Table of contents for January 2019 in Future Music

Filter Alesis Strike is a percussion pad, looper, sampler and interface in one Sneaking in a new product before the end of the year, Alesis have launched the Strike MultiPad. More than just a percussion pad, this offers sampling and looping features, too. It has 32GB of storage and ships with 6GB of content, including loops, drums, percussion and melodic instruments. What’s more, it can function as a 2-in/2-out USB audio/MIDI interface. You can sample in various different ways – via USB, a microphone or any audio device you care to plug in. Editing can be done on the unit, thanks to a 4.3-inch colour display. This can also be used to show the looper, which can be used to record your pad performances or external audio. Performance-wise, you get…

CLASSIC ALBUM Words by Roy Spencer © Peter J Walsh 808 State ex:el ZTT, 1991 It’s fair to say that by 1991, 808 State had some momentum behind them. The Mancunian four-piece had three seminal electronic albums in the bag [Newbuild, Quadrastate and Ninety], an EP, and a new album’s worth of rambunctious beats for the chart-straddling rapper, MC Tunes. Never ones to sit around twiddling their thumbs, they used their next breaths to carve out more cutting edge futurism, in a city otherwise obsessed with the guitar bands of the ’60s. “There was a crazy amount of energy back then,” says Graham Massey, who fronts the crew alongside Eastern Bloc Records’ boss, Martin Price and Spinmasters’ Darren Partington and Andrew Barker. “We were full of ideas, looking forward, and…

ALBUM OF THE MONTH Nkisi 7 Directions UIQ Producer, DJ and sonic activist Nkisi releases her highly ambitious and experimental debut album, 7 Directions, on Lee Gamble’s UIQ imprint. The Congolese-born, London-based artist – founder of the NON WORLDWIDE collective, who focus on uncompromised music from across Africa and the diaspora – unleashes a highly compelling and addictive debut here. Based on the cosmology of the Bantu-Kongo, a Central African ethnic group, with particular reference to the scholar Dr Kimbwandende Kia Bunseki Fu-Kiau, the record explores the fascinating polyrhythms of Congolese percussion music via seven hyper-modern, electronic tracks. The result is a frenetic patchwork of bristling rhythms that combine with drone, compressed textures, whirring synths, stretched-out pads, reverb and a dark undercurrent of bass to create a soundscape that is…

RECOMMENDED Lubomyr Melnyk Fallen Trees Erased Tapes Celebrated Ukrainian composer and pianist Lubomyr Melnyk unveils his beautiful third album for ambient stalwarts, Erased Tapes. After years of relative obscurity, Melnyk’s energetic, highly impressive compositions found a wider audience after being picked up by Erased Tapes in 2013. Fallen Trees is now the third record the prolific 70-year-old has released with the German-run, London based imprint. Renowned for his experimental approach and incredible technical skills, based around his concept of ‘continuous music’ where his mind-bogglingly fast piano playing creates a spell-binding wall of music, Melnyk once again pushes the boundaries. His rich, expansive soundscape takes us on a meandering journey, much like Melnyk’s long train journey through a forest in Europe that inspired the record, with an autumnal atmosphere at once…

BEST OF THE REST… Roland TR-8S Much as we liked Roland’s original TR-8, it was limited to only emulating classic X0X machines. The TR-8S operates on a whole other level, with the same ACB emulations but also the ability to import samples, add automated effects and design the shape of each sound. Elektron Analog RYTM II It’s not often you see instruments learning new tricks from their smaller, cheaper siblings, but this update to Elektron’s flagship drum machine is all the better for adopting Digitakt’s fast, fun sampling workflow. Paired with the RYTM’s killer analogue synth engine, it’s a winning combo. Pioneer DJS-1000 The differences between this and Pioneer’s studio-focused SP-16 sampler are small, but the DJ-friendly format has big impact. The workflow is fun and intuitive enough for seasoned…

QUICK TIPS DIGITONE THE COMPACT, SEQUENCER-EQUIPPED DIGITONE OFFERS A FRESH TAKE ON FM SYNTHESIS. GET TO GRIPS WITH IT WITH OUR TIPS AND TRICKS… Use the filter… Digitone features a multi-mode analogue-style filter on each of its synth channels, which is pretty non-traditional for FM synths. It’s this combination of FM and subtractive elements that come together to make the Digitone unique, throwing some filter movement over your FM sounds. ...or don’t While filters are a key feature of classic subtractive synths, most FM machines ditched the filter in favour of building sounds from the ground up. If you’re after authentic ‘80s FM sounds, bypass it completely. Instead, adjust levels of each operator to achieve ‘darker’ filter-like sounds. Sound Locks Sound Locks let you use automation to change to a…

