Music Tech

March 2006

Features:

• Digidesign Pro Tools 7 LEThe lite version of Digidesign’s heavyweight DAW reaches its seventh incarnation.
• Native Instruments Bandstand General MIDI plug-in with myriad uses in the classroom,on the stage and in the studio.
• M-Audio ProKeys 88 Equally at home onstage or in the studio,this is M-Audio’s debut into the world of digital stage pianos.
• Apple Power Mac G5 Quad With no fewer than four processors to turbo-charge the music-making process,the Quad represents Apple’s fastest Mac to date.
• Arturia Brass Augmenting the company’s expertisein virtual analogue synthesis,Arturia takes a big leap into the world of physical modelling.
• Cakewalk Dimension Pro Cakewalk’s flagship virtual instrumentappears as a standalone product.
• DPA Microphones 4090 & 4091 DPA’s 4061 capsule finds a new homein the company’s latest condensers.
• FXpansion BFD Deluxe Collection Gargantuan acoustic samples library recorded by producer Steve Albini. 081 Waves Vocal Bundle Vocal-
• Waves Vocal Bundle Vocal- processing toolkit featuring two ground-breaking new plug-ins.
• SE Electronics Mini Entry-level condenser mic for the project studio.
• Allen & Heath MixWizard WZ3 20S All-round mixing flexibility.
• Carillon Centrino+ Combining portability with raw processing power.
• Mini Reviews
• Mixing A Five-Piece Band The majority of day-to-day studio work involves dealing with just a few core instruments,and if you are familiar with successful ways of mixing them,you’ll find that your product is greatly improved.Mark Cousins explains.
• Cubase SX/SL3 Workshop Cubase comes equipped with powerful built-in dynamics plug-ins that can help you achieve a more balanced, professional sound.Hollin Jones shows you how to take your music to another level.
• Ten Minute Master No75: Room Modes The size and shape of a room will have a profound effect on how your ears perceive music – both while listening and mixing.Grant Bridgeman explores the influence of room modes.
• Noise Reduction Eliminating extraneous noise in the studio has been at the forefront of technological and practical developments since the start of the recording revolution.We look at some of the processes and techniques for ensuring noiseless recordings.
• Ableton Live 5 Workshop Markkus Rovito explores the creative potential of Live 5’s built-in audio effects,demonstrating how they can be used to transform an entire mix or just an individual take.
• Ten Minute Master No76: Surround Sound Formats Still in its infancy,surround sound can be confusing new territory for the novice.Mark Cousins explores the principal differences between surround and stereo,and ponders the future of the format.
• Choosing and Using Monitors The music technology market is literally awash with monitoring options these days,but what should you look out for when choosing a pair of studio speakers? Huw Price unravels the technology and terminology behind this most essential of studio assets.
• Logic Pro 7 Workshop There’s no doubting that Logic Pro is more than adequately equipped when it comes to the challenge of pushing the boundaries of electronic music,but how and where do you start? Mark Cousins looks at your options.