I’ll admit two things right away: First, I wasn’t overly excited about the Brilliance Pack. Second, I don’t care for The Beatles. To me they were a boy band and I don’t care for boy bands. Thankfully, some other talents were recorded at Abbey Road so I don’t have to be reminded of these yesterdays Backstreet Boys when mixing with these plug-ins.

Legacy

Whenever Abbey Road comes up, Beatles comes up. So does Pink Floyd and their killer album ‘Dark side of the moon’. Chandler has made some rather pricey hardware to replicate the old Abbey Road gear. If it’s a little to steep for you these plug-ins might be your cup of tea. If you’re interested in the history of these plug-ins you can read a little about them here and here on the Abbey Road Plug-ins website.

RS127 Rack

The reason why I wasn’t very excited about these plug-ins had nothing to do with the previous Abbey Road plug-ins, in fact, I hadn’t even tried them when I gave the Brilliance Pack it’s first run. I’ll spit it right out: I found the idea of selling 1-band plug-ins with a pretty vintage look and character rather ugly. Two of which on top of that were supposedly the same, just a racked and a boxed version. I had read very good reviews on them, but I didn’t care. When I downloaded them I thought to myself that it was at least cool they decided to emulate something new instead of another damn Neve.

Old crap is the new black

Was I kicked in the head or what?!

You betcha brother. My first use was the RS127 Rack on a guitar bus. Bam! 2 dBs up and the guitars got new life. I’m not exaggerating. With that they simply sounded like a unity. Heck, I gave them another 2 dB boost. My reaction was “åh-åh-hå” (think: sound of old pervert in Swedish). I was completely floored.

RS127 Box

That was it. Now I’m hooked like a junkie. You can find me in the gutter outside Abbey Road every now and then muttering “I wonder how it will sound on violin”. Or when things get real bad I’m painted like a clown, knocking on the window screaming for the hardware. Because that’s what happens. You start asking yourself with every track “I wonder what a little brilliance will do to it”. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. You’d be surprised how often it does work when you think of the extremely limited frequency range.

Details, details…

OK, I’ll bore you with the details: The pack consists of RS127 Rack, RS127 Box and RS135. Besides having ridculous names like all old hardware has, the RS127’s has only one band which can be set to three frequencies and boost or cut 10 dB. The RS135 doesn’t even have a frequency knob, it’s locked at 8 kHz. They’re CPU friendly. That’s all there is to say about specs.

RS135

My initial reaction is still somewhat present: you’re buying 1-band EQ’s for hundreds of dollars. The difference now is that these simply are different 1-banders then what you already have. They simply don’t act or sound like any other EQ I have ever encountered. Oh, and the Rack and Box version of the RS127 are in fact different sounding. Personally I prefer the Rack, in fact, the Box gets little use.

These are quite possibly my new favorite EQ’s. I can’t say if they just happened to fall into my lap at the very right time or not. I’m currently in a phase where I do very little with my mixes and these just work wonderful for that kind of approach. I just add a little brilliance and be done with it. For my next project I’m going to make a template and simply use them as channel EQ’s on every track.

Conclusion

If you got the money you must try the Abbey Road Brilliance Pack. If you’re broke, don’t bother, you’ll ball your eyes out when you realize how wonderful they sound. OK, calm down now stiff, I understand that the color might not fit everyone. I’m just saying, if you don’t appreciate the color I don’t think I can respect you anymore. Quite possibly my new favorite EQ’s.

Cluster Sound has launched four free XPander Packs Tech Producer DSP consisting of 1,5 gigabytes of content, making Tech Producer DSP over 17 Gigabytes large. Registered users can now access their account and download for free all the audio material.

The libraries are:

XP07 – Dynamic Box
XP08 – Waver Pack
XP09 – Graincussor
XP10 – Pulse Blocks

From the Cluster Sound press release:

The libraries are clearly designed for minimal and tech-based music productions and consist of 1750 WAV loops and samples, 800 REX2 loops, 1600 Drum Rack sliced loops & devices and 1070 instruments and drumkits for Live, Reason and Kontakt.

