September 2009 by Wusik Dot Com

Editorial

Wusik Sound Magazine www.wusiksoundmagazine.com Issue September 2009

Managing Editor: MoniKe Assistant Editors: Per Lichtman Damion Johnston WilliamK Production Manager: MoniKe

Articles by: A. Arsov www.arsov.net Damion Johnston Dave Clark David Keenum david@wusik.com Ginno 'g.no' Legaspi www.myspace.com/gnomusic Per Lichtman www.soundclick.com/perlichtman VP/Music and Creative, Beyond Belief Music Corp. beyondbeliefmusic@gmail.com Squibs Sergio - aka Sir Joe www.sir-joe.com info@sir-joe.com Trusty www.myspace.com/crosssoldiers Stickybeats@yahoo.com WilliamK

Another magazine, another set of tools, another bunch of reviews, new sounds, new tutorials and now I need to get myself a new computer to hold it all -- or at least a new hard drive! But, I'm happy! It's been a great year so far and the Wusik Sound Magazine is still growing -- maybe not in actual number of pages, but in quality! This month's interview is better than ever before. Squibs has pulled-off a miracle, and the celebrity guest is...? Plus, there's some juicy tutorials and not to mention great product reviews, as usual. Let the Gear Lust take control! We will not feel sorry for that, today. Maybe just a bit...tomorrow. But seriously now, an actual Wusik Machine Hardware Device? Is that for real? Don't forget to check this month's Synth Romance, for a nice story -- another crazy idea by me (WilliamK). Thanks for visiting us again. We hope to see you again for the next issue. Oh, hey! So, anyway, feel free to drop us some comments and suggestions. Without your feedback, we cannot live! Are you still reading this? Go now, read the rest of the magazine!! Sincerely Yours,

Proof-Reading by: Damion Johnston - aka EM Dave Clark Per Lichtman Peggy Pictures: www.dreamstime.com

Front Cover Henry Gibson

WilliamK

Per Lichtman

MoniKe

Table of Contents Table of Contents

04 Grooving with Wusik Station by WilliamK

43 Ask Doctor Jack

Synth Romance: The Wusik Machine Project by WilliamK

Creating Sounds: Hoover Tutorial by Robert Parry

Interview: Thomas Dolby by Squibs

Review:

d16 Group Redoptor by Ginno Legaspi

Image Line's Gross Beat by Squibs

Diamonds Of Orient & Indian Dance Classic by A. Arsov

Sanford Reverb v2.0.1 by David Keenum

FXpansion Guru by A. Arsov

Tonehammer Goes SFZ! by David Keenum

PSP sQuad by David Keenum

Sonnox Essential Bundle by A. Arsov

Mini Reviews:

Soundware Round-up by Ginno Legaspi

Grooving with Wusik Station

by WilliamK

Creating Groove Sequences with Mr G Since the latest Wusik Station version update (V5), you now have a full-featured Groove Sequencer included inside. So let's take a look at how we can create some nice grooves with this nifty tool.

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September 2009

First, let me point out that this tutorial uses the new White-Skin created by Cusis. The Groove Sequencer is in the G Layer. Just click G, which is next to W2 and M, to open the Groove Sequencer, also know as the Groove Box.

Be sure to load up the Init patch, so you don't have anything else but Layer O1 and the Pure-Sine waveform.

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September 2009

Grooving Note that the Groove Sequencer only sends MIDI-Notes; it doesn't do any sound processing. So you can either send Note On/Off internally or externally, meaning that you can even use it to control an external synth, not just Wusik Station sounds.

Now by default it will be set to Drum mode, output note C3. That means that if you click on a step, it's going to send a Note C3 to MIDI-Channel 01, internally. If you want to set to MIDI-Out (externally) just click the first lane (1) again and select MIDI-Out: Enabled. If you are using Wusik Station to play the notes, meaning that you want it to handle sounds, here is a quick way to start setting that up. Click O1 above to open the first layer. At the bottom, next to Vol and Pan, click MIDI CH and set to Ch 1. That will make this layer respond to MIDI-Channel 01 only. Now go to the other layers, O2, O3, O4, W1 and W2, and do the same, but for each, set Ch 2 for O2, Ch 3 for O3, and so on. You should end up with 6 layers, each responding to a different MIDIChannel: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Be sure to activate each layer by clicking on it twice so that it lights up blue (White-Skin). Now in layer O1, let's load a sound from the Drum Collection 1. Click the Pure Sine --- this will open the file-browser. Select Wusikstation->Drum Collection 1->Kicks. 06

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September 2009

with

Wusik Station

If your MIDI-Keyboard is set to Channel 01, you can check the loaded sound now. Now let's go back to Layer G and draw some steps in the first Sequencer-Lane (1). You can click on each step to toggle it onoff, or just use the Mouse Wheel or even Shift+Mouse-Button to adjust the volume of each step.

Click Play, or click the Layer G selector above, or even press Return/Enter on your computer keyboard. The sequence should be playing now, and you can hear the Layer O1 sound playing in the sequence. You can also rename this first Sequence Lane by right-clicking and selecting Rename. For the next step, let's add a Snare sound to the sequence. Go to Layer O2, make sure it's activated, and click Silence to load another sound. Proceed to Wusikstation->Drum Collection 1->Snares.

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September 2009

Grooving Go back to Layer G and click on (2) Off to set MIDI-Channel to 2. Draw some Steps and play the sequence again.

Do the same thing for Layer O3, but load a HiHat Closed sound. In Layer O4, load a HiHat Open Sound. For Layer O5, load something else. Let's say...just go ahead and choose any percussion sound.

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September 2009

with

Wusik Station

You can adjust the AMP Envelope for each layer according to what you want, adding some release or quick decay with zero sustain if you want to shorten the sound. Click on SEQ, hold and move up until all the sequences are gone and you see (6) Off at the top. Those are the next Sequence Lanes. You have up to 16 Lanes, which allows you to create some really complex Grooves. For Lane (6), click and select the same MIDI-Channel you have selected for Layer W2, which should be Ch 6. Click again and select Mode->Note. Now, select the Steps you want to add notes on, and enable those steps. Below the step, you should see the â&#x20AC;&#x201C; icon; click there, hold and move up and down to select the note you want. Alternatively, use the Rem.Edit (Remote Edit) option which makes it much easier. After selecting it, click in the first step you want to edit. You can also right-click Rem.Edit for some extra options, which allows an easier editing of the notes.

Be sure to load another sound on Layer W2, let's say a synth sound. Now you can add a nice synth line in this Sequence (6). If you want a sound to stop, double-click in a step so it adds a Note-Off to it. Otherwise, it only does a Note-Off when it reaches the next step. If you want to add more notes, just use Sequence (7) and do the same settings as in Sequence (6), so you can add two notes at the same time for Layer W2. You can even set more Sequence Lanes for that same Layer W2 Channel and have multiple notes playing out for that Layer W2 Sound. This should get you groovin' with Wusik Station. Additionally, you can also check out the Video Tutorials on how to use the Groove Sequencer by visiting: http://www.wusik.com/w/tutorials.html

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Creating

Hoover Tutorial

Sounds

Hoover Tutorial by Robert Parry In this Tutorial I will be show-

Wusik Sound Magazine

ing you how to create that

The Hoover sound is used in

Classic Hoover sound created

many OLD Rave tracks and has

originally on the Roland Juno

that distinctive sweeping pitch

synhtesizer.

sound.

September 2009

1. Creating the Hoover. We wil be using 4 Oscillators for this sound. Osc 1 Start of with a saw wave or the included Ametrine saw low sound. Next detune the saw wave a whole Octave (-12). Switch mono mode on and Auto portamento also. Next we need the sound to sweep using a mod Envolope. Set the attack of the mod env 1 to 36 and the decay to 49. In the Mod Matrix set the source to Mod Env 1, the destination to 01 Pitch and the amount to 7

Osc 2 The best thing to do is to copy oscillator one into osc 2. The only thing we need to change with osc 2 is the tune is set to zero. So no transposing is happening. A low pass 4 pole filter needs to be set up, with filter frequency set to 65.The final thing to set up is the mod matrix again. This time the Source should be mod env 1 to Destination 02 Pitch. The amount is also set to 7.

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September 2009

Creating

Hoover Tutorial

Sounds

Osc 3 Oscillator 3 is exactly the same as oscillator one except the fine tune is set to - 30. Best to copy oscillator one over to osc 3 and apply the changes. The mod Matrix also needs to be set up with Source = Mod env 1 and destination = 03 Pitch with amount set to 7

Osc 4 Oscillator 4 is a carbon copy of osc 2. So best to copy over osc 2 to osc 4. The fine tune needs to be set to - 30 also. Next the mod matrix needs to be set up as follows: source = Mod env 1 and Destination = 04 pitch with 7 Amount

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September 2009

The Effects Section We are going to add 2 effects to the sounds now to give it a bit of bite. In effects one add a stereo echo. Under delay echo - Stereo echo - set the delay to 1/12 and the oversl sound level to 30 In effects two we are going to add double Chorus and fast setting. So Chorus - Double chorus and then set the fx to fast. The overall sound level should be 90. Finally in the master section set the fx 1 and fx 2 sounds levels for each of the 4 oscillators. Fx 1 and 2 sound levels are both 80. The Hoover sound is basically a few detuned saw waves with the pitch being modulated up or down. For example: the pitch of the sound rises fairly quickly and then drops back down to its original level. The pitch can also be made to do other things like a long pitch bend and then stay at that pitch.

http://www.ametrineaudio.com

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September 2009

Thomas Dolby

by Squibs

Thomas Dolby is a man of many talents. He is a musician, producer and a technological innovator. He conquered the charts in the 80s, with a string of hits including “Hyperactive” and “She Blinded Me With Science”. He has worked with many stellar artists including David Bowie, Foreigner and Stevie Wonder, to name but a few. These days, he works in his private studio - a converted 1930s ship's lifeboat in his garden on the beach, which runs on wind and solar power.

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September 2009

WSM: Prefab Sprout's Steve McQueen has been one of my favourite albums for a long time. I like it as much for the quality of the production as for the power of Paddy McAloon's songwriting. Can you tell me a little about the recording of that album?

and under the bed there were stacks of sheets of lyrics. And he pulled out his lyrics, and he'd sit there and the chord notation was written over the lyrics. He sat there and played me -- I don't know -- probably 60 or 70 songs. Out of those, I picked my favourites and we went into a rehearsal room in London and worked them over and then recorded them in the space of, I think, probably about a month and then maybe a couple of weeks for mixing.

left and right, is so different in a way because she sings very straight. Somebody pointed out that it's almost like having two lead vocals going on simultaneously. I think that's really what gave the album its flavour. The other thing is that he...he often sings in a very breathy and close kind of voice, but every now and then he lets rip, so there's a sort of tension and release that happens in his music which I think is really special. He has sort of a brash exhibitionist side which occasionally comes to the surface, even though a lot of the time he's very hermit-like -- a sort of introverted mysterious character and maybe later in his career that brash side surfaced more and more seldom. I think that some of the later recordings, though they're very pleasant, you don't get that contrast when he screams a word like "Antiques".

