Indholdsfortegnelse for July 2020 i Computer Music

PSP Audioware PSP InfiniStrip This smart new plugin from Poland wants to be your new go-to channel strip Seven years in the making, PSP Audioware’s latest release is a modular channel strip plugin into which up to nine dynamics, EQ, filtering and other processors are chained in series, drawn from a roster of 22 options. Seven of the nine slots are each dedicated to loading one of a particular type of module, while two ‘Insert’ slots can load any of them or either of two ‘Special’ modules. The module types and numbers comprise five Preamps, three Filters, three Gates, three Compressors, three EQs, two Limiters, and the Master Control module for output levelling, panning and monitoring, plus the two Specials: De-esser and De-hummer. While the majority of the modules are…

01 So-called “bitcrusher” effects that reduce sample rate and bit depth aren’t only useful for getting lo-fi sounds. The aliasing caused by sample rate reduction introduces high-pitched artefacts into a signal, and this can be useful if you want to imbue a predominantly low-end sound (for example, a bassline) with some crunchy character. Bit-depth reduction can also make bass sounds grittier and severely reduce dynamic range when set to extreme values. 02 If a sound isn’t filling out the frequency spectrum as much as you’d like, consider duplicating its track and pitchshifting the audio up or down an octave as appropriate. This can be especially useful for creating atmospheric vocal effects, or to help give weight to acoustic bass sounds playing in higher keys. 03 If you’re struggling to give…

01 Before you record a note, there are several things to check when recording guitars. For acoustics, worn out strings might give you a deader sound while strings that have not been worn in might sound too bright, so take these into consideration. With electrics, a far bigger problem can be crackle and noise, so check connections and cabling to avoid any noise-reducing pain later. 02 Are you aiming for a particular kind of guitar sound? Is your guitarist known for one? Do they have an amp that they always use? If so your recording options are greatly reduced… which is a good thing! Your DAW will have almost too many options here so having a fixed sound in mind will save you time as you don’t have to wade…

01 Whether you’re comping vocals via the traditional audio-editing method or using recording aids such as Logic’s Quick Swipe comping, you can still end up with unwanted by-products such as double breaths, which are a dead giveaway that a vocal has been comped. Editing out all breath sounds from a vocal can make it sound unnatural, so for a more complete-sounding performance, zoom in on your region boundaries and adjust them to ensure that there’s only a single breath between each line. 02 When compressing vocals, the goal is to even out the volume level so that every word can be comfortably heard. So start with a generally good overall monitoring level, turn up the ratio so that you can see the compressor’s gain reduction meter moving, then set the…

01 To maintain interest throughout a track, make sure changes are anticipated and have the desired impact without being a jarring and unexpected shift. An easy way to build up to the payoff – the “drop” – is to selectively cut out your bassline with a filter beforehand, easing the full frequency range back in over the course of your build-up to increase anticipation and still deliver the punch needed from a new section. 02 Trying to keep a listener on their toes while still obeying the tried-and-true structure of your chosen genre? Shake things up with some enjoyable flourishes at the arrangement stage. Try adding a single-bar fill that consists of a part of the melody where you would expect the beat to drop. For example, after the reverse…

01 Mastering can improve and enhance a final mix to help it sound its best on as many playback systems as possible, so start with as high a quality source file as you can. Remove any master bus effects and turn down your master output so your highest peaks hit at around -4 to -6dBFS. Now render out your final mix at the same sample rate as its project, and at as high a bit-depth as possible. Begin mastering in a new project so you have more CPU power and flexibility – and so you don’t get sidetracked tweaking the mix. 02 When mastering, it helps to A/B your current track against great-sounding commercial releases to help guide your processing decisions. However, commercial releases are usually already mastered right up…

01 The likelihood is that setting up a space for music making could end up costing a fortune… if you do it properly. So the first question you should, of course, ask yourself is: do you absolutely need to? Many people are quite happy making music on a laptop or tablet, just using headphones as speakers and they get perfectly decent results, and they are not confined to doing their hobby in one place – the bus, train and bathroom* can be their recording space! * not recommended 02 If the answer to Tip 1 is a most definite ‘yes’ then it’s time to decide what space you need and what do you want it for, and then set an appropriate budget. If you want a space where you want…

