Music production software

Multi-track recording studio software

Review: The Mixcraft 6 is a powerful music production and multi-track recording workstation that comes packed with thousands of music loops and dozens of audio effects and virtual instruments. Mixcraft enables you to record audio, arrange loops, remix tracks, compose with MIDI and virtual instruments, add effects, score and edit video, and mix and master your tracks to create polished, professional compositions. Mixcraft is your music production dream come true, instantly turning your computer into a fully-stocked professional recording studio.

The Mixcraft includes over 6000 x music loops, sound effects, and music beds that can be easily drag-and-dropped into your project. Combine drum, bass, and guitar loops with synth, organ, pianos, vocals, orchestral and percussion loops to create your own custom arrangement. Set the tempo and key of your choice, and the loops will automatically adjust. The Mixcraft supports Acidcand Garage Bandbloops, too, and you can import your entire loop collection into the Mixcraft's loop library for easy access to your favorite sounds.

The Mixcraft is like having a dream studio full of vintage keyboards right at your fingertips. Packed inside are fantastic emulations of the MiniMoog, Prophet 5, Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos, the Hammond B-3 organ with Leslie rotating speaker, and classic transistor organs by Vox and Farfisa. Also included are a huge library of carefully samples orchestral instruments, drums, synthesizers, pianos, organs, guitar, bass, and much more, all mapped to the General MIDI specifications. Plus, the new Acoustica Studio Drums collection lets you get your hands on a fresh set of acoustic and electronic drum sounds, professionally recorded in a world class studio.

The Mixcraft 6 includes 25 x high quality effects, including the Pultronic Tube EQ, which models the classic tube equalizer found in studios throughout the world, and the Shred Amp Simulator, a complete suite of 5 classic amp heads, 17 cabinet models, and 6 powerful effects.

The Mixcraft 6 is fully compatible with DirectX and VST effects, as well as VSTi instruments, so you can expand your studio with an endless variety of amazing third-party effects and instruments.

The Mixcraft 6 is not only a powerful audio workstation, i's a fantastic tool for scoring and editing video. Load and edit video files and still images with ease. Easily cross-fade from one video clip to another, add transitions, and other video effects. Create slideshows from your photo collection. Add titles and scrolling text. Remix the audio, add a soundtrack, and effortlessly render your video project to popular formats for creating your own DVDs or uploading to YouTube and other popular internet video sites.

Audio recording, editing & mastering software

Review: The Sound Forge Audio Studio 10 is everything you need to edit and master professional-quality audio on your home computer. You can record live instruments and vocals, edit and restore audio, apply studio-quality effects, and convert files with lightning speed. You can even create your own karaoke tracks with the vocal eraser tool. With a few basic commands, you can produce high-fidelity audio on your PC.

The Sound Forge Audio Studio 10 software is the easiest way to record, edit, encode and master audio. New features in Sound Forge Audio Studio 10 include 24bit/32bit float 192kHz audio support, an enhanced vinyl recording and restoration wizard, customizable window layouts and FLAC & AAC format support.

A complete home recording studio

Review: The ACID Music Studio is the best way to bring your music to life and share it with others. Now you can enjoy the freedom to interact with music creation tools at the skill level that's right for you, no experience necessary. Sony's loops take the guesswork out of making great tracks, while the audio effects, MIDI functionality, and new workflow and performance features open the door to the world of professional music production.

Your computer's audio input leads directly to the ACID Music Studio, simply plug in your microphone or instrument and click Record. Import songs and MP3s for remixing, and use the Beatmapper tool to create remixes and dynamic DJ sets.

Apply sophisticated signal and effects processes including elastique timestretching, EQ, reverb, delay, chorus, flanging, phase shift, and distortion. The ACID Music Studio features VST audio effects support, as well as support for VST instruments, so you can play your MIDI tracks back through virtual instruments, filters, and effects.

Use powerful MIDI editing and sequencing tools. Record MIDI data from your favorite hardware controllers, or compose directly on the ACID Music Studio piano roll and drum grid interfaces. The ACID Music Studio supports VSTi and includes 90 instruments for song creation.

You must provide your registration information to Sony Creative Software Inc., a US company, in order to activate the software. Product requires online registration.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdKi3SjTRC4

Home studio music production software

Review: Mixcraft 6 is a powerful music production and multi-track recording workstation that comes packed with thousands of music loops and dozens of audio effects and virtual instruments. Mixcraft enables you to record audio, arrange loops, remix tracks, compose with MIDI and virtual instruments, add effects, score and edit video, and mix and master your tracks to create polished, professional compositions. Mixcraft is your music production dream come true, instantly turning your computer into a fully-stocked professional recording studio.

Music production and multi-track recording workstation

Review: The Mixcraft 6 is a powerful music production and multi-track recording workstation that comes packed with thousands of music loops and dozens of audio effects and virtual instruments.

The Mixcraft enables you to record audio, arrange loops, remix tracks, compose with MIDI and virtual instruments, add effects, score and edit video, and mix and master your tracks to create polished, professional compositions. The Mixcraft is your music production dream come true, instantly turning your computer into a fully-stocked professional recording studio.

Review: Sonar have evolved and so can the way you make music. Imagine the power and maturity of and industry standard DAW combined with the cutting edge creative tools essential for today's music, all wrapped up in one of the most modern and beautiful user interfaces available.

The Sonar X1 Essential has a completely redesigned user interface that makes creating music faster and easier than ever. You can create music with cutting edge musical tools like the Step Sequencer and The Matrix; customize your workspace with the Skylight interface; and get hands on control with Active Controller Technology (ACT).

With a powerful collection of effects and instruments to get you started and more available tracks than DAWs costing twice the price, the Sonar Essential is the perfect way to get your feet wet and to begin crafting your own masterpiece.

Review: The Steinberg WaveLab Elements 7 is tailored to the needs of home producers, musicians or music enthusiasts. It's perfect if you are looking for a quality tool for audio editing, restoration and podcasting. Cross-platform-compatible for the first time, the WaveLab Elements 7 leaves the choice entirely up to you if you prefer to use it on your Mac or on your PC.

The WaveLab Elements 7 combines state-of-the-art audio technology from its bigger sibling WaveLab 7 with an intuitive workflow concept, comprehensive podcast functionalities and a rich collection of high-end VST3 plug-ins such as StudioEQ and VST Dynamics. In addition to tools like level meters and the ultra-precise spectroscope, the WaveLab Elements 7 also comes with a first-class VST3 restoration plug-in suite from Sonnox (consisting of DeNoiser, DeBuzzer and DeClicker) and an all-new CD-burning engine. This convincing toolset turns the WaveLab Elements 7 into the cost-effective solution for audio mastering, editing and restoration in your home studio.

