10GB+ ON THE TEST BENCHl

Akai mPC Live &

EXCLUSIVE VIDEOl

HeIST ON
samples, VIDeO, Korg Gadget for mac THE PRODUCTION
auDIO & more! PLUS Nord Piano 3, Delay Pedal Group Test & LoAdS more! OF PILLAGer

Issue 318
Making the future since 1992

RETRO PRODUC
GUIDE TO TEHRES

SYNTH
aRTuRIa
DRumBRuTe

SOUNDTRACKS
From Blade runner to Stranger Things
How to capture that cinematic magic! REVEALED!
All the essential info on
the hottest new gear!
Novation Peak & Circuit Mono Station,
Waldorf Quantum, Arturia Keylab
Essentials, Nord Stage 3 & more!

IN THE STUDIO

BOLA
SURVIVE
HAUSCHKA
Future Publishing Ltd.
Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA
Tel: 01225 442244 Fax: 01225 822793
FM | WELCOME
Email: futuremusic@futurenet.com
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Art Editor
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Production Editor
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BIG THANKS TO
Tim Cant, Roy Spencer, Bruce Aisher, Dan JD73 Goldman,
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Joby Sessions, Simon Lees, Mark Gyver, Robbie Stamp,
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Cinematic synths
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For many listeners in the 70s and 80s, the first taste of
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synthesizer music didnt come from an LP or the radio
LICENSING but via the soundtrack to some gritty horror film or sci-fi
screen spectacle. It would be hard to overstate the role
Senior Licensing & Syndication Manager:
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soundtrack composers have had in the development of

Tel: +44 (0)1225 442244
MANAGEMENT
Managing Director, Magazines Division: Aaron Asadi
Art & Design Director: Ross Andrews electronic music; from the early innovations of the BBC
Music Group Editor-In-Chief: Daniel Griffiths
Radiophonic Workshop and Vangelis work on Blade
Runner and Chariots Of Fire, through Wendy Carlos
classical-inspired work for Stanley Kubrick, to John
Carpenters droning horror soundscapes, the influence of
Hollywoods synth pioneers can still be heard throughout
the electronic music landscape today.
2017 seems like a perfect time to celebrate these
soundtrack innovators, with (this issues featured artists)
SURVIVE paying homage through their Stranger Things
soundtrack and a new Blade Runner film just over the
horizon. So, in this months cover tutorials, were diving
All contents copyright 2017 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. into the sound design and production approaches behind
these iconic sounds. Head to page 28 now to get to work
No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or used in any way without the prior written
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Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered
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publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future
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5
FM | CONTENTS

40
IN THE STUDIO WITH: SURVIVE
The four-man synth group and the
chaps behind the Stranger Things
soundtrack show off their enviable
gear collection and tell us how
they get the best out of it all

6
 This Issue | Contents

96 98
90 88
62
INTErvIEW: Hauschka
The experimental composer has turned
the piano into his own audio playground

rEvIEWS 70
In-depth tests of all
the latest gear
80 Akai MPC Live
84 Apogee
Element 46
88 Audio-Technica
ATM230
INCLUDES AUDIOl
TECHNIQUE
90 Korg Gadget Essential production
for Mac advice and ideas
94 Round-Up:
Reverb Plugins 28
80
INCLUDES VIDEOl
96 Akai LP Wireless Retro Synth
Controllers
Soundtracks
98 Group Test: Cinematic synth action
Delay Pedals rEvIEW: Akai MPC Live
100 Nord Piano 3 The latest MPC packs a built-in processor
and battery. How does it cope in the wild? 57
INCLUDES VIDEOl
102 Sounds & Samples Producers Guide
84 100 Get to grips with
Arturias DrumBrute

70
INCLUDES VIDEOl

Modular Monthly
Exploring Bastls
Eurorack range

7
FM | ONliNE VaulT
On the
FM Vault
vault.futuremusic.co.uk
Future Music has outgrown its covermount DVD!
We wanted to bring you more samples, sounds
and high-quality video than ever before, so were
putting it up online for you to download. Simply
head to the FM Vault at the link above, login/
register, then hit add a magazine to register this
issue and get all the video, audio and samples.

Sample packS VIDeO & aUDIO

Exclusive new sounds with every issue Hear the gear first with our demos
grOOvE CrImINAlS prESENT ON vIDEO AUDIO DEmOS
> Retro Synth Soundtracks > Korg Gadget for Mac
Toy Noisemakers > Modular Monthly:
Bastl modules

516 hits, loops and melodies > The Track: Heist

> Producers Guide To
sourced from cheap-and- The Arturia DrumBrute
cheerful home keyboards, starter
synths and toy beat-makers.
CyClICK SAmplES prESENT

House & Techno Stabs

212 ready-to-drop keyboard
hits and synth stabs, with
added delay and reverb to inject
instant character to your club beats.

PLUS 50
ACCESS THE FM SaMPlE aRCHiVE! INCLUDES VIDEOl
Download the Sample Archive packs and get over 8GB of loops, hits and
instruments from our back catalogue of high-quality and royalty-free samples.
THE TrACK: Heist, Pillager. The drum &
From vintage synths and beats to esoteric sounds and FX think of it as our bass producer breaks down the creation
best of. All the samples you need to create great music! of his jump-up club track

8
 This Issue | Contents

28
FEATUrE: Retro Synth Soundtracks
Get vintage cinematic synth techniques
fit for life on the silver screen with our
all-star soundtrack workout

72
INTErvIEW: Bola
After a ten year absence, long-time Skam
Records man Darrell Fitton returns to the
music industry with a bold new album

15 12
16 18 16 Find us online at
www.futuremusic.co.uk

Watch our videos

www.youtube.com/
futuremusicmagazine
FEATUrES
40 FIlTEr
In The
Studio With:
Expert tips, techniques SURVIVE All the latest gear from
and tutorials around the world
57 Producers Guide
18 Classic Album: 12 Novation Peak & Follow us on Twitter
Ferry Corsten, L.E.F. 62 In The Studio With: Circuit Mono Station @futuremusicmag
Hauschka
25 Album Reviews 14 Waldorf Quantum
70 Modular Monthly
28 Feature: Retro 15 Arturia Keylab
Synth Soundtracks 72 Interview: Bola Essential controllers
104 Advice 15 Nord Stage 3
Join us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/
106 Gear Guide 22 Subscribe to FM futuremusicmagazine

9
Contents | This Issue

BONUS SAmplES
See this months selection of free demos at vault.futuremusic.co.uk

01

01 02
03 04

05 06
www.loopmasters.com
01 Niche Audio Ambient Cinematics
02 Loopmasters Pres. Infinity Down Tempo & Ambient
03 Dubmatix Pres. Dope Dubs
04 Cinetools Presents Climax Whooshes, Pass Bys and Fly Bys
05 Loopmasters Artist Series 161 Styline Power House
06 Soul Rush Records Grime & Bassline Massive Presets
07 TD Audio Hard Trap
08 Tropics Presents Retro Electronic

07 08
02

https://splice.com
01 Splice Sounds Dark Melodic Techno
02 Splice Sounds Sounds of KSHMR Vol.2

10
FM | FILTER

highlights
14 Waldorf Quantum 15 Arturia Keylab 17 Talking Shop: Tom 18 Classic Album:
Essentials Adams Ferry Corsten, L.E.F

12

Novation up their
analogue game
The UK brand unleash a pair of innovative-looking
synths with analogue innards and CV-compatibility
Y
ou wouldnt necessarily
associate the word Analogue
with Novation. Aside from
2013s excellent Bass
Station MkII, the vast majority of
products the UK brand has released
over the past two decades have been
thoroughly digitally minded, from
their Nova modelling synth engines
to their Launch series controllers.
Thats about to change, though,
with the launch of two new products
that sit firmly within the analogue
hardware realm Circuit Mono
Station and Peak both of which
feature largely analogue sound
engines and CV/gate compatibility.
Its not a complete design U-turn,
however, as each keeps one foot
within the modern digital world, with
The Future Of Music | Filter
sound and sequencing tricks
borrowed from Novations other
product lines.
Peak is an eight-voice desktop
polysynth module. Its sound engine is
based around three New Oxford
Oscillators which come courtesy of
design consultant Chris Huggett, the
synth design stalwart behind Wasp
and OSCar, as well as a number of
Novations own classics including the
SuperNova and Bass Station. These
are numerically controlled oscillators,
which combine analogue-style
operation with 17 digital wavetables
and linear FM capabilities.
Peak builds on this digital sound
source with an analogue signal chain,
featuring a multimode resonant filter
for each voice along with a trio of
distortion points pre-filter, post-filter
and global. Beyond this the synth packs
a 16-slot modulation matrix, including
three ADSR envelopes and two LFOs
for each voice. Peak can receive
polyphonic aftertouch too, and also
features two animate buttons,
designed for one-touch transformation
of patches. At the end of the chain
there are reverb, delay and chorus
onboard, along with an arpeggiator.
Open Circuit
Circuit Mono Station is derived from
Novations excellent and approachable
groovebox Circuit. Mono Station
swaps out the digital synths and
sample section of its predecessor in
favour of a paraphonic analogue
engine based on the Bass Station.
The synth offers two oscillators, each
with Square, Saw, Triangle and
Sample + Hold modes, plus sync,
ring mod, a sub oscillator and noise.
Beyond this are a multimode filter,
envelope section and overdrive.
The Mono Station features three
sequencer channels based around
those of the original Circuit. Since its
synth is paraphonic, two of these can
be used to sequence its oscillators
separately, while the third can be
used as a modulation source. Mono
Station also packs a four-by-eight
actual modulation matrix, which can
be used to route the multimode LFO,
envelope, sequencer or velocity to a
variety of synth parameters.
Both Peak and Mono Station are
MIDI- and CV- compatible. The former
packs MIDI in and out ports plus a CV
modulation input, while the latter has
MIDI I/O and a CV/gate output,
allowing its sequencers to control
external hardware. Both also feature
USB connections, allowing DAW sync
and patch storage/upload via
Novations Components application.
At the time of writing, theres no
official word on prices or release
dates for either.
13
Filter | The Future Of Music

Waldorf unleash Quantum

This years Frankfurt Musikmesse
was fairly thin on the ground when
it came to exciting gear
announcements, but one pleasant
surprise did come in the form of
Quantum, a mammoth new hybrid
synth from German outfit Waldorf.
Quantum is an eight-voice
hybrid digital/analogue polysynth with
three oscillators per voice. Each
oscillator can use one of four sound
engines, which offer wavetable and
granular sound both of which can
sample from a built-in audio input
along with resonant filter and
classic analogue sources. Beyond
this there are dual-analogue filters
per voice, along with a Digital
Former section offering multiple
digital filters and effects. A Complex
Modulation section, meanwhile,
provides a variety of routable
envelopes and LFOs.
Theres also a global effects
section with three effects slots that
can be filled with an ever-expanding
range of processor types. Quantum is
dual-timbral, and can function in
split or layered modes, with each
sound routed through separate
effects. Around the back it features
stereo analogue inputs and outputs, a
CV-capable control input, MIDI I/O, a
USB port and more.
Quantum is still in development,
but Waldorf expect it to drop in
Q4 of 2017. Theres no official
projected price yet, but its creators
say not to expect a price point below
the 3000 Euro mark.

Soundcraft Notepads
combine analogue mixing
with Lexicon DSP
Once you start taking things out of
the box, you might quickly set your
sights on a compact analogue mixer
for your desktop, and Harman
Professional Solutions has just
announced three of the things with
Soundcraft branding. Whats more,
two of them feature Lexicon DSP.
The models in question are the
Notepad-5, Notepad-8FX and
Notepad-12FX, which offer XLR
combo jacks for mic and line inputs
and 1/4-inch balanced inputs for
keyboards and other devices. Theres
USB connectivity for integration with
your DAW, and the two larger models
offer Lexicon reverbs, chorus, and
delay with tap tempo control.
There's an EQ for each channel
and an Aux/FX send facility. The
master fader has LED metering and
you can monitor the master mix or
aux output levels on headphones.
Look out for the Notepad-5
($124), Notepad-8FX ($161) and
Notepad-12FX ($199) in July.

14
 The Future Of Music | Filter

Arturia offer up
the Essentials
The French company have unveiled
two affordable additions to their
KeyLab range. The 49- and 61-note
KeyLab Essential come with a healthy
bundle of software.
Both models have velocity-
sensitive keyboards and pitchbend/
modulation wheels, as well as eight
RGB backlit performance pads, nine
faders and nine rotaries. Theres a
DAW Command Centre and
transport section, and you can
commit one set of DAW mappings to
memory for easy recall.
You can also store one set of

Tiptop Audio assignments for controlling the

Analog Lab 2 software that comes

get Folding
in the box. This contains more
than 5000 keyboard sounds lifted
from Arturias back catalogue of
US brand Tiptop Audio virtual instruments. Other bundled
have unveiled their latest software includes Ableton Live
Eurorack offering, the Fold Lite and the UVI Grand Piano being compatible with PC and Mac, 235 for the 61-key version.
Processor. Fold is a Model D. the KeyLab Essentials boards also This puts them in a higher bracket
wavefrom multiplier and Further features on the hardware work with iOS and Android devices. than some of the best affordable
sub-octave generator. It include six fully customisable user Shipping in June, the KeyLab controller keyboards, but they do
uses a classic diode circuit memories, a Chord Play mode and a Essential controllers are priced at cost significantly less than the
twin-line LCD screen. As well as 189 for the 49-note model and standard KeyLabs.
design which introduces
extra harmonic content to
incoming waveforms by
folding the signal.
According to Tiptop, Fold
will create new, complex
waves from classic saw,
square or triangle input,
with a CV input allowing
animation of the folding
process. An Inject control,
meanwhile, will adjust

Nord unveil the

features the synth engine from the
the bias point for further Nord Lead A1, complete with
sonic manipulation. sample playback.
Beyond this folding

section, a subdivide
generator squares the
output signal, generating
four sounds each an
octave apart, with gain
knobs for each subdivision,
plus an independent
Subdiv output.
Fold is available now,
priced at 135.
Stage 3
Nord have announced the arrival of
the Stage 3 piano, the latest step in
their continuing mission to create
the ultimate instrument for the
performing musician.
There are improvements across
the feature set, with one of the
Model 122 Vintage Rotary
most eye-catching being the
addition of OLED displays in the
Program and Synth sections.
The memory for the Nord Piano
Library has been doubled, with
polyphony being expanded to 120
voices, and the Synth section now
The Organ section now features
the Nord C2D organ engine and
Speaker, while the Nord Stage 3
Compact gets physical drawbars
(the range also includes 76-
and 88-note hammer action
versions). Improvements are
evident in the effects section,
too. Were still waiting for prices
and release dates

15
Filter | The Future Of Music
Hyve promises new levels
of hands-on expression
Hyve is a new analogue synth with an expressive touch
interface thats recently crossed the Kickstarter finish line
and is now heading into production. The synth engine is
60-voice polyphonic and can respond to pressure and
horizontal/vertical movements. Its said that even the
smallest finger wiggle can have an effect.
There are two parts to the interface: the bottom half is laid
out like a standard musical keyboard; moving vertically
enables you to sweep through octaves, while going left and
right adjusts the panning. Theres also a bottom row for
making pressure-controlled pitch bends.
Up top theres a hexagonal interface based on the harmonic
table (every adjacent note is harmonically related), and
again, notes are sensitive to pressure and horizontal position.
The Hyve will be available in a variety of configurations.
A $79 pledge will get you the bare circuit board with touch
interface, or you can pledge $149 for a Synth Maker kit that
can be built at home without the need for any soldering.
$299 gets you the Premium model, which comes with a
wooden back.
16
Tracktion Waveform
is a DAW that can
run on Raspberry Pi
Tracktion Software have released Waveform,
their new DAW, which was announced at
the 2017 NAMM Show. Waveform takes
elements of the existing Tracktion software
but promises to streamline the workflow
and offer new features.
Theres now a set of MIDI composition
tools that are designed to demystify
musical structures. The synchronised
pattern generators give you the option to
create chord progressions with matching
basslines, melodies and arpeggios,
regardless of your musical ability. The
mixing environment has also been expanded
in comparison to Tracktion, with a new
modular mixer enabling you to use
Waveform with multi-screen setups. You
can also build DSP chains and save them
as presets.
On the instrument side, theres a new
sampler/synth known as Collective, which
promises to generate a wide range of
sounds. You can choose from more than
600 presets and use either the supplied
samples or your own, with the synthesis
options giving even more flexibility.
Waveform is truly cross-platform, running
on Windows, Mac, Linux and even
Raspberry Pi 2 and 3 systems with
Ubuntu Mate 16.04. Its available now for
$99, and theres also a demo available.
Audiobus hits version 3
Audiobus has been at the forefront of iOS
music-making app integration for several
years, and now its promising to take
another step forward with version 3 of its
eponymous routing software.
This heralds the arrival of a new MIDI
routing system, which enables you to
connect your MIDI-capable music making
apps to each other and your MIDI
hardware. Audiobus 3 also introduces the
concept of the MIDI Filter app, and offers
support for Apples AU standard.
Other enhancements include a built-in
mixer, better preset management and an
improved workflow that supports
background launching of apps and split
view/slide over support.
Audiobus 3 is available on the Apple
App Store, priced at 9.99/$9.99.
 The Future Of Music | Filter

I started messing about with that, A lot of mixing is about focus,

trying to record the bands I was in at
school. Because none of us knew
how to record, I would often just
sequence all the drums, bass and
synth lines with MIDI, then overdub
vocals through the laptop mic and
guitars with an SM57 on my amp.
It was pretty lo-fi but a lot of fun!
drawing the listener's attention to the
right thing at the right time. A good
way to check this is to turn your
audio down to the point you can
barely hear it. If your mix is well
focussed, you should only be able to
just about hear the main part of your
track and nothing else.

What DAW do you use and why?
I use Logic Pro 9. I bought it in
2010 and have been using it ever
since. I chose it because it's an easy
DAW to transition to from
You dont need good gear to
make good music (but it helps).
Before I invested in some decent
microphones and preamps,
I felt like what I was recording was

TALKING SHOP GarageBand. Im not an expert on

Logic, but I've been using it long
inferior. I realise now that it's less
about a difference in sound quality,
enough to be really comfortable and more about consistency.

Tom Adams finding my way around.

Tom Adams essential

Its totally possible to get a really
incredible drum sound with a pair of
cheap microphones and a basic sound
The atmospheric artist on his studio habits production advice card. Ultimately, its not about how
well recorded something is, its about

A
coustic meets electronic
in the work of Tom Adams.
We caught up with him to
find out more about his
approach to making music, learn how
he got started, and discover his top
tips for producers and composers.
FM: How did you start making music?
I started playing piano when I was
quite young, then got into electric
guitar as a teenager.
My parents had one of the early
white Mac laptops which came with
GarageBand pre-installed on it.
Dont overcomplicate tracks
There's no right way to do it. There's
often a technically correct way, but
it doesnt always follow that it's the
best thing to do for your mix.
Mix at different volumes
trying to create some great music.
Read the full interview:
http://bit.ly/fmtstom
Talking Shop continues regularly at
www.futuremusic.co.uk

Monitors that excel at low volume precision

Great mixing at any sound level

Dedicated to the art of accuracy

Consistent non-fatiguing drivers

Still handmade in Denmark

www.dynaudio.com/professional-audio
17
 FM | CLASSIC ALBUM
Ferry Corsten
L.E.F.
Flashover Recordings, 2006
Ferry Corsten doesnt like to keep still. Like some kind of Dutch
trance shark, he has to keep moving else hell cark it. Constantly
releasing, constantly reinventing himself, hes one producer that
cant be pinned down. Case in point: His second album, L.E.F.
He says the title stands for Loud. Electronic. Ferocious.
Apt, as the energy levels throughout are through the roof. Its also
close to the word lef in his native tongue, which roughly translated,
means daring or gutsy, and boy is it that.
Words by Roy Spencer
Corsten could have made a straight-up trance album.
He could have followed the successful blueprint of his previous
bangers like Rock Your Body Rock from his debut album
Right of Way. Instead, he plundered the 80s both for vibes and
18
for vocalists, repurposing the voice of Duran Durans Simon Le Bon
for the track Fire.
It was a time when I was getting out of the whole trance thing,
says Corsten. I was getting motivated by a lot of stuff I was hearing
around me at the time in particular the whole electro clash thing
and the whole 80s electro sound.
Holed up in his attic studio, Corsten worked every hour in the
day for well over a year with this sound, crafting beats in Cubase
and tweaking his V-Synth. He was drawing on his dance music
upbringing, and started to bring a grainy, vintage touch to his
production, as well as broaden his palette with more electro and
house tinges. It had attitude. It was distorted.
L.E.F. was more than, well, trance. It was the perfect balance
between old and new. Tracks like Beautiful leaped forward in years,
while Cubikated shuddered with nostalgia for a bygone era.
Ive always been playing with that balance, says Corsten. But
for this album I really brought that sound into what I was doing at
the time: it was trance, but with sidesteps to the left and right. It was
important to challenge myself to try and do something different.
As youd expect, Ferry Corsten continues to push the envelope
today. His new high-concept sci-fi album, Blueprint, is out now. For
tour details, check his website.

