Sunrise, FL (December 12, 2012) – IK Multimedia has released the T-RackS Custom Shop, integrating the company's online shop with downloadable models. Here are the details from the company:
IK Multimedia is proud to announce the release of T-RackS Custom Shop, the updated version 4.0 of its world-class mixing and mastering suite for Mac and PC. The new T-RackS CS offers five brand-new, must-have analog-modeled and digital processors, and it integrates the Custom Shop, IK’s exclusive online gear shop, which allows users to purchase gear models à la carte from within the T-RackS software itself, and much more.
IK Multimedia pioneered analog modeling in 1999 with the original version of T-RackS, the first desktop-mastering-software suite, and has been at the forefront of developing mixing and mastering software ever since. The new T-RackS CS pushes the envelope even further, with features that can’t be found elsewhere, and sonic accuracy and character that is unmatched.
5 New T-RackS Processors, CSR integration, Improved Sound
The new T-RackS CS includes five brand-new processing modules. Four belong to the new Quad Series of multi-band mastering processors, which includes a compressor, limiter, stereo imager and de-esser. These units allow for surgical mastering and mixing precision by splitting the signal into four adjustable frequency bands (three for the de-esser) that can be processed individually. Each Quad module is equipped with a set of high-precision filters and a solo function for auditioning individual bands.The fifth new processor is British Channel, a meticulously analog-modeled emulation of the channel strip from the most popular British mixing desk of all time. It offers four bands of EQ, high- and low-pass filters, a compressor and an independent gate/expander section, with a sound that’s been the centerpiece of countless tracks through the history of recorded music. IK used its cutting-edge DSM and SCC modeling technologies to nail down every nuance of this classic.
Additionally, T-RackS CS now integrates all of the CSR Classik Studio Reverb processors: Hall, Room, Plate and Inverse, which have been updated to offer 64-bit precision when running from the T-RackS shell.
Besides offering more processors, T-RackS CS also improves the sound of two of its most sought after compressors/limiters: White 2A and Black 76. Both have been updated with ultra-accurate modeling of their input/output stages that will please the most demanding vintage connoisseurs.
New Built-in Custom Shop
The new T-RackS CS now includes the IK Custom Shop, the extremely popular integrated online tool that allows users to expand T-RackS with à la carte processors, try them before they buy them, and tailor their studio to fit any level of personal budget.The online Custom Shop lets users browse the gear collection – which will be expanded regularly – and make purchases with IK “Gear Credits,” available in the Custom Shop. The “Try Before You Buy” feature allows for downloading a fully functional module for two days before deciding whether to purchase.
Over 100,000 users are already taking advantage of the Custom Shop inside AmpliTube, IK’s flagship for guitar processing. Now those users can add superior outboard T-RackS compressors, EQs and reverbs to their DAWs by updating their Custom Shop to integrate both AmpliTube and T-RackS gear, giving them access to a staggering 285 pieces of equipment, all just one click away.
New T-RackS Custom Shop Free Version
T-RackS CS is also available for free. The free version, T-RackS Custom Shop, includes two fully functional modules (classic EQ and metering), making it an unprecedented value. It can be downloaded for free from the IK User Area upon registration.The included modules are the renowned 6-band parametric T-RackS Classic Equalizer, and a comprehensive professional metering suite comprising Peak, Perceived Loudness, Phase and RMS meters, and a Spectrum analyzer. Both the EQ and meters are available in the T-RackS shell, but also open as separate plug-ins. With these two included plug-ins as a starting point, users can add gear as they see fit via the Custom Shop.
Users can download the free T-RackS Custom Shop here:
https://www.ikmultimedia.com/freedownload/New T-RackS CS Bundle Collections
In addition to the free version, T-RackS CS is now available in three distinct collections:Classic - formerly T-RackS Standard, it includes the four original T-RackS processors: Classic Compressor, Classic Multi-band Limiter, Classic Clipper and Classic Equalizer, plus the metering suite.
Deluxe - includes everything in T-RackS CS Classic, plus Vintage Tube Compressor/Limiter Model 670, Vintage Tube Program Equalizer, Opto Compressor, Brickwall Limiter, and Linear Phase Equalizer.
Grand - includes everything in T-RackS CS Deluxe, plus seven additional processors: Quad Comp, Quad Limit, Quad Image, De-Esser, British Channel, Black 76 and White 2A. It provides the full collection of 16 T-RackS processors, featuring all the new modules released so far (not including CSR).
As usual, all new and previous T-RackS processors can be opened in three forms: as separate single processor plug-ins, as modules available inside the T-RackS plug-in shell – which allows up to 12 to be chained – or inside the T-RackS standalone mastering suite.
Pricing and Availability
The T-RackS Custom Shop is available now in both the free and paid versions of T-RackS. Updated versions of T-RackS Classic (formerly Standard) and Deluxe, featuring the Custom Shop, are available as free updates for previous owners of those products.T-RackS CS Grand is available for $399.99/€319.99 (all prices excluding taxes), T-RackS CS Deluxe is priced at $199.99/€159.99 and T-RackS CS Classic at $79.99/€59.99. All are available as digital downloads from IK’s Online Store and the T-RackS Custom Shop.