QUICK TIPS DRUMBRUTE IMPACT PUNCHY, POWERFUL AND PLEASINGLY AFFORDABLE – ARTURIA’S LATEST IS A WINNING GROOVEBOX. HERE’S HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT… MIDI Control Center One of the best aspects of the Impact is its hands-on programming workflow, so it seems a little counterintuitive to suggest going ‘in the box’ and using a computer instead. That said, Arturia’s MIDI Control Center can be extremely useful when you’re working on a complex pattern and could use a little more visual feedback. For instance, when you’re working on complex polyrhythms, editing in MCC lets you visualise all of your drum channels in a single window, handy for checking out the interplay between patterns of varying length. Tempo changes By default, the Impact saves tempo values with Patterns. This can…

QUICK TIPS IK UNO SYNTH IK’S DEBUT ANALOGUE INSTRUMENT PACKS A LOT OF POWER INTO ITS BUDGET FRAME, BUT THE SOFTWARE EDITOR GOES EVEN FURTHER. LET’S TAKE A LOOK UNDER THE HOOD… Modulated delay It’s possible to control Uno’s delay time from the front panel, but the touch arrows aren’t ideal for maxing smooth or expressive changes. Using the editor in plugin mode allows you to modulate this parameter in your DAW. Try a slow subtle automation – or control from an LFO source – to add some pitch modulation to the delay for an old school analogue effect. Envelope control The version 1.1.1 firmware update added full control of both ADSR envelopes to Uno’s hardware interface. You can access the full amp envelope by holding down Env, or the…

JOSHUA’S ESSENTIAL KIT Neve 33609 Mix Bus Compressor “It’s a beautiful piece of gear that does what it does very well.” Polymath Custom Preamps “Amazing kit. Will be with me till I die.” Moog Model D “The bass on this is unreal. I’m familiar with low-end and warmth is something that can be elusive. Moog has it for sale.” Prophet-6 “I love a good saw wave and these are the most delicious. The filters are killer for setting the scene.” T-Rex Replicator “It’s a bona-fide tape delay. My kind of gear and can get weird if you want it too.” Bricasti M7 “You don’t know how good this thing is until you’ve lived with one.” Fender Strat “A workhorse guitar – lives next to me for good reason.” Modular setup…

Breaking the rules of harmony For every key you can write in, there is an ‘expected’ group of chords which sound ‘right’. Sometimes, breaking this expectation provides a more memorable melody In the first step of the following walkthrough, we’ve explored the scale of C minor and drawn up all of the associated harmonic chords with each of its root notes. If you use any of the bass notes and write a melody which uses any of that note’s associated harmonic accompaniment, you’ll write a melody which makes ‘perfect musical sense’. But it may not be the world’s most interesting tune. By the third clip, we’ve boldly made the fourth chord not an F minor (as per Step 1) but an F major instead, shifting the accompanying note to A.…

ALEX’S ESSENTIAL GEAR Moog Voyager (Rack) “I love the fatness of its sounds and how you can modulate them with the three oscillators. Great with Arturia BeatStep Pro.” E-RM Multiclock “This is a blessing. It’s the tightest MIDI clock I’ve ever tried.” Prophet 6 “The warm sound and endless possibilities to create and edit are fascinating, but you can get lost in it.” Moog Sub 37 “I’ve had it for two years but still haven’t gone through all the possibilities due to its many sub-menus. Brutal sound though!” Expressive E Touche “This allows so many more possibilities for an instrument to sound new, different or unheard.” ROLI Seaboard “You can automate while playing and make strings, brasses etc sound live.” UAD Apollo “No other hardware emulations get close to UAD.…

Phase Demystified QUICK TIPS 1 Phase ‘issues’ aren’t always negative; sometimes out-of-phase signals can add character. 2 The ‘3:1’ rule is useful for microphone placement. Here’s how it works: if your first mic is one metre from your sound source, try setting up your second three metres away from the first. Signal level will be quieter entering the second mic, which can help avoid phase issues. Experimenting is key. 3 Most stereo enhancers create width between left and right by altering the phase relationship between the two – and you can also do this manually. This sounds great in stereo, but watch for mono compatibility… 4 …which is why a quick mono check is always key, to instantly expose any phase problems in your mix.…

