Innehållsförteckning för April 2023 från Computer Music

Ever worried that you haven’t got the talent to make it big in the music business? Well, take a leaf or two out of Lewis Thompson’s book. He might not have the self belief either, but he certainly has the sheer determination, hard work ethic and, well, isn’t afraid to exaggerate when it comes to the truth on occasion. And now he’s had a smash hit with David Guetta, and produced and co-written some of the UK’s biggest hits. These include Joel Corry’s Sorry, Lonely and Out Out, the number 1 single with MNEK Head & Heart, plus Anne-Marie and Little Mix’s collaboration Uh Oh, not to mention the international smash Crazy What Love Can Do with David Guetta, Ella Henderson and Becky Hill. Who needs talent then? He’s also…

slate + ash choreographs Creating movement in your sound and production is one of those best kept secrets for any professional working in electronic music and production. Of course, achieving this in the DAW-based realm is largely dependent upon the instrument you are using. Learning the Steps Enter Choreographs; at the heart of this instrument is the capacity to create interesting textures and sequences, while the level of sonic manipulation over time is incredibly inspiring and appealing. The GUI itself is sharp with contemporary styling, much like S+A’s previous offerings. One unintended consequence of this is that it isn’t always obvious how certain elements operate, but with relatively little time, you will become fully and easily acquainted with its content and styling. There are 650 curated presets to get you…

Zenhiser Leftfield Techno £43 Sublime serving of tough, uncompromising techno, fresh from the bleeding edge of the global underground club circuit. The 700+ loops leer towards you at 125bpm, before leaving you in the dust as they clock out around 150. And the bulk of this mammoth 3GB+ chunk of content has all the kinks, quirks and forward-thoughts that fuel the more cerebral releases of labels like the Zenker Brothers’ Ilian Tape and UK-based Hessle Audio imprint. If you like it deep, driving, and with a dash of danger, then you might have just found your new partner-in-crime. www.zenhiser.com 9/100 UNDRGRND Sounds Banging Electro £19.95 Beefy batch of rocking robot riffs and rhythms, ready to excite and delight the gaggle of guys and girls on your next dancefloor. Built around…

Let’s face it, synthesisers were made for pad sounds (except for the ones that were also made for bass, lead or any other sound) – the march of the synth pad is pretty undeniable, and relatively unstoppable. As early synthesisers developed, it didn’t take very long for programmers to notice that you could create pretty cool effects by detuning a second oscillator, to play in harmony against the first oscillator. There are many examples of this in music which exploit early synth technology, but in 1991, a track from the first album by Seal, seemed to bring this concept into a digital age. We say digital, because the wholly identifiable sound used on the track Violet, which brings Seal’s first album to a close, emanates from the patch called Soundtrack,…

arturia pigments 4 Arturia need no introduction when it comes to recreations of vintage synthesisers for your desktop delight. They were one of the first companies to ride the classic synth wave in software form, but if you crave a softsynth with contemporary tendencies, the company’s Pigments may well be the answer. Core recapitulation Pigments is a highly programmable software synthesiser, which employs a stylish interface to allow quick and easy editing and creation of new patches. It’s very, very powerful. At its core are two assignable sound engines, which allow flexible sound generation from four different synthesis quarters; Analog, Wavetable, Sample and Harmonic. While the Analog oscillator is at the simpler end of complexity, there’s plenty to use. Apart from five classic wave types, there are actually three oscillators…

toontrack hitmaker sdx For anyone in need of great drum resources, Toontrack have you covered. The entry-level EZDrummer suite provides anything but entry-level sounds, while Superior Drummer 3 takes the drum sampling concept to dizzying heights, benefitting from the ability to add extensive and highly crafted expansion packs, to create a hugely versatile library. Bringing on the Hits Their latest Superior expansion is the Hitmaker SDX, which secures the talents of producer Hugh Padgham, alongside the virtuosity of drummer Norman Garschke. Hitmaker draws inspiration from some of Padgham’s career highlights, with references to Genesis, the Police and ‘that’ Phil Collins drum sound. You know that legendary drum fill on In the Air Tonight? Yep, that sound… Many of those original sessions were undertaken at Townhouse Studios in West London, which…

