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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…
Toontrack Gospel EZX & EBX Expansion packs €75
In the search for new bass and drum grooves that will move the spirit, we go to Church and get Gospel with Toontrack
Ro-ro-ro your synth…
Roland get their software act together but there’s plenty more in 106 land
Waves Vocal Bender £110
This appealing vocal mangler lets you give music’s most essential instrument the colour and dexterity modern pop production demands
Solid State Logic UF8 - £1199
DAW controllers let us take direct control over our projects – can SSL’s new UF8 bridge the gap between software and hardware?
LAU.RA
Laura Bettinson’s multifaceted career has found the Midlands-hailing artist leaping seamlessly from the technicolor avant-garde pop of FEMME and the cerebral intensity of Ultraísta to the fresh, wonky electronica of lau.ra. On the heels of a slew of new singles, we ask what initiated her new direction, and discover how lockdown has fuelled a new studio approach
Leapwing Audio Al Schmitt - £139
Bottling the sonic signature of the sadly departed producer, Leapwing Audio’s latest plugin promises the sound of a legend…
Cableguys DriveShaper - €39
Analogue-style distortion and creative wavefolding make this a pulsating box of gritty filth… which is far more pleasant than it sounds
SHE'S GOT CLAWS
With a sound that melds ominous synth textures with effect-driven bass guitar, yet simultaneously leaves space for sparkling, transcendent pop hooks, She’s Got Claws haven’t let a pandemic stand in the way of a fierce new record, co-produced by OMD legend Andy McCluskey
Arturia Pigments 3 - €99
The Pigments powerhouse gets upgraded to v3, adding more engines, more waveforms and more effects. Have we reached saturation point?
15 questions with…MORCHEEBA
As producers of lush, downtempo tunes, Morcheeba have had more than a quarter of a century of success. It’s been quite a ride, and we’re not just talking about the transition from Atari to Mac…