2019-08-01 MusicTech

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FREE HUGH PADGHAM – A LIFE IN THE STUDIO
THE PRODUCTION LEGEND ON DEFINING THE SOUND OF THE 80s
www.musictech.net
Issue 197 August 2019
Pro advice on taking your compositions

out of the studio and to the stage
LEO ABRAHAMS
The sonic adventurer
on the art of chance
SYNTH MASTERCLASS
Develop your knowledge
of FM synthesis
ON TEST
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W ELC O M E
THE MUSICTECH EXPERTS It can be the

biggest hurdle
Performing your music to an audience is always a
daunting experience, whether you’ve never played
ANDY JONES MARTIN DELANEY live before in your entire life or if you’re on show 52
Editor At Large Andy Martin was one of the first of a non-stop tour. There’s always that potential for
has an MA in Music UK Ableton-Certified Trainers. things to go wrong, for your gear to fail or for the
Technology and has been He has taught a wide range crowd to simply not get what you’re trying to do with
writing about it for 25 years. of people and has written your music. It stands to reason then, that preparation
He has launched and edited three books about Live.
several magazines in the Martin designed the Kenton is key to feeling more comfortable on stage and thus
subject and was Editor of Killamix Mini USB MIDI being able to enjoy the experience – which ultimately
MusicTech for four years. controller and is the Editor translates to audience satisfaction. Martin Delaney (perhaps the most
Naturally, he has of the popular Instagram ‘outgoing’ of our writing team in this regard) has penned our cover feature this
far too many synthesisers. account Abletonlive.london. month, which elucidates numerous aspects of going live; from setting up your
gear to fine-tuning your performance style.
Elsewhere this issue, we’re honoured to speak to production legend Hugh
Padgham. Hugh was behind the desk during the making of key records from
the likes of The Police. Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and David Bowie and is
responsible for popularising the ubiquitous ‘gated reverb’ drum sound of the
era. We also visit the London studio of creative pioneer Leo Abrahams and
return to Abbey Road to present round two of our reader questions.
Highlights of our review section this month include the latest generation
DAVE GALE ADAM CRUTE
of Focusrite’s widely popular Scarlett series, Arturia’s sizeable V Collection 7
Dave is an award-winning Adam is a freelance
orchestrator, media engineer, media producer and Bitwig’s Studio 3, which refreshes the increasingly respected DAW with a
composer and producer, and musician. Having cut his modular flavour. There’s much more, including tutorials, tips and a look around
with a passion for synths and teeth in tape-based analogue some of our reader studios… Enjoy the issue.
modulars in all their forms, studios, his involvement
whether software, hardware, with music technology has
vintage or modern. Dave spanned the move from
is MusicTech’s resident analogue to digital recording.
Eurorack expert, as well as Adam is currently our go-to
a soundtrack composer. Cubase expert.
Andy Price Editor andy.price@musictech.net
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musictech.net MusicTech August 2019 3

C O N T EN T S
In the issue…
Read on for expert advice, gear

buying guides and tips for taking
your productions to the stage
12
FEATURES
Going Live 12
TUTORIALS
Professional Mastering Workflow
Arturia V Collection 7
Native Instruments Super 8
92
96
Audiaire Nuxx 98
Ready to take your productions to the In Logic 50 OTO Machines BOUM 100
stage? We’ve gathered some expert Tools and techniques for pro mastering TC Electronic DVR250-DT
advice, some insights and essential Automation And Editing Digital Reverb 102
gear-buying advice to help you go live In Ableton Live 54 Mastering The Mix BASSROOM 105
Sound Synthesis Masterclass: How to get hands-off control in Live Spitfire Studio
Part 2 – FM Synthesis 24 How To Work With Chord Pads Woodwinds Professional 106
It’s DX heaven as our in-depth guide In Cubase 64 Audient Nero 110
to synthesis continues with a look at Cubase’s versatile chord-creation tool Qu-Bit Electronix Prism 112
Your DVD frequency modulation (FM) synthesis
Ask Abbey Road 30
Updated Features In Pro Tools
How to add Pro Tools 2019.5’s new
70 Mini Reviews
Six Of The Best:
114
Turn the page for a full list Abbey Road Studios’ talented engineers features to your workflow Turntables Money Can Buy 116
of the contents of the answer your production queries Creating Lo-fi Sounds
MusicTech issue 197 DVD Real World Collaboration 118 In Reason 10 74
We go to Real World Studios to create
and produce a track with others
How to warp and degrade your sounds
10 Tips To Make Extreme Sounds 78
REGULARS
Welcome 3
A crash-course in synth craziness Disc page 6
INTERVIEWS 6 Ways To Choose A Synth
For Dance Music 128
News
Show Off Your Studio
8
60
Hugh Padgham 36
The Grammy-winning producer on his How select a synth to fill the floor Subscriptions 108
pioneering studio techniques Rewind: Yamaha QY700 130
Leo Abrahams
Studio insight from the producer, solo
42
REVIEWS
Focusrite Scarlett 3rd Generation 82
artist, Eno collaborator and guitarist
Michael Gray 124 AKAI MPK Road 88 86
The creator of revitalised dance smash VSL Vienna Ensemble Pro 7 88
The Weekend on his studio techniques Bitwig Studio 3 90
4 August 2019 MusicTech musictech.net

C O NTENTS
INTERVIEW INTERVIEW
Hugh Leo
Padgham 36 Abrahams 42
Reviews TUTORIALS
PRO MASTERING
WORKFLOW
IN LOGIC PRO X 50
88
AUTOMATION
AND EDITING
IN ABLETON LIVE 54
82 92
HOW TO WORK
WITH CHORD PADS
IN CUBASE 64
EXPLORING THE
98 NEW FEATURES
IN PRO TOOLS 70
CREATING LO-FI
SOUNDS
100
106 WITH REASON 10 74

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NEWS
FOR THE LATEST NEWS VISIT

WWW.MUSICTECH.NET
In case you missed it…
IN CASE YOU
MISSED IT…
SCHOOL OF ROLI
R
OLI, the innovative company LUMI has 24 miniature keys and thanks that the LUMI keys have 92 per cent of the
behind the Seaboard and Blocks, to the MagSafe-like technology debuted plunge distance of a grand piano.
has announced its first product on the Blocks range, multiple units Notably, the songs that appear in the
without a squishy surface which magnetically click together so you can launch video – Calvin Harris’s Summer and
could also develop your keyboard playing expand your keyboard, two octaves at a Sia’s Chandelier – were both released on
skills. LUMI is a wireless multicoloured backlit time. You can even link in Seaboard Blocks imprints from ROLI investors Sony. With the
keyboard that connects to the LUMI iPad or Lightpad Blocks should you so desire. weight of one of the ‘big three’ behind it
app. Working in tandem, the coloured keys Naturally, LUMI also functions as a and some fun technology to assist, LUMI
of the LUMI light up in time with notes flying Bluetooth wireless MIDI keyboard. For could succeed as the music-learning
towards you in the app – reminiscent of professionals, this could be a useful device platform of choice for budding
such games as Guitar Hero. for denoting key-splits, chords and more, keyboardists. LUMI had already been
ROLI’s bid is to make learning the much like Native Instruments’ S-Series funded to the tune of nearly £980,000 –
keyboard easier with this functionality, controller keyboards, albeit with more far surpassing the initial pledge goal of
allowing you to jam along to famous colour. Pros will also appreciate the £100,000. LUMI will cost £195/$249.
tracks before upgrading to piano roll or inclusion of polyphonic aftertouch for To find out more and pre-order your
musical notation when you feel ready. heightened expression, while ROLI states LUMI at a discount, visit kickstarter.com.

NEWS
ONE TO
BOOKMARK
A
bleton has launched Learning
Synths, a free desktop and
mobile microsite that imparts
synth knowledge interactively,
providing you with a powerful-yet-simple
synth right in your browser.
If you’re a newcomer to synthesis,
Learning Synths will teach you about
synthesisers, oscillators, filters, envelopes
and LFOs by simply clicking/dragging your
cursor within the designated ‘instrument’
area. The site also provides step-by-step
lessons and deconstructions of classic synth
sounds, giving you a detailed overview of
their ingredients.
All the sounds you hear on Learning
Synths are powered by a two-oscillator
monosynth. Experts who wish to skip the
lessons can dive straight into this instrument
and experiment with its deep range of
presets and sequences. There’s also an
added bonus for Chrome users, who’ll be
able to play the synth with a compatible
MIDI controller. Head to learningsynths.
ableton.com to get started.
LOGIC GETS A KICK

A
pple has recently updated Logic audio channel strips, software-instrument launch much more quickly thanks to
to version 10.4.5, bringing the channel strips, auxiliary channel strips and dynamic plug-in loading.
brand’s flagship DAW up to external MIDI tracks. You also now have The De-Esser has been given a much-
speed with the new Mac Pro’s access to 12 sends per channel strip, up needed refresh, with two mode settings
tremendous processing power. This new from eight. Additionally, shift-clicking a send (Relative and Absolute) which can change
update enables Logic to host a whopping command will now trigger the destination its reaction to incoming audio. Finally, the
number of tracks and channels. You’ll now to flash three times and if you’re opening MIDI Sync settings have been improved.
be able to stack the DAW with 1,000 stereo large, templated projects, these will now Head to apple.com to update.

Sample | Edit | Create
“Loopcloud has come of age. It was always great,
but now it’s essential” Music Tech Magazine
Download free at Loopcloud.net

Great sounds. Serious inspiration.
S I G N U P T O R E C E I V E 1 G B O F F R E E S O U N D S
GO LIVE
MT C OV ER FE AT U RE
If you’ve never played live, or you just haven’t left the studio
much recently, then we highly recommend that you get
yourself out there as soon as humanly possible. That being
said, take the time to read our guide first – it’ll pay off later…
WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY MARTIN DELANEY
© Shutterstock

GO LIVE

GO LIVE
P
laying your own compositions live to other there are tools that can provide the interactivity that
people can sound like quite a daunting you need.
prospect, particularly if you’re planning on
playing alone. But there are multitudes of SWITCHING IT UP
practical (and psychological) approaches that can Ableton Live lives up to its name. It contains software
make that transition relatively painless. instruments, receives MIDI control from all kinds of
Firstly, we should state here that playing live devices and is easy to sync with other gear, either
shouldn’t always mean playing a prearranged set. through MIDI, Ableton Link, CV, or plain old tap
There are many ways to improvise and expand on tempo. Everything in Live can be robotically locked
your existing compositions – and getting your hands to sync, or it can be taken to the other extreme and
dirty and jamming is part of the fun. Improvising be gloriously unhinged and fully organic, it all starts
and making instinctual, reactive decisions when by clicking those ‘Hz’ buttons in Live’s Devices!
performing is a very important aspect of being a When it comes to setting up live instrumentation,
musical performer and mastering the confidence it’s tempting to keep things relatively straightforward,
to do this can assist your growth as a musical artist – but sometimes this can lead to a creative stiflement.
it develops your listening skills fast. Blondie keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Matt
For producers, a set that’s a bit loose in structure Katz-Bohen tells us that he swears by the simple act
and leaves you freedom to jam is a fantastic way to of changing instruments as a way to get out of a rut
assess your in-progress tunes; often, that can simply – something we’d also recommend.
be a case of observing how audiences react to We have three versions of our live rig, and each
what you’re doing, while sometimes it’s about how has different practical, artistic and sonic benefits,
you react yourself – how you feel when you hear as we adapt our music to each platform without
your new tunes playing in public. changing the overall character and performance-
You might not feel ready to interact and create friendliness. So here’s an overview of our rigs and why
with other artists live and maybe you’ll make mistakes we use these particular setups…
or come up with some unbelievably ugly noise, but so Rig 1 features a synth/sequencer with a few stereo
what? That’s part of the learning experience. Even if effect pedals, a mini mixer and a master power
you’re not an instrumentalist in a traditional sense, supply. This rig sounds fantastic, but to break out of

GO LIVE
© James Green
predictable habits requires a push towards a deeper Force. It’s still portable, but like the other hardware THIS SPREAD Some of the
knowledge of what it’s capable of. setup, you’re dealing with a more limited author’s live setups, including a
rig where a MacBook Pro runs
Rig 2 is a MacBook Pro running Ableton Live, interface and feature set. Ableton Live and touchAble PRO
with touchAble PRO on an iPad acting as a control on an iPad is the control surface
surface. This one’s very portable and brings ultimate TOY STORY
effect and sound-design control. Rig 3 is an attempt Performance setups are put to the test far more
to combine the best of rigs 1 and 2 using the Akai when you’re in a jamming situation, because if
TIPS FOR LIVE Don’t Change

Your Setup
In the week (or two) before your gig,
Do Change
Your Setup
Ooh, controversial! Yes, this advice is
PERFORMANCE Playing live is a weird mix of science and art, just like with
it’s advisable to not change your setup.
If your hardware is working perfectly,
don’t change anything, not even a cable
or plug. If your computer is fine as it is,
the complete opposite to the advice
we’ve already given you. What we’d
say here is that for higher profile gigs,
certainly follow that original advice.
other fields of music. This means you’re swimming in a lot of then no more software updates until Yet for smaller gigs, where it’s less
after the gig… and turn off automatic formal and maybe more of a jam,
preconceptions, personal experience and ambition and updates (that is not a musician-friendly it’s a fantastic opportunity to try new
absolute rights and wrongs. Bearing that in mind, here are feature!) We know how tempting it is to gear and new material and new working
some tips to get your through your first gigs… keep tinkering, change your routings, methods in the real world. It often takes
try a different software synth, whatever us two gigs in a row at best before it’s
it might be, but it’s just asking for time to start ripping everything up –
trouble. Instead of rebuilding, spend that goes for the hardware setup,
that time practising your set. Ableton Live projects and the actual
musical content, too.

GO LIVE
TUTO R I A L S A M PL I N G T EC H N I Q U ES F O R A M A N AG E A BL E S E T
01 There are so many variables with these techniques, we can’t cover 02 For hardware synths, just record a long note from the synth into a
everything, but this’ll give you some ideas, especially if your Live clip and crop it to a suitable length. For software synths, program
performance machine is different from your studio one. If you’re using Live, a corresponding MIDI clip, then use Live’s Freeze/Flatten commands to turn
it’s easy to get a performance-ready instrument based on your studio sounds. that into an audio clip. You probably won’t need to warp these.
03 Load Simpler into a MIDI track, then drag your sample into Simpler’s 04 Synth sounds can be complex, evolving things, so you may have to
drop area. Arm and play your MIDI keyboard and you’ll be able develop this further, perhaps using instrument racks and audio or MIDI
to play that sound over the full range of MIDI notes. It’s not like having effects to create layered sounds. Use Simpler’s ADSR controls to modify the
the real instrument, but it can be good enough for live work. sample’s behaviour and edit the Voice setting to match the source instrument.
05 Akai hardware, including the MPC Live and Force, has a handy feature 06 In Akai talk, this kind of sample-based instrument is known as a
called Auto Sampling, which captures audio from an internal instrument, ‘keygroup’ and they are very useful. The trick is that as much of
or an external source such as a hardware synth and immediately make it the preparation as possible is done in advance, so the recorded sample
available as a playable instrument, from pads or an external MIDI keyboard. is formatted and organised from the get-go.
07 Before recording, you can set the range of notes that’ll be recorded, 08 A keygroup can feature up to four effects, included as part of the preset
how the new layers will respond to MIDI velocity, the length of recorded when you save it for future use. Keygroups can also access the send
notes and even configure a ‘tail’ for when you’re recording instruments with effects in your project, and are infinitely editable – you can go back any time
reverb- or delay-type decaying trails at the end of the sound. and add more samples, edit the parameters and so on.

GO LIVE
FROM THE EXPERTS…

GRAHAM DOWDALL, AKA GAGARIN
gagarin.org.uk
Graham composes acclaimed solo electronica as Gagarin and is a member of Iranian
you’re on your own, it’s easy to kid yourself that
folktronic band Roshi feat. Pars Radio and legendary avant-rockers Pere Ubu, as well as
you’re improvising when really you’re just tweaking being a prolific collaborator. “I’ve been playing live for over 40 years. I currently play an
a few knobs; with another person in the room, a MPC Live sampler triggered by SPD-6 drum pads and foot pedals through a TC Electronic
whole other level of attentiveness, interaction and Flashback 2 delay pedal, plus an iPad running Samplr and Thor for my solo gigs and for
accountability is required. Much as I’d encourage Roshi feat. Pars Radio. In Pere Ubu, I add a Novation Xiosynth. I prefer hardware… the
you to keep your setup simple, I’d also urge you to interface between performer and sound is more satisfying. It also makes a better spectacle
and avoids being drawn into a screen. Though I use an iPad, the dedicated front end and
explore the available options, whether it’s mobile
tiny screen makes it feel more like an instrument – I’m old fashioned. I have a palette of
apps running Link, keytars, pedalboards or game notes and sounds from previously composed material plus some skeletal loops and use
controllers (see our recent story about gaming tech these as a basis for recomposing the pieces in a very improv way. In the electronic world,
at MusicTech.net). we might be starting from somebody’s prepared groove. It’s a relationship rather than a
Try as many as you can, and sooner or later, process. I love to feed off someone else’s ideas and respond to them – it makes me play in
something will click and your rig will take shape. One completely different ways. Working with people who use different instruments is particularly
interesting, as the different tonal palettes force people to respond and complement – or not
relevant new product to mention here is Elektron’s – their sound world… Listen more – play less. If there’s an audience, the music is for them,
Digitone Keys, which is effectively its Digitone synth not just you. Don’t play overly long pieces and try to finish one piece, then start again with
module with an added keyboard. This harks back to a fresh approach. Don’t be afraid of repetition, rhythm or melody. They are not the enemy.”
Obsess Record Your Sets Manage Your Levels Be A Social Animal

Preparing for a gig and then playing it is This is something this writer avoided If you want to sound good – that is, Another benefit of playing live gigs is
a perfect excuse to get in the zone and for years. Once, a promoter recorded if you want to sound like you have that you get to meet all kinds of people
stay there. Indulge your inner control one of my sets and I made him delete half a clue what you’re doing live – – not only your audience (if you have
freak and focus – you can schmooze it; I didn’t want to listen to it afterwards then manage your volume levels. We’re one) and the people at the venue, but
your friends later. Micro-manage. and to hear all my mistakes and pick using a lot of distortions and bitcrushers also the other artists on the line-up.
Obsess. Spend way too much time it all apart. You might feel that knowing and filters in our live sets and there are What better way to make connections,
over-thinking the details, such as you’re being recorded might affect the times when the bass in particular can get more gigs or to find somebody to
deciding which side of the computer way you play. But from an artist/ really jump out, so we tend to have play the recorder on your next release?
you like your controller to be on. brand-building point of view, it’s always limiters on every track. It’s good to be Make the most of these ‘meatspace’
Even during and after the soundcheck, good to have a stock of recorded able to control it and go from super opportunities – it’s way more effective
keep tinkering, checking. All of the performances in the can for your social clean to filthy noise and back, on than social media.
invested advance time pays off once channels. We often simply use a field demand. It can take some doing, but it’s
your set starts – you’ll feel ready and recorder to record our performances. worth it. A loud, controlled, sound is the
prepared and all the technical stuff best sound.
goes away and it’s purely about the
playing and the sound.

GO LIVE
FROM THE EXPERTS…

MATT KATZ-BOHEN
Instagram: @princessgoesofficial
Matt Katz-Bohen has been the guitarist and music director for the NYC drag-queen rock ’n’
the 2003 Monomachine, which had a similar layout
roll band The Touchables, worked with Jody Watley, Princess Superstar, Lady Miss Kier,
and was described as a machine two people could Justin Vivian Bond, Mink Stole and John Cameron Mitchell. He is also musical director of
play together. The Digitone Keys has had a mixed New York City’s Bowieball party. Matt joined Blondie on keyboards for the 2008 worldwide
reception, but it makes more sense if you’re aware of concert tour and continues to be a member of the legendary band. “The gear I regularly use
the history behind it. when playing live is usually a Les Paul guitar through a Vox AC15 or 30. I also use Death By
If you’re wanting to get into live electronic-music- Audio pedals. For keyboards, it’s a Roland Fantom, Sequential Prophet Rev2, Korg CX-3
and Ableton Live, operated by a Novation MIDI keyboard. I play live to attain a level of
making, then you’re in luck. The live electronic scene
transcendence and magic sorcery unavailable elsewhere – jamming with other people
is huge now – Londoners are spoilt with regular is a meeting of the minds; also for compositional purposes, you find out what is interesting
events such as NoizeMaschin!! and Crux – and when the energy changes while there are other people in the room much more quickly than
chances are, there’s an event near you where you if you were playing alone in the same room. Many songs I have written or co-written started
can play. out in a jamming environment, particularly in my current band, Princess Goes To The
Butterfly Museum. My jamming tips: listen as much as you play, perhaps more. If monotony
creeps in, try switching to a new instrument, one you are not 100 per cent comfortable with
EYE FOR SUCCESS – a new keyboard, or drums, or whatever else happens to be on hand. Hardware is easier
Sometimes, the location and the music demand and more fun for me to use, plus it seems like it is invariably less buggy. Live and production
a no-frills ‘I’m just here for the music, man’-style of are two completely different worlds, but satisfying in totally different ways.”
One Eye Feed The Insta Tell The Venue Touch It

On The Goods Like you haven’t got enough to deal What You Want Hardware control can make your
Much as we’d wholeheartedly with, every performing artist must Any well-organised promoter will be in live performances more fun and
encourage you to embrace the now be a social-marketing whiz as well. touch before the gig to ask you for your entertaining and preparing for that is
sociability and networking opportunities Promoting the gig in advance is one tech specs. This is your opportunity to easy thanks to MIDI learn, where you
at gigs, It’s also worth a note of caution thing, but post-gig is equally important make yourself look like a pro, by giving quickly assign any knob, fader, or button
to keep an eye on your stuff, especially – it’s all about looking busy. Record them a realistic and clear breakdown on your controller to a suitable software
in that time between soundcheck and your audio and get a friend to shoot of what you need to make your gig function. Ableton Live also does this
live set, where it’s set up and laid out some video. Phone quality will do – happen. Whether you need to talk about with QWERTY keyboards, which can
for all to see. Security issues are really after all, it’s going to be ancient microphones, DI boxes, power outlets be really useful.
dependent on the venue and type of history in a couple of days, anyway. or video adaptors, this is the time to put
audience, but you should always know it all in writing.
where your stuff is. And get insurance.

GO LIVE
The Chemical Brothers at FIB performance, where you stare intently at your DJ-style, working mostly with stereo mixes and a
Festival in Benicàssim, Spain in machines, with available light consisting of little more few add-on loops? Can you get a band to play
2016 – the duo have evolved
into perhaps the world’s most than a lightbulb. If that’s your artistic intention, good, the instrument parts live? Can you chop up the
sophisticated electronic live act stick with it. But there are times when it makes sense stems and use a combination of audio and MIDI
in terms of their integration of to push your visuals. Additional visualisations can tracks to deliver a set that is deeper and more
visuals and sound
help get the mood of your music across, rather than flexible, but also higher-maintenance? Which one
be a distraction. Why not recruit a VJ to add some will work best for you?
real-time imagery, or do it yourself with VJ software It’s easy to get swept up with the gear and
such as Resolume (ideally running on a separate truthfully, that is a massive part of getting ready
computer from your music software), or with visual for live performance, but the music has to come first:
plug-ins inside your DAW, such as the very excellent don’t sell it short. If you’ve got a budget, great, go on
Mixvibes remixvideo? Sticking with the hardware a shopping spree. We know of people who have
setup? Critter & Guitari’s ETC is a guitar pedal-style gone to ridiculous lengths, purchasing entire live
device (or ‘visual synthesiser’), which generates setups in one go. If you haven’t got a budget, listen
fabulously low-tech, colourful graphics that sync to your music while looking at the gear in your studio
to audio and respond to MIDI messages. and think about how those two elements are going
It all has to begin with taking a hard look at your to combine to make a manageable but rewarding
content (or your music, as it’s sometimes known). live setup that will also be easy to move via car, bus,
How can you best deliver it – can it be presented train or van.
The Ticking DIY With iOS

Of The Clock Although it might seem limiting, you
If you’re using more than one electronic can perform live with nothing more than
instrument, whether hardware or iOS devices. Sometimes, it seems the
software, you’ll likely want to sync them. iOS music scene hasn’t really reached
You can use MIDI clock – nearly every its full potential; but there are some
bit of music gear works with that – or great apps, whether you want to trigger
Ableton Link (usually wireless but also sounds or sequences, or send control
via ethernet), or even plain old tap messages to your favourite DAW.
tempo, if absolutely necessary!

STAFF PICKS
SPIRE
POLYPHONIC SYNTHESISER
Spire is a software polyphonic synthesizer that
STAFF PICK
“Spire is a powerhouse of a combines powerful sound engine modulation and
polyphonic synthesiser! The
complex sound engine teamed āåƻĜÆĬå±ųÏĘĜƋåÏƋƚųåØ±ĹÚ±čų±ŞĘĜÏ±ĬĜĹƋåųü±ÏåƋĘ±Ƌ
with indepth modulation provides unparalleled usability.
controls produce rich sonics and
enable super-creative sound Spire is the embodiment of the best opportunities,
design. For me, Spire gets more
interesting every time I open it within software and
up in my DAW”
hardware synthesizers.
Tom
THE PLACE FOR MUSIC PLUGINS

GO LIVE
ESSENTIAL TOOLS
FOR GOING LIVE
Is it all about the gear? No. But… we love to talk about it, anyway.
There are some practical items that are essential for live performance,
and some that are just going to be a blast to interact and jam with:
let’s look at some key pieces of kit and standout products…
ELEKTRON AKAI FORCE TYPICAL MODULAR RIG

MODEL:SAMPLES akaipro.com
Akai’s Force is an ideal hardware alternative to a
modulargrid.net
This is a huge topic and there are so many different
elektron.se
software setup, building on Akai’s past experience companies and configurations involved, we really can’t
The first in Elektron’s more affordable ‘Model’
with its work on Ableton’s Push as well as its own go into it all here. The website above is a great
series (well, it’s probably going to be a series),
MPC devices; particularly the MPC Live. The Force is a resource that includes information about modular
Model:Samples is an accessible machine that
sampler and a sequencer and is loaded with onboard gear, including 500-series racks, with a useful module
shouldn’t be dismissed. Even though it’s a sample
effects and instruments. It’s very well connected, with finder that lets you search by manufacturer or build
playback-only device, which could be considered
MIDI In/Out/Thru, CV, Ethernet, Bluetooth, wifi, Ableton type (DIY or pre-assembled), or function and so on.
limiting, it has a very user-friendly array of interactive
Link, USB, SD card reader, stereo audio out and four There’s also a rack builder where you can build and
controls and also has a decent MIDI spec.
audio inputs. It has a seven-inch touch display which share your virtual creations – a good way to try before
More importantly, it earns a place in any live rig,
can be used to view/control the mixer, instrument and you buy.
because Elektron is very, very, good at making
effect parameters, or to draw/edit MIDI and audio clips. Using modular setups for live gigs is an interesting
sequencers and with six tracks of independent
There’s a track limit of eight audio tracks, but plenty of one. Some folks perceive the medium as just a
sequencing, this is no exception. Change direction,
MIDI tracks are available. Install an SSD for fast access means to create a series of clichéd bleeps, yet we’ve
pattern length, step length, add automation per step
to copious amounts of samples and go online to experienced astonishing live modular performances,
– it’s very capable, hypnotic and fun. If you don’t want
access samples contained in your splice.com account, featuring fully interactive modular live sets. It’s also
to use the onboard samples, assign each of those six
if you have one. not unheard of for people to build effect-only rigs
tracks to the MIDI output and sequence your other
that process their computer audio, or audio from
hardware and software instead. Those knobs and pads
their Elektron-based setups.
can also send MIDI out, so it’s a handy controller, too!
ABLETON LIVE 10 GARAGEBAND iOS KORG GADGET

ableton.com apple.com korg.com
Ableton Live is on stages and in studios all over Okay, maybe it’s not regarded as ‘cool’ and may not Korg’s Gadget takes cross-platform project portability
the place nowadays – and that’s how it should be, seem ‘pro’ – but Apple’s GarageBand is very underrated to a new extreme. This is a DAW that hosts a library of
because it’s so incredibly versatile. It can contain as a performance tool, especially if you’re more instruments (they are the gadgets in question) and
an entire live set in an interactive dynamic rig interested in keyboards and guitars than you are includes sequencing, effects and a mixer. The interface
with software instruments, or act as a controller electronics and sound design. There’s no need to is fun and colourful and the instrument controls are
or effect-routing hub for your outboard gear. Live feel guilty about using this free and very accessible simple but well-chosen and effective. Gadget runs
is fantastic for jamming and improvisation, with mini-DAW to get your gigs done. It’ll even host plug-ins. on iOS – on iPad or iPhone – but also as a separate
the ability to follow or abandon rigid sync and to GarageBand runs on macOS and iOS, on iPad or DAW, or a suite of individual plug-ins, on macOS
drop in and out of a structured arrangement iPhone and the projects are interchangeable between (the plug-ins are also available for Windows, but
whenever needed. It’s very instrument-like. these platforms – a portability concept that Korg takes not the DAW).
Live has three versions that cover all levels and to extremes with its Gadget software. GarageBand on Projects can be moved back and forth between
budgets – Intro has a very limited feature set, but iOS even has an Ableton Live-style view where you can the computer and mobile devices. Because that’s
covers the basics and works as an excellent foundation trigger loops and sets of loops in real time to create an not enough, Gadget is even available for the Nintendo
to the Ableton way of working; then Standard is more interactive performance template. The clincher for all Switch and those projects too can be transferred to
functional and Suite adds the full range of software of this is that GarageBand projects from Mac or iOS iOS or Mac. Very cool. The icing on the cake is that
instruments, which you may or may not need. Live can be opened inside the far more ‘professional’ Logic Gadget projects can be exported as Ableton Live
runs on macOS and Windows and it also supports Pro X, for final editing and mixing. projects for deeper editing, mixing and export
AU/VST plug-ins. options. Gadget is fabulous.

GO LIVE
REASON GUITAR PEDALS K-MIX

propellerheads.com boss.info keithmcmilleninstruments.com
There was a time when Reason was ‘it’, as far as There must be at least one guitar pedal for everybody If you have more than a couple of bits of hardware in
interactive synth software went. That trademark rack on the planet. Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration, but your setup, you’re probably going to need to bring a
format, with the little wiggly cables when you hit the they are ubiquitous and we should take advantage of mixer to the gig. Sometimes during a soundcheck
tab key, ah yes… and there were some awesome that. Guitar pedals are too much fun and too useful you’ll see three or more mini mixers around the stage.
Refills (content packs) as well. Reason is still going to waste solely on guitars! The pedal format covers A lot of musicians keep their good stuff at home and
strong and includes a timeline-based sequencer, everything from simple distortions, even in the bring something cheaper, more disposable, to the live
tonnes of instruments in the form of synthesisers, mini-pedal formats, to complex programmable stereo shows, but there are some very high quality little ones
samplers and drum machines and a host of audio machines with MIDI control. Most of them can run off out there that are just as useful in all situations.
effects. Not to mention to the increasingly versatile batteries if needed and yet there are also numerous The Keith McMillen Instruments K-Mix is such a
Compact version on mobile. ways to power groups of them from a single mains beast; it’s a very full-featured mixer, which fits eight
There are times when the interface seems a little power source. The prices range from nearly nothing inputs, 10 outputs, a USB audio interface, MIDI control
overwhelming, but it’s customisable and very powerful. to hundreds and there’s something for everybody. surface and onboard effects into a compact bundle. It’s
Formerly an entirely closed system, which was also Even if you don’t like to use them live, they’re great fully functional connected to a computer, where it’ll be
a guarantee of stability, Reason now supports VST sound-design tools – feed them your drum machines, USB powered, or used as a standalone device with
plug-ins, extra contention in the form of rack extensions your synths, whatever you’ve got. If you’re new to it, hardware and mains power.
and Ableton Link, for easier syncing with the outside start with Boss. They are the go-to standard for pedals
world. With the right MIDI controllers, Reason can make – well built, user friendly and just all-round cool.
a portable and impressive live system.
OTO MACHINES BOUM ARTURIA MINILAB MK II FOCUSRITE SCARLETT 2i4

otomachines.com arturia.com focusrite.com
When playing live with a hardware setup that consists If you’re going to have just one MIDI controller in your If you’re using a computer to play your music, you’ll
of synthesisers, drum machines and maybe some setup, it should be a keyboard. It’s such fun to play need an audio interface. This will probably be a
effects, too, it can be useful to add some kind of around with pad-based controllers, with all the pretty USB device, unless your computer has Thunderbolt
dynamics processing to your master stereo channel lights and a keyboard is such a fundamental musical connections. Sure, you can take a cable from your
before it reaches the house mixer. Any venue with a interface, even if you can’t play ‘properly’. computer’s hardware out to the mixer, but an interface
decent mixer will have some kind of processing, but The Arturia MiniLab Mk II is a fine example of a gives you professional input and output connections,
it’s better to have your own and be in control of it. compact MIDI keyboard that does more than just an extra layer of level control and maybe headphone
Sound engineers love you if you give them a nice plink-plink duty, with a 25-note keyboard, eight velocity/ monitoring and MIDI, too.
controlled signal with no crazy level peaks or distortion. pressure-sensitive pads, 16 rotary encoders and two The Focusrite Scarlett is a good example of a
OTO Machines BOUM (reviewed on p100) is made touch-strips for pitch and modulation. USB powered, USB 2.0 interface that balances quality with features,
precisely for this – it’s a compact mains-powered with eight user presets, it includes a software bundle with two instrument/mic/line inputs, four outputs, a
stereo device that provides compression/limiting, that includes Ableton Live Lite, Analog Lab Lite and UVI headphone out with direct monitoring option and MIDI
distortion, filters and a noise gate. The output is clean Grand Piano Model D. There’s a limited edition all-black In/Out as well. Even better is that it’s buss powered,
and it sounds good – it’s very effective on an entire model which is absolutely gorgeous (though how which means that you don’t need to pack yet another
mix or individual tracks. Set it up as a master-channel practical that is onstage, only you can decide). mains power supply in your bag or case. Also includes
device and leave it be, or use the knobs or MIDI a software bundle with Ableton Live Lite and a bunch
messages for more dynamic interaction. of plug-ins and sample content.

S O U N D SY N T H ES I S M A S T ER C L A S S: PA R T 2
MT S O U N D SY N T H ES I S M A S T ER C L A S S
FM
SYNTHESIS
Despite its venerable age, subtractive synthesis remains
hugely popular to this day. Yet it was almost killed off in the
1980s when a new kid on the synthesis block – FM synthesis
– ushered in the age of the digital synthesiser…
WORDS ADAM CRUTE
S
ubtractive synthesis, which we looked at around £1,500/$2,000, it was the first digital synth that
in detail in our last instalment (to read it, was affordable.
see MusicTech.net) has a long and illustrious The instrument offered considerably more
history. For many years, it was the only bang-per-buck than any analogue subtractive
show in town when it came to programmable synth of the day, too, with 16-part polyphony (almost
sound synthesis. But by the early 80s, the market was unheard of at the time), internal patch storage with
becoming rather stale: good synths were expensive, the option of adding more via memory cartridges
affordable synths often had many limitations – and and full MIDI compatibility; MIDI itself was an exciting
all were confined to producing only a certain range new technology at the time, too. It was an instant hit.
of sounds. Sound-wise, the DX7’s sharp, bright, hard-edged
Other sound-synthesis techniques existed, but sound was markedly and radically different to the
those that had made it as far as commercial release warm fuzziness of analogue synths. It was also
were exorbitantly expensive. One alternative, yet much better able to emulate the sound of acoustic
to escape the lab, had been developed during the instruments than was subtractive synthesis. Of
late 60s by Dr John Chowning at Stanford University particular note were the DX7’s electric piano, organ
and was dubbed ‘frequency modulation’ (or FM and bell sounds, which were far more realistic and
synthesis). Radically different to subtractive in both expressive than anything even the best analogue
method and results, FM synthesis combined simple synths could muster. The FM sound wasn’t everyone’s
waveforms in order to create a more complex result. cup of tea, but nevertheless, it went on to define the
Stanford patented its FM technology and hoped sound of much of the music of the 80s and beyond.
to license it to an American instrument manufacturer. Thanks to its price, newness and Yamaha’s sheer
But their attempts at gaining the interest of the likes manufacturing muscle, the DX7 rapidly overtook
of Hammond and Wurlitzer failed. and then utterly eclipsed the number of analogue
There was one company which did understand subtractive synths that were being sold: in its first
Chowning’s ideas, though and that company was three years alone, 200,000 DX7s were sold.
Yamaha. It didn’t have a big presence in the US As the decade continued and rolled into the
market, but the company was the world’s largest 90s, new digital-synthesis technologies continued to
manufacturer of musical instruments; Stanford duly emerge, producing ever-more accurate emulations
granted Yamaha a one-year licence to research the of acoustic instruments, at ever-more affordable
commercial viability of FM. prices. Naturally, musicians and producers were
lapping up all of these new and great-sounding toys.
FIRST MODELS Interestingly, Yamaha’s peers, the fleet-footed
Following the successful prototyping of a Japanese manufacturers such as Roland and Korg
monophonic FM synth, in 1975, Yamaha acquired managed to adapt, survive and thrive in the digital
exclusive rights to Stanford’s technology and by era. Yet many of those true-analogue pioneers were
1980, had released the world’s first commercial FM swamped by the digital onslaught and paid the
synthesiser, the GS1. While you may not have heard ultimate price for not adapting John Chowning’s
of this instrument – it doesn’t rank highly on most invention. Many great companies closed down,
synth wishlists – you will have heard of its successor… and analogue synthesis was dead. Or so it seemed…
Released in 1982, Yamaha’s DX7 is probably the As the runaway success of FM synthesis
most important and impactful synth ever created. continued, it became increasingly apparent that
Not only was it the world’s first commercially there was a problem – one similar to that which
successful digital synthesiser, it was also the first digital had led many companies to pass up the technology:
synth most users had ever got their hands on and at FM can be extremely complicated!

