In this month's issue, we've got an exclusive review of the impressive Korg Zero8 all-in-one controller, and we show you how to add MIDI to your Speak & Spell. We also find out the production secrets of the new LCD Soundsystem album, and speak to co-owner of DFA Tim Goldsworthy. The May issue is on sale now and is available from WH Smiths and all good newsagents. Here’s what else to look forward to…
FILTER
The latest information and reviews on upcoming products, as well as other features such as Tech Angst. Babyhead drop in On Our Radar and and fill us in on their future plans in Babyboom town, and Andy Smith's The Document is our classic album of the month.
REVIEWS
The mighty new Korg Zero8 shows us what how much it's made of this month, plus the Karma Audio K6 ribbon mic shows they are back in fashion. Is the D16 Drumazon today's answer to the 909? Find out here. And the MOTU 8Pre, with 8 high-quality mic preamps gets connected, along with a ton of other reviews.
So this is what we've got on test... Korg Zero8, Audio Damage Replicant, Yamaha MM6 Studio, LinPlug Alpha, USB XTreme FX UVI Soundcard, VSL Elements Vienna Instrument, Karma Audio K6 Ribbon Mic, Access Virus OS 2.0.2, AudioEase AltiVerb, Klein & Hummel 0 300D, PMC TB2S-A, Alesis IOI26, Presonus Faderport, MOTU 8Pre, D16 Drumazon... and the usual mini reviews and album reviews!!
PEOPLE
James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem gives us the latest on the new album, as well as how he's modified his gear. Tim Goldsworthy gets chatting about remixing, DFA partner James Murphy and that legendary DFA sound. Both these interviews feature exclusive DVD footage.
TECHNIQUE
JD73 gives you part three of his Production Masterclass this issue, helping you get to grips with the harmonic parts of your track.
This month's Studio Essentials focuses on keeping in touch with your creativity, without being bound by production clichés.
Steve Hillier brings us part two of his Distortion feature, and brings you insight into amp distortion, and Jono Buchanan unlocks the basics behind sampling.
GEAR
We’ve got our regular Three Of The Best, plus platinum plug-ins, Ways To Stand Out, studio monitors and audio interfaces… Your organised chart featuring some of the best gear around!
ON THE DISC
Video James Murphy and Tim Goldsworthy each give us their production secrets on film!
Samples Sound FX: LoFi-Punk-Disco samples available in multi-samples, construction kits and NI Kontakt kits. We also bring you NI Kontakt Rhodes and multi-sampled Stylophone.
JD73 also shows you how to get on with part three of his Masterclass, and we also have videos to accompany our Production Aesthetics, and Beginners Sampling features.
The ReacTable is back! This time we talk to the creators about this unbelievable controller.
Plus the reader demos, reviews and more!
Friday April 20, 2007
Steinberg Sequel
Steinberg Made Easy
The legends behind Cubase bring us a tool that’s bound to kick-start a new music making generation
Steinberg have recently released their new ‘fully-loaded’ software studio, Sequel for PC and Mac. Similar to Apple’s GarageBand, this is directed towards consumer use, boasting a GUI that is incredibly straightforward, and sequencing possibilities that can help a novice compose a track within minutes. An unlimited number of audio tracks (or however much your CPU can handle) can be used in one project and up to eight audio tracks can be recorded to simultaneously. The provided sample library is packed with over 5,000 loops of different genres. By using the media library, the search for the right category, instrument, genre and character means you can locate and isolate the loops you are looking for extremely quickly. The project will automatically set its keynote and tempo to the first sample you place on the arrangement, but this can be changed at any point by using the simple functions on the transport.
The interface is designed to make the program as easy to navigate as possible. Every section of the program is neatly packed into one window All of the tool parameters are accessible in the MultiZone at the bottom of the window, so moving from one ‘zone’ (as each section is known) to another, means whatever is in your arrangement will not be blocked from view. There are even tools that make playback possibilities more functional. Up to 16 sections of a project arrangement can be assigned to Cue Pads, giving you control over which parts are played when by punching each section in, which can be very handy when sequencing or remixing in real time. Over 600 virtual instruments and over 20 built-in effects are included, including 3-band EQ, a fixed compressor in each channel, and event effects (arpeggiator and chorder) for instrument channels. VST and DXi are not supported however, but Steinberg have announced a Cubase update for the summer that will allow you to import Sequel projects.
All typical file formats are supported on import, as well as OggVorbis and WMA Pro, and projects can be exported as WAV, AIFF, AIFC and WAV64. Projects can also be uniquely exported to iTunes. You can buy it now priced at £79.
Here's a cool little video explaining what this cicuit bending lark is about...
Wednesday April 04, 2007
A little bit of Kaoss
I've been using the Mini-KP for a while now and it's a very cool little unit. Although not as feature-laden and visually attractive as the fully fledged KP3, it's a great pocket-sized device I've been throwing in my DJ bag. Either for value-for-money effects in the studio or the odd DJ flourish, it's a nifty little unit. Check out our review in Issue 186
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Tuesday April 03, 2007
ISSUE 186 OUT NOW!
