Issue #334

The genre-defining heavyweights return to Australia for Monolith

THE ALL NEW PLAYER II SERIES

A NEW KIND OF PLAYER

MODERN “C” NECKS WITH ROLLED EDGES

CONTRIBUTORS

Rob Gee, Paul Blomfield, Jamie Colic, Andy LloydRussell, Christopher Hockey, Lewis Noke Edwards, Jake Fitzpatrick, PUBLISHER

FOUNDER

Rob Furst

GRAPHIC

From the editor

Music can be a really demoralising industry to exist in, both as a professional or an amateur musician, producer, DJ, performer or songwriter. As a performer we can have high hopes for a gig, only to arrive to a backline or house system that’s falling apart and a young, inexperienced sound engineer who couldn’t possibly care less. In the studio we might have been refining and honing our mic techniques, upgrading our equipment, only to have a band arrive underprepared and simply put, not ready to record.

While this can put a strain on our motivation and creativity, it’s also an opportunity to educate those with less experience to do better and be better. They may never have been told, and while it can take some restraint and tact to communicate your expectations as a performer or studio

professional clearly, they’ll do better for it, and you’ll be helping them along their path.

All of this is to say that it’s important to remember that the rising tide really does raise all ships. As those more experienced, we have an important role to play in showing young creatives the ropes, be it invoicing, preparedness for recording, gig etiquette and more. This will encourage a healthy and happy music scene for us all to thrive in, with better quality music being made, and a comfortable environment for people to write, compose, arrange, record and perform it all at the end of the day.

Image Credit: Scott Liyangwu

Product News

Australian made Pratley Guitars Entertainer series are available Australia wide!

NATIONAL MUSIC | NATIONALMUSIC.COM.AU

The Entertainer series are familiar shapes to acoustic aficionados, with varying sized bodies ranging from the Mini-OM, right up to a full-sized dreadnought (with or without a cutaway) and the OM.

Manufactured on the Gold Coast, Pratley Guitars have made National Music their home. Pratley Guitars are proudly handmade by luthier and designer Martin Pratley, the Entertainer series is distributed by National Music, with more from the Classics, Studio, Premier and Signature series already in stock.

Fender announces new Jason Isbell Telecaster pickup set

FENDER AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM/EN-AU

Voiced by tone guru, Tim Shaw, the custom-designed Fender Jason Isbell Signature Telecaster Pickups boast vintage-style parts and offer the best of both Tele and Strat sounds. The bridge position is based on Jason’s ‘65 Telecaster pickup and delivers the twang, sparkle and fire Jason is known for, while the neck pickup uses a slightly taller bobbin that allows for more winds, providing a touch of Stratocaster character.

“I’ve long been a fan of Jason’s playing, so it was an honor to work with him on these custom pickups,” said Tim Shaw, Chief Engineer of Guitars, FMIC. “We started with the bridge pickup, which is based on one from one of Jason’s favorite guitars, a gorgeous ’65 Candy Apple Red Tele. The resulting duplicate offers

classic fat, full Tele tones. For the neck, we went with a Twisted Tele – my personal favorite Tele neck pickup – which offers Stratocaster-esque sounds; the best of both worlds!”

Jackson Guitars announce MDK HT6 Baritone for Roman Ibramkhalilov of Jinjer

FENDER AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM/EN-AU

Roman Ibramkhalilov is the guitarist for the Ukraine-based progressive groove metal band Jinjer, which has exploded on the metal scene as one of the most significant metal bands in recent time.

With his unique style of playing and memorable riffs, Roman teamed up with Jackson Guitars to create his signature MDK HT6 Baritone model. This axe is based on the Jackson Guitars wildly popular MDK platform with aggressively scalloped horns and ultra comfortable neck heel.

The 12-16” compound radius ebony fingerboard features 24 jumbo stainless-steel frets and a 27” scale length. A heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel allows for quick and easy neck tweaks, on the fly. Other premium features include a matching Jackson reverse 3×3 AT1 headstock with three Jackson locking tuners on each side and a fixed Gotoh 510-FX hardtail bridge, Jackson® dual-locking strap buttons and a gig bag.

Epiphone announce YUNGBLUD signature, an Epiphone SG Junior

AUSTRALIS | AUSTRALISMUSIC.COM.AU

For over 150 years, Epiphone has been a leading innovator in instrument design. Epiphone is proud to unveil its global partnership with the chart-topping UK singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist YUNGBLUD, aka Dominic Harrison. A longtime SG™ Junior fan, YUNGBLUD and Epiphone have collaborated on his first-ever signature guitar, the Epiphone YUNGBLUD SG Junior.

“Guitars and rock music have always been a fundamental part of my life,” says YUNGBLUD. “Literally my education. I grew up on the counter of a guitar shop, and I’ve been dusting them since I was three years old. The reason why I play a White ‘64 SG Junior is because, growing up, musicians who were important in my life were Angus Young and Billie Joe Armstrong. I was lucky because I found a guitar that represented both parts of my inspiration and yet has been famously played by no one but me. This SG Junior is entirely my own, and it already looks fucking iconic.”

PreSonus announce new Quantum and Quantum HD audio interfaces

LINK AUDIO | LINKAUDIO.COM.AU

The art of audio meets the science of sound. Take the leap with Quantum, the next generation of PreSonus audio interfaces. Quantum ES and Quantum HD interfaces deliver newly redesigned MAX-HD preamps, class-leading converters, front-facing instrument inputs co-developed by industry-leading experts at Fender®, and stunning, high-fidelity performance for self-made audio creators and professional studio sessions.

Korg announce the Korg ST1K Synthesizer Tuner

CMI MUSIC & AUDIO | CMI.COM.AU

Designed with the unique needs of analog and modular synth players in mind, the ST1K is compact, precise, and offers high visibility, ensuring your synth is accurately tuned the way you want every time. The Korg ST1K is a synthesizer-focused tuner that merges Korg’s legendary experience in tuner technology with a deep understanding of the characteristics of analog and modular synthesis.

You may also want to microtune different oscillators within one synth. These requirements make reliable tuning essential, whether you’re recording in the studio or performing live. The ST1K delivers this with its capability for ultraprecise tuning to ±0.1 cent and features a large CMD LCD that provides a clear, visually appealing readout of your tuning status, aligning with the aesthetics of modular and analog synths. It also includes a built-in high-sensitivity microphone, expanding its use to a broader range of instruments.

At only 83 grams, this incredibly compact and light tuner is perfect for musicians and performers on the move.

The Sterling

by

Music Man Intro Series basses and guitars!

CMC MUSIC AUSTRALIA | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

The Intro Series Cutlass brings the allin-one workhorse to more players than ever before. It features ceramic pickups in an HSS configuration to achieve classic and modern tones with ease. The guitar also features a fulcrum tremolo for dynamic vibrato, straight string path through the tuners for improved intonation, and a hard maple neck for durability and stability.

The Intro Series StingRay bass welcomes players new to the Sterling by Music Man family. At the heart of this bass is a passive humbucking bridge pickup for a familiar yet versatile tone. It also features a narrow 40mm nut width, contoured body, and hard maple neck with satin finish for a comfortable, easy playing experience.

Markbass Ships Yellow Series of Affordable Basses

CMC MUSIC AUSTRALIA | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

With three tried-and-true designs to choose from - the Yellow Series has something for you. Markbass is now shipping their Yellow range of basses, that use the signature warm yellow finish from their amp range as a distinguishing feature.

The Markbass Yellow JB bass features a classic slim neck, based on feedback from players who felt this offered easier finger placement. The two single-coil pickups make it a very versatile bass, allowing you to blend them to access a wide variety of tones - great for finger style or slap.

The Markbass Yellow Short Scale bass is a 30" short scale bass with a truly ergonomic feel. Its shorter scale means less stretching for the fretting hand, making it more comfortable for players with smaller hands or those who struggle with reach. The reduced string length results in lower string tension, which can be easier on the fingers and allows for easier string bending.

Electro

Harmonix announce the POG3 Polyphonic Octave Generator

The world’s best octave effect just got better! The Electro Harmonix POG3 is the most powerful pedal in Electro-Harmonix’s revered line of polyphonic octave generators that

continues to inspire and captivate musicians of all styles. At its core, the POG3 delivers lightning-fast tracking and perfect polyphony over 4 octaves with smoother tone and performance than ever before. From 12-string jangle to 6-voice drawbar organ sounds, the POG3 delivers an endless possibility of tone creation.

Featuring 6 voices including DRY, -2, -1, +5th, +1, & +2, you can mix each with individual sliders and create enveloping stereo effects with dedicated pan knobs and selectable LEFT/ RIGHT/DIRECT outputs. All voices, effects, and additional features are now controllable via expression and MIDI for even more creative control. Unlock new expression effects including Freeze, Glissando, Volume, Filter, X-Fade, and Warp with advanced programming and performance controls. The INPUT GAIN slider is an old friend from the original POG that can add girth and dirt to your tone mix.

Audio-Technica announce new flagship Automatic turntables AT-LP70x and LP70xBT

The AT-LP70X and AT-LP70XBT are fully automatic belt-drive turntables for budding vinyl enthusiasts. Audio-Technica unveils two new turntables for emerging and seasoned vinyl lovers alike, the LP70X and LP70XBT which features Bluetooth connectivity. The new models offer fully automatic operation, an upgradeable stylus, a new J-shaped tonearm shape and improved three-piece chassis construction resulting in a convenient and high-fidelity listening experience.

The turntables play 33-1/3 and 45 RPM records and, with its built-in switchable phono preamp, can be connected directly to a home stereo, powered speakers, and other components, whether they have a dedicated phono input or not. The J-shaped tonearm is engineered to minimise tracking errors and features a lock to reduce the risk of stylus damage. The three-piece, anti-resonance chassis provides a solid foundation that dampens unwanted noise for improved sound quality. Including an AC adapter that moves the AC/DC conversion outside the chassis further reduces noise because it limits its impact on the signal chain.

ELECTRO HARMONIX | EHX.COM

Product News

Universal Audio introduces Apollo x16D Dante Audio Interface

New Thunderbolt audio interface enables live and networked UAD plug-in processing; now shipping worldwide. Universal Audio Inc. (UA), a worldwide leader in audio production tools, announces the Apollo x16D Thunderbolt Audio Interface with Dante®. Designed for live sound venues and networked recording studios, Apollo x16D offers industry-leading sound quality and expansion for up to 64 channels of realtime UAD plug-in processing over networked audio, plus immersive audio mixing support for Dolby Atmos, Auro-3D, and Sony 360 Reality Audio formats.

“The Apollo x16D marks a milestone for us,” says Bill Putnam Jr., CEO of Universal Audio. “Networked audio processing plays a critical part of UA’s future, and Dante makes realtime UAD processing possible for more Apollo users, both in front-of-house live sound applications and in networked audio and post-production studios.”

Moog announce the Muse 8-voice Polyphonic Analog Synthesizer

CMI MUSIC & AUDIO | CMI.COM.AU

The Muse is an eight-voice analog bi-timbral polyphonic synthesizer

The Moog Muse is the culmination of over five years of dreaming, design, and passion. Muse is an intuitive and powerful instrument built

on the rich history of Moog, while simultaneously gazing boldly into the future. It’s designed to be rugged and portable for the stage, while equally at home as the centrepiece of a modern studio.

From the first playful encounter with the knob-per-function panel, Muse matures with you through years of boundless exploration. Explore and express endlessly with digital controls for flexible modulation capabilities, patch memory recall, and advanced sequencing. Each sequence exists independently of a patch, allowing for on-the-fly modification within the same musical concept. Armed with parameter recording, probabilistic functions, and microscopic editing of every single note in the sequence, the sequencer is an endless playground for musical arrangements.

The Radial Nuance Select Studio Monitor Controller is now shipping!

Looking to combine multiple speakers and retain audio quality overall? Radial Engineering has announced shipping availability of its new Nuance Select Studio Monitor Controller featuring its proprietary patent pending Clarity Circuit design. The Nuance Select is Radial’s flagship studio monitor controller, offering a sleek and ergonomic design with extremely low distortion for complete transparency. The result is a pristine signal path for seamless switching between two audio sources and two sets of powered speakers.

Featuring a large master output controller, illuminated switches, and two built-in headphone amplifiers, the Nuance Select allows silent switching between two sets of monitors and a subwoofer. Easily accessible Mono, Mute, and Dim switches are offered for further control and versatility in monitoring.

Radial’s patent pending Clarity Circuit utilises a combination of proprietary design and selected components to achieve remarkably low distortion and transparency.

Dyson unveil the OnTrac headphones!

DYSON | DYSON.COM.AU

Within the audio category, Dyson engineers prioritise preserving the integrity of sound.

Today, Dyson unveils its first high fidelity, audio-only headphones: the Dyson OnTrac™ headphones. Offering best-in-class noise cancellation, these headphones deliver up to 55 hours* of immersive listening. Available in Australia from 28th August.

With 40mm, 16-ohm neodymium speaker drivers and advanced audio signal processing, the Dyson OnTrac™ ensures that every note or word is delivered with precision. The headphones reproduce frequencies from as low as 6 Hertz to as high as 21,000 Hertz, providing deep sub-bass that you can feel, and clear highs at the upper end of the frequency range.

* With ANC on. Performance may vary based on environmental conditions and usage.

Death by Audio announce the SE-1 Space Ensemble

DEATH BY AUDIO | DEATHBYAUDIO.COM

Tired of wrangling all your vocal pedals on the floor or lugging a table to your shows?

From the farthest corners of the cosmos comes the Space Ensemble SE-1, a groundbreaking vocal effect by Death By Audio. This pedal is a limited run so catch it before it seeps into the black hole forever.

In a compact design, the SE-1 captures the realm of atmospheric vocal processing. Equipped with a robust mic preamp and versatile chorus and reverb effects, it offers instant access to both classic retro tones and futuristic spatial textures.

Attain your desired studio results and carry them effortlessly to gigs and recordings; spanning from vintage 70s tape doubling to the iconic 80s sound, ethereal shoegaze soundscapes, or entirely new creative frontiers.

AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU

CMI MUSIC & AUDIO | CMI.COM.AU

PRS Guitars announce limited edition “Sandblasted” SE Series

ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU

PRS Guitars is a leading manufacturer of high-quality instruments in Stevensville, Maryland and has provided some of the world’s most renowned musicians with instruments since 1985. This limited edition is built on the CE platform and pairs a swamp ash top and mahogany back with a 24-fret, 25” scale length bolt-on maple neck and rosewood fretboard.

These PRS Guitars have had their Swamp Ash tops “sandblasted” to accentuate the wood’s inherent figure and are then grain-filled in one of five colours: Sandblasted Blue, Green, Purple, Red, or White.

“We have done runs with this treatment before, but this is the first time we are offering it at scale worldwide. I really fell in love with these guitars after watching the sandblasting process in person. It’s transformational. But, these guitars are more than just eye-candy – they take a ton of care to make, and they are made to be played,” said Jack Higginbotham, PRS Guitars COO.

Warm Audio announce limited edition Silver Centavo

STUDIO CONNECTIONS | STUDIOCONNECTIONS. COM.AU

Looking for vintage vibe without the mortgage-sized price tag? Warm Audio is a company focused on quality without hurting your bottom line. Studio and music equipment can be expensive, with upkeep on equipment as it fails also being costly. Warm Audio bring high quality equipment to the masses, built to last, bringing vintage sounds to the modern design, build quality and repairability.

The Limited Edition Silver Centavo is an accurate recreation of the most sought-after overdrive pedal of the 90’s and beyond. With a true-to-original, custom-cast vintage silver enclosure and the signature sounds of the original, Centavo delivers an exclusive and authentic pedal experience.

The new Audio-Technica powered AT-SP3X bookshelf speaker

TECHNICAL AUDIO GROUP | TAG.COM.AU

These compact, unobtrusive speakers make setup simple. Audio-Technica releases their first set of powered bookshelf speakers, the AT-SP3X. Designed to be paired with their turntables or your favourite devices via wired or Bluetooth connection, these compact speakers are specially tuned to deliver impressive, full-range high-fidelity audio. The AT-SP3X are available now.

The AT-SP3X powered bookshelf speakers can be used via a wired or wireless connection, perfect for use with turntables, computers, smartphones, TVs, and other devices.

The AT-SP3X Powered Bookshelf Speakers feature 3” woofers and 1.1” tweeters specifically tuned by a built-in DSP to produce powerful, well-balanced sound for music, movies, and more. To build upon the sleek design, a power button with LED indicator and volume control keeps operation simple. The speakers include an AC adapter with three international plug adapters and a 2m speaker cable.

Ableton Live 12.1 Public Beta with Auto Shift, Drum Sampler, Mid-Side processing more!

ABLETON | ABLETON.COM/EN

The 12.1 update brings significant additions and improvements to all Editions of Live, including Live Lite. Ableton Live 12.1 has been in Beta for a few months now, bringing the forthcoming with some really exciting new additions.

Auto Shift. Ableton Live 12.1 now puts real-time pitch correction within reach for anyone working with vocals. Select a scale, or define your own, to keep every note in tune with your track.

Drum Sampler. Beatmaking becomes more fluid with this small but mighty device. Auto-tagging. You can now search your entire user library faster with filters – and there’s no need to tag the samples yourself.

Create more intuitively on Push. The new update brings Ableton Live 12’s filtering system to the browser on Push 2 and 3, as well as auto-tagging for samples on Push 3 standalone.

Vic Firth Australia are giving away two ticket packages to each of Iron Maiden’s Australian shows!

To Enter, see these three easy steps:

1. Purchase any Vic Firth product from An Authorised Australian Dealer

2. Take a photo of your receipt & direct message it to the Vic Firth Australia Instagram page

3. Follow @vicfirthaustralia on Instagram!

Good luck!

Misha Mansoor & Mark Holcomb

discuss Periphery, Monolith festival and baggage fees

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

November sees rock and metal heavyweights descending on Australia for the aptly named Monolith festival.

Headliners Coheed And Cambria are no strangers to Australian audiences, having built a following over the last few decades and ten records, with genre-defining Periphery also making their first Australian appearance since 2017, having released two records since then, 2019’s Periphery IV: Hail Stan and 2023’s Periphery V: Djent Is Not a Genre.

