#315 – APR/MAY 2021
ROYAL BLOOD A STORM IS BREWING
PAUL DEMPSEY, LONDON GRAMMAR TORI FORSYTH + LIZ STRINGER STUDIO SPECIAL REVIEWED: FENDER AMERICAN ACOUSTASONIC JAZZMASTER, SSL UF8, WARM AUDIO WA-67, UNIVERSAL AUDIO + MORE
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F O R
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The Lynx-inspired V90 is equipped with two soapbar-style pickups, while the S66 Bobcat reissue is equipped with three single-coil pickups and an independent volume control for the middle pickup so you can blend your tones, setting Bobcat apart from other semi-hollow models on the market. Newly added to the range are the ‘Bobcat with Bigsby’ models which include a Bigsby The VOX Bobcat and Lynx semi-hollow body guitars were produced in the mid-‘60s
B700 (Jet Black) or B70 (Chrome) bridge, while the standard Bobcat models feature
with unusual pickup configurations and a distinct look, which we’ve revived in the
fixed Tune-o-matic type bridges with trapeze tailpieces for easy string changes.
new Bobcat V90 and S66. We’ve kept the historic design, but brought them up to date with improved playability for today’s players — controlling acoustic feedback,
All models share a Maple ply top & body, with a weight-relieved, feedback-reducing Spruce centre block and a Mahogany set-neck with Indonesian Ebony fretboard.
and raising the performance of the pickups.
Aluminium knobs and open-gear Grover tuning heads add to the package that’s full of retro style with modern innovation.
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Ampeg Rocket Bass combos deliver unparalleled performance, stunning ‘60s-style looks, and robust feature sets in lightweight and portable packages, making them ideal for everyone from practicing to professional bassists. Just like their famed larger siblings, the five Rocket Bass combos offer essential Ampeg features such as 3-band EQ, signature Ultra Hi/Ultra Lo switches (RB-112 and up), and the new Super Grit Technology overdrive circuit, all of which combine to produce legendary Ampeg tone. Plus, XLR line outputs (except RB-108), auxiliary inputs, and headphone outputs ensure that Rocket Bass combos are ready to rock anywhere—from the practice room to the stage.
• 5 models from 30 to 500 watts
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CONTENTS
8 Giveaways 10 Product News 14 Royal Blood 16 Paul Dempsey 18 London Grammar 20 Tori Forsyth
Royal Blood
22 Liz Stringer
PG .14
24 Pedaltrain 26 Studio Special 32 Percussion 34 Guitar Column 35 Bass Column 36 Reviews 58 My Rig
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@MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU For breaking news, new content and more giveaways visit our website.
Paul Dempsey
London Grammar
PG. 16
PG. 18
I #302 –
JUNE 2019
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MUSICIAN S FOR
MADE
CIAN BY MUSI
FREE!
#314 – FEB /MAR 2021
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R awa Give NES EMBENE OPHO OPHO MICR MICR BLUE ENSER IA IRIG COND IMED IK MULT O AMP MICR
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PRINT EDITOR Paul French paul@furstmedia.com.au ONLINE EDITOR Will Brewster will@furstmedia.com.au
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LIA'S GUIT AR SUPERST AR SHING PUM PKIN AARON FRAZ S ER + JARRYD JAMES FIRST LOOK : ABLETON LIVE 11 REVIEWE FENDER TASH SULT D: SIGNATU ANA RE STRATO CASTER, AVID PRO TOOLS CAR BON, SHURE MV7 + MORE THE SMA
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For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email paul@furstmedia.com.au
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PUBLISHER Furst Media Mycelium Studios Factory 1/10-12 Moreland Road East Brunswick VIC 3057 (03) 9428 3600
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ELCO THE ME WE BICEP ATHER STAT , FARH ION OT + CLAU D 2021 NA WRAP MM -UP FEND ER 75 REVIE TH WED: ARTU ANNIVER SARY RIA PO LYBR AS & TH TON ELEM UTE E SH ENT URE SM58 !
CONTRIBUTORS Andy Lloyd-Russell, Nick Brown, Bridgette Baini, Brett Voss, David Tomisich, Benjamin Lamb, Liam McShane, Sam McNeice, Adrian Violi, Alisdair Belling, Jack Swann, Lewis Noke-Edwards, Phil Smith, August Billy, David James Young, Chloe Karis FOUNDER Rob Furst
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Also available with:
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■ Create Without Boundaries. Produce Without Limits. No other DAW lets you compose, record, produce, mix, master, and perform... all from a single application. Learn more about Studio One 5 at presonus.com.
©2020 PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Studio One is a registerered trademark of PreSonus Software Ltd. Notion is a registered trade mark of PreSonus Audio Electronics, Inc. Other product names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective companies.
P: +61 3 8373 4817 linkaudio.com.au
GIVEAWAYS
JZ Microphones Signature BB29 The latest in JZ’s range of handcrafted microphones, the Signature BB29 is a large-diaphragm cardioid condenser microphone handcrafted in the Latvian capital of Riga. With its innovative Golden Drop Capsule, exceptional frequency response and distinctive aesthetic design, the Signature BB29 microphone would make a killer addition to the arsenal of any tone-savvy studio engineer or producer - and we’ve got one to give to a very lucky reader this month.
Sontronics Podcast Pro Featuring an eye-catching red finish, an incredibly tight super-cardioid polarity pattern and an internal pop filter to minimise plosives, the Sontronics Podcast Pro is one of the best podcasting microphones we’ve come across in years. It’s sturdy, reliable and above all, sounds great, and we’re all too happy to be teaming up with the folks at Federal Audio to give one away this month to celebrate our Studio Special.
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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AMERICAN ACOUSTASONIC® JAZZMASTER® An otherworldly guitar that combines iconic acoustic voicings and big electric tones with one powerful Blend Knob. Unlock an impossible range of sounds – no matter how you spin it.
CRAFTED IN CORONA, CALIFORNIA
The AMERICAN ACOUSTASONIC JAZZMASTER shown in Ocean Turquoise. Iconic acoustic voicings. Big electric tones. One powerful Blend Knob.
© 2021 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in fanciful script, JAZZMASTER and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender guitars and basses are trademarks of FMIC. All rights reserved.
ERY TURN. EV
THE SONIC SHAPESHIFTER
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THING NEW A ME O
PRODUCT NEWS
Fender unleash the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU Available in five unique finishes, the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster adds to Fender’s quickly-expanding range of hybrid acoustic-electric guitars with its offset design and versatile electronics. It features an all-mahogany construction with an ebony fretboard and a Deep-C neck with a 25.5″ scale length, while three unique pickup systems - including a Shawbucker and Fishman under-saddle transducer - a mod knob and five-way switch unlock a huge array of acoustic and amplified tones. Try it out today!
Dreadbox crash into the stompbox market with new releases
EGM acquire Australian distribution rights for D’Andrea USA
Faith Guitars releases Limited Edition FX series for international distribution
DREADBOX | DREADBOX-FX.COM
EGM DISTRIBUTION | EGM.NET.AU
CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU
After debuting the Komorebi BBD Chorus/ Flanger back in 2019, synth manufacturers Dreadbox have solidified their stompbox range with five effects. In addition to the Komorebi, they’ve launched the Kinematic Compressor/ Filter, Lethargy 8-Stage Phaser, Darkness Stereo Reverb and the soon-to-be-released Raindrops Stereo Delay, with the Komorebi, Kinematic and Lethargy each featuring CV patch points to let them play nicely with Eurorack setups. They’re expected to ship this month - keep your eyes out for them in the wild.
D’Andrea USA, a legendary name in the development of guitar accessories in the early 20th century, are now being distributed in the Australian market by EGM Distribution. Best known as being the inventors of the guitar pick, D’Andrea specialise in a wide range of plectrums, pickguards, capos and guitar care products, as well as straps, slides, string winders and more. Poke your head into your local guitar shop and check out the range today.
Due to popular demand, Faith have released three stunning new variations of the Neptune baby-jumbo shape built from some of the amazing exotic tonewoods featured on guitars like the BloodMoon and BlueMoon with the allnew FX Neptune Natural Gold, Harvest Moon and Moondust Grey. These guitars, crafted from woods like Indonesian Mango and Trembesi, feature classic Faith specs and look like nothing else you’ve ever seen before, resulting in a must-have for any staunch collector. Hit up CMC Music for ordering enquiries.
Peluso debut the solid-state P-47 SS microphone MUSOS CORNER | MUSOSCORNER.COM.AU
Ernie Ball’s compact Volt power supply is out now CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU The Ernie Ball Volt gives the power to the pedal! With its multiple isolated, high current DC power outputs, the Volt supplies clean, regulated power to almost any digital or analogue effects pedals. The compact and rugged housing can fit almost anywhere on even the most dense pedalboard. If you need low noise and reliable power for any gig, the Ernie Ball Volt is perfect for your rig - get yours in stores now.
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Boutique microphone makers Peluso’s latest offering takes inspiration from one of the most famous valve condensers of all time - the Neumann U-47 - and puts a solid-state spin on it. The P-47 SS makes use of a FET and a 34mm BraunmühlWeber type capsule with centre termination, while the pickup pattern can be toggled between cardioid, omnidirectional and figure-8. Classic German sounds without worrying about finicky valves and expensive repairs? Yes please! Check it out today.
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royalbloodband.com
PRODUCT NEWS
Spice up your tracks with Tierra Audio’s Flavours Preamps TIERRA AUDIO | TIERRA.AUDIO Spanish pro-audio innovators Tierra Audio have launched a culinary-themed line of analogue preamps to suit a range of different microphones and recording applications. There’s seven unique units in the range - Salt, Pepper, Vanilla, Chilli, Mint, Cocoa and Truffle - with each offering a different gain level, frequency filter and harmonic distortion to enhance any recorded signal. Head online to check out all the specs and compare the range in its entirety to find out which one’s right for you.
Eventide release rack-inspired effects pedals
Line 6 double down with the HX Stomp XL
EVENTIDE | EVENTIDEAUDIO.COM.AU
YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM
Eventide have revisited their dot9 pedal range to debut the MicroPitch and UltraTap Delay pedals, porting the era-defining sounds of the H3000, H910 and H949 processors to the confines of your pedalboard. The MicroPitch lets you soak up studio-quality delays, vibrato, pitch-shifting and so much more, whereas the UltraTap offers you with all the tools necessary to mangle your signal into choppy, stuttering stereo delays to channel your inner Jonny Greenwood. Both pedals land this month, and we’re hyped.
An expanded version of the popular 2018 multieffects unit, the Line 6 HX Stomp XL makes use of a larger chassis with more controls to engage tone presets, while additional Up, Down, Mode and Tap switches provide even more playing room. There’s 300 amps, cabs and effects with 128 tone presets on offer, while stereo inputs and outputs, an effects loop, expression pedal and headphone inputs, MIDI I/O and a multichannel 24-bit/96kHz USB audio interface complete the package.
Add Franklin Audio’s RA-10 Studio Re-Amplifier to your engineering toolkit FRANKLIN AUDIO | FRANKLINAUDIO.COM.AU Made in Australia and used all around the world, the Franklin Audio RA-10 is a passive, transformer-balanced re-amper that lets you interface any recorded signal with a wide array of effects pedals, amplifiers, tape echoes or preamps to inject some extra colour into your recordings. It’s incredibly compact and simple, yet simultaneously rugged and easy to integrate into any recording setup to help expand your sonic horizons. Head to Franklin Audio’s website to snag one for yourself today.
Epiphone teams up with Emily Wolfe for the sleek Sheraton Stealth AUSTRALIS MUSIC | AUSTRALISMUSIC.COM.AU
Samson’s Q9U is the perfect mic for any setup ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU Produce professional high-quality audio for broadcasts, podcasts, streams and live recordings with Samson’s new Q9U Broadcast Dynamic Microphone. Easily integrated into any professional or home recording setup, the Q9U features both an XLR analogue output and USB-C connection with stunning 24-bit/96kHz hi-definition digital audio resolution, allowing you to capture the depth and detail of any sung or spoken vocal. Visit your local and try one out ASAP. 12
Featuring a Black Aged Gloss finish and distinctive diamond-style F-holes, the Epiphone Emily Wolfe Sheraton Stealth is a lavish signature model with looks to kill and hot tones to boot. It’s got a laminated maple top and feedback-busting centre block, as well as a mahogany neck with Indian laurel fretboard and two versatile Alnico Classic ProBucker pickups. Other appointments include mother of pearl / abalone lightning bolt fretboard inlays and gold hardware to make this one hell of a signature offering.
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wa-67 a legend reborn //: Warm Audio has now changed that scenario with the release of the new WA-67! Based around an EF86 pentode tube and having the same smooth and creamy tone of the original, the WA-67 excels at recording just about anything that you put it in front of, and it may immediately become your go-to choice for vocals, guitars, drum toms and overheads, pianos, brass and strings.
in stores now
Royal Blood One thing was clear to Royal Blood at the end of touring their second album: something had to change. Of course, 2017’s How Did We Get So Dark? was not without its successes. It went to number one in the UK and Scotland, just like its predecessor. It spawned two number-one singles on the UK rock chart, just like its predecessor. It boasted leather-jacket cool and capital-R rock, just like its predecessor… are you starting to sense a theme here? Despite achieving so much commercially, creatively it was an album that ultimately achieved very little. In hindsight, it committed the worst crime a second album can commit: It didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. Lead vocalist and bassist Mike Kerr is the first to admit that Royal Blood was all at sea for a period there – and it was up to him and drummer Ben Thatcher to reclaim it as their own. “I didn’t really know where I wanted it to go,” Kerr confesses from his Brighton home. “I was pretty lost in terms of where the band was going. Once I got sober, though, my whole life changed. It wasn’t ‘til eight months after that clarity descended upon me. I had a kind of awakening of what kind of album I wanted to make and where we should go.” Said clarity prompted Kerr to write the song ‘Trouble’s Coming’, which would end up as the lead single to album number three, Typhoons. As both a mission statement and a comeback single, you couldn’t really ask for a better concoction. The snarling bass and pounding drums of Royal Blood’s past was present and accounted for, but with it came a new spring in the step. Groove-oriented, incessant and unfathomably catchy, it quickly turned heads upon its release in September 2020. “To me, it just made perfect sense,” says Kerr of the song. “I felt like the language I was using was what I needed to say. Suddenly, I found that I wasn’t really scrambling for words anymore. In fact, I found I had a lot to say.
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“Before that, I was barely staying afloat as a human being. I felt like I was trying not to drown in the band. I saved myself in order to save the band – and the other way around. It was like my mind was full – it was fully powered for the first time in ten years.”
“On this one, it felt like every song had its own aesthetic and I stayed true to that throughout. I felt like more secure as a bass player – I didn’t need to keep changing the sound.”
“Suddenly, these songs felt like a bit of an antidote to the chaos and depression that was outside of the studio. Everything got fucking grim last year, but I felt great within myself after getting sober. I had this spring in my step. It definitely was this weird juxtaposition. “It’s funny... if you go back and look at the covers of the first two albums, they’re both in black and white. If you look at the cover for this album, it’s like a fucking acid rainbow.” For all the changes afoot in the Royal Blood camp, one thing has stayed the same: Mike Kerr’s bass still sounds as churning, distorted and guttural as ever. The band’s sound is still centred around it, just as it was when they rose to prominence in the mid-2000s. The heaviness in Kerr’s playing, however, has more to do with volume rather than anything to do with the pedalboard. “When I was making the demos to the songs, I didn’t have any of my pedals on me,” he says. “I was just plugging straight into this tiny little amp that I got for like 30 quid on eBay. “It sounded like a wasp in a crisp packet. I would just point a mic in front of it, go straight into Logic and start playing over these really dancey beats.
With ‘Trouble’s Coming’ in the can, Kerr and Thatcher returned to the well to see what else they had coming. Their timing of working on the new album, however, coincided with the world entering lockdown – which, as you might guess, isn’t the most fertile creative environment for rock & roll. If anything, however, this pushed the duo to double down on their dancier musical direction for Typhoons. “I was having this weird juxtaposition between what was going on in the outside world and what was going on internally,” he says.
“I was drawn to the simplicity of that, really – especially when I had it on really fucking loud. Because there were no pedals, it meant that all my playing was just like tighter and quicker.
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“Everything felt like more like a fist, rather than an open hand. I started changing my behaviour as a player around the way my bass sounded. The parts suddenly sounded tight as nails, and they made me really lock into these beats. I was like, ‘wow, I’m playing riffs – but I’ve never heard it like this.” This back-to-basics approach would filter into the rest of Typhoons, with Kerr opting to maintain a consistent tone throughout. “I found myself using like one pedal on a whole song, rather than five or six,” he says. “On the second album, I was so into shape-shifting my sound every ten seconds.
“It started out as this happy accident, and then it became this total revelation. I was like, ‘let’s just fucking make this.’ “I hate when you hear the first two singles from an album, and it has a sound and a vibe, but when you buy the album it’s not there for the rest of it. My attitude was that if we were gonna do this, we had to commit. Let’s make a party playlist.”
was ‘don’t change a fucking thing.’ I was pretty shocked – I was like, ‘I could play that part a little better’ and ‘I could sing that part a little better.’
As Kerr and Thatcher burrowed further into their niche while making Typhoons, it also became apparent that they would have to take on an additional role in the process. As such, aside from one track with old friend Josh Homme and two with Paul Epworth, the band largely produced the album themselves. Though the pair have co-produced on previous albums, it’s never been as comprehensive and hands-on as it has here – which, as Kerr attests, is entirely by design. “I don’t mean any disrespect to anyone we’ve worked with in the past,” he begins. “Having said that: It was a bit of a relief to produce this album ourselves. This was the clearest vision we’ve ever had for a record and for our sound.
“On this one, it felt like every song had its own aesthetic and I stayed true to that throughout. I felt like more secure as a bass player – I didn’t need to keep changing the sound.” Soon enough, Thatcher coined a name for the band’s new sound: ‘AC/Disco.’ Think the brute-force of the Young brothers in their prime matched with the dancefloor-filling urgency of Studio 54 and you’re just about there. If you’ve been intrigued by the singles thus far – ‘Trouble’s Coming,’ the Supergrass-aping title track and the upbeat inferno of ‘Limbo’ – Kerr is happy to report that you’ll love the rest of Typhoons. “I think once we had that term – AC/Disco – it was like, that’s the album,” he says.
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“For us, we knew what we wanted to do. We knew how we wanted to do it. We knew where we were going to do it. We didn’t need someone to blame if this went wrong, and we didn’t need to put anyone in our way. “I would love to work with a producer again at some point, because I think it’s an incredible dynamic to have.
“Ben immediately shut me down – ‘Just leave it,’ he said, ‘I’m gonna play drums.’ We tracked the drums the next day, and that’s what you hear on the album.” BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
“For this record, though, it immediately felt different. It was almost like we were producers by default. We’d get to the end of the demo, and suddenly it was like, ‘...oh, it’s done.’” Kerr points to the title track as a key example of this. “I finished the demo, thinking it was maybe a little scrappy but it got the point across,” Kerr recalls. “When I showed it to Ben, though, the very first thing he said once he’d finished listening
Typhoons arrives on Friday April 30 via Warner Music Australia.
