Mixdown 280

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#280 — AUGUST 2017

Giveaway!

PRESONUS STUDIO 26 USB INTERFACE /SE ELECTRONICS V7 DYNAMIC MICROPHONE SEE PG. 6 FOR DETAILS

THE LESSONS OF

INTERVIEWS — Dream Theater, Mutemath, Mew, The Contortionist, The Preatures, The Alamo, Benchmark Mastering

REVIEWED — St Vincent STV60, Sonor SQ1, Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster, DTP 640 REX Kick Drum Mic, Bluebird Overdrive Pedal

THE F UTURE OF SCORING

Fender IEM Series, Yamaha MT5-MT8, Strauss Street Box Busker Amp, Cusack Tap-A-Delay Pedal, Polytune 3 Tuner + more

INTRODUCING

THE FUTURE OF SCORING MORE INFO steinberg.net

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Revolutionar y new scoring sof t ware.

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WATCH VIDEOS

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Contents 06

Giveaways

08

Industry News

09

Music News

10

Product News

14

Cover Story: PVRIS

16

The Contortionist The Preatures

18

Dream Theater

19

Mew

20

Mutemath

21

Advice Columns:

Foreword

I swear it was only yesterday that we were putting our last issue to print.

Yet here I am, writing another foreward. Time flies when you’re having fun, they say. Maybe I’m just starting to get the hang of this whole editor gig…

Mutemath - PG. 20

In last month’s foreward, I talked about how my father and Bruce Springsteen were the key precursors to my interest in playing guitar. Well, fast forward a few years to the long haired, spotty faced teenager that I became who just couldn’t stop listening to Dream Theater. Hours upon hours were spent in front of tab books, learning John Petrucci licks at quarter speed in the hopes that one day I might be able to shred like the man himself. He was my favourite guitarist then, and still is now. Needless to say, I’m stoked to have a great feature with Dream Theater in the mag this month.

On top of that, we talk new music with PVRIS, The Contortionist, Mutemath and more, as well as our regular columns, features and a tonne of new gear reviews. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get back to listening to Falling Into Infinity and playing air guitar. Thanks for reading!

Musicology 22

The Preatures

Guitar

- PG. 16

Bass 23

Percusion

24

Sound Advice

25

Electronic Music Production

26

Integrate Expo

27

Sebatron

28

The Alamo Damien Gerard Benchmark Studios

30

Product Reviews

52

Directory

54

Show & Tell

Mew - PG. 19

NICHOLAS SIMONSEN - EDITOR

PUBLISHER Furst Media

ART DIRECTOR Ben Driscoll

GRAPHIC DESIGN Michael Cusack, Ben Driscoll

EDITOR Nicholas Simonsen mixdown@beat.com.au

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS Jessica Over, Jacob Colliver, Will Brewer

ONLINE EDITOR Alex Watts alex@furstmedia.com.au

MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr

CONTRIBUTORS Rob Gee, Peter Hodgson, Christie Elizer, Nick Brown, David James Young, Adrian Violi, Michael Cusack, Augustus Welby, Luke Shields, Alex Watts, Tex Miller, Jessica Over, Aaron Streatfeild, James Di Fabrizio, Adam Norris

ADVERTISING Patrick Carr patrick@furstmedia.com.au MIXDOWN OFFICE Level 1, No. 3 Newton Street, Richmond VIC 3121.

Phone: (03) 9428 3600

Get Social: FACEBOOK.COM/MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE

MADE BY MUSICIANS, FOR MUSICIANS For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email mixdown@beat.com.au

MARCH ISSUE #281: STREET AND ONLINE DATE: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 13 AD BOOKING DEADLINE: MONDAY SEPTEMBER 4 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 ARTWORK DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 6 For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email mixdown@beat.com.au

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mixdownmag.com.au

American Professional Jazz Bass® Flame Maple Top • Alder Body • Flame Maple Top • Quartersawn “Slim C” Neck • V-Mod Single-Coil Pickups • Limited Edition Neck Plate

ONLY 8 IN AUSTRALIA

MUSOS CORNER • GH MUSIC • PORT MAC GUITARS • ZENITH MUSIC • SKY MUSIC SUPPLIES • DW MUSIC • MUSIC EXPRESS • BETTER MUSIC

©2017 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Fender® is a trademark of FMIC. All rights reserved. FENDER.COM.AU

Giveaways Last Month’s Giveaway Winners

Presonus Studio 26 USB Interface The PreSonus Studio 26 is a 2x4 USB 2.0 bus-powered audio/MIDI interface that can record up to 24-bit, 192 kHz audio. Perfect for recording music on the road – or as a portable option for DJing, live streaming or podcasting – the Studio 26 provides high quality audio in a rugged, compact enclosure. Thanks to our friends at Link Audio, we have one to giveaway.

sE Electronics V7 Dynamic Microphone The sE Electronics V7 dynamic microphone is a handheld mic designed for the stage.

Its specialised aluminum voice coil offers natural-sounding vocal reproduction, while its supercardioid design yields excellent isolation from stage noise and delivers massive amounts of gain before feedback.

Thanks to our friends at Sound & Music we have one of these to giveaway.

For your chance to win any of these awesome prizes, head to our giveaways page at mixdownmag.com.au/giveaway and follow the instructions.

AUDIO-TECHNICA STUDIO RECORDING COMBO GIVEAWAY

MAD PROFESSOR 1 OVERDRIVE/ REVERB PEDAL GIVEAWAY

Audio-Technica’s Studio Recording Combo is the ultimate starter pack for budding producers and musicians. The box includes a pair of M20x headphones from the critically acclaimed M-Series, an AT2020 condenser, and a downloadable beginner’s guide on microphones and recording.

Thanks to our friends at Technical Audio Group we had one to give away last month and the winner is:

The new 1 pedal from Mad Professor combines distortion and reverb to provide the sought-after ‘brown sound’ of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. With intense drive, high definition and a built-in reverb to add ambience and depth, this truly delivers one of the most legendary guitar tones to ever come out of an amplifier. Thanks to our friends at Dunphy Imports last month we had one of these incredible pedals to give away, and the winner is:

Kevin Orr from Melbourne

Simon Hamilton from Melbourne

Congratulations Kevin, enjoy your microphone and headphone pack!

Congratulations Simon, enjoy your pedal!

*These giveaways are for Australian residents only and one entry per person. For full terms and conditions visit www.mixdownmag.com.au/terms-and-conditions

Located in Melbourne and equipped with a 24 Channel Neve console and vast array of studio equipment and instruments, The Alamo is a recording studio dedicated to providing high quality recording and mixing at an affordable thealamo.com.au

rate for Australia’s vibrant and eclectic music community.

0409 139 436 | bookings@thealamo.com.au

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Technical Features • • • • • • • • •

100% European Birch shells Bass drums: 10 ply, 10 mm Snare drum, tom toms & floor toms: 7 ply, 7 mm CLTF “Cross Laminated Tension Free“ tension-free shell forming process OSM “Optimum Shell Measurement“ slightly narrowed outside shell measurements 45o bearing edges Sound Sustainer mounting system on all toms and floor tom leg brackets Tunesafe system – maximum tuning stability Dual Glide snare strainer mechanism

• 4 different matte lacquer finishes • Bass drum hoops with different finishes (Natural Beech and Walnut) • All bass drums without mount • Remo USA Ambassador Coated batter heads/Ambassador Clear resonant heads (snare drum, tom toms & floor toms) • Remo USA Powerstroke P3 Clear batter head/Powerstroke P3 Fiberskyn resonant head with “Off-set“ SONOR logo (bass drums)

“Sonor is so versatile!

These drums are alive & will meet you in any musical situation.

They will also create an atmosphere for you to soar!“ Chris Coleman Distributed by

www.sonor.com/sq1

German engineering and craftsmanship since 1875

Industry News Australian Live Music Makes Global Mark

APRA Development Awards Boosts Ten Careers Nine songwriters and composers got a hand-up from APRA AMCOS’ Professional Development Awards (PDAs), sharing in a $135,000 cash prize pool. They were Ainslie Wills (popular contemporary), Julia Jacklin (Popular Contemporary), Gordi aka Sophie Payten (Popular Contemporary), Fanny Lumsden (Country), Jess Beck (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander), Julian Day (Classical), Nick Drabble of Set Mo (Dance/Electronic), Damien Lane (Film and Television) and fellowship-winner Andrea Keller (Jazz). Of 1000 entries, 60% of finalists and 66% of winners are women.

In addition, Eric Avery won the Indigenous Music and Media Award.

The $12,000 prize was provided by the Smugglers of Light, a foundation set up in the memory of Eli Westlake, an aspiring dance music producer who was killed aged 21 in June 2008 during a late night Sydney street fracas. He was the son of composer and conductor, Nigel Westlake.

Josh Pyke To Go On Hiatus After Regional Tour Josh Pyke is going on a hiatus at the end of the year. Before that he’ll do a 12-date solo ‘10 Years Of Memories & Dust’ regional tour through November and December. In the meantime, he is currently on a 13-date ‘The Best of Josh Pyke’ tour of capital cities, which winds up at Wrest Point Casino, Hobart on Saturday August 26.

Australian live music continues to make an impact on the global scenes, as indicated

by US live music magazine Pollstar’s midyear ticket ratings. Frontier Touring was the most successful of Australian promoters in the first half of 2017, after touring superstars such as Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band, Justin Bieber and Green Day. It ranked #14 of the world’s Top 100 promoters, after shifting 577,468 tickets. Also in the list were TEG Dainty at #31, Chugg Entertainment at #28 and Bluesfest Touring was #48 with 179,747.

Australia To Get Apple Homepod First

SoundCloud will continue to have a presence in Australia and NZ but not a physical one. The Australian office only opened last September. Last month, the German-based company slashed 173 jobs around the world and closed offices including London and San Francisco, to save money and stay independent.

California-based Pandora closed its Australian and NZ offices with 60 staffers losing their jobs. It plans to focus on its US operations, with a number of senior executives (including founder and CEO Tim Westergren) leaving.

Push To Scrap Queensland’s ID Scanners

Australia will be one of the first three countries in the world to get Apple Music’s new voice-controlled home speaker, HomePod. It arrives in December, alongside launches in the US and UK. The speaker works with an Apple Music subscription for access to over 40 million songs. Its six microphones allow users to ask questions (even when loud music is playing) about the track being played, select songs and control volume.

Queensland venue operators and the Opposition are pushing for the Queensland government to scrap its mandatory ID scanners. They were introduced last month for venues trading after midnight as a swap for the government not bringing in the second part of its lockout laws in January.

Some venues claimed the system would cost an additional $40,000 – $50,000 a year at a time when profits were tight. As a result, some venues opted to close midweek or indeed changed their licences to 10pm closure to avoid the costs.

VIC Government Funds Music Tourism

Stoney Roads Sets Guinness World Record

The Victorian government has allocated $130,000 to six projects as part of its Rockin’ the Laneways program to enhance music tourism to Melbourne. The projects include an art installation in Bon Scott’s memory at Cherry Bar on AC/DC Lane, a five-part radio doco/podcast of Melbourne’s most culturally important venues airing on PBS and published as a monthly feature in Beat; a monthly tour of Melbourne music landmarks; the Ngulu-nganjin (Our Voice) project to create new music for an audio project on the history of the Abbotsford Convent precinct; the placement of six billboards of influential women in Victorian music in prominent places around the city; and a concert to celebrate music from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Australian EDM hub Stoney Roads has officially set a new Guinness World Record for the ‘Largest B2B DJ Relay’. Late last year, as part of the second Movement Sydney series, 147 DJs played over 12 hours. The event was live-streamed on Facebook with tens of thousands tuning in and commenting throughout the day.

Among the DJs mixing their tracks on a VOID sound-system were Swindail, Human Movement, Polographia, Kinder DJs, Kato, Sidechains DJs and Porsches.

Soundcloud, Pandora Close Aussie Offices Both SoundCloud and Pandora have closed their Australian offices as part of global cost-cutting exercises by their headquarters overseas.

Regional Call For WAMFEST This year’s WAMfest is expanding its showcases from just metro areas to also include Margaret River, Dunsborough, Merredin, Bunbury, Mandurah and Albany.

There are calls to acts to showcase regional artists, while Perth will also have regional talent. Last year’s WAMfest set a new attendance record, with 14,500 coming out over four days to 26 music spaces.

Study: Millenials To Decide Which Brands Will Exist A study by Macquarie Bank found that by 2030, Aussies born after the year 2000 will make up 54% of the population and will control two out every three dollars earned. This is going to cause a headache for the future of brands that do not fit into their mindset According to the study, brands such as airlines, health food, and cloud-based digital services will grow, as will those that offer personalised services. But car sales and associated services such as insurance, as well as TV manufacturers, face storm clouds.

THINGS WE HEAR Are Flume and RL Grime planning to go in the studio together during the latter’s Australian tour?

Will the ACT Government introduce pilltesting at Canberra’s Spilt Milk festival in late November?

Has the softening of the mining boom created stress for WA’s club scene? 68 venues (music showcasing and others) have called in administrators in the past 12 months.

Concert and festival queues in Australia will be shorter in the future. Ticketmaster is piloting a scheme overseas where scanners at the venue can identify the ticket number and seating number from the patron’s mobile to allow them to cruise through without being checked.

Perth MC Coin Banks postponed a tour after rupturing his ear drum.

John Butler, who founded Butlers Events & Staging in 1971 in Sydney and worked with all the major promoters, passed away aged 84.

Look out for a book on Australian roadies

by Sydney journalist and Laughing Outlaw Records founder Stuart Coupe, who’s just collaborated with Tex Perkins on his memoirs TEX.

AVAILABLE FROM

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Music News

The Courtneys Announce Australian Tour Vancouver-based power pop band The Courtneys have announced that they will be returning to Australia in August. Having recently released their second album The Courtneys II, which received ‘Album of the Week’ status from Beat Magazine, RTR FM, The Music, PBS FM and was added to high rotation on FBi FM, the trio will be back here for the first time since 2015.

TOUR DATES Wednesday August 23 - The Eastern, Ballarat, VIC Thursday August 24 – The Curtin, Melbourne VIC Saturday August 26 – The Northern, Byron Bay, NSW Tuesday August 29 – Mojo’s, Perth, WA Thursday August 31 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW

gang of Youths To Embark on Biggest Tour To date

Ali Barter Announces Supports For National Tour

Gang Of Youths will be undertaking a run of shows in August and September in support of their new album Go Farther In Lightness. The tour will be the Sydney quintet’s biggest so far, taking in theatres all across the country, following a string of sold out shows in the UK and US. They will be joined by Fountaineer on all dates and Gordi in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.

Ali Barter has announced the support acts for her upcoming national tour. Melbourne outfit Press Club will join Barter and co. for her Geelong, Hobart, Adelaide and Melbourne dates, while New Zealand artist Kane Strang will be making his Australian debut for her Sydney, Canberra and Newcastle shows, with Chroma, Smoke Rings, Eli Schoen, MANE and Something Something Explosion playing select regional dates.

TOUR DATES Thursday August 31 - The Tivoli, Brisbane, QLD Friday September 1 - The Tivoli, Brisbane, QLD Wednesday September 6 - Festival Hall, Melbourne, VIC (All Ages) Friday September 8 - Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, NSW (All Ages) Wednesday September 13 - Odeon Theatre, Hobart, TAS (All Ages) Friday September 15 - Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide, SA (All Ages) Saturday September 16 - Metropolis, Fremantle, WA

TOUR DATES Friday August 25 – The Workers Club, Geelong, VIC Friday September 1 – Theatre Royal, Castlemaine, VIC Saturday September 2 – Republic Bar, Hobart, TAS Friday September 8 – Corner Hotel, Melbourne, VIC Saturday September 9 – Fat Controller, Adelaide, SA Friday September 15 – Players Bar, Mandurah, WA Saturday September 16 – Rosemount Hotel, Perth, WA Friday September 22 – The Northern, Byron Bay, NSW Thursday September 28 – Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW Friday September 29 – The Small Ballroom, Newcastle, NSW Sunday October 1 – Transit Bar, Canberra, ACT

BigSouNd Shares Second Lineup Announcement BIGSOUND Festival got bigger with their second lineup announcement seeing the event boast a total of more than 130 artists over four nights of live music discovery. The 2017 lineup celebrates a diverse range of genres - guitar lovers will enjoy sleepmakeswaves, West Thebarton, WAAX, and The Beautiful Monument; while fans of electronic music are covered with the additions of Confidence Man, Cub Sport, Golden Vessel, and Supercruel. Celebrating a new generation of hip hop are artists such as Manu Crook$, Thandi Phoenix, and Midas.Gold, and you can also catch Australian songwriters Tia Gostelow, Caiti Baker, and Megan Washington. The initial announcement included such homegrown talent as Alex the Astronaut, The Cactus Channel, Total Giovanni, Hockey Dad, Mama Kin, The Creases, Fanny Lumsden, Alexander Biggs, Clowns, and The Teskey Brothers. Taking place over four nights from Tuesday September 5 to Friday September 8, the music will occur in various venues throughout the area, with some bands appearing more than once, ensuring their chances of being seen by both punters and important industry types.

The ocean Party Take Beauty Point on The Road

dan Sultan’s Killer Tour

Australian indie band The Ocean Party have announced the release of their hotly anticipated seventh album, Beauty Point, along with a four month national tour set to begin this August. See the dates for this month below.

Dan Sultan has just released his highly anticipated fourth studio album, Killer, which showcases his storytelling abilities and illustrates a new level of sophistication in production and instrumentation. Sultan will tour Killer throughout September this year, with a string of shows scheduled around the country.

TOUR DATES Friday August 18 – Thyme To Taste, Yass, NSW Saturday August 19 – Volumes Festival, Sydney, NSW Sunday August 20 – Lower Coast Road, Stanwell Park, NSW Monday August 21 – The Phoenix, Canberra, ACT Tuesday August 22 – Music Farmers, Wollongong, NSW Wednesday August 23 – Franks Wild Years, Thirroul, NSW Thursday August 24 – The Federal Hotel, Bellingen, NSW Friday August 25 – Humdrum Espresso, Eumundi, QLD Saturday August 26 – Sonic Sherpa Records, Brisbane, QLD Thursday August 31 – The Rec Room, Townsville, QLD Friday September 1 – The Conservatory Bar, Cairns, QLD

TOUR DATES Friday September 1 - Wool Exchange, Geelong, VIC Saturday September 2 - Forum Theatre, Melbourne, VIC Friday September 8 - Odeon Theatre, Hobart, TAS Saturday September 9 - Club 54, Launceston, TAS Friday September 15 - HQ, Adelaide, SA Saturday September 16 - Metro City, Perth, WA Thursday September 21 - The Northern, Byron Bay, NSW Friday September 22 - Max Watt’s, Brisbane, QLD Thursday September 28 - Academy, Canberra, ACT Friday September 29 - Bar On The Hill, Newcastle, NSW Saturday September 30 - Metro Theatre, Sydney, NSW

mixdownmag.com.au

You Am i & Hoodoo gurus Headline ‘A Fist Full of Rock’ Tour The Hoodoo Gurus and You Am I have extended their joint regional tour to include major cities, and have added Jebediah and Adalita to the lineup. Dubbed ‘A Fist Full Of Rock’, the tour will take in stops in Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane in August and September.