For more information:
www.ikmultimedia.com
“I am thrilled to announce the launch of The Collection: Kirk Hammett. I’ve worked diligently on this curated collection of vintage and modern guitars for the book. I feel the book captures the rich history and artistry behind each of these unique and rare instruments. Every picture tells a story and thanks to Ross Halfin and his exceptional photography, every picture in this book is worth a million words! This book could not be possible without the help of Gibson, so I’d like to thank them for making my passion for Greeny, and guitars a reality. I hope all of you enjoy this journey as much as I did.”
“It’s exciting the time has come to release The Collection: Kirk Hammett by Gibson,” adds Cesar Gueikian, President and CEO of Gibson. “We have been working on this project with Kirk for years now, and I had the opportunity to work closely with Kirk on the composition of the collection for the book. It was a thrill to put this together and it took a village to get it done! I hope everyone appreciates the work that went into this book and enjoys every story behind the guitars.”
The Collection: Kirk Hammett, Custom Edition is limited to just 300 numbered copies signed by KIRK HAMMETT and comes in a huge 19 x 14.5” (490 x 370mm) presentation box featuring custom artwork and an outstanding case candy package. In addition to the large-format 17 x 12” (432 x 310mm) hardcover version of the book with a stunning lenticular cover, the boxset includes a frameable 16 x 11.6” (407 x 295mm) art print of a Ross Halfin portrait of KIRK HAMMETT signed by both Halfin and the Metallica guitarist. Other case candy includes an Axe Heaven miniature replica of Hammett’s 1979 Gibson Flying V with case and stand, an exclusive pick tin complete with six Dunlop® Kirk Hammett signature Jazz III guitar picks, and a Gibson Publishing Certificate of Authenticity.
Explore The Collection: Kirk Hammett book HERE.
Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst have been making music as Shovels & Rope since 2008. The husband-and-wife duo from South Carolina specialize in rootsy, bluesy rock, Americana, and alt-country, but they don’t confine themselves to traditional two-piece arrangements. They switch off on vocal, guitar, percussion, and synth duty throughout their shows, orchestrating a full-band ruckus with all available limbs.
Their seventh full-length, Something Is Working Up Above My Head, released in September last year, and while touring in support of it, they stopped at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl in late February. PG’s John Bohlinger caught up with Trent before the gig to see what tools he and Hearst use to maintain their musical juggling act.
Brought to you by D’Addario.Black Bird
Trent’s not a guitar snob: Generally speaking, he plays whatever he can get his hands on. While playing Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Fest, someone loaned him this Gretsch Black Falcon, and he fell in love with it. He likes its size compared to the broader White Falcon. It’s also the band’s only electric, so if it goes down, it’s back to acoustic. Hearst takes turns on it, too.
Trent loads the heaviest strings he can onto it, which is a set of .013s. It lives in standard tuning.
Ol' Faithful
As Trent explains, he and Hearst have done some DIY decorating on this beautiful Gibson J-45—it’s adorned with sweat droplets, stains, and fingernail dust. It runs direct to the venue’s front-of-house system with an LR Baggs pickup. This one is strung with Martin heavy or medium gauge strings; lighter ones are too prone to snapping under Trent’s heavy picking hand (which holds a Dunlop Max-Grip .88 mm pick). And it rolls around in an Enki tour case.
On Call
These second-stringers—a Loar archtop and an LR Baggs-equipped Recording King—are on hand in case of broken strings or other malfunctions.
Need for Tweed
Trent doesn’t trust amps with too many knobs, so this tweed Fender Blues Junior does the trick. It can get fairly loud, so there’s a Universal Audio OX Amp Top Box on hand to tame it for some stages.
Shovels & Rope's Pedalboard
Because Trent and Hearst trade off bass, guitar, keys, and percussion duties, all four of their limbs are active through the set. Whoever is on guitars works this board, with an MXR Blue Box, Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff, EarthQuaker Devices Hummingbird, and Boss OC-5, plus a pair of Walrus Canvas Tuners for the electric and acoustic. Utility boxes on the board include a Walrus Canvas Passive Re-Amp, Radial J48, Livewire ABY1, and a Mesa Stowaway input buffer.
A Roland PK-5 MIDI controller, operated by foot, sits on the lower edge of the board. It controls the board for “Thing 2,” one of two MicroKORG synths onstage.
Thing 1 and Thing 2
There’s no one backstage helping Hearst and Trent cook up all their racket; they handle every sound themselves, manually. During the first few sets of a tour, you’re liable to see some headaches, like forgetting to switch synth patches during a song, but eventually they hit a rhythm.
Affectionately given Seuss-ian nicknames, this pair of microKORGs handles bass notes through the set, among other things, via the foot-controlled PK5. “Thing 1” is set up at the drum station, and runs through a board with an EHX Nano Big Muff, EHX Bass9, EHX Nano Holy Grail, and a Radial Pro DI. A Walrus Aetos keeps them all powered up.
The board for “Thing 2,” beside the guitar amps, includes an EHX Mel9 and Bass9 powered by a Truetone 1 SPOT Pro, plus a Radial ProD2.
