Mixdown #261

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

#261 JANUARY 2016

FREE!

WIN a QSC TouchMix8 plus a song writing masterclass with Tim Rogers! See Pg. 6

LOU BARLOW

BARONESS

METZ

PLUS: BABY ANIMALS, LOW, MODELS, PANIC! AT THE DISCO, STORIES ALSO: SENSAPHONICS CUSTOM MADE EARPLUGS AND IEMS, ROTOSOUND STRINGS, MORE 2016 GIBSONS, HAMMOND LESLIE SPA150, LEWITT DRUM MICS, MAPEX MPX MAPLE SNARE, DIXON HARDWARE, ZVEX WOOLLY MAMMOTH BAZZ FUZZ + LOADS MORE

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VTX

MODELLING TECHNOLOGY TAKEN TO THE NEXT LEVEL

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE youtube.com/voxaustralia

SEE PAGE 3 FOR DETAILS

EVENTS & PROMOTIONS yamahabackstage.com.au

VTX

MODELLING TECHNOLOGY TAKEN TO THE NEXT LEVEL Virtual Elements Technology delivers stunning sound quality

VT20X

AVAILABLE NOW

20 watts, 8" speaker RRP $349.99

Valvetronix preamp uses a vacuum tube multi-stage amplification circuit Hybrid digital/analog power amp High-performance DSP delivers next-level sound quality

VT40X

Unique chassis design provides rich lowend and overwhelming amp resonance

COMING SOON

40 watts, 10" speaker RRP $499.99

A broad range of 11 realistic amp models A full complement of 13 high quality on-board effects

VT100X

COMING SOON

100 watts, 12" speaker RRP $699.99

33 preset programs (60 when using the editor/librarian software) Optional VFS5 foot switch allows for easy switching during performance

The new Vox Tone Room app lets you customise existing amps and effects, plus you can create and store your own on your iPhone or iPad.

The RRPs shown are correct at the time of printing and are subject to change at any time without notice. iPhone and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE youtube.com/voxaustralia

LIKE US ON FACEBOOK facebook.com/voxampsaustralia

EVENTS & PROMOTIONS yamahabackstage.com.au

CONTENTS

FORE WORD

6–

GIVEAWAY

8–

NEWS AND TOURS

10 –

INDUSTRIALIST

12 –

PRODUCT NEWS

18 –

CEDRIC BURNSIDE

20 –

METZ, MODELS

21 –

LOU BARLOW, BABY ANIMALS

22 –

PANIC AT THE DISCO, BARONESS

23 –

PANIC AT THE DISCO PAGE 22

MODELS PAGE 20

STORIES, LOW

24 –

SENSAPHONICS,

January is a fun time for us at Mixdown too, with 2015 rapidly fading in the rear view mirror, and the NAMM conference fast approaching, it’s an opportunity to head out and pick up a good bit of kit before we’re swept up in the hustle and bustle of the new year. In this issue of Mixdown we have some great road tests with some awesome products that have just hit our shores. We have some great interviews with artists from right across the musical spectrum and we’re also featuring our regular columns, filled with tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your own work.

ROTOSOUND STRINGS 26 –

UNLEASH YOUR INNER ROCK GOD, ON THE DOWNLOW

28 –

HOME STUDIO HINTS, WHAT’S THAT SOUND

29 –

(D)IGITAL JOCKEY BANGING THE TUBS,

LOW PAGE 23

So pour yourself a nice drink, kick back, and work out what you really want for Christmas. You deserve it.

30 –

FAQS WITH THE AMP DOCTOR

32 –

ROAD TESTS

FOR BREAKING NEWS, NEW CONTENT AND MORE GIVEAWAYS VISIT

44 –

SHOW AND TELL

46 –

DIRECTORY

WWW.MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU

GET SOCIAL:

FACEBOOK.COM/MIXDOWNMAGAZINE

Christmas is a time for sharing, a time for giving and a time for caring. The time directly after Christmas is a time for putting your mobile phone on aeroplane mode, figuring out ways to inconspicuously re-gift all the copies of ‘The Best of The Block 2015’ you were given for Kris Kringle, and working out how you’re going to treat yourself with the Christmas present you’ll really love, from you to you.

@MIXDOWNMAGAZINE

KEATS MULLIGAN EDITOR

@MIXDOWNMAGAZINE

MADE BY MUSICIANS, FOR MUSICIANS JANUARY ISSUE #262 DEADLINE AND STREET DATES:

STREET AND ONLINE DATE: WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 3 AD BOOKING DEADLINE: MONDAY JANUARY 25 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: TUESDAY JANUARY 26 ARTWORK DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27 For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email mixdown@beat.com.au

PUBLISHER Furst Media EDITOR Keats Mulligan mixdown@beat.com.au EDITORIAL COORDINATOR Michael Edney EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Lachy Forbes, Elijah Hawkins, Phoebe

Robertson, Chris Scott and Kate Eardley MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr ART DIRECTOR Michael Cusack GRAPHIC DESIGN Lizzie Dynon, Michael Cusack, Andrew Rozen

PG.4 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

CONTRIBUTORS Augustus Welby, Rob Gee, Peter Hodgson, Christie Elizer, Nick Brown, Adam Norris, James Di Fabrizio, Elijah Hawkins, Phoebe Robertson, Michael Cusack and David James Young.

COVER ART Michael Cusack

ADVERTISING Patrick Carr patrick@furstmedia.com.au Phone: (03) 9428 3600 MIXDOWN OFFICE Level 1, No. 3 Newton Street, Richmond VIC 3121.

Phone: (03) 9428 3600

PRODUCTION MANAGER Michael Cusack

www.mixdownmag.com.au

-–-–-–- LINE-UP INCLUDES -–-–-–-

All Our Exes Live in Texas AUSTRALIAˏȼˏAngélique Kidjo & the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra BENIN/AUSTRALIAˏȼˏCalexico USAˏȼˏ The Cat Empire AUSTRALIAˏȼˏCedric Burnside Project USAˏȼˏDakhaBrakha UKRAINEˏȼˏDebashish Bhattacharya INDIAˏȼˏDiego el Cigala SPAIN ȼˏEster Rada ETHIOPIA/ISRAELˏȼˏHazmat Modine USAˏȼˏHusky AUSTRALIAˏȼˏIbeyi FRANCE/CUBAˏȼˏJohn Grant USA ȼˏLadysmith Black Mambazo SOUTH AFRICAˏȼˏMarlon Williams & the Yarra Benders NEW ZEALAND/AUSTRALIAˏȼˏThe Once CANADAˏȼˏOrange Blossom FRANCEˏȼˏOsunlade (DJ) USAˏȼˏRadical Son AUSTRALIA ȼˏRipley AUSTRALIAˏȼˏSavina Yannatou & Primavera en Salonico GREECEˏȼˏSampa the Great ZAMBIA/AUSTRALIAˏȼˏSeun Kuti & Egypt 80 NIGERIAˏȼˏSpiro UKˏȼˏViolent Femmes USA and many more!

Plus: Taste the World, The Planet Talks, a Global Village, KidZone, visual arts, street theatre and much more.

11-14 MARCH 2016 W BOTANIC PARK W ADELAIDE WOMADELAIDE.COM.AU

M ARTISTSORE ANNOUNTO BE C SOON ED

GIVEAWAYS The QSC “CHANNEL YOUR TALENT�

ORIGINAL SONGWRITING COMPETITION

Win a QSC TouchMix8, plus a song writing masterclass with Tim Rogers!

Last Month’s Comeptition Winner

M-AUDIO

M-TRACK QUAD

Our friends over at QSC Audio Products (in association with the TouchMix series) are offering one artist the chance to win the ultimate songwriters package worth over $4000.

They’re putting the call out to songwriters of all genres to submit an original work for the chance to win the QSC TouchMix8 compact digital mixer – the perfect tool to hone your songwriting at home or on the road. The winner will also be flown into Sydney for an exclusive songwriting Master Class with ARIA Award winning solo artist and You Am I frontman Tim Rogers, as well as a TouchMix8 tutorial from a qualified QSC engineer. Plus they are throwing in the AE5400 live condenser microphone thanks to AudioTechnica Australia.

For your chance to win: Head to the QSC TouchMix site qsctouchmix. com.au/win and send your best original song/ composition via the submissions form. This can be done via Youtube, Vimeo or Soundcloud.

Submissions need to be between 2-5 minutes long and your song can be recorded at home, live from a show or in a studio. Entries close January 15, 2016 with the three finalists announced on January 25. The overall winner will be crowned one week later by an esteemed judging panel, which includes members of APRA and Mr. Rogers himself. This an unbelievable opportunity to take home an epic songwriting package. It’s one for the ages!

Last issue our giveaway item was the M-AUDIO M-TRACK QUAD, thanks to Electric Factory. The lucky winner walking away with the prize is

Sean Kelly-Johnstone of Adelaide Congratulations, and we hope you enjoy this awesome interface!

For full terms and conditions visit www.mixdownmag.com.au/terms-and-conditions.

*This giveaway is for Australian residents only and one entry per person.

For more awesome monthly Mixdown Giveaways, be sure to LIKE our Mixdown Magazine facebook page at www.facebook.com/mixdownmagazine and regularly check our Giveaways page on www.mixdownmag.com.au/giveaways for your chance to win.

A SOUND

CHOICE

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playdixon.com

TORY-2015-12.indd 1

27/11/2015 1

new studio album dreamtheater.net

29 Jan

NEWS & TOURS Albert Hammond JR. Bluesfest 2016 adds DIIV Modest Mouse Announces Tour

Fat Freddy’s Drop

Made famous with The Strokes but now out on his own, Albert Hammond Jr. is set to tour Australia in early 2016, playing shows in Adelaide, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. The tour comes off the back of his latest solo album Momentary Masters, released in July 2015, his first solo release in five years. It will be his first Australian headline tour, having played many shows here with The Strokes. Momentary Masters was recorded in upstate New York at Hammond Jr.’s home, in a converted barn dubbed One Way Studios. Production on the album was handled by Gus Oberg, who worked with The Strokes on Angles and Comedown Machine. “I feel like the best songs I’ve written, as soon as I was done, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I did it!’… But in that split second that it comes, that feeling goes. It’s the same thing when you find complete happiness, you find this complete low. I feel like that’s what being creative is: it’s you bouncing with emotion and what you capture in those bounces. Accept where you are and use it,” says Hammond Jr.

New Zealand seven-piece Fat Freddy’s Drop will be making their way to Australian shores to promote their fourth studio album Bays. Recorded at the band’s BAYS Studio in Wellington, a former 1950s vinyl pressing plant, the predominantly studio written album draws on the lexicon of genres that have come to epitomise the bands’ sound. The album exudes a confidence of a band truly comfortable in their own skin. Internationally their reputation continues to soar. Blackbird has sold over 200,000 album copies worldwide and the band currently hit over two million streams a month. This success is also reflected on the live stage with recent highlights including selling out the 10,000 capacity Alexandra Palace in London and the Sydney Opera House three times over.

TOUR DATES FEB 16 – THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA FEB 17 – WOOLLY MAMMOTH, BRISBANE QLD FEB 19 – OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY NSW FEB 20 – MOUNTAIN SOUNDS FESTIVAL, GOSFORD NSW FEB 21 – CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC

Just when you thought Bluesfest couldn’t get any bigger, they’ve added a further 10 artists.

Leading the latest announcement is Modest Mouse following the release of their 2015 album Strangers to Ourselves.

Also included are Graham Nash, Kamasi Washington, Richard Clapton, Elle King, Ash Grunwald, Blind Boy Paxton, Dustin Thomas, Wards Xpress and Raw Earth.

They join the likes of Brian Wilson, Taj Mahal, D’Angelo The Residents, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Shooglenifty, The National, City and Colour, reggae legends UB40 featuring Ali Campbell, Astro and Mickey Virtue, blues rock maestro Joe Bonamassa and Grammy award-winning group Tedeschi Trucks Band + many more.

On the heels of recently detailing their forthcoming sophomore album Is the Is Are, DIIV have shared a new single, ‘Under the Sun’, and have announced a string of St Jerome’s Laneway Festival sideshows.

DIIV is the nom-de-plume of Z. Cole Smith, musical provocateur and front man of an atmospheric and autumnallycharged new Brooklyn four-piece. Recently inked to the uber-reliable Captured Tracks imprint, DIIV created instant vibrations in the blog-world with their impressionistic debut Sometime. The New York based four piece will visit Australia for the very first time in 2016 as apart of St Jerome’s Laneway Festival. They’ll be playing a bunch of side shows for those of you who can’t make it to Laneway

TOUR DATES TOUR DATES BLUESFEST 2016 WILL TAKE PLACE FROM THURSDAY MARCH 24 UNTIL MONDAY MARCH 28, JUST NORTH OF BYRON BAY.

TOUR DATES FEB 9 – FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW FEB 11 – THE CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC FEB 13 – ST JEROME’S LANEWAY FESTIVAL, MELBOURNE VIC FEB 14 – ST JEROME’S LANEWAY FESTIVAL, FREMANTLE WA

FEB 13 – RED HILL AUDITORIUM, PERTH WA FEB 14 – CLANCY’S FISH PUB, DUNSBOROUGH WA FEB 17 – THEBARTON THEATRE, ADELAIDE SA FEB 19 – THE FORUM, MELBOURNE VIC FEB 20 – THE FORUM, MELBOURNE VIC FEB 24 – ODEON THEATRE, HOBART TAS FEB 26 – HORDEN PAVILLION, SYDNEY NSW FEB 27 – THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE QLD

Holy Holy

Horror My Friend

Saskwatch

Spiderbait

Aussie alternative rock outfit Holy Holy will be commencing their national ‘A Heroine’ tour this January. Holy Holy’s home turf tour lands hot off the heels of the band’s second European tour, where they launched their critically acclaimed debut album Where The Storms Would Come. Holy Holy will be supported by Canadian alt-folk outfit The Franklin Electric and synth-pop starlet Olympia for all six tour dates. What’s more, they’ll be so graciously giving away a free, unreleased song to everybody that buys a ticket, an album or some merch from now until the tour officially begins.

Adelaide’s Horror My Friend may just be next year’s buzz band. They’ve already signed to alternative tastemaker Poison City, and have played shows with the likes of Violent Soho, Tigers Jaw (US) and Swervedriver (UK). A forthcoming national tour is their first step into the national spotlight. The burgeoning threepiece lay claim to an amalgamation of post-punk, shoegaze and the good side of ‘90s indie rock revivalist; it’s raucous and swerving, always angling its way to sonic distinction. Reflected by the announcement of their 11-date national tour is an approach predicated on playing live, where energy, tightness and the full force of sound can turn heads.

Melbourne based soul outfit Saskwatch have announced a massive, 30-date national tour with support from Brisbane’s indie-pop trio Cub Sport. Saskwatch have well and truly established their sound with the release of their third record Sorry I Let It Come Between Us. The album, recorded in an old silversmith warehouse over a month long period in the outskirts of Philadelphia, takes on another trajectory entirely; it is the epitome of progression through its refinement, honesty and simplicity, the product of a band who is comfortable with the malleability of their own sound. After a super busy year performing regionally with Groovin The Moo, and travelling around Australia in support of The Rubens, Saskwatch will finally have the chance to showcase their new material.

Bam-ba-lam! Spiderbait’s 25th Anniversary tour is even hotter than adult colouring books. Eight weeks out from the Feb 2016 run of dates, their Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane shows have now totally sold out. Secret Sounds has announced extra dates in the aforementioned cities.

Tickets for the following additional shows are on sale right now. To mark their 25th Anniversary, Universal Music Australia is releasing Spiderbait’s Greatest Hits as a vinyl double album with a luscious gatefold cover.

TOUR DATES TOUR DATES JAN 15 – OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY NSW JAN 16 – THE CAMBRIDGE HOTEL, NEWCASTLE NSW JAN 21 – THE ROSEMOUNT, PERTH WA JAN 22 - FAT CONTROLLER, ADELAIDE SA JAN 29 – CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC JAN 30 – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD

JAN 20 – CLARITY RECORDS, ADELAIDE SA FEB 10 – RAD, WOLLONGONG NSW FEB 11 – PHOENIX BAR, CANBERRA ACT FEB 12 – BLACKWIRE, SYDNEY NSW FEB 13 – THE BEARDED LADY, BRISBANE QLD FEB 19 – PRINCE OF WALES, BUNBURY WA FEB 20 – HYPERFEST, PERTH WA FEB 21 – THE BIRD, PERTH WA FEB 26 – THE OLD BAR, MELBOURNE VIC FEB 27 – KAROVA LOUNGE, BALLARAT VIC APR 1 – JIVE BAR, ADELAIDE SA

PG.8 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

TOUR DATES TOUR DATES SASKWATCH WILL BE HEADING OUT FROM FEBRUARY 4 RIGHT THROUGH TO APRIL 30, FOR A FULL LIST OF TOUR DATES HEAD TO WWW.MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU.

FEB 12 - METROPOLIS, FREMANTLE WA FEB 13 - THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA FEB 18 – THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD FEB 19 - THE TRIFFID, BRISBANE QLD FEB 26 - 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC FEB 27 - METRO THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW FEB 28 – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC MAR 3 – THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA

www.mixdownmag.com.au

NEWS & TOURS

Kurt Vile & The Violators

Jack Colwell

Fierce Mild

Mac DeMarco

Following the release of their new album ‘b’lieve i’m goin down…’, Kurt Vile & The Violators are set to play shows around Australia. With the release of his sixth album to date, Kurt Vile is on a roll and is not slowing down anytime soon. From being announced as one of the acts to grace the stages of The Falls Music and Arts Festival, to his very own headline tour alongside The Violators, he is set to impress on the Australian stage.

Supporting Kurt Vile & The Violators at their Melbourne show will be the handpicked, local legends Twerps and Scott & Charlene’s Wedding. Ticket holders can expect to hear a selection of fan favourites as well as the new material featured on ‘b’lieve i’m goin down…’. Kurt has described the record as “All over the place. Everything you can imagine I’ve done... That’s where I’m at now, that I can sort of tap into every world and make it cohesive.”

Two summer headline shows are in store for Jack Colwell, with the sharp vocalist and stirring songwriter set play Melbourne’s Shebeen and Sydney’s Newtown Social Club early next year. The announcement comes off the back of his breakthrough EP, Only When Flooded Could I Go, which sprung the wily alt. pop purveyor into the public domain. Support from Double J, FBi, Triple J Unearthed and 3RRR followed, along with his single ‘Don’t Cry Those Tears” landing #1 on the AMRAP Airlit Chart. Intent on riding this wave of momentum, Colwell will release a limited CD featuring his well-loved first single, upcoming single ‘Coat’, and two brand new recordings. Supporting him in Sydney will be another burgeoning artist and striking voice in Woodes, while Sydney’s show will feature close friend and up-and-comer Sophie Lowe.

Both shows will also have the support of electronic, beat-enthusiast SUIIX – there is something for everyone here.

Irish post-punk trio Fierce Mild have just released their latest single ‘Test You’, and in light of this, are heading to our shores for an East Coast tour.

Fierce Mild’s compelling sound is mirrored by lyricism relating to all things sinister and absurd. Their brooding, visceral atmosphere reminiscent of The Drones is swamped in a rich post-rock, shoegaze and psychedelic cinematic maze. ‘Test You’ is no exception- it’s a track that somehow feels simultaneously chaotic, but tidy and full of direction.

The tour will see the young outfit hit up Brisbane, Sydney, Wollongong, Port Macquarie and Newcastle throughout this coming January. Pick up your tickets through the venue’s websites.

‘Test You’ will be released on Friday, December 18 independently.

Loveable Canadian slacker Mac DeMarco has announced a second show in Sydney on his Australian tour in early 2016. Back in the country after playing Laneway Festival earlier this year, Mac has come back to celebrate the New Year with punters in Lorne, Byron Bay, Marion Bay and Bussleton as he plays Falls Festival and Southbound Festival.

He then heads to Melbourne to play three headline shows at 170 Russell before moving on to Sydney. Mac will be supported at all shows bar one by GUM, which is the solo project of Tame Impala band member Jay Watson, as well as by Kirin J Callinan for the Sydney shows and Mesa Cosa, The Babe Rainbow and Free Time in Melbourne.

TOUR DATES

TOUR DATES FEB 16 – THE GOV, ADELAIDE SA FEB 17 – WOOLLY MAMMOTH, BRISBANE QLD FEB 19 – OXFORD ART FACTORY, SYDNEY NSW FEB 20 – MOUNTAIN SOUNDS FESTIVAL, GOSFORD NSW FEB 21 – CORNER HOTEL, MELBOURNE VIC

www.mixdownmag.com.au

TOUR DATES JAN 8 – SHEBEEN, MELBOURNE VIC JAN 9 – NEWTOWN SOCIAL CLUB, SYDNEY NSW

JAN 13- RAD BAR, WOLLONGONG NSW JAN 14- 107 PROJECTS, SYDNEY NSW JAN 15- THE BEARDED LADY, BRISBANE QLD JAN 16- 2HIGH FESTIVAL, BRISBANE QLD JAN 18- THE PIER, PORT MACQUARIE NSW JAN 20- LASS O’GOWRIE, NEWCASTLE NSW

TOUR DATES JAN 3 – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC JAN 4 – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC JAN 5 – 170 RUSSELL, MELBOURNE VIC JAN 6 – ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW JAN 7 – FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY NSW

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.9

INDUSTRIALIST TAME IMPALA AND COURTNEY BARNETT NOMINATED FOR GLOBAL AWARDS

Fresh from battling it out at last year’s ARIA awards, Tame Impala and Courtney Barnett continue to duke it out abroad.

