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T-RackS 5 Now Available
October 31, 2017 – IK Multimedia is proud to announce T-RackS 5, the cutting-edge mixing and mastering system for Mac® and PC, is available now. T-RackS 5 is the most powerful modular mix and master system ever, offering incredible versatility with 4 all-new processors for a total of 38 high-quality modules including a new completely redesigned, resizable interface in a flexible 16-processor series/parallel chain with an unrivaled audio engine, a complete broadcast-ready professional metering section, as well as an album assembly section with multi-format export.
IK Multimedia has led the way in mixing and mastering software since it created T-RackS in 1999, evolving and expanding the collection while setting an industry standard for some of the world’s best sounding plug-ins for professional applications. It’s no coincidence that thousands of top-charting records have been made using T-RackS. Now T-RackS 5 has been re-mastered to be more powerful than ever, providing everything necessary to take raw mixes to a perfect finished product ready for digital delivery or CD duplication.
A dream collection
In T-RackS 5 there are now 38 incredible modules, including 4 all-new additions to the collection, allowing for the construction of a perfect studio set up:
The Master Match module is a new type of plug-in that automatically matches the sonic fingerprint of up to 3 reference tracks, using highly sophisticated algorithms and then applies that sound to a user’s mix. Thanks to this new powerful module, it’s easy to create great sounding masters without the need for any previous audio engineering experience or specialized skills.
Based on an iconic American piece of recording hardware, the new Dyna-Mu vari-mu compressor/limiter is praised for its subtle but instantly recognizable sound. Thanks to its transformers and all-tube modeled heart, it can impart an audible magic which glues all the parts of a mix together.
The new EQual digital equalizer is a 10-band, ultra-clear, high-end parametric equalizer with an extremely transparent sound, a full-screen resizable interface for ultra-precise editing and a vast array of filter shapes that replicate the typical curves of legendary British and American analog EQ’s. This “hybrid monster” offers the best of both worlds: digital precision with ultra-detailed editing and on-demand analog character.
Developed as an “all-in-one” solution, the new ONE mastering processor has been designed for easy, streamlined and straightforward audio finalization. It includes an EQ, compressor, analog harmonic exciter, low-end enhancer and limiter that will let anyone achieve professional quality results in a snap.
Flexibility delivered 3 ways
T-RackS 5 offers the freedom and flexibility to optimize the mixing and mastering setup with 3 working environments:
- The standalone application for T-RackS 5 is a complete, self-contained, one-stop mixing and mastering workstation that allows users to load a set of audio tracks and output a finished product ready for digital delivery or CD replication.
- The plug-in suite provides nearly all the standalone mode features within the environment of a DAW as the most powerful channel strip or mastering chain available today as a plug-in.
- All T-RackS processors (including metering) can also be used as single plug-ins in any compatible DAW for multi-track mixing and stereo mastering duties.
Resizable user interface
The all-new graphic user interface is designed to control everything from a single window, smoother and faster than ever. Plus, it’s fully resizable, meaning it can utilize up to the full size of a display. The new flexible chain view allows the modules to be dropped into the 16-processor series/parallel signal chain at will directly from the sidebar carousel showing all available T-RackS modules.
Audiophile-grade performance
T-RackS 5 now supports audio up to 192kHz/32-bit, with mastering for high-definition music platforms and distribution without ever leaving its single interface, including 4 dithering options to choose from. The internal resampling engine delivers nothing less than best-in-class audiophile performance including DDM (Digital Delivery Mastering) on the output from the final limiting stage, offering an additional layer of protection against inter-sample peaks and overshoots.
Comprehensive broadcast-ready metering
The new precision loudness LUFS meter is compliant with all leading professional reference standards for music delivery or broadcasting. Peak, RMS and Dynamic Range meters provide useful information about the dynamic response of mixes. The spectrogram, real-time analyzer, phase and correlation meters also help to spot frequency imbalances and phase problems. M/S meters included gather information about the relations between the mono and the stereo content. Additionally, T-RackS 5’s new metering section can be launched as a separate floating window.
Album assembly and digital delivery
Now it’s possible to assemble a full-length production directly within the T-RackS 5 interface and create an album sequence with suitable track metadata including pauses, fades, track ID’s, ISRC codes, CD-Text and more, then export single high quality master audio files or the whole project in various formats such as WAV, AIF and standard DDP image for replication or Wav Cue files.
Engineer preset library
Top recording and mixing engineers including Tom Lord-Alge, Nick Davis and many others who use T-RackS modules in their projects have created a library of presets that offers users a unique opportunity to instantly improve their productions with ease. This expanding library of presets is included with T-RackS 5 and provides a great starting point for mixing everything from drums, vocals, guitars, bass and more with exceptional results.
Pricing and availability
T-RackS 5 is available now in both free and paid versions.
The Custom Shop version of T-RackS 5 is available free of charge, comes with the Classic Equalizer, simplified metering and offers users the option to try and buy any of the other processors.
With a total of 9 modules, including the 4 all-new processors and full metering, the T-RackS 5 collection is available for $/€149.99*. Producers and artists can step up to a collection of 22 essential modules in T-RackS 5 Deluxe for $/€299.99, and for engineers who want all 38 mixing and mastering modules, T-RackS 5 MAX is available for $/€499.99.