FM CHOICE Six pro phase-alignment plugins 1 UAD Little Labs IBP Phase Alignment Tool A faithful software clone of Little Labs’ hardware In-Between Phase box, this simple but effective plugin for UAD-2 platforms allows you to adjust time delay and rotate phase in degrees. 2 Sound Radix Auto Align This ‘point and shoot’ plugin is a handy way to do as its name suggests. Insert AutoAlign on the channel you want to align, pipe in a ‘reference’ sidechain signal, and it’ll then pull your signal in line with that reference. 3 MeldaProduction MAutoAlign This auto-alignment tool is also easy to use: pop an instance of MAutoAlign on all channels, hit the Analyze button, and the plugin will intelligently match up the timings of them all for you to tweak further.…

THE ALTERNATIVES Industrial Music Electronics Piston Honda MkIII £438 Dual morphing wavetable oscillator stressing aggressive sounds, with the ability to save presets and switch between them under CV. industrialmusicelectronics.com Erica Synths Black Wavetable VCO £270 A great-sounding analogue-imitating wavetable oscillator from Erica Synths with a separate Sub-Osc out and a built-in bit crusher. ericasynths.lv Klavis Twin Waves £199 A compact but powerful dual digital oscillator and LFO, Twin Waves covers similar ground to Braids & Plaits. klavis.com…

Reviews Arturia KeyLab MkII from £439 Premium controller keyboards aren’t cheap. Jon Musgrave weighs up the latest top-end arrival from Arturia KeyLab is Arturia’s flagship controller keyboard, and the new MkII has arrived in 49 and 61-key versions in black and white. It’s the white 49-key model I have on review and, like the latest KeyLab Essential, the MkII’s keyboard and playback pads are bolstered by DAW transport, DAW commands, parameter entry and deep integration with Arturia’s bundled Analog Lab 3 software. Although similar in layout to the KeyLab Essential, the MkII is a very different unit with a higher pricetag and more upmarket feel. The aluminium case feels robust and, although heavier than moulded plastic construction, is less bulky. It’s deep front to back (297mm) but the height profile…

Ableton and Native Instruments have signed up to help shape the future of MIDI An updated MIDI spec has long been discussed, but if it’s ever going to get off the ground, it’ll need the buy-in of all the major music software and hardware companies. After all, it was the industry-wide adoption of the original MIDI standard that ensured that it was, and continues to be, such a massive success. We’re pleased to hear, then, that both Ableton and Native Instruments (along with several other companies) have now joined the MIDI Manufacturers Association in order to collaborate with other software and hardware developers to extend the power of MIDI. The proposed revised spec would be designed to enable new levels of expression and make electronic instruments easier to configure and…

Roland’s new app lets you create visuals for live shows and DJ sets Roland have introduced a brand new app aimed at DJs and live performers who wish to combine pro-level visuals with their music, called Beat Sync Maker. The iOS app aims to bring a “pro look” to those smartphone videos and seamlessly integrate them into live performances, by automatically detecting the beats in a track and adding synchronised video effects. You can drop video clips from your device’s library with the 2-Video Mix function and there are also 18 pre-loaded movie clips included within the app. The free version exports videos of up to 30 seconds long and full export functionality is available with an in-app purchase or connection to a GO:Mixer Pro or GO:Mixer.…

Albums Héctor Oaks As We Were Saying BASSIANI Anyone who’s ventured into the vaults under the national football stadium in Tbilisi, Georgia can attest to the intense, energetic atmosphere of infamous techno club, Bassiani. That energy is channelled into the debut album from the club’s second floor resident, Héctor Oaks, for Bassiani’s label’s first ever album release. The record bristles with the same uncompromising, underground techno feel that courses through the throbbing walls. As expected, upfront, powerful techno is the order of the day throughout As We Were Saying. Thumping bass, relentless rhythms, glitchy synths and frenetic FX create an intensity that never lets up. The entire album feels charged, mirroring the activism that’s a huge part of the club’s identity, especially after the police raid on the nightclub this…

Feature GEAR OF THE YEAR 2018 The Future Music guide to this year’s essential hardware, software and studio gear OK, although it seemingly goes against everything we stand for here at FM, we’ll admit it – you don’t need to spend thousands of pounds on new gear to make great music. It’s 2018 after all, and plenty of musicians out there are making incredible tracks with little more than a laptop, a DAW and maybe a few bits of budget hardware. That being said, getting your hands on the right gear can make all the difference. Whether it’s an instrument to inspire a new way of working, a reliable plugin to help sort out your mixdowns, the perfect monitors for your studio, or just…

