9000

SPEAKER 1GB PRO

PLUGIN SAMPLES

EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

FOUK
In-studio session
with the house duo

February 2019 / CM265

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Once upon a time, the hardware sampler reigned
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ISSUE 265 FEBRUARY 2019

contents
Cover feature
The guide to
OLD-SCHOOL
SAMPLING
Retro tools and techniques, p20
44 90
Producer
Masterclass
FOUK
The Dutch duo talk us through the
making of their track Mating Call

Interview 96
82 DRUMSOUND AND
Features BASSLINE SMITH
54 SPEAKERSIM CM The drum ’n’ bass trio explain how
they came to design their new bass
Get to know this month’s free PC/Mac plugin instrument for Kontakt

60 ELECTRIBE WAVE
Explore Korg’s on-the-go groovebox app for iOS
Free samples
64 CM AWARDS 2018
104 ESSENTIAL STABS
We pick the best of 2018’s new products Your free collection of synth chords, 82
horn blasts, rave hits, guitar one-shots,
percussive strikes and much more
Essentials
Reviews 10 NEWS
14
/experts 90 NOVATION SL MKIII
16
FREEWARE NEWS
WHAT’S ON YOUR
Your guides to the 92 IZOTOPE
NECTAR 3 HARD DRIVE?
ever-expanding world
of production are here 94 AUDIAIRE ZONE 42 SUBSCRIBE

76 EASY GUIDE 76 96 WAVES 52–BACK ISSUES

Dave Clews shows how to ABBEY ROAD TG 114 BLAST FROM
use articulations on brass MASTERING CHAIN THE PAST:
78 STUDIO 998AUDIOTHING ENSONIQ EPS
STRATEGIES REELS
Pro producer Ed:it talks sub-
bass and how to deploy it 101 MINI REVIEWS

80 DR BEAT
Part 2 of Ronan Macdonald’s
exploration of drum rolls
78 114
4 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
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 video
Download this month’s videos: filesilo.co.uk/computermusic

The guide to
OLD-SCHOOL
SAMPLING
Emulate the nostalgic sound of
vintage hardware samplers using
today’s tools and techniques

Read the full article on p20

1 How to route computer 2 Using a system 3 Three tips for sampling

audio back into your DAW audio ripper from full tracks

4 Sample extraction with 5 Getting retro with 6 Serato Sample

RX 7 Music Rebalance TAL-Sampler explored

6 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 video

SPEAKERSIM CM
Give your signals the ‘telephone treatment’
with this month’s exclusive plugin giveaway

Read the full article on p54

Producer Masterclass

FOUK
The house duo break down their
infectious hit, Mating Call
Note: this video is only available using
the link on page 45

Read the full article on p44

/experts
Our resident music production Easy Guide: Dr Beat: The drum roll –
gurus walk you through their Horn articulations part 1
specialist field every month Read the full Read the full
article on p76 article on p80

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 7

BONUS DIGITAL CONTENT WITH
INCLUDES OVER 3 HOURS OF VIDEO AND EXCLUSIVE
E O
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We’ve been making the future since 1992. Make sure that ou’re part of it.
> news

NEW RELEASES • COMMENT • INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS

Steinberg Cubase Pro 10

Up your game with the latest version of Steinberg’s trendsetting DAW
For the tenth full version of their
powerhouse DAW, Steinberg say that
they’ve listened carefully to user
feedback and they’ve used it as the basis
for the implementation of a raft of
workflow changes.
First, and most obviously, Cubase’s
interface has been sharpened up immensely
with the addition of HiDPI and Retina
support. Apparently, more than 1000
windows have been redesigned to take
advantage of today’s high-res displays, but
many elements have also been moved
around and tweaked to just look better and
work more intuitively.
The Cubase Channel Strip has also been
reworked, and it now boasts metering within
every module, while plugins can be dragged
directly in from the Media Rack, and
MixConsole snapshots permit storage and Cubase 10’s sexy new interface at last plays ball with Retina and HiDPI displays
recall of entire mixer setups. Sidechaining
has been simplified, too, 20 more impulse
responses have been thrown into the ROLI’s ‘5D’ controllers), and ramps the Add to that AAF import/export, latency
REVerence reverb, and the new Distroyer integrated VariAudio pitch correction monitoring, the beefed-up Groove Agent SE
distortion plugin is described as able to system to version 3, introducing micro pitch 5.5GB of new sounds, improved editing to
deliver “everything from subtle analogue editing and formant shifting. picture and a range of virtual reality
warmth to searing heat for mixes and There’s also a completely new Audio production tools, and you’re looking at an
individual instruments”. Alignment function, whereby multiple tracks update that should have existing users
At a rather deeper architectural level, can be synchronised to a reference track – champing at the bit. Cubase 10 is available
Cubase 10 adds support for both 32-bit just the ticket for multitrack drums, now for Mac and PC in Pro (£480), Artist
integer and 64-bit float audio formats, and ‘snapping’ backing elements to vocals, and (£265) and Element (£85) versions.
MIDI Polyphonic Expression (as output by so on. steinberg.net

FabFilter Pro-Q 3
The latest and greatest version of FabFilter’s
surgical EQ plugin facilitates compression and
expansion of specific frequency ranges with
the addition of a Dynamic EQ mode for each
of its 24 bands. Pro-Q 3 also features per-band
mid/side or left/right processing, support for
multichannel surround up to 7.1.2 Dolby
With
Dynamic
Atmos, a new Flat Tilt filter shape and Brickwall
EQ now in HP/LP slopes, and many improvements to the
place,
Pro-Q 3 is stuff you already know and love. It’s out now
more for Mac and PC, priced £134.
versatile
than ever fabfilter.com

10 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


Waves Flow Motion
Waves are far better known for their effects
than their instruments, but their new synth,
Flow Motion, could change that, combining,
as it does, “the best elements of FM and
analogue-style subtractive synthesis” in an
interface that looks decidedly outré but is
actually designed to be as intuitive for
newcomers to FM synthesis as possible. Two
screens – Flow and Motion – present the FM
and subtractive angles respectively, the
Devious Machines Texture
Billed as an “effects processor with the heart
of a synth”, Texture tracks the dynamic
profile of any input signal and uses it as the
control trigger for its 340 onboard sounds.
These are generated using “sampled,
granular and algorithmically-generated
sounds, giving you multiple choices of
complementary layers for any sound you
throw it at”, and include such sonically
enhancing delights as electrical signals,
vinyl crackle, analogue and digital synth
waveforms, vocals, motor sounds, rumbles,
environmental ambiences and much more.
You get plenty of say in the shaping of
Texture’s sounds and its response to the
Klevgrand Reamp
Klevgrand’s approachable new saturation
plugin models seven vintage amplification
units – Cassette Deck, 1/4” Tape Reel, Preamp
Tube Clean and Drive, Guitar Tube Clean and
Drive, and Tube Bass Amp – lets you specify
between ‘Few’, ‘Some’ or ‘All’ harmonics, and
splits the adjustment of overdrive amount
Flow Motion’s
futuristically
unique GUI
former letting you drag LFO/envelope
modulators around between four
independent oscillators and sequence/
arpeggiate them, the latter housing filters,
FX and more. Its beating heart, though, is
the 16-step snapshot sequencer, with which
complete setups can be switched on the fly,
for complex textural progressions and all
sorts of mad riffery.
Available now, on Mac or PC, for $99.
waves.com
input signal, too, including Colour, Pitch and
Density parameters, dual EQs, envelope and
gate controls, and sidechain filtering.
Geared up for music production and sound
design, Texture is available now for $80.
deviousmachines.com
across four discrete frequency bands, with
four corresponding Post EQ bands for
counterbalancing. The character can span
“from lo-fi to pro high-end gear”, and it’s
suitable for use on busses or full mixes, or
piling up on individual tracks. Reamp is
available for Mac/PC ($60) and iPad ($20).
klevgrand.se
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 11
news <
App watch
We report on the latest
developments in phone
and tablet music making
NanoStudio 2
The original NanoStudio set the
benchmark for all-in-one iOS music
production apps, but a lot has happened in
the eight years since its release. Version 2
looks to retain the design principles that
made its predecessor so appealing, but is a
completely new iPad app with countless
improvements. These include a powerful
new synth called Obsidian, a drum sampler
called Slate, AU support and advanced
sequencing and mixing tools. £29.99.
blipinteractive.co.uk
Bloom
The first version of Bloom, Brian Eno and
Peter Chilvers’ generative music app, also
felt like a landmark release when it arrived
ten years ago, showing just what was
possible on the iPhone. Now we have
Bloom: 10 Worlds, an anniversary edition
that expands on the original. As before,
you make music and visuals by tapping the
screen, but there are now 10 new worlds
and a bigger palette of sounds and images.
You’ll be entranced all over again. £4.99
for iOS; an Android version is coming.
generativemusic.com
Electribe
El ib Wave
W
Korg has updated Electribe Wave, its EDM-
centric iPad groovebox app, to version 2,
adding a couple of features that make it
more flexible. Foremost is drum sample
import; you can now use your own sounds
for beats. The addition of Ableton Live
project export, meanwhile, means that it’s
easier for users of that DAW to continue
working on their Wave projects on PC or
Mac. Electribe Wave 2 costs £39.99.
korg.com
> news

Get with the VCV Host

A radically empowering new module for the

programmers free and open-source VCV Rack modular

The prolific developer of deceptively affordable plugin
instruments and effects spills his brains…
Tell us about your background…
Carlo Castellano “I’m a self-taught
programmer, and I started working in the
music industry as a session keyboardist/
piano player. After graduating in Audiovisual
Composition at the Music Conservatory of
Naples, I worked as a composer and sound
designer, mostly for video games. I used to
buy lots of sample libraries and plugins, and
eventually, I started to create my own sample
libraries and founded AudioThing in 2011.
After a few years of sample libraries, I felt too
limited, so I pushed myself into (re)learning
AudioThing C++ and DSP.”
Carlo What inspired you to create your
latest effect, Reels?
Castellano CC “Reels is based on a vintage Japanese
reel-to-reel machine that I bought in a flea
market a few years ago. I loved the sound of it – very lo-fi and
unpredictable. There are already many tape emulation plugins on the
market, but very few are focused on the lo-fi/consumer kind of tape
recorder. So it was a perfect fit for our plugin catalogue.”
synth, VCV Host enables external plugins to
be worked into your VCV Rack
patches. It actually comprises two
modules: Host and Host-FX, the first
for loading instruments (generating
monophonic MIDI note data via its
1V/oct pitch CV and gate inputs), the
second for effects. Both modules
also include stereo audio outputs
and 16 parameter inputs. Unlike VCV Rack
itself, VCV Host is a premium offering, priced
$30. It’s out now.
vcvrack.com
SKnote PedalBench
Italian developers SKnote have announced
the first eight in their new PedalBench series
of modelled classic effects pedal-style
plugins for guitar and bass.
Comprising the C2 Chorus, P90
Phaser, MissTress Flanger, UV shifter,
Carbon Delay, DComp Compressor,
WA Wah Wah and Sweet Honey
Overdrive, this initial set of
stompboxes certainly covers plenty
of ground, and if they’re up to the company’s
usual standards, there’ll be no faulting their
sounds. Get each of the individual pedals for
$30 each.
sknoteaudio.com

Dirt and noise feature heavily in the AudioThing range. What

challenges do you face in getting software to sound truly analogue? Psychic Modulation
CC “My approach for emulating hardware has just two steps, but it’s quite PulseCode
time-consuming. I start by studying the machine, the schematics, and I try A PCM drum machine “that pays tribute to
to read as many papers on the subject as possible. Once I lay down all the the gritty, lo-fi sounds from the late 1980s”,
necessary parts in the emulation, I will usually spend months (or even PulseCode features eight “drum engines”
years) fine-tuning everything by ear to match the real unit as closely as (Kick, Snare, Clap, Tom, etc), each of
possible. If you have the right knowledge, you can turn any schematic which mixes six 12- or 13-bit
into code. But that’s not enough. You sampled layers: Core, Grit, Hit, Body,
“I spend months (or really need to be spending time on the
machine and the emulation,
Reverb and Noise. A 64-step
pattern sequencer is also onboard
even years) fine-tuning constantly making comparisons and
analysis, trying to match not only the
for rhythm programming, with the
Fracture control generating instant
everything by ear” sound but also the feeling of each
control with the hardware.”
builds and breakdowns; and each engine has
its own compressor, filter and saturation
processors. PulseCode is out now for Mac
Do you prefer modelling real-world instruments and effects or and PC, priced $107.
creating new ones? psychicmodulation.com
CC “It’s hard to tell. Although it can be really frustrating at times, working
on emulations can be very satisfying once you nail it. Working on
something completely new is a more creative job; there are fewer
limitations but it’s also more risky, as you don’t have the advantage of an Fuse Audio Labs DrumsSSX
established concept that people are already familiar with.” Somehow standing for ‘Drum signal Source
Separator and Re-mixer’, Fuse Audio’s
Two of the characteristics that define your plugins are their DrumsSSX plugin claims to be able to
affordability and their operational simplicity. Do you ever think about separate mono or stereo acoustic drum
developing a big, expensive super-synth? tracks into their constituent elements – kick,
CC “Yes indeed, I have several projects in mind that are definitely bigger snare, hats, etc – for remixing, bleed
than what we released so far. Recently we decided to discontinue our suppression and “all sorts of creative
sample libraries to focus exclusively on plugins. However, some of those effects”. This seemingly magical feat is
libraries will be ported/expanded/improved into a new, bigger plugin.” achieved using a trainable real-time NMF
(Non-negative Matrix Factorisation)
What’s next for AudioThing? algorithm optimised for drums, and as well
CC “Lots of updates and new releases. I try to balance the time between as opening up the kit for rebalancing in its
working on updates and new products. Constantly updating older mixer, the plugin also incorporates EQ and
products is one of the key factors in building trust with customers.” dynamics processing. Out now: $89.
URL fuseaudiolabs.com
audiothing.net

12 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 years
back
2009’s first issue brought
some slightly optimistic
‘new decade resolutions’
We implored you to ‘stop wasting time’ on
the cover of 135, with our February
Waves’ Axis One 2U 2009 issue containing a guide to working
rackmount PC faster and smarter. With computers and
software now more powerful and
cleverer than they were back then, you’d
Waves Axis One have been forgiven for thinking that we’d
In an unexpected move, software stalwarts Waves have announced be making music at lightning speed these
days, but, we’re sorry to report, our
the release next year of a 2U rackmount PC, “custom-designed and productivity rate remains as pedestrian
optimised to run Waves audio applications”. While the specifics of that as it ever was.
We also brought you a guide to mixing
optimisation aren’t described, what you get with the Axis One is an
Intel i5 8500 CPU, 16GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, eight USB 3 ports, a USB-C “Our productivity rate
port, an Ethernet port, two HDMI ports and Windows 10. What sets it
apart, however, is the built-in SoundGrid port – allowing “seamless remains as pedestrian as
interfacing with SoundGrid I/O devices and servers” – which should it ever was”
appeal to front-of-house or broadcast engineers.
on lo-fi systems, noting that many people
Scheduled to ship in early 2019, for the princely sum of $1499. were at the time listening to their music
waves.com as MP3s on MySpace. Both the format
and platform have now slipped out of the
public consciousness – ask your dad
about them – though we’re still very

Ins & outs happy to play compressed music through

MIDI MEET-UP
It’s always nice when companies
work together, so we were pleased
to see that Ableton and NI are
among those who’ve recently
joined the MIDI Manufacturers
Association. The plan is to come up
with a revised MIDI spec that offers
more power and flexibility.
WRISTY BUSINESS
We’ve seen some gre eat
new music technolo ogy
ideas on Kickstarter t given our advancing years we, of course,
we can’t say we’re feeling
the Synthwatch – quite literally a
synth on a watch, complete with
tiny keys. All we can really think to
ask is: why?
less-than hi-fi setups.
In the Letters pages, meanwhile, there
was a debate about whether music had
reached its logical end. We’re glad to say
that it’s still very much with us, though
do feel duty bound to say that it’s not as
good as it was in the old days.

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE ROAD TO RECOVERY

We’ll admit that we wanted to be
cynical and jaded when we watched
that Elton John Christmas ad, but we
ended up with a lump in our
collective throat as his career
flashed back to the moment that he
got his first piano. Great sound
editing, too.
Ever felt hard-done by having to
work with the sniffles? Kudos to
Marillion keyboard player Mark
Kelly, who was forced to miss a
recent show in Germany when he
was hit by a truck while out
jogging. Amazingly, he was back
onstage the following night.

WHEN THE CREDIT LIMIT BREAKS THAT BLACK FRIDAY FEELING

Been saving the pennies for a new
mixing console? Sadly, you’ve just
missed the Helios model that went
under the hammer in December,
having
g or
oriig n lly been housed in
Isl
s and Records’ studio and used to
record Led Zeppelin’s
Sta
airway To Heaven…
We thought that Black Friday was
meant to be about saving money,
but with all the great music
software deals on offer, we ended
up spending a fortune. Excuse us
if we can’t afford to get you a
Christmas present this year, but
have a good one, anyway. Issue 135 was all about learning how to work more
efficiently… well, it doesn’t hurt to try, does it?

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 13

> news

freeware news
This month, we’re met with a pair of powerful synths, a gratis glitcher, an analogue
equaliser and a look back at a SynthEdit-based game-changer

MOK Waverazor LE
Yet more proof that the Tracktion
website is worth checking with
some frequency…
Tracktion have for years offered
annual upgrades of what must be the
most powerful and comprehensive
freeware DAW (Tracktion T7), and now
they’ve added a powerful synthesiser
sure to find favour among fans of
aggressive electronic genres.
Developed in cooperation with MOK, the
acclaimed designers behind a number of MOK’s raw,
raunchy
Alesis synths, Waverazor is a beast unto
synth is
itself, sharing little in common with the now free
designers’ hardware curriculum vitae.
With a brand-spankin’ new (and patent-
pending) oscillator design that promises the You won’t get the full editor with the free a fight. If you’re looking for a source of
ability to splice waveforms “into aggressive LE version, but there’s more than enough to gentle, delicate sounds, you might be
new sounds”, Waverazor offers an intuitive transform any of the excellent presets into disappointed, but if you’re in the mood for
collection of controls that can be twisted, something all your own. something raw and industrial, Waverazor LE
turned, and tweaked to shape sounds that Waverazor LE is a rip-snorting and is well worth downloading.
are loaded with attitude. raucous rapscallion, ready and rarin’ to pick tracktion.com/products/waverazor

Syntorial WS Pro Audio Elcobit

Primer
Another synth, though this
one is a bit more traditional,
to say the least. That’s
because it’s meant as a tool
by which to teach synthesis
to would-be electronic
musicians. Though the desktop version is
available only as part of a $129 interactive lesson
plan, the iPad version has been made available
for free. As you’d expect from a teaching aid, it
offers all the basics: three oscillators, multimode
filter, three envelope generators (two ADSR, one
AD), LFO, effects and much more.
syntorial.com/primer
EQ E87V2
Analogue equalisers are a
dime-a-dozen, so there’s no
harm in trying out one that
doesn’t cost even that much!
Not based on a specific
hardware equaliser, EQ87V2
offers authentic analogue
colour and saturation along with six bands with
selectable frequencies, gain and Q. The sound is
good; the interface obvious and effective. At the
moment, it’s only available as a VST plugin for
32-bit and 64-bit Windows hosts, but Mac Audio
Units and VST versions are on the way.
wsproaudio.com/produit/eq-e87v2
Ovalizer
In the early days of glitch,
sounds were often created by
drawing, damaging or taping
over sections of audio CDs to
cause the signal to be
distorted, disrupted and
misread. Early pioneers
include Oval, whose work clearly inspired this
odd effect, available for Mac users as a
standalone app, as well as a VST plugin. Inject an
audio file and then tweak to your heart’s content,
while tracking the lot in your VST host or to disk
using the standalone application. Wicked fun.
plus.google.com/+Elcobit

SuperWave P8
It’s hard to overestimate the impact made
by SuperWave P8 when it arrived in the
early 2000s. Plugin instruments were still in
their early days, and trance still held some
cultural currency, some 20 years after it had
begun. With huge, unison sounds and
buzzing, blistering super-charged sawtooth
patches, hardware like Roland’s JP-8080
and Access’ Virus had provided producers
with something of a signature sound.
SuperWave’s P8 provided Windows users
with a plugin alternative with their dual-
oscillator P8. Developed using SynthEdit,
SuperWave P8 gave the ‘save-as-VST’
construction kit a serious shot of credibility,
showing that pro level instruments could be
created with the platform.
superwavesynths.com/p8

14 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

ISSUE 265 FEBRUARY 2019
Future Publishing Ltd.
Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA
What’s on your
hard drive?
Tel: 01225 442244
Fax: 01225 732275
Email:computermusic@futurenet.com
Web:www.computermusic.co.uk
EDITORIAL
Editor: Joe Rossitter, joe.rossitter@futurenet.com
Art Editor: Mark White, mark.white@futurenet.com
Managing Editor: Kate Puttick, kate.puttick@futurenet.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Scot Solida, Dave Clews, Danny Scott, Ronan Macdonald,
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Cuts
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Bristol-based producer-filmmaker Anthony
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NEXT ISSUE ON SALE: 23 January 2019

Tombling Jr reveals his favourite apps and plugins

ABLETON LIVE 10 but it’s still something of a mystery to me.

“Ableton is a relatively new platform for me.
I’d been on Logic for years, but it got to a
point where seeing that Logic window come
up on the monitor used to ruin the whole
day. It was turning me into a programmer,
when I really wanted to be a musician.
Ableton is a brilliant programme, but it
doesn’t tie you down with technology. The
ideal link between both worlds.”
ABLETON SIMPLER
“Yes, this is Ableton again, but Simpler has
become one of the most important tools in
the whole studio. You can literally take any
piece of audio, drag it over and get
something happening in seconds. A lot of
the drum sounds on the new album came
from field recordings I made in Iceland –
the crack of ice, storms, rocks crashing
down a mountain. With Logic and EXS24,
that would have been so long-winded. With
Simpler… no faffing at all!”
ARTURIA BUCHLA EASEL V
“Let’s be honest: how many of us are going
to be able to afford a real Buchla? And even
if you could afford it, you’d probably need a
couple of science/music-based degrees to
work out how to use it! It’s a lot of fun to play
with and you can get some crazy sounds,
Maybe that’s why I like it.”
WAVES L3 MULTIMAXIMIZER
“My new album was mastered at Abbey
Road, so I decided to try and keep my
master bus as empty as possible. What’s the
point of using a plugin when it’s going to
one of the greatest mastering studios in the
world? When I was almost ready to send the
album off, I did one final mix with the L3 and
an SSL EQ. That did just enough to give me a
“Multimaximizer
knows what your
music needs”
reference point – something to take to the
studio and say, ‘This is roughly what I’m
aiming for’. It’s one of those weird bits of
software that seems to know exactly what
your music needs.”
IK MULTIMEDIA AMPLITUBE 4
“I like to stick my synths through real guitar
amps and effects if possible, but if I’m
travelling, this will do the job for me. By far
the best amp simulator out there.”

Cuts’ debut album, A Gradual Decline, is out now on Village

Green Recordings
20 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
 The
OLD-SCHOOL
convenience of today
The vast majority of producers making
use of samples today do so in software.
Replaying, processing and manipulating
recorded sounds is so easy in modern DAWs
that we take it for granted – but this certainly
wasn’t always the case.
In fact, software sampling is quite a recent
development in the bigger picture of music
making. Until as recently as the late 90s, if you
wanted to use a sample in a track then you’d
probably have done it with a hardware sampler.
The history of sampling as we now know it
only really stretches back to the 1970s, when the
development of digital audio technology meant
that, for the first time, sounds could be recorded
and played back with a new level of accuracy
and unparalleled processing potential. However,
these early samplers were expensive, and so
generally only accessible to the ultra-rich.
It was only in the 80s that the technology
became commercially viable, with hardware
guide to
samplers gradually dropping in price and
increasing in power up to their 90s heyday.
Come the late 90s and early 2000s, the writing
was on the wall for hardware samplers as
software options finally began to mature, and
DAWs offered previously unseen levels of
sample processing power.
Technically speaking, there’s no such thing as
analogue sampling. The name ‘sampling’ itself
derives from the process of converting an
analogue signal to digital form. However, you
can see clear parallels in instruments such as
the 1960s Mellotron (which used tape-based
recordings to generate sounds) and the ways in
which experimental ‘musique concrète’ artists
used tape-spliced recordings in their work.
Today’s producers can draw on all of these
historical options in their creative process, as
every modern DAW packs more sample-
processing power than the musicians of the 70s
could possibly have dreamed of.
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 21
> make music now / old-school sampling

BACK IN TIME
First, let’s explore the history of sampling,
check out some iconic hardware and get to
grips with a few essential techniques

22 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 old-school sampling / make music now <

Sampling’s cultural impact
Collage. Cut and paste. Referencing. Whatever
you want to call it, the act of scavenging source
material and repurposing it in new creative
works had a huge impact on 20th century art.
The same can most certainly be said of the
influence sampling technology had on the way
people made music – and the music we continue
to make and enjoy in the 21st century.
There’s a school of thought that sampling
derives from dub reggae producers of the late
60s and early 70s, who created ‘versions’ of
their music – largely instrumental tracks based
on existing hit records. Producers would
emphasise the bass, use extreme echo effects
and occasionally drop in snatches of voice from
tape machines, a little like vocal sampling.
While there’s clear similarity in the approach,
sampling refers specifically to the process of an
analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) taking a
‘sample’ of an analogue signal thousands of
times a second, and storing its level to build a
digital approximation of
the signal. As such,
sampling can only truly
be said to have
emerged after digital
technology’s arrival.
As commercially
viable digital audio
products only really
took off in the late 70s
and early 80s, it’s no
surprise that an
explosion of musical
creativity coincided with the release of the
earliest samplers. Early 80s pop would have
sounded completely different without the E-MU
Emulator in particular. Around that time, hip-hop
DJs were already looping and extending
instrumental breaks from funk and soul tracks
by cutting back and forth between two copies of
the same record on a pair of turntables,
extending the beat for breakdancers to dance to
and rappers to rhyme over. Once samplers
arrived, hip-hop matured rapidly, evolving from
the drum machine-driven sound of acts like
Run-DMC to the experiments of Public Enemy.
In Detroit and Chicago, the sampler had just
as much of an impact on the early techno and
house scenes. Sampling became a staple
technique of many producers and even created
entire sub-genres in its own right. Filter house,
with its reliance on looped samples of old disco
tracks, could never have existed without the
creative possibilities samplers introduced.
When is a sample
not a sample?
One of the best-
known samples
on record isn’t
actually a
sample.
Sugarhill Gang’s
old-school hip-hop classic
Rapper’s Delight is based around
a looped groove lifted from Chic’s
Good Times. It’s widely assumed
to be a sample, but in fact the
distinctive bassline was replayed
by a live band. The simple reason
why it was done this way is that it
was a much easier approach than
sampling back in 1979.
Technically, it’s an ‘interpolation’
of the original, not a sample.
Despite sampling tech now
The E-MU
Emulator II
being infinitely more accessible
and its kin than in the late 70s, the process
defined of interpolation still has uses.
the 80s Replaying a sample as an
interpolation lets you get rid of
elements you don’t need – if you
wanted to, say, sample a bassline
from a track but not the vocal. As
a bonus, you only legally need a
licence for the composition; you
don’t pay royalties for the
original recording. There are
even ‘sample replay’ companies
who’ll craft you soundalike
versions of samples, almost
identical to the real thing.

Four watershed moments in sampling history

1969 1987 1991 1996

The Winstons record
Amen, Brother
Washington funk-soul combo The
Winstons only released a handful of
tracks in the late 60s and early 70s,
but their impact on music ended up
being way bigger than they might
have expected. The instrumental
drum break on 1969’s Amen, Brother
went on to be sampled on more than
3,000 records.
MARRS
- Pump Up The Volume
The UK’s first big crossover house hit
came in the form of this frantic
mash-up of samples, which pinched
snippets from a whole roster of artists
including James Brown, Public Enemy
and Trouble Funk. Similar sample-
based hits would then follow on from
acts like Coldcut, Bomb The Bass
and S’Express.
Biz Markie versus
the law…
1991 saw the beginning of the end of
the sampling free-for-all. Gilbert
O’Sullivan took Biz Markie to court
over a sample on the rapper’s track
Alone Again. The ruling in the case,
Grand Upright Music, Ltd v Warner
Bros Records Inc, set a legal
precedent that uncleared samples
counted as copyright infringement.
DJ Shadow releases
Endtroducing
A blend of largely instrumental hip-
hop, woozy breaks and downtempo
ambience, Josh Davis’ debut LP was
credited by Guinness World Records
as the first album created entirely
from samples. There are actually a
few original vocals on there too…but
it’s a masterpiece, so why let facts get
in the way of a good story?

