Mixing Night Audio LOLCOMP $149

Fancy introducing some colour back into your plugin life? This multi faceted processor could be just what you need

D16 Drumazon 2

16 years after the original came out, version 2 is here. But does Andy Jones really need yet another 909 drum machine emulator?

Using inserts vs auxiliaries

Inserts and auxiliaries provide different ways to process audio, and this month, we'll demonstrate how you can use them

Make a Clavinet soundalike

Our trusty CM Plugin Suite fave, ZebraCM, is never afraid to show its versatile stripes, but this month, it displays more than a hint of funk...

CLASSIC SOUND DESIGN

The history of sound design is littered with synth and sampling techniques that could transform your sound.

Musik Hack on refining UI design with Master Plan

Tackling the scourge of over-complex plugin design whilst retaining the ability to mould your track to perfection, Musik Hack's Master Plan is a most impressive addition to our mastering toolkit. We spoke to co-founder Sam Fischmann about Master Plan and his personal concerns regarding oversampling....

ABLETON LIVE 12 THE HANDS-ON GUIDE

We've had access to Live 12 for a while, and now the news of its release is official. Here's what's new and our early take!

TONE2 ICARUS 1.6

Our top-drawer giveaways reach something of a pinnacle this month as we bring a fabulous full-fat freebie from Tone2...

15 questions with...Galen Tipton

Galen Tipton’s wildly imaginative approach to electronic music treats sound like silly putty. We find out how MPE, spectral plugins and AI speech-enhancement software shaped the mind-boggling brain scratch

15 questions with...Shida Shahabi

With a stripped-back production process but a heavyweight sound that mixes electronic processing and classical textures, Shida Shahabi is claiming her own calm space in music. It's an approach that means largely ignoring outside influences, 'best practice' and orthodox methods. Perhaps it's an ethos we can all learn from...

D16 Lush 2

One of the most hotly-anticipated softsynths of a decade ago gets an update. But after ten years, is D16's Lush 2 still relevant in 2023? Oh yes

Cherry Audio Novachord + Solovox

It doesn't get much more vintage than Cherry Audio's latest, as virtual valves are warmed up, and two legacy synths unite in one package

Toontrack EZKeys 2

We can all use a little pianistic virtuosity in our productions, and Toontrack's much-anticipated update keeps you right on the EZ track

Brainworx AMEK Mastering Compressor

If it transpired that God's own compressor was the basis of Brainworx' latest AMEK-branded plugin, we wouldn't be surprised

CHRIS LAKE

Landing in the UK still buzzing from an extraordinary Coachella set, and the recent release of the pumping, Aluna-guesting Beggin', we seized the rare opportunity to speak with DJ and modern house titan Chris Lake, and find out more about his epic 20+ year journey as a music-maker, his label Black Book Recordings and get his viewpoint on the industry's latest innovations...

De-essing vocal tracks

Unresolved sibilance can cause problems later. Here are various ways to get it sorted in a snap

Creating an ethereal glass pad

If you need a pad that shimmers but doesn't get in the way of your mix, the ZebraCM is on hand, and it's sounding ethereal!

DAACI: More than an AI composer

DAACI is an innovative new 'meta-composition' tool that its creators say will revolutionise producer workflows across the board. But unlike other models, they claim, this one will put human beings right back at the centre. We found out more...

MASTERING IN THE BOX

Budget won't stretch to a trip to a mastering engineer? Or fancy some DIY? Get started here...

Nektar Aruba £255 PC MAC

Sprucing up its MIDI drum controller with a raft of new features, Aruba offers a slick new way of performing your software drum instruments

Baby Audio BA-1 $99 PC MAC

Baby Audio has set the effects world on fire with a string of top releases. Can it do the same for synths with its first instrument plugin?

AIR Music Tech: AIR Delay Pro £50 PC MAC

Not your everyday delay. AIR Delay Pro brings bundles of otherworldly Shaping options to the table, and serves up a hat-trick of unique additions

Spitfire Audio PC MAC - British Drama Toolkit: Brass and Reeds £169

Whether youre scoring a film or scouting for evocative textures, Spitfire has a dramatic new proposition to capture your imagination

Sonora Cinematic Verticale €49 PC MAC

Creating the perfect felted upright piano takes time, perseverance and four layers of vertical felt!

Erica Synths Zen Delay Virtual £155 PC MAC

Modelled on 2019's hardware delay, the virtual incarnation of the knob-packed atmosphere-carver surpasses its parent in more ways than one

Toneworks Catalyst €79 PC MAC

Bored of programming via the piano roll? Try jazzing up your riffs with this inventive step sequencer that can host VST instruments

DJANGO DJANGO

Reborn with a new retro house-inspired sound, Django Django's new double-album Off Planet is a flurry of hypersonic colours and energy. We spoke to the band's cofounder David Maclean about the record's influences, tech and evolution....

Punchy commercial-sounding bass

Recreating the impactful bass sound of commercial hits like Jax Jones' Whistle needn't be difficult. Let's learn how...

Classic sounds & vintage techniques FOR THE 21ST CENTURY PRODUCER

Classic music production techniques and gear can breathe life and humanity into your digital productions. And it’s cheaper than you might think. In this feature, we’re going to look at some of the finest vintage plugins out there, and learn how to get revered sounds for free with the Plugin Suite

Cherry Audio: Waking the titans

Founded in 2018, Cherry Audio has become one of the most beloved softsynth creators, recreating yesterday’s legends virtually. We spoke to CTO Dan Goldstein to find out more about the company’s latest release: Novachord + Solovox