Mixdown Magazine #312 by Furst Media

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INTERVIEWS — The Naked & Famous, The Kite String Tangle + Porches

MADE BY MUSICIANS FOR MUSICIANS

REVIEWED — Roland DJ-707M, Fender Player DuoSonics, TC Electronic HOF 2 Mini,

#312 – APRIL 2020

Akai MPC One, Pioneer DJ Toraiz AS-1, Kawai VPC1, Markbass Kimandu Bass, Guild D-2612CE + many more

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WAKE UP SUNSHINE Feat ‘SOME KIND OF DISASTER’, ‘SLEEPING IN’ and ‘GETAWAY GREEN’

OUT 3 APRIL

alltimelow.com

CONTENTS 8 10 11 12 14 17 18 20 23 25 27 28 30 45 46

Giveaways Industry News Music News Product News Cover Story: All Time Low Porches, The Kite String Tangle The Naked & Famous DJ Essentials Gear Icons: Technics Brand Spotlight: Markbass Electronic Music Production Guitar, Bass Reviews Directory My Rig: Northeast Party House

Foreword These are some weird times. with COVID-19 panic dominating the global media-scape and while our ability to interact with one another is being compromised further and further, on what feels like a daily basis. Ironic that all of this just happens to coincide with our first DJ/ Electronic Music special, a genre of music specifically written with the congregation in mind. While it may be a while before you are back rocking a crowd, don’t sit on your hands. Selfisolation is par of the course and we’ve been afforded the perfect opportunity here to sharpen the tools, try that idea out, write a letter……….I don’t know do something……but definitely don’t panic.

All Time Low PG .14 The Kite String Tangle

Stay Safe, PAUL FRENCH-EDITOR

PG. 17

/MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE @MIXDOWNMAGAZINE MIXDOWNMAG.COM.AU

The Naked & Famous

For breaking news, new content and more giveaways visit our website.

PG. 18

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FREE! MADE

BY MUS ICIA

NS FOR MUSICIA

MADE

BY MUS ICIA

NS FOR MUSICIA

BY MUS ICIA

#302 –

NS FOR MUSICIA

#301 –

JUNE 2019

APRIL 2019

MAY 2019

MADE BY MUSICIANS, FOR MUSICIANS STREET AND ONLINE DATE: WEDNESDAY APRIL 22 AD BOOKING DEADLINE: MONDAY APRIL 13 EDITORIAL DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY APRIL 15 ARTWORK DEADLINE: WEDNESDAY APRIL 15 For more information on Mixdown Magazine contact us at: (03) 9428 3600 or email paul@furstmedia.com.au

Give

INTERVIE Beartooth WS — , James Amyl & The Sniff Blake, Frank Iero, ers + more

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PUBLISHER Furst Media Mycelium Studios Factory 1/10-12 Moreland Road East Brunswick VIC 3057 (03) 9428 3600

ONLINE EDITOR Will Brewster will@furstmedia.com.au

MANAGING DIRECTOR Patrick Carr patrick@furstmedia.com.au

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Chayto Nadin

EDITOR Paul French paul@furstmedia.com.au

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Josh Martin

CONTRIBUTORS Rob Gee, Christie Elizer, Nick Brown, David James Young, Adrian Violi, Michael Cusack, Augustus Welby, Luke Shields, Alex Watts, Aaron Streatfeild, James Di Fabrizio, Jack Swann, Alex Winter,

Jessica Over, Eddy Lim, Lewis NokeEdwards, Josh Martin, Taylor Douglas, Ben Eizenberg, Ciara Allen

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Guild Guitars are distributed in Australia by ZENITH MUSIC www.zenithmusic.com • 08 9383 1422

GIVEAWAYS

Hartke HD75 The Hartke HD75 is the perfect portable solution for bassists on the go and thanks to the legends at DI Music we are giving one of these puppies away to one lucky reader. Simply visit our website and follow the prompts to go into the running for this prize!

Audio-Technica Content Creator Pack Audio-Technica’s new Content Creator Pack is the ultimate solution for all your home recording and podcasting needs. Featuring a studio-quality ATR2500x-USB Cardiod Condenser USB-C Microphone, a pair of ATH-M20x Pro Monitoring Headphones and a detachable desk boom, tripod stand and cable, you’ll be blown away with everything on offer here. Thanks to our mates at Audio-Technica Australia, we’ve got a Content Creator Pack to give away to a lucky reader this month.

For your chance to win any of these prizes, head to our giveaways page at mixdownmag.com.au/giveaway and follow the instructions. *These giveaways are for Australian residents only and one entry per person. For full terms and conditions visit mixdownmag.com.au/terms-and-conditions

LEARN MORE: BABYAUD.IO

A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS

SL-1210MK7 Direct Drive Turntable System Technics launched the iconic SL-1210 direct drive turntable in 1972, selling over 3,500,000 units worldwide. It delivered powerful torque, easy operation and high durability, becoming greatly admired by both audio enthusiasts and DJs who helped to unleash electronic dance music. The new SL-1210MK7 takes turntable technology to whole new level, offering a slow-turning motor to directly drive the platter. Its high performance, rotation accuracy and powerful torque maintains incredible reliability over a long period of time and reproduces sound accurately and faithfully from the groove on any analogue record.

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INDUSTRY NEWS Vale Pete Lusty Pete Lusty, who started as a lawyer, in 1997 co-founded Ivy League Records and Winterman & Goldstein management with Andy Cassell and Andy Kelly. They were behind the global success of Jet, The Vines, The Avalanches, The Sleepy Jackson, Empire of The Sun and, currently, The Teskey Brothers and The Rubens. A statement from Ivy League Records read: “For someone who had achieved so much success, he had no interest in self-promotion. He never had a social media account, and he never spoke at any music conference. His view was that he just wanted to do the work, help his artists be the very best they could be and enjoy it. He lived and breathed music and the friendships that came with them. He was constantly thinking, constantly working, constantly solving problems, constantly giving encouragement. There was no line between work and his personal life, in the most positive sense. He just loved it.” Cassell and Kelly described Lusty as “a master strategist with a genius intellect and an uncanny ability to read the state of play and predict the future.”

COVID-19 #1: Can The Music Business Hang On Until October? As Australian music associations and sectors held emergency meetings after the government brought in a 500-cap (and then a 100-cap) crowd restriction, the general feeling was a turn-around in October. No one was quit sure why October was chosen, since we don’t know where the bottom is. But this was from people in retail, venues, labels and live production, whose jobs rest on their intuition. Within five days of news of the 500 cap, the value of lost work in the entertainment field was $150 million, according to I Lost My Gig. In an open letter to Victoria’s premier Daniel Andrews, singer-songwriter Alex Lahey said she didn’t expect to make money until November. This is a dilemma. Those who traditionally work on, say, a festival in winter will also work on another festival in spring. But if winter events postponed to spring, then they can only work on one rather than get an income from both. Much of the industry is made up of small freelance businesses, existing on small savings and forecasted work. Few have paid leave, said the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance. Live Performance Australia, ARIA, APRA AMCOS, Support Act Ltd, Sounds Australia, CrewCare and Live Music Office were among those who met with the government asking for a $850 million survival package – making the point that the music industry needed to be placed in the same space as airlines and tourism. They also stressed that industry people needed quick access to benefits and rental help. Federal Arts Minister Paul Fletcher agreed that the biz injected millions into the economy, and that musicians were the first to put up their hands up to raise millions for bushfire victims, and it was time they had the love returned.

Music SA’s manager Lisa Bishop pointed out how the community could help out the music industry – buying music and merchandise, get radio stations to play Australian music, donating to their crowdfunding campaigns, donating refunds from cancelled shows to Support Act and get politicians to offer tax relief for venues. Support Act began a fundraising campaign as it steeled itself for a flood of applications for those suffering financial and mental health issues. In the first two weeks of March, it had as many calls as it did in the three months before. It was not helped by two major fundraisers, CrewCare’s Roady4Roadies and the industry’s Music In The House, were cancelled, leaving a gap of $350,000. If you’re feeling the sting, contact Support Act on 1800 959 500, the Lifeline Hotline on 13 11 14, or you can text their helpline on 0477 13 11 14.

COVID-19 #2: Venues Some venue owners are predicting they won’t return as they were already working on slim margins. After struggling with patron numbers after the bushfire polluted air kept people indoors, the coronavirus was indeed the last straw. Even if the crisis lasts for a month or two longer, their financial crisis will continue for ages after.

COVID-19 #3: Music Retail These days Australian music retailers have two strong sales spikes in the year – Record Store Day (RSD) in April when 85,000 come out to check out 200 indie stores, and the Christmas rush. RSD postponed from April 18 to June 20 was a blow. One store told us that it would cost him $20,000 a month to keep on going. However the Australian Music Retailers Association (AMRA), which runs Record Store Day in Australia, was talking to record companies and sponsors about a replacement event on April 18. AMRA president Blake Budak, who runs Landspeed Records in Canberra, said “The third Saturday in April is a hallowed day in the diary of all music fans and we don’t want to abandon that, but we are also very aware that we are not operating under normal conditions. So we are looking at how we can still safely celebrate indie music and indie record stores on our Day of Days. How we do that is the challenge.”

COVID-19 #4: Songs People are turning to old hits in the crisis, with REM’s ‘It’s the End of the World as We Know It’ back on the iTunes charts, its US streams up 48% in the first week to 746,000.

Melbourne venue owner Jon Perring summed it up when he called on musicians and the public to come and support their premises.

Billboard also noted that REM’s ‘Everybody Hurts’ and ‘Losing My Religion’ were also getting streaming and download traction.

“The Live Music world is facing annihilation,” he said in a statement. “I don’t want the Tote and Bar Open to become some a footnote in a book on the good old days. We are losing gigs at such a rate that I will have to put off most, if not all our staff. 25% of the Australian workforce is casual. How will these people pay rent and eat if they can’t work?”

Other songs included Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’, Joy Division’s ‘Isolation’, The Minutemen’s ‘Corona’, Shwayze’s ‘Corona and Lime’, Bad Religion’s ‘Infected’, The Knack’s ‘My Sharona’ and even Weird Al Yankovic’s parody ‘My Balogna’.

While some venues continue to work around the virus, they are also vulnerable to legal action from punters who claim they were infected there, and fines of $100,000 if attendance inadvertently goes over 100 because there wasn’t enough staff to monitor.

of the Australian National Live Music Awards and worked with acts in Ireland. Netgigs now has production teams in 100 countries and has licensing deals with record and management companies in place so artists get a royalty from every ticket sold, and is set for a strong global launch. Joe Ward discussed the initiative, saying “The whole idea was to let people see a show they couldn’t get to, whether because they were living in regional areas or it was sold out. But in the current climate where big gatherings are not allowed, Netgig provides a really strong option.”

The Vanda Young Competition Is Back The Vanda-Young Global Songwriting Competition is open until May 14. First prize is $50,000 from APRA AMCOS, Alberts and BMG. The second prize is $10,000 from legal firm Banki Haddock Fiora, while the third is $5,000 from Aon. The emerging songwriters winner also gets $5,000 from Australasian Music Publishers Association.

Lighthouse Award Goes National The Lighthouse Award, which supports women in artist management, has gone national this year, and doubled its grant to $10,000. Applications close April 7, see APRA’s website for details.

Netgigs Launches Yet another Australian music tech company is making its mark on the world. South Australian musician Joe Ward started music live-streaming company Netgigs in 2018, first with Adelaide bands, with customers paying $10 to $20. It featured at BIGSOUND, streamed the Queensland part

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MUSIC NEWS

COVID-19 Forces Cancellation Of Bluesfest For 2020

The Killers Detail New Album + Australian Tour

Groovin The Moo Cancelled Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

For the first time in 30 years, legendary music festival Bluesfest Byron Bay will not go ahead due to health precautions surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Festival director Peter Noble OAM has said it was 'obvious' that the festival wouldn't be able to go ahead, saying "We are heartbroken as we believe we were presenting one of the best ever bills of talent for you. We are now working through how to move forward and to give you details. I thank you for allowing us enough time to get everything in place for the best possible outcome for everyone."

Las Vegas rockers The Killers have shared details of their sixth studio album, Imploding The Mirage, set for release on Friday May 29 via Island Records. Produced by the band, Shawn Everett and Johnathan Rado of Foxygen, the new record features contributions from a varied guestlist, including Weyes Blood, kd lang, The War On Drugs’ Adam Granduciel and Lindsay Buckingham, who shreds a guitar solo on lead single ‘Caution’. The Killers are also expected to tour Australia in November this year – keep your eyes peeled to Frontier Touring for any updates.

Bad luck for regional punters: Groovin The Moo has announced that its 2020 tour schedule will not be able to go ahead this April and May. Promoters Steve Halpin and Rod Little thanked the acts involved and those who helped organised the festival, saying that “There is nothing that we love more than seeing our Moo Crew in each of our regions and we are deeply saddened that this won’t be happening this year... We’re aware that this is impacting many people around the world and we encourage you to look after each other.” Head online for information on refunds.

HAIM Announce Women In Music Pt. III

Splendour In The Grass Postponed To October

Sampa The Great Snags The 2019 Australian Music Prize

It’s HAIM time! The pop-rock trio, consisting of sisters Danielle, Este and Alana have announced their third studio album, dubiously titled Women In Music Pt. III, which is set to arrive via Universal Music on Friday April 24. Featuring production from Ariel Rechtshaid, Rostam Batmangjli and Danielle Haim, Women In Music Pt. III is also set to consist of sixteen tracks, including previously released singles ‘Hallelujah’, Now I’m In It’, ‘The Steps’ and the Lou Reedinspired ‘Summer Girl’. We can’t wait.

Splendour In The Grass has joined the long list of events to be impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, moving this year’s event from July to late October. The move comes following the Australian Federal government’s ban on gatherings in excess of 500 people, with the festival citing the safety of patrons in its decision to reschedule the 20th anniversary event. As it stands, the festival will now go down from Friday October 23 to Sunday October 25 at North Byron Parklands, Byron Bay. We’ll keep you updated if there’s any lineup changes.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Zambian-Australian rapper Sampa The Great was last month announced as the recipient of the coveted Australian Music Prize for her fantastic 2019 album, The Return. The victory marks Sampa The Great’s second time winning an Australian Music Prize following her 2017 win for Birds & The BEE9, and also makes her the first artist to ever receive two awards in its 15 year history - not a bad flex at all. Sampa The Great? More like Sampa The GOAT.

Donny Benét Invites You To Meet Mr. Experience

PVRIS Goes Solo, Shares Release Date For Use Me

Metallica Launch Vinyl Subscription Club

After spending the last few months incessantly touring the globe dishing out heaped spoonfuls of hearty disco grooves, Sydney bass wizard Donny Benét has shared details of his forthcoming LP, fittingly titled Mr. Experience. Arriving on Friday May 22 via Dot Dash Recordings, Mr. Experience marks the fifth full-length effort from the Don, and is set to follow a conceptual direction described by the man as “a soundtrack for a dinner party set in the late 1980s”. Compliments to the chef, Don!

PVRIS have announced their new project Use Me, set for release Friday May 1 via Reprise/Warner Records, which marks the first release to be led solely by Lynn Gunn. The frontwoman, who now accounts for all primary songwriting, production, vocal and instrumental duties, explained the changes in a press statement, saying “Coming from a ‘band culture,’ it’s about how the group is always greater than the sum of its parts, and you’re not supposed to take credit, even if you do everything... I learned I don’t have to do that anymore. I’m finally allowing myself to take credit.”

Thrash icons Metallica have minted a new subscription service which aims to hook up fans with pressings of rare demos and B-sides on seven-inch vinyl. The band claim that the initiative is inspired by their own passion for music and the widespread revival of record store culture, saying in a statement that “It’s been super exciting to see the resurgence of vinyl and how much enjoyment we all get collecting, exploring and connecting with other fans mining for lost treasures.” Head to their website and sign up today!

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PRODUCT NEWS Ernie Ball Music Man Debut New StingRay Special Range CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU Ernie Ball Music Man have detailed their latest collection of StingRay Special basses for 2020, fusing the classic sounds of the original StingRay with modern appointments to offer a new level of playing comfort. The 2020 collection sees a fresh pick of new finishes joining the family, including Firemist Silver, Ghostwood, Ghost Pepper and Burnt Amber, while five-string players will be able to choose from new Tectonic Blue Sparkle and Maroon Mist finished basses. Check them out today!

Ambertec Cables: Pro Quality Cables Minus The Price Tag

Markbass Bass Strings Are Shipping Now

JTS Launch New DJ Headphones

AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU

CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU

The legends over at Amber Technology are at it again, this time throwing their hat into the world of professional quality cables. The new Ambertec professional low noise audio cables are exceptionally good quality and at the price-point that makes it all the more easy to stock up while the getting is good. Made from highly durable materials and REAN connectors by Neutrik AG, these cables echo the companies thorough understanding of the wants and needs of the working audio professional. AmberTec has a range of affordable cables for all applications, be it DJs, musicmaking and more. Visit their website today and pick yourself up a bargain.

After conquering the realms of amplifiers, dipping their toes into the pedal pond and even recently venturing into instrument territory, Markbass have officially minted their status as musical instrument moguls with their new range of bass strings. Handmade in the hallowed D’Orazio factory in Abruzzo, Italy, Markbass are offering a wide assortment of strings with varying gauges, including flatwounds, stainless steel, nickel-plated and double bass nylon varieties to satisfy the needs of every player. Keep your eyes peeled for them in store.

Speaking of audio bargains, JTS have been on a tear of late, offering up some crazy quality headphones, especially given the pricepoint. The brands HP-20 DJ headphones will be of particular interest to the Mixdown faithful, with solid 38mm diaphragm dynamic drivers and enough headroom to be heard in the loudest of club environments. Perfect for chucking in a gigbag or keeping as a backup for when your regular cans finally bite the dust. At these prices, there really is no excuse. Check them out online and thank me later.

AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU

RØDE Donates $2 Million Worth of Podcasting Equipment To NSW Schools Impacted By COVID-19 RØDE | EN.RODE.COM

Rockboard Welcome New Additions To The Family AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU Bored of your board? Ready for a change of scenery? Well, the good folks over at Rockboard have got you covered, with new gig bag, flight case and ABS roadcase options for their popular Duo, Tres and Quad pedalboard systems. Perfect for getting your touring rig set up and ready for a post-corona world – if there ever is one. Pop into your local Rockboard dealer today and hit the ground running.

The Coronavirus has hit everyone hard, with major disruptions to touring, business and further disruptions expected for both the entertainment and education sector. At least the NSW school system should be a bit better setup, with local heroes RØDE digging deep and donating $2 million worth of Podcasting equipment to help deliver classes remotely via universally accepted podcast platforms. Generous and forward thinking, nice work RØDE.

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PRODUCT NEWS

New PreSonus Gear Available In Stores Today LINK AUDIO | LINKAUDIO.COM.AU Looking to bunker down in your studio during this weird period? PreSonus has got you sorted: the first shipment of Quantum 2626 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interfaces and Eris E7 Studio Monitors has arrived in Australia. With ultra-clear XMAX analogue preamps and a round trip latency of less than a second, the Quantum is one of the fatest audio interfaces available on the market, and the pristine audio quality of the Eris E7 monitors should make for an excellent counterpart. Check them in a store near you.

BABY Audio Launch The Comeback Kid Plugin

Fender’s American Acoustasonic Stratocaster Is Out Now

Steinberg Announce New UR24C Audio Interfaces

BABY AUDIO | BABYAUD.IO

FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU

YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM

US plugin developers BABY Audio seek to complete their trifecta of studio tools with the intuitive new Comeback Kid delay, which is now available to download. Inspired by the company’s fantastic Super VHS plugin, Comeback Kid presents producers with an inspiring take on classic delay sounds with up to 2500ms of delay time, as well as signal processing tools such as phasing, tape saturation, reverb, pitch variation and more. As far as creative mixing tools go, it doesn’t get much better than this.

The wait is over! After being unveiled to punters at NAMM back in January, Fender’s American Acoustasonic Stratocasters have finally landed in stores around the country. With a sleek mahogany, ebony and Sitka spruce construction and unfathomably sophisticated electronics, it’s a huge release for Fender, aiming to bridge a middle ground between all things old and new. It knocked our socks off when we reviewed it a few months ago, and we hope it knocks yours off too.

Steinberg have added another model to their killer new UR-C audio interface range with the UR24C, offering a great middle ground solution for the home DJ or electronic producer. Featuring two XLR over TRS Neutrik combo inputs on the front and four outputs on the back - two TRS and two RCA - the UR24C looks like it’d be particuarly tantalising to DJs and electronic producers, with built-in MIDI I/O also being another perk. Keep your eyes peeled for it in stores soon.

Amber Technology Announced As New Distributor For Australian Monitor AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU It’s business as usual for Australian Monitor, as Amber Technology confirms ownership and distribution of Australian Monitor for the local and global commercial and professional audio markets. This follows the acquisition of the AV distribution business from Hills Limited, who had previously distributed Australian Monitor in well… Australia. Big news for anyone in the PA or systems business, with the local stalwart back on track and doing what they do best, delivering some of the best value for money speakers out there.

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Godin Guitars Launch New Radium Models DYNAMIC MUSIC | DYNAMICMUSIC.COM.AU Remember when Kurt Cobain chopped up Polaroids of a Fender Mustang and Jaguar and spliced them together to create his signature Jagstang model? Godin Guitars have pulled a similar move with their new Radium models, combining the designs of the brand’s Radiator and Stadium guitars to create a bold new instrument. It boasts a 24 3/4” scale with a set-neck and two different tonewood configurations: the Winchester Brown and the Carbon Black, each with three pickups. Stay tuned for more news soon.

Reminiscing on the iconic early-2000s pop-punk scene, one of the first bands who come to mind are none other than Baltimore four-piece All Time Low. With over fifteen years of experience as a band, they’ve assisted in not only defining a genre, but also raising an entire generation of emo kids. Just when we thought the world was at an all-time low, our poppunk forefathers have decided to bless us, gearing up to release their eighth studio album, Wake Up Sunshine. Since the band’s last album Last Young Renegade back in 2017, the band went into a muchneeded hiatus to work on other creative projects and “live their lives.” The break seems to have done the band a solid, coming out the other side with fresh motivation and a brand new album to boot. “I think it put us in a really good headspace,” says frontman Alex Gaskarth. “It kind of circled and back and got us back together and started making us think about making a new album and that’s kind of what’s led us to this point.” Of course with the benefits of being an experienced band comes the hurdle of staying relevant and making sure the music is still unique and interesting. “It’s not always about going out and making a record that’s extremely left of centre and different to what people know you for,” explains Gaskarth. "That’s something that we have learned just over time. There’s a lane that All Time Low can operate in, and fortunately, thanks to our fans that’s a very wide lane. “I think the biggest thing for us is just making music in the moment that inspires us and that we’re going to want to play live forever. I think particularly in the case of Wake Up Sunshine, the fact that we all came together and we were all under one roof making this album - we actually all lived together for a month in Palm Desert! We took some songs that we already written in demo form, and then we wrote a bunch more and we pieced this album together in a way we used to do it back in 2009 and 2010. “It’s something that we just haven’t done in a while and that energy and that interconnected creativity was really valuable because I just think we captured something that was extremely true to what was happening at that moment.” While embracing the tried and tested methods of writing and recording an album, the All Time Low lads have also showcased some unique collaborations with hip-hop artist and producer blackbear, as well as label buddies The Band Camino.

"I’M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THE RECORD IS UPLIFTING AND CAN HOPEFULLY DELIVER A MESSAGE OF POSITIVITY AND ESCAPE DURING A FAIRLY HEAVY TIME." “We’ve had collaborations all through our albums and one of the big things for me is working with friends,” Gaskarth says. “I don’t necessarily just like reaching out to a hot artist and being like, ‘hey you’ve got to feature on this because it’ll help our streams,’ you know? “I really like to work with people who are in our universe - in the orbit of All Time Low somehow. With Band Camino, they’re our label mates and I just love what they’re doing. And when we wrote Favourite Place, the song that features them, I just felt like there was a little twinge of what they’re doing in that song. I kind of felt like they indirectly influenced and inspired me in a way on that one.” It’s also worth noting that blackbear’s vocal feature will be the first ever time there’s been a rap feature on any All Time Low song, which may come as a bit of a surprise to some of the band’s oldest fans. “With blackbear, it came together because of our producer, Andrew Goldstein. He writes with Bear and when we wrote ‘Monsters,’ we just felt like it could use something,” says

Gaskarth. “We hadn’t ever thought about collaborating with an artist like blackbear before, but we liked him as a guy. So we sent him through the song, and he pretty much wrote the entire second verse and it took it to a whole new place.” As for the themes of the album, Wake Up Sunshine is about stepping into the light after overcoming dark times surrounding internal mental health conflicts. “There’s a lot of sunshine and lemonade on this record which I love. And then I think, personally, it’s all about working through things. [It’s] just about being open with yourself and being honest in writing stories that help you grow as a person. To me, it was almost like telling myself to wake up and things get better. And I hope that message conveys to anyone listening to it.” And what a more fitting time to release a positive and wholesome collection of music, as the world attempts to navigate through this strange era overshadowed by the overwhelming anxiety of COVID-19? “It’s interesting because nothing like this has ever come close to happening to us while we’re putting out a record, or to the world. It’s equal parts very odd to be experiencing it as a human being with every other human being, like we’re all sharing this weird anxiety,” Gaskarth says. “I’m really grateful that the record is uplifting and can hopefully deliver a message of positivity and escape during a fairly heavy time. And then as far as it actually coming out, it sucks but it sucks for everyone right now. Like, do we push the record back, do we start cancelling tours: what do we do? And it just didn’t feel right to do that. We could try and push the album back and have better first week numbers or some bullshit, but it’s more important right now to come together and show people that there is still light in this world. “Hopefully this record can be an outlet or a bit of an escape for our fans so, that’s why we’re sticking to our guns and we’re going to put this thing out. Everything else is secondary, we can always tour. The world will come back to normal. Things are going to get flowing again and once that happens, we’ll be ready to hit the road and play shows for people.” BY CIARA ALLEN Wake Up Sunshine is out through Fueled By Ramen/Warner Music Australia on Friday April 3.

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ALL TIME LOW RISE TO NEW HEIGHTS

T H E N E W E ST M E M B E R O F T H E AC O U STAS O N I C FA M I LY O F F E R S A UN I QU E S ET O F ST R AT ® - I N S P I R E D VO I C I N GS P LU S T H E U N D E N I A B L E LOOK A N D F E E L O F O U R I C O N I C ST R ATO CAST E R B O DY S HA P E .

TYLER BRYANT PLAYS THE

AMERICAN ACOUSTASONIC STRATOCASTER

IN DAKOTA RED.

CRAFTED IN CORONA, CALIFORN IA

THE AMERICAN ACOUSTASONIC SERIES: ACOUSTIC. ELECTRIC. EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. mixdownmag.com.au

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MUSIC INTERVIEWS “I feel really proud of it and I feel like I’ve learned a lot through making music, especially the last album The House,” Maine explains. “I feel like I learned a lot about what I want to achieve through making music and the sort of relationship I want to have with the music I put out and I felt very determined to make the best possible piece of music that I could make. “I was looking back to where I was when I was making Pool and how I really clicked with it and was really in the headphones paying as much attention I could to every sound and every word, to just be as deliberate as I could this time around. I made it at home and did majority of the production myself and I feel myself there and I think like I’ve improved. “I tried to experiment with my voice and vocal takes and my delivery, and I was able to hear my music with a little more perspective. I just want to outdo myself each time – that’s the idea.”

Porches Find Their Clarity The year 2013 saw us Slow Dance in the Cosmos with Aaron Maine, better known as Porches. In 2016 we took a deep dive into Pool and in 2018 we entered The House. Now in 2020, Porches invites us into the world of Ricky Music.

Recorded in his New York apartment from December 2017 to the US spring of 2019, Maine documented the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced throughout the time. He describes it as “an account of the beauty, confusion, anger, joy and sadness”, but mostly what this album represents is Maine’s tireless search for clarity. “It was me trying to remember why I make music and what I enjoy about making music,” he reflects. “I think I lost track of doing it for me and how much you have to love it for it to translate. I was just trying to get back to a sort of fruitful place where it’s absolutely a labour of love.” “There are moments of clarity on the record for sure,” he continues. “Emotionally, and even as an artist, I feel like there’s clarity in that world, as well as being surer of what I’m trying to say and being comfortable with what I’m trying to communicate and how I share it.”

Needless to say, a decade removed from their breakthrough, the band themselves had no idea what was in store for them when they hit the mainstream. “We were not prepared for how big things were going to get,” says Thom Powers, who plays guitar and sings in the band. “We were excited, for sure, and we thought we’d done something special. I think we’re only fully able to appreciate that time in our lives now, though – hindsight, getting older and plenty of life lessons have followed.” “I feel like we’ve been competing against ourselves for ten years,” adds Alisa Xayalith, the band’s vocalist and keyboardist. “We set such a high standard for our writing and our sound back then, and songwriting is still such a mystery to us. When you’re putting the pieces together and you make something that you like, though, you’re still really excited by it. No matter how puzzling things can get, there’s always something so rewarding about that.”

The Naked & Famous Go Back To Basics After a steady build in their native Auckland through the latter half of the 2000s, The Naked & Famous came bolting out of the gates at the dawn of the new decade. With the release of their debut album Passive Me, Aggressive You, the synth-wielding indie darlings were propelled to stardom – not least of all thanks to their quintessential double-up of hits, “Young Blood” and “Punching in a Dream.”

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This process has lead Powers and Xayalith to Recover, the first Naked & Famous record in nearly four years and their fourth overall. In between the release of 2016’s Simple Forms and now, the group has gone through a considerable overhaul and reboot – once five members strong, TNAF has reverted to a duo. This shift within the fold of the group, however, has not hindered their artistic vision. If anything, it’s helped to re-calibrate it and come at their new LP with a newfound sense of focus. “There’s a point as a songwriter where it crosses over,” says Powers. “You’re writing something, and it goes from being exciting because you’re a writer to being exciting because you love music. When you hit on that reaction in the process of making songs, it’s very obvious. That happened a lot when we were making this record – there’s a little video we posted to our Instagram a little while ago, and it’s of us writing the track ‘Sunseeker.’ You can see how excited we are in the room, and it felt really fresh to us. You never want to assume you’ve written a hit or anything like that, but you do get those kind of moments that are really special.”

“I think it’s something that I was actively looking for, for the first time, in my personal and professional life.” The result – a distinctly coherent and concise songbook of eleven tracks. These can be attributed to the collaborative nature of the writing and recording, as well as Maine’s willingness to absorb ideas and input from those around him. Ricky Music features the first co-production effort by Porches with Unknown Mortal Orchestra bassist, Jacob Portrait, along with guest collaborations from long-time friends like Mitski, who features on the track ‘Madonna’. “I’ve known Mitski for years and I do enjoy working with people and hearing other people’s voices specifically on my album – I think it’s such a breath of fresh air,” explains Maine. “She was in town the week that I was in the studio recording and we laid down heaps of ideas and tracks and that’s the one we decided on.” Collaboration for Maine is more about personal connection than a solely musical one, preferring to enlist friends he’s made through various avenues. “I like the idea of bringing in people that I encounter and spend my time with to appear on the album, and make it feel like the picture is even bigger.” BY TAMMY WALTERS

Ricky Music is out now through Domino Records.

Recover is less bombastic and forthright as an album like Passive Me, Aggressive You – but, in a way, that’s kind of the point. It’s an album of peaks and valleys, of subtleties and delicacy. You could even perceive it as The Naked & Famous growing up. For Xayalith, it was simultaneously about meeting expectations of quality while also subverting expectations of sound. “The main thing I was asking myself is what do people want out of The Naked & Famous in 2020,” she said. “What do we want out of it? I was really trying to lead us to a place where we could evolve musically and creatively. We’re very different people to the ones we were when Thom and I started this band. We’re still interested in challenging the status quo, but we’re still aware of what we’ve created for ourselves over the years. “There were months of harrowing self-doubt in there, with lots of argument and debate. We had to pause and take a break, but when we came back to it we wrote the title track to Recover. It made the whole album really feel like a sort of restoration process. We thought maybe we weren’t going to do this anymore, and here we are.” BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG

Recover, the new album from The Naked & Famous, arrives on Friday May 8 via Island Records.

MUSIC INTERVIEWS The opportunity to work in Berlin came after The Kite String Tangle won the prestigious Grant Mclennan Fellowship in 2018. This is already generating results, with the track ‘P()L4r’ winning electronic/dance track of the year at the recent Queensland Music Awards. Everything is moving in the right direction for The Kite String Tangle. After speaking with Danny Harley, you get the impression that he has certainly found himself as an artist, and that his time in Berlin was pivotal in influencing his latest release. “Yeah, it was awesome”, suggests Harley. “I ended up spending four months getting involved in the arts and music scene over there. It’s such a unique opportunity, as there is so much going on all of the time. Everyone is always pushing boundaries, and it’s a really great place to immerse yourself, and there is a huge electronic music scene there as well.” When you hear Harley discussing the process behind the creation of C()D3X, it’s hard not to seize up with jealously – for any electronic artist, the recording seems like an absolute dream come true. Having the opportunity to spend time connecting with the cultural vibrancy of the Berlin, while fine-tuning his musical vision.

The Kite String Tangle’s Concept for C()D3X Immersing himself in the cultural landscape of Berlin has paid dividends for the artistic direction of the upcoming album C()D3X for Brisbane based producer Danny Harley. The finishing touches were put onto the album there, while embracing everything the cultural centre has to offer.

“We ended up doing a lot of the mixing there, even tracking some vocals in an Airbnb with my U87,” says Harley. “Then I mixed the album with a friend, and it worked out pretty well.” Talking more in depth about the production process, Harley reveals his working methods, which primarily resolve around an in-the-box production approach. “Ableton gets the song done, then I bounce stems out from there. I record vocals and mix in Pro Tools though,” Harley explains. The outcome of all of this is a smoothly produced electronic album that competes commercially with the best of them. His new single ‘North’ features driving dark synths and an anthemic chorus. Without a doubt this track will be hugely popular with existing fans, but has a very accessible sound that could translate into increased exposure.

“I was listening to a lot of techno in the clubs over there. That is definitely going to come though in the music. I reckon it brought a darker edge to it,” Harley suggests, noting that the underlying darker narrative of C()D3X in turn influenced the record’s sonic nature. “I think sonically - the space that it’s in, even in the reverbs used – they (the songs) can be quite warehouse. It feels like it’s in a certain space through the sounds and the artwork. I feel like that stuff is really important… to have a concept before you start writing, especially for an album.” It’s undeniable that C()D3X has emerged from a very productive period for Harley. The cohesive and thoughtful approach he engages with throughout his production process is a shining example of the high-level results possible in the electronic production sphere. Despite everything that’s happening in the world, Harley also mentions that he’s currently exploring production options for The Kite String Tangle’s live show, which has been postponed to a later date. Harley says he’s aiming to create a much darker and more electrifying experience this time around to solidify the concept of C()D3X to those witnessing it in the flesh. “We’re definitely making a conscious effort to not just take the same show out on tour again,” he says. “We’re trying to make a show that’s cohesive and next-level for us, and we’re really excited to put this together soon! BY BRETT VOSS

C()D3X, the new album from The Kite String Tangle, is out now via Warner Music Australia.

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ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION SPECIAL DJ ESSENTIALS Denon Prime 2

Pioneer DJ DDJ-200

RRP: $2999

RRP: $299

MIXDOWN SAYS: Denon has dominated the standalone DJ hardware technology since its tech award-winning MCX8000. The Denon Prime 2 is in essence, a downsized controller and essentially a refined version of their acclaimed Prime 4. A seven-inch multigesture touch-screen allows you precise control over music library navigation, waveform display and FX. Multiple inputs (USB, SD and 2.5 inch HDD bay with SATA connection) provide ample room for music storage and recording, while Wi-Fi connectivity and an Ethernet port open up a world of streaming services including Beatport, Beatsource, Soundcloud and TIDAL.

