Table of contents for 08-2020 in Beat English

Delay and modulation giant D16 Sigmund If you like characterful echo effects and spacy delay experiments, Sigmund is a joy to work with! Our full version by d16 is much more than a delay effect: The plug-in is a real secret weapon for delay and modulation effects of any kind. But the remarkably flexible creative tool is also equipped for exciting filter and distortion effects and complex modulations. Plenty of reasons to ask Sigmund to get on the couch! www.d16.pl | get your license: www.serialcenter.de win | mac 2,5 GB sound gems Best Service Engine Artists Library Best Service invites Beat readers to a journey into a manifold sound cosmos. The 2,5 GB pack contains selected sounds from 16 packs, ready to play for the flexible player and multi-sampler Engine…

Again and again, we receive your reader e-mails with the wish for introductory reading for prospective musicians and producers with a home studio. With our free Studio Starter, this wish has finally come true and this is a permanent solution, because you will find the guide as a download with every Beat issue in the future. The e-book starts gently with an explanation of plug-ins and their components, illustrates basic information about microphones, audio interfaces and mixers and answers questions such as „What is a DAW?“ or „Where are plug-ins installed?“, before continuing at a decent pace, for example with a double page on the topic of synthesizers and their sound generation methods, explaining how a sound is created. Helpful tips for beginners and advanced users But even advanced users…

Right from the start, my goal was to build the cleanest room-producer-studio I can imagine – a studio in which I simply feel comfortable and in which I can fully devote myself to music production. In addition, everything should be easily accessible and suitable for an effective workflow and must be perfectly arranged and optimized. But one thing at a time: first of all, I‘d like to answer the question of how you get the idea to build a studio like that. Very simple: music is my life! I‘ve been playing drums since I was 5 years old. I actively spent about five years non-stop mostly as a solo artist on all kinds of stages in clubs and at events. At some point, I came across FL Studio by chance.…

Beat / Klavier is based on a fairly simple premise: Recording an entire album with just one instrument. What sparked the idea? Jas/ We initially went into the studio in Cologne with a plan to record some synths. When we saw the Disklavier, we abandoned the plan. Beat / The Disklavier is essentially a traditional grand piano which can also be played like an ePiano. It wasn’t built with electronic music production in mind. It could have gone wrong. Jas/ It was a risky thing to do. Especially since we really didn’t know each other at al. But by the end of the the weekend we were good friends and had some recordings that neither of us had expected to make. Bas / Yeah, and once we got the piano…

1The effect channel First, add an instrument track to your project and load the Digi Pluck preset in HALion Sonic SE. Use it to record a short chord for the duration of a 16th note. After that, right-click the track in the mixer and select Add Track > FX channel to selected channels… for a stereo effect channel. 2 Diffuse reverb effect We start with a bright and spacious reverb. For this, load RoomWorks SE into the first insert slot of the effect channel. Increase the reverb time to 5 seconds and the diffusion to 80% to create a long and diffuse reverb. The high frequencies of the reverb tail should decay longer. Set the High Level to 150% for this. 3 Movement with AutoPan 4 Delay effect To add…

1 Manual shortcut Of course, you can easily define your own shortcuts in FL Studio. However, there is one shortcut that every user should know: F1 opens the user manual. The special feature is that depending on what you click on, the corresponding part of the manual is loaded immediately. This is especially useful when you need information on certain topics quickly. 2 Templates One of the best ways to optimize your workflow is to create templates. If your approach is the same for every session, create a new session where you set everything up exactly the way it works best for you. Now save this session in the FL Studio Templates folder. Now you can use your template at any time for new projects. 3 Browser zoom You can…

1 Copyright A note first: You can browse through any song for vocals and experiment with them to your heart‘s content. But as soon as you offer a work with vocals - whether alienated or not - as a download or copy it for download, please remember to get the appropriate permission from the artist, label or distributor before. Otherwise legal disputes are inevitable. 2 Recording Let‘s go: For our workshop we sampled an excerpt from a current song by J.Lo. To get a usable loop from it, we are looking for the bar start before the vocals set in. As usual, it starts with a kick. Right before the kick, we cut the recording and delete the previous part and do the same at the end of the part…