BEST OF THE REST… Analogue Solutions Generator The latest hardware sequencer from UK outfit Analogue Solutions is fun, inspirational and powerful. Three channels of CV, a gate channel with ‘inverted’ mode, a touchstrip controller and simple looper provide plenty of tools for rhythmic experimentation and creativity. Native Instruments A-Series NI’s affordable controllers lack a few of the ‘pro’ features of the S-Series, including aftertouch or a keyboard light guide, but the quality and feel is impressive. Bundled with Maschine, Monark and plenty ready-to-use sounds, these are among the best value entry-level products out there. Arturia KeyLab MkII Another controller keyboard that spans analogue and digital realms, the MkII KeyLab combines DAW and MIDI control with a quartet of CV outputs and selection of analogue control ins. It also offers tight…

BEST OF THE REST… HEDD Type 20 A new venture from ex-Adam Audio MD Klaus Heinz and his son Dr Frederik Knop, HEDD monitors have quickly generated a well-deserved buzz. We were really impressed with the Type 20s when we reviewed them – so much so that our reviewer immediately ordered a pair. Erica Synths Acidbox 3 Latvia’s Erica Synths have caught our eye in recent years with Eurorack modules and studio effects. The Acidbox, an emulation of the filter section of the classic Soviet Polivoks synth, is a highlight of their range. Version 3 adds a stereo signal path and gorgeous overdrive. AKG C636 AKG’s handheld condenser mic might look plain, but there’s a lot going on under the mesh, resulting in clear, well-balanced response and excellent off-axis attenuation.…

BEST OF THE REST… Novcation Bass Station II 2.5 To mark 25 years since the original Bass Station hit, Novation gifted v2 users with an excellent firmware update. Top features include a paraphonic mode, allowing two notes to be played at once, plus microtuning modes, LFO re-triggering options and ‘oscillator error’ function. Spectrasonics Omnisphere 2.5 This major update brings an intriguing new concept, adding control templates that let you use your hardware synths to manipulate the plugin in a ‘sonically satisfying’ way. It also brings new voice architecture, granular capabilities, and 1000+ new patches to the library. Apple Logic Pro X A good year of freebies for Logic users. Plugin-wise, we’ve the welcome return of Camel’s much-loved CamelPhat and CamelSpace plugins, in the form of Phat FX and Step FX.…

PRODUCER’S GUIDE Developing Melodic Ideas What makes a great tune? What is it about melodies that lodge in our heads, so that we sing along to our favourite tracks (but not others we know just as well but don’t like as much) or find ourselves able to listen over and over again, without those tracks becoming dull or repetitive? The short answer is that there’s no easy answer. If there were, every composer and songwriter would simply tap into a database of great melodic ideas every time a new theme was needed and life would be a whole lot more straightforward. But, as with all things to do with music production, spending some time considering melody and – by extension – harmony and rhythm, can pay huge dividends. By understanding…

QUICK TIPS 1 Use chord inversions. The notes of C major are C, E and G and most often, you’ll hear a ‘C’ in the bass of this chord. This is ‘root position’, as C is the root of C major. But you could use an E or a G as the supporting bass note and the effect of these is less ‘rooted’ and fixed. Inverted chords are great for the job of giving the impression of a less ‘finished’ chord; quite a powerful musical device. 2 Delay reaching the ‘root chord’ of your track for as long as possible. It’s tempting to start your chorus or drop on the root chord; but postponing this can often build up a sense of anticipation. 3 Don’t feel the need to change…

Interview Octave One We quiz Detroit’s Burden brothers on their studio, hardware-powered live set and how they keep the creativity flowing after almost 30 years in the game © Joseph Branston Octave One have been a cornerstone of Detroit’s techno circuit since the early ’90s, known for their rich, soulful production style, as well as one of the most impressive live shows in the business. This year saw Octave One return to their alternative alias, Random Noise Generation, for their first album under the name since 1991’s classic Falling In Dub. We caught up with the core duo of Lenny and Laurence Burden during this year’s ADE to talk studio, workflow and why a motorbike is the secret to beating writer’s block. What’s your current studio setup? Laurence Burden: “We’re…

In The Studio With Container Ren Schofield’s Container project returns with his fourth album, called (as were the previous three), LP. The saturated beats and mangled basslines remain thankfully intact. Hamish Mackintosh caught up with the man himself © Kevin Lake Ren Schofield seems a man wilfully out of sync with the high-gloss, DAW-reliant electronic music production values of the modern age, and you can’t help but love him for it. Container, his musical alias, has long been known for a DIY ethos to techno that’s been honed since debut album, LP, in 2011. Visceral, crushed beats vie with hypnotic, tape-saturated synth melodies and basslines to make the intense ‘avant-techno’ that’s become synonymous with Container. Previously based in Providence, Rhode Island, Schofield’s geographical move to London has, thankfully, seen him…