Thomas Dolby: Yes. Well, I hadn't known The Sprouts for very long. I'd come across them because I was invited to be a guest on a BBC show called â&#x20AC;&#x153;Round Tableâ&#x20AC;? where you have to review new singles. It came to So it was quite a fast album to do, Prefab Sprout's single -- a band I'd and I'm very flattered when people never heard of, and the song was talk about the production, but I'd say called "Don't Sing". I instantly loved that 80% of the production is in the it and said, "This is fantastic!" but arrangements. If you have good everybody else slagged it off. The composition and an arrangement band and their manager, Keith which makes sense and which leaves Armstrong, were listening in, and they gaps, to fill with good parts and with decided that I had given them a good good sounds, then engineering the plug on the radio. So they came back appropriate sounds and mixing it to me after that and said that they comes easy. were interested in finding a producer, WSM: What was your first and did I want to talk to them about WSM: That was one of the things I synthesizer? it? particularly loved about the album; it was simultaneously Thomas Dolby: A Transcendent 2000, I took a train up to County Durham sparse and lush. which had been built from a kit from and met with the McAloon brothers, directions on the back of, I think, who were both living in their mum's Thomas Dolby: Yeah, well I mean it's "Electronics Today" magazine. That house, which was a rectory in an old got a good sound-scape to it, and part was a fairly hit-and-miss affair. From catholic church, and the crucifixes of that is because Paddy has a very there, I got a Micromoog, which was were on the wall and so on. I sat with intimate and expressive voice, and the first sort of affordable Moog. I say Paddy in his tiny bedroom, which was then the "bed" of Wendy Smith's affordable -- I mean I think it was not much bigger than the bed itself, harmonies behind him, double tracked 1500 quid and it played one note at a

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September 2009

time <laughs>, but it was affordable compared to the big modular synths. From there I went on to a Roland Jupiter 4 which had four voices and I recorded a lot of my first album with just those two (Micromoog and Roland Jupiter 4). The thing is...when you're limited for voices or tracks or whatever, you have to be very creative and ingenious with the sounds that you pick. And there wasn't often the opportunity to go back and redo something, so you had to build it as

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you went along and you had to take chances. But I think that's actually a positive context to be working in, versus today when you have endless options and possibilities and you always have the option to go back and redo something. And that's very nice and it's made music accessible to a far wider range of people, which is good. But on the nostalgic side, I always feel a sort of affection for those early days when nobody really knew what they were doing and you had to take chances and be quite daring.

September 2009

WSM: So do you work mostly with soft synthesizers and digital audio workstations at the moment? Thomas Dolby: Well, I tend to these days, because it's always...it's about convenience mainly, because I can work for a few hours and then switch everything off and it'll come up exactly the way I left it, and I can switch between songs, and so on. A hardware keyboard or synthesizer is another 4 or 5 leads that can go wrong or get unplugged or get switched around or whatever, and a

bunch of knobs that can get knocked. I like the effort that I put in when I'm working...I like to know that that's gonna survive 'til the end. I don't like the feeling that its all a fragile house of cards that, if I leave it overnight or switch to another song, I might lose what I had. So the convenience, really, of software synths is that you work as you go along and then you take a snapshot. You know when you quit out of it and turn it off, you're taking a snapshot which you can return to when you carry on. And then, yeah obviously, a digital audio workstation means that I can work at home, don't have a long commute, don't have to pay hundreds of pounds an hour in studio costs. And yet, it's all very compatible these days, so if I go off to work with somebody else, I can just bring a hard drive with me and it'll just come up pretty much the way it was on my home studio. WSM: Do you have a go-to soft synth? What would be your favourite soft synth at the moment? Thomas Dolby: I use a Virus Polar. That is a piece of hardware, although in reality it's kind of like a ÂŁ2000 dongle because there's a software version of it which you can only run if the hardware is connected. WSM: And do you tend to use factory presets or do you like to roll your own? Thomas Dolby: I'll sometimes flip through presets to find something to start from, but I do usually roll my own. When I get a new synth, I tend to go through the presets and save favourites or zap the ones that I hate. And some of them are so huge these days, that you never get through the presets. I mean, I bought Omnisphere recently and I think I'm about as far as the G's <laughs>.

So next time I've got a couple of days to waste, I'll go from H through Z. WSM: One of the biggest problems I find when I'm recording, particularly my own stuff, is that I'll go to set up a signal path and by the time I've selected my mic and my preamp, I'm in left brain mode so my inspiration is gone. When you're working as a producer, do you tend to leave the technical stuff to somebody else? Thomas Dolby: Well I know the exact problem and it is quite hard to switch sides of your brain, and I think distressing actually, when you feel you have that thing and you feel it's quite easy to betray the original idea because you got caught up with something technical. That, again, is part of the appeal of just having the ability to power up and have everything be right there, versus have to plug things in and you can see it in the meters but you can't hear it in the speakers. When I'm working on sounds, I very much do it on my own, and I'm fast and it would really slow me down to have to work with an engineer. My technique these days is... I'm not very fond of twiddling knobs to create sounds from scratch -- I like bigger building blocks. So on the album that I'm doing, I tend to work with real musicians, and when you're working with real musicians, the premium really is on their time and energy -- not studio time or tech or whatever. For example, a couple of weeks ago, I was in a studio in California working with a brass section (The Jazz Mafia) and I did probably 14 -15 takes of their parts straight into Pro Tools, whereas in the old days you would have taken a lot of care to get it right, check the tuning, punch in and out for a few notes or phrases here and there and maybe end up with two or three good takes to choose from.

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September 2009

These days you want to get them WSM: An acquaintance of mine down and get them out of there -wanted me to ask you about once I'm back home, time is not so "Hyperactive." He's been much of a premium, so I tend to just fascinated by it since it first came whack down lots of takes and keep an out and he wanted to know if you ear out for things that they get can remember what was going on repeatedly wrong. Something that's in your head when you wrote it. difficult for them to finger, or there's a tuning issue, and then I'll go back and Thomas Dolby: Well, I actually wrote work on that bit specifically and make it for Michael Jackson, which is kind of sure I have it. But then when I get a timely piece of trivia. I'd met home, I just cut and paste, down to Michael through a roundabout set of the individual notes and syllables. circumstances and had visited him in Los Angeles when he was about to And similarly with my vocals -- I'll do start working on a Jacksons album several takes of vocals and invariably called "Victory." He asked me if I had there's like one or two lines where anything or if I could come up with they're very hard for me to sing, and anything that might be appropriate for so I know that by the time I get home, him to sing on that album. So I I have several options for the easy worked on the groove a bit and lines and no options for the hard lines. "Hyperactive" is what I came up with. I I'll very often take the line that's sent it to Michael, and he liked the difficult and I'll just sing that over and groove but he didn't want to sing the over again against the backing track -- song really, so I ended up doing it looping it, so I've got maybe 20 myself. It's partly a reflection on me, versions of that line completely out of 'cos that was partly me when I was a context. And then invariably from kid. It's just about the idea of taking repeating, there'll be one line in there that energy and vitality that you have that's good and then I'll just drop that when you're a kid and still have as a into -- you know -- the real thing. I grown-up. prefer bigger building blocks and very often on this album, I'm cutting and WSM: You're just about to repasting entire drum and bass fills from release "The Golden Age of one take to another and things like Wireless" and "The Flat Earth." that. Thomas Dolby: Yeah -- they actually

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come out today. [This interview was recorded on the 13th July 2009.] WSM: So what was it like to revisit that material after all these years? Thomas Dolby: Well it was a lot of fun -- only I wasn't interested in remixing it or 5.1 or anything like that. There's nothing about the original that I really feel I need to redo, you know...I don't have any regrets about it. So it was really just a case of doing a better job of mastering it, you know...it's hard to get stuff onto vinyl, so with modern mastering techniques I was looking forward to having higher quality mastering on the new release, and then also because "The Golden Age of Wireless" in particular came out in lots of different forms, through the UK and American releases it seemed to make sense to try and have a comprehensive "Golden Age of Wireless" which had all possible variants. In addition there are a few bonus tracks that didn't make it onto the album, demo versions of album tracks that I thought were interesting, so we decided to do a deluxe package. Then in addition, included in the package for "Golden Age of Wireless," is a DVD of a thing called "Live Wireless" which is a live concert that I did in 1984 and

was only available up to now, I think, as a laser disc! WSM: So you're working on a new album at the moment? Thomas Dolby: Yes I am, yeah. I'm maybe one third or halfway into it. WSM: And when do you expect that it will be released? Thomas Dolby: When it's finished WSM: <Laughs> Good answer! Thomas Dolby: I mean, my current plan, and this may change is...the songs seem to fall into three categories. So I had this idea to release three downloadable EPs with 3 or four songs on each, followed by a physical album that would contain all of them plus some extra songs. That's my current plan and if I do that, then at least the first of those will certainly be out this year, but other than that I can't really tell. I think after an 18year gap people can wait a little longer for me to get it right. WSM: You were one of the early adopters of the Internet and all the possibilities that it offers, and I see that your blog and twitter feed are very active. Has social

networking changed the way you interact with your fan base?

Did they buy it because they heard "Hyperactive" on the radio? Did they buy it because a friend played them Thomas Dolby: Certainly, yeah. It the album and they heard "Screen makes a huge difference because in Kiss" and fell in love with it? And what the old days you had so many stages kind of people are these? Are they to go through before you'd actually anorak-wearing trainspotters that are get real feedback from fans. Not only interested in how I connected my OBX was it harder to record, even for the 8 to my Minimoog or are they lucky ones that had a record contract, romantic, poetic individuals that as I did...you know...? caught that flavour in the music? I'd record and then I'd have to play it They're just units really and the whole for my A&R man and hopefully he record business is built on shifting would sign off on it, but the the units. There's almost zero knowledge promotions and marketing and radio really of who the fans were and what departments had to approve it and if they really felt about it. It was great they approved it then the radio when it was working and you'd get big programmers had to like it and put it numbers and you'd see your poster in on the radio and the retail shop W.H. Smiths on a High Street or you'd owners had to like it and stock it. And go on Top of the Pops and you'd think then it would get out there and people "Wow! I must be a big star". But, you would know about it, and only then never really felt that feedback from did the general public get to really the fans and it's come so far now react to it. because I can put rough mixes on the Internet at the press of a button and Other than playing live there was very get some initial feedback from people few ways for me to get feedback. I as to what they thought of it. I think mean, you might get bags of fan mail, things are much better these days, but that's always going to be gushing really. and positive. You never really know how it connects with people 'cos a year, 18 months afterwards you get chart positions and hopefully a royalty statement and so on, but even then you don't know why did they buy it.

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September 2009

Xenos Soundworks

Offering custom sound design for softsynth owners and hardware or software sample owners. Also offering ready-made preset banks for various softsynths. www.xenossoundworks.com

d16 Group Redoptor

d16 Group Redoptor by Ginno Legaspi

d16 Group, the software developers known to emulate classic Roland beatboxes, are becoming increasingly popular by releasing affordable, yet good sounding plug-ins. They have added yet another effect to their Silverline lineup. This time it is in the guise of Redoptor: a software emulation of a vintage tube preamp. That is the official release description, but there's so much more to it that I see it as a multi-functional plug-in. d16's web page doesn't reveal if Redoptor is modeled after a specific piece of hardware, but they did mention that this plug-in is of highquality and that it has a very precisely modeled tube distortion section. This got me curious, so let's take a look. Redoptor costs 35 Eur and it comes in AU and VST formats for both Mac (OSX 10.4.3) and PC (Win 2000/XP). If you happen to buy the whole Silverline bundle or the Total plug-in bundle, d16 gives you a substantial savings of up to 26% off. Once you buy a license and install the product,

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activating it is a piece of cake. Just copy the key file provided by d16 to your plug-ins folder. Once you start your host/DAW it is ready for unlimited use.

before it's amplified and fed to the next stage. The Tube Control consists of tone shaping knobs for Bias, Tone, and Brightness. These controls will sculp the sound in terms of harmonics generated by the tube distortion. They can control the harmonics in a more or less subtle/noisy way, but testing Redoptor in Orion 7.6 definitely improved presence and warmth of the souce materials I tried. With highly usuable stock presets, I managed to dial-in the right one for an Industrial/EBM-style drum pattern I programmed to give it that "in-yourface-sound."