Track by
track with
Ferry Corsten
Intro
This starts the album with some
Morse code. It was just me really
feeling out just how engaged the
listeners would be. I was wondering if
there would be any nutcases around
the world who would take the time
out to decode the hidden message.
What was it? Oh, it spells out
Ferry Corsten, and the name of the
album, L-E-F [laughs]. I hope
someone made the effort.
Are You Ready
This was the first track proper, and it
was put here to really open the album.
It really sets the tone of whats to
come. I imagine most of my fans
would have been expecting a trance
album. This track was a bit more
housey, with more of an electro vibe
to it, and that sound would get
explored more as you go along.
It was me saying, OK. This isnt
going to be the one thing you
expected straight away. They would
get more of my classic sound later on,
but for now I wanted to shake things
up a little. Its a diverse album. Ive
always been that way with my albums.
Fire
This features Simon Le Bon from
Duran Duran. I was listening to one of
their albums [1990s Liberty] and I
came across a track that I wasnt too
familiar with called Serious. The first
line of that song is the one that I use
here [Oh, woman you make me feel
like Im on fire].
My management in the US were
also the people who managed Duran
Duran. I made a demo with the
sample of theirs in then sent it to
them. The band just loved it, and
loved the idea. I got the go-ahead,
and after that I recreated some of the
instrumentation, and it was done. It
was also more of a housey track, but
also the kind of track that works really
well in a trance mix, which is what I
made for some of my live shows at
the time.
L.E.F.
Yeah, this is a club banger. Ive
always had a soft spot for vocoder
Ferrys Corstens latest album, Blueprint,
has literally just dropped and is ready to
cop as you read this. The Dutch dance
music master calls his fifth long player his
most ambitious artist album to date, and
draws on science fiction narrative themes
to hold it together. Its sure to rock bodies
and turn heads as hes drafted in
acclaimed screenwriters and Hollywood
actors alongside his usual cast of synths
and drum machines. Imagine Armin van
Buuren playing a Westworld wrap party,
and youre halfway there.
voices, as well, so I use that through
here to go Loud. Electronic.
Ferocious. Thats me doing that. Just
like when I did Rock Your Body Rock,
that was me as well [laughs].
I like to mess with vocals sometimes.
It was a good track to put at this
point in the album to keep the energy
up. It was important to sequence the
album like that, with lots of builds
and drops like a DJ set.
Into The Dark
This track features another 80s
musical icon, Howard Jones. I ran
into him at the Amsterdam Dance
Event. We were just talking about
music and hit it off.
Yeah, hes a legend, and just the
type of person I was looking for when
I was putting this album together, so
it made perfect sense to try and work
with him. He was great. He dug my
music and, of course, I was into what
he did back in the day, so we decided
to give it a go.
I made a simple demo for him
and he wrote this really cool song over
Classic Album | Filter
I didnt really dust off the old gear from
the 80s era I was drawing on. I do love
that old gear, though. Theres a purism to
working with the real old hardware and
stuff, but nine times out of ten those
things are just a nightmare to connect
with the CDJs or whatever. Forget it man.
the demo, which pretty much became Id just picked up the Roland
the song. If you listen to it, its very V-Synth, too. The V-Synth had this
80s. It has that [Roland] 606 drum great feature where you could sample
sound and a very analogue vibe. It something and make it elastic, if you
gave the whole album an attitude. will. Then you could spread it out all
over your keyboard, or do robotics.
Galaxia It was almost like a vocoder, but
This is an update of one of my with a different effect. It did
biggest trance tracks from back-in- something really cool, like what youd
the-day. The original Galaxia was a do with Melodyne now, but live on the
B2 track on an EP I released in 96 keys, which was really cool. I just
under name Moonman. The A track loaded in the chords of Forever, and
was Dont be Afraid. I was just going as I started playing around with this
through all this old Moonman stuff robotic voice on the keyboard, I struck
and found Galaxia again. I thought it trance gold [laughs].
could do with an update.
The original was super, super Possession
basic. I thought I could breathe some I really just wanted to make this
new life into it for the album. song a lush, lower-tempo trance track.
It came out really cool and definitely
Beautiful has this magic kind of feel to it.
This started out as the house track, It features Denise Stahlie on vocals.
Forever. It was actually written by I was working a lot with two guys
Ben Cullum [Jamie Cullums brother] from Holland at the time called
and features Debra Andrews on Adrian Broekhuyse and Raz Nitzan.
vocals. Im not sure how I got hold of They were songwriters over here.
the acappella. I think it was through They introduced me to Denise, and
my publisher. she was perfect for this track.
19
Filter | Classic Album

LIKE IT? TRY

On My Mind
Denise is on this track, too. I had a
completely different vocalist on this
track to start, but it didnt really work.
And as I was working with Denise
already, I ran it by her to see if it was
something shed be interested in
being on. She loved it and gave a
great performance.
Its really mellow, and on an
album like this its important to have
that. Ive always wanted to show range;
what Im capable of as an artist.
Watch Out
I felt that I wanted to make an
answer record to my track, Rock Your
Body Rock. I felt that this new album
was a great place for that. It wasnt
too much of a successful outcome,
but oh well [laughs].
The album format gives you
chance to explore more tempos and
I dont want to call
with [Ferrys 2002 single] Punk THESE
and thinking that Id like to do a
new version. Then someone from
the label in he states Patrick Moxey,
I believe said Maybe its cool to
have a rapper over this? Im in
touch with Guru, want me to ask
Ferry Corsten
him? It sounded like a long-shot,
Blueprint
Ferrys brand new sci-fi themed
but he was in. masterpiece. Trance musics first
Well, to concept album, surely?
start with, he
gave me one
verse [laughs].
add these to your playlist:
Blueprint, Blueprint, Blueprint|

Down On Love it a tribute album I was like, Yeah,

its great. How
This had a bit more of a poppy vibe
to it. I do remember that my
publisher came up with a lot of
to the 80s it was about a second
verse? Finally he
delivered and it
Duran Duran
Liberty

really looking ahead

Check the album that links
vocalists to work with, so [Down On was great. Ferry to Duran Duran. The track
Love vocalist] Oz came from them. It turned Serious begat his own Fire.

Sometimes tracks just happen.
Sometimes I feel the more you just go
with the flow, good stuff happens. If
you look for something too hard, often
it doesnt really come out. This was one
of those tracks that just came out.
Forever
This is the original house track for
the song that Ben Cullum wrote for
Debra Andrews that I turned into
Beautiful from earlier in this album.
If you listen to Forever, youll notice
that the B-section of the chorus is
actually the part that I used in there.
and forward
moods. What I dont like about
todays... Spotify industry, if you will,
is that everything is so disposable,
and its all singles-based. So everyone
is just doing what people expect from
them. Theres little room for fresh
sounds and doing other stuff.
Junk
This features the rapper Guru [from
underground hip-hop legends Gang
Starr]. I remember playing around
out great.
And it gave a
whole different
idea to how Punk could be used as
a melody.
Cubikated
This was like an ode to the old
Cubik track by 808 State. That was
definitely a track that sort of put me
into electronic music at the time,
alongside A Homeboy, A Hippy
& A Funki Dredds Total Confusion.
This was an easy one. I made
it just so I could put it in my sets.
It also fits in with the whole 80s vibe
I was bringing into the album as well.
The whole mid-eighties electro stuff
was a huge influence, but I dont
want to call it a tribute album to the
80s because at the same time it was
really looking ahead and forward with
tracks like Beautiful, which was the
next step in trance, if you will. But
tracks like Cubikated were an ode to
a previous era that I grew up in.
add these to your playlist:
serious, Violence of summer
(loves taking over), read My lips|
Ferry Corsten
Right of Way
See how Ferry kicked things off on
his banging debut album. The echoes
of Rock Your Body Rock and Punk are
felt on his follow-up.
add these to your playlist:
rock your Body rock, sublime, punk|
Leftfield
Leftism
Frankly astounding album
that influenced everyone,
including Ferry Corsten.
Check Freefalling for proof.
add these to your playlist:
open up, release the pressure, Melt|

Freefalling Gang Starr

This track was inspired, in a way, Full Clip: A Decade
by Leftfield. It was really one of of Gang Starr
Peep the rappers back catalogue
those types of Dubby, chilled tracks.
to register the correct amount of
But at the same time I wanted it to surprise that Guru guested on L.E.F.
feel trancy and melodic. add these to your playlist:
In the studio with Ferry Corsten I never want to get known for you Know My steez, Mass appeal,|
tonz o Gunz|
The studio at the time was in my attic. I was there 24 hours a day for over
just doing the same thing, which is
a year. When your studio is in your house, its easy to lock yourself into why I do this left-and-right stuff to
your music. I remember just being very tired the whole time [laughs]. For keep challenging myself and what
L.E.F. I used the Clavia Nord Rack 3 a lot, and the Alesis A6 Andromeda people expect of me. It was nice to
synth. They were my main bits of gear. Then my Sony DMX-R100 mixing put more chillout-type tracks on here
console, some Virus TI, Roland V-Synth and my trusty JP-8000. The whole to show that.
album was done using Cubase. I used Logic for a couple of weeks once,
then threw it out the window [laughs]. This was also really the first album
were I was using audio tracks more in my computer, rather than just WANT To KNoW MoRE?
sampling stuff, and letting it run as a sample. I would start to bounce a lot
Not had enough of that sweet, sweet,
more stuff to audio and do some processing to the audio, rather than just Corsten? Find out more on tour, tunes
MIDI. It was a new time for me for playing with sounds and everything. and news at www.ferrycorsten.com

20
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 FM | ALBUM REVIEWS

album of the month

Dark Sky
Othona
Monkeytown Records

V
ersatile London-based electronic duo Dark Sky return with
their highly accomplished sophomore album on
Modeselektors Monkeytown imprint. The follow-up to
2014s debut LP Imagin, Othona sees producers
Matt Benyayer and Tom Edwards explore the deeper, darker
realms of electronic music across nine expansive tracks.
Merging contemporary techno, old-school electronica,
underground trance and UK bass culture, the dynamic duo create
an immersive soundscape thats rich in texture and full of
atmosphere. The record is entirely stripped of vocals, instead
harnessing the power of the deftly constructed productions to
maximise their impact. Othona explores a kind of leftfield energy,
utilising a heavy bottom end full of deep, flowing bass and fluid
grooves, in addition to a heady concoction of subtle melodies,
emotive synths, skipping percussion and spacey FX.
Melancholic, emotionally charged, dramatic and often
introverted, Othona has an intimate beauty that runs through the
record. The way in which the duo are able to combine the almost
cinematic feel of the record with rougher-edged excursions into club
territory showcases their adept skill at conjuring up varying moods
and tempos with aplomb. This rougher, rawer aesthetic is owed in
part to the duo embracing a more hardware-heavy approach that
enables them to tap into this darker, muscly undercurrent throughout
the album. It also injects a more dynamic, rhythmically driven
energy that allows it to re-focus after its many curious jaunts into
the unknown. A wonderfully versatile record from an unpredictable
duo, this is a fascinating listen from start to finish. Tom Jones
ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
Othona, Cyan, Badd|

9/10
25
Reviews | Albums

Coley Brown
Recommended
Justin Walter
Unseen Forces
Kranky
The Michigan-based soundscapes and jazz-like explorations
trumpeter unveils his sampled manipulations, create a record that
beautiful, distinctive providing the backbone feels free, uninhibited
and experimental of the entire record. and beautifully organic,
second album with Those soundscapes are yet weighted by strong
Chicago indie label highly immersive and emotions and feelings.
Kranky. Four years on full of emotion. Opaque The smeared tones and
from his debut album tones, pastel wafting melodies blur
Lullabies & Nightmares, watercolours and hazy, the lines between
the new record is a dreamy atmospheres memory and timeless
full-length exploration drift along with an emotion, making for a
of the EVI, (Electronic ethereal glow. compelling and totally
Valve Instrument) a rare Fragile, delicate, yet inimitable sophomore
wind-controlled 70s ingrained with a central album. Tom Jones
analogue synth. Walter force of energy, Unseen ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
loops the EVIs hazy Forces is a dense and Unseen Forces, Soft Illness|
range of textures and highly textured Its Not What You Think|

8/10
adds quiet electronics masterstroke of
to build improvised improvisation. Walters

Mac Demarco
This Old Dog
Captured Tracks

T
he forever-loveable Mac Demarco is back with his fifth
Coldcut x On-U Sound studio album. Although the new record, the first since
2015s underrated Another One, represents a slight shift in
Outside The Echo Chamber sound, the 26-year-old New Yorkers music remains as
sweet and charming as ever. This Old Dog has a distinctly acoustic
Ahead Of Our Time atmosphere. The youthful energy and pace of Salad Days has been
The British hip-hop and intoxicating rhythms, infectious celebratory replaced with a quieter, gentler outlook that softly laps away with a
bass heavyweights join booming beats and and all-inclusive feel. soulful sincerity throughout. More personal and intimate than his
forces with On-U futuristic synths collide Full of warmth, previous albums, this record finds Demarco in a reflective mood, as
Sounds Adrian with indigenous and passion, innovation and accentuated by the prevailing unplugged atmosphere. The LPs
Sherwood for a highly traditional rhythms to creativity, this is an more subtle verve comes from the addition of more synth-focused
impressive collaboration. create a soundscape album that perfectly tones and drum machines, both of which feature much more
This wonderfully that is every bit exciting represents the maverick heavily than on any of Demarcos previous records but still never
eclectic record as it is unpredictable. spirit of its creators. outweigh the laidback, carelessness of his idiosyncratic sound.
celebrates the diversity Made in London, Decades into their Perhaps symptomatic of his move from New York to LA last
of outward-looking Ramsgate, Jamaica and esteemed careers, summer, the record has a more spaced out, hazy sheen where time
British music scenes. Los Angeles and Coldcut and On-U seems to go out the window for the afternoon. Slowed down,
Fusing electronic music featuring a host of Sound remain as stripped back and personal, yet still full of playfulness and
with dub, hip-hop, UK globally renowned pioneering and as vital contented joy, This Old Dog is an utterly beguiling record that
bass, pop and global collaborators including as ever. Tom Jones suggests that Mac Demarco is only going to learn more adorable
flavours, the album Lee Scratch Perry, ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST: tricks the older he gets. Tom Jones
reflects the intertwined Roots Manuva, Toddla Vitals, Everyday Another| ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
history of Britains T, Junior Reid and Sanction, Kajra Mohobbat Wala| My Old Man, Still Beating, On The Level|

8/10 8/10
musical melting point. CeCile, Outside The
Low-slung grooves, Echo Chamber has an

26
Feature | Retro Synth Soundtracks
RETRO
SYNTH
SOUNDTRACKS
With Stranger Things,
Deadpool, the re-boot of Twin
Peaks and the forthcoming
sequel to Blade Runner, this
must be the second golden
age of the epic synth score
A
longside the orchestral
scores we most
immediately associate with
Hollywood movies, there
has since the 70s been a strong
link between film and the synthesizer.
Certainly, there were some disasters
in the 80s, with technology used
as a cheap alternative to the real
thing on too many occasions. But
there are electronic and synth-heavy
scores from that period that are
iconic and which define both time
and place. Vangelis soundtracks for
Chariots of Fire and Blade Runner
spring to mind immediately, as does
Angelo Badalamentis TV theme for
Twin Peaks.
At their best, synth-heavy
soundtracks provide bold themes
28
and, with the enormous textural array
of sounds available to enthusiastic
synth programmers, a never-ending
selection of tones to set an
appropriate mood. And its clear that
the highlights from that era are
providing a valuable source of
inspiration for the latest generation of
composers and producers. Sweeping
pads, dusty arpeggiated and
stepped-sequences, brooding dark
textures, the warmth and richness of
analogue hardware; these classic
sounds are resurgent, and through
the following pages, were going to
explore how you can make them part
of your own work too, right inside
your DAW. If youre a fan of Netflixs
Stranger Things and you cant wait
for Blade Runner 2049, read on.
 Retro Synth Soundtracks | Feature

OLD-SCHOOL DREAMING
Weve never had it so good, right? We
21st century, DAW-reliant composers
and producers take for granted that
our instruments have near limitless
polyphony, that we can run tens
(even hundreds) of them at the same
time, that we have swathes of
hard-drive space available for
squeaky clean digital recording and
that, in the main, the software tools
on which were reliant cost a tiny
fraction of the hardware equivalents
which were the only choice of our
70s- and 80s-based predecessors.
And yet, the advantage of the tools
on which that previous generation Junkie XLs synth-stuffed studio has spawned several authentic retro soundtracks
relied was that each piece of
hardware was a bona fide musical synthesizers were either non-existent set of sounds and a musical idea,
instrument or a dedicated device or reliant on CV and Gate connections. commit to it and then intuitively
designed only to produce audio Sequencing meant something very circumnavigate any technical
signals a Jupiter-8 cant access different back then if you were restrictions to find a way to get the
your Facebook feed; a Prophet 5 lucky enough to own devices capable idea recorded, whatever it takes.
wont let you book a holiday, and an of stringing series of notes together, But dont assume were
E-mu SP-12 wont let you upload they were highly unlikely to be advocating selling your computer and
your latest track to Soundcloud. playable and they would almost replacing your plugins with hardware:
Computers arent, in themselves, certainly have been restricted to a the hallmark sounds of that era are
musical instruments. Bear in mind specific number of steps before available to you through modern
too that so much of the connectivity cycling around again. systems too, as well see through the
and sound design at the heart of the Many synth-based composers following pages and walkthroughs. If
music we make is carried out for us. accepted that real-time performance this era of synth soundtracks appeals
We browse presets endlessly, and the was often the best way forward but, to you, try to creatively restrict your
connections between our chosen of course, these were for most options. Ignore presets; try to limit
soft synths is automatic; there are no people the pre hard-drive days, so the number of notes each part plays
patch cables to negotiate, no preamp multitrack tape machines were also and how many parts are playing
stages to set-up. In the blink of an heavily involved, adding colour and together at once. Imagine youve only
eye, theres an instrument, packed warmth, of course, but also further got one delay and one reverb unit
with starting points, eager to make a levels of technical restriction. All of and so on. Often, the best results
sound for us. Compare that to the the best music requires exactly that: spring from deliberately imposed
studio of yesteryear, the pre-MIDI not an infinite number of possibilities limitations, not from having all of the
days where the connections between but, ultimately, a decision to fix on a choices in the world.

29
SYNTH
SOUNDTRACKS
ones (a low-pass filter), letting

THE ANATOMy Of A through the highs and cutting the

lows (a high-pass filter), or letting
middle frequencies through,

SubTRACTIvE SyNTH cutting out those on either side (a

In modern synths, particularly
plugins, the connections between
parts of synthesizers are hidden. In
a desire to make workflow smooth
and straightforward, synth designers
do the patching for you, forming
instant connections between the
components. In the modular synth
systems that prompted the synth
revolution, these werent as
immediate, which forced users to
carefully learn the inner workings of
a synth to wrest the desired sounds
from it. Understanding the
components of a synth is essential.
Many synth designs and
approaches have existed through the
years, but the subtractive synth
model pioneered by Dr Robert Moog
is perhaps the most enduring. In
subtractive synthesizers, sound
starts in the VCO (Voltage-controlled
Oscillator), which produces a
waveform. This is a collection of
musical harmonics, which sound in
different combinations as you explore
the waveforms available in your
instrument. Some synths provide
many waveforms; others offer a more
streamlined set. At the Oscillator
stage, the waveform is at its fullest.
The reason this synthesizer model is
referred to as subtractive is due to
what happens next
Get your head around subtractive synthesizers for a good grounding in signal-shaping
The output of the Oscillator stage
is connected to a Filter, whose job it
is to select which of those
harmonics are heard and which ones
are reduced in volume, or indeed,
omitted from the sound entirely. So
the Filter attenuates, or cuts,
volume, either leaving in the low
harmonics and cutting out the top
band-pass filter). So far, our nascent
analogue synth sound exists only in
potential form to actually get it to
make a noise, well need an Amplifier
stage. Even with a connection to the
Amplifier established, its probably
fair to say that our sound is flat and
predictable, as theres nothing to get
it moving, or control its behaviour
over time. This where modulators
come into play.
The two modulators most
commonly found in analogue synths
are LFOs (Low Frequency
Oscillators) and Envelopes. LFOs
use a waveform, just like a regular
oscillator but far slower. LFOs use
their output signals as controller
waves. We can use an LFO to
interrupt the Oscillator stage,
causing the pitch will wobble, and
to do so at a rate we can notice. A
lot of wobble produces pitch
variations like a police car siren,
with a broad sweep from a high
pitch to a low pitch and back again.
A much narrower LFO assignment
will lead to more subtle pitch
wobble, more like the vibrato youll
hear singers and players of acoustic
instruments using, where notes are
bent a little sharp and a little flat, to

Building 80s pads in Massive widen their pitch centre (like a

constantly fluctuating pitch detune).
Similarly, connecting an LFO to
Synth pads are central to 70s and 80s inspired soundtracks but if youre the Filter or Amplifier will produce
making one, limit yourself to the parameters actually used in those decades corresponding tone or volume
variations. Meanwhile, Envelopes
If youre drawn to the synth-heavy soundtracks of the late 70s and throughout the 80s, the rich, dense synth pads which feature
control sound through time, starting
so prominently in most of them are bound to have caught your ear. With so many soft synths now offering complex, forever-evolving
from the onset of every note
programs, its easy to forget that the synths which originally produced these sounds were considerably less sophisticated. If you want
to make a comparable sound from scratch, you need to keep things simple. Lets build a synth pad from scratch in Massive and well pressed. Does your sound speak
soon see that nearly all of the sonic richness comes from basic Oscillator shapes, Detune, simple Filtering, careful Envelope shaping immediately, with a heavy attack,
and cheating slightly a little sprinkling of effects before stopping quickly too, like a
snare drum? Or is it more constant,
with a volume which lasts for as long
as you hold a note down? Described
here are the stages of a volume
Envelope where Attack, Decay,
Sustain and Release controls let you
determine volume behaviour through
a note. Just like LFOs, Envelopes
can be applied to Oscillator and
Filter stages to control pitch and
tone over time too. Modern synths
provide plenty more options, but if
you understand the fundamentals of

> > >

We start with Massives default patch. We
select Square-Saw II, Sin-Square and
Square-Saw I as Oscillator types and detune
these to add a broad pitch base. We set up
Envelope 1 as a mod source for the Amplifier in
each, with a slightly longer Attack time.
We dial in some White Noise and set up
twin filters, using 4-pole and 2-pole
low-pass filters. These are both slightly
modulated by Envelope 2 to give some bite on
each note. We modify the main Amp Envelope
(4), to provide a slightly softer start to each note.
We set FX1 to Phaser, with a slow Rate,
plenty of Feedback and Depth but a Oscillators, Filters, Amplifiers, LFOs
subtle Dry/Wet balance. We set FX2 to and Envelopes, youre on the road to
Reverb with fairly large Size and Density
amounts but a dull overall Colour. Again, we
having the knowledge you need to
favour the Dry signal primarily. build killer synth sounds.

30
 Retro Synth Soundtracks | Feature

Perfecting arpeggiator parts

Theres more to an arpeggiator than its direction. Here we treat a basic
sound to a wash of effects and synth tweaks to give it more character

> > >

Our backing track starts with a dark filtered
pad from Omnisphere and a supporting sub
bass. Both parts are being fed into
Valhallas VintageVerb, which is set up with a Dirty
Hall algorithm, providing some detuned pitch
modulation and a low-sample rate, producing
some grit and unpredictability.
We open NIs Rounds, browsing the
Created For Arpeggiator patches before
selecting Tangereen Arp. We switch off all
but the A bank, meaning the arpeggiator will
cycle only between these segments. We modify
the pitch of Analog modules 1, 2 and 3 to 0, 0
and 12 semitones respectively.
We Sync Oscillator 1 to Oscillator 2 for all
of the Analog engines and add detune using
the Fine tuning dial. We add a touch of
X-Mod to further manipulate pitch in each engine,
and tweak the cutoff point for engines 2 and 3 to
make the upper notes duller.

> > >

Were using Logic Pros Arpeggiator, using
an Up and Down pattern so that the
bottom and top notes are repeated. We put
UADs Moog Filter on the first Insert slot to add
further resonant filtering, using a low-pass 4-pole
filter with cutoff at 3kHz and some resonance.
We want to manipulate pitch further. We
add UADs Eventide H910 Harmonizer,
using an input envelope to change pitch
whenever notes play. Then we add the MXR
Flanger-Doubler, creating a wide chorus effect.
Both have a mix balance of nearly dry, so that
the effect is relatively subtle.
We send the Arp to Valhalla VintageVerb
and to a second auxiliary which features
Waves H-Delay. This is sent to VintageVerb
too. Finally, we automate the Moog Filters cutoff
point to create tonal variation as the arpeggiator
sequence plays.

31
SYNTH
SOUNDTRACKS
Celebrating the pioneers
Theres no shortage of pioneers when it comes to celebrating the
achievements of the early synth heroes, with Kraftwerk and Jean-Michel
Jarre so often cited as a source of inspiration for many of todays electronic
producers. However, were (briefly) going to shine a light on two others
here, encouraging you to explore their work in a soundtrack context.
The first is Vangelis. The Greek legend is perhaps best known for his
Chariots Of Fire soundtrack (1981) which, set at the 1924 Olympics,
simply shouldnt work due to its synth-heavy timbres. Its a classic example
of an anachronistic soundtrack, where the sound sources used didnt exist
at the time being portrayed in the film and yet it does work so
brilliantly that the score won an Academy Award. The joy of running,
celebrated throughout the film, is beautifully captured by the sequenced
sounds, huge, uplifting synth parts and, of course, that lead line whose
melody has become so familiar. Equally remarkable is the score for Blade
Runner, whose bleeps, blips and detuned lead lines perfectly echo the
dystopian yet futuristic vision the film explores.
The second artist(s) to mention are Tangerine Dream. The German band
The work of the early
synth pioneers like
Vangelis lives on in
film soundtracks featured multiple line-up
changes over its lifespan,
but its ever-present
member was founder
Edgar Froese. While the
bands early work is wildly
experimental, through the
following (nearly) 40 years,
Tangerine Dream explored
a range of sounds and
genres and, from 1971
onwards, began putting
their sounds to picture.
Younger readers will
perhaps (unwittingly) know
their work best as an
accompaniment to 2013s
Grand Theft Auto V, but
the signature Tangerine
Dream signatures of
sweeping pads, driving
step sequences and
bouncing basslines, are
all too apparent. Expect
Martyn Goddard / Alamy Stock Photo

these sounds to be richly

portrayed in Jhan
Jhanssons forthcoming
score for Blade Runner:
2049 later this year.

