Issue #327

STEVE LACY, SLOWDIVE EFFECTS & PROCESSING SPECIAL

REVIEWED:

JOHN 5 GHOST TELECASTER, APOGEE JAMX USB AUDIO

INTERFACE, BABY AUDIO BA-1 + MORE

EVANESCENCE

EMBRACING

CHANGE

The end of compromises.

Finally, you can have Neumann quality throughout, from the sound source to your ears. Developed with our friends at Merging Technologies, the MT 48 is the new state of the art in audio interfaces, offering four times the resolution of competing devices.

For all its sophistication, the MT 48 is a joy to use. Adjust levels, EQ, dynamics and reverb via an intuitive touchscreen interface – for monitor mixes that inspire your creativity.

https://MT48.neumann.com

POWERED BY MERGING TECHNOLOGIES

◆ 4 analog inputs, 8 analog outputs, ADAT/SPDIF I/O, AES67

◆ Premium preamps with up to 78 dB gain

◆ Record with or without DSP FX

– or both at the same time!

◆ Best in class headphone amps: powerful, ultra low impedance

PRINT EDITOR

Paul French

DIGITAL EDITOR

Isabella Venutti

ASSISTANT EDITOR

Lewis Noke Edwards

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Kelly Lim

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Paul French

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

Patrick Carr

CONTRIBUTORS

David James Young, Isabella Venutti, Andy Lloyd-Russell, Nick Brown, Rob Gee, Lewis Noke Edwards, Christopher Hockey, John Tucker, Adrian Violi, Michael Vince Moin, Pete Hodgson, Jarrah Saunders, Greg Long

PUBLISHER

Furst Media Pty Ltd

FOUNDER Rob Furst

Steve Lacy pg. 16

Evanescence pg.

ORION STUDIO Synergy Core

The Heart of Your Studio

The Orion Studio Synergy Core is an all-encompassing solution that fits all you need in just 1U of rack space.

Record with pristine conversion and create multiple complex near zero latency mixes loaded with effects.

> Thunderbolt 3 & USB 2.0 audio interface for macOS & Windows.

> Up to 130dB of AD/DA conversion and 64-bit AFC™ clocking.

> 12 discrete ultra-linear mic preamps (mic, line & Hi-Z).

> 2 × ADAT, 2 × reamp outputs, 16 × analog outputs.

> 2 × stereo monitor outputs and 2 × headphone outputs.

> Up to 128 effects instances simultaneously in real time.

> 51 Synergy Core effects included.

> DC-coupled analog I/O.

Learn more

GIVEAWAYS

Sound Radix Auto-Align 2 Plugin

The Sound Radix Auto-Align 2 is a radical evolution of a modern classic that has become an indispensable tool in many studios around the world. It eliminates comb-filtering, minimises transient smearing, and spectrally optimises the phase of each mic to deliver the full and defined sound captured by the microphones.Auto-Align 2 takes an extensive step further by significantly speeding up the alignment workflow, introducing a new spectral phase correction module, refined algorithm, an intuitive user interface and much more. One lucky reader will download this beauty for free!

Tech 21 Character Plus Pedal

National Music will also be kitting out one fortunate Mixdown reader with their choice of one of the Tech 21 Character Plus Pedals. Up for grabs are the Screaming Blonde, a Fenderstyle + Tube Screamer-style, the English Muffy, reminiscent of a HiWatt + Big Muff, the Fuzzy Brit, a Marshall-style + Fuzz Face-style, or the Mop Top Liverpool, which emulates a Vox + Rangemaster Booster.

LR Baggs High-Fidelity Bridge Plate Acoustic Pickup System

We’ve teamed up with our friends at National Music to give one lucky reader the chance to win their very own HiFi - a non-invasive pickup design that pairs dual bridge plate sensors with high-fidelity electronics, providing exceptional balance, definition, dynamics, and good feedback resistance.

For your chance to win any of these prizes, head to our giveaways page at mixdownmag.com.au/giveaways/

PRODUCT NEWS

Pro Music Australia now stocking Janicek Picks

MPX Maple/Poplar hybrid snare drums produce a controlled and precise attack with a balanced tone resulting in a shorter sustain staying consistent throughout the extremely wide tuning range. Fit for any musical style, these snare drums speak clearly both with ghost-note precision and a mighty backbeat crack.

GTRS announce W900 Intelligent Guitar

Gripping a pick on a sweaty, bright stage adds to the anxiety of performing for a screaming crowd, and you’d be surprised how quickly you’ll be losing picks once the band kicks in. Being an extension of your playing, it’s crucial you use a well designed pick for your music, and even more crucial is that you don’t lose them on stage.

MPX Steel shell snare drums produce a high frequency tight attack with a piercing tone perfect for cutting through the band and projecting an aggressive groove. The strength of steel produces a mighty energy and projects your sound far and wide.

The LEHLE P-Split Stereo and Mono Volume S

Pedals are available now

The W900, or Wing 900, is the latest offering from GTRS, who operate underneath Mooer, known for their compact, affordable and quality pedals. The W900 is a fanned fret, headless electric guitar with bluetooth capabilities, inbuilt effects and tones, and wireless functionality, all built into one tidy package. The W series are both alder bodies, the W900 featuring a 5-piece selected Roasted Flame Maple neck, Indian rosewood fingerboard and oxidation-resistant white copper frets. The W900 is available in Aurora Purple, Aurora Green or Aurora Pink finishes, Aurora being GTRS’s shifting, metallic colour finish. Despite all these premium woods and hardware, the W900 weighs just 2.5kg, the combination of fanned frets, light weight and headless design making a very ergonomic and comfortable design.

Deviating from the more traditional HSS layout on the P and S-series, the W series features dual humbuckers, the W900 boasting a pair of GTRS HM-2N/HM-2B with Alnico V magnets. The guitar is tuned via the GTRS HL-l bridge system, offering supreme finetuning technology and simple intonation, action and radius adjustments.

The guitar’s effects are controlled by a Super-Knob, an intelligent control with a backlit rim to let you know it’s engaged, as well as some movement for different effects and sounds. There’s some more traditional controls as well, a master volume and tone in addition to a three way blade style switch to toggle between humbuckers. You can easily coax inspiring sounds from any of the 11 amp sims, 126 effects or any combination of those. Effects aside, the W900 has an 80 second looper, 10 different metronome sounds and settings, and plenty of drum loops to jam along with.

The wireless and bluetooth functionality elevate the W900, making them the ideal companion for the travelling musicianallowing them to be plugged into bluetooth speakers with a great sound on board where needed. Alternatively, the W900 functions like a regular electric and sounds great through a traditional amp if you have one available! The included GWU4 wireless is a 4-channel UHF with a distance of 15 metres, allowing you to comfortably play without getting tangled in cables while rehearsing, writing or just vibing.

For more information visit https://www. jademcaustralia.com.au/

Janicek Picks are available in multiple sizes, thicknesses and shapes, as well as featuring their unique D-Grip, a hatched style grip made after the nylon picks are pressed into a special hand-made mould for the best grip. Ranging from Standard size to Jazz A and C shapes, to the more unique Balkan style, made for instruments like the mandolin or bouzouki, or more adventurous guitar players. Janicek have something for everyone, with thicknesses ranging from 0.46mm to 1.6mm.

Janicek are your new favourite pick, helping you focus on your playing without risk of losing it mid-solo.

The Mapex MPX Series Snare Drums are available now

EGM | EGM.NET.AU

Those on the hunt for a new snare – take heed: the diverse range of Mapex MPX Series Snare Drums are now officially available. The Taiwanese brand, established by KHS Musical Instruments in 1989, bears a name synonymous with high quality, raw materials, slick aesthetics and meticulous attention to detail in the contemporary drum market.

From the brand founded by German pedal savant Burkhard Georg Lehle, arrive two exciting new releases – the LEHLE P-Split Stereo and Mono Volume S pedals.

The LEHLE P-SPLIT STEREO is a passive, high-fidelity signal splitter that combines intelligent splitting with passive signal summing. It features two LEHLE TRANSFORMER HZ units that galvanically isolate the ISO outputs, eliminating ground loops and hum. Each channel includes a gold-plated phase switch and ground switch for flexibility and system safety.

The LEHLE MONO VOLUME S, on the other hand, is a compact and efficient volume pedal that uses magnet sensor VCA technology for precise control without mechanical potentiometers. This eliminates typical noise, expensive repairs, and complicated adjustments. The Hall-sensor measures the distance between the magnet and the pedal with great precision and speed, while an ARM Cortex CPU processes the data to control the VCA.

JADE MC AUSTRALIA | JADEMCAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

LEWITT have launched the PURETUBE Studio Mic

ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU

you check things like scale length and neck bow, with every measurement you could need marked along its edge. The three sides of the “Tri-Beam” offer different tools and markings for different jobs.

Akai Professional launch MPC One+

ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU

Roses and Pink Floyd to designs like Emojis and Unicorns if they’re more up your alley.

LEWITT have officially announced the LEWITT PURE TUBE, a new studio microphone optimised for vocal recording. The new PURE TUBE provides timeless premium sound using a revolutionary new circuit free from semiconductors or capacitors in the signal path. With this specific circuit design, the hand-selected tube can fully add its magic to your signal, creating a warm and intimate sound, unlike any other microphone classic. If you want to upgrade your vocal sound, the new PURE TUBE takes you to the highest level.

PURE TUBE was holistically designed to allow you to deliver your best vocal performance and spark your creativity.

Its gold-sputtered 1-inch true condenser capsule is powered by a revolutionary circuit to add warmth, depth, and intimacy with silky-smooth high end to your vocals, unmatched by other classic microphones.

Music Nomad hits Australia’s shores

PRO MUSIC AUSTRALIA | PROMUSICAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

Polishing and filing frets is simple enough, but it’s equally easy to accidentally damage your fretboard. The “Fretshield” fretboard protector is available in multiple scale lengths, and serves to protect your entire fretboard while offering a little slit for your frets to poke through for polishing. A robust backpack that features cavities for all your tools, straps for a work mat and pockets for tools, the "Gomad" Guitarist Gear Bag is a limited release, so don’t miss out!

For more information visit: https:// www.promusicaustralia.com.au/brand/ music-nomad/

The Ernie Ball Axis Capo is Now Available in White

CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

Leading musical equipment and computer software manufacturer for performers and producers Akai Professional have unveiled MPC One+.

The Motion picks are available in packs of six, and are all celluloid picks in a standard, rounded shape. The ridges of the motion play design help you hold the picks on stage, and the six picks will have you equipped for a gig + a few spares. You can collect the different designs for different moods and vibes, allowing you to express yourself depending the show!

Beyond products like their work mats, their Frine fret polish and instrument wax and polish, Music Nomad have launched “Fretshield” fretboard protectors, along with a ruler and "Gomad" Guitarist Gear Bag.

The Music Nomad "Tri-Beam" 3 in 1 Straight Edge ruler helps

The Ernie Ball Axis Capo’s ergonomic features allow for fast and accurate single-handed key changes. A dual-radius design conforms to flat or curved fretboards, while the Axis’ precision-moulded rubber pads safeguard your instrument’s finish and optimal clamping pressure ensures buzz-free operation on 6 or 7 string electric and acoustic guitars. Now, this trusted tool is available in a sleek white finish, so you can fret hop in comfort and style.

During focused writing sessions or fast-moving shows, the Axis Capo lets you switch up guitars without breaking your creative flow. Featuring an innovative dual-radius design, this capo fits most every electric and acoustic model in your collection, whether you play six or seven-string, with either a flat or curved fretboard. Wherever your inspiration takes you, only the Axis Capo gives optimal clamping pressure for crisp on-pitch tone, all the way up the neck.

MPC One+ features the MPC standard 128 MIDI tracks and 8 stereo tracks to seamlessly capture jams, songs, and complete compositions. Access samples, loops, multi-sampled instruments, vocals cuts, and more from the internal 16GB storage. The updated storage comes in handy for your own sample recordings via the stereo 1/4” inputs for instruments, line-level turntables, and beyond. Export your projects as WAV or MP3 to share your music on any popular platform. With its functional I/O, MPC One+ is the bridge for your studio, connecting MIDI, CV/Gate, USB, and line-level sources with ease. Under the hood, MPC One+ is very much the MPC you would expect featuring the signature MPC functions like Note Repeat and 16 Levels. Sample, chop, trim, and store your own personalised collection of unique sounds by the powerful Sampler engine.

Perris new Motion Picks now in stock

PRO MUSIC AUSTRALIA | PROMUSICAUSTRALIA.COM.AU

The Markbass MB58R Series Mini CMD 121 Pure Combo is now available in Australia

CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

Everyone has a favourite brand and gauge of guitar pick, with their own unique style, and Perris produces some of the most unique picks on the market. Their new range of Motion guitar picks feature images that move as you strum with motion play action, with artwork ranging from artists like AC/DC, David Bowie, Guns ‘N’

The MB58R series is one more example of the way Markbass remains one step ahead of their peers in terms of innovation using state-of-the art technologies. The combination of Markbass’ heavily researched custom components and revolutionary materials means they have once again nailed the issues of tone, power and portability

The MB58R MINI CMD 121 PURE features Markbass’ new 500w LM58R combo head, with a 1×12" Markbass Neodymium custom speaker and a brand new hi-fi tweeter developed in collaboration with Marcus Miller. The Mini CMD 121 combo format continues to lead the pack when it comes to big sound from a small package. The sound that comes from this amp has to be heard and felt to be believed – especially considering that this ultralight cube weighs in at a shade over 10kg!

For more information, head to Markbass.it For local enquiries, visit cmcmusic.com.au.

EVANESCENCE

What comes to mind when you hear the name Evanescence? For most, if not all, it begins with the pale blue face of a young Amy Lee, adorning the cover of the band’s 2003 debut Fallen. One of the biggest rock albums of its era, its worldwide multi-platinum success has cemented a legacy that has afforded Evanescence a ticket to the world at large. However, its creation was infamously tense, with Lee entering conflict with both label executives and her own bandmate Ben Moody over the creative direction.

“There was a lot of drama during the creation of the songs on that album, and it gave me tons to write about,” says Lee as she reflects on the album 20 years after its release.

There was so much I needed to express – in my life I felt trapped, misunderstood and silenced. I needed that microphone with all my heart.”

Lee credits Fallen’s creation with allowing her to gain the confidence needed to exorcise her own personal demons through not only that album but the entirety of Evanescence’s discography since, with the debut serving largely as a documentation of the innermost turmoil, grief and anguish of her early 20s.

“Music has always been my outlet for the biggest emotions and hardest struggles in my life,” says Lee.

“When I feel trapped, writing my way out through a song sets me free. When I feel lost, music feels like home. I think the secret ingredient for me, personally, is trust. I have to trust that I’m safe to be nothing but 100% real in the music. If I allow myself total freedom to speak in the lyrics, then that genuineness comes through and people can really relate to it. That courage to really say what I needed to say all started pushing through on Fallen.”

A potent blend of the downtuned riffage of the still-potent nu-metal wave of the early 2000s and a classically-tinged flair for orchestral melodrama, all of the key calling cards of Evanescence’s sound came to fruition through the making of Fallen. In particular, the idiosyncrasies of the band stemmed from the ornate use of both choral and string arrangements on tracks like ‘Imaginary’ and ‘Whisper’. Though a big risk at the time, this ultimately allowed the newcomers to stand out from their other guitartoting contemporaries with a true sense of grandiosity.

“There’s something really motivating about feeling like you’re onto something unique,” Lee says.

“We were still developing our sound, and had this addictive feeling that we were tapping into something really different and special musically. That blend of heavy rock and film scores was basically our big idea on Fallen

“Honestly, films and their scores and soundtracks were as big an influence for us as albums and bands were – especially films like Donnie Darko, The Crow, City of Angels, Gladiator and Edward Scissorhands. Having a real orchestra, in particular, was essential. It was something I had to fight for, because it was expensive and it was our first record. I think [string arranger] David Campbell, and all that he brought to the table, was one of the key elements that made Fallen, and everything we’ve been fortunate enough to create since, what it is.”

"I needed that microphone with all my heart.”

The album’s two biggest songs are also Evanescence’s two signature songs: the anthemic ‘Bring Me to Life’ and lighter ballad ‘My Immortal’. However, neither version on the album was the one Lee had envisioned. The former had a male vocalist forced onto it by the label, while the latter had its original 2000 demo used in lieu of the full-band version (however, that was later released as a single). Though things didn’t go the way Lee had planned, Lee feels as though she has been able to ultimately reclaim the songs over the ensuing decades.

“I say it on-stage almost every night, both of those songs have come to mean so much more to me through the years because of what they now represent between the band and the fans,” she says.

“Both the demo and the David Campbell studio version of ‘My Immortal’ ultimately made it to the record, and as for ‘Bring Me to Life’? It really has grown tremendously live. The cool thing about the guest vocal is we have a built-in collab anytime we want. That comes especially in handy during festival season.”

The video for ‘Bring Me to Life’ is arguably just as memorable as the song itself, with Lee dramatically performing the song while hanging from the ledge of a skyscraper. It achieved one billion YouTube views in 2022, one of only a handful of rock acts to do so alongside giants like Guns N Roses and Nirvana. Lee recalls travelling to Romania to shoot the video, marking the first time she had left the US, and beginning a bond with director Philip Stölzl that would extend to a further two Evanescence videos.

“I remember my knees were scraped and bleeding during that shoot,” she continues. “It came from hanging off the side of the building with Paul [McCoy, guest vocalist] over and over for the scene before the fall, and I was proud of it. We worked on the video for 17 hours straight, then went directly to the

airport to fly back to the States. We missed our connecting flight, so we were stranded overnight without bags and crying just a little. Christopher Guest and Michael McKean were at the gate waiting for new flights too, so of course I tapped them on the shoulder to say I loved them in This Is Spinal Tap. They seemed like maybe they’d heard that before.”

In August, Evanescence will return to Australia for their first arena tour in over 11 years. Last in Australia to perform orchestral shows circa 2018, the upcoming run will see Lee and co. celebrating 20 years of Fallen by showcasing a selection of songs from it in tandem with favourites from across the band’s career. The tour will also be their first in the country since the addition of Australian bassist Emma Anzai, formerly of Sick Puppies.

“She’s the perfect fit,” says Lee of Evanescence’s newest member.

“We got to really know each other in 2007 when Evanescence went on tour with Sick Puppies, and I always low-key dreamed of

working together someday. We have a lot in common, and her name’s held in high regard in the rock world for good reason. She’s a bad bitch!”

In a final reflection on Fallen, Mixdown asks Lee about what key lessons she learned during its creation, which would carry into the band’s work thereafter. Her response opens with a key two-word mantra that she feels is impertinent to the entire creative process for Evanescence: “Embrace change.”

“Don’t get caught up in routine, or the way you always do it,” she says. “See what different starting points, environments, people and instruments do to the recipe. I get really excited about sounds and grooves that feel fresh and different for us. I’ve looked at it that way for a long time; now, experimentation itself is a critical part of the routine. So long as the honesty is always there, the heart will remain the same.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

“Music has always been my outlet for the biggest emotions and hardest struggles in my life.”

STEVE LACY X FENDER

Steve Lacy is perhaps the Gen Z Stratocaster icon, having breathed glittering, deliciously textured life back into guitar music with his melodious pop, rock and RnB ear worms over the past several years.

The cross-genre appeal of his devastatingly honest lyrics about love lost, underscored by the chug of his signature lush, twangy treble, have skyrocketed the 24-year-old California native from his Iphone bedroom pop production roots to a Grammy Award win, a Billboard #1 hit and studio sessions with the likes of Vampire Weekend, Thundercat, Tyler the Creator, Kali Uchis and more.

This month marks the announcement of Steve’s collaboration with industry stalwarts Fender on what is effectively the guitar fanatic’s equivalent of a knighthood –his very own custom Signature model – suitably named the Steve Lacy “People Pleaser”.

An interview with the Gen Z guitar icon

taught me how to play, and he was a huge influence on me… Joe Pass… João Gilberto… those chordy guitar players rather than speed and quickness. It was more about beauty and accentuating a song. I’ve kind of developed my style through all of these things. So a little more on your guitar tone, what has been the process of crafting your tone between guitar and amplifier selection? I’m still learning about tones and stuff like that… in my early days I was trying to just play the chords and make the song but now I’m starting to pay more attention to amps and guitar tone and all that stuff. I kinda never thought about it! I was just going, you know? Have any aspects of your DIY ethos/any of your lofi techniques remained in your current writing and recording workflow?

times… I had a beat that was already and then I changed the chords and then me and Fousheé started to write the song. There was a lot of different versions of that song.

What was the first Fender guitar you ever played? And what/ who initially drew you to playing a Fender? Has it always been a Strat that’s lit your fire?

It depends on what I’m going for, I record with my Strat the most, and then for more strummy things I like the twang of a Rickenbacker, but I don’t really play those live, it’s mostly my Strat.

The People Pleaser is emblazoned with a play on Fender’s icon Sunburst finish, featuring a bold slash of hot pink akin to the haze of an LA sunset, perfectly personifying the emotive warmth of the artist’s discography.

