THE WORLD’S BEST RECORDING TECHNOLOGY MAGAZ INE 8 5 — 2021

TM
TM

MUSIC PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES / INDEPENDENT IN-DEPTH PRODUCT TESTS / ENGINEER & PRODUCER INTERVIEWS / LIVE SOUND

HANDS-ON CREATIVITY FOR EVERYONE

Federico Vindver
From Kanye to Cold
ANTELOPE AUDIO
Måneskin: Beggin’ ZEN Q SYNERGY C E BUNDLE
The worldwide hit recorded in an afternoon
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 L E ADE R

CREATIVE CUTS
W
hen we think of musical genius, we sample slicing is one of the most powerful tools
tend to call to mind people with we have. When we load up a loop and assign its
exceptional powers of planning and individual hits to trigger pads, we usually don’t Sam Inglis
control. Whether it’s Bach composing fugues, know exactly what we want to do with those Editor In Chief
James Brown drilling his band to obsessive sounds. We’re not executing a preconceived plan.
levels of perfection or Brian Wilson crafting Pet We’re opening the door to chance.
Sounds over long months in the studio, genius is But if chance is to generate magic, we need
the person with a special type of command over to give it the opportunity. Genius can issue from “When it comes
music and the means of making it. experimental, risk-taking boldness only if that
But there’s another type of genius. Exemplified boldness is harnessed to technique. Before you
to the creative
by the likes of Brian Eno, John Cage, Daphne Oram can experiment with sample slicing, in other manipulation of
or Miles Davis, this form of genius is all about giving words, you need to know how to do it. You have
up control. It’s about creating conditions where to become fluent with the process before you can sound, sample
chance can flourish. It’s about inviting accident and reap the rewards. slicing is one of the
happenstance into the room, and trusting yourself When it comes to sample slicing, each platform
to recognise magic when it occurs. has its own well-established approach. Hardware most powerful tools
When you’re working with samples, it’s this options include Akai’s historic MPC range, NI’s we have.”
second form of genius that often comes into its powerhouse Maschine or Elektron’s elegant
own. The great samplists are those who have Octatrack; or you could pair a grid-based controller
been utterly fearless in collecting, juxtaposing with software such as Ableton Live, Bitwig Studio
and treating samples, and far-sighted enough or Reason. From the perspective of a newcomer,
to identify the seeds of greatness in those it can seem a daunting choice — which is why we
experiments. Where most of us would think persuaded Simon Sherbourne to write this month’s
‘Oh, that doesn’t work’, the great sample-based cover feature. Simon has dissected more loops
producers hear the key to a new sound world. on all of these platforms than I’ve had hot dinners,
Genius, by its nature, is given only to a few. In and he’s the perfect guide for anyone taking their
this day and age, though, the tools that genius first steps in sample slicing. It’s a journey that
requires are available to everyone. And when could lead you absolutely anywhere — and that’s
it comes to the creative manipulation of sound, the beauty of it!

EDI T OR IA L ADMIN I S TRATIO N ADVER TISING

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]
SOUND ON SOUND NORTH AMERICA Tel: 707-569-6021
Editorial Director Dave Lockwood Managing Director/Chairman Ian Gilby
1083 VINE STREET #727 Advertising Manager Paul DaCruz
Executive Editor Paul White Editorial Director Dave Lockwood
HEALDSBURG, CA 95448, USA Marketing Director Paul Gilby Regional Sales Associate David Carson
Editor In Chief Sam Inglis
SOUND ON SOUND LTD (HEAD OFFICE) Technical Editor Hugh Robjohns
Finance Manager Keith Werthmann
ALLIA BUSINESS CENTRE MA RKE TI NG
Reviews Editor David Glasper
KING’S HEDGES ROAD O NLI NE [email protected]
Reviews Editor Matt Houghton
CAMBRIDGE, CB4 2HY, UK News & Reviews Editor Chris Korff
[email protected] Business Development Manager
Digital Media Director Paul Gilby Nick Humbert
T +44 (0)1223 851658 Production Editor Nell Glasper
[email protected] Design Andy Baldwin
www.soundonsound.com Web Editor Adam Bull
SUBSC RI PTI ON S Podcast Production Manager Atheen Spencer
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DI S TRI B UTI O N The contents of this publication are subject to worldwide
copyright protection and reproduction in whole or part,
PRODUCTION [email protected]
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w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 3
 d.
ot in clude
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SKB56 - SKB 1SKB-56 Les Paul Guitar Case
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 150 FEDERICO VINDVER

INTHISISSUE www.soundonsound.com

October 2021 / issue 12 / volume 36

WIN
FEATURES
ANTE P AUDIO
ANTELO
ZEN
ZE N Q SY
SYNERGY
SYNE
N RG
GY CO
CORE
R & EFFECTS
R

88 Sample Slicing WORTH OVER $4000

E

Chopped-up loops are at the heart of many genres of music.

O V

There’s never been a better time to get hands-on with

sliced samples.
C

94 Multi-miking Guitar Amps

Many classic electric guitar sounds have been captured using
just one microphone. So when and why might you use more? PAGE 132

98 Choosing A Monitor Controller

Why might you need a dedicated monitor controller — and what
136 Inside Track: Måneskin
separates the good models from the bad?
Even winning the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest couldn’t prepare
Måneskin for what came next. Mix engineer Alessandro
104 Mix Rescue Marcantoni tells the story of their unlikely viral hit, Beggin’.
There are times when a mix engineer needs to do more than just
mixing — even if that takes you out of your comfort zone! 142 Talkback
We catch up with Brazil’s rising star Rafaela Andrade, aka Badsista.
120 How To Make It In K-Pop
Successful songwriters and producers explain how to adapt your 144 Golden Gear: The Revox PR99
skills to the massive Far Eastern market. The final Revox tape recorders left the factory almost 25 years
ago, yet the enthusiasm and support for these classic machines
126 Duran Duran: Making Future Past remains as strong as ever.
For their 15th album, Duran Duran collaborated with three
masters of electronic music and a dog-fixated 150 Federico Vindver
artificial intelligence. His remarkable versatility has made Federico Vindver the go-to
collaborator for Timbaland, Kanye West, Coldplay and more.
134 How I Got That Sound
Swedish producer Martin Landquist tells the story of the plaintive 158 Q&A
EBow sound that helped make A-ha’s ‘Lifelines’ a hit. Your studio and recording questions answered.
 58 ANALOGUE SOLUTIONS LEIPZIG V3

ON TEST
10 M-Audio Oxygen 25 44 Trinnov D-MON & La Remote 78 Clavia Nord Piano 5
Controller Keyboard Monitor Controller With Stage Piano
Listening-system Correction

14 UJAM Groovemate ONE 84 Alto Professional Bluetooth

Percussion Instrument
52 Roland TD-50KV2 Total & Bluetooth Ultimate
Electronic Drum Kit Bluetooth-to-analogue Converters

16 HEDD Type 07 Mk2 84 JMG Audio Expanse 3D

Active Monitors
58 Analogue Solutions Leipzig V3
Spatial Audio Plug-in
Analogue Synthesizer

24 Electro-Voice Evolve 50M 86 United Plugins Urban Puncher

62 Soniccouture Threnody Strings Saturation Plug-in
Compact Active Line Array
Sample Library
156 Sample Libraries
30 ZP Microphones ZP800G 68 Minimal Audio Rift
Cardioid Capacitor Microphone Orchestral Tools Rimba
Distortion & Filter Plug-in
Toontrack EZkeys Cinematic Pads
34 Bad Dogs P1 72 JTC Tones Cyber Driver Minimal Audio Emerge
500-series Microphone Preamplifier & Daemon Driver
Cabinet Impulse Response Libraries WORKSHOPS
36 Sound Particles
Brightness Panner 76 2hp Picnic Basket 112 Live
Auto-panning Plug-in Eurorack System
114 Logic
38 ROLI Equator2 77 E-RM Polygogo 116 Studio One
Software Synthesizer Eurorack Module 118 Cubase
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The SM6 line of monitoring loudspeakers has been designed for recording studios looking for monitors
capable of revealing every detail of the entire audio spectrum without any masking effect. The best
of Focal’s technology is the reference in its price range owing to its extreme neutrality, its precise
stereophonic imaging, and its ability.
Keep focus and mix on!

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 ON TE S T

M-Audio Oxygen 25
ROBIN VINCENT
Controller Keyboard
M-Audio’s trusty MIDI controller workhorse treads
I
t often feels like these M-Audio
Oxygen MIDI Controllers have been
around forever. The Oxygen 25 MkV
indefatigably onwards.
that I have before me definitely has Mic Nights covered in stickers and graffiti The keyboard feels good, there’s
shades of the original MIDIMAN Oxygen8 with probably a bit of gaffer tape to keep no aftertouch or weighting, it’s just
that first arrived in 2002. They were the sides on. It’s quite reassuring that a good clean synth action that doesn’t
chunky then and they’re chunky now. M-Audio haven’t gone down the elegance make too much noise or feel clunky.
These are not the stylish controllers that route of so many of their competitors and The black keys are textured in a slightly
you’d be too scared to take out of your instead are keeping it real with substantial matte finish and so are less grippy on
Instagram-curated studio space, no, these plastic shells that feel like they’re going to the fingers than shiny keys. The velocity
are the chunky controllers that get pulled survive a chaotic live environment. response is just fine with a number of
out of rucksacks at Electronic Music Open The look and the layout of this new different velocity curves or set velocities
version is pretty much identical to the to choose from. It is a decent playing
MkIV: same eight knobs, same eight experience that I would probably be
Included software pads, single fader, mod/pitch wheels, able to say more about on the 49- or
three-digit LCD display. They’ve pulled 61-keyed version.
The bundle of software is a little on the
off all the red accents, turned the grey
light side. Usually M-Audio products come
buttons to black and generally darkened
New Modes
with a big bundle of instruments from their
family of InMusic products but this time the whole vibe and left all the markings What is different from the MkIV is all the
you get MPC Beats with some sound packs, as white. The knobs are still nice and extra white text above the keys. These
Ableton Live Lite, the MiniGrand and Hybrid tall and as wobbly as you’d expect from refer to the three new creative modes
3. The manual says it has presets for many an entry-level controller. However, the that M-Audio have built into the Oxygen
more but they are not actually included.
knobs themselves feel much better than MkV. These are features borrowed from
However, once you’ve jumped through the
registration, software manager download, the MkIV, with a definite white indicator the Oxygen Pro range and are found on
install and iLok activation hoops you do get on a shiny cap which protrudes from the most MIDI controllers these days. So, to
a couple of half decent things to play with. edge of the knob so you can detect the keep these keyboards competitive it was
position with your fingers. definitely the right thing to do.

10 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 m908 24 channel Monitor Controller - Atmos® Ready.
The big push to deliver immersive music to streaming platforms means ing a simple Dolby Atmos Music Target Curve setup), bass management
your music production room could soon be mixing for Dolby® Atmos and individual channel delay settings. With a powerful, dedicated remote
Music. If this sounds like equal parts yikes and yeehaw, we can help the control unit, all monitoring functions are at your fingertips, and system
transition be more of the latter with our award-winning 24ch, immersive info is clearly displayed on the large LCD screen. To top it off, the m908 de-
audio-friendly monitor controller. livers the finest audio quality of any monitoring equipment in the world.
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 ON TE S T
M -AU DIO OX YGE N 25

The three modes are Arpeggiator,

Chord and Scale with a Note Repeat
function thrown in for good measure
on the pads. M-Audio haven’t added
any extra buttons or data sliders to deal
Round the back things are as simple as you’d
with the functionality like they have control which can be accessed by holding
expect, with just a USB port, a sustain pedal socket
on the Pro versions, no, for this it’s all Note Repeat and using the Preset Left/ and a power on/off switch.
down to the Shift key and the white text Right buttons — that at least is a useful
above the keyboard. You select modes thing to be able to change while holding control but on the Oxygen 25 you just
by holding Shift and using the Preset down notes. get the one. This solitary fader will control
Select left/right buttons and a little red I should mention Note Repeat which the level of whatever channel you have
dot appears in the display to show the is a function that enables the pads to do selected or the master level depending
current mode. a roll when held. You can either enable it on your DAW. Otherwise, the eight knobs
The Arpeggiator has all the usual note momentarily or engage it with a latch just step up to be the volume and pan on
order modes and a chord mode and like the Arp should be able to but doesn’t. your first eight channels. You can jump
a range that expands your held notes up The Preset Left/Right buttons let you step to other banks of eight with the Preset
to 2 octaves. There are also controls for through various time divisions so you can Left/Right buttons. The knob functionality
Gate length, Time Division and amount of change the roll on-the-fly. is selected by holding Shift and hitting
Swing. There are actually two Arp modes, the pad with the relevant choice written
one that latches and one that doesn’t.
DAW Control & Auto Mapping underneath. Holding the Shift key will
There is a Latch button sitting there The word Auto-Mapping means tell you which is currently selected by
looking at you but apparently this only something different to me than it does illuminating the pad. Two of the options
refers to the Note Repeat. Once you’re to M-Audio. I absolutely assumed that ‘Device’ and ‘Sends’ appear to be
in the Latched mode you can only stop it the controls on the Oxygen 25 would reserved for Ableton Live use only.
playing by switching into the non-latched map themselves automatically to To make the mapping feel a little bit
mode or hitting the Panic button. It’s whatever virtual instrument or effect more ‘Auto’ you can edit the control
a small but annoying workflow feature plug-in I had loaded. Auto-Mapping has numbers of all the knobs to match
that a straightforward latching ‘Hold/ tended to refer to that overlay system various instruments and save them as
Latch’ button would resolve. that Novation had, or the Nektarine presets. Unfortunately, at the time of
Smart Chord mode lets you play chords software system from Nektar, or I thought writing the Preset Editor software wasn’t
on a single key. You can set the musical it might be along the lines of the AKAI available but M-Audio have already set
key, voicing and type of chord you wish VIP software that provides a way of up a number of presets to work with the
to play. You have seven different voicing saving mapping to instruments within included virtual instruments.
choices plus a random one which is rather a plug-in wrapper. Sadly not. In this
fun. For chord type you just get Major and case Auto-Mapping refers to good old
Conclusion
Minor but there is a Custom option where Mackie/HUI transport and mixer mapping The MkV is a decent upgrade to the solid
you play a chord of up to six notes and that we’ve been using for hundreds of Oxygen range of keyboards but does
it will use that as the chord, although it years on all MIDI controllers that have nothing to change the game. All the new
won’t remember it for next time. ever possessed some sort of transport features are great but they are already
Smart Scale lets you play in a chosen controls. I was genuinely intrigued and present on several alternative keyboards
scale so that you never hit the wrong genuinely disappointed. and even my workflow criticisms are the
note. You can use the same Key options However, the Oxygen 25 has DAW same on many other compact controllers
as Chord mode but now you get a few control and they’ve done a decent job of that use the Shift + Keyboard functionality.
extra Types including Pentatonic and making it all work within the confines of There’s certainly nothing wrong with it,
Harmonic, Dorian and Blues. this MIDI controller while letting you map the hardware is good, the feel of the
All these modes work perfectly well, yourself manually to plug-ins at the same keyboard and pads is great for this price
and they are very welcome things to time. They make this happen by using and the physicality remains satisfyingly
have in your MIDI controller. However, a couple of individual MIDI drivers. You chunky. There’s no MIDI output port but
the Shift+Keyboard workflow is never the have one driver that’s for your regular there is a power switch, which is a huge
greatest way of accessing parameters. keyboard and MIDI control shenanigans bonus in my book. So a decent job,
Sometimes you want to hold some notes and another that you set up the Mackie well done.
or play while making changes and that’s DAW control with. The Oxygen 25
difficult to do, particularly on a very has some internal DAW presets that summary
small keyboard where every key has ensure the smoothest possible control
The Oxygen 25 is a solid choice for the
a Shifted function. Some of the options experience and you’re good to go.
less careful or less style-conscious mobile
have multiple values which can only be There’s a button to switch between DAW musician that’s going to survive a hectic live
accessed by repeatedly hitting the key to control and MIDI control (that they call performance while offering useful tools and
step through them. So, while it’s perfectly ‘Preset’) and an LED comes on to show easy control of your studio.
functional it doesn’t offer much in the you when DAW control is active.
way of control during a performance. On the larger versions of this keyboard $ $129
One exception is the Arp Time Division you’ve got a bank of faders for mixer W www.m-audio.com

12 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 ON TE S T

UJAM GroovemateONE
Percussion Instrument
UJAM’s Groovemate ONE is a one-stop
shop for pop percussion.
JOHN WALDEN
The presets include
plenty of useful 4/4

U
JAM specialise in patterns but also throw
virtual instruments in some more esoteric
and effects that sound grooves with 3/4, 5/4
excellent, are super-easy to and 6/8 all represented.
use and are accessibly priced. Even so, pretty much
It’s a winning combination. everything here is going
However, the latest KISS to just work in pop or
offering is perhaps the cutest other contemporary
example yet; it’s called music styles and, in my
Groovemate ONE. Priced at own experimentation,
just $19, Groovemate ONE Groovemate ONE quite
provides the essentials happily slotted in beside
of pop-based percussion a couple of UJAM’s virtual
— shaker, tambourine and drummers to add that little
claps — in a compact format. percussive lift a chorus
section can often benefit
Easy Does It from. And, if you like
The UI, while instantly a preset pattern, you can
familiar to anyone who has drag and drop its MIDI
tried their virtual guitar, data into your DAW for
bass or drum instruments, further manipulation. And
is ultra-streamlined. You as the sounds respond to
can start with any one of 30 MIDI velocity, that does
pattern presets. For each provide a workaround
of these, individual hits and for my one minor niggle
three intensities of the pattern with the streamlined UI;
(plus a fill option) are mapped there is no mixer option
to MIDI keys starting at C3. to adjust the relative
You can trigger the pattern levels of each sound.
options to create an instant Maybe that’s something
percussion part and add your that UJAM might add in
own playing (with velocity a future update?
response) from the individual
hits. Two macro controls
Conclusion
— Mix and Reverb — allow That comment aside,
you to adjust the sounds of Groovemate ONE is a bit of a gem. There are usable and budget-friendly experience.
the percussion or control the plenty of excellent upmarket virtual percussion I can only imagine that lots of potential
ambience. These each feature instruments available, but if you just need some users will find this incredibly useful. If that
a small set of presets offering basic percussion sounds to add a little groove, and might be you, then the free 30-day trial is
a good range of options, don’t want to get sidetracked by too many options, well worth downloading.
while the knobs themselves Groovemate ONE is a no-brainer. Sat in a mix, the
can be used to dial in as much sounds themselves are perfectly adequate and summary
or as little of the effect as the Mix and Reverb options provide enough sonic
Groovemate ONE makes adding simple
desired. The small metronome choice without ever being a distraction to your percussion grooves about as easy as it will
icon allows you to adjust the creative workflow. ever get. A genuinely useful tool that won’t
pattern triggering resolution UJAM have already indicated that ONE is the first break the bank.
and also to add swing, going product in a new Groovemate line. Here’s hoping
from straight to swung feels what follows is as useful as ONE and, mixer option $ $19
with ease. aside, delivers the same brilliantly simple, totally W www.ujam.com

14 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 Sound Particles
Taking Hollywood by storm, this
immersive audio software is capable
of generating thousands of simultane-
ous sounds in a virtual 3D audio world.

Energy Panner
Imagine drums moving at the beat,
or synth notes that move on attack.
This plugin uses the intensity of a
sound to control its movement.

-30%

 
Disc
o
S O unt Code
Valid U N D
until 3
Oct 0
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1st

Brightness Panner
Bring life to your mixes. This plugin
analyzes the sound’s brightness,
There’s nothing wrong with it - our tools pitch or MIDI notes to control its
do wonders in stereo. But Sound Particles movement automatically. y
and the entire industry are moving to
expand the horizons of what’s possible to
do with sound and space, and there’s no
reason for you to miss out.

        

 Space
   Connect your mobile phone to a
DAW, and point the ph
hone to the
@soundparticles | www.so
oundparticles.com place you want sounds to go.
 ON TE S T

HEDDType 07 Mk2
PHIL WARD
Active Monitors
M
y previous experience of HEDD
monitors was the three-way Type HEDD’s impressive Mk2-series speakers let you choose
20 Mk1, which I reviewed back between ported and unported formats. Which works best?
in the March 2018 issue of this magazine.
I admired the Type 20 greatly, not only for director at ADAM Audio. Heinz, and his an ambitious main monitor ‘tower’
its very high level of both objective and mastering engineer and musicologist son system; two subwoofer products; and
subjective performance, but also for its Frederik Knop, founded HEDD in Berlin a headphone. Our editor, Sam Inglis, wrote
innovative ‘Lineariser’ plug-in approach to in 2015 specifically to offer a new range in glowing terms about the HEDDphones
correcting the time-domain errors inherent of technologically advanced monitoring back in the July 2020 issue.
to all electro-acoustic transducers. The and headphone options for pro audio Back to the Type 07 Mk2, at first sight
Lineariser seemed, to my ears, to add an applications. The full HEDD range now it appears to be a relatively conventional
extra polish and finesse to the Type 20’s includes four monitor models ranging from two-way ported active nearfield monitor,
performance, however its plug-in format compact nearfield to large-scale midfield; with perhaps the only obviously notable
meant that it was only accessible when th he
monitors were being driven from a suitab ble
DAW session. Now, with the Mk2 versions
of their monitor range, HEDD have fixed
that issue by incorporating the technolog gy
within the speakers’ on-board DSP. But
that’s not all. The Mk2 versions of the
HEDD monitor range introduce quite a fe ew
refinements, improvements and new idea as.
Read on and I’ll tell all.

Knocking On Seven’s Door

Rather than simply looking at the Mk2
version of the Type 20, I decided for thiss
review to step one rung down in the HED DD
product range and examine the two-wayy
Type 07. Before I get on to the specifics,
though, a little refresher regarding
the company. HEDD is an acronym for
Heinz Electro-Dynamic Designs, and
the Heinz in question is Klaus Heinz,
who previously played the role of R&D

HEDD Type 07 Mk2

$1798
PROS
• Exceptionally high fundamental
electro-acoustic performance.
• Adaptability through EQ and
port options.
• Lineariser option.

CONS
• None.

SUMMARY
The HEDD Type 07 Mk2 is a seriously
high-performance nearfield monitor
that incorporates some genuinely
useful and interesting extras. Apart
from the other models in the Type Mk2
range, there’s really nothing else quite
like it.

16 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
Hone
est sound has arrived.
Whethe er music is your living or you simply
live for music, our powerful, sophisticated,
and easy-to-use portable systems deliver
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they’re available at sweetwater.com.
 ON TE S T
H E DD TY PE 07 M K 2

feature being its use of a Heil AMT-type The Type 07 Mk2 can
folded ribbon tweeter (monitor geeks might accept either balanced
notice that use of an AMT-type ribbon analogue or digital (AES3)
tweeter is customary in ADAM monitors; signals. All processing
— including the crossover,
this I guess is no coincidence considering
shelving filters, desk EQ
Klaus Heinz’s previous employ). The Type options, and the Lineariser — is
07 Mk2 is a convenient size for nearfield performed using the speaker’s
installation, and although relatively heavy internal DSP.
its weight shouldn’t cause any sleepless
nights. The MDF cabinet is finished in nor closed modes is
a silk/matte black paint. Beneath the ribbon likely to be optimal. But
tweeter is a nominally 18cm-diameter with a DSP-enabled
composite-diaphragm bass/midrange active monitor, where
driver, and beneath that live a couple the opportunities for
of decently flared reflex ports. It’s with equalising in both time
the ports that the unusual stuff begins, and frequency domains
because the Type 07 Mk2 actually offers are almost unlimited,
ported (reflex loaded) and non-ported it’s perfectly possible
(closed-box) operational modes. to engineer a speaker
There’s two aspects to converting that can operate equally
the Type 07 Mk2 to and from reflex optimally both ported
loaded to closed: the acoustic and the and closed (actually
electro-acoustic. The acoustic element it’s not quite so clean
involves the physical insertion of plugs, cut as that; see the
supplied with the monitors, in the ports to ‘Ports & Stuff’ box). So
seal the enclosures. The plugs are short when the Type 07 Mk2
metal cylinders fitted with foam peripheral morphs from ported to
sections that provide a comfortable yet closed (or the other way
tight interference fit in the port diameter. around) through the
On one face of each metal cylinder is addition (or removal) of
a tapped hole that fits a small, machined its port plugs, a switch
screw tool supplied with the monitors. on the rear panel also
Screwing the tool into a cylinder enables needs to be moved to select a ported or of that rear radiation over a narrow range
its removal from the port. I can’t help closed EQ profile. If the optional Lineariser of frequencies so that it reinforces, rather
thinking HEDD would be well advised to is also engaged, selecting the ported than cancels, the forward radiation of the
have a tapped hole on both faces of the or closed option will also implement driver. There’s no free lunch though, so
cylinders because, as things stand, I’m alternative time-domain compensation port loading brings with it some snags that
not sure how easy it would be to remove profiles, because not only does adding many who give this kind of thing a second
a plug if it were inserted the wrong way. or removing a port change a monitor’s thought believe are potentially damaging.
The reason I’m not sure is that I didn’t frequency response, it’ll change its group Firstly, reversing the phase of the driver’s
make that mistake, but it was an extremely delay (frequency-dependent latency) too. rear radiation unavoidably implies a time
close run thing. delay. If, for example, a port is tuned to
Before I move on to the electro-acoustic Reflex Reaction 40Hz, one complete cycle takes 25ms,
aspect, a bit of background. It is perfectly So that’s the nuts and bolts of the ported so a half cycle flip (180 degrees) implies
feasible with a passive monitor (that can’t or closed configurations of the Type a delay of 12.5ms. All other things being
incorporate DSP or even conventional 07 Mk2. But, I hear you ask, why would equal then, when the speaker plays 40Hz,
analogue EQ) to contrive a low-frequency you want the option? The ported versus the output will be delayed by a minimum
system that works in both ported and closed-box question has been mulled over of 12.5ms. Secondly, one fundamental
closed-box modes. In fact, quite a few many times in the pages of Sound On characteristic of a resonant system, such
hi-fi speakers ship with optional foam Sound and, believe me, if you were to rank as a reflex port, is that not only does it take
port bungs. You just have to engineer the electro-acoustic topics in terms of hours a finite time to get going, it takes a finite
various electro-mechanical parameters spent on discussion during a speaker time to stop too. So back to our 40Hz
of the bass driver to produce a workable design career, the topic would probably port, if the driving signal stops suddenly,
low-frequency and time-domain response come top. To recap: the point of a reflex the output won’t. And the higher the Q
with a fixed enclosure volume for the port is to extend the bandwidth and/or of the port resonance (and much of the
closed option and a fixed combination increase the maximum volume level of point of a port is lost if you don’t maximise
of enclosure volume and port tuning a moving-coil speaker by employing the its Q), the longer it will take to stop. It’s
frequency for the ported option. Such otherwise unemployed acoustic energy not unusual to find output continuing for
arrangements can work, however they’ll that radiates from the rear of the bass multiple cycles after a stimulus signal
always involve a hint of frequency driver diaphragm. A port does this by using has ceased. At 40Hz, for example, that
response compromise — neither ported a tuned resonance to reverse the phase could be as much as, say, 75ms. The final

18 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
A Truly New Dimension In Mixing/Dynamics & Imaging

jones scanlon
studio monitors

EDITORS’ PICK
GE AR OF THE YE AR 2019

Big Reds: Drivers 10” / Midrange 6.5” Reds: Driver 10” Baby Reds: Driver 6.5”
2000 Watts / Quad Channel (per box) 650 Watts / Twin Channel (per box) 650 Watts / Twin Channel (per box)

World leading transient response, allowing hyper accurate compression settings within the mix
• Relentless frequency response at loud and soft levels
• Next level “sensory perception” clarity/punch/tightness with truly intoxicating accuracy!
• Incredible phase & time alignment. Undeniably Accurate
• Faultless Frequency Reproduction, Incredible Depth, Clarity & Dimension

“ Working with my Jones-Scanlon Reds it’s as if a veil has been lifted from my listening experience. They
present such fine detail in the production dialogue and the ADR that I edit, and with such clarity and depth,
it feels as though my studio has instantly been turned up to eleven! Now I get to hear tracks in my own room
the way I hear them on a big sound stage. Brilliant I tell you, just brilliant! “
~ TIM HANDS
(ADR engineer, 4 Emmys with 9 nominations for game of thrones & The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers )

“ I hear the tail on the reverb now… “

~ Percy Bady
(Whitney Houston, Dionne Warwick, Yolanda Adams...)

“ Jones-Scanlon Studio Monitors allow me to hear the essence of the sound at its truest form without color “
~ Alexis King Faku
(Universal Music studios South Africa)

“ I knew I had to have them, the Jones-Scanlon Studio Monitors are hands down my new favorite monitors “
~ Krish Sharma
(2 Grammys, Rolling Stones’ Recording Engineer)

Also available in USA through Vintage King

2636 North Ontario Street
Burbank, CA 91504
www.vintageking.com

w w w. jo n e ss c an lo n .co m @way n e j o nesa udio f c y t

 ON TE S T
H E DD TY PE 07 M K 2

Ports & Stuff

There’s one compromise in optionally ported
and closed two-way monitors that can’t be
managed with DSP, and it arises because
each type of monitor ideally demands
different quantities and types of internal
damping in the enclosure. In a ported
enclosure it’s important not to stuff the bulk
of the cabinet with wadding, because doing
so will significantly decrease the reflex port’s
Q and damp the very resonance it is installed
to exploit. So the usual strategy is to line
only the internal enclosure surfaces with Diagram 1: The Type 07 Mk2’s frequency response, measured on-axis (blue trace), 20 degrees above
acoustic foam. In a closed-box enclosure, axis (yellow), and 20 degrees below (purple).
however, there’s no port resonance to worry
about so the entire volume of the enclosure Having read that paragraph of reflex While I’m still on the rear panel, as
can be lightly stuffed with wadding (usually port demolition, you’re probably wondering far as inputs are concerned the Type
polyester but sometimes natural wool), why any monitor designer would ever 07 Mk2 offers balanced analogue and
often to the benefit of reduced midrange
bother with a port. There are two answers. AES3 connections. Internally the Type
coloration. Now, you may have noticed that
I qualified this whole discourse by specifying Firstly, the benefits that ports offer in 07 Mk2 signal flow is digital, running at
two-way monitors in the first sentence. terms of low-frequency bandwidth and 32-bit/96kHz, and at the downstream
That’s because three-way monitors dodge volume level, especially when a monitor end of that signal flow, the Type 07 Mk2’s
this particular compromise: the midrange has to hit a manufacturing budget that Class-D amplification is rated at 100
driver enclosure can be bulk filled with can’t afford the extra bass driver costs that Watts for both the bass/mid driver and
wadding to more effectively dissipate
a closed-box format of equal bandwidth tweeter. The crossover frequency sits at
the driver’s rear radiation and minimise
coloration, while the separate bass driver and volume performance would demand, a conventional 2.3kHz.
enclosure can be internal surface-lined so are too great to ignore. A hole and a plastic
that a port, if one is used, isn’t compromised. tube is a lot less expensive than, say,
Measuring Up
a bass driver magnet that’s twice the size. And so to the promised FuzzMeasure
And secondly, skilful and knowledgeable data. Diagram 1 shows the Type 07
snag introduced by port loading is that design can undoubtedly minimise the Mk2’s forward axial frequency response
port performance is highly sensitive to problems that ports introduce and render from 200Hz to 20kHz, along with
its mechanical architecture. The Q of the them acceptably benign. measurements taken 20 degrees above
port resonance will only remain suitably Before I start measuring and listening, and below. The axial response is suitably
high if the airflow in the port remains I’ll finish the job of describing the rest flat and tidy, and the vertical dispersion is
laminar. If the airflow becomes turbulent of the switches. Firstly, the Type 07 also well managed. The sharp suck-out
(and that’s jointly a function of its velocity, Mk2 is unusual in offering both input at around 2.5kHz on the lower axis curve
the port diameter and length, and degree sensitivity and gain options. Both are on (purple) is typical of vertically arranged
of exit and entrance flaring), the Q will detented knobs so there’s no problem in two-way speaker systems, and is caused
collapse and, rather than reinforcing ensuring that the two monitors of a pair by destructive interference between the
low-frequency output, the port will behave are matched. Having both sensitivity and two drivers in the crossover overlap band.
more like a leak that contributes nothing gain control leaves no stone unturned in A vertical off-axis crossover suck-out is
but compression and noise. Ports are the search for optimising monitoring gain all but unavoidable in two-way speakers,
also prone to ‘organ-pipe’ resonance, structure, but considering how DAW and however designers do have some freedom
where they effectively become a wind interface output levels all tend to be very (through choices in crossover filter design)
instrument in their own right and, driven similar these days, I’m not sure how much to decide in detail how it is managed and
by the upper-bass and lower-midrange genuine use it will be to the majority of whether it is better engineered into the
acoustic energy bouncing around inside users. Having said that, I did nudge the above- or below-axis frequency response.
the enclosure, generate a high-Q input sensitivity up a notch in my system. The usual and sensible decision — which
pipe tone that can make an Along with input sensitivity and gain, the Type 07 Mk2 clearly adheres to — is
audible contribution to the Type 07 Mk2 includes low- and that it’s better not to compromise the
a monitor’s midrange. high-shelving EQ options that above-axis response, as a below axis
offer ±4dB of adjustment in listening position is less likely. Back to
1dB steps at 200Hz and 3kHz the Diagram 1 off-axis curves, the gentle
respectively; low-frequency off-axis droop at high frequencies is typical
bandwidth options that of ribbon drivers, however it is relatively
offer extended, normal and mild on the Type 07 Mk2 and, especially in
subwoofer (80Hz high-pass the context of nearfield listening, unlikely to
filter) settings, and three desk EQ be a major issue.
The supplied presets. I’ll investigate the desk EQ The impulse response plots of Diagram
port-blocking bungs. options a little further down the page. 2 illustrate the result of engaging and

20 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 ON TE S T
H E DD TY PE 07 M K 2

ALTERNATIVES
The Type 07 Mk2 finds itself in
a competitive niche where there
are some very capable alternatives.
For example, the Focal Shape Twin,
Genelec 8040A, Reproducer Audio
Epic 5 and Dynaudio Lyd 8 can all be
had for around the same price.

disengaging the Lineariser processing. The

most obvious result is that the Lineariser
adds around 10.5ms of extra latency to
the system, but it also clearly tightens
Diagram 2: The Type 07 Mk2’s impulse response, with the Lineariser processing off and on
the impulse response shape, making it
(blue and yellow traces, respectively).
more compact and, well, more impulsive.
The 12.5ms latency of the non-Linearised
impulse, by the way, reflects that of my
measurement signal chain and the signal
‘flight time’ from monitor to measuring mic.
Finally, Diagram 3 illustrates the action
of the Type 07 Mk2’s desk EQ feature.
The desk EQ introduces a gentle suck-out
centred on 180Hz that increases in depth
from a subtle 1dB or so to a more significant
4dB. I’ve found similar desk EQ options quite
useful in the past and in combination with
the shelf EQ options there really ought to be
few listening spaces that the Type 07 Mk2
can’t be adapted to suit. And that brings me Diagram 3: The desk EQ options for a small,
to one of the significant positives of the Type while simultaneously being completely medium and large desk, in purple, red and
07 Mk2. The multiple EQ options, ported seduced by the vocal performance. green respectively.
or closed format, and linear or ‘natural’ For what it’s worth (because your because, on a very basic level, it could
time-domain response mean a huge variety mileage will vary), the EQ options I settled render audible some mix elements that the
of possibilities for adapting the monitoring on in my studio space were 1dB of desk restrictions of the closed-box option cause
character to meet the needs of personal EQ combined with 2dB of LF shelving to remain hidden. And even then, it’s not as
preference, room acoustics and programme attenuation and 1dB of HF shelving if the quality of bass that the Type 07 Mk2
material. The Type 07 Mk2 is a genuinely attenuation. But I guess the elephant is capable of in ported mode isn’t extremely
impressive proposition in that respect. questions in the room are, “ported or high, because it is.
closed” and “Linearised or natural”? My time with the HEDD Type 07 Mk2
Listening In My preference on the second of those was characterised by increasing respect.
Monitoring adaptability would of course questions was for Linearised. As with my To begin with I felt it was predominantly
mean nothing without great fundamental previous experience of the Type 20, the a very well-engineered but conventional
performance, but the Type 07 Mk2 has Lineariser seemed to add an extra degree two-way nearfield monitor. But as I used
that too. I remember being immensely of image focus and precision. Mix elements the Type 07 Mk2 more and experimented
impressed with the core electro-acoustic appear to live somehow more separately with its many EQ and format options, my
character of the original Type 20 in terms in their own space. It’s subtle, but once admiration grew significantly. And now, at
of its tonal balance, imaging and detail you become tuned into the effect, I think the end of the review period, I’ll be sorry
portrayal, and lack of coloration. The Type it’s worthwhile. to see the back of them. As is my usual
07 Mk2 pulls off the same trick in that The question of ported or closed is practice, when I get towards the end of
there’s something immediately satisfying a more complex one. The subjective a monitor review, I do a bit of research
about the way it presents material: difference between the two options is to remind myself of the price, and when
everything is fundamentally in the right significant, and my preference was generally I did that with the Type 07 Mk2 I had
place, with the appropriate tonal character, for the closed option — if forced to choose to check I wasn’t looking at the cost of
image focus, pitch and dynamics. Vocals I’ve always preferred precision and accuracy a single monitor rather than a pair, because
in particular sound properly focused and of bass over bandwidth. Monitors are tools of I’d imagined it to be significantly more
convincing with a ‘high-end monitoring’ a trade, however, and personal preference is expensive than it is in reality. So bearing in
level of quality. For example, I found myself an unaffordable luxury if it impedes getting mind just how much I came to admire the
listening to Jesca Hoop’s, ‘The Lost Sky’, a job done. So in use there will be times Type 07 Mk2, I think it’s a steal.
a track I know well (and love), on repeat when the extra low-frequency bandwidth
and becoming fascinated anew by how it’s and maximum volume level offered by the $ $1798
put together in mix and arrangement terms, ported option will be of crucial importance W hedd.audio

22 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 ON TE S T

and easy to assemble and pack away;

Electro-Voice the Evolve 50M scores very highly

in both these categories. The two
sections are designed to travel as two
components and the speaker array is

Evolve 50M
Compact Active Line Array
supplied in a neat, high-quality carrying
bag with a shoulder strap, so it’s quite
possible for one person to carry the
whole system. EV supplied a pair
of systems for this review, so I tried
carrying both by myself, with a sub in
EV’s latest rig takes the column PA format each hand and a ‘top’ bag over each
and adds a host of thoughtful extra features. shoulder. It is indeed possible... for
a while!
MIKE CROFTS The carry bag houses the speaker
array itself and a spacing section or

T
he Evolve 50M from respected makers Electro-Voice is pole that sits between sub and top
described as a ‘compact column loudspeaker system’. It builds speakers. Putting the three pieces of
upon an earlier model (the Evolve 50), but this latest version the Evolve 50M together is extremely
incorporates a few new tricks in the mixer and control department. easy — it takes longer to unzip the
Various manufacturers produce outwardly similar ‘all-in-one’ systems, carrying case and remove the array
and the convenience of having a single unit containing mid/high and pole than it does to connect them
speakers, subwoofer, power amp and mixer is something most gigging together. I particularly like the magnetic
performers appreciate. The top section of the speaker system is in assist feature, mainly because it obviated
the form of a vertical array, and that brings with it the advantages of the need for any heavy-duty mechanical
compact dimensions, very wide coverage and a high degree of inherent or electrical coupling which, on some
resistance to acoustic feedback. The Evolve 50M components require systems, can present problems when
no interconnecting cables — all you need is a mains lead and whatever trying to pull the pieces apart. The EV
is being plugged into the input stages. system works really well and it’s hard to
imagine an easier method that would
The Parts actually work. As far as I can tell, the array
The Evolve 50M is made up of two active parts, the subwoofer and the section can’t be coupled directly to the
vertical speaker array; the sub contains the mixer module and power base unit, so the spacer pole has to be
amp stages for both speaker sections. The column array is formed from used. I believe that a shorter section is
a composite material and contains eight 3.5-inch neodymium drivers available as an optional extra, and this
mounted on waveguides that result in very wide 120-degree horizontal would be useful in some applications, for
coverage, and the curve helps it to deliver a tightly focused 40-degree example if the Evolve 50M were being
vertical coverage, which aims the acoustic output where it’s needed used as a close-up monitor for say, piano,
(the audience) while not wasting energy on the floor and ceiling. The or for small-group AV applications. All in
overall tuning is assisted by four ports at the rear of the column. all, assembling the Evolve 50M is about
The subwoofer section is made from 15mm wood and houses as clumsy-proof and easy as it gets, short
a single 12-inch driver mounted in a vented enclosure, and is also of having a built-in robot pop out of a little
home to a Class-D amplifier module rated at 1000W, as well as an hatch and do it for you.
eight-channel programmable digital mixer that provides for
various combinations of mics, line inputs, stereo inputs,
The Mixer
high-impedance and Bluetooth sources — we’ll take The mixer and control section
a brief look at some of these later, but all the fine of the Evolve 50M fits neatly
detail is available on EV’s product page (better still, into the back panel of the
download the user manual and read at your leisure). subwoofer and contains
Both speaker sections are well-balanced and everything you’d need for
easy to lift and carry, and the array module has a modest combo performing
an integral handle that’s large enough for both live. The mixer has eight
horizontal carrying and vertical placement or inputs: four mono mic/line
removal. Black steel grilles finish the package off channels plus two further
nicely and should protect the speaker components stereo channels, making up
against most pre-apocalyptic hazards. the eight. Channels 1 to 4
have standard balanced XLR
The Setup or TRS inputs with phantom
No matter how good they sound, compact power permanently enabled,
all-in-one systems are a bit off the mark unless they and these have sensing and
are neat and unobtrusive when in use, and quick protection features to detect

24 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
when anything not requiring g Of course that’s
that s always
alw been possible
power is plugged in. Channels to an extent, but wh hat EV have done
5 and 6 operate as a stereo o with the Evolve 50M is, firstly, make
pair with a choice of balanced a system that truly does produce
XLR, TRS, unbalanced RCA a respectab e output level for live
and even stereo 3.5mm gigs, and secondly, make pairing
mini-jack input connectors, two syste ems as a left-right PA
so all common analogue really easy. Not only that,
devices should be well cove ered. but wh hen two systems are
Inputs 7 and 8 are reserved for linke
ed together using the
Bluetooth and are accessed d by QuicckSmart digital link,
any compatible paired device. they are automatically
This type of input can be really configured as you desire
handy in any application using (for exxample as left and
backing tracks, as playback k can right mains,
m if that’s what
be controlled by someone off o you fan ncy), and the two
stage, a feature I’ve found useful
u mixer modules
m act together
at numerous school events where e to provide twice the input
the teacher can be given the job count, a l properly integrated
of starting and stopping the e traacks into a sinngle mix. In short,
without the hassle of trailingg cab
a les. a pair of Evolve 50Ms can act
As if this wasn’t enough, channel as a front--of-house stereo rig,
4 has an additional physical input with a 16-in nput digital mixer, and
in the form of a high-impeda ance TS two auxiliary mix outputs into the
jack intended for direct conn nection bargain, all with one single Cat-5
of instruments, without the need
n to cable runnin ng between the two.
use a separate DI box. There e’s also Linking tw wo systems is simply
a guitarist-friendly footswitch
h jack a matter of co onnecting them
for switching the user-selecttable together with such a cable plugged into
DSP functions. the RJ45 sockets labelled ‘QuickSmart
The Evolve 50M mixer su urface, which Link’. Although these look like standard
bears the Dynacord name and a logo as network ports they d don’t work that way
eage is clearly
testament to the design lineage, The subwoofer unit also houses — the interconnection
interconnectio protocol is very
a digital mixer, with eight analogue inputs
and cleanly laid out to present a simple much EV’s own and they are dedicated
plus a stereo Bluetooth channel.
and functionally obvious control panel. to the Link function. With two systems
There is only one rotary control, whose section alone would probably find an hooked up you can then, as mentioned,
default function is master volume, but appreciative market if it were available make use of all 16 inputs, and control both
this also functions as an adjuster/encoder as a standalone item. The best way of units as a single sound system from one
for other functions. Each channel’s controlling the adjustable parameters instance of the QuickSmart app, although
parameters are accessed via a row of is by means of the QuickSmart app, but
buttons above the input connectors, the little LCD display does a good job of Electro-Voice Evolve 50M
and whichever channel is selected can summarising the main mixer functions
$1999
be adjusted at either a basic or more and shows a neat all-channel meter view
advanced level. There are several pages so you can see what’s going on with your PROS
of mixer functions in the manual, and input levels with a quick glance at the • Powerful performance in a small and
easy-to-use package.
these describe in detail what can be rear of the unit. Just as assembling the
• Lots of onboard DSP and good control
adjusted — suffice it to say here that this Evolve 50M is impossible to get wrong, from the app.
is indeed a full-function digital mixer, and the built-in protection circuits should keep • Easy linking between systems with the
can of course be controlled either on the all but the relentlessly determined user ability to combine mixer inputs.
panel or, with a lot more facility, via EV’s within the unit’s performance boundaries. • Can be used without the app
if necessary.
QuickSmart app. I found both the panel
controls and the app to be easy to use, The Great Link CONS
and adjustments are quick and smooth. One major new feature built into the • Nothing significant, though I would like
Many users of this system will be looking Evolve 50M is the ability to connect to see level meters alongside the app
on-screen faders.
after their own sound balance from the two systems together. A few years • Unless I’ve missed it, I’d like a ‘skip
stage, so this is an important aspect of back I remember getting my hands on firmware update until next time’ option.
a system such as this. a portable column-over-sub system when
All the expected complement of the idea was fairly new, and the first and
SUMMARY
A portable yet powerful and high-quality
dynamics processors, detailed EQ, (to me) obvious question that came to column system that boasts some useful
two full effects engines and so on are mind was ‘Could you use two to make extras, including the ability to run two as
included, and I think that the mixer a nice little stereo array-type PA system?’ a pair with all their mixer inputs combined.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 25
 ON TE S T
E L EC T R O -V OI C E E V OLV E 5 0 M

you do have to identify which system

you’re accessing — I didn’t find a way of
swiping across both sets of inputs within
a single layer view, but the app layout
is very clear and free of screen clutter,
and it’s obvious which set of inputs are in
focus at any time. When the Cat-5 cable
is connected, the unit will automatically
configure itself depending on your chosen
mode, and will either send to or receive
control parameters from the other Evolve
unit, presenting options for running the
two units together in mono or stereo, as
well as offering various send or receive
parameters. I set the two demo systems
up with ‘house left’ designated as ‘stereo
left’, as I would normally mix with the
app from a front-of-house position if not
actually playing on stage. Once linked, all
control parameters are duplicated across
to the ‘receive’ unit and most functions
will then be linked, although individual
master volume levels can be controlled on
a per-speaker basis for room balance.
When the control device (phone or
tablet) is connected via Bluetooth to any
Evolve system, an automatic firmware
update check is carried out, and if an
update is available it must be installed
to bring the system up to date before
Bluetooth control can be established. The
manual says that this can take up to 50
minutes (!) and advises against doing this
just before a performance! When I first got Although the manual warns that firmware
the devices and systems paired up the mini-array speakers in the past on many updates can take close to an hour, in practice
app informed me that a firmware update corporate gigs and band rehearsals, and the process only lasts a few minutes.
was indeed required, however it was all they’re perfectly fine so long as you don’t
done and fully operational in just over need to go too loud, but these EVs have pushed out a decent level, certainly more
four minutes. When control is acquired been crammed with lots of power and than I’d have expected given their size
everything apart from physically plugging really do deliver a respectable output, all and weight, and the sub output level can
into the unit can be done from the app, with the trademark full, rounded sound be controlled independently for achieving
and it’s as well to check that the input and/ we expect from this maker. The spec the best sound balance. The only way to
or master levels are down before applying sheet gives the maximum output as test PA systems is to use them for real,
audio as the Evolve 50M can generate 127dB SPL at 1 metre, and the quality and and I would have been very happy to take
a respectable output level — a lot more than focus is very impressive. these along to a smaller-scale gig and
you’d expect from its modest size. When I added the second system and run a live band through them, but for the
ran them as a stereo rig, I was convinced special circumstances.
The Sound that I’d easily have enough level to run The Evolve 50M has far too many
So, what about the sound from this very an average band gig in a club or pub. settings, features and user options to go
portable rig? It’s crisp and clear and, as Unfortunately because of the remaining into here, but I did experiment with the
you’d expect from a vertical array like this, Covid restrictions at the time of testing overall system EQ presets (the ‘Mode’
horizontal coverage is wide and even. In I wasn’t able to find a live event for setting), which offer a choice between
my studio live room test I had to stand a proper road test, but I did take the Live, Speech, Club and the default Music
almost directly to the side of the array two Evolve 50M units outside and run mode. No prizes for guessing roughly
before any significant lack of top end them at almost full chat for a while with what these do, but my personal default
became noticeable. I had initially only a wide range of recorded material. The mode would always be Live as this is the
rigged up one of the Evolve systems, and mids and top end carried well (over ‘neutral’ setting.
fed it with a selection of mono test tracks a mixture of hard standing and grass),
just to get used to the sound and then and the balance stayed fairly constant
Practical PA
find out where it would run out of steam. over a reasonable distance. Even the two You would expect any product of this
As I said, I have used these types of 12-inch subs managed to keep up and type, brand and price to be well designed

26 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 ON TE S T
E L EC T R O -V OI C E E V OLV E 5 0 M

Linking two units

with a Cat-5 cable
ALTERNATIVES
combines their inputs, In terms of quality and price, HK Audio’s
allowing you to share Polar range probably comes closest, but
aux sends and control while those systems do include digital
both systems from mixing facilities, they lack the Evolve
50M’s linking ability when used in pairs.
a single device.

and to sound great for its intended

purpose, which it does, but often it’s the
little practical things that can make the
difference. I didn’t find any aspect of
the Evolve 50M impractical, annoying,
or disappointing — this is a system that
delivers all that is promised. In use, it
is easy to use and will keep producing
output if app control is lost for any
reason. If two units are SmartLinked and
the ‘master’ system loses power, the
‘downstream’ one will be muted, and
I found that when power is restored the
second system remained muted until
re-linked. They can of course be linked
with an XLR cable if you don’t trust these
new-fashioned digital things, but the mix
output is still an active connection as it’s
under the control of the first system’s
mix settings. When powering on and off
I could not produce any thumps or pops
from the speakers even by pulling the
mains plugs straight out — these are
well-behaved speakers.

