Win! Big Fish Audio Instruments and Samples

Deadline: 2013-06-10

Fantastic Chance to Win! Big Fish Audio Instruments and Samples worth £2239 in May's Competition.

WSAllen & Heath ICE 16

Digital Multitrack Recorder & Audio Interface

When it comes to recording a live show, most recording rigs are either bulky or expensive — or both. The ICE 16, on the other hand, is neither...

App Works

Making Music On The Move

This month: Arturia iMini, Rode iXY, Ultimate Support HyperPad and Drum Loops HD.

WSATC SCM25A

Three-way Active Monitors

These compact speakers from venerable UK manufacturers ATC aren’t cheap — but does the quality on offer justify the asking price?

Audio Kitchen The Big Trees

Pedal Valve Amp & Processor

Bereich 03 Audio LC-HC

Analogue High & Low Pass Filters

500 Series rack format.

Big Fish Audio | Ambient Skyline 2

Sample Library

Multi-format

WSCerwin-Vega P1500X & P1800SX

Active PA Speakers

Offering built-in mixing facilities and DSP functionality, there’s more to these self-powered speakers than meets the eye.

WSClavia Nord Electro 4

Performance Keyboards

Clavia’s updated Electro range prove that if you need top-quality staple keyboard sounds, playability and simplicity, Nords still lead.

WSDynacord PowerMate 1600-3

Powered Mixer

It’s not the cheapest mixer in its class, but with its built-in effects, graphic EQ and quality engineering, the PowerMate offers real value.

WSElektron Analog Four

Analogue Synthesizer

Not a company to do things by half, Elektron have combined their first analogue synth with an incredibly versatile sequencer.

FXpansion | Zildjian Digital Vault

Sample Library

Expansion Library For BFD2 & BFD Eco

WSIK Multimedia T-Racks CS Grand

Processor Suite For Mac OS & Windows

IK’s flagship suite of plug-in processors continues to grow, with the addition of a channel strip and several handy multi-band modules.

WSJDK Audio 8MX2

Preamplifier/Mixer

Adding a mixer to an eight-channel preamp may not sound revolutionary, but if it all fits in a 1U rack case it could be very useful indeed!

WSKorg MS20 Mini

Analogue Synthesizer

For the best part of 20 years, musicians have been asking certain Japanese manufacturers for recreations of their classic synths, and finally one of them has been brave enough to do it. How does Korg’s reborn MS20 compare to its illustrious ancestor?

WSLewitt LCT940

Hybrid Valve/Solid-State Microphone

With the ability to blend between valve and solid-state circuitry, Lewitt’s LCT940 is a genuinely innovative and versatile microphone.

Playback

Reader's music reviewed

This month we feature: Vadim Mikhailov, Mr Smith, Jeff Lowe, Rough Twist, Kristy Gallacher, Wilderspin and SuperCool-Guy.

WSRadial Gold Digger & Cherry Picker

Mic & Preamp Selectors

Radial’s latest pair of problem-solvers let you compare multiple mics using a single preamp, or switch a single mic between several preamps.

WSRMS Audioworks RMS12

Valve Microphone

How close have this boutique company come to recreating the sound of a vintage AKG C12?

RMS Audioworks RMS12 Valve Microphone

Audio Files

Audio files to accompany this month's article.

WSScarbee Rickenbacker Bass

Virtual Bass Instrument

The ‘Ricky’ bass sound graces many a classic track. Have Scarbee nailed its distinctive qualities?

WSSlate Raven MTX

Multi-touch DAW Controller

Few product launches have attracted as much attention as Slate’s touchscreen controller. Is the Raven the future of DAW control — or an oversized iPad?

WSSonic Farm Creamer

Dual-channel Valve Preamplifier

With user-configurable valve stages, the option of transformer-coupling and more besides, Sonic Farm’s preamp provides a broad palette of tonal options.

WSSynchro Arts Revoice Pro

Vocal Matching Software For Mac OS

The makers of VocAlign have built on its capabilities, creating software that can not only match the timing of vocal parts, but their pitch and level too.

TellyTone TV405

Valve Guitar Amp

Retro-style amp cabinet

Three-way Active Monitors

Spotlight

Three-way monitors have traditionally lived at the top end of the market, but there’s now a good choice of models on offer in the sub-£2000$3000 category. Here’s a selection of recent options, with links to the SOS reviews where available.

ToneSearch

Hex-pickup Breakout Box

Designed to work with the Roland GK-series pickup.

