M A D E
B Y
M U S I C I A N S
F O R
M U S I C I A N S
MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU ISSUE 222
O CTO BER 2012
FREE
A
B
O
V
E
T
E
L
A
W
AY!
LEE RANALDO CANNIBAL CORPSE BIGSOUND REVIEWED
THIS
INTERVIEWED:
’ S H T GIV N O E M
AW
SOMETHING FOR KATE FUCK BUTTONS
H
VOX AC4C1-BL GUITAR AMP
ROAD TESTED:
YAMAHA PS35 KEYS DBX DRIVERACK PA+ BLACKSTAR HT METAL PEDAL PALMER FAT50 GUITAR AMP DPA ST2011C STEREO MIC KIT LAG T400DCE ACOUSTIC GUITAR + HEAPS MORE!
CONVERGE
JIM JONES REVUE
TAME IMPALA
$1,099 RRP* + MANY MORE
16MB OF FLASHROM R MS STORAGE G FOR WORLDWIDE LD DE CONTENTS EXPANSION NSION q 61 touch sensitive keys ys with 64-note polyphony q 864 voices and 181 accompaniment companiment styles q Features 78 new voices, 5 new styles and Yamaha Yamaha’s MegaVoice technology q Scale type settings & customisation n q 16-track recorder and Style Creator q 12W + 12W amplifier q Includes AC adaptor and music rest
$1,999 RRP* + MANY MORE
Our world is getting smaller all the time. For keyboard players, though, the musical world is getting larger all the time. Much larger, and that’s just the way we like it.
64MB OF FLASHROM STORAGE FOR WORLDWIDE CONTENTS EXPANSION q 61 touch sensitive keys with 128-note polyphony q Onboard + Expansion = An impressive range of voices and styles with an Arabic focus
Thanks to Yamaha’s new Voice & Style Expansion packs for the PSR-S650 and PSR-A2000 arranger workstations, you can take advantage of a wide and ever-increasing selection of regional, ethnic and traditional voices and styles. Load them to your keyboard and instantly play authentic sounds, rhythms and backings in the musical style of your choice.
To choose a free expansion pack to download and to browse through the ever-increasing selection, visit
q Joystick Controller q USB Audio Recording / Playback q 12W + 12W amplifier q Includes AC adaptor and music rest
services.music.yamaha.com/vse *RRP (recommended retail price) listed includes GST and is current as of 1st September 2012. RRP is subject to change by Yamaha Music Australia Pty Ltd and
OCT 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN
PG. 3
-CONTENTS-
FORE WORD
6
GIVEAWAYS
8
NEWS & TOURS
10 PRODUCT NEWS 16 MUSE 18 CONVERGE CANNIBAL CORPSE
Well this month has definitely had its trials and tribulations as the Australian Music Group (AMG) that comprises of Music Link, Intermusic, Billy Hydes Imports and retailer Allans + Billy Hydes officially shuts their doors for the final time. Big supporters of Mixdown Magazine over the years, we’d like to send out our appreciation and also our heart felt condolences to all staff, friends and colleagues whom we have worked alongside over the years. We wish you all the very best on your new endeavors and look forward to working alongside each and every one of you in the industry soon. Now, with change, comes opportunity and if any one band can attest to this fact it would be our cover stars this month – sci-fi electro stadium rockers Muse who drop in and chat about their new record. We talk all things heavy with Converge and Cannibal Corpse while kicking out the jams with The Jim Jones Revue, guitar guru Lee Ranaldo, beat maestros Fuck Buttons and local dynamos Tame Impala and Something For Kate. We also get down with BIGSOUND, one of Australia’s leading music industry showcase conferences and look into why you should be checking it out. We also have the low down and exclusive on breaking more news than any other gear and music mag in the country with more reviews, interviews and exposure for all the brands and bands you love. So, get behind your instrument, take a deep breath and read on.
20 JIM JONES FUCK BUTTONS 22 LEE RANALDO TAME IMPALA 24 SOMETHING FOR KATE BIG SOUND WRAP UP 26 UNLEASH YOUR INNER ROCK GOD WHAT’S THAT SOUND? - KEYS 27 ON THE DOWNLOW BANGIN’ THE TUBS 28 (D)IGITAL (J)OCKEY
Aleksei Plinte Editor In Chief
HOME STUDIO HINTS 30 ROAD TESTS
CANNIBAL CORPSE PAGE 18
LEE RANALDO PAGE 22
FUCK BUTTONS PAGE 20
SOMETHING FOR KATE PAGE 24
PUBLISHER Furst Media
COVER ART Michael Cusack
GRAPHIC ARTISTS Gill Tucker, Baly Gaudin
EDITOR IN CHIEF Aleksei Plinte mixdown@beat.com.au
LOGO DESIGN www.furstmedia.com.au
EDITORIAL CO-ORDINATOR Lachlan Kanoniuk
MIXDOWN OFFICE 3 Newton Street Richmond VIC 3121 Phone: (03) 9428 3600 Fax: (03) 9428 3611
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Patrick O’Neill
ADVERTISING Aleksei Plinte, Ronnit Sternfein
CONTRIBUTORS Peter Hodgson, Rob Gee, Nick Brown, Adrian Violi, Tim Clarke, Andrew Burke, Zac Cooper
‘LIKE’ US
ACEBOOK.COM/MI X AT F
LAST MONTH’S WINNER OCTOBER GIVEAWAY BLUE MICROPHONES REACTOR
Massive thanks to all those who entered for their chance to pick up the very tasty Blue Microphones Reactor, one of the stars of our massive Studio Special. Shout out to Amber Technology, Australia’s Blue Microphones distributor, for hooking us up with the Reactor! This month a big congratulations goes to Craig Major from Rochedale South, QLD. You can expect to capture your vocal takes in style real soon. Looking forward to hearing the results!
VOX AC4C1-BL ELECTRIC GUITAR AMP After the soul of a classic in a compact unit? Well you’ll wanna get your hands on the VOX AC4C1-BL. The AC30’s Top Boost sound has fascinated guitarists around the world for over fifty years. Capable of massive crunch or the clean, classic “chime,” this Top Boost tone is the essence of VOX’s identity. The AC4C1-BL now delivers this unbeatable sound in a portable, compact body. Gain control, Bass and Treble tone controls, and a Master Volume allow any player to easily recreate this historic sound. Remarkable not only for its authentic VOX sound, the AC4C1-BL is also captivating in its appearance. For your chance to win the AC4C1-BL courtesy of Yamaha Australia, simply follow these steps: Step 1. Head to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/mixdownmagazine), like our page if you haven’t already, then like and/or share our pic of the AC4C1-BL as posted on October 3. Step 2. Tell us just how compact the AC4C1-BL is by checking the dimensions at www.voxamps.com
*Competition disclaimer* All Mixdown Magazine competition winners agree to having their loacation, name and photo with themselves and their prize published in Mixdown Magazine and online. All entrants must be residents of Australia.
Step 3. Email your answers to mixdown@beat. com.au with your full name, address and contact telephone number. One entry per person.
NEW ALBUM OUT NOW convergecult.com epitaph.com facebook.com/converge
PG. 6
MIXDOWN NO. 222
NMAGAZINE DOW
- M I X D O W N G I V E A W AY S -
OCTOBER 2012
ALL DELAY ALL THE WAY Meet Flashback X4 - the next chapter of our Flashback Delay success story. 16 TC quality delays types, 3 presets and tap tempo only begin to scratch the surface of this delaycious pedal! Flashback X4 also holds 4 TonePrint slots allowing you to load 4 delay TonePrints, custom tuned tweaks of TC effects provided by your favorite guitarists!
tcelectronic.com/x4 TonePrint® Enabled
Distributed in Australia by Amber Technology Pty Ltd. Unit 1, 2 Daydream St, Warriewood NSW 2102 FREE PHONE 1 800 251 367 sales@ambertech.com.au
www.ambertech.com.au/dealer-finder
www.ambertech.com.au OCT 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN
PG. 7
KORA
TEX PERKINS & THE DARK HORSES
VIOLENT SOHO
Kiwi outfit Kora will release their highly anticipated second album Light Years on Friday October 26 via Remote Control. The five-strong collective of fearless sonic explorers have discovered a whole new constellation of future-shocked funk, soul and r’n’b – dubbing it ‘alien funk.’ Light Years steps into the unknown on a bass odyssey, eschewing guitars in favour of a high-tech arsenal of synthesisers, live and sampled drums plus the otherworldly four-part harmonies. Kora will tour Australia this November to celebrate the album’s launch. TOUR DATES:
Freshly signed to shit-hot stable I OH YOU and gearing up to drop a double A-side seven-inch, Violent Soho have announced their first headline tour in two years. Giving us a taste of their seven-
inch with ‘Tinderbox’, the Brisbane-based grunge masters are set to relaunch into the Australian music landscape in a big way. Special guests to be announced.
TOUR DATES:
November 15 – Goodgod, Sydney NSW November 16 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide SA
November 17 – The Tote, Melbourne VIC November 23 – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane QLD
November 22 – The Arena, Brisbane QLD Novmeber 23 – The Metro, Sydney NSW November 24 – The Hi-FI, Melbourne VIC
Frontman of The Cruel Sea, The Beasts of Bourbon, collaborator on the Tex, Don and Charlieoutings, and compadre to Tim Rogers on the TnT project. More recently seen leading the Tennessee Four in a night of memorable music in his turn in the Johnny Cash musical The Man In Black, Tex is now back once again to the lilting, dark country of Dark Horses, returning this October with a new LP, Everyone’s Alone and a select run of tour dates in support. TOUR DATES:
October 19 – Country Club, Launceston TAS October 20 – Wrest Point, Hobart TAS November 1 – The Factory, Sydney NSW November 2 – Milton Theatre, Milton NSW November 3 – Street Theatre, Canberra ACT November 8 – The Zoo, Brisbane QLD November 9 – Star Court Theatre, Lismore NSW November 15 – The Corner, Melbourne VIC November 16 – SSA Club, Albury NSW November 23 – The Venue, Townsville QLD November 24 – Tanks Art Centre, Cairns QLD
GAY PARIS
EINSTÜRZENDE NEUBAUTEN
We only have The Drones to thank for inviting Einstürzende Neubauten down to Australia for the hotly anticipated 2013 ATP I’ll Be You Mirror bash, and having committed to making the long trip south iconic and infamous German avantindustrialists are taking full advantage of the
opportunity, announcing their a run of headline shows. The band’s fearsome live shows have long been legendary for (mainly) all the right reasons, literally trying to bring down the house (with jackhammers) on more than one occasion.
TOUR DATES:
February 19 – The Palace, Melbourne VIC February 22 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
THE KNOCKS
ANIMAL COLLECTIVE
Hailing from New Yorks lower east side, The Knocks - Ben ‘B-Roc’ Ruttner and James ‘Jpatt’ Patterson are rolling their explosive live show across the globe in a massive way. When only just out of their teens, the production duo started a studio called Heavy Roc Music and are responsible for the Neon Gold Release ‘Make It Better’ and number one hit and club favourite ‘Dancing With The DJ’. Now The Knocks are heading to Australia for the very first time. Don’t miss out. TOUR DATES:
November 22 – Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast QLD November 23 – Bowler Bar, Brisbane QLD November 24 – Foreshore Festival, Canberra ACT November 30 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW December 1 – The Toff, Melbourne VIC December 2 – TBA, Perth WA
PG. 8
MIXDOWN NO. 222
February 23 – Tivoli, Brisbane QLD
Heading our way for the Big Day Out, third millennium psychedelic heroes Animal Collective have announced a Melbourne sideshow. The enigmatic quartet have taught us to expect the unexpected across ten albums and more than ten years. Bursting with textures – radio snippets, advertising samples, broadcast static – and with a newfound rhythmic immediacy, their latest album Centipede Hz is enamoured by experimentation. Don’t miss their ecstatic live show. TOUR DATES:
January 16 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW January 23 – The Palace, Melbourne VIC
OCTOBER 2012
Gay Paris are a dirty rock band from Sydney, and come November they’ll be doing dirty rock band things all over the country to promote ‘The Demarcation Of Joseph Hollybone’, the first single from their forthcoming sophomore album. Six
Guns, Ol’ Black Tooth, Slim Pickins’ and Wailin’ H Monks are packin’ the wagon and taking their genre-bending blend of blues, swamp and rock’n’roll to the whiskey swilling masses.
TOUR DATES:
November 3 – Transit Bar, Canberra ACT November 7 – The Cambridge, Newcastle ACT November 8 – The Steyne, Manly NSW November 9 – The Sando, Sydney NSW November 10 – The Patch, Wollongong NSW November 15 – Prince Of Wales, Bunbury WA November 17 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth WA November 18 – The Indi Bar, Scarborough WA
November 23 – The Spotted Cow, Toowoomba QLD November 24 – Rics Bar, Fortitude Valley QLD November 30 – The Tote, Melbourne VIC December 1 – The Nash, Geelong VIC December 6 – Royal Oak, Launceston TAS December 7 – Spurs Saloon, Devonport TAS December 8 – Brisbane Hotel, Hobart TAS December 15 – Jive, Adelaide SA
STUDIOS 301
Sydney’s prestigious Studios 301 have announced the availability of six new production studios located in their Sydney base. Each production studio is self-contained and is made up of a 22sqm control room and a 3.6sqm recording booth. Those booking the studios have 24 hour a day access to the studios and can utilise 301’s exensive amenities
The expansion now puts the facilities as one of the biggest in the world, building upon a reputation that has seen superstar artists such as Muse, Kanye West, Lady Gaga and more work with the studio. Get in fast as the new studios are being snapped up quick smart!
For more information on Studios 301, contact (02) 8396 7266 or email anthony@studios301.com
GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR
DAMN TERRAN
For the long-overdue first time ever, Godspeed You! Black Emperor will be heading to Australia for a headline tour. Already announced on the incredible lineup for ATP’s I’ll Be Your Mirror – taking place in Altona, Victoria – the elusive outfit have
sporadically appeared at festivals since reuniting in 2010. The prospect of an Australian tour seemed like a longshot, that’s why we’re thanking our lucky stars that the collective will be heading our way this February.
TOUR DATES:
February 13 – The Tivoli, Brisbane QLD February 14 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney NSW
February 15 – The Forum, Melbourne VIC
SUGAR ARMY
Having just released their critically acclaimed second album, Sugar Army are now ready to take Summertime Heavy on the road. The rejuvenated
Perth outfit have returned with a stronger groove, bolder lyrics, and a laser-precision focus. Support on the tour comes from Emperors.
which features guest vocals from Shane Parsons of DZ Deathrays. Damn Terran plan to finish recording their debut album with Ben Ely (Regurgitator) this December. The outfit will hit the road this month to celebrate the release of their ace new 7” ‘Pills’.
TOUR DATES:
TOUR DATES:
October 5 - Rosemount Hotel, Perth WA October 18 – Goodgod Small Club, Sydney NSW
Forged in a pit of noise, the triumvirate of Damn Terran have created a musical synchronicity that belies their mere two year lifespan. Earlier this year Damn Terran released their very excellent 7” single ‘Rebels’ through new Melbourne imprint Thornbury Records. Following ‘Rebels’ is the new track ‘Pills,’
October 19 – Alhambra Lounge, Brisbane QLD October 20 – The Toff, Melbourne VIC
October 5 – The Tote, Melbourne VIC October 12 – World Bar, Sydney NSW
October 19 – Rocket Bar, Adelaide SA
OCTOBER 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN
PG. 9
HEMINGWAY DIGITAL PIANOS
RADIAL ENGINEERING POWERHOUSE 10 SLOT POWER RACK
Hemingway Pianos are a great value alternative to some of today’s big brand name pianos, offering a complete line of affordable digital pianos for today’s modern lifestyle. With a range encompassing beginners’ keyboards, stage digital pianos, and home digital pianos with full cabinets – there is a piano to suit every player. Take Hemingway’s Stage Digital Piano the HWDP101 – an 88-Note digital piano with hammer-action weighted keys. The HWDP101 is a great option for budget conscious pianists who might have outgrown the smaller keyboards, and is also a great option for anyone looking for The Powerhouse is a 10 module 500 series power-rack designed to accommodate both older and newer 500 series modules and provide the studio with maximum density in a standard 19” rack frame. The design begins with heavy 14 gauge steel construction and baked enamel finish for maximum shielding against noise and greater durability when subjected to road use. An ‘easy glide’ slider tray makes it painless to align the PCB connector to the 15 pin card edge receptacle when swapping modules. Once connected, the rear panel sports a standard array of XLRs to connect to and from the workstation or mixer. This is augmented with a series of 1/4” TRS connectors that enable cross-patching and open the door to the excitement of parallel signal
processing. Instead of having to hard patch modules together using a cable, the Powerhouse incorporates an innovative feed switch that instantly connects the signal to the adjacent module. This makes building signal chains quick and eliminates the need for extra cables. And unlike older racks that require soldering when modules are used in stereo, the Powerhouse is equipped with a stereo link function that takes care of the task with a simple slide of a switch.
a MIDI controller with weighted keys, but don’t require all the features of more expensive units. Not only does it feature well, and play great, it does it all at such a price you might be second checking that price tag! Their flagship models feature full cabinets, several finishes available including gloss ebony, and AMEB approved sustain, soft and sostenuto pedals. For more information on the Hemingway range of products, contact Australasian Music Supplies on (03) 9549 1500 or visit www.austmusic.com.au
MARK DRUM DANNY GOTTLIEB YES SAMPLES
For more information on the TC-Electronic range of products, phone Amber Technology on 1800 251 367 or visit www. ambertech.com.au
TC-ELECTRONIC FLASHBACK X4 DELAY & LOOPER
Guitarists everywhere loved Flashback Delay. The sounds, the vibe, TonePrints, the entire package - it was a smash hit that rocked the world. But as you’re aware, TC Electronic are more about moving things forward and listening to the feedback from the guitar community. Think of your favourite delay sounds and chances are it’s a TC sound. The 2290 Dynamic Digital delay is one of the most coveted pieces of gear out there today. With optimised headroom, True Bypass
or Buffered Bypass switching and Kill-Dry on/off, this pedal guarantees optimal tonal integrity and zero loss of tone.
For more information on the TC-Electronic range of products, phone Amber Technology on 1800 251 367 or visit www. ambertech.com.au
DIMARZIO GRAVITY STORM STEVE VAI SIGNATURE PICKUPS
Dimarzio’s new Gravity Storm Neck & Bridge Model pickups were designed for Steve Vai, and they are the next step in his pickup evolution. They are named after a song on his album, Steve Vai: The Story of Light. Steve used to describe pickup sounds in terms of specific frequency responses - now he describes them as flavour and texture. Steve described the sound he wanted from his new Gravity Storm Bridge Model pickup as “a thundering cloud of ice cream”. It is very much a plug and play pickup – it does not PG. 10
MIXDOWN NO. 222
require a lot of tweaking to get a great sound. Because the highs are very fat, and it has both bite and sweetness it is possible to increase treble response on one’s amp without losing tone and sustain on the high frets. For more information on the Dimarzio range of products, contact Australasian Music Supplies on (03) 9549 1500 or visit www.austmusic.com.au
OCTOBER 2012
Mark Drum is making good on its promise to keep evolving and improving its YES drum kit, by offering updates and new sounds as free downloads. The latest such offering is two signature drum kits from great American jazz drummer (and Mark Drum artist), Danny Gottlieb. The kits were created in Milan, Italy, at a top studio called Officine Meccaniche. Danny brought his favourite drums and cymbals for an intensive sampling session with sound engineer Sabino Cannone and supervision of Mark Drum creator and general manager Marco De Virgiliis. “I’ve always loved electronic drums,” says Danny. “I’ve been playing them since the early ‘80s in
different configurations. But until now, you haven’t really had a drum set that really, really could simulate the sound of acoustic drums. And now we have that with Mark Drum. It uses very, very high-quality drum samples.” More firmware revisions and sample kits are on the way. Stay tuned!
