Everything is great

2020 has been a weird one, hasn’t it?

What do Apple’s M1 Macs mean for music-makers?

The latest releases from the Californian titans are the first to use Apple’s new self-produced chips. How does that affect musicians?

Cubase 11 promises fun and a speedier workflow

>All three versions of Cubase – Pro, Artist

Korg’s SQ-64 is a polyphonic step sequencer for synths and drum machines

>Building on the success of the SQ-1, Korg

Vital is a free eyecatching spectral warping wavetable synth plugin

>Vital is a new spectral warping wavetable synth

The Field Looping State Of Mind

Kompakt, 2011

TM404 Syra

Kontra-Musik

Sun-El Musician To The World and Beyond

El-World

Señora Fósil

Lurid Music

CPI Alianza

Hivern Discs

DRUM MACHINES & GROOVEBOXES WINNER

Roland TR-6S

CONTROLLERS & SEQUENCERS WINNER

Novation Launchpad Pro Mk3

Logic Pro X 10.6 vs Ableton Live 11

The two DAW titans are parking tanks on each other’s lawns. But what does it mean for users, and which one comes up trumps?

2020’s essential studio hardware

STUDIO ESSENTIALS

EVERGREENS DO NOT SUFFER FROM ALZHEIMER'S.

MOOG MATRIARCH

THE PRODUCER’S GUIDE TO…

Morphing from a disco tom to a ghost-y swoop

1Here, we are going to create a disco

Taking control via MIDI

Just like the Behringer Pro-1 that was featured

Putting the sequencer to the test

1Matriarch features a built-in arpeggiator and step sequencer.

An LFO-controlled wobbly delay

1The Matriarch’s signal stays stereo into the Envelope

A closer look at the Matriarch

The Matriarch’s colourful front panel makes it easy

Moog sounds, now in full stereo

>One of the most unique parts of the

THREE MOOG ALTS

1 Moog Grandmother If the Matriarch is a

The Matriarch’s not-so-obvious velocity sensitivity

1The Matriarch’s 49 Fatar keyboard is a delight

Making use of Matriarch’s full stereo capabilities with aftertouch

1For this patch, let’s create a subtle, shifting

Penelope Trappes

Esoteric soundscaper Penelope Trappes embraces an elemental approach to production. Danny Turner discusses the techniques behind new EP, Eel Drip

Trip-hop

This month we take a look at trip-hop, the distinctly British melting pot of stoned hip-hop, dub and punk

The vinyl chapter: three ways record culture shaped trip-hop

1 Musical melting pot Trip-hop is a definitive

Oblivion Sound Lab – Neon Circuits and Dark Vision Soundset for Diva from $15

>Oblivion Sound Lab are a software company run

In Session Audio – Guitar Swell $140

>They must be very busy at In Session

Sample Magic – Indie Chill 2 $7.99/mo

Slinky and sultry sample pack, fusing multiple stylistic

Conrank – Wubbly Jubbly £29.95

For the dubstep don dada’s debut sample pack

Loopmasters – Surgical House £17.95

Precision cuts and chops aplenty in this medical-grade

Audiotent – Folium £17

Bored of traditional percussion sample packs? Tired of

Capsun – Empire: Hard Brass Stacks $7.99/mo

Looking for fierce tuba parps and sexy sax

Generate new musical ideas in Ableton Live

PROBLEM: How can I make my chords and pads sound less ‘clean’ and ‘dry’?

DIGITAL POLYSYNTHS

Korg opsix £699 Full Review: FM365 | opsix

STANDALONE MUSIC MAKERS

NI Maschine+ £1,099 Full Review: FM363 | There

Apple Logic Pro X 10.5 $199

Full Review: FM361 Although many of Logic 10.5’s new

Moog Matriarch £1,979

Full Review: FM355 The Matriarch is very inspiring.

Kilohearts Phase Plant from €169

Full Review: FM350 Phase Plant’s modular architecture is

“I just replaced my Chemex; that’s a crucial part of the studio – I love filter coffee…”

Enigmatic London-based producer MODEL 86 makes music that

Drew McDowall

Ex-Psychic TV and Coil member Drew McDowall solidifies his reputation as an industrial outlier with his latest album Agalma. Danny Turner discovers his longstanding addiction to modular

Rich NxT

Natural feat. Shyam P

Editing and processing vocals in Ableton Live

Natural’s vocals were performed and recorded by Shyam P. Here’s how Rich puts them into the track

GEAR OF THE YEAR

2020

SYNTHESISERS UNDER £1000 WINNERS

Korg Wavestate & opsix

THE RUNNERS UP

Arturia PolyBrute Arturia’s flagship poly takes everything good

THE RUNNERS UP

Moog Subharmonicon After the relatively traditional designs of

SYNTHESISERS OVER £1000 WINNER

Sequential Pro 3

SOFTWARE & PLUGINS WINNER

Apple Logic Pro X 10.5

2020’s unmissable software tools

Valhalla DSP Supermassive We don’t often include freeware

SAMPLERS & STANDALONE WINNER

Native Instruments Maschine +

2020’s best production stations head-to-head

It’s been a great year for breaking away from a traditional DAW setup. But which of our standalone highlights is best for your workflow?

THE RUNNERS UP

Qu-Bit Data Bender Described as a circuit bent

EURORACK & MODULAR WINNERS

ALM Busy Circuits System Coupe From the rhythmic

Korg opsix £699

Following in the footsteps of the excellent Wavestate, Korg offer up another modern take on a classic digital synth. Si Truss takes a look

opsix vs Digitone – Modern FM machines head-to-head

Korg and Elektron’s instruments are the only hardware FM synths in town, but are similar in their quest to present a more modern and tweakable take on that notoriously awkward synthesis type. So what are their pros and cons?

ALM Busy Circuits System Coupe £1,899

ALM’s first complete system is packed with new modules and proven classics. Rob Redman takes it for a spin

Tascam Model 12 Mixer £569

Compact analogue mixers are usually pretty basic, but this one has some tricks up its sleeve as Jon Musgrave discovers

SYNTHS UNDER £50

Cheap and cheerful or cacky and dismaying? Are these full-version plugins up to the job?

Roland TR-06 £350

The TR-606 is the latest Roland groovebox to get the Boutique treatment. Si Truss asks if this is a classic worth reviving…

Erica Synths Black VCO 2 £250

I’m going to write this review the wrong

Herbs & Stones Liquid Foam £369

The Liquid Foam is likely to be a

Leapwing Audio RootOne £180

RootOne promises a new approach to creating and boosting sub frequencies. Si Truss goes low

iZotope Neoverb

>A while back, software supremos iZotope acquired reverb dons