Computer / Software

When it comes to MIDI files on the 'net you have two options: either trawl through the myriad of illegal pirate sites or deal with a professional. Paul Farrer separates the pros from the cons.

This month Martin Walker seeks out the suppliers of products aimed at reducing noise from your PC.

Proofing music with MP3 and SoundJam MP Plus is on the agenda for Vic Lennard this month...

Paul White evaluates the latest Logic Audio update and discovers that as well as a host of new features, Windows users also get a brand-new audio engine.

PC users have had to wait almost two years for many of the improvements which graced version 4 of Steinberg's popular sequencing package on the Mac platform. Now, however, they've leapfrogged straight to version 5, a major upgrade which incorporates all of those improvements and more. Martin Walker finds out if the wait was worthwhile.

TC have come up with a new twist on the analogue synth emulation theme by providing modular oscillator, filter and envelope blocks that can be combined with VST effects. Paul White tries a few variations.

Waldorf have emulated the original PPG Wave digital synthesizer in software for use as a VST Instrument. Paul White tries out the virtual Wave.

Business advice for those aspiring to a career in music does not always come cheap. John Walden trawls the 'net to see if he can find a free lunch.

The root of PC problems can often be found in incorrect or incomplete software installations. Martin Walker shows you how to avoid pitfalls when upgrading and adding to your existing applications.

Derek Johnson reviews a new MIDI output expander and ruminates on the release of a herd of Electronic Cow programs as shareware.

Vic Lennard gives the lowdown on the new range of Apple computers and accessories...

In order to get the most out of your audio equipment, you need to be able to line it up correctly. Most PC users, however, may already have all the necessary tools and, as Martin Walker explains, they are easy to use when you know how.

Emagic's virtual sampler provides Logic Audio users with a practical alternative to hardware-based sampling. Paul White puts it to the test.

Adaptec's Toast is already the most widely used CD-burning software for the Mac, thanks to licensing deals that have seen it given away with most CD writers. The latest update sees it now being sold as part of a tasty bundle, incorporating other useful applications and a CD labelling device. Mike Simmons finds out if it's too good to be true...

Hugh Robjohns looks at how a music track for film or video is handled at the dubbing stage, and explains much of the jargon associated with this element of a programme's construction.

Derek Johnson rediscovers an entire family of software from lost developer Hybrid Arts.

Vic Lennard gives soume sound advice on hard disk partitioning and also points the way to some useful free music notation software.

Auto‑Tune first started out as a TDM plug‑in (reviewed in SOS August '97), but subsequently...

Formats: Mac VST, PC VST, Wavelab, DirectX

Reviewed: PC versions

Steinberg's Mastering Edition...

Cheaper and larger-capacity hard drives are becoming available all the time. Martin Walker takes a look at ways for PC musicians to manage this ever-expanding audio storage space.

Utilities for monitoring CPU usage and file accesses are less than entertaining, but Martin Walker finds them invaluable for finding out what's going on inside his PC...