Music Tech Magazine - Issue 64

Get the most from your plug-ins folder, improve your workflow by optimising your Windows PC, and find out how spatial awareness affects our perception of sound. Plus: Cubase 4, Reason 4, Logic Pro 8 and Sonar 7 workshops.

Publish date: 19 June 2008

Click here to buy this issue.

Issue 64 of Music Tech Magazine is out now in newsagents throughout the UK.

In the issue…

Ultimate Plug-ins
Plug-ins are offering an increasing number of audio processing options, but what are the essential tools and techniques for best utilising them?. Mark Cousins explores a seemingly impenetrable world of plug-in possibilities.

Optimising Windows for Pro Audio
If your audio PC hasn’t been set up by specialists, there are some simple steps you can take to streamline it yourself. Hollin Jones explains how you can tweak your Windows setup to get the best performance from it.

Complete Tracktion 3 - Full VIdeo!
Tracktion expert Dan Worrall is your guide in this excellent video tutorial to using and getting the most out of Mackie’s single-screen DAW. Taking you from fundamental basics such as setting up your system through to mastering your final mix, this is essential viewing for both newbies and seasoned users alike.
http://streamworksaudio.com

Ten Minute Masters
Spatial Awareness: Ask any engineer what typifies a great mix and you might well get the answer ‘a sense of space’, yet converting what our brains perceive as space in the natural world can be a difficult thing to capture within a piece of music…
De-essing: De-essing is a quick-and-easy solution to sibilance control, but how does the technology behind this mix-saving process work? Mark Cousins minds his esses.

This Month’s Workshops
Cubase 4.1
You can do a lot more with MIDI material in Cubase than simply quantizing and looping it. Hollin Jones uncovers some of the app’s lesser-known features.
Logic Pro 8
Logic’s ES2 is a tremendously versatile synthesizer, offering a wealth of unique features just waiting to be discovered. Mark Cousins gets creative.
Reason 4
Adding speed and time signature changes to tracks can create interest for the listener – and now you can do it in Reason. We show you how.
Sonar 7
One of the most exciting new features in the latest version of Sonar is the ability to sidechain effects to achieve a variety of sonic ends. Brian Smithers is your guide.

Reviews

New products coming under the scrutiny of MTM’s experts include the SSL Matrix, Tascam’s GigaStudio 4, the AKAI MPD32, Roland’s Fantom-G, Synthogy’s Ivory Italian Grand and more…

Get 3 issues for just £5 - find out more

ON THE DVD

Summer Chill - Over 1GB of laid-back sounds

Summer is here once again – and we’ve taken the opportunity to compile a collection of sounds to help you beat the heat and bring a chilled-out vibe to your tracks.

Complete Tracktion 3 - Full Video!
Tracktion expert Dan Worrall is your guide in this excellent video tutorial to using and getting the most out of Mackie’s single-screen DAW. Taking you from fundamental basics such as setting up your system through to mastering your final mix, this is essential viewing for both newbies and seasoned users alike.
http://streamworksaudio.com

Industrial & Dance
If experimental electronica is your thing, check out this collection of arpeggios and loops crafted for Music Tech by Equinox Sounds.
www.equinoxsounds.com

All the latest demos…
Antares AVOX 2, Acoustica Mixcraft 4, Blue Cat Audio TripleEQ, Image Line FL Studio 8, PSP Audioware MixPack 2, Stillwell Audio Oligarch M and more…

Music Tech Focus

Don’t miss Music Tech Focus Reason and Live editions on sale now. Buy online (£9 UK, £11 Europe, £14 Rest of World inc p&p) or Subscribe online and save 17% on every issue.

Recent issues...

	Issue 66 This month’s cover feature explores the black art of recording electric guitar, focusing on the key areas of mic’ing, tracking and mixing. We also go deep inside Logic Pro in the first instalment of Logic Pro Tips & Tricks.			Issue 65 The art of remixing explored and how you might benefit from recording your band live. Reason 4, Pro Tools 7, Guitar Rig 3 and Cubase 4.1 workshops. Plus: the latest reviews and industry news.
	Issue 63 Expert advice on mic'ing, tracking and mixing acoustic drums, how to get creative with glitch sequencing, and an insight into a studio stalwart - reverb. Five software workshops, industry news and more...			Issue 62 Find out how to go beyond your synth’s presets and program your own unique sounds, explore the sometimes wacky world of sound design for film, and learn how to create authentic acid dub. Plus: five software Workshops and the latest reviews.
	Issue 61 The lowdown on achieving better, more clearly defined mixes, up-to-the-minute advice on promoting your music, and how to bring a retro vibe to your productions. Kontakt 3, Ableton Live 7, Reason 4, Cubase 4 Workshops. Plus: all the latest reviews.			Issue 60 Creative uses for distortion, spicing up your live laptop sets, making your own hip hop samples and Ten Minute Masters on contact mics and middle-and-side recording. Logic Pro 8, Cubase 4.1, Ableton Live 7 and Pro Tools 7 Workshops.
	Issue 59 Professional mastering tricks and tips, how to re-create classic guitar tones, and what to look for if you’re planning to study for a music technology qualification. Reason 4, Logic Pro 8, Cubase 4.1 and Ableton Live 7 Workshops.			Issue 58 Find out how you can spice up your mix with the creative application of effects such as ring modulation and vocoding. How to successfully record a singer-songwriter, and a remixer’s guide to vocal production. Plus: Ableton Live 7 - FULL REVIEW!