The two six-inch jog wheels each feature a colour display for loop information, album artwork and custom logos. Multifunction performance pads provide access to trigger pads for cues, loop points, beat rolls and slicer. Two independent mic channels don’t interrupt the line channels, there are multioptions for headphone monitoring and two auxiliary inputs provide options for backup inputs. High resolution 100 mm pitch faders, time-stretch and key shift functions all give you tactile control over your mix. The Prime 2 represents a sweet spot in their lineup as many users will find the Prime 4 overkill, and with the same premium build quality and precise software, it’s sure to be a popular choice.

MIXDOWN SAYS: With the DDJ-200, Pioneer DJ has made an excellent introductory controller for aspiring DJs. At under 38 x 21 cm, it’s a lightweight portable machine for mastering the foundations of DJing. A host of software solutions allow you to connect you PC/Mac to the DDJ-200 including Pioneer’s dedicated app WeDJ for iPhone, which connects directly to your phone. WeDJ features tutorials and Pop-Hints to introduce you to common terms and techniques to have you impressing your friends in no time. Spotify, Deezer, SoundCloud Go+, iTunes, Beatport LINK and Rekordbox all have integration options.

Numark PDJ2GO2

Roland DJ-707M

RRP: $139

RRP: $1599

MIXDOWN SAYS: Portable micro setups are proving ever popular at the moment, and the pocket-sized Numark DJ2GO2 is easily the most portable DJ Controller on the market. The DJ2GO2 is designed to sit on a laptop trackpad and offer the full features of a standard DJ controller with the smallest possible footprint. A built-in audio card and included Serato Intro software comes pre-mapped, making it ready to go wherever you want to take it. Not only ideal for entry-level consumer but also anyone that desires a controller to practise on during travel or backup controller for when things don’t go to plan. The built-in soundcard features master gain, headphone output to cue tracks as well as channel gain to adjust the mix. A crossfader

mixes the two channels and pitch faders allow you to get creative. Each deck features four pad buttons with four modes. Auto Loop and Manual Loop modes set loop points, Cue mode sets cue points in Serato and Sample mode plays assigned samples in Serato. While it ships with Serato Intro software (ready to be upgraded to Serato Pro) it’s MIDI mapping is standard so you can also use your preferred software. There’s really nothing else like this on the market at this price point. To be able to have all the features you need (only an EQ is missing) makes this a perfect option for beginners, travelling DJs or anyone requiring a backup controller that at only 630 grams is barely going to make your case heavier.

MIXDOWN SAYS: Roland has designed their DJ-707M with the mobile DJ in mind, expanding on a traditional controller with added functionality for a sound technician level of control. An integrated live sound console uses Roland’s DSP technology from their dedicated digital audio console range giving you flexible control over the final output. A zone mixer allows three separate speaker management configurations, each with their own four-band EQ, multiband compression, limiter and mono mode. All of these specified settings can be stored and recalled in 10 onboard Scene Presets. Two microphone inputs have studio grade preamps with independent gain, noisegate and low-cut on each channel and a

Eleven types of Transition FX will help you blend one track into another using the crossfader. An automated Phrase Sync feature analyses the tracks and helps you match the beat for seamless mixes. Cue up the next track using your headphones while the jams don’t stop out of the master out. Three-band EQs help you shape the channels and tempo faders let you remix or manually beat match if you don’t want to use the automation. Eight performance pads allow you to cue, loop and remix your favourite tracks the way you’ve always wanted to. The Pioneer DDJ-200 has everything you need to begin your DJ journey.

three-band EQ and extensive effects section (including auto-pitching) allow dynamic control over vocal performance. Serato Pro compatability gives you refined control over cues, loops, slicer, rolls and pitch play. The onboard effects engine allows you to assign effects to dedicated Filter/FX knob on each channel and there are even drum loops from Roland’s immortal TR series and other samples to play on a pad section. Perfect for events and parties where you need greater control over the sound system and with all these modern additions, the DJ-707M represents the next generation in DJ Controller.

DJ ESSENTIALS Technics SL-1210MK7

Technics EAH-DJ1200

RRP: $1749

RRP: $299

MIXDOWN SAYS: Any DJ wanting a vinyl turntable experience should be familiar with the iconic Technics SL-1200 series. I mean, they are without question the benchmark for all turntables. The new 1210MK7 with its Coreless Direct Drive Motor, has all the features we have come to love from the brand and a few more that are sure to endear it to a whole new generation of vinyl enthusiasts and beat selectors. On the outside, you can feel the rich history of the design and its legendary build quality, but removing the platter reveals some crazy new developments, including switches underneath for fine-tuning the starting torque and brake speed, making it

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extremely customisable to the DJ’s personal taste. Reverse Playback is also welcome new feature, opening up all kinds of creative options. Highly precise bearings balance the instantly recognisable S-shaped arm and provide stability even whilst scratching. There’s a handy pop-up stylus light (a bright and durable white LED) and the option to set the strobe light to red or blue. Both the stylish matte black case and feet feature vibration-absorbing cases to suppress interference. Featuring all the class of the immortal series combined with the latest in turntable technology, the SL-1210MK7 offers unrivaled performance at this price point. Would you expect anything less?

MIXDOWN SAYS: DJs have very specific demands when it comes to headphones. Extreme durability, extended low-end reproduction and enough isolation/output to allow for mixing in a booming club environment are but some of the very specific requirements for the working DJ. Thankfully, Technics have made their EAH-DJ1200 headphones specifically with the DJ in mind. A 40mm-diameter CCAW voice coil delivers detailed sound from a newly developed driver. Designed for high volume use, its high durability input of 2,500 mW remains clear and undistorted at the high levels that club environments require. Well-balanced throughout the frequency range with a low impedance of 40 Ohms, the EAH-DJ1200s are ready-made for DJs.

Adaptability of use is also a prerequisite for the various ways DJs wear headphones and the EAH-DJ1200 feature a flexible design to accommodate this. The arms have 270 degrees of swing and can be locked into the angle you find most comfortable. The lightweight on-ear design can be folded compactly for the fast, mobile lifestyle of working DJs. A detachable cord makes maintenance and cleaning easy and features a clever lock to ensure it’s not accidentally removed. Designed as a follow up to the classic RP-DJ1200 (on the market for over 20 years), the EAH-DJ1200 represent an exciting new chapter from the undisputed masters of the DJ realm.

ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION SPECIAL

GEAR ICONS: TECHNICS It just wouldn’t be a DJ special without mentioning Technics. So integral is the brand to the culture of DJ’ing and Vinyl that it’s near impossible to mention one without the other. Go into any DJ booth, cratedigging record store or anywhere that deals in the playback and manipulation of vinyl and chances are you’ll find a pair of SL-1200’s or 1210’s emblazoned with the brands perfectly understated serif logo. However, Technics are much more than just a brand: they are a symbol of a greater movement, a reassuring presence in the booth and a scene identifier all rolled into one. Their products have continually informed and shaped the direction of popular music over the last 50 years, even being displayed at the London Science Museum as ‘a product that shaped the world we live in’. Products like the new SL-1210MK7 only reaffirm the companies continued reputation for excellence. Originally starting out as a loudspeaker manufacturer in 1965, it was in the burgeoning home Hi-Fi market where Technics really came to prominence, getting in on the ground floor of the direct-drive revolution by releasing the world’s first Direct-Drive turntable, the SP-10, in 1969. This was followed closely by the release of SL-1100 and, perhaps most crucially, the SL1200 in 1972, known by many as the most influential turntable of all time. Affordable, bombproof and capable of withstanding the kind of rigorous physical manipulations that were previously impossible with beltdriven models, these radical new designs

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quickly gave birth to what we now know as turntablism, redefining the role of the DJ in popular music and giving birth to dozens of genres of club music, while playing a pivotal role in the birth of hip-hop. As the years passed, Technics continued to refine their product line and captivate the DJ world, with classic releases like the SL-1200MK2, SL-1210MK2 and SL-1210MK5 only strengthening the brands dominance in the rapidly evolving scene. The legendary manufacturer are back in a big way with the new SL-1210MK7, the latest incarnation of the iconic 1200 line and the next turntable to carry-on the Technics name in the DJ space. It’s often said that after World War III, there’ll be nothing left except cockroaches and SL-1200’s, and with the weight of the world’s vinyl resting firmly on its decks, the new SL-1210MK7 definitely does not disappoint. Featuring Technics’ famed Direct Drive motor technology, the likes of which have been continually refined and developed by the brand over the last 40 years, the running gear on the new 1210MK7 faithfully upholds the excellence delivered by previous incarnations of the storied product line. With its Coreless Direct Drive Motor eliminating the cause of potential cogging and subsequent replacement of components being bolstered by a rock-solid chassis/ platter construction, the new look Technics 1210MK7 definitely brings something special to the new generation of vinyl enthusiasts. Another feature that is sure to bring a smile to longtime DJs, or anyone who has struggled to find continuity from one turntable to the next, is the SL-1210MK7’s ability to have the motor customised to the user’s desired settings. Lifting up the platter reveals switches for adjusting

torque and brake speed, parameters that can be tweaked in-line with the user’s personal taste. These fine adjustments were made possible thanks to technology from Panasonic Blu-Ray drives, a nod to how far the line has come from its humble beginnings till now. The new reverse playback function only further opens up the creative options available here, echoing the line’s history as the ultimate tool for creative expression. Thankfully, the trademark S-shaped tonearm is still present, with its unique design and quality engineering providing the same fluent motion and smooth, stable playback as generations past. High precision bearings in the lightweight arm provide stability and reliability, even under the most vigorous scratching applications. Other classic features include the pop-up stylus light a bright and durable white LED and the

hypnotic strobe light which has been a staple of the series since the first generation 1200. Something that is sure to get a kick out of fans of the series is the SL-1210MK7’s ability to set the strobe to red or blue, making for a much more personalised discspinning experience. The original success and sheer cultural domination of the 1200 in the DJ world has always been in its incredible build quality, groundbreaking technical capabilities and egalitarian pricepoint. Having been a decade since the previous incarnation of the 1200, new users and Technics die-hards alike will be impressed by the refined character of the SL-1210MK7. A legendary presence in the DJ world and a very fitting inductee into Mixdown’s ‘Gear Icons’. BY DAN NICHOLLS

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ULTRA. NEVER PLAY A PRECISION BASS® THE SAME WAY AGAIN. The American Ultra Precision Bass in Arctic Pearl features a redesigned preamp for tighter lows, musical highs and lots more usable bass. American Ultra Series: All-New Body Contours. Ultra Noiseless ™ Pickups. Our Fastest-Playing Necks.

mixdownmag.com.au ©2019 Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. FENDER, FENDER in script, PRECISON BASS and the distinctive headstock commonly found on Fender guitars and basses are trademarks of FMIC. Registered in the U.S. and foreign countries. All rights reserved.

BRAND SPOTLIGHT: MARKBASS Markbass simply cannot be stopped. After wowing the world with their range of powerful-yetlightweight Class D amplifiers, bass cabinets and pedals, the Italian firm, led by founder Marco De Virgiliis, have only continued their upwards trajectory, recently acquiring the famed D’Orazio string factory and even making their own instruments. To celebrate their new bass range, we corresponded with De Virgiliis via email and translated his responses to find out all about the history of the brand, the inspiration behind their new basses and find out what’s next for the company. Hi Marco, it’s a pleasure to be able to interview you – I hope you’re well in spite of the dire situation in Italy. Would you be able to explain to me a bit about your life before Markbass? The pleasure is mine, I’m truly grateful and honoured to be able to do this interview. When I was little, music was a huge passion for me. I studied clarinet at the University of Pescara, but inside of me a love for electronic music was born. My love for music also fused with another passion of mine: engineering. In 1996, under the brand name Parsek, I started making amplifiers and cabinets, whilst experiencing first-hand all the various duties of business life: purchasing, production, marketing, sales, liaising with artists, administration and distribution. I travelled all around Italy so that musicians could try out my equipment, and I sold my gear directly to Italian music stores – I’d drive more than 120,000km a year (with no air conditioning) and some nights I’d end up sleeping in my car just so that I could save money! What then inspired you to start up your very own business? Was this an idea you’d been considering for a long time, or was the process more spontaneous?

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At the end of the ‘90s I met Sterling Ball [son of Ernie Ball] and I collaborated with him to create a line of amplifiers for Music Man called Audiophile. During this time, I was somewhat of a trailblazer in pioneering the use of neodymium custom speakers for bass amplification. A few years later, in 2001, I decided that the moment had arrived for me to start my own business, and so Markbass was born. I started this adventure with enormous enthusiasm and passion; these traits have helped me to confront the various difficulties that I encountered throughout the journey, and thanks to the people that believed in me and the brand from the beginning until now, the dream has become reality! I’m constantly in awe of how well your amplifiers are able to capture the sonic nuances of each different bass guitar. Was this one of your main objectives whilst in the process of establishing Markbass? Absolutely – one of the first slogans for Markbass was “THE REAL SOUND OF YOUR BASS”, which wasn’t just a slogan. From the beginning, one of the objectives I’ve always strived to adhere to throughout the development of my amplifiers was to exalt and respect the unique characteristics of whichever instrument you are using. For me, the most impressive thing about a Markbass speaker cab is that it carries so much sonic power, yet is so light and portable. Without giving away any secrets, how were you able to achieve this? From the start I’ve provided people with the option of light, transportable amplifiers and cabinets, thanks to the pioneering use of neodymium custom speakers as well as the use of our own proprietary technology that we are still constantly in the process of developing. The “lightness”, which is certainly appreciated by all, is only one of the characteristics of our products… every one of these characteristics is realised without any compromise in the final product – whether that be in its quality or sound – and these characteristics are fundamentals that we will never sacrifice!

Could you please explain to us how Class D amplification varies from the norm? What was your reasoning behind using this form of amplification in the first place? From the start, I’ve always had a real desire to create and design something new, outside of the paradigm. Back in those days, all of the most popular bass amplifiers had more or less the same characteristics, but I’ve never liked imitating. So when it came to my amps, I had the same approach. Instead of using power amps commonly available on the market, I decided to develop my own proprietary amplifiers (MPT – Mark Proprietary Technology), which, in addition to being specifically designed to respect and glorify the sound of the instrument, also allowed for a drastic reduction in the weight of the amplifier. I remember a while back when we introduced our first 2kg models to NAMM and Musikmesse, the average weight of the competitors’ amplifiers was around 7 or 8kg – people used words like “warm, punchy, clear, honest, accurate – even aggressive” to describe them… I still remember the incredulous look on their faces when they went to lift them. I’ve had a look at the Kimandu and Kilimanjaro Richard Bona Signature Basses – they’re truly spectacular instruments, with all the detail that has gone into the design, the colour scheme, among other things. What was it like to work with Richard while you guys were designing this bass? For the Kimandu and Kilimanjaro basses, we were after an original design that was ‘distant’ enough from the norm; we worked closely together to develop and improve this design so as to offer a truly ergonomic, balanced instrument. One of the things that Richard and I have in common is that neither of us accepts compromise – Richard is one of the most appreciated and respected musicians in the world, and from the beginning, he made it clear to me that he would never put his name (nor his fingers) on an instrument that does not adhere to the highest qualitative standards.

Together with my team, we worked in constant contact with him, designing and improving the instrument step-by-step until both of us were 100% satisfied with the final product. We maintained the highest standards of musical artisanship, as well as a maniacal sense of attention to detail. The recent acquisition of D’Orazio Strings must be super exciting for you and your team. Could you tell us about the Markbass strategy towards string design? For the past few centuries, Abruzzo was the motherland of nearly all string manufacturers. The art of string-making was born in this beautiful part of the world, and many of the great string makers on the market today would be able to trace their origins back to Abruzzo. Being able to combine the experience of the master string makers with my own propensity towards innovation – along with research, use of new materials and technology – I would say this is the true strategy in the design of our new line of Markbass Strings. Finally, I’d like to congratulate you and your team on the success you’ve enjoyed over the last nearly 20 years. What is your vision for the future of Markbass, in terms of creative direction? Thank you from the heart for your congratulations – we’re super proud of the international success of our products and we will never stop. Innovation is part of my philosophy of life, and we are constantly brimming with creative, new ideas. It’s not by chance that one of our slogans is “Born to Run”… We have some cool news to share with you all this year, as well as heaps of exciting projects for the 20 year anniversary of Markbass in 2021… stay tuned! Markbass is distributed in Australia by CMC Music. WRITTEN AND TRANSLATED BY DAVID TOMISICH

ADVICE COLUMNS ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION

Three DAW Production Tricks You’ve Now Got Time To Lean Fellow music makers, let’s make the best of a bad thing and learn some new tricks to get those home-recorded tracks poppin’. I put off learning some of these mixing and production techniques because… well… they’re not as fun as playing with a cool synth or something, but I always cursed myself afterwards for not taking the time sooner. Don’t be me. Mix with your ears, not your eyes Mixing is tricky, but it isn’t rocket science. If I’ve been working on a track for some time, with lots of different elements in play, and things are getting a bit unruly, I find it very helpful to tune everything down and start again with a faders-only mix - turn off your compressors and EQs. Turn your monitors/headphones right up (this will make you less likely to raise track levels overly high) and gradually raise the levels of your main elements - bass drum, bass line, lead parts etc. - maintaining balance by making sure you can hear each part clearly. Try not to pay attention to where the fader is, mix with your ears, not your eyes. Keep panning in mind too, you can make a lot of space in a mix by pulling

elements to the sides. When I take this approach, I’m often surprised at where the faders have ended up. Parallel Compression If your kick and bass are sounding a bit weak for your liking, a neat trick is to group them to a buss and use an effects send to throw that audio to an aux-track with an aggressive compressor on it. By aggressive I mean a high ratio, short release (say 60ms) and fast attack (say 2ms). Sending the combined bass/kick signal will cause the compressor to react rhythmically, and when mixed in lightly with your original unaffected bass/kick buss, can add some nice punch and spice to your low-end. This is an area that different compressors will sound different in as you raise their make-up gain - analogue style compressors are considered the go-to as they add a nice overdriven character. Middle/Side EQ When you throw an EQ on a stereo track in your recording software of choice, I’m willing to bet it defaults to a standard stereo EQ. There’s a whole other method of EQing that’s immensely helpful for cleaning up your mixes called Middle/ Side. It’s specifically for stereo tracks as it splits your dual track signal into mono and

stereo parts (referred to as middle and sides respectively). This means, for example, you can carve stray bass frequencies out of your left and right channels and leave the bass mono. You’ll be surprised how much of a difference this can make to your overall mix. Bonus tip, messing with the stereo-image is an under-utilised effect in electronic music, gradually automating things to become mono is a great way to build tension, then blow people’s brains apart when the beat drops and you return your track to a full stereo image. BY MICHAEL CUSACK

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ADVICE COLUMNS GUITAR

BASS

Hey Mr DJ!