Beat / Can you explain the concept of Quad? Rob/ Originally, it was created for Reason only as a Rack Extension. The Reason Rack Extension is like a virtual 19” rack synthesizer, so the amount of space available is limited. Feature-wise it has many limitations compared to the well-known VST/AU/AAX format. Having said that, it has unique features like the back panel. This behaves like a real rack synthesizer and you can connect CV and GATE to other Rack Extension tools and visa versa. Also, integration with Reason’s ‘undo’ feature means that this Rack Extension is still very popular among Reason Studio users. It was time to create a dedicated Reason synthesizer and Quad was the first one. Later on we also created Vecto. So with these Rack Extension limitations…

1 Mono signal If only a pure mono signal can be heard, this is represented in the goniometer of the Flux Stereo Tool by an accurate vertical line with a constant level. The correlation meter which provides information about the phase relationship of the left and right channels, shows the value +1 here, because the signal of both channels is identical. 2 Mono signal left/right If a mono signal is completely rotated to the left in the panorama, the graphic shown above is created. If the signal is rotated to the right, the position of the signal changes and shows a diagonal line to the right. However, this has no effect on the correlation value, neither left nor right. It remains unaffected at the value +1. 3 Inverted mono signal…

There’s hardly a studio left that doesn’t have at least one KeyStep, because Arturia‘s small keyboard with sequencer and CV/Gate connection for Eurorack & Co. is just too practical. So it was only a matter of time until Arturia added a bigger pro version with additional features. BeatStep Pro with Keys The KeyStep Pro is essentially an extended BeatStep Pro with a keyboard. The keyboard is the same as the one on the KeyStep, but with 37 instead of 32 keys. The slim keys are among the best-performing mini-keys on the market, touch sensitivity and aftertouch are very well implemented. There are new LEDs above each key for visual feedback, and there are two touch strips for modulation and pitch bending. The number of controls has been increased to five…

1 Installation First, connect Model 12 to your computer via USB and install the appropriate drivers. Set the Input Mode switch for channels 1 and 2 to the center position (PC), these two channels are used to play back the master channel of your DAW. After that, connect headphones or monitor speakers to the Model 12 output to hear the audio signal. 2 Controller Mode For DAW remote control, Model 12 must be set to the appropriate mode. Press the Menu button and scroll down with the Multi Jog encoder until DAW CONTROLLER appears. Press the push encoder to enter the selection menu. Choose the protocol that suits your DAW. In our case, that‘s MACKIE - Live. 3 Live integration Press the encoder again and confirm the selection of the…

But let‘s start at the beginning of our signal chain: many guitarists use so-called „pedal mines“, small effect pedals that can be operated with the foot. In order to keep all options open for the later mix, the guitar signal is often tapped before the effects using a DI box with parallel outputs. The signal from the unbalanced output goes the typical routing into the musician’s effects, while its balanced (and clean) signal is fed into the DAW. The resulting recording can then be processed later with an amp simulator or fed back out of the DAW to an amplifier and miked again (re-amping). The advantage is obvious: even if the material has already been perfectly recorded and edited, the sound can still be adapted to the mix at your…

1 Quiet Listening A signal that is too loud causes an unpleasant feeling or even damage to the hearing, and not just in large studios. Headphones, in particular, invite users to listen too loud. Make sure to work at low levels. Another advantage to quiet monitoring is that it allows you to find out which tracks are too loud or too quiet. 2 Reference Systems Creating a mix on headphones alone is not recommended; however, you do not need an expensive speaker setup. If you create a mix on headphones, you should use reference systems that you know well and use often. The system in your car, a Bluetooth box, or even a kitchen radio can be helpful here. 3 Crossfeed Plug-ins Headphones provide a different stereo impression than speakers.…

