Innehållsförteckning för January 2021 från Future Music

Talking Shop MODEL 86 “I just replaced my Chemex; that’s a crucial part of the studio – I love filter coffee…” MODEL 86| Enigmatic London-based producer MODEL 86 makes music that seems to naturally pinball between a host of genres and influences, touching on classic hip-hop beats, UK dance music and experimental pop, all without feeling forced or jarring. His debut album, titled Is MODEL 86 Dreaming Of Being A Butterfly Or Is A Butterfly Dreaming Of Being MODEL 86?, arrived in December representing the most fully-formed version of his sound to-date. We caught up with him to find out how it was created. When did you start making music? “Hardware wise it was an MPC2000XL when I was about 18; I saved up for so long. Before that when…

In the studio with Axel Willner “The album was done in different stages. Firstly, I did all the sketches at my home studio [in Berlin]. And then I packed up the car and drove down to Cologne to my friend’s place, Dumbo Studios. Then the two guys [Jesper Skarin and Dan Enqvist] flew in from Stockholm. That’s when we started to live jam and arrange on the spot. “I had the [Elektron] Octatrack, which had just come out – I had a Beta version. Then an [Akai] MPC. And there was also some tracks that I had recorded in [Jeskola] Buzz, this old tracker program. “We also used Machinedrum, a Roland SH-101, a JX-3P, and a Yamaha CS01. And we also had a Minimoog Voyager. And, because we were in…

THE RUNNERS UP Elektron Model:Cycles Elektron’s Digitone FM synth is a dark horse for beatmaking, so it makes a lot of sense to use its engine as the basis for a drum machine. A typically deep Elektron sequencer with parameter locks and randomisation makes this an all-round success. BEST FOR… ALTERNATIVE DRUM SOUNDS Model:Cycles’ metallic, modulated FM sounds make a nice alternative to the usual 808 or 909-alikes. Korg Volca Sample 2 The best-selling entry in the Volca range gets an update that fixes its biggest drawbacks – adding a USB port that makes it far easier to load and manage samples, doubling the sample memory, and upgrading the sequencer with a raft of new tricks. BEST FOR… USING WITH FM’S SAMPLE ARCHIVE Load those 18GB of samples you get…

The Track Editing and processing vocals in Ableton Live Natural’s vocals were performed and recorded by Shyam P. Here’s how Rich puts them into the track 01 “I made up the initial loops and then sent them over to Shyam, and he sent me back a nice bunch of ideas, vocal melodies, lyrics, everything,” begins Rich. Live’s clip volume automation is used to duck out parts of the audio to create a stuttered vocal effect for the intro. 02 Rich uses Live’s EQ Eight to take out some of the vocal’s low-end. “This is so it’s not woolly, and sounds a little more mysterious,” he explains. The vocal is then compressed with Live’s Compressor effect to bring up its average level. 03 When the vocal drops proper, Soundtoys FilterFreak and…

Putting the sequencer to the test 1 Matriarch features a built-in arpeggiator and step sequencer. The former is a standard affair with three directions and a range of up to three octaves. The latter holds a few tricks up its sleeve, as the Matriarch’s sequencer has more depth than you’d expect. 2 The sequencer can hold up to four notes in a step, as you’d expect for a four-note paraphonic synth. It can also store 12 sequences, each up to 256 notes long. To record a sequence, flip the Mode switch to Rec, press Play, and enter your notes. 3 Flip back to Sequence and press play. The sequence will start with a root note based on the depressed key, so it can be transposed in real time. Press Hold…

An LFO-controlled wobbly delay 1 The Matriarch’s signal stays stereo into the Envelope Generators, and finally the Stereo Delay. Few synths now come with built-in analogue delay; what’s more impressive is that the stereo delay can be synced to MIDI input and has a range of 700ms. 2 One of the best parts of having the delay built into the signal chain of the semi-modular design of the Matriarch is that the delay parameters all have their own patch points. We’ll take advantage of that by modulating the delay time with an LFO. 3 Connect a cable from the LFO’s Triangle out patch to the input of the Attenuator. Then, connect the output of that Attenuator to a Mult input on the same module. This will allow us to send…

