CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — iZotope, Inc., a leading innovator in audio signal processing technology, has released iZotope RX(TM) audio restoration plug-ins, featuring the essential tools for cleaning and restoring audio. Available for VST, Audio Unit, MAS, ProTools (RTAS, AudioSuite), and DirectX, the plug-ins are now included with the award-winning standalone version for the same price of $349.

BERLIN and LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Native Instruments this week announced an upcoming expansion of its recently established KORE SOUNDPACK line, with four additional high-quality libraries scheduled for release in March. The new sound packs will offer a wide selection of inspiring, production-ready sound material for various musical applications and styles, ranging from state-of-the-art synthesizer sounds to highly authentic horns and versatile acoustic drums.

HIGH WYCOMBE, UK — Novation has announced the worldwide launch of Nocturn, their latest MIDI controller. Novation’s most affordable hardware controller to date, Nocturn promises to unleash the full potential of all your favourite instrument and effect plug-ins. Featuring the latest Automap Universal 2.0 software, exclusive to Novation controllers, Nocturn provides automatic, instant and intelligent control of all automatable plug-ins within every major sequencer, including Pro Tools.

Cakewalk, maker of leading DAW application SONAR, has announced an expansion of their strategic relationship with Roland. According to the company, this is the natural progression of a relationship that goes back more than a decade. In 1995 Roland began distributing Cakewalk products in Japan.

ANAHIEM, Calif. — WINTER NAMM 2008 — Cakewalk, the world’s leading developer of powerful and easy to use products for music creation and recording, today announces The Minimoog Tribute Expansion Pack for Rapture and Rapture LE. Created by Craig Anderton, the Minimoog Tribute Expansion Pack pays tribute to Bob Moog’s legacy and pioneering work in the field of music synthesis.

BERLIN, Germany — Native Instruments today announced that a demo version of KONTAKT 3, the latest version of its industry-leading software sampler, is now available. With its powerful high-resolution audio engine, comprehensive sound shaping capabilities, unique KSP script programming, and universal sample format compatibility, KONTAKT has established the cutting edge of sampling technology for music production, live performance and sound design.

BUENA PARK, Calif. — Yamaha Corporation of America has released new drivers and firmware updates for their GO46 Mobile FireWire Audio Interface, MOTIF XS Synthesizer Workstation, and n Series FireWire Digital Mixing Studios.

MEYLAN, France — Version 2 of Analog Factory is now shippping from Arturia. Registered users of 1.0 can download this upgrade for free. With 3500 presets, improved management of the effects and up-to-date compatibility with all sequencers, Analog Factory 2.0 is the instrument of choice when quality sounds must be accessible through a simple workflow.

BERLIN, Germany — Native Instruments and legendary hip hop artist Grandmaster Flash just announced a collaboration based on Flash’s recent decision to switch to TRAKTOR SCRATCH, finally making the move to a digital DJ system after three decades of pioneering vinyl DJing.

BERLIN, Germany — Native Instruments and Beatport recently unveiled Beatport SYNC, a free music playback application for Mac and Windows that provides a unique feature set for modern listening habits. Based on the groundbreaking TRAKTOR DJ software, Beatport SYNC combines powerful music management capabilities with basic DJ mixing functions.

BERLIN, Germany — Native Instruments just announced KORESOUND PACKS, a new line of affordable high-quality sound packs for use in KORE 2, the innovative instrument host system. KORESOUND PACKS are carefully engineered sound collections that allow musicians of various genres to selectively expand the sonic scope of KORE 2.

CHAMPLAIN, N.Y. — CME is now shipping their new M-Key portable MIDI controller in the US. M-Key is a 49-key MIDI keyboard featuring an ultra-thin, full-action semi-weighted keyboard, a joystick control, a mobile phone sound module, trigger pad, knob controller, U-CTRL and speaker.

MEYLAN, France — Based on the much-acclaimed Analog Factory 2.0, a software instrument offering 3500 legendary synthesizer sounds, Analog Factory Experience includes a high quality 32-key, custom-made, MIDI keyboard. Musicians just need to plug in the keyboard via USB and launch the software. From there they can put their mouse away, everything is easily controllable from the keyboard.

MODENA, Italy — IK Multimedia is pleased to announce that SampleMoog(TM), the Moog(TM) Synth Anthology Virtual Instrument, a cooperation between IK Multimedia, Moog Music(R) and Sonic Reality, is now shipping. SampleMoog(TM) includes the sounds of all the most sought-after Moog synthesizers spanning the entire Moog history, in an easy-to-use, sample-based virtual instrument “powered by SampleTank.”

HAMBURG, Germany — Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH is proud to announce a new version of its award-winning Nuendo audio production environment. Nuendo 4 offers a range of new features and technologies dedicated to mixers, engineers and editors in post production, studio recording and live recording.

BOSTON, Mass. — Take a fresh look at your evolving music creation and production needs, and turn to SONAR 7 Producer Edition, the technology leading digital audio workstation. SONAR offers a remarkable experience that excels at every step of your production - from its inspiring, open and customizable environment, to intuitive music creation and editing tools, to polished mixing, editing and delivery - with the recognized best audio quality in the industry.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — Korg is pleased to announce the release of system version 1.3 for Korg’s flagship OASYS synthesizer, delivering the next level of the sound-creating and performance potential of this acclaimed instrument. In addition to new features and enhancements, version 1.3 includes a new version of KARMA (2.1), and makes available two more optional expansions: the MOD-7 Waveshaping VPM Synthesizer, and the EXs-3 Brass & Woodwinds Expansion sample library.

