Vic Firth has introduced Rute-X rods, which offer the comfort, response and balance of standard drumsticks while further improving on the volume control, versatility and alternative sounds players look for in the perfect rods. Optimized rimshot and cross-sticking capabilities offer even greater dynamic sound control. The Vic Firth Rute-X rods come in four specialized models: light, medium and heavy gauge premium birch, as well as a durable polysynthetic.
Universal Audio has introduced Luna v1.2, a major software update that brings new features to the Luna Recording System with control surface support and sidechain integration. Luna v1.2 is available for free download to Thunderbolt Apollo interface owners, and requires a Mac running 10.14 or later. Control surface support lets users perform fader movements and adjust mixer parameters in Luna using any compatible desktop MCU control surface or DAW controller app on a phone or tablet.