Final Thoughts
Time for a quick summary, then. There
is truly a lot to say about the Evolve
50M, and I have only touched on the
standout aspects as I saw and heard
them, however I believe this neat little
system has finally stepped up to the ‘real
band PA’ level, and offers many of the
advantages of a line array in a compact,
The EV QuickSmart control app.
portable and virtually user-proof
package. It is surprisingly loud for such
a small set of boxes, flexible in that you
can use one or two depending on the
application (or indeed use the Evolve
50M together with other systems), and
provides an all-in-one sound solution that
can reduce extra gear and cabling whilst
still offering all the bells and gizmos.
As a single ‘stick PA’ it has that ‘fill the
room’ quality, while as a pair at front of
house it’s a real miniature line-array rig
with a clear, powerful, focused sound,
with good resistance to mic feedback.
I hope I get to try one when the diary fills
up again!

$ $1999
W www.electrovoice.com

28 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
T HE NEW ST
T UDIO
O COND
D ENSER M ICRO
O PHO
ONES
Large 33 mm capsule with gold-sputtered diaphragm • Proprietary internal
shock mount • Precision-machined aircraft-grade aluminum body
Designed, machined, assembled and tested in Wilsonville, OR

Learn more at audixusa.com

 ON TE S T

ZPMicrophones
HUGH ROBJOHNS

Z
P Custom Microphones are an

ZP800G
established vintage microphone
repairer based in Belgium, and
who are now a boutique manufacturer,
too. Currently the company offer a single
limited-edition product, the ZP800G,
and the microphone’s name provides Cardioid Capacitor Microphone
a strong hint of its intention. This is
a high-quality vocal microphone designed Can a solid-state microphone really give you the sound of
to have a similar sound character to the Sony’s classic valve C800G?
much revered, but scarily expensive and
exclusive, Sony C800G microphone. The most significant difference of all close working distance of 100mm
Surprisingly, given its aims, most between these two mics is that while the (four inches). That’s probably around
aspects of this new Belgian microphone Sony C800G costs more than £10,500 in half the distance that most vocalists in
are substantially different from Sony’s the UK, ZP Custom Microphones’ ZP800G a professional studio would typically use
classic. For example, the Japanese microphone is available for less than
original uses a triode-connected a fifth of that!
6AU6 pentode valve for its impedance Given such radical technical
converter, kept cool by a uniquely differences between these two mics it
idiosyncratic cooling system extending might seem surprising that company
to the rear of the mic body. In contrast, CEO and designer Gregory de Mee
the ZP microphone features a completely claims the “sonic footprint and audio
conventional cylindrical body with quality… are identical”. While that was
solid-state FET-based circuitry. the primary goal, he also wanted the mic
One thing both mics do have to be better suited to modern recording
in common, though, is the use of practices, meaning smaller, easier to rig,
a customised 34mm, centre-terminated, and more convenient to use — which
Neumann K67-style dual-diaphragm was why he eschewed the delicate and
capsule made in China. However, slow-to-warm-up valve and its associated
whereas the Sony flagship microphone heavy external power supply, and
offers selectable omni and cardioid adopted robust and instantly functioning
polar patterns, the ZP mic has a fixed phantom-powered FET circuitry.
cardioid-only pattern. The decision to provide only
a cardioid polar pattern, when most vocal
recordings with the C800G are probably
ZP Microphones made with the omni setting, might
ZP800G seem more perplexing, but de Mee’s
$2654 reasoning is that project studio acoustics
PROS aren’t as good as those of professional
• Delivers a beautifully crafted, studios and that a cardioid polar pickup
modern, crisp vocal sound. is more forgiving in that context, as it
• Well-built and solid. excludes more ambient sound. Another
• Supplied with an effective
way to reduce the ambient acoustic’s
shockmount.
• Cardioid response and close working contribution is to place the mic closer to
help reduce ambient sound. the source, and so de Mee has optimised
• Ready to go the moment it’s the capsule and circuitry for a relatively
plugged in!

CONS
• The shockmount can’t be stored in
the mic case.
• The looks don’t ‘wow’ like the
sound does.
• Two grand is still a lot of money, even
when it’s much less than 10 grand!

SUMMARY
A conventional phantom-powered
studio vocal mic cleverly tuned and
optimised to emulate the distinctive
vocal sound of Sony’s flagship C800G.

30 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 THE EZBASS FAMILY.
The latest additions to our ever-growing collection of EZbass expansions are the Upright EBX
and Hard Rock EBX. Fundamentally different but equally iconic, ready to serve your songs with
divine basslines. Head to www.toontrack.com for videos, audio examples and more!

WWW.TOONTRACK.COM
 ON TE S T
ZP MICROPHONES ZP800G

the C800G. Obviously, working a cardioid the base. Connection is via a standard
pattern mic this closely invokes the XLR socket at the mic’s base, and 48V ALTERNATIVES
proximity effect, but the ‘ZPK8A’ capsule phantom power is required (the current Ignoring the Sony C800G itself, the two
is built to ZP Microphones’ own specs and consumption is not specified). Sensitivity obvious alternatives to the ZP800G are
the elements assembled and fine-tuned is quoted as -33dB/Pa, and assuming the Golden Age Premier GA-800G and
in the company’s Belgian workshop to ZP meant dB ref 1V/Pa that would be the Advanced Audio CM800T. Both of
these mics follow the same core design
achieve the required tonal balance at that equivalent to a healthy 22mV/Pa — just
of the Sony flagship, and both are valve
close distance. 1dB lower than the Sony C800G. The mics, but the GAP GA-800G is a very
One benefit of using a dual-diaphragm maximum level the mic can tolerate is close clone, even retaining the Peltier
capsule in cardioid mode is that it is given as 130dB SPL, but no distortion cooling extension. So it looks very similar
threshold is provided. Nevertheless, it to the Sony original, but costs around
inherently less noisy than it would be in
a third as much, making it around $1000
its omni mode — the reason being that should accommodate even the loudest more than the ZP product.
only one side of the capsule contributes vocalist without complaint. The Canadian Advanced Audio
electrically to the microphone’s output. CM-800T takes a rather simpler
Combining that aspect with high-quality
In Use approach, repurposing parts from some
of its other models and a different NOS
solid-state electronics allows the ZP800G I was unable to disassemble the mic military valve to come in at under $1000.
to claim a self-noise figure of 12dB SPL to evaluate its construction, but ZP The overall tonal character is very similar,
(A-weighted), whereas Sony specify the Microphones proudly states it uses Wima though, and it has the added benefit of
C800G in cardioid mode at 18dBSPL (and resistors and Nichicon and Russian providing three polar patterns (omni,
cardioid and fig-8).
nearly 21dB SPL in omni mode). NOS ‘military-grade’ capacitors, with
hand-wiring and “top-notch quality
The Package control”. The mic certainly feels solid I’ve only used the Sony C800G
The ZP800G ships with a hard-shell and well-built, although the shockmount a few times, but from memory I’d say ZP
zippered case with internal padding. rattled on arrival as the stand attachment Microphones have captured its sonic
A net pocket in the lid behind was loose. This was easily corrected essence pretty well here. Regardless
a protective flap stores a hard plastic with a screwdriver, but if it was my own of its notional accuracy, though, the
stand adapter and an ‘info card’ which is mic I’d apply a thread-locking compound ZP800 is a very appealing vocal mic
actually a flip-out 4GB USB thumb drive. to prevent it loosening again with use. in its own right and, despite its rather
Sadly, though, none of my PCs were Nevertheless, when installed in the understated looks, it delivers such
able to access it so I’ve no idea what shockmount the mic feels stable and a flattering and complete sound that
information might have been supplied secure, and it can be mounted upright every vocalist will be impressed from
upon it. A little faux-leather purse is or suspended from above equally safely. the moment they don their headphones.
provided to protect the microphone’s The mic is not too sensitive to plosive And as we all know, happy talent delivers
grille when not in use. blasting, but I would always recommend great performances!
The stand mount screws onto using a good pop screen anyway — if From a technological point of view,
a threaded section around the XLR for no other reason than to keep the there is little in this microphone that
connector at the base of the mic, but expensive mic clean and dry! is out of the ordinary: it uses a replica
most users will probably prefer to use The capsule is optimised for working capsule with pretty standard FET circuitry
the substantial shockmount which is also with very close sources. The sound in a familiar tube-shaped body. But as is
supplied. Frustratingly, this is too large to is quite lean when the vocalist is six always the case, it’s the little details that
store inside the mic’s case as it comprises inches or more away, but at three to four really make the difference. The specific
a 120mm-diameter stainless-steel inches the ZP800G delivers a very nice, machining precision of the capsule
disc with attached stand adaptor. modern, mix-ready vocal sound which backplates, the hand-assembly and
A stainless-steel cylinder is suspended has a slightly compressed midrange careful tensioning of the diaphragms,
inside the disc on four cleverly laced character with plenty of energy that the selection of the passive and active
elastic cord loops, and a threaded collar delivers a full-bodied quality. This is components... The complete product is so
at the centre of the cylinder attaches to balanced against a distinct upper-mid much more than the sum of its parts, and
the base of the microphone. The design is presence which has been shaped to that’s why its high price can be justified.
similar to the plate shockmount supplied give a nice clarity and clean diction It is a very high-quality vocal microphone
with some Oktava mics, and that’s without over-emphasising the sibilance with no caveats, limitations or provisos.
not too surprising as ZP Microphones region. Above that is an open and airy And if viewed as a legitimate alternative
apparently worked closely with Oktava top end that brings a silky smoothness to the legendary C800G — which I think
to develop the ZP800G’s body hardware to breaths, and the overall impression it probably is — it is clearly an enormous
and accessories. is of a larger-than life voice with bargain. Either way, it’s certainly
The microphone body measures a well-focused, almost 3D quality. Within a mic worth adding to the shortlist for
192mm in length, 50mm in diameter, mixes I found the vocals needed almost an audition if your budget extends
and weighs 405g. Finished in a polished no further processing beyond some this far.
black paint, the ZP logo is stencilled dynamic control. Every part of the voice
on the front just below the multilayer was present and correct — body, weight, $ $2654.91
chromed wire-mesh grille, while the clarity, crispness, breathy airiness, all E [email protected]
800G model name is at the rear near ideally balanced from the outset. W www.zpmicrophones.com

32 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
ONE SYNTH. MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES.

w w w . s e q u e n t i a l . c o m

MONO/PARAPHONIC ANALOG HYBRID SYNTH

S P E C I A L E D I T I O N

3 ANALOG FILTERS · 2 VCOS + 1 WAVETABLE OSC · 4 CV IN/OUT · 16-TRACK SEQUENCER · DUAL FX

 ON TE S T

Bad Dogs P1
NEIL ROGERS

B
ad Dogs were founded in 2020 by
Italian electrical engineer Francesco
Canacci and recently sent us
their debut product, the P1 500-series
mic preamp, for review. A high-quality
but cost-effective preamp, it offers an
interesting twist that should help it stand
500-series Microphone Preamplifier
out in what is a crowded market place: the Ever fancied trying different output transformers in your
user can choose to add or swap output
transformers, to tailor the sound to taste.
mic preamp?
expect of a good preamp: 48V power, mic preamp can apply between +12 and
On Test switchable polarity inverter, 20dB pad and +65 dB of gain and has an input impedance
The P1 is a simple, tasteful-looking design 80Hz high-pass filter, and a front-panel of 1.5kΩ, while the instrument input offers -5
that includes all the standard features you’d quarter-inch TS jack instrument input. The to +45 dB and a 1MΩ input impedance.

34 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
Both can handle pretty hot sources and are within -3dB of
a flat frequency response from 4Hz to 50kHz when at their THE MIDI
SPECIALISTS
maximum gain.
The review model was supplied with two cost-option
output transformers: a Jensen JT-11-HFMPC and a Lundhal
LLI517. The P1 doesn’t need these to operate, but they do
introduce subtly different characters, should that be desired.
The idea is that the user fits or swaps out the transformers.
Following the steps described in the manual, this was a really
MIDI FOR YOUR USB
easy, straightforward process: there’s no soldering or wiring KEYBOARD OR CONTROLLER
involved; you just flick a small jumper on the circuit board and
carefully insert the transformer in its socket.
The P1 arrived at an opportune time, as I already had
several preamps in the studio for testing. It’s often surprising
just how small the audible differences can be between
models, even those with very different asking prices, but
there are subtle differences nonetheless, particularly if you
drive them harder. Putting the P1 up against some well-known
NEW
ADDED
and expensive preamps, the P1 held its own very well indeed; ROUTING
MODES
and these comparisons included close kick and snare
drum duties as well as DI’d bass guitar and acoustic guitar
MIDI USB HOST mk3
recorded with a small-diaphragm condenser mic.
Got USB but need MIDI? You need a Kenton MIDI USB Host to
Bad Dogs describe the P1 as a high-bandwidth design and provide MIDI In & Out sockets for keyboards and controllers
my perception, with no transformer fitted, was that it captured which have only a USB B type socket.
the full range of an instrument without imparting a very
noticeable character — reminiscent of the clean-sounding
preamps on my Audient 8024 console. Bringing the MIDI Thru Boxes
transformers into play made a meaningful difference to THRU-5
Plug in your sequencer or
the sound, albeit a small one, and pushed the P1 more in mas ster keyboard and get 5,
the direction of, say, my Neve 1073LB modules. Assessing 12 or 2
25 identical MIDI copies
the difference between the Jensen and the Lundahl with no audible latency for
THRU-12 yo
our sound modules and
transformer sounds felt very much like splitting hairs. There other MIDI devices.
devices
are discernibly different characters, but it’s all very subtle; I’m
not sure my own audio geekery has quite reached the level
where I have a distinct preference but when A/B comparing
recordings I made with them, on kick and snare in particular, THRU-25

I felt that the Lundhal revealed a little more in the low-end,

whereas the Jensen seemed a touch brighter sounding on
the snare.
When it comes to preamps, 500-series users are spoiled
for choice but the P1’s price/performance ratio makes it
very good value. It’s a preamp that I’m very happy to use MIDI Merge Boxes MERGE-4

alongside or instead of the various big-name preamps I have It takes a lot more than a splitter
here that cost more than twice its price, and the optional cable to merge MIDI signals
properly. Kenton Merge boxes
transformers are not merely a gimmick: both add a familiar, combine 4 or 8 MIDI sou urces
pleasing thickness that works well on most sources. If into a single MIDI data stream,
you just want a good preamp, then, the P1 is well worth with all MIDI data including MERGE-8
clock, time code and Sys sEx just
considering, but if you enjoy shooting out equipment and as they should be.
diving deep into fine-tuning your recording chains, it could
prove particularly attractive.

summary Keep all your synths, sequencers and

controllers talking with Kenton MIDI products
A classy 500-series preamp that’s good value for money
and offers some useful tonal options courtesy of swappable
output transformers. Find out more at kentonuk.com
$ P1 standard €369 (about $436). With one transformer €459
($542). With both transformers €549 ($649).
E [email protected]
W www.baddogsaudio.com

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 35
 ON TE S T

Sound Particles
PAUL WHITE

S
ound Particles’
Brightness Panner has

Brightness Panner
much in common with
their Energy Panner, which
Hugh Robjohns reviewed
in the August 2021 issue of
Sound On Sound, so to avoid
excessive duplication, I’d
suggest that you read that in
Auto-panning Plug-in
conjunction with this review. This stereo/surround frequency-based panner is dripping with
The panning engines seem creative potential.
pretty much identical, so the
difference between the two
plug-ins is really in the way the
panning is controlled. While
Energy Panner responds to
the amplitude of the incoming
signal (which can be mono,
stereo, immersive or surround)
to trigger panning, Brightness
Panner can be triggered by
note pitch (with user-adjustable
high and low note ranges), by
tonal brightness via a variable
filter, or via MIDI. The plug-in
supports VST 2 & 3, AU,
AUv3 and AAX native on
recent Apple and Windows
operating systems; Logic users
will need to instantiate the
MIDI-controlled version of the
plug-in via an Instrument track
in the usual way if MIDI control
is required.
The panning modes include
stereo X-Y and M-S as well
as binaural, with a choice of
discrete surround formats
up to 7.1. The resizable user
interface is very similar to
that of Energy panner other
The Sliding mode, in which panning pauses at its current position when there’s no trigger signal.
than the three triggering
modes. There’s still the large, direction reverses so the sound moves back towards settings. But the result is always interesting
circular display representing its starting point. In Sliding mode, for which the GUI and there are controls to adjust the rate
a three-dimensional dome-like colour changes, the panning stops when the trigger of movement. A side-chain input, for
space within which the input disappears but then continues from where it left off example, enables panning of one sound
signals are panned. The when a new trigger is detected. source according to the characteristics
start and end points of each There are four movement settings: to Speakers of another track, and there’s a wet/dry
panning motion are shown or to End Point, with a choice of clockwise or balance control to allow the panning effect
as points with a dotted anti-clockwise motion. Depending on how you set it to be diluted.
line indicating the panning up, the stereo image can widen when triggered, the I’m already using Energy Panner
path, and with speaker left and right channels can swap places or the virtual quite a lot when working on my more
positions shown around the sound source can move around inside the dome, ambient mixes, usually in binaural mode
circumference. As with Energy either in a circular path or in more mysterious ways for scattering ear candy around the
Panner, there are two main that depend on the movement setting and where you soundstage. But as with Energy Panner,
panning modes: Pan and place the start and end points. I’m never entirely sure while Brightness Panner does sound more
Sliding. In Pan mode, when how some of the movements are calculated, as some dramatic when used in surround sound and
the input signal falls outside motions seem to do their own thing to an extent, with immersive mixing formats, it works perfectly
the trigger range, the pan just passing nods towards your start and end point well with good old-fashioned stereo. You

36 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 The Pan mode: when the input signal is beyond
the trigger range, the sound moves back towards its
starting point.

plays from left to the right or vice versa. I’ve

found that setting a very fast pan speed
can sometimes give slightly lumpy results,
but at more moderate rates the result is
smooth. Given their relatively low cost and
ease of use, there’s a lot to commend both
Energy Panner and Brightness Panner,
even if, with so much in common, part of
me wonders why they didn’t combine both
options in a single plug-in.

summary
Supporting both stereo and surround
panning, the Brightness Panner can inject
interest and movement into a range of mono,
stereo or surround sources.

can set it up to keep low frequencies sense of movement, as the motion follows $ Individual price $49.
Panner Collection (Brightness Panner and
relatively narrow, while giving the higher its timbre. MIDI control can be used to
Energy Panner) $69.
pitches more leeway to wander. And if create rhythmically tight pan patterns too. T Sound Particles +351 244 859 465.
you put a swept filter before Brightness Then there’s the option to have the pan E [email protected]
Panner, pad sounds can take on a new position follow pitch, so that a musical scale W https://soundparticles.com

www.soundonsou d.co c ob 1 3
 ON TE S T

ROLIEquator2
NICK ROTHWELL

E
quator2 is a refresh of the original
Equator software instrument from
ROLI. That first version actually ran
natively inside the ROLI Seaboard Grand
as well as being available as a soft synth.
Software Synthesizer
Equator2 is an update which extends ROLI’s Equator2 is less an update than a full rebuild.
and generalises Equator1, and improves
its interface. Equator2’s window layout is very much five envelopes, five LFOs, two multistep
Installation is via the ROLI Connect a game of two halves: oscillators (or, as modulation sources and some ‘maths’
app, the fiddliness of which I think Equator2 calls them, ‘sources’), routing functions for side-band modulation,
I grumbled about a bit in my review of and effects share the top half, selectable randomisation and the like. Conventional
ROLI’s LUMI keyboard, and installing by tabs, whilst the lower half is completely and MPE gestures can be programmed as
Equator2 itself is not enough: 5GB of dedicated to modulation. modulation, and there’s a macro control
sample library needs to be fetched Nothing special jumps out from the panel for broad-stroke control.
separately, otherwise most of the presets synth’s rather austere appearance, but it
of this sample-oriented synth will be is subtle, deep and layered. For a start,
Sound Sources
silent. You probably want to wheel in the a voice (by which I mean what’s heard A central oscilloscope display is flanked
original Equator1 material too — there are when a single key is pressed) comprises by the six panels for the sources, three
some useful single-cycle waveforms in six parallel sources, each of which can on each side. Click on a source panel,
there, for a start. be configured as a PPG-style wavetable and the central area switches to a detail
player, a sample player, a granular view of more controls for that source.
First Impressions source or a noise generator. FM and Single-cycle waveform displays are
Visually, Equator2 has a bit of the Bang & ring modulation are provided for the animated — useful to see ‘symmetry’
Olufsen about it: grey controls sit against synth purists. There are two multimode distortion and wavetable sweeps — but
a grey background with very subtle filters per voice, but each source also there’s little visual indication for sample
shadows, and a bit of colour is used has a dedicated filter, making eight in all. or granular playback, or filter shape. In
for sparse (but important) highlighting. Modulation is very well catered for, with general, Equator2 is pretty miserly with

38 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 The top half of the Equator2
controls, showing sources and filters.

visual feedback, which is a bit

of a drawback.
For a source, Wavetable
mode really means
single-cycle waveforms of
some kind. There are some
waves (pulse, sawtooth,
sine, square, triangle) which
are procedurally generated

An expanded view of one wavetable source,

for maximum accuracy — important for with filter.
ROLI Equator2 techniques like FM — and a couple of
$249 hundred sampled-based sweepable are actually multisample sets, but this
PPG-style tables, plus a handful of is only really apparent if you dig around
PROS
• Great-sounding, multi-layered
single-cycle samples. These can all be in the file system to find them. Some
instrument. shaped by the ‘symmetry’ control, akin samples are one-shot, some are looped:
• Mix of FM, wavetable and to PWM. Waveforms can be stacked and there’s no indication which is which and
granular synthesis possible within detuned within a single source, leading to no display of loop or crossfade points.
a single preset.
the sort of chorusing effects beloved by It probably goes without saying that
• Powerful but accessible
modulation matrix. PPG fans. there’s no actual sampling functionality
• Some nice-sounding effects Any sources in this mode can in the sampler, but you can drag and
algorithms. participate in FM synthesis: a source can drop multisample sets on to the sample
CONS have its frequency modulated by two chooser to add your own into a personal
• A lack of visual feedback of audio others. If you want to arrange sources library. Even this modest task might be
signals makes editing a bit opaque. into an FM stack you can mute those a challenge depending on your DAW, if it
• The flat greyness of the interface intended as modulators, or just not mix insists on hiding plug-in windows when
causes some controls to get a bit lost. them to the outputs. The various FM backgrounded. (In the end I launched
• Sample playback is rather
INIT presets display a clean, crisp FM Equator2 as a standalone application
under-powered.
• Distinction between MPE and tonality, even when running with just when I wanted to add samples that
‘standard’ presets can be two or three sine-wave sources. Other I could use in my DAW.) None of the
a little inconvenient. sources could add to the FM or layer it preset sample sets is fantastically big (the
SUMMARY with samples, taking things into classic baby grand piano is 340MB, rather small
Equator2 is a flagship soft synth Yamaha SY territory, especially with some by today’s standards), but the material is
from ROLI, and is oriented towards, tastefully programmed FM dynamics. For varied and decent quality.
although not reliant on, controllers with even more harmonic fun, sources can be Some of the disappointment of the
MPE support. Although predominantly ring modulated too. sampler is assuaged by the next source
sample-based it offers a wealth of
synthesis and modulation options in an In Sampler mode a source plays mode, Granular. Pretty much everything
easy-to-use package with no serious samples, as the name suggests. you’d expect from a granular synthesizer
downsides, although the user interface The controls are minimal: apart from is here. You can set, and modulate, the
could provide a few more clues as the standard pitch, pan and level starting sample position for the grains,
to what’s going on when it’s playing.
controls there’s a start offset knob and the scan rate through the sample, size
For responsive, dynamic cinematic
soundscapes with accessible controls a switchable 12dB boost, and that’s and creation rate of grains, grain shape,
it deserves a serious look. about it. Most of the named samples playback direction, pitch randomisation

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 39
 ON TE S T
ROLI EQUATOR 2

The rather sparse

sampler source.

and stereo width.

Rather unusually,
grain creation can
be quantised to the
clock, allowing for
rhythmic effects (there
are some interesting
drum rhythm presets
which use this technique). Sample in fact ‘mixing’ is a more accurate term The effects controls are pretty plain,
selection works in one of two modes: in for what is effectively an audio matrix. and there’s no visual animation or level
‘note’ mode the multisampling machinery Each of the six sources, and the ring indication in any of them. Frustratingly,
is still in play, so that you get the modulation output, has five level knobs the compressor effect even sports
appropriate sample for the pitch you’re for sending signal into the two global a graphic of a VU dial but no needle to
playing. In ‘index’ mode this is switched filters, two effects chains, and/or directly make use of it. So, as ever, you’ll have to
off, and instead you get to choose which to the audio outputs. These five levels use your ears.
of the samples to use. This isn’t all that can be modulated to vary each source’s Having slightly dissed the effects in
useful for the stock acoustic samples, downstream processing over time, or general, I’m going to make an honourable
since you’re taking them way out of their automated for overall control. The filters mention of the grain delay, which can
natural root pitch, but there are some can be arranged in parallel or series with be pressed into all sorts of textural
rather good ‘granular’ sample sets where various routing options, and their output pitch-varying services, and the modelled
each sample is a distinct texture. Sweep can be routed into the effects and/or dry distortion effect which supports a range
the index and position with some LFOs to the main output. of algorithms and sounds rich and
and you get some truly dynamic and The routing matrix is not fantastically evocative. Handily, each of the effects
engaging textures: cleverly, Equator2 lets complicated but is subtle enough that algorithms comes with a menu of its own
you dynamically modulate which sample I found myself wishing for some kind of mini-presets.
you’re using for grains within a single VU metering to get a sense of what was
held note. going where or to explain what I was
Modulation
The final source type is Noise, with hearing. (Or why, sometimes, I wasn’t Equator2 is big on modulation, which is
the choice of white, pink or a sparser hearing anything at all.) why it devotes half of its window to it.
‘crackle’. A density control can thin the There’s a full modulation matrix behind
noise effect out. Noise is not particularly
Effects the scenes, complete with transfer
exciting on its own, but for thickening up Equator2 supports up to 12 effects in (shaping) functions, macros, mathematics
textures or building drum sounds it does a preset — which should be enough for and MPE gestural support.
the job. anyone — accessed by a third tab. The We’ll start by looking at the visual
The voice architecture provides available effects are basically the staples cues for modulation. Any parameter knob
two global multimode filters per voice (chorus, flanger, filter, gate, distortion/ which can be modulated is enclosed
— each including a tone control — and bit-crushing, EQ, various kinds of delays, by two thin concentric rings. The inner
each source also has a dedicated filter, a couple of reverbs). There are serial and ring shows the current value, which by
so that’s eight in total per voice. Unless parallel (six plus six) configurations for the default will match up with the marker on
you’re an avid reader of manuals, you effects block. the knob, while the outer ring shows the
might well not spot them
all: the source filter is
only shown in the detail
view and is disabled by
default, visually fading
into the grey background.

Routing
Downstream from the
six sound sources and
the global filters there’s
an effects section, but to
engage this we have to
go into routing mode first,
via a tab top-left, though

The routing view, routing

sources into filters and effects.

40 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 ON TE S T
ROLI EQUATOR 2

Lots of effects slots, though the effects are envelopes, although the first ‘AMP ENV’ here: it would be good to see the current
rather plain.
by convention controls voice allocation. playback position of a multi-mod (per
extent of the programmed modulation on Envelope modes include ‘ADADR’ voice, ideally), especially since the
the parameter. In the nearby screenshot which loops the attack-decay portion playback rate can be modulated, and
of Strike, the filter cutoff and envelope while a note is held, and ‘ADS-PR’, multi-mods can free-run without notes
level knobs show actual values in purple which provides a pluck-release section being held. As ever, you’ll have to use
and red respectively; both values are on note-off. (The attack decay is still your ears.
higher than the knob position because present, so there seems to be no way Also in the modulation arsenal
the parameters are being modulated to make an envelope ‘pluck only’, as it is keytracking — again editable as
by key strike which is highlighted in the were.) Most segments have adjustable a multistage curve. Unless you click on
centre. The blue of the strike modulator curves. Segment times range from a tiny icon (or read the manual!) you may
is reflected in the blue outer rings around sub-millisecond (at least according to the completely miss the fact that there are
the knobs. Click a different modulator control readout) to 32 seconds maximum, four independent keytracking sources.
(they’re colour-coded in groups) and and there’s a sync mode to use metrical Keytracking is not applied to a parameter
the outer rings will update to show that times including dotted and triplet values. directly as a modulator: instead it
modulator’s influence. Click and drag the There are five general-purpose influences the other modulators already
outer ring area to change the modulation LFOs with multiple waveforms, and two on that parameter, by shifting, limiting or
amount; the inner ring will update ‘multi-mod’ units which are essentially scaling their effect.
in response. loopable grid-based envelopes, the A collection of math modulators take
As is usual, some modulation sources closest thing Equator2 has to a step one, or two, input modulation sources
are per-voice (envelopes, LFOs and sequencer. Once again, I found myself and process them in some manner: lag,
MPE gestures), others are for the entire wishing for a bit of live visual feedback
Strike (aka key velocity) as modulator.
preset (macros, conventional MIDI
controls like mod wheel). Per-voice
modulation sources can be applied
to preset-level effects parameters
— there’s a setting to specify which
voice supplies the modulation, or
you can apply an average of all
sounding voices.
For a more detailed view, you
can right-click a modulator’s title tab
to see a table of the controls it is
attached to, together with amounts
and transfer functions — entries can
be added, edited and deleted here.
Right-click on a control knob and you
can see all the modulation sources
which affect it. You can also pull up
a global mod matrix table for the
entire preset.
Looking at the modulators
themselves, there are five identical

Lots of options on the table in the modelled

distortion space.

42 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 Table of modulation destinations. The slide keyboard gesture, available with four
individual editable response curves. different response curves.
quantise, add, multiply, threshold, etc. There’s a selection of preset curves and
In the same group is a set of random new ones can be saved into a library. on the ground, too. On the other hand,
sources which are sampled at note-on, Wrapping up the tour of modulation the cinematic soundscapes and ‘action
and a ‘flip-flop’ which alternates between sources we have five macro controls, sequence’ presets sound contemporary,
minimum and maximum on each which just so happen to resemble the five rich and expressive. It’s the MPE
played note. left-hand controllers on a ROLI Seaboard. presets which really shine in terms of
Last, but by no means least, we You don’t need to own a Seaboard to expressiveness and control, so if you’re
come to the performance modulators make use of them: they are MIDI-mapped, a soundtrack maker you should think
associated with keyboard gestures, and you can automate them from about investing in a Lightpad or Seaboard
dominating the lower centre of the your DAW. Two of the five controls are Block as an input device.
window. Equator2 believes in two kinds of presented as X and Y axes on a grid
keyboard controller: those which support — mimicking the Seaboard hardware
Conclusion
MPE, and standard ones which don’t. — which led me to reflect on how useful I’m going to come clean and confess
Every preset is either configured for MPE it might have been to have more X-Y that I was initially slightly biased against
or not. In MPE mode the five modulators controls inside Equator2, especially for Equator2. I can have a bit of an issue with
are for the so-called ‘five dimensions’ the routing and mixing of the six sound sample-based synths in general, probably
of gesture (strike, glide, slide, press, sources into the filters and effects. As dating back to my days with a Korg M1,
lift), available as per-voice modulation a Korg Wavestation fan, perhaps I just and my personal take on the original
sources. Switch to standard mode and want to vector-mix everything. Equator version 1 is that it was tailored to
the modulators switch to their traditional making a Seaboard sound good — which
equivalents (velocity, pitch-bend, mod
Sounds it does! — rather than being a fully
wheel, etc). Equator2 comes with a shade under rounded instrument in its own right.
The rest of the preset isn’t directly 1500 presets, of which about 40 percent With Equator2, it’s clear that there’s
aware of whether modulation is coming are MPE-capable, plus 360 legacy been a rethink of the design to make
from the MPE sources or not: switch presets from Equator1. In addition, ROLI it more rounded: six general-purpose
to standard and mod wheel will have are putting out paid-for soundpacks, as sources per voice, granular synthesis
much the same affect as slide, albeit first seen in their Studio Player. Since (which will always win me over to
monophonically. This led me to wonder I own Equator1 and Studio Player, the a sampler-player), powerful audio routing,
why Equator2 ships with many of its compatible soundpacks from both lashings of effects and a top-notch
presets essentially duplicated, with products appeared inside Equator2. As modulation system. It is only let down
a standard and an MPE version of each. I write, four new Equator2 packs are slightly by the feature-challenged sample
According to ROLI, there are enough available for purchase and download, player. Visually the controls are perhaps
articulation differences between MPE and by the time you read this a free pack a little too understated — it’s a bit hard
and standard presets, even for the called Motion Waves should be part of to see what’s enabled and what’s not at
‘same’ sound, that it makes sense to the Equator2 bundle. a glance — and such a powerful device
customise them. There’s a fair range of good-sounding would benefit from more animated
As with keytracking, each of the five material on offer, more than I have space feedback of audio levels and real-time
types of performance modulation is to describe here. Good use is made of modulation. But overall there are no
available as four distinct sources, with Equator2’s modulation features, with sharp edges or gotchas, accessibility
a few rhythmic patterns that would fool is good given the complexity of the
you into thinking that you had some device, and it sounds great. If you have
Test Spec kind of arpeggiator on board. I was a ROLI Seaboard or Lightpad I’d say
Equator2 version 2.2.0. not that taken with vintage synth and it’s a no-brainer; even if not I strongly
Apple MacBook Pro (Mid 2014), Mac OS Catalina
SynthWave sounds, but only because recommend it.
10.15.7.
Bitwig Studio 4.0.1. my personal philosophy is that you’re
Ableton Live Suite 11.0.5. better off crafting material like that for $ $249, upgrade $149.
yourself. Orchestral fare is pretty thin W www.roli.com

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 43
 ON TE S T

TrinnovD-MON
&LaRemote
Monitor Controller With
Listening-system Correction
Trinnov’s pioneering range of
room-correction systems now has
a dedicated monitor controller.

HUGH ROBJOHNS
have raised the benchmark even higher. Sophisticated facilities for manual
Back then there was just the Optimizer system/room EQ are also included,

M
y first experience of Trinnov’s but today Trinnov offer a variety of along with comprehensive parameters
uncompromising approach hardware processors, each optimised for to fine-tune the application of calculated
to digital speaker (and a different specific market: home-theatre, optimisation settings within the physical
room) correction was 15 years ago. hi-fi, pro-audio and professional cinema. loudspeakers’ capabilities and to
There really was nothing else on the suit personal preferences.
commercial market at that time to match
Overview System analysis is performed using
its astonishing capabilities in such Phil Ward reviewed the ST2-Pro a bespoke four-mic tetrahedral array,
a practical and comprehensive manner stereo model for professional studio which is included with most Trinnov
and, although other manufacturers have applications in SOS July 2019 and was systems. The spacing between capsules
narrowed the technology gap over the very impressed. As his informative allows the software to determine the
last decade or so, Trinnov’s current review is available for free in the SOS directional information needed to work
hardware and software implementations online archive (www.soundonsound.com/ out the precise locations of each speaker,
reviews/trinnov-st2-pro) I recommend and any strong acoustic reflections, in
reading it for more in-depth information three-dimensional space.
Trinnov D-MON about what Trinnov’s Optimizer Toolbox As you might expect, this level
& La Remote system does and how it does it; there’s of sophisticated signal analysis and
From $8724 little point me re-treading that ground real-time processing is substantially more
here. Suffice it to say that Trinnov’s demanding than can be delivered by
PROS systems correct both the amplitude and typical digital speakers with integrated
• Unparalleled room-correction
capabilities.
phase responses of the loudspeakers, DSP, or even by room-correction
• Professional monitoring with the aim of recreating the most DAW plug-ins — hence the need for
sound quality. accurate transient response at the the powerful dedicated hardware
• Compact and interactive USB listening position. This allows the most platform. Trinnov’s solutions are all
remote-control interface.
precise rendition of time-dependent based on custom (silent) PCs in an
• Remarkably easy installation,
calibration and customisation. auditory cues, and the benefit can elegant 2U chassis, with rack-ears for
• Versatile I/O connectivity. be heard as a much more focused the professional models. They all run
• Aligns and controls multiple and stable stereo image, and more a Linux operating system, with the
independent monitoring systems. realistic reverberant spaces. number crunching performed in 64-bit
CONS The system can also rectify physical floating point. A specially designed
• Some monitoring features have not misalignment of speakers (particularly Trinnov Audio Core (TAC) DSP card
yet been implemented. in multichannel arrays) by introducing handles communications between the
SUMMARY compensatory delays and remapping PC and the mastering-grade analogue
The Trinnov D-MON system the various channel signals between I/O, as well as the digital audio, clocking
combined with La Remote hardware speakers, where necessary to generate and ancillary interfaces. AES3 digital
control interface presents a unique the format’s intended sound field. It also I/O is also included as standard, while
combination of a sophisticated and corrects some room peaks, cancellations the largest systems use MADI, Dante
customisable monitor controller
with class-leading room-correction
and primary reflections, but is clever or Ravenna interfaces.
technology that’s capable of handling enough not to make the matter worse The hardware processor can be
multiple separate speaker systems. by going beyond what is reasonable. controlled through a local mouse/

44 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
screen setup, but more usually Optimizer
installations are controlled either by
VNC or a web browser — the computer
contains both VNC and Web servers. With
Internet access, the hardware can ‘phone
home’ to Trinnov’s servers, from where
it can be configured remotely by Trinnov
boffins. That’s an extremely useful feature
in such a sophisticated machine! feeding separate Trinnov correction speaker/room-correction processing
systems for each different speaker set. facilities built-in!
D-MON The impracticality of this is not lost Currently available in two versions,
The majority of Trinnov’s systems on Trinnov, though, and the subject of the D-MON|6 and the D-MON|12 provide
are intended for use with a single this review, the D-MON, is specifically either 6 or 12 Optimizer signal-processing
loudspeaker array: to correct a standard designed to work with several channels, respectively. So the D-MON|6
stereo setup, a 5.1 surround system, or independent loudspeaker configurations can be used to control a single 5.1 array
even a multichannel Dolby Atmos setup in the same room, at the same time. It or three stereo sets of monitors, for
(the largest system can process up to has been designed to control and switch example, while the D-MON|12 can handle
64 speakers in a single acoustic array). between them just like a conventional a 7.1.4-format Atmos system (with three
However, most professional studio monitor controller and, in fact, it’s front speakers, two pairs of side and
environments employ two or three probably best to think of the D-MON rear speakers, one sub, and four height
independent sets of monitors, possibly as a fully configurable digital monitor speakers), or a 5.1 array and three stereo
in different formats, too. Historically that controller first and foremost, that just pairs… or any other combination that fits
would have entailed a monitor controller happens to have sophisticated integrated within the unit’s processing capabilities.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 45
 ON TE S T
TRINNOV D-MON & L A REMOTE

The D-MON units have plentiful I/O on the rear,

and can cater not only for monitor correction and
Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, the UAD Apollo a monochrome LCD screen. Four
switching but also artist cue mixes.
and Crookwood’s M1 mastering console. illuminated buttons run down each
All the speakers in the various monitoring So it’s fair to say that the Trinnov’s side, and seven of these buttons are
arrays are normally analysed and analogue signal path is at least as user-assignable; the one at the bottom
aligned in one process, to ensure good as most mastering studios would left always provides a master Mute
consistency at the listening position, require. Wordclock is provided on the function. An eighth assignable button,
but after that they can be controlled hardware platform for sample rate usually configured for either Dim or
completely independently. synchronisation, of course, and there is talkback functions, is located just below
Beyond their six or 12 Optimzer DSP also comprehensive interfacing for GPIO the large rotary encoder which serves as
channels, both D-MON hardware units and MIDI, as well as integration for ICON the main volume control.
include additional ‘uncorrected’ audio and EUCON remote control protocols. The large rotary encoder is unusual
I/O channels. These are provided for in featuring a magnetic clutch system
additional input sources and for feeding
La Remote which makes it feel like a high-quality
separate (unprocessed) outputs for artist Although the D-MON’s monitor controller rotary switch, with reassuring tactile
headphone cue mixes (with talkback, if features can be operated remotely feedback. A user-selectable acceleration
required) or other ancillary signal paths. via a web browser, or from an Avid mode allows a fast spin to change
Consequently, the total I/O count of both console via Eucon, Trinnov have recently parameter values quickly over a large
units is significantly greater than the DSP introduced a dedicated physical desktop range, while slower moves provide
channel count suggests. For example, controller called La Remote. This new much finer resolution, and this all works
the D-MON|6 has four AES3 inputs addition makes the Trinnov D-MON very well in practice. The volume level
and outputs (eight channels in each a really practical proposition for any of the currently selected speaker set is
direction), eight analogue line inputs, mix or mastering room, not just those displayed in a banner across the top of
and 12 analogue line outputs. The larger equipped with Avid hardware. the screen, either in a relative dB scale
D-MON|12 has eight AES3 inputs and This USB bus-powered controller is (gain/attenuation) or as an absolute dB C
outputs (16 channels), eight analogue line recognised as soon as it is plugged into acoustic SPL value.
inputs, and 16 analogue line outputs. the hardware unit but its configuration A second, smaller encoder, at the
In both cases, the hardware data is stored (and programmed) in the top right of the panel, selects different
incorporates a full routing matrix, allowing main hardware platform as part of the menu layers, with the default selection
any physical input to be routed to any Optimizer software and uploaded to the accessing basic monitoring facilities,
physical output (with level changes, if La Remote during bootup. output metering, configuration presets,
required), as well as via the Optimizer With La Remote sitting on the desk networking parameters, and so on.
processing. There’s also a versatile or console, the D-MON really becomes However, pretty much everything is
summing matrix (ie. a mixer) for a ‘proper’ monitor controller, and once configurable and extra layers can
generating artist cue mixes, monitoring configured the speaker/room-correction be added as necessary. A talkback
downmixes, and so on. aspect becomes as transparent as the microphone is built in at the top left of
I mentioned the D-MON’s sound from the speakers themselves; the controller, and a USB B-type socket
mastering-grade converters earlier, and the operational focus is entirely on on the rear is the only connection to the
Trinnov’s specifications quote dynamic the versatile La Remote which can be Trinnov hardware unit, which makes for
ranges of 119 and 118 dB (A-wtd), for customised to suit each installation’s a very neat installation.
the A-D and D-A respectively, with the specific requirements. (For those with For such a versatile system,
ability to work up to 96kHz sample rates. Trinnov ST2 or MC platforms, the La configuring the La Remote is remarkably
I ran my usual Audio Precision system Remote unit can be used as a more basic straightforward. A web browser is used to
measurements to confirm these specs, monitor controller, with fewer facilities access the La Remote configuration page
which place the D-MON just outside the and customisation options than are in the main hardware unit. Any number
top 10 of my converter review tests to available when connected to a D-MON.) of menu Layers can then be defined in
date. Similarly performing converters Physically, La Remote is a pleasingly addition to (or instead of) the default set,
and interfaces include the Prism Lyra 2, compact but surprisingly heavy and a simple drag-and-drop paradigm is
Apogee Symphony, Cranborne 500R8, wedge-shaped unit, dominated by used to place the available functions from

46 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
Mix with the sound
and feel of analog.
Console 1 gives you the best of all worlds: the feeling of analog hardware and the
freedom of mixing in the box. Far beyond a simple DAW controller, Console 1 is a
mixing system featuring real analog console sounds and one-to-one control over
EQ, compression, and more.

With plug-ins, channel strips, and the Console 1 Fader hardware unit, you can
expand Console 1 to your heart’s content. Give your eyes—and your mouse—a rest.

Console 1 Mixing System. Cross over to the future of analog mixing.

 ON TE S T
TRINNOV D-MON & L A REMOTE

For those without a La Remote

controller, the D-MON units can all
be controlled by a browser-based
app: this is the main one of several
different screens.
a list on the left of the screen
directly onto the appropriate
soft buttons in each layer.
There are far too
many options to list them
comprehensively here,
but monitoring functions
include mono sum, left-right
swap, and stereo difference
options, as well as various
surround downmixes with
customisable contribution
levels. A calibration reference
level can also be established,
sources can be selected
exclusively or summed
with others, output speaker
sets and/or headphone
outputs can be selected,
individual speakers muted
or soloed, and talkback and
listen-back activated to/from
different destinations.
An unusually comprehensive calibration, and when the mic’s serial ease and flexibility to tweak and fine-tune
bass-management system is available number is entered into the calibration settings to suit personal requirements or
when working with multichannel arrays, menu the Trinnov system automatically speaker capabilities.
and Presets allow completely different locates the relevant calibration file to My ‘raw’ studio/monitor acoustic
setup configurations to be loaded almost ensure a precise alignment. Simple frequency response is pleasingly good,
instantly. One application of this is to on-screen instructions guide the user to having a response comfortably within
load different speaker/room-alignment perform various tasks in the alignment ±4dB above 200Hz, but with a narrow
parameters, optimising the reproduced process (such as turning on and off the 6dB notch around 100Hz before a slow
sound for a sofa at the back of the room, microphone at appropriate moments to roll-off reaching -6dB at 50Hz. With
say, instead of at the mix position, so you avoid howl-rounds) the Optimizer running that improved to
can impress the clients! And the cherry on As I was reviewing this unit during ±0.75dB above 50Hz on the left channel
top is the ability to load a (monochrome) a lockdown and while in isolation, the and the -6dB point moved down to 30Hz.
company logo for display on the La remote-control feature proved very useful The right channel was virtually identical
Remote screen. indeed: I was able to converse with except for a narrow 4dB notch at 100Hz,
Trinnov’s UK agent over a Zoom call while something I eventually tracked down to
In Use he took control of my specific installation the acoustic effect of the wooden side of
I was very pleasantly surprised with the remotely, demonstrating the features and a rack facing that monitor. A deep acoustic
ease of installation and configuration, facilities in real time. He was also able panel has been ordered to fit over it…
assisted greatly by the way it can be to work through a first speaker/room Due to the physics of analogue
controlled remotely by the Trinnov gurus. alignment with me, explaining the pros crossover filters, the phase response
The hardware is well-built with plentiful and cons of the various customisation of my all-analogue three-way Neumann
mastering-quality audio interfacing, and the settings and options in the Trinnov KH310s monitors involves a couple
highly optimised software is surprisingly Optimizer software as we progressed. of trips around the phase circle, but
straightforward to use; I rarely needed to All I had to do was plug the D-MON the Optimzer software resolved that
dip into the comprehensive manual. into my studio monitoring chain (in to within ±15 degrees above 100Hz,
Most Trinnov systems ship with place of my usual Crookwood system) with a gentle rise below that to around
the dedicated, battery-powered, which involved re-plugging four XLRs +165 degrees (this being a practical
multichannel calibration microphone, on a patchbay, and it was all completely compromise to avoid excessive latency
with its four miniature capsules emerging configured and calibrated in well under through the DSP). The benefits of these
on stalks from the top. Its outputs are an hour! I subsequently performed corrections were also evident in the
at line level and plug directly into the a couple of other room calibrations of direct impulse response which tightened
analogue line inputs of the Trinnov my own, just for experimental purposes, up dramatically, as did the first reflection
system when performing a speaker/room and was very impressed with both the from the desktop.

