2005

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lmage Line FL Studio 10 Filter Technique Knowledge Base:
Multiband Compression
I 6 lffi :;1;5iil,:'iwea
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DMA-1 Low End Theory 58:lXliff::ffi?:'j,,.
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nruam @
 Technique I tow End Theory

FilloyoUr music with deep druffiS, powerful bass

and exciting synths across any speaker system.
Marco Migliarigets to the bottom of bass
ow frequencies constitute a very
I frequency response below what would be Sometimes subsonic frequencies are
important part of the music we
I normal for the specific LF driver size. While generated during audio manipulation, which
I listen to. While not adding much this can give overall pleasing results, it may Marco most speakers are unable to play. While not
I tn lerms oI metootc contenl, Oeep also introduce some phase rotation and Migliagri audible for the most part, frequencies
and solid bottom end contributes a powerful muddle up the linearity of a system, as well engtneer, around or below 20Hz can be troublesome
foundatron to any music genre, excites our as superimpose a steeper roll-off producer for two reasons: they carry a lot of acoustrc
senses and stimulates our brain. immediately below the system's tuning
Marco is a
energy and can cause playback problems on
We will investigate here when and why frequency. Sealed cabinets offer a valid trelance standard speakers, and they can trigger
low-end management can be difficult and alternative and a more coherent phase enginer
unwanted amounts of compression on your
and
which tools can help resolve most problems. response, resulting in a tighter bottom end prcducer and has mix as most outboard / plug-ins are iinear all
albeit less impressive. rc*ed in eme of the the way down to 1Hz.
Can't hear, can't do wld's rut lamous
Cunently, I'm using an active pofted set studios. He's been Regular peak or VU meters complement
Bottom end reproduction varies wildly paired with a sub, a more traditional fighting the g@d fight your ears with a visual representation of the
between loudspeakers, depending on their non-ported but active set and some cheap against rckless
lil€nd for wet 20 loudness of the program material, and even
size and design but also and most plastic computer speakers. A useful trick: if yea6 - and winning. though they're not frequency dependent
importantly on their placement in the room you have to work with speakers you've never they bear enough information for an
and the room's acoustic treatment. used before, lightly touch the edge of the LF experienced engineer to work out what's
A reasonably linear monitoring system is driver with your fingertips. This works with going on. This method is unfortunately
useful when trying to get a mix right, but any loudspeaker, large or small - even if the inadequate with the lowest frequencies -
this shouldn't necessarily depend on a single low frequencies are not reproduced due to level meters are less informative if the
set of loudspeakers. Remarkably, a useful size and/or design, the LF driver will still program material cannot be heard.
amount of low end information is carried vibrate, and our fingertips are extremely The only alternative is to use an audio
even by small speakers, and in my sensitive to movement. spectrum analyser. Standalone spectrum
experrence I found that having at least three
analysers are expensive, but there are
or four very different playback systems at my Reading the low end several cheap or shareware plug-ins that will
disposal is far more helpful than having a Whatever the accuracy of your monitoring do just as good a 1ob. lf a standalone unit is
single, expensive and 'better'one. Ported system and listening environment, it is required, an old computer with a soundcard
loudspeakers use the acousttc properties of always a.good idea to have visual feedback can be setup as a metering machine or try
their cabinets to artificially extend the low of what is going on. PocketRTA HD on the iPad.

nnrumc
@
r
Technique I Low End Theory

Managing murky mixes or slightly higher around 100-120H2 with

A deceiving monitoring system can lead to a
one octave Q if the melody and tone suggest
pronounced unbalance in the lower
a lighter bass sound. lf the bass drum is still
frequencies, a problem all too common and
conflicting with the bass on its lower notes,
often evident on homemade mixes. 0f place a 24dBloctave hi-pass filter around
course, getting the overall amount of low
40-45H2 on the bass - this will definitely
end right is only half the problem. split away the two instruments at the price
Just like any other aspect of mixing,
of an even lighter bass sound.
blending the low end requires some careful
lf the opposite is required, for example if
planning. Percussive instruments, bass
the bass has a B string and it really goes
instruments and synths all crave a share of
that low, then the bass drum should be
those 20OHz of bandwidth available down
enhanced around 100-120H2 and filtered
below and space is tight.
with a high-pass frlter around 5O-6OHz. This
A very common situation is that of
is going to make it sound punchy and
balancing the bass drum against a bass The irstruments' rattgesl:olrerl'p, anO they
t' leave
l,\thil€ a hardware enough space for the bass, which in turn
guitar. Assuming they are recorded without would seemingly benef it from a boost tn the spechum analyser should take a dip around 100-120H2 to
too much reciprocal bleed, this is a offers last respons
area around 100H2 if auditioned in solo. leave some space for the kick drum.
and a w@lth ot
straightfonvard case of frequency aIlocation. For a subby kick topped with a baritone options, a software Ambience mics and effect returns are
Regardless of its tuning, a bass drum plays a bass try the following: the bass drum has a aliernative can do
much the sme job if often responsible for lack of definition in the
set note
there are of course slight changes fundamental note around 40-60H2, and lt is sped isn't an issue lower register. When room mics are used in
depending on the intensity of the this exact note that should be pulled out to conjunction with close mics, they often add
performance, but it is fundamentally a move jts weight where it doesn't get in the unwanted rumble, so it makes sense to filter
mono-tonal instrument. A bass guitar way of the bass. This can be done with a off as much as possible below 150-200H2.
instead can span a range of two or more precise, surgically narrow-band boost. This The same goes for effects applied to source
octaves and it is therefore more difficult to leaves room to gently push the bass around material rich in low frequency content: for
pin down with an EQ, even jn the lower 80-1OOHz with a three/four octave Q if the example, a light reverb on the bass drum
register where notes are closer in frequency. tone is deep and round (such as a fretless) can help with the mix, but you don't need
the reverb tail to work all the way down to
SOHz. Similarly, chorus or f langing applied
to a bassline sound great, but they're even
better if the feed is filtered below 80H2.

Not just a passing phase

Another element that can play a major part
in low end management is the conect use of
phase. Most multitrack recordings of a single
instrument can be affected by phase
problems. Phase can also be an issue for
songs with programmed parts where, for
example, the beat and other electronic
instruments are all locked to a grid and
therefore do not have a natural swing.
It's best to check the phase relationship
of elements that are locked together *
whether it's a multi-miked drum kit, a bass
Dl and cab combo, a live band take with
ambience mics. Even if you're planning to
remove the low end content on some tracks
- ambience mics, for example - it makes
sense to first verify that the audio is in phase
with evefihing else. Best to build phase
relationships in stages - choose a
centrepiece, i.e. the bass drum internal mic,
and start comparing each and every other
mic to it: is it better or worse? ls the bottom
end getting woolly, or more muffled than it
was individually? Try flipping the phase. lf
there's no appreciable difference either way,
your phase is probably somewhere near 45
degrees. ln this case, you need to zoom in
on the audio in your DAW and choose a
sharp peak common to the elements you're
trying to improve, measure the time
difference in samples between the highest
points and add a matching short delay

@ r,*wemsr
a

Low End Theory lTechnique

When a single source

is split into two or
more channels and
recombined any
change in the
relative phase of
their waveforms at
any particulal
frequency will
reduce their
combined amplitude
at that frequency.
They will be phase
incoherent. Though
this can be an
.l Learning to identify by ear: it's almost impossible to describe what
a Phase analvsers: most DAWs and some soundcard utilities feature a
interesting and
I phase incoherency sounds like at any ftequency' but at low frequencies Z ph"r" or vector scope. These are an x-Y oscilloscope style
sometimes Pleasant "n"ty."r
display of two channels that plot their relative phase positions. These are
shift at low it is at its most obvious and destructive so acquaint yourself with what this
very useful for single sources and full mixes alike, but there is a learning
frequencies it can be sounds like. Take a stereo source (e'g. a pad), phase flip (180') one side
and listen to how it changes. Delaying one side in sample or single curue. More simple is the phase correlation meter which is a single bar
devastating to the
millisecond increments will show sub-180' shifts. ranging from +1 through 0 to '1 (0", 90' and 180' shift respectively)'
power of a mix.
lncoherency can
cqre from numerous
processes: poorly
setup stereo mics,
overcooked stereo
width adjustments,
parallel effects
processes, layered
sample slices, faulty
turntables, etc.
There are many
manifestations of
phase shift -
identifying them and
rendering them
-l Looking at the waveform: looking at phase+elated channels'
a ComDlex incohelency: sometimes processes in mixing can cause
coherent again 4] suUtie anO accumulatiue phase shifts that are not immediately
involves just as manY J waveforms. whether they'Ie multiple monos in a multi-track or a single
obvious, such as EQ and filtering, especially when used in parallel' Though
processes. Read our stereo file, can often show up Phase incoherency, especially at low
frequencies where the waves are often larger. lf a single source featured in linear phase EQ is possible in the digital domain, most introduce a degree
six examples of
all channels (e.g. a kick drum) has its waveform starting or crossing zero of phase shitt that varies with frequency, so when two phase-telated
tackling phase on
(the infinity centre line) at different times then it is not phase coherent' channels are treated differently they can become inesolvably incoherent'
the right.