Periphery have been pushing the boundaries of modern metal for quite some time, with humble beginnings as a solo project for guitarist Misha Mansoor, slowly adding members to arrive at the lineup that’ll be appearing at Monolith in November. Each member of Periphery brings their own unique flavour, having played in various bands themselves, all members also having the ability to write, record and produce music themselves. We sat down with guitarists Mark Holcomb and Misha Mansoor to discuss that dynamic.

Mark (referred to as “Mrak” by Misha) begins by explaining their process has evolved

thing. You have to remember we’ve been doing this a long time, so this stuff has sort of developed. There used to be arguments, there used to be a lot of—” Misha stops to think.

“I think the main thing is, anyone who’s in a band could relate to this,” Misha continues.

“When you have a collaborative session and someone has something that gets cut, that’s a difficult thing, [to not feel] like that’s a reflection on you or your abilities as a musician and being able to take a step back and be like ‘Well this doesn’t serve the song.’” he explains.

quite a bit “over the thirteen years I’ve been with Periphery. And Misha, him being the founder of the band, his role has always been consistent in the band. He’d always been the nexus of the songwriting and creation process.”

“He’s our producer and the glue that holds everything together creatively.” Mark states. “When we get together and it’s time to make a Periphery record, Misha is at the helm, and Jake (Bowen, Periphery’s third guitarist) and I are there to contribute ideas with the knowledge that Misha will be there to—I always call him the ‘glue’, fitting pieces together.”

Mark speaks further to his own shortfalls in arranging a song. Riffs and bits he’s fine with, but putting it all together is something that he acknowledges Misha has never struggled with.

So does this make Misha the leader of the band per se?

“Before Mark has a chance to answer,” begins Misha. “Yes I am.”

Misha and Mark laugh. Misha clarifies, “There’s no one in charge, it’s a very organic

“And once you get past that, it really streamlines the writing, ‘cause we can cut stuff, we can edit stuff, and no one really has any issue with it. We all tend to be on the same wavelength, so if it’s not right or if there’s something awkward we generally [all] feel ‘that’s not quite right’.”

“And if solving it is cutting a riff, it doesn’t matter. We’ve cut some of the craziest, coolest riffs that Mark has ever come up with.” acknowledge Misha. “But even he’s been like ‘Yeah, it sucks but [the song] works better without it.”

Misha and Mark speak further to their roles as guitarists in the band, having even learned to leave space for the soaring lead vocals of Periphery’s frontman Spencer Sotelo.

We shift here to how the songs are performed live. Leaving room for everyone to have their space in the studio is one thing, but writing a song that’ll have an impact live is another.

Image Credit (inc. cover photo): Ekaterina Gorbacheva

“Generally when we’re writing, we’re approaching it from a compositional standpoint. That’s the beauty of an album. As far as we’re concerned there’s no rules.” explains Misha.

“But then live gets to be this fun challenge of ‘how can we best represent that?’” he continues. “We do try to do it as accurately as possible, but if it’s not a 1:1 thing it’s not the end of the world ‘cause that wasn’t the point of the composition. I think over time we have become a bit more aware of what tends to work, and I’m sure that bleeds into our writing approach.”

“If I could go back in time,” begins Misha. “I would be like [to his past self] ‘This is a pitch shifter. Use it. I know it sucks now but in ten years it’ll be good. Just use a six string!’ and then we would travel as a band with four guitars at all times, and we’d be fine.”

Misha explains that, like a lot of us, Periphery will sometimes write a riff that they know will work live, they can picture it, but he sees that as a perk rather than an approach per se.

On the festival world vs. a headline tour, Misha speaks further to the limitations of performing those songs at a festival, they’re limited on time so the set still has to work. “For the sake of efficiency, we don’t want to learn a completely different set of songs. We tried that once on a recent tour and it was a nightmare!” he laughs. “We fine tune [a headline set] to be festival appropriate.”

“Although we’ll have some fans there, a festival is really about making new fans, playing to people who’ve never heard of us, putting our best foot forward with that. And then headline shows are really more about playing to our crowd, literally. We can get weird with a headliner,” he laughs. “We can pull out songs that literally no one has asked us to play live.”

I shift to their gear here, acknowledging that Periphery are somewhat famous for exploring multiple tunings, baritone and extended range guitars, and I ask how they’re navigating that live— especially for a festival.

Misha and Mark burst into laughter before I’ve even finished the question. “How are we navigating that live Mark?” Misha asks with a chuckle.

“You sound like our manager,” begins Mark, to more laughs from Misha. “Who looks on our expenses for tour and asks why we spent three thousand dollars on baggage fees going to Europe.” he says with a grin.

“And the answer is,” Mark states.”... by bringing way too many guitars.”

“The thing is, it’s not too many guitars, it’s the guitars we need to do this. We’re not being excessive, we have to bring that amount of guitars to pull off all of these different tunings.”

Misha explains further that their response here is evidence that they see their songwriting process as composition, with little to no thought of the eventual live show, resulting in multiple guitars, with spares, in multiple tunings, being required for Periphery.

“Unfortunately we just lug ‘em around, man.” says Mark.

Misha speaks further to their tunings, saying that it’s not always a uniformly de-tuned tuning, sometimes one note, or one string is tuned differently for a unique sound, making pitch shifters or de-tuning pedals little to no help. He mentions Line 6’s Variax system, which tracked each string separately, and therefore could’ve become a saving grace if it weren’t a proprietary system for Line 6.

“I’m saying this out loud so that maybe someone revives that, ‘cause that could solve some of our problems.” he says with hope.

Periphery are a band of almost two decades, now bringing their live show to Australia in November for Monolith festival. Their live show has surely evolved since then - but how complex has it become? Being one of the first bands that I personally knew were using MIDI to switch the patches of their Axe-Fx units, I start there with my line of questioning.

“We have the laptop which is sending us click and feeding tracks to our in-ear mixes and whatever else up front, but that’s also doing MIDI changes for our Axe-Fxes. We haven’t used pedalboards in well over a decade at this point.” Misha explains.

“Fantastic!” I exclaim. Mark grins.

“It’s one of those things that we’ve gotten so used to, that that’s just the way that it is.” continues Misha. “I think we were doing it so early on that we probably turned some bands on to it, especially at first.”

“It’s funny, the first time I saw the MIDI switching,” begins Mark. “Was in Australia with Tesseract opening for us in Brisbane.”

“I think we started implementing it later on for the US headliner in the fall. But that was the first instance we’d ever seen it. But, dude, it’s the best.”

“A game changer!” Misha adds. “All you need to do is see another band use it and you’ll be like ‘Alright! I guess we’re doing that now.”

You can become a MIDI switching convert and see Periphery and their pedalboardless set at Monolith in November. Monolith is headlined by Coheed And Cambria, supported by Periphery, Leprous of Norway, Intervals, Novelists, Australia’s Silver Fang and more. Tickets on sale now, with Monolith arriving in Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall on Saturday 2nd November, Saturday 9th November in Melbourne at PICA and Sydney on Sunday November 10 at the Hordern Pavilion.

Belle Murphy speaks to Ableton’s continuous forward momentum

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

Ableton Live 12 arrived worldwide earlier this year, and with it came a huge array of updates and upgrades to both sonics, workflow, user-interface and more. Not content with just that, Ableton Live 12 continued to release and update their iconic DAW, with Ableton Live 12.1 going into Public Beta testing recently.

The Ableton 12.1 Public Beta brings with it an updated Drum Sampler, as well as MIDI improvements including MPE-specific MIDI Transformations, a refined Limiter and Saturator and more intuitive updates for creating and performing on Push. The update also adds Auto Shift, a real-time pitch tracking correction device. We caught up with Belle Murphy, an Ableton Certified Trainer and electronic music maker about her experience with the new updates in the real world!

What is the intended use of Auto Shift?

The obvious thing to do with Auto Shift is to pitch correct your vocals, whether subtly or to the more extreme “hard tune” effect. Tuning vocals is pretty common, and it can be an impactful part of your creative workflow. Even if you’re a very practiced singer, you’ll probably write a different kind of song when using it. However, Auto Shift has a lot more potential than that. Because it accepts polyphonic MIDI input it’s a damn good harmoniser. Think Imogen Heap’s “Hide and Seek”. Plus, formant shifting in real time (which you can easily automate or externally control on real time input, unlike clip warp settings) can be lots of fun.

Push 3 is really making huge moves to make Ableton more tactile. Is this focus to help performers use Ableton in a live set, or to make producing and making music faster?

Push has always both served the role of tactile studio tool and live performance control hub. There’s lots of recent little quality of life improvements for the studio, like the ability to create device groups, reorder tracks, and the same browser improvements seen on the desktop software. That stuff is even more meaningful for working on tracks in Push 3 standalone.

One of the exciting new live performance features for Push 3 I’m really enjoying is the ability to interact with macro variations. Lots of music uses moments of increasing tension before a big resolution (i.e. the build up to the drop). With macros you can bend things out of shape and then recall the “resolution” macro setting right on the downbeat, lots of fun.

For someone from a more audio-focused background (i.e. a mic on a drumkit), the improved Limiter and Saturator is a huge step forward for mixing in Ableton, especially with mid/side processing available. Can you speak a little to how this might help people achieve the sounds they’re chasing?

Limiting mid vs. side can be a good way to go for perceived loudness without unintentionally sacrificing clarity of stereo image. Typically, the “side” information isn’t as loud or dynamically active.

When big spikes in the mid frequencies hit a master limiter, the whole track pumps with them. Working in mid-side means you’ll probably find the spacious quality of your track doesn’t get pushed back when those hits happen. For the Saturator, I think the interface is just a lot more streamlined and intuitive. I appreciate the refined ability to clearly attenuate impact on the low end, including expanding out a full spectral view of how that “colour” is being applied across the frequency range. Drive can really mess up the low end if not applied carefully, but here you can push how the high end growls without sacrificing the low end power/weight. Of course, that works great with the new Bass Shaper curve too.

Auto-tagging is a really exciting development for something that doesn’t make sound per se. Could you explain what users can expect when opening their sample libraries in 12.1 for the first time?

Think of this as an extension of the “similar sounds” technology. With the ability to analyse and interpret audio, the next step has been to identify what type of sound is within each file. If you’ve never done any manual tagging, select the “user” creator tag (i.e. your own samples / project sounds) in 12.1 and you’ll see all the other tags that have been automatically set up for you.

Mostly I’ve found this is top level stuff so far, like what sort of instrument is found in the sample, and whether it’s a loop or a one shot. That’s a huge help with the busywork of organising a complex library of sounds. Of course, you can customise the tagging further from there or just turn auto tagging off if you’d prefer.

Anything you’d like to add?

I’ve been working on a live performance project lately, and there are some new features that I’m already making use of. I’m having fun experimenting with Drum Sampler in a live set. The “FX” work great as momentary effects, especially the stuttering you can get with the “stretch” option. It also might seem like a small thing but little Push 3 updates like the “select on launch” feature now being customisable in standalone are huge. Plus, the Push 3 standalone can act as a Wi-Fi hot spot. Alongside helping with file transfers it’s now also super easy to use Link (the tempo syncing feature) with other devices like an iPad. I had some apps recording and syncing sequences to my Push 3 standalone without any other devices or cables in seconds.

Emily Wurramara: the Magic Woman Dancing

WORDS

BY

LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

Emily Wurramara is an Australian singer and songwriter who grew up between Meanjin and the NT.

A proud Warnindhilyagwa woman hailing from Groote Eylandt, her album Milyakburra was received to huge acclaim, both musically as an artist who refuses to exist within a single genre, and as an Indigenous role model. Her sophomore release NARA builds on this further, tying together folk, hip-hop, pop and more into a well-refined and cohesive record, produced alongside musician, producer and bass player in Em’s band, James Mangohig.

NARA is a noticeably collaborative record, being 12 songs with features from Lisa Mitchell, Zeppelin Hamilton, Arringarri and the single “Lordy Lordy” featuring Tasman Keith.

“It’s something that I definitely wanted to have people on this record and collaborate,” says Emily.

We chat for a moment about how honesty in a producer is essential, obviously in the interest of the project, but it’s important to have someone on board to refine and shape the record, which sometimes comes with abandoning ideas.

I ask James how involved he was from the inception of NARA, whether he wrote and produced or refined and shaped songs that already existed. “Yeah, definitely the second one.” he begins.

“What was different about this record is Em had a lot of material, like stuff from when she was like 16 years old. Way more material than I expected. The first ever session we did, we just did a fun, no stress, no pressure studio session that we just produced up a track for fun, and the vibe was great.” he explains.

James and Emily spent a few days just laying down idea after idea, ‘throwing paint at the wall’, Emily having written plenty of material, she already had an idea of where the gaps were. This helped them filter through the best ideas, but also acknowledged that if the vibe of an idea is off, it’s okay to put it aside or scrap it.

“All those things that can create the wrong tension when making a record; we got rid of them. This is a place of comfort and food and love and creativity.” James explains. “And also pushing each other, so it was such a fun record to make.”

We shift onto the recording process, and we chat for a moment about the delineation of producing and writing and recording per se. I ask if there was a clear schedule or if the lines between the two stages blurred together. Em and James giggle.

Because we had three weeks in Darwin, we could really play and go along with it, we didn’t really rush ourselves. We had times we’d stop and ‘spend today watching a movie’, just really grounding days.” she explains.

“I feel like that’s something you really need as an artist, when you're being so vulnerable, especially when you’re with a group of friends that you love and adore. The presence was magic, and it really comes across on the sound and the feeling of this whole record.”

Emily moves onto the recording process, laughing and explaining she stayed at James’ house for the recording in his home studio.

“I was living in this amazing unit on the ocean.” James explains.

“I just slept in the next room, we lived and breathed this album, like every day was beautiful.” Em adds.

“I gotta give a shoutout to my partner Caiti Baker who’s a singer/ songwriter in her own right but has become a really incredible vocal engineer. And so what I had learned early on was, I love vocal engineering, but it’s not my strength, and Caiti sits at the board, runs the desk, and also can sing with Em and try ideas out. So we’d work in shifts, I’d work with Em for a chunk of the day on production and she’d have a break, and then I’d work on refining production and trying ideas, and she’d go into the late-night session.” explains James.

“I just wanted to be about the music and about bring people together.”

“Like y’know, “When We Go Back Home” (WWGBH) that already had Zep on it when I bought it to the studio, and y’know James suggested Tasman, and then we got Lisa on for “You’ll See Me There” and my brother as well, so I feel like it’s very about the collaboration and the community with this project.”

Emily speaks further to writing the songs, explaining she’d left space for collaborators to do their thing under her direction. “Lordy Lordy” with Tasman Keith was a more divisive split of collaboration.

“With James and I, there was a part in “Lordy Lordy”, in the demo, where I’m actually rapping—” Emily laughs, remembering the original ideas.

“I mean,” James begins. “We had ‘Known’ basket and ‘Unknown’ basket. ‘Known’ basket was like ‘this is the song!’, we just need to nurture this song and produce it so it can come out. And ‘Unknown’ basket was like… y’know even “Lordy Lordy” stayed in that ‘Unknown’ basket.”

This willingness to leave songs and ideas in the ether is what makes Emily Wurramara so special; in James’ words “she still thinks about the album, still thinks about the journey, still thinks about what the listener feels.”

Emily goes on to explain that the album was created in such a safe space that it enabled her to say what she wanted and needed to say.

“Considering the themes that I’m singing about and talking about on this record, there was a safe space to feel that emotion as well. And sit and talk about it too.

“They’d go to two, three in the morning. I’d rock up and there’d be a box of tissues scattered over the whole studio, bottle of red wine finished, candles burnt on all corners [of the studio].” he laughs. “We built this really great vocal booth in our home studio.”

“I’d have a U67 in the booth, but then I’d come in and Em would be laying upside down with an SM7B through a Neve 1073 and that’s where she’d nail the take. It’s not the sound of that high-end U67, shiny, beautiful thing, but the emotion and by boosting the top end a little bit, it became: ‘that’s what we need. That’s the vibe.’”

“It was something with Em being able to hold the mic as well, she’s such an amazing live performer.”

NARA is out everywhere on August 23.

Image Credit: Claudia Sangiorgi Dalimore

Motorised Morphing

Instant Preset & Layer Recall

Motorised MOD Matrix

Classic Style — Futuristic Control

Interactive

Morphing

Instant ‘INIT’ Control Panel Reset

Dive into a limitless matrix of sound

DELIA is a 6 voice bi-timbral polysynth with a revolutionary motorised control panel. This is the first keyboard synthesizer from Melbourne Instruments and features a 49-key velocity and aftertouch sensitive keybed, multi-mode analog filters, high pass and low pass resonance control, 3-stage overdrive and unlimited modulation possibilities. Paired with our Rotary Recall* technology, Delia opens the door to the sounds and direction of tomorrow.

Using a combination of true analog filters and virtual analog modeling, Delia retains the vital sound of analog ladder filters, while using modeled VCOs, wavetables and high pass filters. The powerful combination of analog plus digital is harnessed by Delia’s unique 12-note mode without compromising the sound.

Total Recall is a reality!

Enabled by our Rotary Recall system, Delia satisfies the demand for ‘knob per function’, allowing players move effortlessly between four oscillators, three LFOs, multi-mode filters, three envelopes and digital effects. This flexibility instills the confidence to push the boundaries of performance and sound design. And what’s more, the motorised journey does not end at Patch Recall and Morph!

As you move between Delia’s 20 modulation sources, every knob changes position to display it’s modulation amount. There’s no need to tweak the panel every time you switch sources or destinations, no matter how many modulations or slots are active.

Under the hood Delia is a beast! Virtual Analog Oscillators model Nina’s discrete circuitry but add cross-modulation, and Delia’s 20 modulation sources and 40+ mod destinations with unlimited slots gives sound designers an almost endless spectrum of sounds. With the ability to save more than 16,000 presets, inspiration and artistry will never be limited by available memory or slots.

Delia offers musicians a workflow that truly flows, combining the versatility of soft synths with the tactility of classic hardware synths.

Creating compositions that will outlast us all with Tom Salta

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

Composing for game presents its own challenges, something that awardwinning composer Tom Salta knows very well.

It’s Tom’s job to immerse us in a world, with different music, sounds and foley to keep us focused on the game. His compositions need to be complimentary, creative and unique, giving the gameplay, while not detracting from the game either. It’s a tough balance!