Let Your Fingers Do The Walking

Whilst synth is seemingly king in the electronic music world, don’t throw out your precious axes too hastily. Guitars too have played a big part in the overall sound incorporating riffs, licks and rhythms from a range of genres. Acoustic picking and rhythmic chord motifs, funk guitar lines and even punk-ish heavy power chord sounds all have been used to great effect.

A solid pulse is so important to almost all styles of music. And, often this includes the role of bass (and drums) as the rhythm section. Together these instruments can lay the foundation for the rest of the band and have a say in nudging the groove in the right direction. Whilst some may think electronic music has diluted the influence of these instruments somewhat, there are definitely artists and composers that have further emphasised the need for interesting bass parts. And this can be both harmonically and tonally. Note choice and rhythm are paramount but also is the sound and way the line is phrased and articulated. Check out Daft Punk, Louis Cole, Phoenix, Deadmau5, Kneebody, Sia plus so many more to get some ideas.

Production wise, guitar is often used for its percussive properties (which can be a nice contrast to keyboard sounds). Let’s take a look at some examples that might get you into the groove. Figure A is a four bar E minor sounding lick. Try playing this really staccato (short and sharp) with a combination of left and right hand muting – think Daft Punk, early Michael Jackson and Basement Jaxx (amongst thousands of others). The syncopated feel can sit really nicely over a straight drum groove and/or more legato synth part/bass line. A Strat would be a good starting point tone wise, try the second or fourth pickup position, a clean sound with a little reverb and compression to really emphasise the attack on the note and squash the dynamics! Super, crisp and clean works a treat.

Figure B utilises chords in a disco/electro/funk style. Semi quavers and syncopated off beats make this idea really groove. Again, muting for the shorter notes works well before the contrast of the longer tied F#m7 chord in bar two. Nile Rodgers was one of the players that helped bring this sound into modern electronic music. For a little inspiration check out his work with the band Chic to hear it in a ‘70s funk music context.

Figure C takes more of a neo-soul/funk/jazz perspective. A descending chordal lick try to hammer on/pull off the high D and B on the Em7 chord and C and A on the Dm7. You can also try sliding into the Cmaj7 and Fmaj7 from a semi tone below. Licks by Kendrick Lamar, Frank Ocean, Hiatus Kaiyote and Tom Misch often utilise clean archtop and Strat tones with reverb and delay. Technique wise there is the subtle pushing and pulling of time (a la D’Angelo, Questlove etc) so try ‘floating’ a little through the A-G-E-D lick but make sure you then nail Beat One of the next bar. Guitarists such as Misch, Isaiah Sharkey and Mateus Asato make great use of chromatic slides in notes and chords, hammer-ons/pull offs and extended voicings to add a complexity to the overall sound.

Lastly, where would we be without these types of voicings in Figure D? Literally splattered across Pop, Rock and Electronic music for the last few years these simple two note voicings are easy to play and great tools for song writing. Essentially Major or minor 3rds they are sometimes referred to as ‘10th’s (meaning the interval from the lower note to the top note) and are used to outline chords simply rather than using a fuller sounding chord. Sometimes heard on acoustic guitar these also sound great doubled on harder edged synths for big build ups and pumping dance progressions.

Figure A works over a mid-tempo static Em groove. If the drums are playing a straight four on the floor pattern it can really work to make your line more syncopated. This contrast creates some energy and allows you to play with your tone – moving towards the bridge and digging in or getting rounder and warmer with less attack near the neck. You could also try a pick and remember to experiment with effects (Fuzz? Distortion? Filter?) to add to the overall vibe.

Figure B might be more of an electro-house type sound. Combining low notes and octaves this line is more static rhythmically locking down the crotchet kick drum feel (as opposed to the more syncopated Figure A). You might hear this on a P bass with some gnarly drive or get a little wild and try it with chorus and an octave pedal to add some sub lows.

Now – a quick word about taking your bass tones to the next level with electronic sounds. The advent of more electronic artists and indeed live electronic music and bands has seen the role of the bass player often expand further than just playing bass guitar. Enter the synth bass…..Roland SH01A, Minimoog, Taurus, Sequential Circuits Pro One, Roland TB-303, Micro Korg, Novation Bass Station and the list goes on. The ability to fill the low end with sounds that bass guitar can’t quite manage has made the bass player/keys bass player a valuable commodity. This doesn’t mean your role as a bass player is in jeopardy or that you have to rush out and buy a synth! But, maybe you should try brushing up on your keyboard chops (even if they are minimal or even no existent!) to experiment with some extra tonal options.

The two earlier examples could easily be transferred to synth, then try incorporating some pitch and mod wheel expressiveness and boom you’re away. The beauty of a lot of synth bass lines is that they’re typically single notes, and within a fairly small range. So, why not get your head around the notes on keyboard and see if you can incorporate some synth bass along with your bass guitar electro lines to really maximise your potential? BY NICK BROWN

These are just some ideas – the best part is that there aren’t really any limits when it comes to electronic production. You can play literal guitar parts or chop them/sample them/ obliterate them into whatever you hear! BY NICK BROWN 28

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PRODUCT REVIEWS ROLAND

DJ-707M ROLAND AUSTRALIA | ROLAND.COM/AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1,599

The explosion of electronic music in recent years has ushered in a new era of unprecedented opportunity for the mobile DJ. Gigs that simply did not exist ten years ago have not only become a reality, but are very quickly merging into the status quo for regular working DJs - with art galleries, weddings and even sneaker stores now booking DJs on a consistent basis (and each with their own specific set of technical requirements and challenges.) Roland’s new Serato-based controller looks to be tailor-made for mobile DJs, with unique routing options that offer a kind of flexibility previously unseen in portable DJ controllers, but the question still looms, is this the all-in-one solution mobile DJs are looking for? The DJ-770M is a response to DJs that are increasingly expected to not only DJ but to act as a jack-of-all trades: being an audio problem solver, setting up events with speeches, other instrumentalists and possibly even recording the gig are all very much part of the reality of the modern DJ. For these applications, portability and flexibility are key. The DJ-770m is an all-in-one solution, allowing for up to eight inputs, which can then be routed through the four main channels, with two mic inputs and two line inputs that can also be utilised and tinkered with to fit the unique and challenging situations facing the modern DJ. As with most controllers in this bracket, the DJ-707M has access to most of the Serato features through physical buttons, including track selection, hot cues, loops, live slicing, pitching, FX, crossfader curve and selection with the obvious three-band mixing EQ and upfaders. The crossfader feels quite smooth and all the knobs feel nice to the touch. 30

Every feature of the DJ-707M is plug and play. Auto downloaded drivers on Windows and class-compliant on Mac, everything just works the way it should, which is a real plus for gigs where setup time is minimal. There are also two USB connectors which can be used to seamlessly transition between DJs or to use an iOS device to play music through one of the channels, or even for use as an audio interface with the ability to record each channel and the master individually. One key feature for mobile DJs is size and weight, as they have to transport gear from gig to gig: every kilo counts! Despite utilising metal faceplates for the centre mixer and hardware for the knobs and crossfaders, the DJ-707M weighs in at only 3.5kg, and is small enough to fit inside a large backpack/road case. With portability in mind, Roland have adapted the size of some controls on the DJ770M to make space for the sheer breadth of features on the unit. Pitch faders and jog wheels are slightly smaller in comparison to past controllers, and there’s now only one FX dry/wet per side, but each one is assignable to three different FX algorithms and to any channel. When used in combination with the FX available on each individual channel, I found this was more than enough to play with while DJing. A TR drum sampler is also included which allows you to play drum loops and live drum samples which are fed through a channel allowing you to add FX and EQ on the fly. The ‘osc’ function is basically a sampler with eight sounds pitch-shifted an octave up and down.

While the TR drum sampler and ‘osc’ function will no doubt be useful to some, the routing options are what really put this controller in a league of its own. The onboard processor allows you to edit scenes, which can then be tweaked to your hearts content and later recalled with a click of a button. Whether you’re plugging in eight different inputs and running a live set through the mixer with EQ and effects, using the zone out to send only bass frequencies to a subwoofer using the onboard settings and maintaining independent control of its levels via the mixer, or sending audio to master and booth speakers and use the zone output for recording, there’s plenty of routing options available. The best part is that most of these can be done simultaneously and you could have a scene set up for each function which would allow instant changeovers, meaning no more intermission music. Crazy stuff! In the settings, you can assign what individual channels send to each output, which is useful if you are looking to send the mic to the master but not the booth monitors to avoid feedback while talking, although you could always use the onboard anti-feedback setting with the flick of a switch. There’s gain, EQ/isolator, FX, high-pass filter, gate, pan and duck settings available on each individual mic input with physical knobs for level, EQ and FX for ease of use. The preamps sound extremely clean and should be perfect for any setting. On each of the three outputs there is also four-band EQ, three-band compression, a limiter, mono mode, pan and attenuation control. A limiter and attenuation control are the real lifesavers here. If you are letting someone else use your setup after you,

having the attenuator means you can make sure your system is never clipping and the limiter means even if the other person is overzealous with their gain structure, the mixer will still sound smooth and not enter nasty digital distortion. Although this controller uses Serato software, you are able to use it in standalone mode, where all external inputs, channel FX and vocal FX are available. This is useful for recording an all-vinyl set, recording a podcast, playing music through a phone or simply DJing from CDJ’s. All in all, the Roland DJ-707M fills a hole in the market for mobile DJs with the ability to be the centrepiece for a wedding, function, live set and classic DJ setup all in one, which can change at the click of a button and fit inside a large backpack. If you’re doing events in more than one location and want minimal setup time, this controller is a surefire way to get the party started in no time. BY SAM MCNEICE

HITS: ∙ Portability and ease of use ∙ Quality routing options ∙ Nice sounding preamps MISSES: ∙ Not much

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PRODUCT REVIEWS AKAI

MPC One ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1199 It’s a common desire amongst music producers to find a sequencer/sampler/synth to operate as the brain of your hardware setup that can also serve as an autonomous machine to perform live with. Enter the Akai MPC One, building on the rich legacy that stretches back to the MPC60 in 1988. The MPC One has the same powerful multicore engine as its recent predecessors; the MPC Live and MPC Touch and it handles its internal synth engine, sampling, sequencer and lush FX with ease. 16 velocity-sensitive touchpads hark back to the MPC1000 glory days but feel considerably more durable and receptive. At 27.2 cm squared it’s the perfect size to fit in a backpack, and all the dials, buttons and touchscreen are comfortable to use; not overly crowded. The user interface via the vibrant, seven-inch Multi-Touch display and accompanying buttons and dials will feel familiar and intuitive to anyone that’s used an MPC before, and for the uninitiated, it shouldn’t be too steep a learning curve. Initially I feared I was overly reliant on the touchscreen but soon realised many buttons served as shortcuts to the page I desired and was primarily using the screen to fine-tune the parameters. The flexible Q-Link dials help keep the experience tactile. The FX section is so dynamic and can be applied in many interesting ways; assigned to a specific pad, to all of the pads on a track or the entire mix. An XY effects section offers a

tactile multi-dimensional experience where the two-axis serve as two effects at once or two parameters of one effect. There are the classics like beat repeat, multimode filters, phaser, flanger, delay as well as tape-stop for the old school hip-hop enthusiasts. Transferring samples from SD card or hard-drive is simple and sampling via the stereo TRS inputs equally so. The waveform editor lets you define the start, end and loop points and the experience was as refined as you’d expect from a company that’s been at the forefront of this process for the past 30 years. It’s easy to explode out drum patterns into individual tracks or bounce down tracks into wave files for transfer. It ships with 2GB of ram, 2GB of Internal Storage and 2GB of pre-installed content. An SD slot serves as additional storage and a USB 2.0 slot opens things up even further, while also allowing for use as a midi controller with Standalone. A lot of these features are covered by MPC Touch and Live (which you’ll have to spend a lot more on) but something brand new is the four sets of CV/Gate outputs. Hooking up a modular synth, writing a CV line and sampling the output to be mangled by the effects is a breeze. Network connectivity opens up the ability to download all the additional samples available through your Splice account. The omissions from the more expensive recent models (the Live) are mostly memory and inputs, and while some turntable samplers

might need RCA in, a decent adapter isn’t a large additional cost. The 2GB internal memory limit is offset by the combination of SD cards and external hard-drives. My main criticism would be the lack of external tracks to route some of the hardware you can sequence through its FX and mixer, but the fact you can easily sample these into the machine means this isn’t a major concern. There’s a lot to love about the MPC One; immediate sampling, tactile interaction and thumping sonic presence. It shines in so many applications and I can see it being popular with a whole generation of music producers. BY DAN NICHOLLS

HITS: ∙ Ease of workflow ∙ Diverse scope of functions MISSES: ∙ Lack of battery power ∙ Lack of individual outs

DENON

Prime 4 ELECTRIC FACTORY | ELFA.COM.AU | ENQUIRE FOR PRICING As a company, Denon have definitely had a big hand in shaping modern DJ culture from a gear perspective I mean they practically invented the modern CDJ as we know it, and in turn laid down the DNA for DJ’ing in the post-vinyl era, a legacy that that has informed all CDJ, USBDJ and DJ Controllers that have emerged since. With the DJ world booming at present, never has there been more of a need for a professional quality, all-in-one DJ solution something capable of handling multiple-media sources, DJ software and the ever expanding expressive demands of modern clubland. In this regard, the release of the Prime 4 really marks a coming of age for this kind of setupwhere power, versatility and clean navigation remain paramount, all the while staying true to the kind of musicality that can go from ’Human Jukebox’ to ‘Bonafide Artist’ at a moment’s notice. The new Denon Prime 4 is definitely one such controller. Upon unboxing, one of the first things that jumps out is the sheer breadth of features on the Prime 4. With four channels each with full standalone capability with three-band EQ and gain control for each and with 16 assignable pads. The integrated WIFI and internet functions allow users to sync their streaming accounts to their controller giving the Prime 4 a basically limitless selection of streamed media to be played and mixed from. In short, the Prime 4 offers a dizzying amount of media

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and input options for the working DJ. You can tell that Denon has put a lot of forethought into making this piece as functional and flexible as possible. The responsiveness of the Jog wheel, coupled with the Prime 4’s impressive touch screen display give the unit the kind of efficient navigation that is sure to bring anyone working in the commercial space a welcome sigh of relief, combine that with the Prime 4’s massive 1TB SSD, which is integrated into the unit and allows users to save media directly onto the controller itself, instantly makes the Prime 4 one of the most versatile all in one DJ controllers of all time. Of course, there is still the option to use external drives as the Prime 4 has both USB and SD card inputs giving the user even more choice as to where to play their media from. One thing that definitely impressed me with the Prime 4, was how quickly it was able to read my drive and load up everything regardless of source. Internal Memory, HD, SD card, Stream everything seemed to work with as little lag as possible. This is sure to pay dividends in the field, where every second of load time can be the difference between happy crowd and vengeful crowd. A former criticism of Denon has been the inability to play certain types of media from their hardware. The Prime 4 goes out of its

way to smash this stereotype once and for all and belies the companies move towards a more versatile range that prioritises media accessibility. The Prime 4’s new mode of media streaming opens the users experience, in turn allowing them access to what is basically and endless library of music. To say this was a liberating experience would be an understatement-in practise it feels like a revelation! As a performance tool, the Prime 4 definitely does not disappoint. The broadband EQ has enough cut to bring about instant and obvious change, both as a corrective and stylistic tool. The onboard filters are intuitive and pleasant on the ear and the onboard effects are more than palatable. The music management software that comes with the controller, while not your regular Pioneer Recordbox-style and might not be to everyone’s taste upon first impressions at first, but after a bit of getting used to, but rest assured the result is

a much more intuitive and efficient method of navigation in the long term. Denon has been on its game lately, and in the last few years has been making major moves with their release of the DJ range. I don’t think it would be outrageous to deem the Prime to be one of the best, if not the best, all in one DJ systems on the market right now. BY WILLIAM FOLEY

HITS: ∙ Insane number of features ∙ Simple Navigation/Media Library MISSES: ∙ Music Management software may take some getting used to

PRODUCT REVIEWS PIONEER DJ

Toraiz AS-1 JANDS AUSTRALIA | JANDS.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $699 Perfect for the DJ that wants to add some individual performance to their set, the Toraiz AS-1 synthesiser packs a lot into a small package. The AS-1 is an analogue monophonic synthesiser created as part of a partnership between Dave Smith Instruments and Toraiz (this same collaboration produced the Toraiz SP-16). The AS-1 is based on Dave Smiths iconic Prophet 6 voice and offers the same dynamic synthesis engine to produce cutting leads and hypnotic bass lines. At a little over 26 cm wide, this compact little synth does well to tailor to its purpose. Its 11 knobs control the most commonly used functions: both high and low pass filter cutoffs, resonance as well as attack and decay/ release envelope behaviour. Between these and a slider (which can be assigned to adjust one of seven parameters), you have most live tweaking variables covered, especially as an accompaniment to a DJ set. Programming patches from scratch on the small screen using the ‘Param/Category’ and ‘Value’ knobs is less enjoyable, but the Sound Tower sound editor gives you control over every parameter in a neat layout designed to mimic the layout of the Prophet. The software is free but some of its advanced functions (serving as a patch librarian for example) need a purchased licence to unlock the pro version. It’s hard to see an immediate need for this, as the AS-1 has a whopping 495 preset programs and 495 user programs split over the five

banks. This also serves well as a shortcut to begin programming a patch, finding a similar style from the presets to save time adjusting the parameters. Two digital FX engines add character to the patches and greatly increase the scope for sound design. The fact the slider can control FX depth of either or both add a lot of flavour to performance. Utilising the large preset banks to cue up successive sequences with subtle changes in the patch and FX is a great way to create an interesting progression. The AS-1 features a ribbon keyboard which while not being so inspiring for performance, serves well for programming the internal sequencer. The sequencer’s 64 steps are saved with patch data to a program and can only be programmed by step, which is a shame considering it could’ve been good to connect an external MIDI controller and record steps in real-time, but traditionally this hasn’t been the approach to step sequencers anyway. Apart from the obvious choice to save costs on the ribbon keyboard, the decision may have been inspired by keeping the AS-1 as rugged as possible. I have no intention of throwing this synthesiser across the room, but I’m confident it could handle it. The AS-1’s internal analogue components make it quite heavy, but it feels compact and secure; ready for life on the road. The fact the AS-1’s knobs transmit MIDI

makes it great for working with DAWs, allowing you to record a MIDI automation envelope to map back into the synth. Ultimately they’ve done well to create a synth that’s easy to program and useful in the studio, then ready to flex in a live setting. What struck me most was the richness of the raw sound and the scope for sound design across such a flexible synth engine. There are a surprisingly large amount of analogue mono synths on the market at the moment, but the Toraiz AS-1 shines as being purpose-built for DJ’s, with tactile control and quality sound packed into such a small foot-print. This collaboration between two companies at the top of their respective games packs a punch you can feel.

