Freelance Writing Portfolio
Table of Contents 1. Music Album Review 2. Product Review 3. Press Release
My Live Sound: Sunburst Gear Portable Speakers f there is one priority for me when it comes to purchasing new gear, it’s this: I need flexibility. I’m a solo acoustic guitarist who uses public transportation almost exclusively, and what that translates to is that I don’t have a lot of cash to drop on gear nor can I haul it around with ease. So when I’m on the hunt for new equipment, I often go for the equipment that manages to perform multiple jobs, weighs very little, has a reasonable price tag, and sounds transparent—in other words it’s flexible. As you may know, those are some lofty requirements for gear. However, it was those requirements that brought me to the Sunburst Gear M6BR8 portable speaker with Bluetooth capabilities. I was on the search for a good live sound set up. I’d been using a Fishman Loudbox Mini, but I just wasn’t pleased with it’s sound and it’s lack of features. Also, I had just graduated to using a nice reverb pedal and no longer needed the built-‐‑in reverb of the Loudbox Mini. Still, I knew that I needed something that was small, lightweight, powerful enough for small to medium gigs, and most importantly, something that sounded absolutely fantastic. I just wanted something that would make my guitar sound bigger and louder and not cloud the tone that made me fall in love with my guitar. A friend suggested I check out the Sunburst Gear line, and I knew right away that it was the answer to my nightly prayers to the audio equipment gods. The full-‐‑range sound clarity that comes from the Sunburst Gear M6BR8 speaker is exceptional. Finding a stellar sounding system at a low price is tough. The M6BR8 has an MSRP of $549.99 and retails for $449.99 on Amazon.com. Now, I know that price tag doesn’t exactly seem low (when compared to a speaker of similar size such as the Fishman Loudbox Mini), but consider the following features not found in the Fishman Loudbox Mini: • Bluetooth connectivity (and separate Auxiliary input) • 6 input mixer o Channel mute switches o F/X inserts on channels 1 and 2 o Multiple TRS and XLR inputs (XLR has 48v Phantom Power) o Dedicated channel gain pots o Dedicated channel L/R pan knobs • Up to 15 hours bitterly life with a full charge • Rechargeable built-‐‑in SLA battery with charge meter • Pole mountable • Mono setting • USB charging port (for devices)
And that’s just what the Fishman Loudbox Mini doesn’t have. You can also use an additional speaker from Sunburst Gear to build a dual speaker PA system. The main speaker will act as the master mixer and the additional speaker as the slave speaker. With this set up, you can get a wonderful stereo image. Those features are all lovely of course, but I’d like to turn to the ultimate reason I went for this speaker. The nearly infinite flexibility. You can take these anywhere and voila, you have a battery-‐‑powered PA system with a six-‐‑channel mixer built right into the back. This little speaker can manage multiple instruments and dynamic or condenser microphones simultaneously, so it’s not just for the solo performer. This speaker is a Swiss Army Knife equivalent for the live sound world. No, there’s no gimmick here. The Sunburst Gear MM speaker line has been rated and reviewed by other sources as top-‐‑notch studio-‐‑quality speakers (check out the review over at ProSoundNetwork.com). That being said, I use them as such. When I’m not gigging with these, I have them on my desk for monitoring purposes. I can easily switch between mixing a recorded track to using them as an amp to practice a live set to dial in my tone with the other gear I use (more on that in other posts). I’ve also set these up as a portable DJ PA at a party, and they sound awesome with just about any music you like to hear through them. One more thing, they’ll act as stage monitors. Did someone utter flexibility earlier? That’s like three (maybe four) speaker systems in one! Now, what I’m getting at here with my hang-‐‑up on flexibility is that you’d have to spend three times the amount for all these features and or gear that can perform at this level in each of these situations. This speaker handles everything. Let’s take a look at what could be improved on these speakers. I feel confident saying that the only things I’d change about them are the lack of an auxiliary effects send and return loop for the whole mixer, and the fact that they’re not as loud as a bigger PA (which quite frankly isn’t an issue since these are not for situations where you’d need that much power!). I’ll also admit that 24 pounds is still a little on the heavy side for an easy haul, especially if you’re using two these. However, it’s not that bad, and unless the whole thing was made of plastic, it could never weigh less and still have all the functionality it boasts. Sunburst Gear’s MM speaker line definitely passes my flexibility need, 000000with flying colors. However, I have one last thing to add. Don’t forget, acoustic guitarists, that acoustic guitars were meant for acoustic performances and not electric ones. These speakers will enhance and reinforce your acoustic performance, not make it a rock concert, which is my goal and may be yours as well. If we share that goal, I highly recommend that you visit SunburstGear.com to learn more and order this speaker for yourself!
