Mi Pro March 2010 - Issue 118

No. 118

• MARCH 2010 • WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

PRINT • ONLINE • MOBILE

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PROFESSIONAL FOR EVERYONE IN THE MI BUSINESS

Foo! what a

sound

Larry Fishman has picked up the best in the business with his electrics. He tells us how

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ISSUE 118 MARCH 2010

EDITORIAL COMMENT

COVER STORY 24 PICKUP LINES Larry Fishman fell almost accidentally into the manufacturing business, but he has since taken the world of pickups and preamps to unforeseen levels

ANDY BARRETT mipro@intentmedia.co.uk

Don’t worry about the quality of the feedback – get it first hand

NEWS BEHRINGER LOSES DEEB, FUTURE PROMOTES LAST, GIBSON JOINS KORG, REVERB WEB ADVERTISING

EVENTS 19

MUSIKMESSE 19 The first glimpse of what’s on, how to get there and where to stay

SUPPLY TGI 28 Accessories for all seasons

IGF 30 Growing out of Bath

16

ALLPARTS 33 The components of business

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING 37 Becky Stanton of AVSL Group

SECTOR SPOTLIGHTS HIGH-END ELECTRIC GUITARS 39 The ultimate ‘must-haves’

39

ELECTRONIC DRUMS 43 Making a mesh of your heads

RETAIL IRISH RETAIL 64 All is not well in the Emeral republic

64

I

went to the Roland BRIT Camp in February (see page 61), catching half a day of the four that the UK supplier had put on for its Planet staff and for its dealers generally.

I have to admit, I really didn’t want to go. I was two days away from deadline (as I write this, I am two hours away), I had had a hectic couple of months, a difficult week, I was behind on my work and, to be frank, the last thing I wanted was to haul up the M1 to Coventry in the rain.

As it turns out, I am really glad I did. The acronym for Boss and Roland Intensive Training Camp is deliberately chosen to imply ‘boot camp’ and there was a lot of that atmosphere in evidence. The hectic schedule and heavy workload the participants were going through had created a camaraderie which everyone was clearly enjoying.

Added to that was the chance to enjoy some banter with Simon Gilson and Terry Hope of PMT. These two came along to hold a Q&A about their career and selling technique – and God, those two know how to brighten a place up.

They were asked one question about how they managed to keep abreast of everything that was going on at street level while running eight high-turnover stores.

“We keep it lean,” said Hope. “When a big investment company takes over another, the first thing they do is shave away the unnecessary. I like to think we’re a step ahead there.”

“And we spend time on the shop floor,” added Gilson. “I make sure I’m selling on the floor three or four days a week. In that way, I don’t need to worry about the quality of the feedback, I’m getting it all first hand.”

Take a look at Larry Fishman’s recounting of how he has built and maintained his business (page 24) and you can see his willingness to remain hands on has meant nothing gets out of control.

People often ask me why I think the UK’s MI retail community is so diverse, why the majority of businesses are small, family operations. I think this is why. In a small, fashionled world, you need to be able to react quickly and that dicates a certain size and a degree of control. Question is, how can you get that ‘boot camp camaraderie’ to flourish among them?

Andy Barrett

REGULARS: DRUM NEWS 14 RETAIL NEWS 61 INDIE PROFILE 68 FRONT LINE 69 NEW PRODUCTS 49-58 CODA 80

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miPRO MARCH 2010 3

NEWS

Behringer CEO and dire Music Group’s right hand man steps down from CEO and director roles as Uli Behringer and Arie van den Broek take over to THE MUSIC GROUP, the holding company created to umbrella the Behringer, Bugera, Midas and Klark Teknik brands, has announced the departure of Michael Deeb from the roles of group CEO and director. Uli Behringer and Arie van den Broek will lead the group on an interim basis as it searches for a permanent CEO replacement.

Van den Broek served Behringer as CEO for several years before Deeb joined the company.

“Changes are always challenging, but also present great opportunities,” Uli Behringer commented. “We have just celebrated our 20th anniversary and as we enter our third decade, we are once again reinventing our company.”

The privately held Music Group recently acquired renowned pro audio brands Midas and Klark Teknik and embarked on a major

repositioning of its successful Behringer brand of ‘prosumer’ gear. A business with a £135m turnover, this is apparently the cash cow that The Music Group is founded upon.

”

I am confident that we have the very best team in the industry and the possibilities are truly unlimited.

Uli Behringer

“Despite the change internally, I can assure that this will not impact the high level of service our dealers and customers have grown to expect,” Behringer continued. “I am confident that

we have the very best team in the industry and the possibilities are truly unlimited.”

Behringer had recently lauded Deeb in an interview with MI Pro at the NAMM show in January, describing him as the business mind in the company, balancing with Behringer’s abilities as a designer and processes man.

“People who are driven catch the drive that Behringer has and they push themselves,” Behringer said.

“Some thrive and stay and others plateau and move on. Business is the same. A business will always plateau at some point, but you have to push on.”

Reports that Behringer is looking to appoint a third party distributor in the UK are gaining in momentum, while the story that Behringer himself revealed that he is looking to buy a pro speaker manufacturer have cooled recently.

WWW.MUSIC-GROUP.NET

Gibson joins Korg Sabian buys Gon Bops Former Shure man to head new pro audio division Canadian cymbal firm scoops percussion line from Drum Workshop

IN A BRIEF statement, Korg UK has announced the setting up of a pro audio division and the arrival of Mike Gibson (pictured) who will head up the new department. Gibson joins the company from Shure UK where he was previously sales manager of many years standing. Prior to Shure he was at AKG. Korg MD Rob Castle commented: “We are into our second year of distribution of Samson and expansion of this

6 miPRO FEBRUARY 2010

business together with the expansion of Korg recorders and other forthcoming products now justifies the specialist focus of a pro audio division.

We are very pleased to welcome Mike to the Korg UK team and we know with his background he will help us continue to grow the business.“ Korg UK brands include Korg, Vox, Samson, Hartke, Mapex, Vic Firth, Paiste and Jupiter.

KORG: 01908 857100

SABIAN HAS announced the purchase of the inventory, intellectual property, patents and equipment of Gon Bops from Drum Workshop.

The cymbal maker simultaneously announced the establishment of Gon Bops Incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary.

As president and CEO of the entire Sabian organisation, Andy Zildjian will become CEO of Gon Bops and will be responsible for overseeing every aspect of the brand.

Lane Davy, vice president at Sabian, will assume the role of executive director in the new Gon Bops company and will execute the strategies and oversee day-to-day operations.

Mike Connell, executive VP and CFO at Sabian, will assume the role of CFO of both Sabian and Gon Bops and as such will oversee and manage the financial functions of the two companies.

Gon Bops will be run as a separate concern from the cymbal business, with its own distribution network and artist program. Through an ongoing working relationship with Drum Workshop, manufacturing in California will continue uninterrupted. Relationships with current suppliers will continue, allowing a continuous flow of products.

Gon Bops was founded in 1954 and is one of the original US conga brands.

The company’s mission was to take the original Cuban conga design and provide innovations and enhancements to the hardware.

Today, Gon Bops manufactures

an extensive line of percussion products.

“We’re excited to begin a new chapter in Sabian history,” noted Zildjian. “We are excited about not only expanding distribution, but continuing to focus on ground-breaking designs that represent clear improvements in meeting the needs of musicians.”

WESTSIDE: 0141 2484812

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NEWS

ctor quits lead the group as it searches for a replacement

Music Live future in doubt NEC Clarion reviewing its options for consumer exhibition

Avid appoints new VP Paul Hennessy to head up sales in EMEA AVID HAS named Paul Hennessy the new vice president of sales for the company’s EMEA regions.

Located at the company’s European office in Pinewood Studios, Hennessy will take responsibility for the direct enterprise sales operations as well as Avid’s retail and channel partner sales functions.

“I am delighted to be joining Avid, a company which has long inspired me through its innovation and excellence – across so many customers from the home to professional editor and the musician to recording artist. Avid is a pioneer in the entertainment industry and I am proud to be leading the EMEA sales group,” stated Hennessy.

Hennessy joins from Sony, where he was in the European Leadership Team and responsible for Sony’s B2B activity, including broadcast, audio visual, retail, security and digital imaging.

At the same time he served on the UK leadership team for Sony’s consumer business, which included many well-known brands such as Bravia TV, Vaio Computers and Walkman Audio.

He also led various initiatives in the transformation of the business including the Sony’s Online Business, Sonystyle.

Prior to Sony, he spent nearly eight years with Dell, leading sales and marketing operations for the corporate and public sector market segments. He also worked across Europe building industry leading call centres, which were focused on balancing the customer experience with improved cost management.

Hennessy also worked with the American SBC Bell Telephone Company and Toshiba Information Systems.

AVID: 01753 655999

AS MI PRO goes to press, Music Live’s manager, NEC Clarion's Jason Hunt, is still on leave pending consultations regarding his position.

NEC Clarion refused to comment on either Hunt's position or Music Live's future, when approached yesterday, but said a statement is likely to be made at the end of February. The company said, however, that it should not be assumed that Music Live is going to be cancelled.

Music Live grew out of Clive Morton’s Mad About Guitars show, which moved to the NEC in 2001, which was when Hunt first became involved as sales manager. He has been the overall show manager for the past four years and very much the driving force during that time.

The show was something of a revelation to the MI industry from its early days, showing that excitement and enthusiasm existed for musical instruments in the UK and that the consumer element, long abandoned by the BMF, was the difference between the labels of success and failure.

Further to that, the so-called 'Education Day', which saw coach loads of school children from the West Midlands bump up figures and noise levels, proved that the youth and beginner market was a rich vein worthy of mining.

The event has also been controversial from its beginnings, with Morton using Brimingham’s Musical Exchanges store as a ‘retail sponsor’ on-site. After Sound Control bought Musical Exchanges, the retail element became a major feature of the show and many retailers in the West Midlands felt that their lucrative Christmas market was being undermined.

NEC CLARION: 0121 7673769

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miPRO FEBRUARY 2010 7

NEWS

Trading and promotions for Future Last promoted to publisher of music-making group, as ABC audits and trading statement show drop in music title circulation FUTURE PUBLISHING has promoted Rob Last to the position of publisher of its music-making portfolio.

The music division includes Computer Music, Future Music, Guitarist, Guitar Techniques, Rhythm, Total Guitar, and MusicRadar.com, as well as the newly launched Guitarist Presents and forthcoming Producer Sessions Live and the London Music Show.

Last joined the group as associate publisher in November 2008, having previously worked in the automotive portfolio as advertising director and across a number of Future’s portfolios for over 13 years.

In this newly created role, Last will report to publishing director Mia Walter and will primarily be responsible for publishing the magazines, as well as developing Future’s multiplatform approach, leading the new launch of the Producer Sessions Live event in September. This will involve two days of tutorials, gear demos and essential advice for upcoming producers.

The news came just as Future made an interim trading statement for the quarter ending December 2009, which reported that trading continued in line with its

board’s expectations, as set out in the group’s preliminary results announcement on 26 November, 2009.

The news was not all rosey, however, as trading in Q1 was described as ‘challenging’ with total revenue for the quarter falling by 12 per cent to £36m.

The report goes on to point out that certain portfolios (including music) ‘continued to show resilience’. Other sectors in this group were active, technology and movies.

The third piece of news for Future came as ABC published its audit figures for consumer magazines, showing Future’s music titles’ circulation dropping more or less in line with the overall market figures.

“There are no real surprises in our ABC numbers,” commented Future’s publishing director, Mia Walter. “Across music-making as a whole, we’re pleased with a very resilient performance in a tough market.

Future Music, Guitarist, Guitar Techniques and Computer Music have all recorded good performances, which compare favourably to a drop of 8.7 per cent across the specialist magazine market as a whole, showing just how loyal enthusiasts are in these sectors.”

FUTURE: 01225 442244

Vincent Bach reveals new resource website for retail

WALTER: No surprises

ABRSM expands downloads

Distributor partners with Retail Up for online presence

Online exam repertoire now available for students of violin, flute and clarinet for as little as 79 pence

VINCENT BACH has launched vincentbachonline.com, a website that provides UK musicians, music teachers and LEAs with information about Vincent Bach, Selmer, Conn and all its instrument and accessory lines.

Visitors can browse the complete catalogue and place enquires and orders.

Vincent Bach then forwards those orders and enquiries to the local dealer for follow up and fulfillment. Two other initiatives to support stores’ internet efforts were also announced: Catalog Connect, which will enable dealers who

THE ASSOCIATED Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) has expanded its audio download shop to include recordings of pieces set for ABRSM violin, flute and clarinet exams, to complement the existing collection of piano exam repertoire.

The expanded range will give more students and teachers the facility to preview, purchase and download recordings of individual pieces set on ABRSM syllabuses for as little as 79 pence each. The shop can be found online at: www.abrsm.org/audioshop.

Launched in 2008 with recordings of ABRSM’s Piano syllabus (2009 and 2010), the download service has already proved highly popular with pianists. It now includes almost every piece from ABRSM syllabuses

10 miPRO MARCH 2010

manage their own websites to download Vincent Bach catalogues and photos for use in their own websites – and Website Connect, which can provide dealers with a duplicate copy of vincentbachonline.com, but with their own store’s branding.

“More than 70 per cent of those who purchase or recommend a music instrument, shop online at sometime during the purchase process. We have partnered up with Retail Up to provide this service,” said VB’s MD, Bharath Karia.

VINCENT BACH: 020 8358 8800

for violin (2008 to 2011), flute and clarinet (both 2008 to 2013). Among the huge range of repertoire, violinists will find Howard Blake’s jovial Dance of the Snowmen (from the famous animated film) at grade 5 and Sentimental Romance

by Wilhelm Stenhammar (sometimes known as ‘the Swedish Elgar’) at grade 8. The preview facility allows all users to try out ten seconds of any track before making the decision to purchase the piece.

Recordings of pieces set at grades 1 to 5 are priced at 79 pence each and those at grades 6–8 are 99 pence each. Those purchasing violin, flute or clarinet exam repertoire will actually receive two tracks: the exemplar recording of solo instrument with piano accompaniment and a bonus track that includes just the piano accompaniment alone.

ABRSM: 020 7636 5400

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DISTIE NEWS

CAD goes Wild in UK

OUP puts excellence at centre

Horley-based supplier brings highly regarded mic range to Britain

Publisher to bring global sheet music business under one roof FROM APRIL 1ST, Oxford University Press will combine its sheet music publishing lists in New York and Oxford into a single centre of excellence based in Oxford. An expanded department there will provide all publishing functions and have sufficient scale to market a single list effectively worldwide.

As part of the new structure, OUP is moving the exclusive distribution of its sales list in the US, South and Central America and Mexico (and non-exclusive distribution in Canada) from OUP’s distribution centre in Cary, North Carolina to CF Peters Corporation in New York.

“The US is one of the most important markets for sheet music,” explained David Blackwell, head of OUP Music. “The UK office is committed to building on the excellent work of our US colleagues with a

full programme of publishing, promotion, and sales in this territory.”

The sheet music department already enjoys a close relationship with Peters, which has managed the OUP rental distribution in the US for the past three years.

“I am delighted that OUP will be strengthening its partnership with Peters,” said Suzy Gooch, head of sales and marketing for OUP Music. “It’s a professional and dedicated team, which has brought many benefits to the distribution of our rental list.

I am confident that it can bring the same benefits to the distribution of our sales list.”

“CF Peters is proud that OUP has decided to choose us for the distribution of its prestigious printed music catalogue,” Roger McClean, president of CF Peters in New York added. “We look forward to extending the same high quality of service that we have provided for its rental catalog to its sales list.

Naturally, all of us at CF Peters are excited by this wonderful opportunity.”

OUP: 01865 556767

Silverfox Direct in the UK US-made Grover Percussion drumsticks now available to dealers from growing supplier MI DIRECT has been appointed exclusive UK and Ireland distributor of Silverfox drumsticks and marching mallets.

This deal will see Silverfox products made available to the UK market. They are made in the US by Grover Percussion and are hailed as one of the best

drumsticks available today. The Silverfox range includes classic sizes as well as a line of custom models developed by working drummers.

MI Direct is offering dealerships to the UK trade on a first-come, first-served basis.

Interested retailers should contact the

company immediately on the phone number below.

In related news, MI Direct has also become the UK distributor for Woodies Guitar Hanger following a distribution deal tied up by its Irish distributor, KMI. MI DIRECT: 01543 473762

Chapman ML1 ready to rock Barnes & Mullins announces YouTube guitar ready to order BARNES & MULLINS has announced that the Chapman Guitar’s Monkey Lord 1 (CGML1) is now officially available to pre-order.

The supplier claims the the Monkey Lord 1 guitar is the world’s first ‘new media driven’ MI design project and the instrument has undergone three prototyping stages – all played out to the world via YouTube.

Throughout the whole concept, design and prototyping process, interested parties have been adding themselves to the register of people who intend to buy the final result.

As this goes to press, over 650 people have expressed interest in the guitars.

12 miPRO MARCH 2010

The CGML1 was made available exclusively to the pre-registered people in mid-February and is now available to all through a select number of UK musicretailers’ online stores. All pre-registered and interested parties will be informed of the ordering procedure via email in the coming days. It will be shipping from late March.

“We really didn’t know what to expect,” stated Alex Mew, Barnes & Mullins’ marketing manager. “This was uncharted

territory for both B&M and for Rob Chapman himself. However, the response has been absolutely incredible. Chapman plans to create constant upgrade and customisation projects featuring the CGML1 guitar – and he actively encourages owners to do so, too.

BARNES & MULLINS: 01691 652449

THE CAD brand of microphones is now available in the UK from Wild Distribution.

CAD (Conneaut Audio Devices) Professional Microphones was formed in 1988 as the pro audio division of the Astatic Company – renowned for the manufacture of low noise commercial and industrial microphones, with the purpose of designing and manufacturing microphones for the recording and live sound markets.

Most recent CAD developments include the successful Trion and M9 condenser microphones, affordable high quality drum and guitar recording mic packs, a versatile line of USB microphones and, most recently, the new Equitek series, which includes the E100S large diaphragm condenser microphone.

Engineered and built in the USA, the new E100S has the lowest noise floor in its class (3.7 dBA) and the smooth vintage tone and robust lowend sound CAD is known for.

It comes complete with a vintage wood grain cherry case and stealth shock mount.

Wild Distribution is a trade distributor of professional microphone related audio products used by musicians, podcasters, project recording studios, internet radio stations, theatres, educational establishments, sound hire companies and large commercial studios and broadcasters. Based in Horley, near London Gatwick, it was established in 2007 and has staff with over thirty years’ experience in the music and professional audio market.

WILD DIST: 01293 408379

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DISTRIBUTION PROFILE PROEL INTERNATIONAL Windsor Grove, West Norwood

Year Established: 1999 Number of employees: 14 Is business up or down compared to last year?

About the same, and we are very grateful for that.

How has the economic climate affected business?

To start with, the rapid changes in exchange rate sent our cost prices up at a time when we needed to keep them low. This then forced us to squeeze our margins and run a very tight ship. On top of that, the retail sector slowed down, followed by the installation market.

What distinguishes you from the competition?

It’s not just about the products we distribute, but also the emphasis we put on our customer service and relationship with our dealers.

We also ensure that 90 per cent of our orders are shipped in full the same day they are ordered.

How do you maintain a good relationship with retailers?

We have four area sales managers who regularly visit our customers to pick up orders and help sort out any issues that arise.

What are your best-selling lines, and why do you think they perform so well?

PROEL covers many areas of the UK market from stage equipment, accessories and hardware all the way up to professional amplifiers, loudspeakers and installation equipment.

MarkBass is a leading brand in bass amplification.

The firm behind MB has taken its own innovative approach to the bass market. It’s got some great endorsees onboard such as Mark Saunders from Florence and the Machine.

The Alto line covers cost-effective solutions for PA, mixers and processors. Our dealers can still maintain a margin with Alto, which is somewhat of a rarity nowadays in this sector.

JTS has a great line of radio and cabled microphones with excellent reliability and quality, but a competitive price point.

And FBT sells because of its design, quality and experience in the market.

CONTACT DETAILS

What are your criteria for selecting new products?

They must be innovative, unique and produced by a company that is passionate about what it makes and willing to offer great backup support that we can pass on to our customers. Any new lines or products must also fill a gap in our portfolio.

Address: PROEL (International) Ltd, Units 7 & 8 ,The Windsor Centre, Windsor Grove, West Norwood, London SE79 9LT Phone: +44 (0)20 8761 9911 Email: sales@proelint.co.uk Web: www.proelint.co.uk

What would you say is the biggest challenge facing the MI industry today?