In celebration of the launch, I sat down with Steve to chat about his evolution as a guitarist, his multi-faceted songwriting process, and the surreal fruition of his wildest dreams that this collaboration represents.

I would love to know who some of your holy grail guitarist influences are, and what your journey to developing your tone and playing style has been like.

Well I think, you know, for starters, I really started off listening to Jimi Hendrix a lot when I was in my earliest days of learning the guitar. I fell in love with it through Jimi Hendrix, watching him just be himself and create his own sound… Jaris [Mosey] who did Demo, he

I don’t really know! I think the lofi thing wasn’t a choice, it was literally just where I was at the time, so I can’t speak to that as much. I guess the answer to that question would be whatever you think Gemini Rights sounds like would be the answer… is that lofi or is that hifi, you know? I’m not really sure how to separate the two… I think in general, overall I love texture… I don’t like things that are too clean… I guess I do like a lofi aspect but maybe I don’t call it that or look at it that way. It’s just a matter of intentional textures.

I’d love to chat to you a little bit about your songwriting process – do you work predominantly in the box, do you start on an instrument, and if you do, I’d love to know if there’s a particular guitar do you prefer to write on vs play live?

I think it starts off so many different types of ways with me… lately it’s been very organic and I’ve been doing a lot of singing and playing at the same time. But I think, like, for the demos and Apollo and even some of The Internet records it kind of started off with a beat first. You know, I was like more so a beatmaker and then I would try to find a hook in the beat and I would like, fill in the blanks and write the verses. But Gemini Rights was a different process of editing and trying all types of things… like, “Bad Habit” was edited so many

My first guitar was a Squier Strat. It was [because of] Jaris, he was playing at my church. But I think overall I fell in love with the instrument and like, I just wanted to touch it, play it, I would go to guitar centre and just be like wow… you know, these things are like, people or like, like aliens to me, and I just wanted to be a part of that world. I think Jaris and people like Jimi Hendrix really got me started. And guitar hero, also… in a way that was [his first exposure to] a variety of guitar music.

I’d love it if you could give me a bit of a rundown of your signature Fender Strat Model!

I think that having pink on my guitar and getting the fuzz circuit right were my favourite details. But I wasn’t too picky about it, I just kind of wanted to mess with the idea and I think it came out really cool… it’s such an honour, I mean, I still can’t really believe it, you know, coming from playing a Fender Strat Squier to having my own guitar is a dream come true to say the least… I don’t even think it was in my realm of thought at that age, I never even dreamed of it… I was like nah I gotta be like, some, old guitar legend or something for that to happen. But, the idea came to me, and I took the opportunity!

BY ISABELLA VENUTTI

"A dream come true to say the least"

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GEAR TALKS: Nick Chaplin of Slowdive

I

n the years following their 1995 break up, the image conjured by the mention of Slowdive was one suspended in amber; the five contemplative, porcelain-pale, twentysomethings cloaked in white-golden light on the Souvlaki album cover.

Only the band’s second studio album, Souvlaki was recorded in 1992 and released in 1993 via the infamous Creation Records. Although hampered by the shifting tides of UK music criticism upon initial release, with one Melody Maker reviewer stating that he’d “rather drown choking in a bath full of porridge” than listen to the record, Souvlaki has has amassed an ardent cult following over the past three decades. Widely heralded one of the ‘big two’ shoegaze LP’s, it ranked second in Pitchfork’s 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time, conquered only by My Bloody Valentine’s equally venerated Loveless.

Speaking with Slowdive’s original and current bassist Nick Chaplin, I was curious to find out what the band’s relationship to shoegaze as a phenomenon is now, with its pejorative connotation having all but been forgotten.

“Well yeah, I mean, it’s definitely changed. We try not to think about it too much, but you can’t deny that it’s a big important part of what the band is, and was. Certainly back in the 90s we were young and we didn’t wanna be

pigeonholed, man. We were like, no, we’re unique, so we didn’t want to be a part of that. And [shoegaze] was only very briefly something positive in the 90s in the music press… initially, the bands that were a part of that scene were sort of, adored by the music press, but it was a very short period of time and the backlash came very quickly. And so, none of us wanted that term associated with our music at all.”

“But then, over time, decades pass… we’re sort of quite comfortable with it now really, to be honest it’s like – it is what it is.

“I went to a music store in Reading to get some spares for the tour the other day with my 15-year-old son and the guy in there was like “oh, what sort of music do you play?”, and I hate these situations in music shops – I don’t want to play bass guitars in front of people, I just want to get what I need and leave. But you know, my son was like, oh, he’s in a shoegaze band! And I was thinking ah, he’s not going to know what that is, but he was like “oh great!” and started rattling off… So yeah, it’s like, a total genre now, like heavy metal

or punk or whatever. So, you know, embrace it, you’ve gotta embrace it haven’t you.”

Slowdive officially reformed in 2014, and thus the band are in a unique position, having been active at two very different points in their personal lives and in the record industry respectively. When asked if he’s perceived a major shift from the 90s to now, Nick emphasises that the band’s 2010s experience of touring and releasing music has been a far cry from the disarray of former label Creation.

“Releasing records on Creation, it was just chaos. Creation was chaotic…. you know, there was talk of us maybe releasing the record in 2017 by ourselves, because we didn’t have a relationship with Dead Oceans, the label, at the time. But we were open to having a relationship with a label, we weren’t sure that we could really manage it ourselves…

“The great thing is, now people can [release independently], which maybe wasn’t an option back in the 90s. But for us, I think, at our time of life, we thought we needed a partner, a label to help us out. And Dead Oceans are obviously very independently minded… they kind of reminded us a bit of creation – in that they’re all young, they’re all into it for the right reasons – just without the chaos. And without the drugs.”

Being that collectively, the band are in a very different phase of life than they were when their first two albums were released, and are now also spread out across the UK, Nick tells me that their writing process, helmed by lead singer and guitarist Neil Halstead, has also evolved somewhat.

“For this [forthcoming] record, there’s a couple of exceptions, but most of the songs were pretty fully realised in Neil’s head… he’ll take it all away and cut it all up and mix it together and then we give it to a mix engineer to kind of finish off. He’s quite a traditional songwriter. His solo career is very sort of folksy, just an acoustic guitar and acoustic instruments and singing songs about Cornwall where he lives. And so, a lot of Slowdive songs actually come from that, then we just add the band’s kind of… aesthetic?”

When I explain that Mixdown is an instrument and audio tech publication, and that I am thus chomping at the bit to ask him about Slowdive’s signature tools, Nick laughs and tells me he is probably the worst person in

the band to be speaking on the subject. However he’s certain of what is (unsurprisingly) the equipment most integral to the band’s sound.

“We’ve worked out that the only two pieces of equipment we can’t do the show without are Neil and Christian’s pedalboards. Which might not come as that much of a surprise. Everything else we can cope with, you know, if the guitars don’t show up it’s alright you can just borrow them, but the pedalboards are pretty much crucial, and Neil and Christian have spent decades building them up.”

“Back in the 90s we had two boxes, they were Yamaha FX 500 boxes, and they had the traditional Slowdive sounds preprogrammed on them so you’d just hit a number and it would sit on top of the amp, and eventually we had them rack mounted, and that was it! And then the guitarists had basic distortion pedals, and maybe some chorus and reverb or whatever, but it was all through these little FX 500 units whereas now all that’s gone, and the guys have got these huge suitcases with about 50 million pedals on them.”

With our time almost up, though he’s admittedly not a tech-head, I can’t resist asking Nick about what’s on his current bass rig. “I struggle with coordination, so I can’t have too many pedals… I’ve got a Hotcake overdrive and a Boss Bass Chorus and a tuner and that’s basically it. I don’t even have that many basses. At the moment I’m playing a Fender Jazz Bass, one of the newer active ones, I used to have a Jazz back in the 90s which was a passive one, and it never had enough grunt really for onstage, I used to always use the Musicman Stingray on stage because that was the one that would really cut through, and the rest of the band could always hear that big sound – and whenever I brought the Jazz out they’d be like, are you even playing?

“But I always wanted to go back to the Jazz cause I like the neck and I like the shape, so this time around when I saw that they’d produced some active ones that are slightly more powerful sounding I picked up one of those. That’s what I’m using at the moment. That and a Gibson Thunderbird, which I like ‘cause it looks metal.”

BY ISABELLA VENUTTI

“Sounds absolutely monster!”

MATT JOHNSON (JAMIROQUAI)

12-Voice Analog Polyphonic & Multi-timbral Synthesizer

NINA is the world’s first fully motorized analog synthesizer. Synth players have dreamt of this feature for decades, and now it is finally available. Instantly recall your presets and layers, see exactly how the sound was created, or pick up from where you were last working.

NINA combines the advanced functionality, versatility and USB compatibility of modern digital equipment with the hands-on tactility and lush sound of classic analog synths. The result is a massive sounding analog polysynth, with an intuitive interface and workflow that gives you more control during composition and live performance. Musicians, Producers & Sound Designers can finally enjoy the flexibility of Soft Synth control from a real, physical instrument.

Voice Architecture & Design

The combination of two analog VCOs, a Digital Wavetable Oscillator and ‘Moog’ style Ladder Filter gives NINA the undeniable warm, rich sound of classic analog synths.

Innovations & Inspiration

• Motorised, automatable, assignable, and robust high resolution control panel, incorporating haptic feedback.

• Extensive and easy-to-use Modulation Matrix.

• Dynamic A/B Patch Morphing.

• 12-Voice Polyphonic, MPE and 4-Part Multi-Timbral.

• Classic onboard effects including Chorus and Delay, as well as high quality algorithmic Reverb with shimmer.

• Over 400 factory presets and storage for up to 16,000!

FIRST LOOK : Ableton Push 3

The rumour mill has been working overtime with Ableton Live enthusiasts. The third iteration of Ableton Push, simply titled – Push, is finally upon us. Let’s take a first look at what the Ableton have dreamt up for us over the last few years.

RRP: $1499 (WITHOUT PROCESSOR) AND $2999 (WITH PROCESSOR)

In 2001, Ableton, at the time a plucky start-up founded by Gerhard Behles, Robert Henke and Bernd Roggendorf, dared to take on the big players with the release of Live Version 1. In 2012, Ableton entered the hardware market with the release of Push 1; a 64 pad instrument and controller dedicated to creation and performance using Ableton Live.

Push 1 proved to be a resounding success and rapidly found a host of devotees. In 2015, Ableton followed up with the release of Push 2. This iteration revealed a host of new features: a larger colour display with a finer resolution, upgraded pads, a mixing desk view displaying real time peak and RMS audio levels as well as some substantial workflow improvements. Fast forward to May 2023, and the newest addition to the family arrives. The arrival of Push, the new controller/workstation, updates Ableton’s offerings, alongside Live and the OS X app, Note. The update from Push 1 to Push 2 was substantial, but with the release of Push, the change is gargantuan. It would be impossible to cover all of the features without dedicating an entire Mixdown Mag to the task (Dear editors, can we? Please?). Instead, we’ll look at some of Push’s most jaw-dropping features. Spoiler alert: there are many.

(It is important to note the Push and software provided for review, are still in the beta stage so features and functions at release may differ.)

The Push’s configuration with a processor has an internal CPU processor, RAM and hard drive. The configuration without a processor ships without these, so it will always need to be connected to a host computer running Live to function. Later in 2023, upgrade kits will be available, and users will be able to upgrade the

tethered Push to operate in standalone mode. Once powered up and connected to Live, the incredible sensitivity and feel of the pads quickly becomes apparent. A host of new MPE features turn each pad into an X and Y control surface that can be used to bend pitch, pitchslide between notes, perform filter sweeps, add vibrato to instruments and even trigger different sample layers – but more on these features later.

Without a doubt, the biggest change is the introduction of the standalone mode. In 2023 it would be safe to say that most of us are reaching the point of exhaustion when it comes to looking at screens. Push changes that. The ability to disconnect from all of this is both liberating, and inspirational.

With Push on my lap, in standalone mode, I immediately notice the hefty 3.95kg weight of the unit, but am surprised that after a few hours, I was still tapping away with no feeling of discomfort. Kudos to Ableton for keeping the heat low as well (you could fry an egg on my MacBook Pro after 10 minutes of working with any DAW!)

At first, I found myself repeatedly reaching for the mouse/trackpad to perform certain tasks that were either not possible, or habitually performed, on the computer. Over time, the habit abated, and I found myself spending

more time writing, and less time tweaking, which came as a welcome surprise. Working with Push has the potential to make time accelerate, as there is nothing else you can do but create. Hours flew past without me noticing and the music flowed. Working solely with Push in standalone mode, I quickly became more adept at editing MIDI clips and notes. To my knowledge, this workflow hasn’t changed greatly since Push 2, but the fact that you can’t reach for a mouse, hones those skills, fast. Once ideas are developed in standalone mode, you drag and drop the project back to Ableton on a computer, to sequence and mix. It is possible, however, to route the audio outputs into the inputs and record/resample a finished track directly on the Push as well! DJ’s and performers will love fronting up to gigs with just Push in their hands and sets can be recorded easily by routing the outputs of a DJ mixer to the inputs of Push to record live performances using the new audio I/O. As a drummer and guitarist, the range of expression available is almost limitless, and often taken for granted. MIDI keyboards and controllers have never achieved the same heights of expression. As an instrumentalist, you don’t think about the incredible timbral varieties available to you, rather, you employ them without thought. Powerful hits to a tom-tom automatically have a more biting attack, and the pitch of the drum gently drops. Ride cymbals can be pinged on the bell, washed out with the shoulder of the stick, or used like a crash. Incredibly, the MPE implementation on Push brings this to your fingertips. By varying the taps of a pad, up/down or left/right, a host of sonic variation is available. Admittedly, the

surface area of each individual pad is limited in comparison to an instrument, but startlingly realistic jazz inspired ride patterns can be easily tapped out. In what must have been a difficult design decision, size vs function, the resulting pad size is big enough, and no more. Kicks and snares come to life with a solid tap to the middle of a pad, resulting in a satisfying crack. Gentle taps at the bottom of a pad

allow for snare ghost strokes and pillowy kick punctuations. It will be exciting to see how virtual instrument designers and Ableton will exploit these functions for both realistic and creative sounds.

Until now, single string, double stop and Nashville bends remained the purview of guitarists. Push changes that. For the first time on a piano, you can hold two notes of a chord and bend a third into a new pitch. Country gold, right there! The bends sound incredibly smooth as you slide fingers across the pads to voice chords or single note bends. The sensitivity of the pads, tweaked further in the Setup Menu, brings the Spitfire Audio Upright Piano Pack to life, with vibrato possible, using a gentle wiggle akin to that performed on a cello, sounding equal parts haunting, and surreal. The faintest of touches coaxes the faintest of sonorities into existence.

For the first time Push features audio inputs and outputs (I/O): 2 inputs, 2 outputs, headphone out and an additional eight via ADAT optical for both inputs and outputs. By way of a downward press, the Volume Encoder to the left of the unit, cycles through volume control for the audio interface outputs, headphones and cue levels independently. To balance the eternal dance that is the trade-off between performance and latency, Buffer sizes can be adjusted by tapping the Setup button. In standalone mode, the new audio and MIDI I/O, make it possible to program, sequence, monitor and record audio from external synths and drum machines directly. Synths, samplers, guitars, basses, as well as dynamic and passive ribbon microphones can be connected directly to Push’s inputs and recorded into the Audio Clip Slots. An external preamp will, however, be required to connect turntables, condenser mics, DI’s or any device that requires phantom power. From my testing the audio I/O sounds pristine and Push could certainly take the place of an audio interface. If additional channels are required, Push can be paired with an ADAT capable preamp/convertor. This provides the ability to record up to 10 channels of audio,

simultaneously, making Push a serious piece of hardware indeed. Recorded Audio Clips can be tweaked or loaded into Simpler to create MIDI instruments, but extensive audio editing is not possible at this point. Using the External Effects Device, in concert with the audio I/O, it is also possible to patch hardware effects or dynamic processors into the Push and run projects through these devices as well. Yes, you can patch in that fancy rack compressor you dropped $5k on with your Covid stimmy cheques. Those among us with God tier keyboard skills will rejoice at the inclusion of a USB MIDI port. Using this, it is possible to connect and power an external MIDI keyboard or controller to play instruments and control Live, even in standalone mode. To allow more control over Push when in standalone mode, all of the existing controller scripts have been included, so, when a Live compatible external MIDI controller is connected via USB, all of the functionality of the device will be available without further configuration. An incredible feat of design and engineering.

Using Push in standalone, Max4Live Devices function as expected and any device that you have purchased from Ableton directly, will appear in the Available Packs folder for download and installation, on Push. Any purchased or downloaded outside the Ableton store can be dragged and dropped to the desired destination folder from Live’s Browser, and accessed from there. This same drag and drop workflow allow you to manage Clips, Defaults, Grooves, Instrument and Effects presets, Samples, Max4Live devices and Presets.

Push does not support loading or controlling third party VST instruments and effects in standalone mode, so any presets that include VSTs will not load. When working with Live Sets that contain third party VST’s or VSTi’s, you are prompted to freeze any tracks prior to the transfer across to Push. The clips will play back as audio, but no editing of the underlying MIDI data is possible. Once transferred back

to the computer, these tracks can be unfrozen and edited as required. It isn’t clear if Ableton are working towards implementation of third party VST’s in the future. To be honest, I hope that they don’t go down that road. Push has an incredibly rich feature set as it stands, and no small learning curve as a result. Adding more, in my opinion, would only detract from usability. To implement VST compatibility, it would be reasonable to assume plugin developers would need dedicated custom installers, and authorisation protocols for licensing. Should Push take-off, this could be an eventuality, but I think the likelihood is slim. Developers are already stretched with constant plugin updates for OSX and, to a lesser extent, Windows. On top of the drive to innovate new tech, the requirement to create new installers and authorisation protocols, would be excessive. Instead, we might see the porting of VST’s to Max4Live devices using technologies similar to Cycling74’s RNBO (pronounced rainbow). RNBO allows programmers to export Max patches to almost any format including VST, AU, Max4Live, Max Objects and web objects. Ableton used this technology to develop the Learning Synths website. From my understanding, whilst it is not possible to import existing code into RNBO, it is possible to script custom DSP objects in addition to those already present within the Max MSP code base. Without a crystal ball, it’s impossible to know if RNBO will be used specifically for this purpose, but I’m happy to wager the Max4Live space is going to get a lot busier as Push matures.

Ableton are to be congratulated on the release of Push. The quality of the manufacturing is stunning and the pads are simply incredible in use. Bringing together standalone operation, 64 MPE enabled pads, CV, MIDI and audio I/O plus the almost limitless sound design possibilities when used in concert with Live, Ableton have made Push, an object of desire. So, the question is, “Will Push be a game changer?” I think on many levels, the likelihood is very high.

For more information, head to Ableton.com

BY GREG LONG

IT TAKES TWO: Oberheim and Sequential

Many were shocked at the passing of musical icon Dave Smith last year, who was the founder of Sequential Circuits. An outpouring of tributes and sadness from musicians and sound enthusiasts the world over felt justified in paying homage to his legacy.

A pioneer of synthesis in the truest sense, Dave Smith created the world’s first fully programmable polysynth, the legendary Prophet 5 which earned such rapid and wide global renown amongst musicians that it was embraced in every genre and set the standard for programmable analog synthesis. Such was the sweeping power and dynamic capability of his work and instruments that he changed the course and sound of music forever. Smith was also the co-inventor of MIDI. Few people have had as much of an impact on the world of music as he did. One of them, however, is his long-time friend Tom Oberheim. Oberheim created the world’s first programmable monosynth, the OB-1, the first ever sequencer, the DS-2, as well as the classic SEM (Synthesizer Expander Module) and the DMX drum machine, which would in itself play an integral role in revolutionsing early hip-hop. Tom Oberheim too, interestingly, also played a key role in the creation of MIDI.

These examples represent just a small fraction of both Oberheim’s and Smith’s work and their technological innovation but there is a similar story that is threaded throughout their entire catalog of creations: that their instruments often went fundamentally further than their competitors in the space to become staples of production on many hit records across an array of genres. It’s undeniable that the creations of Oberheim

and Sequential began to shape the way artists, producers and listeners thought about music going into the synth-laden 1980’s and the 1990’s. The subsequent introduction of acid-house and techno music to the mainstream was, for example, guided and influenced by these synths, sequencers and modules. The point remains, that in many instances, Oberheim’s instruments seem to reflect the reverence and historical importance of Sequential’s instruments.

It seems only fitting, then, that Oberheim and Sequential now work together in partnership, both operations and production. This is in part thanks to both companies being recently acquired by parent company Focusrite over the last two years, as well as largely thanks to the friendly relationship maintained between Smith and Oberheim over the course of their lives.

