the deli
Editor In Chief / Publisher
Paolo De Gregorio Founder
Charles Newman executive Editor
quang d. tran assistant Editor
the magazine about everything about the emerging nyc music bands scene
Olivia Sisinni
graphic designer Kaz Yabe (www.kazyabe.com)
Cover Design & Illustration
Austin Issue #7 Vol. #4 Spring 2017 thedelimag.com
Lee Ackerley (Austin) Jason Behrends (Chicago) Michael Dranofsky (DC Area) Juan Rodriguez (Los Angeles) Andrew Strader (Nashville) Brian Varneke (New England) Cervante Pope (Portland) Jordannah Elizabeth (SF) Kris Gies (Toronto)
(Gearphoria) Intern
Jocelyn Huggler Publishers
The Deli Magazine LLC / Mother West, NYC
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Dave Cromwell Will Sisskind Blake and Holly Wright
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print is like vinyl: it’s real, and lives on.
other Contributors to this issue
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Youthful, random rebelliousness will always be an inspirational drive in alternative culture, but maybe these times call for a more organized, tolerant and rational approach to art. Music has the power to bring different people together, convey crucial messages through emotion, trigger deeper thoughts. We believe that the election of an immature, intolerant human being to the presidency shouldn’t be met with immature and intolerant reactions, quite the opposite. This issue’s focus on one of the many
The
“Not caring” is the ethical foundation of punk, the turbulent musical genre born in 1977 that inspired most modern independent rock music since then. The desire to be outrageously provocative and defy all rules was triggered by the alienation of the young and poor, and admittedly - by a fair dose of immaturity and unawareness. With all due distinctions (in a word: money), it’s not without internal conflicts that we realize that the current president of our country shares many of the non-values that inspired Sex Pistols’ Never Mind the Bollocks. And as much as we love that record, I doubt any sane person not named Malcolm McLaren ever meant to have a 21-yearold John Lydon with his finger on the nuclear codes... Artists can be outrageous and childish, 70-year-old candidates to the U.S. presidency should not.
Michael Sincavage
local editors
az
i ne ,L LC ,
Bro
oklyn
& Mother West,
ll c .A NYC
matters related to inequality in this country should be read as an invitation to dynamic self-improvement against static bigotry. Bigots are those who see the world in black and white, who can’t conceive doubt, who stopped searching. Rock ‘N’ Roll in 2017 should be held to a standard that’s far better than that. Paolo De Gregorio Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
n te on
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LISTEN TO THE ARTISTS IN THIS ISSUE HERE:
thedelimag.com/atx17 Discover new emerging artists on
TheDeliMagazine.com
Read about their pedals and gear on
Delicious-Audio.com
Read past print issues of The Deli on
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g ng SShhaatttteerriin s g n i l i e C Glass (and Sound Barriers)
Written by Olivia
A
midst political and social chaos, disheartening setbacks and not-so-veiled attacks, the fierce and unwavering response of our nation’s women has proven definitively that “the future is female” is not just an empty slogan. But what exactly does that mean? For some, it’s a rallying cry, a defiant banner to unite under. For others, a promise that though there are still glass ceilings to fracture, wage gaps to suture, and misogynists to convert, serious work is being done on the frontlines to pave the way for a day when women can operate their lives free from the sinister effects of sexism. In terms of the music industry— an industry with its lion’s share of secrets and horror stories surrounding women—it’s the work of amazing female artists who are the leaders in their genres, continually pushing the limits of innovation, and advancing the nature of music itself. Though a lot can be said of 2017, perhaps it is a time with the perfect stew of scenarios to push women from the sidelines and into a place where they can receive deserved recognition. In this issue of The Deli Magazine, we would like to take the time to focus on some of the modern-day female pioneers who are the tastemakers, the scene-creators, and those forging ahead into the thicket of the music world armed with musical machetes, and poised to take down whatever lays ahead in their path. The music sector is notorious for being hard to crack into, but this situation is amplified for women. Barriers-to-entry abound, and though some incidents may seem innocent enough (as Safia Harrison, Founder of Rabbit Hole FX explains in our interview with her, she’s often mistaken as someone’s +1 as opposed to the head of a pedal company), we still live in a world where there is a distinct lack of women producers 6
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Sisinni
and where limited lines of “female-friendly” gear are adorned with feminine, floral markings or painted pink. Luckily for us, there are numerous women out there with an express interest in thwarting these kind of obstacles and preconceptions. While major publications like Guitar World are only now pulling bikini-clad models from their gear guides, independent, women-run rags like She Shreds and Tom Tom are helping drive the discourse surrounding female artists forward, and giving women a long-deserved platform for discussing gear, performances, and roles within the music industry from their own perspectives. Online, WomanProducer.com is focusing on outstanding music producers. Founded by Khaela Maricich and Melissa Dyne from NYC duo “The Blow,” who have been making forward thinking electronic music since 2003, this is an archive aimed at increasing the exposure of the many women, trans and non-binary people who have— historically, and presently—worked in sound recording and engineering. Redefining the way the “music creator” is perceived is a powerful tool in encouraging women and promoting widespread acceptance. In the fight towards progress, the role of champions is unparalleled, because leading by example is the only form of effective leadership. In this regard, the experience of uber-talented guitar gear geek Annie Clark of St. Vincent (also largely NYC-based), is significant. Her 2016 Ernie Ball Music Man signature guitar is unique in that it is one of the first mass-produced instruments to be crafted with women in mind. It also abstains from using typical pandering devices like wrapping the instrument in feminine decals. Instead, its unique shape aims to work with the curves of a woman’s body rather than against them, and the lighter frame makes the entire playing experience a more comfortable one.