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Paul Dempsey If you’re good at picking musical trends, then you’ll have cottoned onto the fact that Australia’s got quite a knack for churning out some killer singer-songwriters. Whether you want to look up to the big guns - think Paul Kelly, Archie Roach, Grant McLennan - or to members of the modern guard like Courtney Barnett and Julia Jacklin, there’s certainly no shortage of witty songsmiths to come from Antipodean shores, many of whom have been notable guitar slingers in their own rights along the way. In this department, there’s few figures quite as seminal as Something For Kate’s Paul Dempsey. Somewhat underrated in the public domain but revered by critics, keen fans and contemporaries, Dempsey’s been an integral force in Australian music for the better part of 25 years, turning in no less than seven studio albums with the acclaimed three-piece and a respectable three solo albums on his own accord. While it’s his soulful vocal tone and figurative, delicate approach to songwriting that tends to resonate with many listeners, Dempsey’s also a grossly underrated guitarist with a deceptively snakey playing style, frequently opting for a beaten-up Fender Jazzmaster to bust out his intricate licks and textural guitar arrangements. It’s a combination of these factors - or perhaps, just the fact that he’s a really genuine bloke who knows his way around the fretboard - that’s led for him to team up with Fender to help launch their latest six-string innovation: the dynamic American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster. “I couldn’t have dreamed of it,” Dempsey says of his partnership with the brand. “I had really cheap, crap guitars for my whole teenage years, and I remember dreaming of owning a Fender - it just wasn’t realistic for me as a kid. I just thought ‘Man, to get my hands on a Fender one day…’ - it’s pretty special to be involved.” Dempsey’s love affair with the Fender Jazzmaster, like many guitarists of his age, stems back to its affiliation
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with the alt-rock trailblazers of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. He recalls guitarists like Thurston Moore and Kevin Shields leaving a lasting impression on him as an adolescent, which led to him acquiring his first Jazzmaster at the age of 19. “I remember being a kid and seeing the guys in Sonic Youth playing Jazzmasters, just hitting them with drumsticks and and just smashing the hell out of them, and I thought ‘Well, that looks like a pretty solid workhorse’,” he says.
“...I can find a tone that falls somewhere in between an acoustic tone and an electric tone,’ and yet, at the same time, it’s not either. It’s a whole new thing.” “I’m also 6’6”, so when I put on the Jazzmaster, it felt right straightaway instead of feeling like a ukulele, and I realised that Thurston Moore is also around that height as me, so maybe it’s just a tall guy’s guitar.” Tall guys aside, Dempsey notes that there’s several other factors that drove his fascination with the Jazzmaster, listing of the idiosyncratic design quirks that
have made it such a divisive instrument among guitarists for the past sixty years. “I think the floating tremolo systems on them are the best tremolo anyone’s ever made, and the fact that you can hit strings behind the bridge to make this whole other noise that other guitars just can’t do, I really love as well… I feel like I can do things with a Jazzmaster that I just can’t do with other guitars.” Anyone privy to Dempsey’s work with Something For Kate or as a solo artist will know that he’s prone to picking up an acoustic for some of his more balladeering moments, which he says makes the hybrid design of Fender’s Acoustasonic Jazzmaster all the more appealing to his songwriting process. “As a writing tool for me it’s amazing,” he says. “When I’m working on things usually I’d have to make the decision ’is this going to be an acoustic song or is it going to be more of a kind of an electric rock thing?’. This allows you to just you can you can even fall somewhere in the middle.
“A thing I always do a lot in the studio is play electric guitar and then track an acoustic underneath it to give it a bit of brightness. Sometimes, you’re going for a tone that you’re not sure is a gritty electric tone or an acoustic tone, and you don’t know what to do so you end up doing both.
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Paul also notes in passing that he attained experience with the Acoustasonic range in the studio while recording Something For Kate’s most recent effort, last year’s The Modern Medieval, opting for the guitar’s unique timbre and hybrid functionality to flesh out his tracks. “For this album, I had actually an Acoustasonic Telecaster in the studio,” he recalls of the recording process. “There were a couple of times where it was like, ‘Okay, I can sort of without having to track two different things, I can find a tone that falls somewhere in between an acoustic tone and an electric tone,’ and yet, at the same time, it’s not either. It’s a whole new thing.” Tonally speaking, the Acoustasonic Jazzmaster is fully loaded: with the flick of a switch and a twist of
a knob, you can access a myriad of classic acoustic body tones, in addition to any number of electric or hybrid sounds offered by its Shawbucker pickup. However, Dempsey says that it’s the feel of the guitar that he keeps coming back to marvel at, explaining how the slimline body shape and inviting neck profile help to facilitate his unique compound guitar style. “I think it really suits my particular style of playing, because the way I play anyway isn’t just chords, and it’s not just lead. I’ve always written songs that have complex sort of chords going on; there’s a lot of movement in them. “I’m usually playing a bassline or rhythm part with a couple of fingers, and then I’m playing some other melody over the top of that with the other fingers. It’s almost
like this sort of compound style of playing, so I just find that again it suits that as well.” If there’s one thing about any form of Jazzmaster that’s crucial for Fender to get right, it’s that it has to pair well with pedals. It’s a guitar that’s forever intertwined with the art of effects-heavy alternative guitar playing, and the thought of such an instrument with no such mojo would make any shoegazer sick to their stomach. Thankfully, Dempsey confirms that the Acoustasonic Jazzmaster more than lives up to the occasion. “I run it through my board and straight into a Twin Reverb,” he says. “If you don’t have any pedals on, you can get all these beautiful clean acoustic tones, or you can flick it down to the pickup and get a gritty sound, and then you’ve got all those possibilities for blending things. “When you start kicking on some pedals, it gets really crazy. I also love the sound of an acoustic guitar through a really hot amp that’s a great sound as well, but not a lot of people do it for obvious reasons. With this, you can do that straight away.” It’s vital to note that Fender’s Acoustasonic range is not by any means an attempt from the brand to slowly replace their solid-bodied predecessors, or even convert those who are electric or acoustic purists into the nether regions of their beloved musical hobby.
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Rather, these guitars are totally distinctive instruments unto themselves that hold up as a clear evolution of the guitar and the future direction in which it’s headed, something that even Paul Dempsey acknowledges as a lifelong vintage guitar fanatic. “If you asked me ten years ago if I thought there’d ever be an Acoustasonic Jazzmaster, I wouldn’t have considered, it but I like it. “On the one hand, I’m a bit of a purist: all my Jazzmasters are old ‘60s ones, and I can be quite particular about some things,” he admits. “I like the fact that people are coming up with new things that can give you new tools and new sounds. “I love it when something new comes along that gives you new tools - although there’s some things that I’m not into. I don’t have much time for seven-string guitars or things like that. But I appreciate that for a lot of people, they’re a massive innovation and they love it. There’ll always be new things that surprise us.” Head to Fender Music Australia for more details on the American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster.
BY WILL BREWSTER
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London Grammar Hannah Reid is staring down the barrel of her webcam, in the midst of yet another Zoom interview for her band’s third studio album. She’s thought a lot about the alternate timeline, as many musicians have – in which said band, London Grammar, already released said album, Californian Soil. She’s on the other side of the world, bandmates in tow, as they wrap up another leg of their supporting tour. She’s meeting fans after the shows, doing press during the day – run-of-the-mill stuff by your usual standards, but in the current climate it feels borderline utopian. “It’s been disappointing, of course,” says Reid – back in reality, back on Zoom from her Nottingham home. “It’s not been an easy process to release this music at all – even something as simple as shooting a music video has been difficult. If anything, though, it’s made me more grateful that I still get to do this. “I have a friend who works for the NHS, and it’s actually made me feel so lucky. Even though we can’t do gigs, there’s nothing stopping me from continuing the creative process. Just seeing what she’s had to deal with and go through... I’ve got nothing to complain about.” After what has felt like endless delays – even pushing the album back to April after its initial February release date – the trio are at long last on the cusp of releasing Californian Soil, nearly four years removed from its predecessor Truth is a Beautiful Thing. Reid has allowed herself to breathe with the knowledge that the trio’s hard work will soon be a matter of public record. “We have faith in the album,” she says. “We have faith in our fans. Hopefully, the music will speak for itself.”
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Reid also notes that going through this experience with her bandmates – guitarist Daniel Rothman and drummer/ keyboardist Dot Major – has strengthened their immediate dynamic, and made them all the more resilient in the process. “I think on the second album, there was too much external influence over what we were doing,” she continues. “We started to let other people’s opinions affect us a little bit too much. “On this album, we found a strength between the three of us again. The attitude was that we’re just gonna do whatever we want. If people don’t care, there’s nothing we can do about that. I think we understand each other as individuals better, having made this record together.” Reid points to the album’s title track and its closer, ‘America,’ as key breakthroughs for the group in terms of developing its overall sound. Though the two don’t share a tonne of musical similarities, they are both united by the unique prospect of using foreign land as central imagery. This is not a new concept, of course – the amount of songs titled either ‘New York’ or ‘California’ are inversely proportionate to the artists that are actually from those places. When queried on what compelled the songwriting to focus in on the supposed land of the free, Reid ties it to both consumption and personal experience.
“I think the reason so many people that aren’t from America write about it is that we all grew up surrounded by so much of its pop culture,” she says. “For me, when I actually went there, I was especially drawn to the landscape. I was so compelled by the land, and how beautiful it is. It always evoked a lot of feelings in me, and I guess these songs were my way of processing them.” Californian Soil maintains much of the ambience and atmosphere that came with London Grammar’s best-known work. It does, however, deviate in certain sonic aspects that allow the record to stand apart from its two predecessors. Lead single ‘Baby It’s You’, for instance, marks one of the more upbeat and electronic efforts within the band’s canon. Elsewhere, ‘How Does It Feel’ embraces the warmth of pristine pop, contrasted with Reid’s emotive vocal delivery. The frontwoman pins down several key influences that drove the creative process, among them trip-hop figureheads like Massive Attack and Portishead. “We’re all ‘90s babies, obviously, so it’s what we all grew up on,” says Reid. “Dan, in particular, is a massive Portishead fan. I would say a lot of my vocals are very directly influenced by a lot of 90s singers as well.” Surprisingly, however, Reid also points to country music as being a key touchstone for her songwriting and performances on the album. “Country has this tragic sadness to it,” she says. “I really love that – there’s this real beauty to it. There are songs on the album, like ‘America,’ that have that vibe. ‘All My Love’ has it too, especially in Dan’s guitar part.”
Reid goes on to discuss her own framework in terms of writing the songs for Californian Soil. To her, this record was an attempt to better express her innermost thoughts and emotions, articulating them in a way she’d never quite been able to before. “I think I found more strength in just being a bit braver with my lyrics,” she says. “I laid my soul bear on this album in a way that I don’t think that I’ve really done before. I felt like that was my job, to make myself really vulnerable. “There were moments on the second record where I was able to go to that place, but there were others where I just couldn’t. Dan and Dot made sure the entire thing was comfortable, creating this environment where I was able to say what I wanted without thinking too much.” Besides everything else, however, Reid is quite certain as to what the most important factor was in the album-making process. “Dan got a dog!” she says. “Every night we were in the studio, she’d just curl up in my lap and fall asleep. It was almost meditative – she’s such an amazing dog.” The inspiration behind “Baby It’s You,” no doubt? “Exactly,” Reid laughs. BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
Californian Soil is out via Dew Process on Friday April 16.
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Now available
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Tori Forsyth Tori Forsyth’s new record Provlépseis follows 2018’s breakthrough album, Dawn Of The Dark: a country-tinged reflection on the rural upbringing of the singer-songwriter, where country music has always been an important facet of the sonic landscape. But as time goes on, she notes that her tastes have broadened and developed into areas from heavy metal through to blues, which is reflective in the rockier sounds of Provlépseis. “I love country music, that’s where I started, but I wanted to incorporate more of what I was listening to, and where I’m at in my life. Without it sounding confusing, I wanted to be able to cram as much as possible into my record that I’m inspired by, and I think that shapes the individual sound.” “When you listen to your favourite artist and they have so many different genres in their sound, it’s inspiring” she adds. Tori notes that a rich abundance of musical tastes should be the norm among all musicians. “I think that every artist should be drawing from different genres that are outside of their comfort zone,” she says. “Music has so many facets to it, I find it interesting that people don’t explore outside of what they have been originally taught or originally know, and they stick to their one train of thought. “I think that for me personally, it’s therapy that I listen to a bunch of different music.” During the recording process, Tori was immersed in the listening of a vast array of artists outside of the country sphere, name-dropping acts like Nirvana, Hole, PJ Harvey and Soundgarden as being central to the sound of Provlépseis.
“It’s a different energy when you’re playing rock music as opposed to country. You always read about rock bands and performing they go to a different place, it’s like an out of body experience, it’s something you can’t articulate,” she says, noting that her newer hardedged material has allowed her to experience the joys of live performance in a whole new manner now. “I love my ballads; that’s my forte. I love writing them and singing them. But when everybody on stage has this particular same energy, and people in the audience are vibing it, it really is something you can’t explain, it’s incredible” she assures. The broader and fuller sound of Provlépseis also comes courtesy of its production. Provlépseis marks the return of long-time Forsyth producer and ARIA-award winner Shane Nicholson, with whom Forsyth shares a professional friendship that’s clicked well and helped her shine over the years. “I’ve known Shane for nearly six years now, he’s been one of the biggest champions of my career,” she says.
“While I was writing this record, I was teaching myself full records of Nirvana and Hole, so of course that’s going to be an influence,” says Forsyth,
“I feel really lucky to have met him early on, he’s one of my greatest mentors. His music knowledge is so broad which is good for me, because I listen to so much music too, a lot of different music. So for him to understand that and not be so narrow-minded is great.”
The harder resonance of Provlépseis lets Forsyth incorporate a fuller band sound on the live stage, allowing for a more memorable and impactful live performance in the wake of the pandemic.
However, it’s clear to note that Nicholson and other musical compatriots only provide Forsyth with a helping hand much later in
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the song-making and production process, with Tori noting that she’s not much of a fan of the co-writing route. “I would ask for advice maybe structurally or with guitar ideas, because that’s just out my area, and I enjoy other people’s creative minds around that,” she reasons. “I’ve definitely been told to do the co-write thing, that’s something that’s been drilled in to me since I began, that co-writing is a really important aspect of being an artist, and everyone needs to do it, and you need to do it in order to be successful. I’m not good at it, and I don’t like it. “It’s not on the other person either, I just find it really difficult to be honest while somebody’s sitting there.” Although Forsyth isn’t perturbed at the idea of co-writing on the horizon, she’s happy with the way things are right now; “I’m not putting it off the table, but for now, I still love writing, and inspired by the act of writing therapeutically,” she explains. “There’s definitely people who try to persuade you to do different things, but sticking to my guns is definitely proven to be the best thing.” One of Tori’s main goals with songwriting is to create pieces that are true to herself, and much alike her favourite music, songs that have the ability to evoke an emotion and truly connect with an audience; “I think I want people to be able to resonate with lyrics, whilst being able to go through every phase of what music can do for you emotionally. I think that this record has things to make you feel really great, and it has things to make you probably a bit sad, and I love that about a record. “Evoking emotion is one of music’s biggest powers, and I really hope that listeners of this record feel that emotional rollercoaster that I love to feel during the listening of a record.” BY BENJAMIN LAMB Provlépseis is out on Friday May 21 via Island Records Australia.
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Liz Stringer Liz Stringer had just moved to Canada in winter 2018 when she began writing the bulk of First Time Really Feeling, her sixth studio album set for release via Milk! Records this April. Without a doubt, it’s her most honest and personal album yet. “A lot happened for me in the years between 2015 and when I made the album. Just personally one of those things was getting sober and I think I just hadn’t had much access to myself, to my inner world before that” Liz says. “There’s a couple of songs on there that I wrote in 2016 which I had just been playing live. I sort of do that thing when I say, ‘I feel like it’s time to make an album and I wanted to go into the studio.’” Stringer says that she feels this way every two years, even though the last album All the Bridgers was released in 2016, “the recording was still to that pattern, but I hadn’t released it until three years after that.” She says she’s had First Time Really Feeling sitting on a hard drive since 2018, waiting for it to feel right to release but says that “for various reasons, it wasn’t the right time to put it out, or to attempt to release it.” Perhaps surprisingly, COVID-19 wasn’t the reason for the delay though. “We weren’t planning on releasing it last year, that was never on the cards. Now, it feels like the right time for me as a person,” Stringer explains. While in Canada, Stringer met Toronto-based producer Chris Stringer (“weirdly, no relation”) through a mutual friend, who ultimately approached her about making an album. Although it wasn’t quite what Liz had in mind for the album at the time, the pair bunkered down to complete the record at Union Sound Company, a spacious facility set-up and cofounded by Chris in Toronto. Liz is quick to praise Chris for his production and engineering contributions to the record, describing him as someone who was “a good balancer, was supportive and made sure they were both equally invested.” “It’s his record as much as it is mine,” she says, noting that her music is “very melodically rich and it requires to be quite dense and quite layered.” Thankfully, Chris managed to pick up on this, and the results were nothing short of spectacular.
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“When I heard the first mixes, I almost started crying cause it was the first I really heard my sound really realised,” Stringer says with gusto. Describing the band she worked with as “amazing”, the band who worked with Stringer on First Time Really Feeling included Joshua Van Tassel on drums, Devon Henderson on bass and Adrian Gordon Cook on the keys, with Adrian previously performing guitar with her in a prior version of her live band. “The first three or four days we were in there together with the band, and then the next five or six I was there just with Chris,” Stringer says of the recording process, reminiscing on the positive atmosphere as snow fell outside while they worked. “(There were) a couple of moments recording where the band just got really locked in and it was a really beautiful experience.” First Time Really Feeling also marks a unique departure from Stringer’s older material, as she made the decision to turn her songwriting inwards instead of looking out towards other people’s perspectives and their lives. “I’m just really interested in human stories and human condition,” she explains, noting that she had to do a lot of inner work on herself and ‘face some demons’ during the record’s creative cycle. “Sort of ironically, I couldn’t write on my own human perspective so that’s the thing that’s really changed,” she says. “Music has always served that function for me, and songwriting to a great extent. It became even
more necessary for me to even be able to process what was going on for me.” Another influence upon Stringer’s songwriting came through her move to Toronto, which allowed her to have space “geographically and emotionally from living in Melbourne.” “Things were pretty sketchy for me mental health wise and dealing with being sober,” she confesses, noting that even though she found it hard missing family and friends back in Melbourne, the move acted as a much-needed reprieve. “Ultimately, it gave me this beautiful space to really just deal with shit and write with less self-conscience.” While Toronto might have shaped the sounds of First Time Really Feeling, Liz managed to escape back to Australia in time for the pandemic, recalling how lucky she felt to be able to live with her family while Melbourne in lockdown. “As an artist I know the music industry suffered and continues to suffer greatly, and I was in a middle of a tour and half of that got canned. Lockdown was hard, but for many people it was way harder,” she says, noting that she used her time by reading, writing and learning how to self-record, which she wouldn’t have time to do under normal circumstances. For now, Liz is excited to see gigs are coming back. She’s just finished performing alongside Midnight Oil (“A waking dream, it was crazy!”), and is looking forward to touring Australia with her new band later in June (“I’m loving the way it feels and sounds”), saying that she has no doubts that the music industry will bounce back after the hard hit it got from 2020. An avid AFL fan, she says she’s also excited for football to be back in Melbourne, noting that “it’s a pretty grim city” without all the cultural entertainment Melbourne has to offer. “Those are the two things that give the city so much personality. I think it’s a big part of the recovery of Melbourne having the football back for sure.” BY CHLOE KARIS First Time Really Feeling is out Friday April 30 via Milk! Records.
