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WITH THE KNOW-HOW OF

05-2024

# 220 | 05-2024
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GET STARTED
SOFTWARE-HIGHLIGHTS
Versatile genius for EDM & Co.
Syntorial Primer 2
At first glance, the Syntorial Primer software synthesizer appears some-
what inconspicuous. But if you take a closer look, you quickly realize how
flexible this virtual-analogue sound generator is. Its sound spectrum ranges
from classic analog Basses, Leads, Pads and effect sounds to contemporary
sounds for electronic music and club productions. Curious? Then install it
and off you go.
Download: see page 9 | Info: www.syntorial.com win | mac
All serial numbers safely accessible:
The Beat Serial Center
To ensure that none of your serial numbers are lost in the future ( for
instance, in the event of a new installation, Outlook crash or disk crash),
you can now conveniently manage them online. The advantages are
obvious: The editorial team can send you targeted software updates,
you have access to all serials at any time and from anywhere, and
everything is managed and stored in a central location. The Serial Center
thus becomes your personal password archive on the web.
www.serialcenter.de
BEATSOFTWARE
15 GB Sounds & Software
2 sound instruments by AAS
Free choice from 69 packs
There‘s double reason to be happy this month: our friends at Applied
Acoustic Systems are giving you two inspiring sound instruments. There
are a total of 69 packs to choose from. Simply choose your two f­ avorites.
From trendy club sounds and vintage analog sounds to experimen-
tal ­soundscapes and expressive ­simulations of percussion and string
­instruments, everything is included and inspiration is guaranteed.
Download: see page 9 | Info: www.applied-acoustics.com win | mac
178 chromatic percussion and drum kits
DRUMZ for Zampler & MPCs
If you’re in search for special sounds, exclusive treatment is the key. But
did you ever try playing your drums and percussions like instruments
instead within static rhythms? That’s where DRUMZ is here to help!
Featuring 93 colourful drum and percussion sounds that can be played
chromatically on your keyboard makes all drums feel like instruments.
On top you’ll find 85 classic kits and 209 Tempest & Aira loops for good
measure. Drum roll, please!
Download: see page 9 | More packs: www.zamplersounds.com win | mac
Beat 05 | 2024 • 3
 BEATSOFTWARE
15 GB Sounds & Software

Beat #220 – Exclusive software

More than 15 GB of valuable plug-ins and samples for download
L
ooking for brilliant sounds for your next club banger? With our full versi-
on of Syntorial Primer, you get the universal genius for EDM, techno and
trance served up as a synth. As a second highlight, you also have a choice of
two sound packs from AAS, which complement the Syntorial Primer perfectly.
We continue with our 1.7 GB DRUMZ expansion pack for the Zampler and

6 GB MPCs. Here you‘ll find the full load of percussions and drums with 178 chro-
matically playable kits. No more static drums!
Other highlights not to be missed are our 6 GB sound treasure chest with
6 GB Vocals, Drums
& Brass for Tech- hand-picked samples for house, folk, dark ambiences and even cyberpunk, thanks
House, Cyberwave to the first-class contact instrument CINEMATIC CYBERWAVE FREE by Noizefield.
& Folk Bass-heavy support also comes from ZTEKNO with the must-have sound package
Techno Army and the tech house tools from Hy2rogen.

Contents compiled by the Beat editorial team

TCHBAY
WITH MEGA PA NTH
ANALOG SYNTH DIRTY LEAD SY

Flandersh Substitute Modular Beat Röhrich 12AX7

Sound designers take note! Substitute Modular is a semi-modular analog
synth with a very powerful patchbay. An extensive selection of effects, crisp
filters and step sequencers are waiting to be explored and provide soft pads,
retro basses and edgy leads.
Download: see page 9 | Info: www.flandersh.tech win
Our own synth development based on Steinberg‘s HALion Sonic SE is the
Röhrich 12AX7, a powerful lead synth. It‘s all about destroying, destroying and
raw sounds that are suitable for many styles of music. The instrument can be
easily integrated into any VST2, VST3- and AU-capable DAW.
Download: see page 9 | Info: www.beat.de win | mac

Exclusive download: 1,78 GB

The Beat Studio Drumz for
Zampler &
Akai MPCs

Apsonic Speedrum BE Acon Dynamics BE Thorn Solo Zampler//RX Halls Of Fame 3 Beat
Powerful drum sampler with All-rounder with Compres- One of the best and most fle- REX/SFZ Player with mod- Luxury convolution reverb
16 MPC-style pads sor, Expander and Gate xible monosynths out there matrix & param sequencer with Lexicon, Bricasti & EMT

4 • Beat 05 | 2024
 BEATSOFTWARE
15 GB Sounds & Software

R
D FOR REAKTO BLADE RUNNER
SYNTH LEGEN SOUNDS LIKE

Sunborn Nord Rack 2X Noizefield Instruments CINEMATIC CYBERWAVE FREE

The legend is back! The developers at Sunborn have emulated the The Kontakt instrument CINEMATIC CYBERWAVE FREE offers cinematic,
­über-synth Nord Rack 2 for all Reaktor users. Two oscillators with 13 futuristic sounds of the cyberpunk and synthwave genre in the style of the
­waveforms create a fat sound for trance, EDM and more. movie Blade Runner. Dynamic leads and booming basses are guaranteed.
Download: see page 9 | Info: www.native-instruments.com win | mac Download: see page 9 | Info: l www.noizefield.com win | mac

PRESETS POP
SURGE R FOR ROCK &
30 EXCLUSIVE DRUM SAMPLE

Damon Armani Surge XT Vol 3 Manda Audio MT Power Drum Kit

Music producer and sound designer Damon Armani has created 30 The MT Power Drum Kit offers you solid drums for rock, metal and pop, with
­club-ready patches and 20 wavetables for the Surge XT synthesizer which you can also layer drums. The sampler is also filled with thousands of
­exclusively for BEAT. Two videos are also included. MIDI grooves and fills.
Download: see page 9 | Info: www.damon-armani.com win | mac I linux Download: see page 9 | Info: : www.powerdrumkit.com win | mac I linux

Beat 05 | 2024 • 5
INBEAT
Table of contents

Table of contents
MIXING STRATEGIES
While some people mix intuitively during production, for others the mixdown is a separate process with
strict rules. The goal is the same in both cases: tracks that are as powerful as possible and transparent songs
with depth. But what equipment do you need? How do you get the best out of equalizers, compressors, etc.?
What are the advantages of hardware mixers, equalizers and compressors? Can you adequately assess a
mix with headphones? On 19 pages we give you all the answers to the topic and at the same time provide a
seven-point plan with which you can get any mix under control. From page 16

Standards Music & technology

003 Beat issue #220: Software 010 Magazine – Facts, interviews, products
Make your studio more valuable! This
month there‘s more than 15 GB of plug-ins, 036 BEAT Community: Show us your studio
sounds and samples for your tracks. This month with Vogue Renege &
Magical Synth Adventure Test: KingKORG Neo
006 Contents The KingKORG is back, with a revised
040 Portrait: Tinlicker design with 37 buttons, new sounds
008 Navigator: Best of Beat #220 The previous release „In Another and direct access to the vocoder.
Lifetime“ (2022) by Tinlicker attracted a Page 72
012 Editorial: The Beat team introduces itself lot of attention and now the Electro/Deep
House band is back with the follow-up
„Cold Enough For Snow“.
014 Check: plugins-samples.com

044 BEHIND THE BEAT Podcast

042 Digital Culture: DJing on Youtube
Episode #34 with Enyang Urbiks
DJs up in hot air balloons, Techno
in the jungle, the club in the living Top workshops
room  – YouTube videos are turning the
080 Music treasures of the month conventions of the scene upside down.
What does this transformation of the dance Free full version: Syntorial Primer 2
081 ExtraBeat – List of dealers experience mean for DJing as a whole? Universal genius for EDM & Co.
Local Expertise Page 46

082 Imprint & preview

Beat 06 | 2024 will be out on 03.05.2024
Zampler: DRUMZ
Hands-on: Electro-Pop
Page 66

Discovered: Kaleida
Kaleida got off to a dream start with their „Think Power Producer: Studio One
EP“: Cicely Goulder‘s minimal, sensually shimmering Italo-Synth-Pop à la The Kolors
production and Christina Wood‘s soulful, velvety voice Page 52
combined to create irresistible songs that earned them
placements in blockbuster movies. Page 38
Mix tricks: Emphasize transients
The best reverb for plucks
Page 53
Photo: Benjamin Hampson

6 • Beat 05 | 2024
 INBEAT
Table of contents

Magazine downloads Latest news on

@beat.magazin @beatmagazin @beatmagazin @beatmagazine_ofc Find the link on page 9 www.beat.de

Test: Yamaha SEQTRAK

After a long time, Yamaha is back with a

WorkBeat groovebox whose concept and design could

have come from Teenage Engineering. The
perfect mobile music production solution?
013 Hands on: Arturia MiniFreak
Page 74

046 Focus: Syntorial Primer

048 Power Producer: FL Studio

HardBeat
049 Power Producer: Apple Logic X
SoftBeat 070 Desktop audio
050 Power Producer: Cubase
056 Current freeware 072 Test: KingKorg Neo
051 Power Producer: Ableton Live
057 New effect plug-ins 074 Test: Yamaha SEQTRAK
052 Power Producer: Studio One
058 Test: Steinberg WaveLab 12 Pro 077 Modular test: Squarp Hermod+
053 Mix tricks: The best reverb for plucks
059 Test: TAL Audio TAL-Pha 078 Modular test: Erica Synths Black Reverb
064 Track spotlight: Recreate top ten sounds & Black Delay2
060 Test: GForce Axxess
066 Zampler Constructor: DRUMZ
061 Test: Baby Audio Atoms On Stage
068 Hands-on: Mix audio tracks fully
automated with AI 062 New sounds & samples 079 Power Producer: Push-DJing

Beat 05 | 2024 • 7
INBEAT
Navigator

Navigator: Best of Beat # 220

The common thread: Beat issue 05/2024
For many years, Beat has been inspiring its readers not only with practical and musical topics, but above all with the tight
­integration of editorial content. From the very beginning, Beat has been about creating, about the structured building of
ideas and the common thread – in the magazine as well as in the tracks. This navigator shows you the highlights of this issue
­andallows you to see the big picture.

Discovered: Kaleida
Kaleida got off to a dream start with their Think EP: Cicely Goulder‘s minimal, sensually shimmering
production and Christina Wood‘s soulful, velvety voice combined to create irresistible songs which
earned them placements in blockbuster films. After the masterful debut Tear the Roots and the
inward-looking follow-up Odyssey, Cicely and Christina are now back with „In Arms“ – a more richly
arranged, organic sounding work with powerful lyrics that don‘t mince words. Page 38

Test: KingKORG Neo

The KingKORG is back, this time in a compact 37-key model with new sounds, direct access
to the high-quality vocoder and a revised design. This new edition is a bit surprising, as the
predecessor wasn‘t necessarily a bestseller. Page 72

Test: Yamaha SEQTRAK

After a long time there is once again a groovebox from Yamaha, the concept and design of which
could also come from Teenage Engineering. SEQTRAK aims to offer a mobile music production
solution that lets you unleash your creativity anywhere and capture your ideas in no time thanks
to a fast workflow. We tested whether the small box meets this requirement. Page 74

Portrait: Tinlicker
We had the pleasure of interviewing Jordi van Achthoven, one half of the Dutch duo Tinlicker.
Their previous release „In Another Lifetime“ received a lot of attention, and now the Electro/Deep
House band is back with the follow-up „Cold Enough For Snow“. Thus, we delved into the depths
of their creative process, exploring the studio environment and their approach to collaborations
with renowned artists like Brian Molko, Julia Church, Tom Smith, and Circa Waves. Page 40

Digital culture: DJing on YouTube

DJs up in hot air balloons, Techno in the jungle, the club in the living room - YouTube videos
are turning the conventions of the scene upside down. It makes for pleasant viewing, but the
consequences run deeper. What does this transformation of the dance experience mean for
DJing as a whole? Page 42

8 • Beat 05 | 2024
BEAT SOFTWARE
FOR DOWNLOAD

bit.ly/BeatDL220XL
VIEW AND DOWNLOAD IN YOUR BROWSER. WITHOUT REGISTRATION! (PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO UPPER AND LOWER CASE)
SUBSCRIBERS FIND ALL DOWNLOADS AND LICENCES AT WWW.BEAT.DE/DOWNLOADS
Beat 05 | 2019 • 9
Magazine
Facts | Opinions | News | Products

by Carl-Philipp Schmeller

Free from u-he: Fast and secure

Additive wavetable
synthesizer
Zebralette3
As an appetizer for the new
synth battleship Zebra 3,
u-he is already offering the
free wavetable synthesizer
Zebralette 3, albeit currently still in a beta edition. As with Zebralette 2, the
sound generation consists of an oscillator and several modulation sources.
However, this oscillator impresses with its versatility and complexity, such as
spline-based editing, the various morphing options and algorithms for chan-
ging the waveform, or the option of using additive synthesis in addition to wa-
vetable synthesis. The oscillator also has a dynamic toolbox. The plug-in also
has a multi-stage envelope generator, LFOs and delay and reverb effects. The
editing options for the wavetables, which can then be exported as a pure wa-
vetable in WAV format and imported into other wavetable synths, are defini-
tely one of the special features.
The beta version of Zebralette 3 can now be downloaded
free of charge from the KVR Audio forum. The plug-in sup-
ports the formats CLAP, AU, VST3 and AAX.
mixing with IK
Multimedia
In order to achieve the best
possible room acoustics in
the studio and eliminate po-
tential unfavorable acoustic
properties, room correcti-
on is required, which is ideally carried out automatically. With the Arc Studio
from IK Multimedia, the right standalone hardware is now available for such
tasks, along with the new ARC 4 software and the ARC measurement micro-
phone. As soon as the computer is connected to the ARC Studio via USB, the
X-Monitor function can be used to select from over 20 speaker models. There
is also an optimized correction algorithm in ARC 4 and the AD/DA conversi-
on enables a dynamic range of 120 dB. You can switch between nine different
curves to fine-tune the surround sound. You can choose between Natural Pha-
se or Linear Phase modes. The manufacturer even promises that there will be
no latency whatsoever.
The ARC Studio can now be purchased for 349 Euros. The
ARC 4 software and the microphone without the hardware
­together cost 229 Euros.

kvraudio.com More info ikmultimedia.com More info

Musiccollege Hannover offers music producer courses

Make your dreams come true and turn all areas. The session data is also in-
your hobby into a profession by ta- cluded so that you can follow all the
king part in the new Music Producer + learning content exactly.
Sound Design seminar program at Mu- The seminar program starts next
siccollege Hannover. Here you will learn on 14 April with seven subsequent
to produce like the top producers, with dates, each lasting six hours, at the
insider knowledge specifically for elec- Musiccollege Hannover. The seminar
tronic music. The seminar program will price is 1,690 Euros. Pupils and stu-
cover all important and fundamental dents pay 990 Euros. Please register
aspects of studio, software, beats, har- by e-mail to: sounds@mach5ive.de.
mony, arrangement, sound design and
mixing. The six-month course is part-
time and culminates in a certificate.
Personal support and continuous feedback during the entire seminar period is
also promised. The seminar program also includes video tutorials in full HD qua-
lity. These are designed to enable targeted analysis and, above all, ear training in musiccollege-hannover.de More info

10 • Beat 05 | 2024
 BEATMAGAZIN
Facts | Opinions | News | Gear

Cracker deals SUPERBOOTH24 – The most 60 distortion algorithms under one

to 70 years of Thomann
Happy Birthday and all the best from the Beat
team! Thomann‘s success story began 70 years
ago and the music retailer is now the largest mu-
sic store in Europe. For 70 years, Thomann has
stood for music, service and passion. The com-
pany is inviting musicians to celebrate the an-
niversary year together and benefit from exclu-
sive offers. With varying monthly deals, you can
make big savings from the 1st to the 10th of each
month until September 2024. The offers are li-
mited in time and there are also special models,
reissues and limited editions. Exclusively limi-
ted 70th Anniversary special models are availa-
ble in various specialist areas such as guitar, stu-
dio, drums and PA. These models are visually
inspired by Thomann and the anniversary year.
The history of Thomann began in 1954, when
Hans Thomann Senior founded the music store
in the small Franconian village of Treppendorf.
Since then, the company has grown conti-
nuously and has developed into one of the most
important music retailers in the world. 70 years of
Thomann stands for 70 years of music, service and
passion.
You can find all deals here:
important facts in a nutshell
SUPERBOOTH, the world‘s largest trade fair for
electronic musical instruments, is just around
the corner and will open its doors again from
May 16 to May 18, 2024. After the resounding
success with over 9000 visitors, the trade fair
will take place as usual on the grounds of Ber-
lin‘s FEZ, both indoors and outdoors. A diver-
se range of prestigious national and internatio-
nal exhibitors from the field of sound generators
and effects are expected, both in the hardware
and software segments. Visitors will have the
opportunity to test the latest products directly
on site. In addition to the trade fair, numerous
discussion rounds, presentations and daily live
concerts will take place at various locations, oc-
casionally creating a festival atmosphere. There
will also be DIY workshops for sound hobbyists.
The trade fair also offers the opportunity for
professional exchange with like-minded people.
A 3-day ticket can be purchased online in
advance for 98 Euros (reduced price of 79 Euros
for students), while a 1-day ticket costs 39 Euros
or 29 Euros for students. You will find a detailed
special on SUPERBOOTH24 in
the next issue.
hood
iZotope released the Trash effects plugin over 20
years ago. iZotope is now part of Native Instru-
ments, but that doesn‘t change the creative po-
tential - on the contrary. Trash 3 is the third, tho-
roughly revised generation of the distortion icon,
which splits the plug-in into individual modu-
les. The Convolve module allows you to manipu-
late the acoustics and frequency response with
600 innovative impulse responses. If that‘s not
enough, you can also import your own impulse
responses. To crossfade between four distortion
algorithms, the Trash module, including its XY
pad, now offers over 60 distortion types to choo-
se from. The swap function can be used to vary
the order of convolve and trash. The distortion
can also be split into three individual frequency
ranges. The self-oscillating scream filter has been
integrated for authentic scream effects. Thanks
to the envelope generator, the scream and trash
module can also be.
Trash can be purchased for 85 Euros at the
introductory price (regular price 109 Euros). An
iPadOS version is also available for the first time
for 23 Euros.

thomann.de More info superbooth.com More info native-instruments.com More info

88 keys of power: The DAW controller with a fat software bundle

Arturia is expanding its KeyLab Essential mk3 series of controller keyboards with an 88-
key model. The addition to the 49- and 61-key models is predestined for both studio and
stage use. Compared to the previous model, the velocity-sensitive keyboard has been im-
proved and increased to 88 semi-weighted keys. The easy-to-use DAW and MIDI control-
ler with its Hyrid synth piano feel is designed to express the expressiveness of a premium
keyboard. Another new feature is the enlarged 2.5-inch LC display with four context-sen-
sitive buttons. The integration of in-house software instruments is also said to have been
improved. With Scale mode, Chord Play and the Arpeggiator, there are also numerous
creative options to choose from. Five dedicated DAW scripts for controlling common
DAWs are included. The keyboard is also upgraded with a comprehensive software packa-
ge. This includes the DAW Ableton Live Lite, and the sound genera-
tors Analog Lab Pro, NI The Gentleman, UVI Model D and Loopcloud
& Melodics.
KeyLab Essential mk3 can now be purchased for 399 Euros.

arturia.com | www.tomeso.de More info

Beat 05 | 2024 • 11
INBEAT
Editorial
Editorialces itself
BEAT introdu
Jan
Wilking
Synthesizers, samplers and drum
machines have defined his life for a
good four decades. Inspired by the
emerging Synth Pop of the early
80s, particularly the first concerts
as a budding teenager like Depeche
Mode, Nitzer Ebb and Shock Therapy
shaped his further development,
which led to the founding of the
EBM/Industrial project STERIL in
1990, which was successful mainly
in the USA. From the simple cassette
recorder, Casio keyboard and mono
sampler with mini-memory to the
modern DAW with almost unlimited
possibilities, Jan has witnessed the
development of electronic music
production, with his personal
conclusion: Less is often more!
Daniel Bock
New addition to the BEAT team. Actually a guitarist and actually plays Funk, Rock,
Alternative & Metal, but secretly always squinted to the synths and Electronic Music.
Tells himself that jamming is actually the real music making and producing tracks is
not really necessary. Loves gear and creative gear. What would be better for this than a
modular system? Consequently, therefore, also
responsible for the Eurorack corner of the BEAT.
Carl-Philipp Schmeller
Philipp Sterszewski
Philipp has been with Beat since
issue 1. His home is Commercial
Electronic Music, which he has been
passionate about since the 90s
and also produces in his own home
studio. He also conducts seminars in
the field. At Beat, he is responsible
for News, Workshops, Reviews and
Tests; especially for the last two
years now for the English edition
and for Beat.de.
12 • Beat 05 | 2024
Sascha Blach
Passionate music nerd who likes
variety as a listener, as well as a
singer, musician and producer,
because he thinks variety is what
makes life interesting - from
melancholic Folk to Pop, Electronica
and Techno to Indie Rock and Metal,
there‘s a lot here. Busy songwriter.
Besides his own various projects,
he also makes production music.
Convinced Apple and Logic user.
Loves guitar pedals. Likes to work on
a mix for months and still claims to
work effectively. Prefers profundity
to small talk. That‘s why he‘s also
doing extensive interviews at BEAT.
In short: Somehow damn versatile,
our Sascha!
Marco
Scherer
Producer, Sound Designer, DJ and
Gear Nerd with a big soft spot
for samplers. Marco has been
making music for as long as he
can remember, loves his studio
and even runs around outside with
microphones and recorders to find
and bend the best sounds. Produces
Psytrance under Datacult, Techno
under the name Villa Violet and
creates with his „Drum Depot“ kits
for current drum samplers. At BEAT,
he is the contact person for (almost)
everything and puts his heart and
soul into it.
Maya Consuelo Sternel
Maya Consuelo Sternel, a.k.a. Donna
Maya, is a musician, producer and sound
artist. She plays Theremin and releases
Underground Techno. After earning her
Audio Engineer degree, she worked in New
York at Unique Recording in Times Square,
overseeing productions from Run DMC to
Joe Lynn Turner. She is an Ableton Certified
Trainer, runs Upstart Electronic Music
Education and is co-founder of the Ableton
User Group Berlin.
Ricarda Becker
Ricarda Becker
Good Fairy, Layout Fairy or simply
Graphic Designer... Ricarda has
many titles, but only one task: to
make the magazine as beautiful
as possible. The graphic design is
analogous to music: underneath the
final result lies a lot of work, sweat
and technology that you don‘t even
see when you just look at it. We are
all the more pleased to have her!
Mario
Mario Schumacher
Schumacher
Mario has been on board since the
first issue. His musical output is
as versatile as his contributions
to BEAT: While his Edge Of Dawn
explores the field of tension bet-
ween Synth Pop and Electro, Mario
produces Cinematic Electronic Music
for Film, TV and Advertising under
the name Raging Silence for, among
others, Mercedes Benz, Porsche,
Audi, Philips and Puma.
Tobias Fischer
Tobias Fischer
Journalist, author, label
owner, listener. Tobias has
been writing about music for
almost 20 years; 15 of them for
BEAT. In doing so, he prefers
to go deep below the surface.
This is also the case in his
„Behind the Beat“ podcast. As
long as there is music, Tobias
will ask questions - either for
new book projects or, in the
meanwhile, for the almost
4000 interviews for his project
„15 Questions“.
Yvonne Popall
As with many things, someone in
the background always has to take
care of the numbers, and that‘s
what Yvonne does for us. She
has been part of the BEAT team
since 2006 and is the charming
and reliable contact person for all
advertising inquiries.
 WORKBEAT
Advertorial

Finest loops from the Arturia MiniFreak Download in the

66 nasty basslines &

magazine data,
see page 9

­chilling arps – for free!

The MiniFreak is causing quite a stir at the moment. No surprise, as a synth like Serum has never been available as
a hardware keyboard version before. Plus the sounds are first class and hardly any other synth is as versatile as it
is intuitive – because you can touch it! And that‘s why we think you should get a piece of it. There are 66 delicacies
waiting for you: arpeggios guaranteed to give you goosebumps, monumental atmospheres, bristling hooklines and
fiddly grooves are the icing on the cake ... enjoy them all! by Marco Scherer

You can find the Arturia MiniFreak Base Pack in the
magazine downloads – Link see Page 9.
... the 64 new presets make full use of the
Wavetable Engine and show the extent
to which sound generation can expand the vari-
ety of sounds? From cutting EDM Leads to crys-
tal-clear Digi-Pads; in combination with the ana-
log filter, even classic PPG and ProphetVS sounds
are no problem.
... the SuperUnison effect can do more
than just Chorus sounds? Up to 6 voices
can be added, detuned and distributed
in the stereo panorama. In contrast to the Unison
effect on classic synthesizers, no voices are used,
so MiniFreak can still be played polyphonically
with 6 voices.
... you can call up 64 of your favorite pre-
sets directly via the sequencer buttons?
This function is particularly useful for
live performances.
... you can set speeds for each indivi-
dual step with the custom LFO? This
makes even more complex modulation
­sequences possible.
... the MiniFreak V is included with the
hardware? Yes, it is!
If you want to know more about the
MiniFreak or watch a few tutorial
videos, visit www.arturia.com, where

T
you‘ll find lots of how-to videos about
o be honest, studio sessions with Arturia gear this hardware synth.
are always inspiring because, where the pre-
sets of the first product generations were still
the weak point, the developers have made serious
improvements and have been delivering the finest
material for years. This immediately inspires new
ideas or encourages tinkering. We have done both
for you and present 66 loops & stems that you can
use immediately in your next tracks.

7 Facts on MiniFreak:
Did you know...

... the internal 64-step sequencer records

any four parameters per step? This allows
you to pre-program the entire synth - from the ani-
mated pad to the beat.

... the MiniFreak also has the Wavetab-

le Engine from the MicroFreak with the
l
2.0 update? There are 32 factory wavetab- h analog filters, playfu
ital sound engines wit
les to choose from using the Shift function with the c Hyb rid Key boa rd, that combines two dig tha t are equ ally curious, as well as
The MiniFreak is a pol
yphoni – for sounds
and fat stereo effects
instinctive sequencing
type control. modulation options,
c.

Beat 05 | 2024 • 13
BEATCHECK
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14 • Beat 05 | 2024
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies

MIX FAST & PRODUCTIVE

MIXING STRATEGIES
HIP-HOP, TECHNO, ROCK & POP
7 STEPS TO THE PERFECT MIX
While some people mix intuitively during production, for others the mixdown is a separate process with strict rules.
The goal is the same in both cases: tracks that are as powerful as possible and transparent songs with depth.
But what equipment do you need? How do you get the best out of equalizers, compressors, etc.? What are the
advantages of hardware mixers, equalizers and compressors? Can you adequately assess a mix with headphones?
On 19 pages we give you all the answers to the topic and at the same time provide a seven-point plan with
which you can get any mix under control.
by Igl Schönwitz, Georg Berger, Vera Schumacher, Marco Scherer

Produce like the industry experts: In the BA (Hons) Music Production course
at BIMM University Berlin, you will learn everything you need to know about
recording, mixing and mastering.
www.bimm-institute.de

16 • Beat 05 | 2024
 SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies

H
ow do you balance the kick drum with the bass
track? How do the basses get forward without
dominating? How do you give vocals a silky
shine? And how do you keep the ups and downs of
frequency and dynamics under control? You can
find the practical and detailed solutions to all of
these (and more) questions on the following pages.
Also our big highlight: the mixing schedule from Igl
Schönwitz, a more than renowned sound engineer
who approaches the mixing process less technically
and more based on feeling. And now, without
further ado, let‘s get started with the material - with
nine tips for successful mixdowns. Ready?

1 Don‘t hide anything

If you are unsure about a sound and auto-
matically mix it quieter, it is better to leave it out
The Decapitator is one of Soundtoys‘ most successful and popular plug-ins and a master of saturation.
completely, because less is more. You should also
consider whether the sound even deserves a place
in the track or whether it doesn‘t matter at all.
sic example: In the breakdown, a melody, a pad and to overwhelm the listener with many elements, but

2 Repair with measure

The same applies if a sound doesn‘t work
and needs to be extensively reworked. If it isn‘t the
a drum roll play together and take advantage of the
entire width in the mix. Midrange and treble-heavy
instruments are in the foreground, the bass range
rather create excitement through a sensible variety
of different sounds.

„mega-rare but incredibly individual“ sound, you

should save your time and look for an alternative.
Small rule of thumb: If the sound doesn‘t sound
good after 30 minutes, replace it.
remains empty. If it finally continues, only kick and
bass are played, both of which are naturally mono.
Due to the stark change from maximum stereo
width with a lot of content to the low-frequency
mono part, the subsequent beat hits even harder.
8 A/B listening!
If the mix doesn‘t have any punch,
mastering is not the solution you‘re looking
for. If in doubt, question the sounds used. Even
though it can be frustrating at first if you don‘t

3 Keep it clean
Keep the frequency spectrum clean and
reserve the necessary space for all sounds. For
dance and club tracks, only kick and bass belong in
the depths. You can safely cut all other sounds from
200 Hz downwards using EQ.
6 Pimp weak sounds
If a sound lacks punch, you can, with a clear
achieve the same level of pressure, always listen
to your tracks in direct comparison with similar
commercial tracks.
conscience, pull out a distortion device and let it
intervene gently. A reliable and popular candidate
for roughening is the Decapitator from Soundtoys.
Even with minimal DRIVE, a pleasant fullness and
9 Midi to audio
If some parts just don‘t fit into a track and
the „three element rule“ doesn‘t help, it may make

4 Full Mix
The fact that songs seem “big” and literally
transparency can quickly be achieved in the sound. sense to convert the plug-in tracks to audio. This
means that reverb tails, delays and fading sounds
push the listener against a wall is rarely just due to
the bass foundation. Rather, a mix becomes full and
bright when the spectrum is well filled. So don‘t let
7 The three elements
The human ear can only perceive and locate
three elements at the same time, such as drums,
become clearly visible and this may indicate
that the mix is too full. It also saves a lot of com-
puter capacity because you can then deactivate
yourself be tempted to listen to the kick and bass bass and a melody. When arranging, make sure not the originals. r
solo for a long time and try to make them fatter and
fatter, because only in exceptional cases can the two
elements actually be heard alone later. Only when
hi-hats, snares and effects are added does the mix
become full and rounded.