In next month’s Grammys, Impala’s Currents could swipe Best Alternative Album from Alabama Shakes, Björk, My Morning Jacket and Wilco. Barnett is up for Best New Artist alongside James Bay, Sam Hunt, Tori Kelly and Meghan Trainor. Also nominated are Melbourne’s Hiatus Kaiyote and Keith Urban.

The scenario repeats for the NME Awards in London next month.

Impala are up for Best Album, Best International Band and Best Music Video for ‘The Less I Know The Better’. Barnett is in the International Solo Artist category against Kendrick Lamar, Lana Del Rey, Taylor Swift, Grimes and Kanye West.

Sydney’s 5 Seconds of Summer were nominated for Worst Band along with U2, One Direction, Little Mix, Nickelback and Sleaford Mods. This is the second time the Sydney band has been nominated for the category. Last year they won it after asking their 8 million Twitter fans to vote for them!

TECHNOLOGY MOVES FURTHER INTO LIVE MUSIC

Two South Australian tech startups which devised new technology for the SA live music sector will be funded to the tune of $24,000 each. They were unearthed by the Connected Music City Challenge run by Adelaide creative cluster Musictech, a space where music, tech and business firms work together to collaborate on new ideas and innovations.

Jack Haines’ Codefish Studios designed a mobile app that integrates with iBeacon technology in music venues, which rewards people for supporting live music and allows them to invite friends to join them at live gigs.

Conor Barkway’s concept, MUNITY, creates a digital medium in which SA live music lovers can connect and interact with each other after a shared interest in particular, live music scenes. A third entrant, Dream Aviator Productions, also got funding for its concept which incorporates the use of staging technology, social media, and live audio/visual streaming to promote live music events as they happen.

$15,000 RECORDING GRANTS

The PPCA and the Australia Council have teamed up for a series of $15,000 grants to assist Australian artists with new sound recordings.

Applications close on February 2.

For more information and to apply for a grant head to: http://www. australiacouncil.gov.au/strategiesand-frameworks/ppca-australiacouncil-partnership/. Previous recipients have included Courtney Barnett, Mia Dyson, classical guitarists Slava and Leonard Grigoryan, jazz ensemble The Vampires and Perth’s The Growl.

DEADLINE FOR WAM SONG OF YEAR

The deadline for this year’s WAM

Song Of The Year is January 25.

One of Australia’s biggest song comps, it offers over $40,000 worth of prizes to WA songwriters of all levels and music styles in 16 categories.

LOCKOUT MOVES IN TASMANIA Sydney’s lockout has left its inner city entertainment precincts ghost towns and pushed anti-social violence to neighbouring suburbs.

The live music communities in Queensland and the ACT are fighting to stop the introduction of lockouts, as pushed by police and medical circles. Now Tasmania is considering that path after the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation reckoned lockdowns would decrease their statistics of growing violence. The Tasmanian Hospitality Association argues that the best approach is bans of six months for rowdy patrons from entertainment precincts, and from a 50m zone around the venue for anyone ejected.

APP FOR NSW ARTS/MUSIC LOVERS WITH DISABILITIES

The City of Sydney is sponsoring a new pocket guide, website and training pilot program to allow people with disability or accessibility needs to more easily attend arts and culture events.

Produced by Accessible Arts, the new ‘Z-card’ printed brochure and site provides venue information on access and inclusion programs, including audio-described and Auslan-interpreted performances and information on accessible amenities such as wheelchair and hearing-loop access.

JMC ACADEMY SPONSORING STREAT

JMC Academy is sponsoring Melbourne social enterprise STREAT, which helps homeless and disengaged youth tell their stories through music. With Danish producer Mads Oustrup and singer/songwriter Nicole Wheatley, STREAT is working with a collective of local songwriters, producers and music professionals, to become co-authors of these stories: #STREATbeats. The project is worked on by audio students and staffers. 44,000 of Australia’s homeless is made up of young folks aged under 25 years

WHAT NOW FOR RADIO ADELAIDE?

The future of community radio station Radio Adelaide will be decided this year. The University of Adelaide – which set it up in 1972 and has funded it since – said that its own budget was slashed by the Federal Government and now has to focus on its core initiatives of education and research. Last month, two community radio consultants came up with five options – keep it going and maintaining its funding of $4 million over five years, closing it down in June, finding a new owner, slash back operations or keep running it but with the station finding its own revenue. The ideas were posted up until December 11 for public consultation. The station got great support to keep it going, with

PG.10 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

F O R CON TE NT SUB MI SSI ONS TO TH I S COL UMN P L EASE E MAI L T O CELIZER@N ET S P A CE.NET.A U

5000 signing a petition and even the Legislative Council passing a motion to keep it going.

BRADY DRUMS STOPS THE BEAT

Perth’s Brady Drums is closing down. Founder and master craftsman Chris Brady is battling a number of serious health concerns including a mild stroke.

He crafted his first drum kit in his garage 35 years ago, and has since worked with top Australian and international drummers and companies as his clients.

MUSICIANS SHARE IN AUST. COUNCIL’S $10.4M FUNDING ROUND

Musicians and record labels were among the 290 projects who received a share of the Australia Council’s recent $10.4 million funding round. They included Courtney Barnett ($20,000 for future releases), APRA ($150,000), Music NT ($132,022 to continue workshops), POND ($15,000 for a US tour), Rice Is Nice Records ($24,901 to support a range of record releases), The Necks ($50,000.00 to record new work and collaborate with Sunn O))) and Brian Eno), Contemporary Music Victoria ($150,000 in funding for three years) as well as Jack Ladder ($36,855), Sophia Brous ($20,000), Andrew Tuttle ($10,000), Sui Zhen ($11,334), The Getaway Plan ($14,560), Kate Miller-Heidke ($80,000), Little May ($42,685), Perth management company Spinning Top Music ($5,000), Trophy Eyes ($14,166), and The Gooch Palms ($14,166).

Applications are open for the next grants round, closing Feb 2. At www.australiacouncil.gov.au.

NEW VISA SERVICE COMPANY SETS UP OKRA Migration is a new entertainment visa advice & services company for artists and tour personnel looking to travel, perform or work in Australia. A registered migration agent will take the hassles out of the visa process and organise your visas.

Contact Tom Noonan at info@ okramigration.com or www. okramigration.com.

10 TIPS WE GOT AT EMC 2015

Sydney’s Electronic Music Conference drew 700 people from around the world to talk EDM – the future of the music, breaking out globally, its challenges (the Sydney lockout and drug testing at festivals came up a lot!) – and to see some exciting showcases from the likes of Giles Peterson, Tkay Maidza and Ta-ku. Here are some of the funnier and more enlightening comments made.

Carl Cox on love of music: “(As a kid) my friends were going to McDonalds, I was going to buy 7-inch records.”

Carl Cox on being real: “You’re never going to hear a six-hour set from Paris Hilton. It’s just not possible. For one thing she’d run out of foam.”

Armin van Buuren on celebrating yourself: “It’s really important to celebrate each success that you have.”

Timmy Trumpet on radio success: “All the big songs on the radio

have a formula of hook, variation on the hook, resolution. If you stick to that you can write annoyingly catchy [songs].”

Simon Digby of Roar Projects on the need for a PR campaign so that the community outside understands “Nightclubs are safe spaces which keeps people off the street and protected by security.”

Adam Lewis of The Secret Garden on how going to festivals is part of our DNA and that evolution continues: “’Festival’, in the sense of meaning these big, inner-city one-day parties with 50,000 people, has become a bit of a dirty word.”

KLP on rules to making it: “The #1 rule is there is no rule to writing music! Listen to advice, take it on, then make your own journey. Don’t be afraid of knock backs. Use them to power you on with even more steam.”

Giles Peterson on marathons: “14-hour DJ sets are a great way of losing weight, you don’t really eat!”

Rob Woo of Spin Artist Agency on being decent: “I’m nice to all my interns, mainly because I might end up working for them one day.”

NEW ARTS GRANT FOR SA

The South Australian Government has launched a new grant called ArtsPitch. Five individuals will share $25,000 to get their project off the ground. “ArtsPitch aims to support innovation and creative risk-taking by individual artists,” said Mr Snelling. “Artists will get to pitch their idea to a panel made up of experts from across the arts, creative and business sectors.”

EIGHT AUSSIE ACTS PICKED FOR UK FESTIVAL

Eight Australian acts were among the first 50 picked to play The Great Escape in Brighton, UK, on May 19 to 21. The Great Escape brands itself as the place to find the best new music. The 11th edition will have 450 acts emerging in the world market playing over the three days in 30 venues. The Aussies are, alphabetically, Brisbane singer songwriter Banff, Sydney duo Boo Seeka, Melbourne pop band Dorsal Fins, Perth power trio Methyl Ethel, Melbourne outfit Northeast Party House, Melbourne singer songwriter Owen Rabbit, Melbourne jazz hop duo Slum Sociable and Adelaide blues guitarist and songwriter Timberwolf.

WHY AUSSIES LOVE RADIO

Audiences for commercial radio have grown by 7% in the last five years.19% of Aussies are listening to more radio than they were a year ago. Driving while listening to live radio is the top multitasking activity, with 68% doing so. Market research company GfK’s latest AudienScope research shows radio continues to lead media for its ability to tell real stories, start conversations and be interactive.

28% of people picked radio as the medium they most associated with “having the human touch”, followed by TV on 21%. GfK Media said, “People told us they are more engaged with radio because it is authentic and less scripted. More real.”

THINGS WE HEAR t Will Adele save Australian music retailers? A quick ringaround found that customers coming in to buy 25 usually grab one or two other records as well. Retailers say they haven’t seen this excitement in stores since the first Guy Sebastian album in 2003. t Eskimo Joe guitarist and co-founder Stuart MacLeod is the new General Manager of Perth community radio station RTRFM 92.1. He says RTRFM was the first station to play Eskimo Joe. He aims to create projects to help emerging acts, and also expand the station’s digital footprint so that listeners can create greater conversations about music, socio-politics and community initiatives. t The family and friends of the late Hobart singer-songwriter Nick Balcombe have continued to honour his free spirit by setting up the Nick Balcombe Foundation, which will give a grant each year to an emerging Tassie talent to “search their dream.” t Lanie Lane, who returned to gigging after retiring from music last year, now calls herself Mala and has found confidence to return to her art. She was selling her paintings at her gigs over her summer. t Chris Cornell was about to play Melbourne’s Palais Theatre last month when news of Scott Weiland’s death came through. He dedicated ‘Say Hello 2 Heaven’ to him. t To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Woodford Folk Festival in Queensland late last month, Katie Noonan wrote a song called ‘United In Sound’. She’d been attending the festival as an audience member long before she played there. She performed the song with a 40-person orchestra at the festival’s opening ceremony. t Among suggestions brought up in the aftermath of two deaths and scores of overdoses at Stereosonic last month were that music festivals be called off in days of extreme hot weather to reduce the problems from ecstasy intake. t The fifth PBS Young Elder of Jazz Award named pianist and composer Joseph (Joe) O’Connor as its 2016 recipient. He gets $10,000 to create a suite of six compositions to perform at the Melbourne International Jazz Festival with his own Trio and trumpeter Scott Tinkler.

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The Lewitt LCT 550 is the perfect studio mic. It is incredibly quiet, transparent and sounds great on everything. To be blunt it’s a killer mic and my #1 choice for a FET condenser. // Warren Huart Multiplatinum producer/mixer for artists like Aerosmith, The Fray, Daniel Powter, James Blunt, Augustana, Josh Radin, Marc Broussard, Korn, Emerson Drive, Matisyahu, Secondhand Serenade, Pitbull ...

SUPER-LOW SELF-NOISE LARGE-DIAPHRAGM STUDIO CONDENSER MICROPHONE

// LCT 550

SHHH ...

0 dB (A) SELF-NOISE

MORE INFO

Lewitt Audio is distributed in Australia by Electric Factory Pty Ltd visit us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

// 0 dB (A) self-noise from electronics and circuitry // Highly precise calibration of capsule and electronics any two LCT 550s will always form a matched pair // 1-inch true condenser cardioid recording mic // 3-micron-thin, gold-layered, low-mass Mylar diaphragm for precise transient response // Extraordinary sensitive: 36 mV / Pa (-29 dBV) // 140 dB dynamic range // 3-step attenuation, 3-position low-cut

elfa.com.au lewitt-audio.com

PRODUCT NEWS Steinberg Cubase Pro 8.5

Sennheiser IE 800 Headphones

Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693

Sennheiser Australia | (02) 9910 6700 | www.sennheiser.com.au

5111 | www.au.yamaha.com

After releasing the award-winning eighth version of Cubase a year ago, Steinberg is now back with a point update to both Cubase Pro and Cubase Artist that boasts impressive new features with its VST Transit collaboration tool and the second iteration of Retrologue alongside an array of user-requested refinements.

New and upgraded features include: more responsive MixConsole environment with refined hover controls, the ability to pull tracks from existing projects into your song in only a few clicks, including all settings and content (exclusive to Cubase Pro 8.5), upgraded Key and Drum Editors for faster, more intuitive MIDI editing, enhanced Chord Pads with new Sections play mode and custom chord symbols + many more!

The Cubase Pro 8.5 and Cubase Artist 8.5 full retail versions are available from authorised resellers and various downloadable updates and upgrades are exclusively available through the Steinberg Online Shop. Customers who have activated Cubase 8 and Cubase Artist 8 since October 15, 2015, are eligible for a free, downloadable Grace Period update to the latest version.

At the heart of the IE 800 are several small but invaluable breakthroughs, like the perfected extra wide band (XWB) transducer system.

Flaunting a diameter of only 7 mm, it is currently the smallest extra wide-band sound transducer available in dynamic ear canal phones and promises distortion-free sound, capable of performing even at high sound pressure levels.

With Sennheiser’s state-of-the-art dampened two chamber absorbers (D2CA), ceramic housing and ergonomic, oval-shaped ear adaptors, the IE 800 is loaded with numerous ground-breaking innovations. Designed, developed and produced in Germany, it not only boasts innovative technology but also feature an attractive, yet modern and elegant design. Manufactured with high-quality materials, such as scratch-resistant ceramic for the housing to ensure longevity, the IE 800 ear-canal phones made enjoying audiophile music on-the-go, a reality.

Ortofon DJ Special Edition White Scratch Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au

Just in time to usher in your White Christmas, Ortofon DJ - the leaders in turntable cartridge technology - have released a Special Edition White Scratch OM cartridge and stylus. Exclusive to Australia and the USA, the White Scratch cartridge has all the excellent sound reproduction and tracking capabilities of the standard pink Scratch cartridge - but, umm, it’s in white.

Neumann U 47 fet Collectors Edition Sennheiser Australia | (02) 9910 6700 | www.sennheiser.com.au

Yamaha Revstar Electric Guitars Yamaha Music Australia | (03) 9693 5111 | www. au.yamaha.com

Drawing inspiration from London and Tokyo’s vintage street-racing motorbikes, Japan’s heritage of engineering excellence, and Yamaha’s 50-year legacy of guitar craftsmanship, the new Revstar series has finally arrived.

Every detail of each Revstar model has been carefully engineered to bring out the unique personality of each guitar in the line-up. From the curves and contours of the ground-up body design to the distinctive colours and finishes and custom-wound pickups that perfectly match the guitar’s character, the Revstar collection comprises a diverse line-up of instruments as unique as the guitarists who play them. These will be available from January.

PG.12 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

The U 47 fet was first manufactured from 1972 to 1986, and since then has been firmly established in the range of microphones used by many well-known studios. In addition to serving as a soloist microphone, it has become legendary, especially for the recording of bass-heavy instruments and for the direct miking of loud amps.

The U 47 fet Collectors Edition is a new edition of this classic, issued in the year 2014. For this, Neumann has resumed production of this classic mic, according to the original production documents and schematics.

It is supplied with a high-quality wooden case with sophisticated special packaging, and an individual certificate with the serial number of the microphone.

In terms of technical design, the U 47 fet is a condenser microphone with a cardioid directional characteristic and fet 80 circuit technology. Among other things this technology, also used in the U 87, is characterised particularly by a wide dynamic range.

The K 47 double large-diaphragm capsule was already employed in the U 47, the legendary tube-based predecessor of the U 47 fet. The K 47 provides a slight boost in the range above 2 kHz.

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PRODUCT NEWS

BeatBuddy - World’s First Pedal Drum Machine Innovative Music | (03) 9540 0658 | www.innovativemusic.com.au

BeatBuddy is the perfect accessory for guitarists, bassists and keys players, or anyone who wants live control of a beat with the hands-free ease of a pedal. Unlike traditional drum machines, BeatBuddy is a small, single pedal that offers real-time creative control, making it ideal for solo players, singer/songwriters and music educators. BeatBuddy enables musicians to effortlessly insert fills, transition from verse to chorus, add accent hits such as cymbal crashes or hand claps, and throw in drum breaks to create an unprecedented live drummer effect.

BeatBuddy comes pre-loaded with 10 unique drum kits and includes more than 200 songs in a wide variety of styles. Beyond the pre-loaded content, musicians can also create any song or drum set with the included BeatBuddy Manager PC/Mac software, download new content from the ever-expanding BeatBuddy online library, and share their creations or discover user-generated content on BeatBuddy’s community forum.

Dream Bliss Series Cymbals Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au

The growing popularity of Dreams’ Bliss series cymbals continues.

With the increasing trend for individual sounds, more drummers are discovering Dream cymbals - the Bliss series in particular.

Everyone is an individual work of art, painstakingly hand forged, and handhammered, so when you choose a Dream Bliss series, you really own something individual that on one else will have.

They have warmth that seduces at low volume and thunders with a froth of dark undertones at more extreme volumes.

These cymbals come alive, shimmering and wobbling as if the mere touch of human hands excites the cymbal and it can’t wait to get it’s voice out there and sing.

Matchless Lightning 15W with Reverb Combo 112 Black/Gold Gladesville Guitar Factory | (02) 9817 2173 | www.guitarfactory.net

Reaching our shores early this year is the Lighting 15W Combo Amplifier from Matchless.

The sound of the Lightning is that very classic EL84 “British Sound”. Much more scooped in the midrange than the Spitfire and Nighthawk, you will quickly see how well it sits in the mix against other instruments. Its clarity and voicing will slice through everything, making you very present. Actual tonal possibilities are very extensive and it produces loud output volumes not normally associated with a 15-watt rating.

The Pro-grade single channel preamp with its interactive tone controls is coupled to a serious dual-EL84 power section with a tube rectifier. All models have active EQ to attain an excellent array of complex tones. User controls include volume, interactive bass & treble, and master volume. Reverb upgrade added.

Ernie Ball Music Man Modern Classics CMC Music Australia | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au

Leo’s new Music Man company was started with 2 ex-Fender employees circa 1972. The Original MM Cutlass and Stingray guitars were designed and created in 1977. The Cutlass design was deeply rooted in style of the iconic Fender Stratocaster while the Stingray guitar shares a similar resemblance to the everpopular Fender Jazzmaster. Both guitars were featured in the new products catalogue from 1977 through 1980.

Early in 2016 Ernie Ball Music Man will ship the Cutlass and StingRay guitars, which pay homage to the vintage styling and cosmetic appeal of Leo’s original vintage models.

Updated vintage spec electronics, super smooth vintage tremolo system, and lightweight alder body are welcome refinements to these new modern renditions. Ergonomic 4+2 headstock with straight string pull for superior tuning stability and flawless craftsmanship throughout make these new modern classics a perfect culmination of old world aesthetics and styling with modern craftsmanship and playability.

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New Dixon Drums on the way for 2016!

Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au

Long the domain of former greats, the percussion landscape is changing and changing quickly. More players these days are looking for something different and unique, yet functional and affordable. Undoubtedly one of the names attracting much attention for their almost feverish developments and product releases is Dixon. Many would know the long established brand being around for some time but in recent years it has become abundantly clear, these boys mean business!

Soon to hit our shores in 2016 is an exciting new range of new Dixon acoustic drums.

Recently featured at the very successful London Drum Show, and used by Dixon artists Gregg Bissonette, Mel Gaynor and Tony Pia, are beautiful and unique models like Fuse Cherry/Mahogany and Fuse Cherry/Maple, Profile Maple artists signature kits, Blaze Nth American A grade Maple kits and the exciting Artisan ‘Ultra Maple’ super thin and massively resonant shell drum kits. Limited dealerships have already been snapped up and you can look forward to tasting the sounds of these guys in the New Year! Yum!

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.13

PRODUCT NEWS Wampler Tumnus Boost OD Global Vintage | (02) 9569 7009 | www.globalvintage.com.au

The New Zoom F8 Arriving Soon!

Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au

Santa will be coming late this year for the multitude waiting on deliveries of Zoom’s incredible new F8 Field Recorder. Nominated by the cognoscente as a ‘game changer’, the F8 delivers incredible specifications and rugged build quality a fraction of the price of its much-vaunted competitors.

The F8 is made for serious filmmakers and sound designers. With 8-input/10-track recording, super low-noise preamps, and support for 24-bit/192 kHz audio, the F8 captures the highest-quality audio. The F8 is not only versatile and feature rich, it is the smallest field recorder with eight XLR combo inputs ever made. Weighing just 2.1 pounds (without batteries), its aluminium chassis is both rugged and durable.