For us it is the internet. Not only the European retailers selling into the UK, but also the UK dealers discounting on internet to compete with these guys.

What are your aims for the next 12 months?

We obviously want to increase our sales for 2010, but we are concentrating more on raising the stock level of our core products that sell every day and clearing out some slow movers. This is reflected in the new PROEL stage systems catalogue we are releasing in the UK in April.

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miPRO MARCH 2010 13

DRUM NEWS

London Drum Show gets the green light Drum sector show shifts date to September following excellent response from 30 leading percussion companies THE LONDON Drum Show will be going ahead this year, but in September, says Drummer magazine’s owner Oyster House.

The decision comes despite Future Publishing’s announcement that it is teaming-up with the MIA to stage the London Music Show in October of this year.

The decision to move the London Drum Show to September 4th and 5th follows a briefing of 30 leading percussion companies at Olympia, held February 1st, during which Oyster outlined its plans and invited feedback and comments from potential exhibitors.

Speaking with MI Pro, Drummer’s publisher, Hugo Montogmery-Swan said: “The positive response to the whole concept of the show, the venue and its facilities plus the essential details in connection with the staging of the event, was overwhelming. It was a real

pleasure hosting this pre-show planning event and as show organisers, we welcomed the excellent input everyone present gave. In short, the meeting was invaluable in not only establishing the degree of

The positive response to the show was overwhelming.

MontogmerySwan Drummer Mag support, but also gaining the response from those present as to our proposals and whether they met with the needs and wishes of the industry.

“The key item which needed reconsideration was the matter of the proposed dates. Following the release of our initial dates, the MIA announced the dates of

the London Music Show which clashed with our own to a degree that the two shows would clearly conflict with each other and in turn place great strain on the industry. I do believe the UK should have a first-class general music show and I wish all

concerned with the London Music Show every success.

Therefore, so as not to create a negative situation for either party concerned, we have reached an agreement today with London Olympia to move our dates for the London Drum

Show well forward; to September 4th and 5th, 2010. Additionally, these dates will also mean this new, dedicated drum show for the UK will avoid conflicting with the Music China show taking place in October.”

OYSTER HOUSE: 01884 266100

Ultimate Drum Experience returns

Steely Dan drummer clinics

Five-day 2010 event sees mikedolbear.com in partnership with Vic Firth

Yamaha and Zildjian endorser to hold four clinics at various retail outlets across the UK

MIKEDOLBEAR.COM will be partnering with Vic Firth drumsticks and mallets for the second Ultimate Drum Experience, to take place over five days from July 26th to 30th, and will benefit from three resident teachers over the event in the shape of Stanton Moore, Geoff Dugmore and Darrin Mooney, supported by various special guest teachers including Vic Firth, Pete Cater, Jeff Davenport, Geoff Dunn and Mike Dolbear.

There will be interactive workshops, seminars, advice clinics, Q&A and opportunities to observe these professionals in action with the opportunity of ‘sitting-in’ yourself.

Places are strictly limited on this course to maintain an intimate and exclusive atmosphere and the week is only suitable for the serious teacher/player over the age of 16. Daily workshops and classes

Bob Henrit, Mike Dolbear and Clem Catini at last year’s show will run from 10am to 5pm each day, with a maximum of 15 students per class, with over seven hours of tuition with each residential teacher.

There will be several informal evening events scheduled including clinics by the artists and a jam night. The venue is situated conveniently close to the M1 and M25 and accommodation is available at the venue in a top class hotel

with leisure facilities or alternative hotels nearby. Each student will receive a Vic Firth goodie bag and a course certificate.

The organisers recommend that candidates should book early to guarantee a space as places are expected fill quickly due to limited numbers possible.

More information can be found at the show’s site: ultimatedrumexperience.co.uk.

KEITH CARLOCK, who was voted Best Pop Drummer, Best Fusion Drummer and Best All Round Drummer in the annual Modern Drummers 2009 readers poll for his work with the likes of Steely Dan and Sting, will be appearing at a series of clinics with Yamaha and Zildjian in the UK in March.

An endorser of both brands, Carlock has recently released a instructional DVD, The Big Picture, featuring his Yamaha PHX drumkit and a mixture of Zildjian K and A Custom cymbals, presenting the music of Steely Dan, Wayne Krantz and Tim Lefebvre with his band Rudder.

“We are so happy to have Keith return to the UK,” said Gavin Thomas, Yamaha’s UK product manager for Yamaha drums and Zildjian. “Keith came to the UK for a series of drum clinics three years ago, since then his career has developed.”

Carlock gives the Big Picture The clinics will take place at the following locations: DrumWright, Reading: Monday March 15th (0118 944 1418); PMT, Birmingham: Tuesday March 16th (0121 359 5056); Drum Centre, Manchester: Wednesday March 17th, (0161 789 4415); Drum Shop, Gateshead: Thurs March 18th, (0191 495 0201).

YAMAHA: 01908 366700

THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY MIKEDOLBEAR.COM, THE LEADING ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EVERYTHING DRUMS.

VISIT WWW.MIKEDOLBEAR.COM FOR MORE DETAILS. 14 miPRO MARCH 2010

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NEWS ANALYSIS

Virtual

value As everyone looks more closely than ever at how they spend their marketing budget, Gary Cooper discovers that while online adverts can count the clicks, no-one is writing off the traditional consumer magazines. Not just yet, anyway…

A

s 2009 drew to a close, one refrain kept being repeated by the industry figures interviewed by MI Pro. When asked about their marketing plans, it was ‘we’re going to concentrate more on the web next year’. It’s a phrase guaranteed to send a shiver down a magazine publisher’s spine – but particularly those in the consumer market, where publishers are already having to do battle with the recession and a distribution system where the tail (in the shape of WH Smith) wags the dog. Why does this matter? Because how manufacturers and distributors advertise is one of the ways they try to drive customers into music shops. Getting it wrong means fewer customers.

Having decided to write about this at the end of last year, there was an uncomfortable sense of second sight when, in January, SOS Publications announced the closure of Performing Musician – the only newsstand magazine aimed at PA and live sound buyers. Is this the beginning of even leaner times for the consumer magazines that promote our industry, as the money migrates online?

Among those who told us they were increasing their web spends were figures as diverse as Phil Pilsworth of Freestyle and Andrew Stirling of SCV. So what is the industry up to and how are major suppliers planning to drive business into stores?

One of the largest in the UK, Sound Technology, is a major spender in the consumer press. Looking after that budget is marketing director, Ian Cullen. Is Sound Technology’s spending heading for the web?

16 miPRO MARCH 2010

“Broadly speaking, it is,” he says. “We still see value in print, but we are shifting more online. With some of our lines, we’re establishing more authorised dealer networks, which allows us to channel more directly through to authorised resellers. Perhaps a click-through or an online ad would work better there. Email is even more direct and we’re certainly making more use of that. And, of course, like everyone else, we’re building up the social networking side of things, with a Twitter feed and a Facebook page.

“

advertising – though we do still do it. But there’s only so much you can achieve by spending £1,000 on a page in a magazine saying ‘Hey! We’re great!’. It’s fine for Coke, but not so good for smaller companies.

People still expect to see ads in consumer magazines but yes, we are doing more online advertising now.”

Mew admits that it doesn’t always work, however. While he has had good results in some places, there can be surprises. But even then, being online is a help. “I tried it with Kerrang!, where the

You have to do everything because they all fit together. People read magazines and they go online and if they don’t see you online, or in the magazine, then the effect is not complete. You need to touch every point where people see you.

Tim Walter, Roland

“That said, we like to feel linked to the credibility of the magazines. Perhaps a discerning reader is a good customer?

Retailers also seem to feel there’s more value in a print ad, though that might be changing.”

Another leading marketing man is Barnes & Mullins’ Alex Mew. What is his take on the changing market?

“The main thing is that online advertising can be tracked,” says Mew. “You have to be of a certain size before you can realistically create brand awareness

response was negligible. But had that been a magazine advert, we wouldn’t have known it hadn’t succeeded. This is a skill like economics, where there’s an awful lot of ‘suck it and see’ involved.”

The lure of the click is understandable – particularly for retailers who can use them to track where their online purchasers come from. But advertising is different for distributors and manufacturers. They don’t depend on hits on their websites and unless they directly drive visitors to retailers, where they can count the

numbers, they can’t be sure their online advertising is doing any more than if it were on the printed page. Like most advertising, there’s a lot of guesswork involved and a lot of magic and mystery.

On the other hand, unlike a controlled circulation magazine, where you know exactly who is reading it, using a consumer publication is like firing a shotgun. You’re pushing out a lot of ammunition, but where is it hitting? And is it having any effect? Most importantly, how can you tell?

Nonetheless, to write off the traditional consumer magazine would be a major mistake, suggests one of the most experienced figures in the industry – Roland’s Tim Walter. “For us it’s not a normal year, in the sense that, with the merger of Edirol, we’ve inherited the Cakewalk brand and we’ve made a conscious decision to invest a lot of money in establishing Cakewalk by Roland in the UK. Our marketing has always revolved around multiple approaches to market. You have to do everything, because they all fit together. People read magazines and they go online and if they don’t see you online, or they don’t see you in the magazine, then the effect is not complete. You need to touch every point where people see you.

“Take Sound on Sound, or some of the Future titles. Our customers read those every month. If we’re not in there, we’re not putting our product, brand or news in front of them. The same is true for the web. It’s challenging, the cost only goes

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ANALYSIS NEWS up, but if you look at our spending on page advertising over the past five years, I don’t think it has changed at all. People still enjoy reading magazines, but those people now go online as well.”

At Headstock, marketing manager Simon Fraser-Clark has a similar view. “When things start to get difficult, you turn off magazine advertising because it doesn’t reach the number of people that internetbased advertising does. You do that, you invest all this money in your website, on Facebook and Twitter – and we do a lot of that – but does it work? I’ve no chuffing idea – and that’s terrible! We should know whether it works, but you quickly realise that the knee-jerk reaction is wrong. Each of the ways you can promote yourself has its benefit. The internet is 24/7, it generates fantastic data and you can finetune your campaign almost in real time.

But guitarists still want paper products.

Thirty years ago we were told we would work in paperless offices. That didn’t happen, did it? You can’t neglect anything.

You’ve got to do everything that the dealers want you to do.”

So what is the publishers’ view?

Constraints of space allowed us just one voice so, in the light of his decision to close Performing Musician, we chose Ian Gilby – MD of SOS Publications – but not just because of PM’s failure. Sound on Sound also has one of the most successful

L-R: Barnes & Mullins’ Alex Mew, Sound Technology’s Ian Cullen and Headstock’s Simon Fraser-Clark air their opinions on advertising musicians’ websites in the world so Ian Gilby’s experience isn’t just with print.

He says: “It is a trend and it’s one that we started to spot three or four years ago, particularly from American advertisers. It’s a threat to traditional publishing because, with Google, they pay for response – the pay-per-click model. But of course, a click or a visit to your website doesn’t mean visitors are going to buy anything.”

It can also be a fearsomely expensive way of advertising. One small retailer reported that he had put several hundred pounds into his account and found it had run out just hours later – an experience Gilby recognises. “Some of the prices for

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those clicks can be incredibly high. I put £1,000 into it at one stage and selected keywords carefully – they sent me an email after about four hours saying I’d spent it all.

“The value of a print advert is that it’s a drip, drip thing with continuous exposure.

Print is still a very effective medium – when it’s well-targeted and that’s the key.

For retailing it’s more understandable to go online, because it is instantly updatable with stock and prices.

“Sensible publishers are adopting a combined approach, with good websites and package deals for advertisers. Magazine circulations are down, but not in every case – such as Sound on Sound – because in the

end what people want is good quality content and that’s true of the web too.

Our website has also been a success because it has good content. The other important thing is that print builds web traffic – a lot of studies have shown this.”

Lest we be accused of bias, controlled circulation magazines (such as MI Pro) are a different issue – though it is clear that MI Pro’s investment in web technology is one of the reasons it has prospered.

Consumer titles certainly can’t afford not to have a strong online presence. But whether the printed publication that supports it can also survive is what a lot of people are now wondering...

miPRO MARCH 2010 17

MUSIKMESSE EVENT PREVIEW

MARCH 24TH TO 27TH MUSIKMESSE (AND PROLIGHT+SOUND), FRANKFURT MESSE

Hold your head up Last year Musikmesse bucked the expected trend and set the mood for a year of greater success than most had anticipated. This year the show, its visitors and exhibitors are asking for more of the same, please…

M

usikmesse hit top gear about four (some might say five) years ago in terms of getting the balance right between being a comprehensive representation of the MI trade (something it has been achieving for a lot longer), a hub for good business and (most recently) as a show that has its own healthy share of buzz and atmosphere.

Since then, with the most imperceptible of tweaks ongoing each year, that balance has been maintained and Europe can be very proud of having a show that’s as large, influential and appealing as the Musikmesse can be at its best.

And appealing it most certainly is.

Some 79,000 visitors (including the public day) attended last year’s event (111,000 including Prolight+Sound), which was a mere ten weeks after NAMM had suffered its most subdued show that anyone could remember.

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NAMM was back to its best again this year – so how will Musikmesse respond?

There seems every chance that it will respond very well.

“

most of the rest of the EU – to speak nothing of Greece, Portugal and Spain), MI is still muddling through, albeit with a little less confidence than this time last

With companies taking up space from the smallest shell-scheme stands to the massive ‘show within a show’ that is the Yamaha presence in Forum 0, it is impossible to grasp why anyone in Europe involved in MI would not attend. Over 100 countries are represented among the visitors.

Although the economic situation is parlous to say the least (Germany’s figures for national economic growth in January were as near to zero as made no difference, as were those of the UK and

year, and there are indications that the show will maintain its excellent levels.

For a start, the piano manufacturers are back, with the German companies returning after a year off, this year in

Forum 1, with the Chinese and Japanese piano companies gathering in Hall 5.0.

Covering a total of ten halls in the massive Frankfurt Messe complex, Musikmesse will see some 30,000 instruments, accessories and services, covering the entire MI industry, represented by over 1,500 exhibitors from over 50 countries. With companies taking up space from the smallest shell-scheme stands to the massive ‘show within a show’ that is the Yamaha presence in Forum 0, it is impossible to grasp why anyone in Europe involved in MI would not attend. That said, over 100 countries are represented among the visitors.

Aside from the central business of products, Musikmesse last year began the Musikbiz element. It’s taking place in Hall 4.1, where visitors can explore the activities of music labels, concert and tour promoters, music-marketing companies,

miPRO MARCH 2009 19

EVENT PREVIEW MUSIKMESSE

British brands can make a splash at Musikmesse. In fact, all the UK trade should be there if they want to keep up to date on the industry... music publishers and organisations for young people.

New to the event this year is the International Vintage Show, which will run from March 26th to 28th at the Messe.

This, as the name suggests, will be an exhibition and sales forum for old and rare instruments and memorabilia from the history of rock and pop music, offering opportunities to buy and sell vintage items of all kinds (guitars, basses, amps, drums, keyboards, microphones, hardware and accessories – all more than 25 years old).

Among other happenings, there will be some legendary guitars, presented by Burst Brothers USA (Guitar Center Hollywood Vintage Collection), a guitar exhibition and memorabilia from the Roncalli collection, ‘vintage stage’ with live music from, among others, The Rattles, Spencer Davies and the youngsters from the John Lennon Talent Awards.

The vintage show will open at 2pm on the Friday and 10am on the Saturday and Sunday, with an entrance ticket costing €10 (or €5 when bought with a Musikmesse entrance ticket) and will take place in the Messe Congress Hall.

WHAT’S TO SEE? Writing this in February, there is still scant news on what exhibitors will be showing. Next month’s (April) ‘Live at Frankfurt’ issue will have a far more comprehensive run through of what will be on offer, but for now, here is the news from the early birds.

20 miPRO MARCH 2009

WARWICK – HALL 4.1 E12 Warwick and Framus will be one floor down this year in Hall 4.1. Besides the number of products being presented in Europe for the first time, the bass and guitar maker will have an array of artists performing and signing on the stand. Bootsy Collins, Ryan Martinie and Earl Slick are just a few of the names invited to turn the booth into an audience magnet.

There will also be a Framus Museum exhibit around the corner on stand D24,

“

and has a sensitive tone control that gives purists exactly what they want.

HÖFNER – HALL 3.1 STAND 67 The Höfner brand has been chugging on quietly (in the UK with Barnes & Mullins), but as very much a German brand, Frankfurt is a big event for the guitar maker. This year’s event will see the manufacturer showing the new V64 Violin bass, a bass version of the delightful Verythin guitars (the HCT-500/7-SB) and a Bigsby loaded limited edition of the

T Rex, the stomp box specialists, will be showing the new Tone Bug distortion unit, a pedal that delivers, T Rex is keen to expound, ‘gobs of rich, tubey-sounding distortion you’ll recognise instantly as a fundamental ingredient of classic guitar rock’. Well, that’s told you.

where you will be able to find current products from pickup specialist MEC. T REX – HALL 4.1 C21 The Danish stomp box specialists will be showing the new Tone Bug distortion unit, a pedal that delivers, T Rex is keen to expound, “gobs of rich, tubey-sounding distortion you’ll recognise instantly as a fundamental ingredient of classic guitar rock”. Well, that’s told you. In plain terms, this is a simple unit that gives lots of gain

Verythin guitar (the HTC-VTH-BB).

Abandoning the dreadful codes, there will also be a custom Verythin and single cutaway versions and whole swathes of retro looking axes.

MATT NOLAN CUSTOM – HALL 3.0 A47 Last year’s virgin is this year’s vet, and Matt Nolan, the self proclaimed ‘UK cymbal industry’, will be back with his esoteric gongs and cymbals for his second Musikmesse.

For Nolan, it is not a case of ‘once bitten, twice shy’. He clearly enjoyed the experience. If you haven’t seen any of his creations, they are well worth a look.

PEAVEY – HALL 4.0 C08 The MI and audio giant from Meridian always takes the greatest of pleasure in getting behind all the major trade shows, whether that is in California, Frankfurt or London – a fact for which Hartley Peavey (and in the UK Clive Roberts) should be loudly applauded.

Not a show goes by without the manufacturer showing significant new gear and this one’s no exception.

Musikmesse will see the the Nano Vypyr, the latest in the Vypyr series of amps, with 11 amp models and 32 effects, which is touted as ‘the ultimate grab-and-go, portable modeling guitar amplifier’. The 15-Watt amp houses a 6.5-inch loudspeaker in a ten-inch cube and is powered by an AC adapter or four D batteries.

On the pro audio side of things, the new Impulse 12D powered speaker enclosure, which incorporates exclusive Peavey audio innovations, features a true ribbon driver and a 12-inch Peavey Black Widow loudspeaker engineered with dual voice coil, push-pull technology and a neodymium magnet. A Woofer Servo circuit monitors back-EMF and controls cone motion, ensuring the cone’s movement mirrors the driving signal from the power amp and resulting in very low distortion, high power handling and rock-

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MUSIKMESSE EVENT PREVIEW

German companies will be eager to take up stands at Messe

‘Playing’ Live is so much more than just launching clips.

Find out how 64 buttons can put Ableton completely at your fingertips, visit: HALL BY HALL Hall 1.1: Brass and woodwind instruments Hall 1.2: Bowed string instruments Hall 3.0, Hall 5.0: Ensemble (full-range companies) Hall 3.0: Beat (percussion instruments) Hall 3.1: Nota (sheet music, specialist literature) Hall 3.1: Tab (acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars, harmonica instruments) Hall 4.0, Hall 4.1: Pickup (electric guitars, electric basses, amplifiers, accessories)

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Hall 4.1: Musikbiz (recording labels, music publishers, studios, pressing works) Hall 5.0: MIDI (keyboards, digital pianos, synthesizers, church organs, accessories) Hall 5.1: Recording (computer software & hardware, hard-disc recording, multimedia) Hall 5.1: Remix (DJ equipment, accessories) Hall 5.0: Forte (upright and grand pianos) Forum 1: Forte (upright and grand pianos) Forum 0: Yamaha Agora Stage, Acoustic Stage, Forum: shows and events

www.novationmusic.com/launchpad

miPRO MARCH 2009 21

EVENT PREVIEW MUSIKMESSE

30,000 instruments, accessories and services will be on display at this year’s show, displayed by 1,500 exhibitors from over 50 countries. Will you be visiting? solid low-frequency attack. The advanced new ribbon driver – an exclusive Peavey design based on the ribbons used in the Peavey Versarray line array – provides 90° x 30° coverage, with sonically transparent reproduction.