48 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
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 ON TE S T
TRINNOV D-MON & L A REMOTE

The La Remote’s encoder wheel’s resistance

is controlled with a magnetic clutch that ensures introduce a static level change to any
good tactile feedback. input signal via the hardware configuration
menus, I couldn’t find a way of doing that
Given the reasonably good acoustic in real time from La Remote to allow a level
starting point I wasn’t expecting miracles trim to be applied to a source. This kind
from the Trinnov, but it didn’t take much of facility is essential when comparing
listening to appreciate its significant a reference signal to a DAW mix to rule
benefits. The low end was noticeably out preferences due to overall loudness
smoother and usefully more extended, differences, and a common feature of
but also more precise in its timing high-end monitor controllers. I raised these
and control. Stereo imaging was even points with the Trinnov team and was told
sharper and more stable than before, and that they are already on the scheduled
Unlike typical single-capsule measurement
reverberation seemed more 3D and with development list. Hopefully, they will be
mics, the microphone used in the Trinnov system
greater depth. Bypassing the Optimizer implemented fairly soon in a future software is a tetrahedral array which allows the speaker
didn’t leave me wondering how I could update as I see no physical reason why they positions to be calculated in 3D space.
cope without it, but I definitely preferred can’t be introduced fairly easily.
to mix and manipulate sound with the for just an extra £540. Adding Trinnov’s
processing active!
Lasting Impression superbly effective and sophisticated
As a monitoring controller, the La With those updates and extra features speaker/room-correction processing to
Remote works very well indeed and in place La Remote would match the a wonderfully capable and configurable
I particularly liked the ability to place functionality and capability of the best monitor controller for that little feels
functions on different layers to suit high-end stereo and surround/multichannel something of a bargain to me!
my own ergonomic preferences and monitor controllers currently on the I enjoyed using the D-MON and La
workflow. Physically, the unit is practical market, and that presents an intriguing Remote system. It was simple to integrate
and easy to use, the magnetic clutch on quandary. While the D-MON system might into my monitoring chain, relatively fast
the large encoder giving a very pleasing initially appear expensive, the introduction to configure (with the benefits of remote
tactile response. However, while the of the La Remote controller and its interaction if necessary), remarkably
operation and configurability are perhaps comprehensive monitor control features versatile and customisable, and it
90 percent of the way to perfection, actually tips the balance quite positively in improved the accuracy and resolution of
there are some important omissions in Trinnovs’s favour. my already pretty good monitoring chain
the present software that preclude my For example, a D-MON|6 with La significantly. This is a highly impressive
unrestrained praise. Remote and calibration mic costs around system which I can recommend equally
For example, in a stereo monitoring £7740 (including VAT) here in the UK. highly for anyone wanting to extract the
system it’s possible to create downmixes In contrast, the high-end Cranesong last few percent of sonic perfection in
to generate ‘mono on left only’, or ‘on both’ Avocet Surround monitor controller, which a high-end monitoring system.
speakers, and even to create a stereo has broadly similar monitor controller
difference signal and to swap left and right functionality and audio quality, costs
$ La Remote only $990. D-MON bundles
channels. But I was unable to configure around £7200. However, the latter has with 3D mic and La Remote: D-MON|6
a simple right-channel polarity inversion no speaker/room-correction capability, of $8724.40; D-Mon|12 $13,200.
and, while it is technically possible to course, whereas the Trinnov system does, W www.trinnov.com

50 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
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 ON TE S T

RolandTD-50KV2
Electronic Drum Kit are mounted on the new MDS-STG2
system, which is an absolute beast
Is Roland’s new flagship of a rack that includes a range of
TD-50KV2 the best heavyweight chrome clamps, tom arms
and cymbal stands, plus an internal wiring
electronic drum kit you system for the loom. The final piece of the
can buy? jigsaw is the TD-50x module, an upgraded
version of the highly regarded TD-50 that
MARK GORDON has been at the heart of Roland’s flagship
kit for the last five years and now includes

R
oland have certainly been busy a host of new functions and features.
these last few months with what The TD-50KV2 is almost
seems like a continuous stream a Frankenstein kit, all its parts except
of new electronic drum kits, featuring for the new VH-14D digital hi-hats and
a variety of innovative technologies. The MDS-STG2 rack already being included
latest addition to the range is the very in kits within the current Roland range.
impressive TD-50KV2, the new flagship in The PD-108 and PD-128 tom pads have
their electronic drum range. been around since 2012 and are currently
Weighing in at a hefty $7750, the part of the TD-30KV kit but are still
TD-50KV2 brings together Roland’s great-looking, top-of-the-range pads that
existing digital products (the PD-140DS include a new rim sensor to accurately
digital snare and CY-18DR digital ride) and detect the depth of rim shots. All four
combines them with a brand-new digital tom pads sport two-ply mesh heads that
hi-hat, all-new rack system and upgraded can be fully tensioned via the usual six
version of the top-of-the-range TD-50 tension lugs and come with a very cool
module. Does electronic drumming get any black-chrome wrap.
better than this? Let’s dive in and find out... The KD-180 18-inch kick drum was
released in 2018 and is the smallest of
New Kit In Town the ‘full size’ bass drums Roland offer.
The kit comprises two 10-inch PD-108 It features a standard all-birch acoustic
BC rack toms, two 12-inch PD-128 BC drum shell with what is essentially the
floor toms, the KD-180 bass drum and trigger part of a Roland KD10 drum pad
the PD-140DS digital snare. Cymbals mounted in the centre of the batter head
are provided in the form of two 16-inch and is also finished in the same matching
CY-16R-T thin crash cymbals, the 18-inch black-chrome wrap as the toms. The
CY-18DR digital ride and the brand-new CY-16RT crash cymbals are part of the new
VH-14D digital hi-hat. Pads and cymbals thin range (denoted by the T) and feature
dual triggering via the bow or edge,
as well as edge sensors, enabling the
Roland TD-50KV2 cymbal to choke when grabbed. They are pads connect to the control module via
$7749 40-percent thinner than previous models, USB cables, which not only power the
PROS which enables them to flex more and gives on-board processing of each pad but
• Stunning new sounds. them a more natural feel when struck. also enable them to transmit far more
• Almost endless editing options. information about when, where, and how
• Digital Hi-Hat is the closest thing to The Digital Divide hard they have been hit.
playing an acoustic hi-hat so far.
• Extra USB audio channels.
With all the analogue pads covered, we The PD-140DS snare looks, to all
can move on to the digital elements of intents and purposes, like a standard
CONS the kit. The PD-140DS digital snare and 14-inch metal snare. Its tubular lugs and
• Very expensive. CY-18DR digital ride are included in the polished chrome finish wouldn’t look out
• No hi-hat bell zone.
• Hi-hat and snare stand not included.
VAD506 kit I recently reviewed in SOS of place on a high-end acoustic kit. It’s
(November 2020) and have also been part also incredibly heavy! Under the three-ply
SUMMARY of the existing TD-50 kit range, but their mesh head are four cone triggers that
Electronic drumming doesn’t get innovative and ground-breaking features supply the module not only with data on
much better than this. The TD-50KV2
certainly qualify them for another mention. how hard the drum is being hit, but also
combines existing top-end features with
new and innovative technology that Dispensing with the standard with positional information. This allows the
sets the bar higher than ever before. quarter-inch jack connectors, the digital drum to respond more like an acoustic

52 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
snare, and to vary the sound depending Previously, the options were limited to kit, but I had hoped a top-of-the-range
on where the drum is struck. selecting a dedicated cross-stick preset snare/control module combination like
Also impressive, and very usable, is the (forfeiting a rim-shot option), pressing the PD-140DS and TD-50x, with all its
PD-140’s method for dealing with cross a modifying button or playing a dedicated digital functionality, would be a little more
sticks — a sound achieved by placing part of the rim. impressive in this department.
your hand on the drum head and hitting In theory, it’s also possible to use At 18 inches across, the CY-18DR isn’t
only the rim with the stick, producing that brushes by selecting the appropriate far off the size of a typical acoustic ride
classic ‘click’. On an acoustic drum, this option in the TD-50x module. I found that cymbal, which really enhances the playing
happens naturally, but on a drum that is brushes worked well for striking the drum, experience. Being digital, the cymbal
triggering samples it’s not quite so simple. but the ‘stirring’ techniques associated incorporates multiple sensors, including
Similarly to the way your finger works on with more jazzy styles weren’t interpreted three bow sensors, a bell sensor, an
a touchscreen, the head of the PD-140S as well. There may be something I’m edge sensor and a touch sensor. The
responds to the static electricity in your missing, but this was also something three bow sensors allow for a degree of
hand when it’s placed on the head of the I noted using the PD-140DS with the TD-27 positional sensitivity that means you can
drum, instantaneously switching the rim module. I added the caveat, in my review, play across the cymbal, from bell to edge,
sound to a cross-stick sample. This really that if you primarily play in that style I’m and the sound will change in tone and
is a revelation for an electronic drum. not sure you’d be choosing an electronic pitch accordingly. The sensor in the bell

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 53
 ON TE S T
ROL AND TD-50KV2

The TD-50x measures

a substantial 330 x 255 x
118 mm...

is able to differentiate
between the tip of the
stick and the shoulder,
which means that yyou
can employ the sam me
playing techniquess you
would with an acou ustic
ride cymbal. In add dition
to the choking featture
found on the two ccrash
cymbals, the CY-18DR
enables the same ttrick
the PD-140S snare is
capable of, allowing you
to deaden the cymbal
by simply placing yyour
hand, or even a finger,
on its surface. You can
also use this featurre to
‘play’ a deadened cymbal
sound, allowing forr yet
more acoustic tech hniques
to be incorporated into
your playing.
The new kid on the
digital block is the VVH-14D digital hi-hat. additional information available in a digital the closest thing to playing an acoustic
Utilising a two-pad design
d i to t mimic
i i the
th unit
it allows
ll for
f greater
t resolution
l ti in
i terms
t hi
hi-hat
h t you could
ld iimagine.
i
top and bottom cymbals of an acoustic of the open and closed position of the
hi-hat, the 14-inch pads fit on a regular hi-hat and vertical motion of the cymbals
Control Centre
hi-hat stand (not provided as part of the when using the hi-hat pedal. This makes With everything set up, we can move on
kit) and function exactly like their acoustic the hi-hat incredibly articulate to play and to what is the meat in the drum sandwich
counterparts. Made of thin rubber and extremely sensitive to any foot ‘splashes’ — the TD-50x control module. The TD-50
almost 2 inches larger than the analogue from the pedal. As you squeeze the hats has been Roland’s top-of-the-range module
VH-13 hats, the VH-14D feels very natural tightly closed, the pitch of the cymbals for some time now and the new TD-50x
to play. Similar to the CY-18DR ride, the increases, exactly as you would expect looks remarkably similar. In fact, it looks
VH-14D includes multiple bow and edge from an acoustic hi-hat. The muting facility identical... and that’s because physically
sensors in the top cymbal, to accurately featured on the CY-18DR by placing your they are the same module. All the new
reflect where the pad is struck. There is hand on the surface of the cymbal is also stuff is hidden inside, which happily means
no dedicated bell sensor but the bow offered by the VH-14D, and can be used to that existing TD-50 owners can upgrade
sensors allow for the sound to change great effect to recreate jazz hi-hat playing to the TD-50x feature set for $199 through
as you play across the cymbal, with the techniques. The size of the hi-hat and its Roland Cloud Manager, the software-based
bell area offering a darker tone. The jaw-dropping realism make this probably interface for Roland Cloud content.
In stark contrast to the minimalist
look of the TD-27 module included with
Rack ‘Em Up Roland’s most recent VAD506 offering,
the TD-50x isn’t short of knobs, buttons
As I mentioned in my introduction, the themselves have a silver external coating, so
and sockets, which gives it an almost retro
MDS-STG2 rack is a substantial piece of kit and that they blend in visually. The cymbal boom
looks more than capable of withstanding the arms and tom holders can either be attached look. Having dedicated buttons for most
rigours of live touring... or pretty much anything to the rack via clamps or directly into the legs of the functions does cut out a lot of menu
else you could throw at it. The curved horizontal of the stand which, in combination with the ball scrolling, which is great for quick access
pipes of the three-sided rack are attached to joints featured on both, allows for maximum in, for example, a live situation.
the legs using a selection of heavy-duty clamps, flexibility when setting up the kit. Roland still The large LCD display is surrounded by
and everything, including the clamps, is finished do not supply a hi-hat stand or snare drum
five familiar ‘soft’ buttons whose function
in chrome. The loom for connecting the pads stand with the TD-50-KV2, which surprises me
to the module is integrated into the horizontal considering the cost of the package, and the is dependent on what is displayed on
poles to hide it from view and preserve fact that absolutely everything else you need, screen. The five buttons are augmented
the clean lines of the kit. Even the cables including a drum key, is supplied. by three illuminated rotary knobs below
the LCD for changing values in the lower

54 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 ON TE S T
ROL AND TD-50KV2

... which is good because it needs to fit

all of this on the back panel. The rear of the module is almost into the TD-50x, and for saving kits and
overflowing with sockets. Fourteen trigger exporting song data created using the
part of the display. Along with the page input jacks are provided for analogue internal recording feature. I’ve yet to work
up and down buttons, the four-way cursor pads and cymbals, and are augmented out Roland’s logic on whether they choose
buttons and large data-entry knob are by three USB sockets for connection to SD card support or USB thumb drive
also used to navigate the display and the digital snare, ride and hi-hats. There support on their various modules — there
change parameters. Two large +/- buttons are enough analogue trigger inputs to seems to be a fairly random mix of the two
can be used to increment through accommodate several additional pads across the range of available electronic
the preset kits or for data entry, and and triggers if required — over and above drum products.
a fully velocity-sensitive Preview button those provided in the standard TD-50KV2
auditions sounds. This can be used in kit. As this is very much a professional
Bang Up To Date
conjunction with the Lock, Rim and Pad device, the stereo Master output is Although I’ve not used the original TD-50
Select buttons to easily configure kits and provided in the form of balanced XLR and module, I have reviewed the previous
edit instruments directly from the module, unbalanced quarter-inch jack sockets. flagship TD-30 and the new TD-27
with no pads attached. A further eight balanced jacks add module, so I had a pretty good idea what
Below the display are eight faders dedicated outputs for routing discrete to expect from the TD-50x.
dedicated to kick, snare, toms, hi-hat, instrument signals to an external mixer, The headline feature for the new
crash, ride and percussion (Aux) instrument typically a front-of-house desk in a live module (when compared to the original
levels, plus the overall ambience level. setup. A quarter-inch jack Mix In socket TD-50) is the increased number of internal
To the right of the display, Instrument, can be used to bring in external sound sounds, up from 422 to 961 — more than
Ambience and Mixer buttons take you sources such as an in-ear monitor feed double the number of sounds, so a pretty
straight to their respective screens. There or output from another module. This is impressive upgrade. There are now 40
are also individual buttons to access the mirrored by a 3.5mm mini-jack socket on acoustic kick drums, 95 ‘processed’
SD card, Trigger settings and Set Up the front of the unit that is suitable for kicks, 35 acoustic snares, 215 percussion
pages. Should you get lost in a menu MP3 players. The input level from both sounds... and, as you can imagine, far
somewhere, a large white Kit button sockets is controlled by the Mix knob on too many more to list here. However,
takes you back to the main kit screen and the front panel. of particular interest to existing TD-50
illuminates to confirm its status. Finally, The TD-50x features two headphone owners is the increase from only two ride
there are individual controls for master sockets (quarter-inch jack and 3.5mm cymbals to the much more interesting
output levels and phones, along with mini-jack), MIDI In and Out sockets, and total of nine.
separate volume knobs to control the Click a USB port for connection directly to If you’re familiar with any of the Roland
level, Song playback and level of external a Mac or PC. Next to the USB socket is an drum modules, you’ll know that the level
devices connected to the Mix inputs. SD card slot for importing user samples of editing possible reaches quite fantastic
levels of detail. When you can adjust
everything from head type, muffling
More USB Than You Can Shake A Stick At and drum size to mic position, number
The TD-50 module supports 10 audio channels over USB, while the new TD-27 offers 28 channels. The of snare wires and cymbal thickness
TD-50x, being the flagship, increases this to a massive 32 channels, which should be enough for any (plus a lot more), even 400 instruments
situation. What this means in practical terms is that if you connect the TD-50x to your Mac or PC via would present almost endless options,
USB you’ll be presented with 32 discrete audio channels in your DAW. The TD-50x’s routing options so increasing the palette this much really
enable you to direct all of the individual instruments to their own audio track via USB, and also to route
does give you an incredible resource to
the ambience independently, should you want to record that on its own track. The high channel count
and routing also allows for playback of audio in your DAW to any of the direct outputs, meaning that work with.
the TD-50x can work as an eight-output USB interface. MIDI is also supported via USB, so with a single As a result of this expansion, the
connection you can record and play back an entire performance in both MIDI and audio form. TD-50x now includes 70 preset kits (up
from 55), which perfectly showcase the

56 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
new sounds and additional functionality
of the module. The level of realism and It’s About Time
playability is incredible, from the solid
and warm sound of ‘Acoustic #1’ through No matter what playing level you’re at, a bit of ‘active’ (typically kick and snare or hi-hat and
to ‘Poppin Walnut’, ‘Swing Jazz’ and the training will always help sharpen you up. For snare) and, as you play to the click, the TD-50x will
me, Yamaha are the masters of built-in coaching display whether your strikes are hitting the spot.
classic electronic sounds of ‘FAT808’ and features, but Roland have upped their game in the You can specify the number of measures over
‘Hybrid909’. TD-50x by adding two new rhythm training routines which you’ll be tested, and also the strictness of
In truth, it’s difficult to highlight in addition to the Quiet Count mode from the the scoring.
particular presets, as they are all TD-50. Quiet Count will play a click for a specified Finally, Warm Ups combines three exercises:
absolutely stunning, and, more number of bars, then mute the click for a specified Change Up, where the play-along rhythm type
importantly, very usable. This is in part number of bars, helping you to develop your own changes every two bars; Auto Up/Down, where
internal sense of time, as the aim is to still be the tempo increases by 1bpm per minute and
due to the new Ambience algorithms,
playing in time with the click when it is unmuted. a revisiting of the Time Check mode. Over five, 10
whose parameters can be accessed The new Time Check mode is designed to or 15 minutes you run through each of the three
directly from the Ambience button and analyse whether you’re playing behind, ahead exercises successively and receive a final score
controlled by the Ambience fader. This of or on the beat. You can select two pads to be at the end.
aspect of the TD-50x now combines
the Room and Overhead Mic settings
to create an overall ambience that can the sounds at the centre of a stereo field of the craft. This is their absolute
be applied to the whole kit, or elements differently from the left and right stereo top-of-the-range kit, featuring the latest
within it via individual sends. Again, extremes. Perhaps neither of these are digital pad technology, and anyone who
the level of editability is extensive and going to be at the top of most people’s buys it is going to end up with a setup
detailed, including mic type, mic position, wish lists, but they really highlight Roland’s that is hard to beat on almost every level.
compression and EQ. Room types phenomenal attention to detail and the The TD-50 was already an exceptional
include Small and Large Studios, Halls processing power of the TD-50x. control module, and the TD-50x adds
and Stages, in addition to favourites I’ve mainly focused on what’s new or a host of very useful and usable features
from the TD-50 such as Garage, Beach different in the TD-50x compared to the — as well as doubling the number of
and Gymnasium. Regular reverb is also TD-50, but of course everything that was instruments. The level of editing and
catered for and now includes presets available in the TD-50 is still there, such sound manipulation possibilities border
from the classic Roland SRV2000. as the ability to import your own samples on the intimidating, but the kits also
A handy preview button lets you listen and layer them with existing instruments, sound incredible straight out of the box,
to only the ambience as you edit, should and the facility to import songs as MP3 or so I guess that’s the best of both worlds!
you want to isolate that element. WAV files for backing-track playback. You The fact that this is also a downloadable
Roland drum modules have always can still edit any instrument to within an upgrade for existing TD-50 owners is
been big on effects, and the TD-50x inch of its life and tweak transients and a real bonus.
increases the number of on-board effects mic positions until the cows come home. If The PD-140DS digital snare and 18-inch
available in the three effects processors you’ve played with a Roland drum module CY-18DR digital ride have been around for
from 30 to 38. New additions include or read any of my previous reviews, you a while now, but still manage to impress,
a speaker simulator and guitar amp know you’ll not be short of parameters and the addition of the VH-14D digital
simulator plus virtual recreations of the to adjust — I could literally take up the hi-hat ups the game another notch. At
classic Roland SBF-325 Flanger and whole magazine going through the around $1000 (if bought separately), it
SDD-320 Dimension D. A Time Control various options. I will specifically mention does cost more than any regular hi-hats
Delay has also been added that enables one, however: the snare drums in the I’ve ever seen but, having said that, it
you to change the delay setting over TD-50 have always boasted a huge sounds and plays incredibly well and
a specified time period. Delays, flangers number of editable parameters, such as is the closest thing to playing acoustic
and speaker simulators are possibly not three different snare wire types and their hi-hats that I’m aware of. Having said that,
the most inspiring enhancements the tightness on the drum, from choked to if you’re buying the best digital hi-hat in
TD-50x has to offer but when you already loose and buzzing. The TD-50x now gives the world, a bell sensor might have been
have 30 effects at your disposal, what you the ability to turn the snare wires off a nice addition.
else do you need? Well, the answer may completely, which adds a new character At this price, the TD-50KV2 won’t
be hidden away in the Master Effects to all the acoustic snares. be for everybody — in fact, I imagine it
section, where the very tiny addition A number of other small, ‘under the won’t be for the vast majority of people.
of a Mix parameter in the compressor hood’ changes in the TD-50x, in areas However, if you’re in the market for
settings means that you can create such as layering and sample import, have what is pretty much the best of the
parallel compression, a popular and very simplified the workflow but, handy as best in electronic drum kits, from the
handy production technique enabling you they are, they are most likely to only be industrial-quality rack system through
to blend compressed and uncompressed appreciated by a minority of power users. to ground-breaking digital hi-hats,
signals together to get exactly the sound the TD-50KV2 sets a very high bar in
you’re seeking. The Master EQ can also
Hit Me With Your Best Shot electronic drum excellence.
now be switched to Mid/Side processing, Having reviewed a number of Roland
which facilitates another quite specific electronic drum kits over the years, $ $7749.99
engineering technique, used to process I think it’s safe to say they are masters W www.roland.com

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 57
 ON TE ST

Analogue Solutions
LeipzigV3
Analogue Synthesizer

Analogue Solutions have improve reliability and performance. the world. Just look at their Colossus: an
Conspicuous additions since the astonishing £26,000 12-oscillator cross
taken a perfectly good Leipzig-S include a headphone output between a synth and a piece of furniture,
synth... and made it better. and a line of 3.5mm inputs and outputs with twin on-board pin matrixes and two
down the left-hand side, for integration spring reverbs. The Leipzig V3, then, is
WILLIAM STOKES with a modular system or external audio a synth of considerable pedigree, and
sources. Longtime Leipziggers will be this only bolsters its appeal as a compact

B
ack in May 2012, Paul Nagle asked pleased to know that amid all of this workhorse of a synth.
in his SOS review of Analogue — plot spoiler ahead — it retains that
Solutions’ Leipzig-S if it was the signature filthy Leipzig character, which
Frills, And The Lack Thereof
British company’s best synth yet. The Analogue Solutions describe accurately It might actually be worth holding the
twin oscillator mono synth reminded him, as a “wonderful, angry, pure analogue aforementioned Moog Rogue comparison
he said, of a Moog Rogue, “but a Rogue sound”. Or, as Paul wrote with equal in the back of your mind for this review
force-fed on burgers and lard before accuracy, “a brash bulldozer of a synth.” — that synth, like this one, represents
being squeezed into a rack.” Tasty. Now For Paul to float such an accolade about something I respect greatly: a developer’s
Analogue Solutions return with a third the Leipzig-S is noteworthy: Analogue decision to ditch the frills and create
synth in the Leipzig dynasty, the V3. Gone Solutions may not have the corporate something simple and powerful. Like
are the rack ears, new features have clout of some synth companies, but their its predecessor, the Leipzig V3 ditches
been added and a few modifications creations go toe-to-toe with even the most more frills than most in this respect: it has
have been made under the hood to ambitious designs from any company in no screen, no presets, no auto-tuning,

58 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 here, of course, is that there are no CPUs of the LFO’s two waveforms, so there’s no
on board to stabilise the V3’s circuitry, shortage of room for creativity.
so the oscillators are naturally prone to This sort of thing goes way beyond
drifting, though in this case not badly. just the tonal, of course. The Leipzig’s
Another all-analogue quirk concerns note snappy envelope, rasping oscillator drive
priority: the V3’s signal path prioritises and miaowing pulse-width modulation
the last note played, but will forget the make for a highly capable percussion
previous note. In other words, if you hold instrument, aided further by an on-board
one note and press another momentarily noise generator — which can also toggle
the VCA will shut when the last note is to receive an incoming external signal
released. In practice this can mean the and feed it through the V3’s VCA. I found
V3’s sound can cut out unexpectedly if it fairly intuitive to create some very
you happen catch an accidental note aggressive, industrial-sounding beats;
while playing, though this is not so much normally I’d fine-tune sounds one by one
a fault as part of the wondrous territory of and build a sample bank; while this is
a fully analogue signal path. always an option, the sheer amount of
One frill I could have done with is modulation possibilities on the Leipzig
slightly better build quality on the knobs, mean that masses of variation can be
which feel a little plasticky and light to achieved across one running sequence.
turn, unlike the weighty and smooth
pots one might expect to find on a synth
The Sequencer
carrying the V3’s price tag. It’s not just Speaking of which, if there is a function
a tactile preference: I’m of the view that with which the V3 chooses to really push
heavier knobs make for better parameter the envelope, it’s the sequencer. Like
control, especially in a live situation, the Leipzig-S, the on-board eight-step
and also tend to last longer. This said, sequencer can be dialled in to influence
the overall build quality of the V3 can’t either of the oscillators or the filter via
really be faulted. Its steel and aluminium dedicated knobs, but while the -S offered
chassis is certainly — as manufacturers a wide range of sync options, here those
love to say — ‘rugged’, and judging by have been reduced down to a choice
the physical heft of the original Leipzig, of the LFO as clock, MIDI sync or an
it’s clearly a fruit of Analogue Solutions’ external CV clock via the patch panel. No
labour to have compacted it all into such complaint there. Simplicity is bliss. With
a neat desktop format. the three destination knobs turned up
it’s a recipe for utter analogue wildness,
In Use and compounded with — you guessed
It didn’t take me long to deduce that it — any of the V3’s other modulation
despite appearing rudimentary on first sources it’s a voyage.
glance, the V3’s circuits have been
carefully designed to interact with each Analogue Solutions
other in very interesting and occasionally Leipzig V3
no USB compatibility and no MIDI out. wonderful ways. VCO 2, for example,
$1199
Each oscillator toggles between just two can be toggled to hard-sync to VCO 1,
waveforms, saw or pulse-width-variable it can be used as a modulation source PROS
square, there’s a lovely Moog-inspired for some intense FM-style sounds, or it • Incredible-sounding oscillators,
capable of a huge sound.
ladder filter, a simple modulation matrix, can do the complete opposite and latch
• Highly innovative use of the
a pair of ADSR envelopes and a VCA. It is, to one pitch regardless of what note twin-oscillator monosynth format.
suffice to say, very analogue indeed. messages the synth is receiving. In this • Compact footprint.
I’ll say at this point that the raw sound instance the Leipzig either becomes • Easy to integrate with other
of the Leipzig V3’s oscillators are simply a kind of quasi-paraphonic synth, with instruments via MIDI or CV.
a joy to behold. Rich and full of character a steady note held beneath whatever CONS
across their entire pitch range and melody is being played, or it opens up • The sequencer takes a little getting
drivable at high levels (along with the a fixed-frequency, audio rate modulation used to, particularly the ‘hidden’
filter) I could achieve anything from deep source for even more tone shaping. Add 16-step function.
• Build quality on the knobs could
and clear bass stabs to reedy ’70s fusion some oscillator-specific modulation into be better.
jazz leads without so much as touching the mix, maybe from an envelope, and
an envelope or modulation generator. all sorts of sonic possibilities present SUMMARY
Many of the V3’s circuits are indeed themselves. In the modulation matrix, The Leipzig V3 is a worthy
development from the Leipzig-S,
designs dating back to that era, so there each oscillator and the filter have offering a hugely versatile and
is — dare I say it — a sense of authenticity a selection of different modulation powerful analogue synth in
in its sound. The other side of the coin sources beyond the conventional option a compact package.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 59
 ON TE S T
ANALOGUE SOLUTIONS LEIPZIG V3

Along with a number of subtle front panel think of the sequencer as a modulation create dynamic percussive sequences
adjustments, the main difference between the
source that can also be used for simple and much more. xcellent stuff.
Leipzig S and the V3 are the loss of the rack ears and
the addition of patch points on the left-hand side. melodies, and not the other way around.
It also really does come alive with an
Conclusion
A curious feature beneath the external clock source, in turn freeing The Leipzig V3 shines not because of
sequencer’s tactile eight steps is up the LFO for further delights. Overall how many different circuits it boasts,
a ‘hidden’ 16-step sequencer, which it’s fair to say the sequencer just isn’t but because of how it chooses to use
automatically remembers the last 16 notes designed to be used simultaneously with those circuits. In this way it is a synth
played manually into the V3 and plays manual playing or for precise melodies, capable of far more than the sum of its
them back when the transport is started instead demonstrating a totally different parts, pulling no punches in squeezing
— even if all three of the destination side to this synth and offering something the most out of its compact footprint
knobs are on zero. and promising almost
This, I have to say, limitless applicability.
could use an off switch. “The Leipzig V3 shines not because of how many With such variety in the
I can imagine plenty analogue synth market
of instances where different circuits it boasts, but because of how it nowadays, as well as
such a function would
be a great asset, but
chooses to use those circuits.” countless reboots and
clones of older models
it would only increase coming out every
the usability of the sequencer if it could like two instruments in one. It is, as the year, it’s a challenge to make a splash
run with no consequence until one or V3’s manual describes it, ‘the fun bit’. in the monosynth department in 2021.
more of the destination knobs are turned A novel function on the sequencer is the Analogue Solutions have doubled down
up, as happens with the LFO. It’s not ‘VCO rhythm’ button: another very clever on the integrity of their Leipzig series,
possible, for instance, just to sequence quasi-paraphonic feature which allows choosing not to add legions of mod cons
the movement of the filter while manually VCO 2 to be ducked from specified steps but instead make careful adjustments
playing a melody, nor is it particularly easy in the sequence. Simple in theory, but in with the sole purpose of creating a better
to program or adjust a melody while the practice something of a master stroke. You instrument that does very well what it is
sequencer is running. With the sequencer could choose to accentuate certain steps designed to do. In this endeavour they
stopped, however, inputting notes by adding another oscillator, or — with have succeeded.
step-by-step isn’t too difficult. VCO 2 set to modulate VCO 1 — mangle
For my qualms, I should point out that particular steps beyond recognition. You $ $1199
the V3’s manual encourages users to could overlay a simple cross-rhythm, W www.analoguesolutions.com

60 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 ON TE S T

Soniccouture
Threnody Strings
Sample Library

DAV E ST E WA RT Soniccouture’s new library steps into a strange new world

of sci-fi and horror.

T
he modern media composer can
no longer get by with a palette Dan Powell with assistance from composer are overlapped and nicely blended so
of standard sampled orchestral and orchestrator Felipe Téllez. The 60 there’s no tonal discontinuity between
articulations. Aleatoric effects, sound players were recorded across their registers. You can access additional high
design and non-traditional playing entire range using over 30 microphones and low notes stretching far beyond the
techniques now play a major part in TV which were subsequently mixed down instruments’ real-life limits, or stick within
and film soundtracks, and sample libraries to main (Decca tree), spot and ambient the safety zone by selecting ‘authentic
have evolved to keep pace. Consequently, stereo pairs. range’ in the ‘options’ edit tab.
most orchestral collections now include Also included are 35 sound design Before veering off into uncharted
unconventional musical effects and presets, a cluster generator, a micro-tuning realms of madness and horror, Threnody
processed sounds as a matter of course. module and the entertaining creative provides a few conventional articulations
Having been in the vanguard of innovative tools Weaver, Jammer and Phraser, the suitable for general music production. The
sampled instruments since 2005, UK latter now updated with new features looped ‘simple sustain’ long notes are
company Soniccouture are well placed (details below). The 12GB library (6.5GB a chance to hear the Budapest musicians
to get in on the act, and their new strings installed with NCW lossless compression) playing it straight: utilising a restrained
library looks set to become a significant runs exclusively on Kontakt 6 or Kontakt vibrato, they create a strong, bright
player in the field. 6 Player version 6.2 or later, with Kontakt and positive section sound which leans
Named after Penderecki’s Player software available free from Native more towards tough and heroic than
nerve-shredding lament for the victims Instruments’ website. romantically lush — unsurprising given
of Hiroshima, Threnody features the the astringent tonal territory this library
Budapest Art Orchestra’s full-blown
New Traditional aspires to.
string section of 16 first violins, 14 second All articulations are presented as single An interesting long-note variant,
violins, 12 violas, 10 cellos and eight full-strings presets with instruments ‘diagonal bowing’ has the players
double basses performing 26 avant-garde mapped according to range over six randomly moving their bows up and down
articulations devised by Soniccouture’s octaves from C1 to E7. The sections between normal and sul tasto positions.

62 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 film with ‘Swarm’, ‘Attack of’ or ‘Killer Bugs’
in its title.
The sense of unease continues with
the ‘unstable pitch’ preset, a nasty, queasy,
menacing musical effect in which the
musicians use an over-wide slow vibrato
and play out of tune with each other. With
its ‘behind the bridge’ performances,
Threnody steps into a pit of horror: the
basic arpeggiated style sounds like
a screechy, industrial-strength version
of the spooky waterphone effects heard
in sound libraries 10 years ago, while
the tremolo variant veers off into utter
madness, a deranged, hellish cacophony
calculated to cause consternation amongst
listeners. Do not use these presets on
a romantic ballad.

Gliss Time
‘Harmonic glissandi’ provide a welcome
break from the insanity. Nothing new here
— this effect (created by running a finger
lightly up and down the bowed string)
Threnody’s Articulation page, showing the ‘XY
Played with a slightly stronger attack than appeared in Stravinsky’s The Firebird in
Pad’ four-dimensional mixer. The blue keyboard
notes show the string orchestra’s authentic range, the simple sustains, this style adds timbral 1910, but its eerie, disembodied slithering
with green notes indicating stretched samples motion, extra overtones and a slight still sounds fresh and works splendidly
extending far beyond the instruments’ real-life roughness to the sound. Conventional for drones. The ‘seagulls’ version is
range limits. Purple notes mark the instruments’ tremolos make the intense, dramatic a single, determined-sounding glissando
open strings, useful to know for certain shuddering we know and love, while the slide down through the harmonic series
articulations which utilise open-string harmonics. ‘chaotic tremolo’ artic features the players of the string — ideal for scenes of alien
randomly changing their tremolo speeds, winged creatures swooping from the
Soniccouture producing a superbly rich and vibrant night sky. Originally played on the open
Threnody Strings ensemble timbre. strings of the instruments, these artics are
£220 The close-to-the-bridge ‘molto sul transposed to all pitches.
ponticello’ bowing creates a fabulous thin, Threnody also contains conventionally
PROS
icy texture in the violins’ upper register. At bowed glissandi unlike any I’ve heard
• An adventurous collection
of atmospheric avant-garde the opposite end of the pitch spectrum, before: rather than the fast risers and
string articulations. playing chords in the basses’ bottom downers found in other libraries, these
• Styles range from subtle octave with the ‘ponticello tremolo’ preset glisses travel slowly and steadily through
tension-builders to demented sets off a cataclysmic earthquake-like the entire range of the string orchestra,
horror soundscapes.
• Played by a powerful 60-piece rumble, a scary foretaste of the disquieting with instruments imperceptibly joining in
contemporary string ensemble. material that lies ahead. or dropping out as the massed unison
• Also contains sound design glissando passes through their pitch range
presets, a powerful X-Y mixing pad, Fever Pitch like a non-stopping slow train. It takes
a cluster generator and a trio of
Threnody begins to show its true around 70 seconds to rise from Middle
generative tools.
colours with the ‘micropolyphony’ artic. C to the top violin note of E7, and just
CONS This replicates a compositional device over 80 to descend from C5 (one octave
• Not much good for scoring a tender developed by Ligeti, in which similar above Middle C) to the basses’ bottom
love scene.
melodic lines played at different tempi note of C1. Astonishing, a tremendous
SUMMARY overlap to create (in the composer’s tension-building dramatic effect. If you
Threnody explores the dark side of words) “a kind of impenetrable texture,
orchestral strings with an imaginative something like a very densely woven
selection of nervy avant-garde
cobweb.” In Threnody the overlapping The string
articulations. Performed by 60 string
players recorded in a Budapest scoring lines are atonal, unsynchronised and players were
stage from three mic positions, the improvised from a fixed note selection recorded using over
library’s myriad creative features within a small pitch range, producing 30 microphones
include a programmable four-way which were mixed
a massed, concentrated flurry strongly
artic mixer, a cluster generator and down to main
several entertaining and inspirational reminiscent of the sound of buzzing (Decca tree),
generative tools. File under ‘Sci-fi insects. This unsettling style is thus spot and ambient
and Horror’. a shoo-in for the soundtrack of any horror stereo pairs.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 63
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SONICCOUTURE THRENODY STRINGS

want faster rises or falls you can engage

Kontakt’s Time Machine in the ‘options’
tab and speed up the glisses by up to 800
percent, though with an attendant drop in
sound quality.

Clusters & Clouds

While cluster chords are a fairly standard
orchestral library fixture, Soniccouture
have dreamed up some cool variations.
Microtonal tuning makes the familiar
jarring groan of adjacent semitones that
bit more discordant, and when you play
two-handed chords on the ‘cluster sustain’
preset, the resulting obliterative, dissonant The library includes a suite of Kontakt effects.
sheet of noise sounds less like music So-called ‘clouds’ feature the orchestra
and more like the end of the world. The playing rapid unsynchronised unison to normality: the spiccato version’s
tremolo version adds a panicky agitation, notes, creating a nominal dense cloud energetic tremolo-like fast reiterations
while the cluster trills are a study in of activity. ‘Pitched clouds’ played in sound grandiose when played chordally,
supernatural terror. three different styles represent a return the pleasant thrumming of the pizzicato

Generative Tools
Soniccouture followers will welcome the inclusion
of three creative tools developed by the company
over the years. The ‘Jammer’ arpeggiator
generates user-configurable, tempo-sync’ed
patterns in a variety of styles, ranges and
user-configurable scales. It can constantly generate
new random note data in evolving sequences, or
simply loop the last set of notes it created. Suffice
it to say that within minutes of activating Jammer
I was improvising keyboard solos over an urgent
spiccato strings pattern it created, confirmation that
this feature lives up to its name.
‘Weaver’ allows you to define a repetitive
rhythm sequence which can be triggered by
a single note or played chord. It can create DDL
effects, pulses and user-defined polyrhythms of
up to eight independent parts, and you can set the
velocity and octave of each rhythmic step within The ‘Jammer’ arpeggiator generates Soniccouture’s classic ‘Phraser’ feature lets
the part. The display looks a little daunting, but user-configurable, tempo-sync’ed patterns in you create real-time phrases by recording a series
don’t let that put you off — once I’d figured out the a variety of styles, ranges and scales. of single notes, then triggering playback with
visuals I managed to create some great, exciting a MIDI note.
rhythmic ostinatos.
Originally created back in 2008, ‘Phraser’ has
been given a makeover. The idea is that you create
a phrase by recording a series of single notes,
then trigger playback with a MIDI note. Playing
Middle C (MIDI note 60) triggers the original
phrase; playing any other note transposes the
phrase up or down, while playing a chord creates
an instant parallel harmonisation. You can alter the
playback rate, phrase start point and length, and
reverse or randomise the note order. Lots of fun,
and a good way of generating new musical angles
from a simple string of notes.
Only one caveat: such generative tools
generally work best with short, staccato source
material, and Threnody‘s long, evolving samples
are anything but that. However, I found that
drastically shortening the sustain and decay of the
‘pitched cloud’ presets reduced the samples to
single short events which sounded excellent when Soniccouture’s ‘Weaver’ feature can be used to generate polyrhythms of up to eight independent
phrased, jammed or woven! parts, a great way of creating exciting rhythmic ostinatos.

64 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
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SONICCOUTURE THRENODY STRINGS

artic evokes the sound of massed tremolo

mandolins, while the more percussive col Score Draw
legnos skitter like a shower of pitched
raindrops in the high register. ‘Cluster If you ask a group of musicians to improvise string pieces and collecting techniques I could
clouds’ replicate the three artics with freely, the results are often less than perhaps imitate and then score for the entire
scintillating. After an initial outburst of random orchestra. Composers like Penderecki (of
the pitches arranged in tight clusters as
squiggling, honking, scraping, squawking course), Ligeti, George Crumb, etc. I took my
described above, adding a worrisome, and bleating, the players tend to settle down rough score to Felipe (Téllez), who tidied it up
neurotic edge to proceedings. and repeat themselves on subsequent takes, and corrected my copious errors. Felipe also
The final clouds effect is ‘Spiders’. leading ironically to the hoped-for glorious liaised with the conductor so that everyone had
Ticking the ‘aleatoric’ box, each musician pandemonium becoming a predictable set of a good understanding of the kind of sounds we
plays freely within a two-octave range in repetitive aimless noises. were aiming at recording.”
In order to lend purpose to improvisation, Asked about the scores, Powell says: “We
a random and unsynchronised manner.
composers sometimes use graphic scores which didn’t always stay true to the original score
There are two types: played at high pitch, combine standard notation with symbols, images notation. This is another area where Felipe’s
the ‘spiders pizzicato’ artic resembles and text. Needless to say, some avant-gardists experience helped, finding the best way to
the chatter of excited children, while went over the top and turned in scores consisting convey the musical effect we wanted to the
down at the bottom end it sounds like an of a series of pictograms or abstract coloured players. For example, in Penderecki’s original
approaching avalanche. Switch to the col
legno version, and the orchestra’s cellos
and basses now sound like the thunderous
clacking of giant looms in some infernal
Victorian cotton mill.

X-Y Pad
This unconventional notation was used to tell the players to bow behind the bridge, which creates
A major feature of Threnody is the X-Y Pad, an uncontrolled, screechy fingernails-on-the-blackboard sound.
a four-way virtual joystick which allows you
to mix and crossfade up to four presets
in real time. Having selected a preset for
each of its four corners, you can use your
mouse to move the central pointer around
the quadrant: position it centrally and you’ll
hear an equal mix of the four presets, drag
it into the bottom left corner and you’ll hear
only preset number one, and so on.
The so-called ‘Spiders’ articulation features each musician in the 60-piece ensemble playing freely
A simple usage would be to crossfade
within a two-octave range in a random and unsynchronised manner, creating a collective dense cloud
between two artics such as sustain and of activity.
tremolo. The X (horizontal) and Y (vertical)
controllers are pre-assigned to MIDI CCs brush strokes, techniques unlikely to generate Threnody, clusters are written as big black lines
a catchy tune. Meanwhile, those with a more that change thickness. It looks cool, but is a bit
16 and 17, so with sustains loaded into
precise musical focus have devised simple and vague. We scored more precisely, providing the
the bottom left slot and tremolos in the effective notation techniques to convey the musicians with the highest and lowest pitch for
slot above, you can automate crossfades sound they’re looking for. each cluster, strict tempo markings, etc.”
between the two styles by recording Some good examples of this occur in the The scores also take into account the all-
MIDI CC17 data into your sequencer. player scores used on the Threnody sampling important click track: ‘Four clicks free’ indicates
Alternatively, you can use the X-Y pad’s sessions: the horror-film ‘behind the bridge’ a four-beat count-in before the part starts, while
bowing is indicated by a simple graphic symbol, a bar’s rest separates one performance from
internal transport controls to record
while the range indicator and ‘x’ note heads the next, an essential precaution when editing
tempo-sync’ed dynamic movements over used in the improvisational ‘Spider’ artic help thousands of samples. In the wider world of
a specified number of bars. shape the players’ random performances. sampling, click-based recording ensures that
The X-Y pad can also modulate Soniccouture’s Dan Powell explains the crescendos and octave runs can synchronise
different parameters such as pan position, inspiration behind the articulations: “I began by and finish at the same time, not always the case
filter cutoff and pitch, the latter a good way going through a lot of my favourite 20th-century in the days before ‘the click’ ruled the Earth!
of creating psychedelic siren effects. I’m

not sure what Ligeti would have made of

it, but modern-day avant-gardists should
have a field day with this powerful feature.

Sound Design
Threnody’s sound design presets
give a good idea of its extensive sonic
capabilities. ‘Cluster Sequence’, an
The tuning page includes microtuning presets and pitch instability controls which make each played note automated slow, circular crossfade
drift slightly in pitch — not what you want on a straight pop session, but good for horror and sci-fi scores! between sustain, tremolo and trill clusters

66 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 All 60 players of the Budapest Art Orchestra’s string section.

and a micropolyphony artic, creates an For those that enjoy tweaking factory waveform, rate and depth, and LFO
accelerating build-up of tension which presets, there are five parameter editors. modulation settings for pitch, amplitude,
brings to mind an Arctic wolf pack circling The ‘Mixer’ tab contains the three-channel filter cutoff and pan. The LFO is tempo
a group of terrified explorers. ‘Shiver’ and mic mixer and a main dynamic fader sync’ed and can be set to different
‘Shutter’ are great sci-fi effects, with the which defaults to CC1 (mod wheel) rhythmic values.
despairing falling sirens of ‘Gravitational control. ‘Amplitude’ provides a standard The ‘Tuning’ tab is where you’ll find the
Arc of Minus Ten’ recalling Vangelis’ ADSR envelope along with velocity, attack cluster generator, which creates custom
Bladerunner score. If you need shorter curve and expression (CC11) controls, cluster chords of up to 12 detuned voices.
sounds for groove programming, ‘Col while ‘Filter’ gives you a choice of 25 Not to be confused with the real-life
Legno Percussion’ shrinks the players’ filter types and a ‘Slim’ control which clusters performed by the string players,
woody bow hits down to a set of small thins the sound by removing some of this is great for creating detuned clusters,
glitchy perc hits, while ‘Weaver Shorts’ the fundamental frequency of a played but can also be adjusted to generate
is an excellent starting point for creating pitch, and is different for each note. The diatonic chord voicings. Also included
polyrhythmic synth sequences. ‘LFO’ tab houses settings for the LFO’s here are a microtuning table and a terrific
‘pitch-bend glissando’ effect.

Conclusion
Remote Possibilities So, into the future with the past. A harsh
Threnody’s samples were recorded in Hungary, This was our first experience of working this critic might say a sample library inspired
birthplace of the renowned composers György way, but it went very smoothly.” by late-20th-century avant-garde
Ligeti and Béla Bartók. Since the sampling Audiomovers software was used for high-res
compositions is a bit passé, but from
sessions took place during the January 2021 audio streaming, with the ubiquitous Zoom
Covid-19 lockdown, this turned out to be quite handling video and chat. Adding to the sinister where I’m standing this looks like
a palaver. atmosphere of this edgy library, the players a new and welcome development in
Under normal conditions I imagine the wore masks; Messrs. Powell and Téllez looked orchestral sampling.
Soniccouture team would have headed east in from Toronto while Thompson maintained Rather than a historical rehash,
from their London HQ, turned right at Poland a lonely vigil in London, occasionally taking Threnody is a bold step forward: it extends
and fetched up in Budapest where a large a warming sip of whisky as the wind whistled the exploratory string writing techniques of
string orchestra awaited their arrival, but since through the deserted streets outside (OK,
yesteryear with atmospheric and powerful
international travel was off the menu other plans I made that last bit up).
had to be drawn up. Is this the future of orchestral recording? innovations which should catch the ear of
Soniccouture’s James Thompson (who Long before the pandemic struck, UK anyone looking to create sci-fi and horror
designed the library’s GUI and contributed to studios were offering remote sessions with scores or experimental tracks. Uniting
the sound design) explains: “The session was competitively priced European orchestras. What classic avant-garde techniques with fresh
entirely remote, which worked brilliantly. The began as a cost-saving exercise is becoming musical ideas and 21st-century creative
orchestra provided high-res audio streams the norm, but while we miss the buzz of the
tools, Soniccouture’s first orchestral strings
and multiple camera feeds of the players and in-studio experience and the bonhomie of
control room, as well as photos and video of mingling with musicians, we should be grateful library is an unmitigated success.
the recording. They then uploaded the full Pro that technology now allows such projects to go
Tools sessions from which we could mix down. ahead in the first place. $ £220
W www.soniccouture.com

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 67
 ON TE S T

Minimal Audio Rift

Distortion & Filter Plug-in for Mac & Windows

Play View provides a streamlined GUI with

JOHN WALDEN
If your sounds need a lift, macro controls that conceal the complexity of Rift’s
powerful bipolar distortion processing.
perhaps you need Rift?