Launching the product for the first time reveals Redoptor's fantastic looking GUI. And like the other Silverline products, it looks like the GUI has been lifted from an 80's hi-fi stereo--really cool. I love it because it adds a bit of the fun factor to using the plug-in. I thought the little add-on tube image has some kind of function or hid an Easter egg surprise. But, it did nothing for me. Displaying it there is neat, nonetheless. Navigating is When you think of tube distortion easy; the various controls are pretty effects, people mostly associate it much straightforward and it does with guitars. But non-six-stringed what it's supposed to do. instruments such as synth basses, synths arps and percussive loops can Redoptor's various modules are also benefit from Redoptor as I have broken down into different sections. It stated. If experimentation and contains a Preamp Gain (which can be tweaking is your game, slight overdriven) complete with adjustable parameter adjustments will give the lo/hi-pass filter. This will allow for distortion and rich harmonics you sound shaping of source materials need. Finally, a 4-band parametric

September 2009

equalizer section will further process the tone of your signal. It allows you to tweak the Frequency, Gain and Bandwidth (Q). d16 states that most typical amps available have a fixed graphical equalizer, with 3 or 4 bands and only allow gain of the signal. With Redoptor's EQ, the bands are controllable making it more flexible and unique. As I come to expect from d16, Redoptor is a very high-quality tube distortion plug-in. It is capable of wearing different "sound masks." It can give digital instruments a vintage, older-quality sound. It can be pleasant, warm and clean one minute, yet it can distort your audio material like there's no tomorrow. One thing I learned in processing loops is that it is sometimes good to apply a bit of saturation or subtle distortion to make them "jump-right-out-of-thespeakers". Redoptor fits perfectly for this job because it imparts a good tube sound - giving new life to older drum and percussion loops. The results can be satistfying with this trick. And trust me, Redoptor is up to the task.

CONTACT: contact@d16.pl, www.d16.pl PRICE: â&#x201A;Ź35 (Silverline Collection and Total Bundle are also available) COPY PROTECTION: Key file FORMAT/SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Redoptor is available in VST and AU format for PC and Mac. It's a dynamic library (.dll file) for PC (VST only) and Universal Binary bundle for Mac (VST and AU). To use the product you need Windows 2000/XP or Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later. It is not a standalone program, so you need a VST or AU compatible host application to use it.

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

by A. Arsov

Bestservice strikes again.

United Colours of London A few months ago, we went to England with family. We saw a lot of â&#x20AC;&#x153;must seeâ&#x20AC;? charming things, but the thing that impressed me the most was the united colours of London's underground. I really enjoyed being with all those people: red, black, yellow, white, albino and all other colours and shades from all around the globe. It is a gift of life that we are so equal and yet so different at the same time. I enjoyed listening to their conversation. I enjoyed listening to the melodies of their exotic languages. Because there is nothing so boring in the world, at least for me, than to spend a life always among slightly overweight, white-caucasian people that are all dressed

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August 2009

the same, talking the same dialect, and most of the time talking about the same things over and over through all the days and years -- as happens in my small home town. Okay, so much about people. But, the same thing has happened with my songs, or even maybe with your songs. Using just your same ordinary tools and your usual genre with your same boring expected sounds will take you nowhere. The world doesn't need just another clean example of an existing genre. A song without any distinction is like a soup without any spice. Could someone please pass the salt at least?

Rhythm of differences

Diamonds Of Orient A loop DVD containing two GB of exotic ethnic percussion loops and construction kits. A bunch of wildly â&#x20AC;&#x153;almost never heard beforeâ&#x20AC;? percussive instruments played by well known native musicians from all these "exotic" countries: Azerbaijan, Persia, Chechenia (Chechnya), Turkmenistan, Bulgaria, Macedonia to name only a few of them and there are many other included eastern countries. Nagara, Hollo, Davul and Bendir, Tumba or Zil are just a few of the instruments which will dance through your ears in all measures and styles. Look at the time signatures: 3/4, 5/8, 6/8, 7/8, 9/8, 10/8, 12/8 -you name it and you get it! All in all there are 113 construction kits and 846 single instrument loops from 55 BPM to 260 BPM. Every hit or loop is recorded clearly in high quality, so your job is to only find the right one. I spiced up plenty of my new songs with loops from this DVD. Maybe those loops will not end up like a main loop in your genre-dependent song, but I can assure you that it will add that extra live feel along with a touch of exotic lands and captivating rhythms. There is perhaps not so much to write about this DVD, but there is definitively plenty to hear on it. It is a quality and handy tool for filling up musical holes or making lively choruses. The main distinction from the Indian Dance Classic library is that most of the loops on Diamonds Of Orient are more on the laid back side, covering slower to mid-tempo rhythms, and for that reason this library is maybe more suitable for slower downtempo or ambient genres, while the loops on Indian Dance Classic are better aimed for fulfilling your uptempo dance songs. Dual Layer DVD 6,35 GB (WAV 1,99 GB) 55 BPM - 260 BPM Multiformat: WAV, AIFF, REX2, SAGE (Stylus RMX) Price: 87 Euros

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September 2009

Indian Dance Classic Another part of the world, but with similar usability, quality, and quantity of goodies included; along with the same price. There are 750 high-quality loops ranging from 86 to 200 BPM recorded from all over India. All Indian dance styles are included, but please don't make me name them--I would break my fingers while trying to type them, and you would break your tongue reading them aloud. No matter how strange those names sound, to me, the listening pleasure is top notch. The DVD is separated by styles, and inside you will find basic rhythm, fills intros, ends, and some freestyles. The same goes for Diamonds Of Orient â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no main loop story, but everything else works like a charm. Tablas, Pakhaway, Dholak, Duggis and other instruments and beats will dance through your songs making them more unique and far more interesting. Maybe it is all matter of taste, but if you need some fresh ideas for your song, I can assure you that you can't go wrong with this library. There are some loops in a slower tempo, but most of them are on a faster, more danceable side and can easily find their way sitting along with your four-on-the-floor beats. My favourite part of this library is the one from the Rhythm vocal directory -- a bunch of rhythmical loops recorded with a voice. As you can imagine, they are pretty much different from the familiar hip hop mouth beats we all know. They're using the same instrument, but definitely, with a totally different approach. I like it! 750 Acidized WAV files 750 AIFF Apple Loops 750 Stylus compatible REX2 files Price: 87 Euros

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

Conclusion from the other part of the world Maybe those libraries are not for everyone's taste, but both libraries are stuffed with quality recorded exotic loops. The loops on Diamonds Of Orient, sound-wise, are also more versatile than is the case with those from Indian Dance Classic. In general, Diamonds Of Orient contain more versatile rhythms covering a wider sound pallet, but on the other hand all those vivid and uplifting loops from the Indian Dance Classic library are really unmissable if you are making dance productions. No matter which library you choose, it is a fact that originality sells. So, employing either Diamonds of Orient or Indian Dance Classic library, you will add some extra spice to your songs and made them more unique and more interesting. A soup without spice is just water with vegetables and noodles. Try them and you will know what I have been talking about. As one of my friends says: "spices are spices for our life's enjoyment." Perhaps, just nonsense, but there's truth in there at the same time. Spices have been used for millenia to add flavor, health and vitality to our foods. Use some spice, and add versatility to your music, and to life! Imejte se dobro in u탑ivajte v branju - That's what I was talking about. ;-) This all may sound strange to you, but at the same time it lets you know that there is also life outside of our individual little worlds.

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September 2009

FXpansion Guru

FXpansion Guru by A. Arsov

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

A drum workstation from the past â&#x20AC;&#x201C; still on the rail, still on sale.

Old toys for old boys Why in the world would someone want to review an old piece of software? As you know, Guru is at least two-years old, and yes, there were some minor upgrades during that time; adding a few useful improvements along with some additional outputs, but still nothing revolutionary. It's been a long way from version 1.0.0 to 1.6.2. So what's happened? Am I short on drum tools? Eh, always â&#x20AC;&#x201C; but to tell you the real truth â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Nope!! I'm a happy owner of a satisfying number of drum loop libraries and have a nice collection of most of the new fancy beat workstations. I could easily envision myself beating and banging rhythms from my impressive collection till the end of my existence. But There is always some alternative in real life. I visited FXpansion's site to get information about one of their other products and noticed that they are still selling their old Guru. It used to be an impressive piece of software way back when, and it was released as a result of a cooperation between Devine Machine and FXpansion company. As they still sell it in a price range which is almost equal to some of the brand new competitors, I decided to download the demo to see what

was the reason for such marketing arrogance. After spending a few minutes with the demo version, I realized that it was my arrogance and not theirs, because I have absolutely underestimated this old product. During that same moment, I got the strong impression that this drum fellow would become my main drum tool.

neither a brain surgeon nor a perfect machine. There is always some kick played simultaneously with a hat or a hat with other percussion. Kicks with a hat usually end up in a kick row, while percussion with hats are usually placed somewhere into a hat row, but nevertheless there is always some clean kick or hat in the loop, and at the same time you can add some extra hits on Decisions, decisions the fly by just drawing the desired hit in a sequencer window, or So what is so impressive about simply by hitting your keyboard. this old bit of software that If you prefer, you can also drag impressed me so much? Here it is, sliced and automatically recycled clear and right to the point: the MIDI clips from previewed loops interface -- where everything is to the host's MIDI track for so logical and easy to further manipulation, but most of understand; combined with an the time there is no need for excellent loop sequencer where all doing that, because messing hits from previewed loops are around with the internal automatically ordered in sequencer is pure joy. frequency-divided rows inside the Rearranging the loop or just internal sequencer's window. At changing a separate hit with any the same time, all sliced other sound from your library hits/parts are also sorted on pads takes just a matter of seconds. and linked with sequencer rows. So, that was my love story with My dreams have come true: I can the internal sequencer window. finally edit loops on the fly. Now, it is time to present to you Browsing through the loop library, the drum pads. Pressing the Stop we get slices from a selected loop, button inside the Guru interface sorted into sixteen pads which are causes the loop to stop playing; themselves sorted into four rows then you can use hits from the containing four pads in each row. loop which are presorted on the From bottom to top, we get rows pads, or you can simply use hits with Kicks, above that Snares, from one of the selected kits (as then Hats, and finally Percussion it is not just a loop-oriented tool) at the top. It sounds impressive, for playing them through your but does it really work? Okay, it is keyboard, or for triggering it with www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

FXpansion Guru

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

a MIDI clip. Pressing the pad edit button, which can be found in a menu window under the pads, we get an audio editor window (instead of a sequencer window) for setting the slice points along with all other editing possibilities which will be described more a bit later. Left at the bottom of the interface is one of the best-organised small browsers I've seen 'til now: divided into pattern, kits, pads, and loops sections. Pressing any of them will route you to the last previewed directory for the section you choose, and all things available are previewed in the context of your arrangement; synced to the host tempo. In practice that means if you choose a loop but don't like the loop's kick, you just need to press the pad containing the kick you want to change and then press the pad section changing from loops to pads so that you can now browse through your kick directory to find the right one. Guru is pretty CPUfriendly, so there are no glitches during this process, not even on my old laptop. It works like a charm, and that's not all.

party loops from various renowned producers. All those kits, loops, and patterns are almost worthy of the asking price. I said almost, because most of the new workstations also come with a similar quantity of additional goodies, but nevertheless let us not forget Guru itself. Guru itself, continued

GURU has eight independent engines. This means that you can load up to eight loops or combination of loops, kits, patterns, hits, or beats -- all at once. Every engine has a complete set of editing tools: independent sequencer, sixteen pads, up to three effects, graph and pad editing windows, more or less everything that GURU offers is multiplied by eight. I find that this is really handy when you are quickly searching for some additional loops or you want to add some additional things in your arrangement. I am Mr. Exporting Man, and when I like something, I export it as audio for further implementation; but I also find this multi-ability as a very handy thing for experimenting with the That is not allâ&#x20AC;? section arrangement, adding hits or loops on the fly, or for changing things up Guru costs 137 Euro and comes with until the last minute. This is the first more than four gigs of audio content time that I have ever used an (that's according to the manual; instrument as a standalone, not just almost six gigs if you ask me and my inside a host. In my spare time, I disk) in a bunch of various kits loaded some instrumental loops in covering all styles -- and very good the first engine, then I browsed for kits indeed. There are a solid number appropriate loops in other engines on of patterns, a great number of drum my old laptop, saving everything as hits, and a pretty big collection of a Guru song. Later when I start very useful loops, at least for me. All working on my song in a host, I had genres, all styles. My favourite part all the loops already chosen. of the included libraries are the third-

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September 2009

FXpansion Guru

So, in each engine there is a set of sixteen “pads,” each of them acting as a pad on a classical drum sampler. Up to eight samples can be layered inside each pad, in unison or separated by velocity layers. This is handy for achieving a more natural feel by layering various snares or hats, or you can go mad with all of your hits! Each pad can be routed to one of the three effects or to the Pad edit window where other madnesses can be applied: Gain, pan pitch, filter, start/end points, reverse, amplitude or low-filter envelopes. There is also a nice sorting tool that is also designed for a mad scientist.

there are also additional Save, Load and Save-As buttons.