The Outlast Trials settles itself comfortably into the horror genre, the sounds and music create depth and tension, all built into his music by Tom.

Tom, thanks for taking the time. For something as unnerving, uncomfortable and intense as The Outlast Trials – where do you begin?

That’s a very good question. ;)

How does the music develop from idea to finished product?

Over the decades, no matter what I’m working on, I have noticed a general pattern to my creative process. In the last few years, I wanted to “capture it in a bottle” so I could better understand the ideal flow and avoid the typical stress and panic so many of us composers must deal with.

I won’t go into agonising detail, but it always starts with lots of listening, studying and research of everything pertaining to the project and intended musical styles. Then I will allow myself the freedom to experiment with a variety of ideas and approaches that no one will hear (unless I want them to, of course).

Can you tell us a bit about the journey that led you to being the composer you are today?

In 1985, I decided my dream was to be a famous record producer, just like my idols at the time; Quincy Jones, Jam & Lewis, Trevor Horn, Mutt Lange, etc. By the time I was a senior in high school, I already had a few released records.

In the 90’s, I got the opportunity to tour with the “King of R&B” at the time, Bobby Brown, as the keyboard tech and sound designer. After several years of touring with various artists, I got off the road and got seriously into producing records, songwriting, scoring commercials, jingle writing, dance remixes, you name it. I worked on a ton of drastically different musical styles, which, looking back, became a huge benefit to me as a composer because I became adept at many different styles of music.

What’s a ‘normal’ session look like for you? Is there a ’normal’ workflow or is everything case-by-case?

I like to be very organized, deliberate and focused when I’m working. There is always a goal when I sit in the chair. And it varies depending on what stage the project is at. For example, if I’m scoring a cutscene or a VR Ride, I will start with a basic foundational structure without all the bells and whistles.

How much direction do you usually get for a project like this? What do revisions, feedback and changes look like?

When working on a project like The Outlast Trials, I aim to enhance the emotions that Red Barrels wants the players to feel. In the case of The Outlast Trials, this will fall somewhere between tense discomfort to hair-raising and utter terror and panic. I am privileged to work with audio directors like Francis Brus at Red Barrels, who is incredibly

skilled at knowing exactly what he wants and the stylistic boundaries to help ensure that everything I deliver will be true to the musical recipe of The Outlast Trials

Francis does a fantastic job of giving me all the information I need to create the kind of feelings he’s after. In addition to providing gameplay footage, he will also provide me with written documentation describing the emotions he wants the player to feel as well as nouns and adjectives describing the feel of the environment.

What deliverables have you got to ensure your compositions work on an interactive level?

Receiving gameplay footage with all the SFX and no music is generally the most helpful when ensuring my music works in-game. This, combined with having a full understanding of how all the musical components (cues, layers, transitions, etc.) will be implemented, allows me to simulate it on my end before delivery.

Gameplay footage with SFX was especially helpful in The Outlast Trials because it allowed me to create environmentally inspired musical sound design and textures that enhanced the game. A perfect example of this was the “Root Canal” ride inside the Fun Park. Using only my mouth, I created a full suite of disturbing ambiances using various effects and plugins.

Can you speak a bit further about your use of diegesis in compositions? What techniques do you use to draw us into the characters’ world/s?

My mother was a music teacher, and I remember when I was perhaps only seven or eight years old, she had me listen to “Peter and the Wolf” by Sergei Prokofiev, composed in 1936. It was so immersive and visual, and it was easy to associate the various instruments and leitmotifs with the different characters and hear how they interacted as the story developed. In 1981, I fell in love with John Williams’ scores to movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., and Star Wars. John Williams is a master at creating music that puts you right in the scene. You can hear exactly what is going on from moment to moment.

Music is the language of emotion, so I create a “storyline” of how I want to bring people into the world. “Let the Trials Begin” starts with a sudden disturbing and violent unidentifiable sound that gives way to the central leitmotif, that disturbing piano part. It’s an unsettling musical phrase that creates a feeling of slight insanity with a midnineteenth-century classic vibe (the story takes place in the late fifties). The counter-melody has a somber feeling that communicates extreme hopelessness by the end of the theme. There’s a lot of stuff going on in the theme, just like the game — everything from eerie, quiet tension to full-on high-octane terror. If you’re a fan of horror games, you don’t want to miss it! Keep up Tom Salta at https://www.tomsalta. com/bio, or read more about The Outlast Trials at https://redbarrelsgames.com/ games/the-outlast-trials/

‘I’m really bad at playing the game’: tiffi on why BIGSOUND is a launchpad for Australia’s most successful musicians

WORDS BY JAKE FITZPATRICK

BIGSOUND is the southern hemisphere’s largest music industry conference and plays a vital role in launching the careers of Australia’s musical exports.

Every year, Australia’s best and brightest emerging musicians learn from the likes of Flume, Courtney Barnett and this year, Tones and I. A killer combination of star power and industry nous has made this conference a proven launchpad into the stratosphere of success.

Back for its 23rd year, the current lineup is stacked with speakers and performances from Australian music luminaries. Recently announced keynote speakers also include Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers and R&B legend Kelis. Meanwhile, the festival element will also feature performances from Alex the Astronaut, Sly Withers, Hellcat Speedracer, Matahara and Dear Seattle, just to name a few.

Excitingly, it will also feature upcoming Western Sydney singersongwriter, tiffi. Initially a bedroom-pop artist, tiffi has been releasing music online since the age of 13. Amassing over 50 million streams by the time she turned 20, tiffi is excited to use the conference as a stepping stone into taking her career to the next level.

“Every artist I like has done BIGSOUND, so I’m really excited for it!” she says of the acclaimed conference. “It’s definitely a really cool thing to put on my music resume.”

But, of course, tiffi already has a stellar musical resume, a career she fell into entirely by accident.

“I started on SoundCloud because I had a crush on a guy who only used SoundCloud,” she laughs. “So, to get his attention, I put some stuff up there and I forgot about him, but yeah, my stuff started to get a little bigger.” While she may not have won over her crush, she did end up with a fully-fledged music career.

Her music initially started off as a self-described “ukelele, lo-fi girl era”. Having no real-life experience, she wrote from her imagination and what she saw in movies. “I had a crush on the nerd [Anthony Michael Hall’s Brian] from The Breakfast Club. I thought he was so cute. So, I wrote songs about him. But he’s like an old man now.”

After her music gained a slight following, she was eventually encouraged by a friend to release her music on Spotify. Not

knowing how to do that, she sought help from her older brother.

“At the time, I was 13. I didn’t have a Paypal Account or a card so, I asked my brother if I could use his account. It was $60 and he was like, ‘are you sure you’re going to get your $60 back?’ Rest assured I got my $60 back.”

Listeners suddenly began to appear in all corners of the world from Atlanta to Los Angeles. Eventually, after her music appeared on Sydney’s FBi radio, she gained a manager.

A few years after this, she started playing gigs. “My first gig was at the Fairfield Museum. I was so nervous, but a lot of my friends showed up for me. It was the first time I’d really done anything outside my bedroom.” After grafting on the live circuit, she then began to be booked for gigs. Opening for everyone from Milky to Telenova, her sound began to change.

Becoming influenced by the likes of Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes) and Adrianne Lenker (of Big Thief), tiffi really started to hone her craft. She also began to develop a specific image. Greatly inspired by 90s aesthetics and slasher movies, she cites Carrie (1976) as being a big influence on her style.

This brings tiffi to the present, as a burgeoning young artist looking to take her career to the next level. Wanting to eventually headline a show, the 21-year-old singer hopes she can use BIGSOUND to leverage herself into doing so.

“I’ve never done a headline show. It would be cool, but I get a bit nervous. Opening for a bigger artist, I feel less pressure because people aren’t there to see you. I just worry no one will show

up to a headline show of mine. The imposter syndrome is real.”

While she hopes she can do this through BIGSOUND, all she really wants out of her career is for people to hear her music.

“For me, I’m really bad at playing the game, whatever game there is. It feels unnatural to me. Really, I just want to get as many people as I can to hear my music, other than that, I’m not stressed. Meeting industry people is still nice and a lot of them have good insight. For me, I just hope they enjoy it, and want to listen to more.”

As a final aside, she tells me that she released a song the day of our interview, entitled "hell". You best believe it, tiffi is bringing hell to BIGSOUND.

BIGSOUND will be held from 3–6 September 2024 at Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley precinct. Tickets are available now.

Mixdown’s picks for BIGSOUND 2024 attendees!

Kelis Keynote - Thurs 5th Sep 2:00PM - 3:00PM

A fashion icon and designer muse since the early days of her career, Kelis is celebrated for a personal style which is always creative and forward-thinking as the music she makes.

Amy Taylor Keynote - Wed 4th Sep 1:30PM - 2:15PM

Front person for three-time ARIA Award winners Amyl and the Sniffers, Amy’s love affair with music has taken her from underage punk mosh pits in Mullumbimby to dominating festival stages around the world.

Elijah Keynote - Thurs 5th Sep 10:30AM - 11:15AM

Elijah's career is marked by a relentless drive to rethink and challenge conventional narratives within the music industry, especially in the face of adversity such as the closure of pivotal independent venues.

Glenn McDonald keynote - Wed 4th Sep 11:30AM - 12:15PM & 1:30PM2:00PM

Glenn McDonald is a music evangelist, algorithm designer, software engineer and technology strategist. He created the musicexploration website Every Noise at Once, and for 12 years was the Data Alchemist at the Echo Nest and Spotify.

Artist vs Advocacy Panel - Thurs 5th September 4:00PM - 4:45PM

Separating music and politics is impossible and in 2024, it's never felt more important than now for musicians to be political and use their voices where it counts. But what happens when your artistry and your advocacy come to a head?

Untitled Group Presents: The BIGSOUND Sunset Cruise - Tues 3rd September 4:30PM - 6:30PM

Join Untitled Group on the luxurious Oasis catamaran as we enjoy the sunset on the Brisbane River and toast to the start of another great BIGSOUND. Presented by Untitled Group, Australia's largest independent music promoter, behind festivals including Beyond The Valley, Wildlands and Pitch Music & Arts.

International House Taiwan BeatsWed 4th September 4:00PM - 9:00PM

Looking outside our shores, there is some amazing work being made by Asian pop artists, and Taiwan is one of the countries leading the way. A featured nation at International House, come and connect with the delegation and hear the latest tunes from exciting Taiwanese artists. Proudly supported by Taiwan Creative Content Agency.

J-MILLA x Yung Milla - Same Blood Showcase - Tues 3rd Sep 10:00PM10:30PM

A Hip Hop blood transfusion. NT bruthas J-MILLA and Yung Milla forged unique paths to

fame from the lean suburban streets of Darwin to the heights of Milla-mania across the NT.

tiffi Showcase - Tue 3rd Sep 8:30PM - 9:00PM & Wed 4th Sep 10:00PM10:30PM

Today, tiffi has a sprawling online audience from the US to Asia and Europe, even catching the attention of Anthony Fantano on a Youtube Livestream with her infectious songwriting and cheeky debonair lyrics.

The Belair Lip Bombs Showcase - Wed 4th Sep 8:15PM - 8:45PM & Thurs 5th Sep 9:30PM - 10:00PM

The band has really hit their stride recently with the release of their debut album ‘Lush Life’ which showcases the bands evolution and song writing abilities with striking indie arrangements and catchy hooks gaining worldwide attention the band is gearing up towards a breakout year in 2024.

Bonus round!

The iconic BIGSOUND Closing Party - Thurs 5th September 11:00PM2:00AM

Fast becoming a BIGSOUND institution, the closing party is the place to celebrate and reminisce about the greatest midweek marathon of live music ever seen.

Integrating tech, audio and communications at Integrate 2024

WORDS BY ANDY LLOYD-RUSSELL

With a strong focus on education, stacks of tech talks in AV integration and innovation - this year’s Integrate at ICC, Sydney is expected to attract its broadest demographic of attendees yet.

The team behind Integrate are brimming with excitement this year as this prestigious three day expo promises attendees an even broader range of exhibitors, specialised tech talks, as well as excitingly, host of dedicated audio demonstration spaces.

Building upon the success from last year's event which saw some 11,000 attendees through the doors, with approximately 100 exhibitorswhich included upwards of 750 brands for Integrate and 120 exhibitors on the Security side. This made for an approximate 1200 brands being represented - massive, for this little corner of the globe.

We caught up with Soren Norgaard – Event Director of Integrate to ascertain all of the various events happening at Integrate 2024.

“We have a smaller (dedicated) conference with AETM (Audiovisual and Educational Technology Management) this year, focusing on education technology for K-12. We’ve also been joined by BICSI (South Pacific) this year and they have a conference with us. Of course we have the Security Expo, and most importantly (at least for Mixdown readers), we have the tech talks in the AV space. And we have dedicated audio demo rooms this year”an exciting addition for those wanting to hear some of the world leading pro audio brands in full swing.

As for the showroom floor, some new exhibitors can be expected to be seen as Soren continued:

“There’s a fair few new exhibitors this year. CISCO have joined us this year in a big way, they’re taking a massive footprint on the show floor, talk about video conferencing, they’ve got their Webex division, plus some security divisions.” - so plenty of crossover between the Integrate and Security for attendees to soak up.

The lion's share of major audio brands will be exhibiting with the likes of Jands, TAG (Technical Audio Group), Sennheiser Australia, Studiotech Australia, Australis, CMI, Yamaha and NAS (National Audio Systems) to name but a few, with many represented brands expected to put on quite the show with some of the latest products lines being on display as well as in full demo mode in the handful of dedicated audio demo rooms available this year.

With the massive focus on education this year Integrate it is excited to see an influx of interest from this sector. The dedicated one day AETM K-12 conference is focusing on the current AV education tech and their applications for a wide range of classroom learning and engagement. This specialised program runs on 21st August starting at 8:30am and finished up at 12pm with an AETM members meet and greet Integrate

Expo lunch following the conference. Guest speakers include Scott Doyle - Audio Visual Manager, Swinburne University of Technology and President, AETM, Kate Ford - Audio Visual Coordinator, Presbyterian Ladies' College Melbourne and Mark Holbert - Audio Visual Manager, Barker College. Conference passes are free for AETM Members or $120 + GST for a K-12 Conference Pass for non-AETM members.

Aside from the dedicated AETM conference for K-12, other educationbased talks will be taking place as part of Integrate's exciting roster of tech talks. The wealth of content in the space this year is inspired, with a wide range of content being covered from a broad panel discussion focusing on the state of the industry, through to specialised marketing talks, AI, AV/ IT Solutions Education, Sustainability in AV, Immersive Experiences, AV Security, Smart Building and much, much more.

Some particular highlights in the tech talk domain for the AV space this year include:

• Harmonising Soundscapes: The Evolution and Future of Audio in the AV Spectrum

• Future Venues – Unleashing the Power of AV Technology for Revolutionary Experiences

• State of the industry panel discussion

• Unlocking Opportunities: Exploring the Synergy Between AI and Digital Signage in the AV Landscape

• Sustainability in AV: Balancing Innovation with Eco-Conscious Practices

Head here for the full roster of Tech Talks. In addition to this enticing roster of tech talks, The Thinkers Theatre is sure to be of big interest to many in attendance, with content ranging from robotics through to smart home technology, with the full program soon to be announced.

Being such a jam packed few days, this annual conference and expo is the meeting place for many in the AV and related industries to reconnect,

Mixdown’s picks of

Allen & Heath

Allen & Heath is a leading designer and manufacturer of mixing desks for live sound, permanent installation, DJs, broadcast and recording studios.

Amber Technology

Discover Innovation at Stands H26 and H24: Join Amber Technology at Integrate 2024. Explore the future of unified communication with Amber Technology at Integrate 2024, Stands H26 and H24. Witness cutting-edge technologies like the WolfVision CYNAP system, Yamaha's audio solutions, Newline Interactive screens, HOLOPLOT soundscapes, ABB building automation, and Williams AURACAST.

Australis & CMI

Australis Music Group is the largest privately owned distributor of pro audio, lighting, musical instruments and backline hire gear in Australia. CMI Music & Audio is Australia's leading distributor of quality Professional Audio, Musical Technology and Instruments.

Audio-Technica

Audio-Technica, celebrating over 60 years of audio excellence worldwide, is a leading innovator in transducer technology. Renowned for the design and manufacture of high-quality

network, share ideas and innovations and see what’s out there in this ever changing and evolving industry - there’s never been a more exciting time for AV.

As Soren highlighted just how the event has expanded over the past couple of years:

“In 2022 it was the first time we had Security and Integrate (expos) side by side, and we’ve seen that organic growth both from an audience perspective but also from a number of exhibitors because they’re seeing a broader spectrum of end users coming to the event.

He expanded: “A lot of the big retailers are also coming through because, they can use it as a one-stop-shop, as an example they can look at security solutions when it comes access control and theft prevention and then they can go to the other side whey they can look at PA systems for their stores, they can look at digital displays - and all this is under one roof. But one thing we’re very conscious of as a team is ensuring that we still keep those industries as individual identities, not trying to become everything to everyone.”

With a broader expansion of exhibitors, brand representation and wealth of additional conferences held under the one roof, this year's Integrate promises to be an exciting few days for those in industry and end users curious about AV technology alike. Opening up with more educational focus and the broader expansion with a conference held by BICSI, there’s plenty on offer and not to be missed. Integrate have also generously offered Mixdown readers 10% off Tech Talks passes, simply use the code INT10OFF.

Integrate 2024!

audio products, the company offers a complete range of wired and wireless microphones, professional headphones and audio accessories for every live-sound, recording, broadcast and installed-sound need.

Jands

Jands, an Australian-owned independent company established in 1970, is a trusted distributor of leading audio, video, and lighting brands for the installation, production, and retail industries in Australia and New Zealand. With a commitment to excellence and innovation, Jands offers solutions from world-renowned brands, tailored to individual needs and budgets.

NAS

Founded in 1998, NAS (National Audio Systems) is a respected Australian distributor and wholesaler of world-class professional audio and visual brands across Australia and New Zealand.

MadisonAV

MadisonAV are a value added B2B distributor of professional and commercial grade audio visual products, providing world leading Audio-Visual Solutions. Our team of technical experts, built over 30 years in the industry, combined with the quality and breadth of our

product range, allows us to work across all industry sectors.

Production Audio Video Technology

30+ Years of distribution across Australia and New Zealand of a wide range of professional equipment, with the best technical support in the business.

