DAWs

If you edit audio in Pro Tools, you need to know about fades and crossfades. As well as being vital editing tools, they can also be used in surprisingly creative ways...

One of the biggest new additions in Sonar 6, Audiosnap, is a powerful time-stretching audio toolkit promising better-quality stretching and enhanced controllability. This month we'll explain the basics of using the new tools, following up next month with some real-world applications.

If your needs tend more towards looping and video editing than MIDI, Sony's distinctive multitrack recording package could be just what you're looking for.

This month we look at a Combinator building project that allows you to mix and manipulate loops on the fly.

Track Presets might not add anything to the sonic possibilities offered within Cubase 4 but Steinberg have been very keen to blow this particular marketing trumpet. So just what can Track Presets do for you?

We look at how the new Instrument and Effects Racks in Live 6 stretch the creative possibilities for combining and controlling multiple devices and plug-ins.

This month we discuss in-depth features in Waveburner and look at some of the included plug-ins that can be used to polish up a mastering project.

Over the last few years, Magix's Sequoia and Samplitude have quietly been establishing a name for themselves in the mastering and recording communities, and the new version 9 of Samplitude looks set to win plenty more friends.

The trend among plug-in designers is to integrate commonly used processes such as EQ and compression into a single plug-in. It saves on insert slots, but do channel strips offer any other benefits, and which ones stand out from the crowd?

You'll soon be wondering how you ever managed without the audio editing tricks and shortcuts offered by this month's essential DP workshop.

McDSP's compression and EQ designs offer a huge amount of control with the potential for accurate emulation of vintage devices. Throw in a tape-modelling suite and a powerful multi-band compressor, and you have the Classic Pack.

Sonar 6's new 'channel strip' offers multiple routings that enable techniques such as parallel compression, frequency-conscious dynamics control and side-chaining.

The new version of Cubase is all about big ideas, including a completely new way of working with tracks, plug-ins and virtual instruments.

Limitations to Cubase's audio routing and audio export facilities have always been frustrating, and are still present even in Cubase v4. Thankfully, there are some free or inexpensive third-party solutions...

Waveburner is bundled free with Logic Pro and offers some significant power in the mastering department. We take a look at the hidden jewel in Apple's crown.

We take a look at a variety of audio-related techniques, from the staples of soundbite editing to DP5's new Soundbite Volume feature.

Pro Tools offers punch-in features designed to make it work like a tape machine - except that you can change your mind later about where, when and what to drop in...

In the second part in our series, we're exploring ways to use Reason in a live electronica performance, laptop DJ set or jam session.

Another major upgrade for Cakewalk's DAW software adds powerful new features, and provides hands-on control at a touch.

It's back to basics for this month's Live workshop, with an overview of Live's time-warping technology.

I'm in charge of setting up my church's recording room. We have an Apple G4 dual-1.25GHz computer and a Behringer MX 2004a...