For more information on the Mark Drum range of products, phone CMC Music on (02) 9905 2511 or visit www.cmcmusic.com.au
ERNIE BALL MUSIC MAN PREMIER DEALER NETWORK
Ernie Ball Music Man have invited a select group of dealers to finish their favourite guitars and basses in a ‘package’ of features that is otherwise unavailable on Music Man instruments. It is anticipated that the completed instruments will arrive on Australian shores in October. Instruments arriving at Ernie Ball Music Man Premier dealers with this finish package include StingRay, Bongo, Silhouette Special, Silhouette Bass Guitar, Luke III and Petrucci. Although instruments with this combination of finishing
elements will be quite rare, they are available for an upcharge of just $500 on the price of a standard production model. Please check your local stockist for availability.
For more information on the Ernie Ball Music Man range of products, phone CMC Music on (02) 9905 2511 or visit www. cmcmusic.com.au
20 Years of Aggression We proudly celebrate two decades of the most relentless, aggressive high-gain guitar tone, ever. The Peavey速 6505速 continues its reign as the amplifier of choice for the most influential artists.
A mpli fi ed. 速
Inno vation .
Learn why the 6505速 is the sound of modern metal at WWW.PEAVEY.COM/6505
Ph: 1300 134 400
KORG AND CMI MUSIC ANNOUNCE NEW DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIP
NEW FINISHES FOR STERLING BY MUSIC MAN AX40
Sterling by Music Man have announced the latest finish update for their Ax40 range of guitars. The Ax series of guitars pay homage to the classic Music Man Axis. The lush quilt maple top features on the Ax’s iconic body shape is highlighted by the deep transparent purple finish. Bound basswood body, five bolt neck joint, asymmetrical neck shape, locking nut and bridge. The new Trans Purple Ax40 ships this summer. The Sterling by Music Man Ax 40 is now available in Trans Black, Trans Gold and
Trans Purple. Guitarists can take part in a poll for their favourite Ax40 finish by visiting CMC Music’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ cmcmusicoz.
For more information on the Sterling By Music Man range of products, phone CMC Music on (02) 9905 2511 or visit www.cmcmusic.com.au
Korg and CMI Music and Audio are proud to announce a new distribution partnership for Australia. CMI formed its music technology department in 2008 and has developed a strong team to support and promote world leading brands. Korg, since it began in the 1960s, is recognised as one of the most innovative manufacturers of electronic musical instruments and accessories in the world. From producing the first synthesiser in Japan, to defining the Music Workstation category, to inventing the world’s
first handheld electronic tuner and more, Korg has been at the forefront of music technology, and strives to bring to market products that are not only cutting edge, but also extremely userfriendly, inspirational, and of the highest quality.
For more information on the Korg range of products, contact contact CMI on (03) 9315 2244 or visit www.cmi.com.au.
HDSPE MADI FX PCI EXPRESS CARD
LEWITT LTS 240 DUAL C+D/LTS 240 DIVERSITY C+D WIRELESS KIT
Shipping of the HDSPe MADI FX PCI express card has commenced! The HDSPe MADI FX marks a new milestone both in the history of audio interface cards in the past two decades and within the long series of outstanding RME devices. Never before has such a highperformance multi-channel audio system existed.The 192 kHz RME effects engine allows latency-free monitoring with numerous effects State-of-the-art technology, solid construction, reliable performance and quality audio transmission at an extraordinary priceperformance ratio – that’s what Lewitt’s LTS 240 Dual C and LTS 240 Dual D wireless start-up kits stand for. Designed for entry-level users, these versatile, compact wireless systems offer artists engineers easy-to-use wireless technology, delivering natural and distortion-free sound on small stages, at events or karaoke performances. With the LTS 240 Diversity C and LTS 240 Diversity D systems, LEWITT introduces rugged, reliable and easy-to-use wireless systems designed to add a remarkable quality to performances of
ambitious entry-level users. Perfectly suited for use on small stages, at club gigs, regional events or in houses of worship, these reasonably priced wireless systems withstand the rigours of regular stage use and deliver reliable performance in any setting. Convenient and easy setup makes these systems the perfect choice for young bands, entertainers and karaoke professionals.
like EQs, Compressors, Reverb, and Echo rendered directly on the hardware of the card, independent from the DAW software in use. For more information on the HDSPe MADI FX PCI Express Card, contact Innovative Music on (03) 9540 0658 or visit www. innovativemusic.com.au
PALMER ARRIVES IN AUSTRALIA
For more information on the Lewitt range of products, phone National Audio Systems on 1800 441 440 or visit www.nationalaudio.com.au
PRESONUS ADL 700 SINGLE-CHANNEL TUBE PREAMPLIFIER
In 2005, PreSonus partnered with Anthony DeMaria to develop the ADL 600 high-end two-channel, highvoltage vacuum tube-based preamplifier. It has won a reputation as being one of the best-sounding preamplifiers in the world among top recording engineers and producers including Chuck Ainlay, Jimmy Douglass and Mark Mancina. Responding to user requests, PreSonus has designed the ADL 700 channel PG. 12
MIXDOWN NO. 222
strip, combining one 12AX7 vacuum tube ADL 600 preamp channel with an FET compressor, and 4-band semi-parametric equaliser.
For more information on the PreSonus range of products, phone National Audio Systems on 1800 441 440 or visit www.nationalaudio.com.au
OCTOBER 2012
Palmer Germany, synonymous for their speaker simulators, finally have representation in Australia. Palmer started out over 30 years ago and quickly established itself on an international scale as one of the best known secrets of the music and audio industry. In the early years it was their speaker simulators that gained notoriety and with current users like Joe Bonomassa and The Black Keys, products like their PDI03, PGA04 and PDI09 prove that they’ve still got it. It’s not surprising considering this boutique manufacturer hand winds its own transformers and still believes that analogue is beautiful. Palmer continues manufacturing and developing many special ‘guitarist tools’ that are not available from other manufacturers and in more
recent times they have been busy introducing some great sounding guitar amps like the FAT50 and the Class A/B DREI. The DREI with its Triple Single Ended Amplifier design is truly unique, with tons of tone. And it’s not over yet with three more guitar amps and a handful of new products still to be released over the next 3-4 months. There’s no doubt that Palmer has something of interest for guitarists as well as the live sound and studio engineer alike.
For more information on the Palmer range of products, contact Sonic Frog on (08) 8354 1115 or visit www.sonicfrog.com.au
MAYONES DJENTLEMEN SERIES GUITARS NOW AVAILABLE
In response to the burgeoning popularity of the Djent music genre, Mayones Guitars and Basses have engaged some of the world’s finest exponents of the style to assist in the design of their new range of guitars. With leading lights of the Djent fraternity such as Misha Mansoor (Periphery), PeteyG (Red Seas Fire), Acle Kahney (Tesseract), Jochen Jacobs and Bart Hennephof (Textures) on board to oversee the specification
of these guitars, Mayones have produced a range of guitars worthy of even the most technically advanced players. For more information on the Mayones range of products, contact Ubersonic on (03) 9580 1050 or visit www.ubersonic.com.au
SAMSON RESOUND PASSIVE SPEAKERS Samson have re-vamped their incredibly popular Resound line of passive PA speakers with increased power handling and great versatility from a variety of different enclosure options. Beefier woofers and upgraded compression drivers give the new Resound HD series all the style and performance you would expect from professional-grade PA speakers.
For more information on the Samson range of products, phone Electric Factory on (03) 9474 1000 or visit www.elfa.com.au
WIN A STERLING BY MUSIC MAN RAY 35
To celebrate the success of the Sterling by Music Man and S.U.B. series of guitars and basses, CMC Music are giving away a Sterling by Music Man Ray 35 to one of the first 500 visitors to like their new Facebook page. Visit www.facebook. com/cmcmusicoz to join the competition.
For more information on the Ernie Ball Music Man range of products, phone CMC Music on (02) 9905 2511 or visit www. cmcmusic.com.au
TAYLOR ES-GO PICKUP The ES-Go is an aftermarket, passive magnetic soundhole pickup that was developed specifically for the GS Mini. Anyone can install it in minutes with just a screwdriver thanks to the pre-fitted connecting bracket inside the guitar. Pair it with the V-Cable, which features a built-in volume control on the cord.
For more information on the Peavey range of products, phone Audio Products Group on (02) 9669 3477 or visit www.audioproducts.com.au
dbx Just Sounds Better. Innovative Designs | Quality Engineering | Exceptional Performance | Rugged Reliability
When it counts, trust the industry standard. dbx is the professionals choice in signal processing, so if you want your performance to count trust the Industry Leader. With over 40 years of experience producing superior audio products, dbx gives you cleaner, better sound.
To hear the difference scan here.
OCTOBER 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN
PG. 13
HERCULES HA300 TABLET HOLDER
STEINBERG CMC SERIES CONTROLLERS Those looking to get their hands on innovative technology at a very nice price are in for a treat, with Yamaha dropping the RRP on the Steinberg CMC Controller series.The CMC series is made up of six USB-powered controllers that can be individually combined to form a custom-made Cubase control desk. Whether beat creation, transport control, editing or multi-track mixing, there is the perfect model for every task. Each of the six slim-sized units is unique in its own way and features a dedicated set of illuminated rotary encoders, touch faders or pads — each of them designed to take hands-on control of a specific section in Cubase. Due to the adoption of Cubase’s icons and color scheme, users will instantly feel at home with the workflow. Take control, keep focused and be flexible – the CMC series will tremendously speed up your recording, editing and mixing workflow no matter if you are in the studio or on the go.
For more information on the Steinberg range of products, phone Yamaha Australia on (03) 9693 5111 or visit au.yamaha.com
YAMAHA MOTIF BONUS OFFER
To celebrate 10 musical years of the Yamaha MOTIF synthesiser, Yamaha Music Australia are offering a BONUS 10th Anniversary pack for MOTIF XF6, XF7 and XF8 purchased from August 1, 2012 until stocks last. This special bonus pack includes Chick’s sound library – an incredible sound library on a Yamaha USB memory stick featuring Chick Corea’s very own electric piano samples, an FL512M Flash Memory module, Steinberg’s Cubase AI audio and MIDI recording
and editing software, Steinberg’s Prologue and Steinberg’s YC3B. Visit www.yamahabackstage. com.au/promotions for details on how to claim the offer.
For more information on the Yamaha MOTIF, phone Yamaha Australia on (03) 9693 5111 or visit au.yamaha.com
Hercules have just announced their 360-degree freely adjustable Tablet Holder. Holds various tablets from 8.9” to 10.1”, including iPad, iPad2, new iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Motorola Xoom, Acer Iconia, Asus Eee Pad and also other brands within the size specifications. The one-piece clamp fits 15.8~25.4mm round tubes and 19mm square tubes. A separate table support included
for desktop use, works in both landscape and portrait modes.
For more information on the Hercules range of products, phone Electric Factory on (03) 9474 1000 or visit www.elfa.com.au
ALLEN & HEATH 1RU ICE-16 INTERFACE
Allen & Heath has packaged part of its digital technology in a very handy, standalone audio interface/recorder. The 1RU ICE-16 is a 16 channel in/16 channel out audio interface which allows performers and audio engineers to easily capture high quality multi-track recordings direct to a USB drive or interface to a computer. ICE-16 is capable of studio quality interfacing, converting and bi-directional streaming of 16 channels over high-speed USB or FireWire at 24 bit, 96kHz resolution. Alternatively, 16 channels
can be simultaneously recorded straight to a USB hard drive or memory stick at up to 24bit 48kHz resolution .wav file. The ICE-16 is expandable, so you can link units together and synchronise recording of many channels.
For more information on the Allen & Heath range of products, contact TAG on (02) 9519 0900 or visit www.tag.com.au
MAYONES REGIUS GUITARS
CLEARTONE STRINGS
Cleartone Strings feature the Award Winning Patented treatment and coating that is designed to keep your strings sounding fresh, three to five times longer than uncoated strings. With the thinnest guitar string coating in the industry, nothing lasts as long or sounds as good as Cleartone Strings. Enhanced Molecular Protection (EMP) is what gives Cleartone strings their amazing long life with virtually no loss in tone or playability. Everyone agrees that coated strings last longer than uncoated strings. And everyone agrees that uncoated strings sound PG. 14
MIXDOWN NO. 222
better. You want the lifespan of coated strings with the brightness and feel of an uncoated set. Impossible? Not anymore. Available for electric, acoustic and bass guitars in a large range of gauges.
For more information on the Dynamic range of products contact Dynamic Music on (02) 9939 1299 or visit www.dynamicmusic.com.au
OCTOBER 2012
Mayones guitars and basses have now released a new series of their original design Regius guitars with world-renowned Kahler tremolo bridge systems on board. Dubbed the Regius KLR, this new series offers players another power-packed option to add to their guitar arsenal. With the incredibly stable tuning platform offered by Kahler tremolo bridge systems, even the most aggressive “dive bombing” guitar effects can
be performed with confidence. Using their patented cam, roller and ball bearing systems, Kahler tremolo bridges ensure maximum effect with minimum impact on guitar tuning. For more information on the Mayones range of products, contact Ubersonic on (03) 9580 1050 or visit www.ubersonic.com.au
MUSE METHOD TO THEIR MADNESS
The sun is shining over an unidentified lush English garden. It’s a few hours since the last firework lit up London’s Olympic Stadium, and a selection of the closing ceremony’s stars – three of the Spice Girls, a Gallagher, and Muse drummer Dominic Howard – are huddled together pulling shapes for the camera, all with good reason to celebrate. That’s the scene set by Emma Bunton, aka Baby Spice, in a photo posted on Twitter the day before my interview with Dominic. Muse, of course, performed the official London Olympics theme Survival at the ceremony – a track that features on The 2nd Law, the band’s sixth studio album. Still picking up the pieces from the day before, Dominic discusses the album’s fusion of the electronic and organic, as well as issuing a challenge to laptop-based musicians. So how’s the hangover? It’s fading. It’s still there slightly, but it’s definitely fading. Yesterday it was pretty bad. It was a bit of a late night. It was a bizarre night. It got more and more surreal as the night went on. Then the morning turned up.
You’re making some fearless moves on The 2nd Law, do you feel like you’re infallible at this stage? Everyone makes mistakes in whatever they do, but I think we certainly have this feeling that we can do whatever we want. Whether that’s right or wrong is a different thing. We definitely feel like we have this bizarre artistic freedom to do whatever we want and not really worry about it too much or think about how it might be perceived. We’re essentially just doing what we like. And of course we’re pushing ourselves to discover new ways of playing and recording music, and I think this album certainly shows it. There are all sorts of different things on this album. There’s been a strong reaction online to the new material, are you concerned about dividing your fanbase? I think it is good to provoke opinions. Our band has always managed to weirdly split and divide opinions. Anything we do, people seem to love it or completely hate it and think it’s the worst thing ever. I love that. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s provoking something and inspiring a reaction. I think that we’ve been lucky that it’s what we’ve always managed to do with the music we’ve made. I think it’s important to get a reaction out of someone and not be in the middle of the bloody road, because that’s dull, let’s face it. I’ve always got faith. All we’ve ever done is make music we like. I suppose we’ve been lucky that other people also like what we like to make. We’ve certainly lived with music for a long time. With this album there’s some really amazing stuff, some of the best stuff we’ve ever made. I think the way the album listens, it’s certainly an album that is full of surprises. And I personally love those kind of albums, the ones where you put it on and go ‘what the fuck was that?’. The more you listen to it the more you discover new things. Every song and every corner you take feels like a completely different thing. We’re looking forward to playing it all live, we’re actually rehearsing at the moment. So we’re figuring out how to do it all, but so far so good. It’s all getting exciting and I’m vibed up for the next tour, really. There aren’t many genres left untouched on the record, was it difficult putting it together in a cohesive manner? We just went for it with this one. With the last one I think we were strangely worrying about how it was going to feel cohesive. I think the last album was more about us trying to define the sound of the band, but I think with this it was very free and we were much more open to try new ideas and not worry about how it all sits together. We just wanted to get all these ideas recorded and put it down and had a fiddle around with it. We definitely played around with the tracklist to make it work. But we just didn’t worry about it, we were just making what we felt was right. Certainly on
PG. 16
MIXDOWN NO. 222
OCTOBER 2012
a song by song basis. The first two songs on the album couldn’t be more extreme in their difference from each other – the huge, massive rock riff of ‘Supremacy’ to the minimal electronic music of ‘Madness’. So there are the two extremes of the album with the first two songs. But somehow, to me, they sit together quite nicely. Obviously a sticking point for some fans has been the implementation of some dubstep elements. We’ve always been inspired by loads of music, from extremely current things to music that is a hundred, two hundred years old. We’ve always been inspired by electronic music as well as rock, orchestral music, film music. We just get inspired by a lot of different things all the time. With ‘Unsustainable’, it was kind of like a challenge to modern day electronic music in some way. We’re playing our instruments in a really electronic way, but it’s all with real instruments – a real orchestra, real choir, real drums, bass and guitar. We just wanted to do something that was inspired by electronic music, but still very organic. It’s kind of a challenge to a man on his laptop.
Do you feel like you’re still developing as a drummer? I’ve never been a drummer that tries to show off or play too technically. But we always try to make sure the music that we’re making is challenging to all three of us as musicians. I’m still searching as a drummer. I’ve just started having a good friend of mine, a drum teacher, give me lessons in the past year or so, weirdly. You’re always discovering and learning. I think my drumming has changed loads in the last year and half. I’m really looking forward to getting out there and playing again.
“WE’RE PLAYING OUR INSTRUMENTS IN A REALLY ELECTRONIC WAY, BUT IT’S ALL WITH REAL INSTRUMENTS – A REAL ORCHESTRA, REAL CHOIR, REAL DRUMS, BASS AND GUITAR.”
You self-produced The 2nd Law, following on from the self-produced The Resistance. Was taking on that aspect overwhelming at any stage? Not so much this time. We were much more confident so it was our second time round, so we didn’t feel too lost. I think there was a moment when we first started doing the orchestra in LA, because we did most of the record in London, it was like, ‘Right. What’s happening?’ All of a sudden you feel responsible for all these musicians you’ve booked to come in and we had a very big orchestra this time – 60-odd people I think. But they started playing and it all worked out. We felt more confident as producers and we work pretty well together. Because the band is a three-piece it’s all very democratic and get decisions made quite quickly. The reason we started producing in the first place is because we felt we could get things done more quickly I suppose. Not that we were being careless, it just felt we could do it faster. But this time around it was great. All three of us were a bit more present in the studio this time. It’s a great learning curve, this weird journey of discovery that you have to go on to figure stuff out and keep on working until you find something that you think is great. The hardest part is finishing, because you could go on forever.
What was the range of gear used this time around? Lots of different things. I had a main drumkit set up with my DW kit that I was using on the last tour everywhere, which sounds great. Then we also had this big PA, so we obviously mic’ed up the drums to record them, but we also put them through the PA to make a very live sound. ‘Supremecy’, the first track for example, has that huge roomy kit sound. We tried to create that live enviroment by mic’ing it up and having the PA in the room. The ambience of the room mics are picking up this amplified drum sound. That was the main kit. I used loads of timpani, I’ve got this funny old drumkit that’s about 65 years old I used on one song, this vintage Ludwig piece. Again on ‘Supremecy’ I used about ten different snare drums of all shapes and sizes. All that military march thing in the verses. Also did a lot of electronics and programming. There was also a lot of layering of drum parts as well. Sometimes we’d rehears and have all the parts down and I’d look at the drums and break down the parts, rather than going out and playing it like it was a gig. Just recording all the different parts individually to get completely different sounds and build up drum tracks like that. I really like working like that, even though it’s all separated. It builds this drum track that’s a bit more unusual. So when will Australia experience The 2nd Law in the live setting? I think it’s just gonna be next year sometime. Well to be honest rather than saying we’re gonna be there soon, it’s gonna be towards the end of next year, I know. Coming up to your summer. We’ll be looking forward to coming back and doing some nice big shows. BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
The 2nd Law is out now through Warner.
PEDALS
STRINGS In 2005, we entered the string business. But we didn’t just want to sell strings we set out to build a string company, and it was the best move we ever made. It allowed us to be closer and even more connected to the player and their whole musical experience.
ACCESSORIES FROM PICKS TO PEDALS AND EVERY ACCESSORY IN BETWEEN, DUNLOP MANUFACTURING HAS BEEN CREATING WORLD-CLASS GEAR FOR MUSICIANS FOR OVER 45 YEARS.
