ISSUE 318 MARCH 2023

contents
Cover feature

46 68
/expert Reviews
guides 68  EAST WEST
42  SYNTH STRING MACHINE
MASTERCLASS 70  SPITFIRE AUDIO
Dave Gale creates the
SPECULATIVE
GET HANDS ON NOW! perfect infinte synth sound
MEMORIES

TOTAL
46  PRODUCTION 72  MODALICS
MASTERCLASS BEAT SCHOLAR
Jon Musgrave delivers
some basic EQ mix theory 74  EVENTIDE
PHYSION MKII

CONTROL! / interview
50  ATAU TANAKA
76  AUDIFIED GK
AMPLIFICATION 3
78  KRK GO AUX 4
80  MINI REVIEWS
The best hardware to Atau Tanaka creates electronic music
using the movement and muscles of
his own body, with custom software –

control your software and he thinks we should all try it…

and how to use it…

Essentials
12  PART 1: MPE – THE NEW 6    NEWS
STANDARD OF CONTROL 94   SUBSCRIBE
The latest MPE standard has changed the face of 97   BACK ISSUES
control. Here we look at the best synths and 98    NEXT MONTH
controllers and how to take control with them, with 50
tutorials on Expressive E’s Touché and Equator 2
Great music
everywhere!
26  PART 2: GESTURE,
TOUCHSCREEN AND THE FUTURE 58  UNIVERSAL
TRANSLATION
Touchscreen control has often been touted as the How to make your music sound good
future: here we look at where it is now, then examine on any playback system, with a few
simple (and not so simple) software
the latest gesture controllers and glimpse the future
58
techniques and tips
of how you might one day make music

4  /  COMPUTER MUSIC  /  March 2023

 downloads  /  contents  <

downloads
Download this from bit.ly/cm318downloads – see p81

free plugin
TWO FREE BASS PLUGINS
Dopesonix have supplied not one but two
free plugins this month. Here’s how to install
82 and use them…

free samples
RING THAT MODULATION
We’re going ring modulation mad this issue,
and also have some classic glitch sounds
88 and some great Loopmasters demos

free videos
MASTERCLASSES ON FILM
How to use your free bass plugins plus
masterclasses on EQ-ing during mixing
93 and eternal synth sounds

plugin suite
YOUR SUITE IN DETAIL
More than 80 plugins for free. All you need
to get started in music production! Learn
DOWNLOAD more about the suite in this all-new PDF
March 2023  /  COMPUTER MUSIC  /  5
>  news

NEW RELEASES COMMENT INDUSTRY HAPPENINGS

No NAMM in Jan, but we have news…

The Big Music Show is in April this year, so we’ve scoured the depths…
As you might know, the NAMM show is
usually in January, and so full of
releases that our news is usually ‘bumper’
at this time of year. However its dates
have been bouncing around like a pinball
in recent years thanks to COVID so 2023
sees it pushed back to April. But we still
have news, starting with this roundup of
hardware and software which includes a
Youtube signature compressor. Oh yes.
First we have UK company Solid State
Logic, once known only for their large pro
studio desks, but now seemingly releasing
audio interfaces and software on a weekly
basis. Their SSL 12 follows their smaller 2 APC Mini
and 2+ interfaces (which we loved) and (clue
is in the name) delivers 12 inputs, four (clue Described as a plugin that “turns any noise
isn’t in the name) SSL-designed microphone into unique musical material”, it uses LFOs to
preamplifiers, and eight (ditto) outputs. The modulate the panning, volume and filters of
best thing about it is the price: the mighty each harmonic in either imported audio or
SSL sound and that I/O spec for just £399. the supplied samples.
Don’t mind if we do. “Ever wondered how a classic synth from
Next, Akai have updated APC Mini and the ‘60s on cassette going through a
APC Keys 25 which they describe as granular processor sounds?” they ask. Not
“delivering a premium clip-launching really, but now you mention it… review soon.
Finally WA Production’s Presser by Aiden
experience”, which let’s face it, we all want. Kenway features that Youtuber’s signature
So they are clearly aimed at Abeton Live processing chains. It allows you to
users with the Mini featuring more “effortlessly fashion the dynamic range of
“premium” clip launching by way of 64 RGB your audio signals” and is probably the first
pads and adding nine assignable sliders. The signature Youtuber compressor we’ve seen.
Keys 25 reduces the pads and sliders to 40 What next? Joe Rogan’s noise gate. (Yes we
and eight but adds a mini 25-note keyboard Googled ‘famous podcaster’.)
(as you’d have thought). Prices are around www.solidstatelogic.com,
£85 each, so not bad at all. www.akaipro.com,
Harmonic Bloom from Sonora Cinematic www.sonoracinematic.com,
WA’s Presser and Sonora Cinematic’s Harmonic Bloom (£119) sounds like an interesting effect. www.waproduction.com

