Table of contents for 03-2021 in Beat English

Beat/ Hi Dankmar, glad you found the time. What do you think are the most important points to look for when purchasing? Dankmar/ If you want to make high quality microphone recordings, the audio interface of choice should have good preamplifiers and converters. If you don‘t want to work only with virtual instruments, the number of microphone and instrument inputs should fit. Simply put: a band needs a bigger audio interface than someone who “only” wants to record vocals and a guitar at the same time. And the interface should come with good drivers to ensure stable operation. Last but not least, low latency is also important in order not to lose the fun of playing! Beat/ And what are the typical pitfalls with audio interfaces, where should you be…

Beat/ You met as part of the group for Dieter Meier‘s „Out of Chaos“project. How did you get to play with him? Alessandro/ One day Tobias left a voice mail on my phone. He told me that Nick Cave drummer Thomas Wydler was unable to play a few shows and Tobias asked me if I could stand in for him. I agreed and that was the beginning of our journey. Tobias/ For months, we made use of every single minute of free time to meet in our rehearsal basement to jam, experiment and try things out. Finally, we got our first gig: 30 minutes as the opening act for the band „Trabant Echo“at the art space „Perla Mode“in Zurich. This was all the way back in 2013. Beat/ What were…

Find more Cubase workshops and video courses at www.MeinHomestudio.de Project info Material: Cubase Pro Time required: about 30 minutes Content: Varying a MIDI drum loop in the Key Editor. Difficulty: Beginner/Advanced 1 The project First, create a new project in tempo 90 BPM. Add an instrument track in it with Groove Agent SE and load the preset R&B Kit 01. Then, import the enclosed MIDI loop In The Grid 90 BPM into your project by dragging it into the track with Groove Agent SE while holding down the mouse button and releasing it there. 2 More samples Open the drum loop by double-clicking in the Key Editor. Additional samples should make the snare sound more interesting. Add 1 - 2 additional sounds on the C#1, D#1 or E1 keys for…

Project infos Material: Ableton Live 10 Suite Time required: 30 minutes Content: give sampled sounds the old-school sound of old hardware samplers, dynamic reduction by changing sampling rate and bit depth, re-pitching, resampling and down-sampling of audio material. Difficulty: Advanced 1 Dynamic reduction The samplers of the 1980s, like the Akai S1000, MPC 60 or E-MU SP12, worked with a much lower sample rate and bit depth than we are used today. Instead of the 24 bits that are common today, 8 or 12 bits were used in those days. This had the effect of reducing the mapped dynamic range of a sample. 2 Decrease bit depth This effect is very easy to imitate. Load a sample and then place the Redux audio effect in the track. Switch on Bit…

Project Info: Material: FabFilter Saturn 2 Time Required: 30 Minutes Content: Perform with effects plug-ins instead of synthesizers to create fresh beats and basslines. Difficulty: Advanced 1 Basic Beat In our workshop, we‘ll get to grips with a beat using a dynamic distortion effect, because static beats in particular benefit enormously from it. In principle, however, the method can be successfully employed for all kinds of sounds, especially basses. As a foundation, we use the Nepheton [1] with a simple groove (see MIDI clip in the issue data). 2 Multiband Distortion In our case, however, the main character is provided by a multiband distortion effect. We use Saturn 2 because, here, the different frequency bands can not only be changed, but also assigned to MIDI controllers. For starters, we create…

TDR Molotok Vladislav Goncharov is the creator of some of the best freeware effects, including the popular Vlad Molot compressor. Tokyo Dawn Records, equally known for high-quality dynamic effects, has taken on this almost ten-year-old plug-in and is revising and releasing it in a paid Gentleman Edition with an incredible range of functions for pretty much all conceivable applications of a compressor. You can also download the free slimmed-down version called TDR Molotok from the website. This is still impressive, even for a freeware plug-in. The name already describes the plug-in very well: Molotok means small hammer, and indeed Molotok has comparable punch. In the old Fairchild manner, this compressor can neatly color the input signal and is, therefore, recommended primarily for creative effects use and less for subtle dynamic…

