The beta version of Live 12 is here! In our Ableton Live 12 review, we take a look at everything new. Generative MIDI capabilities, an overhauled piano roll, new devices, and so much more! And we check if the Berlin company has fulfilled some community wishes.

Update (February 21, 2024): The cat’s out of the bag! Ableton has just revealed that Ableton Live 12 will be released on March 5, 2024. The DAW is still on sale right now, by the way, at 20 percent off*. This sale only runs until Live 12’s release, but you will get the upgrade for free if you buy Live 11 now. And if you already own Live 9,10, or 11 (Standard or Suite), you can take a sneak peek at the public beta right now!

Ableton Live 11 Intro

Available for $58 at

Ableton Live 11 Standard

Available for $199 at

Ableton Live 11 Suite

Available for $433 at

Highlights

• Generative MIDI: have Live 12 create melodies, rhythms, and chords for you
• Global tuning: set the key globally and have all clips and devices follow it
• Microtuning and non-western scales
• New devices: Morphing bi-timbral synth Meld and multi-band distortion Roar
• GUI overhauled: view arrangement, mixer, devices, and clips simultaneously
• New browser workflow: search with tags
• Find new sounds quickly through similarity search

Ableton Live 12 Review – how did we get here?

It’s been an exciting but somewhat rocky year for Ableton. In spring, they released Ableton Live 11.3 with a new software synthesizer and MPE capabilities for just about every included instrument. All that came to fruition with the release of Push 3 in May.

But it seems not every Ableton fan was happy to go for a two-thousand-dollar standalone version of Ableton. One that, to some, seemed a bit unfinished. That seems to have passed, but with the hardware out of the way, all eyes turn to Live.

And the Berliners are a bit under pressure here. Almost every DAW maker has released a significant update this year. With FL Studio adding stem separation and cloud connectivity, Logic Pro adding a mastering assistant and a powerful granular sampler, and Bitwig finally fulfilling Community wishes with the new MSEG module and a new browser, it was clear: Ableton needs to step up their game. Let’s see if they did in this Ableton Live 12 review!

Ableton Live 12 makes music for you (if you want)

As AI is all the rage these days, it’s no surprise DAW makers start including it in some form. While it is not exactly artificial intelligence, Ableton now brings four tools to generate MIDI notes for you. Create new drum grooves with the click of a button, endless melodies and glissandos, and even chord progressions through Ableton’s new generative MIDI tools.

While we’re at it, some neat additions to the piano roll have been introduced as well. You can now split and multiply notes, just like in FL Studio, whose piano roll is among the DAW game’s most powerful ones. There are also various tools to transform your existing notes, similar to what FL offers.

Existing MIDI chords can be arpeggiated and strummed; melodies can be extended and spruced up with legatos, frills, and even grace notes. These tools all take a moment to fully understand, even if you’re a seasoned Ableton veteran. It took me a few tries to grasp which notes to select and how to generate and change things. But once the penny dropped, I spent hours generating and manipulating melodies and chord progressions. This has been one of the highlights of my Ableton Live 12 review.

Find more better quicker – the new browser search

It’s one of the first things you see in the new update: the added „Filter“ section in the browser. Live’s search has historically been a bit limited when it comes to quickly finding that one VST or sample you always use. Now it works with tags. So, if I’m looking for „Serum“ or „drumbeat_128_splicepack“, it’s not an additional dozens of clicks and folders anymore. Just select the tag.

If there are plugins, Ableton devices, or presets that you always reach for, you can even save a browser search as a one-click search. This helps gloss over the fact that, unfortunately, we don’t get any additional „Collections“ in this update. Because seven just isn’t enough.

The most powerful addition to both the browser and drums racks is similarity search. It’s a new tiny button that appears next to any Ableton instrument preset, any one-shot or loop. The DAW instantly shows you similar sounds you can replace it with. And in Drum Racks, you can even replace every sound in your drum kit with similar sounds with the click of a button. Brilliant! Let’s move on with our Ableton Live 12 review.

Global tuning with microtonal and non-western scales

This falls under the category „Finally, because most other DAWs have had it for YEARS. “ You can set a global key in DAWs like Logic Pro or Cubase. Depending on the DAW and your workflow, new MIDI (and sometimes even audio) clips are automatically set to it. This is now integrated into Live 12. But Ableton being Ableton, it goes further.

Not only can you import any scl-file and have the DAW conform to any microtonal or non-western scale you desire and the DAW applies this scale to all MIDI clips in your project. It also applies the scale to the new software synthesizer Meld, where overtones matter. That’s not something I have ever seen anywhere else – and it helps a lot in sound design.

Ableton 12 review: new and updated devices

Meld is a two-oscillator polyphonic synth with 14 different oscillator types, ranging from VA to wavetable for various types of FM to unusual sound sources like „Bitgrunge“ „Tarp, “or „Bubble. “ And with some of these types, you see a little (b#). That indicates the overtones in this oscillator will be tuned according to the globally set scale. Neat.

They have also added Roar, another highlight for me in this Ableton Live 12 review. It’s a multi-band distortion effect. It does feedback, even in M/S. And that feedback can sound so gnarly, so sexy… Whem I combined it with some of Meld’s more aggressive sounds, I got some of the most evil sounds out of Live I have ever heard.

Not many devices have been updated. Granulator III, from Ableton’s own Robert Henke, has been rewritten from the ground up and is now much easier to use for live granular shenanigans. Live’s arpeggiator and chord devices have been slightly changed to fit into the new global scale option. But that’s about it. If you were hoping for changes in Operator, Sampler, or Auto-Filter, you have to be patient.

