Reviews
Studio Ribbon Microphone & Preamp This classy ribbon mic doesn't just look great — AEA's thoughtful design means that it also offers great results.
EQ Plug-ins For Windows Mastering engineers are notoriously fussy about EQ, and until now, plug-in manufacturers have struggled to compete with the best hardware designs. Can Algorithmix's Red and Blue change hearts and minds?
Secondary Reference Monitors Do your mixes translate well to radio or consumer audio systems? If not, the Mixcubes might be just what you need...
Surround Sound Monitor Controller If you're in the market for a good-quality, no-frills surround monitor controller, this may be just what you're looking for.
Studio Monitor Speakers If you like the bright sound of beryllium tweeters, these active monitors might make for a pleasant departure from the usual suspects.
Gear Reviews, Tips and Techniques • Phil Jones Bass Buddy - Bass Guitar Recording DI Box
• Little Labs STD -
Instrument Cable Extender
Software Synth For Korg OASYS Korg bring the MS20 and the Polysix to the OASYS and introduce a major OS update.
Capacitor Microphone There's no law to say that microphone diaphragms must be circular, and in fact a rectangular diaphragm such as the one inside this Swedish mic can offer some unique and useful characteristics.
Firewire Audio Interface [Mac/PC] We take an in-depth look at MOTU's most affordable Firewire audio interface yet.
Modular Synth & DSP Programming Environment For Windows If you've ever fancied creating your own VST plug-in synths and effects, Outsim's slick development tool might just have made the process that bit easier.
Analogue Modelling Synthesizer The SH201 - a versatile new modelling synth from Roland or a cash-in on past glories? Let's find out...
Duo Mic Preamp & 5-band Equaliser We take our first look at the excellent new Portico range by Rupert Neve Designs - and they don't disappoint.
Sample Libraries Three more recently released libraries get installed and tested to oblivion!
• Muse
• Chris Hein Guitars
• Sample Lab Luscious Grooves: The Dark Side
Analogue Summing Mixer Boasting 16 channels, a transparent sound and bags of headroom, there's more to this innocent-looking creature than meets the eye.
16-channel Mic Preamp With 16 mic preamps and a built-in mixer, the M16 certainly delivers on quantity. Can it deliver on quality too?
Virtual Vocal Instrument [Mac/PC] The latest offerings in Ueberschall's Liquid Instruments series focus on vocals, aiming to provide you with a flexible band of personal backing vocalists via a front-end based on Celemony's Melodyne.
Competition
Deadline: 2007-05-01 Coinciding with the launch of Automap Universal, we have not one, not two, but six great prizes from Novation's Remote SL range to give away. First prize is the five-octave Remote 61SL, the largest in the SL range, while second and third prize winners will receive a Remote 37SL and a Remote 25SL respectively. Three lucky runners-up will each win a Remote Zero SL, which has no keys, X-Y touchpad or modulation joystick, but features the same brain as the rest of the SL range.
Sound Advice
| People + Opinion
Your correspondence Another batch of our readers' views get aired...
Readers' Music Reviewed Another group of masochists offer their self-recordings up for scrutiny by the SOS editorial team. Read it and weep?
Mike Newbon This month, studio engineer Mike Newbon gets on his soapbox...
Workshop You've got four weeks left until your studio closes. How to make best use of that time? The Walkmen's answer was to recreate their favourite album, note for note, in all its drunken and shambolic glory.
Paul White's Leader Editor In Chief Paul White ruminates over a few pet gripes...
Technique
...But Couldn't Find On The Internet! *** If you want to get your low-frequency monitoring right, a subwoofer can be your best friend — or your worst enemy! Learn how to optimise your setup...
News, Views & Insight While Mac users continue to wait in anticipation for new Mac hardware and software, we take a look a really neat application you might not realise you even own, which lets you create your own MIDI- and audio-based visual performances.
Digital Performer Notes & Techniques Last month, we looked at OS X's Network MIDI capabilities, and how they get along with DP. This time, we go even further, into the brave new world that is network audio and remote access. Prepare to give your network connection a workout...
Producer: Phil Spector • Engineer: Larry Levine Phil Spector was one of the first producers to realise that a recording studio could be an instrument in itself - and the sound he created over 40 years ago has influenced popular music ever since.
PC Musician There are now quite a few plug-ins on the market that have the ability to split audio into hundreds or thousands of bands and treat them separately, paving the way for a variety of weird and wonderful effects. Are you brave enough to enter the frequency zone?
Generals & Majors Drum-recording problems and an inappropriate choice of vocal mic threatened to hamstring this month's hard rock track by New York rock band Generals & Majors.
Audio Files for newsstand readers To save newsstand buyers of the magazine from keyiong in long URLs by hand, here are the links to the various MP3 files that accompany the APRIL 2007 instalment of Mix Rescue. NOTE: the online article itself is available for the first 8 months only to paid subscribers, but the audio files are accessible to everyone.
Cubase Notes & Techniques Dynamics processing plays an important part in almost all modern music production. We look at some practical examples using Cubase 4's built-in dynamics plug-ins.
News, Tips & Advice If you ever have to re-install all your software after a PC upgrade, there are tricks that can save you a lot of time, and also help you to be more organised in the future. PC Notes rounds them up, as well as keeping you up to date on Vista compatibility for musicians.
Ableton Live Notes & Techniques Rewiring Live through Pro Tools can open up a world of new possibilities for both applications.
Beyoncé's 'Déjà Vu' and 'Irreplaceable' Beyoncé's second solo album, B'Day, has yielded two of the biggest singles of the year. Jason Goldstein shows us how he put together hit mixes for 'Déjà Vu' and 'Irreplaceable'.
Logic Notes & Techniques Step sequencing is often regarded as a pastime of '80s revivalists, but it can be used effectively in Logic to produce creative results in all kinds of music.
Duncan Drury This month, the SOS team visit a student's studio to help him overcome a few teething troubles...
Sonar Notes & Techniques Sonar's Session Drummer has evolved from a MIDI plug-in to a sophisticated tone module that also includes pattern playback capabilities. We take a look beneath the surface.
Pro Tools Notes & Techniques In this month's column, we give you the low-down on the wealth of new features coming your way in the version 7.3 updates to Pro Tools TDM and LE.
Music Business
Our guide to contract terms, written by an entertainment lawyer A recording contract might seem like the Holy Grail, but record labels are not charity concerns and their contracts are not set up with your interests in mind. Our guide to contract terms, written by an entertainment lawyer, explains what it all means and what the implications are for the artist.
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Gear Reviews
