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5
FM | CONTENTS
Contents | This Issue

IN THE STUDIO WITH…

Sebastian Mullaert
The Swedish producer on recording his
improvisational new album with
Dorisburg, mentorship and creativity

6
 This Issue | Contents

ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

94
Knowledge
Filters

72
REVIEWED

Bitwig Studio 5
Are a few new envelopes enough to
warrant an update? We find out...
48
In the studio with…
Ash Walker

60 84 54 15
In the studio with… Review Masterclass Filter
Nathan Micay FSS Timbral Sculptor Bus processing Tracktion Love

REVIEWS ARTISTS REGULARS SOCIAL

72 Bitwig Studio 5 TALKING SHOP 12 Filter: The latest news Find us online at
18 PEARL & THE OYSTERS 20 Classic Album: Landscape, From futuremusic.co.uk
76 Akai MPC One+ IN THE STUDIO WITH… The Tea-Rooms of Mars, To The

38 SEBASTIAN Hell-Holes of Uranus Watch our videos

MULLAERT
80 Audio-Technica ATS99 24 SAVE MONEY, subscribe today!
youtube.com/
82 Arturia KeyLab Essential Mk3 26 Releases: What’s caught our ear
futuremusicmagazine
PRODUCE LIKE… this month?
84 FSS Timbral Sculptor 44 JAMES HYPE 54 Masterclass: Bus processing
IN THE STUDIO WITH…
Follow us on Twitter
86 Arturia MicroFreak v5 update 48 ASH WALKER 64 Pioneers… Daft Punk @futuremusicmag
88 ADDAC 107 Acid Source IN THE STUDIO WITH…
90 Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 60 NATHAN MICAY 94 Knowledge: Filters Join us on Facebook
92 Sounds and Samples INTERVIEW 95 Effects Tips: Part 4 facebook.com/
96 Gear Guide 66 JAMES ELLIS FORD futuremusicmagazine

7
FM | DIGITAL
ACCESSING YOUR BONUS
DIGITAL CONTENT

musicradar.
com/how-to/
future-music-
399-downloads
Head to the link above to
grab the latest samples
and downloads!

44
PRODUCE LIKE…

James Hype
INCLUDES VIDEO
We sat down with the in-demand DJ and
producer at Brighton Music Conference
to break down his latest bootleg

8
 This Issue | Contents

IN THE ARCHIVE – UPDATED! TECHNIQUE & FEATURES

FM’s Sample Archive gives you
over 18GB of royalty-free sounds.
Here’s what’s inside...
ARCHIVE > Minimal Hip-Hop (540 samples)

CLASSICS HOUSE & TECHNO

> Chicago House (537 samples)
AMBIENT SOUNDS PT.1 > House & Techno Stabs (213 samples)
> ’90s Ambient (562 samples) > Jacking House (518 samples)
> Ambient Dawn (490 samples) > Warehouse Techno (575 samples)

AMBIENT SOUNDS PT.2 PERCUSSION

> Majestic Bells & Mallets (444 samples) > Modular Percussion (510 samples)
> Spring Reverb & Tape Delay (533 samples) > Shakers, Tambs & Toplines (503 samples)
> Sticks, Knocks & Rims (502 samples)

28
ATMOSPHERES &
BACKGROUNDS MORE BEATS
> Atmospheric Beds (369 samples) > ’80s Pop Drums (197 samples)

Finish more tracks!

> Noise, Crackle & Hiss (512 samples) > Dub Percussion 2 (537 samples)
> Sounds of the City (371 samples) > Jazz Drums (499 samples)
> Total Snares (501 samples)
BASS BUNDLE
> Amped-Up Bass (234 samples)
> Sub-Frequency Grooves (256 samples)
TRANCE & RAVE
> Classic Breakbeats (371 samples)
Do you find yourself getting ‘stuck
ESSENTIAL DRUMS
> Rave Synths (524 samples) in the loop’? We’ll show you how to
> Trance Tools (537 samples)
turn all those half-completed
NEW PACKS
> 808 and 909 (39 samples)
> Ultimate Cymbals (503 samples)
> Ultimate Kick Bundle (505 samples)
projects into finished tracks – fast!
> Ultimate Snares & Claps (676 samples)
’70S SYNTHS
> Vintage Drum Machine Hits > ’70s Synths Pt 1 (102 samples)
(548 samples) > ’70s Synths Pt 2 (192 samples)

FOUND FAVOURITES ’80S SYNTHS EXCLUSIVE SAMPLE PACKS

> Mechanical Sounds (390 samples) > ’80s Synths Pt 1 (265 samples)

Lo-fi Beats & Bass

> Out There FX (500 samples) > ’80s Synths Pt 2 (279 samples)
> Studio Noise (234 samples)
> The Edge Of Noise (512 samples)
’90S SYNTHS
> The Sound Of Water (375 samples) > ’90s Synths Pt 1 (414 samples)
CYCLICK SAMPLES PRESENT…
> ’90s Synths Pt 2 (411 samples)
FUTURE DRUMS
> Beyond Breakbeats (186 samples)
’00S SYNTHS Capture the crunchy, laid-back
> Digital Percussion (502 samples) > ’00s Synths Pt 1 (308 samples) sound of lo-fi and chilled-out hip-
> Electro FX (321 samples)
> Granular Drums (499 samples)
> ’00s Synths Pt 2 (188 samples)
hop with this pack of characterful
DRUM HITS
FX & TRANSITIONS PT.1 > Analogue Drums (311 samples)
drums and basslines

Bent & Modded

> Filter Fun (496 samples) > Rims ‘n’ Things (549 samples)
> Gates ‘N’ Sidechains (287 samples) > Resonator Percussion (502 samples)
> Total Transitions (260 samples) > Hats, Cymbals & Gongs (280 samples)

FX & TRANSITIONS PT.2 LO-FI TOOLS GROOVE CRIMINALS PRESENT…

> Destroyed synths (519 samples)
> Sci-Fi FX (501 samples)
> Clips, Skips and Glitches (497 samples)
> Tape World (499 samples)
We break out our circuit-bent
HIP-HOP, FUNK & SOUL
> Lo-fi Acoustic (277 samples)
hardware to create a pack stuffed
> Cosmic Soul (386 samples)
ETHEREAL FX
with glitchy and characterful loops,
grooves and one-shots
> Funk Keys (279 samples) > Digital Nature (255 samples)
> Hip-Hop Drum Machines (387 samples) > Clouds & Air (496 samples)

9
Contents | This Issue

BONUS SAMPLES DOWNLOAD AT MUSICRADAR.COM/HOW-TO/FUTURE-MUSIC-399-DOWNLOADS

01 02

03 04
loopmasters.com
01 Organic Loops KV Bala Presents Master of Percussion
02 IQ Samples Brazilian Bass by Incognet
03 UNDRGRNDSOUNDS Future Electro
04 5Pin Media Deep Tech
05 Industrial Strength Lenny Dee Neon Drive
06 Loopmasters Creatures Pres: Deep & Dark Drum & Bass Volume 2

05 06

10
FM | FILTER
Filter | The Future Of Music

Korg revamps the

Wavestate for v2 Boasting a (moderately) refreshed

and drops a fancy

visual aesthetic, the MKII expands
the Wavestate’s polyphony from 64
stereo voices to 96 and features a
variety of newly-designed Wave
Sequences and Programs. There’s

SE model
also an expanded 4GB (up from
2GB) of internal storage for loading
your own sounds into Wavestate
using Korg’s Sample Builder
application.
Korg has also replaced the
Plus, the Opsix also gets an SE overhaul Wavestate’s Sound Librarian
companion software, which allows

>
Launched in early 2020, expands on the power of the original announced an all-new 61-key version you to design sounds for the
Korg’s Wavestate is a synth. We were really impressed with of the synth, the Wavestate SE, also Wavestate on your computer. This is
21st-century reimagining of Wavestate when it arrived, and it available in silver as the Wavestate now the Wavestate Editor/Librarian, a
the Wavestation, a digital ushered in a range of similarly SE Platinum. Like the original redesigned tool that grants users the
wave-sequencing synth produced by interesting digital synths from Korg Wavestate, both synths are based ability to edit Performances,
the company in the ’90s. More than that also includes the FM-inspired around Korg’s Wave Sequencing 2.0 Programs, Scales, Wave Sequences
simply a modern reissue though, Opsix and wavetable Modwave. synthesis technology, but have been and Wave Sequence Lanes and edit
Wavestate uses what Korg calls Now Korg has revealed an updated with redesigned hardware, internal effects parameters from your
‘Wave Sequencing 2.0’, which vastly updated Wavestate MKII and workflow tweaks and new features. Mac or PC.

12
 The Future Of Music | Filter

WAVESTATE USHERED
IN A RANGE OF
SIMILARLY INTERESTING
DIGITAL SYNTHS
FROM KORG

Originally announced in 2021 Opsix SE model takes the original Sounds have been designed conveniently divided into three
but only officially unveiled this week, FM-based engine, enhances it with using the Operator Mixer, which blocks of 30.
the Wavestate SE is a premium increased polyphony and voicing, comprises six faders and knobs. It’s Opsix SE also has a built-in
version of the Wavestate: the synth and subsequently sticks the whole this simple design that makes the 16-step sequencer. Every program
has a 61-key keyboard with lot in a 61-note keyboard with Opsix SE so easy to program, and comes with its own sequence, or you
aftertouch, and has been outfitted aftertouch. The result could be said each part also lights up to indicate can create your own using up to six
with an appealingly solid all-metal to now more closely resembles a whether it’s a carrier (red) or a notes per step. Each note’s velocity,
design (the Wavestate and Wavestate classic FM synthesiser of the past, modulator (blue). Other control gate time and playback timing can
MKII are mostly plastic) and that being the Yamaha DX7. features include six data entry knobs be adjusted, too, and further
metal-plated knobs. Opsix SE uses Korg’s natural- and an OLED display. expression features mean you can
The SE can handle 120-note touch keyboard – the same one that Although it’s based on FM create the likes of strums and drum
polyphony, and many of the onboard you’ll find in the company’s flagship synthesis, Opsix SE goes further by rolls. The motion sequencer,
patches and presets have been workstations – and, thanks to those offering additional waveforms, filters, meanwhile, enables you to record
redesigned to take advantage of the extra octaves (the standard Opsix has shaping, effects, LFOs and changes of up to six parameters.
performance capabilities that the just three) it enables proper modulation features. There are six Korg’s Wavestate SE will retail for
aftertouch offers. Korg have also two-handed playing. The Opsix SE operator modes and 40 preset £1899, while its fancy silver cousin
unveiled the Wavestate SE Platinum, has a sleek new look, too, which algorithms, plus the ability to create will set you back £2099. The
a silver version of the SE. includes an aluminium control panel your own. Wavestate MKII is priced at £699.
Arriving hot on the heels of the and illuminating LEDs. As well as You’ll also find three EGs, three The Opsix SE is expected to cost
Wavestate, Korg has also introduced the standard black version, there’s LFOs and 12 virtual patches, all of around £1,899, while the Opsix SE
a larger version of another of its also a limited edition Platinum which can be managed in the Platinum should land for around
Opsix synths. Much like its model, on which Korg opted for a modulation matrix. The effects on £2,099. Both models ship with a
Wavestate counterpart, the new silver colour scheme. offer, meanwhile, have been bespoke hard case.

13
Filter | The Future Of Music

Full Bucket Music’s latest

free plugin brings back the
Crumar Bit One
>
Released back in the mid-’80s, the Crumar Bit One was an Italian 6-voice analogue synth that
was viewed at the time as a cut-price rival to the Roland Juno-106. It’s fair to say that it isn’t
as well-remembered as that instrument, but Full Bucket Music is now attempting to bring the
Bit One back into the public consciousness with the Bucket One, a free plugin emulation.
This is designed to closely resemble the original hardware, which means you get two oscillators
with a choice of three waveforms (triangle, sawtooth, pulse) and an additional white noise generator.
There’s also a self-resonating, four-pole low-pass filter and a VCA, both of which have ADSR
envelopes. You’ll find a pair of LFOs, too. Polyphony has been upped to 64 voices and there are now
Split and Double
modes. Micro-tuning is
supported, there’s
MIDI Learn, and the
interface is resizable.
Coded in native C++,
Bucket One promises
high performance even
on lower-spec systems,
and runs on PC and
Mac in VST/AU/Clap
formats.

Zynthian 5 is a standalone, open-

also get a live looping sampler as
well as an audio/MIDI recorder/
player, plus support for multitrack

source device with 50 synth engines audio recording.

Zynthian 5 enables you to create
up to 16 chains and has a built-in

>
First seen back in 2016, mixer. Connectivity options include
Zynthian is a different kind audio, MIDI, USB and Ethernet, so
of standalone music-making you could easily use it as a
device in that it’s keyboard expander for live work, a
completely open-source. Built standalone effects processor or a
around a Raspberry Pi and Open synth that you can incorporate into
Hardware, it’s upgradable, your existing DAW-based setup.
adaptable and repairable, and has Its DIY nature means that
now been updated to version 5. Zynthian 5 won’t be for everyone,
The new version of Zynthian has but that, we suspect, is part of its
a redesigned enclosure that charm. It’s supplied in kit form, so
contains a 5-inch multitouch The engines include emulations fact, a 4GB collection of you’ll have to build it yourself (it
display, buttons and four controller of essential instruments and synths SoundFonts comes pre-installed. doesn’t look too difficult) and costs
knobs. It contains a wealth of (piano, Rhodes, Wurly, Minimoog, If you're wanting to make music €490 plus VAT without a Raspberry
instrument and effect engines, all DX7, Oberheim OB-X, etc) and directly on the device, you're able Pi and €570, plus VAT with one
based on free Linux plugins. there’s also SoundFont support. In to do so via the step sequencer. You (version 4, 4GB).

14
 The Future Of Music | Filter

Tracktion Love is an
‘instant ambient’ plugin

>
What your DAW needs now process it with timestretching,
is Love, sweet Love. That’s pitchshifting and granular synthesis
what Tracktion Software features. There’s also the Clouds
thinks, anyway, as it reverb that can be used for
launches its tenderly titled new additional ethereal ambience.
‘instant ambient’ plugin. Developed The interface has been kept to a
by Dawesome, the core elements of single page and designed with the
Love are a shimmer effect, a granular aim of pleasing beginners and more
engine and a spacey reverb. The seasoned sound designers alike.
shimmer element comprises a reverb Intelligent randomisation means you
and parallel pitchshifters for can lock certain parameters while
everything from subtle harmonic rolling the dice with others, and
layering to “infinite black holes”. there are also filter, delay, phaser
Back on planet Earth, you can and chorus sections.
use the granular engine to slice, dice Buy for $60 or try free for 90
and rearrange your audio, and then days. On PC/Mac in VST/AU.

Splice is letting you use

AI to create your own
‘Stacks’ of samples

>
Originally released as part of simply press a button and a new
its CoSo mobile app, Splice Stack will be generated in its place.
has now brought its Once you’re happy with your
AI-powered ‘Stacks’ Stack you can save it and download
functionality to its website via the the original samples or timestretched
‘Create’ feature. Pick a genre and the stems for use in any DAW.
AI tech will create a Stack – a group Alternatively, you have the option to
of complementary samples – for you. export an Ableton Live Session file.
If you like what you hear you can These export features are only
tweak the Stack by adding/removing available to Splice subscribers, but
samples, muting/soloing layers and anyone can try Create now via the
adjusting levels; if you don’t, you can Splice website.
Behringer make a
“premium” mixer
for $129
>
Behringer has confirmed the input channel. Each channel has a
availability of the Xenyx 60mm fader, 3-band EQ, and a
1003B, a new 10-input post-fader FX send control for
analogue mixer with five mic utilising external effects.
preamps and a battery power option. There are also per-channel pre-EQ
Described as a “premium” mixer, this monitor send controls that can be
is designed for live work, streaming, used to set up an independent
podcasting and recording. monitoring mix, along with RCA
Each of the Xenyx preamps has a streaming, 1/4-inch main and
48v phantom power option, and headphone outputs.
there’s also a dedicated stereo line Available for $129 now.

15
Filter | The Future Of Music

Novation expands its FL

Studio controller range
>
Having previously introduced a pair of compact FL Studio-specific MIDI keyboard controllers
– FLkey Mini and FLkey 37 – Novation now has a couple of options for the FL-favouring DAW
user who wants something on a larger scale. FLkey 49 and FLkey 61 come with four- and
five-octave keyboards respectively, and also offer some additional features.
As you’d expect, both models integrate seamlessly with FL Studio – they’ve been created in
collaboration with Image-Line, the DAW’s developer – and enable you to control several of its key
elements. These include the mixer and channel rack (you get eight knobs, nine faders and nine fader
buttons), the famous step sequencer and many of its instruments and plugins.
Pattern Pad mode enables you to select and edit patterns directly from the pads, while Scale mode
locks the keyboard to a specific key. There are also three different Creative Chord modes (Fixed, User
and Scale) that enable you to trigger chords with a single finger.
Preset browsing is possible, too, and you can make your own control assignments using the
Custom modes.
Both controllers ship with a 6-month trial version of FL Studio Producer Edition, while other
bundled software includes XLN Audio Addictive Keys, AAS Session bundle, Spitfire Audio Expressive
Strings, Klevgrand DAW Cassette and Klevgrand Røverb.
The FLkey 49 costs £230 and the FLkey 61 is priced at £280. Available for pre-order now.

16
 FREE plugin download! | Advertorial

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Pre-amp and

Add instant analogue

Compression on drums

1
Pre-amp’s Dark saturation
mode is a secret sauce for
bringing weight and ‘glue’ to

character in your DAW

a drum bus. Pair it with the
Comp module’s Variable setting for a
tight and coherent sound.

with Excite Audio

Lifeline ConsoleLite
Download the modular mixing plugin worth $49 with Modulation, Wear and EQ
for characterful pads

2
our exclusive coupon Capture the rich and
slightly degraded sound of

>
Developer Excite Audio emulation, EQ, Compression, the introductory Lifeline Console Lite, acts like Boards of Canada
launched back in 2022 with tape-style Modulation and Wear, which usually sells for $49, but can by combining slow Tape
its debut plugin Lifeline which can emulate mechanical noise be downloaded absolutely free with modulation, Cassette-style wear and
Expanse, a multi-effect that and analogue-style artefacts. Each the exclusive voucher code at the a Vintage high-shelf EQ cut.
combined elements of distortion, features a range of parameters to bottom of this page. Console Lite
reverb and amp-sim. We reviewed it tailor the sound, and every module packs the same five effect modules
and called it an impressive first can be bypassed or rearranged, as its bigger sibling, all the core
release that “can do a lot to make allowing users to radically alter the controls and 100 presets to get you
audio sound better with little work.” overall signal flow. A final master started. If you’re hooked you can
A second release, Lifeline Console module allows users to blend upgrade to the full version to add
followed hot on its heels. Much like between the dry signal and Clean and features including advanced controls,
Lifeline Expanse, Console takes Vintage tonal characteristics. mid/side operation and additional
analogue-style processing and places What sets Console apart is that it active visual feedback.
it into a modern, versatile interface places these analogue-inspired
that can be rearranged to suit a host processes into a clean and modern
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of different processing duties. The UI, which is fully resizable and
CONSOLE LITE Pre-amp and EQ for air

3
focus here, however, is on the sort of provides responsive visual feedback > Grab your free plugin at: Capture a modern hi-fi
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17
Talking Shop | Who??

machine on our recordings, and to be

perfectly transparent, it was more out
of convenience than aesthetically
motivated, as neither of us could play
drums and we didn’t have the money
to go to a studio to record drums
properly for every song.
“Actually, before we got deep into
the analogue drum machine world,
we really used to really not like them
at all! [laughs] But somehow that
DR-110 made its way into most of the
tracks in our first album. And of
course the Omnichord OM-27, which
we ran through some wow and flutter
and echo. The last thing that felt very
crucial to our early sound was this
Danelectro Longhorn bass that
Joachim remembers having bought
off ebay specifically because it already
––––––+ TALKING SHOP +–––––– had flatwounds on it. It turned out to
have the coolest, most rubbery sound
ever, and was a big part of the sonic

Pearl & The

world of our first couple records.”

Tell us about your studio/set-up?

“Things are slowly starting to change

Oysters
since we now have access to the Stones
Throw Studio in Highland Park, but
since the beginning of Pearl & the
Oysters as a recording project in 2015
or so, we’ve been recording at home
for the most part, in various and more
or less ergonomic bedroom setups.

S
And then we’d do drums in the
ummer’s here, and we
can’t think of a more The Stones Throw duo talk studio, at least that’s what we did for
Coast 2 Coast and Flowerland.
suitable soundtrack for
poolside lounging and
vintage synths, obscure drums “In many ways it’s not ideal, but
we did make it work for years and it’s
sun-dappled relaxation
than Pearl & The Oysters’ new
and why weirder equals better become a big part of the sound, for
better or worse. We also feel like some
album, Coast 2 Coast. This things are easier to do at home – like
whimsical collection of 13 tracks tracking vocals, for example, which
draws on a smorgasbord of vintage productions laced with all manner of When did you begin making music, we like to keep as private a process as
gear and a colourful palette of retro sonic surprises drawn from their and how did you first get started? possible – since we can take all the
influences, from ’70s Brazilian pop extensive collection of musical “We started making music when we time we want to get things as polished
to Haruomi Hosono’s Pacific to the gadgets, obscure instruments and were kids. We had instrument lessons as we want to, without any concern
space-age sound of Stereolab, whose classic analogue synths. at different conservatories in Paris. for time and money. It’s definitely
very own Lætitia Sadier contributed Their sound might be breezy, Then we started playing in bands more difficult to make records at
vocals to the record’s eleventh track, playful and tinged with kitsch, but when we were teenagers, and really home now that we’re shooting for
Read the Room. their approach to music-making is started recording ourselves in college, a higher fidelity sound. Ideally we’d
Pearl & The Oysters is Juliette anything but frivolous: these are two around 2009-10. We began recording want to build a real studio at home,
Pearl Davis and Joachim Polack, two musicians and producers utterly the songs that would eventually but that takes the kind of time and
music-makers that sparked a kinship dedicated to the craft of making become our debut self-titled album resources that we unfortunately
in a Parisian high school that’s since timeless pop songs, pursuing the around 2014-15, a few months still lack at the moment.”
guided them through decades, perfection of a hybrid sound that before we moved to the US.
continents and albums towards their sums together a kaleidoscope of “Two things that were pretty What one piece of gear in your studio
arrival in Los Angeles and a fifth influences into a singular aesthetic quintessential to our sound and could you not do without, and why?
full-length release, Coast 2 Coast. that’s entirely their own. dictated the direction of the project “Probably our Roland Juno-6 because
The pair’s debut for LA-based We caught up with Juliette and early on was this cheap drum of its versatile, swiss-army-knife
tastemakers Stones Throw, the record Joachim to find out more about the machine, the Boss DR-110, which capabilities. It ends up on so many of
documents a recent westwards move making of the new record, the vintage Joachim had purchased in an eBay our recordings, and it was central in
from Florida, channelling reflections gear that inspires their sound, and to auction lot along with other cheap the making of Coast 2 Coast. Our
both personal and environmental ask what advice they can share from guitar effects pedals. It was our first secret weapon is the Yamaha CP25
across meticulously crafted a decade of making music together. time using an electronic drum though, which is a kind of electronic

18
 Pearl & The Oysters | Talking Shop

piano from the 1970s. It has different the full rhythm section (drums, bass, Juno-6 sound in Paraiso. We also love Park in LA. We used several things
onboard stereo effects and it has two piano/guitar) as a base for the track. using a single high string machine including a velocity-sensitive Moog
separate knobs for detuning the left It is the classic way of making pop note towering over the arrangement electronic tom thingy, which we’re
and right channel independently. It records, and for good reason. After Roy Ayers-style. Actually, a friend and not sure of the name of, that was
doesn’t do a million things, but we years of making really dry ‘computer’ synth guru of ours called that the triggering weird noises out of
can get really beautiful, shimmery records, we’ve been really getting into ‘sunshine note’ in reference to a Micromoog.
textures out of it.” incorporating the sound of the room Everybody Loves the Sunshine, and we “We also used some noises from
more and more.” still refer to it that way ourselves. We the Korg MS-10 – one of our
What’s the latest addition to love our Roland RS-09 but we’ve also favourites, and one of the first synths
your studio? We can hear tons of synths on the new used the Korg Delta for these. that we ever owned – and the much
“We recently got this Yamaha CS-15, record. What synths were you using, “And, of course, we love the noise rarer Gleeman Pentaphonic, which is
which is an amazing preset-based and what do you like about them/why and sound effects we can get out of a crazy, weird synth. While we were at
analogue mono/duophonic synth. did you choose to use them? our mono synths, the Moog Realistic VSM, we also recorded some Synthi
Concertmate MG-1 and for the track Joyful Science.”
Yamaha CS-01, and the little

“WE JUST FELL INTO THE VINTAGE PEARL & THE

percussion synths and
musical gadgets that we’ve
SYNTHESIZER RABBIT HOLE IN OUR LATE been collecting for years
now. That’s a huge part OYSTERS
TEENS AND HAVE BEEN OBSESSED WITH
TOP TIPS
of our sound and
general aesthetic.”
OLD ANALOGUE SYNTHS EVER SINCE”
What did you use to make Double down on the weird
the sounds on Timetron? It’s and don’t be afraid of bold
It’s really warm and rich!” “We just fell into the vintage a really interesting little interlude. production choices

1
synthesizer rabbit hole in our late teen “That is a weird collage track that “We’ve definitely made some
What dream bit of gear would you love years and have been obsessed with old started with cutting up different questionable aesthetic choices in the
to have in your studio? analogue synths ever since. There are sections of an Indian drum machine history of this band [laughs], but one
“We’d love to have nice outboard gear so many different kinds of textures preset. Our guess is that this drum thing that we don’t regret is packing our
and fancier microphones, but as these synths can get and it’s been machine was designed for Indian first album full of synth bleeps, even
far as instruments, we’re really a never-ending source of sensory classical musicians to practice to, as though it did offend many of our friends
dreaming of getting a Yamaha wonder for us, even if some of these a sort of metronome. It’s supposed at the time. A lot of people told the songs
CP-70 electric piano.” sounds probably feel so old and passé to emulate tablas and has amazing didn’t need this extra kitschy production
to a lot of people. For example, we definition in the low end, it’s a really touch, but it really gave that first record
When approaching a new track or love stacking mono synths on top cool instrument with awesome a strong sonic identity, and in doing so, it
project, where do you usually start? of each other or doing synth preset patterns. laid the groundwork for an aesthetic that
“If we’re at home, we usually start by counterpoint à la Wendy Carlos. “Most of the other sounds layered we’re still building on and refining today.”
recording a drum machine loop and “This is the first album where we on top of the drum machine we
then start building the arrangements started using pads, too, which is recorded and sequenced at the Avoid generic ideas

2
on top of that, in which case bass something that can sound really Vintage Synth Museum in Oakland “There’s nothing sadder for us than
would come second. If we’re in the awesome with the right chord – shout out to our friend Lance Hill, hearing a song we feel like we’ve
studio, we’re usually trying to record progression, like the main Roland who now runs VSM out of Highland already heard a million times. Find
the stuff that surprises you, analyse it, and
don’t settle for a half-baked idea.”