MEL BAY – HALL 3.1 C28 While the publisher gathers itself for its doubtlessly indulgent round of Frankfurt offers (still to be announced), the UK branch has informed us that its UK signing, Rodney Branigan, will be appearing at the show, on the Mel Bay stand in Hall 3.1, at 4:30pm on the Thursday and 11:30am on the Friday.

JADEN ROSE GUITARS – HALL 4.0 B75 Bespoke UK guitar maker – and this year’s notable Musikmesse virgin – Jaden Rose Guitars, will be unveiling its Single Cut series. Features include a flat top with a

ELECTRIC INLET Money saving initiatives are available for your visit to Frankfurt from the UK office of Messe Frankfurt, allowing you to book a season ticket in advance via the UK office and redeem a complimentary show guide on site worth €25 (01784 415950).

Admission tickets can be purchased from the Musikmesse website. These can be printed out on the spot, which saves visitors the need to queue at the box office on arrival at the fair.

22 miPRO MARCH 2009

forearm contour and in both fixed bridge and locking tremolo versions.

The usual Jaden Rose features apply, including precision CNC working of handselected tonewoods and bodies tonematched with necks and finishes that highlight the natural beauty of the materials used. A three-year guarantee applies to both new and existing models.

Also appearing at Frankfurt will be new designs expanding upon its ‘Original Series range.

The Single Cuts will join the Original series and the Jens Hausmann JHM series signature models on the Jaden stand.

maintain its position in the world of MIDI control with the launch of the Remote SL Mk II. Like all Novation keyboard

NOVATION – HALL 5.1 B65 The synth and MIDI controlling expert is enjoying something of a revival at the moment, not least because of its Automap products (including one for the iPhone) and Musikmesse will see the company

controllers, the SL Mk II is a musical instrument, not just a computer peripheral.

A semi-weighted Fatar ‘fast touch’ keyboard is combined with a full DAW and plugin control surface that visually feeds

Online tickets are personalised and authorise the holder to travel to and from the fair using local publictransport services, which are operated by the RMV public-transport authority.

Tickets for the public day (Saturday, March 27th) can also be purchased from the internet at the lower advanced-booking rate.

The online ticket purchase page can be found by clicking on the ‘online ticket’ link on the top right of the visitor homepage of Musikmesse.com.

“

Novation, the synth and MIDI controlling expert, is enjoying something of a revival at the moment.

THE ROAD TO FRANKFURT The Musikmesse is easy to get to by aeroplane, car or train – and a big choice of hotels means you should have no trouble finding accommodation.

If you book your flights with British Airways you can save between ten and 20 per cent off published fares.

To take advantage of this, call the Messe Frankfurt office in the UK on 01784 415950.

Those arriving at the Frankfurt am Main airport will find getting to the exhibition grounds is fast and easy. After arriving, you can reach the centre using taxi (pricey, but convenient), S Bahn train or shuttle bus. This will take you directly to Messe Frankfurt.

For the S Bahn, take the S9 or S8 line (heading towards Hanau, Offenbach Ost) to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (central train station). Once you have arrived at the train station, you can continue to the Messe Frankfurt grounds on foot (about ten to 15 minutes walk) or by

back all control information to the user.

All knobs and faders are touch sensitive.

By simply touching a control, all the mapping information automatically appears on the giant 144-character LCD display.

HARDCASE – HALL 3.0 E76 The UK case manufacturer will be showing its new utility HNUTIL3 case, aimed at those wishing to transport their cables, pedals and drum accessories safely, as well as the HNMUTE1, which caters for various trumpet and cornet mutes. The latter comes complete with foam lining in the lid and base, as well as each compartment having a loose sheet of foam for a handy bit of extra protection.

As ever, of course, the manufacturer will also have the drum and percussion cases on show that have made Hardcase the success it is.

using the tram just across the street from the front of the train station.

Those taking advantage of the mightily discounted fares of Ryan Air (and others) will find themselves arriving at Frankfurt Hahn airport, which is a near two-hour bus ride from Frankfurt proper. Shuttle buses run regularly from there, but probably best not to take a taxi, unless you are feeling especially flush.

Once there, you will of course want to be off the streets (eventually) in the evening and Frankfurt – in no small measure thanks to the Messe – has some 5,000 beds within 15 minutes’ walk of the exhibition centre. Going to the ‘accomodation’ link in the visitor section of the Musikmesse website will open up the Frankfurt Tourist Board’s registration page, where you can find everything from a luxury hotel suite to budget guest houses and B&Bs. Booking via this link will entitle you to a ten per cent discount.

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COVER FEATURE FISHMAN

Plugging back in The name Fishman is synonymous with acoustic amplification, but if it hadn’t been for a freak accident, things might have been very different. Gary Cooper talks to the man behind the transducer business…

W

hile it was the advent of MTV’s Unplugged series in 1982 that is widely credited with sparking the revival of interest in acoustic instruments, an equally justified claimant could be the improving voice of the instruments themselves – and no one has contributed more to that in recent decades than Larry Fishman. Fishman’s development of the Piezo pickup allowed not just acoustic guitars, but also basses, violins and a multitude of other acoustic stringed instruments, not only to be heard, but heard in a way that was convincingly close to how they sounded unamplified.

There had been pickups for decades – but none let an instrument retain its own voice as well as a Fishman.

When you ask Larry Fishman how all this came about, his answers, modest and amusing, almost suggest it was as much by accident as design, but clearly that cannot be the whole story. To have built a business and a brand as successful as

24 miPRO MARCH 2010

Fishman takes not just the technical ability to design and make a great product, but the skills to know how to exploit it and remain in control. And Fishman’s market spread in the acoustic pickup market is so wide that ‘control’ really is the appropriate word.

To start at the beginning, then, how did Larry Fishman become a pickup maker?

“I snuck into the business almost accidentally,” he says. “It was around 1974.

I’d always been a stringed instrument player, playing violin and cello and then moving up to bass. After getting a degree in mechanical engineering, I thought I was going to work in the automotive industry, but I still played music and ended up in Cambridge Massachusetts, where I entered Berkeley College and stayed for five semesters as a composition major, before I began working full-time in jazz and blues groups around Boston, playing upright double bass.

“Electric pianos were becoming popular and club owners loved them because they

didn't have to maintain pianos any more. I had a steady gig, every Sunday, at a small club in Cambridge and then the guitarists started turning up. The guys were urging me to play Fender. I said: ‘Look, fenders belong on cars – I’m having nothing to do with this. This is my instrument’. I bought every bass pickup that was out there at the time, maybe half a dozen of them.

Some worked better than others but nothing worked really well.

“So, as I had a little machine shop in the basement, by constantly fiddling and messing around with transducers, I designed our first product – the BP100 – which, coincidentally, we’re still selling about 300 a month of. I guess the key to it was I had this steady gig and I could adjust it with each performance. I’m sure I drove the guys in the band mad, forever asking ‘does this one sound better?’ while I got it right.”

Armed with an Ampeg Portaflex and his new pickup, Fishman might well have

settled back into his successful career as a bass player, but for an accident which temporarily put an end to his playing.

“It was not intended to be a business,” he says, “but one day I was building some furniture for the house and a piece of hard maple kicked back out of the table saw I was using and shattered my left index finger. I was out of the

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FISHMAN COVER FEATURE bass business while that healed, so I took the opportunity to take my 150-year-old German bass to a repairman. A few days later he called me and said, ‘where did you get this pickup? I think I can sell these.

Would you consider making a dozen for me?’ I said, ‘sure’ and by doing so started a little cottage industry.

“Then, one day, my uncle suggested I get some PR. He was in that business, and when I replied that I couldn’t afford it, he said, ‘You don’t get it – PR is free’. I thought PR meant advertising. Sure enough, he wrote up some stuff and put it out there and got it placed. Then he asked how I was selling the pickups, which was through a few repairmen. One of the places he’d got the PR placed was with the monthly newsletter of the Musicians’ Union in New York City, which also carried small classified ads. They weren’t very expensive, so I got one and soon started getting stacks of cheques for $125. I went there a couple of days a week to collect my mail and it was astonishing to me that people would send cheques for these pickups. That was the start of the business.”

Larry Fishman wasn’t the first musician to have a bright idea that turned into a product, but the number who manage to translate that idea into a viable business is infinitesimally small. This makes his next

“

Where Guild had led, on this occasion, Martin followed. Also looking to move from Barcus Berry, which Fishman says wasn’t a bad pickup, but could be hard to install, it took a newly Fishman-equipped Martin to the Atlanta NAMM show and came back with an order for 10,000. “I almost fell off the stool,” laughs Fishman, who was still working from his basement.

Clearly, the basement had to go, so Fishman’s wife found them 5,000 square feet to get started in. It was space they needed as the orders continued to flow.

“From there it just kept on growing and we continued to introduce new products into what was primarily an OEM business at the time.”

It was handling his OEM business with such skill that set Larry Fishman apart from so many other inventors whose ideas never translated into long-term businesses.

Having been introduced to the Cor-Tek company in Korea by Jack Westheimer, he now had an entrée not just to the Cort brand, but also Cor-Tek’s huge OEM business, making instruments for many of the guitar industry’s top names.

“I started supplying it with OEM systems for their customers and cut a deal, as it had an electronics manufacturing facility, so we also manufactured preamps and drop-shipped

When I was asked to make control pre-amps, I had no experience in circuit design. But I read selfinstruction books, then found a guy at the pub who was an electronics engineer and we sort of threw together a preamp.

Left: The Aura digital system. Above: testing the acoustics WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Larry Fishman Fishman

steps all the more interesting, as they landed where so many lose their footing.

He took on an independent rep in New England and when that produced business, hired someone to work with him in his basement to help meet the demand.

“I had nothing for guitars in those days but Eli Rabkin called me one day and said he repped Guild guitars in the North East.

It was buying pickups from Barcus Berry, but wasn’t happy with the performance. I couldn’t say I knew anything about acoustic guitars, but I went down to see Mark Dronge at Guild, installed some pickups that I’d designed and he ordered 500 on the spot. I just said ‘What?’ and figured I was going to be busy for the next month.”

More shock was to follow when Dronge got in touch again, having realised that if he was switching pickup supply to Fishman, he was going to need control preamps too.

“I agreed, hung up the phone and thought I’d really created a mess, as I had no experience in circuit design. But I started reading self-instruction books, then found a guy at the local pub who was an electronics engineer and we sort of threw together a preamp. I actually etched the first 500 circuit boards by hand in the laundry sink in my basement – I didn’t even know how to get circuit boards made at the time.”

them for Young Chan and Samick. We’d secure the customer at the NAMM shows and the customer would say to Samick, ‘we want Fishman equipment’ and Samick would buy them through Cor-Tek.” Perhaps Fishman’s smartest move, however, was not to allow anyone else to make the actual transducers which, to this day, are still produced at his plant in the US. “It wasn’t that I didn’t trust the guys I was doing business with, but there’s always the question of whether someone is reporting the numbers correctly, so I wanted a control.

The control was that I sold the pickup, so if I ever found a system out there with a licensed preamplifier and a different pickup, I’d know there was some funny business going on. It was also an easy way to get paid. We’d licence the electronic design and require them to buy a transducer and just roll the licensing dollars into the cost of the transducer, so there wasn’t this ‘we’ll send you a report every quarter’ situation.

“It was a very clean way of doing business. It allowed us to control the quality of the transducer – the analog electronics in the preamp didn’t concern me as they were straightforward to make, but the transducer needed a lot of handwork, jigs and tooling, processing of ceramic and polyester materials that we had developed special techniques to do.”

miPRO MARCH 2010 25

COVER FEATURE FISHMAN

FISHMAN: “There are a lot of interesting products to come”

Another thing Larry Fishman didn’t do was licence his name. “We put our name on everything we sold – we never did a ‘licensed by Fishman’ product. I saw other firms in the guitar pickup market doing second line brands and we took a different track. We said, if it’s good enough to sell to our customers, it’s good enough to put our name on and that was a good decision – it really helped us build our brand.”

Having established a Fishman transducer as a more or less the industry’s ‘must have’ on a new acoustic guitar, the company then branched out into retail, with a succession of aftermarket products bearing impeccable brand recognition and customer acceptance for preamplifiers, user-installable pickups, effects and then amplifiers. As a consequence, with all electronics manufacturing now offshore, Fishman employs 65 people in the USA, making transducers and handling R&D, with a large team backed by a research lab. Sales and marketing is also handled in-house. The company also has two offices in China, looking after the Chinese OEM market, constantly looking for new business partners in the volatile Chinese manufacturing climate. “You have to keep on your toes there,” says Fishman.

“We also started a joint venture in China, building and selling electronics for some of the more price-sensitive customers and that’s pretty much a turnkey operation now, which is the reason we can be competitive with the Asian suppliers.

We’re right in their backyard and able to service the $200 to $300 list price guitar that couldn’t afford to use our gear in the past. Now you can get genuine Fishmandesigned and controlled electronics and transducers from a $4,000 Martin to a $399 Fender acoustic pack guitar.”

Fishman believes that his company covers this span without in anyway

26 miPRO MARCH 2010

detracting from its reputation as being the best in the business. “We offer professional grade electronics across the board. We do not and will not make anything that a serious musician will not be happy with. The guitar may not be great but the system is going to be reliable, it will perform and it will sound musical. If we were forced down to a price where we couldn’t deliver that quality, then we would not play.

“If you stand back and contract out and don’t control and have several trading and sourcing companies in the middle, you’re never going to get there, There are too many slices being taken out of the

“

Part of the key to Larry Fishman’s success is his sticking to one of the core tenets of business – the value of brand.

Fishman spends a lot of money building and reinforcing his brand to the extent, as he puts it: “If an OEM wants product without our brand name on it, they’re welcome – but I charge a higher price.

That hasn’t happened yet.”

However successful his transducers are, no company can afford to stand still and Fishman has done anything but. The universally praised Aura digital system has seen a string of introductions, delivering the Holy Grail of studio miked sounds from pickupped guitars on stage.

We offer professional grade electronics. We don’t make anything that a serious musician will not be happy with. If we were forced to a price where we couldn’t deliver that quality, we wouldn’t play.

Larry Fishman Fishman

pie. But if you take the trouble to get a business partner directly, making their business stronger because of your branding, then you’ve got a loyal partner – someone that’s willing to work with you, let you into their factory, give you an office in their factory, so you can maintain the quality – then you can do it.”

Yet another thing Larry Fishman hasn’t done is sign exclusive deals. “If they want it that badly, they can buy the company,” he laughs. That said, Fishman has got close with a new system for Martin guitars on its Performing Artist series, which seems fair enough, considering a relationship with Martin that goes back for 25 years as its prime supplier of electronics.

“I always knew, building under the saddle transducers, that there was an element missing,’ he says. “They were stable, they could play loudly, but they never had the full character you could get from a microphone. You could change the transducer design but you always got the same thing, and that’s what started the Aura project, released six years ago. It was a four-year research project with a strong investment and no clear indication we were going to succeed. But I knew I wasn’t going to get it by tweaking the transducer, no matter how much I wished that would be all it would take.”

Aura has taken Fishman into the digital world, wreathed in yet more success, but

where does Larry Fishman go from here?

He concludes: “We’re trying to grow the business in ways that that are aligned with our expertise – and that is sound reinforcement for acoustic instruments and voice. We’re not going to go into the electric guitar arena – it’s not what we understand. But we do know how to reproduce the human voice and acoustic instruments.

“We’ve become very digitally adept, so we’re growing that end of the business and our general sound reinforcement will grow with an extended line of smaller personal PA products.

We’re also involved in a digital wireless project right now and will be releasing digital wireless systems that that can handle acoustic instruments properly and deliver their dynamic range – so there are a lot of interesting products to come.”

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See Kam at Frankfurt Musikmesse March 24th to 27th - Hall 5.1 / Stand C25

COMPANY PROFILE TGI

Accessorise all areas Sometimes it’s the small things that make the difference, something that Barnes & Mullins’ TGI accessories brand has known for over 20 years. Rob Power takes a look at one of the best ways to make extra cash at retail...

A

ny retailer worth his salt knows the true value of the accessories that line his walls and counter. While lacking the glamour of big ticket items, there can be no doubt that the majority of sales in any MI store can be filed in the ‘accessories’ column. TGI, Barnes & Mullins’ veteran range of essential bits and pieces, has established itself as a leading light in the crowded and competitive accessories market thanks to an innate ability to cater to the daily needs of MI retailers.

“I know from my ten years of retail experience just how much difference good accessories can make,” explains Barnes & Mullins’ Alex Mew. “When I left retail and joined B&M back in 2001, it was becoming clear that various manufacturers were beginning to up their game in this respect. As a retail store manager at the time, I was, of course, always very keen on maximising the profit generated from accessories, as often we would rely upon these sales to bump up the overall margin of a larger sale. So it was with this simple idea in mind that B&M set about expanding and improving the TGI accessory line.

“One of the main gripes I had was with gigbags,” continues Mew. “I have

28 miPRO MARCH 2010

memories of stacking these unwieldy, unidentifiable objects into one of our many stock rooms and having to manually label them. Why wasn’t this easier? Last year, I designed a whole new range of storage and display boxes for the TGI gigbags that I felt solved pretty much every problem I had encountered. Both the basic Student series and higher quality Transit series now come in a full colour, 100 per cent recycled, cardboard display box with colour coded barcodes on the side and bottom and a useful handle on top. Both box types are equally at home on slatwall hooks or stacked neatly in storage, and can be easily found however they’re stored. Plus, with realistic quantity deals, all retailers can make good levels of profit on this essential add-on sale.”

By keeping the needs of the retailer in mind at every stage of the TGI brand’s development, Barnes & Mullins has created a UK-centred, highly competitive selection of products that cater directly to the issues that fill the day-to-day business of the average MI retailer. While a large number of TGI products, including a fine selection of straps, are produced on home turf, the obvious question to ask is where is the rest of the TGI product line sourced from, and what steps have been made to

provide the best possible end product for a hungry market?

“Unsurprisingly,” Mew explains, “they’re from China, just like most other products these days. However, as you would expect, we have made a real effort to find the best that China has to offer. The TGI machineheads, picks, digital tuners and

“

The TGI accessories are designed to be marked up however the retailer sees fit.

Alex Mew Barnes & Mullins

metronomes, ‘TGI Wired’ and ‘TGI Audio’ cable ranges, plus the full range of TGI music and instrument stands and cases, are sourced from a wide range of locations throughout China. We consolidate all these disparate items into one or two Chinese shipping ports and can then deliver to the UK with ease. This consolidated shipping means that costs

are kept down, and we can offer these products to the retailer for a lower cost and help generate a higher retail profit.

“Finally,” says Mew, “the other notable benefit of TGI accessories is that we do not publish any sort of consumer retail price list. This is because all these accessories are designed to be marked up however the retailer sees fit. There is nothing wrong or immoral about marking up products beyond the MI standard 55 per cent. If you can buy a cable for £1.50 that your market will happily pay £10 for, then why not sell it for £10? There are, of course, many retailers that take advantage of this currently, but equally there are many who still do not, and I fear that they may be missing a trick. Naturally, the level to which this is possible depends entirely upon the local competition and economic climate, but I believe this to be an essential part of the whole business.”

With the focus on quality products that deliver plenty of margin for retailers, there can be no doubt that TGI has plenty to offer. While things don’t look to be getting any easier on the High Street just yet, at least retailers know that brands like TGI are around to help make the most of every single sale.

B&M: 01691 652449

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bringing brands together

The Leisuretec Listings Plus 2010 • Call us to Order Your Copy • Experience • Choice • Value • Service Sound • Lighting • Special Effects • Distribution Power Squared • Tel: +44 (0) 1525 850085 • www.leisuretec.co.uk

PROFILE IGF

Firm Foundations The International Guitar Foundation has been helping guitarists find new ways to love their instrument since 1994.

Rob Power finds out what 2010 has in store...

P

eople love guitars. That’s a stone cold fact. Yet although there is a seemingly endless amount of enthusiasm for the humble six string, few can match the level of commitment shown by the International Guitar Foundation. Set up in 1994 by general manager Philip Castang and CEO (not to mention well-known classical guitarist) Tom Kersten when the enterprising pair took over an ailing classical guitar school, it has grown to become a vocal and important ambassador for the guitar and its myriad applications.

“We relocated the school from Somerset to Bath, put on a really good show and it was successful,” explains Castang. “After a couple of years, I wanted to introduce rock styles, as I felt it would connect in a wider way with the industry.