Features USB Controller Optimized for Studio One 32 RGB Pads Polyphonic Aftertouch 8 Encoders Multifunctional Touch Strip Arpeggiator/Sequencer Dimensions: 362 x 172 x 25 mm Weight: 0,91 kg Facts Manufacturer: PreSonus Web: presonus.com Purchase: Specialty Shops Price: 239 Euro ▲ Compact Form ▲ 32 Pads ▲ Usable as a Keyboard ▲ Polyphonic Aftertouch ▲ Configurable Touchstrip ▲ Arpeggiator ▲ DAW Integration (S1/Live) ▲ Step Sequencer (S1) ▼ No Display of Controller Assignment Alternatives Novation Launchpad from 87 Euro novationmusic.com Akai MPD232 199 Euro akai-pro.de Arturia BeatStep Pro 220 Euro arturia.com This controller makes a solid impression. The eight large endless knobs have a pleasant resistance, and the buttons have a noticeable pressure point. The 32 multicolored, illuminated pads are smaller than those on Maschine or comparable pad controllers at about…

Features Hybrid synthesizer Touch keyboard with 25 keys Digital oscillator 16-Band vocoder engine Analog filter Step Sequencer/Arpeggiator 256 memory locations USB, MIDI, CV/Gate Includes gooseneck-microphone Facts Manufacturer: Arturia Web: arturia.com Distribution: tomeso.de Price: 278 Euro (Vocoder-Edition); 30 Euro (Microphone for Standard-Edition) ▲ Hybrid synthesis ▲ Vocoder algorithm ▲ Clip-on microphone ▲ Analog filter ▲ Step sequencer ▲ Polyphonic aftertouch ▲ CV/Gate outputs ▲ Attractive price ▼ Short microphone neck Alternatives Novation MiniNova 329 Euro novationmusic.com Korg Microkorg from 339 Euro korg.de The name says it all because the outstanding new feature is the vocoder algorithm, with which the Microfreak can alienate voices and turn drum loops or other audio material into rhythmic pads. Similar to the Novation AFX Station, the core technology remains unchanged, so owners of the „old“Microfreak can…

CREATING DRUMS 1 Psytrance Kick With their crisp attack and bone-dry body, Psy Kicks are unmistakable. For more freedom in the track, it‘s a good idea to build the kicks yourself, which we do with the Thorn Solo synth. For OSC 1, we select the Triangle waveform, activate the Filter and turn DRIVE to 11 o‘clock. In the MOD MATRIX, we connect Env 1 and Env 2 with All OSC Pitch. 2 Clicking For the envelopes, we set Decay to 5% and 13%, Sustain to 0%. The faster ENV 1 is responsible for the initial click, while ENV 2 generates the belly. We set the intensity of ENV 2 to 33%, for ENV 1 to 43%, although you can vary the click here. After the Thorn, we load the plugin…

Features Compact 2-channel DJ-controller 7 Inch HD-touch-display Battery operation for up to 4 hours Dual-bank performance pads WLAN operation for streaming Assignable effect module Aux input 1 USB Port, 1 SD-Card Slot Facts Manufacturer: Denon DJ Web: www.denondj.com Price: 1075 Euro ▲ Standalone workstation ▲ Battery operation ▲ Portability ▲ 7 Inch colour touch display ▲ Effects ▲ Aux input ▲ Streaming over WLAN ▼ Jogwheels are somewhat small Alternatives None After the successful launch of the Prime 2 and Prime 4 DJ controllers, Denon surprises us with Prime Go - a fully comprehensive 2-channel, battery-powered standalone solution. The most striking feature is the very compact design, which allows mobile DJs in particular to complete a professional DJ gig in a backpack. Connections and display The back of the DJ…

cEvin Key: Xwayxway The exact name of this project is cEvin Key And The Subconcious Electronic Orchestra. And all too often what Mr. Key is playing really sounds like an electronic orchestra. While his main band Skinny Puppy seems to be out of breath, the Canadian is in top form on solo paths and delivers a demanding, cinematic album with countless facets somewhere between post industrial, soundtrack and IDM. In some numbers there are great vocals from guests like Edward Kaspel (The Legendary Pink Dots) or Chris Corner (IAMX). The majority of the songs, however, remain instrumental. Whether it‘s experimental soundscapes, intricate or more song-serving structures, Key manages to make all pieces sound somehow exciting. It is therefore worth exploring the depths armed with headphones, because there is a lot…