32
SYNTH
SOUNDTRACKS
Ensemble, Phasing and Flanging

THICKENING effects are all doublers, as they

create detuned or phase-offset
DOs &
DONTs
copies of the input signal to make

EffECTS the impression of those sounds

larger. Compression of more
percussive sound sources (like
running sequenced lines and basses)
of Soundtrack Creation

can help too. Try a low Threshold

There are a number of ways to

One of the ironies of the effectively
unlimited track count of modern
DAWs is that the more parts you add
to a track, the smaller the sonic
footprint of those sounds will have to
be. If youve got 25 sounds
contributing to the mix at the same
time, its inevitable that youll find
yourself reaching for EQ to get rid of
over-busy frequency content, or
turning volume faders down for
some parts to lessen their impact in
the mix. Imagine you were limited to
making sounds with just a couple of
hardware synths instead; you might
>
with high Ratio, to ensure that most
take classic synth pads, lead lines of the signal is being compressed DO: If you want your
and basses to inflate their role in a quite hard. Adjust Attack Time to be soft synths to
mix. Weve looked at detuning as quite fast, with a longer Release behave more like
one example big, fat slabs of Time, so the compressor doesnt
chorused oscillators which sound recover too quickly. Then turn up
their analogue forebears,
thicker for a little pitch widening. the Make-Up Gain your sequences
switch off internal effects
But you can go further: Chorus, will sound significantly bigger. like reverb or delay.
Analogue synths might
have featured doubling
effects like Chorus and
Ensemble effects but
almost never included
spatial effects.

>
find yourself with the inverse
problem: instead of having loads of
DONT: Use presets.
sounds which you need to reduce in The work explored
impact, instead youve got just a through this article
handful that you need to inflate in and the soundtracks
intensity. This technique was mentioned celebrate
common through the 70s and 80s, original sound design. Be
and its a contributing factor in the
unique with your sounds
soundtracks referenced throughout
this article. Consider retro techniques when using modern plugins to thicken instrument parts
and your productions will
be stronger for it.

>
DO: If youre
working with plugin
Adding authentic drums to your tracks modular systems
like NI Reaktor Blocks,
Synth sounds of the golden age are matched in their desirability by classic Softube Modular or
beatboxes of a certain vintage heres how to get authentic electric grooves hardware Eurorack
Just as the 70s and 80s were the golden age for synthesizers, so too they were for drum machines. Some of the most celebrated designs components, think
we still covet today originate from that period, and many of these units have been extensively sampled to create a range of virtual drum creatively. Understanding
machines, so the expense of sourcing one of the originals units isnt necessary. Were using a couple of sound sources for our programmed
beats, mixing and matching the classic kick and snare of the LinnDrum with the hats of the E-mu SP-12. However, were being as
synth modules and their
authentic as we can for pattern programming, limiting our patterns deliberately and emulating the lack of velocity control. In the audio traditional flow is
clips well be using a bass sequence as a foundation, which well see how to build from scratch on page 36. important, but once
youve got basic theory
mastered, be brave and
look for unpredictable
module connections.

> >
Were choosing the Linn Drum kit from
Battery 4 to provide the kick and snare
foundation. Were thinking like a drum
machine as we program the pattern, limiting
ourselves to the same pattern in each bar, which
were quantising and fixing in terms of velocity.
>
DONT: Worry that
sounds generated
from some external
hardware cant be
controlled over MIDI.
Celebrate the
inaccuracies of playing
>
For the hats, were using a straight pattern For some 80s reverb, we could use a gated
of 16ths but turning to the SP-12 kit from
E-mu for this part. Theres no velocity
reverb treatment, but were going with
Valhalla VintageVerbs NonLin algorithm for
instruments live; as
variation but were setting overall volume at a level
which uses the hats as a driver (to mirror the bass
a similar result. We control reverb time with the
Shape: Size parameter to match the gate length
these are a huge part of
sequence) but not at an overwhelming volume. to the track and add it to the kick and snare part. synth soundtracks.

34

> >
Quantisation is a MIDI-era
How to function which weve enjoyed
Quantize; are (and come to take for granted)
only since MIDI sequencing became
you sure? popular. As synth soundtracks from
the 70s didnt enjoy the luxury of
timing correction, there was a greater
emphasis on performance. Listen to
Vangelis soundtracks and youll hear
that a downbeat produces a cluster
of notes, with some arriving early and
others late. Theres an extraordinary
humanity in the effect this creates.
Dont be in a rush to squeeze the
rhythmic life out of the way you play
your sequences into your DAW.
Humanity can be at the heart and
soul of your score.
> >
Just like 70s and 80s synths,
How to 70s and 80s reverbs are
Set up sonically distinctive. The reverb
processors of the day were not the
appropriate shiny sounding reverbs we enjoy
today with their pristine sound and
reverbs impulse-response-perfect clarity.
Instead, they were algorithmic,
artificial and often noisy, due to
operating at lower sample rates than
their modern equivalents. So
experiment with EQ, to roll off the
top end and perhaps some frequency
content at the bottom too. Try adding
sample-reducing plugins after your
reverbs to lessen their quality, or
putting distortion or saturation
effects subtly afterwards too.
uNDERSTANDING
Cv AND GATE
MIDI replaced CV and Gate signals, as its a more sophisticated protocol, but
as Euroracks popularity has grown, so a CV and Gate renaissance has occurred
Retro Synth Soundtracks | Feature
When aping the sonic
How to characteristics of other eras,
Find creative dont just concentrate on the
synths the recording technology
ways to available to synth pioneers of the
1970s was multi-track tape based,
degrade with a slow and steady evolution
sounds from four- to eight- to sixteen-track
tape. We take crystal-clear, digital
signals for granted these days so
perfecting the sounds of yesterday
will require some creative
degradation. In particular, experiment
with tape simulators, gain plugins
whose topology is based on classic
70s consoles and try out bit-
reduction and working at lower
sample rates.
30-40 years ago, synths were
How to rarely capable of playing more
Keep your than one sound at a time
(although keyboard splits did allow
arrangements for separate bass and treble
instruments in some cases). Equally,
sparse polyphony was restricted, many
synths were monophonic and even
those which werent would at most
be capable of playing just a few
notes at once. Many of the
arrangements and recordings from
that era are stronger for their
sparseness, so try to keep your
arrangements down to just a few
tracks, built mostly from single
monophonic lines or just a few notes,
per instrument.
Control Voltage (CV) and Gate ports on
synthesizers and other pieces of hardware are
used to transfer messages from one machine to
another. CV signals usually control pitch, whereas
gate messages control the on/off status of notes.
In a modular synthesizer, rather than the separate
components being internally connected, a patch
cable is required to transmit signals from one
module to the next. Picture a controller keyboard
with a CV output triggering the oscillator stage of
a synthesizer the CV output would control the
pitch that oscillator produced, and individual key
strokes would open the gate then close it upon
release. Now imagine a separate LFO, whose
output triggers a variable (rising and falling) CV
signal, so that, when patched into the oscillator,
pitch is changed via that input. Any large modular
system simply requires patching to connect any
and all available modules in almost infinite ways.
35
SYNTH
SOUNDTRACKS

Making authentic step sequences in your DAW

You dont need an analogue step sequencer to create
convincing sequences, but it does help to think like one

> > >

After some improvisation, we find a pattern
of notes that we want to use as a sequence
hook. We slow the sequencer tempo down
to 60bpm to record these. As you can see and
hear, velocities are irregular, as are note lengths
and the timing of notes too.
We turn this recording into the kind of
pattern a step sequencer would produce.
We use Quantize to correct rhythmic errors
and flatten velocity so each note is equal. We do
the same with note length, and now we have
something that sounds much more like it has
been step sequenced.
Now we can speed the sequencer up to a
more appropriate tempo. Were going for
102bpm. Next, were looping that first bar
of step-sequence pattern to last four bars, before
copying and transposing it up 5 semitones for
bars 5 and 6, with the original pattern filling in
bars 7 and 8.

> > >

Next, we want some filter variation so that
the tone isnt uniform throughout. Again,
we have to imagine that were controlling
the Filter Envelope amount in real-time. So
we select automation Latch mode and draw
in a little variation, leaving the automation data
as recorded.
Whilst the synth sequence is fairly
analogue, its too clean for our purposes.
So we set up Slate Digitals Virtual Tape
Machines on the first insert slot. We select
15ips as the tape speed, 2" 16 track as the
Machine Type and turn off Hiss Automute in
the Settings panel.
This provides a pleasingly dusty sound. We
go further, adding a hint of delay and reverb
from Waves H-Delay (a dotted eighth-note
with some bass rolled out) and UADs AMS
RMX16, set to a Plate, also with some bass end
filtered out. Now weve got an authentic, step
sequencer style pattern.

36
 Retro Synth Soundtracks | Feature

synths, as well as the Aria-led reboot

MODERN ANALOGuE of individual modules to provide 21st

century versions of their classic
System 700 and System 100

SOLuTIONS modules, theres plenty to explore in

The second-hand cost of pioneering
synths from the 1970s and early
1980s are eye-watering. Twenty-five
years ago, you could pick up Roland
SH-101s and Juno-6s for bargain-
basement prices, but the popularity
of the sounds of these classic synths
is now at an all-time high. If the
tactility and deep sonic richness of
analogue hardware is an itch you
have, theres a new breed of hardware
synths thatll help you scratch it, and
they have all of the practicalities of
modern software.
Lets start with Korgs Monologue
and Minilogue synthesizers, which
couple all-analogue sound engines
with step-sequencing and oodles of
real-time tweakability. Moogs Mother-
32 is another great example. Despite
only offering a single Oscillator, this
nevertheless offers a semimodular
approach, providing an analogue
synthesizer and step-sequencer,
coupled with a Eurorack-ready
patchbay, that allows you to take CV
and gate signals from the instrument
to connect to a wider range of
modules for a larger, modular system.
Arturias Brute synthesizers,
from the MicroBrute up to the
flagship MatrixBrute, are also well
worth a look, with an all-analogue
design and both CV/gate and USB
Go back to the old-school with a host of contemporary analogue synths like the Korg Minilogue
connectivity. Of all of the leading
synth manufacturers to jump back
into providing analogue and digital/
analogue synthesizers, it was perhaps
a surprise that Roland took so long to
join the party, particularly as their
Juno and Jupiter synths are among
the most renowned and coveted. But
with their standalone and plug-out
their new designs.
If your budget extends a little
further, Dave Smiths more recent
synth designs are glorious, with new
versions of some of the most desirable
hardware of all time available in the
forms of revised Prophet, Oberheim
and (Sequential Circuits) Pro 2
instruments among his titles. These
are by no means cheap, but theyre
less costly than second-hand versions
of the originals, with the benefits of
increased stability, digitally
controlled memory locations, MIDI
connectivity and more besides.
Other noteworthy products to
explore include synths from Access
Virus range, Nords Lead 4
synthesizer, Novations Bass Station
II and Ultranova synths, Teenage
Engineerings Pocket Operators,
Korgs portable Volca synths and
MS-20 reboot, Waldorfs Rocket and
Pulse synths the choices are
mouth-watering. One thing to look
out for; theres a difference between
true analogue sound generation and
virtual analogue, where Oscillators
and other analogue synth modules
have had their behaviours modelled,
ready for digitally-controlled playback
and modification.

Building a basic synth in NI Reaktor Blocks Meanwhile, another hardware

approach has been taking the synth
world by storm. Eurorack epitomises
NIs micro-modular environment features Eurorack-style components thatll the popularity of modern analogue
have you building synths of your own. Heres a basic synth in three steps better than any single instrument. If
youre unfamiliar with the Eurorack
For those coveting Eurorack components or a full modular system, money is often a significant obstacle to overcome. A new Blocks
concept, this is a modular format
patch features a MIDI In module, which will detect the keys you play, but after that, its over to you and your creativity. Here, were
with components from oscillators and
keeping things simple with a monosynth compromised of just the typical modules: one Oscillator, one Filter, one Amplifier.
But without modulation, all this will yield is a pitch whose volume is constant. So were using Envelopes to control the volume, filter filers to sequencers, arpeggiators,
cutoff and to provide modulation of the Oscillators pitch too. These alone provide musical interest and a degree of individuality. effects processors, LFOs and so on.
In one of this months videos, were taking a Blocks patch much further, but the following steps provide a solid start. Doepfer were major players in
establishing the Eurorack protocol
and theyve been joined by countless
other manufacturers too. This
sub-section of the music technology
industry is thriving. To get a better
sense of whats possible with
Eurorack, we recommend some
online research, as there are simply
too many individual components and
companies to name-check. For a
great source of Eurorack inspiration,
composer, sound designer and
producer Richard Devine has a

> > >

Were starting with the Monark Oscillator
and Filter, and the Bento Box VCA. The
Pitch output from the Util Note In module
is connected to the Oscillator Pitch Module, whose
output is sent to the Filter. This is connected to
the VCA, which is connected to the stereo out.
Turning up the VCA level gives a sustained
sound. We need an Envelope to control the
volume instead. Grab a Bento Box ADSR and
send a Gate input into it. We chain the Output to
the VCAs Mod A. In the Panel view above, click A
and set the Level to be modulated by this Envelope.
Duplicate the Envelope twice, connecting
the first duplicate to the Filter to modulate website and Twitter feed awash
Cutoff, Resonance and Feedback. Connect with inspirational and practical
the third Envelope to the Oscillator stage and
modulate Frequency, providing a little pitch
examples of whats possible with
detune as each note plays. these modules.

37
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 Interview | Survive

SURVIVE
Formed in 2008, SURVIVE are busier than
ever since hitting the spotlight with their
soundtrack for Netflixs Stranger Things. JoE
Silva meets the band in Michael Steins synth-
stuffed home studio and talks gear, composing
and the latest album, RR7349
Simon Lees

40

I
n Austin they say the taps run hot, cold and
barbecue. And while plenty of other places
outside of the Texas capital may have a good
many taco stands and vintage clothing shops,
the concentration of all these things seems
higher in the City of the Violet Crown. They
even have their own synth shop, which has
been a handy thing for the members of
SURVIVE since they formed in 2008. In fact, a fair
amount of the gear that Michael Stein maintains in
his home studio has come from his time as an
employee of Switched On, their local synthesizer
dream space and repair spa. The space is a
cramped, near museum-like wonderland that
features kit from practically every era of electronic
music. The other three members of the band Kyle
Dixon, Mark Donica and Adam Jones file in and
begin to kid Stein that they could probably walk off
with a random keyboard from his considerable
collection and he might not even notice. But with
the spotlight theyve found themselves under now
that the music that Stein and Dixon composed for
Netflixs Stranger Things sci-fi horror series has
garnered so much attention, they may want to hang
on to whatever advantage they have in their arsenal.
FM: Most electronic outfits these days are
either solo acts or duos, so how did the four of
you come to be a unit?
Adam Jones: Me and Kyle and Michael are all from
Dallas. We all grew up there. And then me and Kyle
went to school [at Texas State University] in San
Marcos and thats where we met Mark. Michael
stayed in Dallas to go to sound recording school
while we were going to college and then once we got
out, the three of us got a place in Austin together
and we started getting some synthesizers. And we
were like, Oh, you remember Michael Stein from
Dallas? Hes got a studio and he plays synths and
stuff. So we started collaborating with him and
thats how we started the band. And then after about
a year of doing collaborative sessions back and forth,
we convinced him to move down here.
Mark Donica: We were like getting into synths and
I guess Kyle linked up with Michael and came back
and said, Man Michaels gotten really into synths.
Like hes getting insanely deep.
Michael Stein: They make for a good hobby
because they dont stop. Its weird. You can make a
new sound every day you can buy another
one [laughs].
So none of you had formal musical training?
Kyle Dixon: I did try to take a music theory class in
high school with Adam, but I got kicked out it
because I was being a brat basically.
MS: I think Mark is a rustic virtuoso or maybe
just rusty.
MD: I took piano lessons in elementary school for
a year in third grade and then again in high school.
But also I played trombone in band for a really long
time. I didnt know how to read music. I would just
imitate what people around me were doing. Once I
grasped what they were doing, I would just imitate it
and expand on it.
SURVIVE | Interview
A lot of people are probably familiar with
Austins musical legacy as far as Rock and
Country go, but would you say that theres been
a healthy underground electronic layer to the
scene as well?
MS: I would say theres been one for a bit. The
people who run Switched On would have an annual
party an analogue synth meet-up. There was one
in Dallas too. But the people there werent making
music. They were just gear enthusiasts, whereas here
people were actually using the equipment in bands.
How did you guys make the decision to start
playing everything live though?
KD: I think that was one of the main tenets for
starting this was to be a synthesizer band. It was
baked into the whole idea at first. So I think when
we started we just thought ,Hey, lets get a bunch of
synths and play them loud out of amps in front of
people. Anything that I could think of at the time
was probably made by one person on a laptop. And
Ive played shows like that before and it just sucked.
It wasnt fun.
MD: We wanted to be there and be present. And
bring a live element to music that someone
normally just does by pressing play on their
laptop. I think one of the advantages to having a
live band is that you can change things up on the fly
and be spontaneous.
Do you have the flexibility to improvise?
MS: There are elements (of that). Its not note for
note. And every time its going to sound different
because everything is played live and all the sounds
are going to be created different. And there are
different segues where we might choose to
improvise between songs, but the song structures
itself are pretty strict. We dont really have a reason
to deviate, but the leads are different. The expression
is different.
KD: We might walk around a little more than we
do in the recordings, but were not going to vamp on
something for an extra three minutes, because its all
in the MPC and it has a beginning and an end. The
songs arent going to get any longer or shorter. We
are playing it. Its not being sequenced, so it might be
a little different.
How does the composition side of things work?
Do you all bring things to the table separately?
MS: We all have our own studios and typically one
or two of us will start a song, and then we all
collaborate on it to finish it.
KD: About half of the time that we end up with a
song thats actually on the record, its made by two
or three of us starting an idea and then everyone
comes together to finish it, or one person will have a
skeleton or almost a complete song and then that
comes to the group and we finish it from there.
MD: You might have some chords that youre
messing with at your house and then youll head
over to Michaels and hell have something crazy
patch on his modular and you can say, Oh I have
these chords! and youll start playing them along to
some cool sounds.
41
Interview | SURVIVE
So will you bring gear with you or just bring
something thats recorded?
MD: Every so often we have done that, but as time
has gone on, Michael has just accumulated a lot
more synths.
MS: If Im going to Kyles house, I might bring a
tape echo because its always good to have a tape
echo lying around.
What do you wind up recording to?
MD: Were all Logic, all the way.
MS: I started in Pro Tools, but I couldnt afford
the plugins, so I switched to Logic and I never
went back.
KD: I got Ableton when it first came out and used
it up until Ableton 5. But at that point Logics
The band warm up the
synths for an on stage
soundcheck in Bristol
42
plugins sounded better and the overall quality felt
better to me.
MS: Ableton used to have this two-dimensional
compressed, thin thing to it. And you could hear a
song and think to yourself, I bet thats Ableton. But
that was a long time ago, maybe back in 2008.
AJ: And just like with a lot of instrumental music,
theres a ton of recordings for every song that dont
make the cut for the final [version]. So the way we
compose comes from a lot of experimentation,
where we take bits and pieces from takes that we
thought worked. We might do several takes of a
whole song and then decide if it worked at all.
AJ: Eventually it would be ideal if we had a
rehearsal space where we could also record and
have a lot of synths set up. But I think the most
important thing is that with a typical band you
would have a drummer and he would be playing his
drum kit the whole time, and then theres a bass
player whos going to be playing that the whole
time With our band anybody could be playing
any part at any time. Its more about coming
together to agree about compositions.
MS: A lot of the songwriting process is usually in
the creative realm of one person dialling in the
sound design and different techniques where theyre
manipulating the equipment in a certain way.
Theres a mood that gets set when all these things are
working together.
Do you guys still find yourselves succumbing to
gear lust periodically?
KD: Oh yeah
AJ: For sure.
MD: Massively. I want a Serge Modular very badly.
Theres something about them. They look really cool
and they sound really good.
MS: I always wanted a VCS 3. Its the first synth I
ever wanted when I started researching them. But at
this point, I wonder if I wouldnt just wind up
making crazy sound effects.
KD: I dont expect to stop buying gear ever,
unless I just decide that I dont like music anymore.
You can now buy a new analogue synthesizer for
relatively cheap.
MS: That actually sounds good.
KD: Were going to go to Europe and be able to
rent new ARP Odysseys.
MS: Thats very cool.
MD: Its crazy. Its the first synth that I started
playing in our band.
Eurorack is a big rabbit hole these days
KD: Yeah I have a lot of Eurorack. I like it in the
studio. I really like the Synthesis Technology stuff.
I think that Prophet-5 [E440] filter they made is
really nice. Thats probably my favourite filter in
Eurorack. I like the Bubblesound [SeM20] filter a
lot too. The 4ms PEG [Pingable Envelope
Generator] is cool. The Make Noise MATHS and
FUNCTION is good. I also like the [E102] Quad
Temporal Shifter which is another Synthesis
Technology. I got the Random Source Serge Triple
Waveshaper and thats pretty cool.
MD: Do you like your Kilpatrick [K2579]
Sequencer?
KD: Yeah I use it a lot.
MD: Cool. Just dont tell anyone.
MS: The [Intellijel] Rubicon is great. The thru-zero
oscillators sound really natural.
What traditional hardware synths are you most
individually connected to?
MS: I can never not have fun on the ARP 2600. Its
just a semi-modular synth that has a lot of
functionality, so you can patch up sounds that you
hear on a modular very quick because theres a lot of
FM cross mod. And theres envelope pitch
modulation for all the oscillators, which if you
wanted to patch up on a modular might take you 15
minutes. But with this you can just turn a couple of
 SURVIVE | Interview

Is writing for Stranger Things

decidedly different or more
pressurised because you have to
deliver something more specific?
MS: Its just a different process and a different
presentation since its not supposed to be what
the band is. The show needed lots of moods that
the band would never release cheerful and
happy stuff. A lot of scoring tends to be minimal
to be effective. So youre not going to write some
huge bombastic SURVIVE epic for some screen
thing. That just doesnt make sense.