F Time (re)alisnment solution: often if a multi-channel (stereo or F Phase alignment tools: there are a few tools that will allow the shifting

D mutti-tracxe-d) source is phase incoherent and cannot be resolved with El of anywhere between O'and 180'' and thus allow it to recombine

a simple phase flip {180') then one or more channels may have to be
with a phase-related source. Little [:bs IBP does iust this and has proved
realigned in time, either by hand or the use of a short delay plug-in' highly successful, inspiring some less comprehensive freeware versions to
emerge. These make light work of the problem as well as proving a very
Nudging the channels on the DAW arrange page to align their low frequency
waves is usually quickest.
usetul aid for training the brain to identify phase (in)coherency'

Futurelrlrsic
@
 Low End Theory lTechnique

plug-in to the audio track that is ahead. lf

you're working in the analogue domain you
will have to experiment with hardware mounting a tube output EQ. Many vintage or
Equalisation is not all about than others. They have later
delays. Also bear in mind that sometimes a boosting or cutting inspired several stage. The Tube-Tech EQ re-issued units are available
great bass sound comes from out-of-phase frequencies. Different EQs manufacturers and the 1A, Drawmer l95l and as emulations and one of

market is thriving with TL-Audio EQ-2 are all the most comptehensive
components, so only fix what sounds wrong! have a difterent sound, and
the 'grain' of the electronics passive EQ designs - examples of leal tube suites is the URS Channel
Manley! Massive Passive, equalisers that will add Strip Pro, which also
EQ for the low end can have a considetable
distinctive tube harmonics emulates a good selection
impact on the sound you're Buzz Audio's REQ 2.2 and
When it comes to working with low of studio classics.
trying to sculpt. Hardware Gyraf Audio's Gyratec XIV and dtive to each band that
frequencies, an engineer is often presented are some known EQs that is manipulated. Audio An interesting EQ plug is
equalisets can be active or
with three potential situations: passive, solid state or tube, will add subtle harmonics transformers also helP bY the SoundToys Decapitator,
y' Ihe bottom end generally sounds right, with or without audio and weight to the low end. adding additional which includes five
I but there's either too much or not transformers - the choices Tube equalisers are harmonics, and vintage emulation modes for
hardware counterparts
I enorgh of it. This is often resolved with are almost too many. instead associated with solid-state designs such as
(tape, EMl, Neve, triode
Classic passive warmth and harmonic the Neve 1073 or API
some EQ and / or dynamics adjustment.
colouring. They should not 550A owe a lot of their and pentode) as well as
equalisers, like Pultec or
Choosing the right EQ for this task is usually overdrive. lt features a
Decca, have a way of be confused neither with success to their inPut and
less critical if the tone is good, almost any
- passive equalisers fitted output transformers. 'thump' switch that makes
making your lows rich,
equaliser will be able to add or dip a small powerful and detailed, with tube gain stages (like ln the virtual world of the LF filter resonant, a
amount of LF, either with a shelving or a the Pultec and the Manley), plug-ins, things are less handy way to clean uP the
thanks to the simplicity of
peak curve. That said, picking an EQ (or a nor with cheaper integrated straightfonrard when it bottom end while adding
their design which makes
comes to colouring with EQ at the same time.
plug-in equivalent) that is particularly sweet them more phase coherent or discrete solid-state EGls

for the frequencies that you're working on

will make your work sound better and much
more natural. PlrgJns can help
h6low'gl

The balance is right, but either the

tone isn't effective (dull, mushy, etc)
or it doesn't suit the genre. This
situltion requires some thinking - if this
problem cannot be overcome with phase
adjustments, there's not much that a normal
EQ can do to change the tone.
A possible solution would be to use some
musical harmonic distortion to modify the
overall tone of the bottom end. Distortion
comes in many flavours: from subtle tape
saiuration, to tube overdrive, to full-blown
re-amping. Sometimes it helps to split a
weak low end into two parallel streams - one
g;ttlt*:t iti: ,*1ir*&ti:rixlt:
heavily equalised to rid of the mushy
more level for the ear to appreclate any example, expensive tube compressors (and
frequencies and feature the lower ones, and
difference, any untamed bottom end from their more affordable software equivalents)
another one re-amped or somehow gritted
your drums, bass or synths will punch big such as the Fairchild 660 and the
up to create an interesting midrange that
holes in the mix, potentially mistriggering Tube-Tech CL 1B will impart a distinctive
can shift the attention to a higher register.
any compression that might be over the full warmth and also, berng relatively slow attack
mix as a whole. compressors, they will retain most of the
The existing low end doesn't get low
original 'fat'. 0n the other
enough and the track sounds too
hand, modern
light. ln this case, there are only two
solutions: either trigger (if at all possible) a
replacement sound or use a dedicated sub
, Compression is after :ffiJ:.;;;5lLi".,o,
bass synthesizer to make up the missing
frequencies. A combination of both can work EQ so the EQ can il'i":::ffi::i:fi.X
well with drums - software like Drumagog or
Slate Digital's Trigger can very effectively 'push' frequencies lk*;[Uf:"
replace the original bass drum with another
one of choice - but the synthesis option is
open to all other sources that feature a into the compressor #:i:*::iH:flf .
weaker low end.
Normal compression is typically applied while the.*.*"t!::t:: :::Hl::H:
Single and multiband to
after Ee, so that the Ee itself can be used which will stabilise the level without leaving

compresslon 'push'the key frequencies into the much of a sonic trace'

Compressing the low end of the frequency compressor and effectively using them as a Sidechaining a buss compressor can also

spectrum can be a fairly radical affair. The sidechain. As with equalisation, a be incredibly beneficial - for example,

reduced sensitivity of the human ear in that compressor that naturally helps the tone can filtering off the sidechain below 80Hz

frequency range means that while it takes have a positive effect on the audio. For reduces the pumping effect while letting

F'tudilr*l @
a

Technique I tow End Theory

some real lows through to weigh down ihe

mix. 0n the other hand, injecting large
amounts of bass drum into the sidechain of
Our brain derives
the buss compressor wjll effectively duck the
positional information
mix with every bass drum hit.
- the likely direction,
Rock / Pop bass gr-titars are often
distance and elevation of a
associated with the classic Urei I176, a sound source - with a
FET compressor with a very fast attack time complex anay of
- typically less than 1ms - and high measurements, which are
compression ratjos of 8r1 or more with a also frequency dependent.

slow release are common settings to squash As sound travels to each

of our ears, there are two
the attack and encourage the sustain of the
main variables that our
instrument. Sometimes regular compressors
auditory system is able to
cannot deal with instruments that have a measure: time differences
massive bottom end but also feature some and sound differences.
crispy midrange or high overtones. Even the smallest delay
between the ears is enough pinnae (the outer ear).
This is a situation best dealt with a complex system - delays blank - i.e. no position can
multiband compressor lsee this months' to triangulate a lateral Such differences vary between waveforms be worked out - our brain
position. Sound depending on the become less measurable will interpret it as a
Knowledge Ease for morel - split the
differences are caused by frequency content and the when the wavelength is
spectrum of the instrument (or indeed the paradox - both eardrums
our body mass when the position of the sound several metres, and are stimulated at the same
whole mix) into areas of intervention, each sound travels through the source and are responsible elevation data less relevant time and from within, and
with different ratios and time constants. For body to reach the for elevation information. as the filtering effect of that is our perception of
example, a thumping piano part would likely eardrums and also by the Frequencies lower than pinnae and body decrease. non-directional lower
trigger excessive compression with the lower filtering effect of the 60Hz can defeat this When the system draws a frequencies.
frequencies but our ears would be more
sensjtive to the midrange squash.
Running the part through a three-band frequencies and spreading out mids and capped above 100H2. To achieve that, it's
compressor such as the excellent highs by compressing the middle channel. important to listen with the sub off, or even
Tube-Tech $MC 2B
will allow for through a laptop, and make sure that your
near-limiting compression on the lows white The peffeCt balanCe bass EQ and harmonic treatment still
leaving mids and highs more open. Software Low end should be heard, but often it can
deliver. lf not, try some tape emulation or
multiband compressors are even more
only be guessed. when music is played on some gentle saturation one octave above
efficient, usually offering four bands or more
laptops, or listened to on a plastic radio, your ideal slot for the low end - as long as
and a wealth of options, often including
most of the lower frequencies will inevitably the treatment is musical, it'll add some
M+S processing - handy to focus the bottom be gone. A good mix will still deliver the
sparkle to your mix and will protect your
end by compressing the side channel for low right feel, even if your bottom end is now work even on the smallest speakers. FM

Undentanding how the key of quality of translation from your as well as the most regularly other instrument that exists power and clarity as well as
your track influences the low room to the outside world. More used/heard note, and as such within the same frequency range creating unwanted LF artefacts
frequency range of your mix and often than not the lowest note of plays a fundamental role in (mostly sub lO0Hz) will have that will sound especially honible
having strategies to deal with it your bassline is the root key of supporting the melodic and potential to mask or clash with through a booming club PA rig.
can help a geat deal in the the track (also called the tonic) harmonic elements above it^ Any the root bass note, robbing it of Here's three key tips:

{ ldentifying the Frequency: though you may know what +) ldentifying Other Sources: many non-bass sources
4 Q Making Cutbacks: having identified other LF sources
- the tonic or root note of your bassline you may not (tumtable rumble, room noise on microphone tJ you can start to trim back any nuisance contributors
know its fundamental (lowest) frequency. There are many channels, synthesis artefacts, etc) can have strong LF with either low-shelf EQs or high-pass filters using the
reference charts available on the net, but as most plug-in components despite op€rating in the upper bands. When fundamental bass trequency as a key area to cut back.
tuners have a frequency display strapping one acrcss your summed in a mix they can occupy a lot of undefined Some sources may need to occupy some LF room, but if
bass channel can be much gulcker, as well as alleviating space where the bass should be ruling. Use a spectral they are overlapping heavily then centre a parametric Ee
confusion over which octave (Cl? CO?) you're using. analyser to identity troublesome low end. on the bass tundamental and start caning with nanow e.

rut"r,,rst
@
'L

ge), -_
a

ln The Studio With lRlex Metric

The EG-lO1?
"Yes, that's the one! I can't remember where it is "l picked tlh ul in tl
becaose I'd ahta$ r'
now. I cl love to dig it out and see what it sounds like
So aninvay, that was the first time I had my own
qnthesizer, plus I installed Propellerheads Rebirth
on my computer and tried to get my head around
what to do with that.
"l went on to enroll myself in a foundation
course at the ACM in Guildford, before going on to
do a fi:l1 degree. From around 200 I , when I was 2 I ,
was when I properly started to make music."

After the degree course was finished, what was the

next step for you?
"After the degree I continued being a waiter at
Wagamama'.s a few days a week and I did that for
three or four years. When I wasn't waiting tables I
was in here Ithe studio] making music.
"ltt funny because some of the early tracks
aren't massively different to what I'm doing now, as
is my DX7 for
in they have guitars and are a bit Indie influenced." aod because
the DX7S, it's not
Did they have samples and loops on the tracks? as g00d as
tfie DXI so I don't use
"No, I only got in to samples as I became a lot better il as much in the
as aproducer. It was all done with synths and done lio. I need to get
l-of an original
with MIDI back then.
"I was actually releasing quite early on in my
career when I started to release tracks on smaller
labels. This.rvas really cool because I began to build a
fanbase and get my name out there."
people began to krow me a lot more than before. that was the first time I probablyworked lirllywith
How did you get the studio? Shortly after, Adam Freeland asked me to produce outboard sy-rths in that way. This was also the point
"l had a ftiend who ran a record label from this unit his album Cope and my DJing had picked by up when I bought the UAD plug-ins and they were ar
and he and two producers who worked out oftheir then too. It wasa weird double life I was leading, revelation for r.ne. They changed the way I worked a
studio here. He said I could come in and use the DJing at night and releasing records while still lot and made things a lot better for me."
studio whenever there was ar.ry downtime. getting up and doing a lO-hour shift at
"Eventually, there was more and more free time Wagamama's. Adam\ album offer required the best Do you have the UAD-2 card now?
and I was using it more and more until it became part of the year spent on and offin L.A. so I told "Yeah, I recently got it and I really like the new
just me working in here.And i've been here for Wagamama's I had to quit, but I d probably be back Echoplex tape delay on UAI)-2. There was a quite a
about five years now." in a year or so. few plugs that I rinsed on my early tracks from
UAD- I that don't work with

Choosing the right remixes alongside my UAD-2 though.