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TASH SULTANA STRATOCASTER®
The TASH SULTANA STRATOCASTER® in Transparent Cherry
©2020 Fender Musicial Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, STRATOCASTER, and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender Guitars and Basses are registered trademarks of FMIC. Yosemite is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved.
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Pedaltrain Some gear companies shoot for financial success - Pedaltrain, on the other hand, simply aim to change the game. For over 20 years, the Nashville-based firm have singlehandedly changed the way musicians approach their pedalboards, with their range of rugged and versatile floorboards proving to be a one-brand revolution among pedal-heads. As they enter their third decade of operation, we catch up with COO Jim Colella for a chat about their modus operandi, what they look for in products and what’s next for the company. Take us back to the early days of Pedaltrain. How did the company come about in the first place? Prior to founding Pedaltrain in 1999, John Chandler was a professional guitar technician based out of Nashville, Tennessee. As you know, Nashville is home to many professional touring entertainers. His clients included numerous GRAMMY awardnominated artists with album sales certified by Soundscan and RIAA in excess of one million albums (Platinum). His clients performed in front of hundreds of thousands of fans annually in some of the most prestigious and recognised venues around the world. Each night, when his clients took the stage, their instruments and supporting equipment had to be in perfect working order. When not on the road, John worked for a commercial awning company, installing awnings at restaurants and shopping malls. Extruded aluminium frames supported these awnings. John wondered if these extruded aluminium pieces could be arranged to support guitar effects pedals, and solve the problem his pro touring friends were having. John borrowed a specialised welder, got tinkering in the garage, and made some prototypes. Word spread very quickly in Nashville. Pedaltrain was born! What was the floorboard sector like when you entered the market? How did you guys nail what seems to be such a utilitarian product and come to dominate the field? The only real pedal boards, if you can call them that, were custom made switching systems. This solution was only available to wealthy professionals. There wasn’t much in terms of a budget-friendly solution, and certainly nothing that allowed cables to be routed through the mounting surface. Back then, many Nashville pros used flat pieces of plywood and screws.
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Our founder knew the rigours of professional touring travel caused frequent equipment failures. Guitar effects pedals and their associated audio and power cabling were the most susceptible to damage and mishandling, both at the hands (or feet as it were) of the energised performers and those people responsible for transporting the equipment between venues. In the 1990s, one of the primary duties of a guitar technician was to repair and rebuild these guitar effects pedals in time for each night’s performance. Invariably, cables would be torn loose, sockets of pedals would be bent, the pedals would be torn loose from plywood mounting boards, and knobs would be damaged. This was the genesis of Pedaltrain, and what got John working in his garage. How has Pedaltrain evolved over the past twenty years to keep up with the needs of musicians who use your products? First, we always listen to our customers. We talk directly to real musicians. Not in contrived “marketing focus groups”, either. We actively talk to active Pedaltrain users at shows, backstage, in stores and online. We talk to musicians that are very famous and those that are just starting out. Everyone has a voice. If you are ever in a Nashville guitar shop and some guy walks up and starts asking you about pedals, pedal boards or cases, it is probably me! More to the point about listening, I personally read and review every single customer service email that we receive from around the world. This ensures that we have great customer service, of course. But it also tells me what is on people’s minds and helps me anticipate changes in trends.
This leads me to the second way we evolve: iteration. Pedaltrain products are always changing. Sometimes in visible ways, sometimes in ways only I notice. Either way, we are relentlessly improving. Consider that we started with one model and today we offer over 35 models and case combinations. We have quietly revised our soft case design 15 times in the last five years. We are always making it better. Better materials, better zippers, deeper, better shoulder straps… Always relentlessly better. The Pedaltrain you buy in 2021 is by far the best Pedaltrain product we have ever made. Third, we are very self-critical. The standard we hold for our products demands excellence and we are ruthlessly committed to achieving it. We do not cut corners, ever. We do not use cheaper materials or processes. We do not use inferior construction techniques like bent, rolled, and stamped metals. We do not attach critical components with screws and the like. Everything is handmade, hand cut and hand welded. Lastly, I consider larger needs. For me, it is not enough to simply make great products. The way the products are made is very important. We protect our environment. We have implemented state of the art air filtration and eco-friendly manufacturing processes. We strive for five-nines recycling (99.999%) of waste. We use very little plastic in our products and packaging. All of this is intentional and I am driven to be a good steward of our world’s resources. Similarly, the way we meet the needs of the less fortunate is also important. We give generously to charity via our HOOK LOOP LOVE line of products. Finally, what’s over the horizon for Pedaltrain in 2021 and beyond? In addition to the constant improvement of our current products, we have a full pipeline of products in the queue. I can’t wait for you to hear them. (hint hint) Pedaltrain are distributed in the domestic market via EGM Distribution. BY WILL BREWSTER
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Studio Special
Rockinghorse Studios Looking to record your next album overlooking the idyllic surrounds of Byron Bay? Rockinghorse Studios might just be up your alley. We chat with producer/engineer Nicholas Wilson to find out more about the studios, their recent upgrades and the amazing accomodation options on offer.
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Give us a brief history of Rockinghorse - how long has it been around for, and how has it evolved over the years?
Who’s currently working at Rockinghorse - can you tell us a bit about your in-house engineers and producers?
The Studio opened in 1992 and used to run two Tascam M3500 consoles and two Studer A820MCH tape machines. The consoles later got upgraded to a Neve V series 48 channel console which remained there until 2016 when we decided to make significant changes by removing the console and creating a modular recording space without a console as the centrepiece. We retained all the classic analogue outboard and had Pro Harmonic rack up parts of the Neve console’s channel strips.
Nicholas Wilson has been a producer and audio engineer here since 2009. He’s worked on countless records and artists, and was nominated for an ARIA as engineer of the year in 2014 for his work on Land Of Pleasure.
Paint us a portrait of the entire complex. How many rooms are at Rockinghorse, and what kind of acts are they best suited for? Studio A has three acoustically designed live rooms plus the control room. We have recorded predominantly bands but have also done lots of voiceovers, ADR and even choirs. Studio B recently had the previous computer and HD system from Studio A put in, running 16 Neve V series channel strips and the Apogee Symphony MKII. The space features a large control room and one smaller live room which makes the space ideal for smaller projects and overdubs.
Paul Pilsneniks joined us in 2017 after working as a producer and audio engineer at 301 Studios Byron Bay. Artists he has worked with include Angus and Julia Stone, Dope Lemon, Powderfinger, Boy And Bear and many more. Steven Schram joined the team recently and has been one of the country’s top producers for the past 20 years. He has worked with artists such as Paul Kelly, San Cisco, Little Birdy, Darren Middleton and many more. He won an ARIA for engineer of the year for Paul Kelly’s Nature LP. Studio A underwent a number of upgrades last year. Tell us a bit about what was involved in that process: What went in to make it better? We did the major upgrades in 2016/2017 but were still running ProTools 10 along with an Apogee Symphony MKII And a couple of avid 192s. We are now running an HDX system with one Lynx Aurora n 32x32 IO and a new Mac Mini with the HDX card housed
in a Thunderbolt 3 chassis. One advantage of this setup is that producers and engineers have the option of bringing in their own Thunderbolt 3 enabled computer to run their sessions. Artists can choose to stay onsite at while recording at Rockinghorse. How does this help facilitate the creative process of tracking a record? Staying at the studio gives the artists the opportunity to immersive themselves fully into the process and be able to shut off from outside influences which in turn increases productivity and creativity. We have a couple of accommodation options available to suit different budgets and needs as we understand that our clients range from start up to established artists. Our five bedroom luxury home comes with all the comforts and perfect for larger groups and bands. The property itself is extensive and having the chance to relax and turn off from everyday life brings out a creative process that is hard to replicate. The location and surroundings combined with world class studio equipment, purposely designed rooms, great engineers and the option to stay onsite make it the perfect place to work and seem to be unique to this studio. And not to forget, Byron Bay is right on our doorstep! Head online to find out more about Rockinghorse Studios today.
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STUDIO SPECIAL
Empire Music Studios
What about the sound reinforcement you’re using?
Essentially Melbourne’s answer to Sydney’s iconic Studios 301, the story of Empire Music Studios stretches all the way back to the ‘80s, where it was originally founded as Studio 52.
We took over a large factory space of 1250sqm so the first thing we needed to do was sound-proof the steel roof and quieten the whole building, we used a lot of materials from Autex Australia including the acoustic blanket that is used for aircraft hangers and large factories.
Now based in Heidelberg, Empire looks to continue their rich legacy with some of the best recording rooms in Victoria, offering up a creative hub for musicians from all walks of life. To find out more about Empire Music Studios, we spoke with studio manager Paul Higgins for a comprehensive overview of what they’ve got to offer. Give us a brief history of Studio 52: who has been involved with the studio over the years, and how has it transformed into what Empire Music Studios is today? Studio 52 spent almost 34 years at Johnston St, Collingwood until the building was earmarked by developers and demolished to make way for new apartments. The original co-songwriters and business partners, Trevor Carter and Paul Higgins are still working together and head up the new Empire Music Studios facility. Paul and Trevor met in 1983 and became songwriters, the original studio was meant to further that endeavour but soon became overtaken with the commercial realities of running a business. Before long they were doing albums and singles for the growing indie market. Who works at Empire Music Studios today? Can you introduce us to some of the engineers and producers who inhabit your studios? Trevor Carter is still the head engineer and the main producer, he has so much experience and so much expertise across all kinds
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or music and recording methods having made hundreds of records. One of our other regular engineers is Mat Robbins who has a long history of working in top studios. He did a lot of work at Collingwood and is keen to work more at Heidelberg. We are also keen to meet up with more photographers, video makers and graphic artists. Currently Stan Traianedes is our main photographer in-house, he is great for music work and also for fashion shoots. Tell us a bit about your main recording rooms? Studio 1 is the smaller of the three main studios but still has a separate drum booth so you do a full five-piece band without any trouble. It’s often used for vocal production, Pop, RnB and Hip Hop but is great for a small piece jazz group as well. Studio 2 has a larger record are of 85sqm and is perfect for just about any multi piece band and great acoustics for jazz. Our main Yamaha C7 is in Studio 2 so it has already attracting some top jazz pianists who say it is the best piano in Melbourne. Studio A, which is still being completed, will be Melbourne’s premier space for orchestral, choir or large ensemble recording. The studio is due for completion within the next few months. It is likely to house a 9’ Yamaha Grand along with a special Baldwin ex-pianola upright grand piano that is around 100 years old.
We then brought in 2 x 40’ containers of high-grade 80kg density Rockwool from China. That has been used to float the floors of each studio and in all the walls for soundproofing. We also used bought 52 pallets of cement cladding tiles for soundproofing part of the structure along with the usual “room within room” methods of studio construction. Finally we have used an enormous amount of Autex acoustic materials including the 15, 25 and 50mm acoustic wall covering and coloured wall materials that are made in Melbourne. We also made all of our own diffusers on site and used a lot of recycled timber and off cut wood in those as well. Empire also offers a number of production suites for artists to hire on a long-term permanent or semi-permanent hired basis. What can we expect from these spaces, and how much does it cost to hire one for personal use? We are looking for permanent and semi permanent tenants for these suites. Currently they can be booked for around $300 or $400 per day but we are more keen to follow the model of Studios 301 in Sydney by having multiple suites run by individual producers who work in with the main business but bring in their own clients and share use of the bigger studios occasionally. We also have a photography suite that
we are looking to sublet in the same manner with someone who can also work with our clients from time to time. Empire Music Studios is also heavily affiliated with the Kool Skools initiative - tell us a bit about your involvement with that. The constant desire to work with new artists and to help in playing that first role of introducing people to the industry then led the studio to go one step closer to the source by starting what has been the most important project of all, Kool Skools. This gave the studio the chance to work with around 300-400 teenage acts each year doing original music all around Australia. 2021 is now the 25th year of the Kool Skools Project and a complete rebuild after the project was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid restrictions. The project has had an astounding impact on the industry helping to launch dozens and dozens of important ongoing artists including big names like Delta Goodrem, Missy Higgins, Casey Donovan, Axle Whitehead, The Cat Empire, Anthony Callea and so many others in and around the industry. Finally, how can we get in touch with you to book studio time, or keep up to date with what’s going on at the studio? Paul Higgins is the main contact for all bookings at this stage. Please call 0412686252 or email paul@studio52.com.au. You can also keep up to date with the studio on Instagram, Facebook and our website studio52.com.au which will soon be replaced with an all new comprehensive site at empiremusicstudios.com.au Head online to book a session at Empire Music Studios today.
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STUDIO SPECIAL When you’re working on a mix, what processes do you employ to get the job done to make sure the client is happy? I mix fast and back my instincts. That’s not to say they’re always right, but I’d rather try something than not. I’m an aggressive mixer in that, because of my production/ songwriting background, I can add creatively to a song where needed or just make whatever is sent through sound better. It just depends on the song.
Mixed by Zolton From songwriting and production to mixing and beyond, Zolton just keeps on establishing himself as of the most versatile assets available to Sydney’s musical community today. We spoke with the head honcho about his mixing ethos, his studio space in Surry Hills and what he listens out for while working on a track.
How do you maintain your passion and drive to work in such a gruelling industry? I’m just getting started on the mixing side of it, so I’m the opposite of jaded: I’m totally immersed in it and loving every moment. There are so many amazing digital tools these days that help shape and refine sound. I have a great collection of plugins, a good selection of monitors, and a well treated room. So every day I get to spend in the studio being creative is a pleasure. You operate out of a facility in Surry Hills, Sydney. Tell us all about it - when did you set it all
Introduce us to Salt Studios what’s your history and who’s involved in the studio? Salt Studios was established in 2001 in the Bayside area of Melbourne. The location and facility was chosen for its character, accessibility and proximity to great cafes, shops and public transport. In 2004 we turned our attention to live recording, and to this day have recorded over 1,500 live gigs and released 40 plus instant live albums in venues across Australia.
Salt Studios Salt Studios are a mainstay within Melbourne’s recorded music scene. For 20 years, they’ve provided the Bayside regions with killer-sounding recordings for EPs and albums, and have been at the forefront of voice-over and podcasting even before its recent boom. We spoke with Studio Manager Peter Frawley to find out more about Salt Studios
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Salt Studios also provides services for voice-over, podcast and ASMR. How have you seen these fields boom in recent years? Over the past five years we have seen an increase in the need for quality voice over recordings and podcasting services. People now consume just about everything via the internet, and businesses are now producing more and more marketing content and presentations that require bespoke music and voice-over. The podcasting boom has also led to our studio being booked out on a regular basis, with many clients that will produce up to four podcasts in a day. We also produce and update Voice Over
up, and what kind of equipment do you have set up there? I moved into this space just a couple of months ago. Prior to that, I was operating out of a less treated room. And the difference is stark! This new room sounds great and allows me to mix louder when needed than I had been doing. I mix fully in the box, using Logic Pro. Plugin-wise I tend to gravitate towards emulations of classic units, unless it’s problem solving software (RX Pro, Melda Drum Replacer) or uniquely modern ways of playing with sound and depth (StageOne by Leapwing, DRMS by Matthew Lane). I love Maag EQs, Lexicon and RC24/48 reverbs, and the Apogee Bob Clearmountain technology is fantastic too. For monitors, I’m using Dynaudio BM5s, SuperCube 5s and Avantone Mixcube. The Supercubes are a little known brand out of Eastern Europe that I read about on the Gearspace forum and purchased without hearing first. They sound wonderful: so clear in the mids and punchy in the low end. They complement the brighter, more expansive BM5s nicely.
Showreels for Professional VO Talent, Actors, Radio Personnel and new talent entering the industry. Introduce us to your engineers - what are their backgrounds, and what do they specialise in? Alex Quayle joined us in 2011. He has years of experience as both an engineer and as a recording musician. Alex’s band Slowly Slowly are well represented on our National airwaves and Alex knows how to get that produced sound that artists are looking for. Ross Caygill joined us in 2018 and has since then become an integral part of the Salt Studios team. Ross works across all areas of the studios, including working with bands and artists as an engineer, producer, and session musician, to working with corporate clients and voiceover artists to bring life to podcasts and showreels. Give us a rundown of some of the equipment at Salt Studios. At the heart of our studio is an AMEK Hendrix console featuring AMEK’s “classic British” preamps and EQ designed by Rupert Neve. Other equipment includes a range of high-end outboard preamps and compressors including API, Avalon, Universal Audio Chandler
What are your rates like? How can we get in touch with you to find out more about your services? At this stage of my mixing career, my rates are very reasonable. But get in quick! (wink wink). I’m comfortable working across all genres of music and will always ensure that you’re 100% happy with the final mix. The best way to contact me is via email at zolton@ mixedbyzolton.com. You can also hear some mix samples at my website. I’d love to have a chat with artists at any level of their career about how I can help you realise your artistic vision. Get in touch with Zolton today at mixedbyzolton.com.
and Neve. Our microphone collection consists of Neuman, Coles, AKG, Sure, Rode. Our main monitors are a pair of Event Opals as well as an old pair of NS10’s. We also run a Pro Tools HD system using Arora Lynx converters. The studio is connected to Source Connect and has video playback for sound for film and video based projects. What are your rates like? Do you have any grouped recording packages to make things more affordable for artists? Our EP Deal is $2,200 and consists of x5 8hr days for recording and mixing. You can also book multiple EP Deals to produce an album if you like. Our Demo deal is $880 for x2 back to back 8hr days. Our full day rate is $525 and we have a x3hr session for $295 and a x5 hr session for $385. All prices include GST and the use of studio A with one of our experienced engineers. Find out more about Salt Studios at www.saltstudios.com.au, and get in touch them on (03) 9592 4233 or email info@saltstudios.com.au to book a session today.
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BROADCAST
MICROPHONE
Every aspect of the Q9U has been designed to fulfill the needs of broadcasters. We started with a pro-grade dynamic capsule, added XLR and 24-bit/96kHz USB-C outputs and made sure to include zero-latency monitoring and a built-in mute switch. Connect directly to a computer or integrate it into a production studio. The Q9U allows everyone to share their story. © 2021 Samson | samsontech.com Electric Factory Pty Ltd 51 Northgate Drive Thomastown VIC 3074 samson@elfa.com.au www.elfa.com.au
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PERCUSSION
Four channels? No worries!