Find the right player for

the right part

3
“When working with other
musicians, it’s better to find
versatile players that handle
anything you throw their way, but it’s
often counterproductive to force a part on
someone who’s not vibing with it. In such
a situation it’s ideal to find the appropriate
musician for that part, but that might not
always be possible, in which case it’s
better to work with them towards a part
that they know they can nail.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

Pearl & The Oysters’

Coast 2 Coast is out
now on Stones Throw.

19
 FM | CLASSIC ALBUM

Landscape copped the MC-8 MicroComposer – Roland’s seminal but costly

microprocessor-based sequencer.

From The Tea-Rooms

“It cost half a house,” says Burgess. “But it was a total game
changer. And, even though we were all excellent musicians who
loved to play, we embraced the idea of this transformative device.”

Of Mars… To The Burgess could see the future of music making was computer-
based, and was ready to declare it.
“I did a presentation for Roland at the time saying, ‘One day, all

Hell-Holes Of Uranus records will be made like this’. I just realised that once we made
this record, that’s the way everyone would be making them. The
fundamentals of the way we make records today were basically laid
RCA, 1981 out by the MC-8.”

I
By embracing this new technology Landscape would colour the
t’s a fitting name for a band that actually changed the landscape pop charts with their futuristic sound. Especially with huge hits like
of electronic music. Richard James Burgess and crew were the UK top five smash Einstein A Go-Go and Norman Bates.
pushing the boundaries of computer-based beats before it was a The impact of this tech-savvy approach, and the decade-defining
thing. Coining terms like EDM on the back of singles. And electro pop of Landscape’s efforts, would be taken even further, with
putting weird bleeps, avant-garde chants, and processed 4/4s in pop Burgess bestowing it on new wave acts like Spandau Ballet,
charts normally reserved for guitars and verse/chorus songs. producing their first two gold records, all while honing the
“It was also the first album made by a computer, and no one’s cutting-edge sonics for his own hive-minded collective. “It was such
ever refuted that,” adds Burgess. a fun time,” says Burgess. “It definitely tested our brains, that’s for
Words by Roy Spencer

Landscape, very much a group collaboration including Chris sure. But they were the greatest times of my life.”
Heaton, Andy Pask, Peter Thoms and John L. Walters, morphed out You can bask in the best of Landscape’s 1977-83 golden era
of the instrumental jazz/punk world to become a vocal electronic thanks to the expansive five CD boxset Landscape A Go-Go, out this
outfit. All gifted musicians, the turning point coming when they month on Cooking Vinyl.

20
 Classic Album | Filter

Track by track
with Richard
James Burgess
European Man
“On the back of the single we wrote,
‘Electronic Dance Music… EDM;
computer programmed to perfection
for your listening pleasure’.
“At the time we started to write
about things that were relevant to us “We had the Fairlight CMI and a who’s who
and not about love. This was about of early synthesisers. Chris had a Casio deal
computers, or microprocessors, as we so got early FM synths. We liked that brittle
referred to them back then. At that
time they were going to basically
sound and layering synths up, but few could
remove the need for daily labour, sync with other manufacturers.
which is particularly timely now, when “Chris had a Yamaha CS-80, which was
we’re in the middle of this revolutionary – touch sensitive and after
conversation about AI in a very pressure. And it was polyphonic, which was
serious way. We were talking about a
new ‘European Man’ and the idea
new. Then John had the Lyricon, with the
that these microprocessors would After disbanding around 1984 the
Roland Jupiter-4. All kinds of devices on
effectively make it so we increased Landscape members went on to separate
careers. Burgess produced Colonel Abrams’
the bass. If Roland made something, we
productivity to the degree that proto-house banger Trapped, amongst other had it.
humans wouldn’t need to work again. future hits. While Pask penned the theme to
The Bill. Thoms sessioned on everyone from “And Pete was using analogue to MIDI
Of course, it didn’t work out that way.” Kylie to Tina Turner. And Walters edited the
print mag, Eye.
converters. And every Boss pedal you can
Shake The West Awake Four decades on the OG crew have got
back together to make all their early,
think of. Chris used the ring modulator a
“Again, we didn’t want to write songs groundbreaking tracks available on the new lot, too.”
boxset, Landscape A Go-Go. As well as
about love. At that time, it became remastering a vinyl version of From The
obvious that the Japanese industrial Tea-Rooms Of Mars…
complex was becoming extremely
powerful, and it was going to take
over. And that’s what the song is thinking about the other people, the sound’ and I’m like, ‘Holy shit. That’s everybody at the Blitz became part of
about. I remember, prior to that time other musicians and what they would unbelievable.’ I knew Hugh Padgham this interesting time. There was an
in England, if you went out on the do, so you were kind of writing and called him up to get that sound. excitement running through it all. And
street and you looked at all the cars, for them. “It was the boom mic they use for a sort of a panic at the same time.
you’d see a Morris, an Austin. You’d “This one came from a jazz talkback, which was fed through the Like, someone’s taking off. And if we
see a Jaguar, you know? You’d see concept, from Duke Ellington. And talkback compressors on the SSL. don’t get on the train, we’re gonna
many a Mercedes, Rolls Royce. A the song is about that sort of AI And it would cause a huge amount of miss it, you know? That’s what I felt.
Bentley, maybe. There were no mentality that we could see squashing of the drums and then you I don’t know if it was real or not, or
Toyotas, no Honda. If you walk out in computers having in the future, with would gate it so it had this incredibly just me.”
the street now, in the UK or in the them learning what humans can do. sort of electronic sound.”
US, you’re gonna see a lot of And it’s the sound of a computer New Religion
Japanese cars. You’re gonna see a lot learning to say ‘computer person’. Face Of The 80’s “This came before any of this album.
of European cars. Not that I’m And the music backs that up.” “This idea came out of the New We’d recorded the original demos in a
particularly a nationalist, because I’m Romantic movement. I was going to place called Southern Studios, which
really not. But that’s what we were Alpine Tragedy/Sisters the Blitz a lot (I taught Rusty the is a place an electronics whizz called
writing about.” “These two songs are together. Chris club’s DJ to drum) and it was John Loder had built with three
[Heaton] started those songs, as I obviously a very preening kind of Revoxes in the back of his garage and
Computer Person recall. I play drums on those. They thing. And somebody asked me about linked up through to his living room in
“Pete [Thoms] wrote this one. We were not programmed. But, the it all and I said it was kind of like a his house. Crass would record there.
basically credited all of our songs to interesting thing is that, even though New Romantic thing and I think He upgraded to a 24-track machine
everybody in the band. But, usually they were played, I regard those that’s where the term came from. and we would go there to do demos
somebody starts the song or drums as electronic drums, because “I used to park my car on double because it was relatively cheap and
somebody writes a substantial part of we recorded them at the Townhouse yellows outside the club and I started we loved John.
the song. The reason we did that was in the Stone Room there, and they playing a cassette of stuff I was “This track came about because
because we felt that the band had were heavily processed. working on to some guys I met at the we were in and out of clubs all the
been together for so long, that even “Peter Gabriel had just played us bar and it turned out to be Spandau time and it was the latter era of disco,
when somebody wrote a song entirely his third album and it had the first Ballet. They asked me to produce and my feeling was that it was
on their own, you’re always sort of instance of that ‘Phil Collins drum their album. Once they got their deal becoming this sort of new religion.

21
Filter | Classic Album

LIKE IT? TRY

Like ‘The Church of Disco’, you know? Norman Bates joined in and we really liked what we THESE…
People were starting to worship this “This was John’s [L. Walters]. And had, so we decided to turn it into
music and the four-to-the-floor bass that’s actually my favourite track on something. John, Chris and I all lived
drum. So, that’s where this whole the album. I love it. I love that track. close to each other in South London
idea came from.” “I think the record label screwed and we convened at my place to work
that record up, it should have been a on that song.
Einstein A Go-Go huge hit. But it was a really weird “Chris had a very deep knowledge
Japan ‎
“The title came from our designer, song, a really weird choice. of all music. Especially Schoenberg
Adolescent Sex
Also featuring great use of the
John Warwicker-Le Breton. And John “John brought that song in, and it and Stockhausen and The aftertouch on the Yamaha CS-80.
[L. Walters] had a melody he’d been just really related to all of us. I’ve Minimalists. And he was very much Burgess loved hearing the envelope
messing around with and the two always been fascinated by the idea of into the avant-garde with his changing as chords were played.
things came together. And, at the what’s ‘normal’. electronic group, Accord. ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
‘Transmission’, ‘The Unconventional’,
time we were writing it in the late “It’s just a classic beat. And with “So he was the one who came up ‘Wish You Were Black’
’70s and early ’80s, there was a lot of that darkness. And the idea that we with the whole idea of, ‘Look at your
talk about nuclear war and articles built off the movie Psycho saying, hands, look at your hands,’ you know,
about blueprints for briefcase bombs ‘I’m just a normal guy. My name is again, and again. Which I just
that us on the underground were Norman Bates.’ And the constant thought was unbelievable.
repetition “Originally, he wanted to use that Peter Gabriel
of that. as a bridge on Einstein A Go-Go, but Peter Gabriel
“I JUST REALISED THAT ONCE “I don’t that was our sort of pop gambit, as it Includes that classic ’80s Phil Collins
gated reverb drum sound. Burgess
know if you were, and I really didn’t want to screw
WE MADE THIS RECORD, ever did this that up, you know? It would have
knew the engineer, and ended up in
the same studio to get his twist on it.
when you possibly pushed it out of the ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
THAT’S THE WAY EVERYONE were a kid, commercial sort of zone it was in.” ‘Intruder’, ‘No Self Control’, ‘Start’
but I used to
WOULD BE MAKING THEM” say a word From The Tea-Rooms Of
over and over Mars ... To The Hell
fascinated by. And we had the whole and over, until it sort of loses its Holes Of Uranus Easy Street
Iran situation with the Ayatollah. And meaning and it starts to have a kind “This one is made up of the three Easy Street
so, you know, the rise of religious of mantra quality about it. tracks – Beguine, Mambo and Tango. Burgess’ soft rock band before
fundamentalism, I guess. And so “So, the whole idea of, ‘My name And each part of it was started by Landscape. Chris Heaton pops up to
that’s what Einstein… is really about. is Norman Bates. I’m just a normal somebody different in the band, if I play piano, though. And future Art Of
“Musically, the idea with this was guy,’ was obviously not true. He was recall. We’d wanted to use the CR-68, Noise engineer Gary Langan mans
not to jump back and forth too much. obviously not normal. And that also initially, which was the non- the boards.
ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
It was all about making something ties into the idea of what insanity is, programmable Roland drum machine. ‘Feels Like Heaven’, ‘Lazy Dog Shandy’,
with a very simple chord sequence. right? What is it?” And then they came up with the ‘Easy Street’
And very cartoonish kind of quality to CR-78, which was a slightly
it… But with a dark subject matter. The Doll’s House programmable Roland drum machine.
The script for the video for this was “This started in a soundcheck, when I Warren Cann from Ultravox was the
written by a young Richard Curtis.” started playing that beat. Then Chris only person I knew could programme
Spandau Ballet
it really well. Anyway, we used the
Journeys To Glory
rhythm from that drum machine to The first of two gold records Burgess
lay it all up. produced for the group, catapulting
“And obviously, they’re really the New Romantic movement onto
cheesy, and we wanted it to be really the world.
cheesy. We were sort of mimicking ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
‘To Cut A Long Story Short’, ‘Reformation’,
that kind of music you’d hear in wine ‘Mandolin’
bars of hotel lounges, with somebody
playing Hammond organ with a little
drum beat, playing the tango. That’s
where the titles came from.
“And John had the idea of Landscape
In the studio with Richard James Burgess having the voiceover, like you used to Landscape A Go-Go
“I was fascinated by the idea of an electronic drum kit. I’d been triggering
get in the clubs, talking about what’s (The Story of
sounds from my drums for a few years, wiring up little carbon mics from
going on and everything, which I Landscape 1977-83)
old telephone mouthpieces to pick up sounds and trigger the electronics. This monster boxset of near peerless
“And I’d been trying to make sounds with my [EMS] Synthi A, but absolutely loved.”
early work just dropped. Featuring 84
realised that the rise time of the envelopes wasn’t fast enough – it needed choice tracks from their back
to be around .2 of a millisecond. Then these microprocessors came out WANT TO KNOW MORE? catalogue, a book, artwork, remixes
with new chips that had tons of transistors on, meaning the distance and the full cooperation of the
between components was less, so the electronic signal moved faster. For everything about original group.
“I approached Dave Simmons about it because he had the SDS-3 out.
And we messed around in the studio to create sounds using an ARP-2600.
the recently re-formed ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST:
‘It’s Not My Real Name (UK cassette album
Then he basically built the electronics for the SDS-V. I got a ‘breadboard’ Landscape, including mix, incl. electric trombone solo)’, ‘Caterpillar
Tracks (Live in Norwich)’, ‘Norman Bates (12-
version, which was a piece of wood with a bunch of components screwed
on to it and wires hanging off. And that’s what we made Tea Rooms… on.
the epic new boxset, inch without narration)’

The SDS-V hadn’t actually been built yet as a commercial device.” hit up: landscape.band

22
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FM | RELEASES

ALBUM OF THE MONTH

Headache The Head Hurts

for water. But can you really feel the
sound of two hundred people
eating?” – to the smirk-inducing –

but the Heart Knows the Truth

“though fish are not animals, they do
have feelings. Think about that the
next time you take a shit in the sea”
– to the strangely insightful – “you
PLZ Make It Ruins don’t need to sleep in your bed every
night, the street is just as
comfortable. Life isn’t all funky shit

V
egyn’s an interesting fella: of England’s capital. While 2022’s In contrast with his earlier work, and faces you pull in the mirror”
son of British songwriter Don’t Follow Me Because I’m Lost Vegyn’s carefully calibrated beats – and converge on themes of failed
Phil Thornalley, perhaps collated 75 (!) pithy experiments into take a backseat here, the spacious love and existential doubt, blending
best known for co-writing a stylistically diverse mixtape, his arrangements making room for a surreal humour with a touch of
Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn, he spent the latest – a joint release under the alias series of oddly poetic vignettes poignance over crisp breaks and
first decade of his career working with Headache – sees the producer spoken by an AI bot with the voice of soaring synth pads.
Frank Ocean, Travis Scott and teaming up with mysterious a slightly resigned-sounding Matt Mullen
JPEGMAFIA while heading up wordsmith Francis Hornsby Clark for middle-aged British man. The words ADD THESE TO YOUR PLAYLIST
Truisms 4 Dummies, That Thing with the Rabbit,
London-based label PLZ Make It a baffling and brilliant spoken-word range from the nonsensical – “The Mission Impossible III
Ruins and releasing some of the most album voiced by an AI-powered thing is, I’m not just a nose with legs.
inventive electronic beats coming out speech synthesiser. The cow is the land and the horse is VERDICT 8
26
 Releases | Reviews

ON OUR
PLAYLIST RECOMMENDED
TRACK
Olof Dreijer,
Rosa Rugosa The Japanese House ALBUM

S
Hessle Audio

In the End It
inger-songwriter Amber
Best known as one half of The Knife
Bain is The Japanese
alongside sibling Fever Ray, Olof
Dreijer’s latest solo single sees the House, an indie-pop artist
signed to British label

Always Does
producer landing on leftfield club
institution Hessle Audio. Dreijer has an Dirty Hit, best known as the
impressively distinctive sound for a launching pad for world-dominating,
purely instrumental musician. The controversy-courting pop sensations
percussive synth lines make liberal use
of pitch envelopes and portamento,
Dirty Hit The 1975. Bain’s second album, In
the End It Always Does, was written
achieving a nervous energy reminiscent
of the Knife’s best work. Here though, alongside one of that band’s less

© Jay Seba
they’re laid out across a minimal, contentious members, George Daniel,
shuffling club beat and sweeping, with production and engineering
grime-adjacent bassline that feels handled by Chloe Kraemer. Like The
tailor-made to land hard on a big sound 1975, Bain is clearly comfortable
system. Si Truss
inhabiting a variety of musical guises,
from dewy-eyed ballads (Sad to
ALBUM Breathe) and sprightly pop numbers
Arthur Russell, Picture (Touching Yourself) in the first few
of Bunny Rabbit tracks. What ties the album together
Audika Records is Bain’s yearning vocals, liberally
It seems apt to discuss the legacy of the processed and dripping in Auto-Tune,
late Arthur Russell this month, given and a vividly contemporary production
FM’s theme, this issue, of the style that leans into synths and
unfinished track. The cellist, poet, disco sound-mangling effects. Matt Mullen
producer and, latterly, lo-fi muse, could
be seen as something of an icon for the
(largely) solo bedroom recording artist
VERDICT 7.5
ideal as we know it. His working
environment brought independence,
creative freedom but also, as

Al Wootton
documented in testimonials since, the
torment of perfectionism. This new ALBUM
compilation comes largely from

A
recordings laid down around the time of

We Have Come To
decade ago, Al Wootton
the sole album released within his
lifetime, 1985’s The World of Echo. was working under the
Those familiar with Russell’s other name Deadboy and
making post-dubstep that

Banish The Dark

works will have trained their ears for the
experience of listening to his work; the melded skittish garage beats with
whirr of tape machines, the poet’s love R&B samples. Recent years have
of, yes, echo, the poignant spaces, and seen him retire that alias in favour of
the thrill of staying tuned for the
dazzling fragments of melodies that
Trule his own name, switching to a rawer,
unfold. Above all that is his singular
more percussive sound in the
voice; an artist whose sensibilities were process, although one that spans
ahead of their time, but still techno, dub and jungle. This is his
era-particular in turn of phrase. second album as Al Wootton, arriving,
Reviewing the work of a beloved, late as with the first, on his own Trule
artist feels somewhat pointless (blowing label. It’s a more focussed, minimal
away the lie that your words are
record than its predecessor, trading
intended to guide an artist’s future
works) suffice to say, no, this does not
some of the genre-hopping for a more
contain the landmark ‘hits’ of earlier coherent and refined sound. While
releases. In some ways that should there’s still variety – ranging from the
provide solace to the tweakers, wonky high-tempo IDM of Number,
sketchers and befuddled producers out Weight, Division to the beatless throb
there. Sometimes – give or take of Becoming Light – it’s all held
Russell-level talent – it’s enough just to
together by a commanding use of
enjoy hearing someone commit heartfelt
negative space and evocative dub
sounds to record, for the love of it. And
there’s certainly a lot of that here. techno atmospherics. Si Truss

VERDICT 8
Kate Puttick

27
Feature | Finish more tracks!

MORE he d ide as int o

!
un fin is – fa st
u rn your reco rd s
T e-re a d y
releas SIDE A
SIDE B
I V E S T R AT E
GIES
C R E AT ICE
T T I P S 1 . R T I S T A DV
MEN 2.A
ANGE CKS a quick
,
1.ARR .MIXING HA become
op and uaranteed!
2 ak out o
f the lo
isher –
g
ck, bre ble project fin
ter’s blo lia
Beat wri ductive and re
pro

28
 ountless electronic occasion, whereas for others it
musicians suffer from becomes an endless cycle, preventing
getting stuck in a loop them from completing anything
– endlessly starting musically worthwhile. How can we
ideas but never seeing train ourselves to break out of this
them through. This loop and become the sort of artist
issue, we’re here to help you break that naturally develops unfinished
free of writer’s block and finish more sketches into full-blown releases?
projects than ever before. How can we develop a workflow that
For all of their flexibility and lets us naturally turn our basic ideas
power, our modern, computer-centred into satisfying arrangements? Over the
studio environments can often work next few pages, we’re going to take a
BOUNCING IDEAS Noisia are an act who
to hinder productivity as much as look at some of the problems work both individually and as a collective
drive it. The sheer scope and choice preventing you from finishing music
can be overwhelming. We have access and discuss strategies to help else might mix the separate tracks could well be throttled out of them by
to millions of potential sounds, overcome them. together, and a final person would the traditional world of major studios
software recreations of practically any master the record and deliver the and record labels, but this jack-of-all-
piece of gear you can think of, an WHY IS IT SO HARD TO finished product. Potentially all trades approach can mean that we’re
unlimited well of samples and F I N I S H A T R AC K ? overseen by one or more ‘executive’ constantly interrupting the creative
sources of inspiration – all of which There are certain conditions specific producers. Each individual could side of our brain (responsible for
can be endlessly edited, saved in to electronic music making that can fully concentrate on their assigned generating ideas, composing,
multiple reworked versions, recalled make writer’s block a particular task without deviation, whether it be jamming and arranging) by allowing
instantly. It’s easy to get overloaded problem. To understand why, it’s creative or technical. the logical/technical side of our
with choices and information; and important to consider that the act of For a lot of modern music consciousness to take over.
that’s before we even consider the making music has changed makers, these separate roles have To overcome this conflict, be
distractive peril that comes from dramatically over recent decades. now merged into one. Solitary aware of your own habits and divide
constantly being connected to the Back in the earlier days of recorded individuals try to tackle each part of sessions into focused ‘jobs’: for
internet and social media. music – and still commonplace the music making process within the example, if you’re creatively jamming
These are just some of the factors throughout a lot of rock and pop – same studio session, working on and composing, don’t try to EQ and
that can result in the infamous multiple professionals would be every element of a track from writing compress each sound there and then.
‘writer’s block’. It’s not a condition involved in the creative process, through to sound design, mixing, Likewise, set aside a dedicated mix
that exclusively affects music makers, each focusing on a specific role. The arrangements, mastering and even session once creative tasks are
but it can hinder us – particularly solo artist(s) themselves would channel the artwork and logistics of a release. complete. Compartmentalise sessions
producers – in some specific and all of their efforts into writing the There’s an undeniable freedom to all and you’ll be able to reach the frame
unique ways. Symptoms include song, a studio engineer would be of this, and it certainly allows many of mind needed for that task.
overworking a simple musical idea responsible for tracking, someone creative artists to shine in a way that The challenge of solo creativity
into an overblown mess, abandoning comes down to more than
projects that are 80-90% finished to simply getting distracted
start something new, or cold sweats THERE ARE CONDITIONS SPECIFIC TO though. A creative process
and sleepless nights at the mere that involves multiple
prospect of turning an eight-bar loop ELECTRONIC MUSIC MAKING THAT CAN people also allows us to
into a six-minute record. respond to ideas in a way
Some musicians are lucky enough MAKE WRITER’S BLOCK A PROBLEM that’s hard to do by yourself.
to only experience these struggles on It’s far easier to bounce
ideas between two or more
BIT ON THE SIDE ‘Side-projects’ like Gold
Panda and Jas Shaw’s Selling can give artists a people than it is to endlessly work on
new perspective them by yourself. That’s why, aside
from the tactics we’ll examine over
the following pages, collaboration
with other creatives remains a great
way to boost your musical output.
A certain amount of discipline is
key too. Set yourself a target of a set
number of hours in the studio, then
do everything you can to finish a
track in that time; focus upon speed
and the ‘big picture’ broad strokes;
switch off from any technical aspect
(mixing, synth design etc) and keep
the momentum going as you race
towards the finishing line. The goal is
to reach a zen-like state of mind
where the track pretty much writes
itself – something that only comes
through practice and discipline.

