With its host of programmable backing patterns and an audio track for live recording, Boss's JamStation is designed to enliven the tedium of solo practice, or provide an instant sketchpad for ideas. Nicholas Rowland strikes out on his own...
Ego Sys' WaMi Box is one of very few comprehensive recording interfaces for laptop PCs, providing analogue, digital and MIDI I/O along with a synth/sampler, DSP effects and mixing and no fewer than six separate software control utilities. Martin Walker gets to grips with it. Eventually...
Reflecting the growth in the number of VST Instrument plug-ins, as opposed to those designed purely for processing of effects treatments, established plug-in developers FXpansion have now produced DR005, a 'soft drum machine'. Paul Ward snares a copy...
It may not be well known, but it is sought-after. Simon Lowther relates the history and mystery of an early 48-note polyphonic analogue synth and its well-connected family.
Although there is a lot of interest in the idea of portable, silent PC-based recording, only one company has taken up the challenge of supplying and supporting laptop systems that are guaranteed to work well for music recording. Martin Walker tries one out.
With Sony's flagship sampling reverb processor you can now sample the acoustic signature of any space you want. Hugh Robjohns nips down the village hall to check it out.
Hardly a week seems to go by without the announcement of another VST instrument, and virtual analogue software synths have been particularly common of late. But when a company like TC Works get involved, it's worth taking notice. Paul Ward plugs in...
Stardate 02/2001: the most compact and affordable of Waldorf's bright yellow workstation synths is beaming into the SOS Editorial dome. Is it the work of a superior intelligence, or does it have all the appeal of a Vulcan nerve-pinch? Mind-meld with Paul Nagle and find out...
Do you write your song ideas on the back of a fag packet? Well, now that Zoom have made a studio the same size as a pack of 20, you can give up smoking! John Walden gets addicted to the PS02 Palm Studio.
An ADSL telephone line can improve the speed and convenience of Internet access enormously; and it needn't cost the earth. Dave Shapton passes on his experiences of the new technology.
Onboard effects may seem like a relatively recent synth innovation, but even old modular synths offered analogue effects. Although they were basic, the freely patchable nature of modular synths allowed them to be used to create convincing acoustic instrument sounds — thus effectively physical modelling. Gordon Reid explains how.
With drum machines and samplers becoming increasingly prominent in music production, mixing real drums is becoming something of a lost art. Paul White explains the basics of this important mixing skill, and shares some secrets on how to get the best drum sound.
Paul Wiffen concludes his investigation into reliable means of audio interfacing on new-style Macintoshes when the traditional PCI card route is not available to you. This month, he tests two more USB audio-only interfaces, and reaches some definitive conclusins about Tascam's US428 MIDI and audio interface.
Simon Price begins a three-part series designed to demystify that staple of modern music production, Pro Tools. This month, he looks at the various components that make up Digidesign's systems.
This month Paul Wiffen takes up residence as SOS's Apple expert. After relating his own Mac history, he turns Agony Uncle and addresses a few readers' problems...
The Studio Module allows PC and Atari users to select configurations and patch names for their synths within Cubase. Paul Nagle guides you through the basics of creating a Studio Module setup.
Microsoft's latest operating system, although primarily designed for business and network systems, seems to offer many features that are attractive to musicians, including greater stability and support for dual-processor machines. But is there enough software support to make upgrading worthwhile? Martin Walker investigates.
Even if you have top-notch recording gear, and the expertise to use it effectively, there are still a number of more intangible problems that the recording musician can face. Amanda Lowe answers some of your questions on how to maintain creativity and a positive attitude in the studio.
Wedding Present frontman David Gedge and engineer/producer Steve Albini are both brutally loud guitar-based alternative music — so what would happen when they collaborated on an album influenced more by Serge Gainsbourg than the Stooges? Tom Flint investigates...
Elizabeth Parker is one of Britain's best-known composers of music for television, and is renowned in the business for her ability to complete projects to the tightest of deadlines. Sam Inglis visits her unique personal studio to find out how she does it...
Leading producer Steve Levine recently discovered that a fake Steve Levine has been masquerading as the real thing, to secure work under false pretences. Read on for the rest of this amazing story....
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