Computer Music

Computer Music's goal is to help its readers create great music with a PC or Mac. Each month find easy-to-follow tutorials for all sorts of music software, unbiased reviews of the latest products and answers to technical questions. Our Zinio edition does not include the DVD but it DOES INCLUDE the full software, samples and tutorial files to download. Full details inside. Download does not include Producer Masterclass in-studio video. This digital edition is not printable.

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welcome

No NAMM in Jan, but we have news… • The Big Music Show is in April this year, so we’ve scoured the depths…

MPE MVPS • In the first part of our cover feature on software control, we look at where we are with hardware controllers and examine the rise of the MPE controller – and whether it is still the future of software music production...

MPE controllers • Six of the best MIDI polyphonic expression controllers out now

MPE synths • It’s not all about controllers: let’s welcome synths to the MPE party, too. Here are six of the best in hardware and software

The history of deep control • MIDI’s expressive potential has always been there, right from its inception. Yet it’s mainly thanks to those few who realised how it could be deployed, and imagined new ways of performing that we have such a huge range of options today

Enhancing modulation with MPE • While more multi-dimensional controllers are certainly up to the task of making virtual instruments sound more real, when used to wrangle your synths, MPE control and more out-there approaches can expand the sonic playing field into realms you might never have considered…

Gesture and movement-based MIDI controllers • There are more ways to be creative with MIDI than you may think. Here are six to start with…

The innovators • After our look at where we are – and where we’ve come from – in the world of software control, this time we’re looking ahead to where we might well be going, all stating with some of the innovators of music software…

Touchscreen tech • They’re a daily part of our smartphone-swiping lives, but touchscreens are oddly often viewed as a last-resort approach to music production. But, spurning the keyboard and mouse can make for a far more fluid control experience...

Future proof • The advanced controller options of today are just a taste of the raft of new control methods that the future will bring. Be they revolutionary standalone hubs, or devices to be used in conjunction with virtual reality

#24The infinite riffing synthesiser • In this month’s Synth Masterclass, we create a patch to run the duration of your track, and possibly even further!

#03 Equalising during the mix • This month we give you the lowdown on some basic EQ techniques that can help get things moving with your mix

ATAU TANAKA • Atau Tanaka creates electronic music using the movement of his own body, with custom software – and he thinks we should all try it. We catch up with the artist taking the ideas of software control and performance to a completely new level…

UNIVERSAL TRANSLATION • The best mixdowns will sound great on any playback system, big or small. Here’s how to ensure your tracks do the same

EastWest String Machine £170 • Summoning the spirit of the string machines of the pre-digital age, EastWest’s latest VI brings retro-future textures to the 21st century table

Spitfire Audio Speculative Memories £29 • Knitting ethereal vocal textures, evolving atmospherics and swelling bass throbs, Speculative Memories opens vast avenues for sonic introspection

Modalics Beat Scholar £69 • Will Modilacs’ debut plugin take the prize for most refreshingly innovative piece (or should that be slice?) of software we’ve seen for beat...