Friday August 25 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide, SA Saturday August 26 – Forum Theatre, Melbourne, VIC Thursday August 31 – Enmore Theatre, Sydney, NSW Friday September 1 – Nightquarter, Gold Coast, QLD Saturday September 2 – Eatons Hill Hotel, Brisbane, QLD

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Product News

Akai Pro MPC Live Arrives Electric Factory | elfa.com.au When Akai Professional announced a return to standalone MPC’s in January it made headlines all around the world. Fast forward a few months and Akai Professional dealers Australia-wide now have the MPC Live in stock, and it’s a beast. It is 100% standalone with a built-in quad-core processor running MPC Software 2.0 and a Li-Ion rechargeable battery giving you around five hours of runtime, meaning that beatmaking has never been more exciting, powerful or portable. The new generation of MPC’s are dual purpose, acting as standalone production centres as well as capable of connecting to a computer and interfacing with MPC Software directly, or as a plug-in within your DAW of choice.

The Aston Halo Shadow Reflection Filter

Jackson Expand The X Series

Link Audio | linkaudio.com.au

At the recent Summer NAMM trade show held in Nashville both Jackson announced additions to their X Series with the Jackson X Series Dinky Arch Top DKAF7 MS, the Jackson X Series Dinky Arch Top DKAF8 MS and the Jackson X Series Kelly KEXT. The fan-fretted Dinky models feature mahogany bodies with an arched top, a maple neck, a dark rosewood fingerboard, and Jackson designed bridge saddles, staggered to accommodate two scale lengths. The differences are a result of the strings - the seven-string Dinky has a 25.5”-27” multi-scale length, dual Jackson seven-string blade humbucking pickups, and AT-1 4x3 headstock, while the eight-string has a 26”-28” multi-scale length, eight-string humbucking pickups, and AT-1 4x4 headstock. The Kelly KEXT features basswood body-wings with a mahogany top, Jackson high-output humbucking pickups, a three-way toggle switch, and a Jackson TOM-style bridge with an anchored tailpiece. It is available in a Natural Mahogany finish with gold hardware and white binding.

The Aston Halo Shadow is the latest version of Aston’s revolutionary Halo reflection filter. Like the original, the Shadow works by protecting your microphone from any unwanted room sounds and reflections that could affect your home recording process.

Promising the same superb performance but with a new black finish, the Aston Halo Shadow could be just the thing to give your home recordings an extra level of professional sound.

Jackson Guitars | jacksonguitars.com.au

Presonus Unveils New Flagship Audio Interface Link Audio | linkaudio.com.au

PreSonus have announced a new flagship Thunderbolt 2 audio interface, the Quantum. The company are calling it a ‘studio command centre’, with 26 inputs and 32 outs across analogue, digital and MIDI. The Quantum boasts 24-bit/192kHz converters with a dynamic range of up to 120dB and featuring the company’s digitally controlled XMAX preamps on each input. Specifically there are two combination mic/instrument/line ins, six mic/line ins, each with +48V phantom power, two ¼-inch TRS outs, eight 1/4-inch TRS line outs, and two independent headphones outs with dedicated volume controls. Digitally there are 18 I/O via ADAT Optical and S/PDIF stereo digital I/O as well as BNC word clock and MIDI.

Radial Engineering - Workhorse Cube

Focusrite Now Distributed By Innovative Music Australia

Amber Technology | ambertech.com.au

Innovative Music Australia | innovativemusic.com.au

Renowned British audio manufacturers Focusrite have appointed Innovative Music Australia as their exclusive national distributers. Respected as one of the world’s leading audio brands for their high quality recording gear, Focusrite’s expansive series of audio interfaces, preamps and audio equipment ranging from the entry-level Scarlett models to the professional Clarett and ISA will now be exclusively available for wholesale through Innovative Music Australia. This exclusive deal with Focusrite joins Innovative Music Australia’s pre-established distribution of Novation to build the two brands recognition and success within the Australian market.

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Temple Audio Design Pedal Boards Availible In Australia Maniac Music Factory | maniacmusicfactory.com Canadian based company Temple Audio Design have signed a new exclusive distribution deal with The Maniac Music Factory to bring their range of innovative pedal boards and accessories to Australia. Their range of single, double or triple row boards feature a quick release system, allowing you to easily change pedals on the fly and are available in Temple Red, Vintage White and Gunmetal colours.

The Radial Engineering Workhorse Cube is a desktop power rack designed to make modular audio fun with the ability to house three 500 series modules. The Cube strays from the typical rack mounted enclosure, offering users a desktop format with a convenient carry-handle on top for ultimate portability around the studio, as well as optional mounting flanges which allow for the unit to be either mounted flush or on a 30° slope for optimised viewing position. This concept allows for engineers to position instrument and microphone preamps as close as possible to the source for enhanced noise signal. Following the success of the Radial Workhorse’s features, the Cube’s PowerStrip is 100% backwards compatible with older API modules and Radial’s range of preamps, processers and routing devices, with a 12 gauge steel frame and dual gold contact EDAC 15-pin connectors optimising the units signal transfer. mixdownmag.com.au

Product News

Fender Unveil Jimi Hendrix Signature Stratocaster

The Denon DJ Prime Series Arrives In Australia

Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au

Electric Factory | elfa.com.au

Fender successfully stole the limelight with a plethora of product releases at Summer NAMM 2017, including the release of a Jimi Hendrix Stratocaster, which takes its inspiration from the hand-painted guitar played at the famous Monterey Pop Festival 50 years ago. Sticking to era-correct specs, the Monterey Strat features a soft ‘C’ shaped 7.25” maple neck with 21 vintage style frets and a six screw synchronised tremolo, as well as a distinctive psychedelic paintjob and exclusive etched Hendrix neck plate.

Denon DJ’s groundbreaking new Prime series wowed the DJ world in early 2017 when it was first unveiled to the public. For so long the top-tier of DJ products had become complacent, with drip-fed technological advancements in a one-horse race to nowhere. The Denon DJ Prime series takes existing technologies, found in high-end controllers such performance pads, dual independent layers, and combines them with new features, including multi-touch sensitive screens, and quad core processors, to usher in a new era for the modern professional DJ. Denon’s Prime family is comprised of four products: SC5000 Prime media player, X1800 Prime DJ mixer, VL12 Prime turntable and Engine Prime performance and library management software. SC5000 and X1800 are available now through Denon DJ Prime dealers Australia wide, and the VL12 is expected to arrive in late August.

The T-REX - Replicator Studio Amber Technology | ambertech.com.au

Fender Release New Bluetooth Hi-Fi Speakers Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au Fender have introduced the Monterey and Newport Bluetooth hi-fi speakers – two compact speakers system for listening to music in a home environment. The Monterey has 120watt output, two 5.12” woofer and two 1” tweeters with both 1/8” and RCA inputs. Unlike the smaller Newport model, the Monterey requires mains power so is less portable but more powerful. The Newport has a 30-watt output with 12 hours of playback via a lithium-ion battery. Both models also feature a built-in USB port so that you can charge your smart phone or device during playback. The speakers feature a metal grille, with volume, bass and treble knobs reminiscent of a Fender silverface amp.

Inspired by the stompbox of the same name, the T-REX Replicator Studio is a 100% analogue tape echo unit with features and parameters optimised for Eurorack/ modular use. Merging the characteristics of analogue tape with modern modular features, the T-REX Replicator Studio features a reel of magnetic analogue tape digitally controlled motor to handle the delay time of the unit, giving total control over three echo modes, echo modulation and tap tempo. The Replicator Studio also makes patching easy with the brand new CV inputs now accepting 0-5V control signals, allowing the user to pair the unit with oscillator modules to control delay time and feedback electronically or a wave generator to recreate ‘70s inspired ambient sound manipulation. An added filter switch also allows for a more versatile echo, dampening high frequencies in the delay signal to hush unwanted noise and produce a darker sounding timbre.

The T-REX Replicator Studio also makes use of a +/-12V Eurorack standard power supply, retaining all the sounds and features from the pedal version in a more studio/ keyboard/synth-friendly format.

Ernie Ball Short Scale Bass Strings CMC Music | cmcmusic.com.au After years of requests, Ernie Ball has announced that they will now make their popular Nickel Wound Slinky Bass Strings available for short scale basses. The most obvious, but definitely not the only, reason to use a short scale bass is its compact size and closer fret spacing. However, professional bassists are well aware of a ‘secret’ to the sound of a short scale bass - shorter strings require less tension to achieve correct tuning. Lower tension means a more flexible feeling string that at the same time gives you a fatter bottom end on low notes, while at the same time lending a smoother sound to the top notes. Specifically engineered to fit short scale (30.5”) basses, the new Ernie Ball Short Scale Slinky bass strings are constructed utilising the same production methods and materials offering the same feel and tone as their popular Slinky nickel wound bass strings.

Gretsch Announce New Models At Summer NAMM Gretsch Australia | gretsch.com.au Gretsch have announced several new guitars, including updates to existing models and some limited runs in retro stylings. The G6118T Anniversary features a Bigsby String-Thru system and two High Sensitive Filter’Tron humbuckers for a traditional Gretsch tone. The G6122TFM hollow body has a flamed maple body, dual high sensitive Filter Tron humbuckers, a maple neck in a ‘U’ profile and an ebony fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets. The G5420TG Limited Edition Electromatic Single-Cut features dual Black Top Filter’Tron humbucking pickups, a Bigsby B60 vibrato, a master volume treble bleed circuit, a Candy Apple Red finish, gold hardware and large F-holes. The G5435 Electromatic Pro Jet is made with a basswood body with internal cavities and a curved maple top as well as two Black Top FilterTron humbucker pickups. The G9520 Limited Edition Jim Dandy Flat Top is made with an Agathis body in a bronze burst finish with a Nato neck, rosewood fingerboard, 18 ‘vintage-style’ frets and a rosewood bridge. It is made to a 24” scale for extra comfortable playability and has a 1950 Gretsch 3x3 headstock.

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Product News The XTOMP Mini Modeling Effect Pedal Noise Toys Imports | noisetoysimports.com.au

Mooer Pedals Release The Red Truck Multi Effects Pedal Jade Australia | jadeaustralia.com.au As announced earlier in the year, Mooer have now released their Red Truck multi effects stompbox, which features six type of effects in the one unit. With an all analogue boost, overdrive and distortion effects, the Red Truck also features high quality digital effects including modulation, delay and reverb with the capability for tap touch control, as well as a tuner with a large LCD display.

Additionally, a built-in effects loop allows for easy operation with stomp boxes or connecting to amplifiers using a simple four cable method. Stereo outputs and a dedicated mixer output allow for direct connection to an audio interface or sound desk, whilst a handy headphone output allows for using all the features of the Red Truck in a variety of loud and quiet environments. With clearly defined effect banks and various adjustable parameters, the Red Truck allows for the tweaking of sounds on the fly.

XTOMP Mini is the leaner version of XTOMP’s powerful effects pedal. Like its older sibling, the Mini simulates all kinds of iconic classic, vintage and modern amps/cabs/pedals, and creates original algorithms through its growing effects library. To simulate these diverse tones, XTOMP uses Hotone’s Comprehensive Circuit Modeling (CDCM) technology, which allows for larger and more complex modeling algorithms and means realistic, natural tones. The effects library categories include amplifier, cabinet, distortion, dynamic, frequency, modulation and ambient.

The PEDALpUNK! Interface Pedal Noise Toys Imports | noisetoysimports.com.au PEDALpUNK! is designed to allow analogue devices, such as effects pedals, to connect with computers without any loss in signal quality. The interface is a 100% analogue and works with all pedals and any system, helping to create a balanced connection for an unbalanced signal.

Simplicity is key, with just three controls for send, return and ‘focus’, the latter being a variable impedance knob that helps when working with non-buffered and/or true bypass pedals.

Ferrofish Introduce VERTO DANTE, MADI and ADAT Interfaces Innovative Music Australia | innovativemusic.com.au The VERTO series make integration of digital ADAT and MADI into an existing DANTE network really easy. The compact enclosure of 1RU height and a ½-19” width saves a lot of rack space. Every VERTO device features word clock I/O for external synchronization and is remote controllable via MIDI or MIDI-over-MADI (VERTOMX).

No matter if used together with our A16 MKII, A32 or Pulse16, or a converter from another brand – simply connect to the VERTO via ADAT or MADI – and you’re ready to go. Both the VERTO series and all other converters from Ferrofish can be remotely controlled via the DANTE Network. If all devices are connected via MIDI, the VERTO converts all DANTE audio streams to ADAT or MADI and the control commands sent over DANTE into MIDI remote control messages.

Limited Stock Of The Soldano Supercharger GTO Overdrive Pedal To Land In Australia Noise Toys Imports | noisetoysimports.com.au Michael Soldano’s ruggedly-built Supercharger GTO all-tube line-boost/overdrive pedals are highly sought after and very rare. Using the same circuitry as found in the preamp of Soldano’s much loved 100 watt Super Lead Overdrive, these pedals create a tasteful crunch, massive sustain and the full, rich sound that the company’s amplifiers are known for. Not previously available here, Soldano has specially created 10 of these individual pedals for Australia, all of which are bound to be snapped up immediately.

Sterling By Music Man Releases Jv60 Version Of James Valentine’s Signature Music-Man Guitar CMC Music | cmcmusic.com.au As lead guitarist for the band Maroon 5, James Valentine has to cover a lot of tonal ground. His Sterling by Music Man James Valentine signature model is constructed from a ‘wedge’ shaped sustainability certified Mississippi Swamp ash slab body and roasted maple neck combination for plenty of attack and snap for the band’s brand of funky pop. The unique humbucker and singlecoil pickups give the Valentine an impressively wide tonal range, and hidden features like an active 12dB ‘push-push’ boost on the volume control, and the neck heel located truss rod adjustment, make the Sterling by Music Man Valentine a powerful instrument with plenty of vintage appeal.

mixdownmag.com.au

13

THE LESSONS OF

PVRIS

Lowell, Massachusetts trio PVRIS (pronounced ‘Paris’) have seemingly always been the type of band that belongs everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Such is the diverse nature of their musical approach – which incorporates elements of rock, pop, electronica and post-hardcore – noone has ever quite known where to slot them.

That’s not set to change as the band prepares the release of their second album All We Know of Heaven, All We Need of Hell. Recorded over a year’s worth of sessions, the album is another unique and high-concept LP that truly equates to the sum of PVRIS’ parts.

“With every song that we make, I kind of envision it in the same way as architecture,” says Lyndsey Gunnulfsen – AKA Lynn Gunn – who provides lead vocals, guitar and keyboards.

“It’s like building a house in its own way. Everyone has their part, and I feel like mine is being able to sketch out the blueprint and get the basic foundations down – chord progresssion, melody, the very basic structure. I work on Logic a lot, and I do a lot of demoing for songs when we’re out on the road. We’re the kind of band that’s pretty much always writing – even straight after the last record came out. Once we get to the studio, that’s where it becomes this very collaborative and productive thing.”

All We Know... was recorded by the band itself alongside their longserving producer Blake Harnage, with initial sessions beginning some two years removed from their debut album, White Noise. Gunn notes that the impetus to have more of a watchful eye over the album’s production came from the band’s bond with Harnage, who has also worked with acts such as All Time Low and Hands Like Houses. “The past few years we’ve been working with Blake, even when we’re not doing records,” she says. “I’ve definitely learned a lot from him as far as programming and things like Logic and ProTools are concerned. I feel like that inspired me to have a bit more weight in the production side of this record.”

The album was recorded in a unique environment that saw Harnage and the band – Gunn, guitarist Alex Babinski and bassist Brian MacDonald – take up residence in a deserted cathedral that had since been turned into a recording studio. “It was serendipitous, I think,” says Gunn. “We were months out from making the record, but we were searching for the right place to record it. We were definitely after something isolated, somewhere quiet, something that would also be visually inspiring. Blake, as well as our management, went and checked out this old converted cathedral.

All of them loved it. They really felt like it had a great energy. I think the thing that really sold us was the studio’s owners – this

14

“A huge thing I learned through making this record was the power of vulnerability. Rolling with the punches, open to wherever the universe wants to take you.”

couple named Pam and Jeff. They’re the most amazing, accommodating people in the world. It was a really positive environment to be working in.”

Several album tracks have already been released, including the brooding, atmospheric ‘Half’ and the dark, shuffled electropop of ‘Winter’. From a personal standpoint, Gunn was adamant about not holding back. Everything that she’s been through in the intervening years between White Noise and here is on the line, and working through all of it is what makes the album what it is.

“We were on tour for three years straight,” Gunn begins. “I think that creates a lot of different things within yourself – inner turmoil, growth, change, conflict.

That was definitely influential on the

emotional spectrum and perspective on this record – a lot of sadness, confusion, anger and loneliness. The things that inspired me the most, though, were a lot of the things I was reading and watching. I was reading a lot about the balance of darkness and light, as cliché as it is. I was fascinated with energy, past lives and reincarnation. I’ve always been drawn to that. I was also drawn to turn-of-the-century art and photography – the Victorian era, in particular. I was uncertain how that would impact on me, but I feel like that’s really played a part in the visual aspect of this record.”

Having delayed the release of All We Know... to ensure that all extra production tweaks were cleared, it’s clear that PVRIS have worked incredibly hard to get this record just right. Aside from being a major step forward as far as the songwriting and production are concerned, Gunn also feels as though making the album has been an entirely positive development of her own well-being and mental health.

“A huge thing I learned through making this record was the power of vulnerability,” she says. “Rolling with the punches, open to wherever the universe wants to take you. Really paying attention to what’s being put in front of you, and how it makes you feel.

Being present, you know? It’s something I’m really working on, and something I’m really trying to think through and be conscious of.

We’ve had a lot of interesting things that could’ve been setbacks for us that ended up being blessings in disguise. I feel like there’s always some sort of lesson in everything that we do.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

PVRIS’ All We Know Of Heaven, All We Need Of Hell is out Friday August 25 through Warner Music/Rise Records.

For more on PVRIS head to page 54 for our interview with Alex Babinski.

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Music Interviews Indeed, rather than feeling like an outsider, Lessard was encouraged to inject his own ideas into The Contortionist’s sound.

“They gave me full creative control when it came to the vocals,” he says. “I wrote the opening sequence for the album. I just jumped in and started doing my thing. I didn’t really want to hold back, because there was no real point to.

“The guys had a vision of what they could possibly do [on Language]. They didn’t want to create the same sound. They wanted to explore new territory with what they could do. I guess [me joining] gave them an excuse to explore some new genres, which they were going to do anyway. It’s in our natures.”

The Contortionist’s New Challenge Frontman Mike Lessard was still a fresh face in The Contortionist when the band’s third LP, Language, came out in 2014. The album was recorded less than 12 months after he replaced former vocalist Jonathan Carpenter. However, the personnel disruption didn’t turn out to be a setback – Language not only showed an evolution in the band’s sound, but gained wide praise from critics, and increased The Contortionist’s fanbase.

“Early on I felt pretty comfortable,” says Lessard. “I’d known the guys for three years or so. I toured with them in my previous band [Last Chance to Reason]. We had mutual respect for each other, so it’s not like I felt like I was coming into a situation and I had to hold my tongue. When it came to the creative process, I do what I always do: I sit and look at the material and add to it.”