Step by step How to build an epic intro to a drum ‘n’ bass tune 1 Sub Focus often creates beds of synths to build atmosphere around his tracks and Solar System has an epic sci-fi inspired synth intro. 2 In this case, Sub Focus uses his modular system, recording an arp sequence via a Mutable Instruments Rings oscillator and Valhalla Shimmer reverb. 3 He then uses a Memorymoon ME80 synth, that he regards as one of the best Yamaha CS80 (the synth used in Blade Runner) plugins out there. 4 Serum then provides the huge, sweeping CS80-like lead sound and is put through a Fabfilter reverb for maximum impact and atmosphere. 5 Serum is also used to provide a couple of bass sounds including a more percussive-sounding one, and…

Step by step Drum programming using composite hits and more 1 Sub Focus often creates drum parts by layering combinations together that he has previously used. He’ll use hits made of multiple elements and maybe change the top or bottom end of each. 2 In this track, for example, Nick is using an older kick as the top end of a new combined kick sound, the bottom part of which is provided by a newer kick drum sample. 3 And with the snare, he uses an 80s-type sound from an old track, Timewarp, as a reverb snare tail. Again, he then layers that with other snare sounds. 4 Nick also creates his own loops in apps like Addictive Drums which help fill out some of the top-end frequency gaps you…

If you didn’t know, LUNA has landed. This new DAW from Universal Audio was the talk of this year’s NAMM show, announced as a free DAW, albeit one for (currently) Mac-only users, and those who have already bought into Universal Audio hardware. You might think that this is quite a limited audience, but actually there are many such people out there in the mid to high-end user category, because with a UA interface you buy into the extraordinary world of UA plugins, which are among the most highly-regarded on the planet. If you are not a UA user, then, LUNA is your tempter into that world, a free DAW that will lead you to the altar of UA at which you will worship for eternity. We get into the pros…

Luna’s extensions and instruments are handled using the Discover and Manage aspects of the UA sidebar. Here you can control what’s installed, and this includes the free features such as Arp and Shape. You can also buy further Luna and UAD plugins. Paid-for Luna-specific extras include not only Neve Summing and Studer 800, but also a selection of instruments. Moog Minimoog takes full advantage of UA’s own circuit modelling to deliver a really characterful version of this iconic synth. Meanwhile Ravel piano, which is a Steinway Model B recorded at United Recording Studios, incorporates UA’s UltraResonance modelling in a very realistic and seductively playable piano. These two instruments, along with Neve Summing and Studer 800, can be bought individually or in a discounted bundle. Further instruments come from the UK’s…

If you produce soundtracks, work in sound design or just like basking in the glory of beautifully recorded sample sounds, then it’s highly likely you’ve encountered one of Eduardo Tarilonte’s sound libraries. The Spanish native has an excellent ear for what works in these sorts of productions and always delivers something slightly unusual but at the same time eminently usable. What’s more, the recording and programming quality is always top notch. Packages such as Celtic ERA, ERA II Medieval Legends and Shevannai The Voice Of Elves indicate his eclectic tastes, and those tastes take another interesting turn with the arrival of his latest release, NADA Meditation Sounds. Tone poem “You’re actually looking at quite specific instruments and sounds from a broad range of sources” Taking its name from the Sanskrit…

Also delivered with IN-8s was the new WS-12 subwoofer. These types of speaker are designed to deliver more lower frequency detail, not, it must be said, more bass; they should simply give you a more accurate representation of what you already have. Getting a decent subwooofer is a good option especially if you are mixing bass-heavy music genres. You will be able to, for example, separate your kicks and basslines with more precision if you can hear exactly where they are in the mix. WS-12 is designed to complement the IN range and dips down to an incredible 23Hz with 100W of power and is great value at just $599. We tried it with the IN speakers and the attention to detail down there is astonishing; not that you don’t…

