9000 9001

M A G A Z I N E
Hear all of
this month’s
tutorial audio: 16 nlhy
38
musicradar.com/how-
to/em434-february-
2021-examples-

32
THE ART
and-files ROLAND
TR-6S

OF SYNTH
SOLOING
Time To Rock

41
34
EASY GUIDE
IK MULTIMEDIA
T-RackS
Space Delay
jvu{lu{zGWYUYX

Roman numeral
notation

42
AKAI PRO
MPK mini mk3

36
CLASSIC GEAR
Oberheim tpupGz€u{o
Matrix-12 and
Xpander

zovv{Tv|{ 44
EDUARDO
TARILONTE
NADA Meditation
Sounds

46
IZOTOPE
RX 8 Advanced

48
DENON DJ

26 55 Prime Go

pu{ly}pl~aG jvu}vs|{pvuG
rpunkvt yl}lyi 50
KLEVGRAND
Skaka

10
NEW GEAR ov~G{v
New from Korg,
Modal and more
60
ROUND-UP
64
ELECTRONIC
52
ANTELOPE
Free Instruments GUITAR Zen Tour Synergy
Neural DSP Core 

12
Electronic Musician (ISSN 0884-4720) is published monthly by Future PLC, 28 East 28th Street, 12th floor, New York, NY 10016. Periodicals Postage Paid at New York, NY, and
at additional mailing offices. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Electronic Musician, P.O. Box 232, Lowell, MA 01853.
Electronic Musician is a trademark of Future PLC. All material published in Electronic Musician is copyrighted (©) 2019 by Future PlC All rights reserved.
SOFTWARE NEWS Reproduction of material appearing in Electronic Musician is prohibited without written permission. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited
The latest in plugins, manuscripts, photos, or artwork. All product information is subject to change; publisher assumes no responsibility for such changes. All listed model numbers and
product names are manufacturers’ registered trademarks.
DAWs & digital

] FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

l‹›–™˅šGu–›Œ
hGŽ–“‹Œ•GˆŽŒf
In this issue's cover feature, amongst
the preamble leading into our big
mini synth head-to-head, we posit the
idea that right now we might be living
in a golden age of hardware synths.
Some might argue this is a fairly
bold statement – vintage devotees
will no doubt insist that the '70s and
'80s were the real golden age, and
much of what we have now are
simply pale imitations. Personally,
however, I think there's more than a
little truth to it. In 2020 alone, I could
name several synths that I'd happily
wager will attain future classic status
– Sequential Pro 3, Arturia PolyBrute,
UDO Super 6, Korg Wavestate.
There's more to it than what's
going on in the high-end polysynth
realm though. As we're exploring this
issue, there's certainly never been a
better selection of hardware
instruments available at the budget
end of the market than there is right
_ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
now. Whether you're after a cheap
analog instrument, flexible digital
synth or weirdo box of tricks for
budget experimentation, you can pick
up something to meet your needs
with change from $500.
The prevalence of modular and
boutique hardware brands plays a big SI TRUSS
role too. There's undoubtedly now
more small team developers out there
creating some of the most interesting,
original and unique synths going.
Perhaps this is all, in part, why
2020 proved to be such a good year
for electronic music gear, despite all
the factors that made it such a tough
time for other parts of the music
business. We can be thankful that,
even as live music and club events
have ground to a halt, the flow of
exciting synths, software, beatmakers
and studio gear as steadfastly refused
to dry up.
Time to get synthesizing!
Vol. 37 No. 2 FEBRUARY 2021
www.musicradar.com/electronicmusician
FOLLOW US
Gtwitter.com/EM_Magazine
Gfacebook.com/ElectronicMusicianMagazine
Ginstagram.com/electronicmusicianmag
CONTENT
Editor
Si Truss simon.truss@futurenet.com
EDITOR
Content Director, Music
Scott Rowley scott.rowley@futurenet.com
Art Editor
Steve Dawson steve.dawson@futurenet.com
Production Editor
Jem Roberts jem.roberts@futurenet.com
Editors at Large: Francis Preve, James Russell
Contributors: Andy Jones, Scot Solida, Jono Buchanan,
Jerry Kovarsky, Dave Clews, Michael Ross, Leo Maymind,
James Russell, Ronan Macdonald, Jon Musgrave, Roy
Spencer
FUTURE MUSIC GROUP BUSINESS
Advertising Director
Jonathan Brudner jonathan.brudner@futurenet.com
Advertising Director
Mari Deetz mari.deetz@futurenet.com
Advertising Director
Jason Perl jason.perl@futurenet.com
Advertising Director
Scott Sciacca scott.sciacca@futurenet.com
MANAGEMENT
!ǝǣƺǔ!ȒȇɎƺȇɎ…ǔˡƬƺȸ
Andrea Davies
Commercial Finance Director
Dan Jotcham
REPRINTS AND PERMISSIONS
For article reprints please contact our reprint
coordinator at Wright’s Reprints: 877.652.5295
Please direct all subscription orders, inquiries, and address changes
to: 888.266.5828, outside the US 978.667.0364,
ƺȅȅƏǕ۬ƬȒȅȵɖɎƺȸǔɖǼˡǼǼȅƺȇɎِƬȒȅ
Back Issues are available for $10 each at 800.289.9919,
‫ًגהב׎ِוההِזוח‬ƺȅȅƏǕ۬ƬȒȅȵɖɎƺȸǔɖǼˡǼǼȅƺȇɎِƬȒȅ
 NEW GEAR
NEW GEAR

Korg’s opsix is here to make you “rethink

everything you know about FM synthesis”
The first we saw of Korg’s opsix was at
NAMM 2020, when the company
showed a very early version of what
appeared to be a DX7-style FM synth.
Now, 11 months on, it’s officially been
launched, albeit in a revised and far
more compact format.
With the opsix, Korg is seeking to do
for FM synthesis what it did for wave
sequencing with the Wavestate: update
it and make it more accessible. So, the
opsix is described as an “altered” FM
synthesizer that promises to make
exploring FM easier than ever before.
The synth is built around a new
six-operator sound generator that’s
designed to reimagine the FM sounds
you’re used to. There’s a more diverse
range of waveforms and operator
modes, plus a filter that incorporates
elements of subtractive synthesis
(both MS-20 and Polysix filter types
are included, for example). The theory
is that you’ll have analogue-style
control over digital sounds.
In keeping with this philosophy,
the opsix’s top panel is full of
knobs and sliders. There’s a
hands-on operator mixer, plus
six data entry knobs which, when
used in combination with the
OLED display, promise to
significantly ease the editing
process.
Thanks to its five operator
modes, the opsix can generate
sounds far outside the realm of
FM, and there are also 40 preset disposal, while the powerful polyphonic
algorithms (an algorithm being a note sequencer lets you record up to
combination of different operator roles six notes per step. You can also adjust
and connections). You can also create the velocity, gate time and playback
your own algorithms from scratch. timing for each note, and record
Modulation comes courtesy of three changes of up to six parameters using
EGs and three LFOs, and there are 12 the motion sequencer.
virtual patches to give you plenty of Finally, if all else fails and you get
routing possibilities. You can also use completely stuck, there’s a
up three effects, choosing from 30 configurable randomize option, which
types. will generate a new sound for you.
When it comes to playing the opsix,
you have a 37-note keyboard at your Opsix is out now priced at $799

Control your synths with any monophonic sound source using UniSyn
UniSyn is a sound to synthesis module that can track an incoming monophonic sound source and
convert it into CV and MIDI. Allowing you to control all of of your synthesizers with just about
anything you can think of.
We first saw UniSyn in prototype form back in 2019 at Winter NAMM, but it wasn’t near any
kind of commercial product at that point. Today, UniSyn also includes a +24v phantom power
option, automatic gain control to eliminate the trouble of tuning the input preamp gain,
optional 3:1 compression in the front end, a sustain pedal input, and firmware upgrade
capability via SD card.
On top of all that, the unit can also generate a dedicated sine wave as well as filtered square or
sawtooth waves. These can then be optionally pitch-shifted over a +/-2 octave range with semitone
resolution.
You can now pre-order a UniSyn interface from Second Sound for $419 and shipping should commence by the end of the year.

XW FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t


Korg’s SQ-64 is a powerful
polyphonic step sequencer for
your synths and drum machines
Building on the success of the SQ-1, Korg has upped its step
sequencing game considerably with the launch of the SQ-64
Poly Sequencer.
This polyphonic offering gives you considerably more power
and flexibility – in fact, it’s a 4 x 64 polyphonic step sequencer.
There are three melody tracks, each of which offers dedicated
Pitch, Mod and Gate CV outputs or up to eight voices of
polyphony when connected via MIDI (one Input and two
Outputs).
In addition, there’s a Drum/Sub track with 16 trigger outputs
– eight CV gates and eight over MIDI – giving you 16 monophonic
voices. Korg’s Audio Sync technology, which offers pulse-based
clocking to many of its instruments, is also supported.
When it comes to the actual sequencing, you have deep
randomization options. You can vary the next step from four
possibilities within your sequence, and randomize an entire
sequence or just the first step. You can also reverse the
sequencer play order.
Further variation can be introduced by morphing control
voltages, and there’s also an arpeggiator.
There’s plenty of visual feedback, too: each of the 64 matrixed
backlit step pads has graduated LEDs to indicate control level,
and there’s an OLED screen so you can see what’s going on at
any given time. You can also use the pads as a keyboard and
play and record in real-time.
The SQ-64 has 64 project memories, with a project
comprising those three melody tracks and a Drum/Sub track. A
project can have 16 patterns, with each of these having up to 64
steps.
You can expect the SQ-64 to land early in 2021 priced at $299.
Modor’s DR-2 drum
machine offers digital
synthesis and a
versatile step sequencer
Modor has unveiled the DR-2 drum
machine - a sort of spiritual sibling for its
NF-1 synth. Proudly digital, this uses
synthesis rather than samples to generate
its sounds, and lets you work across six
channels and with a 128-step sequencer.
Each channel can contain one of the
many drum ‘models’, which cover bass
drums, snares, cymbals, claps, toms and
some miscellaneous percussion. Each
model can be tweaked using up to 12
parameters; some of these are common to
all the sounds (pitch with pitch decay,
curve and amount; amp volume with
panning; amp decay and curve) while
others are exclusive. There are also
various options for creating sound
variations.
The sequencer, meanwhile, goes beyond
standard 16-step variants by enabling you
to use 32nd notes, giving you double the
resolution. And, because a pattern can
contain up to four sets of 32 steps, you
can use 128 steps in total.
Each instrument can also have its own
accent, flam, tuplet, break and reverse
patterns, while separate Swing and
Swing32 parameters enable you to adjust
the timing of the 16th and 32nd notes
individually.
DR-2 offers an output jack for each of
the six channels, and also master L/R
outputs. It can sync via MIDI clock or
24PPQN pulse clock.
DR-2 costs €1750.
FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt XX
 THIS MONTH IN SOFTWARE
SOFTWARE NEWS

It’s been red letter month for DAW updates, as four significant
workstations prepare to go through big changes

Steinberg releases Cubase 11, promising fun,

inspiration and a speedier workflow
All three versions of Cubase – Pro, Artist and Elements
– are getting an update with numerous workflow and
performance improvements. Steinberg says that it
makes producing music easier, quicker and more fun.
As you’d expect, there are some Pro edition
exclusives, starting with a new way of printing stems.
You can now process and export these in one
operation, with full control over the signal path.
There’s also synchronization across different
windows; global tracks are now displayed in the Key
Editor, so you can stay in sync with tempo changes or
markers without leaving it. Improvements have been
made to the Score Editor, too, and the Frequency EQ
plugin has been updated.
Other Pro exclusives include Eucon integration,
which means support for the latest Avid consoles; the
remote recording plugin VST Connect SE 5, which has
a resizable and HiDPI-ready user interface; and 5.1
support for the MultiTap Delay signal processor.
Some of Cubase 11’s features are common to both
Pro and Artist – the SuperVision audio analyzer, for
example, which provides up to nine module slots for
level, spectral, phase and waveform analysis. Other
new plugins include Imager, and SpectraLayers One
– a cutdown version of SpectraLayers Pro 7 that enables
you to visualize and edit audio in the spectral domain.
Finally, but not insignificantly, there are multiple
features that apply to all three versions of Cubase 11.
There’s a new slicing mode for loop-based samples,
two global LFOs for more complex filtering sounds,
and the new mono legato glide feature, which should
be handy for basslines.
Alongside the whole UAD system,
UA’s Luna DAW has been improved
Cubase 11 is a huge update
for an already massive
Then there’s the Scale Assistant, which enables you Universal Audio channels Neve and API as it
to set a scale and stay in the right key – you can change updates the UAD software and LUNA
the view so that only the notes of the set scale are displayed recording system
or let the Scale Assistant analyze your MIDI notes and Universal Audio has released updates to its UAD
make them fit the defined scale automatically. Software and LUNA recording system, bringing them
Other Key Editor improvements include the option to versions 9.13 and 1.1.1 respectively. New processors
to create ramps and curves in the CC and pitchbend are the main order of business – specifically,
lanes, set pitchbend steps to semitones, copy CC edits emulations of Neve and API gear.
to another MIDI track and delete MIDI notes with a UAD users can now get their hands on the Neve
double-click. Dynamics Collection – UA’s first ever Neve
All versions of Cubase 11 are also getting Squasher, compression bundle, which it describes as “analog
which offers upward and downward audio royalty”. This contains the new Neve 2254/E Limiter
compression of up to three bands, and there are six and Compressor - an emulation of the compression
new sound and loop sets created by hip-hop producer module found in Neve’s 80 series analog consoles –
Beat Butcha, Hollywood sound designer Robert and an updated version of the 33609 Compressor
Dudzic and Black Octopus Sound. plugin. This gets new Sidechain Filter, Dry/Wet Mix
Cubase Pro 11 and Fast/Slow Attack settings, giving you even more
costs $686 if you dynamics control.
want a boxed copy, or The Neve Dynamics Collection costs $299, though
$662 if you’re happy existing users of the Neve 33609 can upgrade for $149.
with a download. Moving on to LUNA 1.1.1, there’s a new API
Cubase Artist 11 is Summing Extension that emulates the company’s
$390 in a box, or 2520 op-amp and custom output transformer-based
$366 as a download. summing amps. It’s built right into LUNA’s mixer, and
Finally, both the is yours for $299.
boxed and download MusicRadar
versions of Cubase
Elements 11 cost Logic Pro 10.6 released: M1 silicon Mac
$118.50. support and the option to control the step
MusicRadar sequencer from your iPad or iPhone

