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October 2010 Magazine Contents

Cover: Propellerhead Reason 5 - DAW

Reviews: Steinberg Nuendo 5 - DAW, VSL Vienna Choir - sample library, Vermona Mono Lancet - analogue synthesizer, Sontronics Saturn - multi-pattern capacitor microphone

Technique: The Green Studio: Alternative & Recycled Materials - feature

People + Opinion: Jon Burton: Mixing & Recording The Prodigy Live - interview, Silver Apples: Early Electronica -interview, Mike Strange: Eminem 'Love The Way You Lie' - Inside Track

Video Media: Stabilising Handheld Camerawork - tips & tricks

Reviews

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    5 Best Buys

    The Gear To Get You Filming Fast

    New to the world of video production and unsure what gear to buy? Our guide to the five best options in three categories will get you started.

    Reviews
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    AB Soft Neat Video

    Noise-reduction plug-in

    Neat Video is designed to deal with the kind of chroma (colour) and luma (black and white) noise that appears in digital video...

    Reviews
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    API 527

    'Lunchbox' Compressor-Limiter

    Could API's latest 500-series module be an essential purchase for Lunchbox users?

    Reviews
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    Blue Encore 300

    Handheld Condenser Microphone

    Designed as a hand-held live vocal mic, this mic has a cardioid pickup pattern, and seems very robustly engineered.

    Reviews
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    Cartec EQP1A

    Mono Valve Equaliser

    British 'boutique' outboard manufacturers seem to be rather thin on the ground these days, but if this Pultec clone is anything to go by, newcomers Cartec look set to make a big impression.

    Reviews
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    DPA PPC4000

    Phantom Power Checker

    The classic nightmare scenario for anyone involved in setting up microphones, whether for a studio or location recording or...

    Reviews
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    ESI Rekord M

    Portable Stereo Recorder

    Hardly a month goes by that a new handheld stereo recorder doesn't turn up at SOS Towers, but the Rekord M has to be the...

    Reviews
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    Faderfox MIDI Controllers

    DJ3 DL3 DX3 FX3 FT3

    The Faderfox controllers are bijou and boutique, and theres five of them to choose from.

    Reviews
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    Fishman Aura Spectrum

    Acoustic Imaging DI Pedal

    How do you make a piezo-miked acoustic guitar sound like a real miked acoustic? Fishman have improved on their already impressive answer to that question...

    Reviews
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    JamHub

    Personal Monitor System

    For low-volume rehearsals and jam sessions, most options to date have been quite limited, particularly for creating separate monitor mixes. The JamHub range aims to make the whole process that little bit easier and more immediate.

    Reviews
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    LCDVF

    Viewfinder for DSLR

    With the ever-increasing number of users turning to DSLR still cameras for video, more and more accessories are being released...

    Reviews
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    Magic Bullet Colorista 2

    Colour Correction Plug-in

    With so many different bundled and third-party colour correction plug-ins available, do Colorista 2s new features offer anything special?

    Reviews
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    Magix Samplitude Pro 11

    DAW Software[Windows]

    With the latest version of their unique object oriented DAW, Magix are targeting both mastering and recording engineers.

    Reviews
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    Prodipe TT1

    Dynamic Microphone

    Prodipe say they wanted to offer a high-quality, live-sound, cardioid-pattern dynamic mic at a very affordable price.

    Reviews
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    Propellerhead Reason 5

    Audio Production Software For Mac & PC

    The latest version of Reason incorporates new arrangement tools and two powerful new instruments, and even lets you record samples. Meanwhile, sister application Record continues to develop too...

    Reviews
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    Rotolight Interview Kit

    LED Lighting Kit

    Rotolight enter the competitive LED lighting market with a compact, battery-powered offering and plenty of accessories.

    Reviews
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    Rycote Universal Camera Kit

    Shotgun mic mount for video

    Rycote made waves in the studio world recently with their universal shockmount, which improved on the ageing 'cat's cradle'...

    Reviews
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    Scan 3XS Performance

    Laptop Computer

    Scans new laptop is as powerful as many desktop computers and aims to eliminate the unreliability so often characteristic of off-the-peg machines.

    Reviews
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    Soniccouture Novachord

    Sample Library

    You wait 70 years for a Novachord, then two come along at once... 

    Reviews
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    Sontronics Saturn

    Multi-pattern Condenser Microphone

    Sontronics mics usually sound as distinctive as they look - and this one looks more distinctive than most!

    Reviews
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    Sontronics Saturn | Media

    Condenser Microphone

    These audio files accompany the Sontronics Saturn review that featured in SOS October 2010.

    Reviews
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    Steinberg Nuendo 5

    DAW Software For Mac & PC

    With Steinberg continuing to focus on features for audio post-production, is Nuendo still a relevant option for those working strictly in music?

    Reviews
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    Tannoy Reveal 601A

    Studio Nearfield Reference Monitors

    Building to a price inevitably entails compromises. The art is in choosing the right ones...

    Reviews
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    Toontrack Beatstation

    Sampling Software Instrument

    Toontracks new sampling software instrument is simple to use, but also far deeper than it initially appears to be...

    Reviews
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    Toontrack EZX Electronic

    EZ Drummer/Superior Drummer Expansion

    Toontrack's EZ Drummer and Superior Dummer have proved hugely popular, in part because of the availability of expansion...

    Reviews
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    USB Acoustic Toy Museum

    UVI Workstation

    Acoustic Toy Museum is one of the more bizarre offerings from Ultimate Sound Bank, and is volume 10 of the UVI Soundcard range.

    Reviews
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    Vermona Mono Lancet

    Analogue Synthesizer

    The peculiarly named Mono Lancet is an analogue synth of the old school, boasting two oscillators, a filter with a debilitating debt to Moog, and knobs galore!