Secure and safe online access, from anywhere Free access for every reader – print and digital Download only the files you want, when you want All the downloads from all your issues, in one place Get started 01 Register your FileSilo account and log in. Even if you have a subscriber ID, you’ll still have to unlock each mag separately or migrate your old Vault account (see step 3) 02 Head back to the Computer Musicpage (filesilo.co.uk/computermusic) and choose an issue to unlock. You’ll need to answer one question to prove you’ve purchased the issue 03 You can migrate your old Vault account over to FileSilo to retain the issues you’ve added – head to filesilo.co.uk/vault and enter your Vault email address. Reset your password via the email you receive,…

Synth Atmospheres We’ve gone a bit synthy for our all-new samples this issue with both Cyclick Samples and Groove Criminals getting tweaky… Here’s what Robbie from Cyclick says of Synth Atmospheres. “All synths are atmospheric, but some are more atmospheric than others! For this pack the onus is on rich sounds without overt harshness, which is a balancing act of filter cutoffs, oscillator waveforms, modulations and final delay/reverb treatments (the more the merrier!). Lines: In this more melodic folder, the reverbs are kept in parallel modes (ie wet/ dry mixes of ~50% or less). The lines are all four bars long but may be cut to a longer bar length to keep the reverb/ delay tails. Chord One Shots are the synths playing three chords in four different keys, often…

This month we have a major update to one of our best plugin giveaways, the exclusive Computer Music edition of New Sonic Arts’ powerful plugin host, Freestyle CM. Think of it as software that lets you host, sequence, chain and layer plugins together. Freestyle CM 1.5 has all the features of the full Freestyle, but is restricted only in that it works exclusively with our Plugins Suite of instruments and effects, as included with every issue of the digital and print magazine.  And as that’s some 93 plugins in total, it’s not a big limitation (but then we would say that). Freestyle CM 1.5 works standalone or as a VST or AU plugin, and after scanning your collection, will load up any number of cm Plugins for playing, sequencing and…

01 If your synth patch is tuned to a chord in major thirds, take a close look at the fine-tuning because small changes here can make a real difference to the timbre of the voice. The standard tuning we use for Western music is actually slightly out of tune, so if you flatten the major third, it will become justly intonated, reducing the shimmering, detuned effect usually heard. 02 Some synths have ‘hidden’ parameters that don’t have a control on the front panel but that can be accessed via the synth’s modulation system. For instance, Dune CM does not have phase controls for the oscillators, seemingly, but you can access the phase as a modulation destination in the mod matrix. 03 Are your synth sounds clicking at the start or…

01 Changing the sample start and end points of drum samples is a quick and elegant way of changing how they sound. Typically, the transient (the start of a drum sound) is where the majority of its high frequency information will be, so move the sample start-point to occur slightly later, to alter the character of its attack. Increase the attack and/or release parameter to reduce clicks/pops. 02 If you’re struggling to loop a pad, chord or lead sample smoothly, try using your sampler’s loop crossfade parameter (if it has one) to make the loop point less obvious. You may also find your sampler has a forwards-backwards (or “ping-pong”) looping mode, which may give you a more natural sound and interesting feel, especially when used with crossfade looping. 03 Resampling…

01 You can get away with recording an entire drum kit with one microphone.OK, it won’t sound as amazing as mic’ing up an entire drum kit, piece by piece, but if you have limited equipment, place your single microphone – a cardioid condenser, if possible, so it’s focussed down on the drums – as a single overhead above the drummer. You can also try placing it in front of the kit, the distance being determined by how much room ambience you want mixed with the sound of the drum kit. 02 As with guitars, having two microphones for your drum kits increases your options and quality of results exponentially, and there’s one producer/ engineer who has form here. Bob Clearmountain has worked with The Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen and…

01 Pitch and formant shifting is handy for quickly widening mono synth, vocal and guitar tracks. Create two copies of a track, pan them hard left and right, then apply slightly different pitch shift or formant shift values to each copy. Duplicate additional tracks with alternative pitch and formant settings for an even wider effect. 02 To widen a stereo track, flip the reverb or delay so that the effect from the right channel is played in the left and vice versa. Set up a 100% wet reverb or delay effect on a buss and then flip the L/R channels using a utility plugin. 03 Try rotary plugins and autopanning effects on mid-/high-frequency percussion-like hi-hats, shakers and bongos, giving the tops width while the kick and snare stay dead centre.…