Proudly Distributed By: Australasian Music Supplies
www.austmusic.com.au
CONVERGE VISIONS IN UNISON
Metallic hardcore pioneers Converge seem to be able to do no wrong in the eyes of both critics and their fans, having released an unbroken string of widely adored albums in a career that spans over two decades. With their new album All We Love We Leave Behind being released this October, Mixdown spoke to guitarist and producer Kurt Ballou about the process and the pressures of making an album so far into such a highly praised career. The new record has a very familiar Converge sound but equally offers something very new. How conscious was this balance? That’s something we try to do with every record, we never really wanna repeat ourselves but we also don’t wanna stray too far. I always liked bands that maintained a common thread throughout the history of the band but also continued to evolve. I don’t want to hear the same record over and over again, but I also don’t want to be shocked or wondering “why?” I think something quite rare about Converge is the longevity of the band, and how you’ve maintained the favour of critics and fans alike. Do you attribute the longevity of your success to that common thread, never straying too far but always moving forward? I think the most important thing by some strange alignment of the stars is that these four people that are in the band were able to find each other and we all share a common need and a common drive to do this, and we also all share a mutual respect for one another’s musical vision, so it’s really an ideal work environment. I think that we’ve made a lot of smart decisions. The bands we looked up to never made a dime, and that was our model of success to make music that you’re excited about, and if people like it cool, and if they don’t, well fuck it, who cares? I like to think that’s one of the reasons that people have stuck with us over the years. We recognize that the change of the scene is what’s afforded us the opportunity to be able to continue to tour this band all over the world.
A lot of the bands that precede us didn’t have those opportunities, and it wasn’t because they were not as good as us or anything like that, but it was just because the timing of Converge was really ideal for what we do. We were able to come of age before the Internet made music as competitive as it is today, and also metallic hardcore scenes were significantly bigger at the time when we came up than they were 5-10 years previous to us. Also, the way the four members converged together. Having produced this album, you’ve said that you aimed for a rawer sound on this record to better replicate your live sound, how and why did you make that choice? I think it was the time to not worry so much about competing with other records or competing with ourselves and just trying to make a record that was really honest and reflects what these songs sound like being played in a room, and I listened a lot less to our contemporaries than I did when mixing our previous records. I was less concerned with how it measures up to other stuff and just how do these songs feel and how can I best present that feeling on the record. So it was a very conscious decision to block out the music in the scene at the time to create something more unique? Not necessarily. First of all, especially when a band starts to get to our age, they’re in danger of being influenced by the bands that they have influenced. Take Slayer as the perfect example, the awesomest heaviest band of all time,
being influenced by Nu-Metal. You don’t ever want to hear that. If you’re influenced by your contemporaries, then that record is going to feel stuck in a place or time. I like to think that this record over the years will remain fairly timeless. And another thing is that between the recording of this record and the touring that I do and all the other recording work I do with other bands, it means I’m listening to music very intensely for many hours of the day. All that concentration on the music makes it difficult to listen to other music without analysing it, and it also makes it difficult for me to just sit back and enjoy music. Did you find working on this album difficult to balance all the different musical personalities in the group and find a singular sound? It is really important to us that each song has its own personality, and that makes it more challenging in a way, but it’s also less challenging because we’re using slightly different vocabularies for each song, because we’re playing in different tempos and different keys and different styles. There are always gonna be like sister songs on an album, but it’s not a typical metallic hardcore record where it’s like 40 minutes of every song
at possibly the same tempo, so it keeps it interesting for us. I think this album really benefits from that dynamic. It’s so we don’t end up feeling like we’re swamped with a bunch of the same stuff. And I see that it’s hard for some of the bands that I record to actually record a full album, because after 5 or 6 songs of doing the same stuff, they start to glaze over a little bit, where that doesn’t really happen to us because each song is its own entity. So I have to ask, you start your US tour in October. Were you planning on coming to Australia in 2013? We don’t have anything booked yet, but we’re hoping that we can schedule something for early next year. Fingers crossed! BY ZAC COOPER
All We Love We Leave Behind is out now through Epitaph Records.
CANNIBAL CORPSE THE TORTURE NEVER STOPS Recently a pretty hilarious video did the rounds on social media. It was introduced by Richard Wilkins on MTV in 1991, and it spoke of a chilling new horror. “We’ve heard of speed metal,” Wilkins began. “We’ve had thrash metal, heavy metal, and now a frightening new development, death metal.” What follows is an alarmist report on the genre, with “lyrics far too disgusting to air.” It’s a reminder that once upon a time, death metal was very underground. There was a time when Cannibal Corpse albums were almost impossible to come by, and would be passed around the classroom in hushed tones, or listened to on headphones so your parents couldn’t hear what you were up to. Cannibal Corpse aren’t exactly mainstream, but they’re not so underground any more. You can actually buy their albums on the open market, often with the actual uncensored covers and everything. “We’ve been to Australia three times now,” guitarist Rob Barrett explains. “The first time was in 1994 or ‘95 for the Bleeding tour. We got back there again for the Kill album. And we were there for Evisceration Plague as well, so this will be the fourth time.” That first mid-90s tour is somewhat legendary in Australian metal circles, since it provided a chance for fans of the band to connect and see just who else was tapped into it. This was not lost on the band either. “That was a great tour. The crowds were really crazy because that was the first time we were there.”
where we were not in a town with anything close nearby. We were there to focus on the recording and that was about it. No distractions or having to commute back and forth to the studio, just basic everyday stuff. We were just at the ranch focusing on the record, and that was cool.” It’s a growing trend at the moment: bands opting to make the recording process almost a working holiday in a secluded location instead of a city-based studio - a distorted version of band camp, if you will. But Barrett observes the polar opposite of this as too. “I think a lot of bands are starting to do their records in home studios,” he says. “If you know what you’re doing and you have the budget to be able to buy the gear you can just do the albums at home.”
“I JUST LIKE GETTING GUITARS THAT ARE INSPIRED BY SOMEONE I LIKE AS A GUITARIST.”
But that was then and this is now. Cannibal Corpse’s latest album, Torture, is still relatively fresh on the shelves. The band decided to get away from everything for the recording sessions, and it had a huge impact on the creative process. “We went out to Sonic Ranch studio in Texas, about 40 miles from El Paso. It’s four studios on this big ranch right near the Mexican border. There were a couple of other bands recording while we were there, but we had this seclusion factor
PG. 18
MIXDOWN NO. 222
Barrett’s guitar arsenal includes plenty of different models, but his main axe is the Dead Cadilac. “It’s kind of a mix of a Les Paul and an Explorer,” he says. “It’s just a really comfortable shape for me. It’s not a super-long guitar, and it really reminds me of a Les Paul. I was using Gibsons for a long
OCTOBER 2012
time before that, and the thing I like about the Cadillac is it’s much lighter weight-wise but it still has a heavy tone. You can pretty much put an EMG in any guitar and it’ll sound halfway decent, so the Dean Cadillacs are my main guitars now.” The next Dean on his shopping list is a Dixie Rebel, a Dimebag Darrel model. “It’s like a V in the back and a Jackson Kelly in the front. It looks really cool! I have one with the Dixie flag on it, but I ordered two more that are just going to be flat black and I’ll have a friend of mine custompaint them. I have a Dean Flying V as well that I use as a spare. And then I’ve got a bunch of other guitars too. I don’t know if you want to get into that or not?” Of course! “Well I’ve got three Les Pauls. One’s a 1989 Silverburst showcase edition. I just put a Seymour Duncan customwound Tony Iommi pickup in it and it sounds awesome. I’m really digging it. But I use EMG 81s in all the guitars I use live but I’m always trying out lots of stuff at home. So I’ve been getting into trying out different pickups, pedals, amps, cabinets. Really digging into it to find the perfect combination for the sounds I’ve been going for…
so then I’ve got an 89 Gibson Les Paul Standard sunburst - the heaviest Les Paul I’ve ever picked up - I’ve got a 2000 Les Paul Standard, a Jackson star-shaped guitar which is the guitar that was inspired by Chris Holmes and Akira Takasaki and Alex Skolnick. I just like getting guitars that are inspired by someone I like as a guitarist. I’ve got a Kramer Baretta like Eddie Van Halen but with an angled Bill Lawrence pickup, I’ve got a Charvel Strat with a maple neck, I just bought a Fender Telecaster earlier in the year… I never liked Teles until recently but it’s just a really cool guitar so I just got it!” BY PETER HODGSON
TOUR DATES: October 4 – Fowler’s Live, Adelaide, SA October 5 – Billboard, Mdelbourne VIC October 6 – The Metro Theatre, Sydney NSW October 8 – The Hifi, Brisbane QLD
TREV WILK WILKINSON
THE JIM JONES REVUE RAW ROCK ’N’ SOUL
London-based quintet The Jim Jones Revue have been blowing minds and purging sweat glands with their high-octane combination of classic rock ’n’ roll and raw punk energy for the last five years. Mixdown caught up with amiable frontman Jim Jones to talk about how their third album The Savage Heart came together. On The Savage Heart you worked with Jim Sclavunos (Grinderman, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds). Yeah, it was great. We did quite a lot of preproduction at a place called The Premises in Hackney (North-East London), near where we all live. This helped Jim hone down what we wanted to do. He had great experience and advice. I’d be asking him, ‘What mics and compressors should we be using?’ to get certain sounds, and he just said, ‘Get it to sound how you want it to before you go into the studio and I’ll worry about the rest.’ It’s a reaffirmation that a sound is what it is and a nice mic will record it well and a shitty mic will record it badly. For years I’d obsess about getting a particular vocal sound like Elvis Presley or Aretha Franklin, but at the end of the day, those motherfuckers could sing! The recording engineers and producers just captured that. At the start of recording we went to a place called The Church in Lincolnshire (East England). It was a really great, large room that probably could have once been a church hall. There were wooden floors and there was a big throw on the sound without it sounding cavernous. It sounded big but tight – which is what we were after. We recorded most of our backing tracks there. We all performed together. We’re convinced something magic happens that way compared to tracking separately.
played live, but we dropped two of them once we got into the studio cos they just weren’t working. Some ideas we took into the studio I’d worked up on my little dictaphone. I took some of these ideas over to [guitarist] Rupert [Orton] and we decided which of them fitted with the direction we wanted the album to go in. Rupert had some guitar ideas that we jammed out in the studio before recording. And the final track on the album, ‘Midnight Oceans / The Savage Heart’, was something that just evolved in the studio. Our keyboard player Henri Herbert played this fantastic grand piano that sounded so good in the room – and the song evolved out of that. I love the narcotic feel of doo-wop, and that’s what we aimed for on that final track. They’re written as lullabies but they have a darker edge to them.
“I LOVE THE NARCOTIC FEEL OF DOO-WOP...”
Were all the songs presented to the band fully formed, or did any evolve as a band in the studio? Bit of both really. Four songs had already been
There’s a wonderful live feel to the record. Did you end up recording many overdubs? We went to a studio called West Heath Yard in North London, owned by Edwyn Collins, to do a lot of vocal takes. He’s got an Aladdin’s Cave of vintage equipment, all up and running, including George Martin’s old Neve desk that he used with The Beatles. The engineer we worked with was great at picking out certain equipment to capture certain sounds. I’d say something like, ‘ You know that maraca sound on “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”?’ and he’d set it up for us! The icing on the cake was to have Jim Abbiss mix the album for us. When we recorded with Jim Scalvunos, the more grotesque the sounds, the better. There’s a particular organ sound on ‘Eagle Eye Ball’ where I really wanted to get a nasty, growly edge to it and Jim Sclavunos knew just what I meant. Then, when we mixed with
FUCK BUTTONS
Jim Abbiss, he knew just what to do to create a really punchy, powerful mix. I wasn’t actually aware of all the famous bands he’d worked with. There was this one track he mixed by The Heavy called ‘How You Like Me Now?’ that I really like. We’re really pleased with the combination of people who worked on the record and how it all came together. I also read that Nick Lowe dropped by to offer his wisdom. We’d got to know Nick over the preceding year or so. We were introduced to him by English DJ Mark Lamarr, who has an encyclopaedic knowledge of rock ’n’ roll. Mark supported our stuff and played Nick one of our albums. We played a show at Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London and Nick came along to say hi. When we saw him we immediately asked, ‘How did you record “New Rose” by The Damned?’ He told us that in the studio at the time they had a homemade compressor that was really great on everything. And that was it! A one-of-itskind magic box of tricks. Having worked with Elvis Costello and Dave Edmunds, and on his own stuff, he’s just such a great musical mind that he dropped in and had a listen when we were working on preproduction. We were really honoured, hoping some of his magic might rub off on us! He had a few specific suggestions, but on the whole it was just encouragement, really.
you just use your live set-up and capture good live takes? At Edwyn’s studio I used some of his gear. On a couple of tracks I used an old Fender Champ with a broken speaker. That had a particular tone to it I was really into. I used my own Orange Rockaverb, which does exactly what it’s meant to do every time. Edwyn also had an old 1950s Gibson amp, like a suitcase, which sounded really good. Rupert mostly used a Fender DeVille and a Fender Twin, I think. We used a Fender Bassman for some of the keyboard sounds. Rupert played a Fender Telecaster and his Gretsch Rock Jet. I played a Gibson 335 and 355. Once the album’s out you’re touring the UK. Any plans to head down under next year? Yeah, at the moment we’re planning on March or April next year. Something like that. But you know how these things go – it doesn’t happen until it happens! Fingers crossed we’ll see you soon – it’s definitely on the agenda. BY TIM CLARKE
The Jim Jones Revue release The Savage Heart through Liberator Music/Play It Again Sam/Punk Rock Blues Records on 12 October.
In terms of the guitar sounds on the album, did
OLYMPIC SPIRIT
Broadcast to hundreds of millions around the globe, the opening ceremony to the 2012 Summer Olympics encompassed centuries of British culture. Designed by contemporary UK auteur Danny Boyle, the extravaganza told the narrative of Britain’s industrial revolution, all the while showcasing some of the nation’s most iconic figures – Bond, Bean, Bill Shakespeare, Beatles, just to name a few. Music, of course, played a massive part in proceedings. Directed by frequent Boyle collaborators Underworld, the soundtrack featured a diverse range of selections from the British canon. In amongst the more obvious choices of Tubular Bells, Bowie, U2, The Who and The Rolling Stones were selections from electronica experimentalists Fuck Buttons. Speaking in the days leading up to the games, Ben Power and Andy Hung let us in on what’s been happening in the Fuck Buttons world since their last release, 2009’s Tarot Sport. It’s been a long while since we’ve heard anything form Fuck Buttons, and you’ve been performing at a rate of one show per year. What have you been up to? Ben: We’re working on the next record as we speak, actually. We just got back from Russia where we played a festival show, and that was the first show we played together in 17 months – the last one was in Japan a year and a half ago. Since then we’ve been writing and we’ve just started to record. That’s what’s been going on. If you haven’t heard from us for a while, that’s why. How did the Russian show go? Ben: We played a new track, the show was really good. We’ve never been to Russia before, it’s quite an amazing place. It was very alien to us, it was a great show at an outside festival. We had a great time. We had a couple of weeks practice beforehand, but before that we had just been working on new material. It went really well, we went straight back into it like we’d never stopped playing live, really. So that’s definitely a good feeling, and we’re looking forward to doing more of it in the next ten months – and we’re definitely looking forward to coming back to Australia. Last time we were there we the two ATPs curated by
PG. 20 MIXDOWN NO. 222
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds at Mount Buller and Cockatoo Island. Then we had some sideshows with Afrirampo and Dead Meadow supporting. It was just a really fun tour, we really love the pace of Australia. We love everything about it and we’re really looking forward to coming back. It’s going to be a lot of fun. The past few years have seen the dominance of EDM. You’ve never been immersed in that electronic/dance scene, but have you been taking notice of what is happening there? Ben: I definitely wouldn’t say it’s influenced the new material at all. It never has, really. Just because it’s become more fashionable doesn’t mean me and Andy were listening to electronic music before. Andy and I, when we were practicing for the live show in Russia, we were having a chat and discussing that we don’t really see ourselves as an electronic act in the live sense. It certainly has more of a live band feel to it. Which is nice, we certainly wouldn’t want to pigeonhole ourselves into anything. It gives us more scope to experiment more, we’ve never been interested in that kind of thing. Both Street Horrrsing and Tarot Sport have a strong sense of timelessness. Was that something
OCTOBER 2012
you can consciously set out to achieve? Ben: Well that’s very kind of you to say first of all. To us, they’re snapshots of where we were at the time, when we decided to share the music, and hopefully we’ll continue to do that with any other records we put out now. Music technology is rapidly evolving. Would you say you are adapting or sticking to your guns? Andy: We’ve never had attachments to instruments, because it’s just not important to us. What is important to us is finding what interests us. So staying static isn’t really conducive to that process. It’s really about what we enjoy listening to, at the end of the day. Ben: Going back to Andy’s point, we don’t get attached to any instrumentation just because we like to explore every avenue. That obviously manifests itself in a very different sound from record to record. Having said that, the next record is going to sound very different to Tarot Sport, just as Tarot Sport sounded different than Street Horrrsing. We don’t like to stick around in the same place. The worst thing ever would be just to play songs for people and not necessarily for yourself. We enjoy every aspect of what we do at the moment, and we’d like to preserve that and keep ourselves interested and entertained. And I think momentum and movement is very important when considering that. You have two critically lauded records under your belt. Do you ever feel scared or concerned that the next won’t live up to your reputation? Ben: I definitely wouldn’t say scared or concerned
because we’re never gonna put out a record that we don’t think is great, basically. If other people take to it, then that’s a bonus. As long as that we’ve made something that we’re happy with and that we can listen to, then we’ve done our job as best we can. Any idea when we’ll be hearing the new material? Andy: We don’t have a confirmed release date or a schedule or anything like that, we’re still working away on it. What can we expect from your Harvest set? I can see you guys headlining one of the smaller stages. Ben: We’re not sure, but you can expect a good time. Festivals are a funny one and you make the best of the situation that you’re in, it’s quite nice to be adaptable in that sense – which is something that I think we’ve been pretty good at. When we first started out we’d be playing on bills that had bands that had such an odd and interesting contrast. And I kind of like that about us. It keeps us on our toes. I don’t think we have a personal preference, but saying that, I do quite like playing at night. BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
Fuck Buttons join the Harvest Presents line up playing the following dates: November 10 Werribee Park, Melbourne VIC November 17 Parramatta Park, Sydney NSW November 18 Botanic Gardens, Brisbane QLD
LEE RANALDO BAND TIDES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ One of the most lauded guitarists of the past quarter century, Lee Ranaldo (along with bandmate Thurston Moore) has produced some of the most definitive tones of early’90s alternative rock. After a consistent run of quality albums which ran up until 2009 release The Eternal, Sonic Youth now face an uncertain future due to an acrimonious split between Moore and Kim Gordon. Of course, this has enabled Ranaldo to focus on solo works, the result of which is the full-length album Between The Time And The Tides. Before his arrival in Australia for shows alongside Melbourne Festival, Ranaldo talks about his love of guitar, in particular, the Jazzmaster. Between The Time And The Tides is your first record of conventional, non-experimental material. Why now? I wasn’t really looking for a challenge at the time, it’s kind of a funny situation. On one hand I’ve always wanted to make a record like this, and at various points in the past I’ve tried to make a record like this but for one reason or another, probably just being so busy with Sonic Youth stuff, it never happened. But this time the songs just started spilling out of the guitar. It was almost like I had my mind on other things and wasn’t even thinking about making a record like this. It just started happening on its own, and that was kind of nice. I just had the time and space to do it because Sonic Youth wasn’t working very much and we were all concentrating on our own projects. It was very natural in a certain way. What was the developmental process for the songs? Mostly I tracked it with just a rhythm section and me just for starters. Then we brought everybody else in to play on the record a bit later. Since I was working on all the chord structures I felt like my guitar part was really the basis of everything. I did play leads here and there on the record, but most of the fancy stuff is either Alan Licht or Nels Cline. More than anything else, I’m playing the rhythm guitar in a way. You have a lot of talented guitarists on the record, was it difficult to ensure there wasn’t a guitar overload? When I had the songs going I thought I was making an acoustic record or something. I was demoing songs on my phone. Then I would go into the studio and start laying stuff down, then I would see [Sonic Youth
drummer] Steve Shelley around and think, ‘I wonder what this would sound like with a beat.’ So he was playing, then next thing I know I have a rhythm section behind me. It just built up like that. Then after everyone had a play on it, I did have to go in and deconstruct – take this part out from Nels, take this part from Alan. Then I had to arrange it, because everyone had played across all these tracks. Then it was up to me to decide how they should sound. I was really putting my producer’s hat on to get it all to sound good and hold it all together. It was one of the most fun recording processes I’ve ever been involved in, that’s for sure.
with all the humbucking pickups and all that stuff. A few different acoustic guitars, a few big-bodied Martins like the D-35, a couple of Taylors here and there. I’ve got this new guitar that I used on this record from a company out of China called Jarrell. It’s a relatively new company that’s producing Chinese-made guitars that are really aiming at this boutique market so they’re really well made. So it’s “made in China”, but also a really high-end guitar product. I normally play these Jazzmasters and it’s very different than that – a real flat fretboard, more Gibson-like. It was fun to have this new guitar. Since the record has been done, I’ve certainly been trying these new guitars.
