Innehållsförteckning för 01/2026 från Beat English

Monitoring is actually a simple matter: set up the speakers, calibrate them, and you‘re done. The reality is, of course, different. Anyone who spends some time looking into the subject will quickly realise that it can be quite complex. And there are countless myths about it circulating on the internet. That‘s why we‘ve searched through a few forums and checked a few selected claims. The following two pages are not only intended to be entertaining and informative, but also to serve as a small wiki for you in the future. 1 // The bigger the speakers, the better the sound. Speakers are basically divided into the categories Near, Mid and Far Field. The names provide information about the location in relation to the distance from the listener, and about the…

Samplitude and Sequoia are DAWs that many people probably only know from word of mouth. These two Windows-specific programs have been around for over 20 years. In their early years, they had a significant advantage over their competitors, mainly due to their dual engine, which allowed independent editing of tracks and audio clips – the latter are referred to as objects, but this has nothing to do with the objects in immersive formats such as Dolby Atmos. This means that individual clips can be edited independently of all others, for example with a plugin, as Pro Tools users will be familiar with from the Audio Suite. Of course, this is just one of the reasons why you should keep an eye on these two DAWs…. Classification Samplitude and Sequoia, which…

Statt Instead of creating synthetic voices from scratch, SoundID VoiceAI transforms vocals, humming, or beatboxing into new voices, instruments, organze Chöre. Die Bedienung ist einfach: Plug-in auf die Spur legen, Capture aktivieren, Audio abspielen und anschließend mit Process rendern. Mit über 80 Voices und Instrumenten bietet VoiceAI viel Abwechslung. Eine Vorhörfunktion gibt es aber nur mit einer Beispielphrase – für eigene Gesangslinien muss jedes Preset einzeln gerendert werden. fdikfdik The best results with VoiceAI are with cleanly sung material. The AI takes over phrasing, timing, and dynamics precisely but also replicates small errors. Internal correction for pitch, timing, and sound parameters would be desirable. Transposing and slight pitch variations are possible, along with up to eight doublings in Unison Mode. This sounds solid but somewhat static—multiple recordings make it livelier.…

The Bitwig Edition is instantly recognizable thanks to its striking design. The dark, matte surface is complemented by colorful accents in Bitwig‘s signature orange. Otherwise, everything is identical to the standard version, meaning that Roto-Control Bitwig Edition offers the same range of functions and can also be used with any other DAW or hardware. The housing is made of high-quality aluminum, giving it a solid yet modern look. All eight encoders are motorized, touch-sensitive, and provide haptic feedback. The controller physically responds to parameter values: The resistance changes and the knobs feel different depending on which parameter they control. This sets the Roto-Control apart from all other controllers on the market. Motor controls make the difference An example: If you change the Filter Frequency with a normal knob and turn…

The just 36 cm wide, 13 cm deep, and less than 7 cm high, the GS Music Bree6 is very compact and space-saving—ideal for studios with limited space and for live setups where mobility is important. Nevertheless, its solid metal construction sets it apart from other boutique devices. The large Moog-style knobs are firmly mounted to the housing, are well spaced, and have a pleasant turning resistance. The buttons and LEDs also appear solid and durable. The feel and build quality underscore the impression of a professional instrument that can easily withstand all the demands of everyday studio and stage use. This makes a significant difference compared to, for example, a Behringer PRO-800, which, in direct comparison, appears much more plastic and cheaper, but is of course also significantly less…

1 IsoAcoustics * ISO-PUCK mini The IsoAcoustics ISO-PUCK Series provide an innovative new approach in isolating studio monitors, speakers and other systems. This unique patented design provides a high degree of isolation while resisting lateral movement and oscillations, which results in greater sound clarity and focus. This versatile isolation tool is possibly the most cost effective upgrade available for improving the performance and clarity of your speakers or monitors. The ISO-PUCK series consists of 3 models, each designed with different weight capacities. 3 or more pucks can be used at a time depending on the weight of the speaker or monitor. Giveaway worth 119 € www.beat.de/giveaways 2 GIK Acoustics* Bass traps Bass traps are crucial for any good acoustic solution. They absorb and control low frequencies to prevent standing waves, resonances,…

