Rumble – Music Tech – November 2011
Sample Logic’s growing range of Kontakt-based sound libraries (including Morphestra and Cinematic guitars, reviewed in Issues 85 and 93 respectively) have all displayed a consistently imaginative approach to sampling. Despite being based around relatively... more
Omnisphere - DJ Mag - September 2011
Spectrasonics have unveiled a major new version of Omnisphere, their flagship virtual synth. This beast has just got even meatier, with a load of new functions to the synth itself as well as an update to the general interface and a handy iPad application for those... more
Omnisphere 1.5 - Music Tech - April 2011
Having produced such a defining virtual instrument as Omnisphere, you could forgive Spectrasonics for resting on its laurels somewhat. Not so for Eric Persing’s innovative company, which was quick off the mark in offering 64-bit updates as well as some 7,000+ new... more
Ambient Skyline - Sound on Sound - July 2011
Produced by Funk/Soul productions for Big Fish Audio, Ambient Skyline provides a hefty collection of loops and one-shot samples aimed at those looking for some chilled-out inspiration. The multi-format library is supplied on two DVD-ROMs, and I auditioned the 5GB (nearly... more
Deep Impact - Sound on Sound - July 2011
This is a companion volume to the Dark Skies: Cinematic Ambiences collection that was reviewed in the May 2010 edition of SOS. Like its predecessor, Deep Impact packs a pretty sizeable punch: over 4GB of sample data spread across nearly 600 individual samples, all... more
TH2 - Music Tech - May 2011
With so many software amp and effects simulators now available, standing out from the crowd can be a tough task. Some of the big names already provide a huge selection of amps and effects and incredible levels of realism in their modelling technology. To help give TH2... more
The Classic EZX - Music Tech - May 2011
The ever-prolific Toontrack has released a number of expansion packs for its EZdrummer software, most of which focus on a particular style of music or sound, such as the recent Metalheads EZX or Funkmasters and Jazz packs. However, the company’s latest, The... more
The Classic EZX – Playmusic Pickup – April 2011
The idea of EZdrummer itself was to provide the same level of sound quality as Toontrack’s premium Superior Drummer software without the cost or the sheer size needed for such a powerful library.
The flexibility of the EZdrummer software also makes it that much... more
Voices of Israel – Music Tech - April 2011
The human voice is undoubtedly one of the most emotional and evocative of all the instruments in a composer’s arsenal, but it is also one that no amount of technology can re-create – and hiring a session singer or two can be an expensive business. Luckily, we... more
Real Strings Vol2 - Music Tech - March 2011
Despite advances in both physical modelling synthesis and scripted sampled instruments, it’s still very hard to get good, realistic string sound, especially when dealing with melodies and moving phrases. Real Strings Vol 2, from Organic Loops, aims to fill the gap... more
Shimmer & Shake – Music Tech – February 2011
Hand-held percussion is an often-overlooked element in modern music, with more attention being paid to the main drum and bass groove. However, it can be the clever use of a fast shaker rhythm that lifts a chorus and propels a track forward despite existing on an almost... more
Alien Skies - Music Tech - February 2011
Sound design is an area of music technology that often features more innovation than most modern genres: one in which extreme sampling, synthesis and processing treatments can combine to create startling results. Alien Skies is the latest pack of twisted textures and... more
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