Music Tech - September 2015 PDF

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Issue 150
September 2015
THE150 BEST
The finest studio gear, tips, advice, quotes

& innovations of the last decade
special issue!
Legends interviewed
Viscontiand
Clearmountain talk
In-depth workshops
Audio FX in Live
Logic synth bass
Dynamic sound advice
New gear on test
From Beatleshardwareto
cutting-edgesoftware
Competition
Issue 150
Sept 2015
5.99
Win a Novation
MoroderNova synth
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Welcome MT
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Expert Panel
Studio Hardware John Pickford
John is a studio engineer with over 25 years of
experience. He is a keen sound recording historian
and has a passion for valve-driven analogue
equipment and classic recording techniques.
Mixing/Mastering/Logic Mark Cousins

Mark specialises in sound design and cinematic
productions. He has recorded with orchestras
across Europe and is heavily involved in
soundtrack composition.
Careers Editor Rob Boffard

Rob Boffard is a sound designer with a
background in TV and radio work. He is a Reason
evangelist, and when not writing for MusicTech he
releases hip-hop music under the name Rob One.
Digital/Composition Andy Price

With a Masters in songwriting and a vast interest
in music history and recording techniques, Andy
works daily on MusicTech.net as well as regularly
contributing to the magazine. He is currently
heading up our Landmark Album features and
songwriting/Cubase series.
Recording & Guitar Tech Huw Price

A recording engineer since 1987, Huw has worked
with David Bowie, My Bloody Valentine, Primal
Scream, Depeche Mode, Nick Cave, Heidi Berry,
Fad Gadget and countless others.
Scoring/Orchestral Keith Gemmell

Keith specialises in areas where traditional
music-making meets music technology, including
orchestral and jazz sample libraries, acoustic
virtual instruments and notation software.
Ableton Live Martin Delaney

Martin was one of the first UK Ableton Certified
Trainers. He has taught everyone from musicians
to psychiatric patients and has written three
books about Live. Martin also designed the
Kenton Killamix Mini USB MIDI controller and is
now the editor of www.ableton-live-expert.com.
Reason, DJ & Mobile Hollin Jones

As well as teaching music technology, producing
and writing soundtracks, Hollin is an expert on
everything Apple, mobile or computer-related, as
well as being an accomplished keyboard player.
Electronic Music Alex Holmes

Alex has been a computer musician for 15 years,
having a keen passion for beats, bass and all
forms of electronic music. Hes currently involved
in three different dance music projects.
Last month, my
welcome piece closed
with the tantalising
prospect of me writing
our special 150th issue
anniversary feature. If
Im honest, at that point
I had no idea what it
would comprise of just
that I had to write the ruddy thing. I thought Id muster
together a couple of pages looking back over those 149
issues, maybe including a couple of choice quotes, maybe
some nice bits of gear or so I thought. 15 pages and 9,200
words later, its turned into a slightly out of control monster
and the lead feature for the very issue you are holding
Its now full to the brim with those choice quotes, plus amazing pieces of studio
hardware and software, some of the nest bits of advice that I could nd from all
149 issues and a potted history of studio technology over some 12.5 Earth years.
Its a time when weve seen the technology go into the computer and bounce back
out, making music production more accessible and exciting for most of us. However,
the overriding message to me was not so much about the technology, but about the
studios that its resulted in. So, I want to use the occasion to simply celebrate these
environments the work spaces in which we produce music and how incredible
these rooms, or lofts (or shipping containers) have become. To that end, Ive closed
the piece with three pages of your studios some amazing spaces if ever youve
seen them. Theres even a glimpse inside the MusicTech studio (which has
advanced somewhat since the above shot was taken). So, heres to us, but actually
heres to you and where you produce your sounds. Keep making music and keep
telling us and showing us where you make it. Ill be doing it all again in issue 300
Andy Jones Senior Editor
Email andy.jones@anthem-publishing.com
Twitter @AndyJonesMT
T l Mik H lli
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MAGAZINE September 2015
|3
MT Contents
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MTContents
Issue 150
September 2015
THE150BEST P8
DOUBLE DISC
SPECIAL P115
LEGENDS! P30 & P36
GEARTESTS FROMP70
30 Tony Visconti
MT Cover feature
Talks studios,
technology and
working with Bowie
MT Buyers Guide
105 Six Of The

Best headphones
gear, studios, tips, quotes,
hits and misses from 150
issues of MusicTech
4 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
From mixing to mastering, from

accuracy to comfort, the best
cans revealed
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Contents MT
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p72
p82
MT Issue 150 Full listings
p75
The latest reviews
COVER: ISSUE 150 SPECIAL!

008 | The 150 Best We round up the
best gear, studios, quotes and tips
of the last 150 issues of MusicTech
ISSUE 150 SPECIAL INTERVIEWS
030 | Tony Visconti Legendary
producer talks studios,
technology and Bowie
MT
REVIEWS
From classic Beatles gear
recreated to the latest
cutting-edge soft synths
036 | Bob Clearmountain Working

with everyone from the Stones to
Robbie, McCartney to Ferry
p70
p90
DAW workshops
46 Logic Pro In Depth

50 Rhythmic Sounds
62 How To Record
Creating cinematic synth bass
Getting movemen in sounds in Reason
The perfect kick drum
TECHNIQUE
046 | Logic In Depth Producing
cinematic bass
050 | Beat Programming & Sound
Design Rhythmic sound design
056 | The Ultimate Guide To Live 7
Working with audio effects
062 | How To Record Kick drums
066 | Win! A MoroderNova synth
SUBSCRIBE
068 |and get a huge discount!
REVIEWS
070 | Chandler REDD.47 Recreating
the classic Beatles sound
072 | Plug-in Boutique Carbon
Electra synth
075 | Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2
synth/instrument
078 | Thermionic Culture Little
Red Bustard summing mixer
081 | Cinematic Guitars library
082 | MunroSonic Egg 100 monitors
Your FREE DVD!
085 | Kurzweil Artis 7 keyboard
P115
Whats on your
bonus DVD
089 | U-He Hive synth

090 | TC-Helicon Play Electric FX
094 | IKM AmpliTube 4 FX
097 | ProjectSam Swing!
jazz library
098 | Elysia Nvelope processor
100 | Mini Reviews
REGULAR FEATURES
105 | 6 of the best Headphones
108 | New Series: 6 ways to
Save time when recording
110 | Show Off Your Studio The
latest reader studios
112 | Next month in MusicTech
114 | On your MTDVD
115 | On your bonus MTDVD
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|5
3 LOLSS6SXUFKD H
DQ
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MT Feature The 150 Best
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In case you hadnt realised, its issue 150 of MusicTech and

to celebrate we thought wed look back at the 150 best
things that have occurred over the course of those issues.
Andy Jones offers a quick history lesson, reveals that its
your environment that counts, and unveils the 150 best
tips, tech, quotes and studios of the last 12.5 years
8 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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The 150 Best Feature MT
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MAGAZINE September
2015 | 9
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reat historians will tell you that what you

learn from history you can apply to your
present and future. Indeed, some might
go as far as to say that we simply must do
so if we dont, then how can we
progress? We understand this all too well in the world
of music production. MusicTech might well be a
technology-based magazine with a big beady eye on
future technology and music trends but, especially
with the current retro-healed world of studio
technology, we know only too well that you can and
should learn pretty much everything from your past.
So what better time to do just that than in issue 150 of
the magazine?
But, fear not, this isnt going to be one of those
sentimental journeys where we look back and say that
everything was much better in those days far from it.
Nor will we be laughing at the things we used to use
to make music, in an arent we so much more
sophisticated now? type of way. Well, not that
much anyway
150 issues is a long time in publishing and a
landmark that few magazines these days ever get to,
but forget about any more self-congratulatory back
slapping from our side, because its also a large chunk
of time in the world of technology. The last few
decades in music production have seen as big
a change in music making and indeed the way we
consume the music thats being made as there has
been in modern history. Everyone now has the
possibility of having the tools at their fingertips to
make great-sounding music, and more and more
people are taking advantage of it to do just that
(whether you believe the results are a good a thing is
another matter).
So while these technology advancements have
made music production easier, there have also been
significant and dramatic changes in style, fashion,
opinion and philosophy over the last 12 and a half
years (to use a more human timescale). Yep, there is
a lot to take in!
150 issues ago, the music technology world was
a very different place to the one we live in now but
also, in many ways, very similar. We were in the midst
of a synthesiser revolution; all the major DAWs that we
know and love today were being updated and were
maturing rapidly. As a result, people were discovering
that you could do pretty much everything on software.
Change the odd word here and there and you could
describe things in the same way today. But, actually,
the big difference is down to how important the studio
environment has become
But it wasnt to be that simple. Todays producer is

now much more concerned with not just the gear and
software they are using, but the environment in which
they are using it, too and, get this, the hardware that
they are using. Yes, our studios have become by
design, accident, desperation or need more
hardware-based. We have become more appreciative
of tactile music making interfaces, and definitely more
discerning when it comes to sound so using retrobased hardware, whether original, repackaged or
reproduced, to go back to the quality. Learning from
history, perhaps?
So, yes, we can do it all on a laptop, but many of us
focus on what is going on outside the laptop as that
particular dream didnt pan out as expected. Well still
Any mac
chine
e will do a num
mber of
th
hings
s abo
ovea
andbey
yond
d wha
at the
e
ma
anuffactturerr intende
ed
SQUAREPUSHER, MT149
Individual, environmental
A dozen years ago, the flow was definitely towards
a computer-based set-up, with everyone and his dog
thinking that software was going to be the next big
thing. And it was! In the first year of MusicTechs
existence, we witnessed the arrival of the first big
(successful) analogue soft synth emulations from
Arturia and GForce, we saw big companies such as
Steinberg launch attempts at software workstations
it all seemed to be obvious where we were going: right
in there and on to our computer processors
Besttips #1
Dont just put music
on your website and
hope that people will
notice it. Once you are
off stage and out of the
studio you cease being
a musician and start
being a salesperson.
O
use the laptop, for sure, but make it the centre-piece

of an inspirational room with great interfacing for
audio and, of course, human interaction; make sure the
source recordings are perfect, and that the devices we
are listening to the results on are as good as we can
afford. And we are, thank the lord, becoming less
about looking at our mixes and more about listening to
them again. So, now we are in the middle of another
synthesiser revolution a hardware one DAWS are
still getting major updates (as I write, four have just
received major additions), but manufacturers are
thinking more about controlling them in other ways.
And people are discovering that you can do
everything with hardware.
One of the most significant features weve run in
the magazine, that brings this home, is Show Off Your
Studio, where we simply get you to send in pictures of
your music-making set-ups. Of course, every single
one is different and every studio is brilliant in its own
way (and boy, are they brilliant? Turn to p24 now!).
So the technology we have used over the last 150
issues might have ebbed and flowed between
analogue and digital, hardware and software, but the
room in which we house it has become simply
incredible. Todays studio must now be inspiring,
comfortable and a great place to be. There is no one
right way to create this or at least no obvious way.
Instead, theres a multitude of brilliant ways, whether
you choose to house your studio in a bedroom or a
shipping container (yes, I mean it turn to p25).
You are creating spaces that, yes, are full of gear and
well treated acoustically, but you are creating spaces
to create and we are all moving more towards an
environment thats like a great music-making space
should be.
So we are going to celebrate the fact that there is
no one way to achieve this by looking at, well, 150
great ways: the Best 150 tips, techniques, gear, quotes
and studios that we have discovered over 150 issues of
MusicTech. Prepare to learn from history
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MAGAZINE September
2015 | 11
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gs
THE10BEST Very Cool Thin
They either looked cool, sounded cool or still are

cool. Or could be used as cricket bats
ELEKTRON SFX-6 MONOMACHINE
Elektron gear is, by the companys own admission,
sometimes a pain in the rear to use. The Monomachine
was not the easiest, either, but by god it was
distinctive. It sounded cool, looked cool, and would
(no doubt about this whatsoever) look incredibly cool
in some hipsters loft apartment in Shoreditch. Right
now. You could, if needs be, also use it as a cricket bat
to play the Aussies in the Ashes at Lords.
There
e was notthing to lo
ook
att bac
ck then,soy
youh
hadtto
listten toyo
ourm
mixin
ng
NEIL ARTHUR, BLANCMANGE

find one now and plug it into your studio-based set-up
youre pretty sure to get some unusual results, that the
rest of the crowd can only dream of
TLA FAT TRACK (above)

TLA was a great British company responsible for
some fine outboard. We say was, as we thought it
had gone wayward, but the website suggests the
company is still in operation. Either way, it made
some fantastic retro/pro/new gear, and the Fat
Track was a great, if misunderstood interface
between old signals and new tech, offering tracking,
summing and monitoring, a great analogue sound
and DAW integration via ADAT.
ROLAND
V-SYNTH XT (above)
The V-Synth keyboard was an
underrated synth, mainly down to
a fairly complex operating system and somewhat
underwhelming polyphony when used at maximum
power. But work with it and youll get some incredible
results and if you can get the V-Synth XT, you get all
of that, a D-50 expansion, a vocal expansion and,
importantly, two ruddy great big metal handles to carry
it around if you dont rack it up. How could you resist?
ROGER LINN DESIGN ADRENALINN II

A guitar amp modeller and drum machine all in one
box as you do. It might have slightly confused us on
its release, but its one of those products that if you
Besttips #2
When recording
vocals, your singer
can be quite nervous,
so assume the role of
engineer/psychologist
if they ask for advice,
make sure you are
constructive
and sensitive.
O
DAVE SMITH INSTRUMENTS

POLY EVOLVER
It needed a software editor to do it justice, cost over
a grand and looked as interesting as a classic 90s
digital synth, but if you can get one of these fellas
cheaply youll get a superb instrument and
because of all of the reasons above probably one
that not too many other people have invested in
150 issues, 12 years and 60 landmark releases

Starting in APRIL 2003,
MusicTech launched with
updates to Logic, new software
from Spectrasonics, a big fat
synth from Roland
(the V-Synth) and
the chance to win
a set of monitors
shaped like eggs
(Eclipse TD
508PA). Fast
forward 150
issues and things
certainly havent
changed on the
face of it each
company is still
12 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
producing the same type of

product, albeit with a lot more
power, and usually for a lot less
money. Logic, for example, cost
649 12 years ago and is
a mere 140 now
As we progressed
through early issues, we
covered several
stalwarts in music
technology, including
Yamaha Motifs,
Cakewalk soft synths
(Project 5 anyone?) and,
er, the Spaceshuttle A/V
controller a device that
attempted to replace
your mouse with,

OK, a bigger mouse.
Arturia quickly
made a name for
itself with the Moog
Modular V soft
synth, while
controllers were all
the rage with
Evolution bringing
out its UC-33, which
set something of a
standard for the time. Issue 3
saw a piece of software from
a new company called Native
Instruments, called Vokator on
test. Is it a vocoder? Is it a
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sampler? Is it a
synthesiser? we
asked. All of the above,
it turned out, and we
also gave it a plus point
for having PC and Mac
versions in the same
box. Bless.
We werent afraid of
covering mobile
technology back then,
although chunky PC
laptops and big interfaces were
the tools of the day no iPads
then and this writer
remembers creating music on
a laptop in an airport in 2003,
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I dontt thin
nk there
e is any
on
ne wa
ay yo
ou sh
hould sta
art
a song
g. Th
he moment you
u put
afform
mulao
onm
musicy
you
ma
akes
shitm
musiic
JIMMY MAC, LORDE
ACCESS VIRUS TI
Continuing our theme of hardware and software
boundaries being blurred, heres a synth that was
(and still is) definitely hard, but acts like a plug-in in
your DAW. With a legendary Access sound, it will do
everything you expect sonically, and looks the
business and also slots into whatever studio situation
you throw at it
JAZZMUTANT LEMUR/
DEXTER
Before the iPad brought touch technology to the
masses, French company JazzMutant (surely the
coolest name for an audio company ever) brought
touch technology to the non masses. At over 2,300,
the Lemur and replacement Dexter were
expensive, but showed how cool hardware could be
and, in controlling Logic, also showed what the future
of control could be. It could be touch! They were
pretty much superseded by the iPad, and
somewhat ironically they also live on
in that format
KORG WAVEDRUM WD-X (below)

With multiple sensors, playing the Wavedrum is a
creative experience, no matter how good your beat
making. Technical knowledge isnt a prerequisite either
beat making with a piece of technology has never
been so simple nor cool.
YAMAHA TENORI-ON
It was certainly an unlikely product
for the Japanese giant to
release, but Tenori-On
captured a lot of peoples
imaginations, not least big
names such as Bjork and
Peter Gabriel. The device, a
grid of 16x16 lights, allowed
you to create complete tunes
with a big range of FM sounds.
Better still, lights flashed as
notes triggered. You could, if you
wanted to stretch the truth a little,
say that this was the device that
kick-started our fascination with greatlooking cool gear. OK, thats pushing it, but it
helped
SHADOW HILLS
MASTERING
COMPRESSOR (above)
Arguably, we shouldnt
include this beast of a
compressor as a) we havent
reviewed it and b) finding any
information about it on the
Shadow Hills website involves
cracking a code, but its one of
the finest-sounding and finestlooking compressors out there, has
controls straight out of a 1950s spaceship
and looks a little like Darth Vader in low light.
What more do you need?
ad
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THE 10 BEST 10s!
They earned the maximum score in their original

MusicTech reviews and became essential purchases
NOVATION BASS
STATION II (left)
The return of the Bass Station
while not the first piece of classic gear
to be re-imagined certainly seemed to
open the floodgates to a tide of hardware rebuilds and
redesigns, synth and otherwise. Everyone knew you
could do it in software, but the sheer joy of grabbing
the keyboard, twisting its frequency knob and actually
playing a real synth for once, after so long with
plug-ins, was a joy especially as it cost a mere 50
quid more than the original did two decades before.
The sound of the circuit at its raw, dirty, analogue
best we said.
No amo
ount of mixing
g and
d effe
ect
wizarrdry
y can sav
ve a song
g fro
om
being
g bad
d
SSL DUENDE
With TC Electronic and UA offering bespoke pieces of
hardware, running software emulations of classic and
not-so-classic outboard, SSL was not to be outdone
and Duende offered a suite of high-quality outboard
effects, including EQ and buss compressor over 32
channels of processing, without any extra load on your
processor. Our review said: As close as you can get
(in the software world) to mixing on an SSL.
SMOKERS DELIGHT (top right)

e-Labs collection of 1,900 laid-back grooves and loops
was a highlight in the world of sample collections, and
remains to this day one of the finest ever made.
Beautifully recorded, laid back and smokey, its time
for a 90s revival and this could lead the way
CHRIS COWIE
LOGIC
Ever since Logic became 140, it has scored
10/10 in MusicTech. A lot of people argue that its
bloated software, with layers of code built on top
of one another a DAW in need of a rewrite from
he ground up. You could also argue that a lot of the
nstruments need an overhaul. You could argue all of
hat. But 140 for all of those instruments, effects,
ontent and a DAW that is still streets ahead of
any? Seriously? Were still downloading the extras
om reviewing the last version
NEUMANN U47 FET (left)

We dont just get excited about hardware synth
ecreations, and while there are countless amazing
emakes of hardware outboard (stand up Lindell,
handler et al) what better than a company
issuing a classic piece of gear itself? We said: The
7 FET is no half-baked reissue; Neumann has done
oper job. It looks and sounds like the real deal
ause it is. Consider it more of a resumption of
duction. Nice.
BFILTER TWIN 2
in 2 is a dance musicians dream, we said of
proving that we
could finally do it on
the move. Although
quite why it was
such a big deal
remains something
of a mystery
FireWire
technology was big
news and other
releases set to stick
around for a while
included MoTUs
MachFive sampler, Rolands
Fantom technology, Novations
ReMOTe controllers and
Digidesigns 002 interface.
Korgs Electribe was literally
14 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
lighting up the industry,

with the MX-1 version
featuring a glowing valve
to emphasise its warm
sound quality (still a
great unit if
you can get
your hands
on one by
the way).
PLUG-IN
THINGS
Instrument plug-in
technology was
becoming not just the
norm but slick and well
implemented in
software such as Cubase SX. We

also looked at Emagics Space
Designer software, one of the
first plug-ins for the masses that
attempted to emulate rooms by
modelling impulse
responses. At 449,
yes 449, it was
massively expensive.
Whod have thought
Apple would buy it up
and slap it into Logic
Hardware wise,
Korg was setting an
example with its
microKontrol, which
featured pads, knobs
and sliders and a look
WorldMags.net
that is still around today.

Meanwhile, the same companys
Kaoss technology attempted to
embrace video with KP
Entrancer, a solid block of
hardware with proper old-school
switches that still works wonders
today. Again, Korg was at the
blurred edge of synth hardware
and software tech with the
Legacy Collection bringing some
classics back to life in software,
all with a USB hardware mini
MS-20 controller. 11 years on and
we have the real thing from the
same company. How times
change Back to plug-ins and
Gmedias (to become GForce)
WorldMags.net
Fabfilters double delight soft synth back in 2010, and
five years on it still sounds remarkably fresh and
vibrant even in a dance market that moves so
quickly, or at least pretends to. Twin 2 has controls to
die for, looks cool and, quite simply, sounds incredible.
MOOG VOYAGER XL
Moogs resurgence as a force in hardware synthesis
wasnt a done deal at one time, but times and fashions
change, and now the company is riding a wave of
hardware love and its machines are seen (and heard)
as some of, if not the best out there. And this is, not
even arguably, the best of the best. The ultimate
earth-shattering stage synth or core of a modular
synth set-up, we said. If you own one synth, this is
arguably the one to get, but you might have to sell your
house or car to get it
If you
u wa
ant speakers
s thatt mak
ke
ev
verytthing
g so
oundgoo
od,tthen
n visitt
yo
ourlo
ocalh
hi-ffi emporrium
m
HUW PRICE, MT121
PICK A NORD, ANY NORD (top right)
SPECTRASONICS OMNISPHERE 2
We could put any number of Nords in this Best 10/10

category, so well and consistently have they scored
over the years. That goes for the Stage, the Lead, even
the A1, but were we to be forced to go for one, it would
probably be the latest Nord Lead; a synth that is
packed full of superb analogue, wavetable and FM
sounds with just so much control. For a wide-ranging
synth, this is the one. For an analogue and easy option,
go for the A1; for a proper keyboard, go for the Stage.
Like we said, pick a Nord, any Nord
Right on the cusp of not getting in, as its reviewed in

this issue, is Omnisphere 2 although Omnisphere 1,
or any of Spectrasonics range of instruments, libraries
or whatever the heck you choose to call them, could
have been included. In fact, lets just give it to
Spectrasonics as a company, why dont we? But, really,
the plaudits go to Omnisphere 2, as we simply didnt
think it could improve much on the original but it
has. Read p75 for more
GFORCE ODDITY 2
When the production world is going hardware mad
(again), its sometimes difficult to remember that
software is simply incredible too, and GForce is one
company that has been at the leading edge of both
quality and innovation for longer than most. Oddity 2
came just after we reviewed a remake of the original
hardware Odyssey and where that scored highly on
recreating authenticity, this brought the format right
up to date. We dont think we could pay it any higher
tribute than: If ARP had carried on as a company, this
is the synth it would have made now.
Besttips #3
Play with a piece of
gear as though its the
only thing youve got.
O
Mic to Monitor Tour 2015

Hosted by Manufacturers
Free seminars that deliver key insights into modern

day recording, mixing and mastering techniques
Paisley
and dispelling popular myths surrounding these processes

Leeds
To register for your FREE ticket

please visit the website address below
Liverpool
Huddersfield
Manchester
Birmingham
in conjunction with:
Bristol
London
Southampton
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http://www.prismsound.com/music_recording/studio_events.php
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THE 10 BEST Apps
The phone and tablet came of age for the music

maker over the last 150 issues of MusicTech. Here
are the finest apps for mobile music making
APPLE GARAGEBAND 2.99
This app is free to start with, but just
2.99 gets you everything you need to
create tracks from scratch with
real-sounding instruments and 250
loops thrown in for good measure. As a scratchpad
songwriting device, little beats it; nothing does for the
money. www.apple.com
NOVATION LAUNCHPAD 4.99 (above)

Like GarageBand, theres a free version, but we heartily
recommend parting with a few quid to get audio
import on top of the sound packs that you get to
perform, control, mix, remix and well basically
have a lot of fun with uk.novationmusic.com
KORG GADGET 27.99 (right)

As an all-round songwriting tool for electronic-based
music, this is probably the app to get. It ships with 17
synths and drum machines, all named after famous
cities and a few modelled on classic gear. It becomes
incredibly intuitive, and you will be doing complete
works on it in no time. It also enables you to import
other great Korg instruments and download/buy new
ones. www.korg.co.uk
FLSTUDIO MOBILE HD 13.99

Probably the all-in-one DAW app that you should turn
to if you are new to music making; you get instruments
and an intuitive sequencer. Caters more for dance/
loop-based music, but you will be making it easily and
will be rewarded quickly. www.image-line.com
KORG IM1 14.99

Much as it pains us to include more than one app by
the same developer, Korg really has got much of the
mobile synth market sewn up (we could easily have
selected the iMS20, too), but the reason were
including the companys mobile M1 is because its
done so well. A fairly difficult to use hardware synth
has been realised to mobile perfection. If youre of a
certain age, youll want it www.korg.co.uk
STEINBERG CUBASIS 34.99

Probably more like a traditional
sequencer/DAW than any other app on
the market, simply because Steinberg
made it, and based it on Cubase! But it
works and works incredibly well. The workflow is
slick, there are instruments included, and you will be
making music in the traditional computer way in no
time at all. www.steinberg.net
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS TRAKTOR DJ 2.99
Dontt rea
ad Yo
ouTube comm
ments
s
ab
bouty
you
ur stu
uff.Youllw
want to
bu
urny
youre
eye
eballsou
ut
Some current DJs are criticised for not really doing

very much during a set. Now, if you see one looking at
his phone, he could well be DJ-ing with this. The app
takes the essence of the Traktor Pro software and
wedges it into an iOS device to amazing effect. It can
be used as an audio mangler in its own right, and you
can create songs, but its especially at home mixing.
Check out the companys iMaschine, too.
www.native-instruments.com
ROB BOFFARD, MT134

impOSCar was to redefine
classic synth emulation, both in
terms of sound (wonderfully fat
and aggressive) and price (just
100), but Vocaloid Lola would
fair less well in
some quarters.
Apples GarageBand
is a software title
that lives with us on
iOS devices to this
day, but at 39 now
seems like a rip-off,
with the latest
version free (albeit
with a 2.99
upgrade to get
you everything).
16 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
MORE MOBILE
By the mid-2000s, music
peripherals were finally starting
to get a little bit more mobile, so
those chunky laptops we looked
at were becoming
slimmer, while controller
keyboards from the likes
of Edirol and M-Audio
were getting far more
portable the PCR-1
and O2 being fine
examples. Microphones
were also becoming
more and more
affordable, with sEs 1A,
2A and 3 all scoring well.
It was also early days in
instrument libraries,
with Yellow Tools
Majestic being a
great example of
what was to come
with its massive
16GB library and
still massive 269
price tag.
After a series of
software synths and
kits, including the
mighty Reaktor and
Absynth, Native Instruments
would branch out with Guitar Rig,
which would open up the
computer to guitarists and synth
heads to guitar effects
WorldMags.net
everyones a winner.
Meanwhile the same
company released its
Express keyboards
remember them?
Cut-down versions of its
organ, FM and Pro-53
plugs, all in software,
but almost like software
versions of Yamahas
new ReFace keyboards.
Not for the first time,
we will say: how
technology twists and turns
Quietly, in the background, we
must give a mention to the
companies producing quality
outboard in software. While UA
WorldMags.net
We did Ziggy
y Stardus
st at Tride
ent
os,w
whic
ch meantt Ic
could
d wea
ar
Sttudio
jea
ansa
andh
hav
ve longh
hair
KEN SCOTT ON RECORDING BOWIE AND THE BEATLES

ARTURIA IMINI 6.99 (below)
Want a cracking analogue synth on your iPad? Youre
spoilt for choice, with Korg and Arturia not surprisingly
being the biggest companies. Weve chosen the iMini,
as its the classic analogue synth of the 70s, realised
on your iPad. OK, the original might not have had the
sonic sheen you get here, but iMini is easy, flexible,
looks like the real thing, and you can even make it
polyphonic www.arturia.com
POSITIVE GRID
FINAL TOUCH 13.99
Best tips #4
O Listen out for what
you dont want to

record, as much as for
what you do want to
record, to avoid bleed,
noise anything that
will cause trouble later.
Mastering is still the dark art for many (who havent

read MusicTechs many guides on the subject), and
Positive Grids Final Touch not only makes what can be
a complicated process a lot simpler, it also does it on
an iPad. Several effects and modules are on offer, and
its the best of the mastering mobile bunch.
www.PositiveGrid.com
WAVEMACHINE LABS AURIA 34.99

If you want to make an analogy with proper DAWs, you
could consider this the Pro Tools of mobile music
making. Auria comes with playback channels, effects
and everything you need for great-quality multitrack
recordings. Its as pro as apps get. www.auriaapp.com
Discover why leading engineers and producers rely on Unity Audio monitors...
The bass response is surprisingly When somethings not right in

deep, transient response snappy,
a mix they really let you know!
stereo depth impressively wide.
Tom Dalgety Producer
Rik Simpson Producer
Royal Blood, Opeth, Killing Joke
Coldplay
The Rocks are my monitor of

choice for mid range details
details that give life to a record.
Stephen Fitzmaurice Producer
Cage the Elephant, Sting,
Paloma Faith
They have a bottom end that belies

their size and a smooth modern top.
Accurate details abound.
Josh Homme
Queens of the Stone Age
Scary speakers to listen to your

mix on, they really expose
whats there!
John Leckie Producer
Radiohead, Stone Roses, Muse
I really like these monitors!