29
Feature | Finish more tracks

STRATEGIES FOR
CREATING FINISHED
ARRANGEMENTS
L E A R N I N G H OW TO F L E S H O U T T R AC KS is key to becoming the new elements up to the
breakdown. However, there’s no
sort of musician who finishes every idea. Most electronic musicians have reason not to try inverting
experienced getting ‘stuck in the loop’; creating simple 16- or 32-bar expectations or making multiple
phrases, but then losing motivation when it comes to turning these into full changes at once.

length arrangements. Working quickly is crucial. Rather than listening to FINDING THE ‘HOOK’
one looped section for hours, getting even just a rough arrangement down One important step when it comes
can help overcome one of the major hurdles in the track finishing process to developing a track lies in
establishing what element provides
the focal point, aka the hook, of
S TA R T A R R A N G I N G elements as necessary to designate remove an element or change an your track. This should be the most
E A R LY Make a habit of an intro, outro and breakdowns. existing sound – for example, distinctive element of your
sketching out an arrangement early Break your arrangement up into changing the instrument used to composition. In a pop or rock song
on in your creative process. As 8-bar sections and colour code or play your lead melody, or moving this would usually be the lead
soon as you have a few label these for easy delineation. part of your bassline up or down an vocal, but when it comes to
fundamental building blocks – for Your aim now is to change the octave. Knowing when to add and electronic or instrument music, the
example, a chord progression and energy of your track in some way when to take something away is a hook could be any number of
basic beat – duplicate these across each time you reach a new section. matter of personal preference. The things, from a lead synth riff to a
your timeline to create the As a rule of thumb, there are three classic method, in dance music at bassline or even, at the more
foundations of a full track. Delete ways to do this: add an element, least, is to build energy by adding percussive or experimental ends of

START ARRANGING EARLY Getting a

structure in place avoids fear of the blank page

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 Finish more tracks | Feature

QUICK
TIPS
1
Commit early:
bounce plugins or
external
instruments down as
audio as soon as you’re
happy, to avoid endless
FINDING THE HOOK Here our lead is offset
with a simple counter melody
tinkering and
dance music, a particular strung together, as opposed to a the next section.
reworking. If you need
percussion sound or rhythmic finished composition. The key to Try using a dedicated studio to make changes later,
pattern. Whatever genre you’re changing this lies in creating session to create your own pack of get creative with
working in, however, you should be dynamic movement both within custom transitions, or simply reach effects or editing.
able to identify a specific focal and between sections. for one of the countless ready-

2
point for your track (even the most The easiest way to do this is by made sample packs available –
ambient music is likely to put a using transition FX. These are we’ve included several from the Get hands-on
specific sound or texture to the fore things like white noise sweeps, FM archive on the download page with the
above others). pitched risers, crashes or reversed for this issue.
The reason it’s important to cymbals – elements that can be An equally essential technique
automation
identify this focal element is it will placed at the start or end of a loop for introducing movement to an process by mapping
inform a lot of your decisions when in order to create a pull-in or arrangement is through automation key parameters to your
it comes to arranging. For instance, release to signify the change in of sound parameters and effects. favourite MIDI
your hook will likely be something your track. When it comes to The most obvious example of this
you want to build up to, meaning sketching out arrangements, it can is by automating the cutoff point of controller and
you may choose to remove it from be handy to have a stock of these a low-pass filter to make a lead, performing changes in
your track’s intro and breakdowns. ready to go; creating FX from bassline or chord progression real time.
It will also provide the basis scratch can be a fiddly process brighter as a track builds.

3
from which to create elements like that will slow you down when Realistically though, there’s an
counter melodies. For example, if you’re trying to get your track laid endless list of parameters that can Use reference
you have a descending synth riff as out. Even if you’re just using be adjusted to change the tone of tracks for
your lead hook, try creating a placeholder FX that you plan to a track and build dynamic tension,
such as a synth’s pulse
creating
width, or the decay time arrangements. Load a
THE REASON IT’S IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY of a reverb or rate of an release you’re a fan of
LFO. Even subtle sonic into your DAW and
A HOOK IS THAT IT’LL INFORM A LOT OF changes through simple
make a note of where
modulation will do a lot to
YOUR ARRANGEMENT DECISIONS keep listeners hooked. builds, breakdowns
For quick arranging, try and significant
setting up a few effect
counter melody that ascends replace when it comes to applying returns with some extreme effects
changes occur.

4
through the same scale, with a finishing touches, having some sort that can help create builds,
rhythm that works around, rather of transition in place will go a long breakdowns and transitions. Instead of
than on top of, your lead line. way towards giving your In-your-face reverbs or delays are transition FX,
Introducing this in the background arrangement the correct ‘feel’, and great for this, as are multi-effect
after two or four repetitions of your could help inspire what elements tools like Cableguys ShaperBox or signify changes
lead will help add depth and keep need to be added or removed for SugarBytes Effectrix. in your tracks with
your lead hook fresh. edits to the current
TRANSITIONS AND
pattern. Try cutting out
A U T O M AT I O N Following the the kick drum for a bar
steps above will allow you to turn before the change, or
your ideas into a basic
arrangement, but the result will
creating snare rolls
likely sound rather static and that ramp up in pitch
TRANSITIONS AND AUTOMATION
abrupt – like a collection of loops There’s no shame in using time-saver tools and/or timing.

31
Feature | Finish more tracks

FIVE RULES TO
HELP YOU FINISH
MORE TRACKS
R E G U L A R LY F I N I S H I N G C R E AT I V E projects takes self-discipline. working towards, say, a delivery
date set out by a record label. Even
Try following these workflow rules to help motivate yourself if you’re working independently
though, try enforcing deadlines on
yourself. Create tracks specifically
DON’T ABANDON elements from the project, such as have on the go at any one time. For for a gig or DJ booking, or aim to
A N Y T H I N G If you reach an beat loops, chords or riffs, so that example, set a maximum of ten finish a track every week or month.
impasse with a project and can’t they can be used as later ammo. projects you’re allowed to keep, Be realistic though; deadlines can
get it over the finish line, don’t and when you reach this limit, be great, but equally can have a
simply delete your work. Make sure D O N ’ T H OA R D H A L F- force yourself to adapt or finish an negative effect on your outlook if
to save your in-progress projects F I N I S H E D I D E A S Perhaps existing idea before you’re allowed you repeatedly miss them.
– and label them clearly – so you contrary to that last tip, don’t get to start anything new.
can return to them later. It’s into the habit of simply filing away R E M I X YO U R S E L F Starting
amazing how returning to every project and ending up with a S E T D E A D L I N E S Most of us from an existing finished project
something a few days, weeks or hard drive stuffed with an find we work quicker and more and rearranging it is often a lot
even months later can allow you to ever-growing stack of half-finished efficiently if working towards a easier than creating something
see it from a fresh angle. Better tracks. Enforce a hard limit on how deadline. This can make it much new. Try starting with a track
still, bounce out individual many projects you allow yourself to easier to finish a track when you’ve previously finished and
using it as a basis for your next
track. Somewhat counterintuitively,
this can actually be a great way to
prevent yourself repeating ideas.
The rule you need to set here is
that your new track must be
completely different from your
starting project, thereby forcing
you to up-end your previous sounds
and track elements.

S T I C K T O T H E P L A N It
can be easy to get distracted by a
new idea halfway through making a
track and end up completely
changing the feel of your original
idea. This could create something
great, but also result in losing
something good just because it no
longer feels fresh. Avoid this by
devising a plan of what you want
your track to be before you start,
for example ‘130bpm percussive
techno tool’, ‘beatless synth jam’,
‘peak time DnB’. Stick to this
original aim, filing any new ideas
NICE STUDIO Distractions can come in
that arise along the way to one side
abstract form… or from what’s around you for a later date.

32
 Feature | Finish more tracks

FINISHING TRACKS:
ARTIST ADVICE
F I N A L I S I N G T H E L AS T few bars of a project or adding those all-
important finishing touches to a mixdown can be an intimidating prospect
for all of us, from those at the beginning of their journey into music
production to artists with hundreds of releases under their belt. The
question of when exactly to wrap it up when you’re building a track is
one that’s puzzled artists of all stripes, from bedroom beatmakers to
C H R I S T I A N S M I T H : “So
hit producers, and each one has different methods for knowing how much time is wasted by producers
to make this crucial decision effectively. that have tons of half-finished
We’ve spoken to more than a few experienced music-makers over the productions. At the end of the day,
one finished song is better than
years, asking each artist how they conclude their creative process and 100 half-finished! I have often
decide when a track is well and truly finished. Here’s what they said… been in situations where I’ve been
listening to the same loop for over
10 hours and ended up not
that was really ingrained in me K E L LY L E E OW E N S : knowing if the track is good
early on. Just because you might “Although towards the end I’ll enough. One way I usually
think, this is too simple, or this often go very deep in terms of overcome this is by making the
doesn’t look the way that other automation, and nudging things song all in one session and mixing
people’s music looks on the around, I know the place I’m trying it down the next day. If it passes
screen… but it’s like, no, just to get to. I know when to say the ‘day after’ test, it’s usually
listen to it. Does it sound like when, and that’s usually when the good to go.”
a piece of music or not? Okay, if flow is right, when I can listen
H E R M I T U D E : “When you it does, then it’s done. It doesn’t back and not need to change L O N E : “The track is finished
listen back and you’re scrounging need to be more complicated anything. I think that comes with when I can listen to it without
for ideas to put in it, you’re done. than that.” a trusting of one’s self.” wanting to change anything.
If I can’t hear anything, [it’s] time
to let go. Completing is usually the KELLY LEE OWENS “I know when to say
hardest bit, but it’s a nice vibe not when, and that’s usually when the flow is right” © Kim Hiorthøy

to try and over-cook things. When

things are a bit rough around
the edges, it’s more interesting
for the listener, rather than
a fully-polished piece. People
like to hear your humanness.”
© Jenny Slattery

ANTHONY NAPLES:
“I read this in something Kieran
[Four Tet] said in an interview.
He said that what makes him
a producer is that he can decide
when something’s done. I feel like

34
 Finish more tracks | Feature

yourself is important. It makes the

process itself better too. Knowing
something had an ending puts
everything in perspective.”

O B J E K T : “Once I’m past the

sketching stage and throwing ideas
at the canvas I’ll always open up
M A S O N M AY N A R D : the bounce from the last session,
“I never really know when a track listen to it – ideally in iTunes,
is finished as most of the time I’m make notes and timestamp
trying to expand and make it as whatever needs changing. That
best I can. But for me I feel like could be something as major as
they ‘get away’ – I may play them getting rid of a whole section to
and if the reaction is good then a new bassline or something minor
I can live with letting that one go.” like there’s a little bit too much
frequency on the snare. Once
C L A U D E VO N S T R O K E : I have half a page of notes on what
“For me, it’s finished when I start I want to change, I’ll go into the
adding things that do not affect DAW project and be pretty strict
the quality. At this point I usually about only changing the stuff I’ve
turn the other direction and mute written down. Once that’s done,
a few tracks to see if I can actually I’ll bounce another copy and start
subtract some things. It’s always the whole process again until I get
© Linnea Bullion

good to do subtraction exercises to a point where the notes are

as well as addition exercises… essentially negligible.”
CL AUDE VONSTROKE “For me, it’s
finished when I start adding things that do not
ask yourself, what do you really
affect the quality…” need to be in there?”

I often fall into the trap of finishing of computer music where you can N O GA E R E Z : “The biggest
a track, exporting it and thinking constantly revise and re-edit question. My answer at the
I’m done with it only to then listen things. In the past it’s been really moment is: ‘deadline’! Our nature
back the next day and realise difficult for me to know when is to continue trying to perfect
there’s slight tweaks needed – or a track is finished as I can get a song; that can go on forever.
sometimes whole changes! I guess stuck in the mindset of ‘just one It’s because, really, finishing
I’m quite an impatient person so more element’ forever. It’s for this something creative is always about M O R C H E E B A : “The point
I always want to finish the track reason I tend to bounce my tracks cutting a process in the flash. We when I want to kill myself is
and move on to something new. off people whose opinions I really think we can do better but at some usually a good indicator that the
There’s something about catching trust to listen to a track and tell point we just do different. Even if track is finished. It is best not to
a vibe quickly and then moving me if they feel it sounds finished you don’t have people setting overwork things; it’s either good
on which has always appealed or not.” deadlines for you, setting them for or it isn’t.”
to me.”

© Kasia Zacharko

M A F R O : “A track is finished
once I can listen through it without
getting bored. There are only so
many arrangements that work,
so if you’re not sure just reference
another song you like. If you are
adding things and they are either
unnoticeable or making the song
worse, that is a sign you’re
probably done.”

H A I D E R : “The saying ‘art is

OBJEKT “I’ll go into the DAW project and be
never finished, only abandoned’ is
pretty strict about only changing the stuff I’ve
ever so true, especially in the age written down”

35
Feature | Finish more tracks

THE QUICK GUIDE

TO COMPLETING
MIXDOWNS
O N C E C R E AT I V E H U R D L E S have been overcome and you’ve As referencing is such an
accepted technique nowadays, you
conquered the arrangement, it’s time to turn those sketched out ideas into may want to make the process
a finished track. But the process of mixing a track and fine-tuning sounds more convenient by investing in a
can often be as daunting as creating the track itself. Reduce the pain and dedicated ‘mix comparison’ plugin
such as Sample Magic’s Magic
effort required to mix your next track with these time-saving tips AB, Mastering The Mix’s
Reference or MeldaProduction’s
MCompare. Once loaded on your
DON’ T BE AFR AID TO minded musicians and organising make mixing decisions is to master bus, these plugins allow
O U T S O U R C E I T Before we a ‘track swap’ where you each reference your work against you to load in multiple songs, set
get into the practical mixing tips, offer mixing advice and support. well-produced commercial releases up loop points, then A/B between
let’s get one basic point out of the that you like. It’s one of the best your DAW audio and said tracks
way first: if you’re really struggling ways to understand how pros with the click of a button.
to mix a track, there’s no shame in achieve sonic consistency, and set
getting someone else to do it for yourself a benchmark to work SET UP PRESET
you. There’s a longstanding and towards when writing and mixing C H A I N S Most DAWs let the
misguided stigma within electronic club music. Gather a pool of user combine and save effect
music that in order to be a ‘real’ reference tracks, load them into patches in some form, as with
producer you need to handle every your latest mix project, then flick Live’s Audio Effect Racks or
part of your track creation from R E F E R E N C E ! One of the between your mix and the reference Logic’s Channel Strip presets. Use
end-to-end. The truth, however, is quickest and most effective ways to tracks, comparing as you go. these to create and save
that even amongst professionals, combinations of effects that you
not every musician’s skillset can apply to any use cases that
THREE-REVERB TECHNIQUE Try this tip
includes both the creative and – three differently sized return effects – if your crop up regularly in your tracks,
mixing sides of making music. A spatial effects are off-kilter such as drum busses, auxiliary
lot of talented and successful effects or master processing. If
electronic musicians make use of a you’re not sure where to start, there
third party for mixing and are plenty of preset chains that can
mastering their tracks. Rather than be downloaded online, both for
being a concession, there are free and commercially; and your
actually a lot of benefits to having DAW itself likely has some decent
a second set of ears working on presets too. Be aware that these
your creation. Often somebody sorts of effects are very context
coming to your track ‘fresh’ will be dependent, so don’t expect a
able to pick out issues or suggest single ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution
ideas that you’ve missed through right off the shelf.
overfamiliarity with it.
Obviously, getting a THREE-REVERB
professional to mix your tracks T E C H N I Q U E It can often be a
comes with a cost, which is a struggle to balance multiple spatial
factor that could understandably effects in a mix, often leading to
put many independent musicians the whole thing feeling washed out
off the idea. There are potential or muddy. An efficient way to
ways around this though; try balance reverbs, favoured by some
connecting with other, similarly pro engineers, is to use a

36
 Finish more tracks | Feature

out too many low frequencies from

individual elements can lead to a
thin-sounding mix for example,
while overdoing the low-pass
filtering can remove too much air
resulting in an overly dull sound. A
great tip is to solo the channel
you’re filtering and listen carefully
to how the filters affect the sound
VISUALISE IT Being able to see what you’re
before seeing how the filtered
listening to is an underrated thing channel sounds in the context of
the whole mix. If the overall sound
combination of just three reverb Q U I C K E Q T I P S There’s a however, many digital EQ plugins is subsequently affected more
types set up as return effects, each minefield of potential EQ mistakes offer much steeper filter types than you’d like, try backing off the
aimed at different-sized spaces or that can really affect the sound of which can potentially make the filters a touch.
reverb styles. The classic approach your overall mix. individual elements of the mix
is to use short, medium and long One common one is sound too separate. A good rule of V I S U A L I S E I T If you’re not
reverbs, typically with decay times overzealous use of high/low-pass thumb would be to use 12dB/oct blessed with monitoring that
of around <1s, 1-2s and >2s filtering on individual channels or 18dB/oct filters for high/ accurately reproduces low sub bass
respectively. It works well to mix up within a mix. Typically, it’s low-pass work as this setting will or shimmering high frequencies, a
reverb types too; algorithmic room desirable to use high/low-pass offer you the best compromise frequency analyser such as
reverbs work well for short verbs, filters for removing unwanted between removing unwanted Voxengo’s excellent (and free!)
plates are great for mid-sized frequencies, freeing up headroom frequencies and retaining a SPAN will allow you to cross-
sounds, and hall reverbs for the within the mix and increasing cohesive, musical sound. reference the sound coming from
longer effects. Send each element clarity of individual elements. This Paying careful attention to the speakers with a visual
of the mix to these by differing can be a great technique if applied what frequency the filters are indication of what your low/
amounts to create space. carefully using gentle filters; applied at is also crucial – filtering high-pass filters are doing.

A CLUB TRACK’S FREQUENCY MAP

Fit your mix together and give your tracks room to breathe with our simple guide to frequency ranges
20Hz 40Hz 60Hz 100Hz 200Hz 400Hz 600Hz 1kHz 2kHz 4kHz 6kHz 10kHz 16kHz

808 kicks

909 kicks

Drum & bass kick

H OW T H I S WO R K S
Drum & bass snare
The icons show the epicentre of each
instrument’s presence and the fade from red
to white shows how this diminishes across its
Crash
range. Give each instrument its own space
with careful EQ. Plus the coloured bands
show where to boost if you need a bit more
Congas
sparkle or weight.

Snaps

House/techno bass

Sub bass

Clap

Pads

Rising sounds and FX

Stabs

Weight Warmth Knock Definition and Bite Clarity Air and Sparkle

37
 In The Studio With | Sebastian Mullaert

Sebastian Mullaert talks to Danny Turner

about his mentorship programme In Bloom
and live jamming with Dorisburg
© Kia Valavaara

38
 Sebastian Mullaert | In The Studio With

ntegrity lies at the heart of Sebastian Mullaert’s outlook

on creativity and sound. Best known as one half of the
production duo Minilogue, his solo projects have
become increasingly emboldened in recent years.
Prising himself from the comfort of his luxurious cabin
studio, Mullaert has sought to test his creative ideals
through collaboration with likeminded artists and
students enrolled to his In Bloom mentorship
programme. Mullaert’s latest partnership with Stockholm-
based producer/DJ Alexander Berg (aka Dorisburg), typifies
his newfound approach to creativity. Having found a common
language with the fellow Swede, the duo returned to
Mullaert’s studio in Röstånga to create a collection of audio
jams. After a pandemic-induced pause, the duo then took the
recordings to Malmö’s Inkost venue where, via a series of live
improvisational sessions, they created the abstract electronic
album That Who Remembers.

When did you come across Alexander Berg’s work,

and what made you think that collaborating would
be a good idea?
“I connected with Alex’s music when he started to release
under his solo project Dorisburg. I felt a very strong
connection with his album Irrblos on Hivern Discs and his
releases on Aniara Recordings, which is why I released an EP
on that label for one of my other projects. When I launched
my Circle of Live project in 2017, I was thinking about
certain artists I wanted to invite, and Alex was one of those.
In connection with that, we played together live quite a few
times and he came to my studio in Sweden to make music
for the first time in 2018. What we did back then was the
seed for this new album, That Who Remembers.”

Can you take us a little deeper into that process?

“During the pandemic, I evolved my studio process and
started a mentorship programme under Circle of Live called
In Bloom, which is now an educational platform where I try
to inspire and share my tools and workflow to allow students
to develop. By doing that, I understood more about what my
workflow looks like and what works for me as a solo artist.
With Alex, I felt so well-connected personally and musically
that I wanted to invite him into that process to see how it
would work. We did a number of very free and unpretentious
jams in the studio, recording different tracks separately from
each other using a few machines. During the pandemic,
everyone’s focus navigated to new realities, but at some point
in the middle we decided to pick up where we left off.”

Tell us more about In Bloom and exactly what you’re

teaching students?
“It’s an educational branch of Circle of Live. I do most of the
classes, but I also have a little crew of teachers who have their
own mentorships. My class has three steps, the first two are
10-week online courses and the last is a one-year session.
Creative expression is the key to my teaching and something
that is in our nature and accessible to everyone, but in my
view it’s quite misunderstood in our society. The view of
creativity and creative people has been distorted by this idea
of someone being innovative, but I don’t believe the two
should be mixed up. Some people just happen to be
innovative at a particular moment in time.”

Do you feel the link between creativity and innovation

is too strong, particularly as innovators are few and
far between?

39
In The Studio With | Sebastian Mullaert

“Everyone is creative and we need to express that to feel full. One element of the music-making process that could
To me, creativity is necessary to heal and find balance in one’s be construed as being calculated is production.
life. My whole work is based on that and when it comes to What is your approach to teaching that?
electronic music I try to share ways to move away from “The first part of the mentorship is quite holistic, so it
certain misunderstandings in that field. The most common includes everything from meditation to ways of collaborating,
unbalance is that electronic music is a thought-based activity, nature, improvisation and my take on creativity but also my
which is a bit ironic because the reason that dance music is so studio setup, workflow and live setup. We also teach people
popular is because it’s an invitation for an audience to be how to reach out with their music and all the different things
physical and express themselves. For me, it misses the point of you need to know as a professional artist, such as publishing,
music and musical expression, which is a sensorial experience. management, labels and booking agents. The second step is
That’s what I like about my workflow with Alex; it’s a means much more hands-on and focused on setting up an Ableton
to feel and to sense, and in doing that something takes form.” template, working with sound design, recording, making
and arranging sketches and connecting and improvising
Will you direct students down a particular creative with other people. The third part is for those who want to
path or would that defeat the object? create a bigger piece of work over a longer time period, like
“It’s very common for us to tell people that they sing out of an album project or live set, using my coaching or presence
tune so they should not sing, but judging the result hinders on a more one-to-one basis.”
people’s need to express something that is very important
to them. The mistake that most people do every day is to What results have you seen from students in terms
calculate things that should not be calculated. Of course, some of them realising a final product?
things need to be evaluated and measured, like healthcare and “We had 15 artists from a wide range of backgrounds and
tax, but creative expression does not need to be measured and levels of experience who all faced quite different needs and
doing so hinders people from finding their balance.” challenges. Almost all of them have completed recordings
and songs that can be filtered
down or curated into one piece
“PART OF MY MENTORSHIP IS QUITE of content, so the next big step is
to send that out or help them to
HOLISTIC, SO IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING find a sense of community. Of
course, some people really want
FROM MEDITATION TO WAYS OF to become artists, but my
emphasis is not about making
COLLABORATING AND IMPROVISATION” people famous, rather the

40
 Sebastian Mullaert | In The Studio With

opposite. For me, we should always start by trying to connect

to that precious thing called creativity, then what really
matters will become clearer and easier. A lot of artists who
are professional and well-established also struggle to find their
flow or feel like they have lost something, but it’s not difficult
to take a few steps back and rediscover what you need to do
to allow that natural creativity to start flowing again.”

By introducing the concept of understanding creativity

first, are you basically teaching people not to run
before they can walk?
“What I’m saying is not difficult and quite obvious. I look at
my own kids who are at elementary school, but it feels like
most Western educational platforms are missing out on
learning the basic principles of energy, flow and curiosity
that then have to be rediscovered when you’re 20, 30 or 40.
Apparently, Rick Rubin has released a book that is very close
to what I’m talking about that has had a big impact on those
who have read it.”

