May 2021 Magazine Contents

This may offend certain modular enthusiasts, but I’m a big believer in restriction aiding creativity. Eurorack designers...

Rating **** 4/5 Stars. Auddict are back with a further library that uses the PercX engine: Raw Drum Kits, aimed more at songwriter/producer types.

Black Corporation have taken a single monophonic voice from Deckard’s Dream, made a few tweaks and packaged it into Eurorack format.

Cinematic Studio’s eagerly anticipated Woodwinds library does not disappoint.

Is this the perfect partner for acoustic bass?

Embody offer a unique way to tailor their room‑simulation system to the individual user.

FAST Reveal is designed to make it easy to tackle masking problems in your mix.

We kick off a new series profiling classic studio equipment with a look at a humble dynamic mic that has passed into Liverpudlian legend.

These RATIO tuners take the geared tuner concept further, in an attempt to solve an issue that most players probably don’t even recognise as being a problem...

The Super Freq by Holy Island Audio is not for the subtle tone seeker, as it is wild and unruly — but in the most wonderful way!

Korg’s SQ‑64 step sequencer bridges the gap between ‘deep’ and ‘hands‑on’.

Can Leapwing’s latest plug‑in really sprinkle some Al Schmitt magic on your recordings?

With plenty of performance features, DAW control and programmability, have M‑Audio found the winning formula in the MIDI controller‑keyboard game?

A French classic is reborn.

This powerful amp brings high‑tech Dirac room optimisation DSP to your favourite passive monitors.

When weighted with sand (or another suitable mass) the bag can be placed across the legs of lightweight tripod stands to make them more stable and safer...

Newfangled Audio’s Generate soft synth embraces chaos...

OS Acoustics have followed up their impressive DB7 with an even more capable twin‑woofer design. We put the new DBS8 to the test.

It’s a reflection of how big the modular‑synth world has grown, in the last decade or so, that a book like this can be commercially viable.

Some of Studio One’s hidden gems are now available to users of other DAWs.

I don’t think I’ve ever been as pleasantly surprised by a module as much as I have with the Data Bender...

Does Roland’s software Juno 60 capture the magic of the original?

Throughout his illustrious career, Rupert Neve continued to refine the diode‑bridge compressor design he first created over half a century ago.

Shure’s new podcasting mic delivers pro sound quality in a consumer‑friendly package.

Rating **** 4/5 Stars. While Fractured Strings is a fully paid‑up product, Broken Strings is a freely available instrument, with samples drawn from a warped‑Nyckelharp and a broken Autoharp.

Rating **** 4/5 Stars. As with its predecessor, this toolkit lacks any rhythmic material, but its astonishing sounds are well worth the entry price.

Steinberg’s mobile DAW just got even better!

We check out TK’s latest intriguing interpretation of the humble VCA compressor.

We look at the Gospel according to Toontrack.

Rating ***** 5/5 Stars. DEEP’s drum sample content and collections of drum pattern style sets give it a distinct musical flavour within the UJAM drum line‑up.

The Vienna samplemeisters expand their Synchron orchestral range.

Warm Audio’s revised take on the Neumann U87 gets even closer to the real thing.

Audio examples to accompany our May 2021 review of the Warm Audio WA-87 R2 capacitor mic.

Waves have a long‑standing relationship with celebrated rock music mixer Chris Lord‑Alge, and CLA Epic offers the user some of Chris’s favourite delay and reverb treatments.

Could this plug‑in be both the quickest and the best way to achieve a range of familiar vocal effects?

‘Walk Like An Egyptian’ was a huge hit for the Bangles, but it all started with a demo mix‑up and some very unusual percussion.

In need of melodic inspiration? Cubase 11's Scale Assistant can help.

How do you export your projects for use in other DAWs? Read on to find out...

Despite the challenges of producing the album remotely, Dave Fridmann’s work on the latest Mogwai album saw the band top the charts for the very first time.

We try to improve a gypsy jazz mix, and discover that even the best references need to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Audio Files

Listen to the SoundCloud MP3 files for quick gratification, or download the high-res 24-bit Wav ZIP...

We explore ways to get the most out of the Avid S1 controller.

Introducing Reason+ and the Algoritm FM synth.

Saturation effects can be used in different ways to make mixing easier. Find out how...

Audio files to accompany SOS May 2021's Saturation Stratgeies workshop.

We explore the 5.2 update which offers enhancements to the Score Editor, the introduction of live looping to the Arranger Track, and improved tools for remote collaboration.

Eddie Bazil of Samplecraze explores the various ways that delay effects can be used and applies these techniques to a finished composition.

There’s an overwhelming number of low-cost audio interfaces out there, so how do you choose the right one for you?

I’m trying to figure out the best acoustic setup for a small ready‑made vocal booth, with a floor area measuring 4 x 5 feet...

I’m trying to improve the sound of my speech recordings which can be a bit ‘echoey’. I’ve been using a Rode NTG4 shotgun mic...

We look at the technology and terminology that underpins all keyboard instruments.

Our ears are the most important tool we have, but they’re surprisingly unreliable. We explain how to interpret what they’re telling you.

With a record three Album of the Year nominations at this year’s Grammy Awards, mastering engineer Emily Lazar is at the forefront of her profession.

Musician and Technologist Tim Exile chats to Caro C about the creation of the Endlesss project and the benefits of immersive, collaborative music creation in real-time.

Influencers turn themselves into brands. Production duo LYRE can turn them into pop stars too.

RAK Studios engineer Isabel Gracefield undergoes our questioning.

Next time you’re buying studio hardware, try searching the manufacturer’s website using terms like ‘sustainability’. You might be surprised at the results.

Great‑sounding gear with big feature sets — what’s not to like? Well, for one, user interfaces that are so obscure you forget how they work the moment you put down the manual...