July 2008 Magazine Contents

Akai have long been the predominant name in hip-hop beat creation, thanks to their MPC range. Can they continue this success with that increasingly rare thing, a drum machine?

Arturia's 'hybrid instrument' teams a custom keyboard with their massive synth patch library plug-in. Is this the way forward for hardware/software integration?

If you need a compact Firewire audio interface, the paperback-sized Duafire from ESI might be just the thing to slip into your laptop bag.

Flux claim that their plug-ins combine simplicity and sophistication, thanks to their unusual interface design and novel controls. Let's find out...

Izotope are the latest developers to release a suite of tools for tackling problem audio. As well as the usual noise-reduction algorithms, RX also includes clip reduction and an advanced 'spectral repair' module.

Last year Mackie impressed us with their HR Mk2 series of studio monitors, but they've now introduced new models at roughly half the price. Surely this means there are compromises?

The Wretch Machine sounds absolutely terrible — but that's exactly as its creators, Metasonix, intended. To see what valve-powered synthesis can do for you, read on...

Vocal harmonies can add gloss to a musical production, but if you don't have access to a group of first-rate session singers, does software really provide a viable alternative?

Newmann (no, that's not a typo...) are a small British company aiming to make affordable high-quality mics with a vintage flavour. It's a laudable aim, but have they achieved it?

With the emphasis on affordability and ease of use, Notion Music's latest notation package is aimed squarely at guitarists.

• Zero-G Phaedra • Marshall Jefferson House Generation • Platinum Samples Joe Barresi Evil Drums

Like a Cold War spy, Olga is not as Russian as it first appears, but still hides a great deal of mystery and intrigue...

The field recorder market just got a little more crowded, but does Tascam's take on the portable two-track concept add anything new?

You can have TL Audio's new series of vintage-styled valve devices in any colour you like — as long as it's black!

Designed to integrate with Cubase, and featuring new preamps and compressors, Yamaha's N-series digital mixers have been causing quite a stir. Could the N12 be the centrepiece of your project studio?

We covered the basics of score production last month; now it's time to learn more about presentation, with the aim of creating scores that really look the part.

TECHNIQUE

Big Sounds From Small Amps

The philosophy that 'bigger is better'...

Here are the URL links to the audio examples that accompany and enhance the July 2008 Guitar Technology article on getting BIG sounds from small amps.

Armed with a subversive view of society and a command of catchy synth-pop, Devo burst into the charts in 1980 with weird classic 'Whip It'. Producer Robert Margouleff talks de-evolution...

DP's Drum Editor provides a unique environment for programming and editing MIDI data, free from the 'piano roll' - and it's not just for drums, either. We look at how to get the best from this great feature.

If you've ever spent hours mixing only to be confronted with a wall of mud, you might need to think harder about how to use reverb and delay in your mixes — and some simple tricks can yield dramatic results.

This month we consider the return of Power PC processor technology to Apple, and also investigate how adding Apple's RAID card to the latest Mac Pro can improve audio performance.

In a departure from the norm, we take Mix Rescue on location and get back into the swing of mixing on hardware!

Links to Audio files mentioned within JULY 08's Mix Rescue article.

Reason 4's overhauled sequencer is now more powerful but has caused head-scratching amongst users. If you're one of the confused, read on...

Madonna's popularity shows no sign of flagging, thanks in part to her ability to seek out cutting-edge production talent. Producer and mixer Demo Castellon explains how he shaped her latest chart-topper.

Why take two digital audio programs into the studio, when you can optimise Sonar to do many of the common tasks you'd expect to need a dedicated audio editor for?

Our recent explorations of the new software synthesizers introduced in Cubase 4 conclude with a tour around Spector...

Here are the URL links to the audio examples that accompany and enhance the July 2008 Cubase Notes article.

We take a distance-learning approach this month, to help US reader Jody Whitesides improve the sound of his home studio.

The newly released Service Pack 3 will be the last one ever issued for Windows XP — and XP itself is due to go 'off the market' at the end of June. Are there any implications for the thousands of XP-using musicians out there?

Links to audio files that accompany the JULY 2008 front cover article on Reverb.

When your Pro Tools mix is finished, you'll need to export it as a stereo file. We explain why the obvious Bounce To Disk option might not be the best choice for you...

When you buy music software, you're not paying for a physical object, but a licence that resides on a small plastic key. How can you protect your investment, and what happens if something goes wrong?

I've got a problem with one of the gain knobs and both of the bass knobs on my Rane TTM56 DJ mixer. They've been used quite...

Could you explain the techniques for recording vocal duets? I'd like to know, for example, whether the two singers are...

The crack team of Paul White and Hugh Robjohns have travelled the world solving readers' problems. Here, they down the Hob...

I've been looking for a vocal mic for a particularly 'old-time' sounding project — something to give some classy...

All of my mixdowns start with a list of all the tracks involved, then each one is introduced and blended into the mix...

From PIL and Kate Bush to Nick Cave and Arcade Fire, Nick Launay has built a career working with artists who like to explore the outer limits.

When Grammy-award winning producer Liam Watson met country-folk singer Pete Molinari, they discovered a shared love of '50s country music, and decided to make an album that would hark back to the glory days of Nashville recording.

More of your submissions get the once-over by the SOS editorial staff. Sponsored by breed-media.co.uk.

SOS Editor In Chief Paul White wonders if the present economic downturn might lead to greater creativity?

Is it time for MySpace to get down to business?

The role of the producer is changing, and whether you're freelancing for record companies or developing new bands independently, it's vital to put your relationship with label and artist on a solid legal footing.