W
hether you’re working in which are accessed using two buttons
mainstream pop, experimental As its tagline implies, Rift is built around at the bottom-centre of the GUI. While
electronica or contemporary distortion-based processing. The ‘bipolar’ many elements are common to both, Play
film/TV scoring, some carefully chosen descriptor is there because you get to View provides a simpler, macro-based
sonic elements can add an extra apply different distortion processing to control set, and is ideal when you just
dimension to your production that helps the positive and negative elements of want to apply some Rift magic quickly,
you keep the listener’s attention. One of your source audio’s waveform. Some without having to dig too deeply into how
the latest effects plug-ins designed with 30 different distortion algorithms are it all works.
precisely this sort of task in mind is Rift, organised into five distinct categories, At the top of the UI, presets are
which developers Minimal Audio describe and these start with gentle soft clipping browsable by category or style tags.
as a bipolar hybrid distortion effect. While and move through to bit-crushing and Beneath this, Drive controls the input
the full price of Rift, Minimal’s flagship sample-rate decimation, with multiple gain, which is used to ‘push’ the
product, means it’s not in casual-purchase stops along the route. On paper, then, distortion processing and includes a ‘x2’
territory, the launch offer [which is still there’s the potential here to create almost switch, while Output adjusts the signal
current when going to press — Ed] any type of distortion-based effect. level leaving the plug-in and includes
discounts it by 40 percent, and Rift Filter an optional limiter, with two modes of
Lite makes its filter section available as
Rift For Dummies operation (gentle and punchy). The
a separate, more affordable plug-in that is Rift offers two modes of operation, Dry/Wet slider offers instant parallel
free during the launch period. courtesy of Play View and Advanced View, processing, while Stages can be used to

68 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
add more stages to the distortion engine,
for a stronger effect.
The Blend knob and Mode switch start
to get us into the bipolar side of things.
Hard or Soft Mode adjusts how the engine
blends between the Positive and Negative
distortion engines, while the Blend knob
adjusts the point of transition between
the positive and negative portions of
the waveform, with the red line in the
central Oscilloscope panel providing
visual feedback. The Oscilloscope display
also shows both the shape of the current
distortion engines and, when audio is
passing through the plug-in, the output
waveform in real time. This display zone
can be toggled to a Filter view, in which
you can see what Rift’s filtering is doing.
To the left and right of this display, you
can select the specific algorithm for the
Positive and Negative distortion engines
and modify the shape of each distortion
response using a macro knob.
It’s not all about distortion; Rift boasts an impressive collection of presets that deliver a diverse range of
Finally, in the lower strip, alongside creative treatments.
the input and output meters, there are
two (per preset) pre-configured macro the centre-top of the Distortion panel, Lite. That plug-in obviously lacks the
controls that target multiple parameters a Stereo Mode drop-down selector offers pre-/post- option, and the internal
in the engine. These Macro knobs, like choices between (L-R) Stereo, which is modulation system is gone too — but
other controls in the UI, can be automated the default, Wide, Mid/Side, Mid (only) you can, of course, modulate the controls
using your DAW. Each preset also includes and Sides (only) processing. If you select using your DAW’s automation system.
pre-configured modulation; Rift’s full Mid or Sides, Rift’s processing will only be Bottom-left, the Feedback panel can
modulation system is extensive, but if applied to that component of the stereo also be toggled on/off. This panel lets
modest tweaking of presets is all you signal, with the other passing through you return a proportion of the output
require, Play View’s Macro knobs give you unprocessed. In conjunction with the signal to the input, and can be used to
enough scope to do some fine-tuning with Spread controls on the Feedback and create delays and chorus-style modulation
a minimum of fuss. Filter panels, these modes open up some effects, as well as to generate even more
really interesting and useful choices. complex distortion effects; engaging the
Rift For PhDs Advanced View also includes the Distort button passes the signal back
The degree of both control and complexity Filter panel in which, alongside some through the Distortion engine. You can
are taken up a notch or three with the conventional-looking filter controls, you’ll set the feedback amount, switch between
Advanced View’s additional controls. At find an impressive array of filter types stereo and ping-pong modes, apply
and options to place the filter pre- or high- and low-pass filters and adjust the
Minimal Audio Rift post- the distortion engine, and to blend wet/dry balance.
$129 the processed and unprocessed signals. The Feedback panel’s Frequency
You can also toggle the filter on/off. Cutoff settings can prompt some head
PROS can be set in Hz, to track MIDI notes, or scratching. In Tune mode, they can be
• Powerful processing options that
can totally transform sounds — much
to a specific note. In the latter two modes, used with the Frequency Pitch Map to
more than just another distortion. the Filter panel’s small keyboard icon create pitch-based treatments, while
• GUI options mean it will suit different can be popped open, and it’s here that Time mode accesses more conventional
types of user. you can select which notes the Cutoff is delay-style effects. With both automation
• Flexible modulation system.
allowed to snap to. It’s a very cool idea and modulation available, this powerful
CONS and works well, though the manual could facility can initially seem daunting but it’s
• Advanced View has a steeper perhaps do a better job of explaining it. worth persevering; the presets leave you
learning curve. Depending on which filter type is selected, in no doubt about the sonic fun to be had.
• Not light on CPU use.
the Morph control can create real-time Between the Feedback and Filter
SUMMARY shifts in the filter form, while the Spread panels, Advanced View provides
Rift can transform the dullest of sounds control adjusts the relative Cutoff values you with access to Rift’s four internal
into the star of the sonic show, and for the left/right channels, allowing you to modulation sources. These are: Follow,
its clever dual-format GUI makes
further manipulate the stereo image. LFO, Curve 1 and Curve 2. Follow can
the powerful processing accessible
to novice and experienced sound Incidentally, this Filter panel is apply modulation based on the level
designers alike. essentially what you get in Rift Filter of the audio input alongside the more

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 69
 ON TE S T
MINIMAL AUDIO RIF T

a simple matter of dragging and dropping dance through the beautifully organised
from the modulator’s colour-coded presets demonstrates there’s also far
double arrowhead icons onto the target more to Rift than distortion. And while
parameter elsewhere in the UI. Individual the presets ably demonstrate that Rift
parameters can receive modulation data can deliver sonic mayhem, if you want
from more than one source and the to bring an element more subtly to your
consistent colour-coding lets you keep listener’s attention that’s also possible.
track of what’s happening. You can drag Indeed, while the engines themselves
up/down on the small circular modulation sound very different, Rift can conjure up
icons beside a control to adjust the depth some of the same sorts of sonic magic as,
of the modulation. say, Output’s Movement.
These practical elements of the internal If you’re stuck with an underwhelming
modulation process are implemented well static synth pad or bass, then Rift is quite
and easy to grasp. However, how best to a tool to throw at the problem! Whether
Rift’s distortion engine offers 30 different use them in the overall ‘design’ of your you want the sound to rage, or to give it
distortion modes, ranging from soft overdrive to Rift-based processing is another matter: a strong rhythmic element (for which the
complete decimation. Advanced View is fun to explore but I Chop & Stutter preset category provides
familiar LFO and Curve options. For each have a feeling that it will take many users a great starting point), Rift is more than
modulation source there’s a very capable some time to master. capable of making that happen. It did
set of options with which you can get a great job on a real electric bass too,
creative. For example, in the two Curve
Riffing With Rift letting me dial in a perfect combination of
modulators, you get over 50 preset curves Whether you nerd out on the bipolar clean(ish) bottom end and upper-mid bite.
that span simple to complex, as well as approach, which is something I’ve not There’s also an impressive collection of
the option to modify those curves and encountered before, or just think of presets aimed at drums: those in the Drum
generate random ones as starting points. Rift as a conventional twin distortion Heat category can easily be dialled in to
Once you’ve tweaked your modulation effect applied in parallel, the distortion add an extra spice to an acoustic kit, while
source parameters to taste, assigning possibilities and the fine degree of
a specific modulator to a target is control are hugely impressive. But a quick Things get a little busier when you switch to
Advanced View, where you have much more control.

70 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 offering conventional overdrive/distortion
effects, straightforward filter effects, System Requirements
delays, and sweep/riser effects.
Windows 10 or Mac OS 10.9 or higher. Host
The Gift Of Rift? supporting 64-bit AU, VST 2.4 or VST 3.
Internet connection required for activation.
Rift undoubtedly ticks the boxes as
a sound design tool and, in presenting
it with the two-tier Play/Advanced View will undoubtedly find plenty of sonic
GUI, Minimal have pulled off a neat trick: treasure here. If you find plug-ins such as
they’ve made it simultaneously accessible SugarBytes’ Turnado, Output’s Movement,
and easy to use, and powerful and NI’s Molekular or iZotope’s Stutter Edit
complex, and that means it should appeal appealing, Rift’s Advanced View should
to a wide range of users. If distortion and be right up your street. It’s deep, powerful,
filtering needs are more conventional, and capable of taking even the blandest
The impressive Filter panel boasts a huge there are certainly cheaper and simpler of sound sources and transforming it into
number of filter types, and it forms the basis of the options out there, including those something your listener simply won’t be
separate, more affordable plug-in, Rift Filter Lite.
provided in most modern DAWs, and Rift able to ignore.
the more extreme settings used in many of might be overkill for those sorts of users. The bottom line, then, is that Rift is
the Beat Damage presets will inject plenty As with many other high-end creative powerful, creative, deep and full of sonic
of character into almost any electronic effects plug-ins, Rift’s sonic fun does possibilities. It’s well worth a try. And
drum track. demand a good chunk of your CPU if you’re not persuaded yet, note that
It’s not just synths and drums though; resource, and on less-well-endowed Minimal Audio have a 30-day full refund
Rift has ear-candy for almost any occasion. computers or in busier projects, this might policy, which reduces the financial risk for
Many of the presets work just as well with require some management. the undecided!
guitars and there are some categories of But whether in the context of music
presets are aimed at vocals. Of course, creation or sound design, those that $ $79 when going to press (full price $129).
there are also more ‘vanilla’ preset types are prepared to dig a little deeper W www.minimal.audio
 ON TE S T

JTC Tones Cyber Driver

& Daemon Driver
Cabinet Impulse Response Libraries
It takes a hell of a lot of prep and
expertise to create the perfect
cabinet IR library...

BOB THOMAS
Cab 2), plus a third Mix set, consisting of microphones, to produce its 14
an additional 10 ‘mix-ready’ IRs, EQ’d to IRs per cabinet.

I
don’t normally get excited about be dropped into a mix. The Cyber Drivers Ignoring the multiple sample rates,
cabinet impulse responses in the comprise five IR collections, named a quick totting up gives a series total of
way I might the latest piece of audio after mythical creatures and grouped by 510 individual IRs for the Daemon Drivers
hardware, but when a highly-respected, sonic character rather than genre. Each and 420 for the Cyber Drivers, so a total
UK-based guitar tuition website launches collection is split into three IR packs, each of 930. To assist potential purchasers in
two IR series, with a combined total of containing two sets of 14 IRs for both Cab navigating this vast panorama of tone,
930 impulse responses, it’s going to get 1 and its Phase Cab, of which more later. JTC have created a separate webpage
my attention. The website in question is All captures are presented as 24-bit WAV for each pack, with a preview video of
Jam Track Central (JTC), whose lessons files at 44.1, 48 and 96 kHz. a guitarist running through a selection
boast content from an international roster The cabinet, amp and mic chain used of that pack’s cabs with different mics,
of technically gifted guitarists, and these to capture individual IRs is common plus a more detailed description and
two distinctly different IR series, Daemon across both series, and forms the basis a selection of recorded tone examples.
Driver and Cyber Driver, were created, of the way in which each cabinet is When I first loaded up a selection of
developed and curated by guitarist and catalogued within all 32 packs. For the Daemon Driver and Cyber Driver IRs,
music technologist Colin Cartmell using Daemon Drivers, captures were made I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t
his proprietary Modern Vintage Hybrid using five different mics and both tube need the low-pass EQ I often find I have
Technology (MVHT) approach. and solid-state amplification, to create 10 to apply to third-party IRs, to adjust their
The Daemon Drivers are grouped into IRs per cabinet. In the case of the Cyber sound to my taste. Another pleasant
17 genre-specific IR packs, each with two Driver series, the same amplification surprise was a realisation that these IRs
sets of 10 single-cabinet IRs (Cab 1 and options were used with seven different had been created to deliver specific tonal

72 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
targets. Being able to choose between different tonalities
— rather than having to search for the most accurate
recreation of a specific speaker — felt liberating, though
I haven’t yet given up entirely on the searching bit! Whilst
auditioning more JTC Tones IRs and exploring all their mic
and power amp variations, I realised there was much more
going on behind the scenes, and that I needed a better
understanding of Colin Cartmell’s MVHT approach. So
I called him...

Meet The Maker

As soon as I started talking to Colin about the JTC Tones
IRs, it became blindingly obvious that the man should be
honoured as a certified tone hound. He has a very clear
idea of what he wants to achieve sound-wise from guitar
loudspeakers, and has the technical chops to turn his
vision into reality.
I grew up with tube guitar amps and am accustomed
to making modifications; I have a stash of used and NOS
tubes that gets added to whenever funds allow. But Colin
takes my meagre efforts to a whole other dimension: he
has amassed, over the years, a huge collection of vintage
paper-in-oil capacitors and other components, which he
uses to tailor the response of tube power amps to his
requirements. Similarly, the microphones that Colin uses
to capture IRs aren’t always necessarily typical examples
of their type, but can be hybrids that have been created
to enhance the sonic signatures of a selection of classic
microphones. Created by Colin as part of the development
of his MVHT approach, these hybrids were designed
to extract the required tonal character from a specific
combination of amp and speaker cabinets.
Microphone types common to both the Daemon and SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
TABLET | WEB | REPLICA | PRINT
Cyber Driver series are a 57, based on the ubiquitous
Shure SM57; a 57 Off, an off-axis 57; a C1, a U87-based
large-diaphragm capacitor; a C2, a more modern
C414-style large-diaphragm capacitor; and a RBN, a Royer
PLUS BONUS PDF
R121-inspired ribbon. The Cyber Driver range utilises two
additional mics: DYN 2, a large-diaphragm PL20-type
dynamic mic and REAR DYN, a Sennheiser 421-style
dynamic behind the cabinet.
But all this is a relatively small part of the MVHT story,
the vast bulk of which must remain untold on the grounds
of commercial confidentiality. But our conversation left
me in no doubt that the Daemon and Cyber Drivers series
SMARTPHONE
COMPATIBLE

JTC Tones Impulse Responses

PROS
• Both series produce great results. 1 ICONIC MAGAZINE
6 GREAT WAYS TO READ IT
• Eminently usable without any editing or EQ.
• Tones to suit a wide range of genres and styles.
• Cyber Driver IRs in particular are masterpieces of
their kind.
TABLET - PHONE - WEB - PDF - REPLICA - PRINT
CONS All this for less than the price of a Coffee+Muffin each month!
• None.

SUMMARY www.soundonsound.com/subscribe
These two superb collections of IRs offer a combined
total of 930 tonally unique amp, cab and mic *The 50% discount offer is based on the US retail price of the Print magazine,
Tablet and Web subscription when sold separately.
combinations. They cover a wide range of musical genres Subscriptions can be cancelled at any time and you will receive a pro-rata refund for all outstanding issues.
and applications and are great value for money.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 73
 ON TE S T
JTC TONES CYBER DRIVER & DAEMON DRIVER

The Cab 1 IR on the left has no stereo width, but mixing in the ‘phase cab’ This spectrogram shows the subtly different responses of an IR and its
widens the sound stage due to the frequency-dependent phase differences. corresponding ‘phase cab’.

are products of Colin Cartmell’s vision Daemon and Cyber Drivers series is their in the Cyber Drivers’ tonality seems to
of how cabinets should sound and feel, clarity of sound. The IRs in both series point to a far more complex, extensive
and his desire to give other guitarists the are clean and dry, with no audible room and exhaustive creation process. The
opportunity to experience them. reflections or reverberation, which not basic sound of each of the Cyber Drivers
only points to short sample lengths, collections may be based in the past,
Back At The Coalface but also gives you the opportunity to but Colin Cartmell’s MVHT creation
Alongside their tonal balance, another determine the exact type and size of methodology appears to endow them
very noticeable attribute of both the reverberant environment in which your with a modern clarity and definition
guitar sound will sit. that I found highly attractive, extremely
To fully explore the attributes of the 17 addictive and eminently playable.
Tasting Notes musical genres covered by the Daemon Adding in the phase cabs in order to
There’s a heck of a lot of IRs to choose Drivers series would take a book, and widen the perceived soundstage only
from in these libraries, so I’ve tried to offer the same goes for the Cyber Drivers. adds to the Cyber Drivers’ attractiveness.
an indication of the sort of sounds you But I have prepared a few personal Interestingly, this cab isn’t 180 degrees
can expect to find in each pack, and for ‘tasting notes’, to give you a decent idea out of phase at all frequencies, but rather
the Daemon Drivers, I’ve suggested which of what’s available: see the separate is out of phase by differing amounts at
guitarists’ sounds they put me in mind of.
box. Meanwhile, to hear them in action, different frequencies, with a seeming
Daemon Driver I recommend listening to the samples on bias towards the frequencies in the upper
80’s rock: Eddie Van Halen, George Lynch the JTC website. reaches of the fretboard. Although you
90’s rock: Blues Saraceno, John Petrucci Although not every Daemon Driver could pan the pair hard left and hard right,
Blues: Gary Moore, Stevie Ray Vaughan IR that I auditioned managed to meet I found that ‘10 to 2’ panning seemed to
Brown: Eddie Van Halen my personal tonal tastes, all of them me to give a better overall result.
Classic Rock: Jimmy Page, Bernie Marsden
sounded superb, felt good to play on and
Country: Johnny Hiland, Albert Lee
none of them (provided that I took care
Last Words
Funk: Nile Rodgers, Cory Wong
Fusion: Alan Holdsworth, Frank Gambale to match pickup type to genre), required Having talked to Colin at length about his
Fusion Lead: Paul Gilbert, Guthrie Govan any EQ to be immediately playable. The creations, I can appreciate the study and
Hard Rock: Tony Iommi, Dave Murray five mic styles, differing combinations of years of work that laid the foundations of
Jazz: Bill Frisell, Pat Metheny the two power amps and three cabinet JTC Tones’ Drivers series and, while the
Modern Instrumental: Joe Satriani, Steve Vai
types in all the Daemon packs that full details of his MVHT process remain
Neo Classical: George Bellas,
Yngwie Malmsteen I auditioned produced extremely useful secret, the high quality of all these IRs is
Rock: Ian Bairnson, Angus Young tonal variations that were a pleasure to clearly the result of Colin’s very personal
Rock & Roll: Buddy Holly, Brian Setzer use. The Daemon Driver’s pre-EQ’d Mix tonal vision. As I’ve said before, the man
Texas Blues: Jimmy Vaughan, Johnny Winter cab IRs are not only good enough to drop is a true tone hound and I, for one, am
UK Metal: Diamond Head, Iron Maiden straight into a mix, but they also offer very glad he is. Whether you’re thinking
plenty of options when searching for about getting into using loudspeaker
Cyber Driver
5PH1NX (Sphinx): gritty high-end and classic
a cab sound to fit into a track. IRs, or you are already there, you really
rock tones. Every single one of the IRs in the should check out both the Daemon
6R1FF1N (Griffin): strong midrange, a rhythm Cyber Drivers series is a masterpiece Drivers and Cyber Drivers in detail. I am
and lead workhorse. of its kind. All are dense, complex, sure you won’t regret it.
CH1M3R4 (Chimera): smooth highs, full-sounding and superbly voiced
touch-responsive mids, great for lead. IRs, and I know that I will be using my
PHO3N1X (Phoenix): a go-to pack for dirt, $ Individual library packs from £19.99
favourites amongst them well into the
fuzz and heavy distortion. each. ‘Box sets’ start at £59.99.
WYV3RN (Wyvern): thick fuzzy lows and future. Whereas the Daemon Drivers Complete collection (17-pack Founder’s
a raspy edge ideal for rhythm riffs. are relatively simple captures of single Box Set) £239.99.
loudspeakers, the density that I hear W https://jtcguitar.com/jtctones

74 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
Unleash your
creativity
Introducing GLM 4.1 loudspeaker manager software
For 15 years, GLM software has worked with our Smart Active Monitors
to minimise the unwanted acoustic influences of your room and help your
mixes sound great, everywhere. Now, GLM 4.1 includes the next generation
AutoCal 2 calibration algorithm and a host of new features – delivering a
much faster calibration time and an even more precise frequency response.

So, wherever you choose to work, GLM 4.1 will unleash your creativity,
and help you produce mixes that translate consistently to other rooms and
playback systems. And with GLM 4.1, both your monitoring system and
your listening skills have room to develop and grow naturally too.

Find out more at www.genelec.com/glm

 ON TE S T

2hp Picnic Basket

Eurorack System

A
troublesome 2020 presented American
developer 2hp with a host of Covid-related delays
when it came to getting their flagship 42hp
Lunchbox systems out and into the world. At long last
they managed to start shipping back in November, in its own the case retails at around are robust and sonically punch well
a total of four fully housed and powered variations. The £140, which feels rather pricey above their (literal) weight, their
Synth Voice hosts 2hp’s envelope, oscillator, filter and considering its size, not to mention workflow is inventive and their
VCA modules; the Drum Machine has their kick, snare, the fact that it is literally a tin. It interfaces are efficient. They also
hat and mixer modules; the Effects Rack offers 2hp’s feels slightly paradoxical that while pull no punches when it comes to
‘Grain’ granular processor, delay, Freez and stereo the Lunchbox series’ portability pushing the envelope with ideas,
reverb modules, while the larger and more mysteriously is marketed as one of its main as demonstrated by things like their
named Picnic Basket — which happens to be the one assets, it’s a long way from a flight recently announced time-domain
in my custody — contains a sequencer, Pluck physical case and more likely to be treated pitch-shifter module. In creating
modelling unit, a VCO, multimode filter, kick, reverb, as fragile than a trusty road-worn a range of modules that rely a little
ADSR envelope and random voltage generator. Each companion. In fact it feels, dare more on mults, stacking cables and
module is separated by a blank panel: partly to space I say it, somewhat rickety. However: most of all on one another, 2hp
the modules out a little (a fully stocked 2hp rack can get it’s light, it’s fun, it is portable and, are a company who simply make
a little dense), but more crucially to offer space for more as I said, it’s cute. It has character. modular a little more... modular.
modules, the significance of which I’ll come to later. It plays well either by itself or in One frustration with the
The Lunchbox case itself is literally an aluminium partnership with a larger system, Picnic Basket’s module selection
lunchbox, and even has a little handle on the top so so doubtless will make an ideal is that while it promises to be
you can take it to school on the bus. It’s cute. Not addition to any creative modular a self-sufficient system (or in the
altogether practical, but cute. The lid opens toward you environment. You certainly look company website’s words, ‘the
and isn’t removable, meaning that it does get in the at it and want to plug it in — an complete 2hp experience’), this
way a little unless you stand it up vertically, where you asset not to be underrated in my doesn’t entirely seem to be the
may well find yourself pushing the whole thing across experience. In this respect, the case. At the very least it still relies
the table while patching, considering how light it is. On case and character of the Lunchbox on an external mixer module
are a great success. Just don’t to cope with its possible eight
chuck it in the hold of an aeroplane. separate audio outputs, and the
Comparisons will doubtless be noticeable absence of a VCA
drawn between the Picnic Basket means the filter becomes more
and Erica Synths’ Pico System, or less the only dynamic control
but it’s more akin to something on offer, somewhat limiting its
like Erica’s Black System, in that scope for other more creative
it’s a collection of 2hp’s flagship applications. Here the reason
modules in a bespoke case and behind leaving space for further
in a curated, albeit customisable, modules seems to become
order. I’ve never felt that 2hp, aside a little clearer. It’s easy to imagine
from their name, try to peddle unboxing the Picnic Basket and
their micro format as any kind of after a matter of minutes hopping
novelty or ‘compact’ versions of straight back onto the 2hp website
other modules. Their algorithms to order a mixer and a VCA, so

76 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
obvious is the need for them. It’s additional
equally easy to imagine feeling E-RM Polygogo exponential
ever so slightly cheated at this 32HP FM input
prospect, as the Picnic Basket is +12V 110mA too, with
not exactly cheap. But, in fairness, -12V 15mA attenuator).
it still works out as better value for The frequency
money than buying its modules and of the internal operator can be
case separately, and since 2hp’s smooth, or quantised depending
modules are by no means the only on the status of the ‘OP ratio’
units available in their size, the button. Frequency modulation is
Lunchbox system paves the way for represented nicely on the display.
a powerful custom mini-system of Fold will push the waveform
slimline modules from all kinds of out of the edges of the screen
developers. Just remember that if and into the opposite side, adding
you see a 500-series API preamp harmonics at low levels and
and get excited, you’re looking at extreme crushing and distortion
the wrong kind of lunchbox.
For all my reservations with the
E-RM Polygogo effects at higher levels.
The Polygogo is not difficult
Picnic Basket’s case and module
Eurorack Module to master. You quickly become

I
selection, the modules themselves nteresting and unique synthesis techniques seem accustomed to connecting the
are quite simply excellent. The to be plentiful of late, and the E-RM Polygogo is visual to the audible. Smooth
filter is deep and smooth, the no exception. It’s also one of a growing number of circular shapes make sine
Curtis CEM3340 IC-based VCO modules that are stereo, plus it may just be the best waves. Jagged shapes add more
is rich and full, and the reverb looking module I’ve ever seen. harmonics. Spinning shapes will
is lush. Highly impressive too is The Polygogo uses a digital synthesis method have more stereo movement. And
the Karplus-Strong driven Pluck invented by E-RM called Polygonal Synthesis. This if the screen looks chaotic, the
physical modelling module, which works by plotting the X and Y position of drawn sound will be too.
capably sits among category polygons. If, for example, you draw a circle, and you As well as the wide range
leaders like Mutable Instruments’ plot the amplitude of one axis over time, you get a sine of stereo synth-tones that the
Rings. The sequencer represents wave. The speed of the drawing dictates the frequency Polygogo can generate, I found
possibly the most inventive and and by changing the shape and rotation, a huge variety a much pleasurable distraction
impressive use of the 2hp real of stereo waveforms can be generated. using it as a modulation source.
estate, managing to pack a full A beautiful OLED yellow-on-black screen shows The X-Y outputs make an excellent
16-step sequencer with selectable you the drawing plot and updates in real time as modulation pair. Sort of like
scale, glide and length into its you change parameters. The graphics are the exact having your own automated
minuscule footprint. The system polygonal plot that is output from the X and Y (left and joystick controller continually
ships with a set of patch leads right) outputs. It’s hard to convey in words just how drawing complex repetitive
and a passive mult, something of nice this screen looks, and the polygon plotting is patterns. Although I don’t have the
a statement of intent from 2hp: to rather mesmeric. hardware to test it out, I imagine
get the most from this you’ll need Most of the slider controls are focussed on the Polygogo would make an
to be inventive and resourceful manipulating the polygon shapes and every parameter excellent controller for lasers or
with your patching, a challenge I’d can be CV controlled. The knobs above each slider oscilloscope art.
imagine to be gratefully accepted change from fine-tuning controls to bipolar CV I’m not sure the Polygogo really
by many modular synthesists. attenuators when a cable is plugged into the CV input. generates anything that a flexible
All things considered, the Order sets the number of corners the polygon will oscillator can’t already. The stereo
Picnic Basket does more or have, from two (a straight line) to 28 (a near perfect aspect is definitely a big part,
less exactly what it says on the circle). You can switch ‘regular’ mode off to allow for but the raw tones sound much
tin (apologies for that). It looks a non-integer number of corners, which will create extra like sawtooths and sine-waves
good, it sounds great and its harmonics when the plotting scans a ‘broken’ edge. being sync’ed, FM’d, bit-crushed,
compact format opens up a huge With the Cycle button, you can also toggle whether wave-folded, etc. It does however
range of possible applications; the polygon is always drawn from the same spot, or offer a very unique approach to
from field recording expeditions whether it begins drawing from the last position. This making these sounds and taking
to porta-studios in unusual has the effect of ‘spinning’ the polygon and creating a different path to a familiar
locations. For newcomers it’s additional stereo movement. destination can offer as much joy
a great entry point into the world Teeth will take the sides of the polygon and tilt them as going somewhere new. In the
of modular, and for experienced inwards creating disruptions and overtones in the end, the Polygogo is well built,
synthesists it’s a worthy addition waveforms. Roll rotates the polygon which causes the innovative and fun to use and
to the pallet. Sandwich, anybody? waveforms and relative phase relationship between I can’t think of much higher praise
William Stokes the X and Y outputs to constantly shift, creating spacial than that. Rory Dow
$ $999 movement. The final two sliders change the ratio $ $599
W www.twohp.com and FM amount of an internal operator (there is an W www.e-rm.de

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 77
 ON TE S T

Clavia Nord Piano 5

GORDON REID The celebrated Clavia stage piano continues to evolve.
Stage Piano

D
espite its name, the Piano 5 is the seasoned players of earlier models will which samples are played at any given
sixth Nord Piano, coming after be whizzing around it within minutes. velocity. The electro-mechanical pianos
the Piano 4 and the more recent Since the release of the Piano 2, Nord add Dyno 1 and Dyno 2 settings to create
Nord Grand. I must admit that I love Pianos have been based upon two of the more aggressive, cutting sounds of
the Grand, not because it’s the most Clavia’s underlying synthesis engines, the the preamps that inspired them, and the
fully featured stage piano I’ve reviewed Piano and the Sample Synth, combining same button also provides access to
(it isn’t) but because my fingers love its them with a selection of Clavia’s a selection of different Clavinet voicing
Kawai keybed, and I couldn’t stop myself customary effects. The Piano is based combinations which, when applied to the
from playing the damn thing while I had it on the Nord Piano sample library and pickup combinations available as Models,
here. Nevertheless, the Piano 5 reverts to organised into six Types, each of which provide a wide (but not all-encompassing)
the overall design and the Fatar keybed can contain a selection of Models. The range of Clavinet sounds. In addition
of the Piano 4, although it now offers Piano 5 is delivered with a selection of to these, the Piano provides access to
two widths — 73 note and 88 note (the Models pre-installed but you can replace harpsichords, digital pianos and a small
smaller of which will appeal to gigging these by downloading new ones from selection of non-keyboard sounds.
musicians for whom size and weight is Clavia’s website and swapping them in The Sample Synth is based upon
a significant consideration) — and much and out using the Nord Sound Manager. Clavia’s ever-growing library of sampled
inside has changed. There are four Model sizes, ranging from instruments, which now includes some
Small to XL, and you’re free to choose single-triggered monophonic lead
First Impressions from these as you please to make the and bass synths. Again, the Piano 5 is
At first sight, the Piano 5 doesn’t look best use of the available memory. delivered with a factory selection and you
much different from the Piano 4 but, when Depending upon the Models chosen, can swap others in and out up to the limit
you inspect it more closely, you’ll find that the acoustic pianos offer string resonance of the memory. But beware... the sample
its control panel has been remodelled, and pedal noise, with three velocity format has been updated in the Piano 5
and not just to accommodate some curves, an optional ‘softer’ release, and to take account of various new synthesis
important new features. Nevertheless, three timbres — soft, mid and bright facilities. This means that the previous
it took me no time at all to become — at least one of which (soft) is obtained library is no longer compatible.
comfortable with it, and I’m sure that even not by applying filters but by adjusting In addition to playing the sampled

78 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
instruments ‘as is’ you have a limited across one manual, playing each note octave, so I found a folder than contained
but valuable range of control over them, for about two seconds and allowing a set of RMI Electrapiano samples that
much of which is new to the Piano 5. a second or two of silence between. I had created years ago by playing
There’s a new bright/soft filter setting, I then dropped the file into the GUI a diminished scale rather than every
you can now apply three velocity settings of the editor, whereupon every note semitone. I selected all 20-something
to make sounds dynamic, and you can within it was detected, its pitch was files simultaneously and dragged them
also now apply three degrees of unison determined, and it was allocated to the into the Sample Editor. Again, the pitch
with increasing detune and spread. In correct key on the scale. I then selected of every sample was identified and this
addition, a new vibrato generator offers all of the keys, hit the Loop button, and time allocated to an appropriate range
rate, depth and three delay times. This pressed ‘Generate & Transfer To Nord’. of keys. Again, I looped the samples
means that, when these are combined In moments, I was able to play my new and, again, I transferred the results to
with the existing Attack and Decay/ instrument on the Piano 5. I found just the Piano 5. And again, the result was
Sustain/Release controls (which provide a handful of notes with obvious loops, so fabulous. Next, I tried a more complex
AD, AS and ASR contours) the Sample I tweaked these in the editor, regenerated sound to see whether this might fool the
Synth now offers simple filtering, shaping, the file and downloaded it again. The software. I took a dual-oscillator-per-voice
modulation, dynamics and unison, so whole operation had taken just seconds! polybrass patch and followed the same
there’s a lot more that you can do with it I wondered how the editor would procedure. Manual looping was required
than you might think. The only thing that handle sounds with fewer samples per for best results but, once I had done so,
has been lost from previous revisions is
the ability to direct velocity to the filter
cutoff frequency; velocity will only affect Nord Piano Monitors
brightness if the underlying sampler
layers provide this, and then only if the The Piano 5 is compatible with
amplitude dynamics button is activated. the Nord Piano Monitors, which
can be mounted via brackets
While the additions are welcome, losing onto the keyboard itself (as they
the velocity-sensitive filter is a significant can to the Piano 4, Nord Grand
step backward. and the heavier Stage 3s). The
The latest version of the Nord Sample speakers comprise 4.5-inch
Editor was also released while I was woofers and three-quarter-inch
writing this review so I thought that tweeters, so they’re not going to
move much air or offer you the
it would be an opportune moment to
depth or experience of a grand
revisit it. I set up a simple registration on piano, but they could be useful for
a nearby organ and recorded a single a self-contained rehearsal setup.
Wav file comprising every semitone

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 79
 ON TE S T
CL AV I A NOR D PI A NO 5

the results again sounded superb. Finally, or play them either side of one of seven
I used the Sample Editor to load a handful pre-defined split points. In contrast,
of discrete samples into the Piano 5, so the Piano 5 offers two Pianos and two
that I could trigger them from individual Sample Synths. You can’t distribute these
notes. The only thing that I missed in all of freely across the keyboard, but you can
this was ‘alternate’ looping, so I hope that decide whether each lies across the
Clavia will one day add this. whole keyboard or above or below the
So now we come to perhaps the split point. You can also transpose any of
biggest upgrade in the new model. the layers up or down in octaves, which
Previous Nord Pianos from the Piano 2 means that you can program sounds to
through to the Grand have each provided lie in meaningful ranges in both regions.
one Piano and one Sample Synth, In addition, you can change the nature of
allowing you to play either, layer the two, the split point from an instant transition to
a crossfade of 12 or 24 semitones width.
Unfortunately, transposition (as opposed to
Clavia Nord Piano 5 octave shifting) is on a per-program basis
From $3299 rather than a per-layer basis, so you can’t
set up classic sounds such as I/IV/V solo
PROS
patches or polyphonic sevenths. However,
• It’s a stylish, solid and manageable
instrument that will grace any stage the Piano section allows you to choose
or studio. one of three degrees of detune between
• Four layers are much better than two. the two piano layers so you can create
• Its sample memory has doubled when The 73-note version offers the same features
some amazing honky-tonks. I accept that
compared with the Piano 4. and keyboard action as the 88, just with fewer keys.
• The sample libraries on which it’s
that may not be everyone’s target in life,
based continue to grow. but the results can be great fun. mode that allows you to apply them to
• The Sample Synth is more flexible At the end of the signal path, the all four layers but not to just one of the
than before. Piano 5 seems to offer the same effects Pianos plus one of the Synths or to any
• The Sample Editor has evolved into
as its predecessors, but it doesn’t. To combinations of three layers. Finally, the
a superbly usable and effective tool.
• It’s simple to use and satisfying to play. start with, two of the effects sections reverb, as it has always been, remains
• The Triple Pedal is now included have been renamed (a trivial change), global. If you think that this all sounds
as standard. and their order has been changed a bit arcane, you’re right. But don’t worry,
• It can sound superb. (which may or may not be trivial because the effects routing is far easier to use
CONS nowhere does Clavia reveal whether this than it is to explain.
• It lacks balanced analogue outputs represents a change in the underlying Tying all of these elements together,
and digital audio I/O. order in which the effects are applied). a Piano 5 Program contains all of the
• It lacks separate outputs for the Piano Either way, it seems to me that the Piano, Sample Synth and Effects settings
and Sample Synth sections.
• It has no performance controllers and
effects in the Nord Piano have evolved
does not respond to pitch-bend or from one wrong order to another wrong
modulation over MIDI. order. Dynamics after modulation effects? Meet The Family
• The Sample Synth has lost its Really? The effects themselves are largely Clavia sells five families of keyboards based
velocity-sensitive filter.
unchanged although the delay unit now upon four types of sound generator: digital
• Although its sample memory has
been doubled, it’s still tiny by boasts a ping-pong mode while the synthesis of various types, sample-based
modern standards. reverb now offers a dark mode, models pianos, the Sample Synth, and organs. The
• It responds to a global MIDI channel of two additional reverberant spaces, simplest is the Nord A1 virtual analogue
rather than a channel per layer. synthesizer. More complex is the Nord
and a Chorale mode that modulates the
• It has reverted to the Fatar keyboard Wave 2, which combines virtual analogue,
reverberated signal. sample-based, FM and wavetable synthesis.
of the Piano 4.
• It’s not cheap. Of course, the ways in which you can Next come the Nord Pianos, which combine
use the effects have also been updated the two sample-based engines, the Piano
SUMMARY to take account of the two new layers. and Sample Synth. Moving up a level we
The Piano 5 remains an excellent reach the Nord Electros, which add Clavia’s
You can apply the Mod 1 effects to Piano
solution for performers who require organ emulations to the piano and sample
a simple source of excellent acoustic A or Piano B or both, or to Synth A or
synth engines. Finally, we come to the
and electromechanical pianos, Synth B or both, but not to a mixture Nord Stages, which combine four engines
Clavinets, and other piano-like of Piano and Synth layers. The same is — virtual analogue and sample-based
keyboard sounds. In addition, its true of the Mod 2 effects and the amp/ synthesis, plus the piano and organ engines
Sample Synth is now more flexible and
compressor effects. This means that — in a single instrument. Unfortunately,
has evolved into an excellent player
you can (for example) apply wah and the dedicated Nord C-series organs are no
for one’s own sampled instruments.
Whether Nords continue to justify their longer manufactured and the Nord Lead
compression to your Clavinets while
premium prices is something that you’ll name has been retired. Given the esteem in
at the same time applying phasing to which these instruments were recently held,
have to decide for yourself but, given
your strings, but you can’t apply wah, let’s hope that they reappear sometime in
their visibility on the stages of the
world, it’s clear that many players feel compression and phasing to both. In the future.
that they do. contrast, the EQ and Delay have a global

80 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
that comprise your sound. In addition to factory Models in the Sample Synth, for years that Nord Pianos deserve dual,
the five that are immediately accessible because one can never have too many balanced stereo outputs — one pair for
via the ‘Live’ Program memories, there Mellotrons, Chamberlins or string synths the Piano and a second for the Sample
are 16 banks of these, each containing 25 at one’s disposal. Having dual layers Synth. On previous versions you could at
Programs arranged as five pages of five. meant that I was now free to emulate least direct the pianos to the left output
You can swap these around using the my dearly departed Mk1 Mellotron, using and the synths to the right, but even this
Organise function on the Piano 5 itself, my own composite brass samples below has now been discarded. It’s time that
but it’s much quicker and easier using the the split point and the unmistakeable Nord Pianos grew a full set of analogue
Sound Manager software. violins above it. outputs as well as digital audio inputs
Although I occasionally found myself and outputs.
Second Impressions pining for the Nord Grand’s Kawai The lack of pitch-bend and modulation
Before I got stuck into this review, keybed, playing the Piano 5 was still wheels, a joystick or some other method
I had updated the Piano 5 from the a pleasure, and the seamless transitions of performance control is another
factory-installed firmware to the latest between Programs was a boon when limitation that has always existed on the
version (v1.16), which promised a handful compared with keyboards that cut one Piano series. This was irrelevant at first
of optimisations, minor improvements, sound abruptly when you select the next. because the original Piano 88 was what
and a bug fix or two. I also backed it up So everything was (nigh-on) perfect, then? the name implies — a piano. But the
and then downloaded the Bösendorfer Well... no, it never is. I’ve been saying lack became apparent when the Sample
Grand Imperial XL piano and
installed this. In the past, that
might have been the limit of my
ambition but I was intrigued to
discover what might be possible
using the dual piano layers.
So I confined the rich, rolling
Bösendorfer to the low registers
and loaded a livelier piano — in
this case, a Steinway — into
the upper registers to create
a hybrid that combined the
best of both worlds. It sounded
great and, when I crossfaded
the two, there were no obvious
artefacts in the transition zone.
I also swapped out a few of the

The updated Nord Sample Editor

features improved sample import and
pitch-detection function.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 81
 ON TE S T
CL AV I A NOR D PI A NO 5

Synth was added and now, with dual

Sample Synths and increased synthesis Big Sounds In Small Memories
capabilities, it’s reached the point where
it matters. Sure, there are nearly 70 MIDI While the Piano engine’s polyphony has K250 from storage. Is it as realistic as the Nord?
remained the same at 120 voices, its sample No, of course not, although it’s still admired
CCs controlling almost all aspects of
memory has doubled from 1GB to 2GB (as it did by many players. But here’s the point... the
the sound generation and effects, but on the Grand), which means that there’s room revered Kurzweil Grand Piano is stored in around
the fact that the Piano 5 has no physical to install more of the XL Models that sound a quarter of the 2MB of ROMs that contain
controllers and still doesn’t respond to so good. Similarly, while the Sample Synth the underlying samples for all of the K250’s
pitch-bend or modulation messages over polyphony appears to be about the same (it’s sounds, which is around 1/4000th of the memory
MIDI seems crazy to me. now quoted as 40+ rather than 46 voices) its available in the Nord’s piano section! But far from
sample memory has increased from 512MB to suggesting that the Piano 5 doesn’t need the
Another shortcoming is the lack of
1GB. Having acknowledged the improvements, 3GB it currently offers, I’m going to argue that
independent MIDI channels for the four I have to point out that these remain tiny an even larger memory would be a significant
layers in a Program. Again, this wasn’t numbers in an era of massively sampled pianos improvement because it would make it possible
really an issue before, but the Piano 5 and 1TB memory sticks that cost little more than to load all of Clavia’s Piano and Sample
would be far more flexible — indeed, a large pizza and a couple of beers. But does one Synth libraries simultaneously. There must be
four-part multitimbral — if they could be require gigabytes to emulate grand pianos? This a technical reason why we’re still talking about
accessed independently. question was brought home to me during the single-digit gigabytes rather than single-digit
course of this review when, for quite unrelated terabytes when discussing the Piano 5, but don’t
Third Impressions reasons, I had occasion to liberate my Kurzweil ask me what it is. I don’t know.

The Piano 5 is solid, robust and designed

to a level of quality rather than to meet something a bit special, and this is one generating piano sounds that are leagues
a price. But despite remaining instantly of those times. ahead of those we once expected to
recognisable as the successor to the But having extolled the virtues of the hear (and hoped to avoid) in previous
Piano 4, its sound generation has taken Nord Pianos and their software tools, it generations. At some point, Clavia’s
a significant leap forward. It’s not cheap, seems to me that they’re no longer as far designers will have to decide whether
but Nords tend to hold their secondhand ahead of the competition as they once future Nord Pianos remain primarily
values very well and, if I were the were. What the Piano 5 does, it does pianos or continue to evolve into
owner of an earlier model, I would think extremely well, but the likes of Yamaha, something more powerful but potentially
seriously about upgrading. Having said Roland, Korg and Kawai have released less focussed. But for the moment, the
that, I might also be tempted to wait some excellent stage keyboards in recent Piano 5 still looks, feels and sounds like
to see whether Clavia released a Nord years and, while some would argue a Nord Piano, retaining the simplicity and
Grand 2 with the same capabilities. Sure, that none of these are as immediate immediacy of previous versions despite
it would be less appropriate for stage use or as stylish as the Nords, one can’t its extra capabilities, and very nice it
but, for me, its Kawai keyboard would deny that there’s a breadth of options is too.
overshadow any minor inconveniences. today that didn’t exist a few years ago.
Either way, I wouldn’t buy any Nord Furthermore, the dividing line between $ Nord Piano 5 73 $3299,
that wasn’t compatible with Sample dedicated instruments and fully featured Nord Piano 5 88 $3499.
Editor 4; once in a while one encounters workstations is narrowing, with the latter W www.nordkeyboards.com

The Rear Panel

The Piano 5’s rear panel is sparse, offering just first of which accepts the Nord Triple pedal. This provided by 5-pin MIDI In and Out sockets, and
left and right audio outputs and a headphones offers half pedalling, Una Corda and sostenuto you can use USB for MIDI, software updates,
socket that echoes the main outputs. Alongside and, I’m pleased to report, is now supplied instrument downloads and backups.
these, there’s a 3.5mm audio input that’s routed with the Piano. (This wasn’t the case with early The final socket is an IEC power connector.
to the L/R outputs as well as to the headphones versions.) The second input can be used to control While I’m delighted that the Piano 5 has an
so you can use it for backing tracks and the volumes of the Piano and Synth sections, internal power supply, I was bemused that the
similar purposes. the amount of the tremolo and pan effects in the review unit accepted (nominally) 230V mains only.
Analogue control is provided by quarter-inch Mod 1 section, plus the wah’s filter frequency and In these days of universal power supplies, this
inputs for sustain and volume/control pedals, the the rate of the ring modulator. Digital control is seems an odd deficiency.

82 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 THE CLASSIC ISA
SOUND: NOW OVER IP
Focusrite have proudly expanded their heritage ISA range with three new
products that will bring their classic sound to your modern Dante® audio network.

