Warp plugin
Price: Free
Baby Audio makes intuitive and creative audio plugins. Since 2020 they've released a new free plugin each December, and their Magic Dice, 2021, is still a personal favourite. Warp – 2024's freebie – is a creative tool for transforming audio in unique and interesting ways. This plugin lets you slow down or speed up incoming sounds. With just three controls – Speed, Stretch, and Mix – it's easy to use, but the results are surprisingly effective! You can use it to slow down beats or stretch vocals for a classic vocal break (think Fatboy Slim's ‘Right Here, Right Now’). Speed and Stretch work together to manipulate timing and pitch, allowing for subtle shifts or dramatic transformations. The Mix blends the processed and unprocessed signals, making interesting textures by layering the original with warped sounds. Warp is compatible with Windows and macOS, supporting VST, VST3, AU and AAX formats.
Polyend Step drum machine
Price: £419
The Polyend Step is a drum machine and sequencer designed for pedal boards, giving musicians hands-free rhythm control via footswitches. Perfect for live performance, it enables real-time beat creation and adjustment. Essentially, it works as a step sequencer, where drum sounds are assigned to a 16-step grid to build and manipulate beats. Patterns can be looped or chained into longer sequences of up to 16 patterns, with storage for 1,000 songs. Four tracks (e.g. kick, snare, hi-hat, and tom) make it easy to build complex, layered arrangements. It includes 350 preset rhythms, 200 drum kits, and over 2,000 samples covering classic acoustic and electronic drum sounds. Samples can be mixed and matched to create custom kits. Performance functions like switching patterns, adjusting tempo, and activating effects can all be controlled with your feet. Connectivity includes stereo input/output, MIDI, an expression pedal input, USB-C, and microSD storage. The Polyend Step is a powerful tool for creative beat-making.
Shure MV7i Smart Mic
Price: £329
The MV7i is a dynamic microphone designed to make recording and podcasting simple. It has a built-in audio interface and connects directly to your phone or computer (on any operating system). While other mics with built-in audio interfaces exist, the MV7i is the first to include a second input, allowing you to connect another mic or an instrument such as guitar. This makes it a practical option for recording vocals and instrument at the same time, which is ideal for coursework. The MV7i features a combo XLR and ¼-inch input, with 48V phantom power for condenser microphones. It also includes an onboard digital signal processor, controlled via Shure's free MOTIV Mix desktop software and MOTIV mobile app. The software has useful recording and production tools, including compression, reverb and denoising. The MV7i is great for quick, high-quality recordings.
Cubase 14
Price: various
Cubase 14 brings several valuable updates. Top of the list is the Score Editor, which uses technology from Dorico, Steinberg's professional notation software. This enhances MIDI-to-notation conversion and makes score editing and producing professional-looking parts easier. The Drum Track simplifies drum pattern creation by combining a sampler with a step-based editor for programming rhythms, while the Mix Console is now in the Lower Zone for quicker access. Six new Modulators let you adjust any parameter in Cubase – such as a filter or an effect – automatically, creating gradual changes and adding movement. Shimmer, a reverb for atmospheric textures, and Underwater, a filter for lo-fi effects, add further creative options. With these updates, Cubase is a practical choice for combining sequencing, notation, and production in one platform. It works on Mac and PC, and is available as a one-time purchase, with site licences (min. 5 seats) at £28 per seat for Elements and £97 per seat for Pro. Education pricing for individual copies and upgrades are also available.