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 23

> make music now / old-school sampling

Fairlight CMI
A handful of sampling computers were built during
the 1970s, but these devices – among them the EMS
MUSYS system, Computer Music Melodian and
Synclavier – tended either to be incredibly expensive,
incredibly rare, or both. The Fairlight CMI is widely
considered to be the first (relatively)
affordable commercially available sampler.
Even so, it cost around $25,000 when it
went on sale in 1979, the equivalent of about
$77,000 in today’s money.
The CMI isn’t just a sampler but a full
computer-based instrument with sequencing
and synthesis features. It was incredibly
advanced for its time, but its price meant it was
only really used by the most wealthy musicians of
the day. Artists including Stevie Wonder, Kate Bush
and Jean-Michel Jarre were early adopters, expanding
their sonic palettes with digital sounds as soon as the
Fairlight came on the scene.
In reality, the Fairlight was quite a limited device by
modern standards, but at the time its power was astonishing.
Even the ability to record a sound and play it back
immediately at a different pitch was shockingly exciting in
the early days of sampling hardware. Search the internet and
you’ll find a great clip of jazz legend Herbie Hancock on
Sesame Street demonstrating his Fairlight to a group of
delighted kids.
If you want to try out Fairlight sounds today, a plugin
emulation such as UVI’s Darklight IIx or Arturia’s CMI V is
probably the easiest option.

the word go. Around 500

E-MU SP-12
and SP-1200
Slightly more affordable samplers arrived in
the early 80s, most notably in the form of the
Emulator series introduced in 1981 by the
Californian E-MU Systems. Affordable is really
a relative term in this case, seeing as the first
generation Emulator still cost around $10,000
on release (the equivalent of around $28,000
in today’s money).
Even so, the Emulator was a lot cheaper and
more user-friendly than the Fairlight and went
on to shape the music of the early 80s, being
used extensively by bands such as Depeche
Mode, New Order and Genesis.
The Emulator was an 8-bit device and
sounded quite unrealistic by modern
standards, but its combination of sampling,
filtering and sequencing proved popular from
units were sold before the
introduction of the
improved Emulator II in
1984. Further models in the
Emulator range remained on
sale until 2002.
Its little brother, the SP-12,
and its successor the
SP-1200, were based on a
similar concept but
simplified things for use as a
dedicated drum sampler.
Ditching the Emulator’s
keyboard in favour of push
buttons derived from the
company’s Drumulator
digital drum machine, the
SP-12’s low-res 12-bit/26kHz
sampling engine allowed for
just 1.2 seconds of sampling
time (later SP-12 Turbo
models expanded the
sample memory to a whopping 5 seconds!).
In practice, the SP-12 and SP-1200 were also
used for melodic sounds by most producers
and helped define the sound of 80s and 90s
hip-hop thanks to exponents including Pete
Rock, Marley Marl and the Beastie Boys.
Crunchy and low-res by modern standards,
software emulations aren’t easily available,
but UVI’s Emulation II is a solid plugin based on
the classic Emulator II unit, while NI’s
Maschine features an SP-inspired mode which
does a reasonable impression.

24 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 old-school sampling / make music now <

Akai MPC series

The longest-running sampler range is that of
Akai, whose MPC series debuted in 1988 and
continues today. The original MPC60 was
designed by digital drum machine pioneer
Roger Linn and built on his efforts with the Linn
LM-1 and LinnDrum. Combining sequencing
and sampling features in a single box with a
distinctive 4x4 grid of touch-sensitive pads,
that first unit – the MPC60 – was more
powerful than the rival SP-1200.
Purists argue that the original MPC60 was
best: a 12-bit unit combining rock solid timing
with Linn’s powerful sequencer and
distinctive swing implementation,
gritty sound and highly funky groove.
Sound architecture moved to a
slightly higher resolution 16-bit
setup with the MPC3000, then
continued to evolve, getting
cleaner but arguably losing
character. Linn’s involvement
stopped after the first two
models, but subsequent MPC
incarnations expanded on
the idea, introducing
increasingly powerful
effects, synthesis and vastly
expanded sample memory.
The current MPC range is a hybrid affair,
with the MPC software coexisting as a plugin
and as the platform for standalone hardware
devices. There’s also a mobile version, iMPC.
Whichever approach they prefer, MPC fans
remain dedicated to the series.
Elektron Octatrack
Few companies persevered with hardware
samplers after the introduction of powerful
software options in the early 2000s. The market
for expensive standalone sampler boxes
seemingly disappeared overnight – at least until
Elektron released the Octatrack in 2011.
The Octatrack tore up the rulebook. It’s a
deliberately complex and multi-faceted piece of
kit, requiring serious investment of time to get to
grips with its potential. Unlike most other
hardware sequencers, it also prioritises live
performance and sound mangling above all else.
A lot of people find it hard to get into the
Octatrack’s complex and multi-layered workflow,
which is a perfectly legitimate complaint: this is
by no means a simple instrument. You can scratch
the surface of the features and understand how it
works within hours, but you won’t get the most
out of it without truly studying the manual and
exploring the deeper functionality. Those who
put in the effort got a fantastic instrument just as
capable of reworking loops and hits in the studio
as being the centrepiece of a live setup.
Elektron updated the model to the Octatrack
MKII in late 2017. It wasn’t a radical overhaul so
much as a refresh. Aside from a new look and
upgraded components, the most notable
difference was a smattering of dedicated buttons,
helping smooth out and speed up the workflow.
The Octatrack remains one of the best choices
for dedicated hardware sampling. Such is its
unique approach that it’s hard to name a software
alternative. Similar things can be achieved using
DAWs and plugins, but the focused approach of
the Octatrack is hard to replicate.

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 25

> make music now / old-school sampling
112dB’s Morgana is a prime example of a plugin based on a not-entirely-celebrated but characterful original
The love for lo-fi
Hardware sampling has always been defined by
its own limitations. That might sound
counterintuitive these days, but it’s a common
theme that crops up throughout musical history:
faced with exciting but fundamentally limited
new equipment, artists pushed it to the limit,
exploring what it could do when used and
occasionally abused.
Whenever people reminisce about 80s and
90s hardware samplers, you’re likely to hear
them recount fond memories of lo-fi sound:
12-bit this, crunchy that… The truth is that no
manufacturer ever set out to make a lo-fi
sampler. Quite the opposite. Every generation of
sampling technology back in those glory days
was intended to be a step up in quality from
what went before: more neutral preamps,
cleaner converters, tighter clocking, higher
resolution, higher sample rate. By the early 90s,
most samplers were capable of recording and
playing back at CD standard 16-bit/44.1 kHz
resolution. They might not necessarily sound as
pristine as modern digital hardware (most of
which typically records in 24-bit resolution for
even greater accuracy), but they do tend to
sound pretty clean.
Timestreeeeeeetch…
Hardware samplers from the 90s
struggled to stretch audio realistically, but
that didn’t stop producers giving it a try
anyway. It’s all over early jungle and
90s drum ’n’ bass, courtesy of Akai’s
rackmount S Series samplers and
their E-MU rivals. To achieve similar
sounds in software, experiment with
your DAW’s timestretch algorithms.
Many DAWs, most notably Ableton
Live, offer different settings for
specific sounds. Using the ‘wrong’
setting (eg a vocal algorithm on a drum
loop) can be interesting… as can
deliberately choosing a lower quality
algorithm for a more obvious
streeeeeeeetch effect!
26 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
Out of time
One obvious limitation of early
samplers was time. With many
offering a total memory of just a
few seconds, producers looked
for creative ways to fit in as many
sounds as possible. The simple
solution when sampling from a
record was to pitch it up. Instead
of sampling at 33rpm, the record
could be played at 45rpm, with
the pitch control all the way up to
make it as fast as possible. The
sample could then be pitched
down in the sampler, taking up
less memory but playing back at
roughly the same speed and
pitch as the original sound.
The unintended side effect of
this process was that the
effective sound quality of the
samples dropped. When you
pitch a sound down, you’re
Having said all that, there’s no denying that reducing its effective sample
the sound of those low-res samplers has aged rate: in simple terms, the sampler
well. The 8-bit Emulator II and the 12-bit MPC60, doesn’t have any accurate
for example, have noticeably different information on what happens
characters to later 16-bit models in the same ‘between’ two samples, so the
ranges. The sound of a 12-bit sampler, for one, more you pitch the sound down,
isn’t always completely filthy, it generally just the more it has to fill in the gaps
sounds a bit tougher and punchier. with a rough approximation.
The easiest way to recreate these low-res Exactly the same effect is
digital sounds is with a bit-crushing plugin, possible in any DAW. Pitch a
which most DAWs include as standard these sound up, resample it and pitch it
days. You’ll usually be able to reduce the sample back down to draw out a bit of
rate and bit depth independently, both of which that crusty 80s character. You
will have a profound effect on the overall sound, can also roll off some high
first introducing a bit of mild grit before frequencies and add a bit of mild
breaking up completely at extreme settings. distortion to help mellow out the
NI’s Maschine includes vintage modes based sound. This is often very effective
on classic MPC and SP units, while TAL’s TAL- on individual drum hits.
Sampler offers a bit more control over the
results, with a setup closer to a sample-based
synth than a straightforward sample playback
device. There are even options based on less
prestigious but equally interesting vintage
models. 112dB’s Morgana plugin is based on the
8-bit Ensoniq Mirage’s sound (but thankfully not
its hilariously bad user interface).
The Akai S950 and its ilk made valiant but not always successful attempts at timestretching
 old-school sampling / make music now <

> Step by step 1. Emulating old-school sampler sonics in a modern DAW

For a quick and easy old-school Next up, we need to convert the A new track is created with the audio

1 sampler sound in any DAW, sample a

chord and process it as though you’re
using a vintage sampler. We’ll start with an
electric piano plugin playing a simple
2 bounced audio to a new sampler
minor 7th chord. Bounce the MIDI region
in place to convert it to audio.
instrument so we can play it at different
pitches. The exact method depends on
your DAW. Here in Logic we Ctrl-click the
3 automatically loaded into Logic’s built-
in EXS24 sampler plugin. The MIDI region
plays back the note, but by default it will
only play at its original pitch. For this
audio region and choose Convert to New project, we want to play it back at different
Sampler Track. pitches across the keyboard.

In the EXS24 window, hit Edit to view We don’t want to play two chords at Filters, distortion and bit-crushing can

4 the key mapping of the instrument.

We only have one sample, which has been

allocated to D 4. Our original chord was a
C, so we’ll go ahead and change that to C4
5 once, so we can set the sampler to
and extend the Key Range all the way
along the keyboard.
Mono or Legato mode in order to avoid
that. In Legato mode, you can use Glide or
portamento in order to make one chord
6 all be used to add simple old-school
flavour. We’ve gone with RX950 for an
Akai sampler emulation. You can
experiment with processing before
slide into the next, giving it a distinctive resampling, or even add a bit of vinyl
retro effect. crackle for a truly retro feel.

Four plugins for retro sampler sonics

TAL AUDIO MATHIEU DEMANGE TONEBOOSTERS D16

TAL-SAMPLER $60
TAL Software’s retro sampler
plugin draws inspiration from
hardware classics like the E-MU
Emulator II and Akai S1000. It’s
not the simplest option, but its
comprehensive array of filters and
envelopes let you create authentic
80s sample-based sounds.
RX950 €19
Faithfully modelled on the signal
path of the classic 12-bit Akai
S950, RX950 adds crunch and grit
in abundance. It’s a very simple
tool with just four main controls. A
bit of a one-trick pony, but who’s
complaining when the trick
sounds this good? A real bargain.
TIME MACHINE €20
Part of the affordable Track
Essentials 3 bundle, TimeMachine
is a bit-crushing tool with a few
nice features, particularly the
ability to simulate A/D and D/A
aliasing independently. With
careful tweaking, you can dial in a
range of vintage sample effects.
DECIMORT 2 €49
Not strictly a sampler, but D16’s
Decimort is a go-to option for
vintage digital sounds. Most bit-
crushers best suit distortion, but
Decimort’s more precise
resampling options let you imitate
vintage digital gear. Classic
sampler presets are included.

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 27

> make music now / old-school sampling
> Technique 2. Basic functions of vintage sampler emulators
MODES
The quickest way to dial in your chosen
flavour of sound is with a plugin that offers
presets based on specific hardware. D16’s
Decimort is a bit-crusher rather than a
sampler, but it also offers emulations of
classic units like the Akai MPC60 and
Ensoniq ASR-10.
INPUT GAIN
Adjusting the input gain control of a plugin
doesn’t just affect the volume of the sound
– hitting most sampler plugins with a hotter
signal induces more drive and weight. The
best vintage sampler plugins also include
emulations of the hardware’s analogue
circuits, like preamps and output stages.
ENVELOPES
If you’re using one of the more complex
vintage sampler emulations, you’ll likely
come across features that would be more
familiar in synth plugins. TAL-Sampler lets
you use three envelopes to shape
amplitude, filter and modulation, just as you
would on a hardware sampler.
28 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
SAMPLE RATE/FREQUENCY
The sound of any given sampler is defined
to a large extent by its sample rate or
sample frequency. This is sometimes given
different names. RX950, shown here,
packages it into a main control labelled
Audio Bandwidth. Decrease the Bandwidth
to make the effect more extreme.
FILTER
Most hardware samplers included at least
one filter in order to shape the sound
during playback. Some 80s models
included analogue filters, but the vast
majority of samplers used digital filter
circuits. RX950 includes a version of the
Akai S950’s very steep low-pass filter.
WAVEFORM EDIT
Custom samples can also be loaded and
edited in your soft sampler just as you
would in a hardware sampler or a sample-
based synth. You can even start with
something as simple as this sawtooth wave
and slice it into something much more
complex and sonically interesting.
BIT DEPTH
Other plugins offer separate control over
sample rate and bit depth, as seen here in
Logic’s built-in Bitcrusher plugin. Bit-
crushing is a great hack for a vaguely
vintage digital sound. It won’t sound
authentic but it’s good if you don’t have a
more specialist sampler plugin.
DITHERING
Some bit-crushers and sampler emulations
are more subtle than others. Seen here in
D16 Decimort 2, the Dithering control lets
you adjust the amount of noise used to
mask harmonic distortion arising from
quantisation errors. You don’t need to know
how the controls work to use them!
MODULATION
Again, the modulation section is like that of
many synth plugins, but the interesting
stuff happens when you modulate
sampler-specific parameters like Stretch
and Loop Length. Working this way, you
can apply simple modulation to samples, or
create basic granular-style effects.

Sampling individual
drum hits or notes
Sampling individual hits from
an original track is a technique
perhaps most closely
associated with hip-hop
production, but it’s fairly
commonplace across all
genres. If you want to steal a
drum hit, or even a particular
melodic sound, all you have to
do is find a section of the
record where that sound is
‘open’ (ie playing on its own)
and sample away.
Microsampling
Justice’s DANCE is a masterclass in what the duo call ‘microsampling’ – taking tiny
fragments of records and stitching them to create a multifaceted sound collage
To get going, you’ll need lots of source
1 material. It’s easiest if you start by
figuring out what kind of melody and
sound you’re aiming for. Here we’ve
created a bassline using Ableton’s Analog
2 sources and start trying to match up
synth to get an idea of the notes we need.
old-school sampling / make music now <
The big and
bold approach
Every producer uses samples differently,
but we can break down the classic
approaches into a few main categories. First
up, there’s what you might call the big and
bold approach: sampling an entire bar or
more of a track then looping it up, not
caring that it’s easily recognisable.
This is a classic technique in house, but
it’s most associated with filter house, where
filtering loops and playing with effects is
key. Duck Sauce’s 2014 hit Barbra Streisand
proves the formula still works, based almost
entirely around chunks of Boney M’s Gotta
Go Home.
Recreating this technique is easy in
absolutely any DAW – all you have to do is
chop, loop and filter!
Duck Sauce’s 2014 hit is full-fat sampling at its best
Next, bring in some sampled sound You could chop and edit your samples
notes and sounds that work together.
Because this is an unusual technique, use
whatever sampler you feel comfortable
3 in your favourite audio editor or slice
them in the DAW – whichever you prefer.
You may need to fine tune the pitch of
some samples in order to get them spot
with. We’ve gone with Ableton Live’s Drum on, but once you have them all in place
Rack because it makes it so easy to work you can try your original MIDI clip and see
with different sound sources. how it sounds.
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 29
> make music now / old-school sampling
> Step by step 3. Flipping samples using Ableton’s Simpler
‘Flipping’ samples is a classic hip-hop
1 technique that works just as well in
other genres, too. For a perfect example,
check out how Gang Starr’s DJ Premier
flipped jazz guitarist Vic Juris’s Horizon
2 process but most DAWs nowadays will
Drive for the Mass Appeal beat. The
source of the sample went undiscovered
for years before someone figured it out.
Simpler won’t always get the slices
4 absolutely spot on. You can go back to
the device if necessary and adjust the slice
positions manually by dragging the
position markers left and right until it
5 was usually created with an Akai MPC
sounds just right, without chopping off the
transient at the beginning of each note.
> Step by step 4. Retro rave vocals with sampling
Vocal sampling in old-school rave and
1 techno tracks was usually rough and
ready. Forget everything you know about
fancy, slick sampling, and instead, chop
your vocal samples sloppily and don’t
2 found on classic rave tracks were a
worry too much about getting them
perfectly in time or in tune. Just go by feel.
30 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
Slicing samples used to be a laborious
have a sampler plugin that includes some
kind of auto-slice function. In Ableton Live,
we’ll be using Simpler. Drop an audio file
3 back using a MIDI keyboard or
onto the device, then hit Slice and you’ll
be able to see how it automatically slices
by transients.
The classic version of this technique
or E-MU SP-1200. For a similarly retro
sound, use a vintage sampler plugin or bit-
crusher. Here we’re trying D16 Decimort 2
6 modern sound, though, so we’ll ditch
set to a preset that channels the 12-bit
vibes of the Akai MPC60.
The high-pitched ‘chipmunk’ vocals
byproduct of needing to match samples to
fit the tempo. Now that we have
timestretching we can avoid that, but we
3 vocals, more is more. Harsh EQing,
don’t have to. Pitching up until the voice
sounds cartoonish adds lots of character.
We can now play the sample slices
program them in the piano roll. We’ve
created a new clip and programmed a
fresh melody using the same sounds from
our sample. Spend some time
experimenting here until you find
something that works.
We’re going for a slightly more
Decimort and use some other processing
instead. A gentle compressor smooths
some of the jarring dynamics we’ve
introduced, and a very subtle reverb helps
to glue the sound back together.
When it comes to effects on ravey
characterful compression and just about
anything else goes. Try less obvious
effects like flangers, long stereo delays
and distortion to put a unique, distinctive
twist on your vocals.
> make music now / old-school sampling

Messing around with ‘other people’s music’

has always been a staple of sampling, and
these days it’s easier to do than ever…

32 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


A universe of sound
It’s a golden age right now for those who love
making music with samples. As well as the old-
school options of looking for gems at your local
second hand joint or sifting through rubbish
CDs at a car boot sale, we’re also blessed with
access to the world’s most enormous sample
library: the internet! So, with this in mind, what’s
the best way to get those sounds into your
DAW? A great start is to make sure you’ve got
the right clobber handy to get ripping.
For example, a direct rip of a music CD to
your hard disk using a CD/DVD-ROM drive gives
you the copied audio in 16-bit WAV format, with
no decrease in quality brought about by
analogue to digital conversion. Similarly, a USB
record player can be a quick way of recording
samples from vinyl into your DAW without
shelling out for extra phono preamps or wiring.
> Step by step 5. How to route system audio back into your DAW
Many audio interfaces now feature
1 the ability to easily record system
audio directly into your DAW – let’s run
through the process. First, use your
interface’s internal software mixer to
patch your main system audio mix to a
virtual ‘loopback’ input; we’ve set ours to
receive the audio directly from the main
monitoring path.
> Step by step 6.Using a dedicated system audio ripper
If your audio interface doesn’t offer
1 internal loopback routing, and you
don’t fancy rigging up loads of unwieldy
cables from your speaker output to an
audio input, instead use a dedicated piece
of software to intercept your system’s
internal audio and export it to a file for use
later on – let’s try it out.
old-school sampling / make music now <
USB turntables let you record
samples directly into a DAW
We can also use modern technology to
record system audio (web browser, Spotify and
suchlike) into our DAW: many audio interfaces
offer a loopback feature, which takes the output
and maps it to a virtual input that can then be
pristinely recorded inside your DAW; or utilities
We can now open our DAW and set up
2 an additional input bus with Loop 1
and 2 as the inputs; this routing will let us
record our system audio onto a fresh
channel. After assigning the relevant input
bus to a stereo audio track, we can test
our loopback by loading up YouTube in
any web browser and searching for
Computer Music.
We’ll use Rogue Amoeba’s Audio
2 Hijack for this (demos available). Open
it and select New Session»New Blank
Session from the Session Template
menu. Start building a signal path by
adding an Application from Sources,
then setting the Source to your DAW. Add
a Recorder from Outputs.
like SoundFlower (Mac only) do a similar job.
Please be careful, though, because, as with
sampling audio from physical media, most
online content is someone else’s copyright – and
we wouldn’t want you to get in trouble with the
copyright police...
3
Here, we’ve picked out a classic video
of DnB don TC showing off some drum
chopping skills, and recorded some of the
dialogue straight into our DAW ready for
sampling later. We’ve used Cubase Pro 9.5
and a Focusrite Saffire on macOS for this
tutorial, but this technique can, of course,
equally be applied to a wide range of
other equipment.
By default, the Recorder grabs audio
3 in 256kbps MP3 format; clicking the
Recorder opens a dialog box where we
can change this to high quality 24-bit
WAV. To monitor audio while recording,
add an Output Device from Outputs, set
to your chosen audio interface. Grab the
recording from the Recording tab.
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 33
> make music now / old-school sampling

Three > Step by step 7. Making a jigsaw DIY bootleg

tips for
sampling
from full
tracks
Here are three clever
ways of taking and
A bootleg is essentially an You might be surprised to learn how
using samples from a
full track to spice up 1 unauthorised remix. Once you’ve
identified the track you’re looking to
bootleg, grab a high-quality copy of the
original, then listen through in your DAW
2 many well-known tracks use samples
in one form or another, and the internet is
a superb resource for finding out where
any given track took its samples from.
your own productions and cut out any sections you feel would Websites like WhoSampled are a great
work nicely in your bootleg. Auditioning starting point, as are discussion forums
through a filter can help with finding good like Reddit – or even just a Google search.
parts that would work after some EQ.

01 QUIET SECTIONS
A great place to start
looking for sounds in any track
is among the quieter parts of
the mix. These bits will often
not have the main beat rolling
behind them, allowing you to
grab handy vocal cuts, drum
breaks, riffs or stabs that you
can then easily repurpose in
your own track.

02 EQ/FILTERING
EQing or filtering can If you’re bootlegging a track with Establishing the BPM of your original
enable us to remove
unwanted instruments 3 vocals, finding the acapella will open
up a ton of extra possibilities in the
production process. For older tracks,
some success can be had by looking on
4 track is helpful when bootlegging. If
you’re lucky, the track will have the BPM in
its metadata, but most DAWs can calculate
the BPM from a one-bar loop. Once you’ve
sufficiently from the mix to
Discogs for a CD or vinyl single with an worked it out, turn your metronome on
make the sample usable when acapella version; and YouTube can be a and make sure the parts you’re using sit in
layered alongside other winner for finding a rare or newer acapella time with the click.
that’s not been commercially released.
elements – for example, a
simple high-pass filter can
remove sub bass at a stroke.
After you’ve EQed the sample,
try it in your track to see how
well it fits.

03 SHORT SOUNDS
A snippet of audio
can be easily transformed into
something more substantial
by loading it into any loop-
enabled sampler, then setting
up a loop point to extend the
To make the production process as With everything prepped, you can

5 6
sound indefinitely. While this
doesn’t always sound
seamless, it can help to create
an interesting effect from an
otherwise unusable audio clip.
fun and straightforward as possible, it
always pays to assemble the material
you’ve earmarked for use before
bouncing it all as audio to a new folder.
Then, when it comes to actually making
the bootleg, you’ll have everything you
need at your fingertips, all expertly edited,
timestretched and ready to roll.
construct your bootleg, taking care to
piece things together nicely while fitting
them to a new tempo. If there’s anything
you like in the original that you couldn’t
cleanly sample (a riff or drum fill, perhaps)
then why not try recreating it from
scratch? Adding layers to beef up the
original parts can also work well.

34 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


> Step by step 8. Phase-cancelling tricks
Thanks to the wonders of phase
1 reinforcement and cancellation, we
can utilise different mixes of the same
song to extract important elements of the
track for use in a guerilla remix. First, we’ll
2 perfectly in phase and played
import a full vocal mix and instrumental of
a house track onto our DAW’s timeline.
Next, call up any utility plugin and add it to
the instrumental channel.
> Step by step 9. RX 7 Music Rebalance Mode
TUTORIAL
FILES
As well as the usual audio restoration
1 tools, the latest version of iZotope’s
RX audio editing suite also offers a brand
new Music Rebalance Mode, which can
be used to change the balance of
2 this is a complete mix of vocals, bass,
instruments in a full mix – ideal for the
bootleggers among us. Let’s try it: start by
opening the standalone RX 7 editor.
Next, we’ll remove the vocal from the
4 mix to create an instrumental by
turning the Percussion and Other faders
up to 0, before hitting Preview. As the
human voice sits across most of the
5 by pushing the Voice fader to 0 and
frequency range, tweak Sensitivity for
best results. A setting of 6.5 removes most
vocal without overprocessing the mix.
old-school sampling / make music now <
When two identical signals are
3
together, they double in volume as the
two signals reinforce each other. If we
then flip the phase by 180 degrees, the
two signals will cancel each other out,
resulting in silence. To hear this in effect,
hit the Phase flip button on the
instrumental utility plugin.
Drag Full Mix.wav into RX’s editor:
drums and synths that we can pick at.
Scroll down the Repair menu and select
Music Rebalance to bring up controls for
3 mix. Pull down the Voice, Percussion
mix rebalancing. Click the + sign next to
the Bypass button to increase the Buffer
Length for a smoother preview.
To finish, try removing the Percussion
the Percussion to silence with Sensitivity
at 10. Switching Separation algorithms
gives different results depending on
what’s being processed: Advanced Joint
Channel removes drums without
excessive artefacts and aliasing.
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 35
With our full mix and instrumental out
of phase with each other, the identical
parts of each track disappear, leaving us
with a completely isolated vocal take
that’s an ideal starting point for a remix or
bootleg of our own. This technique works
equally well with any other parts of the
mix you’re looking to steal – give it a try!
First, we’ll isolate the bass from the
and Other faders to silence, then hit the
Preview button. You’ll hear the bass
playing in isolation, but there’s still a bit of
vocal and drums sneaking in. Reducing
Sensitivity to around 2 removes most of
these artefacts, leaving a usable bass take.
POWER TIP
>More RX 7 tips
Although the Music Rebalance
Mode is a killer tool for grabbing
those hard-to-reach samples in a
track, there’s loads of other great
stuff in RX 7 that’s also useful for a
remixing or re-editing. The
Deconstruct tool is great for
embellishing the tonal qualities or
removing distortion from a sample,
while Center Extract is a winner for
sneakily grabbing hard panned
sounds from the stereo spread, ideal
for 60s stereo records. Check out
our killer remixing cover feature in
247 to find out more.
> make music now / old-school sampling

MORE TOOLS
AND TRICKS
Turn your computer into a sample-wielding
time machine with our retro-emulating
hints, tips and techniques

36 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 old-school sampling / make music now <

> Step by step 10. Getting retro with TAL-Sampler

TUTORIAL
FILES

If you want a 90s, Akai-esque retro First, let’s make a classic jungle-style

3
TAL-Sampler offers two timestretch

1 feel, there are few better bits of kit out

there than Togu Audio Line’s TAL-Sampler.
Start by importing the audio files
beginning ‘Rave…’ into a blank 160bpm
2 timestretched vocal to fit before the
project, then load TAL-Sampler onto each
of two new MIDI tracks.
drop. Add Rave Vocal.mid on the first
track to trigger the sampler, then open
TAL-Sampler and bring up the Layer A tab.
Drag in Vocal.wav, then turn off the Loop
feature so that the vocal snip plays in full
when triggered.
modes, modelled on the classic Akai
sampler algorithm. Set mode to Cyclic,
then adjust Stretch until the vocal fills the
entire four-bar gap before the drop. Now,
try Intelligent mode – the vocal sounds
less obviously stretched, but the Cyclic
mode is more authentic.

Next, we can make a cool layer for the The Resampler offers a number of Adjusting Bias to 0.5 changes how

4 riff that plays over the drop. Import

Rave Riff.mid onto the second sampler
track, then open TAL-Sampler. Drag
Stab.wav onto Layer A with looping
5 DAC types that have been lovingly
disabled, then adjust the Delay control to
0.01 seconds: this’ll push the sample back
from the grid to give a less ‘perfect’ sound.
recreated from classic sampling hardware.
Choose the Emu II DAC Type. Reducing
the sample rate to around 22kHz will take
6 TAL-Sampler internally resamples the
some of the stab’s natural shine away,
giving a lo-fi feel.
audio for a slightly duller sound. A splash
of Jitter and Hiss recreates the tone of a
noisy digital sampler circuit, while pulling
back Level gradually decreases the signal-
to-noise ratio to emulate lower sample
recording levels.

> Step by step 11. Experimenting with Serato Sample

Serato Sample combines bits of their To assign hits from our break to the

3
Sample lets you create multiple cue

1 DJ software with a classic sampler

workflow – let’s try it out for some 170bpm
breakbeat chops. Open Sample on a fresh
MIDI track, then drag Break.wav onto the
2 pads in Sample, we can use our MIDI
main screen. Hit Play to preview the
break; if it’s too fast, hit the ½ button (top
right) to halve the tempo.
keyboard. Select the first kick, then hit a
MIDI key to place a cue point. Repeat this
for the first snare and the hat shuffle
directly afterwards. Now, we can replay
our break in a pattern of our choosing, as
well as creating extra pads for edits.
points at the same point with different
pitches and timestretching for easy, Akai-
esque edits. Skip to the start of the break,
and create a new cue point. Highlight the
pad and set the Key Shift to +5 semitones.
Record a pattern with your MIDI keyboard
to create a rugged old-school break.

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 37

> make music now / old-school sampling

Ten more old-school sampling tips

CLIP ROUND THE EAR
A winning method for adding extra impact to
drum hits is to clip them using some sort of
saturation, distortion or dynamics processing.
Ram your snares through a tape emulation
plugin to get that hard, Dr Dre-style pushed
sound, or clip them heavily using a limiter with
fast release to add some bite and high-
frequency distortion. Alternatively, try our
very own WaveShaperCM – an excellent choice
for a large dose of hard distortion that works
well on drum hits.

TOP OF THE POPS

If you listen carefully to older sample-based
tracks, you’ll hear the odd artefact where the
zero crossings of a sample haven’t been edited
as cleanly as the producer might like due to the
limitations of the equipment. Mimic this by
editing your samples with zero crossings
turned off for a less accurate sound, or even by
adding your own clicks to the sample.