ISA 828 MkII still relies on the same ISA ADN8 is an optional A-D card for ISA ADN2 is an optional two-channel
Lundahl input transformer on each the ISA 428 MkII and ISA 828 MkII. It A-D card that provides high-quality
channel as its predecessor and gives provides ADAT Optical, AES3 and Dante analogue-to-digital conversion for the
you the ability to switch your input connectivity at rates up to 24-bit/192kHz. ISA One mic preamp and DI. The card
impedance, including a setting for The card offers primary and secondary offers primary and secondary Dante
the original ISA 110. New, however, is Dante output ports, along with an output ports, along with AES3, ADAT
compatibility with Dante Audio-over-IP AES59-configured DB25 connector optical and S/PDIF outputs.
networks, facilitated by the optional ISA for AES3 output, and a pair of ADAT
ADN8 A-D card. optical outputs. Bring Focusrite’s classic sound
to your audio network today.

pro.focusrite.com/isa
 ON TE S T

Alto Professional Bluetooth Total & Bluetooth Ultimate

Bluetooth-to-analogue Converters
There are plenty of cheap Bluetooth
adapters on the market but most
are aimed at the consumer sector,
whereas these two models from Alto small amount extra,
focus on the pro audio market. Accordingly, I think I’d opt for a pair of
as well as offering a decent sound quality, Bluetooth Totals, though no doubt some will
both have male XLR balanced outputs: and if you want prefer the simplicity of the Ultimate (only
the Bluetooth Total is a mono device with it permanently plugged having to link a single device) if feeding
a single output protruding from the left-hand in you’ll need a longer one. You’ll a stereo amp. Matt Houghton
side, whereas the Bluetooth Ultimate is need your own mains-to-USB adapter; you $ Bluetooth Total $59.
a mono/stereo device with two outputs, can charge it from a device’s USB bus but Bluetooth Ultimate $99.
with the additional connector recessed into if you want this thing to live permanently W www.altoprofessional.com
the opposite side of the casing. Naturally, on the back of a speaker that’s probably
the latter costs a touch more but while the not the best approach. Different LED colour
former is mono, note that two units (you can combinations helpfully tell you the present JMG Audio Expanse 3D
mix and match models) can be linked and state of charging and battery power levels.
Spatial Audio Plug-in
sync’ed for stereo use. A benefit of this over That’s pretty much it. When charged
simply using one Bluetooth Ultimate is that and paired (there was no passcode or Adding to the growing portfolio of
you don’t need cables running between the anything like that to contend with) it works unitedplugins.com is Expanse 3D, JMG
speakers, which makes it viable to use these as expected. There’s no volume control; the Sound’s spatial enhancement plug-in for
devices in locations where the speakers are paired playback device and your speakers/ Mac and Windows DAWs (VST, AU and
placed far apart, or trailing cables might be amp dictate the output level in the room. AAX), which the designers tell us employs
a trip hazard. The conversion sounds as good as I’d hope psychoacoustic principles to “make
The devices come in disposable plastic for from any Bluetooth device, and with a your sounds deeper, wider and bigger”.
blister packaging, which I don’t like. As well maximum output of +4dBu there’s plenty Authorisation is via a personal key code
as the ecological considerations, I always of level going into the speakers for normal that can be used on multiple machines, and
seem to cut my fingers opening them — but playback of commercial material. sample rates up to and beyond 192kHz
I can also see people wishing there were The Bluetooth range seems decent. are supported.
some form of reusable protective case for The spec suggests that this is just over The resizeable user GUI is about as
storage and carriage when not in use. 30m, and while the range will inevitably simple as it could possibly be, with three
On the top panel the two units are be compromised to some extent main ‘amount’ controls linked to three sides
almost identical, the key difference being where walls or other physical barriers of a cube graphic, joined only by In and Out
that the Ultimate adds a two-position slide are involved, it passed my go-outside level controls. Each section offers a small
switch to select mono or stereo operation. and wander-around-the-garden tests menu of processing modes. We’re informed
You press and hold a Bluetooth button for with flying colours. that the processing includes a combination
three seconds and the device becomes As with any Bluetooth system, there of analogue-style saturation, spectral phase
discoverable for pairing (for example with is some latency involved. Thus, it’s not offsetting, re-synthesis, intricate delay
a phone or computer). It emits a recurring brilliant for playing virtual instruments or, networks and other techniques, but a key
beep which can be helpful feedback when say, through guitar amp sims that you have point is that all the processing is mono
setting up, but can also be annoying if installed on your phone. For regular music compatible. The plug-in can also generate
you have the speaker/amp levels cranked playback that’s not a problem, although, as a pseudo-stereo output from a mono input.
at the time! with any Bluetooth system, you’ll encounter Width is adjusted using a spectral phase
The Stereo Link facility works like the sync issues if watching YouTube videos and processor, and this section simultaneously
power line Ethernet adapters I’ve used: you the like. That’s something I overcame easily reduces the stereo width of very low
press and hold a button on one unit then enough using a free browser extension frequencies to keep the low end sounding
do the same on the second, and they’ll then (YouTube Audio/Video Sync for Chrome). tight. An auto gain switch allows the user
pair automatically. The first device is the Some of the settings will be difficult to audition settings without the loudness
‘primary’ unit, which to you and me means to see in the dark (eg. behind a speaker changing. The Width modes are Normal or
the left channel, and if an Ultimate model is in a venue; while the LED indicators are Alternate, both of which are similar but have
used in this role it will output the left signal great, the position of the on/off switch and their offsets at different frequency points.
on both XLRs, just as it does in mono mode. the Ultimate’s mono/stereo one are harder Each has a normal and inverted version, and
The final ‘control’ is an on-off slide switch. to see. But once set up, you barely need to to separate instruments you can choose
Power comes from an internal rechargeable look anyway. different modes, so that they will not share
battery that’s capable of six hours’ On the whole, both devices perform well. the same frequency offsets.
operation, and is charged using a USB cable They sound fine, they’re easy to use, they’re The impression of front-to-back depth
which plugs into a mini USB socket on the affordable, and I have no real complaints. is created using delay networks, transient
side panel. The supplied cable is very short, So I’m happy to recommend them. For the manipulation and phase processing, to

84 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 MICROPHONE
UNIVERSITY
Learn more at dpamicrophones.com/grab-your-mic
 ON TE S T

add a subtle ambience that helps glue sounds together by placing

them in the same space. The three modes essentially offer different
delay times.
The Height section enhances the highs and lows using
established ‘exciter’ principles to generate new harmonics. In
subjective terms, this produces a brighter, more airy sound while also
adding harmonics to the low end, to create the impression of a more
powerful bass sound when heard over smaller speakers. Where
filtering is applied, it is designed not to introduce phase shifts, and
the saturation algorithms include anti-aliasing measures and up to
8x oversampling to keep them sounding natural. Ext Lo helps fatten
up audio that has little bass, while for audio with little treble the Ext
Hi mode may be appropriate. Ext Lo+Hi suits sounds with little in the
way of highs or lows, though it’s worth noting that the Normal mode
is generally the best of the bunch for using on full mixes.
I tend to be wary of ‘make it sound better’ boxes, but Expanse
3D has proved a useful tool for making tracks or mixes sound a little
bit wider and a touch larger than life — just as promised. As with all
such tools, it has to be used sensibly, but deployed tastefully it can
help either increase separation between instruments or glue a group
of sounds into a more cohesive whole, while expanding the stereo
width to a useful degree. It won’t turn a bad mix into a good one, but
it’s quite capable of adding an additional polish to mixes that already
sound good. If you’re still not convinced, there’s a 15-day free trial, $ $120.
which should allow you plenty of time to decide. Paul White W https://unitedplugins.com/Expanse3D

United Plugins Urban Puncher Saturation Plug-in For Mac & Windows
The name of this plug-in gives you a hefty clue as to what it’s about, too, but it is well worth experimenting to see what it can bring to
but as with most of its apparently simple United Plugins stablemates, other instruments — just try it where you might normally opt for
there’s more going on under the hood than it might at first appear. compression and see what you get. Instruments with well-defined
Urban Puncher’s primary role is in beefing up drum and percussion attack sounds, such as guitars, are definitely good candidates for
sounds, though it can also work well on bass parts or to add a sheen treatment, but it can be useful just about anywhere that you need
of analogue warmth to other instruments. Supporting all the usual to add a bit of analogue-style warmth, and where you want to lift up
plug-in formats, and with a generous authorisation system that allows those lower-level details that add interest and attitude.
you to run it on multiple machines, Urban Puncher was designed There’s enough control range to go from super subtle to quite
by United Plugins boffin Boris Carloff, and combines saturation hard hitting, so Urban Puncher turns out to be a very flexible tool
based on transformer emulation, with dynamic processing that with more applications than its name might suggest. I also love the
seems to combine elements of compression, transient shaping and immediacy that its simple controls offer — the learning curve is so flat
spectral manipulation. you could climb it in carpet slippers! Paul White
The presence of a Wet/Dry control indicates that Urban Puncher $ Introductory price of €19 (about $23) when going to press.
is quite happy working as a parallel processor as well as a serial one. Full price €59 (about $69).
Other than a variable output level control, the whole thing is controlled W https://unitedplugins.com
by just two knobs and one button, with a further slide switch acting as
a bypass. When no signal is passing, the plug-in relinquishes its hold
on CPU resources, and operating bypass causes no clicks or changes
in latency. Helpfully, the GUI can be freely resized.
Punch is where the dynamic processing happens and, to my
ears, turning it clockwise introduces what sounds like a blend of
progressively heavier compression/limiting and transient attack
enhancement. At its maximum setting, the sound is quite aggressive
and ‘smacky’ but that can be just what you need when mixing in some
of the dry signal. Dialling in a little saturation can beef up the sound
even more, but if you’re after a more overt effect, then pressing the
Destroy button essentially triples the amount of saturation, making for
a sound that adds crunchy to punchy. Again, this can work for you in
lots of different ways, from treating a dull snare track to making the
whole drum kit sound pleasingly trashy.
As suggested earlier, the ‘beefing up’ capability of Urban Puncher
often lends itself well to processing bass synths or bass guitar

86 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
It all
started here.
 T E CH NI Q U E

Beatmaking With Hardware

SIMON SHERBOURNE Chopped-up loops are at the heart of many genres of

music. There’s never been a better time to get hands-on

S
ample chopping remains a core
compositional tool in modern music with sliced samples.
production, especially hip-hop and
the various flavours of breakbeat music as compositional sources, and John making it easy to juggle multiple samples.
that have evolved from jungle. By chopping Cage even experimented with a pair of Computers brought sequencers and
I specifically mean sampling an extended turntables as far back as the 1930s. But trackers, and later Propellerhead’s ReCycle
musical or rhythmic phrase and slicing the technique of repurposing existing accelerated the edit process for samplers,
it into sections, then re-sequencing and recordings as we recognise it today making sample slicing simple. Chopping
reworking the parts to make something comes down from New York’s hip-hop samples and using loops became
new. In hip-hop this technique is routinely pioneers and Jamaican dub DJs, who a common part of electronic music and
used to generate the key hook or seed for looped and scratched drum breaks pop production across the board.
a beat. Drum & bass typically uses acoustic manually on turntables while MCs rapped DAWs and even simple audio editors
drum breaks, cut up (and sped up) and over the top. As hip-hop developed, now offer almost unlimited scope
reprogrammed into a new drum track. But sampling became more than just a means for assembling music from recorded
any genre of music can benefit from the to an end, but part of the sound and audio, essentially providing an efficient
idea, whether it’s used to generate ideas identity of the form. and non-destructive upgrade to tape
and interesting loops or layers, or to extract Affordable sampler hardware like workflows. But triggering samples
a kit of individual hits. the Akai S series made more complex dynamically remains a faster and more
production possible, letting you grab and performance-oriented approach than
Two Turntables & cut up raw material even without turntable assembling clips on a timeline. And so
A Microphone skills or tape editing. Akai and Roger Linn performance sampling workstations,
The Musique Concrète movement was developed the MPC60, adding a built-in which all share a lineage with the MPC60,
the first to use pre-recorded sounds performance interface to the sampler, and are more popular than ever.

88 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 In this article I’m going to focus
on sample-chopping workflows
for the ‘big three’: MPC, Maschine
and Push. There are of course
many other devices which excel
at chopping and playing samples,
including the Elektron Octatrack,
Roland MC-707, Akai’s Force and
now the Novation Circuit Rhythm.
Then there are plug-ins like
If you import a loop in Maschine, make sure you
FXpansion Geist or Reason. Many we’ll look at how you get started with each
switch the pad from the Audio to the Sampler plug-in
other software and hardware samplers workstation individually. to enable Slicing.
can let you get to the same place. But
there’s a specific convergence of features
Sampling In Push standard Sample mode, after recording you
and techniques found on MPC, Maschine Direct sampling on Push means recording are given a choice to name the sample and
and Push. into an Audio Track in Live — there’s no choose where it will go. Choose <none> in
separate sampling mode. (You might want to the Program selector, so that the recording
Outline keep a dedicated track in your Session for will be placed into the Project’s general
The process of slicing and playing a sample sampling.) Simply record from your chosen sample pool.
is similar across the three workstations. The external or internal source into a Clip. With The MPC is unique in letting you chop
steps may be slightly different for each, or the Clip selected on Push, press the Convert a sample while it’s being recorded. For this,
occur in a different order, but here’s what button and choose the first option, which is use the Slice sampling mode. Tapping the
we need to do: Simpler. A new track will be created with your drum pads as you sample will now create
sample loaded into the Simpler device, ready slice markers in the sample on the fly. After
1. Load in a sample, either by browsing for live triggering and chopping. You can do recording you’re given the option to save to
files or recording directly. the same thing with any Clip in the Arranger the pool, or create a new program with your
2. Chop it up using one of several timeline, but you’ll need to select it from the sample slices assigned across the pads.
options, depending on the material computer instead of Push. You can trim the slices later.
and how you want to use it. To load a sample file instead of recording, If you’re loading a sample from your
3. Tempo-match with your project you can Browse with a MIDI track selected library or a thumb drive, use the Browser.
if necessary. and your sample will load straight into There’s no need at this point to use the
4. Convert the sliced sample into a Simpler: no Convert needed. Alternatively, Sample Assign function, as we’ll be creating
a playable kit or program. you can load samples into Clip slots on an a new Program after we’ve chopped.
5. Play and sequence the sections to audio track and Convert from there. Push’s
create something new. Browser can access anything in the Live core
Sampling In Maschine
library, Packs or User Files areas. If you select Like the MPC, Maschine has a Sampling
There’s a ton of possibilities and creative Current Project you can also load in any mode for capturing and re-rendering, with
tricks to be explored, but we’ll start with sample that’s already used in the Session, manual or threshold-triggered recording.
the basic steps to getting started with the so this is another way to grab clips that are There are three record modes: Detect,
three workstations, then try to draw out the in the Arranger. Once again, when your Sync and Loop. Manual recording is
common themes. sample is loaded, press Convert to load it available by choosing Detect and setting
There are three ways samples are into a Simpler. the Threshold all the way to the Off position
going to get on your chopping board: at the far left. What you record will appear
direct recording from an external
Sampling In MPC in a Sampler instrument on the selected
source, importing from a file, or internal MPC has a dedicated Sampler mode pad and Group. Subsequent recordings
re-rendering (bouncing). For this section for capturing audio. Choose from the will appear in a pool for that pad on the
available inputs, left-hand screen, unless you select another
or the Resample pad first. The Sync recording mode is useful
option for an internal for re-rendering, or grabbing a loop from
bounce. Sampling a sync’ed device. You can set a number
can be armed and of bars and recording will start and stop in
triggered manually time with playback. We’ll leave the Loop
from the onscreen mode for another time.
record button, or can It’s easy to get tripped up if you
be set to trigger at an import a file from the Browser instead of
input threshold. In the recording, because Maschine will load
it into an Audio device on the selected
pad. This is designed for playing back
The Slice mode in
MPC’s Sampler view lets loops and linear recordings rather than
you grab slices to pads triggering samples, and does not support
live as you record. slicing. After import you’ll need to press

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 T E CH NI Q U E
SAMPLE SLICING

to the project’s tempo. You can change

Pitch independently.
On Push and MPC, you can switch
pitch-independent tempo-matching (called
Warping on both platforms) on or off after
you’ve chopped. On MPC you can set this
per-slice; to apply to all, set the Slice select
field to All.
If you’d prefer to adjust the tempo by
a traditional speed/tuning adjustment you
Unless cutting to individual hits, you’ll need
you switch to Slice mode, so you’ll want to can do this too. On MPC’s sample editor,
to tempo-match samples. On Maschine, process
before chopping; MPC and Push can warp. Truncate the sample first from the process make sure you’re in the default Trim view
menu on the right-hand screen. and tap the From BPM button next to
Shift-Browser to go to the channel To start editing on MPC, go to the Tuning. In the dialogue that pops up, make
plug-in selector. Switch the Audio device Sample Editor and use the data wheel to sure the correct number of bars/beats are
to a Sampler and the Slice option will select your new sample, then adjust the selected so that the correct original tempo
become available when you’re in the Start and End times. When you switch to is detected. Tap on Match and the sample
Sampling view. Chop mode, this Start and End time will will be tuned to match the tempo of your
be respected unless you’re in Manual current Sequence. On Push, simply turn
Editing Chop mode, in which case it might be Warp on and switch the mode to Repitch.
If you’ve captured something from vinyl or worth using the Extract process to create
YouTube or wherever, you might want to a truncated sample.
Cut Here
‘top and tail’ it to remove excess material Finally it’s time to chop! The Slice/Chop
around the part you’re interested in. It’s not
Time-stretching tools on our workstations offer several ways
strictly necessary, but cleaning up now may I promise we’ll actually chop this sample of working. Manual mode is for dropping
save some time later, and tempo-based up eventually, but we need to make slice points on the fly while listening to the
operations are simpler when you have a quick pitstop on behalf of the Maschine sample. Simply hit the first pad and the
clean in and out points on the beat. crew. If you need to match the tempo of sample will play back, then every time you
Push makes life easy at this point. We the sample to your project, this has to hit the next free pad it will make a split point
already got as far as converting the sample happen before you chop on Maschine. and assign it to that pad. Manual mode is
into a Simpler patch, so the overall Start Maschine’s Sampler instrument can’t warp fast, and great if you already have a rough
and End times will be available on screen audio in real time (even though the Audio idea how you want to divide up the sample,
already, and that’s it. Sample editing on loop player can), but you can do an offline or want to divide up unevenly. You don’t
Maschine happens in the Sampling page. stretch in the sampler editor. Tab through have to get it exactly right: you can just tap
If you’ve just captured something you’ll the processing options above the second a pad roughly where you want a cut, then
already be there, so you can switch from screen until you get to Stretch. Set the go in and nudge it afterwards.
Record to Edit mode and trim up the sample’s current tempo (Maschine will try You can immediately start playing the
sample. Unfortunately this is then ignored if to auto-detect). The new tempo will default pads you’ve assigned at any point. If you
let playback continue past the last slice
you can then resume adding more chops
from the next free pad onwards. MPC and
Live have an extra trick not available on
Maschine: you can hit the next free pad at
any time during playback, and if you’re in
a section that already has chops, a new
one will be inserted, causing all the slices to
ripple to the right on the pads. On Maschine
you’d need to select a pad, choose Split,
then manually edit.
Transient Detection analyses the
waveform and drops slice points at clear
hit points. MPC calls this Threshold mode,
Maschine calls it Detect and Push calls
it Transient. All three workstations have
a setting for adjusting the sensitivity of the
detection. Transient Detection mode is good
for cutting up drums into individual hits.
Regions mode (called Split on Maschine)
simply cuts the sample up into an arbitrary
number of sections. This is particularly
Manually chopping a break into phrases on Push. Real-time warp tempo matches to the Session. powerful on Push, where you can set the

90 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
overall Start and End time on the same
screen, within which the grid will be Transient Detection is useful for
cutting a sample into individual hits.
constrained. This makes it easy to focus on
and cut up a section in a longer recording
that’s not cut to bars. MPC can do similar
but with some view flipping.
Beats mode (BPM on MPC, Grid on
Maschine) is similar to Regions but uses
musical timing values, assuming that your
sample is an evenly cut loop. This one is
enhanced on Maschine by the option to
set a BPM value. None of the workstations
support triplet divisions though... use
Regions mode, 6/8 fans.

Chopping Notes By
Workstation
Maschine
Maschine has three pages of controls under
the left screen when chopping, accessed
with the left/right arrow buttons. Page 1 sets
the mode and its options. Page 2 provides most cases I don’t do this (although see On Push, your chops are performed
edit controls for trimming the start and end the arpeggiator tip later), because I want in the ready-to-go Simpler instrument,
points of slices. Page 3 contains export my slices laid out like a standard Maschine so there’s no need for an Export step.
settings that will take effect when you hit kit across the Group, with each section on However, as with Maschine, you might
Apply. You can set whether the finished a different channel. To do this, after you prefer to work inside a multichannel kit
kit Group will play in mono or poly mode, hit Apply, tap the Group’s master select instead of a single-channel instrument to
and whether a replay pattern is created. button (or a different Group if you prefer); get the benefit of individual controls per
A replay pattern is a MIDI sequence that then, when you hit OK, it will be split out sound, and multi-lane step sequencing. This
plays your slices back to reconstruct your for you. The Group/Kit format is especially is achieved by pressing the Convert button
original loop. powerful on Maschine, as it gives you full and choosing Drum Rack. The new Drum
When you’re done chopping and pitch-sequencing control over each sound Rack will be created based on the settings
editing, hit Apply. The next step determines as well as multi-lane gate sequencing. you had in the Simpler. For example, if you
where and how your chopped sample were in Mono playback mode, the Drum
patch will be created. The pads for the Push Rack channels will all be choked.
current Group will be displayed, and the The main idiosyncrasy to note for Push is
current pad will flash. If you hit OK, your that instead of editing Start and End points MPC
slices will be key-zone mapped across of slices, you have a single Nudge control The essential thing to know on the MPC is
MIDI notes from C-2, within a single for adjusting the start. So if a slice glitches at that you need to hold the Shift key to get
Sampler instrument and channel. To play the end because it catches a bit of the next to some extra commands, such as Delete
them you’ll need to switch to Keyboard transient, you need to select the next slice Slice and Convert. Convert is the Export
mode and shift the octave range down. In and move the Nudge value a bit earlier. operation that will turn your chopped
sample into a playable instrument, in this
case a Drum Program. When prompted
Crate Digging choose New Drum Program, with
Although this article focuses on the production technique, half the skill and creativity is in finding Non-Destructive Slices. You’ll then need to
and choosing samples to start with. There’s the romantic image of the crate digger, hunting through select this program in a track to play it.
old records for sublime and undiscovered gems ripe for repurposing. I’ve gone for a more sedentary
approach of late, grabbing random weird stuff from YouTube (staying mindful of usage rights of course). More Settings
But you don’t have to find something unique: most hip-hop and breakbeat producers have probably Velocity
taken a swing at the ‘Amen Brother’ break at least once. I’d highly recommend the YouTube channel
When you’re dropping and editing your
Eightminutesupside which produces compilation videos showing the samples used by a particular
artist, or where an artist themselves has been sampled. It’s fascinating to discover how much some of chops, playback will be at full velocity
my favourite records are built from samples, and how different artists use the same sample. on MPC and Maschine. Once you’ve
There’s also no reason to be snobbish about using library samples. Our three workstations all come exported as kits/instruments they will be
with access to tons of loops and expansion packs. The beauty of chopping a loop instead of just using fully velocity-sensitive, which is good for
it straight is that you’re putting your own twist on it that’s unlikely to overlap with someone else’s. individual drum hits, and not so good
If you still feel squeamish about using a sample library, why not make your own? I have a collection
for longer samples and breaks. Both
of loops, short ‘needle drops’ and sound design textures I’ve been using and reusing for years. Most
were created and captured with a friend in just a few sessions, and cut in ReCycle. We’ve all got workstations will let you edit the programs
countless ideas and loops languishing on our hard drives and drum machines, so why not bounce to change this... just remember to select
them out as samples to use as inspiration in other tracks? all pads first. On Push, Simpler defaults
to a slight velocity-to-amp mapping (35

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 T E CH NI Q U E
SAMPLE SLICING

Taking A Break
The temptation when cutting up a drum loop is Even just three slices
to let your system’s transient detection slice the can be enough to create
sample into individual drum hits. This is fine if a completely new beat
you just want to take the character and vibe of from a sample.
the original sounds and turn them into a drum kit.
It’s also the classic ReCycle/REX file method for back different patterns.
turning a loop into a sequence that will follow your You’re guaranteed
project’s tempo without time-stretching. But often authentic-sounding drum
there’s more creative fun to be had if you make & bass and hours of fun!
fewer chops, leaving some pads playing sections The same idea works
of multiple hits. This borrows more of the groove across other genres too.
of the original sample, and lets it breathe. The screen here shows
You’ll know exactly what I mean if you’ve ever a one-bar acoustic drum
tried to program a drum and bass pattern break from the MPC
from individual hit samples. It nearly always factory library that I cut
sounds disjointed and lacks that smoothly up into just three slices.
rolling cadence. Instead, pull a drum break into There’s a couple of kicks
a high-tempo project and speed it up to match. in the first slice and a side-stick on the second, with a feature in Reason’s new Mimic sampler. In this
(As well as getting the classic pitched-up sound, a ride cymbal on the eighth notes through both, mode, when you trigger a slice it doesn’t stop
the tempo match is essential when individual then a kick and open hat stop on the last slice. This at the end of that region, but continues to play
slices contain more than one hit.) Now chop it into time I stuck at the original tempo of 92bpm, and the rest of the whole sample. This makes it even
regular slices — four per bar is a good place to when I played with it, a whole new groove with easier to generate natural-sounding breakbeats
start. With the click track playing, start by tapping many variations and fills fell out of it naturally. and drum performances from a drum loop,
your pads sequentially on the beat to recreate A nice Push/Live tip to mention here is the with less coordination required to avoid gaps
the original loop. Now experiment with playing Thru playback mode in Simpler, which is also in playback.

percent) which will also carry through to its pad. Sometimes you might want to swap definitely not going to use, and organise
a Drum Rack if you convert. As with all to a gated play mode with amp envelope; a bit. Often there are slices that are similar
global settings, you definitely want to do individual hits are a prime candidate for this. to each other in a repeating musical or
this before you Convert because there’s no rhythmic loop. Alternate between the
way to edit multiple pads simultaneously on
Getting Creative different slight variations of the same
Live’s Drum Rack! With all the technical processes out of slice to get a more natural feel. If you’re
the way it’s time to have some fun and playing a slower, more open groove than
Mono/Poly experiment. The beauty of this method is the original sample it might sound ‘gappy’.
All the samplers default to Mono playback that you can jam and try things out in real Try chopping a pad of ‘dead air’ to fill the
when slicing, which is normally the way to time, and record what you’re doing as MIDI spaces, or give the slices some shape with
go when re-sequencing something you’ve patterns. You can also try different ways an envelope and add a reverb to the group.
sampled. However, there are times you’ll to generate sequences for your slices. You can also treat each slice differently
want to layer the slices, especially with You can create patterns through step with effects, modulation or pitching.
single drum hits. Again, this can be set after sequencing, or try the randomisation or Duplicate your snare and tune it up
you’ve created your patch, but it’s quicker probability features if your workstation has a couple of times for that classic drum
to do it from the outset. them. Try using the arpeggiator in Maschine & bass ascending pitch fill. If you have
or Push to play back slices in changing vocal or string samples, try switching
Envelopes sequences on a single-channel instrument. to poly mode and layering things up,
Chops default to One Shot/Trigger mode, When you’re playing your slices you’ll duplicating and pitching as required. If
so each slice plays back in full when you hit probably notice that you’re only using you’re sequencing sliced hits from a drum
a handful of what’s loop, change the original feel with
there. Don’t forget groove quantise.
that it’s easy to Whatever kind of music you make,
delete, duplicate sample chopping can be an inspiring and
and move around freeing way to spark new ideas, borrow
pads on all the a feel or mood, or add life and interest to
workstations. I like a track. Your taste in samples can become
to remove pads I’m part of your sonic signature, show off your
genre knowledge or sense of humour,
or give a nod of respect to a favourite
From the Chop artist. And bouncing and chopping your
screen on MPC, hold
own loops means everything you record
Shift to access the
Convert button to when you’re tinkering in the studio can be
create a program from stocking up your own personal crate for
your slices. later digging.

92 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
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 T E CH NI Q U E

Two-mic Guitar Tracking

Many classic electric guitar sounds have been
captured using just one microphone. So when and
why might you use more?

PAUL WHITE
at your disposal, you can’t quite get the bottom end and smooth, rolled-off high
sound you want using only one. Perhaps frequencies of a ribbon mic combine

M
y article in SOS July 2021 the best mic choice and position deliver very well with the more mid- and
(www.soundonsound.com/ the tonal ‘bite’ you’re looking for, but lack presence-focused SM57, without either
techniques/how-record-guitar- a little punch in the low end. When you needing much EQ. You can balance the
cabs-one-mic) focused on the basics of add a second mic, the relative position of two to taste and either record that blend to
recording electric guitars using a single mic. the two mics can make a big difference to a single track, or capture them separately
In many cases that can deliver perfectly the sound, but it’s best to start by choosing on two tracks. The latter approach can
decent results, and I’d always recommend mics for their tonal characteristics and leave you with greater tonal control when
that inexperienced recordists start there. placing them right next to each other. That mixing, without needing EQ — though I’m
But it’s long been common in professional said, if you have the time to experiment, of the opinion that having lots of options
circles to blend more than one signal when it’s worth trying all of your mics in different when mixing isn’t always a good thing!
tracking electric guitar. There are various pairings, as it’s not always immediately Combining a dynamic mic with
established multi-mic techniques to try and obvious why two mics happen to work well a capacitor model is also common
probably plenty more awaiting discovery, when combined. practice. The Neumann U87 and various
so in this article, I’ll explain when and why A popular, well-established tactic is to AKG C414s, usually in cardioid mode, seem
two mics might be better than one. pair a moving-coil dynamic mic, such as particularly popular but, while the results
the ubiquitous Shure SM57, with a ribbon seem to vary more from one capacitor
Take Two mic. The Royer R121 is a popular choice mic to another than with ribbons, you can
The most obvious reason to use two is in the latter role but they all have broadly try any of them — that’s how I came to
when, despite having tried all the mics the right characteristics: typically, the full know that one of my personal favourites

94 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 you make sure that both mics are the
same distance from the speaker cone,
phase cancellation is unlikely to be
a significant problem. For more precise
alignment, you can position one mic, then
flip the polarity of the other and move
it around while feeding a noise source
through the amp. Cancellation between
the two mic signals will be greatest in the
most phase-coherent positions, and once
you’ve found one, filpping the polarity
back to its original setting should give
you a satisfyingly full sound. With the
amp in a live room, you’ll need to listen
on headphones for the cancellation, but if
your amp is near your DAW you can feed
both signals to the same level meter and
watch for the lowest reading as you move
the second mic.
A further degree of tonal flexibility
is available by moving the second mic
relative to the axis of the speaker: the
tone can change quite noticeably as you
move the mic from aiming at the centre
of the speaker to aiming at its edge. As
I explained in the previous article, one of
my favourite mic positions is around 30cm
from the cabinet, aiming at the cabinet’s
top edge, and it’s well worth trying this
alongside your favourite close mic sound.
Another versatile option, the Fredman
technique, which has become popular
in metal production, combines on- and
off-axis placement. You put one SM57
close up, on-axis, aiming at the middle of
the speaker, and place another right next
to it, the same distance from the speaker
but angled inwards, about 55 degrees
off-axis. The on-axis mic delivers a very
bright sound, while the off-axis one is
in this role is the Audio-Technica AT4050. If you treat the two-mic blend as dominated by mids and lows, so you can
Don’t worry too much about whether the a single signal (ie. pan the two mics adjust the balance of these mics’ signals
moving-coil or capacitor mics you try have identically, maintain the same blend of to control the tone. The result tends to
a cardioid or hypercardioid polar pattern, their signals throughout the song, and sound richer and thicker than a single
as it’s the subjective end result that counts. apply any processing on a group bus) SM57, retaining some of the highs while
But you should be aware, when it comes then phase cancellation needn’t really be also smoothing them somewhat. Again, it’s
to spill from unwanted sources, that a concern. But if the mics aren’t in phase a good technique if you have a tendency
hypercardioid mics are more sensitive at and you choose to pan them to create to procrastinate: if you record the mics to
the rear than cardioids. a sense of width, the tonality will sound separate tracks, you can put off deciding
different for mono playback than for stereo on the final tonal balance until the mix.
Close Mics & Phase — it might or might not be a problem, but
When two close mics are placed on the you should definitely consider the impact
Rearing Up
same source, their phase relationship on the mix balance. Also, if you change The most obvious options involve two
is naturally a consideration. However, the balance between the two mics during mics in front of the speaker, but the
because the electric guitar is inherently a song, the nature of that tonal change cabinet resonance picked up by a mic at
an ‘unnatural’ sound, the comb-filtering can be less predictable if the two aren’t the rear of an open-backed cabinet can
effect you hear when moving one mic broadly in phase. often help beef up a top-heavy front-miked
a little further from the speaker isn’t A coincident array, which places the guitar sound. As with miking the front of
necessarily problematic. In fact, it can be two mic capsules as close as possible, the amp, you can try different distances
a useful means of fine-tuning the overall ensures that you avoid phase problems, and positions relative to the axis of the
tonality without resorting to EQ. but a simple rule of thumb is that if speaker, and it’s worth experimenting with

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 95
 T E CH NI Q U E
R ECOR DING GUITA R C A BS W IT H TWO MI C S

that has a desirable ambience; if you’re

working in a bedroom, the result will usually
end up sounding dull and boxy, and you’ll
almost certainly find that faking it with
a reverb processor delivers better results.
But don’t write off a room straight away, as
you can work to make an unflattering space
sound better. For example, try improvising
screens behind and to the sides of the
more distant mic to dry up the room’s
natural ambience; rugs or duvets draped
over chairs work well. Also, applying
artificial reverb to a room mic can sound
very different from adding it to a close mic.
The final sound will be the result of
a number of complex interactions between
the close and ambient mics, as well
as between the direct sounds and the
floor/wall reflections. You can experiment
with the polar pattern of the room mic and,
assuming it’s a directional one, with where
you aim it. For instance, you’ll often get
different results from pointing a cardioid
A classic combination is to pair a ribbon mic
with an SM57: the frequency responses of the two obsess too much about it when recording, mic at the amp, past the amp, and directly
seem to combine particularly well. as very little of it ends up on most records. at the wall to capture first reflections, and
If you do capture lots of low end, you’ll aiming a figure-8 mic’s side null at the
both the cab and mic position, as factors often find yourself filtering it out when amp, so it captures reflections to front and
such as the distance from a wall or from mixing to avoid clashes with the bass rear, but no direct sound from the amp.
the floor will also affect the sound. guitar and kick drum, and more so when The comb-filtering effect when using
There’s no right or wrong — just go the guitar is one of many instruments in one close and one distant mic might be
for what sounds right for the track — but an arrangement. stronger than with two close mics, and this
it’s worth a few notes of caution. First, depends on various factors, including the
as when using top and bottom mics on
Room For Improvement floor material and how far the guitar cab
a snare drum, you’ll usually want to flip A different reason to add a second mic is to and mics are from the floor. The higher the
the polarity of the rear mic; it’s pointing in capture room ambience. Typically, you’ll use amp from the ground, the greater the path
the opposite direction from the front one, one or maybe two close mics for your basic length of the first floor reflection and thus
so if you forget to do that the combined guitar tone, as above, and then position the greater the time difference between
result will sound thin, weedy and phasey. another much further from the speaker, the direct and reflected sounds reaching
Second, although the trouser-flapping low usually a couple of metres or more, to the room mic. Again, any comb-filtering
end you experience when standing close capture more in the way of reflections. It’s could be seen either as a problem or as
to a big amp can seem impressive, don’t only really worth attempting this in a room a variable for adjusting the timbre. For

A Sound To DI For?
Capturing a DI along with a miked amp sound opens a completely different second amp type from the Most good modelling software also allows room
up more options, not least ‘faking’ a second amp one you’re miking. Using different amps will give ambience to be introduced, and this can be used
and recording chain using modelling hardware or a more dramatic stereo spread but also opens up to simulate a room mic for your close-miked amp.
software, for the sort of stereo setup I describe opportunities for combining cleaner and dirtier Even where it doesn’t, though, you can run the DI
towards the end of the main article. You might think sounds, to give a sense of power and sustain signal through your modelling software followed by
that if a modelled tone is good enough to form part without losing clarity. an ambience patch in a separate reverb plug-in, to
of your sound, it would be good enough full stop. Should you choose to work from your amp’s emulate a good room mic.
Sometimes it is, but in my experience, I play better line output, you’ll have only the cabinet and One important thing to check, whenever
when I can hear the sound coming from my amp, mic/room modelling to explore, but a good working with both a mic and a DI, is that the
and there’s something about the more nuanced speaker-emulation plug-in might still give you polarity of the DI’d signal matches that of the mic.
aspects of the sound that seem to come across enough tonal variety to create a worthwhile stereo Your mono button should tell you that fairly swiftly,
better than when relying entirely on modelling. image. Note that some amps have only a ‘speaker but so too will inspecting the waveform in your
Nevertheless, mixing real and modelled amps can emulated’ output built-in, and while these rarely DAW, or polarity-inverting the DI track. Hardware
add an extra dimension to your sound. give you the same tonal options as dedicated processors will add a small amount of delay, so if
You can take your DI feed from a conventional hardware or plug-ins it’s still worth feeding that you record their output on a separate track you
DI box placed before the amp or, if it has one, a line signal through a better speaker emulation, just can also adjust the negative track delay parameter
output on the amp itself. A major advantage of to see if it sounds good in combination with your to ensure that the waveforms from the mic and
splitting the guitar’s output is that you can choose miked amp. Often it does. processor line up correctly.

96 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
 Photo: Fantasy Studios
In the right space, using a room mic can give
the sound an added dimension.

The Fredman technique employs two SM57s,

with capsules adjacent but at different angles speakers in the same cab, note that the If you’re lucky enough to have two
relative to the speaker, giving you a lot of tonal direction in which you move the mic amps, and a big enough space in which
control simply by balancing the two mics. when working off-axis will also affect the to record them, you can split the guitar
composite sound. Moving the mic further signal to feed both amps, and mic each
instance, hard floors produce the strongest away from the nearest adjacent speaker amp’s speaker using any of the techniques
reflections, so they’ll emphasise any comb will reduce the amount of spill from that I’ve discussed above. By setting up the
filtering — but they will also make the speaker; moving it towards another amps to produce different sounds, you can
timbre of the reflected sound reasonably speaker will increase it. Again, there’s no fashion hybrid tonalities and convincing
bright, which could be useful. In short, inherent right or wrong: make the effort stereo sounds without resorting to plug-in
experimentation with the mic choice, and to listen for the differences and make a trickery. You can also create a usefully
the speaker and mic placement/orientation decision. Of course, there’s nothing to say subtle stereo effect by using a chorus
is important if you’re to get the best sound. you can’t pan a close mic one way and pedal or rotary speaker effect on only one
a distant mic the other, and in a nice room of the amps — this can work particularly
Nice Spread you could also use a stereo pair for the well on clean guitar sounds. Note that you
Another reason for using two mics is where room, for some natural stereo spread. might need to use a commercial splitter
a single mic produces a perfectly good Whichever option you choose, check or a DI box with a Thru connection to
sound but you want to create a sense of the result in mono just to ensure there avoid ground-loop hum when feeding two
stereo spread beyond simply adding stereo are no serious compatibility issues, since amps in this way and, for the same reason,
ambience. One way to do this is to mic one when you listen in stereo while panning should plug both amps into the same
speaker in two different ways, then pan the sounds hard left and right, phase problems power outlet.
contribution of one mic left and the other will tend to be hidden. As when using two
right. This could be achieved using two mics for tonal reasons, if you keep the
Still More Options?
mics, two different mic positions, or both. close-mic distances similar you’ll avoid You can experiment with using even more
Alternatively, you could mic up two most of the phase issues that produce mics, of course, and you might find some
different speakers. If working with two unwanted tonal changes. useful results that way. For example,
a three-mic setup known as the ‘phase EQ’
technique can provide you with oodles of
tonal control at mixdown. But generally
I prefer to keep things uncomplicated,
since using multiple mics can easily
introduce phase variations that weaken
your sound rather than make it stronger.
Which options work for you will depend
on the tools and spaces you have at your
disposal, but I urge you to try any mic
and/or DI arrangement you can dream up,
just to see what happens. If putting your
amp in the bathroom and aiming one of
the mics down the toilet gives you the
result you’re after, then why not? The only
real rule is that it should sound good in
the context of the track — curiosity costs
Pairing a capacitor mic with a moving-coil dynamic is also common. Here, you can see a Neumann nothing but time and the rewards can be
U67 and SM57 combined by engineer Vance Powell on a Fender Princeton amp. very worthwhile.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 97
 F E ATU R E

HUGH ROBJOHNS

I
n days gone by, analogue consoles
included a monitor section that, at the
e
very least, provided a volume control
(usually the largest knob on the desk)
and a source selector, typically to switch
between monitoring the mix output and An Introductory Guide
one or two external two-track recorder
playbacks. Today, most of the studio Why might you need a dedicated monitor controller — and
action centres around a computer, DAW what separates the good models from the bad?
software and an audio interface. Without
a console, you’ll either need your DAW the same tasks, and can be a very disappear gracefully into the (dithered)
and audio interface to perform those cost-effective solution: the signal path noise floor, just as in the analogue world:
duties — or a monitor controller. from interface to speakers is direct there’s absolutely no ‘loss of resolution’
and simple, with nothing in between relative to an analogue volume control.
Can I Just Use My Interface? to degrade the signal; a multi-channel What is important, though, is to work
In its most basic form, a monitor controller interface can cater for multiple sources with a properly optimised gain structure
controls the listening volume of a single and destinations; and your DAW can be throughout the monitoring signal path.
set of speakers. Most also include some used for various signal checks. This ensures that the interface’s noise
means of switching between a few The fact that most interfaces adjust floor is kept as low as possible. Most
sources, and of sending the selected the monitoring volume digitally seems to budget interfaces’ D-A converters are
source to different loudspeaker and concern some people: for each 6dB of capable of 115dB or more dynamic
headphone systems. More elaborate units digital attenuation you use one less bit range, and most nearfield monitors can
enable you to check various aspects of of the source’s word length through the produce peaks at 1m of around 112dB
the monitored signal and possibly control D-A converter, so that must mean less SPL or more. So, if the peak digital output
artists’ cue headphones. ‘resolution’, right? No! The signal-to-noise level is aligned to match the peak SPL
The combination of DAW and audio ratio does decrease as the signal is capability of the speakers, the interface’s
interface is capable of performing attenuated, but the quietest elements noise floor will lie comfortably below the

98 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m
threshold of hearing: -3dB SPL, with the A simple passive monitor
above figures. I covered the optimisation controller can work well, but can
of the monitoring path gain structure in be compromised if using long
detail in a 2014 article, which you’ll find cables. Some models, like this
Mackie Big Knob Passive, feature
on the SOS website: http://sosm.ag/
a Dim control, that allows you
reference-monitoring. to monitor temporarily at lower
What most interfaces don’t offer is levels without disturbing the
any signal-conditioning functions so, volume control.
in such a setup, these must typically
be performed in the DAW software,
and some DAWs make that easier than passive designs
others. For example, Cubase Pro and employ elaborate
Nuendo include a Control Room facility switched attenuators
for switching between different speaker as precision volume
and headphone sets, setting and recalling controls. Some even
reference levels and hosting plug-ins in use bespoke multi-tap
the monitoring path. transformers. However, it’s difficult to signal-check facilities. Low-level,
That all sounds very promising, doesn’t include complex signal-conditioning unbalanced consumer signal sources
it? So why bother with a dedicated options in a passive controller. can also be accommodated because the
monitor controller? Actually, there are Many people believe that passive necessary gain is easy to provide.
various reasons. First, although computer controllers are inherently better than Naturally, active monitor controllers
crashes are rarer today than in the early active ones simply because there are cost more to make than simple passive
days of DAWs they still happen, and no electronics in the signal path to add types, and most upmarket monitor
when they do there’s a chance that the noise or distortion, but the reality is more controllers are active. But not all
audio interface crashes too, generating nuanced. Provided the connecting cables good ones are expensive: the ‘sweet
full-level noises that aren’t good for are kept reasonably short (a couple spot’ for home studios is probably
speakers or the listener’s ears. Having of metres or less), they usually work in the $300-600 range, where you’ll
a reliable volume knob or mute switch perfectly well, so at the budget end of find technically well-specified and
a hand-stretch away can be an ‘ear-saver’. the market, they can offer good value. well-equipped products from the likes
Another consideration is that A potential downside, though, is that as of Drawmer, Audient and SPL. The
a standalone controller makes it possible the volume control is adjusted the source bottom line, whether a model is active or
to select and audition external sources device ‘sees’ a varying input impedance, passive, is that if the volume is set to unity
when the computer is powered down. For while the loudspeakers receive a signal and you can hear a quality difference
example, you can connect a CD player, from a varying source impedance. With when the monitor controller is plugged
or take a minijack feed from a phone. good design and short cables these in or bypassed, it’s not good enough:
Or perhaps you want to play a synth or variations aren’t usually problematic, but if a monitor controller’s role is to allow you
through a hardware amp modeller without working with vintage impedance-matched
booting up your PC. equipment or long cables, they can cause
Furthermore, as a hardware controller a loss of high frequencies and introduce Desktop Or Rackmount?
is a self-contained entity, there’s no need distortion. Radio-frequency interference Most basic monitor controllers are desktop
to dedicate space on your screen for (RFI) is often a concern too, particularly devices that put all the controls within
monitoring functions, or to switch screen with budget passive controllers, because easy reach, while more elaborate models
views to get at them — something which many don’t maintain an accurate often host the electronics and most I/O in
I find can become particularly tiresome if impedance balance between the hot a rackmount chassis. Some have front-panel
controls, but more expensive versions
working on a laptop. and cold sides of the balanced signal
usually involve a desktop remote control.
Finally, using a monitor controller paths, which substantially degrades the While the all-in-one desktop units are
means that you can employ multiple common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). convenient in many ways, they inevitably
speaker sets without using up dedicated Active designs employ electronics entail several cables snaking across the desk
audio interface I/O, and that can mean to buffer the inputs and outputs, to and keeping this neat and your controller
that you have a wider range of audio ensure stable and properly optimised securely in place can be challenging. In
a rackmounting system that cabling is kept
interface options within your budget. input and output impedances and good
well out of the way and, if using a ‘producer’
CMRRs, so long cables or unusual source style desk with built-in racking, a model
Active Or Passive? and destination impedances can be with front-panel controls can be convenient.
The simplest monitor controllers are accommodated. With good design, the Most remote controls communicate using
passive volume controls comprising noise and distortion introduced by the digital command signals, so there’s usually
a potentiometer or adjustable attenuator active circuitry is far below audibility, no practical restriction to the cable length.
However, a few rackmount models route
in a desktop box. However, passive often bordering on being unmeasurable.
audio signals from the chassis to the control
controllers are not always cheap and Active designs also make it easier to and back, and in those cases the use of long
basic. Many include alternative input incorporate additional functionality like remote cables can potentially degrade the
selection and multiple loudspeaker headphone amps, talkback and metering, signal quality.
output routing, and some very expensive as well as making it easier to implement

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 99
 F E ATU R E
MONITOR CONTROLLERS

Some models, such Heritage Audio’s RAM System 2000, include a Bluetooth receiver, which could prove handy given that most new smartphones lack mini-jacks!

to hear only what is presented by the unbalanced consumer equipment is ‘trim’ the level of selected inputs.
source signal, so it is essential that it adds often important too. A mini-jack socket, It’s often helpful to be able to
nothing and takes nothing away. for example, allows many smartphones audition signals on a couple of different
to be hooked up. Many more advanced monitoring systems. The primary
Inputs & Outputs monitor controllers also include digital reference would typically be a set of
A basic requirement of a monitor and/or USB inputs and a reference-grade full-range, high-quality speakers, perhaps
controller is to allow comparison D-A converter, and some models with headphones as a secondary
between a current work-in-progress now cater for Bluetooth streaming. option. In addition, checking a mix on
and a reference: assuming you want to When comparing sources, it’s usually a set of compact and limited-bandwidth
work with an external reference source important that they have the same speakers gives a useful impression of
like a CD player, that means at least two perceived volume, so what someone listening on a TV or laptop
stereo inputs. Most studio equipment the better-equipped computer might hear. Where multiple
has balanced analogue line-level monitor controllers speaker outputs are provided, the
outputs, but the ability to include facilities monitor controller usually incorporates
accept signals from to adjust or facilities to adjust the level of the
additional outputs relative to the primary
set, so that the SPL in the room doesn’t
change significantly when switching
between systems.
In installations involving a subwoofer, it
can be helpful if the sub can be switched
on and off from the monitoring controller
(that may require bass-management
facilities in the controller rather than
the sub), and in multi-channel
rooms it’s generally necessary
to be able to switch between the
surround speaker set and a stereo
set, to check downmixes. It’s
preferable to check mono compatibility
on a single dedicated mono speaker
too, so an output configurable for that
purpose can be useful.

Drawmer are one of a handful On The Level

of companies offering very capable
active monitor controllers at an It’s important not to disturb the main
accessible price for the average volume control, because we automatically
home and project studio. acquire an acoustic frame of reference

100 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

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 F E ATU R E
MONITOR CONTROLLERS

when working at a consistent listening

volume; if that volume changes, our
frame of reference changes too, and
mixing decisions made with the different
monitor levels come out differently. More
sophisticated monitor controllers usually
allow a ‘reference’ listening level to be
recalled at the press of a button. With
less elaborate systems, we rely on using
a calibration mark around the volume
control — I often use a wax pencil mark.
Ideally, this would be around the 1 or 2
o’clock positions, where ganged rotary
pot controls offer the most precise
gain adjustment and accurate tracking
between channels, leaving an extra 10-12
dB of gain for checking low-level sounds.
After the volume control and source/
speaker selection, I find that the most
useful controls are the Dim and Mute
buttons. Mute kills sound whereas Dim
reduces the level, typically by 20dB, and
they’re useful if you need to quickly quash
loud sounds (such as someone moving
or unplugging a mic) or have a discussion
in the control room, without shouting The control panel of the author’s Crookwood mastering console, which features all the signal-check
facilities discussed here.
over the music or changing the volume
setting. Importantly, a Dim button allows up incorrectly, or there could be problems can be inverted individually. Flipping the
you to check a mix at low levels — which with local reflective surfaces. Some polarity of one channel provides a helpful
can be very helpful in identifying balance monitor controllers also include a balance ‘sanity check’ when auditioning very wide
problems — without disturbing the volume control to shift the image centre left or or ‘phasey’ mixes: if the mix becomes
control. But it also neatly side-steps the right, to compensate for the individual more stable and focused with the polarity
problem that most ganged potentiometers listener’s hearing; different people have reversed, there’s probably an unwanted
suffer from very poor channel tracking at different sensitivity in each ear, and so polarity inversion in the recorded signal.
low volume settings, causing the image perceive ‘the middle’ differently. Most acoustic signals have a distinct
balance to be offset and/or move around Listening to summed mono on two natural polarity, typically with more
wildly with small changes in volume. speakers is the default condition, but positive energy (compression) than
it creates a very different impression, negative (rarefaction). Ideally, the monitor
Signal-check Facilities particularly of the low end, from listening system should reproduce sound in the
Most monitor controllers cover the to mono on a single speaker. More same polarity, often called absolute
basic signal-switching and conditioning capable monitor controllers allow the phase, and flipping the polarity of both
facilities described above, but when summed-mono signal to be routed channels simultaneously allows that
auditioning music or other recorded to a single speaker in a stereo pair — condition to be checked. Many monitor
signals, other tools can help you identify traditionally the left one — and some can systems will sound quite different if, for
common problems. The most important be configured to route the summed-mono example, kick drum transients cause the
is undoubtedly the ability to check mono signal to a separate dedicated woofers to move inwards instead of out!
compatibility, which requires listening to ‘mono-check’ loudspeaker. If this facility Polarity reverse functions should
the sum of the left and right channels. isn’t provided, an acceptable alternative is be implemented before the mono sum
This summed signal is likely to be louder to send summed mono to both speakers, circuitry, so that when the right-channel
than either channel individually, so then mute the right speaker, which polarity reverse and summed-mono
most (not all) mono-summation circuits requires individual channel mute controls facilities are both employed the output
introduce an overall attenuation of 3-6 dB, in addition to the overall mute function. is L-R instead of L+R. This is the ‘stereo
to maintain a consistent listening level. Usefully, though, this facility doubles as difference’ signal, or Sides channel.
This summed-mono signal is typically a channel solo: auditioning each channel Soloing the Sides channel makes it
routed to both speakers, which is useful in isolation can help you identify problems quick and easy to align channel gains
for checking the location and focus of on a single channel, which can be difficult on stereo sources or stereo mic arrays,
the phantom image. In a correctly setup to detect with both channels running. as well as to assess what’s being lost in
system that should manifest as a narrow, The next most useful feature is the summed-mono signal. The stereo
sharply-focused sound source precisely a polarity reverse (often mislabelled difference signal is very revealing of
mid-way between the two speakers. If ‘phase’). It’s usually applied to the right the damage imposed by lossy codec
not, one speaker may be defective or set channel but occasionally each channel formats such as MP3: lower bit-rates

102 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 provided for an external metering system.
What About Surround? Sometimes the DAW input is made
available at buffered outputs to feed
Multi-channel monitor controllers normally or mono listeners. Ideally, the contribution of each external hardware recorders.
include options to work with stereo as well as channel into the stereo down-mix is adjustable
various multi-channel surround speaker formats, to suit different platform requirements, but many Decisions...
and often include facilities to insert signal offer only a fixed generic downmix matrix. With
processors into the monitoring path, as some so many channels, individual channel mutes Different virtual or hardware monitor
legacy formats require monitoring through the can usually be switched to operate as individual controllers include different subsets of the
complete encode-decode signal chain. They also channel solos instead, but all of the signal features and facilities described above.
typically provide an option to audition a stereo conditioning and auditioning facilities mentioned Selection of an appropriate model depends
down-mix in addition to summed-mono, to check here are typically available (or can be created)
on the physical installation requirements,
compatibility between different mix formats and in the virtual monitor controller section of many
ensure that nothing essential is omitted for stereo DAWs, too. and your normal workflow patterns and
personal preferences. I would prioritise
the ability to set a reliable reference
affect stereo imaging and reverberation whether a channel swap has occurred listening level above all else, followed by
character significantly. somewhere in the plugging. Taken having dim and mute buttons easily to
Other useful facilities are left-right together with the polarity inversion hand, being able to check summed mono
swap and mono left/mono right: the functions, these facilities allow individual on a single speaker, and access to the
mono left/right modes route the selected auditioning of the Mid, Sides, Left and stereo difference signal — these are the
channel to both monitor speakers, while Right elements of a stereo programme. functions I use all the time. If your budget
the left-right swap exchanges the two Many monitor controllers are intended is tight and most of what you want to
channels. The former is helpful when to serve as the central control hub of check emanates from the DAW, you could
working with single-channel material or a project studio, with facilities for artist consider a hybrid approach whereby your
assessing the quality of each channel headphone monitoring (with independent DAW provides sophisticated signal-check
independently. The latter is useful for source selection and talkback). Metering facilities, and feeds a simple monitor
identifying where different elements is sometimes included internally too, controller offering external inputs, a level
are in the stereo image, and confirming but more often, a dedicated output is control and mute/dim.

w .so do co / Oct r 2 021 1

 MI X R E S C U E

Kirsty Cooke
There are times when a mix engineer needs to do more than just
mixing — even if that takes you out of your comfort zone!