XY FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

Following the announcement of the new M1-powered
Macs, Apple hasn’t wasted any time in updating Logic
Pro, its flagship DAW, to version 10.6.
We’re told that this offers “improved performance
and efficiency on Mac computers with Apple silicon,”
though, of course, the software will also run on Intel
Macs. There’s also a new option to control the Step
Sequencer from your iOS device via Logic Remote, a
feature we’ve been hoping for ever since the arrival of
Logic Pro 10.5.
Speaking of control, Logic Pro can now automatically
detect and set up any Novation Launchpad controller,
and the 10.6 release notes also contain a long list of bug
fixes and refinements.
Finally, you’ll notice that the X suffix has been
removed from Logic Pro name, bringing the software
into line with macOS, which lost it several years ago.
The silicon-powered M1 Macs will begin shipping
next week, at which point we’ll start to get an idea of
how well they perform in comparison to their Intel
counterparts. It remains to be seen how long it’ll take
for other music software developers to update their
DAWs and plugins to run natively on M1 machines,
though there is a workaround in the form of the
Rosetta 2 technology.
Logic Pro 10.6 is a free update for existing users.
New customers can purchase it for $200 from the Mac
App Store.
MusicRadar
Ableton Live 11 announced: DAW gets new
features for “recording, performing or
experimenting”
It’s been three years since Ableton announced a ‘full’
new version of its DAW, but now, finally, Live 11 has
broken cover. As you might expect, it’s the usual mix of
new features, devices and refinements, designed to
help you when you’re “recording, performing or
experimenting”.
Let’s start by looking at Comping: Live can now
organize multiple passes of an audio or MIDI
performance into individual takes. You can then blend
the best elements of these takes to get your ‘perfect’
result. Relatedly, there’s also Linked-track editing,
which, as it implies, enables you to link two or more
tracks and edit their content simultaneously.
Next, and in line with several of its rivals, Live 11
gets support for MIDI Polyphonic Expression. The
Expression View enables you to adjust the pitch, slide
and pressure envelopes on a note-by-note basis, while
Wavetable, Sampler and Arpeggiator have all been
updated to support MPE.
Speaking of devices, there are some big-hitting
additions in Live 11. Hybrid Reverb gives you both
convolution and algorithmic options, while Spectral
Resonator works by breaking the audio down into
partials and then stretching, shifting and blurring the
result by a frequency or note. Spectral Time,
meanwhile, takes the partials and feeds them into a
frequency-based delay.
Continuing the creative and experimental theme,
there’s also the Inspired by Nature collection – six
instruments and effects that use nature and physics as
their inspiration, made in collaboration with Dillon
Bastan – and the glitchy PitchLoop89, which was
created with the help of Robert Henke.
Of course, Live isn’t just a studio DAW, it’s used on
stage, too, so Ableton has seen fit to add several
performance-friendly features. Most notably, there’s
Live Tempo Following: the theory is that Live 11 can
‘listen’ to incoming audio from other performers and
adjust its tempo accordingly, making it feel more like a
band member and less of a rigid time-keeper that
everyone has to get in line with.
Marco Snapshots, meanwhile, enable you to store
the state of Macros for later recall, and you can also
configure racks to have between one and 16 Macros,
and Macro states can be randomized.
Elsewhere, if you’re looking to humanize your music,
there are new features based on chance. Note chance
enables you to set the
probability that a
note or drum hit will
trigger, and also to let
Live generate pattern
variations that
change over time.
Velocity chance, on
the other hand, lets
you define ranges for
velocity probability,
so you’ll hear subtle
dynamic changes in
your patterns.
There are new
sound collections in
FEB RUARY
Apple’s DAW
has been updated
Live 11, too: Voice Box offers vocal samples, instruments
and Effect Racks, while Mood Reel and Drone Lab are
on hand to provide texture. There’s also a new close-
recorded Upright Piano, and both Brass and String
Quartets, created in collaboration with Spitfire Audio.
Several existing Live devices have been improved
too, and the core library has been updated and
expanded. Improvements have also been made in the
areas of clip editing and CPU metering, and you can
now see scales in Live’s MIDI editor so that you can
see which notes ‘fit’ in a given key.
Live 11 seems like a careful and considered update
that should please the Ableton fanbase, with certain
features having long been requested. It’ll be released
early in 2021, with Live Suite ($749) getting all of the
new features, and Live Standard ($449) and Intro
($99) getting progressively fewer.
Find out more on the Ableton website, where all
versions of Live 10 are currently available at a 20%
discount. Customers who buy Live 10 during this time
will also get a free copy of Live 11 when it’s released.
MusicRadar
Ableton Live is due to get
comping, linked editing and more
2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt XZ
 Mastering The Mix REFERENCE 2
SOFTWARE NEWS
G
etting things right at the mastering
stage often requires a bit of context
– grounding yourself to the standard
of a commercial track. It's reasonable to do
this using a different DAW channel, but this
plugin aims to make the process easier, and
indeed to expand the possibilities available.
Reference 2, by Mastering The Mix, allows
2. Specifying your material
If you're comparing a previous version of a
track to a current one, you'll want reference
to 'Mirror' your DAW's playback. Free
mode allows you to jump to any point in
the reference track and create loops. This
helps you determine the differences between
individual sections of your material rather
than an entire track over its whole length.
Lining up your timing properly is crucial, as
is level-matching, as we'll see soon.
X[ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
you to load in up to four reference tracks
(or use a plugin in your DAW), to compare
them in terms of their loudness, frequency
weightings, stereo width and even dynamics
across the frequency spectrum.
There are plenty of handy features that
could find their way into your standard
referencing workflow, with track alignment,
1. Loading Reference files
The basic operation of Reference 2 is simple:
you load a reference waveform and toggle
between the original and the reference,
while metering both of them and viewing
information about what makes them
different. Of course, you'll need to load up
some files to make that happen, and you can
do so by dragging into the top of the plugin.
Once that's done, the peak loudnesses of
the two signals appear on the left-hand side
in the middle, and the average loudnesses
appear on the right-hand side in the middle.
You can load in multiple reference files.
level matching and switching between
references all made incredibly easy.
Using the innovative Trinity Display,
Reference 2 lets you monitor three properties
of your two tracks from a single place,
making visualizing what's happening an easy
task. Here we'll take a deeper dive into the
plugin to explore…
3. The Trinity Display
The beating heart of Reference, quite
literally, is the Trinity Display. Here your
original and reference track are compared
for up to three factors: their level differences
across the frequency spectrum, shown as a
white line; the selected track's stereo width
difference across the frequency spectrum,
shown as a blue blobby curve; and the
difference between the two tracks' dynamic
ranges across the frequency spectrum, shown
by the inward or outward movement of 'dots'
through the panel. It's a very effective way to
gauge all three factors in one place.
 4. Level matching
If you're comparing two similar versions of
the same track – perhaps a mix and a master,
or two versions of a master – it's crucial to
be able to tell if one of them sounds better
because it's better, not better because it's
louder. The Level Match function (left) lets
you compare version of a track at the same
loudness, either setting one to match the
level of the other, or setting both to match
-14LUFS. You can do this to multiple tracks.
To deal with differences in the length of
silence before a track, you can align them
using the Track Align dialog (right).

5. Analyzing differences
Back to that Trinity Display, where you can
compare the vital data between both tracks.
The 'EQ' difference is quite straightforward,
showing the power of differnet frequencies
between the two tracks. The + and - ranges
will set automatically, but you can also tailor
them yourself. Those moving 'Punch Dots'
tell you about the difference in dynamic
range between two tracks: if the dots move
towards the 0dB line, the original source has
less dynamic range at those frequencies; if
they move away, the original has more.

6. Settings and Solo

You can choose your Settings in the top-
right, opening a dialog that lets you specify
metering settings, how the Trinity Display
reacts, and the keyboard shortcut used to
toggle between the two versions (that turns
out to be extra helpful). Back in the Trinity
Display itself, you can click anywhere in the
frequency range to solo a band and listen
more closely to those areas in both versions.
You can only have one soloed band activate at
a time, and you can narrow its range to quite
a tight filter for honing in on very specific
problems in a track.

7. More sources and presets

Reference 2 can install with a separate
plugin called Ref Send, which lets you use
your DAW as a reference source. Currently
this plugin functions unreliably in different
DAWs, so there's no guarantee of it working
correctly unless it's on the same channel as
Reference, placed before an effects chain
with Reference after it, for example. You can
also save your own presets into the plugin
for quicker comparisons later, but there's
currently no in-built reference material such
as white or pink noise, or average profiles for
different genres.

FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt X\

 MINI

SYNTH
SHOOT-OUT
As prices tumble and specs soar, there’s never been a better time to
buy a hardware synth. We line up eight of our favorite budget contenders
to decide which is the best cheap synth in the world right now…

X] FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

T
he history of the synth has been what
you might call ‘a real rollercoaster
ride’, from the expensive hardware
beginnings through the analog heydays of the
’70s and early ’80s when prices went from the
ridiculous to the sublime, through to what
some might call, ‘the dark days of digital’ in
the late ’80s and ’90s. This was when synths
became so unintuitive and menus so deep and
complicated, that the whole hardware format
came into question, just as software
threatened to have the answers. And for a
while at least, software took over…
Yet, without doubt, the 2010s and ’20s were
and are shaping up to be the new golden age of
the hardware synth. There are more models
than ever before in the history of the
instrument, produced both by huge
‘traditional’ hardware manufacturers and
smaller boutique specialists. It’s a far cry from
the early days of this century, when the format,
particularly the analog synth, was written off in
favor of software; when what you had loaded
in your virtual rack was considered far more
important than that old-fashioned book-end of
a hardware keyboard you still had
embarrassingly laying around in your studio.
Four good reasons why
hardware came back
This seismic revival of the hardware synth is
no fickle fashion blip. The solid synth has
been sustained by advances in digital
technology, increased availability and access
to analog components, the drive and
determination of the modular synth
community and also the growing realization
that soft synths aren’t exactly the most tactile
of creatures. In short, there’s nothing like the
tweaking of frequency and resonance dials
and hearing the raw analog power coming
back at you. But it’s a market that’s also been
driven by price. When you can now pick up a
hardware synth for barely more than a
software plugin, why go soft?
Just in the last three or four years, the
cheap hardware synth has become
particularly prevalent. Once software-only
companies like IK Multimedia and Arturia
are now totally in on the game, while Korg
pretty much invented the genre with their
Volcas and the microKORG. And then, of
course, there’s Behringer, a company single-
handedly bringing down the price of all gear,
not just synthesizers, but over the last few
months alone announcing what seem like
FEB RUARY
dozens of hardware synth clones and fresh
re-imaginings.
Which all brings us rather neatly to this
MINISYNTHS
feature: a roundup of the best synths you can
get on a budget of $400. This is no arbitrary
number – it’s the price point in the synth
marketplace where toys become grownup
gadgets, complete with all the features you
need. Of course, we could have filled the
entire test with Behringers – that’s another
feature right there – or Korgs. But we’ve
opted for a single machine from each of a
variety of companies: newcomers, boutique
makers, old timers and once-traditional
software makers. And in our studio we now
have a pile of precisely eight of the most
exciting budget synths in the world today.
Time to start tweaking…
Contenders ready
In order to fulfil our brief, we wanted
complete synths – that is compared to
modular bits and pieces – ideally with
keyboards (although not always). Complete
pieces of all-in-one hardware that offer you a
synth experience. Play, tweak, enjoy.
With some companies we could have gone
cheaper – Korg has the aforementioned Volca
range, for example, but a more rounded
keyboard option that sits in our price range is
the Monologue. Job done. Yamaha, more
widely regarded for its synth workstations,
also have their mini-keyed Reface range
which now sits around the $350 mark. Of
these we could have gone for the CS virtual
analog but opted for the DX for a different
take on synthesis (and presets). Finally from
the more traditional end of synth manufacture
comes Waldorf with the Streichfett string
synth, an older model but one that certainly
punches above its price.
Those once software-only companies,
Arturia and IK Multimedia, are well
represented with both the MicroFreak and
UNO, two very different offerings that fit the
‘plastic fantastic’ brief spectacularly. Boutique
companies are included too, with Modal’s
Skulpt being one of the company’s more recent
entry-level synths. Then we have Novation
who have supplied a Circuit Mono Station, a
sequencer and BassStation synth in one. And
finally Behringer… who, putting aside their
notorious clones, have produced something
that truly ‘does its own thing’ in the form of the
Neutron. So now we have our eight contenders,
it’s time for the standoff to begin…
2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt X^

