August 2005 In This Issue
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Competition WIN: Music-for-Picture Commission from Prodrive Deadline: 2005-08-30 PRODRIVE, the world's number one independent motorsport company, requires specially composed music reflecting their corporate image and one lucky Sound On Sound reader will get the job! Reviews FREE SOS DVD001 with UK/EU copies of AUGUST 2005 magazine Click the cover below for DVD contents list
Modelled String Instrument String Studio uses Applied Acoustics' physical modelling expertise to (in theory) generate the sound of any string instrument. Good or bad vibrations? We find out... Master Digital Clock Apogee's new master clock includes their latest clock-regeneration technology, which can synchronise to even very poor-quality clock sources. MIDI + Audio Sequencer [Mac OS X] Buying the Express version of Apple's Logic will save you a cool £500 over the full-blown Pro edition — and you'll still get a mighty powerful sequencer... 88-note Weighted Controller Keyboard The price of controller keyboards has fallen sharply over the past few years, but whoever thought that we would see an 88-note weighted-action keyboard with aftertouch for under £500? Enter CME's UF8... PCI Audio Interface [PC] If you are on a tight budget, ESI's new PCI audio and MIDI interface gives you more ins and outs for less money. But how does it stack up sound-wise against its pricier competitors? Virtual Analogue Synth [PC/Mac] Forget completely flexible software synthesis — what everyone wants, it seems, is emulations of 35-year-old monophonic analogue synths! We check out the latest modelled Minimoog, and see how it compares to the original hardware. MIDI Controller/Firewire Interface M Audio have been producing impressive, inexpensive controller keyboards for some time, and have recently moved seriously into Firewire interfacing. The new Ozonic seeks to combine both capabilities in one product — and all for less money than you'd think... MIDI + Audio Sequencer [Windows/Mac OSX] Tracktion's designers have given the program a thorough overhaul and added some significant new features. But have they succeeded in retaining its freshness and ease of use? Digital Production Console Not content with acting as a high-spec control surface and Firewire audio interface for your studio computer, this new high resolution console seems determined to outshine it with its slick touchscreen graphical interface and onboard VST plug-in hosting. Firewire Audio Interface [Mac OS X/Windows] A two-in, eight-out interface is the first audio product from British Firewire specialists Miglia Technology. Condenser Microphones Three new large-diaphragm mics from MXL include a model which attempts to recreate the sound of valves using solid-state technology. OS Upgrade + v2 Editor For Fantom X The Fantom X is Roland's best-ever workstation, but it has suffered from one or two annoying omissions, such as the ability to import Roland's own sample format. We explore the Fantom Xr rack module and ask if the v2 OS and editing software provide the solutions? Plug-in DSP Card For VS-series Multitrackers This new card narrows the gap between Roland's VS-series machines and computer recording systems by allowing the use of third-party plug-ins within the multitracker environment. We take a look at the card, its bundled plug-ins, and the first of the brand-name offerings from Universal Audio. Studio Monitor Tannoy's new Precision monitors bring their celebrated dual-concentric driver and Supertweeter technology to the project studio market. Dual Recording Channel In the red corner, weighing in at 0.8kg, is the latest addition to the TFPro range of outboard — a dual mic preamp with integrated dynamics processing. Multi-band Mastering Limiter [Mac/Windows] If you want your mixes to go to 11, Waves' new mastering limiter might be the weapon you need. | People + Opinion Reader Tracks commercially evaluated Listen online to the tracks whilst reading what music industry professionals think of the latest collection of SOS reader recordings. Response to your letters, emails and calls Replies from the editorial team to more of your valued feedback. Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of The Worlds 5.1 Surround Remix & Remastering Project Jeff Wayne • Gary Langan • Gaëtan Schurrer Peter Freedman • Rode Microphones The Wizard Of Oz Australian manufacturers Rode started off making their mics with imported Far Eastern components, but as SOS's Editor In Chief found out on a visit to Sydney, these days their products are entirely conjured up in the land down under... Paul White's Leader The UK/EU edition of SOS August 2005 comes with a FREE covermounted SOS DVD, featuring over 2.5 hours of SOS-created video tutorials and demos, plus in excess of 160 minutes of music and audio examples (including 60+ mins of reader tracks), 18 interactive product showcases, and plenty more! Find out why it has taken SOS 20 years to find its 'voice'... Technique Logic Notes We take a look at some of the stability problems still lurking in v7.1 under Tiger, and also reveal a couple of extra plug-ins tucked away in the new OS upgrade. CLASSIC TRACKS: The Bee Gees Stayin' Alive Producers: The Bee Gees, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson Disco was an American phenomenon, but its greatest hits were recorded in France by an English band who were trying to play R&B... Comparing Audio Restoration Plug-ins In Pro Tools Workshop We line up three of the most popular audio restoration packages available for Pro Tools. Which gives the most natural results, which is easiest to use, and how do you get the best from them? Steinberg Cubase Tips & Techniques We investigate the major and minor new features on offer in Cubase SX/SL 3.1. News & Rumours More news and ideas from the DP scene — as well as some good old-fashioned rumour-mongering... PC Notes The Pentium M processor has various desirable qualities, not least its very low power requirement, which leads to a reduced need for cooling and a quieter life for musicians. However, it has always been confined to use in laptops, with corresponding limitations — until recently. Apple Notes Apple users are used to transitions, having moved from 68k-based Macs to Power PC processors, and the classic Mac OS 9 to Mac OS X. Now it's time for the third and most shocking transition of all: the move to Macs with Intel processors. Making The Most Of EQ In Sonar v4 Workshop When is an EQ not just an EQ? When it's the Sonar v4 Producer Edition Sonitus EQ and you use it for some of the amazing processing tricks we're about to explain! Practical Groove Quantisation in Digital Performer Workshop This month's Digital Performer workshop aims to help you get into the groove more effectively, through the use of the program's sophisticated quantisation facilities. News & Tips Tiger tussles with Reload, Propellerhead's Akai sample-management software; the excellent free Electromechanical Refill gets an update to show off the powers of the Combinator... and we've patch browsing and Stereo Imager tips to offer. Recording Electric Guitars In Logic Workshop Find out how to record a great electric guitar sound into Logic, and which of the plug-ins have the most impact at the mixdown stage... Gordon Giltrap Recording acoustic keyboard instruments in a home environment can be pretty demanding, but with a little care you can still get professional results. Workshop You've recorded a real drummer, but the drum sound just doesn't cut it. Is there anything you can do to rescue things? News & Updates News this month includes more about 64-bit computing and details of a Mackie Control update for Sonar users — plus we offer handy tips on taming mute tools and MIDI notes. Spreading Your Music Across Networked Computers PC Musician Networking computers is now more straightforward than it used to be, there's a good choice of connection protocols, and Macs can get in on the act alongside PCs. The benefits for musicians can be considerable, as we discover... Brett Taylor-Homes The intrepid SOS crew answer a call for help from a drummer whose studio requires a monitoring and acoustics makeover... Part 1 Most modern musicians use samples, even if only in Sample & Synthesis-based keyboards or virtual instruments. But sampling itself has become something of a lost art. In the first part of a short series on rediscovering this skill, we look back at how the technique and the technology developed. Using The Malström Synth In Reason Workshop The Malström device can certainly be used as a conventional synth, but behind its slightly bizarre green front panel there's a powerful graintable sound engine begging to be exploited to the full. We show you how... Waves DSP; Editor's Keys Keyboard Stickers; Compatability With Mac OS 10.4 Digidesign (Avid) Pro Tools Tips & Techniques News of a new hardware DSP system from Waves; a mini-review of a keyboard sticker set for Pro Tools from Editor's Keys; the latest information on compatibility with Mac OS 10.4, and plenty of plug-in news. Sound Advice
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