THREE MOOG ALTS 1 Moog Grandmother If the Matriarch is a bit too much ‘woman’ for you, consider Moog’s smaller semi-modular synth, the Grandmother, which pairs a 256-note sequencer with a classic signal path, a spring reverb, 41 patch points, and a solid 32-key keyboard. The Grandmother features much of the same vintage-inspired circuitry as the Matriarch. 2 Moog Mother-32 If you’re looking to get that Moog sound – and specifically the creamy ladder filter we’ve all come to love – but are short on room in your studio, the Mother-32 still packs a huge punch for a desktop or Eurorackcompatible synth that takes up very little space. Despite having only a single oscillator, the Mother-32 can sound absolutely monstrous. 3 Moog One Four note paraphony not enough for you?…

RETROSPECTIVE Trip-hop This month we take a look at trip-hop, the distinctly British melting pot of stoned hip-hop, dub and punk © Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo There’s a common theme that runs through our genre retrospective features. Regular readers will know that around half of the genres we cover are known by names which the key artists dispute. From IDM to hair metal, name a genre and there’s a pretty good chance plenty of the artists involved won’t like it. This month we turn our attention to yet another hotly disputed and generally unloved term, trip-hop. Emerging in the early ’90s, the trip-hop sound was a distinctly British collision of influences including hip-hop, dub, soul and a little hint of DIY punk attitude. Largely downtempo, something like…

Get creative with Generate new musical ideas in Ableton Live PROBLEM: How can I make my chords and pads sound less ‘clean’ and ‘dry’? Sometimes when working with synth pads, the mix might sound too clean and dry. A reverb would be the obvious solution, but might not always be enough to keep the sound interesting over time. Sending your track through a reverb, and modulating the pitch and the filter of its tail can create a layer that has an unstable and detuned sound typical of a vintage synth. In the below example, a synth is sent to a Convolution Reverb that is fed in into a Delay. The delay that is in Repitch mode has the time and the filter modulated by a slow LFO so that is…

EURORACK & MODULAR WINNERS ALM Busy Circuits System Coupe From the rhythmic flexibility of Pamela’s New Workout to the adaptable sounds available from the Squid sampler, this is a system that can do drums, melodies, weirdo effects and more. While those two modules are the system’s beating heart, the rest is equally impressive – the Quaid Megaslope is an excellent complex envelope/LFO, the MCO oscillator a great source of morphable wavetables and the new MCF filter is flexible and characterful. If you’ve only room for one modular system, this could be all you need! BEST FOR… SEQUENCING AND MODULATING Pamela’s Workout is highly regarded for its ability to drive loops, Euclidean patterns, polyrhythms and more. Quaid, meanwhile, can be a multistage envelope, West Coast modulator or step sequencer. The inclusion…

THE RUNNERS UP Arturia KeyStep Pro More than simply a keyboard-sporting version of the BeatStep Pro, this latest CV/MIDI controller from Arturia blends melodic and drum sequencing, a neat arpeggiator, chord and scale tools, and some fun performance features for mixing up patterns and creating cross-rhythms. BEST FOR… ALL THE ARPS Send patterns and arpeggiations to multiple hardware and plugin synths simultaneously, then mix things. Akai Pro MPK mini mk3 According to its creators, the MPK mini is the “world’s best-selling MIDI controller keyboard”. Looking at this third gen version, that certainly seems believable – it’s simple, slick and well-designed, with a surprising level of functionality for the price. BEST FOR… FINGER DRUMMING ON THE CHEAP Despite its budget price, the MPK mini incorporates Akai’s MPC pads – some of…

PRODUCER’S GUIDE THE PRODUCER’S GUIDE TO… MOOG MATRIARCH Let’s get patching and see what Moog’s four-VCO, vintage inspired semi-modular can do Analogue designs have gone in and out of favour several times now, but analogue has always been Moog’s focus, which makes sense given the company’s founding all the way back in 1963. But when Moog announced their semi-modular Mother-32 synthesiser back in (2015), few people probably guessed it was the beginning of a new line of products completely. The fact that Moog are still improving and adapting is impressive already. It would almost be easier to compile a list of musicians that haven’t used a Moog than a list of Moog users, as the company’s DNA has been entangled with that of popular music since the early ’60s. Robert…

Mult-iplying your LFOs 1 The Matriarch’s Utility sections make it easy to use the modulation tools on hand in even more flexible ways. While the Matriarch only has two dedicated LFOs, the Mults make it possible to use several modulation sources on a single destination. 2 To create a sound with a lot of movement, we’re going to apply both LFOs to the cutoff frequency, each set to a different rate. Set the main LFO to the Sine setting and patch from the Wave Out jack into the adjoining Mult. 3 Take the Square Wave out from the second LFO and connect to a free input in the Mult. Connect one of the remaining jacks of the Mult to the Cutoff In jack on the filter section, to send both…

