BitHeadz, Inc., the leading manufacturer of software musical instruments has released Phrazer, a digital audio loop sequencer for the Macintosh.

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Phrazer is designed for multitrack loop arranging, and features the ability to simultaneously adjust the tempo and pitch of multiple loops in real time.

"The time is long overdue for a product like Phrazer," says BitHeadz Marketing Director Andre Rocke. "Macintosh users have been left out in the cold when it comes to professional loop-based production tools," says Rocke. "Now that we have created Phrazer, the Mac-based digital music community can finally enjoy a product specifically designed to easily match the tempo and pitch of different audio loops."

Phrazer provides powerful tools for working with loops. A built-in sample editor is included for fine tuning audio files, loop points, and sample split points. Samples can be individually transposed, and/or processed with EQ, Normalize, Gain, Reverse, or other destructive DSP functions. Multiple time-stretching algorithms allow users to select the best method for processing each sample.

Phrazer ships with hundreds of loops and will also import .AIFF, .WAV, and Sound Designer II files at 16- or 24-bit resolution. Phrazer also imports CD-Audio, Sonic Foundry's popular ACID(tm) file format, and samples contained within the BitHeadz Unity DS-1 Digital Sampler file format. Users can also record audio into Phrazer from an external source.

Unlimited tracks are available in Phrazer, depending on system RAM and CPU. Users with slower computers can conserve track count by sequencing different loops together on the same track. Each track in Phrazer includes controls for volume, pan, effects, and MIDI trigger. Volume and panning can be automated in the Tracks window, or adjusted from Phrazer's optional Mix window. Two send effects are available per track including Phase, Flange, Chorus, Degrade, Distortion, Filter, Dynamic filter, Compressor, Shelf/Parametric EQ, Delay with MIDI sync, and Reverb. Phrazer also includes one insert effect per track and two global effects for the main stereo output. Once a mix has been perfected, Phrazer can high-speed render it's audio output to a disk file.

Many of the features in Phrazer were designed to facilitate the creative process and simplify music production. Loops can be previewed from the built-in File Browser with a single mouse click, or added to a new track with a double click. A snap-to-grid preference allows the user to quantize loop placement to according to bars and beats. Phrazer is also designed to integrate into music production setups. The program will sync to MIDI beat clock and is capable of streaming it's audio output to other digital audio applications and plug-in standards such as MOTU Digital Performer and MAS 2.0, Digidesign Pro Tools and DirectConnect, and Propellerhead's ReWire for Steinberg Cubase VST and the Emagic Logic Audio series.

Phrazer ships with over 500 MB of royalty-free loops designed by BitHeadz and many 3rd-party sound developers such as BigFish Audio, Digital Davey, MassMedia, mH20, Q-Up Arts, Sonomic, and SoundWerx. Additional loop libraries are planned for the future.

Phrazer ($399 MSRP) requires a 200MHz or faster PowerPC processor, G3 or higher recommended. The software is optimized for Apple's G4 processor and supports OMS, FreeMIDI, ASIO, Direct I/O, DirectConnect, MAS 2.0, ReWire, and Sound Manager. A demo version is available for download.

 

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