MINISYNTHS
6
The eight
synth contenders
We’ve got an incredibly varied pack of budget synths in for
this test. Here’s a run down of the lineup…
Arturia
MicroFreak $350
RELEASE: May 2019
1 3
Freak certainly stands out from the
crowd. It has fairly robust feel next to
some of the more plastic offerings here,
and a more leftfield Buchla Easel-style
25-key capacitive keyboard. Inside you get a
4-part paraphonic architecture, a 12-mode digital
oscillator covering analog emulation, wavetable
oscillation, physical modeling and a Modal
Resonator for real instruments and drums. A
recent update has added a 16-band vocoder too.
We said: “it feels like multiple synths in one. If
stuck for ideas, quickly flipping to a different
mode can instantly inspire something new.”
arturia.com
Behringer
Neutron $299
RELEASE: August 2018
2 4
It’s ironic that the Neutron is one of
our more expensive synths but it is
the nearest fit from Behringer to our
price point and a powerful beast on
paper. It doesn’t try to copy any classic synth but
does have a beefy engine with two oscillators,
each with five different wave shapes – sine,
triangle, sawtooth and square plus a ‘Tone Mod’
to dial in some extra sonics. As it’s semi-modular,
it’s the only patchable synth in this roundup
which does give it points for flexibility and in our
original review we thought it a “fun, useful, flexible
synth and fantastic value.”
behringer.com
X_ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
3
1
8
IK Multimedia
UNO Synth $200
RELEASE: September 2018
IK’s diminutive debut analog
monosynth pretty much inspired this
feature with its ‘plastic fantastic’
ethos – that is a cheap and
lightweight feel, but a big analog sound. Its
no-moving-parts philosophy, clever modulation
matrix and two-octave touch keyboard kept the
price down – indeed it’s fallen so far it’s now one
of the cheapest contenders in this roundup – and
the surprisingly warm sound has won it fans,
particularly us. If you can cope with a few
compromises, UNO is a great source of classic,
punchy analog sounds at a bargain price.
ikmultimedia.com
Korg
Monologue $345
RELEASE: December 2016
Unlike most other synths in this
roundup, Monologue feels like a
proper synth, and even comes with a
wooden cheek. You get a keyboard
(albeit with mini keys), two oscillaotrs, each with
three waveforms, proper synth controls for filter,
envelopes, motion sequencing and more, and it
just feels like a solid package. It’s basically the
monosynth of the award-winning 'Logue range so
we’re expecting big things from this small one.
Monologue promises to live up to the dream of
having a proper analog monosynth in a compact
and affordable package.
korg.com
7
4
Modal
Skulpt $200
RELEASE: June 2019
5 7
Unlike other synths here, Skulpt has
dropped any analog pretensions in
favor of sheer power – its digital
engine has enough DSP for four
voices and eight oscillators-per-voice. It does
have the plastic feel though, and does lack a
proper keyboard, but another clever matrix-type
programming panel will have you tweaking
parameters and it also has a great sound. Light in
weight, big in results, there's no doubt that you
can get a lot of sonic power for your money here”.
modalelectronics.com
Novation Circuit
Mono Station
$347
RELEASE: July 2017
6
A fusing of two amazing Novation
products into one box, with the
sequencing power of Circuit driving the
rich bass and leads sounds of
BassStation. Digital control, analog sounds, loads
of dynamic modulation it’s a bass dream and can
be the heart of a Eurorack setup. The deep,
multi-channel sequencer, flexible mod matrix and
automation have the potential to add up to a
workflow and creative experience unlike anything
else on the market, combining the best of digital
flexibility with a classic analog synth design.
novationmusic.com
2
5
Yamaha
Reface DX $300
RELEASE: October 2015
The Reface DX was the first FM
hardware synth for the best part of
three decades on its release, and
unlike those older models, it makes
hands-on control of Frequency Modulation
synthesis easy – it really invites tweaking, taking
the headache out of FM programming. With eight
notes of polyphony, it can sound rich and real, fat
and unreal – just as FM should. Yamaha will
forever be associated with hardware FM, and It’s
genuinely exciting it's revisiting FM once again
and improving it along the way.
yamaha.com
Waldorf
Streichfett $370
RELEASE: October 2014
8
One of the oldest synths in our
roundup, Streichfett focusses on
strings and only strings – and not even
particularly realistic ones at that, as it
looks to bring back the sound of the kitsch string
machines of the ’70s and ’80s. There’s both a
Strings and Solo section with everything from
violin to choir, bass to piano – that’s every type of
string then. It’s obviously not as wide ranging as
other synths here but has a grace and charm
about it that has won it many friends. It sounds
great and is hugely fun to use – and at this price,
that’s all that matters.
waldorfmusic.com
The synths on test
Arturia MicroFreak
First out of the gates, Arturia’s MicroFreak
certainly lives up to its name, being the odd one
out in so many different and somewhat freakish
ways. There’s the capacitive keybed keyboard
that has no moving parts but, at the same time,
isn’t as unfeeling as a touch keyboard – more
somewhere in between. The synth’s sound is also
‘out there’, wayward and wobbly and you’ll
realize early on that this is for experimenters
rather than purists.
That’s because at its core lies a digital engine of
several types, with 13 modes that cover
subtractive, wavetable, harmonics and other
synthesis types. The best part is that they are
controlled via four main orange dials and virtual
pots on the OLED screen meaning you can easily
see what you are doing and hear the often
dramatic results very quickly.
MicroFreak is very flexible, then – with just
this engine alone it can traverse all sorts of styles,
tones and textures. There’s a great modulation
matrix, a sequencer mode to add even more
power and movement to what can already be very
dynamic sounds, and the Paraphonic Mode lets
you create huge four-part hits and chords. If you
need any more in your-face-ness from these
initially monophonic sounds (doubtful), it’s a fab
thickening agent.
The MicroFreak’s orange pots work well with the
screen for simple, dramatic parameter changes
Your time with
MicroFreak will be one of
utter excitement as you
twist and turn through a
journey of mayhem and
discovery. The manual
doesn’t – and can’t – really
do it justice; you really do
have to get in there and
tweak. It might not be a
path where you know
you’re headed but it will
always be fascinating.
With its multi-faceted
engine – some of the Using the Shift button on the Skulpt opens up another world of
open-source elements of parameter changes but you’ll also want to use the app
which were developed by
Eurorack guru Mutable
Instruments – you feel like you’re getting all the dedicated to a slightly different use. UNO Synth
experimental fun of a full-blown Eurorack system is, unbelievably considering the weight, an analog
within a much safer and cheaper all-in-one monosynth with two oscillators per voice, a two-
option. A recommended experience. pole multimode filter, LFO plus both filter and
amplitude envelopes. That matrix allows you to
IK UNO Synth control the main parts of the synth with
In many ways UNO Synth is the polar opposite of selectable touch buttons, and then the parameters
MicroFreak – more traditional and perhaps within each section with the four rotaries – a
dependable – but it also shares some of the no- clever design that, along with the touch keyboard,
moving-parts philosophy, aspects of the keyboard keeps costs down. And considering the street cost
and also a fabulous matrix section, albeit one is around $120 this is easily the cheapest synth in
our roundup.
With a neat arpeggiator, a drive option on the
filter, sequencer and real-time effects, there’s not
only a lot to shape the sound on UNO but also a
lot of performance and playing options so the
resulting sound is anything but cheap. Big beefy
basses, dynamic arpeggiations, soaring leads and
all the goodness you’d expect from a quality
monosynth are the order of the day. You’ll be
programming and saving sounds in no time – it’s
intuitive, fun and much bigger-sounding than it
feels. The message here, then, is never judge a
synth by its weight.
Modal Skulpt
And that message is enforced further by Modal’s
Skulpt. Side by side with UNO Synth, you’d think
Skulpt was made by the same company with its
similar dimensions, USB and battery power,
angled front panel (lifted up by way of a battery
compartment underneath), software editor, light
weight and touch keyboard. It is, however, very
different in terms of its makeup, being digital and
with a huge amount of power under its plastic
bonnet. In its Poly mode, Skulpt delivers four
FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt X`
 voices of polyphony but each one can run eight
identical oscillators simultaneously. In Duo mode
you get half the polyphony (two voices) but each
one accesses 16 oscillators and then in Mono
MINISYNTHS
mode it’s just monophonic but each voice has 32
oscillators! See what we mean about ignoring the
weight and feel?
In truth, Skulpt’s external software editor is an
essential addition when you want to get into
programming – Skulpt itself lacks a screen so
your computer’s will act as one – but the two
work beautifully together, with pretty much
every tweak you make to a sound visible
graphically on your computer screen. Overall,
while it’s not essential to run the hardware and
software together with every operation – Skulpt
will work well independently and there’s a lot you
can do out and about on the go in terms of
programming and playing – the two in tandem
bring the synth to life for a variety of tasks.
Yamaha Reface DX
Turning to Yamaha’s Reface DX and it’s a bit of a
shock to be stepping ‘up’ to a keyboard, albeit one
with mini keys. But this is no ordinary synth. It’s
part of a range of keyboards that Yamaha
designed with both the mass market and ease of
use in mind, so DX brings a cut-down but more
user-friendly version of the company’s Frequency
Modulation synthesis to the party. FM is based
around fundamental carrier waveforms
modulated by other waveforms. Both types are
generated by operators and Reface DX has four of
these, with a possible 12 combinations of
algorithms. On a basic level, just flicking between
these combos will give you instant sonic fun, but
the real beauty of DX comes by way of four touch
strips that allow you to control other parameters
such as frequency, envelope and LFO values in
real time. This is something that Yamaha never
had with its original DX synths, one of the
reasons they fell out of favor next to hands-on
Real-time control over Frequency Modulation
synthesis by way of Reface DX
YW FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
Come on baby, drive my synth
Having effects on a synth can really add to sonic flexibility,
as we can see on many of the contenders in our list
As we’re looking at cheap synths, we don’t really expect too many optional extras, but some of the
effect options thrown in are a nice surprise. The most out-there effects come from the Behringer
Neutron with a bucket brigade delay which has to be heard to be believed, but its Drive section is also
very powerful, acting almost like an oscillator. Drive is also available on the Korg, adding a rich distortion
to filth up many of that synth’s sounds. The UNO Synth’s effects on the other hand, are more for
performance duties. Let’s take a closer look.
Perform with UNO Neutron Blaster Korg Drive
UNO Synth’s effects include The Bucket Brigade Delay here can The Drive control on the Korg
Tremolo, Wah, Vibrato, Dive and run away with itself, so use with care Monologue sits right at the end of
Scoop. These are not your standard to add a stunning, characterful the signal chain and adds a lovely
effects for applying to sounds, more effect to the synth’s sound. There level of grit and distortion. It’s not
for performances rather like the are three controls: Time (between exactly subtle; like a lot of features
real-time performance effects on 25-640ms), Repeats and Mix. “Max on the Monologue, you don’t get
Roland’s AIRA range, they add jitter, out the Repeats,” Behringer say, many parameters to tweak, just one
timing and other effects to “and you get a full dose of glorious knob to add saturation and depth
sequences and general playback. self-oscillation for mind-blowing which again means extra character
Great for live performance. runaway delays.” for this particular synth.
analog synths, so to control the guts of FM Novation Circuit Mono Station
synthesis this way is both fun and fairly unusual. Novation’s Circuit Mono Station probably seems
As to DX’s sound, its eight notes of polyphony like the oddest synth in our roundup, a mix of
help it deliver some rich textures and the DX Novation’s BassStation 2 and Circuit machines in
engine supplies the most variety here (bar the one classy, well-designed, solid-feeling box.
MicroFreak). You get some lovely pads, electric BassStation, if you didn’t know, is a rather fab
pianos, and all those lovely acoustic and metallic synth, born in a time when everyone wanted the
FM sounds which are absolutely timeless. TB-303 sound. It’s been updated and rebooted
Unfortunately there are also some dated but remains a firm favorite with bass and lead
‘dubstep’ sounds which didn’t even sound that heads. Circuit, conversely, is Novation’s
cool five years ago when DX was released. computerless solution, a wonder-box of hands-on
Happily it’s easy to performance power, and sequencing goodness.
overwrite and save Put them together, as Novation do here, and the
your own sounds results can be astonishing.
which you will The BassStation part is a cut-down BassStation
probably want to do 2 with a single LFO and envelope. It has two
quickly. DX is very digitally-controlled analog oscillators and can
different to all the play as a monophonic or paraphonic synth
other synths on offer (where the oscillators share some signal path of
here but offers a rich VCA, filter and envelope). This is born out with
and rewarding the sequencer, which is effectively a three-part
experience and you’ll affair, two tracks for the oscillators and one track
start to wonder why of modulation. This side of the device is second to
FM was considered none with a plethora of options for recording
such hard work back glide, velocity, gate, direction and randomness but
in the ’80s – it really is the real USP of Circuit Mono Station is the ability
hands on and easy(er). to record both oscillators separately. This results
in some wild patterns and sequences, very often
sounding totally gigantic, and with the ease of
recording any movement and modulation (there’s
an excellent Mod Matrix top right of the unit)
and you can quickly build up some incredibly
dynamic patterns.
Because of its detailed sequencing features,
Circuit Mono Station is probably the best ‘non
DAW’ synth in our roundup; you really can use it
standalone for ideas, synced with a standard
Circuit for bigger sonic brush strokes or as the
central hub of a modular setup. Its analog sound
is also right up there – perhaps not as fat as some,
but potentially (thanks to that sequencer again)
far more dynamic than any other synth here.
Behringer Neutron
Behringer’s Neutron is also a dual-oscillator
paraphonic synth but that’s where any
comparisons with Circuit Mono Station end.
This is a true semi-modular synth with two
fully-analog oscillators, a filter, LFO, two
envelopes, an overdrive section and even an
amazing-sounding Bucket Brigade Delay (BBD).
This is the hard-wired side of the synth so you
don’t need to do any patching but there’s a huge
section of 56 patch points should you wish to
experiment with loads of other modulation
options or integrate the synth into your Eurorack
setup. The synth feels well built and pretty solid,
punching above its price in terms of its build
quality, and indeed its sound.
Notably Neutron isn’t trying to be particularly
like any other synth – this isn’t one of the many
Behringer clones. The synth was designed from
the ground up by the UK Midas team and does
have a character and feel of its own.
The two oscillators at Neutron’s core are based
on the V3340 VCO chip, similar to the CEM3340
found in many classic synths. You get five
different wave shapes, and can move smoothly
between adjacent waves. The synth
can sound huge – arguably the biggest
on test – particularly when you get
modulating with pulse width and the
LFO, and the overdrive and delay
sections add to the truly unique sound.
Overall, Neutron is big, beefy and
exceptionally well-spec’d given the
pricetag. If you want to dabble in the
purer side of hardware synthesizers
and modular, this is a great low-cost
example to get you started and above
all, it's one which is fully capable of
some amazing sounds, and there’s
some great sonic flexibility and
experimentation to be had by way of
Small tweaks on the Streichfett’s Registration dial can mean big sonic changes
its patch bay.
Waldorf Streichfett
On the face of it, Waldorf’s
Streichfett is the most targeted
of our synths but there’s more
to this well-built, compact box
than meets the eye. It has two
main sections: Solo for
producing 8-note polyphonic
instrument tones (bass,
keyboard, piano etc) and a
bigger Strings pot for
producing ensembles. There’s a
Monologue’s OLED display shows the waveform
mixer so you can blend the two
change as you make any tweak
plus envelope and tremolo
controls for the first section,
release, octave and crescendo controls for the
second plus effects. There are just 12 rewritable
presets USB power, MIDI and the option to split
the two outputs across your keyboard. And that’s
it. Except it isn’t…
The main Registration dial acts almost like a
core oscillator and even the slightest twist can
take you in a completely new direction; same for
the Solo dial as you morph around sounds and
twist textures. The added chorus, Animate,
phaser and reverb effects add some extra layers of
authenticity and you can spend hours creating
dreamy textures and evolving pads, not just those
that recall string machines of the ’70s but new
textures too. So it’s not as fully-featured, diverse
and as ‘synthy’ as every other unit here but we
love it. It has charm, focus, more sonic dexterity
than you might realize and it’s incredibly cheap.
It might just fill a small niche for some but it’s
worth every penny.
Korg Monologue
And so, finally, to Korg’s entry, the Monologue.
This, like the Reface DX above, feels ‘proper’. You
get a keyboard (again, mini keys) and great
backside made of wood, lovely smooth controls
FEB RUARY
and a very solidly built synth. It feels kind of
grown up compared to some of the lightweight
synths on offer here – although it’s not exactly
what you’d call heavy. It doesn’t come with a
power supply (which is annoying) but does ship
with 6AA batteries to power it.
Monologue is an analog mono synth with two
oscillators with three selectable waves, and a
selection of basic controls. There’s a mixer to
blend the oscillators, a filter, envelope section and
basic modulation so that you can apply envelope
and LFO to three set destinations each. It sounds
pretty basic, yes, but there’s also a very easy-to-
use sequencer which is nicely demoed as you run
through the presets and one with which you can
record motion (parameter changes) as well.
Sound-wise, this is big and bold and hits you
square in the face as you run through its varied
presets, helped along by the drive circuit which
does exactly as you’d expect. Sounds can be rich
and metallic or nicely rounded and deep. As with
all analog synths the OLED display give you a
visual indication of the waveform and changes as
you alter parameters – very nice – and even if the
controls are limited you really can make very
dramatic changes to said sound, very quickly
indeed. We’d say that the
sound is as fulsome as that
on any synth here (bar
possibly the Behringer’s)
but the sequencer allows
you to take it up by a fair
few notches.
Yes, there are
limitations, but overall
Monologue just lets you get
on with some fast sound
shaping and with its
motion sequencer is one of
the best all-round synths of
the pack, especially given
its street price that is only
comparably high here.
2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt YX
 The future of synths: how low can we go?
MINISYNTHS

As cheap as this selection of eight synths is, let’s not forget that there are even cheaper
options available, some even approaching the sub-¢100 arena, including the Volca
range from Korg, and the Pocket Operator range of calculator-type all-in-one music
makers from Teenage Engineering. There are also numerous kits and modular options,
many of which are also coming down in price. So the era of the cheap hardware synth is
here to stay, you might think, but the truth is that it’s a hard market to predict. Will the
use of plastics in manufacturing be reduced as we start to address eco concerns, for
example, or will the many new soft and iOS synth releases finally tempt people away
from hardware for good? That is doubtful, because what our batch of synths prove is
that people want the tactile feel of real hardware when making music and that the synth
should be considered every bit as precious as a classical violin, guitar or piano.
And there are plenty more hardware synths on the way, of all shapes, sizes and prices.
Beginning with this year’s NAMM show, 2020 has seen the announcement of many,
including the low-cost Sonicware Liven 8bit Warps (featuring retro chiptune sounds,
four engines and a sequencer), Korg’s Wavestate (a synth we reviewed and called “a
fantastic update to a
much-loved synth line”),
recently joined by a new
sibling in the FM opsix, the
Sequential Pro-3 ($1,599
for an analog and digital
hybrid, three-oscillator
paraphonic), which has
now been joined in the
Sequential lineup this year
by the revived Prophet-5,
the Moog Subsequent 25
(a two-note paraphonic
analog synth) and the
Clavia Nord Wave 2. We
could easily go on...
Just some of the new synth contenders for the coming year, fresh from NAMM 2020
So what’s clear is that
whatever your synth –
hard, soft, mobile, kit,
modular or semi modular –
you’re living in a boom time
for the instrument… so
make the most of it!

YY FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

 Conclusions
great intro to the latter. For easier Circuit Mono Station is the wild
analog, presets, sequencing and card, letting you create entire riffs
still a surprisingly big sound, UNO and sequences with ridiculous
It’d be easy to sum up and say ‘well different approaches which makes delivers the best bang for buck. ease. And it’s also one of the most
MINISYNTHS

there’s something for everyone
here’ because most of these cheap
synths have been designed with
quite tight briefs in mind, so there
isn’t often a lot of direct crossover.
Even with all of our analog
contenders, there are wildly
choosing one for your needs easier.
If you want pure, raw analog, there
is the obvious choice of the
Neutron. Not only does this have
the biggest, grittiest analog tone, it
gives you a lesson in both standard
and modular synthesis and is a
That said, a shade over 50 bucks
or so more gets you the Korg
Monologue, which we feel is worth
that extra. You get a more solid
package, slightly more hands-on
control and, of course, a much
better keyboard. Of the analogs,
compact on offer.
Away from the purer side of
analog, we come to the MicroFreak
— here to be noticed, like that
narcissistic friend on Facebook:
you’re intrigued as to where it’s
going to take you, but you might

VALUE VALUE

••••••••••
EASE OF USE
••••••••••
EASE OF USE

••••••••••
RESULTS
••••••••••
RESULTS

Arturia
••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY Behringer
••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY

MicroFreak •••••••••• Neutron ••••••••••

PROS PROS

+ Lovely synth for instant experimentation and

with a huge variety of core ingredients OVERALL + Lovely, rich analog sound
+ Best integration for Eurorack OVERALL
+ Build quality is good + Loads of routing flexibility

9.3 8.0
+ Huge sound that can be even huger with its
Paraphonic mode CONS
+ Touch keyboard is the best of those in
this roundup – Some functions are a little too well hidden
– No presets, saving or any modern niceties
CONS
VERDICT
– … But still not a full keyboard BEST FOR: BEST FOR:
– Might be a little too off kilter for some The synth to choose to enjoy the best analog
Off-the-wall electronic sound and also get a more gentle introduction to Delivering some analog
the world of modular.
VERDICT music, abrasive leads beef, massive detuned leads
While it’s hugely flexible, MicroFreak may not be and basses, scratchy and and a whole raft of great
for everybody; it’s almost there to be abrasive but
fun, dramatic and explosive. Get your white coat detuned post-electronica Moog-like basses
on and fiddle.

VALUE VALUE

••••••••••
EASE OF USE
••••••••••
EASE OF USE

••••••••••
RESULTS
••••••••••
RESULTS

IK ••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY
Korg ••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY
UNO Synth •••••••••• Monologue ••••••••••
PROS PROS

+ Fab big and bold sound

OVERALL OVERALL
+ Almost as cheap as a good soft synth
+ Great analog sound given its dimensions + Incredibly easy to use
+ Very easy to use and it has a software editor if + Great motion sequencer
that’s needed + Great range of presets

8.8 8.9
+ Light weight, heavy sound
CONS
CONS
– Some controls are limited
– Keyboard is touch only – No power supply

VERDICT
BEST FOR:
A tidy synth with a lovely analog heart that has
been so well thought through and constructed A more controlled but large
that anyone can use it. Just don’t judge it based analog sound, traditional
on feel and looks.
dance and synth music
sounds, big basses and
leads
VERDICT
Best all-round analog in terms of marrying
modern niceties with a classic analog character
and design
BEST FOR:
Big basses, huge leads and
saturated dirt. Great for all
types of EDM and general
electronic music production

Y[ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

just want something a little calmer
for a more dependable and
traditional sonic friendships.
Skulpt is that wiser and more
restrained choice, digital in nature
but capable of more fullsome,
massive and complex sounds.
Another big sound – perhaps the
biggest in terms of potential
complexity – but the smallest and
lightest of packages.
Like the Korg in our analog
selection, Yamaha’s Reface DX
offers the complete package:
decent enough keyboard, great
sounds, presets and hands-on
control over FM synthesis –
something only Brian Eno ever
really achieved back in the day. It’s
capable of both off-kilter sounds
and a regular synth experience,
which you could also say of
Streichfett with its cheek and
charm but the lack of diversity on
this module might count it out.
Freak like me
Your wants and needs can easily be
channeled by what we say above,
but if we were to choose just one
cheap winner it would be Arturia’s
MicroFreak. It’s one for white coat
experimentalists who want the fun
and flexibility of a huge and
modular-like setup, but built into
one box with no wires. Having just
picked one, though, we have found
that since this test we’ve had
MicroFreak chained to Streichfett
and the two of them together really
is a dream combination of ethereal
strings and balls-out attitude. A
double dose of synth goodness for
just over 700 bucks. Incredible.