Local distributor Dynamic Music tells us that the wait won’t be too long however, with supplies flowing in before we all recover from our festive season hangovers!

DV Mark DV Gen 15 Class A All Tube 15W Head CMC Music Australia | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au

DV Mark Silver Generation amps are making life better for musicians around the world.

Thanks to DV Mark’s industry leading proprietary technology it is now possible to create affordable, great sounding amps that are easy-to-use, reliable and ultra-portable… improving the quality and ease of every musicians life. The DV GEN 15 is an addictive 15W Class A all-tube head from the DV Mark Silver Generation Series that will charm you with its vintage personality, incredible headroom (more than you would normally expect from a 15W tube amp) and impress you with its amazing full sound-tone, versatility, dynamic response and gigafter-gig reliable performance. All-tube heads have always had a reputation for being cumbersome and heavy, but the DV GEN 15 gets you a killer valve-tone at a fraction of the weight that you’d expect… it only weights 5.7 Kg - ideal for recording, rehearsing, club gigs and more. These awesome units will be arriving on Australian shores soon.

The Tumnus Boost / OD will push your levels up a notch, without losing any of the front end of your amp, let you hit the rock ‘n’ roll sweet spot with a touch of grit and overdrive tones, and come to the party with clarity and punch for those front of the mix solos. It’s designed to replicate a classic overdrive and boost, and does so at an affordable price, while hitting the mark on tone and versatility. The sweetness that the Tumnus adds to your tone means it comes in handy as an always-on pedal, adding breadth and much desired clarity with some extra treble.

When in use, you’re looking at Volume, Treble and Gain. These three knobs open up a world of possibilities, whether it’s pushing a hot amp already overdriving, or elevating a clean, brighter tone with some subtle grit.Volume-charged, the Tumnus can play loud, with unity between the volume and gain knobs creating purposeful overdrive tones, while also harnessing the guitar’s personality and tone.

Fretz The Woodie Capo Jade Australia | 1800 144 120 | www.musocity.com.au

Amongst the stock standard guitar accessories that every player has in their case, the capo has one of the simplest designs. Essentially a clamp for the neck of the guitar, there really isn’t much that a rudimentary capo can do short of changing the key that you play in. Though it might not be a mechanical innovation, the new timber look Woodie Capo looks bloody nice! Available in either Maple of Mahogany, the Woodie Capo is a reliable and resilient capo with a unique wood finish, for those of you who like the finer things in life.

Audio-Technica Solid Bass In Ear Headphones Technical Audio Group | (02) 9519 0900 | www.tag.com.au

Akai MPC Touch Arrives Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au

Akai’s iconic MPC range has just received a facelift. The first of its kind, the MPC Touch is the first sampler/drum machine that features a large, full-colour, hi-resolution, multitouch sensitive display. Imagine being able to pinch and expand waveforms with your fingertips. Imagine being able to perform complex menu functions with a touch sensitive screen. The Touch brings with it a new efficient workflow but also includes many of the non-negotiables that the MPC’s are known for; MPC swing, note repeat, full/half levels, MIDI I/O, built in soundcard, Q-links and much, much more.

The Touch uses MPC Software at its core. MPC Software has come leaps and bounds over the years in product development, and the Touch takes full advantage of all the technology now available to it. And it looks damn good too. Available now.

PG.14 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

The Solid Bass range has been a staple of the Audio-Technica headphone family for some time now. The Solid Bass range currently features three models: the ATH-CKS550iS In Ear Headphones, the ATH-CKS990iS Premium In Ear Headphones and the ATH-CKS1100iS HiRes In Ear Headphones. The ATH-CKS550iS is proof positive of the evolution of Solid Bass headphones over the years, with stark improvements across the board. Dynamic 9.8 mm drivers are housed inside a sleek and stylishly designed chassis that incorporates. The ATHCKS990iS feature huge 13mm dual magnetic field drivers for extended bass without sacrificing the quality of the overall sound. Superior magnetic power and an innovative venting system allow the ATH-CKS990iS to deliver rich, detailed sound while the aluminium housings provide a resilient and stylish exterior. The ATH-CKS1100iS is Audio-Technica’s most accomplished Solid Bass in ear headphones to date. Two facing Dual Phase 12.5 mm Push-Pull Drivers reduce intermodulation distortion for amazing wide range audio reproduction combining HiRes Audio with deep, rich bass to crystal-clear high-frequency sounds. Two ideally positioned vents provide precise control of diaphragm movement, while the machined aluminium housings reduce unwanted vibration for extended mid-high frequency reproduction.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Tycoon Percussion Brazilian Additions and Vertex Cajons Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au

Allen & Heath Adds Two New Models to the Zedi Range Technical Audio Group | (02) 9519 0900 | www.tag.com.au

Following the recent launch of the ZEDi-8 hybrid mixer/interface, Allen & Heath has released two more ZEDi models, the ZEDi-10 and ZEDi-10FX, from its acclaimed ZED analogue console range.

Designed for recording/gigging artists and AV rental and installation companies, the new ZEDi models combine a compact mixer with a 24bit 96kHz 4x4 USB interface, which enables multi-track recording and playback to a Mac or PC or to an iOS device (using a Camera Connection Kit).

The units also have flexible source routing options to adapt to different workflows, and are bundled with Cubase LE music production software and the Cubasis LE mobile music production app. The ZEDi-10 and ZEDi-10FX feature 4 mono channels with separate XLR and TRS jack sockets, one stereo channel and a second stereo input for reverb returns or playback. The mono channels include DI high impedance circuitry for the jack sockets, allowing guitars to be plugged straight into the mixer without the hassle and expense of carrying separate DI boxes.

Tycoon has announced new lines for 2016. The unofficial hand drums of Brazil; the Pandeiros are extremely versatile instruments.

Commonly used in Samba, Choro and CoCo, you will also find the classic sound ever present in jazz and funk. Played in the hand or sometimes mounted like a snare drum, these beautiful instruments come in 10” and 12” sizes with a durable synthetic head - available now in tough ABS plastic and traditional wood.

For a sharper timbre with less sustain, Tycoon also has released their new 6” Tamborims. Again you can choose between tough ABS and traditional wooden frames, these guys are a great additional to traditional percussion set-ups or the acoustic kit player that wants to add a little spice to his set up.

Keep an eye out for the new range of Vertex Cajons from Tycoon. One of the strength’s of the R&D team at Tycoon percussion is coming up with real solid points of difference and that is exactly what you have with the Vertex series cajon. The innovative angled ‘pyramid shape’ improves ergonomics and comfort of play, while offering an enhanced “sweet spot” in the middle of the drum for added resonance. Beautiful Makah Burl and Bubinga exotic woods finish a premium look and sound. These guys are top end but cost less than you would expect.

NCY FREQUEY FOR L

FRIEND

NCY FREQUEY FOR L

FRIEND

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MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.15

PRODUCT NEWS Sonoma Wire Works Introduce Studiojack Mini Innovative Music | (03) 9540 0658 | www.innovativemusic.com.au

There is a host of smaller interfaces on the market at the moment. Designed to be coupled with powerful portable technology such as laptops and iOs/ Android devices, they afford musicians the opportunity to record, play and practise on the road, while taking advantage of popular amp modelling and effects software. Among the smallest and most intuitive is the Sonoma Wireworks StudioJack Mini. It’s a compact, multi-platform, device powered, 24-bit audio interface that delivers studio quality sound.

It includes a mono Hi-Z ¼ inch input for guitar or bass, stereo mic/line ¼ inch input for vocals or keyboards, two analog input level knobs with LED metering and a stereo ¼ inch output for headphones. It’s a clever little design. So clever, in fact, that it can even charge your iPhone while you play.

DV MARK Micro 50 Compact Guitar Head CMC Music Australia | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au

The DV MICRO 50 is a 50 watt two channel solid state guitar amp featuring very userfriendly and effective controls, on-board reverb, XLR line out, a headphone output and a handy smart phone-sized AUX in jack for mixing an external audio source with your guitar sound so that you can practice anywhere, any time - and always with a professional sound. The Micro 50 also features a special input circuit design that is the result of extensive testing with the world’s most popular effects. This circuit interfaces perfectly with the effects units used by most guitarists. If ever an amp was made for pedals, the Micro 50 is it. You have to try this super-compact 50W guitar amp to believe the volume and classic sound quality that, thanks to its innovative design, such a small package can produce. The technology underlying the power amp stage of the DV Micro 50 respects and enhances the tone of your instrument, and is the result of significant investment in R&D resources by Marco De Virgiliis and DV Mark.

Dixon Drums Inventor Series Accessories Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au

Ok, it’s midway through the set and you feel a problem with your pedal, or perhaps your snare drum is losing its snap and you need to quickly work out why. If only you had some light or a torch on stage. How many times have we found ourselves in this situation? Well Dixon have come up with an ingenious solution to this problem by incorporating a light into a drum key – hence The Inventor series multifunctional Brite Key. For all drummers, it is essential to leave a drum key sitting on one of your tension rods while playing for quick access and tune-ups. Now with Dixon’s Brite Key, you can have a handy on stage light as well… what a great idea!

Oh and did we mention it’s got a bottle opener as well? Another great time-saving idea is the new Dixon EZ Cymbal Set. A quick release alternative to replace the traditional wing nuts on the top of drummers’ cymbal stands. The EZ Cymbal Set allows lightning-fast changes, set ups or adjustments to cymbals by simply pressing the sides.

5.1 Surround Sound from 2 channel sound capture

How much more impressive and emotional are sports broadcasts that also convey the spirit and atmosphere of the venue.

The solution is Sennheiser’s ESFERA, the surround microphone system that enables you to generate and broadcast 5.1 surround sound using two standard audio channels.

ESFERA - contact us for further details www.sennheiser.com.au/esfera PG.16 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

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PRODUCT NEWS

Mapex Drums Black Panther White Widow Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au

The latest installment in the range of high-end Black Panther kits is the White Widow, as played and designed by drummer Anika Nilles from Germany. Anika has been setting the drum world on fire with her sensational performances and drum solos and has racked up millions of views on her YouTube videos.

This one-of-a-kind, fully personalised set was built for drumming sensation, Anika. The traditional thin maple shell combined with a centered bearing edge produces a classic full-bodied and warm tone, but it’s the custom white finish that makes the White Widow the deadliest of the species.

This beautiful kit is made of 100 per cent North American Maple and there are only six arriving into Australia in January, so be sure to get in touch with your local Mapex dealer today.

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Matchless DC-30R Combo 212 with Reverb Black/Gold Gladesville Guitar Factory | (02) 9817 2173 | www.guitarfactory.net

The DC-30 was Matchless’ first design and still leads the company’s line-up. Thirty very conservatively rated watts from a quartet of EL84’s, through two channels, each with unique voicing and tone control layouts, produce a world of tone choices. True “Class A” configuration gives rich, complex harmonics whether played clean, mildly overdriven or with all out power tube saturation. This means you should sound great in any situation, in any music style.

Sound on the 212 Combo is delivered through two dissimilar Celestion speakers: a G12H30 and a Greenback 25, each specially modified through a proprietary Matchless formula. All of this is encased in an extremely sturdy handmade 11-ply, 3/4” Baltic birch cabinet, wrapped in richly-textured black vinyl. The finishing touch is our signature backlit nameplate and control panel, which lets you (and the audience) know when the power is on.

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.17

C O V E R

S T O R Y

Cedric Burnside

Coming from some strong musical lineage as the grandson of Mississippi Blues legend RL Burnside, Cedric Burnside has been mixing the blues with funk and soul as long as he can remember. Not resting on his name, Cedric is carving out his own legacy as a part of a number of lineups including the recently Grammy nominated Cedric Burnside Project. He’s coming to our shores in early 2016 and I was lucky enough to chat to the songwriter, guitarist and singing drummer himself.

the studio actually, ‘cos I love writing music, but I really have a bigger love writing music for other people.

Drums, singing and you also play guitar? Any other instruments in your arsenal?

I fiddle around a little bit on the piano, but as of now it’s just mainly drums and guitar.

Does touring differ overseas from the USA? When we tour the States it’s really good but then when we go overseas it’s even better, basically because we don’t get to do that as often. You know people might not get to see their favourite bands so that can be very special to them so we have a great time overseas as well as enjoying touring the States.

You’ve got a strong musical heritage. Is music something you just picked up?

I have to say it’s just in my blood man. I come from a very musical family, my big daddy was RL Burnside and I had a lot of family members that played.

You’ve played with a range of artists and in various lineups – how does your role as a drummer differ when playing in a 2 piece and bigger bands?

To me, it’s easy now. It was hard at the beginning, but now it’s second nature for me to sing and play. It don’t matter how big the band is or how small. Of course I have to work a little harder, but even with a big band you gotta make sure you’re following the changes and it’s a big job no matter what kinda band you playing with.

A lot of your songs can sound simple chord wise, but the forms can change a lot from what I’ve heard? There are often extra bars and beats.

Ha, that’s right. In our style of music, Hill Country Blues, you know I like to call it ‘feel’ music. Guys change when they ready! 8 bars, 10 bars, 12 bars it’s just feel music. They might hold the 1 for a minute or they might change on the 1! You just gotta listen for it and hope you change in the right spot and catch it. I’ve been playing this music all my life and its pretty much all I know, so it works fine with me.

Is recording something you enjoy?

I like the recording part ‘cos I like to come up with new creations in the studio. I always say that I’d like to dedicate my life to

PG.18 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

In our style of music, Hill Country Blues, you know I like to call it ‘feel’ music. Guys change when they ready! 8 bars, 10 bars, 12 bars it’s just feel music.

Blues/Roots is an interesting genre that encompasses a lot of artists from Gary Clark Jr to Robert Randolph to Robben Ford…

Gary Clark Jr is a really good friend of mine and I love his music, but I think out of him and all those cats we’re totally different.

When I play with Gary, or see him play, I’m always mesmerized cos his guitar playing is like genius, but he’s different to our sound and I just think that there’s good music all around.

Live it sounds like there’s plenty of room to stretch tunes then? Do you have a setlist you stick to?

We do have a setlist, we’ve got about 30 or 40 songs on the setlist and it’s almost about 3 hours so sometimes we might play all the songs and sometimes not. And if we need to we just come up with things on the fly, ha!

Do you ever need to rehearse then?

Believe it or not, we’re in rehearsal right now. We’ve been rehearsing for the past two days as we just got nominated for a Grammy which is very exciting. There’s a possibility we might be playing at the Grammys so we thought we better sharpen our set.

We want to be at our very best all the time.

I know music isn’t all about the awards but it must be nice to be recognised with a Grammy nomination along with the Blues Foundation awards and various things you’ve won of late?

It’s a beautiful thing man, it was suprising and kind of surreal but I thank god for everything and we gonna bust into it strong.

BY NICK BROWN

Cedric Burnside is down in Australia performing as part of Womadelaide on March 11. You can also catch him at Girrakool Blues Festival on March 5, Perth Blues Club on March 8 and the Port Fairy Folk Festival on March 12 and 13. For more information head to www.mixdownmag.com.au

www.mixdownmag.com.au

2016

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I N T E R V I E W S

METZ Metz frontman Alex Edkins is the first to admit his band never expected the outpouring of critical acclaim and subsequent success that followed their thunderous debut. With that in mind, the band’s humbly titled follow up, II, wasn’t designed to reinvent the sludge encrusted wheel the three-piece has become known for. There is no big name producer on the credits, and no half-hearted attempt at a radio friendly single.

If anything, Met’s sophomore release is even more gloriously ragged than their debut. Ultimately, this is a band chasing a sound that feels right to them - and refusing to compromise in the process.

“I think it was just important to us to stay true to why we do this at all,” says Edkins on the decidedly grounded approach taken on II. “We tried to make something that three of us would like, and not think about what’s going to sell more copies. That’s really all it was. It was us wanting to almost put blinders on, and not think about the fact that all of a sudden we had quite a bigger audience because of the reaction to the first record.”

As well as blocking out any external pressures that may have been lingering in the rehearsal room, Metz put themselves under a selfimposed songwriting exile over a six month period, forcing them to take a break from their notoriously hectic touring schedule. The results are manifested in a record that is even more breathtakingly concussive

and cohesive than the last. “[We were] going in and working on songs that were better structured than we’d ever done before,” reflects Edkins. “That was a new process. Before it was always jamming and jamming, whittling down the songs and arranging them that way. This was different. I think it had its definite pros. There’s a little more melody in there.”

Like a punch to the gut, Metz makes music that is immediately visceral. Buzzsaw guitars and sandpaper vocals grip on for dear life without relent, if not for the occasional burst of ambient noise or off-kilter harmony. It’s a hard edged interplay between tension and release, that is as therapeutic for raucous punters to thrash around to as it is for the band to make it.

“I think it’s like having a shrink or something, but for free. It’s good for our heads,” he laughs. I can’t help but recall the now infamous incident where Metz’s music was, in fact, detrimental to their heads.

Bassist Chris Slorach split his skull open after headbanging straight into his guitar. Not one to cause a fuss, he simply covered the wound with duct tape and finished the set - undeterred by the rock’n’roll cocktail of blood and sweat dripping down his face.

“It’s a huge release for all three of us,” elaborates Edkins. “As far as the band goes, I think it’s a really good outlet for all of our personalities. A lot of the content is often coming from frustration. I don’t think of it as anger, but some of the darker things we’re able to get out of our system.”

With a five year gap between their live and recorded debut, Metz’s first album was painstakingly crafted, designed to ooze brutality with rapid-fire precision.

After all, it takes immense effort to disguise a tightly oiled machine as pure chaos. With II however, the band decided to embrace their ragged edges.

“I’m really turned on by records that have all of the mistakes left in,” says Edkins. Things where they’re not trying to make a perfect take, or a perfect song; leaving it all there to see. We did that more on this second album than we did on the first one. I back in the day), he got wind of the idea and asked us if we’d be interested in doing some other shows around the country and we said ‘yes, make it so!’

MODELS Jumping into the already vibrant Melbourne Music scene in the late 70s and early 80s, Models, often referred to as ‘The Models’, definitely did things their own way. Through many member changes and resulting slight changes in style, they quickly made a name for themselves on the Australian live scene sharing the spotlight of the time with the likes of Midnight Oil and Hunters and Collectors as well as many touring international acts. Best known for hits such as ‘Barbados’ and ‘Out of Mind, Out of Sight’, Models has continued to sporadically perform live including some recent gigs performing the album Local and/or General in full. 2016 continues this trend with another string of shows right across the country continuing the Models’ legacy.

Models seem to have never really stopped playing live in some shape or form. How did this recent tour come to fruition?

It’s almost like an annual event. We’ve been playing around this time of year at the Flying Saucer club in Elsternwick. It’s run by Mark Burchett, who’s a Models fan from back in the day, and possibly if it weren’t for the Models he wouldn’t be involved in music! He’s a huge fan and suggested this year, why don’t you do two nights – first night play Local and/or General and the second Pleasure of Your Company. We agreed to that. It seemed like a good plan and then David Williams, who heads up a company called Tom Bowler and tours various international and national acts (and also a Models fan from

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The two nights at the Flying Saucer Club playing albums in their entirety – is that an easy thing to do?

Sometimes the way an album is sequenced isn’t the way you’d plan a gig, but it can work. We have actually done this once before many years ago at The Espy and it was a pretty good experience. You know, there were tracks that we’d never actually played live. There were things that maybe we’d just cooked up in the studio and that in the early frantic days was more spacious and open and you wouldn’t necessarily play live. We’ve discovered that you can find new dimensions in your live performance.

In terms of set lists for the rest of the gigs, you’d have plenty to choose from. Have you had to go back and learn some old songs?

Yeah. For example the Pleasure of Your Company album, I wasn’t in the band at that stage. So I’m really getting to go deep on that album. There was a lot of labouring over the sound. I think the producer Nick Launay had a big hand in the way that it sounded. So for now it would be really difficult for a 4-piece band to reproduce everything that’s on there. We’re not getting extra musicians or sequenced tracks so if anything we’re reducing those down to what the original song is. It’s a bit like playing with the Rock Wiz orchestra which is just three of us! You have to really just pick out the things that count.

You’ve mentioned before that Models weren’t really sure what they were doing, they just did it and it sounded good..

There is a sound that Sean (Kelly), Andrew (Duffield) and myself when we play together it just happens. We can’t do it any other way. That was a result of years of relentless gigging and it’s great.

I’m pretty sure back then I wouldn’t have thought

think on the first one, we were attempting to get something right, you know? It’s not that we weren’t holding high standards, but I think our definition of good has slightly changed, where the feel is more important than the actual execution… I think it’s one of those things where there is no right way now.

Whatever is feeling good - that’s the right way.”

In between bone crushing tracks of post-hardcore explosions, II is dispersed with miniature soundscapes that glue the record together with eerie immersion. Metz have always applied experimental practices to recorded sound, but it has never felt so fully realised than on their latest album.

“It’s kind of a collage of things I’ve found and recorded,” says Edkins on ambient tracks such Zzyzx.

“We were helping a friend demolish their house, so there’s the sound of wood snapping and a crowbar pulling out wood planks from the floor. It’s fun to mess around with that and tweak it out; speed it up, slow it down.”

As their career goes from strength to strength, Metz are sticking to their guns. The band are making the music they want to hear. That’s always been the goal, and it most likely always will be.

“It’s always been such a selfish endeavor in someways. It’s never been about other people” laughs Edkins. “It’s incredible that people that connect to it. I just hope people take away the fact that we’re honest, and making something from the heart that we care about a lot. We’re not pandering to any expectation. We’re just three gu ys doing what they like to do, and having the most fun they can doing it. That’s it, really.”

