Digidesign's Pro Tools is undoubtedly a powerful system, and a hardware control surface such as the Gallery Production Palette can really help to unlock that power. Mike Collins just loves being in control...
Guillemot's MAXI Studio ISIS PCI soundcard system for the PC seems to offer a lot of bang for the buck. John Walden dives in to find out what all the flap is about.
Korg's Trinity workstation has, like their earlier instruments, become virtually an industry standard — but far from resting on their laurels, the company have upped the ante still further with the new Triton. Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser provide an exclusive hands-on review.
If you were offered a Roland JV2080, complete with Session expansion card and software editor, for around half the price of a JV1080, you'd probably wonder what the catch was. OK, so the JV1010 isn't quite that, but it comes surprisingly close...
Artificial reverb algorithms are designed to add 'fake' room ambience to recorded sounds — but a prototype reverb unit from Sony purports to deliver new levels of realism by imposing the characteristics of actual reverberant spaces on the sound. Hugh Robjohns explains....
Tascam's CD-RW5000 is one of the more cost-effective CD recorders around that can make use of the cheaper 'pro' blank discs — and the company have also released a useful box that can duplicate both audio CDs and CD-ROMs. Paul White checks them over.
The plug-in compatibility of most audio software means that you can add new effects and processing capabilities — but not all programs support the same types of plug-in, and some require additional hardware. In the first part of a comprehensive roundup, Paul White and Martin Walker look at the different plug-in formats available.
You don't necessarily need a multitrack recorder or audio sequencer to make a master-quality recording. Paul White explains how good results can be produced using stereo recording techniques married with MIDI sequencing.
The craft of mixing is all about controlling and balancing the relative levels of different instruments. Most of this balancing is done by riding the faders, but dynamic compression can also be a very useful and powerful tool if used appropriately. Hugh Robjohns explains some of the techniques and traps involved in mix compression.
As much as we'd like to buy all the latest PC software, no-one's coffers are bottomless. Martin Walker looks at some of the many free or low-cost alternatives for the PC musician.
The theremin is one of the oldest electric instruments around, and its distinctive sound is instantly recognisable. However, real ones are hard to find, and even harder to play. Sam Inglis tries to work out a way of cheating.
Having looked at the history and development of built-in effects on synths over the last decade and a half, Paul Wiffen now explores the practicalities of using them, and how to get the best from the keyboards and modules which contain them.
Derek Johnson & Debbie Poyser find out how you can use the Internet for promoting, distributing and selling your music, and for getting it heard by the right people.
In Part 1 we explained how the tones of most real instruments can be reduced to patterns of harmonics, which can be generated using sine, saw, square or pulse waveforms. This month, we consider the sonic raw materials needed to imitate unpitched percussion.
The recording studio inside the virtual world of the computer is real enough, but sometimes you have to treat it with care to get the best from it. Paul White offers a few tips on the subject.
Are you the typical SOS reader? What do you feel about the magazine? What gear will you be buying in 1999? Ian Gilby presents the results of our most recent Reader Survey.
Legendary US record producer Bob Clearmountain undoubtedly has his name on more hit records than anyone else in the history of popular music. Dave Lockwood asks the man who invented the role of 'specialist hit mixer' to reveal the secrets of his success.
A successful DJ-turned-remixer/producer, Justin Robertson has also found fortune with collaborator Roger Lyons as Lionrock. Now the Sherlock Holmes-obsessed duo have relocated to their own studio, Moriarty's Cavern, and have a new side project, Gentleman Thief. Tom Flint gets an elementary education...
The single by Johnny Marr and Bernard Sumner's 'Supergroup' Electronic is closer to traditional rock and roll than electronica, with its driving guitars and bluesy harmonica riff. But there's more to the simple-sounding production than meets the ears, as Matt Bell finds out from programmer Merv De Peyer and engineer Jim Spencer.
SOS reader TJ Stone asks whether the mountains of sophisticated equipment available to successful musicians and producers really help to make better recordings.
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