What this means is that there is now a new generation of products on offer from Oberheim and Sequential. In the case of Oberheim, the company has returned with the OB-X8, their flagship synthesizer that pays homage to the renowned and beautifully analog sounds of its predecessors, all the while taking advantage of the most critical advancements in audio technology, programmability and useability to deliver a product that

has reawakened Oberheim, while also reimagining the kind of power that a synthesizer can deliver. The synth delivers a seamless sound designing experience, allowing the user access to all the synths’ parameters, for the easy creation of unique and precise sounds. The OB-X8 also comes in a standalone desktop module, for those looking for the exact same synth engine in a more compact and portable package.

Sequential, on the other hand, offer the official rerelease of the all-analog monster, the Prophet 10 as their flagship product, which Dave Smith once described as ‘the best of all Prophets’ because it embodies all three revisions of the celebrated Prophet 5. The re-released Prophet 10 comes with a Rev switch, which adjusts the synth’s filter envelope shape and response to replicate those on the original Prophet Rev 1, Rev 2 or Rev 3. The result is a muscular, authentic sound that embellishes that of the original Prophet’s, while emphasis has been placed on the instrument’s roadworthiness, allowing for greater ease-of-mind when traveling or touring with a state-of-the-art synthesizer. Simply put, it’s a pure analog dream.

Sequential have also rather wisely delivered a compact product at a great price to appeal to the ever-growing market of analog home studio aficionados. The Take 5 is Sequential’s smallest fully functional analog synth at just 26 inches stacked with everything you would expect from a Sequential instrument: smooth, warm and punchy sounds that sit perfectly in a mix or on stage. For its small size, however, it’s equally as packed with features as

its larger counterparts. The Take 5’s key-split feature gives access to split the 44-key keyboard into two performance zones, while the synth engine is fully shapeable and immediately customizable. The Take 5 represents Sequential offering a product that more people can afford, with zero corners cut to deliver an outstanding instrument.

Oberheim and Sequential instruments are sonically rich in analog character and provide a depth in their sound that is very, very difficult to replicate. These are synthesizers that present endless possibilities in programmability, in music production or sound design or film-scoring. For those who haven’t had the fortune of playing them, take yourself to a good music store and kindly ask to try one out. What’s perhaps most important about Oberheim and Sequential is that they sound beautiful. Really beautiful. I couldn’t let this article pass me by without offering two personal anecdotes that are both hand-onheart true:

That the best sub bass sound I have ever heard came from an OB-1, when I was lucky enough to use one, and that the best pad sound I have ever heard was from a Prophet 5. It was a dreamy, deep sound that felt like a cloud with a gentle, faint saw sound buzzing through and around it. Again, when I was lucky enough to use one. With the reawakening of both companies in full swing, I’m certain it won’t be too long until I’m lucky enough to use a Sequential or Oberheim synth again.

BY MICHAEL VINCE MOIN

DESKTOP SYNTH MODULE

THINK SMALL, PLAY BIG

Sharpening the tools with the PIONEER DJ DDJ-REV7

From clubs to home studios, large festivals to your friend’s living room, you’d have to be living under a rock to not have heard of Pioneer DJ gear. Pioneer’s flagship CDJ and DJM range is literally the industry standard, and most likely what you’re going to see if you step up to the booth at clubs or festivals the world over.

Given its ubiquitousness in the space, it makes a tonne of sense to get acquainted with the Pioneer DJ layout and workflow as consistently as possible, which is precisely where something like the new DDJ-REV7 comes into play.

Armed with effects on board, robust components and enough options to serve even the most discerning DJs, the DDJ-REV7 is a conglomerate of all the best pieces of Pioneer gear rolled into one unit, and given that it’s a professional quality controller in a reasonably small footprint makes it the absolute ultimate rehearsal tool for itinerant DJs the world over.

It’s both practical and intuitive, with all of the features rolled into it, and all easily accessible for pre-rehearsed transitions or improvisation on the fly.

Connecting the DDJ-REV7 to Serato DJ Pro allows you to get to grips with the unit itself. In addition to connecting to one of the two USB-B inputs, the DDJ-REV7 has RCA inputs, switchable between Line/Phono if you wanted to mix vinyl turntables with the added functionality of the DDJ-REV7’s effects and feel. There’s also audio BPM detection available in the inputs, to really integrate your vinyl collection into a new age.

The 7” jog wheels are specially designed to give the feel of 12” turntables, with a top plate and slip sheets, as well as adjustable torque settings so it’ll feel familiar no matter what you’re accustomed to. Once music is playing, the centre of the jog wheels have a 3.5” LCD to keep your eyes on the decks, as opposed to your computer. The jog wheels also feature a 33rpm or 45rpm depending on your preference, located right beside the CDJ-style Start/Stop button on each side of the unit.

Switch between the decks with the Magvel Fader Pro, a highly robust fader built to spec for scratch DJs. If you’re not up to the challenge of scratching manually just yet, the DDJ-REV7 has four rapid fire scratch samples available at your fingertips via either the Instant Scratch button or one of the four sample buttons. These four sample buttons can be manually loaded with other sounds if you wish!

Once you’ve got signal arriving at either side of the deck and you’re able to toggle between the turntables, the DDJ-REV7 really opens up a world of possibilities for a customised set every night. The Performance Pads section allows you to fire off samples as you see fit, each side

having four Performance Pads and Hot Cue, Roll, Saved Loop and Sampler buttons as well. There’s a Master Volume and Booth level control, so you can dictate how much signal you’re sending to the club - if you’re not redlining, you’re not headlining.

The Beat FX effects offer 22 Beat FX, controllable by effects levers that can be pulled down for momentary effects, or up for locked effects while searching for a song, or to free up your hands for a more dramatic transition between songs.

While the DDJ-REV7 does a great job at giving the feel and vibe of a traditional turntable, it is at its heart a digital mixer, its centrepiece borrowing heavily from a professional DJM-S mixer, with controls like Smooth Echo and the aforementioned Beat FX Lock On/On from the S9 and S11 mixers. Standard effects like filters, reverb, echo, delay and modulation are available, while Duck Down, Fill Out and Helix Out are, pardon the pun, popular combinations of effects pioneered by Pioneer. The crossfader feel and fade is customisable, with Curve, Feeling Adjust and Reverse On/Off so your tactile fading can sound as you intend. Beside this, in addition to connecting via RCA or USB, there’s two mix inputs, one dedicated to XLR and another dedicated to ¼”, with an on/off/Talk-Over switch depending how you decide to use it. The mic has echo available, global high and low EQ for both inputs, while the Aux input also has its own

The DDJ-REV7 ties together a lot of what DJs across the board need to get the job done, and keep people dancing. There’s a tactile realness to a proper turntable, but the functionality of CDJ style mixers is hard to beat, and you’d be hard pressed to find a nightclub without a CDJ system ready to go. The Pioneer DDJ-REV7 combines these two, with digital and analogue inputs available depending on your preference, or heck, even your vibe night to night. Getting signal to the jog wheels is easy, and handy LCD screens keep your eyes on the decks rather than your laptop, with multiple view options available.

A Magvel Fader Pro helps you flip between the two decks, being one of the most robust faders on the market, ready for the rigours of scratching. There’s effects on board, handy levers for toggling them on and off, or locking them, and Performance Pads if need sounds at the ready to fire off.

The DDJ-REV7 combines a lot of what makes DJing fun into a portable, professional product that can be used for DJs of all creeds, and varying levels of experience with various preferences. The DDJREV7 really does do it all, and it does it as seamlessly as the Magvel Fader Pro at the heart of it all.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

Going Handsfree with THE SHURE GLX-D+ WIRELESS SYSTEMS

The first wireless system I ever used in a stage setup was a Shure. To be honest, I can’t even remember which series it was, being over twenty years back. Since then, I have seen the development of Shure wireless systems, and have used and sold all numbers of them. What I really appreciate is that every time a new range is released, Shure bring better technology, increased ease of use and more features to their dedicated user group.

So, a new wireless system from Shure is not just the old model with a colour change to the casing, you’re getting great improvements based on feedback from working musicians and engineers alike. Thus, it goes without saying that I was more than keen to have a look at the new GLX-D+ range.

Firstly, let’s settle down for a moment and take a breath. There are 23 different setups in this new range, designed to cover all manner of wireless applications for singers and guitarists. Today, we’re going to look at the GLXD24+/SM58

Digital Wireless Handheld System and the GLXD16+ Digital Wireless Guitar Pedal System. These are the two obvious choices for anyone looking for a wireless vocal or guitar system, and both present great build and transmission quality, like every model in the GLX-D+ range.

The GLXD24+/SM58 pairs the compact desktop receiver unit with a handheld transmitter fitted with an SM58 capsule. It goes without saying that the SM58 is the most popular stage microphone in history, and its classic sound is perfectly captured in the GLX-D+, without the restrictions of a microphone cable. The dual band transmission technology ensures that your signal retains

its integrity and sounds just like a wired microphone would. In fact, it often sounds better as you’re not at the mercy of poor-quality microphone cables at venues that have been used night after night for years. Doing away with UHF-based systems prevents overlap on frequencies that other bands or venue staff might be using as well! Setting this up is a breeze, with the transmitter and receiver easily synchronised to each other and locked to avoid crosstalk. Fitted with Shure’s LithiumIon rechargeable battery, you no longer need to stockpile mountains of C Cell batteries to get through an event, let alone travelling or flying with batteries as you pass through airport security. You get up to 12 hours use with this system, which should be more than adequate for most applications. However, spare batteries can be purchased as backups for longer events.

The SM58 capsule is one most of us will know the sound of. It’s a very versatile capsule that has excellent side and rear rejection, making it ideal for loud stages. With this wireless system, you’re able to move away from the microphone stand without the fear of the capsule creating violent feedback right away. Of course, that’s the whole point of a wireless system, to allow you to move about the stage, and even the room.

The same goes for the guitarist. After all, every guitarist just wants to move about the stage, run around the room and climb all over the bar, in order to get attention. So, the GLXD16+ Digital Wireless Guitar Pedal System makes those dreams a reality. The receiver is a sturdy pedal that mounts in the first position of your pedal board, where the tuner would normally go. Don’t worry, there’s a built-in digital tuner. In fact, it is more like a tuner pedal with a built-in wireless receiver. The tuner itself has a needle mode or strobe mode for optimal tuning accuracy, as well as different settings muting when tuning, battery indicators and anything else you might need.

The pedal option is a brilliant concept, as previously available wireless systems for guitars used to just make use of the standard desktop or rack mounted receivers, which were completely unhelpful when setting up an amp at the back of the stage and a pedal board at the front. Just think, you no longer need to keep the receiver on the amp with an extra 20 or 30 feet of cable running back to the pedal board. Once synchronised to your transmitter pack, you’ll just leave it on your pedal board with nothing more than a short patch cable running out into the next pedal in the signal chain. Space on a pedal board is a constant battle as is, and Shure’s GLXD16+ Digital Wireless Guitar Pedal System alleviates this just enough. Both of these systems are bread and butter solutions for musicians who are playing in small to medium venues and don’t have the luxury of a road crew to set up their gear. It takes less time to set up a GLX-D+ as it does to uncoil long microphone cables and tape them to the stage floor. You have the freedom to move about the room and tune the PA system to your needs during soundcheck, and of course, the freedom to move about the room and stage during the performance. Don’t let a fear of technology stop you from performing at your best, or a cable restrict you. With these Shure systems you will sound just as good as the wired versions, whilst you’re free to deliver the performance of a lifetime, in tune and uninhibited. For local enquiries, head to jands.com.au.

BY ROB GEE

Expanding your Tonal Options with NU-X

Well, I am sure you have heard it said by a few people already, but 2023 is now certainly established itself as the year of the effects pedal. And, what’s not to love about more effects pedals? Most guitarists out there will agree that they are still one overdrive pedal short of having the right amount, no matter how many they already have. So, it was great to see an extensive and healthy offering of new and updated effects pedals from NU-X being displayed at NAMM this year. With these models arriving in Australia now, they represent some great value additions to your pedal boards, or the floor next to them, when you inevitably run out of space.

Improving your Core

The new Core range by Nu-X has offered a nononsense approach to the staple set of effects that many guitarists look for when setting up a pedal board. Well, many of these have been updated with little tweaks that make for better integration with pedal switching systems and synchronising effects. With many of the popular models recently discontinued, of course it was suggesting a replacement was on the way, and the Mk II versions are just that. We’ve seen the Time Core Deluxe, Loop Core, Mod Core and Metal Core all get a makeover. And yes, you’re all keen on that Metal Core Mk II, I know. Let’s just say, this new model features the sound of three high gain dream amps in one little box, with Boogie, Friedman and Diezel tones on offer. Plus, there’s an IR output for routing your signal to a full range speaker, rather than a guitar amplifier. That should get some heads turning.

But it’s not all about gain. Modulation is key too. So, the new Mod Core Mk II is one to keep an eye out for with Boss, MXR and TC mod effect emulations crammed into this one little box. I have always been a fan of the MXR myself, with that lush, organic shifting of tone that it offers, and the NUX does it justice, that’s for sure. Add a Smart Tempo control and a host of routing

options that you’d not normally expect in a such a compact housing, and this is a pretty neat little modulation pedal.

Of course, the one this that was always missing from the previous Core range was a reverb pedal, and every pedal board needs at least one reverb pedal. So, NUX have added the Verb Core as a new model to the line-up this year, to satisfy everyone’s need for a little more space in their sound.

Bringing back the Past

On top of the Core range, NUX have new models in the Reissue Series that will get a few ears pricked up. The one that got me really excited was the ‘6ixty5ive Overdrive. It’s a bit of a struggle to type out the product name, as the combination of letters and numbers is like a custom license plate, but it reads easily enough in practice, and looks pretty cool with the retro font used on the unbelievably brown casing. You don’t need to be a vintage guitar amp guru to guess what this pedal sounds like, the name just about spells it out. What you get is a beautifully glassy tone that is very reminiscent of the black panel Fender amps of the 1960s. To go so far as to say it is merely a standalone ’65 reissue is not the full story though, as it doesn’t embody any one amp exactly, but brings out

the characteristics of an era of amplification tone in one compact pedal housing. In terms of layout, the ‘6ixty5ive Overdrive is a clean, simple affair, as it doesn’t need to be overly complicated. You get a Level and Gain control, as well as a Bass and Treble control which provide plenty of scope for tonal experimentation. There are plenty of useable overdrive sounds in there which can all be dialled in by ear, with relative ease. It’s not a hi-gain machine, by any stretch of the imagination, but moreso, a crisp drive that sounds like a vintage amp being pushed gently. You can use it with your clean channel to bring life to your amplifier or lay it over an existing drive channel for a little extra kick. And it works as a nice clean boost too, if you carefully dial back the drive and find the right amount of low end to suit your amplifier. This is definitely one for those of use who still don’t have enough overdrive pedals. It’s the kind of pedal that you don’t often notice when it is engaged, but you certainly hear the lacking when you turn it off. It is often said that no two guitar pedals are the same and with so many options out there (and with such limited pedalboard space to work with), the need for increasingly more versatile pedals is becoming greater and greater. Where the new Nu-X Core series and 6ixty5ive Overdrive get it so right is in their ability to cram so much tonal variation into such a small enclosure-thus doing the heavy lifting of multiple pedals in one. Faithful emulations of your favourite iconic stompboxes and amps are all there along with enough tweakability and interactivity between the controls to take you into uncharted territory, should you be looking to expand your artistic palette (and we all should be.)

While this may be a pedal special, of course, not everyone wants a separate box for each and every effect unit they wish to use. Yes, there is some cathartic fulfilment gained from piecing together your one signal patch with individually selected effects units to suit your sound. It’s a process that is as important as the end result, and one that continues throughout one's musical lifetime. But, for those who are looking for an all-in-one solution, and not a journey, then NU-X has you covered with their multi effects units and modelling amplifiers with built-in effects.

Let’s look at the king of them first. Possibly the most impressive pedal in the NU-X product range, the NME5 Trident, is an integrated amp modeller and effects unit designed to bundle a big range of sounds into one compact board in readiness for jamming, recording, rehearsal or performance. One thing that immediately jumps out is the design and layout of the chassis and how perfect it is for modern guitar applications. It’s compact, but solid, with nicely appointed, soft round edges and a two layered top panel to allow for separation between the two rows of switches. In a technical landscape that seems to be going further and further into the realm of minimal physical footprint, this makes a tonne of sense.

It's designed to be a tough little unit, so you can take it out on a stage when there is little space to work with. And NU-X have thought through the routing options with just this in mind. There are balanced TRS and XLR outputs so you can run directly into a PA speaker, or into the stage box to be routed to the mixing console and PA system. The unbalanced output gets you straight into your amplifier and effect routing options allow for integration with more complex systems.

Whilst there is a LOT going on under the hood with a big range of effects and some really top-notch amp modelling, it is nice to see NU-X have had the guitarist in mind with the top panel controls kept to a familiar array. Delay and reverb are presented together, modulation and other effects are on a separate set of controls, and amplifier adjustments on a third set of controls. You can easily get lost scrolling through some amazing sounding pre-set sounds, but if you want to build your own tone, then it is a fairly organic process with the top

panel controls, enabling you to then store it in the box for future use. And it’s a nice touch to see the bottom right switch, the easiest to engage with a tap of your right foot is predefined to the boost function. This should keep any guitarist happy, and loud.

One box wonders

That said, not everyone needs an entire factory’s worth of effects in one box. Often, an array of usable effects combined with a compact amplifier will take care of your needs, especially for practice purposes at home or when travelling. And would you believe it, NU-X have a selection of solutions for just this. The Mighty Lite Mk II Mini Bluetooth is a newly updated release of the popular Mighty Lite, and retains the compact size and battery powered efficiency that users have enjoyed with this little amplifier. You get a selection of effects and modelling options, with an integrated mobile app that is synced to the amplifier via Bluetooth. This makes for easy control of setting and jamming along to your music library a breeze. It’s the perfect little practice tool for those times when you can’t break out the big rig, or need to take a lightweight option with the rest of your gear.

If you want to take your practice time one step further and go wireless, then the NU-X Mighty Space amp is certainly worth having a look at. This is a compact 30-watt stereo amplifier with built in amp modelling and effects, much like the Mighty Lite Mk II, but where it differs is tin the wireless capabilities. Included with the amp is a compact wireless transmitter that plugs directly into your guitar and sends the signal to the Mighty Space amp. The slim mount jack transmitter allows for use with a range of guitar jack options, so you can run it with a side mounted jack on your Les Paul, or an angled face mounted jack on your Strat.

If you’re looking for something a little more organic, to work with your acoustic guitar, then the Stageman Series is the go. There are three models available now, with the AC-25, AC-60 and AC-80 offering more power as the models go up in the range. These feature a full range speaker that is ideal for use with acoustic guitars, bringing out the sparkle and vibrance of the high frequencies that make these instruments so different from their electric cousins. This also makes for a great vocal amplifier too, as essentially, it’s a little PA system all on one box, with the preamp and effects tailored for guitar.

And if you’re wanting to keep it all to yourself, and not disturb anyone else, the NU-X have a compact headphone amplifier for guitarists

and bass players alike. The Mighty Plug Pro BT is a handy little device that plugs into your guitar or bass and offers a headphone output along with amp modelling and effects that are all controlled via Bluetooth with the integrated mobile app. Now, you’ll never be told to turn down when you need to practice at all hours of the night.

What this all boils down to is that this year’s latest range form NU-X has you covered for effects, no matter what you’re looking for. Whether you’re looking to build a pedal board from scratch, or add to an existing collection, there are some great options in the new releases of single effect pedals. If you want it all in one board, the NME5 Trident has you covered. And if you just want a compact jamming or rehearsal solution, then there is a mains or battery powered amplifier in the range to suit.

Nu-X are distributed by Pro Music Australia. For your closest dealer phone 1300 880 278 or contact them at sales@promusicaustralia.com

BY ROB GEE

With Strymon Pedals, the (Big) Sky's the Limit

Strymon: A name that drips prestige and performance within the guitar space. In many senses, the Rolls Royce of guitar pedals, the Strymon brand has created guitar effects pedals used by many industry professionals, and coveted by many more.

Founded in 2009 in sunny Southern California by Dave Fruehling, Ethan Tufts, and Pete Celi, Strymon was placed in a strong position to succeed. Dave Fruehling, the CEO of Strymon and lead engineer, brought to the table extensive experience in DSP (digital signal processing) as well as his talents as an audio engineer. Ethan Tufts, who also creates music under the pseudonym State Shirt, is another key figure responsible for the success of the Strymon brand. As Chief Marketing Officer, he played a crucial role in shaping the brand identity of Strymon using his extensive background in the digital space. The third Founder, Chief Technology Officer Pete Celi, played a vital role in designing the Strymon pedals. With outstanding experience in software and systems development, the userfriendly controls and seamless integrations of the analogue components of the products are hallmarks of his work, and of Strymon as a whole.

The five pedals I’m exploring today cover a wide spread of the stompbox spectrum; an apt demonstration of the sheer range and ability of the Strymon pedals.