JAMES DI FABRIZIO

Metz will be performing as a part of the upcoming St Jerome’s Laneway Festival. II is out now via Sub Pop/Inertia. that I’d be playing some of these songs at the age I am now. You know when I first got together with the band in a rehearsal room and they’d done maybe a handful of gigs, I was playing around town with Johnny Crash who was playing drums with them and sort of said ‘come on down for a jam’, and you could tell within the first few notes that it was a coherent band and that more or less set the template for it.

Where did your sound come from then? A lot of music these days seems to be fully preconceived?

There was no particular style we were trying to portray, everyone had something they brought to the mix but it worked. I’m not sure how much that happens these days – the history. It seems more like ‘we want a bit of this, with a slice of that and a little this on the side’ whereas in a lot of ways we were charting unknown waters for us.

You’ve been involved in a lot of bands/styles/ areas of the music industry throughout your career. Is that an intentional decision? Or has it just happened?

I always try and put my best foot forward and do my best for whatever gig I’ve got and hopefully that gets noticed and creates new opportunities. There are certain players that I often play with, Andrew [Pendlebury of The Sports, Stephen Cummings and The Mercurials] I’ve been playing with since 1976 at the station ho tel in Prahran. We’re like brothers really, we just sit down and start playing. And I really have the same kind of relationship with Sean and Andrew too. We just sit down and start playing and it sounds like the Models.

BY NICK BROWN Models will be playing at the Croxton Bandroom in Melbourne on January 29, and the Wool Exchange in Geelong on January 30. For more information visit www.mixdownmag.com.au.

www.mixdownmag.com.au

I N T E R V I E W S

LOU BARLOW When Lou Barlow answers the phone, he is recovering in a mountain-side town in the south-west of Massachusetts, following a week-long residency at New York’s Bowery Ballroom with the band widely considered to be his day job, Dinosaur Jr. The band performed the run of dates in celebration of the 30-year-anniversary of their debut LP, simply titled Dinosaur, and brought on guests as varied as Henry Rollins, comedian Todd Barry and My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields. Although Barlow has played on six of the band’s ten albums, there was quite an extended period of exile from the group following his firing in 1989. It would take 16 years to get the original trio back together again – a return that Barlow did not take on lightly.

“I entered it with an open mind,” he says. “I didn’t know where it would go, but I accepted it in as neutral a fashion as I could. I was just hoping for the best – and now, ten years and four albums in, I think it’s worked out the best way that I could. The shows we just played were really incredible. It was a lot of work to put in for them, and we were really busy in the weeks leading up to it. The payoff was really, really nice.”

The last few years have seen Barlow on one of his most creative

BABY ANIMALS It’s been a few years now since Baby Animals reformed, released a new album and hit the road. They’ve done the reunion/rejuvenation thing particularly well from a fan standpoint, with lots of different fan packages, and all that fun stuff that really helps folks to feel engaged with the band they love. Until now there’s been one particular little event that hasn’t happened: a reunion of the original line-up. Current drummer Mick Skelton and bass player Dario Bortolin do an incredible job of representing the classic material and the band’s current identity, but there will always be fans who want to see the original quartet of Suze DeMarchi, Dave Leslie, Frank Celenza and Eddie Parise on stage.

And for two shows only, they can. And not only that: the current line-up will be represented too. In May, Baby Animals will play to very special shows made of two sets. The first set will feature the current line-up celebrating the past 25 years of rock. The second will see the original line-up reunite onstage to perform their debut album in full. www.mixdownmag.com.au

streaks to date. 2012 saw the release of Dinosaur Jr.’s tenth LP, I Bet on Sky; itself followed by Defend Yourself, a 2013 LP by another Barlowrelated project, Sebadoh, which was the band’s first in 14 years. Two years removed from that is Brace the Wave, Barlow’s third album to bare only his name. It’s a lush, stripped-back and warm folk record that’s far removed from the mane-thrashing fuzz of his other bands. It’s an intentional move on Barlow’s behalf, who says that a return to performing solo was an inevitability.

“I tend to work in cycles,” he explains. “Naturally, if I’ve done a Sebadoh and a Dinosaur Jr. record, I’m inclined to do a solo record. I think it helps ground me, and it helps me approach the other bands with an open mind and a clean spirit. I’ve always tried to work on a few things at any time. Dinosaur and Sebadoh are electric bands, but I’ve always played acoustic music. Many of the better-known songs that I’ve written have started out acoustically. I’ve always liked the idea of folk music taking different shapes – folk music informed by punk rock, being an alternative to what’s generally accepted as folk music. I think that’s the kind of music that I’ve come to make as a solo artist.”

Brace the Wave was recorded over a period of just six days with long-time friend, producer and engineer Justin Pizzoferrato. The album features heavy usage of a baritone ukulele, which Barlow converts into various custom tunings and plays in his own unique manner. Having originally received the instrument as a gift from his mother in his early teens, the now 49-year-old has spent most of his life approaching it from a left-field perspective.

“I started writing songs on the ukulele back in the 80s,” says Barlow. “That was when I was first really starting to write songs on my own. For instance, the Sebadoh song ‘Brand New Love’ began as a song that was just on the ukulele. I’ve never approached it in the same way that most people tend to think of the instrument – I always put on heavier strings and use my own tunings for it. I

incorporate a few different strumming styles that tend to work best purely for the ukulele, and I’ve always been drawn to the size and the sound of it.

There’s something about playing with four strings that I’ve always been drawn to – bass, ukulele, and I’ve got a customised guitar that I use in Sebadoh that takes out the D and the G strings where I modify the tunings to reflect the ones on the uke.”

Barlow will return to Australia for the first time in nearly two years as a part of Sydney Festival at the start of 2016. He intends to play a large portion of Brace the Wave, as well as favourites from his back catalogue stretching across all of his various projects. Although he might not be able to reach the lengths of the famous 30-song Sebadoh set some years ago, he looks to incorporate as much as he can.

“It’s impossible to cover everything,” he says with a laugh. “I’m really looking forward to sharing these new songs, though. I recreate most of the new record live, and I try and take requests on the fly if I am at all able. I’ve got my uke, I’ve got my guitar and I’ve got an old vintage synthesizer from the 70s that I use with a loop pedal. It was originally used as a bass synthesizer, and it’s monophonic, which means you can only hit one note at a time. I really enjoy using it live. I like to use the synthesizer in my sets the way that folk singers like to use the harmonica. I’ve always loved the combination of acoustic instrumentation and synthesizers. People have been doing it forever, but it’s something I think needs to be explored more.

I’m fascinated by it.”

“The songs have mutated and evolved over the last 25 years, with the new guys and everything,” says guitarist Dave Leslie. “So I’m actually going to go and revisit the old recordings and bring back the old sounds. I actually just bought an old Marshall Guv’nor pedal because I used that pretty much all throughout the record, with a Marshall JCM800. So I’m going to go back to those tones and do those parts as authentically as possible. So that’ll be an interesting experiment because the songs and solos have changed. So to get back to where it was will be a lot of fun. Hopefully it won’t be too challenging?” So will 2016 Dave be cursing 1991 Dave for things he played back then? “I’m looking forward to noticing whether there’s been some progression rather than regression over the past 25 years,” he laughs.

One of Dave’s most recognisable guitars is the Fender Stratocaster seen in the video for ‘Early Warning.’ “That’s a ’79 Stratocaster that had EMGs in it. It was my first ever Fender and I’ve still got the neck. I still use the neck but well… it was a really heavy late 70s body with a three-bolt neck, and the neck bolt holes started to get wider and the neck started to move. So Grubisa built this amazing white alder body for it, married it to the neck and it’s never sounded better. It’s a beautiful Strat.” Dave hasn’t held on to much gear from that era. “It’s a pity because I did have a really nice Marshall MkII Super Bass that I used to use all the time but that fell by the by. But I’ve been evolving and trying new things. I haven’t held onto a real lot of stuff from back then.”

Also being released in 2016 via Social Family Records is BA25, a live album drawn from when the band toured with Van Halen in the early 90s. “We recorded it, and I think it was broadcast, from this club in Boston when we were out with Van Halen.

It was the night after Ed gave me my Ernie Ball Music Man Edward Van Halen model, so I remember changing strings on it between soundcheck and gig, because there were 9s on it and I wanted to change it to 10s. I used it and it might have gone a bit off a few times, but the band was on fire at that point. We were playing really well. And later that night we went to a TV studio and did a live cross to the ARIA awards. It was a big night, that one! Not a lot of sleep was had! Then it was back into the bus and back onto the VH tour!

Crazy! Those days are a little blurry… I’m glad I remembered to take my camera and took so many photographs because that usually helps to jog your memory. But they’re usually photos of the band being obnoxious in band rooms in exotic places.

There weren’t a lot of tourist pics taken!”

As for the rest of Baby Animals’ 2016, Dave and Suze have been kicking around some songwriting ideas, but are currently focused on the stage.

“We’ve got a fair few gigs coming up in the early part of the year plus this thing in May, and I’m looking forward to getting out and getting amongst it. And it’s good that Mick Skelton is going to be doing these gigs [following the tragic Thirsty Merc accident which claimed the life of tour manager Shane Cooper and placed Skelton in intensive care]. Our first one back will be at the Day On The Green on the 23rd of January so I’m really looking forward to that.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG Lou Barlow will be touring nationally in support of his latest album Brace The Wave throughout January. For more information visit www. selecttouring.com.au. Brace The Wave is out now via Domino Records/EMI.

BY PETER HODGSON

TOUR DATES SATURDAY MAY 21, FORUM THEATRE, MELBOURNE SATURDAY MAY 28, ENMORE THEATRE, SYDNEY

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.21

I N T E R V I E W S

PANIC! AT THE DISCO It says a lot that there has never been two Panic!

At the Disco albums with the same line-up. Since coming out of their parents’ garage as teenagers in 2004, the band has radically and drastically changed.

Only vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Brendon Urie remains behind the moniker, with the project’s fifth LP, Death of a Bachelor, being written, performed and recorded entirely on his own. Although Urie was originally writing in an open-ended manner – meaning that they had the potential to be put together for a solo album – he ultimately knew where these songs belonged.

“I never fully questioned it,” he says. “For me, Panic! At the Disco has always been cart blanche. I can do whatever I want. There are no rules. Being in this band has been the most exciting part of my life.

I never want to leave. Members of this band have come and gone, just because they wanted to do something different. For me, though, Panic! was always so unique and so different that I didn’t need to explore any other avenue. I never needed to make an excuse to break off and do something else.”

Panic!’s previous LP, Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die!, was the band’s first as a trio – Urie, founding drummer Spencer Smith and bassist Dallon Weekes; who was originally brought in as a touring

BARONESS This is a crucial time for Baroness. The band was on a steadily rising career trajectory when a 2012 bus crash threw them into turmoil physically and emotionally.

After a period of recovery, Allen Blickle (drums) and Matt Maggioni (bass guitar) left the band, and guitarist/vocalists Pete Adams and John Baizley reconvened with new members Nick Jost (bass, keys) and Sebastian Thomson (drums). Touring resumed in April 2013 and now their return is complete with the Purple album. Recorded with Dave Fridmann at Tarbox Road Studios in Cassadaga, New York, it finds Baroness picking up where they left off but sending their sound off into fresh new directions at the same time.

“We still have a little bit of a way to go but we’re in good shape, man,” Adams says of the long road back from the crash. “Everyone is excited and you’ve gotta harness that while it lasts. It’s so hard to get four people on the same page so enjoy it while it lasts, I say.

I’m totally happy with where we’re at with the album. I’m excited and relieved. I’m always relieved when an album is finished and completed. It’s kind of a weight off, but not in a bad way: it just

PG.22 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

replacement for former bassist Jon Walker. Both have left the fold of the band in different ways – Smith, for instance, was sidelined after the album’s release on account of his drug addiction and subsequent rehab; and did not play with the band for two years. With his departure in April, Death of a Bachelor is the first P!ATD album to not feature him. “Spencer and I are still great friends,” says Urie. “People come, people go and people change.

I don’t want to seem like I’m speaking on behalf of anyone, but it’s just been a matter of other people losing interest in what this band is.”

Weekes, on the other hand, is a slightly more curious case. Although he is no longer in the creative fold, he decided to stay on as a touring member of the group. “Dallon has been playing with us for a long time, and I’m so grateful for that,” says Urie. “Sometimes, you try working creatively with people, and it doesn’t always work out the way you think it will. In this case, it ended up just being better to have someone to tour with.

It’s an oversight sometimes, but you have to have people that you connect with and get along with.

Touring can be long and it can be intense – you need people that will see you through that. Dallon has been that for me.”

Death of a Bachelor continues to explore the outer reaches of what P!ATD can sound like, implementing Queen-size harmonies, king-size choruses and fizzy-pop production. There’s even a sample of “Rock Lobster” in the mix (says Urie: “I wanted to write a party anthem – it was the perfect fit!”). With Urie serving as master and commander, he notes his comfort with building up songs and jamming them out entirely on his own.

“Before I ever had a band – or ever even thought about it – that’s kind of what I did,” he explains.

“I had a little karaoke machine and I would play everything myself. I had to go over to friend’s houses and use their four-track recorder so I could finish the song – a karaoke machine doesn’t have many tracks, as you can imagine. That’s how I

taught myself how to play and how I taught myself to record. I was always alone, and I had a lot of passion for music. I wanted to showcase that – running to the piano, running to the drums, doing different bits of backing vocals. With this album, it began with me just writing songs. I didn’t know if I was working toward an album or not, but I knew I had to get these songs out of my head, through my system. I was ready to go wherever they ended up – I was so content with knowing that.”

The completion of recording Death at a Bachelor timed out, interestingly enough, to match up with the ten year anniversary of Panic!’s debut album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out. Having sold over one million copies and housed some of the band’s most beloved songs – many of which are still played to this day – the accomplishments of the LP grow even more impressive contextually when one recalls the average age of the band being 17.

“We didn’t even know what kind of band we wanted to be,” reflects Urie. “There’s no precognition on Fever. There were no preconceived notions about who we were. We just sort of figured it out as we went. That was exciting – that album started me off on my journey, it helped this band find a voice and not only did people like it, they responded to it. I remember when those early shows were getting bigger and bigger. I’d look out and see people singing every word to our songs. Even after ten years, people are still finding their own voice through that record – it’s almost spiritual to me.”

means we can move on to the next thing, that next thing being performing the songs live and touring our asses off.” Baroness is not one of those bands who constantly write on the road.

“It never happens accidentally,” Adams says. “We have to sit down and make it happen. When we’re in full-on tour mode we’re not writing unless there’s something you’re feeling too good about to let slide.” But because all of the band members live so far apart from each other, rehearsal time is considered somewhat sacred, reserved for tightening existing songs for the stage and honing more tracks than are required so Baroness can vary their setlist from night to night. So when it’s time to write, that’s all they do.

Adams’s gear choices have been more or less consistent from one record to the next. He’s a longtime Gibson guy, relying on a number of Les Pauls with stock pickups. One has Gibson Burstbucker humbuckers, which are inspired by original PAFs right down to the mismatched coils for a rawer, more reactive sound. The other guitar has 57 Classics, again PAF-inspired pickups but with matched coils and a little more smoothness. “There are two different amps I like to record through,” Adams says. “One is a Matamp GTO 120 for that beautiful booming clean. And of course I’ll use a number of pedals with that. I also use a Budda 40 watt Super Drive head also because it has some really cool cleans but also a breakup that I really like. I like the breakup a little bit more because it’s a little bit wetter than the Matamp when it starts to break up. But John is a pedal connoisseur so we run the gamut. Every song has a list of pedals on it. John may actually have written that down, now that I think about it!”

Adams’s ‘around the house’ guitars are predominantly acoustics. “I save my ears and don’t even play at a soft volume, really. But I have a

couple of acoustics that I love to play. One is a ’74 Gibson J-40 and the other is a Martin dreadnaught.

The tag on the inside plate of the neck says “Martin Custom” but I don’t know what that means. I got it for a sweet deal, something like seven hundred bucks, and it plays really sweet. If I ever do plug in at home I’ve got a little Marshall practice amp but that doesn’t happen often.”

The Adams/Baizley guitar team is one that has worked symbiotically for over two decades now, and they’ve got it down to a fine art. “John and I have been doing the guitar duo thing for 22 years.

We started playing guitars together when we were really young so we’re really comfortable together.

Both of us just come up with stuff and bring these ideas to each other and leave the second guitar part open for the other guitarist. Let’s say he writes a cool verse, I’ll mess around until I find something rhythmically that works under it. Or sometimes we write both guitar parts and the other guitarist has to just play it their way. We do have a tendency to rip each other’s guitar parts apart though. But it works! We haven’t killed each other yet so that’s a start.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

Panic! At The Disco’s fifth studio album Death of a Bachelor is out on January 15 via Fuelled By Ramen Records.

BY PETER HODGSON

Baroness’ new album Purple is out now via Cooking Vinyl Australia. For more information head to www.cookingvinylaustralia.com.

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I N T E R V I E W S

STORIES Four months after the release of their debut album The Youth To Become, Sydney’s Stories have announced that they’re stepping out of the support shadows and kicking off a much-deserved national headliner tour. Stories are an incredible live act, and are set to share the stage with guests Belle Haven, Perspectives and Polaris early next year. Recently they’ve beeb praised for producing a tighter sound than ever before, lead singer Morgan Dodson says the record is the result of an unspoken understanding between all of the band members, especially his brother Nic, the band’s guitarist.

“Without a doubt, it’s probably the biggest thing that helps keep the ball rolling when we’re writing music, we just vibe off each other completely” he says. The brothers lead the creative process with Morgan taking care of the lyrics and Nic the music. “It might sound cliché, but we don’t really have to say anything. We can look at each other after, say Nic writes a part or I have an idea and we don’t have to say much, we can tell just by the expression on each other’s face. We sort of have a pre-built idea of exactly how we feel about something as a group.”

LOW They’re currently traipsing about their latest world tour with an album just two months old, but already Low are looking to the future. 2016 will see them once again yo-yoing the globe, and as frontman Alan Sparhawk says, there are always more songs clamouring to be recorded. Suffice to say, there’s plenty going on in the life of Low of late. Given they recently conducted a Reddit AMA, the time seemed ripe for finally finding out how these exchanges unfold, and just what kind of direct relationship with fans Sparhawk and co endeavour to have.

“It was kind of a quick scramble,” he recalls. “All three of us were sitting in the living room with our laptops open just answering as best we could. It’s a little overwhelming, for sure, because once you’re there for around ten or fifteen minutes you start to realise there’s no way you’re going to come close to answering them all.

You start cruising. Some are interesting, some you just want to leave totally alone. Some from straight-up fans who have these really whack questions you feel the need to answer. I usually [just] do Twitter, and that seems to work pretty good. There’s not a lot of obligation there, you can just rattle off whatever you’re doing at the moment.

It’s not as time consuming. But we’ve always had a good relationship with fans. We’ll always talk to them at gigs, though you’re usually in

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Recorded at Electric Sun Studios, Sydney and The Machine Shop Studios, New Jersey, The Youth To Become was bred from an infatuation with a range of musical genres. Surprisingly, the group take a liking to sounds that couldn’t be further from their heavy post-hardcore tones. “Everyone in the band listens to so much. I think heavy music is actually one of the styles of music we probably listen to less than other types of music, even classical; we listen to a lot of electronic music” the frontman revealed.

Finding solace in fellow rockers Circa Survive, their previous works have had a specific influence on the Stories sound. “Juturna is so far from anything our album’s like, but it’s small things here and there that go a long way in how they influence an artist.

Circa Survive is definitely a band that has inspired my brother and I. We have obsessed over different components that band’s created.”

Replacing original Stories bass player Jackson Lowe on the tour will be new recruit Luke Fuller. Joining in June this year, Fuller has swiftly impressed forever-faithful fans and fellow band members.

“Luke joined after we completed the recording process. It was a bit of grey area; we didn’t have a bass player for a while,” he says. “To be honest, even though the album was recorded, post album recording, he’s still been such a valuable member to be introduced to the band. He’s provided so much information. He’s definitely a really smart guy, not just with bass playing but he’s a really good audiotech head.”

Stories have clearly exceeded Australia’s expectations with the release of their debut album.

The Youth To Become presents a quality studio sound that packs a punch. In particular, ‘Under Haze’ has been received incredibly well by both long-time fans and new comers. Along with the release came the band’s first music video filming experience. “It was

definitely nerve wracking leading up to it, knowing there’s close shots of your face performing, to be released to the public to watch for entertainment” said the vocalist. “We went for a day and a half of filming in the one location, close to almost two days without sleeping, taking shot after shot. It was exhausting, but really fun.”

“We wanted to back up the imagery in ‘Under Haze’ with visuals. We felt like when we were writing the song, it was a song that would work very well with a music video from the very beginning. It’s really pulsing and static-y, sort of washed out. We wanted to give it an industrial feel but then have raw, organic imagery to go with it.” With a rapidly growing fan base and an album with a reputation that precedes itself, the Sydney based band are certainly headed in the right direction.

Through all their success, the humble homegrown’s never forget where it all began. One man who played a predominant role in the band’s rise was Northlane guitarist, Josh Smith. “Having Josh as our manager at the time provided us with so many opportunities. We had so many great little shows here and there that helped give us a footprint in the industry,” he says. “It was really helpful being able to have someone there whose had that previous experience as an up and coming band from Australia, to being quite a big band at the moment.

