Beat Magazine #215 - December 2023

Get your tracks out LOUD! 16 pages on Mastering Chains in Beat 12/23

Mastering is a must for putting the finishing touches on your tracks. The possibilities range from an overwhelming number of tools to fully automated solutions based on artificial intelligence. In addition to important basics on the subject, we provide you with practical examples, tricks from mastering experts, as well as 7 exclusive effect chains of the stars for your DAW – so that your sound works well where it should at the touch of a button. Plus an overview of current online mastering offers and secret hacks for saving messed up mixes. Let‘s go!

Including 7 exclusive mastering chains from experts

As with mixing, the acoustic results of mastering sometimes differ drastically, depending on the tools and the person or engineer behind them. Wouldn‘t it be great to see and understand other people‘s effect chains and even apply them to your own tracks? That’s just what you’ll get!

99€ for free! Chorus legend Roland Dimension D as a plug-in from Overloud

For many, Roland‘s Dimension D is the holy grail of studio choruses. Overloud‘s GEM Mod brings the legendary analog effects processor from 1978 to life in software form. The plug-in has been given some modern features that make it even more flexible than its hardware counterpart. This makes it a guarantee for wonderful warm vocals, organic chorus effects for synths and instruments, and wide, floating stereo sounds. It‘s a sound magician that no collection should be without.

Test: Inphonik RX1200 sampler

EMU‘s SP-1200 sampler is legendary, particularly among Hip Hop producers, fetching prices in the high five figures on the used market. After its technology was made available again not too long ago in hardware form with the ISLA Instruments 2400 and recently with the reissue of the SP-1200 by EMU co-founder Dave Rossum, Inphonik is now releasing a plug-in version closely modeled on the original for the first time with the RX1200.

Test: Oberheim OB-X8 Desktop synthesizer

Last year, Tom Oberheim presented the OB-X8, the new edition of his legendary synthesizer that many synthesizer fans have longed for. But not everyone has space and money for such a large keyboard, which is why Oberheim is following up with a more compact and affordable desktop version. We have tested which compromises have to be made for this.

Producing with Artificial Intelligence: Raps and Lyrics with ChatGPT & Suno Chirp

We live in exciting times when it comes to music and AI. Where does Artificial Intelligence help in the day-to-day work of Musicians and Producers? Which tools will fundamentally change the way we work and produce? From Auto-Mixers to Voice Changers to ready-to-use Masters and online DAWs with Melody Generators, there‘s a lot going on in audio right now. And we are far away from these developments being a threat to musicians. However, we are close to the fact that a lot is changing very quickly in electronic music production. Today with Chirp.

Hands-on workshop: Kim Petras’ hit recipe unmasked

The trend of sampling or reconstructing sequences and melodies from dance hits from the 90s is unbroken. Kim Petras, Nicki Minaj and their producers Dr. Luke and Rocco Did It Again, for example, use the song „Better Off Alone“ by Alice Deejay in their hit „Alone“. Will Beat manage to recreate the distinctive synth sequence and other sounds from their current hit (in Studio One)?

Another freebie: Tremorrrr! 1,96 GB of devastating subs & basses

Tremorrr is a treasure trove of deep, resonant, and bone-shaking basses that will elevate your tracks. Whether you‘re working on electronic dance music, cinematic soundtracks, or any genre that demands powerful low-end frequencies, these sounds will be your secret weapon. Inevitable must-have for producers of Drum & Bass, Dubstep, Neurobass and Glitch Hop.