SPRING IN YOUR STEP

If you’re trying to make retro sounds with 21st
century-sounding plugins, the game will be
given away immediately! Effects-wise, try
using mono spring reverb for ancient
ambience that doesn’t sound too shiny. More
generally, it’s always a good idea to avoid
modern stereo-widening techniques – sticking
to basic panning and retro-sounding reverb
will help to get that classic sampled sound.
TOUGH MUDDER
Step away from the sound of modern, glossy
mixes by embracing a bit of midrange mud
when EQing. If you’ve thought of cutting some
mids out, leave them as is – or if you were
going to leave them alone, try instead adding
some midrange tape or tube saturation using a
multiband tool like FabFilter Saturn.
UP AND DOWN
If you’ve got a synth pad, say, that sounds
cool but a bit thin, why not duplicate it in
your sampler and pitch the copy down an
octave? This’ll instantly add some guts and
depth to the original sound, as well as
potentially serving as a tasty edit at some
point in your track.
DOWN THE SIGNAL PATH
Don’t forget that old-school tracks were
created entirely outside the box, and the signal
path used will always have a major bearing on
For lo-fi atmosphere, try cassette emulation plugins like the one in RC-20 Retro Color
the sound. You can emulate this in your DAW
by placing the relevant plugins at the correct
points in the signal path – eg, a mixing desk
channel strip or preamp emulation directly
after the sampler, and so on.
TAPE PACK
Several famous albums, including Nebraska by
Bruce Springsteen and Enter The Wu-Tang by
Wu-Tang Clan, were either recorded entirely or
mixed down onto cheap four-track cassette
recorders, which certainly contributed heavily
to their unique, lo-fi feels. To get a chunk
of that rawness for yourself, try dubbing your
sounds onto cassette tape or, alternatively,
using a cassette-emulation plugin such as
Klevgrand’s DAW Cassette.
SMASH AND GRAB
To add extra character and bite to your sounds,
try smashing them through liberal amounts of
saturation, overdrive and/or distortion –
there’s no room for subtlety here! If you then
end up overdoing it a touch, mix the dry signal
back in in parallel to restore some balance,
while still keeping that ruggedness you’re
aiming for.
ZOOMING AWAY
If you made music using a sampler back in the
90s, you might well have had an inexpensive
reverb unit from the likes of Alesis, Zoom or
ART that, while not sounding totally realistic,
would have had character in spades. Emulate
the sound of this kind of gear in the box using
Voxengo’s excellent (and free!), 90s-tastic
OldSkoolVerb.
LOW QUALITY STREET
For a different way to make your drum hits
sound lo-fi and/or unusual, try converting
them into low-quality MP3 format. Unlike bit
reduction or distortion, the lossy codec used
by MP3 will try and reduce the quality level as
cleanly as possible, leading to some quite
unique and interesting results, particularly
when you’re converting all the way down to
32kbps and lower.

Get artfully unrealistic ambience with a cheap-sounding reverb plugin such as Voxengo’s freeware OldSkoolVerb

38 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

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 Producer Masterclass

FOUK
The Dutch house production and DJ duo
show us how they made their infectiously
funky track, Mating Call
44 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

What the Fouk?
Dutch house duo Fouk – aka Daniël
Leseman and Hans Peeman – have
been friends and musical partners since
childhood. As well as being constantly in
demand for DJ sets around the world,
their heavily disco-infused production
style has yielded such sonic delights as
Cat Lady and the Kill Frenzy EP. They’ve
even started their own record label,
Outplay, on which they now release their
own music. So where did it all begin?
“When I was ten years old, I was playing
electronic organ for six or seven years,”
remembers Daniël. “After that, at 16 years
old, I didn’t really feel like taking lessons
anymore, so I started doing electronic
music and playing records.”
“I don’t have a musical background,” says
Hans. “I’m not the best keyboard player –
he’s a lot better than I am – but I manage.
When we were around that age, we started
to find out how electronic records were
made, how music was made. And we’ve
been trying to make something ever since.
You get up to this point that it kind of feels
“We like to make the
synths we use sound
organic – like a live band”
like it’s all clicking. It took a couple of years
to get to that point. We used to make
progressive trance, from 2004 to 2005.”
“It took a few years to get the basics
right,” agrees Daniël. “And then, once we
started making house music – which was
after we finished with our studies – we had a
WATCH
THE VIDEO
In this exclusive video,
Daniël and Hans walk
you through the
production process behind
their track Mating Call
Watch the video
tutorial on your
PC or Mac at…
bit.ly/fkmtclcm
producer masterclass / make music now <
few years in between where we didn’t do a
lot. Then you suddenly find the thing that
works best for you, the thing which makes it
your own sound.”
The frustration of unanswered demo
submissions led the pair to set up Outplay
Records in 2012.
“We sent demos to other labels but they
didn’t respond, so we ended up founding
our own label,” Daniël smiles. “We did three
digital releases but we were still in love with
vinyl, so the fourth release was a vinyl
release, Cat Lady, and that one took off.”
“Starting our own record label really
streamlined the whole process of being a
little bit more like an established artist, you
know?” explains Hans. “It kind of made us
go the more professional way as well,
because it all evolved from being a hobby,
which is the natural way of how it goes with
a lot of these things. From then on, we
started thinking of it more as a profession.”
Mating Call
For this Producer Masterclass and its
accompanying video, Daniël and Hans are
going to deconstruct their joyous floorfiller,
Mating Call, right before your very eyes. The
track started life as a sampled loop, lifted by
Daniël from an unspecified record.
“This track actually started out with me
just being in the studio and trying to make a
quick edit from an Afro track to play around
with,” he recalls. “I put it aside for a while,
but then we were in the studio together, I
put it on and he just started playing on top
of it. And in the end we started to remove a
lot of the whole edit aspect and it turned
into an original track.
“It’s nice to see what’s left of the sample.
We ended up just using the organ part – it’s
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 45
Kit List
HARDWARE
Apple iMac
Alesis M1 Active MkII monitors
Moog Sub Phatty
Moog Slim Phatty
Roland JP-8000
Roland TR-09
Korg ARP Odyssey
Strymon El Capistan
Sequential Prophet-6
SOFTWARE
Apple Logic Pro X
Spectrasonics plugins
Soundtoys plugins
Klanghelm plugins
Native Instruments plugins
heavily filtered. We just wanted to have the
mid part of the sound, so we could add a lot
of other instruments on top of it, without
cluttering the rest. There’s a [Waves]
SoundShifter on it – we’ve detuned it a bit.
When you sample from records, sometimes
they’re a little bit off.”
“So you need to get them in tune,” adds
Hans, “and this is the best plugin for that. We
use it a lot.”
From the seed of that single sample,
Mating Call grew into a dense, percussion-
heavy workout of the most uplifting kind – a
sublime fusion of bass-driven, Rhodes-
tinged disco attitude and casually Latin-
influenced groove. Without further ado,
then, fire up the video using the URL below,
sit back and spend an hour in the company
of the Fouk duo as they show you how it
was done…
> make music now / producer masterclass

Multilayered bassline

04:00 Mating Call’s funky

bassline is essentially the
hook of the track, and it comprises multiple
synth- and sample-based layers.
“This was the original bassline, played with
our Sub Phatty,” says Daniël, playing back the
bassline in the ‘B’ section of the track. “But we didn’t feel like this would
be the main bassline for the whole track. So we worked on a different
bassline. It’s a combination of three layers. Still, there’s a Moog bass in it
– we use a lot of Moog bass – but we wanted a bass guitar feel.”
Hans: “What we usually do is make the synths we use sound organic,
like a live band. So we used a top bass to fill the sound out…”
Daniël: “We didn’t have a bass guitar, and I’m not a great bass guitar
player, so we used a sample package from Scarbee [MM Bass, running
in Native Instruments Kontakt], to give it that guitar feel.
There’s quite some processing on this, using pedals inside Logic.
Scooping off the lows. Even more highs with an exciter. Putting it
through a compressor. And some delay, in this case a slap delay.”
Hans: “It’s EchoBoy Jr from Soundtoys. We use those plugins a lot – it’s
a great package. That makes the sound a lot more live.”
Daniël: “It now has a lot more presence – a bit of ‘room’ – because of
the delay. It doesn’t have any lows, because the Moog bass is supplying
all the low end.”

Rhodes bass with

Spectrasonics
Keyscape
07:50 Fouk are huge fans of the
Fender Rhodes electric piano,
and in Mating Call, one use for it was to add
a thickening layer to the bass.
Daniël: “We wanted a bit more body, and
recently we bought this fantastic package:
Keyscape from Spectrasonics. This one is
like a really low Rhodes bassline. We took
off the lows, because all the lows are in the
Moog, and we didn’t want clutter.”
Hans: “A lot of Afro tracks feature a lot of
slightly detuned instruments. The top and
Keyscape bass is detuned by about 20
cents. Combined, there’s a flowing feel.”
Daniël: “The top bassline also goes to an
aux channel with a spring reverb. It gives
this vintage, echoey feel to it. It’s just on the
top frequencies of the bassline. Then all the
bass layers go to one aux channel with
some warm tape distortion, just to glue it.”

46 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 producer masterclass / make music now <

Designing the kick drum sound

11:50 “We always start out by finding the right kick to complement the
feel of the track,” says Hans. “Some tracks need a more punchy
kick, and in this case we wanted to add to the whole live feel, so it sounds more
like a live kick drum.”
Daniël: “It really sounds like a kick drum from a drum kit. We wanted to give a bit
more beef to it, so here’s one of our favourite plugins: [Soundtoys] Little Radiator.
You can hear the kick’s now got a bit more distortion, a bit more beef.”
The kick is processed with EQ for low-end attenuation and transient shaping to
shorten the tail. “We have a lot of bass because of the bassline,” says Hans, “and
you want room to let the bassline breathe. The kick in the low end has a long tail.”
Daniël: “Later, when we had everything together, we thought this kick could have
a bit more punch, a bit more top – especially when I was mixing. So we layered a
[Roland TR-]707 kick on top of it.”
Hans: “It’s nice to have a kick that’s really deep in the mix, but on different kinds
of systems, it tends to not be noticeable as much as you’d like, so this extra
punch makes it feel much more balanced.”
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 47
 > make music now / producer masterclass

Fouk’s Mating Call in Logic Pro X

Drums and percussion

Sidechain
compression 16:50 The layered Latin
percussion in Mating
Call is a real focal point, but there are
sometimes recorded ourselves.”
One of the Latin percussion lines
comes from a rather surprising

15.30 As is inevitable in any modern

dance music production,
sidechaining plays a part in the sound of
also hi-hats and claps underpinning it.
The hats come courtesy of a sampled
loop and the Roland TR-09.
source: Logic Pro X’s in-built
Drummer. “It’s just an easy way to get
quick results,” says Daniël.
Daniël: “We tend to combine “Like EZdrummer or something,”
Mating Call – although not as much as you electronic drums with sampled drums continues Hans. “Because it’s a stock
might expect. Daniël explains: “We used a – in this case, hi-hats – as it gives this plugin, we don’t want to make it the
vintage feel, like disco. We combined centrepiece of the whole production,
sidechain with the original kick, just to give
it with our TR-09 recording.” but you can work really quickly, and it
some room when the bass is playing. I don’t Hans: “Then we have fingersnaps. We can fill up the whole percussion side
think we put it on everything. use a lot of snaps and claps – of things really well.”
“We just make one aux channel with a
compressor on it, and then route everything
we like to go to to the sidechain. Every now
and then, we turn it off, because in the breaks
we don’t want to hear the pumping
sidechaining sound.”

48 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


More live percussion
21:00 The rest of the percussion was
played live by Hans and Daniël
using bells, shakers and other instruments
that they bought specifically for the track.
“There was a music store pretty close to
the place where we recorded everything,”
remembers Hans.
Daniël: “We’d always wanted to have a
proper cowbell.”
Lead lines with the Sub
Phatty and JP-8000
38:00 Hans: “We have multiple
lead sounds. The Moog Sub
Phatty is great for bass sounds, but also
piercing lead sounds and effects. Here it’s
just one note for transitions in the track.”
Daniël: “After that B part, it’s back to the
main part of the track. We hear the bassline
again, but this time with an extra element.”
Hans: “This is a combination of two
synthesisers: the JP-8000 and the Slim
Phatty, doubling it, playing the same line.”
Daniël: “There’s a lot of movement. The
Slim Phatty tends to gets a bit detuned. It
takes half an hour [to warm up]. But when
it’s a bit off tune, it can just sing with the
other lead from the JP.”
Hans: “It all adds to the euphoric feel.”
producer masterclass / make music now <
Fouk’s favourite
software
Apple Logic Pro X
195 » 9/10 » £200
Hans: “We started out on Cubase, when we
were working on PC, but as soon as we got the
Mac, we used Logic. It has a steep learning
curve and can be a bit daunting for people
starting out, but it’s a lot easier than Cubase.”
apple.com
Hans: “We love cowbell. It’s easy to go
overboard, so we always restrain ourselves
a bit. It really added something to this one.”
Daniël: “There is a cowbell in the Latin
percussion already, but together…” [Daniël
Soundtoys Effect Rack
plays his cowbell part along with the 227 » 10/10 » $199
Drummer-generated line.] Daniël: “We really love the Soundtoys plugins –
Hans: “It’s like the two cowbells are it’s crazy what you can end up doing with all of
answering each other!” those effects.”
Hans: “It’s like a rack where you can put all the
individual plugins from Soundtoys, so you can
get this combination of the effects.”
soundtoys.com
Daniël’s djembe
24:20 The djembe line that takes
centre stage in the percussion
section was played live by Daniël.
“It has this ring, and to damp it a bit, I put
some socks into it. We used a lot of EQing to
shape it, to get that ringing out of it.”
Klanghelm SDRR
“We also used [FabFilter] Saturn. There’s a 199 » 9/10 » €23
lot of peaks in the djembe recording, and Hans: “We love a lot of harmonic distortion, and
these ticks and clicks sound a bit thin, but you can do a lot of that right now in the box.”
this plugin rounds it off really well. It also Daniël: “It’s like tube distortion, fuzz, guitar
generates a lot of lows, again, so after that amps… You just slap it on the group, the master,
we use another EQ just to kill them. That’s individual tracks…”
how you make a crappy djembe sound a bit klanghelm.com
more proper!”
Spectrasonics Keyscape
220 » 10/10 » £349
Daniël: “Really realistic sounding Rhodes piano.
It’s a lovely plugin, with Rhodes and piano, but
also with Rhodes bass.”
spectrasonics.net
Apple Phat FX
Daniël: “CamelPhat is a classic plugin now.
Nowadays, it’s incorporated into Logic, and
sound-wise, it’s the same, but the interface is
quite different.”
apple.com
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 49
> make music now / producer masterclass
Fouk on working together, sampling and more
With the majority of electronic music
producers being solo acts, we’re always
intrigued as to how the collaborative
process works for those operating in
groups of two or more. Daniël and Hans
each have their own studio, but getting
together regularly is key to their sound.
“When we work alone, I sometimes have
a different workflow, or he has some ideas
that I couldn’t find myself,” explains Daniël.
“I’m the keyboard player, I can play parts
really quickly, so when we work together, it’s
a combination of all the ideas.
“Sometimes working separately also
works really well,” he continues. “We might
have a small snippet that we work on during
the day, then I come home and have a crazy
idea and lay down some keys, and then the
next day, I go to his studio again and we
finish the track… There’s no one set way that
we work on a track.”
: So how do you get tracks finished
between you?
Hans: “Usually we get together and finish
the track when we’re both there.”
Daniël: “Mostly, I do the final mixes.”
Hans: “We usually do the mix while we’re
arranging as well, but for the final touches,
some mixes need more work than others,
and he has the best ear for that. He used to
master our label’s digital releases as well.”
Daniël: “These tracks all go to a proper
mastering engineer, though. I’m not able to
master for vinyl… well, I’ve never done it. I
just make a premaster that we can send out,
or a master that we can play in the clubs.”
: How much does DJing influence what
you do in the studio, and vice versa?
Hans: “A lot. Because we’ve been
increasingly playing on prime time, that
50 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
influences what you make. The BPM is a lot
higher than when we started; we used to do
a lot of the slower jams as well, around
115bpm. But now, this track is 124, which is
about the BPM that we’re playing out. I think
the whole scene has changed, too – it’s
become a little bit faster.”
: How much influence do you take
from the scene and other artists?
Hans: “I’d like to think that we’re always in a
cocoon and original, but you always get
influenced by other artists. You hear new
stuff that you really like… it doesn’t have to
be in the same genre. Like, Alfa Mist is a
really good UK jazz musician… anything.”
: Describe what relationship you have
with technology…
Hans: “We’ve always been quite technically
minded. If you have a home studio, you like
to mess around with all the gear and stuff,
so there’s a good relationship with
technology – older technology as well. We
started out playing on vinyl, so there’s
always a lot of love there. As DJs, we’re not
against the whole CDJ thing, as we use them
a lot ourselves – you have to.”
Daniël: “We’re more like classic DJs; we
don’t really incorporate a lot of new
technologies – we just mix from track to
track. Mostly vinyl, but also digital, because
“As we’ve evolved,
we do a lot more
ourselves… but we
still use samples”
we have a lot of tracks that aren’t released.”
Hans: “With vinyl, you have something you
can hold in your hands and build a
relationship with.”
: Mating Call started with a single
sample recorded from vinyl. Is that kind
of sampling a big part of your music?
Hans: “We used to say that we made
collages of samples, finding a lot of musical
samples that you could layer on top of to
make really nice harmonies and so on. As
we’ve evolved as artists, we do a lot more
ourselves – it’s a different way of going
about it, but we still use some samples.”’
Daniël: “For this particular track, for
instance, we used just two samples.”
: So sampling is actually something
you’ve moved away from?
Daniël: “Yeah, and in the beginning we
didn’t have all these [hardware] synths, so
we did use a lot more software synthesisers.
But also, we relied on all the great samples
we found on records, and that defined our
sound. People really liked it. We always liked
to combine it with our own playing, though
– not like making an edit, or something. You
can take a disco sample and just slap a beat
on it, which can be nice, but for us, it was
more interesting to find those particular
samples that worked together, and
sometimes you couldn’t even hear the
actual sample anymore. We’d layer, say, our
own Moog bassline on top of the bass
sample, and some chords.”
Hans: “We’d love to think we do some
creative things with samples. As long as it’s
a part of a whole, not the main thing at the
front, it can be really good, it can work really
well. But where we’re at now, we’d like to do
a little bit more than that.”
 producer masterclass / make music now <

Underlying drone
in Kontakt
46.07 At a couple of points in the track, a
barely audible drone sound is heard.
Daniël: “That’s a drone-type sample from the same
track that the Rhodes came from.”
Hans: “We use Kontakt for those samples.: we just
repeat it like a drone. There’s CamelPhat on top of
that, which has some distortion, a bitcrusher, a Tube
knob and a filter. It gives a certain atmosphere.”
Daniël: “It adds to all the other elements in there.”

Hans’ happy accident…

22.53 At one point in the track, Hans can
be heard giving an enthusiastic
whoop followed by a clap. This was captured as an
impromptu conclusion to one of his shaker
recordings, and it brought so much vibe with it
that the pair left it in.
“You hear that a lot in vintage tracks from the
70s,” Hans says. “A lot of the backing track of the
musicians playing and having fun, and it gives it
that funk feeling. It’s just a spontaneous thing,
which is great to use. It’s another element to use in
the arrangement.”

Rhodes chords and solo Tape delay with the

32.00 For the Fender Rhodes chords and
Daniël’s solo, the duo employ the
Scarbee Mk1 Rhodes library, running in Kontakt. “It
isn’t a really fancy sounding Rhodes,” says Hans.
“It’s really straightforward. We have Keyscape from
Spectrasonics, which is a much more fleshed-out
plugin that sounds really good and detailed. But
we tried to use that and it didn’t feel right, like it
was part of the track.”
Daniël: “Keyscape sounded too good!”
Hans: “The main Rhodes part – the chords – brings
some really nice vibes to the track, and then we
wanted to add a solo. It gives it a more melancholic
feel, and this is where Daniël really shines, because
he’s the better keyboard player. The purpose of
this was that we wanted to bring it to life and make
it feel like a live band, so what it needs is live
instrumentation, and this is our way of
approaching that. We recorded a lot of the solos,
trying to get it just right.”
Strymon El Capistan
52.33 Most processing in Mating Call
was applied in the box, but the
Strymon El Capistan hardware tape delay
brings analogue authenticity.
Daniël: “Next to all the percussion that we
bought, we also bought a Strymon tape delay.”
Hans: “It’s a guitar effect, but you can use it on
synths really easily. You have a knob to twist,
you know, like a hands-on feel. It’s really fun to
use. We’ve done some DJ sets with live keys,
just as a precursor to doing the live set – we
bring this with us and we can do lots of nice
little effects. It’s so hands-on. In the studio, it’s
really great for this wonky, spacey feel.”

HEAR MORE
Falling Rhodes
44.00 Alongside the recorded Rhodes parts is another electric piano
line, sampled from another record, that has a dramatic impact
on the harmonic progression of the track.
Hans: “We tend to use lots of layering, and doubling instruments is a really good Mating Call
way to flesh out your mix and make the melodic parts big. We were listening to bit.ly/matcall
this gypsy jazz track from the 70s, and it started with these falling sounding With Lasers
bit.ly/withlas
progression. It’s another Rhodes. Sometimes it’s difficult if you use a sample
Rhodes together with one that you’ve done yourself, but in this particular WWW

outplayrecords.bandcamp.com
instance it sounded alright in the mix. They have a different kind of feel…”
Daniël: “It’s in the same key, kind of, but it’s drifting off a bit, and it works.” soundcloud.com/justsayfouk

Hans: “It’s also a transitionary element. You can use it to say, ‘OK, something’s twitter.com/justsayfouk
happening, it’s going to change, flip a little bit’.” facebook.com/justsayfouk

NEXT MONTH Dutch maestro Mason gets busy in the studio February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 51
BACK ISSUES
Catch up on what you’ve missed – all of
these issues include Vault downloads!

ISSUE 264
January 2019
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ISSUE 263
December 2018
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ISSUE 262 ISSUE 261 ISSUE 260 ISSUE 259
November 2018 Autumn 2018 October 2018 September 2018
s 7JOUBHF &ŢGFDUT TQFDJBM s .VTJD 5IFPSZ .BEF &BTZ s /FYU-FWFM .BTUFSJOH s 4ZOUI 4FDSFUT VOMPDL ZPVS
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s 7$7 3BDL 1BSU  BOE s "VEBDJUZ (BSBHF#BOE s "VEJP "EWFOUVSFT BOE s -PHJD 1SP  BOE s "CPWF  #FZPOE s 5ISPUUMF JO UIF TUVEJP
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Vault downloads available only from 182 onwards. See bit.ly/cmvaultfaq.
52 / COMPUTER MUSIC / August 2013
> free software / noiseash speakersim cm

DOWNLOAD
Get the plugin and the video
tutorial on your PC/Mac at

>Free software filesilo.co.uk/computermusic

SpeakerSim CM
Phone in your signals with NoiseAsh’s
In order to give track elements the classic
‘telephone’ treatment, options are limited:
invest in an expensive speaker-simulation
plugin, dial in your own fiddly processing
setups from scratch, or laboriously reamp
the signal through an actual speaker or
phone. Surely there’s an easier, cheaper way?
Enter SpeakerSim CM, a simple speaker-
emulation tool (PC/Mac, VST/AU/AAX) from
NoiseAsh, free with this issue. Load SpeakerSim
CM as an insert effect over vocals, drums,
basslines or synths, then select one of the four
speaker models – an old phone, megaphone,
radio or walkie talkie – to funnel your signal
through the chosen playback system.
Plugin giveaway
Aside from the advanced EQ and convolution
trickery used to emulate these particular sonic
spaces, SpeakerSim CM also gives you several
options for customising your ‘reamped’ signal:
tone shaping is taken care of with Moog-esque
high-pass and low-pass filters, plus a three-band
EQ; flip the output between Mono or Stereo;
blend the dry signal back in; and keep
overshoots in check with the crunchy under-
the-hood limiting stage.
SpeakerSim CM is useful in a range of
scenarios. Call it up as a characterful effect in
the mix, create stark transitional switches in the
midst of an arrangement, use it as a parallel
sweetener for subtle vibe, or even pop it on
your master bus to hear how your entire mix
might sound when played back on a low-quality
phone or speaker – ideal when A/B referencing.
One you’ve had a taste of SpeakerSim CM’s
speaker-emulating talents, take a closer look at
the full version of SpeakerSim, which ups the
model count to a whopping 18. Additional
speaker types include an answering machine,
three megaphones, headphones, toy cars,
guitar cabs, turntables and more. And this is just
one of the ten effects available in the full
Palmary Collection bundle, which features
creative processors such as Action Delay,
Frozenverb, Stereo Finalizer and Devastator.
Find out more at noiseash.com

SPEAKER SELECT PRESET BROWSER INFO

Choose one of SpeakerSim Open this to load, save and Punch the header to find out more
CM’s four speaker models favourite presets about the plugin and developer

INPUT GAIN
Set the incoming
signal’s level

OUTPUT GAIN
MONO/STEREO Set the outgoing
Switch the output signal’s level
EQ DRY/WET
between two-
Low- and high-pass filters, Balance the unprocessed
channel stereo and
plus a three-band EQ and processed signals here
single-channel mono

54 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


> Step by step 1. Getting started with NoiseAsh SpeakerSim CM
To install SpeakerSim CM on your
1 computer, run the PC or Mac installer
found on this month’s FileSilo or the print
issue’s DVD. The plugin comes in VST and
AAX formats for PC, and VST, AU and AAX
2 through the plugin’s different speaker
formats for Mac. Once installed, call up a
fresh instance of SpeakerSim CM on a
channel in your DAW.
The EQ section comprises low- and
4 high-pass analogue-style filters – set
their frequencies by dragging the outer
two knobs. Raise or lower the second and
fourth knobs to dial in fixed low- and high-
5 hood stage that NoiseAsh describe as
shelf boosts or cuts (+/-10dB). Finally, the
centre knob controls a fixed midrange
peak: turn anticlockwise to cut, and
clockwise to boost (+/-10dB).
Most consumer-level speakers,
7 telephones and radios consist of only
one speaker driver, which is why we
associate their lo-fi sound with mono
audio. Handily, then, SpeakerSim CM
8 the Preset Browser. This is where
features Mono/Stereo buttons, allowing
you to flip the plugin’s output to mono for
pseudo-realistic speaker effects.
noiseash speakersim cm / free software <
The central section is where you flip
emulations – click one of the buttons to
select a model. The currently selected
model populates the centre window.
3 signal flow in a bit more detail.
Choose from four models: Megaphone,
Vintage Phone, Walkie Talkie and Old
Radio In Room.
The signal passes into an under-the-
“a combination of slight distortion and
LA-2A-style optical limiter with fast attack
and release times, to reduce peaks and
6 Output Simulator, which is where the
add slight distortion”. To push signal
harder into this stage, crank up the
leftmost Input knob, then back off the
right-hand Output knob to compensate.
Click the top-centre bar to open
you can browse the factory presets
via the menus, plus add your own
custom banks and presets. Hit a
preset’s star icon to favourite it.
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 55
Let’s break down SpeakerSim CM’s
Telephone and speaker effects go hand in
hand with heavy-handed equalisation and
filtering, which is why you’ll note that the
incoming signal first hits an EQ section.
Turn the EQ on and off with the header’s
power button.
Signal then passes into the main
speaker-modelling magic starts to
happen. It’s a combination of custom EQ
curve and “fast-efficiency convolution
reverb engine”. This processed output
signal can be blended with the
unprocessed input signal via the Dry/Wet
mix slider.
POWER TIP
> Public speaker
SpeakerSim CM’s concise set of
controls make it an easy-to-use
signal sweetener. It’s ideal for
crisping up and exciting drums,
synths or vocals: switch to the
Vintage Phone model, apply a
judicious amount of high-shelf
boost, then balance Dry/Wet mix to
balance the roughed-up signal with
the clean, dry signal. Then, if you
need more dynamic squash and
crunch, simply crank up Input and
back off Output. Alternatively, for
flavoursome ambience, try the Old
Radio In Room model at various
Dry/Wet settings.
NoiseAsh
Palmary SpeakerSim Vocal Finalizer

Collection
Action Delay Action Phaser
The complete Palmary
Collection bundle
comprises ten unique
Stereo Finalizer Frozenverb
effects plugins for
producers, mixers and
mastering engineers.
Each processor is Action Filter Heater

available individually for

€29, or make the whole
package yours for €120. Devastator Action Tremolo

Download a demo of the bundle from…

noiseash.com/palmary-collection
> make music now / hands-on with korg electribe wave

HANDS-ON WITH

KORG
ELECTRIBE
WAVE
Make superior tracks from
Korg’s Electribe Wave for iOS is a
deceptively powerful little tool for
on-the-go composition. Integrating
both a capable drum machine and an
8-track pattern-based sequencer, it’s
capable of far more than just road
doodles – and its export options let you
transfer your results to a desktop DAW
with minimal fuss.

the comfort of your iPad This wavetable synthesiser may have

only one oscillator, but it’s packed with so
many extras that make it quick and easy
to create and/or modify patches. Since the

with this sophisticated Electribe Wave’s x0x-style sequencing

features are straightforward, for this
tutorial we’ll focus on getting the most

groovebox app from the synthesis and production

aspects of the app. Let’s go!