We became a foundation in ‘97, and have been a charity since ‘95. We went to Future Publishing and said what we wanted to do and it’s been hugely supportive, working with us ever since.”

The small classical school quickly grew into the huge event that was the Bath International Guitar Festival. “It’s been running for 17 years, so it’s probably the longest running guitar festival in the UK,” adds Castang. “We’ve had significant support from so many companies over the years, like Gibson, Fender, Marshall, Mackie, Korg, Yamaha, and Roland – I almost can’t think of a firm we haven’t had support from, and we also do a lot of work with Peavey. The festival is a great way to get new products out there.”

This year, there has been a change in the location of the event, taking it away

30 miPRO MARCH 2010

from its long-term home. “The summer school has been relocated to Cheltenham.

Bath Spa University, where we housed it, now has to licence out its accommodation to the students for 50 weeks of the year, so we had to find a new campus that had the same sort of feel. We wanted somewhere that could house different styles of workshop, from rock and metal to rhythm courses for drummers, concerts in the evening, live stages for jamming – it’s like a fantasy music world.

most of us don’t – then to spend a week or two doing nothing but that is an amazing experience. It is life changing – we have mature students who have families and careers and had to stop playing, but now in their 50s and 60s have gone out and bought a very nice guitar to get in the class and be kids. Everyone leaves their age at the door and has a brilliant time playing.”

The festival will be taking place from July 24th to August 6th at the University

“

I can’t think of a firm we haven’t had support from. It’s a great way to get products out there.

“We’ve moved to a fantastic campus at the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham. It’s two weeks of workshops all day and concerts every night followed by jamming. A typical day might be a class from 10am with someone like Martin Golding from the Institute of Contemporary Music Performance. After lunch you might have a performance with a live band, followed by a master class with Guthrie Govan. Then in the evening there will be a performance, followed by jamming. If you love to play and you don’t get the chance in your ordinary life – as

Philip Castang IGF

of Gloucestershire Cheltenham Park Campus, but it is far from the only major event that the IGF is putting on this year.

The London Guitar Festival, another major point in the Foundation’s year, will be staged at London’s newly revamped South Bank Centre between May 14th to 16th.

“To have it at the ultimate arts centre and for us to really be the flag bearer for the guitar is a really important thing for all of us in the industry that love the instrument,” says Castang. “The London Guitar Festival is really vital to us. In the main hall we have Jose Gonzalez. It’s a

3,000-seat hall, and he’s a big deal for us; he’s coming over from Sweden. He has routes in classical, Spanish, Latin and contemporary song writing, so he was an important artist for us to land as he has such diverse appeal.”

Acts covering the full spectrum of sounds from folk, blues, jazz, flamenco and world music will be spread across the stages throughout the event, with open classes running alongside. “We’ve got a whole load of classical concerts in the smaller room, and lots of workshops across different styles. Rock School and Lick Library are both doing big open classes, and there is an awful lot of industry support for the festival. The ICMP will have a free stage in the foyer and all its students will be performing throughout the Saturday (May 15th). It’s a fantastic spot on the Thames, right by the London Eye with huge footfall, so it’s a great space to be in.”

“Everywhere we put on a festival, there is a parallel education programme, and you can see major artists perform and have classes with them,” concludes Castang. “It was unique when we started, and it’s something we do in a spectacular way, and that mixture of performance and education has allowed us to grow. Our education programme is not just about high profile master classes, it’s a complete gamut of grass roots, outreach projects, schools and community centres.”

For more information on the International Guitar Foundation, or for tickets to both the Cheltenham Guitar Festival and Summer School and the London Guitar Festival, visit www.igf.org.uk.

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from

SOLO PERFORMANCE SYSTEM Can a P.A. system be portable, powerful and inexpensive?

Fishman’s SA220 Solo Performance System is a portable P.A. designed with performing musicians in mind. A unique combination of clear projection, versatility and portability in a lightweight, easy to set up package makes it perfect for nearly any need.

Now, asking your audience “can you hear me back there?” is a thing of the past. With Fishman’s SA220, you’ll be able to project your performance with a full, wide sound. And its line array speaker technology – adapted from world-tour concert audio systems – disperses sound so evenly that your listeners in the front don’t get overpowered, yet those in the back can still hear every word and every note.

Don’t let its sleek and compact design fool you. Sure it’s small enough to fit in your boot or stow away conveniently. But it’s also equipped with input channels featuring high-quality preamps and 3-band EQ, built-in reverb, an mp3 input, and feedback-fighting controls.

Perfect for musical performances, presentations, meetings, workshops, and demonstrations, the SA220 Solo Performance System has you covered.

‘The SA220 is a superbly conceived and executed idea’ Mick Taylor

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a legend in the making Palmer is part of the Adam Hall Group

ALLPARTS Q&A

Main pic: The Allparts team. Below: Owner Andy Gaze

Parts for all When making or repairing guitars, there is one place that the trade can always turn to.

Gary Cooper finds out what makes the company tick…

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llparts – the leading guitar, bass and amp parts supplier – has expanded its range to become what’s virtually a one-stop-shop for retailers, guitar builders and repairers.

The owner of the UK arm of Allparts, Andy Gaze, explains to MI Pro why all retailers should consider having an account – and how the parts business is busily growing.

MI Pro: What brought you into the MI industry and how did Allparts UK get started?

Andy Gaze: I was originally involved in construction and when the building industry started to dive, I started teaching guitar instead. As part of that, I did the odd repair and eventually I came across Pincott’s – which was the company’s previous name.

The company had been founded by the guitarist Colin Pincott and my wife and I bought the business from his business partner, Keith Mathers, as a very small concern, back in 1995. It was a small mail

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order business at the time. We started it off in our garage.

How did the business become Allparts?

Pincott’s was already buying from Allparts

“

and he started the business 28 years ago. At the time he was a bass player, also working in retail and finding it hard to get the bits, so he started sourcing and then supplying them himself.

About 70 per cent of our business is to the trade, which can range from one man in a shed, making or repairing guitars, all the way through to the big chains. We’ve got a wide range of parts and want to act as the back room for the shops.

Andy Gaze Allparts

in the United States and I took it a step further by asking if we could become its UK distributor.

Allparts in the States is the Allparts Music Corporation, based in Houston and it has quite a high profile, including as a supplier of parts to companies such as Fender and Gibson. Steve Wark is the CEO

Allparts is a well-known brand among players so changing our name seemed the right thing to do.

Is Allparts in the UK primarily a retail or trade supplier?

About 70 per cent of our business in the UK is to the trade, which can range

from one man in a shed, making or repairing guitars, all the way through to the big chains.

Our website has products at retail price and there’s a dealer list there so that people can take their guitars to dealers where they can get expert advice, rather than simply guessing what they need.

We’ve got a wide range of parts and what we really want to do is act as the back room for the shops.

Where are you based and how many of you are there at Allparts?

We’re near High Wycombe in the Chilterns and we currently employ three full-time staff in the UK and four part time. In the States, Allparts employs about 20 people.

Presumably there’s good business for retailers who display parts?

All of the Allparts’ products are shrinkwrapped, bar-coded and hang-tagged for display, but there seems to be a tendency for people not to make the best use of that.

miPRO MARCH 2010 33

Q&A ALLPARTS

The Allparts catalogue, as seen here, lists an extensive range of parts that are sure to come in handy for both repairs and upgrades, for big chains and small independents My impression – and this isn’t true of all shops – is that they tend to buy on a Monday based on what’s been brought in for repair on a Saturday. I think when they do that they’re missing the opportunity for a sale which would come from customers seeing things like pickguards, pickup covers, knobs, switches and pots on display.

I suppose they’re vulnerable to theft and because the parts are small they can be difficult to display well, unless you make an effort to showcase them, but they offer good profits as there’s really quite a high margin on them. Some shops do make an effort to display parts and it can pay off.

And retailers don’t find themselves having to discount parts?

There isn’t cut-throat competition with parts. They’re things that people need.

Most of the parts we sell in terms of number are electrical parts and they cater to a need people have to fix an instrument – but there’s also the fashion side, where people are responding to a desire to change the colour of their accessories, upgrade their pickups, or improve the performance of their instrument with products like the Hipshot bass extender, or the Tremol-No locking tremolo system.

Do you offer anything other than Allparts products?

We also act as distributors for Mojo, which is a vintage amp parts maker and supplier from North Carolina. Mojo is a growing part of our business and it’s an interesting company. It has a wood shop where it makes cabinets for a large number of the American boutique amp companies and it does its own Fender-style replacement kits, plus a couple of Marshall-style kits.

You get a complete kit – with everything except instructions, because you’re expected to know what you’re doing when you decide to build your own amplifier.

We did a mini course with John Dickinson of Dickinson amps and we built some ‘Princetons’ between us, which was useful experience, and one of the guys

“

Retailers are missing the opportunity for sales that would come from customers seeing parts on display.

Andy Gaze Allparts

www.avslgroup.com

ALLPARTS Q&A who did it too has done a video of his amp and the course.

Do you handle any other products?

Yes, we’re also a sub-distributor for Fender – for parts only. That complements what we do with the more generic parts, enabling us to offer specific Fender parts.

Not every small shop or repairer has an account with Fender, so we’re acting on its behalf in this case – able to supply people with all the Fender group products, which these days includes brands like Takamine, Taylor and Ovation, as well as Fender itself.

What is it that you feel you can offer retailers that makes Allparts UK special?

We try to be a one-stop-shop and we’re working to make the ‘all’ in Allparts real.

It’s difficult but its something we’d like to develop. We’ve moved into amplifier parts with Mojo and we’ve just taken on the Lava range of cables, too. We’ve tended to keep clear of accessories, though - straps and floor pedals, gadgets and so on. One thing we have been finding recently is that we are doing more and more Tolex for repairing amplifiers and cabinets, so we have quite a lot of that in stock.

Having said we don’t do accessories, we do sell a Korean brand of strings, which Steve has sourced. The strings are competitively priced and used to give the

0845 270 2411

dealer a decent set of strings that he can put on a guitar that’s going to hang on the wall for six months. People buy them again and again, so they must be pretty good.

If a retailer reading this article has a customer needing a specific hard-to-

“

We’re ramping up Mojo’s delivery cycle and with Fender it’s mixed, depending on its own production policies and lead times, but we do order weekly from them as well. Our average order is only £35 (though some of our trade orders are over £1,000) so small orders aren’t a problem for us.

We try to be a one-stop-shop and we’re working to make the ‘all’ in Allparts real. We’ve moved into amplifier parts with Mojo and we’ve just taken on the Lava cable range, too.

Andy Gaze, Allparts

find part, how quickly can you get it to him?

Our aim is to help people out and we try to do it as quickly as possible. We get a weekly delivery from Allparts in the States.

We order every Tuesday, the parts ship out to us on Friday and we receive the following Tuesday.

If, for example, someone has a customer who needs a part urgently, because he has a gig, we will make an effort to help them out with that. We’ll do it on a same-day basis and we have even sent parts to guitar techs on tour, so that the parts go to the hotel they’re in the next town they’re going to.

0845 270 2433

Is ordering easy?

Yes, in a web-based age it’s all been set up for that. If retailer has his PC on the counter, he can look up a part while the customer is standing in front of him and there are live stock levels, so he knows whether we’ve actually got the part his customer needs.

People can order online, or they can call, and I’ve tried to make everything work in terms of speed and availability, so as to help both the retailer and his customers.

How has your business fared in the recession?

Pretty well, actually. In spite of the dollarpound exchange rate causing problems, we’ve been consistently busy.

In the States, Allparts has said that its OEM business has been down, but its shop supply was up, so it’s had a fairly buoyant year as well.

Steve Wark has been doing this for 28 years now and at the recent NAMM show he said that while parts aren’t exactly recession-proof, people will often choose to repair or upgrade rather than buy something new, so that provides shops with another potential stream of not vast income, but steady income, which isn’t being heavily discounted.

ALLPARTS: Tel: 01494 410050 or freephone 0800 849 8224 Web: www.allparts.uk.com

sales@avslgroup.com

PROFILE

I WOKE UP THIS MORNING BECKY STANTON – AVSL GROUP Marketing manager Variety is the spice of life – and most definitely the best way to make the working week fly by.

So says AVSL’s marketing manager, Becky Stanton...

T

his morning has been busy. We've got a lot of deadlines at the moment for the general promotions we do on a monthly basis. We do target marketing and we have our own magazine which features all our latest products, any offers and news, things like that, and we've been brainstorming for a new range of leads too.

I'm normally in at about half seven.

We're based at Trafford Park in Manchester, and I live about 25 miles away. We're in a premium spot – it's great for deliveries in and out and a central point in the UK is always good. It means we can get everything out to our customers quickly – we have a next-day delivery service on as much as we can, depending on where customers are based. The top end of Scotland is always difficult, especially with how the weather has been recently.

I've been here nearly two years now.

Previously, I was in telecommunications, so there's some crossover with cables and connections, and with areas like our Mercury range. We're developing our Chord range of pedals at the moment, which is what the new leads will be for.

We've always done music leads but with this brand we hope we'll be able to break into the MI trade even more this year.

We've got our own music catalogue due out in the middle of the year as well.

MI interests us a lot. We're working hard at finding the best products possible.

The MI industry is quite different from, say, the DJ realm, but it's exciting. It's nice to do products that are a bit more fun – guitars are more interesting than a connector for a phone line.

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We've been working on keeping product stock levels high, new products coming in and we're looking forward to developing the Chord range even further.

I look after the marketing department as a whole, including print and online marketing, packaging, branding, and keeping everything going. It's quite a big role in a company this size.

We do the BPM show every year, and we're already getting ready for that.

We'll be having the launch of our new catalogue around that time as well so we're making sure we've got everything

”

It’s nice to do products that are a bit more fun – guitars are more interesting than a connector for a phone line.

together. We're concentrating on the BPM show this year, and hopefully we'll progress to more shows in the future.

The products seems popular, and the Chord pedals that we put out are getting interest. We started advertising Chord in January and we'll be doing a full launch in May. My day finishes at around half five to six, but when it's busy around catalogue times – well, I've done a few midnight stints! I get home at about quarter to seven, so it's a longish day, but the variety of what we do keeps you going.

miPRO MARCH 2010 37

ELECTRIC GUITARS SECTOR SPOTLIGHT Fender La Cabronita Especial £TBC An extremely limited run of these little beauties will no doubt be in high demand once Fender's Custom Shop lets them out to play. Blending classic, heavily reliced Telecaster looks with a set of growling TV Jones Classic pickups, La Cabronita is a feast for the eyes and the ears.

Epiphone 1965 Lennon Casino £884 A fresh, more affordable take on the recently discontinued US-made Lennon Casino, this vintage-styled model offers superb attention to period detail and importantly access to Lennon's rhythm sound, making this an absolute must-have for Beatlemaniacs.

Jackson SLAT3-7 £1,249.99 A long awaited addition to the Jackron range, this seven string beast has enough goodies to keep even the most demanding shredder happy. The arched top and variety of easy-on-the-eye finishes (including a striking Green Swirl) make this a Jackson to sit up and take notice of.

Taylor Solidbody Custom From £2,145 Beautifully figured tonewoods combine with a chambered bosy fashioned from tropical mahogany, an array of options are available on the Taylor Solidbody including diamond fretboard inlays and direct mounted humbuckers.

Very tasty indeed.

Electric warriors

Every kid that starts out on a cheap as chip (board) electric guitar dreams of one day owning a serious piece of luthiery.

Rob Power finds out what’s out there for the kids to aspire to...

I

“

It’s still the sexiest, most lusted after instrument in the world.

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

t's still the sexiest, most lusted after instrument in the world. The electric guitar still has the ability to turn the girls’ knees to jelly, the lads’ minds to desire and it shows no signs of letting up.

The key players remain pretty much in the driving seat at the high end, as they always have; quite simply, guitarists will always want to get their hands on the Fenders and Gibsons of this world, no matter how much other manufacturers might wish it otherwise.

For retail, however, the increased choice in models and options ranging from finish and fixtures and fittings through to body shape and construction material can make stocking decisions quite the headache.

First up, the company that pretty much revolutionised popular music thanks to the single minded genius of its founder is Fender. The latest incarnations of the company's world famous Telecaster and Stratocaster models

comprise the new American Special series: US-built models for the masses.

The three instruments in the new series – the American Special Telecaster, Stratocaster and Stratocaster HSS – are highly-affordable, US-made axes that are within the reach of a wide spectrum of players that perhaps don't have the deepest pockets in the world.

All three American Specials feature alder bodies with gloss urethane finishes, jumbo frets and Texas Special pickups (the Strat HSS also has an Atomic humbucking bridge pickup). The American Special Telecaster has a vintage-style string-through-body Telecaster bridge with three brass saddles and is available in Olympic white and three-colour Sunburst. The Strat has a vintage-style synchronised tremolo and is available in candy apple red and two-colour Sunburst. The Strat HSS has a rosewood fingerboard and vintage-style synchronized tremolo.

Since it was launched on an unsuspecting industry, Taylor's Solidbody has established itself as an alternative to the familiar names at the top end of the electric guitar market.

A big part of the Solidbody’s appeal has been the wide array of custom ordering options and after-market flexibility available, allowing players to achieve exactly the look and tones they are after. Finishes, pickup options and bridges are all up for discussion if nothing in the current range suits, giving players a great opportunity to own something they can genuinely say they had a part in designing.

Expanding its range in line with plenty of consumer demand, new Jackson guitars include the SLAT3-6 and the SLAT3-7, the pair of which both sit nicely in the Pro series. Similar to the Soloist 3, but with arched tops and in the 7’s case seven strings, Jackson fans are sure to lap them up.

miPRO MARCH 2010 39

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT ELECTRIC GUITARS Schecter C-1 Custom From £679

Limited Edition Washburn Nuno Bettencourt Signature N4XX £4,766.75

New for 2010, the Custom series has a variety of body shapes based on a classic mahogany and bound flame maple cap designs, with an easy access 22 fret set neck. Seymour Duncan Custom Custom pickups nicely complement the Tonepros TOM system bridge and hardware.

Celebrating a 20-year relationship between shred hero Nuno Bettencourt and Washburn, these custom shop crafted guitars follow the original 1989 N4.

Featuring superb craftsmanship, this is an absolute must for fans and collectors.

Rickenbacker 660 £3,003.91 Instantly recognisable as a Ricky yet occupying a space all of its own in the electric guitar market, the 660 is an individualistic and beautifully constructed example of Rickenbacker at its absolute best.

Aria PE1500 RI 76 Reissue £1,349 A real treat of an axe, being the reissue of a classic Japanese guitar.

A high grade mahogany body, jaracanda fingerboard and the highest grade electrics and hardware – shows what Aria can do.

Gibson has plenty to bring to the table this year, including a new take on the John Lennon signature Epiphone Casino with the Inspired By 1965 Lennon Casino. Available in both vintage sunburst and natural finishes, echoing the stylistic variations of the man himself, these are a must-buy for Beatle fans looking to replicate Lennon’s tone.

Schecter's Hellraiser collection, for those with slightly blacker hearts than the rest of us, features everything the metal enthusiast lives for. Available in jet black (of course), white or a signature Hellraiser black cherry finish with flame maple top and alternative body shapes, all with set neck construction, this is a selection of axes not to be trifled with.

Elsewhere at Schecter, artist models from 40 miPRO MARCH 2010

the likes of Avenged Sevenfold's Synyster Gates and Zacky Vengeance should keep the shredders happy for a while.

Laid back, high end guitar maker Tom Anderson Guitarworks was established in 1984, initially building high quality replacement components. Guitars can now be built to order from any number of combinations of neck and body shapes, hardware and pickups and customers can have their guitar built to look and sound exactly as they want at incredible levels of quality from £2,499.

Peavey's HP series guitars take their cues from the artistry of the HP Signature series, but that's where the similarities end. These are Floyd Roseoutfitted, high-output beasts with coil taps on both pickups and a patent-

pending Lok Block system that allows players to set their tremolo fully down or fully floating. HP Specials are available in flat or carved-top models in an array of finishes and are hand-detailed in the USA. Celebrating two decades with Washburn, Nuno Bettencourt’s latest signature model pulls out all the stops with a limited edition 100-piece run of the extremely high spec N4XX sure to get fans of the shredder salivating.

Joining Washburn under the Sound Technology banner is Larrivée, which has created the RS-4 as its first entry into the electric guitar world. Featuring a slim South American mahogany body, overlaid with the thickest flamed maple carved top that could be found, this is a guitar

that screams class and sophistication, and has a price of just over £2,000 to match.

