Mixdown Magazine 299 by Furst Media

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WITH SPECIAL GUEST

TORI FORSYTH

SYDNEY • MELBOURNE

CONTENTS 08 10 11 12 16 18 19 20 21 22 24 25 26 27 28 44 46

Giveaways Industry News Music News Product News Cover Story: Snarky Puppy Clowns Fantastic Negrito American Football Foals Totally Unicorn Abbey Road Institute Musicology Electronic Music Production Guitar Bass Percussion Product Reviews Directory Show & Tell

Clowns PG.18

Foreword Byron Bay Bluesfest celebrates their 30th anniversary this year. With all of the discussion and drama surrounding music festivals of late, this anniversary is a lovely reminder of how prosperous and supported the Australian music community is. Snarky Puppy will return to Australia to perform at the festival next month and it is an absolute pleasure to have them on the cover this month. Next month we celebrate the 300th issue of Mixdown, and we have something absolutely enormous in store for it. Thanks for reading! NICHOLAS SIMONSEN - EDITOR

/MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU

Fantastic Negrito

Snarky Puppy

PG. 18

PG. 16

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MADE BY MUSICIANS, FOR MUSICIANS STREET AND ONLINE DATE: WEDNESDAY APRIL 10 AD BOOKING DEADLINE: MONDAY APRIL 1 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: TUESDAY APRIL 2 ARTWORK DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY APRIL 3 For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email nicholas@furstmedia.com.au

PUBLISHER Furst Media Mycelium Studios Factory 1/10-12 Moreland Road East Brunswick VIC 3057 (03) 9428 3600

ONLINE EDITOR Will Brewster will@furstmedia.com.au

MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr patrick@furstmedia.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Erica May

EDITOR Nicholas Simonsen nicholas@furstmedia.com.au

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Josh Martin

CONTRIBUTORS Rob Gee, Christie Elizer, Nick Brown, David James Young, Adrian Violi, Michael Cusack, Augustus Welby, Luke Shields, Alex Watts, Jessica Over, Aaron Streatfeild, James Di Fabrizio, Adam

Norris, Alex Winter, Jessica Over, Eddy Lim, Lewis Noke-Edwards, Josh Martin, Taylor Douglas

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VO LU

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American Football LP3 Vinyl Giveaway American Football have returned with their third album. LP3 is a mesmerising collision of emo, post rock and shoegaze featuring guest collaborations with Paramore’s Hayley Williams and Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell. Thanks to our friends at Inertia Music, we’re giving away a copy of the album on vinyl absolutely free.

Last Month’s Giveaway Winners Audio-Technica ATH-CKR7TW In-Ear Headphones Giveaway Experience the world of exceptionally pure audio with AudioTechnica’s ATH-CKR7TW in-ear headphones, designed to offer unparalleled accuracy and impeccable sound every time. Featuring 11mm drivers, dual-layer isolation and brass stabilisers, the latest ATH product is the answer to your audio problems. Thanks to our friends at Audio-Technica Australia, we have a set of these incredible headphones to give away and the winner is: Simon from Sydney, NSW. Congratulations!

Gary Clark Jr. This Land Vinyl Giveaway

PreSonus Studio 24c Interface Giveaway The PreSonus Studio 24c is the perfect interface for mobile musicians, guitarists, podcasters and live streamers. The two-in, two-out Studio 24c audio interface features USB-C computer connectivity and includes combo mic/instrument/line inputs with +48V phantom power for condenser mics. Thanks to our friends at Link Audio, we have one to give away this month.

Gary Clark Jr. is renowned as a blues legend, generating such a unique signature sound that his stellar reputation precedes him. With well over a decade in the industry, Clark is set to impress yet again with the forthcoming release of his fifth studio album, This Land. Thanks to our friends at Warner Music Australia, we’re giving away a vinyl of Gary Clark Jr.’s new album absolutely free and the winner is: Mikaela from Melbourne, VIC. Congratulations!

For your chance to win any of these prizes, head to our giveaways page at mixdownmag.com.au/giveaway and follow the instructions. *These giveaways are for Australian residents only and one entry per person. For full terms and conditions visit mixdownmag.com.au/terms-and-conditions

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INDUSTRY NEWS

Gibson Reveals Comeback Plan Now heading out of bankruptcy and with a new president/CEO James “JC” Curleigh, the 125 year old guitar maker Gibson has unveiled a new strategy. The 52-year old Curleigh, a long time Gibson player himself, came to revive Gibson’s fortunes after a successful six year stint at Levi Strauss. He told Billboard magazine that the two companies have similar issues: “How do you celebrate your legacy heritage and product while also moving things forward in a modern way?” In Gibson’s case, there will be an emphasis on forging stronger relationships with musicians (including bringing on board ambassador as ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons) and a refocused 2019 line of instruments, which Billboard described as a balance between “the iconic (Les Pauls and SGs built to 1950s and ‘60s specs) and the innovative (a “Contemporary” series boasting modern appointments).”

More Venues For Touring Acts

NSW Biz Watches State Elections Closely

Touring acts now have a number of new venues around the country to play in.

Industry figures are closely observing the media circus in the lead up to the NSW state election on Saturday 23 March, which has been labeled one of the most important elections in regards to the future of the state’s music industry. Voter interest has been drawn to the government’s new music festival license which came into effect on March 1, despite protests, rallies and calls to delay its introduction from the music industry.

* The 3,300 capacity Fortitude Music Hall in Brisbane announced that British metalcore outfit Architects will play on August 8 as part of their national Holy Hell tour. Head booker Mark Gibbons said that “The venue is going to be open to an incredibly diverse array of programming. Already we’re in talks with some of Australia and the world’s largest touring acts, as well as comedy, children’s shows and some very cool surprises.” * The 550-capacity Freo.Social opens in early April at Artillery Drill Hall in Fremantle following $250,000 worth of renovations. Its first week is titled Freo Week, and features John Butler Trio, The Waifs, San Cisco and Superego with Freo Gold on April 6. There are also themed nights for new acts under the banner “You saw them here first!” Director Dave Chitty said the venue would also showcase comedy, opera, community, dance, theatre, big band and dining. * The Australian National University’s new $250 million Kambri precinct has a number of live music venues: a large hall that plans to attract international acts, the Badger & Co bar and the classic ANU Bar. * The Vault in Port Kembla, NSW, now has Sunday sessions for acoustic singersongwriters.

Making WA Venues Safer The West Australian government has committed $60,000 over three years to the Safer Venues WA association to instigate programs to prevent women from being harassed or intimidated during shows. These initiative include an emphasis on venue staff training, more female security, posters warning against harassment, and an increased number of security cameras. Safer Venues WA chair Rose KingdomBarron said harassment was “rife in many venues and events,” claiming that “Part of the problem is that many people are not educated on what constitutes harassment or assault.” A survey conducted by the association found that 67% of respondents had experienced harassment in a WA venue, 80% of whom were women. Two in five women leave the gig after an incident, while half are just as likely to stay at the venue with friends than report it to security.

One festival promoter, who claimed that his pay-as-you-use costs for police presence changed four times in the lead up to the festival, warned that shoveling extra costs onto staging a festival would result in general admission tickets costing upwards of $500. The strict new rules (which began even before the law came into effect) resulted in Psyfari canceling their 2019 event, Mountain Sounds collapsing under a $1.5 million debt, and threats that Bluesfest would leave NSW and Laneway would bypass Sydney on its annual run. NSW is the largest contributor to the Australian live music industry alone and is worth $3.6 billion and 23,207 jobs to the economy. Music NSW has set up an issue-by-issue report card on its website on which of the political parties are most music industryfriendly. NSW Labor made a strong pitch to the industry and consumers, including increasing funding on contemporary music to $35 million a year. If Labor comes in, it will introduce a $1.3 million “Music Passport” program to help musicians tour abroad, $4 million to support festivals, $1.3 million to reinvigorate the regional touring circuit, and $1 million towards community radio. The NSW Greens Party’s music policy includes support for a dedicated minister for arts, culture, music and night time economy; support for Labor’s $35 million funding, removing all “draconian” music venue and festival regulations, abolishing Sydney’s lockout laws and creating streamlined ways for grants, as well as ensuring government decisions are transparent, increasing funding for music festivals, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and accessible and affordable music education in regional areas. The Keep Sydney Open Party, going into its first election, plans to invest $100 million into contemporary music and performance over four years, axe the lockouts and the new festival license regulations, as well

as establishing an independent ‘Office of the Night’ to provide accountability for stakeholders of the night-time economy. There’s also plans to create a seat in Cabinet for a Ministry of Culture, Music and Nightlife, as well as a dedicated $10 million of funding to market the state’s nightlife and cultural offerings.

Queensland Album Of The Year Finalists The finalists of the album of the year category of the Queensland Music Awards are: Amy Shark – Love Monster, Ball Park Music – Good Mood, Emily Wurramara – Milyakburra, The Goon Sax – We’re Not Talking and Tia Gostelow – Thick Skin. The awards are on Tuesday March 19 at the Royal International Convention Centre in Brisbane with performances by Amy Shark, DZ Deathrays, Clea, Emma Beau, Tokyo Twilight + more.

Report: Drake Was World’s Biggest Act In 2018 Figures released in the last week of February by London-based IFPI, which represents the recorded music industry worldwide, named Drake as the world’s best-selling recording artist of 2018. His album Scorpion set new records in its first week of release, reaching #1 in 92 countries and becoming the first album to reach one billion streams across all platforms worldwide. Other acts included in the list of 2018’s Top 10 biggest sellers were BTS, Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, Eminem, Queen, Imagine Dragons, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.

More Aussies Embrace Digital Radio Figures released by industry body Commercial Radio Australia (CRA) showed that the number of DAB+ digital radios in this country increased by more than 930,000 in 2018, helping to boost average weekly audiences for digital-only radio stations to over two million. The CRA claims that more than 4.21 million people, or 30% of the population aged 10 and over, listened to DAB+ digital radio each week in the five metro capital cities in 2018, up from 3.62 million in 2017. The commercial radio industry’s digitalonly radio stations, which offer alternative formats including chill-out music, country, specialist rock, 80s and retail services, reached 1.35 million listeners each week, a 30% jump over the previous year.

Aussies Heading To New York For Indie Week The Australian Independent Record Labels Association (AIR) and music export body SOUNDS AUSTRALIA have led Australian delegations to Indie Week in New York since 2013. This year, along with the recording sector’s PPCA, they plan to lead another delegation to the label-focused conference hosted by A2IM (American Association of Independent Music) from June 17-20. There will be a strong focus on the exploitation of master recordings, licensing, networking and other issues within the digital sphere.

MTV Australia’s ‘TRL’ Set To Premiere MTV Australia’s TRL (Total Request Live) show is prepared to launch on March 8 on Foxtel, Foxtel Now and Fetch. The first acts announced so far are Ocean Alley and Kwame. The Friday evening show’s hosts are radio’s Ash London and Angus O’Loughlin joined by presenters, DJ Flex Mami and MTV.com.au editor Lisa Hamilton. It’s shot before a live audience at MTV HQ in Sydney and features over an hour of music, celebrity and pop culture, interviews, news and live performances.

Performers, MC, Announced For Gold Coast Music Awards The Gold Coast Music Awards, held on May 2 on the beachfront of Surfers Paradise, will feature performances from emerging local acts Casey Barnes, San Mei and Peach Fur, and is set to be hosted by Double J’s Sarah Howells. Finalists are announced on April 4 for the various categories, including artist of the year, breakout artist, best live act, musician (instrumentalist), release, song, venue and video.

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MUSIC NEWS

The Saboteurs to Play First Ever Australian Shows

The Cure to Perform Disintegration in Full at Vivid Sydney

Jazz Prodigy Jacob Collier Is Returning to Australia

Jack White’s blues rock powerhouse The Saboteurs are set to play their first ever headlining shows Down Under while in town for Bluesfest in April. Known as The Raconteurs outside of Australia, the group’s shows at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre and the Big Top Luna Park in Sydney will also be the band’s first shows in eight years. Expect electrifying boogie riffs, thumping grooves, and Jack White’s signature swagger to be showcased to the fullest.

Goth legends The Cure have been announced as headliners for this year’s Vivid Sydney festival, performing their iconic 1989 LP Disintegration over four nights at the Sydney Opera House to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the record. As well as playing the classic album, which features the likes of ‘Pictures Of You’ and ‘Lovesong’ in its entirety, the band will also be performing a set of choice cuts from their extensive back catalogue. Better stock up on your eyeliner for these shows.

Two time Grammy Award winner and Quincy Jones-endorsed musical virtuoso Jacob Collier is locked in to show off his insane chops to Australian crowds at Melbourne’s Recital Centre, the Sydney Opera House and at the Brisbane Festival in August and September this year. With a dynamic live show that sees Collier joined by three other musicians and over 30 instruments onstage, this tour will be unmissable for any budding music student, composer, arranger or producer. Check out Chugg Entertainment for more details.

Bring Me The Horizon Announce East Coast Tour Supports

Thando Releases New Single ‘Gag Order’

Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy and Jen Cloher to Tour Together

Although fans feared the worst following news that the band was forced to postpone tour dates in the US after frontman Oli Sykes sustained a vocal injury, Bring Me The Horizon are confirmed to be going ahead with their Australian shows next month. The modern rock titans also announced supports for their performances in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, with You Me At Six, Frank Carter and the Rattlesnakes and Trophy Eyes joining the band for a run of epic arena shows.

Rising Melbourne R&B artist Thando has released the first taste of her upcoming EP Life In Colour with the powerful new single ‘Gag Order.’ With soulful production from Henry James and lyrics concerning the issue of race relations and assimilation evident in Australian media, Thando proves she’s one to keep an eye on in 2019. Catch her at festivals around the country in March and April.

Alt-Country innovator and Wilco mastermind Jeff Tweedy is embarking on his first ever solo tour of Australia, with Jen Cloher locked in as support to provide punters with what promises to be a masterclass in modern songwriting. Tweedy superfans can also jump onto Wilco’s website to request songs they want to hear played on tour – time to deep dive into that back catalogue, Jeff. Tickets are on sale now.

Nick Murphy Shares Details of New Album Run Fast Sleep Naked

Beartooth Are Bringing Their Disease Tour Down Under

Baker Boy Drops New Single ‘Cool As Hell,’ Announces Tour Dates

Nick Murphy (fka Chet Faker) is back, announcing the release of his new record Run Fast Sleep Naked on Friday April 26 via Future Classic. With lead single ‘Sanity’ showcasing an invigorated sound driven by off-kilter grooves, pulsing synths and his signature self-aware lyricism, it’s needless to say that the hype is pretty strong for this LP – his first since 2014’s Built On Glass. Murphy is also set to tour the East Coast in support of the record in May: find all the details online.

US hardcore heroes Beartooth are returning to Australia for a string of headline shows in support of their new record Disease, the band’s first to crack the ARIA Top 100. With a fresh new lineup and a new album chock full of high-octane riffage to unleash, make sure you catch the Ohio punks when they bring their theatrical live show to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide in July.