60 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 hands-on with korg electribe wave / make music now <
As well as some great wavetables, the oscillator has dedicated envelope modulation for scanning indices, and you can further modify the wave with one of six Mod Types
Oscillator
The single wavetable oscillator is surprisingly
powerful, and includes multiple modifiers for
extending the tonal range of the factory
wavetables. Above all, we should consider that
every wavetable consists of multiple waveform
indices, so while sweeping it with an envelope
or LFO produces the hallmark animation effects
of wavetable synthesis, you can also use
individual index waves to serve as the basis for
a new sound – especially in conjunction with the
Unison amenities and Mod Types.
There are six distinct Mod Types for
adjusting the timbre of any given wavetable,
and each is unique. Let’s take a closer look at
their applications…
> SYNC
Synth veterans will recognise this option as
identical to ‘hard sync’ from many dual-
oscillator analogue synths. Here, it imparts a
bright, flanger-like effect that strongly
emphasises discrete harmonics as the depth is
swept or modulated.
> XMOD
Short for cross-modulation, Xmod serves as a
form of bi-directional FM when found on
analogue synths. For newcomers, it may appear
chaotic and gritty at first, concealing the effect’s
musical potential. To achieve more consistent
tonal behaviour, try setting the depth to 20,
then use the following Mod Pitch values: 45, 54,
64, 71, 83, 99, and 127. These will add harmonic
complexity and a bit of detuned ‘beating’, but
will also work for harder leads and basses.
> VPM
Whether you call it Variable Phase Modulation
or FM, the underlying approach is the same.
This Mod Type is perfect for recreating vintage
While the Electribe Wave’s envelope is simple, turning decay to maximum activates full sustain, for pads and swells
The Unison functions allow stacking, detuning, and
spreading of four voices, for extremely thick textures
Yamaha sounds, especially when combined
with factory wavetable #13 (Sin Boost). Here, set
the depth to 40, then scan through the various
Harmonics values. You may be surprised by just
how many recognisable DX sounds you’ll end
up encountering!
>NARROW
This squeezes the wavetable, replacing the
x-axis with a zero-value flat line, letting you turn
any wavetable into a pulse-like shape. The
Depth knob controls the pulse-width here.
>REFLECT
This mode functions similarly to Serum’s Mirror
Warp option, and modifies the waveform
accordingly. The output is entirely dependent
on the selected wavetable, but can be quite
musical and impressive when modulated.
>SUBOSC
This adds a traditional sub-oscillator, based on a
sinusoidal waveform that can be tuned to the
fundamental, an octave or two below the main
oscillator. While it may be obvious that this is
extremely helpful for bass sounds, it’s also nice
for adding body to wavetables that sound too
bright and thin.
Even without these additional modulation tools,
the raw wavetables offer a lot of power and
flexibility, thanks to their ability to be modulated
by either the envelope or modulation
generators. That said, it’s crucial to note that all
modulation is bipolar, with both positive and
negative depths available from the sources.
This means it’s possible to set up envelopes and
LFOs that perform counterintuitively. A good
rule of thumb when selecting wavetables is to
keep your base index position at 50%, then
gradually apply modulation and watch the
motion of the wavetable as you make further
adjustments. This will help avoid ‘dead ranges’
in your modulation.
Unison
Unlike many softsynths, the Electribe Wave’s
unison section doesn’t impact CPU utilisation
too heavily. In fact, you can use multiple
instances of four-voice detuning without hitting
the ceiling, as long as you’re on a relatively
modern iPad (Air 2 or higher is a good
benchmark for consistent performance).
Other than voice count, the two other
parameters are self-explanatory: Detune and
Spread, with Spread distributing the detuned
voices across the stereo field.
Amplifier and
Envelope Generator
The Amp and EG sections are quite basic, with a
choice between gate (instant attack, full sustain,
and instant release) or envelope modulation of
the amplifier. While there’s no dedicated sustain
level parameter, when the decay parameter is
set to maximum, it toggles on full sustain – ideal
POWER TIP
>Release yourself
The release parameter is capable of
insanely long times that last more
than a minute at maximum values.
This is ideal for endless drones, but
for more familiar releases, start with
settings in the 30-40 range, as these
will be most effective. Alternately,
those lengthy release times can be
wonderful for monophonic leads, as
successive notes simply change the
pitch – and reset the envelope,
depending on whether Mono 1 or 2
is selected.
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 61
> make music now / hands-on with korg electribe wave
The resonant multimode filter offers low, high and band-
pass modes for customising oscillator output
for pads and swells that require a softened
attack and longer release, but can somewhat
limit the functionality of the envelope generator
for wavetable or filter sweeps. Fortunately, the
modulation generator, as we’ll see later, offsets
this limitation greatly.
Filter
The Electribe Wave’s filter is extraordinarily
straightforward, with resonant low-pass, high-
pass and bandpass modes available.
Modulation can be applied to the main
envelope generator, in either positive or
negative amounts, but there’s no keyboard
tracking for cutoff at the time of writing.
By switching the amplifier to gate (no
envelope), you can apply cutoff modulation via
the EG without affecting the volume of your
patch, which is useful when designing basses,
leads and TB-303-style sounds.
IFX/EQ
In addition to synthesis tools, every sound
includes dedicated high- and low-shelving EQ,
plus an insert effect. The broad array of effects
includes nearly every common processor you
can think of, ranging from modulation (chorus,
flange, ensemble and phaser), several delays
and reverbs, and even compression and
distortion effects.
That said, there’s also an array of unusual
effects that blur the line between synthesis and
production tools. Pump is handy for EDM-esque
sidechain bouncing. Slicer is a go-to for auto-
gating and chopping, while Grain Shifter is
optimised for glitch techniques. On the
synthesis side, the Comb Filter is good for
flanging and modelling tricks, while Talking
Mod offers a customisable formant filter.
IFX parameters can also be animated by
Electribe Wave’s modulators…
Modulation Generators
Electribe Wave’s dual Modulation Generators
have identical features, and can serve as either
62 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
A Modulation Generator’s waveform can be shaped, or become an envelope when flipped to one-shot mode
Every synth sound includes its own IFX (insert effect), plus a two-band equaliser for bass and treble shaping
LFOs or one-shot decay envelopes, depending POWER TIP
on which waveform is selected. The first four
options come under the category of standard > Hotshot
fare – saw, square, triangle, and random (S&H) –
It’s important to keep in mind
while the last mode is a simple saw-like ramp
that, when in One-shot mode,
shape that will complete its cycle even after the
the LFO rate determines the
key is lifted, depending on which LFO retrigger
envelope speed, so the
type is selected.
adjustment process is inverted
What’s more, all of the LFO shapes can be
compared to setting a true
modified via each generator’s Shape parameter,
envelope’s decay time – faster
which is bidirectional and delivers slightly
LFO rates create shorter decays.
different results based on the depth and
polarity of its setting. Here’s a quick summary of
how each of them works in conjunction with the
Shape parameter.
>SAWTOOTH
Negative settings convert the sawtooth from a
downwards ramp to an upwards one, while
positive settings invert the waveform before
applying this transformation.
>SQUARE
This option functions as a classic pulse-width
modulator, letting you dial in rhythmic, gated,
‘on-off’ effects, with the Shape parameter
determining the duration of the gate.
>TRIANGLE
Positive values make the angles convex, while
negative offers a more concave, spiked
waveform. If you’re looking to use a sine-like
modulation shape, setting the Shape parameter
to its positive maximum will get you most of the
way there.
>RANDOM
Both polarities apply smoothing to the
randomly stepped transitions. With extremely
slow LFO rates, applying a tiny bit of modulation
to pitch, cutoff, or wavetable position will
simulate analogue ‘drift’ and give your patches
a more organic flavour.
>ONE-SHOT
Since the app only offers up one envelope
generator for amp, cutoff, and wavetable
position, this option is a true godsend. The
Shape knob is in control of the slope of the
decay/release, delivering tight, percussive
effects when it’s in combination with an The six Mod Types include several methods for
exponential curve. transforming a wavetable’s character
 hands-on with korg electribe wave / make music now <

The Speed knob includes a BPM sync button,

and a Key switch that toggles LFO phase reset.
When off, the LFO cycles continuously. Key 1
resets the LFO start with each voice, whereas
Key 2 resets the LFO for all voices.
It’s crucial to keep the above parameters in
mind when working with the extensive routing
choices. In addition to expected destinations
like pitch, cutoff frequency, amp, panning – and
of course, wavetable position – there are three
noteworthy targets that offer dramatic
possibilities for timbral manipulation: IFX Edit1,
IFX Edit2, and OSC Mod Depth.
The IFX modulation options are standouts,
as they let you morph unusual effect
parameters like distortion amount, EQ settings,
and ring mod frequency and/or balance.
While those are clearly useful for animating
your patches, there are a few destinations that
deliver results that aren’t easily recreated via
The dedicated Mixer page gives you comprehensive control over level, pan, mute/solo and FX on/off
traditional synthesis methods.
Modulating wet/dry balance is an excellent
trick for reverbs. Start by setting the balance to
100% dry, then apply a tempo-synced gate Time), Pitch, Level, and Reverse – the clutter. Alternately, you can crib a page from
downward ramp sawtooth with Key 2 inclusion of independent IFX inserts on every Giorgio Moroder and add a flanger or phaser for
retriggering the LFO. This technique gives drum extends its flexibility immensely. Since instant retro flair.
rhythmically-pulsed reverb washes that turn this array of effects is basically the same as
into cloud-like tonal clusters, becoming more those in the synth engine, here’s a quick guide >TOP PERCUSSION
dense as you play. The Cluster Pulse preset in to setting up the inserts on a default kit for a Tambourines and shakers also benefit from the
Korg’s Atmospheric preset pack demonstrates professional sound. same processing as hats, but if you like their
this effect. Reverb is just one possibility for original flavour, consider adding auto-panning
rhythmic wet/dry modulation; the Grain Shifter >KICK AND SNARE to these instruments. Note that if you’re
is another great candidate, as are certain delays. Compression, limiting, and distortion are applying auto-pan to multiple elements, be sure
Other powerful options include modulating obvious choices for adding punch to these core to give each part a different rate and depth so
the slicer (apply modulation to hold time for elements, but the real gold can be found in they don’t lock into the same position as they
syncopated effects), decimator (try a slow Korg’s own Valve Force tube emulation, which move across the stereo field.
triangle wave on the frequency parameter), or adds impressive impact and presence.
comb filter frequency (for a highly controlled >TUNED PERCUSSION, SYNTH HITS,
flanger effect). Animating either of the Talking >TOMS AND SOUND EFFECTS
Mod’s parameters is handy for vocal tricks à la While applying the same processors as kick/ This is really up to your personal aesthetic, with
Daft Punk. snare will also beef up your toms, these drums the only suggestion being to use delay, echo,
often benefit from a touch of reverb, especially and reverb with restraint. Adding echoes to too
Drums if you’re going for an 80s or rock vibe. many percussion elements instead of
The Electribe Wave also includes an x0x-style enhancing just one or two can make a mix too
drum machine with up to eight sampled drums, >HI-HATS dense. While it may sound cool when you’ve got
including two monophonic choke groups (A If you just want your hats to sit nicely in a mix, an instrument soloed, be sure to check these
and B) for convincing hi-hat behavior. While the the high-pass (HPF) effect is a great way to effects in the context of your full mix.
primary drum parameters are basic – decay (or shave off unnecessary lows that can add audio As for the drums themselves, Korg added
user sample import as of version 2, so if you
already have a sizeable collection of drum hits –
or want to dig into your desktop DAW library for
favourites – the process for importing sounds is
well-documented in the manual and relatively
painless. Organisation is the key here.

Mixer
The Mixer panel lets you see all elements at
once, with faders for each, making it easy to dial
in a coherent final product. That said, the MFX
(master effects) are global and switchable – but
not adjustable – for each track. Accordingly,
you’ll want to select a master effect that
enhances the end mix as a whole. For punchy
dance tracks, try the compression tools or a tiny
bit of Valve Force. For more nuanced music,
adding a very small amount of room or hall
reverb can work wonders to ‘glue’ your
production together before rendering.
Speaking of rendering and exporting,
Electribe Wave also offers the ability to convert
your project to Ableton Live format, letting you
begin a composition on the road and bring it
back to your studio for finishing touches. For
Live users, this is a huge plus, and adds
Each of the eight sampled drums includes its own insert effect, which delivers professional results in mixdowns tremendous value to the app.

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 63

> reviews / cm awards 2018
AWARDS
2018
To wrap up another incredible year of
new plugins and gear, we’ve
handpicked our choice cuts from the
past 12 months. Drum roll, please…
In what’s been yet another cracking year for
the computer-based producer, 2018 has seen
a wealth of marvellous new music applications
and plugins take to market, as well as the usual
slew of updates – some iterative, others
transformative – to most of the major DAWs, and
some of our favourite instruments and effects.
We know we’re always saying this, but the world
of in-the-box music production has never been
more affordable or well-supplied than right now.
Whether you’re just dabbling with synths and
drum machines on your phone, or putting
together what will surely be the next great
electronic album on your Mac or PC, the sonic
power at your disposal today, no matter what
your budget, is nothing short of mindblowing.
64 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
Over the next ten pages, we’re going to take you
on a tour of what we consider to be the best new
releases over the last 12 months, as whittled down
from the full list of well over 100 viable products
reviewed in the last 13 issues of . We’ve got nine
categories, from DAW of the Year to Freeware of the
Year, and each one contains a winner and three
runners-up. The runners-up, it’s important to point
out, aren’t presented in any particular order.
As is the case every year, narrowing the field
down to our final 36 proved to be an epic and
difficult task, and it’s inevitable that some of our
selections will prove controversial – do let us know
what you make of them on social media.
But enough preamble! Take your seats, ladies
and gentlemen, and we’ll begin…

DAW of
the Year
PreSonus
Studio One 4
Professional £344
Web presonus.com
Format Mac/PC
Breaking into the hotly contested and
decidedly ‘closed’ DAW market is never an
easy task, but with the brilliant Studio One,
previous hardware specialists PreSonus
have established themselves as a major
player in just eight years.
Version 4 doesn’t mark the biggest step in
Studio One’s evolution, but it certainly cements it
as a hugely capable environment for all genres
– not just the instrument-based genres with
which it’s associated. The new Patterns feature is
the main contributor to this subtle repositioning,
comprising a clever ‘variation-based’ step-
sequencing system that’s fun and productive.
The Drum Editor, meanwhile, gives a more
intuitive alternative to the piano roll for
percussion programming, while the upgraded
Impact XT and Sample One XT plugin
Ableton
Live 10 €349/599
Web ableton.com
Format Mac/PC
Four years after version 9, Live 10 made up for
lost time by implementing a plethora of
workflow changes – in the Arrangement View,
especially – that add up to a genuine
improvement in overall productivity. On the
creative side, the Wavetable synth makes for
a fine new flagship instrument, while the
Drum Bus module has found a permanent
home on our percussion bus, and Echo finally
sees Ableton taking delay effects seriously.
And let’s not forget that fresh, contemporary
graphical redesign, making Ableton’s much-
loved DAW nicer to work in than ever.
255 » 9/10
cm awards 2018 / reviews <
instruments have both been improved vastly
over their predecessors.
The biggest new addition in Studio One 4,
though, is Harmonic Editing of both monophonic
and polyphonic MIDI and audio parts, by which a
whole track or just individual elements within it
can be shifted in real time to the key or chord
progression of your choosing. The analysis and
subsequent editing process involved is fairly
intuitive, and the dedicated Chord Track makes
light work of moving chords around. It’s not a
perfect system by any means, but Studio One 4 is
Image-Line
FL Studio 20 €289
Web image-line.com
Format Mac/PC
Celebrating its 20th birthday with a massive
leap in version numbering and a long-awaited
native Mac version, the “most popular music
production software in the world” is enjoying
a resurgence in acclaim at the moment. FL
Studio 20 has some neat new features: the
interface can now be customised; track freeze
takes the strain of the host CPU; alternative
takes and multiple time signatures open new
avenues; and plugin delay compensation has
really improved. And, as ever, buying fully into
FL Studio is a one-off transaction, thanks to its
‘free upgrades for life’ policy. Sign us up!
257 » 8/10
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
currently the only DAW that can pull such
trickery off with polyphonic material, and it
serves great purpose as a compositional aid.
As the plaudits laid upon it by its rapidly-
increasing user base testify, Studio One 4 is one
of the most feature-packed, configurable and
forward-thinking DAWs money can buy.
Choosing a DAW is one of the most important
decisions a producer has to make, and those who
don’t include PreSonus’ entrant in their shortlist
risk missing something truly special.
250 » 9/10
Tracktion Software
Waveform 9
$109-259
Web tracktion.com
Format Mac/PC/Linux
The latest version of this always-innovative
DAW puts its quick and easy new sampler
instrument, Multi Sampler, front and centre. It
also brings an expansion on Track LFOs with
six freely-assignable Track Modifier
modulation devices, Macros, the ability to
create bespoke plugin interfaces, and Track
Loops – up-to-24-track audio containers that
are handled like regular stereo audio WAVs.
For those unfazed by its unorthodox ways,
Waveform could be a creative gamechanger.
257 » 8/10
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 65
> reviews / cm awards 2018
Virtual
Instrument
of the Year
Dmitry Sches
Thorn $119
Web dmitrysches.com
Format Mac/PC
Described in our review as “a new classic in
waiting”, Dmitry Sches’ stunning synth plugin
innovates in its use of spectral editing and
shaping, and sounds quite unlike anything else.
The raw signal is produced by three Harmonic
Oscillators (plus a noise oscillator), each
generating its own wavetable-style series of up
to 16 harmonic tables, each table formed by 128
harmonics that can be freely and easily edited in
a bar graph-style interface. Every oscillator also
gets up to eight unison voices, a sub oscillator,
and a broad selection of crazy spectral and
modulation FX, and all three feed into the
Harmonic Filter, which offsets their amplitudes
and phases via its own 8192-harmonic editor.
After that out-there initial signal-generating
and processing stage, the rest of Thorn is
FXpansion
Cypher 2 £159
Web fxpansion.com
Format Mac/PC
It’s taken ten years, but the second version of
FXpansion’s muscular virtual analogue synth
was well worth the wait. Owners of MPE-
capable (MIDI Polyphonic Expression)
controllers – most pertinently, those of
FXpansion’s parent company, ROLI – have the
most to gain, as Cypher2 fully supports the
standard. This brings a whole new dimension
of live performance acrobatics via ‘5D’ per-
note modulation. But that’s by no means the
only reason to upgrade: everything from the
oscillators to the filters to the modulation
scheme has been dramatically improved, and
the all-new sequencer is phenomenal.
262 » 9/10
66 / COMPUTER MUSIC February 2019
reassuringly familiar. Two beautiful analogue-
modelled multimode resonant filters with
overdrive bring the bite, while the usual array of
modulation sources is spearheaded by a couple
of excellent multi-stage envelopes/step
sequencers. Then there are nine very capable
effects modules, a nifty arpeggiator and – last
but by no means least – the acrobatic Glitch
Sequencer. This last is a separate multieffects
section unto itself, housing a gate, filters,
repeater, bitcrusher and sample rate reducer,
and driven by a six-lane modulation step
sequencer. Without it, Thorn would still be a
Propellerhead
Europa £134
Web propellerheads.com
Format Mac/PC
Launched as part of Reason 10 this year,
Europa marks the first porting of a Reason
instrument to VST/AU formats, and gives any
DAW user access to one of 2018’s best
softsynths. Each of Europa’s three mixed
signal generating engines has a wavetable
oscillator, a Unison module and two powerful
Modifiers for applying various waveshaping,
distorting, FM and other processes. The
expected filters, effects and modulation
options are onboard, and we love the flexible
multi-breakpoint envelopes. With its one-
window interface and fab sound, this is a
must-try – visit the browser version to try it.
261 » 9/10
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
wicked synth, but combine the Glitch Sequencer
with those extraordinary oscillators and you
have a wild, wonderfully unpredictable sonic
beast with endless sound design potential.
A worthy addition to the ‘supersynth’
pantheon, where it sits alongside the likes of
Massive, Serum and Dune 2, Thorn specialises in
big, animated noises that really grab the
attention. It demands to be tried by every
electronic producer, and there’s no better way
than to grab our exclusive version of it, Thorn
CM, from Plugins, on the DVD and FileSilo.
253 » 9/10
Cherry Audio $200
Voltage Modular
Web cherryaudio.com
Format Mac/PC
With the modular synthesis romance looking
unlikely to cool any time soon, Cherry Audio’s
ambitious software take on the Eurorack
concept is exactly what many in-the-box
producers have been looking for. You get 70
modules with the Core package, but that’s
only the beginning, as the integrated store
tempts you with an expanding roster of add-
ons from Cherry themselves and third parties,
the most notable right now being PSP
Audioware. Building patches in Voltage
Modular is rewarding and addictive, and the
sounds it makes are superb, as shown by the
extensive library of presets. One to watch.
264 » 8/10

Mixing/
Mastering
Effect of
the Year
iZotope
Ozone 8 £389
Web izotope.com
Format Mac/PC
iZotope’s self-contained in-the-box mastering
solution rolls into its eighth full version, and, it
must be said, we’re increasingly amazed at how
they manage to keep on finding new marquee
features to add to its list.
This time round, the focus is on workflow and
functionality, rather than architectural
expansion and new processing modules. Having
said that, the one new device that has been
added, Spectral Shaper, is really a doozie,
offering frequency-conscious removal of high-
end harshness without affecting other sounds in
the same area.
Softube $449
Tube-Tech
Complete
Collection Mk II
Web softube.com
Format Mac/PC
Softube’s trio of classic Tube-Tech hardware
emulations is one of our plugin highlights of
the year. Modelling the PE 1C and ME 1B EQs,
and CL 1B compressor to a degree of accuracy
that can only be described as astonishing,
Complete Collection Mk II sensibly rolls the
two EQs into one plugin, remakes the CL 1B
from scratch, and greatly improves the
graphics. As we said in our review, these are
“the definitive virtual Tube-Techs”.
260 » 9/10
cm awards 2018 / reviews <
The biggest story, though, is the addition of
the machine learning-driven Master Assistant
– an obvious parallel to stablemate Neutron’s
Track Assistant. This gives Ozone 8 the ability to
set up a preset for you, based on internal
comparison of your track with ten genre-based
spectral curves. It really works, too, assuming
that it’s approached with realistic expectations
in mind – ie, that the result is a starting point, not
a final configuration.
Also designed to make your mastering life
easier, Track Referencing lets you easily A/B
your mix to up to ten reference tracks, with
machine learning again employed in order to
detect verses, choruses, etc, and place markers
around them.
Zynaptiq
Intensity €379
Web timespace.com
Format Mac/PC
Zynaptiq are responsible for some of the most
technologically and conceptually impressive
plugins around, and Intensity is their best yet.
Built, bizarrely, on a facial recognition
algorithm, it’s a mixing and mastering
processor, described as an “infinite-band
compressor that threshold-less-ly operates
relative to the input signal”. Strap it over
anything – tracks, buses, full mixes – and raise
the Intensity parameter to increase the levels
of signal elements deemed “details”,
improving the sound in presence and
dynamics to an often jaw-dropping extent.
Intensity is an audio software miracle.
261 » 9/10
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
The included Tonal Balance Control plugin is
another cool inclusion, enabling spectral
comparison of your track to three target curves
generated through analysis of thousands of
commercial masters, and combined access to
all Ozone 8 and Neutron 2 EQs that are running
in the project.
Alongside that lot, a raft of lesser features –
including a sexy graphical overhaul and per-
band saturation algorithm selection for the
Exciter module – add to the big stuff, to make
this by far the best Ozone yet.
If you’re at all interested in mastering your
own tracks, iZotope’s amazing suite is quite
simply the best software you could possibly
have by your side to do it.
Soundtheory
Gullfoss £139
Web soundtheory.com
Format Mac
The dream of fully-automatic EQ is realised
with this incredible plugin from newcomers
Soundtheory. Gullfoss models the human
auditory system to “understand what your
signal really sounds like and how it can be
improved”, then adjusts the frequency
response of its filters 100 times a second to
constantly shape the spectrum for the
optimum sound. Once you’ve got your head
around the vagaries of its few controls, the
transparent spectral enhancement it delivers
is a thing to behold. Alas, Gullfoss is currently
only available to Mac-based producers, but a
Windows version is due sometime in 2019.
257 » 9/10
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 67
> reviews / cm awards 2018
Creative
Effect of
the Year
Blue Cat
Late Replies €129
Web bluecataudio.com
Format Mac/PC
This labyrinthine multieffects plugin from
Parisian developers Blue Cat Audio uses an
eight-tap stereo delay with two independent
feedback loops as the foundation for an almost
limitless modular processing architecture. The
delay is fantastic: in the Pattern and Feedback
Loops editors, every tap and each feedback loop
can be freely positioned on its own lane in
relation to the Base Delay time, levelled and
panned, while the Inertia control sets how long it
takes for delay time changes to happen, from
instant to slow and tape-like. There’s also a
Ducker for decluttering, and a Freeze function
that allows for mixing of the buffered feedback
with the input and crossfeed signals.
It’s in the pre, post and ‘during’ processing of
the delay, however, that Late Replies reveals its
Unfiltered Audio
SpecOps £129
Web pluginalliance.com
Format Mac/PC
This spectral multieffects plugin effect from
current industry darlings Unfiltered Audio is
not one to be missed. Having distributed the
input signal across hundreds or thousands of
frequency bins, SpecOps lets you mess with
their playback and spacing, pitch and
frequency shift them, then apply three effects
from a spectacular roster of 36 to discrete
ranges in the spectrum. Unfiltered’s
proprietary modulation system brings all
kinds of movement to any and all controls,
and the whole thing gels brilliantly as a
gloriously ‘different’ sonic toybox.
253 » 9/10
68 / COMPUTER MUSIC February 2019
transcendent depth and power. You see, as if
being a first-class delay wasn’t enough, the
plugin also includes a collection of 30 effects
modules and utilities, including reverbs, delays
(the full Late Replies itself being one of them),
EQ, filters, dynamics, pitchshifters, harmonisers,
chorus, phaser, etc, each one boasting a fully
formed (if rather drab) GUI and sounding great.
Up to four of these can be inserted into the Pre
FX and Post FX sections… as well as every single
delay tap and both feedback loops! And that’s
Native Instruments
Mod Pack £59
Web native-instruments.com
Format Mac/PC
The first in NI’s new series of affordable
effects ‘Packs’, Mod Pack comprises three
plugins: the Choral chorus, Flair flanger and –
our favourite – Phasis phaser. Choral emulates
the guitar pedals and synth effects of the 70s
and 80s via four modes, and features the
reverb-esque Scatter mode; Flair’s four comb
filters are used for conventional stereo
flanging and can be harmonically spaced to
generate chords; and Phasis is one of the
sickest phasers we’ve ever come across. As
our review concluded, “Mod Pack needs to be
in your creative toolbox”.
256 » 10/10
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
not all: each and every insert point can,
alternatively, host an external VST/AU plugin.
Starting to get the picture?
Quite honestly, even without the effects
modules and plugin hosting, we’d still have had
no hesitation in recommending Late Replies as
one of the tastiest delays around. Factor those
in, though, and you have… well, the best creative
effect plugin of 2018! As we said in our review,
Late Replies is “nothing short of essential”.
251 » 10/10
u-he
Colour Copy £64
Web u-he.com
Format Mac/PC
An expanded spin-off from the Lyrebird
module in u-he’s Repro synths, Colour Copy is
“a virtual-analogue effect inspired by classic
bucket-brigade delays”. Having set the base
delay time, the Left and Right taps are
positioned relative to it on a graphical
timeline, and modulated with a stereo LFO.
The ‘Colour’ bit comes in with the Feedback
Colouration section, in which five distinct
tonal profiles are continuously swept through
for a wide range of saturation and filtering
styles. With authentic analogue vibes, it
positively invites real-time manipulation.
262 » 9/10

Hardware
of the Year
Universal Audio
Arrow £443
Web uaudio.com
Format Mac/PC
Universal Audio’s Apollo range of audio
interfaces are a firm fixture in countless studios
around the world. Stellar AD/DA converters
aside, it’s the access they give to the ever-
expanding UAD-2 range of classic hardware
emulation plugins that really fuels their
popularity. There’s always been a snag, though.
As laptops have become more powerful and
music production has thus become more
mobile, Apollo has remained resolutely tethered
to the wall via its external power supply. Happily,
all that changed in 2018 with the release of
Arrow: essentially a more compact and – most
importantly – bus-powered Apollo at a lower
price point. The bus in question is Thunderbolt
3, transferring both power and data over a single
cable (not included, shockingly).
When it comes to I/O, you hardly lose
anything by opting for Arrow over Apollo – just a
pair of line outs and the eight-channel ADAT
optical input. That means you get two XLR/1/4”
Native Instruments
Komplete Kontrol
A-Series from £119
Web native-instruments.com
Format Mac/PC
With more and more third parties writing NKS
compatibility into their plugin instruments
and effects, NI are keen to make the hardware
required to use it more widely available. The
Komplete Kontrol S49 controller keyboard
would have set you back £479, but with the
A-Series’ low prices, everyone can enjoy
automatic NKS parameter mapping to eight
touch-sensitive rotaries, NKS preset browsing,
and Host Integration DAW control. Komplete
Kontrol’s best bits at a knockout price.
263 » 10/10
cm awards 2018 / reviews <
combi mic/line inputs, a
Hi-Z guitar input, two line
outs and a headphone out.
Arrow also features the same
Unison preamps as Apollo: these
reconfigure the impedance and gain
staging of the pre to make it sound and
respond exactly like the hardware being
emulated by the loaded UAD-2 plugin. And
speaking of those plugins, Arrow is compatible
with the full UAD-2 range, and bundled with it
are the same 14 that ship with Apollo, including
emulated vintage greats by the likes of
Teletronix, Pultec and Marshall. Mind you, with
only the Core Solo DSP chip onboard, you won’t
be running that many of them at a time.
Nektar
Pacer
£200
Web nektartech.com
Format Mac/PC
Nektar’s tank-like MIDI controller lets you
operate your DAW’s transport controls, track
functions (Mute, Solo, Record Arm, etc),
plugin parameters and anything else that can
receive MIDI CC and note data, using your
feet. Though the one-knob programming
interface is fiddly, you can do a lot with it,
including having up to 16 messages sent
when a given preset is loaded – ideal for
calling up settings of a particular song, say.
Performers are particularly well catered-for.
262 » 9/10
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
A mobile Apollo with no significant
compromises, Arrow performs like a champ and
sounds pristine, and firing up those gorgeous
UAD-2 plugins on the plane never gets old.
256 » 10/10
iZotope
Spire Studio
$349
Web izotope.com
Format Mac/PC
Aimed at those seeking a fast, efficient, high-
quality mobile recording system, our review
called iZotope’s outlandish cylindrical gadget
“wonderfully convenient”. It’s all about the
standalone functionality of the hardware. Two
combi XLR/jack inputs feature Grace Design
preamps and phantom power, the integrated
condenser mic is more than good enough for
scratch work, the multitrack recording
process is ingenious, and there’s enough
storage for up to six hours of work.
260 » 8/10
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 69
> reviews / cm awards 2018

