Computer Music

Computer Music's goal is to help its readers create great music with a PC or Mac. Each month find easy-to-follow tutorials for all sorts of music software, unbiased reviews of the latest products and answers to technical questions.

HOW TO USE cm

welcome

And talking of a terrifying future…

AI is here. It won’t kill us, after all… • But it might just make our music sound that bit better. (And then kill us.)

App watch • We report on the latest developments in phone and tablet music making

Get with the programmers • Wave Alchemy started out as superior samplists but now make some of the best plugins in the business. Dan Byers is your alchemist…

1o years back • Our monthly shake-of-the-head at our younger selves’ news choices…

Ins & outs

Come on free the Noise

Sun-El Musician • Sun-El Musician has a huge fan base in his home country of South Africa, with tens of millions of Youtube views, but is on a mission to spread his brand of EDM across the world, even inventing a sub genre of it along the way – African Electronic Dance Music. We catch up with the man whose ambitions are as big as his setup is small. “I’m not one to have crazy things and just like my studio to be simple…”

THE BEST FREEWARE PLUGINS • It seems with each passing year, the number of exceptional free plugins, DAWs, instruments, tools and services increases tenfold. With such a rich field to harvest, we know how overwhelming it can be to know just where to begin when collecting free music-making software – and avoiding that feeling that your precious hard drive space is being clogged by software that you’re never likely to actually use. Luckily Computer Music is on hand to help, with some carefully considered groupings of the very best – and genuinely useful – free swag that you can download this very day…

The CM Plugin Suite

Best freeware setup for EDM • Love or hate it, EDM is a genre by (mostly) and for the masses… and with freeware, anyone can have a go

>Freeware tip: Source Code

Best freeware setup for electronica • Good electronica creates a rich tapestry of sounds. And what gets that creativity flowing better than a freebie?

>Freeware Tip: Space Saver

Best freeware setup for guitarists • Rather spend your cash on [insert desirable plank-spanker item] than some digi nonsense? Look no further

>Freeware tip: string theory

Tracktion Waveform Free • A great DAW base for further freeware explorations

Best freeware for soundtracking • Channel your inner cinema auteur – for much less than a bucket of popcorn

Freeware tip: give it space

Best freeware for podcasting and YouTube • Make your voice heard! All you need is an internet connection and these free tools

Tip: Your Host For This Evening

Sampling • Take your first steps into sampling with TX16Wx

Modular synthesis • Create your first patches with this free emulation

Best freeware for live performance • Get beat-matching, vocal tweaking, clip launching and more… for free

Tip: live, laugh, livestream

Best freeware for singer/songwriters • The power of song, life’s greatest cost-free tonic – and capturing it can be too!

Tip: lightbulb moments

Best freeware setup for hip-hop • Hip-hop’s roots are in accessible processes – and this lot do it for free

Freeware Tip: Play It Again Sampler

Best freeware for mixing • This set of free tools really clean up – and will help you do the same for your track

On A DJ Tip

Best freeware for mastering • It’s called the dark art, but a little knowhow costs nothing… literally in this case!

>Free mastering services

cm Producer Masterclass...