December 2016 Magazine Contents

There are two AJH modules on review: the Sonic XV, based around an early 24dB diode filter from the Musonics Sonic V; secondly, the discrete transistor-based Ring SM, which can double as a five-input mixer and incorporates a pair of sub oscillator generators.

AKG’s C5 stage vocal mic was already a class act — and now they’ve topped it!

Akemie’s Taiko is an FM-based Eurorack module covering CV-tweakable percussion and synth roles...

API’s 512 preamp design is a classic — and now there are even more reasons to love it!

A numerical increase in a new iPhone’s name is usually representative of a significant change in the device’s physical design. The iPhone 7, however, breaks with this tradition and looks remarkably like the 6 and 6s models of the past two years. So what has changed?

Apple launched Music Memos alongside an update to GarageBand for iOS at the beginning of 2015, and recently updated the app...

Arturia’s new drum machine features 17 analogue voices and a mildly astonishing price tag. And it’s really rather good...

Audient’s compact iD4 interface offers a lot of bang for pleasingly little buck.

These classy new moving-coil mics prove themselves more than capable on a range of common sources.

For their first-ever headphone design, Avantone have seen fit to include some unusual — and useful — extra features.

Behringer’s first foray into the world of synthesis always promised to be interesting, and the results do not disappoint...

Eiosis’ revolutionary de-esser is reborn, with extra features and a snazzy new interface.

Eventide’s H9 pedal continues to grow in scope as more dedicated algorithms are released for it...

Fender’s foray into the world of pro live sound continues, with these premium IEMs.

The latest incarnation of Fluid's unusual FPX7 monitor combines the bold, concentric-ribbon design of the earlier version with an altogether more satisfying tonality.

Focusrite have been listening to their users, and their new Scarletts deliver greatly enhanced low-latency performance among other improvements.

Cinematic ‘Big Boomers’ are eagerly embraced by almost every field of commercial music these days and to service...

Have Hammer Audio hit the nail on the head with this new UK-made mic? We think so!

Imaginando’s DRC is a polyphonic synthesizer available in multiple formats, which becomes of more interest when you...

Modartt have recently unleashed more Pianoteq instruments...

Modwheel are a small New Zealand-based company set up by composers Steve Roche and David Donaldson as a way of marketing their quirky Kontakt instrument designs.

Whether you are a media composer or simply a music producer who likes to integrate world and ethnic flavours into your musical mix, Sample Logic’s Bohemian might well be of interest.

We built and then test-drove the world’s first commercially available fully modular console. Here’s what we thought...

Source Audio are really pushing the boundaries of delay processing with their latest One-series pedal, the Nemesis Delay...

Spitfire consolidate their symphonic brass into a single bumper package.

The Konnektor promises mastering engineers the drag-and-drop simplicity and recall of plug-in remote control.

Toontrack’s Dream Pop EZX expansion pack for EZdrummer is most definitely not just another acoustic drum kit...

Infected Mushroom isn’t some kind of embarrassing and painful ailment, but rather a ‘make it all sound bigger’ plug-in...

The Gates Sta-Level broadcast compressor is a classic — but it isn’t cheap. Can Wes Audio give you the same sound for less?

In 1985 John Lydon found himself in a New York studio with producer Bill Laswell and a group of session musicians. The result was to become one of PiL’s most recognisable tracks.

Guitar-synth stompboxes open up a world of sonic possibilities — but getting the most out of them takes a little forward planning...

Are delays suffocating your vocal parts? Cubase has the answers!

Design and manipulate your own kick drums from scratch using Ultrabeat and Alchemy in Logic Pro X.

David Crosby’s latest album has gained much praise for its sonics. The man who tracked and mixed it offers SOS readers the inside story — with audio examples.

Is mixing on a large analogue desk still worth the trouble? For George Seara and Shawn Mendes, it seems to be working out quite well...

After 5 years working in near secrecy, Grammy-winner Jeff Ellis discusses his work with enigmatic, R&B trailblazer, Frank Ocean.

Most Pro Tools operations are undoable — but some give you the option to commit permanently...

We show you how to integrate Reason’s new Player modules with Live.

Refresh your musical mojo with Reason 9’s Players.

This uniquely powerful pitch, energy and time alignment software could save you hours of edits.

Audiobook Recording: spoken word in the project studio presents a different set of challenges to most music productions.

Comping may get all the attention, but Sonar’s punch options are powerful and fast.

Managing large sessions in any DAW can be tricky. Fortunately, Studio One has the tools to help.

Down at the bottom of the garden, among the birds and the bees, we went to Alex Hutchings’ studio, to eliminate some unpleasant frequencies.

A client recently sent me a mastered album for some additional EQ tweaks as he wasn’t completely happy with the balance when playing back via an iPhone on his car stereo...

Can I use the headphone output (Output 9-10) on an RME Fireface 800 audio interface to feed a click track to an IEM (In-ear Monitor) transmitter for a drummer?

I’m using Ableton Live and bounced my last few finished tracks in the 32-bit float format. I’d rather not have too many different versions of the same tracks floating around, so is there a preferred word length for when I bounce files out for mastering?

I want to add a Cuica drum part to a Latin jazz fusion piece and have a nice Cuica drum similar size to the one in this...

Shirley Collins’ album Lodestar has been a long time coming. Thirty-eight years, in fact...

I’m regularly asked for career tips by student engineers, and I usually state my opinion that success in this industry is more about attitude than anything else...

Twenty One Pilots • The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk • The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey • Biffy Clyro • Classic Mix: The Righteous Brothers ‘You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’’ (1965)

I think most people would agree that music is a form of art. And in art it would seem that almost anything qualifies, so by...

It’s tempting to think that success is about who you know — but in fact, it’s about what you do.

The decline of churches echoes the fate of studios — but it could present some exciting new opportunities.

Running a successful multi-room recording facility is challenging at the best of times, and relocating such a studio to a different continent is in an entirely different league of difficulty! This, however, is what Francesco Cameli has done.