VALUE VALUE

••••••••••
EASE OF USE
••••••••••
EASE OF USE

••••••••••
RESULTS
••••••••••
RESULTS

Modal
••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY Novation
••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY

Skulpt •••••••••• Mono Station ••••••••••

PROS PROS

+ Lovely complex sound

+ Very easy to get to grips with when you’re using OVERALL + Best all-in-one sans computer approach
+ Great BassStation sound OVERALL
the app + Great Circuit sequencing

9.0 8.4
+ Super powerful engine + Incredible movement possible in creating
+ Good variation of sonics those sequences

CONS CONS

– No proper keyboard – Just bass (and leads)

– Best used with app for some functions
BEST FOR: VERDICT
BEST FOR:
VERDICT
Dreamy electronica, It’s the combination you thought you might not All dance music, 303-style
Probably the biggest surprise in terms of sheer need but one that works so well you almost
sonic power versus cost, Skulpt has emerged as
synthwave, dynamic evolving can’t do without it. A real ‘best of both worlds’.
growls, dynamic basslines
the dark horse in this round-up, with a great textures as well as more of any kind and absolute
individual sound and character.
complex custom sounds paraphonic-like filth

VALUE VALUE

••••••••••
EASE OF USE
••••••••••
EASE OF USE

•••••••••• ••••••••••
Yamaha RESULTS
Waldorf RESULTS

Reface DX ••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY Streichfett ••••••••••
FLEXIBILITY

PROS •••••••••• PROS ••••••••••

+ Easy FM synthesis! + Lovely tweakable sound
+ Proper keyboard feel + Very easy to use
+ Lovely sound (in the main)
+ Great pads and bells OVERALL + Compact and well built
+ Not ‘just’ strings OVERALL

8.6 8.0
CONS CONS

– Some dud presets – … But it is more limited than other

synths sonically
VERDICT – Limited presets

All the hands-on real-time control of analog but VERDICT

with digital FM synthesis – who’d have thought! BEST FOR:
DX is a lovely homage to the past and a great way
to revive a classic form of synthesis. Some acoustic sounds and
all those bells and whistles.
Lovely pianos and pads; big,
swirly in your-face bass
BEST FOR:
While its scope is deliberately more focused,
there’s a surprising amount of fun to be had with Acoustic string and piano,
Streichfett and a surprising amount of playability
considering the cost. rich textures, movement,
chillout, ambient and
anything with atmosphere

FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt Y\

 Kingdom By Leo Maymind

Ezra Rubin has worked with some of the most-talked about artists of the
last five years but as Leo Maymind finds out, he may have saved some of
the choicest creative chunks for his own acclaimed work…
A
s Kingdom, Ezra Rubin has shown that
visionary ideas can still have a place
within the contemporary mainstream – it
just takes his peers a few years to catch up.
Equally informed by the elastic production work
of studio lifer Timbaland and the Providence,
Rhode Island noise scene, Rubin started Kingdom
using rudimentary Boss drum machines and an
early copy of Reason.
But his attention to detail in the carefully
constructed sonics of Kingdom tracks shows that
Rubin’s skills as a producer have grown by leaps
and bounds since those earlier days, and his
tracks over the past decade have soundtracked
everything from club nights to runway stages, and
everything in between. In his own work, as well
as running the cutting edge LA label Fade to
Mind, Rubin’s dedication to a certain aesthetic
remains pretty airtight. Just look at the visuals for
Fade to Mind’s releases and you’ll see that they
each capture a feeling and spirit of freedom,
much like the euphoria and rush of a great,
memorable night packed between two speakers.
Though much of his work remains behind the
scenes, Kingdom’s past collaborations with
Kelela, SZA, and Syd
from the Internet
show that he’s also “Creating new music feels more
able to steer the ship
when he’s working rewarding right now, but I know the raves
with others. This
September saw
will be back ”
Kingdom returning
with a new full-length album entitled Neurofire
that finds the producer exploring headier sonics
matched with slightly faster tempos. This time,
he’s also chosen to feature less known voices,
working with friends and newcomers.
We sat down with Rubin to discuss his early
mash-up attempts, learning from Bok Bok, and
what it’s like to run a label that the LA Times has
listed among the most influential projects in LA
underground music.
So you are originally from Massachusetts but
you went to school in New York City, right?
Yeah, I grew up 30 minutes west of Boston, near
to Natick. I then moved to New York when I was
18 years old. I stayed there for ten years, then
headed west to Los Angeles.
What attracted you to LA?
I had been touring a whole bunch and visiting LA
a few times a year for shows and just to hang with
my friends. I was DJing at Mustache Mondays
and other shows, hanging out and playing around
with music, with Total Freedom and
Nguzunguzu. I liked the atmosphere and the
weather and proximity to nature and a slightly
more open and experimental music scene.
We read that your entrance into music making
in the Kingdom world was through making
edits and putting acapellas over UK garage
instrumentals and such. What were you
making musically before that, if anything at
all? What would you say was your first real
musical obsession?
I was always making music. I was always
fascinated with drums, and always wondered
how electronic drum sounds were made when I
heard them on the radio in the ’80s. My dad
bought me a cheap Kawai keyboard when I was
seven, and I used that thing every day. I never
really got proficient at reading music but always
messed around and definitely mastered playing
drumbeats on the keyboard.
I also had a brief stint taking piano lessons
when I was eleven, just for a year. My teacher was
really into early MIDI software and had a Korg
M1. She could tell that I was never going to
practice or really sight read so she would show
me stuff on the computer instead.
Wow. That is incredible foresight!
Yeah, it definitely planted the seed early on. But
then I never saw another piece of music software
again until like 2004, so like 10 years later! In the
gap in between that, my brother dragged me into
some ska and punk bands. I also had a four-track
recorder that I played around with on the side,
playing keyboard and drum parts into it one by
one, making my own tapes.
What sort of music was influencing you
around this time?
This was 1997-1999, so Darkchild, Timbaland and
the Neptunes were most of the sounds you heard
on the radio. When I heard them I was obsessed
– hearing pop become so polyrhythmic and
stutter. I would try to imitate the beats. By then I
had a Roland Dr. Groove (DR-202) and Dr.
Sample. The DR-202 was a super cheap, all-in-
one machine. It had 808s, 909s, 606s, and a few
other basic kits, and around ten bass sounds.
So, what led you to the Dr-202 and the Dr.
Sample? How did you know to get them?
Was your brother a part of that decision too?
FEB RUARY
All of the options were connected to speakers at
Guitar Center, so I just went in and found them.
In my mind, I was already into synth drums and
basses, so the Dr. Groove made sense because it
had it all. It also marketed itself with genre
INTERVIEW
names, like trip hop and drum & bass and lo-fi
etc, which made sense to my brain at the time.
So you were into electronic sounds from an
early age? It doesn’t seem that common
around Boston. Do you remember having to
seek out those sounds? Jungle wasn’t a thing
on the radio really, I don’t think.
Yeah, probably not. My brother turned me onto a
lot of it. But there was a small scene. There was a
college radio show called No Commercial
Potential that played lots of ambient stuff. Also
DJ Rupture’s Toneburst collective was Boston-
based and had a big influence on me. There were
definitely jungle parties happening but I was too
young to go.
And then you moved to New York to go to
Parsons, correct?
Yes, I was pursuing fashion design at that time.
One thing to note is
that I got really sick
the first year in NY
and had to go home
and get my tonsils out.
Those days in bed on
codeine cough syrup
was the first time I got
really productive and really learned my way
around the Dr. Groove and syncing it with the Dr.
Sample. Around this time, I also had a little band
with some friends. That band was Dr. Groove, Dr.
Sample, four vocalists and lots of fog! Our final
CD-R, which we printed up in 2004, was the first
time I recorded the stems out from the Dr.
Groove and Sample into Pro Tools on my
brother’s computer. We had a song called
‘Kingdom’, which is actually where the name
came from. Shortly after, in 2005, I got a Pro
Tools interface and made my first Kingdom
tracks. I was still (making music) casually as a
hobby, as I working at an art gallery full time.
What were those first, early Kingdom tracks
made with?
They were half Dr. Groove, half Reason. Each
track had elements recorded in from the drum
machine, as well as stuff from Reason over the
top. Since I sort of knew the DAW from using Pro
Tools, I would also drag in samples and chop
audio a little bit.
So what did those early songs sound like? Did
2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt Y^
 any of those first Kingdom songs get released
in any way?
They were just a CD-R. I guess I’ve always been
multigenre, as some of them had a mystical synth
industrial vibe, some were weird takes on trance,
and some were lo-fi dancehall. I was into
Providence noise stuff at the time, like Lightning
Bolt, but also New York was feeding me a lot of
new influences.
Back then people still sold bootleg CDs in the
subway! I bought a lot of amazing reggaeton
remix CDs and dancehall instrumentals. New
York in general still had some rawness and
secrets. It was a good time to be there.
Y_ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
Did DJing enter your life when you first got to
New York?
Around 2005, my friend Kevin had the idea of
throwing a party. None of us knew how to DJ. We
threw it in the back room at a liquor store and just
played CDs we burned – no live DJs.
But somehow it caught on a bit, more people
started to come – Telfar, the DIS Magazine crew,
and some people from Hood By Air. I met them
there and Telfar asked me to DJ his night at a real
club. But at the time I really had no idea how to
DJ. I burned two CDs and he showed me at my
first gig – on a pair of horrible rackmounted
Denon CD players!
Let’s fast forward into the present. Where is
your studio these days? What’s your routine
for working or getting into the studio? Do you
try to get in there on any regular schedule?
My studio is in the Koreatown area of Los
Angeles. I managed to find a small private spot
where I can be loud at all hours. I try to break it
up more these days and get in earlier, but most of
the time I’m pretty into my routine, which is to
hike or be outside all afternoon, then work at the
studio from 4pm to 1am. No matter how hard I
try I get a burst of motivation at 11pm!
Do you find yourself working on music all the
time or do you focus on it more when there is
a specific release you are working on? Are you
sort of always compiling ideas?
I do almost everything myself so I’m switching
between design, admin stuff, and making music.
It’s gotten design and admin-heavy leading up to
this album, really for the last six months but
before that I was in a really creative space,
making music every day to create the pool of
demos that would go towards Neurofire.
How do you feel Neurofire is different from
Tears in the Club or any of your other
previous releases? Was there a certain thing
you specifically wanted to capture with the
latest outing?  that. I also used Omnisphere and samples of my
There was something dreamy and atmospheric
about Tears in the Club. The new album is all
about showcasing new talent, and a rare chance
to hear pop and R&B vocals over faster and more
experimental beats. With Neurofire I was ready to
capture a little more tension and turbulence in
my music, and go back to the chopped and
remixed vocals instead of traditional vocals. At
times it is a bit more distorted and more uptempo,
while still blending in those emotional moments.
Looking over the gear list you used for
Neurofire, we noticed it’s pretty equally split
between hardware and software. You do have
a few hardware synths in there, most notably
the Korg Triton. Was the Triton something
Bok Bok introduced you to or did you know
about it from Timbaland or the Neptunes?
They are pretty well-known Triton users.
I knew it was Lil Jon’s favorite as well as the
Neptunes’. Also, doing some research online, it’s
described as the bigger better M1, so it was a
logical choice for me. Also a lot of early grime
sounds came from it. My last two projects, Tears
in the Club and Vertical XL, had a lot of Triton on
them. There were lots of melody stems I just
played freestyle and quantised after, or I played
the drums live on the Triton and then chopped
FEB RUARY
and looped the audio. Neurofire has a little less of
Korg DS-8 and Yamaha T81Z rack.
How do you choose which of these sound
INTERVIEW
sources to turn to?
I feel like I finally have a sense of what each of my
keyboards and VSTs has. So if M1 doesn’t have it
then I will try to imagine if my hardware has it. I
do check out Omnisphere quite often though.
There’s still plenty of M1 on the new album too,
but with more effects to help disguise the overly
clean feel that it has.
Did you mix this album yourself? If so, can
you tell us a bit about that process? Was the
Waves RVox plugin a big part of the mixing
process? Similarly, what about Decimort do
you like as opposed to other distortion or bit
crushing plugins?
I recorded and mixed the entire project, give or
take two or three stems. I have a fantasy of
finding someone else to do it for me one day
because I really go into a lot of detail when I’m
mixing. It takes months and months. Mixing the
instrumentals is a lot about what should be wide
or narrow in the stereo field. If the ambience of
the track has some grit or distortion to it,
sometimes it’s about adding it to the overly clean
tracks so that it sounds more like it’s come from
2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt Y`

INTERVIEW
the same world, sometimes with the help of D16’s
Decimort, Ableton’s Saturator, or Erosion.
What’s your advice on mastering the low end?
Getting the bass right takes a lot of time. Some of
my tracks have a tight kick, a sub bass, and a synth
bassline, and they can’t all fire at once, so it’s tons
of automations and sidechains. Sometimes even
automating EQs so the bass sounds get out of the
way of each other at the right moments.
And how do you approach vocals? Do you
have certain chains that you rely on now?
With vocals it’s a ton of surgery too. Bok taught
me a lot early on with instrumentals, but I’m
entirely self-taught on vocal mixing. Just guess
and check and listen. My first vocal mixes I relied
almost entirely on volume automation to make
the vocal sound even. I’ve finally started to grasp
compression more. (Waves) Rvox is the simplest
vocal compressor I’ve ever used. It seems to even
out the volume without affecting the overall vibe
of the vocal – I just started using that this year.
I noticed that you’re using a relatively
inexpensive vocal mic, even though all the
vocals on Neurofire sound super crisp and
detailed. What are your thoughts on gear lust
and pining after the latest thing?
I’m definitely anti-gear lust. All of my favorite
ZW FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
music was made with cheap hardware, or Fruity
Loops. I tried to buy a highly recommended high-
end mic right before making the album; I really
didn’t like the sound at all. The MXL V67 is
under $100 and delivers good quality. I’ve been
using that mic my entire career. My first one was
a used one that finally died after 10 years of use.
So I bought a new one of the same. I love to
experiment with vocal effects, so if I’m going to
do that anyways, I may as well get a clean,
predictable signal at the start. I think I’m used to
it too; you have to apply different effects to a
signal from a different mic. The air effect on the
Scarlett helps too.
I was just about to ask about your interface
and your monitors as well. What do you
currently have in your studio?
I’m using a Focusrite Clarett 8Pre with Yamaha
HS8s, with the sub, although my friend has a big
pair of Adam’s and I think I like those better.
What is the room like that you’ve been
working in? How long have you been there?
I’ve been in here for four years, I think. I have six
acoustic panels and three bass traps, though I
think it needs some more. I like the way that it
sounded when I was facing the shortest wall, but
facing the long wall also makes the space a lot
more enjoyable for guest vocalists.
Let’s talk about those guest vocalists – this
album has even more collaborators and
vocalists than your previous work. How do
you choose vocalists who you’d like to
collaborate with? At what stage in the process
do you think about vocals? Do you try out
multiple vocalists on a single track and see
what works?
My last album has SZA and Syd on it. That was
my first attempt at working with bigger vocalists.
This time around I just wanted to work with
friends, and to go deeper into collaboration.
I love working with female vocalists, or male
vocalists who are in touch with their
vulnerability. I still just can’t get over the feeling
of hearing a falsetto vocal.
With this album I wanted to move away a little
from the standard vocal performance, and make it
sound more remixed and sampled. Most of them
have unusual chopping, layering or effects. It
happens organically; the tracks that have more
space may need vocals.
I’m curious as to how you see your
relationship to the LA club scene and how you
think it’s evolved over the years. Do you feel
like you’ve settled into a bit of a community in
LA now that you’ve been here for a bit? Do
you see Fade to Mind as an ‘LA’ label?
The first years were really amazing. I don’t think
people here had really heard the mix of sounds
that we were playing. I think our warehouse
parties with Venus X and Manara really opened
people’s eyes in LA terms.
It’s been harder lately, as Nacho Nava, creator
of Mustache Mondays, passed away last year. He
was holding the scene together in a way. There
are also just some harsh realities, financial and
otherwise, that make throwing parties really
challenging. Creating new music feels more
rewarding right now but I know the raves will be
back.
Fade is an LA label, but not what people from
other places might otherwise associate with LA.
It comes from the secret corners, and is very
influenced by our global community. I think the
overall music scene has dispersed a lot. I don’t
think it’s a bad thing though, as people are
exploring a lot of uncharted avenues.
Fade to Mind has always been a really diverse
place, inclusive since day one. Our parties have
always had an amazing mix of gay and straight
people and people of all ethnicities – something
that was rare in 2011. Q
For more info, dates and downloads, visit:
kingdom.ffm.to/neurofire or go to
soundcloud.com/kkingdomm
HOW-TO
thnhpul

THE ART OF SYNTH SOLOING

Time To Rock
A few of the most iconic rock sax solos for our study.
By Jerry Kovarsky

C
onfession time: I tend to Ex. 1. “Brown Sugar”: Bobby Keys builds nice energy across this classic solo with the Rolling
lean towards the jazz, Stones by continuing to climb higher.
fusion, funk and R&B
side of the musical spectrum. To E¨ E¨[“Ê] E¨ C C(“4) C
ÍÍ A¨
C C(“4) C
ÍÍ ÍÍ B¨(„ˆˆ2)
be sure that I cover all of your 4 Ó j j 3
œ œ
‰ œ œ œ bœù nœ œbœù nœ ‰ œ œ bœù nœ bœùœ œ œ œ œ œ ≈ bœ œ ˙
tastes and needs, this month let’s &4
1 1:37 2 3 4
look at a few of the most famous
sax solos in rock music to get a E¨ E¨[“Ê] E¨
ÍÍ A¨
C C(“4) B¨(„ˆˆ2)
3
C
3
C C(“4) C
j
sense of how those players fit
into the tunes.
& Œ bœù bœ œ œbœnœ œ œ ¿ œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ œj ‰ Œ ≈ œ bœ œ œù bœ ûœ œ ˙ ‰ nœ7 œ7œ7
5 6 7 8

C
Hot Stoned Sax E¨ E¨[“Ê] E¨
7 7bœ7 7 7œ7
C
ÍÍÍ
C(“4) C
ÍÍ ÍÍ A¨ B¨(„ˆˆ2) C C(“4)
The Rolling Stones have œ œ œ
& bœù nœ bœù nœ bœù nœ bœbœù nœ œ œbœ œû Œ œ bœ J œ œ bœ œ œ œ œ™
œJ ≈
famously used some big name 9 10 11 12
sax players on their records over
E¨ E¨[“Ê] E¨ C C(“4) C A¨ B¨(„ˆˆ2) C C(“4) C G
the years, including jazz legend
b œ œ b œ œ Í œœ 3
œ œ œ bœ œ œ™ ‰ J œ œbœœœ œù bœ œù œ œù œ œ
Sonny Rollins (“Waiting On A
Friend”), LA studio great Ernie
& ‰bœJ œ œ J œ œœbœ ˙™ Œ
13 14 15 16 17
Watts (“Going to a Go-Go”)
and even Wayne Shorter (“How
Can I Stop”). But the heart and Ex. 2. The C Blues scale, which Bobby Keys sticks with to keep his solo bluesy.
soul of Stones sax playing was
Texan Bobby Keys. He played C Blues Scale
on many records and toured
& œ b œ nœ bœ œ ‰
with the band on and off for 45
years. Perhaps his most iconic
œ bœ J
root b3 4 b5 5 b7 root
solo was on “Brown Sugar” from

ZY FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

their Sticky Fingers album in Ex. 3. Clarence Clemen’s iconic solo on Springsteen’s “Born To Run”. The Big Man always played it
1971. Recorded in one take, it the same as the record – some solos become a part of the tune and are best played like the record.
embodies what rock sax is all
E
###
about: not a lot of notes, but a
lot of energy, and being used to
& Ó Œ ‰ œœ œ œœœ œœ œ #œ œ nœ œ œ œ œ nœ#œ œ œ œ œ œ œnœ œœ
build the song to a climax where
1 2 3
œ œ
the refrain comes back in. 2:10
Looking at the solo (Example A E/G© F©‹ B(“4) B E
# ÍÍ
## œœ œ œ œ œnœ œ œ ‰ œ j œ œ œ ‰ œ œnœ#œ œ œ œ œ œ
J ‰œ J
1), there are a number of chords
& #œ œ#œ û J 7 7 7 œ œ œœ œ
that don’t easily fit into a key
signature, but Keys flattens them, 4 5 6 7 œ œû
using a C blues scale (Ex. 2) for A E/G© F©‹ B(“4) B C©‹ C©‹/B C©‹/A
almost the whole solo. This use of ### ‰ œ œ #œ œ œ #œ Œ œnœ#œ ˙™
blues licks and simple pentatonics & œ n œ # œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ 9 œ œ
is common in rock playing, but 8 10
C©‹/G© B E B‹7
Keys comes off like he’s “making
#
## ˙™ ÍÍÍÍÍÍ ‰ ¿ ‰ ¿ w ÍÍÍÍ
˙™
the changes”. He bends up into
& J Œ J Œ
a lot of notes, coming from the Ó
11 12 13
G-flat below the G most of the
time – these slurs up into the
notes is a good thing to practice.
Ex. 4. The E Major Blues scale as compared to the E Pentatonic scale.
Starting in Bar 8 he flutter
tongues/overblows the notes — a
classic technique for roughing up
### E Major Blues Scale
œ œ‰ œ œ Œ
E Pentatonic Scale
the sound. Then from bar 11 to the
& œ œ nœ #œ œ J œ œœ œ
end his lines keep climbing higher,
which adds some energy and root 2 b3 3 5 6 root root 2 3 5 6 root
excitement to the end of the solo.

