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Computer music software and hardware reviews, hands-on tutorials, hints and tips, features about making music. All written by professional musicians, seasoned computer users and professional writers
- Software Reviews
List of music software reviews in the making-music.com website. Each listing has a short description of the product under review.
- Elektrik Piano - Native Instruments
Native Instruments' Elektrik Piano review. Sample-based virtual software instrument, studio software for making music with your computer playing piano samples direct from disk.
- BFD - FXpansion
FXpansion's BFD review. Sample-based virtual drum machine using multi-layered samples. Can be played from the screen or via MIDI. Studio software for making music with your computer.
- East West 3 sample-based instruments
East West's Stormdrum, Bosendorfer 290 and Hardcore Bass - three sample-based virtual instruments from East West powered by Native Instruments technology.
- Minimoog V - Arturia
Arturia's Minimoog V virtual software synthesiser emualtes Bob Moog's original Minimoog hardware synthesizer of yesteryear. Features proprietary True Analogue Emulation for sonic accuracy and includes 400 presets.
- MaxiVista - Bartel
Bartels' MaxiVista review, a virtual graphics adpater for the PC. It enables you to run a second monitor from your main PC without using a second graphics card.
- Morphology - Zero G
Zero G's Morphology, a massive colelction of samples created by veteran synthesist, Ian Boddy. There are over 300 presets running under Native Instruments' Kompakt sampler engine.
- HarBal - Har-Bal
HarBal Harmonic Balancer review - helps get a good harmonic balance for individual tracks, and balance tracks in an album as a whole.
- Intakt - Native Instruments
Native Instruments' Intakt sampler review, designed for rhythmic loop playback and sample manipulation. Its one-screen interface features all the functions you need for sample loop tweaking and twisting.
- CS-80V - Arturia
Arturia's CS-80V review, a software emulation of Yamaha's mega classic CS-80 hardware synthesiser. A higly realistic realisation which is many times more pwoerful than the original.
- Radial - Cycling 74
Radial by Cycling 74 is a loop-based performance program with a unique interface optimized for playing live. It can manipulate loops in many innovative ways.
- DC Five DC Six
DC Five (and DC Six) by Enhanced Audio offers audio resotoration and noise, hiss and hum reducrion by way of advanced filters in an easy-to-use interface and comprehensive instructions.
- Hardware Reviews
List of music hardware reviews in the making-music.com website. Each listing has a short description of the product under review.
- Audigy 2ZS Platinum Pro
Creative Labs' Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro digital audio sound card supporting 24-bit 96kHz digital audio with external I/O hub, FireWire adn Dolby Digital Surround Sound.
- Waveterminal 192M - Egosys
ESI (Egosys) Waveterminal 192L and MI/ODI/O digital audio cards. High quality, low cost cards supporting 24-bit/96kHz audio with analogue and digital Ins and Outs.
- The Studio - Hints & Tips
Tutorials and practical hints and tips about making music, maily computer-based. Each listing has a short description of technqiue or principle being explained.
- Making Music Quick Guides
Concise but fact-packed guides to essential computer music topics including MIDI and Digital Audio.
- MIDI
MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) - what it is, how it works and does it still have a place in today's music environment?
- Digital Audio
Digital Audio - How sound is digitally recorded, the important parameters and the importance of sample rates and resolutions.
- FireWire
FireWire - the connections, the speed, the cabling, and how it's being used for music in digital audio devices and the next generation of MIDI.
- Oscillators
Oscillators explained - wave shapes, harmonics and fundamentals, pitch, amplitude and tone, pulse width and subtractive synthesis.
- EQ and Filters
EQ and Filters - what they are, what they do, and the various types of EQ and filter that you'll find in music hardware and software.
- Envelopes
Envelopes - ADSR and other envelope generators, what the ADSR phases do and how they can be applied to a range of synthesiser modules.
- Audio CDs
Audio CDs - CD-R, CD-RW, 'book' formats, DAO and TAO burning, multisession recording, overburning, buffer underrun errors, subcodes and indexing.
- Time Signatures
Time Signatures - what they are, what they mean and how to interpret them.
- Fades
Fades and crossfades - different types, what to use in mixing and in loop creation. Zero-crossing points and software aids to help create seamless loops.
- Analogue Synthesis
Analogue Synthesis - how it works, using Control Voltages, the main synthesis modules, and why many software synths emulate analogue synthesis.
- Synthesis
Synthesis - a look at types of synthesis other than analogue including Additive, FM, Phase Modulation, Waveshaping and Granular synthesis.
- Reverb
Reverb, echo and delay - the essential parameters and how they affect the sound; environment simulators and multi-tap effects.
- Samplers
Samplers - the core set of features and functions of both hadware and software samplers including multisamples, velocity switching and velocity crossfading.
- Song Structure
Song Structure - the various parts that make up a song including intro, verse, chorus, middle eight, bridge, hook, outro and break.
- Vocoders
Vocoders - what they are, how they work, hardware and software versions, and suggestions for using them with sounds other than the voice.
- Modulation
Modulation - different types of modulation, what they do and how they work including, vibrato, tremolo, chorus, phasing, flanging and rotary speaker effects.
- Microphones
Microphones - the major types, how they work, pickup and response patterns, selecting the best mic for you.
- Music Production and Mixing Tips and Tricks
How to mix a recording to give it a pro sound. Mixing tricks the pros use, and how can you mix your recordings to make them sound more professional.
- How To Produce A Number One Christmas Hit
How to produce a Christmas number one hit using your computer and budget-priced hardware and software. Step-by-step tutorial and 12 Top Tips on how to make your music sound like a Pro.
- Drum Loop and Sample Tips
Hints and tips for creating your own drum samples and drum loops, including the correct use of zero crossing points.
- Creating and Manipulating Drum Loops
How to create your perfect drum samples and loops through processing and sample manipulation with drum samplers and beat slicing software.
- Sample Editing
Essential sample edit functions that you find in most in audio editors - what they are, how they work, and when and how to use them.
- Books
A selection of Hi tech Books we have found useful covering analogue synthesis and digital audio, including some written by Making-Music.com contributors.
- About Us
Short biog of making-music.com creator, Ian Waugh, one of the UK's leading hi tech music writers, having written over 2,000 articles plus several manuals, books and albums.
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