Innovation
of the Year
Sound Radix
Powair $149
Web soundradix.com
Format Mac/PC
Primo plugin developers Sound Radix have yet to
make a plugin that doesn’t innovate in one area or
another, and Powair presents a novel twist on
levelling and compression, just as Surfer EQ and
Drum Leveller did frequency shaping and
transient control respectively.
A two-stage dynamics processor for mixing
and mastering, Powair makes an immediate
impression with its intriguing interface, which
bears no resemblance to any compressor you’ve
seen before. The first of the two stages is the BS
1770-compliant Leveler. This automatically adjusts
the volume level to constantly hit your specified
Loudness Unit target, with adjustable maximum
gain change, and detection and response speeds.
The Leveler feeds into the main compressor, which
operates at a fixed threshold with a soft knee, and
can be switched between Left/Right and Mid/Side
detection, with a slider setting the stereo
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
separation anywhere from linked
to unlinked. Simply raise the
Compression knob to boost the
input and ramp up the amount of
compression applied. Helpfully, the
Attack and Recovery (release)
times can be synced to host tempo
as well as set in milliseconds.
Powair’s big innovation comes
in the shape of the Punch and
Adaptive Compression controls.
Punch acts like a limiter, but only
on the transients: lower it to
increasingly suppress them.
Adaptive Compression is a little
more complicated: at 0, the input
gain determines the amount of
compression, and as it’s increased, it travels staggeringly versatile compressor, with a unique
through ever-more averaging to ultimately approach to transient shaping and transparency;
become constant, enabling a balance to be set but one that also somehow manages to stay
between preservation and control of dynamics. intuitive, despite its unusual interface. Full marks!
Together, these two parameters make Powair a 253 » 10/10

AudioSwift Mixed In Key $79 WS Audio

AudioSwift $24 Captain Plugins Trueno £140
Web audioswiftapp.com Web mixedinkey.com Web truenosynth.com
Format Mac Format PC/Mac Format PC/Mac

Turn your Apple MacBook Pro trackpad or
Magic Trackpad into a MIDI and mixer controller
with this handy menu bar-housed utility. Each of
AudioSwift’s four modes divides the trackpad
into a number of zones, which are tapped and/
or dragged to trigger MIDI notes in various
ways, output up to nine MIDI CCs (with three
fingers) as an XY pad, or operate the mixers of
Live, Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, Cubase, Studio One
and Reaper. The app itself is beautifully
designed, if a bit confusing at first, and the MIDI
triggering and control modes alone make it well
worth the low price of admission.
255 » 8/10
This set of four (or three on PC – Captain
Melody is Mac-only) instrument/MIDI FX
plugins can be used individually or together
to easily create chord progressions, basslines
and melodies. Captain Chords is the ‘hub’,
enabling even the most theory-ignorant
producer to design elaborate rhythmic chord
progressions with relative ease. Captain’s
Deep and Melody slave (or not) to Captain
Chords to pump out bass and lead lines; and
Captain Play lets you improvise chord
progressions with your QWERTY keyboard.
An invaluable compositional aid.
256 » 9/10
Our review called this “a needless
compromise compared to high-end virtual
analogues”, but the concept behind WS
Audio’s analogue/digital-synth-on-a-USB-stick
is undoubtedly innovative. Packed in a dinky
65x31x7mm aluminium block and interfaced
via a plugin or standalone app, Trueno has
three oscillators, a filter, effects and plenty of
modulation, and an edgy, earthy sound that’s
routed directly to your DAW as audio. Despite
Trueno’s shortcomings, it’s an impressive
achievement, and a genuinely decent synth
to boot.
255 » 7/10

70 / COMPUTER MUSIC February 2019

 cm awards 2018 / reviews <

Value of
the Year
Rob Papen
Go2 £42

Web timespace.com
Format Mac/PC AWARDS
Dutch sound, instrument and effect designer
Rob Papen has built an amazing roster of virtual
synths over the last decade, including Predator,
2018
Blue and SubBoomBass. What the range has
always lacked, though, is a ‘budget’ option for
WINNER
those who don’t necessarily need all the depth
and extensive feature sets of those particular
powerhouse instruments, but still covet their wav particularly big deal (with this or any other
sound and technological foundations. hybr softsynth). What really matters to us are the
Enter Go2, a thoroughly capable offering Arp sound and workflow, and on those fronts, Go2 is
from Papen (and renowned coder Jon Ayers) at sour a belter, delivering everything from basses and
a price that puts it in reach of everyone. mor leads to pads and FX, with all the style and
Go2 only has one oscillator (plus a sine/square the substance we expect from the Papen stable, via
sub tracking it an octave below), but it’s an othe an interface that, while by no-means ‘beginner-
adapted version of the one from the flagship to b friendly’, is as accessible as they come.
Predator 2 synth, generating two waveforms at and All that considered, the sub-£50 pricetag is
once (from a menu of 128) and thus, to all intents G quite astonishing.
and purposes, qualifying as a pair. The two key selling point, but we don’t see it as a 258 » 9/10

Cableguys Mathieu Demange Moog

HalfTime €10
Web cableguys.com
Format Mac/PC
At just a tenner, there’s no excuse for any
producer to not have Cableguys’ time-
bending plugin in their locker. HalfTime ‘slows
down’ the incoming audio signal in real time,
shoves it through a band-pass filter, and
mixes it back in with the dry signal to
generate slowdowns of the kind you’ll have
heard in countless trap choons. The effect is
triggered using the big power button in the
middle, which can be set to instantly kick it in
or fade it in and out. Obviously inviting
on-the-fly ‘performance’, this fascinating,
quasi-magical plugin is a ridiculous bargain.
251 » 10/10
RX950 Classic
AD/DA Converter
€19 (£1.99 for iOS)
Web mathieudemange.fr
Format Mac/PC /iOS
Emulating the complete AD/DA conversion
path of the classic Akai S950 sampler,
Mathieu Demange’s debut effect brings a
touch of vintage distortion to your individual
tracks and mixes. Through a combo of
bitcrushing, analogue overdrive, sample rate
reduction and filtering, RX950 adds palpable
old-school dirt and phatness (the 12dB
Butterworth filter is a highlight), and it
couldn’t be easier to use, with just four
controls on the front panel and the added
Brightness knob round the back. Especially
effective on drums and basslines, it’s a plugin
you’ll call on time and time again.
262 » 10/10
Model D App £10
Web moogmusic.com
Format iOS
If the idea of having a Minimoog Model D on
your phone holds any appeal whatsoever
(and if it doesn’t, might we suggest finding a
new hobby?), this one’s a no-brainer. Model D
App puts the entirety of the titular historic
synth on your iPhone and/or iPad, right down
to the External Input and recently-added LFO,
and adds Delay and Bender effects, a Looper
and an Arpeggiator. It works on its own or as
an AUv3 plugin, and it really does sound
uncannily like the real thing. Make a space on
your Home screen, because this one’s sure to
become a permanent fixture.
258 » 10/10

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 71

> reviews / cm awards 2018
Virtual
Emulation
of the Year
Arturia
V Collection 6
€499
Web arturia.com
Format PC/Mac
Rolling most of their separately available virtual
instruments into a single monster bundle,
Arturia’s V Collection has been serving as a
‘greatest hits’ of analogue and digital synthesis
for a decade now. Version 6 adds four new
classic emulations to sweeten the already
sugary pot, bringing the total to a whopping 21.
The most desirable of the newbies has to be
Buchla Easel V. This puts Don B’s quintessentially
West Coast Music Easel, launched in 1973, on the
Mac or PC desktop with no concessions made to
modern expectations in terms of ease of use,
but plenty of new features added, like a noise
generator, oscillator pitch quantise, insert
effects and three sequencing and CV control
Korg $100
ARP Odyssey
Web korg.com
Format Mac/PC
2018 saw Japanese megacorp Korg not only
finally update their Legacy Collection of
classic synth emulation plugins to be
compatible with modern operating systems
and Pro Tools (AAX), but also add to it with a
virtual version of their 2015 hardware remake
of the historic ARP Odyssey. Indeed, the
Odyssey plugin actually improves on its
mono/duophonic physical sibling with 16
voices of polyphony. That and the addition of
effects and an arpeggiator aside, the crazy,
creative, timeless spirit of the original Oddy
shines through. A nostalgia trip worth taking.
255 » 9/10
72 / COMPUTER MUSIC February 2019
systems, most notably the physics-emulating
Gravity Universe. This is probably the weirdest
synth you’ll ever have the pleasure/pain of
programming, but the pads, textures, leads and
other tones within are simply sublime.
Surprisingly late to Arturia’s party, DX7 V is, of
course, a virtualisation of Yamaha’s seminal FM
synth, with all the bells and whistles required to
compete with its well-established rivals,
including per-operator filters and feedback, step
sequencing and effects. Then there’s the rather
less compelling CMI V, bringing back the
Fairlight CMI IIx workstation; and a beautifully-
Softube $549
Weiss DS1-MK3
Web softube.com
Format Mac/PC
The fruit of three years’ collaboration
between Softube and Weiss, DS1-MK3 is a
flawless emulation of the latter’s ultra-
boutique 1990 mastering compressor/limiter.
Having ported the original DS1-MK3 code line-
for-line, Softube upped the processing
resolution and added new Safety Limiter
algorithms, including a True Peak one, to
improve performance over the real thing
– they also integrated their dreadful new
browser, but we won’t dwell on that. Eye-
wateringly expensive, but for serious
mastering engineers, worth every penny.
256 » 9/10
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
realised, physically-modelled Hohner Clavinet –
Clavinet V – complete with spring reverb and
stompbox-style effects.
Buchla Easel V is one of the grooviest synths
Arturia have cloned to date, and everyone
needs a DX7 and a clav, so their induction into
Arturia’s library of legends is very welcome
indeed. And despite touting what looks at first
glance to be a hefty pricetag, V Collection 6 is
actually quite the bargain, working out at
around €30 per instrument. A magnificent,
monolithic must-have.
254 » 10/10
Slate Digital
FG-Stress $199
Web slatedigital.com
Format Mac/PC
Perhaps the most classic of modern classic
compressors, the Empirical Labs Distressor
has played a part in countless commercial
productions. Slate’s software emulation of it
isn’t the only plugin on the block, but is one of
the closest to the real thing in sound and
response terms, with all eight of the
Distressor’s defining Ratio settings (including
the 10:1 ‘opto’ option) and both flavours of
distortion perfectly captured. We’d like to be
able to run it on its own (rather than firing up
the Virtual Mix Rack container every time),
but FG-Stress is still one of Slate’s best so far.
251 » 9/10

Freeware
of the Year
Bandlab
Cakewalk
Web bandlab.com
Format PC
What a ride it’s been for Sonar/Cakewalk in 2018!
The Windows-only DAW, which has been around
in one form or another for over 30 years, was
sold, along with much of the development team,
to Singapore-based BandLab Technologies by
imploding then-owners Gibson around the start
of 2018.
At first, it wasn’t clear what the future held for
Sonar, as it was then known, but a couple of
months later, BandLab dropped a sizeable
bombshell on the music software landscape by
relaunching the flagship version, Sonar
Platinum, as Cakewalk by BandLab, and making
it completely free.
Make no mistake, this really is the full
enchilada, albeit minus the third-party content
that came with Sonar Platinum (Melodyne, for
example) – although all of that is still compatible
AudioKit
Synth One FREE
Web audiokitpro.com
Format iPad
Described as “the first ever professional open-
source iOS synth”, Synth One was developed
by a pool of more than 100 developers and
sound designers (many of them serious
players, working with the likes of Kanye,
Tycho and Rihanna), who all gave their time
for free. The app itself is completely free, too,
with nary an ad to be seen, but the
specifications are impressive nonetheless: a
five-oscillator analogue/FM hybrid with
analogue-emulating filters, a 16-step
sequencer, an arpeggiator, envelopes and
LFOs, and a multitap delay effect.
It sounds great, and being open-source,
anyone is free to mess about with its code to
make their own instruments based on it.
cm awards 2018 / reviews <
for those who already have it. All of the
technological innovations for which this
supremely adaptable and power-packed DAW
has become known are present and correct,
including multitouch support and the Pro
Channel, and BandLab promise “an aggressive
feature roadmap ahead”. Sure, you have to
install BandLab’s client software to use it, which
draws your attention to their other services, but
there has to be something in it for them, right?
Although the situation might, of course, feel a
little galling for those who have invested
AdHd Audio Tools
Leveling Tool FREE
Web audiotools.se
Format Mac/PC
AdHd Audio Tools rather cagily sum it up as “a
tube leveling amplifier inspired by the
legends and carefully crafted to meet your
compression needs”, but it’s clear that their
handsome gratis plugin is mimicking the
legendary Teletronix LA-2A Limiting Amplifier.
Like its source hardware, the action
centres on the Gain and Peak Reduction
controls, but Leveling Tool also brings Ratio,
Attack and Release parameters to the party,
as well as a Drive control for adjusting the
amount of tube saturation applied, and a Dry/
Wet mix knob for parallel processing.
Looking and sounding like something that
ought to cost more money, this is one not to
be missed.
AWARDS
2018
WINNER
significant money in Cakewalk/Sonar over the
decades, it’s surely a huge relief that their music
production platform of choice has not only been
rescued from what at one point looked like its
imminent demise, but is now under the
stewardship of a company who certainly do
appear to be sincere in their good intentions for
its future development.
It’s also great news for PC musicians more
generally, as it means that everyone can now
get to know this amazing DAW without
dropping a dime.
Tracktion
T7 DAW FREE
Web tracktion.com
Format Mac/PC/Linux
Every year, a new version of Waveform – the
DAW previously known as Tracktion – is
released, and with it the one two versions
behind goes free, with nothing removed, no
restrictions applied, no timeouts imposed,
and no nag screens worked in. With
Waveform 9 coming out in 2018, then, the
still-brilliant Tracktion 7 can now be yours! If
you’ve yet to give Tracktion/Waveform a try,
we strongly urge you to head over to the
website and get it installed. And if you’re
already rocking v6, upgrading will get you a
prettier GUI, Clip Layer Effects, Automation
Patterns, LFO Modifiers and more. Good
times indeed!
231 » 9/10
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 73
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 tutorials <

Become a better producer every month

with pro advice, expert videos and audio
examples from our computer music gurus

76 Horn
articulations

Dave shows you how to make

Easy Guide programmed brass more
Music theory
with Dave Clews authentic with articulations

78 Saturated
sub-bass

How low can you go? Bassline

Studio Strategies
Advanced production
aficianado Ed:it walks you through
with Ed:it the creation of a heavyweight sub

80 The drum
roll, part 2
Find out how to program
Dr Beat
Beat and drum design
authentic drum rolls in software
with Ronan Macdonald with our resident rhythm pro

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 75

Dave Clews’
#74
Horn articulations
This month, Dave Clews looks at how using articulations can help
add authenticity to your programmed brass parts
Of all the tasks when creating music on a
computer, one of the trickiest things is
programming realistic brass parts that sound
plausible. Luckily, recent developments in
sampling and virtual synth technology have
made things a lot easier, mainly thanks to the
generous provision of articulations found in
modern brass sample libraries. But what are
articulations, and how can they make your
brass parts sound more authentic?
>Step by step Getting to know horn articulations
TUTORIAL
FILES
If we were to think of the word
1 ‘articulation’ as a literal translation of
‘playing style’, probably the most common
brass articulation you’d be likely to come
across is simply Sustain. This sounds
exactly like what it is: a sampled sustained
note, which is looped so that the sustain
will continue for as long as you hold down
the key.
Here’s the same part as before, but
4 this time I’ve switched the articulation
on the longer notes to Expressive Short.
This has the effect of creating a swell
during the course of the note, lending a bit
more life to the part than just simple
sustained notes.
76 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
In short, an articulation is a particular way of
playing a certain instrument. Most people could
pick up a trumpet, for example, and get
something resembling a musical note out of it.
But a practised player would use different
techniques to extract different dynamic
variations from the instrument, and these all
have particular names. Shakes, trills, falls and
doits are all examples of the kind of articulation
that can be found in a half-decent horn library.
Some articulations have a special
2 notation symbol to indicate how a
note or part should be played when
reading a score. There’s no real symbol for
the sustain articulation, as it’s equivalent
to just playing normally – legato notes
played evenly. Here’s an example of a part
programmed with the Sustain articulation
in Logic Pro X’s Studio Horns.
Staccato is a general musical term
5 meaning short, clipped notes,
especially suited for fast runs of short
notes on the instrument. On a horn, this is
achieved by rapid stopping of the airflow
into the mouthpiece breaking up the
notes. The symbol for staccato is shown
here – a small dot above the note’s head.
DOWNLOAD
Download the accompanying
video and the MIDI/audio files at
filesilo.co.uk/computermusic
All of these have a particular character that,
when added to an arrangement and used
correctly, can lend an air of humanity to what
might otherwise be a relatively vibe-free,
machine-like sequence of staid brass samples.
So, using Logic Pro X’s Studio Horns instrument,
let’s investigate a few of the different
articulation types available, and check out how
you can use them to add authentic brassy vibes
to your own tunes.
When a real player plays a horn, there
3 are variations they can apply to
sustained notes. For example, after the
initial attack, the volume dips as the note
sustains, then rises again, swelling down
and up. Logic handles these with an
articulation called Expressive – this could
also be known in other sample libraries as
‘swell’ or ‘crescendo’.
This phrase has been programmed
6 with the Staccato articulation
selected. The notes cut off short,
regardless of the length of the note in the
piano roll, as can be seen here – the notes
as programmed are all different durations,
but they all sound the same length.
 easy guide / make music now <

RECOMMENDED LISTENING PRO TIPS Dave Clews

MARK RONSON - JUST
The brass on this is played by
humans, but with doits, falls and
swells aplenty. As a masterclass
in modern pop horn
arrangement, you can’t go too
far wrong.
bit.ly/MarkR_Just
SIGALA, FEAT ELLA EYRE,
MEGHAN TRAINOR &
FRENCH MONTANA - JUST
GOT PAID
If these are brass samples, they’re
good ones, involving multiple
articulations – who can tell?
bit.ly/Sig_Paid
KNOW YOUR RANGES In a studio career
Each brass instrument has a range of notes, from low spanning almost 25
to high in pitch, that it can realistically cover – for years, Dave has
instance, a trumpet’s note range spans F#3-D6, while a
trombone takes in E2-F5. So if you want authentic
engineered,
programmed brass parts, keep each instrument’s part programmed and
within its allowable range. Sample libraries worth played keyboards on
owning will not allow you to play beyond this range. records for a string of
NOTE LENGTH AND VELOCITY artists including
With decent sample libraries responding well to note George Michael, Kylie
velocity, getting the note length and velocity right will Minogue, Tina Turner
have a huge impact on your programmed brass parts. and Estelle. These
If you’re not a brass player, listen to how some of the
arrangements on your favourite tracks are played, and days, he writes articles for and
try and set the length of the notes in your parts to other magazines and websites,
sound similar. For staccato runs, keep trigger notes and is the author of Avid Pro Tools
short and loud; for legato melodies, long and soft with
Basics. Follow him on Instagram:
minimal gaps; and so on. The difference is noticeable.
@electricdave67

A trill (also sometimes known in the A Fall does what it says on the tin – a A Doit is a short, accented note that

7 world of brass as a ‘shake’) is a rapid

flicking back and forth between two note
pitches, usually a semitone or a whole
tone apart. Here’s the notation symbol for
8 downward bend in pitch as the note
a trill, with Logic’s Studio Horns again,
showing off its Shake/Trill articulation.
ends, as if the instrument is falling off a
cliff. The symbol on the score is a short,
downward curve after the notehead.
9 finishes with an exuberant upward
slide. This flourish originated in big band
arrangements, but also lends itself to pop
usage. The symbol for it is a short curved
These can be long or short – Studio Horns line pointing up away from the note’s
has a range of both – as shown here. head. Here’s a Studio Horns version in use.

As a final example, here’s a piece that Here’s the same part again using Bars 5-8 are all Marcato Short again,

10 shows the difference that careful use

of a good selection of articulations can
make to a programmed horn section.
These trumpet, sax and trombone parts
11
have been done with Logic’s Studio Horns,
with all notes set to use the basic Sustain
articulation – clear room for improvement!
articulations. For the short, stabby
sequence in bars 1–3, the trumpet, sax and
trombone are all set to Marcato Short – a
loud variation of staccato. Bar 4 contains a
12
mix of Fall Short and Expressive Medium
notes, with a Growl from the sax and
trombone on the long notes.
except for one note at the end of bar 8
which is set to a Shake on the trumpet
and trombone, and a Trill on the sax. Bar 9
contains a final flourish that is made up of
a Doit, which is then followed by two
quick, stabby Staccato 16th notes on all
three instruments.

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 77

Studio
strategies
with Ed:it
#30
Saturated subs
It’s time to crank up those subwoofers – DnB hotshot Ed:it shows
you how to synthesise and drive your way to sub-bass perfection
If you want your tracks to elicit a visceral
response from a dancefloor, a weighty
sub-bass part is essential. When designed,
programmed and mixed effectively, this
deceptively simple element will drive your
drop home like nothing else.
‘Sub bass’ can be defined as the frequency
region of between 20Hz and 60Hz, give or take,
meaning a fitting bassline can be crafted from
any signal featuring sufficient low-frequency
>Step by step Creating a sweeping sub line using Retrologue and saturation plugins
To start, I have my project set to
1 174bpm, with a simple beat providing
a reference groove. On an Instrument
Track in Cubase, I call up an instance of
Steinberg’s Retrologue synth, leaving it at
default settings for now. I lay down F notes
using my MIDI controller, focusing on an
offbeat-style pattern.
Next up, for a subtle rise in pitch
4 between notes, I dial in 100ms of
Glide, then turn on the synth’s Ring
Modulation for additional tone. After
doing that, centering the sub to mono will
ensure that my bass will sit slap bang in
the middle of the stereo field.
78 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
content. Sometimes I start with a raw sine or
triangle waveform from a synth, other times I’ll
sample the bottom-heavy TR-808 kick, and then
there are times when only a more harmonically-
rich Reece sample will do.
In this month’s Studio Strategies step-by-step
guide, I’ll focus on the first approach by
synthesising a simple bass tone with a virtual
instrument. As sub frequencies inherently lack
midrange upper harmonics, low-focused
Once my notes are down, I flip
2 Retrologue’s Osc 1 in order to make it a
Sine waveform, then turn on Osc 2 and
pull back its level a bit. Changing this
waveform to make it a Triangle wave adds
subtle odd harmonics, while increasing
Osc 2’s Fine provides some detuned drift
and movement.
I’ll now focus on shaping the sound’s
5 dynamics over time. First, using the
Amplifier envelope, I increase Attack a
bit for a smoother front end. Boosting
Decay adds length to each note, and a
fairly quick Release time ensures each
note ends abruptly.
DOWNLOAD
See the tutorial files
on your PC/Mac at:
filesilo.co.uk/computermusic
basslines often don’t translate to smaller
speakers, which is why I’ll show you how to
emphasise those midrange and top-end
harmonics with gutsy saturation treatments,
without compromising the guttural rawness
that we associate with low-reaching bass.
Although less is usually more when it comes
to sub-bass design, there are a few processing
tricks you can use to get away from a straight-
up, static tone. Let’s dive deep and get low…
Now to Retrologue’s Filter section.
3 Increasing the filter’s Envelope
amount and lowering Cutoff to 30Hz
removes the triangle wave’s ‘buzziness’,
and isolates sub energy. Boosting filter
Resonance into the filter’s Tube
Distortion stage gives my tone some
beefy character.
My sub sounds static and flat, so I
6 head to Retrologue’s LFO section to
dial in some movement. In the Matrix
section, I select LFO 1 as the Source and
Distortion as the Destination. The LFO is
set to a Triangle wave, and tempo is
synced to 1/4D for rhythmic movement.
 studio strategies / make music now <

PRO TIPS Ed:it

SPACED OUT
When mixing a track featuring plenty of low-
frequency energy, it’s important to separate
conflicting sounds – especially the kick drum and
low bass – as much as possible, allowing each to live
in its own ‘pocket’ in the mix.
There are several ways to assist this often-
arduous process, but an easy technique is to load up
a frequency analyser on your master bus. Use it to
visualise the frequency content of your mix,
specifically the placement of bass frequencies
across different sounds.
Find out where the kick’s fundamental lives, do
the same with the bassline, then EQ out that kick’s
fundamental frequency range from the bass, being
very careful to avoid thinning it out too much. This
basic but nonetheless effective subtractive EQ
approach will provide some space for the kick to
punch through.
SMALL SPEAKERS With releases on labels
If your track features a powerful sub bass, you’ll such as Hospital, Med
obviously be able to hear – and, more importantly, feel School, Critical, CIA
– those low frequencies when the track is played over
larger club systems or studio monitors.
and Dispatch, and now
Most listeners don’t own high quality monitoring signed exclusively to
systems, however – whether at home or on the move, Shogun Audio, Ed
people tend to consume music on devices such as Warrener’s brand of
earbuds, laptops or Bluetooth speakers. The frequency
response of small speakers like this usually rolls off deep, dark drum ’n’
above the sub bass range, so most of your sub weight bass is making waves
will be missing. in the scene. Between
Yet as the sub often plays a vital melodic role in a DJing around the
track, it’s a good idea to enhance your sub somehow
– by ensuring those sufficient midrange harmonics cut globe and topping up his studio
through, the perception of power will translate across tan, Ed brings you insight into his
all systems, no matter the size. Personally, I find that a cutting-edge production tricks
parallel channel loaded with distortion and EQ works
and tactics every month in .
wonders for enhancing tone and harmonics.
www.soundcloud.com/edit-music
www.facebook.com/edit0dnb

Next, I insert Cableguys’ ShaperBox As my sub notes span different Next, I insert FabFilter’s Saturn for

7 on the sub channel, call up

FilterShaper, and draw in curves synced to
a ¾-beat groove. This highlights variation
in midrange harmonics. Then, using the
8 octaves, some notes are louder than
VolumeShaper module, I create a dip on
the first beat, allowing room for my kick
drum in the mix.
others, so iZotope’s Ozone 8 Compressor,
with a Ratio of 3:1 and Threshold of
-16dB, evens out those dynamics.
9 more drive. I’ve split the processing
FabFilter’s Pro-Q 2 is then used to pull out
a subtle but annoying ‘ring’ in the high-
mid frequencies.
into three frequency ranges. The sub band
is disabled, as I only want to affect
midrange. The middle band features
modulated Warm Tape drive for grit.
Reducing the top band’s level dampens
undesirable high end.

Last on the list of things to do in the Next, for parallel processing, I create To finish, I feel like the sub’s harmonics

10 effects chain, I use iZotope’s RX

De-Click to remove clicks and pops
created by the previous LFO modulation,
sweeping the Sensitivity slider gently to
11
make sure that I retain the tone of the
original sound.
an FX Channel and send my sub’s
signal to it. First in this chain is PSP Nitro’s
Gentle Chorus preset. I play around with
Mix, Depth and Frequency values until I’m
12
happy with the additional wobble this
effect provides.
could be enhanced even more. After
my chorus effect, another FabFilter Saturn
– again spilt into three bands to leave the
sub frequencies alone – boosts midrange
and highlights the gritty harmonics from
the Warm Tube saturation.