Sennheiser

Sennheiser live and breathe audio. Sennheiser are driven by a passion to create audio solutions that make a difference. Shaping the future of audio, delivering remarkable sound experiences to our customers – that's what the Sennheiser brand has stood for more than 75 years. Sennheiser produces professional audio solutions such as microphones, conference systems, streaming technologies and monitoring systems.

Yamaha Music Australia

Yamaha’s extensive range of Professional Solutions Audio Products encompass our TRUE SOUND design philosophy. Whether in a conference room, restaurant, office, café, gym, school, concert hall or any project requiring sound, Yamaha has a range of high-performing and ultra-reliable audio products that offer TRUE SOUND – sound as intended.

In Focus: Sennheiser EW-DX

WORDS BY ROB GEE

Sennheiser’s EW-DX has been referred to as “the future of wireless” and it’s easy to see why. Evolution Wireless Digital (EW-DX) really does announce the range as a second coming of wireless tech, built to be as user friendly, reliable and modular as possible.

Building on decades of advances in wireless technology itself, while also harnessing technology like Bluetooth, as well as increasingly helpful additions like app control, the Sennheiser EW-DX system needs to be heard and used to be believed.

In use, the Sennheiser EW-DX is a system that is entirely scaleable, from a single, handheld vocal mic to multiple sources all feeding a front of house system. The receivers are rack mountable and available in either four channel 1U units (EM 4) or single half-racks (EM 2), so you can fit multiple units into a compact road case.

You can connect via your choice of connectors like Dante network audio or Ethernet, with PoE (power over Ethernet) available on certain pieces, and encryption that allows the EW-DX to be used on IT networks if required. Dante is available on the dual channel half racks (EM 2) Dante and EM 4 Dante receivers, with connection via either single cable mode, split

mode or redundancy mode (a combination of single cable or split mode that ensures there’s always signal flowing!)

UHF transmission is enhanced by the best dynamic range available from any RF system, ultra-low latency and Sennheiser’s own SePac (Sennheiser Performance Audio Codec) technology helping deliver maximum audio transparency. The SePAC allows more channels in a more compact bandwidth.

For touring professionals, the EW-DX system has worldwide usage, so you won’t run into problems connecting anywhere in the world, with the ultra-wide bandwidth of 88 MHz and having 12 hours battery life available on transmitters, that can keep you confident for an entire show, with network-enabled charging available as well.

Keep track of all this in the Sennheiser Cockpit app, allowing you to control your entire system or dive deeper into individual pieces.

With your system powered on, the EM 2 has a “Scan / Auto Setup'' function that scans and connects quickly to your available receiver, displaying available frequencies before allowing you to assign them. The transmitters pair and communicate back end data over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) instead of infrared (BLE being able to be sync’d from up to 20 metres away), a connection designed to use minimal power to maintain connection and ensure consistent, long battery life.

The Cockpit app has updates available as Sennheiser refines the experience, with EW-DX being at the forefront of this. Cockpit shows you, at a glance, wireless receivers available, as well as batteries in use and batteries charging. Moving through into more macro details, you can see all of your devices, their location and the quality of signal, as well as individual device control for troubleshooting, sound profile and more. Cockpit can also send you messages and notifications of your system and devices, adding more control to your wireless environment for jobs of any size; from smaller, single-mic presentations to full stadium style gigs.

Receivers in the EW-DX range such as the EM 2 and EM 4 have also remote mute controls available, so if a presenter, speaker or singer forgets to unmute their mic from their end, you can quickly adjust this remotely.

Packages begin with simple setups like the EW-DX 835-S Handheld Set, including the dualchannel EM 2 rackmount receiver, two SKM-S handheld microphones, with different capsules available depending on your needs. From here, you can add more receivers and more microphones, for example lavalier mics, or additional body packs. The beauty of the EW-DX system is the total control as you scale up, with top-quality audio the whole way through.

The EW-DX builds on the EW-D system with the addition of Link Density, which, at a high level, offers more channels for the system to Auto-Connect to when setting up your wireless system, without risk of interference between channels.

The EW-DX features OLED screens as opposed to LED on the EW-D. What’s more, the displays use E Ink, that stores and displays the last known settings of the transmitter, even when the transmitter is powered off or has no battery. When using Sennheiser BA70 rechargeable batteries, the OLED display will communicate estimated battery life down to the remaining minutes (though hopefully you won’t need that feature!)

Nestling itself comfortably between the flagship Digital 6000 series from Sennheiser and the EW-D series, the EW-DX represents all that’s great about Sennheiser’s flagship products, but at a more accessible price.

Engineered with the end user first and foremost, the EW-DX offers advanced tech specs, while also having small design additions to ensure you can wire them up however you want, while also preventing spaghetti needing to be tucked away at the end of every gig. There’s redundancy routing available to use if you need it, with technological advances like BLE, E Ink and Link Density tech available to make small work of those little hurdles we all face when using a wireless system. There’s plenty of battery life, all of which can be monitored via smart control apps, or on the receivers themselves, whether powered or not! You can remotely control audio, mute and channel info, while also having a bird’s eye view of your system across multiple rooms, connections and channels. Designed to be as transparent as possible, both sonically and physically, the EWDX system has enough on board to keep you across the state of things, all the while providing crisp, clear digital audio, routed just about wherever you want it. Sennheiser are a company that pushes the envelope, harnessing their own tech and the capabilities of advancing technology from every industry to create their industry-leading solutions.

famous Maton players and their guitars

WORDS

BY CHRISTOPHER HOCKEY

Maton have provided decades of tone, tonality and inspiration to musicians of every level.

For early 80 years, Maton has been the cornerstone of the Australian guitar industry. Making instruments of supreme quality since day one, Maton have earned international acclaim for their masterful work. With a focus on domestically sourced materials and an uncompromising dedication to achieving the best possible quality of sound, it's no wonder Maton guitars have ended up in the hands of some of music’s biggest stars. So let's take a deep dive into some of the most impressive names to give our beloved home grown instruments their stamp of approval.

George Harrison: MS500 Mastersound

In the summer of 1963, George Harrison’s Gretsch Country Gentleman was brought to Barratt’s Music Store in Manchester to be repaired. Neil Aspinall, The Beatles road manager at that time, was in turn given a Maton MS500 Mastersound for George to use as a backup.

the BB1200 JH. Homme’s gorgeous signature instrument features a semihollow Victorian Blackwood body, coil-tappable high output pickups, a stunning trapeze tailpiece and boasts a rich timbre and powerful sustain.

Jesse Hughes: MS T-Byrd Baritone

Jesse Hughes was introduced to Maton guitars by Homme not long after the formation of their band Eagles of Death Metal. Hughes has played Matons almost exclusively ever since, widely praising their sound and having owned both MS500s and BB1200s.

Hughes’s most unique Maton however is his custom made T-Byrd Baritone, a guitar he had made for the road to replicate some baritone parts he performed on the band’s latest record

‘Zipper Down’. This custom T-Byrd features vintage Kay style pickups, a groovy purple finish and Hughes signature lightning bolt F-hole. A one of a kind guitar with plenty of character, this Maton has Jesse Hughes written all over it.

John Butler: CW80 12 String

As a proud brand ambassador for Maton, John Butler has used his trusty CW80 on just about every tour and recording he has taken part in for the last twenty years. Tuned to his signature Open C tuning, Butler’s CW80 is customised to actually be an eleven string guitar, forgoing the high G string which Butler finds to be unnecessary.

the world - John Knowles, Jerry Reed and Steve Warriner.

Eric Johnson: CS Classic

Another undeniable master of the guitar, Eric Johnson is known as a gifted musician with impeccable tone. Backed by a Grammy Award and five nominations, a platinum album, Top 10 hits like ‘Cliffs Of Dover’, praise from critics and the esteem of his peers, Johnson is a force to be reckoned with.

Johnson is a long time fan of Maton’s CS Classic and uses one regularly in his performances. Of Maton’s AP5 pickup system, Johnson had this to say: “The AP5 pro is my most favourite amplifying system for acoustic guitar. It is very realistic and usable at higher levels onstage.” If you’ve ever heard Johnson play, you’ll know his opinion is not one to be dismissed.

Courtney Barnett: CB808

Known for her deadpan vocal style and witty lyrics, Courtney Barnett is one of the most prominent Australian songwriters of the last decade. Barnett prefers to play without a pick and therefore relies upon guitars with a big sound to get the most projection possible.

George took a liking to the MS500 and ended up using it for several months, even playing it at the Beatles final show at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. George’s MS500 featured a natural finish, a Bigsby vibrato arm and two humbucking pickups, stacking up well as an alternative to his Gretsch, even after he got it back. A ringing endorsement by one of the best to ever do it.

Josh Homme: BB1200 JH

Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age has always prided himself on using obscure equipment, preferring to carve out as unique of a sound as possible rather than emulating the established guitar gods of old. So when Homme first came across Maton guitars in the 2000s, it was a match made in heaven.

Homme famously used a Maton Mastersound in the video for his band’s mega-hit ‘No One Knows’ in 2005, and it wasn't long before he had his very own signature model,

Butler’s CW80 features an ornate scroll carving on its headstock, is made from Queensland Maple and Sitka Spruce and has two separate pickups: a Seymour Duncan magnetic sound hole pickup and a Maton AP-5 piezo under the bridge for split clean/dirty sounds.

Tommy Emmanuel: EBG808 TE

Tommy Emmanuel is universally recognised as one of the greatest guitarists on earth. His virtuoso status is legendary, calling for a truly top of the line instrument to do it justice. As a proud representative of Australian music, Emmanuel chose to bestow that responsibility on Maton, and the results were sublime.

The EBG808 TE provides the huge tone and incredible performance you would expect of a guitar bearing Emmanuel’s name and features a Mother of Pearl block inlay on the 12th Fret, engraved with "C.G.P." The acronym stands for ‘Certified Guitar Player’, a title bestowed on Tommy by Chet Atkins and held by only 3 other guitarists in

An avid Maton fan, Barnett had her own one of a kind ‘CB’ 808 built for her and has been inseparable from the guitar ever since. Barnett’s 808 features a triple-A spruce top with Blackwood back and sides finished in Vintage Amber Satin, along with a custom binding and rosette.

Paul Kelly: W.A. May

Paul Kelly is Australia’s finest songsmith, deeply entwined in the fabric of our nation’s musical identity. Fitting then for Kelly to favour a Maton guitar that is steeped in Australian history and carries with it the legacy of the brand itself.

The W.A May is Maton’s tribute to the brand’s founder, Bill May. Featuring a traditional body shape with an extended depth for a deeper voice and more bottom end, the W.A. May includes Bill’s signature triple layered deco style headstock, just like the very first Maton guitar he built. The W.A May is a true connoisseur’s guitar and like Kelly himself, perfectly encapsulates the breadth of craftsmanship and talent that our country has to offer.

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Ibanez JEM: a controversial classic

WORDS BY JAMIE COLIC

While just about all facets of modern consumerism including tech, cars, and home appliances are subjected to a constant push for innovation, many guitar players still insist on using designs patented as far back as the 1950s.

And with this penchant for old designs, there is also a recurring tendency for guitar players to dismiss many attempts at pushing guitar tech forward into the new millennium. After all, where are the Gibson robot guitars now? Why has Line 6 discontinued their Variax line, and why can we no longer get strings for Floyd Rose Speedloader trems? But what about an idea, a push forward, an outlandish design, that actually has stood the test of time and indeed formed a legacy of its own? Enter the Ibanez JEM.

The story of the Ibanez JEM begins in 1986, a time in which Ibanez was desperately trying to push into the burgeoning Superstrat market.

The Japanese-based manufacturer had already made steady attempts at cracking into this demographic. Introducing a variety of models aimed at taking a slice of the pie that brands like Kramer, Charvel and Jackson were so eagerly devouring.

A board room meeting determined that what they needed was a figurehead that would get hard rock and metal players of the era excited to play Ibanez guitars. Kramer had Eddie Van Halen and Ibanez were set to keep their ears to the ground to find their own equivalent.

Meanwhile, a young New Yorker by the name of Steve Vai was rapidly ascending in the world of electric guitar.

Steve had already cemented himself as a virtuoso via his work with the late Frank Zappa, an impressive feat in itself.

However, not only had Vai earned the respect of the musician's musician, the year prior had seen him join the backing band of David Lee Roth.

At this point in time, Van Halen was by far one of the biggest-selling rock acts in the world and for many the departure of Diamond Dave sounded death bells for the band.

Subsequently, all eyes were on Dave to see what exactly he would end up doing without the Van Halen brothers behind him. In 1985, the era of the newly established MTV, these changes were sending shockwaves through the music industry.

Inevitably, all eyes on Dave meant all eyes on his band. Little Stevie Vai the Italian virtuoso was now Steve Vai the rockstar, with all the excess to boot.

Back to 1986 and Steve is hard at work touring the DLR band's first smash hit LP Eat ‘Em and Smile.

Steve had in tow numerous guitars from a variety of custom shops including Tom Anderson, Charvel, Jackson and Performance Guitars in Los Angeles.

While Steve liked these instruments he was finding that the rigours of the road were taking a toll on them all. Additionally, the exclusivity of working with these “at the time” niche builders meant that it was often difficult for him to receive tour support when he needed it most.

He determined that to get what he wanted it would be necessary to affiliate himself with a large-scale manufacturer. Someone who could build instruments to the same level of quality he was acquainted with, albeit faster and in larger numbers.

It was at this same time that the stars aligned and Ibanez decided to go out of their way to court Steve Vai. An endeavour that would ultimately

result in an endorsement deal running 37 years and counting.

But happy endings aside, it wasn't all that easy when it came to cementing this now legendary partnership.

Initially, Rich Lasner from Ibanez arranged to bring an Ibanez Maxxas model for Steve to try out at soundcheck during late '86.

Figuring the unique design of the Maxxas would catch Steve's attention, Rich was horrified when the hollow-body guitar omitted a nauseating feedback as soon as Steve plugged it into his stage rig.

Not settling for defeat Lasner reached out to Vai’s mother on Long Island, proposing that Ibanez send a guitar gift wrapped in time for Christmas Eve 1986. This would enable Mrs Vai to sneak a solid body snake skin Maxxas under the tree to surprise Steve on Christmas day.

Ultimately the plan worked, however not in the way in which Ibanez had intended. Steve thought the guitar itself was hideous, however, the considerable thought Lasner and co had gone through to get the guitar to Steve is ultimately what tipped him over.

What came next was the arduous process of figuring out what Vai wanted.

Luckily Steve had already spent a considerable amount of time modifying his guitars. This meant that he already had an idea of what he liked, ultimately he wanted to combine his favourite features from each guitar into a single instrument.

It was at this same time that the success of Eat ‘Em and Smile had reached a giant crescendo, Steve had also found himself on the silver screen cast in Walter Hills 1986 film Crossroads alongside The Karate Kid star Ralph Macchio.

Garnering more attention than ever, Steve found himself being courted by numerous guitar companies including Yamaha and Kramer. Despite extensive business meetings, he wasn't impressed by any of the prototypes brought forward to him and these negotiations were all quick to cease.

What Steve was impressed by was two Ibanez prototypes brought forward by Rich Lasner later on in 1986. Not only did Steve love both guitars, he was especially impressed by the threeweek turnaround it took to get them into his hands.

These prototypes constituted about 90% of what would become the final JEM design, presented at the '87 summer NAMM show later that year. An event that many in the industry still talk about to this day.

You see, Ibanez had put a black shroud on the floor, guarded by security 24/7 until the eventual reveal of the instrument. Lasner can vividly recall reps from brands like Kramer gathering around the display, to put it bluntly, everyone was wondering what the hell was going on.

Upon its reveal, the JEM immediately became the talk of the show. Nobody had seen an electric guitar like it. From its recessed lion claw tremolo cut, HSH pickup configuration, scalloped upper frets, and sharp aggressive corners the JEM immediately stood out amongst the competition.

But perhaps the most notable feature of the JEM is the infamous monkey grip, a feature that Vai admits has no preconceived function. He merely wanted to incorporate a trademark into the design that was so outlandish that no other manufacturer would dare try to copy it.

And as it stands that trademark has remained for 37 years since its initial introduction. With the Ibanez JEM still in production, it is making its statement as loud as ever.

In Focus: Gravity Stands Guitar Glow Stands

WORDS BY ROB GEE

If the past couple of decades have taught us anything, it’s that we never knew we needed certain items until they suddenly existed.

Take for instance the iPod, then the iPhone, then TikTok advertising! Ok, maybe we could do without the latter. But it just goes to show how you don’t realise you’ve been missing something your entire life, until it becomes so much a part of your life. And with that, just about every guitarist, or bassist (we’re not about to forget you guys) has been fairly content with their current guitar stand for several years now… because they were yet to discover exactly what they’ve always needed!

At this point, we’re going to segway to an almost darkened studio, low lit and moody. Your attention is drawn across the room, where focus falls on the guitar in the corner. It’s the star of the show, it’s a museum piece, it’s illuminated.

Then the light bulb moment hits. Why have we not had illuminating guitar stands before? And how is the absolute fastest way we can get these into our studios, on our stages and into our lives?

Well, that was the “shut up and take my money” moment that went through my head when I was first shown the new Guitar Glow Stand from Gravity Stands. Whilst functional, as any good guitar stand should be, these are just so cool, I wish they had been about years ago. How did we ever live with just room lighting on our guitars? Exactly!

So, enough daydreaming and pandering, let’s have a closer look at just what Gravity Stands delivered with these new products. Two styles of guitar stands are on

the light as it’s mounted in a rolling barrel in the base of the stand. So, you can choose which section of the instrument you want to highlight. I can see a lot of guitarists with heavily flames or quilted archtops who are going to love this feature. It makes your guitar look a million bucks, just about. If you’re more a fan of figured maple fretboards, just rotate the light to shine up the neck and there you go, happiness. Just like that.