HITS: ∙ Small footprint ∙ Quality of tone MISSES: ∙ No real-time sequencer recording

BY DAN NICHOLLS

KAWAI

VPC1 Virtual Piano Controller KAWAI AUSTRALIA | KAWAI.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $2495 The divide between classically trained musicians and self-taught electronic musicians has historically been a significant one. These differences are apparent in everything from their musical influences and approach to songwriting and recording, their approach to live performance, and perhaps most significantly of all, their studio gear. It’s hard to conceive of bigger divide in music than that of the classical instrumentalist and the electronic producer and yet these two worlds seem to be edging closer and closer together. Most of these differences are environmental and educational. For example, a composer can easily do their thing on the fly with a little 25 key MIDI keyboard, but for the most part often such gear is completely alien to them. This brings to mind hypothetical scenario of a concert violinist stuck in a room full of modular synth racks without a clue where to begin is funny, the inverse situation of a techno producer thrust into a soundproof room full of string instruments feeling like they’re musically incompetent is more disheartening. Luckily this artistic divide is lessening, and a perfect example of this is the Virtual Piano Controller (VPC) by Kawai. Coming in with 88 wooden keys with physical hammers that faithfully replicate the crisp action of a Kawai grand, a sleek exterior with curves like a Maybach and a triple pedal with spring like the real thing, the VPC aims to

set a new benchmark for MIDI keyboards. Even calling it a keyboard makes me feel like I’ve disrespected it deeply; it really is a fully fledged piano that just happens to produce MIDI data instead of soundwaves. As a company that have been making pianos for close to 100 years, it is easy to understand Kawai’s design ethos, and it is this dedication to craftsmanship which delivers the most important part of this MIDI piano. The control of dynamics is unlike anything else, and something that classically trained musicians will find most satisfying. The feeling of playing music on a keyboard without dynamic control is akin to trying to express yourself in a language you don’t speak fluently. The touch of the VPC after using a standard MIDI controller is like taking off a heavy backpack after a day of walking, enough to make you think you’re playing like Glenn Gould for a hot minute. The ability to customise the touch response curves via Kawai’s VPC editor application (compatible with Mac or PC) gives you even more control over your desired expression. With the emphasis on piano feel, the VPC keeps it simple with MIDI in and out ports, a USB B port which can power the entire unit, and a 12V AC port if needed. The VPC doesn’t feature any pitch bend abilities, which some may dislike. The ability to run this level of control and finesse into whatever synthesiser you desire is seriously mouthwatering.

The casing is incredibly sturdy and Kawai’s ability to balance luxury with restraint shines through with this model. The unit weighs in at a whopping 29.5 kg, so don’t expect to be able to lug this along to your next gig, this is a statement piece for your studio. To me, the VPC feels like a coalescence of electronic and classical schools of thought. Whether you are looking for a full size keyboard that actually feels like a piano for your foray into the digital songwriting realm, or an electronic musician looking to explore the recondite art of dynamic control, or anywhere in between, the VPC is the gold standard of MIDI pianos. You don’t need to agree with my clumsy dichotomy between classical and electronic musicians to appreciate the Kawai’s approach to the MIDI piano. Some musicians have bridged the gap between the two disciplines of electronic music and classical music to achieve great

artistic and commercial success. Kawai’s artisan angle has spawned the MIDI piano equivalent of this bridging, and I’m sure it will open up doors of creativity for many, regardless of whether their path mimics Kate Miller-Heidke’s classical-to-pop or James Blake’s dubstep-to-singer-songwriter route. BY LIAM MCSHANE

HITS: ∙ Realistic fee ∙ Incredible dynamic control MISSES: ∙ Definitely not the lightest MIDI controller out there ∙ No pitch bend wheel

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PRODUCT REVIEWS SONICWARE

ELZ-1 Portable Synth LINK AUDIO | LINKAUDIO.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $999

Whether you’re still saving your pennies up to splash out on a mighty Moog One or you’ve been slowly plugging all your funds into tiny obscure modules to finesse your Eurorack rig, there’s certainly no shortage of synthesisers on the market today. If there’s been a single synth that’s shaken the world this decade, however, it’s been Teenage Engineering’s OP-1: a revolutionary creation from the Swedish firm that singlehighhandedly sparked the mini-synth trend and wormed its way into the workflow of everyone from Thom Yorke to Metro Boomin. Due to an array of production issues in recent years, it’s now surprisingly difficult to land your hands on an OP-1 these days – which makes now the perfect time for Sonicware to step up to the plate with their ELZ-1 Portable Synth. You’ve probably never heard of Sonicware, and that’s perfectly okay, because the ELZ-1 is actually the first product from the Japanese company. Billed by the manufacturers as a “reinvention” of the synthesiser, the ELZ-1 packs a whole lot into one sleek little chassis, combining FM synthesis, virtual analogue synthesis, 8-bit wavetable synthesis, noise synthesis, granular synthesis, a 64-step sequencer and squillions of filters and effects. It’s also got a built-in speaker, weighs just over a kilogram, offers USB/MIDI functionality and can be powered by four AA batteries, making the ELZ-1 the ultimate portable sound machine for any self-righteous tech-head. Out of the box, it’s plain to tell that Sonicware mean serious business with their debut offering. Despite its breezy weight, the ELZ-1 is constructed almost entirely

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from solid metal, and even the little rotary encoders and 37 mini keys feel far from flimsy. The OLED screen is certainly worth a mention here; it really makes menu-diving and parameter tweaking a joy. By combining cartoony graphics with pragmatic depictions of waveform manipulations and ADSRs, the ELZ-1 provides an incredibly intuitive knobtwiddling experience to users of any level. For beginners and hobbyists, playing with the ELZ-1 will certainly school you on the fundamentals of synthesis, and if you put your head down and get stuck into all the different elements it offers, you’ll know your way around envelopes, filters and LFOs in no time. Although the text displayed on the screen can be rather small at times, it’s never illegible, even when viewed from an angle or inside a dark, gloomy home studio – the primary habitat for most synth aficionados. With so many different synth engines packed into the one tiny little box, it’s a little tough figuring out where to even begin with the ELZ-1, and even for pros, I’d recommend perusing the instruction manual. If you’re chasing “typical” synth sounds, you’ll want to dive into the Standard, Custom and Low Bit Oscillator engines and start fiddling with the sine, triangle, saw and square waveforms. These engines work great for when you’re seeking a solution for classic chords, soaring pads and bubbling funk leads, and serve as the best entry into navigating the interface of the ELZ-1. While lacking the traditional warmth of a true analogue sounds they’re emulating, these engines still do a pretty tight job, and I really dug the grit that the Low Bit Oscillator engine offered, particularly when you opened the filter up; a saw wave with a little slice of glide will take you

straight to snarl central station, which is great for some stank-face inducing fun. The ELZ-1 also boasts four operator FM synthesis, which I’m sure will tantalize a lot of users due to its potential for replicating those glassy, crystalline ‘80s sounds. I’m not a huge fan of FM synthesis, yet I found the FM engine of the ELZ-1 to be quite enjoyable and rather immersive; due in part to the level of engagement provided by the colourful OLED screen. Bell tones, chimes, electric pianos and flutes are all easily achievable and sound faithful, and you can provoke some extremely pretty, ambient tones when you engage them alongside the unit’s powerful arpeggiator. You can shape these sounds even further with the 8-bit Wave Memory Synth, which allows for waveform warping and morphing in the FM mode. The SiGRINDER granular synth engine and the two noise synths here also provides similar results, and if you’re seeking chirpy birdsound and crunchy 8-bit video game effects to complement a track, this one’s a go-go. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, the ELZ-1 also contains a DNA explorer mode that lets you generate waveforms from incoming audio. It’s a metric tonne of fun, and deep-diving into this mode gives you some absolutely wild results: just be ready to waste hours of your time as it sucks you in further and further with each little discovery. On top of all these synth engines, the ELZ-1 also boasts a whole heap of effects you can apply to your sound, allowing you to apply a huge range of modulation, drive and timebased effects to your current patch. This is a super thoughtful touch from Sonicware,

particularly when you’re first learning the ins-and-outs of the synth and want to apply some overdrive, echo or LFO-like wobble without altering your workflow. It’s also worth noting that the Sequencer function on the ELZ-1 is phenomenal, and with 64 steps available to play with, you’ll find yourself stacking layers like crazy, creating wonderful polyphonic bleep-bloop patterns that you’ll never want to pry yourself away from. As niche and toy as it may appear on a surface level, the Sonicware ELZ-1 is a super-serious piece of kit for the studio or the stage. While it excels in the weird and whacky, it also works wonders for classic mono and poly synth sounds, and once you’ve dedicated a few hours into wrapping your head around its fundamentals, it’ll start rewarding you like no other synth before it has. After years of market dominance, Teenage Engineering may have finally found itself a worthy rival in Sonicware. BY WILL BREWSTER

HITS ∙ So much fun ∙ Unlimited sound shaping possibilities ∙ Rugged, tactile construction MISSES ∙ You’ll need to toil over the instruction manual for a hot minute

PRODUCT REVIEWS ELECTRO-VOICE

EVOLVE 30M JANDS | JANDS.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1899 Electro-Voice has been producing top-shelf professional live audio solutions for the past 90 years. Portable column speaker setups are growing in popularity thanks to an expanding pro-sumer market and the EVOLVE 30M continues the already award-winning EVOLVE series. The system is comprised of a speaker array, a powered subwoofer and a pole that connects the two. It’s cleverly designed to be quickly assembled, look stylish and sound great. After use, it’s easily disassembled and packed into its backpack case for single-trip portability. Electro-Voice has created a benchmark in portable sound at this price point. Proprietary waveguides shape an ultrawide 120 degrees of coverage across six lightweight 2.8 inch neodymium drivers and array-formed asymmetrical vertical coverage extends to 40 degrees to ensure optimal dispersion for both sitting and standing audiences. Four tuning ports provide acoustic optimisation, placed subtly at the rear of the enclosure. The 10 inch subwoofer is cased in 15mm wooden enclosure with ‘high-efficiency laminar-flow’ vent design for optimal acoustical output. To translate these technical terms; the 30M simply slams. 1000 Watts of power is evenly split between the array and the subwoofer thanks to an advanced Class-D amplifier.

Despite the often arbitrary assignment of names in the audio world, the ‘M’ in the 30M name stands for Mixer. An integrated eight-channel digital mixer allows you to balance inputs with precision thanks to a system developed by Electro-Voice’s sister company Dynachord. Four XLR/TRS combo mic/line inputs, one XLR/TRS line input, one RCA, one 3.5 mm stereo input and one Hi-Z instrument allow for a myriad of setups in this fully configurable system. Individual aux sends offer further routing flexibility. A single knob and LCD combo or the QuickSmart Mobile app control the mixer settings. QuickSmart DSP controls various system parameters; four presets for Music, Live, Speech and Club, a three-band system EQ, a seven-band graphic EQ (in Mixer Mode) and five user-programmable presets. All these settings are controllable by Bluetooth from across the room so you can fine-tune your setup prior to (or during) performance, as well as phantom power, limiter status and mixer levels. The QuickSmart app also controls studio-quality onboard effects which include 30 presets across two channels, perfect for musicians looking to reduce clutter on stage and simplify their setup.

of 123 dB booming out of a modest 20kg system, the 30M had ample throw to fill large spaces and it’s really hard to beat from a single column system. Events are clearly the ideal application, the four system presets covering a wedding perfectly with vows, background music, live performance and a DJ dialled in at the touch of a button. The fact you can pair it with up to six other EVOLVE systems really opens up its potential for large outdoor venues that need increased coverage, but also desire a portable system that can be both set up and disassembled quickly. Rugged composite material, a powdercoated 18 gauge steel grille and ergonomic handle make the 30M a durable purchase ready for the volatile nature of live music performance or reproduction. Perfect for musicians that need their own sound system for gigs, weddings, events, a professional sound at home entertaining or any live audio situation that calls for room-filling professional sound. The EVOLVE 30M simply offers unprecedented quality in a column speaker setup at this price point. BY DAN NICHOLLS

HITS: ∙ Easy-to-assemble, ready to gig ∙ Booming volume MISSES: ∙ Not much

In use, we were blown away by the quality of sound the 30M produced. With an SPL

BABY AUDIO

Comeback Kid Delay BABY AUDIO | BABYAUD.IO | EXPECT TO PAY: $49 Baby Audio are carving their own path with their recently minted run of high quality and well-priced plugins, and as such, they’ve marketed their latest effort, the new Comeback Kid Delay, as ‘a delay worth waiting waiting for’. To some, this tagline might come across as a bit headstrong for a company which many would consider to still be in its infancy, but I digress. Baby Audio are putting a huge amount of work into every one of their products, and judging from their consumer response, it is really showing.

be exact. It’s nice getting to choose the straight, triplet, dotted and free settings from the get go as well: most software delays I’ve used make you scroll through all the settings to find the one you want. However, you do lack the ability to set a numerical value for most parameters. This is potentially annoying for some people when using the hi-cut, lo-cut and attack, and I can’t help but feel that a percentage value could be helpful here.

One of the biggest turn-offs I find with VST plugins is the fact that you often don’t get to twist knobs. With the Comeback Kid, however, the size and responsiveness of each parameter makes for quite a refreshing and immersive experience, and you can tell Baby Audio have made maximising your workfow a priority: it’s very easy to sit there and adjust parameters to your liking whilst tracking. Alternatively, it’s just as easy to open the plugin and go back over mixes to really take control of the detail. Baby Audio are all about helping you shape your own sound.

If you’re stuck for inspiration, flick through the 61 presets created by friends of BABY Audio, including presets from acclaimed producers Mick Schultz and Anthony Saffery. There are some great presets on here too, particularly for wobbly chorus or textural soundscaping effects. You can also add pingpong or make the whole track mono at the flick of a switch, while the flavour section adds in a gentle dollop of modulation. I have to give the swirl and sauce features big thumbs up here, especially for their names. The swirl adds a gentle phaser that contributes to movement, whilst the sauce soaks up the space via its algorithmic reverb.

Comeback Kid’s interface presents a large, accurate feedback dial and a synced delay time down to 1/64, while a free setting lets you go all the way up to 2500ms. You’ve also got the option to manually set this within 0.01ms for those of us that like to

I also had some really nice results using the Comeback Kid on ambient-style synths and guitar swells. All four sections blend so well together and result in a very deep, rich output. You’ve also got the added bonus of being able to turn off the delay to use

the unit like a multi FX, a feature that I found to be very useful as an alternative to opening up another plugin.

when the dry signal is playing; this results in a subtle crispness and is a very nice touch.

There’s also a woozy tape saturation feature and a cheap switch modeled on vintage digital delay units, degrading your signal to an 11-bit signal path. While certainly usable, you do have to be careful what tracks you use these features on - when you crank these knobs, it can result in a pretty cranky sounding distortion. However, when used in moderation they provide a much more palatable saturation, which I found worked best on higher frequency percussive samples such as hats and snares.

The Comeback Kid is available as either a single purchase or as part of Baby Audio’s plugin bundle, and comes in AU, AAX, VST and VST3 formats to suit all major DAWs available on Mac and PC. With everything it offers at this price, there’s no doubt it’ll serve as a great addition to any producer’s plugin toolbox.