You’re still exploring what the guitar is capable of. Do you ever feel bored by the instrument? I don’t really get that feeling or worry too much, which is funny because it’s a question I always get asked. If you’re a writer, you don’t ever get tired of putting pen to paper, or if you’re a painter you don’t get tired of putting colour to canvas. It’s the same thing if you’re an instrumentalist. You can get bored with what you do, or you can run out of inspiration, but that’s regardless of what medium you’re talking about. Either you’re inspired or not inspired. There have been periods where I’ve really not known what to do with the guitar. But during Sonic Youth’s long run we always said that we found the guitar interesting enough to have infinite possibilities. People have played guitar for hundreds of years, not to mention other instruments. Piano isn’t going out of style, you know.
You’re one of the most influential musicians of the past 20 years, how does that feel? What we’ve done in Sonic Youth has been around for so long that there are these various generations that we meet that tell us we’ve been influential, whether it’s stuff from ’85 or ’95 or 2005. You can definitely hear certain strains in the culture of music. When we started it was unusual for a band to use all these open tunings, and that was something we derived from downtown New York music and other things further afield. But these days it’s not unusual for bands to have those tunings, and that seemed to get more and more prevalent as time went on. You definitely feel some sort of influence on those levels. It’s a really cool thing to have your peers tell you what you’ve done is meaningful to them.
You’re synonymous with the Jazzmaster. What guitars did you use on Between The Time And The Tides? A lot of Jazzmasters, or Jazzblasters as we call my mods
You’ve also played a part in Australian musical history in producing You Am I’s Hi Fi Way. I love that record and I love those guys. We did three records together, the Coprolalia EP, Sound As Ever
TAME IMPALA
and Hi Fi Way. Those were super cool records. We were coming down to Australia at that point in time and getting involved, seeing stuff like Ben Lee’s band, Noise Addict, and stuff like that. Scientists, Hoodoo Gurus – we were getting excited by all this Australian music that was happening. It was blowing us away. When You Am I asked me to work with them I didn’t really know who they were, but now we’re definitely long time friends. We always hang out whenever they’re in New York. It’s obviously out of your control at the moment, but what do you hope is in the future for Sonic Youth? On the one hand I guess my hope mainly revolves around Kim and Thurston working out their differences, which are great differences at this point. I hope that we look back at our legacy proudly no matter what happens in the future and that we all remain friends with each other as much as possible. BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
Between The Time And The Tides is out now through Matador. Lee Ranaldo Band will be touring Australia this October. TOUR DATES: October 20 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney NSW October 21 – The Zoo, Brisbane QLD October 24 – The Hi-Fi, Melbourne VIC
UP TO MISCHIEF
Few Aussie acts have stormed the world as proficiently as Perth-born psychedlic revivalists Tame Impala. Showcasing their signature sound back in 2008 with their self-titled EP, the band exploded in a massive way with a wave of critical acclaim for their debut full-length, Innerspeaker. Ahead of Tame Impala’s return to Australia for Parklife Festival, lead singer and progenitor Kevin Parker runs us through the lead-up to Lonerism from his Parisian apartment. You’ve spent a lot of time in Paris, has that affected what’s on Lonerism? Undoubtedly, yeah. I didn’t have access to a lot of the stuff I usually have, for example you can’t really set up a drumkit in your apartment. So there was one song I had to work out how to get drums for without actually doing anything, so I ended up sampling the drums from a song off the first album. I just looped a four bar thing and put it through a Space Echo and fucked it up a bit. It sounded kind of cool, but that was totally a result of being in Paris and being in an apartment rather than a house. Things seemed to explode all of a sudden with Innerspeaker. For starters, we never really see much of that. It’s only really people like our manager telling us that there’s been a crazy trajectory upwards. Hearing things like, ‘Oh yeah the album’s going great in Norway!’ [Laughs]. ‘You’re fanbase is out of control in Japan!” We only see it when we go to these countries and more people turn up than we expect, which isn’t very many to being with. How’s the new stuff going down live? It’s great, much better than expected. We took a break for about a year up until about a month ago, then we started doing shows again. We did Splendour In The Grass in Australia, then some festivals in America, then went to South America for a couple of weeks. I had no idea how we were going to do it because there are so many weird sounds and stuff on the
PG. 22 MIXDOWN NO. 222
album. We managed to work it out. It was more a case of bringing in as many toys as we can onstage to get into the same sort of dimension as the album. There are weird keys and organs and stuff, and we ended up having to employ some sly techniques to be able to play these things live. It’s sounding more organic than it’s ever been, strangely. We’ve added another person, we have a new drummer and our old drummer is now the keyboard player. He’s having fun with that. We’re all having fun. The album was mixed by Dave Fridmann, what did he bring to the table? He bought the soup and the sludge together, turning these things into a nice groovy song that was listenable to the outside world. He’s a wizard, taking these experimental fucked up things and making them enjoyable. Which is quite an arduous task. He’s amazing at that. You’re playing Parklife which is a predominantly dance, electronic environment. Do you think you’re material will be received well there? I like to think so. I’ve always considered Tame Impala to be in a similar mindset to people who make electronic music. I always like the idea of making music repetitive and hypnotically groovy, in the same way that electronic music does but without the electronic sounds. Instead of a drum machine or a sample, I like the idea of playing the beat really repetitively to sound like it is being played electronically. I like that idea, but I don’t know whether that comes across.
OCTOBER 2012
Lonerism starts out with the positive ‘Be Above It’, but then descends into themes of paranoia and hopelessness. Did you set out to make a downer of an album? There’s not really a grand plan for that sort of thing. Just making words and phrases that suit the music the best. When I’m making a song I slowly get an idea of what it’s going to be about, sometimes I’ll sing lyrics in the demo that seem to attach well. I just love that idea of a melancholy persona in a song. It can have this uplifting side, but at the same time a helpless side to it too. In a way, what comes out in your music doesn’t come out in your usual personality. Everyone should have that outlet. It’s something I don’t talk about or express openly, the music is that release valve that you flick and everything that’s been building up inside just drops out the bottom. You’ve enjoyed success with Tame Impala and Pond, tell us about what is was like in Perth’s music community. It’s always been the same really. We’ve got a whole bunch of bands that we’ve been associated with, Pond and Tame Impala being two of them. It’s true that it does feel like a pretty creative scene, but you don’t really notice it when you’re in Perth. In fact, when you’re there everyone is always talking about how great the music scene is in Melbourne. I suppose the grass is always greener.
What was the range of gear involved on Lonerism? I usually just use whatever I have laying around, which isn’t much, but when you put it all together in one room it can seem like quite a lot. I didn’t actually use a single guitar amp on this album. All the guitars were plugged straight into the desk. I’ve got all my effects and crazy stuff, but for some reason I was over the guitar amplifier sound. It was all done through the effects and this little pre-amp that fuzzes up the sounds. I just love that direct, electrical sound. I like to think the guitars are more direct in your face, not so much in a rock way, but in an electrical way. BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
Lonerism is out Friday October 5 through Modular. Tame Impala will be appearing at this year’s Parklife Festival. FESTIVAL DATES: September 29 – Riverstage and Botanic Gardens, Brisbane QLD September 30 – Centennial Park, Sydney NSW October 1 – Wellington Square, Perth WA October 6 – Sidney Myer Music Bowl, Melbourne VIC October 7 – Botanic Park and Botanic Gardens, Adelaide SA
OCT 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN PG. 23
SOMETHING FOR KATE O?U?T? ?O F T H E L A B ?
It’s been a while since we’ve last heard from Something For Kate, one of the mostloved Australian acts of the past decade and a half. The trio went into a pseudohiatus following the release of The Murmur Years, an extensive best-of compilation chronicling the band’s prestigious back catalogue. After a successful solo jaunt, the band are returning to the musical landscape to reassert themselves as one of the nation’s finest songwriting outfits. Ahead of their return to the touring circuit, lead singer Paul Dempsey speaks to us about the comfortable return to the fold. What’s it like jumping back under the Something For Kate banner? It’s been fun. Aside from the three of us spending around six months writing songs for the album, we hadn’t played a show in about four years. Obviously I’ve been touring like crazy with my solo stuff, but me, Clint and Steph haven’t played together in about four years. Rehearsals for the shows started out a little daunting, even going through the back catalogue and picking songs off six albums. But it’s all good, it didn’t take long at all. It all comes back to you. The break has been called a hiatus, was there any statement from the band in that regard? There was never anything official. I just said I was making a solo record. As soon as the frontman of a band says they’re making a solo record everybody just assumes the worst or whatever [laughs]. At the time we tried to emphasise as much as we could that we weren’t breaking up and that there would be more Something For Kate records. Your solo project was an overwhelming success, were you tempted to focus solely on your own thing? No, not at all. It was always that I was going to make a solo record then we would make another Something For Kate record. I had a lot of people say to me, ‘Oh you should just make another solo record, it’s all going well, you should follow it up’. And I will later, it’s just we’re making a Something For Kate record – I’ll make another solo record next. I just want to do both. Why not?
Something For Kate fanbase? I dunno. I’m not sure if I can answer that. It’s kind of funny, Something For Kate has always had this really loyal, amazing audience that we’re extremely grateful for. When I did my solo record all those people were there, but there was this whole new audience as well. After I did the solo tour for a while the audience was a very different looking audience to what I was used to seeing. Clint and Steph commented on that as well. It’s interesting putting out this album, because after my solo album this might be the first Something For Kate record these people have heard. Which is kind of exciting as well, we get to be new again [laughs]. With a lot of festival acts these days there is the element of nostalgia, do you feel like you’re capitalising on that? It’s just not a factor for us. We’re not nostalgic people, I’m probably the least nostalgic person you could possibly imagine. I look forward. There’s always a better song ahead of you, there’s always a better album ahead of you. If you think you’ve peaked, you should just stop. That’s my attitude. So I’m not nostalgic for some time that is better, because it hasn’t happened yet. And I think it never will, you just keep rolling forward. I’m not interested in rehashing or just playing old songs or whatever. I’ve got other music to make. Do you think the record is political in any sense? Not really. Maybe you could call some of it personal politics. There are a few things that are social commentaries, but not with any political bent. I’m guessing one of the songs you picked up on was ‘This Economy’, and that song is pretty obviously
BIG SOUND Has the solo project had a tangible effect on the
about Wall St and people that measure themselves by the size of their wallet. I was living in New York for a couple of years during the financial crisis and it’s just funny hearing some of the conversations you observe. People are different, there is no right or wrong. I was just curious about these people who focus on how much money is in their wallet, because I’m not like that. How was the recording process for Leave Your Soul To Science? Really quick. We actually finished early, which is unheard of. It’s a very live album, the most live album we’ve ever done. Each song on the record, there wasn’t anything we played more than five times. There was no editing, no patching together takes, we would just play it a few times and pick the one that felt good and do some overdubs. But essentially, guitar, bass and drums went down together and just built from those foundations. We hardly listened back to things. We would just keep rolling and adding things. In the past we would have stopped and checked for mistakes. But nobody listens to music to check for errors. So if something’s not glaring or sticking out like a sore thumb, just forget about it and keep going, keep recording. By the time everything is on there you won’t even hear it. The good thing is that you’ve managed to maintain some liveliness and honesty because there is no nitpicking. It happened really fast and we finished two weeks early.
What guitars were you recording with? We only brought a few guitars with us. I basically only used Fender guitars now – Jazzmasters. In fact I only play Jazzmasters now. I used to play a couple of Gibsons and various other things. But one of the things about living in New York and touring over there is that I only had one guitar, and it was one of my Jazzmasters. So it was the only electric guitar I played for two years. So I came back to Australia and got all my stuff out of storage and looked at all these guitars I had, and nothing felt right anymore. So I sold everything, and now I just have six Jazzmasters. BY LACHLAN KANONIUK
Leave Your Soul To Science is out now through EMI. TOUR DATES: October 6, 7, 8 – The Corner, Melbourne VIC October 12 – The Metro, Sydney NSW October 13, 14 – The Zoo, Brisbane QLD October 26 – The Gov, Adelaide SA October 27, 28 – Fly By Night, Fremantle WA November 23-25 – Queenscliff Music Festival VIC December 8 – Homebake, Royal Botanic Gardens NSW
Photo by John Stubbs
A MUSIC CONFERENCE REVIEW 2012 saw the 11th year of the annual music industry showcase dubbed BIGSOUND, located in and around Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. BIGSOUND if you’re unfamiliar, is the main Australian music industry festival of its kind. You may have heard of SXSW, The Great Escape, CMJ, Liverpool Sounds – these are the international versions. Now with thanks to BIGSOUND, Australia has an industry event that is ranked amongst the top industry festivals in the world. So, we went, we listened and we reported on the collection of musicians, music-business people, and industry experts from all over the world that came together to create an environment of discovering new music. The first impression of BIGSOUND is that it’s a very down to earth festival that covers the important topics, all musicians should be aware of for a rapidly changing industry. This year saw 120 bands from (both national and international) playing across many different venues, some established others built especially for the showcase. As a delegate, the conference and performances enable musicians and those in the business to meet, mingle and see people that they usually wouldn’t have the opportunity to. In a nutshell and as a working musician, it’s all about the opportunity for networking and to learn about the business side of things, something many of you may be already cringing about. But in actual fact, it’s the best way to help build your career and if you’re visiting as just a punter it’s a fantastic opportunity to discover and see some amazing live bands before they break the big time. DAY ONE The first day saw an early start at 10am for a keynote with Steve Earle, the person that bought us ‘Copperhead Road’. He spoke about his career as a songwriter in Nashville in the 1980s and his deep affinity with Townes Van Zandt. He also spoke about the song that he wrote called ‘John Walker’s Blues’ about the American Taliban fighter from his album Jerusalem, which had a strong anti-war and anti-death penalty sentiment throughout. This was a very poignant topic to bring up as it related to
PG. 24 MIXDOWN NO. 222
the politically active protest songs of the past and the present, think Pussy Riot. His presentation also looked at the changing environment for the working musician, avenues in which musicians will now have to take to make a living and how the current market is consistently influencing these income streams via new media and technology. The new demands of a modern day musician. The next session we attended was all about national and international music festivals, which included panelists Dave JZ from Spain (Primavera/Heart of Gold), Richard Moffatt (Falls Festival) and Peter Noble (Byron Bay Blues Festival) who basically all agreed that putting on festivals is a hard slog and for Australian bands the more touring interstate you do the more likely you will get onto festival line-ups. There were also panels on genres of music such as Roots Music, examining the definition – a cross between folk, Americana, country, soul, and rock and also a panel on the ever-popular topic of using the most of mobile apps and new technology. Here discussions touched on topics such as checking in, location services, mobile optimisers like Soundcloud and aggregators like Rdio. How musicians can use these tools effectively for further promotion and income. Apart from the informative array of presentations, the real fun started each night of the festival where your networking skills are really utilised, all for the industry parties. After each session (and before the
OCTOBER 2012
showcases) a few labels and music organisations host what essentially are networking parties. On the first night the EMI bash was a popular choice with food, booze and artists such as King canons, Something for Kate and Violent Soho tearing it up. The live showcases kicked off from 8pm and here it becomes a mad rush to choose the bands you want to see and to figure where all the venues are. We managed to catch Money For Rope, The Falls, The Preachers and then King Gizzard and the Lizzard Wizard, the last band of the night, who stole the show. This part of the festival was probably the most enthralling as you get to let loose, put down your note pads, store away all your mental notes of the panel discussions and just let loose. King Gizzard put on one of the best live shows I have seen this year. The only downfall of these industry festivals at this time of night is that there are so many great bands playing, you really have to be decisive on what you want to see, which means sacrificing one for the other. DAY TWO Cheap booze, great music and people equals a whole lot of partying which in turn means day two of these industry festivals is difficult. Be prepared as the streets are filled with many punters waking bleary eyed and hungover, so a hot tip is to bring some breath mints and your sunnies. We visited the conference just in time for the first keynote by Mark Poston from EMI. His story was interesting, an example of someone who was an arts degree dropout and then pushed through every barrier possible to have a successful career in the music business. Another great motivational discussion about what you may face in the industry and how to overcome the hurdles to success. Another great example of the different panel discussions was called ‘Songs That Make an Emotional Connection’. This looked at the process of song writing, syncing and publishing, and how
radio stations, such as Triple J, choose certain songs. There was also ‘The State of Independence’, which looked at today’s indie record labels, and then ‘Global Music Markets’, which was about how to get your music played overseas. What followed that night were more music showcases and the big after party, which was huge as everyone mingled and got the chance to chat in a more causal environment. Highly recommended for all you eager net-workers. DAY THREE On Friday there were four keynotes from artists Claire Bowditch, Ben Lee, David Bridie and Ian Haug. However, it was more of a day of sleeping, eating Gyozas and drinking Bloody Marys. We finished the festival by dropping in on a house party in the West End, another great way to mingle and make new industry mates. IN SUM; It was a tiring, but extremely fun and interesting few days. As we headed back to Melbourne on the Saturday, we felt excited about what we learned and about the future of Australian music. I also couldn’t help but draw comparisons to another showcase festival that I had been to – The Great Escape in Brighton UK in 2011. Compared to The Great Escape, BIGSOUND had one markedly strong difference – it had much better quality bands and it made me think that Australian musicians really do outshine a lot of their international counterparts. Overall the panels were made up of interesting and invaluable advise whilst dynamic in content and most importantly it gave musicians, industry types and general punters a great opportunity and platform in which to network and engage with the plethora of talent that makes up the Australian music industry. Other music industry forums worth a mention are Sound Summit, Song Summit, The Push, WAMi, AWME and Fuse Festival. BY ALI EDMONDS
ridiculous versatility.
THE ALL NEW G14 Designed for progressive drummers to deliver the deepest, most articulate tone, straight out of the box. The new Evans BLACK CHROME features an exclusive 2-ply film combination with a black mirror finish.
14 mils of the world’s best single-ply film combined with Evans’ exclusive Roll-Over Hoop design and custom adhesives to deliver a ridiculous amount of durability, tonal versatility and volume. Go ahead. Hit it.