I love them for balancing mixes,
and vocals in particular.
Alan Moulder Producer
Nine Inch Nails, Led Zeppelin,
Foo Fighters
I need a very accurate monitor

Ive never been able to nd these
and in my quest for perfection,
qualities in a near-eld before.
I found The Boulders are the
Theyre smooth in the top and
best I auditioned by far.
have amazing bass extension.
www.UNITYAUDIOPRODUCTS.CO.UK
James Reynolds Producer
Mark Rankin Producer
SALES@UNITYAUDIO.CO.UK
Jessie J, Tine Tempah
QOTSA,
Adele,
Plan
B
| 01799 520 786
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
ey Now?
THE9 BEST Where Are Th
While some of these were far more successful than

others, all of them threatened world greatness but
are no longer with us (in their original forms anyway)
users. Neko was reviewed by this writer positively
well I managed to use Cubase with a touchscreen and
play the PC strategy/shooter Hidden & Dangerous on
it. OpenLabs has since gone into music software with
its Stagelight app and Lionstracs is doing, we think,
industrial power generators.
CREAMWARE SCOPE/NOAH
ROLAND VARIOS (above)
Rolands attempt at a hardware-software hybrid
device was pretty forward-thinking at the time, and
promised hardware-backed virtual studio technology,
and even virtual 303s and Jupiter synths, plus
variphrase technology for time and pitch shifting.
At 1,000, it proved too expensive for the mass market,
with the latter sampling technology soon introduced
within DAWs. Virtual Roland synths within hardware
live on in the companys System-1, however
Best tips #5
O Use your studio
budget on your signal

chain: everything
from microphone to
speakers. Get the best
you can afford
Give
e me
e oneE
EQ,a
a ton
ne
ge
enera
atorr and
d D-Verb
b,an
ndIw
will
giv
veyo
ouan
n orrchestra
a
NEILDAVIDGE,MT135.
Creamware was one of the first companies to bring out

software studio tools, albeit with the need for extra
SHARC hardware power to run them. The technology
first appeared on soundcards that ran on PCs, while
the Noah was a standalone rack unit. Creamware was
bought by Sonic Core in 2006, which still runs Scope
software across Mac and PC platforms. Interestingly,
Creamware was also responsible for a range of
hardware synth emulations, including the Minimax
and Pro 12 based on the Moog and Prophet synths.
With everyone now doing these, you could consider
that back in 2004 they were ahead of their time
FEELTUNE RHIZOME (below)

A DAW controller and VSTi controller that claimed to
be able to do it all without a computer. Trouble was,
you needed a computer to update and install
everything, and it cost nearly 4,000. Nice idea, but
OPENLABS/MEDIASTATION (top right)

Here were two companies that attempted to bring
huge and we mean huge workstations to the
masses. OpenLabs Neko was literally a PC running
pretty much whatever you wanted, with high-quality
interfacing and keyboards as standard. The 2,000
Mediastation did pretty much the same thing for Linux
was yet to make its

big mark, Waves
was consistently
coming out with
products such as
Musicians Bundle,
which offered
compressors, EQs
and effect plug-ins
for rather less
money than youd
expect from Waves
(249), while TCs
Powercore slid into its Compact
form but still had the rather cool
blue light from the rack version.
Computer power was still a
big requirement for music it
18 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
still is, after all but

back in the days of 1GB
being good for memory,
there were plenty of
dedicated companies
producing dedicated
machines for music
making, including
Inta-Audio, Alienware
and Millennium Music.
An ever-crowded
microphone
marketplace was joined
by Sontronics (we scored its
Orpheus and STC-1 well), while
hardware classics so prevalent
now were starting to make a
real comeback with AMS Neve
reproducing its 1073 preamp.

Late 2005 saw Digidesign, in its
pre-Avid days, making the most
of its acquisition of M-Audio by
offering M-Powered, a complete
DAW package for
just 239. Modelling
packages continued
apace, none more
obviously than by
Line6, which
produced the
ubiquitous Pod and,
later, the Toneport.
2006 became
a big software year,
with Live moving to
v6, Reason to v3,
WorldMags.net
Cubase to v4 and debuts from

future MusicTech favourites EZ
Drummer and Modartt Pianoteq.
But it also signalled the start of
one companys move from
software to hardware
and (very arguably) the
start of the seismic
shift that has led to
todays more hardwarebased studio world.
Such drama should
have been heralded in
with a more all-singing,
all-dancing device;
instead, Native
Instruments released
Audio Kontrol 1.
WorldMags.net
MAKE
GREAT MUSIC
KRK Systems is one of the worlds most
respected manufacturers of Studio
Monitors. In our California state of
the art design facility, KRK engineers
create products that deliver a natural
and balanced spectral response with
low distortion, tight bass and superior
imaging. With KRK monitors, subwoofers
and headphones, recording engineers
and artists hear every nuance of the audio
being reproduced regardless of musical
style, genre, or particular mixing needs.
Please take a closer look at KRKs line, used
by many Gold, Platinum or Grammy award
winning producers for tooling and crafting
their great music.
VXT-Series
ROKIT-Series
KNS-Series
KRK monitors are legendary for their honest voicing, accuracy and transparency.
Looking for a studio reference monitor that you can trust your music to?
Isnt it time you listened to a legend?
KRK Systems is a member of the Gibson Family of Brands.

2014 Gibson Brands, Inc. All rights reserved.
www.krksys.com
WorldMags.net
Subwoofers
WorldMags.net
hands until 2011, when TC wrapped up any future
development. I still say that the Access synth used on
it was one of the finest sounding out there
STEINBERG HYPERSONIC
Hypersonic was touted as a complete workstation in
software and, in a sense, it offered just that. But
whether it was just misunderstood or not well
implemented, the software was never really adopted
en masse, although v2 hung around for longer than
many thought, and is still compatible with relatively
new OS. It turned out that sleek, easy and low on
system resources were not what people wanted and
multi-GB libraries, where sound quality is key, have
been adopted instead.
TANGO SMARTCONSOLE (above)

Whereas pretty much every other product in our
Whatever happened to? section made it to market
and in many cases had a good run and healthy sales
were not convinced so many people got their hands
on this one. Which is a shame, as a touch-sensitive,
dedicated controller (that
looks a bit like a laptop) for
Logic, Cubase and Pro Tools
looked like a sure-fire
winner at the time. The
6,645 price was probably
the deciding factor,
though
ZERO-G VOCALOID
Over the last dozen years, technology and the voice

have become entwined with products such as
Melodyne and AutoTune. Vocaloid hasnt quite become
the Hoover of that world yet, though. It started out life
attempting to create voices
from scratch, and while some
commentators (this one
included, it has to be said)
were distressed by the results
others at MT described it as
devastatingly authentic
what a dull world it would be
if we all agreed. Zero-G was
TC ELECTRONIC
responsible for putting out
TRISH WEGG, RAK STUDIOS, LONDON.
POWERCORE (below)
early efforts, but Yamaha now
Releasing a hardware rackmount box with nothing
regularly releases new versions which are bound to be
more than a blue light on it might seem like
improvements over the original
commercial suicide, but when that box ran highquality plug-ins for sublime recording and mixing, it
CODE AUDIO BEATBURNER
made sense. And when you wrapped it up in a slick
The full name was BeatBurner VSTi, as VST technology
FireWire unit that eased effortlessly for the time
was new back then so you had to clearly state if it was
into most DAW set-ups, you had a winner on your
part of the new gang on the block. This software used,
essentially, a synthesis engine to loop and mangle 300
supplied samples. It doesnt sound much in todays
landscape but back then, 50 was incredibly cheap for
software of this power, and many producers were so in
awe of the software that they used it on every beat and
loop in every song they could. Or was that just us?
Peo
ople are comffortab
ble he
ere.
Therre are no airs
s and
d gra
aces.
Pa
aulM
McC
Cartn
neym
madem
me
a cu
up ofttea
It was a nice interface for laptop

owners and its bundle of NI
software and the K in its name
were pointers to the shape of
(hardware) things to come
In 2007, Moogs
Little Phatty synth
was causing a stir
with a special Stage
edition, very much
a favourite in MT
studios today, and
a continuation of
the reboot of the
Moog brand that
has seen it once
again become the
hardware synth
20 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
company to be reckoned with in

2015. USB and FireWire had
become standards and USB mics
were starting to make waves with
the sE USB 2200A announced at
the years Winter NAMM
show. More tape
simulation and
restoration packages
were becoming
available, the former
another sign that all
things in the software
world were not quite
as they seemed and that
we were starting to see a
yearning for older-style
recording.
However, newer
packages and
companies also
emerged to offer
new ways of utilising
effects and
software, with
iZotope leading the
way and its RX
software
consistently scoring
highly over
four versions.
As we hurtled towards the
end of the 10s, backwards
wasnt the only way that music
technology was heading, though.
Technology was also marching all
WorldMags.net
over the DJ world with

NI releasing Traktor
Scratch, Rane doing the
digital DJ thing with
Serato Scratch and
M-Audio involved with
Torq, among many other
companies. Universal
Audio was fast
becoming a standard,
with essential studio
tools regularly added to
the UAD platform,
putting it easily up there with
SSL and TC systems. FireWire
was everywhere ESIs DuaFire
and M-Audios Profire finally
adding to a huge list of names
WorldMags.net
THE19BEST Innovations
In a technology-based magazine, there is bound to

be a lot of innovation, but there has been so much
over such a small space of time that we couldnt
narrow it down to 10, So here are 19
SSL MATRIX (above)

it a mixer, a DAW controller or a missing link between
ur DAW and all of those amazing bits of outboard
ear you want to use with your software? Its all of
ose, but the latter feature was the one everyone
anted, and you wonder if the Matrix were released
day whether people would lap it up such is the
ppetite for working with old and new tech together
KAI ADVANCE
SERIES (left)
Possibly the fine
piece of Akai
chnology since th
ge of samplers?
hype things, but th
m gives NIs
Komple e Kontrol a run for its money. S
great is the onboard screen that you will not use your
computer screen for a whole range of functions. Som
dont like the big knobs but, with our failing eyesight,
we do
I REAKTOR (left)
ative can be thanked for all sorts of innovation in
ftware, but Reaktor opened up plug-in development
the masses OK, the geeky masses to the level
at a vast community of instruments and effects now
ists for all, which has to be a good thing. And after
redefining software, it did the same with hardware
Besttips #6
CELEMONY MELODYNE
Dont forget your

studio space. Your room
is as important as your
most expensive item
of studio kit. Treat it
well (see our guide at
musictech.net).
O
Melodyne was magic from a dark place when it was

released. This software could take audio and adjust its
pitch like no other, and has gone on to be used
creatively in all aspects of music production and even
features as a standard part of DAWS such as SONAR.
FOCUSRITE LIQUID CHANNEL

While the world was going software mad, Focusrite
turned the tables somewhat by modelling 80
compressors and preamps and putting them into a 2U
rack unit. The result, for a not inconsiderable price of
2,345, offered such a great combination of modelling
Focal Alpha
For the producer inside you.
Whether youre an, engineer, producer, writer or DJ, the most important gear in your studio
is your monitors. But the good ones are usually so expensive! Introducing the new Alpha
50, 65 & 80. Designed with brand new, Focal-manufactured drivers: aluminium inverted
dome tweeter c/w new 5, 6.5 & 8 polyglass woofers, all powered by dual Class AB amps.
NEVER BEFORE HAS THIS PERFORMANCE BEEN AVAILABLE IN THIS PRICE RANGE.
www.scvdistribution.co.uk
Distributed by SCV Distribution: Call 03301 222500 for your nearest dealer
In stock now at: Absolute Music, Dawsons, Dolphin Music, Funky Junk, GAK, Gear4Music, Giraffe Audio, Guitar Guitar, Juno Records, Kazbar Systems, KMR,
WorldMags.net
Music Maker (Dublin), Music Matter, Production Room, PMT, Red Dog Music, Rubadub, Scan Computers, Studioxchange, Westend DJ, Westend Production.
WorldMags.net
Audio format gradually took off and expanded, and
while others fell by the wayside (TCs Powercore),
UA remains one of the major players.
NI KOMPLETE KONTROL S-SERIES

Native took a long time to design and redesign this
range of keyboards, but with hi-def screens, complete
controls and coloured light keys, theres no better way
to control the Komplete suite itself worthy of
inclusion here.
NOVATION REMOTE 25 SL
Best tips #7
O Calm down, back
off from compression,

listen to your track and
just drop everything
down a bit
I thin
nk peoplle hankerr afte
er
ometthing
g rea
al in fron
nt of the
em
so
we
evea
allg
gots
so many
y plu
ug-in
ns
MIREK STILES, ABBEY ROAD
The most innovative controller keyboard of its

generation, the SL series from Novation automatically
mapped the parameters from whatever software you
had open to its front-panel controllers, so you could
just get on with controlling it no fuss, no bother.
IZOTOPE RX (left)
While an audio restoration tool might not be at the top
of your shopping list of must-have plug-ins, RX offers
an incredible array of both technical and creative
features that puts it well beyond anything else. Its
spectra-based audio editing lets you get further inside
your sound than anything else, making it one of the
most versatile tools around.
KEMPER PROFILING AMP (below)
and hardware that it became one of the first

products to break down the very definitions of
hardware and software. Who cares what it is,
if it sounds this good?
As far as modelling amp technology goes, little can

touch the very cool-looking Kemper Profiling amp. You
can use it as a modelling processor with onboard
presets, or set it up to model any configuration you
want. Possibly the greatest piece of guitar tech over
our lifespan
NOVATION LAUNCHPAD (above)

Launchpad wasnt the first pad controller
dedicated to Live, but it was the first portable
one developed with Ableton and that
important footnote helped make it one of the most
popular pad controllers. These days, launching Live
clips with hardware has become an art form in itself
with everyone Ableton included joining the party,
but Launchpad is slick, innovative and illuminating
THE UNIVERSAL AUDIO PLATFORM

On hardware cards such as the UAD1, the Universal
you can call a

product with the
word fire in
GOING MOBILE
(PROPERLY)
2010 saw the first
iPad released, and
while the iPhone
had garnered some
attention from the
music-making
industry (and, of
course, the music-making app
community) it was really the
larger and easier to touch iPad
that captured everyones sonic
imagination. Yearly NAMM
22 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
conventions for music

gear launches came to
resemble Apple
conventions as people
attempted to jump on
the Apple bandwagon
and cash in on this new
mobile musician device.
But, in truth, its not
been until more recent
years that it has truly
become a serious
proposition and now it
even warrants its own Top 10 on
these pages so important has it
become for the musician
community. If mobile music
making was maturing, so was the
virtual desktop emulation, with

UA now flying the flag for
hardware-driven outboard
plug-ins, and a whole raft of
companies producing incredible
new plug-ins and
virtual recreations of
classics. If anything,
the market in the
2010s was becoming
saturated with great
paid and freeware
software. Piracy had
also hit hard and
something had to
give, but wed
already seen the
shape of things to
WorldMags.net
come Arturias Origin and

Native Instruments Maschine
were just a couple of products
signifying a shift even for
traditional software companies
back to hardware.
While software had
matured, a mix of the
need for tactile control
and a workspace that
looked like you were
composing music rather
than emails started a
shift back to the
glorious studio spaces
that we talked about at
the start of this feature.
Software companies
WorldMags.net
URIA
TEP
ABLETON LIVE
this, as we
o version in
write
product. It
might look like a simple interface, but its one
that unites both hardware and software to make MIDI
triggering of both platforms intuitive and flexible all
within a tiny and portable footprint.
Technically, Live wasnt released over the last 150

issues of the magazine, but you know what? Who
cares? Were including it anyway, as it matured during
our lifetime And as it made everyone look at music
production in a different way, as opposed to the
top-bottom, left-right way of the traditional DAW, it
has to be included. And then theres Push, which
definitely did come out in our lifetime.
KORG GADGET
IPAD (above right)
We have to include the iPad. As innovative products go,
the iPhone or iPod Touch could also be listed, but the
iPad gets the plaudits simply for allowing people with
big fingers and poor eyesight (iSite) to enjoy touching
software. With Korgs Gadget and a host of synths, the
iPad had made proper mobile music making possible.
At bloody last.
The iPad has had great synths (by Arturia, Korg and
more), and it has had great DAWs (Apple, Steinberg, FL,
etc), but a combination of the two? Proper tunes (very
electronic ones) can be put together with Gadget from
a range of instruments, with more to buy. It all makes
this a proper iPad music production experience
MUSIC IO
MusicIO could revolutionise how you make music. It
lets you link iOS and OSX together to treat your iPad
and apps as instruments within your DAW. Very cool.
SE REFLEXION FILTER (right)
The simple ideas are often the best and the most
copied. SEs Reflexion Filter is a
vocalists dream piece of gear: a mini
TEENAGE ENGINEERING PO
vocal booth, much more cost-effective
SERIES (below)
BERNIE KRAUSE, MOOG PIONEER, MT136 Three calculator-style devices that could
than a treated vocal room. Insert head,
sing, reflections reduced, better
have been in our Cool top 10, but for the
recording, job done.
fact that not only do they give you beats, bass and
synth from devices so small you could carry all three in
APPLE MACBOOK PRO (below)
one pocket, but they were marketed with zero hype yet
Of course there were Apple Macs before the MacBook
were the centre of attention at this years NAMM show.
Pro; there were even MacBooks before it, but if you
want to identify a computer a mobile computer
thats powerful enough to run a bunch of audio
plug-ins and software titles, then it has to be the
MacBook Pro. From Logic to Live and a whole host of
outboard and interfaces, the Pro brought the studio
producer out of his or her studio to the big wide
Best tips #8
world, and music production to
O While the best
the masses.
monitors you can afford
are essential, always
check your mixes on
the worst as well. And
headphones. And in your
car. Anywhere you can,
in fact
Shu
ut upan
nd listten
started releasing revolutionary

hardware (Komplete Kontrol
anyone?) and companies such as
Studio Electronics, who had
stuck by traditional analogue
synth designs while
the world went soft
and digital, began to
reap the rewards of
a production world
rediscovering the joy
of analogue,
hardware outboard
and instrumentation,
vinyl and even tape.
So, to sum up
where we are after
a turbulent decade or
more in music technology, its

the most positive environment
for music making that weve ever
had. You can make albums on a
laptop, create complete tunes
on an iPad, buy new
classic hardware
synths, remakes of
any vintage
microphone or piece of
hardware outboard
gear, or emulate them
all in software, should
you wish. You can
control that software
like never before with
hardware that enables
you to use your screen
less and your ears more. You can

play music with keys, with grids,
by touching, by twisting, by
rotating, even by thinking. You
can do it all with glorious colour,
with fluorescent blue lights, and
with blinking lights and you do do
it in creative environments that
sound and look like world-class
studio facilities.
Music making has never been
so satisfying, so creative,
offered so many options, so
much flexibility and so many
routes from head to speaker.
And the environments in which
that music has been made have
never been so incredible, so
WorldMags.net
while we
celebrate 150
issues, its really
your creative
spaces that we
are celebrating,
so turn the page
for the last
hurrah, and keep
those pictures
coming for Show
Off Your Studio.
Heres to another
150 issues of
MusicTech, and
doubtless some more crazy
twists and turns in production
along the way
MAGAZINE September
2015 | 23
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s
THE 10 BEST Reader Studio
The readers who impressed us most with their

studios. And theyre not (all) hugely expensive
set-ups, either
SYNTHLAB (below)
Why? Because its called SynthLab. Its basically a
chair that looks like a chair from Star Trek, surrounded
by synths. And did we mention the synths?
OWNER Sotiris Gougousis
QUOTE I get lost in there
CONTACT via CDBaby at www.cdbaby.com/artist/
SotirisGougousis
Therresn
noth
hingm
more borin
ng
th
hanp
perfe
ectio
on
ULRICH SCHNAUSS, MT120
PHILIPPE BEAUBRUN (above)
TALLA 3 (top right)
Why? Because we dream of wires. And chairs with

wheels, and floors to slide across so we can plug
them in.
OWNER Philippe Beaubrun
QUOTE The truth is that sometimes I still occasionally
dont understand why no sound is coming from the
speakers until I realise that I simply forgot to power
them up.
CONTACT pbeaubrun@libertysurf.fr
Why? Because Talla 3 sounds like an alien planet, and

this studio looks like a studio from Talla 3. And it has
stormtroopers. Two of them.
OWNER Tommy Jansson
QUOTE I can sit here doing nothing, just watching
waterfalls on the big screen and chilling on the couch
until inspiration hits me.
CONTACT tommy@talla3.com
SILICONE MUSIC PRODUCTIONS

(above right)
Besttips #9
Why? Because it heralded the start of MusicTech

reader studios becoming bathed in blue light. After
this, no studio shot was complete without moody (but
very blue) light somewhere in it
OWNER Gustavo A. Sacchetti
QUOTE Perfection doesnt exist, and theres always
something more that I want to get
CONTACT info@siliconemusic.com
24 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
O Create a mood when

recording people.
Make it comfortable,
atmospheric. Dont have
a stark, cold and clinical
room, unless that is the
kind of recording that
you want
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I lov
ve that electronic mus
sic hasca
arriedon
n the
pu
unk eth
hos tha
at we felt lik
ke we were doin
ngwhen
n we
starrted. Wed just turn up witth a 20
00 synth
h ina
suitc
case and jus
st plug and pla
ay. It was alla
aboutso
ongs
and ideas, and th
hat hasc
carriedo
on
BASS LAB (below left)
Why? Because its in a shipping container. Brilliant
OWNER Steven Comeau
QUOTE Ive always lusted after a Prophet VS. The sound
of it makes my inner angst-ridden teenager want to write
bad industrial music. [Weve all been there Ed]
CONTACT steven@basslabstudio.com
MARTINGORE,DEPECHEMODE
RAIN CITY RECORDERS (top right)

Why? You really have to ask? Just look at that rack of
gear on the left. Just look at it! Its called the rack of
doom by the way
OWNER Stuart McKillop
QUOTE Theres always room for improvement. Theres
always room for more gear.
CONTACT raincityrecorders@gmail.com
STEVE CAIN (right)

Why? Because amongst all the gear and there is
some incredible stuff here hes managed to fit in a
bed. Yes, this is probably the best bedroom studio ever,
and it cost less than $1,500!
OWNER Steve Cain
QUOTE While technically it is a recording studio, it gets
played as a single thing
CONTACT stevec@hotmail.com
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MAGAZINE September
2015 | 25
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the above?
OWNER Loris Venegoni
QUOTE Your studio begins with your ears
CONTACT loris.venegoni@gmail.com
PAQUITO GARCIA (above)
BIG WHEELS (above)
Besttips #10
Why? Just look at all those monitors. And the outboard.

The outboard! And the monitors!
OWNER Frederic Devanlay
QUOTE My Zero-G Cyberstorm was made there. *
* We didnt know that this collection our library of
2014 was made there when we featured the studio
CONTACT via the website at www.bigwheelssounddesign.com
KOOZA PRODUCTION STUDIO (below)

Why? The neatness? The Nord? The ease of workflow?
The absolute clinical cleanliness? The chair? ALL of
O Dont become
obsessed with
upgrading your gear.
Just ask our editor
Besttips #11
But take it to 11.
All those recording rules
we mentioned? Break
them [especially the
gear one Ed].
O
Why? Because sometimes its nice to see an actual

person in your studio shots and Paquito certainly
looks as chilled and relaxed as one possibly could in
their own environment
OWNER Paquito Garcia
QUOTE I miss the days of the Amiga 2000: making
music back in those days was simply more
straightforward
CONTACT mistermagic@hotmail.com MT
ShowOffOurStudio
13 great items in the MusicTech studio, separate from
our team of writers who each have separate studios.
Heres what youll find in our main test area
O Moog Sub 37
Possibly the finest synth weve reviewed in the
last year
O ARP Odyssey
Possibly the finest classic synth weve reviewed in
the last year
Justt a re
eel-to
o-reel, desk and a
fe
ew miics.JJus
st enoug
gh to
o reco
ord
wh
hatw
wen
need
ded.Itw
wasg
greatt
O Native Instruments Komplete Kontrol

Great keyboard, great lights, one of the best
Kontrollers ever made.
ED SHEERAN PRODUCER JAKE GOSLING, MT109
O Presonus Studio Live 16.4.2
O Roland System-1
Flashing lights, classic Roland emulations, dodgy
keyboard, but lovely.
Something lovely and digital to plug all of our test

gear into, this has more features than we are yet to
discover, weighs a ton but is a simply an incredible
mixer and interface, plus control surface for Studio 1.
O Various monitors, inc PMC twotwo.6 and Focal
Alpha 65s
Simply brilliant on both counts
O Ableton Push
Were getting nicely into Push check out our next
tutorial in a forthcoming MT Live Special.
O Native Instruments Maschine 2
Next on our list to catch up on, there is, they say, no
better way of making beats.
O Live, Logic, Studio 1, Cubase
Yes, all of those, but then we need to keep abreast
of eveything
O Saffire Pro 28
One simple elegant interface to bind (some of) it
all together
26 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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MT Guru Tony Visconti
WorldMags.net
MT Feature Interview
INDUSTRY
GURU TONY
VISCONTI
Ofallthetoweringfiguresinmusic
productionhistory,thereisno-onequite
asinnovative(andunpredictable)asTony Visconti,
fromhisearlydaysworkingwithayoungMarc Bolan
tothecareer-defininghighswithDavid Bowie,
Viscontihasalwaysbeenkeentopush the
boundariesofwhatispossibleinthestudio.
AndyPricesitsdownforachatwithabona fide
productionlegend
30 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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Tony Visconti Guru MT
WorldMags.net
ony Viscontis name is one of those that is

now enshrined in the annals of history.
Since the late sixties, he has been involved
in music making and production, working
with some of the most important artists of
their respective generations. T-Rex, Iggy Pop, U2,
Morrissey, The Moody Blues the list of artists
whose work Viscontis production has enriched goes
on and on.
Perhaps the work hell forever be celebrated the
most for, though, is the revered records hes
produced for David Bowie, including his most recent
2013s stealth surprise The Next Day. Visconti met
Bowie at a young age, working on his Space Oddity
LP he also provided bass for his early band. As
Bowies talents and reputation grew, Visconti
became one of his closest musical confidants and
the producer of the bulk of Bowies greatest
When I heard Revolver I knew

there was an even deeper
alchemy involved I was hooked
material, including Aladdin Sane, Scary Monsters
and the universally acclaimed Berlin Trilogy.
Recently, Visconti has been back out on the road,
alongside former Spider From Mars Woody
Woodmansey and Heaven 17 vocalist Glenn Gregory
in the band Holy Holy, performing the (previously
never played live) Bowie album The Man Who Sold
The World in its entirety. We spoke to Visconti about
his production philosophy, working on some of those
legendary records and what its like to be back on
the road again
MusicTech: How did you first get into music, and
then into record production?
Tony Visconti: I learned to play ukulele when I was
five my family was a musical one. I spent the next
15 or so years doing almost every conceivable gig
you could get as a young man in New York City,
including recording sessions. I was totally
(Above) A young Visconti, left,

and fellow Bowie collaborator
Woody Woodmansey
(Below) The Next Day was a
critical success and Visconti
views it as one of the finest
albums in Bowies catalogue
(Bottom) Visconti continues to
play bass in his own projects,
such as The TV Show
fascinated by how records were made. When I heard

people like Les Paul and Mary Ford, and then The
Beatles Revolver album, I knew there was an even
deeper alchemy involved and I was hooked, I had to
learn recording technology. A chance meeting with
producer Denny Cordell by a water cooler in a NY
office led him to hiring me for my music abilities for
his assistant in London. That happening was like an
unbelievable film script. It was in London where
I learned my craft.
MT: Do you tend to get involved in the composition
process with the artists that you produce?
TV: Of course I get involved in the creative process,
Im a fully qualified musician and arranger.
I became a recording engineer and mixer late in the
game really. I almost always use a great engineer for
the tracking of a band because I am far more
concerned with the performance of the band. Im in
the studio more than I am in the control room. This
is mainly why Im hired. For vocals, etc, I take
charge of the engineering, with an assistant,
because of the speed I like to work. The overdubs are
a much more creative process and I find some
engineers too slow to work with at this stage. I also
mix most of my productions by myself for the same
reason. However, a great tracking engineer is
invaluable to me.
MT: Do you tend to favour analogue gear, or have
you adopted digital technology into your setup?
TV: I am a big fan of analogue gear, of course. Drums
sound great recorded through a Neve console, but
since the 90s we all realised that once youre
finished recording the backing tracks you can finish
the project with a handful of great mics and
preamps. You dont need that drum studio to record
vocals and guitar solos, for instance. For reverbs
and special effects, however, the digital in-the-box
versions are just as good as standalone boxes, and
in many instances better.
An H3000 in the box is just wonderful. When the
budget permits, I record a band on analogue tape,
but overdubs are done in Pro Tools. Thats the way
we are now, addicted to the speed and editing
possibilities of digital recording.
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MT: So what would you say is the cornerstone of
your studio today?
TV: I work in Pro Tools mainly, and sometimes in
Logic, on a powerful Mac with hundreds of plug-ins,
lots of UADs. I used to have a fabulous studio in
London, called Good Earth. I had a hot-rodded SSL E
series and great outboard gear, but I sold it all to go
back to New York in 1989. Today, in my small studio
in Manhattan I have a nice collection of analogue
preamps and dynamic gear, some with valves, some
FET, that give me a wide variety of flavours to put
into Pro Tools. I record drums in larger studios, like
The Magic Shop in New York. I cant do that in my
small studio.
Visconti, left, at work in the
studio with T. Rex
All The Madmen