I saw a video of them play their Sydney show, they continually step it up and they sound so good.”

a rush to get somewhere and it can be a kind of awkward thing. But that’s really how you see the faces, where you see people, not in the crowd, but as real people.”

Having formed in 1993, Low have been building that fanbase over a long time and through some significant shifts within the music industry. They’re eleven albums down with no signs of slowing, managing to not only maintain a slew of individual side projects but also oversee their own record label, Chairkicker’s Union. When asked about his own trajectory as an artist – the evolution of his songwriting, his performance chops – Sparhawk is pragmatic but thoughtful.

“We’re still essentially going in and working with really good people with really small budgets. When I first started to write, you recognise immediately that it isn’t perfect. I mean, it’s perfect in what it’s sort of … Ummm … I’m not describing very well,” he laughs. “When you write, you realise that you’re only ever given fragments. With songs you get this vast leeway where you don’t have to tell the complete story. It doesn’t have to be grammatically correct, it doesn’t have to provide the full picture.

I think that’s where the fun and the art of it is, it can free you up where you think, well, I’m not going to try and use any old stuff; all that’s left is my faith in this fragment. This belief in a piece of something. It’s not until later on that you start realising, oh, that [song’s] about that, this might have been influenced by that thing going on at the time. So that incompleteness is, to me, the most exciting part about writing music.”

Nor does he prescribe to any set writing method; his composing style is as fragmented as the shards of story that weave into his interests.

“I’m pretty typical mostly, I think. Sitting up late holding a guitar, usually around two in the morning.

It’s usually a private, late-night thing, right at the edge of breakdown,” he laughs. “You have to be a little bit exhausted. If you get too much sleep you’re not going to write very well.

I guess I [write about] the everyday. There’s maybe a few common threads throughout what we do, certain relationships and psychologies. The bones are the same. I think just at different times in your life you have a different feel for things. I definitely don’t feel like every record has a different set of subjects or themes that I’m trying to communicate.

It more often feels like this is today’s version of what I’m trying to say.”

This raises the question, then, of how happily Sparhawk can reflect on earlier recordings when each song might be considered a testament to one particular time and place. Their latest album, Ones and Sixes, was released September 11, and though still very fresh, you wonder if the intent and meaning behind the record still resonates with the band.

“It’s worse, because we finished it last winter, so it sat there for five or six months before anyone started to hear anything. So we had to sit with it for a while, which takes some of the wind out of your sails. When you finish it, you’re the most excited you can be. I don’t know. You gain a little perspective, but there isn’t some magical moment where you suddenly say, ‘Oh, OK, I understand what I’ve been doing now all this time.’ It’s all about those little fragments. Sometimes you can look back and see, well, that part must come from there, things like that. I’m not adamant that I understand what I’m doing necessarily, so I’m not too concerned with figuring out whatever it is I’ve done. If it felt right, if it felt like it was an accurate representation of the parts I know are there, then that’s kind of all the satisfaction you can ask for.”

BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON

Stories will be touring national from February 11 through to March 5. For more information head to www.unfdcentral.com.

BY ADAM NORRIS

Ones and Sixes is out now via Sub Pop / Inertia

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.23

I N T E R V I E W S to massively corporate sort of set ups, which goes hand in hand with the personalised, customised nature of the product itself as well.”

The small operation does not mean that they are slower to manufacture their products than other overseas competitors though. When the lab is fully operational, Sensaphonics AU will be able to have a one month turnaround from when an order is placed to when it is fulfilled. When ordering from overseas it can take up to two months, and sometimes even longer. Being a local Australian business is something that Miko takes pride in and he hopes that the customers can take pride in their product being Australian made as well.

Upon making the decision to expand the business, The irony of life as a musician is that with more and more Ryota felt that Australia, where he had graduated from high school, would be as good a place as any exposure to sound, your hearing deteriorates. It’s a sad and to set up shop based on a number of factors. One of cruel truth, but a truth none the less. History would tell these factors was that he knew people here, including you that Australians, like they do with most things, have Miko, who was an old school friend of Ryota’s wife. “I typically had a lax attitude toward hearing loss prevention. was really good friends with his then girlfriend, now wife, and I knew about [Ryota], and we met once at Fortunately, that’s all set to change, with one of the world’s leaders in musician specific hearing loss prevention an after party of a high school formal, but we never really talked before. Long story short, seven years poised to hit the Australian music playing community later I get a message from his girlfriend saying that in a big way. From Chicago to Melbourne, and via Japan, he’s coming down to Melbourne, so we caught up and Sensaphonics is a truly global brand, and the opening of I saw him again. their manufacturing lab and office in the Victorian capital Ryota also sighted Australian culture as a reason to marks the next bold step for the company. Operating under bring Sensaphonics down under, with a societal focus on a healthy lifestyle - hearing protection omitted from the name of Sensaphonics AU, directors Ryota Tanaka and this focus - and a ‘generational’ interest in concertMiko Raimundo have set out to save Australia’s hearing going both part of it. “There needs to be a big cultural from the clutches of irreparable damage. shift in order for people in Australia to really realise how dangerous some of these [sound] levels can be,” Upon arriving at the Sensaphonics AU headquarters in Melbourne I says Miko. “Australian culture likes healthy food, people was surprised to find that the new manufacturing lab was also located care about their health more than other countries,” says in the same room. What I had envisioned to be a larger factory-like Ryota before Miko follows on, “So why not your aural operation is in reality three desks where Ryota plies his trade, each health as well?” Sensaphonics AU is hoping to make in-ear monitor and earplug by hand. It might seem a laborious, but this this ‘cavalier’ attitude towards hearing health disappear, is a man who is incredibly passionate about his work, and he wouldn’t as Ryota notes “as we expand [in Australia], it will have it any other way. probably be quicker than in other countries.” When “I think it’s kind of [Sensaphonic’s] style. We [are] small and have a questioned on whether good hearing health habits warm, family-style feeling,” says Ryota, as Miko chimes in; “As opposed could become standard, Miko responded: “Why not? If

SENSAPHONICS

JASON HOW OF ROTOSOUND STRINGS It’s easy to get caught up in the plethora of tone shaping devices on offer to modern day guitar and bass players. While they all have their place and purpose in striving for that elusive holy-grail sound, one of the most overlooked and crucial components in attaining the tone that’s right for you is a quality set of strings.

You wouldn’t build a house without laying down a strong foundation first, and in the same way, a welldesigned set of strings can act as the right foundation to build your signature sound off of. First established in 1958, British owned and operated Rotosound offer some of the finest strings on the market today, combining their world renowned heritage with cutting edge production techniques.

As current Rotosound CEO Jason How says, the company has grown from humble origins before becoming the internationally recognised brand it is today. His father, James How, coupled with the help of his uncle Ron How formed the company in Kent, England. The pair began by crafting orchestral and jazz strings, before becoming the first choice of iconic brands such as Vox, Burns and Hagstrom. The company has evolved a lot since it first took flight in the ‘50s, but their family business values have remained a steadfast constant.

“Many things have changed,” says How on Rotosound’s continual development. “Most notably, the redesigning and building of all the string winding machinery from 1998 to 2007. This I undertook in-

PG.24 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

house personally within our machine shop.” How has been instrumental in bringing Rotosound’s rich traditions in line with modern technology, taking an entirely hands on approach to research and development. “I have designed and made new computer controlled automated winding machines that improve consistency and efficiency,” he details.

“I have made sure that the way the strings were made by hand are now made automatically, but with the same specifications as the old machines.”

As well as continuing the Rotosound legacy from his father’s efforts, How also gained valuable experience from watching him grow the company from the ground up. “My father was an engineer and a musician, so luckily I inherited both of those traits,” he says. “When he died, I had to learn the job quickly, but luckily I soon got the hang of what was needed for the company to move forward.”

Under Jason’s guidance, Rotosound has remained synonymous with British tone, as well as expanding into a fully comprehensive lineup with strings.

While all strings are made with the same exacting quality control, options are diverse enough to suit all player’s needs, ranging from jazz to metal. To cap it off, they’re some of the environmentally conscious and sustainable crafted strings around too. “[We made] the change to the new foil packaging, which is the most eco-friendly in the entire music string industry,” says How. “For example, our string packaging per set has a weight of approximately four grams, as compared to most of the other brands that weigh around twenty-five grams. A massive saving, and of course that gives the product endless shelf life.” Throughout it all, Rotosound have remained true to their roots. In How’s words, his vision as CEO has primarily been to “keep the product 100% British manufactured, and to streamline the whole process from start to finish”.

Without knowing it, there’s a very strong chance you’ve probably heard Rotosound strings on countless of your favourite records. Hendrix was an iconic user, bending and contorting the strings in ways their original creators could have never

you’re going to say that about your body internally, well the ear is part of your body as well, right?”

Ryota Tanaka has a long history with Sensaphonics, and his commitment and passion for protecting hearing has led him all around the globe. Since finishing high school in Victoria he has turned a full circle, landing back in Melbourne with Sensaphonics AU. His interest in speakers led him to study acoustics and sound engineering at Columbia College in Chicago, which is where he met Sensaphonics founder and audiologist Michael Santucci. He then returned to his home country, where he handled the marketing for Sensaphonics Japan, a role he was selected for because of his background in acoustics and sound engineering. As the brand continues to expand worldwide, Ryota finds himself back in Melbourne heading up the team at Sensaphonics AU. The main goal of Ryota and Miko in Australia is to spread awareness about aural health and the need to protect the ears, especially those of a musician.

Since its formation in Chicago in 1985 Sensaphonics has always been focused on the protection of hearing, a passion that is best seen through their ‘Softer & Safer’ policy, which their entire company is based around. They use medical-grade silicon to make their in-ear monitors and earplugs, ensuring premium-hearing protection in all conditions.

These products aren’t just for musicians though, Sensaphonics works with NASA and professional car racing teams as well as providing communications equipment for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Chicago Board Options Exchange, and The Chicago Board of Trade. Most importantly, Sensaphonics AU works to ensure that we can enjoy our music at a sustainable level without ruining our hearing. “The point is to protect your hearing, and to not go deaf from listening to great music,” says Miko.

BY ELIJAH HAWKINS For more information about Sensaphonics head to www.sensaphonics.com.au envisioned. On top of that, everyone from The Who to John Paul Jones have used Rotosound as their go-to strings, right up to modern day heroes such as Weezer and Pendulum. Indeed, the list of Rotosound artists is as illustrious as it is diverse.

“What records can’t you hear them on would be easier to list,” jokes How. Paul McCartney used a set of Rotosound RS88LD on The Beatle’s classic, Abbey Road. Meanwhile, Roger Waters stuck with the Rotosound RS77LE on Dark Side Of The Moon, as well as all the Pink Floyd albums he worked on while still with the band. “I could go on for hours, but there’s a few you may know across the board,” he says.

One of the key differences of Rotosound strings have compared to other manufacturers is their embodiment of the ‘British sound’. What’s the secret?

Like most things related to the world of sound, it all comes down to specific choice of material.

“All of the strings we manufactured were stainless steel in the 1960’s for both bass and guitar,” elaborates How. “This material has a distinctive sound. Plus, the way the strings were and are made make a big difference to the tone that they created. Most string companies make strings without changing the core tension for the different gauges. We have done this right from the start, and it makes a big difference to the sound.”

Ultimately, How wants every player who sides with Rotosound to know that they’re not only stringing their instrument with a small part of history, but that they’re being insured the highest quality possible. Jason was born to do this. After all, Rotosound is in his blood.

“They will be getting a great sound, long string life and the knowledge that most of their favourite music has been made using these great British strings.”

JAMES DI FABRIZIO Rotosound Strings are available in Australia through Innovative Music. For more information visit www.innovativemusic.com.au

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C O L U M N S

UNLEASH YOUR INNER ROCK GOD Dimebag Darrell

ON THE DOWNLOW

Geezer Butler-Style Scales

I’ve been on a big Dimebag Darrell kick lately, partly inspired by the excellent Far Beyond Driven remaster that was released a while back, partly because of the recent anniversary of his tragic death, and partly because I just got my new guitar, a Dean Dime Stealth model in Dime Slime finish. Between his work with Pantera and Damageplan, Dimebag is a veritable walking encyclopaedia of great metal guitar techniques, and there are a few aspects of his sound and approach that were way ahead of his time. Here are a few things we can learn from Dime and then apply to our own music.

Get Creative With Your Distortion

Dime’s sound was massive, with crushing amounts of distortion, scooped mids, boosted lows and highs and a tight noise gate to keep it all under control. One way to approximate this sound on your own is to use a high-output ceramic pickup (like his signature Seymour Duncan model, the Dimebucker, developed in 2002) into a high gain amp with a graphic EQ to scoop out those mids and boost the other stuff.

Experiment with different EQ placements: I like to use it in the amp’s effects loop rather than between the guitar and amp.

His signature Randall amps had the EQ built in. You can try it between the guitar and amp too and see if that works with your gear. And even if you’re not into Dime’s playing, you can apply this idea to your own sound and see if you can unearth something extra-special with the help of an effect-loop EQ.

Get Creative With Your Pickup Choices Too

Although Dime used a variety of Bill Lawrence humbucking pickups throughout most of his career, in 2002 he teamed up with Seymour Duncan to design the Dimebucker, a very hot pickup that somehow retains its punch and attack even while adding a saturated sustain to your notes. Dime tried a wide range of different pickups from a number of brands to find a neck pickup to pair well with the Dimebucker, but what he settled on was the Seymour Duncan ’59 model. Now, while there’s a really great-sounding neck version of the ’59, it didn’t have enough juice to keep up with the Dimebucker, so Dime used the hotter bridge model in the neck position instead, and found what he was looking for.

Gate, Gate, Gate

According to Dime’s guitar tech Grady Champion, Dime’s rig was utterly squealing whenever the noise gate was turned off.

Don’t be afraid to set ridiculous amounts of distortion if your gate is able to keep things sounding tight. But even if you’re not into high-gain tones, Dime showed us that you can use noise gates for musical effects too. ‘Check out Good Friends And A Bottle Of Pills,’ where he stood near

drummer Vinnie Paul and found that Vinnie’s snare drum was triggering the release of the noise gate. Whenever Vinnie hit the snare, Dime’s flanged guitar sound suddenly rang out then clamped back down again.

The Cool Whammy Bar Squeal Trick

Dime had a very innovative Floyd Rose trick which you can hear at the end of ‘Cemetery Gates’ and in numerous other places. First, dump the bar all the way down until the string goes slack. Then use the ring finger of your fretting hand to sort of pull down and release the G string in order to get it vibrating, then use the same finger to sound a harmonic as you raise the bar. This will give you a really unique note attack as well as a hella cool rocket squeal sound. For extra points, don’t just stop once the bar reaches its neutral floating point: if your guitar is routed to pull up on the bar as well as push down, turn the bar towards the back of the guitar and press down on it to raise the note.

One you’ve practiced it a bit you can really zero in on specific pitches, which is exactly what Dime does on ‘Cemetery Gates’ as he and Phil Anselmo go note-for-note.

Know When To Hold ‘Em

Dime could play anything but listen to his solo in ‘5 Minutes Alone.’ For most of the solo, the dude just grabs onto one note and turns it into a rising and falling siren sound. He augments it with a delay for a bit of extra vibe and then follows it up with some more precise shredding, but that moment really stands out just because it’s so unexpected and simple.

Know How To Build An Intro

‘Cowboys From Hell?’ That intro starts with a simple open E-string pedal while rocking through a fast flanger setting, before Dime starts teasing the classic riff’s melody.

Then all hell is unleashed. Or go entirely in the opposite direction and listen to ‘Strength Beyond Strength,’ where a fast sliding riff gives you less than one second to prepare for the hardcore riff barrage that is to come.

BY PETER HODGSON

PG.26 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

Although Tony Iommi is the undisputed master of the evil riff, Black Sabbath wouldn’t have been as legendary and influential without Geezer Butler. Not only did Geezer write the majority of Sabbath’s lyrics, but his bass lines provide a link back to a late 60s style of bass-playing which was more reactive and improvisational than what we think of as the role of a bass player today. While you can hear hints of the styles of slightly earlier players like Cream’s Jack Bruce in Geezer’s playing, his note choices and general vibe are much darker in keeping with Sabbath’s overall doomy theme. One of the keys to Geezer’s style is his use of minor pentatonic and blues scales, either for riffs and intros or for fills. Let’s have a look at ways to incorporate this into your own playing.

The typical guitar format of the minor pentatonic scale can be a bit of an uncomfortable stretch on the bass because of the minor third interval at the beginning of the scale. Now, this would be easier to reach if you played the scale at the twelfth fret but Geezer tends to play around the seventh (it’s rare to see him rocking out right at the nut end of the bass). Figures 1 and 2 are two different ways to play the minor pentatonic in the key of E, but they both have their ergonomic downsides. Figure 1 could require a big jump between neck positions in order to reach the twelfth fret in time. And Figure 2 has that painful four-fret stretch.

pentatonic. He often adds the flatted fifth of the major scale, the famed ‘diabolos in musica,’ otherwise known as The Most Evil Freaking Interval Ever, transforming the minor pentatonic into the minor blues scale. This note can give blues music its sweet lilt, but when you play it with a bit more attitude it can sound downright chilling. Figure 5 is played pretty straight-ahead and has more of a blues feel, but once we start moving some note relationships around and adding some grease to the phrasing it becomes something altogether more ominous.

Figure 3 is how I like to play this scale, incorporating slides to get around more easily and to impart a bit of a bluesy, loose feel to riffs and fills. Just the simple act of using a slide to get between the positions makes it much easier to dip in and out of these notes for little melodies.

Figure 4 is a variation on this idea, with a hammer-on from the seventh to the ninth fret then a slide down to the fifth. Then there’s a hammer-on from the seventh to the ninth on the D string and then the G.

Of course, if you wanted to get really Geezery, you could start throwing in some bends and maybe a wah-wah pedal as well, like you hear on his classic intro to ‘N.I.B.’ And Geezer has never stopped playing great bass: check out his killer work throughout Sabbath’s Cross Purposes album from 1994, or pop on some headphones to listen closely to his brilliant choices during the verses of ‘God Is Dead?’ from 2013’s album 13, where Iommi holds down the pulse of the section while Butler takes a looser approach that probably wouldn’t work in the hands of any other bassist.

Ah, but Geezer doesn’t stick to the minor

BY PETER HODGSON

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C O L U M N S

WHAT’S THAT SOUND?

HOME STUDIO HINTS Polar Opposites

Korg Rk-100S

Why should the guitarist get all the fun and fame up the front of the stage, precariously balancing on the foldback wedges to rip a solo for adoring fans? Ok, so this might not happen all the time and, let’s face it, with live music venues on the decline and often increasingly smaller stages and sadly, smaller crowds, this scene isn’t all that common. But, there is still plenty of showboating to be had on stage and one drag that the keyboard player always faced was the boatanchor of an instrument they were chained to. That’s until the Keytar arrived in blazing fashion, giving keyboard players the freedom to move around stage, and allowing singers to pretend they played keys from there on out.

Probably the earliest version of the ‘Keytar’ as it has become known as these days was from Weltmeister, a German company that produced an instrument called the Bassist in 1963, designed to allow bass players to add keyboard lines with a somewhat familiar feel to the added instrument they would use.

It wasn’t long after this before anyone and everyone was jumping on the trend, with plenty of compact synthesizers in the 80’s having optional hand grips and strap pins to allow them to be converted into the guitar styled instrument. Korg released the RK-100 and Yamaha brought out the SHS-10, these two proving to be of the more popular units, both gathering cult status and still fetching good money on the second-hand market today. This is especially so when you look for rarer revisions that came in the less common colours. You can often pay premium prices for some of these keytars which are often not much more than museum pieces these days.

But, a couple of years back, Korg got everyone’s attention with the announcement of the RK-100S, a revised beast that would share plenty of the cool factor of the original, but was a totally new instrument in its own right. The RK-100S was an instant hit, with pop culture junkies, hopeless old romantics and the new wave of kids all wanting a piece of this cool new instrument.

Well, that was short-lived as demand far outweighed production capabilities and the Australian market in particular suffered greatly with very few units ever actually making it to our shores. Plenty of us were kept waiting, and wait we did.

With manufacturing issues in the painting process, later releases of the RK-100S were stalled and stalled again. Korg were not keen to continue production until everything was perfect with this keyboard, as was the case with the slow release of both their MS-20MINI and the ARP Odyssey re-issues. There is one thing Korg are always on top of and that is getting

their quality in manufacturing and design the way they want it. Early Japanese production runs ensure the device is built to an exacting standard and because of this, later releases of the RK-100S were not seen in Australia until late this year, with certain quantities starting to dribble through.

So, now more than 30 years after its original releases, the newly revised RK100S is available again. What you get now is a more modern take on a classic design. The look and feel of the old model is still there, but with sharp new lines and smooth edges that take the previously futuristic look and bring it into the present, if that makes any sense at all. Two ribbon controllers have been included for pitch and modulation control, and a vocoder is also on board because Korg seem to be making a habit of that fun tool in the last ten or so years, and why not really. The RK-100S is all about having fun.

