Computer / Software

The all-digital, computer-based recording studio is no longer a distant future possibility. Thanks to digidesign's TAM buss, many of the processing capabilities of a traditional studio setup are now available as computer software plug-ins. In the first of this two-part feature, Mike Collins takes us through some of the available options.

Brian Heywood considers what 1996 will bring the PC-based musician, and decides it will be the year of the DAM...

Blue Ribbon's SuperJAM has been around for quite a while, but many musicians still don't realise just how useful this program is. Paul Overaa provides a guided tour of the current version...

Martin Russ considers some ways of realising sound synthesis on your Mac using system or third-party software, and concludes his look at the PCI buss.

Ofir Gal reports back from a show in London which proves, once again, that there's life in Atari computers yet — even if Atari themselves don't agree!

Martin Russ continues his look at computer busses and reports back from the recent Apple Expo show.

Following the demise of the Windows MIDI Mapper under Windows '95, Brian Heywood considers ways of setting up alternative MIDI patch maps on your PC, and looks back on his personal favourite products of 1995...

Paul Overaa goes behind the scenes at Tangent Music and discovers a rather unusual Amiga connection...

The information superhighway, the 'Net, you name it, the hype just goes on and on... Ofir Gal finds out how music-making Atari users can join in the fast lane.

This unconventional sequencer program aims to let musicians work like musicians rather than computer programmers, and has already met with an enthusiastic response in its original Mac version. Paul Nagle hand-picks his virtual musicians and gets jamming.

The latest big thing in computer-based sequencing is the integration of real-world audio and MIDI data within the same program. Mike Collins puts the four leading Macintosh contenders head to head to see how they compare across a range of facilities.

Windows users looking for comprehensive and professional editor/librarian support for their MIDI instruments may not need to look any further. Paul Nagle perks up his patches with Unisyn.

Panicos Georghiades and Gabriel Jacobs checks out the long-awaited upgrade of this popular and professional PC sampler editor.

Approaching re-entry into the atmosphere, Simon Millward concludes his tour of the Cubase universe with a look at some of the flagship sequencing package's lesser-known functions.

Paul Overaa gives you the latest on the Amiga scene... OctaMED technique & ARexx.

The Atari range has undeniably been somewhat neglected in the race to produce the hardware and software necessary for integrated hard disk recording on today's computers. Ofir Gal takes a look at a German company who are determined to keep the Atari flag flying.

Martin Russ follows up last month's article by Nick Rothwell on using MIDI with modern dance by asking: how exactly does he do that?

Brian Heywood browses the World Wide Web, and takes a look at the latest CD-ROM writer from Yamaha.

With hardware almost becoming a 'taboo' word these days, David Mellor investigates what Digidesign's hardware-free recording software can offer the budget-conscious musician.

Simon Millward continues his mission throughout the furthest reaches of the universe of Cubase, boldly sequencing where no man has sequenced before...

Brian Heywood considers the role of affordable 'PC plus soundcard'-based digital audio recording systems, and considers whether such systems could ever mean the end of dedicated hard disk recorders...