Nine Records by outstanding Artists/Producers
[Top, Pedal Artists] Dirty Dishes Guilty / Sad13 Slugger / Emma Ruth Rundle Marked for Death [Middle, Synth Artists] Jessy Lanza Oh No / Tasseomancy Do Easy / Olga Bell Tempo [Bottom, Synth Artists] Moor Mother Fetish Bones / Jlin Dark Energy / Eartheater Metalepsis
“we still live in a world where there is a distinct lack of women producers and where limited lines of “female-friendly” gear are adorned with feminine, floral markings or painted pink.” The internet and advances in home-recording have also played a major role in breaking down walls. Many of the wonderful female artists we interview for our Delicious Audio blog are self-taught producers, tackling DAWs in their bedroom outside of any external pressure. The accessibility of production in recent years has helped build a new entryway for women interested in the more technical aspects of the recording process. We’ve even seen this in our Deli-hosted production panels. Though we are still far from total gender equality, there’s been a distinct upward trend in the number of our female attendees, and we can only assume that the share will climb from there. And then of course, there are the artists. In this issue we we are highlighting several female acts that continue to push the musical envelope. From the stompbox driven indie rock of Bleached to the ambient-synth sounds of Half Waif, women from all sorts of musical backgrounds shared their insight on gear, their creative process, and the ways in which they test the bounds of genre and composition. Their unique voices, perspectives and artistic output represents a microcosm of the staggering, female-led musical movements that continue to heartily pulse throughout the music scenes. Art is one of the most valuable means of communication, and music is perhaps the medium embedded most deeply into the lifeblood of our society’s pop culture. As we navigate through times that threaten to push against progress, we must holdfast to the belief that this line of communication is important in conveying the opposition we hold against current government and value structure, and it is even more crucial to allow more women to find their voice amongst the cacophony. If we fail to create more space for women to express themselves through musical technology, then we do nothing more than deprive ourselves of new musical advances, innovative ideas, and the opportunity to see the world through distinctive, unique viewpoints. d 8
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Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent Guitar
Mitski’s tweet from 2015
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orth Carolina-based Rabbit Hole FX is a boutique pedal company that’s quickly carving a name for itself amidst the sea of new pedal makers. Safia Harrison, self-proclaimed HBIC (head bitch in charge) answered a few questions about what it’s like spearheading a pedal company. Tell us a little bit about what drew you toward boutique pedals. In 2014, I opened an online musical instrument retail store called MetalStringSound.com with my original partner, a bass player and pedal junkie. The doors to the boutique pedal world opened for me. How do you try to stand out amidst thousands of other pedal makers? Good enough quality just isn’t good enough. It’s a nice push to go the extra mile (or however many miles it takes) to design and release pedals that are topnotch on every level.
Rabbit Hole FX founder Safia Harrison
What do you think are the biggest barriers-to-entry for other budding, female pedal enthusiasts, and what do you think is the most effective way to sidestep these potential obstacles? Pay attention to what the people who are where you want to be are doing and understand how they’re doing it. Being a woman in the HBIC role, I understand that it can be challenging at first glance to see me as more than a booth babe or a pedal guy’s +1. But as opportunities open up to earn my credibility through conversation that misperception is quickly corrected. So my advice would be to just let it be what it is, do what you do well and let the quality of your work speak for itself.
bands + gear
Read the full features on audio.thedelimagazine.com
bleached Welcome the Worms, the fourth release from LA’s power-pop trio, Bleached, showcases an evolution from the band’s early vintage-sounding garage-psych-pop, to a more muscular and modern alt sound that—while punchy—manages to retain the fun of classic, radio-friendly punk songs. Guitarist and founding sister Jessie Clavin shared some details about the pedals she uses to achieve her unique sound with us. Is there a pedal that was crucial to your sound on the record? We used a lot of them, but the Devi Ever Bit Mangler is dirty! Good crunch and [it] screams the notes. Any new inspiring pedals? The Fulltone Plimsoul Pedal. I love it! It’s a boost with sustain and you can control your tone. I don’t like playing with a lot of reverb on my amp but I like a little on the solos so the sustain helps keep those notes connected. On “I’m All Over the Place” we used an EHX POG pedal and that’s what made it sound kind of like a violin.