© David Redfern/Getty Images

operators, algorithms, frequency ratios and more.

Intuitive it was not!
This led to more and more musicians relying on
presets rather than crafting their own sounds to fit
the music they were making and this brought to the
fore an even bigger fly in the digital-synth ointment…
FLAWLESSLY MATCHED
Analogue-synth circuitry involves many different
components: transistors, capacitors, resistors and
more. The response of any individual analogue
component is likely to deviate slightly from its
intended response; multiply such tiny deviations
A sine wave
is a pure tone by the number of components in the synth and the
consisting of result is an instrument with an individual character
just a fundamental and sound.
frequency
In contrast, a digital circuit produces an identical
output in response to any given input. If components
deviate too far from their intended response, then
the circuit will simply stop working. There is arguably,
therefore, no scope for subtle characterfulness.
This ‘sameness’ problem became much worse
with the advent of sample-based synths in the late
80s. These gave unparalleled degrees of realism
for the time, but even though some modification
of a sample-based synth’s sound was possible, the
underlying samples were always recognisable and
identifiable. And so where once you could listen
to a new piece of music and wonder at how the
different sounds had been made, by the late 80s,
listening to contemporary music was more like a
game of ‘spot the preset’.
FABLED MACHINES
But change was afoot. Old analogue synths started
to command startling asking prices and many
were becoming far more desirable than the latest
mass-produced digital marvels. Music itself started
to reflect the renewed interest in the analogue
sound, permeating new styles and genres until
they ended up relying almost entirely on analogue
subtractive synths.
Companies that had closed their doors two
decades earlier were relaunching, with new
products and reissued classics – and new
manufacturers were popping up, too. When
the computer-music revolution ramped up and
ABOVE MIDDLE A fundamental Gone were the sumptuous control surfaces DAWs became the norm, the classic names and
frequency (blue) with adorned with knobs, switches and faders that instruments started reappearing as software
2nd harmonic (red) and
3rd harmonic (green) allowed direct, instinctive, hands-on control of the emulations that created their sound using digital
sound… to be replaced by banks of buttons, a small models of the original circuitry.
ABOVE BOTTOM This DX7 LCD screen and perhaps a data-entry slide or two. Even where not modelled on a specific classic
algorithm consists entirely of
carriers, with no modulators Gone, too, were the simple concepts of oscillators synth, the vast majority of the virtual synths that
and filters, to be replaced by a whole new arcana of began to (and still) dominate the market were
FM 1 Great For
Some Things,
Not For Others
2 Start With The
Conventional
SYNTHESIS
Start out by learning how to
Play with the presets on your combine operators to create
FM synth(s), paying attention conventional subtractive-style
to what it does well and what waveforms. This helps to
it doesn’t. Electric pianos, bridge the large conceptual
TIPS
electric organs, hard basses gap between subtractive and
and bells are where FM’s FM. Once comfortable, you
excels, but it’s not so good can start to experiment more.
at warm, evolving pads,
filter swoops and the like.

By the late 80s, listening samplemagic.com
to music was a game
of ‘spot the preset’
subtractive in nature, with hands-on GUIs and
simple analogue concepts at their hearts. With
no expensive circuitry involved, this new wave of
virtual-analogue synths has been able to push the
bounds of subtractive synthesis far beyond anything
that was ever possible in the past.
Subtractive synthesis had risen phoenix-like from
the ashes. It may have to share space with lots of
other synth technologies nowadays, but it’s once
again the dominant form of synthesis.
PARTIAL TO PARTIALS
If you were to remove all of the overtones from
a waveform, so that all that was left was the
fundamental frequency, you would have a sine
wave; in other words, a sine wave is a pure tone with
no overtones. Similarly, if you were to isolate any one
overtone, it too would be a sine wave. Technically,
each of these sine wave components is referred
to as a partial. Taken to its logical conclusion, this
means that all waveforms are made up of a stack
of partials with differing frequencies and amplitudes.
MODULATE NOT MIX FEHRPLAY: PARALLEL SOUNDS £19.99

FM synthesis harnesses this principle in order to Norwegian electronic music producer Fehrplay highlights his ability to
generate complex waveforms from much simpler
meticulously blend cinematic emotion with dancefloor sensibilities,
waveforms. But FM doesn’t just mix together those
simple waveforms (although it can). Rather, it uses delivering customized cuts from the playbooks of deep house and
one simple waveform to modulate the frequency techno in his first sample pack collection.
of another, with the result then being used to
modulate another simple waveform, which in
turn can modulate another, and so on. RAW HIP-HOP
The difference between modulation and simply
mixing sine waves together is easiest to understand Blurring the lines between underground
using the analogy of an imaginary guitar whose hip-hop and the boom bap beat scene -
strings produce sine waves. When playing a chord on Raw Hip-Hop comes packed with
this guitar, each note of the chord would be a partial hundreds of expertly recorded and
of the resulting waveform; changing notes would processed loops, one-shots, and MIDI.
change the partial content and thus the timbre of
the sound produced.
When playing a single note on our imaginary £29.99
guitar, you can add vibrato with your left hand.
This modulates the pitch of the note at a frequency
that’s independent of the note’s frequency, AMBIENT & ORGANIC
changing its waveform accordingly. If the vibrato
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3 Learn Your 4 Study Wave
Algorithms Theory
Algorithms lie at the heart The better you understand OUTRUN
of the FM sound, and it’s the physics of waveforms,
imperative to choose the the more successful you Outrun delivers a treasure trove of old
correct algorithm for any will be as an FM synthesist. school drum machine beats, epic
given type of sound. Outside The internet is full of such chase-scene arpeggios, interstellar
of trial and error, old books information, but it’s often
on DX7 programming are pitched at a very technical synths, cinematic chords, and driving
one of the best sources for level, so you may need melodics.
this sort of information. to hunt around to find
something that is accessible.
£14.99
musictech.net
Samples_______Patches_______Plugins_______Instruments
rate were to be increased sufficiently, we would

perceive timbral rather than pitch changes in the
resulting sound. This is how FM works: it modulates the
frequency of one waveform with another and in so
doing, creates complexity in the resulting waveform.
OPERATORS AND ALGORITHMS

The simple waveforms in an FM synth are produced
by something called an ‘operator’. Operators
are essentially just oscillators and the number
available per-voice depends on the particular FM
implementation; six-operator and four-operator are
the most common variants. The simple waveforms
an operator can produce also depends on the
FM implementation, but for the purposes of this
discussion, we’ll stick with sine-wave operators,
as these are common to all implementations.
Operators are connected either to other
operators, or to the synth’s output. The specific
routing of these connections is referred to as an
algorithm. The algorithm chosen for an FM patch
has a huge impact on the resulting sound and it
very much determines the type of sound a patch
can produce – piano, strings, organ, or whatever.
Operators connected to the output are called
‘carriers’ – these are the operators that you actually
hear. Operators connected only to other operators
are called ‘modulators’ and their output is not
directly audible. Most algorithms also provide the
facility for one operator to be fed back to an earlier
point in the algorithm’s chain.
MAKING WAVES
There is a special category of partials called
harmonics – and these are partials whose frequency
is a multiple of the fundamental frequency: twice
the fundamental frequency, three times the
fundamental, four times and so on. Each ‘stop’
in this mathematical series is given a number: the
fundamental frequency is also the first harmonic
because it is 1x the fundamental frequency. The
second harmonic is 2x the fundamental frequency,
the third harmonic 3x and so on, ad infinitum. Taken
together, this is referred to as the ‘harmonic series’.
The geometric waveforms prevalent in all
synthesis are special because their partials all
fall within the harmonic series and the amplitude
of those partials is based on the same mathematical
Yamaha’s 2016 relationship. For example, the partials of a square
Montage series wave are the odd-numbered harmonics at
introduced its amplitudes that are the inverse of the harmonic
eight-operator
FM-X technology number. So the first partial is also the 1st harmonic
and has a frequency of 1x the fundamental and an
5 Avoid The 6 Velocity And 7 Feedback 8 Use Modern 9 Don’t Be

Factory Presets Aftertouch All FM implementations have FM Tools Disheartened
Just like subtractive, it’s dead FM synths can be a feedback stage that loops Yamaha’s original DX and TX Your early attempts at FM
easy to tweak a sound in an exceptionally expressive, the output of an operator synths have a certain retro synthesis are likely to result in
FM synth in order to put your being capable of delivering back into the operator stack. desirability about them and some fairly useless bleeps,
own stamp on it. Get into significant timbral changes This tends to add a gritty have a certain quality that flibbles and similar craziness.
the habit of adjusting presets in response to modulators hardness to a sound, but makes them sound more Stick with it, though, because
to ‘tune’ them to the music such as key velocity and if overcooked, can make authentically 80s than a the penny will drop sooner or
you’re making. As with aftertouch. So don’t overlook things very harsh and nasty, plug-in. But a plug-in like NI’s later… and your programming
everything FM, this gets routing these sources into so use with caution. FM8 can do everything a DX/ sessions will become more
easier the more you do it. your operators and making TX can do and more – and focused and fruitful.
full use of them. is way easier to work with.

amplitude of 1/1 the fundamental. The second anyone had managed to work out a more cost-
partial will be the 3rd harmonic with a frequency effective way of making one, the DX7 came along.
of 3x the fundamental and an amplitude 1/3rd Still, in 1987, Kawai released an affordable
that of the fundamental. The third partial will be additive synth, the K5, based on technology it had
the 5th harmonic at 1/5th the amplitude and so on. acquired from Sequential Circuits. The K5 was still
However, in order to construct a perfect square a pricey beast compared to Yamaha’s FM range,
wave in this way you would need to generate an but by comparison, it made programming an FM
infinite number of partials, which is somewhat synth look easy! Sound-wise, the K5 was interesting,
impractical, but a close approximation can be even exciting, but it struggled for attention and did
created with perhaps six-to-10 partials. not sell in great numbers. It was the same story for
But FM synths don’t mix partials in this way Kawai’s updated K5000 released in 1996, which
unless using an algorithm made up entirely of was a big step up from the K5, but still didn’t gain
carriers. Rather, one operator is used to modulate much traction.
the frequency of another and this allows FM to Nowadays, there are a few plug-in synths that
create a close approximation of a square wave use additive synthesis and these are fascinating
(or any other basic waveform) using only two and sound good, but the underlying synthesis
sine-wave operators. technique remains niche.
FREQUENCY RATIO PHASE DISTORTION

Each operator has a ‘frequency ratio’ setting that Strictly speaking, FM synthesis should be called
governs the relationship between fundamental ‘phase modulation’, as this is the proper name
frequency and operator frequency; the fundamental for the underlying physics that are being used.
frequency is itself determined by the key being Casio Electronics, more commonly associated with
played. For example, if you play a middle-A key, home-and consumer-grade instruments, decided to
the fundamental frequency will be 440Hz. An develop its own version of the technology for use in
operator set to a frequency ratio of ‘2’ would its products. This they dubbed ‘phase distortion’, and
therefore produce a frequency of 880Hz. in many respects it is the same as FM. However, the
Modulating a carrier with a ratio of ‘1’ with a differences in the implementation have a noticeable
modulator with ratio ‘1’ will introduce every harmonic impact on the resulting sound.
into the carrier. Setting the modulator’s level to Casio followed up with what it called ‘interactive
around 25% gives a steady decrease in the phase distortion’, or iPD, as found on its VZ-1 from
amplitude of each harmonic. As it happens, 1988, but this was quite a far cry from the original PD
this is the recipe for building a sawtooth wave and was somewhat more convoluted and arcane.
from partials. Nowadays, if you want a PD synth, your only option
Similarly, with a carrier ratio of ‘1’, a modulator is to hunt out a used CV or VZ synth.
ratio of ‘2’ and modulator level of 75%, every other
harmonic (ie. 1st, 3rd, 5th, etc) will be introduced
into the carrier at a reducing amplitude. You will Herbie Hancock
© Ebet Roberts/Getty Images

recall that this is the recipe for a square wave. embraced the
The ratio isn’t limited to whole numbers and sonic possibilities
of the DX7
using fractional values allows you to break away
completely from the sorts of timbres a subtractive
synth can produce. Added to that, modulation
sources, such as per-operator amplitude envelopes,
pitch envelopes and LFOs, allow you to introduce
variations and subtleties that no subtractive synth
could pull off.
There’s no denying the steepness of FM’s learning
curve, but once you clear the initial hurdles and
develop a sense of how overtones and harmonics
impact the timbre of a sound, it becomes a lot
easier. FM brings a completely different character of
sound to your productions – it is well worth the effort!
ADDITIVE SYNTHESIS
Additive synthesis bears some resemblance to FM,
but it is distinct and different: where FM works by
modulating one wave with another, additive works
by stacking up many simultaneous waveforms of
different frequencies and mixing together the results.
This may sound like a subtle distinction, but it really
isn’t. Where an FM synth can do its thing with six, or
even just four, operators, additive synths require
many more oscillators, which are ganged together in
groups to create each ‘voice’ or note. So while an
FM synth can create a reasonable approximation
of a square wave with just two or three operators,
an additive synth would need to dedicate perhaps
10 or more oscillators to the same task. Multiply this
by the number of simultaneous voices and you see
that additive synthesis requires a very large number
of oscillators.
As a result, the first additive synths to make it to
market were horrifically expensive, and before

A S K A B B E Y R OA D A N D R E W D U D M A N
MT A S K A B B E Y R OA D
ANDREW
DUDMAN
Our Q&A series continues as we put your mixing and
production questions to Abbey Road’s in-house engineering
talent. This issue: senior recording engineer Andrew Dudman
W
e’re delighted to bring you the balanced level to tape. I’ve been doing this long
second edition of Ask Abbey Road, enough to have learned from some great engineers,
in partnership with the iconic Abbey so I always try and keep my monitor faders all flat.
Road Studios. In this series, we ask When you send the right level to tape, it makes
you to put your pressing production questions to the mixing a bit easier – it helps everyone down the
the experts at the world’s most famous studio. line get a balance quicker. I keep the drum tracks
This time, we have Andrew Dudman in the hot pretty flat.
seat. An Abbey Road Studios senior recording If I were looking to give some interesting colours or
engineer with an incredible 21 years of experience options to a different engineer to mix, I would put out
at the facility, he’s earned awards for his work on extra microphones and process those. So they then
Disney’s Brave and The Fellowship Of The Ring. He’s have the choice of having a more coloured sound
also recorded scores for huge films such as Hacksaw or a cleaner, flatter sound. That’s just so I don’t force
Ridge and Baby Driver and games including Killzone them into a corner where they couldn’t undo the
3 and Uncharted 3. His extraordinary résumé goes processing. If I knew it was going to record and mix,
on to include tracks recorded with Underworld and I would use more EQ and a bit of compression to
Elbow and many more classical recordings. catch any peaks. From experience in big studios
where we’re often recording band elements
Michael Proulx How would you typically record a live alongside strings or a whole orchestra, often I will
band composed of a drummer, singer/keyboardist only get five or 10 minutes to get a drum sound up!
and singer/electric guitarist? So that’s another reason for keeping it simple – not
Firstly, you find out the style and that would inform gating to tape or anything like that. Anything you
whether you went for musicians in the room together. do, you have to be able to use from the start.
If you think you’ll need to do any tuning or hardcore A lot of it is whether the drums are tuned as you
editing, you’d definitely need to use isolation. If you want them and the position of the microphones. You
were going to be giving it to someone else to take make sure you have the right amount of gain on your
on, then you record the band together with spill mic amp and then you know it’s going to be a great
everywhere, you tie the mix engineer’s hands. starting point.
Then, line of sight. It’s good to feel like you’re still
playing in a band, even if you’re isolated. It pays to MusicTech Do you have any rules of thumb for
keep the musicians as close together as possible with compression that you return to?
good lines of sight or rely on cameras and screens Not really, because every time I do a recording,
doing that job for you. Once you’ve got that out I treat it as a unique thing. So you’re applying
of the way, then you get into mic choices. You dynamics based on what you hear at the start.
probably go for more dynamics if everyone's I know what level, roughly, I’m going to print on to
together in the room, just to give you a bit more the computer, so that informs your threshold level
control. If you’re isolated, you can choose what because you know what level stuff is going to start
you like. You’ve got a blank page to put out your hitting your compressor, so you can pre-prepare
favourite mics, knowing they’re not going to be things like that. Then it’s just a case of asking: “What
affected by spill from other instruments. do I want to do to it?”.
If I want to catch the odd loud hit on the snare,
Erik Skytt With drums, how do you decide how much then I’ll only be tickling it a couple of dBs with a 2:1
processing gets printed in the tracking phase and or 3:1 compression ratio. In that instance, we’re not
how much to leave until after the tracking? trying to change the sound too much, but just to
If I know the drums that I’m tracking are going to cover the odd hit that’s sticking out.
be mixed by someone else, I’ll definitely keep the Once you get to mixing, it’s a whole different
tracks cleaner – probably with little compression at creative process. Do you leave it light feeling, or do
all, if any. Then, just a tiny bit of EQ to get a good, you really want to get things sounding tight? That

A N D R E W D U D M A N A S K A B B E Y R OA D

means gating and compression. That’s more a same acoustic as the orchestra. Even though there
production decision than a part of the recording. are great samples out there, the best way to get
instruments to blend is to record them in the same
Claire Kannapell Software instruments have begun to space – either at different times, or with the rest of
sound impressively like the originals. Are there any the band.
instruments where you prefer to go digital instead of There are occasions when composers or artists
analogue for scoring? Or do you think that recording might have spent months creating their own samples
a live instrument will always sound better? and unique sounds with existing instruments. You
Often, it’s a question of time versus budget. It would might go to replace it in the session and what works
be lovely to have the time and money to replace best in the track is keeping the original sound that
everything on a fully fledged demo if all the everyone’s been hearing. It’s not just the engineers
instruments are replaceable. and composers that have been hearing it. The
There are other reasons to keep virtual director and editor have been hearing it, too.
instruments, though. It might be that you’ve got a The last thing you want to do is scare people off
piano on your demo. If, for example, you go into with stuff that sounds different to what you’ve been
Studio Two at Abbey Road, you will have the option listening to. Obviously, you want the width and scale
of two grand pianos – a Yamaha and a Steinway – and the depth of live musicians. But there are some
and the classic Lady Madonna honky-tonk, and a times when it makes more sense to just stay as a
Challen upright. The grands are always going to computerised instrument. But where it’s a more
sound like grand pianos and the other pianos have lyrical, musical score, with lead lines on any of the
really unique sounds. So, if you’ve got a mellow, acoustic instruments – guitar, woodwind, strings, brass
muted piano sound in your demo and your whole – you’d always want to record it live. Sometimes,
film score is built around that kind of sound, you you’ll go as far as specifying the exact player you
might be better off using the sample than you are want to play the part if you want a specific sound.
trying to re-record.
You’ll sometimes try to replace pianos and it’s MT Are there any specific virtual instruments you use?
just not the right sound. They’re all so unique and I don’t do much programming when I’m editing.
different, there’s not really much you can do about I usually get handed over stuff and if I do add any
it, honestly. If you’re looking for a Steinway grand sounds to recordings, it’s often stuff that I’ve
or a big Yamaha grand piano, or something as recorded myself or had someone record for me.
specific as a C5 Yamaha sound, then it’s going to What I will often do is add a real, low bass-drum
be great recording the real thing. But keyboard boom underneath an existing bass drum in the score.
instruments are a prime example of times when This helps you get real low end in the percussion.
we do keep the demos. The samples themselves I tend to layer up home-made samples rather than
are amazingly good these days. going to any particular sound library.
Percussion we tend to keep a lot of, too, We move around so many different studios
particularly cymbals. This is because you’ll have and so many different computers that to try and
composers who have listened to tracks for months at carry libraries with you everywhere you went would
a time. Then if you get a percussion section to come be impossible.
and record, their cymbals will have different pitches.
And they’ll peak and trough at different times. Andrew Holdaway How do you get virtual instruments to
Then there are just times when it’s a personal mesh in a guitar-heavy mix?
choice. It can be that you actually prefer the sound If something’s not working, go back to the original
of the way stuff blends in the track with the sample. sounds rather than trying to fix something that’s
If you get a complete film score, it can take a long inherently not right. When you’re programming and
time to overdub a full track. If you need to save time play stuff in on the keyboard, you can often get
and budget, percussion would be the first thing that inconsistent velocity levels coming out, so make sure
you end up using as a sample rather than a real all of that is under control and nothing is sticking out
Below Studio Two is home to the sound. The exception is timpani. If you want these to in that sense. The great thing with computers is that
famous Challen upright piano
(right) that was used on many blend perfectly with strings recorded in Studio One, you have so many options for making great new
Beatles records for example, it’s much better to record them in the sounds. Blend sounds together to try and match
what you’ve got a real recording from an acoustic
instrument. Only after that would I start applying a bit
of EQ and compression to try and blend things that
way. Then, I’d try reverb. Always try to go back to the
original sound if you can.
I’ve done that on mixes where you might battle
for five or 10 minutes and if something’s not working
straight away, just contact the person who did the
programming. If you can pinpoint what it is you don’t
like about it. I’ve mentioned keyboard programming
quite a lot. But you might feel like you’re playing it
very equally on the system, but it only takes a small
change in velocity value to trigger a different sample
that might bark or be a bit quieter.
There’s one renowned film composer – I was told
he sets all his velocities to be between five and 15
on any piano part. And what you get is this most
beautiful sound without having to try. You can
constrain that on your MIDI channel as you’re playing
it in and it takes a lot of the post work out of editing
MIDI notes. That’s one way to do it – to limit the
constraints of the velocities, and then your parts
should just sit better.

A N D R E W D U D M A N A S K A B B E Y R OA D
Mark Turnham What sounds do you buss or group

together before a final mix is made and how
do you go about processing busses?
In terms of recording, most of the mics go direct
to Pro Tools. The only time we’d really route stuff is
when you have multiple mics on a string section,
for example. Depending on the size of each section,
you might end up with between two and five mics
on the violins. Mostly, we work so fast that you don’t
have time to change things as you’re recording.
I would typically put lead violinist, lead 2nd violinist,
viola and front-desk cello down separately. Then
I’ll put together all the remaining mics of a section.
So, you end up with two close violin tracks per violin
section and five more tracks per recording than
you would do normally. But, having those separate
is really useful, especially in the world of film and
immersive audio, because it gives you the ability
to pan them around to pinpoint images.
Depending on the style, we might end up not
using the close mics anyway, because we’re
capturing the ambience and the room. So, my
mantra is, ‘if you record it, you don’t have to use it.
But if you haven’t recorded it, there’s not anything
you can use.’ We tend to record more mics direct to
Pro Tools now than we ever used to, because we
don’t have to worry about track limits any more.
When I’m mixing, I tend to deliver stems, as well.
That’s across all genres. To prepare them, I will have
a buss per record stem. That’s orchestra with strings
separate and woodwind separate. Often we end
up recording all these elements separately, anyway.
When anything is re-recorded separately, it’s usually
for control. So you want to avoid tying your hands if I know the mastering engineer, I’ll send them both Recording timpani in the
together too much by bussing them down. versions, so they know what level people have been same space as the rest
of the instrumentation helps
listening to the reference at. Then they’re informed things gel during the mix
Rico Fluor Could you describe your basic, typical about what other people might then come back
mastering chain? Does it change for different musical and say.
styles or genres? There are times when certain styles of music,
I’d say 99.9 per cent of any projects I’ve ever done genres where you know people are going to be
have had a dedicated mastering session booked in listening on their phone, you have to raise it in level
with a mastering engineer. It’s a super valid part of to judge it best. A lot of the stuff I do isn’t loud pop,
the recording process, just having someone else rock or electronic music. There tend to be more
make those final decisions about the level it’s going dynamics involved in the music I work on, so I’m
to play. Knowing what the streaming service is and not directly always trying to compete with the latest
that kind of thing is super important, too. The last squashed pop mix.
thing you want to do is to send the mastering
engineer something that’s already mastered Maliel N What’s the best way to learn and improve your
because then they can’t do anything with it. mixing skills?
I tend not to over-compress and I certainly don’t Listening and practising. The best way to learn is to
multi-band limit my master mixes. There might be a be immersed in it. The best way is by watching the
little bit of buss compression on it, depending on the pros at work and being able to quiz them about it,
style of music. If I use more buss compression on all even if it’s at the pub afterwards.
my sub-busses, then there’s going to be less need When I was assisting, I used to make sure I took
for it on the master buss, for example. something away from every session I assisted on.
I’ll maybe use a bit of EQ, a bit of master Sometimes, it was what not to do.
compression, but then I always print two versions of The other thing is to get hands-on. So, if you’ve
my final mix. The one which I call the ‘flat version’ – got some material you can work with and a
that’s what goes to the mastering engineer. And that reference that you love the sound of, try and work
will have whatever simple processing I used on my out how that was created. Try different ways to get
master buss chain. the same results, because some methods might be
Then I’ll do a second version that will have some quicker and some might allow more creativity. Start
limiting on it, and I make sure it’s clearly labelled messing around and find your own methods, based
in capitals: ‘LISTENING COPY ONLY. NOT FOR on good, solid practice.
PRODUCTION’. That’s just for reference mixes to
send out to people if they’re going to be directly Maciek Buszek Do you think it’s worth paying £30k+ to
comparing your mix to something that’s been on get a BA Hons in sound engineering?
Spotify and they’re A/Bing between the two. The last I did a four-year degree course [Ed – the famous
thing you want is for yours to be five to 10dB quieter. Tonmeister programme at the University of Surrey],
So, I tend to use as a limiter that’s as transparent as and it’s got me exactly where I wanted to be. Lots
possible. It’s just to bring the level up, not to colour of these courses these days offer more contact with
the sound too much. I’d never try and beat the level professionals – either in masterclasses or as guests
of something commercially available, especially if it’s lectures – than they ever have done in the past. So,
going to go through a mastering process. Sometimes, actually, I think you’re going to get more contact

The view from behind the desk with current, working engineers, professionals, as clean as possible while giving it level and life.
in Abbey Road Studio One producers, now than you ever would have, There are many ways of processing a parallel chain
where Dudman tracks so
many film scores in these educational establishments. to make it fit. It can be heavily compressed, then
It’s going to be a different way of learning than you bring that in and it gives weight and body
being in a studio. There aren’t as many options out behind the main sound. Or, if you’re after more
there right now, either. If you were sending your CV life and pump, you can use a compressor with
out to studios 15-20 years ago, there were loads more a fast attack and release.
studios out there to apply to. Now, the best way is After parallel compression, then you’d look into
to get to know these visiting engineers, producers, master bus compression and multi-band compressor/
musicians who come and lecture on these courses. limiters to really bring the overall level up. Then at the
And if you’re good and you’re asking the right top end of the chain, a mastering engineer can do a
questions, you’ll get noticed. It’s an excellent way lot of that final level control as well.
to make industry contacts.
That’s what I did. I got on my degree course Anthony Nottingham How do you decide whether your
and I knew I wanted to do my work experience at speakers should sit on their sides or stand upright?
Abbey Road in my third year [Ed – the Tonmeister If you have them on their sides, how do you know
programme offers a placement at the studios]. So whether to have the tweeters on the inside or
I made it the focus of my first two years to get the outside of your listening position?
Abbey Road position. I did that, then that put me Firstly, I’d always say you should read the manual.
at the top of the list of people for them to call back And, if you can, do what’s recommended. Speaker
when they had a job going. I was lucky and after manufacturers will have designed the speakers,
I completed my final year of studies, went straight so the waveform disperses from the tweeter in such
back into employment, all because of the year’s a way that it interferes in a positive way with all
work experience and the honours degree. the other drivers. There are definitely manufacturers
There’s no way I would have got the Abbey who say the tweeters should be on the inside when
Road position without having done the course. you’re positioning them. And other manufacturers
I am wholeheartedly for it. You’ve also got a degree recommend their speakers are vertical rather than
if you want to change your mind further down the turned sideways. Even if it’s a square box, it can
line in your studies or work. Having a piece of paper comfortably sit on its side.
with a degree shows a certain amount of aptitude The manufacturers will have designed the layout
and commitment that translates into other industries. of their drivers so the acoustic centre should be at
So, I think it will help. ear height. There are all these little things to consider.
If your speaker is on the side, it might be a lot closer
Juan Pablo Velardi How do you make tracks louder to the surface of your desk. It’s all about how the
without losing dynamics, especially in electronic- speakers are designed to be used. Then, once
music genres? you’ve got your ideal workspace set up, you have
This is a hard one, because it’s not a style I usually to consider whether what’s recommended is actually
work in. I’ve done a couple of film scores with big possible. If you need to have your speakers really
dance bands, and we had to do the opposite. We’d wide, then I would think about maybe having the
get them to give us their multi-track and then we mix tweeters on the inside, if possible, so your image isn’t
it in a way that it’s not so compressed and loud and crazy wide. Likewise, if your speakers are positioned
without all the limiting compression. The reason is really close to one another, it might be a good idea
that, especially in the film world, you need those to try tweeters on the outside, so you get a bit more
dynamics to be able to shape the music around of a stereo spread.
the other stuff that’s going on in the film. You want to try and avoid having the tweeters
For live playback in clubs, it’s a whole different right next to each other. That’s because you get
style of mixing. For keeping control of dynamics all the positional information from the high end.
while also getting louder, parallel compression is
the obvious way to start on your multi-track level. Have a burning music-production question?
This allows you to keep your original signal dynamic Ask Abbey Road via our website: musictech.net.

I N T E R V I E W H U G H PA D G H A M
MT INTERV IE W
HUGH
PADGHAM
With four Grammys and millions of record sales with pop royalty
such as Sting and Phil Collins, Hugh Padgham is among the
world’s most beloved producers. Here, we dig up the roots of his
career, unpick his studio techniques and discover how, when
you strip everything away, it all comes back to the music…
WORDS JIM OTTEWILL
W
hat sounds define a decade? Think of XTC producer Steve Lillywhite and landed the gig
those big 80s records from Phil Collins, working on Peter Gabriel’s early solo albums. At that
Genesis, Duran Duran or The Police; they point, Peter and Genesis were heroes of mine. So to
all glow with a distinctive pop energy, work with him and other bands and artists I’d loved
embossed with the gold stamp of production quality when I was at school was really cool.”
courtesy of one man: Hugh Padgham. Working as an engineer on Peter Gabriel’s
With millions of album sales and several eponymous third solo LP (also known as ‘Melt’) opened
mantelpieces buckling under the weight of accolades, the doors of a music career which has enabled him to
the studio legend has continually raised the bar of tease out genius from talents at their creative peak.
music production. From Peter Gabriel and XTC to Kate Hugh suggests, somewhat modestly, that there are no
Bush and The Police, Hugh has always been the right great mysteries behind enduring creative relationships.
man at the right place at the right time, helping many “You’d make an album, then the artist would go off
of the world’s most revered musicians find their own and tour it for a year or more and you’d just move onto
musical magic. a studio session with the next client. I was recently
Alongside his chart triumphs, Hugh simultaneously chatting with Carlos Alomar, David Bowie’s regular
pioneered the legendary gated-reverb studio guitarist. Despite living in adjacent flats in New York,
technique, a piece of sonic wizardry that added Carlos said he never knew what David was up to with
serious weight to inescapable hits such as Phil Collins’ the next record until he got a phone call from him
In The Air Tonight. about three weeks before he wanted to make it. And
What’s the secret to Hugh’s sustained success? they worked together for more than 30 years.” Hugh
“Producing hit records is half skill and half diplomacy. worked with Carlos and David Bowie on 1984’s Tonight.
It’s how well you get on with a client and how you Hugh enjoyed a similarly casual relationship with his
manage egos,” Hugh says. Amid the excess and artists, indicative perhaps of the esteem with which his
arrogance of the 80s, some of our greatest pop stars creative skills were being viewed by his high-profile
created their finest sounds. So understandably, collaborators. “It just seemed to happen,” he says.
relationship management played a part in keeping “You’d be working on another album, then my
a handle on recording and studio shenanigans. manager would ring up and say: ‘Sting’s team has
“There are countless diplomatic aspects to been in touch again. Can you be here on these
producing,” agrees Hugh. “I always maintained a dates?’ It used to get a bit stressful, as you’d be
cheery disposition and tried to be easy to get on with. trying to finish a record and Sting wanted me
That really helps. But you need to balance it with being somewhere like Montserrat. But things would
great at your gig, too… and make the most of the usually work themselves out.”
opportunities when they come.”
CREATIVE HIGHS
SOAKING UP THE SOUND Peter Gabriel’s self-titled third LP was released to
From the mid 70s, Hugh cut his musical teeth at widespread acclaim in 1980 and ushered in a decade
London’s Advision Studios, then at Lansdowne Studios. of huge creativity for Hugh. “It wasn’t a monster
Soaking up the rudiments of studio engineering, he fell success in terms of units sold, but it was certainly
in with Virgin, and scored a role at its Townhouse Studios recognised as a very innovative record,” he states.
at the tail end of the decade. Back then, music technology was mainly analogue,
“I was lucky to get a job at Townhouse as a junior as computer-based production was still in its infancy.
engineer. It was there that everything took off. I met But these limitations inspired Hugh and his peers to be