Making use of Matriarch’s full stereo capabilities with aftertouch 1 For this patch, let’s create a subtle, shifting pad sound that makes use of Matriarch’s four-voice Paraphony, its stereo filters, and its aftertouchenabled keybed. Starting with the oscillator section, set the first two oscs for Square waves, while setting oscillators three and four at the Pulse setting. 2 We want all oscillators set at identical Octave and Frequency settings, as we want this sound to have a solid harmonic foundation. We’ve chosen the 8’ octave; each osc is at 50% in the mixer module to maintain an open, crisp high end. The filter overdrives quickly once the oscillators are cranked. 3 We’ll be setting the Filter to its Stereo Low Pass/ Low Pass mode, so each side of the stereo…

Trip-hop | Retrospective The vinyl chapter: three ways record culture shaped trip-hop 1 Musical melting pot Trip-hop is a definitive example of a genre in which disparate musical influences collide to create something new and fresh. It’s no surprise that so many trip-hop pioneers are avid record collectors. Some of the influences are obvious, most notably hip-hop and dub, but others aren’t so immediately apparent. The sound might not necessarily be evident from the music, but various trip-hop acts cited punk and new wave as a major influence, not just in terms of the DIY attitude and its obvious parallels in sound system culture, but also musically and via sinister, slightly paranoid lyrical content. Both Massive Attack and Tricky covered tracks by Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure, while…

KORG CLASSIX opsix inherits several winning features from existing Korg synths. Most notable are the arp and sequencer, which are reminiscent of that found on the Minilogue XD, the latter element including four of Korg’s standard Motion Sequencing (aka automation) lanes. The opsix also features the same endlessly-fun randomisation tool as its sibling Wavestate. This allows users to fully or partially randomise both the sound engine and sequencer in order to inspire new patches or patterns. Given the complexity and range of the synth engine, more often than not full randomisation results in sounds that are weird and atonal rather than musically usable. There is, however, a lot of fun and inspiration to be found when limiting the scope of the randomisation, or randomising just selected parameters, such as the…

Xxxxxxxxx TESTBENCH iZotope Neoverb A while back, software supremos iZotope acquired reverb dons Exponential Audio. We’ve since seen their tech appear in iZotope products, but no full reverb plugin – until now. Neoverb exploits what each company does best: a high-quality reverb with the best of AI assistance built in. It’s like three reverbs in one, combining the early reflections and longer tail usually present in these processors with a second tail option. Then blend between these three signals across three axes in the Blend Pad to weight the signal. There are other new approaches in Neoverb, like Auto-cut, which removes resonant frequencies; Unmasking processing; and of course, that iZotope staple, the Assistant. Blending between reverbs The Reflections reverb, represented at the top of the Blend Pad, handles early reflection…

GEAR GUIDE STANDALONE MUSIC MAKERS NI Maschine+ £1,099 Full Review: FM363 | There are some limitations, but Maschine+ delivers the core Maschine workflow in standalone form: inspiring and fun in the process. Polyend Tracker £449 Full Review: FM357 Less esoteric than it first appears, this is a well-designed sampler that’s both fun and inspiring. Worth a look whether you’re experienced with trackers or not. Roland MC-707 $999 Review: FM349 It lags behind some rivals on the sampling front, but on the whole the 707 is a powerful and well-designed groovebox. A welcome return for the company’s MC line. Akai MPC Live II £1,040 Full Review: FM358 A truly go-anywhere production experience – and now better equipped than ever. The Live II remains the high point of the current MPC range.…

FILTER What do Apple’s M1 Macs mean for music-makers? The latest releases from the Californian titans are the first to use Apple’s new self-produced chips. How does that affect musicians? Major product announcements from Apple tend to generate a full spectrum of responses, from rabid fandom excitement to angry dismissals (we can practically feel the eye-rolls from PC users wondering why we’re devoting column inches to this). But however you feel about the brand, Mac and iOS hardware, as well as Logic and GarageBand, remain popular choices for creatives, and significant updates to their ecosystem can have major repercussions for musicians and production gear. Apple’s latest batch of Mac updates are particularly significant, since they’re the first to use Apple’s new self-produced silicon M1 chip, as opposed to third-party chips…