5 Use panorama
Another feature for full mixes is the consistent
use of stereo panning. The goal is not to constantly
fill every corner, but rather to distribute the sounds
sensibly and play with mono and stereo parts. Clas-

When you convert your MIDI tracks to audio, you not only force yourself to finish working on a sound, but you also see the
release, delays and reverb tails, allowing you to better clean up the mix.

Beat 05 | 2024 • 17
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies

Hands-on: Efficient mixing

7 Steps to the
perfect mix
Often when you are faced with a new mixing job you seem to stand there like a duck in a thunder-
storm: How should I approach it, where do I want to go - and how do I achieve my goal? Our 7-point
plan makes it easier to reach the sound maximum easier.

1 Mindset and vision

Get rid of ready-made plug-in presets and experimentally determine
which processors and settings have which effects on the sound of different
instruments. Then you try to use various reference titles to develop a
vision of what a song can sound like, what your personal sonic preferences
are and where the sound journey should go.

3 Objective: What should it actually sound like?

Once you‘ve familiarized yourself with the track, the
all-important question comes: What should it sound like
in the end? This also depends, but not only, on the style. If
necessary, have the customer provide you with reference
tracks and analyze the sound: Is it warm or brilliant, dynamic
or powerful, spatially deep or more in front of the speakers?
We‘ll give you some reference tracks that you can use to get
to know different sonic approaches.

2 Listen and analyze

Sort the tracks of your song and create a meaningful structure.
First try to achieve a transparent sound image in which everything
can be heard using only faders and stereo panning. Then take a close
look at the arrangement: Are all the elements really musically neces-
sary? Or can you “purify” the song by not letting certain elements
play all the time? Look carefully at the timing - especially the drums
and bass - and edit if necessary. You can only create a powerful mix
if the arrangement is structured sensibly.

18 • Beat 05 | 2024
 SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies

7 Fine tuning
The last step is all about giving your mix the necessary cohesion. The legendary

4 Tools and their use: equalizer

“Mix Glue” ensures that the song feels like a unit and no longer like individual
tracks. An effective way to do this is compression. In order not to take away too
An important rule: Think beforehand much dynamics from the mastering engineer, it is helpful to
whether a signal needs processing at group instruments and compress subgroups instead of
all and what you want to achieve. You over-processing the stereo sum. Careful adjustment of
can filter out disturbing resonances in a the reverberation rooms used in the song can also be
narrow band; digital equalizers are usually important for the final fine-tuning.
better suited for this than analog devices
or their emulations. Another task is to
emphasize characteristic frequency ranges
of a particular instrument in order to
make it easier to locate in the mix. Analog
equalizers and corresponding plugins
are often better suited for this, because
distortions and non-linearities contribute
to the assertiveness of signals.

6 Tools and their use: reverb and delay

Reverb is an ambiguous matter: it
makes signals bigger and more beautiful,
but at the same time pushes them back in
the mix in terms of auditory psychology. The
clever use of reverbs creates depth in your
mix. It makes sense to only use reverb when
you have already created an assertive mix
using other means - this will prevent you
from subconsciously overdoing it, because
the ear quickly gets used to reverberation. If
you want to make vocals big and still place
them in front of the band, a delay that fades
away instead of the main
track can be helpful.

5 Tools and their use: Compressors

Compressors are an important tool for shaping sound.
However, if used incorrectly, they can lead to lifeless mixes.
Understand compressors as a means of specifically
processing attack noises and sustain phases. The
attack and release time parameters are particu-
larly important for this. There are also significant
sound differences between different devices
and plug-ins when it comes to compressors. A
comparison is always worthwhile.

Beat 05 | 2024 • 19
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies
Efficient mixing: the path to the perfect mix
Strategies and tools
Every beginning is difficult - and as a sound engineer you are all too often faced with a new project and ask yourself
the all-important question: What am I actually doing here? In this tutorial we want to show you strategies and tools
for the perfect mix. We would like to go beyond the usual setting tips and instead support you in developing your own
individual path that fits perfectly to the respective song, your workflow preferences and your studio - whether it‘s a
home studio or a professional environment, whether it‘s Hip Hop or singer-songwriter.
1 Mindset and vision
In the first step, we don‘t want to deal specifically
with a song - it should rather be about our head, our
mindset. In my early days, I simply tried out many
tools and spent hours tinkering with compressors,
equalizers and reverb devices to hear which para-
meter had which effect, which device or plug-in
went particularly well with which instrument. Espe-
cially if you don‘t have that much experience yet,
this is an excellent method to learn, train your ear
and develop your very own style. Therefore: Get rid
of prefabricated settings and try things out, expe-
riment, make mistakes and learn from them. Take
your time and have fun with the equipment. Sound
engineering is a wonderful adventure playground!
In contrast, you should change your focus a litt-
le when mixing a specific track. Trying out which
Sound engineering is a wonderful adventure playground
20 • Beat 05 | 2024
plug-in has which effect is out of place here - it‘s
more about consciously shaping the sound the way
the song demands. Now, at the latest, a rule that is
all too often neglected today comes into play: every
additional device, every plug-in basically makes
our signal worse. If a plug-in doesn‘t shape the
sound the way I want it to, try another tool instead
of completely destroying the signal with five more
processors.
I always start my work by developing a visi-
on: What does the entire song sound like, what
does each individual instrument sound like? What
is okay as it is, what would I like to change? Right
from the start, get a rough idea of what the song can
and should sound like in the end. Then you use your
tools in a targeted manner. In my mixing courses I
often find that I use less than half of my course parti-
cipants‘ plug-ins and that‘s precisely why I get more
convincing results. Less is often more at this point.
In order to be able to develop your own vision
and learn which tools are useful for which task, you
can combine the above-mentioned experimental
phase with a little individual ear training: Listen to
your favorite tracks and try to fathom them aurally:
• W hich sound characteristics result from the mix
and which from the master? “Loudness” and
brickwall limiting are done with the master, and
impressive stereo width can also come from mas-
tering. The volume ratios of the individual instru-
ments and their positioning in the stereo image,
on the other hand, are more of a mixing matter.
• Which instruments were compressed and how?
Was the attack time longer or were all transients
“cut away”? Both can be okay, because ultimately
it always depends on the context and the song. Try
to understand why the mixing engineer made cer-
tain decisions. Maybe you would have done it dif-
ferently? Why?
• Which equalizer settings were used? Are the
vocals brilliant or is it more of a warm ribbon
sound?
• Which reverbs, delays and effects are used?
• How “loud” is the master? You can measure loud-
ness with the freeware plug-in YouLean Loud-
ness Meter.
By comparing the sound of well-known songs with
the experimental experiences you have gained
yourself with plug-ins and hardware processors,
you will gradually get a feeling for how the sound of
your reference productions was achieved.

You can use the Youlean Loudness Meter to find out the loudness of a master.
USE THE SPECTRUM ANALYZER CORRECTLY
2 Listen and analyze
In order to develop a vision, it is first neces-
sary to get to know the song closely. If the custo-
mer has already supplied a rough mix, this is parti-
cularly easy. Otherwise you have to get an overview
of the available material - for some arrangements
this is not so trivial. For example, if certain instru-
ments in the chorus and verse were recorded on dif-
ferent tracks, it often makes sense to combine them
on one track. This creates clarity and helps with an
intuitive workflow. Of course, this only works if the
tracks don‘t play at the same time and can‘t be edi-
ted in a similar way.
Try to organize your tracks in a meaningful way
In the next step you develop a first rough mix. Let
all tracks run and try to achieve a transparent sound
image by only changing the level and stereo distri-
bution. Determine which elements can be easily
heard and what may be getting in the way of each
other. If different instruments obscure each other,
you can often remedy the situation simply through
clever panning, without having to use any proces-
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies
sors: basses, snare drums and lead instruments as
well as vocals are traditionally and sensibly located
in the middle, all other elements can be placed in
the middle to your heart‘s content Distribute pan-
orama. If a Rhodes piano and an organ are in the
same frequency range, you simply place them to the
right and left and thus have enough transparency
to be able to assess the track. Important: Try to LIS-
TEN to where the problems are - even if it doesn‘t
seem easy at the beginning, you will gradually de-
velop a feeling for them. The use of analyzers rarely
helps you. We have summarized more information
for you in the box.
It is particularly important when mastering to work with measuring instruments. Spectrum
analyzers provide information about the frequency distribution in the mix, goniometers
show the phase position and loudness meters reliably inform whether the “loudness” of
the material matches the genre and the intended target medium. In the mixing process,
however, I would advise against using analyzers too excessively. If an audio signal has
disturbing resonances, these can only rarely be detected on the analyzer, as they are often
hidden by desired overtones. Our ears are much more sensitive than any measuring instru-
ment! Many equalizer plug-ins have integrated spectrum analyzers. If possible, you should
deactivate these, because they easily distract from the important thing - your hearing.
If you want to assess your entire mix in comparison to a reference or verify whether certain
frequency ranges are under- or over-emphasized, the analyzer can be of good use. Try to
subtly emphasize or lower the corresponding frequencies overall and check with your ears
whether you like the result. The same applies here: hearing is the final authority; a linear
frequency response is no guarantee for a good sound. On the contrary: Reggae or Hip-Hop
productions, for example, often have a massive bass boost. In these cases, this is a stylistic
device and not a shortcoming.
Under no circumstances can an analyzer replace an adequate listening situation. Choose
your monitors carefully and put effort into the acoustic design of your workplace. Head-
phones can also be a valuable
help if you are not entirely
sure about the performance
of your speakers.
The Penguin Audio Meter provides
information about frequency distribu-
tion, stereo image and loudness.
Beat 05 | 2024 • 21
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies
Once you have the rough mix, you can analyze the
track in more detail. It starts with the individual song
parts: markers for intros, verses, choruses and bridges
ensure an overview in the timeline. Now you can al-
ready see how sensible the arrangement is: A chorus
should represent an increase, an intro can also be a
little quieter. If many instruments overlap in frequen-
cy over longer periods of time, you can often clean
up the mix right from the start, for example by using
them alternately in the verse and chorus instead of
constantly having them play at the same time. A sen-
sible arrangement is at least half the battle for a good
mix! At this point I always like to remind you of a clas-
sical symphony orchestra: up to 120 musicians play
together without a mixing console. This has worked
perfectly for centuries - because compositions and ar-
rangements are correspondingly sophisticated.
Next, you should take a close look at the timing
of each track. This is particularly important for kick
drums and bass, where sidechain compression is of-
ten recommended. This can be a stylistic device with
electronic tracks, but with handmade music I would
rather call it the “sledgehammer method” because it
represents a massive intervention in the sound be-
havior of the bass track. Instead, layer the kick drum
and bass tracks in the arrange window and edit the
bass so that it plays perfectly with the kick drum. Yes,
it can be a Sisyphean task, but it‘s definitely worth it!
Kick drum and bass should be edited carefully.
When it comes to electronic productions where
everything is quantized, you usually have fewer pro-
blems in this regard - although here too you should
pay attention to how well the sounds used work to-
gether in terms of time. If a sound has a longer at-
tack phase, it can negatively affect your groove. You
can then try to move the relevant events forward a
little. In the case of strings that are to be mixed into
the background, it can also have a positive effect
if they occur a little “too late”. There is no general
“right” or “wrong” here.
When it comes to vocals, a lot of emphasis is tra-
ditionally placed on correct intonation. The timing
is often neglected. I can remember a situation many
years ago when I was mixing a Pop track with a pro-
ducer. After some experimentation with the equali-
zer and compressor settings of the vocal track, my
22 • Beat 05 | 2024
partner suggested simply moving the entire vocal
track forward a few ticks on the timeline: The vocals
immediately stood out acoustically perfectly in
front of the rest of the band - without any additio-
nal sound processing.
Any mix can only be as good as the recording,
the source material and the arrangement. So take
your time and edit carefully.
3 itObjective: What should
actually sound like?
Of course, the vision includes a goal, and at the la-
test after we have familiarized ourselves with the
material we should think more carefully about whe-
re the acoustic journey should go. Of course, this de-
pends primarily on the style and secondarily on tas-
te. Even within a genre, there is certainly scope for
creativity: older rock productions by AC/DC or Faith
No More sound organic and natural, despite their
aggressiveness, while more modern productions
are often compressed to death until the bitter end.
And some lovers of acoustic productions swear by
a pure and unadulterated sound, while colleagues
like Günther Pauler from Stockfisch Records mana-
ge to combine this with an almost magical “high-
end flair”.
In order to be able to define your own goals more
precisely, it is once again helpful to analyze referen-
ce productions in the relevant genre. When I mix
for clients, I like to have a few of the artist‘s favori-
te tracks sent along so I can get to know their sonic
preferences. But don‘t depend too meticulously on
references, instead try to
develop your own sound
personality that supports
the performance of the re-
spective track in the best
possible way. Take the ar-
tist by the hand and show
him your vision of his arti-
stic performance.
So that you can explore
and understand the sound of a reference produc-
tion in depth, I would like to suggest a few parame-
ters to which you can usefully focus your attention.
• F
 requency response: Even if this doesn‘t say as
much about the sound of a production as is wi-
dely assumed, it is still not an unimportant quan-
tity. While productions by Steely Dan, for examp-
le, sound technically perfect, but very linear and
almost well-behaved on some recordings, John
Mayer certainly allows himself a little more low
end. And in Rock music, too, the spectrum r­ anges
from downright bony bass drums (as they are es-
sential for fast double bass drum passages) to po-
werful basses. And while singers were still allo-
wed to have almost painful S sounds in the 1990s
and early 2000s, many modern singer-songwriter
productions today feature a mid-emphasized and
warm vocal sound, which is, however, more diffi-
cult to integrate into an opulent playback. So this
is where the arrangement comes into play again.
As you can see, when it comes to mixing, ever-
ything is literally connected to everything else. To
get a feel for the different frequency spectrum of
different productions, you can look at them in a
spectrum analyzer. We recommend the Hawkeye
PlugIn from SPL or the professional Pinguin Au-
dio Meter, but the on-board tools of most DAWs
also do a good job.
• Dynamics: Of course, the first thing that comes
to mind here is mastering: How loud is a produc-
tion? Are even quieter passages pushed to the li-
mit or do you sometimes dare to lower the overall
level? But apart from that, there are serious diffe-
rences in the mixing: How loud are the drums mi-
xed? Are they prominent or rather embedded in
an overall playback? In the former case, the enti-
re production will sound more dynamic and „ex-
citing“, while the latter approach can give a ballad
the necessary calm. Acoustic guitars have very fast
transients, which I can either suppress or empha-
size with a compressor using different attack time
settings, which has a significant impact on the dy-
namic impression of my overall sound.
Grace Jones‘ „Privat Live“ is much more dynamic than John
Mayer‘s „Come Back To Bed“
 tereo distribution: How are the instruments dis-
• S
tributed across the stereo stage? How are they recei-
ved? While some instruments such as individual
brass instruments, basses and vocals are almost al-
ways mono, a piano, an organ with a Leslie or an

acoustic guitar can be stereo. Try to understand how
the producers of your reference tracks deal with this
topic. Test what happens when you listen to the refe-
rence in mono: How does the sound change?
• Spatiality: If pure panning is just about a left-
right distribution of the signals, the placement
further to the front or back of the imaginary sta-
ge is also important for the spatiality. And no, you
don‘t necessarily need a surround setup for this:
stereo playback can also appear impressively
three-dimensional. An example is the title “Cry
me a River” by Diana Krall, where the orchestra
stretches out almost endlessly behind the band.
But such an impressive spatiality is not suitable
for every genre: it can even be counterproductive
for a powerful hip-hop or rock sound. In any case,
the right mix between dry and reverberated sig-
nals is important. Analyze the reference tracks in
this regard and decide how much space your cur-
rent production needs and can tolerate.
You can listen to and analyze some of the
mix characteristics yourself using the following albums:
ZZ Top – La Futura
This album is loud. Really loud.
With loudness values beyond
6 LUFS, it is one of the loudest
productions I know. However, this
loudness is not a coincidence, but
rather deliberately used as a mu-
sical stylistic device. Rick Rubin
does this masterfully. Great. There
are no rules!
Chris Jones –
Roadhouse and Automobiles
Günther Pauler from Stockfish
Records is a master at transfor-
ming acoustic productions into
real sonic gems, and so this album
is a standard work for countless
hi-fi fans. Pay attention to how
he compresses, how he creates
depth, what reverbs he uses.
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies
In the following, we would like to introduce you to Pay attention to which frequencies distort the natu-
the most important tools for sound editing. ral sound of the instrument and where its character
is emphasized. You can subtly emphasize the lat-
4 Tools and their use: Equalizer
The equalizer is probably the most famous and
at the same time one of the most powerful tools in
ter signal components to make an instrument ea-
sier to locate. The upper midrange between approx.
400 Hz and 4 - 5 kHz is more suitable than lower fre-
sound engineering. However, here too the motto is: quencies, which tend to be „mulming“. If possible,
less is often more. Try to analyze the signal and nar- you should also avoid boosting the same frequen-
row down where the problem frequencies are be- cies when there are too many signals.
fore you touch an equalizer. At this point, I would It is important to know that when it comes to
also like to question a tip that is often propagated: equalizers, the character and quality of the indivi-
„making room“ for other instruments. The idea is to dual device or plug-in are very important. A passive
make the mix transparent by lowering certain fre- example like the classic Pultec or a Passeq from SPL
quencies on one instrument and boosting them on has fundamentally different properties and areas
another. Although this may work in individual ca- of application than a digital EQ. When it comes to
ses, it can easily lead to a discolored sound of the re- emphasizing the character of an instrument or ma-
spective instruments. It makes more sense to design king the sound more powerful and assertive, ana-
the arrangement in such a way that nothing gets in log equalizers and the corresponding emulations
the way and to compensate for any frequency over- are ahead. So feel free to try out SSL, API, Neve or
laps with a clever stereo distribution. other analog simulations. Do you still have an ana-
Be aware that almost every instrument has logue mixing console? All the better, then you‘ll re-
two frequency ranges that make up its characteri- ally have fun.
stic sound: a fundamental tone range and the ran-
ge in which there are noisy signal components, i.e.
the picking noises of guitars and basses or the attack
of a piano. Take a rather broadband bell filter, rai-
se it a few decibels and cover the frequency range.
Faith No More –
King for a Day
Organically, played wildly and
aggressively without being
mastered too loudly. For me it‘s a
great Rock album with a natural
sound, where everything is
audible and has pressure without
being dead compressed. A rock
‚n‘ roll reference.
Diana Krall – The Look of Love
Another hi-fi reference and a
great production where you can
clearly hear what spatial depth
means: the vocals at the front,
the band behind them, and the
orchestra even further back. As if
you could experience it up close
on a large stage, without any
surround, simply in stereo (assu-
ming you have reasonably decent
speakers). A fascinating lesson in
what is possible when it comes to space.
Beat 05 | 2024 • 23
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies
The SPL Passeq is a characterful passive equalizer
However, purely digital equalizers are more suitab-
le for so-called “surgical” procedures in which reso-
nances and noise are to be specifically filtered out,
because narrow-band filters in particular can be im-
plemented better with them. Here you can confi-
dently rely on the on-board resources of your DAW
or classics like the Q10 from Waves. With the rule
of thumb “analog increase, digital decrease” you
are rarely wrong. But feel free to take the trouble to
compare the sound of different plug-ins. Many ye-
ars ago I had the problem that I wanted to filter out
disturbing resonances in a classical guitar recording
without affecting the sound of the rest of the inst-
rument. Of the 10 plug-ins tested, only one really
achieved this: it was Epure V.3 from the French soft-
ware company Flux, which is still one of my most
important standard tools today.
5 Tools and their use: compressors
„Anyone can do an equalizer, but you need a
gun license to use a compressor…” – there is more
than a grain of truth in this joking statement from
one of my studio customers. While the functions of
an equalizer are relatively easy to understand, the
parameters of a compressor are much more com-
plex to understand and require more listening expe-
rience to understand their effects. At the same time,
with too much compression you run the risk of pro-
ducing lifeless mixes. In any case, no compressor is
better than an incorrectly set device, and since how
it works depends largely on the level and frequency
spectrum of the signal being used, presets and ge-
neral setting templates are rarely effective.
Of course it is true that a compressor funda-
mentally limits dynamics. In practice, however, a
different approach is much more effective: Just as
an equalizer processes the frequency spectrum, the
compressor influences the dynamics and in parti-
cular the volume progression over time - the envelo-
pe - of our signal. With cleverly adjusted attack and
release times, a compressed signal can even sound
more dynamic than the original audio file and at the
same time have more assertiveness in the mix.
Imagine an acoustic guitar, a bass or even a pia-
no: all of these sounds consist of a attack noise, fol-
lowed by a tonal sustain phase. As an example, set
the ratio to 3:1 and adjust the threshold so that it re-
sults in 5-7 dB gain reduction. With long attack and
medium release times, the attacks are highlighted
24 • Beat 05 | 2024
and the instrument gets more definition in the mix.
Short attack and release times, on the other hand,
reduce attack noise, emphasize tonal components
and make the signal tamer. Feel free to compress
much more than intended in the mix and experi-
ment with the time parameters to get a feel for how
they work.
Real professionals sometimes use two com-
pressors one behind the other, for example to
emphasize transients and still absorb peaks that are
too strong. In fact, in some cases it can sound more
musical if several compressors are used, each with
moderate settings, instead of smoothing out the si-
gnal with a single processor.
In contrast to compressors, limiters usually
have neither ratio nor attack controls. They are there
to really cut off the signal completely at a certain le-
vel in order to either protect equipment or drive sig-
nal components to the digital overload limit w ­ ithout
As a brickwall limiter, the Weiss MM1 has neither attack nor
release controls
exceeding it (brickwall limiter). Limiters are there-
fore generally used less in the mixing process than
in the mastering process. I have also used limiters to
create consistently loud kick or snare drums in pop
and rock productions, for example.
Also with compressors, there are serious dif-
ferences in sound between different devices and
plug-ins. So compare and find out which proces-
sors you like best for certain signals.
A very important point is the order of the plug-
ins in your signal chain. It depends on the individu-
al case: For example, if I use an equalizer to reduce
low-frequency signal components or even use a lo-
cut filter, it makes sense to arrange the compressor
accordingly. Otherwise it would just be unneces-
sarily triggered by signal components that I filter
anyway and the desired processing would be cor-
respondingly less precise.
If, on the other hand, frequencies - here too,
primarily bass - are to be increased, it is often more
effective to compress first so that the compres-
sor does not immediately level out the high-ener-
gy bass increase. In some cases it can be helpful to
work with two equalizer plugins for cuts and boosts,
which are put before and after the compressor.
6 reverb
Tools and their use:
and delay
As already mentioned at the beginning, spatiali-
ty in a mix not only means a left-right distribution
of our signals, but also a distinction between front
and back. This is where reverb and delay proces-
sors come into play. At the same time, I have alrea-
dy mentioned one of the main problems with using
reverb: Reverb, for example, immediately makes
a voice bigger and more beautiful, so that you are
inclined to use a lot of it during basic processing.
However, you should always be aware that reverb
components push the signal backwards in terms of
hearing psychology. Since the voice should usual-
ly be in front of the mix, this is counterproductive.
Therefore, initially try to create a powerful and
balanced sound with the help of volume ratios and
panning as well as the use of equalizers and com-
pressors. You only add reverb at the very end. This
allows you to consciously and purposefully edit the
depth of your instruments. There is also another
phenomenon: your hearing gets used to spatial in-

formation in the sound image very quickly. Anyo-
ne who works with reverb in the mix right from the
start runs the risk of unknowingly using too much
of it in the end.
Reverb is a complex matter and therefore diffe-
rent processors often have different control options.
The most important parameters are:
Reverb time: The time until the reverb tail has sub-
sided by 60 dB. The longer the reverb tail, the lar-
ger the room and the more noticeable the reverb.
Size: In many processors you can set the room
size independently of the reverb time. They are still
connected: a very small room with a long reverb tail
will sound just as unnatural as the other way around.
High Cut and High Damp: In reality, reverb is
highly frequency dependent. The most import-
ant phenomenon, however, is height attenuation,
which can vary depending on the materials used in
the room. While Hi Cut generally cuts the frequency
response above the set frequency, the High Damp
parameter simulates the behavior of a natural room
in which the reverb tail has less and less treble com-
ponents as the duration increases. Reduced treble
makes a reverb tail less noticeable and more plea-
sant - on the other hand, too few lead to a potty
sound. As a rule of thumb, a Hi Cut at around 4 to 5
kHz has proven to work well.
Predelay: Along with the reverb time, the predelay
is one of the most important reverb parameters. It
describes the delay between the original signal and
the onset of the reverb tail. Higher predelay values
create the impression that the sound source is clo-
ser to the listener in the room.
The MTurbo Reverb from Melda Productions is a universal
and good-sounding reverb plug-in.
A good method of distributing signals between the
front and rear is to use two initially identical reverb
chambers. For signals located at the back, make the
reverb time a little longer and the predelay shorter;
for elements located at the front, do the opposite. Of
course, this is just a rule of thumb for the beginning,
experimenting will once again give you the neces-
sary experience.
Vocals are a special chapter: Here you want a
“big” sound, but at the same time they should be in
front of the mix. This can be remedied by using de-
lays, i.e. echoes instead of reverb. Experiment with
The Elysia XPressor is ideal for the drum bus.
delay times that correspond to an eighth, a quar-
ter or other note values and use hi-cut filters to suit
your taste. Real professionals compress the delay
channel with the original vocal track as a sidechain
source. If the compressor is cleverly adjusted, the
delay only becomes apparent during vocal breaks
and can be mixed more prominently without affec-
ting speech intelligibility. Last but not least, it is an
excellent idea to make the delay signal fade away.
This gives you big, impressive vocals that don‘t get
lost in the mix.
7 Fine tuning
If you have followed all the rules described, ex-
perimented enough and - very importantly - taken
enough breaks during your work, there is a good
chance that you have achieved a pleasant-soun-
ding mix. However, that certain something is mis-
sing - it still sounds like individual tracks, the over-
all context is missing?
Of course, you could leave this final touch to
mastering, but there are two steps you can take to
further perfect the mix:
Plays with the proportions of space. It‘s defini-
tely a good idea to put ALL instruments in a com-
mon room. This can be very subtle - make sure that
you only hear it when you switch it off. Use additio-
nal, more prominent rooms for snare drums or de-
lays for vocals as desired. The common space is only
intended to create a basis.
The second method is the use of compressors
in buses or the sum. Sum compression in the mix
should be viewed critically; you should generally
not use brickwall limiters, as this will deprive the
mastering engineer of the dynamic material he is
working with. A great strategy, on the other hand, is
to use subgroups, i.e. individual buses. For examp-
le, you can group drums and other instruments to-
gether and compress them individually. Here, too,
less is usually more; around 3 dB gain reduction is
often completely sufficient.
As the last “magic trick” of this workshop, I
would like to introduce the so-called “New York
Compression”: Route all the drums to one bus
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Special: Mixing Strategies
and compress them really extremely. 10 to 15
dB gain reduction is fine, and if the sound really
“pums” with a short release setting, all the better.
Now you use a second drum bus without proces-
sing and mix the compressed drums with the cle-
an signal. My personal favorite device for this is the
Elysia XPressor, which already has New York mode
built in with its mix control and also offers a really
unique feature for drum processing with the gain
reduction limiter.. r
ABOUT IGL SCHÖNWITZ
In addition to a penchant for incor-
ruptible grooves, bassist igl Schönwitz‘s
life has always been characterized by
the search for the perfect sound. He has
been working with live sound since the
1990s and continually runs recording
studios. In the time-honored Grünsberg
Castle in Altdorf near Nuremberg, igl
now operates the excellently equipped
Amazing Sound Studios, with which
he specializes primarily in recording,
mixing and mastering hand-made
music. His company igl Schönwitz Audio
Consulting also sells high-end audio
technology and builds turnkey recor-
ding studios. In addition to his many
years of writing, igl is best known for
his YouTube channel The ­Soundphile,
which he runs together with
Moritz Hillmayer.
www.audioconsulting.eu
www.youtube.com/thesoundphile
Beat 05 | 2024 • 25
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies

Plug-ins or hardware –
who is right?
Music production today takes place within
the computer. Point. Artists like Billie Eilish
producer Finneas and Jacob Collier are
winning a lot of Grammys - with titles that,
at least according to legend, were produced
entirely “in the box”. So is analog hardware now
actually an anachronism, a complete waste of
money, a topic for die-hards and nerds?

I
still use a lot of analog equipment every day
and consider myself a hardware fan. And what
our two examples above have in common is
not primarily the lack of analogue equipment, but
above all incredible talent. It‘s really worth watching
Finneas‘ Deconstructed videos on YouTube - his
secret is, above all, a sophisticated arrangement and
a meticulous coordination of the individual sounds.
And it can be assumed that both Finneas and Jacob
Collier had mastering studios with high-quality
analog outboard equipment involved. What you can
certainly learn from these two artists is that money
cannot buy talent and that high-quality gear alone
is no guarantee of a successful production.
comes to the signal-to-noise ratio - in other words,
the „absence“ of background noise and the maxi-
mum dynamic range. When it began its triumphal
march in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the profes-
sional world was euphoric: some of the main prob-
lems with audio technology had finally been solved.
However, it quickly became clear that this sup-
posedly brave new world was not so great: many
productions sounded lifeless and cold, and the
warmth and pressure of top analogue productions
was sorely missed. A key reason for this is that many
of the shortcomings of analog technology sound or-
ganic and natural and therefore do more good than
harm to the signal: Tubes and, in certain circuit de-
signs, transistors also generate even-numbered har-
monics as distortion products. They thus continue
the natural overtone series upwards and thus en-
sure more assertiveness in the mix. Saturation plu-
gins are designed to simulate exactly this behavior.
The control behavior of famous analog compressors
such as Teletronix LA2A, Urei 1176 or of course the
legendary Fairchild 670 is extremely musically and
difficult to achieve digitally. A studio owner who ran
many top productions in analogue in the 1980s once
told me that the biggest challenge in digital mixing
was to regenerate the “dirt” that simply “happened”
automatically in analogue.