8 hypersampled bass guitars for Reason version 4

Review: The Reason Electric Bass ReFill puts 8 fully playable electric bass guitars into your Reason 4 software rack. Featuring selectable basses and bass rigs, plus a wide selection of music style patches, this ReFill lets you add dynamic, natural sounding bass lines to your software productions.

Music Production & Performance Software

Music production software for home studio

Review: From getting great tone to releasing a final mix, today's musicians must master every element of the music production process. The Sonar X2 is there every step of the way, and the revolutionary Skylight interface lets you move seamlessly among the elements, instantly going from recording to editing to mixing and back again. Dial up the perfect synth sound with the Rapture or a searing guitar tone with the TH2 Producer. Record it, tighten it, chop it, and drop it in the Matrix for realtime triggering. Shape it with the ProChannel. Warm it with the Console Emulator. And do it all with a single Smart Tool. It's genius.

Specially priced version of ReCycle for students and teachers. Not eligible for Education upgrades. Proof of Student/Teacher status required.

Review: This version is use by student or teachers only, proof of educational status is required before despatch.

Propellerhead's ReCycle 2.2 is the most useful looping software available. Simply put, it allows you to treat your loops the same way you do with programmed beats. Using the ReCycle allows you to alter the tempo or completely remix the loop, quickly and easily.

Imagine that you have a sample of a drum loop that you want to use in a track you are working on. The loop is 108 bpm and your track is 90 bpm. What do you do? You can of course pitch down the loop, but that will make the loop sound very different, and what if there are harmonies in the loop that you want to match to your song. You can also time stretch it. That will keep the pitch, but will make the loop sound different. Usually it means that you loose some 'punch' in the loop.

Enter the ReCycle 2.2 and the smart way to make loops tempo independent. Instead of stretching the sample, ReCycle 2.2 REX files are sliced into little pieces so that each drum hit (or whatever sound you are working with) gets its own slice. When you then change the tempo of the loop, the time between the slices is stretched, instead of the slices themselves.

When you load a sound into the ReCycle 2.2, the program will 'look' at the file, analyse it and break it up into its rhythmic components. The process itself is fully automated, but the slices are yours to move, audition or delete, using the program's on-screen tools and controls. Other tools allow you to set the length, attack and decay of the slices and to change your groove's overall tempo or pitch without one affecting the other. It's not magic, but it's probably as close as you can get.

Slicing a loop also gives you individual control over both the sound of the slices and the timing. You can rearrange the loop, change the feel of it, replace parts of the loop with other samples, pitch it and much more. The ReCycle 2.2 turns concrete-rigid loops into musical modelling clay, allowing you, the loopist, to do pretty much what you desire.

When you have processed a loop with the ReCycle 2.2, the audio loop and the way its components are played back are completely independent of each other. The resulting REX file can be rearranged, pitched or have it's tempo freely adjusted. You have full control over the individual slices and can alter the timing or even quantise the groove - or keep the feel of the loop, but replace the sounds with your own.

Use the ReCycle 2.2 as a problem solver for loops: Load a drum loop into the ReCycle 2.2, set a new tempo or pitch and save the results as a new file. Or load up any groove, and use the ReCycle 2.2's on-screen signal processors: Compressor, EQ and Transient Designer, to give it some punch and distinction. Anything you choose to do in the ReCycle 2.2 can be applied to your loop non-destructively and saved as a new file.

Please Note: Valid student or faculty ID required for purchase.

Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 upgrade software

Review: The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is a complete audio production workstation that blends tremendous mixing and mastering power with a streamlined interface that's easy to navigate. The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is loaded with instruments, effects, and loops, with serious recording and editing tools, advanced MIDI and audio routing capabilities, remarkable video editing features, a slick notation engine, MIDI control surface support, ReWire hosting, and much more.

The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is packed with 55 x effects and virtual instruments, including 18 x high-end effects and virtual instruments that are not included with the standard Mixcraft 6 package. The added effects include powerful mastering technology by iZotope, G-Sonique, ToneBoosters, and Acoustica, such as the iZotope Mastering Essentials effect suite. The new Acoustica Pro Studio Reverb offers cutting-edge studio reverb technology that's easy on the CPU, and the Acoustica 31-band EQ offers precise, transparent frequency trailoring. X-Bass, Transient Vitaliser, Twisthead Preamp, and the incredible new FAT+ plug-in add deep lows, crisp highs, and gritty tube warmth to your tracks. The Mid-Side Envelope Follower+, Mid-Side Harmonic Vitaliser+, and Mid-Side Stereophase Filter+ all warp and twist your tracks in exciting new ways. Additional effects include bit-crushing, gating, tape emulation, liquid delay, and vintage & modern parametric EQs.

The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is also a virtual synth collector's dream come true. It comes packed with ultra-realistic emulations of legendary analog synthesizers including the Yamaha CS80, Moog Memorymoog, Prophet 5, and Minimoog. It also features emulations of other timeless keyboard instruments including the Steinway Model D convert grand piano, Hammond B-3 organ and Leslie speaker, Vox and Farfisa combo organs, and Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos. There's a huge library of carefully sampled orchestral instruments, drums, synthesizers, pianos, organs, guitars, bass, and more, and the new Studio Drums collection gives you access to a brilliant collection of acoustic and electric drum sounds, professionally recorded in a world-class studio.

The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is a music mastering powerhouse, with a wealth of included effects specifically designed for dynamic processing, multi-band compression, bass and treble balancing, parametric equalization, adding character (including tube and tape warmth), and other essential mastering activities that can mean the difference between an average track and a mix that explodes from your speakers.

Loops play an important role in modern music production, and the Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 includes over 6000 professionally produced loops and sound effects in an incredible array of styles. From contemporary genres such as dubstep, chill, hip-hop, and R&B, to dozens of varieties of classic rock, jazz, blues, reggae, heavy metal, Latin, and so much more, inspiration is always just a click away. You can easily import your own collection of Acid and GarageBand, loops into Mixcraft's own loop library, so your entire loop collection is always at your fingertips.

You wouldn't want to overlook the Mixcraft Pro Studio 6's suite of video production tools. Mixcraft makes it easy to arrange & edit video clips and import still images. Automate transitions, fades, and dozens of visual effects. You can even add lyrics, labels, and scrolling text, and your complete video production can be mixed down to AVI or WMV video file, so you can easily publish your video to YouTube or burn it to a DVD or Blu-Ray disc.

Reason 7 upgrade version for previous versions 1-6

Review: This is the Reason 7 upgrade for previous versions of Reason saving mondy if you are a legitimate owner of reason 1-6.

Propellerhead Software proudly present the Reason 7. The latest incarnation of the world's favorite music software brings a slew of enhancements to help you create more and better musiciand have even more fun doing it.