The return of the ‘readers do gear’ column

We’ve said it before: we love it when Computer Music readers
become developers. Regular emailer – he should have his own
column – Mat Ward has let us know about the TouchOSC
controllers for iPad, iPhone or Android that add a touch experience
to u-He’s Diva and Vital Audio’s Vital softsynths. They feature the
likes of a velocity-sensitive keyboard (according to your finger
position), randomise buttons and a scroll function. He says, “the Diva
one was inspired by your article on the softsynths you’d like to see
in hardware”, so basically we should get the credit. They’re free too!
Control your inner Diva with your iPad, iPhone or Android device. Very nice [email protected]

6  /  COMPUTER MUSIC  /  March 2023

>  news

App watch
We report on the latest
developments in phone and tablet
music making

Textquencer
If you’re sick of tapping MIDI
notes into a piano roll or
PSP’s new 285 is the ultimate recording them using a
keyboard, you might like to try
semi modular machine Textquencer, a new app that
creates MIDI parts based on
We love PSP Audio, mostly because they very your typing. It works by
translating each letter into a
modesty release incredible plugins in a kind of ‘well, note - an A gives you the root
note of the scale and so on. You
we think it’s rather good’ way. So if they say it’s ‘the can also custom map special
ultimate’ plugin, then we’re all in for a treat. 285 is characters to specific notes or
leave them to act as rests.
based on PSP’s 84/85 delay but seems to widen the Depending on what you
scope, with a great looking semi-modular architecture type, the chances are that Textquencer won’t always
generate MIDI parts that you like, but its slightly
that can deliver everything from slapback to rhythmic random, chaotic design could be part of its charm. You
can use it to trigger other MIDI apps or as an AUv3
delays. $99, review soon. plugin, and it costs $4.99/£4.49.
www.PSPaudioware.com http://keybudapp.com

Filterjam
We’re big fans of
AudioThing’s desktop
plugins, so we were
pleased to learn that
the company plans to
port them to iOS. It
didn’t take long for the first one to land, either –
FilterJam is a multiband resonant filter (standalone
and AUv3) that’s designed for creating weird ringmod-
esque sounds and, as on PC and Mac, it’s all
completely free.
The plugin works by dividing the input signal into
four bands that are then summed or multiplied
together depending on the selected mode. You can
use it subtly or at more extreme settings, and on both
synthetic and acoustic sounds.
www.audiothing.net
FLStudio 21 is in a mood with you
From modest claims to, well, bonkers ones? FLStudio
Flip
21 has lots of new additions to one of our favourite Finally, some good news for
DAWs – think extra precise audio editing, improved Android users: Andrew
Huang’s Flip app, which he
content discovery and more creative tools – but the created in collaboration
with Oliver Greschke
most intriguing for us is “control over the mood of (Elastic Drums and Elastic
your DAW”. Turns out it’s not controlling your DAW’s FX) and Christian Blomert
(TouchAble, Studiomux) is
feelings, nor the mood of the music, but how it looks now available on Google’s
(as shown – it doesn’t always look that pink). Oh well. mobile OS as well as Apple devices.
Huang launched the Android port with a slightly
But there’s a great launch video in which these extras cheeky video that compares Flip (which costs $9)
favourably with the Teenage Engineering OP-1 Field
look fab. Price is £85 to £429 or that free-for-life (which costs $2,000), noting that it offers more tracks,
upgrade. (How we wish we bought in at v1.) a “way better” EQ, simultaneous multitrack recording
and quite a bit more besides.
www.image-line.com www.flipsampler.com

8  /  COMPUTER MUSIC  /  March 2023