"l need to get a UAD-l card
again and run that alongside it, i
original work cerlainly helped me get just haven't got around to doing
that yet. I was signing individual

noticed and do productions for other artists tracks on small labels and then
got signed exclusively for a three
I

EP deal on Marine Parade. I also

ls it still the place where you feel comfortable? "Then ofcourse, I n6ver went back and remixed a lot and I think it was that dual pronged
"Yeah,I mean there was a time when I was looking everything just seemed to fall in to place. I think attack that has got me to where I am now.
to move but I actually feel really comfortable here working in that job made me not get complacent. It "Choosing the right remixes alongside my
and it feels like I've made my best records here. So at kept me grorir-rded, gave me perspective and made original work certainly helped me get noticed and
the moment theret no massive reason to move. I sure I was focused on doing on what I wanted to do. do productions for other artists. I always said I
really like not having the studio in my home. "When we did Adamt album I didn't really have wanted to remix Indie bands and I remember when
"More and more I like to be here in the evening any outboard at all, just a Roland 201 tape echo. I I was doing the Locarnos Make UpYour Mind remtx
until the early hours of the morning, it's always also had a few ofthe Casio keyboards for kids and a it felt more like a reproduction. I think in my mind I
when the emails and the phone calls have stopped Yamaha DX7. So my process back then was a was producing a band. It wasn't a club record, it was
and you really lose yourselfin the studio that you ml{ure of erperimenting with these things and just making music that I love and it conlirmed I can
start to get those really good ideas or figure out what some guitar pedals. really do this.
needs to be done." "Also, I used to run the Arturia plug-ins through "Then, fast forward two years later and I'm
the borrowed tape delay and play it into Logic live, remxingPersonal/esas by Depeche Mode - itt
What was the tipping point? so I could still achieve tlat crunchy sound. But when absolutely amazing. I think my favourite job I've
"We11, I'd aiready done my EP on Mnrine Parade and we went to L.A. for
Adamt album, Adam had a ever done outside working on my original stuffwas
released a few more bits and could reallv sense that [Korg] MS20, Emu SP-1200 and MoogVoyager. So producing the new Infadels record."

@ nr"mnrt
Alex use! lire Sequential Clrcuits
Pro orie for sweeps. buiids
and eflects

Futweluusrc
@
 ln The Studio Wth I Rlex Metric

The new record with Steve Angello and lan Brown is

going to propel your DJing even more, right?
"Iguess but I much prefer being in the studio to
Dfing. I mean, I love touring and DJing, but I'm not
the sort of artist that can tour or Dl every weekend
then get back in the studio and make records.
"When I'm in the studio I really need to just bed
in and focus on that track. I'n still going to DJ but
I'm going to try and not do things as crazy as last
think we Iinished Open Your Eyes over ayear
year. I
ago now."

How's the response been to Open Your Eyes?

"ltt been good, I had a lot ofpeople on Twitter
saying that they didn't like it at first but now they
completely love it. I like it when a record does that,I
think it gives it more longeviry I always think you
should be able to connect to a record on an
emotional level. Even a club record should still give
you that same emotional response. I've also had a
few people get annoyed because theret no kick
drum at the beginning ofthe record and it's all these
bleeps and noises from the SH-101, but does it
matter? [ never *rite a record that is solely intended
for the club, I just sit down and write music. It seems
crazy to me if yorire so narrow-minded as a DJ that
you can't do a set without relendess beat-matching."

And do you find it more difficult to make an

out-and-out club record? Folk, but she has that quality to her voice and I had What about gear-hunting? Are you an eBay junkie?
"Well recendy I've taken a while to get back into to create some backing tracks for it. "l don't use eBaythat much actually. Most of the
making club things because I've been working so "So, I got all'ruthless producer' on it and took an gear I pick up is just bought fiom friends and people
much with firll vocals on remlres or with other acts. eight-bar vocal from a Laura Marling record and in other studios. If I want something, I like to get it
But, the approach is about bringing the emotion, put it in the mi{ so I know that I've the right vibe straightaway. \Vhen I get my heart set on something
not about making a straight up banger." and the backing track would work for the singer." I want it straight away, so the whole bidding thing
on eBay just doesilt work fbr me. For instance,
What's your process for stading a track? You're signed to VirgirlEMl now, is that a 360 deal? when I got the funo I found a cool bass patch and
"lt can be a variety of ways. I definitely use samples a "No, so I can balance the live show and Dling. I'm then realised it sounded like the sound from so
lot even if i end up taking them out by the end of revamping the lirll live showwith the band at the many other records but it has still changed the way I
work. The junol-1061 and the

It seems cra4y to me if you're so narrow- fX-8P mean that I now have

multiple pollphonic outboard
slnths that I can use. Previously if
minded as a DJ that you can't do a set I wanted some cool, analogue,
crunchy sour-rding chords I d have

without relentless beat-matching use samples or the DX7."

Are you're still playing it Iive rather

the track. I'11 go record shopping and pick up loads minute , I just need to figure it all out. I want to find than over MlDl?
of weird and wonderful bits. Iti a great way to spend a way to incorporirte some of the remixes into the "With the Rolancl Juno-106 and the JX8P I tend to
a morning, coming in to the studio with some live show too." use MIDI, but with the Pro-One or the SH-101 I'll
records, playing them and sampling snippets ofaJl do it
Live. Part of me would like to get them hooked
the bits I like, so I have quite a library of all these bits Why did you leave your job DJing on Radio 1? up on CV, but then again I do like the way it fiees
and pieces. Sometimes I'll start with a looped "It was just pulling rne in this other direction and I me up liom the computer. It doesn't matter if the
sample, or drums but I don't have any templates or never really wanted to be on the radio. I felt LFO isn't always completely in s1nc, you know? I
set way of working. increasingly uncomfortable presenting other like it when it drifts in and out in time."
"l usually just have Logic open with Ableton peoples'music, when all I wanted to do was be in
rewired for samples and quick loop ideas but that\ the studio and trying to get my records on the radio, Got your eye on anything for the studio?
about the only regular method of how I start." "Of course, when I was offered the job, it was an 'Aw,I'd love a fYamahal CS80 - it would be my
honour and there was no way I wrs going to turn it dream synth really and it's an investment, right? I
So you start with a loop and then build things down. It's always how it goes, when you make a saw one recently for !7,000 and I thinl{ if I got it I
around as inspiration? decision to focus on your own material, a remi-r, or could probably sell it later for at least the same. I'd
"Yeah, for instance I was rccently working with this a production opportunity comes along that you just also really like an Emu SP,1200 after seeing your
singer who has a Folk thing going on. Not all-out can't tum down." Alan Brare In The Studioideo and using one in

runanr*
@
 In The Studio With lRiex Metric

I ),rr:.'n ] nltttir)lt'\iLl(l;(r I rt,grtl.t r \l\l(t

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Ir il,rrLl .,tlletl lite l'rn.rrt.t King' rr hi, ..ul(' l( ) nr(,
"This used to be my
.rrrtl tlrr'lnl.trlelr r.,lto I re l\l)()\\lt li)t .r lorrg tinre,trrrj lavourite synth but
ltl.lil\ {rrtttq 1rI |11r.J11..' 1lte .tll.r rr rI
\\ ('l !' .i! I'm sort of cheating
on it with the Juno at
llrt'rr.Llres,I'Lr1 lltiit llrer llrorrlltt il r,lrrlLl lrrqootl the moment. When I
lrr xs1 .",,,,1,, l.JiI O1 e,ir'. on jl. I .i lLt, ! i(r !tl iil()l(' got the 1 01 though, il
'
()l1cr. l() (lo ntore lr.rntl'. lrLri I rlol'l lt rt.trtront' in really changed my
music as a whole."
ntirtil .rt tht il()lt( nl.
"l iust absolute love
llital i,,:, i':r-;t'Ir,,r W,1', t,r: :lji;, this. lt completely
"l itt:l {rrt grrirr 1J tr'.r,:1. \\()rllt (,1 \1( tj. i)r'r.]|i\( changes the way
sorne ol the synths
lirr'r rrtlt .I tlrr'nrjr i ir.r:rt.tijr ,r(i lr!a i.(,ig1l sound, especially the
't.r!.r'.
Itrrnr llrel..rrrLl t,'.1,rrrlt,tl I rr.tll..l.l. rl ilttrt,, SH-l0l.The 101 has
quite an aggressive
.l]tr.ltt.t p,,tlll itl ert'rr lt.t.l rr]tLl,'rt,it \f.(l il lr) tone but when you put
tirr'nr to rit..1. llt.tl tlrtr'ir' 1t.r1.pr,t. t!r. llrco1 lltcnt it lhrough this it
sounds beautiful-"
.11e,l l(.ll (lr'lll()!t,lr\ ,ilt.1 rru lt,trt,trI Ilt'.trr..rli
tttelttir.'T: rrl llte l,.tnii.
''litrt. it .t.rrlttl itt:t 1l'r,rn lltt'nr.t:l.r rg nre lo tlrr
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.rttl;t rri,rt ltrrttt lltirt,.'

