Published 16/7/04
Rax frees Audio Units plug-ins from the sequencer
There are increasing numbers of computer musicians who want to be able to use their favourite software instruments and effects, but don’t need or want the features of a conventional DAW host program such as Cubase or Logic.
This is often the case when using a software instrument in many live performance situations, and is also ideal when using one computer to handle sequencing and a separate machine to host demanding instruments and effects.
Solutions such as Steinberg’s V-Stack already exist for turning VST Instruments and effects plug-ins into stand-alone tools, and Granted Software’s OS X application Rax does the same for Apple’s Audio Units format.
Rax features include the ability to load multiple synths into each rack, and live audio inputs can also be routed through the built-in 16-channel mixer, which offers flexible effects routing; each channel provides insert slots and eight effects sends, and there are also master effects slots.
There are also comprehensive MIDI features including layering, keyboard and velocity splits, transposition, multiple inputs and external MIDI clock sync. A host-based MIDI learn function allows you to assign MIDI controllers to plug-in parameters even in those Audio Units plug-ins that don’t natively support MIDI control.
Rax costs $29.95.
