January 2011 by Wusik Dot Com

Editorial The virtue of thinking outside the box

Wusik Sound Magazine www.wusiksoundmagazine.com Issue January 2011

Managing Editor: MoniKe Assistant Editors: Damion Johnston, WilliamK Production Manager: MoniKe Some of the products reviewed in Wusik Sound Magazine are copies provided free of charge for reviewing purposes.

Articles by: A. Arsov www.arsov.net David Keenum david@wusik.com Ginno 'g.no' Legaspi www.facebook.com/ginnolegaspi ginno@wusik.com Johnathan Pritchett - aka Trusty www.myspace.com/crosssoldiers Stickybeats@yahoo.com Robert Halvarsson www.suecae.com suecae.sounds@gmail.com

Proof-Reading by: Damion Johnston - aka EM Dave Clark Dave O Mahony - aka Mckenic or mC www.mckenic.com Robert Halvarsson Peggy

Pictures: www.dreamstime.com

EVE’s Advertising: Henry Gibson Cover and Backcover: Pictures from www.dreamstime.com

Hello and welcome to the first issue of Wusik sound magazine of 2011. Our somewhat irregularly published magazine is out once more with some worthwhile treats for the entire family. As usual there are lots of reviews of new instruments, sample banks, effects and interviews featured. All in all: a well rounded dish to last well into spring, we believe. Worthy of note are the interviews featuring Richard Hoffman of Synapse Audio and Bootsy of Variety of Sound. We’ve also reviewed the updated version of Jamstix, Magix new guitar companion Vandal and a super-limiter by Fabfilter. And there is more too, but that is for you to find out by flipping trough this issue. Wusik Sound Magazine as a project is done by voluntary efforts. The people involved feel passionate and want to celebrate the diversity among both free and commercial musical applications. The spirit of DIY (Do It Yourself) is put to practice among so many people nowadays, from the SynthEdit VST creations of one basement teen to the huge projects of Sonar or Cubase. It's downright inspiring to write about and to communicate with the people behind all of this creativity. But we realize that the seemingly endless options available nowadays can make it hard for individual users to find what is right for them; and with ad campaigns running for the biggest brands, we would like to believe that we find some of the gems which falls outside the mainstream. There is virtue in thinking outside the box, making choices for your studio which reflect your personality, no matter if you are just starting out or have been doing this for years and years. And another bit of advice to remember while cruising the magazine - while on the lookout for new gear, plug-ins or samples - remember this: sometimes we can be fooled into believing that we need a better microphone, a better DAW or another guitar to be able to create music. But much more important then gear is the creative discipline which is fueled by the love for what you do. This is true no matter which is the era of the artist. In the art of sculpting and writing music, the relationship between you and your instrument is sometimes more important then the instrument itself! With this in mind I'll end this with short introductory text with a quote: “If only the best birds sang in the forest, the forest would be a quiet place.” With that in mind, who is up for sampling some bird song, putting it trough a granular filter while running it in reverse?! I know I am. Robert Halvarsson

MoniKe

Table of Contents Table of Contents

Interview:

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Synleor Harmony Improvisator and 7Aliens W2 Harmonizer by A. Arsov

Mbira from Nine Volt Audio by David Keenum

FabFilter Pro-L by Robert Halvarsson

Titan - from Best Service by A. Arsov

Jamstix 3 by A. Arsov

A scientist of sound - Bootsie by Robert Halvarsson

Developersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Corner:

Review: Spice Up Your Life with Dune by Robert Halvarsson Review: Dune goes Total Recall by Robert Halvarsson Interview: Richard Hoffman by Robert Halvarsson

Review:

Digital Sound Factory by Trusty

ElementP by Trusty

Mini Review by Ginno Legaspi

I Need Another Piano! Braunschweig Upright by David Keenum

Soundware Round-Up by Ginno Legaspi

Alchemy: Expanding and Expanding... by Trusty

Magix Vandal Guitar amp simulator by A. Arsov

Mini-Review:

Tutorial:

Reason & Record Getting started by A. Arsov

A scientist of sound by Robert Halvarsson

Herbert Goldberg, also known as Bootsie, is probably one of the most successful freeware developers out there. Wusik sound magazine decided to ask him a couple of questions to find out whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s behind the success of his project Variety of Sound.

in 2007, I finally started to implement the very first ones.

cooking, watching movies, and to hang out with friends.

WSM: What would you consider WSM: Looking at the blogosphere and on forums, your work has come your greatest technical achievement this far when it comes to your to be much-appreciated. What do current effects? you think are the reasons behind Bootsie: That is all my work about your success? Bootsie: I guess that mostly comes digital saturation as a whole. If I would have to pick just one single from each plugin's unique concept WSM: Tell us a little bit about development, then it's going to be and the quality of its execution. yourself and how it came that you FerricTDS, of course. That is much more than just the started to develop audio effects? Bootsie: I am both a computer DSP and coding. Its about a focused WSM: Do you have any specific usage concept, appealing graphical scientist and a musician. Since the hardware or software development time when VST technology emerged, design, and also things like support which inspires you in your own and documentation. I've started to move towards a work? complete ITB production. This took WSM: What do you do when you are Bootsie: Quite a lot. In general my some years, though. During that attention is everywhere where true time, I've missed something in most not developing Ăźber-great plugins? invention is. Today this is more in existing software processors, and so Bootsie: Well, I have a day job which keeps me spinning. I love the boutique or niche markets. some of my own ideas arose. Then 04

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WSM: In 2009 you won the prestigious WSM: Do you plan on eventually shifting gears into releasing commercial plugins or KVR Developer Challenge. What was your reaction to the level of support you work with existing software publishers? Bootsie: That could be possible. received? Bootsie: That was truly overwhelming and I am still very grateful for the community WSM: Any plans for the future of the to let that happen. Variety of Sounds project that you would like to indulge our readers with? Bootsie: Indeed, I do have some exciting WSM: There is a lot of creativity amongst many freeware developers, what would plans for 2011. There will be something aimed at better supporting the recording you recommend someone to think of who process, and later on something for is thinking about trying their own wings in this field? electronic music production. As of today I Bootsie: Since there is so much stuff can't be more specific. already out there, I would recommend to not add just another â&#x20AC;?me tooâ&#x20AC;? product. Set WSM: Thank you for taking the time answering our questions and best of luck in yourself a unique and sophisticated goal your future endeavours. and try to achieve it stepwise and not in one single step. Passion and patience is what you need then.

January 2011

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Spice Up Your Life with

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Dune by Robert Halvarsson

Synapse Audio is now a veteran company in the audio business. Their production platform Orion might be overshadowed by FL Studio and other similar players in terms of number of users, but it has earned a loyal fanbase through stability and wellthought-out enhancements over the years. For most though, I think they are recognised for their high-quality virtual synthesizers. When reviewing their offering X-Poly in an earlier issue of WSM, my verdict was that it was a well-rounded but somewhat limited synth. Not so with Dune. It is anything but limited and the two really cannot be compared feature-wise to one another. If Maxx Claster's Toxic three and Orion's internal synth WASP V would meet up for some smoking hot love and have a prodigal wild-child which overshadowed every ounce of its parent's abilities, they would call it "Dune." What's so special about Dune then? Well according to the description it is: ”A new subtractive synthesizer setting new standards in sound quality and flexibility.” Dune is an acronym for "Differential UNison Engine" and it takes the concept of allowing the synth to play several voices in unison, further 06

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spread out over the stereo field. What is superior when it comes to creating is different than most is that it allows sounds which feature dynamic, for deep programming in which the evolving textures. Dune also comes user can modulate individual unison with a whopping number of filter voices or voice clusters via a effects combinations, which are also dedicated Mod Matrix --- thus taking some of the best Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve heard in a synth. a tried-and-true concept and revamping it into something more There is a standard effects rack, too, profound. with delay, distortion, reverb, chorus/phaser and an equalizer. I have to admit that my knowledge is Although they are not inventions in limited when it comes to the same vein as Camel Space or any programming such synths as this, but high level glitch effect, they do what thankfully it comes with an interface they are supposed to and surprisingly which for most will be recognizable useful. They also contribute to and usable. It doesn't break from the conserving CPU consumption by tried-and-true look with ADSR reducing the dependency on outside controls and oscillators such as the FX. usual triangle, saw, square, etcetera either. Going through the 256 The reader might wonder: "Is there is patches it is clear to see that this is a any negative thing here to be found powerhouse that we are talking about at all?" Well, the factory bank has here. some patches which attempt to use Dune's diverse capabilities in an The previous Synapse Audio synths attempt to create a more real-world haven't lost their charm and I will not instrument modelling of an electric stop using either X-Poly or Junglist piano, a flute and things of that (the latter which I got for free in a nature. There are quite few to be Computer Music magazine), but Dune honest, but to my mind I could have January 2011

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done without them. Though, with some talented people who are just about to release commercial patch banks (as I am writing this) it is hardly a biggie.

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According to the Hugo award winning novel Dune written by Frank Herbert, the desert planet Arrakis most precious resource is its spice melange: Something which is sought after in the entire universe. Our Dune has not landed in a totally uncharted world, and the big players control most of the territory, but perhaps, it could be the sought-after spice that your mix would benefit from? In the end your own answer is what matters most, but if you are shopping for a synth, then trying out the Dune demo is highly recommended. Company website: http://www.synapse-audio.com

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Dune goes Total Recall by Robert Halvarsson

Rob Lee is a prominent synth enthusiast. He's also developed one of the first commercially available patch-banks for Synapse Audio's new synthesizer, Dune. In this issue I praised Dune and enjoyed most of its 256 synth patches. But for some that is not enough, and for those people, Lee's new bank Total Recall is a great way to extend Dune's capabilities. Rob Lee is not new to the game either; he's designed patches for such synths as Waldorf Largo, Blofeld and Sylenth1. For ₤18.00 GBP you get 128 more sounds which extend Dune in the field of contemporary dance-music production. Everything from ”Old Skool House and Techno to Electro House and Trance” is there, according to the man behind it. Such a broad definition says very little. Fortunately for us the quality is very high and inspirational, especially if you, like me, prefer to use a patch as a starting point, then apply changes to take it further, because good starting points are required to do this.

January 2011

Here you have basses which will cut through mixes like a warm knife trough butter. There are also House stabs that sound like they could belong to early pioneer stuff, as well as luscious pads. Some of this territory is already covered in the factory bank, thanks in part to Rob's work there as well, but here we have so much more. Some are even beyond good. Leads and organs are also featured here. Perhaps it is stretching itself slightly thin by attempting to be so much, but I'm not really in a position to complain due to the quality. I imagine house, trance, electro and minimal lovers are particularly well-suited for this, but some sounds can be good for more esoteric styles such as hardcore and rave. The bank is named after the good times when Lee got into DJ-ing, but by chance it also coincides with the title of Schwarzenegger's little-known sci-fi movie with the same name. This winter, the best way to extend a sci-fi synth could be to likewise get a sci-fi sound-bank.

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Aiming for the unique with

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Richard Hoffman by Robert Halvarsson

Richard Hoffman has, over the years, become a seasoned software developer. In parallel with reviewing his new synthesizer Dune in this issue, we caught up with him for a quick discussion about his and Synapse Audioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s past, present and future.

necessary in order to publish Orion. There was no business plan or anything like that.

WSM: You just released the virtual instrument Dune. How does it compare to your other synthesizers and what do you WSM: What do you think are the think sets it apart from other major differences today from companies' instruments? when you started out making Richard Hoffman: Dune is a milestone software? for Synapse Audio. It is the highest Richard Hoffman: When I started quality and most versatile Synapse WSM: Tell us a bit about yourself. making music software, almost all Audio plugin made so far. What sets it Why did you start developing professional producers were still using apart from other instruments is the musical software? hardware. Music Software was largely ability to achieve great complexity by Richard Hoffman: I was simply restricted to MIDI sequencers. There what is essentially a single-layered, amazed by the release of were only few solutions based on subtractive synthesizer. Propellerheads Rebirth RB-338 in the late 90s. It was way ahead of its time, native audio synthesis, such as sound trackers. Typically, the quality was not WSM: How does it make you feel but it was too limited with just two synths and a drum machine. So good enough for professional use. to see the reception by different naturally I wanted to extend that into Now it is almost the opposite: Most sound-designers and to see a full, flexible virtual studio solution; people work with software, and the different bank-contributions hence Orion was born. quality of plugins is catching up to, if appear for Dune? it does not already surpass, traditional Richard Hoffman: It is amazing! No WSM: Why did you choose to form hardware. other Synapse synth attracted so Synapse Audio? many sound-designers that quickly. Richard Hoffman: It was simply On top of that, what they get out of it 10

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is mind-blowing. It has more potential from a sound design perspective than any other Synapse synth to date, and of course future updates will push the possibilities even further!