H U G H PA D G H A M I N T E R V I E W

Gearbox Records extra resourceful and dream up ways

operates out of this around these obstacles. “It was challenging
well-featured studio, to make records back then. No one really
complete with analogue
machinery and remembers making records on so few
vinyl-cutting lathe tracks. In the world of digital recording, you
have as many tracks as you have memory
space. But we only had 23 – we were
running quite early forms of computerised
mixing in those days.”
Working on Face Value by Phil Collins
elevated Hugh’s career to the next level,
leading to work with The Police and
eventually Sting as a solo artist after the
group disintegrated and their frontman
embarked upon his hit-laden solo
endeavours. “Again, my first record with
Phil wasn’t a huge commercial success,
but it certainly was in terms of creativeness.
It really helped set me up.”
Hugh subsequently found himself called
up by Sting and the rest of The Police when
the pop group were at their volatile zenith.
“Their final record Synchronicity was a
personal triumph. Particularly as it was
very hard to make with all their fighting,”
Hugh was recently honoured
by the Music Producers Guild Hugh remembers. “But I heard recently
with an Outstanding that Every Breath You Take has superseded
Contribution Award
You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling as the
most played track ever in America. To
have been involved with and produced
that song in such difficult circumstances
– that’s a real career high.”
PURE SYNCHRONICITY
Synchronicity, the final record from The
Police, was one of the band’s greatest
moments musically and it was conceived
when they were riding high critically and
commercially. Hugh was at the helm
in the studio and had a unique insight
into the growing tensions between the
three members.
“You’re trying to keep the peace and
asserting your authority on the session,”
states Hugh. “But when you’ve got three
guys who have been together night and
day for five to six years and have become
the biggest band in the world, it’s tough. If
there was a row, I’d say: ‘Come on chaps,
let’s get it together,’ and they’d just tell me
to fuck off.”
The results of these sessions were
staggering considering the circumstances.
The album topped the charts on both sides
of the Atlantic for weeks on end and was
nominated for five Grammys, winning
three. “I can’t say it wasn’t stressful,” admits
Hugh. “But then making records in any
circumstances can be challenging. You
can be making a record very harmoniously
and suddenly the singer gets flu and can’t
sing. You’re meant to be finishing the
vocals that week because he’s going off
on tour while you mix the record. There
were often things out of your control that
would make it stressful. You have to do
what it takes to overcome them and get
the record finished.”
GATED REVERB
Alongside his hit records, the much-aped
‘Gated Reverb’ effect is arguably what
Hugh Padgham is most recognised and
loved for. It was during Peter Gabriel’s third

solo album, then Phil Collins’ Face Value,

that the all-conquering technique was
accidentally discovered. WARMTH AND FEELING
“Suddenly, we had a 40-channel desk “I still love my rack of Neve preamps which were about how they interact with the sound that
with 40 compressors and 40 noise gates. taken out of a console I’ve had since the 80s,” I really like.” Hugh also prefers an old-fashioned
The desk was also connected to a listen Hugh tells us, when asked what classic gear he echo plate when mixing. “Digital reverb has
mic, meaning you could hear what was still swears by. been around for years – the one I like, which is
“They have such a lovely sound. There’s an EMT plate, is about eight foot long and four
happening in the studio at the flick of a
something about the tactility of old equipment feet high – it’s enormous! They are emulated
switch. We also developed The Stone Room which I love. I love UA 1176 compressors, these very well, but I still love the physical unit.
as the live studio using rock from the are classics. I know that there are amazing “Recording music is a bit like photography,
grounds of the Manor Studio near Oxford. plug-in versions, yet I still feel better having my people end up going back to using film because
It sounded good, but a little out of control. actual hands on them. The dbx 160 compressor it gives it some warmth and feeling. It’s exactly
If you had a drum kit in there, it just took is highly emulated now, but there’s something the same with making records.”
over everything else. It would be so loud.”
The reverse-talk-back button and
live-room ambience were essential to effect to make the biggest impact on BRAVE NEW WORLD
the birth of this groundbreaking studio the listener. With a career as lengthy as Hugh’s, the
technique. “I was setting up the drums “We asked Phil to play a pattern that technology that he now has at his disposal
and getting a sound with Phil when I would work with the noise gate closing. You in 2019 is largely unrecognisable from what
accidentally pressed the reverse-talk-back can adjust the time it takes to close the he used as a fledgling studio engineer. The
drum while he was playing – and the most noise gate – you hit a drum, then adjust the way in which albums are made and the
almighty sound came out of the speaker,” closing of the noise gate to be a second recording processes have developed at
Hugh remembers. and a half after he hit the drum, then get it pace, too. For Hugh, both old and new
“The reason for this was because the to close quickly.” approaches have value.
mic hanging in the room had a very heavy A year later, Hugh was called up to work “As much as I love the sound of a
compressor on it. The idea was that if on Phil Collins’ first solo album, a collection 24-track analogue recorder paired with
someone was talking quietly, then you of songs deemed unsuitable for Genesis. a 50-year-old Neve desk, there’s nothing
could still hear them. Out came this And the rest is history. better than being able to edit on Pro Tools,”
outrageous drum sound and everyone “I got into producing through that drum Hugh admits.
in the control room went: ‘My god, sound. Because we were determined to “It used to be really scary, chopping up
what’s that?’” recreate it, and In The Air Tonight was born. tapes with razor blades and Sellotape,
After some experiments with the noise Then the idea of bringing the drums in at but now you can do whatever you want,
gate and Phil’s drum pattern shunning the the end was to do with shock value. It was totally non-destructively. I love that aspect
use of cymbals, Hugh and the studio team all to do with musical dynamics, trying to of it.” While the equipment is better, he’s
happened upon a way of utilising the new do things you wouldn’t expect to happen.” also slightly wary of the digital facsimiles
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Working with Peter
Gabriel on his third
solo record kickstarted
Hugh’s production career

being ushered in ahead of living, breathing musical

gear. “Equipment is so much better. But I feel that a Hugh Padgham
certain art is being lost. If people want a Marshall
guitar sound, they use a Marshall plug-in.”
SELECTED
Hugh also misses some of the ‘craziness’ of the
past when recording budgets were limitless and you
DISCOGRAPHY
Here’s a selection of highlights
never knew what to expect from your next session. from Hugh’s glittering career
“In some ways, it’s good that sort of pomposity
has gone. I remember being in the studio in LA
with an artist. Next door, they were mixing a Bruce
Springsteen album and the engineer literally took
three days to get the bass-drum sound how he
liked it. It was a lunatic, but at the same time,
there doesn’t seem to be the same types of
pop stars now as there was back then.”
WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION
With a career sculpting records with the likes of
Peter Gabriel Phil Collins The Police
Kate Bush, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Hall &
Peter Gabriel (AKA 'Melt') Face Value 1981 Synchronicity 1983
Oates and more, it’s unsurprising that earlier in the 1980 Another big one for Hugh’s The band, led by Sting, were
year, Hugh was honoured by the Music Producers The former Genesis frontman’s career, this featured the mega at the brink both mentally and
Guild with an Outstanding Contribution Award. He’s third self-titled album was hit In The Air Tonight. The solo emotionally, but still managed
very grateful to receive this official appreciation of Hugh’s breakthrough moment. career of Phil went into the to record one of the era’s
his talents from his industry. In spite of all his great work stratosphere and Hugh’s greatest pop records. It
since, he still sees it as his phone has never stopped spawned the smash hit,
“It’s the ultimate endorsement,” he says. “I’ve
most creative record. ringing since. Every Breath You Take.
won Grammy Awards, but these are more about
being championed by one’s peers. I remember
meeting George Martin years ago at his retirement
party at AIR Studios,” Hugh recalls. “I asked him why
he’d retired, and he said: ‘Well, at least I’ll never be
found out now,’ and that’s coming from the most
celebrated record producer ever. I guess we’re all
inflicted with some aspect of imposter syndrome.”
Hugh continues: “But ultimately, to spend your
whole life doing something which is both a hobby
and a passion is pretty amazing. I’m very lucky, I feel
honoured and privileged.” David Bowie Sting McFly
Tonight 1984 Ten Summoner’s Tales 1993 Wonderland 2005
While the award acknowledges a glittering Recorded at the height of The fourth solo studio album The second studio album from
career, Hugh is also wary of looking back too fondly. Bowie’s commercial peak in from Sting sold more than the pop punkers peaked at No.
“I pride myself on having a lot of integrity and being his 80s pop persona, the 10 million copies across 1 in the UK chart and helped
able to leave the past where it is,” he says, when follow-up to Let’s Dance the world, earning a Mercury the group secure the world
asked about any potential reunions. featured the classics Loving Prize nomination and nods record as the youngest band
The Alien and Blue Jean. at the Grammys. to top the Album Chart twice.
But would he get back in the studio with Sting
or Phil Collins? “I don’t really want to revisit songs
I’ve worked on previously. I don’t reminisce often
or buy into nostalgia. I’m proud of the records that Recently involved in remastering of David Bowie’s
I’ve done, but I always prefer looking to the future.” 1980s output as well as his work at Gearbox, he
travels, fishes, spends time with his family (Hugh is
SWITCHING GEARS married to world-famous designer Cath Kidston,
One way Hugh invests in the future is via the vinyl who met Hugh when she worked as his interior
Gearbox Records label. A labour of love to a certain designer) and also nurtures new musical talents.
extent, Hugh serves as executive director of this So what does he advise for any aspiring record
jazz-based imprint which specialises in making limited producers who are wanting to emulate his
analogue releases. “We have our own mastering staggering success?
studio – everything is analogue for the most part. Well, alongside making great-sounding records,
So it’s highly cherished old gear which is what we’re he’s keen for emerging studio heads, engineers,
obsessed with. We just love high-quality sound,” mixers and producers to think about the business
Hugh enthuses. side of the industry as well as the creative.
“The label mainly explores jazz and more niche “Try and be a part of the music and own
sounds with previously unheard recordings from some of the copyright. If you’re only paid from an
Thelonius Monk and new releases from the likes of engineering point of view, it’ll be hard to make a
Binker & Moses. But the label experiences similar living. So if you work on projects with a budget, it’s
issues to other indie imprints,” Hugh admits. “We are always advisable to have some sort of ownership of
growing, but with that comes growing pains. Being the music itself.”
small, you’re always at the bottom of the list when it Hugh believes that making a financial living is
comes to being paid. We’re successful enough to getting harder and harder in the music industry, so
think we could sell more records, but at the same having a clear understanding of the economics of
time, we’re not sure we have the budget to do more music publishing and songwriting is crucial.
marketing. We’ll see what happens next, but in all “Of course, you should try and make great-
honesty, it’s all good fun.” sounding records, but get your musicians in a room
and work out a deal before you even press record,”
ESSENTIAL ADVICE Hugh advises. “That way, there’s no cause for aggro,
At this point in his career, Hugh busies himself with then or later. And of course, you should enjoy every
a variety of projects, both musical and otherwise. second of it…”

INTERVIEW LEO ABRAHAMS
MT INTERV IE W
LEO
ABRAHAMSSensorial, textured production is a hallmark of Leo Abrahams’
approach. Across collaborations with innovators such as Brian
Eno and David Holmes to his co-written film-soundtrack work,
through to the records he’s produced for the likes of Editors,
Ghostpoet and Regina Spektor, Leo is creatively driven by
a hunger to experiment and discover new sounds…
WORDS ANDY PRICE
F
rom a young age, Leo Abrahams has lived and and then we started working for various songwriters and
breathed music-making. He’s channelled this producers just as session guys.
passion into a prolific yet unpredictable career Imogen took me one night to a club called The
as a producer, collaborator, composer and Kashmir Klub, there was a sort of open-mic night there.
solo artist in his own right. His behind-the-desk work has A lot of people who went on to be quite big started
seen him sculpt records alongside the likes of Regina out there. Ed Harcourt was playing that evening and
Spektor, Editors, David Holmes, Frightened Rabbit and at that point, he was unsigned. I really loved what
David Byrne as well as the legendary Brian Eno, who I heard from Ed, so I just went up to him and said: “Do
– as Leo reveals in our conversation – first encountered you need a guitar player?”. He invited me to meet him
Abrahams in a fittingly random way. the next day for an interview. We met on Kensington
Leo’s own compositions, collected across nine solo High Street and his first and only question was: “Do you
albums, are layered and textured behemoths of sound, like Marc Ribot?”, to which I answered: “Yes!”. And then
with his distinctively emotive guitar playing often to he just said: “Okay, first rehearsal is tomorrow.”
the fore. Leo is happy to traverse a variety of studios So once I started working with Ed, I started doing
depending on the needs of a particular artist, yet tends string arranging for both him and other people on his
to work from both his home studio and Coronet Street label. I did some string arranging for Starsailor. I think
Studios in Hoxton, located (almost secretly) beneath a because I’d been to music college, people just
piano store. Which is where we meet Leo… believed that it would be alright for me to take on that
job. In my early 20s, I caught the very end of the period
MusicTech How did your interest in music-making begin? where record labels would invest and support bands
Leo Abrahams I got obsessed with the record player when financially; I was really lucky to see that. So even
I was three. I used to put the same records on over and though I wasn’t a producer at that stage, if it hadn’t
over again, which must have driven my parents mad. been for the retainer that I was on with Ed Harcourt
I think that’s when they realised I had a bit of a thing for three years I might have had to get another job.
for music. After that, when I was around six or seven, But luckily, that saw me through. Once that era had
I would sit on the edge of the carpet and pretend to passed, I had enough contacts and work lined up
play the fringe of the carpet as if it were a piano. Just that I could make enough to get by.
trying to give them a hint that maybe they should buy
me one! LEAVE IT UP TO CHANCE
I studied for a year at the Royal Academy of Music MT So meeting (and working with) Brian Eno must have
in the hopes of becoming a classical composer, but I been an astonishing experience, how did you initially
soon became disillusioned with that course and took meet such a legendary figure?
up a role as touring guitarist in Imogen Heap’s band. Well, It was an outrageous stroke of luck. I was in a
That was for her first album, in the early days of her Notting Hill guitar shop – testing the intonation of a
career, so we’d end up playing in pubs to tiny crowds, guitar I was interested in. I wasn’t playing anything flash
or sometimes no one at all. But it was enough to make at all. Brian was in the same shop and heard what I was
me realise that was probably the way I wanted to go. playing. He just came over and told me that he
thought what I was playing was “tasteful” and invited
MT So at what point did you become involved in the me to his studio to work on his album Drawn From Life.
production world? Brian ended up influencing my career a lot, as did
There’s different strands to it. I went to school with Jon David Holmes [with whom Leo worked on the record
Hopkins and he and I were in Imogen’s band together, The Holy Pictures] – they are both incredibly honest and

LEO ABRAHAMS INTERVIEW

“My record, Daylight, was

based on chance, and the
fundamental building blocks
of the songs were random”
generous people. Looking back there was Well, I don’t really consider myself a
no reason for them to be as generous to composer anymore. I did make a bunch of
me as they were. I guess the industry my own solo records, but at a certain point,
standard was to pay their assistants a small I guess I stopped liking what I was naturally
day rate but if I’d composed something coming up with. A few years ago, I made a
with Brian or David, then they had no record called Daylight which was based on
hesitation in giving me a writing credit. chance, and the fundamental building
They were just very, very kind and it literally blocks of the songs were random. I don’t
changed my life. It wasn’t like I could retire think that’s an entirely uncommon way to
or something, but it made life a lot easier work. I set up systems that I couldn’t really
and enabled me to focus on music. It also control and then orchestrated them so
allowed me to be more discerning (or you I was using more of my ‘editing brain’ and
could say, spoilt) in that I never took any relaxing my ‘composer brain’.
work that I didn’t want to do musically. I would orchestrate in quite a detailed
Coronet Studios’ piano, way these pieces of music that were
which Leo used on MT What inspires you when you compose? generated from chance. They ended
Hayden Thorpe’s Diviner
Is there a typical starting point? up feeling like they’d been composed.
I wouldn’t just edit them together, but I’d
build so much on top of these foundations
Leo at his desk at Coronet that I’d eventually often take away the
Street Studios ready for a
day of work. All this lay original chance-built element from the mix.
hidden below a nondescript
piano store in Hoxton MT Was that method inspired by Eno?
Part of it was actually Frank Zappa, who
I was really into as a kid. He’d often take
some live guitar solo that had been
recorded at one concert and combine
it with a rhythm section recording from
another concert, then get a whole brass
section to play the guitar solo and then
take the guitar solo away. So you were left
with this artefact that no one would write
from scratch. It was totally original. I like the
feeling of discipline and wildness at the
same time. The other thing that influenced
me a lot was the classical composer
Morton Feldman. He was very concerned
with repetition and imperfect symmetry.
I became interested in this idea of
things that never repeat exactly the same.
It’s more than just putting an LFO on
something to make it slightly different,
what I mean is purposefully composing
the thing with differences.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF FUN

MT When working with other people on
projects, do you speak to the artist about
the shape and structure of the tracks or
do you plan arrangements by yourself?
I think my favourite aspect of the job is
that every band or artist needs something
slightly different and so when we’re first
meeting, I ask them why they’re not
self-producing. There’s usually a specific
aspect of the process which they want

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“The more production I’ve

done, the more I realise I really
enjoy just playing guitar on
sessions for other people”
Leo’s outboard hardware help with and I just focus on achieving of a break, so I’ll usually edit on my own.
features the UBK Fatso that. Sometimes people want me to play, Once they come back, they’ve got fresh
at its heart, something
he uses regularly
sometimes they want me to arrange and ears and they can help me if they hear
sometimes they just want me to help them something that I haven’t noticed. In my
through the process in a supportive way. experience, a lot of artists start out wanting
Whatever you do as a producer, the to attend each stage of the production
end result will come out with a certain process, but in the end they come to
‘hallmark’ of yours. But I don’t have ‘a appreciate that stepping away can
sound’ that I seek to filter the people result in a more refined end result.
who come and work with me through.
I’d much rather chase down their sound. MT What do you enjoy doing most – writing
music, arranging, playing, soundtracking?
MT Is it a ‘sat side by side’ kind of I really love producing, it’s all-consuming
collaboration that you prefer? and very satisfying but I think the more
Again, it varies, but in tracking there’s production I’ve done over the years, the
usually a lot of tidying up and technical more I realise that I actually really enjoy just
stuff to do and most artists like to have a bit playing guitar on sessions for other people.
It’s a bit less existential for me – I can turn
up at a session and treat it as a job, but in a
Leo’s assortment of classic very serious way. I also find it really fun and
and modern synths includes
a Korg MS-20, a Roland really interesting to step into other people’s
Juno-60 and a Dave Smith worlds just for that small window of time.
Instruments Prophet 12 But when the session is over – it’s over!
With production, it’s all-involving. That’s
one reason why I try not to take on too
many projects. There always seems to be
time pressure and there always seems to
be the chance to make something you’ve
never made before hopefully. Someone’s
trusting you with their baby, really.
I’ve worked on a fair few soundtracks
and the pressure the guys who are leading
those projects are under is immense, but
my role is more as a session player for those.
Working on an indie record can often
be quite a solitary experience. It’s a very
significant responsibility that extends over
a long period of time. With guitar, my
responsibility is around three hours long.
It’s a different kind of fun.
UTILITY PLUS VIBE

MT Do you work from Coronet Street Studios
most of the time?
I work all over the place, but the studio
I work from here suits me because I can
go and track rhythm sections somewhere,
then come back here and edit and do all
my overdubs with an artist. There’s very little
financial pressure then on a project. You
gain the luxury of time. This is the room I
know for mixing, but that being said, I don’t
feel I have to put every project through
here. I really enjoy going all over the place.
I was just in LA for two weeks at this
fantastic studio called Lucy’s Meat Market.

LEO ABRAHAMS INTERVIEW
MT What gear do you tend to use most when you’re react better to having the sound there from the
here at Coronet? get-go. With Justin from Editors, we spent a long time
Well, the UBK Fatso here is used a lot, it has a lot running his guitar through Ableton Live and I’d be
of applications – and can breathe life into loops switching the plug-ins frequently or we’d have his
people have made. It’s fantastic as a parallel vocal guitar trigger the MS-20. Most people enjoy and
compressor, singers love it. I’ll sneak a little bit of very react better to that approach.
heavy compression in and they love it. It’s great for
controlling bass. If this were a full-on tracking studio, MT Are the synths here brought out often?
I’d probably have eight of them. Everything that Yeah, I use the MS-20 all the time! The Juno is used
goes through there feels good. It’s utility plus vibe. fairly frequently. There’s the Paraphonic that’s not
The other thing I use all the time is this Overstayer actually here, but it’s at home in my studio there.
8755DM Modular Channel. I can honestly say this There’s the Prophet 12, too, which looks a little out
changed my whole workflow and approach to of place amongst those vintage synths – it’s kind of
recording. All the parallel routing capabilities, plus a combination of cleanness, which reminds me of
the sheer sound of the thing, makes it sound wild. the DX7, but it’s so tweakable and such fun to build
I can get the exact character of the source defined sounds from scratch and modify presets. It’s often
in this, which has cut my mixing time drastically. the last piece of the puzzle.
In terms of monitoring, I’ve got the ADAM A77Xs I’ve also go this Gem PK 4900, which is pretty
and the standard Yamaha NS-10s are always good special. It’s one of the very early polysynths from Italy.
to refer to if I’ve been working for a long time. Then It’s a pretty strange keyboard that has some really
I’ve got the MixCube – I used to have two of them, great portamento functionality on it that I’ve never
but now I just go down to mono for that. It’s great for seen any other keyboard do and it’s a lot of fun.
balancing levels. I very rarely use soft synths, but I occasionally use
The piano here isn’t mine, it’s actually the studio Sylenth, which is just a nice thing that fits in a mix
owner’s – but I did use it on the Hayden Thorpe really well. But generally, I like the real thing!
record I made recently (Diviner). There’s quite a few
physical drum machines over there; I use them from MT How has your process changed over time
time to time, but it tends to go in phases. I can go for and has the development of music technology
ages without using them. DAW-wise, well, I’m using influenced your workflow?
Ableton Live for a solo guitar project at the moment. I think it’s natural to change the way you work
It uses audio routing and switching and I also use a regularly. I think it’s healthy, in fact. In many ways,
fair few Max For Live plug-ins for guitar processing. I’m trying to do less during the production process.
But usually, I use Pro Tools. I’m trying to be hands-on, obviously, but not play so
much. Even if the artist doesn’t consider themselves
MT How about the software end of things, do you a guitar player, I’d still rather they play the guitar.
have a large plug-in arsenal? I’m trying to go more that way, I think. That allows
I’m often on Plugin Alliance, I really like the Unfiltered me to devote all of my thought to the sound and
Audio distortions. They’re really musical and to the arrangement.
interesting. It can do everything from extreme effects I always enjoy it when I get to write string
to subtle filtering. I use those on guitar and a lot of arrangements and do a bit of extra keyboards
other things. I think just because the filter is so useful, or play a bit of guitar, but yeah, I’m realising that
Unfiltered’s stuff are my go-to distortions. it’s better to allow yourself to enjoy the results
For EQ, it’s FabFilter Pro-Q 3, especially now more when it’s not me that’s actually playing.
they’ve got the multi-band. I use their Pro-MB as well.
For reverbs, I really like Sonnox. Everybody uses BUILDING AN ENIGMA
Soundtoys, too, and I’m no exception! I’m only MT You’ve worked with Spitfire Audio in the past.
now just getting into the UA stuff, which I know is How did that come about and what was the
dangerous but I just like the way they work. Even process of building a sample collection like?
the LA-2A limiter just feels good. I think that’s I came on board very early for that. I do sessions for
probably it, really. Christian Henson (Spitfire co-founder); after one
At this moment, I’m quite happy with my setup session he took me for a beer and told me he was
but of course, the gear-hunger is never ending. I think starting a new company and asked whether I’d be
the guitar pedal-hole is pretty daunting, but a lot are interested in doing a library of sounds. At that time,
coming out now that are basically just plug-ins, but in I was just about to update my operating system,
pedal form. There’s a lot of deep functionality with which would mean I’d have to leave behind all
many newer guitar pedals and to be honest, I don’t these channel strips that I’d made for various
have time to remember that for six different pedals. reasons. I thought this was probably a good way
A lot of the sounds that are in there seem to be the to say goodbye to them and move on.
curated favoured sounds of people that are into That’s what I did – that was Enigma. I recorded
granular synthesis. Because I’m using Max For Live, all of that at my house in my home studio. For the
I can just make my own from the ground up. second one, we went to The Pool and I made all
the sounds on the spot from scratch.
MT Do you use a lot of processing on your guitar after The third volume we’ve made, I created from
recording, or do you get the sound with pedals? scratch at the Spitfire studios. I didn’t have anything
I like to react as a player to complex sound that pre-prepared. I’m really happy that people seem to
you’re not in full control of, so I always try and get the be using them a lot, I’ve had some nice comments
sound first. Also, if I’m working with guitarists in bands about it. I think it works because it’s in an ambiguous
who might not have used granular synthesis before, space – it doesn’t sound like keyboards and it
or complex chains of effects, then it could have an doesn’t sound like guitars.
unpredictable result down the line. Again, I like
hearing how they react to that in real time, rather MT What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in
than taking it apart and reprocessing it. the studio?
I do more reprocessing with piano and drums and I think it’s the importance of being able to shift
voices than guitar. Myself and most guitarists I know perspective a lot, and quickly. Going from real detail

to big picture – it sounds quite obvious, but it’s other people’s work there’s always such mystery
not that easy. One of the most important things about it and I think it’s often easier to see beauty
a producer can offer an artist is perspective and and perfection in other people’s work.
hopefully, experience. Particularly if you’re doing
a lot of programming or fine editing, it’s really easy MT What advice would you give to anyone looking to
to lose perspective on the project as a whole. have a career like yours?
Also, to feel that if you’ve worked on something Well, if it was specifically like mine – which is quite all
for two days that it may not be quite right. You only over the place, really – then it would be to not have
get one chance to do these things and so it’s too-set ideas on exactly where you want to end up.
really important to be honest with yourself and Just do everything that comes your way that feels
stay connected to the creative discussion you had right. And only the things that feel right. I don’t mean
at the start of the process. That’s not to say that you to sound disingenuous, but I’ve never actually tried
can’t get diverted on the way and have fun and to have a career. I’ve done a lot of things that might
explore. But don’t lose sight of that first instinct to appear to some to be odd choices or maybe not
create. It’s in the artist – you have to stay close to very cool. But I wanted to do them – I had my
the artist and realise their vision. reasons. I’m really happy to be in this diverse ecology
of musicians. One day, I’m working with a very
MT How does the writing process for one of your own commercial singer and the day after, I’m working
records differ than working with another artist? with an avant-garde performance-art cellist. That’s
I don’t really want to make any more solo records kind of the reason I got into music – to experience a
unless they’re born out of improvisation. I prefer to range of different things.
take things that are more or less complete and There’s so much luck involved with making music.
finishing them off. Quite often, people will come in I always think the best thing you can hope for is to
and their tracks will be around 75 per cent finished have a lucky break and then not balls it up! But you
and I really enjoy helping them with the last 25 per have to be open enough to recognise those signs
cent. Again, I think it’s a perspective thing and also when they come.
not being invested in the writing process. You’re
building what’s required of the song and you can
almost write to fit that brief.
LEO ABRAHAMS
MT When you were making your own tracks, did you
structure those creative sessions and did you impose
SELECTED
limitations on yourself? DISCOGRAPHY
When making my own stuff, I’d often get a feeling of Leo Abrahams has played on and produced a wide variety of
the essence of the thing that I wanted to make and releases… Here are some highlights from his discography
I would always try and stay close to that. Beyond
that, I’d try and use any time that I wasn’t busy to
do my own stuff. There always comes a point when
the end is in sight and you can start making to-do
lists and stuff. But before that, I like it to be open.
What does motivate me, though, is the fact that
I really like finishing things! I’m not a big one for letting
things go – I think that’s a good thing. What is quite
nice is when bands get in touch with me wanting to
work with me they often reference my records and
not the things I produce for other people. That’s
Goldfrapp Brian Eno/J. Peter Schwalm
really rewarding, actually.
Silver Eye Drawn From Life
Programming Guitar
MT Is there any project you’re especially proud of?
There’s an album by David Holmes called The Holy
Pictures which we worked on really closely together.
For me, that just encapsulates a time that I’m really
fond of. I’m also really proud of the record I made
with Regina Spektor, Remember Us To Life, because
again, it was just a beautiful time and she’s such
a warm and bright person. I really feel like that
record captured a sense of who she is. So probably
those two.
I’m quite hard on myself about the work. I really
Frightened Rabbit Regina Spektor
don’t very often listen to what I’ve done. If I do, then Pedestrian Verse Remember Us To Life
I’m more prone to hear the faults in it. I worked with Producer Producer
Frightened Rabbit (whose frontman Scott Hutchinson
sadly passed away in 2018) and as a way of dealing
with what happened with Scott, I played the record
we’d done together, Pedestrian Verse, and I was
quite moved by it – and actually didn’t hear
anything that I would have changed. I realised that
it was a great record and I knew that he was happy
with it. It’s ultimately more important to me that the
artist is happy with it, because I’m never going to
be happy with it!
When an artist talks about the record in an Editors Hayden Thorpe
interview and says they’re happy with the end result, Violence Diviner
then that really means a lot to me. When you hear Producer Producer, guitar, keyboards

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TEC H N I Q UE P R O FES S I O N A L M A S T ER I N G WO R K FLOW I N LO G I C
LOGIC PRO X TUTORIAL
PROFESSIONAL
MASTERING
WORKFLOW
IN LOGIC PRO X
Effective mastering in Logic Pro X isn’t just about picking a few ‘killer’ plug-ins
– instead, you’ll need to take a revised look at your workflow and the tools at
your disposal to develop a professional approach to perfecting your mixes…
WORDS MARK COUSINS
H
aving explored some ‘quick-fix’ actively tries to enhance and fix certain As with all parts of mastering, try to be clear
mastering solutions in our last elements of the mix. on the problem first (like a wobbly low end,
workshop, we’re now going to Last time, we began at the end of for example) and then use the correct tool
take a more in-depth look at a the signal chain looking at limiting and to address this issue. With the multi-band
more professional solution to mastering – compression. Here, we look at the earlier compressor, for example, you might need
where the mix and mastering process are parts of the signal processing path – to use just one or two bands rather than
distinct and separate elements. We’ll see namely EQ and multi-band compression have all four pounding away at your mix.
how a more professional approach involves – that deal with the timbral qualities of our We end, of course, almost where we
a radically different workflow and a revised master, moving it away from the ‘colour’ began by considering the final loudness
look at how you work with Logic Pro X. established in the mix. With respect to EQ, of the master. In this post-loudness-wars
Unlike last time, where mastering was we’ll look at how M/S processing can be period, we can now decide how hard we
applied directly across the stereo buss, used in Logic, allowing us to apply EQ in a want to push a track – whether we want to
this workshop assumes you’re working from
bounced stereo files and preparing them
for delivery to a variety of streaming
services. Mastering was traditionally the
Pro solutions to mastering see
final stage in the production process –
assembling, sequencing and processing
the mix and mastering processes
10 or so tracks to make a cohesive listening
experience. Nowadays, of course, this as distinct and separate elements
continuity of listening experience is less
important, although you may still be more considered and focused way. M/S retain some dynamic range or push
dealing with several songs in any session. processing is popular in mastering circles as the limiting harder to create a more
Given this different set of objectives, we it allows the engineer to separate a track in ‘commercial’ sound. Despite streaming
take a different approach to the use and the Middle and Side components – or, to services attenuating over-loud mixes, we
application of Logic, creating a workflow put it another way, the parts of the mix can still actively over-cook our masters,
that is specific to the process of mastering. residing in the mono ‘centre’ and the other although the more limiting we apply, the
The tracks that previously contained elements that wrap around it to produce more the streaming service will attenuate
multiple different instruments are now the effect of stereo. playback. Using the supplied Logic
used to distinguish between different songs. This form of thinking makes more sense Mastering template, though, we can
Each track is, in effect, its own song. than L/R stereo, as the main components compare the musicality of different
We also need to think about referencing of the track (kick, vocal, bass and so on) loudness settings and discover what
(either between mastered and unmastered sit in the mid channel, while the decorative works best for our music.
versions of a song or commercial elements (string pads, reverbs, guitars) Rather than suggesting a one-size-fits-all
recordings) and a more involved often sit more towards the side channel. for mastering signal processing, we’ve
use of metering and analysis. The multi-band compressor is another hopefully shown the workflow is just as
useful way to deconstruct a track, this important to pro mastering – the ‘how’ is
BEYOND LOUDNESS time splitting into a number of discrete as important as the ‘what’ you do. Good
Another point of difference between the frequency bands. As such, the multi-band mastering engineers often do little to the
two workshops is that we move from simple compressor is both a timbral and dynamic track they’re given (and even less if the
loudness correction (that made our rough tool, which, if used correctly, can enhance track is already well mixed), but the small
mix stand up against the loudness of or correct a range of details, or, if used amount of processes they do carry out
commercial recordings), to a process that incorrectly, can ruin an otherwise good mix. have a big effect on the overall sound.

P R O FES S I O N A L M A S T ER I N G WO R K FLOW I N LO G I C TEC H N I Q UE
REFERENCING RIGHT The two Gain plug-ins (which are pre-Loudness Powered by
metering) let you adjust either the Reference or Master to adjust Loudness.
You can attenuate a commercial reference if it’s louder than your source, or
attenuate a Master track for proper comparison with an unmastered version.
MT STEP- BY- STEP
Develop a professional
mastering workflow
01 Create a bounce of your final mix, ensuring that there’s no stereo-buss 02 Open our Mastering Template project and import the bounced mix into the
processing and a decibel or so of headroom. Ensure the length of the Project Audio Browser. Drag the song onto both the Master and Reference
bounce is greater than the duration with a bar of pre-/post-roll. track, which will allow you to audition the track before and after processing.
03 The project includes two Screensets. The first Screenset is the standard 04 For the M/S monitoring, you’ll need to download and install the free bx_solo
arrange view, while Screenset 2 has the plug-ins visible for loudness and plug-in from plugin-alliance.com. Placed across the main Stereo Output
level metering, as well as M/S monitoring. bus, we can solo either the Middle or Side channels accordingly.
05 Open the two Channel EQs and set their processing modes to Mid and Side 06 Starting with the Side channel, apply an ‘air’ lift around 10-12 kHz. Notice
respectively. Pressing the Solo button on the bx_solo lets you to hear each how the EQ is only lifting the sides of the mix, accentuating details like the
EQ and the accompanying Mid or Side channel in isolation. reverb rather than the entirety of the sound.

TEC H N I Q UE P R O FES S I O N A L M A S T ER I N G WO R K FLOW I N LO G I C
LOGIC PRO X TUTORIAL
MT STEP- BY- STEP
Develop a professional
mastering workflow continued
07 Apply a heavy high-pass filter cut on the low-end of the Side channel. 08 Given the extra space you’ve created, you could lift the bass in the Mid
This might sound extreme with the Side channel in isolation, but in channel around 80Hz. To keep the low end tidy, this EQ setting could
context, the effect is a bass end that’s far more mono-focused. also be combined with the high-pass cut around 30Hz.
09 Now let’s turn our attention to the Multipressor, which modifies both 10 Like M/S EQ, multi-band compression is a great ‘precision’ tool.
dynamic and timbral qualities of the master. Solo each of the bands Here, we’re working with the low band, setting the ratio to about 2:1
to hear how the track is currently being deconstructed. and then lowering the Threshold so that the gain reduction starts to be applied.
11 The gain reduction attenuates the signal level and reduces the dynamic 12 You don’t need to use all the bands, of course, but we’ve also worked on
range of the low end. Adding a small amount of Gain Make-up restores the high mids, just to tame some of the aggression in that area. No Gain
the level and gives the low end a tighter, punchier sound than before. Makeup is applied in this application.

P R O FES S I O N A L M A S T ER I N G WO R K FLOW I N LO G I C TEC H N I Q UE
Powered by
This tutorial is endorsed by Point Blank Music School, which
specialises in courses on production, sound engineering, the
music business, singing, radio production, DJ skills and film
production, all run by top British music producers and media
professionals, with regular visits from legends in music and media.
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13 The final stage, of course, is the Adaptive Limiter. As with our last tutorial, 14 Import your reference bounce into the website loudnesspenalty.com to
increase the Gain to achieve the desired LUFS level, usually around -12 see how streaming services might adjust playback to account for your
LUFS. Bounce this reference master to disk. amount of limiting. If you want, adjust the limiting in response to your findings.
15 You can use the reference channel to compare a less-compressed 16 Re-import the bounced master into the project and place it on a spare
master – applying the streaming loudness adjustment using the Gain track. Now set a precise start and end point for the audio file. Allow a
plug-in. Reprint the master if you go for a greater amount of dynamic range. frame or so of silence at the start.
17 A fade out can be applied to the mastered audio file (do not ever 18 Rebounce the master, with the fade and top-and-tailing in place.
try to compress or limit a track with an existing fade out!) using Use the Set Locators feature on the Toolbar to precisely set the
the fade tool. Adjust the curve to achieve the right movement. duration of the bounce to be equal to the size of the region.

TEC H N I Q UE AU TO M AT I O N A N D ED I T I N G I N A BL E TO N L I V E 10.1
ABLETON LIVE TUTORIAL
AUTOMATION
AND EDITING
IN ABLETON LIVE
Electronic music sounds better when things are moving – but you haven’t
got enough arms to move all the controls at once. That’s where automation
comes in and Live 10.1 includes yet more usable automation features
WORDS MARTIN DELANEY
I
f automation is new to you, it basically than click and drag breakpoints around choose Simplify Envelope. Live will remove
refers to the way that you can record until it’s a matter of ‘close is good enough’ a number of breakpoints from the
the movements of controls – such as – perfect for when you need that kind of envelope, while preserving the general
faders on a mixer, or the knobs on absolute accuracy. Choosing that option is progression of the automation. This only
a synthesiser – and edit them and replay an artistic or technical decision, depending works one time per section – if you attempt
them afterwards. It has revolutionised on what you’re working on. Live always to repeat it, you’ll get a message saying
production, enabling us to easily apply gives us the option to keep things as loose ‘No more automation events could be
complex micro-adjustments to our songs and organic as we want, or dead-on removed’. In Arrangement View, you can
without having to do a final ‘live’ mix where precise and machine-like. even apply it across a bunch of clips at
we’d hit record and frantically run around Another example would be with the once, just select the ones you want to
tweaking everything in the studio. LFOs that are all over Live’s instruments and apply it to and execute the command.
An invaluable part of our creation and effects – these can be set to precise note It’s important to understand the difference
production workflows, automation can be
captured during a real-time performance,
or drawn in, in a more calculated way,
using a mouse or trackpad. We can end
Automation adds another
up with sounds and mixes that would be
difficult or impossible to achieve otherwise.
dimension to your sound
Nearly everything in Ableton Live can
be automated. Once you’re in record design, production and mixes
mode, any control movement you make
will be captured as part of that process. If values, for sync with project BPM and each between automation and modulation
something in Live has automation other, or set to Hz, where their value is set and be aware which one you’re looking
attached, it’ll have a red dot on it (or blue, manually by ear, which might mean some at onscreen! If the envelope is red, it’s
if you’ve applied modulation) and the drift occurs over the length of a tune. automation, if it’s blue, it’s modulation.
control will move as the song plays back. But it sounds more human and old- Given modulation is defined by offsetting
If you’ve recorded any automation by school, especially when you’re trying to from the automation, it’d be good if in
mistake, which is easy to do, the first thing recreate the vibe of vintage recordings, the future we could view both
to remember is that you can right-click on where that looseness would be a natural at once for a particular clip or track.
that red/blue dot and choose ‘Clear part of the process. The use of automation reaches way
Envelope’ to get rid of it quickly. beyond electronic music. Pretty much
MAKING THINGS SIMPLE any modern music is likely to be using it,
IMPROVED ACCURACY The other extreme from that precision from riding vocal levels through the song,
Live has been doing automation for years, approach is the live recording of to a simple fade in or fade out.
but there are some changes and additions automation, probably as you operate a There are times when automation can
in Live 10.1 – this is a typical Ableton move, hardware controller with knobs and faders. be a bit of a nuisance to handle, especially
adding new free stuff on what’d often be Some of those envelopes will have red lines if your preferred software doesn’t handle it
considered as a mere point update. In our and breakpoints all over the place, but Live as well as it should (luckily, Ableton Live
opinion, the most significant change to 10.1 gives us a way to rein that back a little, handles it very well), but it adds another
Live’s automation is 10.1’s ability to – finally with a very cool feature called ‘Simplify dimension to your sound design, production
– type in precise automation values for Envelope’. Select the section you want to and mixes, so it’s worth taking the time
each breakpoint, using the Context Menu. work on, and right-click/control-click, to get to know what automation can do
It’s such a relief to type in, say 85%, rather bringing up the Context Menu, then for you.

AU TO M AT I O N A N D ED I T I N G I N A BL E TO N L I V E 10.1 TEC H N I Q UE
THE MOUSE TRAP

Traditionally, automation means recording as you manipulate a controller,
or drawing it in with a mouse. It’s fiddly, but using a ‘smarter’ controller can
help – and the smartest of all are Push (hardware), and touchAble PRO (app).
MT STEP- BY- STEP
Automation and editing
01 To properly explore automation, we’ve prepared a Live set that contains 02 Let’s begin in Session View; we’ll move to the Arrangement View later on.
some audio and MIDI content. This tutorial is about what’s new in Live The parameters available to edit in an audio clip are quite different than
10.1, so you’ll need some kind of version of 10.1, even if it’s just the demo. those in a MIDI clip with a software instrument, so we’ll explore both types.
03 Double-click the beat clip so you can see the waveform. Listen to the clip 04 Now you can choose the Volume parameter box at the left of the waveform.
a few times so you get a feel for it – it’s a drum beat, of course. Click on Click to make a new breakpoint at the top left in the waveform and you’ll
the Show Envelopes Box button near the bottom left of the screen. see a 100% value. At the far right, add another breakpoint and drag it to 0%.
05 Instead of dragging breakpoints to get the exact desired values, right-click 06 In the boxes on the left, choose Mixer in the top and Track Panning in the
on them and choose Edit Value and you can type in precisely what you bottom. Note the Aut (Automation) and Mod (Modulation) buttons below
want. This is a massive time saver and a gift to the control freaks among us. them. Make sure Aut is enabled, draw an envelope from top left to top right.