The free Arturia Analog Lab Lite plug-in provided

track. Realising that potential required the perfect piano sound for the song.
SAM INGLIS
a lot of conventional mixing work — but it

M
ission creep is a fact of life in also meant stepping out of that box. The sophistication of Kirsty’s vocal
mixing. Our job is to generate arrangement was obvious on opening
a finished track that sounds
Imagination the beautifully organised multitrack.
good. If that can only be achieved by ‘Heydays’ is a heartfelt ballad, with She had exported the backing vocals in
editing, pitch and timing correction, Kirsty’s voice backed by piano, strings, named groups, suggesting that they were
replacing sounds or even adding new synth bass, numerous backing vocal parts not intended to form a single choir-like
parts, so be it. The challenge is to know and a handful of other elements. She mass, but distinct parts with their own
when this additional work is necessary, wanted the vocal to be quite forward, musical identities. All of them had been
and to retain enough objectivity to judge “like a solo vocalist in front of a choir generated using her own voice, with
whether it’s really helping. in front of an orchestra”, but in her own artificial harmony generation extending
This month’s Mix Rescue was a case mix, the backing instruments were too her impressive range even further. The
in point. Kirsty Cooke had posted several low in level and very reverberant; and vocals were supplied dry, but the piano
iterations of her song ‘Heydays’ on the although the prominence of the lead recording had rather more reverb baked
SOS Forum, but despite lots of helpful vocal highlighted the excellence of the in than I’d have liked, so my first step
feedback from Forum members, the mix performance, it also brought out loud was to recreate a new version from the
wasn’t quite fulfilling her vision for the breaths, sibilants and harshness. MIDI part.

104 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Kirsty had mentioned John Lennon’s When you have more than
‘Imagine’ as a point of reference for the 30 vocal tracks to contend
piano sound and, slightly to my surprise, with, it’s obviously a massive
I discovered the perfect patch in the free time-saver if you can handle
Arturia Analog Lab Lite plug-in supplied these issues using automated
with Pro Tools. This let me vary the tools such as compressors,
hardness of the virtual hammers to dial de-essers and so on. But in
in an appropriately muted tone. I then a case like this, where the
put together different impulse responses issues are clearly audible even
in HOFA’s IQ-Reverb V2 until I had in the raw tracks, and the level
something that sounded both intimate variations aren’t necessarily
and expansive, and turned my attention related to the content of the
to the vocals. parts, there is only so much
that these tools can do. In other
Marginal Gains words, you need to roll up
Hearing the vocals in isolation made clear your sleeves and get busy with
that the issues I was noticing in Kirsty’s the mouse.
would need dealing with at source. Given There are a few ways to go
that these parts had been recorded on here, depending on the tools
an AKG D5 — an inexpensive handheld available in your DAW. Since
mic — the overall tone was surprisingly Avid introduced Clip Gain into
good, and there were no issues with Pro Tools, my preference has
background noise or spill. However, some been to start a mix with the
breaths were distractingly loud, and faders at zero, and use this
sibilants and ’t’ sounds likewise stood feature to adjust the levels of
out jarringly, especially when they were any clips that are inaudible
duplicated in stacked parts. As is often or much too loud. I took this
the case when the singer is moving the approach further here by
mic around, the vocal levels also varied making the Clip Gain line visible
rather unpredictably, with sudden level and using it to write clip-level
changes in the middle of notes, or quietly automation, aiming to do most
sung notes coming through louder than of the heavy lifting at the lowest possible Clip Gain was used extensively to control levels
before the signal hit the Pro Tools mixer. This is just
belted ones. level. One benefit of doing it this way is
one small group of backing vocal clips!

that the height of the on-screen waveform

Rescued This Month reflects the adjustments you make, giving
Kirsty Cooke is a solo songwriter, vocalist and three years studying Digital Music at Brighton you a handy visual guide as to what
producer based in Somerset, UK. Her writing University back in 2004 where she discovered sort of level to aim for. Another is that it
style varies depending on the message she her love of music for film and soundtrack, leaves track fader automation available as
needs to convey in her music, fluctuating from and tries to draw this type of emotion into her a second line of defence for fine-tuning.
electronic pop and trip-hop styles through music. She releases independently and you
It will be apparent from the screen
to more cinematic emotional songs such as can listen on all streaming platforms. ‘Heydays’
‘Heydays’, hence taking on an eclectic mix will be available to stream and download on all captures just how much Clip Gain
of references during writing. Kirsty spent platforms from 20th August. automation I ended up writing. The total
number of automation nodes ran into four
figures, and there were places where
I redid it several times. It’s vital to audition
the results in context, especially with
backing vocals. When there’s a prominent
consonant or sibilance in six parts
simultaneously, it’s often necessary to
make much more drastic moves than you
might do in an exposed lead part.
I also bussed each thematic group of
backing vocals to its own stereo Aux. As
most of them included obviously artificial
harmonies anyway, there seemed little
point in aiming to have them sound
natural. Instead, I decided to try to give
each group its own ‘signature sound’.
This involved using a different saturation
or band-limiting process on each Aux,

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 105

 MI X R E S C U E
KIRSTY COOKE

Leapwing Audio’s
StageOne stereo width plug-in
was used to spread the
The Perils Of Doubling
backing vocals. One thing that puzzled me about Kirsty’s own
mix of ‘Heydays’ was a sudden huge jump
in the level of the lead vocal, about a minute
but also the creation of
in. Opening the multitrack revealed a not
separate, deliberately uncommon problem in mixing. To try to give
‘characterful’ reverb the vocal a stereo spread, she had duplicated
treatments. In one it and panned the copies hard left and right;
case, for example, but unless these duplicates are shifted in
I fed a rotary speaker time or pitch, they’ll simply recombine with
the original part to give a louder mono vocal.
emulation from IK’s
To achieve any sense of width, the duplicates
Mixbox into SoundToys’ need to be processed to make them different
Little Plate; elsewhere, from the main part, and each other.
I had a lot of fun with
the more weird and
wonderful IRs from IQ-Reverb. Finally, in this case, though, I bussed all the would receive a small gain boost in
reasoning that the centre of the stereo lead elements to a single Aux track to the midrange and highs, but loud ones
field belonged to the lead vocal, I bussed recombine them and apply processing. would provoke compression in the
all the backing vocal Auxes to a global This included Oeksound’s Spiff plug-in, same regions.
Aux where I used Leapwing Audio’s which I find to be very effective at Reverb is crucial on an exposed
StageOne to spread them as wide as attenuating unwanted spittiness and ballad vocal, but again, it can be difficult
I dared. other transient elements. to get right. The treatment needs to
Conventional EQ is often of limited give the vocal that all-important sense
Leading Role value on this sort of vocal, because the of spacious, lavish opulence, but at the
In contrast with the backing vocals, the same treatment that enhances a softly same time, it needs to be intimate, as
lead vocal needed to sound as natural sung verse makes a powerful chorus though the singer is standing next to
as possible — and, perversely, this harsh or brittle. Again, there are several you. The key here is to use plenty of
meant doing quite a lot to it! Reducing ways you can get around this. You can pre-delay to separate the vocal from the
breaths and ‘ess’ sounds in level by split the verses and choruses out to reverberation, and to keep the reverb
exactly the right amount to create the separate tracks and apply different itself quite dark. This led me to a vintage
illusion of naturalness is always a delicate treatments. You can automate an EQ Lexicon-style hall algorithm in Relab’s
balancing act, and I decided this would plug-in to apply different settings at LX480 Essentials, augmented in small
be achieved most easily by splitting them different points in the song. Or you can doses by a much larger patch from
out to a separate track. Doing this also do what I did, which is to use multiband EastWest’s QL Spaces II.
allows them to be processed differently, dynamics, in this case FabFilter’s Pro-MB. Another thing to bear in mind is
which can be handy if for instance you I divided the frequency spectrum up into that you don’t always want the vocal
want to use a super-bright vocal reverb; three bands, set so that quiet signals reverb and other effects to remain static

Achieving a natural lead vocal sound meant splitting problem sounds such as esses and breaths to their own separate tracks.

106 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

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 MI X R E S C U E
KIRSTY COOKE

throughout the song. It’s worth looking drone-like bass patch in Sonic Academy’s
for opportunities to use delay throws to well-equipped ANA 2 completed the job.
highlight single words, moments where The string arrangement was rather more
you might want to ride up or duck the challenging! Kirsty’s original arrangement
reverb levels, and so on. In the mix of featured just viola and cello, with no violins.
‘Heydays’ I tried to add a subtle extra The cello part contained two lines, with
dimension to the choruses by bringing in a lot of thirds and other closely spaced
a very short, pitch-shifted stereo delay. intervals that wouldn’t usually be found in
Keeping the vocal at the right level the nether regions of a string arrangement.
against the backing required not only the These congested lower registers,
use of a conventional compressor and the combined with a general lack of motion,
aforementioned Clip Gain adjustments, meant that it had a tendency to disappear
but also plenty of fader automation. The into and muddy the mix.
last chorus featured a second lead vocal; Rather than use Kirsty’s original as
this received similar treatment, but with a template, I decided to see if I could
the addition of some stereo spreading write a completely new arrangement.
from SoundToys’ Microshift to try to keep What was needed, I decided, was not
it out of the way of the first. a full symphonic string section, but a more
intimate chamber ensemble. Spitfire Audio
Pulling The Strings advised that their Chamber Strings should
At this stage, I had what seemed to me be perfect, and so it proved.
a pretty great-sounding piano ballad. My first step was to bounce out the
But whenever I tried to reintegrate the existing vocal-and-piano mix and load it
A suitably dark-sounding lead vocal reverb was
other elements of the arrangement, it into a new Pro Tools session, allowing
derived from Relab’s LX480 Essentials.
just didn’t work. No amount of EQ, reverb me to lower the buffer size in order to
or compression seemed to help, and but her part was perhaps a bit too busy, play string parts from a keyboard without
I became convinced that the problem was with occasional wide leaps and staccato noticeable latency. Then, I worked out
down to the arrangement. So, with Kirsty’s notes that just manifested themselves as the chords from the piano part and wrote
permission, I hopped across the line that a momentary loss of low end. This was them to the Chord track in Pro Tools. This
separates mixing and production. easily sorted by simply removing any note revealed a slightly unusual song structure,
I liked Kirsty’s idea of using a deep, shorter than a minim, and making sure with a bridge section that appeared only
sustained, almost organ-like sound to that the remaining long notes didn’t stray after the first verse, and a restless chord
fill out the very bottom end of the mix, on to the fifth of the chord. A suitably sequence in the chorus. Each chorus

The string arrangement was drafted in a separate Pro Tools session, with the Chord track (top) providing a helpful reference.

108 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

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 MI X R E S C U E
KIRSTY COOKE

was preceded by the dominant chord

of Bb; however, instead of resolving Remix Reaction
immediately to Eb, the chorus began on
the subdominant, and only visited the “I could hear in my head exactly how I wanted a piano and vocal piece only, but it just didn’t
tonic chord in passing before working its the song to sound: big, emotive but well seem up to par with the lyrical content, hence
balanced. I sought advice on the SOS Forum as I added cello, bass and viola to fatten it up, but
way back to the dominant again.
the mix was sounding muddy and unbalanced. there was a certain edge missing.
A Bluffer’s Guide To I wanted my vocal to stand out, but it was “My original mix didn’t accommodate the
overpowering the instrumentation as well as the lower frequencies enough to give a very rich
String Arranging backing vocals drowning each other out. I got sound, my piano was especially lacking in the
With the vocal melody more or less a to a point where I managed to mix the vocals low end. I mentioned to Sam I loved the piano
internalised through repeated playing, to a better standard, however the main vocal timbre in John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’ and I think
was always far too loud during the chorus after he did a fantastic job of emulating this, which
and the chords laid out in front of me,
mixdown when I attempted to double the track is really very special for me as ‘Imagine’ was
I worked through the song in sections, and give it some stereo width. On top of this a song that my father loved and this song was
sketching out and refining ideas. I am the instrumentation was dwarfed by the many written for him.
no Igor Stravinsky, so any attempt on vocal backing tracks during chorus sections and “The addition of the string arrangement
my part to compose anything of this sort I struggled getting the levels to sit right without Sam added has really helped all those vocal
takes a long time, involves a lot of trial peaking it despite spending many hours playing parts to slot into place without overpowering
with automation, EQ and plug-ins. the instruments. The track still feels vocally led
and error, and generally results in quite
“When Sam offered to assist with the mixing but now has that ‘big fat’ sound with the nicely
a bit of cursing. What follows should be and string arrangement, I was excited to see balanced ‘big notes’ that I heard originally in
taken as the lessons of bitter experience what he could come up with. I can’t lie, I was my head. I had mentioned to Sam that I like the
rather than formal training or theoretical a blubbering wreck when I first listened to build-ups and big orchestral sounds of Florence
correctness! With that in mind, here are his new arrangement/mix as it just sounded Welch and he has delivered beautifully on all
a few thoughts that might be helpful to so emotive and beautiful, with big cinematic these references. Thank you, Sam for bringing
anyone in a similar position: movements that are utterly captivating. When this song up to its potential, you have done
I originally wrote the song it was going to be a wonderful job!”

• Less is more. Don’t feel that every bar

must have string action, or that all the to reinforce the harmony, try to think of for the first verse or chorus, don’t
instruments need to be playing all the melodic or motivic ideas that mirror or automatically copy and paste it to the
time. Solo lines or two-part harmonies answer what’s going on in other parts. others. Think about how it might be
can be very effective, especially These can always be simplified if they varied, extended or built on to take the
if they’re juxtaposed with denser get too busy. listener on a journey through the song.
arrangement elsewhere. • Don’t be lazy. Once you’ve come • If you’re struggling to get started,
• Rather than just playing block chords up with an arrangement that works begin with the outer parts — usually

Spitfire Audio’s Chamber Strings offered an intimate string sound which was just right for the song.

110 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Ducking in action: the
upper-mid band is keyed from the
external side-chain input, named
‘LV Limit Out’, with a heavily
limited version of the lead vocal.
the first violins and the
cellos — and fill in the
inner parts later.
• Whilst you don’t need
to follow all the ‘rules’
of harmony in order to
produce an effective
arrangement, it’s worth
knowing some of the
most important ones.
They are rules because,
by and large, the things
they prohibit tend
to sound bad! So, in
general, it’s desirable
to avoid parallel fifths
and octaves; don’t use
chords in the second
inversion except under
very specific circumstances; aim for ‘fussy’, and it took plenty of MIDI editing is to place a compressor across the
wide spacings between the lowest to prune them to a reasonably happy backing Aux and send directly from the
parts and closer ones in the upper medium. I tried to reinforce the dynamics vocal to its side-chain input. The problem
parts; and avoid doubling the fifth note of the song by using soft, staccato sounds with this is that you get more ducking
of a chord if you have the option to in the quieter choruses, and switching to when the vocal is loud, and less or none
double the root or third instead. legato for the more dramatic choruses. when the vocal is quiet — yet it’s the
• Any good string library will include I even sneaked in a bar of trills at the end loudest sections of the vocal that need
different articulations such as of the bridge. less help from ducking. To counteract
pizzicato, marcato, staccato and so Whatever its musical merits, or this tendency, I sent from the vocal to
on, which can be selected using otherwise, the new arrangement at least a separate mono Aux, used a limiter
keyswitches — low notes on the made life easier from a mix point of plug-in to completely flatline it, and
keyboard that are below the range view. With fewer notes crammed into the then sent that signal to the compressor
of the actual instruments. Used congested area below Middle C, it didn’t side-chain. This makes it easy to achieve
judiciously, these can add interest, clog up the low midrange; and its more a consistent amount of gain reduction.
life and realism to your arrangement. melodic, mobile nature helped it stand Rather than using a conventional
Used injudiciously, they can sound out even at a fairly low level. It didn’t hurt compressor on the instrument Aux, I used
like a complete mess. The more exotic that Spitfire’s Chamber Strings sounds another instance of Pro-MB to target the
ones should be avoided unless you great, too. upper midrange where things needed
really know what you’re doing! Nevertheless, fitting everything to be kept particularly clear for the
• String sounds take time to ‘speak’. together was still a challenge, and there vocals. There was also a whole lot more
In MIDI terms, this means that was a tendency for other elements to compression going on on the mix bus
hard-quantised notes will often sound fight with the lead vocal for attention than I’d normally be comfortable with, but
late. Go with what sounds right, not during the chorus. To keep the lead vocal that seemed the best way to achieve the
what looks right. in its rightful position — in front of the mix, sense that everything else was present,
• Be open minded to the possibility that but not so much so as to make the rest of yet behind the voice.
the ideas you come up with on a MIDI the track sound small — I routed all the Some songs invite you to throw the
keyboard might actually work better backing vocals and all the instruments to kitchen sink at them, and I did consider
with other sounds, not just strings. stereo Auxes, so I could use the vocal as adding drums or electric guitars too.
a trigger to duck them. ‘Heydays’ is certainly strong enough
The most basic way to set up ducking to stand the treatment, but by this
Putting it All Together point it was working pretty well in its
To my mind, the ideal string arrangement current incarnation, and I decided that
is one that adds melodic and harmonic Hear For Yourself I’d stepped far enough beyond the
interest to the song whilst supporting, Audio examples to accompany this article remit of the mix engineer already. The
rather than overshadowing, the other can be heard by visiting http://sosm.ag/ problem with mission creep is that,
elements. Several times I found my own mix-rescue-1021. unless you keep a firm watch on it, it
attempts yo-yoing between ‘boring’ and never stops!

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 111

 T E CH NI Q U E
Live

1: A C-major triad is inverted with different

Introduce to understand, and then build a MIDI Effect Rack for
inverting MIDI on the fly.
targets (top), and a C-major scale is inverted
and transposed up a major third (bottom).
some creative When Up Is Down top of screen 1, you would transpose the
weirdness with For MIDI clips, the Invert button in the Notes tab of F-minor chord down one octave to get C3
MIDI inversion. Live’s MIDI clip editor does the job, but in an unusual
way. Instead of rotating notes around an axis, it
as the axis of inversion.
You’ll notice that the key usually
measures each note’s distance above the lowest changes when you invert. If you invert
LEN SASSO
note in the clip (the ‘base’) and then moves it to that an ascending C-major scale, you’ll wind
distance below the highest note in the clip (the ‘target’). up with a descending C Phrygian scale

T
his month we’ll That in itself can produce useful results, but it doesn’t (Ab-major scale played from C to C).
have a look at MIDI give you control over the axis. However, that’s easily You can work around the scale change
inversion, a simple fixed by adding the desired top and bottom notes by transposing after the fact, or as just
but sometimes bewildering when the existing ones don’t suit. (Deactivate the described, by adding a note (an E in this
technique for breathing new added notes so that they don’t play in the inverted clip.) case) above the original scale before
life into your MIDI clips and For example,
streams. Inversion changes if you want to
the relationship between have C as the
notes in a chord or melody axis of rotation,
so that up becomes down ensure that
while distance is preserved. both the top
For example, a major triad will and bottom
invert to a minor triad, and notes are
a melody will invert vertically Cs, invert the
to a mirror image of itself. clip and then
But the root of the inverted transpose up or
triad or key of the inverted down by octaves
melody might be anything. to move the top C to
For the complete answer the axis you want. In the
we need to know the ‘axis’ middle example at the
around which the inversion is
measured. In Live it is possible
2: A MIDI Inverter Rack
to invert MIDI in clips or in for processing incoming MIDI
real time. We’ll start with clips, played live or from a clip or
where the process is easier generated by a sequencer.

112 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

inverting. One way to think 3: A Pass Thru
about the scale change is chain is added to the
to consider the sequence Inverter Rack from
of intervals that make up screen 2 to allow
unprocessed and
the scale. For an ascending
inverted segments of
major scale this is 2212221 incoming MIDI.
measured in semitones.
Inverting the scale gives upward from C
you the same sequence with the right
descending, resulting hand (Google ‘Joe
in the C Phrygian scale. Zawinul inverted
Transposing that up a major keyboard’).
third gives you an E Phrygian scale, The February 2019 Live
taking you back to the key of C. column, ‘Melody Makers’,
A handy thing to keep in mind is covers a number of step
that when some notes in a clip are sequencers, all of which make
selected, only those notes are inverted. good sources for inversion.
For example, if you start with a C-major Step Sequencer from the
triad followed by an F-major triad and free M4L Big Three Pack is
select them one at a time to invert, you’ll a good place to start: insert it
get a C-minor triad followed by an F-minor before the Inverter Rack, add
triad, whereas if you invert them together, for each C-to-B octave as shown at the an empty chain to the Rack, insert a Pitch
you’ll get an F-minor triad followed by bottom of screen 2. Set the Rack’s Key effect in that chain and map the Rack’s
a C-minor triad. The MIDI Note editor’s zones so that each chain only receives Range Lowest knob to the Pitch effect’s
Fold button is another useful tool. With the notes in its octave. Insert a Pitch MIDI Range setting. Range Lowest will now split
Fold engaged, all notes are pitch-corrected effect in each chain, set the C1 chain’s the input between inverted and normal.
to notes in the folded view. For example, Pitch effect to +96 st and then subtract 24 Insert a polyphonic instrument after the
a folded ascending C-major scale inverts to for each subsequent chain. For example, Rack and start the sequencer.
a descending C-major scale rather than to the C3 chain will have a 0 st Pitch setting
a descending C Phrygian scale. (or no Pitch effect) and the C7 chain will
A Different Drummer
have a -96 st Pitch setting. The chains will Inversion is also a useful tool for
Who Played That? then transpose their incoming C-to-B Key repurposing drum clips. Screen 3 starts
The first step in building a MIDI Effect zones so that the full C1 to B7 MIDI note with the Azimuth kit and five Azimuth MIDI
Rack to invert incoming MIDI is to set up range is inverted when passed through clips in Live’s Beat Tools Pack. A chain
Live’s Scale MIDI effect to do the inversion. the Scale effect. holding a Pitch MIDI effect is added to the
The Scale effect presents a 12-wide by To finish off the inverter Rack, insert Inverter Rack from screen 2 to allow some
13-high note matrix with incoming pitches a Pitch effect before the Octave Zones incoming MIDI notes (kicks, snares and
indicated by their horizontal position. Blue Rack, insert another Pitch effect after hi-hats, for example) to be passed directly
squares in the matrix indicate the outgoing the Scale effect and gather everything in to the Drum Rack. Macro knobs have been
pitch (vertical axis) corresponding to each a new Rack. Assign the new Rack’s Macro added to separate the ranges of the Pass
incoming pitch. In the default setting they knobs 1 and 2 to the first Pitch effect’s Thru and Inverter chains and to mute either
occupy the ascending diagonal from C Lowest and Range settings — they set chain. The simplest approach is to insert
to B, so that incoming equals outgoing. the range of notes that will be inverted. the Drum Rack after the Drum Kit Inverter
For inversion, we want to change that to Assign Macro knob 3 (‘Axis’) to Scale’s Rack, start a clip playing and twiddle the
the descending diagonal from the top C Transpose; that transposes the output knobs. The settings shown pass the kick,
down to C#. The only other Scale effect after inversion. Finally, assign Macro 4 to snares, hi-hat and clap unprocessed and
parameter we’ll use is Transpose, which I’ll the last Pitch effect’s Pitch knob. That’s send all other notes through the inverter.
get to in a bit. used for transposing the inverted output The Axis and Xpose knobs control what
Place an instrument after the (ie. the axis) by octaves. The first Pitch happens to the inverted notes, letting you
descending Scale effect, play a chromatic effect blocks notes outside of its range, shuffle the remaining kit pieces — voice,
scale ascending from C3 (middle C) and so if you enclose the Inverter Rack in synth, guitar and sound effects in this case.
you’ll hear a chromatic scale descending another Rack and add an empty chain with A more flexible approach is to add a MIDI
from C4. When you reach C4, the pitch will a Pitch effect or a restricted key range, track to capture each chain’s output and
jump two octaves to C5. Because we want you can split the incoming note stream to route the output of those tracks to the
the scale to continue to descend across between regular and inverted segments drum kit. I’ve done that in screen 3 and
the full keyboard, we need multi-octave playing different instruments. This can be added Follow Actions to the captured
transposes at each of these octave lots of fun with a full-size MIDI keyboard. clips to produce an ever-changing drum
transitions. This is the tricky part in building With a +4 Axis setting the descending track. Try the same strategy with audio
the Rack, and it’s a bit simpler if we limit keyboard geography mirrors the ascending clips sliced to Drum Racks (dialogue, scat
the note range to C1 through B7. Create geography, so that playing downward singing, chord progressions, sound effects
a MIDI effect Rack with nine chains — one from E with the left hand mimics playing and so on).

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 113

 T E CH NI Q U E
Logic
STEPHEN BENNETT We explore Logic Pro’s bounce and export options.

T
hough it may seem that things
were simpler in the ‘analogue
days’, delivering content for release
on vinyl or cassette was fraught with
problems. Variables such as differing tape
noise-reduction systems, badly maintained
or misaligned master tape machines
and equalisation choices in the cutting
room could mean disappointment when
you finally got to spin your latest opus.
It got easier for a while in the early days
of digital as all you needed to do was
supply a 44.1kHz, 24-bit file (or CD-R) to
your manufacturing plant and you’d be
reasonably sure it would sound the same
on CD playback. But with the explosion
in the delivery ecosystems for music,
you need to be sure that any files that
you send to a streaming site, duplication
plant or mastering engineer are of the
correct format.

All About The Basics

Most of the time, you’ll be bouncing out
(or rendering) stereo files, and the format
for these depends on where your music The Level Meter and Loudness Meter plug-ins offer plenty of options for keeping an eye on your track’s levels.
will end up. Logic’s Bounce and Export bounce once before looping back to see a level that is closer to that which the
features are accessed from the File menu. complete the actual rendering. This can real hardware would accept. It’s perfectly
If you open the Bounce window, you’ll see be useful when you want to have any possible to reduce the stereo master fader
that several options are available. You can effects from the end of your project, such to avoid your bounce clipping, but it is much
bounce the whole project or just a selection, as a reverb, incorporated into the start of better practice to avoid this by properly
in which case you need to make sure the the actual bounce — such as when making setting the gain of individual channels. What
start and end parameters are correctly set loops. The settings for the bounce will loudness level your bounce should be
— these values are also the same as those depend on the ultimate destination of your depends on the destination of your audio
for a Cycle region. If you have no external rendered audio. and, perhaps, the ‘market’ at which you are
hardware patched in, choose Offline aiming your music. Logic has a few metering
bounce, otherwise you’ll need to wait
Your Level Best tools that will help you set the correct levels,
while the whole track plays as it renders to The only rule here is that the output level so insert a Level Meter and Loudness
stereo in real time. The Include audio tail on the master Track should not go beyond Meter (both are found in the Metering
option is there to make sure any reverb or 0dB. While the internal processing in menu) as the last plug-ins on your Stereo
echo at the end of the bounce is captured, Logic means that it’s unlikely you’ll clip master channel.
but sometimes this can extend the song any individual channel, some plug-ins that Probably the most useful setting on the
length — so it’s better to make sure that the emulate vintage processors expect to Level Meter is True Peak & RMS, as this
last bar in the will alert you to any unexpected transients
bounce is beyond as well as give you an idea of the general
any residual loudness of the track. It’s instructive to play
processing. You your reference tracks through your Level
can load the Meter too — you’ll find that while peaks
bounce back are often hitting close to 0dBFS, the RMS
into Logic for usually sits at or below -12dBFS.
further editing if The Loudness Meter displays the
you wish. Loudness Units Full Scale (LUFS) of your
The 2nd file — the smaller the value, the greater
Cycle Pass the apparent loudness. It’s useful to know
option performs the LUFS of your bounce as some online
a ‘practice’ platforms specify a maximum value. Setting
the correct level for a bounce is usually
Logic’s various part of the mastering process though, so if
Bounce options. you’re bouncing out to send off to someone

114 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

with magical ears (and a treated studio), you’ll want your You can, of course, also bounce MP3 Ctrl-clicking on the Region
master track’s metering bouncing around at the -12 to -18 and AAC files directly from Logic if you want created and selecting Export as
dB level to give the mastering process some headroom. a quick and dirty way to audition your mix or, Audio file.
if you’re feeling brave and have a suitable
Formats burner, create a CD-R from your project. If
The Collaborators
If you’re bouncing your project as a file destined for CD you’ve recorded at high sample rates, you When I’m working remotely with
manufacture, you’ll choose PCM, AIFF (or WAV), 16-bit might need to downsample your audio for others, I normally send them
interleaved with dithering. This latter process is seen as distribution — I usually do this as a separate stems or audio files even if they
a bit of a black art but dithering introduces noise into process with my bounced files. The quality are using Logic, as you can
the bounce to ‘cover up’ the effects of the reduction of the various methods of sample rate never guarantee that the other
in bit depth. Some people can spot the quality of the conversion is quite a hot topic and, while it’s person will have access to all
different dither types, so if you are one of these, you can true that not all processing is equal, I have your instruments or plug-ins. If
experiment with the different dither types available. For found that loading higher sample rate audio they are using Logic, I usually
the rest of us, the UV22HR option should be fine. into a Logic project set to 44.1 or 48 kHz use the strangely named
Once bounced, the CD manufacturing process produces very acceptable results when ‘Replace All Tracks’, to ‘burn’
shouldn’t adulterate the audio further. For all other bounced out. the plug-ins and instruments as
platforms, you’ll need to take their advice as to what audio files. This is also a quick
format and loudness of audio they expect. For example,
Stem The Tide and easy way to make sure that
Spotify recommend the ITU 1770 (International Increasingly, engineers are requesting when you return to a project in
Telecommunication Union) standard of -14dB LUFS. stems rather than complete mixes. Those the future, you can still access
Most platforms will adjust your audio automatically to working in the film and TV world have any plug-ins that have been
the levels they require, so if you don’t want them to been supplying these for a while now and rendered obsolete by the
meddle with your carefully created tracks, it’s essential I’ve produced many stems this year for
that you give them exactly what they require. But as my online collaborations. Fundamentally,
a rule of thumb, for mastering, export your audio at the stems are just submixes of tracks. For
sample rate you recorded it at, with 24-bit depth and example you might create stems of vocals,
plenty of headroom, while for streaming, export your basses, drums, guitars and keyboards. The
audio at 24-bit and at a LUFS level requested by the creation of stems makes any post-mixing
platform. Logic’s Adaptive Limiter, placed just before balancing, and the creation of vocal-free
your meters, can help increase the average apparent mixes for advertisements and so on, much The Replace All Tracks option is
loudness of your bounce, so it’s worth experimenting easier. As I write, Logic unfortunately useful for sharing your audio with
with this — but be aware that too much gain reduction people who don’t use Logic.
doesn’t (yet) have a ‘stem bounce’ feature,
applied here can have deleterious effects on the audio, and creating them can take a little planning march of technology. You can
and a proper mastering process is a better option. and thought, depending on the way you choose to bypass all plug-ins
You can also use this plug-in to set the output ceiling work. We covered the creation of Stems for in your render, and whether
to make sure your audio never clips the output — but those working in the box and in a ‘hybrid’ to include automation in the
again, this is no cure for proper gain staging elsewhere fashion when using external hardware, in bounce. If my collaborator is
in your project. the May 2021 issue: www.soundonsound. not a Logic user, I’ll also include
com/techniques/exporting-logic-projects-o an exported MIDI file. Not only
ther-daws. will this contain any musical
notation for the instrument
Going Loopy parts, but also any tempo and
Many people use Logic to produce beats time-signature changes in the
and loops. These can be created from project (I make that kind of
a set of Regions, or by using the Live Loops music!). My colleague can then
window (covered in the October 2020 be sure that everything lines up
issue: www.soundonsound.com/techniques/ when adding further recordings.
live-loops-logic. The Export Region/Cell Andrew S Tanenbaum once
window has various options to make sure wrote, “The good thing about
you have all the metadata required when standards is that there are so
using these loops in other projects. many to choose from,” and the
Here you can determine if the beat loops digital music age has brought
and/or conforms to the project tempo or about an explosion of different
not. Choose the Instrument Descriptors distribution outlets, all requiring
carefully, as these will be searchable from different types of content.
the Loop Browser. You can set the Musical It’s always worth making
Scale and Key, if required, and a tempo for sure what format is required
the beat or loop. Once created, these are by each platform but, with
It’s possible to bounce your homemade loops directly into accessible from Logic’s Loop Browser and a little thought, Logic should
the Apple Loops library, along with metadata for tempo, key, genre can, of course, be exported as audio files be able to generate all of the
and so on. by dragging them to the Arrange page, files required.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 115

 T E CH NI Q U E
Studio One

The Tempo Track allows you to change the

tempo of your song, either abruptly, in a straight
Manipulate the timing minimum and maximum tempo range to
keep your focus where you need it and
ramp, or as a smooth curve.

of MIDI and audio with give a better resolution. You can create quite complex lines of
Your mouse pointer has two functions timing change, and there are a couple of
Studio One’s Tempo Track. within the Tempo Track. Firstly, in the ways of viewing them in the timeline. In
lower section of the track it becomes the top toolbar under Timebase you have
ROBIN VINCENT a pointy finger, which lets you add two options: Time-linear and Beat-Linear.
a tempo change at that point on the line. With Time-Linear the song pointer is

T
rying to keep everything together Secondly, if you hover towards the top always moving at a constant speed, so
is a bit of a lifelong mantra for of the track the cursor becomes a trim when you change the tempo the bar lines
musicians. Whether you prefer to tool, shown by a short horizontal line with on the timeline expand and contract to
languish in free-form movements or keep a vertical line on either end. If you click compensate for the changes. If you select
things as tight as an atomic clock, you and drag up or down you’ll move the Beat-Linear then the bar lines remain
inevitably need to pull disparate parts entire tempo or selection up and down.  a constant width while the song pointer
from disperate tracks towards some kind Inserting a new tempo change gives speeds up or slows down depending on
of common sense of rhythm. Let’s take you a node that you can move about the tempo.
a look at the Tempo Track in Studio One and place along the timeline, drawing
and see if it can help us hit that downbeat a straight line from the original tempo
Conforming Audio
with everything all at once. point. A central node between the two Once you introduce audio files to a tempo
The Tempo Track resides at the top of lets you pull in a curve if you want a less environment things can get out of
the tracks, in the same place you’d find linear movement from one tempo to hand. Studio One has lots of automated
the Chord Track, Marker Track, Arranger another. To jump tempos rather than processes that try to make conforming the
Track and so on. It’s shown with a clock transition, it’s easier to enter the tempo tempo of audio as painless as possible. If
icon, but if you can’t see that you’ll value into the box on the track header an audio file has tempo information built
find it under the ‘Global Track Visibility’ and hit the ‘+’ to enter the change at the into it then it will automatically adapt that
icon which looks like a hamburger with position of the song pointer. to the song tempo using time-stretching.
a single beady eye staring
at you from the meat layer.

Stuck In The MIDI

If your song is made up of
MIDI tracks then the Tempo
Track can be a useful place
for messing about with the
timing of your song. When
you open it, you’ll find it’s
there as a single line set
at the song’s tempo, as
defined in the transport
bar. In the header for the
Tempo Track you can enter
a tempo and the line will
change to reflect that.
You can also change the

Conforming a project’s tempo

to an existing audio recording.

116 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 It’s also possible to warp
audio so that it plays in time with
the rest of your project.

If an audio file doesn’t have

an associated tempo then
Studio One can attempt
to detect it and then do
the time-stretching after
that. This is particularly
effective with loops and
other tempo-based audio
files, but if you are pulling
in a recording of a guitar,
drums or other instrument
then the tempo might be
a bit more up for discussion.
Here’s one tip on
doing some manual time
stretching if you do have
a piece of audio with a constant tempo to the track, and you will have tapped Detection hit Analyze and Studio One will
but which Studio One doesn’t quite nail the tempo into the transport bar — it’s work out all the transients in the audio
automatically. Open the Inspector and quite a brilliant little feature. Next, visually file. It will probably find far too many
make sure Tempo is set to Timestretch. line up the start of your audio track when really all you need is the start of
Then put your cursor at the end of the with the start of a bar. If you turn on the each bar, so use the Threshold slider
clip and hold Alt+Ctrl (Windows) or metronome you should be able to hear to dial things down a bit. Then you can
Opt+Cmd (Mac), then click and drag the where it goes in and out of time, and this make the manual tempo changes just
end of the clip and it will time-stretch or is where the Tempo Track comes in. It’s like before but with a better visual guide.
time-compress the file. Then all you do all done visually because you can see Once you’ve finished you can remove
is move it until the obvious start of a bar the rhythmic material in the audio track, the transient lines (they can get quite
visually lines up with the bar lines. and we want that to line up with the bar distracting) by right-clicking the audio file
Things are rarely that easy though, lines in Studio One. So, on the next bar and unticking the Bend Marker box.
so a bit of manual tempo editing might hold Ctrl (Windows) or Cmd (Mac) and
be required to pull the audio in line with your cursor in the Tempo Track will turn
Bending Audio To Tempo
the song tempo or the tempo in line with into a Range tool. With Snap enabled the The other scenario is that you want to
the audio. tool will snap to the bar line, and you can break the groove of an audio recording
click and drag it until the line matches and bend it to the will of the existing
Tempo Maps up with the appropriate transient on the tempo. For this you need to use Audio
If you like the groove of an audio audio track. On either side of the tool Bend to Analyze the audio track so
recording, then you can create a tempo the tempo will increase or decrease we can see the transients. Rather than
map that will follow the variations in reflecting the change. If the Timebase is adjusting the tempo to fit the audio we’re
tempo, which you can then apply to set to Time-Linear mode then the bars now going to move the transients to fit
all your MIDI tracks to pull them in will expand and contract with the change; the existing bar lines. Select the Bend tool
time. This is perfect for trying to build if you’re in Beat-Linear mode then the and you’ll be able to move the transient
a song around an acoustic guitar track, audio file will expand and contract Bend Markers, which time-stretches and
or if you are wanting to develop some instead. I find I prefer Time-Linear so compresses the audio file either side to
MIDI instruments around a multitrack I can see the bars change as I edit bring them in line.
recording of a band. Choose a track that the tempo.
has a lot of obvious rhythm; drums are Once you’ve gone along adjusting the
Melodyne Essential
perfect but that acoustic guitar track will tempo for every bar where it’s necessary, Melodyne Essential, which is built into
work too. listen to it again with the metronome and Studio One, also has some powerful
For this we don’t want Studio One you should find that it’s all in time. Now tempo-related functions that are definitely
to do any automatic time-stretching, so your MIDI tracks will follow along as if it’s worth exploring. However, most of the
open the Inspector on the audio track the most natural thing in the world. documentation and online tutorials
and set the Tempo option to ‘Don’t You can make this a little bit easier refer to the Studio version of Melodyne,
Follow’. You’ll want to start with a rough by detecting the transients on the audio and many of the tools and functions
tempo for the audio track, which you can file first. This will give you accurate lines mentioned are not available in Melodyne
do by playing the track and then use the on the key segments in the audio file Essential. I think a workshop on exactly
Tap-Tempo feature to give you a bpm. with which to line up the bar lines. To do what the Essential version can do would
Click your mouse a few times on the this, select Audio Bend from the Toolbar make for a useful workshop though, so I’ll
word ‘Tempo’ on the transport bar in time and the tools panel will appear. Under be covering that in a future article. 

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 117

 T E CH NI Q U E
Cubase
JOHN WALDEN Take full control of your stereo image with
Cubase’s powerful bundled plug-in suite.
C
ubase has long included stock plug-ins for
manipulating the stereo image and they all have
a role to play, as I’ll explain, but the recently
added Imager is particularly interesting. It allows you
to process up to four different frequency bands and,
as is so often the case with multiband processors, it’s
a powerful tool that’s capable of great results in the right
context — but it’s also fairly easy to screw things up if
you don’t know what you’re doing! In this article, I’ll work
through a few examples that show you what Imager has
to offer, while noting some of the potential pitfalls. You’ll
find some audio files to accompany each example on
the SOS website at https://sosm.ag/cubase-1021.
Perhaps Imager’s most obvious application is as
a mastering-style processor, whether used on the stereo
mix bus as you put the final touches to a mix, or to tweak
a bounced stereo file. The first screenshot shows Imager
as inserted in my main stereo bus processing chain, with
a typical configuration for this kind of application that
serves as a good starting point for exploring Imager’s
control set.
I’ve used all four of the available bands here, but
three could easily be enough in this context; you can
SuperVision’s Multipanorama module before (left) and after (right) Imager’s processing of
specify the number of bands at the top-left of the GUI. my worked example.
You can adjust the frequency of the filter crossovers
between bands and in this case I’ve gone for 200Hz, a good thing) and gradually adds greater Width through the low-mids, high-mids
1kHz and 5kHz, to create low, low-mids, high-mids and highs. There are no hard and fast rules here; you should judge things by
and high bands. Each active band has three controls. ear. But I’m generally cautious about going beyond 150 percent in any band, as
Leaving the Output and Pan controls untouched for stereo enhancement can potentially produce unwanted side-effects when the
now, I’ve adjusted only the Width in each band. As mix is heard on a mono playback system. Having checked the mono playback
the control’s name suggests, it manipulates the stereo compatibility (as I describe below), I felt able to push the width a little harder than
width of its band, with a value of 100 percent leaving usual in this case, for a little extra high-end ‘pop’.
the stereo image unchanged and higher/lower values The next screenshot shows two instances of SuperVision’s Multipanorama
making the image wider or narrower, respectively. module, one before and one after Imager, and these make the narrower lows and
Moving from low to high, I’ve chosen values of 20, wider upper-mids and highs easily visible. Check out the accompanying audio
125, 150 and 170 percent. This keeps kick and bass example: to my ears, the result is a subtle but rather pleasing widening of the
instruments firmly focussed in the centre (generally stereo image, while the low end is kept nicely focused.

On The Busses
Imager doesn’t have to be used on a full mix; it can be just as useful on
individual instruments or subgroups. There are plenty of possibilities,
but a few simple suggestions should illustrate the potential.
If you need to give your lead vocal a little more space in the
centre of the stereo image, try inserting Imager on your backing
vocal group channel (bus) and using it to push the backing vocals
a little further towards the sides of the stereo image. Unlike with
simple panning or single-band wideners, Imager’s multiband options
give you control over how you spread the main frequencies of the
backing vocals.
When you want to help a specific instrument peep out of the mix
a little more clearly, Imager can also be a good alternative to a level
change. By applying some subtle widening to a specific frequency
band or two, you can place the sound more obviously at the edges of
the stereo field, which will make it more noticeable to the listener.
For those who are very particular about their reverb treatments,
another option is to insert Imager on your reverb’s FX Track.
A three-band approach that narrows the lows (so you don’t get
low-end reverb clogging your stereo image), gently widens the mids,
Imager: up to four bands of stereo width control for Pro and Artist users. and spreads the highs out wide can be fun to experiment with.

