Computer / Software

TC Works' neat Mac utility allows you to turn VST plug-ins into sophisticated multi-effects combinations.

Released last year as a web-only download from Rhizomatic, the ground-breaking Absynth is now part of Native Instruments' product line, and can be used as a VST instrument plug-in.

EXS24 and EVP88, two of Emagic's dedicated plug-ins for Logic, are now available in scaled-down form for VST-compatible sequencers. But what has been lost in order to make the instruments work as VST plug-ins?

An exclusive first look at Emagic's new Logic Control hardware control surface, and the eagerly awaited Version 5 of Logic - a powerful combination that takes the system to a new level of functionality

Sound Forge is a very popular PC audio editor, but users have waited a long time for 24-bit support. Now it's here in version 5, along with a bundle of new features and plug-ins.

Akai introduced AKsys some months ago, providing a USB-driven, computer-based control interface for recent S-series samplers. Now at v1.7, it is becoming indispensible for anyone fed up with managing their samplers via an LCD...

Few recent software products have stirred as much interest as Melodyne - a program offering unique pitch, time and formant-processing features, which was created not by one of the major music developers but by a maverick Bavarian musician and his software-designer friend.

The latest and greatest incarnation of MOTU's flagship Mac sequencer adds full surround mixing support among many other new features.

Can Steinberg's professional recording package make an impact in the Pro Tools-dominated Macintosh market? Sam Inglis finds out.

If you constantly find yourself playing the same old chord shapes, then the rather nifty Australian Chordwizard...

Software instruments are now becoming commonplace, but it's still an ambitious software developer who attempts to model an entire studio.

All sorts of weird and wonderful instruments have been recreated in software, but IK Multimedia's Sampletank is the first serious attempt to make a high-quality workhorse sound module available in virtual form.

Version 2 of TC Works' Spark XL stereo audio editing software offers several unique new features and a very fast new Virtual File Engine that should speed up the operation of the program with large files. Paul White fires it up...

More and more vintage hardware instruments are now being modelled as virtual instrument plug-ins. With EVP88, Emagic have turned their attention to electric pianos, producing a Logic-only plug-in which models several different piano types. Paul White discovers that the tines they are a-changin'...

Cakewalk's Pro Audio range is one of the most widely used sequencers in the PC world, but their latest package has a new name and a new image, as well as lots of new features. Martin Walker tries out Sonar.

Emagic's Waveburner CD-writing package has grown to incorporate new editing features and powerful plug-in support, but retains its intuitive user interface. Paul White tests the new, improved version.

Martin Walker evaluates a program that bridges the gap between the limitations of typical bundled CD-writing packages and fully fledged audio editors.

Paul White looks beneath the surface of Sound Diver 3 to discover an immensely powerful and flexible patch editor and librarian system.

Paul White explores Dynamo, a remarkable suite of virtual synths and drum machines from Native Instruments, offering all the tonality of their acclaimed Reaktor software, but without the complexity.

With its on-the-fly tempo-matching for sample loops, Acid put a new spin on an old way of making music on the PC. Now, at last, there's a similar Mac program. Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser try out Bitheadz' Phrazer.

Paul Sellars offers some advice on what musicians should look for when choosing Internet audio software, and introduces the best of the current slew of Windows applications.