Users who have any registered IK product $/€99.99 or more can purchase T-RackS 5 MAX at crossgrade pricing of $/€299.99.
*All prices excluding taxes
For more information, please visit: www.t-racks.com/five
For video demos of T-Racks 5, please visit: www.t-racks.com/five/video
Bass Player Health
Preparing for Performance with Dr. Randy Kertz
Preparing for Performance…
This month we discuss how to prepare for a performance and easy strategies that go a long way.
Dr. Randall Kertz is the author of The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health. Click here to get your copy today!
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Gear Reviews
The Frank Brocklehurst 6-String Fretless Bass Build
A few months ago, my Ken Bebensee 6-string fretted bass needed some TLC. You know, the one rocking those Pink Neon strings! I scoured my Connecticut neighborhood for a top-notch luthier and got pointed to Frank Brocklehurst, F Brock Music. He swung by my place, scooped up the bass, and boom, returned it the next day, good as new. Not only that, he showed up with a custom 5-string fretted bass that blew me away. I couldn’t resist asking if he could whip up a 6-string fretless for me.
Alright, let’s break down the process here. We’ve got our raw materials: Mahogany, Maple, and Holly. Fun fact – the Mahogany and Maple have been chilling in the wood vault for a solid 13 years. Frank is serious about his wood; they buy it, stash it away, and keep an eye on it to make sure it’s stable.
First up, they’re tackling the Mahogany. Frank glues it together, then lets it sit for a few days to let everything settle and the glue to fully dry. After that, it’s onto the thickness planer and sander to get it nice and flat for the CNC machine. The CNC machine’s the real star here – it’s gonna carve out the body chambers and volume control cavity like a pro.
While the Mahogany’s doing its thing, Frank goes onto the neck core. Three pieces of quartersawn maple are coming together for this bad boy. Quartersawn means the grain’s going vertical. He is also sneaking in some graphite rods under the fingerboard for stability and to avoid any dead spots. The truss rod is going to be two-way adjustable, and the CNC machine’s doing its magic to make sure everything’s just right.
Now, onto the design phase. Frank uses CAD software to plan out the body shape, neck pocket, chambering, and those cool f-holes. I had this idea for trapezoid F-holes, just to do something different. The CAD software also helps us map out the neck shape, graphite channels, and truss-rod channel with pinpoint accuracy.
Once everything’s planned out, it’s CNC time again. Frank cuts out the body outline, neck pocket, and the trapezoid F-holes. Then it’s a mix of hand sanding and power tools to get that neck just how we like it. Oh, and those f holes? We’re going for trapezoids of different sizes – gotta keep things interesting.
Next step: gluing that neck into the pocket with some old-school hide glue. It’s got great tonal transfer and can be taken apart later if needed. Then it’s onto hand-carving that neck-body transition.
For the custom-made bridge, Frank uses brass for definition and Ebony for tonal transfer and that warm, woody sound.
BTW, for tunes, Frank went with Hipshot Ultralights with a D Tuner on the low B. This way I can drop to a low A which is a wonderful tone particularly if you are doing any demolition around your house!
Now it’s time for the side dots. Typically, on most basses, these dots sit right in the middle of the frets. But with this bass, they’re placed around the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th frets.
Frank’s got his pickup hookup. Since the pickup he was building wasn’t ready, he popped in a Nordstrand blade to give it a whirl.
It sounded good, but I was itching for that single-coil vibe! And speaking of pickups, Frank showed me the Holly cover he was cutting to match, along with all the pink wire – talk about attention to detail!
A couple of things, while it is important for me to go passive, it is equally important for me to just go with a volume knob. Tone knobs are really just low-pass filters and the less in the way of a pure sound for me, the better.
Finally, it’s string time! As usual, I went for the DR Pink Neon strings. Hey, I even have matching pink Cons…Both low tops and high!
Once we’ve got everything tuned up and settled, we’ll give it a day or two and then tweak that truss rod as needed. And voila, we’ve got ourselves a custom-made bass ready to rock and roll.
I want to thank Frank Brocklehurst for creating this 6 string beast for me.
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Bass Videos
Interview With Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes
Bassist Erick “Jesus” Coomes…
It is always great to meet a super busy bassist who simply exudes a love for music and his instrument. Erick “Jesus” Coomes fits this description exactly. Hailing from Southern California, “Jesus” co-founded and plays bass for Lettuce and has found his groove playing with numerous other musicians.
Join us as we hear of his musical journey, how he gets his sound, his ongoing projects, and his plans for the future.
Photo, Bob Forte
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Visit Online
www.lettucefunk.com
IG @jesuscsuperstar
FB@jesuscoomes
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Bass Videos
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
Working-Class Zeros: Episode #2 – Financial Elements of Working Musicians
“These stories from the front are with real-life, day-to-day musicians who deal with work life and gigging and how they make it work out. Each month, topics may include… the kind of gigs you get, the money, dealing with less-than-ideal rooms, as well as the gear you need to get the job done… and the list goes on from there.” – Steve the Bass Guy and Shawn Cav