The Big Man

For many rock fans there is no
greater sax player than Clarence
Clemons, aka The Big Man, the
sax player in Bruce Springsteen’s
E Street Band. A charismatic
presence on stage, he played
squarely in the tradition of
influencers like King Curtis and
Jr. Walker. And there is no Bruce
song bigger than “Born To Run”.
Clemens’ playing is an example
of a solo that becomes so iconic
that the player has to play it
the same, night after night, to
appease the fans that know the
record by heart. Example 3
shows the solo, which is based
on the E Major Blues Scale.
The Major Blues scale simply
adds the flatted-3rd to the E
Pentatonic scale (Ex. 4) and
sounds very open and bright,
with less tension/soul than the
regular blues scale. And this fits
in perfectly with the chiming
chords of this section. He opens
with a clear figure that he works
and repeats across the first few
Ex. 5. Alto Reed’s tasty solo on Bob Seger’s classic “Old Time Rock & Roll”.
F©7 B7
#### j j 3 j ˙ œ œ œ œ n3œ
& # œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ nœ œ œ ≈ œ œ œ œ Œ
œ œ œœ
1 1:56 2 œ3 4 ù
C©7
F©7
#### ‰ù>œ ≈ œj œ ≈ œ œ œ ‰ fij j ≈ j ‰
C©7
j ‰ 3 ù nœ #œ
& # J J nœù#œ œ ™ œ œœ œ œJ ‰ œ nœ œ œ œj j Œ
#œ œ œ
5 6 7 8
“Wilton Felder had a huge, warm sound on tenor sax, and
played with earthy
soulfulness”
bars, then the next phrase is also repeated through bar 6. Another example of a climb in pitch to generate
excitement takes us through the end of solo. Short, simple and utterly memorable.
A Classic Throwback
For our final solo, I chose a solo drenched in the history of the seminal horn players who first defined the
connection between rhythm and blues and rock and roll. Alto Reed’s (yes, that’s his name!) solo on Bob Seger’s
“Old Time Rock and Roll” seems a fitting choice to close with. Played in the less common key of F-sharp, the
tune is just a basic rock blues, but Reed’s solo is a model of taste, economy and classic rock sax playing. Sticking
closely to the F-sharp Major Blues scale he creates a solo that anyone could sing along to. Enjoy. Q

FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt ZZ

 EASY GUIDE
Roman numeral notation
HOW-TO
Dave illuminates what’s so useful about the notation system that came, saw
and conquered the world of music theory
I
f you’re a regular reader of this Easy Guide
series, you’ll have seen loads of Roman
numerals scattered around, and while I’m
always at pains to point out what they mean
when I use them – in case this is your first time
thnhpul
– I thought it would be good to look into them in-
depth once and for all, and properly explain not
just what they’re all about, but why we use them
so often and how they make music theory a little
bit easy to communicate.
Step by step Using Roman numeral notation to describe chord progressions
01
Let’s start off in traditional fashion by
looking at the C major scale – seven notes
from C to B, played on the white notes of
the piano keyboard. When talking about
scales such as this, we refer to the notes not just as
notes, but as ‘degrees’. So we can also say that there
are seven degrees in a major scale.
04
Let’s illustrate this a bit more clearly
by looking at a basic progression in
the key of C major. We’ve got the
chords C major, F major, G major and
C major. These are all chords taken from our
harmonized C major scale, making it what’s known as a
‘diatonic’ progression – all the notes in all the chords
are taken from the C major scale.
Z[ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
The main purpose for using Roman numerals
is when talking about harmony, ie, chord
progressions. For single notes, we still tend to use
regular individual note names like A, Bb, C, and
so on. But when talking about how chords relate
to one another in a sequence, we use numerals.
One of the main reasons we favour Roman
numerals over arabic numbers is that you can
use upper or lower case numerals to differentiate
between major and minor chord shapes – upper
02
This is what it looks like when we
number these degrees from 1 to 7
using Arabic numerals. The root note
of C takes the number 1, D is number
2, E is number 3 and so on, up to B as number 7. But
what happens when we harmonize the major scale by
adding alternate notes from the scale to each degree
to make three-note chords, or ‘triads’?
05
Because the chords are diatonic
– they belong to the harmonized
scale – we can swap their names for
Roman numerals. So our tonic chord,
C major, is going to be the I chord. F major is the fourth
chord in the harmonised scale, so this will become the IV
chord, while G major, by the same process, becomes
known as the V chord, making this a I - IV - V - I
progression.
case means major chords, lower case means
minor chords. This makes it easy to spell out
progressions without referencing a particular
key, as the numerals relate to a chord’s relative
position in the harmonised diatonic scale, rather
than the name of the chord itself. With all these
Roman numerals scattered about, things can look
a little confusing at first, but once you know how
to apply them, you’ll find it pretty useful. Let’s
check them out.
03
Here’s where the Roman numerals
start to become useful: if we replace
the Arabic numerals with the Roman
equivalents, we can use upper or
lower case Roman numerals to denote whether a
chord is major or minor. This frees us from the
constraints of the current key, allowing us to construct
a formula for a chord progression that works in any key.
06
But what if we now switch the key
from C major to, say, D major? We
still have the same progression, but
the chords that we’re playing are
going to be different because we’re now in a different
key. Here’s what the harmonized D major scale looks
like, with our diatonic chords labeled with Roman
numerals.
 Recommended listening
AXIS OF AWESOME,
4 chords
This compilation of tunes that use
the same I V vi IV progression is a
clear illustration of how Roman
numeral notation can help us
transpose a song.
bit.ly/4_chords
TAYLOR SWIFT,
Blank Space
Just one example of
hundreds of pop tunes
that use the diatonic
I vi IV V progression.
bit.ly/TSblank
07
Note how the pattern of major, minor
and diminished chords is the same
for D major as it is for C major. So
applying the formula for our original
progression, the I chord of D major is D major, the IV
chord will be G major and the V chord will be
A major. So in this key, our I - IV - V - I progression is
played as D major, G major, A major and D major.
10
So far we’ve been looking at diatonic
chords, made up only of notes from the
scale relating to the key we’re in. But how
do we label non-diatonic chords – ones
that don’t belong to the key, like borrowed or modal
interchange chords, for instance? This progression in
the key of C major contains an Ab major chord which
doesn’t belong to the key of C major.
Pro tips
Transposition mission
One thing Roman numerals are useful for is transposition
when transcribing the chords for a song you want to play
along to or cover. Figure out the song’s base key, work out
the chords, translate the progression to Roman
numeral form, and now you can play your song in any key
by applying the numerals to whichever key you like.
The ii - V - I progression
By Dave Clews
A mainstay of jazz standards, the ii - V - I progression is Over the course
found in hundreds of tunes, but what does ii - V - I mean? It of his 25-year
just refers to a sequence of three specific diatonic chords career, Dave
that’s usually used to round off a phrase - the minor ii
has engineered,
chord, the dominant and the tonic. In the case of C major
this would be Dm - G - C, or in A major, Bm - E - A. programed and
played keyboards
for numerous artists
including George
Michael and
Tina Turner
08 09
How about something a little bit Let’s now switch to a different key –
more complex in, say, F# major? how about A major? The diatonic
Here’s a progression that goes F# chords for this key are A, Bm, C#m,
- Bbm - Ebm - B - Abm - C# - F#. D, E, F#m and G#dim. So, if we apply
When we match these chords up against the our Roman numeral formula for the progression
harmonized F# major scale (F, Abm, Bbm, B, C#, Ebm, (I - iii - vi - IV - ii - V - I), we get the chords
Fdim) and label them with Roman numerals, it A - C#m - F#m - D - Bm - E - A.
translates into the progression I - iii - vi - IV - ii - V - I.
11 12
With chords like this, where the root note has To round off, last month’s Easy Guide,
been sharpened or flattened relative to the which dealt with modal interchange,
regular diatonic major scale chords, we place featured a chord chart of all the chords
a flat or sharp symbol in front of the Roman available in all of the harmonized modes
numeral for that chord. So since A is the sixth chord of based on the root note of C. This version of the chart
C major, our borrowed Ab major chord gets labeled as uses Roman numerals instead, meaning that it can be
bVI. Upper case because it’s a major chord, with a flat applied to any key, not just the key of C.
to show it’s a flattened VI chord.
FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt Z\
 BLAST FROM THE PAST
Oberheim Matrix-12 and Xpander
CLASSIC
The last of the great analog Oberheims was a big, beautiful
beast with a complex signal-routing scheme that
changed the way synthesizers were made
T
hanks to the blockbuster sales
of the Yamaha DX7 and costly
computerized synthesis systems like
those from Fairlight and PPG, by the time
thnhpul
Oberheim’s most mature instrument was
released, its sound was already seen as passé.
Anything digital was all the rage, and synth
manufacturers found any excuse to scribble
the word across the front panel of their next
big thing. Analog synthesis was falling out of
fashion in the mid 1980s, and though there
were plenty of analog synths on the shelves,
many of them were cut-price knock-offs of
the Prophet-5, Jupiter-8 or Oberheim’s OBXa.
Even as Yamaha contended themselves
with milking every last drop of potential from
their take on FM synthesis, the backroom
boffins at companies like Casio, Kawai and
Korg were beavering away on the digital
creations that would help shape the sound of
the decade. Oberheim, however, were having
none of it. Rightfully realising that analog
synthesis could benefit greatly from advances
in computer control, they set out to create the
most sophisticated and evolved subtractive
synth they could imagine. The result
Three great plugin alternatives
Arturia Matrix-12v $199
As ever, one can count on Arturia to deliver
the goods when it comes to emulations, and
they don’t disappoint with the Matrix-12V.
Here’s a one-to-one recreation that ups the
ante by tossing a couple of effects insert slots
into the signal path, adding studio-grade
effects that make the deep, lush sound of the
Matrix-12 even richer.
www.arturia.com
Z] FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
combined the expressiveness of the modern
polysynth with the complex programmability
of the truly massive modular synths of two
decades earlier.
Unleashed in 1984, the Oberheim
Xpander offered six voices, each with two
oscillators, an unprecedented fifteen analog
filter choices, five LFOs, and five DADSR
envelope generators, four ramp generators, a
lag function and three tracking generators.
More significant than the number of
modulation options was the flexibility of
Oberheim’s routing system. Essentially a
digital version of the patch cables used on
modular synths, the digital Matrix Modulation
system allowed for vast modulation options.
This was a hybrid machine, with filters,
oscillators and amplifiers all analog, while
envelopes, LFOs and other mod sources were
digitally generated. It was a glorious melding
of the two worlds.
The Oberheim Xpander was impressive
and no mistake, but a year later it would be
trumped by the massive Matrix-12, a keyboard
version that doubled the polyphony and
added a 61-note full-sized velocity-sensitive
KV331 Audio SynthMaster
$129
Countless virtual analog synthesizers ape the
modulation matrix idea initially found in the
Oberheims, and you’ve likely already explored a
few of them. If not, you could do worse than the
popular SynthMaster from KV331 Audio, voted
best VST/AU synth on numerous occassions
by readers of our sister site Musicradar.
www.kv331audio.com
TECH SPECS
Year of manufacture
1984 (Xp) 1985 (M-12)
Original sale value
$6,062 (Matrix-12)
Current price
$3,562 (Xp) $6,200 (M-12)
Number made
unknown
keyboard. Like the Xpander, it offered a
breathtaking number of modulation sources
and destinations – 27 and 47, respectively.
Costing thousands of dollars, the Matrix-12
was something of a hard sell back in 1985.
After all, less moneyed musicians could avail
themselves of a Korg DW-8000 for a fraction
of the price. Yet there were plenty of more
well-off keyboardists who knew a classic
when they saw one, and big name users
included Vangelis, Depeche Mode, Steve
Roach, and later The Orb and Gravity Kills.
Those who couldn’t splurge would be
treated to the stripped-down Matrix-6 the
following year, for a more sensible price, not
to mention the rack-mountable preset-based
Matrix-1000 in 1987. Q
discoDSP OB-Xd Free
While not an emulation of the Matrix-anything,
OB-Xd is a free clone of the legendary
Oberheim analog polysynths that preceded the
Xpander and Matrix-12 in the early 1980s.
Featuring a dead ringer for the big, brash
sound for which Oberheim is justly famous,
OB-Xd isn’t as flexible as a Matrix, but it’ll give
you a taste of the Oberheim sound for zip.
www.discodsp.com
 Roland
TR-6S $400
roland.com
By Si Truss Strengths The TR-8S drum machine gets a cut-sized little sibling,
+ Combines emulated,
sampled and FM tones, but there’s more to this compact beatmaker than first
each with plenty of
sound-shaping depth meets the eye…
+ Offers the full TR-8S
E
sequencing and effects ven at the best of times, Roland’s range
workflow, but in of grooveboxes can get a little confusing.
miniature Case in point – Roland’s recent ‘606’
+ Can send individual themed drop, which launched the TR-6S and
tracks out as audio
TR-06 drum machines and TR-606 plugin.
via USB
While the latter two of these both emulate
Limitations 1981’s TR-606 drum machine, the TR-6S
- No SD card included actually has little to do with the original 606 or
- Controls can be a little either of its new recreations. In fact, the TR-6S
bit fiddly
is a close sibling to Roland’s TR-8S, the
sample-equipped evolution of the company’s
TR-8 digital drum machine. All clear?
Setting naming conventions aside, the
important thing to note is that the TR-8S is
undoubtedly the high point of Roland’s current
army of beatmakers and, although this
diminutive new instrument might not look like
much, the TR-6S inherits much of what makes
the TR-8S great. As with its bigger sibling, the
sound engine here combines a mixture of
digital ‘Analog Circuit Behavior’ emulations of
Roland’s classic hardware, sampled sounds and
an FM synthesis engine, which was added to
the TR-8S in a recent update and comes
pre-installed here.
The main difference between the machines
is their size – whereas the TR-8S is a standard-
sized 12-track drum machine, the TR-6S is
considerably more portable, with a footprint
around a quarter of the size of its sibling and a
track count reduced down to six. The TR-6S
also ditches the power adapter of its larger
Z_ F EB RUARY 2021 £ Gl t| zp jp hu Ujv t
counterpart too, instead drawing power from
either four AA batteries or its USB connection.
Compact control
While the workflow of the two drum machines
is broadly similar, the TR-6S cuts down on the
front panel controls somewhat. Patterns are
still programmed via the traditional 16-button
step sequencer, but here the satisfyingly chunky
buttons of the TR-8S have been replaced with
small rubber versions, which are a little fiddly
but work fine as a compromise.
Each sound still has its own fader, although
the travel is a little shorter here and, where
each of the TR-8S’s channels has its own
rotaries for tuning, decay and an assignable Ctrl
parameter, here all six instruments share a
single trio of rotaries. A fair few functions are
relegated to shift presses and settings menus
here too, such as changing between pattern
variations, editing the global reverb and delay
sends, muting tracks and saving settings.
There’s a reduction in rear panel
connectivity too. The TR-8S’s assignable six
assignable outputs and external inputs are
ditched here, keeping just a main stereo pair of
output jacks and a front edge headphone port.
There are full-sized MIDI in and out ports
though, along with a USB connection that can
be used for power, MIDI or to allow the TR-6S
to function as an audio interface, whereby it
can stream each of its tracks, plus the stereo