The Reason rack has seen an exponential growth over the last few years with the introduction of unlimited audio recording, studio grade mixing tools, and support for third party instruments and effects. With the Reason 7, Propellerhead continue that expansion to let you take your mixing to the next level, to place the Reason at the heart of your studio, and to continue to inspire you in your music making.

With instruments that are easy to use, infinitely tweakable, and with a sound to fit any style, the Reason has always offered a wide array of sonic capabilities. Now Properllerhead are adding even more to the mix. The Reason 7 comes with MIDI out support to bring the sound of your favorite hardware synths and beat machines to the Reason rack. MIDI is handled by the new External MIDI Instrument device, fully integrated into the Reason environment. Automating MIDI equipment from the Reason's sequencer or even from control voltages in the Reason rack is a breeze to set up.

With the Reason 7 you have more creative control over your audio recordings. Record your instruments and let Reason automatically slice the recording into single notes or hits. Use it to quantize an audio take, to tweak your timing to perfection, or to drastically change the recording by going all creative with Reason's fantastic time stretch. The sliced up audio can also be converted to REX files for playback and further treatment in the Reason's Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player, Reason's samplers, or the Kong Drum Designer.

With its studio-grade mixing console, the Reason was already a mix engineer's dream. The Reason 7 adds several new ways to make mixing your songs better and easier. The Reason users tend to spend a lot of time exploring and tweaking sounds in the Reason rack, so the most important mixing controls like level and pan are now available in the rack too, always close at hand. This means less jumping about in the program and more focus on your music.

The new bus channels make it easy to group your tracks, and even group your mixer groups to process them together. Create parallel channels with a single click for separate processingifor quick New York style parallel compression and other tricks used by leading mix engineers today.

For increased control of your mixes the Reason now has a built-in spectrum analyzer window, giving you instant visual feedback on the selected channel or bus. The new Spectrum EQ window combines a powerful spectrum analyzer with a graphic EQ overlay controlling the mixer's renowned EQ. Easily adjust the EQ on your tracks from anywhere in the program.

The most important aspects of the Reason is that it is fun and inspiring. As a creativity boost, the Reason 7 comes with Audiomatic Retro Transformeria future-retro effect unit with plenty of personality. Add Audiomatic to any channel or group and select a snapshot to instantly change the sound of your track. More details about the Audiomatic Retro Transformer are coming soon.

The Reason 7 also comes with an expanded sound bank that adds a new and powerful section of hard hitting drums loops: big room house, dubstep, and even metal. It's all there, ready to be thrown into your tracks. For importing your own sound files into the Reason, there is now support for more audio import formats, such as MP3, wma and aac to make it easier to grab loops and recordings from your music library or the web.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ca0YCbMtoM0

DAW software with Modular Environment, Unlimited Audio Tracks, Soft Synths, Virtual Instruments, Effects, and Rack Extensions (for schools and institutions use)

Review: Reason is an integrated music recording and production studio with unlimited audio tracks, million-dollar mixing, and a massive collection of sounds included. Reason comes with all the instruments, effects and mixing tools you need for writing, recording, remixing and producing great-sounding tracks.

With its generous sound bank and intuitive flow, Reason helps you along in the creative process. It is the music making software that keeps you focused on the music and lets you finish that song.

Should you need even more creative options, Rack Extensions expand Reason and lets you add more instruments and effects, created by Propellerhead and others.

The Propellerhead Reason 6.5 expands on its legendary music creation mojo with eagerly-anticipated Rack Extension technology that lets you expand your sonic arsenal with whatever your music needs. The Rack Extensions give you the flexibility of plug-ins, without the headaches. Together with ground-breaking features introduced in previous versions, the Reason 6.5 gives you a CPU-efficient 64bit monster DAW that lets you record rock-solid audio on unlimited tracks, create beats, play virtual instruments from its powerful, one-of-a-kind rack, and mix down on a superb SSL-modeled console. Packed with amazing synths, instruments, effects, workflow enhancements, and now the Rack Extensions, the Propellerhead Reason 6.5 is ready for your next project.

The Propellerhead Reason 6.5 opens Reason's rack up to third-party developers. The Rack Extensions give you the flexibility that your friends who use other DAWs have long enjoyed. What you don't get with the Rack Extensions is the hassle. The quirky behaviors that are entirely different from plug-in to plug-in (and completely contrary to how your DAW works). You don't get instability, nasty crashes, version compatibility issues, authorization aggravations,Propellerhead could go on. What you do get is great-sounding, cutting-edge instruments and effects that do what they're supposed to. Because Propellerhead controls the technology, issuing its Rack Extensions SDK to all RE developers, you get a seamless plug-in experience. Simply visit Propellerhead's online Rack Extension store and select what you want. Your Rack Extensions download and install automatically. You don't have to mess with registration and authorizations, your Reason ignition key covers everything. And when you're in the heat of fast 'n' furious creativity, your Rack Extensions respond just like Reason does (e.g., command/control-z is undo), and all settings are saved with your session. This is how it's supposed to be.

Note: This is an offer from Propellerhead allowing approved educational facilities to purchase an upgrade to Reason 6 at a special discounted price. Proof of eligibility is required to qualify for this offer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=QQQRsnoyiPA

If you're a school or an educational institution (or rather, someone in charge of software purchasing at a school or educational institution), you should go for an EDU version. The EDU versions of Reason are the standard full versions, with the exception that the license cannot be sold, and cannot be transferred. To upgrade your EDU license(s), you need the corresponding EDU upgrade(s).

Wavelab 8 upgrade edition for Wavelab 7 users

Review: The first choice for mastering engineers, musicians and hobby producers alike, the WaveLab 8 takes audio to perfection with a new speaker management system, EBC compliant loudness processing and a selection of mastering-grade plug-ins. This is the update for people who already have WaveLab 7 and wish to upgrade to WaveLab 8.

The WaveLab 8 comes with an integrated speaker management system, allowing you to switch between up to eight speaker setups for playback and record monitoring, including individual gain control for each output.

The loudness war is over and dynamic sound is getting widespread, that's why the WaveLab 8 features a full-fledged EBU R128-compliant loudness metering and processing solution. The WaveLab also contains a zoomable loudness view that visualizes all values as a clear graph.

The WaveLab 8 introduces a plug-in chain window that hosts all inserted clip, track or master plug-ins in one single area. Now you can switch between different plug-ins with a single click. Also new in version 8 is the completely redesigned plug-in organization. The newly introduced plug-in settings dialog allows you to group and sort plug-ins by vendor, category and favourites, making it easy to manage your ever growing number of plug-ins.

