Toontrack Superior Drummer 2.0

Toontrack Superior Drummer 2.0 - The New York Legacy Series Vol. 1

(Reviewed by John Verity)

What is it?

Superior Drummer 2.0 is a collection of multi-microphone drum samples designed for realism when sequencing drum tracks. Superior drummer works either as a stand-alone system, or as a virtual instrument/ plug-in inside your DAW of choice. For the purposes of this piece I used it inside Steinberg’s Cubase 5.

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YAMAHA MW10 USB Mixing Studio with CUBASE LE DAW Software

Yamaha have a long tradition in the manufacture of musical instruments and sound equipment - both for domestic and professional use. The company's recent acquisition of the music software company Steinberg now means that their mainly hardware range now includes software systems, and opens up new possibilities for products which combine hardware and software. This entry level system is the first of a planned range of systems combining these technologies promising exciting times ahead for anyone interested in creating high quality recoded product.

CUBASE LE DAW Software 'Digital Audio Workstations' are very popular in professional recording studios, home setups and education, allowing the user to combine MIDI and audio techniques whilst using sophisticated editing and processing tools within a standard computer. 'Cubase' has been around for many years now, and this 'LE' edition is the current entry-level version using the same technology as Steinberg's flagship 'Cubase SX' and 'Nuendo' packages, but with stripped-down facilities which shouldn't limit its effectiveness in the home or in NQF level 2 education.

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TASCAM DM 3200

TASCAM DM 3200 – typical price £2,499.00
(Reviewed by John Verity)

The DM-3200 is a 48-channel professional digital console. It offers sixteen busses, eight auxes, dynamics and effects, automation via motorised faders and USB connectivity. Its user interface includes 16 rotary encoders with LED indicators to display mixer settings at a glance’ DAW (Digital Audio Workstations) such as ‘Cubase’ & ‘Logic’ are a common feature in the studio, music lab, and classroom where BTEC Music & Music Technology programmes are delivered.They are, along with ‘Pro Tools’, ‘Nuendo’ and similar systems, the standard method of recording and editing across much of the industry which is why learners need to become familiar with this method of working. Whilst working ‘in the box’ is perfectly acceptable, many professionals prefer a tactile ‘control surface’ which communicates with the DAW and therefore removes much of the tedious mouse operation required when working with a DAW alone. Similarly, students will often be more productive and certainly more comfortable working with a hardware interface like the Tascam DM. Physically, the Tascam DM consoles are extremely impressive, with plenty of space around the controls to enable clear instruction to be given, and easy operation by the learner.

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HK AUDIO L.U.C.A.S SMART active speaker system

HK AUDIO L.U.C.A.S SMART active speaker system - approx. £800
(Reviewed by John Verity)
HK Audio from Germany manufacture a range of high quality systems using the latest technology to provide solutions across all areas of sound reinforcement, but I felt that their L.U.C.A.S systems could easily fit into music education for a variety of reasons.
All systems in this range use a compact sub-woofer with a pair of satellites - the sub-woofer also houses the power amplifiers so the heavy stuff remains on the floor - a major consideration with regard to health and safety. The systems are relatively small - easy to store, yet provide high power output with extended frequency range. The range of accessories/ add on package available provide effective solutions for storing and moving the equipment around safely. The systems are equally at home installed permanently, or used portably.

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