Digital Performer 2.3 Includes Tube Preamp and MIDI Plug-Ins

Mark of the Unicorn, Inc. (MOTU) announced that it is now shipping Digital Performer 2.3, the latest upgrade to its flagship MIDI sequencing and digital audio recording software. New features include a search engine, "Clippings" windows, stereo tracks, crossfades, window sets, the world's first open-architecture MIDI plug-in format, and a new real-time audio plug-in, called PreAmp-1, that simulates tube pre-amp warmth and distortion effects. The upgrade also ships with over 200 Mb of free audio samples from Universal Sound Bank and Numericalsounds.

PreAmp 1 Tube Simulator Plug-in

The latest addition to Digital Performer's growing set of real-time, 32-bit audio effects plug-ins, PreAmp-1 acoustically models vacuum tube preamp circuitry. "What makes - PreAmp-1 unique," says Jim Cooper, MOTU's Director of Marketing, "is the wide range of effects it can produce, from smooth, high-fidelity tube preamp warmth to extreme, mind-numbing distortion effects." Flexible controls allow users to match just about any fuzz or distortion box effect. Presets include "Warm Acoustic Edge", "Squonk Fuzz", "Nose Ring" and "Hades Gain". Users can apply the effect to audio tracks in real-time while playing back the audio from their Power Macintosh's built-in audio output with no extra hardware, or they can achieve higher I/O fidelity via a Digidesign Audiomedia III or KORG 1212I/O PCI audio card.

Stereo Recording, Editing, Mixing and PureDSP Processing

Digital Performer 2.3 introduces stereo tracks, along with several additional features aimed at supporting stereo recording, editing, mixing and processing. Stereo tracks provide users with sample-accurate phase-lock between stereo audio regions, regardless of how the audio is edited. In addition, Digital Performer's PureDSP audio processing can now be applied in stereo, maintaining stereo phase when users time-stretch, pitch-shift or sample rate convert stereo audio material. Fades and Crossfades.

Digital Performer 2.3's new Fades command allows users to apply fades and crossfades to the transitions between audio regions. Users can apply fades or crossfades of any length to eliminate clicks and pops, as well as to create smooth transitions between audio regions. Many fade curve presets are provided, including equal-gain and equal-power curves to prevent volume drops and clipping. Users can also create custom curves graphically. Digital Performer calculates fades and crossfades with its background processing features so that users can apply dozens - or even hundreds - of fades and crossfades in one operation and then continue recording and editing while the fades are calculated in the background.

The World's First open MIDI Plug-in Format

Digital Performer 2.3 includes all of the new features recently introduced in MOTU's major upgrade of Performer. Among them is the world's first open-architecture MIDI plug-in format, which allows MOTU and third-party developers to write MIDI processing plug-ins that Digital Performer users can apply to their MIDI tracks. Digital Performer users can apply plug-ins non-destructively in real-time, or destructively as a normal region editing operation.

Search Engine

Digital Performer also includes a powerful new search engine, which helps users find and select MIDI and audio data according to any criteria they wish. For example, users can search for data based on its exact or approximate beat location within a measure of music.

Clippings Windows

Digital Performer 2.3's new Clippings windows, another sequencing first, let users stash anything they need at their fingertips: audio data, MIDI data, phrases, sequences or even aliases to any MacOS folder or document. Clippings windows display these items with icons in a list, and users can drag and drop them into their projects where desired, or double-click them to audition them - or launch other documents or applications.

Window Sets

Digital Performer 2.3 also includes a feature called Window Sets, which allow users to save and recall their favorite window arrangements on screen. For example, users might create a window set for recording that includes the Tracks window, Audio Input Monitor window, and the large counter display. They might then create another window set for audio editing. Users can create, name and save as many window sets as they like and assign them to keystrokes for instant recall.

Many other Addition Enhancements

Digital Performer 2.3 includes numerous additional enhancements. Users can now store and recall Unisyn "performances" - a 'snapshot' of settings in their entire MIDI rig - in their Digital Performer projects for convenient storage and recall later on. An Event list view filter is now provided to hide different types of controller data in event list while displaying them in other windows. A new "Shift To" option allows users to immediately shift any material directly to the desired location. Digital Performer now supports frame-click tempo settings for film composers, allowing them to type in frame click tempos (like a "12-6" click). The upgrade also ships with over 200 Mb of free audio samples, including percussion, bass, guitar, effects loops, and custom programmed 'drone' files. All samples are arranged in Digital Performer files so that users can easily preview them and drag-and-drop them into their projects.

Digital Performer 2.3 is now shipping. It is available as an upgrade for existing Performer and Digital Performer users.