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June 2021 Magazine Contents

SOS (US Edition) June 2021

Reviews: 100 Plug-ins Every Engineer Should Try (front cover) • Audient iD4 & iD14 MkII interfaces • GForce OB-E soft synth • Kali Audio IN-5 monitors • Focal Clear MG Professional headphones • Acustica Audio Sienna • Merging Anubis+ Music Mission interface • iZotope Spire Studio 2nd Gen • Erica Synths Black Sequencer • Norand Mono synth/sequencer • PreSonus DM-7 drum mic kit • Antelope VEQ-432C mastering EQ plug-in • Slate Digital FG-2A comp plug-in • Yamaha DTX6 electronic drum kit • Remic Classic stringed instrument mics • Golden Gear: Beyer Ribbon Mics • Audiobro Modern Scoring Strings library — and plenty more!

Techniques + People: John Foxx • Danalogue • (MPE) MIDI Polyphonic Expression explained • Inside Track: Burna Boy 'Time Flies' • How to succeed as an Online Session Musician • Mix Management — plus Cubase, Studio One, Live, Logic & Pro Tools DAW workshops.

Reviews

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    100 Plug-ins Every Engineer Should Try

    Essential FX

    SOS writers pick their favourite plug-ins and tell us what makes them special.

    Reviews
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    Abbey Road One: Legendary Low Strings & Sparkling Woodwinds

    Plug-in Instrument

    Rating **** 4/5 Stars. As promised at the time of release, Spitfire Audio are now following up Abbey Road One with a series of smaller, inexpensive mini‑libraries derived from the main collection.

    Reviews
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    Accusonus ERA 5 Bundle Pro

    Audio Restoration Plug-ins

    When cleaning up dialogue, speed, quality and ease of use are all important — and Accusonus aim to tick all those boxes with their flagship bundle.

    Reviews
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    Acustica Audio Sienna

    Headphone Correction & Studio Emulation Plug-ins

    What can the dynamic convolution experts bring to the world of headphone monitoring?

    Reviews
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    Antelope Audio VEQ-432C

    Mastering EQ Plug-in

    Antelope Audio recreate a cult mastering equaliser for their unique AFX platform.

    Reviews
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    Audient iD4 & iD14 MkII

    USB Audio Interfaces

    Audient’s budget‑friendly interfaces get a welcome update and a new look.

    Reviews
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    Audiobro Modern Scoring Strings

    Sample Library

    Audiobro faces the future with an all‑new divisi strings collection.

    Reviews
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    Baby Audio Spaced Out

    Delay & Reverb Plug-in

    This ‘wet effects generator’ is aimed squarely at modern productions.

    Reviews
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    Cinesamples Soundscapes

    Kontakt Instrument

    Rating **** 4/5 Stars. The Cinesamples approach to granular synthesis is based on a library of samples taken from recordings of violinist Michael Levine, which are divided into textures, pulses, pads, one‑shots and sound design patches.

    Reviews
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    Denise Audio Dragon Fire

    Dynamics Processing Plug-in

    Dragon Fire makes setting up frequency‑conscious compression very intuitive, courtesy of an on‑screen curve its makers call the Push Pull Graph.

    Reviews
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    Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork+

    Dual Pitch-shifter Stompbox

    The original Pitch Fork, reviewed back in SOS June 2015, now has a more grown‑up sibling, the Pitch Fork+.

    Reviews
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    Erica Synths Black Sequencer

    Eurorack Module

    Erica’s Black Sequencer combines ambitious functionality with some of the best knobs money can buy.

    Reviews
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    Fallout Music Group Unstrung

    Kontakt Instrument/WAV

    Rating **** 4/5 Stars. As the title suggests, this is a collection of string‑based sound effects designed with horror or tension in mind.

    Reviews
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    Focal Clear Mg Professional

    Open-back Headphones

    Focal’s revised flagship studio cans raise the bar yet again.

    Reviews
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    GForce Software OB-E

    Software Synthesizer [Mac]

    Can GForce capture the character of the legendary Oberheim 8‑Voice in software?

    Reviews
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    Golden Gear: Beyer Ribbon Mics

    Microphones

    Affordable, reliable and unexpectedly small, Beyer’s ribbon mics have been studio staples since the mid‑’60s.

    Reviews
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    Intensive Care Audio Vena Cava Filter

    Filter & Ring Modulation Distortion Pedal

    While the Vena Cava Filter is a distortion pedal at heart, the main functions of this unit are an auto-filter and ring modulator.

    Reviews
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    iZotope Spire Studio 2nd Generation

    Portable Digital Multitrack Recorder

    iZotope’s clever Spire Studio is back and better than ever.

    Reviews
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    JMC Orbitron

    Multi-modulation Plug-in

    JMC Orbitron can run up to four modulation algorithms simultaneously, and they can all be blended to taste with the main circular X/Y control.

    Reviews
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    Kali Audio IN-5

    Three-way Active Monitors

    Kali’s latest nearfield design offers an unprecedented amount of monitor for the money.

    Reviews
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    Klevgrand Pipa

    Software Synthesizer

    Pipa is a wavetable and granular synth with a voice of its own.