Fulfilling community wishes: All-in-one screen, bounce-in-place and more

It was one of the few really big annoyances if you worked with Live on a single screen. Switching back and forth between the mixer in the session view and the arrangement view, back and forth between editing a clip and working with the effects on a track. Now you can see everything. But that comes at a price.

Because Ableton Live is famous for its minimalism, it does get crowded if you have a full arrangement, plenty of mixer tracks, and loads of plugins all visible at the same time. But I guess there is no way you could solve this differently. I personally appreciate it a lot. And then there is „Freeze and flatten“. You read that right. You can now bounce a track’s clips into audio with just a single click. Finally!

What’s missing? There is no support for ARA, CLAP, or the new universal DAW file format DAWproject. You still can’t freeze groups, and there is no dynamic EQ or vocal tuner. To name a few. None of these matter particularly much in the big picture, in my opinion. But if you are among those disappointed because these things are missing, I urge you to try the new beta. It’s one of the most innovative DAW updates in recent years.

Conclusion

During my Ableton Live 12 review, I couldn’t help but be transported back to when I started with the DAW around version 6 or 7. Ableton has added so many new features and has changed so many existing things; it often felt as magical as my humble Live beginnings.

Mind you, this is the beta version we’re talking about. There are still a few bumps in the road, especially regarding the new MIDI tools. But given that we’re still 3+ months away from the final release, I’m sure Ableton will come around.

Price and Availablity

You can get Ableton Live Intro, Standard, and Suite right now over at Thomann (Affiliate). Ableton tells us that the final version of Live 12 is going to be released sometime in spring 2024. If you want to try the new features yourself, the public beta test will start soon.

And if you own Ableton Live 9, 10, or 11 – both Standard or Suite – you can now sign up for and download the Ableton Live 12 Beta.

More about this Ableton Live 12 Review

• All about the manufacturer at Gearnews
• Ableton website

Ableton Live 12 Review Pros and Cons

Pros

• MIDI tools like Transform or Generate are great creative additions
• Roar is one of the best-sounding, most versatile distortion effects on the market.
• Similarity search helps find new sounds quickly
• Bounce-in-place
• New all-in-one GUI makes everything more transparent

Cons

• DAW can become a bit cluttered with everything visible at the same time
• Plugin formats ARA and CLAP still missing
• Still only seven collections in the browser

Videos on Ableton Live 12

This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!

The post Ableton Live 12 Review – More MIDI, more GUI, more sound appeared first on gearnews.com.

Few effects define a musical era in quite the same way that digital 1980s reverb does. Although we’ve seen so many advancements in audio since then, those classic ’80s reverb sounds are still popular and sought after today.

There are numerous factors that led to this – and few of them are completely rational – so together we’ll look at digital reverb and how to go about using it in your production.

We know it’s not purely due to the sound because we don’t use the same techniques as we did when digital reverb was first introduced. It must be a combination of factors, including the interface design and the nostalgic sentiment of using retro-styled creative tools.

The story of digital reverb

It begins in 1976 with the EMT 250. Digital reverb provided a controlled environmental ambience with a low noise floor, which was revolutionary in the recording process. Until that time, the use of plates, springs, and re-amping had been some of the methods commonly used to add spatial characteristics to a sound.

Studios also evolved drastically due to the introduction of the SSL 4000 E series(and later G series) consoles. This provided unprecedented routing flexibility and when combined with the newly available tools of the time like analogue synthesizers and digital samplers, we got the magical explosion in the record industry that was the 1980s.

Digital reverb units like the AMS RMX16, Lexicon 224X, Yamaha REV-7, and the Sony DRE-2000 became icons of this era. They were used on so many of our favourite records and engineering superstars like Chris Lorde-Alge still use vintage reverb units or their software equivalents in every mix.

Using 1980s reverb in your studio

Like many effects we use for tonal quality, reverbs are available in several formats. The set-and-forget approach we take with leveling amplifiers is often used with reverbs too. This is due to the rather involved technical process that comes with designing your own reverb patches.

Good reverb units were never cheap, but you can get great-sounding reverb without the risk of buying a temperamental and astronomically priced vintage reverb. There are factors to consider like the advantages of software vs hardware, so we’ll check out some options and find something suitable for your setup.

Reverb software plug-ins

Having multiple instances of quality reverb plug-ins available in a single click is an incredibly powerful creative tool. Software provides instant gratification without patch cables, which makes it extremely convenient.

Remember though, that some vintage reverb units were one-trick ponies in the studio. So, unless you’re after the sound of a specific make or model, ensure you select something that has some versatility.

UAD AMS RMX16 Expanded

Developed in collaboration with AMS founder, Mark Crabtree, the AMS RMX16 Expanded plug-in is an authentic emulation of one of the most famous reverb units of all time. The no-nonsense UI gives you the classic controls without menu diving, which makes it a pleasure to use.

Like most UAD plug-ins, it sounds great, but it also has all the original patches so you get a realistic feel of using the RMX16 reverb in all its glory. All the famous algorithms are included, like the ambience and non-linear reverb settings, and it’s now available natively for any DAW.

• More from Universal Audio

Universal Audio Custom Bundle – Pick Any 3 Download No customer rating available yet

Available for 217.00 € at

Slate Digital Verbsuite Classics

Verbsuite Classics puts all the famous reverbs in one easy-to-use plug-in. The controls are simple but effective, and the EQ and chorus allow you to shape the sound according to your desired application easily.