MT: How did the idea to form Holy Holy first get off
the ground?
TV: Basically, on a dare from Woody Woodmansey.
He pointed out that the David Bowie album The Man
Who Sold The World was never performed live.
We split up as a band immediately after it was
delivered. It happens to be one of my favourite
albums that Ive ever produced, and one that
I played kind of insane bass parts on so I took
the challenge.
Holy Holy is Woodys band, a very versatile
bunch of musicians. I accepted the challenge, which
led to three months of practice to get back into
shape. I always play something on my productions,
but playing in the studio is more forgiving than
a live performance. I told myself that if I was going
to pull this off Id better be good at it
MT: The Man Who Sold The World is very much

considered Bowies hard rock album, would you
agree with that assessment?
TV: That album is a big turning point in Bowies
career and Woodys and mine. It wasnt the big hit
we were expecting but, by jingo, it was quite
brilliant. The songs were masterpieces and we
pushed ourselves to our limits. Records arent made
that way these days, these days of dumbing down.
Anyway, there wouldnt be a Ziggy Stardust if we
didnt make this album. Bowie and I parted after
this album, but the matrix was made for Woody and
Mick Ronson, who brought in their friend from Hull,
Trevor Bolder, to take over my role on the bass.
MT: With David, you produced The Man Who Sold
The World and a whole range of classic, and
stylistically, varied albums throughout his career.
How did the experience of making the early work
Over the years, David and

I have developed a vocabulary and
a musical frame of reference
compare to working with David in his later, more
experimental days on the Berlin Trilogy?
TV: Over the years, David and I have developed
a vocabulary and a musical frame of reference. We
met in 1967 and discovered we had very similar
tastes in music, like The Fugs, The Velvet
Underground, the Stan Kenton Orchestra, The
Beatles, The Kinks and many, many more. The list
has grown into modern music as well. Were good
friends, too, which helps, although I hardly see him
unless were making a record.
Recently, we made a single with the jazz
composer, Maria Schneider, called Sue (Or In A
Season Of Crime). Since we were all on the same
page with Stan Kenton, Gil Evans and Maria herself,
who was Gil Evans apprentice, we just flew through
making that exciting recording.
MT: The release of The Next Day surprised (and
overjoyed) everyone; how long did the making of
the album take? And how do you feel about it now
after a couple of years have passed?
TV: The Next Day is an amazing album. We made it
over a two-year period, on and off. There was no
32 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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Tony Visconti Guru MT
WorldMags.net
THE MAN WHO SOLD THE GEAR
So what does Visconti remember about the recording process of the album he
produced (and played bass on) 45 years later? Man Who Sold The World was
recorded in Advision and Trident studios in London, now defunct, of course,
Tony remembers. We didnt have lot of gear in those days. Standalone
preamps were unheard of. They were class-A recording studios, both Trident
and Advision made their own consoles, like a few other studios did at the
time. Pye and Phillips did the same.
This is why recordings sound so unique from those times. You can even hear
the difference on TMWSTW. She Shook Me Cold is the big Advision sound. The
darker The Supermen was the tighter Trident sound. Both studios, however,
did not have lots of outboard gear. For instance, Trident had one LA 1176
mounted in the wall. You had to make a big decision what you were going to
use it for. I worked with great engineers at the time, like Ken Scott, Malcolm
Toft, Eddy Offord and Martin Rushent.
There were no outboard preamps, but
the preamps on the console were really
great-sounding, and those engineers
were masters of British EQ, laying it on
during the tracking sessions, something
American engineers didnt do at the
time. They preferred recording flat and
EQing in the mix only. But this is why
I wanted to live in London, to learn the
British techniques of making records.
They sounded so much better than
American records in that period.
rush because no one was aware we were making it.
There were others involved, but we all vowed to
keep it a secret. It was finished when David said it
was finished. I definitely think its one of his best.
The Supermen
MT: Youve had such a varied career, working with
T. Rex, David Bowie, The Moody Blues and many
others is there a specific highlight that towers
above all the others?
TV: The artists of the seventies were from the golden
age. If you were a creative iconoclast, the seventies
was the best time to be signed. There was more

freedom. I guess the Berlin Trilogy was my
highlight of the seventies. Low, Heroes and Lodger
were uncompromising, great moments of
innovation. I am pleased that creative artists do still
exist today, but these times are bad for music
generally it began just before the turn of the
century. Labels started dumbing down and signing
mediocre artists who had mass appeal due to their
appearance or aesthetic. The epitome of this was the
whole Gaga insanity. I think that some of my
favourite modern artists are female; I think Florence
[Welch] is wonderful, and I loved Amy Winehouse.
I have been working with two other amazing female
artists, Kristeen Young and Esperanza Spalding
both virtuosos who write fabulous songs and can
play and sing like black belts!
MT: How do you select the artists you work with?
Do you listen out for people youd like to work
with, or are you sought out specifically?
TV: I rarely seek out artists, I usually wait to be
approached. There is no shortage of work for me, Im
constantly working. I have to stick to my ethics.
I have a cultural responsibility to keep standards
high, I know that sounds pompous but I dont want
to contribute to the mindless soft material that
clogs the airways and internet. I hold out for great
artists, they are out there, and I try to do my bit to
get them heard.
MT: Prior to your live work with Holy Holy, how
frequently did you get out and play live? And do
you think live playing is still important for
musicians and producers?
TV: Oh yeah, I have to play live to keep my
connection with music and the audience that loves
music. I have done many local gigs in New York over
the past couple of decades, sometimes getting
onstage with some band as a guest bass player. But I
have my own show that I put on occasionally, where
I am the band leader and I play the whole time, on
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bass. I call it The TV Show. I hire a few great local
musicians to join me, and I get four great singers
(the list always changes) to perform about 20 songs
that Ive produced or arranged. There are probably
1,000 to chose from. I prefer to mix it up with well
known songs like Heroes, and some lesser-known
songs like She Was Born To Be My Unicorn by
Tyrannosaurus Rex. True fans know all the songs.
The last TV Show was in January, and Id like to do
one again later this year. It takes a lot of work and
rehearsals to make this happen.
Today, Visconti uses a

combination of classic preamps
and Pro Tools in his studio in
New York
MT: When you think about some of the great

records youve produced that have been released
I cant wait until Spotify is

forced to pay a royalty that
reflects a record deal royalty
Oh By Jingo
MT: As a seasoned veteran, what tips would you
give to young producers who are starting out in
their careers?
TV: Follow your instincts and do whats right for the
culture. A record isnt just cool sounds. Great
records are made by gifted artists with something
to say and a talent to say it. Im sure youve heard
the expression to polish a turd. Well, dont do that!
Only work with the best. You dont have to be
famous to find great artists, undiscovered ones are
living all around you. If you follow your heart, the
hits will come.
MT: Aside from your upcoming tour with Holy Holy,
whats next on the agenda for you?
TV: There is a little bit more studio work coming up
(wink wink) but, honestly, I could use a break!
I havent had a proper two-week holiday in probably
eight years, although its nice to make an album in
places like Woodstock, Paris and Rome, Im working
six days a week in those beautiful locales. MT
on a range of different formats, how do you feel

about modern distribution methods such as
iTunes and Spotify, and do you think something is
lost when listening to classic tracks from albums
such as Low, for example, in this way?
TV: Hmm, thats a difficult question. I actually
prefer the sound of a well-mastered CD over vinyl
because of the increased frequency response and
lack of surface noise. Vinyl is a wonderful medium,
its just romantic. Now, with the file compression of
files these days, weve taken a step backwards.
A well-recorded chrome cassette sounds better than
a compressed digital format. But I see Spotify as
a kind of advert to invite the listener to buy
a high-quality version of the music they like. Its not
too different from what radio use to be in the
seventies through to the nineties. There was always
a lot of music you liked but you didnt buy.
iTunes has made great strides with its Apple
Lossless format. I was really surprised when it
streamed The Next Day live for the day of its release.
Sony brought the head of iTunes to my studio to
explain the mastered for iTunes technology and
I followed the rules, I bought the plug-in to follow
the guidelines. It paid off. The Next Day sounds
great on iTunes, and if you still want better quality
you can always find it in other formats, including
a three-disc vinyl. Back to Spotify, I cant wait
until it is forced to pay a royalty that reflects a
record deal royalty. Otherwise, it will surely bring
on the death of a creative profession. I guess when
there is a film equivalent, the courts will start to
get it right.
34 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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MT Guru Bob Clearmountain
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MT Feature Interview
BOB CLEARMOUNTAIN
Weve saved one of our biggest ever studio engineer
interviews for this special anniversary issue of MusicTech.
We speak to Bob Clearmountain about mixing some of the
most iconic artists of our time
36 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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Bob Clearmountain Guru MT
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ts traditional in this kind of interview to open

up with a xxx has worked with some of the
biggest names of our time quote, but with Bob
Clearmountain you get the impression that such
a throwaway line wouldnt be doing the man
justice. Besides, it might be easier to list the people
he hasnt worked with, such is the length of the
mans CV and the time that he has been working in
a recording studio environment.
Bob started working as an engineer in the early
70s at New Yorks Media Sound Studios, before
becoming chief engineer at the iconic PowerStation
Studios. Since the 80s, he has worked as an
independent engineer with artists including The
Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Chic,
Simple Minds, The Pretenders, Hall & Oates, Tina
Turner, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Ferry, Robbie
Williams, Elton John, The Kinks the list really
does go on. Hes also worked on such high-profile
productions as Live Aid and The Concert For New
York City. He runs one of the finest studios money
can buy as you will see from some of the shots
accompanying this interview with one of the most
extensive kit lists. Theres plenty to talk about then,
so lets get straight to it
MusicTech: Tell us about the early years and how
you started your career
Bob Clearmountain: I was a bass player in a band
that was doing a demo at a studio called Media
Sound in New York. Right in the middle of it, the
band split up and I started hanging around at the
studio and ended up making some friends there.
After several months, I convinced them to hire me
as a runner, but it turned out they didnt need
runners. On my first day, I was out on an errand and
when I came back they sent me down to Studio A,
where there was a Duke Ellington session going on.
So I was kind of thrown in at the deep end!
I was always the guy in the band that was recording
the gigs I had a little tape recorder, I used to
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record my friends in their basements with a little

two-track studio, so the first time I walked into the
studio I thought I could just live in this place! and
I still do after 40-something years.
MT: Tell us about the time when you first became
aware of being successful in the studio
BC: I worked at Media Sound for five years, and then
one of the engineers, Tony Bon Jovi (yes, Jons
cousin!) who had some big hits with the disco
version of Star Wars asked me to be part of his
studio, and that was PowerStation in New York.
I was the first guy he asked to be involved. So we
started that studio and we co-produced some
punk-rock bands. Our first client was actually Chic,
who became a huge disco band. I had recorded and
mixed Le Freak, which was the biggest record
Atlantic Records had ever had at that point. We did
12 inches, long versions, dance versions and things
like that. Someone at Atlantic they had The Rolling
Stones wanted a dance version of a Stones song
called Miss You.
So I was working with Jagger, and I mixed the
dance version and the single version. That led to
Roxy Music, and then I co-produced Bryan Adams
second album, and that became a big thing. The
next album of his I produced was Cuts Like A Knife,
and that was a pretty big album, too. It kind of went
on from there: the 80s were non-stop and there was
always something going on. It was either INXS or
Hall & Oates, and then Springsteen on and on!
(Above) The Machine Room

(Below) Clearmountains
travel rack
was Pro Tools. I think it was called something like

Sound Design, so I went up to try it out. I tried it and
hated it! But they said they were throwing in these
things called Pro Edit and Pro DAC for free and
I should try them.
They werent really pushing it, it was just
something one of their guys had come up with.
I hated the Sound Designer thing, but Pro Edit did
exactly what I wanted. It was great for editing
singles. There was always that problem where doing
a single edit meant cutting up the original tape, and
it was the same for instrumentals, TV tracks,
different vocal levels and so on. I found that in Pro
Edit I could record them all into the system with
timecode and edit them all at once. I still do it
basically the same way as that. Eventually, it
became Pro Tools instead of two separate programs.
It was amazing because I could do things so quickly
and easily and not have to sit there with a razor
blade and cut things up over and over again. You
could do edits with it that you could never do with
tape, like a five-second crossfade. This was around
91 and it was four-track, there was no real
multitracking. I never used their interfaces, I always
used Apogee stuff and went in digitally. I was one of
the first people ever to use Pro Tools in a
professional capacity. Ive tried other things Logic
is excellent but the editing is more instinctive in
Pro Tools, plus most people use it.
The first time I walked into the

studio I thought I could live in this
place and I still do after 40 years
MT: Tell us about some of your early experiences

with studio technology
BC: Early in the 90s, I was doing a lot of live album
mixing and video things for live concerts. There was
always the problem that sometimes peoples
monitors werent right (this was before in-ear
monitors) and sometimes people played a little out
of time. It always bugged me if the bass was out of
time with the drums. I was trying to find some way
of easily fixing that without actually flying in bits
of half-inch tape. There were a few digital editing
systems that I tried. SSL had one, there was an AMS
one that I used a bit on a Crowded House record. My
wife was friends with the Pro Tools guys before it
38 | September 2015
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Bob Clearmountain Guru MT
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(Left) Clearmountain in Levon
Helms studio in Woodstock
(Below) The main rack at
Clearmountains studio
Now I have several rigs: I have a multitrack rig

that has 80 channels, and a 72-input SSL. Also, an
eight-channel rig that I mix to. Regarding updates,
I tend to wait until all the bugs have been ironed
out. I have too much going on to worry about being
a beta tester. Im on PT11 now, and will probably
move to 12. Ive worked with Avid recently on ideas
for their S6 control surfaces, and some things on
there are my suggestions, so Ill need PT12 to take
advantage of them. I think that Avid has got much
better lately at listening to users and taking on
board their ideas.
MT: How has technology changed what you do?
BC: For me, things havent changed so much. Im still
mixing on an analogue desk, I dont mix in the box
or use many plug-ins. The tools have changed, but
what I do really hasnt much. I use these surround
Things havent changed much.

Im still mixing on an analogue
desk, I dont mix in the box
good ones! It might sound like an elitist thing to say,

but me and my friends worked really hard to get
where we are. Wed spend 15, 18 hours every day in
the studio honing our craft and learning what we
do. At Media Sound, we would go in at the weekend
and wed try every mic and every instrument we
could find. Wed make mistakes and wed produce
our own little demos, and learned how to do it.
Nowadays, I get emails that say I have my PC and
I spent $200 on my software and I have all these
plug-ins. How come my records dont sound as good
as yours? Ive been at this for four months! And
I say, well I HOPE they dont!.
When I started, we didnt have plug-ins. If you
wanted phasing, you had to figure out how to do it
with a tape machine. Or three tape machines. To me,
it was a lot more fun. I was lucky that we had to
figure out how to create these things for ourselves.
I actually feel bad for people these days because
they probably dont really understand what things
are. They just click a few things on something that
looks like a spaceship on their screen. To me, thats
just boring.
I started in 72, and I remember working on
a Stones record. A producer called Glyn Johns
stopped by, he was one of the reasons I got into the
business I wanted to be like him. He came in and
looked at this SSL (at PowerStation), looked at the 48
channels and said, what do you need all those
channels for? Do you realise what I used to make
records on? And he was right! Hed have maybe
eight channels or less to work with, but if you listen
to those records now, theyre still unbelievable.
MT: Tell us a little bit about your current
studio setup
BC: I have two Pro Tools rigs, and its all Apogee
conversion. I have Dynaudio BM15A speakers, which
are discontinued, and NS10s. All the stuff I like isnt
made anymore! A bunch of distressors, Lexicon
PCM70s, two Pultecs, some Eventide stuff. Avalon
EQ, a bunch of DBX902 de-essers, Neve
compressors, a bunch of Apogee DACs and preamps;
two old Roland and Yamaha digital delays, and an
old DAT machine I dont use anymore.
convolution reverbs, like Altiverb, that I really like.

I enjoy anything thats as close to reality as I can
get. I used to have to try to create these things. I had
two echo chambers in the basement, they used to be
a wine cellar. I ended up taking impulse responses
of the echo chambers using Altiverb, and gradually
they ended up going back to being storage spaces!
The responses sound pretty much identical to what
the chambers sounded like.
MT: And carrying on from that, technology really
has levelled the playing field in terms of how
anyone can now buy these plug-ins. Is that a good
thing overall for music?
BC: Thats a really good question. Theres probably
a lot of people making records whose talents could
be put to better use through other avenues. Theres
a lot of awful records being made, as well as the
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| 41
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MT: What studio technology do you rate?
BC: I use the Apogee Symphony I/Os and the
Ensemble a studio in a box: it has a talkback mic,
two headphone outputs. You can re-record, it has
eight extremely high-quality mic preamps and, of
course, Apogee conversion. It just does so much, and
if you compare it in price to some similar products
its amazing what you get. Im really into the
re-amping feature. They gave me the prototype to
play with and I was really impressed with how easy
and powerful it is to use. I just bought a new Mac
Pro. Id actually been using a Mac Mini for my print
rig! But the reason I got it is that the Mac Mini only
has one Thunderbolt port, and because Im using an
Avid Sync HD I needed more Thunderbolt ports.
When Im working on TV shows, I need to have a
second monitor. The Ensemble has two Thunderbolt
ports and the Thunderbridge (the companys
interface) has a through, so you can plug a monitor
into that.
MT: Tell us about some of the projects youre
working on at the moment
BC: A lot of the stuff I do is live concert video, like
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and things like that,
and Music Cares. I really enjoy doing those things,
even though theres no credit involved. Theres
usually a bunch of really good artists, and I enjoy
mixing to a picture, seeing what Im mixing. Ive
also just finished a live Van Halen record with David
Lee Roth singing it was really fun working with
those guys. I had a Lenny Kravitz record come out
recently, and last year I was able to do surround
mixes of Bob Marleys Greatest Hits album. I cant
even tell you how much fun it was to mix the Legend
album. Its out on Blu-Ray, and very few people
know about it, so it would be great to tell more
people about it!
Theres only one song where the original
analogue master had suffered prior to digitisation.
Buffalo Soldier had an incredible amount of
distortion, obviously something had happened to
the tape, so we had to put it through a whole bunch
of plug-ins to clean it up. But the rest were really
good. Unfortunately, a few masters had been lost
and one track had to be re-processed from the
stereo, but most of them were an absolute pleasure
to mix, I have to say.
MT: What are your thoughts on the current state
of the music business?
BC: The internet has obviously changed everything,
in this and other businesses. Id be just as happy if
they just unplugged the internet its destroyed a lot
of businesses, including the record business.
Obviously, its useful, but I dont know if that
outweighs the bad sides. In terms of advice for
anyone looking to get into the industry, the first
thing Id say is dont expect to make any money.
If youre looking at it as a way to become a rich
superstar, that happens to .0000001 per cent of the
people in the business. There are incredibly talented
singers and musicians who nobody ever hears
about. Theyre just lost, and you have to be lucky
enough to be Taylor Swift. But making music is still
42 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
You have to be lucky to be Taylor

Swift, but if you believe you have
talent you should go with it
(Above) Clearmountains
Rolling rack
a wonderful thing, and if you actually believe you

have talent you should go with it.
When I started out, people told me I should be a
producer. I tried it, but actually hated it! Not only
did I not like it, but I wasnt that good at it. I was
mixing every day with producers who were great at
it, and eventually I thought why am I doing this?,
Id rather listen to what good producers do. So if
youre trying your hardest and your music still isnt
that good, dont do it! There are other careers where
you can make a whole lot more money. Dont do
music to become a celebrity, do it because you like
the music. I love mixing records I cant write songs
and Im a mediocre producer. I cant sing, but I
realised I can mix records. It was more by people
telling me I was really good at it that I realised it
was the thing I enjoyed the most. Do what youre
good at, thats the best advice! MT
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MT Technique Cinematic synth bass
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Powered by
Technique Logic in depth
Our producing
music to picture
feature is illustrated
using Logic, but you
can apply the
principles to
whatever
DAW you use
Cinematic
synth bass
Following on from our investigation into cinematic
percussion, Mark Cousins demonstrates how to add
some powerful synth bass to your scoring
he last time we looked at music to picture, we took

a closer look at how drums can be used to provide
the energy and drive behind an action cue.
However, there was one key element we left out
the role of the synthesiser in providing the
harmonic pulse to the music. Look at a range of
contemporary lm scores from Hans Zimmers Dark
Knight trilogy to Brian Tylers work with the Marvel lms
and youll see how a pulsing synth bass forms an integral
part of the score. The reason for this is two-fold. Firstly,
Accompanying
project file included
on the DVD
Theuseofaconsistent accent
acrossmultipleparts really helps
todefinetheenergyof the cue
synth bass can form an important harmonic foundation
(often going deeper than the low end of the real orchestra),
and secondly, its relentless, mechanical precision really
helps drive the cue along.
use of a consistent accent across multiple parts really

helps to dene the energy of your cue, especially when you
start to use some clever off-beat syncopation. The accent
can be dened in two ways: either using velocity (as youd
expect) or by the use of octave switching, so that the bass
part uses notes an octave higher to dene accent points.
Push the envelope

As well as using your own programmed MIDI sequences,
you can also look at exploring features within the virtual
instrument plug-ins themselves. One notable solution is
the use of complex, rate-level envelope generators, which
can be put to distinctive use on synths such as Massive,
Omnisphere and Absynth (to name but a few). The
envelopes can be routed through to a number of different
parameters (lter cutoff, the amplier, oscillator pitch and
so on) to create a range of interesting pulsing effects,
all triggered from a single MIDI note. An alternative
approach is to use an arpeggiator, either on the instrument
itself or as a MIDI plug-in, as a means of creating a
16th-note sequence.
Beyond the basic sequence, start to think about
how you can layer further
First steps
To create your own pulsing synth bass, there are a number
of creative options you can explore both in respect of the
means of creating the pulse and how to process and layer
the sounds. Arguably the simplest solution is to program
the sequence from scratch, usually using the step time
input in your piano roll editor, or simply drawing in a series
of 16th-note divisions.
One key concept to pin down at this stage is whether
you intend to use some form of accenting. While a
relentless swathe of 16th notes can work well, its often
useful to mirror the accent pattern that youve built up in
your drum sequence. As we saw in the last workshop, the
ARPEGGIATORS
Arpeggiators can be a good source of pulse effects, especially if you exploit their full
creative potential. Experimenting with the note order (up, down, random, and so on), as
well as octave range, can bring some interesting serendipitous results. However, for a
more predictable output, consider using its in-built step sequencer track lane, which is an
integral feature of both Logic Pro Xs arpeggiator and the arpeggiator included in
Omnisphere. Use the step sequencer track lane to dene preset accent patterns, which
can be mapped through to lter cutoff or amplier level. If youre feeling really
adventurous, try setting a number of steps thats deliberately wrong (15, for example) and
then hear a unique syncopation effect that changes by 1/16th every bar!
46 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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Cinematic synth bass Technique MT
WorldMags.net
MT Step-by-Step Synth bass
Working from a drum session see les on the DVD create a

simple bass sequence using 16th notes. The sequence can
either follow your chord progression (if youre working with one) or
stay xed on the root note.
All the drum parts feature an accent pattern (four groups of

three and two groups of two) that needs to be replicated in the
synth part. To create the accents, weve used a combination of higher
velocities and an octave shift.
Create an instance of Retro Synth for the bass part. Were using
a combination of sawtooth and square waves between the two
oscillators, and plenty of Voice Detune under the Global controls to
give the sound some fatness.
To give the sound some percussive bite, create a sharp lter

envelope setting: Attack 0ms, Decay 590ms, Sus 0 and Release
270ms. Youll need to lower the cutoff and adjust the Env Depth
control to get the desired amount of movement.
To create the accent, we can use two routes. Firstly, the Vel slider
(found in the Filter Env section) can adjust the amount of
Envelope Depth added by harder velocities. Also, look at the Velocity
to Filter Cutoff option under the Settings tab.
Add a composite layer using another synth working with the

same pattern. In this case, weve used Razor but added some
cutoff modulation (via an automation track lane) to create more
movement and interest in the additional layer.
01
03
05
instances, as well as using additional signal processing

plug-ins. When it comes to the application of effects, two of
the best options are distortion and a tempo-synced delay.
The distortion works wonders when you want to increase
the amount of aggression in the cue maybe starting from
a subtle ltered synth bass to one that has a dense
collection of harmonics that cut through the track. Likewise,
the tempo-synced delay can increase the rhythmic interest
that the part provides, especially in situations when youve
added some form of accent to the pattern.
02
04
06
Finger on the pulse

The use of layering both as a means of developing the cue
over time and dening the top-to-bottom use of frequency
space often makes a big difference to the cues musical
effectiveness. Think about carving a unique sound space for
each part by varying a few key parameters. A harmonicallyrich synth pulse sound, for example, could have a clipped
envelope with a short decay, allowing the sound to cut
through, but not dominate the mix. Likewise, low-pass,
band-pass and high-pass lters all have their part to play
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MAGAZINE September 2015 |
47
MT Technique Cinematic synth bass
WorldMags.net
dening a unique part of the frequency spectrum. As you
add parts, therefore, consider using different lter modes
so that each has its own space.
Although weve covered the key points here, theres really
a whole world of options for you to explore, particularly with
the release of new software instruments that are either
dedicated to the task of synth pulses or particularly adept
in that area. One perfect example of this is Outputs Signal,
which includes a specically designed Pulse Engine that
embeds many of the techniques described here into the

front-end of the instrument. Ultimately, its the perfect way
to embed the power of a synthesiser into a cutting-edge
score, and a great way to give your music the energy and
drive it deserves. MT
This tutorial is endorsed by Point Blank. With courses in London, online and
now in LA, Point Blank is the Global Music School. You can study sound to
picture on their Music Production Diploma courses, with pro industry tutors.
More info here: www.pointblanklondon.com
MT Step-by-Step Synth bass
Heres another means of creating a pulsing synth layer using

Omnisphere. Were starting from an initialised patch, using the
SawSquare Fat waveform. Add a basic 12dB low-pass lter, increase
the lters sustain and reduce its Velo setting to 0.
Press the Envelope Zoom magnifying glass. Click on the

drop-down menu and select one of the Rhythmic Envelopes.
Ensure both Loop and Sync are active, so that the pattern repeats and
stays in time with your DAWs tempo.
Return to the main Edit page to tweak the results. Set the amount
of Env Depth to establish how much effect the envelope has.
Also, tweak the Cutoff setting to establish the base level for the
envelope movement.
Adding some effects can really improve the overall sound. Move
over to the FX page and insert the Tape Slammer and BMP Delay.
As the delay is synced with the envelope movements, it adds a
pleasing extra rhythmic dimension.
An Omnisphere patch has two layers (A and B, accessed via the

tabs at the top of the Edit page), so try adding a sample-based
layer on Layer B.You can use the Mix and Pan controls to balance the
amounts of each layer.
Rather than modulating the lter, this time try using the
Rhythmic Envelope feature to modulate the amplier, which
creates a form of key gating effect. You can either use the same
envelope setting, or pick a different pattern for a syncopated effect.
07
09
11
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MAGAZINE
08
10
12
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MT Technique Designing rhythmic sounds
WorldMags.net
MT Workshop Designing rhythmic sounds
Designing
rhythmicsounds
Adding rhythmic elements to your patches can be the key to better
sound design. Hollin Jones explains why
ovement is one of the most crucial

weapons you have at your disposal when
designing sounds and making music.
Many people would agree that when
cycling through the ones on a synth or
a virtual instrument, its the patches that contain
elements of rhythm or movement that are the most
interesting. Of course, if you play a guitar or a drum kit,
youre going to have a multi-faceted sound, but with
synths and especially software synths its a slightly
different matter to create a dynamic effect. Just holding
a MIDI key or two is not in itself all that interesting, but it
can be if you design the sound to do interesting things
while that note is held.
One of Reasons most useful devices for this kind of
task is the Combinator, and by loading multiple
instruments inside a combi and then creating Matrix
pattern sequencers, perhaps containing various
patterns, you can use control voltage to create
something complex involving rhythmic and melodic
parts that trigger by playing a single note. Theres also
the RPG-8 to interpret your MIDI input. Thanks to the
amazing CV and audio splitter and merger modules,
available to use anywhere in the Rack, you can creatively
take a trigger signal from a single Matrix, for example,
and use it to trigger multiple devices, or even devices
outside the Combi. These pattern devices can have their
data converted to regular notes and be placed into the
sequencer, for when you want to perform more
conventional editing on parts.
As well as Combis, Reason features some other
instrument modules with rhythmic features, such as
Accompanying
on the DVD
Thor and the ReDrum. Technically, these are a little

different, as they actually contain mini step sequencers
of the kind found on many software instruments, but
they do allow you to incorporate rhythm as part of the
design of a patch especially in the case of Thor.
Thor also has extensive modulation capabilities that you
can add to the mix, so taken together its a remarkably
powerful machine for building patches that pulsate,
twist and move. We have talked about the importance of
modulation in creating more interesting sounds in the
past, and Thor has the king of all mod matrixes.
Desired effects
Other vital tools for injecting rhythm and movement into
your sounds are, of course, effects, and Reason has
some excellent models capable of doing just this. The
echo and delay units, like any such effects, by denition
add rhythm to a sound by introducing repeats to it.
These can be tempo-synced or unsynced, and the rates
and feedback levels set. The Pulverizer Demolition
module has special LFO control of a lter that creates
a pulsating wobble effect at different rates, depending
on how you set it up. The Alligator is a ltered gate
module that uses different patterns of gate opening and
closing to send sound through multiple lters, which
themselves have a range of settings. As such, its perfect
for cut-up effects and taking relatively ordinary sounds
such as drum loops and mangling them into something
far more interesting.
Since were talking about sound design, its important
t n te t at
FOCUS ON THE RPG-8

