Transfuser is the latest RTAS release from Digidesign's 'Advanced Instrument Research' division, who have recently released the indispensable virtual instruments Structure, XPand! and Strike. AIR was born from Digidesign's purchase of Wizoo in 2005. With its recent US$23million acquisition of Sibelius score editing software (soon to be incorporated into Pro Tools I expect) and the Elastic Audio feature included in Pro Tools 7.4, Digidesign looks like it's serious about cementing itself as an industry-standard creative environment for electronic musicians and composers. ...more

Leafing through the current Schecter catalogue, I'm struck by just how far this Californian guitar builder has come from its humble beginnings, back in the mid-'70s, as a manufacturer of replacement and kitset necks, bodies and hardware for predominantly Fender and Gibson-style guitars. These days the Schecter produce a whole slew of designs both traditional and exotic that find particular favour with hard rock, metal and alternative bands. ...more