First released in 2012, the Strymon Big Sky became the go-to choice for musicians looking for rich atmospheric tones - seemingly overnight. Offering a vast array of reverb algorithms from classic spring and plate reverbs, to long hall reverbs and ambient

soundscapes, the powerful DSP engine is able to emulate the characteristics of acoustic spaces, with a mathematically insane level of nuance. The pedal’s ability to create a sense of realism is unrivalled in the guitar pedal world, and sets the Strymon Big Sky on a high pedestal with other prestigious studio-grade equipment - for good reason.

The Big Sky has a plethora of parameters such as delay, predelay, mix and tone, as well as other features such as freeze, and a brilliant stereo imaging feature. With the ability to receive stereo inputs, as well as MIDI and the ability to save and load presets, the Big Sky really is the limit when it comes to the levels of customization at the feet of the guitarist.

Another brilliant pedal by Strymon that deserves a closer look at is the Strymon Iridium - a revolutionary amp and cabinet simulator, with a brilliant array of authentic amp tones and speaker simulations. Released in 2019, the Iridium gained popularity for its ability to capture the essence of authentic classic amplifiers, and its ability to do so stems from the SHARC DSP engine, which emulates the characteristics of three staples of the amp world: the Fender Deluxe Reverb, the Vox AC30 and the Marshall Plexi.

With parameters such as gain, level, bass, middle, treble, and presence, the Strymon Iridium

offers control over the tone to the same degree as that of the original amp. Beyond the amp, the Iridium also allows the user to control the virtual microphone position which drastically changes the tonal characteristics of the modelled speaker cabinet.

You can’t discuss the legacy of the Strymon pedals without talking about the Timeline. Featuring twelve delay types and over two hundred presets, the Timeline has gained recognition for its ability to recreate an array of delay sounds - from classic tape echoes to analogue delays, to modern digital and ambient textures. With extensive control over delay parameters, such as time, feedback, mix, filter, modulation and decay, the Strymon Timeline can fill a multitude of roles thanks to its MIDI compatibility and expression pedal control, all in stereo. The standout feature of the Strymon Timeline is the Dual Delay feature, which allows the artist to have two different delays running simultaneously, dramatically enhancing the creative possibilities of the pedal.

The final two pedals that it would be remiss to not mention, are the Strymon El Capitan V2 and the Strymon Volante. The El Capitan V2 is a Tape Echo-style pedal offering three distinctive machine types, Fixed, Multi and Single. These machine types greatly determine the tone of the tape echo, with their own sonic characteristics, and with comprehensive controls including delay time, tape age, bias and crinkle, wow & flutter, tape head spacing, and mix - the ability to dial in almost anything from subtle slap-back to expansive elaborate

tape delay textures is intuitive and easy. Filling a similar hole in a lot of senses is the Strymon Volante, a magnetic echo machine that captures the classic characteristics of a magnetic drum echo, as well as studio tape echoes. The unique feature onboard the Strymon Volante is the ‘Sound on Sound’ feature. This allows users to layer loops of sound on top of their delay tails. Thus, the Volante can function almost as a loop pedal, facilitating easy overdubbing.

Hopefully, through reading a little about these pedals, you have understood the impact they have had on the guitarists we idolise, and once you plug one of these powerful units in, there’s no wondering why that they make their way onto many industry professionals’ boards.

Take for example the pedals that we have showcased in this article, and the people who love them. The list includes David Gilmour, John Mayer, The Edge, Tim Pierce, Steve Vai, John Petrucci, Johnny Greenwood, Mark Lettieri and a long list of other incredible musicians too long to mention. One of the main factors bringing this list together is not only the quality of these guitarists, but also the diversity of their sounds. Used by everyone from Crowded House, to Radiohead, to Pink Floyd and Snarky Puppy, this list is testament to the fact that Strymon pedals have the incredible capacity to be tailored to an artist’s desired tone, and furthermore, the tones of the iconic recordings of your favourite artists.

BY JOHN TUCKER

Warm Audio's Budding Pedal Empire

Warm Audio are by no means the first company to sell cheaper clones of classic pro audio gear, but it’s hard to think of a company that does it better.

Their ethos is simple - make sonically brilliant versions of classic analogue equipment accessible to the everyman. Their impact on the landscape of the pro audio industry has been immeasurable, achieved through rigorous design and development in their Texas facility, outsourcing manufacture in high volume with meticulous quality control. The results have been spectacular, with the brand scoring accolades and nominations for some huge awards, while earning rack real estate in home and professional studios the world over.

Warm Audio have been associated mostly with pro audio gear, like preamps, mics, EQs and compressors, but in recent years they’ve dived into the world of boutique guitar pedals. Their first in 2020, the Foxy Tone Box, fits their pattern of democratising vintage gear, based on the near-unobtainium Foxx Tone Machine - a thick, gnarly germanium fuzz from the ‘70s. In 2021, they released the WA-JP Jet Phaser, based on Roland’s now-incredibly-expensive model of the same name, also from the ‘70s. 2022 looked to be all quiet on the pedal front for Warm, until the latter half of the year when they announced two more pedals, both of the overdrive family - the Centavo, which they claim to be an exact replica of the near-mythical Klon Centaur, and the Warmdrive, a likewise precise rendition of Alfonso Hermida’s Zendrive original circuit. In honour of the recent launch of these two additions to Warm Audio’s pedal arsenal, we’re taking a retrospective look at their previous releases and introducing the newcomers.

FOXY TONE BOX (2020)

It’s hard to think of a better symbolic representation of ‘70s rock and roll than a fuzz pedal covered in faux fur. The Foxx Tone Machine was just that and more, favoured by icons such as Peter Frampton, Billy Gibbons, and Adrian Belew. Based around the same

germanium transistor as the original unit, the distinctive layout is faithful to the original, with a footswitch on top and side-mounted volume, sustain, and tone (‘fuzz mellow-brite’) controls plus a switch to bring in the upper octave. The rather large orange enclosure is even wearing a horrible velvet coat, just like the original.

WA-JP JET PHASER (2021)

Something about the combination of fuzz and phaser awakens the teenage Hendrix fan lying dormant inside me. The WA-JP is less of an exact replica than its Warm Audio pedal friends, with the steel sheet enclosure sandwiched between wooden end cheeks in favour of the original cast box with crackle paint finish. The other improvements are similarly welcome - the components have been upgraded to metal film resistors, film capacitors, and true bypass has been added to the circuit. The controls, however, are all familiar, with the layout centred around a rotary switch with six modes; four labelled ‘Jet’, phaser with fuzz, and two labelled ‘Phase’, which skip the fuzz circuit. Increasing the ‘Resonance’ control feeds the output back through the circuit, producing a more pronounced jet-plane-like ‘whine’, whilst ‘Slow Rate’ takes you from long, thick sweeps through to watery Leslie-speakeresque seasickness. In another Leslie parallel, the ‘Fast/ Slow’ footswitch gradually accelerates the rate of the phaser from its ‘Slow Rate’ up to maximum, simulating the classic move favoured by Hammond organists.

CENTAVO (2023)

The Klon Centaur, released in 1994, pretty much kickstarted the ‘transparent’ overdrive craze and the boutique pedal industry simultaneously. Originals will now set you back more than a decent second-hand car; it’s quite possibly the world’s most sought-after pedal. Naturally, clones exist in abundance, ranging from cheap approximations to small-batch, no-expense-spared, ultra-boutique replicas. The man responsible for the original, Bill Finegan, even entered the fray with the budget-friendly KTR Klon, with the iconic enclosure featuring

the disclaimer ‘kindly remember: the ridiculous hype which offends so many is not of my making’. Predictably, it now resells for many times its original market price.

Few ‘Klones’ on the market can claim to be as exacting as Warm Audio’s effort, with its identical gold enclosure, exactly proportioned oxblood knobs, and even a similar centaur graphic. Under the hood, the circuitry is similarly meticulous - they’ve sourced the same TL072 op-amps, 1N34A Germanium diodes, and internal charge pump voltage regulator that allows the circuit to run on 18V from a 9V power source. The Centavo also adds a switch on the back which activates a mod popularised by Jeff Beck, which extends the low-end response by shifting the highpass filter for thicker high-gain sounds.

WARMDRIVE (2023)

Alfonso Hermida first conceived of the Zendrive as an improved version of the ubiquitous Tube Screamer circuit. Though still a midrangefocussed overdrive, the Zendrive allows the player to vary the amount of bass which enters the drive stage, as well as the amount of treble which leaves it, vastly increasing its versatility compared to the Tube Screamer’s limited tonality. The Warmdrive faithfully recreates the style and layout of the original pedal, with controls for ‘Volume’, ‘Gain’, ‘Tone’ and ‘Voice’ (bass cut). It sources the same 1N34A germanium and Schottky BAT31 silicon diodes and 2N700 MOSFETs as the original Zendrive circuit, providing the same lead tones at a very attractive price.

Your average guitarist would be forgiven for being unfamiliar with the Warm Audio. If their recent success in the pedal domain is anything to go by, that’s probably going to change sooner rather than later.

BY JARRAH SAUNDERS

in focus: IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal

There are so many amp sim plugins, digital modellers, profilers, analog options like the venerable SansAmp… you would almost expect that at this point in guitar history, everything would pretty much sound the same and do the same thing, since all these devices make it a point to recreate many of the same specific classic amps. What is there left to even do?

IK Multimedia has offered their answer in the form of TONEX. TONEX is many things. Originally it was released as a desktop app and plugin for your DAW, a sort of next step from their pioneering AmpliTube all-in-one amp-andeffects solution, but only focusing on the amps. Then it came out as an iOS app. And now, finally, TONEX has entered the physical world in the form of this pedal. What does TONEX do, and what makes it different to all the other modellers out there?

TONEX - the technology - employs machine modelling to build incredibly accurate profiles of amps and gain pedals. Using an audio interface and the TONEX software, you can capture your favourite amp tone, your favourite gain pedal (distortion, fuzz, overdrive, boost, EQ - it’ll even have a good go at specific compressor settings) and upload it to share with the TONEX community, where they can download it to their own software, or now, to the TONEX Pedal to take anywhere. There are

1000 downloadable premium Tone

Models provided by IK Multimedia using everything from Marshalls and Fuzz Faces to Twins and DS-1s, 5150s and Tube Screamers and all the other classic combos, right down to a whole suite of models of a Dumble amp in the IK collection. And there’s a huge TONEX community sharing their own presets. (If you go online you might even find my DigiTech Bad

Monkey model, which I uploaded a few weeks before the infamous video that sent the price of the Bad Monkey through the roof).

The TONEX Pedal features controls for Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble and Volume, as well as a few knobs for selecting models, storing presets and tweaking further parameters, such as Reverb, Compression, Noise Gate, Presence and Depth. You can store presets in banks of three which you can access through the three sturdy foot switches, and there are stereo outputs, MIDI jacks and a foot switch jack for integrating in all sorts of rigs. The pedal itself is very tough and would certainly withstand the rigours of the road or the angriest airline baggage handler. It also doubles as a high-quality USB audio interface, has ultra-low-noise 24-bit 192 kHz converters, a 5 Hz-24kHz frequency response, and 123dB dynamic range. In other words, it’s a serious piece of kit. Some players have expressed confusion online as to why the TONEX Pedal doesn’t have an effects loop: the answer is, it doesn’t need one. Just pop your time-based effects after TONEX in the signal chain. Put your gain effects before it. Don’t overcomplicate things, dude. You can always bypass the unit’s cabinet IR section,

follow it up with whatever delays and reverbs you like then go into some other IR unit if it’s that important to you.

So, given that it can replicate any amp, dirt box and combination thereof that you feed it, the question is ‘How well does it do it, and how does it feel?’ The answer is, since I first tried TONEX in my DAW, I’ve stopped recording my Marshall DSL50, because a user DSL50 profile I found online sounds and feels so much like my amp that I can’t tell the difference. It responds to changes in guitar pickup settings or volume control levels just like my real amp does, and the included reverb options (including several Spring, Plate and Room types) help to add some dimensionality in a way that feels ultra-realistic. And the expanded controls give you the ability to tweak frequencies and fine-tune your models in ways that the original gear just couldn’t do.

So what it all comes down to is the quality not of TONEX’s modelling itself, but the capabilities of the person making a model. The TONEX app guides you very clearly through the process, but if you use a bad-sounding mic or just bad mic technique to create a model, or you overdo or under-cook the input gain, you might not achieve your desired result.

The Dumble profiles are amazing The stomp boxes really sound like the stomp boxes they’re modelling. And the list of profiles is expanding daily as more players upload their creations.

The TONEX Pedal does things that other modellers just don’t do, in terms of the faithfulness of its profiles and the ease of use once you’ve got them into your pedal. It’s the kind of thing you can use with a pedalboard power amp such as a Seymour Duncan PowerStage, or into your amp’s power amp in, or straight into a mixing desk, and have the whole history of guitar and bass amps right there at your feet. Yeah, there are other modellers out there, and they all do their thing in their own way, but IK has really nailed the user experience along with the feel, and that’s why this pedal deserves to sit among the biggest names in modelling.

BY PETER HODGSON

A Chat With Peter Henriksen Co-founder of Henriksen, Inc.

In your opinion, what is it in particular that sets Henriksen Amplifiers apart?

Recently, Mixdown was given the wonderful opportunity to chat with Peter Henriksen, the son with whom the late Bud Henriksen started the company in 2006, about everything from the brand’s genesis and evolution, to his personal product stand-outs in their compelling range.

Tell us a little bit about your background in the audio world - where did you get your start? Do you have any formal training/qualifications under your belt?

Bud started playing guitar at a young age, and he discovered jazz while in the US Army in the 1960’s. He was stationed in Colorado Springs where the legendary Johnny Smith lived, and stumbled upon him at a gig and his life was forever changed. Bud mis-spent much of his 20’s playing music, being a booking agent, sales rep for Kustom amps, “record producer” and at one point in time was a music store manager in Berkeley, California in the late 60's (Oh, the stories! He didn’t remember much of it, honestly. Who does?) He eventually got his act together and used his training in radio equipment from his time in the military to create a telecommunications manufacturing company in the 1980’s, Henriksen Data Systems, which was very successful and at its peak was a multimillion dollar enterprise with over 100 employees.

Is there a particular experience, or person, who inspired you to specialise in amplifiers? What is it about the tech that makes you tick?

I always tell people that Henriksen Amplifiers is really all Roger Sadowsky’s fault. When Bud retired, he wanted to play a lot more guitar, and after focusing on this for a few years started looking for a better archtop, finally settling on the newly available Jim Hall model from Roger Sadowsky. Jim Hall was a hero of Bud’s and he ordered it sight-unseen telling me, “hey, good enough for Jim Hall is good enough for me”. He ordered the guitar, and instantly fell in love with it the moment he picked it up (as is a common experience with Roger’s instruments). The problem was, now that he had a guitar he loved playing, he had to plug it into something for gigs. The state of amplification was in a bad place at the time; Polytone wasn’t in business anymore, and you couldn’t find a working one if you wanted to (Bud had to buy one from Canada to ship to the US, and it was broken and unfixable when it finally arrived). There were a couple of other options, such as Phil Jones and Acoustic Image, but neither of them had the tone that Bud wanted to hear from his Sadowsky guitar, so he finally just had to build one himself. He sent a prototype amp to Jim Hall, who loved the sound, and so Bud called me and asked if I wanted to quit my software engineering job and build guitar amplifiers with him. How was I going to say no to that?

From a tech perspective, it’s all about the unmolested signal; we don’t use shunt circuits or traditional tone controls, and always choose the highest quality audio components in our signal chain. Our philosophy is that tone is in your hands and your instrument, and the amplifier’s only job is to make that louder. This approach is not universal, it’s fairly specific to jazz and acoustic instruments because the predominant styles of rock and blues utilise the amplifier as part of their sound, but our niche in the marketplace is clean, warm, high headroom amplification for artists who just want the sound of their instrument, but louder. This makes us the amplifier of choice for players using modelling devices and elaborate pedal boards as well, because as an FRFR, ours is designed with instrument amplification in mind and doesn't have the cold, sterile feel of a PA system or powered monitor speaker.

Could you talk us through the process behind the creation of your amplifiers, from prototyping and design to construction?

When we prototype something, it’s fairly ugly. I mean, REALLY ugly. We just do proof of concept here. After that, we try to stick to Bud’s original philosophy of “let’s build 100 of them, and if we can’t sell those, well, it was a dumb idea.” We create a short production batch to make sure we can build them economically, and to test the market waters. After that, it gets pretty boring; we are a mostly solderless operation here in Denver, Colorado, almost all of what we do is mechanical assembly and testing, packaging and shipping, warranty service and repairs. Our PCB assemblies are done locally but not in our shop, as is our sheet metal, and our speakers and cabinets come from Eminence. We put it all together and play test every single amplifier before they ship.

What would you consider to be your hero, or stand-out products within the Henriksen range - are there certain models that certain types of performers/audio creatives have responded particularly well to?

The Bud, named after Bud Henriksen, is clearly our stand-out product. It’s become the amplifier of choice for gigging musicians around the world, we’ve seen them everywhere from coffee shops to amphitheatres, with jazz legends, singer-songwriters, bluegrass and classical musicians alike. They're small, but with 120 watts of power and all the features you need to professionally gig with and true to the tone of your hands and your guitar. It’s everything Bud ever wanted in an amplifier and, clearly, he wasn’t alone.

What’s next for the company? Do you have a strong vision for the future, or does the team like to work more intuitively?

We have quite a few designs already through the R&D process that we were going to launch… in 2020. As supply chains become more reliable, we intend on putting them out over the next couple of years, including an updated version of our 12AX7 Preamp Hybrid and a bass amp. For local enquiries regarding the Henriksen range, visit guitarfactory.net.

BY ISABELLA VENUTTI

Within the contemporary amplification market, the name Henriksen is synonymous with in-house manufacturing, all analog designs which preserve tonal integrity, and a 100% commitment to providing customer service of the highest calibre.

ALL NEW XD SERIES

PT-XD18-SC Pedaltrain XD-18 with Soft Case

PT-XD24-SC Pedaltrain XD-24 with Soft Case

PT-NMAX-SC Pedaltrain Nano MAX with Soft Case

PT-JMAX-SC Pedaltrain JR MAX with Soft Case

PT-NANO-SC Pedaltrain Nano with Soft Case

PT-CL3-TCW Pedaltrain Classic 3 with Wheeled Tour Case in Black Honeycomb Finish

An ultra-compact high current isolated international voltage power supply that delivers reliable, zero-noise performance for pedals of all types.

The Pedal Power 3 series is the first lightweight, high current, international voltage power supply to deliver zero-noise performance. Combining the best of time-tested analog engineering with cutting-edge technology to produce the cleanest, most reliable power in the business.

Designed for an advanced mix of modern digital, boutique and vintage analog pedals.

Compact and versatile, it powers analog battery pedals, plus a high-current digital effect.

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The original isolated power supply for pedalboards. The industry standard for nearly two decades.

in focus: Cranborne Audio

Cranborne Audio have been making waves for some time now, and not just because of their sleek looks; their sonic footprint makes for really easy work when recording and mixing.

Cranborne Audio’s motivation for this is to take a “modern approach to vintage sound”, melding the best analogue components for saturation, grit, weight and clarity, with the most practical digital routing options for the best in modern recording technology. Analogue summing is an increasingly popular option for mixing, allowing mixers to mix in-the-box before sending sub groups out through analogue channels to impart a little uniformity to the vast array of plugins we have available in our DAWs.

While their affordable and practical preamps are becoming more popular, the 500-series versions are often being housed in Cranborne’s own 500 series power supplies. The 500ADAT and 500R8 power supplies offer more comprehensive options than most– particularly useful is the option to sum your sounds together to a final mix output, while you can always use the power supplies as a more standard rack via the channel’s direct outputs. The 500ADAT offers more streamlined, digital connections, while the 500R8 features MIDI in and out as well as XLR speaker outputs if needed. The 500R8 itself serves as a USB audio interface, complete with ADAT expansion, headphone outputs and a monitor controller section to toggle between multiple speakers, talkback and a monitor level control.

Cranborne’s sound is clean if you need it to be, but helpful options for extra saturation are always at your disposal. Their 500-series Camden preamps offer simple enough Gain controls, but the additional ‘Mojo’ knob allows you to blend in some extra vibe, and toggle between Thump and Cream. The 500-series Camden preamp is transformerless, making for a faster transient on the output, whereas the Mojo control is based on transformer grit and warmth. It’s important to state that the Mojo control is not achieved with a transformer, but instead is the result of a research project at Cranborne to discover what makes transformers sound the way they do. The result is a switchable transformer sound that can be removed from the signal entirely if need be.

More pragmatic options are also available with the N-22H Headphone Mixer, as well as full rack (dual mono) and half rack (mono) variants of the Camden with headphone mixers integrated. The N-22H is Cranborne’s headphone amp, designed to be small enough to be placed near a musician and simple enough for them to to use. The N-22 Stand alone C.A.S.T. breakout box accepts C.A.S.T. signal, and distributes it for headphone use. All this is to say that Cranborne has the end user in mind, and their products can serve as either the heart of your studio, or just a set of extra tools at your disposal.