king woman If the ground were to one day crack open, and the sounds of Tartarus began to seep out of the earth, I’d like to imagine the hellish cacophony would sound a bit like King Woman. The San Francisco-based four-piece crafts the sort of doom metal that seems to herald the bridging of our dimension and the underworld. Guitarist Colin Gallagher told us the secrets of his pedalboard. I use the EQD Arrow for a cleaner distortion/overdrive effect. I usually keep it dimmed, and I dial it back a bit during certain live shows. The Fuzzrocious Demon King is my main dirt pedal, it rules! It has a gate button and a feedback button. It’s got a lot of range and you can manipulate
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the feedback. The Boss TR-2 Tremolo modded by JHS is also a favorite—it’s nice to be able to adjust the volume when I want it to break up a little more. It can even work as a clean boost when you dial back the depth. (Olivia Sisinni)
The solo project of Minneapolis singer/guitarist Jess Abbott of Now, Now fame, Tancred plays riff-driven power pop that will intrigue fans of Weezer and We Are Scientists. Her songs follow more unpredictable paths than your average pop-rock band; propelled by inventive guitar work and melodies that are instantly hummable. Tancred’s power pop is very guitar driven, do you get your signature distortion from the amp or pedals? I use both. I play through a Peavey Classic 50 half stack that I use for a little grit, and then I ramp it up with a Walrus Audio Iron Horse. I use the Headless Horseman edition of it because I’m a Halloween nerd.
jess abbott (of tancred/ now, now)
triptides
What else do you have on your pedalboard and how do you use it? I use an EHX Memory Boy for chorus and vibrato, a Nano POG for octaves, and a Nano Holy Grail for reverb. Pretty bare bones for this album.
From 2010 to 2014, Los Angeles’ Triptides delivered gentle, ’60s inspired psurfedelia with a decidedly lo-fi character. Then came 2015, when the band stepped up the production values a notch or two, with the more modern dream pop sound of LP “Azur.” Breakout single ‘Wake’ is still one of the best thing that can happen to you on a sunny summer day - or at any other time for that matter. Guitarists Glenn and Josh shared their pedalboard secrets with us. Glenn’s Board JangleBox: My main compressor, I use it to make my 12-string electric guitar sound like a recording from the 60s. Really nails the Byrds’s 12-string vibe. Smooth sustain and compression that really brings out the chime. Tube Screamer: The first pedal I ever bought. I use it for a signal boost and a slightly grittier sound. Josh’s Board Stigtronics Delay: Probably the most natural sounding delay I’ve ever played. No matter how high the mix of the delay is, the dry guitar sound still punches through. SP Compressor: An easy to use compressor to add sustain/consistency to my clean tone. I love the ability to blend the effect so that you can still get an unaffected attack. JHS Firefly Fuzz: It’s a Tone Bender clone and ranges from a big bodied fuzz to thin and sputtery. I use it a lot on low single note parts, and during solos/leads. (Juan Rodriguez)
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bands + gear
Read the full features on audio.thedelimagazine.com
Half Waif Half Waif‘s Nandi Rose Plunkett has been successfully bridging the ever-growing chasm between avant and pop, taking Radiohead’s sound to a more intimate (and less pretentious) place. The band’s sophomore album, Probable Depths, is an intriguing blend of synth and orchestral pop, full of texture and otherworldly melodies. What are your essential songwriting tools and sound sources? I used to record solely on Logic, but lately I’ve been using Ableton for everything. My standard setup these days is an M-Audio Oxygen 25 controller straight into my laptop, and then my Nord Electro 5D and a cheap Blue Mic into a Focusrite Scarlett 6i6 interface. It’s all such rudimentary equipment, but it allows me to capture a range of found & digital sounds when making demos.
Montreal Assembly Count to 5
Nord Electro 5D
Are there any instruments that made you rediscover the playful side of creating? Adan, our bass player, got the most incredible pedal recently, Montreal Assembly’s Count to 5. It’s a wacky playground of sound.
Pavo Pavo With psych pop leanings and spacey synths that could believably been beamed down from Pluto, Brooklynbased Pavo Pavo has a sound that’s both warm and familiar, and yet hard to place. In their stunning debut album, Young Narrator in the Breakers, the band seems to comfortably straddle between the deeper trenches of Brian Wilson’s brain and the new face of NYC indie rock–whatever that may be. Are there any instruments that lately made you rediscover the playful side of creating? Critter and Guitari’s Pocket Piano. It operates by its own sort of internal logic. It us[es] different colored lights to represent different waveforms, and also different synth engines, organs, arpeggiators, the whole nine yards. Anything that behaves a little unpredictably is fun for unlocking that playful side because it’s harder to fall back on old habits like on guitar or piano. Other sounds on this record came from the Juno-106, Casio CZ-101, Korg Volca Keys, Nord Mellotron, Suzuki Omnichord.
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Suzuki Omnichord
Critter and Guitari Pocket Piano
Circuit: The Inspirational Groove-B ox that Evolves with You. Circuit v1.4 unlocks new features to keep up with your creative demands.
BLACK
WHITE
novationmusic.com/circuit-components
Photo: Josh Drew
the deli's Best Emerging Local Artists of 2016
Mobley
austin
Post Animal
chicago
Chicago heavy psych-pop band, Post Animal, might be on the verge of something big. Throughout 2016 they released a series of singles collectively known as “The Garden Series.” Following their upcoming Daytrotter and SXSW appearances, this Spring they will be releasing their debut full-length album and touring with Twin Peaks.