43
Interview | SURVIVE
knobs and it will take you 20 seconds to get those
classic 70s tones.
MD: The main one Ive been obsessed with, for live
shows at least, is the Roland SH-5. Its kind of rare.
Theyre not super common. It has two LFOs and a
Sample + Hold, two VCOs and Ring Mod. Its pretty
decked out. It has all the classic features you would
want. I kind of have an affinity for it when it comes
to playing live because its so easy for me to tweak all
the knobs. I can play a note with one finger and with
the same hand tweak the filter up and down. Ive
just become very intertwined with it. I also have a
The way we compose comes from a lot of
experimentation, where we take bits and
pieces from takes that we thought worked
Memorymoog and I really like that synth just
because its super raw and unwieldly sounding and
out of tune. Its hard to wrangle into sounding nice
and pretty but when it does it sounds really thick.
AJ: My favourite thing lately is the Prophet-6. I got
the desktop version and Ive been having a lot of
fun designing sounds on that. It sounds gorgeous.
But before I used the Korg Polysix and the Roland
44
RS-09 for a long time. But if you want to break it
down to the core elements for the first version of
SURVIVE from the very beginning, they have been
the RS-09, the Mono/Poly, the SH-101 and the
Sequential Circuits Six-Trak.
KD: The Mono/Poly is on a lot of stuff [weve
done]. It was the first real synthesizer I got and its
what I play live. The arpeggiator is really good. It has
a very characteristic sound when its arpeggiating in
the high octaves. Its very sharp sounding. And its
kind of a unique synth to me because it doesnt
particularly sound old. Its definitely analogue but it
doesnt necessarily sound like a Korg 770, which
sounds like the 70s.
MS: The Mono/Poly never woodened [laughs].
What synth did you use to come up with the
bass pattern at the beginning of Floating Cube
from the first album?
MD: It was on my ARP Odyssey, which when I
Tweaking the 2600 in
Steins hardware-stuffed
studio. Austin, Texas
wrote that had been taken apart. It was in my
kitchen and the keyboard had been taken off. It was
exhibiting some problems [laughs]. I took the whole
thing apart and that was the only way I could play it.
There was a loose connection somewhere and by
taking it apart and having the keyboard off with the
rest of the synth up and vertical I was able to make it
work. So I started recording because I was so excited
that I got it working after a couple of months of
being messed up. And its just an LFO on the filter
with key retrigger. So each note kind of flows into
the next because theres a ramp into the next note
thats being played.
KD: What made it onto the
recording was actually recorded
live. That was one of the few
things, if not the only thing,
that was recorded in the studio.
MS: We went into a studio to
record as a live band [once] so
he put that Odyssey through
some kind of tube compressor and really slammed
it. It was maybe a bit unintentional that it sounded
that smashed, but it sounded amazing.
What about longer pieces like cschz 01 from
the HD009 release?
KD: Conrad Schnitzler had died the week that we
made that, so we just used it as the catalogue
Interview | SURVIVE

number. One of the few improv shows that we

played, we had made copies of that tape for that
show so thats where that came from.
AJ: The A side of that is the full-length version of
Deserted Skies from the first album.
KD: Its like 20 minutes long, and we liked the
whole take, but we couldnt put that on an album.
MS: Its basically an unedited version of the
whole performance.
AJ: And the B-side is just a compilation of Ambient
recordings that weve done in the studio. We have
tons and tons of stuff that you could put on
Ambient mix tapes that usually ground zero for our
compositions. Well come up with textural stuff that
maybe sparks an idea for a more precise track.

Was the aggressive drum pattern that starts

Copter on the new album RR7349 the basis for
how that track began?
MD: I remember going over to Kyles house and he
had that drum thing he had been working on for a
while and I started messing with his Mono/Poly and
tweaking the decay up and down and thats how the
bassline got started.

Can you talk a little about how much spotlight

has been put on the band now that Stranger
Things has become such a huge hit?
KD: Its certainly brought a lot more attention to
the band, which is good. I feel like there are people at
the shows now who dont really know why theyre
there a little bit [laughs].
AJ: Its been our break I guess. Its legitimised
our band for a lot of people whereas they didnt
really know how to observe and consume our
art before.
MD: Yeah, it was like, Wheres the singing? I
cant dance to this. Its cinematic but theres no
movie playing.
AJ: They needed something like a sci-fi show to
find the context for which they were supposed to
enjoy this music. Now you dont have to explain it to
people anymore, unlike before when we toured with
someone like Com Truise or opened for Neon
Indian or Grimes they were like, Im a little bored
and Im not dancing. I dont understand it. Now
were a little more like the feature item and people
are starting to get it.

Are you up for doing more soundtrack work?

MS: Its fun.
KD: Its not a hassle. Its going to be interesting to
see how it fits in with the touring.
AJ: Were super busy now and I know that
SURVIVE will be doing more hired recording work.
Like we just worked on some art installation stuff.
Therell be a lot more opportunities for projects
coming up and well have to be more measured
about what we can take on, because we do have a
pretty hefty live schedule and we do have to work on
the next album. But well do what we can.

want to know more?

RR7349 is out now via Relapse Records. Keep up to date
with SURVIVE at www.facebook.com/SURVIVESURVIVE

46
Survive | Interview

47
 FM | THE TRACK
INCLUDES VIDEO VaULt.fUtUrEmUSIC.CO.Uk
Heist
Pillager
Sumo Beatz, 2015
A
lthough primarily known for his crowd-hyping
dancefloor bangers, Heist (aka Jim Muir) has
managed to straddle an increasingly fractured
D&B scene with his varied productions, releasing
on labels as disparate as Metalheadz, Integral,
Horizons and Ganja Recordings. The prolific
producer has not only released dozens upon dozens of his own
tracks, but has remixed the likes of Borgore and Top Cat and
engineered Rufige Krus Malice In Wonderland and Memoirs Of
An Afterlife albums for Goldie. FM caught up with Jim in his
Joe Branston
Essex studio to discover the secrets behind the speaker-smashing
sounds of his tearing and sinister Pillager, released on his own
label Sumo Beatz.
50
How did Pillager come about?
It was just a weekend kind of thing I had a gig coming up
at [Cambridge D&B night] Warning and wanted something new
to play! I had the idea and made the tune in about four hours,
so it was a really quick kind of turnaround. I wasnt trying to
be especially creative or anything I just wanted to make
something that banged in the club! I knew I could do it, but
could I do it in the time that I had? The zombie sample was kind
of the inspiration, so I started with that rather than the drums.
Usually I start with the drums but its nice to start with something
else in mind.
What were your thoughts on the track after making it and before
you played it out?
Thats quite important for me when Im making D&B. I was pretty
happy with the mix I think if anything the bass was too heavy.
I came back after playing it out, turned the bass down and left it
pretty much at that maybe added a few transitional effects that
I didnt have time for the first time round.
What do you prioritise when making a jump-up track?
For me, it needs to have a nice big drum break running,
 Heist | The Track

Watch the video

here: http://bit.ly/
fmtrack318

Im not into stuff that sounds like

a monkey just fucking jumped on
the keyboard. Some people might
say theyve heard tunes of mine that
sounds like that, but that wasnt the
intention! Theres a fine line between
the jump-up thats credible, and the
stuff that just works certain raves
where they dont care about
musicality and just want stuff thats
kind of ear-piercing and offensive!

decent drums, and a fat drop. But the drop for me has to have
a certain taste to it. Im not into stuff that sounds like a
monkey just fucking jumped on the keyboard. Some people might
say theyve heard tunes of mine that sound like that, but that
wasnt the intention! Theres a fine line between the jump-up
thats credible, and the stuff that just works certain raves where
they dont care about musicality and just want stuff thats
ear-piercing and offensive! Im not saying I dont do that, but I
like to do it in a tasteful way.

A lot of studio time making this one must have been devoted to
fitting the bass into the mix. Its got a lot of midrange energy is
that how you usually design your bass sounds?
Theres midrange bass in this instance, sure, but with the correct
balance of low frequencies from the sub to make it nice and
comfortable well, to a certain degree its not really comfortable
though, its quite abrasive!
With this tune, Ive got more in the lows than I would usually
have but I dont approach bass design like that; I approach it by
whether its comfortable or not for me. If I feel I cant play it
comfortably, then its not working. I never approach it by thinking
what Im going to put in the midrange, I just sort of experiment.

51
The Track | Heist

THe Gear
Software:
Steinberg Cubase 9
SPL Transient Designer Plus
Waves RVerb & TrueVerb
Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack
Native Instruments Massive

Hardware:
Native Instruments Maschine
Novation UltraNova
Dynaudio BM5
E-mu Xboard 25

Is that your general way of getting things done recording things in

live rather than programming them in the piano roll?
Yeah, I play a lot of stuff in live, record it in, edit it but I think
that kind of human element is important. I dont feel like Im really
writing it if Im just drawing it in. Ive always been keyboard-based,
MIDI-based, very much about keeping it as live as possible without
bouncing to audio. Synth-wise, apart from a couple of things,
everything is running live.

And what about comparison? Do you A/B your tracks to see how
they stack up against other peoples?
I used to. Nowadays, if I concentrate too much on what things
look like or even what they sound like it can take me off the
actual target. My test is the club: if I test it in the club and it
sounds right or doesnt sound right, thats when I know. Comparing
it to other tunes is good though theres nothing wrong with doing
that once youve finished it.

want to know More?

If Jims style appeals to you, you might be interested to
learn that hes available for one-to-one production tuition,
email heist121s@gmail.com for more details.

52
 Heist | The Track

Making Pillagers
bass sounds
with Massive
Jim calls on a soft synth
03 >
Jim uses Massives routing page to put the first
insert effect after the filters, and sets the effect to
classic to create his gigantic, Sine Shaper with maximum Dry/Wet level and
plenty of Drive. This distorts the sound, bringing
zombie-inspired bass drop out its top-end harmonics.

01 >
Pillagers brutal midrange bass is created with
Native Instruments Massive, and its based on a
single oscillator set from the Inharmonic wavetable.
The wavetable position is modulated by one of
Massives performance modulators, and three detuned
unison voices are used to thicken the sound up.

04
At the end of the signal chain, the Tele Tube effect
is applied with a low Dry/Wet level and a middling
amount of Drive, giving the sound an even more
distorted, raspy quality. This is further animated by
placing an EQ over it, and moving the EQ with an
LFO and the performance modulator.

02 >
The oscillators output is run through both
the synths filters in a serial arrangement.
First is a Double Notch filter with the
Cutoff modulated by an LFO, and this is
followed by a Bandpass filter modulated
by the same performance modulator as the
wavetable position.

53
FM | youtuBE
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tHE trACK
Top producers go in-depth on Top producers show
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Roosevelt, Wait Up Keeno, Enigma In this episode we head north Master your music-making with
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54
 Studio Sessions
the monthly video
series from the
makers of
The worlds top producers show you
how they get more from Steinberg

Only
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For this episode, we track down
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 FM | PRODUCERs GUIDE

INCLUDES VIDEO aND aUDIO VaULt.fUtUrEmUSIC.CO.Uk

Arturia
DrumBrute
Starting from humble origins as a software
synth developer, Arturia have carved out a
reputation as a well respected analogue
hardware manufacturer. The MiniBrute
and MicroBrute monosynths impressed,
being neither clones nor soundalikes of
the many classic analogue designs that
now fetch top dollar.
Released at the back end of 2016,
the DrumBrute builds on the Brute ranges
heritage and takes advantage of the design
experience gained in the creation of
Arturias BeatStep sequencer range,
making for an inspiring and comprehensive
modern drum machine at a very
reasonable price point.
For most electronic producers,
immediately obvious drum machine
reference points might be Rolands early
TR models - the 808, 909 and 606.
The DrumBrute certainly isnt intended
as a retro tribute act to these classic
beatboxes, but it does contain some
instruments not least the two kick drums
and simpler percussion voice that do pay
homage to these classics.
In this guide and its accompanying
videos, well explore the sounds of the
DrumBrute, give you tips and tricks for
becoming a programming master, and find
out how to integrate it with other gear.

57
Producers Guide To | Arturia DrumBrute

Getting an Earful
source with a re-triggered attack
envelope and adjustable decay.
Sweeping the Tone parameter feels
QUICK
TIPS
like moving a band-pass filter

of the DrumBrutes (somewhat counterintuitively) from

high to low when moved in a
clockwise direction.

Sound Engine
The Clave and Maracas (neither
with any parameter editing) are both

The DrumBrute comes flush with a
standard selection of electronic drum
Kick 2 is much closer in tone to a
TR-606 or 808 kick its simpler
1
very similar to those of the TR-808,
as are the Hi and Low Congas (which Make sure youre
can be pitched, though only at the running the latest
same time as their respective Toms).
firmware for bug
The aforementioned Toms pitched
element is again very similar to the
fixes and extra functions.

kit sounds, each programmed and
tweaked in their own special ways.
Kick 1 has a recognisable
resemblance to that of the TR-909.
Although the real 909s was
somewhat smoother, the Drumbrute
does trump it somewhat in terms of
editing and tonal range. The Impact
parameter increases transient bite by
dialling in a second, short tom-like
oscillator tone, while Sweep adjusts
the range of the resonating filter
than Kick 1, offering only Pitch and
Decay controls, and can go subsonic
at its lowest setting. The maximum
Decay time is shorter than a standard
808 though, so therell be no full-on
Miami Bass-style action here.
The DB Snare is split into two
components pitch and noise and
can be nudged towards 808/606
territory. Theres more tweakability
on hand, with the Drum Tone knob
appearing to alter the balance
2
808, though without an additional
noise element in the attack. The Copy and
The Tambourine is reminiscent of Erase buttons work
the Roland CR-78s, albeit with
on Bank, Patterns
control over the sounds Decay. The
Rim Tone adjusts balance between
and individual drum
two very short pitched elements. tracks. You can also Spot
The Hats are identical in sound, Erase individual steps in
and feel quite similar to the TR-606 real time by holding the
and DR-110, which employed
Erase button and hitting
multiple square-wave generators
combined with a noise source and
the relevant pad.

sweep applied to the lower underlying
oscillator. Just because the sound is
labelled as a kick, this shouldnt
discount it being used for other
things. Turning the Decay right down,
and maxing both Impact and Sweep
shifts the sound it into different
percussive territory altogether.
Programming the Brute
For different situations, there are multiple ways to create
3
between two short pitch generators, band-pass filter. The DrumBrutes
and the Snap parameters altering the Pitch control alters the filters focus Repurposing
characteristics of the noise source. point. The Cymbal follows a broadly sounds allows you
Snap Tone applies a high-pass filter similar path, though with subtle
to up your Tom
to the noise component. component changes delivering a
The DrumBrutes Clap is slightly different tone (that can be
count. Lower Kick 2s
reminiscent of very early analogue adjusted), alongside the Reverse Decay to 9 oclock and it
drum machines a simple noise Cymbal (that cant). fits well with the Hi and
Low Toms. You can even
create four-note basslines
using the Toms and
Kicks simultaneously.

4
and access Patterns and Songs in the Arturias beatbox The metronome
The primary mode for programming the DrumBrute is based around the concept of a Pattern. These can be anything from 1 to 64 steps sound gets its own
long, and you can store 16 patterns in each of four Banks (A-D), making for a total of 64 storable Patterns. output, and its
Steps are shown using buttons 1-16, with the LEDs above (labelled 16, 32, 48 and 64) indicating position for longer patterns. By
default, each step represents a sixteenth-note, but this can be changed using Shift, and Step buttons 1-5.
also removed from the
Patterns can be recorded in real time by tapping the instrument pads. In Step Mode, the Step and Accent mode buttons alter the main output when
display to show programmed steps rather than pattern numbers. headphones are used.
The sound is then routed
to the headphones for
tempo monitoring in a
live situation.

5
The MIDI Control
Center is useful
for managing and
programming the Brute,
but it also allows
access to extra features
> > >
Patterns (up to a maximum of 16) can be As Tempo is stored with each pattern, you In the excitement of laying down beats, its
be linked together in Song mode. Press
Record and then use the Pattern (and Bank)
may want to enable Global Tempo Mode
(Press Shift then 16) when working with the
easy to forget that the DrumBrute requires
you to explicitly save Patterns and Songs
like the Step Repeat
selection buttons to choose which patterns to
play. Multiple presses of the same pattern allow
internal clock so that the Songs play back at a
consistent tempo. Hold Shift whilst tweaking for
before switching modes. To avoid losing their
contents, press the Save button plus the required
Randomizer, which can
them to be repeated. much finer control. Pattern/Song number button. glitch up your sequences.

58

Programming
Patterns using
Different Modes
Create sequences from scratch
using the DrumBrutes step-time
and real-time recording methods
01 >
Start by selecting a pattern number (1-16).
Patterns in other banks can be chosen by
pressing the Bank button + buttons A-D. Press
Erase and select the pattern again to clear it.
Select the tempo via the white Tempo knob.
02 >
The Last Step button is used to determine
the end point of the chosen pattern. For
longer patterns, the << and >> buttons move
you backwards and forwards between the
four blocks of 16 steps. Hold the Last Step
button and button 16 to give you one bar of
sixteenth-notes.
Arturia DrumBrute | Producers Guide To
03 >
Now were going to punch in a very simple
four-to-the-floor bass drum pattern. Press the
Step button, followed by the Kick 1 pad.
Holding Shift while pressing an instrument
pad allows it to be selected without it
actually playing. Now program the sequence
by pressing steps 1, 5, 9 and 13.
04 >
Switching to Accent mode, youll still see the
steps we just programmed, now lit up in
blue. Pressing step 1 twice will turn it red,
indicating that the step will play louder.
This is a great way of adding interest to each
part, picking out certain steps to accent.
05 >
If you want to create longer, more elaborate
rhythm parts, extending a pattern is the way
to go. Holding Shift and pressing the >>
button copies the first 16 steps into the next
Step Group (17-32). Press the << and >>
keys at the same time to enter Pattern Follow
(to automatically show the current set of
steps playing).
06
Press Record and use the Snare and Clap
pads to add steps in real time. If youre
starting with a blank pattern, dont forget to
enable the metronome. Holding Shift and the
Record button puts you in non-quantising
record mode. This is great for adding some
nicely humanised percussion lines.
59
Producers Guide To | Arturia DrumBrute
> >
The sounds associated with
How to each of the DrumBrutes
12 pads are accessible via
Route sounds to separate outputs simply plug a
external gear minijack into a sounds output, and
the associated sound is removed
from the main mix (along with the
filter in the signal path).
You may have noticed that the
DrumBrute has 17 parts across 12
pads, so some sounds while
individually programmable share
an output. Rim and Claves, Toms
and Congas, and Maracas and
Tambourines. The exception is
the Hats, which share both a mute
group (the closed hat will always
mute an open hat) and output.
> >
The DrumBrutes main
How to output can be processed by
the resonant output filter
Record and (high- or low-pass). This, like
Edit Dynamics all other sound-editing and
manipulation parameters, cannot
in your DAW be automated internal or externally.
The DrumBrute lends itself to
tweaking on-the-fly, then, but if you
want any sort of after-the-fact
dynamic control, the best tactic is to
record it through your DAW. For
elaborate tweaks, loop the pattern
and Solo each instrument for
recording in turn. Keep the DAW
running while you finesse the
required changes, then select the
best takes afterwards.
Evolving Patterns Using Polyrhythms
Polyrhythms can be generated on the DrumBrute, here represented in the MIDI Control Center
60
The pads transmit and record
How to the full 127-point velocity
scale, but the internal sounds
Work with respond only to normal and
Velocity and accented notes, the effects of which
are determined by the Accent
Accenting Velocity Threshold parameter in the
MIDI Control Center software.
The sounds themselves normally
switch between quieter and louder
versions (when played above the
accent threshold), though the
Accented version of some exhibit
slight timbral changes too for
example, Kick 2 has a more
noticeable click, and the Rim
changes timbre as if the Rim Tone
parameter is being moved.
Alongside its internal clock,
How to the DrumBrute can sync
(to and from) a large range of
Get the other gear via MIDI clock or USB.
DrumBrute in Analogue sync pulses are sent and
received via a pair of rear-panel
Sync with Gear minijack connectors (Clock In and
Clock Out), and the MIDI Control
Center software adjusts the clock rate.
Options include, amongst others,
Volca- and DIN-compatible rates. You
can also turn on Auto-Sync, to switch
to whichever source begins sending
clock data to the DrumBrute. Note
also that the clock ports carry both
clock pulses and start/stop messages,
though you may have to make up
your own cable to make use of them.
We could quibble and say that it doesnt quite allow the
full gamut of true polyrhythmic possibilities, but the
DrumBrutes ability to employ different lengths for each
part in a pattern is very powerful feature, and allows you
to create evolving rhythmic patterns that take different
times to repeat. In fact, if you employ a different length
for each of the 17 instruments, its possible to create
sequences that take hundreds of days before they arrive
back at a synchronised start point.
To enter Polyrhythm mode, hold Shift and press Step
button 16 (which turns blue to show its active for that
pattern). The next move is to select the pattern length for
each instrument by pressing the relevant instrument pad
then holding Last Step while selecting a step number.
For example, you could set Kick 1 to repeat every four
steps, Kick 2 every five, Hi Tom every six, and Low Tom
every seven. Put a beat on the first step of each and see
what happens.
 Arturia DrumBrute | Producers Guide To

Making Watch the video in

a web browser at

Programmed bit.ly/fmpg318

Beats Funkier
The DrumBrute has plenty of
options for tweaking groove and
making beats less predictable
04 >
Randomness can be introduced for a whole
pattern or per instrument. Though it naturally
works better for glitchy rhythms, it can be used
quite subtly if needed. Try small amounts for a
pattern and more for other parts.

01 >
You may have wondered how to add faster
rhythmic parts to a patterns fixed grid.
Step Repeat divides steps by a factor of
2, 3 or 4. Simply select and hold a Step,
then press in the Roll/Loop strip above the
relevant number.

05 >
Though strictly only available as a live
performance tool (and therefore not
recordable on the DrumBrute), the Looper
can make a repeating pattern more
interesting. Luckily, the latest firmware
update adds the ability for the Touch Strip
to send and receive CC messages.

02 >
Swing can be added both globally (for the
whole pattern), or per instrument when the
06
The Mute and Solo buttons are useful for
Current Track button is engaged. Slower and
sparser percussion parts can often take a bit auditioning smaller instrument groups. Each
more swing then denser elements. Adjusting
the overall swing also increases settings
tracks Solo/Mute status is stored when moving
youve applied to individual tracks.
between modes, making it a useful performance
tool. This also affects MIDI/USB note output.

03 >
For more precision, each step can have its
own timing set (shorter or longer) by holding
the relevant Step button and turning the
Swing knob. All steps for the selected
instrument can be moved by holding Shift
and turning Swing.