ALBUM REVIEWS TM404 Syra Kontra-Musik © Elin Franzen Analogue innovator Andreas Tilliander’s fascinating strain of electronic music stretches from minimal techno to drone and on to experimental electronica. Having released music under a number of aliases and for benchmark labels like Raster-Noton, Mille Plateaux and Kontra-Musik, the Swedish producer boasts an impressive catalogue of output. His TM404 project has been evolving since its inaugural record in 2013. Now, reaching its third album, the TM404 sound has found a tougher, more dancefloor-focused edge than before. Syra, acid in Swedish, lives up to its name. There is a slow-burning intensity to the record, right from the start, injecting tension and dream-like dread and anxiety. Creeping, space-filled techno builds, working its way through coiled mechanics, stripped-back but sharp rhythms and rising drums. The…

STUDIO ESSENTIALS 2020’s essential studio hardware SSL 2/2+ It can be hard to get excited about budget audio interfaces. There are a lot of basic variations on the 2-in, 2-out formula, and while many of them are high quality and offer great value, it’s not an area of the market known for delivering ‘wow factor’. Given their pedigree though, Solid State Logic entering the ring was always going to turn heads. This pair of simple interfaces promise to bring the lauded ‘SSL sound’ to entry-level users, and they punch well above their price point sonically. The specs are fairly standard for this price point, but the build quality is high and they look smart, with a slick design to match the pro sound. While SSL are not the first to…

Morphing from a disco tom to a ghost-y swoop 1 Here, we are going to create a disco tom sound that transforms via the Mod Wheel into a ghost-like sound effect. We’re only going to use the first oscillator here, set to the lowest octave and the Triangle waveform selected. 2 Since we’re going for a percussive sound, we don’t want to overdrive the filter too much. Set the level of Oscillator 1 at just above the halfway mark. This way we’ll be sure to preserve the cleanliness of the signal. 3 We’re leaving the filters wide open – Cutoff is near 20kHz, and we’ve set a touch of resonance to each side of the filters, which are set to Stereo LP/LP mode. Spacing is at a minimum so both…

A closer look at the Matriarch Taking a closer look at the Matriarch’s front panel reveals a synth that could make its home equally among the fixed-architecture world or the deep, deep dive of Eurorack gear. The Matriarch’s signal path is ripe with patch points, while still being quite easy to follow. To the right of the Oscillator panel is the Mixer module, where all four oscillators have level controls that overdrive the filter circuit past 60% – a lovely touch which allows the Matriarch to achieve a variety of both clean and more saturated tones. There is also a separate noise source, which can be controlled via its own level knob; this makes programming percussion sounds a breeze. One of the Matriarch’s strengths is the ergonomics of its layout…

ROUND-UP SYNTHS UNDER £50 Cheap and cheerful or cacky and dismaying? Are these full-version plugins up to the job? AudioThing miniBit €20 An excellent resource for chiptune sounds, miniBit offers up (appropriately) a single oscillator from a choice of 18, with the ability to construct new oscillators in the Editor (eight slots are available). The oscillator’s control set gives you tuning, finetuning and volume, and you can dial in a sub oscillator at a level of your choosing. Those 18 sound sources alone should put you in mind of your favourite classic console as soon as you crank down the downsample and Bits knobs, and there’s basic envelope and LFO controls to get things moving. miniBit’s filter is another simple affair with cutoff and resonance dials, plus a high-pass/low-pass switch.…

Module Roundup | Reviews Herbs & Stones Liquid Foam £369 The Liquid Foam is likely to be a slightly alien device to many, especially those whose familiarity with electronic instruments lies in the Eurorack territories. Some of the terminology might sit easily but you really need to have had a run in with other banana instruments to get this thing at first glance. So what is it? While technically it’s a semi-modular monosynth, I would suggest looking at it more like a groovebox and even that isn’t quite right. After spending quite some time exploring it and learning how to get the most out of it I would say it’s an inspiration machine. It has the ability to generate all manner of sounds with menial tweaking. But back to basics:…

SOUNDS & SAMPLES In Session Audio – Guitar Swell $140 They must be very busy at In Session Audio HQ, as it wasn’t that long since we looked at their last product Drumatic Creator. This time they’ve taken a break from drum and sequence-oriented instruments to focus on ambient style guitars, in the shape of Guitar Swell. Once again, this is a Kontakt-based instrument that works with the free Kontakt Player plugin. Guitar swells – where a guitarist uses a pedal (or the guitar volume knob) to raise the volume after the strings have been played – is a staple technique in the guitarist armoury. It’s particularly effective combined with reverb or delay, and lets you create pad-like tones that work well as an alternative, or partner, to synth pads.…