The Tracks
Los Angeles
The East L.A. trio is giving indie rock a new face with their brash guitar dynamics, contributing a big sound that operates on a grander scale. But as they tackle themes that range from race to social class, these garage rockers punctuate their rising anthems with plenty of smarts, too. (Juan Rodriguez)
(Jason Behrends)
Photo: Angelina Castillo
Mobley, whose real name is Anthony Watkins II, is a consummate performer who utilizes intricate lighting, keyboard, and drum machines in a one-man show that stimulates all facets of sensory perception. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more original blend of R&B, electronica, and brilliant songwriting - maybe that’s why he describes his music as ‘postgenre pop.’ (Lee Ackerley)
Sun Seeker
nashville
With simple beats, acoustic rhythm guitars and long, soaring pedal steel lines, Sun Seeker fills a somehow-vacant space in the indie scene. Influenced by classic groups like Fleetwood Mac and Wilco, the band’s songs are mature in their minimalism. Despite the group’s young age, they have an enormous talent for crafting beautiful, simple works that feel classic on the first listen. (Andrew Strader)
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Crumb
new england
Crumb offers laid-back tunes for reflective mornings. Layering singer/guitarist Lila Ramani’s effortless vocals over a bed of sometimes-funky-often-jazzy psych rock, the band delivers dulcet tunes with a serious side of haze. The lyricism invites introspection, and instrumentals often wind down unexpected turns, but Crumb’s music manages to be engaging without being overly demanding of their listeners. (Olivia Sisinni)
Breanna Barbara
nyc
Dirty, brazen, and barefaced, Breanna Barbara is serving up old-style blues rock that’s not afraid to kick some ass and take some names. Her aesthetic is honest, unrefined and oftentimes visceral as the bold songstress is unafraid to use her powerful vocals to howl to get her point across. (Olivia Sisinni)
The artists on this page are the winners of our Regional “Best of Polls” for emerging artists. They are based mostly on the opinions of a select number of people who book small venues in the scenes covered by our local blogs. This system, in the past, rewarded now-breakout bands like Lucius, Vampire Weekend, Local Natives, Porches, Baths, and Foxygen. Wanna dig deeper? Check out our site Delicious-Audio.com.
Mannequin Pussy
philadelphia
There are few emerging bands that can match the live energy of Mannequin Pussy. Their 2016 LP Romantic effortlessly shifts from heartfelt pop-rock to blistering punk, while capturing the ferocity of the band’s performances. Clocking in at under twenty minutes (and 11 songs!), we have to agree with their record label Tiny Engines. The LP is “all killer, no filler.” (Quan Tran)
Lithics
portland
With their experimental drone-punk and their intentional lack of an internet presence, Lithics is a band that exudes mystery. They’ve been coasting in Portland’s DIY post/art punk scene for almost three years while releasing two records. Their three-track, self-titled tape from 2015 gave us a taste, but it was their 2016 release Borrowed Floors that helped propel them into becoming Portland’s best band of the year.
Mall Walk
sf bay area
With their tense, tightly composed, percussive post-punk, Oakland’s Mall Walk certainly doesn’t lack true underground rock attitude. Sludgy and muddy, their tracks crawl in the low frequencies’ depths, highlighting Rob Miller’s coolly detached vocals. Very active live, this group knows how to command the stage wherever they perform. (Jordannah Elizabeth)
(Cervante Pope)
“Sonically stellar performance” — Kevin Becka, Mix
ACCURACY
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bluedesigns.com the deli Austin 2017
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What We Liked at NAMM 2017
1 Death By Audio EvilFilter & MicroDream
4 Vemuram 5 Rainger FX OZ Fuzz Freakenbender
CONTENTS:
2 Catalinbread Belle Epoch Deluxe
6 Mad Professor Twimble Inside Cusack Music
Michigan-Based Pedal Builder Eyes Brand Growth.
w/
the deli scene ut the nyc music everything abo
3 Pedaltrain 615 Drive
7 Deep Trip Stormy Monday & Muff-A-Saur Stompbox Reviews Strymon Riverside Keeley Bubbletron
CUSACK MUSIC Something’s Burning Jon Cusack has a reputation in boutique pedal circles as the ‘go-to’ guy to assist with fixing a stubborn problem. That, he says, has to change... The buildings on the Cusack Music campus—each having spent time as an antique mall, auto garage and mortuary in previous lives—are now sprinkled with selective solder machines, substrate printers, pick-and-place machines, drill presses—basically all the equipment needed to not only manufacture his own pedal brands (Cusack and Mojo Hand), but more than enough hardware to handle a healthy crop of OEM work from other effects companies. Cusack, a twin by birth and an engineer/volunteer fireman by training, has built pedals for a wide swath of effects companies in the boutique business. Of course, as a condition of the contracts for the work, he is not at liberty to say just who he builds for, but suffice it to say most stompbox geeks have likely heard of them. While the OEM work has allowed Cusack to keep a good workflow through the operation, it has also come with a price. Working with others, and sometimes consulting for others, has put a noticeable strain on the growth of his own brand. A few recent setbacks, including the loss of a top OEM client and a big chunk of cash to a consulting deal gone south, has prompted the pedal veteran to step back and reassess the way forward. While he genuinely enjoys coming to the aid of others, he has come to realize it has hurt more than helped. “All of the things that have happened over the past year has led me to the conclusion that I really need to focus on my brands,” explains Cusack. “I’ve bent over backwards for a lot of folks in this industry, and we’re all still friends, but where has that gotten me? I don’t sell anymore pedals than I did a year ago or
Jon Cusack is also a volunteer fireman by training.
