Beat Magazine #218 - March 2024

Control Your Plugins Like Hardware – With Synth & DAW Controllers

Programming sequences with a mouse or trackpad can be tedious, with the dull clicking of notes making the creation of catchy chord progressions and beats feel like a game of chance. Likewise, mixing with virtual faders lack intuitive feel. But worry not! There is a vast array of both hardware and software alternatives available that can bring dynamism to your workflow. We’ll introduce you to some of the finest controllers out there, and also offer specific tricks and personalized recommendations to help you find the device that suits you best.

Hands-on DAW controllers: Fast recording, smooth workflow

The first step away from just being a mouse musician is keyboard shortcuts. But you can only work really quickly and smoothly in your own DAW if you put a compact DAW controller on the table. Write automations more precisely, change tracks and start recordings more quickly in the recording workflow or work more directly in mixing – we have four suggestions for you.

Free full version: Bitwig Studio 8-Track 5 – Full DAW worth 99 Euro

This month you not only get the fully modular DAW Bitwig 5.1 Studio 8-Track, which is guaranteed to awaken the creative tinkerer in you, but also the Colossal Choirs & Voices Bundle for the Bitwig Sampler, with a whopping 5.9 gigabytes of patches! Immerse yourself in the world of desert tribes, experience epic Templar choirs, feel the magic of witchy mantras, sink into the meditation of monks and Mongolian throat singing, listen to ethereal whispers and feel the sublime splendour of Gregorian choirs.

Test: Behringer Kobol Expander – Prophet niveau for a budget

The RSF Kobol, also known as the French Minimoog, never really received the recognition it deserved, but is now a rare and expensive collector‘s item. That‘s why it‘s all the nicer that Behringer has dedicated itself to the potent synthesizer and is delighting us with a replica at a very reasonable price. 

Build your perfect beat and win prizes worth over €1,800!

Together with the drum recording luminary, Moses Schneider, elysia has recorded a gigantic pack of acoustic Stems, Loops and Beats and and now invites you to participate in a contest together with Beat! In addition to xpressor|neo qube, there are several full versions of the Human Beat Pack Volume 1 and elysia plug-ins to win. 

Reverb Masterclass: Create realistic spaces and depth

Whether your aim is to recreate the characteristics of real spaces, give electronic sounds a spacial dimension, or creating unique soundscapes: Reverb plays a crucial role in the world of music production. On the following pages, we provide answers to all the important questions and show you how to give your productions impressive spacial atmosphere and use reverb effects as a powerful sound design tool.

Workshop: Power, Punch & Pressure – Make your 909 sound like 2024

What the TR-808 is to Hip Hop, the TR-909 is to Techno – even 40 years after its market launch. But where the sounds used to be raw and unpolished, today they need much more power, punch and silky highs. We can do that!

Another freebie: 55 Breathing Basses, Synths & Enchanting Pads

When it comes to vocals, there’s polished audio recordings, adlib samples, glitchy voices and all the usual stuff you’ll find everywhere. But what about a sample pack that’s different – truly unique and likewise deeply inspiring? Then let us introduce Hyper Vox! This 2.1 GB heavy-weight pack comes with 55 breathing basses, screaming synths and enchanting pads – all of them including vocal loops, unheard phrases and Asian vowels. Enjoy!