Rapper, singer, breakdancer and 2019 Young Australian of the Year Baker Boy has continued his hot streak with the release of his latest single ‘Cool As Hell.’ With an irresistibly funky groove and a music video that features his brother and father, there’s no denying Baker Boy is on track for superstardom. He’s also announced a run of tour dates in April, kicking off with a show at the recently reopened Epsy in Melbourne on Friday April 5. Details available online.

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PRODUCT NEWS

T-Rex Chameleon Power Supply Now Shipping AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU T-Rex proclaims that the Chameleon is the most versatile power supply they’ve ever produced. Aimed for players using a myriad of different pedals that require a plethora of voltage options, the Chameleon features five outputs with 300 mA each with output five/six switchable between 9/12v DC or 12v AC. This compact, rugged and road ready power supply is available now.

Ernie Ball Unveil New Range of Ukulele Strings

CMC Music Scores Kyser Australian Distributor

Elektron Announces Groovebox Model:Samples

CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

INNOVATIVE MUSIC | INNOVATIVEMUSIC.COM.AU

After decades of requests, Ernie Ball has finally launched a range of strings for Ukulele. Made for concert and soprano Ukulele players, these strings’ highlight feature is the ball end which offers faster installation and better tuning stability over traditional tie end strings. Ernie Ball’s Ukulele strings are offered in traditional clear resin for a bright, balanced tone with excellent projection and black resin for a warm, rich tone with percussive attack.

Kyser Musical Products – the Texan family-owned guitar accessory company – will bring a swathe of new products to Australia this year, with CMC Music confirming an exclusive distribution deal. Basic Kyser products, such as the definitive Kyser Quick-Change capo range, have been sporadically available in Australian stores as an expensive import – CMC’s deal is expected to reduce that price and introduce models not previously available.

Elektron have capitalised on the popularity of their highend drum machines and samplers with a more affordable and highly compact groovebox, the Model:Samples. Model:Samples is a straightforward operation; six tracks and sample-based, packed with over 300 presets selected by Splice. Elektron are marketing the ease-of-use, with the no-nonsense chassis weighing just under a kilogram. Available now through Elektron dealers nationwide.

Audio-Technica Unveils Massive New Turntable Range AUDIO-TECHNICA AUSTRALIA | AUDIOTECHNICA.COM.AU

Moog Debuts Sirin Synthesiser INNOVATIVE MUSIC | INNOVATIVEMUSIC.COM.AU Moog has announced the Sirin Analogue Messenger of Joy, a limited-production analogue synthesiser module drawing inspiration from the iconic Moog Taurus Bass sound engine. Sirin uses a classic four-pole Moog Ladder filter to shape its harmonic transmissions, combining the advanced technology with ADSR envelopes and a multi-wave LFO for increased versatility. If you’re looking to get your hands on a Moog Sirin, you’ll have to be quick; just 2500 synthesisers will be produced by the company, after which there will be no more available.

Hi-fi dons Audio-Technica have released details of their massive new product launch, comprising of six sleek new turntables and a range of replaceable cartridges. Aimed at audiophiles, entry-level buyers and DJs alike, the new line of turntables offer a host of upgraded features, including high-quality phono cartridges and sleek construction with a wide range of finishes. The full range is available now.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Denon Introduces Prime 4 DJ System ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU Denon DJ has dropped an all-in-one production solution, announcing the Prime 4 standalone DJ system. Prime 4 is the world’s first standalone four-channel DJ unit, offering a ten-inch multi-touch display, dual-zone output, four USB inputs, SD input, dual mic channels and more. Flexibility is at the forefront of the Prime 4 design, granting users the ability to operate the system totally independently of their laptop. Expect to see the Prime 4 in stock next month.

Blue Microphones Ember Available Soon

IK Multimedia Update iKip Range

INNOVATIVE MUSIC | INNOVATIVEMUSIC.COM.AU

IK Multimedia has updated their iKlip range, improving the clip itself to allow for all sizes of tablets. The clip can now fit screen sizes from 7” to 12.9”, ensuring that the mount can be used no matter what brand and size tablet. The range includes the standard iKlip 3 for mic stand support, the iKlip Video for tripod mount and the iKlip 3 Deluxe which is mountable on both mic stands and tripods. These are available in stores now.

Ember is Blue Microphones brand new studio condenser mic for recording and live-streaming. The hand-tuned condenser capsule is designed to capture maximum detail while the tight cardioid pickup pattern aims to reduce background noise. It’s the perfect mix for broadcasting, podcasting and live-streaming. You can expect to see Ember in stores next month.

SOUND AND MUSIC | SOUND-MUSIC.COM

sE Electronics V Series Drum Mics Available Now SOUND AND MUSIC | SOUND-MUSIC.COM sE have expanded their V Series microphone range with the inclusion of two new drum mics, the V Kick and V Beat. The aptly titled V Kick is a compact and versatile mic for bass drums while the V Beat is the perfect compact mic for snare and tom drums. sE have also announced the new V Clamp to work with these mics. The brand new drum mounting system attaches to the hoop of your drum without taking up a large footprint. These are available in stores now.

Gallien-Krueger Celebrate 50 Years Of Innovation With New Legacy Series ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU The brand new Legacy Series of bass amps represent 50 years of design, innovation and industry experience at Gallien-Krueger. These new amps build on the foundation of the original 800RB amplifier that was introduced in 1980. Available in 500, 800 and 1200 watt Class D models, the Legacy series has all of your bases covered when it comes to solid state bass amplification. Expect to see these in stores next month.

Radial KL-8 Keyboard Mixer Now In Stock AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU The Radial KL-8 rackmount keyboard mixing station is designed to provide complete control over a professional keyboard setup. The KL-8 can connect up to four keyboards in mono or stereo, with level controls, aux sends, and LED indicators for each. A stereo aux send/receive is available to feed rackmount reverbs and delays and effects pedals. The KL-8 is now in stock around the country.

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FOALS

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ALSO AVAILABLE 180GRM VINYL AND LIMITED COLLECTORS EDITION VINYL 15

SNARKY PUPPY FIND THEIR RHYTHM It’s been a pretty crazy 15 years for Snarky Puppy. Looking at their discography and touring history, it would almost seem that the band just hasn’t stopped. This is no easy feat when you consider that the collective is far larger than your regular four or five-piece ensemble. With a list of members and collaborators over 20 people long, it’s no wonder that the musical collective has churned out more than a dozen records in their lifespan. Band leader and bassist Michael League attests this work ethic and longevity to simple efficiency and good planning, he says. “I think, it’s just be efficient, I guess. Make plans and do the plan. Tour for nine months, which leaves you three months to write and record. We had four weeks to record, a week and a half to mix. It’s about meeting the schedule. If you have to do it, you do it.” The newest Snarky Puppy offering comes in the form of Immigrance, their 13th album. Rather than recording the album live with an audience, like the majority of their previous releases, they opted to return to a studio setting, much like their previous album Culcha Vulcha. “We had a such a good time making Culcha Vulcha we were like ‘oh, you know, let’s try it again’, but change some things up. We actually have all three drummers on every tune, but instead of playing simultaneously, they’re alternating sections. The majority of the record was done live and then we just did kind of just over dubbed with kind of finishing touches. It feels raw, and it feels natural, like the way we’ve done it live, but we were able to put that extra love and care in it without pressure of doing everything live.” The album title is particularly poignant when you look at the last few years for Snarky Puppy. The band have toured so relentlessly that they’ve grown accustomed to the feeling of constant motion and being immersed in different cultures around the world. This expanded world view specifically inspired the tone of the album, League says. “We travel a lot and when we go to new places, we try to explore new culture with the time that we have. We’re always incorporating the elements from different musical traditions into our new compositions in our way. When you do this, you try and be aware. You want to respect these traditions without kind of like appropriating them or disrespecting them. When you’ve grown up with your native language, then you start looking at the root of forms of music, or the root of a musical phrase and it’s through

“NOTHING IS REALLY FIXED AND WE’RE ALL IN A CONSTANT STATE OF IMMIGRATION.” the rhythm you realise that it’s just the migration of that rhythm. It’s like music is a language. That language originated in many other places and it just reached your country. People, like rhythm are always emigrating, moving around the planet. Whether we travel or not, as we learn new things, we’re kind of leaving behind previous versions of ourselves and becoming new versions of ourselves. Nothing is really fixed and we’re all in a constant state of immigration.” This open-minded mentality has played a huge part in the history of Snarky Puppy when looking at their back catalogue. Rather than sticking to specific boundaries of genre, the group have constantly expanded their sound and incorporated a wide array of instruments. Each member and instrument also come with a fresh perspective and new voice to the band. With so many members contributing their voice, it’s easy to understand how the group has such a wide breadth of sound and style. “Whenever we add a new personality, we all become influenced by that person, that person becomes influenced by us. One person’s perspective can change the way that everybody thinks about certain songs,” League says. Immigrance, like all of Snarky Puppy’s previous releases, is a hard record to pin down when it comes to genre. Featuring

vibrant horn lines interlaced with searing guitar and keyboard hooks upon a bedrock of infectiously funky rhythms, it’s a wonderfully immersive musical journey from start to finish, and makes for what could quite well be their most dynamic release to date. Not quite jazz, not quite funk, not quite R&B. Simply Snarky Puppy at their finest. Next month sees the band return to Australia to perform as part of the 30th Byron Bay Bluesfest, one of the many festivals the band is constantly in demand for around the world. Looking back to the humble beginnings of the band in 2004, League admits that he never could’ve dreamed that the band would be where they are now. “Oh, no way. No way! It was always just a vehicle to play the songs I was writing. I mean, I just didn’t really think there was any commercial future for it.” Despite the undeniable success of the band nowadays, it’s clear as day when talking to League that his motivation hasn’t changed at all after 15 years, 13 albums and countless world tours. The excitement and passion for music is still the driving force that keeps Snarky Puppy moving forward, and that’s exactly why no matter where they’re playing in the world, the incredible connection with their audience is always there. “As the band went on it wasn’t really about those successes. It was about trying to get better music in the hands of the customer. That was the goal: the music.” BY NICHOLAS SIMONSEN

Snarky Puppy will perform at Byron Bay Bluesfest which begins on Thursday April 18 as well as headline shows in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. Immigrance is out Friday March 15 via GroundUp Music.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS “Starting our own label was something that we had discussed doing on previous records,” says drummer Jake Laderman. “I think it being our fourth record, it felt like we wanted a bit of change, just to shake things up a little bit and we figured now’s as good a time as any to start the label.” The record’s overseas release is being handled by famed punk rock stable, Fat Wreck Chords. The significance of this development isn’t lost on Laderman. “We’ve known about it for a few months and even keeping that to ourselves for so long was quite a task,” he says “We were in discussions with them about Lucid Again, but this time they were more interested. So it was very lucky.”

Clowns Do It Themselves Nature/Nurture is the first Clowns album to come out via their own label, Damaged Record Co. Clowns initially setup Damaged as a grassroots booking agency. Its expansion into a label is indicative of the Melbourne band’s DIY spirit.

“Steve wrote a song that just seemed related to that concept and we figured, well we’ll make one of the record Nature and one side of the record Nurture. Lyrically it explores those themes of nature versus nurture and what makes a person a person and what creates your behaviour,” Laderman says.

“It’s pretty mind blowing for us,” says Laderman. “I don’t think anyone had expected it, we just hoped. It’s just progression and something different for this next record. It’s really exciting for us.”

“Stylistically the songs on both sides of the record are quite opposing. They’re just a whole bunch of different ideas that we thought fit the theme.”

The Clowns chronology is a picture of continual growth. They’ve consecutively gained more fans with each of their first three albums – I’m Not Right (2013), Bad Blood (2015) and Lucid Again (2017) – and steadily built their overseas profile. “Without the little milestones along the way who knows if the band would exist anymore,” Laderman says. “Every time we’ve always strived for little things. We might set our sights on a new country or a new area. The first time we went to Europe that opened us up to the rest of the world. That’s just one example of us realising there’s a lot more out there. It feels really good to have that progression.”

“I don’t have any desire to be famous, to be a celebrity, so that makes it easy,” he says. “I’m not a pretty white girl or I’m not a rapper. I’m a middle aged guy excited to go out and play on the street. My famous status is a lot more relaxed and cool and laid back.” Based in Oakland, California, Dphrepaulezz has been making music for nearly 30 years. It’s been a stop-start journey encompassing an unfavourable major label deal in the mid90s and a devastating car accident at the end of the decade that put Dphrepaulezz in a three-week coma. He gave up on music 12 years ago to become a marijuana farmer, but since reapplying himself five years ago it’s been a rapid ascent. Fantastic Negrito took out NPR’s inaugural Tiny Desk Contest in 2015 and the passionate performance resonated around the world.

Fantastic Negrito recently became a two-time Grammy award winner. Both 2016’s The Last Days of Oakland and last year’s Please Don’t Be Dead took out the Best Contemporary Blues Album category. It’s validating kudos, but project leader Xavier Dphrepaulezz isn’t letting it go to his head.

“They saw something different,” says Dphrepaulezz. “They saw that I was approaching what I call black roots, blues, Americana very differently in the way that I thought about recording records and how they should sound. I wanted to really get in touch with the roots of the music but I didn’t want to do anything even remotely close to what had been done before. I wanted to keep it fresh. I think that attracted a lot of people.” Fantastic Negrito’s two long-players take cues from Delta blues legends like Skip James and Robert Johnson, and The Last Days of Oakland even includes a cover of Leadbelly’s ‘In the Pines’. But Dphrepaulezz makes no attempt to conform to the imposed conventions of blues music. “I don’t think there’s a 12-bar blues song on either one of my records and that’s great,” he says. “Blues is a feeling. It’s all feel. If you’re going through the motions you’re not really doing it. You’re not really contributing to anything new. I don’t think our ancestors would think that was great. Artists, we got to keep breathing new life.” Dphrepaulezz’s return to music at 47 years old was primarily driven by a desire to honour the example of blues innovators

The title, Nature/Nurture, is reflected in the new album’s thematic focus. Vocalist Stevie Williams conducts an exploration of contradictions and conflicting perspectives that represent the multifaceted origins of individual identity.

Founded by NOFX’s Fat Mike, Fat Wreck Chords is an iconic punk, pop punk and hardcore label and so perfectly suited to Clowns. The label only signs one-album deals, which sits well with Clowns’ cherished independence.

Clowns’ considerable local and international success has come while maintaining managerial independence. They’ve consciously preserved the freedom to seek out new opportunities and make their own choices.

Fantastic Negrito Keeps It Cool

“Being an independent band is the best thing ever,” Laderman says. “A lot of bands will jump at the opportunity to find success quickly and I can absolutely understand why. But we have had the power to do whatever we want and just having the full control and the choice to do whatever we want is just the greatest. I feel like you’d get the same answer out of every independent band. I’m sure Courtney Barnett would say the same thing.”

