Welcome to Side 1 of the studio production notes for the 2022 Church of Hed album, The Father Road. Check out the prologue, where we cover the studio setup, our recording philosophy, as well as the hardware and software gear used on the album. The prologue also includes background information on the entire Rivers of […]
Church of Hed: The Father Road – Recording Notes (Prologue)
January 10, 2023 by
This series of articles covers the recording of Church of Hed’s 2022 release, The Father Road. Consider it to a type of diary, but one with a backwards point of view. Most of the studio activity remains fresh in my mind, hopefully making it easier to glean meaningful insights on the techniques and tools we […]
SynthMaster 2 is Another Top iPad Synth App From KV331
June 3, 2022 by
KV331 does it again with SynthMaster 2 for the iPad. A top-ranked desktop synthesizer ported to mobile with no loss in power or sound!? Check it out!
XILS-Lab KaoX Merges FM and Analog Synthesis With Chaos
December 2, 2021 by
The sonic masters at XILS-Lab recently crafted another unique software synth, this time combining FM and analog synthesis. Somewhat modeled after the Yamaha GS-1, the predecessor to the DX7, KaoX also leverages virtual analog and chaotic oscillators to greatly expand its sonic depth. Its range of sounds is stunning, taking FM synthesis to an entirely […]
AAS has a Modular Synth Winner With Multiphonics CV-1
August 20, 2021 by
The software realm boasts multiple modular synth apps and plugins for both the iOS and desktop platforms. We previously covered miRack and Audulus on iOS; I experimented with other plugins for the desktop as well. The Moog Modular (Arturia version) and Model 15 definitely stand out on PC and mobile respectively. When I heard Applied […]
MDrummer by MeldaProduction is a Preeminent Drum Plugin
March 9, 2021 by
The Czech company, MeldaProduction, continues to garner praise among musicians and producers for their excellent plugin line. It’s a collection of instruments and effects including both paid plugins as well as many free options. We recently enjoyed the opportunity to review their MDrummer, a drumming environment with excellent sound quality and cool functionality. It was […]
XILS 505 Emulates The Classic Roland RS-505 String Synth
October 5, 2020 by
The Roland RS-505 string synthesizer is a true 70s cult-classic. That time-honored status made the RS-505 a perfect project for those software synth geniuses at XILS Lab. The XILS 505 plugin offers a great emulation of the original; providing musicians a flexible and sonically alluring string synth for their own music projects. XILS 505 Features […]
Get Your Drone On With Mononoke for iOS
June 16, 2020 by
Bram Bos remains one of the leading lights of iOS synth and effect app development. We’ve reviewed much of his work in the past, including Ruismaker Noir, Kosmonaut, and the incredible Rozeta Sequencer Suite, among many others. They all feature great interfaces, support the AUv3 plugin format, and belong in the library of any iOS […]
Shockwave is a Versatile iPad Semi-Modular Synth
April 7, 2020 by
The iOS platform is overrun with so many synth apps, it’s hard to stand out from the pack. This isn’t the case with Shockwave. It’s a monophonic synth using phase distortion synthesis and a workflow straight out of the Eurorack modular world to provide unique sounds suitable for everything from leads to drones. Shockwave For […]
Effectrix Brings Sequenced Effects to the iPad
February 28, 2020 by
The iPad’s maturation as a music creation platform continues due to the AUv3 plugin format. Being able to run AUv3 synths, effects, etc. seamlessly within a container app like AUM is frankly a gamechanger. The iOS platform is finally coming closer to emulating a desktop A sequenced effects app like Effectrix thrives in this creative […]