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r'itlr lr.'ri.rl[.] /lrt' ] n,i t tl i l,r' l\,,rirl i nt.tl'o "lhis is a great mono
synth that I mainly
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sweeps. I have ilsed it
for bass sounds too,
il,.ifr tlr,,, : :';.il !.,ltat ' ,,t,i but I preler using it
'iirt:
il \\()tl\\ ttt'ltli!'tr'ltt \\,1\\ i\rit -('ntt..t ! I (i(),1 ::' lor its effects."
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WAN'T TO KNOW MOI?T'

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alexmetflc.com

9 t"'ututo
 Alex Metric I n'rhe Studio With

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absolutely love
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I've managed to get
so many great sounds
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everything from these
weird [F0 eflects to
ever rising and
growing sounds, to
simple chords."
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a

Adrian Sherwood I lnterview

s FM arrives at Adrian
Sherwood's home-cum-studio
in the genteel Kentrsh seaside
town of Ramsgate, he hands
over a promo copy of African
Head Charge's Voodoo Of The
Godsent, the latest release
from his 0n-U Sound label.
On it is a sticker that says, 'On-U Sound.
Disturbing The Comforiable. Comforting The
Disturbed'. Sherwood grins as I point it out. "That's
perfect for what we do. Dub is all about extremes.
Who cares about the middle ground? The middle
ground is catered for by thousands of other
producers and artists out there. Dub is meant to
take you somewhere... Different."
As the country's most respected Dub producer,
Sherwood and his On-U Sound collective have been
taking listeners somewhere different for an
incredible 30 years. And in celebration of that 30th
anniversary, the label's debut release, New Age
Steppers a twisted, Punk/Funk/Dub masterpiece
has been lovingly remastered and re-issued
alongside influential and hardloJind albums from
Creation Rebel and the aforementioned African released it yourself. There was a real DIY ethic. To "I learned on the job. Managing to get a bit of
Head Charge. The albums featured guests include begin with, I suppose I just regarded myself as a DJ. work where I could. I eventually ended up at
the late Ari Up from The Slits, Jah Wobble, When I was about 13 or 14, I used to do the [anarcho-Punk pioneers] Crass' studio in North
Sqgarhill legend Skip McDonald and a very young afternoon slot at a club in High Wycombe, where I London. The studio shut its doors around I I at
Neneh Cherry, but that's just a handful of the artists grew up. It was an amazing period for music. Thmla, night and I would work on my own stufftill about
that have worked with Sherwood over the years. "l'd Funk, Soul, T-Rex, Mungo Jerry.. . Not forgetting 11 the following morning. They had an old Raindirk

like to think that if you put on one of my records, Reggae and Ska, of course. From that, I went on to desk in there and a wonderlhl Studer two-inch tape
you'll immediately say, 'Yeah, that's Adrian running a record shop, then, I put a band together - machine. I was there for about five years and must
have made about 35 albums!We
had people like lee Perry in

My first time in a studio, all I did was hum

there. It was a very prolific and
creative period of my life. I lived
and breathed music!"

the basslines. I literally made an album for What were the key bits of kit

fun and persuaded my mate to produce it back then?

"Whatever you could lay your
hands on, really. Obviously,

Shenarood'," he says with pride. "l suppose that's Creation Rebel. We'd regularly get people like the listening to people like King Tubby and l.ee Perry I
why I've managed to hang around for so many years Pistols and Clash coming down to see us. We even was interested in effects. Delay boxes like the Space

and why certain bands want to work with me. -. toured with the Clash at one point! We were right in Echo, the\A|EM Copicat and the Echoplex' I ioved
Because they're interested in that sound." the midst of the whole Punky-Reggae party thing my old Echoplex. Sadly, I was using it in the studio
that was going on at the time." one day and it burst into flames! Later on, I
FM: When that first On-U Sound album was discovered a wonderlirl company in Burnley called
released in 1981, did you have any idea that the When did you.first get your hands on a mixing desk? AMS - is Adrian Marrrvell Sherwood, so
my name
label would keep you busy for the next 30 years? "I started off doing live sound when we were gigging my initials are AMS! I immediately fell in love with
Adrian Sherwood: "Are you kidding? Back then, we with Creation Rebel- I was also promoting their machines and I still love them to this day.
literally existed fiom week-to-week.. . Day-to-day, occasiona.l shows, too. You'd get to the hal1 and Theret a DMX 15-60 delay and an RMX-16 reverb

almost. For years and years, I was up to my eyes in there d be the tlpical 1970s sound guywho had no in the studio and I can honestly say that I will never
debt. There was one studio in East l.ondon that used knowledge ofReggae music. I d be standing next to get rid of them. They weren t cheap! I think they

to let me have; tall for studio time. him, saying,'Turn up the bass. More hatsl cost me a couple of grand at the time, but the sound
"In my teens and early-20s, I must have owed Eventually, he d say, 'All right, smart-arse. .. You have is just fantastic. . . The warmth, the depth, the
that guy ten grand. Everlthing was on tick. On the a gol So,I did. I was thrown in at the deep end, quality. lust incredible.
never-never. It took me ten years to start clearing off trying to get a decent sound with little more than "I've always been keen on big plate reverbs, too.
all the money I owed. On-U Sound survived on little one spring reverb and a Roland Space Echo, Sticking a phaser on top to give you that wonderfirl
more than passion and blind faithl' "The first time I actuallywent in a studio, all I phased-reverb sound. And, often, youd try and
did was hum the basslines. I literally made an album overload things just to see what would happen.
What made you start your own label? for fun and managed to persuade my mate, [Dub Distortion has always been a big part of my sound.

"lt was never a conscious decision. . . 'Right, I want legendl Dennis Bovell, to produce it for me. Initially, Especially on the hats. Overdrive the input and then
to run a labell lt just sort ofhappened. Back in the I was content to let other people do the work, but stafi messing around with the EQ to try and clean
Punk days, ifyou couldn't get a record dea1, you eventually, I started to mess around myself. things up. That was the beauty of tape. . . Saturation.

Rtudrl$ @
t-

I
lnteruiew I Adrian Shenruood #
[;
!
\
i

Ifyou push a digital recording device it will

eventually turn nasty on you. With tape, you can just
push and push and push. Keep loading up the
sound and it will somehow try and squeeze "l suppose peoplerople have Ithis idea do stuff in the studio, but if you
that all I listenn to is Dub and haven't got quality bass and drums
everything on to that two-inch surface areal'
Reggae. Not true! sten to
true! I listen
lister on tape, you're going to be severely
anything that takes my fi
ty fancy, limited. With Dubstep or
Do you still use tape? Obviously, there some
ome sounds
rre are som, soundt programmed music - apart from
"L"ools if I was multi-millionaire, I would have a that will immediately
ediately appeal
apl to me
n the vocals you aren't relying on
-
massive studio firll ofvintage analogue gear... old - like Dubstepp and Drumrum'n'Bass.
Drun 'n' Bas live performance. But you've still
tape machines and delays and channels strips. But, When I listen to them, r, II can see a got to put some hard work inl You
direct connection
rtion withh the
th music of have to make sure your
I'm not. I'm just Adrian Sherwood, making records
gae and Dub
Jamaica. Reggae Du arc all Mystikz and Horsepower. I got programming is the best it can be.
in his terraced house in Ramsgate.
about space. The sound nd is very... them involved in some mixes I was "lf you're just churning out the
"Thpe is great, but it's slow and it's expensive.
t! the same
uncluttered. lt! ame with
sam doing for Lee Perry. same old sounds and drum loops
And, on top of that, most people are listening to Dubstep and Drum'n'Bass.
Drum 'n'r'Bass.
Bi lt! "l really do love Dubstep, but I as everyone else, you aren't going
music on a mobile phone. Do you really think not about packing
:king in as many
I find it a very different listening to stand out. And that's the most
they'll give a toss if I've sweated my boliock off things as possible.
;ible. That
lat music
r experience to the stuff I'm doing. important thing. lf you want to
trying to get an authentic analogue sound? needs r@m tor breathe.
e. I've
I work
worked Working with old guys like Lee or make music a career, you need to
"If you re making music in 2011, the computer is with some of the Dubstep
step guys,
Dubstel Sly & Robbie, I learned that it was develop your own sound. Make
just recently -- people like
likr Digital all about the performance. You can your music sound like... You!"
a practical, efficient studio tool. And itt still fairly

easy to make the music breathe. . . to add a bit of t'::li:a*;!igi}aa.t i...tt t;.:. :;
grunge. All youve got to do is take it out ofthat
digital realm and stick it through something like the around here somewhere. . . A couple ofSDE-3000s Admittedly, there are some things that are best
Mu-Tron Bi-Phase or an old Grampian spring boxed-up and stuffed in a cupboard. handled in the old school way. .. Things like
reverb. There are loads ofold bits ofkit kicking "Having said that, you don't always need to mastering. Yes, I'm sure you can get quality plug-ins
around the house. I've got things like an ancient wheel out the outboard. You can actually get the that wi.ll'master' your records, but I prefer to take it
Eventide Harmonizer, a Pultec filter, a Urei 1176, an grunge and the warmth from plug-ins." to somebody with a quality pair of earsl
old valve flanger that's great for hats, plus some of "And, no matter how much I try I carit shake
the newer effects like the lexicon 224 andthe Listening to the music you make, some people the idea of actuallyworking with a mixing desk- an
Roland R&-sso. might suspect you're making a stand against the actual, physical mixing desk."
"I've had that 550 for about 20 years. You don't march of digital technologr.
hear many people talk about it, but it's brilliant. I'm "Good God, no! I've been working with the People who've seen you mix say it's like watching
sure there are a few more Roland goodies hiding computer for years. You use what you need to use. somebody conduct an orchestra.
[Laughs] "I take that as a compliment! In Dub, the
mixing desk is your main instrument. If yodve got
eight tracks of music playing along and you
suddenly cut everything except the bass and drums,
it has an intense effect on the listener. Obviously,
thatt childt play
a computer, but back in the day
when you had to use the desh it became a real art. ..

I still have hands-on approach to mixing and

a very
production. If I want to bend and tweak the hats, I
will send them out through a channel on the desk
and do it all by hand. By feel.
"I might have a couple of rehearsals, but I like to
just set the track running and see what happens. The
same way I've been doing it for over 30 years. The
only difference is that, instead ofprinting the
processed hats to tape, they get sent to another track
on Pro Tools. When it comes to the final mix, I'll
have all the original sounds at one end ofthe desk
and all the processed stuffup the other end. All of
them can be chucked in or pulled out of the mix to
create the sound I want.
"Itt the same with the overall sound. Y'know. ..

Things like the level of the bass and drums. I can

either stick a spectrum analyser on the mix and
study it or I can stand in front ofmy speakers. The
hats should start to get you around the neck area
and you 1l feel a good kick drum in the stomach.
And when the bass starts tickling your testicles, you
know yodre on to a winner! " FM

WANTTO KNOWMORE?
African Head Charge's Voodoo of fhe Godsent is out now on
On-U Sound records onu-sound.com

@ nruul*
 Technique lAbleton Live 8

Workngwlth
MlDl ln
Over the years, Ableton Live has gained a lot of
on Llve I
praise for its MIDI functionality. Martin fulaney
takes you back to basics and reminds you just how
creatrve you can get with its built-in MlDl tricks
o far, in our Back To Basics series, our hardware to operate Ableton Live's View clips, you can punch out of recording
we've covered the basics of the controls. You can record directly into the by clicking clip play - the same button you
Live lnterface, clips, the Session Arrangement Vrew timeline, iust like with Martin clicked to start recording in the first place.
and Arrangement Views, and any other sequencer, but for these Delaney lf you do this, the clip will exit recording
Devices. Now we come to MlDl which can walkthroughs l've concentrated on working
performer, at the end of the current bar (if you're using
go two ways, because lVlDl is a musical in Live's Session View, because that is where
producer the default quantisation), and go straight
composition tool, for recording and Live shows its more unique qualities as a into playback. This is awesome for live
GlMartin,aka
programming instrument parts, but it is also spontaneous creation / performance G-fl mindlobster
looping, and also gives you neatly trimmed
a language we use to send messages from machine. When you're recording in Session ffir;"""0
Live training material
clips without any editing. lf you're recording,
and you stop the transport, or tap the
and was one of the UK's
tirst certif ied Ableton spacebar, to stop Live running, you'll get an
Live traineK. odd-length clip. When you enter MlDl Map

#*
*
Mode or Key Map Mode, the regular Browser
shows a list of your current mapping
An Ableton Live set assignments. For MlDl, the Browser shows
containing the Channel number, Note / Control number,
audio and/or MlDl Path (the track / device in question), Name
material you'll need (the specific function being controlled), Min
for the tutorial.
and Max values. For computer key mapping,
Ableton Live 8
the Browser displays a predictable variation
required. There's
also a Quicklime
of the same thing- Key, Path, Name, and
movie showing the Min/Max. You can also delete mappings
techniques in from here. FM
action!