The songwriting encompasses a range of dynamics, placing fast, technical hardcore songs next to anthemic punk songs. There are also moments of restraint and closing track ‘Nurture’ provides an intimate close-up of Williams’ vocals. “Every record we’ve ever done we’ve been aware of dynamics and making sure that every song has its place and doesn’t sound like the others. This record more so than the others, every song is unique in its own way. I feel like every song on it stands on its own feet and has its own features and parts that makes it unique.” BY AUGUSTUS WELBY Nature/Nurture is out Friday April 12 via Damaged Record Co.

like James, Johnson and Leadbelly as well as Howlin’ Wolf, and R.L. Burnside. “It was bringing tears to my eyes. My soul was crying out,” he says. “I dropped everything that I had in my life, my life savings, and I started walking the streets playing because that’s how serious it was for me. That’s how much it meant to me. This is everything to me, this music, this expression, producing records, writing bass lines, piano, guitar. I like looping it all together, turning it on its head. I get such a joy out of producing records. It’s my spiritual life blood.” Overcoming serious hardship and various career setbacks has given Dphrepaulezz boundless creative inspiration, which he brings to bear on Please Don’t Be Dead. “I write my bass lines based on people I’ve known throughout my life,” he says. “I’ve known killers, pimps, pushers, dealers – they all walked a certain way. A lot of times with my bass lines I’m playing someone’s life. A lot of my music is based on feeling and pain.” Please Don’t Be Dead showcases Dphrepaulezz’s soulful vocal style and incorporates looping beats reminiscent of hip hop and R&B. There’s an experimental freedom to Dphrepaulezz’s musicality, and recent single ‘A Boy Named Andrew’ wears a perceptible Eastern influence. “I listen to everything from as old as someone like Robert Johnson to as new as Kendrick Lamar to as far out as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Hamza El Din to as classic rock as Black Sabbath or Led Zeppelin. I just love it all. It’s such a joy to recognise and experience artistry.” BY AUGUSTUS WELBY Please Don’t Be Dead is out now via Cooking Vinyl. Fantastic Negrito is touring Australia in April for Bluesfest.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS “I honestly thought it was going to last for a couple of shows, tops,” says Mike Kinsella, the band’s lead vocalist and one of its two guitarists. “It was like, ‘Two shows? Sounds fun! Let’s do that!’ What happened next was surprising – as we spent more time together, it felt pretty clear we still all really enjoyed one another’s company. I feel like that’s more than I can say from when the band ended – it didn’t end terribly, but it didn’t particularly well either. I feel like we’ve come to American Football now as adults – as parents, as husbands, as grown men.” It’s this that has led to the making of the band’s third self-titled album, following on from their 2016 comeback. Although the second American Football LP drew mixed reviews and some criticism for its perceived lack of invention when compared to their cult-classic debut, Kinsella feels that this album will serve as something that will please both older and newer fans. “The way I see it, the second album had to happen in order for this one to exist,” he reasons.

American Football Toe The Line Consider this: emo heroes American Football have been reunited for longer than they were originally a band, and as of March 22, will have put out more albums than when they were originally a band too. Okay, it might not seem like such a huge feat when you realise the band were only originally together for three years and released a grand total of one record. Still, it’s the principle of the thing – and besides, it’s not as if the band planned to stick around for this long.

“It was inevitable that the second album was going to live in the shadows of the first one. This one, however, was the four of us recognising what we could do – and, more importantly, what we could do better. I feel as though this album is a lot more in the style of the way that we wanted to do it, if that makes sense.” The expansion of the American Football sound on the upcoming LP also makes way, in a first for the band, for voices that aren’t Kinsella’s. Three of the album’s eight tracks feature guest vocalists: Land of Talk’s Elizabeth Powell, Paramore’s Hayley Williams and Slowdive’s Rachel Goswell. “The parts weren’t written with anyone in mind, but they all became involved quite organically,” says Kinsella. “A lot of it was additional vocal parts that I was singing in falsetto on the demo. As far as ‘Uncomfortably Numb’ is concerned, we had tweaked the chorus so the vocals sounded more like a conversation between two people. Everyone agreed that it shouldn’t be my voice twice, and the idea was floated that it should be a female voice so that it takes on more of

a perspective of a relationship. We wanted someone with a bit of theatricality in their voice, which lead us to Hayley – who, thankfully, agreed to do it.” As for Powell, the collaboration arose after American Football played shows with Land of Talk. “We love her voice,” says Kinsella. “She brings so much more to that song than my voice in falsetto ever could.” Goswell was more of a shot in the dark, as she was someone that the band didn’t know – at least, not personally. “I have been a Slowdive fan since I was a teenager,” Kinsella adds. “In my formative years, she was someone that I really looked up to. We literally just sent through the offer because... well, why not?” “I can’t believe how well they all turned out,” Kinsella continues. “You won’t find that kind of combination on any other record – the singer in an indie band, a bona fide pop-star and a total legend of music. They all brought depth and a real sense of character to this record.” As for how the record will translate from a live perspective, that’s still up in the air. By Kinsella’s own admission, it hasn’t been their top priority: “We haven’t all been in the same room together since we finished recording,” he says. “We have an email thread going, though. That counts, right?” BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

American Football is out Friday March 22 via Pod/Inertia Music.

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FOALS STRIKE A BALANCE Three years. Six months. Eight days. By the time that Part 1 of Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, the new two-part double album by Foals, is officially released, this will be the exact amount of time between it and the band’s last album, 2015’s What Went Down. It’s the longest time Foals have ever gone between releases, and the fact they’ve returned with a surplus of new material would appear to be a band making up for lost time. By the band’s own admission, however, they’ve been looking for an excuse to drop a doublespud for quite some time. “It’s something we’ve always talked about,” says Edwin Congreave, the band’s keyboardist. “As naff as it might be to say, we like our own music. When we’re writing for weeks on end, we end up with a lot of new songs more often than not. We’ll want to record and release all of them, and that’s usually when someone from the label shows up and suggests that we just release the ten best ones instead. This time around, however, something was different. Our manager heard the songs and saw what we saw – that they were all great. As soon as he suggested doing two albums, it was just a green light from there.” The end result is Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost, a collection that simultaneously explores the darker side and the brighter layers of Foals’ sonic spectrum. Don’t get it twisted that these two albums don’t have their own sense of cohesion, though – the band have endeavoured to go the extra mile to ensure both parts tell their own story and maintain a sense of completeness. “We were swapping around tracks from album to album right up to the last minute,” says Congreave. “It was an ongoing debate – we were trying to navigate how to make these albums balance, and how to make them coherent in their own way. The way it’s worked out means that the first album has

“AS NAFF AS IT MIGHT BE TO SAY, WE LIKE OUR OWN MUSIC. a groovier, slower pace, while the second album has a vibe that’s a lot rockier and a lot heavier. The first albums has more synth-based songs, and I’d say it has some songs on there that sound the least like our old ones.” In curating these two albums, Congreave believes that fans are getting a well-rounded sense of everything that the band aspires to musically – perhaps even more so than any of their previous releases. “For better or worse, all of our previous albums have had us trying to cram in as many identities as possible,” he says. “You only have ten to twelve songs to do that in, which means the albums more often than not tend to be completely all over the place. There’s less pressure on that now that we have this split between the two albums – especially on the songs themselves, which often had to carry the weight of representing the entire band and the entire album as a whole. All of the usual concerns have just faded away.”

The band worked on Everything Not Saved... throughout 2018, operating as a four-piece for the first time in their careers following the departure of bassist Walter Gervers the January prior. Fourstring duties were split between Congreave and frontman Yannis Phillippakis, with the former spending a lot of time with the instrument during jams and writing sessions. “It was pretty much just a matter of me being around, able and willing,” says Congreave with a laugh. “I’m not the best bass player, but that doesn’t really matter when you’ve got the amp turned up and your distortion pedal on.” Going forward, the band will have an extra pair of hands joining them live – their bass player for the upcoming tour will be Jeremy Pritchard, who normally plays bass in fellow UK indie-rockers Everything Everything. “They’re not touring this year, so the timing couldn’t have been better,” says Congreave. “He’s been a good friend of ours for awhile, so we’re excited to have him coming out with us. We’ve got another friend of ours coming out to play percussion, too. It’s gonna get pretty crowded up on stage, that’s for sure.” BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost – Part 1 is out now via Warner Music.

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS

Totally Unicorn Say Their Sorrys Sorry, Totally Unicorn’s second album, comes out on April 12. They return a different band to the one that made 2016’s Dream Life. Aaron Streatfeild is now the lone guitarist while Adam Meyers joins as the hard rock band’s new drummer. The reduction in size is matched by a leaner sound that puts greater emphasis on the songs’ emotional content.

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“I feel like this album for us is a new beginning lineup-wise, the way we recorded it and just for myself lyrically,” says vocalist Drew Gardner. “We’ve taken a different approach to everything. So it’s definitely a really exciting time for the band, but it feels like a whole new thing.”

Totally Unicorn decamped to Ghostnote studios in Adelaide to work with co-producers Jonathan Boulet (Party Dozen) and James Balderston (whose credits include Gay Paris and The Amity Affliction). Input from the producers was essential in allowing Totally Unicorn to execute the stylistic reboot.

Gardner sounds more exposed than on any of the Sydneyvia-Wollongong band’s previous releases. His lyrics are rawer and the vocals benefit from a primal, emotionally revealing presentation. Having moved away from the hyper technicality of Dream Life, the focus shifts towards the messages Gardner’s trying to get across.

“James is a good friend of Meyers, our drummer, so he was keen to record with him. Jonathan has been a friend for a little bit and we fucking love the shit that he does and we just asked him and he was keen to help us out,” Gardner says. “It was a bit of a dream team for us. They helped us out so much with creating what we did in the studio.

“Aaron and I sat down and were like, ‘let’s focus a lot more on vocals and what you have to say by yourself.’ It’s weird. In my older lyrics I was a bit of a puzzle. You had to kind of work it out for yourself what I was talking about,” he says.

“That’s why we chose them, because we love what they do. So we trusted them and what they had to say.”

“Dream Life was a thing where in my life I thought things were getting better, but they got really bad. So I was like, ‘fuck this, I’m going to sing about all these things.’ Talking about them, in a way it was a bit of therapy for me, but it’s fucking real scary. But I’m sure people can relate, unfortunately.” Divorce, substance abuse and damaging life choices all show up in Gardner’s lyrics. These issues make for chunky creative fodder and clearly gave Gardner a sense of purpose when making Sorry. The act of songwriting doesn’t guarantee a psychological release, but Gardner says it’s been an essential outlet. “When you feel this way, sad and like there’s nothing there, the best way to deal with it is to fucking talk to people,” he says. “I am horrible at doing that. I always bottle my shit up. I have talked to friends about it, but this was another way of helping me get through it. “Playing the newer songs, it’s hard emotionally for me. But it’s getting better and it’s like therapy, so as we go through playing these songs it’ll help me as well.”

Gardner formed an especially close bond with Boulet during a series of late night recording sessions, working side by side to optimise the impact of his soul-baring vocal performances. “After everything had been done during the day Jonathan would stay back and we would stay into the morning and do vocals. His input on my lyrics and how to deliver how I was feeling was so great to have. It was just basically the two of us in the studio. I feel very comfortable with him and our relationship is massive now because of it. We bonded a lot through it.” BY AUGUSTUS WELBY

Sorry is out Friday April 12 via Farmer & The Owl/Inertia. Totally Unicorn’s album tour kicks off in Newcastle on Sunday April 21.

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CELEBRATING WOMEN IN AUDIO With the collective attitude of the zeitgeist shifting away from the problematic past of the industry, there’s never been a better time to be a woman pursuing a career in music production. However, there’s still a long way to go, and as musicians, producers, and engineers, it’s our responsibility to ensure this environment will only continue to evolve into a more inclusive and supportive industry. As an initiative of the famous studios used to create iconic records by The Beatles, Amy Winehouse and Frank Ocean, Abbey Road Institute is leading the way in the fight for a diverse music industry – one that fairly reflects the society we live in. By placing an emphasis upon shaping the next generation of audio engineers in Australia and abroad, Abbey Road Institute works tirelessly to promote their female and non-binary students to the forefront of the music industry. To highlight their role in the industry and celebrate International Women’s Day, Abbey Road Institute spoke with a number of their female students about their experiences at the ARI, how they maneuver in a male dominated industry and what can be done to make the music industry a more inclusive space for everybody. Guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Emily Toner is a familiar face in the Melbourne and Byron Bay music scenes. After studying an Advanced Diploma in Music Industry at Abbey Road Institute in Melbourne, she graduated from the prestigious Abbey Road Studios in London in 2018 and has since thrown herself into a plethora of exciting projects. As well as working on her personal EP with other musical locals and starting the all female surf-rock band The Sandy Junes, Emily has been flexing her industry skills, producing the first EP of Melbourne folk artist Andy Sullivan. Toner has even recently minted her own record label, with the ethos behind Wye In The Sky Records being to promote local artists while giving back to important social and environmental causes through thought-provoking live music events. “I’ve always been driven by a desire to work in male-dominated areas,” Toner says, elaborating on the experiences of her previous profession within the medical industry. “Before embarking on music, I established a career working for myself as a psychologist and wellbeing consultant in the corporate and business world – another male-dominated space. It’s been personally challenging at times. I’ve

noticed that in general, as women we don’t back ourselves easily, and it is harder to achieve the level of success and impact that we are truly capable of.”

Rochecouste also works as a songwriter, producer and engineer within Sydney’s local scene, and is extremely encouraging towards other young people striving for a strong, balanced and safe community.

“I have been lucky to have had support from strong female (and male) mentors, friends and a brilliant community, including my Abbey Road Institute family, and they have always encouraged me when I’ve started to question my life choices to work for myself and follow my passion. I really wouldn’t be here without them.”

“Music brings me fulfillment, happiness and purpose. Moving from just being a singer-songwriter to the engineering and production side of music has been so liberating, as I have more of a grasp on the whole process of how a record is made,” explains Rochecouste. “I feel I have more control and more creativity and am totally self sufficient. Sure it takes longer when you do it all yourself, but to me it is so worth it.”