FINGERSTYLE ALBUM REVIEW: STEWART GARRY – SOJOURNER Because instrumental guitar music often contains no singing, it can be a challenge to draw a listener in who is accustomed to the sound of voices in music. Stewart Garry, one of the UK’s most promising fingerstyle acoustic guitar talents, has accepted the challenge of engaging all listeners, even those accustomed to the voice, by exploring what it means to develop as a musician under the influence of ‘place.’ Sojourner is more than just another acoustic guitar album; it’s a film adventure through the musical realm of Stewart Garry. The upcoming May 16th release of this album will include both a DVD and an audio CD, and while one can listen to the thoughtful compositions on the audio CD alone, the immersive effect of the DVD will propel listeners along an intimate journey through Garry’s history and artistry. The tracks on the album, all recorded live in varying locations throughout the UK, boast their brilliance through each location’s noticeable effect on Garry’s performance. Garry’s organic approach is one of the best attempts at reaching a listener on a level that isn’t just a studio-‐‑produced, sonic landscape, but is instead an actual rendering of the artist’s relationship with place, time, and real life. The external sound factors, such as church reverberations, birds singing, and rain falling (and is that the scent of oak barrels in the whiskey distillery?) conveys nothing but true musical life. In “After the Rain,” Garry makes it easy to feel the world through his music’s presence as the crux and ballast of a rainy day. Sojourner is not a solo journey. This is obvious through the presence of the production crew, and the addition of collaborative pieces such as “Patience is a Virtue,” a contemplative duet that enlists a lovely violin performance. “Life is Loud,” in which Garry pairs his funky guitar lines with his brother’s quirky and inspirational poetry, gives us a wonderful example of family bonds and their impact on our creativity. It reveals just how much external involvement there can be in creating solo art. Experiencing the interaction between the two brothers is a true gem and instills some of the best feelings a listener can hope to receive through a listening experience. Nostalgia is a heavy token arching over the entire album, and it is perhaps that which makes Garry’s compositions so unique and touching. In a world full of talented technical guitarists, finding the means to convey the human condition to a listener is a task not executed so successfully by all. Garry’s Sojourner is sure to secure him a place among the musical explorers who have found their ways to the listener’s minds, souls, and hearts.
AP Security & Video Surveillance Installs new Wireless IP Video Surveillance System in Latrobe, PA Police Department AP Security & Video Surveillance, supplier and installer of state-‐‑of-‐‑the-‐‑art video and security equipment, has installed a video surveillance system in Latrobe, PA. The system, designed and installed by AP Security & Video Surveillance, was placed strategically throughout the Latrobe Police Station, municipal building, city parks, and public parking garage with the aim of improving the city’s safety and security. The new Network Video Recorder (NVR) system combines both wired and wireless technologies as well as HD Mega Pixel cameras. The system allows for real-‐‑time viewing over a host of wireless devices such as laptops, tablets, and smart phones. In addition, all footage is recorded so authorities may view all previous footage captured. The system allows use of the system to become mobile, enabling its use in multiple locations. Latrobe City Manager Alex Graziani expressed that renovation of the public parking garage prompted the NVR system’s installation. When asked about resulting benefits, Mr. Graziani shared that he and others are now “able to monitor the parking garage areas and respond to any problems [they] see. It saves time being able to watch from the office and not having to walk to the facility to look for problems.” The city officials felt that the system would deter vandalism and improve safety, making the area more appealing to the Latrobe community and its visitors. About AP Security & Video Surveillance AP Security & Video Surveillance offers state-‐‑of-‐‑the-‐‑art security cameras, video surveillance equipment, Internet video surveillance, and much more. AP Security has over 14 years of experience in the security and surveillance industry and has offices in Pittsburgh, San Antonio, and serves the entire United States. For more information: Call AP Security & Video Surveillance at (877) 712-‐‑1103 Or visit them online at http://www.APVideosecurity.com