July 2003 Magazine Contents

With the largest screen ever featured on a portable computer, Apple's flagship laptop would be tempting even if it didn't offer lots of musician-friendly features such as versatile connectivity and quiet operation...

For their latest software instrument, Arturia have taken on the tough job of modelling a modular synth — and it's the granddaddy of them all, a Moog modular... Switched-on software or spaghetti junction? We find out.

This ground-breaking new tube mic design can run directly from phantom power. But how does it sound?

Blue Sky provide their innovative speaker technology, first seen in the Sky System One, in a new and more compact system.

Software instruments are flexible, upgradeable, and frequently offer better user interfaces, while hardware offers better tactile feedback and is easier to use live. But what if you could combine the plus points of both? Enter the Noah...

Just what you've always wanted — a high-spec spring reverb for the digital age!

Your laptop computer probably already has a headphone output — but does it offer low-latency 24-bit ASIO, GSIF, MME, Direct Sound and Core Audio drivers? Echo's Indigo does.

FMR's dual-channel mic preamp offers a transparent sound at a project-studio price.

Synthesized, sampled, or modelled, the Hammond B3 tonewheel organ has inspired many imitations over the years. Now, for 15 thousand pounds, you can own Hammond's attempt at recreating the original. How close have they come?

Flatpack contains a large selection of patches and sample sets for each of the modules in Reason v2 and, though largely electronic in character, it steers clear of catering for any single, specific style or genre.

Making Waves have been developing their eponymous looping software to include new features such as VST Instrument support and high sample-rate recording, while retaining its core virtues of simplicity and low hardware requirements.

RME have added MIDI I/O and extensive DSP facilities to their well-regarded Hammerfall digital soundcard. Will the new Hammerfall DSP keep its place as a benchmark for audio interface design?

Sibelius Software have won over the classical music community with their well-regarded score-writing software. Can their new G7 package do the same for guitarists?

Cinematix Vol. 1: 3* • James Johnson Spektral Minimalism: 5* • Robert Rich Ambient Atmospheres & Rhythms: 4* • Numina Emotional Peak Sounds For Cinema: 5* • Orchestral Series 3: Cinematic: 4*

Considering the kinds of cutting-edge dance music styles that are usually associated with Reason, the idea of a General MIDI Refill might appear to be a bit of a strange one...

If you don't fancy programming drums from scratch, but you find pre-recorded drum loops too inflexible, perhaps what you need is Steinberg's virtual drummer...

Synapse Audio's Orion is now supplied platinum-coated and, with only a modest price rise over the Pro version, is also available in a cardboard box.

Tascam's colourful new CDGT1 lets you easily practice playing or singing alongside your favourite CD.

The latest update of Ted Fletcher's ubiquitous half-rack recording channel.

This Adobe Premiere plug-in has now been ported to two different real-time plug-in formats: VST (for Mac OS 9, OS X and Windows) and Apple's new Audio Unit standard (for OS X).

We test this entry-level mixer for simple recording and monitoring tasks.

A complete studio in a box, for around the cost of a decent software sequencing package.

The skilful articulation of a synthesized string patch can improve it no end, even one created using very basic building blocks, as we saw at the end of last month. But we can take this approach much further...

Re-live the hardware of the early synth pioneers, as we show you how to construct your very own matrix sequencer in the Environment.

This month we take another look at Cubase's Macro facility and discuss a selection of examples for adding some rather neat features to the program.

We investigate two new technologies from Microsoft that could change the way we use audio and video for entertainment; plus, as video becomes more pervasive in the music technology market, we look at some of the latest announcements from NAB.

The subject of clocking in digital audio systems is often a hazy area of understanding among us users, perhaps because we've been turned off by propellerheads who love arguing about it. Here's what you need to know in Pro Tools from a practical angle.

Few things are more frustrating than unwanted clicks and pops in your recorded audio. But what are the main causes, and how can they be eliminated?

More on DP4 and OS X, including the new 'Freeze Tracks' feature...

Traditionally, SCSI drives give high sequencer track counts while IDE drives are more affordable but perform less well. Can you obtain better Mac sequencer performance and save money by using multiple IDE drives? We present some evidence...

Most of us never have trouble with the electricity in our studios — but as with everything we take for granted, fixing problems can be difficult when they do arise. We look at some of the main problems and solutions.

We follow a location recording project from start to finish, showing you how to plan for and conduct the session, as well as how to avoid common pitfalls.

Track down hidden sources of distortion, make your audio playback more reliable, and manage your window Layouts.

This month the intrepid SOS team travel to Wigan to address Allan Murrell's recording, monitoring and mixing problems.

It's history in OS X, but extension management is a subject every OS 9 user has to deal with. Here, we offer some final advice on the subject and see if tweaking extensions really can boost your system's performance.

We offer a few suggestions about using your old computers as stand-alone effects and virtual instrument racks, and look at a utility to remap incoming MIDI velocities.

Although delay can be one of the most simple studio effects, software delay plug-ins often provide a bewildering array of options. So we take a look at what all the sliders and switches do, and provide advice on how best to use them.

It seems that almost everyone who's heard Goldfrapp's debut album Felt Mountain has fallen under their spell. Now the duo have returned with a second, Black Cherry, and a harder, synth-based sound.

Dozens of your recording questions receive poignant answers from SOS's editorial experts.

We answer one of the most common queries from those just starting out with home recording.

Blur's latest album has taken the band 18 months to make, commuting between London, Devon and Morocco. Somehow, producer Ben Hillier also found the time to produce new records by Elbow and Tom McRae...

Another selection of reader demos comes under scrutiny from a panel of Music Producers Guild members.

We spotlight more of your correspondence.

More readers' recordings given the once-over by resident audio doctor, John Harris.

Kieran Hebden of Four Tet is a producer who puts the intelligence into Intelligent Dance Music.

A gaggle of famous MCs, a star of the extreme sports world, and a laptop recording setup in a hotel bedroom: could the MuskaBeatz project show the way ahead for rap music?

The success of soul legend Solomon Burke's comeback album is a testament to the virtues of keeping things simple in the studio.

We can argue about copyright ownership until the cows come home, but the real issue is not who owns it, but who played it?

There are very few hit records or classic albums that couldn't have been made using 24 tracks or less. These days, with virtual tracks at our disposal, alternative takes cost us nothing...