What is most notable about this new model compared to the older one is the fact that is does have its own inbuilt sound model. It is not a MIDI controller, but an analogue modelling synth engine in a very cool casing. With sounds that have a very MS-2000 sort of feel to them, and a whole heap of more modern sounds too, this is undoubtable recognisable as a Korg synthesizer, just in a less recognisable shell to what we have been use to lately. The addition of the favourites button allows you to recall sounds that you love quickly and easily, because after all, this is a performance keyboard. Sure, it might get some use in the studio from time to time, for at the end of the day, the RK-100S wants to be on a stage and demands to be seen. With three colours including bright red and a glaring white, under stage lights, it is going to be pretty hard to miss one of these puppies, that is for sure.

BY ROB GEE

PG.28 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

There are so many elements involved in capturing a great recording.

Part of it relies on the equipment being used and part of it is down to how you use it. Good technique overcomes most obstacles, and allows you to make the most of a poor recording environment, which is more often than not the norm for home recording. When you don’t necessarily have the best equipment in the best room with an engineer, it’s up to how well you can use your equipment. So knowing not only your room, but your hardware and software inside out can make all the difference to capturing a quality sound. Where does that all start? With your microphone of course!

I come across a lot of people who simply believe that by using a condenser microphone; they have done all they need to in order to improve their recordings.

Yes, moving from a dynamic microphone that was intended for use on a loud stage to a large diaphragm condenser microphone will improve your sound, but it’s a long way short of being the be all and end all of the studio setup. The fact is, the better the microphone you buy, the better your room needs to be. If you don’t have a custom designed room at home, then you’ll need to improve your microphone technique if you’re thinking about upgrading your microphone. The simple fact is that any condenser is going to be more sensitive than your dynamic microphone, so it’s going to emphasise your room’s errors, along with the errors in your recording techniques. What you need to do is isolate the signal you want to capture from the environmental noise and use the mic to deliver just that. It’s time to consider your pickup polarity options.

Polar Pros

Understanding how each microphone’s polar pattern works will allow you to get the most from that tool and allow you to remove much of the unwanted environmental noise that can often hinder home recording. Outside noise from traffic, birds, or annoying neighbours can often be a problem and something you have to work around, but the noise within your room whilst recording can often be worse. Think about your recording device, the computer and the noise that is created within your confined space.

Before you get about to even setting up a microphone, just sit there and close your eyes. Now, wait and listen and you will be quite surprised out how loud your seemingly quite room actually is.

Once you have removed the fish tank and fridge, because they should have never been in the room to begin with, you might notice electrical noise from power adaptors and other electrical appliances that are resting on standby. A television that is receiving power but not using it still generates noise, so shut down any unnecessary devices and turn off your phone charger. Now, you should really only be hearing your computer’s hard drive and fans. You need to remove these from you recording. The best way to get around this is to understand the polar

pattern of your microphone.

The Four Horsemen

There are essentially four different polar patterns that are used in microphones, with subtle variations in between creating a wide range of options that become marketable tools for microphone manufacturers. Essentially, you will mostly use the Cardioid, Figure of Eight, HyperCardioid and Omni patterns. The Cardioid pattern is the most common and is usually found on fixed pattern vocal microphones.

Essentially, it offers a sound capture that is vaguely heart-shaped, extending out in front of the microphone. What it does offer is excellent signal rejection from the rear of the microphone, so a source of noise, like your computer, can be place directly behind the microphone to eliminate it from the recording. The Cardioid pattern is often very wide in is capture though, and offers plenty of sound from the sides to get into the recording. This is not ideal with multiple sound sources in the one rom, or when recording in a room that is very lively, with plenty of reflections. So, the HyperCardioid pattern can be implemented, giving better side rejection and a more direct capture of sound form in front of the capsule. Unfortunately, this pattern does have its weakness in the fact that is will capture some signal from directly behind the capsule, needing you to move your computer off to the side slightly.

The other two patterns are rather different and require careful use. The Omni pattern, as the name suggests, captures sound form all directions, so unless you want to get the sound of the entire room, you might want to reconsider using this in a small room. The Figure of Eight polar pattern picks up equally from both sides of the capsule and can be cleverly implemented to capture two vocalists standing either side of the microphone, or for use in unconventional stereo captures, but again, requires careful use if you want to keep environmental noise to a minimum.

The most important thing is to test it out and move the microphone around before coming to a final decision. Know how it will respond within your room so you can get the most form your sound source and not from all the other noise that might be hanging about.

BY ROB GEE

www.mixdownmag.com.au

C O L U M N S

[D]IGITAL [J]OCKEY

BANGING THE TUBS

Drum The DJ

When I first started seeing Djs play warehouse venues in the more run-down districts of Melbourne’s industrial areas, it wasn’t uncommon to see them adding to the turntables for extra impact.

One device that continued to make an appearance on makeshift stages was the drum machine, most notably the TR range from Roland. In the techno scene, you simply had to have a TR-808 or TR909 or both as part of your setup. Some nutty enthusiasts, myself included, went so far as to chase down the whole set with the TR505, TR-606 and TR-707 too. So, it’s surprising that you don’t see more of this in today’s DJ scene. When drum machine technology is at its greatest, why don’t we see more drum machines taking the stage? Or have we left behind the love of that trusty sidekick for the power and woes that come with a laptop?

The Inner Drummer

When all is said and done, it’s the drum beat that drives a dance floor, and it’s for this reason that the drum machine was always such a powerful addition to a DJ’s arsenal. Nowadays, I think we might be a little caught up with using our laptop and vast sample collection to do the work for us. We end up forgetting about the visceral nature of that drum beat and remove some of the emotion from the sound. What we need to do is look back at what drove us to DJ in the first place, and what it is that continues to get us and our audience up to dance. That connection to a drum beat starts from within and ultimately ends within the audience, so there should be a need to have a more organic process of delivering that sound on top of the recordings we place back.

Conquering Technology

Understandably, the sounds that came from some of the drum machines I used to own were far from organic. But an analogue signal that is tweaked and filtered to sound like a drum hit and then sequenced for rhythm results in something that is, although rigid at times, quite unique with every performance and so quite special.

Trying to tame this sometimes unwieldy technology was what it was all about to achieve a result that gave the audience something living, something they can connect with. This is why live drummers always bring a new edgy element to dance music, with added groove that a computer doesn’t deliver. So, bridging the gap between the two is the modern way of spicing up a DJ set with a lively performance that will strike a beat with the audience and keep them dancing all through your set.

To do so, the addition of any number of modern drum pad devices can really bring

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that edgy element to your performance and create new life in your music. The SamplePad Pro from Alesis is a great starting point for exactly this idea. It is not a set of small pads like what you might find on your DJ console, but eight large triggers designed to be hit with drumsticks, all mounted in a compact housing that carries the brain and sound engine, ready for you to mix in with your other tracks. Watching a DJ on the decks can be a bit tedious at times, and it’s worse still when all the DJ does is stare into a computer screen and click the mouse between tracks. If your audience sees you with a pair of drumsticks in your hands and hears the results of what they see coming through in the mix, you are sure to create excitement and better the connection between DJ and crowd. After all, it is all about the crowd, because if they weren’t there, you wouldn’t be there. You need to give them a show and connect through not only a visual, but musical sense too. What more could you ask for than a tribal feeling between all in the room driven by the beat of your drum. As a DJ, don’t forget that you can be a musician as well as a technician, and it doesn’t have to be all about console.

Intergrade some variety and versatility into your set and I am sure both you and your audience will get so much more out of it. If I can make one small suggestion, keep the TR-606 at home and never try to integrate that with a modern DJ set. This is not a challenge; it is more of a common sense community announcement. Those little drum machines were cool once, but they are a bugger to sync to anything, they go out of tune and out of time and sound just plain dinky. But boy were they a lot of fun.

ROB GEE

Inward Paradiddle Applications

I’ve spoken about the Inward Paradiddle before and I’ve made it very clear that it’s my favourite of the paradiddles but it’s the reasons why I love it that I wanted to share with you. Let’s talk applications.

The Theory

To recap for anyone that’s unsure, the Inward Paradiddle is merely a variation of the regular Single Paradiddle. Our standard paradiddle is RLRR LRLL. If you start on the last right hand stroke of the sticking and continue as normal you get this – RLLR LRRL. This is the Inward Paradiddle, where the ‘diddle’ or the double strokes are in the middle or the inside of the two groups (FIG. A) The other paradiddles (Outward – RLRL LRLR and Reverse – RRLR LLRL) are also formed in a similar way and can also be applied in similar ways to the variations I’m about to discuss but for the moment, the “inward” is the star of the show..

The Applications

Figure B shows the Inward Paradiddle as 16th notes with accents at the start of each of the groups of four notes.

This, in a way sounds no different to the Single Paradiddle so you might as well just use that. However, it’s when you start to move the accents that you can hear how the Inward Paradiddle sounds. Since it’s more difficult to accent on a double stroke I’ve only used accents on the single strokes within the sticking. Figure C is how I’ve learned to feel the Inward Paradiddle in its basic form. The very nature of the sticking puts the second of the single strokes on the offbeat. This automatically creates a very natural groove – even in this basic form. The groove is even more apparent in Figure D where I’ve added the backbeat.

At this point, the simplest application is to place the right hand accents on the floor tom (or right side of the kit) and the left hand accents on the rack tom (left side of the kit). Of course, as with any accent pattern, keep the non-accents soft (ghost notes). Figures E and F show two examples of how this simple application works. This is really the way to approach using the Inward Paradiddle as a fill. You do get that nice groove feel and there are many variations just using this method. You can also play the accents on cymbals in the same way. Just put a bass drum under each

cymbal so you don’t end up with too thin a sound.

Grooves!

The fun doesn’t stop here! The next step is to try some grooves. Now, up to this point, regardless of whether you’ve tried accents on toms or as a groove – it’s all pretty much the same vibe as the single paradiddle. The difference for me, and the reason I prefer this paradiddle, is how easily it fits into different styles and situations. I also find that it rolls off the hands a little easier and (for me at least) is easier to instinctively go to on a gig when you’re looking for a fill.

The groove concept is a simple one too.

Right hand on hi-hats and left hand on snare drum. Right hand accents get a bass drum too and the snare drum accent is as is. Figure G is notation of my favourite Inward Paradiddle groove. The absence of the back beat on beat two gives the groove a distinct half time groove. The bonus is that you get that super cool 16th note subdivision support behind it that really makes for a great feel.

You can also apply the Inward Paradiddle groove idea in a Latin situation using accents on the cowbell in a somewhat hybrid pattern (FIG J) and also with a traditional Songo foot pattern if you wish (FIG I). The idea stems from a modern Latin style called Timba. This Latin groove has more applicable situations than one might think, but nothing is as versatile as the application at Figure J. Every time I go to the ride cymbal on a gig, I find myself using the Inward Paradiddle as a base to help the groove along. You also get some nice articulate bell patterns and this groove; I’ve even used the toms in a perfect combination of both fill and groove applications.

So try this for yourself. The better you get at placing accents within the sticking the more natural you’ll be able to use it to improvise it at will and move away from pre-practiced ideas.

BY ADRIAN VIOLI

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.29

C O L U M N S

DALE SHERLOCK

The Amp Doctor GET TING TO KNOW THE AMP DOCTOR. After discovering a passion for amplifiers and electronics at age 15, Dale Sherlock has gone on to work in a range of different fields and has become a well known and respected figure in the music industry.

From aircraft computer electronics and electro-mechanics to the founder of Sherlock Amplifiers he really has done it all. After finishing school he took an apprenticeship at NIC Instrument Company, which later became Ansett Technologies, where he began learning his electronics trade and through a friend discovered tube technologies. While working at Ansett, he started to build amps in his spare time, designing and building valve and solid state models. It was at Ansett where his philosophy of quality, rugged construction and reliability was born.

After 12 years working in Avionics, Dale decided to work full-time on his passion, working for the next couple of decades on guitars and guitar amplifiers. His commitment to his craft has lead to him becoming revered in the music community. Musicians come to him to unlock the sounds that they can only dream of, and his ability to custom design, modify and service equipment to the customer’s request allows him to do so. This skill has lead to him working with industry

heavyweights including Silverchair, Ross Hannaford, John Butler and Shane Omara, etc.

The Sherlock Amps story is a long one, beginning back in the ‘90s in a house in Melbourne’s Dandenong ranges, with the very first ‘Signal Station’ preamp. The unit sold quickly and was very popular, due to the lack of good sounding, rack mount, all tube guitar preamps around at the time.

This was followed by a string of product releases, including the ‘5050’ rack mount stereo power amp, the ‘2100’ all tube rack mount and the ‘Midi Mod’, which brought Sherlock right into the modern guitar gear scene. After moving to Hawthorne and setting up an amp repair shop in a guitar repair business, Dale had to put his amp building work on the backburners for a while, especially when rack mounted setups became less favourable.

However, the urge to build was too strong, and he built some custom tube heads for various players, using the knowledge gained servicing and repairing just about every kind of tube amp out there to his advantage. He continued to build while working in his amp repair business, and by the time he left to focus on manufacturing his own products, he had developed the first version of the Fat

Head amp, the Tremit tremolo pedal, a 9v power supply and many other pieces of equipment. Dale moved into a large space in Collingwood, but within a year the GFC hit and Dale moved operations to his home in Templestowe, where he had a lot of time to focus on his own brand of amps.

The stint in Templestowe lasted for about nine years, as the Sherlock name was restored, with customers made in the Hawthorn/Collingwood era coming back to Dale’s services. It was in this time that the Fat Head amp was finalised, a foot controller for it built, the Vintage Reverb 30, the Buff Tone, the Bone Head and the

Buddy amp were designed and 2 x 12 and 4 x 12 cabs were designed and built.

When he’s not designing amps or running his business, Dale puts his expertise towards writing the Amp Doctor column for Mixdown, with topics in previous editions including tube types and their use, the merit of point to points vs printed circuit boards and the cause of buzzing in amps.

If you have any questions for the Amp Doctor, send them to mixdown@beat. com.au

For more information visit:

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B R A N D

S P O T L I G H T

MAN PLAYS GUITAR WITH HIS FEET PERSON COMPLAINS OF BUZZING COMING FROM GUITAR

San Diego talent, Mark Goffeney is a diehard musician with a passion for guitar playing. Born without arms, his sheer determination has enabled him to exceed expectations and rock out like the best of them.

Starting out by playing with toys or using video game controllers as a child, Mark soon became fascinated with guitars and their sound. It wasn’t too long until his father brought him home his own instrument and he began developing his own technique at a young age.

By laying the guitar on the ground, Mark started with iconic riffs such as ‘Smoke On The Water’, ‘Godzilla’, ‘Paranoid’ and ‘Cocaine’ and played them “till (my) toes bled”. Soon enough, he was writing his

own music and playing it around his hometown.

From releasing his very own album, Big Toe, and being nominated for an Emmy in 1998, to attaining success as a performer, speaker and television personality, Mark’s story is one for the history books.

Mark is part of a group called Can-DoMusos, a worldwide network of musicians with challenges. They help people with disabilities play and enjoy music in a wide range of ways, from radio shows playing music exclusively from Can-Do-Musos, to presenting at NAMM in California.

When a customer came into a music store complaining of a ‘buzzing’ sound coming from his guitar, the store person thought it was a fairly rudimentary question. Most guitarists will have at one point or another been driven insane by a buzzing sound coming from their amp or somewhere along the signal chain. Most won’t find the sound coming from a nest of wasps living in the body of the guitar. James Millane dealt with this very issue at Living Music in the Melbourne suburb of Greensborough not too long ago...

Firstly, tell me about what happened, walk me through this exchange.

The customer came into our store with his mother, they brought a guitar that belonged to his brother who had sadly passed away.

The guitar was played extensively by the brother as he was a very keen guitarist, and since his passing it has had somewhat of a hard life being left in a shed for years. They felt it was time to breathe some new life into it and get it working again, but weren’t sure if it was too far gone. Their main complaint was when you tried to play it, there was a “buzzing rattle” sound coming from inside the guitar. It turns out that some wasps had gotten in there and made it their home.

Is this the weirdest thing you’ve ever found in a guitar?

It’s on par with sour breakfast cereal being eaten by maggots I once found in a customers classical guitar. Their children

thought it would be fun to feed the guitar some wheaties and leave it in there for days. The smell was horrendous!

Did you have any suspicions about what it might be before you looked at it?

As soon as I saw the mud coming out of the input jack, I actually thought it may have been termites.

How long was this guy playing a wasp’s nest before he took it in for repair?

“They weren’t really playing it, they dug it out of the shed and gave it a quick strum and noticed something wasn’t quite right.”

How’s the guitar now? Did it come out of this ordeal in good shape?

We gave it a full service and it actually turned out to be a really nice guitar. No more buzzing!

TAKAMINE PRO SERIES P1M ACOUSTIC GUITAR WINNER This was a huge giveaway with a massive amount of entries, and we’re proud to announce that Adam Farris will be the happy new owner of a Takamine Pro Series P1M Acoustic Guitar.

Having learnt electric guitar for the past 18 months, we hope that this guitar can help Adam realize his goal of learning acoustic. He says that an acoustic guitar would be perfect for him “because I can carry it with me when I travel the world and make people happy when I play”. Adam’s was just one of a huge number of great entries, making it especially tough to choose a winner. The versatility of this guitar will mean that he can pursue any style of playing, and www.mixdownmag.com.au

the quality build means that it will be with him for a long time. This guitar giveaway is courtesy of Pro Music, and we would like to thank everyone who entered the competition.

Congratulations Adam, this guitar will be a blast.

Takamine guitars are distributed by Pro Music Australia, for more information about them, or to find out where to get one for yourself head to www.promusicaustralia.com.

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.31

ROAD TESTS Lewitt DTP Beat Kit Pro 7 Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au | RRP: $1749-$2149

Let’s face it, buying microphones for a drum kit can be a bit of a drag. Getting them one at a time and ending up with mismatched sounds is not ideal, and then you are left with a storage issue for all these random microphones you have. That’s why the team at Lewitt have gone all out with the new DTP Beat Kit Pro 7 drum microphone kit. This essentially ensures you get everything you need in the way of drum microphones and mounts all in one handy carry case, ready for the road or studio. This is the best spec’d, well-compiled drum microphone kit I have seen in quite some time. Lewitt are really all about making an impact with their new product releases, and this one is sure to do just that.

THE SETUP

What Lewitt has presented is a set of seven microphones to take care of most of a drum kit.

You get a specific microphone for the snare, which is able to handle high sound pressure levels. There are also three very compact microphones for the toms: these all have microphone clips and four drum mounts are also supplied, so you don’t need a lot of stands getting in the way around your drum hardware. Two pencil style condenser microphones are also included, both with two pairs of interchangeable capsules and finally, a kick drum microphone rounds out the seven - but

this is no ordinary kick drum microphone.

THE FULL SOUND

Lewitt have really gone for detail in the microphones they have included in this kit. It is all about the sound and how it is captured, hence the specific microphones for the task and the interchangeable capsules for the overhead microphones. But it is the kick drum microphone that really takes the cake here. The DTP640 REX microphone differs slightly from the others in that it has a 5-pin DIN output and comes with an include Y-cable designed for this. The two XLR ends of the Y-cable take the two

separate signals generated by the microphone, because it is in fact two microphones in one housing. You get a thumping dynamic microphone capsule that really delivers the punch and force of the kick as well as an electret condenser that adds clarity and definition to the snap and extended low frequency response that this microphone is capable of capturing. The result, once fed through two channels of a mixer and balanced to suit the drum, is really something special. I have never heard any

kick microphone like this before.

All in all, this is a really solid selection of microphones, designed to handle the task at hand. That said, you could easily use it for a range of other applications including pianos, brass, percussion and even guitars if you want to experiment in the studio. A big round of applause should go to Lewitt for this package, it is a real winner.

finish really lets the flamed sycamore shine through with the burst looking spot on. The finish, binding and edges look and feel super smooth giving this Love Rock a classic LP vibe.

Both humbuckers sounded clear and full for those big rounder tones on the neck pickup or some edgier attack when you flick to the bridge. I used the ALS-48 on a few tracks of a recording I was working on at the time, and was more than satisfied with its tone and balance, blending in nicely with some single coil electric tones and acoustic guitar. Even after some considerable bashing, the

tuning held up well too (which can often be a slight hassle with LP styled instruments). As a player the neck has a little width to it which felt great when holding onto chord shapes or big bends. It’s not a baseball bat styled monster though, so even those with small hands should be fine.

BY ROB GEE

HITS t Rich sounding microphones, fit for the purpose t Fully laid out case t Both drum mounts and clips supplied

MISSES t Perhaps a third condenser for the hi-hats would have been nice

Tokai ALS-48 Love Rock Jade Australia | 1800 144 120 | www.musocity.com.au | RRP: $949

Tokai has been making instruments for over 60 years - electrics, acoustics, basses, replicas, and their own models (as well as quite a lot of outsourced work making instruments for other manufacturers) has seen them cover a heap of ground. Diving into the LP styled shapes they have a number of models at a range of prices with the ALS-48 sitting comfortably under $1000.

ROCK!

From their Traditional series, the ALS-48 ‘Love Rock’ is an LP styled solid body electric featuring a flamed sycamore laminate top with a basswood back. Featuring maple and rosewood for the neck and fingerboard, and with a number of burst colour options, this little baby runs ‘Vintage Flame’ as its colour scheme (brown

and cherry sunbursts are also available). Originally known as the ‘Les Paul Reborn’ in the late ‘70s, this model soon thereafter became the ‘Love Rock’ as it continues today.

MORE OR LES

Tokai do a great service to the classic LP shape with a clean single cutaway. Solid, but not too weighty, its Vintage Flame

PG.32 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

LOVE

Price, looks, sound – all big ticks here. Looking and sounding every part of plenty of its much more expensive competitors, the ALS-48 really hits the spot.