SPECIAL PROJECT
Try copying and pasting an automation envelope from one parameter to
another, or onto a few, maybe even across different instruments and tracks.
Draw some fancy, involved, envelopes and keep them in a special project.
MT STEP- BY- STEP
Automation and editing continued
07 Listen to the result – the beat pans from right to left as it fades out. 08 Automation will set a value for a control – a mixer setting, instrument or
Now click on Mod, tap B on the keyboard and draw in a shape like effect parameter. Modulation is a second control that offsets again from
the one shown in the screen shot – modulation will appear as a blue envelope. that value. Experiment with different parameters to appreciate the difference.
09 In the bass track, click the Automation Arm button near the top of the 10 Stop playback or click play again to finish recording, which the clips
screen, then launch the bass clip and move the Simpler Filter Freq and keep running. Any controls that have automation or modulation will be
Res controls. As it loops, don’t overwrite automation from the previous pass. marked with either red or blue dots. Play the clips; you’ll see the controls move.
11 Automation and modulation can be viewed in the Envelopes Box after 12 You can enter new breakpoints by double-clicking anywhere in the
recording. Make sure to choose Aut or Mod as required. Live 10 has envelope view, without selecting the envelope first. Live 10.1 includes a
new ways to edit envelopes – like being free to drag segments horizontally. list of 10 automation shapes – right-click on any envelope and choose a shape.

Guitar Recording Interface
ABLETON LIVE TUTORIAL
MT STEP- BY- STEP
Automation and editing continued
13 There’s another new one in Live 10.1 that is particularly useful if you’ve 14 Click and drag to highlight recorded automation or modulation, then
recorded rather than drawn in your automation. Recording can create right-click for the Context Menu and choose Simplify Envelope. This will
more organic-sounding movement, but it can also be imprecise and chaotic. strip out many intermediate breakpoints and insert ‘C’ or ‘S’-shaped curves.
15 The Simplify Envelope command won’t work on parameters where there 16 If you copy and paste the clips to the corresponding tracks in the
are no incremental/gradual envelopes. So while it’ll work on a fade, Arrangement View, then look in the envelopes box, the automation
for example, it won’t work on a device on/off switch that’s been automated. envelopes created in Session View now appear in the track automation lanes.
17 However, to see the modulation envelopes, you’ll still need to look in 18 Drag the Simpler MIDI clip out to 24 bars; tap A to view the automation
the clip envelopes box at the bottom of the screen. This makes sense and change the filter Freq and Res sweeps so they take place over the
on one level, but it’d be preferable to view them all together. full length of the part. Those long, slow control moves are fun to automate.

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S H OW O FF YO U R S T U D I O
This month, we visit a synth-filled Italian studio,

visit a cosy Romanian studio and a creative
house in Budapest
STEFANO MASTRONARDI
Interviewee Stefano Mastronardi Contact info@waveaudio.it | info@stefanomastronardi.com | waveaudio.it | stefanomastronardi.com
Stefano Mastronardi’s studio MT How do you handle drum recording in MT Which piece of gear are you most
in Milan is versatile, used for the studio? proud of?
everything from creating sample I produce mostly electronic drums. In the I own a Soundtracs 24-channel mixing desk
packs and recording artists to composing studio, I own an acoustic drum kit, but I use it from the 90s. Even though I use a lot of
for film, TV and media… essentially as a source to sample for creating plug-ins and VSTs, I have always tried to
loops, drum hits and percussion. combine analogue and digital sounds.
MusicTech So, tell us more about your I still record the audio signals through that
studio, Stefano… MT Which DAW do you use and why? and it gives me a vintage analogue feel.
Stefano My studio is located in the city I have been using Logic for years, since the
centre of Milan in Italy. It has been here 2000s in fact, when it was still owned by MT What gear do you use the most?
since 2012. The studio initially started out Emagic. Logic is my reference DAW that I use plenty of instruments at the same time.
as my own personal studio, but throughout I use to record and mix. I also use Ableton I work on different kinds of tracks at a time
the years, I’ve opened the space to Live a lot – I find it very creative and useful for and so I change setup quickly. My keyboard
other artists and media and advertising building ideas on the fly. Then, as the years controller, my synths, guitar and bass and
production work. have gone on, I’ve also used Pro Tools, too. some microphones are always connected.

K E Y K IT
O Apple Logic Pro X

O Yamaha NS-10 studio monitors
O NI Komplete Kontrol S61
O Roland Juno-106
O Elektron Analog Rytm
O Waldorf Blofeld
MT How much time do you spend in your MT What would you say is your dream I only kept what really works and adapts
studio per week? piece of studio gear? to my production chain. Just keep what
I’m here from Monday to Friday, about 10 I started as a keyboard player, so I’ve always you really need and value and let go of
hours a day. dreamed of getting my hands on a real the unnecessary.
Fender Rhodes electric piano.
MT How do you use your studio? MT What are the main components of
It’s a multi-purpose studio: I use it to create MT Could you tell us your top piece of your studio?
and produce my own music since I work as production advice? KRK VXT6 studio monitors, Yamaha NS-10
a full-time composer for film, TV and media. We have some truly amazing musical studio monitors, Native Instruments Komplete
I also recently started working as a sound technology around us today. I like tools, Kontrol S61, NI Maschine, Apple Logic Pro X,
designer for sample packs. Other times, both hardware and software and I’m a Ableton Live 10, Elektron Analog Rytm,
I use my studio to record and mix other gear addict. But my advice is always this: Elektron Analog Keys, Waldorf Blofeld,
artists’ music and to record speech let the ideas flow freely and follow your Roland Juno-106, NI Komplete 10, ProjectSam
from voice talents for the media and intuition and your sensitivity. It is always Orchestral Essentials, ProjectSAM Swing!,
advertising industry. the ideas that matter, rather than the tools. Arturia V Collection, Blue Baby Bottle
condenser microphone, Fender Stratocaster
MT What’s next on your shopping list, MT What advice would you give to Classic Vibe, Blackstar HT-1R guitar amplifier,
studio-wise? someone starting out building a studio? Rupert Neve Designs 5017 Mic Pre/DI
That would be a brand-new pair of high-end When I started the studio, I bought a lot of box, dbx 160A mono compressor/limiter
studio monitors. equipment and gear. But then over time, and more.

K E Y K IT
O Ableton Live 10
O Neumann KH 120 A
O UAD Apollo Silver Quad
O LG 34UC98-W monitor
O Takamine G-Series acoustic
VICTOR MIHAILESCU never had a Moog and while I could easily

get a Taurus or a Sub Phatty, I want the
complete Moog experience so that I can
Interviewee Victor Mihailescu Contact victor@underdog.live | infinitystudio.ro get the most sounds out of it.
In one small room in an office lately. Last time I fired it up, I realised it had MT Can you share your best production tip?
building in Romania, there exists lost a voice, so I’m pretty bummed about There’s no magic ‘make great music’ button.
a cosy musical wonderland… that. It’s been my dream synth and used in Even if you have a musical background, you
so many of my favourite songs! The pads still have to sweat and put in a lot of work until
MusicTech Tell us about the studio… are simply ethereal and the chorus makes it you get a usable, consistently good product.
Victor My studio is inside an office building magical. My second favourite is my curvy That also means working on a lot of songs
located at the cente of Bucharest, Romania. ultra-wide monitor. Some people have big that won’t make the cut. But you have to fight
It’s just one room, but there’s enough space mixing consoles as the centrepieces, but your way through this and keep motivated!
to work on sound design for games and I have this awesome monitor which turns
animations, music production and voice heads more than anything else around here. MT What advice would you give to
recordings. Lately, I’ve been using the studio someone who’s starting up a studio?
for some mentoring as well. This is my third MT So how do you use your studio? Get the best speakers you can and the best
year here and it’s very convenient as I live My main work is doing sound design for acoustic treatment possible from the start.
nearby. My clients can reach me easily, too. games and animations. I’ve been gaming Anything else you can do in the box.
for much of my childhood, so this became I’ve seen countless examples of people
MT What’s your favourite DAW to use? an obvious extension of that. I produce, mix improving their songs just by upgrading
I use Ableton Live 10 and have been doing and master for other artists and for my own their monitoring medium.
so for the last decade. I keep an open mind project as well.
and have tried – and learned almost all MT What are the main components of
DAWs (including Pro Tools, Logic, Studio One, MT What’s next on your gear shopping list? your studio?
Fruity Loops and Reaper), but I kept coming Mainly, I want to get rid of the subwoofer in Custom Mac (4770k, 32GB RAM, 1.5TB SSD
back to Live. Its unparalleled ease of use my monitor chain and replace the Neumann and 4TB HDD), Neumann KH 120 A, Adam Sub
allows me to finish projects very quickly and KH 120 with the bigger brother, the KH 310. The 7, Adam A7X, UAD Apollo Silver Quad, UAD-2
it doesn’t stand in the way of my creative studio is well treated acoustically, so I hope Satellite Duo, Pro Tools HD Omni, Juno-106,
process. However, I sometimes mix and work the bass end will be enough. I also plan on Yamaha DX7IID, Access Virus TI, Ableton Push,
in Pro Tools on projects from other studios. getting the classic U 87 and a Neve preamp, Ableton Live 10, Pro Tools 12.8.3, M-Audio
so I can have more options while recording. Code 25, PreSonus FaderPort, Audio-
MT What’s your favourite piece of gear? Technica 4047/SV, Universal Audio LA-610
I absolutely love my Roland Juno-106, even MT What’s your dream piece of gear? MkII, Samson S-patch plus, LG 34UC98-W
if I haven’t used it that much in my projects I wish to get a Moog Voyager one day. I’ve monitor, Takamine G-Series acoustic guitar.

K E Y K IT
O Cubase Pro 10
O Output Platform studio desk
O Moog Sub 37
O Oberheim Matrix 6
O Universal Audio Apollo 8
DANI KARANYI these days it can get a little hectic. But

normally, I’d spend at least five hours
a day in the studio.
Interviewee Dani Karanyi Contact hello@karanyimusic.com | karanyimusic.com
MT What’s next on your gear-shopping list?
Dani’s unique creative space is best tool for that. Also, I help run a Kontakt- I actually just bought a new studio desk,
based in downtown Budapest… instrument developing business alongside Output’s Platform, so I think I’m good for
Los Angeles-based composer Gabriel Dib a couple of months now.
MusicTech Tell us more about the studio… and Cubase makes it very easy for us to
Dani My studio has been around for almost 10 collaborate and build complex, semi- MT Is there anything that annoys you most
years now. I think this place feels more like a automated templates and workflows for about your current setup?
home studio or a creative space rather than instrument sampling. The acoustics of the room aren’t great,
a regular studio, since most of the gear was but I’ve gotten used to it the past years.
originally located at my home. But as I kept MT What’s your favourite gear? Fixing that is definitely next on my agenda.
buying more and more things, I needed My main instrument is the piano, so
extra space so I decided to move the whole synthesisers are always close to my heart. I’m MT What’s your dream piece of gear?
studio to a room in my company’s office. a big fan of Oberheims (especially the OB6 I would love to collect more acoustic
and Matrix 1000), Yamaha DX7 and Universal instruments in the future. I’m a big fan of
MT What are the main components? Audio’s DSP plug-ins. In the past few years, marimbas, Eastern drums and every kind
I own a Universal Audio Apollo 8, Output soft synths have become extremely powerful! of exotic instrument.
Platform studio desk and ATC speakers. On Nowadays, I use them more than my
the synths end, I have a Moog Sub 37, Moog hardware. I also use NI Komplete instruments, MT What’s your best production advice?
Minitaur, Korg MS-20, littleBits Korg Kit (toy my custom-built Kontakt instruments and For me, the key to my creative workflow
analogue modular kit), Yamaha DX7, Nord instruments like ZebraHZ on a daily basis. is to reduce the time I spend with boring
Lead 2X, Roland Super JV, Yamaha TX81, technical stuff and liberate myself from
Dave Smith OB-6, Oberheim Matrix 1000, MT How do you use your studio? doing anything other than creating. My
Oberheim Matrix 6, Novation X-Station and This is a personal workspace, so I use it on my advice is to keep yourself organised: create
Elektron Analog Rytm, a Strymon BigSky and own. Sometimes, I compose or produce my a rock-solid naming, preset, template,
a Frostwave MS-20 analogue filter clone. initial ideas on the fly (at home or during a archiving, backup plan and system. It takes
trip) and I finalise, re-record and mix at the time to plan this and it’s wise to fine-tune your
MT Which is your favourite DAW to use? studio. I basically do everything here except workflows at least yearly, but it’s well worth it.
My main DAW is Cubase Pro 10, but for mastering. You can be extremely creative and talented,
sometimes I also use Ableton Live. I mostly but if you can’t recall or find your stuff easily
compose for film, animated movie and MT Do you spend a lot of time in the studio? and fast during composing, you will waste
video-game scores and I think Cubase is the I just had my first child two months ago, so tonnes of creative energy.

TEC H N I Q UE WO R K I N G W I T H C H O R D PA D S I N C U B A S E
CUBASE TUTORIAL
WORKING WITH
CHORD PADS
IN CUBASE 10
Last time, we looked at how Cubase’s Chord Track creates a harmonic
guide track that can modify the pitching of MIDI, instrument and audio
parts. Now we’re focusing on Cubase’s other chord-based tool: Chord Pads
WORDS ADAM CRUTE
C
hords are likely to be at the Cubase’s MIDI input and the track(s) a keyboard-based instrument. The other
heart of almost every piece of the input is routed to. By default, when the factor is the preceding chord, as in most
music you create. Cubase Chord Pads panel is open, their effect will circumstances, a musician will try to move
recognises this with its Chord be applied to all incoming MIDI signals. their fingers as little as possible when
Track, which serves a number of purposes. So any monitor-enabled Instrument or changing between chords. They do this
It allows producers to rapidly sketch out the MIDI track will receive the output from by selecting chord voicings that require
harmonic structure of an idea, while the Chord Pads – and will record this output the least movement from the previous
retaining the ability to modify and refine if record-enabled – rather than monitoring/ chord and voicing.
that structure; it creates a visual guide to recording the unadulterated MIDI signal Cubase emulates this behaviour
the chord and scale/key at any point in a that arrives at Cubase’s MIDI input. with ‘Players’ and ‘Voicings’, which are
project and it can force other tracks to This default behaviour can be changed collections of rules that determine how
conform to the current chord or scale. so that only tracks whose MIDI input routing Chord Pads will voice their chords. Three
These abilities are extremely useful once
you get to grips with them, but there’s a
common misconception that the Chord
Track is intended to create an actual
Cubase provides a tool for
audible output. It isn’t! If you monitor the
output of the Chord Track, all you get is
creating audible, played,
sustained chords that are held until the
next change on the Chord Track. chord-based parts: Chord Pads
Cubase does, however, provide a tool
for creating audible, played, chord-based is set to ‘Chord Pads’ will receive the signal Players are provided – Piano, Guitar and
parts: Chord Pads. from the pads. In this setup, the MIDI input Basic – and you can also define your own.
to those tracks will be transformed (that is,
PADS PANEL notes assigned to pads will be transformed PLAYER MODES
The Chord Pads panel is displayed in the into chords) irrespective of whether or not Players have three modes that determine
lower zone of Cubase’s project window, the Chord Pads panel is open. how the notes of the chord will be
under that zone’s Chord Pads tab. From In music theory, chord names convey sounded: all at once, in a pattern, or where
here, you can set the number of pads, information about the notes that comprise only certain notes – or ‘Sections’ – of the
configure each pad’s chord and voicing a chord, but they say nothing about how chord will sound. When in Section mode
characteristics and play those chords by those notes should be distributed. So, the and working with an external controller,
simply clicking on a pad. notes of an Em7 chord are E, G, B and D. the active chord is set by the trigger keys,
Chords can also be triggered from an These could be played as E1, E2, B2, D3 but it doesn’t sound until you also press
external controller, such as a keyboard or and G3 (a typical keyboard voicing), as E1, one-or-more ‘section’ trigger keys.
pad controller: when the Chord Pads are B1, D2, G2, B2, and G3 (a typical guitar In this context, a ‘section’ is simply a
active, a keyboard graphic is shown at the voicing), or as any other combination of note within the scale and the keys that
top of their panel. This indicates which MIDI those basic constituent notes. will trigger each section are shown on the
note each pad is assigned to, along with It’s usually left to musicians to determine keyboard graphic at the top of the Chord
any further control keys that are in use. The the most suitable distribution of notes and Pads panel. Section mode is great if you
keyboard graphic also shows the actual this determination is driven largely by two want to do more than just play block
notes sounding when a pad is triggered. factors: the first is the instrument being chords. The best way to see how all of this
In terms of where they lie in the MIDI played or emulated and when it comes to fits together, and explore a few deeper
signal path, Chord Pads sit between chords, this is likely to be either a guitar- or details, is to jump in and start playing…

WO R K I N G W IT H C H O R D PA D S I N C U B A S E TEC H N I Q UE
PLAYER SETUP Be sure to spend some time getting to know what the
different Player Setup options do and how they interact with each other.
A good place to start is creating your own custom player, which is done
from the Player Options drop-down on the Player Setup panel.
MT STEP- BY- STEP
How to work with Chord Pads
01 Fire up Cubase and create a new project. You’re going to need a keyboard 02 Open the Lower Zone of the project window by clicking its button, located
or pad controller connected, so get that set up, too. Add an Instrument track at the top-right of the project window. Select the Chord Pads tab of the
using whatever synth you like and load a polyphonic patch into it. Lower Zone to open their panel. Set the panel’s Output Mode button to On.
03 The keyboard graphic above the pads shows the pad trigger notes in blue. 04 If you’re using a pad controller and would prefer the Chord Pads to be in a
The number of pads can be changed, as can their arrangement and other grid layout, open the popup’s Pad Layout tab and change the Pad Layout
settings, from the Set Up Chord Pads popup – click the cog icon to open this. Type setting. You can also modify the number of pads here.
05 If you alter the number of pads, you’ll need to alter the key range assigned 06 Close the Set Up pop-up and then click the edit icon at the left of the
to trigger them. This is done on the Set Up pop-up’s Pad Remote Control Chord Pad panel. This switches the panel to Player Setup mode, from
pop-up, where you can also configure other modifier keys and/or controllers. where you can configure the player characteristics and create new players.

MT STEP- BY- STEP
How to work with Chord Pads continued
07 Click the edit icon again to return to the pad view. Hold the mouse pointer 08 The Chord Editor has four columns for defining the chord’s root note,
over the left-hand edge of the first pad, and click on the small arrow that type (major, minor etc,) tensions (7th, 9th, 11th, etc,) and bass note.
appears there. This opens the Chord Editor panel. Click these to construct a chord. Click away from the editor to close it.
09 Click the Chord Assistant button. This opens a panel to choose chords 10 Repeat this to assign chords to other pads. Centre the Chord Assistant on
that complement your first chord. Clicking chords in the assistant lets you a different chord by right-clicking on a pad and selecting ‘Use [chord
hear how they sound. Drag a chord from the assistant to the second Chord Pad. name] as Origin for Chord Assistant’ (the current origin is always in blue).
11 Close the Chord Assistant. Use the two drop-down menus to the left of 12 Change the Player to Guitar Player; play the pads again, see how the
the keyboard graphito set the current Player and Player Mode. Select voicing has changed. Chord voicings are affected by the previously
Piano Player and Plain Chords, then try triggering chords from your controller. played chord – this is Adaptive Voicing and can be disabled on a per-pad basis.

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CUBASE TUTORIAL CHORD TENSIONS Basic chords – triads, to give them their proper name
– are made up of three notes. Chords that add notes over-and-above the
basic triad are often referred to in music as extended chords: 7ths, 9ths,
11ths and so on. Cubase refers to these additions to a chord as ‘tensions’.
MT STEP- BY- STEP
How to work with Chord Pads continued
13 Change the Player Mode to Sections; some notes on the keyboard 14 Close the Chord Pads panel by selecting a different tab in the lower
graphic take on an amber colour. Hold down a chord trigger and then zone, or by closing the lower zone entirely. Now play the chord trigger
press and hold each amber key in turn: each triggers a note from the chord. keys on your controller, and notice that the chord pads are no longer active.
15 Open the track inspector for your instrument track and change its MIDI 16 Reopen the Chord Pads panel and switch to its Player Setup view.
input routing to Chord Pads. Now play your keyboard or pad controller; Change the Player Mode to Pattern, then click the Import MIDI Loop
the Chord Pads are now active on the instrument track once more. button. Browse for and select a loop; trigger some chords to hear the pattern.
17 A nice little trick is to switch the Player Mode back to Plain Chords. Go 18 Now start triggering chords and trigger more than one at the same time.
to the Track Inspector of your Instrument track, expand its MIDI Inserts This is a simple, creative way to come up with shifting and developing
section and add an instance of Arpache 5 or Arpache SX to the first insert slot. arpeggio lines. Try the same technique with the Player Mode set to Sections.

TEC H N I Q UE U P DAT ED FE AT U R ES O F P R O TO O L S 2019
PRO TOOLS TUTORIAL
UPDATED FEATURES
OF PRO TOOLS 2019
IN PRO TOOLS
Avid’s latest update to Pro Tools improves the venerable DAW in numerous
different ways. In this tutorial, we take a closer look at each of the new
features and highlight their value to your workflow…
WORDS MIKE HILLIER
T
he subscription model Avid has While this change only affects a subset of different ideas. And as a further
moved to means Pro Tools users of Mac users, the next major change only improvement you can now even
now get more regular updates and really affects users running enormous change the loop points without
bug fixes, which has largely been a projects. Previously, Pro Tools was limited to stopping and restarting playback.
great thing for the user base. In 2018, Avid 256 audio channels – more than enough This behaviour isn’t perfect: many
shipped six versions of Pro Tools, each subtly for many users, but problematic for some plug-ins have a built-in latency, which
improving on the previous version rather film and TV dubbing editors, as well as will inevitably cause a slight glitch in
than introducing any huge new features. some more adventurous musicians. Pro the playback performance as Pro Tools
This year, however, Avid has been much Tools 2019.5 expands this to 384 audio readjusts the latency compensation, but it
slower, with the first version of Pro Tools channels by default and can be further should make for faster workflows, leaving
not coming until May. extended to 768 voices using HDX cards, you to be creative without worrying about
Initially, Avid had intended to release or by purchasing Native Voice Packs, which how Pro Tools will handle the changes.
Pro Tools 2019 in March, but bugs found
during beta testing, relating to updates
to the HDX firmware, caused delays to
this first release of the year. This attention
For many, Pro Tools 2019.5 will feel
to bugs is one of the big advantages of
the subscription model and it’s not only
like a smoother, more polished
new bugs that Avid is ironing out before
release, but plenty of existing bugs from version of their existing Pro Tools
previous versions will no longer cause
problems going forward. expand Pro Tools by 128 voices per pack. WHAT NEXT?
However, the sacrifice is that Pro Tools Similarly, Avid has expanded the number Avid has added a new key command to
updates now no longer come with quite of available MIDI channels to 1024, make snapping clips quicker and simpler.
as many flagship new features: for many vastly expanding the number of virtual Pressing Start+Alt+[,] (Win), or Ctrl+Opt+[,]
users, Pro Tools 2019.5 will simply feel like instruments in a single Pro Tools session. (Mac) will snap start of the currently
a more polished and smooth version of Pro Tools | First users also get a look selected clip to the end of the previous
the Pro Tools they’ve been using. in with this version of Pro Tools, bringing clip, while Start+Alt+[.] (Win), or Ctrl+Opt+[.]
Pro Tools 2019.5 does come with new unlimited local sessions to the free version (Mac) will snap the end of the currently
features. For Mac users, the biggest update of Pro Tools, as well as up to three selected clip to the start of the next clip.
is probably the support for macOS Mojave, simultaneous projects on the Avid Cloud. Now Avid is back in the swing of things
in Pro Tools itself and in the accompanying Poorly named tracks are a bugbear of with Pro Tools 2019.5, we look forward to
EuControl software, which enables control many pro engineers. Pro Tools 2019.5 has more updates as the year progresses. As
of Pro Tools from S3 and S6 devices as well added track naming to the New Tracks much as we look forward to these regular
as the PT Control App running on iPads. This dialogue window. updates and minor improvements in our
is of particular importance to anyone who Unlike previous versions, Pro Tools 2019 workflow, maybe the next version of Pro
might have bought a new Mac in the last will no longer stop playback when you Tools will have more headline-grabbing
year, since new Macs come with the latest perform a number of basic editing and features. The annual ACA (Avid Customer
OS preinstalled and downgrading to older mixing actions, such as moving clips in the Association) survey shows a number of key
versions isn’t supported at all. edit window, adding or removing tracks or improvements users are keen for, including
For everyone else, this means they plug-ins, or routing audio. This means you track folders, advanced MIDI editing and
can finally upgrade to Mojave, safe in the can now quickly loop audio and keep it in support for ARA (Audio Random Access)
knowledge that it won’t break Pro Tools! playback as you experiment with a number plug-ins, such as Melodyne.

U P DAT ED FE AT U R ES O F P R O TO O L S 2019 TEC H N I Q UE
CHANNEL SURFING When creating multiple channels in a single line of the

New Tracks dialogue box, each channel will be given a sequential number.
So you could, for instance, create three backing-vocal channels, named
BV 1, BV 2 and BV 3 from a single line.
MT STEP- BY- STEP
Updated features of Pro Tools 2019.5
01 Open the Pro Tools Workshop Project on this month’s coverdisc. The project 02 In addition to this one loop, we’ve added a couple of additional loops to the
currently has only a single keys loop loaded up. Clip List. Let’s add these to the project.
03 We can add the first loop by clicking and dragging the Bass clip from the 04 Before dragging the next clip in, let’s create a new track, Shift+Ctrl+N (PC),
Clip List into an empty space on the edit window. Note how the new audio or Shift+Cmd+N (Mac). The upgraded New Tracks dialogue box now
track that is created is named after the clip name. includes a space for naming each new channel.
05 Name this ‘Kick’; press Ctrl+[+] (PC) or Cmd+[+] (Mac). Name this ‘Snare’; 06 Finally, drag the three remaining clips from the Clip List into the relevant
add a Hats channel. These drum clips are stereo – use Ctrl+[right arrow] tracks in the edit window.
(PC) or Cmd+[right arrow] (Mac) to switch each new channel from mono to stereo.

U P DAT ED FE AT U R ES O F P R O TO O L S 2019 TEC H N I Q UE
MAKING FRIENDS Pro Tools 2019 also came with Avid Link, which replaces
the older Avid Application Manager. Avid Link includes a social profile,
enabling you to share music with other musicians, hang out and learn
in the Lounges and exchange projects across the internet.
13 Move a clip to snap in line with the end of the previous clip by pressing 14 Similarly, you can move a clip so that its end snaps into line with the
Start+Alt+[,] (PC) or Ctrl+Opt+[,] (Mac). start of the next clip by pressing Start+Alt+[.] (PC) or Ctrl+Opt+[.] (Mac).
15 We can keep the loop running when tidying up the mix, too. Switch over 16 Let’s start by bringing the bass down, and adding some compression to
to the mix window Ctrl+[=] (PC) or Cmd+[=] (Mac). the hats. Note how adding the compressor doesn’t interrupt playback.
17 Set the compressor to enhance the attack of the hats by using a slow 18 An EQ before the compressor will pull out some bottom end. With
attack and fast release setting. playback on, click and drag on the compressor to move it to the second
slot and add an instance of EQ III in the first slot, to filter out the bottom end.

TEC H N I Q UE C R E AT I N G LO - FI S O U N D S W IT H R E A S O N
REASON TUTORIAL
CREATING
LO-FI SOUNDS
WITH REASON 10
Are your sounds just too ‘clean’? Are you longing for a bit of dirt in your pristine
productions? As we continue our sound-design series in Reason, it’s time to
explore the murkier side of the software, so come with us as we go low…
S
o far in this sound-design series of You might think that the software is radio noise or vinyl crackle, but that can
Reason tutorials, we’ve covered all about great-sounding instruments – be overpowering, so we’ve tried to be
some detailed ways to make and you’d largely be right, as it is simply a little more subtle – which is actually not
your sound better, from crafting teeming with them – but it is also packed that easy with a device as in-your-face
deeper basses and more kicking kicks to to the rafters with great-sounding and as Retro Transformer!
producing finer synth leads and huge extreme outboard that can make your Next up, we look at how Pulveriser
combinations of sounds. Generally productions more Radiohead or Boards can transform your beats in plenty of
speaking, then, we’ve hopefully taken Of Canada and less perfectly pristine. different ways. It is perhaps the ultimate
your sounds up a notch or two. This time, lo-fi tool, and not just for beats. It features
however, we’re going to take them down YOU HAVE THE TOOLS compressor, distortion, and envelope
a peg as we dive down enter the murky There are several incredible tools in follower, tremolo and loads of filter options,
realms of low fidelity. Reason that we’ll be employing to scrunch so loads to mess with your sound. However,
HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

We obviously love our technology here
at MusicTech, but if there is one criticism
Many genres can benefit from
of production technology that is justified,
it’s that it makes everything sound too
being grunged up and the
darned nice. Some call it ‘the Pro Tools’
effect – how all music, no matter what its technology is at our disposal
genre, has the same ‘sheen’, that same
perfect aura, thanks to a mountain of things up, including the Audiomatic Retro like most uses of outboard, going to the
perfect plug-ins being applied at the Transformer – a tool almost made for extreme ends of a dial can easily take
mixing and mastering stages. It’s true – lo-fi – and the Pulverizer. In this workshop, your sound too far in one direction, so we
technology really has transformed the we’ll show you how they can be utilised use all the Pulveriser tools a bit more subtly
music-making process so the days of noise to full effect to get your sounds deep, for more controlled results.
and mistakes have long gone. down and dirty. But don’t think it is all It is, of course, somewhat ironic that
But, as ever with that word ‘nostalgia’, about outboard. Some more fundamental we’re using technology to crack this
we’ve started yearning for those days. approaches can and should be taken if particular imperfection nut. However,
Our rose-tinted spectacles firmly in place you want to make your music less sterile what we’re really doing is exploring
means that a little bit of noise here, some and technologically perfect. You should tools that you might not readily use and
pitch wobble there and some lo-fi grunge consider quantising less and giving your revealing aspects of them that you might
sprinkled over there are what we all tunes a more live feel. Flaunt the not have considered. So, even if you’ve
want – not perfection after all. What imperfections, some might say. never considered a more lo-fi route in your
a fickle bunch! music-making, just getting to know these
There are many genres of music that OUTBOARD OF CANADA tools very flexible tools has to be a bonus
can benefit from being grunged up – In the workshop, we’ll guide you through for your future creations.
hip-hop, trip-hop, shoegaze, folk, reggae, some techniques to make some oft-used We’ll be exploring more lo-fi options
post rock and many more – and luckily, sounds more lo-fi. We start with a simple next time around, where we’ll turn our
the technology is at our disposal. It also piano sound from Reason’s Radical Piano attention to bass, leads and other song
turns out that it’s just as good at messing and scrunch it up using Retro Transformer parts. Until then, enjoy this month’s
sounds up as it is cleaning them up and and Radical Piano’s own onboard effects. exploration of the underworld and send
Reason is packed with it. It’s easy to simply go in and add some us the results of your lo-fi experiments.

C R E AT I N G LO - FI S O U N D S W I T H R E A S O N TEC H N I Q UE
CHECK YOUR LEVELS We’re looking at some pretty extreme effects here
to go lo-fi with Reason, so do be careful with output levels. It’s best to pull
back on the output level and increase the wet/dry level so that the effect
is not too overpowering, or try and get a good balance between the two.
MT STEP- BY- STEP
Creating lo-fi sounds with Reason
01 If you’ve been following this sound-design series, you’ll know we just love 02 We’re going to lo-fi up some of the instruments and sounds that come with
using Combinator. Really, in this case, we’re just using it to save our lo-fi Reason, and the first of these is the Radical Piano, which itself has some
creation as a preset this time around, but it’s well worth loading in. lo-fi presets – but we’ll start with the American Piano.
03 We’ll start by adding a touch of dirt by way of Audiomatic’s Retro 04 You can go for anything, including the Vinyl or Tape presets, but we find that
Transformer. This plug-in came free with Reason from v7 onwards vinyl crackle a little too overpowering and obvious. Instead, we’ve opted for
and is a great way of adding some old-skool grunge by way of its 16 presets. the Cracked preset instead, which gives the sound some drive and power.
05 Now adjust the Transform dial which accentuates the effect, adding 06 Now bring in some ambience using the effects onboard the Radical Piano
more drive. You don’t want to go too far, maybe to 3/4 maximum. instrument. We like the Hall reverb under the Ambience dial – it adds a very
Adjust the Wet/Dry dial to taste here, too. smoky vibe to the piano sounds. Take the Ambience dial up to around 60 per cent.

10 T I P S
1O TIPS to make
extreme synth sounds
We live in a world of endless, pristine synth presets. As brilliant
as they are, don’t you sometimes want to smash out of the
preset bunker and really make sounds that stand out from
the crowd, or that just sound, frankly, weird? Follow these
10 tips for an extreme sound makeover…
1
Get to know one 2
Don’t be scared
sonic weapon to (ab)use presets
Getting to know the tools of your trade is key to any aspect of Ah, presets. To use, or not to use? Well, how about using them, but only as a starting point?
working life, but particularly sound design. You’ll need to pick Most synths have been programmed by experts to show off every side of the synth, so why not
one synth – preferably one that has a wide range of sounds – and tap into this expertise? Choose one of the more dynamic sounds and push it to its extremes.
get to know it section by section. Explore the very fundamentals Flip filter types, modulation destinations and waveform types – see the next tips for more
of its sound – the oscillators and waveforms – and find out exactly on this. But the main thing is that someone has done the hard graft for you and with a bit of
what impact they have. Then it’s the filter types, the modulation tweaking, you can get weird and extreme – fast. As a starting point, try loading up a preset you
and so on. Get to know your synth like it’s your sonic sister. know and love and with a simple filter and resonance adjustment, make it your own.
Know where you

want to go – but…
If you have some idea of the extreme sound you want to make, that
is always a good starting point. Is it a distorted bass, an absolute
screeching lead? Or is it a layered sound with loads of movement?
With this as your starting point, you have somewhere to aim for
– and again, use a similar preset as a starting point if you wish –
but here’s the important thing. If you don’t get to that end point
and get distracted, don’t worry. That’s what synth programming
can be all about – if you find an extreme happy
accident along the way, then it’s a bonus. You
3 can always return to that original idea once
you’ve saved the ‘accident’.
Employ some
4
oscillator action
When focusing on the actual extremities of synthesis, the
oscillators are the main starting block. Generally, you’ll get more
than one to start with and it’s the blend of two where things can
quickly start to get sonically interesting. Try using a blend of
sawtooths – rich in harmonics – and the more hollow square
waves. With extreme detuning between the two, you’re already
heading to odd waters. In our example picture, we’ve raised the
sawtooth on Osc1 by 8.4 semitones, and reduced Osc 2 by 3.4
and it sounds odd, but still in tune. For more horror-type sounds,
raise the octave of Osc1 by more octaves (in this case, 3!).

10 T I P S
5
Use motion
and automation
Adding movement to a sound and allowing it to change over time is one
of the best ways to add interest to any synth and a great weapon for any
kind of extreme synthesis techniques. On a basic level, your synth’s
modulation section – see later for more – should give you loads of
modulation options, but one tool that we often overlook in sound design
is the very DAW we are using. By employing the ever-more-powerful
automation features in most DAWs, you can control one or more of your
synth’s parameters over time and record the results direct to DAW. And
best of all, you can edit them later.
6 Frequency 7 You’ve got them,

modulation fun
Many subtractive synths come with a slice of FM synthesis these days –
use them!
Rather like using automation above, sometimes, we just don’t realise the
two recent examples being Brainworx’s bx_oberhausen and NI’s power that we have at our fingertips. Most synths now come with a host
Super 8. Essentially, the output of one oscillator is used to modulate the of extras built-in including an almighty effects section. These often sit
frequency of the other. This can give you anything from slight vibrato to unnoticed at the end of the chain, but can be drafted in for two main
full on metallic edginess, but will usually result in something weird at its reasons when it comes to extreme programming – a) to tame a frankly
extremes. In our example, we’re using Super 8 and enhancing the effect ‘too weird’ sound with some compression, EQ or a touch of reverb, or
by detuning the oscillators quite drastically for extremely dynamic lead b) add even more extreme sonics via distortion or amp modelling.
effects, with the amount of FM dialled in at just half. Either way, they are there… so use them!
8
Make
the table
Wavetable synthesis is all the rage, with
synths such as NI’s Massive, Xfer Records’
Serum and the more recent Arturia Pigments
bringing this synthesis to the masses. And it
can be extreme. Wavetable synthesis allows
you to create more complex waveforms than
found on your average subtractive synth and
then switch between them over time (on a
table). It’s when you introduce modulation
between waves on a table where things can
get extreme – eg, applying LFOs to quickly
move over a table of very different waveforms
(or parts of it). Maybe a wavetable synth
should be your weapon of choice…
Other mod Simply layer

9 1O Last, but most definitely easiest, is to layer different
options and opposing sounds together. You can do this
at an oscillator level by choosing very different
In the end, the most extreme sounds come down to modulation, which waveforms and tunings, or simply mix and (not) match particular
has cropped up over many previous tips here. However, for even more sounds on different synths. The simplest way is to have two
outrageous creations, consider more unusual modulation destinations. instances of your chosen synth with the same MIDI sequence
One of the best ways to explore this is to use a fairly slow LFO and simply triggering both as you explore sounds on each. As you can see,
apply it to various destinations to gauge its effect. Many soft synths not it’s not always about delving too deeply into the depths of a synth,
only allow you to do this with ease, but even show you the resulting but even on this level, you can get very extreme results.
waveform – again, Pigments from Arturia is great for this. Once you
hear the effect, increase the rate and depth to more extreme levels.