Strengths and weaknesses A closer look at digital technology

of analogue technology Let‘s move on to digital technology: Here, all of our
To make the discussion a little more objective, let‘s analog signals (the output signal of a microphone
take a look at the specific properties of digital and is always analog and the digital loudspeaker mem-
analog sound technology - because everything that brane has not yet been invented) are converted into
is digital is by no means bad or everything that is
analog is good. Analogue sound technology works
with alternating currents that correspond more or
less exactly to the recorded sound signal. During
all manipulations, these currents are processed
directly using electronic components: capacitors
filter low frequencies while coils allow them to pass
through. Transistors and tubes can amplify signals.
Depending on how high quality these components
are and how sophisticated the corresponding
circuits are, you can achieve processors such as
equalizers, compressors or amplifiers that work
more or less accurately.
Of course, analogue sound technology has its
own characteristics and problems: it noises, it dis-
torts and it sometimes compresses unintentionally.
Digital technology is miles ahead, especially when it Tape machines are synonymous with “analog” sound.

26 • Beat 05 | 2024

series of numbers using an analog-digital converter
(DAC). Every signal processing is based on n ­ othing
more than a calculation algorithm. This leads to
completely new problems: There are massive dif-
ferences in quality during conversion, which are
primarily expressed by a lack of space and initial-
ly inaudible artifacts - although inaudible does not
mean that these are insignificant: digital artifacts
caused by poor converters or inadequate processing
have been proven to cause stress. Compared to ana-
log technology, the digital audio world can be de-
scribed as “sneaky” to a certain extent: If an analog
signal path is faulty, I notice it immediately: there is
noise or distortion or the signal is erratic. Poor digi-
tal technology, on the other hand, can sound com-
pletely fine at first - but after listening to it for a long
time, you get a headache.
So even in the digital world it does matter
which converters and plug-ins you use. If I want
to create a neutral-sounding equalizer (we‘re not
talking about an analogue simulation here), I have
to program a corresponding algorithm. This can be
done with more or less effort. The Epure V3 equa-
lizer plug-in from Flux performs an internal up-
sampling to 384 kHz sample rate. The result is an
extremely accurate way of working. Similar to a
sophisticated analog circuit, the calculation algo-
rithm of high-quality plug-ins also requires a lot of
development effort, which has to be paid for at the
end of the day. And in another respect, you don‘t
get anything for free: Elaborately programmed
plug-ins generate more processor load and there-
fore higher latencies. At the same time, the number
of instances that can be used simultaneously on a
computer system decreases. However, it must be
noted that the performance of modern computers
has increased so dramatically compared to ear-
lier times that these problems are becoming in-
creasingly relative. So even a sufficient number of
elaborately programmed plug-ins should run per-
fectly on a reasonably up-to-date computer. That
leaves you with the diligent task of meticulously
comparing processors from different manufactu-
rers: For example, 1176 or Fairchild emulations
from Waves sound completely different to their
counterparts from Universal Audio.
There are certain tasks that can be implemen-
ted much better purely digitally than analogue:
These include narrow-band equalizers and filters,
brickwall limiters or dynamic EQs. So it depends on
the respective task whether it makes more sense to
use a “digital” plugin such as the onboard ­equalizer
The Epure V3 equalizer from Flux works with 384 kHz
sample rate
of common DAWs or an analogue simulation or
even hardware. In our “Efficient Mixing” workshop
in this issue, we delve into this topic in more detail.
… and what is “better”?
The question of whether plug-ins or hardware are
“better” cannot be answered in general terms. The
good news: Computers are so powerful today and
the emulations of analog studio equipment are so
sophisticated that the differences are becoming
smaller and smaller. This makes the listening test all
the more important: Just as it is common to com-
pare the sound of different analogue devices, you
should also listen carefully to plug-ins, as menti-
oned above. And more than that: In my experien-
ce, inexpensive analog hardware no longer sounds
fundamentally better than a well-made plug-in. The
1176 plug-ins from Universal Audio and – my latest
new discovery – Arturia can definitely hold a cand-
le to some hardware devices. However, this does not
apply to my own original Urei 1178 (the stereo ver-
sion of the 1176). I have yet to hear of a plug-in that
offers the magic and precise time control capabili-
ties of this device. But: can you really hear that in the
mix? I imagine, yes, but maybe I just don‘t have the
talent to set the plugins accordingly. What is certain
is that Urei 1178 hardware devices are now being
traded on the used market for astronomical sums -
and then you only have one instance that needs to
be integrated into a system.
Urei 1178 compressor as hardware
Integrate analog ­hardware
into the workflow
Speaking of integrating: While you can easily in-
sert a plug-in into a channel with a mouse click,
things are completely different with analog hard-
ware: Here you need an additional D/A and A/D
converter. Anyone who works with an analogue
mixing console including a patch bay will find it
easy to flexibly integrate many different hardware
devices. It‘s even easier with the Stagetec Aurus
Console in my Amazing Sound Studios: 24 ana-
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Special: Mixing Strategies
log processors are permanently connected to their
own converter paths and can be patched comple-
tely freely with the mixer, with the assignments
also being saved for each project.
If you don‘t have this option, hardware inserts
can be defined in all common DAWs, which you
can use just like plug-ins in the DAW mixer. When
mastering, you can then combine plug-ins and
hardware devices as you wish and are completely
free in their order. Unfortunately, when it comes
to mixing, it isn‘t always entirely unproblematic;
this is where latencies come into play, which ari-
se from the additional analog-to-digital conversi-
on and the hardware buffer of your audio driver.
Of course, plug-ins also generate latencies, but
these are automatically compensated for in every
DAW. This is not always the case with hardware in-
serts, which can lead to phase problems between
tracks. If you are not sure, put a 1 kHz test tone
on two tracks with and without an inserted hard-
ware insert. If the mix of the two sounds “phasey”,
you have a latency problem. Most DAWs also of-
fer solutions for this, but this often doesn‘t hap-
pen automatically.
Hardware devices as ProTools inserts
„Feel it” – analog hardware
and plug-ins in practice
In order to give you a little insight into working with
plug-ins and hardware, I would like to share with
you a little bit about my own mixing workflow,
which - like those of many colleagues - is characte-
rized by a combination of hardware and plug-ins.
For me, equalizers are actually mostly digital: I use
the Epure V3 mentioned above for surgical proce-
dures, and the Massenburg MDW plug-in can also
boost it sometimes. The latter is an excellent com-
promise between precise working methods and
subtle analogue coloring. I use the Neve 1073 plug-
in from Universal Audio for characterful preamp
coloring. It is particularly useful for kick drums
and snares.
Beat 05 | 2024 • 27
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies

When mastering I use the Passeq V2 hardware from For me, equilizers are
actually mostly digital. «
SPL. Its round bass and silky highs, which are cha-
racteristic of a passive EQ, are hard to achieve with
plug-ins - although Plugin Alliance‘s emulation is
really very good and is often used in my mixes - af-
ter all, I only have two channels of the hardware. The
same applies to the Iron compressor from the same
manufacturer: The emulation is really good and is
used regularly. The plug-in and hardware are ide-
al for vocals in the mix; the hardware sounds a bit
more rounded.
A really recommendable and comparatively in-
expensive analog equalizer comes from Elysia: The
Xfilter 500 as a lunchbox module offers great analog
Class A sound and is a real secret weapon for mixing
and mastering.
We stick with Elysia: The Xpressor 500 is an
excellent sounding and extremely versatile com-
pressor. With its innovative gain reduction limiter
and dry-wet control, which enables uncomplicated
“New York compression”, it is my regular guest on
the drum bus. It may just be a feeling, but I don‘t
think that a plug-in can achieve this powerful sound
- a real insider tip for under 1000 EUR.
For the daily compression of individual tracks,
The Elysia Alpha is one of the best hardware compressors available today.
I like to use the 1176 emulations from Arturia and
Universal Audio. They simply do their job inconspi-
cuously - but snare drums are usually given the 1178 guitars shine in an incomparable way. Maybe you
hardware. I almost always edit toms with the Uni- can achieve something similar with saturation plu-
versal Audio Fatso PlugIn - it‘s simply great for this gins, I haven‘t tried it. Another great universal com-
purpose. Otherwise, I actually use a colorful “color pressor is the VSC-2 from Vertigo Sound. With its
box” of analog compressors: The Rockruepel Comp versatile time control, it is suitable for a variety of
One shines with a wonderful, almost exciter-li- signals from drums to bass to vocals. The plug-in is
ke tube coloring that makes acoustic and ­electric also supposed to be very good here, but since I own ware. You could certainly also use plug-ins for this
the hardware I haven‘t tested it. purpose; I‘m thinking, for example, of an emulati-
An important part of my work is bus compressi- on of the SSL bus compressor.
on: The drum bus is happy with the aforementioned I also usually compress the stereo sum subtly in
XPressor 500, all other instruments are often slightly order to merge the mix into a single unit. As a rule,
compressed together. For this I used the Red 3 from a maximum of 3-4 dB gain reduction takes place. I
Focusrite, designed by Rupert Neve - also as hard- either use the Black Cat Audio Jaguar 670 Fairchild
clone or the Elysia Alpha, which is rightly descri-
bed as one of the best compressors available today.
This device is pure magic and embodies a league
that will probably not be reached with plug-ins for
a long time. The good news: I recently used a much
cheaper Drawmer 1978 on the stereo sum in ano-
ther studio, which also did a very good job.

Overall, with this way of working, I achieve very

transparent, powerful and “organic” results in my
opinion, which I cannot achieve in the same form
just “in the box”. However, the artists mentioned in
the introduction to this article show that you can
work differently. And that is perhaps the only con-
clusion that does justice to this topic: Ultimately, it
comes down to personal working methods and pre-
ferences. There is no right or wrong. The famous Joe
Meek quote cannot be repeated often enough: “If it
Universal Audio 1176 and Fatso sounds right, it is right”. r

28 • Beat 05 | 2024

9 essential tips for mixing on headphones
Not every producer has enough space in the studio to place speakers. In addition, even the best listening is useless
if the room acoustics are not right. So why not mix with headphones? We‘ll tell you nine tricks and advantages over
using monitor boxes.
1 Pro models instead of Hi-Fi
First of all: Not every headphone is suitable
for professional mixing, because hi-fi models
in particular tend to color the sound softly and
beautifully instead of providing the listener with
an honest sound image. So make sure you use pro
headphones, such as an HD model from Sennheiser
like the new HD 490 PRO.
2 Use reference tracks
Producing with headphones results in a much
more intense perception of the sound - you are
almost drawn into the sound and hear every detail
much more clearly. This can be a disadvantage if it
causes you to lose objective vision, but a huge ad-
vantage if you know your headphones. We therefore
recommend that you listen to as much music as
possible through your headphones and definitely
also reference tracks. The better you can assess the
sound properties of your headphones.
3 Use open-back headphones
Although they are a little more expensive than
regular headphones, purchasing an open-back
headphone is worth it. This architecture allows
the headphones to vibrate like a monitor box and
therefore deliver a much more precise sound with
minimized resonances and distortion.
4 Save room acoustics
One of the biggest advantages of producing via
headphones is that you don‘t need a special room
with special dimensions as a studio, nor acoustic
elements to decimate annoying frequencies or
standing waves. This saves immense costs in terms
of equipment.
5 studio
You always have your
with you
What‘s more: You can produce anywhere with your
usual setup, not just at home in any room, but also
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on vacation, on the go by plane or train, with friends
at a jam session or in the tent at a festival.
6 mixing
­­­­Prevent fatigue by
quietly
A big problem when working with headphones for
long periods of time is the ear fatigue that quickly sets
in. You can prevent this by mixing quietly so that you
can still hear yourself talking. Otherwise, saturation
occurs quickly and then the session is over. Of course,
there‘s nothing wrong with turning it up every now
and then, as it provides a breath of fresh air and 9 Test your mix in
different  environments
variety. By the way, we once again recommend the The HD 490 also comes with software called dearVR
Sennheiser HD 490 PRO, which ensures permanent MIX SE. This is a virtual mixing room with which
ventilation through its rear opening. you can simulate 9 stereo environments such as
a studio, car or club and thus preview your songs
directly in the final environment. r
OUR RECOMMENDATION HD 4 90 PRO
SENNHEISER
The HD 490 PRO has proven to be a real
studio workhorse and, in addition to
the finest sound, offers a lot of comfort
for longer mixing and jam sessions. The
two interchangeable ear cups provide
alternative “viewing angles” when
producing and the included equipment
results in an all-round product.
HD 490 PRO technical data:
• Acoustic principle: open
7 Listen to alternatives
• Ear connection: circumaural
• Converter principle: dynamic
Here we have to briefly mention the HD 490 PRO • Driver size: 38 mm
again, because it comes with two different ear pads
that can be replaced at any time: The producing ear
pads (velor) have a slightly warmer sound signa-
• Frequency range: 5 - 36,100 Hz (-10 dB)
• Sound pressure level: 105dB SPL
(1 kHz/1 Vrms); 96dB SPL
ture to create perspective and help users to assess (1kHz/1mW)
sound holistically. The mixing earpads (fabric), on • Max. sound pressure level:
128 dB SPL (1 kHz, 5% THD)
the other hand, provide a flat, neutral sound that
• Distortion factor: <0.2%
helps to go into detail when a sound reference is (1kHz, 100dB SPL)
needed for mixing. • Impedance: 130 ohms (1 kHz)
8 Don‘t let the bass be a problem
As already mentioned in tips 1 and 6, headpho-
• Nominal power: 300mW
(100 h, noise IEC 60268)
• Temperature range:
nes can cloud objective perception and quickly tire Operation: 0°C to +50°C;
Storage: -25°C to +70°C
your ears. Low frequencies and sub-bass are parti-
• Relative Humidity:
cularly problematic here because they often sound ­Operating: 10 – 80%
washed out and undefined. Here the Sennheiser (non-condensing);
HD 490 scores again with its pure sound based on Storage: 10 – 90%
neodymium magnets (neodymium enables smaller
sound transducers with a big sound). However, the
same applies here: keep your ears open, listen at a
• Weight (without cable):
260 g
www.sennheiser.com
quieter level and take breaks every now and then.
Beat 05 | 2024 • 29
SPECIALBEAT
Advertorial
Pro tips from the experts at BIMM University Berlin
The 8 most important
answers to mixing
As passionate experts in the field of music production, Fabio Buemi and Adam Winchester share their extensive
knowledge at BIMM University Berlin. In our FAQ they answer some of the most frequently asked questions about
mixing and provide valuable tips and advice. Would you like to find out more about BIMM University Berlin and the
most interesting courses? Let’s explore together what makes them so special!
1. What are the key steps to achieving a great
sounding mix?
Fabio / A good song and a good arrangement are
crucial. And then of course a high-quality recording
where everything sounds good. When mixing your-
self, it is essential to ensure a good balance and to
use EQs, compression and other dynamic tools ef-
fectively. The clever use of reverb, delays and the
creation of spatiality are also important. This all va-
ries depending on the music genre. I use Avid Artist
Mix in ProTools to adjust faders as I listen.
2. How do I make sure my mix sounds good on
small listening systems like smartphones?
Adam / I often use a slight saturation of the sub-
bass to create harmonic overtones in the lower
midrange. If the bass is too deep, it can be lost on
small speakers. In this case, I either add another
layer that plays the same part or create harmonic
overtones with subtle distortion. For sub-basses, I
rarely use sine waves, but prefer to filter waveforms
rich in overtones accordingly. By sending sounds
through my Soundcraft mixer and slightly overdri-
ving it, I can e.g. give programmed elements such
as drums a pleasant character and an expanded
harmonic range.
3. How do I proceed with mixing if I receive indi-
vidual tracks or stems?
Fabio / I have a mixing template with busses for
drums and other audio groups, VCA faders and ef-
fects like reverb. First, I import all the tracks and
create the basic routing. For me it is important to
30 • Beat 05 | 2024
start with a foundation to build on. I usually start
with drums, followed by bass and the melodic in-
struments like guitars, synths, pianos. The singing
always comes at the end. I find it easier to find the
right place for the vocals at the end. Of course, a
lot of automation comes into play during the mi-
xing process.
4. What do you have to bear in mind to make
vocals sound good in the mix?
Fabio / First of all, I ensure a clean recording and
use EQs to remove unwanted frequencies, espe-
cially in the lower mids. I then often apply slight
tape saturation to create subtle harmonic distor-
FABIO BUEMI
For more than ten
years, producer and mi-
xing engineer Fabio Buemi has been
helping artists in genres such as Indie
Rock, Pop and Punk bring their musi-
cal visions to life. In his career, Fabio
has, among other things, worked with
Billie Eilish, The Chainsmokers and
Robb Flynn (Machine Head). He works
as Music Production Module Leader at
BIMM University Berlin.
Photo: Cat Van Susan
fabiobuemi-music.com
tion and use high-quality equalizers such as Neve
or Pultec for more treble shine. This is followed by
some compression. If necessary, I work with seve-
ral compressors in series, e.g. the Distressor and
the LA-2A (UAD). For more space and dimensi-
on, I use stereo effects and micro delays that sub-
tly add width to the vocals. I‘m not a big fan of re-
verb on vocals, but a touch of it gives them more
space. With a suitable predelay I like to create a
little space between the vocals and the reverb tail.
After fine-tuning the sound, careful automation is
crucial to the end result. So that the singing is pre-
sent everywhere, I adjust the volume of each indi-
vidual word.
ADAM
WINCHESTER
Adam Winchester has
made a name for himself as a pro-
ducer and performer of experimental,
deconstructed club music. Be it under
his own name or with his collabo-
rations Dot Product and Wrecked
Lightship (together with his Dubs-
tep colleague Appleblim). At BIMM
University Berlin he heads the Music
Production course.
wedgemusic.bandcamp.com
 SPECIALBEAT
Advertorial

5. How do I make my mixes sound good in the

club?
Adam / For this it is very important to have the low
BIMM UNIVERSITY BERLIN
frequency range and the groove - i.e. drums and
BIMM University offers a wide range of courses in music, film, acting and video game
bass - under control. These elements move the air design at 14 locations in the UK, Ireland and Germany. In the middle of Berlin‘s vibrant
in the sound system and make people dance. You creative landscape, BIMM University Berlin offers a wide range of study programs that
have to make sure that there are no competing fre- will prepare you well for a successful and sustainable career in the creative industry. In
quencies in the bass range. Decide clearly whether the practical and future-oriented study programs, you will learn from highly qualified
the weight should be on the kick drum or the bass so industry experts and benefit from professional facilities with state-of-the-art equip-
as not to overwhelm the sound system and the au- ment. You can expand your network through unique collaborations and make valuable
contacts in the creative industry.
dience. In bass-heavy music such as Drum & Bass
or Dubstep, the emphasis is more on the bass, whi- www.bimm-university.de
le in Techno and House the kick drum is emphasi-
zed. Also be careful not to emphasize the sub-bass
too much. With a large system, the sub-bass doesn‘t
have to be that loud to sound impressive.

6. What can you learn from the hit productions of

artists like Billie Eilish?
Fabio / Many of Billie Eilish‘s well-known songs
only use a few musical elements and leave a lot
of space for the vocals. The low end is very promi-
nent and there isn‘t that much going on in the mids.
Most of the time you won‘t find much more than
the vocals. That‘s one of the reasons why the vocals
sound so direct.
Adam / A good mix is characterized above all by
emotion and feeling. Of course, that also depends
on the genre, but ultimately the most important YOUR CAREER AS A MUSIC PRODUCER STARTS HERE
thing is that the song triggers something in us. So-
metimes recordings made on a four-track tape re- The 3-year BA (Hons) Music Production course at BIMM Univer-
corder sound more convincing than overproduced sity Berlin provides a sound understanding of music production.
studio mixes. It‘s about the vibe and the feeling the The focus is on recording techniques, mixing and mastering as
mix gives you when you listen to it. well as the creative aspects of music production. The students
work with the latest technology and learn to produce their own
7. Should I separate production and mixing? music as well as collaborate with artists. In addition to the core
Fabio / It worked for me. I encourage my students modules, individual focuses such as game sound & music, vocal
to complete their productions and move to the mi- recording and production as well as mastering can be chosen.
xing mindset. When producing something, you tend The course prepares you for a career in the music and creative
to get bogged down and ask: Do I need another ele- industries and is taught in English.
ment? Do I need a synthesizer sound or another
melody part? When you mix it, you realize that you
don‘t need any of that. It‘s more likely to leave things
out than to keep adding new things. Once you sett-
le on a sound, the mixing process is usually easier.
COURSES IN THE FIELD OF VIDEO GAMES
8. How do I give my drums more punch and
character? From September 2024, BIMM University Berlin will also be
Adam / To give drum sounds like kick and sna- offering degree programs in the field of video games. Students
re a good amount of attitude and punch, I like can choose between three innovative bachelor‘s degree pro-
to use the Universal Audio 1176 Compres- grams. BA (Hons) Games Art and Technology provides in-depth
sor. Sometimes I use subtle saturation to bring knowledge of art development for games, while BA (Hons)
sounds more into the foreground. And occa- Games Design and Development promotes understanding of
sionally I reach for a Bitcrusher to recreate the player motivations and interactions. The BSc (Hons) Games
charming lo-fi sound of old drum machines. Technology covers technical aspects such as programming
When the drums need more weight, presence or and prototyping game mechanics. With a unique combination
fullness, I use subtle parallel compression: I send of sound theory, practical implementation and technology, the
the drum group to a parallel bus and compress it English-language degree programs prepare you for a career in
heavily with an 1176 and then mix the result quiet- the dynamic games industry.
ly into the drums. r

Beat 05 | 2024 • 31
SPECIALBEAT
Advertorial
Cranborne Audio Carnaby HE2 Harmonic EQ
Equalization through distortion
Cranborne Audio is now releasing its Harmonic EQ in a two-channel 19-inch version and is even adding features
such as remote control via plug-in and the insertion of external gear. We present the exclusive preview of the
­exceptional parametric stereo equalizer.
The features of both channels in the Carnaby HE2 are identical. The device can be switched to stereo, dual mono or mid/side mode using buttons.
C
ranborne Audio is known for comparatively
inexpensive outboard equipment. With the
Carnaby API-500 module introduced last year,
the manufacturer introduced a very special equali-
zer that equalizes sound using harmonic saturation.
With the Carnaby HE2 model, which costs around
2,400 euros, Cranborne Audio now comes with a
19-inch version that has exactly the same circuitry
as the 500 module, but comes with a number of
sometimes ingenious additional features. At the
core there are three bands that overlap each other.
Highs and lows are designed with a shelving charac-
teristic, whereas the midband works as a bell filter
with a fixed quality, so to speak. Both channels are
designed identically and have separately adjustable
input and output controls. New features compared
to the API module include LED rings around the
controls, infinitely adjustable pass filters, inserts,
stereo, dual mono and mid/side operating modes,
and the option of conveniently controlling the
hardware remotely from the DAW via plug-in.
The Carnaby HE2 also allows additional devices to be looped
in via insert. The processor can be controlled remotely using
a plug-in via the Ethernet and USB-C sockets.
32 • Beat 05 | 2024
Equalization using
overtone enrichment
Unlike the broadband addition of
harmonics, this is done frequen-
cy-selective in the Carnaby HE2. It
Audio demo
is important to know that even when bass
dampening, harmonics are always
added in the respective bands in order to achieve the
desired effect. To give the sound a bit more analog
vibe, the input control also has coloring properties.
The highlight of this special form of equalization lies
in its dynamic properties. Depending on how loud
or impulsive the signal is, the sharper or clearer the
set equalization will be audible. This is comparable
to a slightly distorted guitar amp. If the strings are
struck more gently, it still sounds clean. But the
harder the strings are struck, the more they distort.
Remote control via plug-in
In the practical test, the Carnaby HE2 stands out as
an equally subtle and powerful frequency tamer.
With the help of the input control, the signals pre-
The Carnaby HE2 plug-in has the same setting options as the hardware. Options for saving and recalling presets round off the
features.
Audio demo Audio demo
Audio demo
drums guitar vocals
sent can be given a fine veil of analogue melting.
When working with the three bands, the HE2 always
goes to work carefully. No matter what you adjust, it
always sounds like it has always sounded that way.
Even intentional misalignments or too high gain
settings somehow still sound nice. If boosts are set,
pulse peaks provide a small portion of additional
silveriness, while cuts take it back a bit more. This
has the qualities of a dynamic equalizer.
Verdict
With the Carnaby HE2 from Cranborne Audio, the
user receives a fine-working mixing and mastering
tool that, thanks to its unique concept, helps signals
sound noticeably more beautiful. r
 SPECIALBEAT
Advertorial

Quick fix cheat-sheet

5 best-practice
compressor settings
To control instruments and vocals as well as possible, a compressor is the ideal choice, although at the expense
of dynamics. But what is too much and what is too little? The following settings will help you here because they
provide the ideal basis for your sounds so that they sound good on their own and in context. Customization is of
course welcome!

1 2 3
Acoustic drums Vocals Bass
By nature, acoustic drums sound great in As with the drums, the compression is quite For bass, we definitely use the Dist 2
the studio - because it‘s loud - but after the crisp with a ratio of 6:1. So that “p” and “b” mode in AUDIO, with which the distressor
recording it usually sounds more bland from the sounds with a high bass content don’t ruin the simulates tube saturation and ensures a warmer
computer. That‘s why there‘s some flavor here: mix, we switch the DETECTOR to HP (high pass). sound. So perfect for basses. RATIO 20:1 ensures
Ratio 6:1 provides strong compression, Dist 3 In this mode, the distresser reacts less to the low homogeneous volume with slow ATTACK 9 and
for saturation, Attack 7 maintains percussive frequencies, the compression is therefore milder super-fast RELEASE 0.5. Now turn up the INPUT
transients. Then set INPUT to 6 or higher. and avoids unnatural sound. to your liking and you‘re done.