Hardly any artist has such an impressive vita as Christoph Höffel, who comes from the Rhineland and is better known to most as Kris Menace. The producer‘s big breakthrough came with his hit “Discopolis”, which not only became the celebrated Ibiza anthem for years, but entered the charts worldwide and put Kris Menace on the map of the most sought-after producers and remixers. This was followed by official remixes for Depeche Mode, LCD Soundsystem, AIR, Røyksopp, Metronomy, Moby, Kylie Minogue, Lana Del Rey, Underworld, Roisin Murphy and Tracey Thorn and gigs around the globe. Own productions released on countless singles and several award-winning albums followed and paved the way for one of the most sensational stories of a producer and DJ from Germany. Collaborations with Miss Kittin, Romanthony (Daft Punk),…

1 More chords In many electronic music styles, a track is pushed forward by punchy chords. In Psytrance, however, pad sounds make the dancers float, while the rest of the arrangement in contrast, provides the necessary momentum. From the clip with the combinations we found last time (see workshop data), we grab four of them which fit well together as a basis. 2 Pad pattern Listen to the combos playing a pad sound while the original arpeggio is playing, if necessary with the filter closed and without a pitch change. This will make the effect more obvious in context. The chords do not necessarily have to consist of three notes. We find the note combinations C+G, C+F, C+G# and C+D# appealing, which we let play for two bars each. 3…

1Installing new sounds Logic Pro X comes with a first-class collection of sounds, loops and effects. For the synthesizer Alchemy alone, there is a sound library with over 14 GB. So it‘s worth calling up the Sound Library Manager (Logic Pro X - Sound Library) to look for uninstalled content and loading it as desired. It costs you nothing and can really boost your creativity. 2 Outsourcing the library At the latest when the system disk is full to the brim, it is time to outsource the sound library. This practical option is available from version 10.4.2 and is easy to handle: Click on Logic Pro X - Sound Library - New location for sound library and select the external storage medium. Depending on the configuration, over 50 GB will…

The photorealistic interface of the latest Arturia plug-in promises a meticulous software replication of the legendary Oberheim OB-Xa. But does the emulation also convince in terms of sound? Who doesn’t know the legendary Oberheim OB-Xa – a synthesizer which wrote music history in songs by Queen, Prince, The Police, Billy Idol and especially in Van Halen‘s „Jump“? While the hardware model was offered in four, six and eight-part versions, Arturia‘s emulation can be played with a polyphony of up to 16 voices. The plug-in replicates the synthesis architecture in detail. Back to the 80s! The two oscillators of OB-Xa V offer sawtooth and square waveforms, which can also be activated simultaneously. Alternatively, the triangular waveform can be selected in the software. Oscillator synchronization delivers the classic cutting sounds, while cross…

1 Analog power With a wide range of multi-faceted synth sounds, The Analogon is an excellent choice to enhance electronic productions of any kind. As our following workshop shows, the Zampler expansion can almost single-handedly provide the sound foundation of complete tracks. For our melodic techno track, we choose a tempo of danceable 127 BPM. 2 Build the groove For club tracks, it’s a tried and tested strategy to start with the groove. To do this, we use drums and loops from the K-Size Engine Edition [1], the Loopcloud [2] and Native Instruments’ Machine Library [3]. The bass drum plays on every quarter note and the snare on every second. A driving Hi-Hat-Loop provides the desired drive. 3 Bassline A clap sound is used to support this, which emphasizes every…

A few years ago, Sequential released the extremely popular Pro 2; however, the somewhat quirky sound of the digital oscillators couldn’t convince everyone. Additionally, an audio input and built-in multi-effects were on many users’ wish lists. That’s when Dave Smith stepped in and, after listening to users, drew on the full potential of modern technology and developed the Pro 3. In addition to a digital wavetable oscillator, the Pro 3 also has two analog oscillators. The Pro 3 also has three filters. One filter is based on the Prophet-6 filter, and there are replicas of the Moog Ladder and the Oberheim OB-6 multimode filter. An audio input and a dual multi-effects processor round out the concept. The Pro 3 is also available in two different versions – the Standard version…

Vermona meloDICER According to the manufacturer, the meloDICER is „the vision of a sequencer with a perfect balance between stochastic and deterministic generation of rhythm and melody“. Phew, that sounds like a mighty hard nut to crack, but we can already reveal one thing: It only sounds difficult on paper, because in the real, musical world the module is quickly understood and easy to use. The meloDICER generates patterns with up to 16 steps and you can create either a new melody or rhythm. The pattern length can be varied freely, and twelve faders provide give access to the probability with which the notes from C to B are featured in the pattern. The octave range can be changed at any time, as can note length, rhythm, chances of legato…

