Chance encounter

The idea of using chance, probability and generative

Arturia’s latest V Collection brings more analogue and digital classics to the party

A Juno, Emulator and vintage Vocoder are the latest additions to the French brand’s plugin bundle

Klevgrand’s Pipa is an expressive singing synth that offers more than words

>Pipa is a new ‘expressive’ vocal synth plugin

Togu Audio Line release the TAL-J-8 Jupiter-8 synth plugin

>Togu Audio Line know a thing or two

Cableguys add drive to ShaperBox

>Described as “the ultimate distortion toolkit,” Cableguys’ DriveShaper

Generate new musical ideas in Ableton Live

PROBLEM: How can I create a musical ‘riff’ using MIDI in Live?

Amon Tobin

Foley Room

Casper Clausen Better Way

City Slang

Nu Azeite

Nu Azeite 

El Hal / The Feeling

Electric Jalaba 

Bad Colours PINK

Bastard Jazz

Tailoring a patch with randomisation using Korg’s opsix

Randomising synth parameters is a quick way to create new sounds, but controlling the process can make the results far more usable

A GUIDE TO GENERATIVE PATCHING

Explore the mysterious sonic landscape of generative music with Rob Redman

Create a lush chordal pad

1 To build a large pad with depth

Common key modules for generative music

It’s only natural for some modules to gain

The essential drone

POWER TIP Cable splitting It might be obvious

A CHOICE SELECTION OF MODULAR GOODNESS FOR GENERATIVE MUSIC

1 An envelope generator is key to using

The Mutable effect

1 There seems to be a lot of

Attenuverters for the win!

1 Something we haven’t looked at is controlling

BUYER’S GUIDE

Complete modular systems for generative music

Come together

A modular system is a beautiful thing to

Pamela’s Euclidean rhythm machine

1 Grid-based drum patterns are fine for many

Fraser T. Smith

Award-winning hit maker Fraser T. Smith is famed for his songwriting/production work with Adele and Stormzy, but now the shoe is on the other foot. Danny Turner discusses his hugely ambitious debut solo project, Future Utopia

Dub

A colossus of bassweight, dub is the reggae offshoot that inspired genres from hip-hop to jungle

Three dub essentials

1 Tape echo Echoes are essential to the

ORDERED CHAOS

Randomisation, probability and generative music 

Probability variations with Bitwig Studio’s The Grid

Bitwig’s flagship modular instrument features a host of chance, random and logic-based tools, which can be combined to generate fresh ideas

Randomly modulated effects in Ableton Live

Adding a touch of unpredictability to static effects treatments can be a great way to maintain listener interest. Here’s how it can be done using LFOs

FOUR MORE AGENTS OF CHAOS…

1 Newfangled Audio Pendulate Pendulate is a free monosynth

Be the curator

Version 3.0 of Audiomodern’s Riffer can output multiple

DJOKO

Building a track from scratch in Live

Making sexy synth edits in Ableton Live

Johannes gets his beats and bass grooving, then cuts up and processes synth samples

A Winged Victory for the Sullen

A Winged Victory for the Sullen comprises Stars of the Lid founder Adam Wiltzie and film composer Dustin O’Halloran. Danny Turner speaks to Wiltzie about the duo’s latest theatre production score, Invisible Cities

Luke Abbott

Norfolk’s premier electronic explorer, Luke Abbott takes a sabbatical from his Szun Waves trio to offer up the rich, filmic textures of new album, Translate. Hamish Mackintosh catches up with Luke and gets lost in Translation

THE POWER OF MUSIC

ABLETON LIVE 11

AUDIO ON FILESILO We certainly didn’t see this

QUICK TIPS

1 While this was previously available as a

The small things add up in Live 11

Ableton also added a few new things that

Your pleas have finally been answered: Live now has comping!

Live 11 introduces Take Folders and Comping into the Ableton workflow, and it couldn’t be easier to start using right away

Use new MIDI probability for varied beats

It’s never been easier to add a bit of variation to your patterns now that Live 11 has Probability

How to… Following The New Follow Actions

> Another workflow area with important new tweaks

How to… A New Look At Macros

> Macros, the cornerstone of controlling automation and

How to… MPE Control For Familiar Tools

> Live 11 now features deeper integration with

How to… To Follow, Just Unlink

> Follow Actions have previously been limited to

Live 11, now with probability

Live 11 takes a huge step forward with

Sequential Pro 3 from $1,400

Sequential’s Pro 3 may appear to be simply a beefy monosynth but, as Rob Redman discovers, it’s far more than that

Korg Volca Sample 2 £150

Korg’s most popular Volca gets an update. Si Truss samples the new features of version 2…

JZ Microphones Signature BB29 €1,299

JZ are expanding their mic range. Jon Musgrave sizes up their signature model

Steinberg Cubase Pro 11 £499

Bruce Aisher takes a look at the latest iteration of Steinberg’s popular DAW to see if it is still up there with the best

Dreadbox Antidote and Euphoria £92

Dreadbox are well known for developing interesting desktop

Celemony Melodyne 5.1 from €99

With Melodyne 5’s release Bruce Aisher asks whether Celemony can remain top of the note-based audio editing tree

AAS Chromaphone 3 $199

The ‘acoustic object synthesiser’ is back. James Russell looks at the new version of AAS’s physical modelling instrument

Native Instruments Noire

>A collaboration between Galaxy Instruments, Native Instruments and

Spitfire Audio – Ólafur Arnalds Stratus £249

>BAFTA award-winning Ólafur Arnalds is back with another

Native Instruments – Butch Vig Drums £59

>With a string of iconic albums under his

Audiotent – Dungeon

Standard: $50, Deluxe: $63 Time to shiver like

Sample Magic – Jaytech: Wavelengths

$7.99/mo Australian DJ, producer (and ivory tinkler) James

Jimpster – Deep House Manoeuvre £34.95

One of the baddest DJ/producers on the scene

Black Octopus – Basement Freaks presents Psychedelic Soul

$7.99/mo All aboard the fun bus, merry pranksters!

RV Samplepacks – Fatback Drums

£24.95 When King Curtis asked for a “Pound

HIGH-END SYNTHS

NEW ENTRY Sequential Pro 3 from £1,459 Full

DAWS

Apple Logic Pro X 10.5 $199 Full Review:

MIDI KEYBOARDS

Novation SL MkIII from £540 Full Review: FM338

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