Another example of alumni from Abbey Road Institute, Charlotte Rochecouste is currently carving her lane in another male-heavy space within the music industry: hip-hop. After graduating from Abbey Road Institute Melbourne in 2018, Rochecouste managed to find employment at Sydney’s revered Studios 301, working directly with industry powerhouse Simon Cohen as an assistant in his vocal chain as well as a vocal engineer for Australian hip-hop stalwart L Fresh The Lion. “I think community in the music industry is vital,” Rochecouste says. “It can be a very isolating career at times, where you’re working alone a lot. When you collaborate and get feedback and insight from other music industry professionals, it helps you to become better at what you do. Also there’s room for everyone, so not seeing each other as competition but more as a friend and companion. Everyone can learn from each other and its a great way to network so both parties can reach their goals.” As well as establishing herself as an essential part of the team at Studios 301,

Vocalist Rochelle Bartlett also acts as another Abbey Road Institute success story, who totally embodies the notion of being self-made. Having embarked on her studies at Abbey Road Institute without ever having used a DAW before, she now sees regular work as a songwriter, session musician and producer in a range of studios around Melbourne, and enjoys a successful creative partnership with fellow producer and ARI alumni Peter Allison-Nicholl. “I think it’s been challenging even doing the course and having completed it and not knowing which avenue to take,” Bartlett says, extolling the virtues of Abbey Road Insitute as a faculty that offers a concise depiction of the challenges of finding work within the industry. “For me in particular studying at ARI has given me a better understanding of the music industry as a whole, not just from an audio engineering perspective, but also being able to understand that it is challenging to commit to a full-time music career without making many sacrifices. This course gave me confidence and provided me with the knowledge I needed to form better relationships with producers and even band mates. I can now assist my peers when setting up a studio session or gig and pack down as well with the knowledge of how the equipment works.” For women and non-binary people looking to study audio engineering, Abbey Road Institute offer a prestigious Women In Music Scholarship to help you put your best foot forward in the industry. To find about more about their Women In Audio Scholarship and apply, head to abbeyroadinstitute.com.au/ women-in-music-scholarship-application/

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ADVICE COLUMNS

MUSICOLOGY:

DON’T KILL LIVE MUSIC:

THE FIGHT TO SAVE AUSTRALIA’S MUSIC FESTIVALS In 2010, the Victorian music industry was forced to take a stand against prohibitive new laws that threatened the sustainability of local venues. 20,000 people joined forces to show their support, and the subsequent SLAM rally was a huge turning point for our national music industry. It was a pivotal way of showing the government that valuing and protecting one of its greatest creative assets is crucial, and that any threat to the industry would be met with enough people power to enact positive change. Fast forward almost a decade later and the industry is at a crossroads once more. In response to the tragic deaths at music festivals over the past 12 months, the NSW government has acted and enforced new restrictions that strive for harm minimisation — but are likely to eradicate multiple festivals in the process. The lack of transparency, the minimal consultation with music professionals and the apparent absence of insight into the ins and outs of festivals these new restrictions suggest has caused uproar in the music community. The cancellation of Mountain Sounds just a week out from the event was one of the biggest turning points, and one that can reportedly be linked directly to the change in legislation. But as was the case with the restrictions placed on live music in Victoria nine years ago, the people of NSW are standing up for the cause and making their voices heard. Don’t Kill Live Music, an initiative launched to protect music festivals from the

prohibitive changes put forward by the Liquor and Gaming Authority, is at the forefront of the industry in the fight to save our country’s music festivals. Their rally in Sydney’s Hyde Park last month saw more than 10,000 people attend, plus performances and advocacy from the likes of Ocean Alley, Dan Sultan, The Rubens and Polish Club, alongside a host of guest speakers including The Presets, Hoodoo Gurus and representatives from the City of Sydney. DKLM has outlined their concerns in an open letter to Australians, detailing the ways in which the State Government has “declared war on music and culture in NSW.” “The NSW State Government is vilifying live music with knee-jerk regulation,” wrote DKLM. “Instead of consulting with festival experts, the NSW Government imposed punitive regulation that specifically targets music festivals and music fans. Festivals are being used as a scapegoat for years of failed drug and alcohol policy. “We want our music culture to be safe and inclusive. Onerous and ill-considered regulation will not save lives. And the State Government is decimating our music culture in the process.” DKLM and the wider national music industry in general have taken issue with these changes on a number of fronts. Firstly, the changes were drafted and put into effect following minimal consultation with music professionals. Expert insight from those involved in organising festivals appears to have not been a critical source on which to

base the changes, a problematic decision at its core. Secondly, the apparent lack of transparency is alarming. Festival promoters are reporting last-minute, late-night text messages to inform them of their event being branded as “high-risk,” a label that comes with a fresh batch of exorbitant costs and a host of logistical changes. Failure to comply means the festivals can’t go ahead and for many, this will almost certainly be the case. Finally, DKLM has made it abundantly clear that it’s not the risk management strategies they are taking issue with, but rather it’s the lack of transparency, consultation, and effective communication that is cause for concern. The last thing a festival organiser wants is for their event to be unsafe. If change is going to be effective, it needs to be enacted appropriately. Communicating effectively with the industry you’re introducing new restrictions for is imperative, yet seems to have been a secondary priority in this case. DKLM has asked for a few fundamental actions to ensure effective change: to “form a music regulation roundtable to review all regulation impacting live music,” to “undertake a Regulatory Impact Statement for any regulation impacting music festivals,” to “develop an industry standard with full transparency for user-pays policing and medical services,” and perhaps most importantly, to “work with the music industry to develop robust, effective and achievable safety protocols for festivals.” It’s not a huge ask.

Put simply, what the music industry is asking for is some communication. Festival organisers are naturally eager to contribute to ending the substance-related issues that are increasingly problematic around the nation. But putting regulations into effect based on minimal consultation with music professionals is already proving impossibly prohibitive for NSW festivals. These events are great vessels for change, but as any festival organiser will tell you, planning and communication with all stakeholders is key. The problems here are bigger than festivals. They permeate so many aspects of our society, and finding a way to address them is a high priority. But this approach has left the music industry in the dark, and needs to be reassessed in order to influence positive change. What NSW needs is a symbiotic relationship between the government and the music industry. They need two-way communication to achieve effective results. Eradicating festivals and destroying the weakened live music industry across the state is not the answer to solving a problem that is on a national scale. The issues are serious and need to be addressed, but if the solution was as simple as ending music festivals, it would’ve been solved a long time ago. This issue is ingrained in society; it will take more than crossing off a few festivals from the list to solve it. BY JESSICA OVER To find out more, visit dontkilllivemusic. org.

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ADVICE COLUMNS ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION

Mixing Tools: Dynamic EQ explained Quite a few mixing and mastering software packages feature a Dynamic Equalizer these days, so with this month’s column, I thought I’d shine a spotlight on these very nifty tools and their potential uses. As you probably know, an equalizer commonly abbreviated to EQ - is a tool to boost and cut audio frequencies. You can find them in some form on everything from consumer level TVs to high-end studio mixing consoles. In mixing, they’re generally used to carve out unwanted frequencies so the recording of your instrument only takes up the desired frequency band. For example, you’d likely cut stray low bass frequencies out of a guitar track to leave room in the mix for a bass guitar to occupy. That’s all fine and dandy, but the downside of a standard EQ is those cuts occur regardless of the volume of that frequency. A dynamic EQ cuts or boosts a frequency depending on the amplitude of the signal at its input and the settings you’ve dialed in. It’s quite similar to a multiband compressor, and certainly a compressor will often do the job with a lighter CPU load on your computer. But where a dynamic EQ excels is the precision with which you can shape your audio. Multiband compressors will have a frequency bandwidth for each section of compression,

and, depending on which one you’re using, that’ll be relatively broad: maybe 100-200Hz minimum. A dynamic EQ isn’t as limited by frequency bands and their crossovers, you could attenuate just the resonant ear piercing frequency of a rogue, overly-loud hi-hat hit - and just that one hit - as attenuation won’t occur until that frequency hits the volume you set with the threshold control. This level of control makes it perfect for adding a bit of polish to your drum and instrument busses, or even your master bus. Some Dynamic EQs, like iZotope’s version within their popular Ozone mastering suite, will let you invert the EQ’s filter and have it expand a frequency’s amplitude dynamically, rather than attenuate it, meaning loud parts could be boosted further than quieter parts. This is great for pinpointing drums in a mix and helping them cut through over instruments. That just about sums up your dynamic EQ basics. For those on a budget, there’s some pretty great free ones out there too (I’d recommend TDR Nova), so put on your mixing hat and dive into the world of dynamics. BY MICHAEL CUSACK

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BASS GUITAR

Breaking the Patterns

How To Practice (and why, what to practice, general ideas and thoughts and other stuff…)

Trying to break free from some of the standard fingerings and patterns can be tough. Everyone will have their own devices that they always fall back into and call on, so remember some of these exercises might be easy for you but not so simple for others. An A Dorian lick, Figure A has three notes per string. Typically most players accent the first note on each string (both when fingering and playing legato). When playing this exercise as written (with semiquavers) that means the new starting note on each string isn’t always on the beat (as you’re playing three notes per string but counting/feeling groups of four). Whilst this can be a cool effect on its own it can also play with your time and feeling of where the one is. I’d suggest playing the lick with alternate picking as a start, really honing in on the feeling of semiquavers and hearing/feeling/counting out loud every beat (1 e + a, 2 e + a etc).

I’ve had some interesting discussions with musicians lately regarding practicing. What they practice, how they practice, their practice routines as well as the typical and inevitable lack of practice due to time constraints/motivation/general life and the like discussions. Students are always told to practice and most conscientious developing students do so but it would seem that often they don’t know how to practice and what that should involve. There is no single approach or method that will suit everyone unfortunately, so ideas need to be adapted to each individual. Hopefully this gives you some general thoughts to consider as a starting point though…

After playing Figure A slowly a few times you might be surprised at which notes are falling where in the bar. Let’s have a look at Figure B which takes the first bar and highlights the counting of semiquavers (with a feeling of four/groups of four) against where the new string starts each time (groups of three).

Keeping just the accented notes you end with Figure C. As mentioned this has a cool rhythmic feel to it but it’s also important to be able to use this when needed and play the phrase without accents too – irrespective of what finger you’re using, which string you’re on and whether it’s the start of a new string or not etc.

So going back to Figure A, you should now try and play the phrase with more of a legato feel. Try picking just the first note and even not picking at all. Focus on hearing the phrase in 4/4, counting all the beats out loud and making them all even and clear. Figure D takes a similar sound (in A Dorian) but starts with the second finger. A similar premise again with keeping a pattern moving across the strings but for many (myself included) this starting on the second finger is much harder to get clean and precise. Try picking as a start and avoid accenting the new string (accent the whole beats – 1, 2, 3, 4 if anything) and get the feeling of the semiquavers as opposed to the string change. Now think how many possibilities and combinations there are! Different scales, arpeggios, chromatic lines, different fingering and groupings and then mixing those up. Don’t be overwhelmed though, start with one small exercise and work on it. Building technique can be very rewarding, however, it does take time and practice.

Have a good practice space with minimal distractions This can be limited by your living arrangements, employment and a number of other factors, but wherever it is make it somewhere that’s comfortable and puts you in a good mindset. This might mean having some natural light through a window to make you feel alive or a quiet dark room in the basement away from the rest of the world. Phones, computers, knocks at the front door can all be major distractions too so keeping these at check (as best as possible) is obviously a priority too. Another obvious point is having your instrument readily available. Inspiration can strike at any time so having your bass/trumpet/zither etc. set up and ready to go means you can get into practicing as opposed to spending ten minutes getting it out of the case, assembled and tuned up. Sometimes the very thought of that rigmarole is enough to put off practice in the first place. Goals/routine Write a list of things you want to achieve/get better at. This can be as vague as ‘I wanna be able to shred,’ ‘I want to get some Latin gigs’ or super specific ‘I don’t know what to play over dominant 7 chords.’ Getting these ideas down is a great achievement in itself. Have a good think about them and keep adding to this list over the next day/week/month/year. If some topics have priority over others put them into an order, otherwise pick one topic as a starting point. Break it down and be realistic This is not meant in a negative way. It’s great to aim high, but unrealistic goals might do more harm when you don’t achieve them, putting you off even further or getting you into a negative mindset. Almost anything can be broken down into smaller chunks, and often these chunks are easier to deal with. Memorising the changes to 30 standards is a great goal but learning them thoroughly for a gig in a week’s time is perhaps unrealistic. Make the goal five standards instead and have the other 25 as tunes that you’ve played through and have charts for the gig. Being realistic can also help you see progress which in turn spurs you on even more. Any sense of achievement, no matter how small, can be enough to keep you practising rather than feeling that you’re going nowhere and getting completely discouraged. BY NICK BROWN

BY NICK BROWN

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ADVICE COLUMNS PERCUSSION

Independence = Fun Times

If I had a dollar for every time a person said, “I can’t play drums, I’m uncoordinated,” I’d be rich. It’s no secret that playing drums requires some level of coordination but this is something that can be learned and pursued. This is also not the first time I’ve spoken about coordination or ‘independence’ as it’s more commonly referred to and it won’t be the last but I’ve been doing some more work on this lately and I thought I’d share some good approaches to make the concept interesting and fun. Of course, this might depend on how much you dig this stuff but for some of us, it needs to be functional and applicable. THE NEW BREED There’s a very serious and very well known book by a great drummer named Gary Chester called The New Breed. If you haven’t encountered this text, you need to be warned for what it will entail. If you are familiar with the book, you’ll know the pain that can be inflicted on you. Of course, I’m joking but at the same time, am I? The idea behind The New Breed is to play a “system” or repeated pattern as an ostinato and then read through countless melody/reading sheets with whatever limb is free. The reading begins at a basic/ easy level and progresses to advanced. The really hard part is that the systems do too.

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The concept of this book is awesome, and everyone should have a go at it. But, in the spirit of the The New Breed, I thought I’d share some other systems and some basic reading to get stuck into before attempting the Gary Chester whirlwind. STARTING OUT The easiest ostinato and a very applicable one is Fig A - bass drum, four to the floor. I would start here no matter what level you’re at. However, if you’re just starting, perhaps hang on AA or even just crotchets and quavers before moving on. At this point, play through the reading figures (AA-FF) and literally just try to forget about the bass drum. Put it on autopilot if you can! I always tell my students that you don’t think about your feet when you’re walking. Sometimes, drumming can be similar. The brain is capable of subconsciously operating parts of the body without you even thinking about it. For example, you probably don’t even notice that you’re breathing right now. SYSTEMATIC AUTOPILOT The reading figures are fairly self explanatory if you’re familiar with reading music, but the systems or ostinatos may require some clarification. Figures A, B and C all involve simple and basic foot patterns - crotchets on the beat, hi-hats off the beat. These are great staples and

any hand can play the reading figures. The other (fun) ostinatos involve some groove work. Figure D utilises the right hand on the ride cymbal and the bass drum leaving the left hand to play the reading figures. Whilst this will have a groove effect, Figure E is even better. Here you effectively play a rock groove (2 and 4 on the snare) with the hands and the reading figures get played on the bass drum. This is a super applicable and handy exercise to free up the bass drum a little more and try some combinations that you might not have tried yet.