Go ahead. Hit it.
evansdrumheads.com
evansdrumheads.com
Proudly distributed by D’Addario Australia sales@daddario.com.au Follow us on
D’Addario Australia
@DaddarioAus OCT 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN PG. 25
UNLEASH YOUR INNER ROCK GOD
GET INTUITIVE Forgive the rant, but something’s been kinda bothering me lately. I spend a lot of time on guitar forums (don’t we all?) and I’ve noticed a bit of a trend developing - an affliction, if you will - over the last two or three years. Let’s call it ‘settingsitis.’ This is the horrible malady by which a player becomes so concerned about the settings of the amp or signal processor that they lose any sense of connection to how it actually sounds. The most facepalm-inducing example was on a forum recently where a player asked everyone for new pickup recommendations. They were already using a pickup that they were very happy with, and they wanted something that sounded exactly like it except with slightly less low end, because they found that they had to back the bass knob down to about 7 or 8 on their amp in order to get the perfect response out of the pickup. Did you catch that? They were upset because they had to back their bass knob back from 10 to 8 in order to get a sound they were happy with. What on earth is that? Do you lose cred if you have knobs that aren’t on 10 or zero? I just don’t get it. If the sound is perfect when you set the bass knob at 8, set the bass knob at 8 and enjoy your perfect tone! Another example was a player who was having custom pickups wound. He wanted them to be like the stock pickups he’d been using, except with a small bump at a specific frequency. The reason? He was using a digital modelling device for his tone, and he’d been programming that bump into his patches as the first step in the signal chain, but he wanted to delete that part of his patches. Now, a case could be made for
wanting to minimise the number of patch cords and pedals in an analogue rig, but in the digital domain, within a single device? A third example: I play a Marshall DSL50 amp. It has a lot of character in the midrange, especially if you leave it in regular mode instead of pressing the Tone Shift button. And the midrange knob doesn’t seem to have a wide range of influence: it goes from a lot of midrange to even more midrange. I was setting up for a gig once and the sound guy came over to mic up the amp. He looked at my settings (with the mids on about 4) and said “That’s going to sound shit. You’ve got no mids.” You’d think a sound guy of all people would know to listen with their ears, not their eyes, huh? Rather than setting your amp with your eyes, try closing them and turning each knob until you hear what you want to hear. Sometimes this can lead to some pretty surprising settings. At the moment my amp settings look utterly bizzonkers: Presence: 0, Treble: 2.5, Midrange: 10, Bass: 0, Mid Shift: off, Bass Boost: On. But when you hear it in the context of a band mix, there’s plenty of mids to cut through, just enough treble to provide some attack (remember that a close-mic’d cabinet will give you more treble than you will hear simply listening to the amp in a room), and just enough bass for a bit of fullness, but not enough to clash with the kickdrum or bass player. If I’m playing
around the house for my own amusement I’ll increase the Presence, switch the Bass Boost off, turn the Bass up to about 6 and back the Midrange off by about a quarter turn, because I’m no longer trying to find my place within a mix. Really what it should all come down to is, does it
sound good? If the answer is yes, then your job is done. If the answer is no, that’s when it’s time to make some changes or buy some new goodies. BY PETER HODGSON
CLASSIC KEYS YA M A H A C S - 8 0
There are a few keyboards over the years that have really left their mark in music. Certain manufacturers come to mind all the time and it seems, others get forgotten about. One such synth that never really got the credit it deserved, perhaps due to its poor timing in release, or price tag at the time, making it less popular than other synths in 1976, was the CS-80 by Yamaha. That said, those who know the CS-80 and those who have used it really do understand the power of this instrument and some even cherish the ability to say they own one of these beasts. I think most of you reading this will have at some stage seen Blade Runner at least once. I think I have seen it about 40 times and listened to the soundtrack hundreds of times. I am always taken aback by the hauntingly beautiful themes delivered by Vangelis in the soundtrack and I know those sounds owe a lot to the CS-80. With its 8 voice polyphony, it may not seem like much these days, but it was a huge development from Japan in the mid ‘70s. And when I say huge, I mean it. This thing weighs around 100kg; it really was a great studio tool, but not the sort of keyboard you would take on the road with you. The CS-80 featured two analogue oscillators per voice and a really rich and creamy VCF with ADR envelope and a pretty nasty sounding ring modulator to name a few features. Visually, it is difficult to miss, built into a giant wooden chassis inside a road case with wheels at one end for transport and some of the most vibrant and ugly coloured buttons and fader to ever be placed on a keyboard. But the CS-80 was not designed to win a beauty pageant; it was purely about the sound. And one man who really understood how to get the most from these hard to programme synths was Vangelis. Not only did he conquer, but he tamed this ugly brute and was able to really harness the sounds within it. He creates some stunning strung and horn sounds with the CS-80 that have a richness in character to PG. 26 MIXDOWN NO. 222
them that not even the real instruments he was emulating could encompass. This synthesiser truly was a breakthrough in analogue synthesis, led by the developers in Japan, giving a greater step to recreating really sounds from a synth engine, rather than just creating unworldly tones. These days, you would be lucky to come across a working CS-80 on the second hand market. Most of them are being kept by hoarders and collectors and when they do come up for sale, they never go cheap. Nor do the freight costs to get them delivered either. But, the good news is you can still work with the sounds of the CS80 as Arturia have faithfully recreated the synth in software form, with added features making it easier to program and (obviously) additional preset storage capabilities. Plus, the CS-80V only weighs about 500g boxed up, nowhere near the 100kg of the CS-80. If you fell in love with the soundtracks of films like Blade Runner and Dune in the 80’s, you will just love the sounds of the CS-80 or the software counterpart, the CS-80V. BY ROB GEE
OCTOBER 2012
Vangelis composing on a CS-80 at Nemo Studios in the late 70’s
ON THE DOWNLOW TAKING THE LEAD
A bass player’s job is pretty damn important. To paraphrase Devin Townsend, the rest of the band can play whatever they want, but until the bass player changes notes ‘you’re all playing in B.’ And there’s a lot you can do beyond simply playing the bass note in order to guide the direction of the band. Here are two tricks I like to use. The first is to play a minimal but crucially important bassline. Sometimes the ‘Less Is More’ approach is the right one, and a great role model for this is Queensryche’s Eddie Jackson. For instance, Figure 1 is a simple 8th-note guitar riff punctuated by a bass riff built off nothing more than an open E string and a couple of fretted notes. But the placement of the notes puts the emphasis on the bass because the ear wants to hear what it’s doing next. It’s like whenever the bass note dips out, the listener is all like, ‘Yo, where’s the bass?” and then when it comes back it creates the same kind of resolution that you get when you follow a tense chord with a more straightforward one. The rhythm notation is there to show you exactly how to play it, but if you’re not up to speed with your reading you can just observe where the notes line up against the steady rhythm of the guitar part. Figure 2 is based on the guitar riff of Figure 1 but with a few twists and turns to create harmonic movement instead of a more or less static vibe. It uses a trick often employed by Megadeth’s David Ellefson, which is to play steady eighth notes throughout a bar, but switching to dominant note of the next bar half a beat early compared to the guitar part (which is also playing steady eighths). It’s a great way of adding a sense of propulsion to a riff. If you were
to isolate that one beat and loop it there would be a pretty horrendous clash between the guitar and bass parts, but since you’re blasting through the riff pretty quickly you can take advantage of the same kind of tension-release chord trick mentioned earlier. You can hear Ellefson do this to great effect on the pre-chorus and chorus of ‘Symphony Of Destruction’ from Megadeth’s Countdown To Extinction album. The sound I use when playing this sort of stuff depends on the nature of the riff. In the case of Figure 1, the bass doesn’t actually play too much so you can go for a sound that draws a lot of attention to itself for a small amount of time. Go for a whole lot of low end, attenuated highs and maybe even a big fat fuzz. I generally don’t like to compress my bass tone if I’m playing this way: I just hit the strings nice and hard to wring the most body out of the note. In the case of Figure 2, the steady eighth notes would sound farty and loose if you used too big a tone, so it’s a good idea to take some steps to control it. Try using a compressor and a pick, with a slow enough attack time on the compressor to really capture the impact of the pick on the strings. You’ll also need less low end if you’re using this method, but often it’s enough to simply turn down the front pickup and lean on
the back one more. If you’re using distortion on this riff, don’t go nuts or you’ll smear the detail and articulation, and that will get in the way of the propulsive nature of the riff. That’s why I like multi-effect units for bass: you can easily set up individual patches that are variations on a single sound, so you can add a little more bass here, a little more compression
here, or whatever you need. Some units even let you fade between two patches, which will give you a nice smooth transition if you’re using both of these sounds and playing methods within a single song. BY PETER HODGSON
BANGIN’ THE TUBS B R E A K I N G U P T H E H I - H AT
There comes a time in every drummers’ life where, maybe by necessity or just by curiosity, they feel they have to do something different with the right hand and move away from straight eights on the hi-hat or ride cymbal. Looking at the diagram, see FIG A. This is basic rock beat number 1; simple bass drum and snare pattern and the standard 1+2+3+4+ on the hihats. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be the need for this pattern. There have been so many cases where this beat is exactly what the band leader/producer is looking for. However it’s nice to have some options and whilst most drummers will have spent countless hours learning to play more intricate patterns on the snare and bass drum, changing the hi-hat up can give you some cool sounding grooves and opens the door for other interesting ideas like paradiddles and more hardcore 16th note stuff. Let’s keep it pretty simple for the moment. FIG B is the most predictable way to start but only playing the off beats of the hi-hat. This leads the way into disco/dance beats and you can experiment with opening the hi-hat on these off beats to get some real disco action. Try this beat on the ride cymbal too; playing quarter notes with your left foot etc. There are many options. FIG C and D take the same idea but leave some downbeats in the groove occasionally. It gives the allusion of a slightly broken beat and can really add contrast to say the verse of a song before you go to the chorus and play the hats normally. Again, this sounds cool on the ride for some variation.
FIG G and H are probably the only ones that will require a second look. I’ve used some 16th notes but on their own with groupings – for example, only using the ‘a’ of 1e+a or the ‘e’. Counting out loud should help get these happening and again, keeping the bass and snare parts simple will make things easier to begin with. You also find with these two figures that they are completely linear. In the drum world this means that nothing overlaps within the beat. Once you’re getting these grooves happening, you’ll no doubt see the potential of what this little concept can do for you. The next step is implement some more complicated bass drum/ snare drum parts underneath each of the figures. Keep it fairly simple as you go – one bass here, an extra snare there etc. Hope you find these as useful as I did.
FIG E and F play with the idea of adding some 16th notes to the hats (1 +a 2 + 3 + 4 +). This adds another variation and is highly addictive once you get it going. You’ll find yourself moving the idea around the drums too – because you have space in your groove you can get other parts of the kit quickly and easily making room for some cool ideas.
SEPT 2012
NO. 221 MIXDOWN PG. 27
(D)IGITAL (J)OCKEY J O G G I N G YO U R M E M O RY
I know, for myself, the hardest thing to tackle when making the switch from vinyl to a digital DJ console was getting used to the jog wheel. So many years at the wheels of steel gave me a very familiar and comfortable control over a 12” record on a direct drive turntable platter. This is something that comes with time and you eventually know and understand how to control the record’s speed and direction to suit your needs. Even for something as simple as cueing up a point in a track, which many of us would take for granted after a while, still involves a complex familiarity with your interface – the record. Now, stepping into the world of the digital jockey, in many circumstances the record is gone and the jog wheel must now be used to control your tracks. It seems fairly rudimentary at first, but the feel, the control, the touch is all very different and can be something that many DJs struggle with when making the change. The important thing to remember is that it is easy to control a record, once you know what you are doing. Therefore, it should be easy to control a jog wheel, once you know what you are doing. You just need to train your mind and your muscle memory to understand how this new device reacts. To begin with, it will be a slow process and you may struggle to get a grip of the jog wheel, but it will soon become your friend. You simply need to allow the process to settle into your subconscious memory so that you can control the jog wheels without
having to use you conscious memory. This takes time, but eventually it settles so your conscious brain can worry about track selection and not focus on taking control of the jog wheels. It all may sound a little scientific, but it is really quite simple and will happen naturally as you progress from one medium to the other. The important thing is to not denote the jog wheel’s action too soon and give up, it is simply your familiarity with your vinyl that makes it appear difficult to control. Aside from training your mind and you muscles to work with the jog wheel, probably the most important thing to be aware of is that you also need to train your jog wheel to work with you. Most interfaces have a calibration process to allow you to get the jog wheel functioning to their fullest capacity. There is no point struggling with it if it is functioning right. So, to use one of my favourite acronyms, RTFM! For those of you who are a little slow on the uptake, it stands for Read The Manual. I know, this sounds dull and boring, but it is important. Most interfaces have a calibration process to allow you to get the jog wheels working best for you and generally speaking it is a fairly simple procedure, you will just need to get you head into the manual to find out how this is done. Once your jog wheels are calibrated and your brain has gotten a hold of their feel and response, you should be able to fully embrace the world of digital DJing and get far more from your mixing than you could ever have imagines with a couple of 1200s and a battle mixer.
Check out our iCon iDJ controller review in this month’s Road Tests as distrubuted by Innovative Music
BY ROB GEE
HOME STUDIO HINTS: G O I N G A L L D I G I TA L
These days, the large analogue console is really a thing of the past in home studios. It is nice to see a great big behemoth sitting in a professional studio where it is going to get the use it deserves, but it really is overkill for the home studio. What is becoming more common is a high quality single channel input into a DAW for recording one track at a time. But, there still are, and always will be, the home studios that need to be equipped for multitrack recording and that is where the desk will never lose its place. It just seems, however, that its role has changed and so its design. THE CONTROLLER CONSOLE Many of us record and mix directly into our DAWs these days, so a mixing desk is really of no use at all. With a multi channel audio interface, you can go straight into the computer and use the mixing bus within your software to do the work. But there is nothing like faders and pots to speed up the workflow, instead of relying on the mouse to control everything on screen. So, you need to look at your setup and figure out how you prefer to mix. If it is done within the software, a control surface that emulates the feature of the software mixer can really speed up your workflow. Having as little as eight faders, eight pots and a transport section can mean you use your mouse a lot less in the mix stage and can get a better feel for you mix with a more hands on approach. THE DIGITAL DESK Although it is more commonly used in live environments where the processing power of a PG. 28 MIXDOWN NO. 222
Steinberg CMC Controller range, as distributed by Yamaha Music Australia, Visit www.au.yamaha.com for more info. computer is needed without the sluggish size or operational restrictions, a digital console can be an invaluable tool in the home studio too if it fits within your way of working. It allows you to access onboard DSP processing and signal routing all within the digital realm before you audio gets into the DAW and fully integrates with your software when it does. When you need to recall gain settings for multiple microphones, like when recording drums and you want to work with a previously used and saved setup, the digital
OCTOBER 2012
desk is invaluable. It allows you to speed up the record and mix processes by emulating much of the outboard gear that we would have used in the past with an analogue console and far too many patch cables. So, whether you are new to home recording, or you are just fed up with your old analogue console that simply gets in the way and adds noise to your signal path, consider your options before relying on the mouse for all your operations. If outboard gear still plays an important role in your signal chain, look into a
digital console to suit your needs. If everything you do now happens within the computer, consider a control surface that will give you that familiar console feel and flexibility. Either way, adding one of these two options to your setup can only serve to speed up your recording and mixing process and in turn allow you to work more fluently. This has to be a good thing. BY ROB GEE
Hate Coated Strings? We know why... Coated strings you’ve played in the past use tone killing layers of material. The coating gets in between the winds and inhibit vibration. Instead, Cleartones feature the thinnest coating in the industry. At one micron, they feel and sound like traditional strings but with the added benefit of 3-5X string life. In fact, Cleartones were tested to be up to 36% louder than the leading coated string brand according to an independent sound laboratory. dynamicmusic.com.au C m
C m
C m
C m
OCTOBER 2012
C m
NO. 222 MIXDOWN
PG. 29
DPA ST2011C STEREO CONDENSER MICROPHONE SET getting a good stereo spread and balance.
DPA 4099D CLIP MICROPHONE
The designers at DPA microphones have offered all sorts of solutions for difficult applications over the years. As well as producing high quality studio microphones, DPA have made it their goal to ensure just about every instrument you can think of has a microphone suited to best capturing its sound. With the new 4099D microphone, DPA have got amplification for drums covered, no matter how little room you have around your kit. CLIP IN This really is the go anywhere drum microphone. DPA have pulled out all stops to produce a condenser microphone that can fit into any part of a drum kit, above or below the drum to allow you the ultimate freedom and flexibility in drum recording. The capsule itself is housed within a small wind sock to alleviate and sudden boom direct from the drum skin when placed in a very close proximity. This is suspended on two rubber arms to reduce any vibration from the mounting on the drum itself. What you get is a freely supported microphone capsule that can be placed as near to the drum skin as you desire and a capsule that can withstand extremely high SPLs. This mounting is then attached to a 5” gooseneck that can then be connected to the supplied mounting bracket for connection to the drum ring.
ROOM TO MOVE A slim cable runs from the base of the gooseneck and is connected to the XLR adaptor for jumping to a standard microphone cable to your mixer or stage box. In all, this represents a total volume of less than most drum microphones mounting brackets, but everything you need is included. It would be very easy to have several of these attached to each and every drum in a kit and not get in the way at all, should you really want to go all out in your audio capture for your drum recording. The entire assemble comes packaged in a sturdy zipper pouch protecting your microphone kit when on the road and requires nothing more than a connection XLR lead to a phantom powered mixer to make it work. They sound great too, giving you a lively snap and sharp transient response to your drum recording or live sound. The DPA 4099D is really a power packed little unit ready to rock your drums. BY ROB GEE
Furthering their commitment to producing quality microphones that excel in design and flexibility, DPA present us with the ST2011C stereo pair of compact condenser microphones. Unlike some of their designs these are slightly more conventional, but still endeavour to give you the best possible sound without interfering with your setup and keeping them as small as possible. The ST2011C features a pair of their 2011C pencil style condenser microphones, with mounts and wind shields in a protective carry case. PUTTING ON A SPREAD Each pair of microphones in the ST2011C set is hand selected to have a sensitivity matched to within 1.5dB. This means that when using these microphones as a stereo pair, especially in an XY configuration, it is very easy to get a balance signal from the two microphones by keeping the gain structure the same on your preamps. This is often overlooked when using microphones for a stereo image and is the first and most important step to
BUILT TO NOT SPILL Whereas many microphone manufactures limit their products use to being fixed to a microphone stand, DPA are focused on giving the musician the most flexibility in their microphone’s use. So, microphones like their 4099 range are specifically designed to be mounted on the instrument they are to be used for. DPA ensures that you have the ability to mount your microphones in the best possible manner, as close to the sound source as possible to get the most direct sound and not have any spill from external sources. This is what makes the DPA microphone range so invaluable for use in live scenarios. TOOT ON I tested the microphone clip for the trumpet which allowed me to easily and accurately seat the microphone capsule within the bell of the instrument, allowing it to pick up only the sound form the horn and nothing
PG. 30 MIXDOWN NO. 222
I found them to have a fairly low self noise, allowing them to be used for stereo microphone applications at greater distances where the gain needs to be increased. They didn’t tend to overwhelm the signal with unwanted noise in this situation. At the same time, they are quite capable of handling very high SPLs before clipping, so you can use them close to loud sound sources if you should so desire. In all, this is a very tidy little kit. It is road ready and well protected and the microphones within it are a dream to work with. As they say, you get what you pay for and with the ST2011C you get quality. BY ROB GEE RRP: $2199 Distributor : Amber Technology Phone: 1800 251 367 Website: www.ambertech.com.au
LAG TRAMONTANE T400DCE ACOUSTIC GUITAR
RRP: $549 Distributor : Amber Technology Phone: 1800 251 367 Website: www.ambertech.com.au
I LISTEN TO THE WIND Taking its name from the strong wind from the north of the Mediterranean (coincidentally LAG’s haute couture workshop is located in Bedarieux not far from the Mediterranean) the Tramontane T400DCE brings together a mix of woods with a solid Sitka spruce top, Indonesian rosewood back and sides and a mahogany neck. The first thing you’ll surely notice are LAG’s little touches that establish it as something different – the dark features on the headstock, rosette and binding, the bridge shape and the sleek no fret markers look. Furthermore LAG have gone with satin black machine heads and buttons, a black graphite nut and a rosewood and maple rosette with an Occitanian cross (again highlighting LAG’s use of local heritage with the cross being the symbol of the historical region in Southern Europe including parts of France, Italy and Spain). Overall the T400DCE has a sharp and understated look – something that you don’t always find on a guitar this price.
DPA MICROPHONE CLIP RANGE
DPA have given us a wide range of microphones for use in practical situations that many other manufacturers haven’t attempted to tackle. They do look outside the box when it comes to microphone design to make sure the needs of the musician and the engineer are met in not only audio quality but in functionality and usability too. So, it stands to reason that they not only produce a quality range of microphones but a quality range of accessories to go with these. This month, I found myself in the possession of a wide range of microphone clips and attachments to suit a variety of microphones within the DPA range. Each one has been cleverly designed and well thought out to meet the needs of a specific instrument.
