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March 2003 Magazine Contents

Reviews

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    Alesis Air Synth

    Motion-controlled Synthesizer

    Alesis brought us Air FX, a motion-controlled effects unit, just before they ran into financial trouble in 2001, so the planned synth version never really appeared at the time. Now that they're back, the Air Synth is with us at last...

    Reviews
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    Alesis Picoverb

    Digital Effects Processor

    Alesis continue to show us how to cram big spaces into ever smaller boxes!

    Reviews
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    BBE Sonic Maximiser plug-in

    BBE Sonic Maximizer Plug-in

    Formats: Mac OS 9, OS X & PC VST, PC Direct X

    This plug-in produces essentially the same results as its analogue rackmount counterparts, so if you already know and like the BBE process, you should take no convincing.

    Reviews
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    Behringer MDX2600 Composer Pro XL

    Dynamics Processor

    Behringer have redesigned their popular Composer Pro, adding tube simulation, de-essing and dynamic enhancement.

    Reviews
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    Drawmer M-Clock

    Master Word-clock Generator & Sample Rate Converter

    Drawmer's affordable new combination of master clock and sample rate converters provides an ingenious solution for high-quality digital interfacing in the home studio.

    Reviews
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    Ebtech LLS2, LLS8 & HE2, HE8

    Line Level Shifters & Hum Eliminators

    The most reliable way of preventing ground loops is to use an audio transformer to isolate the two problematic pieces of equipment from each other, and that's exactly the approach used in the Ebtech devices reviewed here.

    Reviews
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    ESI Pro Waveterminal 192M

    10-channel 96/192kHz Digital Audio Interface [Mac & PC]

    Price barriers continue to tumble in the soundcard market, as ESI Pro introduce an interface offering four analogue inputs and eight outputs, plus digital I/O, two mic preamps and 192kHz playback, for under £200.

    Reviews
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    Fostex MR8

    Digital Multitracker

    Fostex enter the card-based multitracker market with a bang, offering eight tracks of uncompressed CD-quality audio from a single Compact Flash card.

    Reviews
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    DVD-Audio Authoring Software For Windows

    Minnetonka Discwelder Steel

    DVD-Audio Authoring Software For Windows

    DVD-Audio offers high-resolution digital audio and surround sound, but authoring packages have been too costly for the home studio - until now.

    Reviews
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    PMI Grandioso Bösendorfer

    Sample Library

    PMI's second Grandioso library takes a thorough approach to capturing every nuance of a Bösendorfer Imperial 290 concert grand piano.

    Reviews
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    Roland MC909

    Sampling Groovebox

    The latest in Roland's line of MC-series workstations is their best (and most expensive) yet, incorporating synthesis, sequencing, real-time control, and sampling. But in an increasingly software-driven world, can a Groovebox still cut it?

    Reviews
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    Scarbee RSP 73

    Sample Library

    5***** We check out the mighty Fender Rhodes 73 Stage Piano, brought to you in a new 3GB sampled version by the Danish company Scarbee.

    Reviews
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    Serato Scratch SE

    Turntable Controller For Pro Tools TDM, HD & LE

    We are used to the idea of using fader boxes and other MIDI controllers to manipulate our music software, but now Serato want to get us using our turntables to scratch digital audio. Can it possibly work?

    Reviews
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    Shure KSM137 & KSM141

    Capacitor Microphones

    These two small-diaphragm mics from Shure provide solid all-round performance with an extended low-end response.

    Reviews
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    Steinberg/Wizoo Halion String Edition (Volume One)

    String Library / Virtual Instrument [Mac / PC]

    Steinberg and Wizoo's latest collaboration aims to provide high-quality string sounds at an affordable price, with a software interface to make string arranging so easy that even drummers can manage it. Have they succeeded?

    Reviews
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    Summit Audio TD100 & TLA50

    Tube Direct Instrument Preamp & Leveler

    Two surprisingly affordable units from a premium name in high-end valve processing.

    Reviews
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    Swissonic AD8

    Eight-channel Preamp & A-D Converter

    Swissonic's high-quality preamp and A-D converter caters for 24-bit/96kHz digital audio in AES-EBU and ADAT formats.

    Reviews
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    Tannoy Ellipse

    Active Nearfield Monitor

    A striking monitor from Tannoy couples a revitalised dual-concentric driver design with a new Supertweeter, providing increased resolution for 24-bit/96kHz playback.

    Reviews
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    Vermona Perfourmer

    Four-voice Analogue Rack Synth

    Formerly the East German state synth company (a great concept in itself), Vermona re-emerged last year with the MARS monophonic analogue synth. Clearly determined to win back their reputation, they've returned with the four-voice Perfourmer...

    Reviews
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    Voxengo Curve EQ plug-in.

    Voxengo Curve EQ

    Formats: PC VST

    Voxengo's Curve EQ is a 'linear phase spline equaliser' with a 2048-point filter kernel, which lets you draw highly complex responses using its graphic interface.