Baby Audio have put up their signal flowchart for Comeback Kid online, so you can see how each parameter affects one another, once again reflected in the userinterface to again maximise your workflow. You’ve also got the ability to blend the wet and dry signal, and actually duck the delay

BY JACK SWANN

HITS: ∙ Intuitive design ∙ Excellent stereo depth and richness MISSES: ∙ Not able to set parameters to numerical values

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CIOKS

DC7 Power Supply AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $449 While on a surface level, power supply units might not be the most exciting genre of studio gear, they certainly remains one of the most crucial. Many musicians who haven't imvested in one have quickly found out the weakest link is their (daisy) chain, often to disastrous effect. Eventually, one gets to a point in their life where they realise they are done playing Tetris with wallwarts and AC adapters, and that searching for RC interference and static is far from the best use of one’s creative time. Those who have found temporary relief plugging powerboard into powerboard have quickly learned why live sound engineers often refer to them as ‘Show Stoppers’ the hard way. The solution to these problems is a dedicated power supply unit - such as CIOKS’ latest offering, the DC7, perhaps their most comprehensive supply unit to date. The DC7 provides seven isolated DC outlets, all of which can be individually switched between 9, 12, 15 and 18 volts on the fly using the indented dip-switches on the top of the unit. The unit also provides a USB port which the increasing number of musicians who use a tablet computer in their loadout will appreciate. Should seven ports of DC power not be sufficient, the DC7 can be expanded by plugging in a separate CIOKS 4 or 8 unit, which provide an extra four or eight ports of DC power respectively. The DC7 has a built in power meter, which

lets you know how much juice you’re using, glowing red when you’re drawing 90% of the maximum power load, up to a total output limit of 48W. The location of each port and its voltage switch is indicated by a small red LED status indicator, crucial for those who play regularly in dark environments. These LED status indicators glow at increasing intensity with higher voltage settings, and will turn off if an outlet is overloaded or short circuited. An additional status LED atop the unit acts as a global status indicator, which switches itself off to let the user know when the unit is globally overloaded. The DC7 supports input voltage from 90 to 265V AC mains power, 50 or 60 Hz, meaning you can run it off of any mains power in the world. The DC7 comes in a matte black, with a textured metal exterior that looks like it would survive a nuclear fallout. The dimensions are 16cm x 88cm x 25 cm, almost exactly the size of a Betamax cassette (or approximately the size of a Lonely Planet pocket phrasebook for those of you in the VHS timeline). The dipswitches used to change each port’s voltage are indented into the chassis, allowing stacking of the unit without any issue. This allows for gaffer tape over the switches to keep everything in place once you’ve finished your sound check, which gets a huge tick from me.

on its side and base, allowing for simple pedalboard mounting. The time-conscious folks at CIOKS have included suitable screws and an Allen key with the unit, saving your drawers from an exasperated trawling for one that you swear you saw in there recently. Also included are 12 different iterations of CIOKS’ proprietary Flex cables, with double and triple daisy chain cables included, which let you power up to three pedals from a single port. The longest cable included is about 75 cm long, so those with sprawling setups may need additional cables. DC power supply units’ usefulness can range from mere convenience for the bedroom musician’s clutter to utterly crucial for a touring musician’s international power supply woes, but the time and space saving ability of them is of benefit to anyone.

CIOKS’ DC7 is a feature packed DC power supply that will add peace of mind to your power needs and make sure that you aren’t a power board failure away from an abrupt end to a show. BY LIAM MCSHANE

HITS: ∙ Built like a tank ∙ Variably input voltage is nifty MISSES: ∙ Pedalboard fiends might need to find an extra cable or two

The unit also features threaded holes

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PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

Player Series Stratocaster & Player Stratocaster HSS FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $1,299

Fender’s Player Series have become the new standard for affordable yet professional level guitars in recent history. They sit just above Classic Vibe series from Squier and below Fender’s American Performers, while the Mexican-made Vintera series features similar build quality to Players, but with vintage appointments to appeal to those seeking some classic builds to nail the sounds of yesterday. Fender, not content with creating one of the most iconic body shapes in history, continue to push boundaries in the accessible and affordable instrument market. Following the release of American Ultra last year, a new top-tier line of instruments (whose quality is exceeded only by the Custom Shop), Fender have revamped their Player series with some new colourways: namely this Stratocaster in Buttercream with three single-coil pickups and a Silver model with an alnico humbucker in the bridge. As the name suggests, these guitars are designed for the player: they’re guitars to be relied on as both a consistent gigger and a studio workhorse. Mostly alder bodies, with both modern colourways and traditional and vintage styling, they’re a Fender guitar through and through; guitars built at the cutting edge, though steeped in years of tradition. These instruments feature specs to rival their more expensive, American made counterparts, and retain all the build quality and aesthetics you’ve come to expect from the Big F.

These two Stratocasters both feature maple fretboards and alnico pickups, and both play great, as do all models in the Player Series, while the new colour-ways offer even more options for the picky modern player. The famed Fender offset contour body is alive and well, and still serving its purpose. These Strats sit comfortably against the body, and resonate into you so you can feel the push and pull of every note from the strings that resonate through the two-point synchronized tremolo.

time, and all three pickups were identical (though different placement offers different sounds and tones). The Player Series, however, feature the classic single-coil pickups, but more attuned to their placement and use, with the addition of pickup blending via the fiveway switch. The alnico 2 humbucking pickup featured on the Silver HSS Stratocaster answers the call for a much more modern sound, allowing you to drench it with gain without added hum and noise.

The pickups sound great, even for stock pickups, and definitely won’t require an upgrade unless you’re looking for something other than that classic Strat sound. Alnico pickups offer a generally warmer sound than their ceramic counterparts, which provides a nice offset to the alder tonewood, which is typically a bright and resonant wood. A five-way switch offers each of the pickups/ humbuckers on their lonesome, while the positions in-between offer a phasey blend of the two, while a master volume knob and two tone pots allow you to further tweak those tones into something unique.

Both the Buttercream Stratocaster and Silver HSS Strat feature a 25.5” scale length and very comfortable ‘Modern “C”’ neck shapes. The slick maple fretboards present on both models nicely complement both the alnico pickups and alder bodies, tightening the low end of the alder and offering a snap that is synonymous with maple. Alternatively, you can purchase most of the Player Series with pau ferro, for a fretboard lighter in colour than rosewood, but similar in tone and sonic personality. Medium jumbo frets cover the fingerboard.

From headstock to strap pin, the Fender Player Series is spec’d fairly traditionally, but not like a vintage Fender, and it’s important to differentiate these two. While vintage and vintage spec’d guitars are highly sought after, we’ve made obvious and necessary improvements to guitars since the first solid-body electrics appeared in the ‘50s. The original Strats featured only a three-way switch, offering a single alnico pickup at a

All in all, the Player Series Stratocasters are a great buy for players of any level. Even between vintage Fender and the American Ultra, they hold their own and capitalise on their own little space in the market: guitars designed for the player. They’re built to traditional specs, but with all the bells and whistles of almost 70 years of Stratocaster builds, embellishments and improvements. They’re a workhorse guitar that doesn’t sit in a price bracket that prevents it from being a

legitimately road-worn guitar. Alder bodies and maple necks offer a refined playing experience, while the alnico pickups offer tones developed since the first Strats in the early 50s, and literally everything in between. If single coils aren’t your game, then humbuckers are available as well, with some splittable options for that single-coil sound anyway. A myriad of colours are available to suit your style, and most likely you can choose between the increasingly-popular pau ferro or a maple fretboard. These Stratocasters are the result of years of research and vast improvements in electric guitars, in a pricepoint that not only keeps your wallet happy, but allows them to be toured without too much risk. They really are an instrument for the gigger and player, as are all the Player Series guitars and basses from Fender. BY LEWIS NOKE EDWARDS

HITS: ∙ Great specs for a great price ∙ Expensive enough to be quality guitars; not so expensive that they can’t be toured with MISSES: ∙ Nothing to report!

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PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

70th Anniversary Broadcaster FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $3,999 Early on in 1950, the revolutionary Broadcaster first rolled off the line of Fender’s Fullerton factory. In the post-war era of America, it was nothing short of innovation both in design and sound: to put it simply, the world had not seen anything like it. It was the first mass-produced solid body electric guitar, and pretty soon it was a hit with guitar players ranging in style from country, blues, RnB and more. Rock ‘n roll was a good five years away, and a vital element of some of the earliest recordings of this new rebellious and downright dangerous kind of music was the Broadcaster. Back in the early 1950s, however, Gretsch were already making a drum kit named the Broadkaster. When word got out about Leo’s groundbreaking new guitar, he was quickly issued a cease-and-desist by his good friends over at Gretsch. With his first batch of Broadcasters ready to go (and being the ever-resourceful man that he was) Leo figured the best course of action was to continue producing this radical new instrument and with scalpel in hand, went about removing the “Broadcaster” section of the original decal, thus keeping the legal wolves at bay. This incarnation became known as the “No-Caster” until it was rebranded the “Telecaster” in 1951 (with fresh graphics in tow) and thus a legend was born. Around 250 Broadcasters were manufactured in that first batch, developing a cult like status amongst Fender acolytes

and vintage guitar enthusiasts alike, often fetching eye-watering prices at auction. To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Broadcaster, Fender have released a limited edition Broadcaster and suffice to say, it’s a faithful recreation of the original. As soon as you open the tweed case, you can’t help but feel enchanted. Starting with the Blonde ash body, it’s obvious that the nitrocellulose lacquer is meticulously applied, giving it an even finish which will age and wear to you personally. Relic-ing can be a contentious issue, but every mark, scuff and worn area will be yours alone. The neck is a big one - one piece “U”shaped maple with a 7.25” radius and vintage style frets. One of the problems I’ve found with a lot of Telecasters is that the neck can be a little on the slim side, making it hard to get a real grip on and dig in. Not this one – personally, it might even be one of the best I’ve played. Some players might not be a big fan of the heavy coat of lacquer applied here, but it’s definitely era correct. The bridge is authentic steel with three brass saddles a vital ingredient in the classic Telecaster tone and the classic control plate with three-way pickup switch and volume and tone controls complete the original design. The only departure from the original details is the neck plate celebrating the 70th anniversary. It’s a very subtle celebration of the guitar’s history and enduring popularity.

The Broadcaster’s tone comes courtesy of the single coil pickups designed by the Fender Custom Shop to recreate the tone of the original Telecaster models. How does it sound? The word “superb” comes to mind. The Custom Shop designed pickups really are something special. I’d go so far as to say that they are among the best I’ve ever heard, which should come no surprise given the pedigree that they’re replicating. With the tone turned up, the neck pickup has a warmth and clarity you would’ve heard on classic soul records and with the tone wound down it’s almost like a big old jazz box. The neck and bridge combination has the raunch of classic rock ‘n roll, while the bridge pickup has the unmistakable twang of classic country. In short, that’s why the Broadcaster/ Telecaster is still one of the most popular electric guitars ever made. It’s easily the most versatile and comfortable of singlecut

guitars, and seventy years after its debut, this reissue proves that it’s still hard to beat. The new addition to the Fender line comes in a lacquered tweed case with red plush lining and a 70th Anniversary Broadcaster emblem sewn into the lining, a certificate of authenticity and some sweet case candy – consider it a cherry on top. BY MATT DWYER

HITS: ∙ Perfect balance ∙ Amazing tone and versatility ∙ Beautifully shaped neck MISSES: ∙ Possibly a little too much lacquer on the neck

YAMAHA

STAGEPAS 1K Portable PA YAMAHA MUSIC AUSTRALIA | AU.YAMAHA.COM | EXPECT TO PAY: $1599 The Yamaha STAGEPAS 1K is an all-in-one portable column speaker setup that offers an easy, immediate sound solution. Combining a mixer with a powered PA makes the STAGEPAS 1K a flexible PA that can adapt to many live sound situations. As the name suggests (yet still surprising given its unassumingly portable design) the STAGEPAS 1k contains a powerful high-output 1000 W amplifier. The Class-D amplifier module blasts out a mega 119 dB SPL out of its modest sized cabinet, which should be more than enough volume for most applications. The cabinet is the smallest class of any 12 inch subwoofer of this power on the market, designed with portability in mind without compromising bass response. Twisted Flare Port technology reduces port wind noise that compact bassreflex subwoofers are often prone to, as well as maximising low end output for clean, powerful bass that really does knock. Higher frequencies are projected through the intelligently designed speaker array via ten 1.5” speakers. These speakers are arranged in a J-curve configuration deliver 170 degrees of horizontal coverage and 30 degrees of vertical coverage, optimum dispersion for a wide room but avoiding the reflective ceilings. Audiences can enjoy the STAGEPAS 1k from far and wide thanks to the ten speaker array, which throws consistently clear sound over longer distances.

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Yamaha lean on their decades of experience in producing digital mixers to integrate an intuitive and space efficient digital mixer into the STAGEPAS 1k. The five channel mixer has two Hi-Z inputs for guitars or other instruments, a mic/line input and a stereo input. A 3.5 mm input and Bluetooth offer additional sources for the stereo channel, perfect for background ceremony music or backing tracks for bands. Designed for simplicity and ease of use, a one knob EQ selects the frequencies you’d like to depress - cutting the low end for speeches or reducing the high-mids to make room for vocals in a band mix. ‘MODE’ selection toggles between three settings (Speech, Music and Club) to instantly dial in a multiband compressor with optimised settings for each application. Industry standard SPX reverb is available in four different types, each with an adjustable length to add essential atmosphere and character to your music. STAGEPAS Editor is a dedicated application that gives you remote control over levels and EQ to aid with setting up and fine tuning your sound and can also save settings to recall your optimum configurations. Setting up the STAGEPAS is effortless; simply place the speakers and two spacers into the sub are you’re basicaly done. With pack down just as easy and weighing only 23 kg, the STAGEPAS makes an excellent mobile PA and for the tired arms of the touring

musician or bare-bones events teams there’s also an optional dolly. A durable, high-grade polyurea coating protects the system against the various inevitable knocks and testing conditions in the world of live audio events. An included fitted cover further protects the unit and provides ample storage for cables and microphones. The STAGEPAS can be linked to a second STAGEPAS system for larger venues and can operate with all combined inputs in mono mode or with an inceased sonic spread in stereo mode. The STAGEPAS 1k ticks a lot of boxes for a compact PA. It sounds great and can fill much larger venues than you’d expect from its modest size. Its mono profile and five inputs wont suit large bands but for solo performers through to three piece groups it's an ideal option. The events industry from remote conferences to weddings will also appreciate it as a highly mobile and sonically rich portable PA. BY SAM MCNIECE

HITS: ∙ Super portable, super loud ∙ Clean low end MISSES: ∙ Zilch

PRODUCT REVIEWS FENDER

Player Series Duo-Sonic SS and HS FENDER MUSIC AUSTRALIA | FENDER.COM.AU | RRP: $1199

The Fender Duo-Sonic is one of the rarer gems on Fender’s extensive catalogue. First introduced in 1956, these slightly offset axes were originally intended for students and amateur musicians. Their main calling cards included a shorter scale length and a relatively cheaper price point compared to the Stratocaster and Telecaster, which were targeted at professional and touring musicians.

SS variant arrived in a tranquil blue Tidepool finish, while the HS model flaunted a jawdropping Sienna Sunburst paintjob. This particular finish accentuates the natural alder swirls of the body, and is by far one of the best finishes I’ve ever seen from Fender. The company have been adding a tonne of killer colours across all of their lines recently, and it’s a decision we hope to see remain forever.

The Duo-Sonic series of guitars were introduced as a two-pickup variant of the first offset Fender guitar: the Musicmaster. The original models were constructed from either ash, alder, or basswood, and underwent three slight revisions before being discontinued in 1969. In a similar fashion to Fender’s Lead Series, the Duo-Sonics were intermittently seen in the hands of legendary artists – David Byrne, Rory Gallagher, and a little player known then as Jimmy James, who later performed as Jimi Hendrix. Unfortunately, they never performed as well in the market as their Caster cousins, which eventually led to their discontinuation.

Even more than half a century later, the DuoSonics still retain their primary attractions. Both guitars are built from alder and feature a supremely welcoming 24” scale length, 22 medium jumbo frets, and a 9.5” radius maple fretboard. The modern “C”-shaped necks are finished in an extremely comfortable satin polyester, which makes traversing the fretboard as effortless as it is enjoyable. Both necks also bear subtle wood figuring across their whole length, which extend all the way up to their vintage ‘60s style Strat headstock.

The guitar received three reissues – one Mexican-made re-release in 1993, and the second as part of Fender Squier’s Classic Vibe Series from 2008 to 2011. The final reintroduction of this axe took place in 2016 – where Fender unveiled the Duo-Sonic yet again as part of their new Mexican-made Offset Series. In recent years, Fender have combined their Offset and Player series of guitars to streamline their catalogue, finally allowing the Duo-Sonic to take their rightful place amongst their Caster counterparts. While their original purpose was tailored towards students, make no mistake. These guitars would serve guitar players of all skill levels well. The pair of guitars up for review share only a few differences – their body finish, bridge pickup, and coil-splitting capabilities. The

hardtail Stratocaster bridge, allowing for easier intonation/action tweaking and better tuning stability. And finally, the black plastic volume and tone knobs have been removed in favour of classy knurled chrome knobs, which sit atop a single-piece pickguard. Thankfully, one of the Duo-Sonic’s most distinguishing features have not been altered – their distinctive covered pickups. The Duo-Sonic was known for their specially voiced pickups, which allowed a player to easily rise above a band mix without dramatic EQ tweaks. Unlike a Stratocaster, the neck single coil is slanted downwards, allowing for a slightly increased presence in the upper midrange. This allows the Duo-Sonic to perform as a sonic chameleon of sorts; with a tone profile nestled somewhere between the throaty neck pickup of a Stratocaster and a Telecaster’s twangy bridge pickup.

The playability of these guitars is off the charts. The body size of a Duo-Sonic sits between a three-quarter and a full-sized guitar – intentionally targeted at younger or smallerstatured players. However, at no times do these instruments feel like a toy. Complicated, frustrating jazz chords suddenly became feasible and within reach with the Duo-Sonic’s smaller frame and scale length. While its offset cutouts may ever so slightly differ from a Strat, the design still adheres incredibly well to a player’s body, in either a sitting or standing position. Comfort is definitely not an issue here.

For the SS model, it’s pretty standard fare here: two covered pickups, one sloped in the neck, and one fully horizontal in the bridge. The three-way toggle switch allows you to choose between each pickup in isolation, and both active simultaneously. The tone knob is especially potent on the SS model. Roll it back a notch, and you’ll find yourself in glassy Strat territory. Leave it wide open, and you’ll achieve a fairly balanced voice with just a hint of a quack in the middle selection, and a jangly tone on the bridge. These pickup voicings work a treat for all sorts of surf/alternative rock – music genres deeply ingrained within the DNA of the Duo-Sonic itself.