Richard Hoffman: It is a team effort. I work out new ideas together with a team of beta testers, who give great input. They keep giving feedback from the first experimental version to the final product. There is no other structure except for this iterative process. In particular, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rarely any deadline as I believe they simply lead to compromises.

WSM: You've developed the virtual studio Orion for quite a few years now. What are your priorities for its eighth installment? Richard Hoffman: The focus is on its native sound quality, i.e. WSM: Do you have any what you can achieve without recommendations of what to 3rd party plugins. The new gear think of, for someone who will not only sound much better, wants to start creating their but some of it is also completely own effects or instruments? unique. Most software plugins Richard Hoffman: I would today sound very similar to recommend learning the each other (or even identical) existing instruments first. Some and the amount of them keeps instruments have become very growing, so I think it is complex, and it is a good idea important to offer something to be familiar with all the distinct. Perhaps some day modern techniques used before Orion mixes will sound unique starting something new. enough so that professional WSM: What are your wishes producers can tell them apart for 2011, personal, from the sound of other DAWs. professional and otherwise? Another objective, parallel to Richard Hoffman: A Personal that is to improve Orion's wish is to find more time for workflow. myself and relax more. I WSM: From idea to finished worked very hard in 2010. A project or instrument: how professional wish is that I'd like do you go about structuring to finish Orion 8 in 2011. :) your work?

January 2011

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Still on a winning streak!

Digital Sound Factory comes out with

HUGE Rapture expansions! by Trusty

It has been no secret that not only do think that the idea here was to take with only one or two elements I think Digital Sound Factory brought staple sounds from vintage (Rapture's oscillator slots) in use. the goods for Dimension Pro, but that synthesizers, and the old Roland get Even the mellower sounds are big. they are also some of the top sound plenty of play here, and have them The pads are shimmery, but yet "rage" designers out there. This is true "rage" though Rapture's engine. One in their own right, in the sense that whether or not they breathe new life thing that is always striking about all they break out of the mold of their into older sounds in newer Digital Sound Factory products is the former home synthesizer. I especially instruments, or if they are sampling sample quality, and here that high enjoyed the leads and basses on this and dialling up all new ones for these standard remains. Because of one, as they are as compelling as they instruments. Now, Digital Sound Rapture's expressiveness as an engine, are useful. If one is finding that their Factory has brought their considerable samples are not stale and stuck where current arsenal still lacks in the saw talent to bear on Cakewalk's Rapture. they are. In the right hands, such as leads or saw sequences department, There are some 1200 new patches DSF, the result of these sampled this one is a winner for sure. Get this spread out over three packages, all staples of vintage synthesizers is that expansion! categorized for easy access. they do, in fact, rage inside Rapture in ways that the original synthesizers Analog Digital Synth Resource: Every sound is top notch, and I mean couldn't. it. If one bothers to take the time to If the Synthesizer Rage package look at what is going on in the The success here lies in the approached Rapture with the concept programming in a good deal of them, programming, probably on the of using the old in new ways, this one the genius in these sounds becomes originals, and then once again inside takes the concept to the next level, even more apparent than just hearing Rapture. The concept is not to be and provides a bit more balanced them, especially in the "Sequenced" confused with Craig Anderton's approach in the sense that it isn't category of sounds. Rapture is a deep Minimoog Tribute collection for designed to "rage" so much as it is synthesizer, and the vast majority of Rapture. There, the idea was to take designed to "excel", if you will. It is the programs in these collections raw Minimoog waveforms and work more rounded in its offerings, and FM demonstrate this. from there inside Rapture. While great sounds show up a bit more here. An in its own right, there is a whole interesting, though small batch of Synthesizer Rage: arsenal of vintage synth goodness "synthesized" percussion sounds show packed into this offering by Digital up as well, and they are loads of fun It would be too easy to simply say Sound Factory, and not just from old inside Rapture. "the name speaks for itself." It does, analogs either, digital gets its due but knowing why it does helps. This here as well. The synth keyboard-sounds and other package is the one that carries the synth sounds are the stars of this largest sample package of the three. The most impressive thing about this collection. The impression from the The reason behind this is because I set is how BIG the sounds are even programming here is that it is 12

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designed to fit well with others. This makes for an easier mixing process and allows for more parts and layers in songs without the sounds fighting internally for space. The sounds range from thin to thick, from warm to cold, and the good news is that the warm and thick is just right, and the thin and cold is just right (yes, cold, thin, harsh, and digital is sometimes exactly what some of us want).

those are turning up a lot lately. Here the pad sounds are interesting and playable to allow the musician to bring the movement to the pad sounds. I really enjoyed the sequences here too. Many of them, like the pads, were rather "controlled" or "tame", which also, is a This collection is a go to collection that good thing. There are some outlandish expands the Rapture factory content epic, "one-finger-song" ones as well, in all the right places. It is more on but the more restrained sequenced the bread and butter end of things, sounds in this set make for perfect but Rapture definitely needed that in accenting of music, and can fit order to be the go to workhorse alongside melodies as well as carry synthesizer in one's arsenal it was one when you want the music to designed to be. Once again, Digital move into a breakdown. Sound Factory fills the gap for Cakewalk's instruments, and it is TheSynth FX in this set is great and greatly appreciated by those of us lacks the "heard it all before" feel to who love using instruments like them. Quite the contrary, they can Rapture. spice up any track with something new (until they get mimicked and Dance Tools: played out as well...hehe). The leads are good, but not as many as I This collection is great. It definitely expected. This is not a bad thing, as has all the latest sounds for dance the synthesizer and synthesizer productions, but without being clichĂŠ. keyboard programs are plentiful and There are plenty of usable basses in make up for it. In any case, there is a this set, and I was impressed with the folder of Synth Hits that, like the variety of bass sounds presented here. Synth FX ones, which stand out as There is a greater emphasis here on well. I really enjoyed the majority of pads, synth sounds, and synth them, and some of the samples used keyboard sounds here as well. The in them were very surprising and pads here aren't of the one finger epic unexpected. variety, which is a good thing, as January 2011

To Sum Up: These expansions deliver on all counts, and they are each worth adding to Rapture's programs and samples folder. The sample content by itself is great as well, and for the price ($50 a piece, or $100 for all three), this package can't be beat for Rapture fans, or those who need an excuse to buy Rapture. The programs are great, the samples are great, and once again, it can not be stressed enough that by buying Digital Sound Factory sounds for your instruments, the sounds will also function as good instruction on how to program the instrument. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a first class product. Link: http://www.digitalsoundfactory.com/c akewalk-rapture-electronicaignited/product_info.php/products_id/ 366

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My Missing Element:

ElementP by Trusty

Charming:

went further than the request, and it led to a re-release. I guess we should It is very rare that a discontinued thank Kriminal over at the KVR forums plug-in receives new life. When it does for making an inquiry that started it happen, and even if it is not your all, and more importantly, thank you personal want and desire for that Peter Linsener for having the following golden oldie that you simply can not attitude: "These commercially useless bring yourself to delete from your VST adventures are fun". I've interviewed folder, you should still support the him in the past, and he is simply an developer and the plug-in that does outstanding human being to boot. rise from the VST graveyard. It started as a simple feature request on Admittedly, I never bothered with it the LinPlug forum for a synthesizer years ago, when it all came out. This very few people still talked about, and was around the time my set-up had the end result was an update that not moved completely to software, so

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January 2011

I just ignored it, and then forgot about it completely over the years. However, when I read that thread (at: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/view topic.php?t=279250), I simply had to have it. I don't know why, but I am drawn into these sorts of things. It really was the most charming thing I had ever seen at KVR. As I read through the thread, I thought that this was the one thing I did not have covered in my musical arsenal: A unique percussion synthesizer.

I mostly make rap beats, though I have branched into other genres as of late as I am aging, but things like this, odd men out, as it were, are what breathe new life into stagnate genres (or at the very least, stagnate beat makers like myself who long ago got bored with cookie-cutter beats). So what the hell...I am a LinPlug fan, RMV, Octopus, and Organ 3 (which I loved under the name daOrgan...it was the "da" that made it have "streetcred" for me...just kidding). They provide all kinds of goodness on my tracks. Not to mention the fresh slew of updates that come out for them keep them consistent in my usage. In any case, ElementP has added spark to my percussion. I like drum synths as much as the next person, but this was something I could really use to set my tracks apart from either other people, or on the tracks I have made in times past.

somewhat more minimal because of the thickness of the drum. These usually let the 808's handle all the low end duties. However, I bother with ElementP because its basses are not either the typical acoustic bass sounds that usually go with deep trunkrattling kicks in these types of beats, nor does the synth bass sounds coming from ElementP conflict with them either. When presented with the options of either going without a bassline, going with an acoustic sounding bass patch, fighting with a standard VA (or even FM) synth bass with this style of beat to get a good mix, or coming up with something new from the tones of ElementP, I now have my standby. I'll go with ElementP every time, and stand apart from everyone else. The bass sounds can be smooth, plucky, or harsh, but never out of place.

By the way, aside from it having a good "sound" to it, the added benefit when using ElementP as a source for I use this thing in a variety of ways. I basses is that for tracks that normally even actually use it for basslines in would not be bothered with basslines, those hard drum-focused tracks that its limited parameters keep the other producers would not bother with "bothering with a bassline" to a adding a bassline. You know the ones. minimum. It is easy to dial in They are drum-laden with multiple something that simply works without layers, sparse synths, and decorated spending a lot of time on it. with brass and string hits and maybe some wah-guitar, ending up sounding First, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the unsung bass synth...

January 2011

Second, it is the "layers"... Of course, this is mainly a percussion synthesizer, and it is a darn good one at that. It uses an FM-ish method of synthesis. I add the "ish" because FM synthesis screams "complicated to program" to many people like me that aren't big into patch programming. However, one look at the interface should be all it takes to know that this one is dead simple to program. Anyway, you get some fantastic results. It can do the kick, snares, and such, but many times you have that elsewhere. The problem, especially for hip-hop producers, is that sometimes you want to make sparse beats, but want lots of interspersed percussion, and adding a bunch of bongos doesn't really fit the beat you want to make. Thus, ElementP becomes your best friend. It makes synthesized percussion sounds (even synthesized bongos), so you can add cool layers of rhythmic syncopation on top of the main beat. ElementP excels at these sounds, and dialing in your own is a breeze, but it also ships with more than enough useful presets to get going right away. One use I have found by adding this bit of percussive flavour to my beats is that I get to dial back on using the overdone, fly away from break speed high hats that have populated beat www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

ElementP

after beat after beat (...after beat). Replacing the "ticks" with some ElementP action yields something good, something new, and something different. You can get tinny with it if you like, and yet still will have moved far enough away from that same old hi-hat sound that should have went out of style five years ago. As is true with most FM drums, they make a great alternative to layering with acoustic drum samples than regular drum synthesizers. Moreover, they also make a great alternative to just trying to layer your drum synthesizers or synthesizer samples to get a full thump or crack from the kicks and snares. ElementP fits right in well here and by going to it rather than endlessly searching through your samples or drum synth presets for good sounds to stack on each other, simply load this thing up and dial in something that fits. Finally, yes...it can carry its own weight.

bits off vinyl, using ElementP as my "drums" has yielded some off the wall creativity in my hip-hop tracks that would not have happened at all without it. It does great kicks and snares, and the presets reflect this... ...but when you use those as starting points, and move away from "trying" to make it sound like standard kicks and snares (which is easy to do with this instrument given its structure), you begin to also move away from "normal" beat patterns, and then after some fun with the pad controller or step sequencer, find a new way to make patterns using a different kind of drum, resulting in a new style of track altogether (shutter the thought of something new sounding in rap music). The next best thing to making some track that moves everyone else in the cookie-cutter, crunk-by-thenumbers beat production game, is making something unique that move yourself, even if no one else likes it. All told:

While it must be confessed the above uses see play more often than using ElementP as my main source for laying my drum foundation, it still can do this job adequately enough. More to the point, in some cases where I made a beat using sparse instrumentation or cut up hits lifting 16

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It really is the case that a new instrument, even an old new instrument, can be a source of inspiration and creativity to get out of a production funk. This is especially true of instruments like ElementP thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not just another drum January 2011

synthesizer, or another VA synthesizer, or even just another uber-powerful do-it-all synthesizer. Those are great too, but it is the ElementP's (or the Synplant's, or whatever) of the software market that seem like novelty to many, but to some of us, they may be the "secret weapon" that defines a new era in your production. It may never be remotely close to LinPlug's bestseller, or even worth bothering with at all...but Peter bothered anyway, and I thank him for it. So many thanks go out to Peter Linsener for bringing this out to the public again. And you should be thankful too, so go buy something like CronoX, Saxlab, Octopus, RMV, or Albino 3, or MorphoX, (even ElementP) so he can afford to keep bothering with things like this. This time of the year, there are a slew of new releases on the market, but sometimes you can not go by wrong looking back a bit, getting something you missed the first time around. ElementP is $39 and available for PC and Mac. VST, RTAS, and AU (<-- yes, Peter even bothered with that too)