    Reviews
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    Wave Arts Masterverb & Trackplug

    Formats: Mac & PC VST, PC Direct X

    Although most major MIDI + Audio sequencing applications include bundled EQ, dynamics and reverb plug-ins, they don't always sound too great, so many users are on the lookout for alternatives, like these two from Wave Arts.

    Reviews

Techniques

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    Comparing Stereo Miking Techniques

    Coincident-pair vs Spaced-pair

    We take a practical look at the pros and cons of coincident and spaced stereo miking techniques.

    Techniques
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    Maximising The Loudness Of Your Masters

    More Of Everything!

    We provide some tips for making your masters sound as loud as commercial tracks, without sacrificing too much sonic quality along the way.

    Techniques
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    Partitioning PC Hard Drives For Multi-boot Systems

    PC Musician

    As hard drive sizes rise into the hundreds of Gigabytes, it's crucial to consider the benefits that partitioning can bring.

    Techniques
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    Recording Bands On Location

    From Setup To Mixdown

    Recording a band is tough enough in the studio, but working on location adds another whole level of complexity. So here's how to overcome the inevitable setup gremlins and fix some of the most common problems at the mixdown stage.

    Techniques
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    Studio SOS: Loft Acoustics

    Tom Fox

    Recording in a converted attic, Tom Fox was having serious problems with his acoustics while recording drums, so the SOS team drove over to Yorkshire to sort things out.

    Techniques
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    Synthesizing Strings: PWM & String Sounds

    Synth Secrets

    Pulse-width modulation is a vital tool in achieving lush-sounding synthesized string pads — so what if your synth doesn't have it? Fear not, for PWM can itself be synthesized. Here's how...

    Techniques
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    Using Your DAW's Compressors & Limiters

    Software Dynamics Masterclass

    All of the main MIDI + Audio sequencers now have a bewildering array of compression and limiting plug-ins built in, but many home musicians are unclear about what all those controls and options do. And with so many varieties of each plug-in available, which one should you choose for the job in hand?

    Techniques
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    Windows' Multi-user Accounts

    PC Notes

    We look at how Windows' multi-user accounts can be used as a potential alternative to setting up different versions of Windows on multiple partitions.

    Techniques

Sound Advice

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    Q & A March 2003

    Sound Advice

    How can I create the fat bass sound I hear on commercial productions? What are the differences between S/PDIF and AES-EBU? Are there any problems powering UK electrical equipment with Vancouver voltages? Can you recommend some omni mics for chamber recording? How can I build a suitable enclosure to reduce the noise of my computer? Is it possible to create a fake stereo track from a mono source? How can I make my MIDI controller's knobs work? How can I mix a track on a multitimbral synth?

    Sound Advice

People

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    Bob Moog

    Voyage Of Discovery

    Unquestionably the best-known name in synth design, in 2003 Bob Moog was still creating innovative electronic instruments. With the new Voyager synth about to hit the shops and the rights to use his own name restored, his star seems to be on the rise once again. SOS chats to this founding father...

    People
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    Cutting Edge

    Microsoft Smart Display

    When you launch a new product, it's always best to have a clear message. You buy a dishwasher because you hate washing up, you buy a car because you can't walk 20 miles to work, or wait for the bus that comes once a week; and you buy a Microsoft Smart Display because, um...

    People
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    Declan Flynn (aka Alpha-X)

    Readerzone

    SOS reader Declan Flynn has been pursuing a career in the industry for a long time, since he became fascinated with electronic music as a teenager and bought his first synth and drum machine.

    People
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    Elliot Goldenthal: Composer

    Composition, Technology & Orchestration

    One of Hollywood's most intelligent composers, Elliot Goldenthal is equally adept at writing for the big screen as the concert hall or theatre. We talk to him about his background and approach to composition, technology and orchestration.

    People
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    Glen Ballard

    Songwriter & Producer: Alanis Morisette

    Glen Ballard was already a first-call songwriter and producer in LA — and that was before a young, unknown singer called Alanis Morissette walked into his studio...

    People
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    Paul White c.2003

    Live And Dangerous

    Leader

    Paul White shines the spotlight on worrying proposed changes to the UK's live music licensing laws...

    People
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    Producer: Steve Levine

    Restoring Culture Club's Back Catalogue

    Twenty years after Steve Levine first produced Culture Club, he reveals how he has been using a new generation of digital tools to restore those original recordings.

    People
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    Sounding Off: Results Of Software Piracy

    Mark Wherry

    Music software companies have warned us about the effects of piracy since the dawn of history; but are we now starting to see the results as smaller companies become absorbed into larger corporations?

    People

Music Business

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    Running Your Own Record Label: Part 7

    On The Record

    In this final part of our series, we recap on the key things you need to consider before you start your own label, and take you through the process to the first release.

    Music Business
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    Steinberg & Pinnacle: The Buyout

    What It Means For You

    The shape of the music-technology market changed dramatically in 2002, with the two largest German music software companies gaining new ownership from American corporations. Have Steinberg reached the summit with Pinnacle?

    Music Business
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