The Trev Wilkinson designed Fret King range is becoming an increasingly familiar sight in guitar shops across the country, thanks in no small part to the high standards set by Wilkinson himself, as well as the clear care and attention given to the designs of these striking guitars. Of particular note is the Blue Label series, especially the Eclat, Super 60 and the brand new Ventura and Elan models, most of which have retail prices between £729 and £799.

As home to some of the most individualistic brands around, Rosetti has plenty to be shouting about in this area of the market. Aside from the hugely sought-after 330 and 360, Rickenbacker WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

CONTACT DETAILS Fret King Eclat £1,099 The Trev Wilkinson designed Fret King brand has been doing the business for JHS since its introduction, and by the look of this Blue Label Eclat, it's easy to see why. A one-piece mahogany neck, two-piece centre jointed mahogany body and a double stained, book matched carved maple top make for a striking instrument.

FENDER 01342 331711 GIBSON +31 347 324010 WESTSIDE 0141 2484812 PEAVEY 01536 461234 SOUND TECHNOLOGY 01462 480000 IBANEZ 0121 508 6666 JHS 0113 286 5381 ROSETTI 01376 550033 YAMAHA 01908 366700 ARIA 01483 238 720

Ibanez RG3550MZ-DY £1,449

Peavey HP Special FT Tremelo £1812

A new addition to the ranks of Ibanez's shred-tastic line up, the 3550 features a fivepiece Super Wizard HP maple and walnut neck with titanium reinforcement, jumbo frets and enough attitude to burn your fingers off at 100 yards.

ROAD TESTED ROTOSOUND MUSIC STRINGS - AT THE HEART OF ROCK N ROLL SINCE 1958

See us at

Frankfurt Musikmesse Halle 4.0, Stand B65 Special guest appearances by

Billy Sheehan

Fri 26 March & Sat 27 March 1.00pm Hugely popular and with good reason, the HP series is a strong performer for Peavey.

This HP Special features an oil finished, highly figured asymmetrical birdseye maple neck with graphite reinforcements, alongside a meaty set of custom HP Signature humbuckers.

has plenty more to offer seekers of the fabled 60s sound, especially with the 330/12 and 360/12 that can provide all the jangle you'll ever need. At the opposite end of the stylistic scale lies BC Rich, a brand that can always be relied on to keep things pointy. A number of new high-spec, pointy models for 2010 make this a good year for metallers.

Yamaha’s electric guitar range in this price point is made up of its most famous series – the SG guitars.

All hand-built in Yamaha’s Japanese workshop, the SG guitars were designed to be the ‘ultimate’ electric guitar. The range is characterised by its mahogany body and neck with maple top for a full, fat tone.

These guitars use semi-open Alnico V pickups which offer protection, while allowing increased output. The fingerboard is made from smoother feeling ebony.

Making moves to ensure 2010 sees the rebirth of shred, Ibanez has a number of suitably lightning quick

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Dave Pybus

Fri 26 March & Sat 27 March 3.00pm

plus

See our new Double Decker Roto Electric Twin Packs

instruments that fall in this price range. The RG1570 at £849 is a relatively affordable yet still highly spec'd model for aspiring sultans of shred, while the striking laser blue RG3570Z-LB at £1399 is a DiMarzio pickup’d, Super Wizard necked machine built for speed that is sure to prove a hit among the dormant metal masses.

Aria remains a popular choice among connoisseurs looking for fine looking, painstakingly well crafted electrics. The PE-R80, introduced in the 70s and still going strong, is a great ambassador for what Aria's custom shop in Japan is capable of, featuring a heelless neck, quilted maple top, semi hollow body construction and that individualistic Aria body shape, making this Japanese brand one of many that can sensibly be picked away from the obvious choices.

Retailers should (and do) look here for excellent quality guitars that sit outside of the mainstream.

into the music www.rotosound.com miPRO MARCH 2010 41

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ELECTRIC DRUMS SECTOR SPOTLIGHT

Another fine mesh While the drum market generally adapts to the financial squeeze, with drummers tending to adapt present kits rather than buy new, the electronic siblings are going from strength to strength. Andy Barrett looks at kits – 21st century style…

“

There are a lot of options out there for dealers wanting to cash in on a pleasing trend. On top of that, electronic drumkits are a pretty easy sell.

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

I

n the world of MI, there’s been little to compare to the rise of the electronic drum kit over the past ten years, except perhaps the parallel trajectory of the digital piano. Like the piano, the arrival of the e-drumkit was greeted by players with disdain, but it’s since benefited from the ongoing improvements in playing feel and sound sampling.

The result, combined with the ease with which Far Eastern manufacturers have in replicating hi-tech products, means that as the instruments become more and more appealing to pro and semi-pro players, the entry level becomes equally more affordable. This creates the virtuous chain of quality gear to learn on, rising through the ranks to kits that players aspire to. Manufacturers, suppliers and retailers alike are always keen to have such a product, as this is what makes a brand become a lifelong friend.

There are a lot of options out there for dealers wanting to cash in on a pleasing

trend. On top of that, electronic drumkits are a pretty easy sell. Plug ‘em in (and the headphones) and simply let the customer pummel seven bells out of them and you can almost guarantee they’ll be hooked.

There are three essential selling points for e-drums: brain, rack and head (keep your jokes to yourself, please).

The big thing with heads these days is, of course, the mesh head, which provides a natural feeling impact and spring for the drumstick. At the moment, this is the first thing you notice that differentiates the cheaper kits from the higher-priced models. In time, one suspects, mesh heads will filter down to become an essential.

The quality of the brain – and thus the sounds the kit makes – is the next thing you notice. Again, companies such as Roland and Yamaha, with years of sound sampling technology at their fingertips, not to mention some serious digital know-how in the hardware department, have brains with serious quantities of

different drum and percussion sounds, as well as varieties of synth and other noises, not to mention sequencers and recording facilities.

The final USP is the rack upon and around which the kit is built. This is not such an issue for the home user or the beginner as the kits tend not to be moved around too much, but for the gigger it is as essential as suitable amplification and sound balancing.

The home user will, by and large, be after something that fits a space, while the gigger will want something that is rugged and rigs and strikes easily.

Chances are that whatever the nature of your store, one of your suppliers will have a e-kit it would be happy to sell you – and it’s a pretty sure bet you will have customers simply dying to beat the living crap out of one at home. For the time being, it is still the flavour of the month.

Let’s have a look then, at the latest offerings from the industry...

miPRO MARCH 2010 43

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT ELECTRIC DRUMS

Yamaha DTX 900K £3,999 Roland TD-12KX £3,499

The 900 kits use Yamaha’s new DTX pads, which utilise a textured cellular silicone head with R&D input from the company’s stable of drum endorsers. The sound engine is from the Motif XS synth and the DSP effects from the company’s high-end digital mixers, making this particular NAMM launch something a bit special.

The newest of the Roland V-Drum series and an impressive addition.

Using the technology and mesh heads of the TD-20, the 12KX slots into the range just below the flagship model, offering a more compact version of the e-kit choice of a good number professional players.

Alesis DM10 Studio £899.99

Korg Wavedrum £469

The DM10 Studio kit builds on Alesis’ DM10 Pro, bringing a viable alternative to the big two in terms of sounds, feel and customisability. Based around the DM10 drum module, the DM10 Studio features Alesis’ proprietary Real Head drum pads, DM Pad cymbals and the Stealth Rack mounting system.

Truth be told, we could fill this whole report with Roland V-Drums (see TD-12KX, above), such is the success the brand has forged and the enthusiasm with which Roland has taken to the technology.

Roland also has the Octapad, launched at January’s NAMM show. Originally made in the 1980s as a MIDI controller (the Pad-8) the new SPD-30 contains some 50 kits and a plethora of synth and bass sounds, Roland’s new loop phrasing (sequencing) technology and 80-voice polyphony. It’s something of a dream for drummers and would-bes alike, as it allows complex layering that essentially produces a finished song without having to mess around too much with those tiresome musical instrument sorts.

The HD-1 kit is there to bring beginners into the market and hopefully keep them 44 miPRO MARCH2010

This second generation unit has head and rim triggers, a transducer pickup and pressure sensor system, 100 preset programs, 100 user programs (instant recall for 12 in Live mode), 100 loop phrases, aux input and the ability to be used as a standalone instrument or as part of a larger kit or set-up.

going until they buy a TD-20KX, the full monty of the genre with five brushed steel, mesh-headed pads, bass, hi-hat and three cymbals. Very tasty.

Yamaha is a hugely important brand in both acoustic and electric drums. The latest kit to enter the DTX range is the 900K (see panel), but there is one small step up from this with the 950K. Essentially the same kit, but with an extra tom pad, the 950 is built for live performances, recordings, production, practice sessions at home or in the studio – it’s a real all-rounder.

The DTXtreme also has four toms, a snare, three cymbals, hi-hat and kick, with the cymbal, hi-hat and kick pads refined to feel as realistic as possible. All the highend kits have the Hexrack in common, which holds the whole caboodle together

and makes the DTX kits as rugged and roadworthy as anything on the market.

At the entry level, the DTXplorer is one of the most fully featured kits in its price range, offering 32 kits in the brain, ten user programmable kits and over 200 voices for its snare, three toms, a kick pad, hi hat and two cymbals.

Alesis is a new force in e-drums, developing an impressive range of kits over the past three years. NAMM saw the launch of the DM10 Pro kit at the top of the Alesis range. Based around the DM10 sound module, the DM10 Pro comprises the same pads as the studio kit (see panel), but adds the Sabian-made Surge cymbals – made of a genuine cymbal alloy – and the Ergo Rack mounting system. The Surge cymbals are proving popular with drummers on account of the

feel of metal cymbal beneath the stick – although this is not so popular with those looking for silent kits in the home.

Alesis also has the Transactive Drummer amp. This complete, active system contains an active two-way speaker wedge that covers the frequency range of the drums and offers two sets of inputs, stereo outputs, as well as an iPod dock.

Designed for use with hands, sticks, brushes or mallets, Korg’s second generation of electronic ‘hand’ percussion, the Wavedrum, is a serious contender for the percussionist as opposed to the drummer – although it ticks tubthumpers’ boxes, too.

Sonically richer and more sensitive, than the 1994 model, this Wavedrum is packed with features, from the pickup and pressure sensor system, which WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Your Next Guitar Is Here!

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FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON JHS PRODUCTS AND DEALERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

SEE US ON STAND 4.1 F17

CONTACT YOUR JHS ASM OR OUR SALES OFFICE ON:

24-27 MARCH 2010 FRANKFURT Worldwide Trade Distributors:

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0113 2866 411

SECTOR SPOTLIGHT ELECTRIC DRUMS

CONTACT DETAILS

Session Pro DD508 RRP: £949.99 A top grade drum product for professional drum players.

It functions for performance, tuition and recording, and it contains almost 700 drum voices and 220 songs. The kit also comes with an SD card slot for storing songs and a USB MIDI function to connect directly into a computer.

ROLAND 01792 702701 YAMAHA 01908 366700 ALESIS 01252 341400 KORG 01908 857100 SOAR VALLEY (TECHTONIC) 0116 230 4926 INTERMUSIC 01202 696963 P&R HOWARD 01355 236621 GEAR4MUSIC 08431 550800

Bentley TD-90 RRP: £399.99 Eight-piece electric drum kit featuring four touch-sensitive drum pads, three cymbal pads, the TD90 drum module, bass pedal and pad and a floating hihat pedal. This electronic drumkit offers unbelievable value for money and is ideal for beginner, although more advanced drummers will still get a kick out of it.

Roland TD-4KX RRP: £1,179 Techtonic DD502J RRP: £429

Arguably the best value on the market at the moment, this V-Drum kit gives the player a complete mesh-head experience, as well as getting the Roland TD-4 module and some nice little perks, such as a double kick drum pedal and the varied (six-inch and eight-inch) pads for top toms and snare and ‘floor’ tom respectively.

responds directly to the performer’s action, from subtly nuanced tapping and stroking to aggressive, repetitive strikes, to the simultaneous production of (for example) sitar and tambura sounds. It’s an expressive bit of kit. Welcome back to the fray, Korg.

New to the e-drum market, though a well established name in world percussion, Soar Valley brought the Techtonic DD502J e-drumkit to the UK market in late 2009. A rubber-padded kit, with rubber cymbal pads, too, the DD502J enjoys the benefits of a floating kick pad and pedal, as well as a floating hi-hat pedal. The value of this is the ability for the learner to set up the kit to acoustic kit positions and make the (eventual, although no longer compulsory) transition to an acoustic kit that bit smoother.

Intermusic has established itself as a front-runner in the piano market in the UK and has made good business out of its

46 miPRO MARCH2010

Forsaking elaborate frills in favour of a straightforward, tone-oriented approach to guitar building, the 3DN sits proudly atop of Freshman’s all-new Open Plains series, and looks destined for great things. AAA spruce tops, mahogany backs and sides and chrome teardrop-style machine heads all help make this a guitar worth checking out.

relationships with Chinese manufacturing operations. From these relationships came a couple of tentative dips into the digital markets with first pianos and then drums, both benefiting from the Intermusicowned Bentley brand name.

The Bentley TD-90, like the techtonic kit, has the benefits of accessible quality digital technology in its brain module and the keenest possible pricing. The TD-90 is, again, an all rubber pad set-up and features 50 preset kits, 206 sounds, 50 preset backing tracks, built-in effects, three user songs (for players to record their own playing) and an aux CD or MP3 input for playalongs.

P&R Howard has been making impressive inroads into the electronic drum market with the Session Pro series, which comprises the DD505, 506 and 508 kits. The top of the range DD508 sits comfortably along with the best of the

higher-end kits – although does suffer in the competition through having only rubber pads – thanks to a hefty brain with a top-notch sound engine and all the bells and whistles you would expect for around a grand.

For a mere whisker over half that price, punters can go home with a Session Pro DD505 kit (£509.99). Very much for the home market, the 505 has a snare and three tom pads, two cymbal pads and a hihat with floating pedal – as well as the floating kick pad and pedal unit. Online reviews do a fair bit of raving over this one.

The Gear4music digital drum kit is a superb flexible kit, suitable for all levels of player, which combines the great quality and sound you might find in much more expensive kits, but at an amazing price. The kit is a fully featured five-piece set, with 20 preset kits, ten user kits and 50 accompanying backing tracks. £319.95.

”

P&R Howard has been making impressive inroads into the electronic drum market with the Session Pro series.

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

More Power.

More Products.

More Profit.

The all new Expedition range.

Our all new Expedition range delivers crystal clear class D power in a compact, portable and versatile design. Just one of Samsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot new products for 2010 and guaranteed to deliver more power, as well as more profit.

| Go Mic |

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Samson - exclusively distributed in the UK & Ireland by Korg UK Ltd. For more information call your Area Manager or our sales office on 01908 857 101 Featured product: Expedition 510i. Š 2010 Samson | www.korguk.com/samson

| Studio GT |

| Expedition 308i |

| SR850 |

Introducing ®

the silent rehearsal studio

Play anywhere, anytime.

BedRoom

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Up to 5 Musicians 24-bit Digital Effects Analogue Recording Output

Up to 7 Musicians 24-bit Digital Effects USB Recording Output

TourBus Up to 7 Musicians 24-bit Digital Effects With Built In RAM Card Recorder & USB Recording Output

Neighbours can’t hear it. Parents can’t hear it. Cops can’t hear it.

But you won’t believe what the band can hear.

Every band has the same problem: rehearsing is too loud for most locations and studio space is expensive. But now you can play anywhere, anytime virtually silent to the outside world: quietly enough for your bedroom, at Uni, in your apartment or hotel room. JamHub® was created to let you play more, and the experience rocks. Just pick a color section and plug in your instruments, mics and headphones. Then control your own individual mixes with new clarity, and no volume wars. You’ll hear yourself like never before, and improve faster. JamHub is also portable and affordable. And whether you’re a garage band or touring professionals, there’s a JamHub model designed for you. So start jamming more without disturbing the peace.

www.JamHub.com ©2009 BreezSong LLC.

Distributed in the UK by SCV London. Call 020 8418 1470 for your nearest dealer. www.scvlondon.co.uk

NEW PRODUCTS ACCESSORIES BACKLINE BASS & GUITAR DRUMS PRINT

ACCESSORIES NEW PRODUCTS ACCESSORIES SPOTLIGHT

3

1

D’ADDARIO EXP COATED STRINGS £12.99

1. BENZ REEDS CLARINET & SAXOPHONE REEDS £20 PER BOX

They say: Combine the feel and tone of our famous XL strings with the longevity of our popular EXP strings.

For: Guitar, bass, mandolin Range: D’Addario EXP Spec: Made in the D’Addario factory.

50 per cent thinner coating, available for electric and acoustic guitar, electric and acoustic bass, classical guitar and mandolin.

D’Addario’s EXP wire machine draws wire from rod, anneals, cleans, coats, cures and spools wire all in one continuous process. By using a 50 per cent thinner and more concentric coating on the wrap wires, the EXP electric strings deliver longer life,

They say: The absolute best quality, precision engineered reeds available for woodwind instruments today.

For: Clarinetists & saxophonists Range: Benz Reeds Spec: Specially analysed arundo donax cane reeds, each reed separately machined for tension and resonance, play at all pitches and suitable for all styles. Five reeds per box.

From: EMD 01293 862612

“

2

2. FUSION KEYBOARD BAGS FROM £35

3. MEINL COMBO BAG £96

They say: Fusion has yet again created a practical, attractive product with clever design elements.

For: Keyboard players Range: Fusion gigbags Spec: 16 bags in range, smaller models with backpack straps, larger models with wheels and shoulder strap. All with grab handles, 15mm, 20mm or 30mm padding, polyester, water resistant outer, reflective segment piping, large accessory pockets.

From: Aria 01483 238720

They say: An exceptional combination of cymbal and stick bag, ensuring both are always at hand.

For: Drummers Range: Meinl accessories Spec: Two bags attached by zipper (cymbal and stick), 22” cymbal size inner, 15” pocket, padded dividers, padded shoulder strap, caryy handle. Stick bag with four stick sections and accessories compartment.

From: Active 020 8693 5678

Made entirely in the D’Addario factory, from wire drawing to string coating.

natural tone, and the feel of uncoated strings. The strings also offer four times more corrosion resistance of plain steel strings through a compound tin-plating process.

“These strings have been in high demand for quite a while now, and we’ve responded with a high-end coated electric string that we know will go above and beyond expectations,” said D’Addario CEO Jim D’Addario. “The new EXP Electrics combine the favoured feel and tone of our famous XL strings, while combining the longevity of our popular EXP strings.”

From: D’Addario 0191 300 3000 Summerfield 0191 414 9000 Strings & Things 01273 440442

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

6

4 5 4. ROTOSOUND DOUBLE DECKER PACKS £10.95 They say: The simple incentive to dealer and punter alike is the reduced price compared to buying two sets.

For: Guitarists Range: Rotosound electric strings Spec: Dual string sets of Roto nickel on steel range, housed in single pack, initially available in 009 gauge or 010 gauge.

From: Rotosound 01732 450838

5. SEYMOUR DUNCAN ALNICO II PRO SLASH PICKUP £104.95 They say: Seymour Duncan honors its guitar hero with his first signature pickup.

For: Guitarists, luthiers, OEM Range: Seymour Duncan pickups Spec: Custom humbucker, specially wound Alnico 2 magnet, single-conductor cable, long-legged bottom plate, wooden spacer, handmade in USA. From: Aria 01483 238720

6. SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS GUITAR STRAPS £11.99 They say: The award-winning line now includes guitar straps with everybody’s favourite characters from Bikini Bottom.

For: Guitarists Range: Spongebob Squarepants accessories Spec: Fully adjustable 2-inch wide straps, nylon web construction, leather ends, three designs (Spongebob, character and punk).

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

miPRO MARCH 2010 49

NEW PRODUCTS BACKLINE BACKLINE SPOTLIGHT

1

2

3

1. BOSS ME-25 MULTI-EFFECTS £169

2. DIGITECH JAM MAN LOOPER £329

3. FRESHMAN ACOUSTIC AMPS FROM £69.95

They say: Packed with powerful Boss features to make you sound like a pro.

For: Guitarists Range: Boss multi-FX Spec: COSM amp models, sound library, Super Stack and 38-second phrase loop functions, drive, tone, level knobs, expression pedal, instant access on the fly, USB audio interface, aux input, AA batteries or AC adaptor, Cakewalk Sonar 8.5 LE loaded.

From: Roland 01792 702701

They say: Two great additions to the market-leading Jam Man family.