YOUR BEST GEAR IS
unplugged.
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REVIEW
REVIEWS
HARDWARE | SOFTWARE | ACCESSORIES | GUIDES
Q HARDWARE NATIVE INSTRUMENTS Super 8 96

AUDIAIRE Nuxx 98
FOCUSRITE Scarlett 3rd Generation 82 TC ELECTRONIC DVR250-DT Digital Reverb 102
AKAI MPK Road 86 MASTERING THE MIX Bassroom 105
OTO MACHINES Boum 100 SPITFIRE STUDIO Woodwinds Professional 106
AUDIENT Nero 110 APPLIED ACOUSTICS SYSTEMS Chromaphone 2 114
QU-BIT ELECTRONIX Prism 112 LOOPMASTERS Ginger Snaps Deep Funk Cuts 115
FOCAL Listen Professional 114 MODEAUDIO Rift 115
UNDRGRND SOUNDS Breaks Techno 115
Q SOFTWARE ADSR Music Theory & Functional Harmony 115
VSL Vienna Ensembles 88 Q BUYER’S GUIDE

BITWIG Studio 3 90
ARTURIA V Collection 7 92 SIX OF THE BEST Turntables Money Can Buy 116

LE A D R E V I E W F O C U S R I T E S C A R L E T T 3 R D G EN
FOCUSRITE
Scarlett 3rd Gen £99 TO £449
Focusrite has just updated its Scarlett range of interfaces – but will these
third-gen interfaces maintain their predecessors’ ’world’s best selling’ status?
WORDS ANDY JONES
W
Key features
hen it comes to releasing interfaces, Scarlett and Clarett would simply be down to
Focusrite doesn’t tend to hang O Audio interface range Scarlett’s USB v the faster Clarett Thunderbolt
around. Whereas some companies interfacing standard. I say ‘would’, because
O On test: the Solo (2 in, 2
will release one or two models every out), the 8i6 (8 in 6 out) and Focusrite now has the Clarett USB range for
couple of years or so, Focusrite has core ranges 18i20 (18 in, 20 out) models super-low USB latency. You might then be asking
which it updates, so you get half a dozen models O ‘‘Super stable’ what the differences are between Scarlett USB
and a couple of bundled packages all released low-latency drivers and Clarett USB and this comes down to better
at once with something, as they say, for O Input Dynamic Range: 111dB mic pres and other audio specs on the Clarett
everyone. The Scarlett range is, the company range – more on these later. Finally, there are the
O Total Harmonic Dist. + Noise:
says, the best-selling range of interfaces the >0.0012-0.0015 (mic/line) Reds, a pro-end range of interfaces with masses
world has seen, but I do have to admit some of digital and analogue I/O with Dante, DigiLink
O Gain range: 56dB
confusion over the company’s other ‘rose’ connectivity and even better preamps. Sorted?
O Output Dyn. Range: 108dB
flavoured ranges and where each one slots
in with one another, so here is my attempt at O Includes Focusrite THE NEW 3RD-GEN RANGE
Control software
a (hopefully) brief explanation. With that cleared up, let’s get onto the
The Scarlett range is the main USB entry point O Software: Ableton Live Lite, new range. There are six interfaces in the
Pro Tools First, Focusrite
to Focusrite interfacing, boasting models for third generation of Scarletts, some direct
Creative Pack, 3-month
everyone from the beginner onwards. The iTrack Splice Sounds sub, XLN replacements to models in the second
range is the lightning-cable-equipped range Audio Addictive Keys, generation, others replacements but with
of interfaces specifically tailored for mobile iOS Focusrite Red Suite, Softube additional features like extra line-ins. The smallest
recording, featuring such models as the iTrack Time And Tone Bundle, is the Solo, one of the direct second-generation
Dock and fabulous cuboid iTrack One Pre. Clarett Focusrite Plug-in Collective upgrades. As you might expect, the range then
is Focusrite’s range of interfaces for Thunderbolt. It CONTACT focusrite.com steps up with more ins and outs, so you get the
would seem, then, that the differences between

F O C U S R I T E S C A R L E T T 3 R D G EN LE A D R E V I E W
Scarlett 2i2 (two in, two out); the 4i4 (four in,
four out and which replaces the old 2i4,
adding two fixed-line inputs); the 8i6 (one DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
of the units on test here, which replaces the Getting a decent models for
old 6i6 but adds two line inputs); the 18i8 interface in your every budget and
(18 ins, including eight ADAT ins and eight setup is key to great connectivity standard
analogue outs) and 18i20 (18 ins and 20 recording and – see the main text
accurate monitoring for more. This range
outs, including ADAT I/O).
so yes, you do ‘need’ offers solutions for
That’s a lot of new interfaces, but in this one. Focusrite has a vast range of uses,
review we’ll be focusing on three models been the master so you can be sure
to cover the range: the entry-level Solo, the of the interface for at least one will
mid-range 8i6 and high-end 18i20. We’ll many years, with cover your needs.
also be looking at the entry-level Solo as
part of a new studio bundle, which comes
with headphones and a microphone in a
future mini review. READY TO GO Here, you get asked whether you
All the models in this new generation One of the other big new features of the are more of an in-the-box producer
boast the Focusrite Air feature that I last new Scarlett range is the incorporation of or one who will be recording externally,
saw in the Clarett USB range last year. This Focusrite’s new Quick Start process. This is and are then given all the connectivity
emulates the famous AIR Studios lift in the your first introduction to the interface, and information, depending on the scenario
high mids, which is a famous characteristic interactive process ‘designed to help those you choose. It’s a refreshing change to get
of the original Focusrite ISAs first used in who need it to get up and running quicker this kind of interactive experience with any
that studio, and which were commissioned and easier than ever before’, although piece of gear, as most of the time you’re
by late uber-producer George Martin for more seasoned users can skip it and jump relying on manuals that you don’t really
his mixer there. The top four models also straight to the software downloads, should want to read (as you’re too excited or think
boast Loopback functionality enabling
you to capture any stereo feed from
any hardware or software combo:
useful for podcasters and those into
Getting a decent interface in your
flexible sampling.
The technical specs have been
setup is the key to great recording
improved, too. The Dynamic Range figure
– that is the difference between the output- and accurate monitoring
level capability and the noise floor, so the
bigger the better – is around 110dB across they wish. Essentially, this is the registration you know it all) and this does help you get
the new range for line, mic and instrument process on steroids, so you’re taken through up and recording faster.
inputs. That compares to anything between a series of steps to allow you to download
106-109dB for the 2nd-Gens. Conversely, either the Lite version of Ableton Live or MORE CONTROL
the Total Harmonic Distortion figures (a Pro Tools First that comes with the interface, You’ll need to download the latest version
measurement of distortion and noise, so with a handy instructional video about the of Focusrite’s Control software to use with
the lower the better) is around half that installation. You even get a ‘time to install’ the entire Scarlett range. This allows you to
of the previous generation, albeit from a indication (some five minutes for Ableton, set up main global device parameters –
pretty low starting point. The overall Gain 25 for Pro Tools), rather like the time it takes clocking and line/instrument inputs – and
Range has also been improved, from 50dB to get to your gate at an airport. Very nice. also mixing and routing options. Simply
to 56dB, so it’s a promising set of specs. Further tutorial content checks you head over to the downloads section of the
I should also mention that the free through the supplied virtual instruments, Focusrite website, and select your device
software bundle with Live Lite and Pro Tools plug-ins and sample-content installation, if you didn’t get it through the Quick Start
First, a Splice subscription, plus a good before explaining how to set up the procedure (or missed that out).
range of plug-ins from Softube, XLN Audio Scarlett interface depending on how Within this software, you get Input
and Focusrite. you are going to use them. Settings and Output Routing tabs. The main
FOCUSRITE CONTROL
INPUT SETTINGS
1 Choose input type and switch the Air or pad on,
2 OUTPUT ROUTING
Outputs are top to bottom on the left-hand side
3 EASY CONFIGURATION
Simply select from drop-down menus to
plus sample rate and clock functions are here. while inputs go left to right with DAW routing beneath. re-route outputs. Here, we’re using outs 3 and 4.

LE A D R E V I E W F O C U S R I T E S C A R L E T T T H I R D G EN ER AT I O N
I/O routings, plus your internal DAW routings Custom Mixes really is a breeze – and an – so if you are familiar with, or upgrading
are set up in the latter tab, with outputs essential part of the Scarlett experience. from that range, you’ll be right at home
– line, headphones Loopback and S/PDIF here. One last Solo upgrade includes two
– running top to bottom and inputs left to THE HARDWARE balanced TRS speaker outs at the back
right, plus your software and DAW I’ll start with the Solo. Now this is a dinky – previously, these were RCA connections.
connectivity options shown at the bottom. unit: light, compact, well built, small Next up is the 8i6. It features two combi
Generally, the software’s set up as you enough to pocket and buss-powered, instrument and mic inputs around the front
might expect, with your main outputs from too, so a good mobile-recording option. with two mic preamps. There are a couple
your DAW going to outputs 1 and 2 of the It features a mic input around the front, of headphone outs plus level control, again
Scarlett, but you can easily change all with a preamp common to the entire with gain halos.
routing by producing a Custom Mix, and third generation of Scarletts that Focusrite Around the back you get S/PDIF I/Os,
then utilising the drop-down menus on confirms are the best-performing Scarlett MIDI Input and Output, plus a further four
each output block to change settings. preamps. There’s also a high-impedance inputs for line-level instruments (synths,
drum machines etc), so with decent MIDI-
and line-input specs, Focusrite is certainly
With decent MIDI- and line-input acknowledging the growing hardware-
synth scene with this one.
specs, Focusrite is acknowledging The unit is light compared to some
similarly priced Audients and Steinberg
the hardware-synth scene interfaces that I’ve reviewed, but feels

sturdy and ‘in place’ on your desktop
thanks to a full-metal case and rubber feet.
Changes to input routings are just as easy, instrument input (for guitar or bass) which Finally, the higher end Scarlett 18i20
as you get an overview of all available can also take line-level signals from drum boasts 18 inputs via two switchable combi
inputs on the far right of the UI and you machines and synths, etc, with the flick mic/instrument/line XLR inputs and six more
can, for example, easily configure inputs of the switch to its right. The unit features via line inputs and S/PDIF I/Os. There are
as stereo pairs. useful gain halos around the front gain dials eight more ADAT optical ins and outs
Within the Control software, you can that light green when levels are good, (for the connection of external ADAT I/O
also bring the Air option in the Input Settings orange for just okay or red when they clip. expanders) plus 10 TRS balanced monitor
tab and also switch between input line and Finally, on the front panel there is a outputs and two headphone outs. The big
instrument levels and the Pad option (to Direct Monitor button so you can hear difference here between the 18i20 and the
prevent clipping with hotter signals). See what you are playing and recording rest of the range is the more well-spec’d
the first picture in the Control boxout for latency free. These front-panel controls are front panel which is more compact in terms
more. Overall, the Control software is very very similar in layout to the last-gen Solo of height but one set of LEDs indicates all
easy to use and configure – setting up – as all the third-generation controls are level inputs and there are indicators for Air
FOCUSRITE SCARLETT 8I6 OVERVIEW

TWO COMBI INPUTS AIR FEATURE AND FOCUSRITE CONTROL DUAL HEADPHONE OUTS
1 These double as mic/line inputs, so take
2 The Air feature brings in a subtle mid/high
3 Allows monitoring for two people of different
signals from mic and instrument and line-level gear colouration, switched in via the Control software input and mix combinations, adjustable via Control
DIGITAL CONNECTIONS
4 S/PDIF digital I/O lets you route inputs from
5 AScarlett
MIDI INTERFACE, TOO
can be the hub of your MIDI setup, too,
6 EXTRA LINE INPUTS
Another four line inputs for balanced gear like
some synths and FX boxes. USB connectivity is type C with MIDI In/Out connections synths and drum machines make this a flexible unit

F O C U S R I T E S C A R L E T T T H I R D G EN ER AT I O N LE A D R E V I E W
per channel and Instrument for inputs 1

and 2. It also has optional rack ears for
rack-mounting.
SCARLETT SOUND
For the bulk of the listening tests, I’m using
the mid-range 8i6 and the top-end 18i20,
as these have the wider flexibility, but the
same preamps that the Solo uses. The first
thing that strikes me is the noise, or lack of
it, on setting up inputs. I try my admittedly
quite noisy electric piano first and the
recordings I make are clean, deep,
rich and completely noiseless. Microphone
recording is just as noise-free – these really
are clean interfaces.
I particularly like the level meters on the
input; the traffic-light green, orange and
red indicator exactly matching Logic’s own
levels and warning meters in this case, and
they’re an excellent secondary indicator.
I make some simple acoustic-piano
recordings via mic inputs, with a one-mic that the Scarlett measures up. I check example, now looks more than a match
setup and again, it’s the clean-operation all the results – latency, recording and for the Clarett 8Pre, but costs a lot less.
and wide dynamic range that stands out, playback – with the 18i20 and all my tests However, the Clarett Thunderbolt still
something I recall from testing both the reveal identical results: a great dynamic, has better latency figures and other
Clarett Thunderbolt and USB ranges. I also low noise – even with lots of different audio specs, while all Claretts boast
test the Air feature. Focusrite suggests that instruments – and low latency. better external ADAT connectivity to
it’s a growing effect that rises towards justify their higher price tag.
higher frequencies, kicking in at 100Hz and CONCLUSION Back to Scarlett: the next generation,
building to 20kHz. As such, I didn’t even This third generation of Scarlett interfaces then, and it certainly succeeds where it
notice it on certain sounds, but vocals might not seem a radical step up from the should. Better quality, improved specs
– and to a certain extent upper ranges of previous range, but Focusrite has scattered and not much of a shift in price. It’s difficult
the acoustic piano – there is a lift. It’s not some well-needed upgrades among the to see Focusrite losing that ‘best selling
dramatic, but certainly present. set, from boosting the tech specs, to interface’ label any time soon.
As a playback interface, Scarlett is adding inputs and improving the whole
also top notch. I compare the 8i6 it to my user experience – especially for newcomers
reference interface that comes in at a to music-making.
couple of hundred pounds more and the At that entry level, the Solo maintains
two are almost indistinguishable on input its predecessor’s easy portability and
MT V ER D I CT 9/10
recording through Logic – although I find compact and mobile form and will easily
I almost immediately miss that input-LED suit singer-songwriters wanting good-quality
metering on the Focusrite as soon as I recording and playback on the move. + High performing interfaces
at a very reasonable price
swap. As straight playback devices, again The 8i6 will also suit newcomers and those
the sound is comparable – remember that branching out into more hardware realms, + Low noise, great sound
my reference interface is more expensive. perhaps those with a smaller synth setup + There’s a model for
Onto round-trip latency – the time it or a small- to medium-sized hybrid many a studio task
takes for a signal to get through your hardware/software studio. + Love that metering
interface, be processed by your computer It’s a great option for small-scale + Great build and software bundle
and come back to you via the interface. instrument recording too. The top-end
The figure is dependent on many factors, 18i20 is my favourite, though. It crams – Some operations on some units
can only be done in software
including your computing power, what you more I/O into a compact unit and has
have running, plus your buffer size and all the connectivity that my synth-heavy – Claretts are now looking pricey!
sample rate. My tests aren’t exactly studio requires.
This generation of Scarletts sees
scientific (and you will get different figures), As the quality of the Scarlett range has
big improvements everywhere.
but as a comparison, with a 48kHz sample now clearly taken a step up – in terms of Great quality, great prices and
rate and a buffer size of 32 samples, my the preamps, the dynamic range and options for everyone and any
Thunderbolt Clarett tests delivered 3ms, the lower latency – it now appears to sit closer studio task.
USB Clarett 6ms and with the Scarlett it was to the more expensive Clarett range with
6.8ms. Again, not definitive, but interesting similar specs but using USB. The 18i20, for
Alternatives
PRESONUS Studio AUDIENT Featuring the
Studio range range ID range same preamp
From £152 from From £99 quality as the
Pretty much the only PreSonus. Another interface line I company’s
range of interfaces out They have all sorts of compatible and with a have a lot of experience high-end
there with as much girth configurations across good software bundle. with includes the ID consoles, these are plenty of I/O options.
as the Scarletts is the 12 units, all USB presonus.com range from Audient. well built and have audient.com

R E V I E W A K A I M P K R OA D 8 8
AKAI
MPK Road 88 £799
Akai’s latest keyboard is possibly its best yet for players, has one or two other
VIP experiences hidden up its sleeve and is definitely built for life on the road
WORDS ANDY JONES
T
he controller-keyboard market throws up Key features than controlling, so it’s built more around playing
many a varied beast in terms of specs, O USB controller keyboard with than tweaking. And what a build. There’s no
build, uses and target audience. I’ve with 88 fully weighted, getting away from how heavy this keyboard is –
recently reviewed everything including hammer-action keys and the courier had trouble getting it up my drive. It
keyboards that control hardware, keyboards that aftertouch and USB interface took around 15 minutes just to unpack and really,
integrate with software, keyboards that take on O MIDI output over USB, it’s a two-person job just to do that. The keyboard
DAW control, and those that do just a little bit of buss powered is built in to its own case, and it is carry-able with
everything. They usually come festooned with O Pitch bend and mod plus one arm (just) via a handle, but I wouldn’t want
faders, pots, switches and any other MIDI split keyboard option to do so for long distances, so if you are a gigging
controllers that can be squeezed onto their top O Connections: MIDI Out, player, then this weight might be a consideration.
panels, so Akai’s latest, with just a few buttons to 2x expression pedal inputs, Mind you, the case is included in that weight and
push, but a tonne of connectivity, could be seen sustain pedal input; USB the two combine for one of the most rock-solid
interface features four outs
as unusual. packages I’ve ever come across – it really does
It promises to work with just about every piece O Includes VIP 3.0 music give the impression of being a pretty
software platform to control
of software out there, mind and also includes virtual instruments and indestructible combination.
Akai’s groundbreaking VIP software – so there’s effects. Bundled with DB-33 The keyboard itself only has six buttons for
obviously a great deal going on behind the organ, Velvet electric pianos data up/down selection, keyboard transpose,
scenes here which is not immediately obvious and Mini Grand plug-ins keyboard split (easy to do) and two setup buttons
at first glance. Time to delve deeper. O Size (w x d x h): for accessing controller performance parameters
1314 x 379 x 132mm and global MIDI, mod/pitch wheel and MIDI
ON THE ROAD O Weight: 30.4kg functions. Around the back, it gets more
Of course, the name is the clue. This is one CONTACT interesting, with dedicated footswitches for
keyboard that is more about performing with akaipro.com expression (two) and sustain (one), but it’s the
USB interface that is perhaps most useful. With
four outputs, you can route your output to the
main PA and/or separate mixer for all sorts of
monitoring flexibility. The USB standard also means
that you don’t need separate power – it runs
from your computer, which I find incredible for a
keyboard of this girth. I even have it running from
my laptop, itself running without external power,
sending the portability credentials up a notch.
The keybed of MPK Road 88 has apparently
been some two years in development, and that
planning has certainly paid off as the keyboard
itself is undoubtedly the main highlight. Keys are
incredibly responsive, very well weighted and
delicate play is rewarded with a delicate
response. I have it set up next to my upright piano
and, while the feel is very different, and you can’t
really compare them, it’s hard not to, and I find
I much prefer the Akai.
Obviously the sound quality is dependent on
the software instrument being played, so I try it
out with E-Instruments’ Session Keys Electric and
it definitely gives you all the swirling detail you

A K A I M P K R OA D 8 8 R E V I E W
need here; with NI’s The Maverick, the

wide dynamic of the instrument is easily
transferred via the keyboard; and with DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
Modartt’s Pianoteq, I’m getting all the If you need inclusion of the VIP
character and some extraordinarily something well-built software is a plus,
delicate responses from a wide range of for life on the road albeit one with
instruments. These are probably the finest but don’t have caveats. Perhaps the
masses of cash to biggest bonus is that
instruments I have in terms of attention
splash then Road 88 USB interface, which
to detail, and the playing experience is MPK could well be gives you much more
exceptional, particularly with the Steinways your solution. It’s routing flexibility than
and Bechsteins on Pianoteq. I’m also blown obviously more ‘road’ you initially think –
away with the range of them, not being than ‘studio,’ but the very useful live.
used to having the lovely width of those 88
notes always at my disposal.
Using the MPK Road 88 with your entire
instrument collection should be enhanced The VIP software itself works well, Road 88 could well be the mid-priced
by the keyboard’s ability to run Akai’s VIP though, and notably now runs with any solution you are looking for. While the
control software. For those not in the know, MIDI controller, not just Akai ones. It has VIP software is great, forget the software
here’s a quick recap of that what that moved on considerably from being just control side of it when used with the Road;
plug-in brings to the instrument party. about software control – just as well as MPK VIP’s really just here to help sort out and
Road 88 has no hardware controllers to play presets, and then create live sets for
VIP ACCESS integrate with it! Where it comes into its gigging musicians – great, but you don’t
I first saw Akai’s VIP software way back own here is as a fantastic preset manager get to explore its software control side. If
at version 1 with the Advance range of for your entire plug-in collection – choose that is what you want, though, there are
keyboards. There it was acting more as such instrument presets by various tags better solutions that make more of the VIP
Akai’s plug-in control solution, a kind of including instrument, timbre and style, and experience, most notably Akai’s own
shell around your collection of plug-in also choose effects by type, subtype and MPK88, that comes with all of the physical
instruments and effects, enabling you to more. There are other features including controllers and screen that makes VIP such
access and control them by way of the chord progression and key options, and a wonderful ‘software feels like hardware’
Akai hardware. The thinking is that your you can also create stacks of instruments solution. What you do get with the Road,
however, is that flexibility afforded by the
extra outs on the interface and a better
Of the keyboards I’ve tested, I’ve playing experience – especially for the
cash outlay. The Road 88 is definitely built
not enjoyed this kind of quality for for life on the road too. Just make sure you
have strong arms and this will serve you well
less than four figures before now in any performing situation.
hardware can then easily take over control and effects in multis and also construct live
of the most important features of the set lists for gigging – particularly useful with MT V ER D I CT 8/10
software, making the whole control a keyboard like MPK Road 88. VIP handles
experience more fluid. these processes with ease and the software
Now at v3.1, the software (sold for $99 and hardware do go well together. You + Fantastic action on the keyboard
separately) is a free download once you can’t help but think that you’re missing out – you won’t get much better than
register your MPK Road 88, and a 5.76GB on the software control side of VIP, though, this at this price
one at that (expanding to an 8.4GB install). simply because this latest MPK comes with + Very well built and sturdy
That’s quite a size, notably because the none of the hardware control – hence the + Simple operation
software comes with a bundle of extras, alternative argument below… from Akai! + Great carry case built in
some full, some not. The Creative FX + VIP software for sound management
Collection Plus is an optional extra although CONCLUSION
you do get the DB-33 organ (a rotary organ Perhaps obviously then, MPK Road 88 is all – You can’t explore its control side
with 120 presets), Velvet (five electric about the playing experience afforded by – Keyboard/case combo is very heavy
pianos in one) and Mini Grand (with seven that keyboard. For a full-weighted,
different piano models). These retail for hammer-action keyboard of this quality, With a stripped-back feel, this is
around $50 a pop and are pretty good; you’d normally expect to pay a lot more, all about the playing experience,
the Mini Grand has some fantastically of that there is no doubt. Of the keyboards but some will wish for the hands-on
mellow tones while Velvet’s electrics can I’ve tested, I’ve certainly not enjoyed this extra controls. Great value, though.
be everything from swirling and jazzy to kind of quality for less than four figures
off-the-wall and effected. before now. If you are a player, then, MPK
Alternatives
AKAI edges it, feel-wise. NATIVE
MPK88 £438 However, the MPK88 INSTRUMENTS
This also comes with a wins out on controls and Komplete Kontrol
fully-weighted 88-note sliders, so you can enjoy S88 £799 updated with and is probably
hammer-action that VIP software I looked at the Mk1 better screens. It the best players’
keyboard, although the experience more. versionof this a while too has a hammer- KK experience.
Road 88’s possibly akaipro.com back, but it’s been action keyboard native-instruments.com

R E V I E W V S L V I EN N A EN S EM B L E P R O 7
VSL
Vienna
Ensemble Pro 7 £172
The latest incarnation of the popular hosting package from VSL includes
some incredibly useful updates, along with a healthy dose of sample content
WORDS DAVE GALE
V

ienna Symphonic Library – which is Key features YOUR HOST FOR THIS EVENING
affectionately known by the acronym O Cross-platform MIDI In essence, Vienna Ensemble Pro 7 is a host
VSL – deserves a great deal of kudos and audio LAN solution package for plug-ins, but is a beast with many
for numerous innovations through the O Purpose-designed host heads. Firstly, it can be used alongside a DAW on
years. The Symphonic Cube, released back in package for AU/VST (Mac) the same machine. Many might question why
2002, was one of the first packages to truly and VST (PC) plug-ins there is a need to do this and this really depends
acknowledge the coming of age of orchestral O Can be hosted on a single on how you use your system and how often you
samples, with a sample count that ran into the machine or across a network, might switch songs or projects. No surprise, then,
millions. It was huge and for the most part, with multiple computers that media composers enjoy the ability to load
actually lived up to the hype of offering O Will host most AU/VST up a sizeable template, which might include
an orchestra in a box, ripe for installation plug-ins, to aid workflow everything from a symphony orchestra to a bank
on your computer. O Onboard effects included, of soft synths and more, while their composition-
As many of us can recall, it was difficult to run with full surround support based DAW might talk to it. The samples only
that many samples on a single computer in 2002. up to 7.1 have to load once, speeding up access to cues
I tried somewhat successfully to use EXS24 in Logic O Includes Epic Orchestra 2.0 as the loading cycle is significantly shortened.
for this purpose, which quickly became the poor sample suite (73GB) Taking this logical concept further, VEP7 can
cousin to the Hollywood industry standard of the O Requires Mac OS X 10.10+ be hosted on a second computer, taking the
or Windows 7/8/10
GigaSampler package, developed by Tascam. strain of the plug-ins away from the DAW-based
It was not uncommon to see professionals O Authorisation through computer, and again offering considerable
eLicenser Control Center
with up to eight PCs (it was a PC-only package!) benefits for workflow.
software (Vienna Key,
being deployed to host those millions of samples, Steinberg key, etc) This is only part of the story, though; if you
but in 2008, the GigaSampler package was have a desire for some fairly decent orchestral
CONTACT
discontinued, and this is where Vienna Ensemble sounds on a budget, VSL has kindly bundled in
vsl.co.at
stepped firmly into the breach. the Epic Orchestra 2.0 sample suite, which will
give you some pretty good and very workable
orchestral sounds, including a stripped-down
Appassionata Strings, and some very decent
woodwind, brass and percussion, too.
VEP7 will also operate in a standalone mode,
so if you have need to play live and want to use
an AU/VST based plug-in which is not available
in a standalone mode, VEP7 will happily oblige,
offering a useful and simple method of allowing
access to your chosen instrument, without the
need to launch a DAW.
Regrettably, it’s important to point out that
VEP7 will not be able to exploit DAW-specific
plug-ins, so if you have a favourite from within the
inner sanctum of your chosen package, VEP7 will
not see it, but any included AU or VST plug-ins,
which may install with your DAW, should be seen.
PATCH AWAY
I’m one of those composers who has a template
or five, which exist in something of a state of flux,
as things get added, replaced or ejected on a

V S L V I EN N A EN S EM B L E P R O 7 R E V I E W
regular basis. I also enjoy the ability of

starting afresh, without pre-constructed
templates, so the flexibility of VEP7 is a DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
truly appealing prospect. There are really two DAW-based
Loading up VEP7 for the first time main reasons for templates can take
and the immediate call of duty is to start considering VEP7; up huge chunks of
building up a construct. Helpfully, this can the first is purely to memory, or even
do with workflow. exceed a host
be done in layers, so it’s possible to have
If you find yourself machine’s capability.
multiple libraries running in harmony. VSL’s loading multiple Taking the RAM and
included samples operate from within their projects in a working CPU strain away from
own Synchron Player plug-in, while many day, there is no doubt a host DAW could
other sample-based packages rely heavily that VEP7 could make the whole user
on Native Instruments’ Kontakt. Building a save plenty of experience far less
time, without the painful, especially on
page for each within VEP7 is not terribly
drumming of fingers larger songs or cues,
difficult, but it can be considered a little as the samples load whether you choose
time consuming. This takes nothing away in succession. The to employ a second
from VEP7; building any template is a second reason is machine or not.
time-consuming business and, as hinted more to do with RAM Either way, VEP7 is
earlier, it’s quite likely you’ll go back and and CPU loading; very competitively
some software priced, and with
tweak it as you desire further inclusions. does not allow for the included Epic
While I chose to run VEP7 on a solitary the offloading of Orchestra 2.0 suite
MacBook pro, it is simply a case of going samples from RAM, is excellent value
to my DAW (in this case Logic Pro) and meaning that large for money.
plugging in the VEP7 plug-in, to get Logic
to talk to my newly constructed template,
and once there, a little bit of noodling
with MIDI-channel settings is required, offload samples, to reclaim RAM if you’re the pack of the current crop of entry-level
then all was well. You would be forgiven not using a whole template. So users can orchestral packages. It’s almost worth the
for thinking that there might be greater lag create a vast template, with the ability to purchase price for this alone, while the
in proceedings, but there’s not so much – load or disable at will, while in play. Synchron player is beautifully constructed
and reliable. VEP7’s compatibility extends
to just about all plug-ins currently available,
There are many tricks up the VE7’s and as such, this could prove to be a truly
indispensable piece of software, at a very
sleeve, with a large number of fair price point.
useful inclusions and updates

playback is swift, reliable and responsive, There have also been significant
MT V ER D I CT 9/10
while all MIDI CCs play very nicely, too. enhancements within the area of DAW-
The option of buying a second based automation, with a far better user
+ Ability to layer instrumental
computer to take the strain away from experience which now offers naming of sections is intuitive and helpful
the main DAW-centric machine is very automation parameters, rather than just
+ Very CPU efficient, with invaluable
tempting, with connection being made numbers, as seen in the previous version. offloading of samples
only via Ethernet, without the requirement This is a sizeable upgrade on the
+ Included Epic Orchestra 2.0 is perfect
for additional interfaces or DAW licences. previous Vienna Ensemble package, which for entry-level use and beyond
In this scenario, a bump up in RAM would offers a better user experience in many
doubtless be worthwhile, to cope with the areas, covering basics such as colouring – Setting up templates can be
sample usage demand of a large template of channels, through to considerable a little time consuming
on the VEP7 host machine. streamlining of the CPU loading. Once it’s – Reliance on
set up, it is very effective in use and could dongle-based authorisation
OH VIENNA easily become a highly prized workhorse
for anyone who enjoys working with a
Vienna Ensemble Pro has become
Regardless, there are many tricks up the
an industry standard for many
VE7’s sleeve, with a large number of useful larger template or canvas. Whether you
professionals, with this update
inclusions and updates. Alongside new require a second computer (or more) is
to V.7 being a considerable
simplistic duties, such as the ability to copy dependent on how big you want to go, but
enhancement in a number of areas,
and paste channel strips, it’s now possible there will inevitably be a degree of setup. both visually and under the hood.
to load templates without booting samples The included Epic Orchestra is a really
into RAM immediately, with the option to great addition: it’s firmly toward the top of
Alternatives
APPLE third-party instrument TONE 2 Windows-
MainStage 3 and effects plug-ins. NanoHost £Free based
£28.99 Integration with Another host package, machines.
MainStage 3 is aimed hardware controllers is extensively designed Being free,
squarely at live usage, extensive, although only to simply allow the it offers
allowing the import and available for macOS. loading of VST plenty for nothing, but usage and deployment.
use of Apple-based and apple.com plug-ins for playback on it is aimed at simple tone2.com

REVIEW BIT WIG STUDIO 3
BITWIG
Studio 3 £256
Bitwig goes modular with V3 (beta) and introduces a brand-new system

designed to build your own synths and effects. Let’s explore The Grid…
WORDS DAN JEFFRIES
B

itwig’s increasing stature in the DAW Key features Oscillator block (Pulse) and an Envelope block,
world has enabled the now well- O Fully-modular sound design connected to an Audio Out block – pretty much
established company to push the the fundamentals of sound creation. From here,
O 140-plus modules
envelope further into new frontiers of you can start to tinker with the oscillator,
O Any signal, anywhere
experimentation. With The Grid, it has developed changing its pulse width and sync. Changing the
a new feature in its DAW software that bridges O Redesigned workflow frequency and octave settings is quick and easy.
the physical and software worlds… O 4x oversampled, In the screen’s top-left corner is a palette of 16
Currently in beta testing, The Grid is a sonic stereo signal path block types. And everything is covered: from filter
playground where you can build your own synth O Controls modular to level, pitch to LFO, delay to envelopes and
modules from scratch or create intricate effects hardware equipment more abstract tools such as Math and Logic that
plug-ins to accompany existing sounds, such as CONTACT cater for random functions and workflow. And to
audio files and VSTs. It’s designed to be as simple bitwig.com add a module, you simply drag it into The Grid
as possible and to remove the fear and (or you can right-click on the work surface and
trepidation that a patch bay with dozens of create there, too). If you place it in an empty
cables can evoke. Bitwig Studio 3 aims to simplify space, you get a module with no connections.
this process, yet provide full control for those who But if you place it over one of the arrows (which
want to push the envelope. represents a cable) it will automatically insert itself
Getting started is incredibly simple. I head to into the chain. Nice touch.
the Device Browser, find The Grid menu and To replace an existing block, you simply drag
double-click on Poly Grid. This inserts The Grid as and drop on top of it, or use your right mouse
an instrument. Each instance of the Poly Grid has button. A useful consideration is that – when
three key settings: Pitch, Glide and Out. There are replacing, for example, the oscillator type from
also the usual Note FX and FX slots, too, so you pulse to sine – the key settings are not lost, so your
can work with existing plug-ins. frequency (pitch) or octave remains intact.
Once loaded, you’re presented with a From that point on, you’re free to start adding
work surface for building your synth. Bitwig blocks and enjoy the results. In building my first
very kindly gives you a simple setup, too, so you synth, I am intrigued by the Swarm oscillator; it’s
can immediately make some noise. There’s an a beast of a sound and any drum ’n’ bass heads
looking for a whopping, powerful Reese-type
lead need look no further. I then start to play with
the Glide amount and soon I have a wonderfully
dirty low-end synth that glides beautifully from
one octave to the next.
MODULAR HEAVEN
The joy of modular is there’s no right or wrong.
And the setup of Bitwig’s Grid gives you the
freedom to play and experiment and see what
the results are. To help with this, The Grid provides
colour coding of cables, so you can have some
idea of what should plug in where. Red cables
provide audio routing, yellow are for gating/
retriggering, purple for phasing, orange is pitch
control and blue is for signal out. And you can
route from one output multiple times, so an
LFO’s output could go to multiple input sources.

