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We've been publishing our print magazine since 1985, growing in reputation and stature year-on-year. Our web site came later, housing our vast, continually-expanding, archive of highly informative articles (from January 1994 to the present day).

Every month, SOS print/online/iPad magazine delivers an unequalled mix of detailed, hands-on Product Tests of cutting-edge music hardware/software, covering all aspects of sound acquisition, editing and playback. Our producer/engineer/musician Interviews are second to none and there's a goldmine of "how to" Workshops and Tutorials (in the Technique section) to help you get the most out of your gear — whatever your level of expertise.

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Articles on this site generally fall into 5 broad categories:

SOS is one of the few magazines in any sector to publish the entire editorial contents of our current print magazine in an online format (we call this the eSub), for the benefit of our ever-growing global community of subscribers. Some of the regular columns (eg. Sounding Off, Leader etc) and some teaser reviews are free for everyone to access. After 5 months, we unlock the current issue and add its articles to the 11,800+ available FREE on soundonsound.com via the SOS Search engine, ready to answer your many questions and assist you in selecting the most appropriate tools for your music recording studio.

Here are links to just a few of the most recent articles...

Classic Tracks

James Brown 'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag'

Classic Tracks

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'Papa's Got A Brand New Bag' was James Brown's statement of intent as he abandoned soulful ballads in favour of a raw and frenetic new sound.

The Blues Brothers 'Everybody Needs Somebody To Love'

Classic Tracks

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His role as producer of The Blues Brothers soundtrack left Bob Tischler in charge of recording some of the best musicians of the 20th century, while managing conflicting shooting schedules and coping with the day-to-day effects of John Belushi's prodigious cocaine habit.

808 State 'Pacific State'

Classic Tracks

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Born of the fertile late‑'80s Manchester music scene, 808 State's 'Pacific State' was a landmark in British house music.

Tomorrow 'My White Bicycle'

Classic Tracks

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Tomorrow's pioneering paean to the joys of communal public transport has proved to be a classic of the British psychedelic underground.

Tom Petty 'Learning To Fly'

Classic Tracks

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While Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne’s writing partnership was certainly successful, it was the partnership between Jeff Lynne and engineer Richard Dodd that gave the records their distinctive sparkle.

Shirley Bassey 'Goldfinger'

Classic Tracks

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Engineer Eric Tomlinson recorded a host of classic soundtracks during his 40-year career, not to mention what's...

The Velvet Underground 'Heroin'

Classic Tracks

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Its status as one of pop's most influential albums is clear, but the circumstances surrounding the creation of The Velvet Underground & Nico have always been clouded. We asked Andy Warhol's co-producer to set the record straight.

The Clash 'White Riot' Classic Tracks

Classic Tracks

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When the Clash entered the studio for the first time they were determined not to sacrifice their punk principles, and the fates — not to mention a sympathetic engineer and a negligent record company — were on their side...

Electric Light Orchestra 'Don't Bring Me Down'

Classic Tracks

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Melding Beatlesque pop melodies with symphonic strings, multi-layered vocals and leader Jeff Lynne's generally overblown production of his own compositions

Beastie Boys 'Sabotage'

Classic Tracks

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The standout track from the Beastie Boys' smash hit Ill Communication album nearly didn't make it onto the record at all — and when it did, it was the eight-track ADAT mix that made the final cut.

Prince ‘Kiss’

Classic Tracks

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Originally intended for another group, ‘Kiss’ was quickly reclaimed by Prince when he heard David Z’s arrangement. Despite record company scepticism, the track became his third number one single and rejuvenated his career.

Pulp ‘Common People’

Classic Tracks

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Pulp’s infectiously catchy commentary on the joys of class tourism helped propel the group to fame after nearly two decades of obscurity. Engineer David Nicholas tells us how ‘Common People’ was recorded.

Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells

Classic Tracks

Forty years after its original release, Mike Oldfield tells us the story of recording his hugely successful debut album, Tubular Bells.

George Michael ‘Faith’

Classic Tracks

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Wham! went their separate ways in 1986, but the triumph of George Michael’s debut album Faith in 1987 meant that the success of his solo career was never really in doubt.

Adam & The Ants ‘Stand & Deliver’

Classic Tracks

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To say that producer Chris Hughes was closely involved with Recording Adam & The Ants’ biggest records would be a bit of an understatement — he got so involved he joined the band...

Frank Sinatra ‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin’

Classic Tracks

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In 1956, Frank Sinatra revived his flagging career with an album that would define the swing sound and go on to become one of the most highly regarded in history. John Palladino, now in his 92nd year, was at the controls...

Oasis ‘Wonderwall’

Classic Tracks

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For many, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? is Oasis’s masterpiece. Producer and engineer Owen Morris tells us the story of its creation.

Nine Inch Nails ‘Closer’

Classic Tracks

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Although the shock value of its lyrics and ensuing censorship earned it notoriety, ‘Closer’ perfectly exemplifies Trent Reznor’s radical use of sampling and singularly focused musical vision.

MARRS 'Pump Up The Volume'

Classic Tracks

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The unlikely result of a collaboration between two 4AD bands, the release of ‘Pump Up The Volume’ by MARRS was a great day for house music and copyright lawyers alike.

Gary Moore 'Parisienne Walkways'

Classic Tracks

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'Parisienne Walkways' showcased Gary Moore's virtuoso guitar work and quickly became his signature song. Its recording also provided a young engineer at Morgan Studios with his first, unexpected production credit.


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