01 EQ sweeping is a technique that helps locate problem frequencies and find sweet spots. Select a bell-shaped EQ with a fairly sharp Q, then add a boost of 12dB or more. Sweep the frequency control until the element you want to adjust ‘pops out’. For musical parts with changing notes, you may have to do this a few times to home in on them. With frequencies established, you can confidently apply more musical boosts or cuts. 02 When EQing bass, a useful trick is to combine a high-pass filter with a low shelf or bell. This gives you the flexibility and musicality of the low band with the tailoring precision of the filter, and helps keep the very low frequencies in check. A good starting point is to set…

01 Reduce your choices! As much as it pains us to say this, having every plugin under the sun will not make you a better producer. Limiting your palette can actually help you compose – yes really! Cut down on the number of presets to choose from and you avoid the great beast that some call ‘the tyranny of choice’. The end result of this is that you will get to know fewer plugins… but better. Being the master of one softsynth, say – rather than the user of 20 – can lead to more sound design and better results (not to mention that feeling of smug satisfaction that you created everything in your tune). 02 And while you are decluttering your plugin choices, why not declutter your computer as…

01 Now that your studio location is chosen, this is the time to make it as acoustically correct as possible. What does this mean in practice. Well, mostly you want to cut down reflections. Hopefully the room isn’t too square-shaped but even if it is, you can cut down sound reflections by fixing big curtains on a window, a sofa behind the listener, or even a lot of books on one side. We say one side because if one surface is reflective, it doesn’t matter so much if the opposite isn’t. And that goes for clear ceiling versus carpeted floor too. These are basic options, yes, but also cheap solutions to start with. 02 Don’t use old egg boxes. Yes, some people insist that old egg cartons will do the…

Roland D-50. [It was delivered by courier and arrived in the middle of the interview. Douwma immediately plumbed it into the studio and got to work, tinkering around with the presets.] ND: “I’ve been trying to keep a balance between digital and analogue in my setup. I’ve been in some studios where they’ve got a fantastic selection of vintage monosynths, but I prefer to have a bit more of a range of tonal characters. “The music that really first drew me into drum ‘n’ bass was Goldie, LTJ Bukem… I love those pad sounds. Digital pads can be very different to anything you’ll find on an analogue machine. Much thinner and shinier. Analogue pads sound fantastic, but they can also take up a lot of room in the mix with…

Step by step Programming dramatic builds and drops 1 After such a big intro, a problem could be to maintain interest in other builds and drops – as Sub Focus says, they could sound cheap in comparison. The solution was to take a section of the big lead. 2 The single note was then put into a clip in Ableton Live and a Transpose effect added in Complex Mode to then take the original note up an octave. 3 Some of the effects used at this stage on the sound are an EQ and a couple of Sub Focus’s favourite plugins in the form of XFer’s LFO Tool. 4 Sub Focus then takes the octave pitched-up version of the lead sound which is then used on its own as the…

Ever found yourself performing the same repetitive series of commands and wished that you could automate them? That is essentially what macros are: combinations of key commands blended to form a single command. Best of all they can even be assigned to a key command of their own! So what can be assigned to a macro? Well, any of the hundreds of key commands that are assignable in Cubase, including other macros! A practical example of when a macro might be useful is any time you find yourself re-using the same group of key commands in the same order. This happens when performing complex audio edits and quickly becomes boring. In our example, we want to create a macro that will allow us to easily create cycle markers around a…

Software developers Mercuriall clearly have a thing about distortion, particularly the kind that’s derived from the world’s most respected guitar amps and pedals. In fact it’s fair to say their guitar amp obsession most likely got them into audio software developing in the first place, and if you fancy trying out some of their early efforts they are free to download from their website. Euphoria (VST, AU, AAX and standalone) is their latest ‘pay for’ release and is based on the Bogner Ecstasy 101B amp. Much like Reaxis, their Mesa Boogie emulation, the amp emulation is part of a full rig, including pedals, amp, cabinet and post-cabinet effects. However, the big news is Euphoria introduces a brand new interface. Not only does this deliver a step up in realism, but…

