August 2003 In This Issue
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Competition Deadline: 2003-09-26 Your chance to win a set of pedals offering the famous Aural Exciter and Big Bottom processes! Reviews Closed-back Headphones A new pair of closed-back headphones from AKG which are well suited to recording and overdubbing. Psychoacoustic Enhancer Pedals A set of pedals offering the famous Aural Exciter and Big Bottom processes for your choice of instrument. 24-bit/192kHz PC Soundcard Launched under their Audiotrak badge, ESI's Prodigy 192 audio card provides support for 24-bit and 192kHz audio plus optional digital and MIDI I/O. But the really good news for software-based musicians is that it also provides a low-cost route to the company's EWDM drivers and Direct Wire technology. Phantom-powered Dynamic Mic BLUE's most affordable mic yet continues their tradition of off-the-wall design and styling. PC DirectX Plug-ins This bundle consists of no fewer than 11 Direct X plug-in instruments and five effect plug-ins. Loop-based Performance Software for Mac OS Options are growing in number for electronic musicians who want to perform live, and the latest real-time loop manipulation tool, Cycling '74's Radial, promises a new and uniquely intuitive user interface. East West Public Enemy: Welcome To The Sampledome Sample Library With PE main man Chuck D (alongside Gary G-Wiz) on production, this library features 49 original construction kits spread over two audio CDs. Stereo Tube Preamp A pedal-based stereo tube preamp for use with unbalanced line or instrument sources, including guitars and basses. Synthesizer Plug-in for Mac & PC We take a journey through a new software instrument that aims to put the distinctive sound of the famous ARP Odyssey analogue synth into your computer. Neuronal Resynthesizing Keyboard What if an instrument could combine the realism of a sampler with the complete control over its sounds that only a true synth can offer? That's what the long-awaited Hartmann Neuron claims to do. We put it to the test... PC Audio Recording Software As recording software gets more and more complicated, French developers Intuitive Works are taking a different tack with their first product, emphasising ease of use and ergonomic design. Dual-manual Modelled Combo Organ Korg's CX3 digitally modelled combo organ went down a storm when we reviewed it some two years ago. Now it's time to find out if the dual-manual BX3 is twice as good. Passive Monitors & Powered Subwoofer A new nearfield satellite and subwoofer system for stereo or surround applications, using infinite-baffle designs for a smooth frequency response and increased phase linearity. Portable USB Controller Keyboard The concept of the portable laptop-based studio is enticing, but you still need a musical input device — hence the current popularity of compact MIDI keyboards. And although it's not the cheapest, Novation's Remote 25 has much to offer... PC Music Workstation Does a standard PC take up too much space in your studio? Red Submarine's Mini-Sub system packs all the performance of a full-sized desktop PC into a diminutive Micro-ATX case. 24-bit/96kHz AES-EBU Digital Audio Card Among audio professionals, the electronic AES-EBU format is widely used for digital audio transfer. The SEK'D Prodif 88 soundcard equips Windows PCs with eight channels of AES in and out at up to 24-bit/96kHz. Surround Monitor Controller This affordable new unit from SPL brings surround monitor control within reach of the home studio owner. Analogue Tone Chameleon Rack Synth The ATCX really could be seen as four synths in one, as its unassuming exterior conceals not only an adaptable true analogue synthesis architecture, but also the filter characteristics of classic synths that include the Minimoog and the TB303. Swar Systems Swarshala & Swarplug Indian Music construction kit Combining impressive educational resources with a huge library of MIDI files and high-quality samples in stand-alone and VST Instrument formats, Swar Systems' software promises to open up the world of Indian music to anyone with a PC or Mac. Thermionic Culture Culture Vulture Valve Distortion Processor With high-resolution digital mixers, processors and recorders now standard fare, our recordings can sometimes seem too clean and sterile. As a result, there is quite a demand for devices and plug-ins which add a little distortion or warmth to a recording. This unusual product aims to give you every tube distortion sound you could ever want! Sample Library Ueberschall get all dressed up and strut their funky stuff on the dance floor with this two-disc collection of house samples (one audio, the other WAV including 12 minutes of audio). Plug-in bundle for Mac & PC This latest plug-in bundle from Waves combines their celebrated Renaissance Collections 1 and 2, with the added bonus of a new 'channel strip' plug-in. | People + Opinion Music Producers Guild assess demos Another selection of reader demos comes under scrutiny from the Music Producers Guild members. Digital Rights Management & Music A barrier to creativity? Music industry sources suggest that soon all CDs will have built-in copy protection, and plans are underway to fit PCs with a chip that will police audio use. Will this protect creative rights, or become a barrier to creativity? Quality Begins At Ohm Every link in the project studio audio chain has got better and, in many cases, cheaper too. Choosing good quality equipment and integrating it into a system of well-chosen components is a major step towards achieving better sound quality... Paul Whites debates the issue. Record Producer Many record producers are content to remain out of the public eye, but Mickie Most was a household name. In a unique interview before he passed away in May, Britain's most successful hitmaker looked back over his extraordinary career. David Gledhill Are computers changing the way we make music? If you're David Gledhill, the answer is an unequivocal 'yes'. Years of playing with guitar bands had left him disillusioned and on the point of giving up when he decided to experiment with recording on a PC... Recording & Remixing Roxy Music's Avalon Rhett Davies & Bob Clearmountain "When we originally mixed Avalon in stereo, I was thinking that it should be in surround,"says Bob Clearmountain. Twenty-one years on, he and producer Rhett Davies describe how they first made Roxy Music's classic album and how they finally got the chance to mix it in 5.1. Big George Webley If music be the food of love, why are there so many terrible cooks around these days? Recording Everything Must Go When Steely Dan ended a 20-year hiatus with 2000's Two Against Nature, they took full advantage of today's digital recording tools. For their new album Everything Must Go, however, they've returned to analogue tape and live band recording. Paul Tingen reports... Technique DP3 & Multiple Audio Interfaces; Waveform Editor Digital Performer Notes This month we take a look at using multiple audio interfaces with DP3, the new OS X patchlist format, and practical uses for the Waveform Editor for all DP users. Changes to Windows and PCs With big changes afoot for Windows and PCs in the medium term, we get the inside track on what they could mean for musicians. Drag Techniques/Backing Up In Sonar Sonar Notes It's not a drag to drag-and-drop, nor is it a drag to export your way to a truly universal backup solution. Craig Anderton explains all... Plug-ins Under OS X; Apple Music Store Apple Notes As the Apple Music Store online music experience is unleashed on an unsuspecting world, we speculate on the reasons for the recent reduction in Powerbook prices and take a look at how plug-ins are faring under OS X. Steinberg Cubase Tips & Techniques Both SX and Nuendo offer plenty of scope for recording and mixing in surround sound formats... Synth Secrets The characteristic sound of flute-like instruments is complex — but fortunately not so complex that it can't be emulated fairly successfully with a synthesizer... Logic Notes The Project Manager is one of Logic's most useful v6 features, and this month we show you how it can work in different ways to suit your needs. Windows Hardware Engineering Conference PC Notes We survey developments from the recent Windows Hardware Engineering Conference, which brought to light new information concerning the future of the forthcoming 'Longhorn' version of Windows. |
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