The common thread: Issue 03/2021 For many years Beat has been inspiring its readers not only with practical and musical topics, but above all with the tight integration of editorial content. From the very beginning, Beat has been about creating, about the structured building of ideas and the common thread - in the magazine as well as in the tracks. This navigator shows you the highlights of this issue and allows you to see the big picture. Studio insights: Ela Minus After studying jazz drums and music synthesis, she found her dream job at instrument manufacturer Critter & Guitari. Fed up with the modern approach of using the laptop for recording and live performance, Ela set out on a mission to bring more simplicity and authenticity back to electronic music.…

Interfaces and DSP chips go together like sound tinkerers and the 500 rack. On the one hand, there are interfaces that use the integrated DSPs to calculate effects such as reverb during recording and thus save computing power, since no plug-ins have to be activated in the DAW. The top class, however, are interfaces that calculate plug-ins directly on DSPs even during the mixing session. Universal Audio is probably the best-known interface manufacturer that provides this technology and a large plug-in catalog. But AVID and Antelope Audio also rely on DSPs for plug-in calculation. Also, the quality of the plug-ins from the above mentioned manufacturers is really excellent. However, there are also disadvantages. For example, if you already have a large plug-in library from other manufacturers, you will have to…

Project info Material: Native Instruments Maschine+ Time required: 20 minutes Content: Convenient automation of effect parameters with macro controls. Difficulty: Advanced 1 Create a mix bus In our automation hack workshop, we‘ll show you how to create a Mix Bus for all groups, allowing you to edit each sound simultaneously. First, select an empty group to act as the Master Bus. You can name it that way, too; however, to route other groups to it, you must first place an effect on a free pad. 2 Select effects Now we have to assign one or more effects to our Master Bus. In our case, we choose an EQ. For example, we can automate the Bell EQ and apply it to the entire session. Click on Browser + Plug-in and select…

Project info Material: Apple Logic Pro X Time required: 20 minutes Content: Integrate sounds and phrases from external MIDI sound generators into a project. Difficulty: Beginner/Advanced 1 Create a MIDI track To record MIDI notes, first create a new track: Select external MIDI. Now select a MIDI port. While the Moog Subharmonicon is accessed via a separate MIDI interface, the ASM Hydrasynth is directly accessible via USB. Be careful, the Moog interprets incoming MIDI notes in a surprising way; it is primarily a sequencer. 2 Create an audio track The 2nd track is an audio track that records sounds from external devices via an audio interface with a stereo input. In the settings, we provide more flexibility and uncheck the Input monitoring only when track is selected and only when…

After studying jazz drums and music synthesis at Berklee College of Music, Ela Minus found her dream job when hired by instrument manufacturer Critter & Guitari to test, assemble and design their latest range of synths. Tired of the modern laptop-driven approach to recording and live performing, Ela embarked on a mission to bring back the simplicity and authenticity she felt was missing from electronic music. Led by her trusty Akai MPC1000, the producer focused on building a toolbox of instruments that could be perfectly replicated on-stage, enabling her to formulate ideas for future recordings while performing live. Her debut album, fittingly titled Acts of Rebellion, embodies Ela’s headstrong ideology and intuitive approach to music-making that conveys genuine emotional resonance. Beat/You were originally a drummer and multi-instrumentalist, so what sparked…