4 5
Guitar
For the guitar track we use the distresser
in opto mode, i.e. the simulation of optical
compressors like the LA-2A classic. To do this,
we set RATIO to 10:1, ATTACK to 10 and RELEA-
SE to 0. Optical compressors react more slowly
and thus preserve the transients, but ensure a
fat sound during compression. Ideal for guitars
and percussives.
Synthesizer
Synth sounds are extremely diverse, so it‘s
hard to give general settings here. However,
a base with RATIO 6:1, ATTACK 7 and RELEASE
3 has proven to be effective. These are all mo-
derate settings that can be expanded to suit any
sound. For extreme applications, be sure to test
the NUKE mode with ATTACK and RELEASE 0!
T
he Compressor legend
The Distressor from Empirical Labs is
undoubtedly one of the most successful and
best-selling hardware compressors in the world.
Certainly not least because it can do everything
– from subtle compression with a soft ratio curve
to the nuke setting, which, like
the LA-2A classic, mutates into a
real monster. r

More info Beat 05 | 2024 • 33

SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies
Quick fix cheat sheet
12 must-have equalizer settings for clean drums
Kick drum 1
Probably the most frequently used EQ setting for
kick drums: the bass range of the kick drum is rai-
sed a little, the muddy 300 Hz mids are lowered
and the attack of the kick drum is boosted a little.
Kick drum 2
The classic „smiley face“ can shape a kick drum
that has too many frequencies in the mids very
nicely. The bass range and the treble range are
enhanced. As a result, the mids automatically get
into the background.
Kick drum 3
If there are too many low frequencies, we reduce
them with a low-shelf filter at 20 Hz. The upper
bass range is boosted at 150 Hz. The presence is
boosted by a highshelf filter at 16 kHz.
Snare 1
Probably the most frequently used snare EQ set-
ting: The belly is boosted. The annoying resonances
in the 700 Hz range are lowered strongly in a nar-
row band. And the attack around 8 kHz is boosted.
34 • Beat 05 | 2024
Snare 2
In this setting the belly is lowered at 150 Hz. If this
range is too loud, the balance to the attack is no
longer right. We therefore boost the presence and
attack with an additional highshelf filter.
Snare 3
The impact sound is cut off below 80 Hz. Distur-
bing resonances at 600 Hz are reduced. The attack
of the snare is boosted at 2 kHz and the presence is
amplified at 12 kHz with a highshelf filter.
Hi-hat 1
Probably the most used hi-hat setting: Below 300
Hz everything is cut off, as this information does
not contribute anything positive to the mix. The
highs are boosted with a high shelf filter at 7 kHz.
Hi-hat 2
If the hi-hat needs more assertiveness, you can
increase it at 3 kHz. Disturbing and chirping resonan-
ces in the highs are reduced in a narrow band at 8
kHz. The impact sound is eliminated below 350 Hz.
Hi-hat 3
Everything is cut off again below 300 Hz. At 5.5 kHz,
sharp high mids are reduced in a narrow band. The
high frequencies are boosted slightly at 16 kHz to
make the hi-hat a bit brighter and more present.
Djembe 1
If we EQ a djembe, this can look similar to a snare.
The impact sound at 50 Hz is cut off, disturbing
resonances at 600 Hz are lowered in a narrow band
and the attack of the drum is boosted at 10 kHz.
Bongo 2
If we have a nice stereo recording of bongos, it is
worth taking a look at the stereo image. With a
high shelf filter at 16 kHz in the “diff” (side) signal,
we can spread the stereo image.
Bongo 3
Here we only process the “sum” (middle) signal and
cut impact noise below 130 Hz. We increase the
tonality in the middle signal at 250 Hz. The stereo
image remains unprocessed and natural.
 Rule 1: Boost broadband Rule 2: Narrow band lowering
SPECIALBEAT
Special: Mixing Strategies

35
Beat 05 | 2024 •
NO BOOST 50 200 LEAVE SPACE 800 INTERVENE CAREFULLY
6K 8K SUBTLE BOOST 20K
SUB BASS WARMTH VOCALS HIZZING
50 100 250 350 600 1000 3000 7000 15000 20000
KICK- BASS BOOM RUMBLE DIFFUSE AIRY & BRILLIANCE
PRESENCE PRESENT
ATTENUATE
BOOST COMPRESS SLIGHTLY ATTENUATE BOOST BOOST
50 Hz 100-250 Hz 350-600 Hz 600-1K Hz 3-7K Hz 15-20K Hz
25 40 100 180 1K 2K 3,8K 6K 10K
RUMBLING BOOM NASAL CRUNCH DEFINITION
WARMTH
135 225
HI-HATS 250 300-ATTENUATE 800 1K 6K 8K 12K
SNARE 100 250 500 - FULLNESS 3K - PUNCH 6K - SNAP 8K
KICK 50 100 150 250 300 600 800 5K 8K 12K
50 60 100 250 800 1K - MORE POWER 6K 8K 12K
BASS
HEARING RANGE OF THE HUMAN EAR

(c) by simon wright; clef: designed by Freepik

32.7 65,4 130,8 261,6 523,3 1046,5 2093 4186 8372 16744
DEPTHS DEEP MIDS MIDS HIGH MIDS HIGHS
125 500 2K 8K
SUB-BASS / BASS TOO MUCH = SPONGY RANGE OF MOST INSTRUMENTS OVERTONES, TOO MUCH = TOO BRIGHT
FELT, NOT AUDIBLE TOO LITTLE = POWERLESS KICK ETC. TOO LITTLE = TOO DULL
The BEAT Community: Show us your studio!
Vogue Renege &
Magical Synth Adventure
It‘s always refreshing to see how others set up and work in their studios. After our call on Facebook, we were
­overwhelmed, and that‘s a good thing. So, it quickly became clear that we would turn it into a series to inspire and
share with everyone. This month we are featuring Paulee Alex Bow aka Vogue Renege and Magical Synth Adventure.
by Marco Scherer

Beat / Let us know why you built and set up your
studio the way you did?
Paulee / Before I revamped my setup, I didn‘t really
have a studio, I had a „pile of synths“ in a non-de-
script room of pastel-green walls. Because of how I
compose, (I have Autism, so tend to write/flesh out
arrangements in my head) I never gave much con-
sideration to the studio environment.
I use an older version of Cubase for recording;
vintage tech is big in my world, so „I got by“ for
years, plugging one synth in at a time to my sound-
card...making the most of that instrument and
supplementing it with VST synths and effects.
It wasn‘t the worst way of working, but as my
synth collection grew, so did my frustration. I‘m into
online synth groups of course, but also, retro gaming
communities; within each I saw vibrantly lit rooms
and inviting creative spaces. I knew it was time to
pause my synth quest and focus on my space.
I use everything in my music; conventional
instruments, samplers, vintage synths, obsolete com-
puter software, you name it. From 2019 I reintroduced
myself to the Commodore Amiga again. This 90‘s po-
werhouse of MIDI, sampling & synthesis really has
had a profound effect on my working environment.
It runs parallel to my PC/DAW as another MIDI & au-
dio source; optionally interfacing with my modular at
the same time. If you‘d like to hear how that sounds,
check out „Vogue Renege - Wicked Game“ .
Placing became important; Jaspers stands took
care of most of he synths, whilst industrial shel-
ving gave a home to my Amiga 1200, modular and
old-school CRT. I painted the entire room dark grey
and used colourful lights to give a little „Cassette fu-
turism“ to proceedings.
Beat / What tips can you give to other readers,
what traps should they not fall into (when buil-
ding a studio or gear in general)?
Paulee / I guess it‘s making sure that you don‘t
just buy one kind of item, whether that be syn-
ths, effects, microphones, whatever. If you desire
a workable, comfortable environment, then utility
purchases are quite important; acoustic panelling,
cabling, a decent mixer/interface, seating, etc.
Beat / Do you produce in your studio as a hobby or
do you do it for a living?

36 • Beat 05 | 2024

Paulee / Part-time, my day job is in mental health.
I support people with conditions like Anxiety,
Depression, Bipolar, PTSD and Schizophrenia with
group therapy, 1-2-1 support and creative activities.
I run a music sing-a-long group every Friday mor-
ning at the centre.
The work is rewarding, but quite gruelling. I‘m
hoping to make more income from my compositi-
onal work one day.
Beat / Tell us, how did your musical career start?
Paulee / My story, I feel, is quite an interesting one.
You can watch it on the Magical Synth Adventure
channel, but briefly, Autism has been incredible
for intuitively learning musical skills, but horren-
dous for my mental health, social skills and career
prospects. It‘s taken many thousands of pounds
of therapy, and an impossible level of self-de-
velopment to get to a point where I can hold
conversations, network, perhaps even charm peo-
ple. And even then, it‘s taken me until the age of 40
before any of this development paid off.
During my 20‘s I tried hard to manage a band,
supporting national touring artists when they stop-
ped by my home town of Birmingham. It was a real-
ly hard slog, selling tickets and promoting yourself
(without any self-esteem!) and was sadly never re-
ally worth the effort.
Music became a hobby again (aside from a
brief collaboration with Die Krupps) until, at the
age of 40, two amazing things happened. Firstly, I
met Zach Weddington through an Amiga group. He
loved my music and hired me to write a soundtrack
to Arcade Dreams, a forthcoming documentary on
the history of Arcade games. Secondly, Nick Batt
gave me the chance to appear on „Sonic Talk“, a
popular UK music production podcast. Aside from
1 or 2 naysayers, I‘ve been warmly received and it‘s
done so much for my self-esteem. So yeah, I guess
I‘m a „pro“ now.
Beat / How did you acquire the skills for the studio
and your productions?
Paulee / Music feels like my mind‘s natural state,
just try talking to me whilst a good song is on!
This, alongside the phemonemon of the „Autistic
obsessive special interest“ has guided my ferocious
studies into harmony, sound design, production
& mastering.
I went to University a lifetime ago, and found
that, although lectures on music composition were
somewhat useful, I learned the really good stuff off
fellow classmates, usually the ones with the oddest
clothes! (laughing)
Beat / Which part of your studio could you never
do without?
Paulee / Easy, DAW/PC. All of this obsolete hardware
is a lot of fun, but my DAW is where I finish tracks.
Beat / Do you have an ergonomic focus or a speci-
fic focus, for example on workflow or live jams or
trouble-free working?
Paulee / I have 3 approaches I think. 1. is get-
ting things done, building tracks in a DAW or via
an Amiga tracker (OctaMED for life!) 2. is mind-
ful exploration, perhaps pulling one or two synths
away from the studio and spending some time
making patches to use one day, this is really rela-
xing! 3. is specifically wanting to feel like I‘m a mad
scientist. This is where I‘ll track CV/Gate whilst
twisting knobs through cable spaghetti.
BEATPERSONALITY
Portrait
Beat / Where and how do you find out about
equipment when it comes to buying for your
studio?
Paulee / For new gear, I read news sites like gear-
news & sonicstate. For cool older stuff, it would have
to be mu:zines! They have 1000‘s of scanned gear
articles from the 70/80/90‘s period.
Beat / What specific problems did you have to deal
with when setting up the studio?
Paulee / Firstly, space! I found building upwards
was the solution. I also had some concerns over
power, so spoke to a local electrician about safe
practice in this regard.
Beat / How did you treat the room acoustically,
where there difficulties?
Paulee / My room has that nasty 80‘s textured wall-
paper, but that means it‘s acoustically pretty dead, I
guess. I bought a nice Neumann mic and was con-
cerned about rogue echoes, so added some acoustic
panelling to the wall I am facing/singing towards to
dampen it.
Beat / What is still missing in your studio?
Paulee / In a bigger studio, I could possibly have a
bigger desk, making for less re-patching. I could also
display some synths I don‘t quite have the room for
at the moment. But other than that, I basically want
for nothing. My day job isn‘t particularly well-paid
so I‘m proud of my space.
Beat / What kind of music (or what style) do you
produce most?
Paulee / Arcade Dreams has called for 100-years
of styles! From Dixieland Jazz to Boards-style lofi
beats, I‘ve done it all! I mostly produce music an
Industrial-like edge though. I‘ve had quite a lot of
positive feedback from my „bleakwave“ work - it‘s
essentially synthwave with more trauma/edgyness/
despair haha. (laughing)
Beat / Do you have any upcoming releases?
Paulee / I‘m hoping to put out a Vogue Renege
E.P. later in the year. Also, the Arcade Dreams
soundtrack, with extended and vocal mixes, will be
released on CD and (I hope) Pacman-yellow viny!
Beat / Where can we find out more about you and
your sound?
Paulee / I have two current Youtube channels.
Magical Synth Adventure is where I do documen-
taries on synthesizers, vintage music software and
hardware (also a recent episode on Autism). Also,
head to Vogue Renege to find music videos of me
prancing about to moody bleakwave beats. r
www.youtube.com/
@magicalsynthadventure3216
www.youtube.com/@voguerenege1426
Beat 05 | 2024 • 37
BEATPERSONALITY
Portrait

Prior to recording their new album, Kaleida

almost broke up. They dug in deep and
delivered a formidable new collection of songs.

I love hearing different into-

nations in the notes – it’s so
boring and predictable to have
everything in tune. «

Discovered: Kaleida

In electronic music
there are no rules
Kaleida got off to a dream start with their „Think“ EP: Cicely Goulder‘s minimal, sensually shimmering production and
Christina Wood‘s soulful, velvety voice combined to create irresistible songs which earned them placements in
blockbuster films. After the masterful debut „Tear the Roots“ and the inward-looking follow-up „Odyssey“, Cicely and
Christina are now back with „In Arms“ - a more richly arranged, organic sounding work with powerful lyrics that
don‘t mince words. by Tobias Fischer

38 • Beat 05 | 2024

Beat / Your new album is programmatical-
ly called „In Arms“. Whom are you in arms
against, and why Joan of Arc was an inspirati-
onal figure for it?
Cicely / „In Arms“ is both nurturing and mater-
nal but also battle-ready. Making music feels like
that: inherently creative but challenging. We kind
of feel we have to be armed and ready to keep fo-
cused on what we’re trying to say. Jean D’Arc ar-
med herself to fulfil her mission. Sometimes mu-
sic feels that way. Also, we were in a period of
post-pandemic soul searching. Making music co-
mes with challenges – mostly financial! So we re-
ally had to dig deep to find a way to keep going.
Beat / You recently asked your fans for their fa-
vorite tracks off your debut album „Tear The
Roots“. I could sense real gratitude that hardly
anyone picked „Think”. Was there a sense that
the track was getting bigger than the band?
Cicely / We love that people connect with
„Think” – it maybe has a special quality – but of
course we’re happy to know that our other songs
don’t always live in its shadow!
Beat / How would you describe the creative pro-
cess, including production, for „In Arms“?
Cicely / For this record we brought in a lot more
musicians. Plus we worked on four of the tracks
with producer Johan Hugo. We absolutely loved
working with him – he is technically very sharp
and we learned a lot. He’s bold in his approach
and I think we can be tentative sometimes.
Beat / Do you still write most of the songs on the
piano? How do you think does this change the
music compared to the now typical approach of
using instrumentals and writing the vocals as a
top line over them.
Cicely / We write in all sorts of different ways, so-
metimes with the piano, sometimes a baseline and
sometimes with beats. Each track seems to come
in its own way, sometimes inspired by a story or
event. The most important thing is to be open to it
when it comes to you.
Beat / The music sounds a bit richer this time,
has a warmer glow to it.
Cicely / Yes, so definitely.
Beat / What were your production goals?
Cicely / A friend, Tom Mason, who is an incredib-
le jazz bassist really added a lot of soul to this one.
I normally sketch out the bass on midi but having
a talented musician to bring it to life really chan-
ges things. Johan Hugo also souped up the beats
and mix on this one and just made it all feel a bit
brighter and less grunge! We consciously wanted
to bring more people into the creative process and
that’s where I think the warmth comes from.
Beat / What are currently some of the most im-
portant pieces of gear and software for you?
Cicely / Hm. Yes, so we use a combination of di-
gital and analog but also acoustic. We use Ab-
leton, which is mission control, and everything
flows from there. I still mainly work from my
home studio, even though I know it’s terrible to
mix in. It’s just comfortable and I like to get lost
there. I sometimes feel embarrassed that our set-
up is so simple and that I don’t have the most
complicated plug-ins etc. But I’m not sure any
of that matters – I think it’s the love you put into
it at the end of the day.
Beat / What‘s your own relationship to elec-
tronic sounds, rhythms, productions like –
what, if any, are fundamental differences with
„acoustic“ music and tools?
Cicely / I’m not sure there are any, they are all
just evolving technologies, I guess. At one point
the piano was a huge technological invention.
What I like about electronic music today, howe-
ver, is the freedom. Coming from a classical wor-
ld, music-making can be quite inhibiting, but in
electronic music there are no rules – you go out
searching your own sound.
Beat / What‘s your take on the relevance of li-
mitations in your set-up and process?
Cicely / As mentioned, I love the freedom in elec-
tronic music but I think the human aspect will al-
ways be fundamental to music making. I think
the pandemic gave us a quest to re-connect with
other humans again and why this album has a lot
more colour to it: it’s the interplay of the amazing
musicians in combination with the electronics
that has brought it to life.
Beat / As always on a Kaleida album, the vocals
sound incredible. Part of it is of course purely
down to the beauty of the voice. But how do you
capture that beauty in the studio?
Cicely / I think vocal approach should be mini-
mal – let the voice shine through. I never use au-
totune, only Melodyne and sporadically. I love
hearing different intonations in the notes – it’s
so boring and predictable to have everything in
tune. Listen to any amazing jazz singer and it’s
what lies between the notes that brings the cha-
racter, the human, the story. Thankfully AI will
never be able to achieve this!
Beat / Christina, Singing is an integral part of
all cultures, and traditions. Which of these do
you draw from – and why?
Christina / I was part of a church choir for many
years, so that choral hymnal sound is embedded
in me. I love evening services, plain songs, me-
dieval modal music … But for me the most pow-
erful form of singing that I draw from is folk mu-
BEATPERSONALITY
Portrait
sic, especially from the American South … it’s just
raw and emotional and untrained and the human
voice can tell you so much when it’s free. I get a
real feeling when I listen to Appalachian ballads,
it’s something about my childhood in Kentucky
that I really draw from, like a compassion, a sad-
ness, the beauty and the sorrow of life that you can
really sense there.
Beat / What are the things you hear in a voice
when listening to a vocalist? What moves you in
the voices of other singers?
Christina / I hear vulnerability, emotional na-
kedness, empathy, honesty, an oldness, or depth,
some kind of connection to the past and a deep
understanding of the human condition. I also love
uniqueness, unusual qualities that make that voice
one of a kind. Old Björk recordings have all of that,
Beth Gibbons. Lana del Ray has a bluntness to her
voice that I appreciate … and a singer I really admi-
re for her technical and emotional skill is the Fado
singer Maria Teresa de Noronha … listening to her
is like watching vocal acrobatics. She has so much
control over her dynamics, it’s unreal.
Beat / There are some great lyrics on „In Arms“.
Do you sense or see a connection between your
voice and the text? Does it need to feel and
sound “good” or “right” to sing certain words?
Christina / Yes, the vowel sounds are really im-
portant. It all has to flow and no sound should stick
out too much. I admire singers though who have
really wordy awkward sounding lyrics and just go
for it. You have to own whatever you’re doing.
Beat / It has often been claimed it‘s because
electronic music sounds cold and humans add
warmth to it … But Kaleida‘s music doesn‘t
sound cold at all and still the combination bet-
ween the instruments and the vocals makes for
a combination I don‘t think an acoustic or elec-
tric band could ever achieve...
Cicely / That’s kind of you to say. I actually don’t
think electronic music does necessarily sound
cold but there’s definitely an interesting interplay
between the human and mechanical with voice
and electronics. It’s funny because analog gear
now sounds very warm so perhaps it’s all relative
and digital will feel warm in comparison to what’s
made in 50 years from now? r
www.kaleidamusic.com
https://lnk.to/KaleidaInArms
DISCOGRAPHY
Tear the Roots / 2017
Odyssey / 2020
In Arms / 2024
Beat 05 | 2024 • 39
BEATPERSONALITY
Portrait

Portrait: Tinlicker

Electronic persistance
We had the pleasure of interviewing Jordi van Achthoven, one half of the Dutch duo Tinlicker. Their previous release
„In Another Lifetime“ received a lot of attention, and two years after, the Electro/Deep House band is back with the
follow-up „Cold Enough For Snow“. Thus, we delved into the depths of their creative process, exploring the intricacies
of their studio environment and their approach to collaborations with renowned artists like Brian Molko, Julia
Church, Tom Smith, and Circa Waves. Interview: Sascha Blach, Pictures: JessieKamp, RayRay

Beat / Congratulations on your new album „Cold
Enough For Snow“. Where does the root of your
creativity lie?
Jordi / Creativity comes out of persistence. Never
give up when there is a bad day of creating music.
Actually, there is no such thing as a bad day. Being
able to ‚kill your darlings‘ in order to filter out the
good is crucial and painful. Sometimes it‘s needed
to do other things to get creative. Maybe it’s about
waiting for the right moment to be creative and
knowing when we are in the flow of creativity.
Beat / Your productions seem extremely mature.
How long do you work on a song on average, and
on the production in general?
Jordi / Thank you very much. After years of making
music, we have shaped our production tools and
developed a couple of techniques to expedite
the production process. For example, we know
which synths we like, we create samples from our
own drum loops and kits, and we save presets of
certain plugin chains from the mixer. Essentially,
we‘ve learned how things work, and we don‘t really
‚think‘ anymore when we create. However, it‘s hard
to say what the average is; sometimes songs come
together very quickly, while others need to be set
aside and allowed to rest (for months) until the final
piece of the puzzle presents itself.
Beat / Were there any details that you consciously
wanted to do differently on „Cold Enough For
Snow“ than on previous productions?
Jordi / Yes. It‘s just like how things go in our own
lives. Things change, we change, our tastes slowly
change. Everything evolves, and every album comes
with new challenges. And we need new challenges
to keep things interesting. Besides that, the whole
context in which this album has been written is the
opposite of our last album. „In Another Lifetime“
was made during Covid, in which we almost
drowned in time. With this album, we stretched
numerous days in order to find enough time to
reach the finish line.
Beat / Were there any particular instruments,
effects, or other tools that were new to you for this
production that had a significant influence on
you?
Jordi / The challenge for this album was to create as
much as possible using just audio files/samples and
to use fewer soft synthesizers. These are ‚rules‘ we
created to keep things interesting for ourselves, or
to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. So, where
we would normally use a synthesizer, we tried, from
time to time, to find a sample instead. The sample
could come from anywhere, even from voice notes
on a smartphone.

40 • Beat 05 | 2024

Beat / And in general, are you more into analog
synths or soft synths and plugins?
Jordi / To keep in the flow of creativity, it‘s
sometimes more convenient to use a soft synthesi-
zer. But last year, we bought the Arturia Polybrute,
and it‘s always connected to our DAW. So whenever
we want to use it, we can. I think Micha is more into
software, while I like the idea of twisting real knobs
on a synthesizer.
Beat / Can you describe your studio environment?
Jordi / We can finally say our studio is ‚finished‘
at the moment. We have a sit/stand desk and two
racks full of analog gear, which is something we are
actually expanding and experimenting with. It‘s a
studio that has been acoustically treated. We have a
pair of ATC 110 speakers with a custom subwoofer,
and we run Cubase on a PC with a lot of software.
In the back, there is a couch with a coffee table. We
also have a guitar and an electronic piano. I usually
come into the studio in the morning, get myself a
coffee, and play around with the piano. Sometimes I
use the guitar (I’m not a good guitar player), but I do
create little riffs for our songs. And last but not least,
upstairs in the office, we have a ping-pong table to
blow off some steam and keep the blood flowing.
Beat / Do you have a distribution of tasks among
yourselves, or do you both contribute the same
instruments?
Jordi /There are basically no rules. We both can play
the same instruments. I do think that I‘ve developed
my skills on keys a bit more than Micha. And Micha
has developed a good ear for hearing tiny details in
songs that I never notice, haha. The fact remains;
we need each other in the studio. We both have a
different approach to music. I would say that I try to
approach songs more based on vibe, while Micha is
a bit more calculated and prefers things in a more
mathematical way.
Beat / You‘re super successful at the moment.
How did it happen that your songs were streamed
millions of times and your concerts were so well
attended? Was it a rocky road to get there?
Jordi / We don’t like to consider ourselves as super
successful, to be honest (laughs). When we met
each other back in 2013, we were always doing
what we do today: creating songs, and of course,
with a good dose of enthusiasm and joy. I see it as
a development. To get somewhere, it takes time.
There were many times I wanted to give up. There
were also times when we started playing in clubs
to an empty dance floor. But it’s all part of the
process.
Beat / Does this success actually make you think
about what might be well received by a large
audience when writing songs?
Jordi / We don’t try to think about the audience in
the first place. Like I was saying earlier, everything
is part of the journey. I think we are just very lucky
to have such an audience who like what we do. We
feel very grateful for that.
Beat / You have a lot of attractive guests on the
album. Basically, how do you approach such
collaborations? Do you already have a singer in
mind when writing the song?
Jordi / When we work with a specific singer, we
always want to know what they like so we can
ensure they’ll enjoy the collaboration as much as we
do. During the creative process, we always check in
with the artist and see if they like the direction we’re
taking. But every song is different. Sometimes we
just have a rough sketch with a few chords that we
send over, and the end result will be totally different.
Other times, we send in a track that is close to being
finished, but just needs that right vocal.
Beat / Is it difficult to get sought-after people like
Brian Molko or Tom Smith to do a feature? Did you
know them both personally before?
Jordi / It is difficult, because the level of perfection
they have is what got them where they are today,
and logically, they won’t release songs that they
don’t like. So we were honored and happy that they
wanted to work with us, especially because we are
fans of their work, and that makes it hard to not be
the freaky fanboy (laughs). We didn’t know them
Many times
I wanted to give up. «
BEATPERSONALITY
Portrait
personally beforehand, but now we do, and it was
really fun to work with them. We hope to do that
again in the future.
Beat / And once the artists have agreed, what
happens next? Do you write your own vocal lines
and lyrics, or do you like to dictate that?
Jordi / Every collaboration is different. Sometimes
the artists work with songs we created earlier.
Sometimes they come up with an idea and we work
it out. Or we meet in a/our studio and start from
scratch. It totally depends on how much time there
is. Most of the time when we work with the writers/
singers we let them create the lyrics as they master
that craft. For us, a good collaboration is when we
don’t have to explain what the song is about to
them. Which seems to work pretty well.
Beat / Did you meet your guests in person in the
studio, or did it happen remotely?
Jordi / It depends. This album was a bit more unu-
sual. We had less time, we had songs lying around,
we were touring. So with most songs we worked
remotely and discussed everything online.
Beat / Your 2024 tour will take you to big venues.
How do you prepare for this tour and how do you
solve the problem with the many singers live? Will
singers accompany you on the tour or will you play
them from backing tracks?
Jordi / For this tour, we‘ll probably use backing
tracks as most artists have their own touring sched-
ule, but who knows what the future brings.
Beat / What equipment do you take on stage??
Jordi / We’re still in the process of creating the
new live show. Some new gear has been bought,
and it will be different from our last live tour, but
it will definitely involve synthesizers, various MIDI
controllers, electronic drum kits, Native Maschine,
FX pedals, earplugs, a lot of bad jokes, lack of sleep,
and dance routines.
Beat / You also released a remix album for each of
your last albums. What is the appeal of it for you?
Is that planned this time too?
Jordi / The nice thing about remixes is that you can
ask some of your favorite musicians and hear their
perspective on something we created. This can
be very inspirational and unexpected. So far, we
haven’t asked anyone yet...
www.tinlicker.com
Beat 05 | 2024 • 41
BEATCULTURE
Digital culture

Digital culture: DJing on Youtube

The club is everywhere

DJs up in hot air balloons, Techno in the jungle, the club in the living room - YouTube videos are
turning the conventions of the scene upside down. It makes for pleasant viewing, but the
consequences run deeper. What does this transformation of the dance experience
mean for DJing as a whole? by Tobias Fischer

F
ew people have had such a decisive influen-
ce on our conception of DJing in recent ye-
ars as Derek Barbolla. Yet Barbolla himself
is neither a DJ nor an artist. You could even ar-
gue that he isn‘t even concerned with music at
all. Rather, he deals with images and fantasies. In
2016, he placed Jérémy Souillart, aka Møme, on
a tiny platform of the Eiffel Tower, so high abo-
ve the rooftops of Paris that just watching it on
Youtube could make you feel dizzy. Møme play-
ed his way through a set of rather restrained house
music on keyboard, guitar and laptop. Feedback
was euphoric and since then, Barbolla‘s compa-
ny Cercle has been taking its viewers on a weekly
journey to the most beautiful places in the world,
sonifying the planet‘s cultural heritage with tech-
no, IDM and occasionally neoclassical. The influ-
ence of these videos has fostered entire industries
- and has gone hand in hand with a revolution in
the DJ landscape as a whole.
There is no doubt that the pandemic was Why dance anymore? DJ videos
on YouTube take you on a
conducive to Barbolla‘s vision. Especially at a ­journey – without having to leave
time when travelling had become impossible, the the comfort of your armchair.
Cercle sets offered a pleasant substitute. Shot with
high-resolution cameras and using images from
drones circling high above the artists, each film
constituted a one and a half hour long break from
the worries and difficulties of the Covid years.
With clubs forced to close their doors, you could
at least let yourself be carried far away in your
head by soft beats and beguiling images. Cerc-
le became the artfully staged antithesis to Boiler
Room. While the latter brought the club experien-
ce into the living room, Barbolla sent club music
out into the world.

Cercle everywhere
The Cercle aesthetic can now be found in thous-
ands of almost interchangeable videos, albeit
obviously realised with a much smaller bud-
get and a significantly toned-down aesthetic. A
whole generation of previously unknown DJs are
suddenly presenting themselves in marvellous-
ly beautiful locations. Their names sound as ar-
tificially non-descript as the brands of Chinese

42 • Beat 05 | 2024

technology companies on Amazon - Krismi, You-
na and Garsi, DJ Sirin, Mila Rubio and Arwen‘s
Faith. The music they play doesn‘t stray too far
from the original either, ranging from soft house
tracks and atmospheric pads to melodic trance.
Occasionally, one of them will pick up a guitar
and pluck the strings, lay their hands on a few
keys or dance discreetly. It is tastefully produced
and, if the comments are to be believed, a suc-
cessful distraction from dull everyday routines.
Of course, you shouldn‘t think too deeply about
what, exactly, you‘re seeing here. Ben Böhmer sat in
a hot air balloon for his set at Cercle, French Kiwi
Juice floated down a Bolivian river on a raft and The
Blaze climbed Mont Blanc. There are no spectators
in these places, let alone any dancers. Their beauty
lies in their immaculateness, their silence. But who
are these musicians actually playing for? The ans-
wer is obvious: for themselves - and as an audien-
ce member, you can share in this private moment.
Cercle cultivates DJing as the blues of the 21st cen-
tury; laptop and mixer turning into the folk guitar
and harmonica of a digital society. It is no longer
oppression, exhaustion and a lack of freedom that
are sung about and lamented here. Rather, the un-
derlying emotions are isolation, the desire to inter-
act with others and wanderlust.
It is both ironic and a little sad that these fee-
lings are being shared via online videos. But it‘s not
quite that strange either. DJing has always been
about utopias. The early club scene literally provi-
ded spaces where those marginalised by the main-
stream were allowed to express themselves - where
they could be what they had to hide under the mask
of conformist „normality“. These spaces and the ri-
tuals associated with them were almost sacred - I
still remember Terre Thaemlitz‘s (aka DJ Sprinkles)
honest outrage at Madonna, who mined the under-
ground for chart success on „Vogue“. The Cercle vi-
deos once again offer quasi-anonymous places of
retreat. The desires may be negotiated in a virtual
space, but they are perfectly real nevertheless.
Video DJ sets cultivate DJing as the
blues of the 21st century. Laptops and
mixers are becoming the travelling guitar and
harmonica of a digital society. «
The end of tradition
At the same time, Cercle does question many tra-
ditional views of the trade. The sets tend to remain
true to a single mood throughout, radical transi-
tions and stylistic breaks seem to be just as taboo
as complex experiments. In general, the musici-
ans simply play through each track from begin-
ning to end; apart from a short atmospheric in-
tro, there are hardly any significant tension arcs
or a storylines here. The combination of images
and sounds is the real star of these videos, the di-
rector more important than the DJs. In the end,
this is merely the logical conclusion to a long de-
velopment. If performers are now placed on a sta-
ge in the clubs for all eyes to see, and increasingly
more guests are standing and observing rather
than dancing, it would seem only natural that au-
diences now sit down completely and just watch.
The „performative“ aspect of the brave new DJ wor-
ld is another intriguing aspect. Just a few years ago,
wannabe pop stars like Paris Hilton or wannabe
DJs like Peter Hook from New Order were publi-
cally ridiculed for playing pre-recorded sets behind
the decks. Good-humoured Hookie even brought
along a burnt CD with his mix. Still today, below
videos of someone like Boris Brejcha - who inci-
dentally recorded the most successful Cercle vi-
deo ever - people still discuss his stage antics and
the live value of the performances. But Brejcha is
an exception in that, strictly speaking, he doesn‘t
DJ, but rather presents a kind of live overview of
his best tracks. When I spoke to him about this, he
openly admitted that the order and architecture of
his performances are pretty much entirely prede-
termined. Many top acts are on the same page with
this, if only because the accompanying choreogra-
phy of fireworks, lighting, graphics and occasional-
BEATCULTURE
Digital culture
ly dancers would never allow them to break free
from the perfectly quantised corset of a concert.
However, almost all other DJs, including tho-
se who are now following in Cercle‘s footsteps and
setting up their CD-Js in their living rooms or near-
by forests, are demonstrably playing „live“. The sets
flow well, the selection is fine. Stylistic versatility
is also increasing: Youtuber Andrea Botez, better
known as a chess player and influencer, occasio-
nally moonlights as a DJ, demonstrating a surpri-
sing preference for hard techno. Full-body tattooed
Cristobal Pesce, on the other hand, will set up his
equipment in skater parks or concrete-covered
tunnels and go completely bonkers to the sounds
of acid and rave. All of these sets are technically
sound, none of them (obviously) pre-recorded or
edited afterwards. There is a simple reason for this:
Given the state of today‘s
­technology, it would make no
sense - because it would be far
more complicated - to fake it.
Children are now learning to DJ – rudimentarily,
granted - in just a few hours at events like Ber-
lin‘s Superbooth. So why shouldn‘t the DJ mo-
dels and influencers featuring in YouTube videos
be capable of the same? DJing is turning into yet
another activity in their portfolio, another activity
with which to market and publically display their
own brand. And since thousands of new tracks
in every conceivable style are now flooding onto
the market every single day, all of which can ea-
sily be searched via precise tags, there is no lon-
ger any need for time-consuming „digging“ to put
together a well-flowing set. As tracks are usually
played in their entire length, complex DJ interven-
tions have become superfluous. The music practi-
cally plays itself.
Sure, the results lack a certain tension. But to
most, that‘s more of a compliment than a problem.
Jeff Mills‘ Mix Up Vol. 2 may be one of the most le-
gendary mixes of all time. But it feels messy and
wild, its sound is raw, the transitions rougher. Few
would seriously consider this to be an example of
good DJing today.
Sure, the mixing of most Cercle sets and rela-
ted videos could just as well be done by a Spotify
algorithm. On the other hand, this seemingly glum
realisation also offers a glimmer of hope: As techni-
cally minimal as their contributions may have be-
come, we obviously still need a human to turn a DJ
set into something we can identify with. r
Beat 05 | 2024 • 43
BEATCULTURE
Producer Podcasts

Episode #34 with Enyang Urbiks

Using AI for mastering?
Tobias Fischer is your host for the Behind the Beat
Podcast. Each episode features one of the most exci-
ting producers of our time for an in-depth exchange.
This episode is all about Enyang Urbiks, who, in
her Berlin mastering studio, is celebrating the art of
precise listening.