In recent years, you appear to have been getting

out of the studio more. Was that a result of the
creative limitations of working solely within
a studio environment?
“When we talk about workflow and creative expression, so
much of it is about psychology mixed with things that kind
of just happen. I’m very curious about enabling creativity in
all aspects of my work, so it came naturally to me that I would
like to find out how it works in other environments and
© Johan Sundell

constellations, whether that’s with one other person, an

ensemble of acoustic instrumentalists or working with
a singer songwriter in genres based on song structure and

41
 In The Studio With | Sebastian Mullaert

composition. Right now, I’m finding that my workflow is process. We put a nice big sofa in a sweet spot at the club
hitting the right spot and helping me to avoid patterns so that one of us could lie down and listen to the other
that limit my creative flow. I’ve also come to a strong jamming. It created a very relaxed approach where neither of
understanding that there are certain steps that I do with us felt that we had to do something – we could just immerse
others that are beautiful and enable something that I can’t ourselves in whatever the other was playing. Sometimes when
do alone. On the other side, I also love my studio over you collaborate you feel that you need to find something to
anything else. It’s in nature, 500 metres from my house do when you’re actually just destroying what the other
and I can walk in the beautiful deep forest and have person is doing.”
all the tools to sit in there, play around and be a child.
I sometimes question why I go away to start these You mentioned earlier that the Inkonst sessions were
exhausting projects when I already have everything based on ideas created previously at your studio?
in this beautiful little hut.” “Yes, the recordings were based on the sounds we’d made
back in 2018 and in the weeks before we met up at Inkonst
For this project with Alex, you both decided to set up we remixed those sounds separately. That was the part I felt
your equipment and record at Malmö’s Inkonst venue. needed to be done by myself in the studio so I could add,
Why choose that location? tweak, loop, layer, re-pitch and create soundscapes. I asked
“It’s probably the most important and relevant venue for Alex to do the same from a different room in my studio using
alternative electronic music in Sweden. It has a special soul some of my sound design gear until we’d created a big sample
and I’m very connected to the place, so it was easy for me to pool that had tons of soundscapes to take with us to Inkost.
reach out to them and ask if Alex and I could spend a week We then took some live instruments and recorded different
there. We’d already played there several times together sessions with them at the venue.”
and separately and it’s also where I recorded my A Place
Called • Inkonst album, so this was an extension of that What gear did you take to Inkost to continue
developing the tracks?
My setup was the same as what
“I’VE COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING THAT I use live, which is more
controller-based. Obviously
THERE ARE CERTAIN STEPS THAT I DO I didn’t have access to all my
compressors and synths, so it
WITH OTHERS THAT ARE BEAUTIFUL was more about presenting or
performing sounds made in the
AND THAT I CAN’T DO ALONE studio combined with a small
amount of analogue synths,
drum machines and software
plugins. I used controllers to
arrange, play and modulate the
studio soundscapes and then
I used a Korg Minilogue,
Roland’s boutique 101, a TR-8S
and BOSS RC-202 for looping.
Ableton Push was the centrepiece
for playing analogue gear and
audio in Ableton, but I also used
a Yaeltex custom-made controller
for controlling sounds I’d made
in the studio. On the software
side, I used various stuff from
UAD, Roland Cloud, Native
Instruments, Arturia and
Ableton, which was all mapped
and ready because I prefer not to
change presets when playing live
to avoid any glitches. Alex was
also able to control and play
samples and soundscapes that
we’d created in the studio, but
his jams were mostly enhanced
using his live modular setup.”

Were you responding to each

other intuitively?
“Yes, we just pressed record,
© Kia Valavaara

played and I think we did about

80 takes. Sometimes we did
a take alone and sometimes

42
 Sebastian Mullaert | In The Studio With

we started together and one of us would get into a certain how those dance mixes were made in my studio yet the
flow and play on top of each other’s loops. We listened to album, which is much deeper and more futuristic, was
our jams through the PA system but recorded straight out made in a club.”
of our mixer.”
There does seem to be a slight echo to the tracks,
From your description, people might expect That Who denoting that the album was not recorded in a studio…
Remembers to sound quite intense and club-oriented, “My motto these days is whatever comes out, comes out. I feel
but it’s not like that at all… attracted to things that sound warm, imperfect and beautiful
“There’s a logical reason why the album sounds so abstract in their dusty, misty shape rather than creating clinical and
and that’s because when you play alone in a club, or as I did perfect expressions. I want art and music to awaken the life
with Alex, you don’t feel the need to do so much because even in me rather than distance myself from that.”
a 909 kick drum sounds aggressive. I’ve also noticed this when
we do workshops, retreats and sensorial exercises, when you Once you’d recorded everything with Alex at Inkost,
start to welcome the subtlety of the world around you and was anything else done to prepare the tracks for
connect to that energy flow, you don’t need to trigger too release as an album?
much information and tend to create something that sounds “We didn’t edit, change or mix anything. What the tracks
more minimalistic. In a club environment that can be sound like is exactly how we played them at Inkost, although
challenging because you face restlessness from the audience we did shorten things to make them fit on a vinyl release.
and have to come up with quick fixes because they’re not as We took a deeper and more avant-garde journey than I’d
tuned in to your sensorial input, but that’s not their fault expected, but that’s one of the most important aspects of
because it’s what they’re used to.” taking a sensorial approach to music-making – you leave your
thoughts and expectations in the waiting room and make
In that environment, did you have to resist the something that you really wanted to but didn’t know it.”
temptation to create club-oriented mixes?
“Alex and I talked about that quite a lot and wondered WANT TO KNOW MORE?
whether we could create a mix as a promotional tool for the
album that was different but somehow still connected to it. The Dorisburg and Sebastian
Eventually, we decided to take parts from other people’s music Mullaert album That Who
and make some spontaneous edits with sounds mixed from
our songs. Doing that at Inkost felt like it might be too
Remembers is out now on Spazio
complicated, so Alex came down to my studio and we came Disponibile. For more, visit
up with 28 edits of really punchy dance music. It’s ironic sebastianmullaert.bandcamp.com

43
 –––––+ PRODUCE LIKE… +–––––

James
Hype
The in-demand DJ and hit-making
producer demonstrates his approach
to crafting bootleg edits
44
 James Hype | Produce like…

INCLUDES
VIDEO
Watch our full
session from
Brighton Music
Conference 2023

ritish producer James Tell us how you started making edits “I’m a big fan of many genres of
Hype has become and remixes music, but as someone who became
well known in recent “I’ve been a DJ for 18 years. I DJed a DJ in Liverpool, it’s always been a
years for his crossover for a long, long time before I ever very house music-orientated city as
track such as the top started producing music. I started far as the nightlife was concerned. I
10 singles Ferrari and making mashups and edits of was playing in clubs with all the DJs
En Vogue-inspired More Than records in Ableton. I started adding playing house music. I was listening
Friends. He’s also an in-demand extra drums and things like that, and to different genres of music and I
DJ, regularly touring across the UK, before I knew I was sort of teaching was like, ‘How can I bring this to my
Europe and the US, playing house music DJ set?’.
high-profile shows in Ibiza and at
festivals like Las Vegas’ Electric “WHEN I HEARD THIS “I used to remix
anything and

LIL UZI RECORD, IT

Daisy Carnival. everything. There was
A cornerstone of James Hype’s a point very early in
career lies in his use of edits,
JUST HAD A CRAZY
my production career
bootlegs and remixes. As a fledgling where I was making a
DJ, he made his name by posting remix a week and
countless hip-hop and R&B edits to ENERGY. I WAS putting it on
SoundCloud and social media. Now SoundCloud. And
as an established artist, his own OBSESSED WITH IT” then as I’ve become
home-made edits, acapellas and more established as an
creative sampling of high-profile myself how to produce music. That artist, I’ve done less and less of it. I’ve
artists provide a unique and was probably 10 years ago, when I just been trying to find those ones
distinctive centrepiece to his sets. started dabbling in producing. that will really hit as opposed to just
At this year’s Brighton Music Thanks to publications like yours, doing everything. When I heard this
Conference, James set down with you know, I was able to teach myself Lil Uzi record, it just has a crazy
Future Music editor-in-chief Si via the internet. energy and it’s insane. I was obsessed
Truss for a live track breakdown, “I was just making edits of other with it. And I was like, I have to find
digging into how James went about people’s records. I was making things a way to make this playable for me as
flipping US rapper Lil Uzi Vert’s for the dancefloor for my own DJ a house DJ.”
track, I Just Wanna Rock, into a sets. They were like the remix that
house-style club VIP. I’m showing you today – an R&B/ Where did you get the original
You can watch the full session hip-hop record that I turned into a material to remix?
from BMC in the video found at this house record.” “I’ve managed to find some sort of
issue’s download page. isolated acapella that someone’s
Here are some highlights from What was the idea behind creating made, probably on YouTube. I’ve
that conversation… house reworks of hip-hop tracks? also then found the instrumental,

45
Produce like… | James Hype

probably off YouTube as well. I’ve I’d skip them and just go straight to club, you know. So I would have “What we’re talking about here is a
chopped up those parts individually. the chorus.” created the build-up with the chords bootleg remix. It’s not official and it
That would have been the start.” and then I would have moved on to only exists on underground
What did you start with when it the drop. I always work with a kick platforms. It’s a SoundCloud remix
How do you approach editing down came to this Lil Uzi track? and the bass first, because I feel like if – this one isn’t on Spotify, because
what you’re going to use? “I started with the chords. They kind you get them sitting together the people on Lil Uzi Vert’s team
“I would have loaded the whole of had that feeling that I wanted to correctly then everything else is easy didn’t ask me to do the remix. It was
thing. I knew it has these chords capture – it’s a very epic thing, and I after that point.” just something I made for my DJ
running throughout that have this wanted to capture that epicness. In sets. I can’t really put it anywhere, but
epic feeling, like something amazing the track they’re kind of legato Mix-wise, how do you get these I can play it wherever I want, I think.
is gonna happen. There’s not too though, which creates a feeling like, tracks to work in a club? Obviously, if the record label had
much vocal in this record as well, ‘Oh, something’s coming in’. I needed “It took me a long, long time to learn said, ‘Hey, James, do you want to
because I’m trying to make a house to create whatever it was that was this, but if you use good sounds, then remix Lil Uzi Vert’s track?’, and I said
track. I’m not trying to use loads and coming. To do that I turned the you don’t really have to mix that yes, then it would end up on Spotify
loads of vocals. It’s only got like, say, chords into stabs.” much. Kick drum is everything in and Apple Music. But because they
eight bars of vocal line looped over. dance music. I used to use the same didn’t ask me, this is just for my
“I was looking for that one bit How do you create a structure for a kick drum on every track, I did it for private collection.”
that when everyone hears it, they remix like this? years. And it was awful. Because kick
know it’s the Lil Uzi Vert track. I “I always create around a buildup drums aren’t equal, you know. So test Tell us about your DJing approach…
don’t want to give them anything and a drop. Some ‘real house’ people out kick drums, the best way to fix a “I use CDJ 2000 Nexus 2s and a
that they don’t need. I want it to be probably hate that, because it’s not shit track is to change the kick.” DJM-900 NXS2. I usually am a big
concise. There’s not really verses in it’s not real house or whatever. But planner, although not always –
the original track, but if there were for me, I like those moments in a What are the legal restrictions? honestly it kind of depends on how
long the set is going to live for. For
example, I just got back from EDC in
Las Vegas, and I know that my set’s
going to get millions of views online.
So I put a lot of work into it, because
I know it’s going to live forever on
YouTube. I don’t want people to be
like, ‘you played all the same songs’. I
have to make sure that it’s something
special and it’s something new and
unique to play. The way that I DJ, I
use a lot of decks, I play a lot of
acapellas and I use a lot of samples. I
get very busy. In order for me to do
that under pressure, I do have to
rehearse, in a way. If the show is
something that’s not going to be
filmed, then I am more inclined to
freestyle because I try out new things
as opposed to doing rehearsed
things. Because I find that more fun,
when I’m freestyling.”

STRUCTURING THE EDIT…

“I use a lot of loops as well. I have
a lot of these one-minute-long
demos that I’ve made – tracks that
“The biggest hurdle with a remix like this I’ve created but not finished – loaded
in rekordbox. I’ll have an auto-loop
is the actual structure. This [Lil Uzi Vert] at the start and at the end. They’re
track’s kind of weird because it doesn’t things that I couldn’t be bothered to
finish, but that I still want to be able
really have a chorus. So I had to try to to play.”

find a way to get a hook in. Things like the

chords that I’ve used to create stabs. That’s
a hook. And then the vocals are a hook, WANT TO
and then the drop is also sort of a hook. It’s KNOW MORE?
about trying to find a way to make them fit Keep up with the latest
news and dates, and buy
together, while also making sure it all feels the samples used in this
somewhat like the original record.” edit at: jameshype.com

46
 James Hype | Produce like…

GET THAT SOUND…

Creating percussive
chord stabs
James turns the original track’s epic chords into
something more rhythmic for the dancefloor

01 >
The original chords in I Just Wanna Rock play legato
04 >
To add to the dancefloor impact, James has
placed a reversed version of the same chord
and are fairly epic. To make them into something more before the riff, leading into the hook. He has
a simple sub bass running underneath the
dancefloor-friendly, James cuts a chunk out of one and chord stabs too.
loads it into Ableton Simpler.

05 >
James has the chords grouped together for
processing. He places a delay effect on the
group to tie the chords together. “The delay
is automated so it fills the gap once the
chords stop,” he explains.

02 >
He then creates another track with another
Simpler instrument, and cuts the next chord
06
Finally, James applies some mid/side processing in
in the original progression to load onto this order to make sure the chords don’t lose impact. “I was
new track. “I’m kind of using one track for
each chord,” he explains. This way he keeps very aware that I didn’t want my stabs to be very wide
the original chord progression but can
process each separately.
and disappear on a mono club system. With the
Ableton EQ, I’ve taken out a lot of the side and boosted
the mid.”

03 >
James then adds a percussive edge to the
chords, with the use of some simple synth
noise. “I’ve got Serum playing white noise on
top of the chords,” he explains. “It kind of
hits differently.”

47
In The Studio With | Ash Walker

© Dan Medhurst
Fusing a cosmic shower of styles, Danny Turner
dissects Ash Walker’s ‘anti-engineering’ approach to
his latest album, Astronaut

48
 Ash Walker | In The Studio With

pon the release of his debut LP ‘vinyl finessing’. The album’s been pretty slow cooked and you
Augmented 7th in 2015, London- only really know when an album’s finished when you can’t
based musician Ash Walker gained add or take anything else away from it.”
recognition from DJs and critics alike
for the album’s skilfully assembled With your previous album, Aquamarine, you mentioned
melting pot of styles. Further albums wanting to avoid creating something that sounds too
Echo Chamber and Aquamarine have perfect. To what extent will you take that?
since cemented Walker’s reputation for “If you’ve got someone playing double bass with one mic at
eclecticism, underpinned by his deep love of jazz, reggae and the top, the second at the bridge and you can hear the player
dub. This has led to diverse collaborations with the likes of breathing and his fingers moving then I feel that’s all part of
reggae icon Lee “Scratch” Perry and Nikolaj Torp Larsen from the joy of the recording and don’t believe that should be
two-tone band The Specials. sterilised. You can sit for weeks and months trying to iron out
Strongly influenced by Jamaican mix engineer King bits of white noise or EQing this and that but, in my opinion,
Tubby, Walker has referred to his recording technique as removing that detracts from the vision of how I want things
“anti-sound engineer” – an approach that couldn’t be more to sound. Sometimes I’ll butt heads with the label who tell me
evident than on his fourth album, Astronaut, where his there’s too much hiss on a track, but that’s the whole point.”
murky, dub-inflected style has rarely sounded more authentic
and immersive. In making the album, Walker developed Does that get you in trouble with mastering engineers?
demos in a variety of locations with a plethora of session “I had in-depth chats with the guy who mastered this record
musicians and collaborators, including Amp Fiddler and for me and he totally got it. If you go back to some of the
Lamb vocalist Lou Rhodes. Motown catalogue and study some of the setups behind how
stuff was recorded in the early to mid ’60s, you’ll discover that
In what way did Philip Glass and Steve Reich’s they’d often only use one drum kit placed in the far corner of
philosophical or compositional approaches make you the room with a stereo mic in front of it. Obviously, there’s a
think differently as a producer? million ways to record something, but that worked for that
“I’m very much stuck in my own world and make music in a setting and style of music. I think a mastering engineer has to
particular way, but listening to a vast palette of music has embrace the understanding of that and you’re both better
definitely had a subliminal influence on my sound. In the case served if you have an eclectic palette and have listened to stuff
of Steve Reich, I found that his music had a lot of cross from the ’50s or something like ’70s Nigerian funk, where you
rhythms working against each other that somehow pulled can really feel the realness of those recordings.”
together to create something coherent. His work had a lot of
unconscious similarities with producers like J Dilla from the Astronaut seems different to your previous albums in
perspective of things moving out of time, off the beat and to a that the tracks are more distinct from each other with
place where people might say that something doesn’t sound more varied styles and tempos…
right conventionally. Even though I work within a grid “The initial vision behind Astronaut was to take it away from
system, I’m fascinated by moving things away from the grid the conventional feeling of an album being produced in one
and going against the grain in a way that gives a sense of coherent listening space or vibe. I wanted to show my
character and flavour to my music.” diversity and ability to create lots of different soundscapes.
Each track is designed to represent an astronaut venturing
You’ve also mentioned Quincy Jones. Not many could from planet to planet acquiring and gathering knowledge to
emulate his genius, so is it more about setting a bar and bring back to our universe. Philosophically, I guess it’s just my
coming as close to that as you can? way of navigating through the landscape we’re all in. I wasn’t
“No one in my lifetime will ever be able to emulate Quincy trying to go too much into the typical perception of an
Jones, but you’re right in terms of trying to emulate the astronaut going into space – I just wanted to create this
quality of his productions, level of output and having a ethereal journey of sound, full of textures and flavours.”
hunger to finish as much quality music as possible. I never
really want to start making something that I’m not going to Being on your fourth album, do you now find it easier to
finish. Whether I come back to something I’ve created one enlist the various collaborators you want to work with?
week or three years later, I’m forever digging in the vaults to “It’s certainly been easier to reach out to people who I love
consciously complete or get something to a point where I’m and respect and get some kind of response. Although there’s
satisfied with it.” still a world of people who I’d love to pluck up the courage to
ask to work with, getting people involved in the project has
From that perspective, nothing is ever wasted… been a humbling experience. In particular, joining the dots
“Definitely, and that’s a massive part of how the new album with Lou Rhodes from Lamb was really nice because she
Astronaut was made because it was almost finished in 2020. hadn’t worked on anything for quite a while. When I was just
Going into 2021, having had a whole year to reflect on things starting to get into programming she was at the height of her
due to the pandemic, I wasn’t completely happy with the career, so it’s been cool to work with someone whose music I
mixes. I started to tweak them and then asked a friend of used to hear on the radio. Working with Lou was actually a
mine to offer a non-biased view on a lot of the album’s turning point in the project because I knew that if I could
frequency spectrums. Towards the end of the year there was a successfully reach out to her, I could reach out to others.”
tune that I wasn’t happy with and wanted to drop, at which
point my manager asked me to record the track Petrol Head Who is on your bucket list of people to work with?
that I’d always played towards the end of my live sets. I “Nile Rodgers and Quincy Jones, obviously, but also people
recorded it with the band, replaced the track I wasn’t happy like Sister Nancy, Herbie Hancock and Burning Spear.
with and spent most of last year undertaking a process of Coming back around to the younger generation, I’d love to

49
 In The Studio With | Ash Walker

my own. Most of that’s done in my home studio, but

there are a couple of other studios where I’ll turn up
with my bass and a suitcase piano and throw myself
in at the deep end.”

When collaborating, presumably there are

times when things don’t go as you’d have
hoped. In those cases, will you feel obliged to
force something out of those sessions?
“Everything has its use and as I said earlier I often
end up revisiting things. Sometimes shelving a
session and coming back to it is what was needed
because you see things in a completely different way
at different points in your life depending on your
mood. It’s funny how things work out but for the
track Afronaut, I had the drums exactly how I
wanted and then my drummer, Kwame Ambrose,
said ‘I really wanna smash something out today’, and
started mucking around. I subconsciously left the
tape on record and he did this mad, slappy
Dilla-inspired drum part at the end of the track.
That element brought it to Amp Fiddler’s attention
and inspired him to progress the track, so there’s
always a benefit to creating happy accidents.”

Afronaut is a disconcerting track as it almost

sounds like a mashup. Was that the feel you
aimed for and how did you brief Amp Fiddler?
© Dan Medhurst

“It’s certainly got that flavour to it. At first, my

manager called and said, ‘Joseph doesn’t like the
track… he loves it’[laughs]. Without revealing too
much to him, I gave him some information on what
the project was about but it seems like we have some
sort of telepathy thing going on. He said, ‘Bro, this is
“WHEN YOU RECEIVE STEMS, YOU KNOW what you’re going to get and you’re going to like it’,
and in the end he nailed it like he’d read my mind.
YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING WITH Initially, Rhodes keys, guitar and drums were driving
the track, but when Joseph sent the vocal back, I
THEM AND THAT CAN FORCE YOU OUT knew I had to elaborate and sculpt Afronaut into
this beast with mad, layered vocals on the hooks.”
OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE”
Do you have to treat a track differently if it’s
been recorded remotely and sent as stems?
work with people like Kiefer and Lauryn Hill, although I don’t “Being the interfering person that I am, I like to be in the
think that’s on the cards anytime soon. Maybe you can join room with everyone but Amp Fiddler was in Detroit, Denitia
the dots for me [laughs].” was in New York and Sly5thAve was in Mexico. I was also
talking to Patrick Watson, the lead singer of Cinematic
Do you have a preferred startpoint for creating a track? Orchestra, about working on a track, but he was in Canada
“There are umpteen ways to get the mind clicking. Sometimes and schedules couldn’t align. When you’re not with an artist
a vocal might inspire me or I’ll play a short, sharp chord and in person, you do have questions in the back of your head, like
time-stretch it using PaulStretch to create a sound bed to start what mic are they using, where are they standing in relation to
from. Other times I’ll just listen to a reference track and think, it, the room they’re recording in and what mood they might
shit man, how did so and so invert those chords 15 times in be in on that particular day. When you receive the stems, you
two bars to get all these different chords that sound know you have to do something with them and that can force
completely different? Without going into microtones, you out of your comfort zone, but sometimes you don’t want
gamelan or Eastern scales, that stuff is often the most to be in a room with someone who’s recording a vocal and
inspiring launching point for me, but there’s no guaranteed have to look them in the eye and tell them to press stop or go
way to start the process.” again. I know from experience that when you’re put on the
spot like that, you can get self-conscious and would rather
As a bassist, is that the first instrument you pick up? have your own privacy. That especially happens when you
“Either bass or keys, but I also like to start by getting a beat want to do your best for someone – if you’re conscious of
together or hearing a chord progression and trying to either fucking up, you’ll probably fuck up.”
work it out or play it myself – usually badly! I draw
inspiration from many, but rather than plagiarise or copy, I’ll Can you tell us about some of the other collaborators on
look to embrace my own mistakes so the end result sounds Astronaut and where you went to record with them?

50
Ash Walker | In The Studio With

51
In The Studio With | Ash Walker

“Working on the track Petrol Head was probably the most fun track has always fascinated me aside from dub’s influence on
experience. I took my band to RAK Studios in St John’s disco and dance music. I got mad lucky to link up with
Wood, which was great because they’ve got a whole world of Scientist who trained under King Tubby and in 2018 we
stuff like a B3 Hammond, a 1973 Rhodes Mark 1 and lots of became thick as thieves. I learned so much from chatting to
other bits and pieces of vintage gear kicking around. Its him about production and engineering. I’d always be asking
location is really unassuming, but it’s amazing how much him what it was like to work with King Tubby, and he’d say,
history and gear they’ve got and how many famous people ‘Listen Ash, it was like going out on a boat to the middle of
have recorded there. Another highlight was working at Titan the sea, getting pushed in and told to swim whether you could
Studios in Wandsworth, which is run by a friend of mine. He’s or not’. I’d say, ‘So it was fun?’ and he’d say, ‘No, not fun. It was
got an SSL desk with all these beautiful Neve channel strips hard… and stressful’. Alright, cool [laughs].”
and a Moog Voyager. I’m not a keys player, but he’s fire and
would often jump in and play parts.” What other tips did you pick up from Scientist?
“Little things, for example, people put a mic in front of the
Where did you go to record drums? bass amp or they’ll DI a bass and plug it into the decks, but all
“My friend Max has a really humble little studio in of these old dub records were miked in front of a bass amp
Walthamstow with a decent kit and some beautiful mics that with a line out too, so you got stereo bass, which gave you the
allowed me to get the exact sound I wanted. Once I’ve option of having an extra channel beneath the mono bass.”
recorded drums, I’ll always overdrive and crush the shit out of
them to add that little bit of extra sauce. I’m definitely not a Is that something you employ on your own tracks?
drummer, but I’m a sucker for programming drums, so some “If I’m in Logic I’ll have a separate bass amp channel to give
of the beats on tracks like Automaton and Detroit Velvet that extra punch with all the tops rolled off and sometimes I’ll
Smooth were programmed and then I played individual hits direction mix it so both channels are coming out centrally.
and layered them, sped them up or slowed them down.” Some people say they never put reverb on bass, but they
obviously didn’t listen to a lot of dub records, so I might put a
As a fan of King Tubby and dub, what tricks do you use touch of reverb on just to make you feel like you’re in the
to get depth and reverberation into bass frequencies? room with it and I don’t compress because I feel like that can
“I’ve always been a massive fan of dub – it’s a style of music constrain the frequency range. Sometimes I’ll add a sub
that’s been in my family for a long time. I discovered King enhancer to boost the low end, use an R-Bass plugin to hone
Tubby in my teenage years and was fascinated at how you in or boost a frequency without using an EQ or just cut
could make a song without vocals and just have the bassline as everything off the top end altogether, make another channel
the lead. Being a bass player, making bass the focus of the and bring a channel back in just for the high end so you can

52
 Ash Walker | In The Studio With

“I like these elements to be brought to the forefront

and for it to be made apparent that they’re a massive
influence in how I shape sound. Once I’ve built
other stuff around it, more of it might get delayed or
I’ll add another spring reverb. The most used effects
in all of my productions are spring reverbs, tape
delays and EQ. When I use a physical delay, I’ll
record it in on-the-fly because it gives the sound
more of a live feel. For example, if you have a drum
line playing through a track in a way that’s quite
straight, I’ll record a delay channel on the hi-hats
and constantly move the delay in different ways to
give the beats a more diverse feel.”

