|
Avid Technology, Inc. today announced that M-Audio - a business unit of its Digidesign audio division - has introduced Session(TM), a powerful software application for consumers who want a user-friendly way to create music on a computer.
The new software empowers virtually anyone using a PC to create loop-based music - or layers of pre-recorded segments of individual sounds - in a variety of styles and genres. Users can also use the software to alter loop tempos and pitch characteristics, and record traditional musical instruments directly onto a computer hard drive. Widely regarded as a leader in professional hardware solutions for musicians, M-Audio makes its foray into consumer software with the release of the Session application. "Apple's GarageBand has done a wonderful job of bringing consumer music-creation to the Mac market," said Tony McCall, vice president of M-Audio's consumer group. "As a result, there's a huge contingent of users who are hungry for a PC-friendly solution, and M-Audio's Session software is exactly what those users have been waiting for. We designed Session from the ground up so that music enthusiasts would have an easy way to create their own music on a computer - with virtually no learning curve. The result is a fun, friendly application that lets people enjoy the creative process and quickly make music without getting caught up in technical details." Stephen Baker, an analyst at the consumer research firm NPD, said, "Until now, users who wanted to make music on their computers were often deterred by the cost, complexity and compatibility of existing solutions. With Session, M-Audio is poised to bring an enjoyable and rewarding music-making experience to the entire PC market." Session Software: Easy & Affordable Home Recording Session software empowers virtually anybody to simply and affordably turn a PC into a home recording studio. The software was designed with the typical consumer in mind, with an emphasis on simplicity. The Session application greatly reduces the learning curve and lets users dive right in and begin making music almost instantly. It also scales with users' abilities as they become more proficient and wish to tackle more ambitious musical projects. For beginners, the Session application allows users to easily create loop-based music. Loops are pre-recorded segments of individual sounds that, when woven together, can generate a complex and beautiful musical tapestry. Session software boasts a 2GB library of loops and instrument sounds in almost every style imaginable. By adding a MIDI keyboard, such as M-Audio's Keystation 49e, users can play and record a wide array of professional instruments - such as a grand piano or saxophone - all within the Session software. Although the loops are pre-recorded, users have the ability to not only combine musical elements, but also to alter characteristics such as tempo and pitch, and effectively customize the music to accommodate their favorite styles. For users who seek even more creative control of their music, the Session application offers the ability to digitally record traditional instruments directly onto the computer's hard drive. Using an audio interface, such as M-Audio's Fast Track(TM) USB, consumers can record just about any audio signal - from their favorite guitar riffs to their own vocals. Once audio has been recorded, Session software can aggregate an endless array of customer-recorded instruments and sounds with the pre-recorded loops in the library, enabling users to create unique musical compositions of their own. Once these compositions are completed, users can save songs directly to the PC or burn them on a CD for easy archiving and sharing. Pricing and Availability Session software is currently included free-of-charge with M-Audio's Fast Track USB, and will soon be included with several of the company's other consumer products. M-Audio's consumer products are currently available at Amazon.com, Best Buy, CompUSA, Fry's and PC Mall. About M-Audio M-Audio, a business unit of Avid's Digidesign audio division, is a leading provider of creative tools for computer-centric musicians and audio professionals. Founded in 1988, the Company now has independent offices in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, France and Japan. M-Audio is a driving force in the industry, empowering musicians to create, perform and record with complete mobile hardware/software solutions that have forever changed when, where and how music is made. The Company's reputation for delivering cutting-edge technology in easy-to-use, affordable products has garnered significant recognition by industry experts, including world-class artists, recording studios and magazines. M-Audio's advanced engineering and value-conscious pricing have also helped to bring the joy of creating high-quality music to virtually anyone with the desire. About Avid Technology, Inc. Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company's Oscar®, Grammy®, and Emmy® award-winning products and services, please visit: www.avid.com.
| Comments () >> |
 |
|