NADA uses the Best Service Engine Quick Edit screen to provide a standardised instrument interface, and this is augmented by patch-specific parameters at the bottom and in an additional window if required. Controls included in all patches sit either side of the large centre graphic and are Attack, Release, Volume, Pan, Pitch and Reverb. Each control includes an actual parameter readout (in milliseconds for Attack for example), so you can see what you’re changing. Output meters surround the graphic, creating a sort of halo effect, and the overall image certainly captures the meditative mood of the sample set. Each NADA patch has a bespoke Info panel that is accessed from the drop-down at the top. This includes a description of the patch and details of the underlying instrument and how…

Spitfire Audio Ólafur Arnalds Stratus £249 Web spitfireaudio.com Format PC/Mac, Kontakt/Kontakt Player The fourth collaboration between lauded Icelandic composer and musician Ólafur Arnalds and Brit sampleware giants Spitfire Audio is a Kontakt Player engine based on Arnalds’ self-developed software, which triggers rhythmic note patterns on two identical self-playing pianos using “sophisticated MIDI algorithms”. The pianos themselves – plus his Korg PS-3100 and Roland Juno-60 synths – have been captured in 15GB of recorded performances, curated by the man himself. The headline acts are the eight Stratus instruments – four piano-based, four synthbased – but you also get a collection of supplementary NKIs that put various heavily processed “Warped” versions of the main sounds at your fingertips in the simple and intuitive Mercury interface. The Stratus engine centres on an…

This month’s Computer Music offer is a little different from our regular free plugin as it’s more about how you compose and create with samples. Welcome to the Loopcloud ecosystem! It’s a plugin in the sense that you load it in your DAW as a regular instrument or effect, but really it acts as a gateway that sits between your DAW and audio, allowing you to manipulate those samples, process them and compose with them in entirely new ways. Loopcloud’s big draw is that it enables you to very quickly audition and load in samples to go with a song you are currently working on. But the biggest news is that it allows you to audition these sounds both in time and in key with your project, making song creation…

Welcome to our latest visit to the vast hard drive in the sky that we call the Vault, a somewhat secretive area (well, we had trouble finding it) that includes sounds we have given away over a couple of decades or more. This time we’re exploring the wide and heavy tones of industry with a collection originally put together by Cyclick Samples exactly 100 issues ago! Robbie from Cyclick says: “The raw materials used are a little more domestic than the end products. Recordings were made from saws, drills, extractor fans, an oven, a microwave, pots and pans, a toaster and – probably for the first time ever – a breast pump! These were all captured using a Tascam portable recorder and edited down into the chunks presented in the…

cm/free offer LOOPCLOUD CM PACK How to claim your special Loopcloud offer, including a free 1+GB pack of incredible sounds. cm/free samples SYNTH ATMOS & INDUSTRY Two great collections of synth samples plus incredible samples from the vault. DVD or download via File Silo cm/free videos STUDIO TIPS & TRICKS Videos from our tips, Producer Masterclass, Loopcloud and Expert Guides. Download from File Silo cm/free plugin FREESTYLE CM 1.5 An update to the plugin that looks after the Computer Music Plugin Suite (and more). DVD or download via File Silo…

cm Tell us how Hit‘n’Mix came to be. MD “Since I was little, I’ve been curious about how everything works, from tech to biology, to the mind and perception. One of my earliest software projects involved finding a way for a computer to convert the thousands of black and white dots that make up a scanned page of text into an editable document (OCR). Leading on from that, getting a computer to play back music from scanned sheets of manuscript sounded exciting, so I launched into developing PhotoScore, which has been incredibly successful worldwide. “Creating notation from audio seemed like a natural progression, so my next work involved investigating how we hear individual notes in music. Through much trial and error, I found I could achieve the highest accuracy by…

