INTERVIEW 33 Contents

REVIEWS

066 Mackie Onyx 400F FireWire audio interface with A/D and D/A converters,quality preamps and a bundled copy of Tracktion 2. 068 Yamaha AW1600 Feature-packed hardware multitrack recorder with a respected heritage. 071 E-mu Xboard 49 49-key controller keyboard for on-the-road or studio work. 073 TC Electronic G-System Professional-quality multi-effect stompbox for guitarists. 076 Scarbee Keyboard Gold Bundle Four multi-sampled vintage pianos plus an eight-effect plug-in. 079 Mark Of The Unicorn Traveler Portable,buss-powered audio interface with FireWire connectivity.

083 Apogee Rosetta 200 A/D,D/A stereo converter with a wealth of features and tools for mixing, recording and mastering. 084 Tascam DV-RA1000 Hardware mastering recorder with DSD recording capabilities and 24-bit, 192kHz resolution. 087 Steinberg The Grand 2 The company’s flagship virtual piano gets a makeover. 089 Ueberschall Liquid Saxophone Combining Melodyne’s Local Sound Synthesis technology with conventional sampled sax licks. 091 Mini Reviews Spatial Awareness,Afro-Latin Producer,Digital Audio Essentials, Combi Manifesto 1,Tranzport

66MACKIE ONYX 400F 73TC ELECTRONIC G-SYSTEM

4 October 2005 MusicTech MAGAZINE 89LIQUID SAXOPHONE

68YAMAHA AW1600

21RECORDING TIPS FOR ENGINEERS

41USING ABLETON LIVE 5

51COMPRESSION PART 1: ESSENTIALS

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OCTOBER 2005 CONTENTS

FEATURES

021 Recording Tips For Engineers A successful recording session depends on thorough preparation,constant double-checking and more than a smattering of common sense.Professional studio engineer Tim Crich presents tips and tricks to help make your sessions smoother. 026 Cubase SX/SL3 Workshop Hollin Jones explains how making use of automation can bring an extra dimension to your mix. 030 Ten Minute Master No65: The Decibel The term decibel will be familiar to anyone who’s dabbled in music production,but its true meaning is commonly misunderstood.Grant Bridgeman explains the science behind the terminology. 033 Interview: Stephen Street Now occupying a small corner of London’s famous Olympic Studios,producer Stephen Street can list Kaiser Chiefs, The Smiths and Blur among his production credits.Phil Ward finds out how his approach to recording has influenced his studio environment and the music recorded there. 038 Reason 3.0 Workshop Reason 3.0’s Combinator module is capable of a great deal more than meets the eye.Hollin Jones explains. 041 Using Ableton Live 5 Continuing the transition from live performance package to all-round production environment,Live 5’s new features present the studio musician with ever more creative opportunities.Markkus Rovito is your guide. 046 Logic Workshop Workflow and productivity are both greatly enhanced by an interface that’s arranged to suit the way you work.Mark Cousins shows you how to customise Logic Pro 7. 051 Compression Part 1: Essentials Mark Cousins examines the concept and application of compression,one of the engineer’s most useful tools. 054 Pro Tools Workshop A professional-sounding mix is easier to achieve if you know a few simple tricks,as Dan Livesey explains. 056 Ten Minute Master No66: Granular Synthesis Mark Cousins explains the processes behind a technique that’s increasingly common in modern music production. 059 Questions and Answers

006 On your MTMcoverdisc 009 News The latest developments in the world of music technology. 018 Rack ’em up New products coming soon to a music store near you. 064Subscribe to Music Tech MagazineGet the next 12 issues of MTMplus a free Platinum Pro Samples Pack worth £79.99! 096 Write for reply Your views,comments and suggestions. 097 Back issues Missed an issue? 097 Next month Next time in MTM. 098 Back Track Robert Fripp,Exposure.

MusicTech MAGAZINE October 2005 5