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 79

Dr Beat
with Ronan Macdonald
#52
The drum roll, part 2
Our drum technician works rolls into a drum kit pattern
Ronan Macdonald
Having
previously
served as Editor
of drummer’s
bible Rhythm as
well as
Computer
Music, Ronan is
clearly the right
man for this
particular gig. He’s been playing drums
for over 30 years and making music
with computers since the 90s.
>Step by step Embellishing a groove with roll-esque flourishes
TUTORIAL
FILES
Here’s a simple four-bar groove, which
1 I’ll embellish with various roll-related
fills and flourishes. First, throw in a short
snare press roll. With Snap turned off (see
Part 1), I draw in six loosely spaced hits,
representing three very fast double-
strokes (l, l, r, r, l, l), and followed by the
right hand moving back to the hi-hats.
Rolls aren’t just for the snare – they
4 can work well on hi-hats, too. Here,
I’ve copied/pasted the snare roll from the
previous step to the hi-hat tip articulation
(it’s not really possible to play a roll using
the stick shoulder), changed velocities to
emulate right, left, right sticking, and used
it as the basis for a more expressive line.
80 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
In last issue’s Dr Beat, I showed you how to
program a ‘classical’ drum roll of the kind
you’d hear accompanying a circus act or
leading into a national anthem. That was all
well and good, of course, but hardly essential
information for the producer of actual, you
know, music. Really, though, part 1 was just a
primer for this month’s main event, in which
I’ll show you how to apply what you learnt to
your programmed drum kit grooves.
As mentioned last time, a deeply
multisampled virtual snare – ideally at the heart
of an equally deeply multisampled kit! – is
critical to the successful programming of any
drum roll. I’m using Toontrack’s incredible
The drummer would be likely to drop
2 the hi-hat hit coinciding with the first
note of the roll, as their right hand would
be moving rapidly towards the snare at
that point – so I make sure to delete that
MIDI note. Now all that remains to be done
here is to emulate realistic sticking, using
MIDI velocity.
A single accented note on the end of a
5 roll gives it finality. If I draw in a series
of two double-strokes at the end of my
phrase followed by a full-strength hit, the
result is known as a five-stroke roll, which
– along with its self-explanatory seven-
and nine-stroke siblings – is a ‘rudiment’
that every drummer learns. Very useful.
DOWNLOAD
See it in video and get the
tutorial files on your PC/Mac at
filesilo.co.uk/computermusic
Superior Drummer 3, but other equally viable
options include FXpansion BFD3, XLN Audio
Addictive Drums, and numerous libraries for
Native Instruments’ Kontakt.
To recap briefly on part 1, when programming
any roll, remember to turn snap off in your MIDI
editor when placing the hits for human timing
variation; and alternate the velocity slightly
between pairs of hits, representing the double-
strokes in each successive hand that string
together to constitute the final percussive ‘blur’.
And if your virtual drum kit has any humanising
features of its own – such as SD3’s Use Adjacent
Layers option and Smoothing control – be sure
to give them a try.
What I want is the whole roll to be a lot
3 quieter than the main snare hits, but
with a slight initial accent. Therefore, after
a fairly loud first double-stroke, the
second one, played with the stronger right
hand, should be made a touch heavier
than the following and final left hand
double-stroke.
Finally, let’s go for a full-on multi-
6 accented roll found in an extended
drum fill or solo. First, draw a low-velocity
roll and remove other sticked elements
that coincide with it. Then max out
velocity on your accented hits, and move
some to a rimshot articulation if your kit
has one, for realistic variation.
NEXT MONTH The paradiddle
> interview / drumsound & bassline smith
DRUMSOUND &
BASSLINE SMITH
TALK PARALLAX
The drum ’n’ bass titans reveal how they’ve
distilled two decades of junglist supremacy into
their bangin’ new bass instrument for Kontakt
With 20 years atop the UK drum ’n’ bass
scene, Derby-based DJ/producers and
Technique Recordings bosses Drumsound (Andy
Wright and Ben Wiggett) and Simon ‘Bassline’
Smith certainly know a thing or two about
making bass music.
And as regular readers know, the trio are no
strangers to Computer Music, having previously
starred in 196’s Producer Masterclass session. Get
up to speed and check out Part 1 of their video over
at bit.ly/ParallaxPM.
After creating a Loopmasters Artist Series sample
pack, and preset packs for various pro plugins such
as Sugar Bytes’ WOW2 filter, their next logical move
was to head into the studio and work on a bigger
soundware product. The result was Parallax (9/10,
263), a Kontakt “bass engine” designed and
scripted entirely by Andy.
We sat down with Simon and Andy to discuss the
current state of DnB, sampling in 2019, and find out
how they created their new virtual instrument,
which they’ve christened ‘Parallax’, as well as their
latest EP, Booyaka.
82 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
Computer Music: What have you guys been up to
since we last spoke?
Simon ‘Bassline’ Smith: “We’ve still got our label,
Technique Recordings, with various artists signed
and releasing music. Our last studio album came out
at the end of November 2017. Then we’ve got a new
EP (Booyaka) coming out; we’re out on the road
DJing; and, of course, we’re always making and
releasing more music. And we’ve been building
Parallax for the last two and a half years, which is
now seeing the light of day.”
: What first made you decide to create a
Kontakt instrument?
SBS:“It all came about a couple of years ago. Andy
started messing around in his spare time. He’d come
to me and say, “look at this”. He got more and more
into the ‘mad professor’ zone and said, ‘we need to
build our own synth’. And it snowballed from there.”
Andy Wright: “I’ve got two young kids. When they
went to bed, I’d head to the studio and potter
around. When Kontakt went from v5.6.8 – when they
added the XY Pad – I jumped on it early. The next
drumsound & bassline smith / interview <

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 83

> interview / drumsound & bassline smith
thing we knew, we had something we were
happy with.”
SBS: “Parallax went through different phases.
With each beta, we thought, ‘it’s good, but it’s
not quite right.’ So we threw ideas around and
and kept coming back to it. There was no
master plan, but it all came together in the end.”
: You didn’t work with any external
developers at all?
SBS: “No, we coded and designed it all
ourselves, which is why it took so long from
start to finish. For example, it took two or three
weeks just to design the knobs! But we wanted
to do it all ourselves. That way, if we want to
update it or make another version, we can just
go in and tweak, rather than relying on other
developers to do it.”
: What inspired the Parallax concept?
AW: “For our first instrument, we wanted that
classic DnB/jungle sound. Wavetable synths
have obviously been doing the rounds for quite
a long time now – we’ve spent hours using [Xfer]
Serum, the master of wavetable synthesisers,
and Massive, and we’ve always used Kontakt for
sampling. But we’ve been doing this since the
beginning of DnB, from the days of 90s
hardware samplers like the Akai S1000 and
Parallax features three oscillators, a 24-type filter, amp/pitch envelopes, recordable morphing and more
84 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
E-MU range. We’ve been using samplers since
the dawn of samplers, pretty much! Now, drum
’n’ bass is coming back around to those classic
jungle noises, so we’re starting to use more
samples again, as you can’t remake those iconic
noises on a wavetable synth, not exactly. So
now’s the time for us to start digging back
through those samples.”
SBS: “Yeah, we’ve been trying to bring back that
jungle feel over the last year or so, as things are
reverting more back towards the sub bass; back
towards the way that simple basses were
distorted or looped. With straight-up
wavetables, you don’t have that looping facility
and can’t really recreate sounds like you can in a
sampler, and that’s why we’ve started digging
back through those 2001 Bad Company-style
bass noises. It’s that heritage – sampling is half
the fun! That’s why we’ve made an instrument
that facilitates the use of these samples, but is
also a synth in itself.”
AW: “It’s nice when you get a synth or sampler
that has a deeper side to it. If you just use a
ROMpler full of samples, where do you go once
you’ve used all the sounds? That’s another
reason why we thought of the resampling thing,
and didn’t turn everything into a load of
compressed files that you can’t change. If you
can throw your own samples in the instrument
“If you just use a
ROMpler full of samples,
where d’you go if you’ve
used all the sounds?”
as well, it’ll give you endless possibilities in the
long term.”
: It’s good to keep these sampling
traditions going, but you also need to bring
them up to date.
AW: “Exactly. Obviously there’s UVI Falcon and
things like that, but there isn’t an instrument that
comes close to the Akai and the E-MUs and the
way it was. We’d love to start a new revolution
and get back to the old sampling ways!”
: Where did Parallax’s classic DnB and
jungle samples come from? Are they from
your samples that you’ve created over time?
SBS: “They’re good examples of how our sound
has evolved over the years. The sampled
waveforms (squares, saws, etc) are ones we’ve
made ourselves, and you can make the most out
of them by layering them in a parallel fashion –
that’s how we like to do it, anyway, but you don’t
necessarily have to do that. That’s why we put
some samples in, so you can use it like an
advanced sampler. Not only can you use the
samples and noises that come with Parallax, but
you can also throw in your own samples. We
created the instrument so it’s accessible for us
and others to use. Just throw things out here
and there; test samples out in context.”
AW: “For example, for one of the bundled
tutorial videos that come bundled with Parallax,
we tried to recreate an ancient jungle sample
that’s done the rounds since about 1992. You’ll
recognise it because it’s been used over and
over throughout the years. I’ve always thought,
‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could actually recreate
that noise?’ So we remade it in five minutes
using Parallax. It shows you the scope of what
the synth can do.”
: What sets Parallax apart, as opposed to
just using straight-up Kontakt?
AW: “When you want to work with parallel
signals in Kontakt, you need to set up different
groups from scratch. It’s a real pain to set up, so
we thought there must be an easier way of
doing it so that you don’t have to set up the
groups and effects every time; you can choose
your effects without actually delving deep into
Kontakt itself. That’s where the idea first
originated from.”
SBS: “And we love Kontakt’s multimode filter. We
loved using the E-MU sampler and its Z-Plane
filter back in the day. We were trying to pay
homage to it, make something a bit similar, and
that was the closest thing that we could find. I
know it’s nothing like the original Z-Plane filter in
a sonic sense, but in the Kontakt world you can
really mess sounds up using the XY Pad. So
when we found that filter and combined it with
the XY Pad, we felt it gave Parallax something a
bit different.”
AW: “Then there’s Parallax’s Quick Envelope

feature – Kontakt records one second of XY Pad
movements, which you can edit into your own
envelope. That was the last thing that we added,
and took us ages – I nearly pulled my hair out
doing it!”
: Automating movement in your DAW can
be a pain. Sometimes you want that one
section of modulation to replay consistently
when you trigger a note…
SBS: “Exactly. Parallax is all automatible to a
point, of course, which is good… but we thought,
‘Wouldn’t it be wicked if you could just record
those movements inside the instrument?’ Bam:
press play, then every time you let go, that
movement resets back to the beginning.”
SBS: “Also, the pre and post settings on the
effects; you can choose where to place the
elements in the signal chain. And there’s tons of
distortion – we love pushing everything pretty
hard with saturation or distortion, which is why
we put in as many drive stages as we could!”
: Can you give us any Parallax tips?
AW: “Parallax’s resampling technique is handy.
“Our long-term plan is to
make more of our own
synths… we’ve got so
many wicked ideas”
drumsound & bassline smith / interview <
And it’s all about the multimode filters: the sub
oscillator and two main oscillators all route into
that filter. When controlled with the XY Pad, you
can really mess about with the sound and get
some twisty noises, which actually reminds us
of old Ed Rush and Optical/Virus records. Like I
said, we’re coming back round to those old-
school sounds!”
: Have you been using Parallax in any of
your tracks?
SBS: “Yeah, we’ve used it in most of our releases
from the past couple of years. And everyone
we’ve given it to – Black Sun Empire, Friction,
Matrix from Matrix & Futurebound, Prolix – they
all love it; they’ve all fed back to us and said,
“I’ve used it in this tune and that tune’. We’ve
actually started work already on another
instrument, which is probably 60% done.”
: Parallax v2 already?
AW: “Yeah, we’ve come up with something new.
It’s more of a cinematic instrument – cinematic
DnB sounds. This one is created using a
completely different engine, and it’s a bit
different – if all of the samples are in, say, the key
of F, you then change key with your left hand
via keysplitting. We’re trying to come up with
imaginative new ways of working that revitalise
our Kontakt workflow. We love Kontakt!”
SBS: “This is our first venture into this
development world, and it’s something that
hopefully works. Our long-term plan is to make
more of our own synths, because we’ve got so
many wicked ideas that we want to try and do.”
AW: “For the next instrument, we may move
Three great
D&BS tracks
The Odyssey
Prototype Recordings
The beats in this seminal 2004 hit are
punchy and relentless, but it’s the
twisting bass – snaking from a high
reese to low-pitched thumps – that
steals the show.
Close
Technique Recordings
The subject of the trio’s 2013 Producer
Masterclass video sees weighty, bashy
beats ride over distorted bass and a
processed vocal.
Ouija
Technique Recordings
The B-side to Wardance makes expert
use of James Brown’s iconic Funky
Drummer breakbeat, complete with
pitched-up fills and spinbacks.
towards liquid DnB, or more of a jump-up sound
– and depending on how it goes, different
genres of music as well. We think it helps
producers if you can give them the right tools to
start with. We want to try and develop even
more, go further with the concept, and see
where we can push it.”
Parallax is available from the Technique
Recordings website, priced £75.
techniquerecordings.co.uk
HEAR MORE
Atmosphere
bit.ly/DBSatmos
Warrior
bit.ly/DBSwarrior
WWW
drumsoundandbasslinesmith.com
soundcloud.com/drumsoundandbasslinesmith
twitter.com/dnblinesmith
facebook.com/drumsoundandbasslinesmith
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 85
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 reviews <

Our promise
We bring you honest, unbiased
appraisals of the latest computer
music products. Our experts apply
the same stringent testing methods
to all gear, no matter how much
hype or expectation surrounds it.

What the
ratings mean
1-4 A seriously flawed product
that should be avoided
5 This product’s problems
outweigh its merits
6 A decent product that’s only
held back by a few flaws
7 Solid. Well worth considering
8 Very good. A well-conceived

90 NOVATION SL MKIII 9
and executed product
Excellent. First-rate and
The British brand’s latest controller aims to link your hardware among the best you can buy
and software. Could it become the new hub of your studio? 10 Exceptional. It just doesn’t get
any better than this!

94 96
Audiaire Waves Abbey Road
Zone TG Mastering Chain

92 99 101
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Awarded to products A product has to really If the product In the opinion of the
that challenge existing impress us with its exceeds expectations Editor, the best product
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February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 89

> reviews / novation sl mkiii
Novation
SL MkIII
With a built-in eight-track sequencer and enough connectivity to drive
your entire studio, this kaleidoscopic controller keyboard raises the bar
It’s been almost a decade since the release of
Novation’s acclaimed SL MkII controller
(9/10, 140), featuring the company’s
proprietary Automap system. This made
‘wrapped’ copies of all your plugin instruments
and effects, the parameters of which were
automatically mapped to the knobs and sliders
on the SL MkII’s surface. It worked well enough
on its own terms, but was hardly the most
immediate approach to plugin control; and
things have moved on since then, with Native
Instruments’ NKS protocol in particular proving
that there are better ways to achieve largely the
same result.
With the arrival of the SL MkIII (available in
49- and 61-key versions), Novation have at last
stepped away from Automap in favour of
alternative (if not always truly comparable)
protocols, and added a whole host of further
bells and whistles to their flagship controller
keyboard that qualify it to take on a far more
central role in any electronic music studio, be it
90 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
£540/£630
hardware-based, software-based or a hybrid of power via the included adapter. Also around the
the two. back are the usual MIDI In/Out/Thru 5-PIN DIN
sockets (Thru can alternatively serve as a
Making a Mk second Out), Expression, Sustain and Footswitch
Right out of the box, the SL MkIII makes a grand inputs, plus two sets of 3.5mm CV/Gate/Mod
first impression: weighty, solid-feeling (despite output jacks and a Clock Out for connection to a
being all-plastic) and clearly built to Novation’s Eurorack rig or any other so-equipped analogue
usual high construction standards. Connection gear. In conjunction with the SL MkIII’s
to Mac or PC is over USB, and it requires external sequencer and eight discrete Parts (see Seeing
Patterns), all this connectivity enables
independent playing and sequencing of any
“With the SL MkIII, combination of MIDI, CV and DAW/computer-
hosted instruments – a feat that no other
Novation have controller we’re aware of can pull off.
The synth-action keys are semi-weighted and
feel great, while the mod and pitch wheels move
stepped away from smoothly and exhibit no lateral travel. Drawing
comparison with NI’s Komplete Kontrol ’boards,
Automap in favour of every key is topped with an RGB LED that’s used
to provide orientation for custom scales, as well
alternative protocols” as visual feedback on keyboard zoning, and
notes output by the sequencer and arpeggiator.

“Thanks to Novation’s
experience with the
Launch range of
controllers, Live is the
best supported”
In the top half, things get decidedly colourful,
with an RGB LED-festooned plethora of knobs,
sliders, buttons and screens that looks more like
the cockpit of an aeroplane than a MIDI
controller. Specifically, there are eight rotary
encoders and associated buttons, five LED
screens, eight sliders, 16 backlit velocity-
sensitive pads with polyphonic aftertouch, 16
‘soft buttons’, and a transport section for
operating the sequencer or a connected DAW.
The SL MkIII comes preloaded with mapping
templates for a wide range of hardware devices
– Octatrack, Peak, Sub 37, Nord Lead 2, Prophet
6, etc – selected and loaded from the front panel.
These are managed and added to using the free
and fairly intuitive Components software editor/
librarian, so making and storing your own (up to
64 on the unit) is certainly no great chore.
Opening DAWs
While templates are used for hardware and
standalone software control, getting the SL MkIII
talking to your (supported) DAW is even more
straightforward. Press the InControl button and
the encoders, sliders, pads, soft buttons and
transport section all hook in bidirectionally to
Live, Logic, Cubase, Pro Tools, Studio One
Reaper or Reason, facilitating a degree of hands-
on control that varies from one to another.
Thanks to Novation’s experience with the
Launch range of controllers, Live is the best
supported of the lot, with the rotaries and LED
screens enabling visually guided control of
devices and plugins, the pads launching Session
View clips and triggering Drum Racks, the
sliders and soft buttons operating the mixer, and
so on. Despite the simplistic representation of
parameters in the screens, it’s not a million miles
away from the control aspect of Ableton’s own
Push. Reason compatibility covers particular
instrument and effect parameters but not the
Design your own custom templates with Novation’s free
Components editor/librarian for Mac and PC
novation sl mkiii / reviews <
The eight-track/Part sequencer is unarguably one of the highlights of the SL MkIII
Seeing Patterns
One of the things that sets the SL MkIII play/sequence multiple Parts at a time,
apart from the competition is its and Patterns are fully editable from the
onboard eight-track/Part sequencer. unit. As well as note data, automation
Polyphonic sequences (Patterns) of up of pretty much all of the SL’s controls –
to 16 steps in length are programmed wheels, rotaries, sliders, etc – is
step by step or recorded live, looper recordable, too. There’s also an
style, with the pads used to select, clear arpeggiator (active for only one part at
and visually represent steps, and notes a time, alas), the rhythm of which is
input via the keys. The output and MIDI programmed on the pads.
channel of each Part is easily adjusted, The SL MkIII’s sequencer is
so you could have one Part triggering, surprisingly powerful and fast to work
say, a hardware drum machine, another with. Our only significant issue with it is
playing a Eurorack setup via CV/Gate, that notes adhere rigidly to the grid at
and the other six routed to separate all times, quantised on the way in and
plugin instruments in your DAW. A Part un-nudgeable afterwards, which rather
can comprise up to eight chainable limits its expressiveness in terms of
Patterns, the keyboard can be zoned to ‘human’ timing.
main mixer; and although Logic doesn’t allow Alternatively
access to full plugin interfaces, it does assign the
rotaries to that DAW’s Smart Control macros. Native Instruments
Cubase, Pro Tools, Studio One and Reaper, Komplete Kontrol Mk2
however, use the HUI protocol, and only grant 250 » 10/10 » £479/£559
access to the transport and mixer. NI’s alternative only offers control
over NKS-compatible plugins
The magic number
Playing to such a diverse array of functionality, Nektar Panorama P4
the SL MkIII could easily have ended up being an 182 » 9/10 » £440
unfocused jack-of-all-trades, but Novation have Control a range of popular DAWs
unequivocally hit the mark, building a with this flexible keyboard and
ridiculously versatile controller keyboard that plugin/mixer control surface
shrewdly taps into the current electronic music
zeitgeist. Not only is it a good DAW controller (a Verdict
great one, indeed, if said DAW happens to be
Live), but it brings together – and goes to town For High quality keys and pads
with – everything in your studio that accepts Brilliant onboard sequencer
MIDI or CV. And rather than being the Play and control eight things at once
impractical novelty feature we half-expected Tight DAW integration
before we actually fired it up, the Circuit-style CV/Gate/Mod/Clock outputs
sequencer provides a refreshingly tactile and
self-contained alternative to your regular Against InControl varies by DAW
onscreen equivalent – it’s so much fun. No off-grid nudge in sequencer
Incredibly well designed, hugely empowering
– both creatively and functionally – and Swiss A supremely flexible central hub for all your
army knife-like in its versatility, the SL MkIII sets hardware and software, the SL MkIII is a
a new standard for controller keyboards. massive step up from its predecessor
Web novationmusic.com 10/10
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 91
 > reviews / izotope nectar 3
DRY/WET MIX
Every module has
its own Mix slider in
the top bar
MODULE BYPASS VOCAL ASSISTANT
Modules are added as required Have Nectar 3 set up a AUTO LEVEL MODE
and bypassed at a click preset for you Nectar 3 can ride the
input level

LIMITER
Prevent overs
at the output
by setting a
ceiling on
the meter

CONTROLS
Module
parameters
appear in
slightly WIDTH
intrusive panels Apply mid-side
processing to
widen or narrow
the signal

RESIZE
Drag this
THRESHOLD PAN corner to resize
Drag up and down to set Move your vocal around the GUI
the Compressor Threshold in the stereo field

iZotope
Nectar 3 £229
This comprehensive vocal processing toolbox hasn’t seen an update for
almost six years, so major changes and additions are expected…

Launched in 2010 (9/10, 162), and updated
to version 2 three years later (9/10, 200),
Nectar is a powerful one-stop vocal processing
shop. Utilising an array of reorderable modules
to apply voice-optimised dynamics shaping, EQ,
pitch correction, harmonisation, de-essing,
distortion and effects, it’s become a go-to plugin
for the professional producer looking to quickly
and easily get vocals of all kinds – from sung and
rapped to dialogue and voiceover – sounding
their best, entirely in the box.
Hardy perennial
Nectar 3 (VST/AU/AAX/RTAS) redraws the GUI to
achieve homogeneity with recently updated
iZotope stablemates Neutron 2, Ozone 8 and RX
7, and make the various displays (spectrum
displays, gain reduction trace, etc) more visually
immediate. Nectar 2 was starting to look
decidedly retro, so the graphical makeover is a
welcome move, as is the newfound ability to
freely resize the window by dragging the
bottom right corner. There is one minor snag,
though, in that the controls for many of the
modules (the worst offender being Compressor)
can obscure a chunk of the waveform or
spectrum view over which they’re situated
when the window is set small. It’s not a serious
problem, but we wonder if it might be possible
to make the control panels float (deceptively,
they look like they do already) so that they could
be moved out of the way when necessary.
“The graphical
makeover is welcome,
as is the ability to freely
resize the window”
The next area of major change is the modules
themselves, which have been added to and
reconfigured, and are now loaded into the top
bar ‘rack’ as required, rather than being
activated in the old sidebar. Essentially, you’ve
still got access to every process and function of
Nectar 2, but with a few things moved around.
The FX module is now called Dimension, for
example; the Distort and Decimate options have
been shifted to the Saturation module, and the
Delay module’s Impulse Response view and
Compressor’s Spectrogram are no more.
New to the party are the filthy Grunge mode
for the Delay module, a Close Threshold for
Gate, eight voices for Harmony (up from two),
better Pitch tracking, and sonically improved
algorithms for Delay and Dimension’s Chorus,
Flanger and Phaser effects. The biggest story in
the modules department, however, is the
massive overhaul that’s been made to the EQ –
see EQual rights.

92 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


“Vocal Assistant might
be the most impressive
implementation of the
concept yet”
All modules now feature dry/wet Mix controls
in their top bar panels, and, as you’d expect,
Nectar 3 shows up in Neutron 2 and Ozone 8’s
Visual Mixer, Masking Meter and Tonal Balance
Control. Oh, and the separate Nectar 2 Breath
Control plugin has been ousted in favour of the
superior RX 7 Breath Control – although why it’s
not been worked in as a module is a mystery.
Glamorous assistant
And so to the main event. Joining Neutron 2,
Ozone 8 and, on rather different terms, RX 7,
Nectar 3 boasts a machine learning-driven
system for setting the plugin up automatically
based on analysis of the input signal. Called
Vocal Assistant, it might just be the most
impressive implementation of the concept yet.
Vocal Assistant creates a custom preset to
make your vocal sound objectively ‘better’ and
more mix-ready. Having selected Assist mode
and pointed the algorithm in the right direction
by choosing Vintage, Modern or Dialogue as the
source ‘Vibes’, and Light, Moderate or
Aggressive as the processing ‘Intensity’, the
input signal is analysed for a few seconds,
during which the modules are set up in the
background to correct for dynamic fluctuations,
resonant peaks, sibilance, and even adjust pitch
correction and reverb mix. As with its similarly
equipped siblings, the resulting preset is only
meant to be a starting point, but Nectar 3’s
Assistant gets much closer to a final usable
patch than Neutron 2 or Ozone 8’s, due to the
less diverse nature of the human voice in
comparison to the infinite spectral and dynamic
variations of tracks, buses and full mixes.
In the less technologically ambitious Unmask
mode, Vocal Assistant uses iZotope’s
increasingly meaningful Inter-Plugin
Communication to clear space for the vocal by
applying equalisation to any other track that’s
fighting with it for space. If the masking track
isn’t already hosting an instance of Nectar 3 or
Neutron 2 (both of which support IPC), load the
included Relay plugin onto it, then select it in the
Unmask menu and start playback. Nectar 3
analyses it in relation to the vocal and applies a
static EQ curve to pull it away from the vocal.
RX 7 Breath Control is included as a separate plugin –
but feels like it should be integrated somehow
izotope nectar 3 / reviews <
Watch those filters come alive with Nectar 3’s two Dynamic EQ modes
EQual rights
Nectar 2’s eight-band EQ was no slouch,
but Nectar 3’s blows it out of the water.
For many, it will be the primary reason
to upgrade.
First of all, like the Compressor
module, you can have two of them in a
preset now. Second, the maximum
number of bands has been tripled from
eight to 24, and a couple of new filter
types have been added: Proportional Q
Bell and Band Shelf. That’s all good
stuff, of course, but what really takes
Nectar 3’s EQ to another level are its
two Dynamic Processing modes.
Switching a band to Dynamic Gain
mode enables a Threshold to be set,
above which the signal for that band is
The process can be repeated for as many tracks
as you like, and the results are invariably well-
judged and thoroughly effective, giving the
vocals a perceived lift that’s almost always
beneficial. The Unmask EQ curve is separate to
the actual EQ modules in the Neutron 2 and
Nectar 3 plugins, so while you can’t tweak it, you
can rebalance the signal using those modules.
We’ve just got space to wrap up with a quick
run-down of the remaining new features. Auto
Level Mode ‘rides’ the input level fader for
dynamic consistency; the Limiter is now a
button and fader on the output level meter; Pan
and Width are adjustable; and Celemony’s
Melodyne 4 essential audio editor is included.
Sweet Nectar
Nectar 3 sounds incredible and flows beautifully,
and we can’t recommend it highly enough to
any vocal-wrangling producer. The upgrade for
existing users of v2 is rather less clear-cut,
though, as at only 50 quid below the full price,
the £179 upgrade is expensive. Whether or not
it’s worth that second/third-time outlay will boil
down primarily to how much you feel you need
Vocal Assistant and the souped-up EQ, both of
which are brilliant but perhaps not, truth be told,
all that essential.
Web izotope.com
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 93
either boosted or cut – ie, compressed
or expanded. It’s just the thing for
taming particularly wild and variable
resonances or sibilance, or bringing out
understated details.
Even more powerful than that when
it comes to getting vocals sounding
spectrally on point, however, is Follow
EQ mode. Turn this on for a band and it
automatically targets the closest
harmonic in the source material (the
fundamental frequency is determined
automatically), then tracks it up and
down the frequency range as it
changes in real time. Removing
harshness and applying consistent
sweetening have never been so easy.
Alternatively
Waves Vocal Bundle
NA » NA » $499
A collection of six vocal processors,
including DeBreath, Waves Tune
and Renaissance Channel
Sound Radix SurferEQ 2
237 » 8/10 » $199
If you just need a pitch tracking EQ,
this amazing plugin fits the bill
Verdict
For Vocal Assistant is miraculous
Dynamic EQ modes work brilliantly
Intuitive, focused range of modules
Sounds superb from top to bottom
Against No mouth noise reduction
Breath Control is separate plugin
Upgrade is expensive
Whether your vocals are sung, spoken or
spat, Nectar 3 will help you get them
sounding a million dollars
9/10
 > reviews / audiaire zone

PRESET BROWSER OSCILLATORS OPERATION MENUS AMP AND MOD ENVELOPES

Choose one of Zone’s 512 Load a preset wave Set global sequencer options, One hardwired to amplitude,
excellent onboard presets or one of your own voice modes, glide and more the other freely assignable
UNISON
Dial in unison
voices, plus
detune and
MODULATION spread
MATRIX
Mod assignments FILTER
are made in the A multimode
eight-slot matrix resonant filter
with dedicated
ADSR envelope
MACROS
Hook up FX
multiple Load one of
parameters to 22 signal
these six knobs processors into
each slot

SUB AND NOISE EQ

OSCILLATORS Three fixed-
Two extra signal frequency
generators for SEQUENCER GRID OSC MOD MASTER E E
bands for tone
weight and bite Create and edit Apply FM, cross-osc SECTION shaping
unlimited sequencer waveshaping, ring Pan and level
lanes here mod and more the final output

Audiaire
Zone £99
This ambitious new virtual instrument aims to ignite your creativity with
its fresh approach to sequencing – but will it get you in the zone?