I Need Another Piano! by David Keenum I like pianos! From an early age dark, rich upright piano, don’t I’ve enjoyed banging on them! miss checking this instrument! And I like pianos in all its forms. From a lowly spinet to a mighty Imperfect? grand, they’re all good! And I guess I have to say that sampled Why pick a name like “Imperfect” pianos are a weakness for me. for your company name. Don’t They are a lot cheaper than the you want your samples recorded “real thing,” and they don’t take with perfection in mind? Or up as much room. Okay, they maybe you might want to take up a lot of hard drive space, program your sample libraries for but what’s a new hard drive a more realistic performance. when you “need” a new piano? And that’s just what the owner of And each new piano brings an Imperfect Samples, Matt entirely new sound. Each one Stedeford, set out to do. His has its own character, sound, philosophy is that slight attitude, and applications. They imperfections help the track are all beautiful! So you “need” sound live. To quote Matt: them all! “Geared for the professional producer, imperfect sample Which brings us to Imperfect libraries are useful for conveying Samples’ Schimmel a feeling of reality into a track.” Braunschweig Upright Piano. You’ll see this better when we I can hear my wife say, “Don’t discuss the specific patches. you already have an upright piano?” Well, yes, but that’s not Details the point. This upright sounds different from the other uprights. The Braunschweig Upright comes Then she says, “Other uprights? in two versions: Braunschweig How many do you have?” You Upright and Braunschweig see, she doesn’t understand. Upright Pro. There is also a path The Braunschweig Upright Piano to upgrade Braunschweig Upright has some great things going for to the pro version. The it, and besides that it sounds Braunschweig Upright has 8 different from any other piano layers and one microphone I’ve heard. But before I get perspective. The Braunschweig ahead of myself, let me cover the Upright Pro has 14 layers and details. two microphone perspectives. For this review I used the Wait a second. Let me say one Braunschweig Upright Pro. thing, and then I’ll get to the details: If you’re looking for a 18

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January 2011

Braunschweig Upright Creator and Distributor: Imperfect Samples

A review of Imperfect Samples’ Braunschweig Upright There are 4 groupings of patches: Main Instruments, Quiet Release, No Release, and Human Fingers. The Main Instruments patches are probably the ones that the majority of users will prefer. The patches come in 3, 6, 8, 12, and 14 layer versions. There is also a P2 (as in perspective 2) version in 3, 6, 8, and 11 layer versions. The P2 refers to an additional microphone perspective near the hammers. It has a percussive but softer, more intimate sound.

Web-Site: http://www.imperfectsamples.com (home page) http://www.imperfectsamples.com/ website/samples/braunschweig/bra unschweiguprightpiano.php

an especially dark performance. The Schimmel Piano fx offers piano performance effects, pedal sounds, wood knocking, lid open and close, and direct string glissandos. The Schimmel Space Piano contains gliding piano sounds. The Schimmel Split Piano is a three-layer upright piano in the right hand, and true staccato in the left hand. And finally, the Schimmel Staccato contains true staccato multi-samples. Impressions

An interesting patch is the From the opening paragraph you Human Fingers, and I think it know that I like sampled pianos, gives a clear insight into why the and I like pianos with character. company is named “Imperfect.” This one has plenty of character, This patch has the full sample of and as advertised, it is dark. It each note, including the subtle isn’t muddy or dense, but it is sounds that happen just before dark and rich. It reminds me of and during the finger taps on the a Mike Post piano called The Old ivory keys. This is to give a more Lady (now sold by SampleTek), realistic performance, but it but of course, it’s an upright, not might not be as easy to play due a grand piano. to the slight delay when playing the patch. My favorite version was the 14 While it didn’t bother me to play layer of microphone perspective the Human Fingers patch, I still 1. Of course it would be! It’s think it would be best used for the largest patch, memory-wise. playing previously sequenced It’s just that the detail is files. impressive, and it was fun to play! But the Schimmel Fantasy I must say that I like this Piano came in a close second. approach. Many times it’s an To me, it is moody and instrument’s little inconsistencies retrospective. and extraneous noises that give a track a live feel. This is a great And to finish the story the way I way to simply incorporate these started it, my wife read this into a track. Good job! review and said, “Okay, I’m convinced. Get this piano!” I There are 5 additional patches to had to tell her that I already had round out the collection. The it… but there is another piano Schimmel Fantasy Piano contains I’ve been looking at… only low-velocity samples to give www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

Alchemy: Expanding and

Expanding... by Trusty

Nope. I will not stop hyping Alchemy. It is still my favorite instrument ever. EVER! People who read my articles know that I never tout myself as some sort of programming genius. I don't even claim to be a novice, as that would be too generous. But Alchemy has met me in the middle, and that is why it is my goto instrument. I get better and better at it. Surely, for a less-than-novice sound designer like me, Alchemy should still be intimidating. But it isn't. Once I "got" Alchemy, I realized that it "got" me at the same time. Alchemy may not be your favorite instrument, but you know when your favorite instrument becomes that and why. It is because you find that it "thinks" the same way you think, and when you get it, it has you. Its that simple.

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Of course, when I get expansions I wonder what "quality control pill" get knocked back to earth. Which is those good people at Camel Audio are fine, because the guys Camel Audio taking, because I have yet to be taps for their expansions are tops. disappointed, now having reviewed Furthermore, they are good teachers. seven expansions thus far. When you study what they have done to deliver their sounds, you will enjoy Biolabs: Alchemy Labs using them in your music. The additional benefit is that they continue You can ask biomechanoid (aka Colin to instruct me in ways that I don't Fraser) yourself to verify, but I am his have to use Alchemy in my own sound biggest fan. When I first heard his programming. What I do well with demo track Alchemical Journey before Alchemy is F('ing)S(amples)U(p) in a Alchemy was released, I sent him an variety of ways. What these sound e-mail begging him for a .mp3 of it. designers do, is program incredible Yes, I am that bad of a fanboy. I must patches for me to put on top of my say, after hearing all that was going own (and hopefully drown my own on in the track, I knew Alchemy was out...hehe). going to be my kind of instrument. So I guess I can thank him for Alchemy Once again, there are two expansions as much as Camel Audio, because on here under consideration, one is a a personal level, it was what I knew he could do with it that could tie me solo effort, and one a group effort, both are outstanding. One has to over until I got my own head around

January 2011

"why is this in the bass folder?" Well, they also speak to you saying "yeah, I will tear your head off and take it to do actually do double duty as a lead the next level" feel to them. or oddball sound effect." Okay, so I get make-believe quote happy on The Arpeggiated sounds here are occasion, but some things can only be great. They wake you up and flood described in certain ways. This is one your imagination with what you want of those soundsets. I certainly think the instrument. And yes...his presets to do to make a song, whether or not everything from hip-hop heads to permeate my music. Hell, I blew over the sound itself ends up there is a “insert-whatever-electronica-subthree hours pounding away on my different story. For me, they are intros, genre-here” to death metal folks can padKontrol with the "Breakbeat Kit interludes, jumping off points, or just get some usable thump from these Granular" preset from the original plain inspiration and by the end of the bass sounds... Or to use them for factory bank of sounds the first night I track the sound is nowhere. All those something else entirely in the upper got Alchemy. options suit me just fine as a song octaves. If this description sounds like Ahem, anyway, as you can imagine, writer. With patch names like "Crazy a wide-ranging set, one is surprised his expansion gets the most usage of Redneck Banjo Arse", there is no that there are only 16 basses all of them...and I intend to milk it for room for hate. Other than a few altogether, but yet they add all that all its worth. Unlike Alchemy, which as exceptions in this category, the needs to be added. an instrument thinks the way I do, as sounds here are not melody-making, a sound designer, biomemechanoid song sucking one-finger wonder Once again, biomechanoid says "no" doesn't think like me. He thinks well sounds that drown everything out. to stale drum and percussion sounds. beyond my imagination, and I am Quite the contrary, they are sparse What is provided is an interesting mix grateful for it. He thinks up what I and sit on that razor's edge of making of drum and percussion sounds that at wish I had or could, and thinks up as much good use of the tiny bits of first glance give off the "cool, but I'd what I want without me knowing it. stuttered silence interspersed in the never use it" impression, but which This package is darn near perfect. I arpeggios as they do of the sound of ultimately ends up being used in some enjoyed the bulk of it. Unlike the arpeggios themselves. Not too capacity for rhythmic purposes when Bigtone's set I reviewed in a previous sure, but that may even by why they you find your usual drum issue, this collection of sounds isn't work so well for starting off, because programming boring. You think, "I quite as cohesive. These sounds don't they give you room to fill and build. need to layer this beat with have that: "there is a full album's something", and then think worth of material to cover all bases in The basses range from rip-roaring to "hmm...biomechanoid knew this would here", feel to them. That isn't a knock minimal, and yet they all do one of happen...so that's why they are there" against it. Rather, the sounds here two things. They either cry out to and once again, you are drawn in to have that: "there are sounds here that provide the bottom end of your tracks, that crazy genius brain of his. And it will make every track you put on an or plead with you by saying "trust me, works. In the set is also a good album have one or two sounds that I really am the bass sound you reminder why we should all make want"...even if you think to yourself samples from µTonic and muck them

January 2011

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Alchemy:

about with Alchemy. "Future Ninja Robot Kit" and "Troll Drums" see a lot of action in my music for a variety of different tasks.

aforementioned drum kit for the factory bank, will cost you hours of your life (especially with Artillery 2 running) but will be fun enough so you won’t care. The others in this folder will begin, end, or be a breakdown backdrop in more than half your songs...this I guarantee.

There are three patches in the "Guitar"-folder that are awesome. They sound good, and they sound like guitars, but still not. I used them, The Pads are great, they are thinking I wouldn't, which says everything from harsh to shimmery, something. The Keys folder has four patches, and sadly, I only liked one of elegant to ornery. They are pads for music that normally avoids using pads. them, and not just for the name This I like. The Soundscapes and (Frakkur), but that is not to say that Sound Effects are plentiful, and are they don't have high quality, because they do, they just aren't my cup of tea. useful to boot. In many cases, there is no mere "transition" sounds, there are Of the five Leads, they are all tops. sounds you would even want You may have something elsewhere underneath your melodies. The that sounds similar, but you don't Synths folders provide some useful have these, and they have that extra bit (made even more "extra" working "filler" stuff that add just the right flavor to sounds. In certain contexts, the Remix Pads) that your similar they make good leads when you want sounds will never deliver. There is the beat to continue on for a few bars only one lead sounds that really after you drop out the lead proper screams out at you, but all five are distinct enough to provide lead duties sound. Finally, you get some unusual Vocal sounds as well to round out the in several tracks. set. They are very interesting, and The Loops sounds are pure even if you don't want Sarah singing biomechanoid. They really inform you Alchemy in a song, the rest are fun to where he has his head in Alchemy. play around with. Whether drum loops, synth loops, or effect loops, he gives you a good mix Okay, so I don't know biomechanoid, of who he is and how he thinks about and I don't know if I have captured music. Not saying these define him, what he is trying to do or what he as no one can do that, but that for personally would say about his work, him, Alchemy is not gonna be average but this is what the sounds are saying sounding, or even usual sounding. The to me, and what I get from using constuction kits, like his them. This is my personal favorite of

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January 2011

all the expansions I have tried so far, and a soundset review this long certainly reads like a fanboy love letter, and I wouldn’t deny this. These sounds are defining for what I do and would like to do with Alchemy. I am grateful that biomechanoid has created this for me. The sounds here force on you to not make the same stuff you always make. They insist upon it. Cinematic: I don't make soundtracks for film or video games, nor do I make ambient music. I do, however, like to occasionally add that kind of flavor to the kinds of music I do make. This collaborative effort provides enough fresh content for people like me to get loads of use out of it without even being the intended target audience. In short, if you are into film, video game, and/or ambient music, this collection would be right up your alley, and it’s of very high quality. If you are not into film, video game, and/or ambient music, this collection is still right up your alley because it is very high quality, and it takes you somewhere new with the music you are already making...at least if you are creative anyway. Oddly enough, the categories of sounds are more diverse than I expected. I expected soundscapes, effects, pads, and loops of

Expanding and

Expanding...

soundscapes, effects, and pads. "Not There is some killer sounding stuff in so", says Camel Audio. Don't think here. you know better. I didn't know better. I do know Camel Audio, so I should Furthermore, the tweaking have known better. I should have possibilities with Alchemy open these known there was something in this for really cool sounds for other uses. I the rest of us, that had we not had found myself tweaking the remix pads this Cinematic set, we would have and came up with some great stuff for went without exactly what we have putting underneath my music tracks. been wanting, especially when it It goes without saying that these comes to sounds like the "Snap types of sounds do in fact make great Division" string patch, or the "Stabat transitions between songs for any Mater" loop patch. There are some genre of music if put to creative uses, cool stuff in here. Of course, whoever and might even make the idea of this Martin Walker guy is (the "albums" interesting and viable again. designer of the above mentioned Why? Because these types of sounds patches), he sure makes some cool help one visualize music, and perhaps sounds. people (aside from film/video game/ambient people) will start The rest of the people here do as well, listening to this kind of stuff and "see" and I don't want to leave them out. all the musical tracks they want for an Artvera does some heavy lifting here, album in a different way and build especially in the Soundscapes bridges from one song to the next is a department. She expertly takes the more compelling way. And there is no listener to another world, that is oddly genre specifically I am talking about enough, right alongside our own. The here. soundscapes she crafts have that "there but here" feel to them. Junkie There are a bunch of other XL and Luftrum do some serious collaborators that share some fine business here too. The former wanting contributions here and there, but the the claustrophobia feel of being obvious stars are the ones mentioned crushed by the oncoming onslaught of above who appear again and again on the ...er...something or other, and the the sounds you'll probably like the latter wanting your spine to tingle most, or at least the ones I like the from the touch of a feather (okay, an most. The contributions of the rest are occasionally heavy feather). As this is still top notch to be sure, but one can where the bulk of the soundset lies, see why the aforementioned names the non-film/video game/ambient guy show up so often. or gal like myself need not worry.

