Digital Performer is widely used by composers who write for many forms of media, including film, television, games, internet properties, and even theme parks. Michael Giacchino could be considered a master of them all, with many scoring achievements to his credit in all of these genres. The crowning achievement for his career, however, came just two days ago at the 2010 Academy Awards, where he won the Oscar for Best Music (Original Score) for the animated Disney/Pixar film Up, which also won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film. This marks two Oscar wins in the past three years …

Ethno 2 is now shipping. Dream Theater's Jordan Rudess was so inspired by Ethno 2, he shot twelve new videos to demonstrate the breadth and depth of version 2's massively expanded 21 GB sound library. See and hear Jordan work his magic once again in these compelling Ethno 2 video presentations.

BPM 1.05 and Electric keys 1.0.2 are now shipping. If you own either one (or both), you can download the free updaters (for Mac or Windows). These maintenance updates introduce many enhancements, including 64-bit native operation under Windows 7 and Vista. BPM 1.0.5 also introduces several exciting new features, such as a new arpeggiator, beat slice editing and performance optimizations.

Digital Performer 7.1 made its debut at the NAMM Show 2010 in Anaheim, CA this past weekend to appreciative crowds at the MOTU booth. Product specialists showed off dozens of new 7.1 features, including the new Tuner plug-in and Track Folder enhancements, with word that the update would be available soon. Well, it's two days later and Version 7.1 is now shipping as a free update for all registered DP7 users.

In their latest (January) issue, the editors of Electronic Musician Magazine have just awarded the Traveler-mk3 their Editors Choice Award for Best Audio Interface of 2010. In a crowded field packed with contenders, the Traveler came out on top because of its flexible and rich feature set. "MOTU has long been a major player in the audio interface world, and the Traveler-mk3 reflects the company's experience," says EM, concluding, "The Traveler-mk3 is a flexible and solid interface for many different situations."

A new version of DP7's Custom '59 Amp plug-in is now available as a free download to all registered DP7 owners. The update adds new power amp models that deliver even more punch, crunch and drive for your DP7 guitar tones. The update includes a newly optimized version of Live Room | G with improved performance.

Digital Performer 7.02 is now shipping. If you own Version 7, you can download the free Version 7.02 updater. This 2nd maintenance release includes several highly-requested program enhancements and optimizations, including the new QuickScribe features, keyboard shortcuts, and count-off click options first introduced in 7.01.

Beyoncé is on fire. According to Billboard Magazine, she's racked up numerous milestones in her career over the past 12 months, from appearances at the 2009 presidential inauguration to a worldwide tour grossing $53.5 million with no end in sight. Her latest album "I Am...Sasha Fierce" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 last November with a string of Billboard Hot 100 spin-offs, including "If I Were a Boy," "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" and "Sweet Dreams." After bestowing their annual Woman of the Year Award on Beyoncé earlier this month at a gala event in New …

Windows 7 has been available for a while now as the pre-installed OS on various new PCs, but the official ship date for accross-the-board availability is October 22. MOTU has worked closely with Microsoft to ensure a smooth transition for your MOTU products when you make the move to Windows 7.