F
or our interview, Enyang has invited me to the Urbiks Studio, a wood-pa-
nelled oasis located in Berlin‘s Funkhaus complex.The equipment used
here was originally designed for renowned colleague Heba Kadry (Björk,
Ryuichi Sakamoto) and Enyang and her partner Jan have embedded it in the
stunning, elegant elements of Belgian company Northward Systems. Whi-
le Enyang prepares a wonderful tea in the kitchen, I set up my equipment in
the intense calm of the control room - it‘s easy to imagine spending many
hours here in total concentration. In doing exactly that, she has built up a
remarkably diverse portfolio of releases from a wide range of musical styles.
For Enyang, mastering is all about creating a certain stability, the feeling
that every element of the mix is vibrating at exactly the right frequency. This
may sound esoteric, but it is rooted in a long, daily, and most importantly
hands-on practice. She learnt her craft through countless hours and maste-
ring sessions in Japan, where she got a job in a studio almost overnight. The
hard work has paid off and today artists from many different genres rely on
her taste, feel and, above all, her empathy.These include, for example, Vene-
zuelan sound artist Arca, whose legendary „Kick“ trilogy Enyang mastered.
Many of her clients return for follow-up projects - despite the fact that AI
now offers perfectly usable results at a much lower cost.The reason is­­simple:
good mastering is neither black magic, nor can it ever be treated like any LISTEN IN! WHERE AND HOW YOU WANT!
other job. It is a collaborative process that teases out the universal resonan-
ces and inner beauty from a deeply personal product. The BEHIND THE BEAT Podcast is home on all popular-
platforms: www.beat.de/podcast
www.beat.de/podcast

44 • Beat 05 | 2024

33 episodes
Behind The Beat
Who would have thought it: the Behind The Beat
podcast turned 33 last month! Launched by our
host Rüdiger Keller around three years ago, ­Tobias
Fischer has taken over the series and brought a
truly top-class collection of guests to the micro-
phone. Time for an overview! That‘s why we‘re
presenting our personal highlights here and have
also packed the 33 episodes into the magazine
downloads. If you‘re still missing an episode, now
is the best time to listen! You can either download
the Behind The Beat podcast as an MP3 file in the
magazine downloads or listen to it on your favo-
rite platform: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon
Music, Google Podcasts, live on Radio Evosonik,
on Deezer and other platforms. You can find an
overview of all platforms on
www.beat.de/podcast
Behind The Beat #23 with Andreas
Schneider: The fun of tinkering
This episode was all about modular pope Andreas
Schneider - yes, THE Andreas Schneider - and the
Superbooth he founded. Since the first edition, the
synth trade fair has grown steadily and is now con-
sidered the most important event of its kind. So we
met up for a chat about the fun of tinkering, the me-
ditative qualities of making music and exciting mo-
dular news.
Behind The Beat #31 with
Vince Clarke – Silence, syn-
thesizers and sequences
This episode was all about Depeche Mode and
Erasure legend Vince Clarke, who at 63 recorded
his first solo album „Songs of Silence“ - a collection
of atmospheric experiments, excursions and retre-
ats on the Eurorack. The pace of the conversation
was very chilled, but what Vince has to say is sim-
ply mega exciting.
Behind The Beat #19
with ­Jean-Michel Jarre:
Music of the future?
In episode #19, we had Jean-Michel Jarre as our
guest to talk to him about his new work „Oxymo-
re“ and the unimagined potential that arises when
composing in three-dimensional space. And we
have to say: this man has a few years under his belt,
but with his energy and constant self-reinvention,
he is far from being old hat!
BEATCULTURE
Producer Podcasts
Behind The Beat #27 with
Carl Cox – Stagnation is death
In episode #27, we were on the road with the le-
gend known as Carl Cox, who has returned to the
studio for a new album after an eleven-year bre-
ak - and has rediscovered the fun of producing.
And Carl doesn‘t just step on the gas musically,
but also when he talks. Rarely have we had to ask
so few questions!
Behind The Beat #14 with A/FIN:
Dark Disco and Vintage Sound
Alexander Franz‘s first contact with music was in
the late 80s with Italo disco - his father bought his
first CD player from Schneider in 1989 and a „ZYX
Italo Disco Hits“ compilation by chance - Alex liste-
ned to the CD up and down as a child. He came into
contact with rave around 1993, his first attempts at
using a tape and drum computer came three years
later in his childhood bedroom, inspired by Amiga
500 game music. It‘s already clear that Alex aka A/
FIN has a lot to tell.
Beat 05 | 2024 • 45
WORKBEAT FOCUS:
HEFT-VOLLVERSION
FULLIMSOFTWARE
Workshop: Syntorial Primer

FOKUS
More info:
Info at: www.syntorial.com

Plug-in highlight: Syntorial Primer 2 License & password: www.serialcenter.de

Versatile genius for EDM & Co.

At first glance, the Syntorial Primer software synthesizer appears somewhat inconspicuous. But if you take
a closer look, you quickly realize how flexible this virtual-analogue sound generator is. Its sound spectrum
ranges from classic analog basses, leads, pads and effect sounds to contemporary sounds for electronic
music and club productions. Curious? Then install it and off you go! by Mario Schumacher

Multimode filter and modulation section

Flexible oscillator section
At the heart of Primer are two oscillators with sawtooth, square,
triangle and sine waveforms, amplified by a sub-oscillator and
noise generator. Pulse width modulation, oscillator synchroni-
zation, as well as ring and frequency modulation, unleash an
impressive range of sounds.
Primer features a resonant multimode filter with lowpass,
highpass and bandpass modes. It has its own ADSR envelope
and other envelopes are available for controlling the volume and
various sound parameters. For cyclical modulations, an LFO with
four waveforms, which can work either monophonically or poly-
phonically, is on board.

Effects and presets

The distortion, phaser,
chorus, delay and reverb
effects help you add the
finishing touches to your
sounds. To the right,
you will find the preset
manager. At first glance,
you could almost overlook
the random functions. But
they really have what it
takes and can produce very
musical new sounds at the
touch of a button.

From monophonic to polyphonic

REGISTRATION & INS TA LL A
T ION
Primer can be played monophonically or polyphonically, whereby
The registration of Syntorial Primer 2 can be done over at
it can produce a maximum of 6 voices. Tip: The Legato Mode, in
www.serialcenter.de. After registering, you can download
combination with the Portamento effect, produces wonderfully the installation files and instructions for this plug-in in
lively lead sounds. Want particularly fat chords? Simply activate the magazine downloads.
the up to four-voice Unison Mode.

46 • Beat 05 | 2024

1 2
Rave classics
Classic Rave sounds are child‘s play for
Primer. Click on the icon at the bottom left
of the user interface and then on Reset to reset
the synthesizer‘s parameters to their initial
values. Activate Legato Mode in the Voices
section and set the Porta control for the desi-
red glide effect to 70 ms. 1
4 5
E-Piano with Atmo
Now we use the Chorus to amplify the
desired droning sound and add a pinch
of reverb to the sound. Primer can also be
used to create wonderful electric piano
sounds. Like before, start with the Init sound
here, too. Select the Poly playback mode and
set Voices to 6 and set the sine waveform for
the two oscillators. 1
7 8
E-Piano: Effects
Then select Filter Env as Vel Dest in the
performance section with the maximum
intensity. The filter is opened further at higher
velocities. It still sounds quite dry. The sound
becomes much more atmospheric when you
enhance it with Chorus, Delay and Reverb.
Primer also masters cozy, warm pads with
flying colors. 1
Lead: Basic sound
We‘ll keep the sawtooth waveform for
Oscillator 1. Set the Sub control in the
middle for a more powerful sound. We keep
the Filter settings for an unfiltered sound.
Many iconic Rave lead sounds thrive on fast
modulations. Select Pitch as the destina-
tion for the LFO and set Rate to 1/16 and
Amount to 0.04. 1
E-Piano: FM
The mix control remains in the left posi-
tion so that only Osc 1 can be heard. The
second is used for frequency modulation. Set
the FM Control to 0.16 and the Semi control
of Osc 2 to 24 (2 Oct). The more you turn up
the FM, the richer in overtones the sound will
be. However, it only really sounds like an elec-
tric piano when you modulate the FM value
with the Mod Envelope. 1
PWM for the pad
Start again with the Init sound and select
the poly mode with Voices: 6. We use
the square wave for Osc 1 and the sawtooth
for Osc 2. We add the sub-oscillator quietly for
more Volume. The key to a floating sound is
Pulse Width Modulation (PW). Set the LFO to
Poly, PW as Dest, Amount to 0.77. 1
WORKBEAT
Workshop: Syntorial Primer
3
Lead: Modulation
For a livelier lead sound, we make the
following assignments in the perfor-
mance section of Primer: MW Dest: LFO
Amt, Intensity: 0.15. Now you can influence
the modulation intensity of the LFO with the
modulation wheel. In addition, set PW Range
to 12 so that you can play pitch bends over
an octave. 1
6
E-Piano: Dynamics
Select FM as the modulation target for
this envelope and adjust it as shown. An
Amt value of 0.73 provides good results here.
Also experiment with the Decay/Release Con-
trol (D/R). What would it be like if our electric
piano sounded richer in overtones at higher
velocities? An easy exercise! Adjust the filter
parameters as shown. 1
9
Pad: More width
For slow modulation, we set Rate to 1/1.
We adjust the parameters of the filter
section and the associated envelope for the
desired warm sound as shown, with the modu-
lation wheel modulating the filter frequency. It
gets really broad with activated Unison Mode
with 4 voices and the Chorus, Delay and
Reverb effects. r
Beat 05 | 2024 • 47
WORKBEAT
Power Producer

Power Producer: FL Studio

Use your hats to add groove
In most Trap or Drill beats, the Hi-Hat plays one of the most important roles Project info
among the drums as a beat generator. If you need to move quickly during a Material: Fruity Loops Studio 21
session, you willl often use ready-made hi-hat loops. However, it can happen Time required: 20 minutes
Content: Create your own hi-hat loops.
that the loop just does not fit to the other drums. So simply create your own Difficulty: Advanced
hi-hat loops! by Ruben Mantel

1 2 3
Standard Rhythm Rolls Pitch variation
First, we mark an interval of 4 bars in the Now we edit the pattern of the hi-hat in the To add further variation to the pattern, we
arrangement. This is how long our self-made Piano Roll for a better overview. In this now also change the pitch of some of the
hi-hat loop should be. Then, we go to our Closed step, we add more notes between the individual notes in the rolls. As the hi-hat is usually not
Hi-Hat in the Channel Rack and select Fill each 2 notes to create so-called Hi-Hat Rolls. It makes tonal, all notes can also be used outside the key
steps. The resulting rhythm is the basic structure sense to use these rolls before a new bar so that without any problems. It is also best to let the
of the hi-hat loop, on which we can build with the listener is guided to the next beat of the pitch descend linearly, which creates a kind of
more complex variations. 1 snare or kick, for example. 1 Tape Stop Effect. 1

4 5 6
Emphasis Panning Mixing
So far, our hi-hat loop still sounds fairly ar- To give the hi-hat loop more stereo width, Now there are no more limits to your creati-
tificial. This is because every single beat of we move some notes a little to the left or right vity. In addition to technical mixing, such as
the hi-hat is played at the same volume. To make in the stereo panorama. To do this, we go to Note cutting off the low frequencies with an Equa-
the loop sound a little more human or realistic, Pan in the lower part of the piano roll under Con- lizer or distorting the sound with a Distortion
we emphasize some notes by making some notes trol. It‘s useful to alternate the notes rhythmically, plugin, there are also possibilities to make the
louder and other notes softer in the lower part although even very subtle panning is enough to hi-hat loop even more exciting with, for example,
of the piano roll under Control Velocity. 1 make the loop sound more interesting. 1 automations of a Flanger, Chorus or Phaser. r

48 • Beat 05 | 2024
 WORKBEAT
Power Producer

Power Producer: Logic Pro X

Retro beat with reverse effect
Logic Pro X offers a variety of little helpers and functions that inspire us Project info
Producers and support us in giving our ideas wings. In this episode of Logic Material: Logic Pro X (Version 10.8.1)
Pro X Power Producer, we build a retro beat with on-board tools, for which Time required: 35 minutes
Content: Reverse effect for a retro beat.
you don‘t even need an external keyboard. by Stefan Hofmann Difficulty: Advanced

1 2 3
Retro sound Trigger a chord Focus and presence
We create a new track for a software instru- Our basic notes are set, but the loaded The cool thing about ChordTrigger is that
ment and load the Electric Piano Instrument instrument still sounds pretty boring. A real you can try out different chord presets and
with the „Electric Piano“ preset to match our savior in the search for the perfect chords wi- get new ideas for your songs. We load the mul-
Retro Beat. As we forgot our keyboard in the stu- thout a keyboard is Logic‘s ChordTrigger, which ti-preset „Pop Right Hand“, which conjures up a
dio and don‘t fancy a click session in the piano you can load into your track via the MIDI FX separate chord for each root note. However, the
roll, we work with the basic tones today and use section. Here, you can call up chord presets that resulting chord sequence still sounds too boring
a small but useful little helper. 1 transform basic notes into real chords. 1 to our ears - let‘s get creative. 1

4 5 6
Turn it around Reverse Make it groove
For the next step, we need to rethink. We In the Information Menu of our track, which Now we add more instruments. As we still
move the MIDI region that we‘ll need later you can call up using the „i“ shortcut, we don‘t have a keyboard available, we create
outside the loop area. Now, we create a new tick „Reverse“ under „Region“. If we now move a Drummer Track and let retro rock drummer
MIDI region and take the pencil tool and draw our initially created MIDI region back to its „Logan“ do his thing with the „Stonehenge“
in our basic tone sequence in reverse order. original position, it is accompanied by an exciting preset. We also add an organ, which is set to root
Now we ­bounce the region to a new track as an reverse effect that accompanies the chord se- notes in the MIDI region and is equipped with the
audio file. 1 quence that we created at the beginning. 1 ChordTrigger. r

Beat 05 | 2024 • 49
WORKBEAT
Power Producer

Power Producer: Cubase

Banging found-sound beats 2/2
We are constantly surrounded by interesting sounds in our everyday lives, Project info
be it the pulse of the city, the splashing of rain, the howling of the wind, Material: Cubase Artist or Pro
the ­buzzing of traffic or animal noises. In the last issue, we built a Hip Hop Time required: About 30 minutes
Content: Create rhythmic textures from field
beat from found sounds and now we‘re going to add a rhythmic texture of recordings.
everyday noises to it. by Vera Schumacher Difficulty: Beginner and Advanced

1 2
Load field recordings
In the last issue, we created a drum kit from
everyday noises, the result „Found Sound
Beat.wav“ can be found in the magazine data.
Our next goal is to turn a field recording into
a rhythmic element that complements the 94
BPM beat. Drag an audio file of your choice with
everyday sounds onto an audio track. 1
Equalizing
We opt for the sample Lofi_Ambience_21_
Airport_LD from the Cubase library. Lofi_
Ambience_05_Rain_LD is also a good choice.
Now it‘s time to edit the static field recording
so that it complements the beat. Filter out the
frequencies below 500 Hz with a highpass filter
and emphasize the upper mids and mid-highs
with an EQ. 1
3
Rhythmize
As a result, the recording sounds richer in
overtones and stands out better in the mix.
Now we want to rhythmize the sample. To do
this, load FX Modulator as an insert effect and
add the Volume module to the effect chain. Draw
in any modulation curve for the Volume. Leave
Time at 1/1 and draw the curve as shown. 1

4 5
Dynamic reverb
The chopped up sample could sound a little
more spatial. Conveniently, FX Modulator
also comes with a Reverb. The modulation curve
controls the amount of effect. We set this to 5%
and increase Size to 200%. In Bar 4, we draw an
ascending curve so that the reverb effect beco-
mes more prominent. 1
Variety
For effect variations, you can insert
additional modules (such as Filters or
Bitcrushers) and draw modulation curves
for them. As many effect settings such as the
filter parameters and the effect component
can be automated, varied textures are child‘s
play. For example, you can filter your texture
­rhythmically every few bars. 1
6
Filter & Delay
To do this, we select the Fiter Type: Band
Pass 12 dB and set Q (Resonance) in the
curve to 65. Then, draw in any modulation curve.
Last but not least, we add a Ping-Pong Delay to
the texture as an insert effect. This fills the pat-
tern rhythmically. Try experimenting with other
field recordings. r

5050 •• Beat Beat 05 | 202 05 |

20244
 WORKBEAT
Power Producer

Power Producer: Ableton Live

Make every track a hit
You‘re live on stage, switching back and forth between presets and hoping Project info
that they‘re roughly the same volume. However, at the latest when the sound Material: Ableton Live Suite
is blasting out of the speakers, the audience‘s good mood is dampened. Time required: About 20 minutes
Content: Aligning different MIDI presets so that they
If the sound is barely audible, it also diminishes the listening experience are perceived as being the same, creating a multi-in-
immensely. Discover how your presets are perceived as being equally loud in strument rack, selecting different presets via a macro
the following workshop. by Maya C. Sternel controller, comparing and aligning LUFS values.
Difficulty: Advanced

1 2
Multi-Instrument rack
For example, you‘ve created a MIDI track
with an Instrument Rack for your Live per-
formance, which contains various instrument
presets that you select using the Chain Selector.
To create such a rack, load a MIDI instrument
preset, for example a synth key from Operator,
into a track. Group the MIDI instrument and
open the Chain List. 1
Assign areas
Drag additional instrument presets into a
separate chain. As not all instruments should
sound at the same time, distribute them to dif-
ferent areas in the Chain Selection Zone Editor:
Open Chain and select all chains. Then, drag the
small blue bar in the Zone Editor all the way to the
right so that it covers the entire area. 1
3
Assign a macro
Right-click on one of the bars and select
Distribute Areas Evenly from the context
menu. Select the Chain Selector with the right
mouse button and select Assign to Macro 1.
If you now move the assigned macro control-
ler while a MIDI clip is playing, you can scroll
through the various synths. 1

4 5
Load loudness meter
To avoid having to rely on your hearing
when adjusting the volume, use a loud-
ness meter. Ableton Live does not have one by
default; therefore, download and install the free
Youlean Loudness Meter, for example. You can
use it to measure the LUFS levels of the presets
and compare them with each other. 1
Measure volumes
LUFS stands for Loudness Units relative to
Full Scale. It is a standardized measurement
of audio loudness that combines the human
perception and intensity of the electrical signal.
This means that sounds can be compared in
terms of their perceived loudness. Equal LUFS
values mean equal perceived loudness. 1
6
Align volumes
You can use this for presets with different
volumes in your rack. Load the Youlean
Loudness Meter into the Master, play the clip and
adjust the volume in the chain for each preset
so that they all have the same Integrated LUFS
value. After each change to the volume value,
restart the sequencer so that you can see the
actual value. r

Beat 05 | 2024 • 51
WORKBEAT
Power Producer

Power Producer: Studio One 6

Italo Synth Pop à la The Kolors
The pop trio The Kolors, already celebrated as stars in their Italian homeland, Project info
achieved Europe-wide fame last year with their summer hit „Italodisco“. Now Material: Studio One 6 (from Artist-Version)
the musicians from Naples are continuing their success story with „A Boy A Time required: from 40 minutes
Content: Reprogramming of three synth sounds from
Girl“, a combination of danceable modern Italo pop and the sounds of the the song „A boy a girl“ by The Kolors.
80s. In addition to the captivating vocals, charming synth sounds play the Difficulty: Advanced
main role. Let‘s recreate three of them! by Vera Schumacher

1 2
Italo synth bass
One of the most striking elements of „Un ra-
gazzo una ragazza“ is the crisp synth bass. To
recreate this, create a project with 128 BPM and
load the Mai Tai synthesizer with the Temp - Ea-
sySaw preset. Select the Mono playback mode
and activate Osc 2, tune Osc 1 to 16‘ and Oscilla-
tor 2 to 8‘ and set Fine to -6.00 or +6.00. 1
Bass: Fundamental
Select the Square waveform for Oscillator
1 and adjust the Level controls as shown
in the picture. Pulse Width Modulation provides
a somewhat livelier sound. For Osc 1, turn the
PWM control all the way up. Then make the
modulation assignment shown in Slot 2 of the
Modulation Matrix (Mod A). This causes the third
envelope to modulate the pulse width. 1
3
Crunchy bass sound
Set the envelopes as shown. For the crisp
Bass, activate the filter in LP 24dB Zero
Mode and set it as shown; then, adjust the
assignment in Row 2 of the Matrix as shown in
the previous image. The Velocity now influences
the filter. The EQ and Distortion on the FX B side
provide a more present sound. 1

4 5
Retro chords
The Bass plays the bassline shown. A D#
minor chord with a striking vibrato adds
cool retro accents to the hit by The Kolors. Start
with the Temp - EasySaw preset here, too. For
the vibrato effect, we set LFO 1 as the modulation
source and Osc 1 - Pitch as the destination in
the second slot of the Matrix, with a Modulation
Intensity of 1.6%. 1
Chords: Vibrato
Then, activate LFO 1 with the Triangle Wa-
veform and set Rate to 5.67 Hz and Delay
to 70.0 ms. The Character Processor gives the
sound more presence, and Modulation and Re-
verb provide more fullness and spaciousness. At
the beginning of the Chorus of the hit, an off-beat
Bass plays instead of the familiar Bass sound,
which we also recreate with Mai Tai. 1
6
Offbeat bass
The two oscillators with the Sawtooth
Waveform provide the foundation, with the
first oscillating a fifth higher (Semi: 7). The filter
parameters and the envelopes are to be adjusted
as shown for a crunchy sound. All that‘s missing
now is a pinch of Delay and Reverb, while EQ
and Distortion make the sound even punchier. r

52 • Beat 05 | 2024
 WORKBEAT
Production-Tricks

Mix tricks: Emphasize Transients

The best reverb for plucks
Pluck sounds are sometimes „hard to handle“: they are very short and have Project info:
strong transients. Depending on the sound, the tonal content can, therefore, Material: FabFilter Pro-R, FabFilter Pro-Q, FabFilter
be extremely low. If the aim is to perfectly stage the sound and give it the Pro-C, FabFilter Timeless
Time required: About 15 minutes
right spatiality, it is important that the reverb is not smeared or is only Content: Shaping the spatiality of a pluck sound.
­triggered by the attack. by Frank Schreiber Difficulty: Advanced

1 2
Room size & predelay
Select a pluck sound (synthetic or a pizzicato).
We load FabFilter Pro-R with approx. 0.6s
Decay and Mix at 100% into a Bus slot. Set the
Send in the DAW so that approx. 25% of the
sound reaches the Reverb. Depending on the
sound, we set the Predelay to approx. 30-80ms
so that the sound retains its punch and the attack
isn‘t smeared. 1
Decay on frequencies
Now let‘s get closer to the core of the
sound, that is, its tonal center of gravity,
and feather it with a longer Decay. In our
example, this is around 150% at 970 Hz and a
Q of 0.6. Unwanted noise or lower frequencies
that tend to overlap and lack transparency are
reduced in the Decay Time, here at around 200
Hz and 8 kHz. 1
3
Maintain transparency
To ensure that the sound remains
­transparent later in the mix, we now cut
those frequencies with the Pro-R‘s post-EQ that
are not relevant for the useful signal and could
collide with others. In our example, this is a Low
Cut at 200 Hz and a Hi Cut at 8.2 kHz, each with
a slope of 12 dB / Octave. 1

4 5
Increase presence
To „capture“ the room a little and give it a
controlled presence, we use a compressor
with a Ratio of 1.5:1 and around -35 dB
Threshold, with an Attack Time of around 50
ms and a Release Time of 150 ms. In our case,
this is a Pro-C, but the compressor from the
DAW of choice can also do this rather simple job
without any problems. 1
Stereo width
The spatiality can be further increased by
extending the stereo width of the Reverb,
while at the same time retaining the signature of
the room. This allows you to perceive the room
more strongly without having to increase the
decay and wash out the sound. To do this, we use
a Pro-Q3 and increase the sidebands above 2
kHz by around 3 dB. 1
6
Add liveliness
Finally, we use modulation to give the room
more liveliness. We can use a Delay for this
and use it as a Chorus. For Timeless 3, we select
the „Beautiful Vintage Chorus“ preset and
set the Mix to around 10-15%. With a normal
chorus, make sure that the modulations are not
in the foreground. r

Beat 05 | 2024 • 53
INSPIRATION WHEN
& WHERE YOU WANT
for all Producers, DJs and Musicians

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New freeware plug-ins
YOOZ Music
BL-303
Everybody needs a 303! Fatboy Slim had already
established this in the 90s and this track name still
applies today. Yooz Music BL-303 faithfully recre-
ates the legendary Roland bassline, but is limited
to sound generation. The freeware synthesizer also
dispenses with the built-in sequencer, which is just
as important for the famous TB-303 sequences, in
the revised Version 3. This has to be done by the
DAW, whereby the obligatory slides and accents can
be activated in combination using velocity.
The parameters correspond to the hardware
model and include tuning (up to one octave up or
down), sawtooth or square wave for the oscillator,
cutoff and emphasis (resonance) for the lowpass
filter, strength of the envelope modulation, decay
(decay time of the envelope), as well as conti-
nuously adjustable accent, which increases the Filter
Envelope and, thus, also the filter frequency when a
Threshold is exceeded and shortens the decay time.
Depending on the filter frequency and Resonance
settings, this provides short, crisp accents or the typi-
cal 303 „bark“, especially when distortion is applied.
In Version 3, BL-303 has been given an impro-
ved, scalable interface. In addition, the plug-in now
has native Apple Silicon and Intel support. And in
terms of sound, the developer has further optimized
the Filter, which is so important for that characteri-
stic 303 sound.
Verdict
BL-303 faithfully recreates the sound of a TB-303. As
the plug-in concentrates solely on the sound gene-
ration of the original without any frills, it uses few
resources and is intuitive to use.
Developer: YOOZ Music
Web: yoozmusic.com
Price: Freeware
Format: VST3, AU, AAX
Rating:
Variety of Sound
TesslaPro mkIV
Variety of Sound, the one-man project from
developer Herbert Goldberg, has delighted us with
a new, revised version of TesslaPro. The plug-in
aims to take care of sound coloration of the inco-
ming audio signal, combining analog sound with
modern digital precision and corresponding over-
sampling. TesslaPro provides an all-in-one package
with Saturation, Transient Processing and Bass-
Boost and also expands the depth and width of the
mix. The result is more subtle than striking and is,
therefore, particularly suitable for Group and Mas-
ter channels. Basically, you can‘t really do any harm
with TesslaPro. At worst, the changes are so unspec-
tacular that they are unnoticeable in the mix, but in
most cases it really does sound that decisive bit bet-
ter afterwards. Automatic gain staging at the input
and volume compensation at the output prevent the
„louder sounds better“ effect and enable unaffected
monitoring of the sound changes. We particularly
liked the new Transformer effect.
Since the download is straightforward, requi-
res no registration or e-mail address and the file is
only a few megabytes in size, you can easily try out
the effect plug-in yourself.
Verdict
TesslaPro mkIV is a coloration effect that combi-
nes analog saturation and bass boost with digital
processing of transients and can also give the input
signal more width and depth. This plug-in consu-
mes little memory and CPU, is easy to use, and the
range of functions is very good for freeware.
Developer: Variety of Sound
Web: varietyofsound.wordpress.com
Price: Freeware
Format: VST, VST3
Rating:
by Jan Wilking
MUST-HAVE
05/2024
Jacob Collier
Audience Choir
Audience Choir is a special kind of sample library.
No professional choirs were recorded here in the
studio, but Jacob Collier had the audience sing on
his tour in 22 cities around the world. With the help
of NI Kontakt (Player is sufficient), you can use these
recordings as a flexible instrument. The samples are
distributed chromatically across the keyboard, the
mod wheel gives you access to the dynamics and the
polyphonic aftertouch lets you control the sound,
pitch, volume and vocal type. With the integrated
Vowel Morph Pad, whose movements can be recor-
ded, you can blend smoothly between vowels such
as Aa, Ee, Oo and Mm. A Chord function provides
suitable chords and the Triad blend control allows
you to switch seamlessly from Major to Minor. The
animated interface visualizes the changes. When
using a Komplete keyboard, the Lightguide also
shows you the different keyboard areas. You can
combine the sung vocals with unusual percussion
samples of hand clapping, finger snapping and foot
stomping. Built-in filters and effects, such as Delay
and Reverb are available to customize the sound,
and you can also adjust the stereo width.
Verdict
Due to its sound source (audience recordings),
Audience Choir offers a very special sound that is
somewhere between a professional choir library
and characterful recordings from vintage samp-
lers. The well thought-out additional functions of
this instrument invite you to experiment and create
your own arrangements, with musically interesting
and very organic sound results.
Developer: Native Instruments
Web: native-instruments.com
Price: Freeware
Format: VST,AU,AAX,Standalone
Rating:

New effect plug-ins
Rob Papen
LowSane
Do you also dream in 8-bit? With his latest effect
plug-in, LowSane, Rob Papen invites you to explo-
re the wonderful world of LoFi sounds. LowSane
combines Sample and Bitrate reduction, various
filters and extensive modulation options. With the
Distortion effect, you can add musical saturation or
distortion to the input signal, if required.
In the LoFi section, you can transform audio
signals into audible works of pixel art with Sample
and Bitrate Reduction. There is a bandpass / notch
filter and a duo of lowpass and highpass for sound
shaping. A Noise Gate is also on board.
A special feature in LowSane is the „Disrupt
Sphere“ slider, which allows you to control up to
eight effect parameters simultaneously and with
adjustable intensity. This allows you to quickly cre-
ate lively and dynamic sound sequences. You can
move the slider with the mouse or automate it using
a DAW or LFO.
In Jump Mode, the slider jumps back to its ori-
ginal position according to the set tempo value. An
audio input follower and two modulation slots are
also available for modulations, whereby MIDI con-
trollers can also be used as modulators.
Verdict
LowSane is an excellent tool for giving your sounds
a modern or nostalgic LoFi touch. Synthesizer or
instrument sounds become grainy textures in an
instant, beats become crunching groove beasts and
vocals become screeching effect sounds. The exten-
sive modulation options open up the playing field
for lively and dynamic effect creations.
Developer: Rob Papen
Web: robpapen.com
Price: 25 Euro
Format: VST2, VST3, AU, AAX
Rating:
by Mario Schumacher
Heavyocity
VAST
When the sound alchemists at Heavyocity re-
lease an effects plug-in, you can count on two
things: cinematic intensity and sonic originality
that will turn heads in any production. Their la-
test creation is a specialist for spatial effects that
integrates five different modules. The gate, EQ, de-
lay, convolution and compressor modules can be
freely arranged.
Over 200 included presets impressively de-
monstrate the range of VAST: from realistic room
simulations, opulent reverb effects and floating
shimmer reverbs to atmospheric textures and
rhythmic delays and reverse effects. This means
that the plug-in is also ideally suited for vocals,
drums, guitars and cinematic textures.
The heart of VAST is clearly the Convoluti-
on effect. A browser gives you access to over 200
high-quality Impulse Responses from the cate-
gories of rooms, halls, large, immense, plates,
springs, textures and rhythmic patterns. In the
waveform display, you can determine the start
and end points and also play the audio file back-
wards. The rhythmic and tonal impulse responses,
in particular, offer plenty of scope for sound expe-
riments. If the tempo sync option is activated, the
tempo of the impulse response is synchronized to
the project tempo and the pre-delay can be set in
musical values. Another great feature is the ability
to transpose the impulse response up or down by
up to an octave. Lush uses modulation to create a
livelier sound. You can also adjust the stereo width
of the high and low frequencies and set fade-ins
and outs. Great: the resonance control makes it
easy to attenuate resonant frequencies. You can
also load your own sample as an impulse respon-
se using drag & drop.
VAST comes with a parametric equalizer fea-
turing five frequency bands for shaping the sound.
The gate module not only creates classic gated re-
verb effects, but you can also chop up the audio ma-
terial rhythmically with an integrated LFO or an ex-
ternal control signal. This allows you to make even
the most epic reverb effects pulsate r­ hythmically.
SOFTBEAT
New effect plug-ins
The Compressor module can not only be used to
compress the audio material, but is also capable of
sidechain-controlled pumping effects.
Echo effects with digital precision or analog
warmth are the specialty of the delay module. The
delay time can be synchronized to the project tem-
po and you can also use the pitch and modulation
controls to create shimmer delays, as well as organic
echoes or glitchy effects. Thanks to the quality con-
trol, even LoFi effects are a breeze; and who knows,
maybe Heavyocity will fulfill our wish for a ping-
pong delay in a future version. The output section
rounds off the whole thing with an additional re-
verb effect, Filter options and a clipper that allows
for creative overdrive. Thanks to the global mix con-
trol, the effect intensity can be finely adjusted.
Verdict
VAST is a powerful tool for sound designers who
love classic reverb effects, as well as unconven-
tional and original sound creations. Even simple
instrument sounds such as piano or guitar can be
transformed into organic pads, futuristic ambient
textures, atmospheric soundscapes or rhythmic
textures. The plug-in can also transform drums and
percussion into resonant or tonal soundscapes.
Thanks to the scalable and intuitive user interface, it
is great fun to explore the creative possibilities. This
inspiring and excellent-sounding plug-in really co-
mes into its own when designing cinematic sounds
for film, game and trailer music.
Developer: Heavyocity
Web: heavyocity.com
Price: $99 US Dollars
Format: VST3, AU, AAX
Rating:
Beat 05 | 2024 • 57
SOFTBEAT
Test

Test: Steinberg WaveLab Pro 12

With almost 80 enhancements and optimizations, many of which are based on the wishes and suggestions of users,
this audio editor from Steinberg is even more powerful in Version 12. We‘ve taken a closer look at what we consider to
be the most important new features. by Jan Wilking

Features WaveLab 12. We found the new functions

of the Meta-Normalizer (for adjusting
Audio editing and Maste-
songs and stems to each other) and the
ring software
Loudness Analysis particularly practical.
ARA support We also liked the null test, which compa-
Drag & Drop res two tracks out of phase and can, the-
Loudness analysis refore, reveal unwanted differences bet-
and matching ween them.
Automatic transient
markers Workflow improvements
Further workflow improvements include
Startup assistant
the new Startup Wizard with a selection
Audio montages of common projects, the deactivation
Samplerate up to 384 kHz and hiding of unused tracks with just
one click, the more easily storable struc-
Up to eight subtracks per

A
audio track nyone who does professional Audio
Editing and Mastering can hardly
Windows, macOS
avoid WaveLab. However, it can be
annoying in your creative workflow in
the DAW if you first have to export the
Facts audio file, then import it into WaveLab,
Developer: Steinberg
edit it there and save it again, then load
Web: www.steinberg.net it into your DAW and position it in the
Distribution: Website right place. That‘s why, in the past, we‘ve
Price: 499 Euro; Update often resorted to the limited capabilities
from 99 Euro of DAW-internal audio editing instead of
J ARA support using the convenient and powerful tools
J Facilitated import/ provided by WaveLab.
export WaveLab 12 offers ARA support for
J Loudness management the first time, which means it can link into
J Multicolored
waveforms your DAW as an extension and edit selec-
J Helpful new ted audio data within your DAW, all while
functions staying synchronized with your song. No
J Improved workflow more exporting/importing, no need to
J New plug-ins open the WaveLab software, everything
Features: takes place directly in the DAW. Anyone
Operation: who uses other ARA-compatible software,
Price/Perf: such as Melodyne, VocAlign, Autotune or
Total: SpectraLayers, will immediately appreci-
ate this convenient integration.
Facilitated Import/Export
Alternatives Unfortunately, users of Ableton Live,
Adobe Audition Bitwig or FL Studio are left out, as these
26 Euro / Monthly (Sub) DAWs do not currently offer ARA support.
adobe.com However, they can look forward to the
Magix Sound Forge Pro simplified import and export of audio
From 95 Euro files. WaveLab 12 makes it easy to mark
magix.com areas of an audio file, with the software
Izotope RX10 automatically recognizing the transients
From 399 Euro and snapping them appropriately. You
izotope.com can even use the tab key to jump back and
With the new of ARA support, WaveLab can now
be used directly inside your DAW.
forth between the different transients. The
selected area can be dragged and drop-
ped from WaveLab onto the desktop or
into another program, either unedited or
including the plug-ins used in WaveLab.
Importing is just as easy, and WaveLab
can automatically set suitable crossfades
when the new audio file is dragged into an
existing audio file.
Optics and Loudness
The new multi-coloured rainbow view
of the waveform lets you see at a glance
which frequencies are particularly
emphasized in which area of the file.
When editing vocals, for example, un-
wanted sibilants or footsteps can now be
easily detected due to their coloration.
In mastering, in particular, a refe-
rence track from a particularly success-
ful production is often used. As even the
smallest differences in volume between
tracks can trigger the „louder sounds bet-
ter“ effect, the loudness of the reference
track can now be automatically adjusted
to match the volume of your own track. In
any case, loudness management, which is
so important in the age of various digital
media, has been extensively expanded in
ture of audio montages and the general
export of projects to a shared folder.
Anyone working with WaveLab on a
laptop without an additional sound card
will be very pleased with the ASIO driver.
And last but not least, Steinberg has also
given WaveLab users some plug-ins: The
Black Valve and VoxComp compressors,
the EQ-P1A and EQ-M5 equalizers and
the Raiser limiter. With SampleAlign,
you can delay only one of the two tracks
in a stereo file. There is also direct
M/S Editing and the adjustment of the
volume of both stereo tracks in relation
to each other.
Verdict
The highlight of the new WaveLab version
is the ARA support, which allows this
powerful audio editor to be used directly
inside your DAW. In addition, there are
numerous workflow improvements
and practical new functions that make
work significantly easier and faster and
make WaveLab easier to use, even for
beginners.The improved import/export
functions are very helpful. This is a
successful update that will also bring
WaveLab many new users! r
More info

58 • Beat 05 | 2024

Test: TAL TAL-Pha
TAL already has one of the best Juno-60 emulations on the market with the U-NO LX. Do we still need a replica
of the less popular Alpha Juno? We tested it and were pleasantly surprised! by Jan Wilking
T Features
he Roland Alpha Juno was over-
shadowed by the Juno 6/60 and 106
right from the start, probably because
Roland used membrane switches instead
of direct operation with several faders. In
terms of sound, however, the Alpha Juno
also has a lot of character to offer. The
so-called Hoover sound, which is based
on a factory preset of the Juno program-
med by Eric Persing (the mastermind be-
hind Omnisphere), became somewhat fa-
mous. It was used in some Techno classics
such as Dominator in the early 90s, and
has enjoyed constant popularity as a dri-
ving, punchy lead sound ever since. But
the Alpha Juno has much more to offer!
Extended DCO
It is, therefore, even more pleasing that
TAL, a proven developer, has now taken
on the emulation of the Alpha Juno and its
rack version MKS-50. And the Swiss com-
pany has given the software some inte-
resting additional functions. In the origi-
nal, the basis of the sound is a single DCO,
which is typical of Juno and can generate
sawtooth and square waves together. The-
re is also a sub-oscillator and a noise gene-
rator. The special feature is that both Saw
and Pulse are available in different pul-
se widths, which also allows a kind of Pul-
se Width Modulation of the sawtooth and
significantly expands the sound spectrum.
With the TAL-PHA, the possibilities go even
further. Here, you have two separate oscil-
lators to choose from, which can be mo-
dulated individually. Thanks to switchab-
le synchronization, even the classic cutting,
metallic Hardsync sounds are possible in
really good quality, or the waveform mo-
dulation with noise for LoFi sounds.
The downstream Lowpass Filter is
also a complete success. It has the typi-
cal Roland beautiful sound, with very mu-
sical resonance that even offers different
SOFTBEAT
Test
Software synthesizer
Alpha Juno/MKS-50
Up to 12 voices
Stereo, Unison
MPE support
VST, VST3, AU, AAX, Clap
Windows and macOS: 64
Bit; Linux Ubuntu 18
Voice tuning allows each voice to be
individually adjusted in terms of Pitch,
Filter, Envelope and Stereo Panning,
resulting in a more lively sound.
Facts
variations and, thanks to the boost, also panning. To our ears, this sounds livelier Developer: TAL
enables self-oscillation (which the ori- and more „analog“, and the distribution of Web: tal-software.com
ginal unfortunately lacks). The filter fre- the voices in the stereo field immediately Distribution: Download
quency, as well as the pitch and volume, creates an Oberheim feeling. Price: 72 Euro
can be modulated using Aftertouch, even As an additional treat, PHA-TAL can J Authentic sound
polyphonically. This enables very expres- not only import Alpha Juno sounds, but J Clear GUI
sive playing when combined with key- can also send Sysex via a selectable MIDI J Extended DCO
boards equipped with PolyAT. TAL-PHA output and, thus, be used as an editor for J Stereo-Unison
even supports MPE for multi-dimensio- the original hardware. J Calibratable voices
nal controllers. J Filter with self-oscil-
lation
With 3 Level and 4 Time parameters, Verdict J MPE support
the Envelope allows much more flexible Does the world need an emulation of the J Can be used as an editor
progressions than a classic ADSR envelo- Alpha Juno when there are already nu- n Only one envelope curve
pe. Unfortunately, as with the original, it is merous successful replicas of the more
Sound:
only available once; we would have liked popular Juno 6/60/106? The answer is,
Operation:
to have separate envelopes for the Filter, yes, because TAL-PHA not only offers Price/Perf:
Volume and, ideally, Pitch. a high-quality emulation of the Alpha
Total:
The legendary Juno Chorus is, of sound, but also delivers sophisticated ad-
course, also on board, as are Delay, Re- ditional features.
verb and an EQ for further customizing The sound of TAL-PHA is impressive
the sound. Unison, with an adjustab- across the board with all classic synthesi-
le number of voices, Detune and Ste- zer sounds for Synthwave and the like, but
reo Width for really fat and wide leads, is also with more modern sounds. In additi-
available on top. Arpeggiator and chord on, it is easy to use, has very good presets Alternatives
function (which already provided the and comes at a very fair price! r Audiorealism ReDomi-
classic short stabs on the original) are nator
also available. 95 Euro
audiorealism.se
Voice Tuning/Editor Softube Model 80
Another highlight of the TAL-PHA is so- 159 Euro
mewhat hidden, and sits virtually on the softube.com
back of the GUI. For each of the 6 voices, Roland Juno-60
you can individually set deviations in fil- 158 Euro
ter frequency, pitch, envelope and stereo More Info roland.com
Beat 05 | 2024 • 59
SOFTBEAT
Test

Test: GForce Axxess

Axxess is modeled on the ARP Axxe, which came onto the market in 1976 as an affordable alternative to the ARP
Odyssey. However, have GForce given the rather simple synthesizer some additional functions that make the Axxess
more exciting than expected? by Jan Wilking

Features The step sequencer

offers many options
Software instrument and can be flexibly
triggered and trans-
Based on ARP Axxe posed.

Up to 6 voices
X-Modifiers per parameter
to an arpeggiator, Axxess also offers a
fully-fledged step-sequencer with some
Distortion, delay, reverb
interesting functions. The pitch and
16-step step-sequencer velocity of up to 16 steps can either be set
Over 350 presets noise generator. manually using the faders provided for
The result is fed each step or played in, step-by-step, using
Fully scalable GUI
into the resonant the keyboard. Alternatively, Axxe can
Standalone, AU, VST, AAX lowpass filter create random sequences at the touch of a

A
From Windows 7 and lthough the ARP Axxe had the same which, in combination with the powerful button, even with a selectable key and ad-
macOS: 10.15 powerful fundamental sound as its oscillator, delivers that typical 70s ARP justable octave range. The sequence can
famous big brother, it had to make sound. An ADSR envelope and an LFO then run in sync with the DAW, whereby it
do with just one oscillator. This meant with various waveforms are available for can also be moved forwards or backwards
that many of the Odyssey‘s characteristic modulating pitch, PWM, filter frequency using two buttons. Alternatively, you can
sound options such as Hardsync, ring and volume. also play the sequence directly from your
modulation and duophony were no keyboard or keyboard controller. Trigger
longer available. This is why the Axxe X-Modifiers and transpose notes from the DAW. In
Facts never achieved a comparable level of po- However, GForce does not stop at the addition, the functions of the arpeggiator,
Developer: GForce pularity. And at first glance, it is, therefore, features of the original, but also offers such as different playback directions (up,
Web: gforcesoftware.com surprising that GForce has taken on this the X-Modifiers, which may be familiar down, up-down, random), swing and
Distribution: Website
model - after all, they already have a very from other synthesizers from the English Speed/Divider are also available for the
Price: 89 Euro
successful Odyssey emulation in their company, such as the MiniMonsta. Al- sequencer. Combined with the X-Modi-
J True to original sound catalog with Oddity. most every parameter of the synthesizer fiers described above and the Sample/
J Simple operation can be modulated with its own envelope Hold circuit, we were able to create com-
J Polyphonic
Simple, but ­ and LFO! This significantly expands the plex sequences without much effort.
J Stereo Unison
effective synthesis sonic possibilities and enables lively
J LFO/Env for each
parameter After we took a closer look at the Axxess and constantly changing sounds that Verdict
J Step-sequencer in the test, we quickly realized the you wouldn‘t have expected from such a GForce Axxess offers the convincing cha-
advantages the Axxe presents. While the simple synthesizer. racter sound and the simple but effective
Sound:
Odyssey can be rather confusing due to sound generation of the ARP Axxe from
Operation:
Price/Perf: its extensive options, some of which are Up to 6 voices the 70s. Thanks to the large sweet spot, ty-
based on the semi-modular ARP 2600, In contrast to the original, Axxess can pical leads and basses are created quickly;
Total:
the simple structure of the Axxe is easy also be played polyphonically with up to but thanks to having up to 6 voices, wide
to understand. Paired with its good basic 6 voices. The 6 voices can also be distri- unison sounds, as well as pads, brass
sound, all kinds of sounds can be created buted in the stereo panorama, detuned and strings are no problem. The complex
without much effort, and the Axxe has against each other and layered to create modulation options of the X-Modifier also
a very large sweet spot. Similar to the fat unison sounds! And a continuously allow for wacky and experimental sounds,
Roland Juno series, which is also very po- adjustable vintage parameter provides while the intuitive step-sequencer keeps
Alternatives pular for the same reasons, the oscillator random fluctuations of various parame- things moving. This makes Axxess a sur-
Korg ARP Odyssey generates both sawtooth and pulse waves ters for a more „analog“ sound. Finally, prisingly inspiring software synthesizer! r
$99 US Dollars (with adjustable and modulatable pulse there are distortion, delay and reverb for
korg.com width), which can be used together and refining or distorting the overall sound. A
Sonivox Timewarp 2600 supplemented by a sub oscillator and a clearly laid out browser with lots of good
99 Euro presets provides additional inspiration.
sonivoxmi.com
Arturia ARP2600V Flexible step-sequencer
149 Euro Another highlight is virtually hidden
arturia.com behind the virtual keyboard. In addition More info

60 • Beat 05 | 2024
 SOFTBEAT
Test

Test: Baby Audio Atoms

Sounds the world has never heard before! With this promise, Baby Audio presents its innovative physical modeling
synthesizer, Atoms. We can‘t wait to find out whether it sounds as futuristic as it looks! by Vera Schumacher

A Features
toms does not use classic oscillators Atoms‘ original physical
modeling sound generation
or samples. Rather, it relies on ad- creates dynamic and organic Physical modelling-­
vanced Physical Modeling. This plug- sounds with the liveliness of
synthesizer
in goes one step further than sound ge- real instruments.

nerators that emulate the behaviors and Monophonic / polyphonic

vibrations of real instruments; and also Random function for fresh
offers enormous potential for creating sounds
new and otherworldly sounds. The basis Six modulatable main
for the system is the simulation of inter- ing pads. Movement al- parameters
connected masses and springs that are lows you to influence Extensive modulation
excited by a virtual arc. Sound complex? the intensity and speed options
Thanks to the inviting user interfa- of the bow movement,
Physically modeled effects
ce, Atoms is pleasantly accessible: with six resulting in subtly ch-
main parameters, you can customize the anging sounds and, at Over 250 presets
properties and dimensions of the physical higher values, Tremolo VST2, VST3, AU, AAX
model. The 250 supplied presets, including effects. Modulation, on Windows and macOS:
the „Radioactive“ expansion by well-known the other hand, provi- 64 Bit
producer and DJ, Zardonic, demonstrate des Chorus-like effects and, as with Mo-
the sonic diversity of this synthesizer. vement and Vibrato, is also synchroni-
zed to the project tempo. The Space e­ ffect Facts
­Order and Chaos is operated with an X/Y pad and mas- Developer: Baby Audio
The Chaos control gives the sound beats, ters both subtle ambient effects and lush Web: babyaud.io
but can also create detuning and glide ef- reverberation. Distribution: Download
Price: $59 US Dollars
fects. You can use Order to achieve the
(Intro Price), $99 US
high frequencies, for example, to achie- used, modulation can also be carried out Verdict Dollars (Regular Price)
ve fast decaying vibrations, like you find using Polyphonic Aftertouch. Additional Atmospheric, dynamic and with a pinch
J Multi-faceted sound
on guitars with nylon strings. Force, on waveforms, such as Sample & Hold, or step of stubbornness - Atoms from Baby Audio
J Expressive sound
the other hand, determines the pressu- sequences, would be a great addition here, presents itself as a synthesizer that plays
J Flexible modulation
re with which the virtual bow stimulates as would the option of using velocity and to its strengths in the organic, as well as options
the springs, from gentle to noisy, rich in MIDI controllers for modulation. surreal, world of sound. The palette ran- J Inspiring random
overtones and with a concise attack. You Want to create fresh and inspiring ges from sounds reminiscent of traditio- function
can adjust the position of the virtual bow sounds? This is easy with the intuitive Ran- nal instruments such as guitars, violins J Great presets
with the Overtones Control, which can dom Generator. The great thing is that the and pianos to pulsating and lively hybrid J Intuitive operation
J High fun factor
vary the sound from muffled to sharp. Fi- results are always musically useful, and sounds. Whether it‘s atmospheric pads,
n Limited filter
nally, drive controls the intensity of the you can also lock certain parameters or re- captivating drones or vibrating textures -
n No modulation with
overtones through to cutting and over- strict the random range. If you like a sound, Atoms serves an impressive range of ex- MIDI controllers
driven sounds. The resonant lowpass fil- you can generate variations at the touch of pressive possibilities.
Sound:
ter allows the sound to be attenuated and a button using the Recycle function. Like an organic body of sound, the
Operation:
also modulates filter sweeps or wobble synthesizer‘s sound is lively, expressi-
Price/Perf:
effects with an LFO. Effects as sound generation ve and always in flux. The random musi-
Total:
Six LFOs with Sine and Sawtooth sha- All Atoms effects except Reverb are inte- cal functions provide endless inspiration,
pes can modulate several parameters si- gral parts of the physical model. This me- generating soundscapes from crystal-cle-
multaneously. They are tempo-synchroni- ans that the effects fit perfectly into the ar textures to distorted basses, aggressive Alternatives
zed and can also be triggered individually overall sound. The option to choose bet- leads and hyperactive sequences at the AAS Chromaphone 3
for each voice. Drift provides subtle sound ween four profiles of the mass-spring net- touch of a button. r $199 US Dollars
variations and, if an MPE controller is work (Standard, Inharmonic, Alternati- applied-acoustics.com
ve and Lo-Fi) is inconspicuous, but very Physical Audio Modus
productive in terms of sound. Each profi- 95 Euro
le has its own sound character. physicalaudio.co.uk
Thanks to the adjustable Attack and Expressive E Imagine
Release parameters, aggressive plucks 149 Euro
are just as possible as soft, long decay- More Info expressivee.com

Beat 05 | 2024 • 61
SOFTBEAT
Soundware

New sounds & samples by Carl-Philipp Schmeller

Sounds of Revolution Mode Audio

Organic Dub Techno Drift
Organic Dub Techno is a 2.7 GB sample The 655 MB of data in the Drift collecti-
colossus consisting of 864 loops at 124 BPM on from Mode Audio offer analog ambient
and 151 one-shots, including atmos (20), MUST-HAVE sounds. The collection of loops includes bas-
basses (100), guitars (23), clicks (23), synths 05/2024 ses (15), drums (30), pads (30), synths (45), MUST-HAVE
(157), and pads (62), as well as drums with percussions (15), noises (15) and music lo- 05/2024

and without kick and optionally with or wi-
thout effects. A selection of individual samples with drums, pads and effects is
provided. Particularly noteworthy, however, are the seven demo songs, whose
tracks have been broken down into individual stems so that you can quickly
build your own arrangements around them. The dry kicks have plenty of punch,
as does the bass material, even if they sometimes sound too sub-heavy. The
experimental loops provide plenty of glitch and whisked effects.
Verdict
The combination of organic live recordings and synthetic elements is very well
done, so you can expect not only machine-like Deep Techno, but also a dyna-
mic humanistic vibe.
ops (150). Another bonus are the 90 reverb
tail samples, which ensure a smooth, natural fade-out of the loops. 135 MIDI
files are included for flexible composition. The basses radiate a pleasantly cal-
ming warmth. The downtempo drums are more electronic, but the vintage flair
can be heard throughout. The rhythms are varied and not just in the usual 4/4
time signature. The leads have a partly hypnotic, therapeutic effect. The noise
material is often based on field recordings, such as glass, undergrounds, ma-
chines or water, which lend themselves well as textures.
Verdict
All in all, Drift offers an exciting mix of ambient samples that emphasizes the
vintage character. We need more!

Developer: Sounds of Revolution Web: sounds-of-revolution.com Developer: Mode Audio Web: modeaudio.com
Price: 35 Euro Format: WAV Price: 21 Euro Format: WAV, MIDI
Rating: Rating:

Artisan Audio HY2ROGEN MUST-HAVE

Techno Descent Future Techno 05/2024

Discover the depth and darkness of Techno

with the approximately 1 GB Techno Decsent
sample archive from the soundsmith, Artisan
Audio. This loop collection contains synths
(80), percussions (58), drums (72), atmos
(40) and effects (22). But they also included
individual samples, too. Heavy, sometimes distorted kicks push through the
speakers, paired with crispy Snares and dirty Toms. Heavy, creaking Basses
emphasize the technoid vibe. You shouldn‘t expect conventional percussion,
but rather glitches, modular elements or sound effects that can be used for
gaming. The atmospheric sounds are excellent, ranging from creepy and threa-
tening to mysterious. The sound effects sound somewhat rustic. A few distorted
vocals round off this collection.
Verdict
Techno Descent is just the thing for the dark power of Techno, but there is also
a pinch of Science Fiction.
Universe
Hardly any other genre of electronic music
is as popular as Hypertechno. HY2ROGEN
have carved out the 1 GB sound archive
Future Techno Rave, which is inspired by
musicians such as Creeds, Bennett, Maddix and Hardwell. This material, with
its 10 construction kits, is a successful investment. The loops, which last bet-
ween two and 16 bars, are divided into synths, basses, arpeggio sequences and,
of course, drums. The kick drums of the latter hit the walls hard. The loops are
available both with and without effects. The basslines are a little reminiscent of
Psytrance, but with their 135 BPM tempo, they are clocked to Techno. The syn-
th elements are mixed - from the usual Leads to Acid and Plucks, everything is
here. Occasional psychedelic Vocals are perceived peripherally.
Verdict
Future Techno Rave is a coherent work with ten song templates plus multi-
samples on which you can build your own productions.