A few features to take note of that differ in the two models. The Neckhug option offers a soft closing mechanism on the collar of the instrument's neck as it is seated in, so it hangs securely and safely. As mentioned previously, the very top section of the stand can be adjusted up and down to different heights, to adjust for longer instruments, this adjustment occurs from the top of the LED light section, so you’re not at risk of damaging the lights in the process. The A-Frame model offers removable foam inserts in the base, so you can find the most appropriate fit for the style of guitar, to ensure it sits snugly. The low profile of the A-Frame doesn’t allow for as much light to me seen beneath the instrument, but rather creates more of a recessed lighting glow which is going to appeal to some users over the fully lit upright of the Neckhug model. Both have a good weight distribution in the round base, so they offer a stable support for your prized instrument, without the tripping hazard that some other tripod style bases suffer from.

offer: one A-Frame model; and one a Neckhug hanging model. The latter of the two offers an adjustable height so bass guitars can be used with both options. What sets them apart from every other guitar or bass stand you’ve ever own, is the LED illumination and instrument spotlight. In both models the round base and the upright supports are lit with ambient LED lighting that can be adjusted to a brightness and colour of your choosing. The result is a backlit effect, complimented by a subtle glowing from beneath that really makes your favourite instrument look like it on show, even when it’s not being played. The colour and brightness settings can be saved so when the stand is powered up again it's just the way you want it to look, and your guitar is allowed to shine.

But, if that wasn’t enough, both models of Guitar Glow Stand have an adjustable spotlight in the base. Again, you can adjust the colour and brightness of this small spotlight, but you can also adjust the angle of

With power supply included all you need to do is plug it in, set your guitar, or bass, into the stand, adjust the colour and spotlight and enjoy looking at your instrument as much as you do playing it. It must be made aware though, that like most guitar stands, Glow Stands aren’t recommended for prolonged use with guitars or basses that have a nitrocellulose lacquer finish. It’s just common sense really, and if you have a guitar that has an unstable finish to it, you’d be well used to protecting the finish on other guitar stands anyway.

In short, I never even thought I’d need a glowing guitar stand with a spotlight built into the base. That was, until I saw these new releases from Gravity Stands. I think it goes without saying that your guitar on stage is going to look amazing with its own lighting, but I’m more keen for the studio use. After all, no recording studio, be it a home studio or professional studio, should ever have bright direct light. It goes against the creative process. Mood lighting for the room is essential, and now it can be a focal point on your instrument too.

In Focus: Zoom MS50G+ MultiStomp

Guitar Pedal

WORDS BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

Multi-effect processors can get a bad rap.

Most of us as guitar players usually start with something like this, usually cheaply built with little routing capability and more effects than you could ever use packed into it all. With the advent of technological advancement, more processing power being available than ever before, these multi-effect pedals are getting better and better. One of these, the Zoom MS-50G+ MultiStomp could find a home easily on the board of a seasoned professional session musician who needs multiple sounds available at all times, or a budding guitarist forging their own path on their way to a signature sound.

The Zoom MS-50G+ MultiStomp is a mono in, stereo out guitar pedal, housed in a roadready, albeit compact, enclosure that’s dominated primarily by a screen and a handful of simple controls. Inside it are 100 effects and amp models, an onboard tuner and some versatile power options.

The Zoom MS-50G+ MultiStomp is powered by two AA batteries (R.I.P. to the 9V battery industry being held up by guitarists and smoke alarms!), as well as having the option to be powered by an AC adapter or bus-powered via USB. This’ll be handy when using Handy Guitar Lab App for iOS, where you can view, download, and delete effects to customise your MS-50G+. This serves two purposes, both making the most of the storage space available as well as keeping your rigs organised i.e. as a session player for multiple bands, acts or artists. It’s all good and well to have everything you need available at all times, but scrolling through countless menus is easier said than done on a darkly lit stage! The MS-50G+ has space for 100 memory patches (85 factory presets + 15 users) at any given time.

The main footswitch is surrounded by four Cross Key switches that are easily controllable by foot to scroll and access menus of patches and parameters.

On the other side of the pedal are stereo outputs, with the left channel serving as the Mono out for the more simple minded amongst us. The MS-50G+ picks up where the original MS-50G left off, with more advanced tech than before!

While the MS-50G sounded great, the MS50G+ really lives up to the little ‘+’ annexed to its name. Tech has come a long way, particularly

in the way of amp emulation and impulse response (IR), the MS-50G+ incorporating Zoom’s Multi-Layer IR technology for amplifier preamp emulation. Sonically, there’s not much to say beyond how great the MS-50G+ sounds! While some amplifiers and emulations have me thinking about the circuit, what may be lacking, the MS-50G+ was immediately inspiring, true to source and again—great. The absence of any hindrance, sonically or emotionally is what made the MS-50G+ stand out, as some emulsions might be theoretically accurate but lacking the feeling and grit of a real amp. Lacking, the MS-50G+ is not!

In use the MS-50G+ is really simple to cycle through the drive and effect sounds, the multi-colour screen changed to remind me what settings I was on, easily noticeable from wherever you are on stage. What’s more, the tuner has expanded support for different tunings, and as a player of primarily metal that really likes to push the tuning boundaries of their chosen scale length, this was a great addition. More tuners than you realise struggle at Drop C or lower!

The MS-50G+ builds on the success of its predecessor, well-packaged and revised with all the modern tech since the MS-50G was discontinued. With not only more power under the hood, but more storage, Zoom has been able to preserve everything about the MS-50G and build. Because of this, this pedal offers better amp emulations with Multi-Layer IR technology, as well as more effects and more space to store your own sounds. The gig-ready metal housing hasn’t changed much, besides an additional knob for scrolling through menus on a well-lit screen, and the Cross Key switches are easier to control with a foot than ever, leaving your hands free to feel the push and pull of the fantastic sounding amp and drive tones.

As we discussed earlier, multi-effects have a bad rap as a cheap, entry level option for players. While the accessible price of the MS-50G+ might continue to make it an option for entry

level players, the sonics and design of the pedal would make it a welcome addition to any player, with professional-grade effects, drives, amp tones and more. The MS-50G+ had a lot to live up to, but here we are singing, or more so shredding, its praises.

In Focus: Triad-Orbit

WORDS

BY

JAMIE COLIC

Stands that hold up our speakers, microphones, guitars and more are a utility device that can easily be taken for granted. After all, if there are enough to get the session or gig done, most engineers will use whatever is available without a second thought.

That is until they encounter that nightmare session where microphone stands are moving, slipping, falling, or simply not capable of doing what you need them to do for the duration of your time in the studio. Even a millimetre of movement can throw your carefully phase aligned mics out of whack. What’s more, treating a room for acoustic perfection is all good and well until the stands supporting your monitors move, shift or worse—break!

And for all of us who do know, there is TriadOrbit. Triad-Orbit have endeavoured to develop a new industry standard in advanced stand technology. After extensive research and field testing, 2013 saw the debut of four core product groups. These included Triad articulating tripod stands, Orbit orbital booms, Micro orbital adaptors and more recently, the Precision by Triad-Orbit.

Triad-Orbit incorporates a plethora of innovative design choices to make life easy regardless of whether you are working amidst the chaos of the live stage, or within the confines of the recording studio. So it's no wonder that TriadOrbit has been crowned the official stand of the Berklee College of Music!

Incorporating Triad-Orbit into your studio or venue will greatly reduce your physical footprint and save floor space, cut down on the number of stands required to complete the task at hand, and improve your current workflow considerably. If all of this wasn't enough, all products in the Triad-Orbit line are multi-disciplinary. One of the key features of almost all Triad-Orbit products is the utilisation of patented Quick Change iO Couplers. Superior to standardised quick-release couplers, TriadOrbit’s iO Couplers enable the user to switch out a microphone in mere seconds.

Many of Triad-Orbit’s products are modular, allowing you to save space with a single base and additional arms reach to securely hold your equipment; be it a mic, guitar iPad or otherwise! Additionally, they are also capable of supporting more weight than a standardised coupler, ensuring that your microphone position won't be slipping throughout a session, no matter how long you need it, or how precarious the mic might be positioned!

Floor space aside, Triad-Orbit offer a range of mic stands designed to be wall or ceiling mounted, alleviating the need for floor space at all! Mics placed on walls and ceiling can offer newfound access to room ambience and overhead placement, both reducing clutter and adding sheen, impact and space to your recordings. All of these are compatible with the aforementioned Quick Change iO Couplers to mount just about anything just about anywhere!

Heavy-duty joints and swivelling locks provide rock-solid performance whilst industrial-grade clutches ensure adequate adjustments across any length. The genius of Triad-Orbit is only further accentuated by the vast range of iO components on offer. From mounts for laptops, cameras, and other devices, the fantastic iO Stereo Vector Bar is designed for multi-mic applications, and handy iO Clamp and Wall Plates. Triad-Orbit have gone above and beyond when it comes to practical stand applications.

Triad-Orbits handy quick change couplers give you the ability to swap out or add any microphone in seconds whilst the OM single-arm orbital boom offers new plateaus in on-the-fly mic placement. One mic stand and two boom arms provide all the

placement options you need taking the hassle out of overheads, or use a boom to mic both the top and bottom of your snare with ease!

Covering the fundamentals of any drum with a single stand, the foundations of the range can be found firmly rooted in the Triad T1 short stand. The T1 efficiently places the Orbit 2/O2 dual orbital boom in reach of rack toms while the 3 included 2/M2 mic adapters cover the task of proper placement on toms and kick.

From snare top and bottom, multi-micing guitar cabs, and even acoustic guitars, Triad-Orbit has you covered when it comes to a singlestand solution for dual microphone placement. With two signature telescopic boom arms, the orbital O2XY offers unparalleled flexibility when it comes to spacing your microphones out as required.

Precision by Triad-Orbit

Possibly most exciting of all are Triad-Orbit’s Precision by Triad-Orbit’s range of monitor mounting solutions. Immersive Audio and Dolby Atmos on the horizon and it’s becoming more and more common for studios and engineers to be delivering, it’s becoming more and more essential to mount speakers to walls and ceilings to elevate stereo systems to 7.1.4, 9.1.4 and beyond! How best to mount your valuable monitors to precarious places? Well, Triad-Orbit has you sorted there too with their Precision by Triad-Orbit range of speaker stands.

The Precision by Triad-Orbit speaker stands are available in either the SW1 Cohesive System, rated for monitors up to 100lbs, while the smaller UM1 Standalone Swivel is rated for up to 25lbs. The most exciting part of the Precision by TriadOrbit range is how modular it is, with brackets and speaker mounting options & installation guides depending on your preference or number of monitors!

The SW1 itself is part of a bigger system, requiring a bracket to be mounted to your monitor, and with an unbelievably stable locking system with a locking pin to lock (at measured increments) your Pan & Tilt preferences. The UM1 works as a standalone mounting solution, working with most speakers, with a Hirth joint that secures the tilt of your monitor, while a friction joint locks your pan (left to right) position

The Precision by Triad-Orbit range extends beyond just monitors, with a range of microphone stands that are just as modular, robust as the rest of the range, and priced to remain accessible to studios, engineers and musicians. Featuring rolled steel edges and a high-quality swivel mechanism, they can be relied on for year after year, session after session. A Triad-Orbit IO-RA adapter is included in the stand package, giving you access to a huge range of Triad-Orbit Accessories. A worthwhile investment, these stands are built to last a lifetime!

There is, simply put, a solution to every problem. Triad-Orbit aren’t only pushing the design industry further, but they’re fixing issues that’ve long been accepted as par for the course for musicians and engineers.

Represented in Australia by Sounds Easy, and available from their network of select value-added resellers & system integrators.

In Focus: Shure Nexadyne 8/S

WORDS BY CHRISTOPHER HOCKEY

Shure is one of, if not the single most trusted and reliable brand in live music production. There isn't a performing musician on earth who hasn't sung into an SM58, mic’d up their amp with an SM57 or their kick drum with a Beta 52. Now, Shure has introduced the ultimate collection of vocal microphones for touring musicians with the brand new Nexadyne series.

These new dynamic microphones from Shure offer professional performers unparalleled timbre, clarity and reliability regardless of whatever chaotic external factors are thrown at them. Touring musicians are all very familiar with just how different they can sound from room to room and the lack of consistency can be exhausting. The Nexadyne series is designed to cut down on this concern by producing microphones designed for the highest level of live performance.

The Nexadyne series is based on innovative Revonic technology, recently developed by Shure to maximise performance. Utilising two matched transducers perfectly balanced in an acoustic network, the signal output of these microphones is focused and tuned to enable greater clarity whilst eliminating unwanted noise and stagebleed. This improved design allows singers to enjoy previously unachievable clarity on stage, no matter where they're performing.

So how does this new technology work? The dual transducers, or Revonic engines, inside these new mics unlock greater control of their acoustic response. Whilst the upper engine captures the signal with improved isolation, the second engine has given Shure precise control of the mic’s frequency response, polar pattern consistency, and vibration cancellation.

Shure is offering two versions of the Nexadyne vocal mic: one with a standard cardioid polar pattern and another with a supercardioid pattern. The cardioid model is less directional and therefore more forgiving of a singer’s technique, whereas the supercardioid model, the 8/S, is a better choice for loud stages due to its tighter side rejection and more precise vocal isolation.

The Shure 8/S Supercardioid is, in other words, the perfect microphone for a professional touring singer. Encased in an ultra sleek black finish, the 8/S looks and feels as good as it sounds, its subtle design preventing it from being a visual distraction. Featuring a dent-resistant hardened grille, the 8/S feels incredibly sturdy and is most definitely built to last, great news for those enduring the rigours of the road. Compared to a classic SM58, the 8/S has a more modern and refined look that pros will appreciate.

The 8/S sounds warm, clear and natural even in very loud live situations, delivering a very pure sound reproduction that is a definite upgrade from the base Shure models of the past. An engineer’s dream, this mic has evidently been precisely designed for consistency, reducing the need for on-the-fly EQing during a live mix. Whilst the supercardioid polar

pattern can be slightly unforgiving when it comes to inconsistent mic technique, this won't be a problem for seasoned professionals who are used to keeping their mic at a consistent distance during a performance. For those uninitiated, a supercardioid pattern essentially offers a narrower front pickup angle than a cardioid pattern, as well as greater rejection of ambient sound. This makes the 8/S a great choice for singers operating within a live loud band, allowing them to be heard extremely clearly with minimal stage noise leaking into their signal.

The 8/S Supercardioid makes great use of Shure’s new Revonic technology, ensuring that every note and word is heard with immense clarity and focus. Along with an excellent gainbefore-feedback threshold, the 8/S has a perfect frequency range that compliments the human voice. Compared to other supercardioid vocal microphones, the 8/S seems to maintain low end clarity with greater ease, creating a very natural balanced sound with improved lows, without ever sounding woofy. This means even for baritones, the 8/S is going to help you project a live context.

In the top end, the 8/S sounds incredibly detailed and crisp but not to the point of being overbearing or harsh. This allows sibilant frequencies to cut through the mix, creating better lyrical clarity for the audience. The midrange is also incredibly detailed and pronounces frequencies that allow the body of your voice to sit perfectly on top of a mix, regardless of the situation. Essentially, the 8/S helps to bring the natural sound of your voice as you may hear it in the studio to a live setting with greater success than ever before. The fantastic noise rejection combined with this clear, natural sound means you'll be hearing yourself better than ever before in a loud venue.

The Shure Nexadyne 8/S is a definite step into the future of live vocal sounds. With its modern, sleek design and powerfully clear sound, you really can't go wrong with this microphone. The acoustic signal processing of its brand new Revonic design enables exceptional clarity across all important vocal frequencies and greatly reduces the need for corrective EQ, making it as appealing to sound staff as it is for performers.

This mic comes shipped with a protective zipper case, mic clip and brass stand adapter and has a standard XLR connection, meaning it's ready for the stage right out of the box. Boasting many of the auditory benefits of a condenser microphone without the headache, this is one hell of a dynamic microphone that is liable to become a new industry standard.

The 8/S is certainly more than the average live microphone, but with added investment in roadworthy toughness, innovative new technology and superior performance, it is well worth it for a professional touring singer. The peace of mind that comes along with knowing exactly what you're going to hear when you step up to the mic each night is priceless, and with the 8/S, you know what you're going to hear will be absolutely superb.

Fender are back with the new iteration of their beloved Player series, a collection of instruments featuring classic looks, tremendous feel and plenty of modern upgrades under the hood. With an array of classy new features at the same accessible price point, the Player II series retains everything that made the original collection so popular, whilst making some notable improvements.

The Fender Jaguar was introduced in 1962 as a top-ofthe-line evolution of the Jazzmaster. Laden with features, the Jaguar was intended as a premium instrument designed for professional musicians and thanks to its uniquely bright sound, found a home amongst the emerging surf scene of the day. Whilst it initially didn’t reach the popularity of the Telecaster or Stratocaster, it eventually had a massive resurgence in the alternative scene of the 1990s, finding its way into the hands of players such as John Squire, Kurt Cobain, Kevin Shields and J Mascis.

The key reason as to why the Jaguar is so beloved by indie rock artists is the wide ranging sonic options created by its bridge construction. The bridge and vibrato arm of the Jaguar produces a large amount of sympathetic resonance due to the long length of string between the bridge and the tailpiece. By strumming or plucking the strings behind the bridge, a unique and highly recognisable chiming effect can be utilised, something that artists like Sonic Youth incorporated into their sound.

The Player II Fender Jaguar embodies everything we have come to love about the guitar that defined the surf and indie genres.

Brand: Fender

Product:

Distributed by: Fender Music Australia

RRP: $1349

Reviewed by: Christopher Hockey

With its iconic offset body, dual single-coil pickups, long vibrato arm and highly versatile tone, the Jaguar oozes 60s cool and this new model is no exception. Like all the Player II series, the Player II Jaguar is available in a suite of brand new, never-before-seen colours inspired by vintage automobiles, with the Jaguar specifically being available in Aquatone Blue, Hialeah Yellow, Polar White, Coral Red and old favourite 3-Colour Sunburst.

Fender have gone above and beyond to ensure the Player II series exhibits the timeless look we all know and love. Compared to the original Player collection, the Player II series features a darker tint on the neck and headstock and a warmer aged-white colour for the pickups and controls, giving these instruments a more upmarket, livedin look that guitarists will love. Other notable improvements to the Player II series include real rosewood fretboards, vintage, Kluson-style machine heads (with improved modern gear ratios) and upgraded Mustang bridge saddles.