The genre exploration continues on Clairvoyant, the progressive metal band’s fourth LP, due in September.

The American sextet upholds its reputation as an instrumentally complex progressive metal act while also including melodic sophistication, quieter, reflective moments, and jazz flourishes that resemble the likes of Meshuggah.

“There are no set guidelines when we go in to work on an album – no, ‘this is what we have to do,’” Lessard says. “We generally all like cohesive albums – albums that flow. There’s no break in between songs; it captures somebody’s attention for the whole period.

There’s no moment where the trance is broken. That’s one of the things we aim to do.

“We wanted to try going to a more traditional style of composition for some of the tracks – verses, choruses and bridges – and that was a new challenge for us.

To try to make the sound fit within that was an interesting thing.”

holiday period, with the hope that we’d be able to start recording at the beginning of 2016. We spent a few weeks in the studio with Burke Reid, and the whole thing felt like a demolition derby. It was really full on – a lot of work. We were putting in a lot of effort to try and make these songs stand up on their own. In doing that, we were able to get a clearer idea of what this album was going to be.”

The Preatures Start Afresh What do you do once you’ve done it all? This was the question that The Preatures faced after the cycle ended for their 2014 debut LP, Blue Planet Eyes. The album saw the Sydney group live the life of a decade’s worth of bands in just a couple of years - a high-charting, nationallyrecognisable single; a completely sold-out national tour; inroads to an international market and just about all of the acclaim one could ever hope to receive as an artist.

Following the departure of guitarist/vocalist Gideon Bensen, the remaining Preatures took it upon themselves to start afresh.

“We started putting ideas together toward the end of 2015,” says Jack Moffitt, the band’s lead guitarist. “Both Izzy [Manfredi, lead vocals/guitar] and I had been writing songs over the summer 16

The result is Girlhood, which officially hit shelves last Friday. Much like its predecessor, it’s a clear and refined pop record – catchy, but simultaneously uncompromising in its vision and approach. According to Moffitt, the key to making Girlhood – which he also had a hand in producing – was to work towards the greater good of The Preatures as an entity, rather than personal gain. “I don’t think that Girlhood was ever about what I wanted,” he says. “As a band, we wanted to bite into these ideas and see what they could be.

It was about saying yes to everything that we were hearing in the writing process. It was about getting to the heart of these songs, and not letting ourselves get in the way of that.”

Girlhood was recorded primarily at Doldrums, the Surry Hills-based studio that is owned and run by the band themselves. The record saw Moffitt taking a larger role in the process than Blue Planet Eyes – not least because a lot of the guitar and production work fell to him. This was not given nor taken lightly by Moffitt himself, who wanted to use his role in the band to serve as a vessel for its ideas. “I was approaching the whole picture with a certain desire for perspective,” he says.

It’s exhausting to even contemplate the construction of an album as detailed as Clairvoyant. Lessard explains how the band members stay motivated through such a laborious writing and production process.

“You can’t do the same thing to get motivated,” he says. You don’t know where inspiration’s going to come from. I watch movies, I listen to soundtracks, I look at paintings – I try not to stay stuck. If I’m staying on my couch and mindlessly doing things, that can cause me to be very complacent and unmotivated. Jumping from thing to thing keeps my mind going.”

Like Langugage, Clairvoyant was recorded with producer and engineer Jamie King. King has also worked with the likes of Between the Buried and Me and Lessard’s previous band, Last Chance to Reason. The Contortionist’s working relationship with King has now developed to the point that he feels like another band member.

“He’s a part of the process,” Lessard says. “At the end of the day, Jamie is a fan of music as much as he is a businessman trying to get business. But I’ve worked with him three times and I’ll probably work a million more times with Jamie. He’s one of the best human beings I’ve ever met. He’s honest, he’s humble, he’s smart, he’s hardworking. He’s everything you’d want out of a person. That’s why it’s awesome to have him.”

BY AUGUSTUS WELBY Clairvoyant by The Contortionist will be released on Friday September 15 via Entertainment One/Good Fight Music.

because of the change in lineup – so we wanted to have something symbolic of that. It’s a really weird thing to suddenly be a four-piece band after being a five-piece band for basically your entire lifespan. What we lost was not only one of the guitar players, but one of our primary singers as well. With that gone, you’re really writing differently with just three elements to consider musically – one guitar, bass, drums. It was a great challenge for us.”

Part of that challenge, says Moffitt, was knowing when to take a proverbial knee and continue working toward the bigger picture.

“I approached the guitar playing on this record less in a guitarist’s mindset, and more as a songwriter,” Moffitt explains. “I guess I wanted it to be a bit clearer – a bit stronger as a musical element. With that said, there were songs where we could have easily filled every last bit of space with layers of guitar. Arranging this record, it was important that we knew what space should remain untouched by additional guitar, and if it needed filling then perhaps a keyboard or synthesiser was the instrument for the job. It’s all about serving the song.

With every track on Girlhood, we were asking ourselves what the song needed in order to be its best.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG Girlhood by The Preatures is out now via Island Records/Universal Music Australia. They are touring nationally in September.

“What I mean by that is that I wanted to acknowledge the album’s size, the space of the band the music that we’re making. We’ve changed a lot as a band in the last three years since the last album – not least of all mixdownmag.com.au

THE NEW ALBUM

all we know of heaven • • • all we need of hell

OUT AUG 25 W W W. P V R I S . C O M

Music Interviews

THE PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE OF

DREAM THEATER Dream Theater already had a cult following by the time they released their second album, Images & Words, in 1992 – but until that record, they didn’t quite have a sound. They knew they wanted to be progressive, melodic and heavy, but that record really solidified their future direction. It was distinctive, virtuosic and well-produced, while new vocalist James LaBrie brought a whole new flavour to the band. Unlike debut When Dream And Day Unite, Images & Words felt like a complete statement. Now, Dream Theater are bringing the album to Australia in celebration of its 25th anniversary.

Images & Words came out at a time when hard rock was on the way out and grunge was rising. Dream Theater managed to find their audience, however, and hold onto them throughout that notoriously shred-shy decade. Keyboard player Jordan Rudess was not a member of Dream Theater when the album was recorded – although he did nearly join in 1994, before finally coming on board in 1999 – but he’s spent nearly two decades with the material under his skin.

“A friend of mine, a guitar player and interviewer at the time, had met Dream Theater around 1992 to do an interview around that album, and he thought I would really like the music,” Says Rudess. “When he found out that I was asked to audition for Dream Theater later, he gave me the Images & Words album and I was really impressed. Not only by their mix of prog and metal, but also with their virtuosity, which I hadn’t really heard in the rock world.

They had the songs and they were especially great players. I could tell these guys were not hacks. They were really proficient on their instruments; I could really relate to it because I’m from a classical background where I’d done a lot of practicing.

“It had such a big effect on me when I heard it, but it also had a sound that was new to me, which was that real mixture of metal and prog. I feel so connected to the music, and I’ve played these songs so many times through the years, it’s a tremendous part of me. One of the things that is important to me is to be really respectful of the things the fans love about it. When it comes to the keyboard patches and the parts I play I try not to go too far from the original when I think that what they want to hear needs a certain thing. Then there are a few leads where I feel I can do my 18

“It had such a big effect on me when I heard it, but it also had a sound that was new to me, which was that real mixture of metal and prog. I feel so connected to the music, and I’ve played these songs so many times through the years, it’s a tremendous part of me.” own thing and loosen it up a little bit. So that’s my approach – one of respect, and then making it my own as well.”

Since this is Mixdown’s studio issue, we thought we should ask Rudess what he’s currently using to record. “Logic is my DAW of choice and I use it to host my various plugins,” says Rudess. “I just discovered a really amazing virtual instrument that is called Heavier 7 Strings. It’s by a company out of China, Three-Body Technology, and they make a virtual guitar-based instrument. I was blown away the other day when I played it. It just came out two days ago and the sound can be so righteous and heavy that it almost blew me off my seat.

I never had a truly guitar-like tone emanating from my keyboard that was that strong, so that was really fun. I’ve also been getting into 8DIO, who make wonderful stuff. They’re just coming out with a solo and ensemble brass library, Century Ensemble Brass. I’m a really big fan of Spectrasonics and I use their Omnisphere software a lot in the studio. For me, when I’m home and I’m working it’s all about using a master controller. I use my Korg KRONOS 88-note keyboard and my computer, and I have cool software that makes my world go round.”

Rudess also develops software with his company, Wizdom Music, who have developed a whole suite of apps such as SampleWiz, MorphWiz, HarmonyWiz, EarWizard and SketchWiz. “One of the instruments I use in the studio a lot is called GeoShred,” says Rudess. “It’s like a next-generation iPad-based instrument, although now it runs on the iPhone as well. It lets you do really incredible bending and sliding with pitch. It gives you a lot of control. And it also runs on a technology called physical modelling.

I’ve invested a bunch of time in developing this instrument and getting it out to the world. One of the most interesting things about it is the Indian market is really into it because of bending, microtonal things you can do.”

BY PETER HODGSON

Dream Theater will play the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney Tuesday September 19 and the Palais Theatre in Melbourne Wednesday September 20. The Astonishing is out now through Roadrunner Records/Warner Music.

For more on Dream Theater see our interview with bassist John Myung on page 54.

mixdownmag.com.au

Music Interviews

Pursuing The Sound Of Visuals With Mew Danish pop dreamers Mew have been making maximalist, crystallised soundscapes for over 20 years now. Part indie, part prog-rock, the band create songs that are unclassifiable to the point of being unmistakably theirs.

That hasn’t changed for album number seven, entitled Visuals, although the circumstances surrounding it were a considerable shift from its predecessor. Shortly after the release of 2015’s +-, guitarist Bo Madsen left the band and the remaining members to carry on as a trio. “I think the way that we work has always been pretty much the same,” says bassist Johlan Wohlert – who himself was out of the band from 2006 to 2013.

“We’ll bounce ideas off each other, and we’ll get together in a room to hash out the song structures. We’re always working

together, and it was business as usual for this album.

People might have thought it would have been different because there was three of us when there’s usually four. In a way, that’s true – but the method itself is the same as it’s always been. I suppose that the key difference between this album and the last one is that this record wasn’t written with guitar as its main focus. I suppose that’s natural for writing a record without a sole guitar player in the role.”

studios – although what we were playing through and recording on was a lot of the same equipment.

Interestingly, I would say that the one difference in terms of instrumental gear was that we used a wider palette of guitars. Even though this isn’t so much a guitar record, but funnily enough we had more people actually playing guitar on this record than any of our previous ones. I think that may be why there was a broader selection being played.”

Guitar parts were played partially by Wohlert, singer/ keyboardist Jonas Bjerre and the band’s current touring guitarist, Mads Wegner. “We wanted to have an outside perspective on how the guitar should sound. He really brought those parts to life for us,” says Wohlert of Wegner’s contributions. As for whether Wegner will end up as a full-time member of Mew, however, Wohlert is a little hesitant.

The touring version of Mew – Wohlert, Bjerre, Wegner, Watts and drummer Silas Utke Graae Jørgensen – are currently on the road in support of Visuals, which will bring them back to Australia this September for only the second time in their entire career. Fans can expect to hear some new songs – but, as Wohlert stresses, not too many.

“When you’ve been a band for 20 years like we have, it’s not really a question of whether to take in new members,” he says. “I don’t think it really works when you’ve been together that long. Mads has been a great part of our touring ensemble – as has Nick Watts, who’s been playing keyboards for us since God knows when. We might bring them into the recording for a technical standpoint – they’re incredibly proficient players – but I think we’re all pretty clear and understanding of what the band is.”

Visuals was recorded throughout various stints in 2016, shortly after touring was completed for +-.

Similar to the writing process, the recording of the album was a mix of what has become tradition for the band – as well as some minor contextual shifts that, perhaps unintentionally, assisted in making the sound of the record what it was. “The main difference in the recording of this album was that a lot of it was homemade, in a way,” says Wohlert.

“We’re very conscious as to not going overkill with playing new material,” he says. “We’ve definitely seen our fair share of shows from bands that have just put out an album where they play 90% of the record, then two extra songs and that’s it. We’re a little easier on fans, I think. We look at a band like U2, and the way that they treat their shows – they’ll never shy away from playing their best-known songs. The new record might be in the setlist, but it’s never forced or made the central focus of the show. That’s sort of the way that we like to do things.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG Mew are touring Australia in September. Visuals out now via [PIAS] Australia.

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Music Interviews [Gummerman, guitar/keys]. However, Roy announced about three months ago that he wasn’t going to be touring anymore. Then, just this week, we announced that Darren wouldn’t be continuing with us. It’s been a pretty massive change and a real shift for the band – especially considering we’re about to go out on the road.

It’s been an emotional time, to say the very least. The one thing I keep coming back to, though, is being so appreciative of this record that we made while we were all still together.”

Play Dead arrives just under two years its predecessor, 2015’s Vitals. The writing and creation of the album, however, dates back to 2012; shortly after the release of the band’s third album, Odd Soul. As Meany explains, the music of Play Dead was so different to that of what Vitals would become that the two had to be separated in order to properly work.

Playing Dead With Mutemath Normally, when a band or artist is on the campaign trail for their new studio album, there’s a part of them that treats their run of press interviews with a travelling salesman’s mindset. The end goal is to sell the product, to promote its existence and express a full vote of confidence in its excellence. However, as Mutemath’s singer and keyboardist Paul Meany takes Mixdown’s call, his voice is clearly shaken from nerves. Not for a lack of faith in the album in question – Play Dead, the band’s fifth overall – but for the shifts that the band has taken throughout the course of 2017. “This has been a crazy year for us,” he says, explaining just what’s happening with the New Orleans-based alt-rock outfit.

“Everyone who was on the last record is on this: myself, Roy [Mitchell-Cárdenas, guitar/bass/keys], Darren [King, drums] and Todd

“Each of our records really sees us push to different places,” he says. “I’m really proud of that. With Play Dead, I feel like we really wanted to push ourselves to make a Mutemath record – something that picks up on the dynamics of everything that we’ve made over the last 12 years. What it yielded was actually a lot of fun for us. It’s a record where I feel like we really indulged – it’s got every chord that we knew, every drum fill Darren knew, every melody and harmony we could muster. We really took the guardrail off for ourselves, and I feel like it’s the most fun that we’ve ever had making a record.”

With the change in lineup for the band – and, more specifically, with King’s departure – Meany now officially remains as the only original member. Having formed the project in 2002 with King, the group eventually spread its wings and worked towards the huge sounding indiepop of their self-titled debut in 2006. Several members have come and gone in the intervening years, but losing half your lineup and having to recalibrate in such a short period of time has clearly left Meany disoriented.

“It’s been an emotional time, to say the very least. The one thing I keep coming back to is being so appreciative of this record that we made.”

“I honestly don’t know what’s in store for the future of our band,” he says with a sigh. “This could maybe even be the last Mutemath record – at this point, I’m really not sure. I think that’s made me appreciate the record a whole lot more. When I hear this record now, it’s coming to take on a whole new level of meaning and importance for me. Everyone brought their A-game while they were around to bring it. Everyone’s firing on all cylinders. I’m really proud of their contribution.”

BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG Play Dead is out Friday September 8 through Caroline Australia.

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Advice Columns Musicology

The Story Of Prince’s Cloud And Purple Special Guitars It’s been more than a year since the world lost Prince and still there are many aspects of this legendary artist that remain timeless. Not only is the ongoing popularity and relevance of his music a testament to his legacy, but also his innovation, creativity, and the incredible feat of being synonymous with the colour purple. As such an accomplished musician it’s no wonder one of the most iconic items we associate with Prince is the Cloud guitar used in his 1984 film Purple Rain.

The Cloud guitar was manufactured specifically for Purple Rain by luthier Dave Rusan, who was based in Minneapolis at the time. Rusan was working at Knut-Koupée Music, a store owned by local guitarist Jeff Hill, when he was asked to create the iconic guitar.

The original Cloud guitar on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington DC

“Some years later he had others made by different people,” said Rusan to Alternative Nation. “All the ones you would see in concert, those would be the originals I made that were repainted – pink, yellow, black, blue. He would always throw them to the roadie at the end of show and they weren’t always caught so they’d have to be repaired often. They were hard rock maple, but couldn’t always stand up to that.”

Prince had several other Cloud guitars commissioned over the years, including from Schecter Guitars, who also produced a limited run to be sold to the public during the artist’s ‘Hit and Run’ tour of 2014-15.

However, Prince’s final guitar never had the chance to reach the same status. Created by Simon Farmer of the UK store Gus Guitars in 2007, the Purple Special is quintessentially Prince; however, the artist didn’t even see the instrument until February of 2016 when Farmer received a message from Prince’s former drummer Kirk Johnson.

“I thought it was a bit of a hoax,” said Farmer in an interview with Vanity Fair. “But then after a few correspondences, I realised this was the real thing, the moment I had been waiting for [for] nearly a decade.”

Clearly pleased with the final product, Prince sent out a tweet inviting fans to a gathering at Paisley Park mere days before his death, during which he showed off the Purple Special to the gathered crowd.

Prince was a fan of the Purple Special, so much so that he asked Farmer to design him another instrument. “Prince wanted me to build a black-and-gold bass guitar for him,” said Farmer.

“The Gus G3 Prince bass has been designed to be as compact and lightweight as possible, making it very easy and comfortable to play … But to make the bass truly his, I also planned some Prince-like additions, including purple fibre-optic position markers along the fingerboard that would glow at the flick of a switch.”

Luthier Dave Russan holding the first Cloud guitar

“He [Prince] and Jeff went into the back office and they talked a long time, and then Jeff came down and told me, ‘Prince is going to make a movie. He needs a guitar, and you’re going to make it,’” said Rusan in an interview with Premier Guitar. “And I was like, wow. I didn’t see that coming.”

Sadly, Prince passed away before the bass was finished. Farmer’s Purple Special guitar is reportedly the last guitar Prince owned. Perhaps one day, the Purple Special’s story will become more widespread and the guitar will gain a similar legend status to that of the Cloud.

Whatever the case, both instruments are a true testament to Prince and, according to Rusan in an interview with Alternative Nation, an integral part of his talent.

Prince requested the guitar be designed with inspiration from the bass owned by his childhood friend and former bass player, André Cymone. Cymone can be seen playing the original bass in the clip for ‘Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad’. However, aside from this information, Rusan didn’t receive a great deal of guidance from the famously shy Prince when creating the guitar.

“His main requirements were just that the guitar should be in that shape [of the bass], and it had to be white, and it had to have gold hardware,” said Rusan. “I think he specified he wanted EMG pickups, but compared to all the conversations you would have with somebody about a custom guitar, there wasn’t anything else he wanted to talk about.”

As far as specifications go, the Cloud guitar was made with hard rock maple, a neck-throughbody with 22 frets, and EMG pickups (as requested). It also featured “[a] single-coil in the neck, [which] is the SA Stratocaster model, and the one on the bridge [which] is a model 81 humbucker like you’d put in a Les Paul”. Rusan worked on the guitar for 50–60 hours per week to complete it in time for Purple Rain. Prince was so pleased with the result that he requested two more.

The Cloud guitar – thought to have got its name from the cover art for Prince and the Revolution’s Around the World In A Day, remains an iconic instrument to this day, with the original now on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington DC.