Features Software Bundle with 28 Instruments 4 New Instruments Juno-6, Emulator II, OB-Xa, Vocoder, Sound Browser with over 10.000 Presets Format: Standalone, VST/VST3/AAX/AU/NKS From Windows 7 (64-Bit) and Mac OS 10.11 Copy Protection: Online Registration via Software Center Facts Developer: Arturia Web: arturia.com Distribution: tomeso.de Price: 499 Euro (Upgrade 199 Euro) ▲ Creative Vocoder ▲ Sound of Roland Emulations ▲ Sampler with Cult Character ▲ Macro Controller ▲ Unified Browser ▲ Very Good Presets ▲ Improved Analog Lab ▼ Internal Carrier Only (Vocoder) Alternatives Steinberg Absolute 4 426 Euro steinberg.de Roland Zenology Analog Icons $499 US Dollars (or Cloud Subscription) rolandcloud.com NI Komplete 13 From 589 Euro native-instruments.com In addition to the two analog classics OB-Xa (review in BEAT 08-2020) and Juno-6, Arturia‘s V Collection 8 features another sampler in…

Zampler Plug-in, Soundset, Audio demos and MIDI files for Download: www.bit.ly/BeatDL182 www.zamplersounds.com 1 Drums At the keyword „Gregorian Choirs“most people will surely think of the music project Enigma, but our Zampler soundbank „Ænigma“is musically much more versatile. In the following, we use it for a modern downtempo track at 134 BPM. A suitable drum groove often helps to find musical ideas. 2 Beat programming For our beat, we turn to Native Instruments’ Kontakt Instrument Butch Vig Drums [1]. The „Holy House“drum kit delivers a contemporary and punchy sound. We play in a two-bar halftime beat with the bass drum sounding on eighth notes 1, 4, 7, 10, and 15. The snare plays every half note of a measure. 3 Start the Zampler! A closed hi-hat on the eighth-note beats provides…

Features Digital synthesizer 6 operators FM, RingMod, FilterFM, WaveFolder 37 keys 32 voices Polyphonic sequencer Filter model 3 effect instances Facts Manufacturer: Korg Web: korg.de Purchase: Specialty Trade Price: 779 Euro ▲ Direct access to 6 OPs ▲ Color visualization ▲ Different synthesis per OP ▲ Filter emulations ▲ Polyphonic sequencer ▲ Good-sounding effects ▼ Rickety Keyboard w/o Aftertouch ▼ No macro controls Alternatives Yamaha RefaceDX/MODX6 from 320 Euro yamaha.de Elektron Digitone from 699 Euro elektron.se ASM Hydrasynth from 899 Euro ashunsoundmachines.com When Yamaha introduced the DX7, the first affordable FM synthesizer, almost 40 years ago, it was a revelation for many musicians. Because the sound generation based on frequency modulation enabled pianos and other natural instruments in previously unknown levels of naturalness. And the DX7 also set new standards…

POWERED BY DOEPFER Features 303 sequencer module CV-, gate- and accent-out MIDI input 7 songs 32 patterns Facts Manufacturer: Michigan Synth Works Web: michigansynthworks.com Distribution: Website Price: $330 US Dollars ▲ Authentic patterns ▲ Memory locations ▼ Awkward operation ▼ Build quality Alternative TSL Stepper Acid 349 Euro transistorsoundslabs.com Fans of Roland‘s TR-303 will probably cheer now, while others will scratch their heads and ask why you should build a sequencer from 1981 into the rack. Clearly, the 303 is famous for more than its sound alone, but also for its idiosyncratic patterns, especially thanks to its characteristic slides and accents. And with a sequencer like this, they can be used with any sound. So is this the ultimate hookline machine? Feature overview The patterns in this module are up to…

Seventy 2-channel Battle Mixer 6 Dual Flex FX 16 MIDI-capable MPC Pads 3 Mag-Four Faders 1 Sampler Channel Dual Microphone Inputs Twelve MKII Turntable Controller 8 Hot-Cues 4 Selectable Serato Decks 33/45 RPM Adjustable Torque 1 USB Port Cinch Stereo Out for DVS 12“Control Vinyl Facts Manufacturer: Rane Web: rane.com Price: 1919 Euro (Seventy); 1019 Euro (Twelve MKII) ▲ 9 Inch Color-Touch-Display (Seventy) ▲ Effects & Lock-FX Switch (Seventy) ▲ Mag-Four Fader (Seventy) ▲ Switch Between Four Decks (Twelve MKII) ▲ Vinyl Feeling (Twelve MKII) Alternative Pioneer DJ DJM-S11 www.pioneerdj.com 1,999 Euro An exciting DJ setup that embodies digital DJing fun with an authentic vinyl feeling is formed by the new scratch mixer Seventy in combination with the Twelve MKII turntable as a controller. The Serato DJ Pro license is…