BIT WIG STUDIO 3 REVIEW
If you get stuck at any point, you can

quickly refer to the extensive help on offer.
Highlight a block, click the Show Help DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
button and you’re presented with a In a word: yes. beginners but
window explaining the various parameters. If you’ve got the will stretch the
What makes this so impressive is that – slightest interest imagination of even
while viewing the help – the block remains in generating the most ardent CV
your own sounds fan. Incredibly, this
active, so you can read what each
or manipulating update is free for
parameter means and tweak it at the existing ones, existing Bitwig 2
same time. If you’re not a modular wizard, Bitwig Studio 3 owners, and one gets
some of the blocks may prove daunting offers you a sonic the sense that this is
and the help windows are invaluable. playground that's only the beginning.
To build up my synth patch, I add two hard to beat. It’s And with the option
incredibly easy to to use The Grid as
more oscillators and fed them into a mixer
use, yet it’s incredibly a plug-in for existing
block, allowing me to adjust and blend the complex, too; that’s audio and VST
levels. I want to explore the Data blocks the beauty of this instruments, Bitwig
and so I add Steps and Probability. Steps update. The Grid has delivered what
does as it suggests: it provides a step brings modular could be argued as
pattern which can also be bi-polar, synthesis onto your the most fun, creative
screen in a way and powerful DAW
meaning it can play both up and down that’s appealing to on the market today.
(anyone familiar with Reason’s Matrix
sequencer will know how this works).
I wire it up to the cutoff modulation
amount on the filter and I suddenly have to parameters that may not have a data and waveforms to LFO shapes and
a fab stepped filter sequencer. Changing dedicated CV input. Gate input from the device. If you’d like
the step amount to 11 gives a polyrhythmic to change your cable colours, you can.
pattern that provides additional movement TOTAL CREATIVE FREEDOM You can zoom in and out, if your modular
and intricacy. The Probability block is set The Grid doesn’t just handle oscillators, setup is becoming a beast.
to control the pitch of the Swarm oscillator, either. One feature I find particularly Within half an hour, I have two filthy
and moving the dedicated keyboard knob creative is the possibility to modulate audio synth textures and a percussion pattern
that has a life of its own. Bitwig Studio 3
was showing itself to be an invaluable
The joy of modular is there’s no and immersive creative tool and
one that brought a sense of joy to
right or wrong. The Bitwig’s Grid the creative process that I hadn’t
experienced for some time.
gives you the freedom to play

now adds a random factor to the pitch. samples and even hardware inputs, too. MT V ER D I CT 10/10
Each step in the Probability block To test this, I take a simple percussion loop,
represents a percentage amount of add the Trigger module before it (so my
probability, so you’re really in control MIDI keyboard would play the sample) and + Inspirational work surface to create
as to how wild you want to get. start to experiment with the Textures play your own sounds and effects
The next step is to add in some Filter and mode, Grain settings and Motion, as well + Immediate and long-lasting appeal
so I drag in the SVF block and place it over as loop length and position. I then add to beginners and experienced users
the little red arrow. In essence, this is your the SFV filter, some Mod Delay, Wavefolder + Amazing sound quality
virtual cable, and slotting it in here (so nice!) and a bit of stereo width (all + 140+ blocks to play with
automatically adds it to the module chain. signals are in stereo) and the end result is + Free upgrade
Of course, you have total freedom in how a glorious melee of random percussion hits
you route your blocks together, and so I and delays. Add a touch of reverb and – Can be heavy on the CPU
add an LFO module to see what it can do. you’re in sound-design heaven. (but this is in beta)
I then click on the LFO mapping icon (a There are over 140-plus modules
Bitwig has broken new boundaries
function that’s been around in Bitwig since available, whatever your modular needs,
with an awe-inspiring release that
the early versions), turn my filter knob and they are covered. Yet it’s the additional
will whet the appetite of modular
– boom! – the LFO starts to work its magic. details that make working the The Grid
fans and sound designers alike
I am able to easily adjust the rate (in kHz so intuitive and easy to use. while embracing those new
or time) and choose the LFO shape that For example, in the panel on the to the modular world.
works best. Having this LFO feature is a left-hand side, you see a wealth of activity
fantastic way of adding further modulation and information, from signal in and out
Alternatives
ABLETON Ableton Live PROPELLERHEAD managing and
Max For Live extension. It’s an Reason 10 manipulating
Free with Ableton incredibly powerful £229 CV and audio
Suite 10/£129 tool to create Create intricate routing. the
Build your own modular synths, effects and daunting for new users. combinations of background
synths and effects with control hardware ableton.com/en/live/ instruments, samplers, wiring is great, too.
the Max For Live for equipment. Potentially max-for-live effects and mixers while propellerheads.com

REVIEW ARTURIA V COLLECTION 7
ARTURIA
V Collection 7 £439
With so much interest in Arturia’s hardware releases, its soft-synth lineup might
get a little buried, so we dig up the latest classics from the new collection…
WORDS DAVE GALE
Key features
I
’m going back a few years now, but my mono-monsters that have come to market, many
very first glimpse of Arturia was through the O Huge collection might overlook this slightly humber soft-synth,
software incarnation of the Minimoog. This of virtual instruments but you do so at your peril. It continues to pack
was one of the first in a new breed of soft O Synths, pianos the mightiest of punches, with a substantial depth
synths modelled on analogue classics, but at a and loads more to its sonic makeup that will have the room
fraction of the price of the hardware. O Each instrument modelled shaking in seconds. With similar credentials, the
Many years later, soft synths and emulations on a vintage classic Moog Modular, which is also in its v3 incarnation,
are very much the norm. Yet with V Collection 7, O Over 8,000 presets available is laden with oscillators, sequencers and more,
Arturia presents an impressively large package O Plug-in and all strung together by virtual patch cables.
filled with tempting morsels – it’s a compendium standalone formats The accuracy of sound is largely down to
that continues to draw inspiration from some O VST 2.4/VST 3, AAX, AU Arturia’s True Analog Emulation (TAE) modelling
interesting old-school tech. technology, which for my money has always
O NKS compliant for
This latest anthology of 24 instruments is drawn most of the plug-ins provided the essence of analogue in a software
from the extensive library of Arturia’s instrument construct. Wherever you delve in the collection,
O Requires Windows 7+
set, with the inclusion of some of the more recent or macOS 10.11+ a weighty palette awaits, with another particular
titles that have been developed. But before favourite from the old batch being the software
CONTACT
we come up to date, it’s important to give a emulation of the Yamaha CS-80, now also given
arturia.com
name-check to some of the older products, the v3 brush-up. The latest version feels easier to
many of which continue to box way above their work with, while the details are clearer to see,
sonic weight. partly due to the increased image sizing.
The aforementioned Minimoog is now in its v3 And so the list of classics continues, with
release and continues to be a superb-sounding the Jupiter-8V, Oberheim SEM and even the
software recreation of the real thing. My guess Solina String machine. The list isn’t purely about
would be that with the recent hardware synthesisers, thanks to the presence of both

ARTURIA V COLLECTION 7 REVIEW
Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos,

as well as the Piano V2, which includes
12 different piano models. DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
As soft synths go, next. Even without
VINTAGE SAMPLING Arturia’s instruments Arturia hardware,
It’s perhaps quite fitting that one of the offer some of the the MIDI CC mapping
new inclusions to this package is the best solutions out is fairly logical and
there. They are very will implement well
Mellotron V, often regarded as the first
good sonically, offer with other third-party
true sampler, but firmly in analogue form – plenty of options for controllers, but
thanks to the use of analogue tape – sound creation and the KeyLab series
and the hefty playback mechanism. in the context of the is designed to fit
Loaded with the most famous of Mellotron V Collection, are the software like a
sounds, such as the flutes from The Beatles’ simply ridiculous glove. If you already
value for money, have a DAW and
pioneering Strawberry Fields Forever, Arturia representing a are in need of
has cannily added the ability to crossfade really cost-effective some fresh
from one sound to another via the use of investment. If you third-party sounds,
the mod wheel. also own an Arturia the V Collection
This allows for a beautiful level of KeyLab controller should be very high
keyboard, you’ll find on your list of
performance control, which may also be
the mapping is pretty possible expansions
edited to suit the player’s needs. Further seamless, although and with so much
still, there are plenty of elements open to this does vary from variety, it will be a
addition or control of sound, such as the one instrument to the huge sonic upgrade.
fluttering of the tape or the sound of the
tape mechanism, which can be increased
in volume to further emphasise the
analogue credentials of the original. green stylings of the Fairlight CMI and within This is a fair point with all of the included
Thanks to the three-part layering, it’s seconds of loading, you’ll be transported instruments; regardless of the age of the
pretty easy to create those classic string back to the 80s, while reproducing much of piece of equipment which Arturia has
cloned in software, they all have both a
classic and contemporary spin. Clearly,
The accuracy of sound is largely what is fashionable now might also have
been before and have simply come
down to Arturia’s True Analog around again. Anyway, there’s a healthy

contingent of effects, all placed at the
Emulation (TAE) modelling instrument level – you’ll find everything from

reverb, delay and modulation effects to
full-blown sequencing options, although
and choir sounds, either through layering, the Art Of Noise back catalogue, with a how useful the latter might prove is purely
or zoning of timbre across the keyboard, smattering of Owner Of A Lonely Heart. down to their placement or usage; they’re
allowing for the ability to – ironically There is no doubt that these sounds, possibly not so useful for DAW users, but in a
enough – create a more realistic sound, while deserving of classic status, do sound live setting, these could easily be triggered
at least for a Mellotron. pretty dated now, especially as you to create specific riffs within songs.
While not one of the newer inclusions, can hear the glitching of the shortened
this is a perfect time to mention another sample-loop points, but you would surely ON THE RUN
classic sampler, which is also represented miss them from the patch list, should they Further new additions to this already
in this collection. The CMI V brings us the not be represented. comprehensive suite include the Synthi V,

REVIEW ARTURIA V COLLECTION 7
which is based on the EMS Synthi AKS. The timbre, the CZ can sound sharp and harsh,
original, portable machine was a particular with moments of contemporary tone that MT V ER D I CT 9/10
favourite with Jean-Michel Jarre and Pink wouldn’t sound out of place in today’s
Floyd, with the default patch offering a pure-pop production.
sense of the latter, being aptly titled ‘On + Very expansive and usable collection
The Run’ – clearly referring to the cut from THE FINAL RECOLLECTION + The synth-based instruments
The Dark Side Of The Moon. Unlike the Whichever way you decide to spin this are truly realistic
original hardware, the Synthi V can operate new collection, it is a very extensive set + Incredible sonic diversity,
with up to four-note polyphony, with further of instruments which caters for everything for both vintage and
polyphony being available to all the other from full-on funk, to out-there electronica. contemporary musical styles
mono synths in the package. My only misgiving being that with so many + Pretty outstanding value for money
The Synthi sounds unbelievably rich, different instruments, it can be very difficult
shored up nicely with those included FX, to see the wood for the trees. – Some of the non-synth instruments
with plenty of immediate control and This is possibly where the Analog Factory feel a tad lacklustre
diversity in sound, thanks to the modulation v4 instrument might come in very handy, – With so much in a single package,
patch grid in the centre of the panel. as it offers many of the flavours of the main it can feel overwhelming
While an original Synthi commands the instruments, but in a convenient one-stop
This is a very effective and
highest of prices, the Arturia CZ V is based shop, with all the main editing elements
complementary package of
on the ever-affordable Casio CZ-101, a right at your fingertips.
instruments, which offers plenty
gnarly phase-distortion synth with a unique However, this is undoubtedly a very of scope for sound creation, or even
signature and FM-like quality, which was enticing package, which is full to the brim just a nod to so many of the classics.
highly favoured by the likes of Vince Clarke. with classic and contemporary sounds,
In contrast to some of the softer analogue while being incredible value for money.
Alternatives
UVI Workstation plug-in, SPECTRASONICS the classics, plus
Vintage Vault 2 UVI offers amazing Omnisphere 2.6 a comprehensive
£530 sonic detail, with a £339 collection of filters,
Whether purchased to fine-sounding suite Omnisphere isn’t which also reflect
run in the powerful based on many of a vintage soft-synth these machines.
Falcon soft synth, or the same classics. clone, but has a wealth A real powerhouse.
within the free uvi.net of content derived from spectrasonics.net

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R E V I E W N AT I V E I N S T R U M EN T S S U P ER 8
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS
Super 8 £59
Super 8 is Native Instruments’ first poly synth since the now-legendary Pro-53.
With its easy workflow and great sound, could it be a classic in the making?
WORDS ANDY JONES
O

ne of Native Instruments’ first-ever Key features each of which generates up to four waveforms
synths was the Pro-Five, a software O Plug-in synth (runs in free at the same time. The levels of the first three –
take on the classic Prophet-5. Pro-Five Reaktor Player or latest sine, sawtooth and square – can be adjusted by
eventually became Pro-53 in 2002 version of Reaktor) moving the first three faders up and down within
which pretty much became a classic soft synth in O Eight-voice polyphony each oscillator panel. There’s a fourth slider for
its own right (yes, we’re all old enough and far O 51MB download bringing in a square-wave sub-oscillator or white
enough into the history of synths for software noise (switch between the two with a button
O 350 presets over Bass,
synths to start having a ‘classic’ status), but Leads, Keys, Instruments, to the right). Each of the waveform shapes can
the synth was eventually discontinued a mere Pads, Soundscapes, be skewed with dials beneath the faders which
decade ago. Super 8 is Native Instruments’ first Drums, FX preset categories also bring in shape modulation from LFO Mod1,
poly-synth release since Pro-53 – which seems O Patches inspired by 2 or the filter envelope (selectable from a
hard to believe – and while it offers lots of the legendary synths from drop-down menu).
sound and feel of synths gone by (notably Roland, Sequential Circuits, Super 8 features Frequency Modulation
Sequential and Roland), it’s very much its own and others brought in by adjusting the FM control (the main
beast, with a very distinctive design and a O Unison mode can stack dial in the middle). This means the output of
no-nonsense approach to programming. up to eight voices at a time Oscillator 2 acts acts as a source to modulate
CONTACT the frequency of Oscillator 1 – useful for more
SUPER INTERFACE native-instruments.com metallic edginess.
We love a good interface here at MusicTech, The oscillator section also features pitch and
especially those that do it all in one go, without fine-tuning, a sync option and the ability to put
the need for expansive tabs and deep menus, Oscillator 2 into a Frequency Tuning mode, and
and that’s what we have here with Super 8. You all of these combine to allow some pretty
get two identical oscillators at Super 8’s core, dramatic synthesis out of the block. In fact, it’s
surprising just how much flexibility and hands-on
sonic tweakability this section can produce
straight away, especially when you start messing
with and combining both oscillators – and we
haven’t really got too far into the detailed
architecture of the synth yet.
The Super 8 filter has three modes – Low-pass,
Band-pass, or High-pass – and its main filter and
resonance options are again sliders rather than
knobs, so that seems to be Super 8’s design
‘thing’. Again, there are a decent number of
modulation options. The FM Osc 3 controls the
output of Oscillator 2, this time modulating the
filter frequency while the Filter Modulator allows
said filter to be modulated by either Mod Source
1 or 2; and Filter Envelope determines how the
filter is affected by the envelope characteristics.
There are also a couple of extras here for
more sonic flexibility. The Key Tracking Chromatic
button gives you more control over the filter
frequency so that it follows the notes played,
while Key Tracking itself enables those notes to
actually change the character of the filter,

N AT I V E I N S T R U M EN T S S U P ER 8 R E V I E W
depending on the mode it is set up in.

So in Low-pass mode, Key Tracking gives
a slightly more harmonic nature to higher DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
notes. Lastly on the extras, the Character Super 8 will probably is bring in easy
dial adds some extra drive to the signal for not be an absolute tweaking and quality
a bit more character. must, especially in a synthesis in a great
The Filter and Amp envelope sections plug-in world simply looking, modern and
brimming with synths neat package for not
are pretty standard – although with sliders,
of all flavours and too very money at all
of course – adding their harmonic and shapes. It’s likely you – very much a poly
loudness characteristics over time. might even have synth for here and
something like it now, and pretty good
MORE MOD SQUADS already. What it does with it.
The final three sections are really all about
Super 8 flexing those modulation arm
muscles, but actually by now I’m thinking
that, as well as the sliders, Super 8’s raison flanger and delay while the second adds get in a very short space of time. It’s a
d’etre is all about adding sonic extras but reverb and can give you some fantastic simple-looking synth with some modern
without actually showing off too much atmosphere, particularly dialling in the sensibilities – elegant, even – but every
about it. Galactic level. control has fought for its place on the UI
In short, the synth looks pretty and contributes greatness. It’s also a pretty
uncomplicated, but can do a lot just SUPER SOUNDS? good learning tool as well.
by tweaking a couple of those sliders. With Just as Super 8 is really a retro synth with Some synths can be confusing – with lots
the Pitch Modulation section, for example, a modern twist, so its sounds tread across of stuff hidden away under tabs or within
you get just four controls, but you can both analogue classics and contemporary deeper menus – but I can’t help thinking
select between LFO and envelope as presets for more modern productions. So that if you’re new to the subject, then
your source, adjust Speed/Delay of you get plenty of deep basses, squelchy spending an hour with Super 8 and the
Attack/Decay parameters (depending leads and subs and a lot of modulation manual could pay synth dividends. It’s also
on that source) adjust intensity and link movement for dubstep and bassier types of capable of creating some huge, thick and
the two together if you wish. Loads of music. In fact, it does tend to pander to characterful sounds (especially with Unison
options from apparently few available! these genres a little too much and I’d have dialled in) and many more that have
wobble appeal for producers within bang
up to date genres.
In short, the synth looks pretty The bottom line? This delivers both
classic and new sounds in an easy-to-
uncomplicated, but can do understand way and with a lot of options
to create and edit, so you really can’t
a lot just by tweaking those sliders ask for more – especially at this price.
As we have seen, the two identical liked to see the Unison mode explored
modulation blocks can be applied to further for some almightily large sounds – MT V ER D I CT 8/10
both oscillator (waveform shape) and when Super 8 does these, it really does
filter parameters. Within the Mod Routing them well.
section below, they can also be set You do get a huge amount of great + Very easy to use
as a source to modulate many other tearing leads and basses and a lot of + But with a lot more depth
parameters and clicking a Destination dynamics according to velocity or other than you initially think
reveals all those available. Other modulations, so there is a wide variety of + Elegant UI
modulations can be easily set up here, too. sounds on offer. There is perhaps slightly less + Very good, rich presets
Simply click the ‘Click to select’ option in in terms of atmosphere and ambience and
the Mod Routing block, and assign a more for in-your-face dance heads. Still, I
+ Pretty cheap
parameter. Then click the source options guess the beauty here is that you can quite
+ Good presets for big dance genres…
(including Velocity, MOD 1, Envelopes etc). easily create any other sounds yourself, – …although perhaps too many
You are seconds away from assigning, for either by gently modifying existing presets
example, your mod wheel to control filter
– Synth doesn’t really do anything new
or quite simply creating them from scratch
frequency or other multiple modulations, – it really is that easy. Super 8 is a new spin on the poly
and there really are a lot of sonic options synth in many ways and has a very
to be had here. CONCLUSION nice UI that will have you tweaking
Last but not least, at the very bottom of What I like about Super 8 – and what I and creating sounds in no time.
the UI, you get a decent effects block or believe you will like, too – is the surprising
two. The first is a choice between chorus, amount of dramatic sonic action you can
Alternatives
BRAINWORX features – the most ARTURIA vintage sounds – and
bx_oberhausen notable being the dual AnalogLab £87 lots of them (6,500 all
$179 oscillators and FM Another synth I reviewed told) – this is probably
Bx-oberhausen is the synthesis. It costs that relatively recently – and the best way into
most recent synth I’ve bit more, but has more of a similar price – is Arturia’s rich recreation
reviewed that shares polyphony and sounds. this kind of ‘best of’ of classic synths.
some of Super 8’s brainworx.audio from Arturia. If you want arturia.com

R E V I E W AU D I A I R E N U X X
AUDIAIRE
Nuxx £49
Can Audiaire’s latest plug-in take effect-parameter modulation

to a whole new level? Let’s get in lane to find out…
WORDS ALEX HOLMES
N

ew software company Audiaire carved Key features shapes), decimator, compressor, ring mod,
a place for itself in the market with its O Multi-FX plug-in with barber pole, stereo width and a great-sounding
first synth release, Zone, which featured 30 effects (6 at once) pitch-shifter. You don’t get masses of control, with
rich-sounding oscillators and a O 6 macro dials a maximum of three parameters per effect, but
powerful parameter sequencer. For its second it’s enough to shape the sound without making
O 32-step sequencer
release, Audiaire is doubling down on the with 9 lanes the plug-in unnecessarily complicated. To set up
parameter-lane modulation, with a multi-effects your own effects and macros, you need to go to
O Independent lane
processor featuring 30 different effects, six speeds and lengths the Options page, choose the effect to fill one of
programmable macros and an ultra-flexible the six slots, then click on the unnamed dials to
O Probability, swing
pattern sequencer. Depending on what you and DAW sync show what they do.
want to achieve, Nuxx can either be used as a It’s a shame the parameter text isn’t updated
O 187 presets and
simple six-knob effect unit with the sequencer randomisation once an effect is chosen, as this would make it
hidden, or as a complex motion machine O Cutting-edge DSP by easier and more enjoyable to program. This
capable of creating sounds ranging from subtle Sinevibes and Moditone becomes especially frustrating if you attempt to
shimmering chorus to intense, glitch destruction. CONTACT assign the macros from the main page, as
right-clicking or Ctrl-clicking on the dial to attach
audiaire.com
MASS EFFECT a parameter just brings up a drop-down list that
The effects themselves are the most important says generic things such as Effect 3, Ctrl 2. Luckily,
part and we’re happy to say they sound there’s an alternative way to set up the macros
fantastic. The DSP has been provided by that involves clicking and dragging on the
Sinevibes and Moditone and includes a long list relevant parameter in the Options page, which
of different filters, delays, reverbs and phasers, then jumps to the main page where you can
plus flanger, chorus, distortion (with several deposit it on your chosen dial. You can attach
up to 10 parameters to each dial, which can
then be named something meaningful, with
the text appearing on the Sequencer page.
STEP IT UP
Speaking of which, the unique selling point of
Nuxx is the 32-step sequencer, which can be
synced to the host or run freely and has swing
percentage and probability controls to add
some random variation. There are lanes for the
in volume, out volume and mix amounts, plus six
lanes for the macros, and each can have its own
independent step length and lane speed. This
means you can build up detailed modulations
that take a long time to loop back to the
beginning and can add a more organic,
evolving feel to the audio.
To help speed things up, there are a large
number of preset lane and sequencer patterns,
including arps, scales and lane randomisation,
along with a global randomisation button for
instant madness, which can take you from zero
to glitch hero in seconds – or will result in a weird

AU D I A I R E N U X X R E V I E W
mess, but that’s part of the fun. Other

controls let you shift the pattern around,
mute specific steps and bypass, lock or DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
zoom the lane, which all adds up to a Nuxx can create tight live. Nuxx excels at subtle, organic- program parameters
flexible system for processing and mangling glitches and patterns, programmed effects sounding variations, on specific hits could
your sounds. The sequencer GUI is clear but there are other modulations, but it’s easy to create also save you time
and easy to use as long as you bump the plug-ins that are lacks the immediacy plenty of movement writing painstaking
easier to program of other plug-ins. and manipulate automation, as you
plug-in size up a little using the Size amount,
and have more But if you’re into the lanes for can notch out or
which can take it from 50 per cent up to performance controls the idea of random shifting patterns. effect a specific
200 per cent. Our only request would be for varied glitches generators and The ability to hit in a pattern.
some sort of smoothing control for both
sharp and smooth parameter changes.
GET WITH THE PROGRAM

There are plenty of presets included, which
range from basic effects with macros
to more complex patterns that use the
sequencer in interesting ways. Given the
broad nature of the processors on offer, it’s
no surprise certain presets will sound great
on some sounds and awful on others. When
trying some of the more complex pattern-
based presets, we find the best results
come from using fairly simple-sounding
audio. As an example, I preview a
scratch-vinyl preset on a bright bass
pattern and it doesn’t really work, but on a which uses super-subtle modulations of the clunky. However, once you spend a bit of
simple sine-wave loop, it sounds amazing. pitch-shifter, soft-clip distortion and low-pass time with it, the workflow becomes more
Finding presets that work with your material filter to create gentle fluctuations. Or the apparent and the possibilities open up.
can be a little hit and miss, but there’s Valve Channel preset for fattening mixes There are more extensive effect plug-ins
out there that offer different types of
control beyond just a sequencer. However,
The flexibility, varying pattern if step-sequencing effects is something
you want to explore further, then the
lengths and randomisation make flexibility, varying pattern lengths and
randomisation that Nuxx offers you make
Nuxx highly usable and creative it a highly usable and creative tool that
can be great fun into the bargain.
some superb programming tucked away that features two compressors, a bell-peak
and they’re a great way to get a better tuned to boost at 48kHz, stereo width,
understanding of what Nuxx is capable of. high shelf and soft-clip distortion.
MT V ER D I CT 8/10
A word of warning though, some of the Although the sound quality is good,
effects can get pretty crazy and introduce we’re not saying that Nuxx will instantly
volume spikes, especially if you get trigger replace your high-fidelity, UAD-modelled
+ Versatile processing
happy with the random controls, so you valve-based plug-in collection, but it’s + 30 great-sounding effects
may want to add a limiter in the chain to impressive that the tools can be combined + Can create organic fluctuations
save accidentally blasting your ears and in this way. You could also create bespoke + Random sequence function is fun!
speakers! It may have been useful if Nuxx pumping sidechain patterns, or mute or
included a built-in safety limiter. filter out a specific hit in a loop.
– Effect parameters not shown as text
Let’s talk about the effects you can get Plus, you can also do crazy things like – Varied effects can lead to
volume spikes
out of Nuxx. In many respects, the potential create an intense 16-bar build-up using
of the plug-in isn’t immediately obvious, increasing distortion and reverb, rising – No smoothing control
but the building blocks are there for a vast pitch-shifter and shifting delay times.
A varied and creative collection of
array of potential processing techniques. The only limitation is your imagination.
effects for manipulating your audio,
Aside from using the included filters, delays,
with a highly flexible sequencer
phasers and other effects and sequencing LAUNCH SEQUENCE capable of organic-sounding
a pattern with them, you can combine Although the presets are impressive, our movement and modulation.
various processes to create hybrid effects. initial experience programming the effects
One example is the Tape Saturation preset, and macros section of Nuxx feels a little
Alternatives
SUGAR BYTES varied glitches. It’s easy UNFILTERED AUDIO eight automatable
Looperator to program and you can Fault £80 modulator types, plus
£105 assign different presets Fault allows you to drag-and-drop patching.
Looperator is more to each MIDI key to manipulate pitch and There’s also mid-side
of a sample slicer trigger pre-programmed time in incredible ways processing, a built-in
with FX, which can be glitches live. using a modular soft clipper and more.
programmed to create sugar-bytes.de modulation system with plugin-alliance.com

R E V I E W OTO M AC H I N ES B O U M
OTO MACHINES
BOUM £449
Looking to add an extra touch of analogue warmth to your tracks, even when
performing in the live sphere? OTO Machines may have the perfect solution…
B

OUM, from France’s OTO Machines, is Key features Although the design is brutishly simple, the BOUM
a hardware compressor/saturator/filter O Combines compression, comes across as well built, more akin to a guitar
(or ‘analogue stereo warming unit’ as distortion and filtering pedal in durability terms and it looks better in the
described on the company’s website) in one box flesh than it does in photos.
that appears to have something to offer O Designed to ‘thicken’ and I begin by connecting the BOUM between
producers of all types. For hardware-based ‘warm’ your sound and more an Akai Pro Force and an RME UFX interface.
musicians, especially those playing live, a bunch O Sidechain compressor or There’s no on switch, so as soon as the mains are
of synths and groove boxes going through a gate via 3.5mm input jack connected, the LEDs should light up. The Active
mixer can sound more polished and punchy O MIDI DIN input for remote button toggles bypass: when it’s lit, you’re on. First
with some controlled compression dialled in. control via external devices thing to do is cycle through the 12 factory presets
Even the most diehard software-based O 36 user preset slots by pressing the Preset button, which lights an LED
musician can use some hardware glitz, whether available, 12 factory in the top row, then one of the lower buttons to
it’s adding something software doesn’t do so presets supplied choose a preset in the current bank of six.
well, or bringing the enjoyment of physical CONTACT As I am playing a stereo mix from the Force,
controls. So is the BOUM worth your time? otomachines.com I dial up preset 1 (‘Fatter Higher Stronger’) and
fiddle with the knobs until I get what I need: a
SHAKE THE ROOM noticeable (but-not-too-noticeable) boost and
The package includes the BOUM itself, a mains added warmth, which didn’t take long, as the
power supply, a printed manual and a couple layout is simple but effective.
of stickers. The BOUM’s metal housing measures I recommend using the Active button a lot,
145 x 145 x 65mm, with four rubber feet and a to keep perspective on what’s happening to the
ventilation port underneath (do not block this, mix. The Compressor knob scrolls through various
as it gets warm). The top of the unit has six large combinations of threshold, ratio and makeup –
knobs and eight buttons and a small display, a lot can be achieved with just that one – at the
which consists of two rows of white LEDs. The far left, it’s at 1:1 (off), in the middle, it’s limiting,
rear panel has more ventilation, connections for then as you go beyond, it enters ‘negative
mains-power input, MIDI in, left/right in/out on compression’ and anything above the threshold
four ¼-inch jacks and a ⅛-inch sidechain input. is reduced in volume, for a cool pumping sound.

OTO M AC H I N ES B O U M R E V I E W
There’s very little visual feedback from

the display, which can be a good thing,
because it forces you to use your ears, DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
though it will go as far as showing an For anybody working keeping your outputs
output level and gain reduction. with music hardware, under control at a gig
be it synths or – I wouldn’t play live
PLENTY OF HEADROOM samplers or drum without a device of
machines, a this kind on the
The Drive control boosts gain after the
final-stage master. As far as
compressor and Mix provides a mix processing device software goes, if
between the dry and wet signals. This equivalent to what performing with
is very important, especially when using you’d put on a master something like
more extreme settings. Hi-Cut brings in the channel in software Ableton Live, you
12dB/octave non-resonant high-cut filter, can be a great idea, might prefer to keep
especially for live everything in the
ranging from 20Hz to 20kHZ, and level sets
use. You get computer, but a bit
the level of the wet signal. If you set this to 0 compression and of hardware at the
and mix to full, there’s no output at all! another stage of end of the chain is
Other parameters are set by using the gain management very reassuring,
function keys in conjunction with the Data if nothing else, and it’s still true
knob, including those for input gain, both of which – hardware doesn’t
are invaluable for sound like software.
compressor attack and release, distortion,
input gain, gate, and the six dB/octave
Lo-Cut filter where, for example, you can
select off/75Hz/150Hz/300Hz. If you’re to use more extreme and edgy sounds, preset selection, sidechaining, compression
changing presets a lot, you could enable on individual drum and bass tracks, in and other parameters including Drive, Filter,
Local mode, which ignores the Mix value in particular. Of course, it’s tempting to and Mix – this device can be automated
the new preset, so it stays at whatever the overdo it, but that’s part of the fun. and active during the course of a mix or
current knob position is, a nice feature Four distortion modes are available performance. I look forward to trying the
especially for live use. – Boost/Tube/Fuzz/Square – and in BOUM at a live gig; I expect great results.
My only beef at this point is the colour conjunction with the filters and gate, Compressors in general, and ‘warming’
scheme – red text on dark green is not a there’s so much scope for producing products in particular, aren’t magic boxes.
But I can’t get a bad sound out of this and
the initially obscure button/LED workflow
I can’t get a bad sound out of it. becomes comfortable after just a few
minutes. I wouldn’t necessarily put the
For hardware, or hybrid hardware/ BOUM into a computer-only setup,
because I’d hope a few good plug-ins
software setups, it’s beautiful combined with a quality audio interface

would do the job. But for hardware,
or hybrid hardware/software setups,
good choice for dimly lit studios or stages nasty sounds that – much as I appreciated absolutely – this is a beautiful thing.
– I hope that can be remedied in future. it in a more ‘respectable’ use on stereo
Until then, I think I might have to resort to mixes – I had a blast using it to destroy synth
sticking labels on it. parts. The sidechain input can be applied
On stereo mixes, the BOUM can work
very well as a hybrid compressor/tape sim,
to either the gate or the compressor and
there’s no problem getting it started
MT V ER D I CT 9/10
with its focus on the mythical ‘warming’ with some keyboards I test it with.
qualities of tape. Even at extreme settings, + Chunky construction
the Mix control can keep the source sound A BEAUTIFUL THING + Sounds good at all extremes
present for a parallel-processing-type The BOUM can be used as a fire-and-forget
effect. Gain staging is all important: setting box, where you easily set the values ahead
+ MIDI control is very useful
the instrument and mixer levels, then the of time to make the resultant sound warmer + Affordable
BOUM’s input gain (up to +18 dB available), and that’s the end of it. It’s totally worth
keeping it clean at every point. There’s using it like that, adding a little boost to
– Not much visual feedback
plenty of headroom for loud, clean work everything you do. Alternately, you can
– Limited filtering
here, and the noise gate can tame noisy use it as more of a dynamic sound-design
If you want to subtly boost entire
gear or for calculated chopping effects. tool, using the pots and buttons to interact mixes or individual tracks, or
I move on to using the BOUM on more, or sending MIDI messages to it just smash them all into fuzz,
individual tracks and being a bit more from your software or other hardware, BOUM is your new best friend.
experimental. I’m immediately impressed accepting or filtering CCs, program
– again, it seems to give me more freedom changes, or notes, giving control over
Alternatives
ELEKTRON with more features, FRM Compressor),
Analog Heat including USB Really Nice a well-received
MK II £750 audio-interface Levelling transparent-sounding destructo-potential of
This is the first functionality and a Amplifier device, FMR yielded to the Heat or BOUM, but
comparison that springs heftier price. It’s £185 customer requests for it’s likely to find use on
to mind. It shares a supremely versatile. Having created the something ‘colourful’. It everything you do.
similar purpose, but elektron.se RNC (Really Nice doesn’t have the sonic fmraudio.com

R E V I E W TC EL E C T R O N I C DV R 25 0 - DT D I G I TA L R E V ER B
TC ELECTRONIC
DVR250-DT
Digital Reverb £179
The trend of replicating classic studio technology continues and with the
DVR250-DT, TC takes us back to the first commercially available digital reverb
WORDS ADAM CRUTE
T
C Electronic’s new ‘Icons’ range looks Key features electro-mechanical solution; while these could
back at classic studio technology and O Desktop controlled plug-in sound very nice (especially a good plate reverb),
replicates it for the modern age. Providing they were often large, bulky and expensive.
O Additional effects include
tactile hardware control over an intricately delay, phasing, chorus, The change started in 1976 when plate-reverb
crafted software emulation, TC aims to allow echo and space specialist Elektro-Mess-Technik released the EMT
access to legendary and heritage gear for all. O Custom-built signature 250, the world’s first digital reverb generator. This
The DVR250-DT emulates the sound of the EMT presets peculiar-looking beast was built into its own large,
250: the first commercially available digital reverb O Input/output meters free-standing case, with heat-sink fins surrounding
box. The question is, does TC succeed in the casing, wheels on the base and a handle for
O Offers DAW automation
recreating that unique original sound and, also, moving the bulky contraption around. The top of
O Powered by USB for Mac
do we really need it? Let’s step back a little and the cabinet housed a control panel dominated
and PC
look at the history of this particular unit. by the four large lever-style switches used for
O VST, AU and AAX formats
Way back when digital recording and audio adjusting the unit’s settings, which would have
processing had yet to escape the research lab, CONTACT looked more at home in an aircraft cockpit than
there were a few different ways of adding a tcelectronic.com in the studio. The unit could also turn its hand to
touch of ambience or reverb to a recording. other effects – delay, chorus and more – and
One – the original method – involved placing became very popular in the studios of the day, as
a speaker and microphone(s) into a room that it sounded good and was much more versatile
had the desired acoustic qualities, then playing than acoustic and electro-mechanical solutions.
audio through the speaker while recording the Unsurprisingly, given its heritage and classic
reverberant results via the mic(s). If you didn’t sound, plug-in models of the EMT 250 have been
have a nice-sounding room to use, then plate around for some time and one of the best of
and spring-reverb units could provide an these was developed by TC Electronic for its
System 6000 audio-processing platform. TC has
now taken that model and wrapped it into a
plug-in, added a bespoke hardware controller
that mimics the look of the original EMT 250 and
released it as the DVR250-DT.
HARDWARE-SOFTWARE COMBO
The DVR250’s software component comes as a
plug-in for VST, Audio Units and AAX-Native and
so will work with pretty much any DAW. The
plug-in itself is free and can be downloaded from
TC’s website and installed on as many computers
as you like, where it will happily process audio.
However, the hardware controller is still acting
as a licence-control device: If the controller isn’t
detected when you first fire up the plug-in, the
plug-in’s GUI is disabled so you can’t make any
changes to the sound or configuration.
Connecting the controller brings the GUI
to life, so that you can load presets and adjust
secondary settings that aren’t controlled from the
hardware. When you subsequently disconnect
the controller, the plug-in GUI will continue to

TC EL E C T R O N I C DV R 25 0 - DT D I G I TA L R E V ER B R E V I E W
work for a period of up to 60 days –

something TC calls a travel period – after
which the GUI will be blanked out again DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
as-and-until the hardware is reconnected. There are many other imitation of the big
The hardware controller connects to manufacturers who levers found on the
the host computer via USB and requires produce vintage original hardware.
no additional drivers, so is quick and simple reverb plug-ins and a But if you’re happy
few offer vintage EMT working onscreen
to get hooked up and running. The unit
250 emulations that with a mouse, or if
provides input and output level metering, are on a par with TC surface space is
and access to the DVR250’s main effect Electronic’s model. at a premium in your
settings (or ‘primary’ settings, as TC refers to Therefore, it’s fair to studio, then you’re
them) via four momentary switches and a say that the USP of likely to find that the
bank of seven buttons. The plug-in window the DVR250-DT is its DVR250’s controller
hardware controller. detracts from rather
itself doesn’t provide access to these
Those who want this than adds to the
primary settings, as its principal role is to sort of hands-on experience of using
manage which plug-in instance is being tactility won’t the plug-in and so
controlled by the hardware controller. be disappointed, may wish to look
It also manages preset loading and although may find elsewhere to satisfy
serves as a reference point indicating the controller’s your vintage-reverb
switches to be a pale studio needs.
which parameter each hardware switch
is controlling.
Those switches are designed to mimic
the big 70s lever-style switches found on DEVIL IN THE DETAIL a classic sound that’s desirable to replicate,
the original EMT 250 and so stand quite TC’s model of the EMT 250 is highly but its control panel is esoteric to say the
high above the unit, have large cylindrical regarded and is recreated exactly in the least, and I’m not sure it’s something I’d
caps on the top and rubber skirting around DVR250. This allows the plug-in to create a want to see in my studio.
the shafts. However, these switches aren’t relatively convincing 70s reverb sound that The seeming fragility of the DVR250’s
levers or faders, as found on the EMT 250, works really well on a wide range of source switches does not fill me with confidence
but simply up-down momentary switches material. The model can also be made about the controller’s long-term robustness,
that increment or decrement the more-or-less vintage-sounding, while always either. I’m also conscious that if and when
that controller breaks, the entire plug-in
will become unusable. This could be easily
The DVR250 can be made more- remedied by the inclusion of a full onscreen
control mode.
or-less vintage-sounding, while Indeed, if TCE was to offer a plugin-only
version of its excellent EMT 250 emulation,
retaining the flavour of the original then I’d choose that over the DVR250-DT
controlled-version every time.
parameter they’re controlling at the retaining the flavour of the original

time. The current value of the parameter hardware. Being a model of a vintage
is indicated by LEDs on the controller’s reverb, the DVR250 does lack the extensive MT V ER D I CT 7/10
top panel. sonic detail and clarity produced by
The controller’s casing is made of black modern reverbs, but that relative simplicity
anodised metal and has a solid weight and lends a certain musicality and cohesiveness + Excellent emulation of
grippy base, so stays put while you waggle to the sound produced. the classic EMT 250 reverb
the switches. The switches themselves, But I’m unconvinced by the controller. It + Hardware and software
however, are not so satisfying: they twist works well enough, but the plug-in has so are simple to install
somewhat when being pushed or pulled, few parameter settings, it’d be just as easy
their click action feels a bit insipid and to control them onscreen and not have to – Ultimate usefulness of hardware
controller is debatable
the caps look and feel quite cheap, clutter-up your workspace and consume
with moulding marks clearly visible. another USB socket with yet another black – Momentary switches are a pale
imitation of EMT 250’s levers
The bank of buttons below the switches box. And in the absence of any throw or
allow you to flip the plug-in into its different movement of the switches, all you’re doing – Switches feel fragile and look cheap
modes: delay, phasing, chorus, echo and is replacing the click of a mouse with the
An excellent software model of
space, all of which are modelled on click of a switch and forcing yourself to
the first-ever digital reverb, yet
the algorithms found in the original EMT have to look in two places when working the hardware controller could
hardware. They fall under your thumb with the plug-in, instead of just one. be more robust.
when operating the switches, which is I don’t like the look of the controller,
actually very comfortable and convenient. either: The EMT 250 it’s based on may have
Alternatives
EMPTY ROOM closely resembles the UNIVERSAL AUDIO both looks and sounds
SYSTEMS visual appearance of EMT 250 Classic the part. The plug-in’s
ERS 250 €49 the original hardware, Electronic Reverb interface is a precise
This PC-only emulation with a couple of modern other effects the EMT £115 recreation of the original company’s Satellite DSP
of the EMT 250 from tweaks to make it easier 250 could produce. Universal Audio’s hardware. You’ll need hardware in order to use
small plug-in developer to use in a DAW. emptyroomsystems. officially licensed take one of UA’s DSP-infused this plug-in.
EmptyRoomSystems However, it lacks the com on the classic EMT 250 audio interfaces or the uaudio.com

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M A S T ER I N G T H E M I X B A S S R O O M R E V I E W
MASTERING THE MIX

BASSROOM £49
Mixing bass can be hard, but Mastering The Mix may have the solution
with its new plug-in, BASSROOM. Time to get low…
WORDS ALEX HOLMES
Key features bands sits in a virtual 3D room space, and fine-tuned for the task of transparently
moving them forward of backwards will manipulating bass. We take a house track
O 5-band EQ for mixing bass
increase, or decrease the amount of we feel is pretty much finished and load
O Generates target bass levels
energy in that band by up to +/- 6dB. in a well-mixed reference to see if any
O Genre-based presets It’s a unique and intuitive way to improvement can be made.
O Load your own references visualise mixing and the resizable GUI After following the suggestion, the knock
CONTACT is a nice touch, plus you can also fine-tune of the kick drum is reduced a touch to sit
masteringthemix.com the Q of the top four bands. better in the mix and the low subs around
However, BASSROOM has a more the 40Hz region are increased, giving the
impressive trick up its sleeve; clicking on track a warmer, weightier feel. This is
C

rafting the perfect low end for the Presets button pulls up 60 genre-based repeated on different tracks, with equally
your mix is a tricky business. targets. It’s recommended that you loop effective results.
Go in too hot and your bass the fullest part of the mix, then the plug-in
will swamp the mix, causing will listen using a special volume-based THE LOW DOWN
issues when it comes to the final mastering algorithm and intelligently compare There is no shortcut to mastering the art of
stages, or go in too cold and your track your low end to that of the preset. It then mixing bass – and if you want a great mix,
could sound thin and lack weight. presents target lines for each band to help you will still need to learn how to work
BASSROOM is like the plug-in equivalent you make fine adjustments and rebalance with phase cancellation, layering sounds,
of a thermometer that can tell you when how the low-end energy is distributed. You controlling transients and stereo width
your low-end is mixed just right. It comes may then need to make adjustments to the and using sidechain ducking techniques.
from mastering engineer Tom Frampton’s overall volume using the output slider, but BASSROOM won’t magically make a bad
company Mastering The Mix, whose there’s a handy arrow showing a mix have a tight low end, but as long as
previous releases include in-depth metering suggested, level-matched value. you use the right references, it can take
plug-ins that highlight potential mix issues, a good mix and help you to make subtle
and an affordable and useful track- BASS IN THE PLACE adjustments to make it a superb mix.
referencing tools. Even better, you can load in one or more
At its heart, BASSROOM has five fixed of your own majestically mixed reference
EQ bands that range from 0 to 320Hz, tracks, highlight the loudest parts on the
and feature specially designed filters with waveform and then generate a new MT V ER D I CT 10/10
minimal phase and transient distortion target. Unfortunately, this can’t be saved
amounts. This helps to give a transparent directly in the plug-in, but it’s easy enough
sound and makes BASSROOM ideal as a to save as a preset within your DAW. + Clean, mastering-quality sound
mastering EQ to be inserted just before your Although we’ve seen match EQ before, + Easy to get quick improvements
final limiter. Each of the brightly coloured this is something different that’s been + Can help when monitoring setup
lacks sub
+ Helps take away some of the
guesswork when mixing bass
Alternatives – Can’t save target presets in plug-in

PROAUDIODSP shape as a bespoke FABFILTER extensive filter shapes. – Can’t solo all bands at once
DSM V2 £260 compression threshold. Pro-Q 3 £134 However, BASSROOM
It’s hard to find anything This could be used to Not entirely the same, works on a LUFS-style An excellent plug-in tool that’s
similar to BASSROOM. massage the low end but you could use the system rather than peak easy to use, with a smooth and
DSM V2 lets you capture into a similar balance to Match EQ function of information, so you may transparent sound. BASSROOM
the spectrum of a that of the reference. Pro-Q 3 to capture a get different results. helps improve a tricky area of the mix
reference, then use that plugin-alliance.com reference, then edit the fabfilter.com with consistently effective results.

