The Virus modelled analogue synth has received a hardware upgrade to complement its ever‑evolving software feature set, and is now available in a keyboard version.
Finding it difficult to compile your audio files and regions for CD-burning in exactly the way you want them? Paul White tries Adaptec's Jam, and discovers there's nothing sticky about it at all.
If you are short of space, the prospect of fitting a 40-input dual-channel mixer into a 10U rackmounting case will certainly be attractive. Martin Walker follows some leads.
As computer power grows, so an ever-increasing range of studio equipment is becoming available in emulated form, and the latest software instrument to appear is a percussion sampler/sequencer from US company Bitheadz. Nicholas Rowland tests it out.
Laptop computers have tended to be difficult to use for music, one of the main problems being their limited or non-existant audio I/O. Vo Fletcher tries out a product which eliminates this shortcoming.
Lexicon's new mid-priced unit strikes a balance between the ease of use of their budget gear and the flexibility and sonic class of their high-end products. Paul White gets an exclusive first look...
The analogue-style hardware sequencer has always suited some ways of working better than its software cousin, and the latest company to try to bring it up to date are MAM.
Developing their TB1 nearfield into a floor-standing loudspeaker, PMC have come up with a full-range monitor which nicely balances studio performance with the cosmetics of quality domestic hi-fi.
If you want to get started with audio recording on your computer, but don't fancy opening up your PC to install an internal soundcard, the new USB Audio Canvas from Roland subsidiary Edirol may provide a welcome alternative. John Walden takes the UA100 for a test Drive.
TC Electronic have an enviable reputation for their high-quality digital effects processors, and have now launched the first of a new line of budget-conscious units. Hugh Robjohns checks out the M One.
The technical standards of any professional, semi-pro, or hobbyist recording studio rely on accurate calibration. Hugh Robjohns tries out Terrasonde's funky DSP-based handheld audio test and measurement set.
In Part 1 of a special two-part feature, Gordon Reid tells the amazing story of Yamaha's ultra-rare GX1 analogue megasynth — and how it ended up in his living room!
With their latest workstation, Yamaha have clearly taken the view that the difference between a 'dance' instrument and a general-purpose one is more to do with control facilities than sounds. Nick Magnus tries out the S80.
As we enter the 21st century, the amazingly long-lived Atari ST has been around for 15 years. Derek Johnson goes international to find the best sources of Atari info and highlights some cost-effective CD-playing and video-editing software.
Downloading samples and other resources from the Internet can be a valuable alternative to buying expensive sample CDs and CD-ROMs. Paul Sellars unearths some of the best sites.
It's all very well grumbling about some musical aspect of your PC's performance, but unless you know the cause of the problem you may have little idea what needs to be done to improve matters. Martin Walker points you in the right direction.
In this month's instalment of his series on the basics of subtractive synthesis, Gordon Reid considers the magic ingredient that makes all the other elements sound interesting...
After last month's overview of the equipment and processes involved in compiling an album master from mixes, Paul White gets down to the business of sorting out wanted audio from unwanted...
There are some recording jobs that simply can't be handles in the average bedroom studio. Paul White answers questions about recording a rock or pop band on location.
In all the hullabaloo over the wizardry that brought long-dead reptiles back to life for last year's smash TV success Walking With Dinosaurs, the story of the production of the musical score from a small home studio — a tale no less impressive than behind the programme's visuals — was overlooked. Matt Bell sets the record straight with composer Ben Bartlett.
Regular SOS readers may have noticed Ken McBeth, a DIY analogue synth builder for over 10 years, guesting as the columnist in last month's Net Notes. We sent Paul Nagle to bonnie Scotland (where else?) to find out exactly what makes this constructor of kitchen‑table instruments tick...
In Play, American dance producer Moby made one of the albums of 1999, which owed its critical recognition in no small part to the hit single 'Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?'. Tom Flint talks to Moby to find out how the track was made.
Those of you who have been keeping abreast of developments in computer-based music are likely to be only too aware of the problems posed by the Windows and MacOS operating systems. You may also know that an alternative exists — but it is worth making the change? Dave Shapton introduces BeOS.
SOUND ON SOUND
![Figure 1: [top] A simple synthesizer. Figure 2: [bottom] Applying this control voltage to the oscillator frequency would result in a short burst of vibrato.](https://dt7v1i9vyp3mf.cloudfront.net/styles/teaser_large/s3/imagelibrary/s/synthsec1_2-0200-qAtfRQgceyPk0EN0dHZIftHUGToqoWju.gif "Figure 1: [top] A simple synthesizer. Figure 2: [bottom] Applying this control voltage to the oscillator frequency would result in a short burst of vibrato.")
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