LIVE ESSENTIALS NEXT ISSUE

Make sure you pick up Future Music next month
for more vital Ableton Live techniques. FM241
You can expand the Live MlDl and Vel@ity Editors upwards, to se as much detail as you wani on sale 9th June

@ ruuransn
 Preferences

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,l Op"n Live's Preferences, using cmd/cttl and','. Click -l I'm using M-Audio's Axiom Pro 49, a keyboard that rJ lf it doesn't appear, ensule you've installed any
I - MlDl Sync. We'll forget about actually
the third tab Z alsohasknobs, buttons and faders. There are other tJ necessary driver software. Choose your controller's
syncing for now - let's save that for another time. This tab ways of using the Axiom, but for now let's just treat it like lnput and Output in the adjacent columns. lf it doesn't
is where we need to set up our MlDl hardware - keyboard, a 'dumb' controller. Choose your controller from the happen automatically, select the inputs and outputs in the
DJ mixer, even the iPad, whatever. Control Surface list. MlDl Ports list below that, then close Preferences.

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4 Dtaga software instrument into the Session View drop al The clip buttons in the empty clip slots will change +) ln the Preferences Record Warp Launch tab, enable a
L,"u or, if you don't have anything suitable, use the Z into circles - this means they're ready to record into, rJ one-bar Count-ln. Set Record Quantisation to li l6 in
Simpler preset in our example Live set. Click the button at Play some notes on your MlDl keyboard and you'll hear the Edit Menu, Click the top slot's record button to begin
the bottom of the track to arm it for recording. sounds from the software instrument. Activate the recording, count in, and play a two-bar part. Click the
metronome and adiust the proiect tempo to taste. same button to stop recording.

As you can see from these walkthroughs, works with MlDl - there's very little instrument parts when you don't have a Combine this MlDl hardware input and
MlDl functions as a way of recording difference, which makes it easier to move MlDl keyboard attached. The Z and X control with the computer MlDl keyboard,
performances - with notes played in from around a Live set. There are times when keys transpose this vidual keyboard up or and throw in Key Map Mode, where you
a keyboard (or drum pads), passing you'll almost forget whether you're down in octaves, while C and V raise or can assign device buttons and switches
through a software instrument and as a working with MlDl or audio material. lower velocities. to letters on the keyboard as well, and
way of controlling nearly any of Live's Live also makes it easy to use the you have a huge range of options for

functions, such as transport control, the computer keyboard as a controllel. Click entering notes, and controlling Live.
mixer or instrument and effect the small keyboard icon near the top righl We haven't even talked yet about the

parameters. For hardcore MlDl of the screen to enable the Computer options for drawing in notes and control
composition, of 'traditional' musical MlDl Keyboard - meaning you can use changes, instead of recording... And we
parts, Live isn't nearly as fully-featured as the middle row of letters as white piano could talk at more length about MlDl
Logic or Sibelius, but if you like the way keys, and the row above that as the black editing - we might have to come back for
Live handles audio, you'll like the way it keys, so you can play and record another look at this!

Future['lush
@
a

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rl lfyoucan'tseeyournewMlDl noteson-screen,double-clickonthenewclipand al You can drag notes upidown/lefVright, to change timing and pitch. Click-drag to
I the MlDl Note Editor appears. Clicking the clip play button to exit recording created Z nigntigtrt."u"ral notes, and move them all at once. Drag down in the area above
a nice even loop, rounded to the nearest bar. lf record quantisation worked, the notes the editor to zoom in - you can further change this using the context menu. Drag the
are likely all in the right place. lf not... ends of the notes to lengthen / shorten them.

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As well as manually editing the notes, you can apply quantisation at this point il We can also edit MlDl velocities - that is, how hard we hit the notes, Click the
2 /
rJ necessary (like if you forgot to activate Record Quantisation, for example). Use 't small triangle at the bottom left of the Note Editor to view the velocities. You can
cmd/ctrl-A to select all of the notes, or click and drag, or shift-click, then use the edit these in pretty much the same way as notes - the effect this has varies dep€nding
context menu, again, to set and apply quantisation settings. on the instrument you're working with.

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lf Vou're having trouble viewing the Editor clearly, mouse over the boundary line
f Q This talk of quantisation and velocity connects to other Live features, like the MlDl
cJ above it, and drag upwards. The Editor will expand upwards, and it'll fill the screen ILJ Effects Devices, especially the Velocity and Note Length devices. These effects are
if you drag far enough. You can also drag the Velocity editor in the same way. By the so useful, and can save a lot of edit time. Even the Groove Pool, which applies to both
way, this wo*s with Live's Sample Editor too. audio and MlDl material, relates to quantisation and velocity.

@ rutueruusc
 Ableton Live 8 lTechnique

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.l Nowlet'suseourMlDl keyboardotdrumpadstotriggerourMlDl clipandcontrol -t Click on the red button at the bottom of the track (in the Mixer) to disable
I an effect - this is more gratifying in a hands-on way than using the computer I recording.Double-click the MlDl clip name, and you'll see the Clip Launch box al
keyboard and mouse. You'll need your MlDl Preferences set up as before - then, from the bottom left of the screen. From the pop-up, change the Launch Mode to Toggle,
the Device Browser, load the Ping Pong Delay audio effect. Quantisation to 1/16, and Velocity to 100%.

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Use cmd/ctrl-M to enter MlDl Map Mode, and click on your MlDl clip. Press a note
J on your MlDl keyboard, and you'll see the note and channel number displayed on louder the clip. You might want to bring that value down to something lower, like
the clip. Exit MlDl Map Mode. Now when you press that key, the clip will launch. Press 50% - depends on your needs. Take some time to play with other launch modes, like
it again, and the clip stops. Gate and Repeat - these are both great for keyboard control.

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F lfvouwantaLivesetthatincludessoftwareinstrumentsaswellaskevboard F ReturntoMlDlMapMode,andassignaknobonyourkeyboardtotheDelay'sDry/
5 tauncning ot clips, you must beware of overlap between them - tife wnen you go to El Wet control so you can mix it in, in teal-time' Map another note, like C#2, to the
play a C2 bass note, and you accidentally launch a drum loop. Mark off a section of your effect's on / off switch. Now you have a MlDl tlack where you can control clip playback,
MlDl keyboard to use exclusively for loop triggering. and apply a cool audio effect.

FutueMusic
@
 of the '70s, wrth a couple of sjmple
improvements. ln the typical 5.1
configuration, the four corner speakers are
augmented by a dedicated centre channel,

The $cience of positioned directly in front of the listener. ln

addition to the main speakers, most
multi-channel setups also now include at
least one LFE (low frequency effects)

$uffound $ound
channel. LFE channels are often referred to
as sub-woofer channels and are usually
mono (based on the psychoacoustic
principle that the human ear has difficulty
distinguishing the location of low-frequency

Could surround sound be the future of music sounds, rendering stereo or surround-sound
sub-bass reproduction unnecessary).
reproduction? Greg Scarth tells us all we need to 5.1 setups (five speakers and one LFE)
have become a de facto standard but 7.1
know about multi-channel audio (seven speakers and one LFE) is also
relatively common. For this article we'll
or most of us, stereo sound has quadraphonic sound struggled to displace assume that surround sound refers to a 5.1
become the norm. Whether you're the stereo standard. lt wasn't until the setup, but most of the same principles apply
listening to music on a hi-fi, in a 1990s home cinema boom that multi- to other multi-channel setups.
club, through headphones or in channel sound reproduction would once
your car, chances are it's been recorded, again be considered a viable consumer Surround sound in music
mixed and reproduced in stereo. However, technology, and the film industry is largely to Surround sound may have become a
despite the popularity of stereo's pseudo- thank for multi-channel sound's re- standard in the world of cinema, but it's
three-dimensional effect, it's not necessarily emergence as an alternative to stereo. fair to say that multi-channel music hasn't
the last word in realistic sound reproduction. By the 19BOs multi-channel sound was entirely struck a chord with the consumer
Over the last decade, multi-channel firmly established as the norm for cinema market just yet.
surround sound systems have emerged as a audio systems, with multiple speakers Both Super Audio CD and DVD-Audio
genuine solution to the problem of positioned around the audience in order to allow multi-channel mixes, but consumer
recreating an immersing, lifelike sound field. offer a truly realistic 360'sound field. And, support for the formats has been
ln this month's Knowledge Ease we'll look at as the technology quickly became even underwhelming. Perhaps inspired by the
the roots of surround sound, examine how it cheaper in the 2lst century, surround sound quadraphonic Progressive Rock releases of
works and see how you can use it as a tool emerged a genuinely popular consumer the 1970s, surround sound has been
in your own productions. product. With multi-channel speaker embraced primarily by forward-thinking
systems widely available at bargain prices Rock acts. Releases such as Flaming Lips'
The history and the DVD format offering multi-channel Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robofs, Sigur Ros's
The roots of modern surround sound systems movie audio, surround sound had finally Heima, Beck's Sea Change and Super Furry
follow the logical progression from early become mainstream. Animals' Rings Around The World
mono playback, through stereo and beyond. The standard modern surround sound demonstrate how effective surround sound
Engineers and inventors identified the setup is similar to the quadraphonic systems mixes can be for studio albums.
potential for two-channel stereo playback as However, it's regular movie DVDs which
early as the 1880s, but jt wasn't until the appear to offer the largest market for
1960s and '70s that stereo radio multi-channel music. Most modern music
broadcasts, record players and cinema scores are mixed in surround sound, and
sound systems really crossed over to a mass increasing emphasis is also being placed on
market. Stereophonic sound clearly offers the importance of sunound mixes for live
significant benefits over mono reproduction, DVDs. Bob Clearmountain's surround sound
but it's also hard to ignore it's main mix of Martin Scorsese's Rolling Stones
weakness: in most real-life situations sounds documentary Shine A Light, is a fantastrc
arrive at our ears from all around us rather example of live music and cinema sound
than simply from in front of us. Logically, it crossing over to great effect.
would seem that there must be a more When creating music in surround sound,
realistic solution. there are two possible approaches to
The answer arrived rn the early 1970s consider: recording the surround sound
with ihe introduction of quadraphonic element as part of the original source
playback systems, based around four- material, or building up surround mixes in
channel vinyl records, open+eel tapes or the same way you'd build up a stereo mix
eight-track cartridges. By augmenting the ::
from a series of mono sound sources.
left and right stereo speakers with a rear left For location recording, surround sound
and rear right channel, true 360'eftects mixes can be surprisingly easy to achieve.
could be recreated. However, the cost of the Neatly arrange a few mics in appropriate
systems and a general lack of interest from positions and - assuming you've chosen
the mass consumer market meant that suitably directional polar response patterns

n*,runsr
@
 you'll capiure a reasonably accurate
representation of the elements of your 360'
field. Mixing the raw material to achieve the
ln terms of creating a real
desired effect is then relatively simple.
three-dimensional representation of
Alternatively, dedicated surround sound sound, the main weakness of most SCREEN
mics like SoundField's excellent range allow multi-channel systems is that all the
entire multi-channel recordings to be made main speakers are located at the IIIII
without worrying about mic placement. same height. lt's still possible to