In the Pad edit window you can get specific with layering and shaping the sample, as it is with all good sample editors. The Graph editor with step automation graphs is more aimed at the mad scientist who likes to draw asymmetrical lines, changing various parameters throughout the pattern. The Graph editor can change velocity, pan, pitch, filter envelope and resonance, repeat, shift reverse and scrub. Don't ask – download it and try it for yourself. There are eight mixer channels in a mixer window, with pan and pitch options. Every pad can be But the real fun begins with the heavily pitched inside the pad edit before-mentioned sequencer window window, but pitching a whole loop on inside the pattern editor, where each the fly can produce some really wild pattern can have up to four pages effects in your arrangements, getting with 32 steps each. (Don't mistake the effect as if the loop is coming out this with patterns inside the browser of the tunnel. Definitively not the where the MIDI files can be browsed same as just filtering the loop with along with some included patterns low pass filter. Talking about the from the library.) Under the editor effects – in the Aux Effects section window is a row with pattern knobs you can set up to three effects. You (those rounded buttons arranged like can choose between the whole wide a keys from a keyboard under the range of various and useful effects. sequencers window). These are for I'm not prepared to list them all, so saving the current pattern, so making, feel free to find the details in one of saving, and obtaining variations is a the included pictures. There are matter of one click. If you need any perhaps a lot of other important other time signature, all you need to details, but as this is not the Guru do is to grab the right edge of Special Wusik Edition, we should sequencer's window and drag it to the probably stop here and let you to left until you reach the desired explore it deeper for yourself after number of steps. This also works well you download the demo version. with loops. Between the sequencer window and the browser window is a tiny row filled with buttons for Time for the entirety? switching between various editors. They are for opening the Pattern, Eh, not exactly. It is an excellent Graphs, Pad edit, Aux Effects, Mix, drum tool, but there is one main point Scenes and Options windows, and where age shows its colours. Exporting audio is a bit of pain. You 32

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September 2009

have to press a record button first, along with settings that you would like to export, and after that you can use a drag-and-drop button to drag it in your host. O.K. --- it works, and it exports audio in 24-bit depth, but it is not up-to-date. We live in a simple drag-and-drop time, and Guru is from the beginning of that era, so you have to take three steps instead of one to get your audio into a host. It is not a really big issue, and secondly I'm used to recording everything directly to the host anyway, so I rarely use any of these exporting options on any instrument. The second strange issue is that Guru can't import kits from DR-008. I would really like to have at least one workstation which can import third-party libraries. I know it is a mostly a copyright issue, and I presume that this does not have a cheap solution, but DR-008 is from the same company, and I have few gigs of DR-008 kits which I can't use with Guru. It wouldn't hurt if NI Battery import was also included, but I really can't find any reason at all not to implement DR-008 support. Excepting that – everything is just perfect. I don't have a 64-bit system, so I can't tell you if it works with 64-bit systems, but being an old piece of software, it really flies on current machines but works like a breeze on old computers, too. I tested Guru on an old single-core laptop and my dual-core workhorse. I also tested it in a presence of my older son who likes it a lot. By A. Arsov - the specialist for ancient FXpansion era.

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September 2009

PSP sQuad by David Keenum

Inspired by Analog ClassicQ ClassicQ is based on “classic” British hardware equalizers. It features a high pass filter, a low filter with switchable frequencies, an adjustable mid filter with an adjustable “Q”, a high filter with PSP's sQuad is a bundle of 4 EQs. Rather than switchable frequencies, and a volume knob. In addition there is a being modeled after specific hardware units, “sim” button to simulate Class A simulation, High Q buttons on the sQuad is "inspired by the best features and high and low Filters, and an Auto Q button on the mid filter. This characteristics of classic analog hardware." The 4 EQ makes it easy to “twist” a knob, and it rewards you when you EQs are: ClassicQ, ConsoleQ, preQursor, and do. I’m not a heavy EQ user, and I tend to cut rather than boost. But I’ve had fun with this EQ! It became my favorite of the 4, and RetroQ. Each has their own individual personality, yet they yes, I boosted! all retain a vintage "flavor." And I would describe these EQs as "quick and easy." ConsoleQ

Common Features

Remember the old Mackie ads for their mixing boards where they PSP introduced FAT, their double internal sampling always mentioned that their EQs were copied from British option, with Vintage Warmer 2. In sQuad FAT is consoles? Well, the ConsoleQ looks nothing like a British console, but it functions like one. According to the .pdf manual, it is based automatically enabled for sample rates below 50 on British console EQs, with the AMEK consoles mentioned kHz. In addition, internal processing is at 64-bit specifically. Also from the manual: “The ConsoleQ is specially double precision floating-point. Also, each of the designed for deep track tweaking to get the desired sound for a EQs has a SAT, as in saturation option. But the track, or just to get great track separation in the mix.” And I most interesting feature, for me, is that the actual found this to be true. It is perfect for a general track EQ. parameter settings are not completely accurate. The idea is to emulate analog EQs, and their ConsoleQ has a low pass filter and low, low mid, high mid, and settings are not completely accurate. So the high filter. The frequency is adjusted with the outer ring while the same holds true for sQuad. Personally, I didn’t knob adjusts the cut or boost. My one complaint is that I found have a problem with this feature. It was fun to be the outer ring hard to work. I couldn’t get it to work at times. With practice this got better. One other interesting fact about in a position to have to actually trust my ears. ConsoleQ is “Q-factor.” Again from the manual: “… we designed PSP ConsoleQ’s midrange bell type filters so that they have gain following Q factors. By this, we mean that the Q factor of these filters gradually increases along with increases in boost or attenuation.” This is also called a progressive Q. The more you boost or cut, the broader the filter. To round out the features is the “Q Width Switch.” This switch selects the shape of the filter’s bell curve. 34

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

PSP sQuad Creator: PSP (Professional Sound Projects) Web-Site: http://www.pspaudioware.com/ Price: $249.00 Details: PSP sQuad is a bundle of four equalizer plug-ins. They are inspired by the best features and characteristics of classic analog hardware. Formats: VST and RTAS for Windows; AudioUnit, RTAS, and VST for Mac OSX universal binary Authorization/Registration: You can authorize PSP sQuad with a simple serial number, or you can authorize using iLok. Demo: 14 days

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Minimum system requirements: Windows XP with ServicePack 2 or Vista, - Intel or AMD processor (i386 architecture compatible high performance CPU recommended) - 512 MB RAM - VST or RTAS compatible host application, - ProTools TDM/LE 7.3 or later for running RTAS. Mac OSX 10.4 or 10.5 or later, - Intel Mac or PowerPC G4 or G5, - 512 MB RAM - AudioUnit, VST or RTAS compatible host application, - ProTools TDM/LE 7.3 or later for running RTAS. Test Computer: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz, 4GB RAM, Windows XP Pro SP 3, Echo MiaMIDI Audio Card

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

PSP sQuad

Conclusions

PreQursor According to the manual, preQursor was designed for use “on acoustic tracks, overall mixes, or any application in which maintaining the natural feel of the material is paramount.” All four filters are bell-type filters with progressive Q factors. You have a choice of three or four frequencies for all the filters except the LPF. For example The LMF (lo mid filter) gives you the choice of 200Hz, 350 Hz, 500 Hz, or 900 Hz. For me, this was the most neutral of the collection, and although I have no arguments against it, I didn’t use it that much. I found myself reaching for one of the other three.

RetroQ RetroQ is based on Vintage Warmer’s filters, and it is a great addition to this collection. RetroQ has to be the gentlest EQ I have ever used. Think subtle, smooth, and sweet. It doesn’t do deep cuts or boosts, or precise sculpting. But what it does, it does nicely. I have never used an EQ like this, so I’m glad to see it in this collection. Of course, this couldn’t be your only EQ. Sometimes you need a lot more boost or cut, or you may need a narrower Q. But this is a great option to have. According to the manual it was “optimized for use on groups and mixes,” and I agree. I think it would even work well as an EQ on a bus or the master.

If you like to use one or two EQs for all your applications, then sQuad may not be for you. Then again… using sQuad as your only EQ is an interesting concept. Especially if you are the “retro” Guerrilla (or is that Gorilla?!) type mixer, flying by the seat of his pants, and yelling, “Only trust your ears!” Sound familiar? Maybe not, but I can say that it has been fun using my ears. And I can say that it’s taken a lot of the “work” out of EQing, and brought back “knob twisting.” I’m liking “quick and easy.” As far as the individual units go, I think ClassicQ is worth the price of the whole collection. I found myself using it over and over. The RetroQ was a late favorite. I thought it didn’t do much until I tried in on a Rhodes track. That changed my mind immediately! I like how it sounds! I also like how the ConsoleQ sounds, but so far I’ve found it a little cumbersome. But it sounds good, so I’m willing to keep working on it. I guess that puts preQursor in the “also ran” category. I don’t know if that is fair. It sounds good, but the other three have caught my “fancy.” I will say that preQursor offers its own set of features and limitations. I want to add that I appreciate that PSP allows you a choice in how you authorize your plug-ins. You can authorize PSP sQuad with a simple serial number, or you can authorize using iLok. I like choices. And I also want to give a nod to the .pdf manual. It is concise and to the point, but it covers everything. There are many choices when it comes to EQs. So why would you choose one that forces limitations on you? After I’ve spent some time with sQuad, I’d say these limitations actually served as a benefit for me. Most well-recorded tracks only need a small adjustment, and limitations may keep you moving. That is a plus for me. As Dirty Harry said, “A man’s gotta know his limitations.”

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September 2009

Wusikstation

Improving by the minute.

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Image Line's

Gross Beat

Image Line's

Gross Beat by Squibs Image Line define Gross Beat as "a real-time, audio-stream playback, pitch, position and volume manipulation effect. Gross Beat stores audio in a 2-bar rolling buffer controlled by 36 time and 36 volume mapping envelopes for easy beat-synced glitch, stutter, repeat, scratching and gating effects." It all makes perfect sense right? Okay, we're doneâ&#x20AC;Ś. ...Well, perhaps it needs a little more explanation. Anybody who has encountered an Image Line plugin in recent times will find the interface is a very familiar place. Lots of gray gradients punctuated with occasional hints of pastel colours give the UI a slightly brooding presence, but it's a nice place to work and wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scorch your retinas after 30 minutes

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

like some other garish plugins I can think of using. Most of the screen real estate is consumed by a large grid, although usefully. The spline editor can be hidden when you are working with presets. Yes - this is another one of Gol's spline based plugins: you draw lines and curves to manipulate the sound. Those who have used the spline interface before will know that it provides complete control over the way in which you manipulate the sound. Conversely, it does take pixel precision and a good understanding of Bezier curves to manipulate the lines to do your bidding. If you don't have time to spend on such activities, then you have two options: 1) You can audition the generous selection of presets and tweak the closest match, or 2) You can use the spline editor as your own personal etch-a-sketch to create sonic mayhem. If the latter seems like too much work there's a create sequence option with a randomiser that can do the same thing with one click, and it generates inspiring ideas.