Single preamps are always helpful to have, but a channel strip from Cranborne could do one better; their new Carnaby 500 Harmonic EQ being a great pairing with any of the aforementioned preamps. What makes the Carnaby so special? It’s a harmonic EQ, which effectively speaks to adding harmonics to a sound rather than a more conventional boost and cut. Saturation warms up sound, making it more present and ‘big’ sounding without becoming overbearing. While a conventional EQ might add the selected frequencies, a harmonic EQ adds frequencies progressively at different octaves of the selected frequency for a more tasteful effect. The Carnaby is a 3-band parametric EQ with input and output controls to tame or overload the module, and has Hi, Mid and Lo bands with +/- 10dB available. The Lo band is selectable from 20-420Hz, while the Mid offers 200Hz-6.2kHz. The Hi band allows you to push 25kHz for ‘air’ and headroom above our hearing, but you can affect anything from 5K and up. What’s more, the boost/cut is stepped for optimum recallability. It’s the little things that make up a piece as amazing as the Carnaby.

As a channel strip, the Camden into the Carnaby is a formidable signal chain. The Camden allows you to push and shape a signal, while the Carnaby offers the option to shape and cut what the Camden has built. Even with little to no EQ, the Carnaby just adds a little sweetness, the harmonic, saturated nature of the circuit doing its part. The ‘In’ switch toggles between engaging the Carnaby and taking it out of the

circuit entirely; the module is set up to be true-bypass.

Cranborne Audio are a company melding the best of analogue and digital: digital routing options to send and receive signal, sum and eventually print elsewhere, with the best analogue components to add whatever saturation, heft and clarity you might need. Harmonic EQs add a particular colour to sound because of their design, adding saturation progressively at different octaves, and a little saturation never did anyone any harm. Whether you’re looking into their single 500-series modules like the Camden or Carnaby, or the standalone versions of the Camden of N-22H headphone amplifier, Cranborne build quality equipment to get the best out of your signal. Their 500-series racks incorporate the best of the digital world so you can maximise the best of analogue for a truly hybrid experience. Sending and receiving audio from multiple sources can become complex, so you’re best letting Cranborne handle it all for you.

For more info visit https://www. mixmastersproaudio.com.au/

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

DIY Maintenance for the GuitaristModern

with Music Nomad

We all know what we guitarists are like: we become emotionally attached to our instruments to the point of obsession.

And if someone else messes with our guitar we get angsty. We’re like a mother bird who won’t take her baby back if a human has touched it, but in this case our baby is, like, a Telecaster or a pointy BC Rich or something. And the thing about that is, occasionally you might need to hand your beloved instrument over to a trusted tech to perform some heavy-duty work. That can be difficult. But there’s a lot of stuff you can do yourself, guitar maintenance habits and techniques that will keep your instrument in top playing shape and even help prevent certain issues from popping up in the future and requiring the hands of a tech to rectify.

We’re gonna look at Music Nomad’s range of tools to help keep your guitar in your hands and out of a luthier’s. The most basic guitar maintenance you can perform yourself is to change the strings. Some guitarists, even experienced ones, prefer to have someone else handle this. Hey, if you can pay professional guitar tech on retainer to do all this stuff for you, why wouldn’t you? Oh yeah, the crippling emotional attachment to our guitars… So, changing strings can be either a simple affair (like, say, a hardtail Stratocaster) or an absolute nightmare from which there is no waking up (ever tried to restring a Bigsby?). There’s more to changing strings than just putting new strings on the guitar and it’s a good idea to use this time to check other things on the guitar that may need attention.

For example, when I change my strings, I’ll often take all six off at once (unless it’s a guitar with a Floyd Rose), give the guitar a good clean and polish (naturally Music Nomad makes great guitar polishes, and the first thing I noticed when I bought some several years ago was how good they smelled, which is always a plus), I check the condition of the neck. First I’ll get up close with a good light source and check the frets for any dents, scrapes or knocks. If you find any and they’re really bad, I’m afraid that’s a tech issue, my friend. But If you’re comfortable

doing your own basic fret work, this is where you might whip out your Nomad Total Care FRINE Fretboard Care Kit, which includes F-ONE oil, a lemon-oil-free, petroleum-andwax-free oil for protecting the fretboard wood but more importantly for our fretting concerns, FRINE Fret Polish and three GRIP fretboard guards to protect the wood while you use the included microfiber suede cloth to polish the frets up to a shine. I bought some of this stuff over lockdown and went over all my guitars and after getting over the embarrassment of realising how dirty my frets were, I was really pleased with how slick and smooth the playing experience became. You’ll be able to bend notes a lot easier when you’re not pushing the string against a dirty or dinged-up fret. Pop your guitar on a Music Nomad premium workstation neck support and mat to keep your guitar secure as you apply fret polish and use the cloth to shine those things up, but make sure to use consistent movements: don’t focus too hard on any one section of any one fret because you don’t want to polish so much that one section of fret becomes uneven. Another important part of a string changebefore you even put the strings on - is to check the condition of every surface that the string comes into contact with. This is where you might find issues that bind up the string and cause it to build up and release tension, and when that tension gets released, the string will go out of tune. Music Nomad offers a nut file kit for those who are confident with this incredibly stressful aspect of guitar maintenance. It’s a good thing to learn, but try it on a junkedup guitar if you can. Maybe a hard-rubbish find or something going for twenty bucks at an op-shop. Music Nomad’s nut files are available separately in specific common string gauge sizes, or in kits including the maxed-out Complete Shop Set, an 18-piece kit for the pros or the obsessive.

At this point you would want to apply TUNE-IT string lubricant to any surface that contacts the string: the nut slots, the string tree, the bridge saddle, even the slots in a Tune-O-Matic bridge. Once you’ve put your strings on, taking care to hold some tension in the string while you’re turning the tuning pegs in order to keep the

Music Nomad are distributed by Pro Music Australia. For your closest dealer phone 1300 880 278 or contact them at sales@promusicaustralia.com

wraps of string from bunching up all over each other around the post (the string should look consistent and even, not all layered up over itself), now is the time to check your string height and neck relief. That’s a whole other big job. Grab your Music Nomad Precision Setup Gauge Set. It includes tools for measuring truss rod relief (the amount of forward-bow in the neck: a little is usually good, a lot is bad, a superflat neck is only really recommended if you’re a fusion player with a super light touch, and a backwards bow will result in notes choking out). Depending on the guitar, the method for adjusting the truss rod is different, but the general idea is: tighten it to get more forward bow, loosen it to get more back bow.

Now, this bit is important: If you need to adjust the height of your strings (and you can use the String Action Gauge in the same Music Nomad set to check), do it with the bridge saddle adjustment of your particular guitar: never use the truss rod to change string action.

String height is a very personal matter. Some players like their strings super-low, but these will buzz if you play with a heavy touch. Some like them quite high, but this puts more stress on your fingers. Some players seem to see high action as a badge of honour, a tough-man thing tied in with heavy string gauges, but ignore all that posturing and go for a string gauge and action height that doesn’t get in the way of making music.

Paying a little extra attention to things like neck relief and fret condition now can keep your guitar in better playing condition and better overall physical condition so you can either prevent a trip to a luthier caused by neglect (a poorly treated neck is more likely to develop a twist, which is a serious job to rectify), or just become familiar enough with the minutiae of your beloved instrument’s overall condition that you can easily spot when something doesn’t feel right, and empower you with the ability to rectify the issue yourself or have the confidence to say ‘Oh this is a little beyond my powers’ so you don’t make a ‘Whoops I thought I could do that’ mistake.

BY PETER HODGSON

PEDALS & PROCESSORS GUIDE 2023

Markbass Compressore

DISTRIBUTOR: CMC MUSIC

RRP: $ 795.00

Compression is a super important effect for the instrument that anchors the whole band: the bass guitar. While drummers bash around and lead guitarists noodle endlessly, the bassist is responsible for holding down the groove and giving the music a stable, groovy pulse. To keep this consistent, compression helps to level out dynamics, ensuring your volume is as even as your timing.

The Compressore is a simply laid-out pedal that provides a little

colour via a tube, giving cleaner saturation rather than all-out grit. Besides Volume and Gain controls, the compression circuit features Threshold and Ratio controls, as well as Attack and Release to really allow control over how the compressor affects your sound. The Compressore has a yellow indicator to communicate the amount of compression, while a blue indicator notifies you that it’s engaged, and when it’s not, the signal passes seamlessly from input to output thanks to the ‘real true bypass’ circuit.

THE LOWDOWN: The Compressore is a robust, true bypass compressor pedal, allowing you to control and tame your tone with four controls for compression, as well as Volume and Gain. It’s powered by a clean ECC81 tube that imparts a little tubey-sound without adding grit or dirt.

Ernie Ball VP Junior Tuner

DISTRIBUTOR: CMC MUSIC

RRP: $ 839.00

Pedalboard real-estate is a constant battle, not to mention the draw from multiple pedals on your power supply, combining more fun, creative sounds with utility pedals like tuners and volume pedals. Ernie Ball aims to alleviate a little of this with their Ernie Ball VP Junior Tuner, a practically sized volume pedal with a tuner inbuilt to save space and maximise the efficiency of your pedalboard.

The Ernie Ball VP Junior Tuner combines the well-used VP volume pedal with a tuner inbuilt onto the tread of the pedal itself. Accepting

9-18V of power and drawing just 150mA, the Ernie Ball VP Junior Tuner is a rugged volume pedal with a durable PVC coated Kevlar cord that controls the volume. The tuner is chromatic and the display is a traditional needle style tuner, with frequencies from 432Hz to 447Hz available with a few taps of the screen. Volume is displayed incrementally as you rock back and forth on the tread of the pedal, pulling volume right back to zero engaging the display into tuner mode automatically.

THE LOWDOWN:

The Ernie Ball VP Junior Tuner is Ernie Ball’s tried and true VP Junior volume pedal with an inbuilt tuner and display on the tread. It saves spaces on your board, as well as only requiring the power of one pedal.

Tone City Blues Man Overdrive Pedal

DISTRIBUTOR: EGM

RRP: $ 119.00

The Tone knob slowly rolls off the highs, providing warm, gritty sounds when dimed. The Volume pushes your master volume out of the pedal, while the Gain clips your tone within the circuit itself.

The Blues Man has particularly healthy headroom, allowing you to drive it hard without your sound fuzzing out or becoming unintelligible. The dynamic sensitivity is super impressive, responding well to varied playing and picking, while also balancing out your tone on the whole. The Blues Man provides clarity overall, shaping and sculpting your tone while also balancing out your playing like a compressor would, while filling the high end with rich harmonics.

DISTRIBUTOR: FENDER

RRP: $ 229.00

The Blues Man Overdrive Pedal from Tone City is a transparent, blues breakin’ overdrive. It features three knobs for Volume, Tone and Gain, and is all housed with a small, pedalboard friendly enclosure.

THE LOWDOWN:

The Blues Man works well as your main drive tone, a subtle clean boost - or both. At this price you can afford to buy a couple anyway!

Add another layer of movement to your guitar or audio signal with this new Chorus pedal from Fender. Featuring controls for depth, rate, and level as you’d expect from a chorus pedal, this one goes further than that, adding type and tone switches to the mix. The type knob goes from a classic single voice chorus sound to two and four voice

modes which are delayed even further from the original signal. When adding more voices to the sound, this pedal will automatically drop the level of the effect to make sure the volume coming out is consistent with what is already happening. Speaking of volume, the level control knob will let you adjust the ratio of dry and wet signals for low or high modulated outputs. Flicking the tone switch on will roll off some top end from the modulated chorus signal to create space for your dry signal to shine through. Utilising these two flick switches alongside changing depth and rate allows you to create subtle and slow-moving modulation effects as well as fast warbly tones within one compact stompbox.

THE LOWDOWN:

A dreamy modulation pedal with more controls than usual to add classic chorus tones and then some to your stompbox setup.

DISTRIBUTOR: EGM

RRP: $ 119.00

Wild Fire moves from ‘low-watt’ style gain to all-out distortion, with the additional clipping switch offering a different circuit for an overall shift from high/low gain. The three knob layout will have a lot of players feeling at home, the Volume adjusting overall output and the Tone acting as a high end roll off before the Gain takes over. The Clip switch changes the way your sound clips as it moves through the circuit, allowing the Wild Fire to create a huge array of tones.

THE LOWDOWN:

DISTRIBUTOR: EGM

RRP: $ 119.00

control panels, have been gigged, recorded and revered more than any other amp in rock ‘n’ roll history.

The Wild Fire distortion pedal from Tone City doesn’t pull punches. It’s as much a British style drive as it is a robust boost for low gain tones. Controlled primarily by a Gain knob in the centre of the pedal, the

The Wild Fire is a great option as a boost for solos, adding a little clarity and grit, or as a clean boost to push your tone just a fraction to help it cut through the mix. It’s a re-imagined pedal with a tried and true design, all with Tone City’s own unique footprint.

You don’t have to do much looking around to know what the Golden Plexi 2 distortion from Tone City is paying homage to. The famed British amplifiers, colloquially known because of their plexiglass

The Golden Plexi 2 is a revised version of the Golden Plexi distortion, with wider gain response, a mid bump and Volume and Tone controls. Even at low Gain settings, the mids become more present and forward, and a little push of Gain really helps push a solo out of the mix with a little extra bluesy bite. The Golden Plexi 2, much like the amplifiers that inspire it, manage to coax unbelievably clear sounds even at high gain settings, each string ringing through with clarity.

THE LOWDOWN:

The Golden Plexi 2 distortion pedal is an affordable way to step into the world of that British sound, and even as your rig grows, its subtle drive and tone shaping will come in handy.

fender Hammertone Chorus

DISTRIBUTOR: NATIONAL MUSIC

RRP: $ 699.00

in history.

The Character Plus series features the Screaming Blonde Tube Screamer into Fender-style circuit, the Mop Top Liverpool, a Rangemaster Booster into Voxstyle tone, the Fuzzy Brit, a Fuzz Face-style circuit into a Marshallesque tone, and finally the English Muffy, a Big Muff design into a HiWatt-style ‘amp’ sound. The entire range has Character ‘A’ and Character ‘B’ volumes, and Drive A and Drive B controls, but the EQ and drive controls are where they deviate.

Mooer Prime P1 Multi FX / Audio Interface

DISTRIBUTOR: JADE MC AUSTRALIA

RRP: $ 379.00

SansAmp launched the original Character series in 2008, a range of eight pedals that offered tones which spanned decades of famous eras, amps and tones, and it’s now revisited with Tech 21 in the Character Plus series - again paying homage but this time to some of the most perfect pairings

The three footswitches allow you to toggle between Channels A/B, engage the drive circuit or bypass entirely. All four pedals feature varying degrees of EQ and tone shaping, multiple drive options, as well as blends between the circuits, and both XLR and line outputs for sending the signal onto a DI and/or your amp!

The Mooer Prime P1 Multi FX / Audio Interface is, as its name suggests, an audio interface with Multi FX onboard for the musician on the go. The unit features ¼” input and output, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack for monitoring. Multi-FX presets are available via the Mooer Prime App, which allows you to connect to the P1 before selecting, adjusting and tweaking your selection of tones.

The P1 itself features a single clickable knob on its face, easily adjustable once a tone is selected. Select from a multitude of drives, amps, cabinets and effects to shape your tone in the Prime App, or browse the Tone Library or Mixer. In addition to guitar sounds, you can play along with a Metronome or Drum Loop, and create Loops of up to 80 seconds of your own to layer and build upon.

THE LOWDOWN:

The P1 is a total solution to writing, recording and jamming on the go, harnessing the power of the Prime app’s tones, and presenting it in a package as easy to use and travel with in the P1 Multi FX / Audio Interface.

DISTRIBUTOR: THE PILL PEDAL

RRP: ENQUIRE FOR PRICING

rhythmic effect.

MarkBASS

DISTRIBUTOR: CMC MUSIC

RRP: $ 1095.00

A truly visionary pedal with endless room for experimentation, The Pill represents a new era for the stompbox, one that has no qualms blurring the lines between stage and studio, in this case bringing the heady world of analogue stereo ducking to the modern pedalboard.

With three adjustable and highly interactive parameters and mono and stereo routing, The Pill is an extremely adaptable and intuitive pedal, comfortably sitting at the intersection between dynamic processor, volume pedal and

Whether used subtly, as a means to lightly ‘glue’ together organic kick and bass sounds or more aggressively as a way to ‘part the seas’ on a lush synth pad, the three aforementioned parameters (coupled with The Pill’s impressive input flexibility) result in a pedal that encourages boundless experimentation and out-of-thebox thinking.

In all honesty, The Pill’s appropriateness is only bound by the limitations of ones own imagination, with The Pill being open to a seemingly endless combination of sound sources and parameter settings.

THE LOWDOWN: Handmade using the highest quality components, The Pill simply oozes quality across the board- from it’s concept to its construction and sonic output. It’s a classy bit of kit.

In a world where digital amplification is becoming the norm, MarkBass continue to enable players to harness the sonic and harmonic magic that comes from real tubes in an amplifier. The Markbass Vintage Pre is a medium sized preamp pedal, powered by a 12AX7 tube, classily encased in the centre of the pedal so you can see it while it powers and shapes your tone.

The Mark Vintage Pre has an on/ off control, boost and drive (with multiple distortion types available), four band EQ with an additional

one knob mid-scoop control, as well as drive blend, gain and independent drive controls. It has an onboard effects loop, line out via XLR with a ground lift, and finally the digital out via RCA or optical is what really elevates the Mark Vintage Pre into a league of its own.

THE LOWDOWN:

The Mark Vintage Pre pedal is a tube-powered preamp pedal with both analogue and digital outputs, onboard effects loop and as many tone shaping and gain controls as you could need. It’s powered by a 12AX7 tube, with four band EQ and/or a single knob mid scoop control.

The Pill Pedal Stereo Ducking Pedal

Vintage Pre

The structural integrity of your acoustic guitar can make or break the sound it creates. Acoustic guitars vibrate and amplify the sound of their strings by bouncing sound around inside the body and sending it out of the soundhole. Installing pickups sometimes involves cutting holes into the body, screwing preamps here and there, which create extra

air holes for the sound to escape through, ultimately affecting the sound of your guitar. Cumbersome preamp controls are often screwed into the side of your acoustic guitar, and while convenient, create more gaps for air and acoustic energy to escape though. A second hole for the input jack is yet another place for your sound to fizzle out, ironically undoing all the work of the tonewoods in the interest of amplifying it. Non-invasive pickups are often the best solution, and with a name like the HiFi, it’s difficult to go past the LR Baggs HiFi Bridge Plate Acoustic Pickup System. Made up of a single input jack that fits into an existing strap button hole and doesn’t require any extra drilling, cutting of the precious wood that gives your guitar its own voice. The transducer design of the pickup makes for a great, isolated acoustic sound - doing away with the mini microphone design of some pickups that are more prone to feedback. The transducers respond to vibration, and are adhered to the inside of the soundboard to capture sound, without affecting the resonance or vibration of the guitar overall. The preamp itself, 9V battery and control are all installed using a peel-andstick method.

The HiFi responds equally well whether using an Acoustic Soundhole Cover or not, the cover

simply serving just to isolate the sound even more. The Vol and Tone of the preamp offer a balanced roll off for volume, steadily rolling high end off as you lower the tone. To my ears, the HiFi sounds best with everything dimed, letting your guitar sing.

The HiFi Bridge Plate Acoustic Pickup System works by using bridge plate transducers to pick up the vibrations of sound on the soundboard and treating them through the all-discrete, high-fidelity endpin preamp, complete with the volume and tone control that is secured, again non invasively, at the sound hole for easy access. For recording, the HiFi Bridge Plate Acoustic Pickup System offers a bright, consistent tone that can be complemented with a regular miking setup. For live use, you can’t beat a system that isolates the sound as well as bridge plate transducers, reducing screaming feedback and making space for the band to fall into line behind your driving acoustic rhythms.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

FROM DISTORTION TO DRIVE — Breaking Down the Breakup

GAINS…

Distortion, overdrive, dirt, breakup, fuzz, boost, gain, grit, saturation (plus plenty more) all get freely thrown around the guitar tone universe when it comes to adding some extra harmonic content to your tone. Adding some grit to your tone can serve many purposes - boosting volume, creating a tonal contrast and increasing sustain for example. What’s the best way to handle and control gain in your rig? Well, of course there are infinite ways to run/set up a guitar rig but some of the main considerations involve clean/dirty tones and how to balance and operate these. So let’s dig a little further and discuss what’s involved.

THE CLEAN MACHINE

A common starting point is using a clean amp tone that can then be effected/overdriven as needed. Essentially you would have your guitar running fairly directly into the amp (gain pedals bypassed) to get your desired clean tone (typically as clean as possible with possibly some reverb or compression depending on taste). The classic ‘Fender’ type of cleans are always popular for their pristine and spanky response and work particularly well with single coils.