What it lacks in looks and features, it makes up for with its sound. Even if you never deviate from the patches, Verbsuite gives you a wide range of reverbs to choose from.

• More from Slate Digital

Slate Digital Verbsuite Classics Download

Customer rating:

(12)

Available for 149.00 € at

Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle

The Lexicon PCM Native Reverb plug-ins have become an industry standard over the years. The bundle gives you seven different reverbs, each with its own patch library. The controls are reminiscent of the PCM96, providing detailed controls and visual EQ.

If you’re a lover of the Lexicon sound, this is an easy choice. Although it’s a considerable investment, it does offer a huge amount of flexibility and control beyond simply being a quality reverb.

• More from Lexicon

Lexicon PCM Native Reverb Bundle Download

Customer rating:

(23)

Available for 269.00 € at

Audio Ease Altiverb 8

Quite simply, Altiverb 8 is the Omnisphere of reverb plug-ins and one of the most powerful reverbs available in hardware or software. If you work as an engineer or sound designer in games, TV, film, or music – you’ve probably used it before.

Among its amazing spaces and IR designing capabilities, Altiverb also offers astonishingly realistic vintage reverbs from AMS, Lexicon, Yamaha, and many others. It is pricey, but at least you won’t be needing another reverb any time soon.

• More from Audio Ease

Reverb Effects Pedals

Not all reverb pedals are exclusively designed for guitars. Some offer line-level I/O to suit other instruments like synths and drum machines. This is great for using them on aux sends from your mixer, just like you would with outboard rack gear.

Apart from that, they offer great sounding effects and some even allow you to stack multiple reverb patches and create more complex layered sounds. The creative immediacy of working with a live tweakable instrument also has its own appeal.

Meris Mercury 7 and MercuryX

Inspired by Vangelis’ shimmering, modulated Lexicon 224 reverb sounds from the Bladerunner soundtrack, the Mercury 7 is a pedal version of its 500 series counterpart. The Meris 24-Bit AD/DA with 32-bit floating point DSP engine combined with true analogue signal path means you get studio-quality sound.

In addition, the Mercury 7 offers two different reverb algorithms (Ultraplate/Cathedra) and extensive tone-shaping capabilities. Apart from the EQ, the pitch vector allows you to accurately shift the wet signal for whichever instrument you’re using.

• More from Meris

Meris Mercury 7 Reverb Pedal

Customer rating:

(30)

Available for 349.00 € at

Meris Mercury X Reverb Pedal

Customer rating:

(4)

Available for 699.00 € at

Eventide Space

The Eventide Space pedal gives you 12 signature reverb combo algorithms and 10 knobs to design the sound to your liking. Furthermore, you get 100 patches designed by top engineers and producers like Richard Devine, Alan Moulder, and Flood.

The Space is well built with a metal chassis, so it’s rugged enough for the road. Also, it has great features like MIDI sync via DIN or USB to combine it with other hardware in your setup or even your DAW.

• More from Eventide

Eventide Space

Customer rating:

(103)

Available for 457.00 € at

Empress Effects Reverb

Empress Effects are known for creating some of the most innovative designs when it comes to pedals and the Empress Reverb is no exception. Not only is this an amazing-sounding reverb, but it’s also a very versatile creative tool with 32 reverb algorithms and the ability to further update the firmware via SD card.

Overall, it’s a great combination of good build quality and simple effective design. You will, however, need a re-amping device for it to function optimally as a line-level outboard processor.

• More from Empress Effects

Empress Effects Reverb

Customer rating:

(60)

Available for 549.00 € at

500 Series reverbs

500 Series effects give you much of the same quality as 19″ rack gear, but the more compact format provides certain benefits. In studio, these are great units if you don’t have much space and they offer excellent portability for live use.

All it takes is the right 500 series chassis and you can put your own rig together. Be aware of the space requirements before you look at purchasing these units, as some are larger than others.

Meris Mercury 7 500

The Mercury 7 500 has all the same features as the pedal version save for the swell and bypass switches. The fundamental difference is that the 500 series version is a single-space mono unit with more expandability.

It is both stereo and surround linkable, which makes it extremely formidable considering the cost of high-end studio reverbs. Overall, the approach of the Mercury 7 500 is refreshing, as it encourages real-time sound-shaping rather than sticking to one patch.

• More from Meris

Meris 500 Series Mercury 7 Reverb

Customer rating:

(1)

Available for 549.00 € at

AMS Neve RMX16 500

The RMX16 500 is AMS Neve’s rather recent reissue of the 1981 classic reverb. It takes up three spaces in your 500 series rack and has a very straightforward interface, making it a breeze to build and save patches.

Best of all though, it’s almost impossible to distinguish from the sound of the vintage RMX16. The character is captured in every way, with the I/O stages perfectly modeled and all the original patches maintained.

• More from AMS Neve

AMS RMX16

Customer rating:

(2)

Available for 1,369.00 € at

Rackmount reverbs

This is where we get into the higher-end side of reverbs available. You certainly don’t need to spend $2000 simply to create a decent 80s reverb sound. However, it will get you a top-of-the-line reverb capable of creating reverbs for any application.

The great thing about high-end hardware reverbs is that they don’t seem to date, lose much resale value, or go out of style. Once you have one of these in your rack, you are far less likely to keep buying every newly released product as you would with software.

Lexicon PCM92

Lexicon’s PCM92 has all the features you’d expect from a professional stereo reverb. This includes 28 new and classic reverb, delay, and modulation effects and a library of over 700 presets to choose from.