Available as either a one-off purchase or via
Splice’s rent-to-own model, Zone is the first
product – a “parameter sequencer synthesiser”,
no less – from Audiaire, a new software
company founded by Sample Magic head
honcho Sharooz Raoofi. Claiming to showcase
“the beautiful idiosyncrasies seldom seen in
digital instruments”, Zone is clearly going head
to head with modern ‘power synths’ such as
Serum, Thorn and VPS-Avenger. Can it stand up
against these well-established big boys? Let’s,
ahem, zone in and find out…
Danger zone
Zone’s scalable, single-window interface is as
easy to navigate as it is aesthetically pleasing.
Sound generation starts with the two identical
oscillators, each of which can be loaded with
one of 151 single-cycle waveforms, all sampled
from vintage synths and ranging from analogue
waves through to more modern, esoteric
shapes. And, yes, you can also import and load
your own single-cycle waveforms.
Each oscillator sports coarse Tune and Fine
controls, Level and Pan sliders, plus a Shape
knob to skew and bend the wave. For hard-sync
tones, you can either link the two main
oscillators, or independently detune Osc 1 or 2
against its own inaudible ‘slaved’ oscillator. The
central Osc Mod section, meanwhile, facilitates
even more creative wave manipulation by
allowing you to dial in FM, ring/amplitude
“No modern softsynth
is complete without a
quality filter, and Zone’s
comes well equipped”
modulation, cross-osc waveshaping and more.
Elsewhere, fatness can be bolstered with the
Sub oscillator, switchable between one of five
waveforms (Sine, Triangle, Saw, Square and
Pulse) and tunable either one or two octaves
below oscillator 1. There’s a Noise oscillator,
featuring nine available shapes, and a
dampening Density control. For thickening and
detuning effects, up to seven true Unison voices
can be dialled in, detuned and spread apart for
stereo width.
Filter zone
No modern softsynth is complete without a
quality filter, and Zone’s powerful multimode
resonant option comes well equipped. 12 types
are available, ranging from more functional
State-Variable (low-pass, high-pass, bandpass
and notch), Sallen-Key (low- and high-pass) and
Ladder topologies, through to more flamboyant
Comb, Phaser and Circuit-Bent models. Slope

94 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


“Zone’s 22 FX
modules serve up
signal processing of
the highest calibre”
can be set between 12dB and 48dB/oct, and as
well as the expected Cutoff and Q (resonance)
controls, a four-stage ADSR filter envelope sits
directly underneath, with mod amount
governed by the Depth knob.
Mod zone
Speaking of modulation, the top-centre
envelope section is where you toggle between
another pair of four-stage ADSR envelopes (one
hardwired to Amp, the other assignable), while
the synth’s two identical LFOs boast 12 wave
shapes. There are also six Macro controls for
controlling one or more parameters, but
annoyingly, these can’t be renamed, and mod
depth can’t be adjusted at all.
Mod envelope and LFO modulation is
assigned via the eight-slot Mod Matrix’s menus:
choose a Source (one of nine), Destination (19
are available) and MIDI CC number, then apply
depth with the Amount slider. This process
works well enough, but it’s a shame you can’t
hook up envelope or LFO modulation via drag-
and-drop like you can with the Sequencer and
Macros – an odd omission.
FX to impress
Coded by Sinevibes DSP guru Artemiy Pavlov,
Zone’s 22 FX modules serve up signal
processing of the highest calibre. Upon loading
an effect into one of the four available FX slots,
its parameters populate the knobs. Every effect
utilises a dry/wet Mix slider for signal balancing,
and effects parameters can be sequenced
independently – see Stepping out.
The majority of modules tackle virtual
ambience and modulation duties, ranging from
several delay types (Stereo, Ping-Pong, Ball Up/
Down, a modulated delay and the spacetastic
Zone’s 22 FX modules – coded by Sinevibes’ Artemiy
Pavlov – all sound absolutely immense
audiaire zone / reviews <
Zone’s Sequencer can be used to program note data (orange) and most parameters (blue)
Stepping out
The true star of the Zone show is the
32-step Sequencer Grid. Almost every
one of Zone’s controls can have its own
independent Lane (alas, only one
parameter per lane), created and
assigned via drag and drop. An
unlimited number of lanes can be
created, each with its own independent
loop range for polyrhythmic action.
First, deploy either Parameters, Note
data (semitone-locked Pitch, Velocity
and Gate), or both for sequencing; sync
to host, or set an unsynced tempo
value; and customise playback with
controls for Rate division (128th-note to
8 bars), Swing and Chance, the latter
setting the probability of a step
Rain Drop) through to a Chorus, Flanger, Phaser,
a trio of Reverb options and five Phaser flavours.
There’s also a one-knob Stereo Width effect,
while a Distortion, Decimator and Compressor
bring the crunch and punch.
After the FX comes a three-band, fixed-
frequency EQ (a 250Hz low shelf, 750Hz bell/
peak filter and 4kHz high shelf), each band
featuring +/-10dB cut/boost and Q controls. This
EQ can be placed before or after the FX section
in the signal path. Finally, the Master section
houses a final Pan slider and Output level knob.
Zoning in
Despite our mod-assignment gripes, Zone
admirably holds its own as a newcomer in the
somewhat crowded virtual instrument arena. Its
slick interface and powerful oscillators
encourage sound generation of the virtual
analogue kind, while those timbre-twisting osc-
mod options, wave-bending capabilities and
flavoursome filter types can easily pull your
sounds down a more modern, digital path.
However, it’s in the ambitious approach to
sequencing that Zone truly shines, greatly
simplifying the creation of blissful arpeggios,
spiky percussive grooves, bubbling basslines
and animated rhythmic noises of all kinds.
Web audiaire.com
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 95
playing. Steps can be deactivated or
randomised, and step range can be
looped globally, too.
Editing a sequence is, mostly, fun
and intuitive. Click the columns to set
step values, or right-click and drag to
draw linear fades. One of 100 preset
patterns can be loaded for each Lane.
Alongside each Lane is a set of tools
for expanding the editing view, and
locking/clearing/muting/deleting lane
data. The Options menu also handles
parameter assignment, lane-to-lane
copy/paste, value flip/nudge, and value
scaling. Frustratingly, the latter is the
only way to scale mod amounts –
there’s no ‘mod depth’ control on hand.
Alternatively
Dmitry Sches Thorn
253 » 9/10 » $119
Our favourite virtual instrument of
2018 delivers myriad rhythmic
options with its Glitch Sequencer
Native Instruments Rounds
NA » NA » £89
Another monolithic softsynth with
a unique approach to sequencing
Verdict
For Immense sequencing options
Powerful, versatile sound generation
Sexy single-screen interface
Effects are all terrific
Against Sequencer and macro mod
depths can’t be adjusted
Macro knobs can’t be renamed
Only one modulator per sequencer lane
A few minor niggles aside, Zone is an
immensely powerful synth crammed with
sound-design and sequencing features
9/10
 > reviews / waves abbey road tg mastering chain
MODULE POWER EXPANDED VIEW LIMITER MODE
STEREO MODE Turn modules on and off Enlarge a module for separate Model the original compressor
Four of modules can to create your chain stereo channel access or a modern alternative
be set to Stereo, Duo
or M/S processing

SPREADER
Narrow or widen
the final output

TAPE EQ
Four interesting
and occasionally
useful EQ curves
OUTPUT
MODULE
Output gain,
peak metering,
monitoring and
INPUT MODULE the Spreader
Adjust the input
level, stereo balance
and phase TONE MODULE LIMITER MODULE FILTER MODULE
A four-band EQ with fixed Apply compression up to Apply final sweetening
band frequencies 2:1 or limiting up to 7:1 and low/high attenuation

Waves
Abbey Road TG
Mastering Chain $199
Emulating the revered vintage mastering console at the legendary
London studio, can this plugin get your mixes sounding like the greats?

The latest in Waves’ ongoing series of
collaborations with Abbey Road Studios is an
emulation of the EMI TG12410 Transfer Console
that’s been a fixture in said facility’s mastering
and mixing suites since the early 70s. Used in
the making of albums by Nirvana, Radiohead,
Pink Floyd (including the seminal Dark Side Of
The Moon) and Ed Sheeran, amongst countless
others, the hardware’s credentials are
unquestionable, and Abbey Road certainly
aren’t going to accept a shoddy emulation, so
Waves must have had their work cut out.
TG Mastering Chain (VST/AU/AAX) actually
consists of six plugins: mono and stereo
versions of the main TG Mastering Chain, Live
versions of both, and mono and stereo versions
of the TG Mastering Bridge – see Meter made.
The Live plugins boast very low latencies,
through the use of lower upsampling rates, and
non-linear phase IIR sidechain filters in lieu of
the linear phase FIR filters employed by the
regular plugins that Waves have added to the
original architecture.
Past master
Like the real thing, TG Mastering Chain
comprises a modular series of processors that
are freely arranged in a ‘rack’ and individually
bypassed. All but Output can be independently
switched between regular Stereo, Duo (dual
mono) and Mid-Side processing. In the default
“The EQ and filters
restrict you to tried-
and-tested settings –
that’s a positive!”
main view, a single set of controls is presented
for both linked channels, but clicking the
Expanded View switch for a module blows it up
to fill the whole window, granting access to the
Link/Unlink button and separate controls for
Left/Right or Mid/Side. This is a fair enough
solution for keeping the GUI uncluttered, but
you don’t get to choose which of the two
unlinked channels is shown back in the main
view – it’s always Left/Mid.
The five modules, then, are TG12411 Input,
TG12412 Tone, TG12413 Limiter, TG12414 Filter
and TG12416 Output, the first and last always at
the start and end of the chain, of course.
Reordering the middle three is done by
dragging them left and right, but slightly
confusingly, the signal flow isn’t necessarily
reflected in the order of the module selection
switches at the top of the Expanded View, which
remains resolutely Tone, Limiter, Filter. Not a
massive mental hurdle, and that probably is the

96 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019


“The very particular
low/high responses of
its four response
curves are worth
trying out for
creative purposes”
order you’ll use them in most of the time, but an
odd oversight on Waves’ part nonetheless.
Module citizens
The Input module is where fundamental issues
with the incoming signal are sorted prior to
EQing, filtering and limiting. Here, you can adjust
the input level, stereo balance (up to +/-5dB
towards either side) and phase (+90º left or
right), invert the phase of either channel, and
swap the two channels around entirely. The
Tape Equalizer – used to provide compatibility
between NAB- and IEC-equalised tapes and
decks at 7.5 and 15ips – is in place for historical
accuracy, but the very particular low/high
responses of its four response curves are well
worth experimenting with for creative purposes.
The Tone module is a four-band EQ of the
‘musical’ rather than surgical kind, as you’d
expect, given its primary designation as a
mastering aid. Each band has a fixed set of five
detented centre/corner frequencies (32-128Hz,
181-724Hz, 1.02-3.25kHz and 4.1-16kHz), and can
operate in any of five modes: Low and High
Shelf, and three widths of bell filter – Sharp,
Medium and the not-overly-wide Blunt. Up to
10dB of cut or boost is on tap, and a band solo
function is available in the Expanded View.
The Limiter module offers not only the
behaviours and harmonic distortion of the
original Zener diode compressor/limiter (each a
separate mode: Original and Limit), but also a
much less colourful alternative to it in the
Modern algorithm. The Recovery knob switches
between six increasingly slow envelope timings,
with 3-4 feeling like the sweet spot for
mastering, and 2 for mixing. The Ratio is dialled
in as a percentage of the maximum 2:1 setting
for both compressor models, or 7:1 for Limit; the
aforementioned sidechain filters – 48dB/octave
Low (1-22kHz) and High Pass (25Hz-1kHz), and a
+/-40dB gain Bell (100Hz-12kHz) – are accessed
in Expanded View; and the Mix knob enables
parallel compression.
Expanded View reveals the controls for both channels,
as well as the Limiter’s sidechain filters
waves abbey road tg mastering chain / reviews <
Visually monitor any instance of TG Mastering Chain in your project
Meter made
While TG Mastering Chain’s onboard RMS average, and can be calibrated
metering amounts to nothing more using the unmarked screwheads below.
than an LED ladder peak meter, the And on the left hand side, the vertically
included TG Meter Bridge plugin orientated linear phase correlation
provides the same three meters used meter lets you keep an eye on the
by Abbey Road’s engineers with the phase relationship between the left and
real TG12410. Handily, you only need right channels, and, consequently, how
one instance of it in a project, too, as mono-compatible your mix is.
the Track Menu drop-down enables any The monitoring source signal for all
instance of TG Mastering Chain running three meters is set using the red knob,
in the host project to be routed to it. which steps between Input, Gain
The topmost section models the Reduction (only active when the
Genesis Systems DPM 101 peak Limiter is active, natch) and Output.
programme meter, and features a Hold TG Meter Bridge looks great and is
option for persistent indication of the perfectly responsive, although some
highest peak until reset. Below that, a level of ballistics adjustment for the
pair of VU meters give feedback on the VUs wouldn’t go amiss.
Intended for final sweetening and Alternatively
attenuation of extreme highs and low, the Filter
module houses High Pass, Low Pass and IK Multimedia T-RackS 5
Presence (medium-width bell) filters, each with a 252 » 9/10 » €180-600
fixed set of cutoff/centre frequencies. And lastly, IK’s ‘pick and mix’ mastering
the Output module allows for final levelling and system has never looked and
monitoring of any channel source (Left, Right, sounded better
Mid, Side, Stereo, Mono), and includes a model
of the TG12416 stereo Spreader for ‘tilting’ the iZotope Ozone 8 Advanced
mid and side signals by up to +/-5dB. 251 » 10/10 » £389
For the last word in comprehensive
Pulling the Chain ITB mastering plugins, look no
TG Mastering Chain isn’t the plugin to reach for further than Ozone 8
if you’re after transparency and precision. The
sound is decidedly characterful, and the fixed- Verdict
frequency EQ and filters railroad you towards
tried-and-tested settings, rather than giving you For Achingly analogue sound
total freedom in shaping terms – we mean that Tone and Limiter modules are superb
as a positive! The Modern compressor mode is a Modern compressor for less distortion
great inclusion, enabling control of dynamics TG Meter Bridge included
without the heavy old-school saturation of the Ideal for ‘instrumental’ genres
Original and Limit modes, and thereby
increasing the relevance to producers of less Against Minor GUI anomalies
sensitive genres. Even so, with its warm, ‘retro’ Less comfortable with electronic music
analogue vibes, this is, foremost, a plugin that
gives engineers working in rock, pop, jazz and A luxurious, analogue-authentic mastering
other similarly ‘physical’ styles what they need rack plugin that embodies the timeless
for lively, punchy, musical masters. spirit and sound of Abbey Road
Web waves.com 8/10
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 97

AudioThing
Reels €59
This flea market-sourced reel-to-reel modelling plugin has nothing but
bad intentions for your clean tracks, busses and mixes
The latest plugin effect from the ever-reliable
AudioThing specifically models an old
Japanese portable quarter-inch reel-to-reel tape
recorder “found in a distressed state at a local
flea market”. Very much a consumer-level
machine, one of its defining features is the
bleeding of the motor noise into the tape, which
limits the available bandwidth. Reels (VST/AU/
AAX), then, in short, isn’t your average tape sim
looking to apply an aurally beneficial touch of
analogue warmth to your pristine digital mixes:
no, this is, instead, a gleefully grungy distortion
and signal-mangling processor geared up to
creatively tarnish whatever you choose to send
its way.
Tape decked
At the top of the interface, the Tape and Noise
sections are where the properties of the tape
machine and the tape rolling through it are
tweaked. First, you get three very different
flavours of tape – Japanese, Italian and French –
and a choice of 1.87 or 3.75ips playback speed.
None of the tape nationalities are in any sense
‘clean’, but while Japanese and Italian maintain
some semblance of bass, French rolls the low-
end response off heavily for a fabulously biased
sound. The 1.87ips setting, meanwhile, is
noticeably lower-fi than 3.75ips, and between
the six tape/speed combinations, a good range
of base colours is represented.
Echo, echo, echo…
As well as its main function as a colouration/
distortion processor, Reels’ tape emulation
can also be deployed as a delay effect.
The delay Time knob ranges from
1-1000ms unsynced or 1/16 to 2/1 synced, and,
this being a tape delay, changing the Time
slows down and speeds up the passage of the
tape, generating all sorts of crazy
pitchshifting effects. The Feedback knob
routes the output back to the input to extend
the repeats (infinitely when cranked up –
audiothing reels / reviews <
The Harshness, Wow/Flutter, Ducking and
Crosstalk knobs enable detailed tailoring of the
tape and deck characteristics. Harshness
describes the physical condition of the tape,
delivering heavy distortion/breakup at 100%;
and Wow/Flutter introduces unpredictable pitch
modulation that varies with tape speed. Ducking
and Crosstalk govern the amount of random
volume drop-outs in the tape, and leakage
between left and right channels, respectively.
The Hiss and Motor controls set the amount
of signal generated by the tape itself and the
internal machinery of the deck. Hiss is
synthesised for each tape type, while Motor is a
sampled loop, layered with custom elements for
constant variation. Each has its own level knob,
and engaging the Env button silences both
when no input signal is present.
At the bottom, Limit switches in a soft clipper,
and Mono sums the stereo output. The Pre-
Emphasis dial applies up to 12dB of high-
frequency boost prior to the tape emulation,
countering the loss in top-end that inevitably
comes with it. Last but not least, the linked Rec/
Stop buttons (activating one deactivates the
other) start and stop playback, muting the
output of the plugin when stopped. The time it
takes for the tape to come to a halt is
determined by the Speed knob (up to five
seconds), and the resulting down-pitching tape
stop effect is thoroughly convincing.
hence the limiter), and a low-pass filter is on
hand for darkening the tone, with a cutoff
frequency range of 200Hz to 16kHz.
Activating the Wet Only button kills the dry
signal for using Reels as an auxiliary effect.
As any good tape delay should, Reels
excels at classic dub-style feedback washes.
Catch those pitch-shifting Time changes in
the feedback loop and get to work with the
Lowpass filter and it’s as if Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry
is in the room with you. Glorious.
Last but not least, the dry/wet Mix control
proves crucial for getting Reels working well in a
broader musical context than simply making the
source material appear to be coming from a
knackered old tape deck.
The Reels thing
With its uniquely messed-up approach and
authentic ‘crap tape’ sound, Reels is another
winner for AudioThing, and a plugin that no
producer of lo-fi, synthwave or any other retro-
inspired style should miss. If you’re hoping to
make your mixes sound like they’ve been
mastered to expensive tape on a fancy precision
deck, however, run screaming…
Web audiothing.net
Alternatively
Psychic Modulation EchoMelt
248 » 10/10 » $49
Even more feature-packed than
Reels, and equally essential
u-he Satin
198 » 10/10 » €129
At the other end of the fidelity
scale, Satin’s sublime tape
emulation is as posh as they come
Verdict
For Supremely dirty tape emulation
Three tape styles and motor noise
Also a dub-tastic tape delay
Convincing tape-stop effect
Against At this price, nothing
Creative noiseniks and retro-minded
producers will get much more than their
money’s worth from Reels’ evocatively
crusty sonics and evil echoes
10/10
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 99
 mini reviews / reviews <

mini reviews
A rapid-fire round-up of sample libraries, ROMplers and music gear

In Session Audio
Taiko Creator $140

Web insessionaudio.com each. The 24 drums have been

Format PC/Mac, Kontakt/Kontakt Player
Taiko are the characterful Japanese drums you
often hear in big movie action sequences and
videogames. Ranging in size from small to
absolutely enormous and played with thick
batons (bachi), they’re invariably employed in
ensembles, and while they’ve long been a staple
inclusion in any serious professional percussion
sample library, there aren’t too many entirely
dedicated to them. In Session Audio’s new
Kontakt Player instrument hopes to become the
new standard in taiko emulation, differentiating
itself from most by capturing each of its drums
individually, rather than as an inextricable
group, and including a sizeable library of MIDI
grooves (20 “song suites”), played within the
interface but exportable by drag-and-drop.
A Taiko Creator kit (of which ten excellent
presets are included as Snapshots) comprises 15
keymapped groups of up to nine Drums,
Percussion (sticks, woodblocks, etc) or Auxiliary
sounds (booms, ambiences, vocal shouts, etc)
sampled as head (seven
velocity layers, seven round
robin variations) and rim (four
layers, seven variations) hits,
with three of them also
including mallet articulations;
while the percussion sounds
have four layers and seven
variations each. Within each
group, each sound can be
levelled, panned and tuned up
to an octave up or down. As well
as the ability to mix and match
sounds within groups, and
groups within kits to build your
own custom ensembles, the other benefit of reverb and five-band EQ, filters and envelopes
having control over the individual drums is that for each group, pitch control, distortion and
their timing relationships can be altered using widening, plus an array of randomisation
the Unity control, which dials in ‘humanising’ options. It sounds incredible, offers plenty of
discrepancies at both group and global levels. sound shaping and plays beautifully, and our
Taiko Creator has all the niceties expected of only wish would be for the addition of a Group
any serious Kontakt library, including four mixer as an alternative to the per-page system.
range-adjustable mic positions, convolution n9/10n

Rob Papen Accusonus

RAW-Kick £67 ERA Voice Leveler
Web timespace.com $295/$594
Format PC/Mac, VST/AU/AAX
Web accusonus.com
Developed in partnership Format PC/Mac, VST/AU/AAX
with DJ Free-K and DJ
Promo, and based on A new addition to both of their audio
Papen’s RAW synth (5/10, restoration ERA Bundles (Standard and
cm216), RAW-Kick is a Pro), Accusonus’ Voice Leveler is a ‘one-
synthesis- and sample-based knob’ plugin that flattens volume
kick drum designer plugin inconsistencies in any recorded vocal,
that specialises in sounds at alleviating the need for time-consuming
the harder edges of dance gain automation. The Processing knob
music, but gives enough sets the target level, towards which the
sound-shaping versatility to signal is ‘ridden’ through a combination of
make it a viable option for less hammering genres, too. normalisation and dynamics shaping, the
Three layers are mixed to form the final kick sound, each one latter including control of breath sounds and re e
outputting a synthesised sine/noise combo, or a sample. Up to noise floor. For a less transparent effect, Tig
ght mode
d yiields
ld a
16 harmonics can be introduced to the sine wave in a graph- more ‘radio’ kind of sound, while the Emphasis function does a
style editor, adding character and midrange interest when great job of fixing frequency issues due to poor mic technique.
pushed through the XY-controlled RAW processor and/or the The waveform at the bottom shows the processing as an
various onboard distortion effects. Pitch and volume envelopes orange Output waveform overlaid on the black input.
are provided; each layer has its own filter, dual EQs and two Voice Leveler is intended for dialogue/voiceover work, but
insert effects; and the Master page houses dual parallel EQs, LP/ it works well on sung vocals too. If your singer is introducing
HP filters, and a mono-ising filter. Top it off with a powerful enough tonal variance to warrant engaging Emphasis,
modulation system (counting the levels of individual harmonics however, re-recording would be better. Not necessarily a
among its targets) and you have a very powerful, aggressive music production plugin, then, but one that fully lives up to its
kick drum instrument that really lets you get into the details. promise of keeping spoken word on the straight and narrow.
n8/10n n7/10n

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 101

> reviews / mini reviews
Soundware round-up
Loopmasters
Vadim – Urban Dub &
Modern Dancehall £45
The legendary DJ Vadim’s follow-up to
The Dubcatcher Loops (9/10, cm238) is
another tour de force of authentic dub
and dancehall, weighing in at 2.4GB
(plus another 1GB of REX file versions),
and heaving with inspirational loops,
licks and one-shots. The action centres
on drums, bass, guitars and keys, and
there’s not an ounce of fat to be found
– pretty much every loop is a winner.
There’s also a small but mighty
collection of brass lines, and 21 superb
long-form male and female acapellas
ripe for slicing and dicing. Essential.
loopmasters.com
n 10/1
102 / COMPUTER MUSIC February 2019
Sample Magic
Ethereal Techno £15
The ‘Ethereal’ in the title of Sample Magic’s latest
White Label release refers to the floaty,
80s-influenced synth parts (both individual and
rolled into ten mini construction kits) and relatively
reverberant basslines that have been designed to sit
atop the accompanying 19 extremely impactful
stemmed drum loops (108 files) and spacey FX. The
production style throughout is quite glossy for
techno, too, which adds to the sheen, and as a
stylistic concept, the whole thing works brilliantly. At
this price, Ethereal Techno is well worth picking up.
samplemagic.com
n9/10n
Blackout Music
Blackout Sample Pack 002 €16
Bringing together the prodigious DnB production
talents of Optical, State of Mind, Counterstrike and
Telekinesis, this ‘supergroup’ sample library from
Dutch record label Blackout is a must-have for
anyone working at the tougher end of the genre. So
the credentials are all in place, but the numbers are
good, too, with 255 loops and 190 one-shots in the
clip, as well as 25 Serum patches. And if there are any
stars of this particular show, for us they’d be Optical
(naturally!) and Telekinesis, whose beats, b-lines and
one-shot FX are worth the price of entry on their own.
blackoutmusic.nl
n9/10n
Loopmasters
Deep Trap & Electric Soul £35
We don’t see as many trap soundware releases these
days as we have over the last couple of years, but
Loopmasters’ latest is a good reminder of how much
the genre still has to offer. Almost all the loops –
drums, bass, music and percussion – are presented in
two variations, and far from being just a main theme
and a minor tweak for use at the end of a phrase, as is
usually the case with such things, each one is
different enough to the other to be considered valid
in its own right. The production is on point, making
this a solid buy.
loopmasters.com
n8/10n
UNDRGRND Sounds
Deep & Jazz House £30
This 600MB pack of deep house loops and hits
successfully weaves in a jazzy vibe with the pervasive
swung feel of the drums – which are confidently
pushed to wonky extremes in places – the ride
cymbal-heavy percussion loops, the groovy keyboard
and mallet lines, and the raw, evocatively noisy
production style. The analogue basses and other
synths that constitute the rest of the library marry up
nicely, and while the general feel is decidedly retro,
there’s loads of track-inspiring plunder here for the
modern house producer.
undrgrndsounds.com
n8/10n

Zero-G
Nordic Noir £50
Put together by soundtrack composer Davor Devcic,
this collection of 32 fairly lengthy construction kits
(plus a handful of supplementary drum, pad and
synth/piano loops) gives the media producer
everything they need to create dark, moody tracks
for their dark, moody video projects. The production
is lovely, the central melodic and harmonic ideas are
convincing, and Devcic has deliberately stuck to a
limited range of keys (A, Am, Cm, D and Dm), enabling
parts from disparate kits to be brought together
easily enough with a bit of tempo wrangling.
timespace.com
n8/10n
ModeAudio
Freeze £18
1GB of icy ambient drones, beds, subs, textures,
noises, drums and percussion – 152 samples in total –
drawing on synths, sampled instrumentation, found
sounds and field recordings. The hi-hats have been
separated from the drums for mixing and matching,
and the rest of the sounds are similarly open to
experimental mixing – the Ableton Live project
positively encourages such activity with its blocked-
out Session view. The sounds range from clean and
uplifting to fragmented and glitchy, and the contrasts
that emerge work well. An interesting sonic resource.
modeaudio.com
n7/10n
Native Instruments
District Xeo £44
Produced by Irrupt, NI’s new Expansion is all about
electro, comprising 50 Maschine kits and patterns,
and stemmed construction kits rendered from them;
55 Battery Kits; and 28 presets each for Massive and
Monark. The kits are built on almost 800 one-shots,
over half of them drums, and the expected electro
tropes are on display at every turn – ticking hats,
snappy snares, squelchy analogue basslines, laser
zaps, etc. There’s a vague bass music influence at
points, too, and some genre-skirting synth work, but
in essence, this is a well-realised electro nostalgia trip.
native-instruments.com
n8/10n
Hachion Sound
Shamisen £25
The three-stringed Japanese Shamisen is performed
by master player Asako Mochizuki in this fascinating
library. The 79 ready-to-go loops are provided dry
and FX-processed, but the main thrust is the roster of
one-shot articulations – bends, sustains, vibrato, etc –
sampled note by note over three octaves, with which
you can make your own lines. No sampler patches
are included, so you have to map them yourself, but
that’s easy. Sequencing convincing performances
isn’t too difficult, either, although the lack of dynamic
variations for velocity layering limits the complexity.
loopmasters.com
n8/10n
mini reviews / reviews <
Vaski
Space Age Production
Subscription
The Spinnin’ Records bass music producer gets onto
Noiiz’s subscription service with this 400MB
collection of shots and loops. The ball gets rolling
with 16 stemmed beats (47 files) at 150bpm, most
half-time, and all sounding fantastic. Six vowel-tastic
basslines annoy in their paucity as much as they
astound in quality, but are at least supplemented with
32 one-shots. Then its onto the 45 arps, chords and
synths, which by no means limit themselves to the
assumptions of the genre. Nice work.
noiiz.com
n8/10n
HybridTwo
Project Chaos £217
Following up Projects Alpha and Bravo, this four-layer
Kontakt library features over 2GB of edgy beats, hits,
textures, drones, rhythm loops, risers and much
more, and enables you to import external samples
into its powerful scripted interface to build your own
preset libraries (Banks) using an included utility app.
The UI is flexible and innovative in its sound selection
and preset navigation, the sequencer – every step of
which can contain a ‘sub sequence’ of its own – is ace,
the included samples are great, and there’s endless
sound design potential to be exploited.
timespace.com
n9/10n
Sample Tools by Cr2
Encoded Techno £16
The rule of 20s applies once again to Cr2’s new one,
as 20 stemmed drum loops (114 files), 20 basslines,
20 synth riifs and 20 FX give the budget-conscious
techno producer plenty to chew on. Alongside that
little lot, five outstanding full-length Songstarter
construction kits, 18 presets for Serum and Sylenth1,
and the customary grab bag of one-shot drums and
basses add further value, yet despite the pricetag, the
production and compositional quality from start to
finish are as high as you’d expect from any premium
soundware label.
sampletoolsbycr2.com
n8/10n
House of Loop
Clyde P Presents Grooving
Tech House £20
The debut sample pack from French producer Clyde
P clocks its drum loops at 125 and 126bpm, but
everything else at 124 and 126bpm. In all other
respects though, this pack is straightforward and on
the level, comprising 30 tough stemmed drum loops,
50 cone-wobbling basslines, 60 catchy music and
synth parts, 30 punctuative FX, and a smorgasbord
of one-shot basses, chords and drums. A versatile
library for producers of all flavours of house.
loopmasters.com
n8/10n
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 103
> free samples / essential stabs

VOL. 61 SAMPLES GIVEAWAY

ESSENTIAL
STABS
Add bursts of excitement, drama
and energy to your productions
with this this month’s exclusive
ESSENTIAL
STABS
sample pack! Handcrafted by
soundware artisans Cyclick and
Groove Criminals, this supreme
collection is full of synth chords,
521 EXCLUSIVE SAMPLES horn blasts, rave hits, guitar one-
including…
34 Synth Stabs
shots, percussive strikes and
25 Percussive Stabs much more. Get the pack on the
7 Multis DOWNLOAD
108 Misc Stabs Get these exclusive samples
on your PC/Mac over at
filesilo.co.uk/computermusic
print issue’s DVD or from this
21 Verbed Saw Synth
21 String Ensemble issue’s FileSilo page… and check
21 Rave-O
21 Orch Hits
out some example uses for the
21 Distorted Guitar sounds in the tutorial below.