“Taken as a whole, it’s a serious amount of power for
such a small drum box”
master out, to a DAW via USB. Used in this
mode, users can also stream audio into the
instrument, which can be sent to the reverb
and delay effects and then processed with
sidechain ducking.
On the whole though, the TR-6S is less
notable for what’s been removed than the
impressive amount of depth that’s been kept
intact from its bigger sibling. With its small size
and dinky controls, the TR-6S does perhaps
risk being mistaken for a fairly basic plastic toy,
but under the hood this is a serious digital
beatmaker. And although the track count has
been halved compared to the TR-8S, for the
most part the depth of the tracks themselves is
carried over in full.
Beat variations
Each track can make use of either an emulated
sound, sample or FM synth tone. The emulations
offer impressive circuit-level recreations of
each sound from the 909, 808, 707 and 606, in
some cases also offering alternative versions
with added bass or attack. Sampled tones can
be drawn from the instrument’s stock of 300+
preset sounds or imported via the rear panel SD
card slot (one of our few criticisms is that an
SD card doesn’t come supplied). There’s basic
FEB RUARY
sample editing included for setting the start,
end and naming of user samples. The FM engine
meanwhile, is fairly basic, with just tuning,
decay and a ‘morph’ parameter for altering the
base sound, but the tones on offer themselves
are great and offer a really nice accompaniment
to the sampled and emulated sounds.
Beyond core sound generation, each channel
has a variety of instrument parameters which
vary slightly depending on the type of sound
used. Common features to all sounds include
LFO routing, allowing the kit’s master LFO to
modulate to a host of parameters such as
tuning, panning and decay, along with an
instrument effect slot that can play host to one
of 16 processors, which cover filtering, EQs,
distortion, ring mod and more. As with the
TR-8S, each instrument can make use of a
customizable Ctrl rotary, which can be used for
20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt Z`
 THE ALTERNATIVES
TR-6S vs MC-101
Roland’s MC-101 and TR-6S – what’s the difference? Mainly the sound engine. The TR-6S
contains circuit-modeled Analog Circuit Behavior sounds, some of the most convincing
808, 909, 707 and 606 emulations about. Supposedly these recreate the precise
nuances of each element of the original machines’ electronics. The MC-101 uses Zen-Core,
REVIEW

which lacks the depth of the ACB emulations and relies more on PCM samples and
standard virtual analog synthesis. Therefore the MC-101 can contain a broader range of
sounds, including numerous polyphonic synth tones and an audio looper, next to the ROLAND
mostly drum-focussed TR-6S. The MC-101 can also load custom patches created with the MC-101
desktop version of Roland’s Zenology Pro plugin. In short, the MC-101 combines synth, $500
drum and sampled sounds, with a broader range of presets and effects. The TR-6S has a Roland’s other miniature groovebox
more specialized, beat-focused workflow and more realistic drum machine emulations. offers a broader, albeit shallower array of
sounds for the same price.
roland.com

ELEKTRON
Model:Cycles
$300
Elektron’s FM drum machine is less
versatile overall but more characterful,
with some more advanced sequencing
tools too
elektron.se

ROLAND
TR-8S
$700
If you can afford the step up in size
and price, the original TR-8S still offers
more studio convenience thanks to its
individual outputs and additional tracks
roland.com

live tweaking of a single parameter. On top of
this, the TR-6S has a master effect module that
can make use of 19 effect types, as well as
separate delay and reverb send effects.
Effects-wise, the only big element we felt was
missing from the TR-8S is the glitchy Auto-Fill/
Scatter effect.
Taken as a whole, it’s a serious amount of
power for such a small drum box. While there
are arguably more unique-sounding and
characterful budget drum machines out there
– Korg’s Volca Drum and Elektron’s
Model:Cycles spring readily to mind – I can’t
think of anything that offers this sort of
versatility and flexibility this side of the $500
mark. As a first drum machine or a portable,
convenient source of staple drum sounds, the
TR-6S is very hard to beat. Q

[W F EB RUARY 2021 £ Gl t| zp jp hu Ujv t


IK Multimedia
T-RackS 5 By Jon
Space Musgrave
Delay
$142
ikmultimedia.com
By Jon Strengths Classic tape delays add character in weird and wonderful
Musgrave + Hardware-inspired
familiar layout ways. Let’s see how this latest Roland emulation from IK
+ Visual indication of
active tape heads Multimedia shapes up
+ Excellent ducking
T
feature -RackS provides a multitude of plugins
+ Plenty of stereo and that work either alone or as modules
panning options inside their Suite. Over time it's
accumulated an enviable array of almost 50
Limitations rather excellent processors, many based on
- Delay times limited to
match original hardware classic hardware processors. To get started you
- Limited number of can buy one of the T-RackS bundles or download
presets their free T-CS version and purchase just the
modules that you really want.
On the test bench is the latest addition, Space
Delay, which emulates the sound of Roland’s
RE201 Space Echo. This tape-based delay actually
combines a three-head delay and spring reverb,
and you can use these independently or together
to create anything from more subtle-sounding
spaces perfect for vocals to more extreme, weird
or unpredictable-sounding effects. Space Delay is
styled to look just like Roland’s original, and to
that end you have a pretty similar layout to the
hardware, with input and metering to the left,
delay EQ (Bass and Treble), Rate and Feedback to
the right and the large Mode knob in the middle.
The Mode knob (more on that below) activates
specific head and reverb combinations and the
red LEDs in the Heads Pan section tell you if a
head is in use.
Modernize
As you’d expect Space Delay has a number of
software-only extras. Features include tempo
sync, high and low-pass filters across the whole
effect output, stereo or mono reverb setting, and
FEB RUARY
REVIEW
panning both for individual tape heads and the
overall reverb and delay components. A couple of
options, Tape Age and Noise, do a good job of
adding vintage flavor. Both work really well with
our favorite feature, Ducking, to create some
excellent pumping effects.
Just like the original hardware, maximum and
minimum delay times are limited and different
for each head – the maximum is 489ms (head 3)
and minimum is 69ms (head 1). They are also
controlled collectively by the single Rate control.
This is of course authentic, but we do feel it’s a
shame you can’t adjust times more freely and
extensively. On a positive note, Space Delay is
great fun, particularly when you modify the
controls in real time, or use the FX Feed to spin
small snatches of audio into the delay. So, throw
in a bit of DAW automation and you’ll be adding
dub-inspired flavors in no time. Space Delay has
only a handful of presets that don’t really
showcase its capabilities, and, used as an insert
across anything from guitars and horns to basses
and drum loops, we conjured up some pretty
whacky sounds.
Overall Space Delay retains the functional
familiarity of the original and has plenty of sonic
flavor. We particularly like the additional stereo
options such as individual pans for each head and
the ducking feature is very welcome. A bit more
flexibility with delay times would have been
good, but Space Delay is nevertheless a solid
addition to the T-RackS family. Q
20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt [X

Akai Professional
MPK mini
mk3  $120
akaipro.com
By Jon Strengths If you need a backpack-ready controller keyboard,
Musgrave + New and
improved keybed there’s almost too much choice. Let's size up Akai’s
+ Excellent MPC velocity
and pressure sensitive latest release
pads with aftertouch
A
+ Continuous rotary t a decade old, MPK mini is still a very
controls popular choice for both beginners and
+ New OLED screen for on-the go users. At first, the latest mk3
instant parameter iteration looks quite similar to its predecessor,
feedback
with 25 mini keys, eight chunky pads, eight rotary
+ Excellent software
bundle controls and the thumb stick style pitchbend/
modulation, but there are significant differences.
Limitations First, the keybed is new (Akai’s Dynamic Gen 2
- Thumb stick won’t design) and although I’m not a massive fan of
appeal to everyone
mini keys in general, this is solid, responsive and
mechanically quiet. Next up, the controller knobs
are now a continuous rotary design and include
both absolute and relative options. If your DAW
supports relative controller assignments, kiss
goodbye to values jumping when you switch
plugins. Excellent stuff.
The MPK mini mk2 had good velocity and
pressure sensitive pads, but the ones in the mk3
are the same super tactile design found in the
MPC series hardware. You haven’t got the RGB
function (the MPK minis are always red), but the
core functionality is the same. So, the velocity
response is excellent when playing beats, but
you’ve also got great pressure performance when
playing sustained sounds. They also have
aftertouch (either channel and polyphonic can be
selected), which is great for eliciting more
organic performances from suitably equipped
synth patches. One visually obvious addition is
the OLED display. This tiny screen provides
handy real-time feedback on controller data,
MIDI channels, arpeggiator settings and beyond,
FEB RUARY
REVIEW
although it doesn’t seem to display the data
generated by the keyboard. I’m sure additional
functionality could be added.
Physically, the MPK mini mk3 has a new
streamlined case, and they’ve moved the USB
socket from the side to the back and the button
layout has also changed. The features are
otherwise similar to the mk2 including options to
control MIDI CCs and Program Changes from
the pads, an A/B selector to switch between two
pad banks, eight onboard preassigned presets,
pad options for full velocity and note repeat, and
an extensive onboard arpeggiator. mk3 retains the
joystick style pitchbend/modulation and this still
requires some skill to elicit just modulation – I’m
sure some would prefer touch strips. That said, if
you’d rather use it to control MIDI CCs, you can
assign four (one in each direction on each axis).
Further settings and behaviors including MIDI
channel, specific CC assignments, knob behavior
and aftertouch are set in the desktop editor app
(MPK mini 3 Program Editor). Meanwhile Akai’s
MPK mini Software Manager handles installation
of the excellent Complete Music Production
Starter Kit software bundle. This includes Air
instruments Hybrid 3, Mini Grand and Velvet
plus Akai’s own MPC Beats DAW and five MPC
sound packs. Finally, MPK mini mk3 is available
in three colorways, including the slick all black
edition I have on the test bench.
The MPK mini mk3 successfully improves on
the previous model – not bad for the price. Q
20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt [Z
 Eduardo Tarilonte
NADA
Meditation
Sounds  $232
bestservice.com
By Andy Jones Strengths
+ Well-recorded source
sample set
+ Tailored selection of
ethnic instruments and
voices
I
+ Wonderful choice of
atmospheric pads
+ Stylish interface
+ Deeper editing in Pro
Edit page
+ Well-implemented
patch-specific details
Limitations
- Best Service Engine
won’t appeal to everyone
[[ F EB RUARY 2021 £ Gl t| zp jp hu Ujv t
Meditation music uses an eclectic but focused sound
set. Will this new sample instrument trigger your inner
creative flow? Let’s find out
f you produce soundtracks, work in sound
design or just like basking in the glory of
beautifully recorded sample sounds, then
it’s highly likely you’ve encountered one of
Eduardo Tarilonte’s sound libraries. The
Spanish native has an excellent ear for what
works in these sorts of productions and
always delivers something slightly unusual
but at the same time eminently usable. What’s
more, the recording and programming quality
is always top notch. Packages such as Celtic
ERA, ERA II Medieval Legends and Shevannai
The Voice Of Elves indicate his eclectic tastes,
and those tastes take another interesting turn
with the arrival of his latest release, NADA
Meditation Sounds.
Tone poem
Taking its name from the Sanskrit word for
‘sound’, NADA Meditation Sounds mines that
rich seam of new age sounds suited to yoga,
meditation and general chill-out activities.
The 14.5GB library includes 440 patches and
over 9000 samples and, much like Eduardo’s
more recent libraries, uses Best Service
Engine (VST, AU, AAX and standalone)
sample player. This may not be everyone’s first
choice, but the underlying software, which is
based on the Independence sample
instrument, is an incredibly flexible and
proven multitimbral instrument. What’s more,
the Pro Edit screen provides plenty of options
to edit patch playback, including modulators,
envelopes, filters, insert effects and more.
From a sonic perspective, NADA’s
meditation remit may seem pretty
straightforward, and we all have a pretty good
idea of the nature of the sounds required.
Nevertheless, when you break it down you’re
actually looking at quite specific instruments
and sounds from a very broad range of musical
sources. To keep things workable, patches are
therefore organized into three general
categories – Instruments, Meditation Pads and
Voices – with further sub groupings as
required. Instruments include pitched
percussion such as Tibetan singing bowls and
balafon, woodwinds such as bamboo flutes
and panpipes, and plenty of stringed options
such as koto and tanpura drones. Meanwhile
the voice patches include both real and synth
options. Unsurprisingly, the largest folder is
pads (with around 200 patches) and within
these you’ll also find a folder of arpeggiated
and sequenced sounds.
Patch Perfect
Despite the variation in source instruments
NADA’s patches all have a consistency of
purpose. Sometimes this is achieved simply by
the addition of reverb, and peeling this away
reveals a clean dry source sound. Sometimes
it’s part of the patch programming itself, and
the patch is very different to the sound it’s
sourced from. Either way, load up pretty much
any patch and you’ll be presented with a rich, Interfacing
spacey, track-ready sound. NADA uses the Best
From the pitched percussion folder, Tibetan Service Engine Quick Edit
Bell Dreams combines four unison bells with screen to provide a
vibrato to create a lovely, rich, bell-like chorus standardized instrument
sound. Meanwhile, from the Pianos folder the

REVIEW
interface, and this is
various Harmonic Piano patches (there are augmented by patch-
nine in total) and Dream Piano patches (of specific parameters at the
which there are six) are more akin to synths bottom and in an
than they are pianos. additional window if
Next up, strings: Viola Da Gamba is a lead required.
instrument that can keyswitch between legato Controls included in all
and polyphonic modes and has a number of patches sit either side of
adjustable parameters including vibrato speed the large centre graphic
and intensity, bow noise and glide time. It also and are Attack, Release,
includes an optional pad backing. The legato is Volume, Pan, Pitch and Reverb. Each control includes an actual parameter readout (in
achieved artificially, and in isolation this is milliseconds for Attack for example), so you can see what you’re changing. Output
quite obvious. Even so, with the reverb meters surround the graphic, creating a sort of halo effect, and the overall image
engaged, the raspy bow noise sounds great. certainly captures the meditative mood of the sample set.
Switch the pad in and you’ve got a track-filling Each NADA patch has a bespoke Info panel that is accessed from the drop-down at
and quite beautiful string lead. There are the top. This includes a description of the patch and details of the underlying instrument
plenty of very similar examples in the and how it’s been played for the patch. It may also tell you what the additional controls
instrument folder including Koto, Bamboo actually do.
Flute, Wooden Flute, Duduk and Hulusi. In Additional controls vary and some patches have no extra controls at all, but typically
some cases, keyswitches are used to select they adjust key aspects in the patch that aren’t covered by the main parameters.
different phrases, and some patches use For example, a vocal patch may include vibrato speed and intensity controls, while a
velocity to trigger additional sounds within the pad patch may include panning and level controls for the component layers.
patch. Voice patches are a mixture or real and
synth-generated. We particularly like the
keyswitch equipped Voices Of Light and the that are texture-heavy and almost pitch-free Worthy?
various sung phrases available in the Voices of such as Silence Is The Answer or Portal To NADA is not the cheapest package in the
Silence patch. The Unknown. Also, in many cases, one patch universe, and one which has, by design, been
Pads range from the wonderfully rich Seren comes with a number of variants, which is a clearly targeted at a specific genre and end
Strings and spaced-out Deep Peace, to patches nice touch. Rounding things off are 16 ‘nature’ user. However, its finesse is truly impressive
pads that and we feel pretty confident that the sound set
include sound will also appeal to anyone who regularly uses
effects evolving textures and atmospheric ethnic
ranging from soundscapes of all kinds.
birds and What’s more, the instruments in NADA
crickets to Meditation Sounds are just so ‘playable’; they
waves, invite you to get stuck in and start creating,
streams and and we think that’s the best praise that can be
water drops. bestowed upon any software instrument.Q
These sounds
could sound a
little cheesy,
THE ALTERNATIVES
but they’ve
been well IMPACT SOUNDWORKS
programmed Meditation
and you can $49
usually adjust Provides a basic chill-out sound set at a
the nature very attractive price
sound levels
FROZENPLAIN
to taste in the
Quick Edit
Slow
$59
parameters.
A compact set of gorgeous pads and
For more advanced patch editing, you can switch to the Pro Edit page soundscapes for NI Kontakt

FEB RUARY 20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt [\


iZotope
RX 8
Advanced  $1,199
izotope.com
By James Strengths The audio repair stalwart adds and improves a
Russell + Guitar pick and squeak
removal can reveal handful of modules. Can it bring a fresh sheen to
more tone
+ Music Rebalance your latest tracks?
is even better
T
than before wo years on from version 7, RX 8 seeks to
+ Loudness Control is a go above and beyond the call of clean-up
no-nonsense master duty. Its new modules – Guitar De-noise,
checker Spectral Recovery, Loudness Control and Wow
and Flutter – are joined by improvements to
Limitations multiple modules. Trackpad users will be pleased
- Amp hiss remover is
more likely to harm with horizontal scrolling, but there’s still no
guitar tone than remove pinch zooming to be found in RX.
amp hiss Guitar De-noise has multiple elements: Amp
- The package has grown
de-noise, Squeak control and Pick control. Of
and needs a UX rethink
for several modules these, the Squeak and Pick functions work
remarkably well, removing unwanted elements
and unmasking pure musical tones – a similarly
impressive try-out when the Mouth De-Click
module was first introduced. That Amp De-Noise
module, however, is nowhere near as good as the
Spectral De-noise module for removing the
overbearing hiss of a broken amp. Even on subtler
amp hums, the Amp module seems more likely to
scoop out the timbre of the actual guitar than
remove the hum itself.
The new Wow and Flutter module aims to
correct for tape-style pitch drifts caused by
rotational deviation. This is another RX module
that hits the target in effectiveness but not in
intuitiveness. Wow and Flutter act as separate
modules within the same module, and selections
like Slow, Medium and Fast (for flutter speed)
don’t help the user get it right without some real
comparison. Once you’ve found your footing, The
Wow and Flutter module (modules?) can do a
great job of straightening your audio’s posture.
FEB RUARY
REVIEW
Spectral Recovery is iZotope’s solution for a
world where recordings are often conducted via
phone and VOIP connections. The results are
impressive, restoring fidelity and high
frequencies, and even working great on MP3 files.
This might be the most CPU-intensive process in
RX, depending on your material, but it’s worth it.
Rebalancing act
Music Rebalance, RX 7’s best-in-class stereo
file stem separator, may be seeing an upgrade
due to recent competition from Acid Pro 10
and Steinberg SpectraLayers 7. iZotope didn’t
originally recommend this module as a stem
isolator, but for performing tweaks of the levels
of individual instruments when you only have a
stereo file.
The Loudness Control module (replacing the
old Loudness module), lets you specify loudness
targets in properties such as True Peak and LKFS
as well as a tolerance in LU; although the only
thing you’ll really need to reach for is the presets,
which include Podcast Delivery, Music Streaming
and many recognized standards. It would’ve been
nice to find some common loudness controls for
particular streaming services (based on each one’s
target loudness) here too.
RX 8 adds valuable new modules and
noticeably improves others, although the overall
experience of the package is starting to
overwhelm with both its size and layout and
parameters of some modules. Q
20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt [^