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The Prince Purple Special Guitar. Image credit: Simon Farmer

“Certainly, Prince’s talent and drive were the biggest contributors to his success, but the guitar was a huge part as well,” Rusan says. The guitar is something that becomes very personal. It’s the thing you are playing to affect people’s emotions. It’s not like just having a nice suit on. It’s creating a sound that affects people. It’s very powerful.”

BY JESSICA OVER

21

Advice Columns GUITAR

Exploring Pentatonic Patterns

BASS GUITAR

Practising Further

Further to last month’s focus on patterns and breaking free from standard ideas, I thought we’d push this idea onto probably the most commonly used guitar scale for improvising the minor pentatonic scale. There are lots of standard licks and common phrases played with this scale as it sits comfortably on the guitar – it’s something our ear is used to and has heard many times. Having said that, let’s try and move things around a little.

Figure A takes G Minor pentatonic in an ascending-styled pattern. Of course there’s no one way to articulate this lick, but try using picked notes along with pull-offs and hammer-ons to get a smooth, flowing sound. Economy picking would also work for notes that are on adjacent strings where you can pick in the same direction across them both.

We mentioned the concept of having goals last month and addressing them in your practise routine. These goals can be broad (‘I want to learn to play jazz’) or super specific (‘I want more control in the third finger on my left hand when hammering on’). The important thing is that there is some idea in the first place. Keep a list of these handy so when the bug to practise strikes you know what it is you want or need to practise to achieve this goal. It’ll save a lot of time and get you on track rather than just noodling away, although that does have its place at times too.

ROUTINE

Taking the G Minor idea further, let’s have a look at Figure B. Starting with a 4ths – based idea you can sweep or economy pick across some of the sections with the lick leading to the high Bb and back to G as an ending. Notice that the change of direction (the ascending note) doesn’t start on the beat except for the very first note. Again this is creating an interesting sound to the ear, almost like groups of three notes, but should - or is intended to - be felt and played as straight 16th notes.

As you progress on your instrument you’ll no doubt expand the number of topics you’re working on and typically won’t be able to practise everything in one session as a result.

This is where a structured program can be handy. Group these into sections (such as scales, technique, improvising, repertoire, transcribing and learning new tunes) and rotate through them. You will find that not every topic needs to be always practised in depth your technique portion may be just working on a four note lick that you need to get up to speed, while your repertoire work could be memorising the chord changes to a jazz standard. This idea of having a program keeps all the topics you want to work on in view, yet rotates through them to create an even spread.

JUST DO IT

With any form of practise you really just need to make a start. This can often be the hardest part due to motivation, time and lack of a good rehearsal space, but once you get started everything will fall in line. Have you ever forced yourself to get up early to go to the gym/for a run/walk the dog, hated life as you’re dragging yourself out of bed whilst thinking ‘what the hell am I doing’ – but then 10 minutes into it, felt so much better for doing so? Practise can often be the same. Restrict those distractions and get a start – then things will hopefully flow from there as you focus and get in the groove.

ONE THING AT A TIME

Figure C offers another pattern-based idea, using the first four note group to state an idea and then the following four notes to play a typical descending guitar-styled minor pentatonic lick. Try extending this lick further to see how it plays out across the rest of the fretboard. Many rock and blues players use these type of ideas to create long lines that sound like they’re building in momentum – either ascending, descending, or both. You’re only limited by your technique and creativity here so see what you can come up with. Try other keys, positions and articulations to get different tones.

Don’t forget – a lot of these ideas are taking things that you might already know or have already played but applying them slightly differently to open up new sounds. Often there are little adjustments or takes on existing ideas that can make you sound like you’re playing completely new phrases and licks. Let me know how you go – more of this next month.

BY NICK BROWN

Another handy approach is to break things down into smaller sections. If you want to transcribe a solo, don’t get overwhelmed with the whole form – take the first couple of bars and look at them as a starting point. Work out the rhythm first and then add the notes, or vice-versa. This takes lots of rewinding and listening to the sections repeatedly, which is completely normal. You might make use of a ‘slow downer’ app or the like to make faster passages easy to manage too. Everyone starts somewhere so don’t worry if it takes you half an hour to learn one bar – that’s a start, and the more you do it the quicker the process will become as you get better and better. Of course, if you have minimal transcribing experience, start with something accessible and manageable rather than jumping straight into Victor Wooten playing ‘Giant Steps’. The same goes for technique and scales. Learning and practising scales takes focus and repetition. You need to memorise the notes and make up of the scale, but then also get used to the sound and possible fingerings. This takes time, so work on one scale or one position as a start and give that time to sink in – then you can expand on it when you feel you have a solid understanding.

Most people will have periods in their life where practise time becomes less and less possible, so the need to practise effectively is paramount. I think it’s always better to keep it regular, even for shorter periods, rather than one massive block of practise. Try and squeeze sessions in whenever you can – even if it’s 10 minutes here and there.

BY NICK BROWN

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Advice Columns PERCUSSION

Electric Or Acoustic - What’s The Go? I’m a working drummer and a teacher. I get the question all the time – ‘Are acoustic drums better than electric drums?’ Furthermore, I often get asked, ‘Should I learn on an electric drum kit or an acoustic drum kit?’

Firstly, it’s important to understand what the actual situation is for the particular musician as it’s different for everyone. A brand new student has a unique set of issues - they’ll not yet have developed a technique that may prevent them from controlling their volume when practising; budget issues; and let’s not forget cranky neighbours or even cranky parents that don’t want a whole lot of rocking going on.

The logical choice from a non-musician’s point of view is that the student should get an electric kit. It’s quieter, there’s an option for headphones as well as the ability to plug in an iPhone and just play along. It couldn’t be easier, not to mention the swag of different sounds you can have on an electric kit – anyone that’s had a go on one can’t argue they’re pretty fun.

However, on the other side of the coin are the realities of playing drums. As a musician of any kind you must be able to vary and alter your dynamics/volume and your approach when playing with others; you may not be using headphones when gigging; drum heads simply don’t feel like rubber or even mesh pads and you’ll be playing with real musicians, not recordings.

Now, I’m not saying that playing along with recordings is a bad thing, far from it,

but that little cosy space and vibe with headphones on is pretty different to the big stage. Also, let’s not forget, unless you’re willing to part with some hard earned coin, choices for ‘good’ electric kits become limited, and what’s the point of practising on a rubbish surface all the time?

If you already play the drums, jumping on an electric kit isn’t that drastic a change because you can reference what an acoustic kit feels like. That said, I’ve learned to play licks and tricks on an electric and then don’t have a hope on my Maple Custom.

Why? Because rubber pads make you feel you’re a drumming god and then looser tensioned drumheads won’t rebound in the same way.

Going the other way – say you haven’t played drums before, for example – is very different. You can learn from scratch on an electric kit but you will, and I guarantee this, feel weird when you jump on an acoustic kit. The sheer volume and lack of rebound is the first notable difference and then you notice something else – response.

They say that an electric kit in 2017 can basically replicate an acoustic kit in all areas and I agree that they’re close. But in reality, the true response you get on an

acoustic kit is unmatched. Rimshots, pops and everything in between, the feeling of digging into a bass drum or feeling the ‘give’ in a ride cymbal.

Does this mean I don’t like electronic drums? Far from it - I love the added use of electronics and I’ve experimented with a ‘hybrid’ kit myself. There are some amazing sounds to be had but I still prefer the feel

of a real drum. However, electric kits are just too convenient, so my advice is to do what you have to, but just remember to play acoustic drums whenever possible.

When the time comes and you have to do a jazz set, the electronic ride cymbal just won’t pull at the heart strings like a 22” thin ride.

BY ADRIAN VIOLI

MUTEMATH PLAY DEAD THE HORRORSV “A thrilling snapshot of their future” Evening Standard “V is exactly the record to hurl The Horrors into the proper big time’ The Guardian

08/09/2017 mixdownmag.com.au

22/09/2017 23

Advice Columns Sound advice

How To Clean Your Guitar The simplest and most cost-effective way to ensure your guitar is working like a well-oiled machine is by giving it a good ol’ fashioned clean. Regular cleaning will help combat the grease, grime and sweat that can take its toll on playability and sound quality, with the added benefit of owning a guitar that looks good as new. The key is to follow these tips – because there’s definitely a right way and a wrong way.

STRINGS During this process it’s important to be wary that not all conditioners or oils are made for every guitar. For instance, Planet Waves Hydrate is only for dark fretboards, and not to be used on maple fretboards.

HARDWARE

Correct technique for cleaning guitar strings

Every time you play your guitar natural oils – as well as all sorts of grub and grime – are being transferred from your fingertips onto the strings. Over time this can create a grimey, grubby build-up of dirt that will eat away at your strings, dramatically decreasing their life expectancy, and can even work its way into the pores of your fingerboard.

To put an end to this accumulation of grime, wipe down your strings with a chamois (pronounced ‘shammy’) after every playing session. For the best results pinch a string between your thumb and index finger with the cloth, and run your hold up and down the length of the string.

While ongoing maintenance of strings is an important part of cleaning your guitar, the first step to giving your guitar a total clean from top-to-bottom is the removal of all of your strings. By removing two or three strings at a time, there’s no risk of damaging the neck.

Cleaning your hardware is as much about functionality as it is about looking the part. The salt in sweat can cause corrosion in metal and, in turn, attracts the dirt that jams these moving parts – the gravest consequence of which can be rust. That’s important to avoid, while it’s also nice to play a guitar with hardware that looks as good as new.

For metal parts a dry cloth, toothbrush and a mild jewellery or chrome polish (such as 3-in-One oil or WD-40) will suffice. Best results are achieved by removing the hardware. It’s important to remember that these agents are only safe on metal, so avoid contact with the fretboard and finish.

FINISH

FRETBOARD

#0000 steel wool will rid your fretboard of significant grime

WD-40 & 3-In-One Oil

If using steel wool remember to vacuum up the leftover fibres

Use a rag to apply polish to your guitar’s finish

Cleaning your fretboard once or twice a year is the perfect way to keeping it fresh and play-ready. Any more than that, however, and you risk diminishing the natural moisture absorbed from the oils on your fingertips – a sure way to dry out your fingerboard.

A soft, damp cloth – wrung out to the point of no excess water – can be used to remove surface dust and dirt from the fretboard. For a more significant build up of grime, an exceptionally light dusting with some extra-light #0000 steel wool will do the trick.

When cleaning the finish on your guitar it’s essential to watch out for furnishing polishes, and products that contain d-Limonene, alcohol, solvents, or silicone – all of which will degrade the finish over time.

Start off with a dry cloth and some elbow grease. If this doesn’t get the job done, a slightly wet cloth – wrung out to expel excess water – is an easy way to achieve that desired shine.

In order to prevent miniscule steel wool particles from attaching themselves to the magnets in your pickups, it’s important to cover them up. The careful use of a vacuum is a great way to remove any remaining steel fibres left on the fretboard.

Once or twice a year it’s worth applying a specially formulated polish. Ensure that you squeeze the polish onto a rag and not directly onto the guitar’s surface, after which polishing the top, back and neck of your guitar will result in a consistently glistening finish.

For a deeper clean – one that targets a dried out fretboard or the finest of cracks – use a fretboard conditioner or oil and a toothbrush. Together they allow you to scrub every spot and crevice without damaging the wood or the frets. Finish by removing any gunk and excess conditioner with a paper towel.

BY CHRIS SCOTT

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Advice Columns ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION

The Middle & Sides of Mixing Stereo Signals

Figure A

Figure B

Aside from panning left and right, there’s another way we can separate stereo signals for processing that’s frequently overlooked or not understood by budding amateurs - the middle and sides. Middle is essentially the mono part of a stereo signal - the frequencies that come out of both left and right. Sides are the bits of varying stereo information – the sounds that populate left and right fields only. Separating a track into middle/sides can be both useful for mixing and as a creative tool with a little imagination.

modern electronic music. Using this technique on tracks with mixing and production you’re fond of is also a great educational insight into the producer’s mixing techniques.

A common use for mid/side processing is to EQ a stereo bass line – knocking out the lowend frequencies in the sides to maintain a tight mono feel in the low-end, but retaining some harmonically rich high-frequency ‘fizz’ in the sides.

It’s very simple to hear this mixing technique in effect if we grab a professionally mixed commercial track and jump into your DAW of choice (which for me is Ableton Live). Load up your chosen track and drop an EQ8 on the master (Figure A). Change the EQ8’s mode to M/S (middle/side) then under edit click to change between M and S. In M mode turn on the first filter–change it to lowpass. Slowly turn that filter’s frequency up to maximum and listen to the mono sound disappear. You’ll notice that due to the convention of mixing bass frequencies in mono, the low-end of kickdrums and bass instruments disappear very quickly. However, quite often there’ll be higher harmonic frequencies of those parts left in the sides - especially in

As well as basic M/S EQing for cleaning up your mix, we can also split our signal into two chains in Ableton Live for a mid/side setup that allows for effects and other processing.

The quickest way to do this is by dropping in a Utility module, grouping it with itself to create a chain in the audio effect rack, and duplicating that chain so you now have two chains with just Utility on it. Now, set one chain’s Utility to width: 0% and the other to width: 200% - creating a middle chain and a sides chain (Figure B). It’s best to name each chain here too, before it gets confusing. The resulting summed signal should be exactly what your signal started as, but now we have the ability to apply effects to the sides and middle separately. For example, delays and reverbs work well on the side chain as they’re not muddying up your middle low-end, whereas compression on your mid chain can help to tighten things up further and give your track a sense of focus. It should be noted, however, that if you put stereo effects on your mid chain, they’ll no longer be mono. As with basically everything in Ableton Live, remember to experiment with automation, particularly as stereo effects are a very easy way to mess with people’s heads.

BY MICHAEL CUSACK

LYD

LYD SERIES LYD uses all the knowhow we’ve gained through supplying some of the world’s biggest recording studios with full-on reference monitor systems – and fits it into a pair of compact nearfield speakers.

What if you could use the same technology in your own studio as the major players use in theirs? You can.

Active nearfield studio monitors need to present the unvarnished truth: no colouration, no distortion, no flattery of the music running through them. You need to be able to hear exactly what each thread of the music is doing – so, when it comes to mixing and mastering, you know you can deliver exactly what the artist wants.

LYD 48

INTRODUCING THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE LYD SERIES The 3-way LYD monitor. With its newest addition to the LYD personal reference monitor series, Dynaudio is bringing a new perspective to power and precision for producers and musicians everywhere – with unmatched accuracy at any volume level.

Proudly distributed by Amber Technology sales@ambertech.com.au | 1800 251 367 | www.ambertech.com.au

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Features Getting Prepared For: Integrate LIVE Theatre Returning after a successful 2016 debut, Integrate LIVE Theatre presents a comprehensive three-day program covering the latest in live entertainment technology. The 2017 program has been developed specifically with lighting, staging, and audio in mind, with a range of events targeted at a diverse audience, from those just starting out in the industry to experienced AV professionals.

It all begins with ‘Event Creation – The Secrets to Producing Award-Winning Events’, the first of 12 seminars to be presented at Integrate LIVE 2017. Featuring Andrew Walsh of Accolade and Tiny Good of Showtech, this seminar will look at the entire live event process, from concept development right through to delivery. The two speakers will bring years of expertise to the event thanks to Walsh’s position as a highly regarded director of many major events – including the Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies – and Good’s experience as a renowned head rigger and production manager.

Four other seminars will be held on the first day, including ‘Sound Futures’ with David Claringbold (d&b audiotechnik) and ‘ICoPER Update’ with Tiny Good. ‘Sound Futures’ will explore the human auditory experience, with a focus on how nature and our physical environments may interact with sound technology in the future. Meanwhile, ‘ICoPER Update’ will see Good give an overview of the International Code of Practice for Entertainment Rigging, which is scheduled to be released later this year. The code will outline rigging requirements for different countries, with the seminar focusing on the implications for practitioners and manufacturers in the Asia-Pacific region.

The following day answers more questions on lighting and sound with a particularly useful seminar titled, ‘Getting the Best From Your Sound System’. Hosted by David Jacques of National Audio Systems, the event will advise audiences on how to make the most of PA systems, especially in difficult environments. Jacques will cover everything from sound system design to tuning and optimisation as he shares his knowledge of how to use PA systems effectively.

Once you’ve learned how to optimise your PA, Integrate have set up a panel of industry experts to discuss ‘The Impact of Technology on Lighting Design’. Paul Collision (eleven DESIGN), Marcus Pugh (resolution X), Pete Lynn (Technical Direction Company), Nimrod Weis (ENESS), and John Stanley (Light & Sound Solutions) will join forces to uncover the effects of new technology on lighting design in an effort to answer the question. ‘Is new technology changing the way designers think?’

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The seminar series closes on Thursday with four final events - ‘Electro-Acoustics for Pubs to Parliaments – How to Side-Step Your Acoustical Problems’ will seek to fill the knowledge gap surrounding loudspeakers and acoustics with help from Glenn Leembruggen of Acoustic Directions. Leembruggen will discuss phase interface, modelling, equalisation, listening, and operation among other topics, exploring reasons why amplified sound is often of a lower quality than what can be easily achieved for the same overall cost. The final day will also see Jason Bovaird (Moving Light Productions) advise audiences on how best to approach lighting design in ‘Lighting Design For Theatre’. Bovaird will compare the differences in designs for a wide range of productions from ballet, opera, and musical theatre through to large scale events.

With everything from lighting and staging to pro-audio and AV, mark Integrate LIVE Theatre 2017 on your calendar as an event not to be missed.

By JEssIcA OVER Integrate will take place at the Melbourne convention & Exhibition centre from Tuesday August 29 – Thursday August 31. For more information visit integrate-expo.com.

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Features Getting to Know: Sebatron Audio Since its establishment as a small Melbourne business in 1998, Sebatron Audio has gone on to receive international acclaim for their high quality pro-audio equipment specifically designed for the recording studio, with various units being used in professional studios around the world. With all products being designed and manufactured at the Sebatron assembly plant in Melbourne with parts sourced from global suppliers, mastermind Sebastian F. Sebatron explains what makes his products a cut above the competition.

“What we do is base our design and manufacture around discrete component building, so rather than utilising chips or integrated circuits with hundreds and thousands of transistors, we discretely cut down the excessive components in the core circuit which removes buffer zones and allows the components to communicate better together,” Sebatron says. “I like to use the analogy of food to explain our products; a regular chip is like canned soup, with the excessive transistors acting as preservatives and fats, whereas we make up the soup out of fresh ingredients, resulting in an electronically superior product.”

Sebatron’s current specialty is a range of sophisticated valve preamps and stereo compressors, bringing a distinct flavour to recordings and highlighting the natural sonic nuances lost when using solid state technology. “What you get with valves as opposed to silicon based devices is that they react differently to dynamics,” Sebatron explains. “As the input signal gets louder, the valve has a tendency to compress the signal before it goes into clipping, so you get a really subtle compression which brings out the articulations in different guitar strings, or emphasises specific harmonic qualities in the voice that would otherwise be lost in the loudness of a recording.”

