British Music Fair sees world launch of the new Sibelius G7 'Kontakt' Edition

Unlock your imagination with the world's most creative guitar software tool

Sibelius Software are delighted to announce the introduction of G7 'Kontakt' edition, a new software solution for creative guitarists and songwriters.

The award winning G7 package brings an easy to use, highly sophisticated and powerful composing and arranging tool to guitarists, songwriters and teachers and is used by some of the world's most influential musicians. G7 Kontakt edition, a collaboration with leading software synthesis company Native Instruments, builds on the successful components of the original G7.

The new Kontakt edition includes a huge number of enhancements and brand new features, offering a total end-to-end solution including the facility to burn songs to CD, access to a sample library with many stunningly realistic sounds including drum kits, other percussion and instrument sounds. Alternatively, simply select a style from a drop down menu and create an inspired accompaniment for your composition.

Jeremy Silver, CEO of Sibelius Software, said: "This exciting collaboration with Native Instruments helps bring real sounds to G7 and will allow the end-to-end creation of a song, from a blank page all the way to a CD."

Playing music directly into G7 using the on screen fingerboard is simplicity itself. With its familiar appearance, entering a note is as simple as pointing the cursor over the appropriate note and clicking the mouse. Build up a chord by simply clicking more notes on the fretboard. You can even select between different neck styles (including three different bass guitars).

Performances can also easily be inputted using a MIDI instrument and G7 will automatically translate the music into tab in real-time. Once a basic melody is in place it can be perfected using a range of advanced editing facilities, which, amongst many other refinements allow the addition of markings such as bends, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and harmonics.

Adding chords and lyrics is also easily done. Chord symbols are automatically generated and even accompaniments parts can be simply added, lyrics can be typed directly onto the score or alternatively, imported from a text file.

At the touch of a button G7 'Kontakt' edition will convert tab to conventional music notation and vice versa. This is a hugely useful facility and the programme will even analyse any music (even if it wasn't originally written for guitar) and then work out a suitable fingering. Just press play and G7 Kontakt edition will display the fingering in real time on the fretboard.

Sheet music can also easily be scanned and thanks to the huge sample library of studio quality sounds virtually any type of guitar sound can be selected from the most subtle nylon string through to ear shattering distortion samples.

The installation CD also contains an invaluable guide to guitars; this digital encyclopedia provides comprehensive information on guitars, playing techniques and musical styles. All supported with audio examples and detailed illustrations.

Summary

G7 Kontakt Edition Highlights

Brand new studio quality sample library covering a huge range of instruments and sounds

Easily create guitar tab, notation, chords and lyrics

Scan in printed music

Burn to CD and then publish, and even sell your songs on the Internet

Additional features:

• Create music using mouse, on-screen fretboard, scanner or MIDI keyboard/guitar. Unlimited song length
• Load ASCII tab & btab files, MIDI files, TIFF graphics (many useful graphics included). Save ASCII tab files, web pages, MIDI files, graphics files
• Instruments: huge range of acoustic, semi-acoustic and electric guitars and basses, banjo, dobro, mandolin, etc. plus vocals, keyboards, drums, lead instruments. Numerous standard guitar tunings plus any custom tuning, any number of strings. Up to 16 simultaneous instruments
• Guitar tab: bend, pre-bend, slide, hammer-on, pull-off, vibrato bar scoop/dip/dive and return, palm rake, braketed notes, etc.
• Automatically rewrite tab fingering to suit your playing style and ability - simplify complex riffs so you can play them and find new ways to play your favorite solos
• Notation: notes, chords, rests, clefs, accidentals, key signatures, time signatures, articulations, slurs, ties, hairpins, trills, other lines, lyrics, dynamics, other text, chord symbols, guitar chord diagrams (with built-in and custom libraries), tremolos & rolls, triplets, quintuplets and other tuplets, drum noteheads, colored music
• Plays notation, tab (with bends, slides etc.), tempo marks, dynamics, rhythmic feels (e.g. swing, rock). Play/rewind/fast-forward/pause/stop buttons, tempo slider, mixer
• Converts between tab, notation and chord symbols
• Transposes notation, tab, chord diagrams and chord symbols
• Automatically creates drum parts in many styles
• Complete guide to guitars, styles and techniques
• Print any page size/shape, traditional or handwritten music look, automatic page numbers & bar numbers

Computer requirements

PC: Windows 98/Me/NT4/2000/XP, Pentium or faster (Pentium III or faster recommended), 64Mb+ RAM (128Mb+ for Windows 2000/XP), 80Mb hard disk space. Scanning may need more RAM

Mac: Mac OS 9.1/9.2/10.1.5 or later, iMac/G3/G4/G5, 128Mb+ RAM (OS 9) or 192Mb+ RAM (OS X), 80Mb hard disk space. Scanning requires TWAIN-compatible scanner and may need more RAM

Recommended if using Kontakt Player or Save as Audio Track feature:

PC: Windows 98/Me/2000/XP (not NT4), 700 MHz processor or faster, 256Mb+ RAM, 450Mb hard disk space, preferably a sound card

Mac: Mac OS 9.1/9.2/10.2 or later (not 10.1.5), G4/G5, 256Mb+ RAM, 450Mb hard disk space

Notes to editors

Sibelius is one of the UK's fastest growing and most successful technology companies and celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2003, a year in which the company's product portfolio increased from 5 programs to 12 in twelve months. The company's reputation for well designed, easy to use, technically innovative products continued to grow. Numerous awards have been heaped on Sibelius again during the year, including the coveted gold badge from the British Academy of Composers & Songwriters for services to the music industry, the UK Music Industries Association 'Best Software' award, and a special award for contribution to music from Classic FM. Currently Sibelius employs over 60 people in its London headquarters and in its US subsidiary in Walnut Creek, northern California. The company sells its products in over 100 countries worldwide, including in Japan where it launched last summer and is distributed by Yamaha Music and Media.

About Native Instruments

Native Instruments is the world's leading manufacturer of software synthesizers for personal computers and a well-known brand in the field of music and audio software. Founded in 1996, Native Instruments was one of the first companies to exploit the possibilities of real-time sound synthesis on Macintosh and Windows platforms. Currently, the company employs about 60 people and cooperates with more than 30 international distribution partners. Its headquarters are located in Berlin, Germany, with a subsidiary in Los Angeles, USA.

Sibelius Software Ltd, The Old Toy Factory, 20-22 City North, Fonthill Road, London N4 3HF

Tel: +44 20 7561 7999

Fax: +44 20 7561 7888

Email: UK@G7info.com

Web: www.sibelius.com/products/g7/