The PCM92 supports up to 96kHz sample rate with its 32-bit floating point system. In addition, It’s equipped with pro-industry connectivity formats such as AES/EBU, word clock, and ethernet. This makes it easy to slot into just about any studio or live setup.

• More from Lexicon

Lexicon PCM96 Surround D No customer rating available yet

Available for 4,990.00 € at

Bricasti M7

Bricasti was founded by DSP engineer, Casey Dowdell, and Brian Zolner – who has 20 years of experience working with Lexicon. The Bricasti M7 was launched in 2007 and fast established itself as the industry standard professional reverb unit worldwide.

With the ability to produce huge reverbs, transparent chambers, and anything in between, M7 owners are unlikely to ever need another digital reverb. The M7 gives you 100 presets with 12 tweakable parameters and all the pristine DSP you’d expect for the price.

• More about Bricasti

Bricasti Design M7

Customer rating:

(17)

Available for 4,979.00 € at

Quantec Yardstick 2496 S

The German answer to AMS and Lexicon, the Yardstick 2496 S is based on the classic Quantec QRS digital reverb from 1982. It’s just astonishing how transparent an early 1980s reverb algorithm still sounds today when compared to other professional reverbs.

The Yardstick comes with a web app that gives you comprehensive control over its wide range of parameters and the ability to easily match the reverb to the dimensions of the original recording space.

• More about Quantec

More about 1980s reverb and vintage effects:

• All about reverb
• Everything vintage
• Dub delay plug-ins

*This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!

The post Why do we still use 1980s reverb? appeared first on gearnews.com.

The Softube Widener and Clipper are two versatile audio plug-ins for mixing and mastering that form a new software bundle for your DAW.

Softube continues to offer high-quality software-based solutions for music production, mixing, and mastering with plug-ins based on classic gear, as well as new innovative processors for various audio applications.

Softube Widener and Clipper

The Widener and Clipper plug-ins are both designed to perform specific functions within your mixing or mastering workflow. Let’s take a closer look at each one and see where you might use them.

Widener

The new Softube Widener plug-in is a simple but effective stereo image processor that allows you to work with individual tracks, buses, or your entire mix.

With a range of metering options including a goniometer and correlation meter, you can easily keep an eye on the processing taking place. What’s more, there are five algorithms including Classic, Freq Spread, Rotation, Ambience, and Reflections.

• Official Product Page

Each algorithm presents a different processing application for mono and stereo signal and you can control the amount for accurate results. What’s more, the Widener plug-in is compatible with all Console 1 models, so it fits right into the workflow of current users.

Clipper

The Clipper has a similar look, with extensive metering and a useful waveform overview. This easy-to-use processor reduces the risk of audio artifacts and offers two gain stages so you can do a certain degree of tonal shaping.

With the visual interface and the analytical overview, the Clipper is a useful tool for processing individual tracks within your mix. In addition, you can use it to master music for different platforms or in video post-production workflows.

• Official Product Page

Pricing and availability:

The Widener and Clipper will be available from your favourite retailer, at an introductory offer of $79 for both plug-ins. The offer runs until March 20, so be sure to grab it before time runs out.

Softube Widener & Clipper Bundle

Available for $79,00 at

More about the Softube Widener and Clipper:

• Shop Softube on Plugin Boutique
• More from Softube
• Softube on YouTube

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post The new Softube Widener and Clipper: 2 Essential Plugins at One Price appeared first on gearnews.com.

In this week’s edition of Software Deals, we’ve got softsynths and plug-ins galore. If you act fast, you can get some serious savings.

Software Deals

If you’re a music producer, mix engineer, or an artist looking for new ways to create sounds, we’ve picked out an exciting selection of offers that will inspire creativity in your workflow. Let’s take a closer look at the deals currently available:

Soundtoys February Mini Sale

Until February 15, you can get up to 75% off selected processing plug-ins from Sountoys. This sale includes reverbs, delays, and other creative music production effects for your DAW.

You can shop the entire sale here with this link, and the individual offers are as follows:

• 40% off Effect Rack now at $161
• 65% off SuperPlate now at $44
• 75% off EchoBoy now at $44
• 60% off PrimalTap now at $35.25
• Save 60% on Devil-Loc Deluxe now at $35.25
• 60% off PanMan now at $35.25
• More from Soundtoys

Soundtoys Effect Rack

Available for $161 at

Cherry Audio Rackmode

The Cherry Audio Rackmode Signal Processors collection brings eight vintage effects to your DAW, based on the 1970s Moog Rack Effects that accompanied the famous Moog Modular systems of the time.

The Rackmode collection includes both the software instrument and effects plug-in versions of the legendary Moog 16-band Vocoder, as well as the 12-stage Phaser, the Bode Ring Modulator, the String Filter, the Bode Frequency Shifter, the Graphic EQ, and the Parametric EQ.

To get started, you also get over 150 presets for processing different instruments from drums, keyboards, guitars, and more.

• Save 70% on Cherry Audio Rackmode now at $35.25
• More from Cherry Audio

Cherry Audio Rackmode Signal Processors

Available for $35.25 at

Arturia Pigments 5

Arturia Pigments 5 is a powerful software synth with four sound-generating engines. These include the Harmonic engine, which can use up to 512 partials, as well as phase modulation.

Meanwhile, the Wavetable engine gives you a choice of 164 wavetables with ring modulation and pulse width controls. What’s more, the Utility engine provides a sub-oscillator with two noise layers.

With a powerful effects section, unison section, extensive mod matrix, vintage filters, and MPE support Pigments 5 is an amazing platform to create any sound from simple leads and basses, to rhythmic soundscapes.