For: Guitarists, bassists Range: Digitech loopers Spec: Jam Man Stereo with stereo loops and reverse playback. Jam Man Solo mono compact pedal. Both with USB connectivity, sync to Jam Manager, 35 minutes of CD-quality loops in 99 loops, expansion card slot.

From: Sound Technology 01462 480000

They say: Long-awaited acoustic amps with quality and reliability at the top of the list.

For: Acoustic guitarists Range: New Freshman range Spec: Three in range: AC10 Junior 10W, AC30R Senior 30W, AC60R Master 60W. All dual channel, Senior & Master with eq, effects, FX loop, jack, XLR & phono inputs.

From: Freshman 01355 228028

6

4

They say: Takes an exciting leap forward in technology and content.

For: Guitarists Range: Fender G-Dec Spec: 30W (£329.99) and 15W versions, USB Fender Fuse software interface, up/download, edit, store backing tracks, pre-loaded presets and performance loops, fully customisable.

Included in the 30-Watt G-Dec 3 Thirty and 15-Watt G-Dec 3 Fifteen are presets and performance loops by a diverse wealth of rock, blues, metal and country artists including Eric Johnson, Charlie Benante and Frank Bello of Anthrax, among many others.

”

With presets and performance loops from a diverse wealth of rock, blues, metal and country artists.

5

4. MARSHALL JMD-100 SERIES £690

5. MARKBASS MOMARK HEADS £POA

6. VOX AC CUSTOM SERIES FROM £500

They say: Takes the technology of proguitar rigs and fuses them together into a single all-encompassing amplifier.

For: Guitarists Range: Marshall JMD Spec: : Four in range: JMD100, 100W head (£800), JMD50, 50W head (£690), JMD102, 100W 2x12" combo (£920), JMD501, 50W 1x12" combo (£780). All with digital preamp technology, studio quality FX and EL34 valve power section.

16 Marshall amp and pedal models.

From: Marshall 01908 375411

They say: Four ready-to-play heads added to the revolutionary modular bass system.

For: Bassists Range: Markbass Momark Spec: Momark SA 500: 500W solidstate/analog head. SD 800: modular version of SD 800 (solid state head with 800W digital power amp). TA 500: tube preamp with mute switch, 500W analog power amp. Momark LMK replaces twochannel 500W LMK head.

From: Proel 020 8761 9911

They say: An icon for decades.

For: Guitarists Range: Vox AC Spec: Three models: AC30C2, AC30C2X and AC15C1. All with normal and top boost channels, tone cut and volume controls in master section, classic tremolo effect, three 12AX7 preamp valves.

From: Korg 01908 857100

50 miPRO MARCH 2010

FENDER G-DEC 3 AMP FROM £279.99

These great names aren't the only reason that both new G-Dec 3 amps are amazing for rehearsing and recording. With so many loops available in so many styles, and much like many media players, G-Dec 3 amps can be customised to be allmetal, all-blues, all-country – whatever you want. Both offer digital amp and effects models that let you create your own arsenal of guitar tones suited to every style of playing, onboard mp3 and wav file storage and playback, and a multi-function SD card slot for unlimited storage of presets and audio content.

From: Fender 01342 331700

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NEW PRODUCTS BASS & GUITAR

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1. FRET KING BLUE LABEL ELAN SUPER 50 HBP £749 They say: This guitar definitely ticks the box marked ‘deluxe’.

For: Guitarists Range: Fret King Blue Label Spec: Two-piece mahogany body, mahogany neck, two Wilkinson WVC humbuckers, single (central) Wilkinson W90m P90 style single coil, Wilkinson Vari-coil control, GTB wrapover bridge tailpiece.

From: JHS 0113 286 5381

1 4. VOX SS55 ELECTRIC GUITARS £TBC They say: Embody the same design philosophy as the original Vox Virage.

For: Guitarists Range: Vox SS series Spec: Single (SSC) and double (SDC) cutaway models, 3-D body contouring, set neck, MaxConnect aluminum bridge, three CoAxe pickups, choice of ash or maple tops with mahogany body or solid ash body.

From: Korg 01908 957100

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2. TANGLEWOOD TW130 &133 £199.95 & £249.95

5. WASHBURN RX SERIES GUITARS £POA They say: Based on the X series, these guitars offer even better value for money, as well as a new body shape.

For: Guitarists Range: Washburn RX series Spec: Four in range. RX10: Basswood body, bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, chrome hardware, single humbucker and two single-coil pickups, fulcrum tremolo. RX12: as above with two humbuckers.

RX20: flame maple top. RX25: with Floyd Rose trem.

From: Sound Technology 01462 480000

They say: Two great new models comprising Tanglewood’s famed sound, style, grace and value for money.

For: Guitarists Range: Tanglewood acoustics Spec: TW130 Orchestral model, TW133 parlour model, both with solid mahogany top & back and bonded mahogany sides, mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard and bridge.

From: Tanglewood 01937 841122

3. ARIA PE-90 £389 They say: Now regarded as a classic range itself, since its introduction over 30 years ago.

For: Guitarists Range: Aria solid-bodied electrics Spec: Solid mahogany single cutaway body, carved mahogany top, mahogany C profile set-neck, rosewood fingerboard, Aria SPT bridge and QH tailpiece, two Seymour Duncan P-90-1 single coil pickups.

From: Aria 01483 238720

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6. YAMAHA CG 192 CLASSICAL GUITAR £505

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They say: Great playability, excellent sound, flawless build quality and great value for money For: Guitarists Range: Yamaha classical guitars Spec: Solid spruce or cedar top, nato, ovankol, mahogany or rosewood back & sides, three-piece matt finish neck, matt finish bridge, small bridgeplate.

From: Yamaha 01908 366700

GUITAR SPOTLIGHT

FENDER AMERICAN SPECIAL SERIES £840 They say: The latest incarnations of the classic Tele and Strat models, built by the people, for the people.

52 miPRO MARCH 2010

For: Guitarists Range: New Fender range Spec: Three models in range: Tele, Strat and Strat HSS. Alder body, gloss urethane finishes, maple neck, Texas Special pickups. Strat models with tremolo. HSS model Stratocaster with Atomic humbucking bridge pickup.

The American Special Telecaster has a vintage-style string-through-body Telecaster bridge with three brass saddles, a black pickguard and is

available in Olympic White and threecolour Sunburst.

The American Special Stratocaster has a vintage-style synchronised tremolo and white pickguard and is available in Candy Apple Red and two-colour Sunburst.

The American Special Stratocaster HSS has a rosewood fingerboard, black pickguard and vintage-style synchronised tremolo and is available in black and three-colour Sunburst.

From: Fender 01342 331700

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NEW PRODUCTS DRUMS

3 DRUMS SPOTLIGHT

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1. MEINL SUPER DRY TAMBOURINE £62.95

2. MEINL CLAMSHELL SPARK SHAKERS £35.49

They say: Light, comfortable to play and has a great sound.

For: Percussionists Range: Meinl percussion Spec: Hand-hammered triangular brass jingles, ten-inch wooden frame, goatskin head, available with one or two rows of jingles, black finish.

From: Active Music 020 8693 5678

They say: Invented by Meinl’s mastermind Bill Saragosa, these shakers make a widely variable pitch response.

For: Percussionists Range: Meinl percussion Spec: Pod-shaped, welded steel ‘shells’, available in high and low pitch versions, black nickel finish.

From: Active Music 020 8693 5678

3. ROLAND OCTAPAD £629 They say: Essential electronic percussion sounds and the latest triggering technology for the most demanding performers.

For: Drummers, percussionists, musicians Range: Roland electronic percussion Spec: Hundreds of percussion sounds, 30 types of multi-effects, V-Drum pad sensing technology, four dual-trigger inputs, hi-hat controller, phrase loop function, USB, MIDI, memory storage.

From: Roland 01792 702701

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MEINL SYMPHONIC CYMBALS £POA They say: Developed and optimised with Jens Herz of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and Bavarian State Philharmonic.

For: Percussionists Range: Meinl symphonic Spec: Suspended singles and handled pairs in range (14, 16, 17, 18 and 20inch), B20 bronze, hand-hammered in Turkey, each size available in thin, medium and heavy gauges.

With Jens Herz, principal percussionist of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and Bavarian State Philharmonic, one of Germany's

”

Tested in the orchestra’s concert hall under real circumstances.

5 4. ROLAND TD-12KX V-DRUMKIT £3,499 They say: The sound and performance of the flagship TD-20KX without the larger footprint and price.

For: Drummers Range: Roland V-Drums Spec: TD-12 sound module, enhanced VEdit capabilities, VH-11 V-hi-hat, two PD105 tom/snare pads, two PD-85BK tom pads, KD-120 V-Kick, three CY-12R/C VCymbals, MDS-12X drum rack.

From: Roland 01792 702701

5. SABIAN XS 20 BRILLIANT CYMBALS £POA They say: At last, the XS 20 cymbal range available in brilliant finish.

For: Drummers Range: Sabian XS cymbals Spec: B20 bronze, proprietary shaping process, hand lathing (line lathed top and bottom), two year warranty, brilliant finish (natural finish still available). Sonically matched pairs also available.

From: Westside 0141 248 4812

6. YAMAHA DTX 900 K DRUMKIT £3,999 They say: A huge range of improved functionality and performance options.

For: Drummers Range: Yamaha DTX Spec: Five-piece kit with new DTX pads: 12” snare, three 10” toms, 12” kick, 15” & two 13” cymbal pads, three zone function, (bell, ride & bow), 13” hi hat pad, RS130 drum rack. Also DTX 950 K with two 10” toms and two 12” toms (six-piece kit).

From: Yamaha 01908 366700

most renowned orchestras, Meinl has found an outstanding musician and consultant with whom to develop and optimise their new range.

“Our relationship with Jens Herz and the Orchestra is a gift," comments Meinl's Norbert Saemann.

"His knowledge and experience in the classical field has been of enormous assistance in the creation of our symphonic cymbals. We were able to test them in the orchestra's newly renovated concert hall under real acoustic circumstances. We are very grateful to work with him and gain a true behind-the-scenes understanding of the symphonic world."

From: Active 020 8693 5678

THIS PAGE IS SPONSORED BY MIKEDOLBEAR.COM, THE LEADING ONLINE RESOURCE FOR EVERYTHING DRUMS.

VISIT WWW.MIKEDOLBEAR.COM FOR MORE DETAILS. 54 miPRO MARCH 2010

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RECORDING NEW PRODUCTS

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2 1. FENDER EJAMMING AUDIO FROM $9.95 PER MONTH They say: Create, play and record together live and online, while experiencing no discernible latency.

For: Musicians, vocalists, producers Range: New product Spec: Peer-to-peer connectivity client software, virtual rehearsing and recording studio, delay algorithms for real-time synchronisation, 16 audio tracks, 16 MIDI tracks, player search/connect, video tutorials, offline messaging.

From: Fender 01342 331700

2. YAMAHA C24 & W24 POCKETRACK £POA They say: Superb operating ease giving all musicians the recording capabilities they want – in their pocket.

For: Musicians Range: Yamaha recorders Spec: 2Gb internal memory, onboard speaker, Cubase AI5 software, peak limiter, tuner, metronome, 24/96 resolution, USB connection. W24 with X/Y mic, quick start (4.5 seconds).

From: Yamaha 01908 366700

3 3. KORG KAOSSILATOR PRO £TBC

4. ROLAND MOBILE STUDIO CANVAS £359

They say: A powered-up version, reborn as a powerful track-making tool and loaded with performance power.

For: Musicians, performers, DJs Range: Korg Kaoss units Spec: X-Y touch pad controller, 200 instrument sounds, PCM samples (drum hits & patterns), vocoder, loop recording (four banks), gate arpeggiator, 31 musical scales, MIDI control, computer connection.

From: Korg 01908 857100

They say: The new solution package for music production.

For: Musicians, producers Range: Roland voice processors Spec: Roland SD-50 sound module and Cakewalk Sonar 8.5 LE DAW software, USB bus powered, 128 polyphony, 1,125 GM2/GS/SD-50 solo tones, 32 drum sets, dual I/O 24/44.1 audio interface with XLR/phantom power/Hi-Z inputs, MIDI interface, V-Link support.

From: Roland 01792 702701

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5. ROLAND VP-7 VOCAL PROCESSOR £469

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They say: For keyboardists in need of great background vocals, this vocal processor is ready to sing.

For: Singing keyboard players Range: Roland vocal processors Spec: No vocal skills required, preset sounds, four human voice sounds, three vocal designer choirs, vintage vocoder, echo, reverb, volume, mic level, harmony mix, ambience level controls, DR-HS5 mic.

From: Roland 01792 702701

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6. TASCAM DR-680 PORTABLE MULTI-TRACK £POA They say: Brings multi-channel portable recording within reach for polished live, location and surround recordings.

For: Musicians Range: Tascam multitrackers Spec: Eight-track portable recording, 96/24 resolution, digital monitor mixing (level and pan), surround capable, daisychainable, auto-record mode, six mic pres, four XLR/1/4” combi ins.

From: Tascam 08451 302511

RECORDING SPOTLIGHT BREEZ SONG JAM HUB FROM £299 They say: Solves the universal problem when jamming and rehearsing is just too loud for most locations.

For: Bands Range: New product Spec: Three products in range: Jam Hub Bedroom (15 channels for five musicians), Greenroom (21 channels for seven musicians: £499), TourBus (21 audio channels for seven musicians, built-in recording: £699). Also SoleMix remote unit for drummers and keyboard

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players to mix without moving from their gear, stereo cable kits and headphone extension kits.

Models include 24-bit stereo effects, stage control and recording output.

The JamHub silent rehearsal studio is the first product that solves problems for all musicians in a band: jamming and rehearsing is just too loud for most locations, and professional studio space is expensive and tough to find. But with JamHub, musicians can play anywhere in virtual silence to those ‘outside’.

From: SCV London 020 8418 1470

miPRO MARCH 2010 55

NEW PRODUCTS TRADITIONAL

1 2 1. KORG SP-170 DIGITAL PIANO £585

2. ROLAND HP-307 DIGITAL PIANO FROM £2,889

They say: This impressive instrument will transform your everyday piano playing into hours of enjoyment.

For: Pianists Range: Korg digital pianos Spec: Two sampled grand pianos, ten sounds, weighted hammer action, key touch control (three levels), built-in speakers, reverb, two headphone outputs, damper pedal, black or white finishes.

From: Korg 01908 857100

They say: This flagship digital piano offers the ultimate in piano tone and expressivity.

For: Pianists Range: Roland digital pianos Spec: Proprietary Super Natural sound engine (sensitive to touch and key), PHA III keyboard, Classic Position lid conceals control panel, in-built speaker system, three pedals, twin piano mode (split keyboard), USB memory port, ebony (£3,499) rosewood or satin black finish.

From: Roland 01792 702701

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3. ROLAND RP-201 DIGITAL PIANO £1,239

4. ROLAND V-COMBO VR-700 STAGE PIANO £1,760

They say: Superb piano sound and hammer-action into a compact, classy and affordable instrument.

For: Pianists Range: Roland digital pianos Spec: Grand piano sound with resonance-behaviour modelling for string, damper and key-off, 88-key progressive hammer-action Alpha ll keyboard, stereo, multi-sampled, 128-voice polyphony, metronome, recorder, twin piano, satin black or rosewood finishes.

From: Roland 01792 702701

They say: Tired of big, bulky, expensive keyboard rigs?

Meet the new V-Combo VR-700.

For: Pianists Range: Roland digital pianos Spec: Virtual tone wheel organ, COSM technology, dedicated harmonic bars, amp models, 76-key waterfall keyboard, dual-manual simulation with split function, 128-voice polyphony, rhythm patterns.

From: Roland 01792 702701

TRADITIONAL SPOTLIGHT YAMAHA CP CLASSIC STAGE PIANOS £4,502 They say: The rebirth of a legend, more than 30 years since its introduction.

For: Pianists Range: Yamaha stage pianos Spec: Three in range: CP1 (£4,502 ), CP5 and CP50 (prices TBC). Spectral Component Modeling tone generation system, NW-Stage wooden key action, four virtual keybpard zones, MIDI assignable.

The Spectral Component Modeling concept is a fundamentally different approach to any other technology previously employed by Yamaha, combining ultra sophisticated sampling and modeling technology.

All sounds can be comprehensively and easily edited, then further customised by adjusting the parameters of 'physical’ components including hammer stiffness and striking position. It’s a lot more than just sampling.

56 miPRO MARCH 2010

The middle model of the new CP lineup, the CP5, offers a varied sound set of over 300 voices.

The highly affordable CP50, a compact and lightweight professional piano has over 215 voices and has customisable sounds and effects.

From: Yamaha 01908 366700

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Just a few of our Leading Brands...

Blueridge have taken America by storm with their authentic vintage style guitars, and now we have made them available in the UK. This range, renowned for spectacular value for money, continues to receive excellent reviews in all the best known guitar press, including Guitar & Bass, Guitarist, Guitar Buyer, Acoustic Magazine...

For the Gypsy in your soul!

These beautiful guitars pay homage to the Selmer and Maccaferri guitars of the early 20th century. They have solid tops, are a joy to play, and look and sound like the real thing, right down to the excellent reproduction of the original tailpiece. More to the point, they are very affordably priced.

The best selling aluminium whistles in the UK. Renowned for their clear sound, they appeal to whistle players of all standards. Though ideal for beginners, they are professional instruments and are used on stage by many leading players.

The Kentucky mandolins are the pinnacle of affordable bluegrass instruments, and offer exceptional quality at excellent prices. These mandolins are a very welcome addition to our growing section of great quality bluegrass instruments, which includes mandolins, banjos, dobros, guitars and more.

SK120 Rated ‘Exceptional’ in Acoustic Magazine. “A wonderful little amp designed by people who understand what musicians need”. Also Guitar & Bass have awarded the SK60 a massive 82%.

We distribute these ShireKing Acoustic Amps along with Headway’s very popular pickups for acoustic instruments, including the Snake 3 and SA1 pickups, and the ‘Band’ violin and cello pickups.

A competitively priced range of student squeezeboxes, including Piano Accordions from 12 to 120 Bass, B/C, D/G and Cajun one-row melodeons, and Anglo and English concertinas, all ideal for beginners.

The leading brand of resonator guitars, with a long US heritage, available in the UK exclusively from Gremlin Music. Saga Music, have applied the same dedication to quality to these guitars as they have to the Gitane and Blueridge guitars, and the results are spectacular.

A professional quality range of Acoustic Guitars, Mandolins, Banjos & Fiddles, Basses, cases, electrics and more. This is the largest range of mandolin family instruments, banjos and ukuleles in the UK, and the Ashbury name is associated with high quality and excellent value.

As well as being the first point of call for all the hard to find traditional musical instruments your customers are asking you for, Gremlin Music is a one stop shop for any musical instrument retailer. We can supply a massive range of acoustic musical instruments, spares, accessories, strings, books and DVDs. Become a Gremlin Dealer and give your customers a better choice! We pride ourselves on the personal touch - you can always reach us by phone during working hours, and we’ll always send your order as fast as possible, no matter what the size. If you’re a dealer, you can browse our website for prices (retail and wholesale), contact us by email, and place orders online! We’ve been in the business for over 25 years, and can offer you an experienced, friendly and professional service.

www.gremlinmusic.co.uk

post@gremlinmusic.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0) 1903 203044 (9.30 - 5.30 Mon - Fri) | Unit A, Easting Close, Worthing, West Sussex, BN14 8HQ

NEW PRODUCTS PRINT BOOK OF THE MONTH AUTHOR: JEFF KALISS I WANT TO TAKE YOU HIGHER: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF SLY & THE FAMILY STONE Target: General Comment: By the time Sly & the Family Stone made their legend-confirming appearance at the Woodstock festival in 1969, the band was already very much on the up, having been establishing themselves in the Billboard charts and on American TV. It was a trajectory that had been in place from the moment Sly

Stone (Sylvester Stewart) signed for Autumn records in 1961 and it was always a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ he would make a big name for himself.

The Woodstock festival was simply the final catapult into the outer reaches of cosmic cult success.

As is often the case, these bios are written by huge fans and however much they try to be objective (as Kaliss does), the underlying currents are of total admiration. No matter, the now reclusive Sly Stone makes few public appearances and gives even fewer

interviews, so this book is a rare gem, written with the full approval of Sly. The story is rags to mega riches and out into that strange hinterland of the rich and fondly remembered who can never quite find the heights they once navigated.

This is the deepest insight into the head of Stone and his ‘Family’ we are likely to see. It’s an intriguing journey.

