SOUND ON SOUND
ART have been championing the cause of musicians on a budget for years with their great value multi-effects units. We check out their latest effort, offering true 4-in, 4-out capabilities for under £300.
Rob Playford is not only the man who, as Goldie's producer, helped mould one of the most original drum & bass talents into a household name and chart success; he's also boss of one of the hippest drum & bass labels on the planet, and a sought-after remixer. Christopher Holder asks 'how does he do that?'.
Tony Taverner's career spans decades and encompasses a huge list of top-drawer credits. Christopher Holder heads to Sensible Studios, where Tony acts as manager, to extract a few pearls of wisdom.
Sound On Sound caught up with M People's Paul Heard, before the band headed off on their European tour. Christopher Holder puts aside his preconceptions to learn about songwriting, production, musicianship and family sedans.
Is the RX8 the latest sporty model from Mazda? No — actually, it's a keenly priced 8-buss mixing desk from Soundtracs. Christopher Holder secures the first test drive.
Spectral Audio's internet homepage includes a large graphic, stating, rather menacingly, 'Rave or Die'. Christopher Holder meets the new Syntrack monosynth and decides death can wait.
Kirk Degeorgio, aka As One: head of the cult techno label Op ART, producer of the recent Planetary Folklore LP on Mowax, co-composer of the notorious Adidas 'Prince Naseem in America' ad, and proud owner of a huge collection of Blue Note jazz LPs. Phew! Christopher Holder discovers that Ipswich is nearer the centre of the universe than he thought.
Your cosy home studio can be more like a death-trap, as Christopher Holder warns...
Sometimes it's easy to forget that home studios packed with synths and samplers aren't solely the preserve of the dance fraternity. British soul artist Ola Onabule does all his recording and the managing of his own label from his Brixton home.
Viscount were there from the very beginning of the budget effects revolution, and with the EFX100 they hope to give the cash-starved masses a further option. Christopher Holder finds out whether the EFX100 holds its own in the bustling budget marketplace.