SOUND ON SOUND
Dave Stewart is an English keyboardist, composer, producer and author who started his career as a band member in the early 1970s. Since 1981 he has made 'pop music for grown-ups' with singer Barbara Gaskin, releasing seven albums on the duo's own Broken Records label and performing live in Japan, USA and the UK. He has also written TV & film music and created string and choir arrangements for various artists.
Dave is the author of two music books: The Musician's Guide To Reading & Writing Music (Backbeat 1992) and Inside The Music (Backbeat 1999). He has written for Sound On Sound (while resting between engagements) longer than any of us care to remember.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. Sampled Steinway D‑274 grand pianos aren’t exactly in short supply, but this one’s a bit special...
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. If you ever daydreamed about getting Mr Phillips’ drum sounds on your productions, your wish has been granted: our man has created three drum expansions for Steinberg’s Groove Agent.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. The latest instalment in VSL’s symphonic odyssey adds six new solo woodwinds to the company’s hall‑recorded Synchron series.
Spitfire travel through time to uncover the secrets of the BBC’s mysterious ‘special sounds’ department.
Soundpaint’s affordable wind instruments contain some hidden treasures.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. Damage Guitars 2 continues the metal mayhem with a collection of leads, riffs, grooves, motifs, shredding licks and a host of extras.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. This all‑in‑one library from Spitfire Audio brings together a broad range of orchestral textures in one easy‑to‑use package.
This all‑in‑one symphonic package offers an easy way to create orchestral arrangements. Distilled from seven large Synchron collections with no loss in sound quality, the library comprises two string ensembles, brass, woodwinds, ethnic winds, percussion and harp playing all the essential orchestral articulations.
A striking new sample collection brings SAM’s orchestral percussion bang up to date.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5/5 Stars. Devastator Breakout is the latest and largest library in Keepforest’s cinematic Evolution series.