The RPG-8 is Reasons dedicated arpeggiator:most DAWs have
one.In addition to the standard tasks of creating arpeggiated
versions of whatever MIDI you input,based on the settings you
make and allowing the setting of gate time,it has a couple of
other tricks up its sleeve.On the left-hand side is a MIDI-to-CV
converter,and the rear panel supports a set of CV ins and outs
that are more generous than you might imagine.You can use MIDI
CCs such as aftertouch,expression,breath and a sustain pedal as
CV data to control other parameters on any module.This is really
useful because it opens up a new level of creativity when it comes
to animating sounds.
50 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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Designing rhythmic sounds Technique MT
WorldMags.net
MT Step-by-Step Build a rhythmic device
Heres how to construct a self-contained rhythmic device in

a Combi. Start with a Line Mixer and then add a synth, such as the
Subtractor. Find a patch you like and create a Matrix Pattern Sequencer
inside the Combi. It will be routed to the Subtractor.
01
Enter some notes into the grid of the Matrix to trigger the synth.
You will nd that this pattern can be played by pressing the Run
Pattern Devices button on the front panel of the Combinator.This works
independently of the main sequencer.
02
This is a great way to quickly create rich and full-sounding melodies,

especially basslines, by layering up two or more patterns quickly. Altering the
Matrix will change all playing parts at the same time.
04
You can trigger a second module using the same pattern. Add a Spider CV
Splitter module and then a second synth. Now go to the rear panel and connect
the split output of the Matrix to the CV and Gate inputs on the new synth.
03
You can use a second Matrix within the same Combi and have it
trigger a different module using a different pattern. Try adding an
instance of Kong and then doing this. Remember that notes in the
Matrix now correlate to drum hits.
05
using effects as part of sound design in Reason

generally means using them in the context of
Combinator patches, since these are the perfect way
to build a complex setup and then save and recall it in
any project. In other DAWs, you may be forced to use
track presets for this kind of thing, chaining specic
instruments and effects together for instant recall.
However you do it, its well worth investigating.
Now you have a Combi with a beat and a layered bassline, and all
without having recorded anything into the main sequencer. This
can be saved, loaded or shared easily, and if you like you can copy the
Matrix patterns into the sequencer from the Edit menu.
06
Popular movement
Since Reason, like almost all other DAWs, supports
MIDI input and output, you can also use external kit
to introduce movement to your patches. Where an
instrument has an X/Y pad, for example, as some of
the third-party Rack Extensions available for Reason
do, you can record movements to these pads as part
of a sound. Sometimes, its necessary to actually
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MT Step-by-Step Build a rhythmic device (contd)
Making sure you have a Line Mixer present to accommodate more modules,
create a Spider CV Merger and Splitter and route the Gate/Velocity CV out from
Thor to the Split A input on the Spider.
08
In a different example, call up a blank Combi then load an instance of Thor into it
and load a patch called I Need A Beat Too. This uses the onboard sequencer to
trigger sounds, but you can use it even more creatively.
07
Now create an instance of ReDrum inside the Combi and route

one of the split outs from the Spider to the Gate In on one of the
drum channels.Try a hi-hat or snare. Now press a MIDI note.
09
You should nd that the rhythm being played by the Thor

sequencer is reproduced exactly using the drum sound you just
connected using CV. Any changes you make to the Thor sequencer will
instantly change all patterns connected to it.
10
There are more CV split outs you can continue to route to repeat this
process. If you want even more, you can just create more Spider modules
and keep splitting the signal again and again.
11
It doesnt have to be just notes that are triggered using CV. In this example,
the same Thor sequencer signal is also being used to control the lter
frequency on a Subtractor. Its easy to sync everything up using CV.
12
record this as automation into the sequencer and

then bounce the part down as audio within a project.
Then you can slice it into a Dr Octo REX and play it
like a sampled instrument.
The Dr Octo REX is another clever tool for working
with samples. Inside its editor section, you can tweak
various parameters for any slice in a loop, including
pan, level and reverse on/off. So its possible, for
52 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
example, to take a regular loop and change its

playback character quite extensively.
Another interesting technique is to take modules
that have rhythmic components and use their CV
outputs to trigger other things. You could take the
slice output of a Dr Octo REX and connect it to a Kong
to play both together, or take the step sequencer CV
out of a Thor to have that triggering another synth.
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MT Step-by-Step Build a rhythmic device (contd)
By working with the Tremor section of the Pulverizer, you can control
the amount of modulation getting sent to the lter and volume
sections using the Amount dials to either side of it.
14
In this example, well start with a simple Subtractor patch and add
rhythm using effects. Load a patch such as Synthol and add an instance
of the Pulverizer to the synth, then load a preset such as Auto Pan Wah.
13
By selecting a new
pattern in the area on
the left, and also changing
the resolution of the
pattern, you can change
the speed and character of
the movement thats being
introduced to the signal.
A Shufe button helps to
add a little soul.
16
Swap the Pulverizer for an instance of the Alligator and try a

preset such as Percussagator. Whats happening here is that the
signal is getting sent through three lter banks using a variable rhythm
via a set of gates.
15
Finally, try adding an

instance of the Echo
to the chain. This should
let you add some nice
stereo delay. Select all the
modules by holding the
Shift key, then right-click
and choose Combine to
have them put into
a Combi, which you can
then save easily.
18
For a more extreme effect, locate the dry signal feed area towards
the bottom-right of the module and turn the dry amount down, or
even off.This will leave you with just the wet, effected part of the
sound, which has plenty of movement.
17
Using the Spider modules as splitters and mergers

for these types of signal makes things far more
exible and powerful. In the real world, you might
need expensive modular synth hardware to achieve
something like this.
Adding rhythmic elements to patches is an
excellent way to make your tracks sound fresher and
more involving. There are multiple options open to
54 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
you at this point from using modulation and

CV triggering through to employing onboard step
sequencers, effects with rhythmic capabilities and
even external MIDI input.
For a good insight into how complex patches are
put together, you can nd some examples in the
Factory Sound Bank and then deconstruct them by
examining their structures. MT
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MT Technique The Ultimate Guide To Ableton Live Part 7
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Ableton Live The Ultimate Guide to Ableton Live Part 7
Workingwith
audioeffects
Accompanying
on the DVD
Things can sound a bit dry without audio effects. For

stage or studio, Martin Delaney shows you how to
add some ear candy to your Live projects
ou are probably at the stage where you have

recorded or used audio in Live. In this series we
specically use a voice sample to use in our
project. Thats the last clip element well be
adding; in this tutorial well add some audio
effects to our audio and MIDI tracks, return tracks, and the
Master Track itself. Dont worry if you dont have the last
tutorial as you can make sure youre using the latest
version of our example set included on the cover disc.
Whenbrowsingandloading,it
paystobekeyboardfriendly.You
canmousearoundbutits much
fastertouseyourArrowkeys
When it comes to browsing and loading devices, it pays
to be keyboard-friendly. Sure you can mouse around, but
its faster to use your computer Arrow keys. Inside the
Browser, Left and Right Arrows move between columns,
while Up and Down will scroll, obviously, up and down
through the listed items. If youre on a folder in the
right-hand column, a Right-Arrow will open the folder so
you can keep moving down through its contents, while a
Left-Arrow will close the folder. When youre on a device or
a preset, tapping the Enter key will load it into the
currently selected track. When you load an effect name,
like Auto Filter, youre loading the default settings for that
effect device (actually thats true of all Ableton devices),
and when you go below that effect name in the Browser,
inside what appears to be a folder, and load something
like Cut-O-Move H or Elastic Band, youre loading a

preset for the relevant device. Theres also the Hot Swap
button on each device the little circle next to the Save
File button. Click that to jump straight to the relevant
Browser section for your current device, and remember to
use the Arrow keys to navigate and load fast. Your saved
presets go directly into the relevant category in your
Library, although you are free to move these and create
new folders to contain them.
You might be wondering about which effects go where.
Generally, if you want to process something that only
occurs in one track, you add the effect to that track (I
should state explicitly that you can use audio effects on
MIDI and audio tracks, but only MIDI effects on MIDI
tracks). If you want the same effect to apply to a selection
of tracks, group them and put the effect on the group. If
you have an effect that you want to blend by different
degrees over a number of tracks, thats a job for Return
tracks. Using a single effect on a Return track instead of
duplicating it across many tracks can also save CPU if its
a particularly power-crazed plug-in. Finally, if you want to
process the entire song everything, including the signal
from the returns you need to be adding that effect to the
Master Track. Youll nd that effects behave differently
according to what order you place them within the chain
(you can drag freely to reposition them later). I dont
personally feel there are rules for this as such, its a
matter of what combinations work for the track.
FOCUS ON RETURN EFFECTS

Within this tutorial I talk about the value of Return Tracks and their
Send controls as live performance tools.A good selection of return
effects,combined with a knob-rich hardware controller,makes a
great interface for dynamic live performance in addition to,or
instead of,any effects you might have added at the production stage.
Sometimes youll see somebody playing with a set that doesnt look
too busy,almost like theyre faking it,but check their controller and
their hands.Maybe theyre keeping the on-screen stuff simple while
they work with the controller and some carefully congured effects
56 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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The Ultimate Guide To Ableton Live Part 7 Technique MT
WorldMags.net
MT Step-by-Step Working with audio effects
Lets nd some effects to add to our tracks, ideally a combination

of helper and more showy effects. Open the example set on the
disc, TUGTAL7. Thisll keep you up to date with our progress.
Open the Browser. Dont forget to use the keyboard shortcut:

Alt>Cmd>B. Click on Audio Effects in the left-hand column, but
from then on use your computer Arrow keys to navigate the presets.
We can load effects in different ways. If youre using the Arrow

keys to navigate, hit Enter when youre on the device or preset
that you want, to load it into the currently highlighted track.
Alternately you can use your mouse to drag the effect across to
the target track. Were going to use a combination of some factory
presets and our own tweaks to the vanilla default settings.
Lets compress the drums. Load the Compressor/Brick Wall

preset. Lower the Threshold to -12.0dB. Lower it further if you
want to hear some drum smashing sounds, but put it back when
youve nished!
Add Redux to the keyboard track, and set Downsample to 4. This

gives the sound a slight edge without pushing it too far. Redux is
great at extreme settings if you like chip tune sounds.
01
03
05
02
04
06
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| 57
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MT Step-by-Step Working with audio effects contd
On the voice track, add EQ Three and click the L switch, killing the
low frequencies.Then add the Vinyl Distortion/Awfull preset
youll hear it does a funny pitch thing as well as adding grunge.
Effects can be toggled on and off with the Power buttons left of
their names. You can remove an effect from a track using your
Delete key, and they can be copied and pasted.
If youve created a sound you want to keep and reuse, save it as a

preset using the Save Preset button (disk icon). Live
automatically locates it in the correct place and lets you name it.
We can also use effects on Return tracks. These let us share a

common audio effect over many tracks, while the Send controls
let us mix the amount of the effect applied to each track.
Use Alt>Cmd>R to view Return tracks, and Alt>Cmd>T to create

them. If you cant see any, its because you havent made any yet!
Use Alt>Cmd>S to show/hide the sends.
You can have up to 12 Returns in Live 9 Standard and Suite,

although Live Intro is limited to just two. A new Send control is
added automatically when you create a new Return.
07
09
11
would put a delay after a compressor, and there are times

when Id ip that round; it does make a difference.
In the walkthrough steps, I mention turning effects on
and off with their individual little Power switches. You can
do this dynamically; you dont always want every effect
active all the time. Whats cool is that when Lives in Record
mode, those on/off actions are recorded as automation, so
it easily becomes part of your performance and then part
of your production. The switches are mappable, so you can
58 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
08
10
12
use MIDI Map Mode (Cmd>M) to assign them to your

hardware or, more regularly for me, use Key Map Mode
(Cmd>K) to assign them to letters or numbers on your
computer keyboard. The good ol keyboard makes a very
useful source of buttons for jobs like this. Were not hitting
it too much this time, but sooner or later youll encounter
screen space management issues; you can use keyboard
commands like Alt>Cmd>S and Alt>Cmd>R to show and
hide Sends and Returns respectively, and also double click
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MT Step-by-Step Working with audio effects contd
Create two Return tracks, adding one effect to each Ping Pong
Delay on A, and Reverb/Large Hall on B. Set their Dry/Wet
controls to 100%. Well use the Sends to mix the levels instead.
Set the keyboard and vocal track sends A to around 3 oclock and
12 oclock respectively. You can see the dB values displayed in the
status bar at the bottom of the screen.
Send the tracks to the reverb effect on Send B.Try it like this:
drums -19 dB, percussion -9, bass -53, keys -9, voice -9. Set the
percussion A Send to -10 dB while youre there.
The nal location to add effects is the Master Track; again, we

might be using practical effects like compressors and limiters or
more obvious types of effect, like lters, and disruptive time effects.
Lets add Beat Repeat, set like this: Interval 1/4, Grid 1/16,
Variation 5, Pitch -12, Pitch Delay 100%, turn on Ins. Practice
turning it on and off; you wont want this on continuously.
As a practical thing: add the Multiband Dynamics preset

Multiband Compression. This will make your track sound shinier,
beeer, and louder. If your levels are going red, add the Limiter/Upper
Ceiling preset after it.
13
15
17
on the title bar of an instrument or effect to fold it up

very useful with long chains of instruments and effects.
You can use up to 12 return tracks in the full version of
Live. If you need more than that, maybe you need to start
experimenting with group tracks, as I mentioned earlier, or
with routing to and from audio tracks. When you open
Lives In/Out View and look at the Audio To tab, youll see
that each track can be routed to Sends Only, which means
you wont hear any dry output at all, and nothing until you
60 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
14
16
18
bring up at least one Send in the track.

The tutorial ends with the addition of the Multiband
Compression preset. Mastering is a whole other subject,
and there just isnt room here, so were shamefully throwing
in this preset, which is not ideal but at least it gets us
started on the topic. Theres so much more to cover with
effects, including MIDI effects, and mastering well be
coming back to all of this in time. Next time we put our raw
material into some kind of structure. MT
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MT Technique How to record bass drums
WorldMags.net
Technique How to record bass drums
Howtorecord
bassdrums
John Pickford continues his recording series with advice on how
to record that backbone of the beat: the kick drum
great kick drum sound is, of course, the

foundation of any modern drum kit recording.
Getting it right will help give your track the
right feel, whether youre after a killer funky
groove or a hard-rocking, driving beat. The
rst thing to address is the drum itself; no number of
fancy mics or techniques will rescue a poor-sounding
Nonumberoffancymics
ortechniqueswillrescue
apoor-soundingdrum
Another major contributor to the sound is the type of

beater used a wooden or plastic beater will create a
harder sound with more attack than a felt-covered one.
Similarly, if a pad is used on the batter head where the
beater strikes, a harder material will produce a sound
with more click. Once you have got the drum sounding
good at source, you can think about microphone types
and micing techniques.
There are numerous microphones available designed
specically for bass drum recording, the most famous
being the AKG D112. Dedicated bass drum mics are
usually voiced to accentuate the desirable tonal aspects
of the drum while scooping out some of the less useful
drum. Before you begin micing, make sure that the drum
is nicely tuned and free of rattles, and have some
lubricant handy to deal with squeaky bass drum pedals.
Bear in mind that drums are sensitive to changes in room
temperature, so leave it to settle before evaluating the
sound if the drum has come from a cold storage room
into a warm studio.
Bass drums come in various sizes, both in terms of
diameter and depth, and this has an enormous impact on
the type of sound they will produce. The most common
sizes are 2022 inches in diameter with a depth of
between 14 and 16 inches. These are usually best for
most recordings, although great results can be had from
smaller drums, often found with jazz kits. Larger kick
drums are capable of delivering a deep low-end, but
often lack the tightness and punch of standard sizes.
A common problem with bass drums is excessive boom
and ringing. Although much of this can be carefully tuned
out, its often necessary to use some dampening
material, such as a blanket or pillow, inside the drum.
Depending on the amount of damping required, the
material can be placed touching either or both the batter
head and resonant (front) head. Some engineers like to
remove the resonant head for recording, enabling easy
placement of mics inside the drum. However, this will
completely alter the tone of the drum and can result in
rattling lugs if the rim is left off. A better compromise is
to cut a hole in the resonant head, and these days many
heads are available with a pre-cut hole.
62 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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How to record bass drums Technique MT
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MT Step-by-Step Single and double micing
lower-mid frequencies. Dynamic mics are often the

rst choice for bass drum recording, especially when
close-micing techniques are employed, as they can
withstand high SPLs. Classic dynamic mics such as
the Sennheiser MD 421 and Electro-Voice RE20 are
popular choices for recording bass drums, and many
great bass drum sounds have been achieved with
that brilliant all-rounder, the Shure SM57. Large
diaphragm condenser mics are also good for
capturing a good low-end response with plenty of
weight, and many engineers like to use one in
conjunction with a dynamic mic; the Neumann U47
FET is highly regarded as a bass drum mic.
Mic positioning
There are no hard and fast rules when nding the
best micing position, however its useful to know
a few basic techniques and how different locations
will accentuate differing aspects of the drums sound.
If the drum you are recording is tted with a resonant
head without a hole, and presuming that the
drummer doesnt want a hole to be cut or the drum
head removed, you will be micing externally. Its
usually a good idea to angle the mic downwards
slightly to get good separation between the bass
drum and the rest of the kit. Of course, if you are
The best starting position for a single-mic

technique is to place the mic close to the
resonant head, slightly off-axis and angled
downwards to achieve some separation. If the drum
has a hole cut into it, position the mic just inside the
hole for a good balance of attack from the beater and
body from the drum itself.This distance also works
well when the front head is removed. For more beater
denition, move the mic further inside the drum.
01
There are numerousmics

designed for bass drums,themost
famous being the AKG D112
recording just the bass drum in isolation to build
a sample library, for example spillage wont be an
issue. When you have access to the inside of the
drum, you can experiment with the proximity of the
mic in relation to the beater.
Positioning the mic close to the beater and on-axis
will produce a sound with lots of attack, often at the
expense of tone. A good starting point is to place the
mic just inside the drum and slightly off-axis, moving
in closer if more beater denition is desired. Its also
worth experimenting with the direction of the mic
within the drum, as it doesnt necessarily have to
point directly towards the batter head. Try
pointing the mic towards the drum
shell for a sound that is rounder
and mellower than pointing
straight ahead.
When more than one mic
is employed, you can use
each one to bring out
specic qualities of the
drums tone. A common
two-mic method is to have a
dynamic mic deep inside the
drum to pick up the beater click, with
another mic outside the drum to capture
a fuller, deeper tone. Some engineers like
to place an external mic several feet away
from the drum, an approach that can work
well as long as spillage from other
instruments guitar amps for instance
Double micing will enable a useful blend of

beater click and low-end weight. With this
set-up, the rst mic preferably a rugged dynamic
type can be placed further inside the drum and
aimed at where the beater strikes.The second mic
can be placed outside the drum to capture a rounder,
full-bodied tone. Large diaphragm condensers are
often employed in this role; however, any mic with
a good low-end response can be used.
02
Below: the AKG D112 is a

microphone designed
specifically for bass drum
recording
Sometimes, placing a mic inside the drum is not

an option. In this case, use the rst mic on the
resonant head with a second mic positioned at the
batter head, aiming towards the beater. Common
dynamic mics, such as the Shure SM57, work well in
this position and allow the rst mic to be used further
away from the resonant head if desired. Try inverting
the phase of one or both of the mics to achieve the
most solid sound in the mix.
03
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How to record bass drums Technique MT
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doesnt make this
technique problematic.
You dont have to limit
yourself to micing the
drum from the front,
though. Placing a mic at the
batter head, pointing towards the
beater, can add denition and punch,
though not much in the way of low-end heft.
This position wouldnt be ideal as the only bass
drum mic, but can really help the drum cut through
a mix when used in conjunction with a front mic,
especially if the resonant head does not allow for
internal micing.
Spending a little time getting the sound right with
good micing techniques will go a long way to
achieving a great bass drum sound; however, a little
EQ is sometimes needed to help the sound along the
way. If the drum sounds a bit boxy a common
problem with bass drums try cutting some
low-mids between 300700Hz. A boost somewhere in
the region of 35kHz will help bring out the beater
click if more bass drum presence is required.
At the top end of the frequency spectrum, the
sound can be ne-tuned by rolling off some high
frequencies from around 10kHz, as there is little
useful information here; this will help minimise any
cymbal spillage, as well as creating space for genuine
high-frequency sounds in the mix. A low-end boost
around 6080Hz can add some body to a thinsounding bass drum if it lacks some low-end weight,
but avoid shelving boosts in the 100Hz region, as this
can dial in muddiness.
Compressing the bass drum to even out the sound
is often useful; try using a medium attack time with
a fast release and a ratio between 2:1 and 4:1, aiming
for 23dB of gain reduction. Higher ratios and levels
of gain reduction can work with highly dynamic drum
recordings. For a really driving, rhythmic sound,
compress the whole kit and push the bass drum to
make the compressor pump in time with the track.
Experimenting with the release control is key here to
get the pumping rhythm just right. Alternatively,
leave the bass drum out of the drum-kit mix-buss
to avoid unwanted pumping artefacts.
When mixing the bass drum as part of a whole
kit recording, remember that other mics, such as
the overheads, will inevitably pick up some
bass drum sound, so make sure you make your
EQ and compression processes within the
context of the kit and not just in isolation.
And, as always in any multi-mic situation,
check the phase relationship between
microphones. Before reaching for the EQ
when trying to rescue a weak-sounding
bass drum, invert the phase you may well
nd that the sound suddenly becomes more
solid and focused.
Finally, unless wacky 1960s-style stereo
effects are desired, the bass drum should not
be panned to the left or right of the stereo
picture. Leave it in the centre, along with the
snare drum track and other low-frequency
instruments to produce the best foundation
for your track. MT
MT Step-by-Step Isolating the bass drum
Its a good idea to try to achieve good separation

on the bass drum channel, especially if heavy
processing is to be carried out. Using a microphone
with a cardioid pick-up pattern is the best way to
proceed. Position the mic close to the resonant head,
pointing slightly downwards to reject sounds from the
snare drum, tom toms and cymbals. If the mic can be
placed just inside the drum, this will provide a good
deal of separation.
01
Above
Great mics for recording kicks
include classic dynamics, such
as the Sennheiser MD 421 and
Electro-Voice RE20
Consider
constructing a drum
tunnel.This can be done
by draping a thick blanket
or duvet over the top of the
bass drum, with a couple
of small mic stands or
other objects of a similar
height to the bass drum
providing support several
feet away.This should be
done once the
microphones have been
suitably positioned.
Producer Butch Vig
famously built a drum
tunnel from several bass
drum shells when
recording Nirvanas classic
Nevermind album.
02
Below
One of our recent favourites for
drum micing is the Neumann U47
FET remake
Once your drum track has been recorded, the

bass drum can be tightened up and isolated
from other sounds by making use of a noise gate.
Setting up noise gates can be tricky, so its usually
best to record the track without a gate, in case a weak
bass drum strike fails to open the gate and is not
recorded. Leave gating until mixing. Once the bass
drum track is separated, EQ and dynamic processing
will not affect other elements of the drum track.
03
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| 65
MT Competition
WorldMags.net
WIN A NOVATION
MORODERNOVA
Yourchance to win a limited-edition Novation synth!
ovations MoroderNova is, without doubt, one of the coolest

pieces of music technology that weve looked at, ever, and now
you can win one!
In case you dont know, MoroderNova is a limited-edition
synth based on the Novation MiniNova, but with the added
extras of a unique design and a dedicated bank of 30 presets crafted by
Novations programmers to reect some of uber producer Giorgio
Moroders nest pop moments.
But you can get one simply by entering

this competition!
Go to www.musictech.net/winamorodernova, simply answer the following
easy question and enter your email address. Thats all!
QUESTION What is Giorgio Moroders latest album called?
A Giorgio
B Deja Vu
C Moroder
The competition closes on 30 September, 2015. Terms and conditions apply,
We reviewed this amazing synth last issue and said:

they open with that sound (called I Feel Bass) and cover
the big sounds from obvious gems, including excellent
basses and leads from Sparks Beat The Clock and Berlins
Take My Breath Away. But its not just the obvious hooks;
you also get percussive effects from I Feel Love, and
surprising inclusions from Blondies Call Me, plus bass
sounds from some of Moroders themes, such as Midnight
Express, and just about everything from Flashdance. As an
exercise in summing up someones career in sonics, it ticks
all the boxes.
We concluded: MoroderNova is surprisingly successful,
and with the Giorgio extras it gels the original synth more,
rening its point. Its fun; its compact; its garish, colourful,
loud and high-energy camp even and so it very much
sits in the jet-setting world of an international synth icon.
s e go to press, it seems that advance order numbers
stonishing, so you might not be able to get a
oderNova even if youve read this far. But if you can, do!
unds great, looks great and, as a unique piece of
synth gear, its a great investment.
owed to enter. 2. Only one entrant per person. 3. No monetary

sion is nal. 5. The closing date is 30 September, 2015. 6. Entrants by
rs of MusicTechs sister magazine Classic Pop.
66 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
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MT Reviews Chandler REDD.47 Pre Amp
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MTLead Review
Hardware
Software
Mobile tech
Accessories
CHANDLER
REDD.47 Pre Amp

REDDconsolespoweredTheBeatlesAbbeyRoad
records.JohnPickfordchecksoutthenew
Chandlerpreampbasedonthem
Details
Price 2,149.99
(inc VAT)
Contact Nova
Distribution
020 3589 2530
Web www.
chandlerlimited.com
KeyFeatures
O Total gain 57dB
O Variable output
control
O Inductor-based
rumble filter
O Transformerbalanced input
and output
O 20dB pad
O Internal
power supply
hroughout the 1960s, EMIs