Audio editing is made faster and more convenient with the WaveLab8. One example is the time-saving Raise Selection function that allows you to adjust the level of individual clip regions in an instant. Plus, several new trim and split options have been added to the framework of the new Auto-Split function. What's more, you can now process selected regions of your audio file using e.g. a plug-in chain with just a single command, making comparisons between different editings a straightforward matter. And the new auto-replay option automatically re-triggers the playback right after your edit.

DAW music production software for PC or Bootcamp Windows installations only

Review: Image Line FL Studio 11 Fruity Edition is aimed at composers who need a piano roll editor for complex melodies and to record/ play chords. Fruity Edition adds access to Playlist Pattern Clips for complex and lengthy arranging & sequencing, as well as Event Automation for the automation of program/plugin parameters, unlocking the full melodic and instrumental performance capabilities and potential within FL Studio.

Professional red book audio CD mastering software

Review: Produce professional audio CDs to Red Book specification with CD Architect 5.2 software. Perform full PQ code editing, trim events from full-length media and add as new tracks, import regions from Sound Forge software as tracks, master audio by applying over 20 real-time DirectX effects to events and the master output, and perform disc-at-once CD burning.

CD Architect software provides the most precise audio CD mastering and burning tools available. Arrange your CD Architect project using simple drag-and-drop operations. Produce complex crossfades and DJ-style megamixes. Generate multiple takes of a song to use in your project before burning. Create live-style CDs with audio in the time between tracks, apply volume envelopes and event ASR envelopes even create hidden tracks. CD Architect software supports a long list of drives, including many FireWire and USB devices.

Platform: Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, or XP

Full retail boxed version Cubase Artist 7 Update from Cubase Artist 6

Review: The Steinberg Cubase Artist 7 Update (UD2) from Cubase Artist 6 is the mid-level version of the Cubase 7, with the same audio engine and many of the same great features as the full version, but cut down for simplicity and cost effectiveness.

The Cubase Artist 7, although slimmed in terms of features, still allows 64 x audio tracks, 128 x MIDI tracks and 32 x virtual instrument tracks, 32 x physical inputs and outputs, and 32 x group tracks, plenty of scope for most home studio projects. A large proportion of the effects and sounds found in the full version of the Cubase 7 are also included in the Artist, 18 x MIDI effects plug-ins, 46 x audio effects, and 8 x virtual instruments with over 2400 x sounds.

The audio engine sitting behind the Cubase Artist 7 is the same as in the Cubase 7, ensuring pristine recording quality and smooth workflow. Some of the features you don't get with the Artist are full score layout and printing, VariAudio (stretchy audio), the new Chord Assistant, audio tempo detection, EuCon controller support, OMF import/export, external effects integration, control room features and 5.1 surround. Many of these features are not required by all musicians and producers, so Cubase Artist offers a more cost-effective solution to creating professional quality recordings.

The Cubase Artist 7 is available for MAC and PC (32 and 64-bit), and will run with any professional audio interface under ASIO or Core Audio drivers. Mixing and effects parameters can be automated so the mix can be constantly tweaked to create the perfect mixdown, while an advanced comping tool lets you splice the perfect take out of multiple recordings.

Steinberg and Cubase have become terms synonymous with high quality music production. The Cubase Artist 7 continues that legacy, and is sure to remain one of the most popular DAWs on the market.

Full retail boxed version Cubase 7 Update from Cubase 6.5

Review: The Steinberg Cubase 7 Update (UD1) from Cubase 6.5 - Cubase 7 is an advanced music production system that combines cutting-edge technology with nearly 30 years of expertise in digital audio and sequencing workstations. Jam packed with new features and technologies, Steinberg's Cubase 7 is set to retain its position as one of the most successful production systems ever created.

The Cubase 7 combines pristine sound quality, an intuitive interface, and a vast range of highly advanced audio and MIDI tools for composition, recording, editing and mixing. With unlimited audio, instrument and MIDI tracks, 32-bit floating-point audio engine, 8 virtual instruments, and a suite of 66 high-end audio and 18 MIDI VST effect processors, Cubase has all the tools you need to make great productions.

The mixer in the Cubase 7 has been completely overhauled with considerable input from Cubase users offering workflow improvements and improved functionality. The new MixConsole includes A/B mix settings comparison and a global effects bypass, plus plug-in search functionality and drag-and-drop support. A new channel strip with professional-quality modules gives Cubase 7 all of the audio tools and effects required to get professional results quickly and efficiently.

A brand-new global Chord Track has also been added alongside the innovative Chord Assistant. This unique song-writing feature makes working with chords in a project easier for both accomplished and fledgling musicians, with the ability to automatically create musical chord sequences based on the existing MIDI data. VariAudio gives the same flexibility when it comes to audio, allowing complete control over timing and pitch after the recording has been made, while harmonies can be created and re-purposed from existing recordings.

With new features complimenting the previous comprehensive toolset, the Cubase 7 is a true powerhouse of music production technology. With multitrack editing and take-comping, professional scoring and arrangement, thousands of instruments and effects, and pitch and harmony manipulation, the Cubase 7 sets a new benchmark in DAW functionality.

Review: The Reason Drum Kits and Reason Electric Bass ReFills are in one package. The Rhythm Combo appeals to Reason users that want lively, realistic acoustic drums and natural, organic sounding bass. These 2 Refills give you the killer backline for nearly any type of music. And because they are Hypersampled, you'll have the control to sculpt to a fantastic sounding, unique rhythm section that just make your tracks come alive.

Music production software

Review: Reason is an integrated music recording and production studio with unlimited audio tracks, million-dollar mixing, and a massive collection of sounds included. Reason comes with all the instruments, effects and mixing tools you need for writing, recording, remixing and producing great-sounding tracks.

With its generous sound bank and intuitive flow, Reason helps you along in the creative process. It is the music making software that keeps you focused on the music and lets you finish that song.

Should you need even more creative options, rack extensions expand Reason and lets you add more instruments and effects, created by Propellerhead and others.

Full retail boxed version Cubase Artist 7 Upgrade from Cubase elements 6/7 & Cubase Essential 4/5

Review: Steinberg Cubase Artist 7 Upgrade (UG1) from Cubase Elements 6 - Cubase Artist 7 is the mid-level version of Cubase 7, with the same audio engine and many of the same great features as the full version, but cut down for simplicity and cost effectiveness.

Cubase Artist 7, although slimmed in terms of features, still allows 64 audio tracks, 128 MIDI tracks and 32 virtual instrument tracks, 32 physical inputs and outputs, and 32 group tracks - plenty of scope for most home studio projects. A large proportion of the effects and sounds found in the full version of Cubase 7 are also included in Artist - 18 MIDI effects plug-ins, 46 audio effects, and 8 virtual instruments with over 2400 sounds.