What gear do you use to achieve those results?

“More often than not I’ll turn to outboard hardware
because being hands-on gives the sound a more
distinctive flavour. If I use internal delays, I’ll lean
towards guitar pedal tape delay-type plugins because
they have more character than the basic Logic tape
delay, which can sound a bit nasally and digital. You
can’t really replicate the wow and flutter of an Echo
Chamber. In certain settings, even a RE-201 Space
Echo sounds too clean compared to that bad boy.
I’ve also got a Great British Spring dual channel
reverb, which is basically like a long poster tube with
a spring inside and it’s pretty rambunctious. Things
like that and plate reverbs really fascinate me.”
© Dan Medhurst

Will a band be realising the album on-stage?

“My band plays all the parts and I’ve got a singer in
Laville who can sing almost anything I throw at him.
He’s done vocals on a bunch of tracks on this album
and my previous one and, funnily enough, I’m
“ONCE I’VE RECORDED DRUMS, I’LL producing his next album so we’re pretty much
seasoned to each other’s catalogues. Otherwise, if
ALWAYS OVERDRIVE AND CRUSH THE there’s trombone on a track, maybe we’ll replace that
with saxophone, so our live setup is malleable.”
SHIT OUT OF THEM TO ADD THAT LITTLE
Are you playing bass live?
BIT OF EXTRA SAUCE” “I have someone else doing that. I play synths and
bring an Akai MPC to throw in different samples
and start building the beat live. I’ve got a mixing
hear a bass player’s fingers moving around. It really depends desk, a Space Echo and a dub siren, so when we go into the
on what I’m doing, but I’m not afraid to have two or three dub side I can add that stuff or bring a spring reverb on the
bass channels doing different things at the same time.” snare and hi-hats to give everything that King Tubby flavour.
Everything’s coming through the desk, so I can add delay as
What enchants you about recording to tape or using needed and do some singing and spoken word vocals. We’re
spring reverbs? doing a launch gig at the BBE record store in Hackney at the
“I just like the character you can get from using old tape end of June, where we’ll have lots of visuals and fragrances.”
delays like the Space Echo and Echo Chamber. The latter’s got
this old Japanese tape cartridge that’s not been changed since Did you say fragrances?
the early ’70s. It’s weird, but sometimes if you leave the repeat “I have a friend who’s one of the few black perfumers in the
up you can hear some old stuff going round on the tape and game and he’s done a special formula for a scent that comes
there’s so much wow, flutter, dirt and grit on it that adds to with the album. It’s called Deep Space and gives off a scent of
the character. I’m quite free and loose about using that stuff or lavender and other musky scents to suit the colour palette of
a spring reverb, and will leave well alone when it comes to the album. I think it’s nice to have something tangible to show
mixing even though I’ve always battled with my label about for your money.”
that. They’ll say, ‘There’s too much reverb on the vocal!’. Yeah,
but have you ever listened to Johnny Clarke? It sounds like he
recorded it in the toilet in a basement with a microphone at WANT TO KNOW MORE?
the other end of the corridor [laughs].”
Astronaut is out now on Late Night
Most use those elements as an effect, but for you those Tales. For more information, visit
principles seem to be totally integral to your sound? ashwalker.bandcamp.com

53
FM | MASTERCLASS
Masterclass | Bus processing

Bus processing hoped would be a reasonable

Get more out of your mix by processing in groups, and discover pre-master approximation of mastering. We’ll
strategies for your master bus cover this too, distinguishing

S
pre-master bus processing from
ignal routing gives simply gone obsolete as technology What is bus processing? actual mastering, and explaining how
engineers and producers a has improved. It’s when we take a number of tracks pre-master processing may help.
lot of convenience. Mixing It’s with these options in mind and apply the same processing to There are more illuminating
desks and studio wiring are that we approach this article. You them all in single channel as a group. tactics behind bus processing that
– usually, at least – meant to may have become stuck in a rut with A common bus processing tactic that could be fertile ground for ideas
facilitate options. From this expanse your processing and mixing you’ve probably used is the drum when approaching your next mix.
of choices, the art and trade of music strategies, you may have just been group – processing all your drums on We’ll show you some strategies for
production has developed a wide sticking to the default DAW options, a single output channel to make the how – and why – you’d apply bus
variety of strategies for getting the job or you could have never known there entire group more cohesive as a unit. processing to parts of your project
done – some are useful in certain was another way to do things. In this Another regular use of bus processing that aren’t just drums or the whole
contexts, others useful in other specific case, we’re going to take a that you’ve definitely used? Your entire row of channels in your project.
situations; some have become de look at bus processing, shining a mixer’s master output channel. You And we’ll show you how to ensure
rigueur and trusted, while others light on its advantages and how it may have thrown plugins on here for you’re setting it up right, plus a few
have fallen out of favour. Others have can shake up your workflow. analysis, mastering, or what you variations offered by modern DAWs.

54
 Bus processing | Masterclass

Circuit secrets
Beyond the analogue mixing desk
workflow, if these techniques are
facilitated by real-life consoles, what
processing tactics could be revealed
by modern DAWs with their enlarged
signal flow and routing options?
We’re thinking of features like
Logic Pro’s Folder Tracks, and Studio
One’s channel editor, which lets you
split off your own signal forks within
the insert signal chain. And then
there are options like Bitwig, with its
flexible modulation across a channel
and ‘The Grid’. And how about
Tracktion Waveform’s infinitely
routable mixer, with sends from
anywhere to anywhere?
If you use any of that to build
entirely custom mixing chains, and
not only will it change the way you
use a DAW – it’ll change the way you Logic Pro’s Folder Tracks give you yet more
mix, full stop! power behind processing multiple tracks as one

Setting up groups and busses in four major DAWs

1 2 3
Ableton Live has a very simple workflow for Logic Pro X is slightly more complicated. Apple In most instances, selecting Summing Stack is
creating groups. Select the tracks you wish to add refer to groups as “Track Stacks”, to create a the preferable option. Folder Stacks do not allow
to the group and press Cmd-G on Mac or Ctrl-G on track stack press Shift-Cmd-D. Logic will present group processing, instead you can simply alter
Windows. You can add more tracks to the group by two option: a Folder Stack or a Summing Stack. the volume or mute and solo the group – it’s
dragging and dropping the track onto the group. more for organisational purposes.

4 5 6
In Bitwig Studio, add a new Group track to the Studio One has two ways to work with groups. The other Studio One option is to “Add VCA to
mixer or arrange page (Cmd/Ctrl-Shift-G). Select After selecting your channels and right-clicking, Selected Channels”. A less comprehensive
the tracks you want to put into that group, and you can “Add Bus for Selected Channels”. This channel appears at the end of the mixer. VCA
drag them onto the newly created Group track. creates a new channel in the mixer that the Channel can’t host effects, but its red fader
You’ll have to open its ‘folder’ to see them all in there. other channels flow through. controls nested channels while keeping gains relative.

55
Masterclass | Bus processing

WHAT IS ‘GLUE’?
Gluing elements on a drum bus
>
Psychoacoustics
teaches us that our
brains are constantly
analysing different
sounds and grouping them
together as ‘things’. Since we
can’t shut our ears, we have
to pick out environmental
sounds, ambience, things we
can hear but should ignore,
and things we want to
concentrate on.
Every bit of sound has to
be identified as being part of
‘something’, and there are

1 2
Here’s a drum kit with the usual, time-honoured
members in tow. We’ve added the source to
What better way to start than by grouping all of
the tracks and adding Ableton’s Glue
some factors that determine
download and listen to with this issue’s files. We’re Compressor device? It’s specifically made for what makes two elements of
going to take this group and apply processing to
make it more cohesive, more ‘glued’.
this purpose, and so you’ll notice its settings
offer only a few options – it knows why you’re here.
sound appear to be coming
from the same source. In
addition to direction and
tuning, one of these things is
whether two elements of
sound modulate and move
together. By introducing
compression, we’re making
everything shake its dynamics
together, making everything
sound more cohesive, like one
single ‘thing’. No matter if the
hi-hats didn’t trigger your
threshold – they’ll be ducked
all the same. This is the real
route of what’s happening

3 4
We’ll start with a Ratio of 4, a slightly quick We now get a little harder with things, dialling
Attack and a medium Release. We bring the in an even quicker Attack and making the when we talk about the
Threshold down to just start tickling the gain Release last longer. We’ve also brought the
Threshold down for a heavier take. This is more
elusive glue.
reduction. This makes the groove pop and its
elements sway in time. Audio included. glued, but at what point it gets too ‘pumpy’ is up to you.

Taking care of transients on the drum bus

1 2 3
Here’s another way to treat your transients on the This time, we’ll dial in a harder Threshold and Here we go at it again using Pulsar 1178. This
drum buss. Glue Compressor is back on, but this higher Ratio, attempting to carve a bigger chunk is the sort of flavour we can achieve by dialling
time we’ll take another approach to the group’s out of our drums when the transients hit. But we in heavy compression from an analogue-style
dynamics, not going for glue necessarily. don’t want to compress the transients compressor, yet leaving the Attack time to
themselves, so we’ll set a longer Attack time. dawdle, letting those transients really snap through.

56
 Bus processing | Masterclass

Ways to process
harmonies, those are two ways to
categorise your elements and fit them
into busses accordingly. You may
choose to process a backing vocal
bus a little differently to the lead

in groups
vocals, for example reducing higher
frequencies to clamp down on
sibilance or increase intelligibility
when multiple takes of the same
lyrics are sung.
You don’t have to group for
frequency content or similarity,

>
Group and bus processing processing already, but that’s not the putting the crashes onto the FX bus either. You could quite easily bus
gives you free rein to process only way to slice your percussion. for processing? What about leaving ‘wide’ and ‘narrow’ or ‘mid’ and
multiple things through one How about splitting them into low the kick out altogether? ‘sides’ elements to their own busses,
output, but what ‘things’ and high percussive elements, or Let’s consider vocals now. treating different ones in a different
should you lump together? Whether your track way. That processing may include
Remember, this is music, so there’s
no one strict set of answers, but there
YOU CAN EASILY BUS is constituted by
vocal effects and
different EQ and compression
strategies, or any other creative
are a few ways to think about things,
depending on the outcomes you want
‘WIDE’ AND ‘NARROW’ OR chops, or if you’ve
got a ream of
effects. Let’s have a look at the
different ways to slice your busses
to achieve. We’ve looked at drum bus ‘MID’ AND ‘SIDES’ backing vocals or and groups.

ELEMENTS ON THEIR OWN

Group processing strategies

1 2 3
Here we’ve got a track containing three For example, we could add stereo width to all This track is synth-heavy, and there’s also a
‘keys’-based elements. There’s an M1 Organ the keys sounds together, giving them a similar Rhodes in there doing its thing… but it’s so
sound, a piano ‘Chords’ channel, and a ‘Piano effect. Reverb added in a similar way will bring heavily processed, it would fit well with the
Riser’. They’re a good candidate for grouping, the presence of all the keys into the same synths too. Let’s pop them all into a single group
depending on the processing we’re looking to do to them. ‘space’, and some parallel compression will add weight. for the mixing stage.

4 5 6
On the group, we’ll add reverb with a small but On this track, we’ve ended up with three By sending each effect channel to the same
rhythmic pre-delay, making every synth ring out separate effects channels, each operating as a bus before that bus is output, we can add
in time with the track. We’ll also add some reverb return. Well, we can actually group those stereo effects to widen/narrow all reverb,
saturation to all of the keys together, giving returns and apply processing to them all compression to smooth transients, and even
them a bit of a healthy clipping when they get too hot. together. Why would we want to? modulation effects to swash out all reverbs at once.

57
Masterclass | Bus processing

Pre-master processing

1 2 3
There are some tactics we can take on our master For a pre-master, we’re looking to apply things to Width is a clear master-capable processor too.
bus to create better mixes. But these aren’t the whole track, but unlike what a mastering With an Imager, we can boost the whole mix, or
mastering processes: here’s the deal with engineer would add, the processes are more make a multiband split to narrow the bass and/
pre-mastering processing and how to implement it. creative and stylistically driven. For example, or widen the mids and highs. For the pre-master,
here’s an Exciter doing its thing on the whole mix. we could also automate the width to change through the
whole track.

4 5 6
Another thing we could change through On another EQ tip, making minor adjustments Clipping and distortion: now there’s a debatable
automation is the setup of high- and low-pass to tonal balance is often the territory of a pre-master process. But in our opinion, if the
filters – or even the strength of an entire EQ mastering engineer, but if they’re firmly in the process is added for flavour and character – as
curve – as the track moves through its sections. root of the creative, they can arguably be a we’re doing here using Decapitator – then it’s
pre-master process. Using a nice analogue EQ, we can do fair game as a ‘creative’ mix bus process.
this easily.

POWER
TIP
Adding colour is a great – maybe
obvious – pre-mastering process
you may know already. Maybe
you’re using vintage flavour
processing on your master output
channel, or even a full-on lo-fi

7 8
process like cassette simulation.
It’s time for some glue again! But while a We have to watch it, but with a quickish attack
mastering engineer might apply quick, light and a slightly slower release, and going easy on This is exactly the kind of stylistic
compression or even multiband compression, the Ratio, adding some dry signal back in, we ‘colouring’ decision that a
we’re going to get more creative and can provide some weight to the whole track that
wide-ranging with our glue compression. a mastering engineer might be scared to. mastering engineer shouldn’t be
making on your track. But you the
producer, who sets the vibes, can
have the liberty to do it yourself.

58
 Bus processing | Masterclass

THREE OF
THE BEST Saturation: pre-master or
master processing?

SSL Bus Compressor

2 £263.99

1
With a £250+ price tag,
SSL’s celebrated bus
compressor may seem
simplistic, but what you’re
paying for isn’t an extensive
feature list, it’s that authentic
analogue sound heard across
hit records since the ’70s;

1 2
Let’s use saturation on the master channel of our Using Native Instruments Supercharger GT, and
originally in SSL’s hardware project to get more ‘oomph’ out of our track as it keeping its Compressor out of the ring, we can
desks, now in digital form. stands. Is this the preserve of the mastering add ‘Mild’ saturation that swells the sound.
engineer, or a mixing decision? It’s arguable. Average level is increased in a pleasant way, but
solidstatelogic.com we’re not clipping or scalping transients exactly.

Waves Abbey Road

Saturator $199

2
Designed with the team
at the world’s most
legendary recording
studio, Abbey Road Saturator
from Waves provides
authentic analogue saturation

3 4
– perfect for sticking on a Using clipping distortion like Soundtoys
Decapitator, however, we’re starting to reduce
What if we use a saturator that clips the signal
based on the spectral profile of what’s going
group or master channel for dynamic range on purpose, almost limiting through it? Here’s Newfangled Audio Saturate.
instant warmth and drive. those transients. The character introduced Whether it’s a mastering or a pre-master
would be too racy for a mastering process, though. process, it can all depend on the results of the effect.
Choose between the REDD
console’s tube sound, or the
TG12345’s rounder tone.
waves.com

UAD Precision
New signal
K-Stereo Ambience
Recovery £199

3
This stereo imaging
weapon from UA will
adventures
>
open the stereo image
If these explorations of bus processing is something you may control over your mix decisions.
of any sub group or mix when
processing can give you a know from parallel compression, Increasing or decreasing the
placed on a group or master
step up or a new twist on but the idea can be applied more processing on one channel is as
bus. Designed alongside Bob
your workflow, then we’ve widely as well. simple as rebalancing the faders,
Katz, Precision K-Stereo lets
done our job. There’s one more By setting up all processing for rather than tweaking individual
you dial in your stereo image
strategy it’s worth mentioning any given channel on a parallel plugins. When applied alongside
without any nasty artefacts.
before we go barreling off into bus channel, and blending between the bus processing, you can get even
uaudio.com
processing though: parallel two, you can get a high degree of more mix flexibility.

59
In the Studio with… | Nathan Micay

NATHAN MICAY
The multi-talented producer tells Matt Mullen about
the creation of his playful new album and lauded
score for HBO series Industry
© Nyima Chatelain

60
 Nathan Micay | In the Studio with…

lectronic music can be a serious place. I just started making some songs and putting them on
Between techno’s ominous thump and SoundCloud. I would make one song per week – every
EDM’s sweaty braggadocio, it’s easy to lose Sunday I’d put up a new song. After about eight months
sight of the fact that, essentially, we’re all of doing that, two of my songs kind of blew up and I just
just here to have fun. Sure, electronic music went with it from there. It’s been a touch and go process
is art, and it’s also how some of us make ever since, but now I’m in a place where I’m pretty
a living. But if we cast our minds back to confident making music.”
remember the reason we opened up a DAW
or picked up a synth in the first place, it’s the sheer joy that’s We’re told you set up a studio space out in Copenhagen
sparked by making and rearranging sounds, and the promise following the pandemic. Could you talk us through it?
of where that could lead, that got most of us hooked. “Building a studio is a bit of a stretch! My girlfriend is
Nathan Micay’s music bottles that feeling and amplifies Danish, so we moved out here and I was lucky enough to
it to the nth degree. After debuting in 2012 under the alias find a place through a friend. So I’ve been working in this
Bwana, Micay began working under his own name in 2018, space since then. My setup hasn’t really changed since Berlin.
releasing a pair of albums for Scottish imprint LUCKYME I’m still very much in the box, although now with score
and scoring the critically acclaimed HBO drama Industry. work, I’m more and more using guitar and violin and viola.
The producer’s latest release, To The God Named Dream, But yeah, it’s pretty much the same. I’ve got myself a nifty big
brings a much-needed sense of optimism and a touch old keyboard now, which I didn’t have in Berlin. So that’s
of humour to a genre that’s often guilty of taking itself pretty nice. For all of my previous albums and score work, all
a little too seriously. Aesthetically considered but joyfully I had was the A to the L keys on my Apple keyboard. That’s
unpretentious, the record mashes up a cacophony of sounds how I’d write a lot of my melodies. So that’s really been the
and influences into eleven riotous tracks that expose the old biggest change. I’m not much of a gearhead, but I’m a huge
adage ‘less is more’ for the lie that it really is. Kontakt library, obscure plugin head. That’s where all my
In Micay’s world, more is in fact more, and these songs goodness comes from.”
are all the better for it. Synths are stacked sky-high as
stadium-sized melodies soar across the stereo field, trailing Could you talk us through one or two of the musical
a shimmering tail of reverb and delay in their wake. In the influences behind the record? We’re told pop was
same track, you’ll hear trance synths, 808s and breakbeats a big influence this time around.
happily coexist with live banjo, Nickelodeon cartoon “I’m a huge Swifty. Without any irony, I’ve been a big fan of
samples, gated Motown vocal hooks and ’90s vinyl Taylor Swift since I was in grade nine. I’m always a huge fan
of anyone who can have interesting melodic
performances with the voice. Caroline Polachek,
“I’M NOT MUCH OF A GEARHEAD, BUT I’M I got really into during the pandemic, and she just
takes things to a new level. Just the falsettos, and the
A HUGE KONTAKT LIBRARY, OBSCURE way she’s able to sound like she’s using Auto-Tune,
but she’s not.
PLUGIN HEAD. THAT’S WHERE ALL MY “Also, I got really into this whole trend right
now of interesting vocal distortion and interesting
GOODNESS COMES FROM” vocal processing. During the pandemic, my
roommate was working for Native Instruments,
which I think acquired iZotope during the
scratches: emerging from this blissful chaos is the pandemic, so I started getting iZotope stuff for free,
undeniable feeling that both we and Micay are having essentially. That was very fun to play around with.
a damn good time. “Those were huge influences. I also just started going
We caught up with Micay from his home studio in back through ’80s pop music. It’s so exuberant and regal.
Copenhagen to find out more about how Taylor Swift, That whole era – maybe not ’80s, more like early ’90s – with
obscure Kontakt libraries and soft synth preset-tweaking these big music videos and big production. William Orbit
inspired the making of his latest album. starting to come into the picture with Madonna, particularly
– that whole era I think is so cool. There’s just no rules about
How did you first get involved with electronic anything, it’s just like… let’s get thrash guitars over a big beat!
music‑making? I love that. With this album, I tried to take the approach of
“I’ve always worked on music myself, but not with the goal less is not more, let’s go for it. If I can make ten different
of making it as a musician. During high school I’d use weird sounds work together, that’s awesome.”
GarageBand and make these four-channel bluegrass
recordings. I was really into bluegrass at the time, and I can Which iZotope plugins were you using?
play banjo, fiddle, mandolin and guitar. I used to make “I think it’s called RX 8. It’s this amazing plugin where you
these terrible-sounding recordings. I used the microphone can isolate things. As I said, I made a lot of this record on the
on a Mac from 2007, so you can imagine how rough it kitchen table, so from a purely practical standpoint, that
sounded. You could probably hear my family talking helped me isolate things that I was trying to record, if you
in the background. could hear a lot of other stuff in the background. I used their
“That was my first foray into music production, and the distortion too, Trash. But another one that I used even more
idea of actually recording anything, but I started to take it than all the iZotope stuff was Soundtoys: Decapitator and
more seriously around 2011. I was in university and I just Devil-Loc are pretty much on every channel.
hated the school I went to, it was very party-driven. I was “It’s funny – while I was making them, I would use that,
really into dubstep and post-dubstep and that whole thing. then I’d send them off to Michael at Studio Moonchord, who

61
In the Studio with… | Nathan Micay

mixed the record. Then he would replace them with the real Can you tell us about any more niche plugins
outboard gear that those plugins are built on. So it was this you’ve discovered?
funny thing where I’d be tinkering for hours trying to make “For a lot of organic sounds, I use this website called
something just right, then I send it to him and he would Pianobook. There’s probably like 2,000, 3,000 free Kontakt
delete all of my plugins and everything I’d done. I would libraries on there. Some of them are god awful, but some of
send him the WAV file of the original processing on my them are actually pretty cool. A lot of them are very basic,
end, and he would replicate it with his own stuff, which like, ‘here’s 20 notes on some junk guitar I have, but you can
I think is part of the reason why it took so long, but use them as a starting point’. They sound pretty cool once
obviously it would sound better. you process them with some reverb or whatever else. I’ve
“At the end of Fangs there’s this huge, digital bitcrushed got a huge collection of those.
and distorted synth that comes in and he completely “Then I’ve got all these weird synth plugins that I’ve
re-recorded that through his outboard gear. I don’t know bought. Slate + Ash, I’m obsessed with them. They’re also all
what he used, but it was crazy – it had so much more over the album. They’re a developer duo from Bristol – it’s
depth and sounded so much cooler.” by far the coolest stuff out right now for Kontakt. They only
have three libraries, but every time they put one out, I jump
Synths are a huge element of your sound. You’re a big at it. I used a ton of this library called AURAS. It’s made
fan of soft synths, right? to work with MPE, but I don’t have any of that stuff,
“I’m only using soft synths. I almost bought a Moog One so I actually just go in and I automate it myself. I love
during the pandemic. Because we were all at home and it that stuff.
seemed like, why not? I watched the Oneohtrix Point Never “I’ve got this other one, the Atelier Series, from
video about it, with him using it on Uncut Gems and I was a company called Musical Sampling. They have these vocal
like, ‘do I really need this?’ Maybe one day. sample libraries called Maggie, Amy and Fauxgorian. They’re
“At the moment, for synthesisers, u-he Diva is pretty the most realistic-sounding vocals you’ll ever hear. I just
much my go-to. It’s all over this album. But then there’s all finished a score for a new film that’s coming out on HBO
these niche synths I’ve been buying on Kontakt that I’ve and at the end there’s a big vocal number, and they asked me,
become obsessed with. There’s this one brand, Karanyi ‘who do we have to credit for this’? I just said ‘oh no… it’s
Sounds. It’s just one of many small Kontakt library makers. a Kontakt library’ – but it sounds unbelievably real. There
That one makes some really great vintage-sounding synth are unbelievable legatos and control on the vocal. That’s
libraries. But as far as my workhorse, Diva is still the one.” one of my secret ones I tell a lot of my friends about.

Many of Micay’s virtual effects were replaced by analogue hardware when the album was mixed

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 Nathan Micay | In the Studio with…

continued to do with this album – it’s kind of a

© Nyima Chatelain
cornerstone of a lot of my productions – is that I’ll
go on these YouTube channels that are dedicated to
old library music that nobody can find, and I’ll just
go through that. A lot of them I can’t buy because
either they’re 300 euros a record or they just don’t
exist any more. So I’ll just convert the YouTube to
an mp3 and bury it in the mix. But a lot of it is just
so cool and textured. I couldn’t tell you the name of
half of these records, but it’s all old library music.”

Did you experiment with any new production

techniques or processes on the new album?
“One thing that was huge for me: I’d take some big
record that doesn’t really have any decipherable
main melody, and I would just drop the audio in
and convert to MIDI in Ableton. Then you’d have
to be like an investigator or an archaeologist and
find the melody among this clutter of MIDI notes.
I would drag my mouse through the MIDI notes,
and you’d find the ones that sounded cool together,
delete everything else then rearrange those into
“IRONICALLY, AS I’VE ENTERED CINEMATIC these bizarre melodies. Some of the melodies on
the album, I don’t think any human could have
MUSIC AS A PROFESSION, THEY come up with on their own.”