Bitwig Studio for 0,-Euro! Bitwig 5.3 Studio 8-Track This month, you‘ll not only get the fully modular DAW Bitwig 5.3 Studio 8-Track, which is guaranteed to awaken the creative tinkerer in you, but also the Colossal Choirs & Voices Bundle for the Bitwig Sampler, with a whopping 5.9 gigabytes of patches! Immerse yourself in the world of desert tribes, experience the epic Templar choirs, feel the magic of witchy mantras, listen to ethereal whispers, and feel the sublime splendor of Gregorian choirs. Download: see page 9 | Info: bitwig.com win | mac All serial numbers safely accessible: The Beat Serial Center To ensure that none of your serial numbers are lost in future (e.g. in the event of a reinstallation, Outlook crash or disk crash), you can now manage them…

The monitor setup is undoubtedly the most important tool in your studio, because without an honest and unadulterated reproduction of the audio material, you‘re working blind. You need monitors that reveal the weaknesses in your mix instead of masking flaws, and ideally, they shouldn‘t have any inherent sound of their own so you can judge how your material sounds on other systems.. Monitor vs. Hi-Fi: Why neutrality matters The crucial difference lies in the frequency response: While Hi-Fi speakers are designed to color and enhance the sound, studio monitors strive for the most linear and even frequency response possible. This unadulterated reproduction allows you to accurately balance the levels of different frequencies and tracks in the mix. A certain degree of non-linearity is unavoidable, but peaks are more noticeable than…

6.000 listeners are already on board! You too? When Kevin Parker wrote Tim Cosm on Instagram to suggest a collaboration, the offer came as a complete surprise. For years, Cosm had made a name for himself primarily based on his technological expertise. Parker, however had something more advanced in mind: Developing and building an innovative harmony generator. Years later, their partnership resulted in the founding of a small company called Telepathic Instruments and its first product - the physical manifestation of Parker‘s dream. The undeniably elegant design of the ‘Orchid’ houses a composition tool which allows for the strikingly simple creation of complex chord sequences. Its functionality is open to anyone and even those with little to no theoretical knowledge can now conjure up music capable of making jazz afficionados…

We live in exciting times when it comes to music and AI. Where can Artificial Intelligence help in the everyday work of musicians and producers? Which tools will fundamentally change our work and production? New tools hit the market almost weekly, DAWs come with new AI features, and it‘s not always easy to keep track of everything. Universal Audio Luna 2 shows us how AI tools can simplify workflows in Producing and Mixing. What is Luna 2 (Pro)? Another DAW? When Universal Audio introduced Luna, there was some skepticism. How was this supposed to work with such big competition? But UA was undeterred and consistently delivered updates, along with a plethora of high-quality software instruments and effects. And all for free! This has kept Luna stirring the market to this…

1 Build-up Vocal To create tension before the drop, choose a word from a phrase like 065: VO 124 Dance to the Death and loop it. Let the sample repeat faster and faster towards the drop. Automate the pitch and let it increase by two octaves over the last two bars. This creates a classic riser, preparing the drop. 2 Pre-Drop Vocal A pre-drop vocal is like a live DJ moment at a festival. Find a suitable phrase such as 086: VO Mike Phrases 1 120 and cut out the part you want. To make it sound more powerful, you can slightly distort it or pitch it lower. Vocals like these grab attention and lead into the drop with a lot of impact. 3 Vocal = Lead Famous songs like Turn…

Concept: Closed-back, dynamic, compact. Developed in Heilbronn, manufactured in China—which explains the price and is not a disadvantage in practice. The manufacturing appears consistent: Clean gap dimensions, precise mechanics, clear labeling. The choice of materials is clearly focused on plastic, which doesn‘t quite match the feel of its big brothers, but that has one advantage: a live weight of 194 grams. These headphones are lightweight, the ear cups can be rotated smoothly, and they quickly disappear into a bag. Absolutely practical for commuting, sessions outside the home, or quick vocal overdubs. Their interchangeability is in keeping with the PRO tradition: The headband, velour ear pads, and the single-sided, double-sided plug-in cable are all replaceable. The included spiral cable is robust and keeps your workplace tidy; however, it can become strained…

