Win Alchemea Course & Pro Tools 10 Worth £2,500

Deadline: 2012-07-09

This month, two fantastic prizes will be won by one lucky reader! First, the winner will attend a Pro Tools Certified Music Operator 2 course, consisting of Alchemea's Pro Tools 101, 110, 201 and 201M options for five days in London. The newly-trained winner will then return home fully equipped to start honing their skills with a boxed copy of Pro Tools 10.

Adam A77X

Three‑way Active Monitors

The award‑winning AX family of speakers have a new member, in the shape of Adam’s most affordable three-way monitor yet.

Analogue Summing Mixers

Spotlight

Analogue summing is proving a popular route for ‘warming up’ digital mixes, and there are many models on the market that are dedicated to the task. Here’s a selection of current options, with links to the SOS reviews where available.

App Works

Making Music On The Move

Paul Nagle checks out Propellerhead's Figure groovebox, Dave Lockwood reviews the Digitech iStomp iOS-programmable effects pedal, and JG Harding puts the Sonoma Wire Works GuitarJack Model 2 guitar interface through its paces.

Bereich 03 Density

500-series Processor

Cinematic Strings 2.0

Sample Library

The Anglo-Australian strings library returns with a radical version 2 upgrade.

Ilitch Electronics PGNCS-T

Telecaster Noise-cancelling System

Although hum-cancelling single-coil pickups can be effective, even the best of them will change the guitar’s sound — but this system gets rid of the hum whilst allowing you to keep your original pickups.

Ilitch Electronics PGNCS-T | Media

Telecaster Noise-cancelling System

These audio files accompany the Ilitch Electronics PGNCS-T review that featured in SOS June 2012.

John Bowen Synth Design Solaris

Synthesizer

Years in the making, John Bowen’s Solaris is finally with us. So is this hugely ambitious synthesizer everything we hoped it would be?

Lavry Engineering AD11

A-D Converter & Mic Preamp

Dan Lavry has gained a reputation for creating some of the best A-D converters on the planet — and this time you get mic preamps as well!

Lavry Engineering AD11 | Media

A-D Converter & Mic Preamp

These audio files accompany the Lavry Engineering AD11 review that featured in SOS June 2012.

Linplug Relectro

Drum Resynthesis & Effects Processing Software

Linplug’s innovative plug-in has one aim in mind: to create fresh sounds from pedestrian drum loops.

Loopmasters | Danny Thompson Double Bass

Sample Library

4*

Mackie Pro FX16

Compact Mixer

With its built-in effects, compressors and graphic EQ, this compact console might just be ideal for small-scale live work.

MicW N101

Omnidirectional Condenser Microphone

This Chinese mic bears a close resemblance to some premium European models. Does its sound live up to its looks?

Moog MF108M Cluster Flux

Effects Pedal

The latest Moogerfooger, offering chorus and flanging, is alluring but not cheap &mdash so is the Cluster Flux worth the bucks?

Moog The Ladder

500‑series Filter Module

Most processors in API’s 500‑series format are classic studio tools such as preamps, EQs and compressors — but now a heavyweight champion from the synth world has joined the party.

Moog The Ladder | Media

500‑series Filter Module

These audio files accompany the Moog The Ladder review that featured in SOS June 2012.

Morpheus Bomber

Polyphonic Pitch‑shift Pedal

R3FX Cabinet Simulator

Guitar Effect Pedal

Rhythmic Robot | Keyboard Vault

Sample Library

4*

Royer Labs Sling-Shock

Microphone Shockmount

Samson AuroD412 & D1800

Active PA System

Samson hope to prove that affordable speakers needn’t compromise on sound, with their new Auro range of active PA speakers.

Sonokinetic | Vivace

Sample Library

4*

SPL De‑esser Collection

De‑esser Plug‑ins

Controlling harsh 'ess' and 'tee' sounds in a vocal can be surprisingly challenging, but SPL's technology aims to make it easy.

SPL De‑esser Collection | Media

De‑esser Plug‑ins

These audio files accompany the SPL De-esser Collection review that featured in SOS June 2012.

Steinberg CMC Series

USB Control Surfaces

Steinberg’s new CMC Series gives you the building blocks for creating your own custom Cubase control surface.

Steinberg Cubase 6.5

Digital Audio Workstation

It may be ‘only a point five’ update, but there’s plenty on offer in the latest version of Cubase.

Surprise Sound Rock Block

Valve Guitar Amp

Universal Audio Apollo

Firewire Audio Interface

Universal Audio have combined their considerable audio expertise and renowned DSP platform to create their first audio interface: the Apollo.

