Computer Music's goal is to help its readers create great music with a PC or Mac. Each month find easy-to-follow tutorials for all sorts of music software, unbiased reviews of the latest products and answers to technical questions.
Is it just me, or are DAW developers trying to outdo each other with the generosity of their free point updates? This year, Bitwig Studio reached v1.3 status, ushering in a range of essential additions (not least of which is the nifty new E-Cowbell); Logic Pro X sprouted a bunch of goodies with v10.2, the reborn Alchemy the star of the show; Cakewalk have been steadily souping up Sonar with power-packed updates (as part and parcel of their new “membership” model); Image-Line stepped up FL Studio with v12.1; and Renoise 3.1 is in public beta. This month, though, it’s the turn of Ableton Live users to enjoy the warm, fuzzy feeling of a “free update available” notification landing in their inbox – and if that includes you, it’s practically unthinkable…
Step 1 On your PC or Mac, go to vault.computermusic.co.uk, then either register for a new Vault account, or log in if you already have one. Step 2 Click ‘add a magazine’ in the top bar, select the issue you want to add to your Vault (eg, this issue is 225), and answer a few simple security questions. Step 3 Go to ‘my vault’ to see all your mags – click a cover and use the links to download! You can download as much or as little as you like.…
Nora CM Inspire yourself with this issue’s free plugin, an easy-to-use arpeggiator from Squaredheads, p10 Samples 922 exclusive royalty-free samples to bring a sense of atmosphere to your tunes. Find out what’s inside on p14 Tutorial videos High-quality videos to guide you through our tutorials. Wherever you see the icon on the left, there’s a video version to watch Tutorial files A folder full of audio examples, synth patches and project files to help you follow our tutorials CM Plugins Our exclusive collection of free plugins for Mac and PC. See what’s available on p16…
1 Making a self-resonating riser in Operator 2 Pitchshifting with Simpler’s Classic mode 3 Chopping beats with Simpler’s new Slice mode 4 Making a punchy bass with Simpler’s filter modes 5 Making a smooth pad with Simpler Auto Filter 6 Creating a ravey synth sound with Poli 7 Creating a righteous Reese with Bass Read the full article on p38 STEREO SCIENCE: PART 1 Get started with the techniques and principles behind stereo sound 1 Panning basics, pan law and balance vs. dual panning 2 The LCR approach to mixing 3 Creating a wide but natural stereo soundstage 4 A simple way to record acoustic guitar in stereo 5 Auto-panning and pan automation Read the full article on p48 CURRENT VALUE Watch him lay down some beats and bass using…
1 Preset management and the Compare function 2 EchoBoy’s Single Echo mode explained 3 Dual Echo and Ping-Pong modes in EchoBoy 4 Controlling Tempo, Groove and Feel 5 Mastering EchoBoy’s Rhythm Echo mode 6 The Soundtoys 5 Effect Rack 7 EchoBoy’s Saturation and Echo Styles Read the full article on p67 cm/experts EASY GUIDE HARMONIC RHYTHM Create better movement and pace in your tracks with this piece of theory Read the full article on p74 DESIGNER SOUNDS LAYERING SUB BASS Get the low-down on your down-low from a certified bass guru Read the full article on p76 GEEK TECHNIQUE HEADROOM SECRETS Eke extra loudness out of your sounds using the right visualiser tools Read the full article on p78 DR BEAT THE KICK DRUM Program grooves like a pro by…
MENUS Load/save projects, editing functions and more FILE BROWSER Browse, save and load presets EDITING TOOLS Undo, Redo, Cut, Copy, Paste, plus open the Browser and menu options PLAYLIST Sequence, reorder and chain groups of clips together ZOOM/NAVIGATION BARS Click and drag the bars or zoom window to zoom/navigate (right-click to zoom screen to fit) PHRASE GRID Draw and edit note data VELOCITY GRID Edit notes’ velocity values here An arpeggiator is a device that takes incoming MIDI chords and divides the constituent notes up into repetitive, rhythmic sequences. They’re usually basic affairs, outputting single monophonic patterns and repetitively cycling up or down through notes. Isn’t it about time for an arpeggiator that meets the needs of 21st century musicians? Well, we’ve got one for you! Nora CM, the latest…