January 2011

I really enjoyed the mallets and organs, despite the few in number in these categories. The two Keys sounds are great, and interesting as well. Artvera and Martin Walker outdo themselves on the vocal sounds. They are great, and sound like what you would expect when you pass from one life to the next or when you pass through somewhere in the middle of a forest and stumble upon something that could very well change the course of history...or something like that. Anyway, I really did enjoy this collection of sounds. Atmospheric/Cinematic sound packs for various products are popping up all over the place these days (not to mention a huge synth that came out while back more or less packed with this kind of stuff), and I am listening, but so far none of them are touching Alchemy's contribution here. Camel Audio have two new ones out right now along with this one that are probably top notch as well. They are begging for all of us non-film/video game/ambient people to jump on them as well to do something cool with them in our own music.

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Magix by A. Arsov

Love at second sight

Vandal is living proof that "Nomen est omen" --- that is, Vandal is "true to its Sometimes it just so happens that we name": It has the best-sounding get the wrong impression first time distortion I have ever heard on any around. When I first tried Vandal I amp simulator. Somehow, whenever it have to admit that it left me a bit goes dirty it sounds and reacts like a disappointed. The default opening real guitar amp, much more so than preset came with a clean sound which other amps on the market. With some was not as impressive as the new gain and a touch of internal distortion, Amplitube 3, and there was not such a it becomes a real killer. I've spent the large quantity of included amps and whole afternoon mumbling indistinct effects either. I glanced rapidly words, playing dirty riffs over and through the few presets, then put over. Pantera and Metallica - here I Vandal aside for a while and thought come! If you are a metal-oriented, "Why the hell did I order this in the guitar player then you should first place?" and "What should I write definitely try this one out. about it when the time comes?" Nearly one month later I decided to When a man falls in low give it a second chance, this time spending the whole afternoon At the time being I also found that it tweaking and banging it. sounds good with my old bass guitar, so after a long time I've switched Second sight from my old crowded bass effect rack to a new one containing only Vandal Sometimes it just so happens.... I and an equalizer. I need the last one know, it sounds like deja vu, but ever for drilling some extra tight frequency since that afternoon, Vandal proudly holes to make a place for the kick stands in my default project set up, drum. All in all, far better results for being there whenever I start working less, with the added benefit of modest on a new song. Yes, it could be that a CPU-consumption. clean sound is still not Vandal's strongest point and, yes, there could So far so good be a few more effects implemented. On the other hand, it is the most CPU The graphical interface is pretty user-friendly amp simulator on the straightforward. At the top is a preset market, and what's more it is an browser along with few things like absolute dream for Metal lovers. gain, input and output --- essential stuff. Right under that first row is four windows for inserting what Magix calls 24

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January 2011

“Countless effects and stomp boxes.” Hmm.... They are far from being countless, but as they sound good, we could forgive them that they give us such a limited number of “Countless effects and stomp boxes.” I’ve tried them all, and liked them too. They are useful and sound good, covering most of the standard guitar effects you expect to see in a typical guitar rack spiced with a few exotic ones. Vandal is not a classic collection of amp simulations of particular models, because Magix decided to use a bit different approach and built the whole thing on another foundation. There is a technical tra-la-la on their site explaining the whole thing. Let's skip that and just state the obvious: it sounds good. So, there we've got two general amplifier models, one for bass and another for guitar. The last one has three preamp channels: clean, crunch and lead. In times when everyone appraises a pizza only by its size and not by the taste, it may seem pretty limited, but browsing through the presets proves that we don't need more than those two amps for getting the whole palette of well-known guitar amps. It covers everything from Gullien Kriger-attacked aggressive dirtiness to the strong “falling apart” Marshall-dirt. Being spoiled with endless presets on various VST-animals, I somehow forgot that you had to turn a few

(Guitar amp simulator)

knobs on any real amp to get the sound you want instead of just changing the preset. So we don't get the usual photo album of various guitar amps as is the habit there, and therefore we can't exchange amp stickers – but thankfully I'm old enough to still remember how those knobs should be tweaked. These are no strict simulations --just an ordinary set of amp controls along with dual microphone setups for setting the angle and distance of the sound and two additional effects windows for all the essential reverb and delay activities. That's it for the interface and the features. Not much to write about, but pretty much to hear. I love Vandal because it sounds like a real guitar amp and it is ultra-light on processor power. It is simple to use, and it works well also with synths. I wouldn't complain if there were a few more effects in this endless collection, especially those for spicing the clean sound, but despite this – this is still an essential tool, even if you already own Amplitube or Guitar Rig. Competitors may offer wider selection sound-wise, but Magix gets straight to the point, offering an authentic distorted sound. If you combine that with really low processor usage, you’ve pretty much found your winner. I found that presets on Amplitube and Guitar Rig sound somewhat wider, but the truth is that real guitar amps are mono, and they become stereo only if we put them through stereo effects. And that's exactly how Vandal works. In other words: objection denied! The price is 169 Euros, so it’s neither cheap nor expensive. The sound is right and life is bright. Enjoy! By: Heavy Mental musician Arsov www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

by Ginno Legaspi

XLN Audio Modern Jazz Brushes and Sticks ADPak Addictive Drums has always been my go-to plug-in instrument when it comes to acoustic and vintage drums kits. The AD Retro pack was such a good release, and now jazz, improv and fusion producers are served with this ADPak from XLN Audio. This twin pack is simply called "Modern Jazz Sticks and Brush ADPak." Sticks ADPak features a beautifully redcolored, premier Gen-X drum kit, with a mint condition Ludwig Acrollite snare to match its sound. The cymbals used are Sabian and Paiste, which complete the setup. It comes with 30 You can also stop the starter presets. sweep at any time for The Brushes ADPak features the same pauses. This gives you 12-piece jazz-kit drum setup as Sticks extremely realistic circle motions and an irresistible ADPak, but played with brushes. As groove". Both ADPak's far as sampling the whole kit, XLN Audio did an excellent job â&#x20AC;&#x201C; I can find come with 350 liverecorded grooves no shortcuts or compromises at all. The individual drum hits sound natural (rhythms and fills in and are well-recorded, too. They went different tempo ranges) to great lengths in recording the most for inspiration or for complete backup drum pristine drum samples with careful tracks for your next detail and precision. Of course, it masterpiece. Given the doesn't hurt to use high-quality gear such as AKG, Neumann and AEA mics articulations, expression and the feel of Modern through Universal Audio preamp's, Jazz ADPak, this is a must either. The Brushes ADPak also if you have Addictive incorporates what XLN Audio calls "RealSweep Technology." According to Drums. You'd be silly to let it pass you by. their website, "RealSweep allows you to make accents in the sweeps without interrupting the sweep motion. 26

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January 2011

Format: PC/MAC, Addictive Drums expansion packs Web: www.xlnaudio.com, www.bigfishaudio.com Price: $69.95 (digital download)

augment in your tracks. Sonically, this library with lots of ballsy, in-your-face sound. I love the analogue sequences, courtesy of Juno 106, SH-101, Moog Voyager, Studio Electronic SE-1 and MonoPoly, to name a few. Format: AU, VST, RTAS and StandAlone (Mac/PC), Elastik Instrument Soundbank Web: www.bigfishaudio.com Price: $99.95 each (DVD)

Ueberschall Electro Producer Pack Electro Producer Pack is a 1.3 GB monster library of electro and dance loops for electronic music production, designed and produced by Marc Steinmeier. All the loops and samples have been labeled according to root key and tempo as well as time signature for easy integration into your mixes. This pack comes with 2969 loops and samples, and is shipped with Ueberschall's own Elastik Player. As I've explained in my previous Ueberschall library reviews, Elastik Player allow users to directly manipulate the samples' pitch and timing without noticeable artifacts. The loops loaded within the player will always real-time sync with any DAW, too, making it easy to

Ueberschall Pop Music Crafting modern mainstream music has always been difficult. This is not necessarily because of the intricacies of the arrangement, but because you have to make the music as engaging to your listeners as possible, in my opinion, not to mention that you also have to have the right 'hook' for the song. Well, if you're running out of ideas and you can't find that exact 'hummable melody,' maybe Pop Music from Ueberschall can help. This massive 3.6 GB sample library has 1000 samples that focus on ballads, electro-pop, pop rock, classic and modern pop genres. Provided are 13 construction-type kits each with component stems. Each song-type kit (intros, verses, chorus, endings) are completely full of ingredients to make a full-track production, including full drum kits, acoustic guitars, amped guitars, strings/pads, acoustic pianos, e-pianos, percussion, smooth bass-lines, flutes, Rhodes and various synthesizers. The sounds themselves are very polished and well-recorded. It's very musical, and the loops can be dropped on any production. This is another Marc Steinmeier production (along with Peter Jordan), and is powered by Ueberschall's Elastik Player. Format: AU, VST, RTAS and StandAlone (Mac/PC), Elastic Player Soundbank Web: www.bigfishaudio.com Price: $99.95 each (DVD)

January 2011

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and a Yamaha SKRM-100 Subkick. Also, various preamps and DI were used in the recordings. So how does REB sound? To sum it up in one word only, realistic.

Propellerhead Software Reason Electric Bass Although Reason is primarily aimed at producing electronic/dance and hip-hop compositions, Propellerhead is constantly pushing it to be a production tool for all kinds of music. Their previous releases such as the wellrecorded Reason Pianos, the acoustic Reason Drum Kit, and Reason Strings are designed to capture the hearts of every type of producer. And now with Reason Electric Bass, the family of Propellerhead-released ReFills keeps growing. Reason Electric Bass is a collection of 'Hypersampled' electric basses for your Reason Rack. Simply put, 'Hypersampling' means: 1) Sampling in multiple velocity levels; 2) Using multiple microphones and signal chains to capture the characteristic of various amps and mics used, and 3) Applying the multiple-variation sampling technique to capture the instruments' attributes (ghost notes, slides) and noises (fret noise) to make them come alive. Reason Electric Bass or REB for short, features 8 iconic bass guitars (mostly vintage), namely, 1968 Fender Jazz Bass, 1965 Fender Precision, 1972 Gibson EB-0, 1969 Gibson Les Paul, 2001 Music Man Stingray 5-string fretless, 1978 Fender Precision, 1963 Kay Hollowbody and 1974 28

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The sound quality of the samples are of such high quality that even the 16-bit DVD version is convincing. The 'Style Basses' folder offers usable presets in this collection, in my opinion. There are 66 of them utilizing the Combinator unit. I especially liked the Rickenbacker patch called "Fascinating Street" - for that undeniable 80's vibe - and the nicely programmed style "Elektrik" and "Metal Cloud" patches for electronic style. Great programming on those two patches. Overall, this is an excellent addition to your ReFill library if you already have some of the ones I mentioned above.