Abbey Road recording studios
were at the forefront of sound
recording innovation. Their
Record Engineering Development
Department (REDD) was responsible for
designing the REDD.51 valve mixing
consoles that were in use from 1964 to
1968, and used to record most of The
Beatles classic albums, including
Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Peppers
Lonely Hearts Club Band and the White
Album. The REDD.51 was a
replacement for the similar REDD.37,
the main difference being the type of
line ampliers that the consoles
utilised. The earlier consoles employed
Siemens V72S ampliers, while the
modernised REDD.51 contained the
in-house-designed REDD.47. For the full
REDD.51 story, read our Studio Icons
feature on the MusicTech website.
Chandler has previously issued
several units based on EMI/Abbey Road
designs, including the recentlyreviewed TG 500 Pre Amp. Until now,
Chandler has focused on solid-state
equipment based upon EMIs TG series
of consoles launched in 1968 (check
our TG123245 Studio Icons feature
online), but has now begun to revisit the
earlier valve-powered hardware.
Chandlers Wade Goeke, the designer of
70 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
Excellence
the new REDD.47, uses the same

mixture of pentode and triode valves as
the originals. However, its not an exact
clone of the vintage unit. The original
amps were small rectangular boxes
that slotted into the sides of the
REDD.51 consoles, featuring a simple
three-position gain switch that allowed
the selection of either 34, 40 or 46dB of
gain; a separate screwdriver-adjustable
trim-pot was provided for Fine Gain
Set. The main control for input gain and
the output fader were on the console.
This new REDD.47 is a 2U 19-inch
rackmount unit with an authentic,
vintage EMI look. The casing is nished
in a battleship-grey colour and the
chicken-head style knobs are replicas
of those found on the original REDD
consoles. The main Voltage Gain control
is a stepped switch, offering seven
selectable gain levels of 16, 22, 28, 34,
40, 46 and 52dB. A Fine Gain Set control
is also provided with +/- 5dB of gain
available in 1dB increments which,
when combined with the main Voltage
Gain control, offers a maximum of 57dB
input gain. In true vintage style, the
REDD.47 includes a rumble lter, which
in todays parlance would be a
high-pass lter. This is a unique,
inductor-based lter that provides
eight low-cut settings between 30 and
WorldMags.net
180Hz via a stepped switch. A nal

chicken-head knob is provided for
Output Control; if only there was room
on the front panel for a REDD.51-style
Painton quadrant fader!
A major addition to the REDD.47 is
the provision of a DI input on the front
panel. This uses the EF86 pentode valve
which, says Goeke, gives a similar effect
to plugging into a Vox AC30, a classic
guitar amp also associated with The
Beatles. A toggle switch on the front
panel engages the DI when it is ipped
downwards, while further switches for a
20dB pad, pole (phase reverse) and 48V
phantom power operate in a similar
way; they are engaged when in the
down position.
On the rear panel, XLR connectors
are provided for Mic/Line Input and
Output, which are transformer
balanced, and there is a socket for an
IEC mains lead. Unlike the original units,
which took their power from the
REDD.51s main power supply, the new
REDD.47 has an internal power supply.
First impressions
On rst inspection, it was clear that
Chandler has got the look and feel of
the unit just right. Even though its not
an exact copy of a vintage unit, it
certainly ts in with original REDD
designs of the 1960s. The front-panel
markings are in the same style as the
In use
For our Beatles-inspired vocal chain, we
plugged in a Neumann U47 FET mic to the
REDD.47 and cranked up the Voltage Gain
to almost maximum. Boosting the Fine Gain
control added a lovely chesty quality with
some nice tube-saturated edge. Feeding in
our Fairchild 660 limiter UAD plug-in, we were
able to produce a wonderfully present vocal
with plenty of raw excitement. Sadly, Sir Paul
McCartney was unavailable for the test.
Chandler REDD.47 Pre Amp Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
original EMI units and the chicken-head
knobs feel smooth yet purposeful in
use. Obviously, we didnt have an
original REDD.51 console on hand for
comparison purposes, as only a handful
were built and only one is known to
have survived. While it would be
tempting to get all misty-eyed and
imagine that everything we recorded
through it sounded like The Beatles, we
were able to identify the units
character which certainly reminded
us of those pre-1969 recordings.
Compared to Chandlers solid-state
TG-500, which has a very smooth yet
bright tonal balance with a rm low end
and silky upper frequencies, the
REDD.47 is a bolder-sounding mic-pre
with a slightly mid-forward character.
The upper frequencies are glossy rather
than silky and the low end is big and
muscular, delivering plenty of low-end
us a pretty good recreation of the

classic EMI/Beatles vocal chain.
Although our vocalist didnt sound
particularly like John Lennon or Paul
McCartney (nor, thankfully, Ringo), the
up-front, edgy tone of the REDD was
instantly recognisable, especially when
we removed the preamp from the signal
chain and plugged into our DDA console
with transistorised mic-pres.
Alternatives
Chandlers TG-500 (659) is a recreation of the solid-state mic preamp
found in the TG series of mixing consoles that replaced the valve-driven
REDD.51. Its sound is smoother, if less characterful, than the REDD.47.
Neves 1073 DPX (2,749) is a modernised version of its most revered
vintage design. Its a two-channel unit that comes with EQ and
comprehensive metering.
unit is instantly recognisable to anyone

familiar with those 1960s recordings.
On another historical note, and to
play devils advocate, its worth
remembering that when the next
generation of solid-state consoles
arrived towards the end of the 60s
Neve and Helios, for example many
engineers couldnt sing their praises
highly enough, presumably believing
they were superior to the outgoing valve
desks. It may well be the case that
those engineers were caught up in the
excitement of progress, with the
introduction of eight-track and, soon
after, 16-track recording, which
revolutionised the whole multi-track
recording process.
From a purely sonic point of view, the
REDD.47 has the authentic EMI sound
that has been unavailable for almost
half a century, which is altogether more
ballsy than the myriad Neve clones.
On a nal note, the legendary Geoff
Emerick, who engineered many of The
Beatles most revered recordings, has
apparently used Chandlers REDD.47,
and his view was: They have that
sound! Who could argue with that? MT
Beatlemania
We also used our valve Neumann U67
with the REDD.47 to record some piano,
knowing that this set-up was used for
the distinctive piano sound on the
classic Sgt. Pepper track A Day In The
Life. The slightly dark-sounding U67,
coupled with the rounded nature of the
REDD.47, delivered a good deal of the
character of the classic recording,
considering we were recording a
Its hard to review a product

such as this without banging
on about The Beatles
heft, if not quite as solidly as the
transistor-driven TG.
The best way to hear these
differences for yourself is to compare
The Beatles White Album, recorded on
the REDD.51, to Abbey Road, recorded
on the solid-state TG console. Bear in
mind that both of these classic albums
were recorded in the same studio onto
the same 3M 8-track recorder, using the
same mics, and yet they sound
completely different. The White Album
has a punchy character with a present
and in some places biting midrange,
while Abbey Road is a much smoother
and, in some respects, more hi-sounding recording.
During our time with the REDD.47,
we used it to record a wide variety of
voices and instruments, using several
models of microphone known to have
been used by EMIs engineers during
the REDD era. Although we didnt have
access to a Neumann U48 (essentially
an EMI-modded U47), we were able to
use our U47 FET, along with the brilliant
Fairchild 660 limiter UAD plug-in, giving
completely different piano. Mention

should also be made of the excellent DI
input, which sounded gorgeous when
we plugged in a Gibson EB bass guitar,
driving the EF86 input tube. We didnt
have a Hfner violin bass (like Paul
McCartneys) to hand, but we thought
wed taken our Beatles experiments far
enough anyway.
Its hard to review a product such as
this without banging on about The
Beatles. However, many potential
buyers will want one precisely because
of those links. Of course, EMI recorded
all sorts of music through REDD
consoles, and for every critically
acclaimed band such as Pink Floyd
(who recorded most of their rst two
albums through the REDD.51), there
were dozens of easy-listening and other
naff recordings that were produced at
Abbey Road. What were getting at is
that using a REDD.47 wont make you
Beatles-esque any more than using a
Fender Strat will make you play like Jimi
Hendrix! That said, the punchy, up-front
and unmistakably vintage tone of the
MT Verdict
+ Legendary 1960s Abbey
Road sound
+ Pure valve signal path
+ Authentic period styling
+ Superb-sounding DI input
+ Excellent build and nish
- No metering
- Not as smooth and transparent
as many more modern highquality preamps
The back panel

houses XLR
connectors for Mic
and Line Input and
Output. The REDD.47
has an internal
power supply
WorldMags.net
The REDD.47 is an accuratesounding recreation of the preamps

found in EMIs REDD.51 valve
mixing consoles of the 1960s, with
extra facilities to suit the modern
era. It has a raw, edgy and slightly
mid-forward sonic character that is
quite different to the more
polite-sounding console preamps
that arrived a few years later. Its
musically appealing vintage tube
sound puts it in the same league as
iconic units such as Fairchild
limiters and Pultec equalisers. For
anyone wanting to Get Back to that
classic 1960s sound, this is truly a
fab (four) product.
10/10
| 71
MT Reviews Plugin Boutique Carbon Electra
WorldMags.net
PLUGIN BOUTIQU
Carbon El
Inaworldwhereweseemtobegoinghardwaresynth mad, do we need
anotherdance-basedsubtractivesoftsynth? Andy Jones plugs in to
CarbonElectra
Details
Price $99/59
Contact Plugin
Boutique
Web
www.pluginboutique.
com
he world has gone, it must be

said, a little hardware nuts.
While at one time we all
thought that everything
studio-wise was heading into our
laptops, we now nd that there is
Whatever the reason, hardware is

most denitely back, especially
hardware synths. So youd have to have
a pretty good story to launch a soft
synth now. Yet with VirtualCZ, Plugin
Boutique had just that when I reviewed
Nothingonthe synth is as
garishorsleazyas the name
implies,orisitjust me that thinks
itsoundslikeasynth porn star?
KeyFeatures
O 4 analoguestyle syncable
oscillators
O 600 artist and
factory presets
O Six filter types
O Effective
effects section
O Step envelope
for editing
volume, filter
and pitch
O Compressed
hot output
a huge and somewhat unexplained

appetite for hardware. Its almost as if
people dont realise that you can do
music production pretty well all on
a laptop. Or that they do realise it and,
well, they simply dont want to. Or
theres the theory that is growing in
popularity that music production has
simply become more of a hobby that
looks amazing; the cool aesthetic of the
environment being as important as the
process and end result (and in some
cases, a little more so).
72 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
it a few months back: a great emulation

of a classic synth series that few had
attempted. But do we really need
another soft synth with an analogue
bent and a subtractive heart? And do
we need another synth hard or soft
with dance music as its focus?
Carbon copy
I rst approached Carbon Electra
slightly blind, I have to say. Reviewing it
on holiday without internet access,
I had no preliminary information, no
WorldMags.net
hype, nothing. This probably turned out

to be a good thing, because looking at
the synths spec cold, you could be
forgiven for muttering nothing to see
here and moving on; just another
subtractive soft synth with a bunch of
oscillators and relatively cool add-ons.
Good job I didnt judge it by its cover
At Carbon Electras heart lie four
sync-able oscillators with adjustable
pulse widths, FM and selectable
waveshapes. Theres a lter section
with six lter types; a fairly simple
effects section (that includes chorus,
distortion, delay and EQ); and a exible
(if again quite simple) LFO section.
Nothing to get too excited about so far,
although I do already like the fact that it
is simple, with everything within reach
all in front of you, no hidden menus,
so its easy to get your head around.
I also like the sound of the step
editor, which can be assigned to pitch,
volume and cut-off. Then theres the
fact that the synth has a top range of
current and not-so-current producers
drafted in to bulk out its presets, so you
have everyone from Carl Cox to Faze
Action contributing sounds.
Plugin Boutique Carbon Electra Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
Even with these big names, however,
Carbon Electra is not quite as coollooking as its name suggests. But then,
how could it be? Like me, you might
have been expecting neon ashes of
brilliance with each tweak, maybe
lightning bolts on each preset change,
or maybe a uorescent blue backdrop
(so in vogue at the moment with our
Show Off Your Studio entrants).
Sure, there are graphical displays for
the lter, mixer and step editor, but
nothing jumps out nor is as garish and
sleazy as the name implies or is it just
me that thinks it sounds like a synth
porn star? [Yes. It is Ed]. However, as
a VirtualCZ fan, I should really have
expected more than looks, and 10
minutes after booting the synth up
I was sucked into the Carbon Electra
world, but possibly not for the reasons
that I should have been
shines through perhaps down to what

PB describe as the synths ability to run
the amp section too hot creating
a modern hyper-compressed sound.
The end results are therefore
surprisingly good, well beyond even the
wider electronic dance boundaries Ive
set. Were also talking some great
FM-like percussive sounds not beats
you understand, just more shimmering
and melodic, fast-attack real sounds.
So Carbon Electras not just dance;
it has plenty of added bells and
whistles. This is perhaps down mostly
to the additional features Ive touched
upon. They might not sound too
dramatic, but they do broaden the
synths sonic footprint. The Step
Envelope section, for example, proves to
be a lot more exible in practice than its
spec implies as do the effects. Again,
this is down very much to the fact that
Im a little embarrassed at how

good these happy accidents
sound I did program the original
notes though, OK?
Carbon footprint
If Carbon Electra has a market, it is
clearly dance. One look down the list of
producers and youll realise that, and
if not Factory preset names that
reference Prodigy (synth and band) and
90s jungle, plus a whole host of other
genres, will certainly bring home the
point. But, actually, the remit is a lot
wider its a broader sweep of
electronic music that this synth covers,
so there are all sorts of arpeggiations,
basses and leads across the factory
presets that, yes, hark back and forth
between dance old and new, but also
straddle more traditional genres of
electronic music theres plenty of
ambient, soundscape, scoring and
electronica in there, too.
But it was when I threw it at a bunch
of old 8-bar loop ideas that I had the
most fun. These snippets of songs have
never gone beyond initial loops bits
and pieces Ive had around for ages,
many of which I never thought Id rescue
from my hard drive.
However, some of Electras sounds
really did breathe new life into them
not necessarily the dance life that
was perhaps intended, but energy
nonetheless. Theres a great movement
in many of them, and the sound quality
everything is displayed in front of you,

so you are drawn in to edit and tweak
which the synths programmers and
named producers have clearly been
busy doing.
Weve run out of carbon puns

I wont go through all of the whopping
600 factory and artist presets you will
nd a good selection of bass, lead, pad,
key, chord, arpeggiator and effect
sounds across generations of dance
music and genres. Instead, Ill try to sum
up what the extras bring and theres
a denite sense of movement. Just play
with the Step Envelope section for
maximum impact with minimum fuss.
Its so easy to adjust the pitch, lter
cutoff and volume of the notes played,
and the rate at which they are played
all dened by 18 different waveshapes
and get something completely
different but at the same time very
usable, very quickly.
Going back to that boast about
running the output amp too hot and,
after my auditions, Im starting to
believe it the synths sounds denitely
cut through the mixes I tried it on,
especially those old looping ideas.
Basses really bring the bottom end of
mixes to life, and some of the leads and
incidental effects add angles to tracks
WorldMags.net
Alternatives
For some great dance sounds, I looked at
LinPlugs Spectral ($149) synth about a year
ago. Its a great synth and has four oscillators,
in common with Electra, but does boast a lot
more in terms of control and movement and
is pretty easy to use, too (although maybe not
quite as easy as CE). Rob Papens Blue-II
($179) also springs to mind, not so much based
on architecture but on some of the sounds you
get mind you, that synth does seem to cover
everything, with an extraordinary number of
onboard presets.
I can only dream of. In fact, Im a little

embarrassed at how good some of
these happy accidental preset
inclusions sound (I did program the
original notes so they are all mine, OK?!).
Are friends Electra? (Sorry)

So, it turns out that Carbon Electra is
one synth that is not as easy to lazily
pigeon-hole as Id originally anticipated.
Yes, its aimed at dance producers, but
work (not too hard) with it and youll get
a lot more out. Its easy, fun and packed
full of potential, and Ill be resurrecting
a few lost causes with it over the next
few weeks. If we could have lightning
ashes and luminous blue controls for
v2, though, that would be the
uorescent icing on the cake MT
MT Verdict
+ Good and varied sound that cuts
through mixes
+ Very easy to use, and its all there
in front of you
+ Surprisingly wide sonics
+ Simple but very effective Step
Envelope and effects sections
+ Good producer presets
+ Inexpensive
- Not as cool looking as it could be
- Some controls a bit bland
- Lacks immediate appeal which
could be a good thing!
Dont judge a synth by its look nor
indeed its name. The Carbon
Electra sounds great, and is very
easy to get more from. It also has
a sound that will not only act as the
backbone to many a dance track,
but one that could bring a lot to
a variety of other genres, and bring
old ideas back to life.
8/10
| 73
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2 Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
SPECTRASONICS
Excellence
Omnisphere 2
Withawealthofnewfeatures,Omnispherefinally reaches v2
sevenyearsafteritsinitialrelease.MarkCousins goes
stratosphericwiththemosteagerly-awaitedrelease of the year
Details
Manufacturer
Spectrasonics
Price 285
Contact www.
spectrasonics.net
ince its release in 2008,

Omnisphere has proved itself
to be one of the most
consistently useful and
versatile software instruments. Its
success is testament to both the wealth
of included sound content that youd
expect from a Spectrasonics product,
and also the surprising amount of raw
synthesis power packaged into
Omnispheres sound engine. From its
Granular Synthesis modes through to
the complex rate-level envelope
generators, theres plenty to keep the
avid knob-twiddler happy. Yet despite
this apparent complexity, Omnisphere
is an immediate and easy-to-use
instrument packed full of greatsounding patches!
New generation
Key Features
O Over 12,000
inspiring sounds
O Audio Import
O Over 400 new
DSP waveforms
O Wavetable
synthesis
O 58 FX units
Now its 2015 and Spectrasonics has

taken a long hard look at Omnisphere
and developed the next generation of
its cutting-edge synthesiser
Omnisphere 2. Pleasingly, the ethos and
overall appearance of Omnisphere
remains largely the same, so despite
a slightly widened interface (now
incorporating a slimmed-down browser
window) existing users will feel
immediately at home. Look under the

bonnet, though, and youll soon see how
far-reaching the improvements are in
Omnisphere 2, with a list of new
features almost as long as a fullyedged DAW upgrade
Although Omnisphere 2 is available
as a product in its own right, most
existing Omnisphere users will be keen
to take advantage of the $249 upgrade.
As youd expect, this upgrade is
available to buy from Spectrasonics
web store, necessitating a 20GB
download for the new Soundsource
content included with the instrument.
The install merges with and replaces
your existing Omnisphere, updating the
STEAM folder and upgrading the
instrument plug-in to version 2. All
existing projects will now load in
Omnisphere 2, with the original
Omnisphere becoming nothing but a
distant memory.
DIY Omnisphere
Arguably one of the most exciting new
features is the ability to import your
own audio les into Omnisphere 2s
sound engine, which can then be
modied using everything from
vowel-based lters to granular
WorldMags.net
synthesisers and a new Innerspace

effects unit (more on this later). The
audio import is navigated through the
Soundsource Browser using a new tab
called User Audio. You can import single
audio les up to 24-bit 192kHz
resolution, which are then written into
the STEAM folder so that they can be
recalled at any point in the future.
Coupled with the excellent Granular
Synthesis module, the Audio Import
works best creating ambient
soundscapes, where an original
musical phrase is stretched, looped and
mangled far beyond its original form.
Theres also plenty of fun to be had
swapping existing Soundsources in the
current patch for your own samplebased material, which can create plenty
of interesting serendipitous results.
Obviously, the Audio Import feature
doesnt seek to replicate the multisampled dexterity of a fully-edged
software sampler, but it does offer an
excellent route into the unique sonic
world of Omnisphere 2 that many
comparable instruments dont offer.
Those who like to build patches
using the in-built DSP oscillators will be
pleased to note some signicant
improvements in that department.
| 75
MT Reviews Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2
WorldMags.net
Whereas the original Omnisphere had
just four DSP waveforms, there are now
more than 400 to choose from, all
congured as morphing wavetables,
much like the waveforms in Native
Instruments Massive. Add eight new
lter types into the equation (including
some great vowel-based effects), a new
Unison Drift model and an increased
FM Depth/Ring Mod, and you can see
where many of the new patches get
their hard-edged electronic sound.
Casual browsing
While many musicians will enjoy the
added sonic depths possible from
programming your own sounds, theres
little doubt that a large number of
Omnisphere 2 users will be content
simply exploring the list of over 12,000
sounds included with the instrument.
New Soundsource content, which
accounts for most of the 20GB
download, includes extra
Psychoacoustic samples, Circuit Bent
Soundsources and a wealth of melodic
phrases that are perfect fodder for the
Granular engine. In addition to the new
patches in the familiar Omnisphere
tweaked, with improved sound

organisation and a great new Sound
Match feature that enables you to nd
similar sounds quickly and easily.
One of the more intriguing and
creative developments in the Patch
Browser has to be the Sound Lock
feature. Sound Lock works by
preserving an aspect of a patch such
as the Arpeggiator, Envelopes or Mod
Matrix while you browse alternative
sounds. It could be, for example, that
you like the movement in one of the
ARP+BPM patches, but want to explore
different timbres and Soundsources
applied to the same Arp/Envelope
settings. Sound Lock, therefore, is
a great way of creating hybrid patches
with just a few mouse clicks, and
a useful means of negating the train
spotter effect, where other musicians
and producers spot Omnisphere
presets in your music!
Alternatives
Omnisphere 2 has a sound of its own, but there are other means of
getting similar results from other software instruments. Native
Instruments Absynth (169) includes a Granular Synthesis module and
imparts the same organic-like quality on many of its sounds. Wed also
argue that the expanded DSP waveforms and their wavetable-like
operation mimic the sound and operation of Native Instruments Massive
(169), which is a popular tool among many EDM producers. Ultimately,
the Omni moniker is an apt description, with few other instruments
offering the sheer breadth of imaginative, other worldy sounds as
Omnisphere 2.
More effects
Adding to an already well-stocked
collection of effects, Omnisphere 2 now
features 25 additional effects modules,
bringing the current total to 58. New
Omnisphere2isproof that
SpectrasonicslovesOmnisphere
justasmuchaswedo
style (organic, abstract, pulsing and so
on) its pleasing to note a new Spotlight
EDM library that demonstrates just
how contemporary Omnisphere 2s
synth engine can sound.
Of course, having a patch library of
more than 12,000 sounds can be both
a blessing and a curse, so its
interesting just how much effort has
been expended on the Patch Browsing
functionality. This is immediately
noticeable in the Mini Browser that
populates the left-hand side of
Omnisphere 2s interface, which makes
browsing far quicker than before. The
full-sized browser has also been
In-usetip
Some of the best Soundsources for the
granular engine are musical phrases.Try
searching for Soundsources with the PHR
prex under the Soundsource Browser (the
Gamelan Orch samples are our favorite
choice).Once loaded,enable the Granular
engine under the Oscillator Zoom page.Notice
how the sound appears scattered qualities
that you can adapt using Grain Depth and
Intensity controls.
76 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
models include a wealth of extra

distortion and amp modelling effects,
some vintage phasers, angers and
a chorus unit, as well as some more
contemporary offerings in the form of
Quad Resonators and Innerspace. The
Innerspace works as a form of textural
impulse response processor, imposing
the characteristics of a wealth of
samples (such as Coin Dropper or
Electric Power Tower) on the output
of Omnisphere.
Ultimately, theres far more included
in the Omnisphere 2 upgrade than we
could possibly hope to cover, so its well
worth looking at the new features list
online to see what else is on offer.
Almost every part of Omnisphere has
been revised, tweaked or expanded in
some way, with often seemingly simple
transformations having a profound
impact on what Omnisphere 2 can do.
From the Arpeggiators new Note
Transposition features, to an expanded
set of Modulation options, Omnisphere
2 exudes creative potential!
WorldMags.net
Omni potent
Having developed one of the most
feature-rich virtual instruments ever
produced, it would be fair to say that
Spectrasonics had its work cut out
trying to improve on the original
Omnisphere. More than a means of
simply extracting a $249 upgrade fee
from its users, Omnisphere 2 is a
complete root and branch rethink on
the initial release a wouldnt it be
great if brainstorm thats delivered an
instrument that has never sounded
better, nor offered a greater amount of
creative potential. If nothing else,
Omnisphere 2 is proof that
Spectrasonics loves Omnisphere just as
much as we do, and that its unique
blend of electronic and psychoacoustic
sound is here to stay!
Even seven years after the release of
the original Omnisphere, its a telling
sign that a stream of new instruments
and sample libraries seek to sell
themselves as the ultimate
Omnisphere killer. While some
developers have got close to
Spectrasonics greatness, theres little
doubt that a revitalised Omnisphere will
arguably set a new gold standard for
the next ve years an instrument that
many developers will seek to emulate,
but few will succeed in equalling.
Thanks to some genuinely innovative
features, not to mention a wealth of
extra sonic material to play with, its
hard to imagine any software
instrument delivering the same breadth
and sheer sonic excellence as
Omnisphere 2 does. MT
MT Verdict
+ Exhaustive upgrade
+ Expanded synthesis options
+ Audio le import
+ More effects units
- Might take a lifetime to explore!
A superb upgrade on one of the
nest virtual instruments money
can buy. Omnisphere 2 oozes class
and sophistication and should be
an essential purchase for all.
10/10
WorldMags.net
If youd rather spend time
working on your tracks
instead of browsing
through technical manuals,
Mixcraft Pro Studio 7 is the
perfect blend of simplicity
and sophistication.
BedroomProducersBlog.com
THE MUSICIANS DAW

For Microsoft Windows
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MT Reviews Thermionic Culture The Little Red Bustard
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THERMIONIC CULTURE
The Little
Red Bustard
ThermionicCulturesvalve-drivensummingmixer
getsanupdatewithnewAirandAttitudecontrols.
JohnPickfordfeelstheanaloguewarmth
Details
Price 2,100
Contact Thermionic
Culture 01279 414770
Web sales@
thermionicculture.
com
here can be no denying that

digital recording now reigns
supreme among professional
recording engineers and home
recordists alike. The brittle sound of
early digital recorders with low
sampling rates is now, thankfully,
a thing of the past; however, many
engineers feel that mixing within a DAW
is something of a valve guru; hes been

designing valve equipment for more
than 50 years. His company offers a
range of pure valve studio outboard
gear, that includes microphone
preampliers, compressors and
equalisers, as well as tube saturation
units (the Culture Vulture) and
summing mixers.
The Little Red Bustard is an

updatedversion of Thermionics
smallersummingmixer
KeyFeatures
O 16 semi-floating
XLR inputs
O Attitude
drive control
O Air extreme
top control
O Omeg
conductive
polymer pots
O Alpha (Taiwan)
switches
O NOS American
GE and
Sylvania valves
produces a somewhat sterile sound,

when compared to mixing through
analogue equipment.
Going one step further, there are
those who insist that when
transistorised recording consoles
replaced valve-driven ones it was a
backwards step in terms of sound
quality. Indeed, the vast majority of
electric guitar players still choose to
use valve ampliers for their rich and
warm tone and their ability to be
overdriven to produce musically
pleasing saturated tones.
Among tube fans, Vic Keary the
big-boss-man of Thermionic Culture
78 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
The Little Red Bustard is an updated

and up-rated version of Thermionics
smaller summing mixer, which can be
used either as a standalone 16-channel
mixer or provide additional inputs for
the fully-featured Fat Bustard
12-channel mixer; check our review of
the limited edition Green Fat Bustard
on our website. Like the earlier version,
this new Little Red Bustard features 16
input channels that enter on semioating XLRs and appear on the front
panel as eight stereo pairs that can be
switched in or out. The original Little
Bustard featured individual level and
panning controls for channels 13-16.
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However, these have been dropped in

favour of simple switches that collapse
the stereo output to mono; there are no
individual level controls level and
panning balances should be performed
within the DAW.
Positive Attitude
The most notable difference between
the old and new units is the inclusion of
controls for both Attitude and Air. The
Attitude dial provides the same second
harmonic enhancement control that
graces the Fat Bustard. In a nutshell,
this feature adds varying degrees of
valve colouration (between 0.01% and
5% of second harmonic thermionic
distortion), then emphasises the
natural tube character of the unit. At
lower levels, this imparts a lovely warm
and fat tone to signals, while higher
settings introduce a more obvious tube
saturation to the sound. This control
increases gain by up to 12dB, so the
output level should be reduced when
dialling in lots of Attitude.
The Air control boosts high
frequencies above 7kHz, peaking in the
region of 30kHz. This control is quite
different from ordinary high-frequency
boosts that usually give an obvious top
boost in the region of 10kHz, instead
providing a silky high-end that adds
sparkle and space to mixes.
Thermionic Culture The Little Red Bustard Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
Simple metering is provided by two
LEDs that become the glowing eyes of
the Little Bustard image on the front
panel. These LEDs indicate the level at
the stereo output before the output
level pots glowing yellow, green or red
to show the level of signal present.
Under normal operating conditions, the
eyes should glow green, indicating an
optimal signal level between 0dBu and
+10dBu. Levels above this will cause
the eyes to glow red, indicating a hot
signal that will have higher amounts of
second harmonics. The cleanest results
multi-channel drum kit recording that

featured close mics, as well as a pair of
distant room mics. Creating a basic mix
within our DAW, it was immediately
obvious that the Little Bustard was
adding some lovely valve sweetness to
the sound, even without driving the unit
hard or engaging the Attitude or Air
controls. When we did dial in some
enhancement, things became much
more interesting. The Attitude control,
used sparingly, added a noticeable
analogue warmth to the digital
recording, seemingly providing a more
Alternatives
Looptrotters Satur-8 (2,100) is,as the name
suggests,an 8-channel summing mixer with a
saturation control for each channel.It aims to
deliver the sound of vintage analogue tape and
valve consoles,but its a solid-state unit.
came to life, with a wonderful sparkling

ambience that lent the sound an almost
holographic quality.
The addition of these enhancement
controls is a real bonus over the original
version of the Little Red Bustard.The
warm, sweet and clean valve tone,
without added Attitude or Air, is just as
sonically pleasing as it ever was.
However, now its possible to inject new
life into clinical digital mixes with the
gorgeous tube enhancement. Along
with its big brother, the Fat Bustard, this
is the best-sounding analogue
summing mixer weve heard to date. MT
Along with the Fat Bustard,this

is the best-sounding analogue
summing mixer weve heard
are produced by keeping the output
level control at maximum with the
Attitude control set to position one and
the Little Bustards eyes glowing green.
Inside the box are four high-quality
NOS American valves, two each for
input (GE 5965s) and output (Sylvania
6189s), while the back panel features
the 16 semi-oating XLR inputs and the
unbalanced stereo output XLRs;
a balancing box with a pair of Sowter
1:1 transformers can be supplied.
Sounds good
We began our test of the Little Bustard
by switching it on (the power switch is
sensibly located on the front panel) and
leaving it to warm up for 30 minutes; as
with all analogue gear, performance
improves after a little warm-up time.
In order to hear the inuence of the
Attitude and Air controls, we fed in a
solid sound with greater focus. At

higher settings, the more saturated
tone reminded us of the effect of
overloading analogue tape, introducing
some subtle but appealing
compression-type effects. Such effects
might be too much for processing whole
mixes; however, when feeding in smaller
groups of sounds or individual sources,
the dial can be turned up to create very
convincing vintage saturated tones.
We found the Attitude control great for
giving electric guitars a biting edge, and
its possible to recreate that hot vocal
sound that dominated many classic
soul recordings from the 1960s,
The Air control is another thing of
beauty. Again, when used sparingly,
mixes gained a sense of space and
depth, sounding clean and open. At
higher levels, the sounds appeared
much glossier; our drum mix really
MT Verdict
+ Superb valve sound
+ Musical tone and drive controls
+ Excellent build and nish
+ No-fuss operation
+ Funky metering
- No quibbles, though expensive
The Little Red Bustard

has 16 input channels,
entering via
semi-floating XLRs on
the rear panel
WorldMags.net
Most digital recordings benet

