SOUND ON SOUND
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Have you ever wished you could create strange, ethereal textures like the ones you hear on the best sample CDs? Paul White shows that it's not as difficult as it might seem.
'90s glamsters Suede wanted a more electronic, produced feel for their latest album, Head Music, so they linked up with production supremo Steve Osborne. Tom Flint talks to Steve about the complex production of the group's latest Top 20 single.
You don't necessarily need the most powerful and up-to-date PC to create sophisticated MIDI and audio compositions. Martin Walker looks a little more deeply into what can be squeezed out of a complete range of machines, from modest to monster.
Paul White highlights the major features in the new version of Emagic's Logic sequencing software.
Is it a Filofax? Is it a Stylophone? No... it's Roland's answer to Yamaha's portable music Walkstation family. Faster than a speeding bullet, Derek Johnson and Debbie Poyser apply their X-ray vision to the new PMA5.
Conventional wisdom states that you can't 'fix it in the mix', but that doesn't mean you cant' try! Paul White discusses a few practical salvage techniques in the first part of this short series.
Sampled drums may be quicker and cheaper than the real thing, but there is something special about a real drummer hitting real drums. Hugh Robjohns passes on a few ideas and tips on capturing the best possible kit sound.
Most people expect that a digital input or output will simply provide a bit-for-bit copy of the original signal. After all, bits are bits, aren't they? Martin Walker sheds some light on the various things that can go wrong.
Last month, we looked at which elements are most likely to go wrong in the mix. This month, Paul White takes a more positive line, and looks at how to record the right instrumental sound to tape in the first place.
Mike Collins takes an in-depth look at Digital Performer Version 1.4/Performer Version 4.2 and the Digital Waveboard, which adds hard disk audio recording to Performer's powerful sequencer.
Legend has it that Sir Alec Guiness's character in Star Wars was named after Oberheim's original OB1 synthesizer; and, like that character, the OB-series has now overcome death to reappear in virtual form. Gordon Reid finds the new OB12 more powerful than he could possibly have imagined - at the price, at least...
You might expect Bjork's eclectic repertoire and capricious temperament to make the task of arranging and sequencing her live shows a nightmare. As Paul Tingen discovers, however, for Guy Sigsworth, that's half the fun...
Beethoven's amanuensis it might not be, but for dancey doodlings, you won't find a better scratchpad than the Roland MSQ700 'multitrack digital keyboard recorder'. Steve Howell reassesses the sequencer that dared not speak its name...
Cubase, in its many guises, has established itself as an industry standard on Apple and Atari platforms, and now looks set to be the benchmark by which other PC sequencers will be judged. Kevin Pawsey investigates what Steinberg has to offer the score-producing musician.
Once the artist, their record company and A&R manager have agreed the balance sheet, there are still artistic questions to be resolved. This month, continuing his look at working as a team, David Mellor explains how producer, arranger, programmer and session musician can live together in perfect harmony...
Norm Leete waxes lyrical about the mega-synth that introduced sampling to the world back in 1980 and went on to appear on innumerable hit singles and albums.
Not satisfied with pitching their previous Technox synth fairly obviously at the dance music market, German manufacturers Quasimidi have now gone all out with the in-your-face Raven. But is it capable of techno-by-numbers? Paul Ward climbs aboard and flies into a rave...
Paul White concludes this series with a look at phrase and loop sampling, the use of keygroups and mapping, and the use of the modern sampler as a synthesizer.
When it comes to emulating acoustic instruments, the modern orchestra probably represents the ultimate challenge. Philip Meehan shows you how to take it on and win.
Some synth manufacturers seem to be hedging their bets lately, building home keyboard auto-accompaniment features into seemingly serious synths, to appeal to both types of keyboard buyer. Will the strategy pay off for Yamaha's QS300? Derek Johnson finds out in style...