1 Operators Operators can be used in Bitwig to make simple one-bar MIDI loops exciting over a longer period of time. For our example, load a Drum Rack by going to the INST1 track and clicking on the cross in the lower area. In the browser, select the Presets tab at the top, the Drum Machine under All Devices, and the „Legend 707 Kit“ on the right. 2 Simple Beat Double-click at the top of track view in the first Scene to create a clip, and double-click again to open the detail view at the bottom. Right-click the pen tool and draw a simple beat with bass drum and snare, as shown in the screenshot. Draw the last note of the snare a little longer, this should be a little…

Find your favorite subscription gift at www.plugins-samples.com SAVE 99 € SUGAR BYTES WOW2* It‘s alive! The WOW2 multi-effect from Sugar Bytes combines 21 filter types, distortion, and a powerful modulation arsenal consisting of LFO, envelope follower, step sequencer, and wobble generator. The spectrum ranges from subtle sweeps to rhythmic wobbles and crazy vowel effects to dynamically modulated sound destruction. www.sugar-bytes.de Gift ID: F1615 no additional costs SAVE $99 LIQUIDSONICS TAI CHI LITE* If you treat reverb not just as an effect but as part of your music: Tai Chi Lite delivers lively reverberation spaces for modern productions – with nonlinear reflections, unison chorus, and a refined sound character. The dense, lively reverb blends effortlessly into any arrangement – an insider tip for vocals, synths, and acoustic and electric instruments! www.liquidsonics.com…

Ozone 1Ozone 12 stays true to its modular principle: All processing steps take place in a central plugin. In the Advanced version, you can also use the modules individually to create your own Mastering Chains. Instead of automating the creative process, the Master Assistant with Custom Flow offers targeted control: Which signal processors should be active? How intense should the intervention be? And what loudness target or genre is relevant? Combined with the Stem Focus Algorithm, you can also prioritize vocals, drums, or bass in the mix. One of the most spectacular innovations is the Stem EQ, which splits the stereo signal into Vocals, Drums, Bass, and Other, allowing separate EQ interventions. During testing, this worked remarkably cleanly as long as it wasn‘t overdone. With Bass Control, iZotope now integrates…

ARC stands for Acoustic Room Correction, and the system was originally developed by IK Multimedia to compensate for the acoustic weaknesses of the room and the speakers by adjusting the frequency curve. They have now extended the concept to headphones, which will particularly please Producers with a small desktop or bedroom studio. Due to the lack of an acoustically insulated studio and out of consideration for roommates and neighbors, they often have to resort to using headphones, which is not always ideal for Mixing and Mastering. The principle: A hardware-based DAC and headphone amplifier with sophisticated calibration software that individually corrects headphones and replicates the monitoring of a professional studio environment. Audio Interface and Headphone Amplifier The ARC ON-EAR is a compact, highquality interface with a USB-C connection and integrated…

The Novation Bass Station II Swifty Edition was created from a collaboration between Novation and British designer Ian Swifty Swift, who developed the design in the context of the Superbooth in Berlin. While the Bass Station II with its dark gray plastic casing, light blue accents, and white knob caps may not be one of the most outwardly attractive synthesizers, the limited AFX Station with its more classic black outfit and purple highlights was significantly more stylish in my eyes. The new Swifty model takes a completely different approach design-wise. The pastel colors create a retro-futuristic 70s flair. White/light gray combined with light blue (also the Mod-and Pitchwheel light up blue) and yellow-orange knob caps certainly create a certain recognition value. Hard to read labeling The labeling with many graphic…

Mental health in production isn‘t a “wellness issue,” but a workflow problem. Endless sessions, countless plug-ins, algorithm pressure: music production in 2026 overwhelms many producers – both technically and emotionally. This masterclass shows you how to stay productive without burning out, using clever workflow design, AI assistance, and practical anti-stress strategies – and how to release more music than ever before with your existing setup. For everyone who wants to stop collecting, hesitating, and perfecting in 2026, and finally finish tracks. Test: Squential Fourm Fourm is a compact 4-voice-synth, characterized by its classic Prophet sound, a well-thought-out operating concept with a knobper-function principle, and polyphonic aftertouch. The arp with sequencer mode, extensive modulation options, and features such as chord mode and individual glide functions invite creative experimentation. If you want…