Avid recently released its first application for iPad: Avid Scorch. Musicians can now practice, perform and purchase their favorite sheet music on the go with an application that transforms an iPad into an interactive score library, music stand and sheet music store.

Powered by Avid’s Sibelius music notation software engine, Avid Scorch is the first sheet music app to offer a rich, interactive experience that makes scores easy to learn and play. Scorch also offers unparalleled access to the most popular sheet music through an in-app store with more than 150,000 premium titles available from world-class publishers.

Musicians, music teachers and students will enjoy features in Scorch, including:

• Interactive Learning and Performance — Musicians can easily learn songs or adapt them to their instrument by transposing a score, changing instruments, or converting to and from guitar tab—then give a great performance using Music Stand mode, which offers a full display of the sheet music on the iPad. Users can also see the score played on the Keyboard display, hear music played back and speed it up or slow it down.
• Portable, Expandable Music Collection — Using the app, customers can purchase and download more than 150,000 scores available from Hal Leonard and Music Sales. The Scorch app also eliminates the need to carry folders full of paper and music books by making it easy to add Sibelius and Sibelius First scores to the iPad.
• Sleek Interface — It’s easy to manipulate and play back scores with a simple touch-enabled interface. Music is easy to view, regardless of size, through impressive display clarity and functionality, including the ability to select from a variety of paper textures and font choices. Users can also take advantage of Music Stand mode to devote the entire display to the sheet music and turn pages quickly, allowing musicians to stay in the moment.
• Interactive Learning and Performance — Musicians can easily learn songs or adapt them to their instrument by transposing a score, changing instruments, or converting to and from guitar tab—then give a great performance using Music Stand mode, which offers a full display of the sheet music on the iPad. Users can also see the score played on the Keyboard display, hear music played back and speed it up or slow it down.

“We’re certain our customers will be excited to use Scorch, an innovative iPad application, to purchase, practice and perform sheet music wherever they go,” said Tanguy Leborgne, Vice President, Creative Enthusiasts Products and Solutions at Avid. “We’re focused on using our industry-leading technology in exciting new ways so musicians, teachers, students — all creative people — can achieve their artistic vision.”

The Avid Scorch app is currently available worldwide from the App Store for a limited-time introductory price of $4.99. On 31 July 2011, the price will increase to $7.99.

www.avid.com/scorch

The contest below is now over. Many thanks to all who participated! We’ll post the winners once everyone has been notified.

You can win a free copy of Avid Scorch from Mac OS X Audio! Here’s how:

• Log into your Twitter account. If you don’t have one, set one up. It’s free!
• Follow @macosxaudio (not just being selfish, we’ll need to DM your prize).
• Compose a tweet mentioning this post (even using the Tweet button below), but make sure to mention “@macosxaudio” so your post can be found. Your tweet must mention @macosxaudio and be publicly visible to be valid. Example:

Win a Free Copy of Avid Scorch for iPad from @macosxaudio (they rock!) http://www.macosxaudio.com/

• The first 5 posts tonight after 8:00 pm (US Pacific Time) on 12 July, and the first 5 posts after 12:01 am on 13 July will be tallied and sent a “redeem” code for your free copy of Avid Scorch on the iTunes Store, via Twitter Direct Message (DM).
• We’ll send out prizes and post the winning users here after the contest is over.
• We are adhering to rules defined by Twitter for contests, including:
• Anyone found to use multiple accounts to enter will be ineligible.
• Do not post multiple times. It’s about being first, not most. And spam sucks.
• This contest is obviously not valid in regions that prohibit such joy. If you cannot access the iTunes Store from your location, or if you don’t own an iPad, this prize is useless to you. Avid Scorch is only iPad compatible (not iPhone, not iPod Touch, not Mac OS).

Good luck!

Ohm Force announces the second edition of its “already traditional” annual video contest, this time called Ohm Studio Video Cohmpetition and offering huge prize kits made of Ohm Force plug-ins and additional products kindly offered by PureMagnetik, FXpansion, Anthem Publishing and Mutteki Media.

Five winners will be rewarded and big winner’s prize kit is worth $1,600! The Cohmpetition starts April 27th 2009 and submissions must be sent until June 6th 2009. The winners will be announced a few days later.

Contest’s participants are challenged to produce a video showing how they use the Ohm Force plug-ins in their music creation/production process, focusing on real use cases, tips and tricks, etc. Cohmpetition entries can be the traditional ‘video tutorial’ format, a ‘hands on’ overview, or even just you (or you and your band, partners, friends) showing how do you use the Ohm Force plug-ins in your music, in real life (an example). The more real, useful and interesting, the better; so the more will be your chances to put your hands in one of those cool prize kits.

Still thinking about it? Think about this: The instant-prize. All accepted submissions already win 1 Ohm Force plug-in of choice, for free, no strings attached. So you see it’s not about winners and losers, it’s about having some fun with something we all love to do: Make music!

Cohmpetition rules and prize descriptions can be found at the Ohm Force Blog.

Discuss Ohm Force plug-ins in our Effects forum.