REVIEWS Teenage Engineering OP-Z £529 Synth, drum machine, sound mangler and visual sequencer – Si Truss asks if there’s anything the OP-Z can’t do Teenage Engineer first showed us the OP-Z almost two years ago and we’ve had a steady stream of demos, updates and teasers since then. To be completely honest though, until very recently – ie the day our review unit arrived – I would have struggled to answer had somebody asked me to explain what the OP-Z actually is. It doesn’t help that the hardware itself gives very few clues as to its function. Its sleek, minimal form is adorned with buttons and rotaries labelled with often rather cryptic icons. Were you to hand someone an OP-Z without context, it’s likely they wouldn’t know whether they’re supposed…

Reviews Mutable Instruments Plaits £195 Mutable Instruments have taken the best of oscillator Braids, and rewrapped it into the newer, slimmer Plaits, says Phil Wise For the first of Mutable Instruments’ new line-up, Olivier GIllet has gone back to the drawing board to offer a successor to the mighty Braids, his flagship digital oscillator. Braids changed the game in 2013 by offering a virtual museum of modelled synthesis types in one module. With basic filtering and a VCA built-in, Braids offered a quick, ready-to-go synth voice, and became a hugely popular module. But things have moved on, DSP power has increased and many people’s focus has shifted to smaller complete systems and therefore more compact modules. So Plaits is here, offering the same basic principle but with a complete overhaul…

Reviews Pioneer DJ XDJ-RR £1,099 This standalone player/mixer brings CDJworkflow to your home setup. Si Truss takes a spin… Pioneer DJ’s latest is an all-in-one player, mixer and controller that brings the workflow of the company’s market-leading CDJs and mixers to a tight, simplified package for home DJs or small clubs, bars or events. Effectively, the XDJ-RR is a simplified version of the company’s XDJ-RX2. As with that bigger device, here we get two jogwheel-centred track controllers, a two-channel mixer and a built-in OS running a version of Pioneer’s rekordbox application. Both take their cues from the company’s top-end Nexus mixers and players, but the RR offers a pared-back feature set, notably in the effect selection, the smaller, less-responsive performance pads and the lack of a touchscreen display. Despite this,…

ADVICE Aftertouch versus pedal-triggered modulation If you’re already using several pedals and don’t want to add any more, using aftertouch is a great alternative. However, using a control-pedal is also a great way to add modulation (especially if you don’t have aftertouch). Generally speaking, aftertouch is easier to control and allows more focused/ detailed control over modulation, whilst pedals are generally better for volume/filter sweeps (continuous/smooth modulation). Is the latest Apple Mac mini likely to be any good for music-making? We’d been waiting so long for an update to the Mac mini that, despite Apple’s assurances that it still had a future, we were starting to wonder if we’d ever see it. However, it finally landed in early November, and first impressions are that, if you’ve been holding out for…

FILTER Cubase 10 has arrived! Steinberg’s DAW hits double figures, with a new UI and a host of new features Steinberg have released version 10 of their longstanding DAW Cubase. The Hamburg firm have promised that they’ve listened to feedback to bring about some key changes to the workflow and, most notably, the UI. The update applies to the full Pro, Artist and Elements versions, all of which benefit from the new UI and an overhaul of the channel strip, which features new metering elements in each module. Groove Agent SE 5 gets an updated UI too, plus new acoustic and electronic drum content. All versions of Cubase now also support 32-bit integer and 64-bit floating-point audio for recording, importing/exporting, and converting. The new Latency Monitor will help users keep…

Expert Sleepers add new features to the Disting Mk4 Modular brand Expert Sleepers have added several new features to their popular multi-functional Eurorack device, Disting. The free firmware update brings four new algorithms, adding a logic mode, side-chain compressor, mono compressor and stereo compressor. There are also a host of other feature tweaks and refinements included, such as new VCO options, enhanced envelope control and new output options. Download it for free at expert-sleepers.co.uk…

START OUT WEIRD “It’s much easier to write something interesting if you start from a weird, unfamiliar place and then move towards something more focused or easily digestible (if that’s where you want to end up, anyway.) It’s easier to do that than start with something familiar and try and add weird things later on.” Buy weird, unpopular and affordable gear “Sometimes the most useful gear – especially when finishing a track – is neglected, weird, random gear that is cheap and often doesn’t sound like anything else. It’ll inevitably end up being the thing that makes the track stand out and sound special.” Add chorus to monosynths “Whenever I’m using a monosynth, a quick cheat to fill up space in the mix that I use a lot is to…