118 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Faking stereo from a mono piano recording. Moving from left to right, the three Multipanorama displays show (a) the original mono signal, (b) the result of the
MonoToStereo plug-in and (c) combining both MonoToStereo and Imager.
Finally, whether used on an instrument use the Output controls to adjust the tonal centre of the UI). If you insert an instance
bus or your master bus, automating balance. It’s difficult to get a truly convincing of this on your master bus, making sure it’s
Imager can be useful in an ‘arrangement/ result on an exposed part, but combining placed post any stereo image processing,
production’ context. Whether by toggling MonoToStereo and Imager does have and leave this button switched on (it lights
Imager on/off or using automation to adjust potential if you want to fake both stereo and up blue when engaged) you can use Stereo
key parameters, you can use it to apply the left/right note pattern from a mono piano Enhancer’s main bypass button to switch
a touch of widening to chorus sections, to recording that will be used in a busier mix. between normal stereo monitoring (plug-in
give them an extra sonic lift. You could even bypassed) or mono compatibility monitoring
try applying gradually more widening (while
Mono Matters (plug-in engaged). Just remember to have it
ensuring to check for mono compatibility) as Checking the mono compatibility of a bypassed when bouncing your mix down to
the song progresses, to make each chorus stereo mix is always informative, but it a stereo file!
feel slightly ‘bigger’ than the last. becomes absolutely essential if you’re using It’s also worth pointing out that this
stereo image processing, and widening in simple workaround generates a phantom
Stereo Fakery particular. Cubase’s Control Room allows mono signal; you hear the same audio from
While Imager provides plenty of options you to switch between stereo and mono both speakers, resulting in a ‘phantom’
to adjust the stereo image of a stereo playback at the click of a button, but this signal that appears to sit in the centre of
source, it’s not designed to fake a stereo feature is only available to Pro users. the stereo field. This is not quite the same
sound from a mono source. Thankfully, Artist and Elements users, then, need an as listening on a single mono speaker,
the MonoToStereo plug-in (in Cubase Pro, alternative approach, and Stereo Enhancer where all sound emanates from the same
Artist and Elements) has this task covered, allows just that. This plug-in includes place — and Control Room allows you to
and the audio files include an example a Mono Compatibility Check button (in the send the mono output to just one of your
based on a mono electric piano recording. monitors. Workarounds are possible without
As shown in the third screenshot’s second Control Room, but I’ll leave that discussion
MultiPanorama, GUI MonoToStereo appears for another time; until then, feel good that
to achieve this fakery by applying the phantom mono is better than no mono
well-established EQ-based trick of panning compatibility check at all!
narrow EQ ranges of the mono recording to Finally, a potential drawback of Imager
opposite sides to the stereo image. is that it can add some latency. This is not
You can use Imager for a particular usually such an issue while mixing, but it can
type of mono-to-stereo fakery, though, and easily be distracting in a real-time recording
mono piano recordings are an obvious context if monitoring through Cubase.
candidate. Stereo piano recordings usually Thankfully, then, Steinberg have included
convey the natural left/right balance of low a LIVE button (top-centre of Imager’s UI),
to high notes. In a mono recording, you which engages a zero-latency mode. It’s
could simulate this effect to some extent at the cost of some processing quality, but
by using the Pan controls for each Imager the results are certainly good enough if you
With StereoEnhancer inserted on your master
frequency band, panning lower frequencies bus and the Mono Compatibility Check button suddenly find yourself needing to lay down
(notes) to one side of the stereo image and engaged, the plug-in’s bypass button lets you a further live track or two in the middle of
higher frequencies to the opposite side, and quickly switch between stereo and mono playback. your mixing process.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 119

 F E ATU R E

ALINA SMITH
How To Make It In K-Pop
I
’ll never forget the moment my
publisher told me they were
Successful songwriters and producers explain how to
thinking of dropping me — my heart adapt your skills to the massive Far Eastern market.
plummeting into my toes, the cool air of
an autumn Nashville afternoon seeping my palms sweating as I imagined the Craigslist of all places (ah, 2009). I was
through the office window and wrapping career I’d been working toward since barely out of my teens then and as green
around my throat like a vice. Dropped? I was 17 collapsing into dust. Every clock as they come, but Shin liked my voice
But I had only signed my deal the year suddenly seemed to tick louder, as if and writing and sent me some tracks
before. Surely, I could have a little more reminding me of my six-month deadline. to topline — to write lyrics and melody
time? Unfortunately, my publisher told I remember calling my best friend, to. The very first song we had worked
me, my time was just about up. I had songwriter and artist Elli Moore, on had gotten cut by the J-Pop artist
been signed for a year and a half, and if immediately after that meeting. “What am Aisha, featuring DMC from the group
in about six months I didn’t start getting I gonna do?” I asked her in a voice like Run-DMC. And although I hadn’t worked
‘cuts’ (industry jargon for having your sandpaper. I didn’t have to explain my on J-Pop since then, the memory felt like
song recorded by major-label artists) they predicament: every Nashville writer knows a lightbulb sparking in my mind.
wouldn’t be able to afford to keep me on, it takes years to become established in “We should write some songs for the
no matter how much they liked my songs. country music, sometimes even decades. Asian market!” I had blurted to Elli.
It was 2015, and I had only recently And all I had was six months. Elli, 18 at the time and adventurous,
moved my family to Nashville from Las “You need a new angle,” Elli told me agreed easily. We didn’t know it then,
Vegas, a decision largely fuelled by firmly. “They said you should get cuts. But but that little moment would completely
the fact that, after a decade of creating they didn’t say they had to be in country.” change the trajectory of both of
music for free, I now had income from Her words sparked a distant memory. our careers.
my publishing deal. Needless to say, the Back in 2009, I met a well-known Being in Nashville, neither of us had
prospect of losing it had me panicking, Japanese producer, Shin Murayama, on relationships in the Asian song market,

120 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 and Alina into LYRE: the writing/production more. In Asian music: more is more.
team we’re known as today. “There can be no awkward silences
in K-pop,” songwriter Melanie Fontana
More Is More Schulz shares as we chat over Zoom,
Coming from Nashville, where most confirming that this theory applies not only
production, at least at the demo stage, to the track but to the topline as well. “The
revolves around guitar and simple average Asian music consumer likes to
percussion, one of the most shocking karaoke, to go out and sing these songs.”
changes I’ve experienced as I began Melanie, who’s written hit records in the
producing Asian pop was just how much Asian market, from BTS’s ‘Boy With Luv’ to
production there was. If a Western song TWICE’s ‘I Can’t Stop Me’ continues: “It gets
usually has three sections — verse, chorus, awkward if there’s a break. It’s the best
and pre-chorus — which often stay within piece of advice I’ve gotten about writing
the same groove and use the same chord K-pop,” she adds with a chuckle, explaining
progression, an Asian-market song will she first heard this from an A&R. “Now
likely have five or six, swinging between I make sure to get as many hooks in there
chords and grooves like an enthusiastic as I can. The first verse will 100 percent
aerialist. It’s a lot of parts to produce. be different than the second. The second
Posing an extra challenge, there pre-chorus will have a layer of background
are often more production elements vocals that wasn’t in the first pre. There
in these tracks than there would be in might even be two different hooks. It’s all
a Western-market song. On ‘Rocket Girls’ about re-combination and lots of parts.”
by the Mando-pop band of the same
name, I recall having over 50 stems just in
Melody Is King
the drop: several layers of Serum synths, My partner Elli and I celebrated when
growling and sawing at the listener, we first heard that the K-pop band ITZY
multiple loops racketeering the top were cutting our song ‘Mafia In The
end, while a busy kick pattern pounded Morning’ (simply called ‘Mafia’ then). But
underneath it all. In the US, less is often our joy became tinged with confusion

Alina Smith has worked with Far East artists

such as Aisha, ITZY, Rocket Girls, and many more.

so we did what any sensible writer

would do: we used Facebook to look
for collaborators who did. Within that
six-month window, Elli and I would get
several cuts in the K- and J-pop markets
with bands like Red Velvet and RAINZ, as
Get the skills
to produce
well as several ‘holds’ — labels seriously
considering our songs for their artists’
projects. I still chuckle as I recall my

serious results.
publishers telling me they were proud of
me... even if they did have to look up what
K-pop was. At the end of the six months,
I was told the publishing company was
Explore Berklee Online’s vast offerings in music production
picking up my option. My deal was saved.
That night, as Elli and I celebrated, and learn from Grammy-winning producers and engineers.
we chatted about possible next steps.
Now that my deal was continuing for
at least another year, I could return to Online Degree Programs 12-Week Online Courses
writing country. The thing is: I didn’t want Master of Music 0XOWL&RXUVH&HUWLƓFDWHV
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Asian pop music. And we would follow
that love to Los Angeles, transforming Elli

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 121

 F E ATU R E
HOW TO MAKE IT IN K-POP

group. All small tweaks, but it helped the

label envision TWICE singing the record.”
“As a writer, it’s quite fun to write
these more experimental songs,”
Nea confesses, over Zoom from her
Stockholm kitchen. “When you write
for the Asian market you don’t have to
overthink the lyric. You can let the melody
steer the song. You get very free in your
way of creating. It’s fun to mix it up!”

Get Conceptual
One of the first things we’d learned
about writing for the Asian market is
that, although most of the English lyrics
we write do get translated, one aspect
matters a lot: the concept. “I don’t know
if ‘Mafia’ would have gotten cut if not for
that concept,” my partner Elli confesses,
referring to the party game Mafia which
had been the inspiration behind the song.
Melanie Fontana and her husband and “Korean labels want something they can
collaborator, producer Lindgren Schulz. unanimously told me: “It’s all about the build a whole vibe around, something that
good hooks.” They might just need to be can be reflected in not only in the music,
as the band’s label, JYP, began asking a bit more unusual than those you’d write but the graphics, and the music video.”
us for revision after revision on melody, for the US market. “You really have to think Melanie Fontana agrees on this point.
especially on the pre-chorus. “They out of the box and be creative with your “Korean labels have a very strong vision
wanted it to be perfect,” Elli laughs now arrangement,” Daniel clarifies. for every project,” she tells me. “In fact,
— an easy feat seeing how the song has “But it’s also so fun,” Nea interjects, they’ve probably cooked up this whole
garnered over a hundred million plays in smiling, “because you can do something world these artists will live in for this
barely a month. “But it was definitely an that would never be acceptable in album. We’ll get very detailed briefs from
adjustment to do so them, and sometimes
many revisions when they even include the
we’re used to getting Linnea Södahl: “The Korean language has title. When we co-wrote
only a few from the US ‘Boy With Luv’, the label
and European labels a lot more syllables. So, you need more had the title already
we work with.” picked out.”
It turns out, our syllables to be able to say anything at all. “The most important
experience is quite thing is to have
common in the Asian And that’s why you need to write quicker a good concept,” Neya
market. “Melody is
king,” says Linnea
rhythms in your melody.” confirms, her husband
Daniel nodding his
Södahl, better known agreement. “I always
by her artist name Nea, a songwriter for Western music. Like chromatic melodies! imagine the music video in my head when
TWICE and TAEYEON. “It’s very important You can’t have a K-pop song without I’m writing a song. Like, could they be in
to have strong hooks. But there are also a chromatic melody!” space or jumping on giant strawberries?
some specificities to writing for this market. The three of us laugh in unison It needs to be something that can be
For example, several A&Rs told me you because it’s so true: chromatic melodies, envisioned easily.”
shouldn’t have long notes. The Korean which are uncommon in the West, are the “Although,” Daniel chimes in,
language has a lot more syllables. So, staple of Asian pop music. “sometimes a good concept is only the
you need more syllables to be able to say Even very well-known writers are starting point. Labels might be inspired
anything at all. And that’s why you need to subject to the rules of the K-pop melody. by it but twist it into something different.
write quicker rhythms in your melody.” “We had collaborated with Ryan Tedder We did a song called ‘Yum Yum’ for
Another songwriter, Katrine Klith, on TWICE’s ‘Cry For Me’,” Melanie Fontana the TV show Produce 101. The original
who goes by the professional name shares. “The label was looking for a slow, concept was about candy, all of its
Neya, agrees that the melody can make sexy ‘Fifty Shades Of Grey’-type song. different flavours. The label liked the food
or break an Asian-market song. Neya We ended up hitting up Ryan, asking him reference, but chose to go with a broader
and her husband Daniel Durn, who had to throw some melodies on the track we meaning — which is how we ended up
both co-written Weekly’s newest single made. Once he sent us his melodies, with ‘Yum Yum’.”
‘After School’, spoke with me over Zoom I ended up going through them to make “For us, it’s important to have a good
from their Copenhagen home, and they sure they were all ‘K-poppified’ for the girl concept even if it does end up getting

122 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Linnea Södahl, aka Nea.

changed,” Neya agrees. “We care about there were always, like, four-five parts.”
what we write and want to present the Although we’ve since cut down the
song in the best light, to help the label number of harmonies we record — two
visualise it as we do.” per part instead of four — the idea
remains the same: if you’re presenting
Take It To The Net a song to an Asian pop group, you
We’ve all heard of the old days where need to have a lot of parts to represent
a piano/vocal recording on a cassette every singer in the band.
was sufficient to present a song. Those Most K-pop writers abide by the
days are long gone, but in recent same concept. “We take it to the net
years I’ve noticed the quality of demos here,” Melanie shares proudly. “Lindgren
consistently climbing up and up until and I put everything on the track as
many are indistinguishable from final if it was a final: backing vocals, even
records. This is even more prevalent in ad-libs. We’ve noticed labels love ad-lib
K-pop than Western music, especially suggestions, so I always do full takes of
when it comes to vocal production. those.” She demonstrates by effortlessly
“Do you remember how singing a very high note. “I sing the
aggressively we used to stack our BVs?” whole song as if I’m the artist.”
I ask Elli. “We can easily use 10 hours doing
“You made me cut four instances of vocals for a K-pop song because of
every harmony,” Elli reminisces, “and the many parts,” Neya confirms. “It’s
 F E ATU R E
HOW TO MAKE IT IN K-POP

super-important to present it as close to

final-quality as possible.”

Lyrics Matter
When we write for the US, we might
spend two hours just trying to dial in
the lyrics on the second verse: the story
development, the clever metaphors, the
cerebral wordplay. We know that once
the song we’re creating is out, the lyric
will be in its original form, so we want to
make sure it’s near perfect. In the Asian
market, almost everything gets translated,
but the English lyric still matters in one
way: its phonetics. I will never forget
how surprised Elli and I felt when we first
heard the Korean version of our song
‘Talk To Me’, which had been recorded by
the group Red Velvet.
“In the pre-chorus,” Elli recalls, “we
had this repetitive lyric: ‘keep it real, keep
it real, keep it real.’ When we heard the
Korean version, it sounded very similar:
‘gidarin, gidarin, gidarin’ [‘I waited’ in
Korean]. The phonetics of our English
lyric inspired the Korean writers’ choice
of lyric.”
“I always give lyrics good phonetics
because it enhances the lyric,” Melanie
agrees. “Melodies just sound better
on good lyrics.” Although, according to
Melanie, you can’t always guess what
will be kept and what will be translated.
“Often,” she shares, “the lyrics you think
they won’t keep, they keep. And vice
versa.” Sometimes, even the song’s title is
on the chopping block. “With BTS’s ‘ON’, Elli Moore (left) and Alina Smith are production duo LYRE.
the original title was ‘The Elements’, but
the label changed it. You never know!”
Nea experienced something very
similar with her song ‘Hell In Heaven’,
which had been cut by TWICE. “The
song was called ‘Paradise’,” she recalls,
“but they ended up calling it ‘Hell In
Heaven’, which is not even a lyric that
was originally in the song. Funny how
that works sometimes.” Although the
label did keep some of her original lyrics:
“When I was writing, I added some little
keywords in there, just for some ear
candy. A lot of those are still in the song.”

A Fair Fight
Even years later, I still feel amazed at the
way Elli and I were able to dive into the
Asian music world without much resistance.
We were completely unknown as writers,
and we lived in Nashville — not exactly the
capital of K-pop. And yet, we were able to
get a cut on a K-pop album that went to Producer Daniel Durn.
number one on Billboard’s World Albums

124 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 given me that ultimatum all of those years
Katrine Klinth, aka Neya. ago. I would have never been able to write
songs with my best friend with no ‘big’
writers involved and get them cut.

Stretch Musically
Over the years, I’ve felt beyond grateful
for all the career opportunities LYRE has
garnered through writing Asian music. But
my love of K, J, and Mandopop goes so
much deeper.
“You love the challenge,” Elli smiles,
calling me out. “Being able to do
something totally left-of-field and seeing
how it turns out.”
She knows me well. If I were solely
focused on Western music, I doubt I’d find
myself mixing jazz with EDM, stacking
up six parts of harmonies, or switching
tempos mid-song as I often do with K-pop.
I wouldn’t be forcing myself to study
complex chord structures, chipping away
at my music-school-dropout solfeggio
skills — stretching and growing as a writer
and producer.
chart within the first few months of writing when I was trying to get country artists I had hoped writing Asian music would
for that market, simply because it was to cut my songs back in Nashville. It had save my career — and it did. But I would
a good song. shattered my world at the time, but looking have never imagined that it would save my
“Something like this is unheard of in back now, I’m so glad my publisher had love of music as well.
the Western market,” Elli says, shaking
her head as we reminisce. “In America,
your clout always comes before the
quality of your work.”
“But in Asia,” Melanie says, chiming
in on the topic, “it’s a fair fight. You can
be at your laptop on GarageBand in
a town no one’s ever heard of, and you
can be 15. If a K-pop group gets a hold
of a song of yours that they think is great
and is better than a well-known writer’s
song, they don’t have a problem telling
a ‘large’ writer that they have something
that meets their vision more head-on from
a lesser-known person. They simply don’t
care about clout. It’s all about meeting
their vision.”
Melanie then goes on to explain that
she’s always admired the professionalism
of the Korean A&Rs she’s worked with.
“They’re usually very honest,” she
explains. “There’s never been a time I’ve
been told by a K-pop A&R that I have
the single, and then it didn’t happen. If
they say it’s coming out in three weeks,
it is. There’s no hype. Just be the best
songwriter, write the best song, and you
will do well.”
It’s a far cry from the US market, where
it often feels like you’re playing the lottery
when you’re writing and producing for
pitch — which was exactly the way I felt

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 125

 F E ATU R E

J O E M AT E R A
Nick Rhodes: Making Future Past
F
rom their early ground-breaking
music videos to being one of the For their 15th album, Duran Duran collaborated with
first acts to sell singles digitally, three masters of electronic music and a dog-fixated
Duran Duran have always embraced
the latest technology. The band’s latest
artificial intelligence.
album Future Past, their 15th to date, is no Rhodes. “I sometimes work independently music. I think his brain can only be rivalled
exception, with production split between because I have a lot more work to do on by Mark Ronson’s. Between the two of
Giorgio Moroder, Mark Ronson and detail and there are more layers of synths, them, you can name a track as obscure as
Erol Alkan. but when we’re writing and forming the you like, and they will know it. I find that
shape of the songs, we will always work quite inspirational. More than anything,
History & Energy together. It’s only afterwards that we can get I think Erol brought energy to the project,
The group first began working on the new out the smaller brushes. Like Simon [Le Bon] which was infectious, and it really helped
album in late 2018. Originally planned as an will go in on his own with the engineer and particularly with the bass and drums.”
EP, it evolved into a full album before the producer and do all his vocals and figure out
process was halted when the worldwide his harmonies and things like that.
In The Dark
pandemic hit in early 2020. Rather than “The main producer on the album was Once the band were able to regroup after
continuing to work remotely, Duran Duran Erol Alkan, who we’ve never worked with lockdown ended, they returned to Assault
decided to put the project on ice. before. He comes from a sort of indie and & Battery Studios in Willesden Green to
“We work better when we’re mostly dance background and is a great DJ with resume working on the album. “We did the
together,” says keyboard player Nick a phenomenal knowledge of the history of bulk of the album there,” says Rhodes. “The

126 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 For the recording of Future Past, the entire band
set up in the control room at Assault & Battery, with
Roger Taylor playing a Roland electronic drum kit.

studio had loads of analogue gear and a big what the bass and drums are doing at all melodies. Giorgio is one of Duran Duran’s
analogue desk, a heavily modified Cadac times to be able to work around everything absolute superheroes and we’d been
G-series, which we used for the drums else. We often re-record the bass and wanting to work with him since we first
and things like that. There was also a giant drums later if we want to tweak a little bit formed the band. When I was a teenager
Roland System 700 modular synth sitting in of something, but we don’t change the DJ’ing at the Rum Runner Club in
the room, which we used on a few tracks rhythm much. If we do change the rhythm, Birmingham, I used to play a load of Giorgio
in order to run sequencers with which we we will then have to rebuild the whole track. tracks. I don’t know how we never managed
started writing. John [Taylor, bassist] and Roger are a very to work with him over the past four decades,
“We set up in the control room with solid foundation, and I think their work so to finally converge was great. We’ve had
Roger [Taylor] playing a Roland TD-30KV on this album is the best they’ve done in this vision in our heads of what it would
V-Drum kit. And we had sequencers running a long time.” sound like — the perfect blend of the
from the Roland System 700 while I had four Giorgio Moroder and Duran Duran sound
different keyboards to choose from. We had
Perfect Timing — and for once it went predictably well.
another keyboard on the other side of the The band worked with legendary producer Everything we did just fell into place and
room, too, in case somebody else wanted to Giorgio Moroder on two tracks, ‘Tonight sounded just as we envisaged it. He was
play. And we usually created an atmosphere United’ and ‘Beautiful Lies’. “Giorgio was the consummate professional, too. He’d turn
by having the studio as dark as possible everything we love in songs: sounds, up every day on time with his briefcase, get
when we were writing, with most of the light melodies, arrangements and compacting out his little keyboard and put it on the desk
coming from the computer screens. It was things,” explains Rhodes. “Those two tracks along with his computer and get to work.”
a great room to work in at the studio. are very Euro-dance, with high-energy On another song, ‘More Joy!’ the group
“Because we usually build the palazzo pulsing synthesizers and sequencers, synth collaborated with a Japanese girl punk
from the foundations up, we’ve got to know hooks and super-hooky chorus lines and group called CHAI. With borders closed,

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 127

 F E ATU R E
DURAN DURAN

Duran Duran pose in the live room at Assault &

Battery with collaborators Graham Coxon (far left) of analogue synthesizers. “I barely use sounds very close because that was digital
and Erol Alkan (second from right). much that’s digital aside from the samples, anyway and only 8-bit at the beginning,
particularly the orchestral samples. I do use they’re it.
this was largely done remotely, though lead some samples from Arturia, which I think are “I’ve used the same synths for many
vocalist Simon Le Bon did journey to Japan the best samples of analogue synthesizers years, and I find myself constantly returning
to record the track. “Simon engineered out there. They’ve really worked hard to get to my Roland synths: particularly the Jupiter
that one, as he spends some time in Japan 8, and sometimes the Jupiter 4. I have been
where he has a small studio called SYN,” also using the Roland Fantom; though it’s
affirms Rhodes. “So that track was done digital, I’m astounded by the quality of the
remotely because they were in Japan doing reverb in it. It’s almost up there with the
the vocals with Simon. standard of a Lexicon. It’s extraordinary as
“The track itself, though, came about out I’ve never had a synth that has had that.
from a jam we wrote together with Graham I also use a Moog Voyager. I think there is
Coxon. I think the guitar on that track is so no better bottom end sound than a Moog.
spectacular and it was done completely I also used an Elka Synthex, a Prophet V
live; there are no guitar overdubs on it at and a lot of older analogue beasts.”
all. Sometimes when we were jamming
on it, I couldn’t tell at certain points when
Other Beings
I was putting things through effects or when Cutting-edge technology is apparent
Graham was putting things through effects. in the video for the album’s lead single,
I didn’t know who was playing what. We ‘Invisible’, the first to make use of an artificial
loved working with Graham, as he is truly intelligence called Huxley.
an inventive musician and a great energy in the things as accurate as possible. They’re “Huxley, our AI, is the most extraordinary
the room.” never going to be the same as analogue, machine,” exclaims Rhodes. “I think people
though, because analogue sounds behave are sometimes a little frightened of AI and
Jupiter Rising differently and synthesizers behave what it’s going to do, and understandably so.
Despite Duran Duran’s emphasis on new differently too, and they’ll be the first people As many of the great thinkers of the world
technology, Nick Rhodes’ own musical to say that too. But if you want a sort of have said, we must never let AIs become
contributions drew mainly on his collection a low Moog bass or a Fairlight, which also weaponised, because the leap in technology

128 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 over the last decade has been phenomenal.
With Huxley, what was interesting in making
the video for ‘Invisible’ is that we fed in the
song, photos of us, videos of us and, very
specifically, videos of us mouthing the words
to the song. Also, lyrics and references of
what the song was about, along with some
art references too, they all went in as well.
After a while it learns like it is a child. Then
the AI mapped all the measurements of our
faces and took a load of photos and images
and made its version of what it wanted it to
look like. The blacked-out faces was a shock!
We didn’t tell it to black out our eyes, that’s
just how it came back. I guess putting
multiple layers of different images must have
darkened the eyes.
A still from the AI-created video for ‘Invisible’.
“There were some strange things that
happened along the way. At one point it
became completely obsessed with dogs, make different types of animals?’ Then it that creates and dreams, rather than just
and we didn’t know why. For about three started making all these different types of the cognitive part that is logic and fact. The
days all it was doing was making dogs and animals and strange creatures. It was a very people that worked on it are all students of
we thought ‘This is going to go wrong!’ fascinating experience working with another a prominent neuroscientist, Karl Friston.”
as there was no way to control it. So they type of being, because it was much more
then had to invent a director who we than a computer. It was programmed to
Change & Convenience
called Hitchcock to go in and give it a rule follow the same processes as the human Through their 40-year career, Duran Duran
and try to persuade it by asking, ‘Can you brain. It’s based on the part of the brain have successfully adapted to many such

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 F E ATU R E
DURAN DURAN

changes and developments in music had one at the time. I remember it was there was me, producer Colin Thurston, the
technology. Looking back, Nick Rhodes a very elite club as it was very expensive, tape operator and whoever else was in the
pinpoints several that he believes were but we had one along with Kate Bush, room, and there were like eight hands on
turning points. “There’s been a few of Peter Gabriel, Trevor Horn, Art Of Noise. the desk. My job might have been to turn on
them that were game-changers, such as The Akai samplers were another. Those the echo at a certain point on the vocal, and
sampling, for one. If you listen to an album Akai samplers made a real big difference. I had to catch it in real time while somebody
like Fear Of A Black Planet by Public Enemy, And the Linn Drum along with the Roland else had to ride up the string sound at the
you can hear what they were doing then TR808 really revolutionised the sound of end of the song and somebody else had
with samples, making something really music through the early ’80s. We used drum to mute the drums at a certain point. There
remarkable with them. And this was before machines from the very first album. was no automation. It was actually really
anyone knew you had to credit people and “I miss analogue tape, because I like the exciting doing mixes that way, but it was
that you weren’t supposed to just to take compression and I like lots of things about a real drag when you got them wrong,
people’s things, which I’m sure they did it. But there’s a convenience to being able because with some of them you had to do
very innocently. to do things with a computer now and the them 20 times to get them right.
“The Fairlight CMI, an Australian use of digital effects and how you can mix “We take it for granted now with Pro
invention, was very significant in the and keep everything. I remember the very Tools, and I also think people take it for
beginning of proper sampling and digital first automation for mixing desks. When granted when they cut things up, because
synthesis. There weren’t many of us that we did our first album, Duran Duran [1981] it’s so easy to just sing a chorus and then
say, ‘Right, now we’ve got it.’ We’ve tried
For two songs very hard to never do that, as we try
on Future Past, very hard to actually make it more of an
Duran Duran experience and a performance. Simon, in
collaborated with particular, is not a fan at all of that cutting and
legendary producer
pasting. He always likes to do all his vocals
Giorgio Moroder.
and the backing vocals for each chorus, and
you will very rarely hear him say, ‘OK, you
can take that and put it in the other place.’
“But where would dance music be
without cut and paste? When we used to
make 12-inch versions of our very early
songs, the night versions as they were
called at the time, with songs like ‘Planet
Earth’ and ‘Girls On Film’, we used to play
them from start to finish. We would arrange
the song and then go, ‘OK, we need another
24 bars there, so you do this with the drums
and I’ll play this,’ and we’d literally rehearse
an arrangement and then play it for nine
minutes or so to a click to keep everything
tight. There wasn’t a way to cut things up.
Editing with tape was such a laborious
process it just didn’t make sense to make
12-inches like that. The first 12-inch that
we made by cutting tape was ‘Is There
Something I Should Know’, which I did with
producer Alex Sadkin.”

Immersive Mixing
Rhodes believes the key question about any
new technology is whether it will enhance
the music or whether it’s just a gimmick. The
group were faced with this decision when
it came to mixing the new album, which is
being issued both in stereo and in Sony’s
new Reality Audio 360 immersive format.
“I played around with it in the studio with
Josh [Blair, engineer] and it’s really good
for headphones,” states Rhodes. “I would
call it more like an enhanced stereo for
around the head, as it’s not so much literally
360. You can put things in the middle in

130 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Astronomia
When the pandemic halted proceedings on Future was truly freeform. I’d been used to working in the
Past, Nick Rhodes embarked on a side project. He confines of writing songs where you need a verse
teamed up remotely with British artist and singer/ and a chorus and certain structure. And this had none
violinist Wendy Bevan, he in London and she in Los of it, and no words either.
Angeles, and together they completed a four-album, “So I rose to the challenge by sending her
all-instrumental suite. my pieces, which were a little more structured,
“When we closed down the Duran Duran project as I wanted to see what she would do to them.
at the start of last year, I went into the studio on my After we had about eight of them done, they were
own and started putting together some musical ideas sounding so beautiful that we decided to carry on.
which I sent to Wendy in LA. We decided we’d make And we roughly based the theme of them on the
a few instrumentals and perhaps put them out so Universe — which has been plundered a thousand
we could introduce her and my work together, and times by every film-maker, musician and artist — and
then hopefully get to do an album a few months the turbulence of the past year, and blended that in then we’d make a box set for vinyl. It was fun for me
later. Things began developing as we were sending with some mythology. By the time we had made an to have all these sounds and melodies and sound
each other files back and forth. I’d open them up album, we could see that there was no end coming effects to work with and with orchestra too, because
in the morning and find that she had sent me these to the pandemic, so we just carried on. We decided we’ve got a lot more orchestral sounds on these
wonderful soundscapes with violins and ethereal to make 52 tracks and put 13 tracks on each of recordings. In the studio I’ve been using Spitfire
voices, lots of reverb and effects, and it was quite four albums that would go out on equinoxes and Audio and EastWest sounds and the sounds are truly
inspirational because it had no real structure to it. It solstices and have all four released this year, and sensational and the samples are really blissful.”

front of your face and move them over to “We wanted to do the album in that stems, you can pick something and
the back of the head, and you can swirl way because it’s a different way to you can, for example, make the snare
things around the head and you really do listen to things. You will hear things in drum move across diagonally from
feel it, which you wouldn’t think with just a way you wouldn’t if you just listened behind your head to a corner over in
stereo in headphones that you would get to it on regular headphones. Because front of your head. We had so much
that sensation. the mixes are basically made from fun doing that.”

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w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 133
 F E ATU R E

Hear The Sound

W https://open.spotify.com/track/3k
“On the upbeat of the intro of ‘Lifelines’ PuHm2aXRJvpoKOCtjYI0?si=2b
you will hear an Ebow sound that runs bd368452854511
through each chorus. I have always felt that W www.youtube.com/
this line really captures the melancholy of watch?v=DCkbfyk6XGc
the song. The sound was not revolutionary,
but its ability to survive to the end of a very
long and complex recording process was
simply astonishing!”

Lonely Voice 
“I was looking for a part that could
melodically interact with the string
arrangement without taking too much
space. I tried different instruments but
the Ebow found its natural place in the mix.
It also had a solitary feel that went so well
with the sentiment of the lyrics. I played
and recorded the guitar line in my studio in
Stockholm while working on A-ha’s original back into the DAW. It was quite a journey!
demos. I used a Marshall JMP1 and lined it And the journey continued for months,
straight into the computer. It sounded very travelling to multiple studios across three

Martin Landquist bland and I was trying to make it sound

more synthesized without it taking too much
different countries: Sweden, Norway and
England. Musical parts were dropped and
A-ha ‘Lifelines’ space. A-ha has always had an element of added en masse but this guitar line stayed
electronic in their sound, and I was looking in there until the end.
J O E M AT E R A for that effect without losing any of the feel “It was a complicated process recording
of the guitar line. the album. The members worked

M
artin Landquist is a Swedish “We ended up feeding the guitar track more or less separately with different
producer, remixer, songwriter into a Roland RE-201 tape delay. We hardly producers. Songs were assigned to the
and composer of film music. put any effects on. We just slightly distorted respective producers, so we all worked
His credits include A-ha, the Cardigans, the sound using the inputs of the delay. That simultaneously in different studios. To do
Kent, Meja and many others. Martin has signal was then fed into my [EMS] Synthi the vocals we flew to Oslo and brought the
been a BMG songwriter since 2014, and AKS input. The filters of the Synthi were files with us from my studio. So it was quite
is currently working on the fourth album amazing and we found a slight modulated a challenge to mix the album since the
by his electronic project Nåid, due to setting that worked perfectly with the songs came from many different sources.
be released in 2022. Here Landquist line. The Synthi has a built-in reverb and two But Michael Brauer and his team did an
reveals how he got his favourite sound little speakers. I added a little reverb and amazing job mixing the album and making
on A-ha’s ‘Lifelines’, the 2002 title track then miked the Synthi up using an AKG 414 it sound whole. And still today I am amazed
to the Norwegian synth-popsters’ seventh Microphone. Finally, this signal went through and happy that this little guitar made it all
studio album. a Calrec PQ1740 [channel strip] and then the way!”

134 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 IN SIDE TR AC K

weirdness of the Internet, especially

TikTok. A song that Måneskin recorded
in a few hours in 2017, at the very start of
their career, went viral on the social video
sharing platform, thanks to a number of
glow-up and karaoke challenges.
‘Beggin’ promptly went to number one
on the Spotify global chart, and started to
climb the charts everywhere in Europe.
Eventually it went to number one in nearly
a dozen countries, reached number six in
the UK and became the band’s first entry
in the US charts.
Alessandro Marcantoni By the middle of the summer,
‘Beggin’ had become the band’s biggest
Italian band Måneskin were unlikely winners of the 2021 worldwide hit. From interviews it was
Eurovision Song Contest, but even that couldn’t prepare clear that the band had mixed feelings
them for what came next. Mix engineer Alessandro about a cover song they recorded hastily
at the start of their career superseding
Marcantoni tells the story of their viral single ‘Beggin’. their self-written and more expensively
produced recent releases, and they
PAUL TINGEN
top of several hit parades in Europe. refused to promote it. Yet at the time
A second single released a few months of writing, ‘Beggin’ was still flying high

M
åneskin broke through this later, ‘I Wanna Be Your Slave’, was also around the world.
year when the glam-rock successful all over Europe, and was
quartet surprised everybody further propelled upwards by a later duet
The X Files
by winning the Eurovision Song Contest version with Iggy Pop. Let’s look at what happened in 2017.
with a rap/rock mashup called ‘Zitti E So far, so normal — but then Speaking from Metropolis Studios in
Buoni’. The song immediately went something strange happened, and Milan, engineer and mixer Alessandro
to number one on Spotify, and to the it perfectly illustrates the random Marcantoni has the full story. He spent

136 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Alessandro Marcantoni at the current incarnation of Metropolis Studio, Milan.
only two days recording four tracks added rap sections. It became a big hit
by an up-and-coming teenage band. all over the world, reaching number five
According to Marcantoni, it all started in the UK and number one in a number
with the band performing at X Factor of other European countries.
Italia that year, eventually coming in Exactly what prompted Måneskin to
second. cover ‘Beggin’ is not known, but theirs
“They performed two originals is a high-energy, uptempo funk-rock
and several covers on X Factor, and version starting with an a cappella by
Sony Music, which is a partner of the singer Damiano David. His huge, raspy
X Factor, each year selects some of voice is the most defining characteristic
the artists that appear to record an EP. of the song, while the musical
Måneskin had already recorded their arrangement is basic: just drums,
two original songs elsewhere, and then bass, and a single guitar. According to
came to Metropolis to record four more Marcantoni, it was the same with the
covers, all of which appeared on their other four songs.
Chosen EP. Here at Metropolis we have “They had just performed these
recorded acts that appear on the X cover songs at the X Factor, and they
Factor for the first 13 seasons.” wanted to record them just like
The four covers that Måneskin had
selected to record were songs by
Black Eyed Peas (‘Let’s Get It Started’),
the Killers (‘Somebody Told Me’), Ed
Sheeran (‘You Need Me, I Don’t Need
You’), and the Four Seasons (‘Beggin’).
A fifth cover that appears on the
Chosen EP, ‘Vengo Dalla Luna’, by
Italian rapper Caparezza, was recorded
and mixed by Marcantoni at Metropolis
a month earlier.
‘Beggin’ was written by Bob Gaudio
and Peggy Farina and became a minor
hit in 1967 for the Four Seasons. It was
remixed in 2007 by French DJ Pilooski,
and his version reached number one
‘Beggin’
Written by Bob Gaudio
on the UK Dance chart. That same & Peggy Farina
year, Norwegian hip-hop duo Madcap Produced by Luccio Fabbri
released a new version of the song, with
 IN SIDE T R A CK
MÅNESKIN

Metropolis Studio in 2017, where

Måneskin recorded ‘Beggin’.

their performances, so
very simple. I tried to
do some production by
getting them to add some
instrumental overdubs,
but they were not into
that. They performed all
songs live in the studio,
and later overdubbed the
vocal. While they all played
together, we focused on
one instrument during
each take. So during these
band takes we first tried
to get the drums, and then
the bass, and then the
guitar. Damiano sang the
vocals by himself, later on.”

Metropolis
Before elaborating on
what went on at Metropolis
in 2017, we need to go
back further in time to set
the scene with regards to
the studio, and Marcantoni.
Metropolis (no relation to the London Metropolis’ second location had two S1 controllers, a Dangerous Music
studio of the same name) first opened studios, with a Yamaha DM2000 desk Monitor ST+SR, monitoring from ATC
its doors in 1990, with three recording and Genelec and Dynaudio monitors SCM100ASL Pro and Amphion One18,
spaces, and quickly became one of Italy’s in Studio 1. It was here that Marcantoni plus an Amphion Amp700, and large
leading studios. The studio has moved worked with Måneskin. Metropolis collections of outboard, microphones
twice since then, each time reducing has since moved to a third location, and musical instruments.
the amount of rooms as the demand for with only one studio. The operation Alessandro Marcantoni joined
recording studios declined. is now fully in the box, with two Avid Metropolis in 2003 as an assistant

138 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 The ‘Beggin’ Pro Tools session contains
just 21 audio tracks. their recordings sound current. They just to speed things up. I may have done
are often linked to the sound of Franz a session with another drummer the
engineer, and quickly went up the Ferdinand, for example.” day before, so when Maneskin came in,
ranks to become senior engineer. He’d Ethan [Torchio] spent some time tuning
played several instruments as a child,
Quick On The DAW our drums, and we worked on getting
and performed with various indie rock Back in 2017, when Marcantoni spent the sound he wanted. But whatever
bands as a teenager. He then studied one day in the then Metropolis Studio 1 template I have is purely there to speed
Drama, Arts & Music at the University with a promising teenage band, it was a up my input list, and to have my cue list
of Bologna, and did a Sound Engineer routine session for him. He and the band for headphones ready. It’s not for the
course at the SAE Institute in Milan. had a brief to record four cover songs, sound.”
Marcantoni still works for Metropolis, but which he mixed the following day. When Working from memory, old gear lists
is also active as a freelance engineer in asked how long the entire project took, and photos, and the track names in his
other studios, and as a front-of-house he burst out laughing: “With the X Factor mix session for ‘Beggin’, Marcantoni
engineer in large venues in Europe. I have very few days for each project! retraces his steps, both for the
He’s also occasionally involved as an But each working day was definitely recordings and the mixing. “For the kick
educator with IULM University and the more than eight hours, so we probably I would have used a Shure Beta 52A on
SAE Institute, both in Milan. spent two or three hours recording the inside, a Neumann U47 [FET] on the
“I know most of Italy’s top engineers,” each song, and I would have spent up outside, and a Royer Labs R-122 placed
says Marcantoni, “and have learned to two to three hours on each mix. The close to the kick drum pointing to the
from them. But I am mostly influenced first song took longer to record, and snare, for a mono drum kit track. On
by American and British engineers and to mix, as I was setting up the sounds. the snare I used a Shure SM57 at the
mixers. I work with all kinds of music, and After that, because the instrumentation top, and a Shure Beta 57 at the bottom.
I like a lot of different music, but my roots and recording chains did not change, I duplicated the top snare track to create
are in growing up with rock, in all its things went a lot quicker. But if I had another effect setting for the rimshots.
variations. But of course, I do my best to felt that I had needed another day to “In addition I had one Neumann
remain up to date with the latest sounds get the result we wanted, I would have KM-184 for hi-hat and another KM-184
in pop and hip-hop. reorganised my schedule to free an for the ride cymbal, a couple of AKG
“In general I’ll work with the song extra day. C414 XLII mics as overheads, and two
and the tracks that I have, and make “I don’t tend to work with templates. Neumann U87s for ambience. The toms
everything sound as good as possible, I create each session from scratch, had Beyerdynamic Opus 87 mics. I would
without thinking too much about genre whether it’s a mix session or a recording have avoided the Yamaha desk for the
or time periods. With Måneskin there session. However, if I record the drum recording chains, so the mics would have
clearly were ’60s and ’70s influences, set in our studio, I’ll start with the settings gone through external mic pres. I most
and at the same time I wanted to make I have for that from a previous session, likely would have used API 512C’s for

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 139

 IN SIDE T R A CK
MÅNESKIN

Vocal effects included the UAD Galaxy Tape

Echo, Lexicon 224 reverb, and a send to a bus but I did some minimal time adjustments mixes to 100 percent. Clearly there
containing Avid’s SansAmp plug-in. where they had started to drift. was some polishing going on, but as
“We spent a bit of extra time doing he had to complete four mixes in one
the kick and the snare, and Focusrite additional vocal takes to fine-tune day, Marcantoni’s polishing was minimal
ISA 828/430 for the other drum tracks. Damiano’s English pronunciation. For the compared to what’s done in an average
They would have gone into the Apogee songs in Italian we did maybe only three mix today, which tends to take a day per
Symphony MkI, and the Avid HD I/O. takes, but in this case there were nine song, and sometimes far longer.
“I recorded the bass DI, using the takes. The extra takes were not complete The mix session for ‘Beggin’ is indeed
Manley Voxbox channel strip, which takes, but purely some sections. I didn’t exceptionally simple, with the audio
I still often use for DI. That sounds great use any Auto-Tune or Melodyne, but consisting of 13 drum tracks, one bass
because it adds a tube sound at the did some minor pitch adjustments using track, four guitar tracks, and three vocal
recording stage. I will have used an Pro Tools’ Elastic Audio — maybe some tracks. Even this grand total of 21 tracks
Empirical Labs Distressor while recording words or parts of words — and I may have was reached only by splitting five of
the bass. For the guitar, I used a Shure done some minor timing adjustment. But the original 16 audio tracks; Marcantoni
SM57 and a Royer R-122 on one cabinet, Damian is exceptionally talented and it’s wanted to separate some parts onto
which I think was our Fender Reverb very easy for him to sing in tune, so there different tracks to be able to treat
Pro. The two guitar mics will have gone wasn’t much to correct.” sections differently. He did this with the
through the API 512C, and I do not use Marcantoni also began rough mixing rimshot snare, guitar and vocals.
compression while recording electric during the recording: “I try to get the Marcantoni added a number of aux
guitars. The vocal mic was a Brauner sounds right from the moment I record effects tracks, namely three for the
VM1, recorded through an API 512C. them. I then work on instruments or drums, three for the bass and guitars, and
I think I used another Distressor to keep sections of instruments during the five for the vocals. All instruments go to
the spikes under control.” recordings, trying to get them to sound an Instrument Group aux and the vocals
pretty good. At that point it’s easy to to a Vocal Group aux. Finally there’s
Post-production incorporate feedback from the artist or a master track, and the click, leading to
Marcantoni comped the tracks as he was band. I’ll do some more mixing by the a full total of 36 tracks.
recording them. “I knew I would not see end of the day, and I normally end up with “For me balancing levels is the main
the guys again the next few days, as they something that sounds pretty refined. thing in a mix,” Marcantoni elaborates.
were busy with the talent show, so I made I may get the sounds to 80 percent of the “But I of course also work on the sounds,
sure we did the comps while they were in final mix.” and any sonic problems that may come
the room, so they could have their input. up when I’m mixing. There are many
The final drum track was comped together
The Mix greyed-out plug-ins in the inserts, for
from three different takes. The drummer Marcantoni went into his room at example the Avid Pro Compressor, Pro
had played with a click in his headphones, Metropolis the next day to get his Expander, Channel Strip, and EQ3 7-band.

140 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

I used these for rough mixes during the “The main vocal tracks also have
recordings with no latency, and I then a send to the V Amp track, on which
disactivated them and added new plug- I had the SansAmp, for some more
ins during the mix. With the drums, many edge. The singer has a very raspy
instances of the Pro Compressor and voice, which I think sounds great, and
Channel Strip remained on the audio the SansAmp enhances this. All vocal
tracks, and I often used the EQ3 7-band tracks go to the Group track, on which
for basic EQ. I have two EQs and the UAD Precision
“The main sonic treatment on the De-Esser. I use volume automation
drums came from the aux effects tracks: a lot on individual tracks, so if I use
the Drums Ambient, which had a UAD de-essers on them, it can emphasise
EMT140 for some plate reverb with the esses. For that reason I prefer to

Alessandro Marcantoni: “They had just

performed these cover songs at the X
Factor, and they wanted to record them
just like their performances... I tried getting
them to add some instrumental overdubs,
but they were not into that.”
a small decay and some predelay, and have the de-esser on the subgroup at
the Drums Amp, with the SansAmp for the end of the chain. It makes it easier
parallel distortion. All drums go through to control things.”
the MF Drums group track, which has
the UAD SSL G-channel and Avid EQ3
Instrument Group & Master
7-band, for some compression and “The instrument group track has the
minor EQ adjustments. Brainworx bx_digital V3 M-S EQ, and
“I kept the bass in place with the UAD the only thing I did with that is make the
1176LN E, and it also has a send to the instruments wider. I wanted to open up
Room aux, which has a UAD Ocean Way the stereo image, because the song is
room reverb. I added compression to almost in mono. Only the drums are in
the guitar tracks with the UAD LA-2A S, stereo, and although I used two mics on
and there are sends to the Hall aux, with the guitar and hard panned them, they
a UAD Lexicon 224, on the two main still picked up the same part. It’s not
guitar tracks. The two guitar tracks that a double guitar, so sounds pretty mono.
I pulled out for the B sections have sends “Both the Instrument and Vocal
to the Hall and to the Chorus aux, which Group tracks are sent to the Master
has a UAD Studio D Stereo Chorus.” track, on which I again have the
bx_digital, again to widen the image.
Vocals I guess I felt I had to do it twice,
“All vocal tracks have the same inserts: because once was not enough! I used
Avid EQ3 7-band, UAD 1176 LN, Mäag the Precision Maximizer and Precision
EQ4, and again the 7-band. The main Limiter for volume when I sent the
difference is in the plug-in settings mixes out for approval, but I took them
and in the sends. The a cappella at off when I sent the mix to the mastering
the beginning of the song is sent to engineers, Pietro Caramelli and Claudio
the Very Large Hall aux with the Avid Giussani at Energy Mastering.”
ReVibe II, as well as the Hall aux with Caramelli and Giussani added their
the UAD Precision Delay Mod, and the own bit of final polishing. Naturally,
V Hall which has another instance of the none of those involved expected one
Lexicon 224. I wanted the a cappella of the songs to become a worldwide hit
to sound larger than the other vocals, four years later, but clearly, the quick
which have only the 224 and a send to work that was done by Marcantoni in
the V Slap aux, with a delay from the 2017 was of high enough quality to
UAD Galaxy Tape Echo. holds its own in the charts of 2021.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 141

 TA LK B A CK

Badsista
I’m listening to it a lot. I’m really enjoying with Linn de Quebrada and Brisa Flow.
WILLIAM STOKES
it. I’m also listening a lot to Brisa Flow’s I think that was one of the most important

T
he world of production has last album — it’s really good. I’m also projects that I did because I believed in
never been more diverse, more listening to Amy Winehouse, too. I never her, she believed in me, and we trusted
accessible or more exciting get tired of it. I wish it was possible to each other. So it was really important
than it is now. Burgeoning producers make an album through a medium, or to me.
who might previously have never had something like that! It’s so sad. I wish
the opportunity to step foot inside we could have another album from her. The first thing I look for in a studio
a recording studio and prove their worth I thought she was an amazing singer, and I love monitors! But, the atmosphere is
are making staggering records in all kinds I really like the way she wrote her lyrics. really important. I don’t like lazy people.
of environments and cultures, and with all The way that she was talking about her I think that the energy is really important
kinds of gear — expensive or rudimentary. life. I really like people who write like that. when you’re in somebody else’s studio.
Badsista, aka Rafaela Andrade, is one. It’s not difficult to understand what they I had an experience with another artist
Now a globetrotting producer and DJ, are trying to say. when we went to a friend’s studio and
her work with artists like Lei Di Dai Linn spent about three hours trying to get
da Quebrada and the Multishow Brazilian The project I’m most proud of one line right. Sometimes the energy just
Music Award winner (in Portuguese: So, last year I worked with music director doesn’t work out at all. For me, it’s all
Prêmio Multishow de Música Brasileira) Jup do Bairro who is a great, great friend about the music. It’s because of the music
Jup do Bairro has seen her grow into one of mine. We used to work together that I have this equipment now; because
of Brazil’s most eminent electronic music in Linn da Quebrada’s band. Linn da of the music that I can send some money
producers. These days she lives in the Quebrada and Jup do Bairro are both to my Mum; it’s because of the music that
Cangaíba district of São Paulo, where she travestis — I don’t know how to say that I pay my rent. But, when I go to the studio
is currently working on a project with MC in English — trans-girls? They were the with someone who doesn’t care about the
and singer Brisa Flow, as well as on an two people who believed in my kind of music so much, who cares more about
album of her own. sound. In the kind of sound that we could the image, it gets me really bored. I don’t
“It’s nice to see other realities,” she build together. It’s so special that they’re like that. I’m here for the music. I really
says. “You want to ask me about my still alive, you know. Because in Brazil love that people are still supporting me
favourite gear and things like that, but for the trans population are living in danger and buying my music, but I don’t care so
us in Brazil it’s not so easy to buy things. all the time. If you go out in the street, if much about the exposure.
The taxes are really high, and equipment you take a bus… things can happen to
is only a reality for the people who have you. At any time. So it’s really special that The person I would consider my mentor
the money. I only started to buy my things they’re still alive, and that they’re singing Lei Di Dai. She’s been a dancehall singer
last year, like my KRK monitors. A friend about themselves — not only about being for more than 15 years, here in São
gave me a microphone. I have a keyboard transgender or whatever — about love, Paulo. She’s a Rastafarian. It’s because
controller that another friend gave me as parties, about self-confidence, about of her that my first EP is so dancehall.
payment to work on her album. Right now transformation. I produced Jup do Bairro; When I met her I was really disappointed
I have a proper room to work in, but in we spent two weeks together. We spent with my life. I was sad. I used to play
the house I used to work in I had to use two weeks producing this EP with five or the acoustic guitar and sing in bars for
the living room. There was a lot of noise. six songs together. It was really special four hours at a time, and earn $20 or
It’s another reality.” She then pauses for because last year she won a lot of prizes less. When I got to know Lei Di Dai,
a moment before adding, “we can use the with just that first EP. And it’s not even I had showed her a lot of the dancehall
word ‘ghetto’, I think.” a whole album! We have an awards here beats I was doing at that time and she
called the Prêmio Multishow de Música asked me to work with her. It was really
At the moment I can’t stop listening to Brasileira and she won the Super Jury: special because she basically took me
Ahh… The things I’m doing with Brisa New Artist Award. It was a big, important and inserted me into the electronic and
Flow! Because, she is writing in Spanish thing for us. She won other awards, too… underground scene of São Paulo. Within
and we have this big connection doing right now we’re starting to work on her one month, everybody — producers,
music. We really understand each other. album but I’m also doing this other stuff DJs — was getting to know me because

142 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Photo: Thais Oliveira
of Lei Di Dai. She said “OK, if you want week Brisa Flow spent three days or The producer I’d most like to work with
to do this then I’m going to help you.” four days with me, I think, and we just Anyone…? I’d have to think about it.
And she helped me with everything. worked one day. The other days we Kasimyn from the group Gabber Modus
Especially with contacts. She was talking stayed here and watched movies, talked Operandi. We met each other in Berlin
to everyone about me. And she knows about other stuff, listening to music, did at the CTM festival, and I think they’re
a lot of people here in São Paulo! I met cooking… I think that’s part of it. Part of really insane with their producing. They
her in 2015, and I think the first time getting to know each other and feeling mix a lot of Indonesian percussion and
I travelled to another country was 2018. close to each other, because if you feel melodies with gabber, and this is really
She was making connections for me, and close to someone, the process of doing cool. I don’t know why we haven’t
teaching me how to work. When I started music gets easier. These kinds of things produced together yet!
to travel to Europe I met a lot of people, are important.
and it was really crazy because they had The advice I’d give myself of 10
such easy access to equipment. Here My go-to reference track or album years ago
for us, the taxes on audio equipment It’s kind of lo-fi house, but that track from I would say: keep calm. Things are going
and equipment in general makes it so Mall Grab, ‘I’ve Always Liked Grime’, it’s to happen. Keep studying your stuff. Stay
expensive. That’s why it’s so special really, really good. I used to play that a nerd. You’re going to make money.
to share the knowledge and share the track a lot and still want to play it because I would say, you don’t have to feel this
contacts and the network. I know that if it really hits me. It was like a new world imposter syndrome. In the beginning,
Lei Di Dai hadn’t done that for me, I would when I started to listen to that kind of when I started to get known, sometimes
still be uploading music to Soundcloud music. What else… some tracks from I felt like I didn’t deserve that. I felt like
and sending emails. Rihanna, especially from the ANTI album, I was just pretending. When they said
the last album. It has a good bass. This is I was good, that I was one of the best
The biggest misconception about the really important. There’s also a track from producers in Brazil, I thought they were
role of the producer Mariah Carey, ‘H.A.T.E.U.’ — that one is lying. But right now I feel like I am one
This is a tough question! I think the really cool because the beat is so simple of the best producers in Brazil. Because
misconception is that the producer is yet so… concrete. I feel more comfortable about my ideas
like a machine, where you put a nickel and I feel stronger. About my work. I know
in and then you have a beat. Sometimes My desert island studio item what I want to do, I know what I like, what
there’s inspiration and sometimes I’ll go I think I would take my guitar. There I don’t like. People like us, from the places
two or three weeks without opening up are things that I can do on the guitar we came from, the path to gaining self
my Ableton Live. Sometimes I’ve had that I cannot do on the keyboard. I’m confidence is longer to us. We have to do
studio sessions with a friend or an artist looking for a guitar controller, with MIDI a lot of things to feel like we deserve it.
where I go and I don’t feel any inspiration or something. That would be nice. That A lot of artists and producers who came
at all. And we’re there trying to make would save my life! I play more guitar from where I came from feel this way. And
it work and it’s not going to work. Last than keyboards. we’re trying to change that.

