DAW Software

Version 6 of DP comes with improved hosting of Audio Unit plug-ins — but what does that mean for the MAS format? We consider the issues, and bring you a guide to DP's new bundled convolution reverb, ProVerb.

Dynamics control without compression, tuning for dummies, and vocoding for fun and profit... There's all this and more in part one of our complete vocal production masterclass.

Eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese culture. Will this eighth version of Pro Tools bring prosperity to Digidesign, as they try to establish their world-leading recording and mixing application as a serious contender in the music-creation market?

I'm at a loss. I cannot get the EVOC PS vocoder to work in Logic Pro 7 on a Power Mac G5 with Mac OSX 10.4.11 — or with...

Since we first reviewed Cockos' shareware Reaper multitrack recording package, it has undergone hundreds of improvements — but the bargain asking price has barely changed.

Sonar 8 introduced Beatscape, a new Cakewalk instrument designed specifically for the groovily inclined. We dig behind the interface for some tips and tricks you won't find in the documentation.

Having done your best to capture a high-quality recording of your vocals, how best do you go about processing them so they work in your mix?

Housekeeping tasks might not be as much fun as making music, but staying on top of them should ensure safely backed-up tracks and a hassle-free system performing at its best.

You can save time and cut down on mouse-clicks by using Pro Tools' window management features.

Think computer music's got no soul? Think again! Join us as we explore Reason's ReGroove mixer...

There's more to dynamics than compression and expansion, and now transient shaping is part of Sonar 8, courtesy of the TS64 Transient Shaper plug-in.

If you've lots of third-party plug-ins in different formats, it can be a pain to keep tabs on where they're stored and which version to use. We explain how DP's plug-in manager functionality can help, as well as offering guidance on DP6 features, including the essential new 'pre-generation'.

If you want to group tracks in Cubase, Group channels aren't always the best option. We explore what you can and can't do with the Link Channels function.

Logic's quantisation facilities can do lots more than just helping you to tidy up sloppy timing — although they can certainly do that. Here's a simple guide to some of the possibilities.

Digidesign's Transfuser plug-in is a sequencer within a sequencer — not to mention a sampler, loop-slicer, synth, drum machine and effects unit! We offer some expert tips to help you get to grips with it.

Sonar was one of the first DAWs to take looping seriously — which means that you'll find plenty of tools for making loop-based music easier.

Kick drums and bass instruments underpin most contemporary popular music, and it sometimes pays to tweak performances so they work better together.

Digital Performer has retained the same basic look and feel from its introduction right up to version 5.13 — but no more. The new DP6 looks almost like a different application, and conforms much more to OS X standards, so this month we bring you the first-look guide to what's new.

Clip Envelopes offer a powerful alternative to standard track-based automation, and have many creative and practical applications, so let's see what they can do...

Logic 8's 'Takes' functionality makes comping together several different passes of the same part quick and easy. We show you how to do it.

Sonar includes many effects that are useful for bass guitars, and also offers bass-friendly features that help speed up the recording process.