So how does it all work? Well, there are two parts to the plugin: the volume editor and the pitch editor. Both use the same interface. Usefully, the volume spline is visible when manipulating pitch, and vice versa. Let's start with the volume editor, as volume manipulation is easier to understand, and will allow us to work through the interface controls before we move on to time traveling. In the volume view, we plot time on the x axis and volume on the y axis, so a straight line running from the bottom left to the top right produces a linear volume swell. The presets feature a number of regular 1/4 and 1/8 sequenced gates--where the editor looks like the Manhattan skyline. There are tremolo effects using a sine wave pattern. There are also some trance gates with a more interesting rhythmic makeup, and then things get freaky. Because you can draw any line or curve that isn't moving left (which would be back in time), you can create all sorts of volumebased effects. A nifty trick is to make the lead in and lead out

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September 2009

Image Line's

Gross Beat

gradual, using curves and/or non-90 degree angles. You basically use the lines to draw your own multi-step ADSR envelope. It's time consuming, but it's the way forward when only perfection will do! Once you've drawn your basic shape, the manipulation tools to the left of the spline editor will allow you to perform further transformations on your spline. You can flip the entire shape vertically, scale, smooth and normalise the spline, or analyze the audio file. This last option creates a spline based on the volume envelope, and can be invaluable as a starting point for your volume edits. It acts as a crude representation of the waveform amplitude so you can visualise your volume edits with respect to the waveform. There are also snap controls to help constrain your control point editing. Last, but not least, is the envelope sequencer, which allows you to quickly draw a 1-step to a 32-step sequence for the attack, decay, sustain and release of each step in the sequencer. The time editor, as mentioned uses the same interface, but it is trickier to understand. Bear in mind, gentle reader, that I get a headache when 42

Wusik Sound Magazine

Stephen Hawking is mentioned in polite company, and I generally have to have a little lie-down if relativity comes up in conversation. I am not, in essence, Doctor Who material. The editor shows time running from left to right with pitch on the y axis. A horizontal line represents audio running at 100% speed. A reference line runs diagonally down the grid, ending 4 units across and 4 units down. If your line runs along this reference line, you hear nothing: Time has stopped! If you increase the angle so that the line runs 4 units across but more than 4 units down, then you are in reverse territory. Once you've played with the presets it all starts to make sense. Right angles tend to generate stuttering effects, alternating curves sound like vinyl scratching and excessive time manipulation sounds like Darth Vader eating Alvin the Chipmunk. Pitch shifting can be accomplished using a repeating reverse sawtooth pattern in conjunction with volume ducking on the transients to mask clicks. You could also, given enough time, manipulate the ones and zeros in the

September 2009

wave file to achieve the same pitch bend effect. I'm not advocating the use of either for musical pitch shifting or correction. Gross Beat's pitch shifting is cheap and cheerful fun, with no formant preservation or extra baggage. For instant fun, you can map the time offset control to a MIDI controller, allowing you to scratch with a fader or knob. Each preset lives in a slot, and each preset bank has 36 slots for time and 36 slots for volume. Slot selection can be linked to a MIDI controller, so this plugin would be perfect for a DJ, although on a couple of occasions I

Ask Doctor Jack

Ask Doctor Jack Is there a way to use 32bit VSTs with 64-bit Windows Vista? Yes, there's a way. Some hosts like SONAR even come with a tool for this. I know some users that are using Wusik Station with SONAR 64 without problems. But, if your 64-bit host doesn't come with any 32-bit to 64-bit wrapper, there's a free tool to help you out with your problem. Check out jBridge at the following link. http://jstuff.wordpress.com/ I need to get a new computer, should I be worried about Vista?

found that the plugin didn’t follow my preset change. In short, this is an excellent tool for precision pitch and volume control for creative effects. It works best in a dance/electronic setting, but I can also see it being a valuable tool in the arsenal of a sound designer. The solid set of factory presets illustrates the plugin’s capabilities very well, and will provide the budding audio mangler with a starting point for their own sonic alchemy. At $99, it isn't quite an impulse purchase, but if you are searching for a dance-friendly pitch/time manipulator, I think that this is the one to go for purchasing.

I can't really say if you should be worried about it or not. From what I've seen, there are a lot of people using it, and running their DAWs without problems. Though personally, I think Vista is bloated, and requires a much better machine to run it compared to a computer running the latest version of XP. When I got my new notebook, I decided to go with Vista and couldn't stand it, so I bought a new XP license and installed it. Lucky me, because just a month after that, Microsoft would no longer sell those XP licenses. Still, XP won't be supported forever so there will be a time when I will be forced to go Vista or Windows 7--even if I don't want to. In any case, there are a lot of sites around the net with advice on how to make Vista run faster. I'll have to visit them just like I had to do with my very first XP install.

Should I care for a wide screen monitor instead of using 2 monitors? That depends on whether it has a resolution of at least 1024 in heighth. It would actually help you out, as you could have more windows open in the same screen. Using 2 monitors is nice, but a wide screen unit is better; as you don't get that “line” in the middle of both monitors when you want to use a very wide program running on both screens. Should I connect my DAW to the Internet and keep it connected when I'm composing? If you are using good software to protect your computer, I don't see why not. I use Zone Labs's Internet Protection, which is not expensive. There are free alternatives like AVG, but I like Zone Lab's solution since it comes with everything I need: a very good Firewall, Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware and other small tools. Also, the memory/resources foot print is very small. Just keep in mind that if you keep your computer connected while composing, Windows Update or some other type of automatically updating software could compromise the computer's performance; so it's best to disconnect while composing.

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Sanford Reverb v2.0.1

Sanford Reverb v2.0.1 by David Keenum

Details I hadn’t heard of Leslie Sanford until I noticed his software synthesizer, Cobalt Besides being inexpensive, the first thing you will notice (http://www.lesliesanford.com/Cobalt.shtml) that is based about the Sanford Reverb is that it is a true stereo reverb. on the analog/digital hybrid synthesizers of the early You won’t see the terms inexpensive and true stereo used 1980s. The success of Cobalt was followed by several together very often, but (at least in this case) it’s accurate. other innovative music software applications. Leslie has You see, most reverbs sum the stereo signal to mono, and developed a reputation for being a developer who is easily then process the mono. A true stereo reverb allows you accessible and quick to offer updates. Since that reminds to retain your panning position, even in the reverb. And me of my favorite developer (cue wink), I was eager to that gives a more accurate representation of how a real review the Sanford Reverb. room would sound.

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

The second unusual aspect you’ll see is the individual control over early reflections. You can find this feature on other reverbs, but not generally on the main page. Early reflections are important to simulations of ambience, and some instruments benefit from early reflections – high hats come to mind. There is also a filter section (HP and LP filters), a freeze switch (it freezes the reverb’s buffer), and a modulation section to add motion to the reverb’s tail. So, all in all, this a full-featured effect, but how does it sound? In a word, great! But wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s do this systematically. Impressions I compared the Sanford Reverb to IK Multimedia’s CSR Room, Cakewalk’s Sonitus Reverb, and Anwida’s Soft DX Reverb. Why did I pick those reverbs? Well, those are the reverbs I use. I guess it’s not very glamorous, but at least I know these reverbs. So I loaded up the four reverbs, matched their settings as close as possible, and ran duplicate tracks through them. I tried to make it as scientific a comparison as possible, but in the end, it came down to opinion. And my opinion is that the Sanford reverb sounds great! To my ears, the Sanford Reverb compares favorably to the other 3 reverbs, even the much more expensive CSR. They all sound different, so it’s hard for me to judge one better. But let me try to make some comparisons. The CSR Room had more density. The Sonitus reverb had less. In fact the Sonitus was the thinnest of the reverbs, but it still sounds nice in a track. I felt the Sanford Reverb and the Anwida Reverb sounded similar, with the Anwida being a little brighter. In a mix, all four of these reverbs sounded really good. For me, the Sanford Reverb complemented the other 3 reverbs.

Sanford Reverb v2.0.1 Creator and Distributor: Leslie Sanford Web-Site: http://www.lesliesanford.com/index.shtml Price: $35 USD Details: The Sanford Reverb is a true stereo reverb A set of 3 independent early reflections on each channel Freeze A filter section Damping Modulation Demo: A demo is available. It has a nag screen that appears when you first run it. After 20 minutes, the effect stops, passing the original signal through unaffected. Formats: VST Windows only Test Computer: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz, 4 GB RAM, Windows XP Pro SP 3, Echo MiaMIDI Audio Card

Conclusions For me, the best reverb is the reverb I don’t hear. I want it to make the track sit in the mix without being noticed. The Sanford Reverb does that for me. It enhances a track without drawing attention to itself. I really like the sound of the Sanford Reverb. In fact, it’s been on a reverb send for every track I’ve done since I downloaded it. I must say that I was surprised and impressed by this $35.00 reverb.

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Tonehammer Goes SFZ!

Tonehammer Goes SFZ! by David Keenum

A review of Tonehammer’s Epic Toms Ensemble and Rust II – “Epic Iron”

Did you feel the earth shake? Did

formats are included in your

you hear the thunder?

download. I played the Kontakt

Yes,

Tonehammer released two of their

version, and it is first-rate. But this

libraries in .sfz format! If you are a

is WSM, as in Wusik, as in Wusik

Logic user, you’ll be glad to know

Station, so around here we’re

that they also released the same

excited about the .sfz release! Let’s

libraries in EXS24 format. And you

take a look at these two releases as

may remember that Kontakt is the

they sound in Wusik Station.

main Tonehammer format. All three

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

Epic Toms Ensemble

Rust Vol. II (Epic Iron)

Epic Toms I was one of Tonehammer’s first releases, and it set the standard of what a Tonehammer release should be. The new Epic Toms Ensemble contains all of the original Epic Toms I and II libraries, plus a new 600MB Solo Epic Bass Drum library. In addition there is a collection of new playable ambiences and drones. According to the Tonehammer guys, there are “plenty of new features, source sample refinements, deep programming improvements and special custom patches.”

Following in the footsteps of Rust I, Rust II is about metal, but Rust II is about “heavy” metal! It “covers over 81 different types of instruments from giant aluminum poles to metal bathtubs, from slamming blast doors used as percussion instruments to massive Hercules (nuclear missile holders) metal racks, from creaking cell doors to metal objects without names, from massive metal stairs to slamming large tower rails.” The library also includes a collection of samples recorded at a sculpture park.

Epic Toms reminds me of the “Storm Drum” sound that people ask for when they are looking for “impact.” These drums contain lots of ambience and lots of attitude! Reach for these when you need some drums with a ‘tude! This, like all of Tonehammer’s libraries, is a focused collection and you get what the demos represent. There are samples and patches for high and low toms, bass drum, and shouts. There are also lite versions of the high and low toms and the bass drum. Included in the toms are Octabans, Roto Toms, Drum Stick clacks, and a rack/floor tom set.