This technology is most prominently used in the Sebatron AXIS-200VU preamp, one of their most popular products, boasting a Class A valve and discrete low noise circuitry to dynamically push the input signal in a manner similar to the way the human ear compresses loud frequencies. “In a Class B amplifier setup, you’d get parts of the positive and negative waves split up and rematched later on, giving you crossover distortion, which is the least musical distortion. Class A valves are the purest for audio design, so the audio signal goes through and remains unaffected, which means you’re more likely to get much smoother harmonic distortion.”

This results in a much more dynamic audio path, which Sebatron attributes to the intricate design of Sebatron Audio equipment. “All Sebatron units make use of high-voltage design which allows for maximum headroom, meaning the clipping points of the audio signal are far higher than the range people typically set their levels to while recording.”

Despite their success with their wide range of studio preamps and compressors, Sebatron says his team is always experimenting with new audio technology for recording equipment, revealing that the company has been extensively researching and designing new filtration technology. “There’s a a new style of four-channel preamp on the way, and a rack-mounted flexible filter we’re working on called Fleque, which is a variable high-pass, low-pass, bandpass and notch filter with a fader as a cutoff frequency control knob,” says Sebatron. “We’re expecting the Fleque rack unit to come out within a month or so, and we’re also working on a desktop version which should come out in three or four months.”

BY WILL BREWSTER

For more information on Sebatron Audio products, see sebatron.com

PowerTools for Studio Professionals

Cherry Picker™ preamp selector

MC3™ monitor controller

Phazer™ phase alignment tool

Plug in your favorite mic and instantly compare between four mic preamps to find the one that best suits the instrument or vocal track. The Cherry Picker features 100% pure copper signal path with gold contact relays for absolute signal integrity. You’ll love the way it improves your workflow and efficiency!

Select between two sets of monitors without adding any form of buffering electronics in between your recording system and monitors. The MC3 features a pure copper connection to eliminate distortion. Turn on or off a sub and adjust the level, collapse the mix to mono and monitor your mix using headphones or ear buds.

Add realism and depth to every instrument! The Phazer is an analog tool that lets you adjust the phase relationship between two sources such as two mics in a room so that the fundamentals arrive at the same time. Think inside and outside the kick drum, top and bottom of snare, or near and far an acoustic guitar.

Proudly distributed by Amber Technology sales@ambertech.com.au | 1800 251 367 | www.ambertech.com.au

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... PowerTools for power players SM

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Features The Alamo With a crack team of veteran engineers – and more boutique and vintage gear than you could poke a stick at – The Alamo looks set to make its mark on the Melbourne music scene, offering premium sound engineering and recording facilities for mates rates.

Since its humble origins in the garage of Sing Sing South expat Tim O’Halloran, The Alamo has evolved into a fully-equipped professional studio setup in the upstairs precinct of World Of Music (also owned by O’Halloran in Brighton East, just 20 kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD).

“Tim had a home studio he’d set up in his garage, and had a heap of gear lying around,” says Daniel Moss, booking manager at The Alamo. “When he took over the store two and a half years ago there was an empty office space upstairs, which he decided to move his studio into.”

While The Alamo is chock full of boutique and vintage pieces of musical equipment, one of its defining features is its monstrous 24 channel Neve V1 Series 24 recording console, with the acquisition of the powerful analogue board proving to be the catalyst for current Alamo studio engineers Dan Caswell and Tyson Fish joining the team two years ago.

“Cas [Dan Caswell] and Tyson acquired the old Neve console from BJB in Sydney which had just shut down - they had a console with no studio and we had a studio with no engineers, so it all came together pretty quickly,” Moss says. “I think the Neve arrived the day after they came on board.”

Offering musicians a tailored mix of analogue and digital technologies, The Alamo currently hosts an insane amount of gear that Moss attributes to their mutual passion for music and the never ending cycle of gear acquisition syndrome. “It’s really just an accumulation of all four of us putting all our gear in together,” Moss says. “Tim’s a drummer, so we’ve got like ten snares, an old Ludwig kind of Beatles kit – there’s heaps of drum gear around.

We’ve also got a vintage ‘60s Mustang, a Rickenbacker 330, and a short-scale Danelectro Shorthorn bass which sounds really cool. Our guitar pedal collection also seems to be growing by the day; we literally had two new pedals arrive this morning.”

While The Alamo currently relies on Pro Tools for practicality and an intuitive recording experience, there’s still a heap of outboard recording gear at their disposal, with Moss name – checking two API Preamps, a Thermionic Culture Vulture Tube Distortion, two Empirical Labs EL8X Distressors, a Roland RE-201 Space Echo, and a G-Series Bus Compressor as being highlights of the recording setup, stressing The Alamo’s mission for studio authenticity.

“Plugins are great, but having the real thing makes all the difference,” says Moss.

Damien Gerard Studios Damien Gerard Studios began life back in 1982 and just three years later, Marshall Cullen would come onboard as co-owner. Since then, Cullen has continued to pilot the studio towards a reputation that has welcomed the likes of Jack Endino (engineer for a little band called Nirvana), Randy Jackson, and even John Denver. Such a mixedbag is testament to not only their strength, but versatility.

“Even from day one, we treated the demos as if they were releases, and that’s always been the ethos,” Cullen says. “It’s always been really skilled engineers who are passionate about what they do, everyday.

From a musician’s point of view, it might take half a day to make a great guitar sound that they’re happy with. Here, they can come in, trust the engineer, and within a few minutes they might have this great sound they can move forward with to get their tracks done. We’ve had a lot of people come to us for the speed of the work flow. It’s what we do.”

While some remarkable bands have recorded at Damien Gerard, Cullen is emphatic that the services they offer aren’t out of reach for rising performers. For

“One thing we’re really conscious about is trying to make a recording studio that’s affordable for independent artists. It’s easy enough to do it yourself, but there’s an experience with being in a studio that’s a really important part of it as well. You can have all the gear in the world, but getting into the room with the right people who can understand the sound you’re going for and empathise with your situation is the most important thing, really.”

BY WIll BREWSTER The Alamo is located at 909 Nepean Highway, Victoria.

For more information, check out www.thealamo.com.au

Benchmark Mastering

emerging talent, the time and energy that can be saved by reaching out to Cullen is almost as strong as the final product.

“As a young songwriter, you have to write the song, be your own engineer and producer, be your own mastering guy.

It’s a tough call to do all that yourself and come out with a really good product.

Some of them will succeed, sure. But a lot will get halfway through that and think, ‘It’d be good just to get another set of ears on this to tell me what I’m doing.’ So we start with a single package, which then moves up to five or seven day deals for EPs depending on detail, and then an album package which is about 15 days. We spend lots of time really honing in, making sure there are plenty of mix options. We want to go deep, rather than just tear through songs to get them done.”

BY ADAM NORRIS Damien Gerard Studios are located at 174 Mullens Street, Balmain, New South Wales. For more information visit damiengerard.com.au.

Spend over fourty years committed to any activity and you’re going to become an expert. By then you’ve mastered the breadth of your discipline, but what elevates you from others isn’t your technical wizardry – it’s the passion for what you do, and what you hear when people come to you with their musical heart on their sleeve. That’s what has made Don Bartley at Benchmark Mastering so respected and, contrary to envious reports, he’s still kicking.

“I haven’t retired,” Bartley insists, chuckling. “The rumourmongers have been busy. I often have people ringing up and sounding surprised; they were told I’d retired. No, no. I’m still going strong.”

Part of that strength is the individual approach he has taken from artists as renowned (and disparate) as Alanis Morissette, Metallica, and Regurgitator.

“Because of my experience working with those kinds of people, I’ve learnt a lot,” Bartley says. “They’ve taught me not just what they want to hear, but the reasons for it. They might talk in colours, totally non-technical terminology, but I know what they mean. I remember working on

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something with Regurgitator, and Quan said to me, ‘Can you make it sound like a big, fat, soggy marshmallow?’ I knew exactly what he meant. It’s what you’ve got to do if you’re a mastering engineer. You’ve got to listen to why they wrote the song, what they expect to get out of it. Knowing what’s required – that’s the thing I’m most proud of.”

It isn’t just knowledge that Bartley has accumulated over the decades. He also has some fairly enviable gear at his (and your) disposal.

“I’m about analogue processing, which I believe is the only way to master,” Bartley says. “I’ve got top of the range compressors and equalisers, I’ve got very nice analogue to digital converters. I use tape a lot. It goes back to art. I don’t let technology tell me what to do – that’s my approach. I’m not a musician, I’m a listener, and that’s what people seem to appreciate about me the most – that I’m listening to the whole thing.”

BY ADAM NORRIS Benchmark Mastery are located at 4 Maxwell Place, Blaxland, New South Wales. For more information visit benchamrkmastering.com mixdownmag.com.au

Product Reviews

SPARK SL BLUE MICROPHONES SL Microphone Range Amber Technology | ambertech.com.au | Expect To Pay: Spark SL: $349 | Bluebird SL: $529 | Baby Bottle SL: $729

The new SL range of microphones from Blue takes a very distinct look at three sounds of condenser microphones. The three models in the range are the Spark SL, Bluebird SL and Baby Bottle SL. Each has a particular price point covered as well as capturing a certain sound and style.

Ultimately (for those of you able to do so) owning all three would be an ideal solution for a plethora of vocal and instrument applications, and would certainly make a very solid foundation for a serious microphone collection to cover a range of genres, styles and recording applications.

The maroon–coloured microphone in the collection and the lowest of the three as far as price goes. Don’t let the price difference put you off – this is still a very usable mic for any number of applications. I can see this performing equally as well for acoustic guitars as for spoken word recordings.

When you want clarity and definition, the Spark SL doesn’t go colouring the sound in any distinct way. It simply delivers a clear and concise sound with just a few controls to tame the source. A 100Hz high pass filter allows you to remove any unwanted rumble when recording vocals and a 20dB pad allows you to use the Spark SL with high sound pressure levels like drums and percussion. Hand percussion like congas and bongos would happily sing through a microphone like this and wouldn’t present any issues with unwanted popping or overdriving of the capsule.

BLUEBIRD SL This microphone is specifically designed to produce a very modern, almost hi-fi sound that is clean and crisp for articulate instrument applications. It’s a large diaphragm condenser, but it behaves more like a small diaphragm, highly-directional microphone. It is ideal for getting added dynamic response from acoustic guitars and pianos, and I just know it would take the skin off your nose with a horn section in front of it. If you are looking for clarity and punch in your recordings without having to run the source at high volumes, this is the Blue microphone for the task. It also makes an ideal alternative for a vocal microphone when several vocal tracks are used in one song and you want each to stand out from one another. As with any good microphone collection, the SL range offers some real diversity that allows you to multitrack single sound sources with different capsules for varying results. The Bluebird SL is the perfect microphone for doubling up your takes with when looking to add some sparkle to the mix.

BABY BOTTLE SL Last but not least is the dark blue model – the dark horse in the range – which is undoubtedly my favourite of the three.

The Baby Bottle SL is the one that really tries to capture a sound of a bygone era with a classic warmth to its sound. Dark in colour and dark in tone, it still offers some lovely sparkling high frequencies, but is certainly dominated by the rich mid-range and lower-mid frequencies that define this classic sounding unit. This is going to be the go-to vocal microphone for many users simply because it sounds like it is far more expensive than it actually is. Whether it’s on vocals, a valve guitar amp, piano, acoustic guitar or strings of any sort, you can expect a timeless sound from this microphone.

BY ROB GEE HITS • You’ll want all three mics • All quality builds • Great price points MISSES • You’ll want all three

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Product Reviews

FENDER In Ear Monitor Range Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au | RRP: DXA1 - $199 | CXA1 - $269 | FXA2 - $399 | FXA5 - $599 | FXA6 - $799 | FXA7 - $999 | FXA9 - $2499

Someone over at Fender HQ clearly has a bee in his or her bonnet. The most universally acknowledged instrument maker on the planet has released several new lines of products in the last six months to a year, all of which harbor allusions to an underlying theme; one of absolute professionalism.

Leo’s descendants shelved their Standard and Blacktop series of guitars and basses a few months ago in favour of the new American Professional range, which offers a cleaned up, no nonsense rendering of their most unanimously sought after builds. Last issue I reviewed the P Bass from this line and was struck by how distinctly sturdy and work-ready it felt in my hands. All of their attention lately seems aimed at the modern working musician whose needs do not include many bells and whistles than many others’ can be. Aside from the instruments themselves, Fender’s next logical step is to offer some of the most stage friendly designs they’ve ever come up with: the FXA, CXA and DXA series of in-ear monitors.

First off, let’s examine how an IEM differs from your bog-standard, run-of-the-mill ear bud. For one thing, just as with studio monitoring, there is a very real need for a drastic increase in frequency response.

Secondly, the unit needs to be able to block out the outside world in order to make good use of said response. Where even a top tier, hi-fi style headphone might

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have a considerable enough range, usually between 50Hz and 20kHz with a particular focus around the 10-15kHz mark for the sake of vocals and melodic instruments, a performing musician will often need to venture a little outside this perimeter and pay more or less attention to the high-mids.

Fender’s new IEM designs offer an extended 6Hz to 23kHz of crisp, clear and colourful field with enough headroom in the 9.25mm precision rare-earth or armature drivers (model dependent) that you could just about hear the whole spectrum in one track before any break up occurs. With 22dB of attenuation afforded by the medical-grade silicon form-fit sleeves, there is so little spill that you’d be forgiven for thinking you were in the studio even on the loudest of stages.

Another key ingredient to the success of any IEM design is how comfortable and unobtrusive any of these units are when perched atop your lobes. I’ve tried a few IEMs of varying qualities in the past and one thing that keeps coming up, particularly at the cheaper end of the spectrum, is the unavoidable seam that is the belly-button of injection molded, plastic chassis. In some instances, this omnipresent border between pleasure and pain has been the only thing that turned me off a unit insomuch as the irritation was realistically too much to be ignored when performance is paramount. 3D printing solves this problem with ease and grace as each of Fender’s units are printed

from hard wearing and extremely lightweight plastics, making them so invisible that you’d forget you’re wired at all save for the clearas-a-bell signal sailing down the line.

Designed and hand assembled in Nashville, Tennessee, I had the chance to sit with the whole range. To be perfectly frank, all seven iterations are so impeccably put together that, aside from the differing shapes, sizes and pearloid colour variants, the difference between any of them is negligible. Starting at the entry point to the range, the FXA2, there is an incredibly air filled and clear-asday sonic quality, which increases in nuance and fleetness as you advance up each rung.

Simply put, every tier of the Fender IEM ladder will perform the task assigned to them with grace and aplomb, delivering a simple yet entirely functional version of your mix to your skull without impacting your performance in any way other than affording you some much sought after focus.

BY LUKE SHIELDS HITS • Comfortable and durable design • A crystal clear frequency response MISSES • Each tier is so close to the next it’s difficult to choose between them

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Product Reviews MXL DX-2 Dual Diaphragm Dynamic Microphone Innovative Music | innovativemusic.com.au | RRP: $349

capsules to find the perfect balance for you combination of amplifier, pedals and guitar.

One side greatly opens up the EQ range and delivers noticeably lower end to the sound, the other focuses the mid-range to a point that undoes a lot of the scooped EQs on a lot of amplifiers. Finding the balance is going to be a personal thing, and this is why MXL made this microphone, so you can get the sound you want from you amp to truly represent what you want out the front. There is no point spending a lot of money to have a great stage sound if the audience doesn’t hear it. The DX-2 will help you get your sound heard, the way you want it heard.

I have always grumbled about guitarists who spend so much money on not only their guitar, but their amp, valves, speakers, effects, cables and haircuts all in an effort to chase that perfect tone. Funnily enough, so many of these players forget about this all important tone once it leaves their amp’s speakers and don’t concern themselves with how it gets to the audience. Why even bother if you are going to let it get ruined with the character of a beaten up old microphone that some engineer puts in front of your cabinet. Every guitarist should care about the microphone used on their guitar sound and so, it would make sense that every guitarist should get the right microphone to retain their tone.

As it is often hard to pin the right guitar tone with just one microphone, MXL have created the DX-2, a dual diaphragm cardioid dynamic microphone for just this purpose.

Both capsules are mounted in a side address fashion so you can simply hang the microphone over you amp, removing one microphone stand from an already crowded stage and placing the capsules in the right proximity to the speaker for them to work effectively. The first capsule is a little larger than the second and so offers a wider range

BY ROB GEE

of sound with more bottom end and a high frequency bite that is ideal with both clean and overdriven sound. The second capsule is slightly smaller and has a more focused, mid-centric tone that pushes a guitar sound forward in the mix.

Just as most guitars offer the ability to choose between the tones from the different pickups, the DX-2 allows you to choose between the two capsules. But it is not just an On/Off situation, as a completely variable knob allows you to blend between the two

HITS • Variable tone control • Dual capsule for different guitar and amp combinations • Side address for easy placement on crowded stages MISSES • It’s yet another tone adjustment for guitarists to endlessly ponder

SONOR SQ1 Drum Kit Drum Partner/Music Partner | drumpartner.com.au | Expect To Pay: Shell Pack: $4999 – Snare: $1099

Sonor drums have gone to a lot of trouble to work out what they wanted with their new SQ1 kit. In consultation with some of their biggest endorsees such as Chris Coleman combined with blindfold sound tests, the designers made the conscious decision to make a new line of drums featuring an all European Birch shell.

Sonor don’t currently have a birch option in their line up, so the SQ1 offers a unique alternative to the ever-popular maple.

Enter the new ‘Made in Germany’ SQ1.

Features on the SQ1 include 10mm bass drum shells with their own unique bass drum hoops (more on this later) and 7ply/7mm toms/snare drums. All drums feature a low-contact 45-degree bearing edge and Sonor’s Cross Lamination Tension Free (CLTF) construction for increased strength and longevity, as well as a slightly narrower outer edge (Optimum Shell Measurement) enabling the drumhead to ‘float’ a little more with easier tuning.

You get the same bass drum legs and lugs from the SQ2, too. A brand new Sound Sustainer mounting system eliminates any metal-to-wood contact on the toms and floor toms through the use of rubber lining and bushings. This idea is actually adopted from the auto industry by stabilising motors through mounts in the engine bay.

The new mounts do away with a full rimstyle system and as such, provide a much cleaner look and lighter shells.

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Sonor’s Safe Tune lugs and bass drum claws come as standard along with Remo heads, but it’s the finishes – inspired by hot rods of the ‘60s – that really catch the eye. I got to try a 20x16, 12x8 and 14x13 configuration with a 14x5.5 snare. The drums look fantastic with clean lines and stunning hardware that really allow your eye to follow the details around the kit. There are four matte – only finishes available and each feature unique bass drum hoops. GT Black and Hot Rod Red have natural beech hoops, Roadster Green and Cruiser Blue get natural Walnut hoops. All stand out against the primary colour and create a very striking effect. The kit I tried was the Cruiser Blue – a cool aqua/blue colour and probably my pick of the four.

Configurations only come as standard three-piece sets (bass drum, rack tom and floor tom). There’s the smaller set up that I tried; a more standard 22/12/16; or a larger 24/13/16 if your tastes so desire. The birch shell is a great starting point, but simplicity in design and choice accompany this. The SQ2 might allow you to alter every single detail but sometimes too much choice is simply too much. Pick a basic three-piece set and Sonor allow you to then add drums as you need – snare being a good start.