Updated Tech Producer DSP specification:

17.500 Megabytes
12.650 WAV Loops and Samples
15.200 LIVE Instruments & Clips
3.000 Compatibility Instruments
4.800 REX2 Loops
400 MIDI Loops

Cluster Sound

SM Pro Audio is now shipping their V-Machine VST player. The V-Machine is just what it sounds like, a VST/VSTi hardware playback module. There have been other attempts like this in the past, but from what I’ve heard, users have complained about stability. Let’s hope SM Pro Audio has made their VST player more stable than the competition, because I really think this is a killer idea.

From the SM Pro Audio press release:

Multiple plug-ins can be loaded into bank/preset memories of the V-Machine for immediate access and combined into chains, splits, and layers to create extremely rich and unique sounds. Full external MIDI controller support allows users access to available loaded plug-in parameter controls such as virtual dials, switches, and faders.

The V-Machine houses a host of connections in a sturdy metal chassis to hold up to the rigors of the road. Audio is handled by stereo inputs and outputs and a headphone output with dedicated volume control. Three USB connections handle computer transfers of VST applications, streaming of sample content from external hard drives, connection of USB controllers, and copy protection dongles. A MIDI-in jack is also included for the connection of standard MIDI controllers.

The SM Pro Audio V-Machine will ship with control configuration software compatible with Windows and Mac OS X as well as IK Multimedia’s Sample Tank SE and a set of sound samples. Users can load up their favorite VST/VSTi plug-ins on their computer for auditioning, sound-set creation, and bank/preset memory assignment prior to transferring to the V-Machine for stand-alone use. Transferring plug-ins to the V-Machine via USB transfer takes care of all required user data and program memories. Once in the main unit, users have instant access to all instrument and effects for the stage or studio with great audio performance, hardware stability, ease of operation, and portability.

Well, at least they say it’s stable…

The V-Machine is priced at $599.

SM Pro Audio

DnB Zone

New sample pack in the style Drum & Bass…

From the Bluezone press release:

• Drumloops with characteristic style
• Basslines ready to use without any effort
• Drums which will expand your choice
• FX and synthesizer sounds

Formats : WAV, AIFF and REX2
Price : download pack : about 30 euros

Downtempo Box

For lounge and ambient vibes…

This sample pack includes a selection of loops, hits, pads and atmospheres that will enable you to produce quality tracks. The 125 drumloops offer a large choice of tempos from 72 bpm to 125 bpm

Formats: WAV, AIFF and REX2
Price : download pack : about 35 euros

Techno Trance Producer

‘Techno Trance Producer’ brings together many loops which have been conceived from scratch and worked on with precision.

Formats: WAV, AIFF and REX2
Price : download pack : about 30 euros

Hardstyle Producer

Explosive volume brings together numerous hardstyle loops and samples at 148 BPM and the hardstyle drums and synths are ready to be used in your hardstyle tracks!

Formats: WAV, AIFF and REX2
Price : download pack : about 25 euros

Bluezone

Regarding the notorious WUP: all purchases and upgrades include one full year of Waves Update Plan coverage.

Waves

It’s been a while since Live was updated to version 7 but I still think it deserves a review. Most of you are probably familiar with Live Lite which has come bundled with Pro Tools systems for a long time now. While I think the Lite version can be helpful as a rewired tool into Pro Tools or any other DAW, the full version is a whole other animal. Let’s see what it brings to the table.

A new way of living

Live has a very different workflow from any other DAW I’ve used. This is actually one of the reasons why I keep it on the computer even if I don’t use it for months. Every now and then a writer’s block will sneak up on me and I can just fire up Live and start composing in a whole new environment with entirely different posibilities. Live should of course not be narrowed down to a second class sequencer, it’s perfectly capable to work on it’s own. When I got Live 7 I made several projects - from record to mix - in it without any help from Pro Tools at all.

It’s often been said that Logic features so many ways to work in that you can take your own approach, and from Protoolers you can actually hear the same. I think the same goes for Live, and even more so for Live than for any other app because of the addition of the Session view which is totally unique. In case you’re not familiar with it, this is the famed “Live view” where tracks are filled with little clips (loops or samples or whatever) that you can launch. Depending on your settings they will launch perfectly synced to each other or not, and they will loop and play back in sync or not.