61
 In The Studio | Hauschka

Hauschka
Best known for his ingenious experiments with
prepared piano, the Oscar-nominated artist has
increasingly turned to electronics to texturise
his sound. Danny Turner joins the composer in
the studio to discuss What If, his latest attempt
to shatter mainstream neo-classical barriers.
Joseph Branston

62

B
orn in the low mountains of
northern Siegerland, Volker
Bertelmann (aka Hauschka)
began playing piano at eight
years old and studied
classical piano for a decade.
Aged 14, he formed his first
rock band before adulthood
led him to Cologne to study medicine and
economics. But music remained his real passion,
and in the early 90s, Bertelmann became a
full-time member of the hip-hop duo Gods
Favourite Dog.
In 1995, he moved to Dsseldorf and began to
draw on his classical training. Substantial (2004)
was the first solo work to be released under the
Hauschka pseudonym. Soon after, Bertelmann
began experimenting with prepared piano using
light filters, contact mics and other techniques
including wrapping the strings in various materials
to create a drum kit of tones.
Bertelmanns acoustic replications went on to
create numerous leftfield neo-classical releases,
both in collaboration with others and as a film
soundtrack composer. He also began putting out
electronic music under the alias Tonetraeger.
Recently, Bertelmann released his eighth Hauschka
album, What If, further exploring the radical
abstractions created via prepared piano, modern
software and analogue synthesis.
When you began composing your own music,
did you need to go through a process of
unlearning the traditional structures youd
acquired as a classical pianist?
To be quite honest, thats totally the case. Im trying
to block the clichd ways. To avoid the clich, I try to
put obstacles in the way, which I can do with
preparations. Most of the music I was doing when
I was a kid was with a tape recorder on my knees,
playing songs from The Beatles or Queen. So I had
to find my own approach without having any
notation in front of me. I think that helped me find
my own approach to the piano.
When did you start to contemplate modifying
the instrument to suit your own needs?
I was actually in Wales, in the Brecon Beacons, at a
friends place called Twin Peaks Studios. I was
recording an electronic band project called Music
AM, which was a trio. I thought that my piano
playing wasn't so far off electronic music, but the
purity of the piano meant it didn't sound like
electronic music. I needed to change it and influence
the sound like a synthesiser does. I tried finding
ways to create a hi-hat on a string, so I used paper to
get the high frequencies and the hit of a hammer
and there it was! Then I thought that if I prepared
the next key as a snare, I'd be creating an analogue
sampler in a way [laughs].
What other techniques have you developed to
modify the sounds of the strings? What tricks
have you picked up?
Over the years, Ive found that light filters are much
Hauschka | In The Studio
better because they have a plastic, harder attack. You
can actually look at the preparation in a similar way
to an ADSR generator by looking at where the attack
is, how much sustain the note has, and finding a way
of shaping that using various materials. I came at it
more from the percussive side. I established a kind
of drum kit, bass drum and snare, and now I
actually put a contact mic between the hammer and
the string for the bass drum, so the hammer hits the
contact mic.
I use an EBow to get long, sustained notes.
The nice thing about them is that they do nothing
to the tone, but when you press the key you find
that you have this pad coming in that sounds
like a glass harp. Finding out how these
preparations are working allows you to learn
different techniques, because you have to play the
instrument differently.
How is the playing process different, compared
to a traditional piano?
You have to get rid of your normal skills, because
certain keys only react when you hit them very hard,
and others are too loud. You have to find a way of
balancing high-frequency and low-frequency sounds
so it sounds like a band. Thats why I need to use a
sound guy to keep the tiger in the cage.
On top of everything, youre also hooked up to a
mixer and a lot of kit, which gives you even
more scope to tweak the sound of the piano
while youre performing
Absolutely! After they see a show, people are
thinking, Man, how did you do that? But its mostly
just layers, and the complexity comes from the
complexity in sonic variation. I can loop myself, and
Ill find different ways of creating pads with delays,
so I can actually extend certain sounds. In a way, its
a whole DJ production platform.
Youre also known for not sticking to one piano
every time doesnt that make things
inconsistent? Or does it keep you on your toes?
For every piano Ive played besides just one in
Chicago that was already broken they all have their
strengths and weaknesses. It also depends on the
room if you play in a rock venue and the piano
youre using has an acoustic sound, you have to
amplify everything. Sometimes the smaller pianos,
like the Yamaha C5, work very well because they
have a very controlled, boomy sound. But then
when it comes to playing in more acoustic spaces,
the bigger concert grands and the quality between a
Steinway and a Bosendorfer, or a Yamaha C7 it all
sounds very different, and you have to create a
different way of approaching them. But thats what I
really love, and why Ill never travel with the same
piano all the time.
What piano do you use in the studio?
I have to make compromises and cant change the
piano every week, but Ive recently decided to buy a
grand piano, because Im hoping to move to a bigger
space. Ill actually need it if Im going to do more
film work or to make more records in my home.
63
In The Studio | Hauschka

I also need a bigger space in general, because I have
three people working with me now. But I would
rather put something in a living room of a building
and play there than go to a studio with a control
room that I always have to run to. At the moment
Im doing both Im mixing a lot of my scores
myself, and my process is to record everything in a
certain way, rather than putting things on tape and
EQing them later.
adjust ourselves to their key just to make it possible
to sound like a good show, and after that I swore to
myself that I would find a way to create piano music
without any help of synthesisers, so I could play a
loud concert where people could stagedive and
dance. We changed the whole amplification system,
brought in the Helpinstill pickup to boost the bass
and make it very full-on. Other pianists started
using it when they saw me perform with it.
out who those guys were, I got in touch with them
and organised a concert series festival in Dsseldorf,
because I wanted to hear what they did. We had a
very nice time and have stayed in touch. I even did
an interview with Max for a magazine where we
asked each other questions, and weve played shows
together on all sorts of occasions. I really love their
way of approaching string music and their piano
playing, which has a lot of drone elements.
Im not so attracted to

The whole texture of a real piano is very people that came into the scene
about five years later, because a
lot of the time they pick up on
hard to replace with a sample, the romanticism; the guy that is
in constant struggle with the

and you can tell that straight away. world, or girls. What I learned
from those guys is that there
were all sorts of different
Youre almost working with acoustic sounds as There arent many artists that have bridged the approaches, and their focus was always more on the
if theyre software are you trying to prove mainstream/neo-classical gap. What do you music than themselves. It was not about their
something about digital sounds? think about contemporaries like Max Richter or personality but what they created, and thats
Plugins and digital piano sounds are getting so Ryuichi Sakamoto? something that really touched me.
much better, and they work very well in pop music, When I started my first album in 2004, there were
but when it comes to a very solid piano piece with people like Max Richter, Jhann Jhannsson, Dustin You described What If as a radical album.
pulls and pushes that slow down and get faster, the OHalloran, Sylvain Chauveau and Aphex Twin, Havent you been radical enough already?
whole texture of a real piano is very hard to replace who also recorded a prepared piano record. These I asked myself what I wanted to do next? There is
with a sample, and you can tell that straight away. guys were playing piano music with an independent of course the purity of the instrument, which
For the Lion score that I did with Dustin approach on independent labels. As soon as I found perhaps is not quite so present in my work anymore,
OHalloran, we did a couple of layouts with sampled
piano using a company called Spitfire in London
that makes these awesome textured pianos, but
when you go into a studio with your own mics, put
felt between the hammers and record with a certain
setup in the room, it becomes more about the room,
the mics, the mixing board, the atmosphere and the
tempo. All of that is what makes a piano take sound
different to a sample, because a sample always
sounds the same.
Im not somebody who hates the digital sound,
but I have different priorities. Ill use the analogue
sound in certain spaces and I sometimes want a
controlled piano sound that will always have the
same colour. A nice example is pizzicato strings as
a sample, they sound much more continuous and
solid. Each tone is recorded separately, and that
makes them sound very even. Its funny, because if
you write with that sample, when you a let a violin or
cello player play it in real time, they cant actually get
the same quality on every note because the bowing
makes it nearly impossible.

Is the approach you take to prepared piano

simply about experimentation, or is it more to
do with having a completely mastery of the
instrument so it becomes an extension of you?
Actually, its much more the latter. Its the wish to
integrate everything that I love into my own music
and find ways to prevent the instrument from
limiting me.
There was one key moment when I played at
the Roskilde festival a couple of years ago. I played
prepared piano with string quartet in a 5000-person
tent, which was pretty packed, but next door on the
big stage Gogol Bordello was playing the heaviest set
ever and we couldnt hear a bloody thing. We had to

64
In The Studio | Hauschka

so when I step into that I need a different approach.

Funnily enough, when I was recording for this
record, I also recorded 40 pieces without any
preparations. I dont know when Ill be ready to
release those, but at the moment I feel like I need to
balance out the influence that film music has on me Moog Minimoog
its very melodic and find an approach thats A wonderful
further leftfield, just to give it more of an edge. Its synthesiser and a
great all-round
not to provoke, but to find ways of shaping instrument that
something and putting my hands into the earth. always works in the
Im not thinking about hits or commercial mix, especially when
it comes to using
appeal, but I want to take the audience on a journey its bass sounds.
so they can discover through my music things they
might find interesting or abstract, and see that
theres a way to combine abstraction, heart and
melody. Thats maybe the radical approach in there.

Is it difficult to transmit concepts without

Roland Jupiter-4
the use of lyrics? How can you be sure that
people get it? Are you happy to leave it open This synth has a lot
of weird modulation
to interpretation? and arpeggios. I
Totally. I think its more like creating a chain of really love the
associations. I have the feeling that no matter how polyphonic glissando
it always helps me
much I explain it, every person will feel differently when Im looking for
about it. Starting with the music, if you create a song something strange
but dont know how
that you think is beautiful, for somebody else it might to get it.
be extremely sad. When I wrote the album and the
nine track titles, which deal with my expectations for
the future of the world, I could have made a radical
political statement, but that wouldnt have created a
natural flow of thoughts. Im a big fan of writing the
initial idea and then letting people pick out what
appeals to them.
Zimmerman Z1
When you perform, there are pianos on stage This is the main
that you dont appear to touch sound source for me,
and an incredible
Im using Yamaha Disklaviers, which have the way of performing
technology built in. Theyre normally made for my sounds. But
lounges or bars where theres no pianist, so you working with an
Neumann U47 upright is really nice,
just press a button and the keys are moving by because you can
A very warm- watch the keys and
themselves. At the same time, you can play them sounding microphone make more delicate
as a normal instrument and record yourself for thats great for and fragile sounds.
playback. So they give you a lot of options and allow strings and vocals.
It has a lot of
you to create this connection between machine and character, you just
real instruments. open it in your
mixing board and it
There are different aspects to it not just sounds awesome.
creating electronic music with a musical instrument,
but because my hands are limited, these player
pianos can play supernatural events, like chords with
ten or 15 notes, or they can build layers of sound.
The iPad has an Ableton platform, and I can actually
send whatever sequence I want to each piano, telling
them to play a bass drum, snare or hi-hat, but the
quality is acoustic, which mixes much better with
my sound. On my very first tour, I used prepared
piano sounds on a MiniDisc and played with a
digital piano. It was totally stupid because the sound
was so static that when I finished the set I was very
happy it was over. Now its so much more fun
because it has a live randomness.

You mentioned Ableton; do you use that in the

studio for production?
No, Im using Pro Tools and Logic as well. Each one
has a different quality. Pro Tools is very film-

66
 Hauschka | In The Studio

Avid
Artist Control 2
Its a MIDI fader
controller that really
helps me to shape
fade-ins and
fade-outs. Its a little Dynaudio BM15a
bit like having a
small section of a I love these
mixing board that monitors. Theyre
helps me to mix really neutral but
stuff digitally. have a very full
sound. Ive had all
sorts of other
monitors, but these
are really clear and
transparent.

DSI Tempest
This is one of my
favourite analogue
drum machines. Its
based on synthesiser
waveforms and its
not like a typical
808 or 909. You can
go into the cutoff
and change any
sound you want.

Pedalboard
I really love the
combination of the
Youve been experimenting with
Eventide TimeFactor,
Eventide Space foot synths recently. How do you
push them to their limits?
pedal and the Boss
RC300 loop station.
I trigger the effect
signals with the piano On this particular album, I worked a lot with an old Roland Jupiter-4. From the
and shape them with outside, it looks very limited, but it has a wonderful LFO section connected to the
the pedal effects.
modulation wheel thats so strong and feels like a real electronic instrument.
So I used that a lot,and I used a Minimoog, which Ive always been a big fan of
because its one of those synthesisers that you can switch on and always find a place
for in a track. Im also working with a lot of re-amping not using the electronic
instruments to just play melodies, but rather treating them in the same way as the
prepared piano, by creating textures with surprisingly strange or funny characteristics.
A lot of the stuff that you hear in my music that sounds like an awkward synthesizer
is actually the piano playing through an effects pedal called Particle, which creates a
lot of funny synthesised textures.

67
In The Studio | Hauschka

Do you tend to score the

arrangements or just sit at the
piano and experiment?
Some of the pieces were performed with player
pianos live, which means Im sitting on a grand
piano performing and have an iPad and a band
behind me, which is two pianos playing by
themselves. That means a lot of the pieces are
sequenced using MIDI tracks that Id previously
recorded. Its nice because, during the live
concert, I can come up with new versions while
the tonality and melodies remain the same.

68

orientated and definitely an audio platform, but
they havent made much progress in terms of the
MIDI functions. Cubase and Logic are much more
orientated to drum rhythms, samplers or virtual
instruments.
I have the feeling that Ableton is much more
like a DJ tool you think more in terms of patterns
having different lengths that can be layered, and of
course that creates a different approach to your
In the whole recording chain, Ive already
incorporated a nice analogue preamp
and a Tube Tech compressor
music. With Pro Tools, you can go much deeper into
audio, its very fast and useful, and the other
programs are doing that as well, but Pro Tools has
always printed the timecode into the stems, and
everything is always in time communicating with
other people is much easier.
When it comes to effects, do you experiment
with sounds in the box?
Yes, I use internal plugins. I use a lot of Soundtoys
plugins, the whole FabFilter suite, Valhalla reverbs
and some of the Eventide plugins are great too. I also
have the whole Universal Audio package and Waves
plugins. Sound quality is no longer a big question
its more about the handling and their
intuitiveness, because you can get interesting
changes when you open and start to play with them.
In the whole recording chain, Ive already
incorporated a nice analogue preamp and a Tube
Tech compressor, which make the sound very
smooth and rich. Then Im using the effects I need
on top of that.
You recorded a score for the 2015 horror
movie The Boy. Was that your first venture
into movie soundtracks?
That wasnt my first soundtrack but it was my first
American movie. Id made maybe six movies, but
The Boy was the most experimental; it included a lot
Hauschka | In The Studio
of the stuff I love about my own work a lot of
prepared piano, darkness, and the sound isnt so
melody-driven. Film work is different because its
collaboration. You have to talk to the director, please
the picture and create a soundtrack that has to
support the theme of the film.
Im totally aware of that and very happy to do
it, but I dont want to lose myself in that process. I
want to bring in my ideas to make it an interesting
movie, so you have to be very
sensitive and flexible, and not
put yourself in the focus but
step back and wait to hear other
peoples ideas and suggestions.
Then you go back and try to
fulfil that with your own tools,
and that makes it very interesting
it keeps me fresh and alive.
How do you deal with the demands and
deadlines placed on you? Can they leave
you feeling as though the end product doesnt
meet your usual standards?
The way you deal with pressure has a lot to do with
experience. You look at the timetable and what you
have to do, and then you say whether you can do it
or if its impossible. You need to get the organisational
process in place, so you know what time you need
for editing, writing the score, recording with a string
ensemble or orchestra or outsourcing to a mixing
guy to save time. Then you suddenly get three weeks
out of six. If you lack experience and look at the
money and say, oh, thats more money than Ive ever
earned before and just do it, then in two weeks you
might say, Shit, I cant do this, and thats creating a
lot of turbulence, then maybe you get fired.
So whats next for Hauschka? And for
Volker Bertelmann, for that matter!
Im working on three different things
simultaneously. First, my live setup for the new
album, then a new documentary film about
autonomous intelligence; which has its premiere at
the Tribeca film festival in New York; and Im also
working on a composition for an Israeli mandolinist
called Avi Avital, writing two pieces for mandolin
and string quartet.
My interest in the electronic approach is
growing because of my wish to expand in certain
areas and blend classical composition with strings
and other instruments with my approach to
experimental piano music. Im also thinking of
doing hip-hop versions I already have one track
ready with an American rapper that worked with
the music on the current album.
I want to combine these things but I dont
want it be seem like some obvious crossover
project like Montserrat Cabaret and Freddie
Mercury! Who knows if I can do that, but thats
how I want electronic and classical music to sit
next to each other.
want to know more?
What If is out now. You can see Hauschka live in Europe
from April until late summer. facebook.com/hauschkamusic
69
FM | MODULAR MONTHLY
Bastl give us wood!
The Czech instrument makers
oak-fronted Eurorack modules are the
natural choice for an organic sound
B
astl Instruments came
together as a community of
instrument makers in Brno
in 2013, sourcing and
producing everything they make
locally. You may remember their
microGranny granular sampler, and
you might have seen the recent Kastle
pocket-size synthesiser and Klik
analogue timing device. But its their
distinctive wood-fronted Eurorack
modules well be looking at here.
Bringing a natural feel to your
modular setup, Bastls range of
devices has been steadily growing
over the years, with the collection
now numbering over 30 modules
including drum generators, triggers
and sequencers, effects and loads
more, with additions to the line-up
expected soon. This month, were
getting back to our modular roots
with a few choice Bastl modules.
Tea Kick is a twin T resonant
structure (read that as core of the
70
808 kick) a virtual membrane
(drum skin) controlled with tune and
resonance knobs. Theres also a WTF
input for some audio processing
when youre feeling a little fruity.
For non kick- and tom-like sounds
we need noise sources, and the Noise
Square gives us plenty of options.
Theres white and pink, digital,
metallic noises and of course, the
absolutely vital cowbell output.
Additional percussion can also be
had with the grandPa, which offers
control over sample select, sample
rate, crush, grain size and more. Skis
can take any source and modulate it
with a decay envelope and VCA, and
ABC helps you mix in stereo or mono.
We can also create rhythms with
the fast and intuitive sequencer Knit
Rider, and theres loads of CV
generation with the CV Trinity offering
envelopes, LFOs, and knob recording
and automation. Lets dive into the
tutorial and check it all out.
 Tutorial | Modular Monthly

King of the Bastl Watch the video

In this video, we use a few choice
cuts from Bastls range of modular
gear to construct some well-
polished grooves and sequences
here: http://bit.ly/
fmmod318
03 >
For sound shaping, we can use Skis, a dual
decay and VCA module. Take a trigger into
the module to activate the decay envelope,
then add a sound source, and the VCA will
output your level-modulated sound. Turn on
VCA Crunch for added saturation.

01 >
A good house is built on strong foundations,
so lets start with the Tea Kick drum synth.
04 >
Skis isnt the only place
Take a trigger sequence and patch into the to saturate your sounds.
Tea Kick to excite and stimulate the
membrane. Play the resonance and click to Cinnamon (the filter)
fine-tune the skin and stick sound layers.
has a drive circuit for
adding some thickness
and weight to any sound
you throw at it. It has
two CV inputs, so try
mixing an envelope and
LFO to bring about some
tonal movement.

02 >
Theres always room
05 >
Knit Rider is a trigger sequencer, so lets
build a sequence. Change Voices with the
for noise in a patch, A to F buttons, tap in rhythms on the
16 step buttons, change between the four
whether used for Bars in the pattern, and divide your steps
sound or modulation. into sub-steps. Its intuitive yet detailed, so
play around.
Using Noise Squared,
try patching the pink
noise to the FM input

06
of your oscillator to add
a little fuzz and grit.
Then take the Cow
output into a VCA for CV Trinity is a six-output modulation
some cowbell action. source. Explore the automation mode by
holding Record and wiggling the middle
knob its that simple. Change the step
length with the right knob (automation
can be recorded over 32 steps) and use
the left knob to adjust smoothing (slew).

71
 In The Studio With | Bola

Bola
Few people know this, but it was Bolas
self-titled EP that propelled Manchesters
Skam label to underground notoriety.
Now after a ten-year absence, Darrell Fitton is
back with a new album. Danny Turner tracks
him down to find out whats taken him so long.
Joby Sessions

72

T
he work of electronic musician
Darrell Fitton is likely to be
categorised as one of your
record collections best-kept
secrets. Initial Fitton tracks,
described as chrome-dipped
melodic techno, began
appearing in 1995 on Warp
Records Artificial Intelligence compilations, while
subsequent material, recorded as Bola, had a more
ambient, post-techno feel.
Fittons debut album release, Soup, found its
home on Andy Maddocks underground label,
Skam. In fact, it was one of the Manchester labels
first releases, alongside Boards of Canadas Music
Has the Right to Children. Around the same time,
Fitton loaned his studio to Rob Brown and Sean
Booth, two kids who would later become one of
electronic musics foremost innovators, Autechre.
Fitton continued to release expansive soulful
electronica under the name Bola, and
occasionally Jello, throughout the 2000s.
However, after the release of Kroungrine in 2007,
he was rumoured to have left the music industry.
Although Fitton subsequently returned to play live
dates, ten years of relative inactivity have now
been broken by the sudden release of his sixth
Bola album, D.E.G.
I understand you loaned Autechre some
equipment prior to them making their
debut album?
Many years ago I had a studio with an old AMEK
desk and an Atari 8-track. These two kids came
and started talking to me about synths because
they knew I was into them. Those guys were
Autechre, but it was before they became Autechre.
I think Sean [Booth] was about 15 at the time.
They played me some of their cassette tracks and
I thought they were really good, so I said they
could use my studio when Im not in it. They did a
few overnighters [laughs]. Basically, that was the
beginning of Lego Feet, as they were called at the
time. You could see that something good was going
to happen they were really intense.
After the last Bola album, it was rumoured
youd left the industry. Had you? And what
brings you back?
I had two really young children, so we decided
to evacuate the city, move into the countryside,
and concentrate on bringing the kids up. I hadnt
fallen out with music, but Id become jaded
and needed some time to think about whether
I wanted to do this anymore. Ive kept all the
gear and over the years added to it and Ive
become interested again. I guess Ive got my mojo
back a bit!
When you say jaded, do you mean by the
direction the industry went in?
That had something to do with it, but I was also
jaded with the sound I was making. At the time,
when I went into the studio I didnt feel like I was
moving forward. Ive always been driven by that
Bola | In The Studio With
and never been particularly concerned about being
rich or famous. Im more interested in personal
musical fulfilment, and at that point it definitely
felt a little bit grey.
Technologys changed enormously over that
time what was it like waking back up and
discovering the frills of the modern studio?
Gear-wise, things have definitely changed
dramatically. When I did the last album, VSTs
were not in their infancy but they werent
that well developed. Nowadays theyre incredible,
and the audio processing is through the roof really.
I use a lot of physical equipment rather than
software, and I feel thats moved on too. Sonically,
theres more precision now. I remember having an
original Nord G1, but Ive got a Wave now and its
much more precise, which makes me more
interested in making music.
In what way is it much more precise? In the
way that it has a wider range of parameters?
Yeah, and its much quicker youre not having to
think of workarounds so much, and you can do
what youve got in your head more directly. I think
thats a lot to do with the fact that a lot of synths
now have control panels again. You can put your
hands on them without menu surfing, which can
drive you crazy. Some of my favourite synths of all
time have been quite menu-driven, I remember
having a Kurzweil K2000, and I really liked it, but it
took a lot of learning.
You recently managed to get your hands on
the new Roland System-8
I only got it a few weeks ago. Previous to that
I had the System-1, which was fantastic. An awful
lot of sounds from D.E.G. are from the System-1
because its so quick to get to the things I had in
mind. So when the System-8 was announced,
I thought, Ill have one of them. It has Plug-Outs,
which are like plugins but you can upload them to
the System-8. They do an SH-101, which is
absolutely exact because I used to have one, and
an SH-2. You just press a button and its that synth.
For playing live, thats exactly the kind of thing
I need to duplicate things exactly as they are in
the studio.
We touched on Autechre, whose sound is
quite cold and clinical, whereas youve always
had a warmer, more atmospheric sound,
which is typified on this new album.
I guess thats just me. I dont listen to electronic
music at all really, I listen to rubbish like Ravel
and Debussy and loads of Jazz, so that influences
me melodically and makes the sound more
atmospheric. Autechre are city boys, so theyre
driven by that urban mentality, whereas Ive
always been a bit rural [laughs].
Whats the significance of the abbreviated
title D.E.G?
I always do these crazy puns. My names Darrell
Earnest Fitton, so when we originally said we were
73
In The Studio With | Bola
going to do this album I said to Skam that this is
probably going to be the end of Bola so itll be
Darrell Earnest is Gone D.E.G.
Lets hope its not the end. I love the opening
track Fhorth, which is very sci-fi and has a
deep analogue richness. Was it made with
analogue gear?
Yes and no. Im not a massive analogue fanboy.
With analogue synths, a lot of people have a
bee in their bonnet about getting the real
thing, or owning a particular piece of gear
Ive had everything over the years because Ive
been making records since the 80s. Over the years,
Ive had Jupiter-8s, Prophet-5s, PolySixs and
Minimoogs you name it, Ive had them all.
These days I dont have anything thats truly
analogue except my modular. So yes, theres
quite a lot of modular sampling going on where
Ill make a sound, sample it and play it
polyphonically. Its not as analogue as people
think it is thats a lot to do with how I process
74
things to make them sound more natural rather
than clinical.
So whats the secret to using digital
effects in order to get that more expansive
analogue sound?
A lot of it is layering, so combining things
together, but also micro-tuning, which can
make things sound slightly in or out of tune.
You can pan things a little bit left or right to give
yourself the correct width and then the dynamic of
it will come through. Even with a digital synth, if
you do it enough, it starts to sound more analogue
because its not as flat.
A lot of people say that a Yamaha DX synth,
for instance, is clinical and flat-sounding, but I love
the DX. My debut album Soup is widely regarded
as analogue-sounding, but an awful lot of that was
DX-driven.
So its more about how its being processed
rather than the tools you use to create the
source sounds in the first place
Absolutely. With analogue synths, a lot of people
have a bee in their bonnet about getting the real
thing, or owning a particular piece of gear from
the 80s, but I think you can do similar, if not the
same, things with new gear thats not pure
analogue but imitates analogue.
Do you have themes and
concepts in your head when
youre writing this very
ethereal music?
I dont have this grand
scheme, and D.E.G. isnt a
concept album. I might
have an idea for something
that sounds song-like but is not a song.
The fourth track on the album, Evensong, sounds
like a singer but its not a singer, its all synthetic.
I had this idea of creating something that sounded
like a normal song but its gobbledegook even the
words are nonsense.
The studio has just the right degree of home
and work to it what are the plans for it?
I have a four-story house and theres a sub ground
In The Studio With | Bola

Yamaha FS1R
This is both my
heaven and hell.
Easily the most
advanced and
amazing-sounding
FM synth ever built,
but with quite
possibly the most
unfathomable
interface ever
devised.

