SOUND ON SOUND
The tiny MPK25 goes beyond knobs and buttons alone, offering MPC-style drum pads for added versatility.
The idea of a truly portable DAW application has obvious appeal, especially when that application costs as little as EnergyXT. But can you really carry everything you need to make music on a USB Flash drive?
Does the music download business have a future?
You can get a lot of audio interface for your money these days. The latest from ESI offers 18 ins and eight outs for a very reasonable price, and could be ideal if you need to record lots of sources simultaneously.
Version 8 sees another boatload of new processors added to the FL Studio family. And if that's still not enough, you can now create your own...
Put simply, if you want to send lots of audio inputs into your computer simultaneously, but don't want to pay too much for the privilege, the US1641 could be exactly what you're looking for...
Acoustica's inexpensive and easy-to-use sequencer continues to impress with the addition of MIDI tracks and VST Instrument support.
Akai will be best known to SOS readers for their samplers and ever-popular MPC range — so what can they bring to the controller keyboard party?
With unlimited audio tracks, support for VST and Direct X effects, and an intuitive interface, Acousticas Mixcraft offers a lot of recording potential for not a lot of money.