December 2002 In This Issue
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Reviews 40 Years Of Gear The History Of Korg: Part 3 Cutting-edge innovation is by no means a guarantee of commercial success, but Korg have had a flair for both - although not always simultaneously. We look at how this continued to be true throughout the '90s to the present, when the company pushed the boundaries of physical modelling while refining their world-beating workstations. Antares Kantos Audio-controlled Software Synth For Mac & PC Kantos is a plug-in with a difference - its synth engine is not triggered via MIDI, but by an audio input, from which it also derives its pitch. Is it a uniquely creative use of Antares' pitch-tracking technology, or merely a novelty one-trick pony? A-D & D-A YGDAI Converter Cards If you're happy with the facilities of your Yamaha console or recorder, but you just want to upgrade the quality of the A-D/D-A conversion, these new cards from Apogee might be just what you're after. Behringer Virtualizer Pro Dual-channel Multi-effects Processor A low-cost multi-effects unit with a huge repertoire of effects. Buzz Audio MA 2.2 Microphone Preamplifier Another new product from New Zealand's Buzz Audio gives you two channels of Class-A preamplification with switchable input impedance. Digidesign Digi 002 Digital Audio Workstation FireWire audio and MIDI interfaces are gaining in popularity, as are fader surfaces designed for hands-on control of computer recording packages. Now Digidesign have combined the two. DUY SynthSpider Virtual Modular Synth For Pro Tools TDM & HD Host-based programs allowing you to build your own synthesizers from virtual modules have been around for a while. Thanks to DUY, Pro Tools TDM and HD owners can now join in the fun. Edirol UA700 USB Recording Interface For Mac & PC Much more than just an audio and MIDI interface, Edirol's UA700 also incorporates a preamp with DSP effects, microphone and guitar amp modelling. Kenton Control Freak Live MIDI Control Centre Kenton's latest take on their affordable hardware control surface concept eschews the faders of previous Control Freaks in favour of 16 knobs. And it manages to be still cheaper than the fader versions... Mackie SDR24/96: 24-track Hard Disk Recorder Mackie's new entry-level hard disk multitrack gives you all the convenience of hardware, but also allows you to transfer tracks to your computer via USB for more detailed editing and mixing. MJ Acoustics Pro Cinema 1 & Pro 50 Passive Surround Monitor System & Active Subwoofer Looking to experiment with surround sound within a tight budget? This new system could provide the opportunity you've been looking for. Steinberg Virtual Guitarist Plug-in Guitar Emulator For Mac & PC An innovative VST Instrument from Steinberg and Wizoo aims to take the donkey work out of producing realistic sequenced guitar parts. Capacitor Microphones A choice of two stylish and affordable microphones, each complete with hard case, shockmount and wind shield. TL Audio Ivory 2 5013 & 5051 Valve Signal Processors TL Audio have updated their popular Ivory-series processors in response to feedback from their user base. We try out two of the updated units to see what's new. | People + Opinion
Tim Ryan Of M Audio Tim Ryan, founder of Midiman (now better known as M Audio) has successfully changed his company from a manufacturer of affordable sync boxes for MIDI sequencers into the fastest-growing American music-technology outfit. We find out where he's taking them next. Electronic Arts Music & Sound Design For Video Games Film tie-in Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets will be one of the most sophisticated video games ever created, and the soundtrack alone has taken the designers from Surrey to Seattle - by way of a school toilet... Soft Cell's Dave Ball & Ingo Vauk: Recording Cruelty Without Beauty Pioneering electro-pop duo Soft Cell are back with a new album, seeking to combine the best of old and new production techniques. Creating authentic and inspirational ideas Like authenticity, inspiration can't be bought and sold. Instead, it hides in all sorts of strange places and the only way to find it is to look... Technique Copy Protection Tackling copy protection is a complicated problem, and this month we look at two possible solutions: watermarking and Microsoft's Secure Audio Path for use with Windows Media technologies. Apple Notes The major audio applications are now all available for Mac OS X — but the speed with which musicians switch to OS X may not be determined by host software, but rather by the plug-in formats they support... Automation This month we explore the two main types of automation available within Logic, and explain how to use any MIDI fader box to control them. Plus some wise words on EXS24 sample organisation and a bumper crop of tips to increase your productivity. Steinberg Cubase Tips & Techniques Following on from last month's exploration of recording multiple takes with Cycle Record, this month's Cubase Notes looks at some features to assist in managing multiple takes without using Cycle Record. OMS: iLok Copy-protection System Digidesign (Avid) Pro Tools Tips & Techniques If you use MIDI on a Mac, you'll have wrestled with OMS. This month we explain how to make the process a bit more friendly, as well as investigating the new iLok copy-protection system that's in the process of superseding Pro Tools floppy keys. More readers Questions given the SOS staff Answer treatment. How can I control proximity effect? Can you advise on the powering and positioning of Behringer's Truth monitors? Why do speaker stands have spikes? Will Steinberg's Virtual Guitarist run on my PC? Will replacing my carpet with laminate affect the acoustics? Can you recommend a second-hand sampler with a floppy drive? How can I get broadcast masters to sound louder? Recording Electric Guitar There are now many different ways to record electric guitars, from miked-up valve amps to physical modelling preamps. So how do you decide which to use? Pseudo-MIDI guitarp; Adding More Plug-ins; Rewire We celebrate a year of Sonar Notes by showing how to load even more plug-ins, create 'pseudo-MIDI guitar' effects, and get the most out of Rewire. Noor Ali Hums, buzzes and noise were stopping Noor Ali recording his guitar parts, so SOS headed over to Worcestershire to set things straight. Synthesizing Acoustic Pianos On The Roland JX10 How did they make that sound on a subtractive synth? We continue to dissect the analogue 'Acoustic Piano' Perfomance from Roland's 1986-vintage JX10. BIOS Tweaks For Music Performance Your computer's most fundamental system settings are stored in its BIOS. Modifying them can help increase performance and eliminate glitches, but it's not something to approach lightly... Making The Most Of Propellerhead Software's Reason: Part 2 Another selection of tips and tricks to help you get the best from this flexible software studio package. PC Notes This month we take a look at the EQ response of the Yamaha SW1000XG soundcard, the possibility of disabling the SMBus to gain an extra IRQ, and more advice on managing your updates. Music Business
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