Developer: HY2ROGEN Web: loopmasters.com

Developer: Artisan Audio Web: loopmasters.com Price: 21 Euro
Price: 35 Euro Format: WAV Format: WAV, MIDI, Serum, Diva, Kontakt, Halion
Rating: Rating:

62 • Beat 05 | 2024
 SLEEK LOOK PEN ONE BY OMNITRONIC:

POWERFUL SOUND
_ Mobile column PA system with 550 watts of power
_ Clear and powerful sound
_ Stereo link for connecting 2 systems
_ Incl. 4-channel mixer and Bluetooth
_ Easy to transport
WORKBEAT
Workshop: Track Spotlight

Hands-On: Recreate Top-Ten Sounds

Track Spotlight Demo Apache Demo KIZ

The desire to have the ONE sound at home, the one track that you can‘t get Project info:
out of your ear, unites us Producers. Listen once, turn the knobs, done. But Material: DAW, diverse Plug-ins
transferring what you‘ve heard to the right parameters with the right values Time required: 1 – 2 Hours
Content: Reconstruct the sounds of popular Pop &
takes training. We build two sounds from hot songs every month in the EDM tracks.
Track Spotlight – this time „Frieden“ by KIZ and „Komet“ by Apache 207 & Difficulty: Advanced to Pro
Udo Lindenberg. by Julian Schmauch

Apache 207 and Udo Lindenberg - Komet: Bass w/ Diva

1 2
21 Weeks at Number 1
Udo Lindenberg in the Beat? Of course he is.
Together with Apache 207, the veteran rocker
delivered the most successful song of 2023 with
„Komet“, which spent a record-breaking 21
weeks at the top of the charts. Produced by Chris
James, Jumpa, Sira and Takt32, the song is a
perfect blend of Rock and Hip Hop with a chorus
that you won‘t soon forget. 1
Synth bass in Verse 2
If you listen to „Komet“ more closely, there
are only a few other elements besides the
voices of Udo and Apache. Drums and guitars in
the chorus, keys and guitar in the first verse. But
in the second Verse, where the song picks up
a bit of speed, a crisp synth bass can be heard
- somewhere between Disco and Kraftwerk, on
the offbeats. 1
3
Moog bass
The bass sounds a lot like a Moog. Let‘s use
what I think is the best emulation of the
Minimoog on the market: u-He Diva. The triple
VCO is preset and the three oscillators are set
to 8‘, 16‘ and 4‘ respectively. In addition, detune
Oscillator 3 very slightly to 12.06. With Volume
next to it, set OSC 3 to 60. 1

4 5
Envelopes
Let‘s move on to the envelopes. Provided
you‘ve programmed short sixteenths
for the MIDI notes, the envelopes require no
sustain, the shortest Attack times and Decay
values of 27 (ADS ENV 1) and 34.50 (ADS ENV
2). With such a jagged sound, even the smallest
differences in decay change the character of the
sound dramatically. 1
Filter and mono
Set the Cutoff in the Filter to 100 and set
LAG on the left to ENV 2 as the modulation
source. Turn the control below to 48 and KYB
for key tracking to 80. As this is a bass synth
that is similar to a Minimoog, it should also be
monophonic. You can set this in Diva at the
bottom center. 1
6
Get to the chorus
Let‘s stay „in-house“ for a change and
dispense with additional effects because
the ones in Diva sound so good on their own that
they are more than enough for this sound. With
the chorus effect and a relatively small amount
of effects, we give the sound the necessary width
so that it works better in the arrangement of the
second verse. r

64 • Beat 05 | 2024

KIZ – „Frieden“ : Arpeggio w/ Massive X
1 2
Drunken Masters
For the second single release from the
­upcoming KIZ album „Görlitzer Park“, the
Berlin Rap trio has teamed up with Producer
duo Drunken Masters, as they often do. Drunken
Masters have also produced very successfully
with Kummer, Nura and Casper in recent years.
The two are also on the road as an independent
live act. 1
4 5
Hardware emulation
Massive X can be a little cumbersome to
use, but in my opinion the VST sounds
better and more organic than almost any other.
Here, MX is supposed to emulate a hardware
synth sound. Leave the wavetables in both
oscillators as they are, just turn Osc 1 to a
Square Wave and Osc 2 to a Saw Wave, and Osc
2 an octave (-12) lower. 1
7 8
Enveloper and mono
A few things still need to be adjusted for
Envelope 1. Attack to 7.5 ms, Hold to 80 ms,
Decay to 61 ms, Sustain to 0 and Release to 3 ms.
This makes the sound quite similar. As is typical
for Minimoog, the whole thing should also run in
mono. To do this, go to the Voice section in the
middle left of the plug-in and then to Mono at
the bottom of the Polyphony section. 1
Lofi arp
After about a minute of gentle Synthwave
intro, the synth arpeggio in „Frieden“ creaks
away. The melody meanders through the Verse in
tight sixteenth notes at 72/144 bpm (depending
on how you count it), always very close to nails
on a blackboard. The arp is too much of a rush
to sing along, but the sound is unique enough to
make the track instantly recognizable. 1
Wavetable Mode
Turn the volume of Osc 2 to 54% so that
it sits slightly better under the sound as
a bass. Then, change Osc 1 in Wavetable Mode
from Standard to Bend and below to Strong
Neutral. Now turn the Bend parameter to 100
percent. As a result, Osc 1 creates a sound
between PWM Square and Saw - and thus closer
to the original. 1
Feedback and Unison
You can get more width with a little Unison,
a multiplication of the synth voices. You can
also activate the mode in the Voice area. Turn
Stereo Width to 10 percent and the large slider
next to it to 6-7 percent. There is a little more
presence and warm distortion with 7 percent
Feedback at the top of the Amp section. 1
WORKBEAT
Workshop: Track Spotlight
3
Arp or MIDI?
At first I thought it would make my work
easier with an arpeggiator on sixteenth
notes. I quickly heard the chords, but the pattern
of the melody was too bulky to be chopped up
with a simple arp. That‘s why we had to rebuild it
note by note, while developing an idea of how to
get closer to the sound. 1
6
Filter and LFO
The sound seems quite „moogly“, so we
continue with the corresponding Monark
filter in the middle of Massive X. Set Freq (the
Cutoff) to 14.5 kHz and turn up the Gain at
the bottom left of the Filter. In addition, LFO 6
(Random LFO at 0.82 Hz) generates a very slight
(0.06) vibrato on the Global Pitch at the top
left - even more analog vibe. 1
9
RC-20 analog flavor
With XLN RC-20, we breathe analog instabi-
lity into the Arp. Set Crunch in the Distort
module and turn the control there to 65 percent.
To do this, turn the Magnetic module all the way
up, including the Rate control, and the Wow/
Flutter control to the center. The large Dry/Wet
slider at the top right is set to 65 percent. r
Beat 05 | 2024 • 65
WORKBEAT Zampler plug-in, ­soundset,
Zampler Constructor: Electro-Pop
audio demo and MIDI files:
Download see Page 9

Zampler & MPC Expansion: DRUMZ

Hands-on: Electro Pop
Do you want analog drums that hit like Bud Spencer? Or 8-bit beats rumbling like Donkey Kong in a drum store?
Or traditional percussion that makes your tracks take off like Marty McFly on his hoverboard? Our latest sound set
offers all that and much more! We‘ll show you how to produce a groovy Electro Pop track with smacking DRUMZ!
by Vera Schumacher

Facts
DRUMZ for Zampler:
J 1.78 GB Soundbank
J 178 melodically playable drum and
percussion kits
J Kits from classics such as Elektron
Machinedrum, Roland TR-909, C64 SID
Drums, Vermona DRM1
J Analog synth drums, traditional percus-
sion, steel, hang & glass drums
J 209 bonus loops from Dave Smith
Tempest and Roland Aira TR8

DRUMZ for Akai MPCs:

178 CHROMATIC PERCUSSION AND DRUM KITS J 1.78 GB Soundbank

J Kits from classics such as Elektron
Machinedrum, Roland TR-909, C64 SID
Drums, Vermona DRM1
If you‘re looking for special sounds, special ways are the key. So have you ever tried playing your drums and
J Analog synth drums, traditional percus-
percussion sounds like instruments - instead of playing static rhythms? Then DRUMZ is your friend! With 93 sion, steel, hang & glass drums
drum and percussion sounds that can be played chromatically on the keyboard, this expansion feels like a J 209 bonus loops from Dave Smith
real instrument. On top of that, there are 85 classic kits and 209 Tempest and Aira loops. Drumroll, please! Tempest and Roland Aira TR8
www.zamplersounds.com m J Optimized for Akai MPCs
J Audio demos per keygroup

66 • Beat 05 | 2024
 WORKBEAT
Zampler Constructor: Electro-Pop

1 2
909 for the win!
DRUMZ includes two Zampler Soundbanks:
Edition 909 brings the iconic drum sounds
of Roland‘s TR-909 to your DAW and Alpha is a
multi-faceted collection of analog synth drums
and traditional percussion sounds. We start our
fast Electro Pop track with a groove foundation
from the drums of the TR-909. 1
3
Build a beat
Select suitable samples from the Zampler
DRUMZ - Edition 909 folder or use the
corresponding presets in the Soundset. In our
straight beat, the bass drum plays on the quarter
notes, accompanied by claps on every other
eighth note. The necessary drive is provided by
an eighth note rhythm of the closed hi-hat and
the open hi-hat on every second eighth note. 1
Epic percussion
Tip: You can set powerful accents with
the percussion samples from Alpha (such
as DR TE44 Toms, DR Dharanas Djembe and
DR Timpani). How about a powerful cinematic
sound? Route the toms and percussion sounds
onto a bus. We’ll give them a dotted eighth de-
lay and a lush reverb effect from LiquidSonic‘s
Lustrous Plates [1] 1

4 5
Distorted accents
The Xfer OTT [2] plug-in provides even
more punch. With distorted drums such as
DR DistKicker and DR DistSnare, you can give
your track more edges and corners. We add a
hi-hat sound from the Machinedrum and send
everything to AudioThing Outer Space 2 [3]. By
automating the Intensity and Delay Time, you
can create biting Dub Delays. 1
6
Bitcrusher beat
DRUMZ‘s bonus folders are a treasure trove
of inspiring and experimental beats. We send
the IDM Loop 120bpm 05 from the Dave Smith
instruments Tempest through the NI Freak [4]
bitcrusher for a grainy LoFi beat and let it pump
rhythmically with Kickstart [5]. That was a lot of
drums, but what about the bass? 1
Moog bass + arpeggio
With u-he DIVA [6], we now create a fat
Moog bass that contributes a relaxed,
groovy bassline. For more melody, we bring a
pulsating arpeggio from u-he Hive 2 into play.
Fancy experimenting? Then let‘s create synth
sounds from drums! Let‘s load a loop from
DRUMZ onto an audio track with NI Reaktor 6 FX
as an insert. 1

7 8
Synths from drums
We use the NI Reaktor ensemble The Mouth
[1] with the Big Brobot preset, whose
settings we adjust as shown. In MIDI Mode, The
Mouth follows the MIDI notes played. We then
create a new MIDI track and route it to the input
of Reaktor 6 FX. You can then draw monophonic
sustained notes on the MIDI track. 1
9
Hook idea generator
The NI Reaktor ensemble Flesh [1] can even
create complete performances from bass-
lines, riffs and pulsating synth sounds from drum
loops. This is loaded as an instrument in the DAW.
On the Samples page, you can fill 12 slots with lo-
ops and on the Harmony page, you can determine
how harmonies and melodies are generated from
the transients. 1
Harmony + melody
On the Sound side, we turn up the Melody
control of the Mono Synthesizer so that it
plays a monophonic melody. The Poly Synthesi-
zer fires synth stabs, while Terabeat contributes a
filtered version of the loop. The great thing is that
Flesh also follows the notes you play, enhancing
your track harmonically and melodically. r

[1] Currently a BEAT sub bonus: beat.de/sub; [2] xferrecords.com; [3] audiothing.net; [4] native-instruments.com; [5] kickstart-plugin.com; [6] u-he.com Beat 05 | 2024 • 67
WORKBEAT
Workshop

At a glance: The requirements

To start with, the good news: As soon as you‘ve

created a free account with Unchained over at
(https://unchainedmusic.roexaudio.com/regis-
tration/), you can upload stems free of charge
and have them mixed by the AI free of charge.
Only when it comes to downloading the results
as an audio file or distributing them digitally do
you need one of the paid subscriptions.

Producing with Artificial Intelligence

Mix audio tracks
fully automated with AI
In the world of mastering, AI-supported work is now part and parcel for many. Here, in particular, LandR,
iZotope Ozone and the like have made professional-sounding masters possible for many hobby producers. In
mixing, there was already an approach in place with Neutron from iZotope, but a lot still had to be done by hand.
RoEx Audio promises almost completely automatic Mixing.
by Laura Emiliano AI Mixing – Who needs that?
I could fill books with the complaints and worries of
has teamed up with the start-up, RoEx Audio. The many of my producer friends when it comes to mi-

W
e live in exciting times when it comes to
­music and AI. How does artificial intelligen-
ce help Musicians and Producers in their
day-to-day work? Which tools will fundamentally
change the way we work and produce? At RoEx Au-
dio, you upload the stems of your production and
get back a ready-mixed track!
Roex Audio, Unchained,
what‘s it all about?
Unchained is a digital distributor like Distrokid.
And for the auto-mixing technology, the company
idea: you upload the stems of your finished track
and the Unchained engine automatically mixes
the whole thing. After uploading, you can set the
­„Importance“ in the mix, the Panning Position and
the amount of Reverb for each instrument group.
There are also nine different genres to choose
from for the mixing style, depending on whether
you‘re into Pop, Rock or Hip Hop, for example. The-
re are no detailed settings for EQ, compression or
other effects, as offered by competitors like Cryo
Mix. However, Cryo Mix only allows you to upload
one instrumental and vocals.
xing. And I could build entire neighborhoods out
of the stones that fall from the hearts of the music
makers in my circle of friends when they no longer
have to mix themselves. There‘s a reason why there
are so many tutorials and so many plug-ins for al-
most every topic.
Even if I am firmly convinced that the dog is of-
ten buried in the song and arrangement and not in
the mix, Mixing is undoubtedly one of the most im-
portant production steps, especially in Electronic
Music. And to have the work done for you by a tool
like this... If it sounds good, nobody will ask!

68 • Beat 05 | 2024

1 2
Account with RoEx
Create a free account at https://unchained
music.roexaudio.com/registration/. After the
confirmation email, you can get started right
away. RoEx Audio has provided a few stems for
testing, which you can use to try out Automixing.
If you want to start immediately with your own
stems, you can simply delete them. 1
4 5
Default settings
You also give each stem an Importance. In
other words, in most cases the Importance
of vocals and drums would be high, for guitar
synths it would be medium and for effect sounds
it would be low. You can also set the amount of
Reverb and the Pan Position of each stem here.
As you can‘t preview the results, it takes a bit of
trial and error. 1
7 8
Remixing
However, you may not like the first result.
In this case, go back to the „Tracks“ page,
where your stems are still located, and adjust the
settings. Then, check the box again and click on
the rocket. The fact that there are no other effect
settings, markers for song parts or automation is
a bit of a shame here. 1
Create stems
You need the stems of a song, not the indivi-
dual tracks, because RoEx cannot mix more
than eight tracks simultaneously (at the time of
going to press). So, solo all the drum tracks in
your DAW project and bounce them. Then the
bass, then the voice, and so on. Make sure that
exactly the same timeline in your DAW project is
always selected for export. 1
Genre and checkmark
Then, set the genre of your song at the top.
There are nine options to choose from here,
but there are still many missing, especially in the
electronic arena. Doing this, the engine at least
„knows“ roughly which reference it should use
for mixing. Now you have to place a small tick in
front of each track (maximum of eight) that you
want to be mixed. 1
To tracks
You may also have noticed the „Copy all
selected tracks to the Tracks page“ button
on the Mix page. You can use this to copy the mix
result back to the Tracks page as a stem. This
means that you can theoretically also upload all
individual tracks individually and then create
submixes. Then you can let RoEx Audio mix these
submixes as well. 1
WORKBEAT
Workshop
3
Upload and sorting
Then, go down to the Upload button in the
main window of the RoEx Automixer. Here,
you can select all WAV files and then start the
upload by clicking Add Files to the Mix at the
bottom. Now it‘s time to sort. For each track, tell
the Automixer which instrument it is. You can
preview each stem again on the right. 1
6
First AI mix!
Click on the small rocket to start the tool.
How long it takes depends on the length
of your song. For my 22-second snippet, RoEx
needed about 3 minutes. And then you land on
the page with the finished mix. You can compare
this with the unmixed reference track below. The
first results are quite audible. 1
9
Nothing is free
AI mixing is free, but if you want to download
the mixed song, it costs a Download Credit.
With the smallest Starter Plan, you get two credits
per month for $11.99 US Dollars. The next largest
package, Standard, gives you five credits for $24.49.
And the Pro package gives you unlimited credits for
$52.99. r
Beat 05 | 2024 • 69
HARDBEAT
DesktopAudio

Test: KeyStep Pro Chroma

There is now hardly any studio that doesn‘t have at least one KeyStep in it, because Arturia‘s small keyboards with
built-in sequencer and CV/gate connection for Eurorack & the like are simply too practical. However, the Pro version
hasn‘t really caught on yet, so will the Chroma model and new firmware 2.5 do the trick? by Jan Wilking

Features
USB/MIDI ­controller
keyboard
37 slim keys, aftertouch
4-track step-sequencer, sequences via the keyboard without having
polyphonic to keep the Transpose button pressed as
24-part drum sequencer before. However, even with FW 2.5, there
are still a few minor bugs and feature re-
Arpeggiator
quests we have for the next update.
Chord mode
4 CV/Gate/Mod outputs Chroma with Track Colors
8 drum gate outputs The Limited Edition Chroma model,
No other controller keyboard offers such a wide range of connections, especially for connection to a which we had here for testing, basically
Dimensions: 589 x 38 x modular system.
has the same functionality as the previous
208 mm
KeyStep Pro and is delivered directly with

T
Weight: 2.7 kg
he KeyStep Pro is basically an exten- to read the set values and to make further the FW 2.5 version. However, Arturia has
ded BeatStep Pro with keyboard. The settings adjustments. For the analog and made visual improvements to the Chro-
keyboard will be familiar from the modular faction, the KeyStep Pro offers ma. The futuristic dark design in contrast
smaller KeySteps. The 37 slim keys offer USB and MIDI inputs/outputs, as well to the bright blue LEDs makes it easier to
good playing feel; velocity and aftertouch as individual CV outputs for Pitch, Gate read. There are also individual track co-
are implemented cleanly. LEDs above and Modulation/Velocity for each track. lors to visually differentiate between the
each key provide visual feedback. There The four „voices“ can even be switched four tracks. This makes operation much
Facts are two touch strips for modulation and together to polyphonically control your clearer and reduces operating errors, as
Manufacturer: Arturia pitch bending. There are 5 controls that Eurorack. There are also eight trigger all illuminated buttons follow the track
Web: arturia.com are used to set the Pitch, Velocity, Length, outputs that can be assigned to individual color. And the pots also feel easier to grip
Distribution: tomeso.de
Timing and Playback Probability of the tracks of the drum sequencer, as well as than on its predecessor.
Price: 489 Euro
individual steps. In Control Mode, the Clock IN/OUT including a Reset Output.
J New design knobs send selectable MIDI CC to control With the new firmware update to 2.5, Verdict
J 4-track sequencer the parameters of a plug-in in a DAW or a the KeyStep Pro reinforces its position as The KeyStep Pro Chroma offers a compact
J with Program Change
and separate colors hardware synthesizer. the center of a DAW-free setup: Each pat- 4-track sequencer with numerous extras
J 24-track drum seq. tern of each track can now send individu- and can manage complete live perfor-
J Lots of CV/gate Four tracks al ProgramChange commands and, there- mances on its own as a self-contained
connections Each track comprises up to 64 steps and fore, switch the sounds of the connected control center. The easy-to-connect key-
J Good keyboard w/ LEDs can be used as a monophonic or up to a sound generators. This allows for more board shows its strengths, above all, when
J Robust and compact 16-note polyphonic sequencer for melo- complex arrangements because the four combined with Eurorack modules and
Features: dies. You can record in real-time or in Step tracks are no longer limited to one sound other analog synthesizers. The new Pro-
Operation: Mode. Track 1 can also be used as a drum each and you still have both hands free to gramChange function also improves the
Price/Perf: sequencer with up to 24 tracks in selecta- jam and don‘t have to switch anything. integration of digital sound generators.
Total: ble lengths. Tracks 2-4 work alternatively Fixed Velocity ensures that an ad- The new Chroma model not only
as an Arpeggiator, whereby arpeggios and justable fixed value for the velocity is re- looks more stylish, but also makes it easier
chords can also be recorded and further corded during live recording via the key- to operate in difficult lighting conditions,
processed as a sequence. board or step input in order to have a for example, on stage. r
A two-digit display for each track constant basis for later changes with the
provides information about the current velocity control. Unfortunately, its coun-
step, while the OLED display can be used terpart, the recording of the varying velo-
city played, only works for live recording
Alternatives and not for step input.
Novation SL mk3 A practical feature for live jamming is
559 Euro Transpose-Latch, which, once activated,
novationmusic.com allows you to change the pitch of the More Info

70 • Beat 05 | 2024
 HARDBEAT
DesktopAudio

Aurex
Aurex CTRL
Although software synthesizers are getting
better and better in terms of sound and also
offer some advantages in the studio, such as
total recall and multiple use, they still have
a serious disadvantage compared to hard-
ware synthesizers: they lack comparable tac-
tile operation. Although standard controllers
usually offer 8 universal knobs and, with a bit
of luck, 8 faders, these are more intended for
operating a DAW and are arranged like a mi-
xing console. Specialty controllers for soft-
ware synthesizers, on the other hand, are rare
and, since the discontinuation of the Novati-
on X-Station, usually only available in small
editions at a high price.
A resourceful developer has, therefore, set about modifying an existing
hardware option. Novation Launch Control XL is actually also a DAW control-
ler, but with 24 knobs plus multi-colored LEDs, 8 long faders and numerous
other buttons, it is capable of so much more. For this „more“ there is the Au-
rex CTRL software, which switches between controller and DAW and ensures
that the knobs and buttons can also be used for more complex functions such
as switching waveforms or LFO rates, which even works bi-directionally in con-
junction with Ableton Live! Plug-ins from U-he, Arturia and Softube are current-
ly supported. To make the whole thing feel like
a real hardware synthesizer, you can also print
or order a suitable overlay yourself.
Verdict
It is surprising that no major manufacturer yet
offers a controller that specializes in software
synthesizers. Aurex fills the gap here and offers
an interesting option based on the Novation
Launch Control XL, with which selected syn-
thesizer plug-ins can be operated almost like
hardware, especially when using Ableton Live.
If you already own a Novation Launch Cont-
rol XL, you should definitely take a look at the
software bundle. As Launch Control XL is also
a powerful and robust DAW controller, it may even be worth buying a new one if
you‘re looking for a flexible solution to control the soft synths mentioned above.
Developer: Aurex
Web: aurexmusic.com
Distrib: Website
Price: 44 US Dollars (Aurex CTRL); 146 Euro (Novation Launch Control XL)
Rating:

STUDIO IN A BOX - Analogue Character Meets Digital Precision

Analogue summing, 500-series frame, USB converter, ADAT, insert points, MIDI, latency-free monitoring and much more – all in one interface?!
With the 500R8 from Cranborne Audio, this is no longer wishful thinking but a fantastic reality.

Build your dream analogue/digital hybrid studio with Cranborne Audio.

Cranborne Audio 500R8:

DISTRIBUTED BY
500-series frame with USB interface
Cranborne Audio Carnaby 500: www.megaaudio.de Rupert Neve Designs 551:
500-series HarmonicEQ® FOLLOW & LIKE US ON
500-series inductor EQ
Cranborne Audio Camden 500: Rupert Neve Designs 543:
500-series microphone preamp/signal processor Beat 05 | 2024
500-series • 71
compressor/limiter
HARDBEAT
Test

Test: KingKORG Neo

The KingKORG is back, this time in a compact 37-key model with new sounds, direct access to the high-quality
vocoder and a revised design. This new edition is a bit surprising, as the predecessor wasn‘t necessarily a bestseller.
by Jan Wilking

der. There is a joystick instead, which

Features
can also perform other tasks, but it is
Virtual analog synthesizer very small.
37 velocity-sensitive keys
24-part polyphonic Vocoder with gooseneck
But there are also positive things to report.
300 programs
The microphone socket (XLR) and level
2 timbres (layer/split) control have been moved to the top and a
16-band vocoder matching gooseneck microphone is inclu-
Arpeggiator with up to ded. This makes it easier to use the vocoder,
8 steps which, as usual with Korg, impresses with
its good sound and easy use as well as fea-
including vocoder
microphone
tures such as formant shift and hold. The
headphone output is also on the top.
Dimensions:
565x338x92mm
Connection standards
The other connections are on the back

T
he KingKORG NEO is a virtual analog
synthesizer with “eXpanded Mode-
ling Technology” (XMT), which is
already quite flexible at the oscillator
Facts level with various algorithms. The filter
Manufacturer: KORG also offers various characteristics that are
Web: korg.de modeled on analogue classics and even
Distribution: Korg & More
allow self-oscillation. There are also per-
Price: 1.099 Euro
formance features such as effects, step
J Compact design arpeggiator and vocoder including a goo-
J Vocoder seneck microphone.
J Direct operation
J Flexible oscillators
The original KingKORG
J Self-oscillating filter
J Microphone included
In 2013, more than 10 years ago, Korg
brought the first KingKORG onto the mar-
n Rickety keyboard
ket. And even back then it was a brave
n High price
decision, because virtual-analog synthe-
sizers were increasingly being replaced
Sound: by software alternatives or real-analog
Processing:
hardware. KingKORG wanted to impress
Price/perf:
with its features aimed at live use, but the
Total: synthesizer never became a real bestsel-
ler and the used prices also settled at a
moderate 500 Euro. That‘s why we were
surprised that Korg reissued this synthe-
Alternatives sizer model. After all, over the last decade
Roland GAIA2 the competition has not only become sig-
736 Euro nificantly stronger, but also cheaper. And
roland.com then in the new edition, unique selling
ASM Hydrasynth
from 579 Euro
ashunsoundmachines.com
Novation MiniNova
399 Euro
novationmusic.com
points such as the analog tube on the
master output or CV/gate connection
have been rationalized away.
Compressed surface
Fortunately, nothing has been saved on
the controls, even if it looks like it at first
glance. With the KingKORG, the cont-
rols and buttons were spread out over
the larger surface, while with the NEO
the whole thing is a little more compres-
sed. The asymmetrical distribution of the
three different sized displays seems a bit
unusual at first, but overall we think the
bright design of the KingKORG NEO is
quite successful.
Cheap keyboard without
wheels and AT
The keyboard is less successful. Here,
Korg uses the housing and keyboard of
other current synthesizers such as Mod-
wave, Opsix or Wavestate. The lightweight
plastic housing can be an advantage for
transportation, but the keyboard feels
very cheap and rickety. Since the King-
KORG NEO is primarily designed for live
use and the 37 keys are not suitable for
virtuoso piano ballads anyway, this may
be bearable for many users. Nevertheless,
at a price of over 1,000 Euro, you can sim-
ply expect more.
The keyboard uses velocity sensiti-
vity, but no aftertouch. Keyboardists will
also miss the modwheel and pitch ben-
and are not very spectacular. Audio out-
put (stereo), USB (for MIDI, no audio),
MIDI IN/OUT, pedal and footswitch so-
ckets as well as the input for the external
power supply. Since the KingKORG can
produce two sounds at the same time, a
second pair of outputs would have been
nice. In the intended live context, howe-
ver, this is less important, especially since
the KingKORG already offers various in-
ternal effects for adjusting the sounds.
Mostly identical
sound production
The sound generation was named Korg
XMT (eXpanded Modeling Technolo-
gy) and is essentially identical to the old
KingKORG. However, according to Korg,
both devices are not patch compatib-
le because the PCM section has been
fundamentally revised. The interface is
divided into different sections to match
the sound generation: Oscillators, Filters,
Amp and Effects.
3 flexible oscillators
The basis is formed by three oscillators,
which can be set and adjusted using
four common controls and a display. In

72 • Beat 05 | 2024

The OLED displays are small, but they are razor-sharp and
easy to read.
The microphone connection is located on the top and a
suitable microphone is included.
addition to virtual analog waveforms, each oscil-
lator also has the DWGS waveforms known from
the Korg DW-8000, MS-2000 and Radias (short di-
gital waves, primarily intended for the beginning of
the sound) as well as various PCM waves including
the legendary M1 Pianos available. This underlines
the all-rounder capabilities, because you can easily
use the KingKORG on stage for reasonably realistic
strings, brass instruments or pianos.
The microphone input can also be integrated
into the sound generation and effects.
Lots of filters
The filter section also has more to offer than classic
VA synthesizers. There are 18 filter types to choose
from. They are mainly modeled on analog classics
from the company such as the MS-20 or Polysix, but
also go in the direction of Prophet or Minimoog. In
addition to low-pass variants, various high-pass
and band-pass filters are also available. If there is a
high resonance, the filter can go into self-oscillation
like the analogue models, which expands the sonic
possibilities and is not a given with virtual-analog
synthesizers. Unfortunately, two filters cannot be
freely combined to completely replicate an MS-20,
for example.
Direct access to effects
Since an important part of the KingKORG concept
is direct access to all relevant sound parameters, the
three effect sections can also be accessed without
switching or menu diving. The preamp section of-
fers various amp simulations, distortion, bit crusher
and ring modulator and is more intended to move
the sound towards aggressive or LoFi. MOD FX offers
the classics like Chorus, Flanger, Phaser and Vibrato.
Instead of a mod wheel and pitch bender, there is a small
joystick that can take on various tasks.
Practical for the stage or jams: the preset categories can be
selected directly.
The final touch is reverb and delay in various flavors
from retro to modern. The final equalizer is practical
in a live context, allowing the low and high frequen-
cies to be quickly adjusted using two controls.
Modulation sources
Two LFOs and two envelopes are available as mo-
dulation sources. They are directly linked to Filter
(EG1/LFO2) and Amp (EG2) or Pitch (LFO2) and
share the controls. When it comes to the envelopes,
we would have liked to be able to change both en-
velopes at the same time using the four controls,
instead of always having to switch. Maybe this can
be done later via an update? Other modulation des-
tinations can also be easily selected by pressing the
EG Select or LFO Select buttons and then turning
the destination parameter knob.
Live features
In keeping with the live concept, the presets are di-
vided into different categories such as synth, lead,
bass, pads, vocoder, which, like a favorites folder,
can be selected directly using illuminated buttons.
You can also select two sounds as a layer or split di-
rectly using a button. The integrated arpeggiator,
which can also be adjusted to a certain extent in the
range of up to 8 steps, is also practical.
More info
HARDBEAT
Test
Very good vocoder
The 16-band vocoder is one of the highlights of
the KingKORG NEO. It‘s easy to use: plug in the
supplied microphone (or your own dynamic micro-
phone), select a vocoder program, sing or speak
into the microphone and play on the keyboard.
The KingKORG already produces Kraftwerk robot
voices, spacey choirs or talkbox vocals in convincing
quality and with high speech intelligibility. This fea-
ture has also made the Microkorg successful and is
also a lot of fun with the KingKORG NEO.
Instead of the microphone, you can also use
one of the synthesizer sounds as a modulator in duo
mode, which allows interesting sonic experiments -
especially when you combine rhythmic sequences
with sustained sounds.
Solid but outdated
sound production
In terms of sound, the KingKORG NEO is solid and
covers virtually the entire range of synthesizer and
keyboard sounds that you usually need on stage.
The basic sound is assertive and doesn‘t become
muddy, which makes the live mixer happy.
But you shouldn‘t forget that the sound produc-
tion has already been around for a decade and even
back then it wasn‘t necessarily outstanding. There
are now a lot of other compact synthesizers that
sound more modern, flexible or analog, are better
made and/or are significantly cheaper.
VERDICT
With its fast and direct access to lots of usable
standard musical sounds as well as a very good
vocoder, KingKORG NEO is particularly recom-
mended for live use and also for keyboardists
and other musicians who are not really synthesi-
zer freaks - for example as a compact addition to
the setup of a classical Indie band. These ingre-
dients have made the MicroKORG a bestseller for
years despite its only average sound production,
and the KingKORG NEO definitely has what it ta-
kes to become its successor - the new „synthesi-
zer for the masses“, so to speak, as the esteemed
Moogulator appropriately dubbed it in his forum.
What should be criticized, however, is the
price, which is significantly too high compa-
red to the competition, especially in view of the
recycled sound generation and the below-aver-
age keyboard. The synthesizer will have a hard
time, especially against the much cheaper
MicroKORG 2. The KingKORG NEO has more
voices, more controls and larger buttons. Ho-
wever, the MicroKORG 2, which has a voice pro-
cessor and battery operation and is more con-
sistently tailored to the described application
area, is likely to be the more interesting variant
for many users. r
Beat 05 | 2024 • 73
HARDBEAT
Test

