March 2021 Magazine Contents

The SWN is a fairly big 26HP six‑voice module capable of creating slowly morphing drones, polyphonic melodies, evolving sequences and a vast range of rich textures.

Live 11 introduces new features, improves some old ones, and throws in some exciting new rack devices for good measure.

The kings of dynamic convolution take on producer Mike Dean’s signal chain.

Is Apple’s new iPad Air the pick of the bunch?

V Collection 8 introduces new instruments and completely reworks some old favourites.

Auddict’s innovative orchestral strings library marks the legacy of a top London studio.

Rating: **** 4/5 Stars.  This Kontakt‑based library comes with the subtitle Boutique Cinematic Guitars, and that captures the essence of what’s provided in the 6GB of sample content.

We try out two diminutive studio mics from respected US brand Audix.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Version 2 ramps up the content with new instruments, new articulations, an enhanced Engine browser and new presets.

If you thought IRs were the closest software could come to the sound of a real speaker, think again!

For anyone with an interest in recording classical performances of any form — whether they’re an amateur, a professional or an academic — this is absolutely essential reading.

BDE, or Big Distortion Engine for long, is the second plug‑in from producer and engineer Jordan Swift.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. 5Elements utilises almost 6GB of samples sourced from a selection of handmade Indian Instruments, but you won’t find any sitars, tamburas or tablas here...

Earthworks throw their hat into the podcasting ring, with the chic and refined Icon Pro.

The Syntrx is not a clone, but its inspiration is clear. Can it recapture the spirit of the legendary EMS Synthi?

The physics of loudspeakers have hardly changed in a century — but DSP and material science have come a long way, and the Pulsar takes full advantage.

Rating: ***** 5/5 Stars. Morricone fans will be pleased to hear that his compatriots Fluffy Audio have created a sample collection inspired by the composer’s striking cinematic soundscapes.

ZoneMatrix transforms a single instance of Kontakt into a multi‑instrument performance environment.

We check out IK’s latest refresh of their popular amp and effects modelling suite.

Famed for its speed of use, the latest version of FL Studio is a highly sophisticated music production environment.

Euporie is a ‘multi‑response’ analogue low‑pass filter whose resonance can be switched between a Moog and Sallen & Key characteristic, giving you two filters for the price of one.

Classic equipment doesn’t have to be old and unreliable. Many famous studio microphones are still current products...

We put Mackie’s diminutive multimedia speakers to the test.

Qu‑Bit’s Surface collects together several percussive‑style physical modelling algorithms in one 10HP module.

RME’s 12Mic packs 12 preamps into a single networked box.

Sample Logic have teamed up with Red Room Audio to deliver a highly animated orchestral instrument.

The concept behind the Soundevice Digital DIFIX is, as the name implies, to ‘fix’ your DI recordings.

In-depth Hands-on Test: SSL’s new control surface is very much the SSL of control surfaces — at an affordable price!

Drum re‑synthesizer instrument or sound designer’s new best friend?

Synth fans of a certain age will remember the Keyfax books by musician and sometime SOS contributor Julian Colbeck. Back in...

This “punchy hybrid compressor” draws its inspiration from both the classic API and SSL hardware designs.

PMI breathe new life into a classic dynamic EQ design.

This delicious‑sounding phaser should fill the needs of funk players or those trying to replicate some of the gentler Jimi Hendrix and David Gilmour effects.

Choose a mic with the optimum polar pattern for the job, and you’re halfway to capturing a great recording.

We explore four ways to make the most of Cubase 11’s new multiband Squasher plug‑in.

Audio files to accompany our Cubase workshop.

Recording an instrument you’ve not encountered before can seem daunting. Here’s a rule of thumb that guarantees a decent result every time.

From sketches to final mixes, engineer Jonathan Low spent 2020 overseeing Taylor Swift’s hit lockdown albums folklore and evermore.

In Auto Sampler, the main features behind the automatic creation of sample sets are presented in a very intuitive fashion and work extremely well...

Reason is more than capable of traditional multitrack recording. So here we consider how you might run a full tracking project.

Melodyne Essential now comes bundled with Pro Tools 2020.11, so let's explore what it offers.

We look at how to improve our workflow with the magic use of key commands, also known as hot‑keys or keyboard shortcuts.

Everyone loves classic microphones, but few of us can afford them! We survey the hundreds of modern recreations on the market, and explain what to look for when you’re choosing one for your studio.

I wish to do some surround mixing in my home studio. I already have stereo monitors... Can I just add three more of the same speaker?

The pandemic gave Taylor Swift a chance to explore new musical paths, with two lockdown albums co‑written and produced by the National’s Aaron Dessner.

No‑one can tell you exactly what to buy without knowing more about your circumstances, your preferences, your studio and the things you’re likely to be recording. And the best person to come up with those answers is you.

Imogen Heap chats to Caro C about her music tech projects, including MiMU Gloves, Glover Software, interacting through VR and The Creative Passport Project.

In our quickfire survey, we find out more about the recipient of the 2019 MPG Breakthrough Engineer of the Year award.

If you care about sound but have previously considered video games a distraction, do yourself a favour: pick a title you like the look of, don your favourite studio headphones, and get immersed.