Korg Z1
An oldie but a
goodie. It has a
number of oscillator
models, such as
bowed string,
resonance and comb,
that were really
unique when it was
launched and pretty
much still are.

Akai S6000
A quick and
convenient way to
capture my noodlings
on the Eurorack
modular without the
need to have half the
studio active.
Easy editing, and a
detachable front
panel that I can
stick on my knee.

Nord Wave
Ive owned a
number of Clavia
instruments, but Ive
really connected with
this one. It allows
me to integrate my
own samples, and
I can use it live
because the samples
are in non-volatile
flash RAM. NI Kore 2
This allows me to
layer and process
virtual instruments
and effects and store
them as a unified
program for recall
either within the DAW
or standalone with
the benefit of some
physical controls.

76
 Bola | In The Studio With

with a garage at the back where the car goes I

Elektron
SFX-60/SPS-1 want to turn it into a live room eventually.
Nowadays, I tend to
Basically, I want to buy an electronic drum kit
use the SFX-60 as a again, put that in there and have a vocal booth as
sequencer for the well the next project Ive got in mind will have a
modular with six
layers of MIDI lot of vocals.
sequencing on top of
the internal sounds. You have a heap of hardware synths. Which of
You can pretty much
generate an entire them do you find the most inspiring?
Eurorack Modular track with it. I have the [Waldorf] Blofeld, which is a wavetable
Unlike most synthesiser. Its ancestor would have been things
modular heads, I like the Wolfgang Palm PPG Wave series synths
dont spend too much
time making synthy from the 80s. Youve got waveforms that are
farts or self- continually variable, and a wavetable starts at a
generating gurgles sine wave and ends at something random and
I prefer to use it as
an improvisational theres thousands in between. The idea is that you
source for sampling Kyma can pan along it and it has a very unique character.
or a processor for Capybara 320
other external gear. Tangerine Dream did an album called Exit,
Not great to and it was full of this synthesiser that nobody
program as it
requires learning had heard before called the PPG. It blew my
Kyma X, but its mind; I thought the sounds on it were really
totally unique. Its different. I always wanted something that did
sound processing is
without equal, the wavetables, so when the Waldorf PPG Wave came
reverbs alone blow along I went out and bought it. The filter they
just about anything
out of the water, and designed for it was fantastic. Even now, it still
its convertors are off sounds incredible.
the scale.
What else do you have?
Ive had the Nord Wave for about six or seven
years, but I really like the fact that you can put
your own samples in the Wave whereas you cant
on the others. Most of the time, modular gear is
monophonic and you cant play chords on them
unless you buy a whole bunch of them. So if I
come up with an interesting tone thats variable,
I can sample it and have it spread across the
Nords keyboard and process it to make it sound
polyphonic. Under that, I have a Korg Radias,
Roland System-8 which is a really wacky synth [laughs]. Its so
Korg it produces normal sounds, but you can
I owned most of the
synths featured as actually feed one layer back into the next one,
Plug-Outs for the which is really weird. Ive also got a Korg Z1,
System-8, but I which Ive had for years. I wont get rid of it
disliked their noise
and unreliability. This because its quite unique and typically Korg. Its
is the perfect fantastic for pads and textures and you get lots
solution, and ACB is
easily the most of control.
accurate virtual
analogue system yet. And youve got yourself a Native Instruments
Kore there do you still get use out of it?
Kore was the idea Native Instruments had prior
NI Maschine to Maschine. Obviously, you have NI Komplete
I love creating now, but a few years ago, Kore was supposed to
patterns across eight unify your sound library. Essentially, you can
groups so they can
all play in different build layers of virtual instruments and save them
sounds and time as a single instrument, which means you can
signatures. Patterns load up a patch that has combined layers of
can change
immediately rather different synths. I used that quite a lot on the
than waiting for them album, especially when I wanted to build a massive
to end, and its
amazing to have the pad sound.
pattern layers
constantly shifting. What outboard gear are you currently using?
Quite a lot of old stuff. The Yamaha FS1R and the
TG77 rackmount modules, an old Akai S6000
sampler, which I was using recently until the scuzzy
hard drive failed. Finding an old scuzzy hard drive

77
In The Studio With | Bola

What would you recommend as an

entry point to the modular realm?
Doepfer stuff is incredible value for money.
You can build a modular system for a few
hundred pounds, whereas that would probably
only buy you one oscillator from a boutique
company like Make Noise. Modular is one of
those things youve got to just dive in and have
a go at. Some people prefer the Buchla sound
and some prefer the Moog sound. I do jams, so
Ill build something that I find interesting and
use the S6000, which has a huge memory,
sample it in real time for about 20 minutes,
input that into the computer and chop it up.

78

nowadays is a nightmare. Ive still got a massive
Soundcraft Ghost desk, which is a 56-input desk
that Ive had to shove in a cubbyhole under the
stairs. Everything used to be wired through that,
but this is the first album that I havent made
through a mixing desk, and not having to do
that anymore has been a revelation. Im using
MOTUs 24IO interface with everything
wired directly into channel inputs, so if I want a
Instead of having a synth that goes
oscillator, filter, envelope, whatever, you
can literally redirect it any way you please
particular synth, I just pick the input and there it is
ready to go. Its a lot quicker because it allows me
the opportunity to jump between different songs
without having to touch a desk.
Then you have your modular gear of course,
which looks like a very impressive setup.
Its all Eurorack, and theres tons of different from Steinberg Pro 24 to C-Lab, Logic and
stuff in there. I buy whatever I need at the time.
The first modular I bought was in 2003, and in
those days there were only a couple of
manufacturers like Doepfer. Nowadays, there are
tons of boutique module makers. The positive
thing about using these is that youre not tied
down to a specific path, so instead of having a
synth that goes oscillator, filter, envelope, whatever,
you can literally redirect it any way you please.
You can have an oscillator triggering an envelope
or one oscillator going into another and another
to create mad, crazy FM synthesis. Its a shame that
most people who have them dont make more
music with them.
And youre using PreSonus Studio One as a
software DAW?
Over the years Ive used just about everything
want to know more?
Cubase. But the problem with a lot of those apps
is that theres too much in them. You dont need
Bola | In The Studio With
that many you just need a quick way of working.
Studio One is really neat I create a track and
boom! Im away. Again, its getting away from that
menu-surfing thing its all set out on screen in
one layer and simple as can be.
But you do also use quite an armoury
of software
Yes, having said that, I do use Native Instruments
Maschine and Komplete,
Omnisphere 2 and Arturia [V
Collection], because the
Oberheim SEM modules
really good on that.
For processing stuff,
I really like the Melda set of
VST plugins; theyre really
quirky and interesting.
They do polyrhythmisers, which break up different
frequency bands and rhythmise them, but they
also make compressors and EQs. Focusrite also
does the Red Series, which is phenomenal. I like
iZotope as well its Neutron mixing plugins are
really good.
D.E.G. is released on 5 May check out
http://twitter.com/skamrecords for more info
79
FM | REVIEWS

Akai MPC Live 799

This isnt just a new standalone MPC its operating system
and rechargeable battery make it potentially the most
self-sufficient MPC ever. Si Truss goes off the grid...

CONTACT WHO: Akai Pro WEB: www.akaipro.com KEY FEATURES Fully standalone MIDI and audio sequencer I/O: 2x 1/4" jack inputs
(stereo pair), 1x stereo RCA input with ground peg, 6x 1/4" jack outputs (3 stereo pairs), 1x 3.5mm jack headphone out, 2x MIDI in, 2x MIDI out, 2x USB 3.0
(for content transfer or MIDI USB in), 1x USB type-B (for host computer connection), SD card slot DIMENSIONS: 424 x 224 x 69mm WEIGHT: 2.7kg

80
 Akai MPC Live | Reviews

THE PROS & CONS

+
Its a properly
standalone MPC,
with built-in memory,
processing and
rechargeable battery!

A near-DAW level of
sequencing, sampler,
recording and editing
capabilities neatly
handled by the
minimal interface

At just under 800

it feels well-priced

-
Workflow can feel a
touch disjointed and
convoluted at times

A front-panel
instrument input
would have been a
nice addition

A
kai released the
first computer-
reliant hybrid
MPC in 2012, and
immediately it
divided opinion
among users.
There are two schools of thought
the purists, who argue that
reducing the MPC to the status of a
controller strips it of its essence, and
the pragmatists, who acknowledge
that a standalone MIDI sequencer is
a bit of an anachronism in an age of
cheap laptops. Both have a point.
Now, with the launch of the MPC
Live and its forthcoming big sibling,
the MPC X, Akai appear to have
finally found a way to bridge this
dichotomy. While both still rely on
the software developed for the
controller MPCs and both can
function as plug-and-play controllers
for the desktop version this new
line keeps things self-contained by
housing their own multicore
processors, allowing the software to
also run inside the MPC itself. In
fact, the MPC Live claims the title of
the most self-sufficient MPC ever,
thanks to a built-in lithium ion
battery that allows between four and
six hours of plug-free operation.
The layout of the Live hardware
itself is almost identical to last years
MPC Touch. The main difference is
size the Live is a few centimetres
longer and wider, and a good deal
chunkier in depth. Its heavier too,
understandable given the inclusion
of the battery and onboard processing.
Despite this, it remains just the right
side of the portability divide you
could happily get it into a backpack
and take it as hand luggage on a flight.
Around the back Live features a
decent raft of I/O. There are
balanced jack and RCA inputs [see
Record And Sample] along with
three pairs of assignable balanced
jack outputs. These are joined by two
MIDI in and two MIDI out ports,
along with a pair of USB 3.0 slots
that can be used to load/transfer
content or host class-compliant MIDI
devices. An SD card slot adds an
option for loading sound content,
while a final USB port allows
connection to a host computer.
The Live is also equipped with both

81
Reviews | Akai MPC Live

THE ALTERNATIVES Bluetooth and WiFi the former can
be used to hook up MIDI devices,
and although the latter doesnt
currently have any applications, Akai
have expressed an intention to roll
out wireless sync and file transfer in
a future update.
Under the hood, the processor
NI Maschine packs 2GB of RAM. Theres a 16GB
Studio 629 hard drive onboard which comes
The Maschine stocked with 10GB of factory
content. A SATA slot allows the
ecosystem is bound
built-in storage to be expanded too.
to a host computer,
The quality of the hardware is
but it can run and generally very high. The rubber-
control your third- topped metal chassis looks smart
party plugins and feels sturdy, as do the buttons
www.native- and rotaries. The 7-inch touchscreen
instruments.com is bright and clear, and is generally
responsive under the fingers. The 16
pads remain a high-point of the MPC
design in terms of playability and
feel theyre head-and-shoulders
above most pad controllers on the
slightly odd, weak point in an
otherwise impeccable build.
Given its size and standalone
credentials, its impressive what the
MPC Live is capable of. Sampling
and sequencing remain the heart of
the MPC experience and the Live is
flexible in both departments both
are handled by the MIDI tracks section
of the OS, which can host sampled
Drum Programs, Keygroup Programs
(ie, sampled instruments and kits) or
output MIDI to external devices.
Patterns can be recorded via the
16 velocity- and pressure-sensitive
pads. Everything can also be manually
inputted and edited via a piano roll/
Sampling and sequencing
remain the heart of
sequencer grid on the touchscreen.
Using the screen for deep sequence
edits can occasionally feel fiddly, but
generally the combination of the
touch interface, main rotary and Q
Link controls make for a decent
experience, on a par with what youd
expect from a modern DAW.
Sampled instruments can be
loaded with sounds from the built-in
memory, an external USB/SD, or
recorded directly from the MPC Lives
inputs. A Sample Edit window allows
sounds to be trimmed, looped,
re-pitched and sliced across the 16
pads. A Program Edit window,
meanwhile, allows up to four samples

Pioneer DJ
Toraiz SP-16
market. The only misstep is the back
panel on/off switch, which is loose the MPC experience
and cheap-feeling; its a minor, albeit
1,389
The SP-16 packs a
gorgeous-sounding
Dave Smith filter and
boasts compatibility
with Pioneers RECORD AND SAMPLE
industry-leading
DJ hardware In terms of recording inputs, the Live features a stereo pair of 1/4" jacks and a stereo RCA
www.pioneerdj.com input, switchable between line and phono, complete with ground peg. The latter of these
is obviously aimed specifically at sampling directly from a vinyl turntable. While this might
not seem like the optimum choice of input to some users particularly given the fairly
modest overall range of input options it certainly remains faithful to the MPCs heritage
as a beat-maker beloved by the vinyl-chopping producers of early hip-hop, jungle and
breakbeat. Id argue that its a nice touch and although some extra jacks or XLRs might
have been more useful in many modern studios if the inclusion of that phono connection
Akai MPC X encourages a few younger
1,449 generation producers to
The MPC Lives pick up a cheap turntable
forthcoming bigger and experiment with the
sibling trades crate digging approach to
portability for a sampling, that can only be
considerable chunk a good thing. The one thing
more I/O (including that would have been a
CV/Gate outs) and nice addition is a front
more front-panel panel instrument input,
knobs and controls allowing a guitar or bass to
www.akaipro.com be recorded without the
need for some kind of
external amplification.
Overall, the balance of I/O
flexibility and portability
feels pretty solid though.

82
FM | REVIEWS

Akai MPC Live 799

This isnt just a new standalone MPC its operating system
and rechargeable battery make it potentially the most
self-sufficient MPC ever. Si Truss goes off the grid...

CONTACT WHO: Akai Pro WEB: www.akaipro.com KEY FEATURES Fully standalone MIDI and audio sequencer I/O: 2x 1/4" jack inputs
(stereo pair), 1x stereo RCA input with ground peg, 6x 1/4" jack outputs (3 stereo pairs), 1x 3.5mm jack headphone out, 2x MIDI in, 2x MIDI out, 2x USB 3.0
(for content transfer or MIDI USB in), 1x USB type-B (for host computer connection), SD card slot DIMENSIONS: 424 x 224 x 69mm WEIGHT: 2.7kg

80
Reviews | Apogee Element 46

Apogee Element 46 859

This Thunderbolt-equipped interface aims for sumptuous audio
quality and software control. Jono Buchanan gets it hooked up

CONTACT WHO: Sound Technology TEL: 01462 480000 WEB: www.apogeedigital.com KEY FEATURES I/O: 12 IN x 14 OUT Thunderbolt
Audio I/O box, up to 192kHz/24-bit, 4 analogue inputs with mic preamps and phantom power, 4 combination inputs, 6 analog outputs: 2 XLR outputs, 2 x
1/4" headphone outs. Thunderbolt connectivity, Optical IN/OUT, Word Clock IN/OUT, Element Control Software. Dimensions: 29.5cm x 14cm x 4.5cm, Weight:
1.34kg, System Requirements: Thunderbolt-equipped Mac, Memory: 4 GB RAM minimum, 8 GB recommended, OS: 10.10 or higher

84
 Apogee Element 46 | Reviews

THE PROS & CONS

+
Sumptuous audio
quality and
conversion

Element software
nicely configured
and highly flexible

iOS compatibility
run a session from
your iPhone or iPad

-
No rack-mounting
kit for the Element
interface provided PATCHING UP The Element hardware offers CONFIGURATION Setup takes place within
a pared-back design, providing a patchbay the Element Control software, which offers
approach to front-panel connections, with input settings, output controls and up to three
No thunderbolt neither an LCD nor LED display in sight. Mixer configurations.

cable included

No FX suite or
hosting, unlike
several rival
interfaces The Remote Control unit
might look more interesting,
but that plain grey box plays
host to the real action
or LCD display in sight. Dont let the The front panel provides four
featureless look throw you though combination inputs for mic and
the (optional) Remote Control unit instruments in the middle, and a pair
might look like the more interesting of stereo 1/4" headphone outputs to
piece of kit [see Apogee Remote the right-hand side. Round the back

T
he Thunderbolt
protocol is now well
established as a go-to
choice for audio
recording and
playback, and the
battle between leading
manufacturers of audio interfaces is
escalating quickly. To rival the likes of
Universal Audios Apollo range,
Focusrites Clarett units and MOTUs
828X, Apogee return with a new
interface suite of their own. The
Element Series of interfaces includes
three separate models in the form of
the Element 24, 46 and 88, with the
numbers referring to the number of
analogue inputs and outputs featured
on each device. The subject of this
review is the four-in, six-out Element
46 and as well see, theres plenty
going on here which marks Apogees
approach as separate from many of
its competitors.
First up, lets learn a little about
what makes up an Element audio
interfacing system. The main interface
itself prioritises function over form by
offering an extremely simple and
rather plain-looking unit with no LED
Control], but that plain grey box plays
host to the real action. The real ace
up Apogees sleeve is that the
Element interfaces arent actually
designed for physical interaction at all
instead, theyre designed to be put
to one side on a surface in your
studio, with their microphone
connections (front-mounted for
convenience) the only part youll get
hands-on with during the recording
process. Everything else is handled by
software, with that aforementioned
Remote Control providing extra
hands-on interaction with the
application should you wish.
the minimalism continues. XLR main
output ports are flanked by Optical
(for ADAT/SMUX or SPDIF connections)
and Word Clock In/Outs, while the
power supply input and Thunderbolt
connection port complete the line-up.
In terms of all the other parts of a
recording session, such as setting
Gain levels, enabling Phantom Power,
inverting Phase or setting up
headphone mixes, Apogee instead
require you to download the Element
Control software, which is available
for Mac, Windows and iOS platforms.
Setting it up works like so: plug in
the hardware and register it via the

85
Reviews | Apogee Element 46

THE AlTERNATIVES Apogee website. This prompts you to

download the corresponding software
package for your interface. The
Element Control software offers a
range of template starting points to
Focusrite help you configure how you want its
Clarett 4Pre GUI to look. With the full range of
610 options on display, System and
With four freshly Device settings are on the left,
reconfigured controlling Clock Source, Sample
microphone Rate and other global preferences.
The Channel View section is at the
preamps, ultra-low-
top, where Input Type, Gain, Phantom
latency recording
Power, Phase Polarity Invert, Soft
over Thunderbolt and Limiting and Grouping (mono or
a compact frame, stereo-linking) settings can be
theres much to configured for each physical input,
admire here, with ladder LEDs for each of these
especially with its above, alongside those for software BARE ESSENTIALS The Essentials window
bundled effects. playback levels from your computer. is designed to float above your DAW software
so you can make tweaks to the most common
uk.focusrite.com If you want to set up for a quick, functions youll need during a recording session.
basic recording, things neednt iOS CONTROL You can even control the Element
become more complicated than this software from your iPhone or iPad. Youll need
the desktop software running and an active WiFi
(and indeed theres an Essentials connection to get both talking, though.
pop-up window version of the
software offering a stripped-down
configuration designed to float next
to your DAW software), but if you and this reputation is more than means alone in doing this, but Im
Universal want more comprehensive control, upheld here; Element 46 sounds making it my mission to wag an
Audio Apollo further down, you can configure three glorious, taking the best of the accusatory finger at all manufacturers
Twin mkII Mixer windows as well as a dedicated protocols offered by its top-of-the- of interfaces at this price that dont
from 590 FX Send mix, for assigning Channels range Symphony interface. supply one. Its the grown-up version
to Faders, letting you configure There are a couple of things of the Christmas present which
If you want more
Headphone and Monitor output mixes about the Element series which requires unsupplied batteries.
inputs, look at the
for recording sessions, and looping in arent perfect. It would be good to see Thereafter, though, theres an
Apollo 8 and 8p monitor effects while tracking. Its a rack-mounting option for each of awful lot to like here. While nearly all
interfaces, but if you impressive stuff, nicely designed and these interfaces as desktop space is audio interfaces now provide software
can cope with just intuitive to use, especially if youre a for most people at more of a control over hardware, Element Control
two, theres lots on Logic Pro user, as audio input settings premium than rack space, and with goes further than most, providing an
offer, including including Gain and Phantom Power the exception of plugging in essential front end to Apogees
sublime audio on/off can be further controlled from microphones and instruments, this is preamps and A/D conversion. Both of
quality and access each audio channels control strip. a box designed to stay out of the way. these are of the standard which has
Apogees name is staked on its warm, Also, you need to buy a Thunderbolt become known and admired, so if
to UADs highly
clear preamps and AD/DA conversion cable separately. Apogee are by no youre after a Thunderbolt interface
coveted effects.
for your Mac and youve been
www.uaudio.com scrutinising the market, a compelling
new option is here to make your
decision even harder.
mOTU 828x
799 APOgEE REmOTE CONTROl
Offering both
Thunderbolt and The Element software is beautifully configured, but if FM VERDICT

8.8
USB connectivity, you want hardware control over your Element interface,
this latest Apogee Control is available (separately). This compact
incarnation of desktop remote is powered via USB, and its controls can
MOTUs best-selling be set up via the Element software. Eight buttons (1-4
interface offers and A-D) can control functions such as Input Levels,
eight input channels phantom power, talkback and many, many others, while If youre happy with software-
and plenty of digital the three buttons around the rotary at the bottom let you controlled hardware, Apogees
connectivity too. toggle between inputs, headphone setups and speaker Element interfaces offer
www.motu.com controls. The wheel itself lets you dial in/out levels, and glorious audio quality, and
doubles as a button which is similarly configurable. the preamps are among
the best-sounding available

86
Reviews | Audio-Technica ATM230

Audio-Technica
ATM230 140
Some mics are Jacks of all trades, but this
ones pigeonholed as a master of toms.
Will it make Jon Musgrave happy as Larry?