LIKE IT? TRY THESE… Helmut Zacharias And His Orchestra  ‎ Tokyo Melody/Teatime in Tokyo Curious little 45 that the BBC used to soundtrack coverage of the 1964 Tokyo Olympic games. Graham Massey has cited it as a massive influence on 808’s own sporting theme bid, Olympic. ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST: Tokyo Melody, Teatime in Tokyo MC Tunes  ‎ The North At Its Heights Moss Side’s dopest rapper, with an 808 State-produced album that spawned some monster singles back in 1990 (just a year before ex:el would come out). ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST: Tunes Splits The Atom, The Only Rhyme That Bites, Primary Rhyming Yellow Magic Orchestra Yellow Magic Orchestra 1978 LP from the Japanese electronic pioneers who 808 State thought were bigger than the Beatles. ADD THESE TO…

Selling On Reflection City Slang Selling is the new collaborative project between two electronic mainstays, Gold Panda and Jas Shaw of Simian Mobile Disco. On Reflection, their first album together, is out on City Slang and showcases a cohesive and synergised meeting of their styles. The record combines the fuzzy warmth of a Gold Panda album and the sleek, shiny techno of Shaw to create something altogether natural, fun and easygoing. The pair move between undulating, driving techno, stripped back electronica, washed-out grooves, shimmering electronics, minimal house and arthouse pop with consummate ease and a playful sense of fun. Their friendship is evident throughout the record, as the pair create a warm and inviting atmosphere that blends gently glowing pads, jangling melodies, lush bass and rounded synths together in a…

Gear of the Year 2018 DRUM MACHINES & SAMPLERS Arturia DrumBrute Impact More than just a pared-back version of its bigger sibling, the Impact boasts a fully overhauled sound engine, with an FM perc channel and additional tonal modes. The kick is the highlight though, with a great balance of weight and power. It’s not as versatile as the TR-8S, or as powerful as the Analog RYTM, but for its sub-£300 price tag we think the Impact offers more than any other groovebox in 2018. BEST FOR… POLYRHYTHMS Most of the sequencing tools from the higher-priced DrumBrute get carried across to the Impact. One highlight is the easy-to-use Polyrhythm mode, making it simple to experiment with evolving, rhythmically complex grooves.…

BEST OF THE REST… Moog Grandmother The Grandmother may not look that different from the many other analogue semi-modulars we’ve seen recently. Get hands-on, though, and you’ll find a lot of unique character to fall in love with, with rich, full bass, punchy envelopes, a great filter and real spring reverb. Korg Prologue Korg’s latest flagship poly isn’t perfect – some will bemoan the lack of aftertouch, and the single-mode filter lacks flexibility next to others at this price point. It sure has character though, thanks to the excellent FM/ wavetable osc. Excellent effects round sounds off nicely too. Dreadbox/Polyend Medusa Medusa’s firmware feels a little unfinished, but this hybrid analogue/digital synth still shows a ton of promise. Pairing rich analogue innards with wavetable oscillators and a multi-expression sequencer/playing surface,…

BEST OF THE REST… Roland System 500 Roland dropped an assortment of additions to their System 500 range this year. For us, the highlight was the 510 Synth – a fully-wired synth voice that brings to mind the warm, full lows of the classic SH-02. The 505 VCF – based on the SH-5 – is a beast of a filter too though. 4MS Stereo Sampler 4MS’s dual stereo sampler module boasts a huge capacity, intuitive interface and high-quality sound; plus it comes with a 16GB memory card packed full of excellent samples from the likes of Moor Mother, Richard Devine and Baseck. A standout in a crowded market. Winter Modular Eloquencer The Eloquencer is all about randomisation, but doesn’t forsake musicality and precision. With eight CV and gate outs, it’s…

BEST OF THE REST… IK Multimedia UNO Synth The debut analogue instrument from IK looks ‘budget’, but its sound is anything but. With a raspy, drive-equipped filter, onboard delay, sequencer and arpeggiator, this is a great tool for classic analogue leads and basses. The free software editor expands the capabilities too. Moog DFAM Not quite a drum machine, or a standard monosynth, Moog’s dual-oscillator percussion machine could be written off as just an oddity if it didn’t sound fantastic. Whether making atonal beats, punchy bass riffs or glitchy modular grooves, the DFAM is constantly inspiring. Teenage Engineering OP-Z A spiritual successor to the cult hit OP-1, Teenage’s latest oddity pairs multiple tracks of synth and percussion with visual sequencing tools, a tape-style sound mangler and excellent punch-in effects. It’s esoteric,…

