Win Flux IRCAM Tools Worth €1,599 EUR

Deadline: 2011-11-11

Flux are generously giving away a copy of the IRCAM Tools suite to the winner of this month’s SOS competition. To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is enter online.

Win Yamaha DTX700K & MOX6 Worth $4,966

Deadline: 2011-11-11

For this month’s SOS competition, we’ve teamed up with Yamaha to offer the winner two of the company’s latest musical goodies: a DTX700K electronic drum kit, and an MOX6 synthesizer, with a combined value of almost $5000!

App Works

Making Music On The Move

This month JG Harding investigates the Audiofile Engineering FiRe field recorder app for iOS, MicW i436 microphone for iOS and TC Helicon Voice Jam vocal looping app for iOS.

Bitley | Fairlight II+

Sample Library

4*

Bugera V5

Valve Amplifier

Paul White looks at this simple valve amp which comes with one 12AXL dual-triode preamp and an EL84 providing the output stage.

Cockos Reaper 4

Digital Audio Workstation Software

Cockos’ affordable DAW is now more customisable than ever, and there are valuable new features for media management, MIDI editing and surround mixing too.

Elektron Octatrack DPS1

Performance Sampler

Swedish synthesists Elektron have turned their attention to sampling — and, with characteristic individuality, have created something quite unique.

Generic Audio Preceptor & Compactor

Analogue Dynamics Processors

From a new and little-known Polish company come two compressors made with a “fanatical attention to detail”. Sounds intriguing...

Josephson C716

Large‑diaphragm Condenser Microphone

In the C716, Josephson Engineering have built upon established technology with some novel ideas of their own.

Mackie MR5 & MR8 Mk2

Active Monitors

Mackie have updated their MR range of affordable powered speakers, endowing these Mk2 versions with new drivers and re‑voiced amplifiers. We put them to the test...

NI Vintage Compressors

Dynamics Plug‑ins

NI’s take on the Holy Trinity of compressors adds some neat extra features that make them more versatile.

Rob Papen Punch

Virtual Drum Synthesizer

Can Rob Papen’s new virtual instrument deliver the knockout blow?

Safe Sound Audio Stereo Toolbox

API 500-series Compressor

Safe Sound have already impressed us with their Dynamic Toolbox, and now they’ve brought M/S compression to the Lunchbox format.

Sample Logic | Rumble

Sample Library

4*

Shure SRH940

Studio Headphones

Shure are recent arrivals in the pro headphone market. Do their new flagship cans measure up against more established names in the field?

Slate VCC

Console Emulation Plug‑in

Can the failings of mixing in software really be solved by buying more software? That’s the claim Slate Digital are making for their Virtual Console Collection.

Slate VCC | Audio Files

Console Emulation Plug‑in

The audio files on this page accompany the Slate VCC review in SOS October 2011.

Sonokinetic | Arpeggio

Sample Library

4*

Spitfire Audio Albion

Orchestral Sample Library

Spitfire celebrate this sceptred isle with a suitably grand orchestral library.

UA Lexicon 224

Reverb Plug‑in For UAD2 System

Vintage digital reverbs might not be totally realistic, but they have bags of character. Universal Audio’s latest plug‑in brings the venerated Lexicon 224 to your DSP card.

Ueberschall | Nightshift

Sample Library

4*

Universal Audio 4710d

Multi-channel Preamplifier, Compressor & A-D Converter

Matt Houghton takes a look at this multi-purpose device from Universal Audio.

HK Audio LUCAS Alpha

PA System

When your live show requires plenty of punch and power, this 2000W system should give you everything you need.

TC Helicon VoiceLive Touch

Live Vocal Processor & Looper

Is one voice not enough for you? Have you always dreamed of being your own choir? Read on...

Trip Khalaf: Behind The Wall — Engineering Roger Waters' World Tour

Interview | Engineer

Live sound engineer ‘Trip’ Khalaf and his colleagues talk about touring Pink Floyd’s classic 1979 album with band co-founder Roger Waters.

Wharfedale WPM1

Portable Active PA Speaker

Whether you’re looking for a compact stage monitor or a boost for a small PA, this active speaker could help.

Carl Cox: USB Album Release

Interview | Artist

Carl Cox’s latest album is available only to those who purchase a uniquely coded USB pen drive. Is this an idea that will turn the tide against file‑sharing?