CONTACT WHO: Audio-Technica TEL: +44 (0) 113277 1441 WEB: www.eu.audio-technica.com
KEY FEATURES Length: 82.5mm, Diameter: 38mm, Weight: 292g, Type: Dynamic with rare
earth magnet, Frequency Range: 30Hz to 12kHz, Polar Pattern: Hypercardioid, Sensitivity: 1.9mV/Pa

88
 Audio-Technica ATM230 | Reviews

T
his new addition to THE PROS & CONS
Audio-Technicas well

+
established Artist
microphone series is a
dynamic mic with
hypercardioid pickup
pattern, built for Compact robust
high-SPL situations. Although the design with strong
ATM230 could potentially be used integrated clip
for miking any loud instrument, its
primarily designed for close-miking Tailored frequency
drum kit toms and possibly snares.
response ideal
The mics compact and stubby
for close-miking
design (just over 8cm long) makes it
suitably discreet for live use. Its
drum kit toms
pretty weighty given the size, and the
all-metal construction includes an Good off-axis
integrated clip arm and reinforced rejection
metal grille, which should cope well
with any bumps and knocks. Excellent value
On the inside theyve used a rare- as a three-pack
earth magnet for improved output
and transient response. Like most
Drum rim mounting
dynamics, impedance is reasonably
low (600 ohms), and at 1.9mV/Pa,
clamp included
the sensitivity isnt amazing but
reasonable for a mic of this type. The
ATM230 package includes a standard
soft pouch and also the space-saving
AT8665 drum mount, so you can
-
Its tailored design
clip the mic to the drum rim. isnt particularly
The ATM230 has a tailored and suited to other
slightly crazy-looking frequency
instruments
The toms sound punchy
response, with a lift in the midrange
(peaking at around 3.5kHz), a lift in
the high frequencies between 6kHz
and 8kHz, and a pretty fast tail off
from 10kHz upwards. Amongst this
with a nice fat attack, and
theres also a pretty obvious notch
just above 4kHz, and a very subtle the added proximity delivers
plenty of round bottom end
lift in the low frequencies. However,
figures are quoted at a distance of
12 inches, so once positioned just
above the drum rim Id expect things
to change a bit, particularly for the
low frequencies. suspected, the added proximity youre after a tom miking kit, the
In terms of off-axis response the delivers plenty of round bottom three-pack at 299 is no brainer.
polar pattern narrows in the high end but without excess boominess. Overall, an excellently made mic that
frequencies pretty quickly as you The specs dont indicate a makes capturing toms a doddle.
move away from right on-axis, and maximum SPL, but a quick zoom in
rear rejection is good (-10dB or on the recorded waveform reveals no
better), so the ATM230 should help obvious overloading. As expected, high
curtail cymbal bleed. frequencies are considerably reduced FM VERDICT

Closer to the skin
If you usually mic your toms with a
general purpose dynamic
(Sennheisers MD421, for example)
or even a bespoke instrument mics
such as the ElectroVoice N/D408,
then function-specific designs like
this may seem odd. However I have
to say, straight out of the box this
mic is just right. The toms sound
punchy with a nice fat attack, and as
9.2
off-axis, and coupled with the on-axis
high-frequency tail off, for the most
part, youre getting what you want,
which is just the tom attack and body.
On the snare, the high-frequency
tail-off is more obvious. Even so, the
snare body sounds pretty good, and
Audio-Technica have picked
with a few dB high-shelf boost, the
ATM230 could easily be used as a
up the task-specific baton
top snare mic if required. and delivered a quality
At its 140 list price, the design that makes tom
ATM230 offers fair value, but if miking incredibly simple

89
Reviews | Korg Gadget for Mac

Korg Gadget for Mac $299

The acclaimed iOS sound studio comes to macOS. Si Truss
asks if it can cut the mustard in the desktop world

CONTACT WHO: Korg UK WEB: www.korg.com/uk KEY FEATURES iOS music studio turned loose on Mac systems.
Comprehensive project and audio export, comes with a plugin version of each Gadget in VST/AU/AAX format (with NKS support coming soon)

90
 Korg Gadget for Mac | Reviews

THE PROS & CONS

SHaRE aNd ExPORT

+
Ability to share
Gadget For Macs inclusion of iCloud Drive support
allows project sync across multiple Mac and iOS
versions. Gadget for Mac can also export individual
projects across
channels as audio or MIDI files for easy loading into
iOS and macOS
other applications. Theres Ableton Live project export
works great
too, allowing a project to be opened in Live complete
with audio, MIDI and all appropriate Gadgets (although
The Gadget plugin
no effects). Ableton Link support allows sync with a
suite offers a
growing list of applications. Finally, support for Allihoopa
broad range of
and Korgs Soundcloud-powered GadgetCloud allow
quality sounds
tracks to be directly uploaded to online communities.
Ableton project
export and Link are
great inclusions

Audio recording/
import is a
good addition

-
Price seems
high in context

Gadget naming
convention can be
confusing when
using plugins
but still pack a healthy amount of
flexibility. Sonically, the analogue-
inspired Gadgets which include a
303 clone, MS-20-inspired
semi-modular and a great four-part
percussion synth hold up pretty
well. They arguably lack some of the
heft and texture of the best analogue
emulations, but they maintain a
convincing level of character.
Generally, its the digitally-inspired
Gadgets that provide the highlights
these elements can be accessed at
once, the interface here is divided
into quarters allowing all sections to
be displayed simultaneously. The
result is a tidy and accessible UI,
which offers up pretty much every
element from a single window.
The similarity between versions
does mean that Gadget for Mac keeps
some interface elements that were
clearly designed for a touchscreen
rather than desktop workflow. The

I
t wouldnt be controversial to say
that Korgs self-contained
sequencer and instrument suite
Gadget is one of the best music
making apps for iOS. The range
and quality of sounds it offers is
unrivalled on the platform, but
its winning formula owes as much
to its smartly designed interface,
accessibility and flexible export
options as it does its actual sonics.
Gadget for Mac is somewhat
obviously a macOS port of the
same application. For the most
part, it remains identical to its iOS
counterpart. Once again, the star of
the show is the ever-growing library of
sound modules, aka the titular
Gadgets. At the latest count, 30 of
these are on offer, most of which
replicate the essence of some classic
hardware synthesizer or drum
machine, although a growing number
deviate from this formula to
incorporate sampling, looping, FX
boxes, modelled pianos and more.
The quality level is high
throughout; most Gadgets offer a
slightly simplified variation on the
style of instrument theyre based on,
though. These include excellent PCM
sound modules filled with retro Triton
and M1-sourced sounds, a woozy
ambient synth module, two arcade-
inspired chiptune machines, a gritty
vector synthesis module, a special FX
box and a phase modulation synth.
The workspace remains very
similar to the iOS versions, albeit with
a few notable tweaks. As before, the
UI is divided into four elements a
clip launcher, a mixer/channel strip, a
piano roll sequencer and a space for
the gadgets themselves. The primary
difference is that, compared to the
iOS versions, where only one or two of
heavy use of function buttons, for
example, could easily be replaced by
right-clicks here, while the separate
input and select modes in the piano
roll are clearly designed with fingertip
editing in mind. Still, this
compromise keeps the workflow
unified across all versions, and theres
a definite benefit to that.
The other major difference is that,
as well as offering the sounds within
this self-contained suite, the software
also includes every Gadget as a
standalone VST/AU/AAX plugin. This
works pretty much as one would
expect: plugin incarnations are

91
Reviews | Korg Gadget for Mac

THE aLTERNaTIVES identical to their in-app counterparts,

sans sequencers. That said, there is
one minor bugbear in the form of
Gadgets naming convention. Sound
modules are given names borrowed,
for the most part, from world cities,
such as Helsinki, London, Dublin or
arturia V Brussels. Within Gadget itself, the
Collection 5 library also offers a more practical
425 sub-head and brief description of
V Collection is priced each. In your DAWs plugin browser,
however, youre limited to the city
considerably higher
names themselves, meaning youll
and is less broad in
want to keep a notepad handy lest
scope, but for plugin you forget whether your favourite PCM
emulations of classic module was a Bilbao or a Marseilles.
hardware it remains On the whole though, what Gadget
hard to beat for Mac offers is great its a well-
www.arturia.com rounded, well-implemented package
with impressive cross-platform
compatibility. There is, however, one
significant sticking point: its price. At
$299 (currently available for an intro
offer of $199), Gadget for Mac is over
seven times the price of its iOS
counterpart, although, to be fair, the
NI Komplete 11 Mac version does include all Gadgets,
Select 149 whereas on iOS roughly half of these
WORKSPACE Gadget for Mac
makes use of the extra screen
real estate in order to display all
AUTOMATION An expandable
section beneath the piano roll
allows velocity and parameter
LEXINGTON A Gadget version
of Korgs excellent ODYSSEi
app, featuring the same
NIs gateway-level require a separate purchase of four elements of the workspace automation to be drawn, sound engine and (authentically)
together at once recorded and edited fiddly interface
bundle is far from between 5 and 20.
all-encompassing Clearly, Korg are also calculating
but features synths, a lot of that value based on the
inclusion of the standalone plugins,
sampled instruments
and its hard to argue with the
and effects including
breadth of sounds included here. Given its accessibility and justify an extra $300 simply to avoid
must-haves like Despite this, there are still rough cross-platform compatibility, Gadget the hassle of having to bounce out
Massive and Monark edges to these that reveal their iOS for Mac is likely to appeal most to two audio. In the latter scenario, its worth
www.native- origins the drum machines and groups: current users wanting to considering that $300 could also buy
instruments.com sampler lack individual channel bridge the gap between the iOS a Mac user Logic Pro X ($199) with
outputs, theres no sample version and their main DAW, and plenty of change to buy additional
auditioning, UIs cant be resized beginners after an easy-to-grasp sounds or even a controller. Its not
and they lack some of the polish workspace. In the former case, that Gadget feels cheap, or that it
of native macOS plugin suites that assuming users have already paid for isnt great at what it does it is, and
the price puts them up against. the iOS version, it seems tough to theoretically it comes very highly
recommended but taken in context
apple Logic its a little hard to get your head
Pro x 199 around the price point. Its worth
For an all-round Mac acting while its at the considerably
workspace including more reasonable intro price!
sounds, effects and THE LaTEST GadGETS
pro-level sequencing
and editing, Logic is New Gadgets are now available across all versions.
unbeatable value Most notable are two designed for recording and FM VERDICT

7.8
www.apple.com importing audio. While audio handling is fairly limited
you can only adjust start and end points or gain level
these do offer studio- and stompbox-inspired effects.
Also added to the line-up are Gadget versions of Korgs
own M1 and ARP Odyssey emulations (both of which are
very impressive), with a version of the iWavestation to Gadget for Mac is a well
follow. The audio Gadgets are free to all users, but on iOS rounded and brilliantly
the latter three require purchase of their corresponding implemented suite of
standalone apps to unlock the Gadget versions. sounds, but it struggles to
justify its price point

92
FM | ROUND-UP
Reverb Plugins
Spatial processors are essential parts of any production,
Softube
and its always wise to have several to hand. Here are TSAR-1 Reverb $269
six plugins sure to broaden your reverberant palette Many reverbs are now modelled
versions of Hardware, but the
TSAR-1 is a true algorithmic device.
What you get is a very straightforward
user interface with plenty of possible
tonal variations. The simple Early
FM | MUST HAVE! Reflection section is an effective
spatialiser when used on its own,
and when balanced into the reverb
gives great depth of field and a
natural up-front element to even the
longest reverb settings. The
combination of Diffusion and Density
settings allows quickly gets you from
thick, energetic-sounding rooms and
halls to some lovely delicate and
airy-sounding plate-like tones. The
Tone and High Cut sliders add just
the right amount of EQ options to fit
the reverb into the colour of the rest
of the mix, and overall its really
simple to find the size and flavour of
reverb you are looking for.
www.softube.com

VERDICT 8.6

Zynaptiq Adaptiverb 279

Zynaptiq can rightly claim that Adaptiverb is a one-off. Using their own Bionic Eventide Tverb $249
Based on a technique Tony Visconti
Sustain Resynthesizer, it creates incredibly smooth resonance-free reverb as it
developed for recording Bowies vocals
synthesises the reverb tail using hundreds of intelligent oscillators that learn the
on the Heroes album, Tverb may
pitched parts of the incoming signal. The reverb can then be further tailored by sound like a one trick pony, but its
varying how many oscillators are used, adding intervals or detune and then anything but. You get three mics, the
randomising them to add a rich harmonic character that still sounds very open and back two of which can be moved
natural. There are two distinct reverb types, the more standard Allpass, and the around the room. These two also
far-out Ray Tracing. The latter creates beautiful reflection-less reverb tails with a very have gating options available, while
linear response giving smooth unmuddied tails no matter what the decay length. the other has a compressor to dial in.
Finally, theres the Harmonic Contour Filter, which primarily removes any harmonic Along with the EQ section, theres
content from the reverb that might clash with the current input, removing any chance Diffusion and Decay controls, which
add an enormous amount of
of a muddy, overly dense reverb cluttering the sound, while still retaining a wonderful
flexibility and take things beyond the
harmonic richness. Theres also a Keyboard option on the filter, in which you fix the basic sound of the room. Tverb will
notes you want to hear in the reverb in up to five snapshots that you can then liven up anything recorded in a dead
automate. In fact, many of the parameters take automation incredibly well, so the space and can get four dry
soundscaping possibilities of Adaptiverb are enormous. Think constantly evolving instruments to sound like theyre in
harmonically sensitive pitched reverb that can be as smooth and as clear as you like the same room. It sounds great and
and yet rich with relevant harmonic content. If you try it you will want it is remarkably flexible.
www.zynaptiq.com www.eventideaudio.com

VERDICT 9.2 VERDICT 8.4

94
 Reverb Plugins | Roundup

FM | STUDIO ESSENTIAL!

FabFilter Pro-R 149

Pro-R is based on a series of room
models which you move seamlessly
between using the Space knob.
Youll also find controls for
Brightness, Character and Distance,
and to the left Decay Rate, Stereo
Width and Mix. While this may seem
simplistic in comparison to other

Slate Digital Verbsuite

reverbs, the amount of control the
setup gives is excellent, and its very
simplicity makes it very quick to use.
The reverb is capable of some
incredible spatial variations,
especially when you bring Distance
and Width into play and can go from
convincing rooms and halls to some
Classics 199 (full bundle)
amazing long imaginary spaces. With
just those parameters, it would be a
Designed in conjunction with LiquidSonics, and
great-sounding device, but its the using their Fusion IR technology, Verbsuite Classics
two EQs that really take it up another
notch. The Decay Rate EQ gives you offers eight legendary digital reverbs (plus the
an incredible range of control over the
shape of the reverberation, and the
Lexicon 224 and 224 XL if you buy the expansion
Post EQ gives you very fine control of
the finished effect. Clever stuff.
pack.) The plugin itself is elegantly laid out with a
www.fabfilter.com simple but highly effective set of controls. To the left
VERDICT 8.7 the EQ section is a simple fixed three-band giving
plenty of tonal variety. Centrally, you find controls
for Decay, Pre Delay, Width, Chorus and Attack,
and while these all do exactly what youd expect,
brainworx its the last two that command special attention.
bx_rooMS $199
This mid/side reverb is built around
Thanks to that Fusion IR system, the modulation
an algorithmic engine with lots of
additional processing. You set the
characteristics of these hardware units have also
basic type and size of reverb you been modelled, and with some, like the FG-480,
that essential character it gives sounds like the
require and then go to the reverb
section to adjust room size and
shape, reverb time and high and low
damping to get the basic depth and
original hardware unit is here in all its glory. The
shape you want. The pre-delay and
Source Distance parameters let you
attack control adds an extra dimension to all
really play with the depth of field, the reverbs, allowing you to just take the explosive
edge off the most transient of sources through to
while the FX section has modulation
and bit depth controls. To top it off,
there are comprehensive M/S
controls including width and EQ.
some wild backwards-ish effects. Compared to the
Its a strong, characterful reverb with
excellent spatialising capabilities,
original ten units, this plug sounds so damn close
and it sounds wonderful. that it really is an essential buy.
www.plugin-alliance.com slatedigital.com

VERDICT 8.4 VERDICT 8.8

95
Reviews | Akai Pro LP Wireless Controllers

Akai LP Wireless
Controllers 70
Akai have updated their LPK25 and LPD8
controllers with wireless functionality and
more. Dan JD73 Goldman has a fiddle

CONTACT WHO: Akai Professional TEL: +44 (0)1252 896040 WEB: www.akaipro.com
KEY FEATURES USB-powered, Bluetooth MIDI, iOS/MacOS/Windows compatibility.
LPK25: 25-note mini keyboard with velocity, arpeggiator with latch, octave switches, tap-tempo.
LPD8: 8 MPC-style, backlit, velocity-sensitive pads (2 banks), note-repeat, swing, eight Q-links.

96
 Akai Pro LP Wireless Controllers | Reviews

THE PROS & CONS

+
Both units are
compact and very
portable with
battery power and
Bluetooth MIDI

Theres now a
sustain pedal socket
on the LPK25, plus
Note Repeat, Swing
and an extra pad
bank on the LPD

Intuitive editing
software allows
further customisation
of controls and easy
setup with your
chosen software

A
kais new LPK25
Wireless controller
features a 25-note
minikey keyboard
with velocity
sensitivity. Its a
very compact unit,
bus-powerable over USB from your
laptop or studio computer. For
travelling, its diminutive size and low
weight mean you can sling it into a
bag and not even realise its there,
and battery power is now included,
making a big improvement over the
wired models. The real killer feature,
though, is Bluetooth MIDI, which
allows pairing with iOS, Mac or
Windows devices. This is, thankfully,
easy to set up using the Pair button,
and works reliably, enabling triggering
of iPad software over Bluetooth
without the need for a USB cable or
camera connection kit.
The general build quality
Battery power and
Bluetooth MIDI are liberating
and indispensable
for pitch or mod wheels (or a joystick),
a handy six-mode arpeggiator is
included, and theres now a sustain
pedal socket and a tap tempo button.
Four programmable memories are
accessed via a Program Select button.
The software editor allows you to fine-
tune settings and tweak the four slots
to taste. The LPK25 Wireless does
the job well, for a very modest outlay.
The LPD8 Wireless is also very
compact and portable, and like the
LPK25, its thicker than the wired
model to accommodate the battery
-
There are still no
pitch or mod wheels
on the LPK25
No MIDI
DIN breakout
connector sockets
ability to send MIDI program change
and CCs too. Everything works great in
practice, and again, the battery power
and Bluetooth MIDI are liberating and
indispensable features that offer big
improvements over the originals. If
youre looking for reasonably priced,
portable, battery-powerable Bluetooth
MIDI controllers, the LPK25 and
LPD25 come highly recommended.
FM VERDICT

impresses, and the overall look has
been updated in line with Akais other
controllers (red side panels and black
casing). Theres just enough weight for
it to not feel flimsy, plus grippy feet to
stop it sliding about. The mini-keybed
works fine for simple note, chord or
drum input, and Akai have also
replaced the hard-to-read red labelling
found on the wired models with white
a big improvement in darker
conditions. While theres still no room
8.0
compartment (three AAs). Its also
USB-powered and features eight
MPC-style orange/green-backlit pads
(now with two banks for 16 sounds).
These feel surprisingly nice under the
fingers (better than some competitors
more expensive offerings, even), and
Wireless ability isnt the only
there are eight assignable knobs for
easily controlling DAW parameters.
improvement made to these
The general build is pretty solid controllers they also have
here too, similarly giving you four plenty of expanded functions
program (scene) memories, plus the that will be indispensable

97
FM | grouptest

1 Boss DD-7
Digital Delay
135

2 TC Electronic
Alter Ego V2
139

Delay
Pedals
After distortion, delays are the most
abundant stompbox effect, and
considering the range of possibilities they
afford, its no surprise. Were putting three
digital and one analogue design under
the boot in search of recommendations
98

Number 7 of the ubiquitous
1 DD range touches all the
bases for musical
repetition. The original millisecond
range options are still there,
providing up to 6.4s of delay. In
combination with tap tempo
(internal/external) these four modes
switch time divisions (1/4, dotted,
1/8, triplet). The other modes are
Hold (40s looper with overdubbing),
modulated delay, analogue and
reverse. The stereo I/O can be
configured for a number of routing
options plus panning delay. Delay
time, level and/or feedback can be
controlled via an expression pedal.
The DD-7 may seem conservative
in the wider boutique-stuffed market,
but dont be mistaken, this is a stone
cold classic. The analogue and
reverse options are excellent, the
Hold function is ample for basic
looping tasks, and the digital delays
are perfect.
www.boss.info
3 Electro- VerDICt 9.0
Harmonix
Canyon The Alter Ego focusses on
149 3 vintage echo overt models
include the Space Echo,
DM-2, Echorec, Echoplex, Deluxe
Memory Man, Copicat, and Tel Ray
Organ Tone (wobble-tastic). The nine
modelled modes offer just the right
variety and are augmented with a
simple loop function 20s in mono,
overdubbing, but no storage/undo
and the awesome USB-accessible
TonePrint, a programmable slot with
a vast array of parameters.
The sound quality is great; its
feedback trails are the most
pleasing of the (digital) bunch.
The audio input tap tempo function
is a great alternative to foot tapping.
On the downside, theres no
expression pedal input, and the
Reverse mode doesnt kill the dry
signal (possible with Kill-Dry mode
in effects loop usage).
4 Moog MF Delay
195 FM VerDICt
BEST OVERALL TC Alter Ego V2: For overall quality
and range the Alter Ego V2 wins. Stereo I/O and
high headroom make it a great studio tool too.
BEST VALUE Boss DD-7: When all the other models
are long-gone, therell still be a Boss DD-## rocking
pedalboards worldwide!
Delay Pedals | Reviews
This is Tonehead friendly with
True Bypass and Analog Dry-Through
(DIP switchable).
www.tcelectronic.com
VerDICt 9.4
Of the four, the Canyon
2 possesses the most options:
3x digital, tape, BBD,
reverse, 2x octaving, reverberant,
Sample & Hold, and looping (62s!).
The Loop function is the best of the
bunch, with permanent storage and
undo/redo. The analogue models are
great and varied, feeding back with
the right sort of crunch and fuzz, and
the overtly digital octaving/shimmer
delays provide bags of twinkle.
The drawbacks are the tiny Mode
knob font, the tap input doesnt take
expression pedals, and the mono-only
I/O. For the tonally conscious there is
no True Bypass (like the DD-7), so
power loss means signal loss too.
www.ehx.com
VerDICt 8.9
This all-analogue bucket
4 brigade Time Repeater is
altogether darker and more
earthy. Though great in a guitar setup,
the MF Delay reaches its tonal apex
in a synth context, as its feedback
circuits roll off high frequencies. If
you want clean chiming repeats, this
isnt your pedal, but if you want thick,
liquid atmosphere, its well worth a
look. Used subtly, it adds weighty
space, but closer to its extremes,
other-worldly textures can be conjured
in a way the digital-based delays
cant match. Using an expression
pedal or CV for Feedback/Time
control unlocks its full potential.
True Bypass means no tone-suck
or power-loss, but of the four, this is
the most expensive and least flexible.
www.moogmusic.com
VerDICt 8.5
99
Reviews | Nord Piano 3

Nord Piano 3
2,249
As Nords latest offering to pianists hits
version three, Dan JD73 Goldman gets
his hands black, white and red all over

CONTACT WHO: Clavia/Nord TEL: 01462 480000 WEB: www.nordkeyboards.com

KEY FEATURES OLED display, Triple-Sensor keybed/Virtual Hammer Action Technology, LED split
indicators, 60-note polyphony, string resonance, soft release and pedal noise via Triple Pedal. 2x Insert
plus Master and Amp-Sim FX. USB MIDI. Dimensions: 1287x121x340 mm. Weight: 18.2kg (40.3 lbs)