GRENOBLE, France — Arturia announced today that they will soon publish a major upgrade to Analog Factory, to be called Analog Factory 2.0, and which will be free to curreny registered users. Most notable is inclusion of Jupiter-8V presets and nearly twice the sound “patches.”

BUENA PARK, Calif. — Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH is pleased to announce that Groove Agent 3 is now shipping to resellers in the US though Yamaha Corporation of America. Groove Agent 3 provides new virtual drummer modules, drum kits and a range of other features to provide a complete and unique virtual drumming solution within one VST instrument.

CUPERTINO, Calif. — Apple today unveiled Logic(R) Studio, a comprehensive suite of professional tools that gives musicians everything they need to create, produce and perform in the studio and on the stage for just $499. Logic Studio features Logic Pro 8, a major upgrade that combines an intuitive new interface with Logic’s renowned sound quality.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Native Instruments today announced KONTAKT 3, the latest version of its industry-leading software sampler. With its powerful high-resolution audio engine, comprehensive sound shaping capabilities, unique KSP script programming, and universal sample format compatibility, KONTAKT has established the cutting edge of sampling technology for music production, live performance and sound design.

ST. HELENA, Calif. — Dave Smith Instruments (DSI) announced on Auguest 31st that the newly designed Prophet ‘08 is now shipping to authorized dealers, and is available direct from DSI. In addition to the standard Prophet ‘08 features, the Special Edition includes red lighted wheels, exotic leopardwood end panels, and a special commemorative overlay signed by Dave.

MODENA, Italy — The newly released SampleTank 2.5 is a major update for IK’s industry-standard sample workstation. With an exclusive combination of features and sounds, SampleTank stands apart from any other sample-based virtual instrument, making it one of the most powerful and easy to use solutions for making fully produced songs right out of the box.

DALY CITY, Calif. - Structure(TM), the professional sampler workstation for Pro Tools(R) that redefines the art of sampling, is getting some good company. The Digidesign(R) Advanced Instrument Research (A.I.R.) group is excited to present two new members of the Structure family - Structure(TM) LE and Structure(TM) Free - that both offer an affordable way to venture into the world of Structure.

GERMANY — Access Music Electronics GmbH has announced a new update for users of the Access Virus TI line of keyboards. The new version features RTAS for Digidesign Pro Tools M-Powerered, LE and TDM users as well as optimisations for Imageline FL Studio 7 and Ableton Live.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Native Instruments has just released TRAKTOR SCRATCH 1.1, a free update for its new high-performance digital DJ system. The update includes additional functionality and a wide range of further refinements to various areas of the software, resulting in increased creative potential and optimized handling of the system.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — John Petrucci premieres the first entry of Korg ProSessions, a series of videos with practice and warm up tips demonstrated by the artists themselves. A member of Dream Theater, John Petrucci is renowned for his serious guitar chops and distinctive style.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Native Instruments announces the availability of the Receptor “KOMPLETE Inside” edition from Muse Research Inc. The versatile Receptor rack-format plugin host system offers musicians and producers an alternative way of running software instruments and effects without using a standard computer. The KOMPLETE 4 bundle includes 12 acclaimed software instruments and effects which have become a mainstay in all areas of modern music production.

BERLIN and LOS ANGELES, Calif. (Music Industry Newswire) — Native Instruments today released a free library add-on with three artist drum kits for the acclaimed percussion sampler BATTERY 3. The new kits were designed by NI endorsees Gorillaz, Einstuerzende Neubauten, and Turntablerocker, and are based on exclusive custom sounds from these artists’ own productions.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Native Instruments is excited to announce that TRAKTOR SCRATCH is now available in stores worldwide. Additionally, Native Instruments is just about to kick off the TRAKTOR SCRATCH US Tour, a special workshop tour that presents its just-released digital DJ system. Beginnning on May 4th, the month-long tour includes 18 dates, with clinics being held in local music stores in nearly all major US cities.

HAMBURG, Germany — The Oscar winning film The Queen featured Nuendo throughout its post production processes, with all editing, rerecording and premixing done on Steinberg’s Nuendo Media Production System software. The audio for The Queen, which was nominated for six Academy Awards, was transferred through several studios all using Nuendo as their primary audio post platform.

CHAMPLAIN, N.Y. — Kaysound Imports has entered into a new agreement with Chinese manufacturer CME for product distribution in the US market. The agreement comes after a successful showing of new CME products at the Winter NAMM show in late January and goes into effect on March 1, 2007.

NEWS: CME (Central Music Company) announces the U2 USB Cable Interface Series, a series of USB cables with built-in computer interfaces for easy plug and play connection of line and mic level audio sources and MIDI keyboards and controllers.

HAMBURG, Germany — Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH today announced an update to the Nuendo EuCon adapter module to version 3.2.2. The new version adds full MIDI functionality as well as numerous other enhancements, further empowering audio post professionals using Euphonix hardware to control Nuendo.

GEAR: This month, at the Winter NAMM, Roland announced its newest high-end keyboard offering which takes its well conceived, but not widely embraced, V-Synth platform and blows it up to a new level, with a far more powerful iteration of their Elastic Audio Synthesis Engine. It’s called the V-Synth GT, and it’s my next keyboard.

GEAR: Yamaha Corporation of America expands on their top line of synthesizer workstations with the new Motif XS, featuring new sounds and new creative tools in a redesigned, intuitive user interface. The Motif XS includes new Xpanded Articulation sounds featuring 355 MB of wave ROM to inspire creativity.

GEAR: The new “KORG Legacy Collection - ANALOG EDITION 2007″ was announced January 18th. The popular “MS-20″ and “Polysix” from the KORG Legacy Collection are now joined by the “Mono/Poly.” According to the company, these are “classic Korg analog synthesizers newly reborn as software instruments in a powerful production package.”