Music Tech Magazine - Issue 56

Choosing and using virtual instruments, User's Guide to Reason 4, and how to bring a lacklustre mix to life. Ableton Live 6, Pro Tools 7, Cubase 4 and ACID Pro 6 Workshops. Plus: Logic Studio and Yamaha's Tenori-on reviewed.

Publish date: 16 October 2007

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Issue 56 of Music Tech Magazine is out now in newsagents throughout the UK.

In the issue…

Logic Studio - Full Review!
Apple has updated its pro-end DAW – and halved the price, too. We find out what’s new in the latest version.

Essential Virtual Instruments
Virtual Instruments have dramatically changed the way we make music, but what are the essential plug-ins we should all have and how do you go about getting the best from them?

Remixer’s Guide to Soundscapes
Even the best electronic productions can fall flat if they lack atmosphere, but there are ways of bringing a lacklustre mix to life. We show you what they are.

Reason 4 User Guide
Reason 4 is now with us – and it’s got some major new tricks up its sleeve…

Ten Minute Masters
Microphone Positioning: How a mic is placed can make a considerable difference to the sounds it captures. We look at the science behind the theory.
Limiting: In the ongoing quest for ever-increasing loudness, is a limiter always the
simplest and most effective solution? We explore the pros and cons.

This Month’s Workshops
Ableton Live 6
Live offers a number of ways of routing audio and effects, many of which can have an immediate and fundamental impact on your music. Jon Margulies explains all…
Pro Tools 7
Pro Tools’ import options are capable of dealing with far more than everyday audio and MIDI files. Mike Hillier delves deeper.
Cubase 4
If you’ve ever had to integrate samples or loops into your projects, you’ll know that tempo matching is one of Cubase’s great strengths. Hollin Jones keeps time…
ACID Pro 6
ACID Pro is renowned for its ability to manipulate and mangle loops, but it can also be put to good use for more traditional tracking tasks. Robert Correll takes notes…

Reviews

Among the latest hardware and software releases we check out this month are Apple’s MacBook Pro, Yamaha’s innovative Tenori-on, Humanoid Sound Systems' Scanned Synth Pro, Universal Audio’s DCS Remote Preamp, Mackie’s new Control Universal Pro and Thermionic Culture’s Earlybird 1.2.
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FREE Loopmasters samples CD worth £34.95 when you subscribe online

ON THE DVD

G2 Modular

Recorded and processed exclusively for Music Tech Magazine, G2 Modular draws on the sounds of Clavia’s Nord instruments, comprising strings, leads, pads and basses alongside some of the more unusual sweeping sounds the Nords excelled at. They’re presented in both 16- and 24-bit resolutions, with patches for Kontakt and NN-XT sequencers.

Metal and Rock Drums
Covering all the essential elements of rock and metal, Beta Monkey Music’s latest foray into these sweaty worlds are ideal foundations for your own compositions. Individual kit pieces such as cymbals and hi-hats are featured alongside double kick drums and full-kit fills, and there’s some seriously frenetic and furious action to be found in the Metal folder.

All the latest demos…
Audio Realism Drum Machine, Humanoid Sound Systems Scanned Synth Pro, Softube Vintage Amp Room, StarPlugs Rubicon, TriTone Digital ClassicTone and much more…

Recent issues...

	Issue 76 Whether you use Reason, Cubase, Live, Logic, Sonar or Pro Tools, this month's mammoth 13-page feature has expert advice that will help you get the most out of your DAW. Plus: 16 new products reviewed, 4 Workshops and the latest news.			Issue 75 Ableton Live 8 - full review! Plus, expert tips on troubleshooting in the studio, why and when you should push your kit to its limits, and 10 Minute Masters on instrument radiation and monitor design.
	Issue 74 50 pro recording techniques to help you make the most of your sessions, an in-depth look at the new features in Cubase 5, plus Ten Minute Masters on oversampling and reverb. Live 7, NI B4 II, Logic Pro 8 and Reason 4 Workshops.			Issue 73 Expert advice on tightening up your mixes, how to make your productions sound that little bit wider, and Ten Minute Masters on expansion and transients. Plus: Logic Pro 8, Pro Tools 8, Cubase 4.1 and Reason 4 Workshops.
	Issue 72 Scoring and mixing music for film and TV, what to look for when choosing a new audio PC. Reason 4, Logic Pro, Live 7 and Cubase 4 Workshops. PLUS: Read the full review of Cubase 5 along with all the latest reviews and industry news.			Issue 71 Pro tips and tricks for recording a live band, how to get the best vocal take each and every time, plus Ten Minute Masters on sample rate conversion and acoustic treatment. Sonar 7, Logic Pro 8, Cubase 4, Reason 4 Workshops.
	Issue 70 Pro tips and tricks for great-sounding bass, how to let instruments find their natural space in a mix, plus Ten Minute Masters on tape and audio interfaces. Kore 2, Logic Pro 8, Cubase 4.1 and Reason 4 Workshops.			Issue 69 When and how to apply compression, what you can do to make money from your music, plus an in-depth look at why going into the red can bring a fresh sound to your music. Logic Pro 8, Ableton Live, Cubase 4, Pro Tools 7 and Reason 4 Workshops.