from some analogue warmth during
processing. The Little Red Bustard
not only adds warmth, but also
depth and space to audio signals.
The delicious second harmonics
that this Thermionic unit produces
when driven hard really fatten up
cold and thin recordings, as only
valves can. The Attitude and Air
enhancement controls provide grit
and gloss in usable amounts to
breath life into sterile signals.
A world-class product.
9/10
| 79
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Sample Logic Cinematic Guitars Innity Reviews MT
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panel and plenty of knobs and buttons.
A stereo widener is also available, and
theres a master cut section, as well as
a randomiser button that will punch in
all-new settings.
Sample Logic claims that between
the various sections and combinations
of settings there are more than 2,400
trillion possible setups in Innity. While
Im not about to test them all, its pretty
safe to say that there is an incredible
amount of tweaking you can do at
almost every stage of the instrument.
Many of the 750 presets are eminently
usable straight out of the box and
would t perfectly into any TV, movie or
game score or indeed modern music
production. Its really nicely designed,
too, with an advanced yet clear
interface that pushes the limit of whats
possible with Kontakt.
SAMPLE LOGIC
Cinematic
Guitars
Infinity
Guitarsareperfectforscoring,butca
Logicreallydeliver2,400trillionsounds?
HollinJonesfindsout
uitars are one of the most

sonically diverse instruments
around, thanks to the vast
number of ways they can be
played, recorded and processed. When
it comes to sound design, many of the
most interesting uses for guitars dont
involve conventional playing techniques
at all, which is where Cinematic Guitars
comes in.This latest release from
acclaimed virtual instrument developer
Sample Logic actually combines four
collections into one location to create
a 25GB sample and synthesis-based
monster thats targeted at sound
designers and composers. It runs in
Kontakt Player free or full versions, and
as such can be a standalone or a
plugin-based instrument.
Details
Name Cinematic
Guitars Infinity
Manufacturer
Sample Logic
Price $599.99,
upgrade
pricing available
Contact
via website
Web
www.samplelogic.
com
Minimum System
Requirements
Kontakt 5 Player or
Kontakt 5 Retail
Mac OS X 10.8, Intel
Core 2 Duo
Windows 7
4GB RAM
Four in one
What you get is all three Cinematic
Guitars collections, plus the Innity
collection, which is a somewhat
different beast. The rst three increase
in complexity and capability as you go,
since each version is newer than the
one before. Versions 1 and 2 are very
serviceable collections of sampled and
processed guitar sounds, and version 3
which is in fact completely new
adds a lot more control in the area of
effects and tweaking. It also has a step
animator for creating dynamic and
sequenced patches, and all three
collections are great for sound design
and composition. There are sound beds,
loops, textures and percussive patches,
that range from deep and ominous
through to bright and airy. Clever use is
To Innity and beyond

made of effects to add depth and width
to the sampled guitars, and many of the
patches are altered so much that they
dont sound like guitars but more like
ethereal synthesisers.
When you get to the Innity
instrument, things get really interesting.
With a much more advanced design, it
enables you to morph up to eight sound
sources through four sound cores and
blend them using the 3D mixer, which
Sample Logic claims is a rst for the
Kontakt platform. The four cores orbit
around a central mixer, and each one
has identical controls and can be
switched on or off. For each category,
there are presets that can be loaded for
each core. Then theres a volume control
with a step animator for creating
movement; a panner, also with its own
animator; and another congurable
animator section, where you can draw
in steps, choose from presets or morph
between two sequences. Multiply these
options by the four cores and you have
a huge amount of exibility.
Work in 3D
Key Features
O 25GB
sound library
O Four collections
in one
O 4 soundcores, 8
sound sources
O XY slider and
3D mixer
O Step animator
O Randomiser
O Multiple effects
O 2,000 sounds
In the centre is the 3D mixer, providing

a way to morph organically between all
the active cores, which alter their
luminance accordingly: a nice touch.
Youre also able to record and play back
movements in the mixer, and there are
presets available for this, too. In a
second tab, the large step animator
from CG3 is also available, so you wont
want for animation options. Moving
down, you get to the effects section,
with six effects each with a control
WorldMags.net
If theres anything to watch out for, its

that you dont get overwhelmed by the
number of options. Its sometimes
necessary to solo one of the cores while
editing it, so you can hear what effects
your changes are having. Thats not a
criticism, more a way to ensure that you
use the many sections to their full
potential. Its also often easy to make
quick changes to get the result you
want, such as moving the mixer or
turning an animator on or off to calm
a patch down or liven it up.
This is a powerful, comprehensive
scoring instrument with the depth of
editing features that some users will
require, yet a plug and play immediacy
that will suit those looking for
cinema-ready sounds without spending
too much time digging around. MT
MT Verdict
+ Sounds incredible
+ Perfect for scoring and
sound design
+ Huge amount of content
+ Almost innitely tweakable
+ Innity is extremely exible
+ 3D Mixer and XY sliders
help creativity
+ Friendly design
- Multitude of options could
become overwhelming
- CG 1 and 2 maybe not
as impressive as the
newer components
A superb cinematic scoring
instrument with a wealth of
features and near-innite
customisation options.
9/10
| 81
MT Reviews MunroSonic Egg100 Monitoring System
WorldMags.net
MUNROSONIC
Egg100 Monitoring System

MunroSonichasaddedanewsmallermonitorto
itsrange.MikeHilliercracksopentheEgg100
MonitoringSystem
Details
Manufacturer
sE Munro
Price 1,299
Contact Sonic
Distribution
Web www.
munrosonic.com
KeyFeatures
O Stereo active
control unit with
two 30W RMS
power amplifiers
O Bass reflex
speakers
O Two-way
passive
crossover
O 25mm HF unit
O 100mm LF unit
O Two-year
warranty
he MunroSonic Egg100
Monitoring System is the new
smaller sibling to the
distinctive Egg150 Monitoring
System. Like its bigger brother, the
Egg100 is a complete system,
comprising dedicated left and right
speakers, coupled with a control unit
and amplier. The speaker design uses
the same curved, innite bafe design
as the Egg150s in the distinctive egg
shape, but with a smaller enclosure
housing a four-inch driver.
Simple set-up
Setting up the Egg100 in our studio was
a fairly simple process; the speakers
come with two-metre Speakon cables
to connect to the control unit, and
unlike the larger Egg150 system there
are no Aux inputs, just a pair of XLR
inputs. Also gone is the Mid EQ, leaving
the front panel much simplied, with
only a volume pot, power switch and
headphone port. On the side of the unit
are recessed HF and LF lters, enabling
82 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
close room equalisation of the

speakers, with precision
potentiometers giving up to 10dB
attenuation on each channel. Our
perhaps have been called the Egg Cup.

The Nest enables you to tilt the
speakers to correctly align the system
to your workspace, without blocking the
The Egg100 is a complete

system, comprising left and right
speakers and a control unit
studio has been treated, and we have
a fair amount of space between the
speaker stands and the nearest wall, so
we opted to simply roll a small amount
of high frequency from the top end,
while leaving the bottom end at.
In smaller spaces, however, it may
be useful to also dial out a little bit of
the low-end.
The Egg100 system comes with
a newly designed vibration damping
stand, which has been named the Egg
Nest, although given its shape it should
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port. Correct alignment of the system

isnt quite as easy as it was with the
Egg150 system, however, as the clever
little blue LED, which made aligning the
In use
Genelec 8010s make for a more portable
system than the Egg100, as the amp is built
into the speaker itself. However, this has other
compromises in sound quality, which
MunroSonic has been able to avoid by keeping
the two separate. Both would make excellent
small monitors, and will sound far superior to
a larger system in a small room.
MunroSonic Egg100 Monitoring System Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
larger Egg speakers so simple,
is absent.
Sounds familiar
The rst thing we noticed when
comparing the Egg100 with our own
Egg150 system in the studio was how
similar the overall sound was. The
larger system sounded bigger, having
more low-end, but the soundstage was
remarkably similar, and the system
sounded similarly detailed and open,
with plenty of fast transients. Anyone
used to working on one set of these
speakers will be able to transfer to the
other quickly.
We spent a while getting used to the
system with favourite mixes of our own,
and a few from our reference tracks
selection, before setting off on a mix to
see how it would translate from the
Egg100s to bigger systems. We began
with a piano-led folky piece, with a
speakers, was still holding the track

together, gluing the string arrangement
to the guitars. Switching to mono, the
track folded up a little, and some of the
string elements started to sit on top of
each other, but the vocal was still
evident above the instrumental bed,
and the kick, snare and bass guitar
were still driving the song forward. Most
noticeably, the bottom end seemed to
be just right, with the bass guitar sat
above the sub-frequencies of the kick,
and no noticeable thinness from our
scooping of the kick. Nothing we would
be embarrassed handing over to a
mastering engineer.
multiband compressor on the low-end

of the bass to ensure it kept a solid
consistency at the bottom. The end
result sounded great on these
speakers. Switching rst to our larger
rig, and then to headphones, it was
The larger system sounded

bigger, but the soundstage
was remarkably similar
fairly big arrangement taking in a string
quartet, acoustic and electric guitars,
full drum kit and electric bass. The
biggest issue was the midrange, which
was incredibly busy, with so many
instruments vying for space. The
midrange on the Egg100 system is very
focused, however, and with plenty of
spatial detail, nding a space for each
element was quite simple. The next
issue was the kick drum, which was
sounding muddy and seemingly
occupying the same space as the
bass guitar. The kick has plenty of
energy, so we opted to scoop out
some low-mids, making room
for the bass guitar in the
process, and then used a
obvious that our mix was translating

well. The midrange elements all
maintained their own space. The piano,
which we had worked hard to sit in the
stereo eld with enough width to sound
like a full grand piano, but not so much
as to steal all the bandwidth in both
No yolk
The Egg100 comes in

red, white or black
with a dedicated
control unit and
amplifier (above)
For anyone working in a small room, the

Egg100 system is a great option, and
MunroSonic tells us its working on
a sub-woofer to be paired with the
system, should anyone want to add that
low-end back in. In an ideal world, wed
be working in bigger rooms on more
full-range systems; but with more and
more of our time spent in small spaces,
systems such as the Egg100 are a
necessity, so its a good idea to invest in
a great system such as this. MT
MT Verdict
+ Comes in red, white or black
+ Dedicated external amplier
and control unit
+ Excellent stereo soundstage and
transient response
- Too small for large rooms
- Simplied control unit
The Egg100 Monitoring System
produces a big sound from a
small package.
8/10
WorldMags.net
| 83
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Kurzweil Artis 7 Reviews MT
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KURZWEIL
Artis 7
Liveperformersneedhands-on control as well as
greatsounds.HollinJones finds out if Kurzweils
Artis7candothebusiness
Details
Kit Artis 7
Manufacturer
Kurzweil
Price 1,249
Distributor
Sound Technology
Contact
01462 480000
Web
www.kurzweil.com
Key Features
O 76-note semiweighted Fatar
keybed
O 128-voice
polyphony
O 4-zone split
and layer
O 256 factory
programs
O Realtime EQ
controls
O Over 1,000
effects chains
O Multiple
performance
controls
O Virtual drawbars
O MIDI I/O
O USB storage and
link to computer
O Sustain pedal
urzweil has been in the

business of making keyboard
workstations and stage
performance instruments
almost as long as anyone, and its
products have graced countless stages
around the world. While once it focused
mostly on the top end of the market,
these days it also makes keyboards
that are more accessible to players
whose budgets arent up there with
those of a professional. The Artis 7 is
a 76-key stage piano thats designed to
appeal to a wide range of users, from
keen amateurs all the way through to
gigging professionals.
enables you to connect an external

source, such as an iPod, and theres 1x1
MIDI in and out for external gear.
Pedal power
You get three pedal inputs: sustain,
volume and a control pedal, and a
sustain pedal is included in the box
which is nice because its not always
the case, even with serious keyboards.
As well as sustain and volume pedals,
you can use the third one for getting
more creative with the organ sounds
and controlling swells, speaker speed
and the like. As you might expect,
theres USB and this is quite exible. A
The Artis 7 puts a lot of

emphasis on real-time control,
as you need in live situations
Stage pianos arent often
lightweight, and despite being a 76rather than a full 88-key model, the
Artis 7 feels solid to carry. The silver
nish is quite unusual and works well,
even if the top panel feels a little
uninspiring to look at and the sliders
and buttons could arguably feel a little
higher in quality. Around the back of the
box, youll nd the ins and outs which
are a little more spartan than you might
get on a workstation, though this is of
course a stage piano, so theres a stereo
jack audio out and headphones, but no
multitrack outputs and no XLR
connections. A mini audio jack input
ash stick can be connected for

transferring data, and theres a To
Computer port, which enables the
keyboard to work as a MIDI interface,
sending data to and from your Mac or
PC. Its how software updates are
handled, and enables various software
interaction, of which more later.
The top panel of the keyboard is laid
out sensibly, with many controls
doubling up functions depending
whether you are in regular or organ
mode. Visual feedback comes from
a 240x60 pixel monochrome display,
which is serviceable and has function
buttons to enable you to interact with it
WorldMags.net
to perform setups, edits, layers, splits

and other operations. Its not huge,
though since this is largely used as a
performance instrument youre not
likely to start trying to reprogram it in
the middle of a gig. In terms of
functionality, anyone who has used a
stage piano or even a simple
workstation before will recognise
whats going on. A Category section to
the right enables you to select a type of
sound, and within each one are a
number of variations. These can be split
and layered, as well as stored on 10
favourite slots. There are 256 factory
and 256 user sound slots.
Hands-on
The Artis 7 puts a lot of emphasis on
real-time control of sounds, as you
often need in live situations, and to this
end there are a number of performerfriendly features to the left of the panel.
The nine faders have dual functionality.
In Regular mode, they control things
such as reverb and effects levels, and
when an organ sound is selected they
become virtual drawbars. As elsewhere,
these functions are labeled on the body
of the keyboard, so you dont have to try
to remember what does what.
Additionally, the main screen lets
you see what controls are assigned to
physical items for any given patch.
Above these are nine buttons, some of
which can be assigned to control either
a range of organ functions such as
Leslie brake, chorus, key click and so on;
or become zone mute and volume
controls for when sounds are split
across the keys.
| 85
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Kurzweil Artis 7 Reviews MT
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Plug and play
Quick transpose and octave controls
are provided so important for live
performance and theres a three-band
EQ with an on/off control and physical
knobs. Though it might sound simple,
having a hands-on EQ that doesnt
require any kind of menu or screen
interaction is really useful. Imagine you
switch patches and suddenly the sound
you are using lacks punch through the
PA, when the last one didnt. Rather
than bugging the sound guy mid-song,
just dial in some more bottom end
yourself to beef things up. The
modulation wheel doubles up as an
organ distortion amount control, and
theres a variation button that also
becomes a rotary speaker fast/slow
toggle. All in all, the performance
controls are good, though there are a
couple of omissions. There are 16
effects units and 1,000 effects chains,
for example, but these cant be edited
in-keyboard. And organ key click sound
is not variable: so its either on, which
can sometimes be too intense, or off,
which sounds a bit lackluster. Patch
editing in any great detail can be ddly
interacting with the brain of the

instrument. It also comes as a VST and
AU plug-in for Mac and PC, which
seems to be a more up-to-date version
of the patch editor. The documentation
is somewhat lacking as regards these
editors, however.
Editing sounds over USB from your PC or Mac is a much faster way to
work with multiple parameters at once than using a keyboards onboard
screen. Here, you also get a VST/AU plug-in to communicate with the
keyboard from inside your DAW and make advanced settings more easily.
Sound control
The onboard sounds are taken from the
PC3 and KORE 64 expansion series, and
include a new German Grand Piano
model. As youd expect, keyboard
instruments feature heavily and theres
a good selection of classical and more
modern pianos, jazz and upright
models, as well as a range of electric
pianos, clavis and strings. The organ
model covers Hammonds, Farsas,
church organs and more, and is fun and
authentic-sounding to play, with the
real-time controls making things much
more interactive. Certainly, if you throw
in an expression pedal for the rotor
and swell speeds, things start to get
really interesting.
For an instrument in this price
bracket, some sounds dont stand out
The Artis 7 is a solid instrument

and will be genuinely useful to
players in gigging environments
on any keyboard screen, but thankfully
Kurzweil gives you an alternative. Hook
up to your Mac, PC or iPad via USB and
use the respective free-to-download
software application to tweak sounds,
multis and setups using a much more
advanced graphical interface. This is
something youd almost certainly want
to do before you turned up to a gig,
rather than in the middle of a show, but
its certainly a more effective way of
as much as they could, and although

the keyboard instruments generally
work well, the guitars, brass, choirs and
other usual suspects are often
underwhelming. The drums, bass and
percussion fare much better, though,
and layering sounds together and
adding effects chains can often help to
bring some more life to proceedings.
The Fatar keybed is a little springy,
especially for organ runs, but its always
Alternatives
Rolands RD-300NX, at 1,199, has 88 ivory-feel weighted keys, 939 tones and 78 types of multieffects, as well as an onboard WAV player. It has onboard rhythm playback and some real-time
controls, though not as many as the Artis 7. I/O is similar, and it doesnt come with a bundled pedal,
though there is a software editor to enable you to make changes to the setup from your Mac or PC.
tough to have a keyboard that copes as

well with piano as with organ-based
playing two very different disciplines.
The Artis 7 is a solid performance
instrument and has a good range of
real-time controls that will be genuinely
useful to players in gigging
environments. The addition of
software-based patch editors makes
tweaking setups much easier than it
would be if you were conned to the
screen, and you can use it as a MIDI
controller for your computer as well.
Some sounds could be a little more
inspiring, though, and for this price you
might ideally want a little more
exibility with your audio outputs.
Nonetheless, it will serve you well as a
studio- or stage-based tool covering a
wide range of sounds. MT
MT Verdict
+ Good piano, organ and EP sounds
+ Great hands-on
performance controls
+ Clever use of
multifunction buttons
+ Virtual drawbars work well
+ Edit sounds from software app
+ Plug-in available
+ Decent pedal inputs
- Some sounds a bit lackluster
- Sliders could feel more robust
- Effect editing in-keyboard would
be nice
- No XLR outs
A solid stage piano and good all
round keyboard with great
performance controls, but there is
competition in this price range.
7/10
WorldMags.net
| 87
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ABLETON LIVE 9
On sale now 8.99 with free DVD. Digital version 5.99.

Available at WHSmith (UK), Barnes & Noble (USA) and all good
bookstores in Australia, Canada, and throughout Europe.
Or order online at www.musictech.net/tag/focus
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U-He Hive Reviews MT
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U-HE
Hive
Tomakeyourtracks sound unique,
youneedasynth thats powerful
andadaptablebut doesnt blind you
withscience.Hollin Jones gets
togetherwithU-Hes Hive
Details
Kit Hive
Manufacturer U-He
Price $149
Distributor U-He
Contact Via website
Web www.u-he.com
System requirements
Mac OS X 10.5
or higher
Windows XP or higher
1GB RAM
Multicore CPU
with SSE2
erman developer U-He has

been steadily growing its
stable of software
instruments and effects over
recent years and the latest is Hive, a
soft synth thats designed to be light on
your CPU and easy to use even for
beginners. It comes in all major formats
for Mac and PC and will run on
operating systems that have been more
or less abandoned by most software, as
well as the latest versions of Mac OS X
and Windows.
Look and feel
Key Features
O 2 oscillators, 2
sub oscillators
O 3 synth engine
characters
O Up to 16x unison
per oscillator
O 2 multimode
filters
O Arpeggiator and
step sequencer
O 12-slot
modulation
matrix
O 7 effects
O Drag and drop
mod assignment
O MIDI learn
Although the synth looks quite busy, its

been designed to operate as far as
possible in a single window to cut down
on the need to open lots of separate
sections. Thanks to some clever
workow design, its rather easier to
navigate and work with than an initial
glance might suggest, and the colour
scheme is easy on the eye. At its heart
are two oscillators, each with a sub
oscillator and a full set of controls.
Oscillators can be set to mono, poly, duo
or legato modes, with up to 16 voices of
unison. The osc sections, like most
other parts of the synth, have dropdown
menus attached that give you access to
presets for each section. So its possible
to call up a preset for any section rather
than having to alter the whole
instrument using a master preset. This
is something thats being used more
often in soft synths, and its great from
a user perspective. You can, of course,
save section presets of your own too.
The synth engine has three
switchable characters: Normal, Dirty
and Clean, and after leaving the
oscillators, signal passes to the two
co tr s c b l c e by right clic in
on any parameter and choosing Lock.
This is really useful, as it means no
accidental altering of a parameter
youve spent ages getting right. Theres
also MIDI learn available to assign any
hardware to almost any control inside
the interface. Beneath the lters are
separate amp and mod envelope
sections, as well as LFOs all with
detailed yet easy-to-follow controls and
dropdown preset menus invaluable
for calling up your favourite settings.
The large central area is where you
can start to make things a little more
interesting. It has two main sections,
the rst of which is an arpeggiator and
sequencer. Punch in the note, velocity
and expression settings required, add
ties and alter the swing, attack and
direction, plus a bunch of other
parameters, and its easy to create cool
sequences in a couple of minutes. Its a
fun and friendly system for animating
your sounds, but also has plenty of
depth and options. The second part of
the central area concerns effects, and
there are seven that can be used at
once, and even dragged and dropped
into a different order to change the way
they interact. As elsewhere, this is easy
to follow, and each effect has its own
controls, with presets also available.
At the base of the synth is the
modulation matrix, and there are 12
slots available with two targets per slot.
You can choose parameters from a list,
open a preset or drag and drop from the
source slot to any compatible
destination inside the interface. So to
assign any slot, you just drag it to the
control you want to modulate. This kind
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common and it s very welcome here,

making assignment straightforward.
Hive mind?
For all Hives undeniable depth of
programming and tweaking
capabilities, its 2,700 presets are
excellent and you may well end up
using a lot of them as they stand. The
sheer number on offer means that in
addition to the kind of stuff you would
expect dubstep basses, trance leads,
acid sequences you get a fair amount
of stuff thats a bit more gentle:
shimmering pads, delicate arpeggios
and the like. Its probably geared more
towards heavy sounds, but its capable
of subtlety, too. And thanks to the
eminently approachable interface,
turning one sound into another isnt
difcult. Hive covers a great deal of
sonic territory and should nd a home
in almost any setup as a great go-to
synth for cutting-edge production. MT
MT Verdict
+ Good, friendly workow
+ Panel presets are very useful
+ Excellent preset patches in
many styles
+ Powerful arpeggiator
+ Flexible effects
+ Clever modulation assignment
+ Highly tweakable
+ Adaptable to different genres
- No VST3 version
A very solid and adaptable synth
for a range of electronic and other
styles of production. Great
workow and tons of presets.
9/10
| 89
MT Reviews TC Helicon Play Electric guitar and vocal effects pedal
WorldMags.net
Details
Price 289
Contact
www.tcelectronic.
com
KeyFeatures
O Complete vocal
path, including
tone, harmony,
HardTune,
reverb, double,
delay, mod and
transducer
O Global
adaptive EQ,
compression,
de-ess, gate &
pitch correction
O Vocal harmonies
using auto
chord detection
O Two voices of
harmony and
doubling
O TC Electronic
guitar effects
O Guitar and vocal
effects access/
edit buttons
O Guitar amp
emulations
O Separate vocal
and guitar
outputs or
stereo mix
O Different amp
settings per
preset or global
lockdown to one
O Low-noise
mic preamp
O VLOOP
performance
looper
O RoomSense
microphones
O Key/Scale
harmony mode
O Plug in and
practice with
your mobile
device via AUX
or stream tracks
and record
over USB
O USB for audio
streaming
O Compatible
with the MP75 Modern
Performance
Vocal
Microphone and
Sennheiser e 835
fx microphone
with Mic Control
O Optional
Switch-3 for
additional
control
TC HELICON
Play Electric guitar and

vocal effects pedal
Thisversatiledevicecombinesguitarprocessing,
ampmodellingandvocaleffects,andactsasyour
backingsinger.MarcusLeadleysackshisband
n the surface, this swishlooking silver oor unit, with

three stomp switches,
appears to be a bit of a niche
market product: a combined guitar and
vocal processor aimed at the solo
performer who wants to create a big
stage presence for even the smallest of
venues. Its an intriguing proposition,
however: armed with onboard amp and
stompbox modelling, vocal reverbs,
delays and auto-tune, and featuring an
auxiliary input for backing tracks, its
potentially the only device you need apart from a set of powered monitors,
a guitar, a mic and a stand.
One of its major selling points is that
it can create harmony vocals guided by
the guitar chords of the song youre
playing. The units been very carefully
thought out, so theres a lot of exibility.
You can output everything in mono (to a
practice amp for example), as a stereo
mix to a PA or recorder, or separate out
the guitar signal to mix independently
or to send to a monitor amp. You can
switch off the internal amp module and
incorporate your own amp if you wish.
As a result, its a potentially useful tool
90 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
for singer-songwriters or home

recordists looking for a quick way to
produce polished demos, and you can
record directly to your computer using
the USB connection. Vocals recorded on
a DAW can be sent to the Play Electric
via USB for processing in a live
benet of the intelligent harmony

effect. In general use, these mics can
also capture the atmosphere of the
venue and relay it to your in-ear
monitors and theres a footswitch that
puts the mic into talk mode so you can
communicate with your audience.
One of its major selling points

is that it can create harmony
vocals guided by guitar chords
situation. The USB connection also
facilitates connection to the
VoiceSupport app, which enables you to
access additional preset downloads
and complete rmware updates.
The Play Electric is also being
targeted at vocalists who want backing
vocals their band-mates cant deliver.
There are special features for this mode
of operation: the unit has a pair of
built-in room mics, which can sense
the key the bands playing in, so you
dont have to play yourself to get the
WorldMags.net
The Play Electrics controls are laid

out sensibly. Turning the unit on
automatically loads a preset bank with
177 options (plus one blank preset),
through which you can explore the
units potential before you start
adapting it for your own needs. The two
soft buttons to the left of the top panel
are labeled clearly Vocal FX and Guitar
FX. Pressing either automatically takes
you into the relevant operational
section. The Mix button gives you
control of all the relevant individual
WorldMags.net
WorldMags.net
MT Reviews TC Helicon Play Electric guitar and vocal effects pedal
WorldMags.net
output levels: Harmony, Main Output,
Delays/Reverbs, Headphones, Room
Sensing, Auxiliary Out and USB Input.
The left and right arrow keys let you
navigate through the different effect
options and the other soft buttons
function as parameter selectors.The
rotary adjusts levels and turns things
on and off. There are seven pages of
vocal effects: harmony, doubling, delay,
reverb, auto tune, transducer effects
(these make you sound as if youre
singing through an old radio or
megaphone) and a modulation page for
phasers and angers.There are ve
pages for guitars: amp models,
compressors, modulation effects
(chorus, tremolo, detune, etc), delay and
reverb.The unit also features a stereo
performance looper that can record
guitar, vocals or a mix of both, and
theres a built-in tuner, too.
All the units connections are located
on its back panel. The Mic input is an
XLR and the mic pre has a physical gain
control on the left side of the unit.
Theres phantom power, too, so you can
use dynamic or condenser mics. The
main Outs are also XLR, with 1/4-inch
jacks for guitar. As well as In and Out,
there is a Guitar Thru socket this is
were you connect to a separate amp.
The internal guitar sounds are muted
when this socket is in use.You connect
here, rather than going straight to the
amp, if you want the Play Electric to
read chord data. The auxiliary and
headphone sockets take 1/8-inch jacks,
and theres a pedal socket where you
can attach a TC Switch 3. The extra
buttons automatically map to the
looper controls: Rec, Play, Overdub;
Stop/Erase and Undo/Redo functions
which, otherwise, you access on the
main unit, using various combinations
of press and hold. You can also map
these buttons to other functions.
In use
The sound of the Play Electric is quite a
surprise, and the unit starts to deliver
as soon as you plug in a guitar and a
mic; the presets have already done a lot
of the work for you. At the heart of the
unit, you nd a range of TCs TonePrint
effects.These are the companys most
Infiniteinstruments
While the unit is designed to function with
guitar and voice,no ones dictating exactly
what you input.Hence you can input a mono
keyboard and mic any acoustic instrument.We
had fun creating some dense textures with a
DX7 and a saxophone and in this context,the
harmony potential can be used to fuse
performances together in interesting ways.
92 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
Alternatively
While the Play Electric is a very complete
solution for guitar and voice performance,
there are a number of competing products.
The Digitech Vocalist Live FX (135) is another
harmony and multi-effects processor. Theres
an auxiliary input with a gain control for guitar
or other instrument/source. For another
source of harmony and vocal effects, consider
the Boss VE-20 Vocal Performer (205). This
also has an onboard looper but no aux input.
Finally, how about the Line 6 POD HD500X
(369)? This is basically a guitar multi-effects
unit, but it also has a mic input and preamp.
recent algorithms, and they appear on

a wide range of products so youre not
just getting a budget custom set
designed for this particular device.
The presets are a varied bunch; even
the basic clean guitar patches seem to
feature an over-abundance of chorus or
echo effects, and there are way too
many anthemic rock monster options.
Many of the presets are named loosely
to indicate tracks you might want to
play with them. But tread carefully
unless you take requests and are
willing to perform Sultans Of Swing,
Enter Sandman or Where The Streets
Have No Name! To get to the core sound
of the unit, you will need to start turning
things off and begin editing straight
away.There are 20 amp models to
chose from and a further ve distortion
and acoustic settings. The amps cover
all the usual suspects remarkably well,
delivering both clean and dirty sounds.
Bypassing, adding and editing effects is
easy because the relatively restrained
feature set covers all the bases without
encouraging you to get lost in pages
of options.
Even if you dont consider yourself to
be a singer, the Play Electric is a lot of
fun. Its also clear that what youre able
to put in will pay dividends so a good
vocalist will sound awesome.The unit
can produce single or dual harmonies
and there are 28 permutations. Each is
represented by a slightly comedic
graphic, so you can for example
select the skinny woman with a crucix,
the chubby guy with a goatee or the
well-built diva. I particularly like the
doubling effect, as this thickens the
voice, giving it a real sense of presence
and there are 10 different presets to
choose from. However, the Robot, Drone
and Gender Bender(!) presets are
simply insane. And for the most part,
the vocal transducer presets can be
consigned to the same asylum. For me,
A wide range of TCs

TonePrint presets
enable you to dial in a
massive variety of
different tones
the auto tune makes a lot of difference.