PRECISION STRIKE The detail of these microphones is, like with so many other DPA microphones, precise and controlled. The capsules are well supported in the housing to prevent unwanted handling noise coming up the microphone stands and as always, DPA take great care in matching their microphones with the correct mounts to suit their needs. The cardioid pickup pattern of the 2011C microphones does not mean they can really be used for focused audio capture, they do not really work too well for single sound sources unless at a very close proximity. But their pickup pattern does make them ideal for attaining an excellent stereo spread when used as a pair, the main reason for buying this set in the first place. Don’t go thinking you are getting a couple of short shotgun microphones for various uses, they are a little more complex than that and require the attention they deserve to get the best results.
FRENCH CONNECTION A dreadnaught sized body the T400DCE sits broadly yet comfortably on your knee with enough shape to feel solid and stable. When standing, the bouts of the guitar nestle under your elbow nicely making for easy strumming or finger picking. Open chords produced a clean and full tone whilst sojourns up the neck sounded clear with the T400DCE providing good intonation for an instrument straight out of the case. I found the Tramontane to be quite balanced sound wise whilst the Dreadnaught body made for plenty of volume and sustain. LAG’s 400 series semi acoustics also feature the Studio Lag Plus preamp/ pickup system with a Nanoflex under saddle piezo pickup. The preamp then has controls for Volumes, Bass/Treble (Contour tone), five way tone preset selector, Tuner and Bypass. The combination of the woods and the non glossy satin finish make the T400DCE was quite warm and woody.
else. I was also able to fit the same microphone to the body of an acoustic guitar, enabling me to position the microphone right into the sound hole. This means that as the guitarist moves about the stage, the microphone follows them and is always in place. It easily clips onto the body of the guitar with a fair amount of adjustment to suit various guitar bodies. There is also a clip for violin which can be easily adjusted to suit a mandolin or similar instrument. It clips onto the side of the body without scratching or marking the surface in any way and again allows for optimum placement of the microphone. The microphone clip for upright bass solves the problem of amplifying such a difficult instrument. It neatly attached to the two outer strings between the bridge and the body allowing the microphone to be placed beneath the strings facing the sound board or even into the F holes on the instrument. In all, the range of microphones from DPA is extensive. But the range of accessories and attachments to suit these microphones ensures they are as versatile as possible. If you are having trouble amplifying an acoustic instrument, DPA most likely have the solution for you. BY ROB GEE RRP: $29 (Bass, Cello), $49 (Universal, Sax/ Trumpet, Piano), $69 (Guitar, Violin) Distributor : Amber Technology Phone: 1800 251 367 Website: www.ambertech.com.au
OCT 2012
Hailing from France LAG guitars are the product of long time musician and luthier Michel Lag-Chavarria. Starting life as a high end builder and repair shop LAG established a name for itself in France which led to the design and production of a range of models that would then start to make their way around the globe. Recently entering the Australian market LAG have looked to ‘avoid stereotypes, exorbitantly priced and over used guitar designs and to bring some refinement and style to the guitar world’.
NOT LAGGING BEHIND I like the feel and look of the Tramontane. Credit must be given to LAG for looking for a point of difference in an entry level guitar market that can be something of a sea of similarity at times. A quite classy and refined look and a nice round, clear tone make the Tramontane a worthy contender in the LAG lineup. BY NICK BROWN RRP: $949 Distributor: Australasian Music Supplies Phone: (03) 9549 1500 Website: www.austmusic.com.au
MXR LOOP BOX, DUAL LOOP, A/B BOX AND MXR/CAE BUFFER
PEAVEY 6505+ 112 COMBO a recording device or mixing console. The speaker is a 12” Sheffield model, the same driver used in the original 5150 cabinets back in the day. The cabinet itself is sealed for maximum resonance and sound projection, and to remain faithful to the closed-back 4X12 cabinets the amp is voiced for.
The 6505+ has a storied history. Its ancestry can be traced back to the 5150, Eddie Van Halen’s first signature amp. That screamer wasn’t quite flexible enough for some players (including Eddie, it seemed), so the 5150 II was produced, featuring a more useful clean channel. When Eddie left Peavy, the 5150’s spirit lived in on the form of the 6505 and 6505+, which drew from the designs of the 5150 and 5150II, respectively. While the head versions are 120 watt monsters, the 6505+ 112 is a 60 watt combo version with a single 12” speaker. SPEC CHECK The 6505+ 112 gets its juice from two 6L6GC valves and a whopping five preamp 12AX7s. It has two channels - Lead and Rhythm - with the latter offering a Crunch switch for going from cleans to aggressive distortion. Each channel features independent three-band EQ, pre/post gain controls and Presence and Resonance adjustment (Resonance doing for the low end what Presence does for the highs, letting you fine-tune the speaker response to the low end). The Rhythm channel’s Crunch boost is footswitchable, which is a very nice touch indeed because it effectively turns this into a three-channel amp. There’s also a three-spring reverb, an effects loop, external speaker outs at 4, 8 and 16 ohms, and Peavey’s MSDI microphone-simulated direct interface, which eliminates the need for miking by allowing users to route the amp’s signal directly to
ROAR AND MORE It takes only a millisecond or so to understand why the 6505 family is such a metal standard. This thing has ridiculous amounts of gain (in a good way), and some players may need to adjust their technique or all that distortion will run away from them. Even the Crunch mode of the Rhythm channel cranks out more than enough roar for many players, with a warm, dynamic, slightly Marshall-esque vibe that cleans up nicely from the guitar’s volume knob. In fact, if you’re a ‘one channel’ type of player, this would be the one to go for. The clean mode is full and clear, especially with humbuckers. It’s not a twangy clean sound by any means. The Lead channel pushes out so much gain that you probably won’t need to go past four or five on the Pre Gain pot. Well, you won’t need to, but it’s still fun to do so! There isn’t much dynamic range on this channel but there’s a pretty nice series of harmonic overtones, and some players will like the compression and saturation. If you need a more interactive playing experience, the Rhythm channel Crunch mode will probably be more your bag.
Noisy pedals? Amp switching problems? Multiple amp rigs? Loss of signal quality? Often there are solutions, you just need to look around a little. MXR have long been a stalwart of the guitar gear world and as well as offering plenty of tone shaping effects pedals they carry plenty of tools for getting the best out of your rig. With a few extra brands coming underneath the MXR umbrella the MXR and MXR affiliated CAE gear highlighted below are heavy duty, ready to work units that can help with a range of dilemmas. M197 LOOP BOX Need to get a noisy pedal out of your signal path as much as possible when not in use? The MXR Loop Box will do exactly that with Input/Output jacks and a Return/Send Loop within the pedal you simply insert the effect (or as many as you’d like) in here and leave them on. Then when the Loop Box is engaged whatever you have in the ‘Loop’ comes on/is brought into your signal chain and when the Loop Box is switched off it’s taken out.
GRAAAAARRR!!! No matter which channel you go for, this is not a subtle amp, and if vintage is your thing there are plenty of amps in the Peavey catalogue that will do that for you. The 6505 series is about power, sustain and grit. And at this point, over 20 years since the birth of its ancestor, it’s a sonic icon. BY PETER HODGSON
RRP: $1299 Distributor: Audio Products Group Phone: (02) 9669 3477 Website: www.audioproducts.com.au
M198 DUAL LOOP Now if you’re getting a little more involved and the Loop Box isn’t enough for you the M198 Dual Loop Box might be the next step. Working on the same premise but having two Send/Return Loops you get an extra loop plus the added combination of essentially having both on, both off or switching between the two. You can also use just the Send side of the loop to act as an Amp selector if using two amps and wanting to switch between the two or having both on/off.
KICK IT It’s top-loaded with a kick back design. A traditionally solid Peavey design with Metal grill and sturdy handles. I like the top-loaded controls as it’s a good minimalist look for the stage. There’s a bright switch which boosts 10db over 1kHz and an active/passive switch that adjusts the gain structure of the amp for your pickups. There’s a 7-band graphic EQ with the option to bypass. The High and Low knobs are shelving EQs which is a good versatile alternative. They’re also nice and smooth and not too sensitive which I like. There’s a Contour switch if you fancy an automatic mid-scoop for that classic sound. Between all of these EQ shaping options you’ll surely get that sweet tone you’re after! Other groovy things are like the DDT (Distortion Detection Technique) protection feature which stops you distorting the
At 33kg it ain’t too heavy for rehearsing and perfect for those small to medium gigs. For more fatness you can always grab another cab and put it underneath to make a killer stack. Oh, and you can turn the back-light for the Peavey logo on or off. I was very surprised how smooth the tone was. Made my standard issue pickups sound awesome. Perfect for soul and groove one-minute and then crank the High knob and fiddle a bit for some heavy rock/funk the next. It’s got a great all-round tone with a slight leaning towards the retro side of the fence in my opinion. Could be just my retro bias though. Wellknown for their dependability, tone and affordability, the TKOs have proven themselves over the years to be well worth the money. This is no exception and you’d be hard-pressed to find better value for money. BY ANDREW BURKE
RRP: $799 Distributor: Audio Products Group Phone: (02) 9669 3477 Website: www.audioproducts.com.au
BY NICK BROWN RRP: $99 (M196, M197), $129 (M198), $199 (MC406)
MARKBASS MB7 BOOSTER PEDAL volt DC kind (typical of many pedals).
OPTIONS A-PLENTY An XLR DI output is always handy for gigs and saves you having to hook up to a venues often well worn DI Box that can be more trouble than it’s worth. There’s also a footswitch input and tuner output which is better than putting one of those tone-sucking tuners in your signal path. It’s also got an effects loop for slave amps and external effects. Some folks like to get their favourite pre-amp (say a sansamp bass driver) and plug it into the effects return and therefore bypassing the TKO’s preamp. Or go traditional and use the pre-amp through the front input and blend the two signals. Also a headphone jack for when family or flatmates don’t appreciate your sweet tones. Peavey have been making the reliable TKO series for many years now. They’ve got a great reputation for making dependable great sounding amps and this one really lives up to it. This is a Tour Series 400w Class D combo model with a 1 x 15” speaker that sounds surprisingly big and fat for a compact amp.
MC406 BUFFER Designed to ‘make up for signal loss that can occur when combining effects’ the CAE/ MXR Buffer is a neat little unit that might help with your signal degradation thanks to involved signal paths, long cable runs and the like. As easy as power, input, output and you’ve got a start. Then there are push buttons for Hi or Lo Cut and a slider for 0 to +6dB of gain. Remember it’s not so much a massive tone shaper but more a tool for restoring your signal so focused listening and testing is the way to get the best out of this little bad boy. Some people swear by them, others don’t hear much difference. Whatever your stance it might be worth having a listen to the differences a buffer could make to your setup. Either way it has some extra tweeking options, is well priced and will fit into your board or rack with ease. Buffer up!
Distributor: Australasian Music Supplies Phone: (03) 9549 1500 Website: www.austmusic.com.au
PEAVEY TOUR TKO 115 400W BASS COMBO AMP speakers and getting a crappy tone when you’ve had a few too many. If you’ve enabled it and the red clipping light stays on then you’ve got to get that gain turned down! You can turn off the DDT but the folks at Peavey recommend you keep this on and save your speakers.
M196 A/B BOX Want to route your signal to two separate outputs but don’t need the Loop function of the Dual Loop box? MXR’s M196 A/B Box allows you to plug in an instrument and send it to two different outputs. From there you can switch between either A or B, both on or both off. The inclusion of a ‘Thru’ capability means you can also send a constant signal (unaffected by the A/B settings) to a tuner, always on amp/recorder/ source for added flexibility.
The yellow and black of Markbass has been popping up everywhere since their inception in 2001. With lightweight yet heavy duty cabs, compact heads and effects - all pro touring/recording standard at good prices their list of users continues to flourish. Adding to their existing pedal line Markbass have just released the MB7 Booster pedal for those wanting some EQ and Level Boost. NEED A BOOST? Instantly identifiable thanks to Markbass’ black and yellow branding the MB7 is a nifty designed Level Boost and 7 band graphic EQ, both which are independently switchable! Housed in a tough black steel casing the construction is flawless with the two footswitches on top, sliders for the 7 band EQ and Boost Level above and input/output jacks, power supply connection on the front of the pedal. I must also mention the design of the raised edges around the EQ/Boost controls which is enough to deflect those over zealous feet when hitting the switches - keeping your settings intact, clever. You’ll find a 9v battery compartment underneath the pedal or alternatively you can use a power supply of the 9-12
IN USE With the EQ and Boost disengaged the MB7 is in true bypass mode, retaining your signal and tone without any colouring or noise. Hitting the EQ footswitch I was impressed with the responsiveness of the sliders. With controls for 40hz, 80, 250, 400, 1.2k, 2k and 4k Markbass have identified there take on the most favourable EQ shaping frequencies and each slider has +/- 16dB meaning you can go from Lo-Fi to scooped, to top end jangle, low end thud or grindy distortion with ease. And being as subtle or noticeable as you like it really can be a ‘fixer’ type EQ or pronounced effect making if great for getting your individual tone or helping to tame some dodgy backline or sit you in the mix a little better. The idea of a Level Boost is a great one for bass players. Some extra oomph for solos or just to stick out a little more in certain passages. Up to 20dB on tap you can set to your preferred spot and then have the beauty of both switchable EQ and Boost. Oh and in case you have trouble remembering both the EQ and Level sections light up yellow when engaged! MARK MY WORDS This is the kind of pedal I’d just have in my gig bag at all times. Handy for EQ or volume boosts but also the Swiss army knife type unit when your rig isn’t quite happening. Another great unit from Markbass. BY NICK BROWN RRP: $335 Distributor: CMC Music Phone: (02) 9905 2511 Website: www.cmcmusic.com.au
OCT 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN
PG. 31
MARKBASS BIG BANG
ICON IDJ USB DJ CONTROLLER
I have seen a number of snazzy little devices come from the Icon camp lately. All of them offering extensive features in a neat and compact interface that is easy to install and quick to work around. Best of all, most of them are small enough to fit into your laptop bag and take with you where ever your journey takes you. The iDJ USB DJ controller is just one such device that ticks all the boxes from Icon. Let’s have a look. UP AND RUNNING It took all of no time at all to get the iDJ set up with my laptop. I installed it for use with Traktor, being my preferred DJ software, but it does come with Deckadance DJ software included in the box. Once I had installed the .TSI file, it was ready to go and able to access many of the most used features within Traktor without the need to do too much mapping. This is not a controller that overwhelms the user with options. Icon are not trying to cover every base with the iDJ, they simply couldn’t do it with a unit this size, but it does make sure that all the important features are covered. From the outside in, you have a tempo slider alongside six buttons for controlling features like vinyl mode, sync and loop points. Then you have the large jog wheel that sits up nicely from the base of the unit. These jog wheels are illuminated and have a rubber grip feel to them, so even though they are not as large as one may like, they work well under the fingers. Further in from the wheel, you have a cross-fader with assignable curves and eight buttons that are assigned in Traktor
to headphone monitoring, effects selection and file browsing controls. Across the top you have a number of rotary encoders for gain and EQ control as well. GETTING INTO IT This all seems fairly standard as far as USB DJ controllers go. The iDJ is really easy to get your head around if you have used anything else before and the illuminating buttons and wheels make it easy to see what is activated at any given time. The mapping works a treat within Traktor and all the functionality is rock solid. I can only assume it will be as smooth and easy to set up with other software applications. You can easily remap the features to suit your needs too, which is handy when the factory settings don’t exactly live up to what you want. With the layer buttons, you are able to create four different layers of mapping on the iDJ that can be switched between quickly to allow you to get multiple uses from it. This is a feature that may well have Ableton or Maschine users getting excited as you can turn this little device into a mean machine very easily. A very cool edition to the USB DJ controller market. BY ROB GEE RRP: $149.99 Distributor: Innovative Music Phone: (03) 9540 0685 Website: www.innovativemusic.com.au
TIMBERIDGE TRFC 3T BLK SEMI ACOUSTIC GUITAR
With an ever evolving user list and constant research and development, Markbass aren’t ones to sit around idle. From their lightweight, portable yet heavy duty cabs to small portable feature packed amps and effects this Italian based company really has solidified themselves in the bass market place. Releasing several new items for 2012, Markbass have developed a new small sized solid state high power head with some new features that people have been asking for. BIG BANG THEORY A 500 watt solid state head, the Big Bang incorporates some of Markbass’ most popular features along with some new additions on the back of customer requests and feedback. Alongside the standard Gain, Low, Mid Low, Mid High, High and Master Controls you get a Line Out level control, headphone out jack with level control and an Aux In jack. Markbass’ VLE and VPF filters (which have featured on many of their other models) are again included on the Big Bang but this time with the option of being footswitch controlled, same with the Mute function. Great to see a company listening to their users and taking some ideas onboard. Flick around to the back of the head and you’ll find both jack and combined speakon/ jack speaker outs, a dedicated tuner out, send/return effects loop, xlr line out and switches for pre/post EQ and Ground Lift. BLACK AND GOLD 500 watts is a great starting point meaning the Big Bang should be able to cover most gigs. Thanks to its size and weight it won’t be overkill for smaller shows either as it’s basically no effort to carry around, easily slipping into a leads/accessories bag. Moving onto the EQ and you get Markbass’ typically dynamic range with a balancing of the Gain and Master controls allowing you to keep things clean with plenty of headroom or really grind it up. The VLE and VPF (Vintage Loudspeaker Emulator and Variable Pre-shape Filter if you’re not familiar with Markbass’s
patented design) can be bypassed completely or worked to taste in tandem with the EQ section. VLE works with taking out top end for a warmer vintage vibe whilst the VPF is a mid range scoop of sorts. Obviously these can be used sparingly and you’re best bet is to get a solid tone as a base and then work in these filters as you hear them perhaps dialling in the VPF for slap or rocky picked tones whilst the VLE can do the rounder old school funk or rock sound nicely. Plenty of scope and dynamic range with the ability to footswitch the VLE and VPF for solo passages or swapping between slap and fingers etc. THERE’S MORE! In this age of MP3 players, iPods, Smartphones and the like nearly everyone has some source of music close to hand. The ability to then plug a device into the front of the amp be it for jamming/practicing or backing tracks for performance means you get added flexibility plus a dedicated headphones out and level control for practicing or monitoring. I’d think this will definitely appeal to those fed up with using their el cheapo type practice amps for jamming/writing/new ideas/learning/practicing! THE PASS MARK As mentioned earlier it’s great to see a company taking customer feedback and suggestions onboard. Like all of the Markbass gear I’ve played the Big Bang provides good clean headroom and lots of dynamic range. They’re certainly a company taking it to the next level, ensuring their products will be the next big thing. BY NICK BROWN
RRP: $1495 Distributor: CMC Music Phone: (02) 9905 2511 Website: www.cmcmusic.com.au
D’ADDARIO EXP110 even compared to some other sets: from low to high the tensions are 7.94kg, 8.84kg, 8.34kg, 7.53kg, 6.98kg and 7.35kg.
From the Timberidge 3 Series of Small Body Acoustic/ Electric Cutaway Guitars comes the TRFC - 3T. Sure dreadnaughts, auditoriums and the like make up quite a large percentage of acoustic guitars on the market it’s still nice to see a smaller bodied guitar. With extra zing and a bright, crisp tone they can fill a void in your arsenal and be a good alternative if big bodied guitars wear you down a little. TREE OF LIFE Coming in a Timberidge ‘Deluxe Paisley Case’ (which has become a bit of a staple in the TR line) the TRFC - 3T features a solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Stepping up the fanciness a little on this model you’ll also notice the Herringbone timber binding on the neck and body, abalone sound hole rosette and as signified by the ‘T’ in 3T there is an elaborate ‘Tree of Life’ pearloid inlay running the entire length of the fretboard. Well done and intricate looking this Tree of Life definitely adds a level of swank to the guitar without being the complete realm of Liberace. Whilst this particular model came in Black it is also available in a Natural Gloss and a Natural Satin if that’s more your thing.
heads felt smooth and accurate. As an instrument you will notice it’s more mids and tops focused perhaps due mostly to the small body shape. It’s still got plenty of volume and a strong, projected tone though, don’t write it off just as a bash around guitar. Clear with both chords and fingerpicking it feels nice to play and has the bonus of a B Band preamp/ pickup system for getting your sound amplified. As we’ve seen on quite a few other Timberidge models the B Band gear does a great job of amplifying your fundamental tone and gives you plenty of shaping options with Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence and Volume controls. Of course there’s the handy addition of an onboard tuner too for those quick adjustments on stage when needed.
