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GREAT GRANULAR SYNTHS

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Future Music
September 2021
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FEATURES
Erica Synths and Sonic Potions have cooked up the LXR-02
Digital drum synth combines subtractive and FM sounds, plus a host of sequencing tricks
Enter the Abyss with Tracktion’s colourful new ‘visual’ synth
> There’s always been a strong relationship between
Steinberg’s SpectraLayers 8 audio editor promises ‘AI processing with a human touch’
> Steinberg have taken the wraps off version
Pro Tools now has M1 Mac support, and lets you create bigger projects than ever
> Avid have released Pro Tools 2021.6, a
Revelator io24: a USB interface for live streaming, podcasting and recording
> It’s a sign of the times that
Traktor Pro 3.5: new integration for your DJing needs
> It’s update time for Native Instruments’ Traktor
KV331 Audio bring full fat SynthMaster 2, one of the best VST plugin synths, to the iPad
> Having previously brought their SynthMaster One and
Generate new musical ideas in Ableton Live
PROBLEM: Creating new ideas for chords and melodies can be challenging. How do I find new ideas when I’m stuck for inspiration?
Holy Ghost! Holy Ghost!
DFA, 2011
Track by track with Alex Frankel and Nicholas Millhiser
Do It, Again Alex Frankel: “I started to
D.K. Eighteen Movements
Abstrakce Records
Biome
Mesh
The ultimate guide to digital synthesis
From wavetable to FM, additive to granular; digital synth engines are having a resurgence in both hardware and plugin form. But how do all these complex-sounding setups work, and when should you reach for each variety? This issue, let’s explore all that digital synths have to offer
ESSENTIAL ADDITIVE SYNTHS
Unlike FM or wavetable synthesis, additive synths haven’t
What is additive synthesis?
>Unlike subtractive synthesis – ie, that found on
What is FM synthesis?
>Frequency modulation synthesis is notoriously complicated, and for
The basics of FM
Let’s run through the basic elements of FM sound generation. We’ll use Tracktion’s dedicated FM plugin F.’em! But these principles are shared by any FM synth, including free DX7 emulation Dexed
What is granular synthesis?
>Like wavetable synthesis, granular has samples at its
What is wavetable synthesis?
>Wavetable synthesis is nothing new; it first appeared
Modulating wavetables
Morphing and modulating wavetable oscillators is key to adding movement and variety to sounds. Let’s see how a few different synths approach this…
The hybrid approach
Although, in this feature, we’ve been discussing different
Mano Le Tough
For his third Mano Le Tough album, Niall Mannion revisited his band-playing days, recording live instruments at his home studio. Danny Turner found out more
MORE UNMISSABLE VIDEO TRAINING FROM FUTURE MUSIC
Discover our line-up of exclusive YouTube goodness. Head online for all this and more!
Dancehall
We investigate how Jamaica’s dancehall became an important part of modern pop and hip-hop
Three classic dancehall riddims
Real Rock 1 Arguably the first reggae riddim
INTERVIEWS
“We’d love a Waterphone… they create these horrible but beautiful screeches”
Scalping
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS…
“…and record everything. Often the first time you
Rhode & Brown Wave 200
© Benjamin Herchet Permanent Vacation, 2021 VIDEO ON
Creating Wave 200’s ’80s hardware bounce
Friedrich and Stephan use the Juno-106 alongside contemporary software effects
NI Guitar Rig Pro 6
Discover the new gear and sonic possibilities in Native Instruments’ one-stop shop for amp and pedal simulation
Getting started with Guitar Rig Pro 6
1 Load Guitar Rig 6 onto an audio
Using Guitar Rig’s modifiers and tools
1 Guitar Rig’s modifiers give you extra sound
Changing the strength of an effect based on input level
For rip-roaring solos that Clapton himself would be
Recreating Clapton’s Layla guitar tone
1 Add a Tweedman amp to the rack
Guitar Rig’s new effects rundown
As mentioned, Guitar Rig 6 is a multieffects
Creating a phasey, modulating effects rack
1 Driver is a filter unit, and we’re
Creating a split processing patch
1 Using the Crossover tool we can split
THREE GREAT NEW FX
Freak 1 Frequency shifting, ring modulation and radio
Preset reset
Even if you’re a staunch original, using presets
Running other instruments through Guitar Rig
1 You can use Guitar Rig to beef
Japanese Breakfast
Moving beyond the grief-stricken narrative woven into Michelle Zauner’s past Japanese Breakfast records, new album Jubilee strikes a more celebratory tone. Danny Turner speaks to Zauner about her artistic growth
REVIEWS
Korg Modwave £699
Korg’s latest digital revival is a wavetable synth loosely inspired by the DW-8000. Si Truss rides the wave
Bitwig Studio 4 €399
The modular-inspired DAW hits version 4, but is it still at the cutting-edge of music software? Si Truss finds out
M-Audio Oxygen Mk V 49 £135
With many of v5’s new features coming via its ‘Pro’ sibling, Jono Buchanan thought it time to do a quick spec-check
EXCITERS
Thrill yourself silly with these toasty signal warmers – but which is the most exciting?
Arturia FX Collection 2 €399
The second iteration of Arturia’s effects package adds modulation and bus processors. Si Truss discovers what’s special about these FX
Wavefonix R2R DAC £35 and 8-Step Sequencer £179
Rob Redman asks if you’re only eight steps away from heaven with this set of deceptively simple modules
Lewitt LCT 140 Air stereo pair £259
Want to mic things in stereo? Jon Musgrave sees if this new pencil mic bundle is what you need
Audient iD4 Audio Interface £138
Audiophile design on a budget is a tricky goal. Jon Musgrave sizes up this popular and newly updated interface
Fab Filter Timeless 3
> The innovating Dutch plugin developers are back
Tracktion F.’em!
$180
Antelope Zen Go Synergy Core €416
checks out this new affordable USB powered and DSP equipped audio interface
UVI – Quadra €149
>Most FM reviews for UVI soundware focus on
Soundiron – UFO Tone $29
>This Kontakt-based instrument library is based around a
Spitfire Audio – Hainbach – Landfill Totems £29
>As you’d expect from Hainbach, this is no
Singomakers – Back To The Funk £29.95
>Great Scott! A Back To The Future-riffing sample
Sample Diggers – Vol. 3: Sugar Breaks £14.95
>Drums, please! Sample pack veteran, Mark Fletcher, steps
Splice Originals – Fire and Ice From $7.99/mth
>The Splice crew fire up their in-house synth,
Audiotent – Perception £17
>Got a wall of Eurorack synth modules? Those
Sample Magic – Piano House From $7.99/mth
>Hundreds of tinkled ivory loops, ready and willing
AFFORDABLE SYNTHS
Novation Circuit Tracks £360 Full Review: FM369 With
DAWS
Bitwig Studio 4 $399 Full Review: FM373 On
DIGITAL POLYSYNTHS
NEW ENTRY Korg Modwave £699 Full Review: FM373
HARDWARE SEQUENCERS
Arturia KeyStep Pro £319 Full Review: FM359 For
AFFORDABLE MONITORS
Kali Audio LP-6 £147 These two-way speakers from
STANDALONE MUSIC MAKERS
Roland Verselab MV-1 £599 Review: FM349 It lags behind
SEMI-MODULAR SYNTHS
Moog Matriarch £1,979 Full Review: FM355 The Matriarch
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