ACTUALLY DON’T WANT WHAT WE Tracks like The Death of FOMO have quite
a cinematic vibe. Has your experience writing
WOULD CALL ‘CINEMATIC’ ANY MORE” for television and film influenced how you
approached your solo work?
“Well, it hasn’t made things more cinematic,
“I’ve got tons of these tiny little Kontakt libraries. because ironically, as I’ve entered cinematic music as
I decided that I could buy a Moog One for 6,000 euros, or a profession, they actually don’t want what we would call
however much it is, or I could buy 200 of these little niche ‘cinematic’ any more. I think they want music that’s very
things for 30 euros each. Some of them are terrible – I’ll tailored for specific sounds and emotions and scenes.
usually just buy them if it’s under 30 euros and it looks cool.” Whereas in electronic music, we’ll listen to something and be
like ‘that’s cinematic!’ and for us, cinematic means grandeur,
When it comes to designing patches on synths like and huge, and expansive, but that is not in my experience
Diva, are you building sounds from scratch or what people want, at least in my scoring career so far.
tweaking presets? “But it has made me have much better quality control
“I’m tweaking presets. It’s funny, when I first started, I used to and helped me with the ability to be concise. The tracks on
think sampling was cheating, and I used to think presets were this album are much shorter than a typical electronic music
cheating. Then I watched that famous video of Legowelt, release. A lot of the ideas don’t even last for 20 seconds at
where he goes around his apartment showing his collection a time. That comes from scoring, where you have to cut,
of synths [find it on our YouTube channel]. Then, once he cut, cut, and everything’s moving from one scene to the
started to give out these sample packs of presets from those next scene to the next scene.
synths, then I heard all those samples in Four Tet songs, I was “A lot of these tracks are so disjointed, in particular, Don’t
like… it’s not cheating at all! Nobody cares. Want To Say Goodbye, nothing on that track lasts for more
“I’ll take a preset from Diva and I’ll usually process it or than 15 seconds – every motif is so quick. I’m trying to find
I’ll make some chain. I like building chains from the ground ways in which you can take a theme or motif and then bring
up, I don’t like building sounds from the ground up. it back 40 seconds later in a totally new context, but it’s still
Although I guess you could argue that a chain creates a new recognisable. That’s something that’s very common with
sound anyway. I don’t have time to build a sound within scoring work.”
the synth, I like to just go through the presets, then I’ll find
something and then be like, that’s cool. I can visualise very Your score for Industry featured some really impressive
quickly when I hear a preset in a synth, or even in a string synth sounds. Were those all soft synths also?
library or something, how I can take it from that sound to “That’s all Diva, pretty much. Arturia Pigments, too, I used
the next one. I’m good at doing that. But if you sat me down that a lot. For strings, it’s also a lot of Spitfire Audio and stuff
in a synthesiser store and gave me some Oberheim synth like that. But for synths, those are the two big ones I’m using
and said alright, programme this, it would take me a while.” for Industry.”

Can you talk us through some of the samples found WANT TO KNOW MORE?
on the new record?
“Every track has more samples than I can remember. One Nathan Micay’s To The God Named
of the big things I started doing on Blue Spring, that I’ve Dream is out now on LUCKYME

63
 ––––––––+ PIONEERS +––––––––

Daft
Punk
© Kevin Winter/WireImage

D
aft Punk were the French and for their debut album this
filtering duo who meant retaining a DIY recording
introduced genres to
the world, pioneered
They changed the course of ethos. “We’re very keen on recording
in the bedroom and not going into
production techniques still used
to this day, mixed orchestral and
dance music history using studios,” they told Mixmag. “You
can do some real lo-fi stuff with
analogue synth like no one else,
and, more importantly than all of
more filters than Moog. ‘Daft two drum machines and an old
synthesiser and put it out on
the above, produced some of the punky thrash’? Not really. a major label. That’s seductive
most iconic dance anthems ever, as well: playing with the rules.”
often with DIY studio ethos. The resulting Homework was
After sharing common music review. We would say the rest is ended up getting championed by a brilliant opener, and while the
tastes in their youth, Guy-Manuel history, but actually, it starts out at none other than The Chemical band would become known for
de Homem-Christo and Thomas just plain weird and very 1990s. Brothers who played one of the more varied styles later, this was the
Bangalter formed Darlin’, named The duo met one of the founders tracks Soma put out, Da Funk, at sound that defined them right from
after a Beach Boys track, and of Soma Quality Records at a rave at their live shows and helped stir the off: sweeping frequencies, 909
a band that Melody Maker famously Euro Disney and ended up getting up enough attention that the duo beats mixed with funky loops and
described as ‘daft punky thrash’. signed to the label. If that sounds ended up in a bidding war with way-too-cool samples. With tracks
In what would be typical of the Daft made up or something that could the major labels. including the absolute electronic
Punk twisted humour to come, they only happen back then, the story Virgin Records won out, but Daft ‘wow’ of Da Funk alongside the
named their next outfit after the gets even more ’90s. Daft Punk Punk cleverly kept creative control, seminal French house track Around

64
 Daft Punk | Pioneers

DAFT PUNK IN
that some tracks now sound almost
like pastiches of Daft Punk – or
maybe that’s a couple of decades

FOUR TRACKS
playing tricks on our brains. No
matter, because Daft Punk’s live
shows were confirming them as the
darlings of dance, helping spread
the word, most importantly

Around The World

Stateside where they must surely
be credited for lighting an early
fuse for the EDM explosion there.
But perhaps a break from the
1997
vocoders and filters was needed, With a filtered intro sounding like a song you
and that came in the unexpected hear outside a club just before entering, and
form of Daft Punk’s next project, the robot hard-tuned vocals, Daft Punk were
a movie soundtrack to one of the stamping their sound early on with Around
most anticipated sequels, Tron 2. The World. Not only that, but with their looks,
Previous FM Pioneer Wendy Carlos too. The video is almost as iconic as the
had penned the original’s score, so song itself, with helmeted robot dancing,
it was only fitting that 21st century mummies and skeletons… Ideas that
electronic icons should take the may well have been hatched on that ‘trip’ to Euro Disney.
reins here. What Daft Punk

One More Time

produced was the ultimate mashup
of sci-fi and electronic and
orchestral music, a genius score
that was both the highlight of the
2000
film and a mark in the sand for It’s everything Daft Punk: the filters, the
movie soundtracks. vocoder, the hard Auto-Tuning, the breakdown,
By now, Daft Punk had pretty the sidechain compression… They might not
much every award thrown at them, have invented the techniques, but this track
so what to do next? Well, such was certainly popularised them, launching an army
their status, for their (as it turns out of imitators (not to mention the odd Future
final) album, Random Access Music article). Yet even though it contains at
Memories, they could draft in the least five iconic production tricks, perhaps
trio of Nile Rogers, Pharrell Williams the beauty here is its simplicity – you can almost see the simple
and Giorgio Moroder (among many DAW arrangement – but doesn’t that make it even better?
others) to help out. In what could

The Grid
have certainly been a ‘too many
cooks’ situation, they only came up
with their most iconic tune, Get
Lucky, and an album with a smooth,
2009
funky and perfect production that Not an obvious inclusion but, hey, it’s Jeff
stands as a great final bow, even Bridges talking over analogue synths (the bass
though the duo wouldn’t officially and lead are worth the cinema ticket alone)
The World, Daft Punk had the part ways until 2021. and an 85-piece orchestra. What’s not to like?
biggest of arrivals. Before they knew Daft Punk became more reliant Daft Punk’s genius was the idea in the first
it they were headlining festivals with on anonymity the more successful place, and then cramming it into just one
the likes of Kraftwerk and Orbital. they became – a lesson on fame minute and 37 seconds. Check out End Of
Like helping to put that filtered we should all take something from Line and Derezzed from the soundtrack too,
sound on the map wasn’t enough, – hiding behind the helmets and the latter where Daft Punk ‘cameo’ in the film.
One More Time, the opening track some amazing productions. They

Get Lucky
to Daft Punk’s second album, might now be more famous for the
Discovery, did the same with both party anthems, but their music
extreme vocal processing and crossed many more genres, and they
sidechain compression. There was became every music production
2013
more of the same with tracks like geek’s poster boys with the After sampling the funk for so long, here Daft
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger and techniques they championed Punk finished the journey and created the funk
Digital Love adding to a growing – many of which remain staples of from scratch – and probably a gift that will be
catalogue of Daft Punk tracks that recorded music today. But the most spliced, sampled and mashed for future
became dance anthems that important pioneering trait was that generations of producers. Again, simplicity and
rounded off one century and they did everything – from the repetition are key, although having Nile Rogers
welcomed another. DIY studio and lucrative record and Pharrell Williams onboard certainly helped
Human After All (2005) was the contracts, to the genre defining nudge the track in the right direction. The song
duo’s third album and rammed the and bending – on their own terms. won a heap of awards and sold so much that it went Diamond in
robot vocal thing home so much Daft? No. Punk? Most definitely. France. Who knew that level of sales even existed?

65
Interview | James Ellis Ford

JAMES ELLIS
FORD
Hamish Mackintosh catches up with
the Simian Mobile Disco founder
turned in-demand producer
© Pip Bourdillon

66
 James Ellis Ford | Interview

s if being 50% of the wondrous

Simian Mobile Disco (along with Jas
Shaw) wasn’t enough to have on your
CV, James Ellis Ford has applied his
considerable production and mixing
talents to myriad artists such as
Arctic Monkeys, Depeche Mode
and Gorillaz to name but three.
Perpetually in demand, Ford decided to carve out
some ‘me’ time and the result is wonderful debut
solo offering, The Hum.
The Hum is an immersive, laid-back, radiophonic joy
of an album. Pieced together in his home attic studio
using what can only be described as some seriously cool
outboard and equally cool studio know-how, The Hum sees
Ford let his own imagination run free and what a glorious
thing that turns out to be. Tape-loops, drones, drums and
vintage synths are employed (and all played) by Ford, as
well as debuting his lyrical and singing prowess, too.
FM joined Ford in his bespoke attic of many delights to
find out what motivated him to fly solo on The Hum, talk
us through his Aladdin’s cave of amazing vintage gear and
get some insight into the techniques that have seen him
evolve into one of the most in-demand producers in the
UK. Obviously, if he ever needs somewhere to safely store
that beautiful Maxi-Korg then FM would be more than
happy to oblige, too…

The phrase ‘hidden in plain sight’ is used to describe

you in the press release, does it feel strange to be
going centre stage with this solo album?
“Yeah, I think it does feel strange [laughs], and I’m still kind
of questioning why I’m doing it! The thing is that the bit
I love is always the studio bit and making the music. Often,
people come through to work with me and I almost pity
them when they have to go off and promote their stuff with
all the travelling, gigs and stuff. I’m very content in my little
world of making records. For some reason, this time, I had
the space and, for some reason, the impetus to finish off
a record on my own, for myself. I enjoyed that so when
I was happy with it, I tentatively let it out to a few friends
and then it became a real thing so now I’m having to do all
the bits. I have some shows lined up and I still find that
pretty terrifying!”

You’ve played live lots with SMD, but this might be

a new experience for you actually fronting a band?
“Yeah, I’m essentially quite a low-key guy; fairly shy in a lot
of ways. I’m confident in the stuff that I do, but being centre
of attention thing is a different thing and it’s not my
favourite place to be, really.”

Did the album have a long gestation period?

“I took it very tentatively. By nature, I’m always making little
ideas even if it’s just to find out how a bit of gear works, and
I’ll be recording all the time. I’ve got hundreds of little
sketches on my computer and little chord sequences on my
phone. I obviously collaborate a lot and I’m, thankfully, very
busy and get offered to work with lots of different people,
which I love. I think partly Jas getting sick and not being
able to do SMD stuff to the same extent plus the pandemic
and having a bit of space with that. Maybe just where I am
in my life as well… I felt like I wanted to finish off some of
the sketches instead of just leaving them as sketches. I also
think having this studio in my house where I can try some

67
Interview | James Ellis Ford

ideas out in secret. There aren’t any studio assistants, seems to get to an interesting place quite quickly. Me and Jas
engineers and I’m not on the clock. All those things went pretty deep down the Eurorack hole, although I must
facilitated me doing it for the first time… [laughs] admit, I’m coming out the other side of it now. All this
although I have been questioning if it’s a midlife crisis!” Eurorack stuff doesn’t get turned on all that much. It’s like
a ‘greatest hits’ of Eurorack modules; a lot of it is processing
Do you work differently when you work alone? stuff like Mutable Instruments, which I use a little bit but
“It’s a funny thing. One of the main reasons for it was that not that often.”
I wanted to challenge myself in a different way and
consciously push myself out of my comfort zone a bit. So, What were your go-to synths for The Hum?
singing, writing lyrics and putting myself out there is my “My desert-island synth would be my ARP 2600. I use that
most vulnerable, in a way that I tell other people to do all on literally everything I ever do! I know my way around it
the time! So, it’s given me a fresh perspective on what I’m so well and you can get everything from great bass and
often asking other people to do. It might even make me lead sounds to brilliant percussion and effects. They’re so
more sensitive as a producer.” versatile and with it being semi-modular you can get there
really quickly. It’s all MIDI’d up into the Cirklon. I’ve got
A different side of the process... a Maxi-Korg, which was my first synth ever and I’ve had it
“Yeah. There’s a part I really enjoyed. I’m very much since I was 14. It still sounds amazing to my ears. It’s got
a chords, melody and structure person. That’s the stuff I’ve great filters although the way it works is slightly odd. I’ve
always got excited about. Obviously, I’ve worked with a lot been using my SH-101 quite a lot recently. It’s got Aphex
of people who are really good lyricists and I do often get mods on it so you can have it FM itself and feed it back
involved in being a sounding-board for how the lyric lands on itself, which sounds really nice. I’ve got a couple of
or if something needs changed around in the song. But the Oberheim Matrix racks that I use quite a lot. I’ve got
idea of actually creating a lyric from scratch isn’t something them joined together with a controller, so you get
I’ve ever really thought about that much so that definitely like a stereo synth with them linked.”
felt like I was opening a different kind of box in my brain.
“So, suddenly, I was noticing sentences and I was writing There are certainly a lot of different directions you
down lyrics in my phone like I’d seen other people I’ve could take with some of this gear?
worked with do. It’s like a fascinating jigsaw-puzzle and “I’ve got this bass clarinet. I learned flute when I was a kid,
I really enjoyed that part of it, which I wasn’t really I’ve got a flute here too, so I bought the clarinet and had a go
expecting. I’m itching to do more of it but, with me, the at it on the album. The fingering is a little similar to the flute
restriction is always time. Thankfully, I’m generally pretty and there were things I had to learn but I can play a melody
busy so it’s a case of consciously carving out some time on it so it’s fine. So, yeah, for this album it was a lot of
to just mess around again for a bit.” fucking around in here. Sometimes I’d get something going
on the Serge, record it then
maybe play the drums over it.
“MY DESERT-ISLAND SYNTH WOULD BE I was trying not to fuck around
too much with what I recorded
MY ARP 2600. I USE THAT ON LITERALLY so I’d basically do a lot of first
takes and do it as quick as
EVERYTHING I EVER DO! I KNOW MY I could, then leave it to one side
before I got sick of it before
WAY AROUND IT SO WELL” coming back to them in a few
weeks. The ones that still
seemed interesting to me
With some serious kit at your disposal, what’s the I’d then put a melody on or something like that.”
central hub of your attic studio set-up?
“I’ve got an old ’60s Studer 169 desk that I use all the time, Was it difficult to separate James the artist from
I mixed the last Arctic Monkeys stuff through that. I use it James the producer?
for stems then I’ll insert outboard over it. Beside that there’s “Well, the way I tend to produce is that I tend to kind of
a little Nagra tape-machine that also gets used quite a lot. pretend I’m in the band. I’m pretty hands-on so I tend to
Again, for running mixes through or slaps or just putting play quite a lot anyway. I think I’ve maybe overstepped the
the drum-stems or strings through as it’s got a nice, smooth mark with that in the past, but I try to be sensitive to what
top-end. There’s a lovely-sounding Urei 1176, which I use people need in different situations. Really, being a producer,
with a 1073 copy as my main vocal chain. Above them is the to me, is what it’s about. Filling in the gaps and doing what
Sequentix Cirklon 2, which is my MIDI hub that’s MIDI’d it takes to finish a record. Those last couple of Jessie Ware
to everything else in the room. I’ve got a bunch of old pres, records I did with her; the music was all done up here.
valve gates, a Pultec EQ, a couple of amazing Altec pres, like Sometimes it’s very much just like getting the vibe right
Motown. I have a drum-kit in the corner, and I use all these or whatever or judging people’s personalities in the room
as my drum pres. I turn them on, feed the channels into and that kind of thing. So, there’s a very big sliding scale
Pro-Tools and I can record drums immediately.” of what a producer is for me, which I love.”

How do you decide what gear you want to start It looks like you’ve put enough thought into your
shaping an idea on? creative space that everything aids your flow?
“I’d say a lot of the time I started on the modular rig, I’ve got “I think so. Going back to the gear, underneath the modular
Serge stuff, which is what I tend to use the most as it just stuff I have a rack of delays. On this album I did a lot of the

68
 James Ellis Ford | Interview

Karplus-strong type ringy delays with this Ursa Major Space So now we know where the sumptuous Tape Loop #7
Station, and I’m still a big fan of my Eventide H3000, and that kicks-off your album was created?
next to that I’ve got this weird Russian octaver/distortion/ “I’ve always liked Harold Budd, Fripp and Eno and all those
delay that’s almost like a Synthi Hi-fli. There’s a Roland types of records so I suppose I was heading into that kind of
tape-echo that I love and a Mutron Bi-Phase that goes on zone. It’s really fun making the loops and I’ve got mountains
practically everything! Over on my other side there’s an of it on the computer… I don’t know whether I might put it
8-track tape-machine that I often have on the patchbay on Bandcamp at some point.”
through some master chain stuff and that allows me to
hit record and have the drums going through the repro Seems almost superfluous to ask, but is there anything
head of the tape-machine. you’d like to add to the studio set-up?
“Again, it’s like a ‘greatest hits’ of gear in here as it’s “Not really… I think maybe similar to the Eurorack thing
quite a small room so everything in here has got a value that I’m coming to the end of my gear acquisition
to me. It’s all things that I’ve acquired over the years. syndrome. There are always things you’ll see and maybe
Some of it is new. The most recent purchase is an Akebono a few things will come in or a few go out but realistically
SK10 Koto synth. I also got a Therevox recently, which is I’ve been down all those avenues, really! Also, it does sound
an Ondes Martenot-type of keyboard. There’s a Philacorda ridiculous to say after me showing you around all this stuff,
organ and I’ve got a Leslie crammed in over there in but it does come to a point where it’s just about you and not
the corner.” about the equipment. It’s very fucking obvious, but a lot of
people make brilliant records just on a laptop.”
Does your wife ever get to see you at all?
“[Laughs] She likes watching crime dramas, so I’ll pop up Is that something you’ve done yourself?
here and make some loops or something. Over on this back “Personally, I struggle with that. There was a phase when
wall I’ve got two Revox tape-machines with tape going I was trying to do Ableton when I was travelling, and I do
in-between them so that’s kind of like the Frippertronics find it interesting with MaxMSP and those things but there’s
thing. Basically, I’ve got a mixer over here and I record into just something about the physical interaction for me. I don’t
the first tape-machine, the tape goes over into the second know why that is but it just works better for me. Even with
machine then I feed the output of that back into the first Pro-Tools I try and keep the editing to a minimum and try
machine. I’ve got keyboards, effects and all sorts over beside and use it as a tape-machine as much as possible.”
the tape-machines so I’ll often, for my own entertainment,
set some loops going and play into it with whatever comes It’s certainly the most ‘tape-machine-like’ of all the
to hand. I find it really relaxing.” DAWs, isn’t it?

69
Interview | James Ellis Ford

“I think so, and it can still be frustrating as the MIDI’s It’s ironic that music companies spent years
a bit shit in it, so I tend to sync the Cirklon and do developing gear to make pristine audio, yet now we’re
the MIDI again; the hardware. Maybe it’s different if chasing the clicks and pops vintage outboard gives us.
you’re doing a string arrangement or something but for “Yeah, I spent all my time trying to make things sound
electronic music the hardware stuff gives you something worse, whatever worse means. With Pro-Tools there’s just
back that you’re expecting. It feels like you’re in the too much information there. We’re used to hearing all those
room and it’s a relationship rather than you just telling records where there’s so much harmonic distortion and
a computer what to do.” the bandwidth is so limited and it’s sometimes hard to
remember that as you’re going through. I think it’s
Is Pro-Tools the only software to be found on sometimes annoying to reverse engineer that on a computer
The Hum, then? and it’s better to use the gear that does it automatically. Even
“I use Pro-Tools for everything. Like I say, I’m pretty handy something like the ARP 2600, part of what makes it so cool
on Ableton and it’s incredible for making a certain type is not the oscillators, it’s the way it distorts. For me, most of
of music. We used Ableton all the time in Simian Mobile the new synths haven’t quite got how cranky that old gear
Disco for MIDI-programming as it’s streets ahead of actually is. A lot of times I might use a UAD 1176 over this
Pro-Tools for that, but I’m just really used to arranging hardware one as it’s doing a job and it sounds cool. I think
and mixing in Pro-Tools and I could never particularly we’re getting to the point where in a couple of years, if
get my head around finishing a track in Ableton in not already, AI can just generate music, including vocals.
the same way. Same with Logic. I feel like Logic is The thing it still can’t do is be a human.
slap-bang in the middle of the other two. It’s probably “For me, the records I love and the things that I love
better in terms of MIDI and its samplers and tools about those records is when you can hear the human in it.
but the way I use Pro-Tools is pretty old-school All the choices and little mistakes and things they did
like a tape-machine. I’m so used to it that I don’t intentionally or unintentionally. The problem with
even have to think about it.” something like Pro-Tools is that now you can fix and tweak
and make anything perfect and
you’re almost erasing yourself
“NO MATTER HOW MANY RECORDS I’VE from the record. So, yeah, with
my own album and as much as
MADE, THAT BIT NEVER GETS EASIER. people will let me these days,
I’ll try and leave it as loose
THERE COMES A POINT WHERE YOU as possible.”

HAVE TO LET IT GO…” Was it nice to be guardian of

your own aesthetic whilst
making The Hum?
“Yeah, it is nice to do what you want. It is a mixed
bag as you’ve then got to pull the confidence from
somewhere to know when it’s finished and that it’s
good enough and all that stuff. No matter how
many records I’ve made, that bit never gets easier.
There comes a point where you have to let it go…
Often with me, it’s a case of prying it out of
people’s hands! When you’re on your own it’s
really hard to let things go and the only way
I could navigate through that was to move
as quickly as possible.”

Did everything go onto The Hum, or can we

hopefully expect more solo outings?
“Yeah, there’s piles of ‘stuff’. Like I said, my process
is really sifting through the mountains of sketches
and just finding the time to pursue a few of them.
There are a few other things that are pretty near
finished, and I’ve just done a couple of pretty big
projects this year so I’m planning to try and have
a freer rest of the year to do more of this stuff.
That’s my intention, anyway.”

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

The Hum is available on Warp

Records. More on new releases
and live shows from
jamesellisford.com

70
FM | REVIEWS

Bitwig Studio 5 From £79

The new additions might not look like very much on paper but,
as Si Truss explains, the more you explore Bitwig 5, the more
radical it begins to look

CONTACT WHO: Bitwig WEB: bitwig.com KEY FEATURES NEW VERSION PRICING: Bitwig Essentials £79, Bitwig Producer £169, Bitwig
Studio £340. Upgrade pricing available. FORMATS: PC/Mac/Linux

72
 Bitwig Studio 5 | Reviews

THE PROS & CONS

+
MSEGs become
more and more
inspiring the more
you use them

Wavetable LFO is a
great addition

Modulating mixer
parameters offers
lots of powerful
potential

-
Depth and
complexity won’t be
for everyone

Browsing user
sample folders could
be slicker

itwig Studio is very distinct personality. Detractors tailored to a wide variety of platforms Transfer and Scrawl. These share the
nearly ten and, at may argue that much of that and use cases. As well as Ableton same basic interface, but differ in
this fifth iteration, personality is based on that of Live, the likes of Reaktor, Max and application. Each is focused around a
has shed its Ableton Live, given their shared the hardware modular realm are pop-out window that offers a space to
reputation as an history, but from its second iteration equally obvious points of comparison. draw a custom modulation curve. This
upstart Ableton- onwards Bitwig has been heading in The headline new feature for can be snapped to a grid set to
alike. Relative user its own distinct direction. Think of the Bitwig 5 is the addition of MSEGs, or various beat divisions, then shaped
base numbers aside, as an two like a pair of twins, one who has multi-stage envelope generators. In using an assortment of tools for both
application it certainly warrants being joined the police force and lives a typical Bitwig fashion, these don’t freehand drawing and quickly
considered up there with the top-tier lawful life, one sucked into a life of look like much at first glance, but inserting various common shapes,
DAWs; perhaps unlikely to unseat the crime – two different sides of a coin. become far more interesting once you such as squares, saw waves and
truly big names, but sat alongside the Bitwig in 2023 puts a major consider how they interact with Bitwig triangles. As a setup, it’s not
likes of Cubase, FL Studio or Reason. emphasis on the interplay of its Studio’s other systems. dissimilar to the custom shapers in
More so than many rival DAWs, various systems, the flexibility of its There are five MSEG types, CableGuys’ ShaperBox or the
Bitwig Studio is an application with a modular devices and its ability to be named Curves, Segments, Slopes, Function generators of Pigments.