1 Faster beat selection Use the Drum Loop Selector to program different drum rhythms instead of clips. Select a pad of your Push controller and record a beat you find appealing. Select the next pad and program another beat, and so on. Switch between pads during your performance or select several in a row. 2 More movement You can vary the character of your beat by changing decay times. In the Drum Rack, map the decay of both the closed hi-hat and the open hi-hat to a macro control. Now move the two macros over the continuous encoders of Push knobs while the beat is playing. The longer you set the decay time, the more drive you get from the beat. 3 More Groove With different accents, you can shift…

Feature: Synth Secrets IIn our huge Synth Secrets special, the Beat editors dive deep into their work and reveal well-kept secrets for synthesizers and instruments from their everyday studio life. Breathe new life into your productions and get the most out of your soft- and hardware instruments as well as effects, tools and DAWs, with individual tips and knowledge for your gear. Furthermore we‘ll explain how you can create your very own signature sound, even using sample libraries. So switch on your machines and make some noise! Test: Roland Jupiter Xm The compact digital synthesizer Jupiter-Xm wants to provide its users with a fully equipped virtual-analog studio with faithful reproductions of vintage classics like Jupiter-8, Juno-106, JX-8P and SH-101 and drum machines like TR-808, TR-909 and CR-78. It also features…

1. Avoid External Distraction When recording, consciously decide to put your full focus on the music by directing your attention only to the project. External distractions do not only disturb the recording, but also wear on your nerves. Therefore, it is important to eliminate as many sources of interference as possible. Close the windows. Check whether technical devices such as printers, televisions or lamps make any noise and switch them off, if necessary. Set your smart phone to flight mode to avoid being pulled out of the flow by calls or messages from social media. Create a musical atmosphere by placing only production-relevant items on the table. With this decision, the focus is maintained during recording and your flow cannot be disturbed by external distractions. 2. Every Result is Better…

1 Stereo delay Multi-layered multi-effects are a piece of cake for d16 Sigmund. To try this out, load the audio file „DIVA-Sequence“ into your DAW and load Sigmund as an insert effect. Activate the tempo sync option for the first delay line and deactivate join channels. Select the dot mode to set the delay times to dotted note values for both stereo channels. 2 Second Delay Line Set the delay times and the feedback as shown. After that, we activate the high pass filter and reduce its cutoff frequency to about 200 Hz. How about a filtered repetition? Just increase the level of the second delay line and click on the number 2. Now, we synchronize the two time values to the host tempo. 3 Filter Modulation We set a…

1 Two layers While synthetically generated kicks usually sound more lively thanks, they often turn out unpleasantly massive and raw, in a negative sense. To create powerful, but also mix-friendly kicks, we divide them into two parts: One for the attack and the other for bass-heavy sustain and release. First, create a new track and load Ableton‘s Wavetable synth. 2 Basics Transpose the sound 48 semitones down and set the amp envelope‘s sustain to 0 and decay to around 300 ms. As a basis for the sound, we use the waveform Sweep 2 from the Filter category, alternatively the Triangle of the Basic Shapes does the trick. The snappy attack is quickly created: Connect Env 2 and Env 3 with Pitch. 3 Sweet Spot For now, an intensity of 50…

1TubeSynth To create our endless bass line, we first load the TubeSynth on Track 01, select the Dyno Pluck preset and give it more power: Set OSC 2 and the SUB OSC in the MIXER to full throttle, OSC 1 to 2 o‘clock and RING MOD to zero. In addition, we set CUTOFF to 11 o‘clock, RESO to zero and SATURATION to 68%, as well as ENV to 58%. 2 First Pattern This makes the bass sound much richer and more powerful. As a basic sequence, we play a simple eighth pattern on D#3 (pad 16 in bank D) and set the LENGTH of the track to 4 beats and the SEQUENCE to 16 BARS. To make the pattern more exciting, we use unusual methods: We connect a MIDI output…