Timberidge do it well. Included case, good setup and intonation, lots of features and options all at a more than decent price. These guitars really should be considered if close to your price range as they come jam packed with good stuff and most importantly play and sound good. Another solid performer from the Timberidge line. BY NICK BROWN
BE SHARP A smaller bodied guitar the TRFC is comfortable and not the kind of guitar you’re going to battle with. The slim body feels great with the cutaway giving you good access to the upper register whilst the neck is slick and sleek. I found the TRFC to stay in tune well under pressure and the Grover diecast machine
PG. 32 MIXDOWN NO. 222
D’Addario’s coated guitar strings take a slightly different approach to other brands on the market. Where as most other coated strings actually cover the entire string with a substance designed to impede the corrosion process and maintain long string life, D’Addario’s coating is applied to the high-carbon hex core of the string before the wrap wire process. The coating is actually around the core of the string, not the surface like on certain other brands. THAT’S A WRAP D’Addario has also improved the corrosion resistance, longevity and durability of the nickel-plated steel wrap through an exclusive compound tin-plating process. D’Addario has always led the way in the fight against string corrosion, most notably via their switch to those neat little corrosion intercept packets that keep your strings nice and fresh until you need them. Before that little innovation came along, it was not unheard of to open a pack of guitar strings and find weird discolouration at various intervals along the string caused by corrosion. So D’Addario has approached the longevity problem from a few different angles here: coated hex core and improved wrap.
OCT 2012
D’Addario’s EXP strings have nailed that elusive combination of durability, tone and playability. Unlike other coated strings, you don’t notice that you’re playing coated strings - not after restringing, and not after extended hardcore playing sessions. They may cost a little more but they’re more than worth it for all the benefits in terms of tone, durability and playability. BY PETER HODGSON RRP: $18.99
RRP: $749 Distributor: Jade Australia Phone: 1800 144 120 Website: www.jadeaustralia.com.au
IN FOR THE LONG HAUL I strung up my 1987 Ibanez RG550, a basswood-bodied guitar with a rosewood fretboard and jumbo frets. This particular RG550 sounds slightly dark, probably thanks to the rosewood and the big frets, and its aftermarket Seymour Duncan Parallel Axis Trembucker has drifted a bit from its original trebly spec over the years. So the EXP110 set brightened the guitar up just enough to give it a bit of top-end bite, while tightening up the low end a little too. What I really like about the EXP series - and I tested the EXP120 Super Light 9-42 electric guitar set, EXP11 Coated 80/20 Bronze 12-53 acoustic guitar set and EXP165 Long Scale four-string bass set recently - is that the coating does not negatively affect the frequency response of the strings in the way some other brands do. I’m used to coated strings sounding a little sterile, a little lacking in bass and a bit too brittle in the high end. Not here. Although it’s interesting: they kind of give the vibe of slightly higher-gauged strings, at least as far as my fingers and ears can tell. The sound seems a little fuller, a little punchier, a little crisper. And they seem to settle in quicker. That first few hours of just-too-bright tone are not apparent in this line of strings. By the way, it’s a few months now since I’ve had the EXP165 set on my bass and they still sound great and stay in tune very nicely. If they’ve started to drift in frequency response, I certainly haven’t noticed.
MATCH MAKER The EXP110 set is a regular light set gauged .010, .013, .017, .026, .036 and .046. Though not specifically gauged to be a tension-matched set, they still work out relatively
Distributor: D’Addario Australia Phone: (03) 8761 6293 Email: sales@daddario.com.au
OCT 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN PG. 33
RARE AUDIO CA-10A 150R SPEAKER ground you’ll find the controls on the left side of the speaker with a combo jack/speakon mic/line in, xlr line in, jack loop thru and left and right rca tape ins. Control wise the 150R runs Gain, High, Low and Master Volume as well as a Gain control for the Tape In and a Low Cut switch (150Hz +/- 24dB). Rounding out the side panel is a Speakon External Speaker out for adding more units if required.
ZOOM MULTISTOMP MS-50G
Hailed as ‘the world’s first single stompbox multieffects pedal’ the Zoom Multistomp MS-50G is one of the latest releases from those crafty people at Zoom. Attempting to cross that divide that is single effects pedals versus multi effects you’re looking at the flexibility of multiple effects and tones in the convenience of a single stomp. MR MULTI Single pedal, 47 stompbox and 8 amp models, chromatic tuner, USB connectivity and the ability to run off either 2 x AA batteries or a 9v DC adaptor. Effects include Distortion, Reverb/Delay, Modulation/SFX and Dynamic/Filter and 8 Amp Model tones with the ability to combine up to 6 of these which can then be saved in one of the 50 Patch memories. Editing is done via the stomp switch, three dual dial/push button controls and four buttons surrounding the footswitch. Zoom have gone for plenty of multipurpose situations here to give you lots of functionality and tweaking possibilities.
SPOILT FOR CHOICE The Amp models are well selected and cover ground from British, American and Boutique sounds and can be mixed with effects or used as a standalone (handy for recording, practice or DI gigs). From the Zoom effects cupboard I loved the delay and verb settings, range of modulation sounds and everything in general really. Whilst Fuzz and drives often suffer in the non tube, digital domain the MS-50G had more than enough variation and tweakability for me to come up with satisfying tones. Perhaps not something I’d use to substitute a real amp but more than useful in my book. You really need to hear this unit for yourself to get the idea but other faves were the Deluxe-R and TW Rock amp models, Slow ATTCK, AutoWah, Step, Squeak, Aco.Sim and MonoPitch effects. All usable, editable and able to be stacked, interchanged and played with ease. On top of the list of effects and amp models (which you’ll get more than an idea of what vein they’re in from their witty names) you get options to change the signal chain, tap tempo options by hand or foot with the stomp switch, the ability to program the order of your patches. For instance if you had 3 sounds for a certain song you could order them in rhythm, chorus and solo tones so that you can get from one to the next easily along the lines of a multi effects unit - pretty cluey. MULTI STOMP So - 47 stomp box and 8 amp models, chromatic tuner, USB connectivity and stacks more in a single sized pedal. I must admit it almost seemed a little too complex and overloaded at first. But plugged in and 5 minutes of playing round with it, I was sold on the idea. I could see it being a staple on busy or ever changing pedal boards as a quick change sound for that special gig or song, great in the studio for having tonnes of options right at your fingertips or a practice tool that doesn’t require a huge rig. This is one seriously cool unit from Zoom!
MEDIUM RARE I like the size of the 150R, there’s still a little weight to it (it is powered though after all) but it’s portable and easily movable. It would sit in front of a singer or guitarist as a foldback nicely or could sit on a bench, speaker stand, corner, whatever for sound applications. Set flat I found it to be responsive and clear with the balance of Gain and Master Volume giving you decent volume. The fact that it can take mic or instruments straight in opens up your range of applications and I found both mic and guitar were both handled no probs, just a matter of EQ’ing to taste. Obviously if being used as a speaker from a mixer of other system you can set flat and EQ from there or use the onboard controls and Low Cut to make it work.
Rare Audio makes a range of speakers, speaker systems and mixers for home and live use covering most aspects from the small and mobile to bigger high powered rigs. Part of their powered speaker range is the CA10A-150R a smaller sized wedge shaped 150 watt speaker that can be implemented in a variety of situations. I’VE GOT THE POWER Rated at 150 watts the CA10A-150R is an active digital system with coaxial speaker. Housed in a slanted type wedge shaped speaker box of the heavy duty kind. It has solid rubber feet on the base for a nice angled sitting position. Covered with a black steel grille plate the 10” speaker and driver are well protected too. When sitting on the
SPEAK TO ME Background music, singing/playing along with backing tracks, jamming with CD/iPod/laptop, standalone speaker for a mixer, PA, speech nights, acoustic guitar, monitoring, home sound - I could go on as there are tonnes of uses for an item like this. Plus being a 10” and with the smaller sized cabinet (around half - two thirds the length of a typical wedge/foldback) it is a little more portable and user friendly for those on the go. Straight forward to use, cost friendly and good sounding, you can’t go wrong with Rare Audio from the looks of this. BY NICK BROWN RRP: $499 Distributor: Jade Australia Phone: 1800 144 120 Website: www.jadeaustralia.com.au
BLACKSTAR BLACKFIRE 200
BY NICK BROWN
RRP: $169 Distributor: Dynamic Music Phone: (02) 9939 1299 Website: www.dynamicmusic.com.au
SAMSON UB1 USB BOUNDARY MICROPHONE Gus G requires a lot from his amps. He needs them to keep up with his power metal shredding in Firewind, but he also demands that they keep up with the various eras of rock and metal tone that he needs to convey during the course of a typical Ozzy Osbourne set. As Ozzy’s guitarist he has to dip into vintage 70s metal, 80s neoclassical and hard rock, the more gained-out approach of Zakk Wylde and his own, modern-voiced Ozzy material. The Blackfire 200 is a 200 watt beast of an amp designed to pump out the required tones at the required volumes.
Just when you thought Samson had thought of everything, they go and redesign another industry staple and give it some new life. The UB1 USB condenser boundary microphone is sure to fill a gap in the market that will see it welcomed readily by many. Samson have paved the way for USB microphone development over the years and produced many condenser microphones that can be found in all sorts of environments the world over and the UB1 is sure to do just the same. Perfect for conference rooms, churches and classrooms, this compact boundary microphone makes it quick and easy to record everything that is going on around it. COMPACT AND CLEVER Many boundary microphones on the market tend to be overly large in design and require all too much work in installation and setup. What Samson have done with the UB1 is get rid of all the trouble and worry and present us with a compact boundary condenser microphone that is going to meet many needs. It has a simple and elegant design, looking more like a drinks coaster than a microphone, so placed in the centre of the table in a board room, or on a desk in a classroom, it isn’t obtrusive at all. It can also be easily wall mounted for use in churches where a choir or musical ensemble needs to be captured with microphone stands getting in the way. Installation is a breeze. It is bus powered from
PG. 34 MIXDOWN NO. 222
the USB connection, so there is no need to supply phantom power to the unit, making it all the more easy to use for people who don’t hold a degree in audio engineering. CREATIVE CAPTURE The beauty of this microphone is in its simplicity. It doesn’t obstruct your line of sight, nor does it impose on your performance, it simply sits idly by and captures the room sound for you to record directly into a computer. With Cakewalk’s Sonar LE included in the box, you are ready to record not long after setting the unit up. There are all sorts of uses for a microphone like this and I just wish I had a grand piano in the house to try it inside the lid. But alas, this was not to be. Really, the limitations of the UB1 are really only down to your creativity. If you need to record into a laptop in a room environment, not necessarily focusing on one direction, the UB1 from Samson could be the answer to your needs. BY ROB GEE
RRP: $124 Distributor: Electric Factory Phone: (03) 9474 1000 Website: www.elfa.com.au
OCT 2012
HEAVY METAL MACHINE The Blackfire 200 features four channels with six footswitchable modes, including two that are fairly standard Blackstar fare: a Clean channel with Warm and Bright modes, and a Crunch channel with Crunch and Super Crunch modes. The other two are the Fire and Fury overdrive channels, designed in partnership with Gus G. There are two EQ sections - one for Clean and Crunch, and another for Fire and Fury. Each channel includes Gain and Level controls, while the EQ sections include Bass, Middle, Treble and ISF, Blackstar’s Infinite Shape Feature, which blends between US and UK voicings. There’s also DPR, or Dynamic Power Reduction, which reduces the power of the output stage from full power at 200 watts down to 20% at 20 watts or anywhere in between. Each model comes with exclusive Gus G accessories including a signed certificate, an ‘Evil G’ key ring, trading card, pick, dust cover and a Firewind CD ‘Few Against Many’. UNLEASH THE FURY I tested the Blackfire 200 with my basswood Ibanez RG320 with Seymour Duncan Gus G Fire signature humbuckers and my poplar Buddy Blaze Sevenator prototype with Duncan Full Shred and ‘59 humbuckers and a coil split. The Clean channel is fairly straightforward, with a nice range of clean and slightly pushed tones. It’s not quite characterful enough if you need a clean channel for most of your playing, but for the occasional clean passage or as the basis for a distortion pedal it does the job nicely. The Crunch channel is nice and open, with nice potential
for AC/DC grit, especially with the passives in my sevenstring. You can dial in some nice vintage metal and hard rock tones here. The Fire channel is where things really start to get interesting though. Depending on how you set the Gain, you can get a crunchy, chunky grind or a more aggressive, flat-out brutal modern metal sound. With the Gain around 4 or 5 and passive humbuckers the tone is slightly reminiscent of George Lynch’s rhythm tone. With the Gus G signature pickups (which are passive humbuckers paired with an active preamp) the sound is more solid and compressed. The Fury channel is very distinctively voiced, with powerful upper mids and a huge amount of gain. It tended to mask some of the distinctiveness of each pickup, replacing it with plenty of saturation and sustain, and with very impressive tracking for super-fast picking techniques. The DPR control has a clear and obvious impact on the sound whether you’re cranked up to stage level or playing at bedroom volumes. At higher settings you’ll get more punch, attack and dynamics, while the attack is softer and more sponge-like at lower levels. I found my favourite settings somewhere around 50 watts. A MIGHTY WIND The Blackfire 200 is definitely a metal amp, but it’s more versatile than most, since it gives you access to ultramodern metal voicings as well as much more traditional ones. And with the exception of the very purposelyvoiced Fury channel, the majority of settings emphasise the character of the guitar you’re plugging into it. Only 225 of these amps will be made, and the tone is not just for Gus G fans, so if it sounds like something you might like, check it out super-quick! BY Peter Hodgson RRP: $2999 Distributor: National Audio Systems Phone: (03) 9761 5577 Website: www.nationalaudio.com.au
SAMSON AIRLINE MICRO WIRELESS CAMERA SYSTEM
PLANET WAVES O PORT buster type device then this won’t pose any problems for you. It should be noted that the O-Port comes in a few different sizes to accommodate most standard guitars but those with crazy shaped sound holes might struggle to get it happening.
After watching a YouTube video of Eric Schmidt running us through the O-Port, I have some understanding that the idea is to create better projection and clarity with increased frequency response in certain ranges. This can be adding volume, rounding out some frequencies with better response and even help reduce feedback in acoustic electric guitars. Now, grab the box and you’re instantly faced with some trendy packaging - modern minimalist looks and some techno graphs with sound frequencies making it all look pretty whizz bang. Open the black box and you’ve got a round plastic type ring in front of you, that’s the O-Port. I must admit my first thought was ‘is that it?’ and indeed the answer is yes. Ok, let’s move on. HOW? WHAT? WHY? It’s dead easy to install - just loosen the strings and place the O-Port in the sound hole. Made from a flexi, rubber/plastic type material it’s easy to manipulate and if anyone’s ever installed a feedback
PLAY O, PLAY-AY-AY O Check out any of the countless YouTube vids on the O-Port and you’ll straight away notice that it does make a difference - whether that sound is what you’re after is another story but there is something going on. I’m by no means an engineer and I may be simplifying things in my head but I can see that somehow this circular device helps to get the sound out of the guitar and perhaps like the bell on a trumpet the rounded edge throws the sound a little more. Some people comment that the one downfall is reduced sustain and quite possibly this is as the sound is getting out of the guitar quicker rather than resonating around inside the instrument. YOUR NEXT PORT OF CALL? I understand people will be sceptical and again you might not want to alter your guitar tone, but the O-Port is a cheap device and one that doesn’t require any modding to your instrument. Realistically, it’s an easy, inexpensive investment if you want to see whether the O-Port lives up to the claims on its glossy packaging. Give it a go, it might be just what you want from your accoustic. BY NICK BROWN
I often get asked for a wireless microphone system for use with digital cameras and video cameras and often I find it hard to come up with a solution that will meet most people’s budgets. Now, it seems, Samson have come up with just that solution. A fully rechargeable wireless system with a receiver that doesn’t require mains power and easily mounts to your camera – without an enormous price tag. Compact design COME FLY WITH ME The Airline Micro wireless system is, as the name would suggest, very compact. Both the belt pack transmitter and the receiver are about the size of a matchbox each. The docking station for both units for both units which allows USB connectivity for charging is not much bigger either. It all comes packaged in a tidy little zippered pouch that is rugged and sturdy so you can take the system with your where ever you go. It all weighs very little and comes with all cables and accessories in the box, including a compact and discreet lapel microphone.
RRP: $39.99
video. With the use of a short patch lead, you run the signal from the receiver to the camera to have it synced to the video image. The belt pack is built into a sturdy metal frame with a metal belt clip that doesn’t feel like it is going to break each time it is put on or taken off. There is a 15dB pad switch on the transmitter too, so if your signal from the microphone is too loud, that can be easily dealt with. This is a very tidy and cleverly designed setup that allows for plenty of options. You not only get the lapel microphone, but also an instrument lead for the belt pack and an XLR lead for use with just about any hand held dynamic microphone you should wish to use. Samson are onto a winner with this unit. It fills a gap in the market that has for too long had people crying out for a solution. The Airline Micro allows you to expand the system to suit your needs and never require any mains power for operation when on location. Awesome! BY ROB GEE RRP: $549
Distributor: D’Addario Australia Phone: (03) 8761 6293 Email: sales@daddario.com.au
PRACTICAL PLUS The receiver unit can be easily mounted onto the flash clip of a digital SLR so you can use the system to record the audio direct into the camera as you record
Distributor: Electric Factory Phone: (03) 9474 1000 Website: www.elfa.com.au
PERFORMANCE YOU CAN TRUST Your audience deserves to hear every note, every word, and every beat. PRX600 Series speakers were designed from the ground up to perform in the real world where difficult acoustical environments, high ambient noise levels or loud volumes are the norm. With four new full-range models and two new subwoofers you can tailor a system to fit your unique needs. And our 60 years of building speakers is engineered into every PRX600. Knowing that you can rely on your system to deliver gives you the freedom to deliver your very best. That’s performance you can trust.
POWERFUL.
RUGGED.
VERSATILE.
Distributed by
JANDS to enter for your chance to facebook.com/jandsptyltd
www.jands.com.au
WIN
A HOLIDAY TO NOOSA! OCT 2012
NO. 222 MIXDOWN PG. 35
EVANS G14 CLEAR/COATED DRUM HEADS
BLACKSTAR HT-METAL PEDAL bypass, silent soft switching, and a speaker-emulated direct recording output for connection to a PA or mixing desk,
Blackstar’s amps are quite well established now, but if you peer even further back into the company’s history, they tested the waters with a few pedals first. And they haven’t let up, offering an ever-expanding line of stompers, including gain, modulation and time-based effects. The HT-METAL is the latest, and it’s a virtual amp in a box. TUBULAR, DUDE The HT-METAL is a genuine valve distortion pedal with two cascaded ECC83 triode stages. It runs at 300 volts, and offers two channels of ultra high gain. Blackstar goes so far as to refer to it as an “ultra high gain filth machine,” so there ya go! The valve section is designed to provide authentic amp response. Each channel has its own gain and volume controls. Channel 1 has a Clean/Overdrive switch, which both channels share a three-band EQ as well as Blackstar’s patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) control, which revoices the entire tone stack for British or UK tones, and anything in between. The Gain and Level controls for each channel are housed in concentric knobs. Other features include high-integrity buffered
TONE SO HOT IT GLOWS The HT-METAL is capable of some pretty damn aggressive tones. You can dial in a hairy, sizzly metal chunk with killer harmonics, especially if you like to throw in the occasional Zakk Wylde-style pings and squeals. There’s plenty of gain available, especially if you want to really go nuts. But that’s not all the HT-METAL can do. The clean channel means you can dial in a sparkly (or even punchy and gritty) clean sound on one channel and a dirty one on the other, each with separate output levels. Or you can set it for two separate levels of distortion and output. Beyond the use of the Clean/Overdrive button and Gain controls there isn’t much scope to vary the tone between the two channels, but it’s still surprisingly flexible and very authentic-feeling. Because you’re actually playing through a valve you’ll get a more realistic, amp-like response, rather than the clipped, synthetic feel you usually get from solid-state pedals, and this is most noticeable in the dynamic range. There just seems like there’s more ‘air’ around the notes. Lead guitarists are gonna love it, and rhythm chunkers will be in power chord heaven too. METAL BY NAME, METAL BY NATURE The HT-METAL isn’t trying to be a smooth overdrive, although it can get close if you set it just so. It’s unapolagetically metal. It even looks like it should be a metal pedal. And it’s a great way to add some real tube warmth to a digital modelling amp or a direct-into-theboard setup. BY PETER HODGSON RRP: $299 Distributor: National Audio Systems Phone: (03) 9761 5577 Website: www.nationalaudio.com.au
EVANS BLACK CHROME DRUM HEADS CHROME IS WHERE THE HEART IS I have to admit, they do look cool. I remember seeing a video where Vinnie Colaiuta was using black covered heads. You get that instant ‘80s look that will certainly turn some heads and if you have an epic sized kit it’ll be a show stopper. The sound these bad boys give you is a full and fat sound that has some real extra midlow end frequencies, particularly on the floor tom. I had the toms tuned just above the ‘wrinkle’ point or just when the drum starts to sing and the head starts producing tone. There is a fairly quick decay and a moderate sustain. I honestly thought they would be deader than what they were. So at least if you want some more tone, it’s actually there for the taking. But if you’re into thick and durable drum skins like the black chrome you’re more likely to want to hear that fat, low and short thud.