73
Reviews | Bitwig Studio 5

THE ALTERNATIVES Curves is a modulator, available to all Bitwig devices, any third party certainly neat to be able to apply
add to any device, for use within the plugin or – via the DAW’s MIDI or CV LFOs to a track’s pan position, and
Grid, or to modulate track and project utilities – any modulation input on a using long envelopes to modulate
settings (more on that shortly). It’s hardware synth. Curves and levels in the mixer is a nice way to
essentially a custom LFO, constantly Segments, like Bitwig’s other bring elements in and out. I’m not
cycling based on a rate that can be modulators, are also open to sure how practically useful it is to be
free running or set to sync to a variety modulation themselves, allowing, for able to modulate or randomise project
Ableton Live of timing parameters. example, the timing or phase of the tempo, but the fact the possibility
From 89€ Segments is another modulator modulation to be controlled via MIDI exists adds to the overall sandbox
Live shares a lot of and functions in a very similar expression or another modulator. Both approach of the DAW.
DNA with Bitwig but manner to Curves, albeit acting as an feature ‘smoothing’ options too, Returning to the MSEGs, Slopes
envelope triggered by each new note allowing the rough edges of curve is a custom pattern sequencer
is more accessible at
input, rather than a constantly cycling changes to be flattened out over a available in Bitwig’s modular Grid
the expense of some
LFO. Curves has a few additional specified time period. devices. It effectively allows users to
creative depth, functions, such as multiple playback Version 5 ups the potential for draw a shape and then route it to
though Max for Live modes. These control how the these modulation routings by allowing modulate whatever they desire within
makes up for that. envelope behaves during an modulators to be attached to both that modular setup – from pitch to
ableton.com assignable ‘sustain’ region of the track and project-level settings. These parameter settings, or even the rate of
modulation curve. In One-Shot mode are accessed via nested modulation another sequencer. Scrawl and
it simply plays through once, start to slots found in each track’s device Transfer are probably the most
finish. In Hold the modulation will chain. Attaching a modulator at the interesting. These both work similarly
stay at the end of the assigned appropriate level means they can now to the other MSEGs, allowing users to
sustain section until the note is be routed to things like a track’s draw custom curve shapes, but here
released. Loop mode will cycle mixer level or pan, or even global they’re used for audio purposes, as an
VCV Rack Free through the set sustain section, while settings like project tempo. How oscillator and waveshaper
(with paid versions Ping-Pong sees the modulation cycle useful is all of this in practice? It’s respectively. Scrawl can be deployed
available) bounce back and forth through the
A more sustain section.
straightforward,
hardware-inspired
While both Curves and Segments
are fairly straightforward at first
glance, the fact that both can be used
The fact that Bitwig Studio
take on some of the
modular concepts
offered by Bitwig
pretty much anyway in the DAW, and
in unlimited numbers, makes them
isn’t for everyone is actually
Studio. It’s free to
start too
hugely capable. They can, for
example, be routed to control any to its credit
synth or effect parameter, including
vcvrack.com

VERSION TIERS
Cableguys
Shaperbox 3 $99 With version 5, Bitwig is introducing a tiered system of versions at different price points
The custom curve – not unlike Ableton’s Intro, Standard and Suite versions of Live. Here they’re labelled
concept used by Essentials, Producer and simply Bitwig Studio. There are no track limits on any version,
Bitwig’s MSEGs is but Essentials trims the device list to 40 instruments and effects and 10 modulators.
used brilliantly in Producer ups that to 92 devices and 18 modulators, but forgoes the deepest of Bitwig
Cableguys’ popular devices. Studio has the
multi-effect plugin full suite, and is the only
cableguys.com version to include The
Grid modular devices. In a
neat touch, users of
Essentials or Producer can
still open projects created
in more advanced
versions, and any devices
they don’t have access to
will still function, albeit in
‘player’ modes with
limited parameters.

74
 Bitwig Studio 5 | Reviews

as an oscillator type both within the

Grid and in Bitwig’s Polymer synth
(which can also use Segments in its
envelope module). Transfer is
exclusively for use within The Grid,
although it can easily be used as an
effect elsewhere via the Grid FX
device, and will reshape audio around
the custom curve, with a drive control
that can really push the effect when
cranked up. Both tools are lots of fun
to play around with, making it easy to
sketch out weird and elaborate
shapes and see what sort of
harmonics arise.
Bitwig Studio has a new file type
that allows custom curves to be
saved, recalled and shared between
MSEGs. There’s also a generous
offering of preset curves. The
interchangeability is great and there’s
lots of experimental fun to be had,
swapping curve shapes between
modulation and audio duties.
The MSEGs are a fantastic
addition to the DAW overall, which
prove more and more inspiring the
more you play with them. Bitwig have
included a bundle of new presets and
sound content specifically aimed at
showing off their capabilities, but the
real fun comes from imagining the
weird and unusual ways you can
apply them into your own creations,
and relying on presets is almost
missing the point.
My one wish for future updates
would be more capabilities to
modulate the curve shapes
themselves. You can modulate phase
position and timing of each, but the
actual curve shapes themselves are
effectively static. It’d be great to, say,
assign two or more curves and morph
MSEGs: All five MSEGs share a MODULATION: Nested modulators BROWSER: The updated browser CLIP LAUNCHING: New ‘Alt’ modes
or modulate between them. similar pop-out curve designer, can now be added to control looks far smarter and makes it easy to for the clip launcher add additional
allowing users to draw or import parameters at device, track or whole search for instruments, presets and options to control the way scenes and
That said, you can do something custom shapes project level pack content clips respond
similar using another new addition for
v5, the Wavetable LFO modulator.
This allows for any of the DAW’s stock
of wavetables to be used as an LFO
source, with capabilities for gestures, which offers some fun where it offers capabilities that many
modulating the table position. It’s a potential for live performers. music makers simply don’t need, and
fantastic tool for adding ever-shifting Taken as a whole, version 5 of those people are likely better served FM VERDICT

9.8
modulation to sounds – a potential Bitwig Studio is an unrivalled by more streamlined applications.
secret weapon for ambient producers. sandbox for creativity. It may be The fact that Bitwig Studio isn’t
There are other, less high-profile standing on the shoulders of giants, for everyone is actually to its credit
changes and additions elsewhere but no single piece of software before though – while some DAWs try to be
though. Bitwig’s browser has been it has brought this level of all-round, all things to all music-makers, Bitwig
overhauled and works brilliantly for accessible creative potential. have chosen to focus on a certain
finding instruments and presets, but That said, the more tools Bitwig type of experimentally-minded, largely
isn’t quite so slick when it comes to adds, the more elaborate the DAW electronic user base. And it’s all the
At v5, Bitwig Studio
navigating through your own folders of gets. While the overall workflow is far better for that focus. For those is hugely creative,
samples. The Clip Launcher has been from impenetrable, complicated interested in exploring its capabilities, experimental and deep. That
upgraded too with a new ‘Alt’ mode projects can get somewhat unwieldy. there’s nothing else on the market to won’t suit everyone, but in
for launching scenes and clips via Ultimately Bitwig is now at a point match it. its niche it’s unrivalled

75
Reviews | Akai Pro MPC One+

Akai Pro MPC One+ £699

Akai’s MPC One+ upgrade brings Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a little more
storage and a hot red finish. Martin Delaney gives his verdict

CONTACT WHO: Akai Professional WEB: www.akaipro.com KEY FEATURES I/O: 16 velocity/pressure-sensitive RGB backlit pads with eight
banks, four 360º touch-sensitive Q-Link knobs, large data encoder, 31 function buttons, 7” diagonal multitouch display, multicore ARM processor, 2GB RAM,
16GB storage, SD card storage, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ableton Link, class-compliant USB audio interface compatibility

76
 Akai Pro MPC One+ | Reviews

THE PROS & CONS

+
WiFi, Ableton Link
support and
Bluetooth for
wireless MIDI
controllers

Works standalone, or
combined with other
hardware/software

External class-
compliant USB
audio interfaces can
be added to expand
I/O connectivity

-
Despite the upgrade
to 16GB, the
onboard storage still
feels limited

We’d really like an

onboard guitar/
It’s the entry-level MPC, but
microphone input,
and a full size 1/4” quite capable of producing
headphone jack
complete pieces of music
slot, USB A and B ports, mains power The MPCs share a common
supply socket and on/off switch. It operating system, so we’re not going
doesn’t have dedicated microphone to go into too much depth with that
or guitar inputs – for those you’ll need aspect here, it’s been covered already.
a preamp, or the USB audio interface But the bare bones are that they all
expansion. The front includes 1/8” give you sampling, looping, 128
headphone jack and SD card slot tracks of MIDI sequencing, and eight
(there’s no option to install a hard audio tracks. The sequencing can
drive, although there is more than take the form of grid-based note
aving used Akai’s software bundle download details. 2GB of sample content stored entry, or a step sequencer, which
MPC Live (Mks 1 Out of the box, the One+ is as red as internally). might be cool for live performance,
and 2), MPC Keys could be, it’s a strong statement, and The MPC One+ arrived ready to alongside the endlessly fun XYFX.
61, and flagship if nothing else it separates it from play, and usefully, thanks to the WiFi Samples can be used to create
MPC X SE, the previous black and grey iterations. capability, you’re prompted about instrument patches called keygroups,
mysteries of the The top panel features the trademark available updates. We had an OS and there’s a selection of instrument
smallest MPC, the 16 MPC pads with eight banks, a 7” update (2.12.1) with plugin plugins included, featuring Bassline,
One, have eluded me until now. It’s multi-touch display, four Q-Link instruments to download, and demos Hype, Mellotron, and DrumSynth.
time to put that right, as Akai release knobs, a large rotary encoder, and to authorise. Splice account holders Further instruments are available to
the upgraded MPC One+, which adds dedicated function buttons. The rear can sign in and access their material purchase and download direct to the
WiFi and Bluetooth, 16GB onboard panel features a master volume knob, as well. This is a much smoother One+, and of course there are
storage, and of course the red finish. main output 1/2 on 1/4” jacks, main process than having to go back and numerous audio effects. A typical
The package contains the MPC inputs 1/2 on 1/4” jacks, a record forth with a computer connected. We workflow might begin with loading a
One+, a power supply, a USB cable, a volume knob, four CV/gate jacks, needed an SD card to accommodate drum kit, and creating a beat, using a
printed introduction sheet, and full-size MIDI in/out, Kensington lock the instrument content. combination of drawing notes in grid

77
Reviews | Akai Pro MPC One+

THE ALTERNATIVES mode, and recording in real time,

followed by adding effects to
individual pads in the kit, or across
the entire kit. Then you might load
one or two instrument plugins and
program or record some MIDI parts,
using either the pads or a MIDI
keyboard. 16 small pads might not
Elektron Digitakt seem like the best way to enter
£829 instrument parts, but they’re to the
This 8-track usual MPC standard, and there’s
always Pad Perform Mode, where
sampling drum
each pad triggers a chord, and handy
machine and
progressions can be played with one
sequencer lets you finger, while referring to the info on
sequence external the display. This is a simple and
gear, filters, LFOs, or effective way to add musicality to
apply audio effects basic beats. Once a few patterns have
to external inputs. been created, they can be chained
elektron.se together to form a song, and finally
mixed down to a stereo file, or the
project can be sent to MPC Studio on
the computer for more work.
Beyond our test project, we used
Ableton Link to wirelessly sync the
One+ with Logic Pro for iPad, and
Ableton Live 11 on macOS; this is a
refreshingly simple way to get devices
NI Maschine Mk locked in together. In the absence of
3 £539 a hardware mixer, we routed the audio
NI’s take on from the linked device back through DISPLAY: The 7” multitouch PADS: This 4x4 grid features CONNECTIONS: The One+ has a
the One+. At this point, we realised colour display is standard on slightly smaller pads than other lot of physical connectivity for its
sampling and MPCs, and strikes a balance with MPCs. Pad Perform Mode is size, then there’s the Wi-Fi and
we’d like more inputs, and the pads and buttons great for adding keyboard parts Bluetooth on top
sequencing
successfully connected the Audient
functions as a 96
EVO8 USB interface to give us four
kHz/24-bit audio inputs (four in total, you can’t use the
interface and onboard I/O at the same time). Up to to make beats, an MPC is always a The One+ is supposedly the
controller for the 32 inputs and outputs are available good choice, but the One+ can take entry-level MPC, but it’s quite
computer. over USB, but check for compatibility you to other realms too. That said, capable of producing complete pieces
nativeinstruments.com before purchasing specific devices. despite the enhancements, the One+ of music. We spent most of our time
The One+ is easy to get going probably isn’t a worthwhile upgrade treating it as a sample-based drum
with, especially for those who know for current One owners… unless you machine, with a few instrumental
the MPC workflow already. If you live really, really, like the colour. frills on top. In terms of the ‘+’
update, the most useful element is
the wireless connectivity. Having now
used all of the current MPCs, we’d
say that this may not be the most
fully-featured in hardware terms, but
Roland SP-404 HARDWARE TALKING TO SOFTWARE it’s one of the most fun to use.
Mk II £409
The latest in the line Standalone music production credentials aside, you can
of popular SP-series also integrate it with your favourite software on macOS
samplers, the or Windows. The MPC One+ includes a licence for Akai’s FM VERDICT

8.0
SP-404 Mk II own DAW: MPC Studio 2.0. This software lets you keep
includes an OLED working with projects originated on the One+. If the
display, updated hardware is connected to the computer, it can be used
pads and knobs, as a control interface as well. Alternately, projects can be
expanded effects. originated in MPC Studio and moved to the One+,
Also includes 16GB perhaps for gigs. If you prefer Ableton Live, the One+ A minor but effective update
of internal storage. can export to Ableton Live projects, which can be to the original; wireless
roland.com continued on the computer, and also function as a MIDI connectivity means fewer
controller for Live’s Session View, mixer, and devices. cables, always a good thing.
And the colour? We like it

78
 Find Your
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Reviews | Audio-Technica ATS99

Audio-Technica
ATS99 £280
Tired of the same old dynamic handheld
mics? Jon Musgrave plugs up this new
offering from Audio-Technica
CONTACT WHO: Audio-Technica WEB: audio-technica.com KEY FEATURES POLAR PATTERN:
Hypercardioid FREQ RESPONSE: 60Hz-16kHz IMPEDANCE: 600 Ohms OPEN CIRCUIT SENSITIVITY:
-52dB (0 dB=1 V/Pa, 1kHz) OUTPUT CONNECTOR: 3-pin XLR DIMENSIONS: 181.5 x 50mm WEIGHT:
262g ACCESSORIES: stand clamp for 5/8” stands, 3/8” stand adapter, carry pouch

80
 Audio-Technica ATS99 | Reviews

he ATS99 is a new
premium handheld
dynamic mic from
Audio-Technica.
Incorporating a
machined aluminium
body with stylish
headstock and grille, it feels solid
and looks great. But there are plenty
of features under the hood that look
to lift the ATS99 above your average
dynamic. First up, it aims for a good
frequency response (60Hz-16kHz is
quoted), and a high magnetic force
magnet is used alongside a step up
transformer to help improve the low
mids at high volumes. Next up, the
narrow hypercardioid design controls
the off axis pick up, and finally the
internal shock mounting system
reduces handling noise.

Smooth looks
The box includes the mic, a carry
pouch and regular slide-in mic clip,
and in typical Audio-Technica style
this Japanese-made mic oozes
quality. The finish is satin black and
the headstock shape is nice and
smooth, which feels great when you
get it right up to your mouth. At
262g the mic isn’t too heavy, despite
being medium in size (about 18cm
long), and is actually lighter than a THE PROS & CONS
Shure Beta 57a, which is a
There’s plenty of mid range
+
noticeably more compact mic. The
headstock follows a standard format
and removing the grille reveals it to
be a multilayer design supplemented
articulation and a nice bit of
high-frequency air
with an internal foam layer. There’s Solid but light
also a thin layer of foam on the top of construction
the actual capsule. Audio-Technica
doesn’t quote any noise figures for Sounds great
the ATS99, but at 2.51mV/Pa the means this air drops off quite sharply premium build quality, it’s an up close
sensitivity is pretty typical for a mic as you move off axis, and as you attractive choice. At £280 it’s
of this type and I certainly didn’t feel would expect at 90 degrees the Audio-Technica’s most expensive Good handling
it needed excess preamp gain. overall rejection is quite pronounced. handheld dynamic and is clearly not
of plosives
Most handheld dynamics are I’m not averse to using dynamic mics cheap so it would be wise to try it out
used up close, so it’s important to like this to record acoustic guitar, and before taking the plunge.
establish how the mic performs when the ATS99 really delivers for this,
Nicely shaped
used in this way. I have to say, the sounding great at about 20cm to headstock
ATS99 is very good. At a couple of 30cm. It’s also pretty good in front of
centimetres there is some proximity a guitar amp. Given its size I would FM VERDICT Excellent finish

9.0
effect, though not an unpleasant probably avoid using it on a snare

-
amount, and the handling of plosives drum, although I’m sure it would also
is excellent. Breathing noise is sound great for this.
picked up but quite well diffused by
the grille, and the handling noise is Quality choice Expensive
reasonably subdued. Even so, the Despite the dominance of a few
important takeaway is that the mic models, it’s great to see
Audio-Technica’s latest
sounds great used in this way, with manufacturers continue to refine the
plenty of mid range articulation and a classic handheld dynamic, and this
handheld dynamic mic is a
nice bit of high-frequency air not offering from AT is a great example. real beauty that is easy to
always found with dynamics. That Comfortable to use, with a slick, use, excellently finished and
said, the hypercardioid pattern stylish design, quality delivery and really delivers sonically

81
Reviews | Arturia KeyLab Essential Mk3

Arturia KeyLab
Essential Mk3
from €199
.Jon Musgrave dons a white coat and
mulls this ‘refreshed’ batch of controllers
CONTACT WHO: Arturia WEB: arturia.com KEY FEATURES 61-note velocity sensitive keyboard
with hybrid synth-piano feel, 8 touch and pressure sensitive pads, 2.5” bright LCD display with backlit
contextual buttons, 1 main encoder, 9 rotary encoders, 9 x 30mm faders, 8 transport and 4 command
buttons PRICING: 49 key – €199, 61 key – €249

82
 Arturia KeyLab Essential Mk3 | Reviews

rturia’s affordable THE PROS & CONS

KeyLab Essential
The whole thing has had a
+
range has just
been overhauled.
Available in
49-note and
considerable upgrade New screen with
61-note versions
in either black or white, we’ve got a
integrated backlit
white 61-note unit. The core controls modes (Arturia, DAW and User), but mechanical noise is kept in check, soft keys
look much like its predecessor, but on this is now supported by the much which I like.
closer inspection it’s obvious the more informative screen. Arturia Meanwhile, the mod wheel and Excellent integration
whole thing has had a considerable mode is designed to control Analog pitch bend are physically a bit with Arturia Analog
upgrade, with an excellent new Lab V and other Arturia synths, with lightweight, but function fine. Users Lab V
display, improved backlit buttons and faders, encoders and display soft keys benefit from a solid software bundle
pads, and overall slicker casework. assigned accordingly. The main rotary that includes Arturia Analog Lab V, Advanced DAW
Round the back, things have also encoder is used for preset navigation Ableton Live Lite, two piano
scripts for the big
changed, with a regular MIDI output and loading. Meanwhile grabbing instruments (NI The Gentleman and
joined by a software definable other controls reveals their parameter UVI Model D), 40 free music lessons
five DAWs
footswitch input (sustain, expression names and values onscreen. on Melodics and a 2-month trial
and footswitch). Meanwhile computer For DAW control mode, there are subscription for Loopcloud. Good quality key bed
connectivity is now via USB-C, which installable scripts for five main DAWs. All told, I really like this controller
doubles as a power input for As an example, in Logic Pro the and it offers good features for the MIDI output
standalone use. Alas, there are no CV channel navigation uses the main money. It’s at its best integrating with

-
outputs but I don’t think that’s much rotary encoder, meanwhile channel Arturia’s Analog Lab V, but the new
of a surprise at this price point. mute and solo are screen soft keys, display delivers good and immediate
The top panel has been reworked and channel pan and level use fader feedback, working very well with the
around the new display, which and encoder nine. The remaining script supported DAWs.
No CV outputs
incorporates four backlit contextual encoders and faders are automatically
buttons allowing flexible feature assigned to instrument controls. The
implementation. There are no longer assignments work better for some
specifically labelled Ableton Live or instruments than others, but with full FM VERDICT

9.1
Arturia Analog Lab buttons. However, parameter feedback on the display,
what you now have is a multifunction it’s easy to see what you’re modifying.
Part button that accesses a 2-layer If you do want more specific
editable keyboard split (a new assignments, the User program mode
feature) and also allows you to switch can be used in conjunction with
between two parts in Arturia’s Analog Arturia’s MIDI Control Centre
Lab V. Further panel controls include software. This same software is used
Better and slicker than
arpeggiator, note hold and both scale to adjust other settings such as the
and chord modes. footswitch mode mentioned above.
its predecessor, delivering
As before, behaviour of the faders, The Keylab Essential Mk3 action great controller features,
encoders and panel controls is is a hybrid synth-piano feel that is quality design and easy DAW
defined by one of three program precise and reasonably springy, and integration at a good price

83
Reviews | FSS FIL4 Timbral Sculptor

FSS FIL4 Timbral

Sculptor 319
Does this ‘timbral sculpting’ tool blend the
best of East and West Coast design? For
Phil Wise it was love at first sight

CONTACT WHO: Future Sound Systems WEB: futuresoundsystems.co.uk KEY FEATURES

-18db multi mode filter, rectifier, two types of wave folder, VCA

84
 FSS FIL4 Timbral Sculptor | Reviews

uture Sound Systems’ THE PROS & CONS

latest offering, the

+
FIL4 Timbral Sculptor,
provides a variety of
timbre-shaping
goodies in one handy
package. On the one Full of analogue
hand, it offers the additive qualities goodness, non-
of West Coast wavefolding and, on linearity and
the other, subtractive East Coast surprises
filtering to carve out unique sounds.
Let’s start with the filter. It’s a
Very flexible
-18dB slope multi-mode running on
routing system
an SSI2164 filter core, but rather
than offering separate outputs for LP,
BP and HP, the Timbral Sculptor has The filter offers an
level controls (with CV inputs) for the audio FM
different modes, allowing much attenuverter
greater control. The filter on its own

-
sounds smooth and clean. It features
a slightly accentuated resonance at
high cut-off frequencies which lends
it a 303-esque tone when
Having to repatch to
modulated. There are two CV inputs:
the first has 1v/oct tracking; the
change the position
second runs through an attenuverter. of the VCA in the
The filter also boasts an audio FM signal chain
attenuverter; inspired by the quirks
of the Korg35 filter, this can provide
some beautiful instability.
Moving on to the wave-folding,
there are two separate folders: the
first a Buchla-style Deadband
switchable pre or post filter, the
second a Lockhart which, along with
a rectifier, sit in the resonance path.
Not being a fan of squealing
resonance, this at first seemed a
strange choice to me. Little did I
know the sonic delights that it would
provide… The module is completed
by a VCA circuit which can also be
switched to the input or output or In the best way, this is a module pushing analogue electronics to the
even used independently of the that revels in non-linearity, each edge. It’s what drew me to modular
signal chain. The drive control element of the control and signal in the first place, it’s organic and
affects the amount of wave-folding, chain influences the others, making surprising and when applied subtly
with the VCA input providing you it easy to get lost in sonic can be just the thing you need to
with CV control. exploration. Starting with a simple bring your sounds to life.
The FIL4 offers a great deal of sine wave input, I was quickly
flexibility over routing, but one thing pulling out a sound that morphed
that tripped me up initially is the from natural woodwind to the
fact that you have to re-patch inputs guttural croak of a 303. Note, FM VERDICT

9.0
and outputs depending on the VCA however, that it also plays well with
position in the chain. No doubt this complex sounds sources.
is unavoidable but it does feel a little Once you’ve found an interesting
clunky. Moving past that, on first sweet spot, there is plenty of room to
play, the wave-folder and half/full vary the tone to keep your synth line
wave rectification unleashed a interesting. I found subtle
maelstrom of sonic destruction. All modulations, unusual distortions and
A rich and rewarding
good fun and this may be exactly even some 8-bit effects and strange
what you’re looking for but I sought a pitch sweeps courtesy of the rectifier.
tool than can bring some
little more subtlety. Once I’d got to It does occasionally drop into analogue uncertainty to
grips with the Sculptor I soon found discordance or silence but this is the any synth sound. Why not
that the timbral palette was actually nature of such a beast. Like the rest ditch your old filter and start
very broad. of FSS output, this is all about timbral sculpting?

85
Reviews | Arturia MicroFreak v5

Arturia MicroFreak
v5 £295
The eccentric digital synth gets some
solid sampling capabilities. Si Truss
goes granular

CONTACT WHO: Arturia WEB: arturia.com KEY FEATURES Firmware update, free to existing
users. Adds four new oscillator ‘engine’ modes, along with user sample upload, snappy envelope mode
and keyboard modulation options.