I don’t even realise I’m doing it. Some things are more comfortable than others, and I will admit, I’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s possible. How far you go does depend on what you wish to achieve and your own preferred playing style. You could start here and see how you go. But when you’re ready to take it further, there’s always The New Breed. BY ADRIAN VIOLI

Figures F, G and H are the more difficult of all the options presented. Each has its own little challenge that could result in some hurdles when you begin to read though the phrases. It’s important not to perform these too fast, and if necessary, sit for a while on the earlier melodies to make sure you’re comfortable before tackling the semiquaver variations. Remember, the reading figures get progressively more involved but only use combinations of crotchets, quavers and semiquavers. There are no odd groupings of any kind so everything should sync up. I like to think that even a little bit of this kind of practice can go a long way. I use these types of independence when playing live all the time and most of the time,

PRODUCT REVIEWS PRESONUS

Studio Series USB-C Interfaces LINK AUDIO | LINKAUDIO.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: FROM $199 - $749

PreSonus are one of the most consistent companies in proaudio. Since 1995, they’ve been bubbling away at producing products that meet the needs of engineers and musicians of all skill-levels: ranging from budding bedroom producers laying down demos for future hit songs, to professional engineers working in recording and rehearsal studios. In addition to phenomenal practical audio interfaces in the updated Studio Series, PreSonus is known for its FaderPort products, digital mixers and ridiculously popular monitor controllers - the PreSonus Central Station PLUS is almost as synonymous with top-tier recording studios as Yamaha’s NS-10 monitors. PreSonus’ digital mixers are in live venues of varying sizes all around the world and their FaderPort products sit on desktops at the heart of countless studios. The new Studio Series of audio interfaces are revised for 2019 and are a great addition to this legacy, from the 2-in/2-out Studio 24c to the 18-in/20out Studio 1824c and everything in between. All units in the series feature combo-XLR and 1/4” jack inputs, and most of the series feature a few 1/4” outputs (not including the monitor outs). The series features PreSonus’ professional-grade XMAX mic preamps and clear, concise metering. Even the smaller 24c features MIDI in/ out which makes it perfect for a traveling producer or a first interface for a beginner. The PreSonus 24c is a bus-powered (very handy!) 2 input, 2 output USB audio interface with sturdy knobs and pots, clearly labeled buttons and a handy input/ playback mix knob for direct monitoring

while recording. The XMAX preamps offer a lot of gain that retains your headroom and doesn’t colour your sound too much, as well as a universal 48V switch. All interfaces in the range are rated up to 192kHz, which is important for modern and professional integration. The interface overall is fairly inconspicuous and is light, sleek and stylish. It features a Kaspersky lock slot for tying the interface down and the box includes adhesive rubber feet to stop the interfaces sliding around on a desktop or other surface. Because of the 24c’s small size, the knobs can be tricky to dial in as they’re so close to the ground or your desktop. Even with the included rubber feet they’re fiddly and may require the unit to be picked up. This is remedied in the 128c because of its size and width, which obviously pertains more room for routing. Headphone dials on the 24c and entire series go to 11, which is perfect for musicians asking for more, more, more from their cans. At the top end of the range, the 128c retains a lot of these features and shows that there were no compromises made in the series. Besides an additional ADAT I/O for inputs and outputs 11-18 and a word clock out, the features are the same as the 24c but multiplied. The 128c is powered via an included adapter, but features a handle cable hook so the adapter won’t come unplugged when accidentally pulled. Oddly, the 128c also features a universal 48V phantom power switch for all eight combo XLR and 1/4” jack pre amps. Admittedly, for an interface of this caliber it’s not crazy to assume some external preamps might be used - but it

still seems like an odd compromise. Because of this, condensers and ribbons mics can’t be used at the same time, and you can’t use dynamic mics with condensers without sending phantom power down the line to dynamic mics or to external synths or outboard effects being used simultaneously. To be fair, there’s an increasing number of active ribbon mics available on the market, but universal phantom power still seems like an odd choice for an 18-input interface. All interfaces in the series connect via USB-C to ensure super fast data transfer, and a clear red USB indicator that quickly switches to a calming blue when connected successfully. Interfaces connect automatically and showed up in my ProTools Playback Engine instantly, and the 128c includes a word clock out for connection and integration into a bigger recording rig, as well as a handy mono button to check mixes.

existing studio, with the 128c or the 1810c offering the potential to become the heart of your recordings, delivering clear audio up to 192kHz. PreSonus has always, and clearly continues to, produce trustworthy equipment that serves the user; but perhaps more importantly, the music. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS ∙∙ No compromise on entry-level equipment. Interfaces have same features but more or less I/O ∙∙ USB-C powered ∙∙ Clear metering MISSES ∙∙ Universal 48V

All in all, the PreSonus Studio Series of interfaces for 2019 are a revamped and reimagined series of interfaces for the modern home producer. They include practical features such as clear metering, plenty of gain on the PreSonus XMAX preamps, powerful and clean headphone outputs and plenty of I/O when you need it. The range starts at the 24c, perfect for a producer of any level, all the way up the mammoth 128c with up to 18 ins and outs for whatever you need to record, insert or send to. The XMAX preamps are clear and transparent, ready to be coloured by whatever source, preamp or microphone you put before them. Any interface in the series could be a great addition to an

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PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

Acoustasonic Series Telecaster FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $3599 A guitar collection, particularly as a financially unendowed musician, can be a cumbersome and indulgent burden. Even trimming your electrics can leave you with multiple acoustics, lost in alternate tunings and the minutiae of resonance. Fender’s American Acoustasonic Series is a fix-it-all acoustic and electric cross that might be the most 21st century guitar from the manufacturer yet. The Telecaster is the first to get the Acoustasonic treatment, acting as a litmus test for the unprecedented new model. The galaxial axe looks like it’s made for the current trend of pop stars’ nu-authentic rock reinvention; the Telecaster might now be both the vehicle for Dylan going electric, and Gaga going Acoustasonic. The two tone Polyester Satin Matte finish is strikingly cool and deliberately atypical, while the neck’s Satin Urethane finish gives it a more callous acoustic feel. The modded Telecaster body is beautifully contoured, fitting more comfortably on your lap than the standard model. The headstock is also a nice touch, with the Fender monogram inscribed into the wood. Fender boasts of the Acoustasonic series’ acoustic resonance and not without good reason; it’s just not quite resonant enough for it to match an acoustic at the same price point. The Acoustasonic has

a buoyant tone that fits country twang with steeze, though it audibly lacks the depth and richness of a high end Taylor acoustic. It might seem like a semantic criticism considering Fender market the Acoustasonic’s acoustic capacity as great for “songwriting, sitting on the couch or late night playing”, but it’s hard to swallow that in a $3600 purchase. Conversely, the Acoustasonic Telecaster has great projective volume thanks to the uniquely fashioned sound port. Because the guitar is so lightweight, I found myself rejecting my actual acoustic in favour of the Acoustasonic to noodle around the house. Fundamentally, this enigmatic guitar was made to be amplified. Fender worked with renowned acoustic pickup makers Fishman to create a wholly new electronic system, giving birth to a cornucopia of acoustic and electric voicings. The five-tone switch isn’t what you’d normally get on a Telecaster, activating two tones at once (Sound A & B) that can be bled between each other using the knob closest to the bottom of the guitar. This produces a staggering ten distinct tones, with many options for custom blends. The work of the Fender Acoustasonic Noiseless magnetic pickup borders on witchcraft; tried even with the dodgiest of leads, no hum could be heard with each

tone achingly clear. The flawless frequency range is an absolute testament to the cutting-edge work of both Fender and Fishman, and many will look forward to seeing the implementation of the patentpending Stringed Instrument Resonance System in other models to come. Rosewood auditorium’s tone replication is forensic, immediately recalling the distant strums of 1960s folk. The electric tones also carry serious chunk, albeit sounding quite dissimilar to an American Telecaster. The Maple Small Body’s low end is candysweet, while the acoustic/electric blends are fit for flawless pub playing. The custom blends are what will keep players returning to this model; however, I found that the most applicable tones were often found with the knob middled. Fender has pushed coverage of the American Acoustasonic Telecaster in tech publications, which makes sense. The guitar is perhaps more a technical marvel anyway than the host of the perfect tone. I hate to

invoke the master of none cliche, but it’s difficult to avoid it when talking about this instrument, particularly at its flummoxing price. If you get your hands on one of these for cheap or in a studio setting, they’re plenty of fun and aesthetically beautiful but otherwise, maybe let’s wait till NAMM 2025. BY JOSHUA MARTIN HITS ∙∙ Strikingly modern look ∙∙ Very lightweight, with great projective acoustic volume ∙∙ Extraordinary pickup system, with a huge variety of noiseless acoustic tones MISSES ∙∙ Acoustic resonance does not match those at similar price point ∙∙ Staggeringly high price

VOX AMPLIFICATION

MV50 High Gain and Boutique Mini Heads YAMAHA MUSIC | AU.YAMAHA.COM | EXPECT TO PAY: $349.99 It almost feels like a magic trick. You feel deceived. God, it even has the Vox logo emblazoned on the front panel. But how could it be? That logo is the frontispiece atop one of the heaviest, British, class A tube amps in history. This runt is the distant cousin of an AC30? Gobbledygook. How could one fathom that something so tiny could emanate from the same spring of power and glory, envisioned by the same minds that ear-splittingly amplified some of the biggest names in rock history? It just should not be, but it is. Oh, but it is! I set out to write this review as if I was Kafka. Huddled tubercular and wheezing over a rickety desk in a dank and lightless room, blackening pages with all the blustering energy befitting an image so surreal as a Vox MV50 amplifier head. There is something inherently bizarre about these things, after all. A nondescript, black, cardboard box is loaded into the back of your van and you drive home aghast as it twitches silently to itself over your shoulder. The two of you arrive home and it throbs with anticipation as you push a key through the measly line of tape that has managed to keep this beast imprisoned thus far. The lid flops open wantonly and this tiny, shining thing gazes up at you like a sleeping kitten. You’ve been

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told it’s an amplifier – 50 watts of high gain and/or boutique amp RMS, no less – but it looks like something you stored marbles in as a child. Nonplussed but inquisitive, you sit it atop some old quad box and bang out an E minor. By God, what a sound – what a high and awe striking wail. How do they do that? Ever the innovators and unafraid wanderers down scarcely trod paths, Vox has had versions of these tiny yet mighty terrors on the market for a while now. The two newest additions to the litter, the High Gain and Boutique types, are in reality far from what you’d call runts. Anyone who has ventured to converse with any of the MV ilk thus far will attest to just how surprising the amount, let alone the quality of tone inherent to the patented Nutube technology at play is. This is exactly the heart of the whole line, after all. It looks like a 12AX7, but heats up like a whole battery of them and, depending on what capacitors and transistors Vox chooses to sit before it, barks like a wounded dog. The HG has an unimaginable amount of crispness in its bite. The tone knob allows it to go from Randall style searing mid-scoop to everything at 12 AC30 and, coupled with the EQ depth switch on the back, stitches in a fair amount of tightness or openness depending on how angry you’re feeling.

The BQ has a similar palette, but with a considerably bluesier bent. Both clean up to almost Fender-like glassiness and each has a distinct sense of self that few other micro heads have managed to harness. How and why have we come to a point where we’ve done away with the idea that a machine’s size might have some direct correlation to its output? The proof is in the disappearing pudding, I guess. Vox has met this question with an increasingly wry and knowing grin. The MV50 High Gain and Boutique micro heads have more attitude and tone on tap than some amps ten times

their size, so don’t be deceived or they’ll slip through the cracks in the floor and you’ll never hear that magic again. BY LUKE SHIELDS HITS ∙∙ Big quality tonality in a tiny little box MISSES ∙∙ An effects loop and a touch more headroom would make them unbeatable

PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

American Elite Stratocaster HSS Shawbucker FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $3599 For generations, the Fender Stratocaster has been at the forefront of the electric guitar world, with its instantly recognisable silhouette and gorgeous bell-like tones. 2016 saw the venerable American Deluxe series being replaced by the American Elite series, with many of its diverse features making a return. With a considerable number of modern tweaks and an entire arsenal of tonal combinations, the American Elite Stratocaster is an instrument truly comparable to a one-man army. As you would expect from a top-of-the-range model, the build quality is excellent here, bearing no discernible flaws. This review unit sported an Ice-Blue Metallic alder body with a Satin Polyurethane finish, with a similar Satin Urethane finish on the neck. The pale maple neck was a breeze to play with its compound “C” to “D” back shape, and allowed frictionless transitions from one end to the other. This is mimicked on its dualtoned ebony fretboard, sporting a compound radius of 9.5” to 14” as you move further up the neck, allowing maximum playability on higher-pitched solos. Several modern appointments can be seen on the hardware side of things. A two-point tremolo bridge equipped with a convenient pop-in tremolo bar allows smooth, hasslefree vibrato at all times. Tuning stability isn’t an issue here – Fender’s locking tuners retain

their classy look from both front and profile angles, and offer superior performance over traditional tuners. A textured rubber coating lines the knobs of the volume and two tone knobs, providing accuracy and tactility when performing swells or rolling off the high end. Sonically, the American Elite Stratocaster covers way more ground than a traditional Stratocaster ever could. Fender’s fourth generation Noiseless pickups offer plenty of glass, warmth and slightly mid-scooped tones in the neck, with plenty of clucks and quacks found from the in-between positions. The zebra Shawbucker in the bridge is incredibly balanced with plenty of low end, and absolutely screams with some overdrive. I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of these pickups – while not being the biggest fan of most stock Stratocaster pickups, I have to admit that Fender have done a laudable job with these. The onboard electronics and wiring are what sets this guitar a world apart from the rest. The S-1 switching system makes its return on the Elite Stratocaster – for those who aren’t familiar, the S-1 switch resides on the volume knob itself, and completely changes the guitar’s pickup wiring when depressed. In a nutshell, the switch allows the player to select an in-between position in series (simulating a humbucker of sorts), and with or without the addition of Fender’s special

capacitor. The middle selection even permits all the pickups to be activated at once. While technically impressive, some S-1 positions sound too muddy and uncharacteristic of a Strat. Although activating the special cap allows some of that single coil spank to shine through the overly thick bottom end, it seems slightly impractical and troublesome, especially in a live situation. Finally, an additional button comfortably located near the tone knobs sends the single Shawbucker directly to the forefront, bypassing the S-1 system, volume, and tone knobs – perfect for busting out solos. Fender weren’t kidding when they mentioned that the American Elite Stratocaster was “the ultimate combination of innovation, materials and design for the most discriminating player.” This guitar can similarly be compared to a robust Swiss Army knife. It will definitely appeal to the

players who want all their bases covered, and then some. Stratocaster purists will love what Fender have done with their latest generation of noiseless pickups, while the more experimental players will find an endless tonal experience waiting for them within the S-1 switching system. BY EDDY LIM

HITS ∙∙ Excellent build quality and hardware ∙∙ Extremely playable neck ∙∙ Excellent pickups MISSES ∙∙ S-1 positions are hit and miss ∙∙ Surprised there isn’t a Greasebucket circuit