Evans are one of the leading brands in our current line up of drum head manufactures and are constantly innovating and offering something for everyone. Their line of heads offers everything from thin and bright to thick and dark as well as all the variants in between. Today however, we’re talking about the head that slots in right at the bottom. Introducing the new Evans Black Chrome drumheads – the thickest and ‘phattest’ head Evans currently make. BACK IN BLACK Here we have the answer to those guys looking to hit hard and sound fat. This drumhead will cover all the bases for you. Currently, Evans’ thickest and heaviest heads are either the EC2S, Onyx or Hydraulic variants and each have their own thing going on but the Black chrome a good compromise between say an Onyx which has more attack and less sustain and the hydraulic which has basically no sustain at all. Construction is a two-ply opposing film head consisting of one clear 7mm film on top and a black (hence the name) 7.5ml film on bottom. The finish is left clear and glossy for a truly cool aesthetic look and more attack.
PG. 36 MIXDOWN NO. 222
These heads are aimed at the rock/metal drummer who hits hard, needs durability and a punchy tone. The Evans Black Chrome has all that for sure. My drums sounded really cool and the short decay allowed real clarity when playing fast phrases. Floor tom took on a ‘mini’ bass drum effect and I found myself hitting it the most just to grin some more. Another upside for anyone thinking about these heads is that because they’re thicker and offer fewer overtones, they would help mask a bad sounding shell. So if your drum kit needs some love and you’re having trouble tuning, a thicker head could be the go. The only downside I felt from these heads was that they weren’t super loud and required a fair hit to yield volume. I expected this though and for most players, this won’t be a problem at all. Check these heads out if you’re in the market for some ‘fatness’. BY ADRIAN VIOLI
RRP: $26.99-$33.99 Distributor: D’Addario Australia Phone: (03) 8761 6293 Email: sales@daddario.com.au
OCT 2012
These days, drummers are in no way short of options when it comes to drumheads. There are so many variants on the market, catering to the many discerning tastes in the industry. Whether you prefer single ply, double ply, clear or coated, you’re bound to find something to suit you and the type of drum kit you own. The latter is actually one of the most important factors. Each instrument will respond differently to say, the same set of heads. The single ply coated heads you had on your old kit may sound like a strangled cat on your new one. Hence why we have great manufactures that are constantly innovating and filling holes in the market. Evans happen to be one of those companies and have devised a new line of heads that should appeal to a wide range of drummers that prefer a single ply variant and the dynamic/projection qualities they want from their instrument. Introducing the new G14 series of drum heads from Evans. PLY HARD Here we have a single ply head that claims to be the most durable single ply on the market. For those unsure of what I’m on about, a single ply drumhead is a skin that is constructed of one film only. Other 2-ply heads have the same film again fused together for durability. But what if you had a single ply head that was as thick as a 2-ply? Evans’ very popular G1 and G2 models are as follows and worth mentioning here. The G1 is a single ply head that uses a 10ml film; the G2 uses two 7ml films together. The G14 cleverly fits in the middle with one single 14ml film for its construction. So it’s as thick as a G2 but responds more like a G1 – only that you can lay into it a bit more because it’s thicker and more durable. Win so far! CLEAR HEAD I tried both clear and coated versions of these new G14’s and I did so on two kits – a Yamaha
Maple Custom Absolute and a Premier Genista Birch. Both variants of the G14 worked well on both kits. Birch isn’t naturally lively as maple and the clear heads worked well on the Premier with a more focused sound then that of the maple. That said, you can tell you’re playing a single ply because they have the dynamic range that only one film can offer. Get the tuning right and you have more attack and more volume. These heads offer great projection because there’s less film to mute sound. The coated variant on the birch kit had that little extra warmth, which I usually prefer. You can just leave them un-dampened and wide open for a great tone, nice projection and that live, less thick/choked sound – one of the main reasons for choosing a single ply head. The clears on the maple kit yielded more tone again but it meant I had to be more careful and accurate with my tuning. The sound is bright and clear when you nail it though and they really allow the tone of the drums to come through. As expected the coated heads just took the edge off the overtones and were a little easier to tune for me. So these are my preference, but I really dug the sound of the clear 16” on the floor tom. Overall, I think Evans have done a great thing here. There are some players (me included) that like the idea of a single-ply head but can’t really afford to change them all the time as they wear out. These G14s offer a solution to that problem. Yes, they will eventually wear but they’ll take a beating first. Worth a look. BY ADRIAN VIOLI RRP: $18.99 - $39.99 Distributor: D’Addario Australia Phone: (03) 8761 6293 Email: sales@daddario.com.au
DBX DB10 PASSIVE DIRECT BOX from DBX is designed to get your signal through to the mixing console as cleanly as possible without interference from other devices and allowing it to go through a long cable run. This little unit doesn’t want to damage your tone, it wants to protect it and ensure it gets into the mix how you would want it to.
Just about every house PA system out there has some DBX product in the racks. You just can’t go anywhere without coming across it in the live music world and that is because, quite frankly, it is good stuff. All engineers know it and trust it and can get great results with DBX products time and time again. So, you have to ask yourself, if the guy in the booth is using DBX to make you sound good, why would you want to give him a sub-standard signal to begin with? So often I see guitarists happy to plug their guitar which cost them several thousands of dollars into a DI box that cost them twenty dollars and not think twice about it. Why let your signal down for the sake of saving a few bucks, especially when you have already invested so much to begin with. DO DI RIGHT So, let’s not get onto a rant about cheap DI boxes that let you down. Let’s look at one that can improve your tone and really doesn’t cost that much when all things are considered. The dB10 passive DI box
BUILT TOUGH Aside from audio quality, build quality is an essential element when choosing a DI Box. After all, it is going to get kicked about, trodden on and generally abused on stage so it needs to last. The dB10 is rugged enough to handle anything you want to throw at it; even your drummer. It sits firmly on the ground with and extended rubber plate beneath the metal chassis and all the inputs, outputs and switches are recessed for protection. The input allows a thru on 6.5mm jack and has a switchable pad allowing 20dB and 40dB of attenuation if needed. On the output side, a Neutrik XLR connection is supplied. There is a ground lift switch, a polarity inversion switch and a high pass filter than can be initiated also. The features are all there. The build quality is great. The tone is transparent. What more could you ask for in a passive DI box, really? This is the direct box for the guitarist or keyboard player that wants to keep their tone the way the create it and not have it lost in poor circuitry. BY ROB GEE
RRP: $115 Distributor: Jands Phone: (02) 9582 0909 Website: www.jands.com.au
DBX DRIVERACK PA+
EVE SC205 ACTIVE STUDIO MONITORS their speaker designs. The 5” glass coated silver coloured cones are pushed by a 1” magnet voice coil that allows for amazing precision in the lower mid frequencies and a very lively bottom end. It doesn’t sound loose or flabby, like a large cone that is struggling to keep up with the transient attacks, but rather gives you a very defined sound in the lower frequencies, whilst still producing a solid low end.
EVE Audio is a relatively new brand in the whole of professional studio monitoring, but it is one that is making an impact right from the get go. EVE Audio was founding in the European summer of 2011 in Berlin by Roland Stenz who has worked within German based hi-fi companies and developing high end reference monitors for many years. With a background in electronics, he designed and formed EVE Audio in a quest to redesign his studio monitors form the ground up, taking each and every component into consideration. What has resulted from this is a quality range of professional studio monitors and subs to suit a wide range of needs without ever compromising on quality in design or build. REDESIGNING THE FIVE There are hundreds of small monitor speakers on the market offering 5” woofers to allow for a limited workspace in project studios and offering precision near field monitoring in larger studios. Most of these fail to impress and generally end up sounding less than they promise. The SC205 is set to change the way many of us look at smaller ‘bookshelf’ style monitor speakers. It has been thoroughly and meticulously put together to offer all that is can in its small cabinet, giving you the biggest and most accurate sound EVE Audio can deliver in these little units. The secret behind the sound is in the design of not only the tweeter, but the woofer too. EVE Audio pride themselves on not using ‘off the shelf’ components and have developed both these parts to suit
BEHIND THE GRILL The top half of these speakers features a honeycomb-like grill that houses and protects the tweeter. This is held on magnetically to protect the tweeter, but can be removed for cosmetic purposes once you speakers are set up. As far as I could tell, there wasn’t any audible difference with it on or off, so they stayed on for the best part of my test run to save me losing them in the process. Housed behind the grill is a ribbon style tweeter that EVE Audio calls their Air Motion Transformer. Again, the designers weren’t happy with any existing ribbon transformer available, so they completely redesigned one to suit their speaker range. What this gives you is an incredibly crisp top end with delicate attention to detail and extreme precision in maintaining transient attacks. Able to reproduce very high SPLs without audible distortion and with very little movement in the components, the ribbon system really allows these speakers to sparkle. If you are looking for a compact pair of studio monitors that will really let you know where the flaws are in your mix, the SC205s are going to be a pretty safe bet. These monitors’ sound great, but only when your mix does. They give a wonderfully accurate telling of all the faults in your mix, especially in the high end detail. Eve have created a pair of monitors that leave no excuse for mediocrity, they are simply awesome! BY ROB GEE RRP: $1398 (PAIR) Distributor: Electric Factory Phone: (03) 9474 1000 Website: www.elfa.com.au
PALMER FAT 50 TUBE GUITAR COMBO channels. As I said the Drive knob really pushes things up and coupled with either of the channel volumes and a Master Volume you can get loads of different overdrive and distortion tones. The Bass, Mid and Treble are very smooth and are not too fast to affect the tone, which I like, as it makes it a lot easier to find those sweet sounds. There’s also a Drive Presence knob if you want to generally brighten things up without it becoming overly sharp. The effects loop is all tube-driven and it has it’s own volume control to blend in the effects. The 4-switch footswitch means you can change channels, switch reverb in, switch the gain in and have a volume boost. The 12” speaker is an Eminence Governor which is very clear and keeps the warmth. Especially when running 6L6 valves as they’re known for their clarity but it’s rare that they’re super toasty and warm like this! And last but not least you can run 2 x 8ohm cabs or 1 x 16ohm cab. Very cool! This beauty can handle small, medium and large gigs no problem!
Palmer are a small boutique musical instrument company from Germany making quality Guitar Amps and accessories. They’ve been around for 30 years but seem to be a lot more well-known in Europe and the United States than over here. With products used by popular artists such as The Black Keys and Joe Bonamassa it’s surprising they’re not very big here but hopefully that’ll change very soon. GOT THE LOOK Straight-away I was very impressed with the look of it. An all black 1x12” Speaker combo with a rugged construction, metal grill, 2 channels and a 4-switch footswitch. I was looking forward to giving it a good going-over. It’s got a Clean and a Drive channel with a Master Volume. The Drive channel has a Low-gain and High-Gain switch. The Low-Gain is really more of an overdrive sound and the High-Gain is more in the distortion/fuzz ballpark. There’s a Drive knob as well which will increase the Drive of either channel. Of course when used with the Drive channel you’ll get more fuzz but with the Clean channel you get a really sweet crunch tone. DRIVER’S SEAT The Drive, Bass, Mid and Treble knobs work for both
PG. 38 MIXDOWN NO. 222
The Clean Channel does have a lot of headroom (as they mention in their promotional info) for such a smallsized combo. And it sounds smooth and not brittle at all like many other large-headroom style amps. Maybe it’s because of their no transistors in the signal path policy. With the Drive Channel, the Low Gain setting for me is more of a retro/classic sound. The High Gain for me is a bit more modern and the more drive you add the more you can get some metal sounds if the mood takes you. Extremely versatile! The Reverb is very sweet but that’s what you would expect from a proper inbuilt spring reverb. No digital simulations here. A fantastic tube combo that for me covers all of the bases. The Clean Channel is especially good and sounds awesome when I used my trusty Rat with it. I’m certainly looking forward to the next drop of Palmer Amps. BY ANDREW BURKE
RRP: $1399 Distributor: Sonic Frog Phone: (08) 8354 1115 Website: www.sonicfrog.com.au
OCT 2012
I am sure if you look into the rack of any installation PA around town you will more than likely find a DBX DriveRack installed. This is, without a doubt, one of the most invaluable tools you can have to make a PA system sound right in any room. But, don’t get me wrong, it is not just designed for installation systems; the DriveRack PA+ is an essential tool for a portable PA system too. It allows you to set up presets for various rooms and control the overall mix to suit the room. Put simply, your PA system may sound good, but it will never sound its best until you get a DriveRack PA+ in the mix. EASY SETUP The DriveRack PA+ is designed for use with passive speakers being run from power amplifiers. There is an alternative model specifically designed for use with powered speaker systems. It is installed in your signal chain after the outputs of your mixer and before the amplifiers to allow you to have total control over the master mix that goes to your front of house system. Once installed in your system, it is easy to tune a room with the DriveRack PA+ and store your settings for various venues that you may use the system at regularly. The DriveRack allows you to add dynamic processing and EQ to your master mix to get the most out of your signal after the mixing stage and before amplification
CAPTURE THE ROOM The front panel of the DriveRack PA+ features all the metering you need to see what is going on with your signal, an easy to read LCD display to show you through the menu options and a series of setup buttons to get the unit working right. Further to this, there is an input for DBX’s RTA microphone. With the microphone in the system, you can use it to capture the sound of the room through the PA and tune the system to best work within the room you are set up in. This is an invaluable tool for getting the most out of your PA. It allows you to tune the system in a matter of minutes to take care of any unwanted frequencies and reflections the shape, size and construction of the room may have. Listen to your PA as best you can, tune it yourself, then listen to what the DriveRack PA+ can do for the tuning. You will hear the difference and you won’t be disappointed. BY ROB GEE RRP: $599 Distributor: Jands Phone: (02) 9582 0909 Website: www.jands.com.au
YAMAHA P35B DIGITAL PIANO
This year, Yamaha have stepped into a new realm with their digital pianos by releasing the P35B, which gives you Yamaha quality grand piano sounds, 88 weighted keys and a slim, lightweight design all at a price never before seen in a Yamaha keyboard like this. This digital piano is now set to open up the path for many beginner keyboard players who really want to play piano and need the heavier touch of piano style keys. GRADED TOUCH Just like with any acoustic piano, the weighted keys on the P35B have a graded hammer action to them. So, the keys in the lower register are slightly heavier than those in the higher registers. The smooth transition of the weighting to the keys feels quite natural and gradually develops as you move along the keyboard. The P35B features the same satin finished black keys that the P105B has, giving you a familiar feel and touch in this lower priced instrument. SIMPLIFIED CONTROLS As this is a budget model, some corners have had to be cut. But don’t worry, the great Yamaha grand piano sound that you expect is still to be found within the P35B. There are only three controls on the top panel; the On/ Off switch, Volume slider and the Grand Piano button.
Hitting this instantly returns you to the better of the two piano sounds within the keyboard. There are ten sounds to choose from all up, but the others are accessed by a combination of the button a certain keys on the keyboard itself. This makes the overall appearance of the P35B very sleek and slimline indeed with less buttons on the top face. Overall, the length and depth is the same as its bigger brother, the P105B, but the P35B is slightly smaller in height and ever so slightly less in weight. It also features more discreetly placed speakers that further serve to keep the top panel looking less cluttered. This is the perfect option for the beginner piano player looking for a practise tool for at home, or for someone wishing to advance from unweighted keys to a piano feel with 88 weighted keys. The P35B is something that people have wanted from Yamaha for quite some time and now they have delivered. BY ROB GEE RRP: $599.99 Distributor: Yamaha Australia Phone: (03) 9693 5111 Website: au.yamaha.com
YAMAHA P105B DIGITAL PIANO
Yamaha continue to grow their digital piano line and have recently upgraded the highly popular P95B with the P105B, which landed in stores around the country in the last month. As seems to be a regular occurrence with Yamaha, never happy to leave well enough alone, they are always seeking to better their instruments, so we get to benefit with a better range of keyboards. The P105B comes to us with a few upgrades that make it a real contender in the digital piano market for players who want great feel, slim design and simple use. UPDATED SOUNDS As we have come to expect from Yamaha, when they upgrade a keyboard, you always get a better sound set with the new model. The P105B features a modest sound set of 14 different voices. This is not trying to compare with their PSR range that offers a wide variety of sounds; it is designed for someone who wants to play piano but doesn’t have the space for an acoustic instrument. So, you get two different piano sounds, but you also get a selection of organs, strings and other sound too. The expansion of these sounds from the P95B makes this a more attractive unit, with some added flexibility. COSMETIC DETAIL There are a few subtle changes to the look with the
P105B. The control section has been moved to a more central location, rather than being based on the left side of the top panel and the speakers are housed in a more discreet and slimline enclosure, giving the keyboard an overall neater appearance. As for the sound, as always, Yamaha do not let you down. The grand piano sound it top quality, you benefit from the research they do in their higher priced models with the sound you get in the P105B. It, like the previous models, features 88 weighted, touch sensitive keys that have a really nice graded feel to them. For the size and the weight of these keyboards, Yamaha is still able to give the user a brilliant piano-like feel under the fingers as you play. There are very few digital pianos on the market in this price range that sound as good as the P105B and definitely even less that feel as good to play. Get into your local Yamaha dealer and give one a try. They look, feel and sound fantastic and represent great value at the new lower price point. BY ROB GEE RRP: $899.99 Distributor: Yamaha Australia Phone: (03) 9693 5111 Website: au.yamaha.com
Beam it! Customize your BG250 with Signature Tones
The new ultra-light BG250 bass combo features artist TonePrint®, an integrated bass tuner and tons of power. Learn more at: www.ambertech.com.au/tcelectronic
toneprint®artists URIAH DUFFY FF FY F Y AK KE WHITESNAKE
NATHAN EAST ERIC CLAPTON
JANEK GWIZDALA
MICHAEL SHUMAN QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE
MARK KING LEVEL 42
GAIL ANN DORSEY DAVID BOWIE
ROSCOE BECK LEONARD COHEN
CHARLES C CAVE AVE ES WHITE LIES
JON THORNE LAMB
CHRIS MINH DOKY MIKE STERN
Experience the magic at your nearest authorised tc electronic bass dealer ACT Davis Wheeler Music
Tel: 1800 251 367 sales@ambertech.com.au
1 800 765 263
NSW Turramurra Music 02 9449 8487 Guitar Factory Parramatta 02 9635 5552 Muso’s Corner 02 4929 2829
QLD Guitar Brothers Guitar World
1 300 365 476 07 5596 2258
VIC Drum Power Bass Centre
03 9720 4581 03 9696 6561
WA Concept Music Kosmic Sound
08 9381 2277 1 800 466 157
NEW RANGE
CLASSIC SOUND
SWEET PRICE
DSL100H
100W/50W Valve Head
$1299
DSL40C
40W/20W Valve Combo $1099
DSL15H
15W/ 7.5W Valve Head
DSL15C
15W/ 7.5W Valve Combo $899
www.elfa.com.au Electric Factory Pty Ltd 188 Plenty Road Preston VIC 3072 03 9474 1000 sales@elfa.com.au Electric Factory Pty Ltd 188 Plenty Road Preston VIC 3072 03 9474 1000 sales@elfa.com.au
$749