Lockdown. Cue the maxedout credit cards and lastminute dashes to buy musical instruments or in my case, recording gear because there was undoubtedly going to be the requirement to broadcast drums over the net, either via Zoom calls or through isolation recordings. My main issue, however, was that I didn’t really know how to record drums and the subsequently lead to some serious, super late night YouTube research.
The interface I probably could have saved more and got a cheaper eight preamp channel interface at the cost of sacrificing some sound quality but in the end, I settled on getting an Audient iD44 – a four channel interface with high-quality preamps from Audient’s larger consoles, dedicated guitar DI inputs, USB-C and expandable ADAT connectivity (for extra channels later on) as well as some many other handy features. Yes, the only issue was that it was just four channels but after much talk with people in the know, the advice was that I work on being able to get a decent sound with just four mics and get to know the gear and techniques involved first before complicating things with multiple mics. With my mind at ease, and I had my mission. How do I get a good sound with only four mics? Here’s my brief solution.
Yes DAW, I do need mics There’s a bunch DAW options available, but you do need
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one. I chose Logic because the workspace is simple, and it has a stack of awesome stock plugins. I decided to use my vintage ‘60s Ludwig Super Classic and to try applying some of the recording (playing sessions) techniques I’ve learned over the years.
(no close mics on the toms) and generally relies on a larger, great sounding room – which I don’t necessarily have. Regardless, this simple drum mic’ing technique uses a bass drum mic and two large diaphragm condensers as overheads.
I thought it would be easier to go with a dampened, deader sounding kit – tape/tissue on the snare and tuned lower to get a phat ‘70s vibe. Toms too – lower and thick sounding, applying dampening where needed to get a note but keep it controlled. It’s really an experimenting game here. Start with loose heads and gradually bring them up until a note appears, then tweak the dampening until you get the vibe you want.
The first is approximately 1 to 1.2 metres directly above the snare drum and the other measured equal distance from the snare drum 90 degrees just past the floor tom. The distance from the mics to the snare drum is crucial so the loudest sound on the kit hits the mics at the same time and this avoids phase issues, which can leave your mix sounding weird, thin etc.
The only mics I had were a Rode NT2 large diaphragm condenser, an Audix D6 that I use in my bass drum when playing live and a couple of Shure staples - SM57 and Beta57 as well as a Sennheiser 935 vocal mic. I figured I could get something happening with these microphone selections then a great producer friend of mine Mitch Cairns mailed me out a matched pair of MXL 603S mics pencil condensers and I was suddenly in the game. I had a variety of mics to at least experiment with. But where do I place the mics?
Glyn Johns the recorder man? My first attempt at recording the legendary Glyn Johns (producer/ engineer for Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and way more) method is only technically a threemic affair. It’s a fairly live sound
The idea with Glyn Johns is to achieve a simple but balanced ‘image’ of the drumkit in the mix. The snare drum should sound in the centre of the image with the rack and floor toms at even volumes. I actually found that the floor tom was usually louder than the rack tom, so the second mic often required some moving. Regardless of where I moved the mics, I always maintained that equal distance from the snare. Speaking of the snare drum, I decided to cheat here and actually close mic it because I really loved the idea of being able to manipulate the sound individually from the overheads. I experimented with different mics but an SM57 usually got the gong. Likewise, because I didn’t have two large diaphragm condensers, the matched pair pencil mics were substituted for the overheads and they worked well. I actually tried using the Rode NT2 on the bass drum for a more natural sound but
generally anyone I recorded for preferred the scooped vibe of the D6 on the kick. The thing is, the more I experimented with mic placement, the more I moved that floor tom side mic and really, it ceased being the Glyn Johns technique. I didn’t love my room sound/ceiling reflection that much and wanted to bring the overheads closer a little for more toms, but then I usually got too much hats. Then I stumbled on another technique called Recorder Man. Place the first overhead straight over the snare or even pointing directly between the snare and the rack tom at a distance of two drumsticks high - the magic measuring tool. Place the other overhead the same distance but behind the right shoulder – if you’re right-handed – pointing back at the snare drum. Now, even though that mic is behind you, the hi-hats can’t bleed through that second overhead as much and because it’s a little higher, the floor tom isn’t automatically louder than the rack. It’s a great compromise overall. You can then really just play around but again, equal distance from the snare just keeps it safe. Overall, the technique/s above yielded a natural sound overall, a good base to play with and definitely got me in the recording game. I’m hooked! BY ADRIAN VIOLI
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GUITAR
Four session guitar icons you need to know
Session/studio guitarists may not receive as much limelight as some of the more ‘visible’ guitar heroes, but their playing and skillset is equally as refined and has provided the licks, solos and riffs to countless tunes in a huge range of styles. The ability to play for the moment and both read and/or create parts is a real skill that takes a nuanced approach. Adept at navigating songs in multiple styles these players have a command of the instrument as well as an understanding of the tones needed – and often several contrasting parts within a single song. Here’s a small selection of some of the finest players you’ll hear (but possibly won’t see).
Paul Jackson Jr. Muted funk picking, small chord voicings, rock styled solos, spacious moody tones and whatever else – Paul Jackson Jr. can and has played it.
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A staple of the ‘70s/‘80s/‘90s with artists such as Chicago, Barry Manilow, Luther Vandross, Kenny Rogers, Madonna, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, George Benson, Michael Jackson, Jackson 5 and Lionel Ritchie, Paul Jackson Jr. is still very much in demand today, whether it’s live, in the studio or as an educator.
Steve Lukather One of the founders of iconic rock band Toto, Steve Lukather has seemingly done it all in the music world. Whilst best known as a highly influential rock guitarist and songwriter he has also played on a huge number of recordings for artists like Michael Jackson, Boz Scaggs, Aretha Franklin, Lionel Richie, Earth Wind and Fire, Quincy Jones, Donna Summer, Joni Mitchell, Rod Stewart and more. Working through the heyday of LA session goodness in the ‘80s and early ‘90s Lukather had some mega rigs with the chops and musical sensibility to back it up.
Brent Mason
Tommy Tedesco
A finer-picker it would be hard to find with Mason’s ability to burn through country, bluegrass and western swing. Thinking of him solely in this capacity is doing him a disservice however as he is capable of beautiful musical depth and creativity.
Often hailed as the most recorded guitarist in history Tedesco made his name in Los Angeles during the ‘60s/‘70s/‘80s.
Moving to Nashville early in his career Mason has forged a reputation as one of the most in demand guitarists of all time (twice voted CMA musician of the year, Grammy winner, Musician’s Hall of Fame member). Alan Jackson, Shania Twain, Neil Diamond, Brooks and Dunn, Chet Atkins and so many more have utilised his talents with Mason playing on over 1000 albums.
Playing Jazz, Rock, Pop and everything in between he was known for his musical flexibility recorded with artists such as The Beach Boys, The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones and Kenny Loggins. Another member of the Wrecking Crew, he recently garnered further recognition with the documentary of the same name highlighting the influence and sheer amount of recordings they played on. BY NICK BROWN
His three pickup Tele is legendary, and recently Fender released the Brent Mason Signature model based on his original guitar with its non-typical middle pickup, push pull pots and special wiring.
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BASS
Four legendary session bassists you need to know
Keeping in line with this month’s studio special I thought we’d look at some truly elite bavss players in the studio/session world. The abilities of these players to turn it on when recording shouldn’t be overlooked. Feel, tone, poise, intonation and excitement are just some of the traits bundled into those precise moments to create a sound and feeling that works for the song. These skills, plus a verified track record, make them in-demand musicians - here’s a few names to get us started.
Pino Palladino Playing a huge range of material (both live and in the studio) from rock to pop to blues to funk, Pino’s upbringing was very rooted in the Motown, funk, jazz and soul genres. Possessing a supreme pocket and ear for creating parts he has been a first call bass player since the early 1970s.
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Pino often wields a P Bass but has also recorded many classic bass lines on a fretless Music Man Stingray. With a resume including Phil Collins, John Mayer, D’Angelo, The Who, Paul Simon, Adele and Erykah Badu (plus many more) he is still hugely in demand today thanks to his ability to play a range of styles.
Carol Kaye One of the most prolific bass players of all time, Kaye was an absolute force in the rock, pop, soul, rhythm and blues world for most of her career. Starting her career as a guitarist, the story is told that during a session the bass player didn’t show up and Kaye offered to jump on bass and play the parts. Already with plenty of work as a studio guitarist, Kaye then added the bass to her arsenal which led to even more dates with the likes of The Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Simon and Garfunkel, Barbara Streisand, The Supremes, Phil Spector and Quincy Jones.
Part of the heralded ‘Wrecking Crew’ Kaye has deservedly received much added recognition in later life and her bass lines, technique and instructional texts are still studied today.
James Jamerson
Justin Meldal-Johnsen
Syncopation, chromaticism, ghost notes and a combination of chops, a strong understanding of melody and harmony and a serious groove helped define the Motown sound. Part of session legends the Funk Brothers, Jamerson can be heard on tracks by Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, John Lee Hooker and The Four Tops.
Active on both the live and studio fronts Justin Medal-Johnsen combines feel and chops with writing and arranging nous. Gig wise he’s probably best known for his work with Beck, Nine Inch Nails and Air but in the studio (in both musician and production roles) he’s worked with Jimmy Eat World, Paramore, Jason Mraz, Sara Bareilles, Dixie Chicks, Tori Amos and more.
His influence is undeniable. Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On credited him as ‘the incomparable James Jamerson’ and there’d be few to argue that point.
BY NICK BROWN
Not afraid to experiment JMJ can keep it simple or add/layer effects, and uses a range of classic and slightly lesser known basses as well as having his own Signature Fender Mustang to boot.
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PRODUCT REVIEW / MI
FENDER
American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | RRP: $3,999
It’s not often that an entirely new product explodes onto the scene in any industry, let alone when discussing musical instruments. The golden era of guitars, the ‘50s and ‘60s has resulted in a market often saturated by reissues, replicas, emulations and, more recently, lawsuits. That’s why the last few years, where Fender has slowly trickled out the Acoustasonic range, is such a breath of fresh air. While admittedly combining two existing guitar designs, they’ve really managed to push the envelope and create a guitar that is neither an acoustic or an electric but somehow an amalgamation of both. The most recent addition to this collection is the Acoustasonic Jazzmaster, preceded by Telecaster and Stratocaster variants. The Acoustasonic range features electronics similarly placed to their electric counterparts, but a smaller sound hole between the neck joint and bridge, similar to an acoustic. What’s produced is a tone that feels simultaneously organic but unfamiliar and new, like some impossible tone of piezo-like clarity. This Jazzmaster features a Fender Acoustasonic Shawbucker in the bridge position as well as a Fishman Under-Saddle Transducer. These are controlled by a master volume pot and a “Mod” knob that blends between the various electronics, as well as a five-way switch. The specifications of this Jazzmaster in particular are
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where this guitar gets interesting. Jazzmasters are generally constructed from ash or alder, while acoustics are often a variation of spruce or maple. The Acoustasonic Jazzmaster is a mahogany body, and is a blend between a chambered body and a full-blown acoustic. The mahogany is finished in a pearl satin polyester finish that controls the tone of the wood. The neck is also constructed from mahogany, and features a Modern Deep “C” shape, similar to Fender’s more recent American Ultra series. The fingerboard is ebony, which provides an interesting contrast to the generally warm sound of the mahogany. The frets are narrow tall, so you’ll feel right at home switching between different Fender guitars, and the 12” radius of the fretboard feels relatively modern. A Graph Tech TUSQ nut gives the whole guitar an articulate and balanced response. The mahogany provides a girthy warmth, controlled by the scooped sound of the ebony board that gives the Acoustasonic Jazzmaster the response of a jazz-box, at least when it’s unplugged. Amplified, the Fishman and Fender collaborated pickups in the Fender Acoustasonic Shawbucker, Fishman UnderSaddle Transducer and Fishman Acoustasonic Enhancer provide a wide array of tones from amplified acoustic to electric rhythms. These three sounds are blended with
the “Mod” knob, or can be used solo with the five-way switch and master volume.
the mids without becoming overly revealing or unflattering to the player.
The Acoustasonic range overall is somehow both what you’d expect from such a modern acoustic design, but also unlike anything you may have played before. Unplugged, the tone is beautifully controlled and does away with the boominess of some larger bodied acoustic guitars, even when strummed hard.
The Acoustasonic Jazzmaster in particular may very well be the missing element in the pursuit for tone. On this model it contains a new three-way system for picking up and amplifying your tone, as well as blending and shaping controls to nail it, no matter what you’re going for. Both unplugged and amplified it can muster tones you may have only dreamed of. It’s neither an acoustic or an electric - it’s both, but also in a class of its own.
On the other hand, nothing is missed with quieter playing and subtle nuances, providing an overall balance that’s difficult to find without employing a compressor. The tone is snappy like an electric, particularly when amplified, but even unplugged it sings and inspires. Straight out of the Deluxe Fender gig bag, the action was set nicely and the guitar played in tune. The 25.5” scale length feels familiar, and the frets feel closer to a jumbo, so it’s definitely a more modern player. Blending between the three pickups you can muster piezoesque dynamics or solid rock chords when tweaking the “Mod” knob, and the five way switch offers the option to switch into a really interesting sound in the Shawbucker. The Shawbucker is a common humbucker choice for a lot of Fender guitars in all price ranges, but the Acoustasonic Shawbucker really is an entirely new beast. It retains the woody quality of an acoustic, and pushes
The specs feel modern, but stellar choices of wood and construction make for a well-tuned and designed guitar. The Acoustasonic Jazzmaster will arrive safe in a Deluxe Fender gig bag, ready to rock both unplugged and amplified. It features revised specs from the Acoustasonic Telecaster and Stratocaster that came before it, making the Jazzmaster the flagship model for the range. Redesigned pickups, a refined body shape and construction really make for an unparalleled playing experience. The future is now and it’s coming to fruition at Fender. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
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PRODUCT REVIEW / MI
FENDER
Chrissie Hynde Signature Telecaster FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | RRP: $2,699
The Chrissie Hynde Telecaster was one of the most exciting announcements for Fender’s 2021 range. After forming the Pretenders in 1978, Chrissie has remained the only constant member, while handling lead vocals and lead guitars as well as the song writing, landing her a place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Much of this history has been written with her ‘65 Fender Telecaster strung across her shoulder, and the Chrissie Hynde Telecaster memorialises just that. The Pretenders have found fame through their broad range of styles and influences, seamlessly blending pop, rock, punk and balladry into one unique and instantly recognisable sound. Finished officially in Ice Blue Metallic, the Chrissie Hynde Telecaster features Fender’s Road Worn Nitrocellulose Lacquer that dulls the blue back a little to further compliment the gigtough chrome mirror pickguard. This one comes in a deluxe hardcase and features a rosewood fretboard, nicely offset against the hazy blue of the nitro finish. The Chrissie Hynde Telecaster is a force to be reckoned with, much like the woman herself. It can harness a variety of tones with a few simple controls, thanks to specifically voiced custom pickups and the Telecaster’s time tested layout and design.
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The Chrissie Hynde Telecaster is about as classic as the Pretenders’ driving rhythms and slow strummed choruses. This Tele had a body made from alder and covered in a nitrocellulose lacquer allowing the tone of the wood to breathe a little more. The rosewood board is a vintage radius at 7.25” and 21 vintage tall frets divide the tones between the synthetic bone nut and string-through-body Tele bridge, with stainless steel saddles that are a nice touch. This stainless steel reduces wear and rust over time, while the string-through-body helps offer that classic vintage Fender feel as well as allowing the strings resonate through the single-cut, alder body. The construction of this guitar really lends itself to the workhorse, offering a bunch of hard wearing and solid parts and materials. The chrome pickguard offers a little extra spank that’s picked up by the custom Chrissie Hynde single-coils. The pickups are voiced to accurately replicate the tone from the pickups in her ‘65 Tele, and offer classic voicing with a little extra magic in the mids and pick attack. These pickups are controlled by, as standard, a three-way switch and a master volume and master tone. Your Chrissie Hynde Tele will arrive safe in a deluxe Fender hardshell case, which, don’t get me wrong, is a welcome addition for such a reasonably priced guitar.
All of these specs make for a Telecaster with classic vintage Fender feel and vibe. The mid-60s “C” shape takes us back to the golden era of Fender electrics, and the vintage tall frets inspire a certain jangly style of riff and chordal strumming. The pickguard offers a particularly metallic attack that flourishes in a mid forward but ever-articulate tone, similar to guitars with an anodised pickguard. The tone is balanced and bright, but the neck pickup is where this guitar really shines. It feels like more than a single coil, but not as sizeable as a humbucker. It’s warm and articulate, thick and creamy, but can poke through without much of a push. The bridge pickup balances out the guitar nicely, offering a clean, compressed tone that takes pedals and amp overdrive well without becoming snarky or sharp. It goes without saying that relicing can sometimes feel overdone, and obviously aged in a fake fashion. This relic, however, is listed as Road Worn and it feels exactly like that, a nicely worn-in workhorse guitar that feels played, loved and cherished but has seen its share of gigs and miles on the road and will continue to see many more. The Fender locking tuners further add to the workhorse feel, with the guitar arriving in tune out of the box and maintaining it throughout this review. You can rest assured
the guitar will stay in tune while slung across your shoulder with the included custom white strap and “CH” embossed sheriff’s badge. All in all, the Chrissie Hynde is one of the best guitars to come out of the Ensenada factory in recent years. To be fair, you’d expect nothing less when commemorating one of the hardest working players in rock ‘n’ roll. This is a super balanced and unique guitar, featuring a bunch of specifications and additions that make it stand out from the crowd. The chrome pickguard, bridge construction, materials and pickups make this unlike any other Tele you’ve played. It’s an all-rounder, and offers clean Fender tone and punchy rock tones, offering something for whatever you’re plugging it into or amplifying it with. Chrissie’s weapon of choice is this Telecaster, that settles nicely between her sing-a-long style vocals and whatever else the Pretenders have happening in their broad range of instrumentation. From piano ballads in ‘I’ll Stand by You’ or bright percussive playing in ‘Back on the Chain Gang’, Chrissie’s Tele can hold it all down and settle within their songs to play a variety of roles. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
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PRODUCT REVIEW / MI
FAITH GUITARS
Neptune Harvest Moon CMC MUSIC | EXPECT TO PAY: $2,150
Faith Guitars have been meticulously crafting acoustic guitars for close to 20 years, slowly but steadily garnering a reputation as one of the world’s leading acoustic artisans. Founded in 2002 by British luthier Patrick James Eggle, Faith Guitars are now widely renowned for their resonant tonewoods, as well as their stylish designs and portability.
and have noticed that some of these guitars’ lower frequencies have a propensity to buzz and sound rather thin. The Neptune’s lower-pitched strings, on the other hand, sound sublime – their fat, round sound cuts through the mix beautifully, providing a fitting tonal accompaniment to the bitier higher frequencies proffered by the acoustic.
Their latest release, the Neptune Harvest Moon, is no exception to the rule. Its starring feature is its super resonant Trembesi tonewood body, accompanied by a silky mahogany neck with a satin finish, not to mention a Fishman INK3 preamp and Fishman under-saddle pickup. The body’s gloss finish is also an impressive addition to the Neptune’s aesthetic charm.