Great for typical LP styles such as rock and blues this Love

Rock can also handle round, warm jazz tones, big fat dropped tuned distortion and even some rootsy twang in between. Want an LP but can’t muster up the dollars for a higher priced model?

Definitely check out the ALS-48.

BY NICK BROWN

HITS t Classic looks t Price t Neck has a bit of chunk

MISSES t Pickups aren’t as lively as some pricier LP types

www.mixdownmag.com.au

ROAD TESTS

DBX goRack Portable PA Performance Processor Jands | (02) 9582 0909 | www.jands.com.au | RRP: $199.00

So, if alliteration is not your thing, then the portable PA Performance Processor concept might have just drifted past you in the wind. But, if quality live audio at the press of a button is more your idea of a good time, then the DBX goRack is going to be right up your alley indeed. Derived from the now legendary DriveRack series of speaker processors, this handy and compact device packs a whole lot of goodness into one easy to use box.

THAT LITTLE SOMETHING EXTRA

I know many of you go to great lengths to get the best sound possible for both recording and for live performance. And when you think about all the components in your live setup, there are a great number of elements that contribute to the final sound heard by the audience. It starts with your setup and ends with the speakers projecting to the room, and a great deal of money can be spent getting it all to sound right. But then, when it all comes together, have you finally got the sound you were seeking?

Or does your PA need a little something extra, a final process to bring the sound together the way it should be. That little

something extra is the goRack from DBX. Inserted between your mixer and amplifier, it gives your sound a final polish before it gets to the speakers. It works with either powered or passive speakers, for equally great results, however this may not be possible if your mixer and power amps are contained in one unit.

A MINI MIXER TOO

If you are running a very lean setup for solo performances, the goRack might even be all that you need between your instruments and speakers. The two inputs can operate on line level for signals coming from a mixer, but they also have microphone preamps built-in too, so you can run a microphone and a guitar directly

through the goRack, along with an auxiliary input for backing tracks, meaning this can be the simplest way to get a great sound without the need for a separate mixer.

Setting the effects in play is really easy. Five control buttons let you adjust anti-feedback, compression, sub frequencies and EQ as well as a mute function. Engage one of these

buttons and use the jog wheel to choose the pre-set you want and you’re all good. You don’t need to scroll through menus and know how to program the thing to get it running, just use your ears and select the pre-sets that work best in the space you’re in.

Plug it in; dial it up and away you go.

low frequency response, with more grunt and kick. The rear of both cabinets features a passive radiator that looks somewhat like another woofer, with rubber suspension around the edges.

What this offers is a way of harnessing the energy created by the woofer on the front and using that to offset the air pressure and create a second speaker-styled resonator on the rear of the units. This delivers more low frequency and improves

the woofer response in the closed cabinet as porting is no longer needed. It might sound all very high-tech, and that is because it is. But the results speak for themselves and need to be heard to truly understand.

Put simply, these speakers sound amazing!

t Huge sound from very compact speakers t Included isolation pads t Easy control from master speaker

BY NICK BROWN

MISSES

BY ROB GEE

HITS t Quick and easy to set up t Instantly improves your live sound t Changes how you thought your PA should sound

MISSES t Limited information from the two-digit display

Eve Audio SC203 Desktop Monitors Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au | RRP: $949 per pair

I love the idea of compact desktop monitors. I have several different pairs around the house in various rooms, as I prefer the sound these offer to any computer shop speaker system designed to run off a Sound Blaster sound card. If you are going to listen to audio from your computer, even if it is just for enjoyment sake and not critical monitoring, then why not treat yourself to a decent set of speakers to get the job done right. That’s where Eve Audio have taken the idea of their new speaker set in the SC203. A master and slave design that sees the amplifiers and controls housed in one cabinet and simply drivers housed in the other. But, the SC203s have a few tricks that are very interesting indeed.

CLEVER HOUSING

Being a compact desktop speaker, one problem that the team at Eve were faced with in the design of these speakers is that they sit very low on the desk and tend to fire the sound into the body of the listener, and not up at the ears. So, the SC203 speakers come with an angled base that allows the drivers to point slightly upwards. Further to this, two rubber isolation pads are included, both featuring a wedge shape, so they can be placed under the speaker to either level them out, or further increase the upward angle at which the drivers are pointed.

This allows three different angles

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that the speakers can be set at on a flat surface, two of which have the added bonus of the rubber isolation pads for reduced vibration on the desktop.

LITTLE SPEAKERS, BIG SOUND

Eve Audio has taken so much from their larger speakers and has put it into these desktop models. Along with the DSP processing and specially designed tweeter that Eve are well known for, there is an added bonus with the SC203s. In order to get the most of 3-inch woofer that is housed in these compact cabinets, Eve has pulled out something really special to give these speakers an extended

HITS

t None. They sound amazing.

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.33

ROAD TESTS Leslie SPA-150R-L Ensemble Amplifier Musico | (03) 9872 5094 | www.musico.com.au| RRP: $1595

Leslie is a name that is synonymous with organ speakers. Ever since Don Leslie designed his first cabinet with a rotating speaker, it has been a stalwart in blues, jazz and rock organ sounds and continues today as a brand name that delivers nothing but quality and innovation in loudspeaker design. So, it was with great pleasure that I got to test out and hear the new SPA-150R-L ensemble speaker from Leslie in recent weeks. As I was trying a Hammond stage piano, it only made sense to hear how it sounds through one of these speakers; the two being a true match made in heaven.

A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES

The team at Leslie have really thought this speaker system through, making it very usable for a range of instrument applications, not just keyboards or organs. Whether used as a single speaker cabinet, or linked as a pair, there are several ways in which you can make use of the inputs for harmonica, melodion, vocals, backing tracks and keyboards. The four inputs have a somewhat unusual setup in that they do act as mono inputs, however each of the two pairs share an EQ circuit.

So, using the inputs in the correct configuration will give you better control of the sound.

A switchable reverb circuit can

also be engaged across the master output, which starts off very subtle, but gets very wet when you increase the effects pot all the way. Finding the balance to best suit all your inputs with this reverb is the key to a great sound.

STOP, LOOK AND LISTEN

Let’s face it; we are not going to judge a book by its cover when it comes to speaker design. After all, it really is all about how it sounds in the end. With that in mind, the Leslie SPA-150R-L is a very impressive unit. The front ported three-way speaker design is ideal for full range amplification, but it has been specially designed to work best

with keyboards and organs.

For those of you looking for a keyboard amplifier, you will no doubt know of the trouble finding a PA speaker that doesn’t break up, or deliver physical speaker distortion when playing notes in the lower octave range of your instrument. This isn’t usually noticeable at low volume, but when you crank it up, the low frequencies tend to go south very quickly. This is not the case with the SPA-150R-L. The crossover range and speaker design allows the low and low-mid frequencies to hold their own with this unit. Big organ sounds with effects on them sound like big organ sounds with effects.

You get to hear everything and don’t feel like you need to turn the speaker down for fear of damaging it. This is the keyboard amplifier that many of you have been looking for.

BY ROB GEE

HITS t Plenty of headroom for all instruments t Does not distort with keyboard and organ bass frequencies at high volumes t Delivers clarity and punch across the entire frequency response

MISSES t Being a rectangular housing, cannot be rocked back for a fold back setup

Sennheiser E845 Super Cardioid Dynamic Microphone Sennheiser Australia | (02) 9910 6700 | www.sennheiser.com.au | RRP: $189

The Evolution series of microphones from Sennheiser has always represented not only great value, but pure excellence in sound capture at the same time. There are a number of handheld dynamic vocal microphones in the range, all suited for a specific purpose and all built with performance in mind. So, it is no surprise that the Evolution E845 dynamic microphone is going to be one that will fit the needs of many singers on stages all over.

A STEP AHEAD

There are thousands of dynamic microphones available in today’s market, many for vocal applications. Sennheiser is one company that never fails when put to the test, and produces microphones specific to their user’s needs. What you get in any of the Evolution series’ models is a dynamic microphone that offers more than most of its competitors. The E845 enjoys an extended high frequency response and a smooth lower mid-range that doesn’t leave this microphone sounding like a dull, muffled mess. It doesn’t need to be swallowed to get volume out of it and it delivers an articulate reproduction of what you offer it.

There is a reason why I personally own several of these microphones as part of my kit. Read on.

DIRECT RESPONSE

Every microphone has its purpose on the stage and the E845 is no different. When you are working with fold back speakers that are placed to the sides, or at 45 degrees to the microphone stand, side rejection is the key in getting a great sound. You don’t want your vocal microphone resulting in feedback due to an overly wide pickup pattern. So, the super-cardioid pattern of the E845 delivers the goods here. It still sounds just like an E835, but it offers the side rejection needed to work on certain stages. Essentially, this is the microphone that does all the jobs an E835 cannot in a live vocal setup, and owning both allows you to work with any stage in any room without the fear of feedback or the need

PG.34 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

to EQ your sound drastically to prevent it. The unit itself is pretty much bullet proof.

These microphones are made in Germany and carry a two year warranty, but you would have to put it through some very trying conditions, erring on the side of abuse, in order to get this microphone to fail at all. I’ve owned several for about 8 years now and have not been kind to them, yet they still continue to

deliver results, even if they do look a little beaten up. I am not suggesting you mistreat these microphones, but the internal suspension of the capsule allows it to take any rough stuff it is likely to encounter on a stage.

This is a microphone that you will not regret purchasing. The only question really is: how many do you need?

BY ROB GEE

HITS t Extended frequency response t Excellent side rejection t German made and impeccably built t Comfortable in the hand with a solid, not overbearing weight

MISSES t None

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ROAD TESTS iZotope Ozone 7 Advanced

guide your ears to the changes that are happening. Alongside the extensive and well put together manual, Ozone serves as an extensive and valuable education tool for amateurs and professionals alike.

Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au | RRP: $599

IZotope has been at the forefront of ‘in-the-box’ mastering tools since 2002 with their plug-in suite Ozone, responding to demand from a growing scene of bedroom producers, amateur musicians and budding engineers for a more financially friendly way to experiment with the somewhat mystified process of audio mastering. In 2015, now at version 7, Ozone is no longer just an incredibly popular, excellent sounding and user friendly mastering suite, but a full range of plugins for various applications, as well as a standalone mastering app.

NEW OLD FACES

Version 7 brings 4 new faces to the fold of modules inside Ozone inspired directly by classic vintage hardware: Vintage EQ, Vintage Limiter, Vintage Tape and Vintage Compressor. For myself, coming from using Ozone 5 for a few years, their sound is a welcome change - iZotope have really nailed that looser, more natural character of classic analogue gear on these. Just dropping in the vintage tape module, cranking the input gain, and low emphasis gets me grinning - it’s like running my audio through my old beat up reel to reel tape machine without any of the hassle. Great fun, I can absolutely see myself using the standalone plug-in of that module.

NEW FACES

Back on the modern tip, Ozone 7 also introduces a new algorithm into their Maximiser module IRC IV, using a newly developed technology they’re calling spectral shaping. Essentially, this module attenuates frequencies that are smacking the limiter (what it perceives as) too hard, creating a smoother more balanced mix, allowing a smidge more headroom. The most immediately obvious use in my eyes was to bring a wild kick drum under control a little, so I quickly set up a 909 beat with an overbearing kick in Ableton Live and ran it through the IRC IV Maximiser. What can I say?

It does everything it claims to the results are pretty goddamn

impressive and certainly add a high end character when combined with the vintage modules.

STANDALONE OR PLUG-IN

It’s no surprise that a plug-in aimed at shaping sound into the highest quality possible is CPU intensive. To combat that, iZotope include a standalone Ozone app in the package. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was in response to complaints of high CPU usage in DAWs. You can do all your mixing in your DAW, bounce the audio out, open the audio in the Ozone app and concentrate on mastering as a separate process to mixing (as it generally should be).

Having said that, I found

running Ozone 7 as a plug-in somewhat lighter on the CPU comparatively to version 5 that I was running previously, running a 12 track Ableton Live project with 9 synth plug-ins, a drum rack, a handful of effects and some audio clips, there were zero artefacts.

VISUALS

I think one of the greatest values of Ozone as a tool for amateurs, is the visual feedback.

Concepts like multi-band compression are difficult to grasp without being able to see and hear results for yourself.

In Ozone, even you’re just throwing faders around willy nilly, the visuals show you how you’re affecting the sound and

Overall, at $599, Ozone 7 Advanced gives the user a great bang for buck - that’s the mastering plug-in itself, the 10 modules as seperate plug-ins, the Insight metering plug-in and the standalone app.

I’d absolutely recommend you download the fully functioning demo and give this product a shot if you want to take your production and knowledge to the next step.

BY MICHAEL CUSACK

HITS t The new vintage modules sound delicious and are a welcome addition to an already well thought out and excellent sounding package. t Value t Standalone app included

MISSES t none.

KRK Rokit 4 Monitor Speakers Gibson AMI | (03) 8696 4600 | www.gibsonami.com | RRP: $279 each

The Rokit range has been around for long enough now that most of you reading this should have heard one or more of them at some point. We all know them by the bright yellow cones that they employ, having had this look since the first generation some time ago. Now that we’re a couple of years into production of the third generation of Rokits, KRK have added a new model to the line-up, and it is something that really fills a gap and is going to have plenty of interest in the following months. So, let’s take a look at the all new KRK Rokit 4, the new babies in the range of studio monitor speakers.

SMALL PLEASURES

KRK have been building the famous yellow-coned speakers for some time now and kept getting bigger and bigger with each model that came out, right up to the monstrous Rokit 10-3, which was almost like stacking a Rokit 5 on top of a sub and housing it all in one big box.

So, it was with great pleasure this month that I got to collect something completely different, a step back from KRK to the smaller things, the more delicate things, the compact Rokit 4.

At first glance, and with nothing as a reference point, this looks just like a Rokit 5 or Rokit 6.

In fact, the connections on the rear panel are all the same. You still get a balanced XLR and

TRS connector along with an unbalanced RCA input. Three control pots allow you to adjust volume, low frequency and high frequency, just like other models inn the range. From the front, it has the same sharp styling that all third generation Rokit speakers share. It is, for all intents and purposes, just another Rokit speaker, but with one small difference: the size.

FOUR

The four-inch studio monitor is not a new idea by any stretch, but it is to the Rokit range. This little model is an ideal speaker for home studio setups where space is at a premium and good monitoring is still sought after.

Like all the other speakers in the

PG.36 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

mix through two different units that offer a different sound for a different purpose. At this price point, they’re a no brainer for those out there that need to add a smaller and lighter set of monitors to a set up that’s dominated by big ones at the moment.

BY ROB GEE Rokit range, this unit does punch above its weight and delivers more low frequency response than you would expect from such a small unit, but in the end, it is still only a four inch driver and so it is a little lacking in the bottom end. This is true of the Rokit 5 speakers as well, which is why the sub is available. But, for the size, the Rokit 4 speakers still deliver a solid punch with

plenty of volume for near-field monitoring.

The Rokit 4’s are going to appeal not only to the home studio that’s shy on real estate. They’ll also make a welcome addition to the arsenal of those who have previously opted for larger monitors in the vein of the 10s, because these will perform differently in different mixes, and allow you to reference your

HITS t Extended frequency response t Excellent side rejection t German made and impeccably built t Comfortable in the hand with a solid, not overbearing weight

MISSES t Lacks a little in the low frequency range due to size

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ROAD TESTS

Gibson 2016 Les Paul Standard T Gibson AMI | (03) 8696 4600 | www.gibsonami.com | RRP: $5399

Whether you prefer your guitars to be a little more traditional or a little more forward-looking, Gibson has catered to both schools of thought with their Gibson USA 2016 line-up. Most models give you the option of choosing between Traditional (T) and High Performance (HP) versions of a huge variety of models including the Les Paul Traditional, Standard and Studio, the Firebird, Flying V and Explorer, as well as various different SG models.

A NEW STANDARD

I like to think of the Les Paul Standard as being Gibson’s state-of-the-art take on the Les Paul. In other words think of it as the name applied to the pinnacle in ‘Les Paul For Now’ rather than ‘a remake of what a Les Paul was in the late 50s.’ If that’s what you want, check out the True Historic range or the Les Paul Traditional T. But the 2016 Standard is a guitar that pays tribute to its past without being shy of the present. For instance, it has an asymmetricalneck and a compound-radiusfingerboard which is curvier at the nut end and flatter towards the body. Gibson uses AAA transparent tops (or C grade tops for solid-finish models) which look beautiful - but

an even higher grade is used for the HP models and those are jaw-droppingly stunning.

Gibson’s Modern Weight Relief is applied to the mahogany body: a series of strategically drilled holes that cut down on the Les Paul’s legendary weight without sapping away the tone. Some other more recent Standards had a more pronounced chambering but that’s not the case here.

Grover locking kidney tuners are used (or the HP version has self-tuning G FORCE tuners which store plenty of alternate tunings accessible at the touch of a button). Gibson uses QC Lead Pro and QC Rhythm Pro humbucking pickups wired up to individual coil splits, a phase switch and a Pure Bypass switch, which routs the bridge

pickup signal directly to the output jack, completely free of the filtering of the volume and tone controls. It’s a great way to instantly switch to a full-power lead sound regardless of where the controls are set.

PLAY TIME

Sonically, the Standard has a little more sting and versatility than the more sweet-sounding Traditional. It’s even capable of some pretty brutal metal tones as well as the very classy, articulate fusion sounds that you might expect from a guitar this fancy-lookin’. And of course it’s also great for blues, jazz, and even country, especially when you engage the coil

taps. The out-of-phase sound is also incredible, very soulful and vocal, and a handy tool to have in the studio when you’re layering a number of guitar parts. But most crucially, this still sounds like a Les Paul, and it really hits home the point of this guitar: it’s a Les Paul as we know it, but a Les Paul for now, for those who want a more ergonomic, multi-functional take on a classic.

NOT YOUR GRANDPA’S LES PAUL

If you’re into the looks and tone of a Les Paul but you’ve never got along with the necks or the controls, the 2016 Standard could be the very guitar you’re

looking for. The playability is more comfortable both in terms of fretboard feel and neck shape, and the addition of coil splits, phase switching and the Pure Bypass mean it’s one of the most versatile Les Pauls ever, and ideal for those playing in cover bands or in situations where they need a lot of sounds from one guitar.

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS t Very versatile pickups and switching t Super-comfortable neck t Beautiful tops

MISSES t None None

Godin Session Ltd Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au | RRP $1599

There are some of us for whom only a Gibson or Fender will do, but there are also a lot of us who just want the right guitar for us. Godin makes a lot of right guitars for a lot of people, and the Session LTD is a great example of how the Canadian company takes a familar concept and gives it a distinctly Godin twist. It’s clear that it takes its cues from a Stratty perspective but it’s not just a Strat with a differentlyshaped pickguard.

TIME TO ROCK (MAPLE)

The body is made of Canadian Laurentian basswood with a rock maple neck (available with either maple or rosewood fingerboard: the review model’s is maple). The fingerboard radius is 12”, flatter than vintage but not ‘super shredder axe’ flat. The 22 frets feel well-finished and are rather large, with further takes it away from comparisons to early Strats.

The pickups are a combination of brands: there are two Godin GS-1 single coils in the neck and middle positions, and a Seymour Duncan SH-11 Custom Custom humbucker in the bridge (with an Alnico 2 magnet and a hotter-than-vintage coil wind).

The pickups are controlled by a 5-way blade switch into a master volume and a master tone control, the latter of which

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is a push-pull pot which engages a coil split for the humbucker.

The bridge is very clever too.

It features the Godin Tru-Loc system which lets you set your own bar placement via a simple allen key adjustment. It locks the arm into a personal what Godin calls your Custom Comfort Zone.

THE CUSTOM CUSTOM, AS IS CUSTOM

The first thing you’ll notice when you plug this guitar in is that the Custom Custom is a particularly punchy-sounding pickup, hotter than a PAF but not ridiculously so, so it allows your tone to breathe when you really pile on the distortion. It has a bright attack and a warm sustain, and it feels more than a little reminiscent of Eddie Van Halen’s 1980s tones especially

through a Marshall. But when you pop that coil split it cleans up further and takes on a more twangy, country-ish edge that blends really nicely with the middle pickup. And speaking of those two single coils, they’re very clear and bright. They might be a bit too thin and clean for some players but they have that springy 50s Stratocaster sound that works so well for blues and country, and is taylor-made for clean tones.

A LITTLE OLD, A LITTLE NEW

This is a very playable, comfortable guitar that’s capable of a wide range of tones, although to be fair those tones tend to be more blues/rock/ country/pop than djent/death/ thrash/grind. If you’re looking for a mature, refined guitar that can get a little rude when you need it too but is especially suited to more controllable tones, the Session LTD packs a whole lot of tone into its slightly familiar, slightly unique form.

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS t Bright, clear punchy tones. t Clever tremolo system. t Nicely playable neck.

MISSES t The tones may be a little thin for some.

MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.37

ROAD TESTS Allen & Heath Zedi8 Compact Mixer Technical Audio Group | (02) 9519 0900 | www.tag.com.au | RRP: $369

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NEAT AND TIDY

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GETTING OUT THERE

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MFGU BOE SJHIU PG UIF 64# JOQVU FTTFOUJBMMZ UVSOJOH UIJT JOUP B 64# BVEJP JOUFSGBDF XIFSF UIF å STU UXP DIBOOFMT BSF VTFE BT EJSFDU JOQVUT GPS SFDPSEJOH BOE PWFSEVCCJOH "MM UIJT JT QSFUUZ IBOEZ BOE WFSZ XFMM UIPVHIU UISPVHI GPS B NJYFS PG UIJT TJ[F *U JT EFå OJUFMZ XPSUI MPPLJOH JOUP JG ZPV BSF JO UIF NBSLFU GPS B DPNQBDU NJYFS JOUFSGBDF PS CPUI

BY ROB GEE

HITS t .JD -JOF BOE *OTUSVNFOU MFWFMT PO NPOP DIBOOFMT t %PVCMFT BT B 64# BVEJP JOUFSGBDF t #BMBODFE 9-3 PVUQVUT

MISSES t 4PNFXIBU MJHIUXFJHIU QMBTUJD IPVTJOH

Gibson 2016 Les Paul Traditional T Gibson AMI | (03) 8696 4600 | www.gibsonami.com | RRP: $4399

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OLD SCHOOL

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PG.38 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

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RACK ‘EM UP

(JCTPO IBT NBEF B HSFBU EFDJTJPO JO NBLJOH UXP WFSTJPOT PG UIF 5SBEJUJPOBM BWBJMBCMF *G ZPV SF JOUP UIF MBUF T DMBTTJDT BOE EPO U IBWF UIF CVEHFU GPS B )JTUPSJD UIJT JT FYBDUMZ UIF LJOE PG -FT 1BVM ZPV SF BGUFS "OE JG ZPV SF JOUP UIF UPOF PG UIF 5SBEJUJPOBM CVU ZPV XBOU TMJDLFS

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BY PETER HODGSON

HITS t $MBTTJD WJOUBHF UPOF t (SFBU QMBZBCJMJUZ t /JDF XPSLNBOTIJQ

MISSES t .PEFSBUF PVUQVU QJDLVQT BSFO U GPS FWFSZPOF

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Australian Institute of Music

Get serious with a Bachelor Degree.

Trimester 1 starts 25th January 2016.

The Australian Institute of Music offers courses in Contemporary Performance, Classical Performance, Audio Technology, Dramatic Arts, Music Theatre, Entertainment & Arts Management and Composition & Music Production.

To find out more about AIM come along to our Information Day on Tuesday 5th January 2016 and visit aim.edu.au.

ROAD TESTS Samson Go Mic Connect

the audio transfer as well, you can now greatly improve the audio quality from your laptop for podcast recordings, Skype conversations or even for recording songwriting ideas and rehearsals where you might just want audio, or video as well.

Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au | RRP: $169

Just when I had thought I’d seen it all in compact microphones for use with iPods, iPads and other ‘smart’ devices, Samson sent me the Go Mic Connect, which puts all of that aside and goes back to addressing the computer user once again. Thank you Samson, let’s get back to recording on our laptop with as little trouble as possible, if it is not too much to ask. That is exactly what the Go Mic Connect is all about. For those of you not wanting to use an iOS or Android device to record your song writing and podcast ventures, then here is an add-on microphone specifically designed for you.

CLEVER DESIGN

The unique fold-out design of this microphone works in such a way that allows it to easily rest atop of the screen of your laptop or desktop computer, placing the microphone right in front of you.

The folding arms have foam pads on them so they don’t scratch

your computer and at the same time, get the required grip they need for the microphone to stay in place. It almost looks like a sound-bar style speaker atop of the monitor, although it works in a very different way. The designers have also taken into consideration the placement of

most laptop webcams, usually being in the centre of the lid above the screen. The Go Mic Connect has a raised section in the middle of the casing to ensure that it doesn’t get in the way of your camera. After all, it is designed to work in conjunction with the camera for podcast recordings, so this is ideal. This mounting bracket can also be used to set the microphone up on the desktop and angle it up towards you too should you wish.

HOW IT SOUNDS

Being very compact, there is no room for large diaphragms to be in play, but the Go Mic Connect still delivers a very good quality audio capture. The stereo microphone capsules work together to deliver a rich full sound, which is focused on the seated position in front of the computer’s screen. So, with very little effort, a quick setup and fully powered from the USB connection that handles

Audio-Technica System 10 Wireless Guitar Technical Audio Group | (02) 9519 0900 | www.tag.com.au | RRP: $499

Audio-Technica have now given us the latest in their System 10 range of digital wireless products, but this time, they have strayed away from the microphones we all know them for and have delivered a guitar wireless solution that will interest many of you. With this setup, you don’t need to worry about recent changes in the Australian transmissions laws, and can be sure that you will get many years of use out of all the devices in the System 10 range as they sit right up in the 2.4 GHz range, so you not only get crystal clear digital audio transmission, but you also get the headache-free ability to use it wherever you like.

PLUG AND PLAY

With any good guitar wireless system, you want it to be able to be set up and operating in a matter of moments. If it involves too much work, you might as well just use a lead and suffer

the distance restrictions that come with the traditional way of plugging in a guitar. With a simple pairing process to get the transmitter and receiver linked up, you are ready to play. Because of this, you can easily purchase

additional belt pack transmitters if you want to use multiple guitars. When switching from one guitar to the next, it is just a matter of holding the pairing buttons to lock the two together and you are ready to play again.

ON THE BOARD

Having a wireless guitar receiver in a pedal just makes sense when you think about it. Gone are the days of the bulky box receiver, especially when you need your signal to run from the receiver to the first pedal on your board.

The System 10 receiver now takes the first position on your board, with one of the outputs going straight to the input of the next pedal in the signal path. The two separate outputs allow you to run a side chained tuner if you like, or split the signal to two amps for a Wet/ Dry rig.

As far as powering the receiver goes, it is a really friendly unit that is able to operate on either 9 or 12 volt DC power. But, best of all, the polarity of the

MarkBass Nano Mark 300

t Easy to adjust so it sits on any laptop screen t Clear sound from a focused position t Reduced room noise

MISSES t Slightly unstable if moving computer or working on your lap

adaptor can be either positive or negative, so you will be able to run it from another power chain on your existing pedal board.

The only negative is the cable that runs from the belt pack transmitter has an awkward fourpin connector at one end. So, if this cable deteriorates in any way, you will need to replace it with the Audio-Technica cable.

BY ROB GEE

HITS t Pedal style receiver, goes neatly on your pedalboard t Two outputs for various rigs t Extra transmitters can be added for additional guitars

MISSES t Proprietary four-pin cable is not an easy replacement

BACK TO BASS

This isn’t the 70s, and we’re not all getting around with panel vans or Kombis capable of stashing an 8X10 cabinet and a massive tube head. But Markbass understands that we still want big, loud, powerful bass tones, even if we don’t want to put up with the backbreaking impracticalities. To that end they offer the Nano Mark 300, their smallest ever bass amp.

The Nano Mark 300 is a professional-grade amp weighing only 1.45kg, which doesn’t hint at all as to the hefty 300 watts of power lurking in its teeny tiny frame. This amp gets bonus points for those concerned about portability: I’m sure you could pop it in the pocket of your cargo pants if you had

HITS

Electronic chorus and a Seymour Duncan overdrive during testing.

CMC Music Australia | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au | RRP: $950

ON YOUR MARKS

BY ROB GEE

enough confidence in your belt.

Markbass says it’s seen a lot of small bass amps developed by other manufacturers, most of which fall down in a crucial area: “About all the bass amps on the market use the same power amp from different manufacturers, which are not specifically designed for bass,” they state on their website. “At Markbass,

PG.40 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

Marco De Virgiliis invested a lot of resources in R&D to develop a proprietary power amp technology, specifically designed to respect and glorify the tone of your instrument.” Sweet.

You get controls for gain, master volume, ground lift, pre/post EQ, low (40Hz with +/-16dB), low mid (360Hz with +/-16dB), high mid (800Hz with +/-16dB) and high (10kHz with +/-16dB).

There’s a balanced XLR line out, effect send and return, tuner out, and quarter inch/Speakon speaker output. By the way, the look of the Nano Mark 300 is a little bit more zany than previous Markbass models, with a sort of bubbly,

arching font used for the control labels. It’s just a small touch but it helps to give the amp some visual personality.

GET SET

This is a great amp for those who need a lot of tone-shaping on the go. It’s not the most bellsand-whistles-loaded amp out there but it does give you a lot of range of control. One thing it doesn’t do though is emulate an old-school tube amp, so if you’re after those big grunty SVT sounds you might need to use a pedal to get you there. And the Nano 300 is great with pedals, working particularly nicely with a TC

But really, what this amp is about is giving you a clear, loud, sculptable version of the sound coming out of your bass and outboard gear. It gives you lots of clean volume, and you’re able to dial in just the right input gain level, but it’s not going to unnecessarily colour your tone.

BY PETER HODGSON

HITS t Versatile tone stack t Light t Loud

MISSES t Not much gain for those who like grunt.

www.mixdownmag.com.au

ROAD TESTS

ZVEX Woolly Mammoth Fuzz Global Vintage | (02) 9569 7009 | www.globalvintage.com.au | RRP: $349

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THIS MAMMOTH CAN ROAR

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Collings MF Mandolin Gladesville Guitar Factory | (02) 9817 2173 | www.guitarfactory.net | RRP: $6995

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BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO

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BY NICK BROWN

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Carl Martin Pro Power V2 Power Supply

B QPXFS TVQQMZ 5IF 1SP 1PXFS 7 XJMM TJU DPNGPSUBCMZ VOEFS B MPU PG NBTT QSPEVDFE CPBSET XIJDI PGUFO DPNF QSF TMPUUFE GPS Innovative Music | (03) 9540 0658 | www.innovativemusic.com.au | RRP: $269 CSBDLFUT BOE UIF MJLF 0UIFSXJTF JU T FBTZ FOPVHI UIFTF EBZT UP 1FEBM VTBHF GPS HVJUBSJTUT TFFNT UP IBWF CPPNFE BHBJO PWFS UIF MBTU GFX BGå Y JU TFDVSFMZ XIJMTU TUJMM HJWJOH ZFBST BOE BMUIPVHI UIFSF BSF TPNF EFEJDBUFE CBUUFSZ VTFST PVU UIFSF ZPV BDDFTT UP UIF PVUQVUT * WF UIF NBKPSJUZ PG QMBZFST UIFO OFFE B QPXFS TVQQMZ UP IBOEMF UIFJS CPBSET BMTP PGUFO TBU B QPXFS TVQQMZ 1MVT ZPV IBWF UP GBDUPS JO UIF NVMUJUVEF PG WPMUBHFT SFRVJSFNFOUT BOE PO UPQ PG NZ CPBSE XJUI 7FMDSP UIF GBDU UIBU B MPU PG QFEBMT POMZ SVO PO NBJOT QPXFS UIFTF EBZT 5IF MJLF ZPV XPVME B QFEBM BOE FWFO $BSM .BSUJO 1SP 1PXFS 7 TFFNT UP PGGFS B MPU BT B TPMVUJPO GPS ZPVS QFEBM TBU B UVOFS PO UPQ PG JU 5IF 1SP QPXFS OFFET MFU T EFMWF B MJUUMF GVSUIFS 1PXFS 7 JT BCPVU UIF BWFSBHF TJ[F GPS B QPXFS TVQQMZ PG UIJT JML I’VE GOT THE POWER BU W PS N" BU W 5IF DN Y Y TP ZPV TIPVME )BJMJOH GSPN %FONBSL $BSM XIPMF VOJU JT IPVTFE JO B UPVHI IBWF OP QSPCMFNT IPXFWFS ZPV .BSUJO QSPEVDF B IPTU PG FGGFDUT DBTJOH JO ZPV HVFTTFE UIF DPMPVS XBOU UP BUUBDI JU 0ODF JU T JO BNQT BOE BDDFTTPSJFT JODMVEJOH o CMBDL BOE DBO CF TXJUDIFE QMBDF ZPV UIFO HFU ZPVS QPXFS TXJUDIFST CVGGFST BOE QPXFS CFUXFFO PS W NFBOJOH PQUJPOT DSBDLJOH o NN KBDL TVQQMJFT 'PMMPXJOH PO GSPN UIFJS JU MM CF DPNQBUJCMF JO B SBOHF PG CBUUFSZ DMJQ KBDL NN KBDL PSJHJOBM 1SP 1PXFS UIF VQHSBEFE DPVOUSJFT UPP OFHBUJWF CBSSFM QPTJUJWF UJQ BOE 7 TFFT JOEJWJEVBM JTPMBUFE TPNF NN KBDL QMVHT OFH QPT BOE SFHVMBUFE W o W PVUQVUT NICE SUPPLIES BOE QPT OFH QPMBSJUZ QMVT TPNF N" FBDI XJUI PVUQVUT BOE 4P ZPV WF HPU ZPVS CPBSE UPHFUIFS WPMUBHF EPVCMJOH DBCMFT 5IFTF BCMF UP CF FYUFOEFE UP N" BOE ZPV XBOU UP JODPSQPSBUF TIPVME DPWFS B MPU PG HSPVOE XJUI

www.mixdownmag.com.au

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LOVE

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BY NICK BROWN

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MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016 // PG.41

ROAD TESTS Dixon Pro Hardware

WHAT YOU STARING AT?

Dynamic Music | (02) 9939 1299 | www.dynamicmusic.com.au | Contact for pricing

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Mapex MPX Maple 10x5.5 Snare Electric Factory | (03) 9474 1000 | www.elfa.com.au | RRP: $199

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Ernie Ball Polylock Strap CMC Music Australia | (02) 9905 2511 | www.cmcmusic.com.au | RRP: $39.95

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PG.42 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

UIFSF UIF BODIPS QSFUUZ NVDI IVHT POUP UIF TUSBQ CVUUPO BOE HSBWJUZ EPFT UIF SFTU PG UIF XPSL

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GOOD THINGS COME IN SMALL PACKAGES

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BY NICK BROWN

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BY PETER HODGSON

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Check out the full range of the new Diamond guitars at www.diamondaus.com.au Proudly distributed by Dynamic Music Australia www.dynamicmusic.com.au

SHOW & TELL

WE CHAT TO MUSOS ABOUT THEIR MOST TREASURED GEAR

DOCTRIN

MIKE DESLANDES - HIGH TENSION

What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?

My Fender Jaguar Special HH - I love the Jag guitars and this one doesn’t disappoint!

What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?

Something I’m in love with and can’t stop playing is my Orville Les Paul custom. A 20 something year old Japanese guitar I bought a few years back. It has the original Maxon neck pickup, commonly found in many Fujigen lawsuit era guitars, and I wired in a Lollar bridge pickup which sounds incredible.

How did you come across this particular item?

I had a cheap Strat knock off when I was a kid when my parents were testing me out to see if it was just a phase (obviously wasn’t) so a real Fender was always on the cards.

When I started Doctrin, I wanted to get away from the weighted sound of my Ibanez Les Paul. I had seen the Jag HH and knew it was perfect on paper but never played it, so I tracked one down in a store and when I tested it, I had to have it.

How do you use it, and how has it shaped the way that you write music?

Usually I play rhythm live so generally I use neck and bridge pick up together with the rhythm circuit activated and run through a few pedals. Since I don’t have any band members at the moment and play solo, I sometimes run the Jag through main-stage live and use the Logic amps and pedals with a track. Some people hate plug-ins and digital equipment but when you’re budget conscious and bypass the shitty presets, you can make even the most basic equipment sound great.

What is that you like so much about it?

It’s short scale which is excellent for my little hands and it has a lot of tone options which is great when I’m in the studio recording Rhythm and leads since you can swap between the two circuit options to suit the style of the track or part. I solely used it for all guitar parts on my upcoming EP and I’m really happy with the results. I love the dragster humbucker pickups they’ve got a great overall tone for what I do. Also can’t go past that Black and Chrome combo.

Any other interesting points/stories about it?

Funnily enough, I read the other day, the Fender Jaguar was partly created to lure players away from Gibson guitars - it worked on me! I have found that it’s not a overly popular guitar but I also haven’t had anyone play it and not like it. People comment positively on my live sound and of course how great it looks on stage; they are usually surprised by it, which I like because it’s a great talking point.

How did you come across this particular item?

I found this thing online, sold unseen and thought I’d give it a go. I was never really a Les Paul guy, but I feel my comfort and playing level begins and ends with this guitar.

What is that you like so much about it?

My biggest appeal is the weight distribution when it’s on. It’s a heavy guitar and a serious play. The neck and playability is like a sit down meal.

How do you use it, and how has it shaped the way you write music?

I think the fact it handles a range of low tunings and responds so well it keeps me

going back to it every time I try another guitar. Songs keep pouring out of it.

Any other interesting points/stories about it?

Probably not apart from the above, it’s a strange Japanese Les Paul with a mix of vintage and new vintage pickups. I want another, if you have one get in touch!

Tell us a little bit about what you have coming up?

I’m sitting at a bar in Auckland right now about to play a show (High Tension). The band has a few ripping shows to wrap up the year with the likes of Batpiss, Bodyjar and the Meanies then we’re out on the St Jeromes Laneway Festival tour to start off the new year. You can see my stoked face every time I plug in that Japanese gem.

JACK CROOK - CONTRAST

NOVAK - POLISH CLUB

What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?

Boss FB-2 Feedbacker/Booster.

What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?

This is my special rock and roll towel.

How did you come across this particular item?

Was looking for the older Feedbacker/ distortion boss did, and these had just come out the week prior so I snatched one up.

What is that you like so much about it?

I like how I don't have to be standing by my amp to blast feedback, so I can do it whilst singing and completely drown out my voice cos I can't sing for shit.

How do you use it, and how has it shaped the way you write music?

To use it you just step on the motherfucker.

So even I can wrap my head around that.

I guess all our songs were gonna have feedback puffed over them any way so it doesn't shape the songwriting, but it's easier to manipulate than the usual way so you can get freaky with it.

Any other interesting points/stories about it?

Not really, it's just a guitar pedal Tell us a little bit about what you have coming up?

Got an album in the mail so will do some shows early next year when she's done.

PG.44 // MIXDOWN #261 // JANUARY 2016

How did you come across this particular item?

It was a gift from my roommate. I believe she picked it up discounted at a homewares store opening.

What is that you like so much about it?

I was trying to decide between using this one and one with skulls on it but I thought that was a bit more goth, and not rock and roll enough.

How do you use it, and how has it shaped the way you write music?

It’s my #1 necessity for our live show. I’d

drown in sweat without it and poor JH would be left to fly solo.

Any other interesting points/stories about it?

Once we get our merch game to the next level, we’d love to have Polish Club brand towels.

Tell us a little bit about what you have coming up?

We have the FBi Radio SMACs Festival at Carriageworks on Sunday January 10. We’ll hopefully be visiting parts of Australia and the world that we haven’t got to yet.

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DIRECTORY EVOLUTION MUSIC

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

8/2 Northey Rd, Lynbrook VIC (03) 8787 8599 info@evolutionmusic.com.au evolutionmusic.com.au

AA DUPLICATION

(PRINTING/CD & DVD DUPLICATION) A | P | E | W|

84 Nicholson St, Abbotsford VIC (03) 9416 2133 sales@aaduplication.com.au aaduplication.com.au

EASTGATE MUSIC

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

1131 Burke Rd, Kew VIC (03) 9817 7000 sales@eastgatemusic.com eastgatemusic.com.au

FOR FULL S T ORE P ROFILES , HEA D T O MIX DOWNMA G.COM.A U / FEA T U RES / BA C KS T A GE

MELBOURNE MUSIC CENTRE

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

525 North Rd, Ormond, VIC (03) 9578 2426 info@melbournemusiccentre.com.au melbournemusiccentre.com.au

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) 4/2181 Princes Hwy, Clayton VIC (03) 9546 0188 info@skymusic.com.au skymusic.com.au

FIVE STAR MUSIC

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

1/30 Station Rd, Indooroopilly QLD (07) 3878 4566 info@music440.com.au music440.com.au

BINARY MUSIC

SKY MUSIC A | P | E | W|

MUSIC 440

102 Maroondah Hwy, Ringwood VIC (03) 9870 4143 websales@fivestarmusic.com.au fivestarmusic.com.au

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER & EDUCATION) A | P | E | W|

48 Bloomfield St, Cleveland QLD (07) 3488 2230 sales@binarydesigns.com.au binarydesigns.com.au

WILD HORSE GUITARS

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

Brumby Street Surry Hills NSW (02) 9690 0800 info@wildhorseguitars.com.au wildhorseguitars.com.au

ARCADE SCREENPRINTING

(SCREENPRINTING & DESIGN SERVICE) 15/17 Hutchinson St, St Peters NSW (02) 9550 6965 info@arcadescreenprinting.com.au arcadescreenprinting.com.au

A | P | E | W|

GLADESVILLE GUITAR FACTORY

(MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) 280 Victoria Rd, Gladesville NSW (02) 9817 2173 mail@guitarfactory.net guitarfactory.net

A | P | E | W|

TURRAMURRA MUSIC (MUSIC INSTRUMENTS RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

1267 Pacific Hwy, Turramurra NSW (02) 9449 8487 general_sales@turramusic.com.au turramusic.com.au

JABEN AUDIO

(HEADPHONE SPECIALIST RETAILER) A | P | E | W|

Shop 2 398 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC (03) 9670 8231 info@jaben.com.au jaben.com.au

NOT IN THE DIRECTORY? C O N TA C T

PG.46 // MIXDOWN #256 // AUGUST 2015

P A T R I C K @ F U R S T M E D I A . C O M . A U

T O

S E C U R E

Y O U R

P L A C E

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