MIDI controller keyboards not only allow you to play and record tunes into your computer, they also let you control software – and in some cases, other studio hardware – so have become one of the most essential items for the modern music producer. They can be plugged directly into your computer or laptop via USB – or, in some cases, operate wirelessly over Bluetooth or connect to iOS devices to control apps. They are mostly used to let you play and record with your DAW’s software instruments and any VST synth plugins you might have installed. There are plenty of models to choose from. You can opt for a compact, portable MIDI keyboard that fits comfortably in a laptop bag, or you can go all in with a full-size,…

Make music – and cash – for film & TV! Next month is a soundtracking special, as we dive into the world of creating music for picture. We examine the actual process of composing for film and TV, including sync’ing opportunities and whether you really can make money from your music! PLUS! Plugins! The ultimate reverb plugins for adding atmosphere Free samples Cracking soundtracking sound effects for film and TV On test Audient iD24, Spitfire Colossus, OT Salu and much more…

We love an inflated press release here at Computer Music and tend to get sent some crackers every month, many of which feature hardware or software that promises the world. None more so than this release from newcomers and Kickstarter developers 203 Electronics. Their new Matrix, they say, “is the only grid controller you need”. Matrix actually doubles as both a MIDI controller and light display performer. It’s been designed to be a highly portable device, and also one that is totally customisable thanks to its open-source architecture. As such it ships with its own Matrix OS, in which you can create your own apps to suit your needs. However, 203 also claim that Matrix is easier to use than that sounds, saying this “enables a straightforward box experience for…

Artificial reverb is a major mixing topic, and later on in this series I’ll be looking at more specific single reverb techniques. This month, however, the focus is on some basics and a reliable technique that I use myself very regularly. But first, it’s important to appreciate that artificial reverb can be used in many ways including creating a common space for elements in a track, adding a specific spot effect, or even in combination with recorded ambiences – drum kits for example. Next up, genre is important, so reference relevant material (see the pro tip). And remember, you don’t have to use reverb at all, and sometimes delays will add the sense of space that you’re after. This technique is an overall approach where you set up three reverbs,…

orchestral tools drones The humble drone; it’s an often static, but effective musical device, which for years has been the preserve of single notes played on a synthesiser. The reality is, drones can do far more than just drone on, but in order to make the most of it, you’ll need some appropriate sounds that lend themselves to the format, with the capacity to build and embrace a climax. Collapsing buildings Orchestral Tools are the innovative organisation behind this new package, which makes no bones about its concept, being called simply ‘Drones’. However, they have enlisted the help of Alexander Hacke; the Berlin-based musician is also a composer, singer and producer, as well as being a member of the legendary German band, Einstürzende Neubauten, or in literal translation, ‘Collapsing new…

ik multimedia tonex Amplitube is one of the most respected and flexible guitar amp and pedal modellers available. So when IK Multimedia announced they had developed a new amp modeller, Tonex (AU, VST, VST3, AAX, standalone), we were excited but also a little confused. Thankfully the confusion was short lived as not only is Tonex fully compatible with Amplitube 5, it also provides the long requested user capture feature. So then, we basically have two complementary plugins. But let’s explain how they differ. Amplitube 5 is a full rig design (plugin or standalone) with amp, cabinet, pedal, master effects and flexible routing. Additional modules need to be created by IK. Tonex is also a plugin and standalone application, and the standalone version allows you to capture your own guitar or…

Cyclick Tracks Robbie at Cyclick Samples details his batch of samples with which you can quickly create music, right now! “This sample pack is made up of six tempo-based track building construction kits across a handful of genres: funk, synthwave/dreampop, French house and shoegaze. These are, of course, starting points and even the slightest of manglings and mix-ups can take them to a whole new space, or at least a different genre. “The loops are all two or four bars long. Each instrument provides three loops per kit. For tuned instruments, these are in three keys following a I, IV, V pattern, e.g. C, F and G, or A, D and E. All are major keys unless stated in the filename with an ‘m’ suffix (e.g. Am). Though some use…