The Player II Jaguar feels unbelievably comfortable in the hands. Its short 24” scale length gives it a super slinky feel and provides a plethora of benefits. Short scale lengths produce lower string tension, are more elastic, easier to fret and require less arm extension, freeing you up to play with gloriously unrestricted ferocity. Another factor lending itself to the Player II Jaguar’s incredibly smooth feel is that its beautiful rosewood fretboard has rolled edges, an ultracomfortable premium feature that really elevates this guitar and the whole Player II collection.

Rolled edges aren't the only exciting thing about this fretboard however, not only is Fender’s beloved dark rosewood tonewood back, but it’s a slab-board, not a veneer. For those uninitiated, Fender’s original rosewood fretboards introduced in 1959 were a thick, solid piece of rosewood. This lasted until 1962 when Fender shifted to a thinner, curved veneer style for their rosewood boards that die-hards claim has a less impressive look and perhaps a slightly less meaty sound. Whether this change did in fact have any tonal impact is up for debate but what is undeniable is that the slab has a certain luxurious vintage charm that is exciting to have access to at this price-point.

The maple neck on this model is a thick, full modern C-shape that Fender fans will feel very at home with and is finished in an ultra-smooth satin urethane. With a modern 9.5” radius, 1.650” nut width and 22 medium-jumbo frets, this Jag has all the contemporary ergonomic features of a current Fender despite its retro aesthetic. Compared to the original Jaguar's multitude of somewhat convoluted switching options, the Player II Jaguar has a stripped back circuit that working musicians who favour ease of use will appreciate. Featuring simply a master tone, master volume and a three-way selector for its dual pickups, this delightfully straightforward guitar has everything it needs and nothing it doesn't.

As compared to its predecessor, the Jazzmaster, Jaguar pickups are taller, narrower and have a much hotter sound. Uniquely, Jaguar pickups are surrounded by

their signature notched metal claws that reduce hum and concentrate the magnetic field under the strings, giving the Jaguar its singular surfy tone. The Player II Jaguar features an Alnico V pickup in the bridge and an Alnico II pickup in the neck for maximum tonal versatility, creating a wealth of sonic possibilities firmly rooted in its historically unique timbre. In the bridge position, the Player II Jag has a bright, plucky sound with a tight, controlled bottom end and an aggressive edge. Set clean with a little compression and you’ve got Frusciante’s classic “Under The Bridge” sound. Set dirty with a generous amount of reverb and you’re riding the wave of 60s surf in all its glory. In the neck position, the Alnico II magnet provides a full, warm tone whilst retaining a glassy top end, perfect for a myriad of uses from jazzy cleans to warm, sustaining leads. The middle position provides a fantastic balance between the bright, edgy bridge and smooth neck sounds with plenty of midrange growl.

Whether you’re ready to upgrade to a stage-worthy instrument for the first time, expand your sonic palette or are already a rabid Jaguar collector, the Player II Jaguar is an excellent choice. With timeless retro looks, modern functionality and endless mojo, this iteration of the Jaguar perfectly encapsulates why this unique guitar is so beloved across so many genres and why despite its slow rise to prominence, it's not going anywhere.

Brand: Fender

Product: Player II Telecaster

Distributed by: Fender

RRP: $1299

Music Australia

Reviewed by: Jamie Colic

Introduced in 1991, Fender’s Standard line built in Ensenada Mexico has been championed amongst working musicians worldwide.

In turn, Fender have been gradually implementing a range of upgrades to their Mexican Standard line of instruments over the years often abbreviated to MIM.

In 2018, this lineage saw a crescendo as Fender introduced what we now know as the Player series of guitars and basses.

The Player series introduced a variety of upgrades previously reserved for American Fender models. Including 22 frets, alnico pickups and improved tremolo systems on Stratocaster models.

However, due to restrictions placed on the use of Rosewood by CITES in mid-2017, Fender opted to use Pau Ferro as a replacement on all guitars and basses that were spec’d with Rosewood fretboards.

The Player series became a resounding success, however, Fender were regularly faced with the same query from their target market.

“When will we see the return of rosewood?”

This wasn't to gesture towards anything being wrong with Pau Ferro “previously a premium option reserved for high-end instruments”. It more so signified a desire from Fender’s player base to get back to a more traditional spec on production line Fender guitars.

Fast forward six years to the present and Fender sent a surge of excitement across the industry after announcing the new Player II series last month. With perhaps the most notable feature of these new guitars

being the return of Rosewood fretboards across the new line.

For review, Fender has supplied us with a new Player II Telecaster, of which my initial impressions are stellar. I simply cannot help but be captivated by the guitar's beautiful Aquatone Blue finish.

This time around Fender has opted to bestow a plethora of colours derived from classic 60’s auto catalogues across the line. All of which bring a great vintage aesthetic to a series that is otherwise spec’d to appeal primarily to contemporary players.

Speaking of contemporary, just like the previous Player line Fender have opted to include a 9.5” radius on this Telecaster along with 22 medium jumbo frets.

These features combined with the Tele’s Modern “C” neck carve and satin finish provide a fantastic playing experience that will be sure to appease players of all skill levels and hand sizes.

Whole step bends are at no risk of fretting out on this radius, and I am pleased to report that the frets themselves are finished very well. No rough spots, or sharp ends to be found here, only further enhancing the playing experience of the Fender Player II Telecaster straight out of the box.

This specific guitar boasts a lovely dark Rosewood fretboard with a grain that will please even the most discerning of Fender aficionados. A bonus is the slightly rolled fretboard edges, an upgrade that wasn't present on the spec sheet of the original Player Series guitars.

In traditional Fender fashion, the body of the Player II is comprised of Alder wood. This combined with the atypical Tele string through-body and bridge plate makes for a very resonant instrument.

Additionally, the body of the Fender Player II Telecaster is finished in a nice Gloss Polyester. This ensures that the aforementioned Aquatone Blue finish will look just as beautiful in 20 years as it does right now.

The neck on this specific review model sits in the pocket snugly with no apparent gaps on either side, it is also worth mentioning that string alignment is perfect ensuring that care has gone into the build of this Tele from the ground up.

In terms of electronics, Fender have spe ‘d the Player II Telecaster with a brand new Player Series Alnico 5 Tele bridge pickup, opting to pair this model with a Player Series Alnico 5 Tele Single Coil in the neck position.

The bridge pickup provides all of the twang, spank, and attitude that one would expect from a Tele bridge pickup. This is a much more authentic Fender experience than the Ceramic models that were offered on the past Standard Series guitars.

Similarly, the neck pickup delivers. Many would consider the signature sound and heart of a Tele to be the sound of its bridge pickup. And while I find this notion to be agreeable, I feel that the neck position on these guitars has always been somewhat underrated.

Alas, both pickups balance well with each other and the traditional control layout of master volume,

master tone, and a three-way switch all work in unison to provide a genuine Tele experience on all levels.

Again gesturing towards the contemporary, Fender have decided to spec the Player II Telecaster with a 6 saddle String-Thru Body Tele Bridge with Steel Block Saddles. While not being the traditional 3 saddle design that many would associate with the Fender Telecaster, I actually find this arrangement to be far more preferable as it leads to easier and more accurate intonation and a hassle-free setup process.

A 3-ply parchment pickguard, Fender Classic Gear Tuners, Knurled Flat Top Knobs and a Stamped F neck plate round out the hardware package on instant classic that is the Player II Telecaster. All of them perform to the standard that any working player would expect them to.

Tuning is stable and efficient thanks to the Classic Gear tuners, and all controls feel both substantial and easy to move. No cheap-feeling switches or pots on this Tele, which means more time playing and less time messing about with the soldering iron down the line!

All in all, Fender has done a great job of revitalizing an already successful product line. On paper it may look like not a ton has changed between the first and second reiterations of the Player series guitars. However, all these subtle changes add up making the new Fender Player II Telecaster a hell of a bang-for-buck for any gigging player.

A modern behemoth in the world of bass amplification, Italian stalwarts Markbass have firmly established themselves with innovative products, a stellar line, and an endorsement list featuring numerous heavyweight players from all over the world.

And with no signs of slowing down, Markbass have yet again struck out to bestow upon us an amplifier worthy of joining this now prestigious lineup.

The Markbass CMB151 Black Line is a 150-watt bass combo targeted at the budding bassist who may be venturing out of the bedroom and onto the stage to play their first gigs.

With so many options targeted at this demographic, it can be hard for new players to decipher what exactly they need in their first “or maybe second” amplifier.

Additionally, it is worth mentioning that this purchase choice is profoundly important, as inferior build quality or lack of tone have been the breaking point of many a beginning musician. After all, what motivation is there to progress when bad equipment is sucking all of the fun out of playing?

Fortunately, Markbass have it all covered. The CMB 151 boasts a 15” driver which is perfectly voiced for small gigs and rehearsals.

This speaker provides plenty of rich, full low-end without skimping on any sub-bass content.

The speaker can be used in unison with the included Balanced XLR out, offering a direct solution for when a player wishes to run their signal directly into the PA.

Personally, I found the XLR out to be transparent and of good

Brand: Markbass

Product: CMB151 Black Line

Distributed by: CMC Music

RRP: $1395

Reviewed by: Jamie Colic

quality. On some budget amps these outputs can have a tendency to colour or detract from the source signal, resulting in a sound quality that is less than desirable.

However, in true Markbass fashion, the product developers have gone above and beyond to ensure that even their entry-level products inherit only the best in components and craftsmanship.

Speaking of which, the CMB 151 weighs in at a reasonable 19kg. A substantial weight that suggests a high level of durability when it comes to the amplifier, without rendering it difficult to cart across town to the next gig or lesson.

Markbass have also taken the time to include an FX loop, giving players the opportunity to patch in various modulation, time, and other types of effects pedals after the CMB 151’s preamp section.

Once again, I am pleased to report that I am unable to detect any unpleasant “tone suck” or loss of bottom end as a result of using the CMB 151’s effects loop. Much like this unit's XLR Out the FX Loop is both transparent and noise-free, serving as an ideal candidate for any pedal setup.

Given that a considerable amount of this amplifier's user base will likely be students, Markbass have also opted to incorporate a balanced line in port so you are easily able to plug in a phone, laptop or mp3 player as well as a headphone output.

This makes the CMB 151 an ideal companion for practice, only further increasing its practicality outside of the rehearsal room or stage. Backing tracks can be played through the CMB 151’s 15”

driver and easily balanced with the bass signal ensuring all details are easily heard.

In terms of the CMB 151’s tone stack, we have an easy-to-use 4-band EQ “with two mid pots”. Each of these parameters has a nice sweep across the entire frequency spectrum.

Markbass have also done a fantastic job of ensuring that these controls sound musical regardless of how they are set. From brutal metal clank through to dark jazz tones, the CMB 151 will succeed in meeting the needs of any bassist regardless of what their stylistic penchant may be.

In addition to the aforementioned 4-band EQ, Markbass have also opted to include two other switches on the control plate of the CMB 151. The first of which is the handy Scoop button, which works to add some high-end detail to the signal while subsequently scooping the mids.

This control offers a pleasing tone for popped sounds, ensuring that your bass will cut through even the densest of mixes live or in the rehearsal room.

Markbass have also incorporated a Boost button into the circuit which upon engagement imparts a certain level of saturation to the source signal.

This specific saturation is neither too gritty nor too smooth, striking the best balance for players who may be experimenting with driving their bass signal for the first time.

Perhaps Markbass opted to paint with a broad brush when it came to the development of this aspect of the tone stack. Saturation that is too aggressive may have rendered the boost unusable for bassists looking for more subtlety, whereas no means of easily driving the preamp may have given the CMB 151 less appeal to players of more aggressive genres.

Regardless, I feel that Markbass have struck a good balance and delivered a drive that is both musical and applicable to a range of styles. Not the easiest feat when there is relatively little means of dialling in this part of the tone stack!

All in all, Markbass have yet again succeeded in providing an inexpensive bass amp that doesn't feel cheap and sounds phenomenal. The Italian legends have made it clear that they are set on providing quality products to all players so you can rest assured that there is a Markbass amp for you no matter where you are on your Bass journey.

Brand: Fender

Product: Player II Precision Bass

Distributed by: Fender Music Australia

RRP: $1299

Reviewed by: Christopher Hockey

The Fender Player II series has arrived. A glorious new collection of vintage inspired instruments with plenty of modern upgrades, the Player II series encapsulates the spirit of Fender with uncompromising quality at an affordable price point. Featuring a suite of never before seen colours pulled from the Fender archives, this collection looks fantastic, features supremely comfortable necks and has stage-ready tones across the board.

The Player II Precision Bass is a classic, no frills P Bass with an array of well thought out, player-friendly features. Featuring an Alder body, a Maple neck and the classic P Bass split-coil pickup configuration, the Player II isn't reinventing the wheel, it's perfecting it. Finished in a groovy new Hialeah Yellow, pay homage to Fender’s classic Butterscotch and Buttercream finishes, it’s a new addition to Fender’s repertoire, this bass is dripping with vintage attitude and has the beloved tonal qualities that has made the Precision Bass one of the most popular instruments in the world.

The original Precision Bass was introduced in 1951 and was the first electric bass to garner any real attention and use. After some trial and error, Fender had settled on the design we know and love by 1957, including the classic ‘split-coil’ pickup design that they still carry today. The P Bass pickup features staggered pole pieces and its two coils are generally connected in order to be hum-canceling, a detail that was not particularly focused on by Fender at the time due to Seth Lover’s patent on the humbucker.

Today, the Precision Bass remains one of the most popular basses around, particularly in the world of rock, thanks to its thunderous bottom end and superb playability. The P Bass is also a favourite amongst studio musicians for its reliable ‘thudding’ tone. Having a strong sonic presence in the 90-100 hz region, the P Bass’ famous thud sits just above the 50-60hz body of a typical kick drum, creating a perfect mud-free synergy in the low-end mix that engineers can't get enough of.

The Player II’s Alder body features the classic contours that make these instruments so comfortable and features a 3-ply parchment pickguard, chrome hardware, knurled flat-top control knobs and an adjustable four-saddle bridge with single-groove steel barrel saddles. This vintage style bridge provides precise intonation and rock solid tuning stability, crucial components of a stageready instrument.

The Player II’s maple neck features an incredibly comfortable modern “C” shape that feels like home no matter where you’re fretting, and is finished in an ultra smooth matte finish that allows you to glide up the neck with ease. The maple fretboard is adorned with 20 medium-jumbo frets and features a modern 9.5” radius for superior performance, finished off with simple black dot inlays. A key feature of the Player II series is the rolled edges of the fretboards, elevating the comfort of these instruments to new heights. The feel of a top notch custom shop instrument at an extremely accessible price point is just another

reason why this collection is one of Fender’s best efforts to date.

Featuring the P Bass’s classic vintage shape, the Player II’s headstock is loaded with open gear tuning pegs with a modern gear ratio. Combining vintage style with modern performance for superb tuning stability, Fender’s cloverleaf design looks as cool as ever on this bass and caps off the instrument’s classy vintage aesthetic.

The Player series P bass pickup has the powerful bottom end and aforementioned thud we all know and love with a subtle update for modern times. Loaded with Alnico V magnets, this new and improved pickup retains bottom end but cuts back on muddiness, with slightly more top end zing than one might expect from a P Bass, as well as a bit more output to give it some edge. When played through a clean amp with the tone slightly rolled off, the Player II sounds every bit the vintage P Bass you’ve heard on countless records, warm, solid and slotting right into a classic rock mix in effortless style. When set wide open with a bit of gain, heavier, modern tones with plenty of high end grind are readily available, making this bass more versatile than ever despite its vintage look.

With bass guitars now taking on all sorts of sonic roles across the vast spectrum of contemporary music, the Player II series reminds us that the P Bass still reigns supreme when it comes to simply being a bass in the traditional sense of the instrument. Whilst some modern instruments may be packed with more midrange, output, are better equipped to interact with elaborate pedalboards and take

on a more melodic tasks, when it comes to providing that rock solid thud that is still so sorely needed in countless musical contexts, the P Bass is unbeatable. That being said, with the slight hot-rodding of the Player Series pickup in this bass and its effortless playability, there’s not much you can’t do with it.

This powerful, versatile sound is the perfect balance of old and new, much like the myriad of excellent new finishes in the Player II series. Whilst these colours may never have been seen on a Fender instrument before, they harken back to where it all began. Having been pulled from Fender’s original archives, the vibrant, eye popping Hialeah Yellow of this bass is just one of many new vintage colours available in the Player II series, inspired by the American automobiles of the 50s and 60s in classic Fender style.

So whether this is your first stage-quality bass or your hundredth, you really can't go wrong with the Player II series. With all the vintage charm, supreme modern playability and powerful, versatile sound that Fender can muster, it's an absolute steal for the price! A no brainer whether it’s your first or your 10th P! Compared to the first Player series, this new collection has really taken things up a notch and is set to become an instant classic.

So for that classic thud, without the mud, look no further. The Fender Precision is as relevant today as it was in the 50s and it's sounding better than ever.

I don’t need to write about the reputation that precedes C.F. Martin & Co. I have a colleague who is a hopeless romantic for acoustic guitars (he owns at least a dozen), and he literally never shuts up about Martin. According to the embroidery on the front of the X-Series softshell gig bag sitting next to me, the brand has been ‘doing the thing’ since 1833. Which, if I’m honest, makes reviewing their products a little intimidating.

I’ve only ever owned two acoustic guitars: a beginner classical my dad bought me in 2003, and a dreadnought my partner bought me a few years ago. The extent of my enjoyment of an acoustic guitar can be summarised very simply: I enjoy a rich, warm sound with clear trebles, and a soft, ergonomic, intuitive feel. The Martin 00-X2E Cocobolo checks both of these boxes effortlessly.

Before I get into the sound and feel of the guitar, I need to gush about that softshell case. One thing I’ve learned from reviewing guitars is that you can learn a surprising amount about a guitar and its manufacturer from the case. The standout on this particular case is, oddly enough, the zipper. I don’t know whether I’ve just had really bad luck with janky zippers recently, but unzipping this case felt like watching one of those strangely satisfying ASMR videos where someone cuts a slab of magnetic sand with a knife. There’s a nice amount of padding around the case, and a foam block and velcro strap to support the neck in transit. Martin went minimal with the case candy, which I’m not mad about. Sometimes less is more. I did find information that talks about Martin’s

Brand: C.F. Martin & Co.