Obviously, everyone has a preferred means of tackling the acoustic guitar, whether that be with a plectrum or with their fingers. I would say that while the Neptune sounds majestic while strummed, the string tension and 55mm spacing makes it the ideal six-string for fingerpickers. I’ve heard some acoustic guitarists explain that the reason they rely so heavily on using a plectrum is because reverting to fingerstyle causes them to lose volume and purchase on their instrument.
It’s probably first worth talking a bit about Trembesi tonewood, and what it exactly brings to the table when discussing tonal warmth and resonance. Trembesi wood is indigenous to Indonesia and is found in abundance across Java and a few other Indonesian islands. Faith began utilising this unusually alluring tonewood a few years ago, with its mid-centred timbre making its presence known on many of the company’s more recent releases. The first thing that really struck me about the Neptune when playing it for the first time was just how well the low strings project. I’ve played quite a few acoustics of comparable value to the Neptune
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This is mostly the case with guitars that have slacker strings with less tension – while they might sound nice and bright while strummed, this tonal sheen doesn’t always come through once you flick away the plectrum. The way in which the string tension is primed on the Neptune also affords players a wide dynamic range. Those who play lightly will still be heard due to the sheer resonance of the instrument, while guitarists who choose to dig into the strings will hear that glimmering ‘pop’, especially in the higher register.
A tell-tale sign of a quality acoustic instrument is the extent to which you can hear the harmonic overtones when playing a chord: being a pianist primarily myself, this is the one of the first characteristics I look for when playing a new upright or grand piano. The same applies for hollow bodied guitars, and with the Neptune, there’s something pretty satisfying about strumming a chord and letting those glistening overtones complement the rest of the chord. I’d say that the Neptune Harvest Moon is naturally inclined towards its mid-range, so spending some time tweaking the Fishman EQ whilst plugged in is always a good idea. If you’re strumming away at a rhythm guitar part, you may want to take a bit of heat off the mids and add a touch more treble, so as to make room for all frequencies to cut through. Additionally, for those who like to play with reverb, it’s probably best to just apply a smidgen and let the natural rebarbative qualities of the Trembesi tonewood do the talking. Another of the Neptune’s many great specs is its neck profile: as someone who occasionally struggles barring chords on some wider-necked acoustics, it really seems like Faith have nailed not only the width, but also the depth of the mahogany neck. It’s slim but not to the point of resembling a banjo neck, and its satin finish makes for some fairly effortless
shifting. While the action is set at an ideal level, the string tension means you might want to apply a tad more left hand pressure than usual while fretting. This will likely take some getting used to, however in the grand scheme of things it’s only really a minor technical adjustment. Given the vibrant sustain that the Trembesi tonewood offers, it’s no surprise that the Neptune itself may weigh a fraction more than your typical spruce-bodied acoustic, if that’s what you’re used to. But again, the difference in weight is almost negligible once you come to appreciate the enduring resonance of the instrument. The contour also feels as aesthetically natural as can be, and rests comfortably against your midriff when sitting down. Overall, the Faith Neptune Harvest Moon has to be one of the finest acoustic guitars I’ve had the pleasure of playing. Its unique tonewood affords it a warm sonic edge that you’ll be hard-pressed to find in other similarly-priced guitars, while the carefully set string tension gives you a remarkably wide dynamic range to play with. At its current price point, the Neptune is the ideal acoustic for those of you looking for an instrument with vibrancy, sustain and durability. BY DAVID TOMISICH
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PRODUCT REVIEW / MI
PHIL JONES BASS
Double Four BG-75 EGM DISTRIBUTION | EXPECT TO PAY: $829
Most of the time, bassists are prone to copping a hard-knock from gear manufacturers. Due to the powerful frequencies bestowed upon their instrument of choice, they’re forced to make do with amplifiers that are bulky as hell and weigh over a metric tonne to cart around, which is possibly why so many bassists end up with slipped discs or poor posture from carting their gear about. On the inverse, finding a practise amp that actually sounds like these mega rigs is pretty darn hard, and often, us low-end theorists are forced to compromise and make do with some sort of practise amp that simply put, just won’t cut the mustard. Recently, however, there’s been a bit of a shift in this ethos from a number of bass amp manufacturers, with modern technologies such as Class-D amplification and neodymium speakers allowing for bass amps to be smaller and lighter than ever before - all without compromising on tone and power. Over more than 45 years of operation, Phil Jones Bass have forged a remarkable legacy for creating bass amps that are known to be stage-ready and crazy loud, with many utilising unique small speaker arrays to achieve their power. For instance, the 16-H Bass Horn speaker has a whopping 16 PJB Piranha Type A speakers and extensive baffled bass ports, and it’ll blow your head off. But, as we’ve found out recently, you don’t always need that kind of power.
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Enter the Phil Jones Bass Double Four BG-75. This 70-watt pintsized contraption is a minuscule bass amp that looks like a bass head, until you get a little closer and realise that it’s actually a tiny combo. It’s a perfect example of Phil Jones Bass’ small-speaker / big-sound ethos in action, and while it probably won’t suffice for use onstage, serves as a killer option for any kind of practise or rehearsal scenario you may be facing. The Double Four is a singlechannel bass amp with a simple three-band EQ, with controls for bass, middle and treble offering enhanced tone sculpting to make sure you get the perfect tone. There’s also a passive/active/ mute switch with an LED on the input to let you know when you’re approaching clipping territory, as well as a master volume, a headphone jack for when you need to run silent practise sessions and a line out for recording. Additionally, there’s also an aux in with its own level control, which allows you to plug in your phone, tablet or other device to jam along with backing tracks or demos. In many respects, the Double Four very similar to the Session 77 combo amplifier, but is purposely designed for use around the house rather than onstage or in the studio. Where the PJB Double Four BG75 gets really interesting is in the speaker section. This little pocket rocket makes use of two PJB NeoPower four inch neodymium drivers, which the PJB team spent a hefty amount of R&D time on
perfecting to ensure they output low frequencies with ease. Each one of these speakers is also fed by their own Pulse Width Modulation amplifier, which converts electrical energy to power the speakers instead of running them hot. This means that these speakers will last much longer than your average woofers, which should provide you with all the peace of mind necessary when purchasing a product of such a high calibre. It’s worth noting that just because the Double Four is dubbed as a practise amp, it doesn’t mean you have to cut corners with your sound when using the PJB Double Four BG-75. The cabinet may be around the size of a lunchbox, but it’s built to the same standards of all PJB cabinets, which means it employs heavy bracing and acoustic damping to ensure the clearest, most faithful reproduction possible. It also means freedom from a problem that plagues many practice amps: dead low notes. That solid construction and heavy damping means that, should you be running a five-string bass, your low B will sound as punchy and clear as any other notes. Whether you’re playing frenetic jazz fusion lines or jamming along to sludgy doom metal, the Double Four will definitely live up to your expectations.
in, or a processed signal making its way into the amp through a preamp or effects unit. It also means the auxiliary input sounds nice and faithful too. Heck, if you wanted to you could use this amp to play music in between sets, should you be playing a small enough room that you can get away with an amp of this size. Because yes, this is marketed as a practice amp, but it pushes out enough volume for at least small gigs, and the line out means you can also plug it into a PA system to effectively use the amp as your onstage monitor while the PA system sees it as a direct box. Although Double Four BG-75 doesn’t feature creature comforts such as distortion, compression or limiting, let’s be real here: how often are you going to want to use these kind of features when you’re jamming along to tracks at home? Half the time, it’s challenging enough to find a practise amp that sounds decent enough to pull the trigger on, and it’s here where the PJB Double Four shines. It’s a nofuss jamming solution that sounds and looks great, and at the end of the day, isn’t that what us bassists have been looking for all along? BY PETER HODGSON
As with the Session 77, the Double Four will faithfully reproduce the input signal, whether it’s an active or passive bass plugged directly
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PRODUCT REVIEW / MI
PIONEER DJ
Toraiz Squid JANDS | EXPECT TO PAY: $869
There’s no denying the sheer influence of Pioneer DJ within the electronic music market. For years, the company have dominated DJ booths all over the world with their club-standard range of CDJs and mixers, while their broad assortment of software controllers, headphones and monitors have helped them expand further into the home market as well. Not a brand to rest on their laurels, Pioneer DJ took their game up a notch in 2016 with the launch of the Toraiz range: a series of samplers, sequencers and synthesisers aimed at professional DJs and electronic producers looking to flesh out their sets with the sound and feel only hardware can provide. The success of previous products in the Toraiz range, such as the SP16 sampler and the 303-inspired AS-1 mono synth, have proved that Pioneer DJ are making all the right moves with this new venture, and their latest addition to the range - the Toraiz Squid - only seeks to prolong this winning streak. Before we go any further, it’s crucial to note that the Squid, unlike other products in the Toraiz range, does not make any sound. Conceptually, however, it’s one of Pioneer DJ’s most unique offerings to date. Similar to that of the Arturia BeatStep, it’s a multitrack sequencer that allows for control of up to 16 instruments, with an abundance of inputs and outputs making it suitable for use as the centrepiece of a live hardware setup.
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Notes and step data can be input via a MPC-style backlit 16 pad grid, while a smattering of other buttons and dials allow for control over parameters such as modulation, swing, pitch and groove. Tempo and MIDI channel data is displayed by two seperate LCD screens on the top-right of the unit, which despite being rather small in the grand scheme of things, prove to be essential in navigating your way around the Squid. In the connectivity department, the Squid is jam-packed with just about everything you need to make a track out of the box. In addition to hosting a USB-B port, the unit features MIDI in, out and thru, as well as two CV/Gate ins and outs, a Clock in and out and even DIN SYNC ports in the off-chance that you happen to have any old ‘80s Roland drum machines laying about. Bafflingly, the Squid is void of Pioneer DJ’s Pro DJ Link port to allow for network connection with CDJs or other units in the Toraiz range, but if you’re only looking to utilise the Squid as a studio centrepiece without any other Pioneer DJ gear, this shouldn’t be considered an issue. Perhaps the most enticing aspect of the Toraiz Squid is just how powerful its sequencer is. Users can stack up to 16 different tracks with an impressive 64 patterns and 64 steps per track, while step resolution can go from quarter notes all the way up to thirtysecond notes.
There’s also room for 128 projects, with Pioneer DJ’s Squid Manager app letting you save and transfer your sessions between devices. The real drawcard here, however, is the fact that the Squid possesses polyphonic sequencing capabilities, with up to eight notes being available per step, which means it’s able to facilitate some wildly creative melodies when utilised with the right gear. As with any piece of kit this sophisticated, it’s definitely worth diving into the manual before you attempt to tackle the Squid: like its namesake, it’s a unique beast, and certainly takes some wrangling before you obtain any level of comfort with it. That being said, after a few hours, the workflow does become quite intuitive, and before too long, you’ll be switching between instruments and crafting tracks like a pro. Once you’ve got the hang of the Squid’s workflow, you can then dive into its more mindboggling features, particularly those pertaining to swing, groove and modulation. Features such as Speed Control, which lets you trigger notes at double or half-time, are perfect for creating jungle-inspired snare rolls and trappy triplet hi-hats, while the Fixed Length button can be triggered to launch off-grid polyrhythms - perfect for any kind of live IDM or glitch set.
can be controlled via a springloaded crossfader on the bottom left of the unit. This essentially adjusts the trigger steps of your sequence to play faster or slower depending on how far you shift it to the left or right, and can be utilised to extreme effect to accentuate particular phrasings or drum loops. When paired with any other combination of swing, pitch, melodic or modulation parameters, the possibilities for creating distinctive bleeps and bloops are simply infinite. With the Toraiz Squid, Pioneer DJ have created a true monster of a sequencer for the most demanding of electronic artists. This thing is absolutely jam-packed with features that are guaranteed to take your productions or live sets to a whole new level, and the sheer array of inputs and outputs make it a killer option to place at the heart of any hardware setup. Sure, the workflow might take some getting used to, but once you’ve mastered its quirks, the Squid will unveil its true potential as a powerful, uncompromising multi-track sequencer with many a trick up its sleeve. An undisputed winner in our books. BY WILL BREWSTER
There’s also another unique feature offered by the Squid called the Groove Bend, which
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
ATC
SCM25A Studio Monitors AVP IMPORTS | EXPECT TO PAY: $14,495
Industry royalty ATC (Acoustic Transducer Company) have been producing loudspeakers for almost 50 years, with a reputation for excellence in the space that is borderline unparalleled. That isn’t an exaggeration either the legendary British company are often referred to as the manufacturers of the finest audio systems in the world. Handmade in the town of Stroud in Gloucestershire, the SCM25A is a three-way active monitor, and the most compact (and affordable) of ATC’s SCM line. Unlike some its larger counterparts, the SCM25A is also equally adept at both nearfield and mid-field monitoring in equal measure, making it a somewhat more flexible and mobile prospect than some of its larger brethren. With a true frequency reproduction between 47Hz-22kHz, and a unique low-resonance port for bass frequencies, the SCM25A is suitable for all but the most bass-intensive tasks providing exceptionally true and unbiased monitoring across a broad range of studio applications. The 25mm neodymium soft dome tweeters are of the upmost quality, and the 75mm soft dome mid driver and 164mm carbon paper cone bass drivers are both handmade by ATC to make sure they tick all the right boxes. If required, ATC even provides a ‘port bung’ to seal the bung hole bass port where necessary; for instance, if you were installing the loudspeaker into a recessed wall mount.
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Sonically speaking, the SCM25As (and ATC monitors in general) are in a league of their own when it comes to critical recording and mix applications, serving as one of the most justified investments in all of audio-instantly levelling up the quality of your productions in an obvious and immediate way. The clarity is breathtaking, and like so many speakers of this calibre, expertly tread the line between professional audio and professional audiophile. You’ll find yourself wanting to stay back and listen to your favourite records, just to experience them as they were meant to sound. It’s a beautiful thing, and it’s one that anyone who works in audio should have the pleasure of experiencing at least once. With crossover frequencies at 380hz and 3.5kHz, the mid-range speaker’s range is a little smaller than most three-way systems, but whatever you do, don’t consider that as a disadvantage. Whatever the impetus behind this decision may be, it seems to have worked, as it is in these critical midrange frequencies where the SCM25A proves to be such a valuable studio tool. The level of detail afforded by the SCM25A is really something else: these monitors are so detailed that you may find yourself rethinking you standard routine whilst using them-things like reverb times, dry/ wet ratios and compressor release times will jump out in new - and often humbling - ways. Yes, you’ll hear your mix flaws like you’ve
never heard them before, but you’ll also be able to scrutinise, remedy and maybe even improve them in a manner you’ve possibly also never done so previously, resulting in tangible improvements to overall mix quality. ATC monitors typically have a very wide horizontal dispersion, and the SCM25A, with a reported 80 degrees, is no exception. The benefits of this are an incredible stereo image and inflated listening sweet spot; you won’t start hearing things differently after lunch because your chair moved slightly. The consistency and quality of the sweet spot is something to behold. The downside to this, however, is that your room may need some additional acoustic treatment to do them proper justice - many pro users will go as far as to design their listening environments based around ATC monitors in order to reap the benefits of everything they have to offer, which when given the price-tag, is certainly worth the ask. Simply put, you need to treat your SCM25As with respect if you want them to do the same to you. Should you require a little more oomph - or, perhaps, just be a really excitable fan of sub-heavy genres like dub or even dubstep - the SCM25A also features a bass-boost option, offering a beefy 3dB of gain at 40hz. You probably won’t need to use this unless you need to plug the bass port and are significantly affected by the resultant drop in bass, but some spaces and listening scenarios
may benefit from this feature. For my money, I’d leave it disengaged, but that being said, I’m not that into dub, so really, it’s your call. When you are dealing with increments this fine, you’re typically best off leaving it to the mastering engineer with specialist tools for the job and let’s be honest, you are probably already bringing them a mix that is far closer to finished than what they are used to, so maybe let them do their job. That is, unless, you’ve gone absolutely crazy on the levels, but again, that’s all on you. In many ways, perhaps the most liberating aspect of having monitors of this calibre is having the total reassurance that your mix will translate, regardless of system or listening context. Legendary studios around the world like Abbey Road Studios and East West don’t just swear by ATC loudspeakers to fit in. They are worth their weight in gold. The list of hit records they’ve helped forge is numerous, the accolades are thick and heavy, but in an age of endless scepticism and audio snake oil, it’s truly nice to know that some things are just genuinely, profoundly good. It’s safe to say that the SCM-25As are just that. BY PAUL FRENCH
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
UNIVERSAL AUDIO
Luna Recording System UNIVERSAL AUDIO | ENQUIRE FOR PRICING
If there was ever a brand that embodies exactly where we are at in regards to the evolution of the recording studio, it would be Universal Audio. A multi-generational family business who have been on the cutting edge of studio technology since the late ‘50s - from tube to solid state, hardware to software, native to DSP and beyond, they hold a singular place at the table, both historically and technologically - pioneering many of the studio advancements we now take for granted. As it stands in 2021, the brands digital arm (UAD) are the undisputed kings of the professional plugin/interface market, producing some of the most used and sought after digital audio processing in all of pro audio. Their plugin emulations of expensive and hard to obtain studio gear in particular are a bonafide industry standard, used by all the top flight studios in the game. Luna signifies Universal Audio’s move into the competitive world of the digital audio workstation, by utilising the deep hardware integration found on their line of Apollo and Arrow hardware units. This powerful DSP (combined with UAD’s expertise in all things plugin) also means that Luna has some incredible tricks up its sleeve, features that many of its competitors would struggle to replicate. Luna is free for all Mac users with a Thunderbolt Apollo or Arrow interface, which is fantastic for current UAD users. Given the brand’s dominance in the current recording climate, rest assured, there’s almost certainly no shortage of UAD users out there at the present juncture. A recording system designed to get rid of a lot of the pesky double handling that comes with ITB recording and processing, Luna can directly access Unison preamps (UA’s preamp emulation), creating a much more streamline relationship between gain staging, A/D conversion and harmonic saturation, much as one would on traditional console, but that’s not the only nod to the world of analogue workflow.
