CATEGORIES

The Roland TB-303

It’s issue 303 of Computer Music so there really was only one feature that we could lead with – one comparing and contrasting the attributes of a hardware 303 with its many software counterparts. It’s time, then, to explore the finest pieces of software inspired by the legendary Roland TB-303…

How To Build A Home Studio

We show you how to turn your humble abode into a recording studio, complete with control room

New funk samples!

We set our sampling gurus a funk task this issue and they have two all-new packs for your funktastic delight on the DVD or download at filesilo.co.uk

15 questions with…ISHMAEL ENSEMBLE

Ishmael Ensemble is a collective of Bristolian musicians, throwing elements of that city’s rich and varied history into a melting pot of styles and fusions. ‘Experimental jazz’ is one label, only the results are much better than that sounds, and have already drawn praise from the national press and landed the band two BBC sessions…

Audio Imperia Solo $299 PC MAC

With many orchestral libraries offering music en masse, Audio Imperia distill things to a singularity, going for virtuoso with Solo

15 questions with…BOMBA ESTÉREO

As one of the biggest bands in South America, Bomba Estéreo have notched up more views on YouTube than most bands can dream of and have built up a huge audience with five acclaimed album releases and half a dozen Grammy nominations. The band’s founder Simon Mejía shares his refreshing production ethos: “Don’t let your brain lead you…”

4 funk ‘n' disco packs!

We’ve gone deep into the mighty Vault this month to grab three classic funk packs and one disco one to maintain the happy dance summer vibes…

SANDUNES AGAINST THE TIDE

With live performances that ‘reveal an appetite for integrating the worlds of studio and stage’, Sandunes was on something of a roll pre-pandemic, having made a mark at many high profile festivals including Blue Dot, WOMAD, Roskilde and more. However she’s used the enforced time and studio world to come up with her best EP yet, and continue an upward momentum that has brought her sound to the attention of everyone from Ableton to Warp, Bonobo to Red Bull…

ROOM ACOUSTICS IN DEPTH

We’ve just looked at some DIY acoustic solutions. Now some simpler and more ‘pro’ routes to turn your abode into a studio

Toontrack Cinematic Pads - EZ Keys Expansion pack £129 PC MAC

With sound design running through its core, Toontrack’s latest visit to the flicks brings complex pads to a DAW near you!

XILS-lab KaoX €179 PC MAC

FM synthesis is associated with certain typical sounds, but maybe this new synth can expand that palette. Will you order some Kaox?

Ten Great Things About The Minimoog

Some of the greatest songs, artists and icons that all owe a huge debt to Bob Moog’s wonderful mono

ARP Odyssey v GForce Oddity v ARP Odyssei

Our second mono to take on its equivalent desktop and iOS software is the ‘other’ 70s classic, the ARP Odyssey. This not only went toe to toe with the Minimoog in that decade, but featured in many a synth pop classic (thanks to just one man), and its forefathers even took on a bunch of aliens, twice… and won!

ADE FENTON

As Gary Numan’s producer, Ade Fenton can take some credit in the electronic pioneer’s recent return to the top of the album charts. Here, Fenton reveals the process behind this collaboration and the multiple synths in his own setup: “I’m a massive gear whore with a gazillion plugins!”

MARSHALL JEFFERSO

The Godfather of House has been locked in his studio with his computer for over a year. The result? Some new music from Ten City, and their first single in 25 years! Jefferson marshalls the troops…

Ten Great ARP appearances

OK, not all of these are directly about the ARP Odyssey, but some are just too good not to mention…

CLASSIC SYNTH V SOFTSYNTH

This month, we grapple with the eternal question, the big Kahuna, the chicken and egg of the music tech world: classic synth versus softsynth…

Ten Great Things about the Roland SH-101

The 101 made quite an impact both in music and culture. Here are our favourite ten SH-101 moments

Roland SH-101

In the 1980s, the price of synthesisers started to plummet (albeit from a fairly astronomical height). One of the first and definitely the most famous – and one you could also wear – was produced by one of the big Japanese names cashing in on the synth craze, and became one of the most iconic monos ever. Enter the Roland SH-101…

Moog Minimoog

It is incredibly fitting that the very first synth for inspection and consideration in our battle of the platforms is arguably the most famous and desired of all monosynths. The Minimoog might not require introduction, but it is certainly worth considering why it garners the reputation that it does, while continuing to be a highly-inspirational object of desire for studio musicians, performers and enthusiasts alike. Enter the legend…

15 questions with…JORJA CHALMERS

From learning piano at age five to teaching music in her teens, Jorja Chalmers was almost destined to be involved in music in some way. Yet even she couldn’t have predicted what followed, and now she has become an in-demand touring musician with the likes of Bryan Ferry and Take That, and a solo artist producing exceptional and mesmerising works…

Audiomodern Opacity II £88.99

Craving expressive guitar textures, but lacking the nouse to conjure them? This suite presents a six-string universe ready to explore…

MAX FOR LIVE

Like Reaktor, Max by Cycling ’74 is a visual programming tool but, unlike Reaktor, it is not in-and-of-itself dedicated to creating audio processors, and has capabilities that extend into many different fields: image and video processing, hardware control, and more. So, in reality, Max is more like a combination of an IDE (Interactive Development Environment – a software suite that assists with code development) and a runtime environment in which programs created with Max – referred to as “patchers” – can run.

15 questions with… LORAINE JAMES

Electronic producer Loraine James had just produced what many critics cited as the ‘album of the year’ when a certain pandemic hit… and all with a 50-quid keyboard and freeware. What to do? Produce your way out of a pandemic with another album of the year, that’s what…

JMG Sound Orbitron €129/£110

Providing an original method of effecting your sonics, Orbitron’s fresh concept conjures living, breathing modulation. Is it a hit?

BUILD YOUR OWN PLUGINS

Creating your own instruments and effects is surely the best way to get a completely custom sound. In this feature we detail three of the best ways to build DIY synths and effects

15 questions with… RURAL TAPES

Arne Kjelsrud Mathisen’s Rural Tapes project has attracted collaborators like ex R.E.M. stars Peter Buck and Scott McCaughey plus Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor. But in this studio the computer is used for just one thing: recording…

Ochestral Tools Tom Holkenborg Percussion

Orchestral Tools Tom Holkenborg Percussion is the latest fruit of a team-up that previously brought us the remarkable Junkie XL Brass. We speak with Tom Holkenborg about what we can expect from this innovative new library

Chris Bergstrom: live ‘n' Dandy

Chris Bergstrom is front of house manager for The Dandy Warhols. Here he shares some lockdown experiences and knowledge for any live musicians and engineers…

MELDA MSOUNDFACTORY

Melda’s MSoundFactory is the latest plugin-creation platform and is also behind your free plugin in this issue. Here’s how to get up and running with this ‘one plugin to rule them all’ and also some more detail on how the free plugin was created…