Denon DJ
Prime Go  $999
denondj.com
By Si Truss Strengths The ever-growing Prime range gets a truly portable, go-
+ Touchscreen is bright,
clear and easy to anywhere setup. Let's see how it works in the mix…
navigate
+ Lightweight and truly
T
he past few years have seen Denon put a
portable, but with some
pro-level I/O considerable amount of development into
+ Mixing tools are simple its Prime DJ ecosystem. Prime is focused
and effective around a unified piece of software, but it’s not an
app in the vein of Traktor or Serato. Rather, the
Limitations Prime range is comprised of multiple players and
- Too expensive for the
entry-level market mixers, all making use of the Engine Prime
- Small jogwheels software that handles track analysis, organization
and the onboard OS for each device.
The Prime Go is the most compact system in
the range. It’s an entirely self-contained two-deck
DJ setup that boasts true portability thanks to an
onboard CPU and rechargeable battery that
provides around four hours of wireless use.
The hardware itself is roughly equivalent to a
Traktor S2 in terms of height and width, although
it’s considerably chunkier depth-wise due to that
onboard battery. Despite the extra heft it remains
lightweight, and wouldn’t cause spinal problems
if you were to throw it in a rucksack. The feel and
build is reminiscent of the Go’s equally-portable
InMusic-sibling, Akai’s MPC Live. While the Go
feels a bit more ‘plastic’, the controls feel equally
rugged and, like the MPC Live, the Prime Go
sports a bright and clear central touchscreen,
used here primarily for track browsing.
While the Prime Go is the smallest setup in the
range, we wouldn’t call it ‘entry-level’; partially
due to its price, but also thanks to inclusion of a
number of higher level features, including dual
headphone ports, separate booth and master
outputs and inputs for two mics and one aux
source. On the digital front, there are USB
FEB RUARY
REVIEW
connections for both computer and thumb drive,
an SD card slot and ethernet port for use with
Denon’s StageLinq system. Prime Go is wifi-
equipped too, allowing users to stream directly
from Tidal and, thanks to the latest update,
Dropbox and Beatsource.
Prime of life
The mixing experience is stripped back but gets
the job done. Each deck has a fader, gain control,
three-band EQ and four pads for looping/hot cues.
There’s a single shared effects module, so you can
only use one effect at once across the two tracks,
but each deck does have a sweep effect rotary, and
I like that these can be used for a dub-like delay
as well as the standard bi-directional filter sweeps.
The weakest aspects are the jogwheels, which
are small and basic. That said, they do have a
‘vinyl’ mode for nudging and scratching and I was
pleasantly surprised with how well they handled
when beat-matching two unsynced tracks.
For something so portable, the Prime Go is very
effective and a lot of fun to play around with. Its
appeal comes down to how much you want to
buy into the Prime ecosystem. For DJs already
using a larger Prime setup, it’s a killer device for
preparing sets, playing smaller parties and as a
backup if something goes wrong. As a first DJ
setup, it’s certainly easy-to-use and well-made,
although the price probably puts it beyond
entry-level and, unless you’re dead set on entering
the Prime sphere or really want the wireless
power, there are better value options out there. Q
20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt [`

Klevgrand
Skaka  $50
klevgrand.se
By Si Truss Strengths The Swedish developer’s latest specializes in complex
+ Makes setting up
complex toplines fun hand percussion patterns. Let's give it a shake…
and easy
+ Convincing array of
T
he latest release from Swedish developer
expressive shaken
sounds Klevgrand, Skaka is a sample-based
+ Humanize settings and instrument specializing in shaken
room reverb make for percussion sounds like tambourines, calabash,
believably ‘real’ sounds egg shakers and ghungroos bells. What makes
this plugin interesting however, is how it makes it
Limitations easy for users to set up and edit multiple
- Range of sounds isn’t
very broad contrasting rhythmic patterns.
The plugin – available in VST, AU and AAX for
desktop or AUv3 for iOS – houses 12 modules,
each of which can trigger a pattern from one of
Skaka’s eight sampled sounds. Each of these
modules is assigned a fixed MIDI note, used to
trigger the sound. Rather than trigger individual
hits, however, incoming MIDI works more like a
mute/unmute trigger for each sound’s individual
sequencer. At the centre of each module is a small
representation of the sequencer grid; this opens a
sequencing window where users can create and
edit patterns for each module individually.
Each sequencer has four lanes, for sequencing
velocity, duration, pitch and gain. Each of Skaka’s
sounds is recorded with eight or nine velocity
levels, and adjusting these can make each sound
range from a slow and soft shakes to more abrupt,
attack-heavy hits. Some sounds also have an
alternative one-shot sound, triggered by the top
level of the velocity sequencer.
These sequencers become really interesting
when you begin to play with the additional
parameters. Each module’s sequencer can have
its own unique grid mode, with triplet and
straight rhythmic options, as well as its own
FEB RUARY
REVIEW
individual sequence length, ranging from one to
eight steps. Because of this, it’s easy to set up
interesting cross rhythms and patterns inspired
by different global music traditions. Each pattern
also has its own shuffle, humanize and delay
controls, plus fade in and out settings for tailoring
rhythms further. You can turn off the sequencer
grid entirely too, creating patterns fully detached
from the conventions of your DAW’s timeline.
There are two levels of presets in Skaka – a
handful of global presets, offering genre-themed
kits, and individual module presets with a host of
patterns inspired by different traditions. Mixing
and matching the latter is fun for creating unique
rhythmic patterns. Each module also has its own
low-pass filter, reverb send, pitch, duration and
output gain parameters. Finally, additional master
high-shelf EQ and convolution reverb effects
round out the signal flow.
Setting up convincing percussive toplines and
believably human shaker parts is always a pain in
a standard sampler (which is why many
producers tend to reach for pre-made loops).
Skaka might be the most elegant solution I’ve
tried for quickly generating such sounds. Plus
with the individual sequencers, and its ability to
quickly mix and match rhythms and pattern
lengths, it inspires real creativity. The one
downside is the limited sounds – given how fun
the sequencers are to use, I wish there was a
slightly broader sound palette. A few weird FX,
found sound hits or glitchy one-shots to throw in
the mix could make this a must-have. Q
20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt \X

Antelope
Zen Tour
Synergy
Core  $2,350
antelopeaudio.com
By Jon Strengths Fancy a compact premium interface with onboard DSP?
Musgrave + Crystal clear discrete
mic preamps Let's size up Antelope Audio’s latest offering
+ Excellent selection of
onboard processing
A
ntelope Audio is one of a small group of
+ Highly flexible routing
+ Compact desktop manufacturers that produce premium
footprint audio interfaces with onboard
+ Integrated talkback processing. In 2019 they launched an improved
and mic architecture, Synergy Core, that uses both FGPA
and DSP chips to deliver near zero latency
Limitations onboard processing during recording or mixing.
- Expensive
Zen Tour is their 8-in/14-out compact desktop-
style interface and this has now been upgraded to
Synergy Core with 2 FGPA and four DSP chips
delivering up to 256 FX instances.
The overall feature set is similar to its
predecessor. On the front you get four DI inputs
(switchable to line level if required), two
individually configurable HP outs and two handy
transformer-based re-amp outputs, so you can
send your DI back to a guitar amp input. On the
back are four combi XLRs for mic/line ins, one
pair of monitor outputs on ¼” TRS jacks, S/PDIF
in/out, ADAT in/out and eight line-outs on
25-pin D-type. All line outs are DC-coupled for
use with CV-based synths. Computer interfacing
is via Thunderbolt 3 or USB 2.0, and Thunderbolt
is backwards compatible if you use a supported
converter cable. Note the maximum stream count
is 32 using Thunderbolt and 24 using USB.
Zen Tour Synergy Core is primarily software-
driven, using the large encoder knob, three
buttons (Gain, Headphones and the assignable
Antelope button) and touchscreen, letting them
cram massive functionality in a compact box.
Touchscreen options include selecting, muting
and adjusting input, headphone and monitor
FEB RUARY
REVIEW
levels, choosing which signal levels to monitor,
assigning the Antelope button and using the
inbuilt talkback feature. However, for more
extensive changes including routing and FX
processing you need to use the desktop Control
Panel application. This uses a color-coded drag ‘n’
drop methodology for routing connections and
assigning effects. There are 32 AFX slots and each
slot can run up to eight effects.
At the core
It comes bundled with 36 effects, including
preamps, EQs, compressors, guitar amps and
support for Antelope’s Edge and Verge modeling
mics. The design of these is first class with some
classic hardware emulations. Further effects can
be purchased and include Antares Auto-Tune
Synergy and further hardware emulations. There’s
also the AFX2DAW extension, which adds direct
plugin style access to the Synergy Core AFX from
your DAW (Thunderbolt for Apple only for now).
With a DSP-supported interface, it’s easy to get
wrapped up in the bells and whistles and
overlook its main purpose. Thankfully Zen Tour
Synergy Core delivers fantastic fidelity, with
discrete ultra-linear preamps and premium
clocking courtesy of Antelope’s acoustically-
focused clocking. The drivers also deliver
minimal round trip latency times which makes
DAW-based monitoring a realistic option.
Synergy Core is an incredibly capable unit that
is easy to use and sounds fantastic. It’s expensive,
but you’re certainly getting a lot for your money. Q
20 2 1 £Glt |z pjph uU jvt \Z
 Audiotent

Curve
$50

More fuller-figure flavors from the phat boys and

REVIEW

girls at Audiotent. And the taste from the off is on

that underground tip, with deep and daring textures
that are bursting with techy goodness.
The heat has been turned up on a fine array of
vintage hardware, too, and the results are piping hot.
With sizzling drum machine hits and loops,
processed with fine finesse, leading the way, then
plenty of expertly seasoned synth lines and layers on
offer, and corresponding MIDI files (if you plump
for the deluxe version of this release). 700 files in all.
So, if you’re feeling that your beats need a bit of meat
on their bones, this curvy set of samples will fill
them out no end. Yum!
Roy Spencer
audiotent.com

Looptone – Car Sounds – Splice – Loopmasters –

Future Analogue Synth
$33
We’re told the sounds in this pack
come exclusively from, “The
greatest five-voice polyphonic
analog synth of the ’80s”. That fact,
combined with the sketch on the
cover, and unmistakable punch of
the samples inside, all point to the
Prophet-5 being the star of the show,
here. This legendary Sequential
Circuits machine is given a new
lease of life, as it’s run through a
respectful recording chain, to coax
out more of the magical music
beloved by the likes of Japan, The
Cars, and Level 42. Retro riffs come
thick and fast, as well as up-to-date
bubbling b-lines that sit pretty on
any disco burner or deep house
banger. If you’re missing lush, warm,
classic synth samples, check this out.
Roy Spencer
Field & Foley
$7.99/mo
Have you ever popped on your car
seat belt and thought, “That
‘clunk-click’ would make a dope snare
sound in my next track”? The Splice
sound designers have. And then they
went and recorded it. And the wiper
blades. And the exhaust pipe. In fact,
they took out their mics and got every
last sound they could out of their
four-wheeled friend. The car in
question was a humble 1991 Toyota
Land Cruiser, but they twanged,
plucked, struck, and beat on every
square inch of it like it sounded like a
full orchestra. The resulting
percussive and tonal sound library
makes for a very unique collection,
and one that forward-thinking
beatmakers will have hours of fun
getting revved up about.
Roy Spencer
Mystic Soul with The Love
Experiment
$7.99/mo
The Love Experiment is a New York
future-soul collective. This, their
fourth and final collabo with the
Splice sample family, sees them
supplying more of the same
high-quality riffs, grooves, and
melodies, that fans of Children of
Zeus, Anderson .Paak, and Janelle
Monáe, have been enjoying from them
since they started. Recorded in
lockdown, the group, led by drummer,
composer, and producer Charles
“Blvk Samurai” Burchell, focus on
low-slung electronica, uplifting jazzy
playing, and the boom-bap that
characterises their spin on neo-soul.
From full drum loops and musical
phrase work, to pads, atmospheres
and one-shot gold dust, you’ll find
plenty to play with. Roy Spencer
Lowrider Trap
$33
A fine collection of street beats so
tough it’ll make cruising in your
mum’s Micra feel like a trip down the
strip in a ’64 Impala. Whether you’re
hitting that three-wheel motion or
not, the lazy, hazy, samples in this set
will give you all you need and more to
craft your next trap banger.
Everything from the thunderous claps
to the trunk-rattling subs are fit for
wannabe Young Thugs and Gucci
Mane fans to get busy with. The
650MB+ collection of royalty-free hits,
loops and MIDI files come in between
65-173bpm, and also take in some
gangsta keys, fierce orchestral stabs,
and synth grooves that shimmer like
the LA skyline. This is a great resource
for cloud rap beatmakers, trap stars,
and drill heads alike.
Roy Spencer

\[ F EB RUARY 2021 £ Gl t| zp jp hu Ujv t


Convolution
reverb
W
e all know how important it
is that the ‘space’ within our
mixes is carefully managed.
King of the spatial effect category is
reverb and there is a dizzying array of
reverb tools available to producers in both
hardware and software form. Broadly,
reverb can be added to a project via two
means; artificial reverbs and convolution
reverbs. The differences between these
approaches are somewhat comparable to
the difference between a synthesizer and a
sampler reproducing, for instance, a string
sound. A synthesizer would use artificial
means to appropriate the sound of the
strings, using waveforms whose harmonic
content was a match for those played by
stringed instruments, alongside tone and
envelope-shaping tools to get sounds
even closer to reality. A sampler, however,
would use real recordings of the stringed
instruments. The same is true when
MASTER CLASS
it comes to shaping reverbs; artificial
reverb units synthesize an imaginary
space, providing parameters to control its
size, reverb time, diffusion amount and
plenty more besides, while convolution
reverbs load a sample – called an ‘impulse
response’ – which is a recording of the
spatial behavior of a physical space or
object. Through the following few pages,
we’re focusing our attentions on this
second approach.
 How does that work?!
QUICK
TIPS
MASTER CLASS

How do you make a recording like this: The reverb host will their own convolution plugin, or
of a space? Surely for that space analyze the recorded impulse looking to sell impulse responses

to ‘come alive and make a noise’,
you need to trigger a sound in
it. And how do you keep that
particular sound out of the sound
sources you do actually want to
pass through your convolution
reverb? In this sense, the use
of a sample used at the heart
of a convolution reverb differs
slightly from a sample used for
playback in a regular sampler.
A sample recorded to be used
within a convolution reverb is
called an impulse response and
the way it’s used by the reverb
response file and ‘remove’ the
source trigger sound from it in a
process akin to phase inversion,
effectively removing from it the
source sound while preserving
the reverberant response (not
present in the source sound
alone). What this leaves is a
reverb tail ready to be applied to
any new source sound though, of
course, that reverb tail’s ‘success’
is still subject to the qualities of
the source recording. Ideally,
an impulse response needs to
capture a full range of frequencies
as ‘reverb sample packs’) would
look to record a sine wave sweep
in their chosen space, starting
with ultra-low frequencies,
sweeping up to super-high
ones and stimulating a space’s
response to all of the frequencies
in between in the process. This
isn’t always practical, however,
particularly if you have a great-
sounding space and are limited to
what you can trigger and record in
that space. In these circumstances,
short percussive sounds like
a snare drum hit, or starter-
1
In some of our
walkthroughs, the
convolution reverbs
we’ve been using contain
further effect stages,
including volume and filter
envelopes and dedicated EQ
stages. Don’t worry if your
chosen convolution reverb
plugin doesn’t offer these
– simply add any additional
effects after the reverb to
further shape it.

unit itself involves quite complex
math. The earliest convolution
reverbs required this process
to be done manually but these
days, plugins like AudioEase’s
industry-standard Altiverb and
Logic Pro X’s own Space Designer
handle the math for you. It goes
DIY washing machine impulse response
to be of maximum value and
this is only possible if the trigger
sound, to generate the impulse
response, is rich in frequency
content itself. Generally, anyone
taking the process of recording
impulse responses seriously
(either because they’re developing
pistol-like sound, trigger a wide
enough range of frequencies for a
satisfying result when imported
into your convolution reverb as
a new impulse response. Once
recorded, trim that audio file so
its start and end points are clearly
defined – then it’s ready to load.
2
There are plenty of
Impulse Response
audio file packs out
there. Just as sound-based
sample packs are hugely
popular, some dedicated
individuals have made it
their passion to get out
there and record some
truly memorable spaces.
Go hunting for these, if you
want spatial inspiration.

3
In this example, we’ll show you how quickly you can create an impulse Remember that
response to add to your mix. With the help of a washing machine... impulse responses
can be made from
Ideally, impulse response recordings should include as much frequency content as possible, so that the sounds you anything which makes a
feed into them can ‘light up’ the bass, mid-range and treble frequencies in the reverb tail. But sometimes a more lo-fi noise, including other reverb
approach can work well too and in this example, we’re going to see how quickly we can make something interesting.
units. Some of the best
We’re starting with a phone recording inside a washing machine drum, whose echoes are brief and metallic. But by
taking this sonic snapshot into Logic Pro X’s Space Designer convolution reverb, we can start to use the included convolution reverbs will
overtones to shape the impulse response to the tempo of the track. We can even reverse it. include a host of IRs from
classic reverbs, including
digital reverbs and vintage
spring units. As some of
these will be sampled from
hard-to-find, expensive
hardware, these are very
useful additions.