two years ago. In fact, my sales have been down three years in a row… because I’m focusing all my attention on everybody else. I finally realized that I just have to start saying no. And the flattery of ‘We really need your help?’… I’m finally over it.” Cusack’s rep as a problem-solver comes from his engineering roots. Prior to Cusack Music, he was an engineer for a company that built heaters. He was in-line for a director of engineering job, but was disheartened at the notion of being the guy who talks about work. He was much more comfortable being in the lab — being the guy doing the work. He left that job and started up a consulting business and a pedal company in the same breath. Westshore Design would be the engineering consulting firm, while Cusack Music would be the effects house. With Westshore, he’d solve problem for most anyone that needed it. “There was this company Castex that made floor scrubbers,” he recalls. “Once they had an issue where a floor scrubber would work until a Hi-Lo drove by. Every time a Hi-Lo drove by it would shut off. They worked on it for a long time, and eventually called me in as an expert. In that case it worked out that forklifts have rubber tires, you are on a concrete floor… the static charge of the forklift going by would zap the electronics in the scrubber. It would reset and shut down. It took a simple, 1k resistor to fix it.” Around that same time, a friend had a ZVex Ooh-Wah that he really wanted to have tap tempo. Cusack wasn’t big on mods, but decided that if he was going to look at it, he would
The buildings on the Cusack Music campus are now sprinkled with selective solder machines, substrate printers, pick-andplace machines, drill presses—basically all the equipment needed to not only manufacture his own pedal brands (Cusack and Mojo Hand), but more than enough hardware to handle a healthy crop of OEM work from other effects companies.
call Zack Vex and ask if it was okay to explore the mod. Vex told him to go for it, but two of his own people had already tried and came away empty. A bit of addition and some slight circuit wrangling and Cusack was able to tap the Ooh-Wah. It was the beginning of a working relationship with ZVex that would see Cusack doing circuit board layout for the ZVex Nano amp as well as adding tap tempo to the Ringtone. It was his accomplished engineering background that kept his phone ringing, and it was not uncommon to have a competitor on the other end of the line with a problem that needed solving. One such call came from a midwest builder who was at his wit’s end regarding a clock noise problem in a batch of delay pedals. The builder had 300 units he was preparing to toss in the trash and wanted Cusack to re-layout the circuit board. Cusack would solve the problem… with a root beer can. “I wanted to try and solve the problem and fix the ones that
PROFESSIONAL AUDIO CABLES
they had,” he recalls. “No point in tossing them if I could fix them. So he overnighted me a couple and I took them apart and fixed it with a root beer can. So the pedal had high-frequency clock noise in the audio path… clear as day. It was an unusable pedal. What I found was there was the main audio board and there was a daughter board that had all of the bucket brigade and clock signals on it. The clock signal itself was on a long trace that ran across that entire board. The trace ran directly across the solder point for the 1/4” input jack. The input jack is a high-input impedance so it is susceptible to any kind of noise. It was basically picking it up. After I figured it out, we went to lunch. I had a root beer at lunch, and it hit me… I knew how to fix it. So I cut the can flat. I covered it in packaging tape. Cut it out in the shape of the daughter board leaving a hole where the connector goes through. Popped off the daughter board. Put the root beer can in place. Plugged the daughter board back in. The noise was gone. I just need to shield it. I never re-laid out that board. They just shielded it in production.”
WELCOME TO THE WHAM FAM! Welcome the Whammy Ricochet to the Whammy family! The Whammy Ricochet lets you bounce your playing up or down in pitch in controlled or crazy shifts. A momentary switch, and customizable independent rise and fall time ballistics, allow you to get the Whammy action you know and love without the use of a treadle. The Whammy Ricochet boasts seven pitch selections, as well as a toggle to select up or down for the selected pitch. A second toggle selects latching or momentary footswitch modes so you can choose to rise or fall to pitch and remain there, or to quickly fall back at the release of the switch. All these controls combine to create classic Whammy pitch-shifting as well as new sounds never heard before. Learn more at digitech.com.
Š HARMAN 2017
Stompbox Reviews [ from gearphoria.com ]
Strymon Riverside
IN a world consisting of about four designs, The Riverside Drive is a breath of fresh air. Under the hood, the Riverside has four gain stages that are constantly adjusting for optimum performance. Stage one is an all-analog, class-A JFET circuit that delivers touch sensitivity and the feel of an analog distortion. This is then followed by three, tubegain-inspired digital stages. Each stage adds more texture, complexity, and harmonic richness. What makes the Riverside unique is that it is not only conditioning each of its four stages to interact optimally with the next stage at an inter-chip level—it is also constantly tuning multiple parameters of its circuit so that th player is always in the sweet spot, no matter what gain level is chosen. This means that each stage adjusts to the others, but it also adjusts to your playing. As you roll back the volume on your guitar, or really dig in with your pick, the Riverside finds you and delivers exactly what you expect—dynamic, harmonically rich gain. Strymon calls this the “Infinite Sweet Spot”.