The audio engine sitting behind Cubase Artist 7 is the same as in Cubase 7, ensuring pristine recording quality and smooth workflow. Some of the features you don't get with Artist are full score layout and printing, VariAudio ("stretchy" audio), the new Chord Assistant, audio tempo detection, EuCon controller support, OMF import/export, external effects integration, control room features and 5.1 surround. Many of these features are not required by all musicians and producers, so Cubase Artist offers a more cost-effective solution to creating professional quality recordings.

Cubase Artist 7 is available for MAC and PC (32 and 64-bit), and will run with any professional audio interface under ASIO or Core Audio drivers. Mixing and effects parameters can be automated so the mix can be constantly tweaked to create the perfect mixdown, while an advanced comping tool lets you splice the perfect take out of multiple recordings.

Steinberg and Cubase have become terms synonymous with high quality music production. Cubase Artist 7 continues that legacy, and is sure to remain one of the most popular DAWs on the market.

Upgrades Cubase Elements 6 and Cubase Essential 4 and 5.

Full retail boxed version Cubase 7 Update from Cubase 6

Review: Steinberg Cubase 7 Update from Cubase 6 - Cubase 7 is an advanced music production system that combines cutting-edge technology with nearly 30 years of expertise in digital audio and sequencing workstations. Jam packed with new features and technologies, Steinberg's Cubase 7 is set to retain its position as one of the most successful production systems ever created.

Cubase 7 combines pristine sound quality, an intuitive interface, and a vast range of highly advanced audio and MIDI tools for composition, recording, editing and mixing. With unlimited audio, instrument and MIDI tracks, 32-bit floating-point audio engine, 8 virtual instruments, and a suite of 66 high-end audio and 18 MIDI VST effect processors, Cubase has all the tools you need to make great productions.

The mixer in Cubase 7 has been completely overhauled with considerable input from Cubase users offering workflow improvements and improved functionality. The new MixConsole includes A/B mix settings comparison and a global effects bypass, plus plug-in search functionality and drag-and-drop support. A new channel strip with professional-quality modules gives Cubase 7 all of the audio tools and effects required to get professional results quickly and efficiently.

A brand-new global Chord Track has also been added alongside the innovative Chord Assistant. This unique song-writing feature makes working with chords in a project easier for both accomplished and fledgling musicians, with the ability to automatically create musical chord sequences based on the existing MIDI data. VariAudio gives the same flexibility when it comes to audio, allowing complete control over timing and pitch after the recording has been made, while harmonies can be created and re-purposed from existing recordings.

With new features complimenting the previous comprehensive toolset, Cubase 7 is a true powerhouse of music production technology. With multitrack editing and take-comping, professional scoring and arrangement, thousands of instruments and effects, and pitch and harmony manipulation, Cubase 7 sets a new benchmark in DAW functionality.

Complete audio production suite

Review: The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is a complete audio production workstation that blends tremendous mixing and mastering power with a streamlined interface that's easy to navigate. The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is loaded with instruments, effects, and loops, with serious recording and editing tools, advanced MIDI and audio routing capabilities, remarkable video editing features, a slick notation engine, MIDI control surface support, ReWire hosting, and much more.

The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is packed with 55 effects and virtual instruments, including 18 high-end effects and virtual instruments that are not included with the standard Mixcraft 6 package. The added effects include powerful mastering technology by iZotope, G-Sonique, ToneBoosters, and Acoustica, such as the iZotope Mastering Essentials effect suite. The new Acoustica Pro Studio Reverb offers cutting-edge studio reverb technology that's easy on the CPU, and the Acoustica 31-Band EQ offers precise, transparent frequency trailoring. X-Bass, Transient Vitaliser, Twisthead Preamp, and the incredible new FAT+ plug-in add deep lows, crisp highs, and gritty tube warmth to your tracks. The Mid-Side Envelope Follower+, Mid-Side Harmonic Vitaliser+, and Mid-Side Stereophase Filter+ all warp and twist your tracks in exciting new ways. Additional effects include bit-crushing, gating, tape emulation, liquid delay, and vintage & modern parametric EQs.

The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is also a virtual synth collector's dream come true. It comes packed with ultra-realistic emulations of legendary analog synthesizers including the Yamaha CS80, Moog Memorymoog, Prophet 5, and Minimoog. It also features emulations of other timeless keyboard instruments including the Steinway Model D convert grand piano, Hammond B-3 organ and Leslie speaker, Vox and Farfisa combo organs, and Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos. There's a huge library of carefully sampled orchestral instruments, drums, synthesizers, pianos, organs, guitars, bass, and more, and the new Studio Drums collection gives you access to a brilliant collection of acoustic and electric drum sounds, professionally recorded in a world-class studio.

The Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 is a music mastering powerhouse, with a wealth of included effects specifically designed for dynamic processing, multi-band compression, bass and treble balancing, parametric equalization, adding character (including tube and tape warmth), and other essential mastering activities that can mean the difference between an average track and a mix that explodes from your speakers.

Loops play an important role in modern music production, and Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 includes over 6000 professionally produced loops and sound effects in an incredible array of styles. From contemporary genres such as dubstep, chill, hip-hop, and R&B, to dozens of varieties of classic rock, jazz, blues, reggae, heavy metal, Latin, and so much more, inspiration is always just a click away. You can easily import your own collection of Acid and GarageBand loops into Mixcraft's own loop library, so your entire loop collection is always at your fingertips.

You wouldn't want to overlook the Mixcraft Pro Studio 6's suite of video production tools. Mixcraft makes it easy to arrange & edit video clips and import still images. Automate transitions, fades, and dozens of visual effects. You can even add lyrics, labels, and scrolling text, and your complete video production can be mixed down to AVI or WMV video file, so you can easily publish your video to YouTube or burn it to a DVD or Blu-Ray disc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDhWYhNwurs

Full retail boxed version Cubase Artist Upgrade From LE/AI 4/5/6/7 Sequel 2/3 SE 3, Studio Case 2

Review: The Steinberg Cubase Artist 7 Upgrade (UG2) is the mid-level version of the Cubase 7, with the same audio engine and many of the same great features as the full version, but cut down for simplicity and cost effectiveness.

The Cubase Artist 7, although slimmed in terms of features, still allows 64 x audio tracks, 128 x MIDI tracks and 32 x virtual instrument tracks, 32 x physical inputs and outputs, and 32 x group tracks, plenty of scope for most home studio projects. A large proportion of the effects and sounds found in the full version of the Cubase 7 are also included in the Artist, 18 x MIDI effects plug-ins, 46 x audio effects, and 8 x virtual instruments with over 2400 x sounds.