How do the drums sound? Really good, people. Sonor claims that Birch was the clear choice for a better bass response and more balanced mids/highs. I can see what they meant because the drums behave

themselves very well. With absolutely no dampening and combined with clever construction, the drums were a breeze to tune; the resulting tone slightly dry and very focused. There’s some attack and definite sustain but there aren’t the crazy overtones you might expect that immediately make you hunt for dampening.

Instead, you get a pleasing tone at any tuning range with an openness that makes you want to use a lighter head, because that slight dryness controls the sound. In the mix with the band, the toms sound a little EQ’d even. I think the natural properties of Birch is the reason some drummers have used drums like this for studio work over the years.

The bass drum had the same qualities as the toms too – increased low end and nice punch. I loved the response at lower volumes – balanced and musical. The 14x5.5” snare I tried (available separately) was just killer too. Heaps of volume and

crack, but with that ever present low range frequency the rest of the kit features. I’ve been using metal snares for years now but the warmth and grunt that this snare has just rocks. All drums – whether tuned up or down – sounded great, and it is here that Sonor have smashed it. Clean, simple drums made to a high standard with easy configurations that tune awesomely and sound killer. What more do you want?

BY ADRIAN VIOLI HITS • Focused and punchy sound with increased low-end • Simple, clean and quality construction • Wide tuning range MISSES • Tune safe lugs, while effective, make fast head changes difficult • No bass drum tom mount option mixdownmag.com.au

MK 4 digital

Studio sound to go.

The MK 4 digital combines the warmth and detail of a true condenser microphone with the simplicity of a digital solution.

With high-quality Apogee A/D conversion and mic preamp technology, the MK 4 digital connects directly to iOS devices and laptops.

Unrivalled studio sound is now available anywhere.

Connects directly to iPhone速, iPad速, iPod touch速, Mac速, PC

Product Reviews TC-ELECTRONIC PolyTune 3 Tuner Amber Technology | ambertech.com.au | Expect To Pay: $219

Once upon a time, tuners were the unsexiest device in a guitarist’s kit bag.

Even cables got more glory: “Dude, check out this $200 cable. Listen to all the handling noise you’re not hearing.” But then TC-Electronic came out with the original PolyTune and shook everything up.

Here was a tuner that could listen to all six strings at once and tell you exactly how far up or down you needed to adjust each one.

It was genius. It still is. the one stone as far as your signal chain management goes. The tuning accuracy is within 0.5 percent in chromatic mode, and the strobe mode gives you plus or minus 0.1 percent accuracy, which is ridiculously precise, and a great asset for when you’re intonating your guitar. And the tuner automatically switches between polyphonic and monophonic tuning modes based on how many strings you play.

TC-Electronic have continued to work with the PolyTune format. There’s the PolyTune 2 Mini, which shrinks the original concept down into a more space-conscious format.

The PolyTune 2 Clip is a clip-on tuner that lives on your guitar’s headstock and gives you the same handy functionality as its big brothers. You would think that when it comes to tuners, TC have pretty much got everything covered. Right? Well, meet PolyTune 3.

PolyTune 3 builds on the feature set of the original pedal, with multiple tuning modes including polyphonic, chromatic, ultra-precise strobe mode and the ability to store alternate tunings. But it ups the stakes with the inclusion of TC’s acclaimed BonaFide Buffer. If you’re unfamiliar with what a buffer does, here’s the short version: it’s an electronic circuit that ensures that your signal stays strong over

BY PETER HODGSON long cable runs or complex pedal setups, and a good one will open up the edges of your tone just that little bit more. If you’re using a bunch of true bypass pedals, a buffer will help your signal to stay strong even as it runs through all those dang patch cables. It’ll prevent high-end signal loss and squishy dynamic range. It’s a very good thing. The BonaFide Buffer has a 1 MΩ input, 100 Ω output and extremely high >112dB signal to noise ratio.

PolyTune 3 has a super-bright 109-LED display with an ambient light detector that automatically adjusts the intensity to provide the perfect readout regardless of where you are. TC-Electronic has also included the ability to switch between buffer and true bypass modes, the idea being that the buffer model lets you keep the tuner in full operation even when your signal is not muted. It’s an elegant solution to killing two birds with

HITS • Great-sounding buffer makes life easier • Excellent readability in a variety of environment MISSES • No seven-string mode for us low-end denizens

CUSACK MUSIC Tap-A-Delay Pedal Maniac Music Factory | maniacmusicfactory.com

Cusack Music have been building pedals and amps out of Michigan since 2002. Many of you might have seen/tried/heard the Tap-A-Whirl tap tempo Tremolo which has graced more than few pedal boards around the globe. Following the Tap tempo path (and Tap name), the Tap-A-Delay offers up to 750ms of delay with a range of features for some old school analogue sounding goodness. ‘This isn’t your clean studio quality digital delay with perfect repeats,’ reads the Cusack spiel.

In a hip foamy green coloured casing with a slick selection of fonts, the T-A-D has two footswitches of the soft switch variety for bypass and tap speed. Left to right the controls then feature level, mix, feedback, delay and mod with mini toggle switches for brake mode and divide (more on these soon). Top mounted jacks handle the I/O with input/output jacks, power inlet (9VDC) and an RCA External Tap connection. This little beauty can either handle an external footswitch to control the Cusack’s Tap Tempo or run to another tap featured pedal and be controlled via the Tap-A Delay. Quite spiffy indeed.

Starting clean, I dialled in a straight up slap back to add some body – great for country, indie, rock, and for fattening guitar parts. Add some more repeats into 34

the mix and you’ll have warmer ambient sounds that can colour big open chords or single note lines, or add that big rock solo vibe to dirty tones. Of course you can tap to set tempos (and you get a visual display of the tempo set via the blinking LED), which is great for matching parts mid song or in the studio. The modulation gets you vibey chewiness at lower settings right through to seasick warble and craziness at the maximum. Adding more possibilities, the Tap switch also has a Brake function when held down. This gives you ramping

up or slowing down effects with the ability to either ‘Snap’ back to the previous tempo when released, slowly ‘Drift’ back to the previous tempo, or change direction when in the ‘Stay’ mode. In short, there are a heap of options that should satisfy a lot of delay pedal junkies.

Delay pedals are a much used part of a guitarist’s arsenal and accordingly players are pretty picky with sounds and specs. The vintage analogue vibe is typically a winner and the Tap-A-Delay delivers in that realm.

Obviously the tap function is handy, but the Modulation and Brake functions really add some breadth to the pedal and broaden the delay palette. The updated Cusack branding looks cool and a special mention should be made for the included goodies (badges, stickers and a stubby holder).

All these combine to add an extra special touch to a good sounding delay pedal.

BY NICK BROWN HITS • Plenty of options • Vintage analogue tone MISSES • Nothing mixdownmag.com.au

Product Reviews SAMSON QU2 Recording & Podcasting Pack Electric Factory | elfa.com.au | Expect To Pay: $179

It’s been some time since we were introduced to the idea of podcasting, and with the growth of the medium so too has there been growth in the technology. There is now no reason why anyone should be recording YouTube videos, podcasts or web interviews with just the inbuilt microphone on your computer or tablet. In this day and age, when sound quality is so important, you need to use a microphone that will help ensure you are heard clearly, be it just spoken voice or for instrumental and singing uses too. With that in mind the QU2 Recording and Podcasting Pack from Samson is certainly worth considering anyone with a limited budget that require a high quality audio recording.

At first glance this appears to be just another handheld microphone. And let’s face it - that is exactly what the QU2 is, on the surface at least. Sure, you can use this as a regular, run-of-the-mill handheld dynamic microphone. It’s got a fairly rugged build and a decent internal suspension system for the capsule, so there isn’t too much handling noise. If that’s all you needed it for, then yes, it will certainly do the job well enough.

But, there are a few more tricks up its sleeve, as the QU2 has been designed to work in a range of situations. If you don’t have a mixer or interface with an XLR input to a microphone preamp,

the included USB cable and monitor your recording from the microphone itself via the inbuilt headphone output on a 3.5mm stereo jack. Volume control is found on two buttons at the base of the microphone, right next to the headphone output, making it an ideal solution for recording on the go when you just want a microphone, a pair of earphones and your laptop. Maybe you’re not going to find the same quality as would be achieved with a studio condenser microphone, but at the same time, it does not attract the same price tag, nor does it require the added preamp and suspension mount that a condenser would. Packaged with XLR and USB cables, along with a desktop stand and foam pop filter, the QU2 is ready to go right out of the box. Why not improve your voice for both video and audio with very little investment and a simple setup?

By roB gee

many stage microphones will be useless to you. The QU2 negates the need for a separate interface with its own built-in USB interface ready for a plug-and-play setup on a table or laptop computer. It is ready to deliver with just about any setup, combined with just about any array of peripherals you may have on offer.

If you need to quickly record an interview, or even a vocal take for a song, you can get the QU2 running into your computer in no time with or without the need of any external hardware. Combined with an existing interface and preamp, you’re able to run off the XLR output, but foregoing this option, you can simply connect via

HITS • Simple, easy to use and portable • Ready for use with a range of setups MISSeS • Slightly limited range of uses but it does what it’s designed for

AudiO-TechNicA AE2300 Instrument Microphone Audio-Technica Australia | audio-technica.com.au | Expect To Pay: $499

With such a wide selection of dynamic vocal microphones available for both stage and studio, it seems that the humble instrument microphone often gets overlooked. Yet it is just as important as the bold and proud vocal microphone that gets all the attention. One might even say that instrument microphones are more important, as they deliver most of the sound to the audience from the stage. Maybe it is time to reconsider what you use for your brass, percussion, and especially guitar cabinets, when looking for a microphone option. Don’t just settle for a spare vocal microphone; a dedicated choice like the Audio-Technica AE2300 is what your sound deserves.

It’s amazing how many guitarists spend countless dollars trying to perfect their tone, yet when they get on stage they are happy for the sound guy to use any old microphone to get that sound into the PA system. Once you have found your sound, why not give it the continued signal path that it deserves? That is where the Audio-Technica AE2300 is going to change the way you think about your live sound. Firstly, it is more than happy to take a pelting with extremely high sound pressure levels, so you can run it right up 36

to the speaker on any amp and not worry about it breaking up at all. And that is what it’s all about – working well when the volume is up. You still get a beautiful clarity and pristine capture of your amplifier’s tone, so much so that there will be nowhere for you to hide any faults in your playing; the audience will hear it all.

HITS • Very compact, extremely rugged build • Handles high SPLs with ease • Big, bold and punchy sound MISSeS • I wish I had found these sooner

This microphone is built with the quality that I have come to expect of AudioTechnica microphones over the years. It is simple and solid in design, yet gets the job done. The clever addition of a low pass filter set around 6 kHz allows you to pull back any hissing or sizzle that might come from a noisy guitar amp when running at high volumes and high gain settings. It delivers a clear and focused sound, without any environmental noise, so it is perfect for loud stages where separation of sound is critical. You will hear the difference in your fold-back and the audience will hear the difference out the front. Put simply, you guitar rig deserves a microphone like this in front of it.

By roB gee

mixdownmag.com.au

Product Reviews STRAUSS Street Box Busker Amplifier Jade Australia | jadeaustralia.com.au | Expect To Pay: $499

Back on the scene for the last few years, Strauss have released a range of heads and combos, mostly in classic low wattage valve type configurations, resurrecting a part of Australian music heritage.

Branching off to cater for some additional musical situations, they have recently announced the arrival of the Street Box rechargeable busker amp. With portability in mind, this little fella could be a grab and go for outdoor work or interesting logistical setups where power and typical arrangements aren’t possible.

The Street Box is a rechargeable 15 watt amp with inputs for guitar, mix and auxiliary devices. The Mic section has controls for colume, tone and echo whilst the guitar input is serviced by a three-band EQ (treble, middle, bass), gain, volume and effects section (with delay, reverb, flanger, phaser, chorus and tremolo). Furthermore, there are eight amp simulations ranging from acoustic to clean to heavier overdrive tones.

The aux in has a separate level control alongside a bass boost function and a five mode preset EQ setting. Speaker-wise the SB runs two 5.25” drivers with the cab having a slight wedge design to it, meaning you can tilt it back for some extra spread. The overall package is fairly lightweight and manageable, making it an easy solution to carry into gigs and sit on the back seat of the car.

A handy portable unit, the Street Box offers quite a bit for not a lot of cash. Small busking gigs, outdoor sound reinforcement, MC duties, acoustic guitar and backing track gigs – the list goes on. I’d be interested to see the full battery life of the Street Box, but the rechargeable factor is a big tick for outdoor busking/moving musicians. Full of tweaking possibilities, this Strauss is worth a listen if you’re in the market for a battery powered, portable amp.

With a hefty amount of tone tweaking available, you can treat your guitar input straight up like an amp, with basic EQ’ing and some ‘verb. The amp simulations add some warmth and character, which are a nice addition for a solid state unit that some may think lacks the warmth and body of valves. I found the effects to be usable and not too crazy, with the premise that you’d typically keep things simple rather

than using flanger and delay all the time, for example. Running both a mic and guitar pushes the Street Box a little, but there’s enough clean headroom to get a vibe going and of course this isn’t intended as a be-all monster live system. Having said that, you can easily get a working performance sound, and the portability factor really lets you make it work by sitting it on the ground, up on a stand or angled to best suit.

BY NICK BROWN HITS • Rechargeable battery • Portability and convenient scale MISSES • Lacks the warmth of valve amps

LEWITT AUDIO DTP 640 REX Kick Drum Microphone Electric Factory | elfa.com.au | Expect To Pay: $499

The Lewitt DTP 640 REX is one microphone that many live and studio engineers are going to want to get a look at and, more importantly, a listen to. Packaging two microphones in one? Well, why not?

Packaged with the unit is a split XLR cable, with a single female five-pin XLR on one end and a pair of male 3-pin XLRS on the other. You assume right away that you are dealing with a stereo microphone, but this is designed for a kick drum, so that idea doesn’t make sense. Taking off the grill revealed the two very different capsules mounted side by side for a phase coherent audio capture. This is, in essence, two very unique drum microphones housed within the one casing to allow you to get the most from your kick drum sound. Think about it – how often have you thought that a little extra boom would be nice from the kick? Or perhaps, with all the bottom end accounted for, you want more snap and punch from the drum head? One microphone usually doesn’t give you all that with a comfortable balance, but the DTP 640 REX is not just one microphone.

What you get is two very different sounds from your kick drum, fed into two separate channels on your mixing console. This means you can have more thump, more 38

snap and overall added punch to your kick sound. You are left to mix the two outputs to suit your needs and to better fit in the mix. This is ideal for live setups when you need extra control and don’t want to have additional mics on the kit. It’s even better for studio recording, where you can always have an extra microphone capsule on any source for the added ease of mixing later on. One capsule, the condenser requiring phantom power, which certainly delivers the snap, with a crisp mid frequency response and super-fast

transient response. The other dynamic capsule brings the bottom end that you want in a kick drum, without sounding too flat and lifeless. The two combined result in a lively drum sound that you would be very hard-pressed to find with just one single microphone. The overall result is a detailed kick in the arse that lets your drummer make his or her presence felt in a solid fashion.

HITS • One housing for two microphones • Great variety of tone MISSES • Zilch

BY ROB GEE mixdownmag.com.au

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Product Reviews YAMAHA HPH MT5 and MT8 Headphones Yamaha Music Australia | au.yamaha.com | Expect To Pay: MT5: $199.99 | MT8: $299.99

Headphones have come a long way. The quality, detail, clarity, weight, comfort factor and portability make them usable and appropriate for a range of functions and work as anything from serious studio reference tools to portable music player add-ons and even fashion items. Whilst small bud sized in ear headphones are great for some applications, the over ear enclosed designs have continued to be a mainstay in the professional music arena and had a huge resurgence with the general music playing public. Yamaha are seemingly always at the forefront of music gear design and research, and they’ve released some new models under the HPH range to suit a range of budgets.

Starting out the HPH range, the MT5 are a closed back, over ear design that are lightweight (250g) and feature a folding arm design that allows you to tuck the headphones into a smaller footprint for portability and storage. A frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz provides quite a detailed range whilst offering good isolation for focused listening. Jumping to the top of the range in this series, the MT8 includes custom 45mm drivers and an increased frequency response from 15Hz to 28kHz. Both models come in classic black with silver coloured highlights and are aimed at a range of purposes from personal listening to media and studio work.

Out of the box, both pairs looked clean and sleek with classic stylings and some modern understated flair. The synthetic leather ear pads feel soft and Yamaha are quick to point out they are comfortable and designed to alleviate fatigue as much as possible. They definitely feel lightweight as a starting point, and both models offer a fair amount of adjustment. In terms of sound, these Yamaha’s seemed clear and detailed with the MT8s offering some added frequency range and fidelity. I could see either of these models being great for personal music listening and multimedia work, but also good studio headphones for tracking, playback and reference. The ease and prevalence of home recording these days also warrants good headphones and these wont drain your bank account.

It makes sense that these are high quality thanks to the huge amount of experience and know-how Yamaha have in the tech and music industries. At their respective price points, both the MT5 and MT8 are seriously good value with many other brands charging more but offering less in terms of quality and sound. I’d be interested to see how they fare long term from a comfort perspective, but knowing Yamaha, I bet they’re great.

BY NICK BROWN

HITS • Stylish • Comfortable • Detailed sound • Isolation MISSES • Niente

STERLING BY MUSIC MAN John Petrucci Majesty MAJ100 CMC Music | cmcmusic.com.au | Expect To Pay: $2495

For better or worse, at some stage or another any guitarist who’s ever seen, let alone bothered practising, their scales and modes has heard of the king of progressive shredding, the one and only, Mr. John Petrucci. As the lightning fast, melodic brain behind Dream Theater, he has been object of so many ‘woah’s over the course of his career that he puts even Keanu Reeves to shame. His long standing tenure as one of Ernie Ball Music Man’s most revered signature artists shows no sign of slowing down and as such it stands to reason that Sterling bring out their very own version of his Excalibur, The Majesty MAJ100.

There is no mistaking that this guitar is built for one purpose and one purpose only. With its unprecedented access to all 24 frets, high-output active pickup system and sleekly futuristic aesthetic, the moment you pick it up there’s naught else to do but sweep up and down the neck as fast as your fingers will carry you. The spec sheet is a hand picked hit list of features designed to pitch you towards the speed of sound. The neck is set through the body, headstock at a sharp angle for extra tension, truss-rod adjustment wheel recessed just past the neck joint, the tremolo arm dives octaves deep only to land you back in tune and on dry land, and there’s a push/pull volume pot with 12dB of pure boosted heat for when your 12 minute solo needs that little something extra. The featherweight basswood body is finished with a high octane, racing 40

inspired, frosted satin finish that almost makes you want to hang it on the wall next to an image of Michael Schumacher. One of the most original design features I’ve seen in a while is the recessed three-way switching system poking out just beyond the surface of the faceplate, which is a great way of avoiding unintentionally slapping over to the bridge pickup in one of your more tender moments.