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While mixing with Luna, every channel has dedicated tape emulation processing and all bus channels have the option of Neve channel summing, which along with the aforementioned processing at the input stage, make for an extremely organic and intuitive signal flow, with tracks coming together naturally and effects being chained together in context rather than in isolation. It can’t be stressed enough how lovely this interaction between the UA hardware and Luna is from a studio workflow perspective. It’s a perfect example of how to do digital audio the right way, with high quality components at the input stage, studio grade conversion, powerful outboard DSP for realistic modelling and a controller like tweakability of hardware from within the user interface. All of these things make recording with Luna an absolute pleasure to work with. One particularly handy feature is the option of accelerated real time monitoring. Utilising the DSP power of either your Apollo or Arrow unit, Luna can reproduce audio in under 2ms from input to output which is seriously impressive. This creates opportunities to punch guitar or vocal parts whilst you’re already in the throngs of a CPU heavy mix, in turn making
for easier performance revisions and amendments after the fact. This lightning fast monitoring also lends itself to extracting a more natural, better timed performance, because as any engineer will tell you, analogue signal flow starts at the source - first and foremost. While UAD are renowned for their unrivalled ability to replicate analogue in the digital domain, the ease and simplicity of the editing function definitely takes full advantage of all the luxuries of the modern digital workflow, allowing for easy comping and drag and drop functionality throughout. The Focus Browser is a highly intuitive feature that appears on the left side of the screen and adapts to whatever task you are currently performing within Luna. For example, clicking on an input will automatically bring up all possible inputs you can route to the channel while clicking on the insert slot will bring up a plugin browser featuring all currently installed plugs. This feature makes me wonder why other DAW creators haven’t thought of this sooner, as it really is a better way to navigate the workspace. And this is at the crux of what is so exciting about Luna. As the purveyors of the finest software emulations of analogue gear many of which they themselves pioneered all those years ago -
Universal Audio have a rare and intimate understanding of exactly what was good (and not so good) about the analogue era. The wonders of harmonic saturation at the preamp, the sympathetic nature of tape, the benefits of committing early to a sound, the superiority of editing in the box, the economic upside of not needing to build a reverb chamber on your property: this is the kind of impartial, hybrid thinking that Universal Audio excels at and it’s one of the reasons why Luna is often referred to as a ‘Recording System’ as opposed to just another DAW. With Luna, it’s not just about the Workstation itself as much as it is about how the Workstation exists within the context of the broader Universal Audio ecosystem and the answer is, naturally, instinctively and above all else, extremely musical. Chances are, you won’t find another piece of software so sophisticated and organic as Luna - this is music making at its absolute peak. A certified winner, and a clear step into the future for one of the most revered names in audio history. BY SAM MCNIECE
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
SSL
UF8 DAW Controller AMBER TECHNOLOGY | ENQUIRE FOR PRICING Back in 2019, legendary studio icons SSL shook things up with their excellent SiX desktop mixer, an affordable (at least by highend studio standards), compact, all-in-one portable desktop mixer solution. It was in many ways a statement of intent from the legendary brand. For years, people had wondered which of the big three console manufacturers (API, Neve, SSL) would be the first to repackage their colossal reputation in the commercial recording sector and translate it into the burgeoning home studio market. The SSL SiX came in at just the right price-point and with just the right feature set and onboard processing to serve as the perfect entry point for budding producers looking to integrate two premium quality SSL channel strips into their home setup, but the lack of A/D conversion meant that there was still a vital link in the signal chain that needed to be addressed. That came recently, with the release of the 2 and 2+, SSL’s all-conquering line of smallscale, modestly priced desktop interfaces. With their combination of rock solid preamps/conversion, egalitarian price-point and with the weight of the SSL name behind them, needless to say the 2 and 2+ were a roaring success, but it begged the question, where to next for the legendary brand, now that they had skilfully and successfully bridged the gap between $200k professional 48 channel console and $400 2 channel USB interface? The answer, it seems, lies somewhere in the advanced DAW workflow and its similar level of importance to both the pro user and home recordist alike. This brings us to the UF8, SSL’s new premium small scale desktop control solution and an absolute go-to for anyone looking to take their mix workflow out of the box and onto a set of faders, but with a level of scalability that won’t require excessive upgrades down the line. For the home recordists (especially those who are primarily used to an in-the-box workflow), the UF8 serves as the perfect, scalable
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entry point into a ‘console’ style workflow, with all the visual and haptic upside that comes with mixing through fader banks and rotary dials (and with the option to chain units together as your mixing needs expand). For the seasoned pro, the UF8 serves as a delightfully portable fader option for location and post work, absolutely ideal for riding dialogue or for getting in-the-box desk mixes ready on the fly. The naturalness of the navigation/ display and the portability/ stowability of the unit itself, makes it your new best friend for any small scale mix applications or minimalist studio setup. Utilising SSL 360, the UF8 is a professional quality MIDI controller that can interact with three DAWs at once and have 43 fully customisable keys per DAW via the aptly named soft and quick keys. This software also allows seamless use of this controller with Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Ableton and Studio One. For all of these integrations, SSL has provided standard button assignments which get you going faster and still allow you to tailor the hardware to your specific needs. As with all SSL products, the UF8 build quality is decidedly fieldready, with a metallic enclosure, high-quality motorised faders, rotary encoders and durable soft
key buttons throughout. High resolution LCD TFT screens adorn the device with key information that is track specific including level, pan and track name. Fast USB connectivity lets you connect the UF8 to pretty much all devices imaginable. The UF8’s large rotary knob is called the CHANNEL encoder, and has a range of different functions depending on what you’re focused on. It can be used to scroll through tracks one by one on the device as standard, scrub through a track with the playback head in nav mode, move a selected clip using nudge mode and modify specific parameters using focus mode. The multiple uses of these encoders is yet another intuitive way to get the most out of your software using this controller. If eight faders aren’t enough for you (or if your track counts are edging closer and closer into Brian Wilson territory), SSL have added the ability to chain together four units for a classic 32 channel SSL experience, giving each channel with a dedicated fader. Chaining four together allows each to have a different set of assignable buttons which creates an absurd amount of possibilities including mixing your track in a couple passes. Alternatively you can use a single UF8 and scroll between different channels on the track with a
click of a button and watch the motorised faders snap into place. Dedicated plugin buttons also allow you to select a plugin on a channel and use the endless rotary encoders to modify them without using your mouse. If the encoders aren’t fine enough for you, hovering over a parameter in your DAW will enable use of the CHANNEL encoder in the aforementioned focus mode to be used as a mouse scroll wheel, allowing for fine tuning. Swapping between windows in your DAW is easy by using the default assigned quick keys on the device. Utilising the send and swap buttons allows with a click of a button, the snapping of your sends to the faders, switching between pre and post fader and flipping back to your mix in seconds. If there was ever any question as to how SSL would navigate the move from classic large format console, to the compact world of the modern DAW workflow, the answer is incredibly well. The UF8 expertly toes the line between premium (but not out of reach) desktop fader option and scalable pro workhorse, in turn making it a more than justifiable investment for engineers on both sides of the fence. BY PAUL FRENCH
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
SONARWORKS
SoundID Reference FEDERAL AUDIO | EXPECT TO PAY: $499
SoundID Reference is Sonarworks’ solution for achieving a flat frequency response from your monitoring system. With more and more home studio setups becoming prevalent around the world, perfectly curated rooms with extremely pricy speakers are dwindling. These spaces are used as reference points to how music will sound in the real world as their relatively sterile, flat frequency responses allow for the same results every time. Translation is what these rooms are looking to achieve. Even with this close to neutral room, most studios will have multiple speakers setup with different frequency responses to check how it will translate to the outside world. When bands get a new mix of their track, they often will take it and listen to it in the car on the way home. Most people know what their car sounds like, as they listen to music in it daily and translating there is make or break for a good mix. Right now, access to music production software and DAWs is at an all time high and without access to professional studios or expensive mastering engineers, it can be tough to get a great mix that translates. One solution to this is getting an industry standard pair of headphones such as the Beyerdynamic 770s or Audio Technica AT50Xs and using this software by Sonarworks to flatten their response with a pre-made
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curve tested in their own studios. You can even test your headphone’s curve changes online via their website to hear what a truly flat response actually sounds like. But what about for your studio? Sometimes hearing your mix on speakers can be more like what it’s going to translate as. So, let’s say you’ve treated your room and got a nice set of speakers. Now what? Floating your entire mixing room and buying expensive diffusion panels might be a bit overkill for achieving that last bit of clarity. Here’s where SoundID Reference could help you. Using their software to create a profile of your room, you can achieve the studio flat sound you’ve been searching for and use their extensive translation check feature to make sure your mixes sound tight wherever they’re heard. Despite this all sounding like such a complicated process, we’re happy to report that using the software is pretty simple. There’s also instructions on how to plug everything in and identify what microphone you’re using, making sure that you’re well on your way to finding out how to get SoundID Reference up and running so you can start using it straight away. This version ships with a measurement microphone, a small diaphragm condenser, which is used to perform tests on your speaker system and the way your room is responding to it. There’s about 15 minutes of setup time for SoundID Reference to collect
enough information about your setup and find the EQ curve that will flatten out your speakers. SoundID Reference exists as both a standalone program and a plugin. Both offer linear phase and zero latency modes with the linear phase mode being truer to the flat response curve but introducing subtle pre ringing to achieve this. Having a standalone version is a big plus as you can use it to listen to all your music with the correction applied as opposed to just using the correction while mixing. The plugin version is more suited to recording as the latency from the standalone version even in low latency mode can be substantial. However, it’s definitely recommended to use the standalone version for most applications, as you might accidentally print the room correction onto your mix and nobody wants that! Once you’re happy with the flat sound, you can tweak the balance within the app also. There’s built in low and high shelves working in tandem to accentuate either end of the frequency spectrum to your personal taste. It’s also possible to make the software correct only specific frequency regions. This would be good if you like the way the top end of your speakers sounded in your room but were having troubles in the lows due to standing waves or lack of bass traps.
Using the Translation Check features is amazing for checking how it’s going to sound in real world environments. You can emulate a bunch of classic devices including car stereos, phone speakers, TVs and both in ear and over ear headphones. This is an often over-looked step by inexperienced engineers which can lead to a mix not hitting as hard as it could. With this software, it’s important to note that it cannot correct everything. When used on cheaper speakers in an average sounding room for instance, the amount of EQ correction needed to apply this will create subtle but audible distortion as the speakers will be working really hard to reproduce frequencies that are lacking in your room. This is why it’s recommended to first do some research on the space you’re using and treating existing standing waves and first reflection points with sound treatment before using this software. Using SoundID Reference by Sonarworks, will give any audio setup a leg up in terms of clarity and translation. Utilising the packaged microphone, which could also act as a room mic on your next recording, to neutralise your space and allow you to hear your music the way it’s supposed to be heard. BY SAM MCNIECE
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IE 100 PRO
Small but mighty. And comfortable too.
For great expectations on live stages: The IE 100 PRO guarantees a precise acoustic experience for live performances. The innovative single dynamic driver delivers a warm yet powerful and detailed sound. Musicians and DJs choose the IE 100 PRO for its exceptional sound and high level of wearing comfort – not only for live sessions, but also for producing or as an every-day companion for listening to music. www.sennheiser.com/IE100PRO
PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
WARM AUDIO
WA-67 Tube Condenser Microphone STUDIO CONNECTIONS | EXPECT TO PAY: $1,549
The famed German ’67 is considered by many to be one of the holy grails in the audio world: without a doubt, it’s a desert island tube condenser mic. Used by the likes of The Beatles, Nirvana and Frank Sinatra, it has truly etched its place into the recording industry as one of the most ubiquitous vocal microphones. Until recently, finding an original and functional ’67 would prove both difficult and expensive originals known to sell upwards of $12,000AUD and even then, there is all kinds of split opinion on reconditioned versus original factory parts, serviced versus nonserviced - the list goes on. For those new to vintage microphones, the price-tag and specificity regarding what’s under the hood would almost be enough to put the ‘67 in the too-hard basket, were it not for one reason. These are renowned for being some of the best sounding microphones ever made with designs that are still at the top of their game, even some 60 years after the fact. Enter Warm Audio and their WA67 Tube Condenser Microphone: a rock solid, modern interpretation of the classic ‘67, with a price-tag that looks closer to a decent commuter bike than it does a HECS debt. Warm Audio are a relatively new player in the space (celebrating their tenth year of operation in 2021), making their start like so many - in a garage. They first made waves in the pro-audio sector back in 2011 with their WA12 - an excellent and well
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received recreation of the API312 preamplifier circuit. Since then, Warm Audio has expanded into all facets of the studio space, developing accurate recreations of a whole manner of highly sought-after vintage and contemporary microphones, preamps, compressors and even guitar pedals. Warm’s mission is to bring the classics to the everyday musician and audio engineer, and it shows both in the quality of their wares and in the affordability of the price-tag. Right from the get-go, it was clear that the WA-67 had little in common with any kind of ‘budget’ microphone I had ever encountered. Features like the heavily padded box, timber ‘coffin’ case, deluxe shock mount (with spare elastics), additional standard mount, power supply, IEC power cable and seven pin cable by Gotham were all a welcome sight, exuding the kind of top-shelf European construction so prevalent in those classic microphones. The WA-67 boasts boutique and high quality components to deliver the instantly familiar ’67 tone, that broad spectrum capture with an iciness in the highs that we have come to associate with big budgets, big artists and the like. The components themselves feel weighty and are of premium quality, and there is little question that Warm Audio have gone to great lengths recreating the discrete tube circuit path of the original ’67 in the WA-67.
To complement Warm’s brass custom K67-style capsule is the EF-86 Pentode vacuum tube and a high quality output transformer from industry heavyweights Lundall, while the circuit also features high quality capacitors from Wima and Solen. This combination of discrete components faithfully recreates the crisp high frequencies and thick, buttery low / low-mid frequencies that the original ’67 is known for. The nickel-plated microphone chassis is slightly larger than the original, though features all of the appropriate functions: three polar pattern modes (Cardioid, Omni-Directional and Bi-Directional), switchable high-pass filter and -10dB attenuation pad. For those fortunate enough to be familiar with vintage German microphones, they will be quick to note the inconsistencies from one microphone to the next, particularly for tube models like the original ‘67. As is the nature of vintage equipment, it is tremendously difficult to find two specimens that are identical. Purists may argue that recreations of vintage equipment never meet the mark, but the reality is that due to component degradation, years of use/abuse and makeshift repairs, this gear deviates from its original specifications. The WA67 does not exhibit the bitey, harsh upper midrange characteristics that many other budget tube condensers tend to, maintaining a smooth and complementary tonal response in most applications.
While the exact essence of the original ’67 is hard to pinpoint, given the tonal variation from one unit to the next, what the WA-67 gets so right, is to scratch all the right itches in terms of the original’s strong suits and marrying them with all the benefit of hindsight, consistency of components and batch numbers that modernity affords us. The draw-card of the original ’67 microphone is in its ability to make anything it’s pointed at feel larger than life with harmonically rich hyperrealism, and thankfully, the WA-67 has this in spades. Its frequency response is colourful to the ear without over-exaggerating any distinctive frequency range, making it perfect for delicate vocals, big piano-like acoustic guitars and even as a tool to add mojo to percussion. The tube circuit adds a pleasing harmonic texture to the high frequencies and presents a very quiet self noise, making it a perfect recording tool. For the asking price, there is little competition in ’67 voiced microphones that perform quite as well as the WarmAudio WA-67. Warm Audio have demonstrated once again that it is possible to deliver high quality recreations of classic pro-audio equipment at a more consumer friendly pricepoint, offering a wallet-friendly alternative for any studio boffin. BY TOM GLOVER
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
PRESONUS
Studio One 5 Professional LINK AUDIO | EXPECT TO PAY: $599.99
PreSonus have been in the DAW world for the past ten years, which by the standard of modern recording software officially makes them a veteran in the space at this point. What started as a sister piece to their ubiquitous and game changing StudioLive series of interfaces/mixers has over time, grown into a sophisticated recording software all of its own, with a powerful feature set and one of the smoothest and most intuitive workflows going. With Studio One 5, PreSonus look to have a landmark release on their hands in regards to their flagship recording software, continuing to straddle the line between stage and studio in effortless style, and with some powerful new features that are sure to appease both the drag and drop and linear schools of production workflow in equal measure. First point of call is PreSonus’ generously large native effects library, which has received a lot of love in this upgrade. Analog Delay now looks and sounds more analogue, both due to its new funky design and improved hardware modelling of analogue gear, which has been applied to a range of native effects across Version 5. ProEQ2 has received a linear phase high-pass filter, which is an awesome addition to a tool which is likely to see more use than almost anything on a mix. Safe to say that maintaining this phase correlation through the early stages of processing makes for awesome peace of mind and better sounding stems at the instrument busses. While on the topic of instruments, Rotor, an emulation of a classic organ amplifier (that may or may not rhyme with Wesley) looks and sounds incredible, and is a picture perfect sonic representation of the fabled piece of gear. The graphics on the UI itself also make it one of the most aesthetically pleasing VST’s I’ve worked with in recent times. Quality stuff here. Clip editing in Studio One 5, now features score view, perfect for musicians and composers who
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love to create in this format. All the data from MIDI will appear in the score and vice versa. In order to export the score you will need a copy of Notion, PreSonus’ notation software which is included in the PreSonus Sphere subscription service, but I can see this being a particularly good workflow tool for the multidisciplinary artist, film composer or songwriter looking to integrate session musicians into the fold. Being able to compose, track, notate, mix all in the same software and with minimal double handling is a definitely a coup. The new clip gain edit feature is a breeze to use and actually alters the waveform display relative to the changes you apply to the clip itself, which is both a novel and intuitive feature and really helps visualise gain staging and relative levels at mix. Studio One differs from many of its contemporaries in its virtuoso use of windows and multiple workflow options to navigate the various parts of the creative process. The Song view for instance, is home to one of my favourite features: the Scratch pad. This acts as a secondary arrangement page toggled by the click of a button which can store ideas that you want to keep that don’t currently fit into your song. It can also be utilised as a place to experiment with different or alternative arrangements within your song.
While the scratch pad lets you experiment with different MIDI and arrangements, ‘Scenes’ is an amazing tool for swapping between different mix ideas. Every ‘Scene’ is basically a snapshot of the mix including all effects, routing and send levels. You can choose what parts are included when recalling a scene and they have a plethora of uses in the mix context. Project View, a different interface within Studio One, allows for mastering of entire albums within one instance of the software. The amount of metering native to the DAW is amazing and I love the ability to not only apply effects to each individual song, but also to the master bus affecting all tracks. There’s an easy way to add metadata to songs and export them to your computer or directly to SoundCloud from the interface. Perhaps the most exciting new feature about Studio One 5 is the ‘Show’ page. This area of the software is built for live performances, taking elements from other parts of the DAW and integrating them onto one page. Dragging your songs in is simple, and will create a new set item each time you do that.
you can create a channel for your live vocals, go back to the song and copy the exact effect settings to the show. You are then able to add a VST instrument and set up different patches and effects for each individual song which Studio One automatically switches to while playing. The ability to sidechain from multiple channels at once, the fact that return channels are automatically created when dragging and effect into a send and the ability to copy a channels complete settings including effects inserts, sends, pan and level. Maybe the best of the bunch is the ability to fully customise the keyboard shortcuts to optimise Studio One to your personal preferences. All in all, this new chapter for Studio One boasts a fully customisable experience in music making, mixing, mastering and live performance. Somehow PreSonus has improved the software for all types of users, making it a serious competitor in all uses of its digital audio workstation. BY SAM MCNIECE
Alternatively, opening a song you’ve just finished, muting the vocals so you can perform them live and bouncing it directly to the show page is possible. Now
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
ACUSTICA AUDIO
Sienna ACUSTICA AUDIO | ENQUIRE FOR PRICING
The parable of the blind men and the elephant describes a situation where a group of blind people come across an elephant for the first time.
that it is likely to be played in. Thus, referencing your mix on different speaker setups is crucial for getting the full picture of said elephant.