HAL LEONARD (MUSIC SALES): 01284 702600

EDUCATION ARTIST: VARIOUS ABRSM GRADE THEORY EXAMS (PAST PAPERS) Target: ABRSM Grade exam takers Comment: With prices ranging from £1.95 (Grade 1) to £3.75 (Grade 8) these wee publications are among the most essential for those hoping to pass their Grade exams. They comprise the 2009 theory papers, as well as a booklet containing model answers (sold separately). Good solid preparation for the most important exam of the year.

ABRSM: 020 7636 5400

AUTHOR: NATTER /DEMPSEY/SLONE BLUES/JAZZ/ROCK GUITAR EXPERIENCE Series: National Guitar Workshop Comment: Three books in a new series looking at the varieties of styles that each of these genres brought in each decade from the 1920s (blues) to the noughties (rock), using arrangements and compositions (‘in the style of…’) to illustrate the historical progression of guitar playing. Each page has a valuable tidbit that learners can absorb and utilise, adding to the layers of technique that make up any instrumentalist’s arsenal.

ALFRED (FABER): 01279 828989

ARTIST: SARAH WALKER THE STRICTLY DANCING PIANO BOOK Series: Just for Kids Target: Grade 1 piano Comment: Cashing in on the craze for ballroom dancing – thanks to the BBC’s Saturday evening show of similar name – Walker has adapted pieces from the likes of Berlin, Gershwin and Tchaikovski, as well as a number of her own compositions, together with teacher accompaniments and some fun games for the kids. The full gamut of ballroom and dancefloor styles are included and kids will love this.

FABER: 01279 828989

58 miPRO MARCH 2010

AUTHOR: DON MOCK JAZZ GUITAR MASTERCALSS Series: Audio Workshop Target: Guitar Comment: Mastering jazz guitar takes a lifetime, but there are a few essential techniques that can go a long way to getting a player up and running… Well, that’s the premise behind this book, but don’t let anyone be misled here – these exercises take time and effort, however much they are intended to be shortcuts.

That said, this is an excellent book that will go down well with serious learners – whatever style they are looking to play.

ALFRED (FABER): 01279 828989

ARTIST: GORDON GOODWIN BIG PHAT JAZZ DUETS Target: Saxophone Comment: Ten original compositions aimed at the ‘medium-advanced’ to ‘advanced’ level of players, Goodwin’s music is further tailored for either Eb or Bb instruments and helps the learner’s articulation, time, intonation, sight reading and generally getting to grips with the concepts of jazz. Comes with a CD with one or other of the parts, as well as a demo of both together.

ALFRED (FABER): 01279 828989

GENERAL AUTHOR: ERIC DANVILLE THE OFFICIAL HEAVY METAL BOOK OF LISTS Target: Anally retentive metal fans Comment: Danville has made a career out of sex, drugs and rock n roll, having worked as editor of High Times, columnist for Screw magazine, author of The Complete Linda Lovelace and editor of Penthouse Forum. This book contains over 130 lists pertaining to metal, in no particular order and of no particular relevance… But it’s compelling stuff.

HAL LEONARD (MUSIC SALES): 01284 702600

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SALES AGENTS International manufacturer / distributor of musical instruments is looking to expand fully into GB and seeks 2 more sales agents. One to cover Northern England & Scotland and another to cover Southern England.

We are looking for dynamic sales professionals who want to develop a successful sales career with unlimited potential and the enthusiastic backing of a large successful organisation. Initial renumeration will be on a 50/50 basis of salary & commission.

Please send your CV to gbmusicsales@hotmail.com

Get the recognition your talent deserves with Trinity Guildhall music exams

photos: Tas Kyprianou, Luke Garwood

Trinity Guildhall will be exhibiting at this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Musikmesse in Frankfurt.

Visit us in Hall 3.1, Stand C18 to ďŹ nd out about our exciting new publications, which will also be available to order.

www.trinityguildhall.co.uk

For further information please contact David Bobby, Head of Sales, Performing & Creative Arts on +44 (0)20 7820 4756.

AT E R G S L A DE Rackmount MP3 player

Ref: MP3 Master

Accepts SD cards or USB drives. Balanced microphone input completes the unit making this ideal for entertainers of all kinds.

Studio Monitor Headphones Ref: Studio Cans Made for the studio these headphones provide a well balanced frequency reponse, tough build quality and are retail packed ready for instore display

Speakon Leads

Ref: PLS00159

Speaker cables featuring Genuine Neutrik Speakon connectors and tough, flexible 2.5mm cable

Ultra-portable PA System Ref: PA-40 Packing an impressive 40Wrms output this unit outperforms most similar size units.

Supplied complete with a 16CH UHF radio microphone

HUGE MARGINS! UNBEATABLE TRADE PRICES! FEEL EVERY BEAT From PA systems to mic stands, spotlights to flight cases, the PULSE series of sound & lighting equipment delivers power, portability, versatility and quality for all your requirements.

XLR multicores

Ref: PLS00035

Handy cable reels ideal for gigging musicians.

To see how the Pulse range can improve your sales and profitability call Dave Swindlehurst. Tel 01772 664873 email: dave@pulse-audio.co.uk PULSE, Faraday Drive, Fulwood, Preston, PR2 9PP. Coming Soon - www.pulse-audio.co.uk & www.pulse-light.co.uk

RETAIL NEWS, OPINION, DATA NEWS Third Reverb store closes, Branigan tours UK, TiA funding extended, new JHS catalogue

RETAIL FEATURE Irish retailers are feeling the heat of competition from the rest of Europe

LOCATION REPORT

Roland gets its boots on Boss and Roland Intensive Training week offers Planet staff and dealers in-depth knowledge, hands-on learning and the chance to quiz industry veterans THE FIRST Roland BRIT Camp – an acronym of Boss and Roland Intensive Training – started on February 16th in Coventry and ran through to the 19th. The four-day course was split into two sections: the first for Roland Planet staff (Tuesday to Thursday) and the second for Roland UK dealers (Thursday to Friday).

BRIT Camp has been adopted by Roland UK as the umbrella brand for all product and sales training for Roland’s UK dealers and Planets. The Roland Planet concept, originally an initiative of Roland UK, has been adopted globally by Roland Corporation and there are now over 300 Roland Planet stores worldwide.

These sessions are now to be held regularly, with each one inviting influential people from within the music industry to add their words and thoughts of experience.

This inaugural event included guest appearances from Simon Gilson and Terry Hope of PMT, who gave a lively account of how they have built up their respected chain of stores. The pair were interviewed on the Wednesday evening by the Planet team in a feature called ‘An evening with...’.

Gilson and Hope, as one would expect, were in lively mood as they recounted

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their early days as retailers in Southend and how redundancy all but forced them into opening up their own shop. The Planet staff assembled were clearly impressed with the chance of hearing from the PMT bosses first hand.

“

The idea behind BRIT Camp is simple: to deliver the most successful and effective training in the business.

Corin Birchall Roland UK

The dealer section of BRIT Camp hosted Greg Hendershott, the CEO of Cakewalk, who had flown in from America for the session. Hendershott was accompanied by Brandon Ryan, Cakewalk’s international trainer. The pair outlined Cakewalk’s product strategy and showed how the Sonar platform and associated products can become a valuable revenue stream for MI retailers.

When asked how BRIT Camp differs from regular dealer training, Corin Birchall, Roland UK’s retail operations manager, explained: “The idea behind BRIT Camp is simple: to deliver the most successful and effective training in the business.The idea is to make this an experience. Not only do you get to use the products in interesting and unusual ways, but participants also encounter the various Roland brands. We’ve developed some innovative new training tools that will significantly improve the level of retention for dealers who attend, and also tools that can be used when back in the store. We’ve completely redesigned how our training is delivered to dealers and look forward to their reaction.”

“This is an important project for us,” added Roland UK’s sales director, Peter Heath. “The staff and dealers that participate are put through their paces in terms of product knowledge and sales training – we didn’t call it a ‘camp’ by accident – and the result is a far more focused and a deeper understanding of what Roland and its products are about.”

Dealers wishing to participate in future BRIT Camps should contact Roland.

ROLAND UK: 01792 702701

Bristol is MI Pro’s shopping target this month, with plenty of good stores on offer

INDIE PROFILE HW Music of Bolton and Preston fights off economy with good customer service

BEHIND THE COUNTER Is it time for retailers to fight online competition with the dark art of marketing?

ALL INSIDE THIS MONTH miPRO MARCH 2010 61

RETAIL NEWS

Reverb Stockton closed Landesberg makes decision to shut third store out of the original six bought from Sound Control

ANDREW LANDESBERG has closed the third of his original six Reverb stores in the chain he bought from the defunct Sound Control operation two years ago. Reverb Stockton was closed on February 1st.

MI Pro understands that the Stockton store has now had its stock moved elsewhere and the store is empty. There are three Reverb stores remaining in the chain, which Landesberg has described as his flagship stores.

In an interview with MI Pro for the December 2009 issue of the magazine, Landesberg made it clear that the finances of the company were sound, but added that there was a real estate company that had bought the

freehold of three of the stores. At that time (November 2009), he said: “one has been sold and two are currently in negotiations”.

It is not known whether the Stockton store was one of these three, although unconfirmed reports suggest that it was not.

It is thought that Landesberg is happy with the remaining three stores and hopes to consolidate his company around those three.

He even spoke to MI Pro about the prospect of finding a suitable premises in or around the London region for a new store – “but never for the sake of it,” he said. “It has to be the right place at the right time.”

Take it Away funding extended Credit scheme for MI stores now open to a number of new businesses across the country THE ARTS Council of England has approved continued funding for its Take it Away scheme, effective immediately.

Take it Away is designed to help more people get involved in playing music by allowing individuals to apply for a loan of up to £2,000 for the purchase of any kind of musical instrument.

They then pay it back in nine monthly instalments, completely interest free.

The scheme has clocked up £20m of musical instrument sales so far and 48 per cent of those taking out a loan have said they would not otherwise have been able to buy the instrument.

62 miPRO MARCH 2010

The promise of funding means that the organisation is now able open the scheme to a substantial number of new shops in England.

It is hoped that the Arts Councils in Scotland, Wales and Ireland will soon follow suit and allow the proliferation of the scheme within their respective countries.

Interested dealers should visit the retailer section of the Take it Away website (artscouncil.org.uk/takeitaway/retailers) for downloadable application forms, or contact Alex Heng at alex.heng@artscouncil.org.uk.

TAKE IT AWAY: 020 7973 6452

Branigan tours UK Mel Bay’s house artist takes Atom Live Masterclass on the road, displaying his unique skills

THE UK arm of Mel Bay publishing, Mel Bay Music, has announced that Rodney Branigan has teamed up with the Access To Music and its Atom Live enrichment programme to provide masterclasses for students around the country.

“Rodney has redefined the role and limits of the guitar. There is simply no way to describe this performance,” said Mel Bay’s Chris Statham.

“He can play two guitars at once, creating music by himself that sounds like it is coming from a trio.

His right and left hand frequently seem to be disassociated from each other, performing rhythm and lead

parts independently also utilising different parts of the guitar for percussion.”

Branigan will be visiting Access To Music Centres across the UK, providing insights into his techniques in the masterclass, before performing a local gig in the evening supported by music students. For more info go to the Atom Live website.

As well as appearing at the Frankfurt Musikmesse on the Mel Bay stand on the Thursday and Friday of the show, the tour will also take in no fewer than 15 dates between March 5th and May 30th.

MEL BAY: 0 20 8214 1022

New JHS catalogue for 2010/11 now mailing MI’s heftiest tome now available from Garforth supplier THE JHS catalogue is now available, with the supplier of brands such as Fishman, Dunlop, Vintage, Encore and Fret King (to name a few) mailing the large ring-binder to its dealers around the UK and Ireland.

The catalogue features over 4,100 lines of the ‘fastest selling, most profitable products available’, including hundreds of products new to the JHS warehouses. There are also three new lines in the catalogue in the form of Trevor Wilkinson’s quirky Italia guitars range, the new Pilgrim by Vintage guitars and the innovative Boomwhackers ‘tuned’ percussion product that is certain to become a hit with the education market.

Of course, JHS has a number of exclusive brands on its books, from bestselling guitar ranges through to accessories, brass and woodwind and percussion.

JHS: 0113 286 5381

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Applications invited Take it away is an Arts Council England initiative designed to encourage greater participation in music across all sections of the community by providing interest free loans to individuals for the purchase of musical instruments.

The scheme is run in partnership with Moneyway and is currently operated through a network of 270 musical instrument retailers across England. Retailers wishing to apply for membership of the scheme in the next financial year are now invited to apply to Arts Council England.

Applications are currently open to retailers of musical instruments based in England only. Further information including full details of the criteria for membership can be obtained by contacting Alex Heng on 020 7973 6452 or by emailing alex.heng@artscouncil.org.uk The deadline for receipt of completed applications is 5.00pm Thursday 11 March 2010 after which no further applications will be considered for participation in the scheme during 2010/11. Please note that the application process is open once a year and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re unable to accept applications after the closing date.

To request an application pack please email takeitaway@artscouncil.org.uk, telephone 020 7973 6452, or write to Take it away scheme, Arts Council England, 14 Great Peter Street, London SW1P 3NQ. Take it away is operated by ArtCo Trading Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arts Council England and a limited liability company registered in England & Wales under No. 2758433. Registered address: Arts Council England, North East, Central Square, Forth Street, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 3PJ.

RETAIL IRELAND

Negotiable currency With the euro suffering even more than sterling, the difficulties in the Irish economy mean that outside forces can take advantage – creating a perfect storm. Gary Cooper throws a straw in the Irish breeze...

W

hatever one’s opinions about the virtues, or otherwise, of the euro, it’s undeniable that Britain’s decision to stay out has made it harder for Continental retailers to encroach on the UK market. The collapsed pound has also played its part in making it harder to undercut UK shops. It has even opened a door for some enterprising British firms to take the fight back to their competitors and sell more cheaply into the Eurozone.

Across the Irish sea, however, things have been very different. Some Irish retailers have come to bitterly resent the ease with which fellow Eurozone retailers (mostly German-based) have been targeting the Irish market with prices they simply cannot match. But unlike their opposite numbers in the UK, while the euro lasts there will never be any exchange rate based relief for them.

If Thomann or Musik Produktiv can sell products cheaper into Ireland than an Irish retailer can buy them (a common accusation) then that situation is unlikely to change in the future.

One Dublin-based retailer has got so sick of what he sees as unfair competition that he has walked away from the industry, closing his shop to open another

64 miPRO MARCH 2010

business in another industry. His name is Colm Barry and until January 7th this year he owned and ran Instrumental, situated on the very banks of the Liffey, in Dublin’s city centre. “Thomann has really hit Ireland,” Barry says. “It’s been getting progressively worse for retailers here.

Ireland is a small country; we don't have the buying power that the likes of the

“

they were near enough my trade prices.”

Barry feels Ireland is a particularly easy target, in part because Irish youngsters have taken so readily to the web. “There was a survey done recently on internet usage in Europe and Ireland, per capita, has more online buying than any country in Europe.”

Another Dublin retailer, Patrick Reilly, who owns and runs Music Minds, was

Thomann has really hit Ireland. It’s been getting progressively worse for retailers here. Ireland is a small country; we don’t have the buying power that the likes of the Germans have. It means Irish retailers just can’t compete.

Colm Barry

Germans have. Shops here tend to be small and only buy in ones, or twos, or threes, where the Germans can buy container loads of guitars or drum kits. It means retailers over here just can’t compete.

“To give you an example, with main brands that I was selling, like Gibson or ESP, the Germans were cutting up to 30 per cent off my prices. In a lot of cases

previously a Yamaha rep in Ireland. He says: “I’ve seen it from both angles – from being a rep, trying to sell products in, and now I’m in retail. One effect has been that I can’t stock high-end products any more. I should say though, it isn’t just Germany we’re up against – it’s now UK stores, too.

There’s one currently selling M-Audio’s Oxygen 25 for £70. We worked out he’s

making about £15 on that – it’s disastrous.”

Things have reached a point where Reilly’s business strategy has had to change. “I’m opening a repair centre and education showroom next week. Even if customers do buy from Thomann, if there’s a problem next year they’ll need repairs and they can’t go back to Thomann for that. I’m a fighter and I think there’s business that can still be done – but having staff? Every week I’d be worrying how I could pay them.”

One of the stars of Irish distribution, Lesley Kane, whose KMI looks after, among others, Marshall, Pearl and Ashdown, says she certainly recognises the problems Irish retailers are up against. “The problem is that Thomann has a base population of 80 million people and it has bigger buying power, which it’s taking advantage of. But the reality is that Irish dealers need to make a bigger margin because it costs so much more to operate here. We have property, taxes and wage costs that are some of the highest in Europe.”

She echoes the comment made by Patrick Reilly, that it is by no means just the competition from Germany that is causing problems. “For the past 12 months, UK online retailers have been more of a

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IRELAND RETAIL

problem than Thomann.

We came very close to parity with the pound and the euro and when the UK VAT rate went down, the Irish VAT rate went up. I had dealers that were quoting retail online prices that were cheaper than trade prices, here.”

The result of all this competition is inevitable – Ireland has been losing retailers. Kane continues: “It’s survival of the fittest. We have to do the business we can, remind people to support their local stores and take the risk, as X Music has done. People want the big retail experience – and it has been a phenomenal success.”

And so to X Music, the 20,000 square foot superstore that has set the Irish MI scene talking. X Music’s general manager,

WWW.MI-PRO.CO.UK

Aidan Pierce, is only too aware of the competition from overseas, but thinks they may have the answer. “It was inevitable that it was going to happen.

People are privy to a lot more information now and Europe has become a shop in their own living rooms. People like us needed to up their game and recognise that competition. We had to get better prices from our suppliers, match their style of trading by having our own up-to-date website, but also by having our own superstore, where people could come and touch and try the instruments and talk to people – keeping that experience that we’ve had in this country for a long time is important – retail sales people being passionate and being musicians talking with other musicians.”

But what about the prices? Pierce continues: “We deliberated whether people would pay more than the online price to get one-on-one service with a guarantee, backup and no carriage issues. Would they come in and try a 3,000 euro drum kit and find it for 2,750 euros somewhere else? I think we’re going to have to hope that when they come to the store they’re satisfied that the extra five or ten per cent – it could never be any more than that – would be money well spent.”

But how many X Musics can one country support? And for everyone else, the competition from overseas discounters remains immense. “I can buy strings

cheaper from Thomann than the Irish guys can sell them to me for,” says Patrick Reilly.

“Thomann sells a packet of Martin SPs for 3.50 euros – I buy them at 3.80 euros a pack. I now buy mic stands from Thomann for seven euros and the cheapest I can buy them here is 11 euros – plus VAT. “Mind you, there have been lots of guys come and go. We used to have Turnkey and Sound Control. I remember when I was with Yamaha and at the annual general meeting Andrew Kemble stood up and said ‘Sound Control is great – it’s done X amount of money for us’. Two seconds later, it was gone. So who knows? People come and go and the small shops have still survived. But what Thomman, GAK and the like have done is they’ve taken away the pie – the nice, consistent business we used to have.”

As Colm Barry says: “Thomann must be the biggest retailer in Ireland at the moment and the rest of us are fighting over the crumbs. It’s getting worse and worse and it’s the manufacturers who are to blame. They’re going with the buying power and they’re not seeing the consequences.”

For now, the UK is shielded from the cold winds blowing in from Europe. But when the exchange rates shift again, expect to hear very similar complaints migrating back across the Irish Sea. Meanwhile, Ireland’s MI trade is facing real problems – and even if X Music has the answer, where does that leave the rest of Ireland’s retailers?

miPRO MARCH 2010 65

24 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 27. 3. 2010 mission for music musikmesse.com

LOCATION REPORT RETAIL

Bristol As a city with a thriving cultural and musical centre, you’d expect there to be plenty of shops to take a look at in Bristol, and you’d be right.

Rob Power takes a look at what’s on offer...

S

unfortunately The Drum Store is far from the most presentable retailer around, but it more than makes up for it thanks to its attentive staff and smart stocking choices.

THE DRUM STORE Tucked away on a Bristolian side street, the Drum Store is a traditional, somewhat old-school shop with plenty of character, and some incredibly knowledgable and friendly staff. The interior of the store, while not spacious, is packed to bursting with cannibalised kits, a broad range of drumming accessories and enough sticks to keep any drummer tapping away until doomsday.

For any shop of this size, it’s difficult to keep things neat and tidy, and

ELECTRIC LADYLAND This is a shop that manages to provide both a lesson in rock n roll classicism and a pain in the wallet, thanks to its walls full of vintage guitar and amps. For those of us who were beginning to fear that these sorts of shops, the sort that are treasure troves for guitarophiles everywhere, were a dying breed, fear not.