ABLETON LIVE 10 “I produced the recent Life Forms EP on Ableton Live. I was a sworn Logic user for many years, but the lack of flexibility with audio – things like warping, pitching and time-stretching – set me off on a search for a new DAW. I tried out all the well-known options – Reason, Cubase, etc – and settled on Ableton. I absolutely love the sequencing capabilities in the arrangement view, plus how quick and easy it is to work with large sections. And now we have the ability to group multiple levels of groups.” SLATE VIRTUAL MIX RACK “I’ve been a Slate Bundle subscriber for a long time and use the Slate Virtual Mix Rack on almost every track. I like how different their EQs are from…

01 While there’s endless drum samples out there, why not take total control and make your own using synths? Any analogue or FM synth can be used to make amazing electronic percussion tones, but the likes of Sonic Charge Microtonic, Max For Live, Sugar Bytes’ DrumComputer and NI’s Maschine 2 drum synths feature focussed parameter sets designed with the creation of powerful drum sounds in mind. Every producer should own at least one dedicated drum synth. 02 While step sequencing or manual programming of drums is a route to accuracy, it’s much more fun – not to mention creatively more rewarding – to play them in live. OK, so you’re not a drummer, and you don’t have any drum pads… No problem! Your MIDI keyboard can be used in lieu…

01 To avoid those demons of vocal recording – the plosive sounds that are excessive ‘b’ and ‘p’ sounds that can come through with singing – employ a pop shield. This simple and largely inexpensive item sits between the vocalist and mic – in the middle, around 3 to 4 inches distance from each – and will be your saviour in many a recording situation. Some mics come with one bundled in, but they can cost just a tenner, so invest! 02 The type of microphone you use will often depend on the singer. Top studios will have a selection of mics, and engineers have favourites for particular types of vocalist. Generally speaking, dynamic mics are a more robust solution for louder parts of a recording and also tend to…

01 Bit depths such as 24-bit and 32-bit offer considerably better theoretical dynamic range than 16-bit. From a practical perspective, although supported by some DAWs, 32-bit isn’t much help for recording, as interface converters operate at 24-bit maximum (barring a few exotic units). However, 24-bit is excellent, as it allows you to operate well below digital zero (0dBFS) without compromising dynamic range. So, revisit your DAW metering, establishing what the scales actually say, and look to set recording levels to peak at -12 or even -16dB. 02 You can save a lot of editing time by getting tighter timing and pitching at the recording stage. The best way to achieve this is to tailor the headphone or ‘cue’ mix to your performer. For better timing, turn up or add a…

01 A great philosopher once probably said ‘to achieve perfection is impossible’, and while that is not strictly true (just ask a band like The Blue Nile), accepting that your music might not hit perfect levels might mean you can actually finish it. If you are constantly striving for a level which is impossible to achieve, you may actually end up doing more harm than good (see tip 3). 02 Why not take that further and accept that a track will never be finished? You will always – days, weeks, months and years after ‘completion’ – find ways that a track can be improved (especially with the rush of new technology, product updates and releases that will tempt us to tweak it) so try to accept it as a calling…

01 Set your expectation levels to stun! If you think getting a career in a recording studio means you’ll simply be hanging around with famous pop stars, chewing the fat, then think again. Working in a recording environment might not be as glamorous as you expect. Long hours, low pay, and watching the same process over and over again can be the norm rather than the exception. Make sure you have some realistic expectations and you won’t be disappointed. 02 Get an education. At school, music, maths and physics are good options to excel in. Beyond school, there is the obvious route of choosing a course in recording and music technology at college – and the Music & Recording Tonmeister course at Surrey University is considered something of a specialist…

We met up with London-based drum ‘n’ bass producer, Sub Focus – aka Nick Douwma – just before it all kicked off. The virus stories were already making headlines at this point, so we jokingly shook hands with our elbows and tried not to cough over each other during the interview. None of us knew how strange things were going to get, but it was obvious which way this ill wind was blowing. Just before we sat down for the interview, Douwma received a call from his live tech. A well-known DJ equipment manufacturer was due to demo some new equipment and wanted to know if Douwma had recently been to Asia. If he had, the demo was cancelled. We had a brief discussion about live work. Would it be…

