Anybody read Computer Music Magazine?

[six_o_clock_crow]

I've read CM for about 5 years - the first issue I got was when they launched the free SR-202 drum machine. My favourite bits are the Rachmiel and Scott Solida columns.

I keep buying it becuase I like the style (not too formal) and the free software is great, I think. Looking forward to the upcoming 'Freeware' special - loved the one last year. Indeed, I am thinking of using free plug-in's exclusively from now on because the quality of the CM ones (and other free stuff) is so good. I could then focus on saving for a Lemur to control it all

There does seem to be a 'cycle' of articles but I've noticed this with other magazines too.

For software coverage, in the UK you have a choice of CM, Future Music, Sound On Sound and Music Tech. Personally, I think CM is by far the best in terms of software techniques, although SOS has better reviews and better articles/interviews (SOS is better researched and more thorough overall.) FM has had some great DVD interviews. CM has these too but they always focus on the same styles of music and aren't as interesting as the FM ones. Music Tech I just can't get into, but I did like their Live special a couple of months back.

The only overseas magazine I can comment on in comparison is Electronic Musician in the U.S. This is roughly equivalent to CM but I don't think it's as good. I won a subscription to it and fair play they shipped it across to the UK each month, but without the coverdisc (so I don't know what the content is like.) I think EM is a lot cheaper than CM but it was also a lot thinner, had more adverts, and the articles/reviews were less in-depth.

[ShrimpUSA]

The BIG question, did Booka Shade REALLY use the CM synth for Mandarine Girl...

I think CM is pretty solid. They're a biz so they have to make money, but they also seem to value real, practical info. Except for the "How much can I get for $" questions. Those are annoying.

[TITBAG]

like all magazines it is total shit and completely relic

[leedsquietman]

It's not bad. Worth buying once for Zebra CM and the occasional good freebie like Samplitude SE. The review are only fair though and they almost always rate the products reviewed 8 or 9/10, even if the 'cons' list is considerable.

The producer DVD part is sometimes OK, but quite often features little known goons who show themselves up with average or poor techniques that contribute nothing but bad ways to do things.

The Q&A section and the magazine in general is better suited for noobs or those with little technical knowledge of the recording process. For intermediate to semi pro/pro users, it has very little to offer.

Sound On Sound is a much better read for me, the product reviews are more in depth, more objective, the mix rescue and technical 'how to' features good stuff, like how to record an upright piano with various miking and noise/room tone suppression techniqiues etc. Studio rescue is also awesome. It also carries less ads and more readable content. I also think that editor Paul White and sub editor Hugh Robjohns REALLY know their stuff about the whole recording process from engineering, mic placement and acoustic setups, preamps, micing vocals and instruments and all the electrical stuff like eliminating buzzes through ground loops, etc. Both have 30 years plus experience and it shows and Paul is also a wizard with computer recording too. The articles on classic albums and producers is also a fascinating read, although it mostly focuses on more retro stuff, it would be good to see more heavy synth/modern electronica featured as well as classic rock, blues, jazz and pop.

Electronic Musician is a good mag, but in the past year each mag seems to have about 15 pages less and 3-4 more pages of ads (mostly for CD/DVD duplicators). It also features a lot on audio for video productions, which is fine in one or two mags but it was becoming like almost every edition at one point. I prefer the editorial and articles to CM but it doesn't have the attraction of the free plugins, still once you have them they pretty much remain the same for the next six months or so anyway.