April 2014 Magazine Contents

AEA's new N22 hopes to bring the coveted ribbon-mic sound up to date and within reach of the masses. We power it up...

These affordable speakers perform admirably for their price, and also offer Bluetooth remote control via a free iOS app.

Apogee Quartet iOS Audio INterface • Cakewalk ScratchPad HD • Jam Origin MIDI Guitar Converter

Audio-Technica's AT2020 USB cardioid has been upgraded; how does it fare?

Eschewing the ‘mix and match’ philosophy of most amp modellers, Brainworx have turned their attention to capturing entire recording chains.

Managing mains power distribution in a project studio can be frustrating. Simple plug-boards are cheap and easy, but professional rackmounted mains distribution units (MDUs) allow neat centralised cabling.

Very few monitor controllers deliver all the functions our Technical Editor deems essential. This one does — and at an attractive price, too.

The latest addition to Eventide's stompbox range has the chameleon-like ability to emulate all of its siblings! Not only that, but the new H9 can be controlled and edited from your iPhone or iPad.

Effects veterans Eventide aim to let singers in to the pedalboard party, with this cunningly designed effects-routing and switching box.

Korg and littleBits have joined forces to make what's basically analogue Lego. What's not to like?

Do these hand‑made, single‑driver speakers sound as good as they look?

The latest generation of Mackie's VLZ mixer range incorporates their premium Onyx preamp design.

Released in 1997, the hugely successful Buena Vista Social Club album is possibly the best example of what most of us non‑...

Peluso's enviable reputation for building 'homages' to vintage mics looks set to continue with this tribute to Neumann's classic KM84.

Rhythmic Robot continue to produce Kontakt instruments with a decidedly old‑school feel and tone, the latest described as a 'Source Variable Drum Synthesizer'.

Roger Mayer has an impressive resumé, having built effects for Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page back in the day.

There's more to Roland's latest digital piano than meets the eye. We put it to the test.

As Roland revisit their classic Bassline, we ask does everybody need a TB3?

Roland's TR8 sees their classic TR808 and TR909 drum machines reincarnated in a single box. Is it what we've all been waiting for?

Audio files to accompany the article.

There's no shortage of active monitors in this price range. Do Samson's latest Resolv series speakers have what it takes to stand out?

With today's sophisticated virtual-instrument technology, it's never been easier to create realistic drum...

If you want the sound of a top‑notch acoustic drum kit but don't have the drummer, kit and studio environment within which to record it, virtual drum instruments such as Toontrack's EZdrummer or Superior Drummer provide a cost-effective alternative.

We look at ways to open up your Pro Tools plug‑in world through VST hosting.

Proper subwoofer placement is often overlooked but, as you're about to find out, the difference it makes to bass reproduction can be vast...

Born of the fertile late‑'80s Manchester music scene, 808 State's 'Pacific State' was a landmark in British house music.

Join us as we delve into dynamics in Reason 7.

Cubase offers several different ways to take advantage of your master keyboard's knobs, buttons and faders.

The success of Disney's Frozen underlines the importance of music in film, whether it be as songs or soundtracks.

Studio One MIDI sequences can incorporate any note division, no matter how bizarre!

Audio files to accompany the article.

Half the battle in capturing a great electric guitar sound lies in understanding problems with the instrument itself — and solving them quickly.

Audio files to accompany the article.

In part two of this series, we explore more simple ways to spice up your chord sequences.

Audio files to accompany the article.

It's not often SOS readers get to mix a session tracked at Abbey Road — and when they did, the results were surprising!

We look at the best apps for iPad mixing in Ableton Live.

A Big String Sound On A Budget: this month, one of our engineers sets out to fake a big, lush, recorded string sound with only a handful of musicians.

A Big String Sound On A Budget: this month, one of our engineers sets out to fake a big, lush, recorded string sound with only a handful of musicians.

We visit a reader's studio in a converted garage to improve the acoustics, and to advise on mic selection and recording techniques for electric and acoustic guitar.

Craig Anderton explains his approach to creating a perfect cover version.

Be an architect of sound with Track Stacks in Logic Pro X.

I have several cassette tapes of concerts and recitals recorded when I was at music college in the '70s, which I want to transfer to CD, cleaning up the recordings in the process.

Is it worth using 96kHz or 192kHz sampling rates? Or do they just mean that my interfaces have exciting-looking numbers...

I want to replace my Windows 7 PC's system drive with a solid‑state drive, but I have a lot of software on there that I...

Izzat Majeed single‑handedly resuscitated Pakistan's moribund music scene — and built a state‑of‑the‑art studio to capture the results.

This month we review to music from Young Peculiar, The Situation, Vincent Pierce Smith & Karttikeya, Mark Barnwell and Christian Gregory.

SOS reader Paul Wavell discribes his journey through the history of Apple computers from the Lisa to iPad.

This month's tracks from Miley Cyrus, One Republic, Black Sabbath and our Classic Mix - ZZ Top "Gimme All Your Lovin'' from 1983.

If you've read up on what was shown at NAMM earlier this year, you might wonder where there is for the industry to go next.

From their gear choices to their recording techniques, everything about Wild Beasts' approach to production is unconventional.

Formal education has many benefits, but to become a successful engineer, you need more than a degree alone.

Few countries in the world can boast a musical heritage as rich as that of Cuba.

There's a place for art in almost everything — even music for TV.

The number of music grads is going up, but what of the number of experienced teachers?