Sonicbytes has updated its line of VST plugins, and
has announced discounted bundled pricing. ERA, EST, and GatR have
updated features and bug fixes.

ERA – the Pattern sequencer VSTi/MFX

New in 1.2

• The GUI and interface logic have been completely redone. ERA now
  shares all the interface features of EST, which means that each of the
  rows in a pattern has its own settings for swing, gatetime,
  transposition, humanization, etc. Pattern editing is easier, and it now
  has the same 32-edit-deep “Undo” capability that EST has. People using
  both products no longer have to learn two ways of working. (Because of
  these changes, patterns saved using ver. 1.12 will not load into ver.
  1.20, but it is possible to run the old version alongside the new.)
• The sync-engine has been completely rewritten for better host
  synchronization. The Autosync option is gone–ERA is always ready to
  respond to both direct control AND to your host’s transport controls.
• Every row in a pattern now has a complement of four LFOs (with
  seven waveforms). That means 48 LFOs that can be routed out as CCs to
  target synths as part of the pattern, or that can be routed internally
  to the pattern’s own velocity, gatetime, delay, or even to transpose
  steps. This opens up a whole world of rhythmic modulation of the
  patterns, Gat’R-style!
• Two new arpeggio playmodes have been added. ERA can be a sequencer or a live performance arpeggiator.
• A new Mono mode for pattern rows removes any MIDI overlaps for those synths that require monophonic input.
• ERA can now load patterns and banks created in EST, and vice versa.
  You can specify the location of a shared pattern directory, in addition
  to a directory for ERA-specific presets.

Bug fixes

• Problem switching out of chained patterns.
• Problem with pattern end marker in front of start marker.
• Browser menus would include empty folders.

Gat’R – the pattern-based audio multi-effect

New in 1.1

• Two new LFO waveforms have been added to the six LFOs. A pulse with
  25% duty cycle lets you isolate the first step in sequences of four,
  for rhythmic modulation. A 33% duty cycle pulse does a similar thing
  for triplet tempi. In addition, the plug-in’s global dry/wet control
  has been added to the list of possible LFO targets (for a total of 30).
• 7fan has created a new skin, “CelShading”. In addition, a new “Flat” style has been added (with two examples).
• The built-in preset manager has a new capability. It is now
  possible to move just the steps from one pattern to another (leaving
  all settings such as Open/Close values, Filter Cutoff, etc. unchanged).
  This lets you build up libraries of basic sequences and drop them into
  complicated patches.
• Playmode has been made a global parameter. Switching from threshold-triggered to host-synced now applies to the entire bank.
• A tutorial is now provided, and the number of presets is more than 100.
• Gat’R now comes with its own installer. (The gdiplus.dll is no longer needed–support for transparent PNGs is now native.)

Bug fixes

• Crash problem in Cubase SX.
• “No. of Steps” for filter sequence not updated.
• Problem when host-synced with some triplet tempi.
• Problem specifying MIDI-in channel for pattern recall.

EST – the sampling-groovebox VSTi

New in 1.2

• Sample loading has been completely revamped. Next/Previous buttons
  let you swap samples on the fly; or you can access your entire library
  with a hierarchical load menu that opens with a right mouse click.
• Once loaded, samples can be automatically sized to loop to 4, 8, 16, or 32-step patterns.
• Just like individual samples, complete instruments (samples plus
  all their settings) can be quickly auditioned in your instrument kit
  with a Load Next/Previous command.
• Instrument kits can now be reset with a single command.
• EST recognizes and loads patterns created in ERA.
• EST gets the same new sync engine that ERA gets. With chaining, patterns can be virtually any length.

Bug fixes

• Problem switching out of chained patterns.
• Browser menus would include empty folders.

These updates are free to all customers. Demos are available.

There are three new bundled packages:

• All-Pack, Price is eu 129 (36% off)
• • – ERA
  • – EST
  • – four instrument kits for EST by 7fan (40MB of samples and patterns)
  • – Gat’R
• Beat-Pack, Price is eu 99 (25% off)
• • – EST
  • – 7fan’s four instrument kits
  • – Gat’R
• Starter-Pack, Price is eu 79 (12% off)
• • – EST
  • – 7fan’s four instrument kits

Individual prices for the plug-ins are ERA eu 69, EST eu 69, Gat’R
eu 44. The complete set of 7fan kits can be purchased for eu 19.98 at http://www.7fan.com.