86
 Arturia MicroFreak v5 | Reviews

ou have to
admire Arturia’s
commitment to
the MicroFreak.
It was already
an impressive
instrument when
it landed in 2021, combining an
analogue filter with a multitude of
digital oscillator modes that brought
a touch of Eurorack-inspired
eccentricity to the budget synth
realm. Its capabilities have continued
to grow since launch though, with
various firmware updates adding new
presets, improved modulation and
additional engine modes, including
a vocoder. We covered much of this
in a long term test review a year
ago [FM384], in which we were
impressed by the current state of the
MicroFreak. Now it’s received yet
another major update – arguably its
most significant yet.
The headline features of v5 are
a quartet of sample synthesis modes.
The first of these, simply named
Sample, is the most straightforward.
This turns the digital oscillator into
a looping sample player – making use
of one-shot samples, as opposed to
the existing wavetable modes. As THE PROS & CONS

For a sub-£300 synth, it’s

with other modes, the sound can be

+
shaped using the Wave, Timbre and
Shape dials, which here control
sample start and end points and
loop length, respectively.
undeniably impressive Granular synthesis
The remaining are a trio of
granular synthesis modes, modes are great for
differentiated by the way they read envelope to grain playback, resulting source, either in a linear fashion glitchy, IDM-style
the sample’s grains. These are named in a far more glitchy and stuttering or randomised, resulting in tones
Scan Grains, Cloud Grains and Hit take on granular playback. sample-and-hold style modulation
Grains. The first of these offers what MicroFreak can now house up to triggered by each key press. Sample upload
could probably be called ‘standard’ 128 samples with a total maximum The update is rounded out by significantly
granular synthesis. Here the Wave length of 210 seconds, which can a generous selection of new broadens the
control adjusts the speed at which be managed – including the ability presets. Given that this is the
sonic palette
the oscillator scans through the to upload user sounds – via Arturia’s fifth significant iteration in under
sample, Timbre alters the density of slick MIDI Control Center app. These three years, all included free
waves generated and Shape applies new modes add to the flexibility of for a sub-£300 synth, it’s Snappy envelopes
randomness to the size, distribution the MicroFreak considerably; undeniably impressive. are great for shaping
and pitch of the grains. A soft volume although the wavetable modes percussive tones
envelope is applied to grain playback, already allowed for a certain amount

-
resulting in a sound that stutters of ‘natural’ textures alongside the
slightly without being too abrupt. digital synth tones, it’s now incredibly
FM VERDICT

9.5
Cloud Grains, as its name fun to incorporate acoustic and
implies, specialises in creating found-sound sources amongst the
Control over sample
granular cloud effects, whereby the rest of the synthesis tools. It also
close proximity of grains creates
playback is slightly
broadens MicroFreaks ability to
a soft, ambient effect. Here the work with percussive and non-tonal limited
Wave control switches to adjusting sounds, bolstered by another
the start position from which grains feature update – the addition
are collected, allowing users to home of new, extra-snappy percussive MicroFreak v5 is another
in on a particular tone or texture envelope modes. substantial and genuinely
within a sample source. Finally, The firmware also lets the useful update to what was
Hit Grains applies a more abrupt keyboard function as a modulation already a bargain synth

87
Reviews | ADDAC 107 Acid Source

ADDAC 107 Acid

triangle, each of which can be THE PROS & CONS
blended in with a pot. Controls for

+
frequency and fine-tuning both live
up top in this section. Passing on to

Source £199
a beautiful sounding filter, with low,
band and high-pass modes and
a resonance control. This filter Versatile tonal
sounds smooth but juicy, with lots of options
Rob Redman takes on ADDAC’s latest character and can be controlled by
CV, as can pitch and the decay of Compact size for
compact synth voice the onboard VCA. Yes, this synth functionality
voice has a VCA built in, adding
a certain amount of versatility, while
Excellent build
freeing up other areas of a patch for
CONTACT WHO: ADDAC WEB: addacsystem.com KEY FEATURES I/O: Complete synth voice, quality
Includes multi mode filter, External gain control other duties. That said the VCA only
has a decay control, rather than

S -
ynth voices are easy to find wild graphics and glyphs seen a full envelope. However, that is
and come in all shapes elsewhere, the clean and clear part of the joy of this module, as it
and sizes, but to find one approach makes navigating in can be controlled by any external
that offers a complete a darker environment that input. This encourages some Limited VCA control
palette, that is well built and comes much simpler. experimentation, which can be quite
in a suitable form factor can be For a module that has so much the journey, as you look for ways to
much harder – even more so when on offer, ADDAC has done a great control the squelch of the filter. It’s
looking for consistency and job of keeping things compact, too. an uncommonly rewarding process,
personality in one module. ADDAC The Acid Source is just 9hp wide and one that ADDAC have
aim to make this a simple choice and 40mm deep, keeping it suitable implemented well.
with the release of the Acid Source. for all manner of cases and skiffs. Interestingly there is also an
As with all ADDAC modules, the The main task of the module is accent CV input. This is common
hardware is solid, well built and to generate tones, of which many on drum modules but rarely seen
clearly labelled. While a cursory can be coaxed, from simple square elsewhere, and enables the VCA to
glance may make it appear a little to more complex output, when have triggered boosts, adding further
utilitarian compared to some of the combined with a saw tooth or levels of personality and musicality
to a patch. Modules that have
features like this can really add
some movement and feel into your
music, so thanks to ADDAC’s
developers for including it.
For some additional control there
is also a gain control for external
inputs, which allows for greater than
standard voltages (up to 10v, rather
than 5v), lending themselves to
some lovely aggressive distortion.
All in all, this is a great sounding,
compact synth voice. It lends itself
to bass and lead tones with the
possibility for some extra grit and
growl you will find it hard to find
elsewhere.

FM VERDICT

9.0
Typical ADDAC attention to
detail makes this a fantastic
option for anybody looking
for a small, all-in-one voice
that plays well with others

88
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Reviews | Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2

Audio-Technica ATH-
M50xBT2 from £170
Bluetooth headphones are popular for
many reasons. Jon Musgrave pairs with
this updated design from Audio-Technica

CONTACT WHO: Audio-Technica WEB: audio-technica.com KEY FEATURES DESIGN: Closed

back, over-ear DRIVER: 45mm FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 15Hz to 28kHz SENSITIVITY: 99dB/mW
BATTERY: Approx 50 hours FEATURES: Built-in Alexa, Bluetooth fast pairing, microphone, low latency
BT ACCESSORIES: Pouch, USB cable, audio cable PRICING: Black, £170; Blue £200 WEIGHT: 311g

90
 Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 | Reviews

udio-Technica’s
ATH-M50xBT is a
Bluetooth model of
its popular
ATH-M50x wired
headphones and is
based on the same
45mm large aperture drivers that use
rare earth magnets and copper-clad
aluminium wire voice coils. The latest
BT2 version of these headphones is
now available in both black and blue
editions. They are over the ear DJ
style headphones with hinged and
rotatable ear cups, and heavily
padded ear cushions and headband.
When you put them on they provide
excellent isolation and in this respect
are perfect for both recording, DJing
and general use. When you want to
pack them away the ear cups fold
properly inwards so they’re pretty
compact, fitting nicely into the
included pouch. Further included
accessories are a jack cable and
USB-C to USB-A cable.
The M50x BT2 works either via
Bluetooth or wired (one cable is
included), and wired mode is a pass
through connection that bypasses the
onboard electronics. In Bluetooth
mode the headphones have an THE PROS & CONS
integrated comms, with dual mics
The app is well worth
+
used for calling and voice assistant

grabbing as it reveals a
features. The mics and a number of
other performance features are
refined and improved in the
ATH-M50xBT2.
In Bluetooth mode, on-body bunch of handy extras Extensive onboard
tweaking via app
controls include power/start/stop and
volume, with a further dedicated Improved battery life
voice assistant button (to access From a sonic perspective the noteworthy improvement on version 1
Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant). over-ear design delivers solid bass (40 hours). Good passive noise
This last button replaces the tap which can at times feel a bit too Overall I like the ATH-M50xBT2. cancellation
touch ear cup used on the previous much. That said, I think the general The new model finesses rather than
version and should provide more balance is very good for this type of reinvents its predecessor, and
Low latency
predictable performance. headphone and is considerably better continues to offer good value and
To access deeper settings you’ll than some of the excessively hyped excellent performance.
Bluetooth mode
need the A-T Connect app (iOS and designs available. If you’re using
Android). This is well worth grabbing them via Bluetooth you can of course Comfortable
as it reveals a bunch of handy extras adjust the EQ, adding your own over-ear fit
including two 5-band EQ options presets to the handful of library ones. FM VERDICT
-
8.7
(graphic and parametric), L/R adjust, On the subject of Bluetooth, there
volume control step division, audio isn’t limitless onboard gain available,
codec mode (Auto, AAC and SBC) and I found it important to have a
and the low latency setting. I found healthy source signal level.
Sound editing is only
this last option delivered excellent In terms of comfort the over-ear
results and some of the best timing design fits well and although the
available in
I’ve had from Bluetooth headphones. Bluetooth components add to the Bluetooth mode
Audio-Technica’s update
Other cool aspects include weight, at 311g they are not
beamforming for the dual onboard substantially heavier than the wired
delivers better overall
microphones and multipoint pairing, version (285g). Also positive is that performance and more
which keeps you connected to the new version quotes a battery life features while retaining the
two devices. of about 50 hours, which is a core sound and fit

91
FM | SOUNDS & SAMPLES

Luftrum – Gemina
for Omnisphere $79
>
We’ve taken a look at, and Once installation is complete, excellent use of modulation wheel,
enjoyed, a few Lutrum Gemina has its own folder in the velocity and aftertouch. Another
products in these pages over User Directories browser menu, with example of attention to detail is how
the last year, so it was with relevant search tags and information the patches are all well-balanced in basses, sweeps, soundscapes, guitars,
great enthusiasm that I took delivery for each patch on its broader sonics terms of level – making patch hits and effects (amongst others).
of Gemina for Omnisphere 2, a pack and relevant modulation auditioning and comparison an easy Distortion, delay, reverb and other
of 400 patches taking a post- information. It’s on the latter point single-click process. effects are integrated into each sound
apocalyptic and dystopian worldview where it’s clear that plenty of It would be impossible to do very effectively and means that each
as their starting point – doesn’t that thought has gone into how usable justice to all 400 of the sound one is ready to use, requiring little
sound like fun? these sounds should be, with patches here, but you’ll find pads, further processing. It’s worth being
patient when auditioning sounds
though, as some are tempo-synced or
evolve slowly to reveal very complex
modulation and layering.
While $79 might seem quite a lot
of money to shell out for a bunch of
patches, it is fair to say that this isn’t
just any pack of sounds. With more
than 400 to choose from, and with an
interesting range of flavours, you get
plenty of bang for your buck. It’s also
important to note that, although
aimed at the bleaker end of the mood
spectrum, these patches could find
use across a whole bunch of styles.
In fact, as a tool for inspiration alone
I found myself hooked pretty quickly.
Excellent stuff!
Bruce Aisher
luftrum.com

VERDICT 9.2

Luftrum – Dub Diva

>
Next in our Luftrum
double-bill is another set of
patches, but this time 137 of

for u-he Diva $35

them dedicated to exploring
the world of Dub Techno in u-he’s
Diva soft-synth.
For those yet to try it, Diva is
regarded as one the finest-sounding
software synths for analogue
emulation, and Luftrum’s design
makes full use of the underlying tech.
Installation is a drag-and-drop
affair, and you get a dedicated bank given the minimal nature of the genre
of easily accessible Diva patches. to which they’re aimed.
This pack is NKS-compatible and Once you focus on this, it’s clear
features the usual well-considered that their often subtle nature is great
real-time control features of other for this strata of electronic music.
Luftrum offerings. While this Bruce Aisher
soundset doesn’t perhaps offer the luftrum.com
impressive immediacy of Gemina
(above) that’s perhaps to be expected VERDICT 8.7
92
 Sounds & Samples | Reviews

Audiotent – Cyborg from £25

>
50+ custom-made presets that delve deep
into the very guts of Arturia’s Korg MS-20 V.
And come out blazing with a beefy batch of
bass sounds and lairy leads.
The sound design is impeccable. With all of the
patches, oscillators, filters and such, finessed and
fingered with the right mix of studious skill and
gay abandon. Serving up a heavyweight library,
mixing in hella hypnotic sequences and icy pads,
alongside the epic low-end power that got you
through the door.
The Standard Edition (£25) hits you with the
punchy presets. And for an extra ten spot you can
plump for the Deluxe edition (£35), if you fancy
fooling with a bonus bevy of matching melodic
MIDI files and WAV loops. Robot rock!
Roy Spencer
audiotent.com

VERDICT 9.0

Sample Magic – Splice Originals – House Of Loop – Loopmasters – Nhii

Leftfield Bass 2 Afrojuice From Afro House Essence - Melodic Modular
From $7.99/month $7.99/month Vol. 2 £16.95 Elements £24.95

> > > >

If filthy-ass bass is your thing, 276 samples from the studio of Popping pack of luscious live Quality artist-led house pack from
then look under your fingernails super dude, Iss 814. This melodies, deep and driving the man behind the moniker Nhii
after pawing through this grubby Senegalese beat-maker loves basslines, and infectious [No human is illegal], in which the
lot: there’s dirty sound design for turning out punchy, polished percussive rhythms. With splashy Sounds of Khemit label don
days with squelchy synths and sinister productions. Mixing forward-thinking club brass hooks and sunshine pad work showcases the exact strain of rich rhythm
subs. Sounds run from sick to deranged. beats with inspirations drawn from his bringing extra heat. The hits come strong, and deep synthesis that feeds his soul and
With the bigger bass tones growling it up west African roots and musical heritage. too with tough claps, kicks, hats and other fires up his all-encompassing dancefloors.
and rattling speakers. Here, he fuses wild traditional rhythms large one-shots on hand to help you His 593MB collection takes in sublime
To flesh out your low-end frequency fun, with crisp digital electronica, bringing furnish your drum library for the summer. digital instrumentation, a full palette of
there’s haunting music kits, moody melodies, basslines, riffs, guitars, toplines, All the sounds in this 382MB set rock key tones and textures, and some real
textures, and half-time beats and their and other song-starting grooves to work real nice. With plenty of other fun files in pulse-quickening stabs and arpeggios for
drum hits to offend the senses and anchor with. Percussion and shakers keeping the bonus MIDI and FX folders, helping upping your track’s energy levels.
the sounds. There are also nasty plucks, proceedings loose and lively. keep the variety levels topped up. The drum workouts are highly
stabs, and pads for Serum users to flip There’s enough pop sensibility to keep Throw in a fat stack of super considered and finely tuned, too, playing
over, rounding out a devilish selection of things radio friendly, with enough fire in cool-sounding patches for samplers like well with the unique tops and exotic
big-bottom bass biz. the funk to keep it credible. And with Battery and Kontakt, and you’ve got percussion loops bundled in.
With 370 twisted samples and 20 influences like Nigerian pop superstar, yourselves a party. Perfect, then, for This versatile and often surprising
presets to play with, you’ll be knocking out Fireboy, and modern Afrobeats hero flavouring straight up Afro house bangers. collection is also fully compatible with
tough-as-guts music for weeks to come. WhizKid brought to the fore, this extensive Or, any flavourless 4/4 grooves that need a Loopcloud, if that’s high on your priorities
Now, wash your hands. selection of sounds will light up the spot. pinch of serious spice. list. All-in, well worth the entry fee.
Roy Spencer Roy Spencer Roy Spencer Roy Spencer
splice.com splice.com loopmasters.com loopmasters.com

VERDICT 7.0 VERDICT 7.0 VERDICT 8.0 VERDICT 8.0

93
FM | KNOWLEDGE

UNDERSTANDING:
Filters
band. A similar effect can be
BP, BAND-PASS
achieved by passing a signal through Filters a specific frequency band.
a HP and LP filter in series with the
high-pass cutoff frequency set lower
BAND-REJECT, NOTCH-REJECT
than the low-pass cutoff frequency. Allows everything but a set frequency.
WHAT IS A FILTER? The less common band-reject
filter is the opposite to a band-pass,
CUTOFF FREQUENCY
An audio filter is a processing device which allows blocking a section of the frequency The frequency at which a filter begins
some frequencies through untouched, but attenuates range but allowing higher and lower to attenuate the signal.
(reduces the volume of) other frequencies. Analogue frequencies to pass. The term
RESONANCE, PEAK, Q
notch-reject is also used to refer to a
era filters were created using various combinations of specific type of band-reject filter Controls a feedback loop, introducing
discrete components, integrated circuits and subtle which only cuts a very narrow band of a peak at the cutoff frequency.
variations in sound. Similar effects can now be frequencies, typically used for
SELF-OSCILLATION
dialling out problematic feedback
achieved in the digital domain
frequencies in live PA setups but also An effect where some filters create a

T
usable as an effect in some cases. sine tone at high resonance settings.
he three most common waveform can be removed while Comb filters are less common but
filter types are known as leaving the fundamental frequency worth a quick mention. Typically
SLOPE
low-pass, high-pass and untouched. As such, a harmonically created using delayed signals rather The rate at which a filter attenuates
band-pass. Low-pass (aka rich signal can be filtered back down than filter circuits, comb filters act beyond the cutoff frequency, usually
LP or high-cut) filters allow to countless less rich waves. like a series of band-pass filters, expressed as 2-pole or 12dB/Oct etc.
frequencies below an adjustable High-pass (HP, low-cut) filters forming peaks and troughs in the
cutoff point through untouched. operate in a very similar way to their frequency response.
MULTIMODE FILTER
Frequencies above the cutoff point low-pass counterparts but allow A single filter unit offering multiple
are attenuated, with the level of this frequencies above the cutoff Know your filter terms: filter modes.
increasing further up the frequency frequency to pass while attenuating
range. A low-pass filter is typically everything below it.
LP, LOW-PASS, HIGH-CUT FORMANT FILTER
seen as the minimum requirement A band-pass filter allows only a Filters above the cutoff frequency. An effect which uses multiple
for a subtractive synth’s filter section. specified chunk of the frequency resonant bandpass filters to
The ability to filter higher frequencies range through, cutting off the
HP, HIGH-PASS, LOW-CUT manipulate formants, creating a
means that the higher harmonics of a frequencies above and below that Filters sound below the cutoff. voice-like sound.

94
 Quick Synth Tips | Knowledge

Quick effects tips: Part 4

Get more out of your synths with our series of quick-and-dirty synthesis tips

MODULATED DELAYS
Keeping your delay effects moving, even
subtly, will help keep your listeners
hooked. Use LFOs or automation to vary
delay parameters throughout your tracks.
Whether you want to push and pull
feedback levels, pitch offsets or any other
parameter, keeping your delay sounds
evolving keeps them lively in your
listeners’ ears.

OLD- GO EASY ON THE DIY

RESONATORS
SCHOOL MODULATION EFFECTS In hardware world,
EQ Unlike delay and reverb, modulation
effects – such as chorus, phasers and
you can create
resonators by using a
An absence of treble flangers – sound especially unnatural to flanger with a
frequencies is our ears. For this reason, always exercise modulation depth of
synonymous with
analogue signals;
restraint and be subtle with your zero. In the modular
darken overly digital or application. To temper their effect in the world, you can apply
brittle sounds with mix and prevent overuse, automate mix a CV to control delay
low-pass filter or amount or level to emphasise only certain time (inverted) and
high-shelf EQ cut. song sections. use a step sequencer
or keyboard to
compose melodies.
CHORUS UP YOUR REVERB
Reverb sounding too ‘flat’ or ‘static’? Apply a subtle blend of chorus WANT
on your reverb aux to dial in a touch of density. Try placing the chorus
pre-reverb to thicken the input signal feeding into the ’verb, or stick it MORE TIPS?
at the end of the chain to wash out the reverb tone. Come back for more
next issue, and revisit
our playlist of 20
video synth tips – in a
handy phone-friendly
format – at:
bit.ly/quicksynthtips

95
Gear Guide | Essential Tools For Music Making

FM | GEAR GUIDE
DAWS

Bitwig Studio 5 Ableton Live 11

from €79 Suite £539
Full Review: FM399 Full Review: FM368 (v11.0)
At v5, Bitwig Studio is hugely creative, With the new 11.3 update, Live gains a
experimental and deep. That won’t suit all users, brilliantly, user-friendly new synth, Drift, and a
but within its niche, it’s unrivalled. host of new expressive capabilities.

Steinberg Cubase 12 £497 Tracktion Waveform Pro Apple Logic Pro $199 Reason Studios Reason 12 £499
Review: FM382 Version 12 is a solid and from $119 Review: FM361 Still no Logic 11, but seeing as Review: FM375 It’s debatable whether the
dependable update to Cubase, and offers some Review: FM345 Waveform is now friendlier, Pro has had so many updates (it’s recently upgrade is worth it for existing Reason 11 users,
excellent new features and small, but important, contains more creative tools and brings workflow dropped the ‘X’ too), it’s hard to complain. In the but taken as a whole, Reason is looking the best
updates to others. ideas you’ll have missed from other DAWs. latest, spatial audio tools join the party. it has in years.

Universal Audio LUNA free PreSonus Studio One Image-Line FL Studio ¤89 Avid Pro Tools from £25 p/m
UA might not want to call LUNA a DAW, but let’s Pro £345 Review: FM334 Over 20 years since it first Pro Tools has now caught up with other DAWs,
be honest... Even in its version one form, this is Recently updated to version 6, Studio One now appeared, Image-Line’s FL Studio is a powerful bringing in a fast workflow to match its power.
a slick and stylish recording environment and a has a lot to offer those working with traditional and inspirational application – and it’s a It still only runs AAX plugins, and there are
great freebie for Apollo users. notation and scoring for screen. welcome addition to the Mac realm too! alternative subscription payment models.

96
 Essential Tools For Music Making | Gear Guide

COMPACT MONITORS

KRK GoAux 3 and 4 from £280 Genelec 8010A £270 (each)

Full Review: FM394 KRK’s GoAux monitors offer Genelec’s distinctive compact monitors are a
a great solution for those on the move or simply modern classic for small spaces. Not cheap, but
short of space. Not the cheapest, but they offer there’s a lot here that make these far more ‘pro’
reasonable value and flexible features. sounding than their size suggests…

IK Multimedia iLoud
Micro £250 JBL One Series 104-BT £150
Review: FM346 The One Series 104 is a stylish
Focal Solo6 ST6 £1,149 (each)
Review: FM396 For their size, these are sublime,
IK’s Micro monitors are compact and portable but offer compact monitor that delivers decent sonics, top-drawer little monitors that will be an asset to
surprisingly powerful and high-quality sound. Room flexible connectivity and solid build, all at a very any small studio (or used as satellite monitors in
correction EQ is handy for on-the-go use too. attractive price. more ambitious installs).

DJ HEADPHONES

Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2 Pioneer DJ HDJ Cue1 £60

from £170 These are budget DJ headphones that neither
This Bluetooth update to Audio-Technica’s look nor sound cheap. The sound isn’t quite up
versatile headphones have features that make there with high-end cans, but these are solid
them useful for DJs and home-listeners alike. with plenty of DJ-friendly features included.

Sennheiser HD 25
£120 Pioneer DJ HDJ-X10 £299
These closed-back cans are more expensive than
AIAIAI TMA-2 DJ £160
AIAIAI’s modular approach to headphone design
A classic set of headphones, universally well-loved by DJs some other DJ headphones, but you get what you offers masses of flexibility. This ‘preset’ design is
for their price, reliable sounds and reliable design… pay for with a wide frequency response, powerful a well-rounded and well-priced setup for DJs.
sound and robust build.

97
Gear Guide | Essential Tools For Music Making

MIDI KEYBOARDS

Arturia Keylab Novation FLkey €99

Essential Mk3 €199 Full Review: FM383 (37 and Mini)
Novation’s FLkey range has provided FL Studio
Full Review: FM399 users with the pro-level controller range they’ve
always deserved but long been denied. The range
Better and slicker than its predecessor, Keylab has now been expanded with new 49 and 61-key
Essential 3 delivers great control features, quality models for added playability.
design and good DAW integration.

Akai MPK mini mk3 £90 NI Komplete Kontrol Donner DMK-25 Pro £125 Novation Launchkey Mini Mk3 £110
Review FM363 A very decent upgrade with A-Series | from £119 Review: FM395 The DMK-25 Pro stuffs loads Review: FM349 Small but well spec’d, this is a
genuinely pro features, fixing its position in the Review FM338 A quality controller combined into a lightweight, compact, and visually convenient and well-made controller that’s great
top rung of mini keyboard controllers available. with a well-rounded software bundle. appealing package. Ideal for on-the-go use. with or without Ableton Live.

Novation SL MkIII £540 Arturia MiniLab 3 £90 Novation Launchkey 88 Mk3 Arturia KeyStep Pro £339
Review: FM338 Well-designed and versatile. For Review: FM392 A great value keyboard with an £200 Review: FM359 For melodic sequencing duties
those who work with both hardware and software, updated feature set that makes this one of the Review: FM386 Launchkey 88 is a great and flexible hardware control, this is one of the
this may be the best studio centrepiece that’s on best mini controllers around. standalone controller but is best coupled with best keyboard devices around.
the market. one of the script-supported DAWs.

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