Musikmesse update: Cakewalk has announced availability of a free update Z3TA+, its waveshaping synthesizer. The Z3TA+ 1.5 Update is available free as a download for registered customers.

Here’s a rundown of what’s new:

Native Windows Vista support (fully Windows Vista compliant, in all Vista editions)

Now supports x64 binaries
Z3TA+ now ships with x64 binaries for DXi and VSTi formats, for use in compatible x64 hosts such as SONAR. On x64 based systems running the 64-bit version of Windows Vista or Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Z3TA+ 1.5 users will experience improved processor efficiency in comparison with earlier versions of Z3TA+.

New stand-alone mode
Z3TA+ can now function as a stand-alone instrument in all versions of Windows making it the perfect go-to synth for live performance. Stand-alone mode functionality works in Windows XP, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Vista, Windows Vista x64.

Real-time and off-line playback quality selectors
Z3TA+ now allows you to define individual playback quality settings for real-time and for off-line processing; and provides auto-activation of over-sampling while rendering.

Import MIDI file to Arpeggiator function
Z3TA+ can now import any MIDI files directly into the arpeggiator; MIDI file reference data is stored with the program, allowing for instant program recall.

Optimized Arpeggiator Engine
Z3TA+’s Arpeggiator Engine was optimized for reduced CPU usage. On average large patches using multiple oscillators will see a up to 50% reduction in CPU load.

New MIDI Learn functionality
MIDI Learn has been enhanced to provide the most powerful MIDI Learn implementation available and only found in Cakewalk Instruments synthesizers.

The new MIDI Learn features include:

• Add/Remove MIDI Control – Controls can now be manually added to or removed from the list.
• Per-Control Min/Max/Reverse – In addition to the per-parameter Min/Max/Reverse available in previous versions of Z3TA+, each parameter can now be assigned to multiple controls, and each control can have its own Min/Max/Reverse values.
• Multiple MIDI Configurations – Z3TA+ now offers ten different user-definable MIDI configurations. This feature is ideal for adapting Z3TA+ to multiple hardware rigs without having to remap every control.

Availability
The free Z3TA+ 1.5 update is available to registered Z3TA+ customers at www.cakewalk.com. Z3TA+ has a $99 U.S., estimated street price and is available at select music and sound retailers around the world and, $139 direct as a boxed version or download from the Cakewalk online store.