Product: Martin 00-X2E Cocobolo

Distributed by: Electric Factory

RRP: $1499

Reviewed by: Paul Blomfield

partnership with Better Battery Co., producers of the world’s first carbon neutral batteries. That’s right, the00-X2E is active and can be plugged in.

The 00-X2E is a Grand Concert size guitar is slightly smaller than its more famous 000 & OM Martin siblings. The High Pressure Laminate back and sides is a composite material providing a sustainable, durable material that doesn’t sacrifice that classic Martin tone and as part of the 2024 ‘remastering' of the X-Series, the guitars now feature multiple pattern variations, all of which are stunning representations of specially selected sets of premium Cocobolo from the Martin Custom Shop. For the wood geeks out there, Cocobolo is a tropical hardwood harvested in Central America from the heartwood of trees of the Dalbergia genus. The hardwood neck and fingerboard of the 00-X2E feel incredibly soft and buttery thanks to a slimmer profile, gently bevelled edges and refined string spacing. The 24.9” scale length neck is 1.75” at the nut, and joins to the body at the 14th fret. With the feel of a full scale neck under the left hand, while sitting much more snug against your body, the 00 is the perfect in-between size for travelling players who want something a little more ergonomic and compact without feeling like you’re playing a viola. The top is hand-rubbed satin spruce with a tortoiseshell pickguard and sloped modern belly hardwood bridge. Unplugged, the smaller body of the guitar does away with some of the bottom, muddy frequencies that you would get from a dreadnought. This lends the guitar a scooped, throaty timbre, evoking a folky

nostalgia. It also makes for very interesting percussive tones when slapping the strings playing fingerstyle, or tapping the plectrum against the pickguard. The treble frequencies in the string attack are particularly crisp and clear—a quality aided by the Martin Authentic Acoustic Lifespan 2.0 Phosphor Bronze strings.

Outwardly, you’d have almost no idea that this guitar is fitted with electronics. The battery compartment and input jack are skilfully hidden in an inconspicuous plastic flap at the base of the body next to the strap button. Inside the top edge of the sound hole you’ll find the controls for the Martin E1 pickup, including dials for volume and tone, a phase inverter button, and a stealthy little chromatic tuner which sits inside the bottom edge of the sound hole. Pushing the tone wheel all the way to the right gave me a bright, sparkly sound while pushing it all the way to the left

gave a darker, warmer sound with more low end. The phase button reverses the phase 180 degrees as expected. I did notice quite a dramatic improvement in bass response with the phase reversed, particularly when palm-muting lower strings. A lot of effort went into giving some of that important low end.

Overall, the 00-X2E makes for a fantastic travelling companion—a compact, ergonomic acousticelectric that upholds the stalwart brand and trademark warm sound of C.F. Martin & Co. If anyone needs me, I’ll just be sitting in the corner zipping and unzipping this softshell case for a few hours.

Brand: Shure

Product: Nexadyne 8/C Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone

Distributed by: Jands

RRP: $669

Reviewed by: Rob

Gee

It’s been a long time coming. Shure have undoubtedly owned the top spot in the live vocal microphone arena for just about all time. But we all knew that eventually they had to get bumped off the top. With both the SM58 being the most widely used dynamic microphone on stages worldwide, with the BETA 58A coming in a close second, I think we are at the dawning of a new era. What may very well happen in the coming years is a king of the stage will be crowned. And would you believe it, Shure have no one to blame but themselves this time. That’s right, the microphone that looks set to topple Shure’s domination of the stage is a Shure. Introducing the Nexadyne 8/C Cardioid Dynamic Vocal Microphone, the microphone that every singer and engineer is going to want to work with once they’ve heard the results.

So, that sounds like a pretty impressive introduction, but not without reason. I myself have always had my sticking points with both the SM58 and the BETA 58A, and have often found myself using other brand’s equivalents for live vocal work, however that looks like it could change. And I would hazard a guess that a good number of other engineers will set aside differences when they hear how the Nexadyne 8/C performs. Let’s face it, when all is said and done, the microphone being held on stage is not part of some popularity contest, outside of the fact that it needs to make the singer, or singers, sound great. If it can do that whilst making

the engineer’s job easy too, that’s a bonus.

With that, let’s take a first look at the Nexadyne 8/C before we get into how it sounds. It’s the standard fare in the box, with a zippered pouch and microphone clip included. The microphone itself feels nice and solid, with a smooth transition from the handle up into the grill area. Visually, the Nexadyne moves away from the traditional icecream cone look of the 58 models, and I’m quite alright with that. This mic looks sleek, on the outside. It goes without saying, the first thing I did was to unscrew the top and see what’s going on inside. It’s what I have done with every microphone I have ever purchased or reviewed, so this guy was not going to miss the regular treatment. That said, what is under the hood is visually very different to previous Shure models. The capsule is housed in a seriously robust structure that almost looks like it doesn’t need the grill in the first place. The side of this inner housing is emblazoned with the Revonic Technology moniker. So, it’s at this point that we need to talk about what is going on in the capsule.

Shure have deployed what they call a dual-engine transducer technology: Revonic Technology. Essentially, this sees two calibrated transducers working inline to create a more detailed and natural sounding response from the capsule. The result is a capsule that sounds like it has been transparently processed with EQ, filters and compression, before the sound even gets to the microphone cable. It’s

great right from the source, and sounds just as great when it gets to the speakers, both front of house and monitors. So, the engineer will be happy, the vocalist will be happy, and the audience will be happy.

As the name suggests, this is a cardioid pickup pattern, so it’s a good all-rounder for most stages and monitoring situations. That said, the Nexadyne offers a very tight pickup pattern, so once you start to stray down the side of the capsule, it doesn’t change too greatly tonally, but the volume does drop away rapidly. From the rear, there is virtually zero sound captured, which plays into making the Nexadyne such a forgiving microphone on loud stages. Ambient noise is kept to a bare minimum, so all that is heard through the specific mic channel is the voice or intended source, and nothing else.

With that, the clarity of the sound is just incredible. Compared to the SM58, it has a livelier top end. Compared to the BETA 58A it has less of a pronounced bump in the midrange. Across the entire frequency response, the best way to describe how the Nexadyne sounds is “spot on”. Clarity is the key with this capsule, and it delivers that across the board. This can be heard in the monitors and out front immediately, without the need of excessive processing. By itself, it sounds articulate, well-rounded and level. In the mix, it does the same, but sits forward more so than with the other models mentioned. You’ll find that the lead vocalist is going to instantly hear themselves better in the monitors, and that is a win

for everyone. Now, you won’t have to listen to them asking for more of themselves in the monitors all night. They’ll be there. The answer was never more volume, but more clarity, and that’s just what the Nexadyne produces. Coupled with the fact that the reduced stage noise means you can drive it harder with less chance of feedback, there’s not a lead singer out there that wouldn’t want this microphone on every stage they grace with their presence.

In short, Shure have gone and outdone themselves with the Nexadyne 8/C. Of course, there is never going to be one microphone to do every task perfectly. The Swiss army knife of sound capture doesn’t exist. But, if you’re looking for amazing vocal clarity, tonal quality and discrete isolation, this is the vocal microphone for you. I know, it’s a big call, but Shure have outdone themselves with this design, and it follows through with the delivery. There are going to be a lot of happy vocalists out there, and that means happy audiences too. So if you’re a singer, engineer, venue owner, or stage tech, you need to have a listen to a Shure Nexadyne 8/C microphone sooner, rather than later. Making the switch will then be an easy choice.

Brand: Lewitt

Product: Connect 2 USB Interface

Distributed by: Electric Factory RRP: $269

Reviewed

by:

Andy Lloyd-Russell

With the wealth of entry level audio interfaces spouting impressive features and spec, something that offers an enhanced creative workflow has got to be the winning ticket.

Lewitt Audio are an Austrian pro audio company founded in 2009 by Roman Perschon, whose vision from the get go has been to change the status quo of microphone design - no small feat. For such a young company standing amongst many relics in the pro audio sphere, Lewitt have made serious strides and it’s in their unique and fearless approach to flooding their ideas with technological innovation that seems to have landed them such respect from big names in industry.

Predominantly known for their microphone design prowess with revolutionary products such as the LCT 1040, more recently Lewitt have turned their focus to audio interfaces with the release of the Connect 6 a couple of years ago and just a few of months back, the Connect 2 - which is here on review.

Flush with intuitive features and easily one of, if the most user friendly audio interface I’ve personally encountered, Connect 2 is perfectly pitched for musicians/ songwriters and content creators alike. The inviting capacitive touch surface houses control buttons

for levels for both Hi-Z instrument and mic preamp, studio monitors, headphones, mute, input/playback as well as a custom button (more on this shortly) and most excitingly, Autogain. Each of these buttons can be selected and adjusted with ease via the capacitive touch centre wheel. The back panel is equally as intuitive with two inputs, the mic preamp being an XLR with switchable 48V phantom power and second input a Hi-Z 1/4” jack for instruments. Two balanced 1/4” jacks are provided for connecting studio monitors and a 1/4” and 3.5mm jack for headphonesyou just never know when that headphone adaptor is going to mysteriously disappear, we’ve all been there.

High fidelity recording at 24-bit and up to 96kHz, nothing out of the ordinary there, Connect 2 is of course bus powered via its USB-C connector when connected to a MacOS or Windows computer, but can also be used by devices with USB-C and lightning connector via the usual camera connection kit and external bus power. Connect 2 is impressive on spec too, with a wild 72dB of gain on the mic pre, an equivalent input noise of -129dBV (A), 118dB (A) of dynamic range and THD of 0.001%. For an interface of this price, this is rather impressive.

Aside from the usability of the physical unit itself, the control software for Connect 2 is wonderfully easy to navigate. Where other audio interface software can get bogged down in complex processing and routing options, Control Centre keeps things simple, intuitive and helps get settings dialled in super fast. For all of its simplicity you’d be forgiven for assuming that Connect 2 is a bit of a no-frills type of interface, with not a huge amount of processing going on under the hood, but on the contrary. Some seriously powerful features are only a click away.

Whether you’re a musician/ songwriter or content creator, there’s few things worse than having your audio distort or clip during a recording, and at certain times there’s just very little that can be done to avoid this from happening, especially in live recording settings. The Clipguard feature built into Connect 2 alleviates this from happening for those unexpected spikes in level, keeping a recording perfectly intact and void of clipping.

This is a remarkable feature for an entry level interface to have and a particularly useful one for the recording novice. Another impressive feature is the Denoiser, through the use of audio expansion, this incredibly helpful feature helps remove extraneous noise from a recording such as an AC unit and alike. Simply allow Connect 2 to listen to the noise for about 10 seconds and voila! Gone.

Autogain is one of the most exciting features of Connect 2, and whilst this type of tech has been around for years particularly in handheld recorders, Autogain in Connect 2 seems to really get it dialled in right. Simply playing your instrument and/or singing into your mic (yes, this feature can be dialled in for both inputs simultaneously) input levels are set automatically. This is not only a massive time saver, but also optimises creative workflow with less time and energy required for setting up things for recording, allowing more time for focusing on a performance, exploring ideas or just getting creative. As well as the

Autogain feature, Connect 2 also includes Auto Setup, which takes this intuitive setup a step further, with a few simple selections from the available options, the most ideal settings can be automatically dialled in for you to get started straight away.

Personally I’m pretty sceptical of these types of features, but Connect 2 actually handles them really well and is a great way to not only help users dial in settings quickly but also acts as a learning tool for those wanting to explore different types of parameters for their recordings, to then tweak and refine them further. Of course no modern interface is complete without some type of built-in compression. The Connect 2 compressor settings help glue things together nicely, adding that distinctive polish to a recording without going overboard. Pair this with the three mic pre flavours available being Clean, Warm and Vivid, a simple voice recording or an instrument and vocal, the sound reproduced is professional, with a three dimensional quality which is true to life.

Connect 2 feels like it strikes the perfect balance of the engaging and tactile feel of hardware paired with easy, hassle free control software. The ability to quickly and easily dial-in ideal settings whether it be for a podcast, live stream voice recording or a singer/songwriter session is seamless. Despite the amount of potential processing that can be engaged via Control Centre on the inputs, this never feels overwhelming but rather just well laid-out options for refining one's sound. Monitoring sources is just so easy, with the ability to perfectly blend between input and computer source playback, and the dedicated loopback functionality makes light work of streaming setups, recording samples and alike. The dim and mono options available on the output are simple yet desirable features putting this compact entry level interface well above its price of admission. A very intuitive plug-n-play interface that anybody can use, with a wealth of helpful features and processing power under the hood if desired. Big thumbs up.

PERSONAL USB AUDIO MIXER

Made for Live-Streaming

Stream your PC with the Loopback function

Plug-and-Play Connectivity

Connect to your Windows PC, Mac, smartphone or tablet

Designed as a live-streaming USB audio mixer, the AT-UMX3 is the perfect tool for streamers and podcasters who are looking for a simple and reliable solution that delivers high-quality, professional results.

Dedicated Instrument Inputs

Directly connect your guitars, basses and keyboards

Engineered for Audio-Technica Microphones

Optimised mic pre-amp for the 20 Series

Scan to learn more about the AT-UMX3

Brand: Audio-Technica

Product: AT-SP3X Powered Bookshelf Speakers

Distributed by: Technical Audio Group

RRP: $399

Reviewed by: Christopher

Hockey

If you’re in the market for a compact pair of monitors that pack a punch, Audio-Technica have got you covered with their brand new ATSP3X powered bookshelf speakers. Featuring a convenient minimalist design that suits any room of your home, the AT-SP3X deliver an elevated listening experience with both wired and wireless Bluetooth connectivity. Specifically tuned to deliver rich, full-range audio whilst taking up minimal space, the sound of these speakers given their compact size is truly impressive.

Audio-Technica was first established in 1962 in Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, by Hideo Matsushita as a phonograph cartridge manufacturer. As business rapidly developed, Audio-Technica swiftly and successfully expanded into a broad range of audio fields. Since then, Audio-Technica have become well-loved in the music world for their precise craftsmanship and affordability and are known for making reliable products at a variety of price points.

Today, Audio-Technica's product range includes a wide variety of speakers, microphones, headphones, and audio accessories, used in applications from live sound and recording to broadcasting, podcasting, and consumer audio. The company remains committed to innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction, and is widely recognized as one of the most respected and trusted names in the audio industry. Now, with the AT-SP3X, AudioTechnica provides us with the perfect

wireless monitor for home use in a super convenient package.

The Audio-Technica AT-SP3X have a simplified design that does not require an external receiver or amplifier, perfect for modern home setups. An ideal audio solution for turntables, PCs, tablets, smartphones and TVs, Bluetooth connectivity makes these speakers highly adaptable and convenient for a myriad of uses, including audio mixing. There’s a few pairs of speakers intended for use as bookshelf speakers that have found their way into the annals of recording studio history, their flat, true-to-source response perfect for detailed listening.

Coming in at 200mm x 125mm x 136mm, the AT-SP3X is roughly two thirds the size of your average compact studio monitor and weighs only 1.5kg. Featuring extremely simple controls, these speakers couldn't be easier to use with a simple power switch, Bluetooth pairing switch and volume dial. The AT-SP3X has analog audio input terminals for more traditional setups and is powered via a standard AC adapter. All in all it takes less than five minutes to set these little gems up straight out of the box. Basically, the AT-SP3X has all the convenience we’ve become accustomed to with portable Bluetooth speakers, but closer to studio-quality sound.

The ATX-SP3X features a 76mm speaker, 27mm tweeter and frequency response of 55hz-20khz. With an output of 30w, these units have plenty of volume on tap for

entertaining at a rowdy house party, getting immersed in a film or even doing some mixing work. Whilst exhibiting an impressive amount of bottom end for their size, it's in their incredibly crisp and detailed highs that the ATX-SP3X’s really shine. With an airy, articulate top end that brings out every sonic detail, you’ll be hearing previously unnoticed nuances in all your favourite songs with these speakers.

A rich and full midrange response makes them as perfectly suited for listening to vinyl as they are for catching every word of dialogue in a film without having to crank up to neighbour-scaring volumes. As at home sitting either side of your desktop as they are on your bedroom shelf or in your living room, the ATX-SP3X’s small size and unassuming all-black design helps them blend into any room.

With a tight, punchy and full low end that never sounds flabby, the AT-SP3Xs provide a joyful listening experience at any volume. Even at very modest levels, their bass response comes through clearly, maintaining an honest and well balanced sound that is bound to please your ears. When cranked to the max, these speakers maintain that balance and remain clean, clear and articulate with no distortion, perfectly capable of filling a large room with their rich, full sound.

Bottom end aside, clarity really is the name of the bookshelf speaker game, with the top end sizzle of cymbals and the shimmering stringtalk of acoustic guitars coming

through in immense detail. A strong but not overpowering transient response ensures the AT-SP3Xs remain articulate at low volumes but never become piercing when turned up.

A brilliantly compact (and mobile!) way to expand your listening, as well as your mixing and monitoring setup, Audio-Technica have really knocked it out of the park with this product. With many turntables now having Bluetooth capabilities, the ATSP3Xs are perfect for daily home use across all your listening methods and devices. Swapping from streaming music from your phone, throwing a record on and watching television with the same speakers is as quick and simple as pressing a button. Whilst not designed for the increased sonic weight and bottom end of full-fledged studio monitoring, the AT-SP3Xs certainly provide enough clarity for audio work and mixing duties at home, making them an extremely versatile product across a range of uses. All in all, Audio-Technica have nailed that now famous bookshelf speaker format with a unit that successfully bridges the gap between small Bluetooth speakers and fully fledged studio monitors in a compact product perfect for the average home setup. Whether you’re streaming music from your phone, listening to vinyl, making demos with your DAW of choice, gaming, watching TV or anything in between, they are a great choice for anyone looking to upgrade the sonic quality of their home speakers, without the need to fuss around with amplifiers or external receivers.

Audio-Technica have a long history of creating excellent audio products for both professional and casual settings across a spectrum of price-points. They continue to grow and evolve, proving many times over why they are one of the most successful and reliable brands in the game. Everyone from the average home listener to full blown audiophiles could get some great use out of the AT-SP3Xs across several devices and formats, their compact size and excellent sound quality making them a versatile and convenient addition to the AudioTechnica product lineup.