Step by step Processing tips for a great low end 1 The main bass element centres around one line inspired by a DJ Hazard tune and utilises Native Instruments’s Massive synth. 2 Sub Focus uses that synth’s performance LFO elements to give the sound a subtle pitch-bend effect, volume shaping and some filter movement. 3 Some of the processing of this bass sound includes a Maag EQ and Waves’s HDelay which is one of Sub Focus’s favourite tape delay plugins. 4 Automation is then used on a repeated bass section in conjunction with LFO Tool to automate the bass sound’s volume, to give it a different overall feel. 5 Other less important bass layers add interest, including both MIDI and rendered audio, in place where automation might be used to…

For composers and sound designers working in music for games, being able to create seamless loops is a skill that’s used often. Loops are also great for electronic musicians wanting to perform their music live or for creating a collection of musical or sound effect assets to use in projects at a later date. I myself have also needed to create loops for sample packs and libraries, two significant income stream areas for me. If you’ve ever tried to create a loop by exporting a range of audio from Logic, you have likely noticed that, while everything sounded fine within Logic Pro, the experience was different once the audio was played back in another application. The reason for this is that Logic Pro (and any other DAW for that matter)…

Releasing a new DAW is a big deal at the best of times, and doing it during a global pandemic is either crazy or genius. So, what’s the story? Luna is a Mac-only app (OS X 10.14 and later) for use with Apollo and Arrow Thunderbolt interfaces and combines typical audio and MIDI DAW functionality with the near zero latency workflow and rich sound you’d get from an analogue desk and tape recorder. It’s free for Apollo and Arrow users and has various paid-for extensions including Neve console bus emulation, Studer tape emulation and a bunch of instruments from Spitfire Audio and Universal Audio themselves. The core free application is no slouch, and includes a basic tape emulation (Oxide), a 4-part sample and synthesis instrument with 8GB library (Shape) and…

The successful fruition of analogue gear emulation has been one of the key wins for audio software development, and in the process it has democratised the availability of expensive or rare hardware. Arguably the best way of doing this is component modelling, whereby various parts of the hardware circuit are individually modelled and recreated using algorithms. As they began software developing, Mercuriall followed this well-trodden path but along the way added an extra layer to the process, using artificial neural networks to learn particular input/output behaviours. These could then be translated into algorithms and thus make the CPU intensive component modelling more realistic to implement. They continued to develop their Neural Hybrid Engine, and the latest v1.5 iteration can be found in Euphoria. It includes further optimisations over the v1.0…

You may not have heard of Kali Audio and you can be forgiven. This Californian company have only been around for a couple of years but with their LP range of monitors, offer an incredibly detailed listening experience for silly money – the Holy Grail of studio monitoring, basically. The LP range is named after Lone Pine, a charming-sounding town near the Kali Audio base and these new IN speakers maintain that wonderful ethos, named after Independence, a town that is ‘one up’ from Lone Pine on the map. They also share the components, drivers and technology used in the LP speakers, so will they make as big an impact? IN depth The LP range of speakers are two-way, meaning that they have just a woofer and tweeter to cover…

212 PRO TIPS To get that track done… from start to finish Some tips video classics from the archives… Videos from the cm vault available only as a download from filesilo.co.uk FREE! Loopcloud pack for every reader How to use Loopcloud Only as a download from filesilo.co.uk PRODUCER MASTERCLASS Find out how Sub Focus created the Bladerunner-inspired Solar System em/experts Our resident music production gurus walk you through their specialist Read field the full every month article on pxx LOGIC PERFECT LOOPING CUBASE CREATING MACROS…

Attention please! Dear cm Coffee in a teapot, green hyper-monsters, sporks, spfoons, drumsticks, fire hydrants, steelo sponges, octophonics, the ultra-synthesizer and Tree(3) vs multidimensional Ursell-Array functions. And, now that I have your attention, please let me introduce myself. My name is Mr. Sarn Richard Ursell, and I am emailing you from Wellington, New Zealand. May I please make a suggestion to you, as an avid reader of your magazine? Have you ever considered making a total package, of each and every and all Computer Music magazines that you have ever done? You know, for sale as one, complete package? And also, have you ever done an article on microtonal music? If so, what issue? If not, please consider doing an article on microtonal music. I will be making more of…