Yamaha 01v96i

Digital Mixer With USB Interface

Yamaha have added USB interfacing to their established digital mixer. Is this enough to ensure it keeps pace with more recent competition?

Benny Blanco

Songwriter & Producer

Benny Blanco has created a string of number one hits without expensive instruments or virtuoso keyboard skills. What exactly is his secret?

Dr Nik Farrell-Fox: Is The Digital Studio A Lonely Place?

Sounding Off

Jan 'Stan' Kybert: Producing Paul Weller's Sonik Kicks

Inside Track | Secrets Of The Mix Engineers

Paul Weller's latest album was brimming over with musical creativity. The challenge for mixer Jan Kybert was to forge a coherent album from a mass of ideas.

Playback

Readers' Music Reviewed

Fin * Bob McCarroll * Professor Karmadillo

Rob Blake (BioWare): Music & Sound Effects For Videogame Mass Effect 3

Interview | Composer

Creating music and sound effects for sophisticated video games such as Mass Effect 3 requires skills not found in film or television — and a lot of hard work.

Technology On The Move

Leader

Paul White's leader.

AAX Action

Avid Pro Tools Tips & Techniques

If you’re not careful, you could find that your Pro Tools HDX upgrade leaves you without your favourite plug-ins...

Arranging For Strings, Part 1

Primer

No matter how good the latest, greatest orchestral sample libraries may now be, you still need to develop your arranging skills if you’re to create convincing string parts in any genre. In this first article in a new series, we explain how to get started.
• Read Part 2 (July 2012)
• Read Part 3 (August 2012)

Intel Ivy Bridge

PC Notes

Intel’s Ivy Bridge processor may be closer than we thought — but does it make sense for musicians?

Library

Ableton Live Tips & Techniques

This month, swot up on Live’s library and discover what it can do to make your life easier.

MIDI

Apple Logic Tips & Techniques

The spotlight turns to Logic’s MIDI features, as we solve a data-merging problem and offer step-by-step advice on automation recording with hardware control.

Mix Rescue: Rio Callahan

Mixing & Recording Advice

This month, as well as sorting out a few sonic gremlins, with edits, EQ and other tricks, we aim to draw out more of the ‘moments’ in a track.

Mix Rescue: Rio Callahan | Media

Mixing & Recording Advice

These audio files accompany the Mix Rescue article that featured in SOS June 2012.

Object FX

Magix Samplitude Tips & Techniques

We explain how to get the best from Samplitude’s unique object-based effects.

Object FX | Media

Magix Samplitude Tips & Techniques

These audio files accompany the Magix Samplitude techniques that featured in SOS June 2012.

Open Borders

Propellerhead Reason Tips & Techniques

New vistas appear for Reason users, with the arrival of Rack Extensions...

Pitch Invasion

Cakewalk Sonar Tips & Techniques

Love it or hate it, ‘hard’ pitch correction is still a much used technique — and it’s simple with Sonar’s V-Vocal.

Protecting Against Viruses On Macs

Apple Notes

After years of relative immunity, the Mac platform may now be more vulnerable to virus attacks. What precautions should you be taking?

Studio SOS

Your Studio Problems Solved

The SOS team visit a well‑appointed home studio to try to cure a strange noise problem and help out with some acoustic guitar recording.

The Beatles 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'

Classic Tracks

Recording the White Album was a major project by any standards, not least for Ken Scott, who, at the age of just 21, found himself engineering the biggest band in the world...

The Mix Review | June 2012

Analysing Commercial Productions

• Sak Noel 'Loca People'
• Labrinth 'Earthquake'
• Drake 'Make Me Proud'
• Florence & The Machine 'Shake It Out'

Notes From The Deadline

TV Music From The Inside

If you really want a direct connection with your audience, don’t write for TV — get down to your local high street.

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 rise of electronic dance music in the States has provided a breath of fresh air to the charts — and a much-needed boost to the music industry.

Studio File: Hansa Tonstudio, Berlin

Inside The World's Pro Studios

We open the doors on some of the world's most interesting professional studios with photographer Hannes Bieger.

Finding The Right PA System For You

Primer

Thinking of taking your act to the stage? Then you’ll need a suitable way of amplifying it, and that all depends on what and where you’re playing...

Q. How can I even out the bass response in my room?

Q. How should I treat my sample-library orchestral parts?

Q. Is it possible to customise icons in Logic?

Q. What’s wrong with wall-warts?

Q. Why has my mixer socket gone intermittent?