For electronic musicians and most

producers of other genres, however, the
create subtle upwards and downwards
motion and positioning effects using :TS I I
]lL ll-\'*"p
psychoacoustic principles, but most
majority of sounds are recorded in mono or,
surround sound systems offer no
less commonly, stereo. Multi-channel mixing
still allows surround sound effects to be
created from mono or stereo source material.
advantage over mono or stereo sound
reproduction in terms of recreating [j:-:a+ fI
the vertical axis (the effect of a sound
ln just the same way that a series of mono coming from above or below to the with one layer above the listener, one systems will cross over to the home

sounds are panned between two channels in listener). The future could lie in an on the same level and one below in ma*et in the near future, but it's not
even more complex solution than order to create true 3D effects. so long since home cinema and
order to create a stereo image, multi-channel
most current surround sound setups. Sounds can be panned around all surround sound systems were beyond
mixing allows mono or stereo sounds to be
Some systems, such as the three axes, moving left and right, the financial reach of most
placed around a 360'field in order to create consumers. ln a few yea6'time who
Hamasaki 22.2 channel standard for forwards and backwards or up and
a surround sound effect. Ultra High Definition TV, go so far as down. At the time of writing, it seems knows what kind of system the home
to use multiple layers of speakers, highly unlikely that such complex might have in their fiont room?
Mixing in space
It should come as little surprise that mixing
in surround sound provides its own set of
issues to contend with. Most notably, the digital mixers or rely on software to carry out Monitoring
engineer requires a more advanced control the mix, with control surfaces providing the 0f course, the ability to mix in surround
mechanism than the intuitively designed hands-on hardware. Analogue surround sound is simply theoretical if you can't also
pan pot or stereo balance control. mixers are available (and surround monitor the sound properly. Many studios
Since the sound balance is only being capabilities can be retro-fitted to some now offer 5.1-equipped mrx rooms, but it's
adjusted between two channels in a stereo analogue mixers) but the wider availability o{ easy to set up a basic surround sound
mix, the control is incredibly simple, turn it multi-channel digital devices means they're monitoring setup in a home studio if you
anti-clockwise and the sound goes left, turn far more common in surround sound mix want to give it a try.
it clockwise and the sound goes right. facilities. The software approach is also A quick fix can be achieved by hooking
Unfortunately, when dealing with multi- extremely popular since most of the major your audio interface up to your home cinema
channel setups, a similar single-knob DAWs now offer multi-channel mixing as setup: send six analogue audio outputs or a
solution is impossible. standard, with pan controls turning into digital signal to your AV receiver or surround
Most solutions offer independent control surround direction mixers. sound decoder and you can use any
of lefVright balance, fronVrear balance (often Perhaps unsurprisingly, mixing in standard 5.1 setup to experiment with
termed fronVsurround balance), divergence/ surround is signif icantly more complex for surround sound mixing. If you can lay your
diversity (the extent to which a sound is the mix engineer than stereo. Not only are hands on five matching studio monitors and
spr9.6)rPelwe:d,'gnultiple speakers in order there far more options in terms of sound a subwoofer, even better. lt should be noted
to pi:ition i!Sfte sound field) and A
LFE. placement and focus. but the rules and that speaker positioning and level matching
.-:-:,-- .::
,r.47tL,.
conventions of sunound are even more important when working in
surround sound than they are with regular
,l .,.' . ..l-{t"#l$r II stereo monitoring. ln the studio, care can be
taken to ensure a multi-channel monitoring
Consider, for example, system is perfectly calibrated.
speakers can mixing a live recording of
a band for a DVD.
However, the problem is magnif ied by
the poiential for consumers' own playback

severely damage- thg Should the mix reflect

how the sound balance
equipment io introduce inaccuracies.
Standard stereo speakers require very little
would appear from in A wtion of a surround setup in order to deliver optimum sound to
360o sou front of the stage, with
the crowd behind the
ound pan seclion of a
channel sirip (the four
blue knobs)
the end user. ln contrast, mismatched,
badly-positioned or inappropriately set up
slightly more elegant approach uses an X-Y the band in front? surround sound speakers can severely
joystick to control sound placement. With mix follow the camera? lf damage the 360" sound field. Unfortunately,
the joystick in the centre, the sound is sent the camera switches from one angle to there's not a lot we can do about it short of
to all channels, bui as it moves towards any another, should the sound follow it? What if carrying around a tape measure and SPL
side of its circular range the relative mix quick camera angle edits create an effect meter to set up their speakers. fM
levels between the channels are adjusted. where the sound is constantly shifting and
Needless to say, surround sound mixing the listener's perspeciive becomes confused
on hardware designed ior stereo is and unfocused? These questions don't KNOWLEDGE BASE
NDOISSUE
impossible. As a result, the majority of necessarily have clear solutions, and a lot of
Stay tuned Io Knowledge Ease for more
surround sound setups in multimedia artistrc licence can be exercised in unmissable studio wisdom and industry insight
production {aci I ities use surround-capable answering them. FM24l on s€,le glh )une

Flrffiah @
t-

Technique I Routing and Grouping

ROUTI NG AND
GROUPI NG
Your DAW's advanced routing options might seem
overwhelming but with just a few small tricks you
can take advantage of their power. Following our
expert's guide wi ll not only make your Iracks sound
better, but it'll make your life easier too!
o understand some of the are determined at the design stage and can'l acquaint yourself with the standard
advanced options our DAW mixers easily be changed once the unit's elements of an analogue mixer. Each
offer, we need to look back to the construction is complete. channel includes insert connections, which
days when all mixing was carried As a result, mixing console designers allow a signal to be routed out of the preamp
out on analogue consoles. The conventions developed routing options that maximised section to an output jack so it can be sent to
of software mixer routing all derive from the flexibility and allowed engineers to set up outboard processing hardware (compressors,
features found rn brg mixing desks. common signal paths . EQs and so on), then back into the channel
Software coders can take advantage of sothat it can be panned and mixed as
infinite flexibility with signal routing, sending Mixer terminologr normal. The DAW equivalents are the plug-in
any digital audio signal anywhere they like Mixer routing is littered with specialist slots in channel strips. Auxiliary sends
but the routing options of a hardware mixer terminologr, so the first thing to do is (auxes) operate on a simrlar principle, but

@ r,n*rst
7-

Setting up effecb
sends and sub-mixes
is one of the
quickest ways ig
male your riorkflow
rnorc e.tficient.
Itl tempting to
use multiple
instances d effect
plug.ins as insed: on
individual tracls, but
using aux sends
instead kills hro
birds with one stone.
Firstly, reverbs are
the signal is split into two at the channel
notoriously
strip. One version contrnues through the CPu-hungy effects,
channel as normal, but the other is sent to so the fewer you use
an output for processing through hardware, in a proiect the less t Does it make sense that your snare drum sounds like it! been recorded in the grand canyon,

then returned and summed to the main lilcly your comput€t I your vocal in a ston€ cave and your synth in a small loom? Try setting up reverb and delay aux

is to run out of sends to cut down on CPU usage and cteate a more cohesive mix.
output. Aux sends are typically used for
steam. Signals ftom
dynamrcs processing and also for creating
multiple channels
monitor mixes.
can be mi:red to the
same auxiliary send
Soirrrtratt the buss? lw processing using
Finally, busses can be considered alternative tre same instance of
routes through the main summing section, a plugin.
Sccondly, using erlt 2
adding an extra stage which allows signals to ;i!;cn
iust one q hiro
be routed and grouped together before being
reverb sounds for
summed to the main stereo out (sometimes s
mosi instrumenb
refened to as the master buss). can often make tlr
The main reason this might be useful is entire mir sound
in creating sub-mixes (or groups) of similar more cohsive and i.,B
instruments. A full drum kit might be spread mtual, Sub-mires
across ten input channels, but if you route via bgsses area
great way ol making
them all to the same buss you can process
complex mixes easier
them together and adjust the level of the
ts u,ork with, Even if
entire kit with a single fader. all you do is rcute
Software mixers follow similar principles,
6 Sends can be taken ftom before or after the fader, depending on whether you want the level of
your drums to a
Z tne senA to Ue affecbd by the fader lerel, To set up a monitor mix, rcute every channel to an
but DAWs offer increased flexibility in the single hlss, you'll aux, New lux sends default to post-fader, so click and hold the slot to change it to pte-fader mode.
way the mixer can be set up. Logic, for lind it's much easier
instance, automatically routes every channel to apply sterco
compression to the
to the stereo output until you tell it otherwise
whoh sub-mix and
by setting up an aux send or routing the
adjust the level of
output to a buss. Up to 64 busses can be
the entire drum
created, each of which can route signals group in one guhk
from or to any other buss, or srmply be used fader novement.
as a sub-mrx which passes to the stereo out.
Overall it's a far more versatile system than
any analogue console.
There are plenty of reasons to learn
about the different ways your DAW's mixer
can work, but the main advantage is that
sensible routing can make life so much
easier for you. A little bit of routing knowhow
goes a very long way. FM