Rickenbacker 4001. All basses were played either picked or fingered by renowned Scandinavian bass player Sven Lindvall. The recording session took place at Mandarine Studios in Format: ReFill for Reason (Mac/PC) Stockholm, using state-of-the art Web: www.propellerhead.se PRICE: $129 recording gear such as SSL 9000 mixer console and Pro Tools HD system. The basses were amplified using a '64 Fender Showman 'Black Face' (for that warm "all-round" character) and an Ampeg B-15 S Potaflex Bass Combo (for that powerful, vintage sound). Quality mics used in capturing the low-ends were AKG D12, Coles 4038, Didrik De Geer M49, Neumann U47 FET, Shure SM57 January 2011

Synleor Harmony Improvisator and

7Aliens W2 Harmonizer by A. Arsov

Harmony tools These days you don't need to be a musician to be the musician. No, I don't complain. Music is a not all about the finger skills, and secondly, knowing the harmony rules can't hurt, but it is not essential for some of the modern genres. In pop culture, imagination counts much more than the pure skill, but as soon you want to use more than three chords, you will need to know a few basic things about music theory. As you already know, the only problem with music theory is that it has something in common with the mathematical sciences. Some people get it, and some simply can't. There is also a third kind of people, those who don't care, neither for mathematics nor for music theory. 10 + 5 = 14 Synleor Harmony improvisator and 7 Alien W2 Harmonizer are handy tools for all one-finger keyboard players around the globe, helping them to get through basic harmony problems. Synleor Harmony Improvisator will help you to find appropriate chords in a scale, giving you all the possible degree combinations, while 7 Alien's W2 Harmonizer will lead you only through the basic major and minor chords inside the desired scale. But on the other hand, W2 Harmonizer offers 30

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January 2011

a large number of alternative scales from basic derivatives, like Aeolian, Dorian, and various pentatonic variations, to exotic ones from around the globe like Japanese, Jewish, and all other western, eastern, northern and southern sorts of scales. If we go back to Synleor Harmony Improvisator for a moment, we should mention that it has one really nice addition - if you lose yourself in the middle of a harmony progression, it offers you few usable suggestions, helping you to find your way out. But you should consider that Synleor Harmony Improvisator is not aimed for harmony dummies; you should have at least some essential knowledge of how things are going. That shouldn't be a problem as most musicians nowadays have at least some essential harmony knowledge. So Harmony Improvisator is definitively a no-no for one-finger artists, but it could be really helpful if you have all fingers but are having a problem with advanced harmony knowledge anyway. On the other hand, 7 Alien's W2 Harmonizer could be a life-saver for all those natural one-finger virtuosos, but the main problem is that most up-todate genres, like dance or trance, electro and such, use chords inversions. At some points this could be arranged, separated for peculiar chords in 7 Alien's W2 Harmonizer,

but I really miss some basic options for inverting all chords lying close to the root note of the chosen scale. Even though I'm not a one-finger virtuoso, I find this program useful anyway because from time to time I like to mess with some exotic scales, and 7 Alien W2 Harmonizer is a golden box full of those goodies. And having a basic chord progression along with those scales is a bonus. Synleor Harmony Improvizator also comes with internal synthesizer, containing a good measure of additional harmony degrees along with an integrated harmonic time line for constructing, editing and storing newly created progressions. With that program it is not so hard to become a new Wagner, but a problem arises when you just want to be a new Lennon /McCartney, Springsteen, or any other rock or pop composer. The main problem is that I really miss some sort of integrated, ready-to-go, basic chord progression library for various contemporary genres, with additional harmony suggestions, and as I mentioned in writing about the 7 Aliens W2 Harmonizer, some additional option for sorting the inversions around the root note. Both programs are on a good path, and if there was a way to compile things from both programs... eh, you can't have it all.

In the past, we from the old continent had a habit to solve such problems with marriages. So if a prince of Synleor would take a 7Aliens princess, and if their children could implement some additional harmony solutions that added some basic progression libraries, then all one-finger inhabitants along with the all-finger, self-made geniuses could live happily forever after. Till then.... Visit the http://www.synleor.com/ for downloading the Harmony Improvisator or http://www.7aliens.com/vst-midi-w2harmonizer.php for getting the W2 Harmonizer.

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Review of Nine Volt Audio’s Duo:

Mbira by David Keenum

Nine Volt Audio made a name for itself with its innovative loop releases. They did REX when REX wasn’t all that cool, and they made it cool. They made guitar loops cool. They figured out how to edit loops so they could be stretched to wider tempos. They called it BPM Flex Series. But have you noticed that they have gradually been issuing Kontakt instruments? And they have some interesting offerings. It started with Taiko. Then came Stickbreakers Vol 1: Tom Edition and Stickbreakers Vol 2: Ten Man Taiko. Next came Duo: Tingklik, and now Duo: Mbira. The Duo: Tingklik features two TingKliks, the bamboo marimba-like instruments from Bali. The Duo: Mbira does the same for one of Africa’s most famous musical instruments. What is a Mbria? The Mbira is one of a number of Lamellophones (“lamella”= plate and “phonos”= sound) including the African instruments: mbira, sanza, kisanji, likembe, and kalimba. They have also been classified as plucked idiophones, the same classification as the Jaw Harp and the Music Box. That came as a surprise to me, but it makes sense. All of these instruments use a metal tongue and a resonating board. With the African instruments the resonating box is wooden, and some of the instruments have pieces of

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metal, even bottle caps, to act as “buzzers.” To my ear, the Mbria sounds similar to the Kalimba (the instrument we are probably most familiar), but with more “thud” or “thump” to it. You hear more wood and less metal.

an audio and a video demo, on the product page (http://www.ninevoltaudio.com/produ cts/duo_mbira.html), and you can download the user manual to get a detailed explanation of the “User Interface Controls.”

There are a number of patches. The first 6 are “Lite,” “Medium,” and “Large” versions of the Mbira Nine Volt Audio sampled two Mbiras Dzavadzimu and Mbira Nyunga. Then for this release. The larger model is there are 8 patches of both Mbrias from Zimbabwe and is referred to as “Mbira Dzavadzimu,” where the smaller programmed as if two players are playing at the same time. Finally model originates from Mozambique there are 18 patches of arpeggiator and is referred to as “Mbira Nyunga.” patterns. Each of the arpeggiator It has fewer keys but includes “buzzers.” These “buzzers,” referred to patches has a separate page of “User Interface Controls.” Again, this gives above, are bottle cap-sized pieces of metal that vibrate and buzz on a plate you lots of options to customize your patch. as the keys are played. There is a knob on the Kontakt interface that Impressions allows you to adjust the amount of “buzz.” Within a few minutes of opening Duo: Mbira, I had started a song. Enough Which brings me to the interface… I said? Well, maybe I could add a little love it! Kontakt has matured to an more. I found the single instruments amazing instrument, and I really patches accurate and expressive. appreciate it when developers use it Obviously the “Lg” versions sounded to its fullest potential. The patches more detailed, and they played fine on for Duo: Mbria are a fine example of this. Each patch contains three pages my old single core Athlon 64 computer. The “duo” patches add a nice depth of “User Interface Controls.” They and detail. You can control the stereo are: Effects, AHDSR-EQ-Scale, and Humanizer. And each page contains a spread, EQ, humanize the performance, and a number of other number of adjustments. For me, this greatly enhances the usability of these user controls and still work quickly. samples. There are more details, and The Details

January 2011

Duo Mbira Creator and Distributor: Nine Volt Audio Web-Site: http://www.ninevoltaudio.com/ http://www.ninevoltaudio.com/produ cts/duo_mbira.html But when I started listening to the arpeggiator patches, I was immediately interested! I’ll admit it is my favorite part of the entire collection. That’s not taking anything away from the other patches, and it may have something to do with my current project. But the arpeggiator patches gave me just the “spice” I was looking for! Spice might be a good word for describing Duo: Mbira. The

sound of the two instruments, the User Interface Controls, and the wide variety of arpeggiator patches makes this a great collection for adding some spice to a track. If you are interested, go listen to the audio demo and watch the video. See if you need some Duo: Mbira “spice.”

Price: $59.99 - Duo” patches are available allowing Details (from the webpage): for the simulation of two people - Over 1.5 GB of 44.1kHz/24bit playing simultaneously. These samples and 32 Kontakt 3.5/4 patches have additional “Spread” instrument patches and multis. interface controls. Download is 950 MB. - Arpeggiator patches and multis - Core natural patches are offered in include 12 patterns per patch. “Lite”, “Medium” and “Large” sizes to Patterns 1-6 are duple meter (2/4, accommodate different levels of RAM 4/4), patterns 7-10 triple meter (3/4, and CPU usage. “Large” patches 6/8), and patterns 11 and 12 are 5/4 have 80-100 samples per note and 7/8, respectively. sampled on both instruments. User - User interface controls are available interface controls are available to to alter chromatic playing modes to the instruments’ original keys and scales – along with numerous other keys and scales. - Additional user interface controls include: convolution reverb (with 14 custom IR .wavs), saturation, stereo width, velocity curve, low and high pass filters, delay, low, mid and high EQ gain, AHDSR, remap knob and humanization. - Duo Mbira is compatible with full retail versions of Kontakt 3.5 and up. The free Kontakt Player will only allow for 30 minutes of unrestricted use.

control the depth of automatic sample rotation and other humanization features. Humanization can approximate 810x10 round robin and beyond.

Sample Resolution: 24bit/44.1 kHz resolution Formats: Native Instruments Kontakt 3.5 and 4 Test Computer: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz, 4GB RAM, Windows XP Pro SP 3, Echo MiaMIDI Audio Card

January 2011

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Fabtastic to the Limit FabFilter Pro-L by Robert Halvarsson

Limiting is usually done last in the mastering chain, to bring up the song to commercially viable loudness levels. First off, let me state the following: I am not a professional mastering engineer. Like most producers in the spirit of do-it-yourself (DIY), I quickly realised that my music was perceived to have less loudness than songs playing on the radio, so I asked myself what I could do to get them to that same level.

Fabfilter Mastering Bundle

After a painlessly installing and firing it up, I was struck by the very elegant aesthetic of Pro-L. It is visually beautiful and gives a clear graphical outlook on how the limiter works by showing the user a real time level display as well as a level meter. By adjusting the gain slider you will see in real time how your audio is affected, showing gain reduction in red. Depending on how detailed you want Fabfilter's Pro-L Limiter is a brickwall to see the limiting process there are limiter which purpose is exactly this. three normal metering scales as well Following the mixing stage, where you as industry-standard scales based on make sure that all instruments and Bob Katz's K-System. effects are balanced against one another, a proper master process is Aside from the visual side there are undertaken to make the “final four limiter algorithms ranging from product,” so to speak. the subtle, to giving your final master a punchy and pumping character. Wusik Sound Magazine has reviewed There are a lot of presets perfectly Fabfilter's products before. In the arranged according to style, ranging December issue of 2009, we called from house and electronica to hip hop, their filter effect Volcano 2: “an to acoustic pop music as well as rock. incredible piece of software that This gives Pro-L a broad appeal and an everyone should have in their folder.” easy way to understanding its Well, Pro-L could be considered the different uses. It is all very sleek and missing piece in a trilogy, consisting also pedagogical due to the fact that of: 1) Pro-L limiter; 2) Pro-Q equalizer Fabfilter has implemented an and 3) Pro-C compressor -- which are interactive help section which sold as a bundle by Fabfilter. complements their offline manual nicely. 36

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January 2011

But, in the end everything comes down to actual performance. Is Pro-L able to deliver the result to be expected? I put it up against my current “go to” limiter; which we may call “brand X”, to see how it compares. What seemed to be a general theme was that Pro-L seemed to not only preserve dynamics better, but also managed to bring forward a sense of vividness in the audio material. These things can be somewhat hard to define, but the material sounded less stale, more alive, and the stereo width was preserved to great effect. Switching through the presets resulted in really different results, and as my skill hopefully improves I hope to be able to tweak these with more precision. You can push your material ridiculously loud if you want to, but physics will remain an obstacle no matter which limiter you use. If you choose to go a little more

conservative and avoid the more extreme side of what has been dubbed “the loudness wars”, you will always have the option of squashing the material to great effect with Pro-L.