I think this is important to talk about, because a lot of people I talk to don’t like how Live functions without realizing they don’t have to do it the way they’ve heard it’s done. If you want to, you can do regular multi-tracking, but you don’t have to. You don’t have to have everything synced in tempo either, but you can if you want.

One thing I’ve always liked about Live is that no matter how long inbetween I’ve been using it I still have most shortcuts down when I fire it up anew. You might think this is because I’ve done extensive work in it, but not so. Live simply functions the way it should, or at least the way my brain thinks it should. For instance, I’ll never forget the shortcut cmnd+R for renaming a track. Somehow I always know that’s what I should press even if it’s not the same in Pro Tools, Logic or any other app I use. While naming the track, it feels so given to try to tab between tracks, this actually works in Live. Delete simply deletes a track, and cmnd+T (for “track”) simply creates a new one. These might seem like very simple things, and they are, but I think Live is filled with these simple things which is what makes it so easy for me to work with.

Stability and gigging

I’ve often said that Live is the only software I would trust on a gig, and to this day I stand by that. Pro Tools LE will suddenly get a buffer size error at some point, I’m not filthy rich so I can’t afford Venue, and Logic will probably blow up the entire arena with a bug overload. I’m actually typing this while working in a session with Live and having Gmail open at the same time. Sure, this is possible in Pro Tools or any other DAW as well, but you’d be surprised how easy Wordpress and Gmail can make some other apps stop. With Live I’m simply not afraid it will happen. So Live is friendlier stability-wise, and what’s more is that it has a lot of cool things going on for it when it comes to gigging.

Most parameters (including the very useful clip launch) can be controlled by MIDI or by computer keyboard. This is incredibly useful for people like me who don’t mind playing a guitar with my hands while doing other things with my feet at the same time. I can actually even decide which clip should launch after it’s finished playing, how many times it will play and then randomize the next clip. Live has really taken the full step in this regard and I can’t remember even hearing about an app that does even remotely the same thing. This opens up a world of possibilities for solo musicians, DJs and bands.

Another key thing regarding stability is that you often don’t really have to stop Live. You can actually start recording a bass clip while a drum loop is playing, launch the bass clip after you’re finished and then start on a guitar recording or step edit some percussion or whatever without ever hitting stop. I think this is a really cool thing, and while Digidesign will want you to believe in their later videos that you don’t need to stop Pro Tools either, I find it’s not really the case. I had to stop Live two times today: once when I did a really poor recording in the timeline and had to do a retake - which I could actually have avoided if I had taken another approach! - and once when I wanted to consolidate in the timeline. The latter surprised me, but I can live with it.

Play nicely now

Live is a great sketch pad. All the files you drag into Live is automatically synced to tempo, and you can change tempo of the song at anytime and the clips will change with it. Awesome. Unfortunately I was reminded that elastic audio in Live isn’t as good sounding as it could be. For some things, like bass, and some guitar it works, and for drums it works really well, but for other things it just end up sounding bad. I definitely feel that Digidesign made a better sounding elastic audio. Perhaps it has to do with the transient detection, since key to good elastic audio handling in Pro Tools is having only one stretch marker per hit. That’s just a guess, I don’t know what it has to do with, but I hope Ableton will improve this in the future.

A sad thing for those of you who have been thinking about integrating Live as a Rewire slave to your setup is that plug-ins simply doesn’t work in Rewire mode. I think this is a major letdown for people like me who perhaps might want to start a session in Live, do some mixing as I go along and then Rewire it into Pro Tools to finish it off in there. I believe this is caused by Rewire itself and not by Live but I’m not sure (an email to Ableton didn’t result in much explanation). I could of course use Soundflower instead if I just used any other master than Pro Tools (burn!). Live’s own plug-ins will however work, but I still find the previously mentioned issue more than a little annoying. You can if you want bounce all tracks separately at once (Audio Geek Zine has a tutorial for it). A great feature, but I still think that with Rewire we shouldn’t have to do that.