Add some reverb and a well-chosen
delay and youll command the stage
with authority. Again, there are seven
presets that deliver more or less natural
interventions. To get the best out of the
harmony vocal effects, you need to
know when less is more. Used sparingly,
the results can be very effective.The
way the unit senses key is very clever; at
times, you feel like looking round to see
whos standing behind you singing.
To use the looper effectively, the TC
Switch-3 is a necessity. Without it, you
access loop mode and the various
functions by reassigning the bank up
and down switches, but this reduces
exibility elsewhere. As with most
performance-oriented loopers, you
cant save loops, as there are no
memory locations to create an archive.
However, you can play lead over a
rhythm loop or layer vocals with ease.
Importantly, theres an undo/redo
function to save your bacon! MT
MT Verdict
+ Ideal for solo guitar/vocal
performers who play in
small venues
+ Excellent sound quality
+ Great if your band-mates cant
sing harmonies
- Not so useful if you only perform
instrumentals
- or if the idea of synthesised
harmony vocals gives you
the shivers
The Play Electric is a well thoughtout device that can really
streamline amplied guitar and
vocal performance. It can also
provide a bands singer with
harmony support. And its a box
youll want to unpack when you get
back from the gig to aid your
songwriting and recording sessions.
Guitarists will nd the effects to be
well chosen and the amp models
good. The vocal processor creates
lush, professional results.
8/10
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MT Reviews IK Multimedia Amplitube 4
WorldMags.net
IK MULTIMEDIA
AmpliTube 4
UsingyouriPadasaguitarsuiteisnow
apopularwaytoperform.HollinJones
testsoutAmpliTube4
K has spent the last couple of years

creating iOS versions of some of its
desktop audio processing
applications, which makes sense
given how many iOS input devices, such
as MIDI keyboards and guitar interfaces
the company also makes. AmpliTube 4
is a re-engineered version of the guitar
suite that runs on recent iOS devices
and uses DSP from the desktop version,
improving the sound quality. Somewhat
confusingly, there are two versions of
AmpliTube 4, for iPad and for iPhone/
iPod Touch. While functionally identical,
these are separate and identicallypriced purchases, which is a bit of a
shame since you might hope that
buying one would give you access to it
on both sizes of device, as is sometimes
the case. In-app purchases are shared
between versions, which is a plus.
Details
On the tube
Your initial purchase gets you the base
set of processors; and the interface has
been rened and looks great.There are
four guitar amps and one bass, with
matching cabs that can be mixed. Four
pre-amp and two post- effect slots are
available, with a decent selection of
stompboxes to drop into them. Amps
and effects can be modied by dragging
with your nger, and its also possible to
connect MIDI controllers such as IKs
BlueBoard or a generic MIDI controller
via a MIDI interface.
MIDI learn is supported for important
parameters such as recording,
changing presets, looping and
activating the tuner all of which are
handy for using the app in a live setting,
so you dont have to keep ddling with
your iPad. Although the app can
obviously use your devices onboard mic
for input and speakers for output,
realistically youre going to want to add
a more robust way of getting sound in
94 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
Kit AmpliTube 4
Manufacturer IK
Multimedia
Price 14.99, in-app
purchases
Distributor
IK Multimedia
Contact Via website
Web www.
ikmultimedia.com
System requirements
iOS 7.1
KeyFeatures
O More than 100
pieces of gear
O Cab room with
mic placement
O Mix and match
amps, cabs,
effects and mics
O Loop Drummer
O Song player
O Looper
O MIDI control
O Multitrack
recorder
O Configurable
latency
and out. This might be one of IKs

solutions, such as the iRig, or one of the
increasing number of small desktop
interfaces that now have combined
Mac, PC and iOS compatibility. Even
newer to the market are systems such
as Music IO that enable you to
incorporate your iOS devices much
more easily into your desktop DAW, say
for processing regular tracks using
effects running on the iPad.
There are some handy features
included with your initial purchase
a tuner; an audio player that can import
songs over Wi-Fi, le sharing or from
your onboard music library with looping
and variable speed playback for
jamming or rehearsal; and the Loop
Drummer feature, which can play back
preset beats with lls and variations,
for you to jam along to. A single-track
recorder is also supplied, as well as
a choice of two virtual mics in the cab
room. So your basic purchase gives you
a decent selection of processors and
the ability to rehearse, tune and play
along to loops, with a single track of
recording available.
Added extras
There is a lot more functionality, but
most of it is found in in-app purchases.
There are ranges of additional effects,
amps, cabs and mics that can be
added, though each requires an
individual or bundle payment. These
range from a couple of quid up to 40
for everything, including the multitrack
recorder. This isnt new, though
disappointingly one of the much-touted
new features the ability to move your
virtual mic around and add a second for
stereo processing, is an extra. Paying
7.99 just to be able to move two virtual
mics around feels like pushing the
boundaries of what users will want to
spend. If you plan on buying more than
WorldMags.net
half the extras, you may as well go for

the total bundle and add the lot. That
would take your spend to 55 which, as
good as this app is, is a little steep for
an iPad app. For the sake of balance,
there is a free version available too,
though its functionality is more limited.
Amped up?
AmpliTube 4 is a great app, and sounds
authentic and powerful. It also has
some great features such as MIDI
control, the song player, looper and
drum accompaniment. Add a decent
method for getting sound in and out of
your device and its an excellent way to
have a guitar setup at your ngertips.
The design feels slick and responsive,
although at the moment theres a bit too
much hidden behind paywalls. The
economics of app development mean
paying for extras is commonplace. It
would have been nice, though, if IK
Multimedia had thrown in a few more
things as standard, particularly the mic
placement feature. MT
MT Verdict
+ Sounds great
+ New look feels slick
and responsive
+ Jam along with songs you load
+ MIDI control is good
+ Congurable app setup
+ Drag and drop of stompboxes
is helpful
+ Looper is handy
- Too much stuff hidden behind
in-app purchases
- Buying all extra content makes it
expensive for an iOS app
- No mic positioning with the
standard purchase
A great-sounding guitar app that
will give you amazing tone, though
theres a lot that costs extra.
7/10
WorldMags.net
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On sale now 8.99 with free DVD. Digital version 5.99.

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ProjectSAM Swing! Reviews MT
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Alternatives
Theres nothing else around at present to
match the eclectic mix of light-hearted jazzy
instruments and ensembles offered by Swing!
Garritans Jazz & Big Band is perhaps the
closest match for ease of use, with an
abundance of ensembles and solo
instruments suitable for light jazzy scoring,
but its nowhere near as stylised.
Playing ranges are somewhat

restricted, too, and frustration soon
crept in when we couldnt play the next
note in our mental melody line because
it was just out of range. That said, in our
experience, restriction is often an
advantage a route to creativity, and
Swing! is perfect in that respect. Go
with the ow, dont ght it and the
results will be excellent.
PROJECTSAM
Swing!
Choose your style
Lookingforalight-hearted,jazzy approach to
filmscoring?Youllfinditinthis new library.
KeithGemmellgetsintohisswing
Details
Kit Swing! - The Jazzy
Film Scoring Library
Publisher ProjectSAM
Price 1,249
Contact
Via website
Web
www.projectsam.com
Minimum System
Requirements
Minimum Kontakt
version: 5.4.2
Mac: OS X 10.8
or higher
PC: Windows 7 or 8
Key Features
O Big band
ensemble
articulations
O Brass section:
mutes and solo
instruments
O Sax ensemble
articulations
O Guitars, basses
and jazz drums
O Tempo sync
guitar and drum
grooves
O Script switches
intelligently to
half or double
tempo
O On-screen
velocity and
modwheel
mapping
ention the term cinematic

sampling to most
musicians and blockbuster
trailer music or scores such
as the Batman series spring to mind.
What about the gentler styles of music,
though, required for many other score
types, such as dramas, comedies,
nostalgia, lm noir or childrens lms
not to mention music for games?
These genres are often neglected by
sample library developers. ProjectSAM,
an innovator of ensemble-style
cinematic sampling, has produced its
fair share of the heavy stuff in the past,
but has redressed the balance with this
latest offering, Swing! a jazzy lm
scoring library. It runs in Kontakt 5.4.2
and up and the free Kontakt Player.
Recorded in two different locations
(the concert hall used for Symphobia
and a studio environment), Swing is
divided into two main sections: a
comprehensive collection of big band
ensembles and lead instruments, plus
17 multis in various styles, ranging from
light Hawaiian and Parisian music to
heavier West Side Story-type swing.
Swing low
Swing! encompasses an eclectic
mixture of instruments and ensembles.
Notable patches, for example, are as
diverse as a jolly lap steel guitar and
a couple of deep and moody low
ensembles featuring trombones and
a contrabassoon - very lm noir. Theres
also a juicy big band legato, an
evocative gypsy guitar and a clutch of

big band ensembles, complete with sax
and brass sections. The saxophones,
however, were recorded as ensembles
only with no solo instruments. The
brass, too, is strong on ensembles, but
does contain some muted solo
trumpets and trombones.
In keeping with the playful feel of
much of this library, the rhythm section
is necessarily lightweight, featuring
acoustic guitars and ukeleles. Note the
lack of a piano (apart from a toy one for
lead work). Its just not needed. Double
basses, Fender basses and three
percussion sets underpin the
strummers a useful GM drum kit and
another containing some excellent
snare brush lls, cymbal rolls and
ams. The third one is devoted to
nger snaps.
The interface is excellent minimal
on the surface, but with an impressive
variety of controllable features
accessed using the keyboard, velocity
range and modwheel. The coloured
keyboard ranges are self explanatory,
but the modwheel and velocity controls
are more complex controlling, as they
do, many different features such as
staccatos, mutes, vibrato, slides and
so on. Its no big deal once you get used
to it, but some patches are tricky to play
accurately in real-time without a fair bit
of velocity curve editing, either in the
software itself, on the keyboard
controller or within the DAW that youre
working with.
WorldMags.net
The multis are intriguing, each designed

for a specic musical context or genre,
with titles such as A Game Of Chess,
Aloha, Django, Opening Night, Tango
Shoes and Trench Coat. Inspiration is
the priority here, and the imaginative
instrument combinations on offer
should enable you to make light work of
creative composition.
While its entitled Swing!, this is in no
way a heavy big band library, although
its possible to produce that type of
music to a certain extent. Its much
lighter than that, and really rather
playful with a healthy mixture of light
jazz swing and lively big band
ensembles, some containing the
seemingly bizarre combination of
gentle ukeleles and screaming high
trumpets. In theory, that shouldnt work,
but somehow it does - and sounds
quite brilliant as a result.
Despite its slightly restrictive
features, this a special library, totally
unique and highly recommended to
musicians who like producing music
with a lighter touch for lms, games
and commercials. MT
MT Verdict
+ Light-hearted feel
+ Sounds blend well
+ Very stylised in a good way
+ Highly controllable
- Range restrictions
- Limited solo instruments
- Tricky velocity control
Swing! is a brilliant library, thats
totally unique with a light-hearted
mix of styles for jazzy lm scores
- enjoyable to work with and a very
creative tool.
9/10
| 97
MT Reviews Elysia Nvelope dynamics processor and EQ
WorldMags.net
ELYSIA
Nvelope dynamics
processor and EQ
RubenTilgnerfollowsuphis1990sSPLTransient
Designerprocessor,addingnewfrequency
controls.JohnPickfordteststhislatestversion
e tend to think of
dynamics processing in
terms of compressing and
limiting; however, Elysias
Nvelope is designed to shape the attack
and sustain characteristics of audio
that is fed through it.The concept isnt
entirely new, although the technology is
certainly a lot younger than that
employed by more traditional dynamics
processors. Elysias Ruben Tilgner, the
inventor of the differential envelope
principle, designed the SPL Transient
Designer back in the 1990s and has
now taken the concept a step further
with the Nvelope.
The original Transient Designer was
quite basic (although powerful) in its
operation, providing two controls per
channel: one to alter the attack
response, the other to adjust sustain.
The Nvelope still offers this quick and
easy method of shaping sound by
altering its impulse structure, but now
also provides frequency controls to
shape the precise frequency point at
which this shaping occurs.
A by-product of these frequency
controls is that when the dynamic
response processors are removed from
the signal path, the unit can be used as
a high/low-end shelf equaliser. In
addition, when processing mono
signals, one channel can be used for
impulse shaping simultaneously, with
the other channel providing EQ to the
same signal. Alternatively, as the
Nvelope is a dual-mono device, two
separate signals can be processed in
98 | September 2015
MAGAZINE
Details
Price 898.80 inc VAT
Contact Unity Audio
01799 520786
Web
www.unityaudio.co.uk
any one of the units operating modes.

While the Nvelope can be used with any
kind of audio signal, including complex
groups of instruments or complete
mixes, its primary strength is its ability
to tailor the sound of percussive
sounds. Drum kits can be altered to
sound more bitingly aggressive by
increasing the attack response,
bringing out the crack of snare drums,
while dialling out some of the sustain
tightens up booming kick drums or
ringing toms.
be selected in Dual Band mode, while in

EQ mode the same pot becomes the
frequency selector for the high shelf EQ
lter. The Sustain controls behave in a
similar way, either tailoring the length of
a signals sustain or providing low-end
shelf EQ control.
Explaining the various operating
modes of the Nvelope at length might
lead one to think the unit is complicated
and confusing to use. However, most
users will nd that after a short time
getting to grips with it, the Nvelope
While the Nvelope can be used

withany audio signal, its primary
strength is percussive sounds
Sonic shaping
KeyFeatures
O Discrete Class
A topology
O Versatile
operating modes
O High grade
internal
components
O Solid aluminium
knobs
Unlike compressors, which rely on

signal levels to determine the onset of
processing, the Nvelope performs its
sonic shaping regardless of audio level,
so there are no threshold controls to
worry about.The front-panel controls
operate accordingly with the mode of
operation selected; so, for example, the
Attack control emphasises or reduces
the attack response of signals in
Full-Range or Dual Band mode, while in
EQ mode it becomes the shelving boost
or cut control of the selected high
frequency. Similarly, the Freq A
(frequency attack) control allows the
start frequency for attack processing to
WorldMags.net
becomes quite intuitive in its versatility;

in many ways, its easier to operate than
some compressors. Similarly, while the
equaliser is not a forensic tool, it does
offer a good degree of general tone
enhancement that sounds instinctively
right in a musical way.
Use is further eased by an Auto Gain
switch that eliminates distortion or
clipping that may occur when attackresponse processing causes leaps in
signal level. A Stereo Link switch allows
the units left channel pots and
switches to become master controls
when working with stereo signals.
We began our test of the Nvelopes
audio shaping abilities by running a
Elysia Nvelope dynamics processor and EQ Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
Alternatives
The SPL Transient Designer 2 (355) is a
single-channel unit that offers the basic
impulse shaping of the Nvelope, but lacks the
EQ controls and exible recongurability of
the dual-channel unit.
stereo drum mix through the unit in

Full-Range mode with the Stereo Link
switch engaged. By making use of the
Attack and Sustain controls, it was
possible to transform the sound of the
kit in several contrasting ways. One
minute, our kit sounded close, tight and
punchy as we reduced the sustain (and
therefore ambience); the next, it was a
thunderous, booming monster of a kit,
with the increased sustain sounding
like John Bonham bashing away in a
cathedral. The Freq A control was
employed here, acting like a high-pass
lter to prevent the low-end response
from becoming too wayward. It was
extraordinary to hear how a quite
ordinary drum sound could be
processed to deliver such dramatically
different results. It was easy to create
those big, phat beats so beloved of
hip-hop producers, then transform the
sound into the short, muted tones that
work so well in drum and bass. It wasnt
all about wildly affecting the original

sound, though (although it was fun!),
and we were able to subtly but usefully
ne-tune our original kit sound by
sharpening the leading edges while
adding some body and bringing out the
room ambience.
We were also able to rescue a
double-tracked electric guitar part that
might otherwise have had to be
re-recorded. The part was a chiming riff
that the guitarist had played with a 10p
coin instead of a plectrum.The metallic
attack of each pluck masked the ringing
body of the note. A compressor with a
fast attack time might have tamed the
initial transients to a certain degree, but
the Nvelope sorted out the problem
perfectly, restoring the sonorous
chiming sound without the clangorous
effect of metal on metal. Dual Band
mode was employed for this piece of
corrective surgery, and we made use of
the Freq A control to individually shape
each pass, further enhancing the stereo
effect when panned hard.
Theres no denying that the Nvelope
is an incredibly powerful and versatile
tool. Not only can it subtly shape
decently recorded material both
individual sounds and nal mixes but
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Distributed by SCV Distribution: Call 03301 222500 for your nearest dealer
also rescue sub-standard recordings by

altering the transient response. And
with its discrete design, excellent build
and modern looks, Elysia has created a
product that stands out from the vast
amount of me too retro-look products
that dominate the pro-audio hardware
market these days. The Nvelope is an
extremely useful piece of kit. MT
MT Verdict
+ Powerful transient shaping
+ Flexible parameters
and conguration
+ Sweet-sounding shelf EQ
+ Fully discrete Class A design
+ Intuitive to use
- No metering
The Nvelope is a refreshing addition
to the world of pro-audio hardware.
Its abilities as an impulse shaper
are second to none, and the shelf
equaliser is sweet and musical. The
various ways that the unit can be
congured stereo, dual-mono or
processing a mono source through
both channels make it a hugely
versatile processing tool.
Highly recommended.
9/10
MT Mini Reviews
WorldMags.net
Sennheiser
ClipMic Digital
Manufacturer Sennheiser
Price 178.80
Contact via website
Web http://en-uk.sennheiser.com
echnology has opened the

doors to many to make music.
But it has also made it possible
for people in the 21st century to
be or pretend to be all kinds of other
people theyd only dreamed of before.
The internet has made us critics of lm,
TV and video games (and just about
everything else, come to think of it);
mobile phones have made us all
photographers; and social media
networks have made it possible to
make contact with and interview our
icons. And without wishing to sound too
paranoid, those latter two mean that
anyone can now be a journalist*.
Yes, with a decent mobile device you
can not only record anyone and
anything, but also video them. Your iOS
device can now record any event even
help you create a music video if you
Key Features
O Clip mic features
Sennheiser
ME2 capsule
OApogee
PureDigital A/D
converter
O Mic, clip, wind
shield, carry pouch
O Lightning
connector
O Requires iOS 8
want. But the rst thing that any

budding journalist or videographer falls
down on is the sound a decent mic is
needed. Usually, these are so large that
they negate the point of mobile, often
being weightier or bulkier than the
device you are recording with.
Enter the Sennheiser ClipMic digital
to be, as the company says, your entry
into the professional league for mobile
recording with iOS devices.
For the very specic price of
178.80, you dont feel as if you are
getting a lot its a clip mic and it feels
as though it weighs less than the

packaging. But dont let that deceive
you, as it uses an Apogee 24-bit/96 kHz
A/D convertor and features a
Sennheiser ME 2 capsule. You also get
a version of the Metarecorder app
(although there are many other free
ones available).
The omnidirectional mic results in
a sound for your iOS device far better
than weve been able to use at shows
such as NAMM and Frankfurt shows
that have destroyed our videos in the
past with such high background noise
so well denitely be taking this on our
next trip. ClipMic Digital makes the
process of getting audio into your
device simple, elegant and nononsense. Its not cheap but, hey kids,
think of all the money your new career
could make you.** MT
* Not anyone can be a journalist, dont
take our jobs. ** Theres none to be
made in journalism, honest.
MT Verdict
Unobtrusive, high-quality mic that
will bolster your audio quality and
give you pro results.
9/10
Unlocking
Creativity
IK Multimedia
iRig Mic Studio
Publisher Hal Leonard Books
Manufacturer IK Multimedia
Price $24.99
Price 127.92
Contact via website
Contact via website
Web www.halleonardbooks.com
Web www.ikmultimedia.com
n unusual book on many

levels, as record producer
Michael Beinhorn attempts
to outline some key points on how
to unlock the creativity of artists
working on collaborative projects.
As a producer who has worked on
many notable recordings, with
artists including Red Hot Chili
Peppers, Ozzy Osbourne,
Soundgarden and more, youd
think Beinhorn would have the
experience to comment. Certainly,
the chapters on communication,
creativity and roles are an
insightful read, even though he
goes down a few kids today, eh?
blind alleys. You also get the
impression that bringing out the
creativity in an artist might well be
down simply to getting on with
them, giving them space to shine
100 | September 2015
A
and maybe challenging them a bit,
but that would make a very short
book. Otherwise, this is a great
insight into how wide a record
producers role is these days. MT
MAGAZINE
MT Verdict
A little clinical and list-heavy,
but Beinhorn makes some
valid points. You might not
agree with all of them, but its
a good read nonetheless.
7/10
nother mic dedicated to

mobile devices so the intro
to the above review applies
again although this is aimed
more at musicians and less at the
practical do-it-all mobile market.
You get a weighty, full-bodied mic
and connections for every device,
including Android (with which we
tested it). The mic works very well
in plug n play fashion, recording
effortlessly within seconds of
unboxing. The headphone adaptor
and level meters are great
features as is the stand mount.
Wed pick the Sennheiser for
portability and converter quality,
but the iRig Mic Studio is a great
package with everything included
for every mobile device not just
iOS and a good mobile offering
to take from studio to studio. MT
WorldMags.net
Key Features
O Largediaphragm
capsule mic
O Includes
Lightning,
Micro-USB OTG
and USB cables
O 24-bit/
44.1/48Khz
sampling rate
OHeadphone
output
OColour LED
OPortable
tripod stand
MT Verdict
A great package to up your
phone and tablet recording
quality. Good price and for
Android users, too.
8/10
Mini Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
Shure
SRH1540
Manufacturer Shure
Price 399
Contact via website
Web www.shure.co.uk
Key Features
O Closed-back
premium
headphones
O Driver: 40mm
O Impedance:
46 ohms
O Frequency res:
5Hz-25kHz
O Two cables,
pads and case
included
O Weight: 286g
black/grey shimmering nish. With

what feels like double padding on the
earpieces and a layer of useful headed
padding on each of the two headbands,
they certainly t your head well, and
comfort is exceptional. Luckily, all this
extra padding doesnt come with any
extra weight. At just 286g, they come in
at less than our standard reference
headphones, and while you might not
consider it an important point, over very
long periods of mixing you will start to
appreciate light weight in your phones
(or at least start to curse the heavier
ones).The headband expansion
necessary for our big heads is of the
smoother, continuous type, rather than
MT Verdict
They might be the most expensive
phones in the SRH range, but they
sound amazing and feel like the
aural equivalent of an angel
massaging your earlobes.
9/10
Tiny Thunder Audio
ere playing catch-up a

little on headphones at
the moment, as so many
are getting released. They
are coming out in all shapes and sizes,
but many are seemingly aimed directly
at the studio producer, so were
ploughing through as many as possible.
And were certainly glad that these
top-end premium ones from Shure
didnt slip through the net
At 399, they sit at the top end of
Shures SRH range, which the company
says delivers headphones for
professional and audiophile
applications. Its a range that covers all
bases price-wise, starting with phones
costing just 39.
The 1540s are certainly distinctive in
looks with large, oval earpieces,
complete with a shiny and attractive
set positions always welcome.

Sound-wise, there is little to fault the
1540s. We were thrown instantly into
the mixes we were listening to always
the rst sign of a great set of phones.
Like good monitors, you can almost look
around you within the sound eld and
choose parts of the mix to tweak and
tailor. With these phones, that
experience was greater than many
weve experienced in a long time.
Compared to our reference ATs, they
are a little fuller and wider, but only a
little, and slightly coloured in the lows
(again, only a tiny amount), which
actually makes listening over long
periods easier. In fact, theyre ideal for
just such sessions, being exceptionally
comfy, and sounding incredible. They
might be expensive, but after a few
hours mulling over a particularly
awkward mix, youll thank us. MT
You say
Control Freak
like its a bad thing.
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+44 (0) 20 7558 8976
| 101
WorldMags.net
AMP1
Manufacturer BluGuitar
Price 485
Contact JHS 01132 865381
Web
www.bluguitar.com/english/AMP1.html
Key Features
O 100 watts of
guitar power
O 4 independent
channels
O Pedal format
design
O Live, studio
and practice
applications
he AMP1 is an unusual
analogue guitar amp in pedal
format. It features four
independent voice channels
and a 100-watt class-D power amp at
the core of which is a Russian
sub-miniature vacuum tube. This is
where you want your thermionics if
youre looking for authentic valve-style
character, punch and assertiveness.
You can run the AMP1 into any cab, go
direct to the desk or simply practise
using headphones. And its small

enough to take anywhere. While the
voice channels: Clean, Vintage, Classic
and Modern, arent modelled on
specic amps, the rst three deliver
Fender-ish, Vox-ish and Marshall-ish
characteristics respectively. Modern is
designed for the high-gain metal arena.
As well as the necessary ins/outs,
theres an effects send/return and a
remote port this can be converted to
a MIDI port with a proprietary cable. The
units top panel features Master
Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble and
Reverb. There are globals and theres
a separate clean channel Volume, and
Gain and Master controls for the other
channels which have their own
selector. Independent tweaks to
channel tone and volume can be made
using the mini preset controls on the
units left-hand side. Here, youll also
nd a control for the Boost level, series/
parallel effect loop switching and a
noise gate. Channel switching is easy:
the left-hand tromp switch toggles you
between clean and whichever
Apogee
Groove
Manufacturer Apogee
Price 249
Contact Sonic Distribution
0845 500 2500
Web www.apogeedigital.com
he Apogee Groove is a small

USB headphone amp aimed at
bringing studio-quality audio to
your laptop listening on the go.
The interface itself is barely bigger than
a packet of chewing gum, and while
lightweight, the Groove is built of
aluminium and has a solid feel. For
convenience when carrying the Groove,
it comes with a small carry pouch,
thats big enough for both the Groove
and the supplied USB cable. The Groove
packs four ESS Sabre DACs into each of
its channels, to achieve a dynamic
range of 117dB and incredibly low
distortion characteristics.
Groove connects to your Mac or PC
via USB, drawing power through the
USB connection. Three LEDs on the top
of the device provide quick visual
feedback for level indication. There are
MAGAZINE
Key Features
O USB 2.0
O 24-bit /
192kHz audio
O Eight ESS
Sabre DACs
O 3.5mm
headphone jack
O 10Hz-20kHz
frequency
response
(+/-0.2dB)
WorldMags.net
secondary channel youve selected. The

middle switch activates the boost, and
the third is reverb on/off. The unit can
be recongured so that each switch
gives you a specic amp sound. Adding
the Remote1 controller creates a
further 36 memory locations.
The AMP1 sounds great right
across the palate of available sounds.
Theres plenty of clarity and denition
when you need it, and a totally
customisable range of top-quality
overdrive sounds. With a cab
connected, theres a noticeable change
of tone colour in the headphones
(a little less mid and a bit more bite)
because of the power amps reaction to
the current feedback. Different
speakers and arrays inevitably have an
effect on the overall sound, but this can
be tailored to personal choice.
Considering its diminutive footprint, the
AMP1 can get extremely loud! MT
MT Verdict
BluGuitars Amp1 delivers a good
range and quality of tones and with
great customisation. A big sound
from a small box
8/10
only two buttons: volume up and
volume down. A mini-jack port at the
opposite side to the USB port provides
a connection to your headphones.
Sound-wise, the Groove is a
considerable improvement over the
headphone port on our MacBook; the
response is clean and clear without any
articial enhancement a
disappointing feature found on far too
many PC laptops. Transients are
detailed and the low-end tracking is
excellent. We compared a mix using our
Lynx Aurora converters through the
headphone amp in our MunroSonic Egg
amplier (a 4,000 chain) to the Groove,
and were very impressed with the
Groove which had perhaps a little
sweetness in the upper mid-range
when compared to our studio chain.
If you nd yourself frequently editing
audio on the move, or you simply want
better audio quality from your system,
the Groove has to be worth a listen. MT
MT Verdict
A great-sounding, lightweight
headphone amp and DAC. The
Groove will make editing audio on
the move a pleasure.
9/10
Mini Reviews MT
WorldMags.net
Dub & Reggae

Sirens
Key Features
O 254 analogue
and digital dub
siren effects
O 514MB of
24-bit audio
O Includes the
NJD Siren and
Roots TS1 MK2
O Nine sampler
patches for
EXS24, HALion,
Kontakt,
NN-XT, SFZ
Publisher Loopmasters
Price 8.95
Contact info@loopmasters.com
Web www.loopmasters.com
his new sample pack from

Loopmasters does exactly
what it says on the cover. It
simply sets to be the denitive
collection of dub sirens, with 87 of
the most common siren sounds
provided raw so that you can add
your own effects, and several
folders that have been processed
through an array of analogue and
digital delays and effect boxes.
Both the classic NJD siren (40
sounds included), and more
versatile Roots TS1 MK2 (74
sounds included) are present,
alongside a variety of synths
including the Moog Voyager, Pro
One, Elektron Analog Keys, and
Korg Kaossilator, plus you get
some real foghorns and air sirens
thrown in for good measure. There
more rounded collection. At the

time of writing the collection is in
a sale making what is already a
bargain an even more excellentvalue pack. MT
are also a handful of bonus
effects sounds and seven sampler
patches, so that you can easily
play all the sounds.
In total you get over 250
different siren effects which vary
more broadly than you might
initially think. The Moog-based
ones are perhaps not surprisingly
deep and squelchy, while the
circuit bent and 8-bit collections
The Fundamentals
Of Mixing
Contact via website
Web www.groove3.com
lthough the techniques

used for mixing different
genres can vary greatly, the
fundamental processes remain
the same. Groove 3 and mixing
expert Brock Jon have teamed up
for a new tutorial that looks at
mixing a pop-rock track using
nothing but Cubase and an array
of Softube plug-ins, including the
FET Compressor, Summit Audio
Grand Channel, Tube-Tech Classic
Channel, Mutronics Mutator and
TSAR-1 Reverb. There are 10
chapters in total, across 133
minutes, which begin with setting
up the project and balancing the
levels and pan for each track.
Subsequent chapters go into
detail on the drums, bass, guitars,
keyboards and vocals, before
are both a little more esoteric.