This month we put to test six of the best portable digital recorders to find which is the best for recording on the go. Also reviewed is the new mini-KP from Korg, the stripped-down version of the Kaoss Pad, and Roland’s all-in-one production studio, the MV8800. We speak to Amon Tobin, as well as Ben Edwards of Play Industries. The April issue is on sale now and is available from WH Smiths and all good newsagents. Here’s what else to look forward to…
FILTER
The latest information and reviews on upcoming products, as well as other features such as Tech Angst. Scanner finds the time to feature On Our Radar and talks about found sound, and we also speak to the owner of some classic synth-toys.
REVIEWS
As well as the portable recorder test, we’ve packed in plenty of new products that hail from all corners of the industry globe, including the new Yamaha MSP7s and the Korg mini-KP. We test out the massive Symphony Orchestra sound library from Sonic Implants, and the Kenton Killamix gets its knobs twiddled. We also test the DIY Acoustic Treatment System from Ghost Acoustics, and Line6 go soft with their Gearbox plug-in.
Altogether… Roland MV8800, Guyatone Optical Pedals, Korg mini-KP, Sonic Implants Orchestral Strings, Ghost Acoustics Acoustic Treatment System, Frostwave Sonic Alienator, Kenton Killamix Mini, Line 6 Gearbox, Yamaha MSP7 Studio, LinPlug Sophistry, Portable Recorders round-up… plus the usual mini reviews and album reviews!!
PEOPLE
We caught up with Amon Tobin after the release of his new album The Foley Room and get some of the best tips on found sound recording. We talk to Play Industries about his impressive synth collection. Both these interviews feature exclusive DVD footage.
TECHNIQUE
JD73 gives you part two of his Production Masterclass this issue, showing you how to record real and synth bass, as well as getting together the basic arrangement of your track.
In Studio Essentials, we have part two of the guide to basic strings, and techniques on using acoustic treatment.
Along with all that, we have pro vocal tips from our experts, and Steve Hillier helps you get the best out of your distortion in Make Better Music.
GEAR
We’ve got our regular Three Of The Best, plus hardware synths, Ways To Stand Out, Sound Manglers and effects pedals… Your organised chart featuring some of the best gear around!
ON THE DISC
Video Amon Tobin’s engineer on recording the drums for the new album. Ben Edwards of Play Industries shows us around his vintage collection.
Samples Sound FX: exclusive real-world sound effects (both processed and unprocessed), and a Rhodes Kontakt kit, featuring a selection of ready-to-use Rhodes samples.
JD73 also shows you how to get on with part two of his Masterclass, and we also have videos to accompany our Vocal Processing tips, and Studio Essentials features.
See the Juke Bots (the robotic DJ) in action here!
Plus the reader demos, reviews and more!
Thursday March 15, 2007
We're still here!!!!
We're mega busy cracking on with the latest issue here in the UK. In fact, we've just received our MIDI fitted Speak & Spell and have been glitchtastic all day! There’s a forum thread here for anyone attempting the other bends done by our resident bender-boffin Greg Scarth. Hold on for the MIDI fitting instructions in a mag coming soon…
Here's the MIDI fitted Speak and spell sat on my desk. Beep, grr, buzz, beep!
Thursday February 22, 2007
Be a newB-ie
We’ve not tested it for ourselves yet but Crysonic’s new bass-enhancing VST ‘newB’ sounds pretty smart. It generates sub harmonics from your bass part, allowing you to hear lower frequencies than exists on the original track. Sadly its Windows only for the...
Steinberg have released a new mixing tutorial DVD-ROM series for Cubase and Nuendo in English, German, French and Spanish.
Volume 1 (160 mins) includes tips for delivering the mix master to the mastering studio, better use of groups, preventing phase...
Most of the good stuff we netted yesterday, but plenty more action
from day 2. The highlight? Surely seeing (and hearing) how Yamaha's
Vocaloid 2 has been coming along. What's Vocaloid? A attempt to
'synthesise' the human voice by extensive sampling of phonemes which
are then re-strung to produce pharses that can then be played back at
the desired pitch, thus negating the need for a real live singer.
That's the theory, but the reality is a little way off just yet.
Perhaps Vocaloid 1.1 would have been a better name, although we're
intrigued to hear more from latest vocal patch Big Al from PowerFX...
truly mesmerising were our first impressions!
But on to more serious matters... Rhodes are back with a new range of
electro-mechanical pianos, just like the old days! There's a beautiful
ruby red one on their stand.
prices should be around the £1,500 mark, although given its desirable
import status I wouldn't be surprised if it cost a bit morre...
Loads more digital DJ'ing packages, not least of all from Native
Instruments, who show off Traktor Scratch. Feels rock-solid, and the
timecode is twice the resolution of other packages. Fine looking
interface as well, which will be sold separately for those interested.
Universal Audio finally unleash a laptop solution for their UAD-1
platform – it’s about time too...!