Special: Trap & Hip-Hop While Hip-Hop and Electronic were initially two parallel universes, they have long since become inseparable and, with Trap, have entered into just one of many symbiotic relationships. Stars like Sido, Drake, Deichkind and Apache 207 show very clearly how well the fusion of the two worlds works. In our big special, we not only interviewed hip acts, but also look over their shoulders while they‘re producing. In addition, we give you all the tools and tricks you need to create your own authentic Trap and Hip-Hop sound. Review: Behringer System 100 In the early 80s, the Roland System-100m offered an affordable entry into the modular world. Since it was prominently used in Synth-Pop by Vince Clarke, Depeche Mode, Tears For Fears and Human League, among others,…

Three High-End Audio Interfaces with Remote Control With the Red 8Line, RedNet A16R MkII and RedNet D16R MkII, Focusrite delivers three premium-class audio interfaces to the studios. Red 8Line is equipped with 58 inputs and 64 outputs. Eight of each are analog line connections. Other connections include ADAT (16 channels), Dante (32 channels), Digilink (2), Thunderbolt 3 and S/PDIF. The interface covers a frequency spectrum of 20Hz - 35kHz and has an addable high-pass filter. In addition, the RedNet A16R MkII and RedNet D16R MkII models are new to the market; they both feature a Dante interface with 16 channels of inputs and outputs. S-PDIF connections are also available here. The dynamic range is 119 dB. All interface models support resolution up to 192 kHz. The fourth innovation announced is…

As an absolute sample freak, I want to be able to record all sound generators via the sample editor and MPC at any time. But in the editor setup (WaveLab Elements) I have to decide for one input channel, so spontaneous sampling of all channels is not possible. Therefore I used the simple trick of connecting the S/PDIF output of my interface directly to its S/PDIF input. In the editor, I have specified the S/PDIF channel as the input. To avoid feedback, I muted the S/PDIF channel in the interface‘s software mixer for all other outputs. As a result, every signal coming into the interface is now looped through to the sample editor via S/PDIF, so I can record anything at any time. All you need is a mono cinch…

»I didn‘t understand for a long time that it‘s difficult to implement electronic elements when you write songs with many chords.« Beat/ „Auf zur Illumination!“is your second album in the last ten years. Are you a band that deliberately takes a lot of time? Tom/ We had a long “hibernation” between the third and fourth album (“Porzellan” from 2010 and “Kids” from 2017 - note by the author). At that time, I spent seven years studying synthesizers and modular synthesis. I started producing and got used to electronic music - as a listener and a musician. But it took longer than I thought. Suddenly five years were over and when I had written the album “Kids”, but the rest of the band and the producer at the time, Tobias Siebert,…

MPC Project data at bit.ly/BeatDL182 Project info Material: MPC Live, X, One, Touch, Studio, Renaissance, Force, Software 2.x or MPC Beats Time required: 1 hour Content: Create an entertaining Minimal and Hard-House playback with an instance of DrumSynth. Difficulty: Advanced 1 Load DrumSynth Create a new project and load the DrumSynth: Multi. As a starting point, we choose the preset Grimey Reaper, but exchange some of the sounds. We turn DRUMSYNTH 2 into a percussion synth with MODEL Conga 8 and connect VELOCITY 2 to 100% with Param 1 (Tune). We turn the latter knob fully up so that Velocity plays at maximum range. 2 Create a loop Thus, the conga can be used melodically, although this quickly becomes arbitrary by hand. So, we limit the SEQUENCE to 1 bar…

Project info Material: Studio One 5 Time required: 1 hour Content: Add external hardware to a live show and control parameters via a MIDI controller (Part 2/2). Difficulty: Advanced 1 Studio One show The Live Set is ready, audio tracks and synths are loaded (see workshop in previous issue), but if you don‘t play a traditional instrument or sing vocals, you will either have external gear running for the performance or want to control the integrated synths and effects. That‘s not a problem for Studio One‘s Show Page. 2 Set up macros We make the assignments of the macros on the Controls page. Here you have the choice between four different layouts, which offer different combinations of knobs, faders and buttons. You can switch these layouts at any time after…

