DAW Software

What do you add to the DAW that has everything? In the case of Samplitude 10, a complex new mastering compressor and some excellent automation features are among the highlights.

Understanding how to program SFZ files opens up lots of ways to better exploit what Sonar's bundled soft synths have to offer. Don't panic: it's easier than you might think...

Crafting the perfect mix is a difficult task, but often all you need is a bit of organisation to make things quicker, easier and more rewarding.

There's more useful stuff than you can shake a stick at this month, including advice on input monitoring, ways to get around latency issues, and news of CD-burning and audio networking applications to make your life easier.

New in Live 7, Drum Racks takes the Instrument Rack concept in a percussive direction. Read on to see what it can do for you and your drums...

You're given a Logic project with a less than impressive drum recording, and you need to make it sparkle. Do you book another recording session, get down to some serious editing, or replace the whole lot with samples? Delay your decision until you've read this article...

Small and affordable it may be, but Digidesign's Command-8 is also a surprisingly versatile and powerful tool for controlling Pro Tools.

When is a soft synth not just a soft synth? When it's also an effects processor...

Cubase 4.1 brings a wealth of new features: we explore what you can do with the new side-chaining function.

Everyone performs better when they can hear exactly what they need in their headphones. After our guide to simple DP monitor mixing options last month, we follow up with ideas for those with more complex monitoring requirements.

Convolution is the technology du jour for creating convincing reverbs, and if you're a Logic Studio bundle owner, you already have a utility that will let you get into it yourself, by creating custom impulse responses for the Space Designer plug-in.

Improving your Pro Tools system needn't always cost money. We look at some essential add-ons that can be downloaded for nothing.

Side-chain inputs on software processors can open up a whole new world of control possibilities — and now Sonar 7's plug-ins have this facility. We show you some ways of using it in your music.

It's so easy to reach for the same audio plug-ins time after time - but MIDI plug-ins such as Arpache can bring something different and shouldn't be overlooked.

With so many exciting features on offer in modern DAWs, it's easy to overlook less glamorous things that you need every day. A prime example is proper monitoring — not sexy, but a crucial factor in successful multitrack recording.

The newest version of Logic features powerful new effects, alongside improvements to existing ones. We explore what they have to offer.

Nowadays, we expect software to be able to change the tempo of recorded audio, but the latest version of Pro Tools integrates this functionality in a new and impressive fashion.

Following last month's introduction to the Thor synthesizer, we embark on a patch-building project and explore several of the key features of Reason 4's new synth...

One of the new features added in the Sonar 7 update is a very flexible step sequencer. We investigate its features and suggest some ways to make the most of it.

Early notes, late notes, stacked notes... There's a range of problems that could stem from MIDI timing issues — but fortunately we have solutions to offer.

Propellerhead's Reason software studio offers some great instruments and makes a good partner for DP - but there are various things to be aware of if you want to create the most hassle-free partnership. Our in-depth look at using the two applications together explains it all.