LINE 6

Relay G10S Wireless YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM EXPECT TO PAY: $499.99 Growing up, wireless guitar seemed like the domain of lame arena rock - nothing was worse than seeing Slash or The Edge wander down their ego ramp into the fervent crowd. For me, that changed seeing guitarists like Omar Rodriguez-López. Seeing the visceral nu-punk abandon he whipped his guitar across the stage with offered an appreciation of the true performative freedom it gave. Most, still, are priced out of the market. Line 6 are trying to change this prohibitive cost to offer wireless guitar systems to the fledgling masses with its new Relay G10S. Most still envision wireless guitar systems as a bulky receiver, radio transducer clipped to the belt and an unsightly hunk of metal in your guitar input; the Relay G10S couldn’t be further from it. A rugged pedalboard mountable metal stompbox is your receiver, a simple gadget powered by a 9V power supply or USB. It sports a sleek and simple black paint job, offering to go mostly incognito amongst your other stomps. The back has your usual ¼” pedal/ amp out, cable capacitance switch and a convenient XLR DI output if you’re plugging straight into the desk. A light-up wireless symbol and battery indicator symbol makes it easy to monitor the G10S. You can choose the wireless frequency manually or automatically; this feature makes far

more sense in a larger concert hall, where dozens of wireless frequencies are competing against one another. The tiny transmitter boasts eight hours playing time before docking easily back into the receiver. I did find this battery life varied a little, but it stuck to a six to eight hour range approximately in between sessions. The transmitter goes to sleep after four minutes without any audio input, which is helpful when you’re noodling late at night and you forget to dock it back. The transmitter fits snugly in your guitar input, though it might take some jiggling. Any wireless guitar system must address the perennial sledge of loss in sound quality. I expected less from the G10S considering the price point, but there was no significantly audible loss, even walking tens of metres away. The digital sound quality is 24-bit lossless and was largely faultless; the only time it did get a little lossier is when I stood directly next to my wireless modem in the hall. What places the G10S firmly ahead of its Boss WL series competition is its range, beating Boss’ claimed 15 metres by nearly three times at 40 metres. Unless you really are The Edge, this is obscenely good for all stage settings. The G10S even holds signal walking around the house, where I did not

have line of sight and was occasionally playing through multiple walls - not that this is particularly useful. What Line 6 are doing with wireless guitar is the democratisation of technology at its best: taking the allure of a liberating, if ephemeral accessory once impossibly expensive and putting it within the reach of a teenage birthday present. The G10S is a high performing system with a staggering range that doesn’t require any radiowave know-how, complicated set-up or pedalboard real estate. BY JOSHUA MARTIN

HITS ∙∙ Compact and sturdy ∙∙ Practically lossless 24 bit digital sound quality ∙∙ Excellent range at 40 metres, even without line of sight ∙∙ Simple and highly affordable MISSES ∙∙ Nope

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PRODUCT REVIEWS T-REX

Fuel Tank Chameleon AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU EXPECT TO PAY: $299 T-Rex has been producing pedals and power supplies alike out of Denmark since their inception in 1996. Producing worldclass and widely used pedals such as the Mudhoney and Replica pedals, they’re used and loved by artists such as Steve Lukather, Alter Bridge, Depeche Mode and Patrick Matera (Katy Perry). T-Rex also produces power supplies that power these famous pedals with the Fuel Tank Chameleon being the middle-of-the-road option in the Fuel Tank Series, flanked by the bigger and aptly named Goliath, and the slightly smaller Fuel Tank Classic. The Chameleon is designed to be the only pedal power supply you’ll ever need, sporting easily switchable voltages for each of the different power outputs, as well as cabling to plug them all in. The specs list is fairly standard, being a practical size and shape to be hidden beneath a pedalboard to do its job for years and gigs to come.

in at almost a kilogram, despite being a relatively compact 160 x 38 x 80 mm. However, it’ll still fit nicely onto your pedal board, or beneath a PedalTrain or similarly designed board with some crafty cable management and placement. The Chameleon could be your one stop solution to powering your beloved pedals. The weight, however, is something to think about when moving gear often or flying, but once you take the Chameleon out of the box and plug in your beloved tone-shapers, it’s easy to see why it’s one of the best options on the market. Included in the box is the Fuel Tank Chameleon itself, as well as a sturdy mains power cable measuring about a metre. Also included are plenty of cables to connect pedals to the Chameleon, including a red AC cable and a polarity inverter cable for specialist pedals. The additional connectors in the box, as well as the switches on the Fuel Tank Chameleon itself, really begin to show why the pedal is so aptly named. It’s the most versatile pedal power supply T-Rex has ever produced and can handle any array of different requirement for special pedals of different voltages, polarity and just about any other issues that arise. It also does away with the need for isolated or varying power supplies for pedals with irregular power requirements. Hell, get two

The Fuel Tank Chameleon is a six-output power supply with voltages ranging from 9V to 18V for certain pedals, as well as options for AC and DC power and switchable between 115V or 230V for international travel/use. The voltage is switchable, featuring three 9V-12V DC outputs, one 9V-18V output, a fourth 9V-12V DC output and a 12V AC output. The Chameleon is admittedly pretty heavy, even for a power supply, weighing

Chameleons and you’ll never have to worry again.

knowing your pedals are being fed proper power from a trustworthy source.

The T-Rex Fuel Tank Chameleon could very well be your entire pedalboard power solution in a practical, albeit heavy box. In a growing market of vintage pedals with modern adornments and modern pedals with a vintage twist, the Chameleon can do any job you put it to. Switchable voltage on the six outputs are a godsend, instead of dedicated outputs that serve one purpose. Gone are the days of pedal boards with multiple power supplies, as the Chameleon can provide DC power or AC power, as well as including a bunch of cables for different uses, such as switching polarity when needed. Plug it in, tie it down and perform

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

guitar-heavy genres, however, the versatility that can be achieved through this unit would suit guitarists of any style – it also sounds killer with bass.

to every effect and outboard unit under the sun, IK Multimedia’s AXE I/O is bound to please. Expect premium audio quality, limitless tonal versatility and an extremely tailored user experience with this unit.

HITS ∙∙ Practical size ∙∙ Lots of included cables ∙∙ Switchable voltage MISSES ∙∙ Quite heavy

IK MULTIMEDIA

AXE I/O Interface SOUND & MUSIC | SOUND-MUSIC.COM | EXPECT TO PAY: $739 Traditionally, guitarists are known for their penchant towards excess. Whether you own more effects pedals than you do pairs of socks or you simply find it difficult playing a guitar solo that lasts shorter than seven minutes, it’s hard to deny that we often tend to overindulge – which is why so many guitarists are in disbelief when hardware like the AXE I/O from IK Multimedia is released. Surely, a humble audio interface couldn’t be the end game on the never-ending gambit for purity of tone, right? As a rampant gearhead, it’d be easy to be doubtful of all the features listed on the box of the AXE I/O. The two in/five out audio interface offers users the potential to limitlessly shape their guitar tone through discrete pure Class A preamps, extensive control over impedance level, two discrete audio inputs and more. Straight out of the box, however, you’d be amazed at the quality of build and immediate sound of the AXE I/O. The 24 bit/192 k interface delivers an incredibly transparent and high-quality sound, as well as the ability to choose from Pure and JFET input stages to alter your signal further. IK Multimedia’s own patent-pending Z-tone impendence adapting circuit technology also interacts directly with your pickups to offer an insane range of tonal flexibility. I spent a solid amount of time simply experimenting

between the variety of tones these features offered alone, achieving everything from tight and articulate alternate picked tones to chunky, bold chords with a Stratocaster. The AXE I/O’s ability to adjust impendence via the Z-tone feature is certainly one that demands a decent amount of clout when used in a studio context, offering a versatile range of track-ready tones on tap. When coupled with the option to flick between input stages as well as tailored settings for active and passive pickups, the AXE I/O sells itself as a studio essential for the recording guitarist, and that’s even before deep diving into all the software included with it. There’s even an incredibly useful guitar tuner built into the interface next to the preset knob – optimised for your convenience. As well as providing users with all the standard line ins and outs, the IK Multimedia Axe I/O also boasts a dedicated amplifier output, allowing you process your home recordings with your real guitar amp and pedalboard set up without the need of any other accessory or connection. Having experienced sonic difficulties with reamping other audio interface units in the past, I was pleasantly surprised to find the AXE I/O didn’t hum too much when I was using this feature, with the reamped signal from my AC30 extremely clear and noise free. The addition of the dedicated amplifier output certainly angles the AXE I/O towards more

It’s when you activate the software that comes with the AXE I/O that the unit really starts to reveal its full potential. The interface integrates seamlessly with IK Multimedia’s Amplitude 4 software, providing you with banks upon banks of studio quality amplifier, cabinet, microphone and effects modelling software presets at the click of a mouse. These Amplitude effects can easily be selected and modified via the preset knob on the interface itself, and for ultimate control over your effects plugins, you can even insert an expression pedal and footswitch into the AXE I/O for total hands-free control. When you throw MIDI capability into the mix, it really is quite difficult to pinpoint much fault in the AXE I/O. Even if you’re an avid analogue enthusiast or the staunchest of studio rats with access

BY WILL BREWSTER

HITS ∙∙ Crystal clear audio quality ∙∙ Tonnes of tonal versatility ∙∙ The Z-Tone feature is a big plus MISSES ∙∙ What’s not to love?

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PRODUCT REVIEWS PAUL REED SMITH

SE SVN Guitar ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU EXPECT TO PAY: $1599 I’ve always seen seven string guitars as the weird cousin someone unwittingly invited to the party, standing in the corner in an ill-fitting suit and Rush t-shirt talking to anyone who will listen about flat earth theories and what not. Whether or not you’re into djent at all, it becomes clearer and clearer that sevens have started to bring some life back to an industry that was in danger of going stale, particularly now that a house of such high standing as PRS has chimed in. The whole PRS catalogue has a particularly distinct image that it maintains with pride. Almost all of their models harbour a high-gloss, modern flame maple top and smooth, beveled horns that gives them the appearance of a luxury sedan. So many they have taken the humbucker and hard-tail crown from atop Gibson’s head and, while they may have landed in some questionable hands now and again, have seated themselves surely at the top end of Tone Town. Their SE series brings this premium grade quality to the production model world and the SVN opens that room up to a whole new school of player. The SE SVN is every bit the performer’s guitar. The signature ‘Birds In Flight’ inlay, aforementioned flame top and pristine chrome hardware make it easy on the eye

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while the second-to-none fretwork and neck-through body type make it equally easy on the hands. The fretboard is doublewide in order to make way for the low ‘B’ but this is not to say it is difficult to navigate. The offset, flat ‘D’ neck is accentuated over the increased width and, given that it is pitched toward the upper register, makes it as swift to get around as any of their standard six-string designs. The tonality is sharp as a tack; high-mids are trained as Navy Seals and flanked by some of the most powerful low end I’ve throttled in a while. With the coil tap engaged there is a distinct yet not unruly increase in chime and brightness and only the slightest hint of volume drop.

list. Who better to write about the least metal seven?’ For too long low ‘B’ builds have been aimed at chuggernauts and chuggernauts alone. Those of us looking for something less garish, with a little more subtlety have been sorely forgotten about. Leave it to PRS, the Armani Suit of the guitar world, to come up with a design that has as much steeze as it does sludge. If you’re looking to plunge the depths of sonic exploration without being limited to high gain hell then spelunk no further than PRS’s SE SVN.

HITS ∙∙ More stylish than any other seven string on the market. MISSES ∙∙ Not particularly sensitive tonally but that’s not what we’re here for really.

BY LUKE SHIELDS

Our editor said he chose me for this review because I was ‘the least metal writer in the

PRODUCT REVIEWS MARKBASS

Marcus Miller CMD Amplifiers CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: FROM $1050

Markbass is a company that has produced high-quality bass gear for decades. Their gear ranges from top-tier professional gear used by the likes of Saxon and Randy Jackson, as well as session players for Steve Vai, Slash, Eurythmics and Massive Attack. Their products are used by professionals and amateurs alike; enter the Marcus Miller CMD series of bass amplifiers, a signature series from legendary bassist Marcus Miller. Marcus Miller is one of the most prolific bass players in jazz, having been trusted to anchor bands for Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock. The Marcus Miller CMD 101 Micro 60 is the smallest in the range, being a 60W combo powerhouse that delivers startling volume and clarity for an amp with such a small footprint, all while retaining the clean and clear bottom end of your playing. At the other end of the scale is the CMD 102 500 and CMD 103, a 2X10 500W with a kickback and a 3X10 500W combo respectively. The 60W Marcus Miller CMD 101 Micro 60 is a basic but very practical amp. On the main control plate, it features Gain and Master pots, as well as bass, middle and treble controls. The control plate also features a 3.5mm auxiliary input for practising along with a track or any other creative use you can imagine. A back-panel features even more, featuring and on/off for the internal speaker, and housing a handy XLR line-out for a direct sound, and an 8ohm, 1/4” external speaker output, both of which remain active when the internal speaker

is turned off. The line out is an incredibly accurate reproduction of the amp and speaker’s sound, and would serve a recording well, or work well as a live bass sound. The bottom end retains its size and feel, while the mids and highs are clear and present and you’d do fine using this output solely. There’s a 3.5mm headphone out which can, unfortunately, get a little noisy even on clean settings, but is fine for silent practice at home. The bigger amps in the range, such as the CMD 102 and 103 feature these same great Gain and Master controls and tonal characteristics, but with even more options to shape your tone. You can sit back in a pocket or pop out to shine for your time, all within the one practically sized, yet powerful, combo amp. The CMD 102 and 103 produce incredibly powerful bass that doesn’t become muddy (unless you want it to) or messy, that can hide while being incredibly present. While less than half the size of the bigger amps, the Micro 60 produces a bigger than sound than I anticipated. At lower volume, a gainier tone can become quite noisy, but some volume remedies this as the noise floor doesn’t come up with the master volume. The control panel on all amps in the series feature a clear, blue ‘Clipping’ light, but don’t avoid clipping! The preamp breaks up nicely and can give some more note definition when pushed. With EQ dials set at 12 o’clock, the bass sound produced through the single 10” cone in the Micro 60 is

transparent and clean, without sounding raw or naked like a D.I. The preamp itself rounds out the sound nicely and delivers a concise base for pedals, EQ or other effects. The EQ on all the series can be pushed quite hard without becoming unpleasant, which can be a blessing or a curse - I usually like to be able to go too far with settings, so I know I have all options available. Either way, the CMD 101 Micro 60’s EQ can reproduce super lows without becoming muddy or messy with too much sub, plenty of nasal honk in the mids if you need it, and sharp, definitive note attack in the highs. The lows, even at 10/5 o’clock, are resonant and full without being overbearing or dirty. The Gain control fills out the tone but retains a cleaner bottom end which is a really nice way to round out the on board controls. The bigger amps in the series include additional ‘Old School’ dials, for a more motown, less sub, more honk kinda tone, as well as a ‘Millerizer’, which effectively acts as a mid-range scoop that pushes the amp into Miller’s signature sound and tone. Overall, the CMD series of amps are a great entry into the world-class products that Markbass produce in the Micro 60, or a new workhorse gigging bass rig in the CMD 102 and beyond into the 500W 3X10 CMD 103. There’s something for everyone in this series. All amps are well-designed with Markbass’s ingenuity and years of experience producing products with the world’s best bass players, as well as Marcus Miller’s tones

and experience playing for some of the biggest names in music today. Despite its size, the Micro 60 features a bunch of handy additions for practicing at home and there’s no compromise on tone and sound quality to make this amp work for you. The preamp and speaker deliver a really great tone, which the XLR line out reproduces phenomenally so there’s no tone lost when recording or playing DI. What’s more, you can switch off the internal speaker completely for silent recording OR connect an external speaker and use the combo like a head - it’s certainly portable enough to do so if you don’t feel like carting around a bigger amp. Markbass has hit this one out of the park and straight into the pocket to hold down your next gig. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS ∙∙ Range covers everyone ∙∙ Great sounding no matter what the setting MISSES ∙∙ Headphone out a little noisy.