ON THE EDGE

The next step up from clean… and yes, there are different opinions of what actually is clean. I’ve played many rigs where the guitarist’s ‘clean tone’ is actually reasonably overdriven, definitely not in the super pristine ballpark. But, depending on the style of music you’re playing and/or the instrumentation of the band/ gig this dirtier starting point might be totally appropriate. You then get the ability to push it further with a boost, EQ or light OD. The only downside with this setup is that the option to go fully clean isn’t there, but if not needed then you’re fine.

CHANNEL SWITCHING

Channel switching amps are an interesting beast. Intended to offer multiple tones in one amp, they can potentially offer a solution to the issue of being limited to a single certain tone (and then needing to use pedals to get something different). Find one that you dig and they can be great. Sometimes however, players only like or use one or two of the channels and then don’t fully utilise the capabilities of the amp. That can then take you back to the setup of needing extra pedals/effects to achieve the sound you’re looking for.

SOME IDEAS

Experiment with different platforms. Don’t discount using pedals and EQ to get the sounds you’re looking for. An EQ pedal can really alter the tone of an amp (cutting bass, tightening the low end, scooping mids, boosting highs etc).

Dirt pedals can work with dirty amp sounds. A common practice for hard rock and metal players is to use a Tube Screamer type pedal to control the front end of an already saturated/ heavy tone.

Remember that pedals can also be used to subtract EQ. I know players that use a boost pedal as an EQ and volume cut to balance hotter humbucker guitars with single coils on gigs when they are switching guitars a lot.

BY NICK BROWN

BORED OR BOARD?

You know that feeling when your playing seems stale? You don’t dig your tone and you’re sick of always sounding the same? I’ve been there, and I’m sure plenty of you have too.

I actually enjoy practising, working on technique and learning new tunes and licks. Sometimes, however, there's seemingly nothing that will get you enthused. A good approach to overcoming this type of situation, and hopefully re-establishing some creativity, is digging into the effects world. It might be time to delve it into an effect you’ve never used before, or try out the latest and greatest offerings. Doing so might even reaffirm that what you’ve got is actually cool! Either way, this momentary shift of focus can create a new approach to your playing and indeed offer some new tones that in turn make you approach the instrument differently or play with a new intent.

WHAT SHOULD I DIG INTO THEN?

Chorus was a staple of the late 70s, 80s and early 90s. Used to widen your tone or add body, it can be as subtle as some extra depth to more watery, throbby modulation. There are

some killer recorded slap tones with chorus and it can be great when combined with a pick too. Try kicking it in with some long notes in the intro or verse and let the depth and rate controls be your guide.

Often lumped in with distortion and overdrive, fuzz is a seriously great effect to experiment with on bass. The sustain, attack and way it interacts with your touch makes fuzz a very unique sound that can be almost clean sounding and sustain through to raucous and splitty.

Perhaps more commonly used on guitar and keys, the mighty delay pedal is not to be overlooked. Spacey, ambient repeats and rhythmic tails or shorter slapback type doubling tones. Delay can also be handy for single note, higher lines to add some body and width to parts (even try ping pong or panned delays to get the stereo field really moving).

Synth. I mean, this is a trail that could take a long time to investigate fully and may lead to many other directions on the way. Warm, round, flubby vintage type analog sounds, more filtered keyboard type tones and spacey vibes that react to every little nuance in your signal chain.

With the number of options on the market and the sheer amount of new companies and releases each year, it can certainly be hard to keep up with the latest pedals. Yes, it might cost you some hard earned $$$ but a pedalboard rejig/update/addition can do wonders for your creativity and perspective. It might even help you narrow down your tonal pursuits by either discovering a new favourite or discounting some options.

BY NICK BROWN

CAN ACOUSTIC DRUMS = Effects?

The drumming world is an amazing place these days. There are gadgets galore and something for everyone. Never have we beenmore spoiled for choice than in 2023, and it’s awesome to have so many options.

One area of growth is that of electronic drums. This field is now a massive one and it’s common to find drummers experimenting with ways of hybridising their drum kits with some form of electronic aid/effect, or even going fully electric! Sounds like the car industry! But there’s also a lot of drummers who prefer to have a manual gearbox and keep smashing the acoustics. So, what about effects for acoustic drums?

At a basic level, if you think about it, a drum kit is actually just a selection of chosen and designed sound effects. Clearly, we have standard sounds in mind for a drum kit – kick, snare, toms, cymbals. When you think of the drum set, you think of these things. But there’s levels to taking it up a notch and applying/ creating effects – acoustically.

Checking out new cymbal options would be my first go-to.

Back in the day, a China cymbal or a splash were the only real choices for effects on a kit. Now, you have things such as trashy ride cymbals, cluster crashes with inverted bells and odd hammerings, EFX crashes or trash

hats with deliberate, crazy cut outs and even square cymbals, un-lathed and deliberately left out of shape – all the in name of disrupting those sound waves and creating an effect or new sound. Cymbal stacks are perhaps the latest and greatest thing. Chucking a bunch of cymbals on top of each other to simulate hand claps or other short-accent type effects. You’d be surprised what sounds you can get by just layering some cymbals together. Experiment with how tight you have the felts for shorter or longer decay times.

Snares are another killer way to apply some effects to your set up. Either, by having multiple snare drums (Chris Dave anyone?) or by having options to apply to one drum. This is my preference when trying to keep a small footprint and I always have some things with me on a gig or in the studio. One recent invention is from the guys at Big Fat Snare Drum. The idea is to put, effectively, another drumhead on top of your snare drum which in turn, produces some serious low end – instant 70s/80s vibes. There are degrees of ‘phat-ness’ too. I use one called the Donut which has a cut out and maintains a little more of the direct tone of the drum. There are even jingle options. Very cool.

Alternatively, you can use thin towels over all the drums for a dead sound. Either fully covered, or part covered. This isn’t anything new, but it’s one hell of an effect and a very usable one. I’ve also seen some great results by just detuning one or two lugs completely – can

get pretty gnarly! The complete opposite is no dampening at all. Wide open tones, including the bass drum – also a cool effect. Finally, if you have a splash cymbal, try putting it on the snare for a serious drum ‘n’ bass effect. Depending on how liberally you restrain the splash on the drum will depend on how much it moves around and how much effect you get. Check out musician Louis Cole for some cool splash/snare action. Steering down an electronic but still acoustically-minded theme – there is a cool product from Yamaha called the EAD-10 (Electronic Acoustic Drums) that uses a stereo condenser microphone to capture the sound of your acoustic drums/cymbals and then apply effects, via a module. You can then blend these two signals in the mix. It’s a seriously cool thing to play around with – either just for practice or in a live setting. You can also use triggers with the unit. My favourite thing is applying what Yamaha call a “fill sample”. Basically, the sample has some of the low/mids or just missing frequencies of a snare drum that then gets blended with your acoustic sound. Cool and a fresh idea on creating and blending hybrid drum sounds.

Effects are very possible on acoustic drums and in that realm, there are indeed so many possibilities, so check out the options and use your ears to lead the way. What a sonically rich time to play drums!

BY ADRIAN VIOLI

At Sennheiser, we believe in the power of sound. We believe that your voice should break the barrier between you and your audience, so we designed the Profile USB Microphone; a product as reliable as it is accessible. Utilizing our expertise and premium components, we built a dynamic tool that would adapt to your needs as a storyteller.

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STEVE LACY ‘PEOPLE PLEASER’ STRATOCASTER

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | RRP: $2,549.00

When Generation Z’s coolest and most forward thinking guitarist is called upon to design a signature model, folks might expect the result to be something they’ve never seen before. Steve Lacy is about as contemporary of an artist as it's possible to be, rising to fame as a teenager with his band The Internet and subsequently blowing minds with a solo album recorded entirely on his smartphone. Now, at the age of just 25, Steve Lacy has his very own Fender Stratocaster, and as well as looking forward, this guitar takes a very long look back. It’s something you’ve certainly seen before, but never quite like this.

At first glance, the thing players are first likely to notice about this strat is the finish. A fresh take on a classic design, the ‘Chaos Burst’ introduces a vibrant layer of hot pink to the beloved Fender sunburst recipe. Beyond this, the uniqueness of this guitar resides mostly under the hood.

Featuring a beautiful 50s style headstock adorned with Lacy’s signature, its spaghetti font logo and vintage tuners are a throwback to the peak of Fender’s elegance. True to its retro specs, the neck does not feature the modern Fender skunk stripe design on its back. In contrast to these vintage appointments is a modern ‘Deep C’ shape and a radius of 9.5” for maximum playability, allowing players to bend like their lives depend on it without fear of bottoming out. Upon plugging the People Pleaser

in, it very quickly lives up to its name. The bell-like highs that Stratocasters are renowned for are most certainly present, but something is missing. Ah yes, the buzz! Equipped with Player Plus noiseless pickups, Lacy’s signature has all the classic attitude of a Stratocaster, without that pesky 60 cycle hum.

The bridge pickup produces a bright, crisp tone that has that classic Stratocaster bite in the midrange. Crystalline highs and a firm snappy response lend themselves beautifully to a tight clean sound, as well as searing leads when pushed into overdrive. The second position provides what can only be described as ‘The Quack’, a funky strat tone famously used for, well, funk. The magical harmonic richness that lives between the brightness of the bridge and the warmer middle position creates a midrange presence that adds depth and definition to chords and arpeggios. The often overlooked middle pickup in a Strat has its own special character, something that the Player Plus pickup in this model particularly brings forth. Offering a balanced and well rounded tone that is smooth and clear, the middle position in this guitar exhibits a pronounced, singing sustain. Due to its position, the middle pickup captures a blend of string vibrations that results in a warm yet focused sound, capable of a gritty vintage tone when overdriven that is suitable for a myriad of applications.

In the fourth position, the People Pleaser provides the familiar out of phase sound utilised by so many classic players over the years to achieve a rich, creamy blues tone. From sweet, rounded cleans to a smooth and dynamic crunch when distorted, this harmonically complex timbre is something that only a Stratocaster can deliver, and this model delivers it beautifully. Now, I know what you’re thinking. You know what a Stratocaster sounds like, you've heard these buzzwords before. Warm, bright, quacky, what does it all mean? A Strat is a Strat.

When it comes down to it, the guitar sounds great. Have you heard it before? Of course. But, what you haven’t heard is a Stratocaster, wait for it, with a freaking fuzz circuit built into it! Yes, that crazy kid Lacy had a trick up his sleeve all along.

With a simple click of the S1 switch on the guitar’s tone control, the People Pleaser can instantly shift from classic cleans to an outrageously raw, searing fuzz tone. Custom voiced by Lacey himself, the ‘Chaos Fuzz’ removes the need for an external fuzz pedal, providing the thick, gritty sound of a vintage stompbox right out of the guitar. As Hendrix long ago proved, Stratocasters and fuzz circuits are a match made in heaven. Now, that combination is easier to tap into than ever.

When engaged, the standard Stratocaster tone control becomes the output level for the fuzz, an incredibly convenient feature

and certainly the most exciting innovation this guitar has to offer. When the Chaos Fuzz is disengaged, the Stratocaster’s circuit returns to normal.

Featuring the classic master volume control and dual tone controls that you’ve come to expect, the People Pleaser looks entirely unassuming despite harbouring a fuzzy beast within.

Steve Lacy, perhaps more so than anyone, has built upon the old school roots of Soul and R&B to create a contemporary sound for the modern age. In a very similar fashion, the People Pleaser builds upon an old and well established foundation to say something new. It brings the best of Fender’s golden age of design smoothly and gracefully into the modern era, keeping what makes the Strat such a good foundation and adding some thrilling innovations.

Sometimes the best platform for new ideas is what is most familiar to us. Sometimes in order to look forward, you need to look back.

Steve Lacy may very well have recorded an album with an iPhone, but he couldn't have done it without his trusty Strat. Now, that trusty Strat can be yours.

BY CHRISTOPHER HOCKEY

MELBOURNE INSTRUMENTS NINA

MELBOURNE INSTRUMENTS | RRP: $5595

Musical instrument manufacturing in Australia has been a rather interesting landscape. What can’t be disputed is some of the true innovation, style and unique character many instrument companies on this continent have had to offer through the decades; being thrown in and out of tour buses, aeroplane cargo holds flown round the world, or simply nestled in a studio somewhere.

A few big names within the realms of guitars, amps, pedals and drums have been plugging away reasonably comfortably for decades, but as for synthesizers, Australia hasn’t seen a commercially available designed and assembled synth since (drum roll please…) the CMI Fairlight –released in 1979.

Now in 2023, some 40+ years on, there’s a new kid’s on the block, and I for one, was pretty bloody excited to see a company be gutsy enough to not only design from the ground up, but assemble a new synth here in Australia. This is a big a deal this is! So, I was naturally excited to take the new NINA, by Melbourne Instruments, through it’s paces.

Hailing believe it or not, in Melbourne, Australia, the Nina is the impressive debut product from the brand. A 12 voice analogue poly synth and packed to the brim with features-it’s a remarkable introduction into the space.

NINA has a total of 3 oscillators per voice, with two analogue VCO’s which are fully discrete and have been designed in-house

from the ground up. No generic off the shelf chips here. Morphable from triangle to sawtooth and PWM square wave there’s a wide palette to choose from, with sub octave mode for VCO 1 square wave as well as a hard sync for VCO 2 from VCO 1. The fine and coarse tune control has a wide range of 8 octaves and with it, refined tactile control. There’s also a digital wavetable oscillator on board, which is capable of users loading their own wavetables and has a resolution of 96kHz/24bit. Selectable fuzz and noise generators ranging from white, pink Oscillator 1 or 2 XOR (fuzz) are also available and the LFO boasts selectable shape through zero modulatable rate and level control.

The VCF is a 4 pole transistor ladder low pass filter, with a nice, round Moog like vibe, with a modulatable resonance available as a matrix destination and full envelope, with a completely separate envelope for the output. The circuit can be overdriven nicely; the drive is just awesome, harmonically rich yet smooth..

The VCA is rather unique in that there are two VCA’s per voice (ala stereo) and has the ability to infinitely pan via some clever stereo anti-phase wizardry, taking this outside the stereo field via the spin knob.

As for the on-board digital effects, Melbourne Instruments haven’t gone crazy with stuffing things to be brim, but rather have stuck with the classics of reverb, delay and chorus - but boy, do these effects

stack up! They’re absolutely lush sounding, and personally, I wouldn’t want or need more than what’s here. The quality is just superb.

Before I get to the most revered feature of this gorgeous synth, there’s a couple of really unique things I’d like to touch on. Firstly, the morph knob, which allows seamless morphing between layers A and B of a chosen patch. This makes for some really interesting sounds to be discovered, finding potential sweet spots between layers, or just getting downright weird and wonderful, at the twist of a knob! The other particularly noteworthy feature is the modulation matrix. This is pretty much endless in its ability to map anything anywhere, just being a button press away and intuitive as it gets to navigate. Now, what’s got most people really talking about this synth are the motorised encoders. Taken from drone tech, these moving knobs are absolutely no gimmick, so let's just nip that in the bud. Rather, these encoders are built like tanks and are brushless, so they feel incredibly smooth but, you’re able to change the feel of them entirely if desired. For example, when changing the tuning of the oscillators from fine to coarse, the knobs go from smooth to stepped respectively.

Every part of this synth oozes character and vibe, whether it be the depth of the analogue guts which is phat, warm; wide and characterful, or the tactile

convenience and darned right ease and simplicity of it’s layout, navigation through patches/ storing new sounds, and the overall visual feedback of parameters on screen. NINA is an absolute dream to play and guarantees endless tinkering and sonic exploration.

The unison mode is absolutely gargantuan; I don’t think I’ve heard a synth like it, just so incredibly massive! There’s so much grunt under the hood, but as I kept pushing this synth further into bedlam I got the distinct impression I was going to be the loser in this battle. NINA just doesn’t let up. As for the multi timbrel side of things, NINA is a sound designers and composers dream. Endless sonic possibilities, and will pair seamlessly with other gear via its array of I/O.

Every part of this synth, from the chassis, to the encoders, buttons (and I had a feeling I was going to like the iconic red 80’s/90’s like keyboard buttons, very nostalgic both in look and feel) and connectors, feels as they should - absolutely rock solid and build to last even the most demanding of performance environments, both live and studio alike. I was hard pressed to find anything I didn’t like about NINA, an absolute testament to the team at Melbourne Instruments and what they’ve achieved here. A synth to get your hands on and a company to watch closely.

BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELL

CHARVEL PRO-MOD SO-CAL STYLE 1 HH HT E

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | RRP: $1,899.00

Love it or hate it, shredding is here to stay. It’s here to stay because Heavy Metal does not bend to the will of oscillating trends, but rather exists completely independently from them. Like an old religion, its membership may decline from time to time, but the institution isn’t going anywhere. Perhaps this is because heavy metal music doesn’t attract a particular demographic so much as a particular disposition, one that will likely continue to regenerate across generations for as long as people reside on this planet. So, shredding is here to stay and like any craft, it requires the perfect tool. The Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal is that tool.

Rising to prominence in the 1980s in the hands of players such as Eddie Van Halen and Richie Sambora, Charvel Guitars earned a reputation for build quality, tuning stability and speed. Dubbed ‘Superstrats’, the brand’s hot-rodded So-Cal models combined the ergonomic body shape of a Fender Stratocaster with the high output humbuckers and locking tremolos favoured by metal guitarists. The result was a zeitgeist defining instrument that dominated the airwaves during that special time when metal bands shamelessly wore leopard print tights and metallic blouses. Now, Charvel are reliving their glory days in the hands of throwback bands such as Steel Panther and speedy virtuosos like Guthrie Govan; and are still making instruments of an incredibly high quality. The So-Cal Style 1 HH HT E is a great example of that quality.

A member of Charvel’s Pro-Mod series, a group of instruments hot rodded for unparalleled performance, versatile sound and exquisite style, the Pro-Mod So-Cal is a modern iteration of the classic ‘Superstrat’ design.

It may have been a favourite of the glam metal movement but this guitar does not suffer from any out of date fashion choices. Its minimalist look is simple and elegant, making it just as applicable to a modern aesthetic as it was in its heyday.

Featuring a sleek alder body finished in either a spectacular Pharaoh's Gold, Candy Apple Red or Satin Primer Grey, the Style 1 HH is built for speed. Its bolt on maple neck is reinforced with graphite for superior stability, and features a unique Charvel shape that is firmly on the thinner side for all the shredders out there. The slim profile allows for effortless lightning fast runs and is finished in hand rubbed satin urethane, which is smooth and silky to the touch. The seductively dark ebony fretboard is a modern 12” to 16” compound radius, allowing for maximum comfort in the chording area and increased speed as you move up the neck. The 22 jumbo frets are perfectly levelled, ensuring a low action and facilitating effortless bends and vibrato from top to bottom.

This Pro-Mod is loaded with a set of Seymour Duncan Distortion pickups, a pair of high output passive humbuckers with huge ceramic magnets for maximum power. The coils are wound hot

for a classic metal tone and are designed to produce a balanced but fiery response.

Metal guitar tones often suffer from a mid-scoop, but that’s not the case with these expertly crafted pickups.

In the bridge position, the low strings remain tight and mean, keeping the bottom end contained. This combined with the pickup’s rich upper mid range makes it the perfect choice for hard hitting crunchy rhythms and blazing lead tones. Set clean, the bridge pickup can really jangle, allowing the generous amount of top end to shine through.

The neck pickup is hot enough to deliver smooth, fluid solo tones when distorted, whilst still being capable of some lovely chime when set clean. A great position for ultra-saturated double tapping tones, the rounded off highs help to eliminate excess string talk and keep your solos sounding smooth. Both pickups are wax potted for consistently squeal-free performances, even when you're cranking that 5150 stack that’s way too big for the room. For added versatility, this model also includes a handy coil-tap function, adding a spectrum of thinner, more strat-like tones to the instrument’s repertoire. This broadens the scope of the guitar’s palette to include more traditional jazz and blues tones, a useful tool in a world in which genres often collide. Keeping to the theme of high performance, the So-Cal Style 1 includes a HT6 string-through hardtail bridge for maximum

tuning stability, which is a sleek jet black to match the rest of the hardware. This model also features a heel-mounted truss rod adjustment wheel for easy access and Charvel’s own sealed diecast locking tuners. No amount of cacophonous heavy metal tomfoolery is going to knock this speed machine out of tune. Despite Charvel’s rather specific legacy, I can certainly imagine this guitar suiting a variety of players. It isn't hard to envisage a bespectacled jazz kid with a soft spot for Frank Zappa rocking one of these in his uni band, taking advantage of the smooth playability and digging the utilitarian design. It's also not a stretch to imagine an indie band picking one of these off the shelf, perhaps ironically, perhaps out of ignorance of Charvel’s association with heavy metal, and finding it to be exceptionally comfortable in their hands. The coil-tap would get a workout in that band I'm sure.

BY CHRISTOPHER HOCKEY

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TROY SANDERS PRECISION BASS

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | RRP: $2,849.00

When it comes to heavy metal, there aren’t many bands as universally acclaimed as Mastodon. With a fanbase as eclectic as their unique blend of sounds, Mastodon have been successfully traversing genre boundaries and transcending labels for 23 years. This is largely due to the incredibly innovative and technical work of bassist Troy Sanders, whose high powered sound is a crucial component of the band’s immense sonic presence.

