SOUND ON SOUND
Dave Stewart is an English keyboardist, composer, producer and author who started his career as a band member in the early 1970s. Since 1981 he has made 'pop music for grown-ups' with singer Barbara Gaskin, releasing seven albums on the duo's own Broken Records label and performing live in Japan, USA and the UK. He has also written TV & film music and created string and choir arrangements for various artists.
Dave is the author of two music books: The Musician's Guide To Reading & Writing Music (Backbeat 1992) and Inside The Music (Backbeat 1999). He has written for Sound On Sound (while resting between engagements) longer than any of us care to remember.
***** Score = 5/5 stars. Categorised by emotions, Twisted Textures is a very useful and admirably varied collection of short, self-contained sonic mood pieces.
The GM, XG and GS sound specs are frequently derided for imposing boring uniformity on the synth universe — but in fact they contain many unusual sounds. Dave Stewart, a man who knows a gopi-yantra from gankogwe, sheds light on some of the lesser-known instruments in the General MIDID set, and provides some useful playing tips.
Continuing their tradition of themed rackmount modules, Emu have unleashed a 128-voice virtual orchestra in a box. A virtuoso endeavour or virtual insanity?
* Score = 3
Rating: *** 3/6 Stars
STRINGS
Vn: sus nv (f...
Rating: **** 4/6 Stars
TUTTI
sus (ff...
Rating: ***** 5/6 Stars
Mba: f <3>, mp (bottom two octaves only), stc, tr <3...
Rating: * 1/6 Stars
SS, Vns, Vas, Vcs...