Archives
January 2007
Loops and samples are a part of everyday life in the modern studio. They let us record with instruments and ensembles we could never hire on our own, provide access to all manner of interesting musical styles, and—when we create them ourselves—add flexibility and originality to our recorded music. In this issue, we take away the mystery surrounding loops: we teach you about formats and philosophies, show you how to make and tweak your own loops, and compare and contrast the two most famous loop-composition software platforms, Sony ACID Pro and Ableton Live. We also introduce our new introductory column, Feet First, complete with downloadable sample files for three popular DAWs. And there’s more: a show report from AES 2006, a fascinating and easy DIY mod for the Shure SM81 microphone, no fewer than 20 great reviews, Readers’ Tapes with Marty Peters (now available online!), and more. Don’t miss it!
Reviews
Mojave Audio MA-200 |
A tube condenser mic from David Royer, hitherto known for his ribbon mics.
Universal Audio SOLO/610 and SOLO/110 Preamps |
Portable power in your choice of flavors—vintage tube or modern solid-state.
Tannoy Reveal 8D Active Near-Field Monitors |
Power, punch and focus in a small package.
NOTION Notation Software/Orchestral Soundbank |
Scoring software with significant soundware, turning your notes on the staff into sounds for recording.
MOTU Symphonic Instrument |
A classical-music loop library with synthesis and controls that set it apart.
Reviewed & Revisited: Sony MZ-M200 Hi-MD Walkman MiniDisc Recorder |
Slimmer, sleeker, smarter—the second generation of Hi-MD does CD quality audio, MP3, computer data storage, and more.
Recording’s Showcase Of Sounds |
Sony Media Software Rock Shop and Eclectica sound library bundles; Big Fish Audio Electro Magnetic Fury, Hip Hop Exotica, and Rush DVD loop libraries.
Features
2006 AES Report |
Gear and more gear shown in San Francisco.
Looping: The What, Why, And How |
Loops as tools for the recording musician.
Looping: Comparing Applications |
What Sony ACID Pro and Ableton Live have in common, and what differences make them special.
Recording’s Vocal Column |
Vocal Sessions with Younger Performers (kids, that is).
The Compleat Recording Musician. Part 36: Acoustics for Project Studios, Part 2 |
With this series’ final episode we transition to our new instructional series (page 50)—the gold watch, slippers, and our thanks are going John’s way.
Do It Yourself: Modifying The Shure SM81 |
Give this famous old standby a more accurate frequency response—no soldering required.
Feet First. Part 1: Getting Ready, Getting Started |
Our new instructional column for DAW users kicks off with that first and scariest hurdle: getting audio to come out of the speakers. Download the sample files for your DAW here....Expand
Recording’s Guitar Column |
Six Tracks for Acoustic Guitar—Wretched Excess or Sublime Coverage?