Rust II is not just another “junkyard percussion” collection. When you listen to the demos you’ll hear this. Some of these sounds can even be classified as Foley or sound design sounds, and I think they would be effective for those uses. But they could also be used as intros, hits, and ambiences in music. And dark ambient composers could find some great sounds here! I would generally describe the sounds as dramatic, mysterious, and even scary. Can you imagine the sound of a preset named Bunker_Blast_Door_Creak_Latch? Creepy? Right! But the entire library

doesn’t sound that way. For example, any of the Sculpark presets can be played as “normal” percussion. And they have an interesting, useful sound. They just sound like metal percussion! The “Owner’s Manual” Both libraries come with a .pdf manual that describes the library and its patches in detail. For me, it is a great resource when I’m learning the library. There is also some useful information about the .sfz format and loading the sounds into Wusik Station, and there are also some very interesting pictures. Incidentally, there are also .mp3 interviews that relate to each library. They are interesting and entertaining. Loading .sfz files into Wusik Station The “manual” describes dragging and dropping .sfz files onto the GUI of Wusik Station. This worked flawlessly for me. The reason I say this is because I tried some other methods, and they didn’t work so well. I, obviously, don’t quite “get” .sfz

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Tonehammer Goes SFZ!

format! But the drag and drop method worked. I found that I needed to increase the gain on some of the sounds and increase the release on the ADSR for the complete sound to play even after I lifted the key. After that I created presets. I also had to update Wusik Station to the latest version (5.8.4). I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I, a writer for WSM, hadn’t kept up with the updates --- if it’s stable and working smoothly, I forget to update. But that’s fixed now. And it only took a couple of crashes to alert me that something was wrong! If you want to know a little “insider information,” it seems that Tonehammer and WilliamK have been talking a little, and version 5.8.4 of Wusik Station has some developments that allow larger .sfz files. So the bottom line is that you can expect that these libraries will play in Wusik Station. But how does it sound? Conclusions Both of these libraries retain their sound and feel in Wusik Station. I know there are some things that Kontakt does that .sfz can’t replicate (like the Toms of Doom Kontakt patch), but all in all, they sound just as good in Wusik Station. And you even get a couple of ambiences! It is obvious that some love and attention went into the .sfz patches. Thank you Tonehammer!

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

I felt that Hardcore Harmonics’ PRIZM http://www.hardcoreharmonics.com/documents/ 56.html moved Wusik Station in a new direction. Wusik Station could now be seriously considered for soundtrack and music-to-picture work. The two Tonehammer libraries solidify that feeling for me. And besides that, both of these libraries are monsters! They sound awesome! The future is looking bright for Tonehammer . . . and Wusik Station!

Rust II – “Epic Iron” and Epic Toms Ensemble Creator and Distributor: Tonehammer Web-Site: http://www.tonehammer.com/ Price: Epic Toms Ensemble $99.00 Rust II $79.00

- Deeply sampled Solo Bass Drum, with 3 different stereo mic positions in two different epic halls. 15-22 velocity layers, 10x round robin - 6 unique playable ambient multitimbral drones and morphing soundscapes, all created from Epic Toms source material. - 28 Kontakt patches and multis - 10 exs24 patches - 11 sfz patches - 2478 samples, 1.48 GB installed, 500 MB .rar download

Details:

Rust II - 9 main instrument Categories Epic Toms Ensemble o Aluminastic (Cylindrum variation) o Bombay Bathtub - Bass Drum Ensemble: strikes, flams and loose o Bunker Sessions flams, each with 7-10 velocity layers and o Lockdown 10x round-robin o Metal Things - Floor Tom Ensemble: strikes and flams, each o Metal Sculpture Garden with 7-10 velocity layers and 10x round-robin o Steps to Heaven - Full ensemble: strikes, 8-9 velocity layers, 10x o Tower Rails round-robin o Ambiences - Full ensemble: rim clicks, 5 velocity layers, 10x - 3.118 samples, 2.56 GB installed, 1.1 GB .rar round-robin download - 4 Octabans: strikes, 7-8 velocity layers, 10x - 81 Kontakt patches (.nki), 69 SFZ patches round-robin (.sfz), 56 EXS24 patches (.exs) - 3 roto toms: strikes, 9-10 velocity layers, 10x round-robin Sample Resolution: 44.1 kHz/16-Bit stereo 11″, 12″ & 13″ rack/floor tom set: strikes, 78 WAV format velocity layers, 10x round-robin - Drum Stick clacks: 7-8 velocity layers, 10x Formats: Native Instruments Kontakt 2.2.4 / 3 round-robin (the full retail version of Kontakt is required), - Male vocal ensemble yells and shouting crescenEXS24, and SFZ dos: each with 2 velocities and 10x round-robin - 4 custom sound-designed industrial percussion Test Computer: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ 2.0GHz, fx patches 4 GB RAM, Windows XP Pro SP 3, Echo MiaMIDI - Collection of convolution reverb impulses, capAudio Card. tured in our classic epic hall.

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Sonnox Essential Bundle

Sonnox Essential Bundle by A. Arsov

Sonnox is a well known firm in the VST world. Their Oxford plug-ins are frequently used among bunches of producing professionals. My dear fellows, with all due respect, since you are reading this, I could freely suspect that you are not one of them. Wusik Sound Magazine is a webzine mainly designed for hobby and semi-pro musicians. Somehow, I presume that fancy professionals spend their valuable time enjoying Playboy magazine or such literature as that, rather than reading some semi-known (yet, exceedingly excellent) virtual magazine written about virtual instruments, and offering pictures of almost naked ladies only when some of the writers (usually me) insinuate about them and that is just to get you a more clear picture of the qualities of the represented instruments or effects.

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

Being pro or not, the fact is that all Oxford plug-ins are pretty pricey and for that reason a bit out of the average hobby price range. So, I've decided not to write an habitual review explaining things we all already know. I thought that it would be far more appropriate if I can find and represent to you what is so special with all the included effects in this bundle, and how different they are from the competition so as to deserve such a respectable price and such renown.

Sonnox against all odds Essential Bundle contains Oxford EQ, Oxford Dynamics, Oxford Reverb and Oxford SuprEsser. Four of them bundled under the common price of 966 US Dollars or 685 Euro, but before you start judging them, let's give them a fair trial. We can't afford a "hung jury" in this courthouse. All arise â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Oxford EQ

just one sentence, then it would be: The Ideal Tool for Getting Natural Sounds with Unnatural Settings. Wow, they should pay me for that sentence! Oxford Dynamic In short, this one should be a role model for all compressors. Everything is neatly arranged and easily within reach. It serves as a compressor, limiter, gate or expander. The top window contains all essential controls. At the bottom left part there is a row of buttons for adding or switching between different functions: gate, expander, compress, limiter, side-chain eq and warmth. No matter that there seems to be a whole bunch of controls to handle, I find that it is extra easy to get good results with Oxford Dynamics. Ignore what you don't need and tweak what you think you will need and in a minute you'll be there.

It is five-band parametric EQ based on an OXF-R3 equaliser. The first thing you'll notice is that the Oxford EQ is not just an equaliser, but that it also has some filtering functionality under the same roof. Yes, I know, equalisation means filtering out or adding some frequencies, but when you start using it, you will soon spot the difference. It lies in serviceability. All in all, I noticed from the first day that I got this bundle that all Sonnox plug-ins stand out on two main points: one is the sound--I know The knob that I liked mostly was the one which it's a pretty abstract term, but in the case of this doesn't necessarily have anything to do with equaliser it proves itself in a way that you don't get dynamics -- the warmth button. Basically, it appears unnatural sound as soon as you cut or boost it more to be some sort of tube emulation and it works! It's than a few decibels--and secondly--the ease of use; a nice and sweet addition to the sound, and no, I everything is so handy and user friendly, so that you don't use it all the time. I use it mostly with main don't need a PhD to achieve good results. Listen, synth lines or with guitar parts, because using it on when you are in the middle of the creative working a every track will spoil the arrangement making it a process, the last thing on earth you need is a bit muddy and over-cooked. As you may have heard, complicated tool to break your flow and get you when an overweight lady asks for your opinion, away from the process of creating. about her weight, there is only one right answer: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is never enough of beauty.â&#x20AC;? It is nice, but not Time is money. So, here lies that extra fee that so true. "Punch" and weight have something in Sonnox charges. With Oxford EQ you can fix and common: too much is sometimes simply too much. mix fast and easily. The thing I like the most about Okay, let's get back on topic. As I have already said: Oxford EQ is its usability to cut or boost frequencies this compressor should be a role model for all more steeply than with most other equalisers. Also, compressors (repetition is the mother of erudition.) if someone were to ask me to describe this EQ with www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Sonnox Essential Bundle

Oxford Reverb A good sounding reverb with plenty of controllers for two parts which are usually the weakest on most software reverbs: tails and early reflections. Also, there's another special addition compared with most of the other reverbs on the market: there is a five-band equaliser along with a section containing a few extra controls for mixing the tail end with the processed signal. There are plenty of reverbs on the market, and this one is aimed for those producers who really know what are they doing. I'm afraid that I'm not one of those, but most of the professional producers from the big studios are the right ones (at least I presume that they know what they are doing). As I told you, these are specialised tools for professionals. You can carry on without extra knowledge driving the Oxford Dynamic and Eq, but with the Reverb I've reached my limit using my beloved monkey approach â&#x20AC;&#x201C; tweak, tweak and we should see what will happen. Nope, it won't work that way for me...not this time. So, it is a cool tool for the pros or perhaps someone who really knows their reverbs. If you are â&#x20AC;&#x201C; go for it, if you are not, you can try your luck anyway. It is a Sonnox Oxford effect, so you can't really go wrong. Oxford Supresser Most third party de-essers are good, as long as they're solving the problems for which they are directly aimed at, but as soon as they reach a problematical area, a non-typical frequency range of sibilance, then it is the time for Super De-esser: The Oxford SuprEsser. With an FFT display and with three different listening modes: mix, inside, outside; it is not hard to find sibilance notes and to reduce them with the frequency specific compressor. It does its job excellently without adding anything to the processed sound. That is not always the case with some other third party de-essers. All Arise -- Judge Arsov Final judges The Sonnox Oxford effects are not cheap, but if your last bank robbery was the successfully one, I really suggest that you spend some extra money on this bundle. Friends and call girls will leave you as soon as your hard robbed money drains out, but 52

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

Contains:Oxford EQ, Oxford Dynamics, Oxford Reverb, and Oxford SuprEsser Native: £571 / $966 / €685 (approx.) Pro Tools HD: £1,222 / $2,072 / €1,470 (approx.) PowerCore:£781 / $1,323 / €940 (approx.)

good sound will remain for ever. And secondly, you can't compete in a Formula 1 race with your old street car; so if you are serious about your music, than these tools are the right tools for you; they are essential. With this Oxford bundle you will reach professional results without using and losing too much time doing it and with the decent knowledge that they will bring you where your imagination leads you. There again, lies the secret of that extra cost. Sometimes less is more, you don't need a zillion controls, the point is to find the right ones which are essential for the task. It is not so easy to make simple but effective tools, thankfully Sonnox did it. With these tools and a bit of a luck, maybe there will come a time for your ordering your Playboy subscription and cancelling the Wusik subscription at the same time. We are not selfish, we wish you good luck and just ask you for a small favour: please provide us a phone number, or two, from those misbehaving ladies in your new favourite magazine. You Pro, You!!! Grroowwl. By A. Arsov – almost pro. www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Get Your Wusik Membership Today

and Download This Magazine in High-Quality PDF Format plus, a Full Copy of Wusikstation and Tons of Sounds

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Soundware Round-Up

Soundware Round-Up by Ginno Legaspi

Sony's Acid Pro, I find the folders called "ATM" and "ATM BIOLAB" very inspiring. They would make a good companion for soundtrack compositions or writing music for sci-fi film. If your studio's library collection has room for more sampling discs, and you're a nut for atmospheric sounds then this library is worth getting. The only drawback is that it's a bit pricey. CONTACTS: www.bluezone.fr FORMAT: - WAV files - 44.1khz/16-bit format

Blue Zone Biosphere Biosphere is a collection of massivesounding atmospheres, tortured drum loops, scary effects and unusual percussion sounds from Blue Zone. This library fits those wanting to add imaginative sounds for their TV, film, and game-music production. Many of the sounds on this disc provoke images of someone being abducted by aliens; their body being experimented on inside a biodome or an odd spaceship. The selection of sounds are great, and it's guaranteed to get your creative juices flowing. Biosphere is divided into several folders with more than 500 files for your sampling pleasure. After a quick audition in 56

Wusik Sound Magazine

LIST PRICE: 79.00â&#x201A;Ź all inclusive tax, 66.05â&#x201A;Ź net of tax

Loopmasters Marshall Jefferson: House Generation Marshall Jefferson's House Generation is a collection of 1.2 GB samples ready to inspire classic as well as future house producers. This library mainly focuses on the old school house sound that Marshall himself is considered the expert. The samples are so diverse - thanks to Marshall's close friends who recorded a great selection of loops for him. The lineup of house luminaries who offered their services for him includes Byron