BEST OF THE REST… Steinberg Cubase 10 Another version 10 update aimed at pleasing long-time users, the latest iteration of Cubase gains new channel strips, better audio tools and improved side-chain routing. The real highlight is the improved UI, which makes Cubase feel fresher than it has in years. FXpansion Cypher2 Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression (or MPE) continues its rise, but FXpansion’s analogue-style Cypher synth is the best use of it we’ve seen so far. With a powerful sound engine and fantastic pulsing ambient and textural presets, this is a must-try, MPE or not. KV331 Synthmaster One for iOS Released in plugin form last year, Synthmaster One is a simplified yet still powerful take on KV331’s flagship wavetable synth. This year saw the synth land on iPad, bringing nearly the same…

QUICK TIPS NEUTRON THIS PARAPHONIC BOX OF ANALOGUE TRICKS IS EXCEPTIONALLY POWERFUL FOR THE PRICE. LET’S EXPLORE ITS SEMI-MODULAR CAPABILITIES… Filter modes Neutron’s filter has two outputs in the patchbay, which always output different filter types, with VCF 2 changing dependant on the mode selected for VCF 1. With the VCF in low-pass mode, the VCF 2 outputs a high-pass filter, in high-pass mode VCF 2 outputs a notch filter, and in notch mode VCF 2 becomes a low-pass output. Combining these, or routing them separately, expands Neutron’s capabilities. For example, sum hi- and low- pass outputs together in order to create a notch filter. LFO sync Neutron’s LFO can be sync’d to an incoming MIDI clock. In this mode, the LFO rate control acts as a clock divider/ multiplier.…

QUICK TIPS BITWIG STUDIO 2.4 IN 2018, BITWIG STUDIO 2’S TWO MAJOR POINT UPDATES DELIVERED MULTIPLE NEW FEATURES, FRESH DEVICES AND MORE. THE BIG STUFF, HOWEVER, CAME IN THE DAW’S INSTRUMENT CATEGORY… Phase-4 Bitwig Studio 2.3 heralded the arrival of Phase-4, a four-oscillator ‘phasemanipulation’ synthesiser inspired by ‘80s Yamaha and Casio classics. To assist in wave-bending adventures, you can pop open the synth in Expanded Device View, also new with v2.3, to get a real-time visual representation of all four identical, colour-coded oscillators; plus the summed output waveform and envelopes. Phase-4 Controls The four main controls (Pitch, Glide, Shape and Mod) govern global control over said parameters, visualised by coloured dots moving around the XY pad. Furthermore, each oscillator can be panned and soft-clipped, then fed into the seven-mode resonant…

In The Studio With Flux Pavilion Joshua Steele is regularly cited as one of the major driving forces behind dubstep’s transition into the mainstream. Danny Turner finds him where he’s most comfortable, buried beneath a mountain of gear… Sitting at the commercial end of the dubstep/drum & bass spectrum, within two years of producing his own music, Joshua Steele’s Flux Pavilion project began battering the dance charts with tracks like I Can’t Stop, Bass Cannon, Superbad and the Top 40 hit Daydreamer. As a DJ, meanwhile, Steele has found transatlantic success – tearing up dancefloors during last year’s Around the World in 80 Raves tour. As a producer, and co-founder of Circus Records with childhood friend and collaborator Doctor P, Steele is a proponent of substance over style – despite…

Harmony and Melody Name that tune What do you want the tune of your next track to do? What do you want it to make the listener feel? Sad? Euphoric? A sense of indestructibility? Empathy? Do you want it to help those listening to fall in love? Or do you want it to be imbued with some other quality? If these all seem like lofty ambitions, remember that pieces of music have the capacity to make us feel all of these things and many more emotions besides. Apparently Stephen Spielberg laughed when he heard John Williams’ initial idea for the two-note melodic hook which underpins the soundtrack to Jaws but has since said that he owes half of the film’s success to this ‘tune’ and the terror it caused to…

Harmony and Melody Working with melodic suspensions Delaying the resolution of melody notes produces a powerful musical technique we call a ‘suspension’ 01 We start with a simple melody, accompanied by a new bass note every bar. We’re in C minor and as the melody steps up through three bars, the bassline steps down. Both drop on the final chord. So the bass moves from C, through Bb and Ab to arrive on G for the last bar. 02 There’s no tension in the melody because each phrase of the tune resolves ‘perfectly’ on each downbeat of the bar. So the tune hits a D over the Bb (part of a Bb chord) and an Eb over the Ab and so on. 03 Let’s extend the duration of each of…