Fender have opted for a handful of changes from these guitars’ vintage models. Gone are the fiddly black plastic pickup selector switches, now instead replaced by a much more convenient three-way toggle switch on the guitar’s bottom horn. The unique bridge on the original Duo-Sonics is also succeeded by a

The HS variant is where things get interesting. This guitar still retains the slanted covered neck pickup, but now rocks a special Duo-Sonic humbucker in the bridge. My favourite rhythm tone out of the lot was with both pickups active – it retained the pleasant treble boost of the neck pickup while adding a bolstered

low end with the humbucker’s increased output. The sheer flexibility of the HS loadout was a definite attraction. Simply pull up on the tone knob, and you’ve got access to two single coils again. Slam it back down and add a dirt pedal or two, and you’ve got grit and sustain for days. I’m unsure how far Fender have diverted away from the regular Player Series humbucker with this one, but they’ve definitely done nothing wrong here. It was hard to pick favourites between the two, but I’d have to give it to the HS model, simply for its unrivalled tonal flexibility and its stunning Sienna Sunburst finish. Both guitars performed identically, however. If you want a truly vintage look and voice, go for the SS. If you’d prefer a touch more modernity and variability, pick the HS. Unfortunately, certain finishes are exclusive for each guitar, which is a slight letdown. By and large, these guitars have preserved their retro charm and ravishing good looks with a refined selection of modern appointments. With the popularity of offsetstyle guitars taking off in recent times, 2020 may truly signify the resurgence of the Duo-Sonic. BY EDDY LIM

HITS: ∙ Extremely welcoming and playable guitar ∙ Ridiculously easy to play ∙ Humbucker model is a winner MISSES: ∙ Not every colour option is available for each model ∙ Pickups may not be for everyone

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PRODUCT REVIEWS GUILD

D-2612CE Deluxe ZENITH MUSIC | ZENITHMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1,399 Guild Guitars, one of the most celebrated American instrument makers, has a couple of new acoustic guitars for consideration, both of which stack up well in their respective niche markets. The D-2612CE Deluxe is a new take on an old idea, being a twelve string dreadnaught acoustic, with a cutaway and Sonitone Fishman pickup fitted as standard equipment. It plays well acoustically and comes alive when plugged in and treated with sympathetic EQ. Like any good twelve string, the first thing you notice is the sheer scale and size of the instrument. This is a big, robust sounding guitar. The bass response is excellent for an instrument of this size, this is coupled with clear highs and mids, either acoustically or via the pickup system. Next is the zing of the twelve strings themselves, as you fall down the rabbit hole of playing ‘Stairway to Heaven’, ‘Hotel California’, ‘Wish You Were Here’ and every other classic twelve string song you’ve ever learnt (warning: some of these tunes are still banned in most guitar shops that I know). An hour or so later, you can start to get a bit objective about this classy guitar that feels extremely comfortable and sounds huge. String spacing, sometimes a problematic feature on twelve string guitars, is good on the D-26. This allows players

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to fingerpick and place chord shapes with relative ease. Designed in California as part of Guilds’ Westerly range of instruments, the D-26 is a rich and resounding play. Projection and sustain are enhanced by the bold design of the guitar, and the neck width is a comfortable fit for acoustic players. Some of the older mid '70s twelve-string guitars were a bit chunky around the zero-fret neck position. Glad to say that Guild have rectified this feature with precision. Other welcome hardware features include a pau ferro fingerboard and bridge. The cutaway, a relatively recent addition to most acoustic guitars, is welcomed here as a dynamic way to utilise the entire fretboard easily. Recording the D-26 Deluxe is surprisingly easy for an acoustic instrument of this breadth. Plugging it in via a D.I. to an audio interface gives a very warm guitar tone. Blending this with a good condenser microphone brings the sound alive and gives you respectable acoustic sounds right away. As a live performance instrument, the D-26 was plugged into a powered wedge, again via the D.I., and produced a huge signal response and a natural acoustic guitar sound. The Fishman pickup features only tone and volume controls. However, at louder levels you may wish to employ some form of feedback busting gear, say an EQ

pedal. But this would be the only addition to what is a warm, resonant sounding twelve string guitar. As a ‘worst case’ experiment, it was also demoed through a Vox guitar practice amp, not the most ideal set up for an acoustic instrument, and still managed to sound very good. Sporting a solid spruce top, mother of pearl rosette and Guild arched headstock logo with ebony back and striped ebony sides, this guitar is a gem and well worth its pricepoint. The gloss finish, while highlighting the warm look of the instrument, also helps produce clear highs with deep resonant bass response. Sporting a cool retro look and a well-developed sense of 21st century guitar know-how, the D-26 Deluxe is a luxury feel twelve string guitar at the right price. BY PHIL SMITH

HITS: ∙ Warm tones ∙ Ultra-comfortable ∙ Retro styling MISSES: ∙ Volume and tone control only on the pickup system

RECORDING KING

RK-RR-36-VS EGM DISTRIBUTION | EGM.NET.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $899 Until quite recently, an affordable resonator guitar was well out of reach of most musicians. Manufacturing had all but stopped leaving the aspiring player with two options - vintage instruments that dated back as far as the 1920s (made by Dobro or National) or new models hand made by a select group of luthiers who had kept the tradition alive. Both routes were prohibitively expensive. Many of the original guitars had either fallen into disrepair due to the ravages of time or neglect and those that were still playable had almost become museum pieces that if you were fortunate enough to own you’d be fearful to take to a gig. Another problem was amplifying them in a live situation. Pickups and preamps were still in their infancy and mediocre sounding at best, not to mention that altering the instrument would destroy its market value. The alternative was using a high end condenser mic which also brought its own inherent problems of being impractical and prone to screeching feedback. I’ve seen it myself and it ain’t pretty. How times have changed! Roots music has enjoyed a resurgence over the last few years and so has the demand for affordable resonators, lap steel guitars, banjos, mandolins and ukuleles. It’s in this area of niche instruments that the Recording King company has become one of the leaders of the market. Their ever-growing selection of vintage inspired instruments is remarkable and shows

no sign of letting up. Their newest resonator, the RK-RR-36-VS, is a perfect example. If you’re unfamiliar with what a “resonator” guitar is, allow me to explain. While guitars have been around for centuries – literally - the electric guitar is a relatively recent invention. Until the 1930s, the guitar was strictly an acoustic affair which made performing in public pretty tough. Guitarists struggled to be heard over other instruments as well as audiences who could certainly get rowdy. In 1925 the first resonator guitar appeared. The idea was to place a metal cone inside the body of the guitar which acted like a speaker - or a resonator - to increase the guitar’s volume. As well as making the guitar louder, it changed the sound of the instrument to the point where a whole new style of playing evolved. This new fangled steel guitar was invented by two brothers - John and Rudy Dopyera - who became known as the Do Bros. If that name rings a bell the company they formed was the now famous Dobro Manufacturing Company. The name became synonymous with resonator guitars. A common misconception about resonators is that they were made solely for the purpose of bottleneck or slide guitar. This is not true, however like garlic and prawns, you’d think that they were made for each other. Almost a century later Recording King have produced a line of resonator guitars for players who crave the unmistakable sweet sustained

sound that has been recorded on thousands of blues and country albums at a price point is hard to believe. The RK-RR-36-VS has a mahogany top, sides, back and neck with a padauk fingerboard. Mahogany is well known for its superior tone and sustain, which this model has in spades. The cone, which on the more affordable resonators can be left a little wanting, is superb and the ebony bridge and chrome cover plate all add up to a seriously great sounding instrument. The Tobacco Sunburst finish is virtually flawless and the binding on the body and neck make it a classy looking instrument. Overall, the RK-RR-36-VS represents bang for buck I’ve never seen in a modern resonator. Having spent some time with this one, it’s going to be tough giving it back. BY MATT DWYER

HITS: ∙ Superb sound and beautifully finished MISSES: ∙ None

DDJ-200

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P RODUCT REVIEWS GUILD

Jumbo Junior Bass ZENITH MUSIC | ZENITHMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $1249 The Guild Jumbo Junior bass is an instant classic. Comprising a short-scale neck, and Fishman designed active bass pickup system with conveniently located soundhole controls, this is a deep sounding instrument with easy playability and user-friendly setup. The Jumbo has a Sitka spruce top and arched flamed maple back, with a smooth satin finish which adds to its slick playability. A welcome hybrid of the double bass and electric/acoustic, these portable bass guitars have been back in vogue since the Unplugged boom of the ‘90s. Lightweight and fast, owing to its 3/4 size, the Jumbo Junior would be at home played acoustically around a campfire or on a concert stage. While the neck length and body size may not appeal to all bass players, once you’ve played this guitar for ten minutes you’ll be well used to its scale. I have long been a short-scale bass enthusiast, having owned a couple of Hofner Beatle basses and a Fender Musicmaster in my time, so this instrument feels right at home in my hands. Much more flexible in sound and use than other recent small uke bass designs, the Junior takes no time to get used to and its petite size will probably have you hooked from the first play. Plugging this bass directly into my audio interface gives an unblemished and bright tone for recording. It tracks well with

hardly any fret noise and again, has a nice retro sound to it straight up. Recording the bass acoustically straight into a condenser microphone is another option. By simply moving the body of the bass, different tonal hues are achievable. However, once you are getting the sound you want, don’t move! An acoustic bass like this will be unforgiving with peaks and low frequency wow if you move around while recording it this way. That said, a nice warm acoustic bass tone can be achieved easily by playing and recording as statically as possible. I preferred the recorded tone and response of recording the Jumbo Junior this way.

strings make each note stand out in the mix. A purist might want to restring the Jumbo Junior with flat wounds, but this would be a mistake IMHO and leaving you with a flatter, more muddy sound and bass response. The iconic Guild Tortoiseshell pickguard is included, giving it a cool, retro look along with mother of pearl inlays and headstock logo.

Using a D.I. into a small powered wedge produced a clean signal and a very loud response from the onboard pickup system. Certainly, using this bass in a loud and live situation would necessitate being careful with levels to negate any feedback issues. A Fender Rumble 500 bass amp was also used to demo the Junior. This amp was set to the vintage mode and worked nicely as a complementary system to amplify this instrument. My only, small complaint is there doesn’t seem to be much sonic adjustment with the single tone control. But this is a small quibble that could be rectified by using an EQ pedal.

BY PHIL SMITH

The ebony fretboard, bridge and bone nut saddle on the Junior help to produce a full, woody bass sound, and phosphor bronze

At its pricepoint, the Jumbo Junior would make an excellent entry-level bass for any musician wishing to join a solid rhythm section, and its tight woody tone is perfect for the home recording enthusiast.

HITS: ∙ Fast playability ∙ Good entry-level size MISSES: ∙ EQ limited to volume and tone controls may be a bit restrictive on loud stages

RECORDING KING

ROS-9-FE5-TS EGM DISTRIBUTION | EGM.NET.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $729 Tell you what, Recording King sure are pumping out numbers right now. The brand, a longstanding name from yesteryear, has come back swinging with yet another bluesy, vintage inspired model, and this one might just be one of my favourite models yet. The ROS-9-FES-TS is a 000 sized 14 fret guitar with a solid spruce top and whitewood back and sides. It’s bolstered by that classic cross lap style bracing, and boasts all the features of parlour guitars from the past with a well balanced and delicate sound to match. This particular model is a finger picker’s delight due to the balance between the bottom and top strings. If your music demands heavy handed strumming style you would be better off with a dreadnaught. A little history for you: the dreadnaught was first manufactured by Martin & Co. with a booming bottom end and overall volume that was required by bluegrass musicians at the time. The parlour guitar, on the other hand, was named for the parlour room where polite music was played in the European tradition, and the guitars made at the time were very much keeping with that lineage. Pretty soon, musicians were soaking up musical styles brought to America from as far away as Africa and South America, and new forms of playing were sprouting up like bamboo. At the time, the one instrument that could keep up with these innovations

– and quite often the itinerant lives of many musicians - was the guitar. It was and continues to this day to be the most popular, most heard and played musical instrument, and it’s clear this Recording King plays true to this legacy. The ROS-9-FE5 boasts a thin C-shaped neck constructed of Nato and paired with a Revebond fingerboard with a satin finish, making it incredibly easy to get around. One common complaint with many modern guitars is the thickness of lacquer applied to the neck which can literally be a drag when you’re moving between different positions. Perhaps staying true to history, there’s no lacquer present on this model, and the absence of binding helps to keep costs down. Now, for the modern stuff. The collaboration between Recording King and Fishman is a wonderful blend of old and new. Fishman’s range of pickups and preamps for acoustic instruments have always been considered as the best in their field, being the paramount of innovation and design for a long time. Until fairly recently, amplifying an acoustic instrument was an expensive and often frustrating affair, often with a mediocre sound to boot. Thanks to the built in preamp on the ROS-9-FE5, you can plug this little into any PA with instantly dazzling results. The active preamp also boasts a

volume control, phase switch, contour control and even a built in tuner to keep yourself in tune on stage. You can’t ask for much more than that. One thing that shouldn’t go unmentioned here is that the ROS-9 makes for a fantastic bottleneck or slide guitar. Out of curiosity, I tuned this model to Open D tuning and I was stunned by the clarity, warmth and authentic sound that emanated from this guitar when the slide hit the strings. That was the big surprise! A set of heavy strings and a higher action and you’ll be in slide guitar heaven, a la Ry Cooder. It’s almost like travelling in time. The ROS-9-FE5-TS is by all means one impressive instrument. It’s not a great allrounder, but what it does, it does very well. Its era-correct appointments such as button tuners, the bound body and single-ply pick guard give it an old timey authentic look, while the combination of tonewoods creates a traditional sound which is hard to find in new guitars. For me it’s a winner! BY MATT DWYER

HITS: ∙ Great sound, looks superb ∙ Awesome for blues MISSES: ∙ Projection is a little limited

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PRODUCT REVIEWS GRETSCH

G2210 Streamliner Junior Jet Club GRETSCH GUITARS AUSTRALIA | GRETSCHGUITARS.COM.AU | RRP: $699 The history of the Gretsch company stretches back over one hundred and thirty five years, which is a long time in any business, let alone instrument making. What started out as a small company making drums and banjos eventually became an industry giant that was synonymous with country music and rock ‘n roll, with early users including Chet Atkins, Duane Eddy and Eddie Cochran in the fifties, George Harrison and Stephen Stills in the sixties, Malcolm Young in the seventies and Brian Setzer from the eighties all the way to today. Like many other instrument manufacturers, Gretsch saw a place in the market for guitars that were made with budget in mind while still retaining the sound, look, feel and quality of their more illustrious forebears, subsequently the Gretsch Electromatic models were introduced. These guitars were a huge success and in 2016 the Streamliner range of guitars were unveiled and since them with each model has gone from strength to strength. The G2210 Streamliner Junior Jet Club is the latest addition to the range and it’s described as “a stripped-down workhorse that’s built to take a beating.” Starting with the body, it’s a single cut solid body made of solid Nato, which has a very similar look and characteristic to Honduras mahogany. The mahogany-esque vibe of the Nato also gives the G2210 great tone and sustain, a

hallmark of all good guitars. It’s smooth and even, light and durable. I’m not about to see if it can take a beating, because I have to give this particular one back, but it sure feels good and strong. We’ll leave you to do the beating yourself. The pickups are Gretsch’s own Dual Broad’Trons. They have a wider magnetic field than the traditional Filtertrons, translating to a fuller sound and higher output, edging the pickups a little bit closer to humbucker territory. In short, this thing is built to rock. The bolt-on neck (also constructed from Nato) comes equipped with a 12” radius Laurel fingerboard, giving the neck a heavy duty, heavy playing kind of feel, perfect for driving Eddie Cochran-style rhythm work and wrenching out double stops and staccato fills. The binding and Neo-Classic thumbnail inlays give it the touch of class which has always been part of the Gretsch look. In stark contrast to some of the earlier Gretsch models which had more knobs and switches than you knew what to do with (see Brian Setzer’s “mud switch” as a classic example) the hardware on the Junior Jet Club couldn’t be simpler. A three-way toggle switch, master volume and master tone controls make dialling in a tone, a relative breeze. A huge part of the guitar’s appeal lies in its decidedly “no frills” approach. To keep

costs down, there is no Bigsby on this particular model, in its place is an anchored compensated wrap-around bridge, which definitely goes a long way to keeping it in tune when you’re really digging in. This will come as good news to some, especially rhythm players or those who have ever had a hard time battling to keep a Bigsby at concert pitch. The vintage style nickel hardware also gives the Junior Jet Club a timeless appeal, as does the tortoiseshell pickguard, all of which only add to the classic Gretsch stylings of the G2210. All in all, the Streamliner Junior Jet Club is a great addition to the Gretsch line, as the company says “designed for the down and dirt guitarist who demands no-nonsense tone at an affordable price.” They certainly hit the nail on the head with this latest offering. BY MATT DWYER HITS: ∙ Quality control is flawless, attention to detail superb, especially the frets, which are smooth as silk. MISSES: ∙ A Bigsby option would be nice for some applications

TC ELECTRONIC

Hall Of Fame 2 Mini AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $249 If there’s any reverb pedal that could be considered to be the one that defined the 2010s, there’s absolutely no debate that the TC Electronic Hall Of Fame Mini would sit high up the list. Squeezing all the algorithms of its larger sibling into a package that quite literally fits in the palm of your hand, the HOF Mini was considered an instant classic upon release, becoming a no-brainer for musicians seeking a compact solution for lush reverb tones in a tight live setting. Now, TC have backed up the classic with a sequel that takes everything great about the HOF Mini and takes it up a notch: enter the Hall Of Fame 2 Mini. Other than a few little tweaks, TC Electronic have essentially maintained the original blueprint of the HOF Mini with this new version: the pint-size dimensions, truebypass functionality and firetruck red chassis all remain the same. One of the main selling points of the original HOF Mini was its simple single-knob design, with users being able to tweak tones to their heart’s content via TC Electronic’s TonePrint app. This obviously ruffled the feathers of a few players who missed the immediacy that knob-tweaking offers in a live setting, and as a result, TC have voted in favour of putting three knobs on the HOF 2 Mini for controlling Tone, Level and Decay. While feeling slightly cramped due to the