September 2009

Stingly and Paris Brightledge on vocals, Chris 'Bam Bam' Westbrook recorded the guitars, Louie Louie was in charge of the percussion, Ed Funk on drums, Sherman Burks and Rob Crawford on keyboard loops. In the "real instrument" folder, the selection of house strings and brass are awesome. Again, Marshall hired the services of Orbert Davis in capturing these beautiful sounds. The rest of the samples were recorded, programmed and edited by Jefferson himself. Just like the other Artist Series from Loopmasters, House Generation is available in different audio and sampler formats. CONTACTS: www.loopmasters.com

FORMAT: - 1.2 GB DVD - 1360 Acidised WAV Samples, 557 RMX friendly Rex2 Loops, 579 Apple Loops, Full Reason ReFill 147 Patches for Reason, Kontakt, Halion, EXS24, Emulator X2, Ableton Live. LIST PRICE: - ÂŁ39.95, (also available as download)

Zero-G SoundSense Elektrolytic, Old Skool House, and Grime Scene The Sound Sense Series are sample libraries from Zero-G that offer large amounts of sampling material that is geared to provide cost-conscious music producers a good set of quality sounds. There are plenty of budget sample libraries out there on the market but you get so much more for your money from this series. Each DVD is shipped in multiple-formats of Acid WAV, AIFF Apple loops, Stylusstyle RMX and Rex2 files compatible for both PC and Mac. The samples are neatly organized in folders. Most of them have construction kits available, and the 'oneshot' samples included makes SoundSense a good buy. Having reviewed the first six Zero-G Sound Sense volumes, it only make sense to review the rest. So for this month it's Elektrolytic, Old Skool House, and Grime Scene.

ambient and atmospheric oriented. You'll find 250 drum loops and 250 one-shot samples of leftfield beats, loops and percussive sounds that are suitable for ambient, IDM, glitch, and experimental electronica. The audio quality is great - thanks to the 24-bit format delivery, and Boddy's programming is top notch. For sure, experimental composers will be extremely pleased with this 'edgy' library's content.

with content that will burn up any urban productions. The samples included on this disc are so spot-on and authentic to the grime genre. Although not a one-stop shop for all hip-hop and urban productions, you can incorporate some of the sounds for Ragga, Reggae, Grime and even Dubstep. To get you started, seven construction kits are included on this library, with tempos ranging from 135-140 bpm. I love the construction kits called "The Hoodrat" and "Da Suspects" because it showcases what this library is really made of: dirty beats to growling basses, big clash sounds to grimy strings; this package has it all.

Old Skool House is a collection of sounds from the era that spawned classic house music. We're talking 80's here...but in a good way. Although this DVD sounds cheesy and so er...80's, it surprised me that there CONTACTS: are some very useful samples on this www.soundsonline.com disc. You'll find all the classic sounds, such as Roland drum sounds, dance pianos, stabs, funky riffs and many FORMAT: more. I'm actually liking this library a - Acid WAV, Aiff Apple Loops, Stylus lot because it reminds me of my youth. RMX and Rex2 It is refreshing to know that Zero-G - 500 MB-1 GB of new sounds tries to revive that old school house - 44.1 kHz/24-bit format flavor with this very inspiring library. LIST PRICE: Finally, we have Grime Scene - 500 $59.95 MB of the freshest hip-hop and grime sounds. This library is overflowing

Elektrolytic is Ian Boddy's second SoundSense release. This library is more focused on tortured grooves and mangled beats compared to Ambiosis, his last one, which is pretty much www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Soundware Round-Up

Sample Magic Philtre Labs

Tech-Funk Breaks

Bollywood Grooves Man, those crazy, hard working chaps at Sample Magic are always at it. They just can't stop cooking up new, fresh-sounding libraries for the masses. This time, though, they're back with another electronic sub-genre package called Tech-Funk Breaks. It's always nice to see Sample Magic releasing electronic-specific genre libraries. Tech-Funk Breaks is produced by Simon Carter (Crystal Distortion) and Steve Young (no, not the 49ers Hall of Fame quarterback, but from Hedflux fame), and offers samples for electro, breaks, nu-skool, dubsteb and breaks. As with other Sample Magic titles, this library has more than 800 MB of samples in 44.1Khz/24-bit format, and tempo ranges from 125-140 bpm. After a quick audition of the DVD I found that there are heaps of material, deliciously raw and full of dirt. The bass folder has some downright nasty sounds in the library I've reviewed. And the drum loops sound fierce. They have that certain bite in them. There are just too many royalty-free samples in this library to mention, but for the curious, here's what's included in this collection. a) Drums - 300+ deep fried, glitchedout, ball-busting breaks, beats and tops. Guaranteed dancefloor mayhem. b) Bass - Bit-reduced bin-blitzers, cone-creaking monoruns and screaming all-analogue funklines. c) Synths - Circuit bent acid riffs, chaotic sawfests and seductive pads 58

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There have been many Indian percussion sample libraries introduced before, but Philtre Labs offers a unique approach amongst libraries aiming for that big Bollywood sound.

all key named for your convenience. d) Voxmash - Up-to-the-moment vocal mash-ups; sliced, diced and recycled. 100% copyright clear. e) Combis - Unique song starters and pared down musical elements to be used, bruised and abused. f) More - Scratches, fills, booms, sweeps, dives and a painstakingly selected single-hit drum archive. CONTACTS: www.samplemagic.com www.soundstosample.com FORMAT: - 2.29 GB CD/DVD multipack (2,454 files), includes Audio, 24-bit WAV's (891 MB, 796 files), Stylus RMX compatible Rex files (361 MB, 476 files), Apple Loops (534 MB, 476 files) plus EXS24, Reason NNXT, Kontakt II and Halion patches. LIST PRICE: ÂŁ58.67 DVD/CD, ÂŁ49.95 (download from SoundToSample)

September 2009

Bollywood Grooves, their first ever release, features Indian percussion instruments such as dhol, tabla, duff, dholak, ghunghroo-tabla and dholaktabla. The 2 GB of loops are offered in 48kHz/24bit WAV, Apple AIFF loops and REX format. The samples were recorded and assembled at Studio Blue in Mumbai by the seasoned production team of Salim and Sulaiman Merchant. Bollywood Grooves contains 700+ rhythmic loops with tempos ranging from 74 bpm to 135 bpm. Philtre Labs claims that this is the first library to showcase

percussion "ensembles and sections" styles which are typically found in films of the genre. Navigating and auditioning the DVD is such a breeze because the loops are neatly organized into intros, fills and endings categories. I was surprised how precise the looping on the samples is (seamless), and the editing is just excellent. Every sample boasts high quality with just the right amount of room ambience. I particularly like the 'dhol' and 'ghunghroo-tabla' grooves folders because they have that appropriate dose of swagger to spice up an Indian-influenced electronica track.

www.loopmasters.com

Loopmasters Joey Youngman: Jacked Out Future House Joey Youngman's Jacked Out Future House is another library from Loopmaster's Artist Series. It features more than 1,000 samples that cover every different format available (WAV, Apple Aiff loops, Rex2, Reason ReFill, HALion, Kontakt, Live Pack, Dimension, Rapture, NNXT, EXS24 and EMU X2). All loops and one-shots are organized neatly according to their key and tempo (126-130 bpm).

FORMAT: - 1.5 GB DVD - Acidised WAV, Stylus RMX, Rex2, Aiff Apple loops, Reason ReFill - Patches for Reason, Kontakt, Halion, EXS24, Emulator X2 and Ableton Live LIST PRICE: - ÂŁ39.95 (also available as download)

Best Service Synthation Producer's Collection Vol. 2 This is Synthation.Net's second Producer Collection release, and it pretty much picked up where the last

According to Joey on the DVD sleeve, Jacked Out Future House was created to inspire producers looking to make house tracks, and that anybody wanting to produce music will use these loops and sounds to accent a With all of that being said, Bollywood sound that is their own, unique Grooves is an instant percussion creation. The samples themselves are library classic. If you don't have it yet, very original, and Joey has stamped I would recommend adding this to this library with his own distinct your sample library collection. sound: bumpy, funky filtered basslines and dirty disco-influenced CONTACT: drums. I think most people will find www.bigfishaudio.com the drum loops useful in their www.philtrelabs.com productions but I really enjoyed auditioning the 20 'clean-sounding' FORMAT: funky guitar loops folder. It would - ACID/WAV/REX2 have been super if there was more - 44.1 kHz/16-bit format guitar loops included on this library, - Free EXS version after registration but other than that, Jacked Out Future House sounds great and is packed LIST PRICE: with excellent material. $99.95 CONTACT: www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Soundware Round-Up

one left off. SPC Vol. 2 is a multiformat library that includes Acidised WAV, Apple Aiff loops, Rex2 and sampler patches for Kontakt, EXS24, Battery and Halion. The content is mostly geared for producers of electro-house, tech-house and minimal, but the fresh 350 loops (all in 128 bpm) can be used significantly for other electronic genre productions. If you need to cook up your own loops, more than 1000 single-hits are also provided. The variety of single sound is insane. For example, the 'Kick' folder offers plenty of samples. It has been broken down into three subfolders called 'Strong', 'Medium' and 'Soft'. And each folders have 122, 61, and 48 sounds respectively. The 'Snare' folder doesn't skimp either as there are 117 samples included. Meanwhile, percussion aficionados will be happy that this library has tons of congos, cowbell, minimal, rim, tonal, various and weird sounds to play with. These alone are worth the admission price of this sample library.

Blue Zone Overload When Overload (from Blue Zone Corp.) arrived at my review desk, I was excited to open it because Blue Zone makes good sampling materials, and they have a lot of potential to succeed in the sampling market. But when I opened the box, there was really wasn't much information to read as to what Overload is all about: No product details, no liner notes. But hey, who needs those when your goal is to write about the content, right

So, I went ahead and dove in right away. I found out that this library is chock full of hardcore techno sounds. This is definitely not for softies or the faint of heart. But, if you want the hard stuff, then this is right up your alley. Overload includes drum loops, single drum hits, various misc hits, If you love electronica, and are single-shot synth looking to beef up your sample library sounds, harsh-butcollection, SPC Vol. 2 is a true gem for useful atmospheric every electro-house and minimal samples and loads of producer. FX sounds. The samples come in CONTACT: 44.1kHz/16-bit highwww.soundsonline.com quality WAV's. FORMAT: WAV files, 44.1khz/16-bit with premapped software sampler patches LIST PRICE: $117.00

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Those who want plenty of one-shot drum sounds will be glad to know that Blue Zone included many of them. In fact, there are nearly 600 samples in the bass drum folders alone. That's too much for a

September 2009

single sound but who in this age doesn't want lots of choices. Having different varieties of sounds and being able to pick the suitable one for the right song is very convenient. And that's what this library is all about...variety. CONTACT: www.bluezone.fr FORMAT: - WAV files - 44.1khz/16-bit format LIST PRICE: 98.00â&#x201A;Ź all inclusive tax, 81.94â&#x201A;Ź net of tax

even included the name of the synths used to create the sounds/loops. Now, that's cool. Although some of the samples have that synthetic feel, there are some really nice gems included in this library: like the punchy drum sounds and the groovy acoustic guitars. The ethnic hits and percussions are also a good addition. Effects sounds are aplenty and the fat basses sound tight and crunchy. Overall, this is a very flavorful release and should be an indispensable library to professional music producers. CONTACT: www.soundsonline.com FORMAT: - Acid WAV, Rex2, Soundfont, NN-XT and HALion - 30 construction kits and extra Acidised WAV loops - 44.1 kHz/16-bit format