In The Studio With Alex Niggemann Blurring the border between house and techno, Alex Niggemann’s fearless mode of production includes an unquenchable thirst for innovation. Danny Turner discusses technique and his quest to create human-sounding rhythms © Marie Staggat A classically trained pianist, Alex Niggemann’s love of dance music formed at techno clubs in his hometown of Dusseldorf. A DJ career was appealing, yet it was a degree in audio engineering that laid the groundwork for his technical understanding of production – then it was all about following his nose. His 2012 debut album Paranoid Funk immediately captured the imagination. While limitations are a factor in Niggemann’s creative process, some attributes are instinctive, such as his uncanny ability to merge influences and create entirely new sounds. Since 2006 a steady…

MODULAR MONTHLY An original ‘must have’ module … The Sport Modulator is a classic in Euroworld. Let’s find out why A short while after we got into the second wave of modular synths (headed by Doepfer in the mid ’90s) and the world of Eurorack, there were three ‘must haves’ in terms of modulation, control and signal generation. Those were the Make Noise Maths, the 4ms PEG and the Toppobrillo Sport Modulator. The Sport Modulator is a patch-programmable, deceptively simple unit that offers endless functions. The signals you put into it and the two buttons per channel move between states of signal creation, processing or sampling. Heavily inspired by Serge systems and how modules such as the Smooth Stepped and Random Source could be a multitude of different things depending…

EXPLAINER Phase demystified Understanding waveforms’ interaction is essential for producers – but it’s easier to grasp than you think… As the word phase is used in so many contexts, it’s no surprise that its meaning gets misunderstood. To get to grips with it properly, let’s imagine a waveform, which consists of peaks and troughs that oscillate above and below the centre median line. These peaks and troughs represent the way the signal pushes and pulls air molecules, which then vibrate our eardrums, resulting in the sound we hear. And in exactly the same way, those air oscillations vibrate a microphone’s diaphragm; movements that are converted into an electrical signal, and then to digital where they’re recorded into software. Polarity refers to the back-and-forth oscillations above and below that centre median…

Fixing out-of-phase recordings Check out our trio of tips for aligning and correcting multitrack recordings Phase is a particular issue when working with multi-miked sources – for example, a DI and miked amp signal, or when recording an acoustic guitar in stereo using two mics. Record a source sound using multiple microphones – say, one close-miked and one a bit further away – and the signal will reach the closer microphone before it reaches the second mic. When these recordings are played together, the time delay and phase inconsistencies between waveforms can result in phase cancellation in some frequency areas and phase reinforcement in others. The more mic sources you’re recording, the worse this problem can become: if you’re multi-miking a drum kit, for example, the timings of the individual…

THE ALTERNATIVES Teenage Engineering OP-1 £899 TE’s cult classic synth and sampler works around a slightly different ethos, with a four-track recorder and FM radio for sampling. teenageengineering.com Elektron Digitone £579 Elektron’s FM synth has a similarly forward-thinking pairing of digital sound engine and creative, flexible sequencer. elektron.se Novation Circuit £190 The original Circuit also combines digital synth engines with sample-based drums and hands-on sequencing. novationmusic.com…

Reviews UAD 9.7 plugins From £75 Universal Audio’s latest software range is a real ‘hall of fame’ of classic hardware emulations, says Jono Buchanan Some technology just stays with you. Maybe it was the first time you saw an SSL E-series console, or heard a vocal compressed through an 1176. The iconic white remote control of the Lexicon 480L Digital Reverb is one such device, a staple of world-class studios. It’s also the flagship emulation in this latest UAD software release. The Lexicon 480L is famous for its lush, rich tones; this is the first time an emulation has been endorsed by Lexicon themselves. There are ten effects types (halls, rooms, ambience etc) and once you’ve picked one, you can further refine your choice. Thereafter, the sliders control individual parameters…

Adding character to drums My drum tracks often sound a bit polite – can you suggest some character-processing ideas? There are many ways to add distortion/character, from using native DAW plugins, other manufacturers’ plugins, outboard stereo processing across your beat, or processing on individual elements within your beats using pedals, amps, amp sims, old tape machines, synth/sampler inputs and more! All are valid and experimenting is fun! Play around with the dry/wet (mix) level of plugin FX on inserts (and buss send levels); this way you can keep your dry signal intact and dial in the dirt alongside. Here are some ideas... Old sampler in monitor mode: grab that old sampler out of storage, for it’s not dead yet! Power it up, plug in any audio source (mono or stereo…