David Ricard: Faded Dreams & Hard Drives

Sounding Off

If you thought your cupboards were full of faded dreams, just take a look at your old hard drives...

DAW Keys

Leader

Paul White's leader.

DJ Swivel: Recording Beyoncé's 4

Interview | Producer

The creation of Beyoncé’s album 4 involved 10 studios and almost 20 producers. The one constant, apart from the singer herself, was recording engineer DJ Swivel.

Phil Ramone & Andy Smith: So Beautiful So What

Inside Track | Secrets Of The Mix Engineers

Paul Simon’s album So Beautiful Or So What is a dazzling return to form — and a return to working with production legend Phil Ramone.

Playback

Readers’ Music Reviewed

Verse Metrics * Hot Red Dress * The Chris Finnen Band * The Tennis Players

Wayne Moss: Cinderella Sound, Nashville

Interview | Music Producer

Fifty years ago, Wayne Moss created a studio in his Nashville garage. And while big-money, purpose-built complexes have come and gone, Cinderella Sound still thrives today.

Elton John: 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'

Classic Tracks

Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road has proved to be one of his most popular and enduring works. The man at the controls, David Hentschel, tells us how it came to be.

Hardware Upgrades

PC Notes

We’re all familiar with the PC upgrade treadmill — but do recent hardware developments mean that we can now step off it?

Lion OS

Apple Notes

Apple have just released their latest OS upgrade, Lion. So just how wild is the beast?

Live Lessons

Ableton Live Notes

We show you how to document your projects, sets and custom devices with Live’s Lessons facility.

Liven Up Your Drum Loops, Part 2

Steinberg Cubase Tips & Techniques

We introduce even more ways to spice up your drum loops in Cubase.
• Read Part 1
• Read Part 3

Mix Rescue: Young Griffo

Mixing & Recording Advice

It pays to keep your ears open for phase problems when mixing. Tackling them means you shouldn’t have to resort to radical EQ so often.

Mix Rescue: Young Griffo | Media

Mixing & Recording Advice

These audio files accompany the Mix Rescue article that featured in SOS October 2011.

Musical Tricks To Transform Your Tracks

Music Theory Tips

Even a basic understanding of chords, melody and harmony can help your dodgy demo become a polished production...

Musical Tricks To Transform Your Tracks | Media

Music Theory Tips

These media files accompany the Music Theory feature that appeared in SOS October 2011.

Pitch Transposition In Sonar X1

Sonar Notes

Understand the pitch-changing options in Sonar X1 for better results with your audio.

Pro Tools 9 — What's New?

Avid Pro Tools Tips & Techniques

New to Pro Tools 9? Here’s how to get the best from all the features that were HD‑only until now!

Reason 6

Propellerhead Reason Tips & Techniques

Version 6 is a new dawn for Reason users. This month, we offer some essential techniques for getting up to speed with it.

Space Cadet

Apple Logic Tips & Techniques

Cure those conflicting frequencies and create some space with Logic’s Match EQ.

Studio SOS

Your Studio Problems Solved

When legendary film composer Hans Zimmer asked us to help improve the acoustics in his temporary London studio, we were only too happy to oblige!

The Mix Review | October 2011

Analysing Commercial Productions

• Alison Krauss & Union Station 'Paper Airplane'
• Katy Perry 'Last Friday Night'
• Alexandra Stan 'Mr Saxobeat'

Using Software Synths & Samplers

MOTU Digital Performer Tips & Techniques

This month, how to use software synths and samplers effectively in your DP projects.

Notes From The Deadline

TV Music From The Inside

One thing that never changes in the world of music: the people who make it usually end up getting ripped off.

Off The Record (US Edition Only)

Music & Recording Industry News

** This article was originally printed in the US Edition of Sound On Sound only, but is available online to all subscribers. **
The demise of the Compact Disc as the dominant music-distribution format has been slow and inevitable. But what, if anything, will replace it?

Q. Are there any panning rules for maintaining mono compatibility?

Q. Can I pair a higher‑wattage speaker with my Marshall cab?

Q. How can I connect hardware synths to my setup?

Q. How much power does my stage system need?

Q. Which of these mics is best for recording my guitar?