Best Service Reggaeton Meets Dancehall Vol. 1

LIST PRICE: $130

Discovery Sound Audio Bomb/Best Service spices up Alma Flamenco the sampling world with Reggaeton Meets Dancehall Vol. 1. If you're into Flamenco is one of the most popular producing reggaeton and dancehall then you might want to take a look at styles of music in the world. This is due to the constant upbeat rhythms this library. It contains the usual and infectious melodies it elements/construction kits for both genre, loaded with island-music style. brings. Like most Spanish and Latin music, flamenco RMD Vol. 1 is delivered in 16bit/44.1kHz Acidised Wave, Rex2, NN- impacts listeners with a whole new emotional XT, Soundfont and HALion formats. Both styles break into two folders that experience, enlivens their include 15 construction kits each, with souls and encourages them to stand up and tempos ranging from 94 to 115 bpm. dance. Discovery Firm Each construction kit folder comes hopes to give the same with a mix-down file along with inspiration to flamenco individual loops like drums, producers with Alma percussions, keys, bass, etc. SingleFlamenco sample CD. shot instrument and drum hits are also provided if you want to construct AF is a library full of your own loops from scratch. The authentic sounds that will sounds on these discs are so well spice up your flamenco labeled, in detail, that the producers

productions - think of it as cayenne or habanero pepper ready to 'fuego' up your tracks. This 2-disc package includes 600 Acid/WAV files, 342 Rex2 (loops only) and an audio CD for quick auditioning. The guitar loops are the stars here and there are plenty to play around. The guitar folder is subdivided into four categories of Backing, Mute, Lead and Samples. The loops are good, and I must say that the performances are captured beautifully (the recording and the Madrid location has influenced the making), especially the group of 'Gt Picado' loops. Rounding out this library are some inspiring bongo, cajon, castanuela, palma, snaps and taconeo loops and one-shots. And finally, some vocal loops (male, female, group) that sound deeply rooted in Andalusian flavor, which gives the finishing touches. CONTACT: www.discoverysound.com FORMAT: - ACID/WAV/REX2 - Audio CD for auditioning - 44.1 kHz/16-bit format LIST PRICE: $55

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

Soundware Round-Up

Casio and other 8-bit bleeps then this library is for you. The CD cover reminds me of my good ol' Super Mario game back in the day, but that's only one half of the fun. The material on the CD-Rom includes bass loops (45 files), drum loops (50 files), synth (74 files), sine (27 files), mix loops (55 files) and a few of synth, vox, noise and effects loops. All sound files on this collection are presented in standard audio format of 44.1kHz/16bit and sampler files are accessible via Kontakt, Battery and Reason 3.04 and higher.

Philtre Labs Bollywood Elements With the success of the Bollywood Grooves library under their belt, this latest collection from Indian samplesmiths Philtre Labs features brand new material--over 1.3 GB of sample data of traditional Indian instruments. Compared to the percussion-oriented Bollywood Grooves, this time, Bollywood Elements is an all-melodic loops affair. The content of this DVD is broken down into different folders that include single-shots, raga phrases, effects and of course, loops. The samples come in high-quality, 48kHz/24bit WAV and Apple Aiff loops format. For producers (TV jingles, film scores, remixes, Eastern-infused songs, game soundtracks and more) wanting to add spice to their tracks, more than 1,000 elegantly performed loops from an array of exotic and traditional Indian instruments are accessible. The instruments sampled here include bulbul tarang, flute, mandolin, sarangi, sarod, shehnai, sitar, ravan-hattha, tumbi and shankh. And each of them have been carefully recorded at various scales and tempos to give each one its own unique sound and character. I was floored with the authenticity of this collection and the samples sound so genuine with enough modern touch to sparkle. Of course, it doesn't hurt to hire wellseasoned musicians and facilitate them in a state-of-the-art studio for a project with this caliber. Overall, I like Bollywood Elements and can't wait for the next Philtre Labs release.

Wusik Sound Magazine

CONTACT: www.bigfishaudio.com www.philtrelabs.com FORMAT: - ACID/WAV - 48 kHz/24-bit format LIST PRICE: $99.95

Discovery Sound 8-Bit Family This library is the sequel to Discovery Sound's 2003 popular release, but features even more impressive content. 8-Bit Family 2 is an odyssey into the lo-fi realm that features quirky sounds inspired by gaming systems of the 70's and 80's. If you like lo-fi Nintendo, Commodore, Atari,

September 2009

Well, what can I say. I loved the materials on this library the moment I auditioned them in Acid. The bass loops are ready-to-go if you're producing chip tunes. If your programmed drums need that certain "lo-fi charm" you can slap some the drums loops included for "gracing" your drums tracks. I find the synth loops useful for building a track from scratch, as they have that thin (though appealing) quality to propel you to make a video game tune or soundtrack. Overall, this is a unique but cool library full of quirky noise that would definitely appeal to the IDM and Glitch crowd. Thumbs up!

CONTACT: www.discoverysound.com FORMAT: - ACID/WAV/REX2 - Audio CD for auditioning - 44.1 kHz/16-bit format LIST PRICE: $55

Sample Magic Minimal Techno

Minimal Techno is no different from This superb library from Sample Magic previous Sample Magic libraries I is aimed at producers wanting a good reviewed. The samples are of highquality, fresh-sounding and they rock sound set for minimal techno, dance and other electronic music sub-genres. big time. It's apparent that Sample Magic puts a lot of effort, detail and It features a DVD of 44.1kHz/24-bit creativeness before each release and samples and a CD for quick Minimal Techno is no exception. The auditioning of the sounds. The multiformat files are presented in Acid WAV creative loop programming and (800MB+), Apple Aiff loops, Rex2 and meticulous sample editing are top notch. The pounding drum loops Stylus RMX format. They're sound massive and have enough juice categorized into bass, combi loops, to shake any dance floors. The bass drum hits, drum loops, fx, musical, loops (153 files) offers plenty of deep, synth and top loops. The sounds are low-end similar to a rumbling F5 broken down further into 125, 127 and 130 bpm folders - giving the end- tornado. The synth, musical and top loops offers inspiring phrases that user the luxury of easy browsing and would make good starter ingredients auditioning. This pack of almost 3 GB for techno tracks. All in all, I'm is also compatible with some of most impressed, yet again, with this popular softsamplers in the planet sizzling SM release. such as Kontakt, EXS24, Halion and Reason's NN-XT.

CONTACTS: www.samplemagic.com www.soundstosample.com FORMAT: - 2.29 GB CD/DVD multipack (2,454 files), includes Audio, 24-bit WAV's (891 MB, 796 files), Stylus RMX compatible Rex files (361 MB, 476 files), Apple Loops (534 MB, 476 files) plus EXS24, Reason NNXT, Kontakt II and Halion patches. LIST PRICE: ÂŁ58.67 DVD/CD, ÂŁ49.95 (download from SoundToSample)

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September 2009

The Wusik Machine Project

The Wusik Machine Project by WilliamK

by WilliamK

Some years ago, after Wusik Station V1 was out, I started wondering about a hardware controller which could be used to remotely access Wusik Station. After some time, I also started to get "romantic" feelings again about my old TR-707 DrumMachine. I also used to have a MC505-mkII hardware sequencer which had a nice way of handling the rhythm section of my songs. Even before that, I had done some research on the subject (around 4 years ago), but didn't do anything 64

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

about it. I was looking at a company which had a great kit where you could attach LCD displays, knobs, buttons, faders, etc., and send the information back to the computer. I even ordered the kit and did some tests. Sadly, it was too limited and expensive. I never took this idea any further, as it would require way too much knowledge, on my part, in terms of microprocessors and electronic parts.

Last month, I decided to do a new Google search on the subject, and after a few days of figuring things out, the solution came, and with a name: Arduino. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Who's this Arduino dude people keep talking about?â&#x20AC;? It is actually an open-source kit, based on the Atmel microprocessor. It's great, cheap, and there are a ton of projects around the Internet all based on this kit. You don't need to know much about microprocessors, or

Arduino Diecimila Board, around $ 30 USD ready to use.

even electronics, just the basics--so you won't blow anyting up. Arduino boards are all made in Italy. The ones that aren't, are called (or should be) Freeduinos. And they can use the same free Arduino Atmel software+drivers to program it. I must say that I was really impressed with the whole ArduinoDude thing. Its easy to setup, easy to program, and best of all, you can do everything needed with the Atmel chip. For instance, I could control several things, and just send data back to the computer about what has changed from time-to-time; unlike the previous solution, which would require the computer to do most of the work. But, before you start to go nuts with all this talk, keep in mind that the idea here is to make something in my free time, as a hobby. If it grows, we will move it to the next level, but for now, its just an idea, a beautiful crazy idea of course. So, what's the next step? I did another set of Google searches and found more information. I even found a guy who did a great drum-pad project, and gave me some pointers on the whole thing. The idea I had, initially, is to make a remote Groove Sequencer box for Wusik Station. The Arduino has an USB slot, which can send and receive information from the computer. When you load a preset, it could send the all information directly to the hardware unit. Attaching a 4x20 LCD unit is easy, and not expensive. A bunch of

leads and buttons, plus some knobs, and there you go--just like my old TR707 unit! What's the big deal you say? Well, programming grooves with the mouse can be tedious at times. With this unit, you could retire your mouse from its grooving duties, as you could do every groovin' thing with the GrooveBox Controller: change sounds, program the Groove Sequencer, load presets, etc.. I could probably even do an entire Wusik Station remote box. And the best part, is that since it would be opensource, you can either do your own box, re-program the box for something else or just go nuts with modding it.

Sending Midi-Out is also easy, so why not make a real drum-machine; without the need for a computer? It's also possible! But for now, I think a remote solution would work best, as Wusik Station is far more complex than a limited Arduino processor could do. Keep in mind one thing, the Atmel microprocessor is only 16MHz with 32KB memory, so there's only so much you can do with it. There's already some drummachine projects around the net using Arduino kits, so we don't want to reinvent the wheel here...but we can mod it.

www.WusikSoundMagazine.com

September 2009

The Wusik Machine Project

But now comes the big question: "Why not just use any regular midi controller?" Well, simply, almost all controllers only send information. Yes, I'm aware of Automat from Novation, but still, its not the best solution for this case. You can't really see everything that you need to tweak, not the way I want, to be honest. And there's still the problem of the Groove Sequencer, which can't be controlled with any of the Novation new units, not even with Automat Pro. Now, how would we market this Wusik Machine thingy? Well, at first, lets keep this is a Do-It-Yourself Kit. DIY People can download everything from our site, once we have something to show, of course, and just solder away at the components. With time, we could also offer DIY Kits with all required parts and even the box to put things in. Or just order the whole thing ready to Groove, a bit more expensive compared to a DIY Kit, but still, we could play with all the options when the time comes.

The MIDIbox 64 is a great alternative for users who want a great DIY controller with tons of options. Sadly, this is still not what I had in mind for our Wusik Machine controller, as I want something that talks back to the computer, and has an easier to use Groove interface. http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_gall ery.html

I don't think we will ever mass produce the Wusik Machine, or whatever the name is, but still, it would make a nice DIY Controller Kit. The Arduino unit could also open Wusik to a totally new market, but that's something that only time will tell.

It's funny how things are, I don't believe in coincidences, to me, things happen for a reason. A few hours ago, I visited my parents, and my Sister was there. There was a small piece of MDF cut with the name of my youngest niece. I asked her "What's that?" and she explained that the guy who used to make some art stuff for my other sister, bought a laser-cut machine. I got a bit excited, but didn't really gave too much attention to the whole thing, as I already know some companies who do that from the Internet, but a bit expensively. After lunch, we had to visit

Wusik Sound Magazine

September 2009

a friend, to bring a book, and we passed right in front of the place my sister told us about, which is really close to our home. MoniKe noticed it was open, and we decided to visit the place; as we need to check some other things, too. The guy told us about the laser-cut machine, and said it could also cut and engrave acrylic! Yes! He also said I could get it done in any color I wanted, and it was easy to setup things. So now, we could also offer the front-panel of the unit all ready to go, imagine that...