L.
> Step by step Three ways to use this month’s Essential Stabs samples

Instead of using a vanilla synth As you may have seen in this issue’s Finally, why not pepper a tune with

1 bassline, try piecing together a low-

reaching collage of bass stabs from the
pack. Here, one thick bass stab assertively
marks the downbeat. We’ve then
2 cover feature, the sampling of short
duplicated a jungle-style wobble bass hit
through the groove, repitching each hit
using our DAW’s audio transpose feature.
melodic material is a go-to technique in
dance music. In this particular track, we’ve
loaded a one-shot horn sound into a
3 percussive and melodic ‘ear candy’? In
sampler, then we’ve programmed a simple
riff in order to create a menacing, trap-
esque hook.
this example, we’re using a pitched-up
drum as a splashy snare layer; a dub-
delayed ‘smash’ sound to emphasise
certain sections; and a floating Rhodes
chord, engulfed in virtual ambience, to
embellish our trap riff from earlier.

104 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019

 loopmasters / free samples <

Loopmasters CM265 samples

Get them on the DVD or download from filesilo.co.uk/computermusic

01 UNDRGRND Deep Dub Techno 05 Intools Waterflow

02 Loopmasters Indie Dance Electronica 06 MDE Sounds Of Tech
03 LM Reflections Electric Chill 07 LM Tomorrow Trap
04 Hy2rogen Mashed Acid House 08 FamousAudio Late Night Bass

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 105


PLUGINS
You get more than 80 instruments and
effects with every issue of . Keep on top of
this exclusive plugin suite with our directory
The Plugins collection is a
suite of complete, limitation-free
instrument and effects plugins. It’s
an incredible resource, boasting
more than 80 pro-quality plugins
that you won’t find anywhere else,
all for PC and Mac, in VST and AU
formats. All of the included
software is created exclusively for
us by respected commercial
developers such as D16 Group,
u-he, AudioRealism, Ohm Force,
KV331 Audio, Cableguys, XILS-lab,
AudioThing, Vengeance-Sound, Rob
Papen, zplane and more.
FREQUENTLY
ASKED
QUESTIONS
Enough talking! Where do I get
these plugins?
You can grab them all on the cover
DVD with our print edition, or as a
download from FileSilo (see p5 for
instructions on how to access).
How do I install Plugins?
It depends on the plugin. Some have
dedicated installers, while others
plugins <
DOWNLOAD
As well as on our DVD, you’ll
find all these plugins at
filesilo.co.uk/computermusic
just drop into your plugin folders. What happened to…?
There’s a bit more info on p113, As of 209, almost all Plugins
and there are specific installation are 64-bit compatible. The few
instructions for each in the How To older Plugins that remain
Install file in the CM Plugins folder. 32-bit-only – such as Amplifikation
CM, Rhino CM and KR-Delay/
What do I need to use them? KR-Reverb – are now included in
A PC or Mac and a music program the 32-bit only subfolders. These
(aka DAW) to host them. You need plugins require either a 32-bit host
a DAW that can host VST or AU or a suitable ‘bit bridge’ (eg,
plugins, such as Ableton Live, jBridge) for use in a 64-bit DAW.
Reaper, FL Studio (PC), Cubase,
Sonar (PC), Logic (Mac) or Still got questions?
GarageBand (Mac). A free See the full FAQ at
PC/Mac option is Tracktion 6. bit.ly/cmpluginsfaq
FEATURED PLUGIN
Kirnu Cream CM
What’s the most important part
of music? It’s the notes, stupid!
Get your MIDI moving with Kirnu’s
excellent performance plugin.
Program sequences, arpeggios,
chords and even beats, and save it
all to switchable patches – perfect
for when you’re missing that little bit
of inspiration.
www.kirnuarp.com
February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 107
 PLUGINS
INSTRUMENTS
HYBRID SYNTHS
Our synths have been created
by the best software developers
in the world to bring you a
suite of sound-making tools for
all music production scenarios
Synapse Audio Dune CM
s VA and wavetable oscillators
s Powerful per-voice modulation
s 12-slot modulation matrix
s Based on the full version of Dune
s AU/VST/RTAS, 32-/64-bit
www.synapse-audio.com
VIRTUAL ANALOGUE SYNTHS
Get the sounds
of sought-after
circuits with our
classic collection
DRUM MACHINES
Get heads
nodding
and design
better beats
108 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
u-he Bazille CM
s Patchable modular synthesiser
s Sequencer and Mapping Generator
s Audio-rate modulation, Fractalizer
s Huge how-to guide in 232
s AU/VST 32-/64-bit
www.u-he.com
LinPlug Alpha CM
s Dual oscillators with wave blending
s Mod matrix, slick chorus effect
s Polyphonic glide between notes
s Based on the commercial Alpha
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.linplug.com
DopeVST Beat Machine CM
s 50 ready-mixed royalty-free kits
s 50 MIDI beats included
s Kick, Snare, Hi-hat and Misc parts
s Level, Pan, Pitch and Reverb
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.dopevst.com
u-he Zebra CM
s Blendable oscillator waveforms
s Super-programmable step LFOs
s Slick delay, reverb and chorus
s Original synth designed just for CM
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.u-he.com
Dmitry Sches Thorn CM
s Dual spectral oscillators
s Analogue and Harmonic Filters
s Spectral and real-time effects
s Glitch Sequencer and Arpeggiator
s VST/VST3/AU/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.dmitrysches.com
XILS-lab PolyKB II CM
s Models the ultra-rare PolyKobol
s Packed with mix-ready presets
s Assign knobs to main parameters
s Based on XILS-lab’s PolyKB II
s AU/VST/RTAS, 32-/64-bit
www.xils-lab.com
AudioRealism ADM CM
s Old-school-style drum machine
s Emulates Roland’s TR-606
s Also contains custom samples
s Based on the full ADM
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.audiorealism.se
KV331AudioSynthMasterCM
s Dual wavescanning oscillators
s Multimode filter and built-in effects
s FM/AM synthesis modes
s Based on SynthMaster 2.5
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.kv331audio.com
Psychic Modulation
Phonec CM
s Retro-inspired four-voice synth
s Two oscillators, noise osc and sub
s EchoShifter, Chorus and Melt
s Four envs, two LFOs, Arp and Seq
www.psychicmodulation.com
Madrona Labs Aalto CM
s Unusual oscillators with FM
s Intuitively patchable modulation
s Onboard reverb s Step sequencing
s Based on the full Aalto synth
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.madronalabs.com
brunsandspork Grooove CM
s Load in two samples per sound
and set their velocity response
s 50 built-in Micro Kits to play
s Based on the full Grooove
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.brunsandspork.com
Cableguys Curve 2.6 CM
s Design-your-own-waveforms synth
s New waveform capabilities for v2.6
s Phat 16-voice Unison mode
s Based on Cableguys Curve 2.6
s AU/VST/RTAS, 32-/64-bit
www.cableguys.com
PLUS…
Enzyme CM
s Scanned synthesis instrument
s 50 sounds from the full version
s Ready-to-go Performance Controls
s Customise stereo width
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
humanoidsoundsystems.com
Klevgränd Enkl CM
s Fun, quirky monosynth
s One oscillator, one LFO
s High- and low-pass filters
s Three-band EQ, delay and width
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.klevgrand.se
XILS-lab XILS 3 CM
s Modelled on the EMS VCS 3 modular
s Authentic circuits of the original
s Added chorus and delay effects
s Pin matrices to ‘patch’ signal flow
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.xils-lab.com
XILS-lab StiX CM
s Drum synth with sequencer
s Load preset kits and grooves
s Apply effects and mix each sound
s Polystep modulation and more
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.xils-lab.com
 plugins <

SAMPLERS
Import, slice and loop your audio
files with these creative and
highly customisable instruments

Expert Sleepers Loomer Cumulus

XFadeLooper CM
s Creative crossfade-looping sampler
s Hard Sync mode and modulation
s Saturation section, flexible looping
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.expert-sleepers.co.uk
s Granular sampler with sequencing
s Scenes function to sequence slices
s Not based on an existing plugin
s AU/VST 32-/64-bit
s RTAS/Standalone 32-bit
www.loomer.co.uk

OTHER

DopeVST Bass Engine CM Kirnu Cream CM Monoplugs B-Step CM zplane vielklang 2 CM Eisenberg Einklang CM
s 45 authentic hip-hop bass patches s Get more out of plugin instruments s Step sequencer for beats and chords s Pitch-correct and retune audio s Morph between a trio of oscillators
s Three eras of faux-sampled bass and master arpeggios with this tool s Easily creates chord progressions s Harmonise melodies with ease s Envelope and timbre controls
s 50 MIDI riffs included s Program and store complex patterns s Seven pages of controls to dial in s Level and pan harmony voices s Modulate tone with the LFO
s Envelope and note controls s Musical controls for rhythm/notes s Based on the commercial B-Step s Algorithms by zplane’s experts s Based on the full Einklang synth
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.dopevst.com www.kirnuarp.com www.monoplugs.com www.zplane.de www.eisenberg-audio.de

Rob Papen RG-Muted CM AudioThing miniBit CM Squaredheads Nora CM RF Music Scale Player CM AutoTonic CM
s Create realistic funk guitar grooves s 15-waveform chiptune synth s Input up to four notes, Play scales in new, creative ways s Always stay in key with this MIDI app
s Onboard sequencer s Envelope and LFO modulation output chords and arpeggios s Set a ‘home’ note and scale s White keys play notes while black
s Effects and modulation options s Bit-depth/sample rate reduction s Program velocities & store patterns s Play other keys to alter settings keys select the scale you’re in
s Based on Rob Papen RG s Based on the commercial miniBit s Mac users require macOS 10.8+ s Based on the full Scale Player s Choose from a variety of scales
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s Standalone, acts as your MIDI input
www.robpapen.com www.audiothing.net www.squaredheads.com www.rfmusic.net www.autotonic.net

> Step by step

plug ns reloaded / make mus c now <

11 Piano and vintage syn h sounds

CM PLUGINS TUTORIAL BANK

versat e nsp r ng synth the atest
P ug ns fam y
We turn our at ent on to th s

V DEO
add t on to the

Satson and on

1 2
foc

To help you get the most out of our immense with tutorial PDFs and videos on using Plugins
CURVE 2 CM

plugin collection, we’ve assembled the Plugins for sound design, mixing, and even creating entire
3 4

> Step by step 12 Risers and e fects with Alchemy Player CM

Tutorial Bank, containing over 100 guides and tracks. You’ll find all of this as a handy download
tutorials for our Plugins, specially selected from from FileSilo – go grab it now and start getting
>

V DEO

1 2 3
past issues. You’ll find Getting Started PDFs and more out of your plugins!
videos for most of the individual plugins, along www.filesilo.co.uk/computermusic

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 109

 PLUGINS
EFFECTS
DYNAMICS
Check out this huge collection of
processors – from classic
compressors to modern digital
creations, we’ve got everything
you need to shape your signals
Unfiltered Audio G8 CM
s Get tight dynamics or creative FX
s Includes advanced gating controls
s Real-time waveform display
s Use MIDI as a trigger or output
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.unfilteredaudio.com
D16 Group Frontier
s Superb mixing/mastering limiter
s Set Threshold and Output
s Choose detection and release styles
s Soft Clip control for drive/distortion
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.d16.pl
ANALYSIS
Rule the waves and make
your music come alive before
your very eyes with the help
of these pro visualisation tools
110 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
HoRNet Fat-FET
s FET-style compressor
s Similar to the classic Urei 1176LN
s Ultra-fast attack as low as 0.02ms
s Based on HoRNet MultiComp
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.hornetplugins.com
Ignite VST Vice One
s Talented compressor sold for $49
s Choose between analogue or
digital response characteristics
s In/out and gain reduction metering
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.ignitevst.com
eaReckon CM-COMP 87
s Slick, punchy compressor
s Mix knob for parallel compression
s Limiter to keep the output in check
s Clear VU- and LED-style metering
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.eareckon.com
HoRNet DrumShaper
s Instant EQ & compression for drums
s Dial in effect amount & in/out gain
s 7 algorithms: kick, snare, loops, etc
s Based on HoRNet TrackShaper
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.hornetplugins.com
Toneboosters
Barricade CM
s Intelligent mastering-grade limiter
s Dynamic response controls
s Stereo options, versatile metering
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.toneboosters.com
Blue Cat Audio
FreqAnalyst CM
s Pro-quality, feature-packed analyser
s Numerous customisation options
s Based on Blue Cat FreqAnalyst
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit, RTAS 32-bit
www.bluecataudio.com
LVC-Audio Transector CM
s Transient tweaking and saturation
s Define and process envelope stages
s Useful metering/display functions
s Mix control for parallel processing
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.lvcaudio.com
audioD3CK SunRuys CM
s Characterful bus compressor
s Dry/wet mix and blend controls
s Advanced options to go deeper
s Based on the full SunRuys plugin
s AU/VST/RTAS/AAX, 32-/64-bit
audio.d3ck.net
SKnote Snap
s Boost or tame transient brightness
s Brighten or dull a sound’s sustain
s Uses two intelligently-linked filters
s Not based on any existing plugin
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.sknote.it
Photosounder Spiral CM
s Musical, note-based analyser
s Useful for figuring out notes in
audio and grasping music theory
s Based on the full Spiral plugin
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.photosounder.com
Audiority TS-1 CM
s Flavoursome transient shaper
s Set attack and sustain gain
s Blend control for parallel processing
s Based on the full TS-1 plugin
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.audiority.com
Toneboosters
Sibalance CM
s Pro-quality de-esser and de-harsher
s Four modes for different use cases
s Select Reduction & Attack amounts
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.toneboosters.com
Acustica Audio Violet CM
s Three-band multiband compressor
s SHmod to shape attack response
s Impart analogue-style valve tone
s Ideal for mixing and mastering
s VST/AU/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.acustica-audio.com
Vengeance-Sound Scope
s Spectrum for frequency analysis
s Oscilloscope for waveform view
s Stereo phase and level metering
s Tons of advanced analysis options
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.vengeance-sound.com
 plugins <

EQ/FILTERS
From basic clean-up filters to
juicy, analogue-style EQ units
and creative effects, get your
spectrum sorted with these
Acustica Audio Pink CM DDMF CM EQ Pack Vengeance-Sound Philta CM
virtual signal-sculptors s Analogue-modelled API-alike EQ
s Four EQ bands, two with shelf toggle
s Two superb equalisers
s IIEQ Pro CM: 19 filter types
s Dual high- and low-pass filters
s Four slope settings: 12/24/48/96dB
s Output adjusts to match Input Trim s LP10 CM: Linear phase EQ s Resonance and width controls
s Cut from the full Pink channel strip s Based on commercial DDMF plugins s Link function and notch mode
s AU/VST/AAX s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.acustica-audio.com www.ddmf.eu www.vengeance-sound.com

More EQ/Filter plugins

eaReackon CM-EQUA 87
Three-band EQ with high/low shelves
(AU/VST, 32-/64-bit)
www.eareckon.com

AudioThing The Orb CM OverTone DSP AudioThing ValveFilter CM Overtone DSP

s Morphing vowel formant filter
s Choose five vowels from a list of ten
s Move the dot to change the sound
s Smooth, Gain and Mix to refine
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.audiothing.net
Program EQ CM
s Pultec-style vintage EQ emulation
s Dual bass boost/attenuate knobs
s Tube amplifier circuit-only option
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.overtonedsp.co.uk
s Gorgeous filtering and drive
s Low-pass filter circuit emulation
s Vintage valve saturation section
s Based on Valve Filter VF-1
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.audiothing.net
AF2-10 CM
s Four-band EQ with ten filter types
s Band gains adjustable +/-24dB
s Flatten and clear curve, resize GUI
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.overtonedsp.co.uk

DELAY/REVERB
More Delay/Reverb plugins
Add space Acon Digital CM Verb
s Simple-but-versatile operation
and ambience, s Five modes: hall, plate, studio, etc
s Based on Acon Digital’s Verberate
or throw your s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.acondigital.com
sounds into LiquidSonics
Reverberate CM
PSP Audioware cmDelay
s Modulatable delay with LFO
Surreal Machines Microfuse
s Delay/reverb hybrid plugin Ignite VST Areena
a completely s Convolution reverb with real-world
presets and processing controls
s Dial in delay time, filtering and width
s Feedback and ping-pong operation
s Modelled on hardware effects
s Broad palette of timbres
s Beautiful algorithmic reverb
s As sold for $49, but yours for free!
new dimension s Import your own impulse response
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
s Based on the full stompDelay
s AU/VST/AAX/RTAS, 32-/64-bit
s Nine modes, plus presets
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
s Room and plate algorithms
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.liquidsonics.com www.pspaudioware.com www.surrealmachines.com www.ignitevst.com

MULTIEFFECTS
Get your
creativity all
in one place
with these
Subsonic Labs LVC-Audio T-Chain CM Inear Display Eurydice CM Tek’it Audio CrossDr CM
all-purpose Wolfram CM
s Pitchshifting, distortion, phase-
s Take your choice of six effects
s DynoPhuzz CM distortion effect
s Stutter, buffer and edit signals
s Buffer override, repeat, delay,
s Three independent bands of drive
s Drive, Warp, Crush and Clip signals
plugin effects shifting, panning, delay and filter
s Flexible modulation
s Two dynamics processors to try
s EQ, ClipShifter and filter effects
bitcrusher and filter with modulation
s Custom signal routing
in three parallel bands
s Per-band Balance and Level
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s Customisable waveform display s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.subsoniclabs.com www.lvcaudio.com www.ineardisplay.com www.tekit-audio.com

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 111

 PLUGINS
EFFECTS
DISTORTION/SATURATION
Fuzz up your signals with custom
dirt – from waveshaping
to saturation and soft clipping,
this diverse bunch of plugins are
guaranteed to play as rough as
you like with any audio material
Sonimus Satson CM
s Classic mixer channel emulation
s Subtle warming saturation
s Gentle, musical high/low filters
s Full Satson Buss also available
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
dsp.sonimus.com
OTHER
More esoteric
and incredibly
useful plugins
from recent
issues of
Dotec-Audio DeeMonitor
s Handy monitoring utility plugin
s Emulate NS10, Genelec and
Auratone 5C speakers in your DAW
s Invert and Solo left and right feeds
s Mid/Side balancing + Output gain
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.dotec-audio.com
112 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
Rop Papen RP-Distort CM
s Five crunchy distortion algorithms
s EQ, dynamics, widener, modulation
s Filter and parallel
processing controls
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.robpapen.com
Auburn Sounds
Panagement CM
s Psycho-stereo toolkit plugin
s Place sounds with Binaural Pan
s Edit perceived distance and width
s Stereoise mono sounds
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.auburnsounds.com
Inear Display Litote CM
s Granular effect to slice and dice
signals on a microscopic level
s Tweak speed and introduce jitter
s Adjust the Timbre Frequency,
Feedback and Diffusion
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.ineardisplay.com
Continued
Audio Assault
GrindMachine CM
s Five amp and ten cab emulations
s 3-band EQ plus depth and presence
s Djentbox to tighten low tunings
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.audioassault.com
Shattered Glass Audio
Inferno CM
s Two analogue preamp models
s High-and low-pass filters
s Dry/wet Mix knob
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.shatteredglassaudio.com
JST & Boz SideWidener
s Add stereo width to mono sounds
s Signal retains mono compatibility
s Goniometer for stereo visuals
s Three widen modes, Width & Tone
s AU/VST/AAX/RTAS, 32-/64-bit
www.joeysturgistones.com
www.bozdigitallabs.com
HoRNet FreMo
s Mini frequency modulator effect
s Oscillator frequency can be set
manually or follow input pitch
s Scale the oscillator from 1x to 10x
s Set mod amount and osc waveform
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.hornetplugins.com
Lindell 6X-500 CM
s Classic preamp emulation with EQ
s High/low boosts for musical tone
s Modelled on Lindell’s 6X-500
hardware preamp/EQ
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.lindellplugins.com
Cableguys WaveShaper CM
s Graphically editable distortion
s Design curves by dragging nodes
s Input vs output oscilloscope
s Not based on an existing plugin
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.cableguys.com
New Sonic Arts Freestyle CM
s Host and chain together
your Plugins VSTs
s Route and split signal paths
s Event Player to simple sequences
s Save snapshots of whole setups
s Runs as AU/VST/Standalone
www.newsonicarts.com
Audio Vitamins Life CM
s Modulation and widening plugin
s Vary pitch or amplitude
with LFOs
s Widen, sweeten and improve
audio to a mix-ready state
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.audiovitamins.com
PLUS…
Kuassa PreMix CM
s Subtle saturation or overdrive
s Three-band Baxandall EQ
s A/B comparison function
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.kuassa.com
Audiffex STA Enhancer CM
s Valve-style signal exciter/enhancer
s Separate low/high enhancement
s Choose from five tube circuits
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.audiffex.com
Audio Assault
BassAmp CM
s Ampeg-inspired bass amp sim
s Gain and Deep controls for drive
s Three-band EQ plus mix Blend
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.audioassault.com
Mercuriall U530 CM
s Emulation of ENGL’s E530 preamp
s Customisable Clean & Lead circuits
s Presence, Contour, Chorus & Gain
s Changeable mic/speaker position
s AU/VST, 32-/64-bit
www.mercuriall.com
HoRNet Graffio CM
s Flexible three-flavour distortion
s Saturator module with DC offset
s Exciter and bit reducer
s AU/VST/VST3/AAX/RTAS, 32-/64-bit
www.hornetplugins.com
Nyrv Agent CM
s Create custom effects chains
with this valuable utility plugin
s Host your VST/AU plugins
s Design your own interface
s Based on the full Agent plugin
s AU/VST/AAX, 32-/64-bit
www.nyrvsystems.com
 plugins <

Loading plugins in your DAW

Though there are a wide variety of DAWs, each
with its own unique interface, there are
similarities when it comes to loading up and
using plugins, and most stick to one of two
approaches. The first – as seen in Steinberg’s
Cubase, Apple’s Logic, and Cakewalk’s Sonar –
involves insert slots on a track or mixer channel.
These are used in the same way as an insert
effect would be used on a hardware mixer. In
other words, the effect is placed ‘in line’ on that
mixer or track channel. Plugins might be loaded
in by use of a dropdown menu tree or right-
clicking in the effects slot. Clicking in the insert
or effects slot in some DAWs – Cockos’ Reaper,
for instance – will reveal a dedicated browser
from which the desired plugin may be selected.
It’s common to stack multiple effects plugins
together to form an effects ‘chain’, much in the
way a guitarist might connect various
stompboxes together to form a custom sound.
In some DAWs, these effects chains may be
See how to load plugins in eight different DAWs with our videos at the URLs below
saved and recalled at a later time.
If your DAW uses a sidebar browser, here you
can find your plugins displayed and possibly dropped from a browser onto a specific track. We’ve prepared videos for eight major DAWs
arranged into categories. The plugins may be However, many DAWs distinguish between showing you the basics of loading plugins, along
dragged into the project and placed directly instrument and audio tracks, so you’ll need to with a few handy tips you won’t want to miss:
onto a track or channel. Ableton Live, Bitwig keep this in mind. Those that allow you to drag > Cockos Reaper – bit.ly/LPIreaper
Studio, Cakewalk’s Sonar and PreSonus Studio instruments in from a browser might offer the > Cakewalk Sonar – bit.ly/LPIsonar
One can all open effects and even instrument choice of using an existing instrument track or > PreSonus Studio One – bit.ly/LPIstudioone
plugins in this manner. creating a new one. Some DAWs (Cubase, Sonar) > Apple Logic – bit.ly/LPIlogic
On the subject of instrument plugins, we allow you to open instruments in a ‘rack’ and > Image-Line FL Studio – bit.ly/LPIflstudio
should discuss the different methods you might then connect to them from MIDI or instrument > Steinberg Cubase – bit.ly/LPIcubase
encounter when loading up instruments. As tracks. Others (Logic) make a plugin menu > Bitwig Studio – bit.ly/LPIbitwig
mentioned, sometimes they can be dragged and available from the track itself. > Ableton Live – bit.ly/LPIableton

Plugin folder locations

So how does your DAW know where to look
for your plugins? Actually, it might not. Mac
users have it easy, as there are OS-specified
folders into which plugins are installed. These
folders can be found by going to your Library
folder (if you can’t find it, go to the Finder’s Go
menu, hold Alt, and a Library option should
appear). Find the Audio directory, and then
the Plug-Ins folder within. There you will find
more folders still. One will be labelled
Components – this is where your AU plugins
reside. Other folders will be found alongside it
for VST and VST3 plugins. If you’re a Pro Tools
user, you’ll find your plugins in an Avid or
Digidesign folder. If your installers don’t
automatically install the plugins into the
proper folder, you should manually copy them
into the relevant folders listed above.
One caveat: there will likely be two sets of
folders under two different Library locations.
One is for all users, the other is for
administrator use. If your DAW has trouble
seeing a plugin, you might need to move it
If you’re using Apple’s OS X, all your VST, VST3 and
Audio Units go into pre-determined locations
from one Library to the other, though the
system folder is usually the one to use.
Uninstalling plugins from OS X usually
requires little more than putting the
Component or VST file in the Trash.
Sometimes an uninstaller will be offered to
you, though.
On Windows, you can choose the location
of your VST plugins folders. Some DAWs will
create one when you install them, but both
DAW and plugin installers will often give you
an option of pointing to the plugin directory
you’d like to use. It usually looks something
like C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VST Plugins.
Some plugins are delivered as only DLL
files, and need to be copied to your chosen
directory. Once you’ve installed your plugins,
think twice about moving them. Some plugins
rely on support files installed into the same
directory. To duplicate plugins elsewhere on
the drive, use shortcuts on Windows (right-
click to create one) or aliases on Macs (Cmd-
Alt-dragging).

February 2019 / COMPUTER MUSIC / 113

> make music now / blast from the past
BLAST
The Ensoniq Performance Sampler
– or EPS – would open up whole
new horizons for sampling
Ensoniq EPS
US company Ensoniq had a lot to live up to in
1988. Their price-busting Mirage had put
sampling into the hands of 30,000 workaday
musicians, albeit with a rather compromised
8-bit fidelity. Still, such lo-fi sound was standard
when the Mirage was released back in 1985 –
after all, E-MU’s own high-end EII was also an
8-bit sampler and cost nearly five times what
Ensoniq were charging for the Mirage and,
despite E-MU’s lofty reputation, Ensoniq’s
sampler outsold the EII ten times over.
However, by 1988, the Mirage was looking a bit
long in the tooth. Roland and Casio both offered
sleek 12-bit machines with better display options
than the Mirage’s woeful 2-digit hexadecimal
display at prices that, while higher than that of the
Mirage, were still considerably cheaper than the
Emulators and Fairlights so beloved by the chart-
toppers who could afford them.
Clearly, something was needed to build on the
momentum created by the Mirage, and maintain
Ensoniq’s new rep as an innovative company.
Enter the Ensoniq Performance Sampler, or
EPS. The EPS shared a design with the company’s
now-classic ESQ-1 wavetable synth, with a big,
bright, vacuum fluorescent display, and bulky,
angular plastic casing. However, it earned the
Three great plugin alternatives
0
$6
TAL-SAMPLER
TAL-Sampler doesn’t specifically emulate the
EPS, but it does successfully capture the sound
and experience of working with classic old-
school samplers. Its ‘Vintage DAC’ modes and
variable sample rates can get you very close
indeed to the classic, degraded sound of an
EPS with the sampling rates cranked down. A
good buy.
tal-software.com
114 / COMPUTER MUSIC / February 2019
FROM
THE PAST
‘Performanc
to be loaded
samples from its keyboard. That keyboard, by the
way, could respond to said aftertouch
polyphonically – a rarity even today. Additionally,
two ‘patch select’ buttons above the pitch and
mod wheels allowed for instant access to three
variations on the currently loaded patch.
Sample memory was meagre, with 480Kb of
stock RAM that could be doubled via optional
memory expander. Sample times ranged from 5 to
41 seconds, depending on the selected sample rate
which, incidentally, could be pushed all the way up
to 52kHz or plumbed to a low 6.25kHz. Unusually,
the EPS was a 13-bit sampler, and as such has
become beloved for its ability to impart a crunchy,
gritty sound when the system was artfully abused.
Samples could be manipulated in a number of
ways. A multitude of looping options were offered,
and loop points could be modulated. A design flaw
caused random bits of sample memory to be
randomly played when loop points were set too
close together. A literal glitch machine, then!
The Mirage’s lovely analogue filters were
replaced with multimode, non-resonant digital
jobs. LFOs with a wide variety of waveforms were
included, as were six-stage envelope generators.
53
$1
112DB MORGANA
While you may not find a dead-on emulation of
the EPS, there is this nifty software sampler
inspired by its predecessor, the Mirage. Here,
8-bit sampling is coupled with variable
sampling rates that go up to a near-EPS high of
50kHz, plus modelled sampling input with
modelled anti-aliasing filter, used by Ensoniq
to tailor high frequencies for better sampling.
112db.com
Year of manufacture
1988-1991
Original sale value
£1695
Current price
£200
Number made
unkown
Interestingly, the EPS allowed users to modulate
between two different envelope shapes – one for
soft and another for hard velocities.
The EPS’ 16-track sequencer could record and
play back up to 80,000 notes. Extensive editing
options made the EPS sequencer seem more like a
computer software sequencer than the simple
sequencers on onboard jobs.
The EPS would eventually give way to the EPS
16-Plus, a 16-bit sampler with built-in effects and
wavetable synthesis functions. Today, both models
are recognised for their sound quality – or lack
thereof. Secondhand models are risky – the EPS
was notorious for its instability. Still, they remain
inexpensive and are still worth a play, even if only
to add a bit of grit to your tracks.
EE
FR
SIEGFRIED KULLMANN SQ8L
This plugin for Windows is almost old enough
to qualify for its own entry in Blast From the
Past. SQ8L emulates the EPS’ synthesiser
stablemate, the Ensoniq SQ-80. As such, it
does offer some noteworthy similarities to the
EPS’ interface. The sound is closer to that of a
Mirage, though, with its resonant filters and
8-bit grit.
buchty.net/ensoniq/index.html#sq8l