Taking into the fact that I am not a mastering engineer, I must say nevertheless that I am very impressed by what Fabfilter Pro-L has to offer. It can go further than what I have experienced with other limiters, and it offers a great variety of options in terms of actual limiting, and it sounds

just plain great! At the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about isn’t it? Read more and download a fully functional demo at: http://www.fabfilter.com/

January 2011

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Soundware Roundup by Ginno Legaspi

Future Loops Infinite Sounds from a Future Cosmos This massive collection from Future Loops sits proudly on the atmosphere, pads, texture and FX tip of electronica. Infinite Sounds from a Future Cosmos is a well-conceived library that includes 8 DVD's with over 17 GB of content. You get a mind-blowing total of more than 3200 loops (in 44.1kHz/16-bit WAV format) that could easily slot into ambient, soundtrack and experimental music. Production-wise, this library excels in many ways. I'm particularly impressed with the sound design team to come up with a universe of selections. The pad samples are strikingly rich and varied. They're always "moving" and some are "pulsating;" it is far from sterile. The sonic textures in Volume 3 - Desert Soundscapes appeals to me especially because of the clever use of reverb applied. There are so many samples in this volume that sound huge, it benefited from a nice ambience wash. So what do you get in this package? Well, lots. And here are all the titles included in the box: Vol 1 - SEA EXPLORATIONS is a profound collection that takes us to beautiful aquatic worlds where no man has gone before. 38

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Vol 2 - ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCES brings you the fascinating world of robotic beings and machines. Vol 3 - DESERT SOUNDSCAPES is filled with distant and hidden lands, sand people and wind storms. Vol 4 - SPACE EXPLORATIONS will embark you on a journey through galaxies, planets and distant alien civilizations. Vol 5 - BIOSPHERES is a dazzling collection of all living organisms and secluded habitats.

sounds from the coldest regions of the cosmos. Vol 8 - PHENOMENONS brings us the striking beauty of natural wonders, cosmic events and geological hazards. Bottomline, Infinite Sound from a Future Cosmos is a serious tool for producers of game music, cinema/TV soundtracks and electronic music. Many of the loops are a real gem and instantly usable in different applications. For $99, it's a no-brainer. WEB: www.futureloops.com www.bigfishaudio.com

Vol 6 - MAGNETIC FIELDS is a terrifying deconstruction of the world and laws of physics.

FORMAT: WAV files (Mac/PC)

Vol 7 - ICE AGES has impressive sound design and showcases the

PRICE: $99

January 2011

Big Fish Audio Funk Soul Horns

Sample Magic Soundtrack & Chill

This collection from Big Fish Audio Since the release of their contains 3 GB of horn samples Electro-House library a packaged into the usual collections of couple of years ago, Acidized WAV files, Apple Aiff loops, Sample Magic have REX files and RMX. As the title become a force to be suggest, Funk Soul Horns is geared reckoned with when it towards producers making funk, soul, comes to high-quality hip hop and R&B music. This DVD sample libraries on the offers hundreds of licks from a web. massive horn section comprising of Containing a wide two trumpets, trombone, alto sax, selection of loops, onetenor sax and baritone sax. Here we shots and soft-sampler have 10 construction kits ranging patches, Soundtrack and from 65 BPM to 130 BPM, 1-8 bars long. The kits are further broken down Chill is designed for soundtrack, chill, into different folders that contain ambient and new age different individual instrument loops, strike me as impressive, but the best producers. The content - 4.48 GB on as well as a mix of the horn section the DVD multipack - is divided into 10 sounds for me are the atmosphere & playing together. This type of textures as they're great for folders of Beds, Chords-Hits-FX, flexibility allows the producer to have Elements, Guitar, Keys, Nature, Piano, background beds in ambient total control of EQ, pan, effects and composition. mixing & matching of the loops. The Rhythm, Vibraphone and Vocals. loops sound astounding and the Tempos range from 60-80 BPM, with popular audio formats such as WAV, WEB: performance is top-notch but the www.samplemagic.com inclusion of 800-plus extra solo makes Apple Loops, REX2 and Stylus RMS www.soundstosample.com this library a sure winner. A must for supported - all in 24-bit glory. There is also a handful of sample patches for producers making funk+soul music a Kontakt, HALion, EXS24 FORMAT: lá James Brown. 4.8 GB DVD Multipack (2751 files) and NN-XT thrown in 44.1kHz/24Bit WAV's (1.57GB, 612 WEB: for good measure. All files) the samples were www.bigfishaudio. com Stylus RMX compatible REX2 files performed and (736MB, 559 files) programmed by FORMAT: Apple Loops (1.57GB, 620 files) veteran samplesmith EXS24, NNXT, Kontakt and HALion ACID WAV, Apple James Johnson - who AIFF loops, REX has other great sample patches and RMX libraries under his belt. PRICE: 44.1kHz/24-Bit, This is a very well £59.95 DVD 4.6 GB of content produced, edited and £49.95 (Digital) arranged library. The PRICE: mesmerizing pianos $99.95 under the 'Piano' folder January 2011

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Soundware Roundup

Sounds Of Revolution Minimal Techno Revolution Vol. 1 This comes from German sound designer and sample developer Oliver Schmitt aka "Sounds of Revolution." Another part of the Revolution series, Minimal Techno Vol. 1, is his latest sample set featuring over 3.16 GB (including 1.1GB content of 2167 WAV files) of loops and one-shots in pristine 24-bit quality. It is delivered in different formats, so you'll get REX2, AIFF Apple loops and patches for EXS24 and Kontakt 3. The vast majority of the loops fall into the minimal techno sub-genre but Sounds Best Service Certified Hits of Revolution also designed the loops to be useful in other electronic music Wouldn't it be good if you had a production as well. The 1500 single megastore a few blocks away from sounds of bass, synths, fragments, your house that would offer kick drums, claps, sound effects, everything you need --- from food to electronic percussion and toms offer immense variety that can beneficial to household items and automobile tires those who want to construct their own to pliers? I think it is a great idea to custom kits. As for the overall delivery have everything in one location. Now, and programming of the loops, and as Certified Hits from Best Service has a similar idea that many producers and I expected from a Sounds of musicians might want the same in a Revolution product, this is a high one-shot drum library. This quality sample pack worthy of praise. convenient package in a DVD is stuffed with 5000 hits of the most WEB: unique, production-ready drums and www.sounds-of-revolution.com FX hits ever created. Certified Hits is divided into five sections: FORMAT: 3.16 GB Sample Pack, 24-bit WAV's (1.1 GB/2167 files), plus REX & Apple "50 Drum Kits" is a custom kit folder with combinations of samples that are Loops, plus EXS24 & Kontakt 3 found in the Body Shop, FX Factory, Patches Platinum Production and Synthesis folders. The "Body Shop" folder PRICE: includes all kind of noises made from â&#x201A;Ź67.22 (digital download)

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January 2011

every kind of human percussion imaginable. "FX Factory" has all kinds of FX sounds to grab the listeners attention, from bits & bytes to broken breaks and drum mutilations to filtered snippets. "Platinum Production" are samples with productionready quality that were edited and mastered carefully with great attention, and finally, "Synthesis" covers all your electronic drum hit needs. Although there are plenty of great-sounding samples included in this library, the selection can be overwhelming. Choosing what's right for your production will take time when it comes to audition and combining. But then again there's the '50 Drum Kits' which is already build for you.

WEB: www.soundsonline.c om

WAV, Apple Loops, Kontakt, HALion, EXS24, Reason NN-XT and SFZ PRICE:

FORMAT: Acid WAV, REX2, Apple Loops, Reason, Live, HALion, Battery, Kontakt, EXS24 and Stylus RMX/SAGE 44.1kHz/16-bit, 1.12 GB WAV's

ÂŁ29.95 for each download Best Service Production Tools Vol. 3

PRICE: $125.00 Loopmasters Indian Sessions Vol. 1 & 2 Loopmasters' Indian Session Vol. 1 and 2 is a collection of Indian samples comprising of 1 GB and 990 MB files respectively, with styles ranging from traditional rhythms to modern melodies. Both volumes were performed by Indian percussionist KV Bala Krishnan, but some of the the loops you want is easy to choose and simple to slip into your latest samples were performed by hired masterpiece. Indian percussion loops local musicians and vocalists that KV teamed up with. All samples were are the spotlight here, but the sitar harps and phrases are as equally produced and recorded in India to impressive as the tablas. This is a give that maximum authentic vibe while mastering was done in-house at great collection that would work well Loopmasters' studio. The samples are with other genres. delivered in 24-bit format, with tempo WEB: ranges from 75-170 BPM and supported audio format includes WAV www.loopmasters.com and Apple Loops. In addition, 46 ready-to-play patches are included for FORMAT: major soft-samplers such as Kontakt, 1 GB (Vol.1) and 990 MB (Vol.2), 24HALion, EXS24 and Reason's NN-XT. bit rate Folders are clearly labeled, so finding

January 2011

This is the third installment of the Production Tools series, and with every volume it just keeps getting better. It consists of a selection of 35 tool kits for Electro House, Tech House and Progressive House productions. Each kit folder is tempo-labeled and comes with a full track along with all the constituents drum loops, drum hits, instrument loops, midi files and instrument patches. Production Tools Vol. 3 is shipped in 44.1kHz/24-bit DVD with more than 3.5 GB of content. You'll find standard audio formats such as WAV, Apple Loops and REX files on disc. The multitude of loops are great, and I find the synth leads especially great (courtesy of V-Station) as they are geared for modern electronic dance production. The drum loops sound fresh and up-to-date as well. To me the real winners in this collection are the single-shot drum samples. This is a good library from Soundborder. WEB: www.soundsonline.com

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Soundware Roundup

construction kits' tempos ranges from 100 to 123 BPM - a bit faster than the original one but the samples suit today's modern productions. Additionally, Zero-G have provided some bonus folders of extra electric piano, regular piano, bass, guitar, synth and bass loops.

FORMAT: WAV files, AIFF Apple Loops, REX2, MIDI files and Kontakt 44.1kHz/24bit, 3.5 GB DVD LIST PRICE: $89.95

Zero-G Disco Gold Disco Gold is a collection of classic and contemporary dance samples that have been plucked straight out of the 70's and early 80's. This DVD is the follow-up from the highly successful Classic Disco, and features sounds you can use for styles such as funky disco, proto-house, hi-nrg, britfunk etc. It contains 34 construction kits, with full mix and stems, of beats, electric piano, rhythm guitar, electric bass, stings, synths and brass. The 42

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WEB: www.soundsonline.com FORMAT: 1.7 GB DVD, 44.1kHz/24Bit, Acid WAV, AIFF Apple Loops, REX2, EXS24, Reason NNXT and Kontakt

PRICE: Upon auditioning the sounds of Disco $143.95 Gold in the Acid Pro looping software, Organic Loops I was transported back to the time Disco Strings and era where bell-bottomed pants, huge round Afro's, Space Invaders The title says it all: A sample pack of and mirror balls were popular. The samples sound dry yet very authentic creamy, organic strings loops for disco, funk, soul and house that has a to my ears. And the electric basses sound gritty and funky, which I think, unique dancefloor flavor. Think "Donna Summer songs." Think "Late makes this library a must-buy. 70's disco hits" that dominated the airwaves. Disco String is just that - a collection of 24-bit 196 loops that wants to take your dance tune to the next level. Included are soaring melodies, stabs, chords, fills and etc. in WAV, REX and Apple Loop format. What can I say? The production and quality is great and although there are less than 200 loops, most of them are highly usable - either to heighten your tracks or to fill in some dead spot in certain sections. A royalty-free audio source with reasonable price. WEB: www.loopmasters.com FORMAT: 497 MB WAV, REX, Apple Loops PRICE: ÂŁ19.95 (digital download)

January 2011

samples you can think of, from slow to fast BPM's and soft to loud, are included in this package. On offer are drums, guitars, synths, strings, bass, sound effects, brass and keys. There are over 700 vocal samples that are ideal for dance productions. Soundpool 16 offers tremendous sampling material for its price making it a good investment. WEB: www.magix.com FORMAT WAV, 44.1kHz/16-bit stereo PRICE: ÂŁ29.99 Magix Soundpool Collection 16 Magix has been in the software market for as long as I can remember - catering to both consumer and professional crowds. They've also been active in developing media packages for producers wanting to add samples to their home movies and tracks.

Discovery Sound Indonesia the Magic Sticking purely to their ethnic world titles, Discovery Sounds' Indonesia the Magic captures the exotic sounds

Soundpool Collection 16 is a 6 GB sample pack ideal for any DAW's supporting the 44.1/16-bit WAV-file format. The DVD is split into different genre folder categories of Hip Hop/R'nB, Rock/Alternative, Movie Score, 60's Soul and most of the electronica subgenre. Just about any

of Bali and Java music. This library is produced by well known Asian artist Makoto Kubota whose long list of credits include Blue Asia, Makoto Kubota & Sunset Gang, etc. The result is a well-supervised, professional sample library. The familiar Indonesian instruments are here, such as saron, anklung (a bamboo bell) and gamelan (percussion ensemble consisting of metalophones, xylophones, drums and gong) as well as less-known instruments (at least to me), such as suling (a bamboo flute) and rubab (a two-stringed fiddle). The content is tremendous and you get about 645 files just for the ACID WAV alone. Other formats supported includes REX2, Native Instrument's Kontakt sampler, Battery and MOTU's MachFive. Auditioning the samples was real fun and the performance of the players are spot on. I could almost imagine myself using the saron loops as basis for a subtle IDM track. The real treat, I think, are the gendang loops as they sound so similar to tabla drums. There are plenty of those, and you'll be surprised that this pack not only caters to the Indonesian crowd but Bollywood music producers will find this useful as well. WEB: www.discoverysound.com www.loopmasters.com FORMAT: WAV, Acid WAV, REX2, NI Kontakt & Battery and MOTU MachFive 44.1kHz/16-bit Stereo PRICE: $55.00, ÂŁ 34.95

January 2011

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Soundware Roundup

XFER and Loopmasters Deadmau5 Sample Pack Grammy-nominated and Torontobased deadmau5 (aka Joel Thomas Zimmerman) is all over the place whether his music is played on XM radio, his name is mentioned on Internet forums or on DJ magazines. His music has also been featured in many shows and different compilation albums. However, Deadmau5 XFER is not typical deadmau5 release. It is a sample library (along with long-time collaborator Steve Duda) for producers of electronic dance music (EDM). Deadmau5 XFER comprises a huge library of loops and one-shots with over 500 MB of sample data. The percussive sounds alone are a whopping 1500-plus files. You'll get loops with analogue richness made with Arp, Moog, classic drum machines and even circuit-bent units. This is a real treat if you're looking to expand your electronic sample library.