They all touch a different part of the elephant, and come together to explain their own experiences of how they think the beast is shaped; one person who had their hand upon the elephant’s leg describing it as a pillar-like tree trunk, another who had their hand upon its trunk described it as a thick snake, and so on and so forth.
Italian software developer Acustica Audio know this better than anyone and their new plugin suite, Sienna, is an absolute game-changer, with the ability to emulate world-class studio listening environments and monitoring setups on inexpensive headphones.
Although this parable has been around for more than two and a half millennia - well before recorded music - it is still the perfect analogy for the imperfect concept of monitoring, the listening environment and human perception (cause) and its influence on the decision making process (effect). Every new engineer would be familiar with the feeling of finally finishing a mix on your home setup - whether it be through headphones, monitors or a combination of both - only to have it completely fall apart when playing it back through a different setup. It’s a tale as old as time, especially for those mixing primarily on headphones. In fact, even the best monitoring set-up, in the most perfectly treated room, referenced at the perfect listening volume, will not give you an exact gauge of how your mixes will translate into the kind of real-world, less-thanideal listening environments
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Sienna offers a huge range of perspectives to reference, improve and perfect your mixes with, resulting in better quality monitoring for the budding engineering and significantly lowering the price of entry into the world of critical audio-meaning better mixes for all. It’s a noble undertaking, and one which can have an extremely powerful and liberating effect on your mix work. The suite is made up of three separate entities, the first of which is Sienna Reference, which allows you to select your reference (control) headphone from the list of approved headphones. In no mind to leave anyone behind, Acustica Audio have modelled correction algorithms for over 170 different models of headphones, including everything from the prestigious Audeze LCD-2 to the trusty Koss Porta Pro. You can blend the unaffected signal to see what correction has been applied with a wet/ dry Mix knob, cut or boost the output signal if needed, and play
with the Magic Q knob, which superimposes a correction curve based off the Harman curve that Acustica Audio have designed to deliver a more accurate and musical listening experience. There are also multiple slots for different headphones within the plug in as well as the ability to save presets throughout, so you can switch between different headphones on the fly.
work from, just in case you had gotten lost in all the options and needed to return to home-base. It also offers a whole host of not so ideal (but none the less vital) listening environments - iPhone speaker emulation, car speaker emulation, boombox emulation, NS10 setups and so on - for you to cross check your mixes and make the necessary adjustments before you bounce.
After selecting your reference model of choice and after Sienna Reference has applied its corrective algorithms to offset that natural bias of your cans, Sienna Rooms swoops in, giving you cart-blanche access to acoustic modelling from some of the finest sounding rooms/ acoustic environments in Europe and emulating the listening space of your choice to bring the high quality (read - expensive), open air experience to the headphone mix.
The art and science of controlling the monitoring environment is one of the fundamental pillars of studio recording, not to mention one of the primary reasons that $100k monitors a) exist, and b) are a worthwhile investment for certain studio setups.
I found this to be particularly handy for better referencing of low-mid and low frequency material, which we all know is often poorly represented in headphones, given the ears close proximity to the driver. Sienna Rooms was an awesome way to simulate the manner in which low frequency material dissipates in the time domain. I also found it to give me a better read on overall true loudness, given its ability to simulate stereo summing and natural room reflections. The ability to switch to an anechoic room was also an awesome control variable to
In an age where the high tier studio experience is getting easier and easier to recreate in the home, a tool like Sienna is invaluable, further bridging the gap and bring high quality monitoring to those who grew up referencing on headphones and headphones alone. Dealing with such a heady subject, it’s probably not the easiest thing to articulate in a review like this, but I can’t recommend Sienna highly enough both as a tool for better mixes and to further one’s understanding of monitoring and its effect on recorded output. Needless to say it’s an eye opener. BY LIAM MCSHANE
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
AUDIO-TECHNICA
AT4047SV Matched Pair AUDIO-TECHNICA AUSTRALIA | EXPECT TO PAY: $1,119 EACH
All hobbyists and professionals in the recording world would love to have high-end studio microphone staples as part of their line-up. That being said, the privilege of owning one comes at a price - and a very costly one at that. Audio-Technica has bridged that gap by bringing the vintage microphone sound into the modern studio environment at an affordable price. The brand’s 40 series has an illustrious history of outputting amazing studio microphones, many of which have been widely accepted in the world of recording as some of the best affordable mics on the market today. Despite not being a German tube condenser of vintage ilk, the 40 series has been notably used to record the vocals of major recording artists including Bono, Elton John, Barbara Streisand, Paul McCartney, Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder and John Legend, just to name a few. Units in the range include the famous AT4033 (voted Microphone of the Year in 1992 by the Audio Engineering Society, now discontinued), AT4033a, AT4040, AT4050 and many more in the series. Now, Audio-Technica introduces the AT4047/SV into the 40 series range, and we’re happy to have two units on hand to set up as a matched pair for this review. First thoughts out of the box, the AT4047/SV looks and feels elegant, with a silver matte finish, which is quite reminiscent of the stylings of vintage studio microphones. This may be a minor detail for some, but as someone who is particularly anal when it comes to stands, the shock mount is incredibly well built. The shock mount is made out of a metal frame and the microphone is secured with rubber bands, with a central slot where the microphone can rest without the fear of it slipping through. Once in the shock-mount, you still have easy access to the necessary switches at the rear of the microphone. Seriously, it’s a great shock mount, and it’s a pleasure to use such a contraption with microphones this nice.
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The AT4047/SV is a large diaphragm condenser with a cardioid polar pattern, and has the usual pleasantries of a high pass filter at 80Hz with a 12 dB per octave slope and a -10 dB pad. The AT4047/SV boasts a maximum input level of 149 dB SPL and increases to an impressive 159 dB SPL when the pad is switched on. It also has a frequency response of 20 Hz -18 kHz with a slight presence increase between 5 kHz and 10 kHz. Even though the AT4047/SV can be used in broadcasting and live sound situations, it’s in the studio environment where it truly reveals its potential as a sophisticated audio tool. Putting this microphone through the usual rigours of daily studio life, it’s immediately apparent that this microphone is able to stand on its own as a reliable workhorse. From the get-go, this microphone exhibits the usual cardioid polar pattern, it responds well on axis and has great rejection at 180 degrees off axis. More importantly, because of the dual-diaphragm capsule design, it responds just as well when you’re off axis from the sound source, without losing a lot of high frequency information. Testing the AT4047/SV was an exciting experience, and the opportunity to have two units on hand made things even better still. On drums, it handled itself extremely well as overhead microphones, where there wasn’t any harshness from the cymbals and gave a natural sound without any hype around the high frequencies. When applied to a rumbling bass amp, it was very well rounded around the bottom end with a clear definition around the low mids. In regards to placement, there was a slight proximity effect when placed closer to the bass amp, however the effect was not as apparent in comparison to other cardioid microphones. On an acoustic guitar, using stereo techniques showed how easily this microphone really captures clear, natural and highly responsive sound. The recessed top-end provided by the AT4047’s FET design also makes it a no-brainer for tracking audio sources in non-
treated and unflattering recording environments, such as the average bedroom or rehearsal space. On that note, this FET construction also makes the AT4047 a killer solution for recording single-coil electric guitars - a source which can often be problematic to track for those without advanced studio knowledge. Simply apply a bit of trial and error mic positioning, a slight touch of strategic EQing, and before you know it, your Stratocaster will sound as spanky on record as it does in your head all thanks to the humble AT4047. The specifications detailed a limited frequency response of 20 Hz - 18 kHz, however upon testing there was plenty of high frequency information which made it quite easy to process in the mix. The
AT4047/SV was tested alongside other big name brand studio microphones within a similar price range and it was amazing to see that this microphone was able to match the performance of the other microphones, yet still have a unique sound of its own by bringing the sound of vintage FET microphones into modern day studios. The AT4047/SV is highly versatile microphone and could be used for most applications, it has a sound that is warm, clear and natural and is a great addition to AudioTechnica’s 40 series. BY TRINKSI LIWANAG
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
SCHOEPS
V4U Condenser Microphone STUDIO CONNECTIONS | EXPECT TO PAY: $3,905 There exists a home truth amongst the professional studio fraternity, that when it comes to recording peripherals like mics and monitors (products that are on the first and last line in regards to overall sonic quality): you really do get what you pay for. That isn’t to say that there aren’t entry level mics and monitors that can’t excel in a very specific context or application; moreso that in a reputation based industry like pro studio, where the stakes are high and where the ability to replicate a ‘professional’ level of sound quality, first time, every time is literally in the job descriptionunderstandably there is a level of investment required in order to hit this target consistently and efficiently. This approach is no longer just reserved for the professional studio either, and as we lay witness to the continued maturation of home recording (and the increasingly pro level setups of the modern DIY producer) we are seeing a blurring of the lines between pro and prosumer, both in workflow and with a host of exotic brand names traditionally reserved for top flight commercial studios, finally starting to make their way into the broader public lexicon. Perhaps there is no better example of this than legendary German microphone haus Schoeps and products like their stunning V4U - a brand who for the last 70 years have been one of the finest proponents of the European microphone tradition, while also bearing enough forward-thinking design nous to translate into the modern recording climate, becoming a favourite premium option for engineers on both sides of the proverbial fence. In a market saturated with large diaphragm condensers for all seasons, Schoeps stand out for a myriad of reasons, least of all their ongoing dedication to smalldiaphragm technology. For the uninitiated, Schoeps deal exclusively in small diaphragm (not a diaphragm over 1” in sight) and it is this sense of restriction that has propelled them into such interesting, cutting edge design territory with the V4U. Not content with settling for being the reigning kings of classical stereo mic’ing,
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the engineers at Schoeps have applied this aforementioned SDC mastery and applied it to one of the most LDC dominant sources of all: the human voice. The result is something both unique and truly special. The V4U marries Schoeps’ small diaphragm expertise with the desirable sonic imprint of a large diaphragm microphone, resulting in a nimble, pleasant sounding vocal mic with a host of tricks up its sleeve, particularly for offaxis concerns like capturing an animated vocalist outside of the direct line of incidence. It’s an area of microphone design that isn’t always talked about as much as it should be in regards to its influence on recording quality, but it is a conversation that needs to be had. Needless to say, the V4U’s stellar off-axis properties mean you’d have to be working hard not to be able to pull something high quality and usable from it - given the multitude of placement sins it is able to absorb and tolerate. This aforementioned tight cardioid pickup and neutral off-axis colouration aren’t the only indicators of Schoeps’ focus on directionality and spill with the V4U. Thanks to a handy hinge contraption on the neck of the microphone, the entire capsule can be tilted forward and backwards 20 degrees, independent to the body of the microphone, only further increasing the V4U’s versatility of application. A more-than-respectable selfnoise of 15dB quells any concerns one may typically have for a typical small diaphragm condenser and this, coupled with its ability to pull lifelike detail from a broad range of program material, is yet another reminder why Schoeps are such a formidable presence in film/FX work. No shrinking violet, the exceptional SPL capability of 144dB also lets the V4U handle some serious volume for band work and louder source material. A warm and lucid frequency response lends itself to consistency between different voices, making it a real all-rounder microphone, for vocals and beyond.
While it’s hard not to overlook just how well this thing captures vocals, to limit its use to just vocals would be a folly; the V4U’s lightning fast transient response, one of its more immediate features, gives an uncanny sense of motion to recordings. Between the crispness of a piano’s action and the sighing of a string section, the V4U captures momentum that large diaphragm microphones don’t seem to hear. Need a better drum kit overhead solution? A pair of V4U microphones is fast becoming a popular premium option for overheads. But the artifice doesn’t end there: the V4U’s ability as an all-rounder makes it a top tier choice for all but the most brutal of recording applications, lending its classy open capture to anything put in front of it. When it makes anything sound this good, it becomes all too easy to grab as first choice regardless of what convention
might say: woodwind, pitched percussion, even foley - the V4U will sound great on all of them. One of the most thoughtfully designed and sublimely executed microphone releases of recent memory, the Schoeps V4U is an awesome choice, both for the top flight recording/foley studio, or for the home recordist looking to level up their recordings. Its unique topography, ability to produce detailed rich, critical recordings and its exceptional off-axis response all combine to make it an extremely useful tool for all studios great and small. BY LIAM MCSHANE
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
ZOOM
PodTrak P4 and P8 DYNAMIC MUSIC | EXPECT TO PAY: P4 - $499, P8 - $1,049
Podcasting has come a long way in recent years and nowhere is this more evident than in the plethora of high quality podcast specific microphones and mixer/ interface/recorders hitting the market of late. Gone are the days when podcasters had to make do with equipment primarily designed for music. The modern podcasting production suite is well and truly its own thing, having more in common with small-scale broadcast than it ever did the art of music making, and the medium is all the better for it. Long heralded as the number one choice for field recording, video work and the like, Zoom was well ahead of the curve with this gradual shift towards podcast specific hardware. The release of their extremely powerful crossover music/content suite, the LiveTrak L8, was testament to this, showing off the brand’s capabilities in the podcasting space and becoming a favourite among podcasters the world over, but this was only a sign of what was to come. For many, the new PodTrak P4 and P8 are the realisation of what Zoom had hinted at with the LiveTrak L8’s podcasting abilities - a versatile, flexible multimedia device designed specifically with podcasting in mind. All the features we’ve become accustomed to are here with these portable devices, showcasing low noise, high gain inputs and multitrack recording as well as a host of other key features that are sure to pique the interest of anybody dipping in a toe into the rapidly growing medium.
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Both the P4 and P8 feature 70dB worth of gain on each mic input, and all channels have access to phantom power. This means you can use basically any mic you’d like, including demanding low output mics such as the SM-7B, with ease. The P4 has four mic inputs and the P8 has eight, and there’s headphone jacks with dedicated level controls for every mic input, ensuring that everyone’s mix matches the impedance level of their headphones. Unique to this device is USB and TRRS connections, allowing you to connect an external call via your phone or computer for remote participation in your podcast. There is support on both recorders to use Zoom’s BTA-2, to connect your phone via Bluetooth. It’s worth noting that recording through these two connections on the P4 will take up a channel in place of the mic inputs, whereas the P8 has dedicated channels for these. On all external phone calls, there’s also a mix-minus option to prevent feedback impacting your guests and your recording. Controlling inputs on the P4 is done via the trim controls for each channel and low-cut and limiter switches are within the menu. The P8 has added functionality with the trim controls accessed via the touchscreen along with the low-cut filter, a combination compressor/de-esser and tone control which either accentuates or dulls the highs and lows in opposition from each other. Along with these features, the P8 also has eight faders for mixing your
podcast in real time. This also possible on the P4 by adjusting the trim knobs live, but its compact design accommodates for more of a set and forget mindset. Speaking of live mixing, muting and unmuting panelists is easy with devoted buttons for each channel. The P8 additionally has ON AIR buttons which when deactivated mean that the audio is not recorded or outputted to your stream but still comes through in the headphone mixes. This is useful for getting mic levels right without your audience hearing ‘one, two, one, two’ repetitively and not outputting unrelated chatter during pre-recorded content. Both units feature multitrack recording which is a huge win at this price point and the P8 allows you to edit on the device via the touchscreen. Features such as fades, trim, normalisation of volume and the ability to add background music will surely be enough for anyone using this device as intended as a podcasting hub. All your recordings will be saved to an SD card and both units support up to 512GB card size and can be accessed directly from the USB port. Using the customisable pads on both units, you can channel your inner shock jock. Pre-load via USB and trigger sound effects, background music or even a previously recorded interview straight from the device and adjust the volume of all the sounds at once with the provided knob.
In line with Zoom’s all terrain approach to audio, all of these fantastic elements can be enjoyed without a wall outlet or wired power supply. Both units can be used with AA batteries or external usb power packs, and if you’e recording for long periods of time, these PodTraks will switch from USB power to battery power without skipping a beat - neat. But hold on Dr. Podcast: maybe you’d like to use this device to record things directly to your DAW, seeing as your computer is right there in front of you? Well my friend, the good news is you can do that also. The P4 also acts as a 2I/2O interface while the P8 boasts a sizeable 13in/2out which will be more than enough for most users. iOS class compliance comes standard and means a seamless plug and play experience for all Apple devices. All in all, both of these PodTrak units from Zoom are incredibly powerful and affordable options for podcasters in all levels of professionalism. The P4 is better suited for small scale operations where portability is key while the P8 shines with its level of flexibility and onboard editing capabilities. BY SAM MCNIECE
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
SENNHEISER
IE 100 Pro In-Ear Monitors SENNHEISER AUSTRALIA | EXPECT TO PAY: $179
If you’ve ever performed on a large-scale festival stage or are even just staunch about getting the best possible live mixes at your gigs, then you’ll understand the vital importance of in-ear monitors for live performance. In the past, these units have been expensive and require specific receivers to transmit audio wirelessly, which limits their use in other environments and means they’re out of the equation for the average musician. Nowadays, however, Bluetooth headphones have become the norm for consumers thanks to some clever marketing tricks by smartphone companies and you’d be hard-pressed to see wired headphones on public transport these days. Now, imagine there’s a product that can both entertain you on your commute to work and for all your live performance needs, and bang: in comes the Sennheiser IE 100 Pros, a reasonably priced set of in-ear monitors with both wired and wireless connectivity that puts clarity at the forefront of your ears, perfect for use whether you’re onstage or simply just on the bus. Given their impeccable German origins, Sennheiser products are usually beautifully crafted and extremely sturdy and reliable, and these IE 100 Pros are no exception. The professional black and grey aesthetic of our review buds are subtle but effective, but if you like a splash of colour dangling from your earbud, they also come in red and
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clear finishes. Inside the box you’ll find both a wired connection that connects via a 3.5mm jack and an IE Pro BT connector which is easily interchanged via snapping in and out. There are a range of different earbud sizes to suit basically everyone and a cleaning tool to ensure you’re getting the best sound all the time. The earbuds themselves I found to sit very comfortably for long periods of time and I have no doubt they would have no problem staying in while running around or throwing your guitar into an amp. Using the IE Pro BT connector, you are able to connect to anything that uses Bluetooth which includes your phone. You can expect up to ten hours battery life out of the Bluetooth adapter from a full charge, which is more than substantial for a full day of use. The adapter recharges in under two hours via USB C and comes with a cable to charge it with. The strap loops around the back of your neck which might take a little bit to get used to as opposed to the popular Apple Airpods in which the Bluetooth connectivity is inside the earbud itself. That being said, the strap is relatively lightweight and the buds don’t feel like they’re going to pop out at any time. Phone calls and volume adjustment are a breeze with control buttons and a microphone neatly implemented on the strap.