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PRODUCT REVIEWS ASTON

Stealth Microphone LINK AUDIO | WWW.LINKAUDIO.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $599 Aston is a relative newcomer to pro audio and after launching the Origin a few years ago, the brand has quickly risen as a leader in affordable, workhorse microphones used by a huge range of top-level engineers and musicians. The newest addition to this range is the Aston Stealth: a robust condenser microphone with multiple voicing options that run both with and without phantom power. In the box is the Stealth itself, a cutesy little Aston logo pin and an innovatively designed mic stand clip. It took some fiddling before understanding how it works to support the weighty microphone. Aston microphones are built in Britain and their intuitive design makes them a true workhorse that will be heard on countless records for years to come. Sincerely, they are a legend in the making. When first opening the box, the Stealth is much bigger and weightier than I expected. The Aston’s Origin is quite a small microphone, whereas the Stealth, with its slick black finish and elegant purple lighting, is about 20cm long and weighs 700g. While the mic feels like it could take a beating, the microphones diaphragm is only covered by foam at the top end, unlike the steel mesh pop filter and wave form spring head protecting the capsules on the Aston Origin and Spirit models. The box also contains the new mic clip that slots into the bottom of

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the microphone’s housing. In any other mic, this would create rattle and leave the mic open to rattle and room sounds, however the Stealth is intuitively designed to isolate the capsule itself and prevents this. The Stealth is mostly a conventional condenser microphone, but it can be run with and without phantom power (but you lose the cool lights without phantom, ugh). The highlight of the Stealth is its different voicing options, all vastly distinct. Many companies claim that their products are ‘4-in-1’ with some vaguely different settings, but the Stealth really lives up to this. Voices V1 & V2 are designed for vocals, with V1 offering a super transparent, clear and honest reproduction of the sound it’s capturing. V2 is the second voicing for a vocal, but with a much more pronounced high end, some shimmer and a very forward and present sound. This is ideal for a lead vocal, a hi-fi pop vocal, rapping, or any instrument that needs to sit forward and shine. The remaining voices, ‘G’ and ‘D’, are designed for guitar and the darkest and most vintage sounding of the four voices respectively. This replicates a much more colourful, harmonically rich sound with a high end roll off and generous lower-mid bump without being overbearing. This works best for a more vintage vocal and dark room sounds on any instrument you need it for.

The ‘G’ setting is a really useable and handy setting. Similar in some sense to the famous Shure SM57, but with the response and size of a condenser microphone, it retains the rawness of a live guitar mic, like a Sennheiser e609. While it’s not a Swiss Army knife guitar microphone, it’s a nice blend of all the sounds you’d have in your toolkit. Though the names of the voices hint at their purpose, don’t let them hold you back. V1 as a mono overhead on a drum kit produces a crushed, almost overloading kind of room sound that would sit well beneath an array of spot mics. All in all, if you’re looking for one Aston microphone or any new microphone, the Stealth should be your next addition. It’s a great introduction to Aston’s products and values, while sporting an incredibly versatile list of uses (that only increases with a stereo pair!). The different voicing have their own purposes and uses, but this really shouldn’t hold you back either. The microphone could be thrown up in front of any instrument or sound source and you’ll find a sound that sits nicely amongst an arrangement or that pops out to take centre stage if that’s what you need. The mic itself is sturdy, the clip is solid and the backlit voicing switch is classy. Aston mics are the workhorses of our time. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS ∙∙ Different options ∙∙ Robust, solid build ∙∙ Easy to switch between voices MISSES ∙∙ N/A

PRODUCT REVIEWS BLUE MICROPHONES

Yeti Pro Studio Microphone INNOVATIVE MUSIC | INNOVATIVEMUSIC.COM.AU EXPECT TO PAY: $399 This is the microphone that can do it all, for musicians, podcasters, engineers, interviewers and just about anyone else. It’s a breath of fresh air to see a manufacturer focused on producing a microphone that’s ideal for beginners, yet still delivers the quality that would be expected by more advanced users. Anyone serious about audio quality and looking for ease of use should consider the Yeti Pro Studio from Blue Microphones. Designed for use in a range of applications, this is a beautiful sounding condenser microphone that delivers the tonal quality we have come to expect from Blue. Used as a USB converter or direct stereo out to an existing preamp, there are plenty of options for the Yeti Pro Studio. It will work as a standalone device that becomes the entirety of your recording front-end, or can very easily be integrated into an existing signal path just like any traditional condenser microphone would. The stereo XLR output allows for the Figure of 8 pickup pattern to be used in a two-person recording situation, with stunning results on two separate tracks. This makes the Yeti Pro Studio an exceptional studio interview microphone that can be set up very easily. USB connection and monitoring ensures that it’s super easy to get great results with any software, such as the included PreSonus

Studio One Artist and iZotope Nectar Elements. This is a heavy microphone, but don’t worry – it comes on a suitably heavy base, allowing it to sit stable on any bench and can easily be angled to suit your recording needs. A combination of traditional condenser and USB microphone, with the option of using either output forms, this is a very cleverly designed microphone that will bring great tone to any recording along with a range of options and possibilities. Ideal for beginners and advanced users alike, the Yeti Pro Studio is a microphone that will continue to deliver results as your needs develop. Yes, it doesn’t lend itself to use with standard suspension mounts, so it doesn’t integrate with certain stands for use standing up in a vocal booth, but this is very much designed to be a desktop microphone. The heavy housing and subsequently heavy stand certainly reduces unwanted vibrations getting into the signal.

HITS ∙∙ Great Blue Microphones sound ∙∙ Built-in AD converters ∙∙ Solid build, with sturdy stand

BY ROB GEE

MISSES ∙∙ Doesn’t integrate with traditional suspension mounts easily

SHURE MICROPHONES

MV88+ Video Kit JANDS | JANDS.COM.AU | RRP: $345 As smartphone camera technology has continued to add more megapixels by the minute, it has replaced handheld cameras. Using an iPhone is now commonplace for interviews, home demos, field recording and most things apart from cinema. Arguably, sound quality has fallen by the wayside, as picture quality blinds us to the comparatively low fidelity sound the miniature microphone provides. If there was to be any brand to save us from this audio muck, it would have to be Shure. The Motiv MV88+ Video Kit is a professional companion to your iPhone recording, providing an excellent digital stereo condenser microphone with accessories to make you a pro out of the box. No instruction manual is needed with the MV88+, sticking to lightning cables and USB-Cs to link everything up. A roll-up pouch houses the microphone, phone clamp, mic clip and cables, although the mini tripod is separate. It’s compact and lightweight enough to fit in a deep jeans pocket. There are four different configurations of the tripod and clamp to serve videography, self-recording, audio capture and desktop recording functions. The clamp and mic were exceptionally sturdy and housed both the phone and microphone comfortably without leaving residual marks. All recording is done via the free app ShurePlus MOTIV Video, downloaded from the App Store (iPhone only). It’s a highly intuitive interface that would offer more control for

mobile recording even without the condenser microphone. The option for quick-change settings on the recording screen allows you to toggle through audio format, resolution, frame rate or sound quality without having to divert through menu screens. The accelerometer function also lets you ensure your recording is evenly set, which is particularly helpful for self-recording without the mini tripod. The application was seamless, occasionally stalling on a loading screen here and there, something likely to be patched up in future updates. The audio recording can be formatted into WAV, AAC up to 256 kbps or Apple Lossless. Some might bemoan the lack of 320kbps and FLAC, but Apple Lossless is arguably near equivalent. The 48kHz quality recording however is truly exceptional. If you’ve encountered the MV88 microphone before you won’t be shocked at its performance more generally, as it contains the same electronics per specification. It does purport to receive less radio and cellular interference, although I was not able to qualitatively witness this. In theory, it would benefit live streamers. The microphone is principally designed for music, a fact made obvious when I recorded my speaking voice. Although the quality of recording is uniformly excellent, I found that unless speaking directly into the microphone I had to crank up the gain to for the desired clarity and balance. Catapulting the MV88+ kit into brilliance is

its stereo image optioning. Choose between raw mid-side, mono cardioid and stereo to suit your recording needs, with stereo offering different widths of its recording field (60, 75, 90, 105, 120 & 135 degrees respectively). Recording home demos is obviously best suited to fiddling with the stereo settings; the different widths gave me more than enough versatility to record a home band set up with almost impeccable clarity. The mix was as balanced as any hi-fi recording mic could hope to attain and is simply unbeatable for guitar or gear demos filmed for YouTube. The sensitivity of the gain and compression ranges is equally excellent, giving you an unexpected amount of control over your unmixed sound. For journalists like myself, it is giddily useful; high fidelity interviewing via mono bi-directional stereo image and then dual-options for field recording through raw mid-side and mono cardioid.

Short of prescribing this as essential, the Shure MV88+ Video Kit is a vital beginners package for music, media and podcasting professionals. The MV88+ is an unimpeachable condenser microphone for the price, and matched with an astutely designed tripod-clamp and iPhone app system, it provides simple and intuitive control of quality audio-visual recording from your pocket. BY JOSHUA MARTIN HITS ∙∙ Multiple phone-mic configurations ∙∙ Intuitive app control ∙∙ Excellent stereo image options ∙∙ Highly compact and affordable MISSES ∙∙ Nothing

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ARTIST:

MADE TO PERFORM INSP ECTO R:

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PICKU PS:

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INTRODUCING THE AMERICAN PERFORMER SERIES TM TM FEATURING ALL-NEW YOSEMITE PICKUPS, HANDCRAFTED IN CORONA, CALIFORNIA

©2018 FMIC. FENDER®; are the registered trademarks of FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD [ABN 34 613 081 191]. Only Fender Music Australia can authorise these trade marks for Australia.Yosemite is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.

PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

American Performer Telecaster Hum FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $2149 Fender is a guitar company that needs no introduction, so let’s get straight into the specs. The Fender American Performer Telecaster Hum is a new model for 2019, with a DoubleTap humbucker in the neck position and a slanted Yosemite single pickup nestled into the vintage-style bridge. The guitar is weighty, but balanced when standing and comes in a few different colours to suit your aesthetic. It’s a well-constructed, Californian-made alder instrument coated in a gloss Polyurethane finish, featuring a synthetic bone nut to retain clarity in note and tone. The tuning pegs are Fender ClassicGear that complete the vintage style guitar, despite the modern adornments and electronics. The Fender American Performer lives up to its name - the Tele feels like a solid workhorse guitar. It’ll serve you night after night on tour, take after take when recording and it’ll become your go-to when writing and composing. It’s comfortable, despite the lack of a rounded body that a lot of us are accustomed to, but sits nicely against the body regardless. The modern C-shaped neck has a Satin-finish that glides beneath your palms and never sticks. The 22 jumbo frets are easy to, uh… fret, and the 25.5” scale length serves the guitar’s playability and tone well. The placement of the tone and volume knobs is admittedly a little uncomfortable and the hands need to

be moved completely away from the strings to make adjustments. The pickup selector is a little easier to reach and switch between, which really opens up your tonal options. Admittedly I was apprehensive approaching the guitar as the lipstick-style neck pickup of a Telecaster is iconic. However, the American Performer DoubleTap pickup blew these concerns out of the water. The neck position is as thick and creamy as you’d expect from a humbucker, but with distinction and clear note articulation. The bridge pickup is the sparkly bright spank that you’d expect from a Telecaster. The middle selection is where this guitar shines and was my favourite setting, both through an amp and even D.I.’d. It has the spank and clarity of the bridge pickup, but the size and presence of the neck. It’s the best of both worlds, somehow blended

perfectly. Personally, when a middle pickup position is both pickups at once it’s usually a throwaway tone. It becomes phasey (admittedly sometimes on purpose) and not usually usable. It’s a weird blend of two pickups that work independently, but not together. The American Performer Telecaster does away with this, with a middle position that is entirely useable and maybe preferable over other positions. Not only this, but the guitar also features a push/ pull pot that splits the humbucker into your familiar, single coil Fender sound. The Fender American Performer Telecaster is, as its name suggests, a guitar designed for the modern performer in 2019. It retains a lot of classic specifications of one of the most widely used guitars in history, but with a contemporary edge and modern details. A new bridge pickup gives life to a classic

design. Albeit unconventional for a Tele, it retains the classic sound when you need it with the push/pull pot that splits the neck coils. The guitar is phenomenally built and finished, and feels the way a workhorse should. It’s trustworthy and ready to inspire songs or to be your foundation when inspiration strikes. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS HITS ∙∙ Well-built, nice finish ∙∙ Comfortable and easy to play ∙∙ Classic sound when required, modern sound otherwise MISSES ∙∙ Pickup controls not within reach

TC HELICON

Go XLR AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $799 TC Helicon is revolutionising broadcasting with the Go XLR. While being a specialist subsidiary of famed TC Electronic, TC Helicon really stand on their own two feet by being a leading producer of live vocal processing such as vocal harmonisers and pitch correction. Now they’ve made a product designed specifically for broadcasting; radio, podcasting, Twitch, or YouTube and that’s just the conventional uses. The Go XLR can also be used creatively to create beats, mix sound for playback or recording, as a talkback and more.

fly. With an XLR input for a microphone as well as a line-in, line-out and optical-in, routing options are a breeze. The range of options means you can set up your stream in any way you see fit, all while keeping your audiences engaged. Success requires you to be a cut above the rest, and the Go XLR enables this. However, all the ins and outs, besides the XLR and optical ins, are 3.5mm jacks which doesn’t lend itself to a lot of instruments or extra microphones. External effects processors are more likely to be 1/4” jacks or extra XLRs might be required.

The faders themselves, while also being motorised, feel solid and sturdy and move in small enough increments to pinpoint your levels. The Go XLR is solidly built, while remaining portable and easy to move without fear of breaking. The pots on the ‘Reverb,’ ‘Pitch,’ ‘Echo’ and ‘Gender’ settings are all stepped which can be handy for replicating a vocal effect time after time again, particularly in the case of a signature theme or catchphrase. High-quality samples can be loaded in for the user to fire off while recording podcasts, radio shows or Twitch streams, as well as live vocal effects, EQ and compression to ensure a clear and concise signal is delivered to your listeners.

The addition of an older style USB plug is also a little baffling, as for live streaming or scoring and processing on the fly via the Go XLR itself and the included app it makes sense to have a higher speed connection to your computer. Admittedly, the hardware seemed to function smoothly even with the older-style plug. The Go XLR also allows users to modify the colours and logos reflected on the faders, allowing them to really make the unit their own, but also to clearly identify settings, buttons and samples with images that make sense to them.

