Steinberg

108 / COMPUTER MUSIC June 2015
> reviews / mini reviews
A rapid-ire round-up of sample libraries, ROMplers and music gear
mini reviews
Web www.steinberg.net
Format PC/Mac/iPad
The latest in Steinberg’s UR range of USB 2.0
audio interfaces marks the bottom of the pile
in terms of price and I/O, but matches the rest
of them for build quality and compatibility
(Mac, PC and iPad, via 30-pin- or Thunderbolt-to-
USB adapter).
An austere-looking metal-framed slab
measuring 159x144x46mm and weighing
850g, it’s not the smallest or lightest mobile
interface we’ve ever come across, but it’s
certainly one of the sturdiest. Power is supplied
via USB from a host Mac or PC, with a separate
Micro-USB input onboard for providing juice
from the mains or a USB battery when used
with an iPad.
Aimed at singer/songwriters and other
musicians on the move, the UR12 features a
single XLR mic input with optional phantom
power, alongside an unbalanced
1
/4" jack for
hooking up a guitar or other mono source.
Each input has its own gain knob, the XLR
feeds into a Yamaha
DPRE preamp, and the
A/D converters do their
thing at up to
24-bit/192kHz quality.
At the other end of the
line, the main outputs
comprise a pair of
phonos, sharing a single
volume knob with the
1
/4" headphone out.
We’re not fans of that
particular approach to monitoring, although
it probably won’t bother the target market
too much. Finally, as you’d expect from any
interface these days, a Direct Monitoring
switch is on hand to feed the inputs directly to
the outputs.
Apart from the combined output volume
control and, perhaps, its weight, we really can’t
ind anything to complain about with the UR12.
It sounds great, runs smoothly and could
survive a nuclear blast. Oh, and you also get
a download code for Cubase AI 7 in the box.
With support for up to 32 audio tracks, 48 MIDI
tracks 28 efects and 180 sample-based sounds
in the shape of HALion Sonic SE, this heavily
cut down but perfectly usable DAW for Mac
and PC could make a great introduction to the
world of production for the ledgling musician in
your life.
At this price, it’s impossible not to
recommend the UR12 to anyone seeking a high-
quality, tough, afordable on-the-go solution
for recording.
n 9 / 1 0 n
Web www.native-instruments.com
Format Mac/PC, Kontakt 5/Player
A direct counterpart to Action Strings ( 186,
8/10), Emotive Strings runs in the same interface
but uses sampled legato phrases and arpeggios
to deliver instantly usable dramatic and/or
emotional string section parts, rather than the
high-octane sounds of its predecessor.
Up to ten keyswitchable phrases from the
175-strong library (28GB) can be brought
together in a Theme, and 75 preset Themes (of
ive phrases each) are included. By keyswitching
between the component phrases of the loaded
Theme with the left hand, and playing notes and
chords with the right, even the least melodically-
minded of producers will astound themselves
with the authentic, deep and undeniably
emotive string parts they’re suddenly making.
Emotive Strings adds to the straightforward
Single Pitch and Melodic phrase types of Action
Strings with the rather more elaborate Emotives
and Arpeggios. Emotives are a collection of
legato phrases and ending notes for playing in
real-time or programming to create custom
lines and melodies. Input a chord with your left
hand (the green keys) and the notes of that scale
alone are made available for
triggering and playback (the blue
keys), each pitching the phrase but
keeping it in the same mode (minor
or major) as the chord. Low-
velocity notes trigger descending
phrases, while high-velocity ones
play ascending phrases (dynamics
and intensity for all Phrase types
are controlled using the mod wheel
or Expression slider in the GUI,
rather than velocity).
The Arpeggios, meanwhile, are
played using minor and major
chords, naturally and in their irst
and second inversions.
Opened at the bottom of the
GUI, the Sound tab is home to a
couple of preset EQ settings, Close or Stage mic
options, and the Normal or Wide Stereo Image
switch, plus a choice of ten uneditable
convolution reverb presets. The Playback tab
enables tempo doubling/halving, adjustment of
the release time when playback stops, and
volume levelling of the phrase-to-phrase
transition samples.
As with Action Strings, Emotive Strings’ lack
of mixing functionality is notable by its absence,
particularly given the price – we should at least
have independent level control over the two mic
channels, rather than having to choose one or
the other. But this is an instrument built to give
the media composer immediate results and
sound superb doing it – on both those counts,
it’s every bit as efective as its stablemate.
n 8 /10n
Native Instruments
Emotive Strings £249
S t e i n b e r g
UR12 £88
CMU217.rev_mini.indd 108 09/04/2015 09:52