Overall, though, theres a
surprising amount of variety here,
from in-your-face chirps to
distant wails, and the Dub Beams
and Alien Chatters are both
surprisingly usable. With both of
your classic sirens well
represented and the added
effects you couldnt really ask for a
A thorough and versatile

collection of excellent
analogue and digital-sounding
dub sounds thats an essential
purchase for anyone looking
for warm-sounding effects. It
really does do what it says on
the packet and is the
denitive set of dub sirens.
9/10
Ambient Black
Publisher Big Fish Audio
Price 139
Publisher Groove 3
Price $30 (download)
$15 (stream entire site)
MT Verdict
Contact +44(0)1837 55200
Key Features
Web www.timespace.com
O Tutorial on
mixing a poprock track
O 10 chapters
O Uses Cubase
and Softube
plug-ins
O Watch online,
download
or stream
adding reverb as the icing on the

cake. Throughout, Jon explains
what hes doing and why, and
proves that you can achieve a lot
with a mix, using very few tools
and plug-ins. MT
MT Verdict
This is a concise, well-planned
and well-written tutorial that
throws in lots of useful Cubase
short cuts and tips, alongside
a solid method on which to
build the foundation of your
mixing techniques.
9/10
mbient Black, from Big Fish

Audio, is the sister library to
Ambient White, and focuses
on aggressive, atonal and
industrial sounds for ambient
music. The instrument loads into
Kontakt 5 or the Kontakt 5 Player,
and contains 6.5GB of audio and
280 patches, including
thunderous basses; unsettling
drones and atmospheres; epic,
distorted percussive and melodic
instruments; and looped rhythms
and terrifying effects. Various
organic sound sources and found
sounds were used, alongside
synths and prepared instruments,
which were then pushed with
extreme sound design techniques.
You dont get much control over
the patches, with sliders for
distortion, lo-, limiter, EQ, reverb
and delay, but the sounds are
extremely well designed. MT
WorldMags.net
Key Features
O Dark and
industrial
sounds
O Over 6.5GB of
uncompressed
Wav audio
O Loads into
Kontakt 5 or the
Kontakt 5 Player
O Over 280
instrument
patches
O Organic and
electronic
sound sources
MT Verdict
Although lacking slightly in
editing exibility, this is an
incredibly well-produced
collection of terrifying and
unsettling sounds that would
be an excellent toolkit for
anyone working on dark music
or media projects.
8/10
| 103
su
bs U
cr S
ip A
tio
n
of
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r!
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Six of the best Buyers Guide MT
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Six of the best

Hardware
Software
Mobile Tech
Details
Price 229
Contact AIAIAI
+45 35 34 63 54
Web aiaiai.dk
Accessories
WelcometotheMusicTech Buyers Guide,whereweroundup

someofthebestproductsreviewedinMusicTech.Thismonth,
welookatsomeoftherecentandnotsorecentheadphones
wevetested
BEST All-rounders
AudioTechnicaAT-M70
Details
Price 299
Contact
Audio Technica
0113 277 1441
Web
eu.audiotechnica.com/en
ang for buck, it was hard to

beat our previous reference
phones, the Audio Technica
AT-M50s, but then along came
the AT-M70s. At 299, they are not the
cheapest on offer here but probably the
best all-rounders. Reviewer Andy Jones
said:Because of the extra frequency
response on the M70s, I expected
more bass, but actually the opposite is
true. If anything, there is now a
noticeable clarity of the bass on
the 70s compared to the 50s. Its
not muddy, but more dened,
perhaps more accurate on
dance music, and atter. The
M70s are accurate and great
for long sessions not a
common combination so perfect
for mixing.The best just got better.
BEST Marmite
Details
Telefunken
EA THP-29
ou will either absolutely love the

look and feel of these or you will,
like some in our ofce, not. But
theres no denying the sound
and comfort of Telefunkens latest and
who cares what they look like when you
are wearing them? Reviewer Andy Jones
said: I have no difculty recommending
them. Sure, I have reservations about
the plastic band but its exibility
probably helps the isolation and some
Price 129.60
Contact
Unity Audio
01799 520786
Web
www.telefunkenelektroakustik.com
BEST DIY
AIAIAI
TMA-2
Modular
gnore the Modular bit. The big

draw with these phones is the fact
that you can choose your bits and
construct them yourself (and be
tempted by combos that certain
producers use). But your best bet is to
choose the Studio ones that we tested,
and which sound great, rather than risk
making your own. Reviewer Andy Jones
said:As much as we like the concept
of building and choosing your own
components, for studio use that
concept gets in the way of what are a
great set of phones.Just go Studio
and youll be ne
may not agree with me about the Art

Deco design, but if Im wearing them,
theyre comfortable and, more
importantly, they sound great, then
theyre winners to my ears. For the cash,
then, theres little to beat them. Plastik
Fantastik! Like monitors, you need two
pairs of phones for mixing: one for
comfort and long sessions, and one for
accuracy.There are few headphones
that do the rst job better than these.
WorldMags.net
| 105
MT Buyers Guide Six of the best
WorldMags.net
BEST Flatness
AudezeEL-8
t the best part of 600, these

are among the most
expensive headphones
around, but like good
monitors they sound as at as a
pancake. Almost too at, as reviewer
Andy Jones said:What this means is
that for a pure listening experience
some may nd it a little underwhelming.
I compare it to the rst time I used truly
at monitors. I thought they werent as
good as my cheaper ones, simply
because they werent enhanced, so
sounded a little lifeless. But for lifeless

in mixing terms, read useful, because
you will hear all the nooks and crannies
of your mix, and there is a space around
these that will enable some detailed
meddling of it. You might not want to
mix on the EL-8s for hours on end, but
also like good, really at monitors, youll
end up with better mixes at the end of
your sessions. He concluded: Those
after enhancements and a more joyful,
but dishonest listen, might need to
aim lower.
Details
Price 599
Contact Scan
01204 474747
Web
www.scan.co.uk
BEST Budget
M-Audio HDH50
Details
Price 106.80
Contact
InMusic,
01252 896040
Web
www.m-audio.com
hese are (just about) the

cheapest phones on offer here.
Like monitors, we normally say
go for the most expensive set
you can, but if you really are pushed,
these phones will do a decent enough
job. They were also compared to a set
of cheaper M-Audios, reviewed in the

same issue, and we concluded that
they are denitely worth the extra 70,
saying: At 120, the HDH50s are a
good buy, and offer a better mix
experience and range than their
cheaper brother.
Youwillhear the nooks and crannies and, like a

goodpairofreally flat monitors, youll end up with
bettermixes at the end of your sessions
BEST Price v quality
Shure
SRH940
hese are standouts from Shures

SRH headphone range the
latest of which is reviewed in
this issue. At 179, they are
probably the best value in that range,
versus the features and sound you get.
The frequency range traverses 5Hz to
35kHz, and at 322g they are light
enough to remain comfortable for long
106 September 2015
MAGAZINE
Details
Price 179
Contact Shure
via website
Web www.shure.co.uk
listening sessions; sound-quality wise,

they t the bill too. While not as
all-encompassing as some of the
higher-priced ones here, they do offer a
comfort v sound factor which is right up
there with the best. Good value, good
sound and isolation, plus great
comfort. A very solid set of reference
phones for various mixing situations.
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MT Feature 6 ways tosave time
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01
MT Feature 6 Ways To
6 WAYS TO SAVE TIME

Its a new MT series of fast studio solutions. Time is money, and
recording music can take a lot of time. RobBoffard has six tips to
make things quicker and more efcient in the studio
aking music takes a lot more time than

you think. You can start a session with the
best of intentions, ready to do your thing
as an ultra-efficient, switched-on,
damn-near-cyborg-level producer and
the next thing you know its dark outside and your bills
are overdue and the damn track still isnt finished.
Fortunately, there are a few ways to make your music
more efficient, and to save you a huge amount of time.
Here are six sure-fire studio time savers
01
Take breaks
You want to know what the most important part of a

Formula One car is? Its not the accelerator, the tyres, or
the millions of tiny buttons on the steering wheel. Its
the brakes. If a driver cant slow down to take a corner,
hes never going to be able to win the race. If a musicmaking session consists of sitting at a workstation
without ever getting up, not only are you going to get
exhausted, but your creativity will stagnate. If you want
to make good decisions that will result in better tracks
and mixes, do yourself a favour: get up and walk around.
There are plenty of little apps that will remind you to do
this; our favourite is AntiRSI, available online.
MAGAZINE
02
Use your templates
The goal with saving time is to actually use the seconds

and minutes available to you to make music. The more
time you spend setting up your workspace and getting
everything exactly as you want it, the less time youll
have to actually do your thing. You can speed things up
immeasurably by taking a little bit of time to create a
bunch of templates for your DAW. That way, whenever
you start a new session, you can simply load up the one
you need and get straight into whatever it is youre
doing. You can have a template for MIDI recording,
audio recording, mixing, mastering, or any combination
of the above.
03
Preset power
Presets get an unfair rep. A lot of hardcore producers

look down their noses at them, insisting that everyone
should always start from scratch on a given VST.
Horsepucky. Of course, if youre just relying on the
in-built presets to make music, youre going to come up
with something stale. But if you actually deploy them in
a smart way such as, for example, using them to save
any cool sounds that youve made, along with their
individual settings then youre winning. And almost
WorldMags.net
6 ways to save time Feature MT
WorldMags.net
everything in a DAW these days will have a preset
function, from synths to mixers. This can save a
staggering amount of time.
04
02
03
Get feedback but only when youre done
We know, we know. Youve created the most incredible

bassline known to man, the kind of noise that makes
Skrillex want to take up golf. The first thing you want to
do is share it with someone: a friend, your mum, the
dog. Dont do it. Avoid the temptation. If youre breaking
the flow every few minutes to show something off, youll
end up spending hours tweaking and modifying, and
getting nothing done. Put together a full track, mix it
properly (as in, to the best of your ability), and only then
get feedback on it. It sounds like such a simple thing,
but by the time youve put the effort into the track, most
of the little niggling problems will have resolved
Unless youresureitsapileof
rubbish and nousetoanyone,
finish every trackyouworkon
themselves. And lets be honest: no one gives a monkeys
backside about a cool bassline unless there are some
knocking drums to go with it.
05
04
Remember to actually nish things
While were at it, well say this: never leave a track

unfinished. Finishing tracks will instil a level of
discipline and dedication yes, we know how that
sounds that will make focusing and creating a habit.
Youll no longer have to spend a few minutes getting
into the groove, because youll already be there. Unless
youre absolutely sure that its a pile of rubbish and is
going to be no use to anyone (in which case, delete it)
knuckle down and finish every single track you work on.
One of the greatest temptations when making music is
to get bored with something halfway through and start
something else, only to get bored with that project and
go on to another one. If housebuilders did this, no one
would have anywhere to live, and if producers did it,
wed have no decent music at all. Dont be one of those
people who abandon things halfw
06
05
06
The most important thing in the studio?

A pen
Music projects tend to quickly balloon. If youve got
multiple tracks and multiple mixes on deck, it can start
getting very confusing as to where things are and what
stage theyre at. But introduce a pen and a pad of paper
into the mix, and poof! Suddenly, youll know exactly
where things stand at all times. OK, we know that you
probably dont know how to use a pen, on account of
absolutely everything being digital, but an Excel
spreadsheet or a Word document will work just as well.
If you want to go full nerd, an app such as Evernote or
Things will help you keep track of whats going on.
Nothing gets you bogged down in the mud faster than
trying to work out whats happening in your project, so
trust us on this. MT
WorldMags.net
| 109
MT Show off your studio
WorldMags.net
Showoff
yourstudio
Dont worry about the decor, it

will have changed by the time
you read this
Were actually getting a tiny bit jealous

of some of your studios. This months
trio are particularly good. Get in touch
at the MusicTech Facebook page to
show off yours
Albion Sound
Interviewee: Kevin Tye
Contact: criticalimprint@gmail.com
Key components in your studio:
Mac Mini; Focusrite Saffire Pro 40;
UAD Apollo Twin Duo; ART TPS II
Tube Pre; Mackie Big Knob
controller; KRK Rokit 5 monitors; AT
2035 microphones x2; M-Audio
88-key weighted piano controller;
M-Audio Keystation 49ES; Native
Instruments Komplete Ultimate 10;
UAD, Waves plugins; Omnisphere 2.
Which DAW do you use and why?
Reason 7, as its the most stable Ive
used and the workflow suits my
production style. Ive been using it
since v1 and know it so well. Many
producers laugh when I mention
what I use, but its not the tools, its
the guy using them A lot of the
major studios think they need Pro
Tools or Logic to be taken seriously.
Whats your favourite gear? My
UAD Apollo Twin Duo. It has allowed
me to go back and use identical tools
and effects I grew up envying when
reading production magazines. The
plugins sound so good and its
integral to my studio workflow now.
MAGAZINE
How do you use your studio?

I like to call it my semi-pro hobby.
In the past six months since opening
to local artists, I have recorded three
lm scores, a radio drama with 30
actors, lots of mixing and mastering
projects for artists and, of course, my
own projects. I will also be recording
lm ADR in the not too distant
future, so my studio offers a wide
variety of recording possibilities.
What annoys you about it? Nothing
about the gear, but I get bored with
the decor and end up redesigning or
repainting every three months, which
usually eats up any profit Ive made
recording other artists. Studio
aesthetics, to me, are as important as
the equipment in it. Sure, you can
record an album in a spare room
with grey walls and maybe some
christmas lights dangled over a
solitary Beatles poster hanging up
behind an Ikea desk, but having a
beautiful and interesting place that
both myself and my clients walk into
and they are wowed and inspired by
just feels really important.
WorldMags.net
On your shopping list? I plan to

spend some serious money removing
the acoustic drop ceiling and adding
a second ISO room, as the current
vocal room only fits two people.
Dream gear? An old modular
Russian synth from 1970s-era
Siberia, or maybe the hardware
versions of the Culture Vultures. UAD
have done a stellar job with their
ones just so warm sounding, and a
staple on almost all Prodigy tracks
(my favourite band).
Any advice? Too much to list.
Research the difference between
soundproofing and absorption.
Read the book Home Recording
Studio: Build It Like The Pros, by
Rod Gervais. Its required reading
for anyone planning to build even
a small studio I can tell you the
number of layers of drywall and
green glue with ISO clips for any
sound isolation application! And
dont worry about the paint colour
now youll probably repaint it
again in three months time :-)
Show off your studio MT
WorldMags.net
Emun Music
Studio 3A
Interviewee: Frank Walter (based in Kln)
Interviewee: Paul Matich
Contact: info@emunmusic.com
Contact: pmatich@aol.com
Must have needed som e big
screws for those speakers
We like the simple set-ups too
Give us a list of the key

components in your studio:
Soundcard: Focusrite 2i4; Windows
PC; Korg microKorg XL+; Alesis
Micron; Evolution U-Control;
monitors: Yamaha HS50; earphones:
Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro; self-made
acoustic panels (rockwool, 100mm);
two bass traps.
I use Fruity Loops 10. Ive followed
and used this DAW since it first
came out, but dont ask me about the
tune I made with it at v1!
Whats your favourite piece of
gear? That is my Korg
microKorgXL+. It is very compact
and small, but for proper playing
maybe it is a little too small.
How often do you use your studio?
I manage my label, Emun Music and
Sheeva Records Miami with my
partner Costantino Padovano, aka
Funky Junction. That means we meet
up very often on Skype and talk
about the business, projects, releases
and new artists. He is a very cool guy
one of the best. So in the end, I
would say I am here nearly 25 hours
a week, but dont talk to my wife
about that particular topic.
How do you use your studio just
for fun, or professionally too?
In the past, I released some music
on some fairly insignificant labels
disco and French filter house
tracks on vinyl. Now, I release my
stuff under the project Mute Box.
The fun is the focus. If you dont
have any fun, then you are not
creative. Some people like doing

sport for fun, but I make music!
Does anything annoy you about
your set-up? I desperately need
a fridge in my studio to maintain
a good atmosphere, with cold
drinks. This is especially asked for
by my studio partners: Costantino
Padovano; Tom Kaloi; Norman
Lomax and Looney B.
On your shopping list? After my
self-made acoustics, I need the
right sub in my studio to control
and to hear the lower frequencies
better. I will probably get a
Yamaha sub.
And your dream piece of gear? It is
not really a piece of gear, I just need
to learn bass guitar and keyboards.
Maybe I love software too much.
Do you have any advice for us?
Get the right soundcard, the right
monitors and, of course, cool
neighbours. Forget about thinking
too much about which DAW and
studio stuff. The track, in the end,
is important. You need to love it.
Elvis just had a guitar and his
vocals. Be creative and try
something new.
And a plug for your sounds? There
are a lot of interesting tracks in the
pipeline for Emun Music & Sheeva
Records. Our target is to find
unsigned cool artists and give them
a platform to release their stuff in
all the online stores. We are open to
all kinds of music. I would say we
are like a family.
WorldMags.net
Key components in your studio:

Soundtracs Quartz; various guitars;
Fractal Audio Axe-Fx II XL; Genelec
8030A and ATC monitors; OHM
CFU-A2; Chevin A750 & A1000,
BSS-FDS366; Focusrite Saffire
Pro-40 and OctoPre MkII; MOTU
128; Roland D-110, SH-201 and
JV-1080; Alesis SR16; Behringer
Compressor; ART SGX 2000;
Yamaha SY22; Behringer rack
multi-effects; Fulltone TERC; Alesis
Quadraverb GT; Korg Pitchblack
Pro Tuner; Behringer Multigate Pro;
Multicom Pro; DBX 160A; Drawmer
DS501; Marshall JMD-1, 1960A &
1960B 4x12 Cabs; sE Z3300A &
Shure SM57s, plus bass set-up.
I started with Cubase 7, then 8.5 Pro.
Great improvement and loads more
exibility and features. Many years
ago, I had Steinberg Pro 24, so I
guess Ive always found Steinberg
products work great for me.
Whats your favourite gear? My
guitar effects rack has everything
I need: from clean to solid
powerchords and cutting leads.
How do you use your studio? For my
own pleasure. I always wanted
everything ready to play and record.
It has taken many years, but been
worth the wait.
On your shopping list? An Eventide
D/SE 3000 Harmonizer and
Toontrack Superior Drummer.
What is your dream piece of studio
kit? I have just got a monitor system
from Wilmslow Audio. What a dream
to use and to work with.
Any advice? Think about what you
want to achieve and what space you
have. Never give up on your dream.
| 111
MT Next month
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Whats in
Issue 151 On sale 17 September
MAKE MUSIC
FOR FREE
We round up the best ways to make music without

spending a penny (or cent. We will charge for the
magazine, though)
Top Tips
TOIMPROVE YOUR
COMPUTER PERFORMANCE
Commercial Director Simon Lewis
simon.lewis@anthem-publishing.com
Managing Director Jon Bickley
jon.bickley@anthem-publishing.com
MUSIC TECH MAGAZINE
www.musictech.net
Anthem Publishing Ltd
Suite 6 Piccadilly House
London Road Bath BA1 6PL
Tel +44 (0) 1225 489984
Senior Editor Andy Jones
andy.jones@anthem-publishing.com
Art Editor Debra Barber
debra.barber@anthem-publishing.com
Production Editor Gary Walker
gary.walker@anthem-publishing.com
Digital Editor Andy Price
andy.price@anthem-publishing.com
Multimedia Editor Alex Holmes
alex.holmes@anthem-publishing.com
Business Dev. Manager Di Marsh
di.marsh@anthem-publishing.com
Marketing Assistant Verity Travers
verity.travers@anthem-publishing.com
The Experts (see p3)
Rob Boffard, Mark Cousins, Keith
Gemmell, Andy Price, Mike Hillier,
Hollin Jones, Marcus Leadley, John
Pickford, Huw Price, Martin Delaney
Cover Image iStockphoto
Creative Director Jenny Cook

jenny.cook@anthem-publishing.com
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FIRST
WITH REVIEWS
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FIRST WITH NEWS
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MT Your Disc
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DVD150 8GB+ PC&Mac
YourDVDs
SAMPLE HITS//ROYALTY-FREE & EXCLUSIVE
//150
ANALOGUE
EFFECTS
Welcome to DVD150 and the free bonus

DVD! To celebrate our 150th issue, we
have 150 amazing FX, piano melodies and
two hours of info-packed tutorial videos on
mixing, mastering and more. Then theres
the free bonus DVD with 1,500 Ultimate
Samples. Check all of the details here
Size 224MB Format 24-bit/44.1kHz WAV

As were celebrating our 150th issue, we thought it
only right to cook up 150 unique FX for you to use in your
productions. Sound design specialist Richard James
has dusted off his trusty Roland SH-101 and teamed it
up with an array of FX plug-ins, including Eventides
H3000 Factory, Waves H-Delay, SSLs X-Verb and Logics
RingShifter and Stereo Delay, with a little final polish
from Ozone 6. Youll find a whole range of sounds,
from dark and twisted sci-fi textures to complex bleep
patterns and raspy noise risers, with most in stereo but
several in mono for an added retro vibe.
VIDEO TUTORIALS//24 MINS
MIDI LOOPS//ROYALTY-FREE & EXCLUSIVE
//CINEMATIC PIANO //FUNDAMENTALS

OF MIXING
MELODIES
Size 95MB Format MIDI, 16-bit/44.1kHz WAV
Its time to get emotional with this months pack from
Equinox Sounds, which features 30 beautiful piano MIDI
melodies for film, TV and new-age composers looking to get
a reflective, introspective and romantic piano feel into their
productions. Youll find 16 folders with MIDI and individual
WAV piano layers, and 14 folders with just MIDI so you can
try out your own instrument patches and sounds and also
play around with the pitch, chord construction and melodies
yourself. As always, these phrases are 100 per cent royaltyfree, so you can use them in commercial projects.
www.equinoxsounds.com
//SOFTWARE
DEMO//SOFTWARE
ELYSIA NVELOPE
(MAC OSX)
An accurate emulation of the
next-generation transient processor, nvelope
works in either Full Range, Dual Band or EQ mode, offering up
direct control of a signals attack and sustain intensity.
www.plugin-alliance.com
FULL//SOFTWARE
VIRTUAL ANALOGY
PARAPHRASIS
(WINDOWS)
An open source, spectral modelling
synthesiser that can model any
sound using only one sample, and
without the need for multisampling.
Paraphrasis has 16-voice polyphony
and a Reverse option to analyse the
sample backwards.
www.virtualanalogy.com
MAGAZINE
FULL//SOFTWARE
Size 139MB Format GPlayer

Although mixing methods vary from genre to genre, the
fundamentals remain the same. Weve got two chapters taken from mixing
expert Brock Jons new tutorial for Groove 3, which works through the
groove-based pop-rock track Fools Fantasy by Martha Berner and The
Significant Others. First up, Jon uses several Softube compressor and EQ
plug-ins within Cubase to control and shape a live drum track. The second
video focuses on the bass part of the track, making use of Softubes
Tube-Tech Classic Channel, which models the Tube-Tech CL 1B
compressor, and two Pultec-like EQs to work on the sustain and crunch of
the bass part. www.groove3.com
DEMO//SOFTWARE
D16 ANTRESOL (WINDOWS,
MAC OSX)
Based on the classic Mistress
stompbox, Antresol is an accurate
emulation of an impulse-controlled,
solid-state analogue delay line, with a fully featured
LFO, and deep control over the core device parameters. www.d16.pl
DEMO//SOFTWARE
UVI RELAYER (WINDOWS, MAC OSX)
A new, highly versatile multi-tap delay effect for
creating everything from basic delays to radical
rhythmic multi-effects. Relayer features up to 32
taps, with per-tap modulation editors and an
intuitive interface for lightning-fast workflow.
www.uvi.net
A1 AUDIO A1TRIGGERGATE (WINDOWS, MAC OSX)

A1TriggerGate is a sequenced gate plugin for chopping up
any incoming audio signal. Features include eight
independent patterns that can be switched via automation,
built-in LPF, distortion and delay FX, triplet mode and a
resizable GUI. www.alexhilton.net
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Your Disc MT
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SAMPLE LOOPS//DEMO LICENCE
//SOUL, FUNK, COUNTRY

AND BLUES LOOPS
BONUS DVD
Size 358MB Format 24-bit/44.1kHz WAV

Big Fish Audio has put together a fantastic collection of live instrumental
loops for you to demo and play around with. First up, we have an array of plucked
banjos, guitars, mandolins, ukeleles, fiddles and percussion taken from the
Bluegrass, Country Roots, and Indie Guitars The Loft Sessions packs. Next up,
youll find cinematic guitar riffs, deep pads, subtle drums and eastern percussion
rhythms, from Colours Indie Pop Cinema and Suspense Cinematic Percussion
and Soundbeds. Finally, theres an array of sax, trumpet and trombone riffs
taken from Funk Soul Horns 2. www.timespace.com
//FREE DVD!
ULTIMATE
SAMPLES
Size 3.8GB Format WAV, ACID WAV, Apple Loops,

REX2, Kontakt, NN-XT
To give you guys an extra special treat, we thought wed
bring back our Ultimate Samples series, and have
hand-picked a selection of some of the best royalty-free
loops and instruments weve featured in MusicTech.
Youll find an eclectic mix, including heavy club beats,
deep, cinematic pads, twisted and robotic-sounding
vocals, epic dance sound FX, euphoric psy-trance loops
and riffs, R&B, pop, hip hop and tech house construction
kits, and some playable vintage electric piano sounds. All
samples come in WAV format, with some collections also
featuring Apple Loops and REX2 files, and others with
accompanying patches for Kontakt and NN-XT.
VIDEO TUTORIALS//67 MINS
//MIXING BASS GUITAR &

MASTERING AT HOME
Size 814MB Format MP4
Using live bass in electronic music generally requires different
mixing techniques as you try to get the sound to sit right in the mix. Point
Blank instructor Anthony Chapman takes us through his custom Ableton
rack for mixing bass guitar and discusses compression, EQ and amp
simulators along the way. Weve also got a video with PB Creative Director
JC Concato, discussing how to get good masters at home, as he works
through student Alexandre Faivres (aka Squarism) track Really Like You.
Concato uses a mixture of Waves, Brainworx and other third-party
plug-ins from within Logic X to gently tweak and improve the track.
www.pointblanklondon.com
VIDEO FEATURE//29 MINS
//LOOP+
Size 793MB Format MOV

Loop+ is back with another fresh bundle of studio
videos. This month, producer Steve Jeffery aka Pimpsoul
presents his alternative to side-chaining in Ableton, with
automated EQ to remove low end from a bassline. Plugin
Boutique shows us round the new MIDI and audio trigger
options in BigKick, and producer Multiplier presents a
tutorial on Serums LFO. Plus we have two Ableton Quick
Tips on using transients to build loop changes, and looking
at how reverb samples hold can be a useful texture in your
productions. www.loopmasters.com/loopplus
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MAGAZINE September 2015 | 115
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NEW
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Meet the C314, the latest sibling from one of the industrys most widely used studio and stage microphone families.
Designed for enthusiasts and professionals alike, the C314 has advanced features that help artists fine-tune their signature sound.
Using the same one-inch dual diaphragm capsule as the C414 XLS, musicians, engineers and producers can have the
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2015 HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated. All rights reserved. AKG is a trademark of AKG Acoustics GmbH, registered in
the United States and/or other countries. Features, specications and appearance are subject to change without notice. www.akg.com
DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA

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2-DISC SPECIAL! OVER 4GB OF FREE SAMPLES!

The finest studio gear, tips, advice, quotes

Mixing/Mastering/Logic Mark Cousins

Careers Editor Rob Boffard

Digital/Composition Andy Price

Recording & Guitar Tech Huw Price

Scoring/Orchestral Keith Gemmell

Ableton Live Martin Delaney

Reason, DJ & Mobile Hollin Jones

Electronic Music Alex Holmes

VISIT OUR WEBSITE!

MAGAZINE September 2015

105 Six Of The

From mixing to mastering, from

MT Issue 150 Full listings

The latest reviews

COVER: ISSUE 150 SPECIAL!

036 | Bob Clearmountain Working

46 Logic Pro In Depth

Getting movemen in sounds in Reason

The perfect kick drum

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085 | Kurzweil Artis 7 keyboard

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MAGAZINE September 2015

MT Feature The 150 Best

In case you hadnt realised, its issue 150 of MusicTech and

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