SOUND ON SOUND
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Take a powerful PC. Add a clever bit of programming, a soundcard and some samples, and you have the reality software synthesizer. Not a revolutionary concept, but wait until you hear the sounds! Martin Walker picks himself up off the floor.
First previewed at the NAMM show in January, Roland's first foray into the world of drum modelling is now almost ready for release. Nicholas Rowland brings you an exclusive preview from the official launch party.
If you don't fancy struggling to get a 'PC plus soundcard' hard disk recording setup working reliably, you might be interested in a system where pre-configured external hardware shoulders all the complex processing, while your PC just stays in charge. Martin Walker explores the Soundscape solution.
Cubase VST was the MIDI+ Audio sequencing sensation of last year on the Mac, offering built-in digital effects with no additional hardware required. Now, after much work, Steinberg have succeeded in porting VST to the PC — at the same price, and, once again, with no additional hardware required. Janet Harniman-Cook is suitably impressed.
Paul White checks over TSC's latest Mac-clone-based music studio package and sees red.
Yamaha have taken their MU90R, wired in a VL tone generator and put three-part harmoniser in the effects section. The result is the MU100R. Christopher Holder gets virtual.
Autechre's own take on techno is so far from the mainstream that the duo, Rob Brown and Sean Booth, can scarcely understand why anyone shares their tastes. The fact is that they do, in their thousands. Christopher Holder heads to Sheffield to work on his studio tan.
Composer and multi-instrumentalist Dirk Campbell is a successful TV music writer who refuses to toe the corporate line and never watches television. Dave Stewart about the complexities of an industry that offers substantial reward to those strong-minded enough to take on its challenges and contradictions.
The skills of world-class producer Don Was are constantly in demand. But, as he explains, years of taking care of someone else's work can have a disastrous effect on your own. Here, he reveals to Paul Tingen why (and how) he released a recording of his own for the first time in seven years.
Andy Keir casts a critical ear over the new Alesis rack mixer and discovers that he's in for a quiet time.
Dull, lifeless sound you can't do a thing with? Your problem could be direct injection — the scourge of modern recording, claims Glyn Cornelius.
A tremendously gifted yet private man, Greek composer Vangelis has contributed greatly to the acceptance of electronic music as an art form of its own with soundtrack work like Chariots Of Fire and Blade Runner. From 1975 to 1987, Vangelis did nearly all his recordings at his own Nemo Studios in London, a place hitherto as shrouded in mystery as the man himself. Richard Clewes dons his investigator's mac and turns his attention to Vangelis's Nemo years...
Why is no-one giving Mac sequencers away for nothing? Martin Russ dives into the sobering world of shareware and freeware.
The mathematical principles that produce beautiful images such as Mandelbrot sets can also generate intriguing music. Derek Johnson looks at a program that could make you go Atari fractal... Fractal Music.
Upgrading is becoming a regular task for many PC owners. Martin Walker gets stuck in once again, looking at hard drives, memory expansions, and faster processors.
Associating sounds with MIDI datafiles is not difficult, but does require some initial setting up. If your sequences never seem to sound the same as they did last time, Martin Walker may have the answers.
Big George looks at arranging for strings, brass and horns.
Paul White concludes his series with an exhortation to unleash your creativity...
If you're burning CDs at home, you'll obtain the best quality if your audio data is at its highest possible average signal level. Most people yawn at this and reach for the normalisation button on their audio editor, but, as Craig Anderton explains, unless you're careful, you could be doing your material a disservice...
Modern PC soundcards can deliver excellent audio performance, but are sometimes held back by the computer itself. Martin Walker shows you how to squeeze out the last drop of performance.