• Get 55% off Arturia Pigments 5 now at $88
• More from Arturia

Arturia Pigments 5

Available for $88 at

AAS Chromaphone 3

Until March 4, you can save 50% on the Chromaphone 3 physical modelling synthesizer plug-in from AAS. The dual-resonator system provides 8 modeling sources like strings, plates, and tube for sound creation.

When combined with the integrated effects rack, Chromaphone becomes a powerful platform for creating very different sounds compared to the average wavetable or virtual analogue synthesizer.

In addition, with performance-based macros and an impressive patch library with plenty of expansion options, Chromaphone is a great tool for sound design, film scoring, and avant-garde music production.

• Save 50% on AAS Chromaphone 3 now at $80
• More from AAS

AAS Chromaphone 3

Available for $80 at

Ableton Live 11 Suite

Ableton Live 11 is a performance-focused DAW system with an incredible time-warping engine. From the get-go, you’re confronted with the clip launch window, which is a catalyst for ideas.

In addition, the Live 11 Suite includes a range of instruments and effects, Max support, as well as an entire library of loops and samples for creating almost any style of music.

However, possibly the most exciting aspect of Live is the way it links with external controllers and instruments. This makes it a great choice for creating music and performing live.

• Get over 40% off Ableton Live 11 Suite now at $433
• More from Ableton

Ableton Live 11 Suite

Available for $433 at

More about Software Deals:

• All about Software
• More Deals

*Note: percentage discounts may vary according to your region and currency conversion rates on the day of purchase. Displayed percentage discounts are guidelines only.

The post Software Deals from Soundtoys, Arturia, Ableton, and Cherry Audio appeared first on gearnews.com.

Until February 29, you can save up to 70% with the Softube February Sale on software plug-ins for music production, mixing, and mastering.

Softube is a renowned developer of analogue modeling instruments and processing plug-ins. Whether you need tools for mixing, mastering, or creating music, Softube offers an authentic-sounding solution for your DAW.

Softube February Sale

Softube February Sale

Available for check all deals at

Starting from only $45, you can get new Softube additions to your plug-in library in the form of softsynths, EQs, compressors, and other creative effects. You can shop the entire sale here with this link, and we’ll take a closer look at some of the highlights:

Model 84

The Softube Model 84 brings the iconic Roland JUNO-106 to your DAW with the same lush warm sound associated with this classic synth. What’s more, all the original controls are on deck to recreate that analogue experience.

The Model 84 also has a few extra touches like unison, as well as velocity and aftertouch support. Here, you can add more expression when playing, affecting the VCA, PWM, and filter.

• Get 50% off the Softube Model 84 now at $69

Softube Model 84

Available for $69 at

Weiss MM-1

Weiss Engineering specializes in ultra high-end audio tools for mastering audio in various formats. The Softube Weiss collection is a range of software plug-ins meticulously modelled on these prestigious hardware units.

With the MM-1 mastering maximizer, you get an easy-to-use but highly effective finalizing processor inspired by the Weiss DS1. Quickly take control of your master bus with five limiter modes and controls to set the amount of processing you need.

• Save 65% on the Weiss MM-1 now at $69

Softube Weiss MM-1

Available for $69 at

Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor

The S73 IMP is a condensed and versatile mastering plug-in based on the Drawmer 1973 3-Band FET Stereo Compressor. With its ten different processing modes, you can use it to add glue to your entire mix, or enhance channel groups and individual tracks.

Moreover, the controls are simple enough so that it doesn’t get in the way of your creative process when producing music. Instead, you have a powerful dynamics enhancer tool that can deliver great results, no matter your audio experience level.

• Get 49% off the Softube Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor now at $45

Softube Drawmer S73 Intelligent Master Processor

Available for $45 at

More about the Softube February Sale:

• Shop the Sale
• More Deals

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post Get up to 70% off with the Softube February Sale for a limited time. appeared first on gearnews.com.

Until March 31, the Cherry Audio February Sale is on, with discounts of up to 77% off on vintage-style software instruments and effects.

Cherry Audio has built a stellar reputation for reimagining classic synths as affordable and accessible software plug-ins. When you look through their catalogue, you’ll find recreations of everything from the usual suspects like the ARP 2600, the miniMoog, and the Roland JUNO-106, all the way to rarities like the Elka Synthex and the KORG PS-3300.

Cherry Audio February Sale

There’s a wide range of offers currently available, so we’ve picked out some of the most exciting of the discounted softsynths and effects. Meanwhile, you can shop the entire sale with this link, and we’ll take a closer look at some of the key offers in more detail.

CA2600

Inspired by the ARP 2600, the CA2600 replicates each section of the original with meticulous detail, providing mono and duo-phonic operating modes.

When creating a patch, the virtual cabling offers unlimited multis per jack and a “quick patch” feature for doing complex routing in seconds. What’s more, the CA2600 is also equipped with an extra LFO featuring six different waveforms and tempo sync.

• Get 40% off the Cherry Audio CA2600 now at $29

Cherry Audio CA2600

Available for $29 at

DCO-106

The DCO-106 is a recreation of one of the most iconic synths of all time, the Roland JUNO-106. It brings the classic JUNO sound to your DAW with all the original presets, while adding new features 16-voice polyphony, and expanded modulation capabilities.

In addition, there is a built-in reverb effect with three different modes and the DCO-106 also features a range of voice-assign modes, as well as MPE support.