The audio engine sitting behind the Cubase Artist 7 is the same as in the Cubase 7, ensuring pristine recording quality and smooth workflow. Some of the features you don't get with Artist are full score layout and printing, VariAudio (stretchy audio), the new Chord Assistant, audio tempo detection, EuCon controller support, OMF import/export, external effects integration, control room features and 5.1 surround. Many of these features are not required by all musicians and producers, so Cubase Artist offers a more cost-effective solution to creating professional quality recordings.

The Cubase Artist 7 is available for MAC and PC (32 and 64-bit), and will run with any professional audio interface under ASIO or Core Audio drivers. Mixing and effects parameters can be automated so the mix can be constantly tweaked to create the perfect mixdown, while an advanced comping tool lets you splice the perfect take out of multiple recordings.

Steinberg and Cubase have become terms synonymous with high quality music production. Cubase Artist 7 continues that legacy, and is sure to remain one of the most popular DAWs on the market.

Upgrades from Cubase Cubase SE 3, Cubase LE 4/5/6, Cubase AI 4/5/6, Sequel 2/3 and Steinberg Studio Case 2.

Wavelab 8 upgrade edition for Wavelab 6 users

Review: The first choice for mastering engineers, musicians and hobby producers alike, the WaveLab 8 takes audio to perfection with a new speaker management system, EBC compliant loudness processing and a selection of mastering-grade plug-ins. This is the update for people who already have WaveLab 6 and wish to upgrade to WaveLab 8.

The WaveLab 8 comes with an integrated speaker management system, allowing you to switch between up to eight speaker setups for playback and record monitoring, including individual gain control for each output.

The loudness war is over and dynamic sound is getting widespread, that's why the WaveLab 8 features a full-fledged EBU R128-compliant loudness metering and processing solution. The WaveLab also contains a zoomable loudness view that visualizes all values as a clear graph.

The WaveLab 8 introduces a plug-in chain window that hosts all inserted clip, track or master plug-ins in one single area. Now you can switch between different plug-ins with a single click. Also new in version 8 is the completely redesigned plug-in organization. The newly introduced plug-in settings dialog allows you to group and sort plug-ins by vendor, category and favourites, making it easy to manage your ever growing number of plug-ins.

Audio editing is made faster and more convenient with the WaveLab8. One example is the time-saving Raise Selection function that allows you to adjust the level of individual clip regions in an instant. Plus, several new trim and split options have been added to the framework of the new Auto-Split function. What's more, you can now process selected regions of your audio file using e.g. a plug-in chain with just a single command, making comparisons between different editings a straightforward matter. And the new auto-replay option automatically re-triggers the playback right after your edit.

Music production software Cubase 7 Upgrade version 3 for Steinberg Cubase 4/5

Review: This is an update for users of Steinberg Cubase 4 or 5 in order to use Cubase 7 at a reduced price. Steinberg's comprehensive top of the line DAW condenses almost three decades of development into cutting edge software. Used by professionals worldwide, Cubase combines outstanding audio quality, intuitive handling and a collection of highly advanced audio and MIDI tools.

The Cubase 7 condenses over 25 years of Steinberg development into the most cutting-edge digital audio workstation anywhere. Designed for professional producers and artists, the Cubase combines the best sound quality, intuitive handling and a vast range of highly advanced audio and MIDI tools for composition, recording, editing and mixing. Whether you record an orchestra in, a huge live rock show, or a newcomer band in the studio, Cubase is sublime in every sense of the word.

With more musical features than ever, the Cubase 7 delivers a truly unrivaled creative production experience. Sparkling with its entirely overhauled mixing console, a new Chord track alongside the innovative Chord Assistance, advanced VariAudio, more instrument content and an array of enhancements make the Cubase 7 smarter and faster in every way.

Please note: A Steinberg USB-eLicenser key is required for authorization. To complete the Cubase installation, a download of approximately 500 MB is required.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FnMpppSUtuo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wlvC46OIkTY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=I3iZWVj_7do

Music production software for PC or Bootcamp Windows installation only

Review: Image Line FL Studio 11 Producer Edition provides the highest level of program functionality for FL Studio. Producer edition rounds out FL Studio's capabilities with comprehensive audio recording and manipulation and audio and automation clips. Producer edition also allows you to record external and internal audio, up to the maximum number of simultaneous audio tracks your computer and audio interface (soundcard) can support.

Music Production & Performance Software

Review: Educational version of the Live 9 Standard Edition. You will need a copy of a valid student or teacher ID, or official confirmation letter from an attending school including a signature and stamp to qualify for this version. Create, produce and perform. Create ideas, make changes without stopping, and capture everything as you work. If you've used music software before, you're already familiar with one half of Ableton Live. Live's Arrangement View is a familiar working space: time moves from left to right, while tracks are stacked vertically. But Live also features the revolutionary Session View: a unique sketchpad for improvising, playing and performing with musical ideas, without the constraints of the timeline. Freely and independently start and stop any number of audio or MIDI loops - everything stays in sync. Almost everything in Live works in real-time - add, reorder or remove devices, play with Live's flexible track routing and more - all without interrupting your creative flow.

Music composition & production software in box

Review: FL Studio is one of the most popular and exciting music production systems in the world. Everything you need in 1 package to compose, arrange, record, edit, mix and master professional quality music.

The Signature Bundle is a bundle including producer edition + a collection of FL Studio's signature plug-ins. It's the cost effective way to get your hands on some of our best gear.

With Signature Bundle, you can enhance productivity. The addition of Maximus will make your final mix down process easier and have you putting out professional sounding masters in less time. The Fruity Video player will allow you to compose and synchronise your musical scores to video. Directwave sampler will allow you sample VST instruments and create your own multi-layer sample banks from any recordable instrument. Sytrus will round out your synthesis capabilities with a huge preset library and awesome range of sounds. Guitar players will appreciate hardcore guitar effects suite, but it's also a bunch of generally useful effects pedals for any instrument.

FL Studio is a fully featured open-architecture music creation and production environment for Windows. No extra software is required to produce virtually any style of music. A complete set of instruments and studio tools are included in the price of the package. Create complete songs, backing tracks, loops and sizzling beats, and then save them to WAV, MP3, OGG, MIDI or native project format (FLP/ZIP).

Professional digital recording, editing, and mastering software

Review: Built on a clean slate for OS X, the Sound Forge Pro Mac software provides a contemporary application environment that's perfect for recording, editing, processing, and rendering broadcast-quality audio master files. Enjoy lightning fast operations on an elegant interface that feels completely at home on the Mac.

Dedicated viewing panels display only the features you need for the ideal workflow, while legacy tools such as event-based editing and a thoroughly updated Plug-in Chainer provide what the Sound Forge users have come to expect. A fresh statement on audio editing, the Sound Forge Pro Mac software includes a comprehensive suite of mastering, restoration, and repair tools for immediate results.

