You probably know Allen & Heath as a studio mixer manufacturer, but they also specialise in high-end DJ mixing and processing. Now they have combined their studio and DJ expertise into a multi-mode analogue filter with sophisticated MIDI control.
Apple have long been criticised for charging a premium for their products, making the Mac platform a more costly choice than the alternatives. With the newly released Mac Mini, Apple hope to change this perception, but is there enough Mac in the Mac Mini to make it useful for musicians?
So how is your plug-in band coming on, then? With a combination of Steinberg's Groove Agent and Virtual Guitarist plus Yamaha's Vocaloid, all that is required is a bass player. Enter, stage left, Bornemark's Broomstick Bass...
Edirol have pioneered USB 2.0 as a format for connecting audio interfaces, and their latest unit offers 10 inputs and 10 outputs, plus high resolution, at a price that compares well with Firewire alternatives.
If you are attracted by the idea of Linux and open-source music software, but put off by the thought of installing it on your PC, there is another way: a bootable CD-ROM containing both the OS and all the software you need, ready to go.
JBL's new monitors incorporate Room Mode Correction technology which claims to be able to reduce the bass problems caused by standing waves at the listening position. But does it really work in practice?
Korg's Microkontrol was a highly versatile, yet compact MIDI controller — but perhaps, with its three octaves of miniature keys, it was too compact. The Kontrol 49 looks set to put that right with its four-octave, full-size keyboard.
Two years on from its original release, Native's virtual drum module gets its first full upgrade. Is it all John Bonham tom mayhem, or is it limper than a Kraftwerk drum solo?
Pioneering digital amplifiers are combined with PMC's proven transmission-line cabinet designs to deliver spectacular monitoring performance at a project-studio price.
Astonishingly, Reason is now over four years old! Version 3 adds performance-enhancing features and mastering facilities, losing only Mac OS 9 support on the way. We bring you the first UK review of the full release version.
At £1099, the Xa is the most affordable keyboard in the Fantom range. But, inevitably, features have been removed to make it such a bargain. Have Roland thrown out the works from the workstation?
Roland's innovative V-Synth can now be reprogrammed with a RAM card, effectively turning it into another instrument. The VC1 card turns the clock back to 1987, perfectly recreating the S&S tones of the Roland D50.
Jam Pack 4: Symphony Orchestra • Sonic Boom Box • Downbeat & Leftfield • Platinum Essentials
Four new sample collections under review: Apple Jam Pack 4: Symphony Orchestra **** • Sonic Boom Box **** • Downbeat & Leftfield **** • Platinum Essentials *****
From the same team that brought you Virtual Guitarist, Groove Agent has had an impressive upgrade, and is now claimed to work better under non-Steinberg hosts. We put it through a proper multi-platform test.
Firewire Audio & MIDI Interface / Control Surface [Mac/PC]
Joining the growing market for one-box devices that combine audio and MIDI interfacing with control-surface functionality, Tascam's latest Firewire unit might be all you need for multitrack recording and mixing.
Terratec's range of affordable audio interfaces now includes two attractive Firewire options: the eight-in/out Phase 88 Rack FW and the two-in/four-out Phase 24 FW.
The original 3U monster that was the SST282 Space Station has been reissued by Seven Woods Audio as this small desktop unit. Not content merely to offer all the classic sounds, though, the new incarnation has a number of fresh tricks up its sleeve...
Yamaha's original Motif Rack was a fine-sounding, well-specified synth module, but it suffered from MIDI timing problems when reviewed in SOS. Two years on, we put the follow-up Motif Rack ES to the test...
The Who's final album with Keith Moon took almost a year to record and pushed the band to the limit. Engineer and producer Jon Astley tells the remarkable story behind Who Are You?'s title track.
The audio sequencing facilities we have at our disposal these days make it easier than ever before to produce world-class vocal recordings by taking the best parts from a series of takes and producing a composite from them. Here's how to do the job in Sonar 4.
Steinberg originally introduced the concept of Folder tracks in Cubase VST, as a way of organising the track list in the Arrange window. This month we look at how this feature became even more powerful in Cubase SX, and how to make the most of it.
We explain how to tweak your tracks with MOTU's answer to Sony's Oxford EQ and speed up your workflow with the essential DP keyboard shortcut selection!
Although intended as an entry-level application to introduce new people to computer-based music making, Apple's GarageBand has received acclaim from beginners and professionals alike. We look at version 2, which adds score editing, multitrack audio recording, and more...
Combining Logic's Catch and Link modes can greatly increase the usefulness of multi-window Screensets, but it is not always clear, especially to new users, how the various options work.
East Norfolk Sixth Form College needed help integrating their hardware multitracker with their computer sequencing system, so the SOS team travelled over to Great Yarmouth to lend a hand.
Whatever computer recording system you use, the chances are it's going to fall over sooner or later, and Pro Tools is no exception. So before you call the technical support line, take a look at Sound On Sound's guide to diagnosing and fixing the most common faults.
Did you know that sensibly partitioning your hard drive or, if it's already partitioned, simply swapping the positions of your audio and sample partitions could result in a significant improvement in PC audio performance? We explain the whys and wherefores.
Combining the guts of an 02R mixer with a fully featured multitrack recorder, the AW4416 ended up being a prodigiously complex beast. Our hands-on workshop shows you which of those snazzy features work best in practice, and how to use them efficiently.
My Focusrite ISA428 is connected to my Emu 1212M soundcard via ADAT, and my SPL Channel One is connected via S/PDIF. If I sync the clock on the Emu to the SPL, for example, will I then need the 1212M's sync board to send a Word Clock signal to the Focusrite ISA428?
I've heard of having a subwoofer in your studio in combination with your monitors to reproduce the extra-low frequencies, but why would anyone use two?
Greg Ladanyi showed up at the right time in rock history to chair sessions for Jackson Browne, Don Henley, Warren Zevon, Toto, Fleetwood Mac and the Jacksons — but while 50 percent of life may be simply showing up, the other half requires a lot of hard work.
You might not know his name, but you've definitely heard his work: Manny Marroquin is the mix engineer of choice for leading artists in both urban and rock music.
The Dust Brothers changed the course of record production with a new approach to sampling. In their first ever in-depth technical interview, John King and Mike Simpson explain their unique way of making records and open the doors of their remarkable LA studio, The Boat.
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