• Save 40% on the Cherry Audio DCO-160 now at $29

Cherry Audio DCO-106

Available for $29 at

Polymode

The Polymode is a software version of the legendary Polymoog, made famous by Gary Numan. However, this 32-voice plug-in version has a few extra tricks up its sleeve.

Apart from an expanded resonators section, there are also more modulation capabilities. In addition, you have a range of built-in effects, such as a phaser, an echo, an ensemble, and a reverb.

• Get 33% off the Cherry Audio Polymode now at $39

Cherry Audio Polymode

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The Dada Life Secret Sauce bundle is a new EDM-friendly collection of 3 plug-ins with a reverb, a pitch riser effect, and a stereo widener.

Like the infamous Sausage Fattener, which also was licensed from developer Tailored Noise, each of the plug-ins in the Secret Sauce bundle works with the same ultra-simplistic two-knob interface.

Dada Life Secret Sauce

As mentioned, the Secret Sauce bundle is comprised of 3 different plug-ins: Space In-Your-Face, Eternal Return, and Wide Awake. Let’s investigate further and see what each one is about:

Space In-Your-Face

Space In-Your-Face uses the reverb from the Endless Smile tension-building plug-in which was released back in 2017. Although it’s only got two knobs and a brightness switch, it’s a really effective tool for using during drops in your tracks.

The minimalistic interface makes it very straightforward when introducing automation to your workflow. Sometimes, when creativity strikes it’s better to have fewer controls to get in the way of a good idea.

Eternal Return

Another simple but effective ingredient in the Secret Sauce bundle is the Eternal Return. This allows you to create cycling pitch rise effects that seem to go on forever, perfect for adding edge to sounds during build-ups and breaks.

The effect works wonders on high frequencies, so the white noise sweeps and snare rolls have a whole new frenzy-inducing dimension to them. Once again, with a sparse control setup that’s easy to automate.

Wide Awake

Wide Awake doesn’t work quite like other stereo imaging plug-ins. It does widen the stereo, but in a very intense and dramatic way. This is a versatile effect that can be used to transform mono sounds into wide atmospheric soundscapes.

You can focus on the lows, highs, or the entire frequency range, so it’s perfect for static sound design or creating transitional vocal, synth, or percussive elements in your music.

Pricing and availability:

The Secret Sauce bundle is available directly from Dada Life.

More about the Dada Life Secret Sauce bundle:

• Official Page
• More from Dada Life

The post Dada Life Secret Sauce: Tasty Treats for your DAW appeared first on gearnews.com.

Ambient is more popular than ever but it can be hard to make a living at it. Six professional ambient artists give advice on how you can do it too.

Ambient Music

The world is a stressful place. Since the pandemic a few years back, ambient music has become more popular than ever. Listening to a well-created ambient track can relax you, lower blood pressure and help you forget the hellscape outside your door.

There may be more need for ambient music than ever before but actually making a living by composing it remains an elusive thing. Streaming sites such as Spotify offer the most direct way to reach audiences but actually getting paid by Spotify can be difficult. Difficult – but not impossible. I spoke to six different artists from the ambient community to find out how they use Spotify and what other kinds of revenue streams they’re paddling in.

Interviews have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Michiru Aoyama

Japanese musician Michiru Aoyama has been getting a lot of press lately. He claims to earn $3000 a month from his music, the bulk of which comes from streaming on Spotify. His secret? He releases a new album every day!

Gearnews: For someone who wants to make money with ambient music by using streaming sites like Spotify, what is the most important thing to consider?

Michiru Aoyama: The most important thing is to write a song every day. There should be no sense of effort or obligation. Just follow your heart and make music.

“…I prefer to make music like taking snapshots.”

GN: Is song length important?

MA: In ambient music, songs often tend to be long. This is because it is a genre that immerses you in a sound world. However, I prefer to make music like taking snapshots. I prefer to express the small things that I notice and enjoy in my daily life.

GN: Is it important to release new music regularly? If so, how often?

MA: It is important to release (music) on a regular basis. Daily contact with your (audience) builds relationships. Releasing once a year inevitably creates a distance between you and your listeners. I want them to hear my music every day so that it blends in with the air.

GN: Are playlists important for making money?

MA: Most of my playback volume comes from there.

GN: How do you get onto playlists?

MA: The only thing I have done is to create (music) every day and deliver it wholeheartedly to the Spotify playlist editor.

The system of posting songs to the editor has changed since August 2023, I think. I used to post every day but now I have to wait several months before I can post. I am very disappointed.

GN: What gear do you use when you make ambient music?

MA: The equipment I use is based on musicians I respect, for example, Fennesz and Chihei Hatakeyama. My outboard gear is API 2500 and 8200a, Manley EQ, Neve Portico.

The audio interface is RME. As sound sources, I use PRS McCarty and Sequential Prophet-5. The DAW I use is Studio One. As for plug-ins, I often use Ozone, FabFilter, and Max/MSP.

Sequential Prophet 5

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(14)

Available for 3,599.00 € at

Presonus Studio One 6 Pro UG 1-6 Artist Download

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(5)

Available for 289.00 € at

API Audio 2500+

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(3)

Available for 3,599.00 € at

iZotope Ozone 11 Advanced Download

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(2)

Available for 399.00 € at

DF Tram

DF Tram is an ambient artist and DJ based in Zagreb, Croatia. He favours a sprawling sound heavy on sound design and has a forthcoming album on Alex Patterson’s Orbscure record label.

Gearnews: For someone who wants to make money with ambient music by using streaming sites like Spotify, what is the most important thing to consider?