We take a finger snap recording,
made on an iPhone, held inside the
drum of a washing machine and
AirDrop it into Logic Pro X. Three
snaps were recorded and you can
hear the lo-fi, short reflective tail,
particularly in the third snap.
We chop this audio file around that
third snap and save it as a new
audio file. We then set up Battery 4
on a new software instrument and
create a four-to-the-floor beat loop.
In this clip, the audio file is dry.
Load our Washing Machine IR into
Logic’s Space Designer and reverse it,
using the Size and Length dials to modify
the impulse response to fit the track
tempo. Then use Space Designer’s EQ to
roll off bottom end. Suddenly, industrial
overtones are added to the loop.
4
As convolution
reverbs allow
any audio file to
be loaded as an impulse
response, there should be
no compatibility issues;
they aren’t specific to a
particular plugin host.

\] FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

Impulse
response ghost
04
We set up Space Designer as an insert on the

rhythms plucked channel and load our ‘Rhythmic IR’ file as

One of the joys of working with convolution
reverbs is to use non-reverberant spaces.
Here’s a new way to build rhythmic sequences
the impulse response. You can see from its
waveform that it has successfully loaded our rhythmic pattern
as a ‘quasi-reverb’. Now the plucked synth sounds like it’s
picked up an unusual multi-tap delay.

01 
We start with a basic programmed
rhythm using the ‘Simple Waveform
Kit’ in Battery 4. We identify three or
four short sounds and program a
simple syncopated pattern which we
ensure is quantized.

02
To turn this rhythm into an impulse response file,
it needs to be converted to audio. We do this
using Logic’s Bounce In Place function, muting
the original MIDI file in the process. We label the audio file
‘Rhythmic IR’.
05 
The ‘size’ dial effectively stretches or
compresses the length of the IR, so if
we adjust this to 25%, the IR becomes
a quarter of its original length and
therefore plays back at four times the
speed. This turns the multitap delay
into more of a cluster effect.

06
We take the size back up to 100% and add a filter
envelope treatment. Then we add two more insert
effects – a pingpong delay treatment from
Waves’ H-Delay and a SoundToys PanMan treatment. This is an
unusual, creative variation to a multi-tap delay.

03 
Next, we set up a plucked synth sound,
using Logic Pro’s Retro Synth.
Ordinarily, a synth sound like this might
be used to program a more detailed,
syncopated pattern but we’re keeping
things sparse, programming a single
chord at the start of bars 1 and 3.

FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt \^

 Convolution vs artificial reverb
MASTER CLASS

You’d be forgiven for assuming

that convolution reverb is always
a better choice than algorithmic
reverb. After all, a recording of a
real space at the center of your
spatial treatments has to be
better than something artificial,
right? Not always. The huge
advantage of artificial reverbs is
that they can often be shaped to
become anything you like. The
Non-Linear treatments made
famous by the AMS RMX16 are a
perfect example; a harsh, short,
block-like blast of reverb which
almost sounds gated, which you’d
struggle to produce with an
impulse response. Some
manufacturers are so good at
approximating space – both real and imagined – that they’ve made their reputations doing so. Lexicon, anyone?
It’s better to think of these two approaches to reverb not as a rivals but as two different tools in your sound
creation kit. Explore their strengths and choose the approach which best fits the sounds in your tracks.

Need to know… Need to know…

Convolution reverb and automation Why convolution reverb Is the sound

In modern production, it’s rare to find an effect whose parameters
steadfastly oppose being automated but convolution reverbs are often
the exception. Generally, this approach to reverb needs a re-convolution
process to take place whenever you modify the key components
involved. If you choose to modify the length of an impulse response, say,
pushing the slider or dial for this parameter will require the reverb host
to recalculate the behaviour of the reverb tail as a result. If you’re
adjusting parameters such as the dry/wet mix, your automation choices
may be limited.
designer’s top choice
Picture the scene. A crazed mechanical robot threatens to smash the city,
picking up cars, buildings… you can imagine how Hollywood might take it
from there. And convolution reverb might help the sound designers turn
that CGI into reality. You can record impulse responses from inside large
metallic structures, or tiny mechanical toys and everything in between,
using the acoustic behaviors to sculpt their sounds. A sound isn’t just its
recorded self; it’s the space into which it’s placed, making impulse
responses the secret weapon of the pro sound designer.

Need to know… Need to know…

Does length matter? Think in three dimensions

When applying reverb artificially, one slider we take for granted is reverb
length. If you’re working with the Lexicon plugin suite, or FabFilter’s
Pro-R, or any of the other hundreds of algorithmic, non-convolution
reverbs available, dialing in a little extra reverb time is no problem; the
reverb will simply adjust the Decay Time to the new length. But in
convolution reverb, the Decay Time is a fixed length – specifically, the
length of the impulse response recording. To elongate it, your plugin
host must process the audio file which created the IR which, like any
‘audio stretch’, is likely to introduce artefacts.
One thing which working with convolution reverbs tends to do is to get
you truly thinking about 3D space. This is, of course, what reverb is – the
sound of reflection from floors, walls, ceilings and surfaces. But the
positioning of the objects making a noise in your space and your
position, relative to them, all make a difference. In other words, listening
to a symphony orchestra is a different experience depending if you’re
sitting in row A or Z. Plugins like AudioEase’s Altiverb let you shape your
impulse responses to suit the stereo image of the sound that you’re
working with.

\_ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t

Design a
reverberant
04
Next, we add a filter envelope, to shape the tone

space of the decay tail. Broadly, this follows the volume

envelope, so the filter is closed at the start, opens
to 7.3kHz after 709ms and then closes through the decay tail.
We set the filter mode to a 12dB/octave low-pass filter.
In this walkthrough, we’ll use Logic Pro’s
Synthesized Impulse Response utility to build
a bespoke, atmospheric piano treatment

01
We start with a dry piano part from Una Corda. This
is a slow, open, reflective part and it feels like it would
be appropriate to build a textural, evolving space
around it. It certainly feels too dry in its existing form.

05 
The density envelope controls the
reverb’s density as it decays and we
progressively lessen this, from a
starting density of 88% down to 41%
over a 2-second period. This breaks
the reverb tail up, even introducing a
semi-distortion to the sound.

02 
06
Rather than loading a sampled We complete the treatment by switching the low
impulse response of a real space, and high spread crossover point to 2.1kHz and
we’re going to use Space Designer’s
Synthesized IR to sculpt a space from decreasing the low spread amount. We then head
scratch. The default patch provides a to the output EQ page to decrease low-end reverb considerably,
3-second decay time with a fairly
notch out a band between 1kHz and 2kHz and add extra
orthodox, exponential decay. Low and
high frequencies are evenly spread. brightness at the top end.

03 
We increase reverb length to 6.75 but
decrease Size to 45%. We turn
definition down to 43%, which grains
the decay tail somewhat and introduce
a pre-delay of a 1/32nd note, which
delays the reverb start. Finally, we add
an attack time of 540ms to the volume
envelope.

FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt \`

 Free
SOFTWARE ROUNDUP
Instruments
Move beyond oldies like Synth1 and u-he
Tyrell. Here’s the new breed of legendary free
soundmakers for the post-fact generation
Full Bucket Audio FB-3300
A clone of the Korg PS-3300 synth, which was a ’70s
classic, FB-3300 is a three-oscillator synth with
some very old-school options and a truly vintage
sound. The PS-3300 was effectively three Korg PS-
3100 synths in one; Full Bucket also emulate that one
as another plugin, available separately and also for
absolutely nothing.
FB-3300 is an intensely analog synth, giving you
brilliant bass tones, wavering lead lines and
characterful effects. Some great sequenced sounds
are also possible. There’s a learning curve that takes
time to ascend, but once you’ve got your head around
the Modulation Source and Target selection within
FB-3300, you’ll have more command over its vintage
synth tones, and you can’t put a price on that…
music.fullbucket.de
]W FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
Digital Suburban Dexed
An excellent recreation of the
Yamaha DX7’s take on FM
synthesis, Dexed not only apes its
six oscillator formulations and its
sonic results; it also lets you trade
SysEx patches with the original
and other emulations. Dexed is
such a comprehensive free
instrument that, as you can
imagine, all the sonic possibilities
of FM synthesis and the original
DX7 are possible, from brash brass
to bows and bells.
asb2m10.github.io/dexed/
Spitfire Audio LABS Series
This strain of expertly recorded
individual instruments requires
you to download Spitfire’s host
plugin, but the rest of it is
completely free. Choose from
individual instruments on the
Spitfire website, ready to play
through the LABS plugin in your
DAW. Options span the range from
the plain and normal – Drums,
Strings, Soft Piano – through the
nicely experimental – Amplified
Cello Quartet, Frozen Strings,
Modular Piano – to the more
esoteric and very particular
Charango, Moon Guitar and
Granular Whalesong.
 Each instrument is pretty simple,
with only minimal controls to
adjust the sound to your liking. But
it’s the Spitfire sampling quality
that counts for most here, with the
expert recordings feeling like they
don’t need much tweaking in order
to feature in any professional
track. Over the years, the LABS
series has turned into a massive
compendium of sonic possibilities,
and a convincing entry point into
the rest of the Spitfire range.
labs.spitfireaudio.com

Matt Tytel Helm
There are plenty of free synths out
there, but it’s hard to find one
that’s as fun and playable as Helm.
At its heart, it’s a two-oscillator
subtractive synth, with a bigger
choice of waveforms than many
classic options, with some steppy,
rampy low-bit options included. A
very interesting filter can morph
between low and high pass
models; amp, filter and mod
envelopes offer standard ADSR
controls, and there are three LFOs
to get your hands on.
But Helm goes further than the
standard options, adding in a step
sequencer, and effects including
Stutter (Beat Repeat), Distortion,
Delay and Reverb, plus a snazzy
Formant filter. All in all, the
impressive functionality and list of
features make Helm a synth that
should be inside everyone’s plugin
folder for bread and butter synth
sounds, and then some.
tytel.org/helm
IK Multimedia Syntronik
An underrated source of all things classic
synth, Syntronik has a paid, ‘full’ version, but
there’s no huge need to buy it, unless you’re a
full-time patch jockey who only surfs the
presets. Inside Syntronik’s free version, you
get virtual versions of hardware including the
Minimoog; Roland’s Jupiter-8, Juno-60 and
TB-303; the Oberheim SEM, Sequential’s
Prophet-5, Yamaha’s CS-80 and a good few
more, and you get access to a good group of
controls too – it’s not exactly the full gamut of
controls for each synth, but rather a decent,
easy selection for variety.
Presets are thin on the ground in the free
version, but you can set up four layers of
patches to split or layer around the keyboard, a
virtual rack for five effects with choices of
amps, distortions, dynamics, modulators,
reverbs and delays, and there’s also a pretty
comprehensive arpeggiator, with control over
note, velocity, length, swing and more.
ikmultimedia.com
FEB RUARY 2 02 1 £Glt| z pjph uU jvt ]X
ELECTRONIC GUITAR

KISS (Keep It Simple Sir)

Neural DSP Technologies go for all killer no filler.
By Michael Ross

W
hen we did our series on amp
modelers last year, the recent
Neural DSP line was getting
started and just missed being covered. They
specialize mostly in software aimed at current
high-gain players, with versions vetted by
Abasi, Plini, and other purveyors of modern
metal. More recently, they veered with a Cory
Wong version developed in conjunction with
the funk-meister from Vulfpeck.
A video by the terrific modern guitarist Dan
Phelps, where he used their version based on
the Omega Ampworks Granophyre, piqued my
interest. I tested it and the Cory Wong pack to
see what this company might be adding to the
amp modeling conversation.
Neural DSP Technologies is of the same
school as Kuassa Amplifikation, in that they
assume you already have plenty of effects
pedals and plugins, which means all you need
is a great sounding amp. This keeps the
proceedings somewhat simpler than software
like AmpliTube, Guitar Rig, and Bias FX,
which come with a plethora of pedal models, and the master full up. Around that range, I may be tweaked for other music as well.
multiple cabinets, modeled outboard gear, could achieve acceptable clean or slightly The Archetype Cory Wong package was
and more. distorted tones that cleaned up when I backed admittedly more in my wheelhouse. A more
The Omega Ampworks Granophyre package off my guitar volume. complex configuration, it offered a choice
is stripped down to one amp head (with three While the metal signature sounds worked among a D.J. Funk Console (a kind of direct
different output tube options), an EQ, a well with the provided mike and cabinet channel), The Clean Machine (an amp model
cabinet (with a variety of miking options), and simulation, when attempting milder breakup, optimized for clean) and The Amp Snob
a model of EarthQuaker’s Plumes, a pedal that I found the distortion harsh and the falloff (think Dumble). To the same graphic and mic
offers extra gain and some mid-range boost. artificial. Much playing with mics and choices it added seven effects for a versatile
Extra gain is something you are unlikely to placement produced some reasonable tones, package that can go from Nile Rogers (or for
need with this package. The hardware but installing a Michael Britt IR package that matter Cory Wong) funk style clean to
Granophyre is a gain monster and the improved the sound immensely. His IRs are soaring lead tones that recalled Robben Ford.
software retains that personality. The default geared towards a mid-forward, less scooped, As with the Granophyre package, you may
setting with all knobs at noon came roaring in classic rock tone, but if I wanted a modern find that using third party IRs quantumly
like a speed-metal band on meth. A great gain sound, I merely had to scoop the mids increases the verisimilitude of both sound and
sound, but one easily achieved in the with the software’s handy nine-band graphic feel of the well-designed heads.
modeling world. The trick was getting a clean equalizer. The Granophyre package should A welcome addition to the modeling field,
or slightly broken up sound. For that, I set the easily please mavens of modern metal, but either Neural DSP software will get you
gain knob at somewhere near 1, the gain with its power tube options, the graphic EQ, usable amplifier sounds with a minimum of
switch on low, the level at around one o’clock, and especially with a set of third-party IRs, it fuss, at a volume that will prevent eviction. Q

][ FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t


STUDIO TALK
MODEL 86
E
nigmatic London-based producer
MODEL86 makes music that seems to
naturally pinball between a host of
genres and influences, touching on classic
hip-hop beats, UK dance music and
experimental pop, all without feeling forced or
jarring. His debut album, Is Model 86 Dreaming
Of Being A Butterfly Or Is A Butterfly Dreaming
Of Being Model 86?, arrived in December,
representing the most fully-formed version of
his sound to date. We caught up with him to
find out how it was created.
When did you start making music, and how
did you first get started?
Hardware wise it was an MPC2000XL when I
was about 18 saved up for so long. Before that
when I was pretty young I was messing around
with Windows Movie Maker trying to loop
stuff and make beats on the family PC. I got
started when I met some guys who were
making beats and rapping. From there I got
into sampling and diggin’, then I decided to go
to Uni and study it a bit.
Tell us about your studio…
My current studio is a space in central London
]] FE B R UARY 2 021 £G l t| zpj ph uUjv t
near Warren St and Goodge St. I’ve been here
about 18 months, central for a few years.
I use hardware and plugins – plugins are way
faster but can lack the emotional relationship
of something when you have to play and tweak
in a more live and musical way.
I have quite a lot of modular stuff, Juno-106,
JX-8P, Yamaha CS 60, Sub Phatty, MS-20,
Mopho, Rhodes, Upright Korg Sigma, Mother-
32s, Subharmonicon, DFAM. I have a few
pedals too, my fave is the Hedra. It’s a good/
bad habit.
I really like Omnisphere and some indie
Kontakt stuff. I’d like to change my desk, it’s
MODEL 86’s music making tips...
Committing to mixing
When I’m mixing I bounce every track out
then reimport everything into Pro Tools and
mix from there. This means I have to be more
decisive and I can’t change anything, only mix
stuff and get as much out of it in that way.
Grotboxes are super useful
Get a crappy speak or radio speaker to check
annoying me at the moment, I just can never
get comfy.
What DAW (or DAWs) do you use, and why
did you choose it?
Logic, probably because it was the best deal
back in the day. Ableton seems fun, I used it a
bit ages ago but I can’t find the time to switch.
What one piece of gear in your studio could
you not do without?
Apart from my mac and speakers… I’m not
sure, the piano maybe? It’s just so satisfying to
touch and be with.
What’s the latest addition to your studio?
I haven’t bought anything for a bit. I just
replaced my Chemex, that’s a crucial part of
the studio, ‘cause I love filter coffee… and
everywhere’s shut at the moment. I bought a
Hedra pedal last I think; I love that thing, it’s so
fun to play through.
What dream bit of gear would you love to
have in your studio?
Hmm, maybe a felted grand piano? I’m not sure
though, I don’t need anything else, I can’t use
everything that I have at the moment.
When approaching a new track or project,
where do you start?
Up until recently I was starting with vocal
samples but I’ve just changed my workflow.
I’ve just sworn not to touch any samples at all if
I can, just start on an instrument and vibe and
manipulate stuff more organically – and go
from there.
What are you currently working on?
I’ve just finished remixing the Madvillain
album, that’s out now. I’m producing a release
for a singer-songwriter at the moment, and
working with another artist which I’m quite
excited about. I have a couple of other
projections going under a different name too. Q
mixes on if you’re mixing stuff yourself.
Immediately flags up anything that’s off or
uneven, especially vocals.
Listen to a lot of music
It’s one of the best ways to get inspired, have
ideas and learn stuff. Try and get into the
habit, you can learn so much and it’s one of the
only ways to learn, by listening.