Stacks of beautiful 1960s’ European archtops, stunning Gibsons and racks full of antique amps ensure that this is a sacred place to anyone that lusts after instruments that weren’t mass produced somewhere in the Far East ten minutes ago. The staff are both approachable and eager to please and make visiting an extremely rewarding experience. Electric

trolling around Bristol, you quickly pick up the feeling that it is a cosmopolitan, cultural city with an awful lot going on in the many venues that are hidden amongst its back streets.

With plenty of MI retailers to be found all over the place – and certainly too many to fit in a single page – here’s the pick of MI Pro’s visit to the South West...

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Ladyland is a great find and an absolute must if you’re passing through the area.

MUSIC ROOM/ HOBGOBLIN Combining two great shops under one room, with Music Room fronting the premises, this shared store is located slap bang in the middle of a busy Bristol shopping area, something that it clearly takes advantage of if the sheer amount of customers working their way round the shelves was anything to go by when MI Pro visited.

As a printed music specialist, Music Room hits all the right notes. Extensive rock, pop and classical sections are liberally sprinkled with a wide range of DVDs, musical gifts and accessories. It should be noted that the mightily impressive accessories section was stocked up with a wide enough range of bits and bobs that Bristol’s musicians need not ever worry about their far-out string needs.

At the back of the Music Room store, through an almost ceremonial arch, lies a branch of Hobgoblin, the chain of folk and traditional oriented stores that caters to those among us who prefer things with a little more roots and a bit less rock.

Banjos, ukeleles, mandolins, autoharps and a fine range of smaller bodied guitars are the main stock in trade here, with the odd harp hanging around for good measure.

On top of the stringed instruments, there was an intriguing, occasionally baffling selection of percussion from all over the globe – the sort of things that anyone passing finds impossible not to pick up, have a tinker with and ultimately buy.

Various types of tin whistles, recorders and pipes also lined the walls, with what looked suspiciously like a set of bagpipes hiding in one corner. Enthusiastic staff are the cream on the cake for a shop that is fun to visit and lucky enough to be twinned with an equally superb print specialist.

miPRO MARCH 2010 67

RETAIL

INDIE PROFILE HW Music’s Richard Harfield tells of a hankering for barcodes…

How is business compared to this time last year?

About the same really – I didn’t notice any fall-off until April last year, after Frankfurt, when it became very quiet. We started to recover around October and internet sales went up quite a lot. I’d say overall we’re slightly up. January at least was better then last year. I’m positive, put it that way.

How do you market the shop?

We’ve gone through a bit of change recently and decided to drop print advertising almost completely. We still have an ad in the Yellow Pages, but we’re putting the rest of the money into making the shop look great. We did some research in-store and it showed that 90 per cent of new customers found out about the shop by driving past, so we want to attract as many of these customers as possible.

How do you compete with the online competition?

We keep an eye on Google Shopping to make sure that we’re pricing competitively, but, of course, you can’t

always match the prices offered by the reckless discounting, but we try to offer a lot more than these people. I’ve visited the sites of discounters many times and rarely am I not disappointed by what I see.

What are your biggest strengths?

Our biggest strength is our staff. Most have been with us for at least five years and some have been here ten or 12 years.

Often they’ve come from shops where they weren’t happy and we’ve fixed that, so they’re great assets to us. Being a member of Euromusic is another of our big strengths.

How do you ensure a good level of customer service?

By treating everyone as a friend and in the way we would like to be treated if we were customers. Sometimes they can be unreasonable, but you have to put yourself in their position and remember that if you are unhelpful, they will only go and tell people about their experience.

What is the one product you couldn’t live without?

Euromusic products in general, including a fantastic new line of stands that we’ve just taken on. They represent excellent profit opportunities. Apart from that, I couldn’t do without Gibson. It can be difficult to get the range I want, but the brand brings in a lot of business.

How can the industry do more to support retail?

Put barcodes on everything. Having two shops, I’ve noticed that the only way I can monitor stock properly is by using barcodes and many manufacturers just don’t put proper barcodes on everything. If the MIA could buy 10,000 barcodes and hand them out, that would be a real help.

music distribution services: ten years of experience in the print music distribution business in the UK.

FACT BOX Address: 180-198 St Georges Road, Bolton, BL1 2PH Phone: 01204 385199 Owner: Richard and Chris Harfield Established: 1976 Employees: 16 Best-selling lines: Epiphone, Gibson, Fender, Peavey, Line 6

Visit us at the Frankfurt Musikmesse Hall 3.1, Stand E43!

Distributing more than 100,000 titles from over 100 sheet music publishers.

A world-leading specialist in classical sheet music distribution, including: Boosey & Hawkes, G. Henle Verlag, Schott Music and Universal Edition.

Fast, efficient and reliable.

Professional and knowledgeable customer service staff based in the UK. Convenient and easy-to-use online ordering via: www.mds-partner.com.

music distribution services 7-12 Raywood Office Complex, Leacon Lane, Charing, Ashford, Kent, TN27 0EN, UK Telephone: +44 1233 712233 | Fax: +44 1233 714948 | Email: orders.uk@mds-partner.com | www.mds-partner.com 68 miPRO MARCH 2010

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RETAIL

BEHIND THE COUNTER

IT’S TIME TO USE THE DARK ART OF MARKETING This month, our secret retail reporter expounds on the virtues of marketing

shops to everyone who buys online...

M here was a pure and innocent time, long ago, when telephones were connected to walls, 90s’ compilation albums were all the rage, and people bought all of their possessions in shops.

That's right. Shops. Shocking, I know.

Obviously, things have changed. The internet happened and free and unfettered access to the collected wisdom of mankind (as well as a healthy dose of piano playing cats, Facebook and dwarf porn) has reduced the collective consciousness to something equivalent to cottage cheese, a wobbling mass of confused matter that knows only how to click and point. The effect of all of this is that while the sturdy custodians of generations past still occasionally put a foot over the threshold of a good old fashioned bricks and mortar shop, frankly, there's a an awful lot of people who do nothing of the sort.

T

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Everything from washing machines to wives can be bought online. So the question is, how do we, the humble practitioners of real life retail, persuade the sleeping masses to awaken, rise

“

How do we persuade the sleeping masses to awaken and head out into the world for retail therapy?

from their stupor and head out into the big bad world in order to do a bit of retail therapy? The answer, friends, is marketing. Clever, clever marketing.

Wrapping your head around the darkest of dark arts isn't always easy, and it takes perseverance, planning and other things beginning with 'P',

including but not limited to patience.

Our High Street-based musical haven has been thrashing out the details of a brave new marketing strategy this month, and my God it's a big task.

Websites, mailing lists (physical and email), local and national advertising – it all takes its toll. Yet it needs to be done Small, independent MI shops need to make themselves heard and, let's face it, we're better equipped than most, and not just with gear. How many of your staff are in bands, hmm? And how many of them are used to drumming up support on social networking sites, handing out flyers, thinking up brave new marketing ideas in the name of rock n roll? It's a huge untapped reservoir of cutting edge marketing talent that can directly benefit you.

It might be hard work, pulling people off sofas and into your shops, but it all pays off when the customers arrive.

AK

E

SO

M

E

N

O

IS

E!

miPRO MARCH 2010 69

THE PLACE FOR BUSINESS

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ALTHOUGH ANDREW Rothwell has been producing commercial audio electronics for about 20 years, the production of effects pedals only started in 2007. In that short time, however, Rothwell has established a reputation for top-notch build quality and glorious sounds, with a string of prestige guitar dealers through the UK and abroad now selling the brand.

Unlike many companies that have their products manufactured in the Far East, Rothwell pedals are designed and built entirely in the UK by the small workforce based in Bolton, Lancashire.

Discerning dealers aren’t the only ones who’ve noticed that Rothwell is a cut above the usual exotic boutique pedals – more and more guitarists are coming to the same conclusion, from amateur and semipro players right up to the world’s most famous axe slingers.

Gary Moore has been using a Heartbreaker – currently Rothwell’s

top-of-the-range pedal – for over a year and one very famous band have recently started preparations for their forthcoming world tour, with the Heartbreaker providing the essential grind for the band’s sound.

Magazine reviewers too have been impressed with the performance of Rothwell pedals. The company’s latest addition to the range, the Love Squeeze compressor, has received universal praise for its transparency and low noise and has quickly become a best-seller.

So is there anything new in the pipeline? “We’re always trying new ideas and experimenting, but we don’t rush anything just to get a new product out by an artificial deadline,” said Andrew Rothwell.

“Since the success of the Love Squeeze, however, we’ve been developing some more ideas with JFETs and we expect to be able to make an announcement in the spring.”

ROTHWELL: 01204 366133

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For full dealership details contact your local area representative

IRELAND & N.I Walter Hennessy

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07958 830072 SOUTH WEST CENTRAL ENGLAND & WALES Steve Preston

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00353 5991 34268 sales@hcdistribution.com www.cort-guitars.co.uk www.myspace.com/cortguitars

ACCESSORIES AND GIFTWARE

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MI MARKETPLACE ETHNIC AND FOLK

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BRITAIN'S FINEST BOUTIQUE EFFECTS Rothwell effects pedals are truly hand-made here in the uk and built to the highest standards. The cases are hand polished and the electronics carefully assembled by skilled uk workers. The circuit design is innovative and original (we don't do clones, repros or mods) and the sound is the sound of classic rock guitar - pure tone.

Our pedals are quickly gaining a reputation for superb quality and are being played on some of the world's biggest stages. The Hellbender (overdrive) and Switchblade (distortion) are currently being heard by thousands of fans on Justin Timberlake's world tour, played by Mike Scott (also Prince's main guitarist), who says "you make truly great, great pedals".

Why not join our growing list of uk and international dealers and stock Britain's finest boutique effects pedals.

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Making Music in Schools Since 1983 UK made rainbow ocarinas from Ocarina Workshop are easy to play and great fun to teach with.

John Morley Clavichords, Spinets, Harpsichords, Virginals & Celestes

These pocket-sized instruments are popular with kids & well-tuned.

Together with 'Play your Ocarina' music books, they are the key to successful music-making in many schools around the country.

Antique, Modern & New, Rental, Repairs, Sales lists & colour brochures on request.

Make sure school ocarinas are on your counter-top and available when customers request them!

Quote ‘MI Pro’ when you order 12 Ocarinas & 12 Books and be amazed at the ocarina’s potential...

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miPRO MARCH 2010 77

MI MARKETPLACE PERCUSSION

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PERCUSSION

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miPRO MARCH 2010 79

D IN MI PRO THE L AST WOR MI Pro prides itself on bringing you hard-hitting news and analysis, but, we reckon you’d also enjoy seeing your peers in their more ‘off duty’ moments. So, we’ve expanded CODA to include a permanent pictorial spread of the month’s social highlights. If you have any snaps from an event you’d like us to include, please send them to mipro@intentmedia.co.uk...

RETRO

MARCH 2004 Cover Stars: Harman Pro UK is established, following the demise of Arbiter as a major force.

Max Lindsay-Johnson does his best Winston Churchill impersonation on the cover, but inside he reveals his plans to build the business News: Gibson wins initial trademark case against PRS, MIA EGM votes on new constitution for council, Sabian opens UK and Europe office, £1.5 million ear-marked for music education Features: Pan-European distribution, Meinl, Water Rats’ Jim Marshall tribute Products: Yamaha AES electrics, Epiphone Dot Studio, Line 6 Variax Acoustic, Korg PA1X Pro arranger, BM Banjos, Petrof 131M upright Number one singles: Peter André – Mysterious Girl, Britney Spears – Toxic Number one albums: Katie Melua – Call Off the Search, George Michael – Patience

80 miPRO FMARCH 2010

HOW DID THEY DO THAT?

GREAT GIG IN THE SKY Much has been said of Clare Torry’s vocal line on the Great Gig in the Sky track on Pink Floyd’s seminal Dark Side of the Moon album, but unfortunately, it is one of those events in rock n roll history that has passed into folklore and (inevitably) myth as ‘facts’ are at worst added or at best misconstrued.

Torry had been struggling to get her singing career off the ground through the 60s and had achieved moderate, professional success as a backing singer and TV advert singer.

Fortunately for her, she had done some work on a selection of cover albums (of the sort that used to sell in Woolworths) and Alan Parsons, who was involved in production duties with the Floyd for the Dark Side sessions, had noted her name.

Once Richard Wright’s (largely) improvised piano solo for the piece had been recorded, the band experimented with mixdowns and felt a vocal line would go well in the mix... Parsons suggested Torry and then invited her along.

Tales that Torry strolled into the studio and performed the spinetingling vocal track in one go are, unfortunately, romantic, but untrue, which is a shame, because the few short takes that David Gilmour recorded at the session amounted to an impressive burst of creativity all the same.

What is true is that Torry was almost too embarrassed to face the band after completion of the takes, feeling she had been over-exuberant.

She was as relieved with the band’s reaction as the band was delighted with her performance.

Gilmour and Parsons spliced the recordings together to create the vocal line heard on the track.

Torry was paid £30 for the session, but later successfully sued Pink Floyd for royalties, claiming that she had effectively co-written the song – the details of the payment were never revealed.

Another important element of the Dark Side album is the snippets of voices heard throughout the album, which have often been attributed to interviews with inmates in an asylum. This is untrue.

The interviews were with studio employees and roadies on subjects such as violence, madness and death, the questions written on flashcards and shown to the interviewees who were instructed to respond immediately.

A promo poster for Torry (circa 1970) and the famous album cover

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

THE STARS AND THEIR GUITARS KEITH RICHARDS

The man who has defied every rational explanation regarding his health and his rock-god status has had one love throughout his life: guitars. Here’s the briefest history of one of rock’s genuine heroes’ axes through the ages…

1962-64

1969-present

Little has been reported about Richards’ first guitar with the Stones, although the earliest pictures show him most frequently with the Epiphone Casino. At the time, other Brit pop and Mersybeat bands were predominantly using Höfners and Hohners, so this immediately made Richards and compadre Brian Jones stand out from the crowd.

The first Gibson 355 was also the beginning of Richards’ seeming habit of using all his guitars all the time. The semi-acoustic was a favourite throughout 69 and he (and Mick Taylor) used the guitar extensively on the Sticky Fingers and Exile on Main Street albums.

1964-66 While Richards kept his Casino during this time, his main guitar became a 1959 Les Paul Standard, fitted with a Bigsby trem. This made Richards the first rock star of note in Britain to play the Les Paul. This particular model was sold in the early 70s to the Stones’ second lead guitarist, Mick Taylor.

1966-70 However much people attach the Tele to Keith Richards, as far as the 60s are concerned, the not-yet-gnarly one was a confirmed Les Paul man. The 1957 Custom he bought in 66 was given the (then obligatory) psychedelic handpainting treatment. This guitar became a real companion until the middle of 1970… When he bought another.

1971-present Richards’ relationships with his guitars became ever closer and despite (or perhaps because of) his playing a number of guitars on each stage, he began to name them. 1971 saw his relationship with Telecasters begin. The first being a 1953 model (Micawber), soon followed by a 1954 (Malcolm), both tuned to open G. He also has a 1967 Tele with a Gibson PAF pickup fitted and a 1958 Mary Kaye Signature Stratocaster that Ronnie Wood gave him in 1982.

F

1969-present

1964-66

1971-present

1966-70

1973-present

1973-present Despite the switch to Fender, Richards continued his flirtatiousness with Gibsons and began to (by any standards) collect Les Paul Juniors. ‘Dice’, the yellow Les Paul Junior TV double cutaway he bought in 1979, has been on every tour and every album since.

MI ICON or some people, their love of music and the instruments used to make it will stop somewhere around the sexy live show/expensive music video stage. They can see the shiny guitars, feel the bass in their bellies and tap along to the drums.

They'll buy the records and go to the gigs, and that is very much that.

Yet there is a breed of fanatic, frequently found hanging around sound desks, taking notes or skulking around on tape op forums, to whom studios are sonic cathedrals and the recording process is an art form all of its own. To these wonderful people, the U47 is the very epitome of an iconic piece of music making history.

The first production microphone to be released by Neumann after the war, it emerged from the ashes of conflict in 1949, just in time to be used on some of the most important

1962-64

Neumann U47 recordings in popular music history. It first rose to prominence in the 50s, when studio engineers noted its crystal clear response and perfect suitability to vocal recordings.

Its natural ability to capture the essence of a vocalist's performance led to a love affair between white coated studio folk and the plucky little German mic, a relationship that was to see the U47 take a pivotal role in recording some of the greatest vocal talents of the era, including Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.

Its biggest performance was yet to come; when The Beatles began their recording career at Abbey Road in 1962, George Martin broke out his trusty U47s and didn't put them down again until the face of popular music had been changed.

The legendary fifth Beatle still, in fact, regards the U47 as his favourite

mic and if that isn't enough to guarantee a place in the MI Icon hall of fame, then quite simply nothing is.

Although production ceased in 1965, U47s are still highly sought after and can fetch huge sums among recordists that simply need to own one of the microphones that helped define the sound of modern music.

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IN ASSOCIATION WITH

SOUNDALIKES BIFFY CLYRO

MI SPACE

Phil Castang Company/job title: International Guitar Foundation general manager Years in the industry?

25 years First single bought?

Hanging on the Telephone by Blondie (still sounds amazing) Favourite album?

Overnight Sensation by Frank Zappa Currently listening to?

Peter Gabriel’s new You Scratch My Back singles, Best of the Clash and Fleet Foxes’ eponymous debut.

Favourite musician?

Frank Zappa (guitar), Billy Cobham (drums), John Coltraine (sax), Ella Fitzgerald (vocals), Bootsy Collins (bass) Which instruments do you play?

Guitar and sing

The hard rocking Scottish trio are finally making waves in the mainstream, much to the knowing relief of their army of hardcore fans.

Here's the tools they use to raise the roof...

Are you currently in a band?

Occasionally play solo in my bedroom

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SIMON NEIL – guitar and vocals: Signature Fiesta Red Squier Stratocaster, Marshall 1959SLP head, Marshall 1960A Cabinet, Peavey Classic head, Peavey Classic 15” cabinet, Fender Deville combo, Mesa-Boogie Dual Rectifier, Boss TU-2 chromatic tuner, Boss DS-1 distortion, Boss MD-2 distortion, Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal, Boss MT-2 Metal Zone, Boss DD-6 digital delay, Boss LS-2 line selector, Dunlop Cry Baby wah wah, Blues overdrive BO-100, Boss RC-2 Loop Station, Ernie Ball Skinny-Top, HeavyBottom strings, Dunlop nylon black 1mm plectrums.

MI Pro has a monthly circulation of well over 6,000. It is distributed to all MI retailers and industry professionals plus carefully selected pro audio executives and resellers.

82 miPRO MARCH 2010

BEN JOHNSON – drums: Pearl Eric Singer signature snare, custom Pearl Masters Kit, 22x18" Bass drum, 12x8" rack tom, 14x14" and 16x16" floor toms, Pearl Eliminator double bass pedal, Sabian cymbals – HHX Ride, 14" Stage/Fast HiHats, 16" AAX Stage crash, 17" AAX Stage crash, AAXtreme china cymbals.

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MI PRO is published 12 times a year, reaching well over 6,000 readers throughout the UK and international market.

miPRO is a member of the PPA © Intent Media 2010 No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior permission of the copyright owners. Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ

ISSN 1750-4198 Enquiries to Mi Pro, Intent Media, Saxon House 6a St. Andrew Street, Hertford SG14 1JA.

MI PRO Magazine. Saxon House, 6a St. Andrew Street.

Hertford, Hertfordshire. SG14 1JA ISSN: 1750-41980 Copyright 2010 Printed by The Manson Group, AL3 6PZ

JAMES JOHNSON – bass: Signature Squier Jazz bass in Lake Placid blue, Fender USA Jazz, Boss TU-2, Boss ODB-3, Boss LS-3 Sansamp bass driver, two SWR Working Man’s heads, Ampeg SVT 810 classic cab, SWR Goliath 115 cab, SWR Goliath 410 cab.

Tel: 01992 535646 (Editorial) Tel: 01992 535647 (Advertising) Fax: 01992 535648

NEXT MONTH

MI Pro is ‘live’ at Musikmesse, with a major German manufacturer on the cover and sector spotlights covering the digital piano and amplifier heads (and cabs) markets, plus all the usual hot news and chilled comment.

Don’t you dare miss it...

EDITORIAL: ANDY BARRETT mipro@intentmedia.co.uk ADVERTISING: DARRELL CARTER darrell.carter@intentmedia.co.uk

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