March 2013 Magazine Contents

Live 9 has been a long time coming, but, along with Ableton’s new Push controller, has the potential to revolutionise music-making.

Always wanted a pair of Adam speakers but couldn’t quite afford them? Then their new F-series might be just the ticket...

With a long and enviable pedigree in hardware sampling and sequencing, the Akai MPC range has finally gone soft...

The recent resurgence of brand-new analogue synths means that there’s never been a better time to invest in one. We round up some of the more ‘hands-on’, performance-oriented models on the market...

Apple have dramatically revamped the iMac — and have made it a tempting choice for the studio.

ART produce an impressive number of inexpensive problem-solving boxes, one of which is the Dual RDB reviewed here.

A rotatable capsule design means that making stereo recordings with the CK40 could hardly be easier — but how does it sound?

Audio files to accompany the article.

Ethernet-based audio interfaces seem set to be the next big thing in digital audio, and forward-looking manufacturers Focusrite are getting in on the ground floor.

This Swedish company have a reputation for delivering professional sound quality at a budget price. Do the latest additions to their outboard range measure up?

Audio files to accompany the article.

These compact speakers approach the performance of HK’s higher-end systems, but at a surprisingly modest price point.

Looking like a typical guitar effects pedal, iRig Stomp is actually a guitar interface that will work with iOS devices, and is compatible with most iOS signal-processing apps.

As loudness standards evolve, so we need new metering plug-ins. Izotope’s suite covers all the bases.

Miniature controller keyboards can be incredibly useful for making music on location. The new Korg MicroKey family of velocity...

Want a forward-sounding mic, something with a vintage character, or a more neutral tonality? With the Atlantis, you can have all three...

German manufacturers Microtech Gefell share origins with Neumann and make some of the best mics currently available. Does that pedigree come through in their first preamp?

Frequency plot, internals and tech specs to accompany the main product test.

We check out iShotgun, a miniature interference-tube or 'rifle' mic, the newest member of the i-Series line-up of cost-effective electret mics designed for use with iOS devices and other portable recorders and cameras.

NI’s Session Horns forsakes the cinematic to focus on a real-world brass section that’s well suited to pop and rock music.

Neyrinck's V-Control Pro aims to be a universal iPad controller for all the most popular DAWs...

An often overlooked part of the orchestra gets the royal treatment in a new sample library.

This recreation of a Bill Putnam classic brings back to life the qualities of a long-gone era — and does so in a truly uncompromising fashion.

Audio files to accompany the article.

Homages to classic processors abound — but this one is much more than a simple clone...

Kontakt Instrument

Sonoris’s innovative plug-in designs prove that not all digital equalisers sound the same.

In the dim and distant past, Cubasis used to be one of the names Steinberg reserved for junior versions of Cubase...

Guitar processor from US-based stomp-box manufacturer.

Rob Papen is a well-known Dutch sound designer and creator of a variety of software virtual synthesizers, including Predator,...

German company Trautoniks have painstakingly recreated a lost classic from the annals of electronic music history. What’s that? You’ve never heard of the Trautonium? Then read on...

The unique design of the HG3’s cabinet is intended to offer the best traits of both large and small speakers. Does it work in practice?

Elastik

Waves’ latest analogue emulation has unrivalled pedigree. But is there still a role for a mixer that was declared obsolete 40 years ago?

Kontakt Instrument

Wham! went their separate ways in 1986, but the triumph of George Michael’s debut album Faith in 1987 meant that the success of his solo career was never really in doubt.

Would you hire a mixer who doesn’t believe in panning? The Lumineers did — and were rewarded with a hit album.

As well as conventional track-based automation, Samplitude Pro X has a sophisticated Object automation system.

Video tutorials to accompany the article.

As he gets to grips with another reader’s track, our mix engineer shows that distortion can often be as useful as EQ in sculpting sound sources.

Audio files to accompany the article.

Steinberg’s Padshop can be used to create excellent rhythmic effects.

Audio files to accompany the article.

As they scramble to catch up, Microsoft may have priced themselves way out of the tablet game...

Whether you’re a performer or an engineer, these simple feedback-reducing tips should ensure your gigs remain free from squeaks and howl-rounds!

One of our engineers aims for a big sound from the smallest of acoustic drum kits, as he sets about creating a drum sample library...

Audio files to accompany the article.

Make use of the many benefits of stem mixing in Studio One.

We visit the home studio of TV composer Kate Ockenden and discover that optimising monitoring needn’t require acres of acoustic foam.

Now that Rack Extensions are here, there are lots of Reason synths on offer — but which are the best?

Often overlooked, EXS24 is a very valuable feature of Logic. So why and how should we be using it?

Pro Tools 10 has some new ways to help you move material to and from other systems — including older Pro Tools rigs.

Some time spent customising your defaults in Reaper could save you hours in the future...

This month we look at wireless options for passing MIDI between your iOS device and your Mac.

Cochlear implants help the profoundly deaf experience sound. But can users overcome the limitations of the technology to understand music?

I have come to the conclusion that wow and flutter are a lot more important in the sound of tape and analogue recordings than...

I seem to be the only person in the world who wants an unfussy, weighted stage piano, with — at most — 73 keys. What might you suggest?

When I listen to MP3s on a PC or Apple Mac, they are all at different levels, with the louder ones seeming twice as loud as the quietest ones.

As a songwriter, I write, record and master on my beloved Boss BR8 (I'm soon to updgrade, possibly to the Tascam DP32). Would...

This month we feature: Straw Bear, The Neo-Kalashnikovs, Ken Nicol, Gibson, Gillie Nicholls, The Star Fields and Christopher Holland.

Write, record and release a song today!

This month Mike Senior discusses Kanye West, Jake Bugg, Amy Macdonald, Plan B and ABBA.

Fifty years after their first hit, the duo who discovered Blondie, the Ramones, Talking Heads and Madonna are still producing great new acts.

Editor In Chief, Paul White tells all.

It’s time media composers stood up for themselves — and their art.

Miami has long been a popular recording destination — and not only for the weather...

We take a look inside one of the world's top studios.