While it may be pitched squarely at those of us more likely to get into arguments about Metallica’s best work than Murakami’s, Sterling’s Majesty is by no means a one trick pony. Its active pickups not only provide some much needed heat to the signal, but they also

add a pinch of natural compression that evens out your playing nicely; something jazz fusion players will find particularly useful. Equally, they have an EQ sweep that far outreaches most of their passive counterparts rendering the guitar perfect for drop and alternate tunings,from C standard and beyond. Sure it has its eyes firmly fixed on the fastest gun in the west, but if you believe that tone is all in the fingers then you’ll revel in the versatility and responsive nature of this beast.

In all honesty, Petrucci’s work has never been my cup of tea. There’s something about the competitive nature of noodling in general that seems affected and insincere. There is

no denying, however, that some of the design innovations that have sprung forth from genies like Malmsteen (scalloped frets), Van Halen (dive-bombing and tapping techniques) et al. have been among the most playable steps into the future. The Majesty is a prime example of three decades of lightning fast thinking and with Sterling rendering it within the reach of just about every wallet in the western world, there is sure to be repercussions in generations to come.

BY LUKE SHIELDS HITS • Super fast and sturdy action • Juiced up yet versatile tone MISSES • Aesthetically not everyone’s cup of tea mixdownmag.com.au

Product Reviews FENDER Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au | RRP: $1799

Jimi Hendrix is quite possibly the most recognisable exponent of the Fender Stratocaster. Revolutionising the style and sound of the electric guitar, his short lived career featured many highly revered performances including his infamous set at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. This particular gig saw Jimi Hendrix sporting a hand painted Strat which he subsequently set on fire and smashed in the last song (what a way to get some attention – especially when taking the stage straight after The Who). Aside from some brief Custom Shop runs in the ‘90s and John Mayer commandeering some remakes, this particular Strat hasn’t been a staple of the Fender lineup until now. Celebrating 50 years since the performance, the Jimi Hendrix Monterey Stratocaster is hitting the market very soon.

back of the neck is quite slick and for the Hendrix collector nuts, there is a replica signature on the back of the headstock and a Hendrix stamped neck plate. Vintage styled tuners and bridge round out the hardware with this particular example coming beautifully set up straight out of the case. Smooth fret edges, good action and intonation, and feeling nice.

In the spirit of the 1967 instrument, Hendrix’s artwork has been recreated for the Monterey and looks retro and cool against the red/white combination body colour. A ‘C’ shaped maple neck with 7.25” radius and vintage sized frets suits the style of guitar Fender is going for, and Pau Ferro Fender’s new replacement for Rosewood on all its guitars and their solution to the CITES laws is the fretboard wood of choice. With a gloss finish, the

I’ve gotta admit the Monterey Strat feels pretty darn good. With a medium weight that doesn’t feel super heavy or super light it feels comfy sitting and standing, and the neck handles great. I’m not always a fan of super glossy finishes, but this didn’t seem to get too sticky or in the way so I’m fine with that. Once you’re into coaxing out some bends, 7#9 chords and major pentatonic licks, any qualms are pretty quickly forgotten. The stock single coils are

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clean and clear, and have the typical Strat snap on the front pickup and in between positions with some more bite when you move to the middle or bridge. Overall, it’s an easy player with what you’d expect in the tones department.

Some skeptics will wonder if the world needs another model Strat, and indeed another Hendrix inspired axe. The amount of Hendrix enthusiasts and coupled with those with an affinity towards John Mayer’s recent Monterey styled guitar, however, would suggest that these will be a hit. As a good playing, well appointed guitar that comes in well under the US and Custom Shop price mark, it seems like a winner.

HITS • Super comfortable to play • Classic Strat tone • Looks sharp MISSES • Could do without the gloss finish

BY NICK BROWN

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Product Reviews FENDER Newport and Monterey Bluetooth Speakers Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au | RRP – Newport: $499 Monterey: $799

Imagine what it must be like being the biggest instrument manufacturer in the world. Not only are you the progenitor of one of the biggest paradigm shifts in music history, but you’ve also consistently raised the benchmark for quality builds and ingenious design for decades. You’ve just launched yet another successful and sought after series of instruments that smokes the competition and you’re looking for a little fun project to keep things interesting.

What’s a huge instrument company to do?

The answer lies in the satellite interests that keep your loyal army of propeller heads frothing. Why do these people play guitar?

Because of their love of music. What do they do with music other than play it? Listen to it. What’s the newest and most innovative way to listen to music to emerge in recent years? Enter Fender’s new Monterey and Newport Bluetooth Speaker systems.

Named after two of the most fabled festivals and armed with an aesthetic that harks back to the glory days of ’65 to ’68, these two new units offer a whole new way for players to fill their houses with Fender’s famous script logo. Classic design features like witch hat dials, blue jewel indicator LEDs and silver face era grille cloth lend a touch of rock and roll charm to your hi-fi cabinet. The Monterey is the most powerful

Newport Speaker

of the pair; 120watts of power sits quietly behind the façade that looks like a scale model of a 2x12 cab. Four drivers power twin tweeters and subs that deliver some surprisingly beefy low end coupled with all the chiming highs that your favourite tunes deserve. While the Newport may be around half the size of its bigger brother, it certainly doesn’t lose any fidelity in the shrinking process. Portability is the real winner here; the 12 hours of battery life is enough to not only outlast the phones that are feeding it, but also bring them back to full charge. It’s tiny, sure, but has all the frequency response you need from your listening experience.

Aside from the size, the biggest difference between the two is the connectivity. The Newport, being the portable option, is

Monterey Speaker

not only compatible with Bluetooth ready devices, but has an 1/8th” aux cord and a USB port for those of you who favour hardwired interactions. The Monterey favors RCA connection over USB, which only serves to increase the fidelity of the experience as much as it cements its place on your mantle next to your record collection. They’re both simple machines with just enough on the list of features to satisfy the more finicky audiophiles among us.

‘90s cynicism taught us all and taught us well to avoid corporate tie-ins like the plague. If the idea of an instrument manufacturer of the stature of Fender veering into other avenues sticks in your craw a bit then I totally understand, but the fact remains that both the Monterey and Newport execute their purpose above

and beyond the call of duty. This is something that Fender have always prided themselves on, so if you’re looking for that peerless quality in a listening experience as well as a playing experience, then you know where to look.

BY LUKE SHIELDS HITS • Supreme fidelity and response in spite of the limitations of Bluetooth MISSES • Limited EQ sweep

MAD PROFESSOR AMPLIFICATION Bluebird Overdrive Pedal Dunphy Imports | madprofessor.com.au | Expect To Pay: $275

There are several words all too often employed by guitar players in order to describe the tone of their dreams. Words like ‘transparent’ and ‘saturated’ get bandied about liberally by people who don’t necessarily know what they mean in general, let alone in relation to the search. One that gets less of a look in but that is equally mercurial is the word ‘sensitive.’ How can the sound of a tube amp being pushed to its very limits be described as anything other than flat out? It seems counterintuitive to anyone who hasn’t tried the Bluebird Overdrive from Mad Professor Amplification.

Since SRV first kicked one on many blue moons ago, there have come and gone so many pedals professing to best the peerless, hotter-than-hell Tube Screamer sound. To purists, none have been able to topple the singular TS808 even if many have come within mere inches, and that’s without even mentioning the ongoing Klon saga. The clipping stage in the Bluebird is, to my mind, one of the tastiest attempts to do so in recent years. It is rich and warm in all the right places. With the drive knob dimmed it has ample creaminess and shimmering, natural harmonic overtones of any number of boutique amps run off their feet. Pull back to about a quarter of the level and you have something akin to the clean boosted glory of a Tumnus or a studio preamp; perfect if you’re looking to add colour to your overall tonality.

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milliseconds, but you have the option of increasing repeats and/or switching over to a faster delay time via trim pots inside the chassis. This is where the pedal really starts to have a mind, and indeed a voice of its own. It’s like these crafty Finnish builders have heard their pedal and thought ahead, realising full well that matching this tasty dirt sound with a simple, Carbon Copy style delay is the fastest path to Tone Town and, as a favour, saved you the trouble and board space of having to buy two pedals.

Having said all that, the best thing about the drive section of this little hot box is how responsive it is to your playing. Even with all knobs at 11, your picking velocity is the thing that drives how filthy it can be. Up against high output pickups it definitely cooks, but give it some headroom with a set of single coils or even a gold foil in the neck position and it absolutely comes to life. If you whisper on the string your note comes out snowflake soft, but if you lean into it with your pick hand then the Bluebird will floor it right alongside

you. This is what it means for a dirt pedal to be sensitive; angry enough to help you burn the house down yet attentive enough to help you apologise moments later.

The other really successful thing about the Mad Professor’s little blue box is the inclusion of a delay control. Situated after the gain stage for extra clarity, the single dial in the top left corner controls how much of a simple, analogue delay you need to send your solo skyward. As standard, the delay rate is set to around 500

While so many builders are busy trying to reinvent the wheel, trust the Scandinavians to take the pretense out of it and design a pedal that just does the trick. The clipping stage is every ambiguous adjective you can think of without going over the top and the in-built delay is the cherry on the top of a simple yet delicious cake.

BY LUKE SHIELDS HITS • Ultimate sensitivity on super playable, creamy, amp-like overdrive MISSES • None mixdownmag.com.au

Encore!

What do you do after you’ve given the performance of a lifetime?

You deliver an encore, of course. Introducing the K.2 Series.

The next standard in powered loudspeakers.

qsc.com K10.2

K12.2

K8.2

Š2017 QSC, LLC. All rights reserved. QSC and the QSC logo are registered trademarks of QSC, LLC in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and other countries.

World of K is a trademark of QSC, LLC.

Product Reviews FENDER American Professional Telecaster Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au | RRP: $3099

Of all of Leo Fender’s designs, the Telecaster is arguably his finest work.

Simple, robust and full of punch — it’s an instrument that has been heard on countless recordings. Flash forward to today and Fender has reinvigorated the iconic instrument within their new American Professional series. But the question remains: is this a step in the right direction for the behemoth brand, or are they simply treading water?

This Telecaster is part of Fender’s latest American Professional series, which essentially supersedes the company’s long-lived American Standard range. The whole Fender range is along for the ride in this upgraded collection, including Strats, Jazzmasters, and Jags. Finishes are refined to hark back to classic Fender eras (the sparkling seafoam green of the review model calls to mind a vintage hotrod finish), while being enriched with modern appointments that work together to improve playability across the board.

Case in point, the latest ‘modern deep C’ shape fretboard. The strings are almost comically easy to bend into a wail, making for a very playable neck. A guitar’s fretboard is often the hardest element to get acquainted with on the instrument, but if you’re happy with minimal resistance and a light action — this is the Tele for

you. Compensated brass saddles across the bridge are a more than welcome touch for a guitar of this calibre, and lend a subtly vintage vibe to it. While it may not be instantly noticeable, they offer the instrument more sustain too. Regardless, if you prefer a more contemporary option, a modern bridge is included in case you’d like to switch it out.

The frets themselves seem a little clunky to work across, and could probably use a more refined dressing. However, this is far from the end of the world. For the most part, the guitar is a breeze and a pleasure to play with. Aesthetically, it also looks an absolute treat. While vintage purists might cringe at the sight of heritage colours mixed with a maple fretboard — in this instance, it really does work. Elsewhere within the range, you’re able to choose from a selection of new colour ways including Sonic Grey, and Antique Olive.

It’s a healthy reminder that the American Pro series isn’t a trite reinterpretation of

the past, but is actively trying to bring something new to the table. Although the finish on both the body and neck is expertly applied, but may be a little thick for some tastes.

Now, the big question: how does it sound?

Long story short, like a Tele. The neck pickup is beefy and warm, if perhaps a tad flat. In saying that, no-one in their right mind is really buying a Tele for the front pickup. You’re after that twangy bridge pickup sound, in which this bad boy delivers in spades. Loaded with bite and snarl, it’s impossible not to bust out some chicken pickin’ with a guitar like this.

Springy and responsive — it’s everything you want from a Tele. The team at Fender have really nailed their approach on this one. Of course, the middle pickup is also a classic Tele sound, and the American Professional provides a sweet, quacky tone that shines when played clean, as well as working well for percussive rhythms and funk.

For players looking for a true-to-vintage interpretation, you’d be more suited looking further into Fender’s range.

However, if you’re after a little old world charm coupled with modern playability and reinvigorated design, this might just be the axe for you. Plug it in, add a hearty dollop of spring reverb, turn it up, and you’re good to go. It’s a Tele after all. Don’t over think it. It’s what Leo would have wanted.

BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO HITS • Finish looks particularly striking • Comfortable fretboard makes for an easyplaying instrument MISSES • Fretwire may be a little obtrusive for some

DYNAUDIO LYD 48 Studio Monitor Speakers Amber Technology | ambertech.com | Expect To Pay: $2099.50

I think it is safe to say that the new LYD series of studio monitors from Dynaudio is going to be the most usable range of speakers they have ever produced for the home studio. There are a few tricks that are included in these monitors that will make them ideal for many of our readers, especially those recording and mixing in slightly larger rooms. Let’s have a listen to the LYD 48 near to midfield active studio monitors and see what they’re made of.

Where the LYD 48 jump out ahead of other speakers in the range is that they are a three-way midfield monitor, and are not limited to the constrictions of a two-way crossover, as is often the case in many studio monitors. Sure, you can use these as desktop nearfield monitors, but they are really better suited to being heard from a bit of a distance. The same goes for the space behind the monitors too. They demand to be placed in a more open area with some space behind them before the confines of a wall affect their sound with early reflections and a false bottom end in your listening experience. The result is an overall listening experience that delivers articulation and clarity where it is needed.

Plus you can drive more volume with the three Class-D amplified drivers to accommodate the larger room that they are more suited to. What results is the ability to listen critically at both lower volumes to 44

pick out distinct mid-range articulation, and at higher volumes for focusing on how the low and high frequencies balance with the rest of the mix.

These speakers are all about the threeway driver setup. A slightly larger than 1” tweeter is matched up with a 4” mid frequency driver and an 8” woofer to cover a very balanced and even audio response.

There are no real bumps in certain frequencies from the EQ curves overlaying heavily between mismatched drivers with the three speakers working suitably well together here. The result is an articulated audio reproduction that allows you to hear the faults in your mix right away. If you need

a little added control to suit the room, there are a few options on the back to control the low frequency response. A “bass extension” control allows you to increase the lower frequencies whilst also gently rolling off the top end with a single switch to listen at higher volumes in a larger room. For those of you with limited space, a room control switch allows you to set the position to “wall” or “free” depending on the speaker’s position in your room. This then adjusts the low frequency response to suit your environment, making these a viable option for home studio environments where space is often at a premium.

Either way, in a small or large room, these monitors sound fantastic. They have a

beautiful response and a clarity that needs to be heard. If you need to hear faults in your mix, the LYD 48s will certainly help you find them.

BY ROB GEE

HITS • Three-way control of sound • Beautiful cabinet design • Incredible clarity in sound in any space MISSES • Perhaps a little large for small home setups mixdownmag.com.au

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STERLING BY MUSIC MAN Ray 34 Bass

Product Reviews

CMC Music | cmcmusic.com.au | Expect To Pay: $2295

When I’m not assailing you, dear reader, with seemingly endless dross in these hallowed pages, I spend my days gainfully employed at your friendly, local guitar store. More often than not when people venture into Bass Corner, down towards the back of the shop, they pick up the P-Bass or Thunderbird that we have safely nestled back there and do their best Flea impersonation. Now, while Leo Fender’s Precision may be one of the most recorded basses in music history, these people are cruelly overlooking a machine that is much more suited to that particular style of playing: the Ernie Ball StingRay, whose honking high mid-range vivacity and balance sits perfectly in the pocket of the more percussive elements of modern music.

While they may not sit well with the snobby, classic-rock crowd, there is more than enough colour in the StingRay to render it a welcome addition to any collection. Sterling pays tribute to the mainstay of the So-Cal revolution with their Ray 34.

Everything about the Sterling Ray 34 is cut from the same cloth as Ernie Ball’s flagship low-rider. The body is the familiar, super contoured, hip friendly shape and the hardware is the same hefty, rolled steel. The iconic oval shaped pick guard is bolted in place with the same cavalier attitude and for all intents and purposes,

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it’s as exact an imitation as the price point affords. The patented three-way EQ system, which is driven by active circuitry, is as wide and as malleable as in the original design and offers everything from rolled off woof to out of phase papery thinness to jagged, stabbing treble. Save for a few trade secrets, almost no quarter has been given in tribute to the original.

The StingRay has always been an achingly simple design as far as bass guitars are concerned. You almost always have a single pickup doing all the heavy lifting and, in the active models at least, three knobs render the trio of EQ segments

either boosted or cut depending on your mood. From there it’s pretty simply a case of ultimate scale length carrying the note for days. Having said that, you would assume that trimming the fat for the sake of saving pennies would be a next to impossible task, insomuch as there is next to no fat to trim in the first place.

Whether it’s simply by virtue of the reduced cost of labour in the different factory or some unseen concession in parts; there is almost no evidence of how they’ve done it.

It is abundantly clear when you first pick it up that as faithful renditions of proven designs go, Sterling have raised the bar as much as they have dropped the RRP.

To a point, there’s nothing particularly original about Sterling’s Ray 34. Simply put, it’s a StingRay for people who haven’t yet saved up enough for the Ernie Ball version. That is by no means a derogatory statement though; it’s not a paltry facsimile of the original as much as it is an affordable variation on a theme. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery then the all American workhorse that The Music Man built must be blushing.

BY LUKE SHIELDS HITS • Conscious of its lineage • An ultimately affordable, working player’s bass MISSES • Feels a little undercooked around the edges

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Product Reviews FENDER Brad Paisley Road Worn Telecaster Fender Music Australia | fender.com.au | RRP: $2399

A flash guitar designed for flashy players?

Yep, that’s exactly what you’re in for with Fender’s Brad Paisley signature Telecaster.

While clearly this isn’t a guitar for everyone, those who are after a Tele built for fast licks and one-of-a-kind appointments that’ll have you standing out from every other guitar player in the country have hit the jackpot.

First thing’s first: we need to talk about the finish. With a silver-sparkle paint job capped off with a matching grey paisley pickguard, you’re either going to love it or hate it.

Capping it off, it’s also been ‘roadworn’ by Fender for added effect. Straight up, there’s a lot going on with the way this guitar looks. Personally? I was caught off guard by it at first, as were a few other Mixdown staff. But then I remembered: music is supposed to be fun. There’s no need to be entirely serious all the time. Why not shred on a sparkly silver guitar? It’s liberating.

Once you can get passed the fact that you’re essentially playing a six-stringed disco ball, you’ll notice how light this guitar is. Thanks to a combination spruce and Paulownia body, the instrument is a breeze to play for longer sessions. Don’t be fooled though — this Telecaster is surprisingly resonant, complimented further by the vintage-inspired brass saddles at the bridge.

The feel of the neck facilitates movement thanks to a modern 9.5” fretboard radius

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and V-shaped profile. It makes pulling off pedal steel-inspired licks that much more effortless (a must for any self-respecting Telecaster player) and bends incredibly easy. Once you’ve experienced playing this guitar, you’ll realise that whatever colour it happens to come in doesn’t matter. It’s a joy to play, and really lends itself to highoctane country styles.