    Reviews
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    Merging Anubis+ Music Mission

    Network Audio Interface

    The new Music Mission transforms Merging’s desktop device into a powerful recording mixer and Ethernet audio interface.

    Reviews
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    Norand Mono

    Analogue Synthesizer / Sequencer

    Masses of modulation and an innovative sequencer make the Mono much more than just another monosynth.

    Reviews
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    PreSonus DM-7

    Drum Microphone Kit

    PreSonus’ affordable DM‑7 comes with all the mics you’ll need to capture a quality drum kit sound.

    Reviews
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    Remic Classic Series

    Stringed Instrument Microphones

    The new Classic range from Danish company Remic aims to offer high‑end performance at an attractive price.

    Reviews
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    Slate Digital FG-2A

    Virtual Analogue Compressor Plug-in

    The world’s not short of LA‑2A plug‑ins, but some are more convincing than others...

    Reviews
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    Strezov Sampling Choir Essentials

    Kontakt Instruments

    Rating ***** 5/5 Stars. For quick and effortless choral mock‑ups, or even more complete works, Choir Essentials boasts a healthy 11.5GB of sample content at a very attractive price.

    Reviews
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    The Art And Science Of Surround And Stereo Recording

    Book Review

    There’s no shortage of books discussing the science and practice of stereo and multichannel recording but the author’s approach to this complex topic is of unique interest because of his inclusion of quantitative data...

    Reviews
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    United Plugins QuickBass

    Bass Channel-strip Plug-in

    QuickBass offers a user‑friendly way to tailor bass guitar sounds to fit your mix.

    Reviews
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    Yamaha DTX6

    Electronic Drum Kits

    Yamaha’s new DTX6 range is a force to be reckoned with.

    Reviews

Techniques

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    Cubase 11: Pulse & Ticker

    Steinberg Cubase Tips & Techniques

    Cubase 11’s Sampler Track makes a great starting point for percussive sound design.

    Techniques
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    Cubase 11: Pulse & Ticker | Audio Examples

    Hear For Yourself

    These audio examples accompany the SOS June 2021 Cubase workshop.

    Techniques
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    DIY Acoustic Treatment - 15 Minute Challenge!

    VIDEO

    Sound On Sound's Editor In Chief, Sam Inglis, explains a neat way to put together a versatile acoustic panel for your studio.

    Techniques
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    Inside Track: Burna Boy 'Time Flies'

    Secrets Of The Mix Engineer: Jesse Ray Ernster

    Burna Boy’s second album Twice As Tall saw his brand of Afro‑fusion top the charts all over the world. Jesse Ray Ernster tells us the remarkable story of how it was mixed.

    Techniques
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    Live 11 Session View

    Ableton Live Tips & Techniques

    We explore what’s new in Live 11’s Session View...

    Techniques
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    Logic Pro | Advanced MIDI Manipulation: Part 1

    Apple Logic Pro X Tips & Techniques

    We demonstrate how flexible Logic Pro’s MIDI processing tools can be.

    Techniques
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    PreSonus Sphere

    PreSonus Studio One Tips & Techniques

    We take a look at what’s included with PreSonus Sphere.

    Techniques
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    Pro Tools 2021.3

    Avid Pro Tools Tips & Techniques

    The 2021.3 update brings limited Big Sur compatibility, and more besides.

    Techniques
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    Eddie Bazil of Samplecraze

    Using Dynamic EQ | Podcast

    Expert Production Tips

    Eddie Bazil takes us through some of the different uses for Dynamic EQ, including enhancing drums and vocals and separating elements within a mix.

    Techniques

Sound Advice

People

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    Avid CEO Jeff Rosica 2018

    Avid: Going Forward

    CEO Jeff Rosica

    We speak to Avid CEO Jeff Rosica about how the company have successfully navigated the pandemic and what the future holds....

    People
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    Stewart Tavener - Extinct Audio Microphones

    Extinct Audio Microphones - Stewart Tavener | Podcast

    British Ribbon Microphone Manufacturer

    Stewart Tavener from Extinct Audio and Xaudia chats to Drew Stephenson about the origins of his companies and how he became a ribbon microphone specialist.

    People
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    Generations | Part1: John Foxx

    Key Figures From Electronic Music

    In a new three‑part series, DJ, producer and remixer Dave Clarke meets key figures from half a century of electronic music.

    People
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    Lisa Rovner and Marta Salogni

    Sisters With Transistors | Podcast

    The story of electronic music’s female pioneers

    Director Lisa Rovner and Sound Designer Marta Salogni chat about their feature length documentary Sisters With Transistors, exploring the role of  women as pioneers of electronic music from the 1920s through to the 1980s.

    People
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    Talkback: Danalogue

    Dan Leavers

    This multi-disciplinary musician and producer takes our 10-question challenge.

    People
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    Unplugged

    Leader

    Putting 95 percent of your plug‑ins off‑limits, and describing in beginner‑friendly terms what the others are actually doing, makes you realise how much of what we do is pure habit...

    People
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    Why I Love... Listening Parties

    Michael Denny

    With the live music industry on pause, artists have had to find new ways to connect with their fans. Cue Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties...

    People
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