ONE-SHOTS
Dec 1, 2003 12:00 PM, By Dave Hill Jr.
BIAS SOUNDSOAP
AUDIO-RESTORATION SOFTWARE
Petaluma, Calif.-based BIAS Inc. has always been hip to the sound-scrubbing game, but it has never been this easy. The company's latest app, SoundSoap, is simple to use (two dials and roughly 10 buttons), tiny (4 MB), smart (contains a straightforward noise-learning feature) and flexible (can run stand-alone or as a VST or DirectX plug-in). SoundSoap can scour your standard-fare audio formats such as WAV and AIFF, as well as MP3, MP4 and Digidesign Pro Tools Sound Designer 2 (SDII) files. Or you can cleanse the audio portion of any DV, AVI or MOV video files. In testing, I loaded a variety of digital recordings made from less-than-stellar sound sources, including dusty vinyl, hiss-laden tape and a few DV clips that I was working with in iMovie. In each case, SoundSoap did its job remarkably well. I was impressed with how SoundSoap took the bite out of the noise without too severely denting the targeted “keeper” portion of the audio. In practice, using SoundSoap is as simple as depressing the Learn Noise button, clicking on Play and waiting less than a second for SoundSoap to discern which frequencies to filter out. Once detected, you have the option of rotating SoundSoap's big blue Noise Tuner and Noise Reduction dials to further adjust the range and severity of your cleaning. Additionally, you can ask SoundSoap to Preserve Voice or Remove Rumble, as well as direct 50 or 60Hz hum removal. Don't you feel cleaner already?
Product Summary
BIAS
SOUNDSOAP > $99
At a glance: Audio-denoising software
Contact: tel. (707) 782-1866; e-mail sales@bias-inc.com; Web www.bias-inc.com
JOMOX MBASE 01
ANALOG BASS-DRUM SOUND MODULE
With the onslaught of tricked-out virtual instruments, multidimensional grooveboxes and synth-sampler combos that come across my desk, a straight-ahead analog bass-drum sound module like the MBase 01 can, at first, appear rather ordinary. But upon seeing the JoMoX sticker on the side of the box, I quickly plugged in its wall-wart power adapter and began thumping away at MBase 01's 64 factory ROM kick-drum presets — you can customize and save an additional 10 presets. Although the box's general timbre may remind you of Roland 808 and 909 kicks, JoMoX machines are characterized by a modernized chirp that can be further exploited by tweaking MBase's LFO, pulse, noise, EQ and attack controls. In fact, adding copious amounts of decay and LFO movement will transform MBase 01's kicks into a sassy little bass synth. But my favorite feature is MBase's triggering scheme, which uses MIDI, trigger-pad signals or even audio material to drive the units. In testing, I ran a loop from my sampler through MBase's trigger input, dialed in the sensitivity range and then listened as MBase kicked along with the accents — very cool. You could easily fatten up a club mix by routing an extra turntable or mixer output to the MBase and dishing out the lows. If you are a kick connoisseur, this box is a treat.
Product Summary
JOMOX (DIST. BY SOUNDBOX)
MBASE 01 > $395
At a glance: Bass-drum sound module with flexible triggering options
Contact: tel. (323) 769-5510; e-mail info@jomox.de; Web www.jomox.de or www.jomox.net
PRIMESOUNDS DIRT KEEPS THE FUNK
SAMPLE COLLECTION
It's been a long time since I've seen a handclap credit on an album — about 1975, to be exact. And in that spirit, a George Clinton-inspired PrimeSounds crew offers up a greasy, grimy and grit-nasty pile of classic '70s-era funk in its newest title: Dirt Keeps the Funk. Supporting the impressive, and admittedly resonant, handclap performances are some hotly distorted Rhodes and Clavinet motifs, fat organ pulses and squealing analog synths (perhaps a few too many of those). But if you came in here to funk, you know it's about the back line. And Dirt delivers here with infectious chika-chika rhythm-guitar patterns; simple, solid bass lines (okay, Bootsy-esque); and a good mix of both loose and tight hi-hat drum-set loops. Although many funk and R&B sample collections leave out the sloshy hats, distorting basses and ringing snares, Dirt Keeps the Funk remembers its roots and sounds like a live band rather than a studio date. Many of the full-band loops contain handy pickup notes and lead-ins for added realism or ready-made fills. Also, each of the 10 primary groups of loops is broken out into construction-kit loops for easy mixing-and-matching between Dirt's primary themes. All told, the two-CD collection (one audio, one WAV/REX2) boasts 60 groups of loops (10 songs with six variations each), with a tempo range of 80 to 110 bpm. I think it's time to tear the roof off the sucka.
Product Summary
PRIMESOUNDS (DIST. BY BIG FISH AUDIO)
DIRT KEEPS THE FUNK > $99
At a glance: Audio, REX2 and WAV sample library
Contact: tel. (800) 717-3474; e-mail info@bigfishaudio.com; Web www.primesounds-cd.com or www.bigfishaudio.com
| Want to use this article? Click here for options! |  |