R E V I E W S P I T FI R E AU D I O ST U D I O WO O DW I N D S P R O FES S I O N A L
SPITFIRE AUDIO
Studio Woodwinds
Professional £349
In what may be the last of Spitfire’s latest product line, the final orchestral
section to get an AIRing is woodwind. Let’s see what all the chirping is about…
WORDS DAVE GALE
S
ince the release of the famed Symphonic Key features greater choice and control of microphone
Series from Spitfire Audio, many users O Studio-based positions, and the ancillary instruments such as
have requested something very similar, woodwind library cor anglais and contrabassoon, but even so, if
but in a drier acoustic. The creatives O Recorded at AIR Studio One, you’re on a budget, you’ll not exactly be found
at Spitfire have responded by producing the by Simon Rhodes lacking. You’ll still get the Decca Tree-captured
Studio Series, recorded in the acoustic of AIR O Sample capture of 143 recordings, and you even get bass clarinet and
Studio One, while still offering the excitement articulations, across piccolo flute, alongside the more regular main
of a fairly bright room, in contrast to some of 11 different instruments woodwind instruments.
the soundstage packages which can be found O 5 solo instruments For the purposes of this review, we’re looking
elsewhere. We’ve already seen, and been available, alongside at the full Professional version, which includes
impressed by, the Strings and Brass incarnation multi-instrument versions some film-scoring favourites, such as alto and
of this product line and now it’s time for the O NI Kontakt Library compliant bass flute and contrabass clarinet. In line
Woodwinds to enjoy their moment of glory. (Kontakt Player) with other Spitfire products, there is plenty
O NKS compatible, for use of performance control, with dynamics and
CHOICE WOODWINDS with NI hardware vibrato forming the central elements, and
Like the other available Studio series packages, O Extensive collection of CC11 (Expression) available alongside.
there are two levels of entry; the regular and microphones and placements Throughout the library, there are some
more basic version, and the Professional O 102GB of disk space required excellently assembled stereo mixes, which
package. The more basic of the two packages CONTACT have been lovingly crafted by Simon Rhodes,
is streamlined down to around 10GB of sample spitfireaudio.com but delving into the nuts and bolts of each
capacity, offering all of the main instruments at instrument, there is considerable control of
about half the price of the Pro version. What’s not individual microphone level, with a full range
included are the expansion elements, such as a available. These include two close mics, two tree
mic sets, ambient and outrigger mic’ing patterns.
Starting at the top, the flute section is
particularly well catered for, thanks to
representations from piccolo, flute, alto and
bass flute, all of which are open to solo form,
while the main flute instrument has also been
recorded in an a.3 incarnation.
The piccolo and flute are bright, responsive
and agile, even in legato form; there might
be a need to adjust the timing element in
performance. I place the piccolo right at
the top of a classic Stravinsky-styled orchestral
crash and find that even in the context of a
fast run, it sounds highly believable, albeit with
a degree of nudging for the purpose of timing.
Nothing unusual about that, as we are dealing
with organic source material, after all.
CLASSY AND CHARMING

I start to become aware of some resonances
being picked up from the ambience in the room.
AIR Studio One is not completely dry and does
have a degree of reflection from its wood and

S P I T FI R E AU D I O ST U D I O WO O DW I N D S P R O FES S I O N A L R E V I E W
glass structure, with these reflections being

fairly present, if that’s what you want. My
preference, upon exploring the available DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
upper palette of sounds, is now to work If you have a which differs
with more of a close-mic setting, with requirement for good from many other
a hint of Decca Tree. This largely removes woodwind sounds commercially
anything unwanted in my particular that are more available libraries.
detailed, thanks to You may have to
instance, while only loading two of the
proximity of mic’ing, work with certain
six mic-sample sets, and sounding pretty Studio Woodwinds sounds to get
classy with it. Professional will offer them to gel but the
Working through to the alto and bass an awful lot. This trade-off in context
flute samples, I’m overcome with a desire expansive set of will be hugely
to play any film theme I can think of which instrumentation, inspiring to use,
alongside a healthy while offering control
exploited these sounds. Both categories
set of articulations, in spades for the
are incredibly believable, with particular includes all sorts colour of the sound.
presence at the top of the dynamic range, of associated AIR One is quite
where you can hear the players’ breath instruments which bright and could
creeping in regularly. Wonderful! aren’t common, add some lovely
The oboe and cor anglais offer a similar making for a very natural reflection
comprehensive set to your score.
charm, but unlike the flute, I’m aware of a
little sluggishness in articulation within the
legato and sustained patches. In this case,
moving to a more ambient mic does seem pads being slapped, to create a hollow or eliminate this at will. I feel that this could
to yield better performance results, with no thud-like noise. be the biggest indicator of whether you
such issues found in the shorter articulations, might choose the Professional version of this
while the a.3 oboe section performs even TUTTI SECTION package over the more basic incarnation.
better still, presumably thanks to a blurring The more I work with this library, the more For my money, I feel that the Pro version
of movement in sound when playing I discover in terms of a real collection is worthy of the additional funds, as you’ll
legato – it sounds pretty forceful while at of golden and usable samples. Legato also get extended instrumentation
the top of the dynamic range. The cor articulation with woodwind is always a alongside the extra mics.
This final chapter in the Studio Orchestra
package completes the line-up, with even
The clarinet family is another further discounts available, should you
decide to buy the String and Brass sections
success story, with a beautiful alongside. Who wouldn’t want all that
up-close-and-personal detail on their
immediacy across the board hard drive?
anglais also seems to lack the same degree difficult one to pull off, as it is so dependent
of vibrato, found elsewhere in the library. on the attack at the front of each note: if MT V ER D I CT 9/10
The clarinet family is another success I’m honest, the double reeds (oboe and
story, with a beautiful immediacy across bassoon) don’t feel quite as strong in
the board, except for the predictable legato form as the single reeds (flute and + Comprehensive orchestral
lower register of the contrabass clarinet, clarinet), but exploration of mic and woodwind package
which you can clearly hear being wrestled; dynamic setting magically improves these + Vast number of articulations
it’s a beast of an instrument: not designed issues, when placed in the right context. + Many useful additional
for agility in the depths of its register, but it Despite this slight niggle, you have to and related instruments
sounds sublime in colourful context. look at Studio Woodwinds as a whole, + Mic control is exceptionally useful
The bassoons and contra bassoons also and on that front it generally performs
feel a little sluggish and swell-like in legato very well, with plenty of choice. It’s so – Double Reed legato samples
mode, but still offer plenty of sonority, while useful to have all of the woodwind oddities can feel a little sluggish
backing off to a more ambient mic position available, particularly as instruments such – Room colour might
helps, with the a.3 version improving this as bass flute or contrabass clarinet have not be to everyone’s taste
further still. Lest we forget, all of the become more mainstream, within both
This is a hugely comprehensive
instruments are open to varying forms of media and jazz settings.
package which is flexible in use,
more regular and decorative patching, The timbral colour of the room will be with plenty of available options,
meaning that you’ll find an abundance of divisive for many users, but thanks to the thanks to the wealth of great content.
short and long articulation, coupled with extensive mic settings that have been
falls, rips and some really lovely FX, such as captured, you’ll be free to either use it
Alternatives
ORCHESTRAL TOOLS available to buy. Despite EASTWEST drier acoustic. Being
Berlin Woodwinds the name, sample Hollywood Hollywood-styled,
Revive €649 capture was carried out Orchestral EastWest’s signature
The Revive library is the on the Teldex Scoring Woodwinds $399 sound can feel quite
main package of the Stage, making it quite This is another package bright, but can equally
Berlin Woodwind series, dry in acoustic. that aims to deliver work well in a mix.
with additional elements orchestraltools.com woodwind samples in a soundsonline.com

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R E V I E W AU D I EN T N ER O
AUDIENT
Nero £375
Audient’s latest provides the tactile controls found on the monitor sections of
vintage mixing consoles and brings them to the modern desktop studio…
WORDS ADAM CRUTE
B
Key features
ack in the mists of time when I first started knob and eight-stage LED level meters. To the
noodling around in recording studios, the left of these are four source-select buttons, from
O Up to four monitor sources
places I was working in were often very where you choose the input that’s being routed
O Two monitor outputs,
cramped and uncomfortable: large cue output and four to Nero’s output stage. There are two main mix
mixing desks, bulky open-reel multi-track and headphone outputs sources, SRC 1 and SRC 2, and a cue mix source.
2-track tape recorders and racks of equipment, O Subwoofer output can These are fed by pairs of balanced ¼-inch TRS
all taking up space and pumping out heat. be enabled/disabled jack sockets on the rear panel.
What I do miss about those days, however, is independently of There’s also an alternate, or ALT, source and
a good slab of mixing console to work on. And monitor selection this can be driven from one of a number of
what I miss in particular – which DAW controllers O Digital input via optical rear-panel input connectors. The active ALT input
don’t really cater for – is a good monitor section or coaxial S/PDIF is selected via a pushbutton on the top panel
from where I can switch sources, drive different O Each headphone output can with a choice of auxiliary, coaxial or optical.
monitor systems, talk to ‘the talent’ and so on. be driven from any source The latter two of these relate to the coaxial
This is the exact niche that Audient is seeking to O Built-in talkback mic, with and optical S/PDIF input connectors on the
fill with its new Nero Desktop Monitor Controller. option to connect own mic rear panel, while the auxiliary input has both a
O Good build quality and stereo mini-jack connector and a stereo pair of
WHAT’S IT GOT? solid-feeling controls RCA/phono connectors (if something’s plugged
Nero comes in a chunky, solidly built black O Just like using a console- into the mini-jack, the RCAs are disabled).
enclosure that’s perfectly sized to sit alongside style monitor section The source-selection buttons are mirrored on
your computer keyboard or DAW controller. The CONTACT the right-hand side of the volume knob by a set
device’s controls all live on the top surface of the audient.com of destination-selection buttons. These cater for
enclosure, which is angled so that the controls a main monitor output and two alternate monitor
are tilted towards you, as they would be on a outputs, along with a sub output that can be
large-format mixing console. The control panel is switched on or off, irrespective of the active
dominated by a chunky control-room volume monitor output. This on/off state can be tied to

AU D I EN T N ER O R E V I E W
each monitor output channel so that,

for example, when you select the Main
monitor output, the sub output will also DO I REALLY NEED THIS?
be enabled, but when selecting an Alt In a traditional This is where a
output the Sub will be disabled. studio, with separate hardware monitor
Finishing things off is a built-in talkback control room, controller such as
mic (there’s also the option of hooking up live area and both Nero comes to the
nearfield and rescue. Almost by
your own talkback mic) and controls for
midfield monitoring, definition, this
the four independent headphone outputs. some sort of monitor sort of hardware
Selecting the input channel that feeds to routing and control is introduces a whole
a given headphone output is simply a case practically essential. new cluster of
of pressing the headphone channel’s SRC Although some DAWs cabling to strap down
button, then pressing one of Nero’s input have features geared and manage and
towards this area some may find this to
source selectors.
of the studio – most be more trouble than
notably Cubase and it’s worth. But if
USING NERO Nuendo’s Control you’re after some
The enclosure is reasonably heavy, which is Room feature – console-style
a good thing because when fully hooked these can be a bit monitor control
up, there’s a lot of cabling going to-and- clumsy to work and routing, then
with when compared Nero will be an
from the unit, and so its weight acts as a bit to a console-style excellent and
of an anchor against the drag and pull of monitor section. satisfying choice.
all of those cables.
Indeed, that it requires having so much
additional cable-spaghetti running around
your studio – something that DAWs have source and sub enabled/disabled state and it’s simple enough to work around in
alleviated to a large degree – is probably are managed. one way or another.
my biggest bugbear with Nero, or any If you use powered monitors, which
similar monitor controller for that matter. I’m guessing many of you do, it isn’t always CONSOLE-LIKE
It’s par-for-the-course with a unit of this type easy to hook a sub into the monitoring While not the only device of its type on
and most users would probably find Nero’s setup – and if you have more than one the market, Nero is up there with the best
of them. It has a good build quality with
reassuringly solid buttons and knobs and
In comparison to similar products, the inclusion of digital inputs supporting
up to 192kHz/24-bit signals is a really
Audient’s Nero both looks and useful addition, too. In comparison to similar
products, it both looks and feels more
feels more ‘console-y’ ‘console-y’ and, other than its unalterable

input attenuation, it is completely
transparent in terms of sound quality and
benefits outweighing such inconveniences, monitor system then it can become even tonal balance. Nero does exactly what it
but I do think it would be a factor in fiddlier, so Nero’s inclusion of a dedicated needs to do and does it well.
deciding whether or not a monitor sub output is a godsend.
controller such as Nero is right for you. Not only does it make it simple to get
Once that spaghetti’s all hooked up, a sub hooked up, it also allows you to
though, Nero is great to work with and is share that sub with any of your monitoring
MT V ER D I CT 8/10
just like having a proper console monitor setups, or to leave it out altogether and
section to hand, making switching sources allows you to quickly enable or disable it
and destinations a doddle. when needed.
+ Console-like monitor management
The various knobs have a smooth action One slightly peculiar thing that Nero + Solid build quality
with just the right amount of resistance and does is it attenuates the input signal quite + Clean, transparent sound quality
the larger volume control knob gives good markedly, even when its output volume + Easy to use
accuracy and precision when adjusting the control is set to full. This is intentional, as it + Independent sub output
output level. The buttons, which light when serves to give a more evenly progressive
active, also have a pleasingly solid build increase in volume from the master volume – A lot of cables coming to unit
if fully utilised
and action, but feel slightly scratchy knob, without high volumes being clustered
compared to the smooth movement of at the upper-end of the knob’s rotation.
A well-built monitor controller
the knobs. It’s all very intuitive to use, too It also serves to protect your monitors that’s just like the monitor
and Audient is to be commended for the from unintentionally loud signals and section of a mixing console.
clarity of the control layout, as well as the the like. Audio quality and fidelity are
ease with which things like headphone completely unaffected by this, though…
Alternatives
PRESONUS optical input and SPL on the top panel. By
Monitor Station independent sub output. Crimson 3 being an audio interface
V2 £259 But it does have £610 at heart, it won’t slot in
The V2 is very similar to per-output user control This desktop USB audio to an existing DAW
Nero, although has a over attenuation applied interface that includes setup, but an all-in-one
less ‘classic console’ to the monitor outputs. various monitoring solution has its benefits.
look and lacks Nero’s presonus.com functions, with controls spl.audio

REVIEW QU-BIT PRISM
QU-BIT
Prism £221
With its latest foray into the world of stereo effects within
Eurorack, Qu-Bit hopes to transport us to another dimension
WORDS DAVE GALE
Key features much of the Eurorack world is about mono switch the filter to the back end of the
signals, there is an increasing demand signal is a masterstroke. All of these
O Multidimensional signal processor
for stereo processing and Prism delivers, elements are firmly available to CV control,
O Delay, comb filtering and
allowing for both a mono or stereo input, along with the ability to freeze the current
bit-degradation effects
prior to the dual-channel output. signal: excellent for creating some crunchy
O Stereo input and output
The signal path is fairly traditional, rhythmic effects when placed in sequence.
O Includes a switchable state-variable filter except it’s possible to apply various The aforementioned multidimensional LEDs
O Available in black or silver elements along the way, which will then also dance beautifully when elements are
aluminium panels induce interplay between each element. under control.
O Width: 12HP Probably the most basic element is the
O Current draw: +12v = 90mA, -12v = 10mA filter, which offers a regular cutoff and RESULTING RAINBOW
O Module depth: 22mm (skiff friendly) resonance control, while being switchable This module is a real sum of its parts that
CONTACT between low-, high- and band-pass delivers in a number of areas. Linking the
qubitelectronix.com modes. It’s also possible to defeat the filter, delay aspect of Prism to the comb filter
while there’s plenty of colour and whistle creates a really beautiful-sounding effect,
available, but not so much that it becomes which had me transfixed for ages, while the
A

im a shaft of white light at a overbearing. The filter can also be placed decimation and crushing effect certainly
prism and the resulting refraction either at the beginning or end of the signal does not disappoint. Because it’s so flexible
throws us beautiful shards of chain via the use of a toggle switch, which in use while offering numerous types of
splintered and separated offers an LED illumination. effects, it’s easy to find the appeal of Prism,
colourful light. Somewhat unsurprisingly, Where the multidimensional aspect of while everything you want is right on the
this recently released Eurorack module Prism starts to come into play is with the front panel. When experimenting, I find
from Qu-Bit aims to deliver a very similar delay and comb filter. These two elements myself diving in instantly, without any need
result with an audio signal, but with much are firmly linked, with tape-like timing to refer to the manual – this ease of use is
greater control of output. tendencies generating resonant overtones. often absent from the Eurorack world.
Prism packs an awful lot into its perfect As you sweep through the timing range
12HP panel. It’s just the right size, with with the comb filter open, you begin to
easy-to-access pots that can be used see the central blue multidimensional LEDs MT V ER D I CT 9/10
without inflicting unwanted movement illuminate as a 2D graphic, there to give
on a close neighbour, and just like other an indication of processing.
products from its line, it feels really well The final Decimation element reduces + Superbly interesting effects module
made, with no suspicion of pot wobble. sample rate and bit depth simultaneously, + Comb filter delay is
The next big point relates to the resulting in the delayed element becoming incredibly effective
adoption of a stereo output. Although crunchy and crisp. Having the ability to + Easy to use, with
comprehensive CV control
+ Very well built
and beautifully designed
Alternatives – Not so useful as a

conventional delay line
EXPERT SLEEPERS effects, modulation… AJH SYNTH EQ, maximisation and
Disting mk4 the list is endless! It Finaliser R-EQ enhancement and even
£139 doesn’t allow for £345 reverb and delay. It’d This is another really interesting
It’d be easier to list what multi-functional use in The Finaliser R-EQ also pair well with and incredibly well-designed
the Disting cannot do. the same way as Prism, offers some useful the Prism, being module from Qu-Bit, continuing
Oscillator, wavetable, but is very useful. treatment for the back multi-functional. its exceptionally high standards
sample playback, expert-sleepers.co.uk end of your signal with ajhsynth.com on all fronts.

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REVIEW MINIS
APPLIED ACOUSTICS SYSTEMS

Chromaphone 2.1 $199
WORDS ANDY JONES
Key features So it’s always good when we Couples mode where energy
is transferred from one to
and DX-like and, for sure,
some of the opening presets
see something a little different
O Acoustic Object Synthesiser
– whatever that may be. another. So, we’re definitely demonstrate this side of the
O 670 presets over 19 instrument well, but explore
Chromaphone, from not talking simple oscillators in
categories (including
Soundscapes, Plucked, Applied Acoustics Systems, this instrument. further and tweak some of the
Mallets, Chimes, Basses, has actually been around for There are three main pages. more unusual parameters and
Keys and Pads) a while now but has recently Play is more for performance then start modulating for some
O 35MB download been updated to v2.1 (with (including arpreggiation, step very unpredictable results. The
O Arpeggiator with various additions that include new FX sequencer and basic effects) Soundscapes, Effects, Pads
syncing resolutions, playing and a streamlined interface). and where you choose presets and Synths folders demonstrate
algorithms and patterns While its starting point is the by Bank and Program. Edit some of the highlights of doing
O Multi-FX module containing mixture of a couple of noise view gets you to the guts of this, with some beautiful
up to five effects (inc comp, sources – like so many synths the instrument, allowing you atmospheres that take this
EQ, delay, dist, phaser, out there – that’s where the to define the aforementioned instrument well beyond the
chorus, flanger, wah wah, similarities to that mountain of relationship between usual. It’s a real delight.
notch filters, and reverb)
virtual analogues ends. These resonators and adjust their
O AAX, VST/VST3, AU starters are two acoustic source parameters (for both
CONTACT resonators, one a noise-like noise and mallet); you also
applied-acoustics.com source and one played with get an LFO and envelope
MT V ER D I CT 9/10
a mallet. These then excite parameters to adjust here.
T
he world of software different resonator types and Finally, the Effects page Chromaphone surprises
synthesis promises us you also get different variations gives you access to up to five on lots of levels with
sonic adventures at of these, like a string or drum effects and their associated different combinations of
every turn, but there head. The two sources can parameters in a well laid-out resonators to explore and
are probably far too many then be combined in a number and easy to use configuration. some fantastic results to
virtual-analogue synths for the of ways including parallel and You might think that the be had, all with relative ease.
good of humankind out there. series and the more interesting results would be a bit metallic
FOCAL
Listen Professional £169
WORDS ANDY JONES
Key features and more of us are using either

as main monitors (when we
(and you’ll still hear the TV
when using them), but it’s
balance. Next to our cheaper
reference headphones, they
O Circum-aural
have restrictive environmental pretty good nonetheless. really are streets ahead and
closed-back headphones
conditions) or as secondary Good isolation can also actually closer to our mid-
O 40mm paired transducer
with a Mylar/Titanium cone comparison monitors? mean quite a closed range reference phones,
Focal is attempting to cover experience and we’d say it’s which perhaps reveals how
O Impedance: 32 ohms
all bases here: an accurate probably more enclosed than good the sound quality of
O Sensitivity: 122 dB the semi-open experience these Focals really is.
sound quality for mixing,
O Freq response: 5Hz – 22kHz comfort, noise cancellation Focal is aiming for, but the So has Focal achieved that
O 22mm heat-sensitive and a ‘lively’ listening soundstage is wide enough four-pronged goal? We’d say
’memory foam’ ear cushions experience more akin to to enjoy a very good mixing it’s a ‘yes’ on all counts. We’re
O 1.4m cable with RMC and the type you’d get with experience nonetheless. Good now really looking forward to
omni-directional mic, 5m open headphones. mixing relies on being able to getting our ears around its
coiled low-impedance cable
Certainly, they tick the accurately place elements in top-end Listen headphones
O Rigid carry case and 3.5mm comfort box. They have a that soundstage and you will next time around.
to 6.35mm stereo jack plug
very flexible headband with be able to achieve that here.
O Weight: 280g ‘soft touch material’ for extra They exhibit a pretty flat
CONTACT comfort. The phones are response, too, with very little
scvdistribution.co.uk relatively lightweight and the colouration that we could
MT V ER D I CT 9/10
‘memory foam’ cushions over perceive, while still maintaining
F
ocal has a great the drivers do clasp around a pretty good vibe. This,
Focal’s Listen Professional
reputation for studio your ears without being combined with the comfort offer both accuracy and vibe
monitors – we’ve loved excessively hot. This ups the and weight, means accuracy plus great levels of comfort,
both its Alpha range noise isolation, too. It’s not and longevity for your mixing. so are ideal for secondary
and Twin monitors, for example. good enough to match the Accurate and flat headphones or even main monitoring.
But can it transfer this expertise active cancellation offered by can often be wearing, so these
to headphones, which more the likes of Bose, for example Focals have achieved a rare

MINIS REVIEW
LOOPMASTERS MODEAUDIO
Ginger Rift
Snaps –
Deep Funk
Price £18
Price £34 (also on Loopcloud) Key features modeaudio.com Key features
loopmasters.com O 1GB+ of upbeat O Dark trip-hop inspired
funk and soul samples loops and hits
Mode Audio has conjured up an
Genre-blurring producer and O 275 loops in a range of inventive and compelling mix of O 14 track kits
multi-instrumentalist Ginger Snaps formats, plus 17 MIDI dark mystery and twisted paranoia with Ableton projects
has crafted a pack of lively funk, O 92 to 120bpm for its latest pack, Rift, which takes O 191 loops with 64 tail files
disco and soul sounds in this new O 204 one-shots its influences from 90s acts such as O 90 MIDI files, 85 drum hits
release from Loopmasters. There’s Massive Attack (Mezzanine-era)
just over 1GB of 24-bit audio that O 126 patches for Kontakt, and Portishead. Weighing in at O 76 to 126bpm
covers tight and upfront drum breaks, EXS24, HALion, just over 620MB, there are 14 track
funky guitar and organ riffs, a large NN-XT and SFZ kits, with accompanying Ableton
and useful folder of clean, bass O 35 ES2, 1 ESM, projects, which contain 191 loops
guitar jams and a handful of 2 Synister presets of saturated drums, chugging live
percussion and vocal loops. These and synth basses, menacing guitars
are mostly decent, although the and twinkling synths. Also included
guitars in particular could do with are 90 MIDI files, 64 tail files to bring
a little EQ taming. Perhaps more the loops to a smooth finish, and
impressive are the 204 one-shots 85 processed drum hits. With a
with 126 accompanying sampler MT V ER D I CT 8/10 perfect blend of melodic melancholy
instruments. Here, you’ll find mostly
more electronic sounds including
and characterful production, Rift
does a great job at capturing the
MT V ER D I CT 9/10
some superb synth pads and mood and vibe of 90s trip-hop,
well-programmed bass patches,
An eclectic bundle of funk which is a sound that’s not often
alongside drum hits, effects, organs loops and highly usable presented in sample-pack form. Moody riffs and excellent,
and live bass. To round things off are synth sounds that could There are stacks of usable riffs characterful production
a few drum MIDI loops, plus several be an inspiring resource here and the darker mood would make for an evocative
synth presets including 35 excellent for a range of genres. make this an especially useful and interesting pack.
sounds for ES2. collection for TV and film music.
UNDRGRND ADSR SOUNDS

SOUNDS Music Theory
Breaks Functional
Harmony
Techno
Price £34 Key features Key features

undrgrndsounds.com O Breaks-laden techno Price £14.97 (download) O Online music-theory course
and electronica £11/$14 (pm subscription O 11 videos
to whole site)
Inspired by artists such as Objekt and O 1GB+ of 24-bit audio adsrsounds.com O 2 hours
Overmono and the sounds of labels O WAV, Apple Loops or REX2 O Scales, chords, extended
such as Hessle Audio, Breaks Techno O 505 loops at 132bpm chords progressions
fuses elements of modern house and Music theory is second nature to and more
techno, with classic breakbeat and O 197 one-shots some, but a mystery to others. This
new online course from ADSR Sounds O Taught by Jor van der Poel
electronica. This 1GB+ collection O Patches for EXS24, Kontakt,
contains 505 loops in your choice of NN-XT, Ableton, Battery 4, is written and presented by pro
WAV, Apple Loops or REX2, plus 197 Kong and Maschine musician and certified music
drum hits with patches for EXS24, teacher Jor van der Poel and aims
Kontakt, NN-XT and Ableton and to teach both theory basics and also
additional kits for Battery 4, Kong fundamental harmony across 11
and Maschine. Every single loop videos and two hours. The course is
is exceptionally well crafted, from divided into two parts, with the first
the sub-heavy analogue basslines focusing on basic theory and the
and haunting arps and sequences second on how chords, the tonic,
through to the glitched breaks MT V ER D I CT 9/10 dominant and predominant function MT V ER D I CT 8/10
and atmospheric textures. There’s a along with more complex progression
surprising amount of variety in terms examples. Everything is taught in
of the programming and grooves, a single piano-roll window, which
A forward-thinking and helps to make techniques consistent.
A concise tutorial that
with cutting-edge sound design inventive collection of focuses on laying the
that manages to be deep and heavy There’s a lot to unpack here. Head
exceptionally well-crafted to adsrsounds.com/free-courses/ groundwork, then showing
sounding. It might have been nice to
have a few one-shot bass and synth
electronic beats, sounds musictech and use the code how to actually build
sounds, but this is minor – and you and loops. mtechmtfh to get 14-day free effective chord progressions.
can always sample from the loops. access to the entire course!

R E V I E W S I X O F T H E B ES T
SIX OF THE BEST

Turntables
money can buy
If you’re a professional DJ looking for some high-end decks,
or if you’ve saved up a significant sum to invest in your new
passion, then you should audition this selection of six of the
finest turntables around today
WORDS GREG SCARTH
TECHNICS
SL-1000R £13,999
BEST G R A N D C L AS S
Contact technics.com
Nine years ago, Technics – once a major player in the flagship model of the new Technics range, with a
hi-fi game and manufacturer of what’s undoubtedly heart-stopping price tag to match. Drawing visual
the definitive DJ deck – ceased production of all cues and design principles from the company’s
turntables. Its hiatus eventually proved short-lived and classic turntables, this 40kg beast sets a new
if you needed evidence that the company was taking standard for the brand, matching the clarity
its comeback seriously, here it is: the SL-1000R is the and precision of more audiophile-focused tables.
BEST R E B I R T H
TECHNICS
SL-1200G
£2,999
Contact technics.com
If the ‘reference class’ SL-1000R is very much the

audiophile option in the new Technics line-up and
the MK7 is the standard DJ option, the ‘grand class’
1200G falls somewhere in between. The price of the
SL-1200G, GR and anniversary-edition GAE models
initially shocked some people expecting affordable
DJ decks, but these models are a premium option
compared to the standard DJ turntables, built in Japan
to higher standards and with better specifications.
Appearances can be deceptive; despite its familiar
DJ deck appearance, the 1200G can hold its own
against serious audiophile turntables.
BEST E X T R E M E LY KUZMA
HIGH - BUDGET
Stabi XL DC €36,000+TAXES
Contact kuzma.si
Head to Spiritland, an audiophile listening bar in Slovenian turntable specialist Kuzma. The XL2 has
London’s Kings Cross, and you’ll be presented with a since been superseded in the Kuzma range by the
formidable array of audio gear, including a custom XL DC, an upgraded version with DC motor for even
Living Voice sound system and a bespoke Isonoe mixer more precise timing, increased dynamic range and
hewn from brass. Modified Technics SL-1210s are the reduced noise. At this rarefied price point, it’s definitely
standard option for guest DJs, but for serious listening, not intended as a DJ turntable, but hey, if it works
there’s a nuclear option: a £30,000 Stabi XL2 from for Spiritland…

S I X O F T H E B ES T R E V I E W
LINN BEST H I G H - E N D H I - F I
Majik LP12
£2,930
Contact linn.co.uk
Originally released in 1972, the Linn Sondek LP12 is

an icon of high-end hi-fi, helping to define what a
good audiophile turntable should be. It’s arguably
as important as the Technics SL-1200 in the history
of vinyl playback. The Majik LP12 variant might seem
expensive, but next to the company’s flagship Klimax
model (£18,870) it looks positively entry-level. At this
price point you get slightly cheaper construction,
an internal power supply and more basic tonearm/
cartridge than the fancier models, but it’s still a very
capable turntable by anyone’s standards. Hard to
ignore as the basis for a high-end vinyl setup.
“For serious listening, there’s a

nuclear option: a £30,000 Stabi
XL2 from Slovenia’s Kuzma” BEST M O D E R N C L AS S I C
THORENS
TD-907 £10,999
Contact thorens.com
Before Technics established itself as the default choice but its modern successor is the beautiful TD-907.
for DJs, the belt-driven Thorens TD125 was a particular Based around similar design principles to some of
favourite among New York DJs, with disco and house the classic Thorens tables, the 907 mounts its motor
pioneer Larry Levan playing on three of the Swiss on a suspended sub-chassis to reduce vibrations.
brand’s decks at the legendary Paradise Garage. You The result is seriously high-end sound which builds
can pick up good vintage TD125s for around £1,000, on the lineage of those classic models.
REGA BEST B U I L D Q UA L I T Y
Planar 8
£1,699
Contact rega.co.uk
UK-based Rega has been churning out high-end

turntables since 1973, when it released its debut
model, the Planet. Inspired by the company’s flagship
Naiad model (a snip at £30,000), the Planar 8 follows
broadly similar design principles but clocks in at a
slightly more real-world price. The whole setup is
defined by the stiff, light base (’plinth’ in turntable
jargon), which Rega states is the key to clarity and
energy. Partnered with a suitable cartridge (Rega’s
own options start from £210 with the Exact), the
Planar 8 punches above its weight at this price.

FE AT U R E L E A R N I N G T H E A R T O F C O L L A B O R AT I O N
MT FE AT U RE
LEARNING THE ART OF
COLLABORATION
MusicTech recently attended a Beatcamp weekend at Real
World Studios, where the stresses, strains, joys and euphoria of
collaboration were put under the spotlight. Attendees were
paired up with strangers to create a track using the studio’s
facilities – and we learned a lot about the art of collaboration…
WORDS ANDY JONES
H
ow would you get on if someone experience, which entails meeting MusicTech has been here before on a
put you in one of the world’s someone they’ve been paired up with by number of occasions, but Peter Gabriel’s
best recording facilities for a Beatcamp and making a track together. studio never fails to charm you with its
weekend and asked you to Oh, and the resulting tracks will be put creative magic. It’s built around – literally –
make a piece of music with someone together on an album that will be released an old mill in the heart of Wiltshire, with
you’ve never met before? That’s the across all the major streaming platforms. grounds, ponds, lush surroundings and
challenge for 16 members of Beatcamp Sounds daunting? heaps of tranquility (oh, and great food).
2019, who have signed up for their latest It’s not cheap to be on the Beatcamp
event at the idyllic Real World Studios in THE ULTIMATE CAMPSITE weekend – we’re looking at around £2,000
Box, UK. We’re not talking signed record- Yes, it probably does sound daunting; per person – but nor is there any holding
company bands or musicians here terrifying, even. But let’s focus on the back on the experience. The other main
(although, as we’ll find out, many have a rewards and perhaps we’ll understand draws for these Beatcampers – and for us,
background as successful musicians). All more why these people are here. First of as MusicTech has been invited along to
the attendees have paid to go through this all, the obvious. This is Real World Studios! enjoy the experience – are many.

