Cool crossover gear and apps for iOS and Mac/PC - Bridging the Gap
LearningWith every passing iOS update from Apple, the variety, inventiveness and overall appeal of music-making apps for the iPad and iPhone just grows and grows. Yet most computer musicians and producers do…
A review of East West ProDrummer - Drumming with a Pro
Written testThe drum instrument market is a crowded one, and already full of excellent choices. East West, a company renowned for its high-quality instruments and sound libraries, has just thrown its hat in the …
A Who's Who of Software Compressors - A guide to mixing music - Part 41
LearningThe number of compressor plug-ins on the market is overwhelming. As you'll surely understand, it would be impossible for me to create an complete list here. Nevertheless, my collaboration with Audiof…
It Can Happen to Anybody - The Loudness War - Part 8
LearningThis is the next installment in our article series dedicated to the race for volume, its consequences on music, sound and human ears.
Dialing in a Multiband Compressor - A guide to mixing music - Part 40
LearningIn the previous article we saw how multiband compression can be used at the mixing stage. Today I'll show you how to dial in a multiband compressor to get the best results.
In tandem with Advance series controllers, VIP lets you… - [Video] Akai VIP Software in Action
LearningWe recently reviewed the Akai Advance 49 keyboard. In fact, we gave it an Audiofanzine Award for Innovation. A big part of the value of the Advance series keyboards is that they include VIP software …
A First Look at Multiband Compression - A guide to mixing music - Part 39
LearningIn this new installment we'll tackle multiband compression during mixdown.
Compression as Glue - A guide to mixing music - Part 38
LearningThis week we'll look into a side effect of compression that's beneficial, as long as you use it wisely. It's the so-called "glue" effect that takes place when you use a compressor on a group of track…
Mastering and remastering - The Loudness War - Part 7
LearningHere's the latest installment in our series of articles dedicated to the race for volume, and its consequences on music, sound and human ears.
These instruments and effects may not be well known, bu… - 5 Cool Plug-ins You May Never Have Heard Of
LearningSome people become addicted to plug-ins; others become connoisseurs. That is, they're borderline addicts but too refined to splurge on just anything. They need a certain something, which is what the…
Sidechain Compression - A guide to mixing music - Part 37
LearningToday we'll continue unveiling new tricks and tips on compression with an installment dedicated to the sidechain.
A review of the EastWest Composer Cloud subscription se… - Instruments from the Cloud
Written testSubscription-based plans are becoming more common for music software. While presumably a good thing for the developers, they’re not necessarily so great for users, who have to pay over and over for a…
Sonarworks Headphone Calibration Review - High Caliber
Written testYou all know what it's like to finish a mix that sounds amazing on your headphones and then try to show it to your grandma on her hi-fi system, only to discover that it sounds terrible. The mix is co…
Classic Gear Spotlight: The Les Paul - Part 2 - And the Guitar Was Born!
LearningThe telephone rings. Pegg's back suddenly stiffens, she adjusts her glasses before picking up the phone. She can tell by the timbre of the voice that asks for Ted McCarty that it's bad news for her b…
Serial Compression - A guide to mixing music - Part 35
LearningNow that we've seen the basic usage of compression when mixing, I'll walk you through a couple of tips and tricks that I'm sure you'll find quite useful. This week we'll look into a technique that mi…