DF Tram: It is difficult to make money on streaming sites like Spotify unless you have millions and millions of streams. It’s important to diversify and have multiple income streams – no pun intended. I feel that Spotify doesn’t pay artists fairly. My latest ambient release is going to be available exclusively on Bandcamp.

GN: Is song length important?

DF: I don’t think so unless you are aiming more toward the wellness/meditation crowd. I think people have gotten used to hearing ambient music because of its use in commercials and entertainment, so if you have an idea for a longer track, go for it.

“I release music quite often under different aliases…”

GN: Is it important to release new music regularly? If so, how often?

DF: I release music quite often under different aliases, more out of a drive to let feelings and emotions out. Releasing music is therapy for me and hopefully for others too. I think if you can release a couple albums a year, that is pretty good.

GN: Are playlists important for making money?

DF: If you are trying to make money on Spotify, it’s important to make it onto Spotify playlists. It’s one of the best ways to get discovered.

That said, most of the ambient artists I know aren’t getting millions of streams on there and don’t like the Spotify business model. I have not quite figured out how to get on these playlists.

GN: What gear do you use when you make ambient music?

DF: I use a combination of acoustic instruments, hardware, and software synths. Things such as singing bowls, melodicas, harmonicas, and microphones for field recordings can all find their way into my music.

I also have a few synths, with my favourite being the Moog Little Phatty. I use it a lot for trippy effects and bass sounds.

Thomann Tibetan Singing Bowl No12, 1kg

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(85)

Available for 39.00 € at

Thomann Melodica MKII

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(8)

Available for 25.00 € at

Moog Subsequent 37

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(118)

Available for 1,959.00 € at

Hollie Kenniff

Hollie Kenniff is a rising star in the ambient firmament. Her music is highly melodic and song-focused, with a heavy dose of emotion and atmosphere.

Gearnews: For someone who wants to make money with ambient music by using streaming sites like Spotify, what is the most important thing to consider?

Hollie Kenniff: First off, I think a lot of it has to do with luck. Sometimes things will get playlisted and boost streams and sometimes they won’t and it’s difficult to know what will hit.

In general, it’s a carrot-on-the-stick scenario where chasing the algorithm is going to lead to a certain amount of frustration. The best thing I would advise is to try and be honest about what you’re trying to achieve.

“try to be honest about what you’re trying to achieve.”

GN: Is song length important?

HK: It depends. Generally speaking, the 2-4 minute mark is where I like to stay. I think anything under tends to limit the ability to develop ideas and pull someone in and anything over tends to overstay its welcome. In regard to the algorithm, something that won’t take up too much space in a playlist is preferable.

GN: Is it important to release new music regularly? If so, how often?

HK: Generally, yes. Nowadays it’s important to keep things fresh in the listeners’ minds. Algorithmically, I think that this is favourable as well. The more that’s released, the better chance of getting on playlists or popping up in someone’s new releases sections.

GN: Are playlists important for making money? If so, how do you get onto playlists?

HK: This, I’m afraid, is somewhat of an unanswerable question. There’s really no formula to get playlisted. Yes, playlists can be important for making money, they help boost streams and put one’s music in front of an audience.

The radio function, on Spotify for instance, or autoplay for recommended artists, is also an important function, where your music can get pushed. But there’s no magic answer to this.

“Everyone has an inner voice…”

GN: Do you have any other tips for making a go of it as a professional ambient musician?

HK: Set realistic goals. Ambient music is having a moment right now but this sort of thing ebbs and flows. Try and make your music special.

Everyone has an inner voice and trying to understand that and being willing to be vulnerable will help the human connection to make people want to join you on your journey.

GN: What gear do you use when you make ambient music?

HK: I use a lot of things inside the box, so largely manipulating textures in the DAW (Studio One). I use guitar loops/pedals a lot.

My pedalboard is pretty simple, just an Eventide Space Reverb, Fairfield Circuitry Shallow Water, a Ditto Looper pedal, and an expression pedal. My husband (Helios, Goldmund) and I have a Yamaha U3 upright piano, which gets a lot of use, and a Moog Grandmother.

Presonus Studio One+ Download

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Eventide Space

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Available for 457.00 € at

Fairfield Circuitry Shallow Water

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Available for 369.00 € at

tc electronic Ditto Looper

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(1859)

Available for 89.00 € at

Moog Grandmother

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(113)

Available for 1,289.00 € at

Ian Boddy

Ian Boddy is something of a legend in the ambient community, having ploughed his particular field of modular-heavy electronic music for decades now. He also runs the independent record label, DiN.

Gearnews: For someone who wants to make money with ambient music by using streaming sites like Spotify, what is the most important thing to consider?

Ian Boddy: In my opinion, any independent artist should have more than one iron in the fire. I have several musical income streams:

1. The DiN label selling CDs/vinyl/digital. It’s a combination of Bandcamp plus several selected distributors. Income from streaming is only a small part of this.
2. Library music. Over the years I have composed about 600 tracks which bring in a steady amount of income.
3. Sound design. I have done many sample libraries over the years as well as patch banks for various soft synths. This income can be a mix of commissions and royalties.

GN: What gear do you use when you make ambient music?

IB: I’ve designed two Eurorack modules in conjunction with AJH Synth, the Triple Cross and Chance Delay. This was a new venture for me where I came up with the concept and panel layout and they did the electronics.

It is of course another revenue stream but they provide ways of working in modular that are important to me, namely multi-input cross fading with the Triple Cross and randomisation with the Chance Delay.

AJH Synth MiniMod VCF black

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AJH Synth Multi Burst Envelopes

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Aleksi Perälä

Aleksi Perälä is a true maverick. He’s also incredibly prolific, releasing long albums of ambient and electronic music roughly every two weeks.