Sony Creative Software X-Core: Hardcore Techno Construction Kit Sony Creative Software's latest sample pack X-Core: Hardcore Techno Construction Kit is a Standard collection library aimed at the hard side of techno. It is created by Jason Donnely (DJ Puzzle) who has several Sony Sound Series titles under his belt. This time, though, Jason went fullthrottle and what you get is a collection of loops and single hits that are fast, heavy, brutal and loud. Inside the disc are up-to-date 429 WAV files (555 MB) for use in Acid Pro or any DAW that supports the Acid WAV format. You'll find 25 construction kit folders (not complete song-type kits) that will cover your

WEB: www.loopmasters.com FORMAT: 500 MB WAV, REX

WEB: www.sonycreativesoftware.com FORMAT: WAV, 44.1kHz/16-bit stereo

PRICE: ÂŁ59.95 CD/DVD, download available

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needs for beats, basses, textures, FX, synthesizer melodies and riffs. This library also includes a bunch of wellprocessed vocal samples courtesy of Johann Smit and Bob Worthington's talents. Tempo-wise, the seamlessly looped samples are at the 150 and 160 BPM ranges and sync perfectly in Acid Pro. Sound-wise, this library screams, as most of them were edited and processed heavily with compression and distortion. If you want raw and aggressive techno and industrial samples then this is a library worth considering.

PRICE: $39.95

January 2011

Push Button Bang Twist

WEB: www.loopmasters.com

Hot from the heels of their "Rise" sample pack collection, Push Button Bangs continue their FX offering with Twist - a library with 900-plus digital FX elements. Twist is a 500 MB alloriginal, 24-bit/44.1 kHz samples delivered WAV and Ableton's Live 8 pack version. Many of the sounds have been made as quick 'add-ons' or 'filling' to any electronic composition whether you're producing techno, house, electro or ambient - the materials will fit just nicely in any modern tracks. Included are chord FX, thunderous thuds, fast motions, transitions, impacts, twisted modulation, clip FX and a bunch more. This is truly an inspirational library and the quality is superb. A nice compliment to RISE sample library. A must buy.

FORMAT: 930 MB WAV, Live pack available PRICE: ÂŁ19.95 (download)

Big Fish Audio Nashville Sessions It is one of the places that have produced some of the biggest hits in country and western music. A place where many country albums were recorded. Not to mention a lot of influential talents have come from here. Yes, I am talking about Nashville. The city that's recognized as the music city capital of the U.S.A.

musicians. Nashville Session also includes a bonus "Extras" folder. The Luckily for us producers, folder has an additional 67 fiddles, 23 Big Fish Audio here serve guitar and 58 mandolin loops which us a library that captures makes this library very attractive. the essence of Nashville in When you're talking about country and "Nashville Sessions". This western with a Nashville vibe stamped DVD is packed with 3 GB of into the loops, this is a great library. 24-bit loops and samples delivered in multi-format. WEB: You'll get 22 constructionwww.bigfishaudio.com style kits with each folder featuring loops in different FORMAT: keys and tempos ranging Royalty-free ACID, WAV, AIFF Apple from 80 BPM to 150 BPM. loops, REX and RMX The material in this library 3 GB, 44.1kHz/24-bit features live acoustic and 1021 WAV loops on disc electric guitars, bass, drums pedal steel, fiddle PRICE: and mandolin, that are $99.95 performed well by talented January 2011

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Soundware Roundup

Discovery Sound Okinawan Tradition

Loopmasters Dark Matter There's been an explosion of dubstep samples of late and Dark Matter from Loopmasters and Multiverse Studio wants producers and musicians to know that they have a significant offering as well. This pack contains 20 full construction kits of dubstep samples that are gritty, strong and, of course, dub-like. The 24-bit 450 samples provide good foundation if you're starting a dub-based composition. The materials include drum loops, FX, synth lines, basses and one-shots. Although there are only 200+ loops included, there are some that are inspiring - especially the dubby, rhythmic beats. They sounds fat and would nicely compliment any mix. WEB: www.loopmasters.com FORMAT: 500 MB/24-bit/450 files 20 Full Construction Kits 220 One-shots 200+ loops Patches for Kontakt, HALion, EXS24, SFZ and NNXT PRICE: ÂŁ24.95 (digital download)

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From Discovery Sound comes this collection of traditional sounds from the Ryukyu Islands. It's all here; the instruments of Okinawa, such as fue (a type of flute), sanshin (threestringed lute with a python skincovered body), sanba (a percussion instrument), yubi fue (flute) and taiko (drum), which are all carefully recorded to bring producers samples that would inspire them. It might not appeal to everyone, but those who write world music or ethnic tracks can reap the benefits of this superbly crafted library. The vocal samples (male and female) are great for augmenting any "ethnotronica" track. If you have purchased the Japan library from Discovery Sounds, Okinawan Tradition is a good compliment. WEB: www.discoversound.com www.loopmasters.com FORMAT: 1.5 GB Acidized WAV, REX2, WAV and Battery PRICE: $55, ÂŁ 34.95

January 2011

Cycling '74 Cycles Vol. 1-4 (Audio Source Libraries) There is something instantly likable about these libraries, and it definitely has to do with the expertly programmed sounds and the massive quantity of samples. With that being said, wow these libraries are great! Cycles Vol. 1-4 contains 4 DVD's of audio source libraries produced and sound-designed by Ron MacLeod. Sustained Encounters, Unnatural Rhythm, Incidental Gesture and Momentary Incursions are audio source libraries perfectly suited for TV/film composers, game soundtrack composers, ambient and experimental artists and musicians who wants a bit of 'off-center' samples into their compositions. No, these are not your typical construction kits nor four-on-

the-floor-type banger libraries, but a comprehensive solution for producers looking for an assortment of sonic textures, music beds, odd melodies, elements, esoteric drum loops, evolving pads, otherworldly drones, events, reverbed hits and FX's. Each library comes with a DVD that contains samples which are recorded in 44.1kHz and 48kHz/24-bit. Both WAV and REX file formats are supported. As a bonus, an audio CD is included for auditioning purposes. Here's what the website described as to what each volume has to offer: Cycles Vol.1: Sustained Encounters Sustained Encounters is comprised of long evolving aural environments and unfolding atmospheres. Culled from

MacLeod’s These long (30 sec. to 3 minute) files private reserve, were designed around direct use in an accumulation digital workstations yet are all of years of film seamlessly looped end to end for sound design extended play as well. and sonic exploration, Cycles Vol.4: Momentary Incursions these textures Momentary Incursions are hits, events, were effects and transitions… for use when individually a more finite punctuation is in order. ‘composed’ Aggressively percussive to hypnotic utilizing bleeding edge psychoand transient, this collection of 900+ acoustic processing, designed non-looped samples range from a specifically to be intricately interesting fraction of a second to over a minute and immersive without being in length. obtrusive to additional content. Bottom line: Ron MacLeod's sound Cycles Vol.2: Unnatural Rhythm design skills are very impressive and Unnatural Rhythm features extended there are plenty of inspiring sounds to form (4 to 32+ bar) non-drum choose from. My favorites are the alternative groove loops of mechanical, "Rhythmic Beds" folder in Incidental electronic, found sound and Gesture DVD. The Momentary algorithmic origins. The loops titles Excursions library has a "Metalplay" include sample accurate BPM notation sub-folder (under 'Events') that with longer loops Bar Count noted as features junkyard percussion loops well. This volume also includes 24-bit suitable for glitch music. The long REX formatted versions of all texture samples (2-3 minutes in applicable files for use in Reason or length) are also great for music beds any 24-bit REX compatible audio in ambient compositions. If your sequencer. Also included is a huge compositions are in need of a dash of collection of hard-syncopated atmospheric+ambience flavor then electronic source culled from a look no further than these libraries. collection of 70's-era Buchla and Serge Modular systems. WEB: www.cycling74.com www.cycling74.com/products/cycles Cycles Vol.3: Incidental Gesture Incidental Gesture gives you active FORMAT: sonic textures and melodic meanderings that provide movement, 24-bit WAV (44.1kHz and 48kHz), Audio CD (Mac/PC) emotion and narrative expression to your compositions or media projects. Composed to integrate easily into PRICE: existing pieces yet intricate enough to $99.99 each or $214 for all volumes stand on their own as incidental beds. January 2011

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Soundware Roundup

Sample Magic Ultimate FX Expanding their sample library collection, Ultimate FX is not your typical Sample Magic release as they veered off from their normal "loop-oriented" electronic/dance packs. But it's good to see them spicing up their catalog a bit, though. This library has 1.1 GB of special effects that will help transform your tracks from ordinary to extraordinary. Ultimate FX includes tension-builders (great for transition between song section), crashes and FX hits, falls/risers, huge impacts, mangled drum fills and just about any FX noise you can think of - all tempo matched so it can be perfectly augmented into any production or genre. Those who are into soundtracks and game music will find this library useful as the weird/odd sounding effects are top notch and are up-to-date. With the samples superbly programmed, this is another winner from Sample Magic. WEB: www.samplemagic.com www.soundstosample.com FORMAT:

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loyal customer/user-base. Enter Plasticlicks - a sample library comprising 1600-plus different drum sounds. It's pretty much geared for electronic enthusiasts and the like, but also has a broad spectrum of samples even pop music producers can benefit from. In this pack, you'll will not find loops but rather drum hit samples (d16 calls them "patches") that were carefully designed and made from scratch. Plasticlicks is offered in 44.1kHz/24bit WAV, the Akai format (for hardware samplers that read and write Akai) as well as SF2 for softsamplers such as Reason's NN-XT. Digital download includes: 661 24-bit The samples themselves are wellWAV loops and one-shots, 211 Rex2 recorded and sound "up-to-date". The Loops, 211 Stylus-RMX Rex2 Loops, basses are warm but fat, the snares 454 Apple Loops plus EXS24, HALion, "will cut though a mix" and the hi-hats Kontakt 3 and NN-XT sampler patches sizzle with highs. There are two things and 12-page digital booklet (including I like about Plasticlicks: It's got a hints and tips, kit list and more). distinct analog flavor, and it has one of the widest range of samples LIST PRICE: available at your disposal. With that ÂŁ46.90 being said, Plasticlicks is a great buy. It is ready to be a solid addition to d16 group any electronic music productions. Plasticlicks WEB: It's a bit surprising to see D16 Group www.d16.pl release a sample library as their next product, given their strong repertoire in the VST and VSTi arena. Yes, I was FORMAT: surprised. But nowadays, in order for 1600+ files businesses to survive you have to be Wave files (sampled at 44100 kHz, 24 bits of resolution) + .akp files (Akai flexible and constantly offering a variety of diverse products to your S5000/S6000 programs). Each .akp

January 2011

covers four different wave files sampled at one of four different velocity levels. 1130 MB Sound Font 2 (sampled at 44100 kHz, 24 bits of resolution). Each sound font contains sampled sounds at four different velocity levels. 754 MB PRICE: â&#x201A;Ź69 Sony Creative Software Continental Drift: World Music Loops & Samples The title says it all: Sony Creative Software wants to take you on a sound journey from around the world. This 24-bit, 2-Data CD collection features African, Asian, Arabic, Celtic, East Indian, Gypsy, and Native American sounds that are well-

designed for sheer inspiration to producers crafting traditional, world, new age or ethnic music genres. Produced by Paul Vnuk Jr. and assembled by James Johnson and Leo Cavallo, Continental Drift have all variety of instruments, performances and styles imaginable. You'll find meticulously tracked tongue drum, kora, doumbek, oud, bohdran, Celtic cello, tabla, sitar, guzheng, native flute, Gypsy violin and mandolin. Auditioning the loops was fun, and what impressed me was how well they are processed and recorded (The raw sounds were recorded using high-end studio gear). The Asian Small Taiko loops are perfect to augment in different electronic genre but the highlight of this library, for me, has got to be all the instrument loops in the 'Ukraine Gypsy' folder. Overall, the quality and usability of this loop library is top notch. Continental Drift will help cover you with different world music styles in your productions.