Having previously released a signature Fender Jaguar Bass model, Sanders has now put his name to a Precision Bass that reflects his versatile playing and modern approach. Striking a beautiful balance between the old school appointments that have made this instrument a classic and some stellar contemporary innovations, the Troy Sanders Precision Bass is a powerful tool suitable for any bass player.

Featuring a stunning Silverburst finish, this model is immediately eye-catching. From its glossy glow to its shiny chromed hardware, it has an understated flare that is adventurous yet refined. The Rosewood fretboard is adorned with beautiful white pearloid block inlays, with a custom Mastodon inlay on the 12th fret that will thrill any super fans out there. Other delightful details include a matching Silverburst headstock with a 70s style Fender logo, a Troy Sanders decal on the back of the headstock and a custom

Mastodon neck plate to tie it all together.

Troy Sanders worked with Fender on a custom neck shape for this model, and it feels fantastic. Very sleek and most definitely on the thinner side, it is undoubtedly built for speed, however its comfortable C shape remains very ergonomic even up past the 12th fret. The Rosewood fretboard, I was pleased to find, is a slab board as opposed to the more modern veneer style, a vintage throwback that Fender nerds will appreciate.

Known for its low end thump, but perhaps not so much for its versatility, the classic P Bass design is about as beloved as a one trick pony can get. Revered for its sonic symbiosis with the frequencies of a kick drum, the Precision Bass sits perfectly in a band mix with a distinct bump around 100hz. It is, however, somewhat lacking in flexibility. Sanders, being an incredibly dynamic and versatile player, was looking for a slightly more flexible setup for this Precision model. With Fender’s help, he settled on a PJ pickup configuration for some added flexibility. A P Bass pickup in the neck position, accompanied by a Jazz Bass pickup in the bridge gives this model the best of both worlds.

The addition of a Jazz Bass pickup opens up a world of tonal possibilities, adding some serious zing to what would otherwise be the fairly subdued top end. In the bridge position, it brings the grinding mids and stringy highs of a Jazz bass to the party,

circuit, there really is nothing this configuration cant do.

If the one historical criticism of the Precision bass is that it lacks

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PHIL JONES X4 NANOBASS MULTI-INSTRUMENT COMBO AMP

What do the brands Vitavox Loudspeaker Co. Acoustic Energy (of the famed AE-1 nearfields), Platinum Audio, American Acoustic Development, and the iconic AIRPULSE loudspeaker system have in common? That’s right, they were all founded by the talented and prolific Phil Jones. A pioneer in the Loudspeaker design space, having built his first bass guitar, amplifier, and speaker cabinet in 1968 at the age of 13, Phil Jones’ journey was off to the races. He was the first to discover power compression in audio transducers and with his pioneering use of ferro-fluids in the compression drivers of his PA systems, he cemented his place in the loudspeaker world. Some of his other notable projects include the famous AE-1 nearfield monitors, historically used in the Abbey Road studios, of course among many others, and the AIRPULSE Loudspeaker system which sold for $275,000 per pair in the 90s.

Since 2002, Phil Jones’ New project Phil Jones Bass (PJB) has been making waves in the bass amp scene, pioneering the use of 5” drivers for bass guitar amps building on Phil’s 10 years of research on that subject alone. The smallest of the lineup at PJB is the Nanobass X4 Combo Amp, at 7.9 inches on its longest side it is perfectly suited for portability in a backpack for artists on the move, or for busking. The Nanobass X4 packs a whopping 35 Watts of power, which is delivered through its 1x N52 NeoPower 4” speaker driver.

The PJB Nanobass X4 is equipped with a comprehensive three band Fixed EQ. A low shelf at 100Hz provides a nice thickness to the tone, making a compensation for the small speaker size. The sweet spot I found for the Low band was between 1-2 o'clock on the dial. The Mid Band is centred at 1KHz with a crossover at 120, and I found this was nicest dialled back to about 11 o'clock. The Treble Band is a high shelf at 10KHz, which I rolled off as well to the 10-11 o'clock position. The EQ on the Nanobass X4 is very impressive, with +-15dB on the three bands, you can drastically affect the tone of the Nanobass X4 allowing it to fit a wider niche than just bass guitars. It works well with guitar, as well as Keyboards as well.

With these changes, the Nanobass X4 sounds great for a 4” speaker, it has an impressive low end, and I was surprised at how well it performed under pressure from the absurd headroom of my Stingray Special 4. It does run into some digital clipping if you turn all the dials up and flog it, but when used as intended (as a lower volume practice amp) it performs incredibly well. The overall tone of the amp is very clean, with very little mud in the low end, and despite being limited by the single speaker, it performs well with instruments such as keyboards with many octave spreads.

With a Frequency response of

72Hz-15kHz it serves as a great practice amp for bass and guitar or even keys, however due to the speaker’s physical size the low B on my 5-string was a bit underrepresented. As Practice Amps go the PJB Nanobass X4 packs quite a punch. With the input pinned on maximum it beats 100dBA, so it is well and truly powerful enough for the home. It will not hold up when placed on a stage next to a drummer, however it is not designed for this purpose so that drawback is moot.

Furthermore, increasing its usefulness as a practice amp is its Bluetooth connectivity. With Bluetooth 5.0, you can practise along with a song, or perform with a backing track! The Bluetooth pairing is quick and easy, by pressing in the Aux/BT volume knob, streamlining the processes, with no menu diving needed. If Bluetooth is not your bag, it also comes with a 3.5mm Auxiliary input which is useful for outputs of other devices such as drum machines or looper pedals. PJB have been generous enough to supply you with a Male-to-Male 3.5mm Cable as well which will allow you to connect pretty much any device providing you have the right adaptor (the usual drill).

Another usage of the Nanobass X4 for musicians is as an alternate speaker. Often the listening environment for a lot of music is small Bluetooth speakers and

being able to replicate that effect by dropping the Bass and Treble knobs, essentially Band-passing the mix, allows a quick alternative to a small speaker equivalent. In terms of the ideal candidate for this amp, one needs to value mobility, and portability, to value tone and authenticity over the bells and whistles found on other practice amps and see the importance and potential of the alternate input sources found on board the amp. From the time I spent road testing this amp, I found its power to weight ratio was off the charts, allowing me to comfortably travel with it in my backpack (it weighs less than 2.5Kg) and it sounded great at doing what it was designed to do! I played some of my reference tracks I use through it and dialled the EQ how I liked, and it performs well as a Mono Monitor, however, to perform best in this role, it needs a High-Mid EQ band as the 2-5KHz was hard to tame at high volumes with the bands available, this also is the harshest area I found when playing Guitar or Keys through it, however the low end is tight, and it is a bass amp after all.

Overall, the Phil Jones Bass Nanobass X4 performs excellently as a practice amp and has the capability to be so much more. In terms of the areas that it specialises in, those being weight, size, and tone it is hard to hold a candle to. I would recommend this as a bass amp for anyone who needs a portable and lightweight solution for practice scenarios.

BY JOHN TUCKER

JOHN 5 GHOST TELECASTER

John 5 is somewhat of an anomaly. A Telecaster devotee in the world of Heavy Metal is a rarity, but that hasn't stopped him from sticking to his guns. Having first fallen in love with guitars watching the famed country music program ‘Hee Haw’ with his Dad, John 5 spent his childhood under the rather understandable impression that Telecasters were in fact the only electric guitars in existence. Despite the inevitable broadening of his horizons in later life, in John 5’s eyes, there is still only one guitar.

After blistering turns as the resident shredder for David Lee Roth, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie and countless others, John 5 has since enjoyed a fruitful solo career and is currently the lead guitarist of Motley Crue. Throughout his journey across this impressive resume, John kept a trusty Telecaster by his side; landing his first Fender signature model in 2003.

Now, John 5 and Fender have collaborated to create a signature Telecaster as striking as the whitehot playing of its creator: The Ghost. Featuring a stunning Arctic White finish that encompasses the whole instrument including the fretboard, the Ghost Telecaster is punctuated by eye-catching red accents and a chrome mirror pickguard. This simple yet ostentatious design is the perfect match for John 5’s unique aesthetic and is absolutely certain to turn heads.

Despite its modern aesthetic, the raw components of this guitar do not stray far from the traditional

Telecaster recipe. The all-white maple neck has an incredibly comfortable medium C shape that will be familiar to Fender players, a 9.5” radius for maximum playability and narrow tall frets. A white fretboard with no inlays may be daunting to a traditionalist at first, but at its core, this is a guitar that will sit perfectly comfortably in the hands of any Tele player.

The chrome mirror pickguard on this model strays from the traditional Fender look not only in its material but also its shape. Rather than the two piece pickguard/control plate design of a standard Telecaster, this model features a one piece pickguard that engulfs the control section and sits flush with the body of the instrument. John 5 requested this innovation due to the raised metal plate on a traditional Telecaster interfering with his low-slung picking style. The resulting design may not affect the average player as profoundly as the man himself, but it certainly looks cool.

The singular balance between flash and minimalism that defines this guitar’s look is also reflected in its inner workings. A three way toggle switch, master volume and kill switch, all a vibrant red, match with a set of humbuckers that jump right off the guitar’s snowy white canvas. This simple circuit is perfectly restrained yet full of potential power, offering a straightforward path to the blistering tones that John 5 is known for.

Featuring a dual set of Dimarzio D Activator pickups, the sound of this model is Heavy Metal

heaven. D Activators were originally designed to compete with and remove the need for active pickups, which are favoured by many metal players for their perceived increased power. The unfortunate reality of active pickups however are that they often entail a rather sterile edginess and whilst they do generally have a strong focused attack, their perceived loudness is somewhat of an illusion due to their ultra-compressed sound.

In contrast, D Activator pickups are wired to replicate the punchy attack of an active pickup without all the drawbacks, and have enough headroom to avoid flattening out when the guitar is picked hard. Featuring incredibly rich overtones and a warm, prominent midrange, these pickups are capable of searing lead tones when pushed into overdrive but, as they are passive, clean up nicely when rolled off.

The absence of a tone knob on this guitar, to say the least, is not particularly felt. This will not come as a surprise to any Fender fanatics out there. The master volume, featuring a rather dandy 70s style speed knob (red of course) provides a nice linear roll off that interacts well with the humbucking pickups. Rather more interesting however is the addition of the arcade-style kill switch, which allows players to momentarily cut their signal off rapidly and repetitively. This creates the cool stuttering effect made famous by players like Jack White and John 5 himself, a modern appointment that gives this guitar a special flair.

To cap it all off, the Ghost features a 6-saddle tele bridge with block steel saddles and deluxe locking tuners. These additions ensure spot on intonation and ultra stable tuning at all times, an absolute necessity for the adventurous and dynamic playing of a shredder like John 5. On top of all this, this limited run of guitars also comes with a matching white hard case with a beautiful crushed red interior, a super-fan’s dream.

The John 5 Ghost Telecaster is an expertly crafted and incredibly ambitious signature model. As well as this, it manages to perfectly balance the old with the new. The traditional Fender tone woods of Alder and Maple remain as true to form as ever under their glossy new arctic white sheath, and the Telecaster shape remains timeless even when draped in John 5’s unique modern aesthetic. Whilst this is certainly a uniquely high-octane iteration of this classic instrument, the core elements remain.

In saying that, I don’t think the Ghost would have gone down so well on the set of Hee Haw, but then this ain’t your granddaddy's Telecaster. It’s John 5’s Telecaster, and like him, it’s one of a kind.

BY CHRISTOPHER HOCKEY

The Yamaha CS01 is something of an under-the-radar cult classic, with its entry-level price and toy-like appearance belying a fat analogue sound which has featured in all sorts of genres across the decades since its 1982 release, from 80s pop to 90s dancehall and 2000s indie electronica. A simple beast, the CS01 was aimed at the novice musician, as such featuring halfsized keys, a single oscillator, paired back controls, battery power, and even a keytar strap (how good was the 80s?!)

It’s perhaps fitting, then, that the first software recreation of this synth “toy” is by Baby Audio. In keeping with their motto “it’s an evolution, not an emulation”, they’ve meticulously modelled the original hardware and then upgraded the feature set with stacks of useful additions that drastically increase the versatility of this instrument and bring it up to spec with the demands of modern production without compromising its simplicity or fun factor.

The BA-1 doubles the oscillator count of the original hardware (to two oscillators), each capable of triangle, sawtooth, and square waveforms, with the first also having a pulse width modulation setting and the second a white noise setting, useful for creating percussive sounds. A cross fader allows simple blending of the two oscillators, and an FM fader enables frequency modulation between them, a new feature not present in the CS01 but which is still very much in keeping with its 80s roots.

The original release of the CS01 featured a 12dB lowpass filter and lacked the ability to adjust resonance. The filter section of the BA-1 models that of the MK2 version, released in 1984, with a 24db lowpass filter and the ability to adjust resonance. Like the hardware, when pushed to the upper limits of the slider, the filter will begin to self-oscillate, creating some wild sounds.

A fairly typical envelope generator follows, with controls for attack, decay, sustain and release, plus a new feature allowing the synchronisation of these settings to your DAW’s tempo.

The LFO section is similarly simplistic, with controls for LFO speed and depth plus a toggle switch designating the target as either the pitch of Oscillator 1 or the filter cutoff frequency. A sneaky hidden function is accessible by clicking the word ‘target’ on the UI, which enables you to target the X-fade slider and modulate the blend of the two oscillators.

Next up is the side-chain; by default, increasing the ‘amount’ slider introduces a 4/4 ducking pattern synced to the host tempo. By clicking on the word ‘routing’, you can switch to an external side-chain, allowing you to duck the signal according to an external input – a common application is to sidechain the kick when using the synth as a bass, ducking the bass whenever the kick plays to avoid masking.

The effects section is simple but effective, inspired by the low-cost rack and pedal effects ubiquitous

in the 80s. The tone control is comprised of two shelving filters, and the analogue-modelled drive control has two switchable modes, one based on an overdrive pedal which adds musicality and thickness, and one decidedly more lo-fi effect inspired by circuit bending the original hardware (for the uninitiated, check out this video on circuit bending). We’re also treated with some cheap and cheerful time-based effects: a delay with tempo sync, a shimmering digital reverb, and a chorus styled after Roland’s famous Juno synths.

One thing that Baby Audio have absolutely succeeded in with this soft synth is making it incredibly fun and simple to use. The effects section sounds fantastic; it’s difficult to make either drive circuit sound bad, and the time-based effects take any patch from mundane to Stranger Things soundtrack in a matter of seconds. There’s 500 presets loaded by default, and though I’ve by no means tested all of them, each one that I played around with was wellcrafted and clearly imaginable in a track. Pretty much everything is covered, from 80s synth strings to 303-style acid house leads, spacey pads, and lo-fi organ sounds. If this is not inspiration enough, simply hit the Re-Gen button and a the BA-1 will spit out a randomised patch –great for when you’re really stuck for ideas.

There are two rather unique features which you’re unlikely to find on many other soft synths. The first is an emulation of the CS01’s

speaker, instantly imbuing your patch with lo-fi goodness. The second is the Battery fader, which models the effect of the audio degradation caused by operating the CS01 with dying batteries, introducing some pitch variation, distortion, fizz and filtering to the sound with excellent results reminiscent of a half-dead tape machine.

The BA-1 is not a workstation synth. You’re not going to be able to recreate every analogue sound on your favourite Kraftwerk record or produce an entire dubstep track from the ground up. However, it’s also not a one-trick pony or a novelty plugin, despite the fun features and the multiple options for the colour of the UI. Baby Audio have struck a delicate balance between being tweakable and programmable enough that you won’t get bored with the sounds it’s capable of whilst keeping the interface sufficiently simple that it’s instantly accessible without hours of tutorials on YouTube, and also having a distinct sonic footprint which renders it a unique option in your arsenal of synths.

If you’re producing any sort of retro or lo-fi synth based music, the BA-1 may just be your new best friend. For everyone else, downloading the free trial might just cause you to have enough fun that you wind up in the previous category.

BY JARRAH SAUNDERS

ZOOM M4 MICTRAK

DYNAMIC MUSIC | RRP $799.00

Remote recording hasn’t always been the easiest prospectespecially for foley, outside ambience or creating unique samples. These applications have been accompanied by their own set of technical and logistical considerations, the likes of which have traditionally required some bulky equipment to get around, in turn sacrificing any semblance of ‘mobility’ as we know it. This can interrupt whatever serene location you’re trying to capture in its purist essence, thus a more streamlined, handheld solution is required.

Enter the Zoom M4 MicTrak, a 32bit float recorder that can easily be thrown into a small bag. It’s stereo, records pristine audio quality and has all the onboard controls you might need to capture quality audio that won’t need much work in post production. It’s low noise, with all the features you’d need to capture a great recording like headphones, X/Y configuration and 18 hours of battery life. Capturing sounds for film can be risky, with multiple bits of equipment failing to communicate, slowly chewing through batteries and requiring additional work even for a well recorded bit of audio.

If nothing else, the Zoom M4 MicTrak takes the guesswork out of professional audio and visual work. Most audio recorders are generally aimed at the film and foley market, and for good reason.

They’re designed to be more transparent and less colourful than microphones intended for studio and live use, filmmakers wanting to capture scenes as accurately as they can rather than pushing and attenuating tubes and transistors like us musicians do. What makes the M4 unique is how well it

captures music, the ebbs and flows of a performance, while still being a transparent enough option for film and other content creation. An X/Y configuration is a great option for stereo recordings, the M4 containing two microphone capsules faced away from each other to capture the left and right side of the source you’re recording. The battery life leaves you confident you can record all day, and if 18 hours of battery life isn’t enough to get you through the session, there might be a whole other conversation that needs to be had. The M4 has Zoom’s PRERECORD function, meaning that the Zoom M4 is constantly monitoring and will provide six seconds of audio from before you hit Record, so you’re safe even if caught unawares. While we’re on the topic of saving yourself from mistakes, the Zoom M4 captures audio at 32-bit float, meaning that you’ve got a massive dynamic range to work with. The noise floor is lower, and there’s more headroom so you can capture everything from whisper quiet footsteps to bombastic drums without any risk of bringing up noise at one end of the spectrum, or clipping into distortion at the other. The M4’s colour LCD screen shows you everything you need to see, from audio recording status and waveforms to gain, battery life

and audio settings. All the controls you might need are located on the unit itself, with input controls, zoom options for the LCD screen, play, pause, stop, rewind, fast forward and record buttons all within finger’s reach of each other. The sides of the unit features ins, outs, headphone controls as well as other functions to ensure you’re capturing consistent sound.

The Zoom M4 MicTrak is a four channel audio recorder with a Timecode Generator for film and 32-Bit float for pristine audio. It can serve as a 4-in, 2-out audio interface, but also works as a standalone recorder for you to capture sound on the go to an SD Card and export later. The body of the mic is specially designed to reduce handling noise, ensuring the in-built mics don’t capture anything except your sound source. The two mic inputs are combo XLR/1/4” jacks, and there’s a 3.5mm headphone output as well as a 3.5mm stereo line output for camera connection. There’s no input gain adjustment required as the F-series preamps are clean, coupled with the 32-bit float being crystal clear and easily adjusted in post-production. If the inbuilt mics aren’t enough, 48V phantom power is available on the extra mic ins so you can use any type of mic you wish. For remote working, the

M4 integrates seamlessly with the RC4 remote, though this is sold separately.

Capturing pristine audio for film or music usually required a handful, or in some cases-a carload, of different equipment. Now, thanks to Zoom, we’re at the point where products like the Zoom M4 MicTrak exist, that can not only handle both jobs, but have safeguards in place to ensure that whatever we capture is ready to be used at a professional level for either film, content or music. Even with no other piece of equipment, the M4 functions exactly as you need it to, allowing you to build up a list of equipment at your own pace–never having to buy one thing to allow another piece to work. The M4 is clean, easily transportable and robust, a handy tool to have at every session just in case. Even in an unideal situation, the M4 can capture as cleanly as you need it to, and offers a true-to-source version of whatever it’s pointed at. The sound is clear, balanced and offers depth and clarity, a blank canvas for post-effects or further mixing if required. A handful of accessories from Zoom and you’d be off to races, like a remote, tripod or additional windscreen. That’s not to say that you need anything extra for the M4 to be your new saving grace, as its design makes it a tool that functions exceptionally well as either your only bit of kit or as part of a larger recording chain. Exceptional in its versatility, the Zoom M4 is undoubtedly a sound investment. Pun absolutely intended.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

VOYAGE AUDIO SPATIAL MIC

SOUND AND MUSIC | PRICE: $1679.99

There’s a mere handful of companies that can boast a truly specialist product in the immersive audio sphere, and for Voyage Audio, their Spatial Mic and its accompanying plugin and control app is one such product. Anyone even remotely delving into the VR, AR, XR and 360-degree sound design realms understand the importance of the authenticity of the immersive worlds, so it’s interesting that up until quite recently, there’s been the majority focus on mixing and post production technology when a glaringly giant, all be it important hole had been left sitting void – the audio recording and subsequent capture itself. Whilst Blumlein (mid/side) processing and decoding is an age old technique, a truly 360-degree sound capture just wasn’t really being thought of, at least not in a really meaningful way, let alone commercially viable and available to the average Joe wanting to delve into these unexplored territories.