Gearnews: For someone who wants to make money with ambient music by using streaming sites like Spotify, what is the most important thing to consider?

Aleksi Perälä: Spotify is not fair for artists.

GN: Is song length important?

AP: No.

GN: Is it important to release new music regularly? If so, how often?

AP: When it happens, it’s like magic.

GN: Are playlists important for making money?

AP: I don’t understand. Making money is not important.

GN: What gear do you use when you make ambient music?

AP: It doesn’t matter! May the auspicious happen.

Ambient Music: Diversify For Success

After hearing about Michiru Aoyama’s success with Spotify, I was really hoping that this might turn out to be a valid new way to generate income as an ambient musician. However, after speaking with all of the different artists here, I can only come to the conclusion that his is a unique case.

Kim Cascone, longtime ambient and experimental musician and label head of Silent Records (full disclosure: I record for Silent Records), told me: “You need a two-tiered approach. You need Spotify and streaming platforms and you need downloads like Bandcamp. And on top of that Spotify doesn’t pay out unless you break a thousand streams.”

Kim’s last point is especially important. As of this year (2024), Spotify is changing its payout policy, limiting payments only to those with more than 1000 streams.

One way to make sure that you get those 1000 streams is by getting onto playlists, as some artists have said. However, to achieve this you should make the music that you want to make, not the music that you think the algorithm wants.

“Having something to say rather than just writing pretty or relaxing music will go much further than simply getting playlisted,” advised Hollie. “You want to connect with people, not the algorithm.”

There’s no magic formula for getting rich with music these days. But then again, has there ever been?

More Information

• All about synthesizers
• All about effects

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

The post How to earn $3000 a month from Spotify by making ambient music appeared first on gearnews.com.

If you’ve reached the stage where you’re ready to start rehearsing the music you write, you might have thought about adding a mixer to your setup. We’ve selected some of the best compact analogue mixers to expand the possibilities of your studio.

Whether you create music or produce a podcast, managing multiple live audio signals is part of the game. You might think you can simply get by running everything directly into your audio interface, but mixers provide some key advantages.

For starters, the preamp quality is often far better than what you’ll find on the average budget interface. What’s more, the added bonus of having channel strips at your disposal with faders, EQs, and sends provides a great deal of creative flexibility.

Choosing the best compact mixers (analogue)

Everyone has their own particular requirements when it comes to audio workflow. So we’re looking at a range of options that can become the central hub of your setup, no matter what that currently looks like.

While some mixers offer versatility with signal routing options, others provide excellent recording front end in the form of channel strips. Let’s take a closer look at what’s available.

Allen & Heath ZED-10

If you’re looking for a basic compact mixer for a podcast, or to connect the various pieces of gear around your studio, the ZED-10 is a good place to start. With 4 mic preamps, 2 stereo channels, 2 aux sends, and metering, you have just enough to get you started.

Moreover, the ZED-10 is light and compact, making it a perfect rehearsal or stage mixer. Adding parallel effects via sends or recording to an external device is a simple procedure, and you can also use it to set up a monitor mix.

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Allen & Heath ZED-10

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(212)

Available for 295.00 € at

Radial Key Largo

Radial Engineering is known for creating practical road-ready products with low-noise circuitry. The Key Largo is an impressive compact keyboard mixer, but it will also serve electronic musicians with drum machines or grooveboxes that don’t require mic inputs.

It provides 3 stereo channels and another stereo pair for USB input, so you can easily incorporate Apple Mainstage or Ableton Live. In addition, the FX loop allows you to add effects pedals into your rig. Overall, a great choice if you can get around the lack of metering.

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Radial Engineering Key-Largo

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(25)

Available for 533.00 € at

Soundcraft Signature 12 MTK

The Signature 12 MTK is an excellent budget recording desk with a wide range of connectivity options which makes it useable in many different situations. A compact mixer with assignable buses is surprisingly rare these days.

So, with the 3 aux sends and built-in effects you can easily rehearse and record small bands and ensembles. In addition, the integrated USB interface allows you to do multitrack recording or run channels out of your DAW and work with them in analogue.

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Soundcraft Signature 12MTK

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(231)

Available for 525.00 € at

SSL SiX

If you’ve got a bit more budget to play with, the SSL SiX is probably the most powerful desktop mixer ever designed. The intelligent console-style routing options and a pair of SuperAnalogue channel strips with compression and EQ make it hard to beat.

What’s more, it’s equipped with a simplified version of the famous SSL glue compressor which can be used so many ways. The SiX may be limited in channel count, but it’s certainly expandable and offers an incredible recording front end for your setup.

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SSL SiX

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(57)

Available for 1,169.00 € at

Dynacord CMS600-3

For those familiar with the old Mackie 8-Bus or Midas Venice mixers, the CMS600-3 offers a similar level of quality. The CMS range is pricey and primarily designed for live sound, but they still provide an awesome solution for home studios.

With 6 quality preamps, 8 3-band parametric EQ channels, and plenty of return tracks, you have the tools to carve your sound. Also, the onboard dual-stereo effects engine is extensive, which adds a new dimension to the overall value of the CMS600-3.

• More from Dynacord

Dynacord CMS600-3

Customer rating:

(35)

Available for 1,598.00 € at

More about the best compact analogue mixers:

• Mixing outside the box
• All about mixers
• More about home recording

*Note: This article contains promotional links that help us fund our site. Don’t worry: the price for you always stays the same! If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Thank you for your support!

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