January 2011

WEB: www.sonycreativesoftware.com FORMAT: WAV 44.1kHz/246-bit stereo PRICE: $69.95

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Wusikstation

Improving by the minute.

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Best Service

Titan by A. Arsov

Why? Why should you or I buy a rompler for 249 Euros, one which will take up 36 GB of your valuable disk space, while you can get most of the new software synths for less money, and the newer ones will occupy less than onethousandth of the disk space that Titan does? The number of included sounds / patches? 5500. Yes, it is impressive number, but as one old Slovenian proverb goes: “You can't eat more than one steak at once” or

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to tell it in a more simple way – trying all those sounds will not leave you any free time for doing your music. Secondly, there are many new synths with pretty impressive numbers of sounds nowadays. O.K., not with 5500 patches, but enough for satisfying most of your needs. Is it worthy? Should you buy it? If you ask me, the answer will be probably yes. Why? Diversity is the name of the game.

January 2011

The number of patches doesn't impress me so much (you can't eat... etc etc.), and the amount of disk space also doesn't amuse me too much, but the diversity of the included sounds really got me. On most of the software synths I know or own, there are a bunch of more or less predictable sorts of sounds. Some synths sound better, some worse, but rarely do they go out of their skin offering something new or even old in a different way.

Titan contains sampled sounds from weakness as those instruments had – more than 200 synths from the past. so skip the emulations of the real Analog, digital, workstations and even instruments, and enjoy the rest, still some from software synthesizers. So an impressive number of various you will not find many authentic sounds on this Titanous workhorse. guitars or even realistic pianos there, but on the other hand you will find not The second good thing is the only individual, but even whole groups interface. One click and you are in a of interesting, different-sounding well-organized browser divided into sounds: Those sorts of sounds that bass, lead, pad, organ, choir, and you are remembering from the similar groups containing various records you used to listen to, but you subgroups with fairly explanatory can't find them on a modern synth; names. Talking about synths: Brutal, strange-sounding leads along with th Detuned, Bell, or 5 just a few aggressive ones or plucked synths examples of them. Nice and clear. with those significant attacks; digital and analog. I've heard a lot hymns Another click and we are about analog attack, but somehow I in main editing window. still adore the attack of digital synths. All main controllers are This way or another, I still remember well-sorted, even for some of those included sounds from dummies, and there will the days when hardware samplers be no problem easily (E-mu or Akai with two or three “not adjusting the filters, so cheap” synth libraries on sample panorama, ADSR CD's) along with the “you name it” envelope, glide time, digital synths were the only soft sample start or effect synths we had. Poor man's heaven. I parameter. almost forgot all those useful, diverse sounds, having used only “trancefriendly“ soft synths lately. I could be Titanhorse really bitchy back when disk space was in question, but for such diversity Simple for use, with a I could even forget that Titan took up large number of sounds such a large amount of my beloved that make a difference, hard disk. sounding fat enough and punchy and, considering Don't get me wrong, there are also a the diversity of included bunch of bad guitar imitations, along patches, it is not a such with solid number of “not the freshest” bad buy. I'm always sounds on the earth, but on the other happy when I find a hand, more than enough diverse pads, synthesizer sounding unusual distorted or exotic leads, all different than most of sorts of plucked synths, and an the other ones. Thanks impressive number of good-sounding to its well-organized, basses. straight-to-the-point browser library and As all the included sounds are derived simple editing window, it from old synths, they share the same is extremely easy to find

the appropriate sound for the arrangement. And between those 5500 patches, you can find all sorts of sounds. This could be an offence, or could be a compliment. Personally I like most of the sounds from Titan ( if we skip the guitar emulations), some of which bring back memories, while others simply add some fresh air to the standard arsenal of sounds we are using lately. One of the most useful Best Service products till now. By Arsov Alex

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Jamstix 3 by A. Arsov

Intro Previous versions of Jamstix were my best musical friends for a long time, but as I'm a man in the touchy years - being over forty - I've decided to find something younger: Jamstix 3, for example. Jamstix was and still is the best virtual drummer in the world. Although some competitors may include bettersounding libraries, Jamstix is the only software that fooled all my drumming friends into believing it was the “real deal.” It sounds like a real drummer, and the included kits sound like real drum kits. It’s as simple as that. Verse So what is actually new in this version? The most significant improvement, along with a better-sounding engine (the same kits from previous version sound better when they are loaded in the new version), is that it has a much more user-friendly approach, along with plenty of additional options for fine-tuning your drum track; it’s right under your fingertips. Everything is there, and it is likewise quickly accessible. If the previous version asked for some sort of Ph.D. of the user, or at least forced one to read the included manual, this version brings a new wizard option which helps you to easily build a drum track from scratch. You just need to choose whether to program, record, or even to import some preprogrammed MIDI groove directly into the internal drum editor, then just type in all your wishes regarding its structure. In this regard, there are order and length of fills, bridges, choruses, intro, outro, and middle eight that you can choose to add and manipulate. Making a drum track with Jamstix 3 is like dressing a Barbie doll. All you need to do now is to choose a drummer (every modeling drummer has its own style). Then you type the order and length of included parts, select a desired drum kit, and your Barbie is ready for a date with her Ken. And don't be naive – this doesn't sound like Barbie at all.

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January 2011

In previous versions, a lot of people, including myself, complained about the onebar limitation inside the drum grid window. There was a workaround for that limitation, but still it wasn't easy to program more intricate and complex rhythms. Now this is fixed: you can use two or more bars as building blocks. Chorus

drum MIDI loops synced with your host and use them as a base for a groove. The only drawback is that you can't preview them directly from the Song Builder wizard's window. You need to go to another window, choose the desired MIDI Jamstix 3. There are enough quality drum loop, then save it as a groove kits included, along with an first. Then it's back to the Song impressive number of drumming Builder, choosing the groove again. models, a few finished tracks thrown Pretty complicated. Also, it wouldn’t in for good measure and plenty of hurt if Jamstix would appear with general musical styles. At the Rayzoon some basic preloaded kit as well - any site, you can find some expansions kit would do. which make Jamstix even more powerful. Outro

Changing the kit, style, or fine-tuning any other element is much easier with the new version. By rolling a knob you can set the dynamics of your kit. Lowering the dynamic causes the Solo drum playing to become gentler, and some individual beats to skip, and All in all: After all the time I've spent snare sounds are replaced with with Jamstix, no matter which version, rimshots. Of course this is not the it is still one of my favorite toys. If I only knob that radically changes need realistic-sounding drums in my playing in Jamstix. You can go deeper, track - Jamstix is definitely where I go changing almost everything in the first. Jamstix even supports most VST so-called “brain” section, to samplers, so you can use them as accommodate the whole track to your drum sources for the Jamstix engine. specific need. If I need some variations on other more electro stuff, I just combine If you are not sure how to do this, or Jamstix with other drum samplers. if you are having trouble finding your way through Jamstix, take a break Middle 9 and enjoy the useful video clips you can find on the Rayzoon site, You can make a drum track from a explaining all the basic programming scratch using only the internal tools in functions. Jamstix 3, or you can use your MIDI OK, enough about movies and other drum-loops for that purpose. You can entertainment; let's head back to also preview, in real-time, third-party

There are a lot of things that Jamstix can do, but you should visit Rayzoon site to give the demo clips a listen. Give the video clips a look, too, and decide if Jamstix 3 fits your style. Personally I've decided in favor of Jamstix a long time ago. It was and still is one of my best friends. Combining Jamstix with Geist from FXpansion has served to fulfill all my drumming needs. As we all know, drummers are like animals, and it is far more appropriate to hang with them in a pub having a good time listening to their jokes while enjoying a good beer, than to have them in a band facing their threats every time you miss a beat. By: Alex “almost human” Arsov www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

Reason & Record tutorial

Getting started by A. Arsov

Confession of an old Cubase user. I still remember when the first version of Reason came out, as one of my good friends bought it. After that, when he met me, he started immediately to beat me about my shoulders, waving with his hands, speaking with great enthusiasm about his new Propellerhead toy almost as if it was some hot chick and not just a piece of software. I downloaded the demo, tried it, liked it, but never bought it, always wanting it but somehow ending up with Cubase. Generally I'm working with vocalists, and also using live instruments along with the programmed ones, so Reason wasn't exactly my cup of coffee, no matter how much I love it. Till now. Here comes an audio recording. The new Reason Record Duo combination brings us an option for recording the audio clips and my dreams came true. I got them both. My dear readers, this will be peerto-peer tutorial as I'm not a Reason/Record geek and can't give you some â&#x20AC;&#x153;in depthâ&#x20AC;? tip that I learned years ago, and I can't show you some witty tricks, but I can give you a helping hand to find 56

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a shortcut in this learning curve, showing you how you can start producing with Reason and Record in a day or two. Yes, it is possible. Reason and Record are both very intuitive programs, and their main advantage is that you can start producing your music in a minute without losing your time on setting up a working environment. As soon as you start to note down your idea, you are already on the right track to develop it further till the final stage. From the sketch straight to the end.

Almost there...

Enough talking and let's fulfill the condition..

Hard working tip

Installation is pretty easy, so you shouldn't have any problems at this stage. I always say to computer novices that installing a program is like having sex. Installation programs will ask you some questions, and all you need to do is to repeat: Yes, yes, yes, and yes!, over and over. All program installations are the same, they will lead you through the whole process even if you don't know anything about computers.

After installing the program don't be such a stupid prick as I was: Don't make an empty rack as your default rack because every new instruments in the rack will be silent, trying to reach additional audio output. Having an audio card with only one output, I discovered pretty soon that I'm doing something stupid. At the top of the rack insert the mixer first, because this way all additional instruments or effects will be going into the mixer first, then to your main output. Sounds obvious if you are experienced Reason or Record user, but it is not. Trust the novice. And yes, making a default project is pretty important

tutorial

Record

Reason thing, no matter which audio program One of the best tutorials about getting you use, Cubase, Reason, Logic or started with Reason is a video from any other. Go to the File menu, click James Bernard, Beginner's Guide to New, and from the tool window drag Experimentation with Reason: From the mixer, put them at the top, drag Start to Art with James Bernard. some other instrument you are used to using as a starting point: a drum http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rS sampler, drum sequencer or GPyFFCa80 synthesizer. Save this project, then go to the Edit menu, clicking the There are also a few other video clips Preferences. It will open a general along with Getting Started for window where you could find the row previous versions of Reason at the for setting the default song. Select the link below, and I recommend you take custom option, and find in a additional your time and watch them all, browser your newly saved project. So, especially if you are a novice in the every time you open Reason or Reason world. Record you will have everything you need for starting your work. http://www.propellerheads.se/product s/reason/index.cfm?fuseaction=get_ar Finally ticle&article=reason_videos O.K. let's start with some “Reason and Record in a day” tips. How can you make your first recording, how can you make your first song, or first quantization? Reading the manuals or acting like a snake – lying down but still moving? Being a snake. Sometimes I read the manuals, but most of the time I prefer learning from the additional video clips, some official ones, some unofficial ones. One picture is worth more than thousand words, and as you know, movies have a lot of pictures. So, the easiest way to get started with Reason and Record is to find the appropriate video tutorials.

For learning about the essential new parts of Reason 5 and to see how can you use or abuse them, there is a bunch of so-called micro-tutorials at this link:

If you wonder why should you buy Record along with Reason, then watch those video clips from this link and you'll get the point really soon. Pretty impressive. http://www.propellerheads.se/product s/record/index.cfm?fuseaction=get_ar ticle&article=record_videos But of course you should first learn how to start with Record. So, those micro-tutorials should work. http://www.propellerheads.se/product s/record/index.cfm?fuseaction=get_ar ticle&article=micro_tutorials

To obtain a Ph.D. (Propellerhead Doctorate) using Reason and Record visit Propellerhead's YouTube site: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user =PropellerheadSW

There is plenty of useful material. http://www.propellerheads.se/product Especially 52 tips from James s/reason/index.cfm?fuseaction=get_ar Bernard, a Propellerhead's product ticle&article=micro-tutorials specialist. OK. Obviously he hasn't finished them all yet as there are only 41 video clips instead of 52, but If none of these clips help you, then travel back in time and see some free enough to make you and me happy. essential lessons which will guide you gently and slowly through the “getting I've learned how to use Reason and Record entirely from those clips and started” process. hope that this will work also for you. http://www.reason4tutorial.com/ By Arsov “ there is no Reason not to Record something” Alex

January 2011