In Focus: Audio-Technica AT-LP70X

Distributed by: Technical Audio Group

RRP: AT-LP70X $499 / AT-LP70XBT $599

Words by: Lewis Noke Edwards

While it’s great that vinyl is back in a big way socially, economically and sonically, it’s presented us with a conundrum: what’s the best way to listen to vinyl in 2024? While many of us are guilty of buying stacks of records simply to support bands (not that there’s any guilt associated with support!), or just to own that big physical copy or to collect multi-coloured spattered variants, listening to vinyl is another experience all of its own. Limited by the medium, vinyl has a unique sound, with the extreme highs and lows of digital simply not translating, let alone frequencies so high they damage the cutting head at the vinyl cutting plant!

What you’re left with is the meat and potatoes of the mastered sound, punchy, refined and focused, and who better to help that sound translate than Audio-Technica?

We’re huge fans of AudioTechnica here at Mixdown, particularly in the studio where we agonise over the details of recording and arrangement, using their microphones to capture it all and their headphones to monitor it. While this is all good and well, the music production process doesn’t really end when a band has signed off on a mix or master. The music then goes into production, where audiences, including us, get to enjoy the final result. It makes sense then for AudioTechnica’s AT-LP70X turntable to be such a home run, coupled with the AT-LP70XBT available in a Bluetooth configuration.

The AT-LP70X is a fully automatic belt-drive turntable, effectively meaning that the turntable, uh, turns automatically. The Belt-Drive is a more classic design in turntables, providing high-quality sound and consistent playback as opposed to direct drive.The AT-LP70X has variable speed for both 33-1/3 and 45 RPM records, and an easy-to-use J-shaped tonearm that requires no additional setup.

Marketed as a great entrylevel turntable, the AT-LP70X features all the bells and whistles of premium turntables, while also being supremely easy to use. The turntable arrives with an AT-VM95C Integral Dual Moving Magnet phono cartridge that’s compatible with VM95 Series replacement stylus’, either for replacement or to change styli for a varied listening experience. The included stylus features a 0.6 mil conical stylus that offers excellent separation and low distortion for outstanding sound, something essential on a mechanical arm expected to provide crystal clear sound along the fine groove of vinyl!

The AT-LP70X also features a built-in switchable phono preamp to enable connection to a home stereo, powered speakers, or otherwise. The “otherwise” here might be the AT-SP3X powered bookshelf speakers. A match made in Heaven!

The AT-LP70X is housed in an anti-resonance chassis to prevent things like footsteps, bangs, rumbling or otherwise preventing the

stylus from doing its job: providing you with crystal clear sound. Vinyl can be a fragile and detailed listening experience, and AudioTechnica aim to make it as easy as possible. Vinyl itself sits atop a die-cast aluminium Turntable Platter and felt top to protect your records, powered by a DC motor. The unit is powered by an AC adapter, the AC/DC conversion happening outside of the chassis to further enhance listening and remove any unfavourable, power-related noise. It really is the little things!

In use, the AT-LP70X sounds great. The purist in me loves the wired option, with Bluetooth available for those averse to cabling, or with an existing Bluetooth speaker system. I had vinyl turning quickly (well… 45RPM) though set up and getting music happening was a simple, quick affair. Sonically the AT-LP70X gives everything I’ve discussed about the vinyl sound and more, the freshness of a brand new stylus offering great detail, precision and clarity to the music. With simple Start, Stop and speed controls, the AT-LP70X puts focus back on the music.

As creators of music it can be really hard to switch off from analysing production, mixing and songwriting, but a system as great as the AT-LP70X helps to reintroduce that sense of wonder and magic that we felt before we knew too much. As if the turntables themselves weren’t enough, Audio-Technica has built a range of replacement and spare parts,

as well as cleaning and care kits to keep you turntable turning, with different components for different sonics, preferences and models of turntable.

The AT-LP70X is a great system for someone who’s become fond of vinyl for whatever reason, be that collecting, supporting bands or otherwise, and boy oh boy is it a great start. Sonically, the AT-LP70X rivals some of the best systems, simply put together for easy control, playback and care, with additions like the phono preamp, anti-resonance chassis and more built into its design. Decades of turntable design across the have informed some key elements in Audio-Technica’s AT-LP70X.

With a wired option in the ATLP70X or a Bluetooth option with the AT-LP70XBT, Audio-Technica are building a legacy on the back of the simple pleasure of enjoying a record, holding the cover and falling into the music itself.

Brand: Melbourne Instruments

Product: DELIA

Distributed by: Melbourne Instruments

RRP: $3895

Reviewed by: Andy

Lloyd-Russell

Having introduced the world to the first motorised analogue synth with NINA back in 2022, it’s incredibly exciting to see the synthesis wizards at Melbourne Instruments introduce a new member to the family. Having sprung on the scene only a couple of years ago, Melbourne Instruments certainly turned heads with their remarkable first foray into the intimidating world of top shelf synthesizers with the introduction of NINA. A bold and far from subtle synth to say the least, I’d never experienced an instrument like this before and needless to say I had a blast with putting it through its paces for review a couple of years back. Thankfully musicians around the world felt the same, facilitating this indie Australian instrument manufacturer the ability to keep the innovations flowing. So seeing the announcement of Delia - a 6 voice motorised morphing polyphonic synth with 49 Key velocity and aftertouch sensitivity - I was itching to see what this synth was all about!

Analogue at heart, DELIA enjoys the benefits and convenience of a digitally controlled front end, but without compromising the irresistible character and flavour overdriven analogue ladder filters bring. Being a six-voice poly synth some may initially gasp, feeling this could limit creativity and playability of DELIA’s 49-key velocity and aftertouch sensitive keyboard (which feels absolutely superb), but thankfully the ingenuity of the Melbourne Instruments team has made a 12-note mode possible through some genius digital and analogue

amalgam, which uses 12 oscillator banks splitting them into the 6 filters and stereo VCA’s - which takes care of potential note stealing when in, say, bi-timbral mode. With four oscillators per voice with VA modelled VCO’s, Wavetable, Noise/ XOR/Aux options available there’s near endless sonic possibilities here and we haven’t even touched on the filters yet.

Having carefully considered customer feedback, in addition to the gorgeously rich and full sounding true analogue low pass filter, Delia also boasts a compellingly modelled high pass ladder filter. With the ability to link both the HPF and LPF together with the press of a button, the motorised encoders seamlessness sync together for a wealth of bandpass and notch filtering options. Pairing this capability with the separate resonance control of both filters as well as 12 or 24 dB/oct slope options for the LPF (with the HPF being a 24dB/oct model ladder filter which is based on the unequivocal Eber-Moll transistor equations), a near endless array of filter sculpting capability is readily available at one's fingertips. This ranges from precise bandpass filtering when utilising the link function for creative sweeps using the VCF envelope or other modulation matrix controls through to vocal-like formats for more unique and characterful type tones simply unattainable from other synths. This section of DELIA is practically special and endlessly fun to tweak. Aside from the cutoff, resonance, slope and link control options

available in the filter section, the motorised drive control ranges from fully open to completely obliterated for a super aggressive and harmonically rich palette of sound. This is the analogue guts of DELIA and it sounds absolutely monstrous!

A total of three LFOs are on tap with each having individual control via two motorised encoders and variable shapes ranging from Sine, Triangle, Square, Ramp up, Ramp down, Random are available for some. Three envelope generators including VCF, VCA and AUX can be selected with separate motorised control over level, attack, decay, sustain and release. These parameters can get particularly interesting when morphing between A/B patches.

As for the effects engine, some two processors of alluring stereo digital effects are under the hood including chorus, reverb and delay, with the ability to run in parallel or in series, very nice. With control over send parameters and an additional macro parameter that can assigned to essentially any parameter a user wishes, this just adds to DELIA’s ability to recall essentially anything and everything one needs.

Recalling patches and morphing is all too easy but recall expands further again with the genius of MOD MODE, automating the Modulation Matrix setup. With 20 mod sources and 40+ mod destinations, options are near endless for exploration. This seamless workflow is incredibly powerful when creating and exploring the possibilities of what

you’re hearing in your head. Feeling like you have the convenience and recall of a virtual synth but the tactility and immediacy of a hardware synth is a unique feeling of synergy on a piece of hardware.

I absolutely loved the morph function on NINA and DELIA’s Morph acts just the same, with seamless transition between patches, being able to explore everything in between too, there really is something about watching all those motorised encoders moving in harmony that just inspires creativity in such a unique way. Having the ability to utilise Morph as a MOD destination opens up some wildly creative options too, further exploring the options of how a patch can be manipulated via the sophisticated Modulation Matrix.

Sequencing with Delia is quite expansive with two modes of operation. When in Step Sequencer mode and with bi-timbral operation engaged a total of 16 steps can be controlled; pretty deep possibilities here. The phase looper is where DELIA really opens up though, with the ability to loop and layer up to 2000 notes, with no additional time or overdub limits. Much like when in the step sequencer mode, the bi-timbral mode allows for individual control over two layers and adds in the A/B Morphing capability, a total of four timbres are available.

Having taken an enormous amount of inspiration from its older sibling NINA inheriting much of the same under the hood innovative tech such as motorised encoders, an incredible modulation matrix, DELIA genuinely sits in a world of its own with a symbiotic hybrid of digital and analogue technologies making it an electronic musician’s or sound designers paradise. Its intuitive layout was what I had hoped for from this synth and it certainly is a breeze to navigate, edit and just get lost in, which truly opens it up to a wide range of potential users. This synth really just sounds amazing and is a dream to play. Yet another fantastic release from one of the most exciting new names in synthesis.

A microphone that can automatically mute and compensate for things like proximity effect. It sounds like science fiction right?

The team over at Lewitt Audio in Austria have been busy bringing the future forward in microphone design with an exciting new addition to their already impressive mic locker.

Since their start in 2009, Lewitt Audio have been flipping the script in what is possible when it comes to microphone design and implemented technology. Their groundbreaking flagship 1040 microphone system for example introduced engineers to the ability to interact with a microphone’s tube, changing its harmonic characteristics and even being able to blend between tube and FET circuitry, all via remote control. So needless to say, innovation and exploration are second nature to the engineers at the forward thinking Vienna-based pro audio company.

With such a significant shift in the past five or so years towards the world of content creation from podcasting, live streaming and video content it should come as no surprise that pro audio manufacturers have jumped down the proverbial rabbit hole with products heavily focused on this corner of the market. Not only are companies supporting and facilitating this monumental growth by designing products that meet the specific needs of these types of creatives, but they are in fact helping redefine what it is they need in a product, which brings me this microphone review.

On the surface, “Ray” looks pretty typical of one of Lewitt’s studio condenser mics. Heavily based on their incredibly popular LCT440 Pure, Ray is a high quality condenser microphone, with a fixed cardioid polar pattern, 1” gold sputtered true condenser capsule with a XLR connector and frequency response of 20Hz20kHz. Nothing out of the ordinary there. On spec Ray performs well, with a rated sensitivity of 22.6 mV/ Pa, -32.9dBV/Pa, self-noise of 8dB

(A), a max SPL of 131dB (0.5 % THD), signal / noise ratio 86dB (A) and dynamic range of 123dB (A). These are pretty impressive specs for a mic living in the entry to midtier corner of the market.

Spec aside though, Ray lives in a world of its own when it comes to in-built technology. Taking a look at the front face plate and seeing the words ‘Aura’ and ‘Mute’ with a little stepped LED display, my curiosity was certainly piqued. Whilst many USB microphones have an in-built mute button on the chassis (not exactly anything new), it’s not something found on an 3-pin XLR terminated microphone. But the mute button on Ray isn’t just a typically mute button either (although it certainly can be used as such if desired) but instead has some incredibly clever trickery going on. Via the display, a predetermined distance can be set to mute the microphone’s output automatically, attenuating the mic by -70dB, with stepped distance options of 15, 30, 45, 60 or 80 cm. The real world use of this technology is actually pretty wild and super useful in critical recording situations such as live streaming when you never know when a sneeze, cough or other such unexpected noise from someone is going to potentially interrupt an otherwise smooth and faultless recording. But this is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

The other button ‘Aura’ is where Ray really dives into sci-fi territory. Being the first in the family of Lewitt microphones to harness this groundbreaking tech, when engaged, ‘Aura’ is able to automatically detect the distance of a user from the microphone and in turn automatically compensate in real time and adjust its frequency response accordingly. Just letting that sink in for a second, this essentially means that no matter how close or far away from Ray a user is, the sound profile remains consistent. This is an absolute game-changer and suited for so many different types of recording

Brand: Lewitt

Product: Ray Microphone

Distributed by: Electric Factory

RRP: $479

Reviewed by: Andy Lloyd-Russell

scenarios, but particularly alluring for content creators. How many editing hours have been taken up with adjusting volume and EQ of recorded voices when a guest (or host) moves around a microphone perhaps a little too animated, continually changing distance, volume and frequency response. This not only makes for a lengthy editing process but if not handled correctly, can result in a clunky and less than desirable final recording. If only everyone understood proper mic technique! Aside from alleviating the technical fix up job required for scenarios such as this, it also allows creators to keep, well, creating, rather than worrying about how much editing work they’ll have to do after a session. Given how sophisticated this is and the processing power involved, it sounds remarkably smooth and natural and not to mention, doesn’t skyrocket the price either, which is pretty impressive and dare I say it, refreshing.

Aside from the technology side of things, Ray is aesthetically very pleasing. Its compact design, small profile and subtle physical features make it a perfect match for studios, live recording environments and particularly under camera. The mic

itself is well built and feels nice and sturdy in the hand.

The included accessories are equally well made, particularly the shock mount and pop filter, with the latter cleverly magnetically attaching to the shock mount. The included wind guard is a nice addition and great for those wanting to record with Ray outdoors. Everything feels solid and robust but not at all cumbersome, perfect for podcasters, content creators and video makers.

On the whole Ray sounds great, feels great and is a fine example of Lewitt Audio’s dedication to forward thinking microphone design. For an entry to mid tier level condenser mic, Ray is genuinely impressive. A worthy addition to any content creators tool set or engineers/ musicians mic locker.

MY RIG: AARON MARSHALL OF INTERVALS

WORDS BY JAMIE COLIC

“When you need a tooth pulled you go to the dentist.”

With roots tracing back to 2011, Toronto’s Intervals have risen to the top of the heap when it comes to the modern sounds of progressive rock.

With founding member and guitarist Aaron Marshall at the helm, the band quickly gained traction after the release of their debut EP The Space Between “mixed and mastered by Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood of Periphery fame.”

Fast forward to the present day and Marshall is the sole member of Intervals, opting to play live with a touring band from 2015 onwards.

2024 has been a particularly busy year for the 44-year-old virtuoso, May saw the release of Intervals' highly anticipated 5th studio album Memory Palace along with a 10-date North American tour supporting Wolfgang Van Halen's band Mammoth.

Catching up with Aaron in early August it seems like there's been no sign of slowing down as he sits in his new “and bare” home studio. After a recent move, he is avidly debating how exactly he plans to set up the space.

“I’ve got the desk and the studio computer, the essentials. Now I just need to unpack the synths and decide which guitars are going to go in the rack.” Upon poking Aaron for further details on his home studio setup the axeman was more than happy to divulge.

“All my setups revolve around the Elite desk from AZ Studios,” he goes on to reveal that the brain of his project studio is an Apple Mac Studio with Studio display.

Aaron continues to give some insight into his workflow stating “So much of what happens these days is in the box that as long as I can get that up into my Universal Audio Apollo I'm rocking.”

Additionally, he goes on to add that he uses a Focusrite Clarett pre to expand his I/O via ADAT “particularly when using synths,” elongated by an additional 8 mic preamps from the Apollo that he tends to use for guitars “whether plugging in direct or micing amplifiers in conjunction with a load box.”

Despite orchestrating a lot of his preproduction in the box Aaron is certainly not one to turn his nose up at hardware stating “I can do most things with just the interface, plugins are so good these days but I still love me some hardware.”

With a Moog Matriarch, Roland Juno 106, Sequential Prophet 6, Moog Sub 37 and a Novation Bass station all in tow, it's clear that Aaron is passionate about utilising hardware synths in his productions.

“It’s cool to stumble across stuff, especially with the Matriarch, because of the nature of it being a 4 oscillator synth it's paraphonic so you get a lot of happy accidents.”

An enthusiasm that only accelerates when it comes to the topic of guitars, with models by

Artisedes, Musicman, Suhr, Lark and Abasi all in his arsenal.

However, Aaron's main squeeze these days is his signature model which he developed in conjunction with the folks at Schecter Guitar Research.

With US-made 6 models just released “and 7 string models imminent”, Aaron has been playing the import models out on the road for years now.

“I've been playing the Diamond Series out on tour since 2021 and that's how the relationship started, I was tasked with creating and speccing out a sick Diamond Series and we just started with that.”

He continues on to explain that he only just received his first US-made prototype guitar last year, stating “I really beat the brakes off the Diamond Series before then.”

“We spent some time refining a few little things, neck profile, pickups and now we are here. Though I use a mix of the USA and Diamond series guitars, the USA-made guitars are like my crown jewel.”

It's at this point that the topic shifts over to the making of Memory Palace, “I do all of my preproduction at home but the final recordings were done in Studio A at Sweetwater.”

Diving further into the recording of the album Aaron states “There is a whole studio documentary on our YouTube channel, we did 26 days and it was all tracked on Neve 5088.”

A far cry from the early days of Intervals in which The Space Between was produced as a home job. Aaron fills me in on his process “Besides the first EP I painstakingly manage all pre-production at home, then as I like to say when you need a tooth pulled you go to the dentist.”

Elaborating on this concise analogy he continues “I take it to a point to where it's probably passable, then like a psychopath do it all again with the fidelity and scrutiny of a professional mixer.”

Jordan Valeriote, Cameron McLellan, Sam Guaiana and Simon Grove are just some of the engineers and producers Aaron has worked with over Intervals’ history, elaborating “We’ve taken a hybrid approach with some things changing over time.”

Wrapping up our brief but pleasant Tuesday morning chat we highlight November's upcoming Monolith Festival featuring dates in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

With a stacked bill featuring the likes of Intervals, Coheed And Cambria, Periphery, Leprous, Novelists and Silver Fang, Aaron is quickly reminded of previous trips to the land down under.

Glowingly, he recalls the 2018 co-headline tour with Polyphia “We had just come from Southeast East Asia very tired, Polyphia flew over nice and fresh, I miss Australia dearly and I can't wait to come back!”

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