Professional digital audio production suite

Review: The Sound Forge Pro 10 software efficiently and reliably provides audio editors and producers complete control over all aspects of audio editing and mastering.

Whether in the studio or field, it's the ultimate all-in-one production suite for professional audio recording and mastering, sound design, audio restoration, and Red Book CD creation. New features in the Sound Forge Pro 10 include precise event-based editing, integrated disc-at-once CD burning, musical instrument file editing and processing, and pristine audio conversion and time stretching.

Acclaimed for its power, stability, and exceptional workflow, the Sound Forge Pro 10 software is the best way to get from raw audio to finished master. With high-resolution 24bit/192 kHz audio support for the ultimate in audio fidelity, along with a fully customizable user interface and workflow enhancements, the Sound Forge Pro 10 software is the tool of choice for audio and multimedia professionals.

The Sound Forge Pro 10 lets you edit mono, stereo, and multichannel audio files (up to 32 channels) down to the sample level. Use familiar Windows commands to cut, copy, paste, mix, and crossfade audio. Perform precise event editing and create fades, crossfades, and mix audio with ease. Drag and drop audio between channels and work on one file while processing others in the background.

Apply over 40 professional studio effects and processes including Normalize, EQ, Delay, Chorus, Volume, Dynamics, Noise Gate, Pitch Shift, Flange, and Vibrato. The Sound Forge Pro 10 software includes high-quality Zplane elastique Pro timestretch and pitch shift plug-in for pristine audio mastering, and the Mastering Effects Bundle 2, powered by iZotope.

The Sound Forge Pro 10 software supports multiple video formats including AVI, WMV, and MPEG-1 and MPEG-2. Precisely synchronize audio and video frame by frame. The Sound Forge Pro 10 software includes MPEG-2 templates for writing HDV-compliant files at both 720p and 1080i resolutions, and AVI templates using the CineForm CFHD codec for 720p and 1080i intermediate renders. Also included are templates for encoding WMV 720p and 1080p.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4alkRwxIYB4

Music Production & Performance Software

Review: Upgrade from Live 9 Intro version. Create, produce and perform. Create ideas, make changes without stopping, and capture everything as you work. If you've used music software before, you're already familiar with one half of Ableton Live. Live's Arrangement View is a familiar working space: time moves from left to right, while tracks are stacked vertically. But Live also features the revolutionary Session View: a unique sketchpad for improvising, playing and performing with musical ideas, without the constraints of the timeline. Freely and independently start and stop any number of audio or MIDI loops - everything stays in sync. Almost everything in Live works in real-time; add, reorder or remove devices, play with Live's flexible track routing and more, all without interrupting your creative flow.

Software bundle including FL Studio 11 Producer Edition & plugins for PC or Bootcamp Windows installation only

Review: Image Line FL Studio 11 Signature Bundle is a bundle including the Producer Edition and a limited collection of Image Line's signature plugins: It's the cost effective way to get your hands on some of Image Line's best plugins and software. If you already own plugins in the Signature Bundle, the Image-Line shop will automatically deduct these from the price.

The addition of the Maximus will make your final mix down process easier and have you putting out professional sounding masters in less time. The Fruity Video player will allow you to compose and synchronise your musical scores or foley to video. The Directwave Sampler will allow you sample VST instruments and create your own multi-layer sample banks from any recordable instrument. The Sytrus will round out your synthesis capabilities with a huge preset library and awesome range of sounds. The Guitar players will appreciate Hardcore Guitar Effects Suite, but it's also a bunch of generally useful effects pedals for any instrument or sound: experiment.

Music Production & Performance Software

Review: Upgrade from Live 9 Lite version. Create, produce and perform. Create ideas, make changes without stopping, and capture everything as you work. If you've used music software before, you're already familiar with one half of Ableton Live. Live's Arrangement View is a familiar working space: time moves from left to right, while tracks are stacked vertically. But Live also features the revolutionary Session View: a unique sketchpad for improvising, playing and performing with musical ideas, without the constraints of the timeline. Freely and independently start and stop any number of audio or MIDI loops - everything stays in sync. Almost everything in Live works in real-time; add, reorder or remove devices, play with Live's flexible track routing and more, all without interrupting your creative flow.

Music Production & Performance Software

Music Production & Performance Software

Review: Create, produce and perform. Create ideas, make changes without stopping, and capture everything as you work. If you've used music software before, you're already familiar with one half of Ableton Live. Live's Arrangement View is a familiar working space: time moves from left to right, while tracks are stacked vertically. But Live also features the revolutionary Session View: a unique sketchpad for improvising, playing and performing with musical ideas, without the constraints of the timeline. Freely and independently start and stop any number of audio or MIDI loops - everything stays in sync. Almost everything in Live works in real-time; add, reorder or remove devices, play with Live's flexible track routing and more, all without interrupting your creative flow.

Full version of Reason 7 music production software

Review: Propellerhead Software proudly present the Reason 7. The latest incarnation of the world's favorite music software brings a slew of enhancements to help you create more and better musiciand have even more fun doing it.

The Reason rack has seen an exponential growth over the last few years with the introduction of unlimited audio recording, studio grade mixing tools, and support for third party instruments and effects. With the Reason 7, we continue that expansion to let you take your mixing to the next level, to place Reason at the heart of your studio, and to continue to inspire you in your music making.

With instruments that are easy to use, infinitely tweakable, and with a sound to fit any style, the Reason has always offered a wide array of sonic capabilities. Now Propellerhead are adding even more to the mix. The Reason 7 comes with MIDI out support to bring the sound of your favorite hardware synths and beat machines to the Reason rack. MIDI is handled by the new external MIDI instrument device, fully integrated into the Reason environment. Automating MIDI equipment from Reason's sequencer or even from control voltages in the Reason rack is a breeze to set up.

With the Reason 7 you have more creative control over your audio recordings. Record your instruments and let Reason automatically slice the recording into single notes or hits. Use it to quantize an audio take, to tweak your timing to perfection, or to drastically change the recording by going all creative with Reason's fantastic time stretch. The sliced up audio can also be converted to REX files for playback and further treatment in Reason's Dr. Octo Rex Loop Player, Reason's samplers, or the Kong Drum Designer.

With its studio-grade mixing console, the Reason was already a mix engineer's dream. The Reason 7 adds several new ways to make mixing your songs better and easier. Reason users tend to spend a lot of time exploring and tweaking sounds in the Reason rack, so the most important mixing controls like level and pan are now available in the rack too, always close at hand. This means less jumping about in the program and more focus on your music.

The new bus channels make it easy to group your tracks, and even group your mixer groups to process them together. Create parallel channels with a single click for separate processingifor quick New York style parallel compression and other tricks used by leading mix engineers today.