Keeley BubbleTron
I’ve never been a big fan of “ghost” controls on pedals—when the press of a few buttons changes the function of every knob and switch. But if you’re going to keep a secret, do it like the Keeley BubbleTron dynamic phase/flanger/filter. The pedal has a pair of internal switches that open up different versions of the three basic effects, as well as offering a Modern/Vintage voicing, which works as a low-pass filter that rolls off some high-end. There is a lot going on with the BubbleTron - the instructions to the pedal tout it as a ‘crazy machine’. That is apt. The Filter section controls different ramps or random shapes. The Sens(itivity) control acts like a vintage synth bandpass and offers some very cool Moog-esque keyboard-type tones. The Phase section actually houses two phasers: one has an LFO with Rate (speed) control, while depth is dynamically-controlled. The other is a true dynamic
The pedal is also flexible. The simple controls of a common 3-band EQ have been bolstered with Gain and Push switches, each with two settings. The Gain options deliver different characteristics while the Push switch lets you choose between flat responding mids or a boost that drives your amp harder. The most useful control however is the three-position Presence switch. This switch allows the player to further tailor the pedal to different amp tones or to specific recording needs. At low gain settings, the Plus position really brought the Riverside to life for me. Is the Riverside be the future of drive pedals? Maybe. It’s a new approach in an industry decidedly tied to the past. Completely on its own merit, I’d say it’s a great always-on, low-to-medium gain pedal.
phaser that starts and stops based on your playing. It delivers excellent watery tones. You also can turn off the standard phaser and just run it in DynaPhase mode by rolling the Rate control off. The Flange section is based primarily on an old rack unit popularized by Frank Zappa in the early 1980s—the MicMix DynaFlanger. The effect starts and stops based on pick attack, and it only cycles as you play. The beauty of the BubbleTron is not how insane it can be, but how subtle. This is a dream stomp for a player looking to add just a touch of mojo here and there. Even though there is a ton of content to explore, I never felt like I was down the rabbit hole or totally lost sight of the sun. It is a specialist piece, and likely not everyone’s cup of tea, but at $199 the value is solid.
www.redpandalab.com Explore new soundÂŽ
austin stompbox exhibit 2017
March 17-18 12pm (11am on Sat) to 6pm.
1312B E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin
Overdrive / Fuzz
Chase Bliss Audio Brothers • Built upon two independent JFET / IC analog channels for a total of six unique boost, drive, or fuzz circuits facebook band. • It can be routed in thirty-three distinct ways, including in parallel. • Digital core allows to save presets and control all functions via MIDI. • Fully analog signal chain.
Cusack Music Orthrus • A high gain/distortion pedal with EQ section and unusual boost features. • The distortion can be elevated by an extra boost that can be adjusted to 3,6 or 9dB through a toggle switch.
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Rockbox Boiling Point • 3 position diode selector for a nearly endless variety of harmonic flavor: Plexi, Symetrical Overdrive, and Clean Boost. • Bass Boost switch for humbucker and single coil operation. • Delivers responsive and articulate crunch.
ScreaminFX Betrayer • Based on a 308 opamp style gain stage and clipped by 3 diode. • It shines on mid to high gain distortion offering an extremely wide range of options. • Versatile 3 stage passive tone control with bass, mid and treble adjustments.
Elektron Analog Drive • Eight analog distortion types in one box: from Clean Boost to Dirty Drive to Harmonic Fuzz and Thick Gain. • 3 band analog EQ with sweepable Mids. • All settings are fully controllable via MIDI.
ProCo RAT • A fat, high gain, beloved classic distortion/fuzz for well under $100, what more can you ask?
Outlaw Effects Deputy Marshal • A simple and affordable Plexi era British tube style emulation. • Main controls are Gain, Tone and Volume. • Bright/Normal toggle switch offers even more versatility.
Mod Kits DIY The Contortionist II • All analog, high octane fuzz box, coming in pieces, with instructions! • Fuzz with layered octave overtones. • The frequency multiplier circuitry creates harmonics that swell and recede.
This year the Austin Stompbox Exhibit celebrates its fourth anniversary. Because of the cancellation of the SXSW Gear Expo, this event for guitar effect geeks won’t be hosted in the Convention Center, but in a wonderful art gallery just East of downtown (it’s a 10 minute walk, see you there and bring your guitar!).
delay
T-Rex Replicator • A REAL tape delay echo pedal!!! • Like old vintage tape units, the actual magnetic tape will wear down in due time, but the tape is easily replaceable. • Tap functionality and expression controls for ease of use on stage.
Friday Club ED-450b • Warm electronic delay designed around the PT2399 echo processor. • 450ms of delay, intentionally prone to self-oscillation. • Repeats are brighter, for rhythmic styles and conventional applications.
DOD Rubberneck • Fully featured tap delay with over 1 second of analog repeats and unique features. • Double concentric knobs allow for more control options (Modulation Rate, Depth, Gain and Tone). • Through the footswitches and flashing mini knobs you can customize the momentary control of oscillation and of the dizzying pitch sweep.
Red Panda Raster • Digital delay with a pitch shifter integrated into the feedback loop. • It delivers a wide range of sounds including harmonized delays, reverse delays, chorus, arpeggios, infinite descents... • Knob responses are carefully tuned for exploration of self-oscillation and feedback.
