Is COMPUTER MUSIC Magazine a Good Buy?

[cenik11]

Hi folks.

I'm thinking of purchasing a one year subscription to Computer Music magazine, as my understanding is that the magazine is supposedly a top-notch publication when it comes to practical advice re: producing EDM. However, one of my buddies tells me that the magazine is geared more toward novice producers, contains the same info in a lot of the issues, and isn't all that helpful from a practical standpoint.

In your view, is CM a good buy? Would Future Music be a better choice for someone looking to learn more advanced techniques/practices about producing tunes?

Thanks in advance!

[Acid303]

I don't think future music has much in it, just adverts and overly brief and positive reviews with the odd interview. If you're a 'pro' you'd probably want Sound On Sound, but it's too geeky for me. I really like computer music the best, it's my favorite magazine for all the practical, interesting stuff and you get loads of free samples!

[McQ714]

i've got subscriptions to CM, FM, and Music Tech. used to have a subscription to Electronic Musician but didn't feel like it was worth it. i like CM the best out of the 3 i have now. samples are a big plus since i tend to not buy sample CDs except for the Xfer samples, which are pretty good, even if you aren't a Mau5 fan as I'm not. i've been more than happy with the stuff they give you in all 3. loads of samples, reference materials, lots of free exclusive useful plugins. tutorials and interviews are cool. a how-to section that's fun to look at to say the least. ads, however, are useless if you live outside the UK. all in all, CM is worth the money IMO.

[MacGuffin]

I've listened to your tracks on myspace, sounds pretty good dude. Honestly I don't think you'll learn much from a magazine like CM. Maybe you'll learn a little trick here and there, but you can buy it like one or two times a year when there's an interesting sample cd or article.
A nice reference like the Dance Music Manual by Rick Snowman would be more useful, imho (which is like 25$, less than 2 issues of CM in Canada)

I have a subscription to sound on sound, and even that doesn't always have very deep advice. What I find most interesting is the interviews with the mixing engineers who work on big budget pop, when they show screenshots of their plugins and how they work. Also I like the classic tracks segment, where an oldschool engineer talks about the recording of old hits from the 70's, 80's etc. It's not very useful for my own techno production, but it's fun to get perspectives outside the techno-vst-computer side of things and to learn how they were done back in the day.

[Trip Downtown]

I used to buy heaps of these magazines when I started out. They were really handy to try and get your head around the whole world of music production. However after a while it became apparent that there's only so much you can tell people in a magazine and they end up recycling material pretty often. (not in the copy and paste sense of course, but still the same concepts) I haven't bought any of the magazines in quite a while. Also they fuel gearlust like you wouldn't believe...

Check out your local library, mine has a tonne of those types of magazines. Most of those magazines have old articles for free on their website, 'how to use a compressor' hasn't really evolved over the years.

[leedsquietman]

Sound On Sound all the way - the mix rescue and studio rescue sections alone are worth the cost of the magazine. Paul White and Hugh RObjohns the editor and technical director both worked in the industry for years, so know their stuff. Mike Senior is also a very knowledgeable guy and gives great mix and remix tips.

Plus some very good tips for various sequencers, although Live doesn't feature in this every month, whereas Cubase, Sonar, DP, logic and Protools do.

Also great gear reviews which are a lot more objective than they were a couple of years ago, and Computer Music just gives 8 or 9/10 to everything, especially anything they are advertising.

The best thing about Computer Music is the freebie DVD, which contains Zebra CM, PSP Springverb and a whole bunch of freebie vsts and a couple of gigs of samples which match the theme of whatever they are covering that month, i.e. Grime, DnB, Metal, Tarnce etc.

[cenik11]

Thanks very much for all the replies! I am grateful for the input. I suspect I'll be holding off on getting a subscription (at least for now). I would, however, like to get my hands on the CM Ableton special that came out recently.

[STRATEGY_510]

Thanks very much for all the replies! I am grateful for the input. I suspect I'll be holding off on getting a subscription (at least for now). I would, however, like to get my hands on the CM Ableton special that came out recently.

and I would like to get my hands on the CM DJ special, does anyone have a copy they want to sell?

btw, that Ableton special should be in Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc very soon, if not already (I didn't pick up the DJ special in time..)

STRATEGY

[Anubis]

...I would, however, like to get my hands on the CM Ableton special that came out recently.

I just picked that one up today, along with the Music Tech Native Instruments special issue. I almost always end up buying all three publications every month although this year I've been a little pickier. I feel Music Tech gives me the most bang for the buck.

[Rahlo]

Thanks very much for all the replies! I am grateful for the input. I suspect I'll be holding off on getting a subscription (at least for now). I would, however, like to get my hands on the CM Ableton special that came out recently.

and I would like to get my hands on the CM DJ special, does anyone have a copy they want to sell?

btw, that Ableton special should be in Barnes & Noble, Borders, etc very soon, if not already (I didn't pick up the DJ special in time..)

STRATEGY

They got plenty of the dj special ones left here in Indy. Everywhere I go I see 8 or 10 of 'em on the shelves. PM me if you want me to help you out.

[Nokatus]

In my opinion, Computer Music rarely offers any new information if you're on intermediate or higher level. What it turns into then (as well as other publications like it), is merely empty reading fodder for you to read in order to be entertained, if you're lucky. In other words, it only wastes your time

If you're intent on subscribing to a magazine, read a few issues of Sound On Sound to get the hang of its contents and style, and decide whether you'd like to subscribe. When in need of an audio mag, at the moment it's the one I would recommend, too.

[v00d00ppl]

its an ok magazine in the begining, but once you pick up the pace your best bet is just to talk to people on forums or jam with other live users

[The Carpet Cleaner]

That's what I did for the last 2 years : go to a big library where you can read for free. Then skim through CM, MT, FM and SOS , and just read what I found interesting. If the whole magazine was interesting, then I bought it. I have to admit that so far, CM was the magazine that brought me the most.
But as others said, those kind of magazine tend to repeat the same subject or advices again and again, I would say, every year or every two years. So after a moment you're kind of stuck.
CM is for beginners/intermediate.
I feel like Sound on sound and Future magazine is more interesting now, because a little more complicated.

My advice would be to not take a subscribtion to CM, but rather go to a library and search some good articles in all those kind of magazines.

[necho]

Once you're past the novice stage, Sound on Sound is the only mag worth reading IMO.

I find that music tech mags just exacerbate my gearlust. Which is what they're meant to do, of course.