Music Tech Magazine - Issue 86

Expert tips for building professional-sounding tracks, and how to use reference tracks to help you through the composition process. Ten Minute Masters on surround sound and EQ. Logic Pro, Cubase, Sonar and Ableton Workshops.

Publish date: 14 April 2010

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Issue 86 of Music Tech Magazine is out now in newsagents throughout the UK.

In the issue…

Features
Mastering Production
Many in-depth techniques have been covered for modern-day composition, production and recording over the years. This time we guide you through the entire process, with particular focus on going from one stage to the next, helping you get to that holy grail of finishing.

Setting up a Studio From Scratch - Part Three
Followers of parts one and two are now joined by those who already have their setup but feel they may have reached its limits. From computer tweaking to room acoustics, we focus on how to get the most out of what you already have.

Composing in the Mix
Quality music often inspires us to write our own, but how can careful listening to other people’s tracks help us through that process? Liam O’Mullane explains.

Ten Minute Masters
Surround Sound
Most DAWs are capable of producing surround sound, but can we deliver it to the customer? Grant Bridgeman investigates the issues of encoding sound for DVD.

EQ Types
From parametric equalisers through to shelving and phase-linear designs, EQ comes in a variety of different shapes and sizes. Mark Cousins finds the right frequency.

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FREE bonus DVD with this issue!

Guitar Rock & Pop • Global Sound FX • Hardcore Club samples • Synth Lead, Pads & Bass samples

This Month’s Workshops
Logic Pro 9
Logic’s Compressor plug-in can produce a range of extreme compression effects, making your music pump and breathe in a unique way. Mark Cousins gets squashed.
Sonar 8
Last month we looked at creating realistic-sounding drum tracks in Sonar. In this second instalment, Hollin Jones looks at programming electronic dance beats.
Cubase 5
Once, the warping and timestretching of audio was a job for specialist software; now it can all be done within your DAW. Tim Hallas looks at AudioWarp in Cubase.
Ableton Live 8
Nothing blows away the cobwebs like a good old workout. Liam O’Mullane shows you how to flex those musical muscles by flipping audio clips on their head.
Record
Loops are the bedrock of many compositions, so how about making some of your own – whether for sale or just for your library? Hollin Jones explains how.

Reviews
Another selection of hardware and software is put through its paces in this issue, including Roland’s Gaia synth, IK Multimedia’s AmpliTube 3, Arturia Brass 2.0, Korg’s microSAMPLER, the ADAM A3X, AKAI’s MINIAK and more.

ON THE DVD

NORD G2
PinkNoise provide a collection of crunchy electric piano and clav instruments in various sampler formats from the Nord electrical beast.

Workflow Tips & Tricks
Tips and tricks from Groove 3 take you through the skills needed to produce bass and synth parts for house music. ASK Video provide tutorial material for the Prop’s software, Record.

Ambient & Downtempo
Four downtempo construction kits provided by Equinox Sounds to fulfill your need for chill-out sounds.

Music Tech Focus

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Plus - Check out all these other great issues of Music Tech Focus:

Ableton Live 8 Ableton Live 8 Deutsch Native Instruments Mastering Mastering Deutsch Logic Pro 8 Guitar Tech Propellerhead Reason Cubase Pro Tools Ableton Live 7 Music Tech Masterclass

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