Modulation
OneControl Blue Monger • A completely new modulation between chorus and flanger, offering a more complex effect. • Controls for “Complexity” and “Color.” • A lot sturdier than your average mini pedal.
Henretta H-Bomb Trembrato • A combination tremolo and pitch vibrato, perfect for throbby and wobbly sounds. • Independent speed and depth controls for each function. • Can be used as just a tremolo, just a pitch vibrato, or as a combinations of both.
Austin Hot Mods DOD FX-65 “Sea Monkey” • A mod of the classic DOD FX 65 Chorus with increased rate and depth. • High cut on the effect out for warmer repeats. • Optional “Psycho switch”allows the delay to begin regenerating off of itself - for noise lovers only!
Old Blood Noise Endeavors EQ + Buffer • An always on Buffer and switchable 3 Band EQ. • Buffer helps keeping the signal in complex set ups. • The On/Off switch only activates/deactivates only the 3 Band EQ.
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Wampler Mini Ego Compressor • A mini-compressor, because compression shouldn’t take too much space, should it? • Based on the design of its popular brother Ego, but with extra switches for tone (dark/bright) and attack (slow/fast). • “Blend” knob allows to mix in the uncompressed signal for added dynamic response.
looper
Malekko Sneak Attack • A digitally-controlled analog VCA pedal that can also be manually triggered or used in a tremolo mode. • Separate length and curve controls for both the attack and decay segments. • The envelope can be triggered or cycled using the input signal, built in footswitch, Lil’ Buddy footswitch, or external clock/click track.
Hotone Wally Looper • A mini loop station which can record up to 15 minutes of audio. • LED lights let you know what mode you’re in. • Independent knob for in/out and for changing the loop tempo.
BRING YOUR GUITAR!
Montreal Assembly 856 for ZELLERSASN • A creative looper and sample sequencer. • Samples of different parts of a loop are played back in various rhythms and at different pitches. • A designed sequence can be stored and applied to new recordings. • All parameters can be controlled via MIDI.
other
TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler • A stereo pedal that employs a proprietary algorithm to emulate double tracking! • Adds up to three dubs through a toggle switch. • “Tightness” knob dials in the right delay time for a part. • Effected and Dry sound have separate knobs. 26
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Eventide H9 • Runs all of Eventide’s stompbox effects. • Fully controllable through one knob user interface. • iOS app allows managing presets, live control and algorithm purchases.
DigiTech FreqOut Feedback Creator • Generates natural sounding feedback at any volume, also without distortion. • You can choose the note that will resonate and control the delay before feedback begins. • Momentary/Latching modes, Dry Defeat and True Bypass.
Mystery [Strymon] Pedal • We know nothing, to be unveiled at the event!
austin synth expo 2017 Co-presented by
March 17-18 12pm (11am on Sat) to 6pm. 1312B E. Cesar Chavez St., Austin
This year, the third edition of the Austin Synth Expo will be held at the gorgeous Lewis Carnegie Gallery at the corner of E. Cesar Chavez St. and Novasota St. In this section you’ll find a selection of the synths you’ll be able to play at our event. As you can see, there will be all sorts of machines, and yes, you’ll be allowed to put your hands on them! There will be giveaways and once-in-a-lifetime discounts! 1 Arturia DrumBrute
• Boasts 17 distinct, fully analog drum and percussion instruments, with an intuitive sequencer, massive connectivity, a two-mode Steiner-Parker filter, and dynamic performance controls. • Features advanced 64 step/64 pattern sequencing possibilities and effective performance controls. • Create energetic and exciting drum beats, with a single, user-friendly device.
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Yamaha Montage
• A hybrid synthesizer that combines subtractive synthesis and frequency modulation. • Motion Control uses Super Knob, Motion Sequence and Envelope Follower to facilitate evolving sound creation. • Seamless sound switching lets you change performances in realtime without any cut-off of envelopes or effects.
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3 Future Retro 512 Midi Controller
• A capacitive touch keyboard, packed with a unique blend of musical features to facilitate creativity. • Acts as a keyboard, arpeggiator, sequencer, MIDI to CV converter, or MIDI to MIDI converter, plus provides nine octave ranges for the 29 full-sized keys. • Available with or without the optional rack ears that allow it to fit in a standard 19” rack enclosure, taking up only 4u spaces.
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Dreadbox Erebus
• A powerful but affordable duophonic (or paraphonic) analog synth with a small patchbay. • Features two oscillators, a distinctive VC low pass filter, two envelope generators, and VC LFO and delay/echo. • The patchbay allows extra features and makes it compatible with Eurorack systems.
www.elektron.se
austin synth expo 2017 Co-presented by
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Novation Circuit
• A groove box with two polysynths and a four-part drum machine, combined with an intuitive grid-based sequencer. • New firmware unlocks new useful functions like Sample Flip, which lets you place multiple samples on the same drum track, and a more streamlined workflow. • A new editor also allows you to design complex patches from the comfort of your computer screen. 3 Soulsby Atmegatron
• A unique mono synth that combines powerful 8-bit sounds with unprecedented customizability. • Running on the Arduino platform and utilizing a unique synthesis method, it is entirely open source: it can be hacked and modified according to the desires of the user.