Setting up sub-mixes is achieved by clicking the lower button in the lO section and cttoosing
WANTTO KNOWMORE? 2
Make sure you pick up Future Music next month
J a buss rather than the d€fault output. Herc we've set up a sub'mix fur all or.n drum tracks so
tor our comprehensive tutorial on compression. the wtrole lot can be processed bgether.
FM241fi s€,leglh Jutl€

Ffr"ilr* @
a
Technique I Routing and Grouping

When you stad using aux sends, you

may find that you need to pay slightly
more attention to your signal levels.
Each additional auxiliary buss adds
another channel of audio to the mix, so Parallel processing is .-i u,. $*. *, , :
'h'ir ,rq
sending a signal at odB (or 100%) to :.::,'l one of the neal tdcks ::'*-- B. Fq "' i4 6 !r , !r-;B fr
6
an aux buss will eftectively double its pcsible witr aux
amplitude. As we discussed back in our sends. Ratfrer than
t'
Knowledge Baseteature on Digital inserting an efH in
Headroom (FM234), most DAWS now the inshument!
sum in high enough resolution that channel slip, we'rc
signals above OdB aren't such a huge going to route the l
problem - bounces are automatically signal to a auxiliary € lt t, 'r*; :.

normalised to 0dB and a limiter on the buss containing an

stereo output will avoid any nasty effect, then mix the lr
clipped signals getting to your monitors. wet signal back in r3. .Y 1
However, there are still plenty of with the originat. The
11
strong arguments for keeping levels admntage of doirg
,i,-
down and thinking about sensible gain tftis is we have
staging practice. Not all plug-ins can be
guaranteed to b€have nicely with
excessively hot signals, and any
complete contol
over the balance
betrveen the dry and
Fl,
compressors or other plug-ins that react wel parts of lhe al lt e've set up a drum channel with an aux send for use as our panllel compression channel,
to input level will behave erratically if signal, eYen to the * We've used a pre-fade send so that the input signal rcmains the same even if s€ adjust the
you try and feed them an incredibly enent Aut v€ can fader. lf we used p6t-fade, w€'d have to adiust the threshold each time rve changed the level.
loud signal. Any busses being routed to aulomate the level of
audio outputs for outboard processing each one io change
also need to be kept in check otheruise the sound dutir€ the lEl uu'
srqr, &-a. frr -u;i. 1j1qr g-
you'll intloduce clipping when they hit mix. The most
cri- , !!?!r -9!g 't "

the DA converter. Furthermore, level common fonn of

meters are pretty useless if they're all panllel prccessing is ::@o
constantly maxed out. Overall, it's panllel eompression _lq &
probably best to try and keep all your (also knoryn as New '- 8..ak
channels at sensible levels to avoid York comprcssion * 8dc
running into problems. thanks to its
Unlike auxiliary sends, routing popularity with NYC "_Cl.tr
channels through busses in order to produceF), wh€rc a
'" Cl.rs
create sub-mixes or groups doesn't heavilycomprcssed
inherently increase the level of the mix. version d the main *-tuM
tu*.
When we send channels to a buss signal is mixed with -&4
.: &JD
before the main stereo output, all we're the odginal to bolst€r _&Jn
doing is changing the route it takes so * a<r
the sound. Houeuer,
':8*.
that extra processing can be applied or the same p*nciple
levels matched. We're not splitting the can be applied to ::T:]
signal, so all that's happening is the other efiects. lt's
padiculady useful for
fl Add heavy comprcssion to the aux send chann€|, then blend the two signals together by
same audio signals are being mixed at a
4 adjusting their faders to taste. The heavily-comgessed venion fills in tlre gaps to give a huge
slightly different point in the signal disb*ion and fut sound, Remember that lou'll need to reduce the level ol lfte original track slightly.
chain. Adding effects or adjusting the bikrushing, where
fader on a sub-mix buss will aftect its level automation can
level, but simply routing your tracks into also be used to make
'o. ;q a' d, ry -q . r;rl, .iql qry ,I
-
l iliai; .
sub-mixes shouldn't affect the signal in the sound dirtier at
any way (assuming you haven't added key poinb.
any eftects to the buss channels and all
their faders are set at 0dB).

> Our examples

demonstate lhe
We'Ye insertod i::
,M iastlone an{d ssund of an
rent itaf&B,rs,ar unprocessed daum
i:' ,' ,rr:
3ux,!{i!5;ril8,: sub-mix, then a
exFqit d,reiluve: heavily compressed
0dg,at,hl$@tr,i:
rFssdra:rlrriliidir'iu, verion, and finally
€lt,qirn!6!ft&qt',l, the parallel
:!Bn&l@,xn1'',,11. comprcsgion blend
'ffiiloekriir tltada:i:, ol the tvo signals.
ffi lBilg,totl,ol,,:.,:':i,
&|*iteslts'qolttd:i.
,itffd'otttr d trtltrd;" :'r:

We've got furr drum channels and rather than sending them directly to the stereo output we'r,e
!t
rJ rcuied att ttre channels to Bus 1, wilh an aux send to Bus 2 for parallel compression. We've
also routed the outpub of Bus I and Bus 2 to Bus 3, which allows for single fader control,

nr.mn^*t
@
a

Routing and Grouping lTechnique

lf you're looking tor a

way to create more
subtle changes in
your track, try I
automating the aux
channels and aux
send levels rather
than the effects on
the mixer channel,
It! a great way to
create variation on a
loop or to boost a
* ,1;

chorus, without the ''':*

listener being overtly E
aware of the
changes. n* n-[-
i Automating aux sends in Logic is a simple way to add movement to tal Aubmating the input to a delay (as opposed to its output) is a great
I your mix. First, show automation by choosing View then Track Z way to create Dub-style echo effects. Any changes in the level of the
Automation, Automation detaults to volume, so simply click the Volume signal going into the delay will be copied each time it repeats. The result
> Examples of
button and choose Main then the name of the aux send you want to control. sounds totally different to automating the output level,
automated distortion
increasing on a synth
rilfand a Dub-style
echo effect using an
automated send level
to control the input
of a tape delay plug.

o" ^
.1 '..q.u
You can also automate the levels of entire groups. Ctrl-click on a buss Likewise, create an anange track for an aux send and you can
2 /
rJ channel in the mixer window and choose Create/Select Arrange Track. t automate its return level. Gradually increasing the level of drum
A dedicated channel will be added to your anange window, allowing you to parallel compression is a great way to ramp up the intensity of a track ot
automate the level ol the buss ot parameters of any effect. emphasise the beat in the chorus.

f Controlling aux sends with a hardware controller is a great way to add F The same principles apply in most DAWs, but each mixer section
<iJ a human feel to aux send levels. By assigning rotary controls or faders D ,"orr, .tigity aitt.r"nity. Ableton Live offers a number of apprc3ches
to send levels you can record automation as your track plays, creating subtle to parallel compression. Here we've set up the eflect using a pte-fade return
variations in the sound of the mix. track to whieh we send our drum hacks.

rutttrtlst @
r
|-
a
 is not - it is simply an example of
algorithmic composition.
Generative music is often
associated with Ambient and related

Ou r panel of experts answer your genres but there is really no reason

why other styles of music could not
be generative. Regardless of style
music-maki ng q uestions, from there is a significant challenge to how
a generative song is delivered to the

hardware issues to software ideas, listener. Common music distribution

formats like CDs or MP3s do not

with tips and tricks along the way support generative playback. However
streaming digital music offers
excellent opportunities to dtstribute
true generative music - the music
could be generated at the stream
source each time the song is selected
for playback.
lf you want to experiment with
generative music take a look at
I ntermorph ic (intermorphic.com)

With 15 yean of - they pioneered desktop and mobile

music prcduction generative production tools and
experience, Mark players. Their Mixtkl product provides
knows everything of manipulating generative
a taste
(and more) about the cunent
elements. Noatikl provides a powerful
and classic softwarc market.
tool to author both generative
elements for use in tracks or
Doug Kraul
complete generative pieces.
technology author

Iloug Knul is an
Second set solutions
electpnics and
Donald Edwards asks:
computer industry I'm looking for some
innovator, who has small speakers to
designed analogue modular complement my Mackie
synthesizers and MlDl devices. HR824s in my home
studio as I'm having problems gefting
A new generation during the writing, or if desired during Dan Goldman overall balances right.
Anne Esther asks: a performance. artisUproducer I have to burn lots of test mixes
I'm looking to broaden When a generative song is played and don't seem to be getting lead
my Electrcnic music musical events arise wheiher the Dan Goldman aka
vocal placement right. My studio is
skills and want to explore JD73 is a session
composer is involved or not. Further, well treated and I would love to
keyboardist,
generative music. lllhat the results must be unique each time.
prcducer and change my Mackies but can't afford
exactly is it, and is it specific to ln other words using some type of to. Could you recommend some
remixer, specialising in, mixing
certain musical styles? computational algorithm to create a and prcduction techniques, cheap speakers that would help with
Doug Kraul replies: melody that is 'fixed' as a MlDl or placing vocals? My budget is 0350.
Brian Eno is believed to audio loop in a song is not in itself an Dan Goldman replies:
have popularised the term example of generative music. To be
To send in your There are a few good
'generative music'. He generative that algorithm would be
options for you to
sees generative music as employed each time the song is
queries you can
consider. I used to have
an alternative to both live performed played to create a novel performance. email us at the original Mackie 824s
and prerecorded music. A somewhat trivial example is an futuremusic@ and had similar problems due to the
Generative music blends the arpeggiator's'random order' mode. lts
advantages of recorded music with 'pick a note at random from those
futurenetco.uk not so accurate midrange, though the
new ones are supposedly better.
the uncertainty of a performance. A held', and basic note tempo, describe and well pass ln the end I switched to Focal
generative piece sounds different a simple generative system. You, the them on to the Twins, which solved all my mix issues,
each time it is played. composer, shape the results by
relevant expert.
The idea behind generative music choosing when to hold notes, and
is to use some type of system or what notes are held. lf you record 0rwrite to
process to create structure, notes, those notes into your sequencer, and Ftfturc Music
and other musical or sonic elements. let the arpeggiator run each time the Q&A,30
Your role as the composer is to define song is played, then the song is
the system or process, then shape generative. lf, on the other hand, you
Monmouth
results by making informed artistic record the notes produced by the Street, Bath
choices. This shaping can be done arpeggiator as MlDl or audio, then it BA1 2BW niamcommy nulpul ipsusti scili$illa