The “noose”

There have been quite some talk about the new 64-bit engine. I haven’t done any testing with this Live versus previous versions, but if you think Lives stretching sounds as good as Pro Tools now you’ll be disappointed. I have to say though that I think the stretching in Live has gotten some unnecessarily bad rep from some parts. It isn’t bad, in fact it works tremendously well for some things and the stretch in Pro Tools is simply a different animal. In a way I feel you have a better control over the stretch in Pro Tools, which makes it realy good for correction. Live on the other hand focuses on recording loops, or using loops and stretching them, and does so in a way that Pro Tools is simply incapable of. It comes down to what kind of stretching you do (no split jokes thank you!).

Other news includes updated plug-ins, which I won’t compare to the earlier versions. It’s too much of an undertaking to go into details with plug-ins and sound banks, but let me just say that I’m not in love with any plug-in. The rack presets, on the other hand, is surprisingly often to my taste. Even the reverb racks are, which is more than a little surprising since, as loyal readers know, I usually don’t care for plug-in reverbs.

Time signature changes are now included, in a little unconventional manner, but that’s fine. I guess I’m not the only one saying “what took you so damn long?”, but at least I can stop complaining now. The new “drum racks” is also a nice feature. Instead of me explaining it, you can view a video of it here at Ableton alongside a more detailed list of what’s new in version 7. Many more videos are available here. I’m still umimpressed by the arrangement view (the regular timeline) however. It simply doesn’t work well for me.

Conclusion

Live is not my main DAW. I like it for making some songs. Sometimes I’ll do the full mix in it as well, sometimes I won’t. I guess it depends more on my mood rather than a certain quality my mixes should have, which I ultimately feel are DAW independent. When it comes to live performance however, I simply wouldn’t think of any other app for it than Live. Stability is impeccable, and the way you can automate and launch things almost begs you to play with it - like an instrument. There are too many goodies in there to mention, but to sum them up I would simply declare “it functions like it should”. There are other things about it that are not so good. For instance, the arrangement view is underdeveloped in my opinion. I’m also still unimpressed by the restrictions when connecting Live and Pro Tools via Rewire, but I’m not sure I can blame Ableton for this.

Regarding the software, while all M-Audio software is supported, doesn’t mean Digidesign Pro Tools M-Powered is.

M-Audio

Here are two nice videos (besides the utterly disgusting promotion in the end of the second video) of Ryan Hewitt talking about the AWS 900 console. Funny thing: the first thing I thought in the beginning of both videos was “hey, my 003 does that too”.

From the Applied Acoustics Systems press release:

The years flied by quickly and looking back, it’s impressive to see how much the world of computer music has evolved. In 1998, software instruments could still not play in real-time and plug-in instruments didn’t even exist! Today’s computers are now at the core of the studio, entire musical productions are created with software instruments and the field is more exciting than ever.

We are definitely looking forward to the next decade with many new and innovative instruments currently on our drawing board.

It’s sick when you think about it, how plug-ins and software instruments have changed the world. We’re still just in the beginning of a whole new era. Epic.

Not as epic perhaps, but news indeed is the promotion AAS is running to mark their anniversary.

To mark the event, we are very happy to announce an exceptional promotion. Until January 5th, 2009, the Modeling Collection as been reduced by 30%. That’s all our Professional Series instruments comprising Tassman 4, Lounge Lizard EP-3, Ultra Analog VA-1, String Studio VS-1 and the new Strum Acoustic GS-1 for only $349!!!

Modeling Collection upgrades have also been reduced by 30%! Upgrade one or more of your Professional or Session Series instruments to the full Modeling Collection bundle today.

The following Modeling Collection upgrades are available:
1. From one Professional Series instrument, now $259
2. From two or more Professional Series instruments, now $175
3. From one Session Series instrument, now $315

Professional Series instruments are Tassman 4, Lounge Lizard EP-3, Ultra Analog VA-1, String Studio VS-1, and Strum Acoustic GS-1.

Session Series instruments are Lounge Lizard Session, Ultra Analog Session, and Strum Acoustic Session.

Go shop at AAS

Go shop for upgrades at AAS