Tracktion Software

GreyLion · Post by **GreyLion** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:09 am

I went through a phase when I first got into this whole music-on-the-computer thing when I bought ALL of the computer music magazines I could find. Sound on Sound was the magazine that actually taught me the most, once I'd gotten past the phase where I didn't understand half of the basic words and concepts.

And I still find myself referring back to old issues when I run into new roadblocks in my understanding. Even pull them out of the bookcase and re-read for pleasure sometimes.

The incredibly generous thing that they do is to make all of the magazine's articles, that are older than about a year, available on-line free of charge, no registration required, no catches. Searchable. That's an incredible resource.

I still buy about one out of three issues on the newstand. Which isn't much less than the subscription rate, so I need to get my brain right, and go ahead and subscribe when I've got the $60 in one pile.

This is easily the best and deepest magazine about music-making technique and technology, IMHO.

Take care,

GreyLion

munchkin · Post by **munchkin** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:52 am

There's nowt wrong with a bit of crustiness.

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 1:58 am

GreyLion wrote: I still buy about one out of three issues on the newstand. Which isn't much less than the subscription rate, so I need to get my brain right, and go ahead and subscribe when I've got the $60 in one pile.

I've bought every issue for years, and still haven't got round to subscribing

GreyLion · Post by **GreyLion** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 2:06 am

Ahhhh, it's always a comfort to hear about somebody screwing up their money-management worse than I do....

haydxn · Post by **haydxn** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 3:17 am

snap

i used to buy every issue but i haven't bought one for several months now. i did have an eSub before, but i really like having the magazine to read! it is bar none the best music tech magazine. it's even good to read the 'notes' columns on hosts you don't use because you can still learn clever tricks that work in other places.

LBN · Post by **LBN** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:49 pm

haydxn wrote:it's even good to read the 'notes' columns on hosts you don't use because you can still learn clever tricks that work in other places.

Good idea. I never thought of that. I usually skip over those sections.

I'm off to see if they have December in stock yet.

IIRs · Post by **IIRs** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 4:57 pm

I learnt most of what I know about synths by recreating the "Synth Secrets" schematics in Sync Modular!

lavoll · Post by **lavoll** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 5:03 pm

my new "kind of a personality test" thread should be: list 6 of the magazines in your bathroom.

haydxn · Post by **haydxn** » Sat Dec 03, 2005 11:06 pm

LBN wrote:
haydxn wrote:it's even good to read the 'notes' columns on hosts you don't use because you can still learn clever tricks that work in other places.
Good idea. I never thought of that. I usually skip over those sections.

I'm off to see if they have December in stock yet.

that's exactly what i used to do, and still kinda do a lot of the time. but, after a week or two, you've read what feels like 'all' the content of the magazine (even though you've actually subconsciously ruled out certain pages that don't interest you), you start to look at, for example, 'cubase notes'. or 'performer notes'... and crumbs, there's usually a handy trick or two hiding in there!

rich_h · Post by **rich_h** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 10:03 am

GreyLion wrote: The incredibly generous thing that they do is to make all of the magazine's articles, that are older than about a year, available on-line free of charge, no registration required, no catches. Searchable. That's an incredible resource.

Better than that, in fact, it's only three months before you can read them for nowt!

So if you're a skinflint and don't mind being behind by three months...

soulata · Post by **soulata** » Thu Dec 08, 2005 1:26 pm

I dig it too (subscriber

). I had an eSub for a long time but really prefer the mag in paper form - if nothing else just to laugh at british prices for some things (absurd is an understatement)

k

lharless · Post by **lharless** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:34 pm

tapeop

Whoomph · Post by **Whoomph** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 4:47 pm

Although I love this mag as I feel it's the most solid out of all of them, as in it's been around for ever and it'll still be around after forever, I did once get led slightly astray by a review though.
It was for the Guilimot ISIS( crISIS more like!!!) sound card back in 2000,well it was the biggest pain, under developed drivers, strange windows integration(the drivers for win98 weren't ready untill 8 months after the release

) All in all a nightmare for a fledgeling at computer music like I was then. I learned a valuable lesson, reviewers sometimes get more solid builds when they are sent products to review.
And all the while SOS reckoned it was the bees knees.
I forgave them round about the time i was working my way through the classic articles on sound design etc. that they have over at their site.

Tim Brackett · Post by **Tim Brackett** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:36 pm

lharless wrote:tapeop

I'll second that and the price can't be beat. There shouldn't be anyone here without a subscription to TapeOp.

Sequent · Post by **Sequent** » Tue Dec 13, 2005 5:42 pm

Agreed. Most of the time the SOS reviews seem to be amongst the best in the biz. Sometimes kind of annoying when it seems the reviewer was biased or simply did not bother to really delve too deeply into the unit. Doesn't happen often but does from time to time.

Ildon wrote:Sound on Sound is, in my opinion, the most reputable magazine on the market for music. I love their synthesizer reviews... so honest.

Tracktion Software

KVR Audio

Sound on Sound Magazine