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Elektron Digitakt
• A compact drum machine stacked with features. • 8 internal audio and 8 Midi tracks. • 1x Multi-mode filter and Assignable LFO per track. • Delay and Reverb send FX and Sampling capability. • Computer integration through Overbridge.
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Teenage Engineering OP-1
• Everything you need to make a synth pop hit (vocals included) in one tiny package. • 8 Synth engines, 8 Drums patches tweakable by 4 knobs, 1 FX, 1 LFO and 2 arpeggiators each. • 4 track recorded and built in mic (you can plug a better one in).
ENTER MatrixBrute is the most powerful analog monophonic synthesizer ever. As flexible as a modular system but offering presets, 3 Brute oscillators, a Steiner-Parker and a ladder filter, 5 analog effects, and the incredible modulation matrix, it is a dream machine come true.
austin synth expo 2017
1 4ms Dual Looping Delay
Co-presented by
Eurorack Modules
• A modern crystal-clear digital delay, it combines features of delay, looping, and sample-tight synchronization. • Very long storage times, it records and plays continuously, with the new material gradually replacing the old. • Also provides advanced clock input and output for integration with sequencers and rhythmic devices. 2
Eventide E500
• At NAMM 2017, Eventide surprised everybody with this Eurorack effect prototype. • The product is still in development, but it appears to be a tap tempo delay with lots of functions, including a filter. 1
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Warm Star Electronics The Bends
• A different take on the voltage controlled Matrix blender. • Four inputs with attenuators routed to both positive and inverted outputs. • It also features six additional control voltage inputs that adds inputs into each other.
Malekko VARIGATE 8+
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• An 8 Channel 16-Step Sequencer with 2 CV Outs. • Easy recall of 10 storage banks and 100 channel presets. • Lots of extra functions for channels, like Forward, Reverse, Pendulum and Random directions and Probability, Repeat, Delay and Pulsewidth control. 4
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5 Kilpatrick K4815 Pattern Generator
• Can produce notes and varying control voltages for a wide range of musical applications. • Creates sequences by combining a scale, a visual pattern and a sequence playback motion. • Other parameters can adjust the note and sequence length, transposition, and direction of playback. 6 Delptronics LDB-2e Analog Drums
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• An 8 Voices analog drum machine inspired by the classic ’80s units Roland TR-606 and TR-808. • New LDB-2x expansion module gives you knob and CV control of the pitch of every drum, and the decay of the kick and open hi-hat.
Eventide is a registered trademark of Eventide Inc. Š 2017 Eventide Inc.
The Stompbox and Synth Expo's Essential Accessories
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1 Hosa Technology A leading supplier in analog and digital connectivity solutions, Hosa Technology is a favorite among those working within the musical instrument and professional audio industries. Always redefining and advancing what modern analog/digital connectivity should look like, Hosa Technology recently announced the introduction of their Hopscotch Patch cables, a unique, pigtail patch point ideal for modular synths.
Probably the most stylish player in the world of pro audio, Blue Mic continues to work on the cutting edge of audio and recording technologies. The company (originally from Latvia) is sponsoring both our synth and stompbox event, and has just released two new models to its already impressive line-up of svelte, modern headphones: Ella, a planar magnetic model, and Sadie, the next step-up in their powered headphones line.
3 PRS Guitars Founded in 1985, Paul Reed Smith has cemented its reputation for high-quality guitars with an unmistakable look. 2017 has seen new additions to the company’s Core line, including the (pictured) Santana Retro, a model previously only available through the Private Stock program, and based directly off of Santana’s “Pre-Factory” guitar.
4 Vovox VOVOX’s goal is simple: they aim to provide the perfect transmission of sound signals through the use of their audio cables. Though that goal may be ambitious, the brand is not taking this promise lightly, making a name for itself with its cutting-edge cables and their conductor technology that continues to set the standard for high-quality sound.
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Strymon Zuma
Strymon has long been synonymous for studio quality stompboxes, but the company has recently entered the PSU market and it’s pushing the envelope with the release of the Zuma, the highest horsepower and most technologically advanced pedal power supply of its kind. The PSUl is designed with the modern player in mind, offering 500mA of current per output, and advanced, multistage filtering power that allows your pedals to have the best possible dynamic range. 34
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Blue Mic Headphones
Atomic Amps/Studio Devil Amplifire
Born of a collaboration between guitar modelers/designers Atomic Amps and Studio Devil, the Amplifire is a powerful amp tone and multi-effects pedal. It is also sponsoring (and amplifying) the Stompbbox Exhibit’s mixed boards (i.e. boards of pedals organized by type of effect). Among its many features, Amplifire can load third party speaker impulses, faithfully recreating the experience of playing through the greatest guitar amps of all-time.
A portal to infinity | xtomp.com This ultra-thin modeling pedal simulates hundreds of iconic, vintage and modern tones from a growing library controlled from your iOS or Android device.
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Š 2017 Hotone hotoneaudio.com
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Empire Rehearsal Studios offers top quality practice space for Brooklyn and LIC bands and musicians at monthly/hourly rates. Mention Deli Magazine and get 1 month free! Contact eric@empire-rehearsal-studios.com for more information.
Austin Issue
Yonatan Gat
Lewis del Mar