismatic sounds that can be efficiently modulated and brought to life.

PARANORMAL SPECTRUMS provides 100 KoreSounds with eight morphable Sound Variations each, resulting in 800 individual sounds. Concise parameter assignments allow for immediate, intuitive sound tweaking in KORE 2 and KORE PLAYER. Full musical metadata for all presets also makes PARANORMAL SPECTRUMS integrate seamlessly with any individual collection of KORE instruments.

PARANORMAL SPECTRUMS is available for download in the NI Online Shop for $79 / 69 EUR.

A video explaining the concept and creation process of the instrument is available on YouTube at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19GZ3Sh2FXg

Additional information on PARANORMAL SPECTRUMS is available at
www.native-instruments.com/paranormalspectrums.info

About Native Instruments:

Native Instruments is a leading manufacturer of software and hardware for computer-based music production and performance. The company’s mission is to develop innovative, fully integrated solutions for all professions, styles and genres. The resulting products regularly push technological boundaries and open up new creative horizons for professionals and amateurs alike.