L E A R N I N G T H E A R T O F C O L L A B O R AT I O N FE AT U R E
Firstly, we all get access to all the Real Then there’s a raft of studio musicians everyone is passionate about music and
World studio gear in the main control room who have been brought in. Yes, if you unwaveringly enthusiastic, if a little nervous
and side studios to make these tracks. want to have a guitarist who’s played with at first.
That’s everything from a Bösendorfer piano George Michael to play on your track, then “It’s a combination of trepidation and
to a rack of vintage gear (or 20); everything book them in. Professional session singer? excitement,” says Beatcamp founder
from an SSL desk to a suite of vintage synths Proper drums? All no problem. And last of Marc Langsman. “Someone on the last
and guitar effects. You name it, it’s here. the pluses? Ah yes, the album… camp described it as ‘Disney World for
That’s certainly enough to be getting on That’s right. Perhaps one of the greatest musicians’, so part of them is like a big kid
with. The thought of simply plugging our incentives of being here is that the track in a sweetshop, but they have this big
synth – yes, we’re allowed to add our you produce with your Beatcamp partner challenge to produce music that they
own bits and pieces to the stockpile, too – will be released as part of the Beatcamp will release in a couple of days and for
into a vintage Roland Space Echo is 2019 album on Real World Records, with most people, that is an experience they
mouthwatering, and indeed, by day three, a full release on Spotify and iTunes. haven’t been through.
the temptation proves too much to resist. “But the trepidation melts away as
Secondly, all attendees get access to REAL-WORLD PEOPLE we go through the weekend and everyone
the in-house engineers and producers at The Beatcamp attendees are kept in the is living together, eating meals together
Real World, who we’ll be meeting loop on all things about the camp via the and they start to bond. Suddenly, this
throughout this article. That list includes Slack app several weeks before the event, group of disparate individuals become
studio manager and senior consulting during which they are paired with their this great group.”
engineer Tim Oliver (Robert Plant, New partners. So there is a chance to get to Marc then explains how the pairing
Order, and Sinéad O’Connor); our recent know each other, at least virtually. process works – the so-called ‘Beatdating’
interviewee, producer Steve Osborne Perhaps cynically, we thought that – between the attendees: “When someone
(Elbow, New Order, Happy Mondays, and typical Beatcamp attendees might be rich, signs up, they receive a form to fill in with a
Placebo); engineer, producer and musician middle aged, high-disposable incomers, whole spectrum of questions, including
Cameron Jenkins (Lana Del Rey, The Verve, possibly here for the Peter Gabriel what music they like, their strengths and
John Cale, and Lemon Jelly) and engineers experience – but nothing could be further weaknesses, that kind of thing. There’s
Oli Jacobs and Oli Middleton. from the truth. There are literally people about 20 data points and we then go
That’s quite a list of expertise and they from all walks of life. Several have flown through and piece together the people we
are on-hand to guide each and every pair over from the States to be here, many from think will work well together. For example,
through any production technique or gear Europe. Yes, there are Peter Gabriel fans someone might be a strong instrumentalist,
setup that they could wish for. wanting to get a VIP experience, but the other a strong producer.”

Beatcamp’s Rena Psibindi is an integral done an album and needed a new room. It’s like a hybrid production/band
part of the process. “Most times, you can impetus and of course, I was more than session, in a way.”
find something that bonds them,” she says, excited to come here to this studio. I also There’s also the small matter of getting
“usually in terms of their sound, their grew up with Peter Gabriel’s music, so there to work with someone you’ve never met
influences and also their production were many aspects encouraging me to in person. The teams were paired and
techniques. I haven’t had anyone paired come, but sometimes it is just good to be introduced by Slack, but this is the first time
yet who is at completely opposite ends of around committed people who just want they’ve sat down together. Oli Jacobs has
the mix scale!” to create.” a pragmatic opinion on this pairing.
Barbara has been partnered with “In the professional world of making
HELLO CAMPERS Graham George, a teacher from Arbroath records, you are working with people you
We spoke with a couple of Beatcampers in Scotland. “I signed up, as I had always have never met before, pretty much every
both before and after to hear what they wanted to work at Real World,” he says. day,” he says. “Like next week, I will be
learned. Barbara Duchow is a fashion “I had often driven past on holiday, but starting a new session and have never met
designer, choreographer, singer and I also to meet like-minded, nice people this person before, so that’s a challenge.
producer originally from Hamburg, now with a shared interest in music and the So if any of these producers want to go
living in Toulouse. Her reasons for attending recording process.” into the industry full time, this is amazing
this collaborative event are many and practice – ‘Here’s someone you’ve never
varied, but pretty much cover everyone’s IDEAS DAYS met before, make a song!’
here. “First of all, I was tired of composing On the first day of the three, Marc “So yeah, it’s how the record industry
at home alone,” she says. “I had also just introduces everyone on both the Real works and if you can’t work with people
World and Beatcamp teams in the main you’ve never met before, then you can’t
studio. Fortunately, this place is huge, easily work in the record industry!”
WORKING able to accommodate the 16 producers
who have signed up for Beatcamp, each
But Oli’s pretty confident the eight
teams are gelling well already: “It’s
WITH NEW one set up in pairs. amazing looking around the room, like we
PEOPLE Computer outputs are run straight

through the main desk so that audio can
have a guy who can play amazing piano
with someone who sings and writes great
1 JUMP IN AND DON’T BE SCARED

Because many producers and
songwriters work in isolation, it’s often
be monitored by the assembled engineers
and producers, but also so it can be routed
lyrics and it’s just offering different skillsets.
The massive plus of Beatcamp is forcing
through whatever outboard you’d like to people out of their comfort zone with
assumed that everyone else works that
way. But actually, in a lot of cases in the experiment with… and you will want to do people they might not necessarily have
professional world, a great many people just that. chosen to work with – and bringing
are involved in a production. So view your In separate rooms, including the Wood different things to the table, perhaps
collaboration as a learning experience to Room, a drum kit is already mic’d up, as realising what that other person can bring
help prepare you for the ‘pro’ world. and offering to them what you can do.”
are guitars and that Bösendorfer. There’s
also a separate vocal booth with, as you’d As the teams begin to get ideas
2 YOU NEED TO KNOW
Get to know the other person socially,
away from the studio/project. Learn about
expect, a massive range of mics. together and start to think about booking
“The Big Room at Real World is very instruments and musicians, they are each
their musical background, their personality
unique in what it can offer,” says Real World set up with a comprehensive filing system
and share your own. Get to know their
strengths and weaknesses and then engineer Oli Jacobs. “You can have so that audio files from each team can be
you’re better equipped to play to both everyone in the same room, but it is also collected together from whatever sessions
of your strengths. the control room – so if someone wants to are booked – either by the producers
play something back, they can. I don’t singing or playing the assembled
3 IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU
You'll need to respect the other
person’s point of view and input, so be
know how many other studios can offer this
in that same way. The Big Room is such a
instruments themselves, or played by
the three on-hand session musicians.
really open to ideas and try not to be big space and that’s why we’ve attracted Pretty much anything can be routed
too precious about any ideas you bring so many pop and R&B artists, as they like to from any room and through anything.
to the table. This is a flexible conversation, work in that way with lots of artists around It’s ridiculously slick for so many people
particularly in the early stages.
the room, with the whole band in that using one room with so much gear.
4 AGREE ON A CONCEPT
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
If possible, try and get a concept and a Real World Studios
vision together for the track before you is situated in the heart
meet up. This could be as simple as of rural Somerset and
agreeing a visual or theme for the track has hosted some of
– or you could share some inspirations. the biggest bands
These could range from other music, on the planet
a book, a photo, a painting, even a film.
You’ll start to align your thinking quicker
if you have something to focus on.
5 PICK AND CHOOSE

Taking the previous tip even further,
you could even agree to produce
something that blends different concepts
or blends genres – so you’re not simply
‘just writing a dance track about x’,
but you’re using these inspirations
as starting points.
6 DEAL WITH PRACTICALITIES

Agree on the specifics of your
session management, including naming
conventions and DAW track colour-coding,
before you record anything. And stick to it.
This makes things much easier as the
sessions continue and the track grows.

The Beatcamp
experience is
a great chance
for musicians
ARRANGING
from different
backgrounds to A TRACK
come together
and collaborate 1 GIVE YOURSELF CONSTRAINTS
If you have too many options (in terms
of both technology and song concept),
you might never get anything done.
So set yourself some boundaries –
the length of the tune, how many tracks,
the various sections – focus on them
and stick to them.
2 EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED

The idea of collaboration is that you
are putting together two ideas and getting
a completely different result that you
are not going to get on your own, so be
prepared and open to go somewhere you
haven’t been to before. That’s not to say
you shouldn’t be confident in your ideas,
but don’t worry if it’s starting to sound like
something you wouldn’t normally make.
3 IT’S NOT ALWAYS GOING TO BE EASY

If things grind to a halt, then do realise
that it is never easy. Making music isn’t
as easy as listening to it, whether you’re
collaborating or not. There will always
be ups and downs, but maintain a positive
and amiable disposition and keep things
constructive and the disagreements
will diminish.
4 BE PREPARED TO SELF-EDIT
Sometimes, you have to be brutal
and remove a lot of what you have done
to make space for your collaboration.
This goes back to not being too precious.
This is a joint piece of music and you can’t
control all of it. Besides, your partner’s
ideas may add crucial hooks and elements
that you would never think of and improve
And talking of gear, it would be very open to new ideas, it can disrupt the the track tenfold.
easy to get carried away with everything harmony. It’s working for most people,
on offer. On the first day especially, ideas
and creativity are encouraged over
though and if they were struggling a bit
with the musical style, we have spoken to
5 STAND BACK BEFORE GOING TOO FAR
Periodically, take time to look at
the bigger picture – the song – before
spending too much time focusing on the them and given them some good advice concentrating too much on one element
tech on offer. Fortunately, many people and they’ve been getting on with it.” of the mix. Is the song beginning to take
are seemingly narrowing their choices “We’re all here to help make it work as shape, is it pulling you in an interesting
direction? Discuss this with your partner.
down and for this day at least, not well as possible,” Marc adds. “It’s very rare
exploring too many options. This is no
surprise to on-hand and legendary
for people not to find their footing. We had
some guys who wrote a track together, but 6 IF IT’S EASY, GO WITH IT
If the music is flowing and you’re
working smoothly with your collaborator,
producer Steve Osborne. one was leading and the other guy wasn’t
then enjoy the process and go with it,
“We’re around for this first day,” he so happy, but we keep an eye on it – the
don’t get too pedantic about getting
explains, “but people are trying to get producers and engineers are constantly things right first time. You can always
ideas together, so you say ‘hello’ and help checking in on each couple. So we spoke tweak, refine and get clever with it later.
people if they ask, but they’ve only just to them and discussed options and they
met, so they’re dealing with that and wanted to start another track and it
getting their plans together.” worked really, really well.” Barbara says, “but then I went through
At the end of the first day, each of “There is always a solution,” says Real Graham’s library and heard a lot of
the teams’ efforts are played through the World senior consulting engineer and different styles. I found one song that
main speakers at Real World: a daunting producer Tim Oliver. “The most extreme I really liked and we decided to work on
prospect for some, but we are treated to case was when the two people weren’t that. I wrote some lyrics, and have brought
some pretty well-rounded ideas. Most have benefitting from the relationship, so we some ideas and will start to play around
produced at least skeletal arrangements, got them to take the track which they’d with them.”
but ideas are being fleshed out, with most been working on to that point and asked On a more technical level, Steve
constituent parts already present. if they wanted to work apart to make two Osborne is now being called in for more
different tracks. It worked really well and mix tweaking as the songs begin to form.
IT’S BUSINESS TIME they ended up bouncing ideas off each “On the second day, you get more
After the inevitable politeness of day one, other’s tracks… so in a way, it was a involved,” he explains. “You might give
day two could start to yield any problems collaboration.” In Barbara and Graham’s them another beat to strengthen things
associated with meeting and working with case, they’ve used the fact their idea was up or you might just add a compressor
someone you have never met before. led by one of them to their advantage. to neaten things up. There was one track
Indeed, there are a couple of teams Their track started out as Graham’s, but it where I have tightened the mix up and
where one person is taking a lead. proved to be a meeting point of their ideas did a few bits of tidying it up, tidying
“I’ve seen it, but it’s often about after Barbara’s initial worry that her and frequencies and adding a bit of
differences in musical styles that can cause Graham’s styles were too different. compression here and there.
the most conflict,” says Rena, “and if you “I perhaps wanted to be partnered with “There are no typical problems
are not used to collaborating and are not someone doing more electronic music,” sound-wise,” he adds, “but it’s the boring

Studio engineer Oli Middleton stuff that is more common. Things like not
takes on the mantle of naming a recording. These are the things
recording the live instruments
throughout the weekend
I always recommend – filing and naming,
the boring housekeeping stuff. If you have
learned production through the big studio
system, that is the first thing you realise –
you don't do any recording unless it is
named correctly. You can understand it
here, though, because they just want to
get on and do their thing.”
And do their thing they do. One of
the US visitors, Dan Easley, is a TV technical
producer and has been paired up with
fellow American Kai Keefe. Kai was
delayed arriving at Real World, but got
a head start working on some samples
on the plane on the way over. The two
have spent the day fleshing them out,
using everything Real World has to offer.
“Those samples were of saxophone
mouth-and-key-noises, very percussive,”
Dan explains. “We added a keyboard track
that didn’t make it very far into the process,
but gave us some harmonic information –
a chord progression – to work with. I laid
down an electric-bass track and then Kai
went into a vocal booth, singing mostly
wordless vocals. The words we heard in
those ambiguous notes became the
foundation of our lyric. Drums and electric
guitars fleshed out the loud bits; acoustic
guitar and piano filled in the quiet bits.
Kai played a nice passage on flute in
the middle.”
This is just one of a varied set of tracks
that are beginning to emerge at the end
of the day.
THE LAST DAY

By the last day, the group have got most
of their arrangements together and are
happy with their ideas. However, it’s also
now that realisation dawns for many –
they are in Real World Studios, and look
at what’s on offer! Even we are tempted
to call in some classic pieces of Eventide
and Pultec gear, which Oli J gladly sets up
for us before we spend far too much time
throwing some Korg Minilogue XD presets
through those and a vintage Roland Space
Echo, simply because we could.
With other teams, it’s a rush to make
the most of the assembled musicians.
After spending a day in-the-box on ideas,
it’s time for attendee Pascal Toyer from
Paris – here celebrating his 50th birthday –
to really make the most of it.
“On the first day, I didn’t use the people
or the studio as much as I could have,”
he admits, “so then we started with the
drums and have a session with the singer.
But I don’t want everybody, as I know
what I need. You have to keep focus,
as there is a lot here!”
Pascal is also hoping to make the most
of the engineers and producers on offer,
to pick up more hands-on tips and advice.
Senior consulting engineer and producer
Tim Oliver is also finding himself in higher
demand on this last day, as people near
the finish line.
“It’s the typical producer element,
really,” he says. “You are ‘smoothening’
partnerships and making sure that it is

Session guitarist Graham

Kearns has played with Chris
de Burgh, Sinéad O’Connor,
George Michael, Mark Owen MIXING AND
and Jamelia
FINISHING
1 KEEP THE NEW IDEAS
Make saves of any new mixes or
ideas that sound like they’re taking the
song away from the original concept.
An original idea can explode into multiple
different ideas or spawn new ones, so
keep them separate (and name them
logically). Revisit them once the project
in hand is complete.
2 GET FRESH EARS

The beauty of a collaboration is that
you have a pair of fresh ears on hand for
long mixing sessions. So if you think you’ve
been mixing for too long, hand the reins
over to your partner take a break, but
communicate your intentions and listen
to theirs – so you’re both on the same
page with the mixing process.
3 NO ONE DOMINATES
If you agree that one person's idea
should dominate the final song – the main
vocal, the main hook, or whatever – then
that is totally fine if you both feel the same,
but do try and incorporate obvious ideas
from both parties in the end result;
otherwise, it’s not a true collaboration
as such. This is better for generating
a shared sense of satisfaction once
the track is complete, potentially yielding
further collaborations.
4 FINISH THE TRACK

Unless you agree to work on the track
further, agree a cutoff time or other end
point so that when the track is finished,
it’s finished. Better still, pass it over
to another willing mix or mastering
working towards a goal and that the of recording live instruments) confirms: engineer once you’re happy.
balance is right. I’ll listen to it and make “They’ve really made the most of it this
suggestions from both a production and
sonic point of view.”
time. The amount of stuff we’ve recorded
in the Wood Room: pianos, drums,
5 DISCUSS OTHER IDEAS
Just because the track has worked out
in a particular way, that doesn’t mean that
All of the producers are making their percussion… it’s like a different league it couldn’t morph into something else or
mark with the teams on the last day. James to how you’d get it in your bedroom.” that your collaboration could be further
Hurr is one of the engineers present and is “We’ve had a real mix of songs,” says pursued in the future. Talk about what
bringing his experience to bear on Dan Rena of the resulting set of tracks. “There’s might have been with this track and how
your partnership could evolve and you
and Kai’s track. been ambient, electronic, big-ballad might just start a long-term and fruitful
“James has done a phenomenal job songs… really, what I’m hearing has all musical relationship.
of quickly cleaning up all the work we’d been quite new and different. I’m not
done and is putting together a mix that’s
very clear and very exciting,” says Dan.
hearing any standard pop, it’s all quite
experimental. One other thing I’ve noticed
6 DON’T MAKE IT PAINFUL
If you find yourself disagreeing
with your partner on how the track is
“I learned the most technique-wise from is that there seems to be a recurring theme progressing at this late stage, then the
watching him work. There are methods he – purely by chance – and their concepts last resort is to go away and work on it
applied to our song that I’ll try to apply to seem to be about detaching from the separately. There’s no shame in doing this,
every recording I make hereafter. The guest digital world and coming back to being as your original collaboration and work
could easily form two great new tracks!
producers have been absolutely amazing human and real, which is really interesting.”
in their advice, their encouragement and
their engineering.” REAL-WORLD ECONOMICS “But once Spotify has 100 million
After some initial misgivings from And perhaps the bottom line for us from subscribers, that times £20 is a hell of a lot
Barbara, it seems that the musical the whole Beatcamp experience is that of money, but that hasn’t filtered down to
partnership between her and Graham our cynicism has been washed away. recording studios or artists and so many
has also taken off. Barbara tells us that she Okay, not everyone is going to have studios have closed because the budgets
has already signed up for the next camp in the kind of cash to go on one of these aren’t there.”
September and George is really pleased recording adventures, but the experience But last word from the campers goes to
with the music they’ve come up with. has certainly changed some lives here and Graham, who concludes: “I’ve met great
“It started well, as we had talked over it’s not just good for the attendees, as Real people, made lasting friendships and
a couple of weeks beforehand, so had World producer Cameron Jenkins adds: contacts and taken lots of advice and tips
a rough plan,” he explains. “It ended up “I don’t think you can be cynical about from true professionals. It’s been a magical,
superbly with a new, exciting track and these kinds of events, because if it weren’t wonderful, creative nirvana.”
ongoing writing, recording and band for things like Beatcamp, then studios can’t Oli Jacobs offers a Real World summary:
projects planned.” exist these days. The economics of the “It’s amazing to bring in people to
And he’s not alone. It seems that pretty music industry has changed and even experience a recording session like this
much every pairing has made the most though I’m a big advocate of streaming, who maybe might be able to not otherwise
of the facilities as Real World’s junior we’ve been at this point where the – and for us to share our expertise, but
engineer Oli Middleton (who was in charge economics of it hasn’t worked itself out. also learn from them as well.”

I N T E R V I E W M I C H A EL G R AY
MT INTERV IE W
MICHAEL
GRAY As one half of the prolific house-music duo Full Intention and with
a successful solo career, Michael Gray is undoubtedly one of the
UK’s most respected and in-demand DJ/producers. He tells us
about what started it all, how he learnt to remix, his production
arsenal and how he’d love to get his Moog Voyager back!
WORDS SI GORDON
I
n 2004, beat-driven crossovers with hefty kicks and which is when I really got the bug to take things further,
optimistic, insistent vocal hooks were dominating buying myself a second-hand two-track ¼-inch tape
airwaves all round the world – as exemplified by machine where I went on to learn how to edit and
Eric Prydz’ No. 1 smash Call On Me. In amongst splice tape and get all the crazy effects that we now
them was The Weekend, the first single from Croydon take for granted in software. Les also introduced me
DJ, producer and remixer Michael Gray – with its to DMC (Disco Mix Club), a subscription service to DJs
catchy Moog lead line and universal chorus, it’s only, where he did regular mega-mixes and remixes.
regarded as a seminal classic and returned to the At the age of 18, I started working in two clubs after
clubs in 2017 with Gray’s Glitterbox Mix that once winning an audition – The Park in Kensington and
again dominated the dancefloor. Back in the day, it Tropicana Beach in Luton, after that Easy Street in
seemingly came out of nowhere, yet its creator was Nottingham and Croydon.
practically destined to be a renowned DJ… At 19, I got my first mega-mix accepted by DMC
Born and raised in Croydon in the 1970s, Michael and started to become one of the regular mixers. I
Gray was introduced to music at the age of five learnt the art of remixing by watching DMC producers
through the music emanating from his sisters’ like Paul Dakeyne work his magic from a 24-track tape
bedrooms. He was enthralled and at the age of 11, machine, which is where it all started for me. Around
started to become keenly interested in the sounds of this time, I had a mega-mix released called The Brits
disco and soul. He soon ventured into the world of 1990, it went to No. 2 in the national charts which I was
DJing, honing his skills every month in a local church so thrilled with.
hall. Come the early 1990s and Michael had After, it felt like I had gone as far as I could with
developed to the point where he was able to launch mega-mixing and I turned my attention to making my
himself in the UK dance scene, before teaming up with own records.
Jon Pearn to form Full Intention.
His discography is highly impressive, remixing the likes MT Can you explain your music-making process: is it
of Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Sugababes, George often planned as a creative sequence of events,
Michael and J.Lo as well as releasing a range of original or is it more instinctive and in the moment?
material on industry institutions such as FFRR, AM:PM, It can vary depending on how I might approach
Atlantic, Defected and Toolroom to name a few. We something. A small vocal or keyboard hook I hear
sat down with Michael to discuss his career and in my head or on a record can inspire me. It could
production best practice… also be something I hear in a club, on the radio or
something on a track I’m playing in the car. From
MusicTech Was it always a dream of yours to play and there, I always go on to build a good groove up, bass
make music? And how did your career begin? and drums etc. It’s not unusual for me to start with one
Michael I was always crazy about music and knew idea that then morphs into another.
I wanted to DJ. At the age of 16, I started mixing I like to be hands-on, continually tweaking notes
together records. I sent a tape in to Radio Jackie where and sounds. Sometimes, I’ll leave something if I haven’t
Les Adams held a competition to find the best mixes. got it quite right and come back to it days, months or
Luckily, I won and was invited into his studio for the day, – in the case of The Weekend – about a year later.

M I C H A EL G R AY I N T E R V I E W

I N T E R V I E W M I C H A EL G R AY
Michael’s studio is a
well-equipped workshop
for his various projects,
currently in the process of
moving to a new location
TEAMWORK
MT You often work with other singers,
musicians and producers and have
sustained a partnership with Jon Pearn
as Full Intention now for nearly 30
years. What do you think is the secret
to collaboration in music, or has it not
always been easy working with others?
Jon has been a great partner to work with,
as we both understand what each other is
trying to do. Jon is a great keyboardist. It
has never been hard work.
MT In the industry, you’re well known for

your remix techniques. It’s clear you’ve
honed these skills over a period of years…
How did you build your experience?
My time at DMC gave me the opportunity
to work with multi-tracks such as Chic’s
Good Times. I saw how each part was
really well recorded, not that there were
MICHAEL’S TOOLS many individual tracks (in some cases 14
stems), but every part on there gelled so
SOFTWARE HARDWARE TOOLS well with the other, resulting in the most
ARTURIA PROPHET 5 UREI 1178 COMPRESSOR awesome groove. It showed me that
“I love this for things such as its early 80s “Original 70s solid-state compressor which every
sometimes less is more and you are able
synth-brass sound and funky lead synths.” vocal I record goes through.”
to get a bigger sound. Nile Rodgers and
ARTURIA MINI V APOGEE ENSEMBLE
Bernard Edwards had this locked down!
“As close as I’ll get to my Voyager/Minimoog.” “A great eight-channel digital sound converter.”
LEXICON VINTAGE PLATE TL AUDIO M3 TUBETRACKER
“I use this a lot for vocals and strings.” “8-track valve mixing desk. I have two.” MT You’ve moved house recently. Do you
plan to rebuild your studio with an updated
VPS METRUM MACBOOK PRO
“Perfect for editing, filtering, layering and tuning “It allows me to take my studio anywhere!” and improved setup?
kick drums.” I plan to keep the same setup – Cubase 10
OBERHEIM MATRIX 1000
AUDIO DAMAGE DUBSTATION “A rack-mounted classic synth I still use and on my MacBook Pro plugged into my
“An old-skool delay that has a Hold button.” won’t part with.” Apple Cinema Display. I love this way
of working. I plan to still use my TLA
Tubetracker mixers for vocals, guitars etc,

M I C H A EL G R AY I N T E R V I E W
as they give me the warmth of valve inputs. Michael uses an AKAI

At the moment, I’m thinking of building a MPK249 for MIDI control
studio at the end of my garden with lots of
natural light. I also like working just on my
laptop, whether it’s on the train or a plane.
But I always make the final tweaks with my
favorite engineer and London studio, just a
couple of hours each week on some rather
nice large Genelec monitors.
MT You’ve written and remixed countless

club anthems and classic works over the
years – what are you most proud of?
For me, my standout works are my own
track The Weekend and remix-wise,
my recent rework of Sylvester’s You
Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) and one
that blew us up as Full Intention: Duke’s
So In Love With You.
MT You’ve got a Moog Voyager signed by

Bob Moog himself. Can you tell us the story
behind that and do you still use it today?
I used to! In about 2006, I went up with a
friend to the Turnkey music shop in London
where Bob Moog was demonstrating it. I
wasn’t planning to buy it as I went for my
friend. After hearing and seeing it, I had to
hand over my money! Bob signed ‘Moog
Intention’ down the side. I really wish I’d
never sold it, so if the guy who bought it
from me quite a few years ago reads this
and wants to sell it back to me, please get Michael has two TL Audio M3
Tubetracker mixers
in touch!
MT Your career has been a long and fruitful

one, what advice would you give to the
young Michael Gray just starting out?
Find your own sound and try not to directly
copy something that is in the national
charts, as by the time you’ve finished, your
track could be out of date. Make the style
of music that you want to make, even if it’s
not the most popular sound at the moment.
Believe in yourself even when you get
setbacks; remember, all it takes is just
one A&R scout or manager to recognise
something special in what you’re doing.
MT If you had a time machine and could

visit any era of studio history, where would
you go and why?
Definitely the late 70s to early 80s, to be
sitting in the studios just watching how
some of those amazing songs were put
together with musicians having to play Amid all the technology,
tight through the whole track and with there’s always nature
for inspiration
no Auto-Tune to save out-of-tune vocalists.
I would have loved to have watched
the creation of albums such as Michael
Jackson’s Off The Wall with Quincy Jones
producing and Rod Temperton writing.
MT Producing music clearly gives you a

great kick. Can you pinpoint what exactly
it is after all these years working in the
industry that still puts a smile on your face?
I think it’s the great feeling you get when
you work hard in the studio to make
something you’re really proud of, then
you play it out and get a good reaction.
Or you hear another DJ play it, whether
on the radio or in a club, it just gives you
a massive high.

THE 6
the
WAYS TO CHOOSE A
SYNTH FOR DANCE MUSIC
Back when it started out, dance-music production used to be
easy – well, in terms of the synths and drum machines you
needed, anyway – but with the mountain of hard and soft
synths now out there, how do you choose? Here’s how…
WORDS ANDY JONES
O
lder readers might recall the could end up choosing and using too Roland, Korg and others and much of that
dawn of dance music – they many and stifling your very own creativity sound is still used in today’s dance music.
were great days. All you with too much choice. Or you could spend So your first target for a dance-music
needed were a couple of thousands on one model and realise that it synthesiser should be a new hardware
old bits of Roland kit and you could quite was designed for full-on music productions analogue, right? Well, it’s not quite as easy
easily hit the charts with your latest rave in any other genre but dance music. as that. Digital synths can pretend to be
anthem. Nowadays, that Roland kit has Luckily, there are some fundamental analogue and even Roland synths can
shot through the roof in terms of cost, but routes you should take to get a great synth now be digital… pretending to be
there are a thousand imitators and other for dance music. Here are six of them… analogue! Even cheaper digital-hardware
dance wonders out there; you now have machines from many other companies
a huge range of gear to choose from for
your synth weapon of choice.
There are so many synth options for the
1 IT’S ALL ABOUT THE
ANALOGUE SOUND
The instruments that defined dance music
will give you incredibly rounded and fluid
analogue character. (Many will tell you
that only true analogue will give you the
current dance-music producer that you were hardware analogue synths from dance sound but, in truth, they’re snobs –

THE 6
1
4
5
2
3 6
just ask MT synth expert Dave Gale, who
has lined up many analogue and digital
pretenders.) So really, the answer is to aim
hybrid analogue/software setup. Money to
burn? Get a Moog One. 6 SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS…
Okay, when dance music started –
and we hate to keep showing our age here
for ‘analogue results’ – but be aware that
nowadays, both analogue and virtual
analogue hardware gear will get it for you.
4 MODULAR SYNTHS ARE
COOL THOUGH, RIGHT?
Yes… but. Getting back to the very
– it was all about abusing cheap gear in
incredibly creative ways to create new
sounds. Then it got expensive and then it
Having said all that… foundation of dance music and it was got digital and then it got to the point
all about how easy it was to sync up a where it all fitted onto a laptop. The fact
2 BUT AIM FOR ANALOGUE!

At the risk of blowing the previous
advice out of the water, you can now buy
Roland TB-303 Bass Line with a TR-808
Rhythm Composer, record the results,
release and rave. Now you can do that
is that now we’ve come full circle and
we can buy synths – hardware, software,
analogue and digital – for less than
true-analogue synths from the likes of Korg, with software and a mountain of cheap they cost in real terms back in 1987,
Arturia, Pioneer and many more for silly sync’d up hardware, and yes, you can do so whatever you choose (and we’ll put
money – sometimes less than digital gear. it with modular… But it might just take you recommendations down below), just get
There are plenty of plastic-fantastic synths ages simply to line up and choose the synth back to the spirit of stretching it to the
to sink your teeth into – see the end for components. It’s a cool route, yes, but only maximum, creating something repetitive
some great, cheap analogue options. if you have time (and money). and absolutely mesmerising.
3 HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE?
If you consider the advice we gave in
answer 1, you can easily add great soft
5 A BIG SYNTH WORKSTATION?
Workstations are synths made (usually)
by Roland, Yamaha and Korg that will do
What to buy? Recent MT recommendations
Consider the following recent cheap hard
synths: Arturia MicroFreak, IKM UNO, Korg
synths to the list – those that do analogue dance music. And they’ll do it very well. Mono/Minilogue (or Volcas), Modal Skulpt,
virtually. But then consider the cheapness But they’ll also do jazz, country, classical, Pioneer AS-1, Roland Boutique range or
of option 2 and soft synths don’t seem so film scores, pop, rock and any other genre anything by Teenage Engineering. For
tactile and cool any more, do they? So it you can think of. They do too much, software: Audiaire Zone, NI’s Massive,
really comes down to how you produce basically – masters of everything, except Reveal Sound Spire, u-he Hive, Xfer Records
music. Laptop producer with limited space the very, very cutting edge of dance. Serum and many, many more.
and funds? Go software or even freeware. Oh yes, and they also cost a fortune
Bit more to spend? Bit more space? Go and don’t have enough knobs on them. NEXT TIME 6 Ways To Make Music In Your Pocket

R E W I N D YA M A H A QY 70 0
V I NTAG E K IT
REWIND
Today’s hardware sequencers are about performance and interactivity, but
Yamaha’s 1996 QY700 was composition focused, with a sedate workflow
Yamaha’s QY700 dates back chords and bass parts for your songs, which UP TO THE LIMIT
to 1996 and is a large, mains- will effectively give you 48 tracks in total. The limitations of the QY700 force you to
powered beast, dedicated The QY700 can be fully standalone thanks work in a more musical way. It can be used
solely to creating MIDI compositions. Even to the onboard sounds – 480 presets using to program impressively detailed drum
now, with the renewed interest in hardware wave ROM, GM and XG formats, 11 drum tracks, but don’t buy this for the beats – get
sequencing, there’s nothing quite like it on kits and a reasonable selection of audio an MPC instead! You might think that the
the market. effects including reverb, chorus, delay, QY700 has little relevance in 2019; after all,
The QY700 is made of plastic and being distortion, EQ, and others. it does nothing that software can’t do and
over 20 years old, some second-hand Some presets are usable and there’s it hogs desk space. And that workflow?
examples you’ll find won’t be as clean as basic editing of instrument and effect Yikes! But art isn’t about practicality, it’s
they once were. But the device scrubs up parameters, but don’t get your hopes up, about being challenged by the tools,
well – and the 320x240 angled LCD display an entire composition using only these will finding new ways to get ideas out, and it’s
is a thing of beauty (but make sure it’s sound quite vanilla. A good rule of thumb ultimately about emotions and nostalgia.
working before you buy!). There are plenty is to connect it to your favourite synths or The only questions are: how interested are
of little buttons, a data dial and pitch and drum machines for richer sonics. The QY700 you in composition and how willing are you
mod wheels, but the true tactile fun comes methodology is based on phrases, patterns, to adopt a more considered workflow?
with the big buttons that dominate much and songs. You can record full-length song Do you like the idea, but want more
of the QY700’s surface and give it a 1970s parts (in real time or via step recording), interactivity? See also Yamaha’s RM1x and
computer vibe. or construct patterns and chain them RS7000. A final note to say that, for music
There are also two rows of rubber pads, for playback. It’s a functional sequencer, fans of a certain age, you can’t mention
reflecting a keyboard layout, so you can limited mainly by the era’s display the QY700 sequencer without mentioning
play the onboard instruments without any technology. It’s nothing like sequencing in Squarepusher – it’s even on the cover
external controllers. Connections include the way you may think of doing it with Live, of the 2006 Hello Everything album – it’s
two pairs of MIDI inputs and outputs, ¼-inch for example, but at times, it overlaps with not only beloved by him but by many,
audio left/right outputs, ¼-inch stereo the functionality of more long-in-the-tooth many other electronic music-makers.
headphone jack, footswitch jack and a DAWs such as Cubase and Logic. Including me.
3.5-inch floppy disk drive. It’s still easy to
get disks online, as well as a USB disk drive
for your computer. It’s a strange trip to
have a floppy disk drive hooked up to
a 2019 5K iMac. It’s also easy to track
suitable mains-power supplies online.
Sequencing hardware is about
embracing the limited track counts, sounds
and effects, but the QY700 has capacity
enough with up to 32 simultaneous notes,
32 sequencing tracks and storage for
20 songs. Being partly envisioned as a
backing-track device, it has a library of
3,876 customisable instrument phrases,
with a further 99 slots for user phrases.
If you’re that way inclined, you can use
the auto-accompaniment mode to create

1073SPX Single Preamp & EQ with extra features
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• Exclusive Neve Marinair™ transformers • Instrument DI
• Insert send and return • Switchable 7-stage LED metering
For recording as it’s meant to be heard, it has to be Neve - no question.
DESIGNED & CRAFTED IN ENGLAND BY NEVE ENGINEERS

w w w. a m s - n e v e . c o m

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The Ultimate Desktop Mixer

How do you like me now?

Issue 197 August 2019

Pro advice on taking your compositions

THE MUSICTECH EXPERTS It can be the

Andy Price Editor andy.price@musictech.net

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One Eye Feed The Insta Tell The Venue Touch It

18 August 2019 MusicTech musictech.net

The Ticking DIY With iOS

20 August 2019 MusicTech musictech.net

THE PLACE FOR MUSIC PLUGINS

ELEKTRON AKAI FORCE TYPICAL MODULAR RIG

ABLETON LIVE 10 GARAGEBAND iOS KORG GADGET

22 August 2019 MusicTech musictech.net

REASON GUITAR PEDALS K-MIX

OTO MACHINES BOUM ARTURIA MINILAB MK II FOCUSRITE SCARLETT 2i4

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24 August 2019 MusicTech musictech.net

© David Redfern/Getty Images

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operators, algorithms, frequency ratios and more.

26 August 2019 MusicTech musictech.net

MODULATE NOT MIX FEHRPLAY: PARALLEL SOUNDS £19.99

rate were to be increased sufficiently, we would

OPERATORS AND ALGORITHMS

5 Avoid The 6 Velocity And 7 Feedback 8 Use Modern 9 Don’t Be

28 August 2019 MusicTech musictech.net

FREQUENCY RATIO PHASE DISTORTION

© Ebet Roberts/Getty Images

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Mark Turnham What sounds do you buss or group

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Gearbox Records extra resourceful and dream up ways