The Go XLR encourages live podcasts without too much post-editing to keep things natural or to mix live Twitch streams on the

The ‘Gender’ pot also allows users to get creative with their voices, using algorithms to alter the pitch and timbre of a voice, or any input signal to alter the perceived gender of the speaker. Because of these

algorithms, the ‘Gender’ pot could become an incredibly artistic tool to get creative and make samples. Not only are the pitching algorithms designed for voice, but they can drastically alter any input such as drums, synths, and other samples that can be loaded into the Go XLR with ease. Overall, the Go XLR is an intuitive product in an ever-increasing market. While Twitch streamers and podcasters may have struggled with multiple mics plugged into multiple sources, laboriously added sound effects added in post production and endless editing to make a conversation feel ‘natural,’ the Go XLR keeps the conversation going while you deliver a clear, compressed and EQ’d sound live. Easy to use faders make the

job a breeze, and the Go XLR is an incredibly customisable product. I expect a lot of copycat products, but TC Helicon did it first and they’re doing it well. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS HITS ∙∙ Intuitive design ∙∙ Customisable ∙∙ Everything you need in one place MISSES ∙∙ Older USB plug despite fast data transfer required

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CLOSED DYNAMIC HEADPHONE

Monitoring. Editing. Mixing. In the Studio. At Home. On the Road.

Discover the NDH 20 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the first Neumann headphone: NDH20.neumann.com

PRODUCT REVIEWS AUDIENT

Sono Audio Interface STUDIO CONNECTIONS | STUDIOCONNECTIONS.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $699 Audient is a company known for consistently producing high-quality products that push their own boundaries and embrace change while remaining firmly grounded in their history and quality. From their large format consoles to the more recent line of interfaces, such as the ID44, Audient produce top quality products in whatever they put together. That is why the Audient Sono, a partnership with cabinet impulse response behemoth Two Notes Engineering, is a phenomenal leap forward for guitarists that incorporates a multitude of widely used and loved technologies into one easy-to-use box. Featuring two preamps, headphone and monitor outs, onboard EQ and drive as well as an optical input to expand the inputs available on the Sono, this product, while aimed at a specific market, can really be the catalyst for some amazing sounds and recordings. The Audient Sono includes the same preamps found on Audient’s bigger format consoles such as the ASP8024. A lot of Audient’s bigger format products are based pretty closely on SSL, so you can rest assured the preamps are designed with your playing and the final product in mind. The Sono features a handy monitor mix that toggles between the input and your DAW playback - an increasingly common feature useful for recording yourself or others. What’s more,

while recording, you can choose whether to send your signal through the 12AX7 input valve or not, or even bypass the preamp circuity entirely so you can use your own preamp. This kind of addition shows that Audient is not only committed to producing great products, but to treating lower-level products the same as any other. You can retain clear, concise D.I. tracks or warm them up before whatever you’ve thrown into the signal chain next. Both preamps before the valve have 60dB of gain and the input meter labeling on the front panel is a gentle reminder of where you should be sitting, giving a little comedic relief from such a serious piece of kit. Finally in the signal chain, users can load up to three cabinets into the Audient Sono and cycle through them with the A/B/C switches located on the bottom right of the unit. Cabinets are selected, tones dialed and ‘microphones’ are placed via Two Notes’ Torpedo Power Amp Modeling and Cab Simulation app. However, don’t let the guitar and bass cabinets stop you from exploring the possibilities with this product. The room sounds themselves are great - so why can’t that be your drum room? The reverb is already nicely filtered and would sit great in any mix - it could be the trick up your sleeve that propels you ahead in such a competitive market. The software includes

20 amps to start with and eight rooms, as well as providing eight microphone choices for a bunch of different tonal options. Two Notes has an even bigger array of amps and cabinet models available for purchase. Overall, while the Sono is marketed as a one-stop-shop for guitarists, it’s really so much more. Think of it as an interface with a valve preamp and impulse responses as standard, but also consider what a phenomenal addition to any studio it would be. Drums and vocals can be re-amped to achieve creative ambience, synths can come alive through its pure valve preamp, and any other instrument can get gritty through

the phenomenally designed preamp routing – basically, there’s certainly no shortage of versatility with the Sonos. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS ∙∙ Valve preamp ∙∙ Drive and EQ on board ∙∙ Two Notes software included MISSES ∙∙ Literally none.

FF EE NN DD EE RR

American Elite Telecaster Thinline FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU EXPECT TO PAY: $3799 The Telecaster is known to all to be a workhorse guitar, capable of handling any musical situation imaginable. The American Elite Telecaster is no exception to this, and has become even more versatile with Fender’s latest iteration of updates. It’s impressive to see how far the humble Telecaster has come after all these years with all its stocky charm intact. The American Elite Telecaster might be one of the best consumer-grade guitars Fender have ever made to this date. This unit consisted of a Thinline single-bound body of ash, accentuated with a clean white stripe on the face edge. The feather-light body is finished with what Fender calls “Champagne” (an eye-catching combination of Olive Green mixed with Sonic Grey), topped off with a pearloid pickguard. Strap lock buttons come preinstalled on this Telecaster, with the corresponding locks and hooks tucked away in the gorgeous moulded hard case. A chrome volume and tone knob adorn the guitar with a special no-load pot for the latter. On settings 0 to 9.9, the tone control behaves just like a traditional tone knob. However, when wide open on 10, it’s completely bypassed from the signal chain, allowing more of the pickup to shine through.

thanks to the transitional neck shape and compound radius fretboard. The locking tuners performed admirably and kept tuning to an impeccable standard, even on the most abusive of bends. A point of interest is the American Elite Telecaster’s new suspension bridge, exclusive to the Thinline variant. Aesthetics-wise, it’s a combination of old and new – it utilises a vintage three brass barrel setup, but is hoisted upon a propped metal tray with an incredibly small footprint. The strings now go through the bridge instead of the body, Tune-o-matic style. Fender claims this new bridge uses a screwless mount to increase vibration transfer, maximising both sustain and response. While I’d personally prefer a classic ashtray, this new bridge breathes both modernity and evolution into the tried and true Telecaster, and is a welcome addition overall.

Chord work on the lower frets and faster runs higher up felt natural and comfortable,

I was blown away by both pickups on this guitar. Guitarists have long debated the

tradeoffs of noiseless pickups, arguing that the hum cancelling technology stole the single coil’s sparkle and charm. Thankfully, neither of these qualities have not been lost in Fender’s fourth generation of noiseless pickups. The front pickup offers plenty of warmth and almost dips its toes into Stratlike territory in the mid to high frequencies. Cross over to the bridge, and you’ll find all the famous calling cards of the Telecaster; a lovely balance of twang, jangle and low end, now with reduced hum and buzz. The middle selection of both pickups in parallel was a pleasant surprise. Typically considered as an overlooked and often unloved pickup position by many Tele players, the slightly out-of-phase tones sounded wonderfully sweet to the ear. With the S-1 switch engaged, the pair morphed into a veritable humbucker with plenty of sonic grunt and girth. Each pickup configuration handled all manner of gain extremely well, preserved their tonal characteristics and harmonic

overtones with ease. These might be some of the most impressive pickups Fender have ever put into one of their guitars, bar Custom Shop material. Overall, Fender has knocked it out of the park with the American Elite Thinline Telecaster. From its faultless build quality to its flight-ready hard case, this is a guitar built to stand the test of time. Did I mention how great the pickups are? BY EDDY LIM

HITS ∙∙ Fantastic sounding pickups ∙∙ Excellent build quality ∙∙ No-load tone knob MISSES ∙∙ None

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PRODUCT REVIEWS MARSHALL AMPLIFICATION

DSL1C Combo Amp ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU EXPECT TO PAY: $599 Growing up, the only Marshall amps I ever saw were hefty 100 watt heads sitting atop a stack of quad boxes. I guess I never thought it was obtainable to get that classic tone in my bedroom. Who wants to buy a JCM900 only to have it sit in the corner of your bedroom with the volume control not even on one? The answer is no one. Thankfully, Marshall have finally caught up with the modern trend of valve driven, low wattage amps for home and rehearsal use. The classic DSL line has been reimagined and reinvigorated with amps ranging from as little as one watt through to the 100 watt stalwarts we’re accustomed to seeing on huge stages across the world. With this new era of DSL, the classic Marshall tone has never been more obtainable at a reasonable volume for the bedroom guitarist. I was given the baby of the range, the one watt combo amp, to review this month. On looks alone, the DSL1C is the most unassuming and harmless looking amp. Simple in its engineering, but with more than enough features to fulfil your rock dreams at home. The Classic Gain channel is the cleaner of the two options, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a clean channel. Whilst certainly cleaner than its counterpart, it doesn’t quite give you the crystal clear tones you’re used to hearing. With that said, given that it is only a one watt amplifier, I highly doubt an exceedingly

clean tone could be obtained anyway. Where the DSL1C really shines is the Ultra Gain channel. With dedicated gain and volume controls, a three band EQ and Tone Shift control, there is more than enough options needed to shape the tone you require. The amp has bucketloads of gain, so it’s perfect for all of the shredders out there that love a heavily saturated tone. For me, I really enjoyed rolling the gain back, dialling in a lot of midrange on the EQ and channelling my inner Jimmy Page for some classic rock tones. The addition of inbuilt reverb is a lovely touch and helps give the dry, overdriven tones more room to breathe. All in all, I can’t really fault the DSL1C because it does exactly what you need it to do. It’s a one watt, valve driven Marshall DSL that fits on a desk or in a corner with ease. It’s perfect for the bedroom guitarist, teachers who want a great sounding low wattage amp or those who want to channel their rock heroes without breaking the bank or annoying the neighbours. It’s actually quite astounding that it took Marshall this long to jump on the micro wattage train, because it feels like players have been yearning for this for decades. BY NICHOLAS SIMONSEN

HITS ∙∙ Classic tones at low volumes ∙∙ The thing is tiny! MISSES ∙∙ Nope

PRODUCT REVIEWS MAD PROFESSOR

Little Green Wonder Overdrive MAD PROFESSOR AUSTRALIA | MADPROFESSOR.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $265 When an overdrive pedal comes in some variation of a green finish and it has three knobs, we all know what it’s inspired by and there’s no point beating around the bush about it: the Ibanez Tube Screamer. The Tube Screamer is so ubiquitous and so iconic that every player feels they need some version of it on their pedalboard. But the relative simplicity of the circuit also means it’s easy to customise, so there are plenty of options on the market from other companies who know that you may want something in the Tube Screamer neighbourhood but with enough variation to set you apart from everyone using the same little green box. That’s where the Mad Professor Little Green Wonder Overdrive comes in. All the expected features are there: the three-knob layout (Volume, Drive and Body), 9V battery power or external AC adaptor jack, big ‘ol footswitch, bright red status LED. Unlike many Tube Screamer-inspired pedals, this one doesn’t have any extra switches, knobs or modes. But there’s some stuff happening under the hood that sets it apart. Where the Tube Screamer has a distinctive midrange bump and a thinner low end, the Little Green Wonder evens out the frequency spread to give you a more natural midrange and fuller bass. The idea is that the Little Green Wonder gives you a more natural overdrive that

doesn’t colour your sound as much as a Tube Screamer, but does more than simply hit your preamp tubes with more input gain; it still has some personality of its own, even when you set the Drive control to zero and use the pedal as a clean boost. The Body control sets the frequency range of the sound: turn it counter-clockwise for more bass and low mids with a slight treble boost, or clockwise for just a slight treble increase which is great for helping a guitar to find a place within a busy mix without clouding the low end. There’s also plenty of drive available, crossing that magical threshold from ‘overdrive’ to ‘distortion’ with a slight fuzzy edge. Think Richie Kotzen’s drive tone and you’re pretty much there, right down to the ‘roll back the guitar volume to clean it up’ vibe. It works great for blues-rock, country and alternative styles but also has a certain Josh Homme-esque charm. This is a really easy-to-use, great-sounding all-rounder overdrive. It may not have the high degree of customisation of many other pedals in this market segment, but it doesn’t need it because it does what it does spectacularly well thanks to that carefully-voiced Body control and the scope of the Drive knob. Having said that, if you want a drive that does more, check out Mad Professor’s Bluebird Overdrive (with

built-in delay), 1 Pedal (overdrive with reverb) or brilliant Simble overdrive, inspired by classic Dumble amps. Then there’s the Golden Cello, described as ‘Eric Johnson in a box’ and which Johnson himself uses, which replicates a fuzz into an overdriven amp with an Echoplex delay. The point is, Mad Professor covers a heck of a lot of ground with its overdrive offerings, and the Little Green Wonder is among some really impressive company and well worth your consideration. BY PETER HODGSON

HITS ∙∙ Well-voiced Body control ∙∙ More gain than you might expect MISSES ∙∙ No extra controls like some Tube Screamer-inspired pedals

FF OE CN UD SE R I T E

Scarlett Solo Studio INNOVATIVE MUSIC AUSTRALIA | INNOVATIVEMUSIC.COM.AU EXPECT TO PAY: $369 Focusrite are the makers of some of the world’s most revered preamps and channel strips. Their Red series and ISA rack models can be found in top studios the world over. So, it goes without saying that they know a thing or two about great front end audio equipment. This puts them ahead of the pack when it comes to building audio interfaces, as they already have a stable front end to build off. And of course, the reputation of the Red series is what Focusrite have banked on with their Scarlett range of budget audio interfaces. Targeted at home studio and intermediate users, the Scarlett series offers a wide range of recording solutions. The most versatile for a musician looking to start recording would probably be the Sacrlett Solo Studio bundle. Focusrite have taken their most compact interface and bundled it with a selection of tools to get you started right out of the box. Along with the included hardware, there is a wide range of included software to enable you to record, mix and produce the music you want. In fact, the software suite is one of the more impressive out there as far as bundles go. You get ProTools First Focusrite Creative Pack, as well as Ableton Live Lite in case you are not sure of the DAW that is right for you. Along with that you also get Addictive Keys for great piano sounds and plugins from Softube and Avid Rack effects

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with your ProTools First edition. There is a lot of value in all that software by itself, but of course, it is backed by a great range of hardware to get your sound into the box to begin with. The Scarlett Solo interface offers two inputs: one XLR microphone input and another 1/4” jack instrument input. This allows you to sing and play guitar separately or at the same time. It also allows you to run a guitar direct in whilst using the microphone for the acoustic sound of the guitar or amp. Of course, that means a microphone is needed, and that is included in the bundle, too. A Focusrite CM25 MKII condenser microphone, clip and cable are packaged along with a pair of Focusrite over-ear headphones for monitoring and overdubbing use. These sound really good too. I spent the best part of an evening listening to music from the computer through these with my monitors turned off, totally forgetting that I had headphones on. In all, the bundle brings together everything you need except perhaps a microphone stand and a little talent. Add those to the mix and you’re ready to record.

HITS ∙∙ Great price for bundled software and hardware ∙∙ Everything you need to get started ∙∙ Compact yet quality interface for simple setups

BY ROB GEE

MISSES ∙∙ You still need to BYO talent