Guitar Rig 6 Virtual guitar and bass Studio 21 amps, 27 cabinets, 16 microphones 68 effects and tools Convenient browser Three new amps Many new effects Multiband- & M/S-Module Large preset selection VST, AU, AAX, standalone Windows & macOS: 64 Bit Facts Developer: Native Instruments Web: www.nativeinstruments.com Price: 199 Euro ▲ Improved sound ▲ Huge creative potential ▲ Excellent new amps ▲ Great creative effects ▲ Modulation options ▲ Enormous flexibility ▲ Multifaceted presets ▲ Very efficient operation ▼ Only three new amps ▼ Loading impulse responses not possible ▼ No Undo/Redo As similar as Native Instruments Guitar Rig 6 and AmpliTube may seem at first glance, the two amp simulations are very different in detail. While AmpliTube aims to recreate the sound of the most popular hardware amps, speakers…

Synapse Audio Premium EDM Vol.3 The DUNE 3 synthesizer plug-in, treasured for its smooth, harmonic sounds, gets a sonically powerful 68-sound expansion to its preset library with Premium EDM Vol.3. Synapse Audio has divided these EDM sounds into Arp, Bass, Drums, Gated, Leads, Pads, Sequences and SFX. The Dubstep-heavy basses sound intricate and intense, accompanied by vintage basses. Soaring leads, which immediately grab attention as distinctive hooks and make the crowd go wild at festivals, are also guaranteed. The drum section features fat kicks. The melodic, soft sounds from the gated and pads category and the hypnotic arps, however, suggest that the pack can also be considered for (Psy)trance productions. In contrast, the Sequence section presents itself as rabid, energetic and hefty. Prominent stutter gates and impacts increase the attention…

Project Info Material: DAW; Curve BE, OxeFM, Beatzille, BE-EQUA87, Tyrell, Dune LE, Multiply, TB_Reverb from this issue‘s magazine data. Time Required: About 2 Hours Difficulty: Advanced KICK 1 Kick & Bass Psytrance has undergone a number of transformations over the years, has been expanded to include contemporary elements, and always draws inspiration from other genres. But two characteristics have always been in focus: a powerful kick with a distinctive click and a heavy bass, either as a rolling variant with 16th notes, as an off-bass or in a triplet pattern. Often two variants are used in one track. 2 Equalizing You can find a base of typical kicks on this month’s DVD. Alternatively, the BazzISM Synth [1] is very popular with producers. We used the „BD Transfuser Prog“ sample that…

Beat/Just like many of your colleagues, you‘ve been personally affected by the pandemic. How did you use the forced time off from DJing? Anja Schneider/ It didn‘t feel like a time-off, that‘s for sure. For one thing, I was in the studio a lot. I released three new EPs on my label Sous (“Seduction”, “Boundless Beings” and “Turning My Head”). I contributed a track to the “Marble Bar Detroit” charity-compilation and reworked my old piece “Dubmission”. I also present a program on Radio Eins, called Club Room. As part of that program, I run a series of interviews on how the pandemic affects artists and the creative scene. Some of the talks with people like 2raumwohnung, the Watergate crew or Henning Wehland were fantastic. On top of that, there‘s my…

Project info Material: Ableton Live Suite, Ableton Push Time required: 30 minutes Content: Multiple parameter automations using multiple LFOs via a single Max for Live device; configuration and mapping of Operator and multiLFO; real-time control of the parameters of the individual LFOs via Push. Difficulty: Advanced 1 Operator sound Load an Operator into a track. Set the Decay time of Oscillator A to 1.41 ms and the Release time to 20 ms. The short decay affects how fast the volume modulation starts. Choose Algorithm 8 for routing the oscillators, with Oscillator B routed to A and Oscillator D routed to C. 2 Install multiLFO Copy Oscillator A to all other oscillators. To do this, right-click on the Operator display to open the context menu and select the Copy Oscillator Settings…