Dynamic range is very important in live performance situations and these don’t disappoint. They can hit a whopping 115dB sound pressure level while wired which will be more than enough for well, everyone. These buds can represent frequencies from 20hz18khz which is more than suitable and approximately the standard hearing range for most people. The IE 100 Pros boast a relatively flat frequency response which might sound a little underwhelming in comparison to consumer Bluetooth headphones but the overall clarity will benefit you in live and studio situations where hearing exactly what’s happening is key. Another thing worth noting is that while using the Bluetooth adapter, the maximum volume is not as high as consumer headphones. From the perspective of a casual listener, if you’re only looking to blast the latest techno releases on the tram to work and not use them in other situations, you might be better suited with a different set of buds. That being said, these are in-ear monitors and not consumer headphones, so it’s important to bear that in mind before you get too critical on how they sound. For purposes of testing their studio applications I used ambient soundscapes of birds chirping, rainforest noises and random chatter. In this context they impressed me, I could hear minute details very clearly and the output was relatively uninterrupted by
outside noise. In terms of sound isolation they function quite well, especially for in-ear monitors that have no specific noise cancelling technology apart from the silicon buds gripping the inside of your ear canal. As these headphones are designed as in-ear stage monitors, sound is meant to remain clear and undistorted during extremely loud environments.To test this, I played a drum track through my DAW as loud as you would hear it live - which, as most of you probably know, is exceptionally loud. Unsurprisingly, they gave a substantial amount of clarity and fullness under this amount of stress, which should translate impeccably to any kind of live environment. For live, studio and casual usage, these IEMs by Sennheiser are a sturdy, clear and precise product that accurately represents a wide range of frequencies and does extremely well under demanding circumstances. They’re super affordable and easily malleable, and will suit the needs of the average gigging musician without breaking the bank. It’s this competitive price-point and versatile range of use, that makes the Sennheiser IE 100 Pros a product that can be used just as much off stage as they can onstage. Two big thumbs up from us! BY MYLES MASAREI
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
SAMSON
Q9U XLR/USB Dynamic Broadcast Microphone ELECTRIC FACTORY | EXPECT TO PAY: $349
Samson Technologies operate out of Hicksville, New York and produce accessible and reliable products that fulfil a variety of uses for professionals and amateurs alike. The Q9U bridges a gap in being a large diaphragm dynamic microphone that can be used via USB and XLR alike. It features some onboard sound sculpting options and an internal shock mount to insulate the capsule and prevent audible bumps that may ruin an otherwise exciting and engaging podcast. Podcasts and broadcasting such as gaming and social media are seemingly where the Q9U was designed to be used, but as a full-range, dynamic mic, it can really do a lot more. Low pass filters are great for the spoken word, but they can also be great for recording a majority of sources, and the mid bump can help you commit to present, articulate sounds while recording. The Samson Q9U is a robust, professional microphone designed to make easy work of recording, sculpting and monitoring your sound source, whatever that may be. So what’s in the box? The Samson Q9U arrives in a well-packed and double wrapped cardboard box that protects the foam insert which grips the microphone. Included is a second windshield, keeping in mind that the metal grille enclosing the capsule is designed
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to prevent wind, breath and plosives, while the secondary foam windshield will ensure that nothing else gets through. The microphone itself is secured to a short clip with a thread to screw it onto a mic stand. The stand itself is robust and malleable, but solid enough to support the weight of the Q9U, even at the obtuse angles sometimes required to capture the best sound. The Q9U also includes a USB 2.0 to USB-C cable, as well as a cable with USB-C at both ends. In use, the Samson Q9U is weighty and solid, much like many Samson products. It feels well-built and like it can handle the consistent use of a variety of professional needs. While using the mic digitally via the USB output, you can record at 24bit/96kHz and monitor latency free via the 3.5mm headphone output on the mic itself. These kinds of additions make the Q9U a no-brainer for those dipping their toes into recording, as there’s no need to worry about headphone mixes or latency, as your sources can hear themselves crystal clear. The Q9U also has a handy ‘Mute’ button on the body of the mic which is especially handy for streaming where other sound sources need to move into the spotlight. The microphone is very directional and records very clear signal, thanks to the cardioid pattern
and humbucking coil within the mic to eliminate or ‘buck’ hum. It can capture sound from 50Hz right up to 20kHz, so the Q9U is a really good choice for someone who may only have a need for one microphone.
The mic sounds very true to the source, and offers a little proximity effect when your source is super close, which can be handy for capturing music or alternatively the excitement of an enthralling story or anecdote in an interview.
This is because the USB capabilities make it very portable and easy to use, but the addition of the XLR output means that as your skills grow, and you may decide to bring in some external processing like compressors or EQs, it can grow with you, your gear and your skills. The XLR output also makes it a great choice for recording music, as the response is fairly flat and you can toggle the little mid-bump or low-cut switches to taste.
Ultimately, the Q9U really is a great tool to have in your arsenal, and Samson have once again demonstrated their understanding of the needs of musicians, artists and creators. While USB microphones are increasingly popular due to the ease of which they can be used, XLR microphones are a cut above that offer the user many more options to ensure a sound is captured clearly and concisely.
The Q9U weighs just under a kilogram and is constructed from zinc alloy and steel. The grille on the mic is metal, and will handle most plosives or explosive sounds, but the foam windshield include will handle everything else, though admittedly darkening the sound a little overall.
The Q9U is both of these, offering beginners a mic that they can learn and build with, and for more advanced users, it’s a super portable mic that offers a bunch of different options for capturing a great sound fast.
The capsule offers a low-cut and mid boost, more specifically a cut of 3dB below 200Hz, so be weary when recording music incase you filter out too much of the good stuff. For spoken word, however, this is ideal. To my ears, the mid bump also offers a boost of about the same at around 1kHz, so again this is ideal for cleaning up a voice or muddy instrument.
Everything you need is either in the box or featured on the mic, so thanks to Samson, there’s really no excuse not to start that podcast, streaming channel, song, interview, video or voice-over. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
STEINBERG
UR44C Audio Interface YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | EXPECT TO PAY: $499
I’ll admit, I have a soft spot for Steinberg interfaces. As someone primarily concerned with making music rather than wrestling with IT issues, I’ve always been able to appreciate the brands rock solid components, seamless connectivity and general all round reliability, both in design and execution.
from an interface of this calibre.
I’ve heard enough connectivity horror stories to come to the conclusion that reliability may be the most important feature of all, and it’s something that everybody should be considering when in the market for a new interface.
Reflecting Steinberg’s forwardthinking design ethos, the UR44c makes use of lightning fast USB-C 3.0, enabling faster processing time and putting a lighter load on your computer’s CPU, while a standard 12-volt adapter can also do the heavy lifting. You’re also able to choose whether you want to power the interface via USB-C or with the 12v adapter, with the unit even being able to be powered via devices as compact as an iPad Pro or a USB powerpack - a real nice touch for anyone working on the go.
The newest interface from industry stalwarts Steinberg does not disappoint. Ever the reliable dark horse, the UR44c has all the seamless connectivity and rocksolid components you’ve come to expect from the industry staple. It features a maximum sampling rate of 192kHz audio conversion with 32-bit resolution, resulting in top-notch analogue-to-digital conversion to produce awesome sounding recordings from the confines of your bedroom.
Expanding beyond the parameters of what most expect from an interface at this price-point, the UR44c consists of six inputs and four outputs, with the unit featuring four microphone preamps on the front and an additional two line inputs on the rear of the unit. Each preamp is paired with a corresponding gain control for immediate adjustments, while a larger output knob on the right-hand side controls the overall volume of the UR44c.
Straight out of the box, there’s no denying that this is a welldesigned piece of gear. Its sleek and clean appearance is paired with a simple black and grey colour scheme, which should make for a clean addition to any desktop studio space.
Additionally, the preamps on the UR44c are also Class-A D-PRE preamps, which only enhance the recording quality of the unit even further. Whether you’re tracking vocals or simply plugging in a guitar or bass for some DI action, you’ll notice the difference these preamps provide immediately: there really is a distinctive sheen and sparkling quality that many interfaces in this price-range simply can’t achieve.
Thankfully, the UR44c has also got a nice amount of weight to it, yet it is relatively small for an interface with this much power and flexibility - so far, it’s ticking all the boxes for everything you’d need
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On the rear, you’ll find four line
outputs and an additional set of main outputs, which should be more than enough for most applications in a home recording environment. I was also stoked to see that the UR44c featured MIDI in and outs on the back as well far too many interfaces in this price range don’t feature MIDI I/O, so it’s nice to see Steinberg have added these in the mix.
copy of Cubase and a bunch of latency-free DSP effects to get you recording quality-sounding tracks straight out of the box. These include Guitar Amp Classics; a suite of sophisticated amp models that cover all grounds from Clean to Lead, as well as a REV-X reverb and a Sweet Spot Morphing Channel Strip to spice up your tracks.
The Steinberg UR44c also boasts phantom power for every input, which is a huge plus for anyone looking to multi-track a singersongwriter or even record a stripped-down drum track. There’s also two headphone jacks on the front of the unit, letting you and another performer record and hear playback simultaneously without the need for any splits. This is an incredibly thoughtful and super practical touch, and helps enhance the human element of recording live instruments with another performer.
However, it’s not just traditional recording where the UR44c exceeds expectations. The unit also makes use of Loopback functionality to make it a versatile and powerful option for livestreaming, letting you merge incoming audio signals with playback from your DAW to create the best streaming experience possible. Regardless of whether you’re live-streaming gaming, audio production or even just live podcasting, this is a powerful tool you’ll want to take advantage of, and it’s nice to see Steinberg including it with the UR44c.
Thanks to the inclusion of USB-C processing, the UR44c is super fast in operation, and throughout my time with the unit for this review, I experienced absolutely no issues with latency whatsoever, even when using the most punishing of plugins. Considering that this tends to be one of the biggest issues facing interfaces in this price-range, it’s refreshing to see that Steinberg have built the UR44c to withstand such issues, and means this should be an interface that you won’t want to replace anytime too soon.
When weighing up the price, quality, performance and features afforded by the Steinberg UR44c, it’s hard to find any faults with this interface at all. It’s compact, affordable and easy to use, and Steinberg’s emphasis on minimising recording latency should be considered as a massive drawcard for any bedroom producer. BY MILES MASAREI
Additionally, Steinberg have also bundled the UR44c with a
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PRODUCT REVIEW / AUDIO
M-AUDIO
BX8 D3 Studio Reference Monitors ELECTRIC FACTORY | EXPECT TO PAY: $559
Producing music from home is an increasingly accessible endeavour. Companies like M-Audio are producing quality products to fit a budget without sacrificing the user’s ability to produce the best music they can make. From interfaces to MIDI Controllers to monitors, you could easily put together a professionalgrade recording rig with entirely M-Audio gear. The new BX8 D3 are an 8” active studio reference monitor, designed for rooms of most sizes. The D3 is the flagship of the BX series of monitors, and they feature everything you need in a studio monitor, as well as some improvements to make your critical decision making easier. The BX8 D3 offer a really balanced response, good bottom end for a mid sized speaker, and a clear midrange. The D3 monitors features upgraded speaker cones and tweeters, and a forward thinking design to maximise the response of the speakers at all volumes. The enclosures are constructed from vinyl-laminated highacoustic-efficiency MDF and feature M-Audio’s fastener-less design to reduce any important acoustic energy being lost as it resonates through fasteners, screws or joints. The speakers weigh in at 11kg, so they’re heavy enough to be a quality speaker (that’s the rule of thumb, right?). They feature a rear facing bassport, that assists in providing a balanced response and does not
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blast the user with bottom end. They’re active, powered speakers that are driven by two Class A/B internal amplifiers, with a separate driver for the woofers and the tweeters (150 watts of power with 80 dedicated to lows and 70 reserved for highs). The 8” woofer’s cones are constructed from Kevlar, a material gaining consistent popularity for its toughness, rigidity and weight, allowing the cones two move quickly and accurately, for accurate transient response for unparalleled monitoring. At the high end, the tweeters are constructed from treated silk and feature a custom waveguide to ensure a clear, accurate and precise stereo image. On the rear of the speaker you have TRS and XLR inputs, an ‘Acoustic Space’ toggle and a master volume. The ‘Acoustic Space’ acts as a bass cut if required in a smaller room, as the BX8 D3s are designed to go right down to 37Hz and up to 22kHz. Once plugged in, the D3s are really impressive. Monitoring is a really difficult one to judge, as we often hear things compared to what we’re used to, and are subject to whatever treatment we do (or don’t) have in our listening space. What the D3s do to combat this, is offer a clear indicator of the ideal listening position. The power LED in the centre of the enclosure, between the tweeter and woofer, shines more brightly when it senses you at an ideal distance and position to be hearing the clearest,
most balanced sound emanating from the speaker cones. The ‘sweet spot’ can sometimes be difficult to distinguish, but the BX8 D3s have got that sorted for you. As an 8” speaker, the D3s give out a pretty reasonable amount of bass, and was initially overwhelming in my modestly sized room. A quick switch of the ‘Acoustic Space’ toggle and I was happy, albeit maybe more comfortable with a sound I’m more used to. While running through a few different sounds and mixes, I found myself toggling between the ‘Acoustic Space’ settings, and ended up having no bass cut, and feeling like I could accurately hear what was happening in the low end. The mids and highs feel clear and articulate, without being overwhelmingly bright, nasal or embarrassingly revealing like some speakers. These other types of monitors have their place, of course, but the BX8 D3 are designed to be a full range speaker for consistent use, and I had little or no ear fatigue after my test. I can see these speakers being great for electronic music and rock, offering plenty of bottom end and low mids, as well as articulate highs. The sweet spot indicator is a welcome addition, as the unstepped pots (that the D3s have) always leave me second guessing if my settings are exactly correct, and whether by placebo or not, I’m usually unable to focus. Maybe it’s my curiosity at the Kevlar woofers,
but the mids feel very articulate and much more detailed than similarly priced speakers, and even monitors beyond this price-point. I was able to hear clearly, and felt like my critical decision making was founded on a clear picture. What’s more, my little mix test translated great into my car. Overall, the BX8 D3 are a great set of monitors for those looking to get into more detailed and accurate listening, and may be looking to upgrade from a smaller or less professional set-up. M-Audio produce reasonably priced products for entry level to intermediate level users, but the BX8 D3 feel like something more. They’re fairly simple when you look at them, but offer everything you may need to get yourself into a good listening position to begin shaping and sculpting sound confidently. I found myself trusting them quite quickly, and the proof is in the pudding, if it translates in a car, you’re pretty close to done. The cabinets feature forward thinking and practical design, modern ingredients and a classy, inconspicuous aesthetic as to not distract from the ingenious power LED to alert you when you may not be listening to the most accurate sound possible. M-Audio is a brand to be trusted, and so are their monitors. The BX8 D3s are no exception. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS
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SET IT. EDIT. CAST. SIMPLE.
Chris Johnson | Drummer | Camila Cabella Edwin Carranza | Bassist, MD | Camila Cabella Darek Cobbs | Keyboards, MD | Charlie Puth Wayne Miller | Host | LA Songwriters Collective Podcast
THE ZOOM PODTRAK P8 PODCAST WORKSTATION Featuring a touchscreen interface, the PodTrak P8 allows you to stream, record, and edit, all with the swipe of your finger. Creating your podcasts has never been so easy.
We’re For Creators
®
The PodTrak P8 Podcast Workstation
MY RIG:
Joelistics There’s not many artists who’ve pushed the boundaries of hip-hop within Australia quite like Joelistics has. In addition to founding Melbourne hip-hop collective TZU, he’s worked with everyone from Birdz and 360 through to Haiku Hands and Mo’Ju, the latter of whom he produced the breakout single ‘Native Tongue’ for in 2018. On his latest project Film School, Joelistics once again shows off why he’s considered hot property in studios around the country. It’s a concept album recorded over the span of five years with a host of female collaborators from Asian descent, fusing dusty samples of ’70s pop with colourful psychedelic jams and spontaneous studio improvisations for an immersive release that explores Asia’s diverse musical diaspora. With the recent release of the project, we linked up with Joel for a look at some of the pieces of gear that popped up throughout the recording of Film School.
Yamaha CS-50 (AKA The Beast) This is the first synth I ever bought in 2001 around the time I started TZU… AND IT STILL SURPRISES ME! It’s a scaled down version of the mighty CS-80 made famous by Vangelis on the Blade Runner soundtrack. It’s a polyphonic fourvoice beast with a gnarly low pass/ high pass filter, ring modulator and a sine wave that can be mixed in to provide extra bottom. It’s capable of weird pads, lush pads, horrific
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pads, basically it’s a pad machine but equally cool at leads and sound effects. The CS-50 is truly a thing of awe and beauty from the sound of the oscillators to the old school design. It weighs a ton and sounds fantastic and I think it made an appearance on every track on the Film School album in some form.
KNAS Ekdahl Moisteurizer How to explain the Moisteurizer? It’s a reverb unit. It’s a filter bank. It’s an overdrive unit. I bought it in a shop called Schniedersladen in Berlin in 2005 not really knowing what it did other than go ‘booiiiing’ but it was love at first sight. The Moisteurizer is less of a reverb unit and more of a mangler. It has exposed reverb springs which can be played like an instrument. You can bang them, scrape them or run signals through it, which it routes through to a filter and LFO. Then, with some tweaking, it’s capable of doom or high squeal madness. I often crank the Moisteurizer and let it create weird soundscapes underneath the drums.
MPC Live This thing has traveled with me all over the world. It’s got a battery life of at least six hours which means you can break it out on a long haul flight and make beats whilst annoying the person sitting next to you (have done). I traveled with the Live to Malaysia in 2017 and made the very first beat sketches that would become the Film School record whilst staying in KL. I bought a heap of old Canto Pop records and CDs from the ’70s and sampled the shit out of them.
Delta Lab Effectron Such a dope delay rack unit. It has a crazy bright red infinite repeat button that works like a one second sampler, you punch it in and it loops out and you can play with the time and pitch. I used the Effectron extensively on the drums on ‘Samsara’ on the Film School record. My unit is actually broken, the delay mix knob is kaput so all I can do is extreme settings. That works for me though!
Roland SH5 The SH5 is a monophonic masterpiece, built like a tank from the year 1976, this thing has magic juice running in its circuitry. To be honest I never thought I’d own one, but I found one on Gumtree from a guy in Geelong who used it as a furniture piece – he called it his dinner party ‘conversation starter’ because it looks so Sci-Fi. The sound of the SH5 is thick and warm; the oscillators are beautiful
and the routing of the signal is quite advanced for its age. The SH5 was used for basslines and leads all over the Film School record.
Roland Chorus Echo 501 I’ve collected delays since my earliest days of getting into music, and the queen of all delays would have to be the Roland Space Echo range. Not as dirty as the 201, the 501 has its own set of tricks including a sweet chorus, balanced ins and a super long delay time called sound on sound. This thing will nice up the sound on everything – synths, vocals, drums, bass. Plus, the spring reverb is gorgeous.
Korg Mono/Poly The Mono/Poly is weirdo synth that’s capable of huge bass and crazy leads, but the real feature of joy is being able to split the voices, volumes, waveforms and octaves on an ARP pattern. You get these really strange and funky arps that have so much character. I bought this Mono/Poly in Tokyo, Japan at a synth shop called 5G. They packaged it up all nice and snug and I carried it on as hand luggage when I flew back to Melbourne. A bona-fide synth classic!
Joelistics Presents Film School is out now.
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