Vienna Symphonic Library Synchron-ized Special Keyboards Are you looking for keyboard instruments that are more historical, academic or even avant-garde? With the „Synchron-ized Special Keyboards“ library, the Vienna-based specialists VSL offer a convincing library for this sonic wish. The 5.4 GB sample collection consists of three instruments based on the VSL Synchron Player. The Prepared Piano à la John Cage presents many unusual effect sounds made with a Bösendorfer concert grand. The keys for switching the articulation are located in the four-striped octave, so it’s best to use an 88-key controller. The harpsichord does not sound as wiry as feared, but actually has a pleasantly balanced sound, so it can also work in pop music arrangements. The harmonium sounds a little bit different than what you’d expect from one found…

Long developed, even longer awaited: Finally, Toontrack released the virtual bassist EZBass. At first glance, there are conceptual similarities with the established virtual players EZDrummer and EZKeys, which have found many fans. But you don’t have to know or own both software products to be happy with Toontrack EZBass. To create synth basslines, you can use an arpeggiator or step sequencer. However, if you want to imitate a capable electric bassist in your DAW, things get really serious. Professional help is desired - a clear case for EZBass! All about the bass The software features two electric basses: EZBass Modern sounds audibly different and more “in your face” than the vintage version. You don’t have to stick with the unprocessed „Clean DI“ sound, as the player offers a good dozen…

SubsonicArtz Norse Myths for Diva There are several soundsets for the virtual analog powerhouse u-he DIVA on the market. Apparently, everything is available in sufficient quantity and in best quality, right? Not quite, because there are some hidden gems to find. Among the commercial preset packs for Urs Heckmann‘s synthesizer classic, the set „Morse Myths“ is currently one to swoon over. The product includes 151 patches for DIVA from version 1.4.3. This Nordic mythology is practically a homage to composers like Olafur Arnalds or Nils Frahm. While the arpeggio and rhythm sounds are rather average, the pads and soundscapes let you discover many fine sonic facets of DIVA. Some of the few basslines provide instant inspiration. Apart from that, the sounds are meant to be played emotionally on the keyboard.…

Eleven years have passed since the renowned Swedish manufacturer Clavia launched the Nord Wave. The combination of virtual-analog synthesis, sample player, FM synthesis and wavetables with a stage-ready keyboard and direct operation made a lot of friends, but also reaped some criticism. Many users wanted an arpeggiator and layering capability. Its successor, Nord Wave 2, has been improved in many respects. Compact and Solid The metal case is painted in well-known Nord red. Despite its solid build, the Nord Wave 2 is still relatively compact and weighs less than 10 kg. That makes it easy to transport. The 61-key waterfall keyboard allows for very nuanced and precise touch dynamics and aftertouch. The weighting of the keys feels good and offers a very nice compromise between playing synth/organ sounds and pianos.…

POP, ACOUSTIC, ROCK, METAL CHORDS, RIFFS & SOLOS WITH PLUG-INS Hardly any other instrument is as versatile and expressive as the guitar. Its spectrum ranges from shimmering arpeggios and funky rhythms, to hard rocking riffs and screeching solos. Acoustic or electric guitars and basses can take on a rhythmic, as well as a solo function, and can enrich not only rock and pop, but also R&B, hip-hop or modern club music with expressive sounds. In order to emulate these stringed instruments with all their tonal facets and playing techniques convincingly, not only are the right tools required, but also a little background knowledge. Sample Libraries Most virtual instruments rely on samples to recreate the sound of a guitar or bass in great detail. All playing styles are recorded individually. Switching…

1 Overlapping lows To prevent the low frequencies of two songs from overlapping, it is advisable to leave the bass audible on the current track only until the bass kicks in on the next song. The bass reduction is preferably done with an equalizer, alternatively it is also possible with a high pass filter, so that the ending song continues to play, but without its low frequencies. 2 Sweeping You can also use the filter to create rhythmic movement. Some DJ software offers the option to automate the cut-off frequency of the filter synchronously with the beat using different note quantizations. If the rhythmic sweeping of the filter is not possible via software, this can also be done manually with the filter controller. 3 Filtering without mids If the equalizer…