Computer / Software

There is now a bewildering array of audio options inside most PC audio recording packages, and if you understand the reasoning behind them you can get a bit (or even a few bits) more quality out of your hard drive audio. Martin Walker explains.

Derek Johnson unearths a simple but fun Atari tracker and sound chip synth, and explains how your ST can help you train your ears...

TC Works transfer more of their expertise to DirectX PC software with a set of interfaces that let you squash, tone up, and space out your audio with a mouse. Martin Walker gets clicking.

To get the maximum quality from audio sample CDs, you need to transfer the sound data to your PC in the digital domain. Martin Walker explains why the process isn't always as easy as you might expect.

Just when you thought you'd got your cholesterol down, it's nothing but chips again. MARTIN WALKER wades through the new CPU options, and uninstalls some more software.

Hardware development is still going for Atari computers: now STe users can buy a new processor accelerator that brings faster operation and internal hard drive to STe computers, for relatively modest cost. Derek Johnson feels the need for speed...

Martin Russ looks forwards and backwards this month, with visits to the limits of Mac-Time, the year 2000, MacOS 10, and a modern version of yesterday's analogues.

Arboretum's latest Hyperprism suite of effects and processors offer no less than 29 modules, at an average price of less than £10 each. Janet Harniman-Cook gets plugged in.

SoundBlaster cards no longer need to rely on a complete set of GM sounds crammed into 1Mb of ROM now that SoundFonts allow up to 28Mb of RAM expansion. Martin Walker feels the quality of Time Signature's new collection.

Derek Johnson ventures once more into the bizarre world of Atari software...

Martin Russ realises the worth of Metadata, and brings glad tidings of profitable Apples...

Unexpected crashes happen to all of us — even SOS PC gurus! Martin Walker tells a tale of troubleshooting, and falls for Steinberg's new Freefilter.

Never ones for resting on their laurels, Steinberg have added a host of enhancements and additions to Wavelab. Martin Walker tries looping the loop, and analyses his WAV file collection.

If you fancy recording up to 64 audio tracks from the comfort of a familiar PC wave editor interface, Syntrillium Software's feature-packed Cool Edit Pro could be just the ticket. Martin Walker warms to the latest release of this popular package.

Updating software ought to be a simpler matter, but often things don't go according to plan. Martin Walker catalogues a selection of problem areas.

Many PC owners still seem to have trouble trying MIDI and audio together, and timing remains the main problem area. Martin Walker attempts to pull all the strands together.

A dedicated American music professor currently provides one of the very few serious scoring programs for the ST as $20 shareware. Derek Johnson checks it out, and also discovers a neat utility that could make life easier for Akai sampler users...

Having whetted his appetite for MacOS-based software synthsis last issue, this month Martin Russ takes a closer look...

If you feel that the average sequencer makes you take off your musician's head and put on your computer programmer's head, take a look at FreeStyle. Derek Johnson is not a number, he's a free man...

Music and games software doesn't normally tend to mix very well on the same PC. Martin Walker tries out a selection of ways to achieve harmony.

Martin Russ checks out some worthwhile shareware, explains the benefits of registration, and nudges his mouse.