The Voyage Audio Spatial Mic is, at first glance, a USB microphone, but not exactly geared up for your next podcast. Although it certainly could do that without even batting an eyelid. Upon closer inspection under the head basket are not one, not two, or four but eight individual analogue capsules, enabling 2nd Order Ambisonics. Just wrap your head around that for a quick second – eight capsules. The A-D conversion is pretty great, utilising high resolution Skyworks clocking scheme and built-in 32-bit XMOS processing. The USB streaming can capture at 24-bit / 96kHz, or via the ADAT lightpipe connection 24-bit / 48kHz.

Connecting headphones to Spatial Mic, you’ll enjoy binaural playback (which is very interesting and entrancing in my testing).

The accompanying Spatial Mic converter plugin allows for each access to numerous different formats depending on one's audio production needs ranging from mono, stereo, surround sound, through to Ambisonics – the latter is achieved via an internal 64-channel filter matrix and measurements from an anechoic chamber. The mathematics required for this alone is worth the price of admission.

The plugin also allows for the raw unprocessed audio signals from the Spatial Mic USB to be converted a number of different formats suitable for any type of audio production which makes a tonne of sense when we think about the kind of Multimedia applications the Spatial Mic is likely to find itself in.

Setting up Spatial Mic for recording in a DAW was incredibly easy and yielded some great results of a live gig I recorded in Pro Tools. I simply set input gain, mounted onto a small stand (the included thread adapter is a stroke of genius by the way) and away I went. Simply assigning each of the 8 inputs via USB (when Spatial was selected as the playback device) - I was ready to go.

What I particularly enjoyed when testing before I mounted the mic for recording the gig, was just walking around the space with just ambiance and room sound. The nuance and detail with things like natural reverb tails and room reflections are truly astonishing. Whether it be by sheer virtue of the number of capsules present on the Spacial mic, or the quality of the capsule design and componentry, it's something that really needs to be experienced to be fully understood. I’ve played with some handheld recorders in the past, which have a couple of omni capsules and an X/Y pair, but I’ve never heard anything quite like this before. The front to back and rear sound capture was absolutely incredible; threedimensional, to the point where it starts to manipulate your psychoacoustic perception.

As a musician's mic, the quality of the capture, combined with the level of sonic creativity that this spatial mic lends itself to, makes it an awesome choice for anybody with an appetite for experimental micing in the open air. I can imagine the spatial mic being absolutely at home down in the orchestra pit, where it can take the full sonic heft of an ensemble in full swing from a central locale. Endless possibilities.

I was really impressed with this product, the overall package is

very nicely put together, with good quality cables, a windscreen and other accessories. And obviously - the mic itself is great. Although the dial, I felt, could have been a little stronger. But realistically, I can’t imagine it causing any serious issues under expected use.

There is little doubt that immersive and multichannel audio are experiencing a period of mass technical progression, but for the most part this has largely been concerned with the other end of the signal chain-the monitoring and playback end. Voyage Audio Spatial Mic USB is one of the first purely immersive microphones we have seen in the space, and suffice to say, it’s nothing short of a game changer.

In the not so distant past, to realistically have set up something like what Spatial Mic is capable of doing, a staggering amount of equipment would have been required. From all of the multiple mics, handfuls of pre amps, looms of cabling, subsequent decoding, phase alignment and sheer hours of setup, to final delivery of a truly cohesive 360-degree capture - it would have been immense. So, with this in mind, Voyage Audio have really achieved something quite incredible. Their accompanying plugin does a huge amount of heavy lifting and is not only super intuitive to use, but fun to play with and gives some very insightful visual feedback. A must try for anyone working in immersive, field recording, sound design, live and studio recording. A great addition to the mic lockerand to most audio tool kits.

BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELL

APOGEE JAMX USB AUDIO INTERFACE

LINK AUDIO | RRP: $399.00

Apogee Electronics are famed for having pioneered smaller guitar recording solutions like the iRig, while consistently putting out top-tier, mastering grade audio converters and just about everything in between. The jamx USB audio interface harnesses the best of a lot of this tech, with great sounding converters and low latency monitoring options, and the unit also being iRig sized for great portability. The jamx USB is an audio interface that includes all the cables you’ll need to connect it to your computer for a quick setup, ready to record those fleeting moments of inspired clarity.

Apogee’s intention is to make recording guitar as quick and easy as possible, with some extra handy features to set your input gain, monitoring and tone as quickly as possible so you can get those ideas recorded and saved away.

The Apogee jamx USB audio interface is currently the world’s only interface to feature analogue compression, available in varying modes to level out your guitar playing while recording, or record with no compression at all.

In use, the jamx USB is simple to set up. The jamx USB works on both MacOS and Windows, as well as iOS if that’s what you have available; like if you’re travelling and can’t bring a computer with you. You can monitor via either headphones or powered speakers, the jamx USB offering ample volume for both options. While the jamx USB is small, it’s rugged, and will endure being bounced around in a case or bag while

travelling, serving as an on-theroad solution to recording if needed. The audio quality could have the jamx USB easily serve as your main interface for home and studio recording as well!

The compressor modes are really what elevate the jamx, offering no compression at all, or three varying modes of compression, from the lowest, the Smooth Leveller, to the Purple Squeeze in the middle, and the Vintage Blue Stomp at the most extreme end, offering an ‘aggressive’ amount of compression. Compression before an amp sim can really help you shape and hone your tone, bringing new life to any existing amplifier sims you might have. The Smooth Leveller felt and sounded like a great ‘always on’ type solution, providing reasonably transparent compression, while preventing any peaks from poking through and clipping an otherwise great take. Monitoring with latency is an instant mood ruiner, making it almost impossible to record, and because of this, the jamx USB includes a low latency mode that allows you to monitor direct from the unit, rather than after a round trip through your DAW and computer.

The Apogee jamx USB can record at 24-bit and up to 96kHz, offering some of the highest resolution recording around, and arguably the highest resolution that human ears can discern anyway! A guitar or other instrument is connected via ¼” jack, with Apogee’s PureDIGITAL circuitry for pristine audio connections. Included in the box are cables to interface the jamx via either USB-A or USB-C, depending on your needs. The jamx is made from a rugged metal chassis, with one main gain control and additional buttons to toggle between compressor modes. It weighs just 0.11kg and is only 10cm long, easily stowed away while on the move.

The headphone output offers 8dBu (1.9Vrms) 100mW into 32Ohm, offering plenty of gain for all systems, including if you choose to connect the jamx USB to a powered speaker via a Y-Split cable. The single preamp has 36dB of gain on board, plenty for an electric guitar or acoustic pickup, but it can function equally well as an interface for recording bass, keyboards and synths.

The jamx USB from Apogee contains Apogee’s years of research into function, form and fidelity, all packaged into a tidy, portable and rugged package. With audio quality suitable for a main audio interface for recording and mixing, as well as being well and truly qualified for a handy interface to have on the go while travelling or touring. There’s simple compression settings available depending on your playing, as well

as to help shape the sound you’re aiming for, while the controls on the interface itself feature just about everything you’d need to quickly dial in gain and output for recording on the fly.

The iRig that came before the jam series of interfaces have inspired years of riffs, songs and melodies, and the jamx is the latest in a long line of useful, practical and well-designed interfaces. They play nicely with multiple operating systems, allowing you to jump between a laptop, computer or an iPad, for example, with no break in audio quality. The jamx USB is a tool that just about every music maker needs, whether you’re equipped with a full on, home studio situation with a need for a more portable solution, or simple recording equipment that could benefit from professional-grade audio conversion and handy onboard compression. Apogee have again elevated a seemingly perfect design, reinvented in the jamx USB Audio interface.

BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

Immersive Recording

with Voyage Audio Spatial Mic

So you can mix immersive sound now!

CAN YOU RECORD IT?

High spatial resolution made possible with 8 analogue capsules for 2nd Order Ambisonics. Choose between Dante or USB/ADAT versions, and immerse yourself in high quality audio with 8 capsules

Distributed in Australia by Sound And Music For more information, contact your favourite pro audio specialist or visit: https://sound-music.com/brand/voyage-audio/

SONARWORKS SOUND ID REFERENCE FOR MULTI CHANNEL

SONARWORKS | RRP: ENQUIRE FOR PRICING

The fast paced and ever demanding world of music production is a stark contrast to that of even just 5 years ago. The rapid expansion into the immersive worlds music and gaming has further encouraged the need for creators and listeners alike to keep their fingers on the pulse, as one will quickly be left behind, as what was the latest and greatest gear for these formats today are quickly becoming obsolete with the pace at which this technology and format is evolving for tomorrow.

As with the bedroom producer revolution, the immersive audio revolution in which we are well and truly in the depths of now, means that the delivery of high quality mixes specifically formatted for the immersive formats is ever increasing and is not just expected of the upper echelons of mix engineers, but also, our aforementioned bedroom producer/mixer friends too.

But, as with stereo mixing in an untreated, less than acoustically ideal environment which houses an immersive speaker setup, delivering mixes with absolute confidence can be the bane of many engineers’ existence. Although not exactly new, back in 2021 when Sonarworks reworked their flagship software into what is now known as as Sound ID Reference, the company had indeed introduced a very powerful standalone app and DAW plugin, destined to change the game of mixing (and listening) of music for both its sophistication but moreover, its affordability compared to the vast majority of other options on the market. Of course since then the market has caught up with numerous other names getting their piece of the pie.

This year marks a very exciting time again for Sonarworks, as the

Sound ID Reference family just got a whole lot more immersed, with the introduction of the multi-channel version of Sound ID Reference. As you might have already twigged, this is a giant leap forward in this already impressive software, making calibration of speakers in a large format Dolby ATMOS setup up to 9.1.6, intuitive, easy and lighting fast to set up. But the question is, does the new plugin live up to the expectation and truly follow in the footsteps of its slimmed down predecessor?

Having experienced first hand, the labour intensity of calibrating a very large ATMOS mix room using a standalone rack unit with an accompanying (rather clunky) app, I for one can appreciate how massive this multi channel version of Sound ID Reference could be. For those who may have been off in in some far distant land and are not already familiar with what Sonarworks, Sound ID Reference in a nutshell compensates for the acoustical anomalies in a room (ideally not a completely untreated space) by measuring the response of the speakers within a given space. This is carried out by the user taking precise measurements in the room (37 for a simple stereo setup and a bunch more for a multi channel system), with a measurement microphone - the Sonarworks mic is of course recommended here for best results. The app very clearly directs each measurement position required in the room, so setup is insanely easy. Once all the measurements have been collected, Sound ID Reference then creates a calibration profile. The new multi-channel version

expands upon the standard version with each speaker within the system or calibration profile is presented with individual dB level and millisecond time adjustment in the system, for a comprehensive and thorough snapshot of each speaker in a multichannel system at a glance. This, once a whole profile is calibrated, ensures exact time and phase alignment of all speakers in the system, so when sitting in the mix position, everything is compensated for and firing together accordingly. This is pretty phenomenal stuff given the amount of calculations this requires for even a small sized ATMOS system, all whilst creating a flat response sound profile, it’s genuinely mind boggling.

The setup of a new calibration profile is lightning fast, with a long list of multi channel setups to quickly select from. Much like the stereo version, setting input levels, locating listening position and measuring speaker distances is straightforward and easy. I must point out though, at this stage the multi channel profile can only be run as a plugin within DAW land, which isn’t super smooth in Pro Tools currently, but easier in Logic Pro. Alternatively, a profile can be exported to supported studio monitors and/or hardware interfaces, but at this stage the latter is still a little clunky, but nothing a bit of manual data entry can’t fix. Hopefully a system wide version will be available later in 2023 in the standalone app, so watch this space.

The flexibility and customizability of the app as a whole is definitely something many will find intriguing and very useful, with

the ability to tweak a calibration profile setting as a whole, setting and adjusting custom targets, referencing curves such as Dolby Atmos Music, adjust individual speakers or even groups of speakers together (same Main LR, centre and LFE all together, or just the ceiling speaker group) is so helpful. The wet/dry panner is also great for fine tuning a blend between the selected curve and the disabled profile, if going 100 % wet isn’t feeling right in your setup. The three different filter types are great for further fine tuning of the system and can be easily swapped over depending on work flow, whether it be live tracking (zero latency is ideal for this) through to mixing (mixed or linear phase setting are good for this).

For those already using Sound ID Reference - I need not preach to the converted. This sophisticated software and wildly complex algorithms do an enormous amount of work, but present it in such an incredibly easy to use app and plugin, it sometimes seems a little too good to be true, particularly at its price point. But, from my experience and testing of the new app and plugin, it really does do what it says it does, which is mighty impressive indeed. I was pleasantly surprised to hear how my room tightened up and I was able to hear elements in mixes that had previously been masked or otherwise unclear before. With some tweaking and ironing out of some kinks for compatibility, the new multi-channel version of Sound ID Reference is a no-brainer for those working in multi-channel setups regardless of the size or project.

BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELL

PSP AUDIOWARE LEXICON PSP42

PSP Audioware recently released the long-awaited update to their Lexicon PSP 42 plugin, almost 20 years after its first release, with a host of new features and more precise modelling of the analogue hardware on which it is based.

The year is 1981. The first Delorean has just rolled of the production line, Donkey Kong and MTV are brand new pop culture phenomena, Pinochet has been installed as dictator of Chile following a CIA-backed coup, Charles and Di are newlyweds, Jessie’s Girl is top of the charts… arts… arts… arts… arts… and that’s the sound of the Lexicon PCM42 digital delay storming onto the scene in a swirling maelstrom of grainy early-digital repeats.

A versatile rack-mounted processor with innovative features aplenty, the PCM42 quickly patched itself into the hearts and minds of engineers and live performers the world over. Building on the success of its predecessor, the PCM41, the PCM42 doubled the total delay time to 2.4 seconds (or up to 4.8 with optional added memory) and incorporated two stages of limiters on the input to help prevent overloading. A multiwaveform modulation section enabled sweeping, doubling and chorus effects, while the infamous “x2” button doubled the delay time by halving the sample rate, massively decreasing the bandwidth for a sound akin to tape echo. It’s been used on countless classics from Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” to Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories”, and is favoured by revered mix engineer Andy Wallace, who’s rumoured to love driving the limiters and using it to double guitars. It was also popular among looping artists for its clock-

sync capability, footswitch, and infinite hold mode, which allowed you to overdub musical phrases on the fly.

Originally released in 2004, the first version of the PSP42 entered the market at a time where analogue emulations weren’t quite so popular as they are now. With digital recording still in its infancy, most studios were still packed with analogue gear - why would you want an inferior-sounding digital version of something you already owned? Despite this, the PSP42 v1 quickly gained a reputation for sounding great on a wide variety of sources, helped no doubt by the convenience of digital plugins we now take for granted including multiple instances, automation, midi control, and presets.

These days, analogue modelling is all the rage, and an almost insatiable thirst for vintage-inspired software emulations drives the market. The newly-released PSP42 v2 incorporates more precise modelling of the hardware unit, bringing new modes of operation which allow the user to control the amount of analogue character by choosing which components of the audio path are included.

The UI of the PSP42 v2 is inspired directly by the original 1U rack processor, taking the form of a long, single row of controls with meters and a small LCD-style display. New to this version is an ‘Extensions’ panel, hidden by default, which when displayed allows access to the new modes and functions.

There are a few instantly recognisable controls on the PSP42 - input, output, feedback, and output mix all pretty much do what they say on the tin. The main display shows the delay time, which can be set in milliseconds or bars and beats if synced to the host DAW’s tempo.

The ‘Hi-Cut’ button enables a gentle -6dB/octave lowpass filter, with a cutoff frequency of 6kHz by default which is adjustable in the ‘Extensions’ panel. The next two buttons both handle polarity inversion, the first (‘FB Inv’) flipping the feedback signal, and the second (‘Dly Inv’) flipping the wet signal.

Just like on the hardware, ‘Delay x2’ doubles the delay time by halving the sample rate, in turn decreasing the bandwidth for a more lo-fi quality. If there’s already signal in the buffer, its pitch will drop by an octave until the repeats become inaudible - a fun effect when automated.

Further along, the ‘Infinite Repeat’ button turns the PSP42 into a phrase sampler, capturing a length of audio input depending on the set delay time and looping it with a 10ms crossfade. Pressing the ‘Delay x2’ button while in this mode will drop the phrase by an octave.

Opening the extensions panel reveals a slew of new features. The ‘sens’ (sensitivity) switch and ‘reference’ knob control the operating level of the unit, which in a practical sense makes it easier or harder to hit the limiters and converters for that sweet

analogue-style distortion. If you’re interested in the technical details, this is a good explanation of the difference between the two sensitivity levels.

Four switches under the ‘Processing’ section control the different analogue modes. ‘Full’ mode emulates the limiters and AD/DA converters responsible for the unique sonic footprint of the hardware unit which have been meticulously modelled in-house with the approval of Lexicon.

‘Lims’ mode dispenses with the conversion stages, including only the opto limiters in the signal path, whilst ‘Clean’ mode removes the analogue modelling altogether.

Additionally, ‘Legacy’ mode allows you to use the tape saturation algorithm which provided character to the PSP42 v1.

If you’re after a workhorse delay that does the simple stuff well, from tape slap and dark analoguestyle vocal repeats to lush, swirling expanses, the PSP42 v2 has you covered. If you’re a perennial knob tweaker looking for a new toy that’ll cover everything from flanging and chorus to pitch shifting, distortion, comb filtered sweeps, phrase sampling and reverse delays, you’ve got more time on your hands than I do and you’ll probably love this plugin.

BY JARRAH SAUNDERS

MY RIG: Babe Rainbow

Ahead of the release of their Fresh as a Head of Lettuce EP this June, Babe Rainbow took a moment out of their busy US touring schedule to share some of the gear and production related secrets to their transportive sound.

How has your live rig evolved between your last tour and the one you’re currently on?

We’ve got a lot more beef stashed on Babe Rainbow’s summer rig now, just a couple thicker new jams we worked out for live versions, and we’re playing the entire upcoming EP, as well as some unfinished new instrumental jams over which I’ve been singing Dion lyrics impromptu. Miles’ new snares are awesome, a bit more Chili Peppers, with that iconic pop sound. Almost 10 years later, Jack and Elliott still surf the same 80s Gats they got in Montauk. Playing the songs in a new way is something we do religiously.

Tell me about the band’s songwriting process – do you start in the box, on an instrument, or do something entirely different?

During the last tour, the Fresh EP songs were accidentally recorded in this Brooklyn studio one afternoon. Midway through the tour, we were feeling groovy and hitting that

mellow flow during sound checks all over, and something just felt right! In fact, I’ll change my answer to the last question, since a lot of our songs have come from sound checks, maybe even all of them. At least the rhythm. It’s so fun, dude!

Which pieces of equipment are integral to the band when it comes to translating Babe Rainbow’s essence from a recorded to a live context?

It really depends on the show. There are some shows that are fluid, like “what’s happening?”, and then we’re like ok sure, let’s extend it out beyond the horizon and let that funky freak flag fly high above! Other shows have a more structured format. We’ll come in and say “okay yeah, what’s happening?” and we’ll knock them out one at a time without dilly dallying. There’s nothing wrong with either, but who doesn’t enjoy a bit of loose content?

Although Miles’ flying rainbow jockey suit is most likely top of the list, there’s just one place in the divine realm that he goes to when he puts it on and sits behind those drums. The stage has been laid out differently this tour too, with the drums right at the front on the right, so when you cruise in you see this absolute menace on the drums in a rainbow suit jacket and shorts, just giving it to you. Mics and guitars are then staggered off it like flying vees

RIG RUNDOWN:

Sam gave us a bunch of stuff (from King Gizzard, don’t know if he’ll read this … oops) but all the singing pedals and that flea pedal Elliot’s been using, you know that one that’s like boompak kacha cawkwoww boombakcht wa Jack aka Cool Breez has a really good rig on him right now. Along with his trusted sidekick, Timon from BENEE. Kyle from seventies tuberide helped him set it up last tour.

The guitar is an 80’s Epiphone in sunburst and gold that has a Les Paul vibe, he’s got this Strymon booster pedal that’s pretty devious, and he’s actually still got the original broccoli forest pedal called Danelectro’s Rocky Road. Also, he has a wah wah pedal and a regular tuner. While we were in Istanbul last year, Mowie Kravits had this awesome crash cymbal and we had to have it. It doesn’t mention anything about it. It’s sneaky. He’s also been using the sampler a lot, including samples of native Australian wildlife and percussion. Jack was vacuuming and it made the most mysterious sound like an Uber submarine, so we recorded that as well. Both sonically and holistically, it’s an interesting area to explore as a band.

BY ISABELLA VENUTTI

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