Test: Yamaha SEQTRAK

After a long time there is once again a groovebox from Yamaha, the concept and design of which could also come
from Teenage Engineering. SEQTRAK aims to offer a mobile music production solution that lets you unleash your
creativity anywhere and capture your ideas in no time thanks to a fast workflow. We tested whether the small box
meets this requirement. by Jan Wilking

Features
Drums, synth, sampler,
sequenzer
MIDI and audio interface
AWM2 with 128x
polyphony
FM synthesis with 8x
polyphony
over 2000 sounds
Something for ever-
11 tracks yone: The SEQTRAK
comes in two color
Sequencer with 128 steps versions.
Microphone & speakers
WiFi and Bluetooth

T
Facts he SEQTRAK, marketed by Yamaha quite exciting and the speaker gives a
as an all-in-one system, offers ele- good impression of how the track would
Manufacturer: Yamaha
ven tracks. In addition to drums, sound on a smartphone.
Web: yamaha.de
Distribution: Retailer there are two tried-and-tested Yamaha
Price: 399 Euro sound generators (AWM and FM) as well Audio input, Bluetooth, WiFi
as a sample track, whereby samples can For better quality, samples can also be
J High-quality, flexible
sound be recorded directly via the integrated imported or recorded via the audio input,
J Cheap price microphone and listened to via the inter- and of course headphones or external
J Compact format nal speaker. And thanks to the associated speakers can also be used for listening.
J Integrated microphone app, you can use your smartphone as an For this purpose, SEQTRAK has three wouldn‘t regularly subject the small box
J Intuitive sampler editor and visualizer. connection sockets (stereo mini jack) to harsh everyday stage life (or at least
J FM synthesizer on the left side for MIDI IN/OUT via the always have a spare device with us),
J app with many functions Compact and mobile included adapter, audio input and head- that‘s the disadvantage of the low price.
n No additional audio
output SEQTRAK is available in subtle dark phone output. A USB-C port is available We think the workmanship and feel are
n Mediocre hardware gray-black or striking white-orange and for connection to the computer or mobile completely sufficient for jamming and
is very compact. With dimensions of device, which can be used to transmit producing on the go, even if the buttons
Operation: both MIDI and audio. SEQTRAK can also take some getting used to and are quite
approximately 34 x 4 x 10 centimeters and
Sound:
a weight of less than one kilogram, the communicate wirelessly with the outside wobbly. In the studio or on stage, you can
Price/perf.:
small groovebox is primarily intended as world via Bluetooth and WLAN. also connect a real keyboard via USB or
Total: MIDI, which is particularly worthwhile for
a mobile companion and for spontaneous
jamming on the couch or in the garden. Mediocre hardware the very good-sounding FM synthesizer!!
The built-in lithium-ion battery is helpful SEQTRAK feels neither super cheap nor
Alternatives here, as in the test it enabled 3 hours of very valuable, the quality of the hardware High quality sound
Teenage Engineering production without a socket, even with is somewhere in the middle. We probably generation
OP-Z, EP-133 intensive use. Despite the compact dimensions, no
349 Euro compromises have to be made in terms
teenage.engineering Built-in microphone of sound, because Yamaha has used the
Roland MC-101 and speaker tried and tested sound generation from
479 Euro A built-in microphone and a small spe- large synthesizers and workstations. Se-
roland.com aker are also an advantage and save ven of the eleven available tracks are
1010music razzmatazz additional equipment. You shouldn‘t monophonic and reserved for drums; the-
444 Euro expect sonic miracles from the two, but we re is a fine selection of different samples to
1010music.com found the LoFi charm of the microphone choose from.

74 • Beat 05 | 2024

Two of the three instrument tracks rely on the Ad-
vanced Wave Memory 2 Synthesis (AWM2) of the
major Yamaha flagships and together they offer
lush 128x polyphony and a wide range of sounds,
ranging from realistic replicas of real instruments
such as piano and strings to various synthesizer
sounds. They can be post-processed quite exten-
sively using filters etc.
DX synthesizer
In our opinion, the highlight is the DX synthesizer. It
also has its own track and is 8-part polyphonic. Its FM
sound generation is based on four operators, two fe-
wer than the legendary DX7 and four fewer than the
FM-X synthesis built into the Montage and MODX.
Anyone who knows the Reface DX knows that this li-
mited FM synthesis also offers a sound quality that
no other synthesizer has to hide from. High-resoluti-
on and transparent, plus rich, powerful bass. The DX
track can handle crystal-clear bell-like sounds and
electric pianos, hard-hitting FM basses, cutting leads,
as well as soft synthetic strings and brass sounds or
weird metallic effects and percussion.
Intuitive sampler
We also liked the sampler track with its intuitive
operation. At the push of a button, it records ever-
ything you feed the internal microphone (or the
audio input) with and places the created sample
on one of the track‘s buttons so it can be triggered
directly. So you can experiment with your voice,
record ambient noises for the special background
atmosphere or hit the table with the palm of your
hand to create a customized kick or snare.
Operation without display
It is operated via a well-structured interface. The
drum section takes up the left area. It is operated
via 8 encoders (for each of the 7 instruments and
all drums together). They are clickable to switch
between the different patterns available per track
(up to 6, 3 of which are directly selectable).
The app also offers a visualizer that can combine real images with 3D graphics to match the music.
HARDBEAT
Test
The sounds can be edited
using four encoders.
Sequencer with many functions
The memory holds 8 projects. A SEQTRAK pro-
ject includes all tracks with patterns that can be up
to 128 sequencer steps or 8 bars long in 4/4 time.
A compilation of the active patterns can be saved
as a scene. For improvised sequences, each scene
can be selected directly (with precise pattern ch-
anges), or up to 16 scenes can be saved as a song
sequence. The parameters lock, motion record for
sound and effect parameters, probability, swing
and microtiming loosen things up and make pat-
terns appear less static. Unfortunately, projects or
individual tracks cannot currently be exported as
MIDI or audio files.
Drum pattern
There are 16 buttons under the controls, arranged
in two rows of 8 one below the other. This allows
you to program the drum patterns in TR-X0X style.
Each key has a backlight visible through the middle
slot, which serves as a running light and shows set
trigger steps. We found the small bump on the beat
times useful for orientation in order to find the cor-
responding buttons for 4-on-the-floor, even in the
dark. Up to 128 steps are available for a pattern.
Up to 128 steps
The other four tracks (2xAWM-Synth, DX and
Sample) to the right also have to make do with a
multifunctional encoder each. Here, 6 buttons are
used for recording and as mini keyboard/trigger
pads, with selectable keys making it easier to play
Beat 05 | 2024 • 75
HARDBEAT
Test

Yamaha has used its tried and The sequencer offers a

whopping 128 steps, which is

tested workstations and fun with the beats.

synthesizers. «

The analog audio signal can only

appropriate notes. Recording takes place step-by- be heard via the headphone
step or in real time; each part can be up to 8 bars or output, unfortunately there is no
additional audio output.
128 steps long.

Sound editing
The sounds are edited using four controls arranged
one below the other, for which different function
groups can be selected. The editable parameters
are displayed in a list to the left; the currently selec-
ted parameters are illuminated. Editor and visualizer

Built-in effects, touch strips

There are also built-in effects, in the usual high
Yamaha quality! They are divided into track and
master effects and, like the sounds, are edited using
their own controller and the 4 universal controllers.
Finally, there are three touch strips that are pri-
marily intended for direct intervention during
performance. This allows you to control the volume
of the effect with your finger slide, cut off the bass
for the drop with the high pass filter and repeat indi-
vidual parts of the pattern with the repeater effect.
Alternatively, other parameters can also be control-
led during live performance.
Free app
Capturing ideas spontaneously works surprisingly
well, especially once you‘ve memorized the posi-
tion and function of the numerous additional
buttons on the sides after a bit of training. Howe-
ver, deeper editing, especially of FM sounds, is only
partially enjoyable directly on the device. That‘s why
Yamaha offers a free app for all common operating
systems (Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android).
And this app not only replaces the display missing
from the hardware, but also offers additional func-
tions. First of all, the more in-depth programming
and management of your own sounds, samples
and effects is of course much easier with the clearly
structured app with numerous graphical represen-
tations than on the device itself.
The app can also visualize your tracks. There are
various templates for this in which 3D graphics and
visual effects react to your music. This is exciting for
live performance, but thanks to the export functi-
on you can also directly create a video for your song
and upload it to common platforms such as TikTok
or YouTube.
More info
VERDICT
The compact groovebox impresses in terms of
sound across the board. The sound from head-
phones or speakers is powerful, transparent and
expensive. In our opinion, the DX synthesizer
alone would be worth the price. We also liked
the intuitive sample track. After a bit of training,
we found it easy to operate, especially when we
also used the smartphone app.
We found it a bit of a shame that the results
couldn‘t be easily exported for further proces-
sing in the DAW. And with the quality of the
hardware, especially the buttons, you can feel
the cheaper price compared to the significantly
more expensive devices from Elektron, Roland
or Teenage Engineering.
Overall, we can recommend SEQTRAK wi-
thout hesitation if you want to produce and jam
on the go or if you still need a good-sounding,
affordable and compact sound generator for the
stage or studio. r

76 • Beat 05 | 2024

Test: Squarp Hermod+
Hermod+ from the French manufacturer Squarp is an interesting module that can take on the function of a control
center in your modular system. It is not for nothing that it‘s high up on the list of popular sequencers in many
­specialty stores! by Heiner Kruse
H Features
ermod+ is a versatile sequencer with
a modular design. Hermod+ benefits
from the manufacturer‘s experience
with sequencers, from its predecessor
Hermod and the hardware sequencers
Pyramid and Hapax. An improved screen,
more pads and the eight new track buttons
make working with the 26 HP wide module
much easier. It is a kind of little brother to
the external Hapax sequencer and is much
cheaper in comparison. It even has more
CV/gate outs (eight instead of four CV/gate
out pairs), but also has to make do without
the internal controller functions or other
features such as Undo/Redo.
Compared to its predecessor, Her-
mod+ now also offers dedicated Reset
and Clock Gate outputs. The module can
also be used as a MIDI to CV/CV to MIDI
interface and can be connected to a DAW
via the USB device port. With a keyboard
connected via a USB host port and sup-
plied with power, you can easily record
melodies, beats or chords. Hermod+ can
be the perfect interface between DAW and
modular system.
Hermod+ can handle both CV/Gate
and MIDI data well and distinguishes bet-
ween (polyphonic) note and modulation
tracks particularly well. You can record
notes and modulation, program them or
have them created with the help of gene-
rator functions and use them to control
your sound generators.
Practice
If you want to record something live, you
might miss having a metronome. Here,
you have to rethink, program a simp-
le sequence in another track and control
a simple sound generator if a rhythmic
specification is required. Ultimately, Her-
mod+ is also designed for integration into
a modular system. Many users will prefer
to work with step programming anyway,
as this is now easier to do in chaser style
in the new Hermod+ with its 16 pads than
with its predecessor. Even chords can now
be programmed with the new Row Edit
mode. The generator functions for the au-
tomated, random generation of note and
modulation sequences offer detailed set-
tings (for example: quantize, density, note
range, note length, velocity). You can also
edit notes or modulation curves in the
editor, regardless of how they were pre-
viously recorded. A total of 16 tracks are
available. Eight of them use the CV/Gate
outs (but can also be used for MIDI out-
put); the other eight are designed as MIDI
tracks. CV/Gate outs can also be used in
mixed layouts of different tracks, for ex-
ample, as pure CV or gate sequences,
polyphonic sequences or sequences with
several CV outs (such as converted velo-
city and aftertouch commands).
Effects and projects
Effects such as Arpeggiator, Euclid (for
creating Euclidean patterns), Chance,
Scale, Swing, Delay, LFO and more can
be used to modify MIDI notes, as well as
HARDBEAT
Modular test
The display on Squarp Hermod+
has been significantly improved
compared to its predecessor 16-track MIDI and CV/Gate
and is also used in a similar ­sequencer
form on Squarp‘s external
Hapax sequencer. 16 pads for programming,
8 track buttons
16 tracks form a sequence,
16 sequences form a
project
the modulation curves of
a sequence, or even gene- Up to 8 effects per track
rate them themselves. You 8 CV/Gate Outs, 4 CV/Gate
can also use Hermod for Ins, Reset & Clock Outs
the scale quantization of 3.5 mm MIDI I/Os (TRS-A)
incoming or self-genera-
USB host and USB device
ted random patterns. You
ports
can also use the Harmoni-
zer effect to create chords
from individual notes.
And you can also link effect parameters
with CV Ins and MIDI CCs in a modu-
lation matrix. Projects can be saved on Facts
a microSD card and even loaded during Manufacturer: Squarp
operation. A project can have 16 sequen- Web: www.squarp.net
ces, this means one pattern per track, Distribution: Retailer
Sequence 1 then plays Pattern 1 of all Price: 545 Euro
tracks, Sequence 2 all of Pattern 2, etc. J 16 tracks with 256 steps
This structure is perhaps a little less flexi- J 16 patterns, groupable
ble than elsewhere, but offers simplicity in seqs and as a song
and clarity for live performances. Sequen- J MIDI and CV sequencer
J Polyphony possible via
ces can also be combined as a song using MIDI and CV
the Chaining function. J External controller can
be connected
Verdict J Live song swap possible
Thibault and Benoit from the French de- J Modulation matrix
veloper, Squarp, do their work with a lot of Flexibility:
heart, respond to requests, always strive Operation:
for improvements and are also a little un- Price/Perf:
derstated. Squarp Hermod+ is definitely a Rating:
little insider tip as a powerful centerpiece
in a modular system and interface to com-
puters, which can handle both CV/Gate
and MIDI very well. r
Alternatives
Winter Eloquencer
650 Euro
winter-modular.com
Erica Black Sequencer
534 Euro
Demo video ericasynths.lv
Beat 05 | 2024 • 77
HARDBEAT
Modular test

Test: Black Reverb & Delay 2

Latvia apparently never sleeps, because Erica Synths, which is based there, was extremely busy last year. Whether
it was firmware updates for existing hardware, the release of modules, the expansion of their EDU DIY series or the
„Music for Peace“ fundraising project for Ukraine - the team delivered. Just mass, or also class? Today we take a look
at two fruits of their enormous output with these new Black Series modules! by Daniel Bock

Features Left: Black Stereo Reverb

Right: Black Stereo Delay 2
ton is pressed. We also have the option
of saving ten presets and recalling them
Black Reverb at the touch of a button, knob or CV In.
3 Reverb Emulations: However, a brief interruption in the sig-
Tape, Bucket Brigade nal is noticeable when changing presets.
Delay, „Dirty BBD“
This means that switching through presets
Room, hall, cathedral in quick succession via patch CV In du-
Tone control for filtering ring operation does not work. Wow, frus-
the reverb signal trating! It remains to be seen whether this
Ten storable presets can be fixed with a future firmware up-
date or whether there is no other way due
Black Delay 2 to the design. Like its colleague above,
3 Delay types: Tape, be called up via their this module is particularly good at dirty,
bucket brigade delay, own CV-In. Attention! warm sounds. With a little patching skill,
digital delay The memory locations you can create wonderfully glitchy, crun-
Three feedback modes:
are widely distributed chy LoFi sounds. The textures created by
Stereo, cross feedback, in the range between self-oscillation could also be integrated
ping Ppong -5V and +5V. Therefo- well into a musical context, for example,
re, some external fi- as a dark, grainy bass.
Tone control for filtering
the delay signal ne-tuning is required

T
he effect algorithms in both new mo-
Ten storable presets
dels were developed by the Dutch
Customizable distribution company 112db. Both also share the
in the stereo field same hardware layout. The fact that this
is designed for performance is immedi-
ately apparent from the layout of the pa-
Facts
nel. Five large, easy-to-grip controls and
Manufacturer: Erica two toggle switches are located in the
Synths
upper part of the module, the comple-
Web: www.ericasynths.lv,
te CV connections are in the lower part.
www.112db.com
Distrib: Website This means that there are no problems
Price: 328 Euro each with access when patched. The Algorith-
ms (Tape, BBD, Dirty BBD) and the room
J Intuitive operation
modes (room, hall, cathedral) are selected
J Warm, grainy sound
J Freeze with V/Oct using the three-way switches. The con-
standard (reverb) trols give you access to room size, tone,
J Change presets via CV feedback and dry/wet mix. Size, with its
n No CV In for Dry/Wet own attenuator, tone and feedback can
n Latency when changing all be controlled using the CV connec-
presets (delay)
tions. Unfortunately, you have no influ-
Sound: ence on dry/wet with control voltage sig-
Features: nals. A nice feature is the ability to freeze
Price/Perf: the sound at the touch of a button or trig-
Rating: ger and play it via size CV-In in the V/Oct
standard, which quickly leads to spooky
pads, for example. Up to ten presets can
Alternatives be saved using the two buttons. The LEDs
Tiptop Audio – Zverb &
at the top of the module each represent a
Echoz memory location, as well as displaying the
238 Euro signal level. A particularly special feature
afterlateraudio.com of this module is that these presets can
to precisely control the changeover. It‘s
still a great feature, though! The switch
runs smoothly during operation. Triggers
can be used, for example, to assign diffe-
rent reverb settings to each note. The lack
of CV control over dry/wet, as criticized
above, can, therefore, be compensated for
and presets with different dry/wet cont-
ents can be loaded.
Black Stereo Delay 2 –
echo with grit
This module’s structure also includes five
controls, two switches, two buttons, five
CV-ins plus stereo input and stereo out-
put. The delay time ranges between 3 ms
and 3 seconds. It is controlled using the
large Time pot. As with the Reverb modu-
le, the associated CV In has been given its
own attenuator, which, in the case of our
test candidate is named Size CV - which
is somewhat confusing. In synchronized
operation, settings are selected by time
divisions or multiplications of the inco-
ming clock. The two switches select the
Algorithms (Tape, BBD, Digital) and the
Modes (Stereo, crossfeed, ping pong). The
remaining controls provide access to Fee-
dback, dry/wet and tone. The latter has a
double assignment and adjusts the stereo
spread of the delay when the Shift but-
Verdict
These modules are certainly not the most
flexible on the market in terms of sound,
but they are clearly structured and have
all functions easily accessible, which ma-
kes intuitive work and performances ea-
sier. The CV connections, the warm basic
sound and small feature highlights, such
as the freeze function with V/Oct standard
and CV In for changing presets, provide
sufficient incentive to explore creative ap-
plication possibilities. The biggest minus
for me is the high latency when switching
presets on the Delay. If you‘re looking for
easy-to-use effects with little delicacies
and want to concentrate on making music
without reading the manual, you should
take a look at these two new Erica Syn-
ths. Those who prefer clinically pure, cle-
an Digital Delay and Reverb sounds or the
combination of several effects in one mo-
dule are better off looking elsewhere. r
Demo video

78 • Beat 05 | 2024
 ONSTAGE
Power Producer

Power Producer: Ableton Push

Stutter-FX available w/o Live
Whether used for stutter effects or sound progressions, LFO modulations Project info
are standard nowadays. Ableton Live‘s LFO audio effect offers a wide range Material: Ableton Live 11 Suite, Ableton Push 3
of possibilities, especially because the parameters to be modulated can be Time required: 30 minutes
Content: Load and install extended LFO for Push
freely assigned. However, this can only be done in Live directly and not in Device by Elisabeth Homeland, perform direct para-
Push. But there‘s a solution for that too! Find out how LFO mapping works in meter mapping in Push, fine-tune modulation ranges,
delete mappings.
Push standalone mode in this workshop! by Maya C. Sternel
Difficulty: Advanced

1 2 3
Load LFO for Push Install in Live Prepare Standalone
Download the free Device LFO for Push by Eli- Save the two LFO for Push devices in the Select Push under Places in the Ableton Live
sabeth Homeland [1], an extended version of Max Audio Effects folder of your Ableton browser. Move the two LFO for Push devices
the Ableton LFO. You will find two versions in the Live User Library. Next, the two LFO for Push from the download folder to a location in Push‘s
download folder: The Device LFO for Push Single devices must also be saved in Push‘s User User Library where you can find them again. Ide-
modulates a single, freely assignable parameter, Library. Connect Push to your computer and ally, create a new folder by right-clicking on the
while the other version, LFO For Push 8, can select Control Live Mode in the Push User Library folder and give it a suitable name.
modulate up to eight parameters. 1 settings menu. 1 Then, set Push to Standalone Mode. 1

4 5 6
Put in track Parameter mapping Adjust the LFO
Load a set into Push or create a new track Next, select Destination 1 below the display. The range of the modulation can be deter-
with a MIDI instrument. Load the LFO for Turn the encoder counterclockwise via Map. mined using Min and Max. You can set other
Push 8 device into the track by selecting it via Now navigate to the parameter that you want to LFO parameters such as Shape, Rate and Depth
Add (+)-> Device-> User Library -> Your previ- modulate and briefly move the corresponding under the Main and Main2 menu items. Map more
ously created folder. To map parameters to the encoder. Go back to the LFO for Push device. parameters by selecting the destination and then
LFO, select the LFO for Push 8 device in the row There, you will see that the mapped parameter is continuing as described above. To delete a map-
above the display. 1 now listed instead of Destination 1. 1 ping, simply move the encoder over Unmap. r

[1] https://elisabethhomeland.gumroad.com/l/acbzm?layout=profile Beat 05 | 2024 • 79

ONSTAGE
Music treasures
Monthly music treasures
Elayn: Enhiar
„Enhiar” is the second release by Berlin artist Elayn, following the EP
„Shatat”. It is a sophisticated Techno album with complex intertwined
beats, warm basses, and various experimental soundscapes that are
often difficult to attribute to a sound generator. The nine tracks do not
include vocals and thrive on their hypnotically dark effect. There are also some Ambient
influences to be noticed. „Enhiar” resembles a journey through industrial soundscapes
that are less suitable for the club than they are destined for headphone listening, in
order to be able to delve deeply into the multifaceted arrangements. An unusual, creative
album that is aimed at all those who have long since distanced themselves from the
usual genre standards.
Genre: Experimental Techno | Label: Manjam
Emmanuel De La Paix: The Physics Of Clouds
The album title isn‘t coincidental here, as Emmanuel De La Paix seems
to have a penchant for Cloud Reverbs. His sound is vast, expansive, and
often weightless, spanning between Ambient, Electronica, and Indie
Rock. Alongside the Swiss artist, the sound engineer Birgir Jón Birgisson
was involved, who, through his work with Sigur Ròs, naturally knows how to craft such
impressive sonic landscapes. Emmanuel played all the instruments alone, evidently
researching and experimenting extensively in the process. The outcome is a concept
album inspired by his visual exploration, namely images. He creates space-time portals
both visually and musically, attempting to capture the invisible and unspeakable in a
way. With its strong dynamics between loud and soft, delicate and imposing, he has
achieved this impressively on „The Physics Of Clouds”. An album that certainly appeals
to fans of Sigur Ròs, but was not exclusively made for them!
Genre: Ambient, Electronica, Rock | Label: Straight To Your Brain
Logic1000: Mother
Logic1000 is the alias of Australian producer Samantha Poulter, who has
now settled in Berlin after a stopover in London. On her debut album
„Mother,” she blends elements of Deep House, Dance, Funk, and Tribal
House, incorporating vocal samples as well as organic singing featuring
Rochelle Jordan, Kayla Blockmon, DJ Plead, and MJ Nebrada. After being diagnosed
with depression and schizophrenia, the artist initially distanced herself from DJing and
focused on completing this album. In the meantime, her daughter was born in Berlin,
which likely explains the title. Thus, the multifaceted album is the result of a long journey
and serves as a sort of personal diary. Samantha has since returned to DJing, and since
this generally darker album also has dancefloor qualities, numerous tracks from it are
sure to be heard.
Genre: Electro | Label: Therapy/Because Music
Rinzen: Bend To The Light
Rinzen could be described as a colleague, as he himself worked in
the writing profession for many years. His debut album „Bend To The
Light“ proves that he is also a talented producer. The Los Angeles-based
half-Japanese artist creates electronic music with a high feel-good
factor. Warm basslines, lush pads, beautiful synth melodies, smooth beats, and velvety
vocals characterize his sound, which falls somewhere between Electro, Deep House,
and Synth-Pop. During the lockdown, he consciously chose to write more artistically
valuable music instead of producing tracks that must necessarily be club-friendly. And
it pays off, as the 10-track album is truly successful. Thematically, he is influenced by
Cyberpunk aesthetics and places the narrative in a high-tech world of the near future,
where interplanetary travel is possible, yet behind all the glamour, dark shadows lurk. He
combines dystopian with spiritual concepts, thereby adding extra points.
Genre: Electro | Label: This Never Happened
80 • Beat 05 | 2024
River Into Lake: Rise & Shine
by Sascha Blach
Behind River Into Lake is the Belgian musician Boris Gronem-
berger, who offers an intriguing variant of Art-Pop here. His music
clearly evokes memories of Talk Talk, Fleet Foxes, or Grizzly Bear
and moves between Indie Rock, Synth-Pop, and Avantgarde. It
combines jazzy harmonies and irregular rhythms with pleasing pop melodies,
spacey and ethereal synthesizers with organic guitars and drums. Above all these
ingredients, Gronemberger‘s voice reigns, melancholic, reserved, and delicate. The
full-length album was crafted over three years in the artist‘s caravan in the Belgian
Ardennes and in a retro-futuristic house outside Brussels. It stands as an artistic
statement, likely to be appreciated by discerning ears due to its idiosyncratic nature.
Genre: Art-Pop | Label: Grin Factory/Humpty Dumpty Records
Scooter: Open Your Mind And Your Trousers
„For Those About To Rave“ - the title says it all: After a comprehensive
change in lineup, which left only singer H.P. Baxxter behind, Scooter is
back in action. But even though the lineup is new (Jay Frog and Marc
Blou now (again) provide the musical foundation), the present full-
length album sounds 1000 percent like Scooter and includes typical Techno and Rave
beats, H.P.‘s engaging spoken words vocals along with childlike female voices, humorous
lyrics, and memorable hooklines that immediately hammer into your brain. Musically,
prominent hardcore synth leads, trance pads, arpeggio synths, and hard four-to-the-
floor bass drums dominate the scene here as well. So, is it a classic back-to-the-roots
album? Yes, just with the small difference that Scooter never really left their roots. Thus
let‘s close with another programmatic title from the album: „Techno Is Back“.
Genre: Rave | Label: Sheffield Tunes/Zeitgeist/Virgin
Sonikku: Whirlwind Of Malevolence
The British DJ and producer Sonikku takes us on a wild genre ride with
„Whirlwind Of Malevolence,“ offering a mix of Electronica, Hip-Hop,
Europop, Acid Techno, and Trance. Sonikku seems particularly fond
of the 90s, as clear influences from that era often emerge in his music.
The songs exude hedonism and are danceable. There are few quiet moments; instead,
the album maintains a feeling of restlessness, which is undeniably infectious, keeping
listeners engaged throughout. The record features various guests lending their voices
to Sonikku, including PartiBoi69, DJ Dave, Bayli, Raky Ripper, Miss Madeline, and Deto
Black. These ingredients result in a multifaceted feel-good album, whose high nostalgia
factor also evokes a sense of familiarity.
Genre: Dance-Pop, Euro-Trance | Label: Bella Union
Tua: Eden
Tua strives for paradise, yet he is aware that this pursuit may be a fallacy.
Therefore, his new album addresses transformations triggered by
personal crises. Tua exposes his innermost thoughts, crafting personal
lyrics, and presents himself as grounded as never before. Nevertheless,
his lyrics always carry a sense of everyday poetry. Musically, the album also deserves
recognition, as the mix of Hip-Hop, Pop, Electro, and Reggae is executed interestingly
and creatively. The focus always remains on the song itself, with the numerous fine
production techniques serving the overall picture rather than being an end in them-
selves. In summary, it can be said that the album skillfully navigates the narrow line
between appealing lyrics and appealing music.
Genre: Hip-Hop, Pop | Label: Eklat Tonträger/Warner Music Group
 Music retailer and service guide 90000
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