@ uuulsr
 Q&A I Experts answeryour questions

but on your budget purchasing a pair Logical progression

of these is out of the question. Until Kevin Bennett asks:
you can afford speakers of this ilk, I'd Having had a quick play You can create
recommend Avantone Mixcube with GarageBand on it,
Actives, which are around your I'm on the point of buying
budget. These are designed to an iPad so that I can use
emulate the much used Auratone 5c it as a songwriting scratchpad.
speakers which sat atop the mixing However, there are a couple of
desk in many high-end studios in the things that I want to check before I
'70s and 'BOs and were designed for do. I've heard that GarageBand for
quickly checking mix balances rn iPad projects can be imported into
addition to the main monitors. the Mac version, but will they then
The Autraones were the nearest work in Logic Pro too?
equivalent to having a cheap This is my main DAW so it's quite
consumer hi{i in the studio. By important to me that they do.
design, they weren't amazingly Secondly, is there any way of plugging
accurate but their frequency limited a mic in? I'll be recording some
response facilitated easy balancing of vocals and the built-in iPad mic isn't
midrange elements. As the Auratones going to cut it lor me.
are no longer made, the nearest Mark Gyver replies:
equivalents are the Avantone When Apple launched
Mixcubes and the upcoming GarageBand for iPad it
Behringer Behritones. Either of these announced that projects
speakers should potentially improve created in it would be
your mixes when used in combination compatible with the Mac version.
with your lVackies. Also, try out the However, as I write this isn't the case
Adam A3Xs (which are great little - even if you try and load them into
monitors for the money) try a cheap the latest version of GarageBand '1 1,
boom boF, or a pai of cheap you're told that your software needs to glt around the
computer speakers. I use a pair of be updated. Apple has now said that .l;i8hrt loading tlre iPad projects into
Connect-lt EM033s that are about this problem will be fixed in a future sen$€;'becriuse GarageBand first and then re-saving
e5 and do a very admirable job. Mac GarageBand update, but there's them. li'd be a bit of a faff, but I

no timescale on this (it could be alr-eady be loaded into Logic. can't see why it wouldn't work.

for further study. One possible

Manual Order A,*t*,*;

computer's built-in search
approach to deal with the facility. PDF files are tagged
organisation challenge is the with meaningful search

romas asr*': l-aurent

;it,ny*nlhlr"
typical folder kee scheme. A
folder arrangement by manual
type (instrument, effect, tool),
terms. This is quite powerful,
and works regardless of where
the manual files reside on
I have a decent up being had to find, or manuals can become 'lost' in or perhaps the vendor, is a your hard drives. One tool
collection of inconvenient io read, Any the sea of data on today's good start. This approach is that is easy to overlook is
plug-ins and even suggestions how I might bring typical terabyte hard drive. similar to how loops, sarnples iTunes. iTunes fully supports
a fuw hardware some order to the chaos? Nor can you simply walk over and sounds are sometimes PDFs and even provides an
devhes. Each one has an Doug Kraul replies: to the bookshelf, grab a ananged. A different easy way to add useful tags.
electronic manual that ends manual, and take ii with you approach uses your As a bonus you can use it

J: ML'i. 8r.tr
;! uovres

33 gs
t-J TV Shows

rery3' ?odcasts

rii ilune. rlor€ i

.it kr ilan@ €nslish
Ping
I
T ."--
I
{ You can add any PDF by draggingthe fite into iTun€s.
il Select ttle PDE, then ctrUright+lick and choose cet +J Once you have a few manuals in iTunes its power
I The manual is placed in the iTunes library Books I nto. Select the lnfo tab ard fiil in the fietds. These .J begins to show, You can see here that the Books tab
section. Here Ablelon Live's manual was just added as the fields detemine how you organise and search. ,Name' has every manual you've impotted, whereas Autho6 can
fint manual. Note how its name rcally gives litile clue porides th€ manual a descriptive title, and ,Artist, is the separate your collection by manufacfurer.
what it is, so there is work to be perforned! company. Create broad cat(gories using,Genrc', and add
addkional tag words in 'Comments'.

@ nmamr
 Q&A I Experts answeryourquestions

Moving on to your mic question ,

you have a couple of options here.
The first would be to buy a dedicated dlE s remakes are
best for
iPad mic - lK Multimedia has the
nostalgia
iRig Mic, whrch costs f,50, while
Apogee recently announced Mike,
which will be compatible not only
with iOS devices, but also the Mac.
Given that you own a Mac as well,
this extra flexibility might make Mike
the better buy, but we don't have a
price or release date yet. Your other
option is to buy an iPad Camera
Connection Kit, which features a USB
port and supports USB mics.
Samson's Go and Blue's Yeti both
seem to work when plugged in this
way. lt might seem like a less
convenient way of doing things, but
remember that the camera kit also
gives you the opportunity to plug in a
USB MlDl controller keyboard that
you can use to play GarageBand for
iPad's built-in instruments, so it's
worth considering.

Gratis Guitars
Paul Worthington asks:

Virtual Rhythm and Bass

t l've been making some
fairly relaxed Electronic
music on my PC and one
of the things that it needs Richard Marlow ?sl6:
most is some acoustic guitar.
I don't want to use samples as I know that Mark Gyver replies: machines: if you're looking features Phoscyon, d16's
they're not really flexible enough and their sounds There's nothing for convenience, check out TB-303 emulation
I can't really play the guitar well aren't exactly wrong with still Audioreal ism's ADM, which (available on its own for a
enough to record it myself. I was new or cutting wanting these packs authentic TR-606, f49). Again, this trumps
wondering if there are any fiee edge anymore, but I just
acoustic guitar plug-ins out there?
sounds Richard: TR-808 and TR-909 the box that it's based on -
started making Dance and they're Dance music sounds and features into a in terms of features - by
I've seen several that you have to pay Electronic music and I staples, and still very much single plug-in. There are a adding a distortion section
for, but I'm not currently aware of any want to get my hands on rn demand to fill the couple of big advantages to and Env Attack and Step
that you can download for nothing. the complete collection of majority of Electronic music this: firstly, you can mix Length settings, for
Mark Gyver replies: Roland! legendary TR- producers' plug-in and and match sounds from example. Sweet.
There are a couple of drum machines and the sample collections. Roland different machines in a Back over at
options that spring TB-303 bassline synth in themselves have politely single kit, and secondly, Audiorealism, meanwhile,
immediately to mind - software. I've done some refused to dish up exactly you only have to pay for one you'll find ABL2, their 303
firstly, there's DSK lvlusic's research and they seem to what so many people want, product (ADM costs e108). clone. Like Phoscyon, this
Guitars series (dskmusic.com), which be the one piece of kit claiming that they're all d16 Group, on the other has an additional distortion
features Acoustic, Nylon and steel that have yet to go out about,the future and don't hand, took the decision to unit, and also a high-pass
variants. These are all sample-based of fashion in one sense like to dwell on the past. create three products: filter. Like ABL, this costs
and each features an ADSR envelope. or another. But while they don't Nithonat, Nepheton and f,108, though we should
A more recent addition to the I've tried various sample want your money, the good Drumazon. These emulate also mention that you can
freeware family is Keolab's Spicy pack but these don't really news is that lots of the 606, 808 and 909 buy the two together for
Gu itar (soicyguitar.com), wh ich cut it for me. There! just companies do and there are respectrvely, but add extra f,165. Phew.
previously retailed for 89 euro but is not enough control. I want countless developers who unctionality that arguably
f So which should you
now being offered without charge. proper, dedicated soft have attempted to recreate make these boxes more buy? Thats a difficult
Unlike the DSK offerings, this doesn't synths that sound as the famour Roland gear in flexible than ihe originals. question you'll save
-
generate its sound via samples: it's all authentic as possible to the software VST and AU. You'll have to pay f,85 for money if you go down the
done using physical modelling. You originals and can be edited lf you're looking for each one, although they Audiorealism path, but you
can choose from nine different guitars comprehensively. Basically dedicated emulations, two can also be purchased might prefer d16's plug-ins.
and nylon or steel strings, and there I'm after the software companies currently rule together in the Classic All I can say is that there's
are various playing features and equivalent of the originals the roost: d16 Group (d16. Boxes Collection ior L255. no bad decisron to be made
articulation options that should help or as close to that as is pl) and Audiorealism This might noi seem here: all of these
you to generate more realistic results. possible. Could you point Gudigrcalsm.se). Let's like a great deal until you emulations are good, so try
Hope that helps! me in the right direction? start with the drum learn that said bundle also the demos!

@ mm*
a

bcperts answeryour questions I QAR

Sam Greenfield asks: I use Logic and lots of mytunes ale

prctty involved with lots of tmcks on the arrange page.
Could you give me some tips on how I can keep things tidy
and arange things rnorc easily so that I dont have to
highlight copy and drag 6O* tracks. I knowthere's a folder system
in Logic but I'm not sure how itwsuld help me or how itworks

Dan Goldman replies: This is a very common issue among Logic

users. Using folders is a much-overlooked feature that really
helps with arranging, especially when working with lots of tracks
and stems. The folder system puts all the different parts into one
convenient folder that can then be copied, dragged around and edited
easily. Here's how to do it:

rl ldeally you'll have written the main sections of your .Fl Next use the 'Shift+l' command to highlight all the 2 Keep all the parts highlighted and press

I tune so that you have all the content rcady to arrange. Z pa* in the cycle area. This is much quicker than rJ 'Command+F. This packs all the highlighted parts
trying to highlight all the parte by using a mouse. lf there into the folder and gives you a drag-able object containing
Here I've thrown together a tough arlangement by copying
are any parts that overlap from a previous section, then all the chorus parts, plus a folder track is also created on
and pasting. However, using folders is a much easier way
use the 'Split by Locators' command to cut these Parts so which to anange your folders. Remember that if you have
to work, Firstly, drag the cycle bar across the section you
that everything pack neatly into the folder. any 'frozen' elements, you will have to unfreeze them or
want to pack inio a folder. Here I'm using all the parts that
bounce them to disk befure they will pack into a fulder.
make up the chorus.

;*:sF,*-s.R'.!*r.ar.ffi *il{r***?:ff *.-.,r]-s.:

si;.Ji-:.: ";-g*il* ;!-*,,,:; :*lL &.3 ..,!* *;{* -.'1,-

I All the hacks for the chorus are now in the fold€r' As F To edit the folder's content, double click on the folder F To exit the folder, simply double click anywhere on

4 Logi" al"r"y, *mes the folder by the first MlDl D and work on the parts as you would do if they were on D tn" *r", background. Now you can coPy the foldel

the main arange. Remember to make a copy ol the folder across to fom your arangement, Repeat the process with
instrument track on the arrange page, it's worth renaming
bctore you start editing its content, so you can always all the different sections as needed' Folders can be cut
the tolder cotyectly. Here I've renamed it 'chorus,' The
retum to the original. and chopped (as with normal anange obiects). You'll b€
folder also utilises black lines in arrange view to ]epresent
ananging quicker than you thought possible in no time!
its content at a glance.

f,f'rAm @