For increased control of your mixes the Reason now has a built-in spectrum analyzer window, giving you instant visual feedback on the selected channel or bus. The new Spectrum EQ window combines a powerful spectrum analyzer with a graphic EQ overlay controlling the mixer's renowned EQ. Easily adjust the EQ on your tracks from anywhere in the program.

The Reason 7 also comes with an expanded sound bank that adds a new and powerful section of hard hitting drums loops: big room house, dubstep, and even metal. It's all there, ready to be thrown into your tracks. For importing your own sound files into Reason, there is now support for more audio import formats, such as mp3, wma and aac to make it easier to grab loops and recordings from your music library or the web.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ca0YCbMtoM0

Full retail boxed version Cubase 7 Upgrade from Cubase LE AI 4/5/6/7 Elements 6 Essential 4/5 Sequel 2 3 & SL 1/2/3, SE, Studio Case 2

Review: Steinberg Cubase 7 Upgrade (UG4) - Cubase 7 is an advanced music production system that combines cutting-edge technology with nearly 30 years of expertise in digital audio and sequencing workstations. Jam packed with new features and technologies, Steinberg's Cubase 7 is set to retain its position as one of the most successful production systems ever created.

Cubase 7 combines pristine sound quality, an intuitive interface, and a vast range of highly advanced audio and MIDI tools for composition, recording, editing and mixing. With unlimited audio, instrument and MIDI tracks, 32-bit floating-point audio engine, 8 virtual instruments, and a suite of 66 high-end audio and 18 MIDI VST effect processors, Cubase has all the tools you need to make great productions.

The mixer in Cubase 7 has been completely overhauled with considerable input from Cubase users offering workflow improvements and improved functionality. The new MixConsole includes A/B mix settings comparison and a global effects bypass, plus plug-in search functionality and drag-and-drop support. A new channel strip with professional-quality modules gives Cubase 7 all of the audio tools and effects required to get professional results quickly and efficiently.

A brand-new global Chord Track has also been added alongside the innovative Chord Assistant. This unique song-writing feature makes working with chords in a project easier for both accomplished and fledgling musicians, with the ability to automatically create musical chord sequences based on the existing MIDI data. VariAudio gives the same flexibility when it comes to audio, allowing complete control over timing and pitch after the recording has been made, while harmonies can be created and re-purposed from existing recordings.

With new features complimenting the previous comprehensive toolset, Cubase 7 is a true powerhouse of music production technology. With multitrack editing and take-comping, professional scoring and arrangement, thousands of instruments and effects, and pitch and harmony manipulation, Cubase 7 sets a new benchmark in DAW functionality.

Upgrades Cubase Elements 6, Cubase Essential 4/5, Cubase SL 1/2/3, Cubase SX 1/2/3, Cubase SE 3, Cubase LE 4/5/6, Cubase AI 4/5/6, Sequel 2/3 and Steinberg Studio Case 2.

Audio editing & mastering software suite

Review: The latest incarnation of the WaveLab is the first choice for high-profile mastering engineers, musicians and hobby producers alike. With the new speaker management system, EBU-compliant loudness processing and a selection of mastering-grade plug-ins alongside 150+ further enhancements, the WaveLab 8 is taking audio to perfection.

The WaveLab 8 comes with an integrated speaker management system, allowing you to switch between up to 8 speaker setups for playback and record monitoring, including individual gain control for each output.

The loudness war is over and dynamic sound is getting widespread, that's why the WaveLab 8 features a full-fledged EBU R128 compliant loudness metering and processing solution. The WaveLab also contains a zoomable loudness view that visualizes all values as a clear graph.

The WaveLab 8 introduces a plug-in chain window that hosts all inserted clip, track or master plug-ins in one single area. Now you can switch between different plug-ins with a single click. Also new in version 8 is the completely redesigned plug-in organization. The newly introduced plug-in settings dialog allows you to group and sort plug-ins by vendor, category and favourites, making it easy to manage your ever growing number of plug-ins.

Audio editing is made faster and more convenient with the WaveLab8. One example is the time-saving Raise Selection function that allows you to adjust the level of individual clip regions in an instant. Plus, several new trim and split options have been added to the framework of the new Auto-Split function. What's more, you can now process selected regions of your audio file using e.g. a plug-in chain with just a single command, making comparisons between different editings a straightforward matter. And the new auto-replay option automatically re-triggers the playback right after your edit.

Music Production & Performance Software

Review: 'Suite' Edition of Live 9, fully loaded with an outstanding and limitless selection of Ableton's native Instrument, Synthesizer and FX processor plugins, presets, loops and samples; over 50 GB of content. Create, produce and perform. Create ideas, make changes without stopping, and capture everything as you work. If you've used music software before, you're already familiar with one half of Ableton Live. Live's Arrangement View is a familiar working space: time moves from left to right, while tracks are stacked vertically. But Live also features the revolutionary Session View: a unique sketchpad for improvising, playing and performing with musical ideas, without the constraints of the timeline. Freely and independently start and stop any number of audio or MIDI loops - everything stays in sync. Almost everything in Live works in real-time; add, reorder or remove devices, play with Live's flexible track routing and more, all without interrupting your creative flow.

Music Production & Performance Software

Review: 'Suite' Edition of Live 9, fully loaded with an outstanding and limitless selection of Ableton's native Instrument, Synthesizer and FX processor plugins, presets, loops and samples; over 50 GB of content. Create, produce and perform. Create ideas, make changes without stopping, and capture everything as you work. If you've used music software before, you're already familiar with one half of Ableton Live. Live's Arrangement View is a familiar working space: time moves from left to right, while tracks are stacked vertically. But Live also features the revolutionary Session View: a unique sketchpad for improvising, playing and performing with musical ideas, without the constraints of the timeline. Freely and independently start and stop any number of audio or MIDI loops - everything stays in sync. Almost everything in Live works in real-time; add, reorder or remove devices, play with Live's flexible track routing and more, all without interrupting your creative flow.

Music Production & Performance Software

Review: Suite Edition of Live 9, fully loaded with an outstanding and limitless selection of Ableton's native Instrument, Synthesizer and FX processor plugins, presets, loops and samples; over 50 GB of content. Create, produce and perform. Create ideas, make changes without stopping, and capture everything as you work. If you've used music software before, you're already familiar with one half of Ableton Live. Live's Arrangement View is a familiar working space: time moves from left to right, while tracks are stacked vertically. But Live also features the revolutionary Session View: a unique sketchpad for improvising, playing and performing with musical ideas, without the constraints of the timeline. Freely and independently start and stop any number of audio or MIDI loops - everything stays in sync. Almost everything in Live works in real-time; add, reorder or remove devices, play with Live's flexible track routing and more, all without interrupting your creative flow.