WSVSL Vienna Dimension Strings

Orchestral Sample Library

A massive string ensembles library with individual player control is the latest development in VSL’s product line.

Zapzorn | Elements

Kontakt 5 Player

Sounding Off

Working for yourself

How can you build something from nothing when no one tells you anything?

WSThe Ribbon Guy

Wes Dooley & Audio Engineering Associates

When RCA abandoned ribbon mics, Wes Dooley of AEA believed they still had a place in the modern studio — so he set about making his own.

Use It Or Lose It

Leader

Paul White considers his annual studio clean-up!

WSApple Notes

See everything that's going on.

Discover the advanced features of Mission Control and get your desktop in order.

WSBright Idea

Cubase Tips & Techniques

Try out some ’80s-style high-frequency enhancement by recreating the famous ‘Dolby A’ trick with Cubase’s bundled plug-ins.

Bright Idea | Media

Cubase Tips & Techniques

Audio files to accompany the article.

WSCrafty Comping

Ableton Live Tips & Techniques

Live offers all the tools you need for quick and convenient comping: you just need to know where to look.

WSGo Loopy

Studio One Tips & Techniques

Explore and learn to use Studio One 2’s Audioloop and Musicloop formats.

WSMarque Of Distinction

Logic Tips & Techniques

Get to grips with the marquee tool’s endless possibilities, and you could soon be a Logic power user.

WSMissing Links

Pro Tools Tips & Techniques

When Pro Tools loses track of the media files used in a session, you need to turn detective...

WSMix Rescue

Singer-songwriter Cristina Vane

Putting in the effort at the front end of the production process can save countless hours when it comes to mixdown — as this month’s remix demonstrates.

Mix Rescue | Media

Audio Files

Audio to accompany the Cristina Vane article.

PC Notes

Windows 8

Windows 8 sales are still disappointing, but at least third-party developers are continuing to improve our user experience.

WSPower Plugs

Digital Performer Tips & Techniques

DP still has its full share of virtual guitar amps and pedals, reverb and chorus plug-ins — but version 8 also introduced some quality problem-solvers.

WSPrep School

Sonar Tips & Techniques

Optimise your vocal tracks in Sonar X2 before you start mixing.

WSPrepare to DI!

Using DI Boxes On Stage

DI boxes are essential pieces of stage equipment, but to get the most out of them, it helps to know what they do — and how they do it...

WSPulp ‘Common People’

Classic Tracks

Pulp’s infectiously catchy commentary on the joys of class tourism helped propel the group to fame after nearly two decades of obscurity. Engineer David Nicholas tells us how ‘Common People’ was recorded.

WSSeven Wonders

Reason Tips & Techniques

The landmark Reason v7 is about to arrive. What will it do for you?

WSSpectral Correction

Samplitude Tips & Techniques

Among Samplitude Pro X’s unique features is spectral editing in the main project window. Here’s how it works.

Spectral Correction | Media

Media File

Video tutorial to accompany this month's article.

WSStornoway

Jonathan Ouin, Oli Steadman & George Shilling: Recording Tales From Terra Firma

Many bands record their own albums these days, but few achieve as much with as little gear as Stornoway.

WSTake Harp

Capturing Perfect Harmonica Recordings

The harmonica, or blues harp, appears on tracks in many genres. Despite its apparently simple construction, it’s an amazingly expressive instrument — and there are almost as many ways to record it as there are to play it.

Take Harp | Media

Capturing Perfect Harmonica Recordings

Audio files to accompany the article.

WSThe Les Misérables Sound Team, Part 2

Inside Track: Secrets Of The Mix Engineers

Not only did the Les Misérables crew have to capture live singing on a film set: they then had to figure out how to overdub orchestral arrangements to it!

The Mix Review

Commercial Productions Analysed

This month's productions: Angel, Simple Plan featuring Sean Paul, Lawson and classic mix AC/DC's Back In Black from 1980.

Notes From The Deadline

TV Music From The Inside

The people who are paying us don’t always notice when we drop the ball — but it’s a matter of pride.

Off The Record

Music & Recording Industry News

Home studios make it easier for musicians and engineers to work on their own — but is that always a good thing?

WSStudio File

Rockfield Studios, Wales

One of the longest establashed studios in the UK.

Q. How should I record a marimba?

Q. Is there a better balanced-to-unbalanced cabling solution?

Q. What insurance do I need?

Q. Why do waveforms sometimes look lop-sided ?