    Reviews
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    Video Copilot Optical Flares

    After Effects plug-in

    Picture this: you're working in an edit suite and the director comes and looks over your shoulder. "Let's try a lens flare”,...

    Reviews
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    VSL Vienna Choir

    Sample Library

    The Viennese maestros celebrate 10 years of sample creation with a foray into the world of vocals.

    Reviews
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    XILS Lab PolyKB

    Software Synthesizer

    Anyone with a passing interest in synthesizers, especially of the unfinished, unobtainable and commercially disastrous variety, knows of the RSF Polykobol II. Few have ever played one — but now theres PolyKB...

    Reviews
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    Zero-G Disco Gold

    Sample Library

    Zero‑G's Disco Gold provides over 800 loops presented in a 24‑bit, 44.1kHz stereo format, with some 1.7Gb of sample material in all.

    Reviews

Techniques

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    A Logical Reason

    Logic and reason dont just form the basis of rational thought — they also make for inspired composition...

    Techniques
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    CPU Throttling

    PC Notes

    There seems to be a nasty bout of CPU throttling going around. But don't despair: we may have a cure...

    Techniques
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    Creating A Step Sequencer | How To Create Scripts In NI Kontakt, Part 4

    Primer

    In the final part of this short series, we investigate a more advanced use of scripting to create a simple step sequencer. • Read Part 1 • Read Part 2 • Read Part 3

    Techniques
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    EQing With Multi-band Compressor

    Cakewalk Sonar Tips & Techniques

    When is a multi-band compressor not a compressor? When it's an equaliser!

    Techniques
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    Follow Actions

    Ableton Live Tips & Techniques

    We explore a cunning workaround to enhance Ableton Live's already powerful 'Follow Actions' feature.

    Techniques
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    Improving Audio MIDI Setup

    MOTU Digital Performer Tips & Techniques

    Digital Performer version 7.1 has been out for a while, but we're still feeling the love for some of its new features...

    Techniques
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    Mike Strange Jr: Eminem Recovery

    Inside Track | Secrets Of The Mix Engineers

    Eminem's Recovery has been one of the biggest hit albums of the year, spawning two number one singles — all recorded and mixed by Eminem's long-term engineer, Mike Strange.

    Techniques
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    Mix Rescue: Kate Ockenden

    Mixing & Recording Advice

    In a wallet-friendly departure this month, we rescue a reader's track with nothing more than careful use of Logic Pro's built-in plug-ins...

    Techniques
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    Mix Rescue: Kate Ockenden | Media

    Mixing & Recording Advice

    These audio files accompany the Mix Rescue article that featured in SOS October 2010.

    Techniques
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    Parameter Modulation

    Cockos Reaper Tips & Techniques

    Use parameter modulation to create clearer mixes.

    Techniques
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    Parameter Modulation | Media

    Cockos Reaper Tips & Techniques

    These project files accompany the Reaper Technique column that featured in SOS October 2010.

    Techniques
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    Project Templates

    Steinberg Cubase Tips & Techniques

    Creating your own project templates is one of those useful housekeeping jobs you can do when you’re in a less creative mood.

    Techniques
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    Resolving Hard Drive Problems

    Avid Pro Tools Tips & Techniques

    Does Pro Tools sometimes take an unwarranted dislike to one of your hard drives? Here's how to deal with it, and how to let non-admin users join the Pro Tools party.

    Techniques
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    Stabilising Handheld Camerawork

    Budget Rigs

    Handheld shots can look great, but too much camera shake can give the viewer a headache! We take a look at three budget rigs for keeping shots steady, and find out whether electronic image stabilisation can help.

    Techniques
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    Studio SOS: Tony Rigg

    Your Studio Problems Solved

    The SOS team are confronted by a confusion of speakers this month, and opt for a cost-effective DIY approach to sorting out Tony Rigg's studio acoustics.

    Techniques
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    The Green Studio

    Alternative & Recycled Studio Acoustic Materials

    Traditional acoustic materials from mineral and synthetic sources are subject to environmental concerns and possible health issues. Now there are affordable, green alternatives, but how suitable are they for the home studio?

    Techniques
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    Updated Mac Pro Finally Here!

    Apple Notes

    We've had some goodies from Apple recently, but now it gets serious: the updated Mac Pro is finally here!

    Techniques

Sound Advice

People

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    Jon Burton: Mixing & Recording The Prodigy Live

    Interview | Engineer

    As the Prodigy's chief live sound engineer, Jon Burton gets to unleash untold kilowatts of bass power on an unsuspecting world. He has also made multitrack recordings of every show on their 26-month world tour.

    People
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    Playback

    Readers' Music Reviewed

    Trousseaux * Dizraeli * marky:boyofdestiny * Eileen Daly & The Courtesans

    People
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    Paul White - Editor In Chief

    Respect The Computer!

    Leader

    Where does the time go? It seems like I just took down the Christmas cards, glanced out of the window five minutes later to see a few green buds on the trees, and now I'm already watching the summer fade away!

    People
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    Silver Apples: Early Electronica

    Interview | Band

    Silver Apples jammed with Jimi Hendrix, counted John Lennon as a fan, and produced extraordinary electronic music — with nothing but a drum kit and a pile of electrical junk.

    People
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    Sounding Off: What's the difference between education and training?

    Justin Paterson

    'Education in music technology' is a well‑worn discussion topic in SOS, its forums and beyond. Is it worth having, or not?

    People

Music Business

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    Notes From The Deadline

    TV Music From The Inside

    You might think that being a TV composer is a life of parties, beautiful women, fame, glory and dongles, but the reality is rather different. This unique chronological study plots the lifespan of a typical project.

    Music Business
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