100

T
he original Nord
Piano launched back
in 2010, aimed at
the discerning piano
player wanting access
to Nords respected
Piano Library sounds
with premium weighted keyboard
action in a portable form-factor.
2012 saw the second edition, adding
user sample loading, Nord Sample
Library capability and more memory.
Now, fresh for 2017, the Nord
Piano 3 brings more to the table.
One cosmetic difference between
the latest and older models is that the
endcheeks are now unvarnished.
While these definitely look slicker,
I reckon theyll be less roadworthy
long-term compared to their
predecessors.
The lovely OLED display and menu
system first found on the NE5 (and
also on the just-announced NS3) has
now made its way to the NP3, making
for a big improvement over the old
monochrome LCD display. Theres
still no pitchbend or mod wheel,
though, which would significantly
improve the NP3s MIDI controller
abilities, and performance while
using the Sample Synth section.
Digital pianos live or die by their
keyboards actions, and the Piano 3s
is probably the finest Ive played on
a digital keyboard. The keys feel great
and respond to every nuance your
fingers can imagine! Theres enough
weight for those who like heavier
Theres an ever-growing
choice of pianos available,
plus a gigabyte of memory
actions, but not too much to be
detrimental to any onboard
instruments that require a lighter
touch. The new Triple-Sensor keybed
and Nord Virtual Hammer Action
technology combine to enable more
piano-like playing, and you can
retrigger sounds and repeats from
halfway down the keys travel without
having to fully release your fingers.
Add in the included Triple Pedal,
which can trigger sympathetic
resonance samples and sostenuto,
and you cant fail to be impressed by
the all-round authentic piano-like
experience on offer.
Of course, none of this would
matter if the available piano sounds
werent top-notch, and I still rate
Nords free Piano Library very highly
indeed. The acoustics, electrics and
clavs are all extremely musical (though
us Nord users are still holding out for
more nuanced Rhodes and muted
clav samples). If you want an
authentic warm piano with plenty of
character, the Nords have it!
Theres an ever-growing choice of
pianos available, plus a gigabyte of
Nord Piano 3 | Reviews
THE PROS & CONS
+
Truly excellent
keyboard feel with a
piano-like response
Excellent included
acoustic pianos, EPs
and sample library
High-quality onboard
effects to add icing
to your piano cake
-
Its expensive, but
quality does cost
Still no pitchbend or
mod wheel for
controller tasks
Currently no 73-note
HP model available
memory to drop in your favourites.
The Sample Synth section has also
been improved with double the
memory, theres LED indication for
your split points, deep modes for
the authentic modulation effects,
and pedal control for effect block 1
(wah, pan, trem).
As always with Nord, its evolution
not revolution, but as far as authentic-
feeling and -sounding stage pianos
go, the NP3 is very hard to beat.
FM VERDICT
9.2
Improved in all the right
places, the NP3 provides a
very authentic piano playing
experience, and the
included sample content
makes it very hard to beat
101
FM | SoundS & SampleS
output
analog Strings $199
Unlike Spitfires LCO library [below],
Analog Strings from Kontakt
supremos Output is all about
processing and manipulation. Those
whove used their Signal and Exhale
instruments will know that Output
pay great attention to the ways in
which core sample content can be
dynamically morphed using scripted
rhythmic processing. Their Analog
Strings library is no exception, and
once again features a beautifully
designed graphical interface at its
core, which makes full use of the
wider edit window possibilities added
in Kontakt 5.6.
The core (39GB) sample content
comes from orchestral recording,
analogue synths and unusual sound
source captures. Its noticeable that
even without processing these
are of a very high quality. The
software engine is brand new, and
allows two sample layers to be
processed and controlled using dual
tape loopers, dual arpeggiators, flux
sequencing, advanced modulation
routing and four sliders for macro
control of multiple parameters.
You truly realise how good this
instrument really is when you start
browsing through its 500 presets.
Theyre of almost uniformly high
quality and would be usable for all
kinds of music from soundtrack
scoring to underground dance or
outright pop. Theres clearly
something potent in the mix of real
and old-school synthetic elements
that works very well here. Creating
your own patches is straightforward
once youve mastered the various
pages, and is helped substantially by
the onboard help overlay. However, if
this isnt your bag, the keyword
search system will help you find the
right patch with the minimum of
fuss. As with Outputs other
instruments, CPU usage is on the
high side, but overall this is another
strong release. Bruce Aisher
www.output.com
VeRdICT 9.0

Spitfire London Contemporary

Orchestra Strings 299
Over recent months, weve taken a
look at a range of Spitfire products
that make use of interesting and
unusual mic positions and recorded
ambience to deliver engaging results.
London Contemporary Orchestra
Strings, on the other hand, places
the emphasis firmly on interesting
playing techniques. This is not to say
that theres no ambient character,
but the recording room is quite dry,
making the Room Mic samples tight
and the Close Mic versions intimate.
A convolution reverb is employed
within each instrument though it
can be dialled out and there are a
number of effected layers and full
mixes that up the interest.
The LCO are know for their
collaborative approach to ensemble
playing and have worked with a wide
range of artists across many genres,
including Radiohead, Actress and
Frank Ocean. This library distills this
approach by covering a range of
102
articulations that are new or rarely
heard. The odd granular and
scratchy tones are particularly
engaging, but youll also find strange
vibrato and aggressive shorter styles.
They all have a very contemporary
feel that would work in a range of
more experimental contexts,
especially when combined with
electronics. The shortest
articulations work particularly well in
their Pumped Mix guise.
Youll find the usual Spitfire
attention to detail, including the
excellent Ostinatum rhythmic
engine. It isnt cheap which may
put off those looking for an all-round
string collection but this library
remains an inspirational writing tool,
and an easy way to add cutting-edge
string sounds to your audio armoury.
Bruce Aisher
www.spitfireaudio.com
VeRdICT 8.7
 Sounds & Samples | Reviews

Looptone Lack of Afro Loopmasters Sacred Indian Future Bass, with a calibre of dope theyve lovingly recreated some iconic
Heist Themes | 29.95 Chants | 29.95 one-shots, synth racks, loops and Massive sounds for you to get to grips with.
www.loopmasters.com www.loopmasters.com and Serum presets. Volume two sees Sonically, the choice is varied and the
Bank job and heist Time to take a chill pill StLouse digging on his Rock past (he quality high, and with Massives built-in
movie soundtracks and get that chi wailed an electric guitar in a band before macros, youll be tweaking and twiddling
have always been a centralised with this all this), so you get far more growling bass until the cows come home. Roy Spencer

fertile ground for
diggers to pull
samples from. To
match the rollercoaster moods of such
flicks, arrangers brought in tough brass
sections and bongo maestros for the epic
chase scenes, and plaintive string and
moody rhythm sections for moments of
cinematic suspense and character
contemplation. It all made for funky
grooves that hip-hop and breaks heads
pack of spiritualised
chants and vocals.
Recorded in Chennai,
the capital of the Indian state of Tamil
Nadu, with some of the regions finest
voices, this unique pack captures a solo and
ensemble performances that will give your
goose bumps goose bumps. With 297
individual dry and processed files, across
2.48GB of content, you get a fair brimful
of vocals for your Rupee. And amongst the
VeRdICT 9
and heavy drums fills this time around.
Theres a hundred original drum and synth
loops, one-shots and presets to play with
here, and as a bonus, hes even included Sample Magic
three of his own personal Ableton LA Sessions | 34.90
processing racks to help your own www.samplemagic.com
productions stay loose. In short, the With a sunny
longhaired Denver native keeps the disposition and full of
momentum of volume one up and running seriously rich pad work
and, as suiting an ex-rocker, turns the and soul-stirring chord
volume up to 11 on this one. Roy Spencer progressions, LA

could loop up and make their own. Lack
of Afro (aka Adam Gibbons) is clearly a
big fan of the genre, and hes more than
adept at putting his own spin on it, whilst
giving a nod to past masters like Lalo
mellow loops are a myriad mantras, plenty
of prayers, assorted hums and omms, and
other sacred-sounding sing-songs to slot
nicely into your more laid-back beats, or
deeper House excursions. Roy Spencer
VeRdICT 9
Sessions sounds are,
for the most part, Tropical, with a splash
of Disco. Everything is key- and
Splice Sounds Synthwave tempo-labelled at 124BPM, with bonus
Massive Presets | $7.99 / mo MIDI files where possible. Luscious

VeRdICT 8
Schifrin and John Gregory along the way. splice.com melodies abound, and super-clean clicks,
Over 11 complete song kits he and his Its time to put down claps and drum hits join them, just
merry band of live musicians score what that Rubiks cube and waiting to be sprinkled over the top.
would be a bold and brassy movie, were it Splice Sounds StLouse roll up them jacket The piano work is a joy, and the bass
to exist. Bubbling Rhodes riffs, waspy Sample Pack 2 | $7.99/mo sleeves, as the Splice crate is full of riffs youll be coming back
Moogs, double bass licks and more get splice.com Sounds squad gets all to again and again. The mildly cheesy
proper workouts under his watchful eye as StLouse (pronounced retro on your ass. For Baker Street-esque sax workouts dont
he manages to capture a perfect balance stay loose) is back their latest pack of Massive presets theyve even sour this delightful pack of inspired,
of mood, tension, groove, exhilaration. with another deft slice gone back to the time that fashion may and inspirational, samples. Bring on the
Roy Spencer of slick samples. have forgotten but synth lovers everywhere summer! Roy Spencer

VeRdICT 9 VeRdICT 8
Volume one of this remember fondly: the 80s. It was a
series was straight-up pioneering decade for analogue gear, and

Dare to believe.

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FM | ADVICE
Swerve the four-bar
limit on sequencers

>
Many of todays boxes feature a stingy
four-bar limit on sequence lengths, but
theres an easy workaround! To extract eight
bars from any four-bar sequencer, simply half
your tempo (set at 60 if you want your beat to
be eight bars at 120) and double the resolution
from 1/16 to 1/32 when entering steps.

If the plan is that youre going to
take this initial idea and develop it
on your main DAW at home, you
need it to have the appropriate
What are the best times, so you can whip it out export options, too. So, if youre a
sketchpad apps for iOS? whenever you have a spare few Logic user, GarageBand for iOS is a
Ableton Live users have even more
options; the Live Set Export SDK is
now available to all developers,
meaning that anyone can add the
option to offer, as the name suggests,
Live-compatible project export in

>
Mobile devices are perfect for
sketching out new song ideas.
For one thing, theyre extremely
portable if youve got an iPhone,
youre likely to have it with you at all
minutes or when inspiration strikes
and many of the apps are
conducive to helping you generate
ideas or getting the ones you already
have recorded quickly.
good option as it offers full project
compatibility, and the same goes for
Cubasis on the iPad and the desktop
version of Cubase. Theres a mobile
version of FL Studio, too.
their app. Its starting to become a
common feature, found in the likes
of Korg Gadget, Blocs Wave and
Elastic Drums, to name but a few.
One other app that wed
specifically recommend as a terrific
scratchpad is Auxy Studio, a MIDI
sequencing app thats made all the
better for keeping things simple.
Patterns are composed in a piano
roll, and these can then be grouped
together as scenes and arranged into
tracks, very much as you would in
Ableton Live. Its limited in the sense
that it doesnt communicate with
other iOS apps via Audiobus or
Inter-App Audio, but working within
its parameters can be extremely
liberating, and you can export both
MIDI files and audio stems when
youre done. Best of all, its free.

Will learning to read

Purchase: Voyager music make me a

better producer?

>
We certainly wouldnt argue

or MatrixBrute?
against learning to read music,
but its debatable whether doing
so will actually make you better at

>
making music. Being able to read
A nice dilemma! Both have three VCOs, and the standard notation is very useful if

MatrixBrute also features a Moog-style ladder you want to be able to play other
peoples work (or you want other
filter but if we absolutely had to choose, it people to be able to play yours), but
in a production context, its less
would currently be the MatrixBrute, due to its brilliant important than it ever has been.

matrix, sequencer and arp, extensive CV facilities, What will help you is to learn
some basic music theory. Knowing a

drive stages, analogue effects and three-note little about keys, scales and chords
will unlock the secret of how music
paraphony. The Voyager is still the winner when it works, and why certain notes
sound right when played together or
comes to refined deep and classic Moog bass though! in succession.

104

Why are my mixes
so light on bass?
>
If your studio acoustics put
too much emphasis on the
low end, youll likely be
backing off the lows to overcome
this, and subsequently your mixes
will be too light on bass! One major
contributor to excessive low end
build-up in studios is monitors
placed in a corner with no bass
trapping behind. To overcome
this, try hanging some tall tubular
foam pillows in the corners behind
your monitors you should hear a
vast improvement!
Is the new iPad any good
for music making?
> >
While Apples latest iPad
called simply, iPad doesnt
break any ground in specs or
form factor, you could make a strong
case for saying that it now represents
the best option if youre a musician
whos looking for a new Apple tablet.
To begin with, theres the size; the
9.7-inch screen has always been our
favoured option, as the iPad mini
feels just a little too small and the
12.9-inch iPad Pro unnecessarily
large for most musical situations. Its
no slouch in the spec department
either, boasting an A9 processor
that, in theory, makes it 1.6x faster
than the iPad Air 2 that it replaces.
But the most compelling
argument for buying the new iPad is
the price: 339 for the entry-level
32GB model. Ignore the fact that its
only $329 in the US (thanks, Brexit)
and it looks like a pretty good deal,
especially when you consider that a
9.7-inch iPad Pro with the same
amount of storage costs 549. Are
you really going to feel more than
200 worth of difference?
It might not be the flagship, but
whether youre upgrading or buying
for the first time, the new iPad is a
great option.
Your Production Problems Solved | Advice
Combining interfaces on a Mac
How can I use both my Allen & Heath Firewire
desk and Prism Titan USB interface in Logic?
From the Audio MIDI Setup in OS X and macOS, you can set up Aggregate Devices and
Multi-Output Devices, which allow multiple connected interfaces to be seen as one unit
by you DAW. It does take some initial thought and head scratching, but both are relatively
easy to set up. If youre combining two input interfaces into one Aggregate device, you
might need to increase the buffer size in your DAW. You can also set the unit with the
tightest internal clock to be the master clock for your whole system. Lets take a look
> >
To set up two devices as a single unit, firstly Click the + button in the left-hand corner of
go to the Audio MIDI Setup application
(use Spotlight search to find it if it helps).
You should see the internal system audio in/out,
the connected devices window and click on
it to create a new Aggregate Device. Now
click on the square checkbox next to the devices
as well as all connected devices, as above. If you
dont, go to Window, Show Audio Devices).
you want to combine in the order you want them
to appear in your DAW.
> >
To further expand on this, here the Midas Choose which device you want to be your
desk has been clicked first so that its inputs master clock by selecting it from the Clock
and outputs appear before the Prism Source dropdown menu. Now this will
Orpheus in Logic. They are now combined as become your master clock for the whole system.
one and should show up that way in your DAW.
Name the new Aggregate Device as you wish.
In your DAW, select the newly created/named
Aggregate Device from your audio interface list.
Most versatile current Moog?
This is a tough one. Moog have designed
each of their current products to offer
different sonics, features and connectivity.
The Sub 37, though, has an instantly recognisable
Moog sound and great low-end, plus two-note
paraphony, two LFOs, several filter modes,
looping envelopes and a great sequencer/arp.
Got questions that need answering?
Send your queries to us at futuremusic@futurenet.com
and our team of experts will endeavour to solve them
105
FM | GEAR GUIDE
AUDIO InterfAces
UAD Apollo Twin
MkII | from $699
Full Review: FM317
UAs desktop interface has been refined
across the board for better sound and lower
latency. Theres now a Quad DSP version too.
Universal Audio Apollo 8
Thunderbolt | 1,699
Review FM293 The Thunderbolt connection
adds near latency-free data transfer to UAs
already exceptional Apollo package.
Antelope Orion Studio | 2,345
Review FM304 A comprehensive multi-channel
interface with 12 quality mic pres, onboard DSP
and very flexible I/O options.
106
Audient iD4 | 120
Review FM312 This compact interface
delivers audio quality and stripped-back
functionality for a thoroughly reasonable
price. A great budget interface.
Focusrite Clarett 4Pre | 500
Review FM304 The whole Clarett range is
excellent, and this punches well above its weight
in audio quality, functionality and ease-of-use.
NEW ENtry
Apogee Element
46 | 859
Full Review: FM318
If youre happy with your studio interface being
controlled via software, Apogees Element range
offers great quality and features.
Roland Super UA | 409 Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 | 290
Review FM314 Super UA does everything Review FM311 The second generation 18i8
youd expect and more, and can easily benefits from increased preamp performance,
hold its own alongside similar compact extended sample rate compatibility and
high-end interfaces. a better overall sound. A quality package.
M-Audio M-Track 2x2M | 100 Antelope Audio Zen Tour | 1274
Review FM312 As budget audio interfaces go, Review FM310 A high-quality compact interface
its hard to go wrong with M-Audios for studio, rehearsals and gigs, with
MIDI-equipped 2-in 2-out box.. excellent built-in DSP processing.

AffOrDAble sYntHs
Korg Volca FM
129
Full Review: FM305
A great-sounding box of classic FM sounds. It
might lack the polyphony of the DX7 but, apart
from that, the sound is bang on. Its motion
sequencing is seriously powerful too.
Novation Circuit | 250
Review FM299 A broad range of sounds with a
fluid and intuitive workflow makes Circuit a
winner. Its sequencer is absolutely killer too.
Make Noise O-Coast | 350
Review FM309 A fantastic way to get
quickly immersed in the realm of modular
synthesis without the hassle of lugging a
huge case around.
Yamaha Reface DX | 347
Review FM298 Finally we have a new DX with
an intuitive interface that helps bring FM to life.
Its well built, portable, has an improved 4-op
engine with FX and it sounds suitably DX-y!
Arturia MicroBrute | 230
Review FM273 The MicroBrute certainly lives up
to its name. Its a fantastically gritty monosynth
that is easily compact enough to bundle in your
rucksack along with a laptop.
Essential Tools For Music Making | Gear Guide
Korg Minilogue
435
Full Review: FM302
Four-voice polyphony, killer sound, flexible
features and great build quality. Were not sure
how Korg pulled this off for the price, but theyve
nailed it. An essential purchase!
Moog Mother-32 | 499 Waldorf Pulse 2 | 406
Review FM302 It can be a standalone synth, or Review FM273 Being a sound module without a
you can plug it into any number of gadgets to keyboard, its not quite a go anywhere synth.
create a modular monster. With a Mother-32 But for our money this is the most power youll
under your arm, the world is your oyster! find in a small package for the price.
Korg Monologue | 299 Dreadbox Hades Bass
Review FM312 Cheap and cheerful, but Synthesizer | 299
powerful, and with a surprising amount of Review FM310 The Hades is a fairly
flexibility given its limited envelope section. straightforward monosynth, but its well-designed
and packs some serious low-end punch.
107
Gear Guide | Essential Tools For Music Making

HArDWAre sAmPlers

Elektron Octatrack | 1,240 Korg Volca Sample |119

Review FM244 Elektrons reimagining of Review FM286 Its not without its faults, but the
hardware sampling results in a unique approach Samples workflow is exceptionally fluid. If you
to sample-based composition and performance. want a fun, flexible and inspiring instrument for
NEW ENtry little outlay, look no further.

Akai MPC Live

799
Full Review: FM318
By bridging the gap between standalone
operation and modern studio niceties, the Live
is the best MPC weve seen in some time.
Korg Electribe Sampler | 329
Review FM295 Not the perfect sampling
solution, but fun to use and a creative
alternative to the ever-present DAW. Its great
for live use too.
Pioneer Toraiz SP-16 Sampler |
1,279
Review FM310 The SP-16 was impressive at
launch but has got better through subsequent
firmware updates theres a lot to like here.

DrUm sYntHs

Korg Volca Kick | 139 Elektron Analog Rytm | 1,140

Review FM316 The Volca Kick is capable of beefy Review FM282 The Rytm sounds massive
drum and bass sounds that belie its compact and is very flexible. Its inspiring and addictive,
form factor. A must-try for club-focused producers. and the sequencer is hugely versatile.

Arturia
DrumBrute | 379
Full Review: FM312
A characterful and flexible analogue drum
machine with some uniquely creative sequencing
tricks up its sleeve at a winning price.
DSI/Roger Linn Tempest | 1,819
Review FM248 Doubtlessly lives up to
the heritage of the two names behind it
certainly destined to be a future classic.
Teenage Engineering
PO-32 Tonic | 89
The palm-sized drum synth is a lot of fun,
and compatibility with Sonic Charges
Microtonic synth makes it surprisingly flexible.

108

DAWs
Steinberg Cubase Bitwig
9 Pro | 468 Studio 2 | 379
Full Review: FM315
It may not be game changer, but there should
be enough new elements in Cubase 9 to
keep upgraders happy. New users should
definitely add Cubase to their must-try list.
Apple Logic Pro X | 139
Review FM270 Version ten of the popular
DAW revamps the interface and introduces
some long-awaited MIDI effects plugs.
And lets not overlook that price wow!
Cakewalk Sonar | 419
Review FM275 A well-bundled package with
an audio-engine that beats some of its rivals
on paper. Most certainly a heavyweight
contender with enough extras to lure new users.
Avid Pro Tools 12 | 550
Pro Tools has now caught up with other DAWs,
bringing in a fast workflow to match its power.
It still only runs AAX plugins, and there are
alternative subscription payment models
Image-Line FL Studio 12 | 64+
Review FM294 Despite bringing mostly
functional updates, version 12 is great. Like
a fine wine, FL Studio improves with age, and
its a superb production environment any user.
Essential Tools For Music Making | Gear Guide
Full Review: FM316
The newcomer DAW is now a grown-up
and well-rounded contender, but its Bitwigs
unique and brilliantly executed modulation
system that make it a real winner.
Tracktion 6 | $60 PreSonus Studio One 3
Review FM293 More comprehensive and Professional | 279
well implemented than you might think, Review FM295 Studio One 3 is stable, capable
Tracktion 6 is a well-rounded budget DAW of sating any music production need, and even
worth trying. does things that other DAWs cant dream of.
Ableton Live 9 | 315 Propellerhead Reason 9 | 369
Review FM265 Version 9.5 is a free upgrade for Version 9 further refines the interface and
current users of any version 9. The overhauled workflow and adds new MIDI tools. Not a
Simpler is fantastic, and Suite owners get a trio groundbreaking update, but regular users
of new Max synths to play with. are likely to appreciate the new features.
109
Gear Guide | Essential Tools For Music Making

HIGH-enD sYntHs

Roland System-8 Arturia MatrixBrute

1,299 1,619
Full Review: FM317 Full Review: FM315
The System-8 covers a vast sonic territory Theres very little not to love about the
with superb flexibility from vintage Roland MatrixBrute. It oozes personality and can wear a
tones to futuristic sounds, it truly delivers. lot of hats, from a warm, sweet monosynth to
The Juno and Jupiter plug-outs impress too. dirty ambient chord machine. Mind blown!

Dave Smith Instruments
Pro 2 | $1,819
Review FM284 A ridiculously versatile mono/
paraphonic synth that anyone can happily get
lost in. Without doubt a great investment.
Sequential Prophet-6 | 2,549
Review FM297 The Sequential name
returns, and the Prophet-6 more than
lives up to its heritage. Another future
classic from Dave Smith.
Elektron
Analog Keys | 1,099
Review FM278 A system capable of great
results, though perhaps held back by some
ease-of-use issues. Its built like a tank though.
Dave Smith OB-6 | 2,729
Review FM307 Has the essential Oberheim
character/signature crossed with DSIs
sonic DNA it sounds tight and modern with
a nod to vintage Oberheims.

Moog Sub 37 | $1,579
Review FM286 With a richer set of features and
fewer operational hurdles than its predecessor,
the Sub 37 is a superb and highly desirable
upgrade to the Phatty family of Moog synths.
Roland JD-XA | 1,499
Review FM295 Greater than the sum of
its parts. It can be a great analogue and
a great digital synth, but combine the two
and some real magic happens.
Behringer DeepMind 12 | 999
Review FM316 The DeepMind wont undermine
the market for characterful analogue polysynths,
but it is flexible. It isnt cheap, but it has plenty
going on and a sound of its own.
Moog Model D | 3,249
Review FM311 While bringing back the iconic
sound of the original Minimoog, Moog have
added elegant modifications to deliver a modern
synth thats fully worthy of their storied legacy.

110
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