EQ Magazine - September 2007 - (Page 84)

Soft Machines SONIVOX WORLD BEATS If there’s one element that can spice up just about any music, it’s good percussion. Can’t find a good percussionist? Thanks to the pattern-oriented nature of percussive parts, loop libraries can be a decent substitute — particularly if they provide variations on themes to stave off boredom. World Beats’ loops come in 17 folders, each differentiated by bpm (70 to 160) and to some extent, style. The folders contain loop variations, so you don’t have to go nuts with cut ’n’ paste to create changes. (This also helps make up for the lack of individual hits, which would have been a useful addition.) The Acidization and REX editing is well above average; props to Sonivox for taking the time to get this right. You’ll find the usual djembes, tambourines, tablas, shakers, and other types of hand percussion, along with some bitchin’ Brazilian loops and swing loops (MPC fans, take note). The loops are “bread-and-butter, ” with few loops of jaw-dropping creativity or flash. But that’s not a drawback; it means these files can slide, chameleon-like, into a variety of musical styles — from rock to electronic — and be perfectly appropriate. The loops (produced by Andy Macpherson) are recorded well, with just the right amount of ambience and presence — check out the example at www.eqmag.com, which also includes some processing to show how a little creativity can twist these loops even further. CONTACT: Sonivox, www.sonivoxmi.com FORMAT: DVD-ROM of loop files: 487 Acidized WAV, 487 REX, 487 Apple Loops, 499 Audio WAV (includes some extra long files you can chop yourself); 24-bit/44.1kHz PRICE: $99.95 list BIG FISH AUDIO REVOLUCION REGGAETON I’m not sure how Jamaican dancehall music (à la Shabba Ranks) mutated into the latest Latin dance sensation, but it has. However, while the bedrock rhythms are similar, the Latin approach eschews the ultrasparse Jamaican flavor, instead favoring lots of synths and effects, bigger sounds, heavy processing, fuller arrangements, and a more lyrical approach. The 714 files are duplicated as WAV and Apple Loops; there are 299 REX files, as some files don’t translate well to the REX format. Each construction kit includes a full mix, individual elements, and a folder of drum hits (bonus: load these into a sampler for some exotic kits). Most tempos range from 90–100 bpm, which simplifies mixing and matching files as your host doesn’t have to work hard to stretch them. However, there are quite a few different keys. The overall patina is electronic and danceable, and the individual files are very useable in other contexts — especially hip-hop and rap (and even dance, as long as the tempos aren’t too fast; the parts are fairly busy, and can get cluttered in the 120+ bpm range). Reggaeton is the latest dance flavor, and Big Fish got on it fast. But that didn’t compromise the quality of these samples, which are spot on. If you audition this DVD-ROM or the audio example at www.eqmag.com and don’t feel an urge to move your body — see your doctor. CONTACT: Big Fish Audio, www.bigfishaudio.com FORMAT: DVD-ROM with 28 construction kits duplicated as WAV, REX, and Apple Loops files; 24-bit/44.1kHz PRICE: $69.95 list SONY POCKET DIVA Few sample CD concepts are harder to pull off than vocals, especially because you’ll often need to change pitch, and even the best pitch transposition algorithms aren’t happy transposing too far. Within that limitation, though, Pocket Diva gives you plenty of drop-in-worthy phrases. Two wish list items: The files are processed with tasty reverb, but most have dry counterparts; I would have been fine with only dry samples — I have reverb plug-ins. I also wish the file name included the key, so I’d know which keys would sound optimum. Of the six folders on the CD, “Multi-Voice Loops” has both unison and harmony voice parts. “Op-erratic” is closer to liturgical music than opera; “Scat” isn’t about Ella Fitzgerald, but more like Enya singing scat. “Single-Voice Melodic Loops” is the big folder here, with 259 files, and you can put together complete melody lines with some of these. “Sound Design” includes very cool, effected vocal sounds, as well as chords; “Words” is mostly sung words and short phrases. So who’s this for? The audio example at www.eqmag.com shows one approach, but Pocket Diva is a no-brainer for trance productions — almost all of these would fit on top of a driving dance track. There’s also big potential for hip-hop, and even audio-for-video projects (think “ethereal voices against evolving musical backdrops”). Bottom line: This probably won’t be the most-used sample CD in your collection, but Pocket Diva indeed offers unique, useful sounds. CONTACT: Sony, www.sonycreativesoftware.com FORMAT: CD-ROM with 639 Acidized WAV files; 16-bit/44.1kHz PRICE: $39.95 list 84 EQ SEPTEMBER 2007 www.eqmag.com http://www.sonivoxmi.com http://www.eqmag.com http://www.bigfishaudio.com http://www.eqmag.com http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com http://www.eqmag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of EQ Magazine - September 2007

Contents Talk Box Sounding Board Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly Ben and Vesper Kaiser Chiefs Toolbox Ozma Porcupine Tree Rush The Software Power User Guide Guitar Trax Bass Management Key Issues Drumheads Vocal Cords Mix Bus Cheat Sheet Chameleon Labs TS1 and TS2 Primera Bravo Se Disc Publisher Roland MC-808 Magix Samplitude Professional 9.1 Massey Tape-Head Big Fish Audio Revolucion Reggaeton Sonivox World Beats Sony Pocket Diva Adobe Audition 2.0 Cakewalk Sonar 6 Room with a VU: J Street Recorders, Sacramento, CA

EQ Magazine - September 2007

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