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 143

 GOL DEN GE A R

HUGH ROBJOHNS

T
here will be few ‘baby boomer’ studio
engineers who won’t go a little misty-eyed at
mention of the legendary Revox A77: one of the
first all-transistor, high-quality, open-reel tape recorders
that non-professionals could afford. And, of course,
those of slightly younger years will undoubtedly
have much the same emotion for its successor, the
elegant B77. However, it is this latter descendant’s
close cousin, the PR99, that I really want to reminisce
about here! Forty years ago the PR99 was launched
to span the gap between the Swiss manufacturer’s
Revox consumer machines and their more expensive
professional Studer recorders.
Studer Revox PR99 Background
Open-Reel Tape Recorder Although the A77 (and later B77) was designed
fundamentally for the 1970s (and ’80s) domestic hi-fi
The final Revox tape recorders left the factory almost market, it has been suggested that most of them
were bought for professional or semi-professional
25 years ago, yet the enthusiasm and support for applications. They certainly became familiar sights
these classic machines remains as strong as ever. in musicians’ home studios, educational facilities,

144 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 transport motors, tape platters, guides and heads. And direction, of course, while
instead of sharing a single motor and relying on belts, the standard ‘consumer’
pulleys and cogs to drive the reels, the A77 featured option employed the stereo
three powerful direct-drive asynchronous AC motors, quarter-track head format to
with the capstan motor being electronically controlled record a stereo track in one
via a tacho-sensor for absolutely speed accuracy direction, whereupon the tape
— most consumer machines of the era relied on could be turned over and
a synchronous motor whose speed depended on the a second interleaved stereo
(varying) mains frequency. In the A77 everything was track could be recorded in the
controlled electronically, using relays and solenoids, opposite direction. Additional
allowing ‘light-touch’ transport buttons and versatile options applied to the erase
remote-control options, while the audio electronics head, which could span the full
were arranged on modular plug-in circuit cards for easy track, or be split to erase each
access and servicing. half-track separately, or the
Studer Revox also designed and built — to two erase gaps could overlap
exemplary standards — their own ‘Revodur’ tape to ensure the guard band was
heads, which allowed their recorders to deliver wiped as well.

“One reason for the continuing

popularity of the PR99 is that virtually
every part is still available.”
a significantly flatter frequency response than most of Another key decision when
their contemporaries could manage. Moreover, head life specifying a new machine
was maximised through gentle tape paths with modest was the preferred equalisation
wraps, resulting in less tendency to develop flats and standard. The A77 featured
grooves in the heads. One amusing Revox A77 advert a switch to select NAB or IEC
from the ’70s stated that the company guaranteed four (CCIR) replay equalisation
parts for just a year: the capstan, the pinch-roller, and (although the record format
the record and playback heads... while the remaining was fixed at the factory).
842 parts were guaranteed for life! However, the B77’s record and
replay EQ was determined
From A To B during manufacture so the
In its 10 years of production from 1967 to 1977, the appropriate NAB or IEC
A77 model evolved through four Marks, and around standard had to be specified
and in radio production offices, as well as 450,000 machines were built! In 1977 it was succeeded on the order. Another factory
making regular appearances in professional by the B77, which built upon the great successes of specification set the two
recording studios and location recording its forebear while maintaining the same fundamental operating speeds: any adjacent
trucks, too! design concepts, mechanical engineering and build pair could be provided
The simple reason for this enormous quality. The audio circuitry was largely derived from the between 15/16-inch and 15ips.
breadth of service was that, despite their earlier model, but the B77’s transport control system Other model options included
notional consumer origins and relatively was completely redesigned principally to use digital a playback-only version,
affordable prices, these were extremely logic instead of relays. The B77 achieved slightly machines with deleted controls,
well-engineered, rugged and reliable better technical performance across the board, and rackmounting rails, added sync
machines which, when correctly aligned most say it sounded it a little better. It was certainly and remote-control facilities
and maintained, achieved remarkably more generously equipped with features, including for slide projections, and much
good technical specifications and sound-on-sound via an internal track dubbing facility. more besides.
gave surprisingly little away to pukka Around 220,000 B77s were built altogether, from
professional machines. These Revox a catalogue of 61 different model variants, and at the
Enter The PR99
recorders could also accommodate height of production, Studer’s factory in Regensdorf, Despite this plethora of factory
‘professional’ 10.5-inch tape reels and Switzerland could churn out around 175 new machines configurations, some of
run at 15 inches per second, when most every day! Different model options started with which were obviously already
comparable domestic machines could only selecting the head format. The ‘professional’ options aimed at professional users,
manage 7-inch spools and 7.5ips! included mono full-track, two-track (with a wide 2.0mm Studer Revox announced
Revox’s A77 was constructed around NAB-standard guard band), or stereo (with a narrow the PR99 model in 1980.
a strong aluminium die-cast chassis, just 0.75mm DIN-standard guard band), using Studer’s This was an obviously ‘more
like its Studer cousins, to ensure a stable acclaimed ‘butterfly’ heads to minimise magnetic professionalised’ version
and accurate platform supporting the crosstalk. These three formats ran the tape in a single marketed primarily towards

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 145

 GOL DEN GE A R
REVOX PR99

My Own PR99
I bought a well-used ASC PR99 MkII from
the BBC in about 1998 — it was one of
many literally being thrown out, as the BBC
considered it pretty much obsolete and
disposable equipment by then. It had had
a hard life, but it was a half-track stereo
machine with butterfly heads and came with
a full service manual, so I was confident of
being able to restore it to good health. It’s
still going strong today, although it has been
re-capped, had a couple of new bearings
and a new pinch-roller. About 15 years ago
it had major surgery to remove the record
amplifiers and bias oscillator, install a second
set of repro amplifiers, and the record head
was replaced with a quarter-track replay
head. I can now switch between professional
half-track stereo and consumer quarter-track
stereo formats by using the Sync buttons.
Not a standard mod, obviously, but it works
well and suited my needs at the time!

The most eye-catching feature of the MkII PR99

was the digital tape timer. PR99s came with 19-inch rackmounting controls was that it created space in front
rails, but there was also a version mounted of the headblock to fit a large, traditional
the rapidly increasing numbers of local horizontally in a wheeled trolley, and ‘EMItape’ splicing block (similar to an
radio stations which were appearing another in a flightcase with built-in monitor Xedit ‘Editall’ for those to the West of the
across Europe at that time. These new loudspeakers for portable location recording Atlantic), allowing easier and faster editing.
broadcasters tended to have relatively low applications — although this is probably the These ASC PR99s proved hugely
budgets, yet still needed workhorse tape rarest version to leave the factory. popular in the UK, and perhaps that’s
machines in great numbers. Studer Revox In most other respects, though, the what spurred Studer Revox into launching
met that need with the PR99 which was PR99 and the B77 were still very close their own Mark II version of the PR99 in
promoted as an ‘affordable Studer’, neatly cousins, and this frequently created 1985. This new updated model likewise
bridging the capability gap between the ‘operational issues’. In particular, the incorporated a smart digital tape timer,
domestic B77 and the nearest professional profusion of front-panel controls with with zero locate, address locate, and
equivalent at the time, the Studer B67. options for input selection, track dubbing, auto-repeat functions, and a rather small
The most obvious difference between I/O level adjustments, monitoring modes but functional splicing block complete
the B77 and the original PR99 is the latter’s and so on, often lead to embarrassing with integrated cutter to the right of the
raised transport chassis, bringing it flush user errors! Remember, these machines headblock. Going beyond ASC’s updates,
with the control panel to give much easier were typically being used by non-technical Revox also added a varispeed facility
access to the heads for rapid lacing and radio presenters and broadcast journalists (ranging over ±2 semitones) controlled
tape editing. Less obvious was the addition rather than experienced studio managers by an on-off button and range knob
of a second damper arm in the tape path or engineers. above the head block, and a Cue-Edit
on the exit from the headblock (the B77 function operated by a mechanical slide
had only one damper arm on the entry to
Outside Influence switch just in front of the head block.
the headblock). The PR99 also featured ASC, a small British pro-audio This last feature defeated the tape lifters
transformer-balanced input and output manufacturing company with close ties to and replay head hum-shield when in
XLR connections to integrate properly the UK radio broadcasting industry, picked Stop mode, and activated the replay
with professional mixing consoles, and up on this problem and, in 1983, launched audio circuitry to allow manual audible
front-panel buttons selected calibrated or a much-simplified version of the PR99 in tape cueing (or scrubbing, as it’s often
adjustable I/O alignments. A Tape Dump which all the ‘non-essential’ controls were known). A less visible but still quite
button was also added to disable the removed, with a new grey panel fitted to important improvement expanded the
take-up spool motor, allowing unwanted hide the missing knobs and buttons. But range of treble EQ adjustment in the
sections of tape to be ‘played off’ during ASC didn’t just take things off the PR99: replay amplifier, allowing compensation
editing without the take-up spool spinning they also installed an elegant digital tape for greater head wear. Possibly of even
wildly. Another useful feature was the timer to the left of the head block. This was greater significance is the fact that Studer
appearance of a pair of Sync buttons, a really useful modification, as the simple Revox changed suppliers around this
which replayed audio from either channel four-digit mechanical counter carried over time and started using high performance
of the record head rather than the replay from the B77 was far too basic for use Beyschlag and Philips components, which
head, enabling synchronous recording or in a professional setting. An additional many claim resulted in worthwhile audible
overdubbing onto the other track. Standard benefit of removing most of the front-panel improvements.

146 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

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 GOL DEN GE A R
REVOX PR99

Many options could be

specified when ordering a PR99.
This unit, for example, lacks the
mic preamps.

A77 and even the later

36-series tape machines!
Consequently, bringing
these elderly machines
back to perfect working
order is generally quite
feasible for an experienced
technician with the right
tools and test equipment
— albeit at a cost; running
any open-reel tape machine
is inherently an expensive
business these days!
The PR99’s mechanicals
are generally very robust
and long-lasting, while
elements that suffer normal
wear and tear like the motor
and guide bearings, the
capstan shaft, pinch-rollers
Many claim this Mark II revision was the were significantly reworked, too, with and brake linings are all fairly easy to obtain
best version of the PR99, but four years later extensive application of FET analogue and replace. As for the electronics, the
in 1989 Revox brought out a Mark III model, switches and op-amps throughout the audio biggest risk by far is failure of the many
recognisable by its grey control panel. Most circuitry. On the upside, wider adjustment electrolytic and mains-filter capacitors,
of the changes introduced in the Mark III ranges were provided for treble EQ, bias which is why most service technicians
were really aimed at reducing manufacturing and erase drive current, presumably to cope automatically replace original components
costs, perhaps driven by a need to remain with higher-output tape formulations. As as a standard part of any service or
competitive as the digital audio revolution a result, though, the Mark III’s electronics renovation — hopefully before their
was building rapidly in the broadcast world. cards were no longer interchangeable with looming failure can do any serious damage!
New digital recording systems like Sony’s Mark I/II PR99s. Trimmer pots on the electronics cards can
PCMF1 and the then-new ‘R-DAT’ recorders also become intermittent due to dirt and
cost a fraction of the price of a PR99 and,
Still Rolling corrosion, or just through excessive use, but
although impractical for editing at that The last B77 Mark II and PR99 Mark III again these are easily replaced. Thankfully,
time these formats were quickly gaining machines left the Regensdorf factory in there are very few custom or unique circuit
popularity for recording applications, not 1997, ending 46 years of Revox open-reel components in a PR99, so most electronic
least for their longer recording times, less tape recorders. That means that, today, repairs are straightforward and inexpensive.
costly media, and more compact and even the youngest PR99 is over 25 years Studer Revox’s service manuals are very
lightweight physicality. old, and the oldest models are around thorough and easy to follow as well,
Other aspects differentiating the Mark 40, with most having endured hard lives so routine maintenance and alignment
III include the deletion of the microphone in broadcast studios. Nevertheless, there presents little challenge to anyone familiar
inputs, input selector knobs (in the centre of are always more Revox machines in the with electronics and tape recorder servicing
the control panel), and the Sync buttons and for-sale ads than any other brand of tape — you just need to make sure the manual
associated sync replay amplifiers (so it was recorder, and they often change hands covers the specific boards in your particular
no longer possible to overdub synchronously today for considerably more than their machine because, as we’ve seen, there
between tracks). Internally, the electronics original purchase price. Such buoyant were quite a few versions over the years.
prices only confirm the impressive Modifying or converting machines from one
longevity and continued desirability of the configuration to another isn’t usually too
Revox Or ReVox? PR99. The most sought-after models are much of a problem, either, or obviously far
good-condition stereo half-track machines more involved than routine maintenance,
The Swiss manufacturer’s name is often fitted with DIN butterfly heads. and there are even companies offering
seen written as ReVox, but in this article I’ve One reason for the continuing popularity brand-new front-panel and case metal work
stuck with Revox partly because it’s simpler
of the PR99 is that virtually every part (in fancy colours, too) as well as wooden
to type, but mainly because it’s much easier
on the eye! The actual company logo used is still available from a collection of cabinets to rejuvenate tired-looking
small capital letters throughout, with the V in specialist companies that enthusiastically machines. I think it’s a fairly safe bet that
a larger type size: reVox. support these revered machines. The there will still be Revox PR99s in use at the
same is generally true of its siblings the turn of the next century!

148 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 VIDEO DOCUMENTARY ORIGINAL S

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Real World Studios

In our in-depth video feature, we go behind the scenes at Real World and meet the team who help
make it one of the world’s premier recording facilities. Peter Gabriel’s personal engineer Dickie Chappell
also gives us an exclusive sneak peek into Peter’s writing room.

www.youtube.com/soundonsoundvideo
 IN TE R VIE W

Producer, Songwriter & Arranger

TONY BACON His remarkable versatility has made Federico Vindver

the go-to collaborator for Timbaland, Kanye West,

I
n 2019, Federico Vindver was working
with Kanye West on the album that Coldplay and more.
became Jesus Is King, when Kanye
announced a new rule for everyone in the amount of options? Sometimes you have to that defines me as a producer,” he says,
studio: “We can never have more than four simplify more. Sometimes we’d even go to “is that I love to work with artists who are
sounds at the same time.” Rick Rubin would a cappella sections. For example, ‘Use This completely different from each other.” He’s
sometimes use a similar directive, and it’s Gospel’ on that album has a Kenny G sax not joking. He’s worked with everyone from
one that certainly concentrates the mind solo, and so we had all these combinations Mariah Carey to Tee Grizzley, from Christina
and, indeed, the ears. of how to do that solo. Do we put a pad Aguilera to Chance the Rapper, from Muse
Federico considered the options on the behind it, or a piano, maybe? In fact, we to Justin Timberlake.
piece they were developing. Kick, snare made it kind of an a cappella sax solo for “One time I was working with Polo G,
and vocals were already there, so there the most part. It really brought your attention a great young rapper from Chicago, and at
was room for only one more sound. Maybe to it! Imagine, though, if it had big drums and the same time I was finishing a song with
lose the kick for a bass? Maybe make it all pads and bass — it would not have had the Josh Groban and Kirk Franklin, completely
voices? Whatever the solution, it had to be same shocking effect. That was definitely the other side of the spectrum. I thought,
restricted to four sounds. a situation where ‘less is more’ applied.” well, nobody under the age of 50 would
“That was a situation where simplifying probably buy Josh’s record, and at the same
helped a lot,” Federico recalls. “Like, how do
Something From Everyone time I’m working with a guy who nobody
you make a chorus or some other section This sort of adaptability has been the key over the age of 18 might buy his record.” He
really pop if you only have this very limited to an unusually diverse career. “Something laughs at the thought, enjoying the diversity.

150 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Although he laments that he
doesn’t get to spend as much time
there as he’d like, Federico Vindver
has a well-equipped studio of his own.

“And then I’ll go to Nashville

and I’ll make some white
American records, I’ll go to
Atlanta and work on more street
hip-hop records, and from
there to Miami or Colombia
to work on some ghetto Latin
records. And I’m working with
mega-superstars who are
gazillionaires, then back to new
artists who have no money. I go
from country to hip-hop to rock
to anything.”
Rick Rubin comes to
mind again. “Yes, he’s
one of my heroes. He has
meditation-music albums with
Middle Eastern chanting, he has
heavy metal, he has hip-hop.
That’s the kind of producer I’m
trying to be, somebody who
can tackle very different projects. It keeps acquired copies of Acid Pro and Fruity met Timbaland during a session for a band
it fun for me. I was just doing a Christmas Loops, plus a “really bad” soundcard, and called New City and began working more
album with Meghan Trainor, all orchestral, he began making tracks. “The bands we with him, and that in turn led to Kanye West.
big-band, Nat King Cole-sounding things, were playing with would say, well, your
and from that I went to something weird and really dumb setup actually sounds better
Early Music
electronic with a Latin artist. Then I did some than the studios we’re going to, so we’re Kanye wanted to work with Timbaland,
reggaeton records. That’s what I love about going to do it with you. And that’s how it but their respective schedules never
music. I love it all!” all started.” quite coincided. One time, though, Tim
He studied the music he liked, curious and Federico had been working on some
Jazz & Bad Soundcards how people like Timbaland, or Pharrell sessions in Miami and were just about to
Federico was born in Argentina. When and the Neptunes made their tracks, and return to LA when word came down that
he was 19 he moved to Spain and then attempted to emulate them. He started they should stay. Kanye would be with
to Mexico, to a gig playing piano at a big touring, notably with Lauryn Hill and them tomorrow — at 9:00am. “This,” says
hotel resort there. He practiced assiduously then Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez and Federico with a smile, “was the first time I’d
during the day, and in his early 20s he Ricky Martin. “Even then, I was trying to heard somebody say ‘9:00am’ in the last
majored in jazz performance at the Frost produce whoever I could on the side. 20 years.”
School of Music at the University of Miami. And I’d always be on my laptop. If I wasn’t They figured they might as well get
“It was a comprehensive programme making tracks, I’d be learning plug-ins, there at 8:30, just in case. “And by 8:45,
that also offered conducting, orchestral learning music, listening, always doing Kanye entered the room. It was like
arranging and computer technology,” he more at the same time.” hey, how are you? Amazing,” Federico
says. “That four-year course really helped Eventually Federico realised he remembers. “Then he played us a bunch of
me out on so many levels.” liked the studio more than touring, music, and we started working with him, at
He was playing keys with a variety of so he moved to Los Angeles to try to first with Tim, and then we began going to
bands, mainly to make ends meet, and that become a full-time producer. The biggest his studio in LA, and we ended up working
inevitably led to some recording sessions. problem he faced at first was how bad with him for, I would say, a year and a half,
“The producers didn’t really know much his computer was. It would freeze every two years. I’m still doing stuff with him, too,
about music. They were more like engineers 20 minutes or so — which at least taught nowadays, but it was really a nice working
working the computer. I was always him how to work fast. He had a Yamaha relationship. He works with so many
very computer-savvy; I’d taken a year of Motif keyboard he used for gigs, and he’d people, so you get to meet a lot of talented
computer science in Argentina, too. So I’d record that. Quickly. producers and engineers.”
see these guys and think man, I can do Around 2006, Federico graduated to The sessions would turn into Kanye’s
better — because I know music. All I’ve got a MacBook Pro and Logic, which came 2019 Christian/gospel album Jesus Is King,
to do is learn this Pro Tools thing.” with some very usable plug-ins. It was and Federico gradually became what
His budget didn’t allow that, exactly, a big improvement, and his music-making he describes as the everything guy. At
but a friend gave him a beat-up PC and he and recording moved steadily forward. He first, he was presenting ideas along with

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 151

 IN TE R VIE W
FEDERICO VINDVER

This diverse rack of instruments reflects the Visible in this shot are Federico’s Roland Alpha
variety in Federico Vindver’s work. From top: Roland could we go back to it? He’d remember Juno 1, Clavia Nord Lead and Yamaha DX7 synths
HS60, the ‘home keyboard’ version of the Juno 106; everything, which was incredible. And so, of (on wall), with his Oberheim OB-6 desktop module
Korg MS20 and Yamaha CS10 analogue synths; course, we’d do it that way.” in the foreground.
Akai MPC3000 sampler/sequencer and Behringer
Poly D synth; Sequential Prophet X polysynth; and Play It Again, Federico harmonies, all kinds of things to finish the
M4000D Digital Mellotron.
Another strand of Federico’s work on the record. So another role I took on was the
some of the other people in Timbaland’s Jesus Is King album was to replay samples. finisher. That’s why I got credit on almost
camp — sometimes full beats, other times “Kanye would say he liked this or that every song on the Jesus Is King album,
straightforward chord progressions, sample, but maybe he wanted to take the because everything was at some point
then maybe samples from records. He drums out of it, mute the bass, whatever. coming through me, to give the final touch.
recalls that in the first week alone they So I would do replays. I can play every Some of them I started from scratch with
worked on ideas for 40 or 50 songs, and instrument, so I’d be in a room with guitar, him, some of them he already had and it
gradually he became closer and more bass, keys, drums, percussion, and I’d replay was me doing finishing touches.”
keyed into Kanye’s working methods. the whole sample note by note, putting it There would be sessions to record real
Which can be… different. together so it sounds exactly like it. After instruments. “He would say, ‘OK, I want
“I would have maybe 20 little pieces of a while you do get better at that, but it’s this to sound like marching-band horns.’ So
music prepared for him to play,” he says, definitely challenging. Sometimes you need I’ll go into a horn-section session, record
“and he would freestyle stuff on them, to do some research about what they used a bunch of songs, and I’d have to rearrange
so that was one thing. Then also I was on this record, who the band was, and it them right down. My background, writing for
working on his vocals a lot. They would can take time to recreate all the necessary big bands in the jazz programme at Miami,
record his vocals and give them to me. He sounds.” came in handy there.”
might do his freestyle thing for 20 minutes On other occasions, he has needed For another piece on the Sunday Service
on something, so I would take that and to dissect a sample and rearrange it in album, Kanye decided he’d like to record
try to condense it into what felt to me like a new way. “Kanye will have songs that a choir of 150 people. “There was no studio
a song. I would try to find the hook, try to are — how can I put it — in a very unfinished in LA that could accommodate 150 people
find the verse, I’d put it together that way, form. They might have him freestyling over to record,” Federico recalls, “so we found
and then he came in and would make a sample, so maybe I want to put drums on a rehearsal studio where we could do it.
notes. And sometimes he’d say he really this, and I have to redo the sample so we Then the problem became how to mic all
liked the edit, but there was a part he did have that, change the key, perhaps, or put these people for an effective recording. We
that I didn’t use that he really liked. So in a vocoder on his vocals, create some tried so many combinations of techniques,

152 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 IN TE R VIE W
FEDERICO VINDVER

Federico Vindver does

much of his work in Ableton
Live. Softube’s Console 1
and Console 1 Fader control
surfaces sit above his
controller keyboard, with his
beloved Moog Grandmother to
the right.

but Kanye felt it never

sounded as big as
he wanted. He said it
sounded too much like
a studio, but he wanted to
feel like he was there.”
Eventually, Federico
came up with a scheme.
“I used a series of
microphones with
different pairs in front of
the choir. The first pair
was at the very back of
the room and very wide
— as wide as I could.
Then there would be
further pairs of mics that
got closer and a little less
wide, making a pyramid
shape as the mics got
less wide and closer
to the choir. We also put spot mics on the had the same envelope as the saw wave, There followed sessions where Chris
different sections of the choir. And having giving the impression like when you reverse opened up the working versions of songs,
all those mics gave us enough control over a sound. And Chris was saying, ‘Oh, that’s and they would add sounds, change
how we wanted it to sound. So,” he adds the sound!’ He loved it.” things around, try different approaches.
with a contented sigh, “we nailed it. Working Then came what Federico describes as “A few songs made the album where the
with Kanye, it can be everything from miking the genius moment. “Chris took that sound first versions had been jams that we did
that 150-piece choir down to a song that just and wrote a whole other song with it! And together, like ‘Champion Of The World’ and
needs a better kick drum.” the original song, the one we were looking ‘Orphans’,” Federico remembers.
for the string sound, never even made it to He was impressed with Chris’s ability to
Everyday Life the album. The new song he wrote with the think well ahead. During the first few days
One of the many lessons Federico has sound was ‘Everyday Life’, which actually they worked together, Federico was playing
learned from working with Kanye is how gave the name to the album. It just shows him some of the sounds he’d prepared
much benefit can come from the luxury such how these genius people — like Kayne, like in advance, a system he uses regularly.
an artist has to spend time (and, necessarily, Chris — can work creatively in a far less “For me, Coldplay was ambient, pads, big
money) considering multiple options. structured way than most people.” sounds, big drums, certain guitar sounds,
Eventually, Federico notes, you start to things I know they use, so I prepared
see how malleable music is. He recalls
Forward Planning literally hundreds of sounds ready for these
a similar example from when he worked Federico had come to Coldplay through sessions. One of my sounds I played, Chris
with Coldplay on their 2019 album Everyday Timbaland, who’d worked with the band was like, ‘That’s it! That’s going to open the
Life. There was a song where Chris Martin before. Federico and Angel Lopez went album after this one!’ I’m like, What? Why
and the band felt they still hadn’t nailed the into a studio in Malibu with Chris, expecting are you thinking about two albums from
string sound they wanted for it. Tim to turn up, but he was sick and couldn’t now? And this to me was another genius
“We spent a few days looking for that make it. “Chris said ‘OK, I guess it’s just move, right there, to be able to think so
string sound. OK, sampled strings? Well, the three of us today. Let’s try to make far in advance.” Federico says the result is
not so good. Real strings? Still not there yet. something.’ And it was magical,” Federico due to become a short introductory piece
Oh, Oberheim strings? Ah, almost there. says. “We kept on working for a few days, opening Coldplay’s forthcoming album,
Eventually, I played this sound, and I think then Tim came in and did a few days, too, Music Of The Spheres, due for release later
it must have been the simplest sound I’ve then went back to Miami. At the beginning it in 2021.
ever done — like a filter saw wave pad with was mostly writing stuff with Chris, and then For the sound in question, he drew upon
a very long attack, so it sucked into the eventually he said he had this new Coldplay techniques he’s developed over the years,
sound, ver-oomph. I added some street record they were doing, and he wanted to particularly exploiting Ableton Live, his prime
noise on top of that, and the street noise see if we could hear anything.” working environment, and what he calls its

154 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

 Kitchen Church
At one point during the production of the
2019 Jesus Is Born album by Sunday Service,
Kanye’s gospel group, Federico Vindver
found himself in a cabin in Wyoming — the
successful producer’s life is never dull —
pondering a problem with a recording of
a live gospel choir that Kanye wanted to use.
Try as he might, Federico couldn’t get it to
sound as if the choir was in a small church,
the intention for its use on ‘Sweet Grace’.
His solution was to put two C414s in the
cabin’s kitchen, blast the recording through
some speakers, and resample it. “And
surprisingly, with all that kitchen reverb, it
came out great! It gave that reverb sound
I just couldn’t get with a plug-in. On ‘Sweet
Grace’ you hear the drums and everything,
and a big part of it was going through these
414s to get that ambient sound — and then
the Sunday Service gospel choir recorded on
top of that, too. More proof that you have to
resource whatever you can to make things
sound the way you want them.”

results, that it will push the limits of what

you can do.”
Federico works hard to push those
Another eclectic selection of instruments! From top: Behringer Neutron, Pro One, Model D and Wasp limits. It can be important, he says, to
Deluxe synths; Moog Slim Phatty module; Arturia Keystep Pro controller; ARP Omni MkII string machine and let your subconscious mind take over.
(left) Makenoise Strega and 0 Coast modules. “And that’s what’s hard in producing.
I’m big into ergonomics. When I work in
modular-like qualities. “I can use all kinds of palette of sounds ready to present at the my studio at home, which unfortunately
MIDI sources to modify any parameter on studio. “I do find it’s good to separate doesn’t happen too often, I try to carry
anything I’m doing — a kind of sound-design your sound-design and sound-searching that philosophy. I have a MIDI Fighter set
dream. For this sound in particular, I was days from your music-making days,” he up so when I hit one of its buttons, it will
assigning Ableton’s key tracking, so the says. “When I make music, I don’t want to do something I do often — for example
higher or the lower you play on a keyboard, be searching for sounds. I want to have open a reverb, maybe, or perhaps open
that will control something, in this case delay everything ready to go. So when I’m bored a delay — so I don’t have to go looking for
time. So if I played a higher chord, it’s going and I feel I’m not able to do anything a plug-in when I’m working.”
to move my delay, and that created a crazy good musically, I go into that mode of This circles back to his youthful jazz
wobble in the delay, because I’m changing sound-searching, maybe downloading studies and performances. “I like to
the time and changing the pitch. And it’s new plug-ins, or going to my synths to improvise when I’m creating,” he says,
interesting because it does this depending record some stuff.” His current faves from “I like to feel like I’m playing an instrument.
on what I play.” a large collection of synths are his Moog If it’s going too slow, if I have to go on the
He estimates that 85 or 90 percent Grandmother, a reissue Prophet, and some computer and edit things, it’s not going to
of his work today takes place in Ableton, of the Make Noise modular stuff. work for me. I have to feel the immediacy.
with maybe a little Pro Tools and some He tells me about another of the All my synths, all my drum machines,
Logic. “Sometimes I’ll even use FL Studio. curveballs Kanye West threw into the everything is plugged in, everything is
I like to change things up — it makes you studio one day. “Kanye said he wanted to ready to go. I have it set so it’s automatic
think differently. Once I learn how to do record a choir of 500,000 kids. And he — my hand hits a button and it brings what
something, and I feel really comfortable and was serious, too. I thought to myself, well, I want.”
like I’m mastering something, it’s almost like, getting 500,000 kids is not going to be He reckons that most of the time, he’ll
well, I’m never gonna do that again! Let’s go that easy. But this kind of thing makes you go with the first thing he does. “If I love it,
to an uncomfortable place.” think! It’s almost like a Zen riddle. What’s I keep it. If not, I go to another sound or
he trying to do, you know? Eventually you another idea. I love to keep that energy,
Outside The Comfort Zone find your way around it. But I love that he that thing of not really being sure what I’m
When we speak, Federico is preparing really takes you out of your comfort zone. doing — but we’ll see. It’s important to let
sounds for some sessions with the Whatever is easy, he will not do it. And the yourself go, because it brings new ideas,
Mexican pop duo Jesse & Joy. The songs lesson to be learned is that living outside it brings unexpected results. And I’ve
are all written, so he’s working on his the comfort zone will bring unexpected become friends with the unexpected.”

w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m / October 2021 155

 ON TE S T

any of the other EZkeys MIDI pattern

Orchestral Tools
content you own with Cinematic
Rimba Pads. However, these are pad
Sine Player sounds, so sustained chords or
++++ slower-moving passages are going
Though media composers love bubbling, jungly tuned perc grooves. The remainder of the to be the most appropriate starting
creating colossal orchestrations, instruments are unpitched: the hefty, cajon-like bass thump points. The EXkeys front end also
there comes a time when you of the Jicara de Agua (an upended pumpkin gourd floating in includes its usual macro-style
have to think small. Intimate a larger, water-filled gourd) makes an excellent kick sample, sound-shaping controls. Attack,
travelogues, sensitive wildlife while a custom-made pair of toms with birch wood playing Release, Low-pass Filter, High-pass
documentaries and sun-drenched heads and small wooden boxes turn in a slender selection of Filter and Ambience seem to be
holiday ads don’t need bombastic single-hit knocks and scuffling quiet rolls. Meanwhile, gentle ever-present, and an occasional
brass and battering drums. Such rainstick shakes and bamboo wind chimes add a relaxing and additional parameter such as an
productions require a light touch, therapeutic head-shop ambience. auto-wah speed control appears in
and that’s where Orchestral Tools’ Exhausted by all this nature, I dipped into the processed some presets as required.
Creative Soundpacks come in. In patches and enjoyed the ethereal ‘Mountain Alder’ ghost-choir A limited sound-shaping control
contrast to the epic sweep of the pad and the seismic bass rumble of the ‘Oak‘ patch. The set is perfectly understandable with
company’s symphonic titles, these high point was the wonderfully atmospheric pitched rainstick the pure piano-based sounds of the
budget-priced mini-libraries focus rolls, low chords on which evoke images of life forming in the more mainstream EZkeys libraries,
on smaller, more intimate sounds broiling Cambrian seas. but it is perhaps a bit more restrictive
such as living room piano, ‘forest Credit for this eclectic collection must go to OT’s Frederik in an instrument designed primarily
percussion’ and the other-worldy Thyssen, who played the instruments, created the processed to produce pad sounds. After all,
verrophone, combining a subtle patches and devised product ideas for the entire Creative lots of other pad-based virtual
organic approach with a sense Soundpacks range. There’s much to enjoy here: the idea, instruments offer comprehensive
of exoticism. instruments and price are all agreeable, and although its scope synth-style control sets for sound
The latest sound pack is is limited, this sound pack refreshes the parts other libraries editing or creation. I suspect that
Rimba, a 6.6GB sample collection cannot reach. Dave Stewart control set difference is what will
which compresses down to 2GB €49 define the most likely users for
installed. It runs exclusively on www.orchestraltools.com EZkeys Cinematic Pads, making it
OT’s Sine Player, an efficient if most attractive to existing EZkeys
somewhat limited sample engine Toontrack users looking to add high-quality
undergoing an update at the time pad options alongside their existing
of writing. Recorded drily from two
EZkeys Cinematic Pads conventional piano sounds and
mic positions at the company’s EZkeys Expansion EZkeys workflow. Synth-heads
T-Rex Classics studio, Rimba’s ++++ who like to dig into filters and
nine instruments are presented au EZkeys is the virtual piano player in modulation options to roll their own
naturel and also in 10 processed Toontrack’s excellent ‘virtual musician’ product range. If you sounds might find it less obviously
patches featuring various layering, need keyboard-based parts but don’t have keyboard-based appealing. However, this observation
echo, filter and distortion treatments. skills (or a budget to hire them), it’s a seriously good tool. didn’t detract from how impressed
As the title suggests, the main Toontrack offer a whole range of EZkeys flavours, each I was with the sounds themselves.
instrument is a very decent Musser featuring the same underlying performance engine, but Indeed, if you are already invested
M250 concert marimba sampled at containing different sample sets. And if you already own one in the EZkeys platform, Cinematic
multiple dynamics over its full A2-C7 EZkeys product, you can purchase these additional sound Pads would make a great addition.
range. Played with medium-soft sets at a substantial discount. Initially, these sound expansions Media composers will find plenty
mallets, it sounds clean, resonant, focused onf various styles of piano, but other keyboard-based to sonically inspire, but the library
incisive and sweet-toned, though sounds have also been offered and the subject of this review is would work equally well in any
resonance is noticeably reduced in the latest of these: EZkeys Cinematic Pads. ambient music context alongside
the top octave (a defining marimba Cinematic Pads is built around a collection of 17 underlying other organic or electronic sounds.
characteristic). Finger hits provide sampled instruments. Although there is a comprehensively John Walden
a nice alternative timbre when sampled piano amongst these, those samples appear in $149
played at higher velocities, hot rod a reversed format whenever blended into one of Cinematic www.toon ntrack.com
hits (which suffer from round-robin Pads’ 70+ presets. The other sound sources include a number
dropouts on their top Ab and Bb of analogue and modular synths and the exotic Togaman Minimal Auddio
notes) could pass for a xylophone GuitarViol, a bowed instrument that is an amazing cross
in the upper register, and the between a guitar and a viola. The presets are organised into
Emerge
swishy brush hits work well for light six categories — Atmospheric, Bells, Fat Pads, Modulated, WAV
rhythm patterns. Saturated and Strings — and even a quick browse will ++++
+
Also included are a melodious, reveal the underlying quality of the sounds. There are some Emerge is not
soft-toned log drum (aka tongue wonderful textures here, with plenty of character and depth. one of tho
ose
drum) and a cheerful South African All the usual (very powerful) EZkeys MIDI browser/ op ambience,
‘coffee shop ambience birds
kalimba, both ideal for programming sequencing options are available so you can, of course, use tweeting’ collections of sound

156 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

effects, but rather a huge collection of The tonal leanings between sections are Synth Variants offers Stringed
overtly processed sounds divided into similar to those of Organic One Shots but Resonances, Synth Swells and UI
categories and then subcategories for use the sounds themselves tend to be longer, Resonances, the common feature here
in contemporary soundtrack composition. lasting several seconds in some cases. The being a greater consistency of sound
All the sounds are presented as 24-bit WAV Water sounds are the most ‘liquid’, with and pitch throughput the duration of the
files, so you can import them into a sampler treated recordings of flowing water being sounds. Inside the UI Computations and
or use them as they come. evident in many of them. Atmospheres Glitches folder are four more subfolders for
The main folders are named Organic offers Fire, Metal, Water and Wood. There Data Computations, Micro Computations,
One Shots, Impacts, Textural Mutations, are sounds with slower attacks, crackling NanoGlitch and Resonances. The Micro
Atmospheres and Future Synthetics. flames, alien angle-grinders, lava, bowed sounds are again short bursts, whereas the
Look inside Organic One Shots and you’ll metal and so on, some lasting 20 seconds rest are several seconds in length. You’ll
see subfolders entitled Earth, Ice, Metal, or more. find FM-style metallic edginess, glitchiness
Water and Wood. Earth is full of complex, Finally, we have Future Synthetics, and granular sounds here.
short sounds, most having a fast attack to which is divided into Cinematic Basses, Many of the sounds have a similar
produce sci-fi gun noises, metallic thuds Radio Textures Synth Variants and UI character, allowing a scene to be supported
and so on. Ice holds more of the same Computations and Glitches. The basses consistently without having to repeat the
with, perhaps, a slightly colder character. have in common plenty of low end but same sound. The majority are best suited
The Metal sounds have more metallic that’s about all. There are Doppler-style to sci-fi productions, though you may find
overtones, while Water samples have spaceship fly-bys, mysterious machinery some musical applications. Each sound
a more fluid character. Wood offers some and dramatic swells, but nothing resembling effect is named, and my hat goes off to
slightly darker, impactful sounds. Inside the a conventional bass sound. Radio Textures whoever sat down and thought up all those
Impacts folder, the Full Impact sounds are is further subdivided into Micro Static, names. Paul White
more weighty, often with longer tails and Signal Ambiences and Static Ambiences. $79
some with a mechanical character. Low Micro Static offers short bursts of electronic www.minimal.audio
Impacts offers sounds with more low end. sound, Signal Ambiences similar noises
Textural Mutations includes folders with longer decays and Static Ambiences Audio examples of this month’s libraries are
available at www.soundonsound.com.
named Earth, Metal, Water, Wood and Ice. some interesting crackle-based sounds.
Q Are passive mics less noisy
than active ones?
I record spoken-word narration,
A DC-biased capacitor or electret
mic requires an impedance conversion
circuit and the active electronics
involved inherently introduces some
close-miked in a small room, with noise. FETs usually generate less noise
basic room treatment. While I have no than valves, and this electronic noise
noise-floor problems, I’ve noticed that is usually specified as ‘self-noise’. It is
some of my mics have a lot less noise typically quantified by replacing the
than others. I’ve made several recordings mic’s capsule with an equivalent value
of room sound at a quiet time of day, of capacitor (thus removing any acoustic
with the gain on each mic set to give the noise from the equation), measuring
same voice output level from each on the the output voltage (which is now only
meters of my recorder. It appears that electronic noise), and relating that back
my Beyerdynamic M201 and Royer R101 to the equivalent level of acoustic noise
ribbon mics, which are both passive, are needed at the mic’s capsule to generate
the quietest, giving an ambient noise the same output noise level. Impedance
floor of around -65dBFS, while my AKG converters don’t usually provide
C414 XLS capacitor mic set to cardioid significant gain, so only introduce a few
is -52dBFS, a difference of 13dB. Am decibels of noise. The most significant
I correct in saying that passive mics are source of noise from the microphone is
A 150Ω termination across a mic preamp’s
noticeably quieter than active mics? usually acoustic rather than electronic!
input, as used when measuring a preamp’s
SOS Forum post In this context it’s worth noting that equivalent input noise.
small-diaphragm capacitor mics are
Hugh Robjohns inherently noisier than large diaphragm Mic preamp noise is specified as an
It depends! Every mic picks up the local ones; the difference is typically 12-20 EIN (equivalent input noise) figure, and
ambient acoustic room sound — air dB. There’s a variety of reasons for this, typically measured by connecting a 150Ω
molecules in a warm room constantly such as the diaphragm tension (affected resistor across the inputs, applying
bang into each other and into the mic’s by the polar pattern), and the diaphragm a known amount of gain (usually 60dB),
diaphragm, generating noise voltage at surface area sampling sound waves. and measuring the output noise level.
the mic’s output. This captured ambient A good large-diaphragm mic might have Whatever that level is (say -67dBu), we
noise level depends on factors such as a self-noise figure of 6dB SPL, whereas then subtract the gain being applied
the mic’s polar pattern and the size of a very good small-diaphragm mic is more (the 60dB given above) to give the EIN
its diaphragm, but the mic’s frequency likely to be 18dB SPL or higher. figure: -127dBu. As mentioned above,
response also plays an important role; Many manufacturers only measure a perfect 150Ω resistor generates -131dBu
dynamic mics may be perceived to be the impedance converter’s electronic (at 20C, between 20Hz and 20kHz) but
less noisy than capacitor types simply noise because it’s much easier to do a preamp contains lots of electronics
because of their relatively curtailed HF and gives a better figure than including and even the best will add 3 or 4 dB of
response, for example. the acoustic noise contribution too. self-noise. So a good real-world EIN is
The source of electronic noise in However, companies like DPA and around -127dBu. The best designs will do
a passive mic is related to the electrical Neumann usually measure the actual slightly better but only by 1-2 dB and the
resistance of the ribbon or moving acoustic and electronic noise together worst will be many decibels higher.
coil and/or the output transformer, if by placing the mic in an anechoic It’s possible to make the EIN number
present. If we assume the total electrical chamber: this relates to real life appear better than it really is, by reducing
resistance of the generator is 150Ω, the more accurately. the source resistance applied to the
noise voltage due to electrons bumping Another factor that affects the preamp’s input. Some manufacturers
into each other inside the circuitry perceived noise is the mic’s sensitivity. employ 50Ω or even a short circuit (0Ω),
(Johnson noise) is theoretically -130.9dBu. In general, passive mics have a much giving a much more attractive figure!
Let’s round that to -131dBu. (This assumes lower sensitivity than capacitor mics, If the source resistance (and ideally
an ambient temperature of 20C and so output a smaller electrical signal for the temperature and bandwidth) isn’t
a measuring bandwidth of 20Hz to a given acoustic SPL. That means more specified, don’t trust the number!
20kHz; change either and the numbers gain is required to raise the signal to So, assessing microphone noise is
get skewed). Interestingly, if the mic’s a usable level, and the most significant complicated because there are lots
impedance is closer to 30Ω, as with some factor in perceived microphone noise is of interacting factors. Thankfully, in
vintage ribbons, the theoretical Johnson usually the mic preamp. Preamp noise all but the very quietest rooms, and
noise voltage drops to -138dBu but in is broadly proportional to the amount of assuming the equipment is decent,
practice it typically means less sensitivity gain being applied, but it’s not always ambient acoustic noise usually far
and thus more preamp gain to achieve a linear relationship and many preamps outweighs the electronic noise, so
the same signal level — which, of course, are effectively quieter at higher gains we can choose mics for their other
raises the noise level again! than at lower or middle settings. important characteristics.

158 October 2021 / w w w. s o u n d o n s o u n d . c o m

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THE ELECTRIC GUITAR

PAUL WHITE
electronics with ‘The Ministry’, Giltrap and vocalist Alice Rose reverb produces a lovely
I took my drums with me but Wild. In almost all cases, the pseudo‑string sound.

I
n my latter few years at soon traded them in for my first electric guitar plays a pivotal Of course you can also mic
school I was the drummer proper electric guitar: a very role and often takes the main an amp and get the full range
in what was a more than early Gibson SG Les Paul melody part. of conventional guitar sounds,
decent local band in my home Junior. Since then I’ve been on By the creative use of from clean to full‑on rock filth,
town of Barnsley, but I also had a journey of discovery, buying pedals and plug‑ins, the guitar all with a degree of touch
an interest in electronics, which and selling instruments and, can produce a huge range of responsiveness that keyboard
lead to me building simple more recently, building my own sounds, many of which can’t players can only dream about.
treble boosters and fuzz boxes from reclaimed furniture and even be identified as coming If I need a new instrument or
for our guitarist. I managed to mahogany window frames. from a guitar. For example, need to modify an existing
pick up some very rudimentary The lovely thing about electric I converted a budget Epiphone one, my ‘man cave’ workshop
guitar playing tips from him guitars is that you can tweak LP Junior guitar to a six‑string adjoins my studio: already
and set about tackling ‘House them to your own preferences fretless, which sounds I have put together a fretless
Of The Rising Sun’ on a very in terms of both how they feel amazing played with an eBow bass made from a discarded
nasty acoustic guitar with to play and in what features as I can get synth‑style pitch fretted bass neck and some
an action like a suspension you add to them. slides and infinite sustain, reclaimed snooker table;
bridge. However, it kept In the studio I create a lot neither of which is natural for a sitar guitar; and a couple of
me interested to the point of quasi‑ambient/chill music a guitar. Eventide’s Physion three‑string cigar‑box electrics,
that I bought a secondhand under the Cydonia Collective plug‑in or the EHX Attack/ one set up for slide and one for
Futurama electric guitar so name, in collaboration with Decay pedal can add a slow picking. My latest purchase is
that I could test the effect local musician Mark Soden and attack to a standard guitar the Aum Vibraslide, and it will
boxes I was building. When with odd guest contributions to produce bowed sounds, be interesting to see where
I moved to Malvern to study from acoustic legend Gordon while adding a shimmer that takes me! 

AD INDEX To Advertise in Sound On Sound please contact Paul DaCruz t: (707) 569 6021 e: [email protected]

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