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tiny size of the chassis, having these knobs definitely makes for a much more hands-on playing experience, allowing you to fine-tune your tone at any given moment. I found the Tone knob particularly useful for taming the sparkling high frequencies of the new Shimmer algorithm, which I was stoked to see was included with this pedal. If you’re into ambient volume swells or glistening shoegaze sounds, I can guarantee you’ll be smitten for the Shimmer; it also sounds a treat on synth as well. For hands-free tweaking, TC Electronic have also added a pressure-sensitive MASH footswitch to the HOF 2 Mini, letting you adjust specific parameters for each reverb algorithm in real-time. When paired with some clever setting up and editing via the TonePrint app, this feature can be an absolute gamechanger, adding in a whole new level of expressive capabilities to what would be otherwise considered stockstandard sounds. Whether you want to create a subtle decay with a hint of modulation, spine-tingling reverb tails or an envelope your signal in a wash of white noise, the MASH footswitch really is the secret weapon of the HOF 2 Mini. Once you master it, you won’t want to remember life without it. Other than the addition of the aforementioned Shimmer reverb, TC Electronic have retained all the tried-andtrue algorithms of the original Hall Of Fame,

including favourites like Church, LoFi, Spring and Hall, as well as all the other user-made presets the platform has to offer. Most players will be familiar with these sounds, and beaming them into the HOF 2 Mini via the micro USB port or the TonePrint app is incredibly straightforward. As a side note, I was also rather impressed with TC Electronic’s latest TonePrint Editor update: it’d been a while since I’d used it, and every little quirk I’d ever experienced with its functionality was flawlessly amended, making for a superb user experience. It’s certainly hard to follow up on a product that’s already so beloved by the masses, but it’s fair to say TC Electronic have done an almighty job with the Hall Of Fame 2 Mini. It’s just as small and tactile as its predecessor, the algorithms sound as good as they ever have, and every little tweak has its own purpose without feeling overstuffed: what more could you ask for? BY WILL BREWSTER HITS: ∙ Tiny size, tearjerking tones ∙ Intuitive MASH footswitch MISSES: ∙ Knobs are a little cramped

PRODUCT REVIEWS MARKBASS

MB Kimandu Green 5 CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $3350 Over the last twenty years, Markbass have steadily become one of the world’s most reputable bass amp designers. Their endorsees include bass icons such as Marcus Miller, Michael League and Tom Kennedy, who are regularly seen sporting Markbass gear on the international stage. Recently, they’ve decided to venture into previously uncharted territory; that is, designing and manufacturing basses themselves. Markbass have applied every ounce of their trademark creativity and precision to come out with the Kimandu 5 Richard Bona Signature, a truly unique and resounding debut. It features a two-piece alder body with a 38mm thick, bolt-on Canadian Maple neck. The fretboard measures out to 34” (or around 86cm) long, with 24 frets which means a more physicallyaccessible upper register. It has two Markbass custom ‘soapbar’ pickups, a bridge which is also custom made. These are accompanied by zinc saddles, which aim to realise greater sustain from the instrument. You’ve got two volume dials (one for each pickup) and a tone control that allows you to toggle between active and passive settings. The smaller dials behind the volume are your EQs: one each for bass, mids and treble. Upon just taking this bass out of its case for the first time, I was impressed by its featherweight. From my experience, I’ve usually found active basses to be slightly heavier just because of the electronics

contained inside, however this is certainly not the case with the Kimandu 5. The weight is distributed evenly between the neck and the body – embedded inside the neck are two graphite truss rods, which provide a sturdy yet lightweight spine that runs through the instrument. The contour is thoughtfully designed, with the cutaway allowing for easy access to frets 18 and beyond, for those who enjoy the odd solo. The Green finish is another nice, slightly quirky addition to the aesthetic of the bass. For those who aren’t too keen on the Green, there’s also Old Red, Old Yellow and Artisan Silver colour schemes to choose from. I played the Kimandu 5 through my trusty Markbass Nano + Traveller 102P cab, and the sound was something to behold. While the bass is both active and passive, I spent the majority of my time utilising the active settings, due to the greater range of tonal possibilities. I wanted to test out the Kimandu 5’s low-end tones to start off with, so naturally I boosted the bass EQ whilst dialling back the mids and trebles. Jamming to D’Angelo’s ‘Spanish Joint’, I was really happy with how unobtrusively well the bass sat within the mix: it’s perceptible, but because the Kimandu 5’s tone is so dynamically even all-round, it doesn’t sound too boomy or overpowering in the midst of the other instruments. The bass’s capacity for sustain is impressive: if you’re playing a bass part that requires a more minimalistic, ‘less is more’, approach, sustain is essential.

I then dialled up the mids and treble for want of a more sculpted ‘studio’ tone, before tackling Nathan Watts’ legendary bass part on Stevie’s ‘Sir Duke’. This is where the bass really shines, in my opinion; the tone is full and bitey, without sounding even slightly tinny. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the tune, there is a fairly intricate piece of passagework that recurs throughout the song. Instances like this made me appreciate the Kimandu 5’s neck cutaway, making it heaps easier for me to reach those high notes with my left hand. It’s also a sensational slap bass. Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’ sounded a treat, with those descending slapped notes coming through nice and punchy, without drowning the mix in a sea of treble. While I’m personally not heavily reliant on the low B string, it holds up quite well on this bass, and comes in handy if you need to hit the E flat every now and again. The Kimandu 5 is well set up, with no discernible buzzes or intonation problems. I did notice that I found myself tuning the bass a bit more frequently than I usually would,

possibly due to the fresh set-up and new set of strings, but that’s all part of the fun with a new instrument. The passive tone is fairly standard, but again, it’s really the active tone that makes the Kimandu 5 what it is. I personally believe that, at its current price point, it’s a worthwhile purchase given the sheer quality of tones it offers, not to mention its lightweight and original design. A truly sensational debut from Markbass. BY DAVID TOMISICH HITS: ∙ Very light with loads of sustain ∙ Two distinctive pickups, ability to blend tones ∙ Heaps of sonic versatility with the active EQ dials MISSES: ∙ Some players might not dig the quirky design at first

TC ELECTRONIC

Flashback 2 Mini AMBER TECHNOLOGY | AMBERTECH.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $249 TC Electronic is following the natural progression from their last series of pedals by introducing ‘mini’ versions of their beloved Flashback and Hall of Fame pedals, designed to get the most out your pedalboard real estate. Now with three knobs, compared to the previous incarnations single-knob functionality, the Flashback 2 Mini and the Hall of Fame 2 Mini is remarkably customisable considering it’s minimalist layout. These The sound of the Flashback II is characterised by its warm tape delay, which ranges from a short slapback to an open 800ms echo. It’s in mono, so there’s no ping-pong to be found here, but the sound quality is more than pleasant on the ear. Looks can be deceiving, and you might think these tiny pedals lack functionality but using the TonePrint app, you can beam literally any preset available to the pedal through your guitar or via a micro USB connection. If that isn’t enough for you, you have the ability to customise and create your own TonePrints using the program for PC and Mac. Neat, huh? With the TonePrint app, you can start with one of their 30 odd algorithms and alter them in any way you see fit, or alternatively you can create your own! It’s really easy to hear the changes you are making as the parameters on each pedal changes instantly 44

with every subtle or not so subtle alteration.

controlled in conjunction with each knob.

Also included in these small pedals are the award-winning TC Electronic MASH footswitches, which are pressure sensitive and change up to three parameters that you choose via TonePrint. This feature adds an extra level of control and depth to their quality sounds. I had a lot of fun during testing tweaking and altering the MASH to change different parameters to match my aesthetic and overall timbre.

The only setback, in my opinion, is that most presets don’t offer a 100% wet sound when the level knob is full. You could set the pedals to only output wet or use the TonePrint App to alter them but for my applications and ease of use, I would like to see them implement this.

On the Flashback 2 Mini, you can swap out the true bypass control with a tap tempo which is amazing for staying in time with your band or matching the changing tempo of your live set. Both pedals ship with true bypass but also offer an option to use buffered bypass which allows the effect to continue once you hit the stompbox off. Great for letting that long delay feedback ring out while still playing over the top. The control knobs on the Flashback 2 Mini are Feedback, Delay and Level, compared to its predecessor which only featured one. These extra two knobs make each respective pedal shine and make me question the need for the larger pedals as you could set up your tuner after each pedal to mute between songs at a show, and quickly beam a new preset to each of them. In addition to this, you can assign two other parameters to be

That being said, with the TonePrint app there are almost endless options and presets available for these pedals making them a versatile and convenient choice for your pedalboard or studio setup. It’s a worthy sequel to the original, and a surefire hit in my books. BY SAM MCNIECE

HITS: ∙ Super small ∙ Can recreate most of the sounds from big sibling pedals ∙ Sounds mint MISSES: ∙ Still no 100% wet control

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MARKBASS

Groove NS 5 Bass Strings CMC MUSIC | CMCMUSIC.COM.AU | EXPECT TO PAY: $84.95 The evolution of Markbass from bass amplifier designers to all-round bass artisans has delighted many a bassist, including myself. As a result of their recent acquisition of the renowned D’Orazio factory, they have now released their very own, original set of bass strings. I’ll be talking about the Groove Series in particular for this review, but before I jump into the strings themselves, it’s worth talking about the history of D’Orazio as well as the region of Abruzzo in Italy where they’re based. The art of string making was born in Abruzzo, a region whose artisanship for strings has been celebrated for centuries. In fact, most of the string distributors in the world today can probably trace their own origins back to somewhere in Abruzzo. D’Orazio were one of four families based near the town of Pescara, responsible for establishing the craft of manufacturing strings for musical instruments over 200 years ago. In the 1820s, the D’Orazio family began by producing strings and wires made out of sheep gut; these were used not only for musical instruments such as violins and double basses, but also for surgical purposes. By the 1920s, D’Orazio were exporting their gut strings worldwide, and come the innovation of electric instruments in the 1970s, the brothers began manufacturing metal strings for electric guitar, electric bass and so on. Markbass has not only acquired the D’Orazio string factory, but with it centuries of priceless inter-generational expertise.

The Groove Series Strings I will be reviewing are a set of five, at medium (045 - 130) gauge. They’re made of high quality selected nickel plated steel wire, hand-wound around a hexagonal carbon core. These are long scale strings, which I had the pleasure of playing on the Markbass Kimandu 5 Richard Bona Signature. I thought I’d mention a few of the general advantages of using nickel plated strings. In terms of sound, nickel plated strings will give you noticeably more warmth and articulation than the comparatively brighter stainless steel. Some bassists will attest to nickel being slightly louder and fuller, as well. Another known benefit of using nickel plated strings is that they don’t leave behind the same level of fret-wear as do stainless steel plated strings. One of the main reasons I’ve personally erred towards nickel plated strings on my basses is because I’ve found them to be easier on my fingers. Even with the many hours worth of callouses that have now numbed my fingertips, I still find playing with stainless steel strings to be a tad labour-intensive. I have to say, the nickel plated Groove Series really gives you all the perks of your typical nickel plated string, and lots more. In terms of playability, these have to be some of the most comfortable strings I’ve ever played on a bass. Fretting with my left hand feels virtually effortless, despite it being a medium gauge string. Plucking with my right hand, I don’t

feel the any of the slackness I’ve encountered with lighter gauge bass strings in previous instances. One of my favourite things about the Markbass Groove Series strings is how easy it is to slide, hammer-on and pull-off. While ripping through one of Bootsy Collins’ Funkadelic era bass solos, I was astonished at how clean the hammer-ons and pull-offs sounded: somewhat of a bow and arrow of the Bootsy Collins arsenal. The gauge of this set of Groove Series is another quality worth exploring. The general rule of thumb is that heavier gauge strings (0.050 - 0.105) have a richer bottom end, but require more finger strength than lighter gauge. Those who tend to rely on slap and pop techniques generally favour lighter gauge strings (0.040 - 0.095), while the pocket players will tend to utilise a heavier gauge for a beefier tone. The best thing about the Markbass Groove Series is that it’s a medium that gives you the best of both worlds. There’s just enough give for some slapping, while also bearing enough tension for the funky pocket players. One slight obstacle with the hexagonal core string is that this causes the wire trappings to ‘bite’ into the core a bit more. This means that the string is under more tension than your normal roundcore string, which, depending on your bass technique, may make it slightly harder to fret at first. This is generally something most bassists quickly become accustomed to, however.

The Groove Series Strings are yet another solid effort by Markbass: the sheer artisanship that has gone into carefully handcrafting these strings is almost palpable. At their current price-point, these strings may seem a little pricier than other sets of five on the market. However, it’s important to remember that these strings are made by humans, not robots on a production line. Also, being nickel strings, they are guaranteed to hold their tone longer than most other bass strings on the market. BY DAVID TOMISICH HITS: ∙ Hand-crafted ∙ Ideal for plectrum, slap and fingerstyle players ∙ Sustain makes for very clear slides, pull-offs and hammer-ons MISSES: ∙ None whatsoever!

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EASTGATE MUSIC

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KOALA MUSIC

(Audio Products Distribution) A | Brookvale, NSW P | (02) 8090 6508 E | koalaaudio@outlook.com W | koalaaudio.com.au / koalaaudio

DAMIEN GERARD STUDIOS

KEYNOTE STUDIOS

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BINARY MUSIC

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(Music Instruments Retailer) A | 1131 Burke Rd, Kew VIC P | (03) 9817 7000 E | sales@eastgatemusic.com W | eastgatemusic.com.au /Eastgatemusic

(Recording Studios) A | 19 Grieve Rd West Gosford NSW P | 0416 143 030 E | bookings@damiengerard.net W | damiengerard.com.au /damiengerardstudios

GLADESVILLE GUITAR FACTORY

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

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(Audio Visual Retailer) A | 2065 Dandenong Road, Clayton VIC P | (03) 9545 5152 E | sales@theaudioexperts.com.au W | theaudioexperts.com.au /TheAudioExpertsAus

(Rehearsal & Recording Studio) A | 3/3 Melissa St, Auburn NSW P | (04) 1160 5554 E | keynotestudio6@gmail.com W | keynotestudios.com.au /keynote1

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

(Music Technology & Instruments Retailer) A | Suite G05, 15 Atchison St, St Leonards NSW P | (02) 8213 0202 W | soundseasy.com.au /dsoundseasy

(Luthier) A | Wynnum, QLD P | 0408 338 181 E | info@conwaycustom.com.au W | conwaycustom.com.au /conwaycustomguitars

(Record Store & Café) A | 268 Victoria Road, Marrickville, NSW P | (02) 9572 6959 E | soundsespresso@hotmail.com W | soundsespresso.com.au /soundsespresso

(Music Instruments Retailer) A | 101/89 Cleveland Rd, Greenslopes QLD P | (07) 3488 8168 E | info@stonehousemusic.com.au W | www.stonehousemusic.com.au / stonehousemusicsupply

MY RIG: NORTHEAST PARTY HOUSE Northeast Party House definitely bring the party with them. The sextet have ascended the ranks, in the process becoming one of the countries finest purveyors of floor filling, synthy goodness. The Melbourne band have certainly levelled up on their most recent release, their cleverly titled third album Shelf Life. Co-produced alongside Kim Moyes of The Presets fame, Shelf Life sees the band putting their arrangement and production chops front and centre, with tasty synth sounds in abundance. Mixdown recently caught up with synth brainiac Sean Kenihan to chat about the some of the sounds and textures that went into making the album. NI MASSIVE “Some of my favourite synths on the album are actually just done by Mitch (Guitarist) on soft synths. He’s got an uncanny knack when it comes to pulling sounds. On ‘Dominos’ the main bass sound is Massive run back through the Velocette with my Moog Little Phatty and maybe some XFer Serum for good measure, just to fatten it up in the chorus.”

ROLAND JUNO 106

TRACE ELLIOT VELOCETTE

SHURE SM7B

“So much of the synth stuff is done at home, either using soft synths or whatever we have lying around. One of the great things about being up at The Grove is that they have so many synths to choose from. I was able to take the soft synths or MIDI data and run them back through a Juno 106 and try and match the tone and improve on it, just trying combination after combination. I was in this little synth sweat-box, getting lost in my own little world.”

“Quite often we will run sounds like that Nord siren and a lot of other synth stuff through this little Velocette guitar amp, which is this tiny little green thing that looks like it’s from the ‘70s. It really grits it up and gives it a bit of analog warmth. A lot of that bass sound you here in ‘Dominos’ is from that.”

“All the vocals were recorded up with Kim in Sydney at his studio. We kind of went into it with the idea of giving ourselves every opportunity to make the most professional sounding album we could. Zach (singer) had his heart set on this $4000 Manley Reference Mic that we bought for the sessions. Having recorded Zach so much over the years, we kind of knew that his sound had more to do with how he was feeling rather than what mic we put in front of him. More often than not, we went with the SM7B because we were just so used to hearing it in the demos.”

ARTURIA MINIBRUTE “Another synth that got a fair but of use in the latter stages of the album, especially on tracks like ‘Sunset’, which is fun because every time you plug in you just get exactly where you left off. There are no presets or anything. Techno sounding, FM kind of blippy bass thing that loops along. It just has a nice analogue sound and it’s so refreshing sometimes just play, especially when you are so overwhelmed by all the options and parameters on soft synths.”

NORD LEAD 2X “We always seem to come back to the Nord Lead 2X, which is my main keyboard on the road. It’s got this crazy siren sound that has become a bit of a Northeast staple. The first time we ever used it was at the end of ‘The Haunted’, but it can be heard all over tracks like ‘Youth Allowance and ‘For You’, and now it’s turns up a lot on Shelf Life as well. We actually had to consciously pick and choose when we used it as to not overdo it.”

SHURE SM7B

ROLAND JUNO 106

ARTURIA MINIBRUTE

NORD LEAD 2X

Shelf Life is out now via Sony Music Australia.

TRACE ELLIOT VELOCETTE

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Mixdown Magazine #312

Articles inside

Guitar, Bass

Directory

Electronic Music Production

Porches, The Kite String Tangle

Industry News

Brand Spotlight: Markbass

Gear Icons: Technics

Cover Story: All Time Low

Product News

Giveaways

Music News