The pickups feature a Fender ‘Twisted Tele’ in the neck, and a slightly hotter vintagestyle option in the bridge that’s wound to Paisley’s own specifications. The neck position is springy and responsive, almost crossing into Stratocaster-esque tones at times. Many players forgo a Telecaster’s neck pickup entirely, but this is an entirely usable sound that showcases Fender’s

knowledge of what players are after in 2017. The middle position is sweet as sugar — perfect for fingerpicking or that honky Tele funk sound. Over to the bridge position — AKA the most iconic sound that Leo Fender ever created — and you’ll find a fantastic tone that sums up why Telecasters are still so popular today. It retains all of the bite and twang you could ever need, without ever crossing into icepick territory.

Well balanced and rounded, it’s a top-notch sound that proves this guitar is more than worthy for professional musicians.

To be entirely frank, I didn’t think I would like this guitar. But after spending a solid amount of time with it, I’m converted. It’s ostentatious and brash, but plays as well — if not better — than a lot of Fenders

out there. There’s a lesson here. Never judge a book by its cover. Or better yet, a guitar by its finish.

BY JAMES DI FABRIZIO

HITS • Extremely playable neck • First-class sound across all pickup selections • Brass saddles for added sustain MISSES • Sparkles. Silver. Paisley. Faux-ageing.

Maybe just stick to one or two of these next time, Fender.

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Product Reviews Audio-TechnicA ATM230 Hypercardioid Dynamic Microphone Audio-Technica | audio-technica.com.au | Expect To Pay: $299

I do enjoy getting my mits on a microphone that I’ve previously not tried.

So it was a pleasure and delight to have the Audio-Technica ATM230 end up on my desk this month. I get so many vocal microphones for stage and studio to try.

It makes for a pleasant change when I get an instrument specific microphone turn up. The ATM230 was winning already, even before I pulled it out of its packaging.

I can’t help but pull any new microphone apart to see what’s going on under the hood. It seems to be a habit of mine that I can’t shake and always gives away a few things right from the start. Removing the grill from around the capsule told me a lot about this Japanese made microphone. It’s impeccably assembled, with threading that is perfect and seals tight, with no vibration in or around the capsule and housing.

The elongated grill serves to protect the extended capsule form errant drum sticks quite well, enabling the capsule to be placed well in front of the electronics to achieve the desired pickup pattern.

It’s in this mounting of the capsule that the ATM230 gets its hypercardioid pickup pattern. There’s plenty of grill area behind the capsule to allow for phase cancellation and side rejection to ensure that this

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microphone only picks up the sound of the drum it’s being pointed at. That’s what it’s been designed to do: work in a tight space around a drum kit aimed at either the rack or floor toms in a kit. The compact size allows for this placement, and the side rejection of the hypercardioid capsule gives you the sound of just one drum per microphone. You can place them right up near the skin and the ATM230 will capture the sound perfectly, as it can handle very high SPLs without audible distortion or distress on the capsule.

most microphone stands or drum mic mounting hoops without the need of a separate microphone clip specifically shaped for this unit. The angle adjustment bushing is extremely secure so you can seat this microphone at any angle to achieve any target of sound and know that it will not sag or slip in any way. In all, it’s a solid unit that offers a clean and crisp sound from a source that is only inches away. It’s a perfect accompaniment to any overhead microphone pair to give each drum around the kit that extra definition and punch.

The inbuilt stand attachment allows the microphone to be screwed directly onto

by ROb GEE

HITS • Compact and easy to mount around cramped drum kits • Solid construction • Very direct audio capture with little side spill MISSES • I can’t pinpoint any

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Product Reviews STERLING BY MUSIC MAN Sterling – St Vincent STV60 CMC Music | cmcmusic.com.au | Expect To Pay: $1695

Traditionally the word Sterling refers to a particular grade of silver. A silver medal is bestowed upon second place finishers in Olympic events which, in turn, unfurls ideas of mediocrity and diminished quality upon most audiences. This last part is where the synonymy ends for Ernie Ball’s faithful subsidiary, the Sterling range.

As opposed to using this arm of the empire to churn out sub-par variations on a theme, Orange County’s favourite modern guitar manufacturer clearly sees it as an opportunity to put more guitars in more hands without sacrificing any of the unmitigated finesse that players have come to expect from them. Almost every EB branded signature model has a parallel at Sterling whose price tag is rendered more wallet-friendly by several clever design adjustments and a simple shift in factories.

Assuming the St Vincent moniker, Annie Clark is easily one of the most fiercely individual players pushing the boundaries between pop, indie rock and futuristic merriment. She has channeled her meticulous attention to detail and abundant creativity into one of Ernie Ball’s most talked about builds of recent years – her very own STV60. The rubric ‘designed by a woman specifically for women’ struck a chord for female players everywhere as soon as it landed. As such, bringing out a more affordable version that doesn’t skimp

on the success of the original is a huge step in the right direction. Every inch of the design is so specific to the said players’ needs, from the lightweight, narrow body shape to the fast and lean neck to the flexibility of the tonal fingerprint. The series of three mini humbuckers render an astonishingly rich mid-range focus that puts your standard Strat spank to shame while cleaning up any and every jot of ground hum and earth noise inherent in standard single coil designs. If you want high gain there’s plenty of chunk in those skinny magnets to fatten up what you’re putting down.

Invariably when a guitar is built as a diminution of a more expensive build there has to be some concession given in order to meet the price point. The success and failure of a design lies in the

ingenuity of those behind the pruning shears. Given that the original design is so chock full of blissful inclusions, the Sterling version has plenty of elbowroom for streamlining without losing too much sheen. The first big difference is that the neck is two-piece rosewood on maple as opposed to the solid rosewood log of the Ernie Ball version. This means that both necks have the dark, smooth playability of that most contentious of tone woods, just one is lighter. From there only a few noticeable differences are present, but far from obvious. The pointed, unparalleled brilliance of the voicing is equal in both, as is the unbridled playability that has a hint of, ‘You weren’t expecting this much from little ol’ me, were you?’ attitude about it.

coming for me. I’m constantly proven wrong when I assume that their ultramodern visage belies little more than a shredder’s shredder. With the St Vincent design, both factories have delivered a guitar that not only serves as a game changer in the male dominated world of axe-wielding but a profoundly enjoyable, well crafted and unique ride in anyone’s hands.

BY LUKE SHIELDS HITS • Faithful rendition of its progenitor • Supremely playable neck • Unique tonality MISSES • Not as refined as its more expensive counterpart

Ernie Ball, and to the same extent the Sterling line, keep the pleasant surprises

PRESONUS Studio 26 USB Link Audio | linkaudio.com.au | Expect To Pay: $352

PreSonus offer a range of products to cater for different needs, but most of you will know their audio interfaces, in particular the AudioBox. PreSonus have taken the simplicity of that unit and delivered a new USB audio interface that offers quality audio and a very workable hardware interface that will certainly feel right at home with so many compact recording setups looking for style and sound quality. The new Studio 26 USB is here to offer that little bit extra in the same compact housing.

At first glance, this may appear to be just another AudioBox, and sure, it is pretty similar in specification as many previous models. But a closer glance at the details makes you realise that the Studio 26 USB carries a better fit-out and clever design that addresses many of the features that were lacking in the AudioBox. You still get two great quality PreSonus XMMAX-L microphone preamps that offer plenty of headroom and a crystal clear audio signal into your DAW. If you don’t have a DAW, PreSonus have included their Studio One Artist software to get you going right out of the box. Working with these preamps before you get to the software is a breeze with the new hardware, as the front panel LED monitoring makes it easy to keep track of what is happening with your signal.

There are two separate LED meters, one showing input level and the other your main output level. This allows you to keep 48

a visual guide of your gain on the way in before overloading your A/D converters and hitting that unfortunate digital clipping realm. Phantom power, line level selection, A/B headphone and monitoring selection options are available on the front panel too, along with a headphone volume control that goes to 11, for those that are going deaf. It’s a clean layout and one that makes it very easy to know what is going on both in and out.

On the rear panel you will find a MIDI in and output for connecting keyboards and other devices. It’s good to see that the old faithful five-pin DIN plug has not been retired just yet. On the output side of things, you get a stereo headphone output along with two pairs of mono outputs for monitor speakers or other hardware. This is ideal

for those of you with two pairs of monitors in your home recording setup. It used to seem like a bit of a stretch to expect that, but so many of us are now using two pairs of monitors for a better reference, so it is ideal to have an interface that allows you to run more than one stereo output beyond the headphones.

In all, this is a solid little interface that offers an ease of use and range of I/O that makes it ideal for the modern home recording setup. The hardware itself is tough as guts and the supporting software has plenty to offer if you are yet to decide on a software platform to work with.

Upgrading to the full version of PreSonus’ Studio One software is simple too, when you decide to unlock additional features and greater workflow.

BY ROB GEE HITS • Sturdy, yet compact housing • Great quality mic preamps • Straightforward front panel monitoring • Added outputs for outboard or additional monitors MISSES • Nein

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Product Reviews RME ADI-2 PRO Ultra-Fidelity AD/DA Converter Innovative Music Australia| innovativemusic.com.au | Expect To Pay : $2999

When it comes to quality analogue to digital conversion, it really is hard to look past the German masters of the clock at RME. Over the past 20 years I have seen them produce one quality product after another, always outdoing their already high standards with every new release. The ADI-2 Pro is no exception, as this takes the user into the world of sample rates beyond expectation.

With this ‘ultra-fidelity’ 768 kHz AD/DA converter there is little left unheard, so you had better hope the rest of your signal path is up to scratch, otherwise the RME will leave you hearing all the faults.

The team at RME have not left anything to chance with the design and build of this unit. Aiming for the absolute best in reference quality audio capture, they have carefully designed the components so that they produce the best results possible.

Even the main PCB inside the housing has a ten layer design. Every element on the board has been balanced and laid out in symmetry to ensure the lowest possibility of interference. When you want the best AD/DA conversion and clocking, you need to start with a solid foundation and ensure that every component behaves the way it should, so it doesn’t let down its role in the preservation of the audio signal. The results speak for themselves in a unit that delivers flawless quality and ‘ultra-fidelity’ audio conversion.

With a host of connections you will be able to set this up in a number of ways. Two XLR/TRS combination jacks offer analogue inputs along with ADAT or SP/DIF on optical and AES/EBU and SP/DIF on coaxial connections. For outputs you get the optical pair as well as two XLR connectors.

These are coupled with an extra two TS unbalanced and two TRS headphone outputs as well. Worth mentioning is the high powered headphone amplifiers built in ready to operate with any impedance of headphones and deliver crystal clear audio at unparalleled levels. The full colour display on the front panel makes setup

and recording options simple to navigate, with only a few controls needed to perform all tasks. The 20th anniversary converters in this unit are the leaders in their class.

You simply cannot imagine better quality analogue to digital conversion, nor sample rates of this kind in other systems. RME have pulled out a winner on this unit, and it might just make a few of you reconsider what you thought was quality audio up until now. Hearing is believing.

HITS • Unbelievable audio conversion • Sample rates beyond necessary • Quality build MISSES • Over the top for many users, but hey, why not

BY ROB GEE

ASTON Origin Cardioid Condenser Microphone Link Audio | linkaudio.com.au | Expect to pay: $529

Many of you will not know of Aston microphones, and to tell you the truth, I had never actually laid my hands on one until this week. Having spent a little time with their Origin condenser microphone, I am glad I got the opportunity. Coming from a small production team in the UK, these microphones are set to change what you think about vocal and instrument recording.

You simply need to hear them to know what is on offer.

With the intense scrutiny that is put over these microphones in the manufacturing process, you can be pretty certain you are in for something special even before you plug it in. Right out of the box, it is easy to see that there is a sense of pride associated with the making of these British microphones and the first thing you find is a little metal Aston badge you proudly wear on your jacket.

Once you have stuck that somewhere, one gets to the microphone itself. It is obvious right away that this hasn’t come out of some high volume factory process, and what you have is a carefully crafted tool made for an exacting purpose. The casing and protective grill have a very industrial, unfinished metal look to them and the design is quite striking.

A simple Pad switch and HPF offer some control, but the rest is left to the capsule to do its magic.

Aston tirelessly tested and retested their capsules in blind listening processes with 33 big names in the British music recording and 50

production business, referencing other classic capsules until they found the perfect solution for their own. There has been a lot of effort put into the making of these capsules and you hear it when you record with these microphones. There is nothing harsh in how these sound, but rather a very gentle warmth and clarity that allows it to be used in a range of applications.

For both vocals and acoustic guitars, this microphone sounds very sweet indeed and has a tonal characteristic that will have it sitting apart in the mix alongside other sources with different microphones. This is what is really important about the Origin. As it offers a beautiful sound, it also offers one with a different flavour for just about any capsule you might have in your microphone collection. Just when you thought you didn’t need another microphone, an Aston Origin is going to change your thought process indeed.

BY ROB GEE HITS • Simple, elegant and industrial design • Clear, crisp and yet warm audio capture • Offers a different flavour to any other microphone you might own MISSES • No cradle, clip or mount of any sort supplied mixdownmag.com.au

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 facebook.com/evolutionmusicaus

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 facebook.com/AADuplicationServices

EASTGATE MUSIC

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | P | E | W|

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

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 facebook.com/jabenau

HYDRA REHEARSAL STUDIOS

(Rehearsal Rooms) A | 18 Duffy Street, Burwood VIC P | (03) 9038 8101 E | hydrastudios@bigpond.com W | hydrastudios.com.au facebook.com/hydra.rehearsal.studios

MELBOURNE MUSIC CENTRE

MUSIC 440

(Music Instruments Retailer)

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | 525 North Rd, Ormond, VIC P | (03) 9578 2426 E | info@melbournemusiccentre.com.au W | melbournemusiccentre.com.au facebook.com/melbournemusic.centre

A | P | E | W|

SKY MUSIC

BINARY MUSIC

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | P | E | W|

4/2181 Princes Hwy, Clayton VIC (03) 9546 0188 info@skymusic.com.au skymusic.com.au facebook.com/skymusiconline

FIVE STAR MUSIC

(Music Instruments Retailer & Education) A | 48 Bloomfield St, Cleveland QLD P | (07) 3488 2230 E | sales@binarydesigns.com.au W | binarydesigns.com.au @binarymusic

WILD HORSE GUITARS

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | P | E | W|

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

(Music Instruments Retailer)

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

REVOLVER DRUMS

A | P | E | W|

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

MONA VALE MUSIC

(Drums Specialist Retailer)

(Music Instruments Retailer)

A | 4a Izett St, Prahran 3181 P | (03) 9521 4644 E | sales@revolverdrums.com.au W | revolverdrums.com.au @revolverdrums

A | 55 Bassett Street, Mona Vale NSW P | (02) 9986 0589 E | info@mvmwarehouse.com W | www.monavalemusic.com facebook.com/monavalemusic

HIGH ST MUSIC

DAMIEN GERARD STUDIOS

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | 442 High Street, Preston VIC P | (03) 9077 8343 E | highstreetmusic@optusnet.com.au W | highstreetmusic.net.au facebook.com/High-Street-Music

SUNBURST MUSIC

MODERN MUSICIAN

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | P | E | W|

(Recording Studios) A | 230 Crown St, Darlinghurst NSW P | (02) 9331 0666 E | bookings@damiengerard.net W | damiengerard.com.au facebook.com/damiengerardstudios

106 Murray Street, Hobart TAS (03) 6234 5537 nick@modernmusician.com.au modernmusician.com.au facebook.com/modernmusician

(Music Instruments Retailer & Recording Studio) A | 122–124 Coogee Bay Road, Coogee NSW P | (02) 9665 9088 E | sales@sunburstmusic.com.au W | sunburstmusic.com.au facebook.com/SUNBURSTMUSIC. CoogeeAustralia

ARCADE SCREENPRINTING

(Screenprinting & Design Service) A | 15/17 Hutchinson St, St Peters NSW P | (02) 9550 6965 E | info@arcadescreenprinting.com.au W | arcadescreenprinting.com.au facebook.com/arcadescreenprinting

GLADESVILLE GUITAR FACTORY

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | 280 Victoria Rd, Gladesville NSW P | (02) 9817 2173 E | mail@guitarfactory.net W | guitarfactory.net facebook.com/GladesvilleGuitarFactory

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 facebook.com/TurramurraMusic

COASTAL MUSIC

(Music Instruments Retailer & Repairs) A | 5/148 Lake Road, Port Macquarie NSW P | (02) 6581 3016 E | sales@coastalmusic.com.au W | coastalmusic.com.au facebook.com/coastalmusic

BIG MUSIC

(Music Instruments Retailer & Recording Studio) A | 85 Alexander Street, Crows Nest NSW P | 1300 55 24 20 W | bigmusicshop.com.au facebook.com/bigmusicshop

SOUNDS EASY PTY LTD (Music Technology & Instruments Retailer)

A | Suite G05, 15 Atchison St, St Leonards NSW P | (02) 8088 1069 W | soundseasy.com.au facebook.com/soundseasy

Not In The Directory?

C O N TA C T

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Show & Tell Alex Babinski, Guitarist for PVRIS What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?

I have the Strymon Timeline delay pedal.

How did you come across this particular item?

About five years ago or so I came across it online. I can’t remember how exactly, but I used to browse the internet for hours looking up gear and as soon as I saw it and heard it, I ordered one and I’ve actually had the same one ever since. It’s an amazing pedal and built to survive the road.

What is it that you like about it so much?

What I like the most about it is probably the ability to have so many presets and the capability of each type of delay is fantastic. It’s really nice having a few different delays to mess around with for each song.

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

I actually used to write a lot while using just this pedal. It has a built-in loop station, and I would often loop a chord progression and just jam over it for a while. I’ve used it probably every single show since I’ve owned it. I can’t do without it.

Tell us a little about what you have coming up?

We’ve got a lot coming up in the near future, one of which is the release of our new record All We Know Of Heaven All We Need Of Hell. We are heading overseas for a few European festivals then back home to begin our headline tour.

PVRIS’ new record All We Know Of Heaven All We Need Of Hell, is out Friday August 25 through Warner Music/Rise Records.

John Myung, Bassist for Dream Theater What piece of equipment do you have to show us today?

It’s a phase correction device by Little Labs called the IBP Junior, which is great for pairing two different sounds like a processed sound and a direct sound together, I run my bass direct box signal through the IBP junior and experiment with the phasing by listening to how thin or full the bass sounds when paired with the second sound I’m blending.

Quality Since 1946 GUITAR & STUDIO EQUIPMENT

How did you come across this particular item?

It was suggested to me by Paul Northfield.

EHÿ Seriesÿ

What is it that you like about it so much?

It allows me to combine two different bass sounds together and phase them together correctly so you don’t lose the fullness of the sound.

ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ ÿ Plugsÿ

XLRsÿ

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

I use it to solve phase correction issues that can happen when combining two different sounds together.

Tell us a little about what you have coming up?

Well currently, I’m preparing to play shows with The Jelly Jam in the USA for the month of August, then in September-October 2017 Dream Theater will be on tour in Asia and Australia celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Images and Words.

Patchbays,ÿ Cables,ÿ DIÿ Boxes/Splittersÿ

Dream Theater will play the Hordern Pavilion in Sydney Tuesday September 19 and the Palais Theatre in Melbourne Wednesday September 20. The Astonishing is out now through Roadrunner Records/Warner Music.

AVAILABLE in AUSTRALIA For your nearest stockist Phone: 02 9482 1944

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